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s leads me to suppose they are on the other or principal branch of the Flinders River; but I shall know more about it in a few days. Abundance of water in the small creeks as far east and south as I went today and some lagoons in the flats. The natives commence their range of fires from 20 degrees west of south to 30 degrees east of south, and I think I shall find that it will meet me on my course. Wind in the afternoon from south by east, strong occasionally, towards evening it died away. Beef now dry. We start from here tomorrow if all is right and we have nothing more to detain us. The horses are shod except one and that one, one of the best, no shoes being large enough. I hope he will be able to get along. Our food now consists of about 230 pounds of dry and salt beef, everything else in the shape of food gone but I think we will have sufficient to carry us into the settled districts of Queensland on the Burdekin River where we will be able to get a fresh supply. We have a little salt and amongst the lot about half a pound of soap. Wednesday, June 11. Camp 14. The bed of this branch here is one mass of concrete and conglomerate, with small and large masses of ironstone, just as if it had lately escaped from a furnace, with pebbles and pieces of quartz, some sandstone, and sandstone in which is a mass of quartz. In many other places it is quite a bed of sand its full width, and in other places separated into different branches by bergues of alluvial deposit and sand, with trees of different kinds and shrubs and reeds upon them. There is a table-topped hill down on or near the north-west bank a few miles, lightly wooded from north-north-east to south-west and apparently stony. Not a breath of wind at daylight; afterwards in forenoon from east-south-east. Started at 8.30 a.m. on bearing of 110 degrees, for first few miles through open forest intersected with small creeks flowing to west and south, some containing water with lagoons on the flat occasionally, the drainage of the ranges to the eastward and north of our course. The spurs coming down close on our left stony but well-grassed and very lightly timbered, in fact nearly bald ridges. Over first stony ridge at 10.10 and considerable-sized double creek at 10.17, dry at crossing. Top of next high range at 11.15; five and a quarter miles. Very extensive view. Spelled on top of hill waiting for the camels for forty-five minutes till noon. Then started on bearing of
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