creek, then creek bore
about east by north to east-north-east which I followed till after dark
about six and a half miles, altogether about nineteen miles. Obliged to
leave another horse (Governor) in the creek, fairly knocked up. He has
been very soft although the highest priced horse of the lot, one bought
of Mr. Boord for 50 pounds. There is another will have to be left if the
country does not immediately change for the better; fortunately we found
water in several places in the bed of the creek or the horses would have
fared badly--a little grass of a very coarse nature just in the sides of
the creek, the rest all spinifex and scrub, the latter the camels
greedily devour; the rough country has told much on the feet of the
latter, another of which, the old Indian, I am afraid will have to be
left behind. First pines seen today since crossing Lake Torrens.

Sunday, June 15.

Camp 18. Very cloudy, every appearance of rain. Started at 9.10 along the
bed of the creek still about east by north; at 10.35 three miles the
creek receives a considerable tributary from the south-east, in fact it
is the main channel and the one we are in the tributary, then it flowed
north 15 degrees west to north or nearly so till 11.45 when the horses
knocked up, must camp and give them the rest of the day and probably
tomorrow; on this latter course about two miles; distance travelled
between five and six miles. After getting to camp ascended the hills on
the right or eastern side of the river and never beheld such a fearfully
grand country in my life, nothing but towers and pinnacles of sandstone
conglomerate, fit for nothing but wallaby and euro; and if it is for a
thousand years from this time it can be used by no other animals but them
and the natives as it is at present. The apparent course of this river
from the greatest height I could get to is about 305 degrees, going in
the first place after passing the camp a little more north for three or
four miles--it is a terrible country. Should the river, on a closer
examination tomorrow, prove to go as I imagine it does, I have nothing
for it but to retrace my steps and go up the main branch and try and
cross the range at top. Still very cloudy and looks as if it would rain
every minute. I wish I had a little more food, if I had I would give the
animals a week here but I have barely sufficient for six days. Oaks have
been seen today in the bed of the river since the junction of the two
chann