nd from south-east to south, during the night a
very little rain.
Friday, November 22.
Daylight quite cloudy and like rain. Temperature 82 degrees, wind
chopping all round; at noon south and north of west. Temperature 142
degrees and still a cool breeze blowing; sunset temperature 90 degrees,
wind southward and strong. No appearance of Hodgkinson and party. The
natives in a great stir here tonight about something--about a dozen of
them crossed the lake to us after dark, wishing to camp near for the
night; but as I did not approve of their movements in the evening
immediately sent them off again.
Saturday, November 23.
At daylight wind strong from the east; temperature 80 degrees, at 5.30
a.m. blew quite a gale from south, the sky quite overcast and in every
other part of the country would make preparations for a heavy fall of
rain, but I have seen so much of this here that I don't expect rain till
I see it. Temperature noon 110 degrees, rain all blown past; at sunset
wind still strong from south; temperature 84 degrees. No appearance of
Hodgkinson's party. Natives assembling in great numbers on this
lake--distributed some beads, bracelets, and other trinkets amongst them,
at which they seemed much pleased.
Sunday, November 24.
Wind south-east beautifully cool; temperature at sunrise 63 degrees; at
noon in shade 84 degrees; at sunset wind south, temperature 76 degrees;
cloudy. Hodgkinson not arrived.
Monday, November 25.
At 1.30 a.m. temperature 62 degrees; at sunrise temperature 58 degrees,
wind east-south-east, beautifully cool; at noon temperature 106 degrees
in the sun and wind; at sundown 82 degrees, gentle breeze.
Tuesday, November 26.
Wind east, at sunrise temperature 63 degrees; at noon in the shade
temperature 79 degrees, very light breeze: temperature at 2.30 p.m. 110
degrees, wind west-north-west and cool; at sunset temperature 90 degrees,
calm. No appearance of the party from Blanchewater.
Wednesday, November 27.
Calm at sunrise, temperature 60 degrees; at 9 a.m. 116 degrees in the
sun; at 1 p.m. 118 degrees. Got the horses in the forenoon and went east
three and a half miles; first three-quarters of a mile over sandhills,
rest of the way over flooded ground to Goderannie Creek; not much water
now; then to Palcooraganny. At present this is the dry bed of a small
lake with plenty of dry clover and grasses in the dry bed. On the
north-east side of the lake is a well dug by the native
|