River for seven or eight miles; steering 10 degrees over grassy country,
the soil was composed of detritus of granite and trap rocks; at 11.0 came
on a large party of natives, some of whom accompanied us for about a
mile, pointing out places where we should find water. At noon turned to
the north-east and entered an extensive valley with some patches of
grass, but not generally of a good character; at 12.30 p.m. crossed a
small watercourse trending west; followed it about half a mile, and then
steered north-west over scrubby flats till 1.0, when we struck a small
stream-bed with small pools of water, and halted till 1.20, and then
followed up the stream to the north till 3.0, when we bivouacked.

21st December.

At 6.35 a.m. steered north over a hilly country with scrub, grass,
York-gum, and wattle--the prevailing rocks red sandstone, quartz, and
granite; at 8.30 crossed a stream-bed with pools of brackish water
trending east, and at 8.50 entered a good grassy country which appeared
to extend ten to twelve miles to the east and north--clumps of York-gum,
jam-wattle, and sandalwood were observed on some of the hills. After
crossing several small watercourses, at 9.45 ascended an elevated sandy
tableland covered with coarse scrub; and at 10.35, not seeing any
prospect of better country, changed the course to west, and following
down a deep gully, at 11.7 came to a small pool of salt water; following
the watercourse south-south-west, at 11.25 came to a small hole dug by
the natives, in which the water was fresh, though the pools above and
below were salt. Halting till nearly 1.0 p.m., resumed a westerly course,
crossing several deep grassy valleys trending south; at 1.35 steered 211
degrees over a hilly, quartz, and granite country with very good grass;
at 2.30 again came on the stream-bed, the country improved and
well-grassed, with scattered jam and black wattle trees as far as the