a mile south down the river; at 1.47 made a quarter of a mile south-east
down the river; at 2.20 made one mile and a quarter south, following the
course of the river in search of water; at 3.10 made one mile and
three-quarters about south-south-west, following the course of the river
in search of water; at 3.44 made half a mile about south-west, following
the course of the river in search of water; at 4.10 made one mile and a
quarter about south, where, accompanied by the troopers, I left Campbell
and Allison to go in search of water; at 5.20 made three miles about
south-west down the river in an unsuccessful search for water; at 6 made
two miles north-east by east; returning, we steered over plains, the
grass of which was completely parched up. Near the creek I observed more
owls than I have ever seen anywhere before; at 6.27 made one mile and a
quarter north-east by east back to our party; then went, at 6.56, one
mile and a quarter north by east, towards where we had seen the last
water; at 7.15 made one mile north by east; at 7.35 made three-quarters
of a mile north-east; at 8 made three-quarters of a mile about north-east
by north and encamped.

Saturday December 28. Camp Number 24, situated on the Herbert River.

We started back up the river being unable to pursue our course to the
westward from want of water. I sent Mr. Campbell and Jemmy on with the
horses, while Mr. Allison and I went out on the plain to take an
observation of the sun, which was not satisfactory from the sun being
over-shadowed; we made the latitude 20 degrees 12 minutes 35 seconds; at
1.21 p.m. made three miles north by east from where we took the sun's
altitude; at 1.53 made one mile north to where we crossed a channel of
the river; at 2.35 made two miles and a quarter north by east partly on
the tracks of Campbell and party; at 2.50 made three-quarters of a mile
north-north-east to where we recrossed left bank of the river and