then they must be assured of finding food, of which, in these deserts,
the chances are against the existence.

Yesterday, being the King's birthday, Mr. Cunningham planted under Mount
Brogden acorns, peach and apricot-stones, and quince-seeds, with the
hope rather than the expectation that they would grow and serve to
commemorate the day and situation, should these desolate plains be ever
again visited by civilized man, of which, however, I think there is very
little probability.

Our observation placed the situation of the tent in lat. 34. 13. 33. S.,
long. 146. E.; the variation of the compass 8. 08. E.

June 6.--A mild pleasant morning: set forward on our journey to the
westward and north-west, in hopes of finding a better country: at two
o'clock halted about two miles from Peel's range, after going about
eight miles through a very thick cypress scrub; the country equally bad
as on any of the foregoing days. We saw no signs of water during our
route: the whole country seems burnt up with long continued drought; no
traces of natives, or any game seen.

After two hours' search a small hole of water was found at the foot of
the range, sufficient for the horses, and in a hole in the rocks a
little clearer was procured for ourselves.

June 7.--Set forward to the north-west, the horses being a little
fresher than for some days past. Halted at four o'clock, having gone ten
miles through a country which, for barrenness and desolation, can I
think have no equal; it was a continued scrub, and where there was
timber it chiefly consisted of small cypress: we saw no water as usual,