saddled, a small quantity of timber could be seen at the point of a
sand ridge about a mile and a half or two miles to the west of us,
and on going there we found a fine creek, with a splendid sheet of
water more than a mile long, and averaging nearly three chains
broad: it is, however, only two or three feet deep in most parts.

Monday, 24th December, 1860.--We took a day of rest on Gray's Creek
to celebrate Christmas. This was doubly pleasant, as we had never,
in our most sanguine moments, anticipated finding such a delightful
oasis in the desert. Our camp was really an agreeable place, for we
had all the advantages of food and water, attending a position of a
large creek or river, and were at the same time free from the
annoyance of the numberless ants, flies, and mosquitoes that are
invariably met with amongst timber or heavy scrub.

Tuesday, 25th December, 1860.--We left Gray's Creek at half-past
four A.M. and proceeded to cross the earthy rotten plains in the
direction of Eyre's Creek. At a distance of about nine miles we
reached some lines of trees and bushes which were visible from the
top of the sand ridge at Gray's Creek. We found them growing on the
banks of several small creeks which trend to the north and
north-north-west; at a mile and a half further we crossed a small
creek north-north-east, and joining the ones above mentioned. This
creek contained abundance of water in small detached holes from
fifty to a hundred links long, well shaded by steep banks and
overhanging bushes. The water had a suspiciously transparent colour
and a slight trace of brackishness, but the latter was scarcely
perceptible. Near where the creek joined the holes is a sandhill
and a dense mass of fine timber. The smoke of a fire indicated the
presence of blacks, who soon made their appearance and followed us