country the other way. The horses' shoes have been worn quite thin by the
stones, and will not last above a day or two. Nay, some of the poor
animals are already shoeless. It is most unfortunate that we did not
bring another set with us. Distance to-day, twenty-four miles.

Saturday, 26th June, Edge of Plain. Started at 9.30 a.m., on a bearing of
314 degrees 30 minutes, over an undulating plain, with low sand hills and
wide valleys, with plenty of grass and salt bush. After ten miles the
sand hills ceased, and at thirteen miles we reached the point of the
stony table land. Here we saw, to the north-north-west, what was
apparently a large gum creek, running north-east and south-west. Changing
our bearing to 285 degrees, after seven miles of very bad stony plain,
thinly covered with salt bush and grass, we came upon the creek, and
found long reaches of permanent water, divided here and there by only a
few yards of rocks, and bordered by reeds and rushes. The water hole, by
which we camped, is from forty to fifty feet wide, and half a mile in
length; the water is excellent, and I could see small fish in it about
two inches long. About ten miles down the creek the country seems to be
more open, and the gum-trees much larger, and in a distant bend of the
creek I can perceive a large body of water. The first of the seven or
eight tent-like hills that were to the east of our route to-day presents
a somewhat remarkable appearance. Of a conical form, it comes to a point
like a Chinaman's hat, and is encircled near the top by a black ring,
while some rocks resembling a white tower crown the summit. Distance
to-day, twenty miles.

Sunday, 27th June, Large Water Creek. Cloudy morning, with prospect of
rain. A swan visited the water hole last night, and to-day we have seen
both the mountain duck and the large black duck. Having a shoe to fix
upon Jersey, and my courses to map down, we did not get a start until 10