and many of the small fish dead; he also found some very perfect fossil
shells, the mussel and oyster; they have now become a solid limestone;
they were found in a large circular piece of limestone.

Saturday, 23rd April, Finniss Springs. Started at 8 a.m. with Herrgott to
examine the country south of this. Between this and the range the land is
good in places. It is a little rotten and stony, but the range is a
beautiful grass country to the very top. In the creeks the grass and
other plants are growing luxuriantly, but we could find no water. I was
unable to prosecute the search as far as I wished, in consequence of my
horse having lost a shoe and becoming quite lame, which forced me to
return to the camp, where we arrived at 9 p.m. The view from a high
conical hill of white granite with black spots at the north-west point of
the range, is very extensive, except to the south, which is limited. We
saw smoke in one of the creeks to the east; but as I was anxious to
examine the creek to the south-west, which we saw from the top of the
conical hill, I did not go to where the smoke was rising, thinking that
the blacks might only be hunting. I therefore crossed the hills to the
creek over a good feeding country, timbered with box and gum-trees. We
expected to find water in it, from the great number of birds of all
descriptions that were flying about; we followed it down, but were
unsuccessful, although the birds continued all the way. There must be
water about the hills in some place. At sundown, my horse becoming very
lame, I was forced reluctantly to return. The flow of the waters is
northward into North Lake Torrens. On Monday I shall start again to the
south-west, and leave the examination of the range to the south-east
until my return.

Sunday, 24th April, Finniss Springs. Latitude, 29 degrees 33 minutes 30
seconds. Rested.