6th February.

Leaving the camp at 6.20 a.m., steered south up the valley of a large creek.  At first the ground was very rough and rocky, but as we proceeded it became more level and sandy—­the bed of the creek being worn in the basalt, and the hills of sandstone conglomerate rising 100 to 200 feet.  Except on the bank of the creek, there was no grass, the hills being covered with triodia.  Encamped in a grassy flat at 11.30 a.m.

Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 48 seconds.

Cross watershed to interior.  Hooker’s creek.

7th February.

At 6.30 resumed our journey to the south-south-west, and reached the head of the creek at 8.0 a.m.  Ascending the tableland by an abrupt slope of 100 feet, our course was south one mile, when the southern slope was reached, and a large shallow valley extended across our course, beyond which a vast and slightly undulating plain extended to the horizon with scarcely a rising ground to relieve its extreme monotony.  Descending by a very gentle slope into the valley, at 9.40 a.m. crossed a small watercourse trending south-east, and then passed through a plain densely covered with kangaroo-grass seven to nine feet high, and at 10.40 a.m. encountered the level sandy country beyond, which was covered with triodia and small acacia and gum trees, or rather bushes.  Seeing little prospects of either water or grass to the southward, turned east to the creek, at which we encamped at 12.30 p.m.  The bed of the creek was dry, except a few shallow pools of rainwater, and there had been so little rain this season that no water had flowed down the channel.  A level grassy flat extended nearly a mile on each side of the creek, which indicated the extent of occasional inundations, beyond which the country was very sandy and covered with small gum-trees, acacia, and triodia.

Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 3 seconds.

8th February.

The country to the south being so level and barren that we could not expect to find either water or grass in that direction, at 6.0 a.m. steered north 110 degrees east along the course of the creek, which turned somewhat to the north of our track for a few miles; but at 8.0 again came on its banks.  The country was very barren and sandy, with small trees of silver-leafed ironbark and triodia, except on the inundated flats of the creek, which were well grassed and thinly wooded with box-trees.  The course of the creek was now nearly south-east, but the channel decreased in size, and was quite dry till 10.0 a.m., when we reached a fine pool which had been filled by a tributary gully.  Here we halted and shot several ducks.  At 2.45 p.m. resumed our route, and at 3.20 came to a level grassy flat, on which the channel of the creek was completely lost.  Crossing the flat to the east, the country was quite level and sandy; therefore turned to the north, where there seemed to be a slight depression, and at 4.50 came to a shallow pool of rainwater, at which we encamped.  Frequent showers during the night.