21st March.

We were again in the saddle at 5.15 a.m., and continuing our course north 73 degrees east, reached the limit of the open plain, which turned to the south-east and extended to the horizon; at 6.40 entered the wooded country which bounded the plain, and the soil changed from a rich clay-loam to sandy and gravelly soil with fragments of sandstone, the vegetation consisting of small white-gum trees, shrubby acacia, and triodia, with a few patches of grass.  The country gradually rose till 9.25, when we came to an abrupt descent into the valley of Sturt’s Creek, but the country did not improve in character till 10.20, when we came to the grassy flats; at 10.50 camped at a large open pool of water in the bed of the creek.  On the pools there were large flights of whistling ducks, but so wild that they could not be approached within range of our guns.  Moderate breeze from east with light clouds from south-east during the day.  The weather has for the past ten days been so misty that I have not been able to get a good set of lunar distances, and it is useless to observe unless under circumstances favourable for accuracy.

22nd March.

5.35 a.m. found us again travelling up the creek on a northerly course; at 7.20 changed the course north-east by north, and at 11.30 camped about a mile below Camp 35.  The hill at the bend of the creek proved to be basaltic, with a stratum of ironstone conglomerate resting on it.  The pools of water in the bed of the creek were much reduced and all the smaller ones dried up.

23rd March (Sunday).

The feed and water not being in sufficient quantity to permit of our resting at this camp, we followed up the creek nearly on the outward course.  A few miles above the creek a party of blacks came out of the creek and commenced a distant parley, but on one of the party approaching them they picked up their spears they had secreted in the grass and ran away into the bed of the creek.  After six and a half hours’ journey camped at the lower end of the pool, where we had halted on the 15th February; near the northern bend of the creek we passed a fine deep pool, which appears to retain water through the dry season.  All the smaller pools had dried up, and the larger ones had sunk two feet since we were here in February.

24th March.

As the horses had not had a day’s rest for some time past, we remained at the camp to refresh them before attempting to cross the dry country which divides the southern waters from those flowing to the north-west coast.  As the nearest water which we knew to exist was now fifty miles to the east, and the country in that direction very bad travelling, we were now, however, eighty miles in a direct line from the depot camp, and as that course would take us over new and unexplored country I determined to attempt a direct route.

1700 Feet above sea level.

25th March.