The wind blew strongly all night from the north-west, and in the morning huge clouds darkened the sky, but there was no immediate prospect of rain.  The air was warm and parching, and we proceeded with our thirsty cattle to the next stage of our journey (the camp of the 30th June) distant about five miles.  This we reached by half-past eleven, and I sent the cattle with four armed men to the river, which was about a mile from our position.  In the course of the afternoon the wind from north-west increased to a gale, but the air was still warm, and the sun set in a clear sky, while the heavy clouds sank to the eastern horizon where sheet lightning played incessantly until after midnight.  The air brought by that wind from the north-west was so dry as to occasion a most unpleasant heat and parched sensation in the skin of the face and hands, and several men complained of headache.  That air seemed to contain no moisture, and in all probability blew over extensive deserts.

July 20.

The morning was clear with a cold and gentle breeze from north-west.  We this day reached the spot which we had occupied on the 29th June and again encamped there, with the intention of halting two days in order to refresh the cattle.  During the afternoon the sky became again overcast and the wind, shifting to the south-west, blew strongly with drizzling rain.

MR. LARMER’S EXCURSION INTO THE COUNTRY TO THE EASTWARD.

July 21.

Very tempestuous weather, unlike any we had hitherto met with in the interior.  I sent Mr. Larmer with four men to examine the dry creek which we had now left higher up towards the hills on the east, that he might ascertain if any ponds remained there, as it lay in our best line of route homewards.  That creek afforded the only prospect during this dry season of a line of route by which we might avoid the great detour in following the Bogan river, which route would otherwise be unavoidable merely from the general scarcity of water.  Two of the men were now invalids, one with scurvy, the other with dysentery.

THE SPITTING TRIBE AGAIN.

July 22.

The wind blew very keenly all night, and in the morning the sky was cloudy, but no rain fell; towards noon the sun appeared, and the air became milder.  About two P.M.  I was informed that the Spitting tribe was on the riverbank, and in communication with our men in charge of the cattle; also that three had come over and sat down, asking as usual for tomahawks.  These were the old man already mentioned (as wanting part of his nose) and two strong men.  Our party beckoned to them to keep back, but they came over in three canoes.  They had been fishing on the river, and had been roasting and eating the fish on the opposite bank.  Overseer Burnett offered them his clasp-knife in exchange for a cod* weighing about 19 pounds but they would only give a small fish weighing not above one pound; and then coolly went over and