10.15 started on a fresh course of 64 degrees, crossing, 11.15, a small salt lake rapidly drying up.  At 11.30 altered course to 100 degrees; at twenty-five minutes to 12 to ten minutes to 1 spelled on sandhill, waiting for the camels, they feeling the effects of the steep sandhill.  At nine minutes past 1 altered course to 116 degrees; at 1.15 altered course to 161 degrees; at seven minutes to 2 changed to 47 degrees; and at 2.20 reached Lake Kadhibaerri.  Found plenty of water and watered the horses (the camels some distance behind, quite unable to keep up) and at once proceeded northward along the side of a large beautifully-timbered grassed and clovered swamp (or creek about one and a half miles across) to ascertain the fact as to the presence of a European, dead or alive, and there found a grave rudely formed by the natives, evidently not one of themselves, sufficient pains not having been taken, and from other appearances at once set it down as the grave of a white, be he who he may.  Returned to lake to await the coming of the camels which was not till about 5 p.m.  Determined in the morning to have the grave opened and ascertain its contents.  Whilst I went to top of sandhills, looking round me, Mr. Hodgkinson strayed a short distance to some old deserted native huts a short distance off, and by and by returned bearing with him an old flattened pint pot, no marks upon it—­further evidence that it was a white, and felt convinced that the grave we saw was that of a white man; plenty of clover and grasses the whole distance travelled, about eighteen miles.  Kept watch as usual (but did not intend doing so) but just as we were retiring a fire suddenly struck up and we thought some of the natives had followed us, or some others had come to the lake, rather a strange matter after dark.  The fire soon after disappeared, which made us more certain still that it was natives.  Intend spelling the camels for a few days to recruit them; one on arrival was completely done up and none of the others looking very sprightly.

Monday, October 21.

Up in good time; before starting for the grave went round the lake, taking Mr. Hodgkinson with me to see if natives were really on lake, as I did not intend saddling the camels today if there were no natives here, intending to leave our camp unprotected, rather unwise, but being so short of hands could not help it, the grave being much out of sight.  Found no natives round the lake nor any very recent traces saving that some of the trees were still burning that they (when here last) had lighted.  We started at once for the grave, taking a canteen of water with us and all the arms.  On arrival removed the earth carefully and close to the top of the ground found the body of a European enveloped in a flannel shirt with short sleeves, a piece of the breast of which I have taken; the flesh I may say completely cleared from the bones, and very little hair but what must have been decomposed; what little there was I have