New plan of movements.

February 5.

On this morning it was reported to me that several of the ponies were in a dying state, and that none of them would be again able to carry even such light loads as they had hitherto done; the quantity of stores they could now convey was quite inadequate to supply a party of the strength we were obliged to move with for any great length of time.  A new plan of operations was thus forced upon me, and I now resolved to proceed as follows: 

To advance with half our stores to a convenient place for encamping at, and then, on the succeeding day, to send back some of the party with the ponies for the remaining portion of the provisions; whilst, accompanied by two men, I marked off the road by which we were to move on the following day.  This mode of proceeding would not very much delay our movements; for the country we were at present in was of so intricate a nature that it was impossible to move loaded horses without previously marking a road for them; and by its adoption I trusted to be able to establish a depot of provisions at some point distant from the coast and whence we could yet make a good start in a southerly direction.

Labour of tracing route.

In pursuance of this plan Mr. Lushington returned this day to our last camp to bring up the provisions we had abandoned; whilst I went off with two men to endeavour to pick out a route by which the ponies could travel.  A more toilsome day’s work than we had could not be imagined.  For eleven hours I was incessantly walking, exposed during the greater part of the time to the burning rays of a tropical sun; and we found nothing but rocky, almost impassable sandstone ranges and precipitous ravines.  I however at last succeeded in discovering a path along which it was just possible we might be able, by using great care, to lead loaded horses; and on my return to the camp I found that all the remaining stores had been brought up.

Descent into A valley.

February 6.

We began our descent this morning from the tableland into a deep valley, following the track we had yesterday marked off, which was still however so rugged and rocky as to be very difficult to get along.  Heavy rains set in, and these were always so cold that the large drops falling upon us Occasioned quite a painful sensation.  The valleys being all flooded there was no feed in them for the horses and sheep; I therefore was obliged to send them back under charge of Mr. Lushington to the camp, which we had this morning quitted.

I retained three men with me; and after the remainder of the party had moved off I left two of them in charge of the stores, and started with Corporal Coles, again to explore the country in front of us.

Character of the country.  Flooded ravine.