started to rejoin our companions.  The country was so parched up that Fisherman said, “Suppose you leave him river, you won’t find other fellow water.”  At 11.49 we made one mile and a quarter south; at 12.10 we steered south-south-west for about three-quarters of a mile, and reached the river, where, at a blacks’ camp, we overtook our companions.  There were three gins and six children, who were trembling with fear in and at the edge of the water.  In a short time they recovered courage, and one of the gins, to whom I gave a red woollen neck comforter, wanted to get up behind one of my companions, and although her advances were rejected she followed us until Jemmy, the trooper, made signs to her to return to camp.  We started again at 12.30, and at 12.42 made half a mile south-west by west.  At 12.56, by following up the river, we made half a mile in a south-west direction.  At 1.17 p.m. made three-quarters of a mile south by west along the bank of the river.  At 1.27 quarter of a mile south-west, where on the bank of the river we had dinner, and had for salad cabbage-tree sprouts.  The holes in the river are here deep and long.  Hills confine the river on both sides, just above where we had dinner.  The one on the right bank of the river I have named Heales Ranges, and the one on the left Mount Macadam.  Started again at 4.53 p.m.  At 5.20 followed up the river, one mile in a westerly direction, over fine ridges of rich soil.  At 5.27 quarter of a mile south-west by west.  At 6.25 made two and a half miles west-south-west to left bank of the river, where we formed our ninth camp—­the worst camp the horses have had as the grass was completely burned up.

Tuesday November 26.  Camp Number 9, situated on the Gregory River.

From this camp there are three hills on this side—­the left—­of the river, visible from the camp; ranges bearing from north by east to north by west I call the Hull Ranges; a hill west half south I call Mount Moore.  Fisherman and I set off when Campbell, Allison, and the horses were all but ready to start, to go along the ranges to have a view of the country.  We went along the ranges which confine the river on the left bank for forty-eight minutes, when we reached a point about two miles west by south from camp.  At 9.20 we started to overtake our companions.  At 10.12 made two miles and a quarter west by north, partly over ridges of good soil, and partly over barren ridges, all of which were as dry as a chip, to the track of our main party on the way up the river.  At 10.40 made one mile southerly, and reached in that direction and distance the bank of the river, where it washes the base of a steep hill on the opposite side.  At 11 we made three-quarters of a mile along the bank of the river in a south-west and by west direction.  At 11.12 made half a mile west-south-west to a point on the bank where a hill on the left bank is about quarter of a mile distant to the north-west.  At 11.25 made half a mile west-south-west to old channel