March 2.  Camp 17, situated on the right bank of the Flinders River.

Tea-trees here fringe the channel which looks permanently watered.  Although this was Sunday we came up the river.  I thought it as well to do so, Mr. Bourne and Jackey, while they were away from our party shooting, having observed a strong body of blacks.  We started at 9 a.m.  At 11 came south-east and by east over rich level land, grassed with herbage and wooded with box and bauhinia.  At 11.15 came south half a mile and encamped.  It rained heavily so the work of packing up, saddling, packing the horses, driving them over sloppy, boggy ground, unpacking them, and making a fire with wet wood was anything but pleasant employment.  Distance today five miles.

March 3.

It rained so heavily that we remained here.  The ground was so soft that the horses, much as they are inclined for rambling, did not go further away than a quarter of a mile.

March 4.

We started this morning at 8.20.  Came east three-quarters of a mile over rich level ground with a few trees upon it.  The ground was so soft from the rain that the horses were with difficulty driven along.  From following each other in single file and sinking at every step to their fetlocks the track they made was so deep that it will not be easily effaced.  At 10.50 came south-east for five miles and a half across rich plains with the greenest herbage; the plains separated from each other by wooded land with shallow streams flowing to the northward.  At 11.35 came south-south-east two and a quarter miles up along a shallow stream with slightly wooded plains on its banks.  Here Jemmy and I stayed behind the party and got the following observation, namely, meridian altitude of the sun 76 degrees 3 minutes, latitude 20 degrees 19 minutes.  At 12.45 came across the plain on the tracks of the party two and a quarter miles.  At 2.35 came at a quicker pace, as the ground was harder, for two and a half miles south-east and by east, and crossed a shallow watercourse with box-trees along its margin coming from the south.  At 3.30 travelled over rich plains separated from each other by wooded land with watercourses from the south for one and a half miles south-east and by south.  At 4 came half a mile south-east and by south over thickly-wooded land and overtook our party where they had formed their encampment.  Jemmy, Jackey and Fisherman were very successful in collecting food for their supper.  On the plains they caught a great number of rats, and near here they caught five possums.  Distance today eighteen and a half miles.

March 5.  Camp 19, situated on the right bank of Flinders River.