friend our guns, water-bottles, and other things as if he were quite familiar with them.  Before starting we went to see the gin and the little boy.  She was very timid and ran away when we approached near to her.  We left camp at 9.30 and followed down the left bank of the river about nine and a half miles and encamped.  The country we saw today has undulating features with rich soil, dry grass, and box-tree.  Near the river just above here there are sandstone ridges with western-wood acacia and Port Curtis sandalwood.  Wittin told Jemmy that he had seen to the eastward of here about ten moons ago a party of travellers consisting of four white men and four black men.  He got a shirt from them, but they did not give him any bread.  Wittin wanted to return because of the unpleasant effects of the riding, which was new to him.  We came here on the following courses:  11.30 south-west for five and a quarter miles; 1.15 south-south-west for one and a half miles; 1.45 south-west for one mile; 2.24 south-south-west for one and three-quarter miles.  Distance nine and a half miles.

April 14.

We started down the river this morning at 9.50.  Our last camp (47) is situated on the left bank of the river.  When we had proceeded a short distance we observed a range right ahead of us.  Wittin called it Trimpie Yawbah.  Afterwards we observed other hills to the westward of Trimpie Camp, the highest of which I called Mount Pring.  On the first unwooded plain we came upon after leaving camp we saw in the distance objects which appeared to be cattle, but upon getting nearer to them we found them to be emus.  When we had travelled about fourteen miles down the left bank of the river we encamped.  The ground we crossed was more level than the land higher up the river, and the grasses at places were good; but otherwise there was no change in the character of the country.  At a spot about five miles south half east from the last camp I made the meridian altitude (A.H.) 112 degrees 50 minutes; latitude 24 degrees 5 minutes 7 seconds.  Anxious to have the guidance of Wittin to Cooper’s Creek I made free with the name of Sir George Bowen, Governor of Queensland, by telling him that, if he showed us the road, the governor would send from Brisbane to the first station formed on Bowen Downs a medal, a tomahawk, and a blanket.  This evening Fisherman and Jackey showed Wittin corroboree dance.  For the dance they painted themselves with white streaks, and with the light of the fire they looked like skeletons.  From last camp we steered in the following courses:  11.40 south half east for five miles; 1.30 south half east for three miles; 2.30 south by west for three miles; 3.40 south-south-west for three miles; distance fourteen miles.

April 15.