‘October’ 12.—­Leaving Binney in charge of the horses, with orders to feed them about the Lagoon, where there was better grass than at the river, the brothers started at sunrise in quest of the cattle party.  They met them at about five miles up Pluto Creek, which they were running down.  It appeared that Master Eulah, the pilot, had got completely puzzled, and led the party into the ranges to the eastward, where, after travelling all day, they had been obliged to camp about half-way from the station, and without water.  He was very chop-fallen about his mistake, which involved his character as a bushman.  The Australian aborigines have not in all cases that unerring instinct of locality which has been attributed to them, and are, out of their own country, no better, and generally scarcely so good as an experienced white.  The brothers soon found water for them in the creek under Mount Eulah; after which,returning to the camp, it was too late to continue the journey, particularly as it had been necessary to send one of “the boys” back for a bag of amunition that had been lost on the way.  This is the work they are most useful in, as few, even of the best bushmen are equal to them in running a track.  The day’s stage of the cattle was about 11 miles.

‘October’ 13.—­The cattle started at a quarter-to-six, in charge of Alexander Jardine and two black-boys, while Frank and the rest of the party remained behind to pack and start the horses.  This at the commencement was the usual mode of travelling, the horses generally overtaking the cattle before mid-day, when all travelled together till they camped at night, or preceded them to find and form the camp.  Two incidents occurred on the way:  “Postman,” a pack-horse on crossing a deep narrow creek, fell and turned heels uppermost, where he lay kicking helplessly, unable to rise, until the pack was cut clear of him; and “Cerberus,” another horse, not liking the companionship of the mule, took occasion in crossing another creek to kick his long-eared mate from the top to the bottom of it, to the intense amusement of the black-boys, who screamed “dere go poor fellow donkit” with great delight.  The whole course was about 11 miles.  The camp on a small dry creek.  They procured water in the main channel of the river, on the south side.  During the journey at every camp where there was timber, Mr. Jardine cut (or caused to be cut) its number with a chisel into the wood of a tree, in Roman numerals, and his initials generally in a shield.

‘October’ 14.—­The distance travelled to-day was only 11 miles, but described by Mr. Jardine, as equal to 20 of fair travelling ground.  The course lay over very stony quartz and granite ridges, which could not be avoided, as they ran into the river, whilst the bed of the stream would have been as difficult, being constantly crossed by rocky bars, and filled by immense boulders.  The grass was very scarce, the blacks having burnt it all along the river.