‘October’ 21.—­Mr. Jardine describes to-day’s stage as the best the cattle had experienced since taking delivery of them 230 miles back; the river banks along which they travelled were flat and soft, lightly timbered with box, poplar-gum and bloodwood.  From a low table-topped range, which they occasionally sighted on the right, spurs of sandstone ran into the river at intervals, but were no obstruction.  A cow had to be abandoned knocked up.  A couple of blacks were surprised in the river spearing fish; they set up a howl, and took to the river.  In the evening the whole of the party went fishing for the pot, there being no meat left. (Camp XII.) Distance 11 miles.  The weather to-day was cloudy for the first time, shewing appearance of rain.

‘October’ 22.—­The river was travelled down for 10 miles, through similar and better country than that of yesterday’s stage, and the camp established on a deep narrow well-watered creek, three-quarters-of-a-mile from its junction with the river.  Here the Leader determined to halt for a few days to recruit the strength of the horses and cattle, the feed being good; many of the cattle were lame, two of the hacks were knocked up, and several of the pack-horses had very sore backs, so that a “spell” was a necessity.  They were now 120 miles from Macdonald’s station, having averaged ten miles a-day since the start

‘October’ 23.—­The camp was established at this point (Camp XIII.) pending a reconnaissance by the Leader and his brother to find the Lynd of Leichhardt, and determine the best line of road for the stock.  A couple of calves were killed, cut up, and jerked, whilst some of the party employed themselves in the repairs to the saddlery, bags, etc., and Alexander Jardine took a look at the country back from the river.  Mr. Richardson plotted up his course, when it was found that it differed from that of the brothers by only one mile in latitude, and two in longitude; he also furnished the Leader with his position on the chart, telling him that the Lynd must be about ten miles N.E. of them, their latitude being 17 degrees 34 minutes 32 seconds S.*

[footnote] In Mr. Richardson’s journal he mentions the distances as 18 to 20.  He also explains that he had two maps, in which a difference of 30 miles in longitude existed in the position of their starting point.  Not having a Chronometer to ascertain his longitude for himself, he adopted that assigned by the tracing furnished from the Surveyor-General’s Office.

‘October’ 24.—­The brothers started this morning, taking with them Eulah, as the most reliable of the black-boys; they were provisioned for five days.  The cattle were left in charge of Mr. Scrutton:  the feed being good and water plentiful, the halt served the double purpose of recruiting their strength, and allowing the Leader to choose the best road for them.  Steering N.E. by E. at a mile, they passed through a gap in the low range