‘November’ 14.—­Being satisfied that the cattle could not be brought on by the course they had traversed, Frank Jardine determined to leave Maramie Creek, and make for the large stream crossed on the 12th, so as to strike it below the junction of Cockburn Creek.  Turning due south the party passed a swamp at eight miles, and at seventeen miles a lagoon, on which were blue lilies (’Nymphoea gigantea.’) A mile farther on they reached what they supposed to be the Mitchell, which was afterwards ascertained to be the Staaten, of the Dutch navigators, or one of its heads.  At the point where they struck it (about 18 miles below the junction of Cockburn Creek, it is nearly a quarter-of-a-mile in width, sandy, with long waterholes.  A dense black tea-tree scrub occupies its south bank.  It was here that the party experienced the first decided show of hostility from the natives.  They had seen and passed a number at the lily lagoon unmolested, but when arrived at the river whilst the leader was dismounted in its bed, fixing the girths of his saddle, he was surprised to find himself within 30 yards of a party carrying large bundles of reed spears, who had come upon him unperceived.  They talked and gesticulated a great deal but made no overt hostility, contenting themselves with following the party for about three miles throughscrub, as they proceeded along the river.  Getting tired of this noisy pursuit, which might at any moment end in a shower of spears, the Brothers turned on reaching a patch of open ground, determined that some of their pursuers should not pass it.  This movement caused them to pause and seeming to think better of their original intention they ceased to annoy or follow the little party, which pursued its way for five miles further, when they camped in the bed of the stream.  Its character for the 8 miles they had followed it up was scrubby and sandy:  its course nearly west—­long gullies joined it from each side walled with sandstone.  They caught two turtles for supper.  Total distance travelled 26 miles.

’November 15.—­Making an early start, the party followed up the Staaten for eight miles, the general course being about N.E.  Here it was jointed by Cockburn creek, which they ran up until they reached the cattle party encamped at the lagoons, where the Leader had marked trees stop.  They had reached this place on the 13th inst., without further accident or disaster, and seeing the trees, camped as instructed.  It was nearly 30 miles from the junction of the Staaten, the country scrubby, thickly timbered, and very broken.  Total distance 38 miles.

‘November’ 16.—­The whole party was moved down Cockburn Creek, that being the only practicable route.  It was the alternative of poor grass or no grass.  The trend of the creek was about N.W. by W. At twelve miles they encamped on its bed.  A red steer and a cow were left behind poisoned; and another horse, “Marion” was suffering severely from the same cause.