at the Grand Junction Depot form nearly the only exceptions met.  From that point the river decreased in size with every branch creek that joined it, and now it had decreased to nothing.  No high ranges form its head.  The hills forming its water-shed become gradually lower as we approach its termination, or rather beginning, at the desert’s edge.  The desert’s edge is a raised plateau of over 2000 feet above the sea-level—­the boiling point of water being 208 degrees = 2049 feet—­and being about 350 miles in a straight line from where the Ashburton debouches into the sea.  My camp upon the evening of the 29th of May, a little westward of the bluff-faced hill before mentioned, was in latitude 24 degrees 25’ and longitude 119 degrees 58’.  We remained here during the 30th.  The horizon to the east was formed by a mass of low ranges; from them we saw that several diminutive watercourses ran into our exhausted channel.  I could not expect that any hills would extend much farther to the east, or that I should now obtain any water much farther in that direction.  A line of low ridges ran all round the eastern horizon, and another bluff-faced hill lay at the south-west end of them.  The whole region had a most barren and wretched appearance, and there was little or no vegetation of any kind that the camels cared to eat.  Feeling certain that I should now almost immediately enter the desert, as the explorer can scent it from afar, I had all our water-vessels filled, as fortunately there was sufficient water for the purpose, so that when we leave this camp we shall not be entirely unprepared.

The morning of the 31st of May was again cold, the thermometer falling to 27 degrees, and we had a sharp frost.  I was truly delighted to welcome this long-expected change, and hoped the winter or cool season had set in at last.  This day we travelled east, and went over low, rough ridges and stony spinifex hills for several miles.  At about eleven miles, finding a dry water-channel, which, however, had some good camel shrubs upon its banks, we encamped in latitude 24 degrees 28’, being still among low ridges, where no definite view could be obtained.  On June the 1st we travelled nearly east-north-east towards another low ridge.  The ground became entirely covered with spinifex, and I thought we had entered the desert in good earnest; but at about six miles we came upon a piece of better country with real grass, being much more agreeable to look at.  Going on a short distance we came upon a dry water-channel, at which we found a deep native well with bitter water in it.  We encamped in latitude 24 degrees 24’.  The night and following morning were exceedingly cold—­the thermometer fell to 18 degrees.

We had not yet reached the low ridge, but arrived at it in two miles on the morning of the 2nd.  From it another low ridge bore 23 degrees north of east, and I decided to travel thither.