Our camp at this place was on one of the prettiest spots on the Murray.  Our tents were pitched on some sloping ground, sheltered from the S.W. wind.  The feed was excellent, and the soil of better quality than usual.  We had a splendid view of the river, which here is very broad and flanked on the right by a dark clay cliff, which is exceedingly picturesque.  On the opposite side of the stream there is an extensive, well wooded and grassy flat of beautiful and park-like appearance.  Altogether it was a cheerful and pleasant locality, and we were sorry to leave it so soon.  Our observations placed us in lat. 34 degrees 11 minutes 12 seconds S. and in long. 140 degrees 39 minutes 42 seconds E. From this point the general course of the Murray is much more to the north than heretofore, so that on leaving it we had more of northing in our course than anything else.  Some strange natives brought up our cattle for us, to whom I made presents; but although so kindly disposed, they did not follow us.  Indeed, the natives generally, seemed to regard our progress with suspicion, and could not imagine why we were going up the Darling with so many drays and cattle.  Our sheep had now become exceedingly tame and tractable; they followed the party like dogs, and I therefore felt satisfied that I had not done wrong in bringing them with me.  We travelled on the 4th, over harder and more open ground than usual, having extensive polygonium flats to our right.  There were belts of brush however on the plains, the soil and productions of which were sandy and salsolaceous.  At 4 1/2 miles we struck a lagoon, and coming upon a creek at 13 miles, we halted, although the feed was bad, as the cattle were unable to get to the river flats in consequence of the flooded state of the creek itself.

On the 5th we travelled through a country that consisted almost entirely of scrub on the poorest soil.  However, we were now approaching that part of the river at which the flats (extensive enough) are intersected by numerous creeks and lagoons, so that our approach to the Murray was likely to be cut off altogether.  At 3 1/2 miles we again struck the creek on the banks of which we had slept, and as it was the point at which the native path from Lake Bonney also strikes it, I halted to take a meridian altitude, which placed it in 34 degrees 4 minutes 5 seconds S. We had allowed our horses to go and feed with their bridles through the stirrups, and were sitting on the ground when we heard a shot, and a general alarm amongst them, insomuch that we had some difficulty in quieting them, more especially Mr. Poole’s horse.  It was at length discovered that one of that gentleman’s pistols had accidentally gone off in the holster, to the dismay of the poor animal.  Fortunately no damage was done.