my steps to the creek in which we had dug the well.  I directed Mr. Browne, with Flood, however, to push on, till sunset, in the hope that he might see a change.  At sunset I commenced my retreat, feeling satisfied that I had no hope of success in finding water so far from the hills.  Turning back at so late an hour in the afternoon, it was past midnight when we reached the sand ridge from which we had started in the morning; where we again stopped until dawn, when proceeding onwards, and passing a shallow puddle of surface water, that was so thick with mud and animalculae as to be unfit to drink, we gained the creek at half-past 4 p.m.  Mr. Browne and Flood joined us some little time after sunset, having ridden about 18 miles beyond the point at which we had parted, but had not noticed any change.  The sandy ridges, Mr. Browne informed me, continued as far as he went; and, to all appearance, for miles beyond.  The day we returned to the creek was one of most overpowering heat, the thermometer at noon being 117 degrees in the shade.  I had promised to wait for Mr. Browne at the shallow puddle, but the sun’s rays fell with such intense effect on so exposed a spot that I was obliged to seek shelter at the creek.  It blew furiously during the night of the 13th, in heated gusts from the north-east, and on the morning of the 14th the gale continued with unabated violence, and eventually became a hot wind.  We were, therefore, unable to stir.  The flies being in such myriads around us, so that we could do nothing.  It is, indeed, impossible for me to describe the intolerable plague they were during the whole of that day from early dawn to sunset.

On the night of the 14th it rained a little.  About 3 a.m. the wind blew round to the north-west, and at dawn we had a smart shower which cooled the air, reducing the temperature to something bearable.  The sun rose amidst heavy clouds, by which his fiery beams were intercepted in their passage to the earth’s surface.  Before we quitted our ground I sent Flood up the creek, to trace it into the hills, an intention I was myself obliged to forego, being anxious to remain with the cart.  The distance between the two creeks is about 26 miles, but, as I have already described the intervening country, it may not be necessary to notice it further.  I was unable to take many back bearings, as the higher portions of the ranges were enveloped in mist.  We reached the glen at half-past 5 p.m., and took up our old berth just at the gorge, preparatory to ascending the hills on the following day.  Flood had already arrived there, and informed me that he had not followed the creek to where it issued from the ranges, but had approached very nearly, and could see the point from which it broke through them.  That he had not found any surface water, but had tried the ground in many places, and always found water at two or three inches depth, and that where the water was the most abundant the feed was also the most plentiful.