July 21.—­When Charley was riding after our hobbled horses, he came, at about two miles N. E., from our camp, to another watercourse, with well filled rocky water-holes.  When he brought this welcome intelligence, we immediately loaded our bullocks, and moved to these water-holes; on which it appeared some natives had encamped very lately.  The country around was broken and scrubby; but in general it was well-grassed, with a sound soil.  Our latitude was 17 degrees 52 minutes 53 seconds.

The wind, during the last two days, was from the southward in the forenoon, and from the westward in the afternoon.  The nights were calm and clear, but very cold.

Mr. Calvert had happily recovered so much as to be able to resume his duties; and, notwithstanding the fatigues of the last long stage, Mr. Roper had slightly improved.

July 22.—­Last night was beautifully clear and calm, until midnight, when a cold south wind set in, which made us all shiver with cold.  I had not felt it so much since the night of Mr. Gilbert’s death, nor since we left the upper Lynd and the table land of the Burdekin.  The wind was equally strong in the morning from the south-east, and veered in the course of the day to the south and south-west.

We travelled about eight miles and a half W.N.W. to lat. 17 degrees 50 minutes 28 seconds, at first passing over a scrubby country, which changed into box flats when we approached the waterless creek, at which we encamped on the night of the 20th.  To the westward of this creek, box flats alternated with tea-tree thickets; and opened at last into a large plain, which we crossed at its southern termination, where it was three miles broad; it appeared boundless to the northward.  Plains of the same character had been dimly seen through the open forest to the northward, for some time before we came to the one we crossed.  This was not covered with the stiff grass, nor the dry wind-grass of the plains north of the Staaten; but it bore a fine crop of tender grasses, which rendered them infinitely more valuable for the pasture of horses and cattle.  At the west side of the plain, we found a chain of fine long lagoons, surrounded by Polygonum, and apparently well stocked with fish.

Charley and Brown caught an emu, with the assistance of the dog, which became every day more valuable to us.

Since Mr. Gilbert’s death, the arrangements of our camp have been changed.  I now select an entirely open space, sufficiently distant from any scrub or thicket, even if we have to go a considerable distance for water.  Our pack-saddles are piled in two parallel lines close together, facing that side from which a covered attack of the natives might be expected.  We sleep behind this kind of bulwark, which of itself would have been a sufficient barrier against the spears of the natives.  Tired as we generally are, we retire early to our couch; Charley usually takes the first watch, from half-past six