Oct. 28.—­We travelled ten miles in a north-west direction, to lat. 14 degrees 33 minutes.  When we had followed the green belt of the river near four miles, Charley, who had been sent to shoot some ducks, returned, and reported that we were near the head of the river; and that he had discovered water bubbling out of the ground at the foot of a slight rise.  We now followed the direction of some smoke which rose behind a large mountain; passing on our way, over an undulating country clothed with a forest of the broad-leaved tea-tree; and a scrubby flat with large melon-holes fringed with raspberry-jam trees; and through a gap between two high ranges, in which there was a small dry creek that turned to the north-east.  From a large Polygonum water-hole which had recently become dry, a swarm of whistling ducks rose, probably scared by our approach.  Two bustards were also seen.  About three miles farther, we came to a good-sized creek, up which we proceeded until we found a small pool of water, which, after some digging, gave us a good supply.  Charley had found a fine pool about four miles higher up.

At this time, I was suffering from a great irritability of the skin, and was covered all over with a prickly heat; the slightest pressure or rubbing produced inflammation and boils, particularly about the knees:  and Mr. Phillips suffered in the same way, at the arm and elbow.  Mr. Gilbert had been subject to these boils when we were travelling at Peak Range, and along the Isaacs; but, since that time until now, none of the party had been inconvenienced by them.

Oct. 29.—­We travelled about twelve miles N.N.W., and followed the creek about four miles, to allow our cattle and horses to drink freely at the water-hole discovered by Charley the day before.  We passed some plains, and through a broad-leaved tea-tree forest, and then skirted a thick scrub, which covered the approaches of a range.  After seven miles travelling, we came to an immense flat lightly timbered with box and broad-leaved tea-tree, and surrounded on every side, except the S.S.E., by high ranges, protruding like headlands into the plain.  Upon passing them afterwards, I found them to form undulating chains of baked sandstone hills.

We crossed several small watercourses going to the north-east and east, and came to a considerable creek, near which basalt cropped out.  This was the first igneous rock of more recent date, that we had met with since leaving Separation Creek, and the upper Lynd.  Even my Blackfellows recognized at once the rock of Darling Downs; and we hailed it as the harbinger of western waters.  The whole country up the creek had been lately burned, which induced me to follow it towards its head, in hope of finding the place where the natives had procured water.  The bed was filled with basaltic boulders, as were also its dry holes, from one of which the Grallina australis rose, and for the first time deceived our expectations.  In a wider part of the valley, I observed wells of