July 4.—­Whilst writing in my tent this evening, my attention was attracted by the notes of swans, and upon going out I perceived a flight of several of the black species coming up from the southward; when they had got over the tents, they appeared to be alarmed and wheeled to the eastward, but soon returning, they took a nearly due northerly course.  This was encouraging for us, and augured well for the existence of some considerable body of water inland, but we hoped and expected that a few days would perhaps give us a clue to the object of their flight.

Sunday, July 5.—­A day of rest to all.  In the afternoon I employed myself in writing out instructions for the overseer during my absence, as also for the master of the Waterwitch, for whose arrival we now kept a constant and anxious look out.  In the evening about eight o’clock the sentinel on the hill reported a fire on the opposite side of Spencer’s gulf.  Upon receiving this intelligence I had blue lights exhibited, and rockets fired, which in a little time were replied to by rockets from the gulf and the lighting up of a second fire on shore assuring me at once of the safe arrival of the cutter.

Chapter IV.

Make arrangements for getting up stores from the Waterwitch—­leave the
party—­salt watercourse—­mount Eyre—­aspect of the country—­lake
Torrens—­return towards the hills—­native female—­saline character of the
country—­mount deception—­reach the eastern hills—­large
watercourses—­water hole in A rock—­grassy but hilly country—­running
stream—­ascend A range—­return homewards—­decay of trees in the
watercourses—­shoot A kangaroo—­arrive at the depot—­bury stores—­make
preparations for leaving—­send despatches to the vessel.

July 6.—­Being anxious to pursue my explorations, and unwilling to lose another day solely for the purpose of receiving my letters, I sent down my overseer to arrange about getting our stores up from the vessel, which was about fourteen miles away, and to request the master to await my return from the north, and in the interval employ himself in surveying and sounding some salt water inlets, we had seen on the eastern shores of the gulf in our route up under Flinders range.

Having made all necessary arrangements and wished Mr. Scott good bye, I set off on horseback with the eldest of my native boys, taking a pack horse to carry our provisions, and some oats for the horses.  After rounding a projecting corner of the range we passed Mount Arden, still traversing open plains of great extent, and very stony.  In some of these plains we found large puddles of water much discoloured by the soil, so that it was evident there had been heavy rains in this direction, though we had none to the southward.