Wednesday, 1st May, 1861.—­Started at 8.40, having loaded our only camel, Rajah, with the most necessary and useful articles, and packed up a small swag each, of bedding and clothing for our own shoulders.  We kept on the right bank of the creek for about a mile, and then crossed over at a native camp to the left, where we got on a path running due west, the creek having turned to the north.  Following the path we crossed an open plain, and then some sand ridges, whence we saw the creek straight ahead of us running nearly south again:  the path took us to the southernmost point of the bend in a distance of about two and a-half miles from where we had crossed the creek, thereby saving us from three to four miles, as it cannot be less than six miles round by the creek.—­To Camp 7.

From Camp 7.

Thursday, 2nd May, 1861.—­Breakfasted by moonlight and started at 6.30.  Following down the left bank of the creek in a westerly direction, we came at a distance of six miles on a lot of natives who were camped on the bed of a creek.  They seemed to have just breakfasted, and were most liberal in their presentations of fish and cake.  We could only return the compliment by some fishhooks and sugar.  About a mile further on we came to a separation of the creek, where what looked like the main branch, turned towards the south.  This channel we followed, not however without some misgivings as to its character, which were soon increased by the small and unfavourable appearance that the creek assumed.  On our continuing along it a little further it began to improve and widened out with fine waterholes of considerable depth.  The banks were very steep, and a belt of scrub lined it on either side.  This made it very inconvenient for travelling, especially as the bed of the creek was full of water for a considerable distance.  At eleven A.M., we halted, until 1.30 P.M., and then moved on again taking a south-south-westerly course for about two miles, when at the end of a very long waterhole it breaks into billibongs, which continue splitting into sandy channels until they are all lost in the earthy soil of a box forest.  Seeing little chance of water ahead, we turned back to the end of the long waterhole and camped for the night.  On our way back, Rajah showed signs of being done up.  He had been trembling greatly all the morning.  On this account his load was further lightened to the amount of a few pounds by the doing away with the sugar, ginger, tea, cocoa, and two or three tin plates.—­To Camp 8.

From Camp 8.

Friday, 3rd May, 1861.—­Started at seven A.M., striking off in a northerly direction for the main creek.  At a mile and a-half came to a branch which—­[Left unfinished].—­To Camp 9.

Junction.—­From Camp 9.