Camp 16.

Saturday, 18th May, 1861.—­[No entry except the following meteorological entry on an opposite page, which may probably refer to this date.] Calm night; sky sometimes clear and sometimes partially overcast with veil clouds.

Sunday, 19th May, 1861.—­[No entry beyond this citation of date.]

Monday, 20th May, 1861.—­[No entry beyond this citation of date.]

Tuesday, 21st May.—­Creek.—­[No entry beyond this citation of date.]

Wednesday, 22nd May, 1861.—­Cooper’s Creek.—­[No entry beyond this citation of date.]

Thursday, 23rd May, 1861.—­[No entry beyond this citation of date.]

Friday, 24th May, 1861.—­Started with King to celebrate the Queen’s birthday by fetching from Nardoo Creek what is now to us the staff of life; returned at a little after two P.M. with a fair supply, but find the collecting of the seed a slower and more troublesome process than could be desired.  Whilst picking the seed, about eleven A.M., both of us heard distinctly the noise of an explosion, as if of a gun, at some considerable distance.  We supposed it to have been a shot fired by Mr. Burke, but on returning to the camp found that he had not fired, nor had heard the noise.  The sky was partially overcast with high cumulostratus clouds, and a light breeze blew from the east, but nothing to indicate a thunderstorm in any direction.

Saturday, 25th May, 1861.—­[No entry beyond this.]

Sunday, 26th May.—­[No entry beyond this.]

Monday, 27th May, 1861.—­Started up the creek this morning for the depot, in order to deposit journals and a record of the state of affairs here.  On reaching the sandhills below where Landa was bogged, I passed some blacks on a flat collecting nardoo seed.  Never saw such an abundance of the seed before.  The ground in some parts was quite black with it.  There were only two or three gins and children, and they directed me on, as if to their camp, in the direction I was before going; but I had not gone far over the first sandhill when I was overtaken by about twenty blacks, bent on taking me back to their camp, and promising any quantity of nardoo and fish.  On my going with them, one carried the shovel, and another insisted on taking my swag in such a friendly manner that I could not refuse them.  They were greatly amused with the various little things I had with me.  In the evening they supplied me with abundance of nardoo and fish, and one of the old men, Poko Tinnamira, shared his gunyah with me. . .The night was very cold, but by the help of several fires—­[The entry suddenly stops here; but in the margin of the opposite page is written the names of several natives, and certain native words with their meanings in English.]

Tuesday, 28th May, 1861:—­Left the blacks’ camp, and proceeded up the creek; obtained some mussels near where Landa died, and halted for breakfast.  Still feel very unwell from the effects of constipation of the bowels.  After breakfast travelled on to our third camp coming down.