Sunday, 27th January, 1861.—­Started from Camp 105 at five minutes past two in the morning.  We followed along the bends of the creek by moonlight, and found the creek wind about very much, taking on the whole a north-east course.  At about five miles it changed somewhat its features; from a broad and sandy channel, winding about through gum-tree flats, it assumes the unpropitious appearance of a straight, narrow creek, running in a north-north-east direction between high, perpendicular, earthy banks.  After running between three or four miles in this manner, it took a turn to the west, at which point there is a fine waterhole, and then assumed its original character.  Below this we found water at several places, but it all seemed to be either from surface drainage or from springs in the sand.  The land in the vicinity of the creek appears to have received plenty of rain, the vegetation everywhere green and fresh; but there is no appearance of the creek having flowed in this part of the channel for a considerable period.  Palm trees are numerous, and some bear an abundance of small, round dates (nuts) just ripening.  These palms give a most picturesque and pleasant appearance to the creek.

Wednesday, 30th January, 1861.—­Started at half-past seven A.M., after several unsuccessful attempts at getting Golah out of the bed of the creek.  It was determined to try bringing him down until we could find a place for him to get out at; but after going in this way two or three miles it was found necessary to leave him behind, as it was almost impossible to get him through some of the waterholes, and had separated King from the party, which became a matter for very serious consideration when we found blacks hiding in the box trees close to us.

. . .

Having reached the point indicated by the last date and passage in” Field Book 7,” Mr. Burke and my son determined to leave Gray and King there in charge of the camels, and to proceed onwards to the shores of Carpentaria, themselves on foot and leading the horse.  The river or creek down which they passed is named in the journal the Cloncurry.  The channel making a sudden turn, my son remarked that it might be a new river.  “If it should prove so,” said Mr. Burke, “we will call it after my old friend Lord Cloncurry.”

With reference to this locality, marked in the map as Camp 119, King was asked in his examination before the Royal Commissioners: 

Question 815.  Was the water salt?—­Quite salt.

816.  Who first made the discovery of reaching the sea, or did you all come upon it together; that is, reaching the salt water where the tide was?—­Mr. Wills knew it; he had told us two or three days before we reached the salt water that we were in the country that had been discovered by Mr. Gregory and other previous explorers.

817.  Some days before you got upon it he told you that?—­Yes, and showed us on the chart the supposed place where Mr. Gregory crossed this small creek.