20 EXPEDITION FROM MORETON BAY [Nov. 8, 1858. 



on his horse again, and it was therefore fortunate that a small patch 

 of dry grass was found on the bank of the river, which enabled us 

 to halt the next day (23rd May\ which was Sunday. 



Travelling down the right bank of the river the principal channels 

 were full of water, but the clay plains between were quite dry, the 

 rain which had caused the river to flow not having extended so far 

 south; nothing could well be more desolate than the unbounded 

 level of these vast plains, which, destitute of vegetation, extended 

 to the horizon. Our horses were reduced to feeding on the decayed 

 weeds, and even these were so scarce that they eagerly devoured 

 the thatch of some old native huts. 



2^th May. — We had nearly reached the farthest point attained 

 by Mr. Kennedy when the horses showed. signs of failing strength, 

 and the channels on the east side of the plain being dry, I con- 

 ceived it prudent to cross to the western side again. 



The dry mud was so deeply cracked that the horses were con- 

 tinually falling, and one horse was so completely exhausted that we 

 had to abandon him. 



2Sth May. — Steering a westerly, and then a north course, we 

 reached the small water-hole at Mr. Kennedy's second camp on the 

 return route ; there was just sufficient water to supply the party for 

 one night, and a few scattered tufts of grass near it, but quite in- 

 sufficient for the supply of so large a number of horses. 



Close to the water-hole we found Mr. Kennedy's marked tree ; it 



was a large box-tree, marked on the north side thus : n ^^^ 



cuts of the axe and chisel were still quite clear, though twelve 

 years had elapsed ; but the slow growth and decay of trees in the 

 interior may be attributed to the dryness of the climate. 



29th May. — Steering north-west, after toiling nearly 30 miles across 

 this fearful waste of dry mud, we at length reached a small patch 

 of grass on a sandy hummock, but only just in time to save the 

 horses, as many could scarcely keep on their legs, and we had ta 

 uemove their loads to those which were less exhausted. 



30^^ May. — Long before the next morning our hungry animals had 

 consumed every blade of grass, and the small patch round the camp 

 was reduced to the same barren appearance as the surrounding plain. 

 We therefore started in search of food for them, and were fortunate 

 in finding a second patch of grass, about 3 miles to the south, and 

 halted for the remainder of the day, which was Sunday, thankful 

 that Providence had enabled us to make it a day of rest. 



31s^ May. — The running channel of the river being still to the 

 vest of our position we steered south-west, over barren clay plains, to 



