EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 45 



Sunday, June 16M. — Camp No. 48, Sandstone and Pine Rock. 

 Bar. 28 - 500in., ther. 32° at sunrise. — Everything was white with 

 frost this morning. Employed during the day drying plants and 

 clothes, taking observations for latitude, variation, and time. From 

 this camp theie is an extensive view of hills and ranges to the 

 south and south-west. The lofty peaks of Blood's Range in the 

 clear morning air assume a variety of tints, while the numerous 

 ravines and gorges suggest innum°rable little streams of water 

 running their limited extent into the sandhills of oak and spinifex. 

 The peaks of Blood's Range have such an imposing appearance 

 that I propose to visit them to-morrow. 



Monday, June \lth.— Camp No. 48. Bar. 28-500in., ther. 33°. 

 — I found my work so much in arrears that I decided to remain 

 here to-day. In the afternoon Billy, Weei, and myself went to 

 examine the rock and the reservoir. The rock is about eighty or 

 one hundred feet high and perhaps half a mile long from E. to W., 

 and is composed of sandstone and quartzite and covered with 

 well-grown pine trees ; at its eastern end I noticed a few white 

 gums and bloodwood trees growing, while the south side is abrupt 

 showing many little bays and cliffs of brown rugged rock, its 

 northern side slopes more gradually and spinifex grows nearly to 

 the top. Upon its north-eastern slope is the water hole; this I 

 find to be in solid rock, it is quite eight feet deep, ten yards long, 

 and one yard wide, there are other pockets containing water in the 

 neighborhood but they are very small. This water is so sheltered 

 from the sun that I should imagine the dusky denizens of these 

 regions would look upon it as a permanent water, but a team of 

 really thirsty camels would make serious inroads with its contents. 

 It would be difficult to get stock up to it, and the surest and safest 

 way would be to carry it down to them. I noticed here many of 

 the ant tunnels upon the ground, and secured several pieces of this 

 tunnel work and a few of the builders ; put them all into a tin box 

 with the hope that they may prove of interest to any who value 

 such specimens. I can only regret the loss of the jar of methylated 

 spirits at Bond Springs, for many specimens of the insect kingdom 

 could have been preserved during this journey. There is a large 

 quantity of poison bush around the rock, but the camels, taught, 

 1 suppose, by experience, do not touch it. Bar. 28 - 360in., ther. 

 75° at 5 p.m.. , 



Tuesday, June \%ih — Camp No. 49. Bar. 28-360in., ther. 36°. 

 — Fine, bright, and clear. The camels separated into several mobs 

 during the night and were not brought up till late. The water at 

 this camp ceased to run during the night ; had a longer stay been 

 necessary I should have had to move round to the reservoir on the 

 other side of the hill. Started away at 10*30 on a bearing of S. 

 68° W., for the first two miles travelled over mulga flats where 

 there was a little rough grass growing, nor was there any spinifex,. 

 but this very soon set in. Travelled over flat sandy country with 



