EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 27 



Laura Vale, after the daughter of my companion, David Beetson. 

 Although there is now a mile or more of running water, I can only 

 express my regret that I cannot speak positively of its permanence. 

 There do not appear to be any large rockholes in the gorges, which 

 makes me feel doubtful of its lasting through the summer. Found 

 an emu's nest with eight eggs, which were passably fresh. Marked 

 tree 5 ^ 9 at this camp. Bar. 28-300in, ther. 68° at 5 p. m. 



Thursday, May 23rd. — Camp No. 33, Laura Vale. Bar. 28-300in., 

 ther. 38° at sunrise. — The camels appeared to be doing well on the 

 herbs and shrubs A rest was necessary, as many of them are 

 suffering from sore backs, and these require careful treatment ; 

 I therefore propose to stay here until Saturday and examine the 

 hills, which indicate a metamorphic formation. Tested several 

 specimens collected, and found no indications of metals. Bar. 

 28-25oin., ther. 64? at 3 p m. 



Friday, May 24th.— Laura Vale. Bar. 28'275in., ther. 38° at 

 sunrise. — Had emu egg; fritters for breakfast to celebrate the 

 anniversaiy of the birth of Her Most Gracious Majesty. Went 

 up to the hills to collect further specimens and to determine the 

 height of the highest point, which I found to be 281 feet above 

 the plain. They are composed principally of a coarse red sand- 

 stone and quartzite, chiefly in large boulders piled in many curious 

 and fantastic shapes, among which there are chasms and ravines 

 which dip into the little creek that finds its way into the valley. 

 Our camp is situated a quarter of a mile from the gorge, on the 

 edge of the little clear stream which is only about a foot in width 

 and the same depth. There are no evidences of it having ever 

 extended beyond its present narrow limits A few bloodwood trees, 

 some kangaroo grass, a richer soil for a few feet on either side, 

 together with a fresh appearance in the shrubs alone tell of the 

 presence of water. It has probably been running since May 3rd, 

 when we experienced the fall heavy of rain at Glen Edith ; its 

 course is southerly and it is lost in the sandhills about two miles 

 distant. To the eye this is a very fertile valley with open forest 

 and quite parklike in appearance, the waving white spinifex appears 

 as long rich grass, the strangely shaped hills are covered with 

 dwarf pines, the dark foliage of which contrasts with the deep red 

 color of the rocks. Horses would have but little feed here, and 

 since leaving Gill's Creek we have not seen an acre of grass land. 

 A quarter of a mile from the glen, and at the point of a limestone 

 rise on the creek channel, I have marked a tree 5 T sg . I hope the 

 next traveller passing along this way will find the water supply as 

 good as it is now. From the highest point of the hill I took the 

 following bearings : — The range to which I am steering bears 

 296° 30'; Mount Rennie, 103° 30' ; a range, abrupt at each end, 

 running east and west bears 340°, distant about forty miles; 

 another low range bears 307° 45', distant twenty miles ; an isolated 

 hill about forty miles distant, 336° 30'; Mount Lyell Brown, in 



