EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 21 



this cleared up, and the rest of the day was bright and fine. 

 I found upon my arrival that the waterhole has been quite 

 filled, though strange to say the creek had not run : all our 

 belongings were out on the rocks drying. No damage worth 

 mentioning had been caused by the wet, although the canvas tar- 

 paulin had been found to be next to useless ; so my companions 

 sought shelter under the large overhanging rock at the back of the 

 waterhole, under which they were perfectly dry during the whole 

 of the rain. 



Thursday, May 9th. — Bar. 27-650in., ther. 58°.— A very bright 

 clear morning; making preparations to start away to-morrow ; took 

 observations for latitude, variation, and time. 



Friday, May 10M— Camp No. 24, Bar. 27'550in , ther. 66°.— 

 Light showers until 10 a.m. ; weighed up and arranged packs : 

 camels did not turn up till late; started at 12"30 on a bearing 

 S. 84° W. Travelled over spinifex and oak sandhills till 5 - 30 ; 

 during the afternoon there was very heavy thunder with most vivid 

 lightning, and the sunset was very grand ; the setting; sun tinged 

 the huge thunder clouds with many shades of bronze and gold ; 

 upper currents of air twisted these enormous volumes of cloud into 

 many fantastic and swiftly- changing forms and varying tints. We 

 were sitting down to our evening meal when the rain came down m 

 torrents, the supper was abandoned and all the tinware in a few 

 minutes was full of water ; it lasted only half an hour but every- 

 thing was soaked ; the ground and our blankets were soaked, and 

 the fire beaten out. Travelled fifteen miles through desert oak, 

 mallee, and mulga. 



Saturday, May llth.— Camp No. 25. Bar. 27'780in., ther. 66°. 

 — A heavy rain squall turned me out at 2*30 this morning ; dawn 

 broke at last threatening and gloomy ; the camels rambled away, and 

 when brought up, three of them were found to be suffering from 

 the effects of some poisonous plant, the symptons being a trembling 

 of the limbs, frothing at the mouth, falling down, and inability to 

 chew the cud ; the usual remedies were applied, in two cases 

 effectually, so we saddled at 10 ; it soon became evident that the 

 third one would cause serious delay, so left it behind with a man to 

 bring it along as it was able. Travelled upon the same bearing as 

 yesterday, viz., S. 84° W. for two miles, when I decided to turn 

 towards the hills, where I had been overtaken by the rain ; here I 

 knew there would be water, and hoped that a days rest would 

 recruit the camels. Turned S. 35° W. towards a creek that was 

 running when I was there last week ; reached this in five miles ; 

 camped at 1 p.m. The sick camel arrived later in the afternoon ; 

 put everything out to dry. It has been quite a summer's day, the 

 ther. 89° in the shade Fred went down to look at the camels at 

 dark, he found them still trembling and quite unable to stand. I 

 think the best remedy is to keep them moving. These hills have 

 been named Watson's Range. Bar. 27 - 631 in., ther. 84° at 3 p.m. 



