EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 19 



may have been sown by former travellers in this fertile spot no 

 traces are to be found now, nor in the many places that I have 

 visited after former travellers have I ever found any traces or 

 evidence of the seeds having germinated. I can only reiterate my 

 regret that I had no seeds of trees or dates to experiment with 

 here. Camped at 2*20 p.m. Since noon the weather has been 

 sultry and oppressive with every indication of a change. Bar. 

 27 - 6M0in., ther. 89° at 3 p.m. An observation made this evening 

 gives me S. lat. 23° 49' 36"'. 



Tuesday, April 30M.— Camp No. 23, Glen Edith. Bar. 

 27*700in., ther. 66°. — Cloudy with light easterly wind. Writing 

 up journal, plotting, and engaged in many camp duties ; took some 

 photographs in the afternoon. Many of the camels have very bad 

 backs, and others have to be attended to. 



Wednesday, May 1st. — Bar. 27 , 660in., ther. 66°. — The sun came 

 out in good force at noon, placing the mercury up to 90° in the 

 shade. The camels drank a great deal, and seriously reduced the 

 water supply. Took several views with the camera. 



Thursday, May 2nd. — Bar. 27'660in., ther. 74°. — Light N.E. 

 wind. The night was close and oppressive, and rain seemed in- 

 evitable, but the morning broke clear and warm ; thermometer in 

 the dense shade of a pine-tree went up to 94°. I shall leave the 

 main camp here and start away to-morrow with Billy and three 

 fast camels to make a flying trip to the S.W. with the hope of 

 finding another place to bring the party to. I expect to be away 

 eight or nine days, and in that time f hope that the camels which 

 have sore backs may be improved. 



Friday, May 3rd. — Bar. 27-600in., ther. 64°. -A light shower 

 at 11 o'clock last night called us all out to cover up. It lasted 

 onlv a few minutes, and the morning; broke bright, clear, and 

 cloudless, with a N.E. wind. Started with Billy and three fast 

 camels at 8 30, taking ten days' provisions. Travelled over oak 

 and spinifex sandhills, and at 5 p.m. reached the foot of Sandstone 

 Range, that is easily seen from Glen Edith; course, S. 68° W., 

 distance twenty miles. The sandhills passed to-day ran nearly 

 east and west until we approached these hills, they then became 

 irregular and much higher, and continued right up to the foot of 

 the range, which present an abrupt escarpment towards the north. 

 All the afternoon heavy clouds had been accumulating, and at 

 sundown it was gloomy and threatening, so much so that I put up 

 my small tent that I fortunateby brought with me. I was preparing 

 for bed when a few drops fell, and the night was as dark as pitch. 

 For an hour after this it was most oppressively close and still, 

 steady rain then set in. About midnight I sent Billy (the black- 

 tracker), who was my only companion, to bring in the saddles. 

 Returning in the darkness he stumbled against the tent prop, and 

 down it came. Billy was very prompt in replacing the prop, but 

 I was in an unenviable position for a little while. The small tent, 



