EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 7 



for the night. The country travelled over to- day was very similar 

 to that passed over all the way from the Painta Spring, though it 

 is not half so well grassed ; indeed it may be said that the surface 

 of the ground is entirely covered with a herb known as buckbush. 

 While this is a valuable food plant for camels, I am not aware that 

 it is so for either cattle or horses, in fact I think it is quite the 

 reverse. The ranges are abrupt, stony, and entirely destitute of 

 timber, excepting perhaps a few stunted pines, and an occasional 

 bean tree will be found at their base and lower slopes. This tree 

 is that from which the natives procure fire by friction, and is 

 extremely light and tough, and should be valuable for many 

 purposes. The ranges appear to be falling off in height, and the 

 fact of being able to do a little southing leads me to believe that I 

 shall soon be able to get through them to the south. We had just 

 got the camp fire strongly ablaze when we were visited by a heavy 

 thunder shower that wetted us through. It passed off in half an 

 hotu\ and the rest of the evening was pleasant though cloudy ; this 

 was to be regretted, for I was anxious to observe for latitude. 

 Travelled twenty miles on all courses. Trees, principally bean 

 trees, grevillia and mulga. A few kangaroos of the red species 

 and an emu were seen. Camped at 6 p.m. on an open sandy grass 

 flat at foot of the range. Obtained specimen of the bean tree,. 

 from which the natives make their shields and procure fire. 



Saturday, March 30th. — Camp No. 8. Bar. 27'920in., ther. 72°' 

 at sunrise. — Started at 8 - 25 on a bearing of S. 70° W. and in 3J 

 miles struck a gum creek which apparently came from the south- 

 ward ; where Ave first met with it the country had been burnt for 

 a considerable distance by the blacks, and many tracks of them 

 were noticed in the creek channel. We followed this creek in its 

 windings south for four miles ; its course is through a country that 

 is very pleasing to the eye. the apparently well grassed hills (in 

 reality it is spinifex) the flats dotted with bloodwood which is 

 almost an ornamental tree, the verdure all around give to the scene 

 a most pleasing aspect. This creek, I think, must be the Halleem 

 of Colonel Warburton (?)'. By midday we had followed it to its- 

 source ; here I found a nice little pool of water, which, however, 

 we did not avail ourselves of. I now turned on a course of S. 54° 

 W., but the bearings here must be regarded at best as very 

 approximate to-day, for the hills I have now entered into are most 

 difficult to make any headway in ; kept on this bearing for about two- 

 miles and then turned south for four miles, when we found our- 

 selves clear of the hills and upon a well grassed flat that appeared 

 to extend a considerable distance to the south ; camped at 5-30. 

 The travelling has been slow owing to vexatious delays and the 

 difficulties and obstacles met with, and has been extremely hard 

 upon the camels. Travelled 14 miles. Saw a few fairly-sized gum 

 trees and a few acacias ; on the creek, magpies, eaglehawks, jays- 

 and crows seen. Rock specimens, Nos. 4 and 5, collected. Bar~ 

 27-60in., ther. 98° at 3 p.m. 



