CENTKAL AUSTRALIAN 



now been four days without water. At dawn they were all 

 collected again. It is evident water must be found for them soon, 

 or the consequences to some of them will be serious. Started Billy 

 away to examine a gorge about a mile or so to the S.E., while 

 Warman and I examined the one where the camp is situated. Billy 

 returned first, with the joyful intelligence that he had found a 

 stifficiency for present purposes. Saddled up, and travelled up a 

 gum creek to its source, and there found among the rocks a small 

 soakage in the sand. The camels were unloaded, and three or four 

 at a time taken up to the water. They drank greedily, returning 

 a second time for more ; fortunately there was abundance. This 

 was to me a valuable and most opportune discovery, and, though 

 not a valuable water for a stockholder, a traveller coming from the 

 eastward will always gladly avail himself of the rest and refresh- 

 ment that it offers. Botanical specimens and rock specimen No. 

 1 collected. Bar. 27-820in., ther. 102° at 3 p.m. 



Thursday, March 28th.— Camp No. 6. Bar. 27-820in., ther. 72° 

 at sunrise. — The morning broke cloudy and cool, a most agreeable 

 change to yesterday's temperature, but later in the afternoon the 

 glass rose to 9»°. I went to the top of one of the highest peaks 

 near the camp, and took angles to the most prominent features. A 

 large high range about twelve miles Billy tells me is Mount 

 Sonder, bearing 174°. Another very high point, which I should 

 take to be it, bears 281° 10', distance about fifteen miles. Billy 

 has not been in the neighborhood since he was a boy and admits 

 to a little uncertainty about it. A very distant range with a 

 wedge-like gap between them bears 355° 40'. Ranges are all around, 

 but offer no "very distinctive peculiarities. This water is situated 

 some little distance up the gorge or glen, and the approach to it is 

 somewhat obstructed by the boulders and stones in the bed of the 

 creek. Remained here all day for the benefit of the camels. 

 Botanical specimens collected. Bar. 27"80in., ther. 100° in the 

 shade at 3 p.m. 



Friday, March 29th.— Camp No. 7. Bar 27-80in., ther. 72° at 

 10 a.m. — I walked up the gorge to the waterhole and found it 

 much diminished in volume, but there is no doubt plenty more in 

 the sand. The camels were absent without leave, and we did not 

 leave this bright little spot till 10 o'clock. After rounding the 

 point near the camp, I took up a course of N. 30° E. for two and a 

 half miles, when we crossed the Gum Creek, at the head of which 

 our camp was situated. We were now clear of the ranges, and 

 turned N. 45° W. for nearly two miles, when we passed between 

 two little hills. Here I turned N. 60° W. four miles. We were 

 now in the old position again, i.e., with a wall of ranges close to 

 us (south) on one side, and plains on our left of apparently 

 indefinite extent. At 1-30 we changed again to N. 75° W. for 

 three and a half miles ; at 2'45, N. 80° W. for seven miles ; at 5*20, 

 turned S. 70° W. one and a half miles, and at 6 o'clock camped 



