4 CENTRAL AUSTRALIAN 



Wednesday, March 20th. — I returned to the main camp at 

 Painta Springs. Having now abandoned the idea of penetrating- 

 the ranges to the southward, I started the following day (21st) to 

 examine the different gorges and inlets of the range, with the hope 

 of finding a watering-place west of the Painta. Travelled north- 

 westerly for two days without making any discoveries of water 

 that would be of any service. I was now forty miles west of my 

 my in camp, so started to return. It appears evident that I shall 

 not find the travelling here by any means easy. 



/Saturday, March 23rd. — Camp No. 2, Painta Spring. Bar, 

 27'680in., ther. 58° — The morning broke bright and clear though 

 there are still some rain clouds to the S.W. The evening was cold, 

 and I had to get up during the night to renew the fire : it is the 

 first time this season that we have cared to be near the fire at 

 night The packs having been all rearranged and weighed we 

 cleared away from the Painta Spring at 10-45, taking a N. 85° W. 

 course along the foot of the range. The travelling is simply 

 perfect, level as a bowling green, the weather delightfully cool, so 

 we kept steadily on till dusk when we camped, having travelled 

 eighteen miles. The largest camel that I have, and the one that 

 has caused so much delay and trouble ever since I left the Peake, 

 lay down several times during the day, and by continually break- 

 ing his nose rope, caused much loss of time. Kangaroos, wallabies, 

 crows, and crested pigeons seen to day. Travelled about seventeen 

 miles over level ground on the Burt Plain. Timber, principally 

 bloodwood and mulga, and also noticed a few native orange trees 

 (Capparis). 



Sunday, March 24th.— Camp No. 3, Burt Plain. Bar. 27-820in., 

 ther. 63°. — Light S.E. wind. Camels not far distant, for their bells 

 are distinctly heard in the still morning air. Started away at 8 - 45 T 

 upon a bearing of N. 86° W. ; this course kept us close to the foot 

 of the range, at 1-15 turned direct west towards a dark hill, the 

 most westerly point visible. A remarkable feature in this day's 

 journey was the great number of large ant hills. These structures 

 are built by a small brown ant, and are of all sizes from the tiny 

 edifice just started to the largest size which are 4ft. high, and as 

 much in girth at the base, tapering towards the top. They are 

 of very . irregular size and shape, and take the form of slender 

 spires, minarets, and domes, made of the soil from the immediate 

 neighborhood ; they are consequently a bright brick red color, and 

 being very numerous give a singular appearance to the landscape. 

 The large ones are immovable, but the small to medium size 

 topple over or break in two when pushed. Heavy thunder clouds 

 passed over from the west in the afternoon, and one or two light 

 showers fell which made it much cooler. Travelled twenty two 

 miles over plains of a red sandy light soil with good loamy soil in 

 places, on which I noticed several varieties of acacia and an oc- 

 casional orange tree. Camped at 5 - 15. 



