3 
Saturday, 18th. — We left Pooliadinna Well, about 8'30 a.m. Moses, the black boy, again acting as our 
pilot. I have decided to try this new well of his, M. Pompomponah; our general course was about north- 
east, though often we deviated several miles to the north, and then again to the south. We first ascended 
the high sandhill Minkakunna, from whence an extensive view all round was obtained, revealing nothing 
but barren sandridges. At about two miles we came to a small waterhole, in the bottom of which the 
natives have been scratching for water. Moses now seemed perplexed, and turned and twisted about in 
every conceivable direction excepting westward. He led the camels over innumerable high and very steep 
sandridges, which we were thus compelled to cross at right-angles, and which proved very distressing to our 
camels. At about eleven and a half miles we crossed several dry swamps fringed with box trees. Moses 
now seemed utterly lost, and appeared quite undecided which way to turn. At twelve and a half miles we 
sunk several holes in a small swamp watercourse without getting any sign of water, and at last, upon question- 
ing Moses where the well was, he said he did not know, and that he had not seen it or been in this country 
since he was a little boy. I now proceeded in a N.N.W. direction, across a flooded flat, to a small waterhole 
whose position I guessed from the plans in the Surveyor-General’s office. At three and three-quarter miles 
we arrived at the waterhole, which is caused by a break in a sandridge ; it is almost circular, and about thirty 
yards in diameter, and from six to eight feet deep when full ; at present it only contains about an inch of 
liquid and putrid mud, with which, however, we were glad to fill our casks; it has a most vile taste, and 
caused us all to vomit violently. 
Sunday, 19th. — I proceeded early this morning in an easterly direction, passing a trigonometrical station 
(Minna llill) on a low sandridge. The pile of wood forming the landmark has been blown down and entirely 
destroyed. I searched amongst several clumps and belts of box timber ; found several small waterholes and 
one native well ; ail were, however, quite dry. Returned to camp and directed the men to sink a well alongside 
the waterhole, which the natives called Matamurna and Murdamaroo. At about nine feet, through soft mud, 
clay, and sand, we struck a fair supply of slightly bitter and salt water, which was, however, infinitely prefer- 
able to the putrid mud in the waterhole. I have called this well Warman’s Well, after my camel-man. 
Monday, 20th. — It commenced to rain in very light showers in the early part of the night, and continued 
nearly all day ; the rain, however, was not sufficiently heavy to leave any water about, and only prevented us 
from making a start ; we therefore employed ourselves in baling out the well, filling the watercasks, and 
watering the camels, which occupied us until late at night. 
luesday, 21st. — This morning Moses was started after the camels, about 4 a.m.; he, however, didnot 
return for several hours, and I suspected, what I soon found to be the case, that he had deserted us. I 
believe he was afraid to venture into the country to the north ; we made a very late start in consequence, and 
tiavelled all day in a north-north-west direction, the first six miles being over a flooded polygonum flat; we 
then proceeded another six miles over a fine hard cottonbush and saltbush flat, between two cane-grass sand- 
lidges. At twelve miles we ascended a very high and prominent sandhill, well adapted for a trigonometrical 
station. We now travelled over high canc-grass sandhills. At about fifteen miles passed to the west of a chain 
of small lakes; at twenty-two miles, near sundown, we camped (No. 4 camp) under a very prominent sandy point, 
which will also make a splendid trig, station. 4 he view from here, although very extensive, is similar to 
that obtained at the last high sandhill. With the exception of a few white salt lakes, which are visible from 
west lound by north to south-east, and only a few miles distant, nothing but dreary-looking cane-grass sand 
ridges, devoid of timber or even the lowest bushes, are to be seen as far as the eye can reach in every diret 
tion. Obtained a set of observations, from which I deduced the latitude, kc. 
... ^ e dnesday, 22nd. Iso. 4 camp. We were up and after the camels before 5 a.m. this morning, but 
did not get a start from the camp before 8'45 a.m. We then travelled in a north-west direction, crossing 
seveicd high and steep sandridges, and at about two miles we crossed a salt lake, which was just firm 
enough to allow the camels to walk across it, although in several places the hard salt crust or surface was 
broken through. At eight and a half miles we crossed another rather narrow but long salt lake ; this lake 
extends a considerable distance to the north and south of our track, and contains many large fragments of 
selanite, which arc also found on many flats between the sandridges. At from sixteen to twenty-three miles 
crossed a third and very large lake, which seems to extend to the horizon towards the south, even when 
viewing it from a high sandhill near its western shore. I have called this feature Lake Dobbie. At twenty- 
tour miles we camped (No. 5 camp) sometime after sundown ; ascended a high sandhill to the west of the 
camp, but could obtain no view or bearing, it being already too dark to see. Observed for latitude. The 
sandhills or ridges passed over to-day are similar to those previously described; a few small flats in between 
them produced a little old and withered grass, cottonbush, saltbush, and bluebush. We also saw a few low 
wattle bushes to-day. the salt lakes seem to increase in number, and apparently extend some distance to 
the north. J 
' Ihuisday 23rd. No. 5 camp. It took us fully an hour to pack up, the watercasks and other loading 
being so cumbersome and unwieldly. Our general direction was still N.N.W., over cane-grass sandhills 
(most of which are rather high and steep) and fine hard flats overgrown with low bushes and a few patches 
o grass. At about five miles we crossed a fair sized salt lake ; we very nearly succeeded in getting all our 
camels rogged here. At six and a half miles ascended a high and very conspicuous sandhill, from which a 
very extensive view was obtained. A small salt lake is visible to the west, a few miles distant, besides those 
we have recently crossed. Barren cane-grass sandridges, some of them very high, seem to extend for many 
miles in all directions. After taking a round of bearings, we travelled for ten and a half miles, across well- 
grassed fiats and high cane-grass sandridges, to another high sandridge. At twenty-one miles we camped, 
it being sundown (No. 6 camp), amongst some gidea timber, which has become abundant in the valleys 
between the sandridges in the last few miles. Observed for latitude, &c. 
i 24th ' ^°' 6 ( ? am P- Started after the camels at 4 a.m., commenced packing up at 5 a.m., 
and left the camp about 7 a.m. The camels appear to be very thirsty and have sulked all night ; 
my ook very hollow this morning as usual when they are unable to obtain any water ; they appear to require 
w n At r C ! St waterhole th f>’ refused to drink, and we could only give them a partial drink at Warman’s 
e . Continued on yesterday s course nearly N.N.W., over low broken sandhillocks covered with o-idea 
clrrvW over S 70nihI a ""Eft* f ° r the camcls to travel over ’ considering that the pack camels are 
p ,1 7 ° 01bs - each - At th ree miles we crossed a small salt lake; the valleys now become thickly 
timbered with gidea; the sandridges are still, however, quite bare. At thirteen and a half miles ascended a very 
high and prominent sandhill, for which I have been steering all day. I here saw the first plot of spimfbx 
A large and intensely white salt lake is visible to the south-west. A very extended view is obtained from 
this 
No. 39. 
