4 
this sandridge, which would also make an important trigonometrical station ; barren sandridges are visible and 
extend to the distant horizon in all directions. On plotting up my track roughly in my fieldbook, I obtained a 
bearing of 34° 30' to the point or intersection of the Queensland and other boundaries. Started on this 
bearing over heavy sandhills. At one and a half miles I hit exactly on the corner post, which is 
almost in the middle of a long narrow salt lake. The line has been well surveyed ; the corner is represented 
by a substantial gum post, about four feet six inches high, with three facings of about eight or nine inches 
wide, strengthened by two supports, and surrounded by a small earth mound ; two long trenches, one extend- 
ing north, and the other east, also serve to mark this important point, which is visible from the high sandridge 
previously mentioned. A splendid connection with the trigonometrical survey of the colony can thus be es- 
tablished. The corner post has been well marked with “Queensland” towards the N.E., “Northern Terri- 
tory ” on the N.W. side, and “South Australia, long. 138° lat. 26° var. 3'32 E ” on the south side. After 
taking notes we continued in a N.N.W. direction along the bed of the salt lake. At about six miles the 
lake terminates. A curious fact, which I could not help noticing from the first, is, that all these salt lakes 
have an extremely high and very steep sandridge invariably abutting on their western side, whilst the 
country near the eastern shore consists of low sandhills or flats. At seven and a half miles another very 
narrow salt lake commences, with the usual steep sandridge. On the western side, at nine and a half miles, 
we camped, long past sundown. The camels are very leg-weary, and appear to be desperately thirsty. 
Saturday, 25th. — No. 7 camp. The camels, however, managed to stray away about six miles during the 
night, looking for water, I suppose, which prevented us from getting an early start. It is now about eleven 
days since they have had a good drink. We got under weigh about 8’30 a.m., and continued on yesterday’s 
bearing, across a narrow salt lake and gidea flats, for six miles. At seven and three-quarter miles arrived 
at the top of a high and prominent sandridge ; spinifex now takes the place of cane grass. On the sand- 
ridges low bushes, principally wattle, acacia, gidea, and an inferior kind of mulga also become abundant ; 
the sandridges have also completely changed their color, for some days past, from white to red. Continued 
our journey in a northerly direction, over low jumbled spinifex sandhills, for eleven and a half miles, to the 
top of a high bare red sandhill. 1 his hill, like all those I have mentioned previously, will in future form trigono- 
metrical stations. I now change the course to N.N.W. At about three miles camped (No 8) several hours 
after sundown. Our camels are completely done up. I am not at all surprised ; no other living animal 
could travel over such a stretch of barren sandridges as we have come over during the last week or two. I 
find this, No. 8 camp % to be in latitude 25° 33' 46" south, and long. 137° 54' 0" east. 
Sunday, 26th. — The camels made a determined effort to get away last night without stopping to feed; 
they made straight away to the N.E., and we could not catch them before they had gone six or seven miles. 
e started trom this camp about 10 a.m., our course being about N.N.W. over high red spinifex sandridges 
and sandy valleys fairly grassed. At seven and three-quarter miles ascended a high and prominent sandridge. 
At sixteen and three-quarter miles we arrived at the top of another very high and conspicuous spinifex sand- 
hill. I now altered the course to N.N.E. At one and a half miles camped ('No. 9), completely tired out. 
Latitude of this camp 25° 19' 36" south. 
Monday, 27th. I was determined to make an early start this morning; we therefore watched the camels 
by turns all night ; they did not feed, being too much in want of water. We left camp at 7 a.m. on a N.N.E. 
course, over jumbled spinifex sandridges and sandy valleys. This country is very bad for camels to travel 
over; the wind has blown the sand into innumerable little hillocks or mounds, over which the camels are 
constantly stumbling, and, being unable to get a foothold on the slippery spinifex, they now and again have a 
heav y mil. W attle, hop, and other bushes are getting abundant, also patches of grass. At about nine and 
a half miles arrived at the top of a high and conspicuous sandhill. We now continue to travel on various 
bearings until sundown, when we camped (No. 10 camp). The camels are very tired, and can only be 
knocked along at about two miles an hour. We have no proper riding camels ; all those we have are pack 
camels and exceedingly rough to ride, far worse than a knocked-up cart colt. 
Tuesday, 28th. No. 10 camp. One of our camels refused to stand up this morning; we gave him a 
little water out of our kegs and a rest before we started. Our course being almost due east we travelled all 
day and part of the night at a very slow pace, averaging about one and a half miles an hour. We are now 
compelled to cross the spinifex sandridges, which are very high and steep and about a quarter of a mile 
apart at right angles ; the camels always lie down as soon as they come to a sandhill, and generally require a 
good deal of persuasion before we can induce them to cross over ; occasionally too, when descending a steep 
ridge, they pitch their loads, saddle and all, over their heads. Our No. 1 1 camp is in latitude 24° 59' 7" S. 
The weather is now intensely hot : the camels were watched all night. 
M ednesday, 29th. -No. 11 camp. Started before daylight on an east by north course. We travelled 
a 1 day, and until late at night, over very high sandridges, the camels as usual lying down at every one. Camped 
about 9 p.m. (No. 12), latitude 24° 56' 45". The sandridges passed over during the last few days are 
similar to those previously described. This country is a perfect desert, and I am afraid will never be of 
much use to the squatter. I am almost certain that this country has never been visited by natives. 
1 huisday, 30th. We left camp No. 12 before 6 a.m., and continued to cross high and heavy cane-grass 
sandudges at a most awkward angle until we struck the Mulligan River at the most westerly bend, and near 
a fine large and permanent waterhole ; we soon formed our No. 13 camp, which is in latitude 24° 57' 35" S. 
1 riday, 31st. I rested here to-day in lieu of last Sunday. The weather is now very hot; the flies 
during the day and the mosquitos at night are a great nuisance ; we can, however, put up with these incon- 
veniences now that we have plenty of water. I commenced preparing my plans, diary, &c., and also took 
a series of observations to determine the exact position of our camp. I shall have to stay here to-morrow, 
both to complete my work and also to give the camels a chance to regain their condition after having been 
eleven days without water, during which time they have traversed 205 miles of the heaviest and worst sandhill 
country in Australia ; in reality they have been sixteen days, and travelled 278 miles, without a drink, as they 
would not touch the putrid mud and water at Warman’s Whll (Murdamaroo). 
Satuida), September 1st. I finished my plans roughly, only having a small theodolite box to work on; 
the waterkegs were also filled and all necessary preparations completed for an early start to-morrow. The 
waterhole is teeming with fish, and, although we are well provided with good fishing tackle, we are unable to 
catch a single fish. Game, such as native companions (flamingoes), emus, dingos, several kinds of pigeons 
and numerous other birds are also very abundant, and very careful to keep out of reach of our fowling 
piece. 
Sunday, 
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