45 
Station in one and a half miles. This station, which has now been 
abandoned, consists of three substantial stone and wood houses and 
a large stockyard. all in good order. The garden still contains a 
few vegetables. We secured a quantity of tomatoes, cabbages, and 
melons, and then continued on the previous bearing. At two and 
a quarter miles low hills form a gap, through which the creek 
takes its course. A small waterhole in the creek near the station 
is said to be a ‘“‘ permanent water.’ At four and a half miles 
altered the course to 86° for three and a quarter miles to a water- 
hole in the Finke river, near Mount Sonder, and camped. The 
Redbank Creek from the north and several gum creeks from the 
south unite with the Finke river near the camp. The country 
round about at present looks very dry and desolate. It is scarcely 
credible that 18in. of rain have fallen here within the last six 
months, yet such is the case. | 
Wednesday, June 27th.—Camp No. 40, Mount Sonder; bar. 
27-48in., ther. 25°; height 2,135ft.; lat. 23° 36’ 16” S., long. 132° 
30’ 47" KE. This being one of the localities requiring a thorough 
scientific examination I decided to remain encamped here for two 
days. Dr. Stirling, Mr. Belt, and Mr. Cowle essayed the ascent 
of Mount Sonder, but after climbing over rough ranges for many 
hours they were compelled to return to camp without having visited 
the highest point of the mountain. ‘’o-day Professor Tate was 
occupied with the botanical specimens collected on the Ayers Rock 
journey. Meanwhile Professor Spencer and Mr. Watt were 
engaged upon their especial work and Mr. Keartland was employed 
in making further valuable additions to the ornithological collec- 
tion, which is now assuming large proportions. The collection of 
rock specimens and fossils is also beginning to be very bulky. 
Throughout the day and until midnight my attention was given to 
plotting in detail the position of the natural features of the country 
traversed. 
Thursday, June 28th.—Bar. 27:50in., ther. 21°. Mr. Cowle, 
whose leave of absence has long since expired, now asked to be 
permitted to return to Illamurta that he inight resume his official 
duties. I should like to have retained his valuable help to the end 
of the expedition, but this was impossible, and early this morning 
he reluctantly took his departure for the Finke Gorge, taking with 
him two of my black boys, Arabi Bey and Mennamurta, whose 
services I no longer need. In the afternoon Mr. Cowle returned 
and reported that the Finke Gorge was impassable. This know- 
ledge will save me some thirty miles of useless travelling. Sent an 
Afghan with a camel and the large camera to a picturesque gorge 
in the Redbanks Creek in order to enable Professor Spencer to 
