62 
of the expedition re-united. Meanwhile the camel buggy had 
been found to be somewhat of an impediment. It had therefore 
been left at Crown Point, twenty miles south of Engoordina, and 
packsaddles had been made for the draught camels. From Engoor- 
dina the whole expedition proceeded to Idracowra, passing 
en route through a detached range of table-top hills. These and 
all the other noteworthy natural features were mapped in detail. 
From Idracowra an excursion was made to Chambers Pillar, and 
photographs of this unique natural monument were obtained. Mr. 
Horn left the party at Idracowra on the 23rd May. Upon his 
departure I conducted the expedition towards Henbury, following 
the course of the Finke river. The river flats extending for a 
short distance on either side of this, the largest Central Australian 
watercourse, were found to be splendidly grassed; otherwise the 
country revealed itself as barren sandridges clothed with porcupine 
erass, the prevailing timber being mulga and casuarina or desert 
oak, with river gums in the watercourses. We arrived at Henbury 
on the 27th of May, and were joined by a couple of Government 
prospectors from Alice Springs, who brought two additional 
camels, thus increasing the camel-train to twenty-six. From six- 
teen mules south of Henbury the change in the nature of the 
country was most noticeable. Magnificently-grassed flats were in 
strong evidence, with but an occasional extent of barren sand- 
ridges. Hills more or less conspicuous were also observed. These 
characteristics continued until we reached the James Ranges in 
lat. 24° 20’, long. 183° 1’ EK. Hitherto we had been travelling in a 
general N.N.W. direction. On entering the James Ranges this 
was changed to a westerly route. The plains between these 
heights must be considered to be among the very best pastoral 
country in South Australia. Growing in rich profusion were seen 
splendid grasses, including the Mitchell grass of Queensland, in- 
terspersed with saltbush and cotton-bush of the best quality. 
Here also we found an abundance of water. The ranges, whose 
constitution is sandstone and quartzite, are of a very rugged 
character, and are densely timbered with acacia. Their elevation 
is from 700ft. to 800ft. above the plains, and 2,500ft. above sea 
level. In lat. 24° 17’ S., long. 132° 55’ K. we finally left the Finke 
river, which in this region is a running stream, and continued on 
a westerly course along the valleys of the James Range near its 
southern limit. Crossing the Palmer river, the most important 
tributary of the Finke, we reached Tempe Downs on the 2nd of 
June. 
I formed a depot camp at a small waterhole in the Petermann 
Creek, six miles to the south of Tempe Downs. Here Mr. Cowle, 
