Camp, Lake Blanche. Before daylight a considerable deal of thunder and lightning. Squally but passed off without any rain. Cloudy during the day. Wind from all quarters, heat intense, and sultry towards evening, threatened much for rain; wind from east to north-east, accompanied with thunder and lightning. I sincerely trust that we may have a good fall of it, if it comes at all. Rain all blew past and wind chopping in all directions.
Monday, January 13.
Wind from all quarters but rather more cool than for the last few days. If nothing particular occurs before tomorrow morning will make a start out eastward for fifty or sixty miles to see what sort of country it is, and if there is any main creek running north up through it. It is very calm towards evening with heavy clouds all round the horizon.
Tuesday, January 14.
Eastward today over undulations, sandhills, claypans, and flats for nineteen miles till we reached a very prominent high hill which I have called Mount Wylde. A considerable range is visible to east and south of east. Went on for seven miles further over sand ridges covered with spinifex, successive box-covered flooded flats, formed by heavy rains, through which were innumerable small creeks no doubt in heavy rains forming source or tributaries to Cooper's Creek. Took the horses out this morning to make the work lighter for the camels on the march. Sent the horses back again this afternoon; gave the camels from three to four gallons of water each—they appeared as if they could have drunk all that we possessed. Distance travelled today about twenty-six miles. East in the far distance I can trace the continuance of the range.
Wednesday, January 15.
Every appearance of a hot day. Followed over hard sand undulations, well-grassed with some little spinifex intermixed, with a creek on our left, and crossed it at eight miles going south-east then apparently south—gum and box on creek and a sandy bed. We then passed over some good grassed country with stony flats and latterly a stony sandhill, the ascent difficult for the camels on account of the sharp stones for ten miles; distance making in all eighteen miles. Low hills about six or seven miles ahead running north and south; nothing very marked about them. The heat fearful; camels not doing so well as I could wish so will give them all the water that is to spare and proceed towards camp this evening in the cool—they won't feed nor stay without constant watching. Started back at 8.30 p.m. Went first to the south of west to avoid a stony hill by going round a valley then went on for about fifteen miles.
Thursday, January 16.
Started at 6 a.m., then bore for Mount Wylde. The greater portion of last night's and today's journey was over spinifex country. Passed immediately after starting a couple of creeks, drainage to the north—whether they continued that course and gradually swerved to the east and joined a larger one under the main range to east and formed one and passed on to the southward to Cooper's Creek, or formed rainwater lakes (vast numbers of them here and well timbered and often visited by natives) I cannot pretend to say. From Mount Wylde came in on the lakes on our outward track and arrived at camp at 2 p.m. Found some of the party, namely Bell, Davis, and Maitland, laid up with dysentery, the former seriously. Have made up my mind to leave this after one day's spell for the camels and go back to different water, as this must contain some medicinal properties that I am ignorant of, and affects all of us more or less; no doubt the weather has a good deal to do with it—the heat is fearful.
Friday, January 17.