Camp, at Hayward's Creek. Wind north till late in the afternoon with some thunder and lightning and a good many clouds; appears in the distance to be raining in patches, but I have so often been deceived that I now take less notice of appearances of that kind; late in the afternoon the wind chopped round to south. Has been very hot and sultry all day. Intend in the morning to send Mr. Hodgkinson and Middleton to Lake Goonaidringinnie to ascertain for certain if that lake still contains abundance of water, and good, as I think it does—and on the way to pass and examine Lake Moolionboorana to see if it will suit as a stage to camp at on our journey to Goonaidringinne, as it was not very deep when I was there last and I have my doubts about it. The natives report a considerable quantity of rain to have fallen to the east and towards north-east in the country north of Lakes Blanche and MacDonnell or Appacalradillie. If so I wish it had fallen when I was there that I might have been able to have examined the country there thoroughly.
Friday, February 7.
Started Mr. Hodgkinson and Middleton to Lake Goonaidringinnie. Wind from all points of compass with many clouds; weather disagreeable and sultry during the day; rained steadily once or twice during the night with a good deal of thunder and lightning in the distance; much rain must have fallen to east and north of east as well as to the south.
Saturday, February 8.
Splendid rain and steady. Thundering all round with every appearance of a considerable quantity of rain which will, I trust, come in such abundance as to enable me to push to the north-west across the desert, as up to this time I have been completely shut up, as it were, here for want of a decent shower to enable me to do anything of service anywhere; and the provisions gradually getting less although the ration is now as low as I can well make it. I have reduced it first from 8 pounds of flour per man per week to 7 pounds, then to 6 pounds, then to 4 1/2 pounds; sugar reduced from 2 pounds per man per week to 1 1/2 pounds; and tea from 4 ounces to 3 ounces per man per week, with plenty of good mutton; but we find the supply of flour very scanty at the 4 1/2 pounds. There has been a good deal of loss in weight in the bags of flour, as much as 9 pounds per 100 pounds; and a great portion of it had a most disagreeable taste and flavour from some naphtha, or some such liquid, having been carelessly allowed to be spilt over it on its way, I understand, from Port Augusta to Blanchewater; and I attribute the whole of the illness of the party to the use of the flour saturated as it is by this rascally stuff. In the afternoon Mr. Hodgkinson and Middleton returned; they report having seen a considerable quantity of rainwater about thirteen miles this side of Lake Goonaidringinnie, and plenty of water in that lake and good; also plenty of natives on its banks. Lake Moolionboorana very much reduced and unfit for my purpose. Heavy rain all through the night with heavy thunder and lightnings. I have now abandoned the idea of going to Goonaidringinnie and will start towards Eyre's Creek, passing or following, at some seventy miles from this, a large creek named by the natives here Panbacra.
Sunday, February 9.
Still raining a little and the ground too soft to travel over but, if much more does not fall, will start in the morning. The rain that has fallen is quite a godsend, both to this party and to the natives who have started off to the sandhills in all directions to obtain the lizards and other animals that escape to the sandhills for protection from the floods.
Monday, February 10.
Started the cart at 7.50 a.m., and horses and camels to start afterwards for Wattiegoroonita. Passed over sandhills to top of a sandhill that rounds the lake, and over alternate sandhills and bare flats for nine and a half miles, passing at about six miles on the last course a small salt lake; travelled on the north-east side of it as it was boggy. The lake is called Warmagoladhailie. The ground very soft and heavy travelling. Travelled along the sand ranges and over spinifex and stony flooded flats, then over one small sandhill and stony desert. Camped at a few bushes to boil the teakettle, there being not a blade of grass; but a few saltbushes are near which the animals must do the best with for one night. Astonishing the small quantity of water passed for the last eight or nine miles. Distance travelled today twenty-four miles. The natives are out here looking for the snakes and other small reptiles and animals that live in the sandhills everywhere in this quarter whether hot or cold, regardless of the want of water. This is a most dismal-looking camp; there are a few isolated sandhills north and west of this. Cart and sheep not up tonight.
Tuesday, February 11.