Still in Camp 8. Patients about the same, very weak and feverish, but must endeavour to make a move tomorrow. Wind from north, north-west to west, and rather warm. Had a visit from a number of natives, they do not appear so shy as usual; they do not circumcise but have one or two teeth out in front of upper jaw. From what I could see the young men are not allowed to talk, but merely making a hissing and twittering noise to make themselves understood, and pointing and motioning with the hand whilst the old men do the talking business. I could make but little out of them. I made them a few presents with which they seemed much pleased; got a few words of their language and with a promise to return tomorrow they took their leave. They are not at all such a good sample as are at the lakes north and east of Lake Hope. They say there is plenty of water ahead on the course I intend to take, but from want of knowledge of their language could glean nothing of the parties that came in search to the north coast; but that they have seen whites was quite evident from their knowledge of the use of the axe. They seemed much in dread of the camels, the only animals that were near the camp at the time, and expressed by motions a desire that they should be driven away.
Monday, June 2.
Camp 8. The heaviest dew last night I have experienced for many years, accompanied by a dense fog till between 8 and 9 a.m. Wind from west-north-west. Palmer attacked with same fever that the rest have. The others very weak but I think a little better. Made a start this morning at 9.20 a.m. on bearing of 95 1/2 degrees; at 10.14 lagoon on right; at 10.27 crossed creek with plenty of water from south-south-west; at 11.50 lagoon on right—all forest land with a greater number of the paper-bark tree than any other; at 11.15 much spinifex; at 11.20 creek close on left with plenty of water; at 11.35 crossed creek, it goes off into many lagoons southwards and eastwards; good grass and plenty of water, not much spinifex, the country rather too thickly wooded to be open forest. Halted at lagoons on the left at 1.20 coming from south of east and flowing to north of west. Although this country is rather too thickly wooded to be called open forest it is still an excellent pastoral country, the grasses sweet and plenty of water, the lagoons being covered with nymphans or waterlily, and the soil sandy. We passed many patches of burnt ground, some burnt earlier than the rest, having green grass nine to twelve inches high. Stopped short today on account of the patients who are very weak, Kirby in particular; distance travelled twelve and a half miles. In the afternoon wind from west-north-west. Saw nothing of the natives this morning before starting. Several palms seen through the forest, a few close by this camp of no great height; the feed in general is very dry except in the neighbourhood of the creeks or lagoons.
Tuesday, June 3.
Camp 9. Wind south; considerable dew but nothing to the night before. There is a good deal of spinifex here and the timber is nothing like so strong or good as around yesterday's camp and for miles on all sides of it. Three creeks appear to rise here and join and become one, all from the southward of east to north of west. Started at 9.8 a.m., the horses having strayed some distance back to the burnt feed. Bearing 95 1/2 degrees, open forest with spinifex; at 10.30 crossed small creek (dry); at 10.45 crossed small sandy creek (dry) water on the right; at 11.30 watered horses and then crossed creek from west-south-west to east-north-east, small creek from south joins close by; at 1.25 crossed creek with water; at 2.12 crossed sandy creek from north-east to south and another close by, then scrub and rather thick forest till 5.50, then camped no water; distance about twenty-six and a half to twenty-seven miles. One of the horses (Harry) after being ridden into camp appeared to blow a good deal and from little to more till at last he got seriously ill and died at 9 p.m. He must have been poisoned or bitten by a snake.
Wednesday, June 4.
Camp 10, or Harry's Camp, after our dead horse. Wind southerly. Started at 7.18 a.m., still on bearing of 95 1/2 degrees; crossed sandy creek (dry) from north-east to east-south-east; at 9.52 crossed same creek still dry running to north of east; at 9.15 recrossed same; at 9.20 recrossed; at 9.25 recrossed the creek not far off on the right; country rather scrubby. Sent Hodgkinson to follow the creek round to ascertain if water existed in it and if so to stop or overtake us. Went on till about 10.30 when Hodgkinson overtook us having found sufficient water for our use. Returned at once to it about a mile back and camped. The old female camel done up; will leave her saddle as it is much knocked about and divide her load between the others and the horses; she may follow which I think she will; distance on course to camp about eight and a half miles. The patients improving, Kirby remains very weak and spiritless. This morning wind cool from southward; during the day changed round to east-south-east and in the evening to west-south-west and rather cloudy. This is a wretched little creek, for some miles sandy, now in its bed are layers of stone and clay; it frequently loses itself on the flat land. The timber in the forest consists of two kinds of papery-leafed bark trees, box, gum, and a very handsome tree, leafless but bears a flower, besides various shrubs, etc., and spinifex.
Thursday, June 5.
Camp 11. Mild morning, wind from southward and cool, no dew. Started at 9.4 on bearing of 95 1/2 degrees. Creek close on right. At 9.37 crossed creek. At 9.48 receives a tributary from east-south-east (no water). Very scrubby for a few miles and then more open forest. At 12.38 came to a large and broad creek or mass of creeks or river. Water not abundant on account of its being sandy in its bed. As the camels have had to be tied up for the last two nights, the country being so densely timbered, I stay here and camp. Followed the river down about three-quarters of a mile west-north-west, which appears to be its course. Here it is upwards of 300 yards broad, banks no great height. Distance on course ten and three-quarter miles. Wind about 11 a.m. changed round to east and north of east and warm; as we got to camp it blew gently from west-north-west. Patients except Kirby mending gradually. I should imagine the river to be the Flinders but if so it must turn after it passes this very much to the west to enter the sea near where it is laid down on the charts. Its bed pretty well the whole way across is wooded with the paper-like barked, narrow-leafed tree, and a few other shrubs. It appears as if there was not at all a heavy flood down it this season as few or none of the trees are washed down.
Friday, June 6.