It rained so heavily that we remained here. The ground was so soft that the horses, much as they are inclined for rambling, did not go further away than a quarter of a mile.
March 4.
We started this morning at 8.20. Came east three-quarters of a mile over rich level ground with a few trees upon it. The ground was so soft from the rain that the horses were with difficulty driven along. From following each other in single file and sinking at every step to their fetlocks the track they made was so deep that it will not be easily effaced. At 10.50 came south-east for five miles and a half across rich plains with the greenest herbage; the plains separated from each other by wooded land with shallow streams flowing to the northward. At 11.35 came south-south-east two and a quarter miles up along a shallow stream with slightly wooded plains on its banks. Here Jemmy and I stayed behind the party and got the following observation, namely, meridian altitude of the sun 76 degrees 3 minutes, latitude 20 degrees 19 minutes. At 12.45 came across the plain on the tracks of the party two and a quarter miles. At 2.35 came at a quicker pace, as the ground was harder, for two and a half miles south-east and by east, and crossed a shallow watercourse with box-trees along its margin coming from the south. At 3.30 travelled over rich plains separated from each other by wooded land with watercourses from the south for one and a half miles south-east and by south. At 4 came half a mile south-east and by south over thickly-wooded land and overtook our party where they had formed their encampment. Jemmy, Jackey and Fisherman were very successful in collecting food for their supper. On the plains they caught a great number of rats, and near here they caught five possums. Distance today eighteen and a half miles.
March 5. Camp 19, situated on the right bank of Flinders River.
The horses having rambled a considerable distance out on the plain Jemmy and Jackey were a long time bringing them to camp, and we did not manage to start this morning until 9.3. At 10 came over two kinds of well-grassed country in an east and north direction for three miles, the first part wooded with box and bauhinia, the second a plain between belts of timber. At 11 came east-south-east across a plain to some extent overrun with roley-poley to a deep stream flowing to the north. Here I swam across to the opposite bank to a plain which appeared beautifully level and made on it the meridian altitude of the sun 75 degrees 36 minutes, latitude 20 degrees 23 minutes. Started again at 12.50 and came up along the stream in a south-east direction one and a half miles over well grassed land wooded with box to the outlet of a stream from the river and encamped. Distance today seven and a quarter miles.
March 6. Camp 20, situated on the left bank of a northern channel of the Flinders River.
The water having fallen greatly since yesterday we carried the saddles and packs over and then led the horses. As the northern bank was boggy we had to apply the whip severely to some of the horses to get them to ascend it. At 9.57 a.m., having packed the horses, we started. At 10.58 came east and by south up along the left bank of a watercourse with a thin margin of box-trees for three miles. At 11.12 Jemmy and I left the party and came south for three-quarters of a mile across a plain to the right bank of the river where, halting, I made the meridian altitude of the sun 75 degrees 6 minutes, latitude 20 degrees 31 minutes. At 12.40 came half a mile north-east. At 1.12 come along a plain in a south-east and by east direction one and a half miles to a deeper and broader outlet from the river than the one we crossed in the morning. Overtook our party here and assisted to unsaddle and unpack. The horses were then driven into the stream and swum across. Afterwards we pulled the saddles and packs across with a rope and encamped. We adopted the following plan for taking them over the river. We attached the articles to the middle of a rope and passed one end of it over the fork of a tree on the southern bank; one end of the rope being pulled with sufficient force to keep the goods clear of the water, and the other end pulled with much greater force, the goods were safely landed on the southern bank. This would have been accomplished easily if we had had a pulley, but as we had none it took hard pulling to make the rope travel. The country we passed over has the same rich character as the land I described yesterday. Distance today four and a quarter miles.
March 7. Camp 21, situated on right bank of Flinders River.
Knowing that plains with just a sufficiency of trees for firewood and shade has proved better than any other for pastoral purposes, this country delighted me; but I must say it would please me more if there were a few high hills in the distance. I was however charmed with the landscape around the camp this morning. In the foreground I saw fine box, excoecaria, and other trees festooned with beautiful cumbering creepers, and beyond them the horses feeding on a fine grassy plain extending to the north and eastward to apparently distant blue mountains. As the day advanced this picture unfortunately lost a portion of its beauty by the disappearance of anything like mountains in the distant horizon. We started at 8.14 a.m.; and at 11.40 came east for ten miles along a plain behind the wooded country near the river, but further back it is either covered with roley-poley and pigweed or with young grasses which I am afraid are annuals. Yet notwithstanding these drawbacks it is a very fine country, and if care is taken by the future occupiers not to overstock it sheep and cattle will do remarkably well upon it. When it is occupied it should be improved by having seeds sown during the beginning of the wet season to produce plants with deep roots which will take the place of the annuals. If this was done and tanks and wells made in the back country the land would probably carry at least twice the quantity of stock it could now; but to get improvements of that character made a freehold tenure would probably be required. At 11.40 Jemmy and I waited behind the main party on this extensive plain and made an observation of the sun, namely, meridian altitude 74 degrees 34 minutes; latitude 20 degrees 37 minutes 30 seconds. Started on the track of our companions at 12.10; at 2.14 came south-east and by east for six miles over well-grassed plains and overtook the main party. At a shallow watercourse surrounded by rushes and polygonum I got off my horse to get a drink and carelessly let him out of my hands. In a second he scampered off to the other horses. Jackey however soon brought him back to me. At 2.50 came south-east for about three-quarters of a mile and encamped. Distance this day sixteen and three-quarter miles.
March 8. Camp 22, situated on the right bank of the Flinders River.