March 18. Camp 28, situated near the left side of a watercourse of the Flinders River at a point bearing 130 degrees from Frederick Walker's Table Mountain.
The horses were scattered almost as much as they were yesterday morning and the most of the forenoon was spent in mustering them. Started at 10.35. When we had gone towards Frederick Walker's Table Mountain for three miles Jemmy and I left our path on the high ground and went down on a flat extending to the northward for about two miles, where, taking an observation, I made the meridian altitude of the sun 70 degrees 13 minutes, latitude 20 degrees 40 minutes 30 seconds. Started after the main party at 12.15. Having ridden seven miles we reached Frederick Walker's Table Mountain and ascended it. From its high summit I observed that stretching across part of the horizon there was nothing to be seen but plains. Along another part, on the south-eastern side, there was a succession of ranges from which we bore in the following way: From the end of the ranges in the distance 151 degrees; a distant range 147 degrees; a red rocky hill about seven miles distant 140 degrees; a table range about one and a half miles distant 103 degrees; a high distant conical hill, the one that I probably saw from the table range near 27 Camp, 5 degrees; the table ranges 310 degrees. We were thirsty and as we did not know how far our party would have to go to get water for the encampment I spent as little time as possible in making observations. Having started after the main party we overtook them just as it was getting dark. They had gone round the mountain and, as they had not found water, they were proceeding to the north-east in search of it. Continuing the same course we reached at 8 p.m. water and encamped. The land we passed over today is good; the soil is a rich reddish loam. The country consists of downs luxuriantly covered with good grasses except at places which are overrun with roley-poley. These downs are thinly wooded in places with myall, white-wood, and Port Curtis sandalwood. Frederick Walker's Table Mountain is of a sandstone formation and is covered at places with triodia. On the southern side of it there is a dry watercourse which rises from the northward. At many places in coming up this river we have observed a most interesting vine which produced pods of beautiful silky cotton. As the pods were pleasant to eat we were on the continual lookout for it. Distance today about eighteen miles.
March 19. Camp 29, situated on flat ground on the left side of a small watercourse at a point bearing in the following way from the following ranges: one end of Frederick Walker's Table Mountain about five miles distant, the other end about four miles distant, 245 degrees; one end of a table range about one and a half miles distant from Frederick Walker's Table Mountain 199 degrees; the other end 192 degrees; the end of a long table range 160 degrees.
Jemmy was so unwell this morning that we had to delay some time before he could proceed. Started at 9.52 a.m. Having come three miles north-east we waited for some time as Gleeson was too unwell to travel. Afterwards we proceeded about two miles and encamped. The land we saw today was on the whole well grassed; the flattest portions of it are wooded with myall, Port Curtis sandalwood, and western-wood acacia. The country looking from the unwooded plains is beautiful and with luxuriant herbage; the surrounding isolated ranges lends an interest to the scenery. The river has here a sandy channel about 120 paces wide with a shallow stream meandering along its almost level surface.
March 20.
Camp 30, situated on the left bank of the Flinders River at the north-west base of an isolated range bearing the following way from the following ranges: one end of Frederick Walker's Table Mountain about eight miles distant 2 degrees 36 minutes; the other end 2 degrees 23 minutes; a range about six miles distant 209 degrees; a little isolated hill 193 degrees; north-west end of a table range about five miles distant 189 degrees; north-west end of a table range about two miles distant 174 degrees; south-east end 149 degrees. This morning I was glad to find that Gleeson and Jemmy had recovered sufficiently to start on the journey. We started at 10.12. After crossing the river we followed it up on its opposite bank in an east direction for one and a half miles and crossed it at the end of the range on the left bank. We then followed up a creek I named Jardine's Creek in a north-east and east direction for five miles and encamped. From camp Fisherman and I went west-north-west for two miles and a half to the top of a range bearing as described from the following ranges: a distant conical range (probably the one observed from near 27 Camp) 3 degrees 48 minutes; the end of Frederick Walker's Table Mountain 245 degrees; the other end 238 degrees; the place where Fisherman thought Jardine's Creek joined the river 255 degrees. The country we saw from our path along the right bank of the river was not, of course, extensive, but what we saw was flat, covered with long grass, and wooded with bloodwood and gum. These trees were the largest I have seen in this part of the country, and almost the only ones I have seen since leaving the depot at all well-adapted for building purposes. The country in the valley of Jardine's Creek is most beautiful. It is thickly grassed and in some parts without trees; in others thinly wooded or wooded with clumps of trees. The hills on both sides of the valley are picturesque. Distance today six and a half miles.
March 21.
Fisherman and I left camp this morning and went south-east for fourteen miles. The first four miles took us over the range to the head of a creek, the next five miles down the creek, and the next five miles to the left of the creek. We then went south-west to the creek and selected a place for the next encampment. Then, returning to depot camp, we followed up the creek, and it took us in a north half west direction for five miles to our outward tracks. Then, returning by our track to camp, we reached it by travelling for an hour after dark. In going and returning we spent nearly twelve hours on horseback. At camp I was sorry to learn that Gleeson was still very unwell. The country on the other side of the range is nearly level; back from the creek it is chiefly overgrown with triodia and wooded with ironbark. The ironbark-trees are the first I have seen on this expedition. Near the creek and at some places for a mile back from it the soil is rich with luxuriant good grass, except at places where it is thickly wooded with western-wood acacia and Port Curtis sandalwood where the herbage is not so rank, but the saltbush amongst it is a good sign of its having the most fattening qualities. The ranges on the southern side of the valley are not so good as the ranges on the northern side, the former are more sandy and are not so well covered with rich basaltic soil.
March 22. Camp 31, situated on the right bank of Jardine Creek at a point about five miles above its junction with Flinders River.
Started this morning at 10.20; at 3.20 p.m. reached the place I had chosen yesterday for our encampment and unsaddled. Gleeson had so much recovered that he did not complain of fatigue during the day's journey. Distance today fourteen miles.