April 12.
We left Camp 45 at 8.30. Two of the blacks accompanied us down the river to show us the road to the Barcoo River. At first they walked, but afterwards I gave them a horse to ride alternately. The oldest of the two liked riding so much better than walking that he made his young companion walk the most of the way. When we had come about thirteen miles we encamped. About a mile above here we passed some blacks whom our guides stopped with. Afterwards the eldest of the blackfellows came in the evening for some flour for himself and his companions. The country we have seen since leaving 44 Camp has undulating features but no hills. The soil rich, but vegetation dry from want of rain. We came he today on the following courses: 11 west-south-west six and a quarter miles; 1.20 south-west two and three-quarter miles; 2.50 south-south-west four miles to camp.
April 13. Camp 46.
46 Camp is situated near the eastern channel of the river. The marked trees are on the left bank. We are glad to find that one of our guides, who was named Wittin, had determined to accompany us. He brought an intelligent-looking white-headed old man to the camp, and a fine tall well-proportioned young gin with a little boy, the two latter remaining some distance from the camp. Wittin showed his friend our guns, water-bottles, and other things as if he were quite familiar with them. Before starting we went to see the gin and the little boy. She was very timid and ran away when we approached near to her. We left camp at 9.30 and followed down the left bank of the river about nine and a half miles and encamped. The country we saw today has undulating features with rich soil, dry grass, and box-tree. Near the river just above here there are sandstone ridges with western-wood acacia and Port Curtis sandalwood. Wittin told Jemmy that he had seen to the eastward of here about ten moons ago a party of travellers consisting of four white men and four black men. He got a shirt from them, but they did not give him any bread. Wittin wanted to return because of the unpleasant effects of the riding, which was new to him. We came here on the following courses: 11.30 south-west for five and a quarter miles; 1.15 south-south-west for one and a half miles; 1.45 south-west for one mile; 2.24 south-south-west for one and three-quarter miles. Distance nine and a half miles.
April 14.
We started down the river this morning at 9.50. Our last camp (47) is situated on the left bank of the river. When we had proceeded a short distance we observed a range right ahead of us. Wittin called it Trimpie Yawbah. Afterwards we observed other hills to the westward of Trimpie Camp, the highest of which I called Mount Pring. On the first unwooded plain we came upon after leaving camp we saw in the distance objects which appeared to be cattle, but upon getting nearer to them we found them to be emus. When we had travelled about fourteen miles down the left bank of the river we encamped. The ground we crossed was more level than the land higher up the river, and the grasses at places were good; but otherwise there was no change in the character of the country. At a spot about five miles south half east from the last camp I made the meridian altitude (A.H.) 112 degrees 50 minutes; latitude 24 degrees 5 minutes 7 seconds. Anxious to have the guidance of Wittin to Cooper's Creek I made free with the name of Sir George Bowen, Governor of Queensland, by telling him that, if he showed us the road, the governor would send from Brisbane to the first station formed on Bowen Downs a medal, a tomahawk, and a blanket. This evening Fisherman and Jackey showed Wittin corroboree dance. For the dance they painted themselves with white streaks, and with the light of the fire they looked like skeletons. From last camp we steered in the following courses: 11.40 south half east for five miles; 1.30 south half east for three miles; 2.30 south by west for three miles; 3.40 south-south-west for three miles; distance fourteen miles.
April 15.
We left Camp 48 this morning 9.30. It is situated on the right side of a long hole of water on the eastern channel of the river at a place bearing north half west from Mount Pring. We steered for the eastern side of the Trimpie Range. When we had journeyed about four miles we reached a creek showing extensive flood-marks and with heaps of mussel shells on its banks but very little water in its channel. I named it Dunsmore Creek. Led by Wittin we followed up the creek for about seven miles and encamped. Several emus seen today, but they were so wild that none of us succeeded in shooting them. The ground is of a level character on both sides of Dunsmore Creek; the soil rich with good grass but rather dry for want of rain. Box-trees grow near the creek. Back from the south bank of the creek the country is wooded with myall and western- wood acacia. From the other bank of the creek there are very few trees of any description. At the place where we struck Dunsmore Creek I made the meridian altitude of the sun 111 degrees 49 minutes, the latitude A.H. 24 degrees 16 minutes 16 seconds. We steered from our last camp on the river to here on the following courses: 11.7 south-east half south for four miles to Dunsmore Creek; 1.40 east-south-east for three and three-quarter miles; 3.15 south-east by east for two and three-quarter miles; 3.40 south and by west for one mile. Distance come today eleven miles.
April 16.
Camp 49 is situated at Dunsmore Creek at a place bearing north-east from a hill about three miles distant and north-north-west from a distant range named by me Mount Johnstone. We tried very hard to persuade Wittin to show us all the way to Barcoo River. He promised to do so, but after Jackey and Jemmy went for the horses he left the camp as if he were only going down to the creek but he did not make his appearance again. Jemmy said his reason for not going to Barcoo River was that the blacks there would kill him if they found him in their country. When we had followed the creek up about thirteen miles to near its source in Johnstone Range we had to return four miles to get water for our encampment as there was none in the upper part of the creek. We saw several emus today but as usual we did not manage to shoot any. The ground we saw from our path is rich, chiefly wooded with myall; the herbage good but rather dry from the want of rain. In the middle of the day, when we had gone back for a considerable distance on the north-east side of the creek, we got to the edge of rich unwooded downs. We steered on the following courses: 11.10 south-east for three and three-quarter miles; at 1 south-east for one and three-quarter miles; 1.22 south-south-east for one mile; 1.50 south by west for one and a half miles back to the creek; 4 south-east for five and a quarter miles up to the creek; 5.49 north-west for three and three-quarter miles down the creek to camp. Distance seventeen miles.