April 17.
Jemmy and I left our camp on Dunsmore Creek this morning at 8.5 to go to the Barcoo River. When we had ridden three or four miles we got on the watershed of a creek on the Barcoo side of the range. About seven miles further on we reached the main branch of the creek. It had extensive flood-marks and heaps of mussel-shells on its banks, but the waterholes in its channels were empty. I named it the Archer Creek. After following Archer Creek for thirteen miles we reached its junction with the Barcoo River. I was glad to find that the channel of the river was full of water; and as there were fresh tracks of blacks near the river I supposed them to be in the neighbourhood, so to avoid them I returned up Archer Creek for about four miles to some fine young grass and encamped. The country we saw today has in many places a rich soil with grass and saltbush. It is wooded chiefly with myall and western-wood acacia. Near the channel of the river there are gumtrees, and on the banks of the river and Archer Creek there are box-trees. Today we steered to the river on the following courses: 12.10 east for eleven miles to the left bank of Archer Creek; 1.20 east for three miles down the creek; 2.28 south-south-east for three miles; 2.52 east for one mile; 3.10 east-south-east for three-quarters of a mile; 4.20 south-east and by south for two and a half miles; 5 south for one and a half miles; 6 south-east and by south for three-quarters of a mile. Distance twenty-three and a half miles.
April 19 1862. Barcoo River, Camp 51.
We left Camp 50 at 8.35. It is situated on the left bank of Dunsmore Creek at a place bearing north by west half west from Johnstone's Range. The main party started direct for Cooper's River and Fisherman and I went to Johnstone's Range which we reached in about four miles. We ascended its cliff-topped summit and observed from it a long range of hills from which we bore 99 1/2 degrees from one end, and 141 degrees from another part. The part of the range we were on prevented me from seeing the other end of Johnstone's Range. I made the meridian altitude of the sun 108 degrees 15 minutes. The latitude of that observation is 24 degrees 34 minutes west. To reach the river where Mr. Bourne had moved the encampment, at a place a short distance above the junction of Archer Creek, we had to hasten the last seven miles to get to it before dark. By coming on a different course from our yesterday's one the road was not so good, and the country was so thickly wooded at places with western-wood acacia that riding fast was too dangerous to be agreeable. Mr. Bourne observed several blacks today. They were very timid and ran away. We came here in about the following courses from the last camp: 10.40 south and by east half east four miles to Johnstone's Range; 12.30 east, 4.30 east, eleven miles to the tracks; 6.0 east-south-east quarter south seven miles to this encampment. Twenty-two miles.
April 20. Sunday. Barcoo River, Camp 51.
Today we rested ourselves and the horses. I made the meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 107degrees 56 minutes. The latitude is by that observation 24 degrees 37 minutes 43 seconds.
April 21. Monday. Barcoo River, Camp 52.
We left Camp 51 at 10.3. It is situated on the left bank of the river bearing east half south from a small hill about two miles distant. We followed the river up on its western bank for about fifteen and a half miles and encamped at 5.10 p.m. We came first in a north-north-east direction and afterwards for a few miles in a more easterly one. Our path along the first part was between ridges thickly wooded with western-wood acacia and low flat country intersected by boggy branches of the river. In the latter part our path was not confined. On the flats where the old grass had been burned good grass had grown up. There was also good grass on the ground which had been flooded near the channels of the river. We came here in about the following courses: 11.30 north-east four miles; 12.15 north-east four miles; 2.10 north-north-east four miles; 4.10 north and by east five miles; 4.35 east-north-east one mile; 5.10 east one and a half miles. Total fifteen and a quarter miles. About four miles north-east from last camp I made the meridian altitude A.H. of the sun 106 degrees 50 minutes; the latitude by that observation is 24 degrees 34 minutes.
April 22. Tuesday. Barcoo River, Camp 53.
Left Camp 52 at 9.22 and followed up the river on its western side one and a half miles. Doing so brought us in a north-easterly direction to here. In the first part we came more northerly than easterly and in the latter part more easterly than northerly. The country we saw was like that seen yesterday, except being scrubby at a few places. In the middle of the day Jemmy and I waited behind the main party and I made an observation of the sun to get our latitude. As we were riding to overtake the main party we passed nets for catching emu and nets for catching fish. We then passed an elderly gin and a little boy watching earnestly our main party, and immediately afterwards we came upon about a dozen blacks. Mr. Bourne informed me that they had followed him for several miles and had persisted in approaching nearer than was desirable. Jemmy had a long conversation with them respecting the explorers they had seen, and also respecting the route towards the settled districts, which he learned some of them had visited. They said they did not remember any explorers who had larger animals than horses and, strange to say, none who had drays. We presented them with glass bottles, an empty powder flask, and some hair from the horses' tales. Jemmy told them we wanted to encamp and that we did not wish to be too near them. They continued to follow us and on Jemmy asking them why they did so they replied they wanted a light. We gave them one and they left; but after we had camped we found they had encamped very near us. We came here on the following courses: 11.30 north-north-east seven miles; 12.30 nil; 1.15 north-north-east two miles; 3.15 north-east by east four and three-quarter miles; 3.35 east-north-east three-quarters of a mile; 4.45 north-east three miles; 5.25 east one mile. Eighteen and a half miles.