May 9.
We left Camp 66 this morning at 9.5. When we had come down the eastern bank of the river for twenty-one miles we encamped. Following down the river took us nearly two points to the westward of south. Along our path near the bank of the river the land was sandy. It was wooded with broad-leaved box, broad-leaved ironbark, Moreton Bay ash, bloodwood and cypress pine. At a place about six and three-quarter miles this side of the last camp I made the meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 92 degrees 33 minutes 30 seconds; the latitude 26 degrees 13 minutes 10 seconds. At a place about eight and three-quarter miles above here we observed trees marked 1861, J.A.C.H.U.C.H.B.A.K.C. From last camp we came here in about the following courses: 10.55 south-west and by south for two and three-quarter miles; 11.30 south and by east for four miles; 2.30 south-west and by south for five and a half miles (to marked trees) 3.20 south-west and west for two and a quarter miles; 4.23 south and by east for three and a quarter miles; 5.25 south-west and by south for two and three-quarter miles. Twenty-one miles.
May 12.
Camp 67 is situated on the left bank of the river. Last night we had severe frost which produced ice in our tin vessels. We left it at 8.55 in the morning and steered south-south-east. When we had gone eleven and a half miles we crossed a sandy creek and followed it down in a west-south-west direction for a short distance. Finding no water in the creek we left it and continued on our old course. Near sunset, when we had gone about nine miles without finding another watercourse, we went in a more easterly direction. We continued going on after dark until nearly 2 o'clock on Sunday morning. After waiting for Jackey and Jemmy, who had stayed behind yesterday, we started at 11.12 without them. We travelled all day without finding water; but after dark we found a small watercourse which we followed down for about four hours, still without finding water. Here we encamped. In the course of the day Jackey and Jemmy overtook us. Their excuse for being behind was their having turned back to look for a pistol Jackey had lost. Jemmy I was sorry to find was severely burnt from his clothes having caught fire while he was asleep on the previous night. I determined to return to water from here as the horses had been two days without any. After travelling almost incessantly for upwards of seventy-two hours we reached here this morning at 9. Although there was plenty of water in the creek here there was more lower down, at the place we crossed on our outward route when we were eleven and a half miles south-south-east from Camp 67. The horses looked wretched when they had been twenty-four hours without water, and as they had been seventy-two hours without water when they reached here they certainly looked most pitiable objects. Whilst searching for water the weather was most favourable, although sometimes freezingly cold when travelling at night; so much so that to keep ourselves from getting benumbed Mr. Bourne and I often walked. Being able only to take a small quantity of water with us Jemmy, who was suffering very much from his back, injured by the burning, felt often very thirsty but, poor fellow, we could only spare him a small quantity. The country we saw on this journey was so bad that I did not wonder at its not being stocked, and only a few tracks of cattle are to be found on it. The land very level with poor sandy soil. Where it is not thickly wooded with thick mulga scrub, which chiefly prevails, it is grassed with triodia and wooded with rather broad-leaved ironbark, broad-leaved box, and apple-trees. The apple-trees we had not previously seen on this expedition. The obstacles against steering were numerous. In my outward route I went more to the southward than I intended. Coming back I came luckily more to the northern, and got water sooner than I otherwise would have done. We came from Camp 67 and returned here in about the following courses: May 10: 12.55 south-south-east for eleven and a half miles to creek; at 1 west-south-west for quarter of a mile down the creek. May 11: 1.50 a.m. south-south-east for twenty-five and a quarter miles. Started again at 12 a.m., 7.30 east for nineteen miles to creek; 10.5 south-south-east for five miles down the creek. Length of outward route sixty-one miles. Returning: started at 8.40 yesterday morning; 5 p.m. north-west and by west to outward route; 12.8 a.m. north-west for sixteen miles.
May 13.
Started at seven this morning north-north-west half north for five miles to this camp. Length of return route forty-three miles. I made the meridian altitude of the sun here A.H. 89 degrees 30 minutes; the latitude 26 degrees 38 minutes.
May 14.
We intended proceeding down the creek today, but when we had got the horses ready to start we found that Jemmy was suffering so much pain from the sore on his side and back that he could not proceed. When we were endeavouring to persuade him to try and go on he asked us to go ourselves and leave him behind. Yesterday evening I dressed his sores with pomatum and put a bandage round his body. As he supposed the bandage caused him additional pain we took it off and dusted his sores with flour.
May 15.
Yesterday morning we left Camp 68 at 11.40; it is situated on the west bank of the creek. When we had followed the creek down for about twenty miles on its west bank where we encamped. Following the creek took us in a serpentine course and in generally a north-westerly direction. When we had travelled twelve and a quarter miles or thereby we crossed our track from Camp 67. In the first half of today's journey, to avoid losing the creek, we had to keep very near to it because of the sandstone ridges along its banks preventing us seeing the course of the creek had we kept back from it for the purpose of cutting off the angles. The latter half was without water, but as we did not know that we kept near the creek in the hope of getting water for our encampment. The country we saw, especially on the upper part of the creek, was poor and of little value. Near the creek we observed clumps of mimosa, the kind that is commonly called green-wattle. We followed the creek down in about the following courses: 12.50 north-west for five and three-quarter miles; 2.18 north-north-west for three and a quarter miles; 2.35 north for one and a quarter miles; 3.20 west and by north for two miles; 3.27 west for a quarter of a mile to track; 3.33 west-south-west for a quarter of a mile; 4 south-west for one and a quarter miles; 4.25 north-west for one mile; 4.55 south-west for one and a quarter miles; 5.18 west-south-west for one mile; 5.35 west-north-west for three-quarters of a mile; 6.18 north-north-west for one mile; 6.42 west-north-west for one mile to encampment. Distance today twenty miles.