May 16.
As Jemmy was not able to assist Jackey in getting the horses Fisherman, who has all along marked the trees, had to go in his stead. When the horses were saddled and packed the main party proceeded down the creek, and Fisherman and I stayed behind to mark the trees at our encampment on the west bank of the creek. Afterwards we proceeded down the creek, and in trying to cut off the angles we passed the junction of the creek with the Warrego River and got up the river three miles before we discovered our mistake. After watering our thirsty horses we followed down on the eastern bank of the river for sixteen and a half miles to where Mr. Bourne had made the encampment. I was glad to find that, in following down the river, Mr. Bourne had shot a large turkey. The river has fine reaches of water, but the banks are too thickly wooded with mulga scrub to be of much value for pastoral purposes. We observed blacks on the opposite banks of the river to us. One of them was up a hollow tree cutting out a honeycomb or a possum. Fisherman had a conversation with him, but as he said the blackfellow did not know where there were any stations I do not think he understood him. There were barking curs with them, which made us suppose we were probably not far from stations. Fisherman and I came here today in the following courses: 9.40 west-south-west for three-quarters of a mile; 10.30 north-north-west for three and a quarter miles; 10.40 west-north-west for half a mile; 11.45 south-south-east for three miles to the junction of the creek with the river; 12.22 south-south-west for one and three-quarter miles; 1.28 south-west for three miles; 2.15 east-south-east for two miles; 3.40 south-west by south for four miles; 4.40 south for three miles. Distance twenty-one and a quarter miles.
May 17.
We left camp yesterday morning at 9. We followed the river down all day till it became dark, in the hope of reaching a station. We were disappointed in our expectations and did not see many tracks of cattle. Along our path on the east side of the river, about three-quarters of a mile below camp, we observed a tree marked A. After passing between a hill and the river, about six and a quarter miles below camp, we crossed extensive flats and a low sandhill. The country was thinly wooded in some places and scrubby at others. The land, although not very rich, had the best grasses, and cotton, and saltbush upon it; the sandhill was wooded with cypress pine and other trees. When we had come about eleven and a quarter miles Mr. Bourne discovered that he had left his pistol at the last camp. Jackey returned with him to get it. Before they left I advised them to take rations as there was little probability of their overtaking us; but they went off without them as quickly as they could, with the intention of joining us again some time before morning; but they did not succeed in doing so, nor have they made their appearance yet. We came here in about the following courses: 9.20 south-south-west for three-quarters of a mile to A-tree; 10.8 east-south-east for two and a quarter miles; 11.20 south and by west for three and a quarter miles to opposite a hill; 12.50 south and by east for three and a quarter miles; 3.50 south and by west for seven and a quarter miles; 3.55 south-west and by south for one mile; 4.35 west for one and a half miles; 4.55 south-east for a quarter of a mile; 6.10 south-south-west for three and a half miles. Distance today twenty-three miles.
Sunday May 18. Camp 71. River Warrego.
I would have gone on today if Mr. Bourne and Jackey had been with us as we have only a few days' rations. Not knowing how far I may have to go down the river before we reach a station where we can obtain a fresh supply, and knowing from my last trial of going to the eastward how much the horses suffered from the want of water, I determined not to put them to such suffering again if avoidable. In the middle of the day Fisherman, Jemmy, and I heard a loud report of what we thought was a gun probably discharged by Mr. Bourne or Jackey, and expected them to arrive immediately. I am very anxious about them, especially as it would be inconvenient to send Fisherman off to see what has become of them, Jemmy being so ill he cannot look after the horses. Meridian of the sun A.H. 86 degrees 23 seconds, latitude 27 degrees 5 minutes.
Monday May 19. Camp 72. River.
Fortunately the horses were not all mustered until the afternoon, as shortly before they were so Mr. Bourne and Jackey arrived. If we had found the horses as early as usual we would have been looking up the river for Mr. Bourne and Jackey, where we should not have found them. They had lost our tracks and followed down the river. We were exceedingly glad to see them and to find that they had brought a large portion of an emu with them which they killed yesterday. Mr. Bourne observed in the course he had pursued a tree marked EO on one side and on the other side EWC over C. I washed on the edge of the river near a deep waterhole in some clay and pebbles in search of gold but did not find any. This afternoon we left Camp 71 at 3.20. Came down on the eastern side of the river and encamped as it grew dark, within about six and a half miles of our last camp. I made the meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 85 degrees 51 minutes, the latitude is by that observation 27 degrees 8 minutes. The observation I yesterday made showed the camp three miles northward of the latitude from today's observation. We came here in about the following courses: 4.10 south-east for two miles; 4.30 east-south-east for one mile; 4.50 south-south-east one mile to Mr. Bourne's camp; 5.27 south-south-west for one and a quarter miles; 6 west-south-west for one and a quarter miles. Distance six and a half miles.
Tuesday May 20 1862. Camp 73.
We left Camp 72 this morning, 9.20, and made down the river after sunset. In that time we travelled about twenty-one miles. We hoped to have reached a station today and would have gone further if we had not been delayed. We got on to a cattle run, and when our packhorses saw the cattle moving they took fright and galloped off. Fisherman and Jackey went after five of them, the remainder were collected and came on here with them. The others Jackey and Fisherman collected and brought in a few hours after dark. This is a fine run, and the country we saw from our path consisted in a great measure of fine grassed plains. We were very glad to get to this cattle run as we had used all our flour excepting what would do us for two days; and if it had not been for the emu Jackey shot our food would have been done. We had half doomed one of our horses to the butcher's knife, although none of us liked the idea of eating a poor old saddle-horse, consequently we were all exceedingly glad to reach the cattle run. We came today in about the following courses: 10 south for two miles; 10.40 south-east and by south for two miles; 12 south-south-east half south for three and a half miles; at 1 south and by west for two and three-quarter miles; 2.30 south-west and by west for four and a quarter miles; 3.15 south-west for half a mile; 3.40 south-east and by east for one and a quarter miles; 4.5 south and by west for one mile; 5 south-west for two and a half miles; 5.30 west for one and a quarter miles. Distance twenty-one miles.