Wednesday, June 11.

Camp 14.  The bed of this branch here is one mass of concrete and conglomerate, with small and large masses of ironstone, just as if it had lately escaped from a furnace, with pebbles and pieces of quartz, some sandstone, and sandstone in which is a mass of quartz.  In many other places it is quite a bed of sand its full width, and in other places separated into different branches by bergues of alluvial deposit and sand, with trees of different kinds and shrubs and reeds upon them.  There is a table-topped hill down on or near the north-west bank a few miles, lightly wooded from north-north-east to south-west and apparently stony.  Not a breath of wind at daylight; afterwards in forenoon from east-south-east.  Started at 8.30 a.m. on bearing of 110 degrees, for first few miles through open forest intersected with small creeks flowing to west and south, some containing water with lagoons on the flat occasionally, the drainage of the ranges to the eastward and north of our course.  The spurs coming down close on our left stony but well-grassed and very lightly timbered, in fact nearly bald ridges.  Over first stony ridge at 10.10 and considerable-sized double creek at 10.17, dry at crossing.  Top of next high range at 11.15; five and a quarter miles.  Very extensive view.  Spelled on top of hill waiting for the camels for forty-five minutes till noon.  Then started on bearing of 127 1/2 degrees for south-west end of large range in the distance that would otherwise come right across my original course.  There is an immense large black circular range from 127 1/2 degrees round by east to west-north-west, with reaphooky faces and scrubby tops, and a number of detached conical and coronet-topped hills.  At 1 p.m. water in a rocky creek close to the right.  Watered the horses.  Spelled ten minutes till 1.10.  Crossed creek at 1.15.  Sandy, scrubby forest.  Crossed another sandy creek at 1.57.  Crossed another sandy creek at 2.3.  At 3.15 on top of rocky mulga hill with granite and mass of quartz pebbles.  Some difficulty in getting over and down a rocky range (granite principally).  Struck a small creek with sufficient water for our use and good feed, and camped at 3.50 at distance of ten and three-quarters to eleven miles on last bearing.  Distance travelled about sixteen miles.  Course of the ranges close by, the one that we last crossed and the one just close by before us, 40 degrees west of south with the drainage in same direction.

Thursday, June 12.

Camp 15.  Dewless night, wind at daylight east-north-east.  Started at 8.6 a.m. on bearing of 127 1/2 degrees, top of first mulga range after passing over very rough ranges; at 9.20 struck creek north-east of the large range I am making for, watered horses, etc.  After scrambling and creeping over rocks and precipices arrived at south-west end of large hill; at 10.15 at about three miles spelled for thirty-four minutes till 10.39.  From top of hill on which there is