Camp 31.  Heavy dew last night.  To give the horses a chance of doing better last night they were let go without hobbles, and this morning they have strayed to some distance and again caused us to be late in starting.  Started at 11.10 a.m.  A number of natives must have been here on our arrival last afternoon but must have decamped very hastily on hearing us, leaving all their spears, cooking and cooked vegetables, food, etc. etc.; the food they were cooking in their ovens and what was lying cooked consisted of excellent roots of some kind or other, and a round fruit which they roast and which is very good.  We used all the roots and found them most excellent and left in exchange a tomahawk, which no doubt will suit their purpose as well, and suited us much better.  I took the precaution of carrying all their spears up to our camp, that in case they might return to their camp in the night they might not molest us; it saved us keeping watch but we neither saw nor heard anything of them except their dogs howling.  Numbers of blue mountain parrots here, and a few ducks only.  The river here is formidable and the banks rather steep for easy access.  On the south-south-easterly course; at one and three-quarter miles crossed deep rocky creek with a little rainwater and very steep banks; at three and a quarter miles passed a lagoon, more lagoons off to the south-west under the low ridges; at six miles crossed a small oak creek from south-west by west; at seven and three-quarter miles crossed small good creek with plenty of water from south-west by west.  Halted at a couple of lagoons, nine and a quarter miles.  One of the camels we will be compelled to leave here; he has been a most useful animal; we will in consequence have to curtail further our little effects and leave many things behind.  Our journey direct south-east and little south today has not been more than about seven miles.  The lagoons which are deep run in a north-west by west half west course.  Buried things we left at south side of ironbark tree fifty-two paces about west 28 degrees south of a marked tree and camp fire.

Thursday, July 10.

Camp 32.  Ice in the quart pots this morning, the first we have seen during the whole of our wanderings up to this; but I once before saw where it had nipped off the young burnt feed before making the Burdekin.  Have called this Coppin’s lagoons after our camel that is left here.  Started at 8.52 a.m. south-east about two and a half miles or so.  At one and three-quarter miles on an easterly bearing crossed a rocky and sandy narrow deep creek from south by west with plenty of water in large holes; good travelling till we turned easterly, then a little ridgy; at three and a quarter miles a large creek from north-north-east joins the river in a bend; a large mount in about that direction.  The river now suddenly turns south-east to south-south-east from east-north-east; at six and a quarter miles crossed the River Clarke