view.  Could see nothing northward and westward but a jumble of lower sandhills looking very dreary without even a creek with its timber to break the monotony of the view.  From the top of the hill there was water at a distance of one and a half to one and three-quarter miles.  Depot about sixteen miles distant.  Goderannie Creek is deep, with abundance of fish of various sorts, and drains all the creeks that fill our depot lake, and the creek to the west of the lake over the sandhills.  Started the blackfellows and whites to dig a well close by the depot before I went away this morning.  At eight feet eight inches struck water (good).  Will deepen it tomorrow and see what supply would be likely to be had if necessity would require it.  Party not yet returned; feel quite uneasy about them but suppose they did not get what they were sent for as soon as they expected.

Thursday, November 28.

At daylight wind strong from south-south-east, at sunrise temperature 63 degrees.  Enlarging and deepening the well.  Temperature at noon in the sun and wind 106 degrees; at sunset 73 degrees.  Finished the well, now being nine feet six inches deep, three and a half feet broad and five feet long.  For the first four feet it was a mixture of light-coloured clay and fine sand, next three and a half feet was a mixture of gypsum and blue clay, next to bottom a little clay mixed with chiefly fine sand, then the water seemed to come in from all quarters.  Party not yet arrived—­exceedingly anxious about them.

Friday, November 29.

Wind south-south-east and cool at sunrise, temperature 54 degrees, being much lower than we have had it except once.  There is a depth of ten inches of water in the well during twelve hours.  At 7.30 a.m. two natives arrived on opposite side of the lake, bringing the joyous tidings that the party under charge of Mr. Hodgkinson had camped at a creek called Keradinti about eight miles from this last night, so that I expect them every hour—­I was heartily glad to hear of them.  At 9.30 a.m.  Mr. Hodgkinson and party arrived safe, for which I was truly thankful; I was afraid something had happened to them from their apparent long absence.  I am sorry that the native Jack, that accompanied them from this, deserted about the inner stations, having heard some idle report of something having happened to the party here.  Mr. Hodgkinson has brought back with him nearly everything I required.  By him I also received some Adelaide papers in which were some Melbourne telegrams, one of which announced the rescue by Mr. Howitt of one of Burke’s party, King, so that I have been deceived as to appearances at Lake Cadhibaerri respecting the different colours of hair found.  Still I am under the impression that when Burke’s diary is published that it will show of some affray with the natives about that place, or they would not have acted towards us when there as they did.  By receipt of such intelligence, and that now the whole of the