unfortunate party are accounted for, it renders my journey to Cooper’s Creek, as I intended, useless for any purpose of relief.  Had they on their arrival from the north coast at Cooper’s Creek depot only pushed westward this length they could, with the greatest ease to themselves, have made the Adelaide stations.  I am quite surprised that they could not get south by Strzelecki’s Creek, being under the impression that two-thirds of the water of Cooper’s Creek was drained off by that watercourse southward.  My impression from observation here is that a very great portion of the waters of Cooper’s Creek is drained northwards from this.  Before leaving this it is my intention to push eastward some distance to ascertain the character of the country, and on my return to push westward for some distance to ascertain if the stony desert exists so far southward as this; I will then proceed northward and examine the waters reported by the natives to exist in that quarter, and ascertain if they are likely to be of permanent use to South Australia.  From them I shall be entirely guided by the appearance of the country there as to my future movements.  I am now satisfied that water can be had by digging.  By the time I return from the east and westward the horses that have been down to the settled districts will have so far recovered from their fatigue, and be again able to proceed northward.  At 5 p.m. depth of water in the well fifteen and a half inches, the water very hard and clear, quite the opposite of the lake, which is very soft and rather milky in colour.  Mr. Hodgkinson, since he has been absent, has had a severe attack of illness brought on, I believe, by injury sustained from a pummelling he received at Apoinga, near the Burra, from one of the camels, Siva, who at that time was very unruly and inclined to be vicious.  He has repeatedly complained and even now is not at all the thing.  I trust he will thoroughly recover as he is a very energetic little fellow and the want of his services would be a considerable loss to me on my coming journey.  Highest temperature during day 120 degrees.

Saturday, November 30.

Wind south-south-east.  Temperature at sunrise 70 degrees; depth of water in the well at 5 a.m. eighteen and a quarter inches.  Temperature at noon 99 degrees in the sun and wind.  Temperature at sunset 84 degrees; wind west of south a little cloudy; so it was last night.

Sunday, December 1.

A little rain during the night but not enough to wet a sheet of paper.  At sunrise temperature 70 degrees, calm.  At noon slight breeze southerly; temperature 110 degrees.  Found suspended the spring of one of Terry’s breech-loading rifles round the neck of a native; he describes the remaining portions of the rifle out to the north-east, which will be nearly in our north course.  Highest temperature during the afternoon in the sun 129 degrees; at sunset 99 degrees.

Monday, December 2.