alternate low sandy hills and flooded narrow flats.  Camels and horses arrived at Lake Moolionboorrana camp on north-east side of creek at 3.30 p.m.  Distance about eleven miles.  Exceedingly scant of timber.  The cart and sheep not having got to camp, started Bell and Wylde with three horses back to ascertain the cause of detention, and take food for the men if they were unable to bring the dray during the evening; but it became so dark that they could not retrace the tracks of their horses.  At 10 p.m. returned to camp without having seen or heard anything of cart or sheep.  Will start off again at daylight.  A number of natives round the lake.  Innumerable pelicans, and numbers of ducks, gulls, waders, cormorants, fish, and pigeons, and abundance of green grass; but no shade or protection from the extreme heat of the sun.  Rain has fallen here some short time since, small quantities being still in the claypans; and from the cloudy appearance of the sky with thunder to the north I fancy it has fallen heavily in that quarter.

Sunday, December 22.

At daylight sent Mr. Hodgkinson, Bell, and a native with four horses to cart, to know cause of detention, etc.  Unfortunately the thermometer got broken yesterday which will prevent in future our ascertaining the temperature of the interior, which is much to be regretted as no doubt it would interest many.  Wind south.  Bullock cart got to camp at 8.20 a.m. having had an upset.  Nothing particularly wrong with it.  Sheep all right.  Will spell today to recruit bullocks and men that were with them, all having had to be on watch during the night as the natives were round and about them the whole time—­for what purpose they did not know.  At 8.30 wind chopped round to north-north-east and very warm.  This lake is circular and almost without timber; but is a fine sheet of water and will stand the weather well.  There is a great deal of soda in it.  It is about two and a half to three miles long from north to south and about two miles from east to west; the creek that supplies it (filling it from north-west end) coming from north.  The bullocks are so jaded with the heat of the past two days and the heavy nature of the ground that they have hardly left the water during the day without being driven; they even went so far as to go out and lie down in it for hours.

Monday, December 23.

Wind north-north-east; sky very much overcast to southward and round by west to north.  Bullocks started at 7.40 a.m.  I started with native at the same time and reached the Creek Gadhungoonie, with a considerable quantity of water and fully half a mile in length; but so thoroughly bitter and salty that it was quite unfit for man or beast.  Must now start out to another creek some distance off (by report) although I meant to give the bullocks a short day of it.  Spelled till the camels came up and started on to Abberanginnie Lake Creek, or rather I believe, Watthiegurtie Creek, which is the creek that fills the lake—­the