out to where the sheep were first, I had two of them unloaded and sent back to carry to the dry ground any of the perishable articles such as ammunition, flour, tea, and sugar, which they brought in safety; for had it been put on the horses as usual, and not being able to keep them on our track, the probability is they would have to swim and completely destroy the ammunition and injure the other stores; the camels acted famously and from their great height were as good as if we had been supplied with boats.  After getting all onto dry land they were repacked and went on to a very good camp, now that there is water, on a sandhill about two and three-quarters to three miles distant in an east-south-east direction through a good deal of water and almost impassable flats—­the sheep even sinking up to their bodies in the mud; however we got them all over safely by early in the afternoon.  Still showery and how long we shall be weather-bound quite uncertain; however there is plenty of feed for the animals here which is a great comfort, and what is more they are in perfect safety, as well as we are ourselves, from the boisterous state of the weather.  Whilst on the creek in the morning, had there been much difficulty in getting the animals, we should have had to hoist the things up into trees, and constructed a raft of dead timber, and rafted them off to dry land, which would have been a great deal of trouble.  Squally still; wind continues from same quarter.  Towards evening a great portion of the flat is being covered with water from the creek, beyond the creek there is nothing visible but lines of trees, marking the course of the lesser channels, and stone hills, all else is a perfect sea.  We were very fortunate to be caught in it where we were; had we been caught thus in making this creek, or a day’s stage up it, to a certainty we should all have been washed away, or what would have been just as bad, be perched on a small island of sand with all the animals round us and nothing but starvation staring us in the face—­as on most of the sand-rises down near the creek there was no vegetation of any consequence upon them.

Sunday, March 2.

In camp; light showers occasionally.  The side creeks from the hills running themselves out and the upper parts drying; the line of creek visible in the distance through the trees during all its course now in view, and the flats considerably more covered.  Thunder and lightning from north to north-east.

Monday, March 3.

Wind east-south-east; as usual squally.  On turning in last night it had every appearance of rain and did rain steadily for some time but gradually held up for the night, and appeared as if we were to have a dry change to have all the things that got wet perfectly dry again.  I shall get all the horses shod here as, from the soft nature of the flats for some time to come, they will be unfit to travel over the approaching stony country.  Intend searching for the bullock