Camp 30.  Exceedingly cold during the night but a beautiful morning.  Started on bearing 5 1/2 degrees for six and three-quarter miles; first part of it over open flats with mulga creeks and watercourses, many with water; next over burnt stony undulation with mulga watercourses; at five miles came in amongst a quantity of detached hills of lime and sandstone; the ground strewed with bronzed burnt small stones and takes the print of an animal’s foot readily, having a light soil under.  At the end of this distance, six and three-quarter miles, two creeks again full in view, one apparently on bearing 9 degrees, passing above and below a small table-topped hill, the other on bearing of 40 degrees, which I suppose I must follow till I can cross.  For five miles passing stony slopes towards the creek and a vast abundance of vine with large yellow blossoms, the fruit being contained in a leafy pod; that fruit when ripe contains three or four black seeds as large as a good-sized pea.  I must try them cooked as I find the emu tracks very abundant where the vine is most plentiful.  I can from this point see the creek distinctly break off from the branch on bearing of 354 degrees, but I must keep on the branch still; bearing now 35 1/2 degrees.  The tops of the low hills are of a whitish colour, and an immense quantity of gypsum is scattered over them as well as over the slopes as I came along, and the tops and slopes of the hill have mallee with other trees and shrubs; course 35 1/2 degrees for three three-eighth miles, first part burnt undulation of thin brown slate gypsum cliffs for a short distance, without a shrub or bush on them; precipitous slopes, tops alone having bushes or trees; latter part over undulation more or less stony to creek where it turns suddenly to northward again; bearing of 338 degrees over flooded well-grassed country for two miles on to the main creek; a hill on opposite side within twenty-three yards of creek bank.  This is a magnificent stream here.  It is at least 250 yards wide and from forty to fifty feet down the banks to the water, lined with noble gums, box, bean, and other trees; how deep it is difficult to say.  Lots of ducks of various kinds, cormorants, magpies, corellas, pigeons of various kinds, with the usual accompaniment of crows and hawks.  Small hill visible in the distance to south of east; very extensive plain in that direction also, as well as east and north of east, with abundance of excellent pasture and timbered low ridges, stony, but well grassed with limestone and the everlasting plum-pudding stone with sandstone.  Current in creek I should say not more than half a mile per hour.

Tuesday, April 8.