or east-north-east till 10.16; then on bearing of 95 1/2 degrees, till at 10.23 struck what I take to be Morning Inlet, about 150 yards broad with reeds and grass, no water at crossing; 10.42 left Morning Inlet where we watered horses.  At 2.53 p.m. changed course to 32 1/2 degrees for a belt of timber, thinking to camp; no water.  At 3.12 p.m. changed course to 95 1/2 degrees till three minutes to five, when changed course to 135 degrees until 5.39, then on bearing of 75 degrees till 6.21; no water, but a very little drop about half a mile back, to which place I returned and found there was even less than I expected.  This is a most deceitful part of the country; every five minutes you are in expectation of coming to water but it was our fate to meet none but this muddy little drop, barely sufficient for our own use, and none for the animals.  From about 3 p.m. till we camped heavy belts of swampy box and large gums; many patches of reeds and coarse grass; water recently dried up; and belts of plain.  Numerous birds seen—­cockatoos, hawks, crows, galahs, etc. etc. etc.

Wednesday, May 28.

Camp 7.  The bullocks (two) with Palmer and Kirby on horseback and Maitland on foot did not come up to camp last night, but immediately after sunrise the two horsemen and bullocks arrived, but not Maitland, he being on foot from having injured his horse so much as to render him unfit to ride, as is his usual way with every horse he gets, taking no care of him whatever.  I told him when he injured the last that if he did the same to this one he should walk; and good to my word I made him walk yesterday.  Rode a short distance at sunrise, having heard some native companions calling out after daylight, and found within a quarter of a mile of us, almost within view, two splendid lagoons.  Immediately returned to camp and moved it at once to the nearest one; it bears from last night’s camp nearly due south, a quarter of a mile or little over; the other lagoon is distant about 300 yards south-east of this.  Great abundance of feed.  As the camels are lame and in need of a spell and we want to kill a bullock and Maitland not come up yet I have made up my mind to stop here till all are put in travelling order.  In the morning the wind bitterly cold from south-east to south-south-east.  Middleton has been laid up for the last three days and lost the use of his legs yesterday afternoon but hope he will soon be all right again.  He is much better today; I should get on indifferently without him.  Although we met with no water coming along last afternoon I have no doubt but that there was plenty of it, as the natives were burning everywhere as we came along, particularly close on our right.  It is still a splendid country for grass and timber.  As soon as we moved to camp we had one of the bullocks (Boxer) up and killed; he is very fair beef.  The other is not so good, but stands being kept in hobbles; whereas this one would not or he would have been kept till last on account of his better condition.  Providentially Maitland made his way to camp late this afternoon.  Had we been obliged to go on again a stage without luckily hitting upon this place I think he would have gone frantic as he appeared in a sad state of mind on his arrival; I hope it will be a caution to him in future to see to his horse better.