got a few words of their language and with a promise to return tomorrow they took their leave.  They are not at all such a good sample as are at the lakes north and east of Lake Hope.  They say there is plenty of water ahead on the course I intend to take, but from want of knowledge of their language could glean nothing of the parties that came in search to the north coast; but that they have seen whites was quite evident from their knowledge of the use of the axe.  They seemed much in dread of the camels, the only animals that were near the camp at the time, and expressed by motions a desire that they should be driven away.

Monday, June 2.

Camp 8.  The heaviest dew last night I have experienced for many years, accompanied by a dense fog till between 8 and 9 a.m.  Wind from west-north-west.  Palmer attacked with same fever that the rest have.  The others very weak but I think a little better.  Made a start this morning at 9.20 a.m. on bearing of 95 1/2 degrees; at 10.14 lagoon on right; at 10.27 crossed creek with plenty of water from south-south-west; at 11.50 lagoon on right—­all forest land with a greater number of the paper-bark tree than any other; at 11.15 much spinifex; at 11.20 creek close on left with plenty of water; at 11.35 crossed creek, it goes off into many lagoons southwards and eastwards; good grass and plenty of water, not much spinifex, the country rather too thickly wooded to be open forest.  Halted at lagoons on the left at 1.20 coming from south of east and flowing to north of west.  Although this country is rather too thickly wooded to be called open forest it is still an excellent pastoral country, the grasses sweet and plenty of water, the lagoons being covered with nymphans or waterlily, and the soil sandy.  We passed many patches of burnt ground, some burnt earlier than the rest, having green grass nine to twelve inches high.  Stopped short today on account of the patients who are very weak, Kirby in particular; distance travelled twelve and a half miles.  In the afternoon wind from west-north-west.  Saw nothing of the natives this morning before starting.  Several palms seen through the forest, a few close by this camp of no great height; the feed in general is very dry except in the neighbourhood of the creeks or lagoons.

Tuesday, June 3.

Camp 9.  Wind south; considerable dew but nothing to the night before.  There is a good deal of spinifex here and the timber is nothing like so strong or good as around yesterday’s camp and for miles on all sides of it.  Three creeks appear to rise here and join and become one, all from the southward of east to north of west.  Started at 9.8 a.m., the horses having strayed some distance back to the burnt feed.  Bearing 95 1/2 degrees, open forest with spinifex; at 10.30 crossed small creek (dry); at 10.45 crossed small sandy creek (dry) water on the right; at 11.30 watered horses and then crossed creek from west-south-west to east-north-east, small creek