followed down on the eastern bank of the river for sixteen and a half miles to where Mr. Bourne had made the encampment.  I was glad to find that, in following down the river, Mr. Bourne had shot a large turkey.  The river has fine reaches of water, but the banks are too thickly wooded with mulga scrub to be of much value for pastoral purposes.  We observed blacks on the opposite banks of the river to us.  One of them was up a hollow tree cutting out a honeycomb or a possum.  Fisherman had a conversation with him, but as he said the blackfellow did not know where there were any stations I do not think he understood him.  There were barking curs with them, which made us suppose we were probably not far from stations.  Fisherman and I came here today in the following courses:  9.40 west-south-west for three-quarters of a mile; 10.30 north-north-west for three and a quarter miles; 10.40 west-north-west for half a mile; 11.45 south-south-east for three miles to the junction of the creek with the river; 12.22 south-south-west for one and three-quarter miles; 1.28 south-west for three miles; 2.15 east-south-east for two miles; 3.40 south-west by south for four miles; 4.40 south for three miles.  Distance twenty-one and a quarter miles.

May 17.

We left camp yesterday morning at 9.  We followed the river down all day till it became dark, in the hope of reaching a station.  We were disappointed in our expectations and did not see many tracks of cattle.  Along our path on the east side of the river, about three-quarters of a mile below camp, we observed a tree marked A. After passing between a hill and the river, about six and a quarter miles below camp, we crossed extensive flats and a low sandhill.  The country was thinly wooded in some places and scrubby at others.  The land, although not very rich, had the best grasses, and cotton, and saltbush upon it; the sandhill was wooded with cypress pine and other trees.  When we had come about eleven and a quarter miles Mr. Bourne discovered that he had left his pistol at the last camp.  Jackey returned with him to get it.  Before they left I advised them to take rations as there was little probability of their overtaking us; but they went off without them as quickly as they could, with the intention of joining us again some time before morning; but they did not succeed in doing so, nor have they made their appearance yet.  We came here in about the following courses:  9.20 south-south-west for three-quarters of a mile to A-tree; 10.8 east-south-east for two and a quarter miles; 11.20 south and by west for three and a quarter miles to opposite a hill; 12.50 south and by east for three and a quarter miles; 3.50 south and by west for seven and a quarter miles; 3.55 south-west and by south for one mile; 4.35 west for one and a half miles; 4.55 south-east for a quarter of a mile; 6.10 south-south-west for three and a half miles.  Distance today twenty-three miles.

Sunday May 18.  Camp 71.  River Warrego.