‘November’ 27—­Everything was ready to pack on the horses before daylight this morning, but most provokingly “Cerebus” was again missing.  Leaving orders for the partyto start if he was not recovered before noon, the Leader pushed on to mark a camp for them.  At about three miles he came on to a chain of fine lagoons, running parallel to and about four miles from the river.  The intervening country was one tea-tree level all flooded, but a narrow strip of soft sandy flat occurred on the banks of each, timbered with blood-wood, stringy-bark, and box.  Following these down he marked a camp at about nine miles, then crossed over to the river to look for the cattle.  He had not followed it far when he saw a mob of blacks.  They did not molest him, so he passed them quietly, as he thought, but about two miles further on, in some scrubby sandstone gullies, as he was riding along looking for tracks, a spear whistled past, within six inches of his face.  Pulling up, he saw seven natives, all standing quietly looking on at the effect of the missile:  the fellow who threw it never threw another.  Pursuing his way, pondering on the fatality that had brought about collisions on two Sundays running, he met the cattle, and found the party in some excitement; they too had had a shindy.  The natives had attacked them in force, but no one was hurt, whilst some of their assailants were left on the ground, and others carried away wounded.  It was found that they would not stand after the first charge—­and a few were hit. (Camp XXIX.) Distance 9 miles.  Course W. by N.

‘November’ 28.—­All hopes of finding the eight missing head of cattle, lost from camp 28, had to be abandoned, for the reason that the horse-flesh could not hold out in looking for them.  The cattle were moved down along the lagoons, which in about two miles narrowed into a defined creek, sandy, with occasional lagoons.  This was explored ten miles by the Leader, and the question as to whether he should choose that route, or follow the river was decided for him.  The banks were either utterly barren or clothed with spinifex, and the country on either side the same worthless tea-tree levels.  He was therefore determined to take the cattle back on to the river, which was not much better, and led them away from their course.  The prospects of the Brothers were rather dispiriting.  To attempt striking north was out of the question, whilst every mile down the river took them further away from their destination, and their horses were falling away daily, so much so, that if the feed did not soon improve, there would not be one capable of carrying an empty saddle.  The rainy season too was at hand, and the level and flooded nature of the country they were in, would, were they caught there by the floods, endanger the safety of the party.  It was therefore with no little anxiety that they watched the weather, and searched for a practicable line which would allow of their steering north. (Camp XXX.) Latitude 16 degrees 26 minutes 53 seconds.  Distance 10 miles, W. by N.