must occupy the largest and lowest valley.  The number of inhabitants of this region seems very limited; we have met none, an occasional smoke in the distance being the only indication of their existence.  In the hot months of the year this region must be vile in the extreme, and I consider myself most fortunate in having the cool season before me to traverse it in.  It is stony, sterile, and hideous, and totally unsuited for the occupation or habitation of the white man.

CHAPTER 5.3.  FROM 7TH MAY TO 10TH JUNE, 1876.

Depart for higher ground. 
Rainfalls. 
Ophthalmia. 
Romantic glen. 
Glen Ross. 
Camels on the down grade. 
Larger creek. 
The Ashburton. 
No natives. 
Excellent bushes for camels. 
A strange spot. 
Junction of several creeks. 
Large snake. 
Grand Junction Depot. 
A northerly journey. 
Milk thistle. 
Confined glen. 
Pool of water. 
Blind with ophthalmia. 
Leading the blind. 
Dome-like masses. 
Mount Robinson and The Governor. 
Ophthalmia range. 
Rocky spring. 
Native fig-trees. 
A glen full of water. 
Camels nearly drowned. 
Scarcity of living things. 
And of water. 
Continued plague of flies. 
A pretty view. 
Tributaries join. 
Nicholls’s Fish ponds. 
Characteristics of watering places. 
Red hill. 
Another spring. 
Unvarying scene. 
Frost, thermometer 28 degrees. 
A bluff hill. 
Gibson’s Desert again. 
Remarks upon the Ashburton. 
The desert’s edge. 
Barren and wretched region. 
Low ridges and spinifex. 
Deep native well. 
Thermometer 18 degrees. 
Salt bush and Acacia flats. 
A rocky cleft. 
Sandhills in sight. 
Enter the desert. 
The solitary caravan. 
Severe ridges of sand. 
Camels poisoned in the night. 
In doubt, and resolved. 
Water by digging. 
More camels attacked. 
A horrible and poisonous region. 
Variable weather. 
Thick ice. 
A deadly Upas-tree.

Though the camels returned early from where the water was found, some of them required a rest on the soft ground on the banks of the creek, and as there were good bushes here also, we remained for the rest of the day.  The night set in very close and oppressive, and a slight rain fell.  On the morning of May the 8th there was some appearance of more rain, and as we were camped upon ground liable to be flooded, I decided to be off at once to some higher ground, which we reached in about two miles down the creek.  While we were packing up, and during the time we were travelling, the rain came down sufficiently heavily to wet us all thoroughly.  We got to the side of a stony hill, put up our tents and tarpaulins, and then enjoyed the rain exceedingly, except that our senses of enjoyment were somewhat blunted, for all of us had been attacked with ophthalmia for several days previously.  Livingstone remarks in one of