June 8.—­During the night there was light rain.  At daylight sent out in search of water, but all our efforts proved unsuccessful.  Peel’s range being the nearest high land, I determined to search the base of it, in hopes of finding water, since it was impossible that either men or horses could long endure this almost constant privation of the first necessary of life.  I accordingly set off towards the range, but was prevented from making it by impenetrable scrubs:  we then returned to the range a little to the west of the tent, whence we could see a considerable distance to the west and north-west; it is impossible to imagine a prospect more desolate.  The whole country in these directions, as far as the eye could reach, was one continued thicket of eucalyptus scrub:  it was physically impossible to proceed that way, and our situation was too critical to admit of delay; it was therefore resolved to return back to our last station on the 6th under Peel’s range, if for no other purpose than that of giving the horses water.  I felt that by attempting to proceed westerly I should endanger the safety of every man composing the expedition, without any practical good arising from such perseverance:  it was therefore deemed more prudent to keep along the base of Peel’s range to its termination, having some chance of finding water in its rocky ravines, whilst there was none at all in attempting to keep the level country.  It was too late to pursue this resolution this evening.

June 9.—­During the night heavy rain.  At eight o’clock set off on our return to our halting-place of the 6th, the horses having been now forty-eight hours without water.  We had scarcely proceeded a mile when it began to rain hard, and continued to do so without intermission until we stopped at the place where water had been previously found:  it was by this time two o’clock, the horses failed, and the people were in little better condition, not having tasted any thing since the evening before.  All our clothes were wet through, a circumstance which added greatly to the unpleasantness of our situation.

The true nature of the soil was fully developed by this day’s rain.  Being in dry weather a loose light sand without any apparent consistency, it was now discovered to have a small portion of loam mixed with it, which, without having the tenacity of clay, is sufficient to render it slimy and boggy:  I am quite satisfied that two days’ rain will at any time render this country impassable.  The mortification and distress of mind I felt at being obliged to take a retrograde direction was heightened by seeing the horses struggling under loads far beyond their present powers, their labour rendered still more trying by the miserable country they were obliged to pass through.

June 10.—­Light rain during the night, the morning fair and pleasant:  upon mature deliberation it was resolved to remain here until the 13th, for the purpose of refreshing the horses.  I also determined to send a detachment on before us, to endeavour to find an eligible station for us to stop at, that we might proceed with more certainty.