The nights were calm
and clear, but very cold.
Mr. Calvert had happily recovered so much as to be able to resume his
duties; and, notwithstanding the fatigues of the last long stage, Mr.
Roper had slightly improved.
July 22. - Last night was beautifully clear and calm, until midnight, when
a cold south wind set in, which made us all shiver with cold. I had not
felt it so much since the night of Mr. Gilbert's death, nor since we left
the upper Lynd and the table land of the Burdekin. The wind was equally
strong in the morning from the south-east, and veered in the course of
the day to the south and south-west.
We travelled about eight miles and a half W.N.W. to lat. 17 degrees 50
minutes 28 seconds, at first passing over a scrubby country, which
changed into box flats when we approached the waterless creek, at which
we encamped on the night of the 20th. To the westward of this creek, box
flats alternated with tea-tree thickets; and opened at last into a large
plain, which we crossed at its southern termination, where it was three
miles broad; it appeared boundless to the northward. Plains of the same
character had been dimly seen through the open forest to the northward,
for some time before we came to the one we crossed.
