(Camp LVI.)

CHAPTER IV

New Year's Day - Sinclair Creek - New Year's Creek - Kinloch Creek - Micketeeboomulgeiai - The River Archer - The Coen - Slough of Despond - River Batavia - Two Horses Drowned - Five Horses Poisoned - Symptoms - Abandon Baggage - Cache - Party commence Walking - Difficult Travelling - Two more Horses Die - Last Encounter with Natives - Pandanus Thorns - Another Horse Sickens - Urgency of Getting Forward - Dalhunty Creek - Another Horse Dies - "Creamy" and "Rocket" Die - Skardon's Creek - Pitcher Plant - Two Saddles Abandoned - Nell Gwynne's Foal Killed - Richardson's Range.

'January' 1. - Kendall Creek was crossed early on the morning of this, New Year's Day, and subsequently at distances of 10 and 14 miles, two small creeks of running water, coming from the eastward, named respectively Sinclair and New Year's Creeks, in which lilies were abundant ('Blue Nympheas'), and on the last of which the party camped. The progress was rendered very tedious and difficult, by the large trunks and branches of trees, which had been blown down by the storm of the 30th December, over and amongst which the weak horses kept constantly falling. The country changed into red sandy ridges, shewing an outcrop of sandstone, timbered with tall straight saplings of stringy-bark and bloodwood, the larger timber having in all cases been blown down. Some grass-tree country was also passed, covered with quartz pebbles, white, or colored with oxide of iron. The distance accomplished was 14 miles on a course of N.E. by N. (Camp LVII. Nonda.) A heavy thunder-storm broke at night, followed by steady rain.

'January' 2. - The heavy rain, boggy soil, and recent long stages made it necessary to turn out the cattle during the last night, as the poor animals had so little chance of feeding during the day. They were, however, gathered by the time the horses were ready in the morning, having, probably, but little temptation to stray on the boggy ground. The country traversed was similar to that of yesterday, and very much encumbered with fallen timber. The grasses, though thin, are of the best quality. Altogether the interval between Kendall Creek and to-night's camp, a distance of 30 miles, would make a fine cattle run, being watered at every six or seven miles by running creeks, besides a large swamp. It was found to be an extensive plateau, sloping away to the eastward, terminating abruptly in a perpendicular wall, overlooking the valley, on the head of which the party camped. The camp was one of the best of the whole journey, being pitched on a grassy rise, sloping gently to the eastward, and was a grateful relief after the barren and waterless camps of the journey. The latitude was 13 degrees 47 seconds. Distance 16 miles. (Camp LVIII.)

'January' 3. - This morning the creek was followed down to near its junction with a large sandy stream, coming from the north-east, which was named Kinloch Creek, in honor of John Kinloch, Esq., Mathematical Master of Sydney College. It was plentifully watered, and remarkable for presenting the only iron-bark trees that were seen since leaving the Einasleih.

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