Part 52 (1/2)

Latitude 26 degrees 2 minutes

1st June

The channels on the western side of the plain were very irregular, soain collecting into large holloith box-trees on the banks, in which fine sheets of water still reth We therefore did not experience so ard to the supply of this necessary elerass, and the all but impracticable nature of the rees, low sandstone tableland approached the west side of the river, and we atte the slope between it and the mud plains, but found it so stony that the horses' hoofs were soon worn to the quick, as we had been compelled to remove their shoes to enable thereen bushes of salsolae, and so up since the rain, this tract of country exactly rese 200the declivities of the sandstone tableland through which Cooper's Creek forces its way, and by confining the waters to a narrower space during floods, causes the fine deep reaches of water which characterize it

8th June

By following the western lirees 30 minutes, when the sandstone tableland receded, and a boundless expanse of mud plain was before us; the lines of box-trees which had hitherto onuetation

COOPER'S CREEK

9th June

After toiling south-west a day and a half over this level surface to latitude 27 degrees 50 es, at the foot of which there was a lagoon 100 yards wide, exhibiting signs of a current during flood to the north-west; and as there was an evident westerly trend in all the smaller channels previously crossed, it was evident they would soonwest-north-west, the several channels collected together, and soon formed a deep watercourse, with fine reaches of water The sandstone tableland closed in on both sides; the soil of the intervening plain was etation that saline nature which so often attends the development of the upper sandstones in Australia Grass was abundant, and it was surprising hat rapidity the horses recovered their strength

BOUNDARY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

12th June

Approaching the 141st meridian, which is the boundary of the province of South Australia, stony ridges closed in on both banks of Cooper's Creek, for almost a natural division, across which we followed a well-beaten native path; and here I observed the only instance which has coines have taken the trouble to remove natural obstacles from their paths The loose stones had been cleared froe heaps

14th June