Thursday, 7th March, The Hugh. As my horses are very tired, and the distance between my main camp on the Finke and the water we discovered yesterday being upwards of fifty miles, I will remain here to-day, dig down to the clay, and try if I can obtain enough water for all the party; for, owing to the extreme heat, and the dryness of the feed, many of our weak horses are unable to go a night without water. By 8 p.m. we dug a trench ten feet long, two feet and a half deep, and two feet and a half broad; it is about twelve feet below the level of the creek. We have had a very hard day's work. Wind, south-east. Day very hot. Friday, 8th March, The Hugh. This morning very cold; wind, still south-east. The trench is quite full; our four horses made very little impression on it. I shall send up and enlarge the trench, so that we may be enabled to water the whole lot. At 6.40 a.m. started back for the camp. At 1.45 p.m. halted to give the horses a little rest. At 2.30 p.m. changed to 184 degrees, and at four miles reached the table hills, but there was no creek, only a number of clay-pans, all quite dry, with stunted gum-trees growing round them. Changed my bearing to Mount Santo, passing a number of clay-pans of the same description; from thence proceeded to the camp; arrived there at sundown, and found all right. Plenty of water; the horses make little impression on it. Wind, south-east. Saturday, 9th March, The Finke. I shall give Thring a rest to-day, and will send him with two others, and a part of the horses, to-morrow to the Hugh, to make a place large enough to water all. From about 2 a.m. until after sunrise the morning has been very cold. Wind, south-east. Sunday, 10th March, The Finke. At 7 a.m. despatched Thring, Thompson, and Sullivan, with eleven pack and three riding-horses, to the Hugh to dig a tank. Wind, still south-east; clouds east. Monday, 11th March, The Finke. Clouds all gone; wind still south-east. I will remain here to-day with the rest of the party, to give the others time to have all ready for us when we arrive. One of the horses missing; found him in the afternoon. Wind variable.