Thursday, 5th June, Daly Waters. Started at a quarter to eight with Thring and Auld, taking all the water-bags full, also King and Billiatt to take back the horses that carry the water. I have chosen King for this purpose, as being the next best bushman to Thring, and one in whom I can place the greatest dependence to execute any charge I may give him with care and faithfulness. At four o'clock arrived at the blue-grass swamp. Changed my course to 70 degrees east of north, following down the middle of it, which contains a great number of large deep holes in which water has been, but are now quite dry. Followed it until it spread itself over the plain, causing a great number of deep cracks and holes completely covered with grass, gums, and other trees, too thick to get an easy passage through. At sundown camped on the plain without water. A few hours before sundown the sky had a very peculiar appearance to the eastward, as if a black fog were rising, or smoke from an immense fire at a long distance off, but it was too extensive for that. At sundown it assumed a more distinct aspect in the shape of black clouds coming from that direction. Wind, south-east. Friday, 6th June, Plain East of Blue Swamp. Sent King and Billiatt back with the horses, while I proceeded with the other two on a course 70 degrees east of north. At a mile and a half came suddenly upon a scrubby ironstone rise about twenty feet high. After passing over a rotten plain, full of holes and covered with grass and stunted gum-trees, proceeded to the top, from which we had a good view of the surrounding country--to all appearance one of the blackest and most dismal views a man ever beheld; even the splendid grass country I had been coming through has the same appearance. The cause of it is the trees being so thick, and some of them of a very dark colour, that nothing but their tops can be seen, which gives it the appearance of being a dense scrub. To the west there is an appearance of a scrubby rise--the one on which I have been on my other journeys to the north. No hills visible; all appears to be a level country. Proceeded down the gradual slope, crossing two other lower ironstone undulations, meeting occasionally with small rotten plains with holes, and covered with grass. At five miles the ground became firmer; at seven miles met with what seemed to be a water-shed. After a long search found that the flow of the water was to the west of north; traced it a short distance to the south-east and found a small shallow pool of water and gave our horses a drink; and wishing to take advantage of anything that may take me to the north-west, I turned and traced it down; passed three ponds with some water in them, and at three miles came upon a fine large one two and a half feet deep; followed it still on, but was disappointed on finding it terminate in a dry swamp, all cracked and full of holes; circled round it to see if the creek took up again, but could see no appearance of any.