Wednesday, 1st June, The Spring of Hope. Not being satisfied with my hurried view of the salt clay-pan that I visited on the 25th ultimo, I have sent Muller to-day to examine it for springs, before I proceed to the north-west. On a further examination of this water, I find a very large portion of magnesia in it, and also salt, but very little. Muller has returned, having been down the creek, and, as I expected, has found a small spring of very good water on the banks of the salt creek. I expect there will be others. I shall move down there to-morrow and examine it. I expect we have fallen upon the line of springs again, which I hope will continue towards the north. No rain seems to have fallen here for a long time. Thursday, 2nd June, The Spring of Hope. Started at 9 o'clock for the springs, and arrived there in the afternoon. Travelled over a stony but very good feeding country, which became better as we approached the springs. There is a creek with a large water hole, and around the small hills are numerous springs. On the banks of the creek and round the springs an immense quantity of rushes, bulrushes, and other water-plants are growing. The quantity of land they cover is very great, amounting to several square miles. Some of the springs are choked up, others are running, though not so active as those further to the south. Round about them there is a thin crust of saltpetre, magnesia, and salt. The water of these springs is very good, but that of the creek is a little brackish, but will do very well for cattle. Some of the holes in the creek are rather salt. There is enough of good water for the largest station in the colony. Round the small hill, where I am now camped, there are twelve springs, and the water is first-rate. I have named them Hawker Springs, after G.C. Hawker, Esquire, M.L.A.* (* Now the Honourable G.C. Hawker, Speaker of the House of Assembly at Adelaide.) The hills are composed of slate, mica, quartz (resembling those of the gold country), and ironstone. Latitude, 28 degrees 24 minutes 17 seconds. One of the horses seems to be very unwell to-day; he has endeavoured to lie down two or three times during the journey, but I hope he will be better by the morning. Friday, 3rd June, Hawker Springs. I find that the horse is too unwell to proceed. I shall give him another day, for fear I should lose him altogether. I sent Muller to see if there are any springs round the hill about six miles to the east. He states that the creek flows past that hill, and on towards other hills of the same kind. The springs continue to within half a mile of the hill, where he found two large springs running over, covered with long reeds. I do not doubt but that they still continue on towards the lake, (wherever that may be), which I intend to examine on my return.