Bad news came again this morning--the stock-keeper met me with a very rueful countenance to report that another horse and two sheep had just been found dead, and that several more sheep were missing. It still rained so heavily that we could not attempt to move, for already a considerable portion of our stores was damaged by the water which had filled the ditch, and regularly flooded the tent in which they were placed. Mr. Walker started with me for the purpose of marking off a road to the place we next intended to halt at, for the country was so rocky that it was necessary to choose a path with the greatest caution, or we should soon have become embarrassed in precipitous places which the horses could not have traversed. Whilst I was thus engaged Mr. Lushington and two men made another unsuccessful attempt to get the goats and remaining stores across the stream. WEAKNESS AND OBSTINACY OF THE PONIES. February 3. This morning the rain had somewhat abated: the remaining stores were brought from the ravine, and the goats were swum across; in the meantime the ponies were brought up and loaded, and all preparations were at last made for a start: but a host of new difficulties arose; many of the ponies were found to be in such a weakly state that they could with great difficulty carry any weight at all. We were obliged to make a totally new division of the stores, and to select and put aside what articles we could best leave behind. These preparations occupied a considerable time, but we at last moved off in a south-east direction. Our progress was however very slow and tedious; the ponies, though lightly loaded, were so reduced that the slightest obstacle made many fall from weakness, whilst others laid down from obstinacy, and the men being inexperienced in re-fixing the loads, each horse that fell delayed us considerably. At last so many were down at one time that I advanced with such as were able to move to a point distant not more than half a mile, where I halted for the night; and, having unloaded and tethered these horses, we returned to assist the others, and after a great deal of difficulty got the remainder of the weak ponies safe to the encampment. I slept but little this night for I doubted whether, with our cattle so enfeebled and so out of condition, we should ever succeed in penetrating any distance into the country. We were still a considerable way from the fertile plains I had seen to the southward, whilst the intervening ground was very difficult to travel across and afforded no good feed for the ponies. All my meditations however only terminated in the conviction that it was my duty to continue to use my best exertions under such adverse circumstances. February 4.