At Lake Blanche; went out north with Mr. Hodgkinson and native to examine the creek alluded to, but to my disappointment found that it only formed a large valley and, at some distance on a dry lake, Millie Millie, to the eastward of Lake Sir Richard, over some high sandhills; returned very much chagrined and have made up my mind to stay here a short time, although very poor shelter from the excessive heat of the sun (today even it blows as if from a furnace) and endeavour with the camels to ascertain the description of country first to the east, and probably also from here, if the camels will stand it, to the north; from the appearance of the country about here I do not expect any water at least for some distance; the land low, hills between the two lakes and running northward for some five or six miles have just the appearance of dirty drift snow heaps with heath bushes protruding; whereas those round to north-east, east, south, and south-east are a glaring red, with coarse grass and shrubs. Shortly after my return today a number of natives got the bullocks on the east side of the creek New Year Straits, about two and a half miles from camp and raced them round Lake Blanche from us in sight; on seeing which five of the party got mounted and armed and went after them; they had taken the bullocks two-thirds of the way round the lake and by some means they broke back from them; they did their best to overtake and turn them again for about two or three miles; when they observed the horsemen they immediately took to flight, and where shelter was so abundant, of course, were immediately out of reach and sight of the horsemen. What their intentions were was difficult to say but it looked rather suspicious; took the bullocks to camp late and hobbled most of them. The evening before leaving Lake Hodgkinson, about 8.30 p.m., they took both horses and bullocks and raced them round from us for about three miles but were pursued on foot by three of the party who succeeded in getting all the bullocks and horses after having broken three-fourths of their chains, and were in a very excited state, nor could the horses be quieted for more than two hours afterwards, but the wary savage was nowhere to be seen. Wednesday, January 8. Moved camp about three-quarters of a mile to a little wood and camped. Fearfully hot, wind east-north-east. Thursday, January 9. Camp, Lake Blanche, between the two lakes, where one would imagine the breeze from such a body of water would render the air cool, but the heat is almost intolerable. Wind from east-north-east to east-south-east blew quite a gale in the night, levelling tents, etc., to the earth, accompanied with a good deal of thunder and lightning and slight spitting of rain for a few minutes, when it ceased. The gale kept on for two and a half hours and gradually died away. Friday, January 10.