The early part of the day had been warm, with the wind at N.E., but in the evening it changed to the south, and the night was bitterly cold.

On the morning of the 14th we were obliged to wrap ourselves up as well as we could, the wind still blowing keenly from the south.

We travelled for more than five miles over grassy plains, and crossed the dry beds of several lagoons, in which not very long before there might have been water.

At nine miles we entered a dense brush of pinetrees, acacia and other shrubs growing on pure sand.

Through this we rode for more than 15 miles, to the great labour of our animals, as the soil was loose, and we had constantly to turn suddenly to avoid the matted and fallen timber.