Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt, logbook of a journey from Port Stephens to Peak Range, 1 October 1846-3 November 1847 - Page 109

103
of tea which I had drunk at the last camp During loading and rather a heavy cake bad not only gave me severe gripis, but had lessened so much [?] strength. But at all counts we were altogether again and that was of great consequence. the 12th April we inspected cattle and horses, which had stayed very well but our goats were gone and it was with difficulty that Brown found one lot. the 13th the goats were gone again. We searched in every direction but were unable to find them. today we tried again but all was in rain; we succeeded however in finding the other riding horses which had been wanting for a very long time. the shortness of hands & the [?] of the country, the impossibility of watching them during the night and last but not least my firm believe [belief?] that they form a drawback to my progress and that the sheep particularly have been the causo proxima of our illness make me resolve upon abandoning them altogether. Today in riding after them we saw numerous tracks of natives in a waterhole.
The days have been extremely hot between 11 - 3 and the nights cool, but the moskitoes [mosquitoes] wretched.
Sunday the 18th April. One mob of sheep and goats are still found several times by accident and we were enabled to kill three more. This was the more acceptable as the cattle had divided again and as 4 of the riding horses were absent and a great deal of riding did was not make us find them. However friday Brown and Wommai Turnbull set out (Wommai was knocked up and has become quite lightheaded) and found the 3 horses, Wommai & myself had found the 4th previously, found the 5 absent bullocks and brought a flock of sheep into the camp which we were however not able to keep next morning they were gone and our not little strength was entirely taken up with catching and saddling the mules