Billy Buttons leaves for Middleton Ponds this morning, and gives a fine display of riding a buck jumping camel. It will not be a pleasant journey, not helped by knowing Bob Buck is at the other end of it.

Blakeley leaves camp mid afternoon to climb Mount Leyell Brown in preparation for signalling Johns that night with flares and rockets, what in heavens will the Aboriginals make of that! He receives no answering signal and returns to camp about midnight.

 Rip van and his family have suddenly decamped, why? other Aboriginals arriving?

Johns keeps mum close by, things go as planned so far.