7th September.
The horses did not look much refreshed by the night's rest; we, however,
divided three gallons of water amongst them, and started off early, in
the hope of reaching the ranges by noon; but we had not gone three miles
when one of the pack-horses, that was carrying less than forty pounds
weight, began to fail, and the load was placed upon my saddle-horse; it
did not, however, enable him to get on more than a couple of miles
further, when we were compelled to abandon him, leaving him under the
shade of the only tree we could find, in the hope that we might bring
back water to his relief. Finding that it would be many hours before the
horses could be got on to the hills, I started ahead on foot, leaving
Messrs. Brown and Harding to come on gently, while I was to make a signal
by fires if successful in finding water. Two hours' heavy toil through
the sand, under a broiling sun, brought me to the ranges, where I
continued to hunt up one ravine after another until 5.0 p.m. without
success. Twelve hours' almost incessant walking, on a scanty breakfast,
and without water, with the thermometer over 100 degrees of Fahrenheit,
began to tell upon me rather severely; so much so that, by the time I had
tracked up my companions (who had reached the hills by 1.0 p.m., and were
anxiously waiting for me), it was as much as I could do to carry my rifle
and accoutrements. The horses were looking truly wretched, and I was
convinced that the only chance of saving them, if water was not found,
would be by abandoning our pack-saddles, provisions, and everything we
could possibly spare, and try and recover them afterwards if practicable;
we therefore encamped for the night on the last plot of grass we could
find, and proceeded to make arrangements for an early start in the
morning. There was still remaining a few pints of water in the kegs,
having been very sparing in the use of it; this enabled us to have a
little tea and make a small quantity of damper, of which we all stood in
much need. Camp 77.
8th September.
At 4.0 a.m. we were again up. Having disposed of our equipment and
provisions, except our riding-saddles, instruments, and firearms, by
suspending them in the branches of a large tree, we divided a pint of
water for our breakfast, and by the first peep of dawn were driving our
famished horses before us at their best speed toward the depot, which was
now thirty-two miles distant. For the first eight miles they went on
pretty well, but the moment the sun began to have power they flagged
greatly, and it was not long before we were obliged to relinquish another
horse quite unable to proceed. By 9.0 a.m. I found that my previous day's
march, and the small allowance of food I had taken, was beginning to have
its effects upon me, and that it was probable I could not reach the depot
until next morning, by which time the party left there were to fall back
to the Oakover; I therefore directed Mr. Brown, who was somewhat fresher
than myself, to push on for the camp and to bring out fresh horses with
water, while Mr. Harding and myself would do our best to bring on any
straggling horses that could not keep up with him. By dark we had
succeeded in reaching to within nine miles of the depot, finding
unmistakable evidence towards evening of the condition to which the
horses taken on by Mr. Brown were reduced, by the saddles, guns, hobbles,
and even bridles, scattered along the line of march, which had been taken
off to enable them to go on a few miles further.