5th October.
Our computed distance from the Yule was now only twenty-one miles, and
the country promised well for travelling; but the long march yesterday,
and the short allowance of water, rendered it very doubtful whether some
of the horses would hold out long enough to reach it; we therefore had
our breakfast before daylight, and as soon as we could see resumed our
route to the westward. At five miles we crossed a sandy channel, 200
yards wide, full of cajeput and gum trees, but as we did not soon find
any water in it, pushed on at a rapid pace, and in two miles more crossed
a similar channel, 100 yards wide, trending north-west and running
parallel to the first; beyond this the ground became rocky for a few
miles, and by the time we had gone rather more than twelve miles, Mr.
Burges' mare, Lucy, could go no further; giving her half a-gallon of
water out of the little stock carried with us, I left Messrs. Brown and
Harding to bring her on when rested, and with the rest of the party
continued our route. A mile or two further, and another horse, Bob, was
knocked up and left behind, having also had some water given him. With
considerable difficulty we succeeded in getting the rest of the horses on
to the Yule by 1.30 p.m., making it close to our camp of 13th August. Had
the distance been ten miles further, probably not more than three or four
of the horses would have ever reached it, so much were they reduced in
strength. On reaching the pool, several of the horses, notwithstanding
our efforts to prevent them, rushed headlong into the water with their
packs on, and drank so much of it that it was with great difficulty we
could drag them out again. In the course of the afternoon Messrs. Brown
and Harding came in with the horse Bob, but had not been able to get the
mare on more than two or three miles; being anxious, however, not to lose
her, I sent McCourt and James with two of the strongest horses, carrying
four gallons of water for her, after which they succeeded in getting her
into camp by midnight. Camp 97.
6th October (Sunday).
Moved a short distance down the river to camp 57 for better feed.