7th October.
As the distance from the Yule to the last known permanent water on the
eastern branch of the Sherlock is over twenty-five miles, and our means
of carrying water very limited since abandoning our largest pair of kegs
in the retreat on the 8th September, I to-day set to work and soldered up
a number of preserved-meat tins that had been carefully opened and kept
for this purpose, putting a small spout to each; eight of these (4-pound
tins) we found to contain something over four gallons, which, added to
our water belts and the two remaining kegs, would provide for the
conveyance of twelve gallons of water, which I hoped would prove
sufficient to enable us to pass the dry tract of country in safety, as it
would allow half a gallon to each horse and an ample supply for the party
for two days. I also succeeded in repairing the aneroid barometer, which
had been crushed nearly flat by the fall of a horse; fortunately,
however, without injury to the vacuum vase.
8th October.
Having rearranged the loads and lightened them by leaving hid amongst the
rocks a pack-saddle and sixty pounds weight of horse-shoes and nails, at
3.45 p.m. we commenced a retreat on our outward tracks of the 13th
August, travelling to 7.15 p.m., when we encamped on a patch of tolerably
good grass in the plain at the foot of a volcanic range, without any
signs of water near us. Camp 98.
9th October.
We were up before daylight, and by 6 a.m. had our breakfast, and were
again on our march, visiting a waterhole seen on our outward route, but
now found to be quite dry. We pushed on at the best speed of our horses,
which was now not much over two miles an hour, to 10.0, when the heat of
the day began to tell on the jaded animals; we therefore halted for an
hour to give the horses half a gallon of water each, after which they
travelled on much more briskly, so that by a little past noon we
succeeded in reaching the large pool in the eastern Sherlock, near Camp
55; some of the horses were, however, so much exhausted that we had some
difficulty in getting them to move for the last mile, although entirely
relieved of their loads. Camp 55a.
10th October.
Although the horses were by no means in a fit state to continue the
march, yet grass was so scarce, on account of the native fires having
here swept it off, that we found it best to push on for the springs at
Camp 52.
Following down the banks of the stream, we found several pools not yet
dried up, which proved a great help to our horses; before noon, however,
the mare Lucy again gave in, and was finally abandoned, as there was but
little chance of her ever reaching the bay; it is possible she may live
to be picked up by some future travellers, although too old to last many
years. By 1.0 p.m. we reached the springs at Camp 52, and found an ample
supply of water, but the grass was here also much parched up; we,
however, remained for the rest of the day.