March 3.--Having got up and watered the horses and sheep, I sent the boy

out to tend them at grass, whilst I commenced digging two large holes to

water the pack-horses, that there might be no delay when the overseer

came up with them. I had nothing but a shell to dig with, and, as a very

large excavation was required to enable a bucket to be dipped, my

occupation was neither a light nor a short one. Having completed my work,

I killed a sheep, well knowing the party would be fatigued and hungry,

when they came up. About three they made their appearance, and thus, upon

the whole, we had very successfully got over this our first push, and

were soon very comfortably established at "Yeerkumban kauwe." The holes I

had dug enabled us easily and speedily to water the horses, and the sheep

I had killed afforded a refreshing meal to the overseer and boys, after

their harassing journey. In the afternoon the sand blew about in a most

annoying manner, covering us from head to foot, and filling everything we

put down, if but for an instant. This sand had been our constant torment

for many weeks past; condemned to live among the sand-hills for the sake

of procuring water, we were never free from irritation and inconvenience.

It floated on the surface of the water, penetrated into our clothes,

hair, eyes, and ears, our provisions were covered over with it, and our

blankets half buried when we lay down at nights,--it was a perpetual and

never-ceasing torment, and as if to increase our miseries we were again

afflicted with swarms of large horse-flies, which bit us dreadfully. On

the 4th, we remained in camp to rest the horses, and I walked round to

reconnoitre. Upon the beach I found the fragments of a wreck, consisting

of part of a mast, a tiller wheel, and some copper sheathings, the last

sad records of the fate of some unfortunate vessel on this wild and

breaker-beaten shore. There was nothing to indicate its size, or name, or

the period when the wreck occurred.

No recent traces of natives having been either at Yeerkumban kauwe, or

the more distant water, were visible anywhere, and I imagined they might

perhaps have made an excursion to the westward. A large flight of

red-winged cockatoos were seen today hovering around the sand-hills, and

appearing quite disconcerted at finding us in possession of the water; we

had not before seen them in the neighbourhood, and I can hardly

conjecture where they go to from this place, for generally they are birds

fond of water.

Knowing from the accounts of the natives that upon leaving Yeerkumban

kauwe, I should have a task before me of no ordinary difficulty to get

either the sheep or the horses to the next water, I determined to proceed

myself in advance, with the sheep, that by travelling slowly, at the same

time that we kept steadily advancing, every chance might be given to them

of accomplishing the journey in safety. I was anxious too to precede my

party, in order that by finding out where the water was, I might be on

the look out for them, to guide them to it, and that thus when in their

greatest difficulty, no time should be lost in searching for water.

Having given the overseer orders to keep the tracks of my horses, when he

had travelled about seventy miles along the coast, I set off on the 7th

March, with the youngest of the natives to assist me in driving the

sheep, leaving the two elder ones with the overseer, to aid in managing

the pack-horses. As before we took two horses with us, one to carry our

provisions and water, and the other to ride upon in turn, the boy

however, being young, and incapable of much fatigue, the greater portion

of the walking naturally fell to my share. The day was cool and

favourable, and we accomplished a stage of twenty-four miles; the

afternoon became dark and lowering, and I fully expected rain, but

towards sunset two or three drops fell, and the clouds cleared away. Our

horses fed tolerably upon the little withered grass that we found, but

the sheep were too tired to eat, and lay down; we put them therefore into

a yard we had made for them for the night.

March 8.--Having turned the sheep out of the yard three hours before

daylight, I was in hopes they would have fed a little before we moved on,

but they would not touch such food as we had for them, and at six I was

obliged to proceed onwards; the morning was dark and looked like rain,

but as was the case yesterday, a drop or two only fell. We made a stage

to-day of twenty-six miles, through a level country, generally open, but

near the sea covered with a very low dwarf tea-tree, small prickly

bushes, and salsolae, and having the surface almost every where sprinkled

over with fresh-water shells; further from the coast the plains extending

to the north were very extensive, level, and divided by belts of scrub or

shrubs. There was no perceptible inclination of the country in any

direction, the level land ran to the very borders of the sea, where it

abruptly terminated, forming the steep and precipitous cliffs, observed

by Captain Flinders, and which it was quite impossible to descend

anywhere. The general elevation of this table land, was from three to

four hundred feet.

The day turned out fine and clear, and the effect produced by refraction

in these vast plains was singular and deceptive: more than once we turned

considerably out of our way to examine some large timber, as we thought

it to be, to the north of us, but which, upon our approach, proved to be

low scrubby bushes. At another time we imagined we saw two natives in the

distance, and went towards them as carefully and cautiously as we could;

instead, however, of our having seen the heads of natives, as we

supposed, above the bushes, it turned out to be only crows. Yet the

native boy, whose quickness and accuracy of vision had often before

surprised me, was equally deceived with myself. Upon halting in the

evening our sheep again were very tired, and refused to eat. The horses

too were now beginning to feel the want of water, and fed but little. I

therefore sat up and watched them until half past eight, after which I

tied them up to some bushes. At one o'clock I again got up and let them

loose, hoping they might feed a little better in the cool of the night.

The scud was rapidly passing the moon, and I watched for hours the clouds

gathering to the south and passing to the north, but no rain fell.

March 9.--Moving on early we passed through a similar country to that we

had before traversed; but there was more of the tea-tree scrub, which

made our travelling more difficult and fatiguing. This kind of scrub,

which is different from any I had seen before, is a low bush running

along the ground, with very thick and crooked roots and branches, and

forming a close matted and harassing obstacle to the traveller. The sheep

and horses got very tired, from having to lift their legs so high to

clear it every step they took. To the westward we found the country

rising as we advanced, and the cliffs becoming higher; they now answered

fully, where we could obtain a view of any projecting parts, to the

description given by Flinders--"the upper part brown and the lower part

white;" but as yet we could not find any place where we could descend to

examine them. The lower, or white part, appeared soft and crumbling, and

its decay had left the upper, or harder rock, fearfully overhanging the

ocean. Upon the summits we again found flints in the greatest abundance

lying loosely scattered over the surface.

The day was cloudy and gathering for rain, but none fell. After

travelling twenty-five miles we halted for an hour or two to rest the

sheep and horses, feeding was out of the question, for they were too much

in want of water to attempt to cat the dry and withered grass around us.

We now lay down to rest ourselves, and the boy soon fell asleep; I was

however feverish and restless, and could not close my eyes. In an hour

and a half I arose, got up the horses and saddled them, and then, awaking

my companion, we again pushed on by moonlight. At ten miles we crossed a

well beaten native pathway, plainly discernible even then, and this we

followed down towards the cliffs, fully hoping it would lead to water.

Our hopes however had been excited but to render our disappointment the

greater, for upon tracing it onwards we found it terminate abruptly at a

large circular hole of limestone rock, which would retain a considerable

quantity of water after rains, but was now without a single drop.

Gloomily turning away we again pushed on for eight miles further, and at

three in the morning of the 10th were compelled to halt from downright

exhaustion and fatigue. The horses and sheep were knocked up. The poor

boy was so tired and sleepy that he could scarcely sit upon his horse,

and I found myself actually dosing as I walked: mechanically my legs kept

moving forwards, but my eyes were every now and then closed in

forgetfulness of all around me, until I was suddenly thrown down by

getting entangled amongst the scrub, or aroused by a severe blow across

the face from the recoil of a bough after the passage of the boy's horse.

I now judged we had come about ninety-three miles from Yeerkumban-kauwe,

and hoped that we could not be very far from water. Having tied up the

horses for an hour or two, and without making a fire, or even unrolling

our cloaks to cover us, we stretched ourselves on the ground, and were in

a few moments fast asleep.

March 10.--At five we were again on our route, every moment expecting to

see a break in the line of cliffs along which we had now travelled so

far. Alas! they still continued stretching as far as the eye could see to

the westward, and as fast as we arrived at one point which had bounded

our vision (and beyond which we hoped a change might occur), it was but

to be met with the view of another beyond. Distressing and fatal as the

continuance of these cliffs might prove to us, there was a grandeur and

sublimity in their appearance that was most imposing, and which struck me

with admiration. Stretching out before us in lofty unbroken outline, they

presented the singular and romantic appearance of massy battlements of

masonry, supported by huge buttresses, and glittering in the morning sun

which had now risen upon them, and made the scene beautiful even amidst

the dangers and anxieties of our situation. It was indeed a rich and

gorgeous view for a painter, and I never felt so much regret at my

inability to sketch as I did at this moment.

Still we kept moving onwards and still the cliffs continued. Hour after

hour passed away, mile after mile was traversed, and yet no change was

observable. My anxiety for the party who were to follow behind with the

pack-horses became very great; the state of doubt and uncertainty I was

in was almost insupportable, and I began to fear that neither sheep nor

horses would ever reach the water, even should we suceeed in doing so

ourselves, which now appeared to be very doubtful. At noon I considered

we had come one hundred and ten miles from the last water, and still the

country remained the same. The cliffs indeed appeared to be gradually

declining a little in elevation to the westward, but there was nothing to

indicate their speedy termination. Our sheep still travelled, but they

were getting so tired, and their pace was so slow, that I thought it

would be better to leave them behind, and by moving more rapidly with the

horses endeavour at least to save their lives. Foreseeing that such a

contingency as this might occur, I had given the overseer strict orders

to keep the tracks of my horses, that if I should be compelled to abandon

the sheep he might find them and bring them on with his party.

Having decided upon this plan we set to work and made a strong high yard

of such shrubs as we could find, and in this we shut up the sheep. I then

wrote a note for the overseer, directing him to bury the loads of the

horses, and hastening on with the animals alone endeavour to save their

lives. To attract attention I raised a long stick above the sheep-yard,

and tied to it a red handkerchief, which could be seen a long way off. At

one we again proceeded, and were able to advance more rapidly than we

could whilst the sheep were with us. In a few miles we came to a

well-beaten native road, and again our hopes were raised of speedily

terminating the anxiety and suspense we were in. Following the road for

ten miles it conducted us to where the cliffs receded a little from the

sea, leaving a small barren valley between them and the ocean, of low,

sandy ground; the road ceased here at a deep rocky gorge of the cliffs,

where there was a breach leading down to the valley. There were several

deep holes among the rocks where water would be procurable after rains,

but they were now all dry. The state of mind in which we passed on may be

better imagined than described. We had now been four days without a drop

of water for our horses, and we had no longer any for ourselves, whilst

there appeared as little probability of our shortly procuring it as there

had been two days ago. A break, it is true, had occurred in the line of

the cliffs, but this appeared of a very temporary character, for we could

see beyond them the valley again abutting upon the ocean.

At dark we were fifteen miles from where we left the sheep, and were

again upon a native pathway, which we twice tried to follow down the

steep and rugged slopes of the table land into the valley below. We were

only, however, fagging our poor horses and bewildering ourselves to no

purpose, for we invariably lost all track at the bottom, and I at last

became convinced that it was useless to try and trace the natives'

roadway further, since it always appeared to stop at rocky holes where

there was no water now. Keeping, therefore, the high ground, we travelled

near the top of the cliffs, bounding the sandy valley, but here again a

new obstacle impeded our progress. The country, which had heretofore been

tolerably open was now become very scrubby, and we found it almost

impossible either to keep a straight course, or to make any progress

through it in the dark. Still we kept perseveringly onwards, leading our

horses and forcing our way through in the best way we could. It was,

however, all in vain; we made so little headway, and were so completely

exhausting the little strength we had left, that I felt compelled to

desist. The poor boy was quite worn out, and could scarcely move. I was

myself but little better, and we were both suffering from a parching

thirst; under such obstacles labour and perseverance were but thrown

away, and I determined to await the day-light. After tying up the horses

the boy lay down, and was soon asleep, happy in his ignorance of the

dangers which threatened him. I lay down, too, but not to sleep; my own

distresses were lost in the apprehensions which I entertained for those

who were behind. We were now about one hundred and twenty-eight miles

from the last water; we had been four whole days and nights without a

drop for our horses, and almost without food also, (for parched as they

were they could not feed upon the dry and withered grass we found.) The

state the poor animals were in was truly pitiable, what then was likely

to be the condition of those that were coming after us, and carrying

heavy packs. It was questionable, even, if they would reach the distance

we had already attained in safety; and it was clear, that unless I

discovered water early in the morning, the whole of our horses must

perish, whilst it would be very doubtful if we could succeed even in

saving our own lives.

March 11.--Early this morning we moved on, leading slowly our jaded

animals through the scrub. The night had been one of painful suspense and

gloomy forebodings; and the day set in dark and cloudy, as if to

tantalise us with the hope of rain which was not destined to fall. In a

few miles we reached the edge of the cliffs, from which we had a good

view of the sandy valley we had been travelling round, but which the

thick scrub had prevented our scrutinising sooner. I now noticed some

hillocks of bare sand in the midst of it. These I had not seen before, as

the only previous point from which they could have been visible had been

passed by us in the dark. It now struck me, that the water spoken of by

the natives at Yeerkumban-kauwe might be situated among these sand-hills,

and that we were going away from instead of approaching it. The bare idea

of such a possibility was almost maddening, and as the dreadful thought

flashed across my mind I stood for a moment undecided and irresolute as

to what I ought to do. We were now many miles past these hills, and if we

went back to examine them for water, and did not find it, we could never

hope that our horses would be able to return again to search elsewhere;

whilst if there was water there, and we did not return, every step we

took would but carry us further from it, and lead to our certain

destruction.

For a few minutes I carefully scanned the line of coast before me. In the

distance beyond a projecting point of the cliffs, I fancied I discerned a

low sandy shore, and my mind was made up at once, to advance in the line

we were pursuing. After a little while, we again came to a well beaten

native pathway, and following this along the summit of the cliffs, were

brought by it, in seven miles, to the point where they receded from the

sea-shore; as they inclined inland, leaving a low sandy country between

them and some high bare sand-hills near the sea. The road now led us down

a very rocky steep part of the cliffs, near the angle where they broke

away from the beach, but upon reaching the bottom we lost it altogether

on the sandy shore; following along by the water's edge, we felt cooled

and refreshed by the sea air, and in one mile and a half from where we

had descended the cliffs, we reached the white sand-drifts. Upon turning

into these to search for water, we were fortunate enough to strike the

very place where the natives had dug little wells; and thus on the fifth

day of our sufferings, we were again blessed with abundance of

water,--nor could I help considering it as a special instance of the

goodness of Providence, that we had passed the sandy valley in the dark,

and had thereby been deterred from descending to examine the sand-hills

it contained; had we done so, the extra fatigue to our horses and the

great length of time it would have taken up, would probably have

prevented the horses from ever reaching the water we were now at. It took

us about two hours to water the animals, and get a little tea for

ourselves, after which the boy laid down to sleep, and I walked round to

search for grass. A little grew between the sand-drifts and the cliffs,

and though dry and withered, I was most thankful to find it. I then

returned to the camp and laid down, but could not sleep, for although

relieved myself, my anxiety became but the greater, for the party behind,

and the more so, because at present I could do nothing to aid them; it

was impossible that either the horses, or ourselves, could go back to

meet them without a few hours' rest, and yet the loss of a few hours

might be of the utmost consequence; I determined, however, to return and

meet them as early as possible in the morning, and in the mean time, as I

knew that the overseer and natives would, when they came, be greatly

fatigued, and unable to dig holes to water the horses, I called up the

boy, and with his assistance dug two large holes about five feet deep,

from which the horses could readily and without delay be watered upon

their arrival. As we had only some shells left by the natives to work

with, our wells progressed slowly, and we were occupied to a late hour.

In the evening we watered the horses, and before laying down ourselves,

drove them to the grass I had discovered. For the first time for many

nights, I enjoyed a sound and refreshing sleep.

Chapter XVI.

GO BACK TO MEET THE OVERSEER--PARTY ARRIVE AT THE WATER--LONG

ENCAMPMENT--GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF THE CLIFFS--MOVE ON AGAIN--DIG FOR

WATER--TRACES OF NATIVES--SEND BACK FOR WATER--PARROTS SEEN--COOL WINDS

FROM NORTH-EAST--OVERSEER RETURNS--CONTINUE THE JOURNEY--ABANDON

BAGGAGE--DENSE SCRUBS--DRIVEN TO THE BEACH--MEET NATIVES--MODE OF

PROCURING WATER FROM ROOTS.

March 12.--THE first streak of daylight found us on our way to meet the

party, carrying with us three gallons of water upon one of the horses,

the other was ridden by the boy. Upon passing the sandy valley, where I

had been in such a state of suspense and doubt at seeing the sand-hills

behind me, I determined to descend and examine them; but before doing so,

I wrote a note for the overseer (in case he should pass whilst I was in

the valley,) and hoisted a red handkerchief to attract his attention to

it.

I was unsuccessful in my search for water; but whilst among the

sand-hills, I saw the party slowly filing along the cliffs above the

valley, and leaving the boy to look about a little longer, I struck

across to meet them. Both horses and people I found greatly fatigued, but

upon the whole, they had got through the difficulty better than I had

anticipated; after leaving a great part of the loads of the pack-horses

about seventeen miles back, according to the written instructions I had

left. The sheep, it seemed, had broken out of the yard and travelled

backwards, and were picked up by the overseer, twelve miles away from

where we had left them; as they had got very tired and were delaying the

horses, he left one of the natives, this morning, to follow slowly with

them, whilst he pushed on with the pack-horses as rapidly as they could

go. After giving him the pleasing intelligence that his toil was nearly

over for the present, and leaving some few directions, I pushed on again

with the boy, who had not found the least sign of water in the valley, to

meet the native with the sheep. In about three miles we saw him coming on

alone without them, he said they were a mile further back, and so tired

they could not travel. Halting our horses, I sent him to bring them on,

and during his absence, had some tea made and dinner prepared for him.

When the sheep came up they were in sad condition, but by giving them

water and a few hours rest, they recovered sufficiently to travel on in

the evening to the water.

At night, the whole party were, by God's blessing, once more together,

and in safety, after having passed over one hundred and thirty-five miles

of desert country, without a drop of water in its whole extent, and at a

season of the year the most unfavourable for such an undertaking. In

accomplishing this distance, the sheep had been six and the horses five

days without water, and both had been almost wholly without food for the

greater part of the time. The little grass we found was so dry and

withered, that the parched and thirsty animals could not eat it after the

second day. The day following our arrival at the water was one of intense

heat, and had we experienced such on our journey, neither men nor horses

could ever have accomplished it; most grateful did we feel, therefore, to

that merciful Being who had shrouded us from a semi-tropical sun, at a

time when our exposure to it would have ensured our destruction.

From the 12th to the 18th we remained at the sand-drifts, during which

time we were engaged in attending to the horses, in sending back to

recover the stores that had been left by the overseer, and in examining

the country around. The natives had told me that there were two watering

places at the termination of the cliffs to the eastward, and that these

were situated in a somewhat similar manner to those at the head of the

Great Bight. We were encamped at one, and I made several ineffectual

attempts to find the other during the time the horses were recruiting.

The traces of natives near us were numerous, and once we saw their fires,

but they did not shew themselves at all. The line of cliffs which had so

suddenly turned away from the sea, receded inland from eight to ten

miles, but still running parallel with the coast; between it and the sea

the country was low and scrubby, with many beds of dried up salt lakes;

but neither timber nor grass, except the little patch we were encamped

at. Above the cliffs the appearance of the country was the same as we had

previously found upon their summits, with, perhaps, rather more scrub;

pigeons were numerous at the sand-hills, and several flocks of

red-crested and red-winged cockatoos were hovering about, watching for an

opportunity to feast upon the red berries I have before spoken of, and

which were here found in very great abundance, and of an excellent

quality. The sand, as usual at our encampments, was a most dreadful

annoyance, and from which we had rarely any respite. The large flies were

also very numerous, troublesome and irritating tormentors. They literally

assailed us by hundreds at a time, biting through our clothes, and

causing us constant employment in endeavouring to keep them off. I have

counted twenty-three of these blood-suckers at one time upon a patch of

my trousers eight inches square.

Being now at a part of the cliffs where they receded from the sea, and

where they had a last become accessible, I devoted some time to an

examination of their geological character. The part that I selected was

high, steep, and bluff towards the sea, which washed its base; presenting

the appearance described by Captain Flinders, as noted before. By

crawling and scrambling among the crags, I managed, at some risk, to get

at these singular cliffs. The brown or upper portion consisted of an

exceedingly hard, coarse grey limestone, among which some few shells were

embedded, but which, from the hard nature of the rock, I could not break

out; the lower or white part consisted of a gritty chalk, full of broken

shells and marine productions, and having a somewhat saline taste: parts

of it exactly resembled the formation that I had found up to the north,

among the fragments of table-land; the chalk was soft and friable at the

surface, and easily cut out with a tomahawk, it was traversed

horizontally by strata of flint, ranging in depth from six to eighteen

inches, and having varying thicknesses of chalk between the several

strata. The chalk had worn away from beneath the harder rock above,

leaving the latter most frightfully overhanging and threatening instant

annihilation to the intruder. Huge mis-shapen masses were lying with

their rugged pinnacles above the water, in every direction at the foot of

the cliffs, plainly indicated the frequency of a falling crag, and I felt

quite a relief when my examination was completed, and I got away from so

dangerous a post.

I have remarked that the natives at the head of the Great Bight had

intimated to us, that there were two places where water might be found in

this neighbourhood, not far apart, and as with all our efforts we had

only succeeded in discovering one, I concluded that the other must be a

little further along the coast to the westward; in this supposition I was

strengthened, by observing that all the native tracks we had met with

apparently took this direction. Under this impression I determined to

move slowly along the coast until we came to it, and in order that our

horses might carry no unnecessary loads, to take but a few quarts of

water in our kegs.

On the 18th we moved on, making a short stage of fourteen miles, through

a heavy, sandy, and scrubby country. At first I tried the beach, but

finding the sand very loose and unsuitable for travelling, I was again

compelled to enter the scrub behind the sea-shore ridge, travelling

through a succession of low scrubby undulations, with here and there the

beds of dried up lakes The traces of natives were now more recent and

numerous, but found principally near the bushes bearing the red berries,

and which grew behind the front ridge of the coast in the greatest

abundance. From this circumstance, and from our having now travelled a

considerable distance beyond the first water, I began to fear that the

second which had been spoken of by the natives must, if it existed at

all, be behind us instead of in advance, and that in reality the fruit we

saw, and not water, was the object for which the natives, whose tracks

were around us, were travelling to the westward. The day was cloudy, and

likely for rain, but after a few drops had fallen, the clouds passed

away. In the afternoon the overseer dug behind the sand-ridge, and at six

feet came to water, but perfectly salt.

March 19.--To-day we travelled onwards for twenty-six miles, through a

country exactly similar to that we had passed through yesterday. At three

in the afternoon we halted at an opening when there was abundance of

grass, though dry and withered. The indications of natives having

recently passed still continued, and confirmed me in my impression, that

they were on a journey to the westward, and from one distant water to

another, and principally for the purpose of gathering the fruit. We were

now forty miles from the last water, and I became assured that we had

very far to go to the next; I had for some time given over any hope of

finding the second water spoken of by the natives at the head of the

Bight, and considered that we must have passed it if it existed, long

ago, perhaps even in that very valley, or among those very sandhills

where we had searched so unsuccessfully on the 12th. There was now the

prospect of a long journey before us without water, as we had brought

only a little with us for ourselves, and which was nearly exhausted,

whilst our horses had been quite without, and were already suffering from

thirst. Consulting with the overseer, I resolved to leave our baggage

where we were, whilst the horses were sent back to the water (forty

miles) to rest and recruit for three or four days; by this means I

expected they would gather strength, and as they would have but little

weight to carry until they reached our present position, when they

returned we should be better able to force a passage through the waste

before us, at the same time that we should be able to procure a fresh and

larger stock of water for ourselves. At midnight I sent the whole party

back to the last water, but remained myself to take care of the baggage

and sheep. I retained an allowance of a pint of water per day for six

days, this being the contemplated period of the overseer's absence. My

situation was not at all enviable, but circumstances rendered it

unavoidable.

From the departure of my party, until their return, I spent a miserable

time, being unable to leave the camp at all. Shortly after the party

left, the sheep broke out of the yard, and missing the horses with which

they had been accustomed to travel and to feed, set off as rapidly as

they could after them; I succeeded in getting them back, but they were

exceedingly troublesome and restless, attempting to start off, or to get

down to the sea whenever my eye was off them for an instant, and never

feeding quietly for ten minutes together; finding at last that they would

be quite unmanageable, I made a very strong and high yard, and putting

them in, kept them generally shut up, letting them out only to feed for

two or three hours at once. This gave me a little time to examine my

maps, and to reflect upon my position and prospects, which involved the

welfare of others, as well as my own. We had still 600 miles of country

to traverse, measured in straight lines across the chart; but taking into

account the inequalities of the ground, and the circuit we were

frequently obliged to make, we could not hope to accomplish this in less

than 800 miles of distance. With every thing in our favour we could not

expect to accomplish this in less than eight weeks; but with all the

impediment and embarrassments we were likely to meet with, it would

probably take us twelve. Our sheep were reduced to three in number, and

our sole stock of flour now amounted to 142 pounds, to be shared out

amongst five persons, added to which the aspect of the country before us

was disheartening in the extreme; the places at which there was any

likelihood of finding water were probably few and far apart, and the

strength of our horses was already greatly reduced by the hardships they

had undergone. Ever since we had left Fowler's Bay, the whole party,

excepting the youngest boys, had been obliged chiefly to walk, and yet

every care and precaution we could adopt were unable to counteract the

evil effects of a barren country, and an unfavourable season of the year.

The task before us was indeed a fearful one, but I firmly hoped by

patience and perseverance, safely and successfully to accomplish it at

last.

During nearly the whole time that my party were away the weather was cool

and cloudy. Occasionally there was a great deal of thunder and lightning,

accompanied by a few drops of rain, but it always cleared away without

heavy showers. The storms came up from seawards, and generally passed

inland to the north-east; which struck me as being somewhat singular,

especially when taken in conjunction with the fact that on one or two

occasions, when the wind was from the north-east, it was comparatively

cool, and so unlike any of those scorching blasts we had experienced from

the same quarter when on the western side of the Great Bight. There was

another thing connected with my present position which equally surprised

me, and was quite as inexplicable: whilst engaged one morning rambling

about the encampment as far as I could venture away, I met with several

flights of a very large description of parrot, quite unknown to me,

coming apparently from the north-east, and settling among the shrubs and

bushes around. They had evidently come to eat the fruit growing behind

the sand-hills, but being scared by my following them about, to try and

shoot one, they took wing and went off again in the direction they had

come from.

Several days had now elapsed since the departure of the overseer with the

horses, and as the time for their return drew nigh I became anxious and

restless. The little stock of water left me was quite exhausted. It had

originally been very limited, but was reduced still further by the

necessity I was under of keeping it in a wooden keg, where it evaporated,

and once or twice by my spilling some. At last, on the 25th, I was

gratified by seeing my party approach. They had successfully accomplished

their mission, and brought a good supply of water for ourselves, but the

horses looked weary and weak, although they had only travelled fourteen

miles that day. After they had rested a few hours I broke up the

encampment, and travelling for fourteen miles further over a scrubby

country, came to a patch of grass, at which we halted early. From the

nature of the country, and the consequent embarrassment it entailed upon

us, it was impossible for any of the party to have any longer even the

slight advantage formerly enjoyed of occasionally riding for a few miles

in turn; all were now obliged to walk, except the two youngest boys, who

were still permitted to ride at intervals. The weather was cloudy, and

showers were passing to the north-east.

March 26.--Upon moving on this morning we passed through the same

wretched kind of country for eighteen miles, to an opening in the scrub

where was a little grass, and at which we halted to rest. There was so

much scrub, and the sandy ridges were so heavy and harassing to the

horses, that I began to doubt almost if we should get them along at all.

We were now seventy-two miles from the water, and had, in all

probability, as much further to go before we came to any more, and I saw

that unless something was done to lighten the loads of the pack-animals

(trifling as were the burdens they carried) we never could hope to get

them on. Leaving the natives to enjoy a sleep, the overseer and I opened

and re-sorted all our baggage, throwing away every thing that we could at

all dispense with; our great coats, jackets, and other articles of dress

were thrown away; a single spare shirt and pair of boots and socks being

all that were kept for each, besides our blankets and the things we stood

in, and which consisted only of trowsers, shirt, and shoes. Most of our

pack-saddles, all our horse-shoes, most of our kegs for holding water,

all our buckets but one, our medicines, some of our fire-arms, a quantity

of ammunition, and a variety of other things, were here abandoned. Among

the many things that we were compelled to leave behind there was none

that I regretted parting with more than a copy of Captain Sturt's

Expeditions, which had been sent to me by the author to Fowler's Bay to

amuse and cheer me on the solitary task I had engaged in; it was the last

kind offering of friendship from a highly esteemed friend, and nothing

but necessity would have induced me to part with it. Could the donor,

however, have seen the miserable plight we were reduced to, he would have

pitied and forgiven an act that circumstances alone compelled me to.

After all our arrangements were made, and every thing rejected that we

could do without, I found that the loads of the horses were reduced in

the aggregate about two hundred pounds; but this being divided among ten,

relieved each only a little. Myself, the overseer, and the King George's

Sound native invariably walked the whole way, but the two younger natives

were still permitted to ride alternately upon one of the strongest

horses. As our allowance of flour was very small, and the fatigue and

exertion we were all obliged to undergo very great, I ordered a sheep to

be killed before we moved on again. We had been upon short allowance for

some time, and were getting weak and hardly able to go through the toils

that devolved upon us. Now, I knew that our safety depended upon that of

our horses, and that their lives again were contingent upon the amount of

fatigue we were ourselves able to endure, and the degree of exertion we

were capable of making to relieve them in extremity. I did not therefore

hesitate to make use of one of our three remaining sheep to strengthen us

for coming trials, instead of retaining them until perhaps they might be

of little use to us. The whole party had a hearty meal, and then,

watching the horses until midnight, we moved on when the moon rose.

During the morning we had passed along an extensive dried-up salt swamp

behind the coast ridge, which was soft for the horses in some places, but

free from that high brush which fatigued them so much, and which now

appeared to come close in to the sea, forming upon the high sandy ridges

a dense scrub. The level bank of the higher ground, or continuation of

the cliffs of the Bight, which had heretofore been distinctly visible at

a distance of ten or twelve miles inland, could no longer be seen: it had

either merged in the scrubby and sandy elevations around us, or was hid

by them from our view.

March 27.--During the night we travelled slowly over densely scrubby and

sandy ridges, occasionally crossing large sheets of oolitic limestone, in

which were deep holes that would most likely retain water after rains,

but which were now quite dry. As the daylight dawned the dreadful nature

of the scrub drove us to the sea beach; fortunately it was low water, and

we obtained a firm hard sand to travel over, though occasionally

obstructed by enormous masses of sea-weed, thrown into heaps of very many

feet in thickness and several hundreds of yards in length, looking

exactly like hay cut and pressed ready for packing.

To-day we overtook the natives, whose tracks we had seen so frequently on

our route. There was a large party of them, all busily engaged in eating

the red berries which grew behind the coast ridge in such vast

quantities; they did not appear so much afraid of us as of our horses, at

which they were dreadfully alarmed, so that all our efforts to

communicate with them were fruitless; they would not come near us, nor

would they give us the opportunity of getting near them, but ran away

whenever I advanced towards them, though alone and unarmed. During the

route I frequently ascended high scrubby ridges to reconnoitre the

country inland, but never could obtain a view of any extent, the whole

region around appeared one mass of dense impenetrable scrub running down

to the very borders of the ocean.

After travelling twenty miles I found that our horses needed rest, and

halted for an hour or two during the heat of the day, though without

grass, save the coarse wiry vegetation that binds the loose sands

together, and without even bushes to afford them shade from the heat, for

had we gone into the scrub for shelter we should have lost even the

wretched kind of grass we had.

At half past two we again moved onwards, keeping along the beach, but

frequently forced by the masses of sea-weed to travel above high water

mark in the heavy loose sand. After advancing ten miles the tide became

too high for us to continue on the shore, and the scrub prevented our

travelling to the back, we were compelled therefore to halt for the night

with hardly a blade of grass for our horses. I considered we were now one

hundred and two miles from the last water, and expected we had about

fifty more to go to the next; the poor animals were almost exhausted, but

as the dew was heavy they were disposed to eat had there been grass of

any kind for them. The overseer and I as usual watched them alternately,

each taking the duty for four hours and sleeping the other four; to me

this was the first sleep I had had for the last three nights.

Whilst in camp, during the heat of the day, the native boys shewed me the

way in which natives procure water for themselves, when wandering among

the scrubs, and by means of which they are enabled to remain out almost

any length of time, in a country quite destitute of surface water. I had

often heard of the natives procuring water from the roots of trees, and

had frequently seen indications of their having so obtained it, but I had

never before seen the process actually gone through. Selecting a large

healthy looking tree out of the gum-scrub, and growing in a hollow, or

flat between two ridges, the native digs round at a few feet from the

trunk, to find the lateral roots; to one unaccustomed to the work, it is

a difficult and laborious thing frequently to find these roots, but to

the practised eye of the native, some slight inequality of the surface,

or some other mark, points out to him their exact position at once, and

he rarely digs in the wrong place. Upon breaking the end next to the

tree, the root is lifted, and run out for twenty or thirty feet; the bark

is then peeled off, and the root broken into pieces, six or eight inches

long, and these again, if thick, are split into thinner pieces; they are

then sucked, or shaken over a piece of bark, or stuck up together in the

bark upon their ends, and water is slowly discharged from them; if

shaken, it comes out like a shower of very fine rain. The roots vary in

diameter from one inch to three; the best are those from one to two and a

half inches, and of great length. The quantity of water contained in a

good root, would probably fill two-thirds of a pint. I saw my own boys

get one-third of a pint out in this way in about a quarter of an hour,

and they were by no means adepts at the practice, having never been

compelled to resort to it from necessity.

Natives who, from infancy, have been accustomed to travel through arid

regions, can remain any length of time out in a country where there are

no indications of water. The circumstance of natives being seen, in

travelling through an unknown district, is therefore no proof of the

existence of water in their vicinity. I have myself observed, that no

part of the country is so utterly worthless, as not to have attractions

sufficient occasionally to tempt the wandering savage into its recesses.

In the arid, barren, naked plains of the north, with not a shrub to

shelter him from the heat, not a stick to burn for his fire (except what

he carried with him), the native is found, and where, as far as I could

ascertain, the whole country around appeared equally devoid of either

animal or vegetable life. In other cases, the very regions, which, in the

eyes of the European, are most barren and worthless, are to the native

the most valuable and productive. Such are dense brushes, or sandy tracts

of country, covered with shrubs, for here the wallabie, the opossum, the

kangaroo rat, the bandicoot, the leipoa, snakes, lizards, iguanas, and

many other animals, reptiles, birds, etc., abound; whilst the kangaroo,

the emu, and the native dog, are found upon their borders, or in the

vicinity of those small, grassy plains, which are occasionally met with

amidst the closest brushes.

Chapter XVII.

HORSES BEGIN TO KNOCK UP--COMPELLED TO FOLLOW ROUND THE BEACH--TINOR PONY

UNABLE TO PROCEED--GLOOMY PROSPECTS--OVERSEER BEGINS TO DESPOND--TWO MORE

HORSES LEFT BEHIND--FRAGMENTS OF WRECKS--WATER ALL CONSUMED--COLLECT

DEW--CHANGE IN CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--DIG A WELL--PROCURE WATER--NATIVE

AND FAMILY VISIT US--OVERSEER GOES BACK FOR BAGGAGE--DISASTROUS

TERMINATION OF HIS JOURNEY--SITUATION AND PROSPECTS OF THE PARTY.

March 28.--AT daylight we moved on, every one walking, even the youngest

boy could not ride now, as the horses were so weak and jaded. Soon after

leaving the camp, one of them laid down, although the weight upon his

back was very light; we were consequently obliged to distribute the few

things he carried among the others, and let him follow loose. Our route

lay along the beach, as the dense scrub inland prevented us from

following any other course; we had, therefore, to go far out of our way,

tracing round every point, and following along every bay, whilst the

sea-weed frequently obstructed our path, and drove us again to the loose

sands, above high water mark, causing extra fatigue to our unfortunate

horses. At other times we were forced to go between these banks of

sea-weed and the sea, into the sea itself, on which occasions it required

our utmost vigilance to prevent the wretched horses from drinking the

salt water, which would inevitably have destroyed them. In order to

prevent this we were obliged to walk ourselves in the water, on the

sea-side of them, one of the party being in advance, leading one horse,

another being behind to keep up the rear, and the other three being at

intervals along the outside of the line, to keep them from stopping for

an instant until the danger was past.

We had scarcely advanced six miles from our last night's camp when the

little Timor pony I had purchased at Port Lincoln broke down completely;

for some time it had been weak, and we were obliged to drive it loose,

but it was now unable to proceed further, and we were compelled to

abandon it to a miserable and certain death, that by pushing on, we might

use every exertion in our power to relieve the others, though scarcely

daring to hope that we could save even one of them. It was, indeed, a

fearful and heart-rending scene to behold the noble animals which had

served us so long and so faithfully, suffering the extremity of thirst

and hunger, without having it in our power to relieve them. Five days of

misery had passed over their heads since the last water had been left,

and one hundred and twelve miles of country had been traversed without

the possibility of procuring food for them, other than the dry and

sapless remains of last year's grass, and this but rarely to be met with.

No rains had fallen to refresh them, and they were reduced to a most

pitiable condition, still they travelled onwards, with a spirit and

endurance truly surprising. Whenever we halted, they followed us about

like dogs wherever we went, appearing to look to us only for aid, and

exhibiting that confidence in us which I trust we all reposed in the

Almighty, for most truly did we feel, that in His mercy and protection

alone our safety could now ever be hoped for.

About ten o'clock the tide became too high for us to keep the beach, and

we were compelled to halt for some hours. Our horses were nearly all

exhausted, and I dreaded that when we next moved on many of them would be

unable to proceed far, and that, one by one, they would all perish,

overcome by sufferings which those, who have not witnessed such scenes,

can have no conception of. We should then have been entirely dependent

upon our own strength and exertions, nearly midway between Adelaide and

King George's Sound, with a fearful country on either side of us, with a

very small supply of provisions, and without water.

The position we were in, frequently forced sad forebodings with respect

to the future, and though I by no means contemplated with apathy the

probable fate that might await us, yet I was never for a moment undecided

as to the plan it would be necessary to adopt, in such a desperate

extremity--at all hazards, I was determined to proceed onwards.

The country we had already passed through, precluded all hope of our

recrossing it without the horses to carry water for us, and without

provisions to enable us to endure the dreadful fatigue of forced marches,

across the desert. The country before us was, it is true, quite unknown,

but it could hardly be worse than that we had traversed, and the chance

was that it might be better. We were now pushing on for some sand-hills,

marked down in Captain Flinders' chart at about 126 1/2 degrees of east

longitude; I did not expect to procure water until we reached these, but

I felt sure we should obtain it on our arrival there. After this point

was passed, there appeared to be one more long push without any

likelihood of procuring water, as the cliffs again became the boundary of

the ocean; but beyond Cape Arid, the change in the character and

appearance of the country, as described by Flinders, indicated the

existence of a better and more practicable line of country than we had

yet fallen in with.

My overseer, however, was now unfortunately beginning to take up an

opposite opinion, and though he still went through the duty devolving

upon him with assiduity and cheerfulness, it was evident that his mind

was ill at ease, and that he had many gloomy anticipations of the future.

He fancied there were no sand-hills ahead, that we should never reach any

water in that direction, and that there was little hope of saving any of

the horses. In this latter idea I rather encouraged him than otherwise,

deeming it advisable to contemplate the darker side of the picture, and

by accustoming ourselves to look forward to being left entirely dependent

upon our own strength and efforts, in some measure to prepare ourselves

for such an event, should it unfortunately befal us. In conversing with

him upon our prospects, and the position we should be in if we lost all

our horses, I regretted extremely to find that his mind was continually

occupied with thoughts of returning, and that he seemed to think the only

chance of saving our lives, would be to push on to the water ourselves,

and then endeavour again to return to Fowler's Bay, where we had buried a

large quantity of provisions. Still it was a gratification to find that

the only European with me, did not altogether give way to despondency,

and could even calmly contemplate the prospect before us, considering and

reasoning upon the plan it might be best to adopt, in the event of our

worst forebodings being realized. In discussing these subjects, I

carefully avoiding irritating or alarming him, by a declaration of my own

opinions and resolutions, rather agreeing with him than otherwise, at the

same time, that I pointed out the certain risk that would attend any

attempt to go back to Fowler's Bay, and the probability there was of much

less danger attending the effort to advance to King George's Sound. With

respect to the native boys, they appeared to think or care but little

about the future; they were not sensible of their danger, and having

something still to eat and drink, they played and laughed and joked with

each other as much as ever.

Whilst waiting for the tide to fall, to enable us to proceed, the

overseer dug a hole, and we buried nearly every thing we had with us,

saddles, fire-arms, ammunition, provisions; all things were here

abandoned except two guns, the keg with the little water we had left, and

a very little flour, tea and sugar. I determined to relieve our horses

altogether from every weight (trifling as was the weight of all we had),

and by pushing, if possible, on to the water, endeavour to save their

lives; after which we could return for the things we had abandoned. Our

arrangements being completed, we all bathed in the sea, ate a scanty

meal, and again moved onwards at half past two o'clock.

The poor horses started better than could have been expected, but it was

soon evident that all were fast failing, and many already quite

exhausted. At six miles my favourite mare could no longer keep up with

the rest, and we were obliged to let her drop behind. Her foal, now six

months old, we got away with some difficulty from her, and kept it with

the other horses; at four miles further another of the horses failed, and

I had him tied up, in the hope that if we reached water during the

evening, I might send back and recover him.

Towards dark we all imagined we saw a long point stretching to the S. W.

and backed by high sandy looking cones. We hoped that these might be the

sand-hills we were pushing for, and our hearts beat high with hope once

more. It, however, soon become too dark to discern anything, and at

fourteen miles from where we had halted in the morning, we were again

obliged by the tide to encamp for the night, as the country behind the

shore was densely scrubby, and quite impracticable as a line of route. It

was nine o'clock when we halted, and we were all very tired, and our feet

somewhat inflamed, from getting so frequently wet with the salt water,

whilst endeavouring to keep the horses from it; there was no grass but

the coarse wiry kind that bound the sand together, of this the poor

animals cropped a little, as a very heavy dew fell, and served to moisten

it. As usual, the overseer and myself kept watch upon the horses at

night, whilst the natives enjoyed their undisturbed repose. Two of the

boys were young, and none of the three had their frame and muscles

sufficiently developed to enable them to undergo the fatigue of walking

during the day if deprived of their rest at night; still the duty became

very hard upon two persons, where it was of constant occurrence, and

superadded to the ordinary day's labour.

March 29.--After calling up the party, I ascended the highest sand-hill

near me, from which the prospect was cheerless and gloomy, and the point

and sandy cones we imagined we had seen last night had vanished. Indeed,

upon examining the chart, and considering that as yet we had advanced

only one hundred and twenty-six miles from the last water, I felt

convinced that we had still very far to go before we could expect to

reach the sand-drifts. The supply of water we had brought for ourselves

was nearly exhausted, and we could afford none for breakfast to-day; the

night, however, had been cool, and we did not feel the want of it so

much. Upon moving, I sent one of the natives back to the horse I had tied

up, about four miles from our camp to try to bring him on to where we

should halt in the middle of the day.

For ten miles we continued along the beach until we came to a bluff rocky

ridge, running close into the sea; here we rested until the tide fell,

and to give the native boy an opportunity of rejoining us, which he did

soon after, but without the horse; the poor animal had travelled about

eight miles with him from the place where we had left him, but had then

been unable to come any further, and he abandoned him.

Whilst the party were in camp, I sent the overseer to a distant point of

land to try and get a view of the coast beyond; but upon his return,

after a long walk, he told me his view to the west was obstructed by a

point similar to the one I had sent him to. During the day, we had passed

a rather recent native encampment, where were left some vessels of bark

for holding water, or for collecting it from the roots of trees, or the

grass. Near where we halted in the middle of the day, the foot-prints of

the natives were quite fresh, and shewed that they were travelling the

same way as ourselves.

For the last two or three days, we had passed many pieces of wreck upon

the beach, oars, thwarts of boats, fragments of masts, spars, etc. strewed

about in every direction; none of them, however, appeared to have been

recently deposited there, and many of the oars, and lighter spars, were

stuck up on their ends in the sand above high water mark, probably so

placed by the natives, but with what object I know not. One oar was stuck

up upon a high sand ridge, some distance from the shore, and I spent some

time in examining the place, in the vain hope that it might be an

indication of our vicinity to water.

In the afternoon we all had a little tea; and after a bathe in the sea,

again moved onwards; fortunately the beach was firm and hard, and the

evening cool; the horses advanced slowly and steadily, and in a way that

quite surprised me. After travelling for thirteen miles, we encamped

under the coast ridge late in the evening, all very much exhausted,

having made several ineffectual searches for water, among the sandy

ridges, as we passed along.

In our route along the shore, we had seen immense numbers of fish in the

shallow waters, and among the reefs lying off the coast; several dead

ones had been picked up, and of these the boys made a feast at night. Our

last drop of water was consumed this evening, and we then all lay down to

rest, after turning the horses behind the first ridge of the coast, as we

could find no grass; and neither the overseer nor I were able to watch

them, being both too much worn out with the labours of the day, and our

exertions, in searching for water.

March 30.--Getting up as soon as the day dawned, I found that some of the

horses had crossed the sand ridge to the beach, and rambled some distance

backwards. I found, too, that in the dark, we had missed a patch of

tolerable grass among the scrub, not far from our camp. I regretted this

the more, as during the night a very heavy dew had fallen, and the horses

might perhaps have fed a little.

Leaving the overseer to search for those that had strayed, I took a

sponge, and went to try to collect some of the dew which was hanging in

spangles upon the grass and shrubs; brushing these with the sponge, I

squeezed it, when saturated, into a quart pot, which, in an hour's time,

I filled with water. The native boys were occupied in the same way; and

by using a handful of fine grass, instead of a sponge, they collected

about a quart among them. Having taken the water to the camp, and made it

into tea, we divided it amongst the party, and never was a meal more

truly relished, although we all ate the last morsel of bread we had with

us, and none knew when we might again enjoy either a drink of water, or a

mouthful of bread. We had now demonstrated the practicability of

collecting water from the dew. I had often heard from the natives that

they were in the habit of practising this plan, but had never before

actually witnessed its adoption. It was, however, very cold work, and

completely wet me through from head to foot, a greater quantity of water

by far having been shaken over me, from the bushes, than I was able to

collect with my sponge. The natives make use of a large oblong vessel of

bark, which they hold under the branches, whilst they brush them with a

little grass, as I did with the sponge; the water thus falls into the

trough held for it, and which, in consequence of the surface being so

much larger than the orifice of a quart pot, is proportionably sooner

filled. After the sun once rises, the spangles fall from the boughs, and

no more water can be collected; it is therefore necessary to be at work

very early, if success is an object of importance.

The morning was very hazy, and at first nothing could be seen of the

country before us; but as the mist gradually cleared away a long point

was seen to the south-west, but so very distant that I felt certain our

horses never would get there if it lay between us and the water. To our

astonishment they kept moving steadily along the beach, which was

tolerably firm near the sea, in which were many reefs and shelves of

rocks, covered with muscles below low water mark. As we progressed, it

was evident that the country was undergoing a considerable change; the

sea shore dunes and the ridges immediately behind them were now of a pure

white sand, and steep, whilst those further back were very high and

covered with low bushes. Upon ascending one of the latter I had a good

view around, and to my inexpressible pleasure and relief saw the high

drifts of sand we were looking for so anxiously, in the corner between us

and the more distant point of land first seen. The height of the

intervening ridges and the sand-drifts being in the angle prevented us

from noticing them sooner.

We had now travelled ten miles, and the sand-hills were about five miles

further. The horses were, however, becoming exhausted, and the day was so

hot that I was compelled to halt, and even now, in sight of our

long-expected goal, I feared we might be too late to save them. Leaving

the boys to attend to the animals, I took the overseer up one of the

ridges to reconnoitre the country for the purpose of ascertaining whether

there was no place near us where water might be procured by digging.

After a careful examination a hollow was selected between the two front

ridges of white sand, where the overseer thought it likely we might be

successful. The boys were called up to assist in digging, and the work

was anxiously commenced; our suspense increasing every moment as the well

was deepened. At about five feet the sand was observed to be quite moist,

and upon its being tasted was pronounced quite free from any saline

qualities. This was joyous news, but too good to be implicitly believed,

and though we all tasted it over and over again, we could scarcely

believe that such really was the case. By sinking another foot the

question was put beyond all doubt, and to our great relief fresh water

was obtained at a depth of six feet from the surface, on the seventh day

of our distress, and after we had travelled one hundred and sixty miles

since we had left the last water. Words would be inadequate to express

the joy and thankfulness of my little party at once more finding

ourselves in safety, and with abundance of water near us. A few hours

before hope itself seemed almost extinguished, and those only who have

been subjeet to a similar extremity of distress can have any just idea of

the relief we experienced. The mind seemed to have been weighed down by

intense anxiety and over-wrought feelings. At first the gloomy

restlessness of disappointment or the feverish impatience of hope had

operated upon our minds alternately, but these had long since given way

to that calm settled determination of purpose, and cool steady vigour of

action which desperate circumstances can alone inspire. Day by day our

prospects of success had gradually diminished; our horses had become

reduced to so dreadful a state that many had died, and all were likely to

do so soon; we ourselves were weak and exhausted by fatigue, and it

appeared impossible that either could have gone many miles further. In

this last extremity we had been relieved. That gracious God, without

whose assistance all hope of safety had been in vain, had heard our

earnest prayers for his aid, and I trust that in our deliverance we

recognized and acknowledged with sincerity and thankfulness his guiding

and protecting hand. It is in circumstances only such as we had lately

been placed in that the utter hopelessness of all human efforts is truly

felt, and it is when relieved from such a situation that the hand of a

directing and beneficent Being appears most plainly discernible,

fulfilling those gracious promises which he has made, to hear them that

call upon him in the day of trouble.

[Note 27: "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and

their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of

Israel will not forsake them."

"I will open rivers in high places, and fountains

in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water,

and the dry land springs of water."--Isa. xli. 17, 18.

"I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the

desert."--Isa. xliii. 19.]

As soon as each had satisfied his thirst the pots were filled and boiled

for tea, and some bread was baked, whilst the overseer and natives were

still increasing the size of the well to enable us to water the horses.

We then got a hasty meal that we might the better go through the fatigue

of attending to the suffering animals. Our utmost caution now became

necessary in their management; they had been seven days without a drop of

water, and almost without food also, and had suffered so much that with

abundance of water near us, and whilst they were suffering agonies from

the want of it, we dared not give it to them freely. Having tied them up

to some low bushes, we gave each in turn about four gallons, and then

driving them away for half a mile to where there was a little withered

grass, we watched them until the evening, and again gave each about four

gallons more of water.

Whilst thus engaged, a very fine looking native with his wife and family,

passed us and halted for a few moments to observe us, and procure a drink

from the well we had made. This man did not seem at all alarmed, and made

signs that he was going to sleep, a little further along the coast, where

there was also water, pointing to the white sandhills about five miles

from us. The language he spoke seemed to be the same as that of the other

natives we had met with along the Great Bight, nor did the King George's

Sound native understand him a bit better than he had done the others.

At night one of our two remaining sheep was killed, and the overseer and

myself proceeded to watch the horses for the night. The poor creatures

were scarcely able to crawl, yet were restless and uneasy, and fed but

little, they had tasted water and they were almost mad for it, so that it

was a severe task to both myself and the overseer to keep them from

returning to the well. The single sheep now left had also given us a good

deal of trouble, it was frightened at being alone, and frustrated all our

efforts to yard it, preferring to accompany and remain with the

horses,--an arrangement we were obliged to acquiesce in.

March 31.--The morning broke wild and lowering, and the sand blew

fearfully about from the drifts among which the water was. Our well had

tumbled in during the night, and we had to undergo considerable labour

before we could water the horses. After clearing it out, we gave each of

them seven gallons, and again sent them away to the grass, letting the

native boys watch them during the day, whilst we rested for a few hours,

shifted our camp to a more sheltered place, weighed out a week's

allowance of flour at half a pound each per day, and made sundry other

necessary arrangements.

Fearful of losing our only remaining sheep, if left to wander about, we

made a strong yard to put it into at nights, for a long time, however, we

could not get it to go near the yard, and only succeeded at last by

leading in a horse first, behind which it walked quite orderly.

April 1.--The last night had been bitterly cold and frosty, and as we

were badly clad, and without the means of making a large or permanent

fire, we all felt acutely the severity of the weather. After breakfast, I

left the overseer and natives to clear out the well, which had again

fallen in, and water the horses, whilst I walked five miles along the

beach to the westward, and then turned inland to examine the sand-drifts

there and search for grass. Behind the drifts I found some open sandy

plains, with a coarse kind of dry grass upon them, and as they were not

far from where the natives had dug wells for water, I thought the place

might suit us to encamp at for a time when we left our present position.

In returning to the camp, through the scrub behind the coast, I shot a

fine wallabie, and saw several others; but having only cartridges with

me, I did not like to cut up the balls for ammunition.

April 2.--Another severe cold frosty night made us fully sensible that

the winter was rapidly closing in upon us, notwithstanding the

ill-provided and unprotected state we were in to encounter its

inclemencies. Our well had again tumbled in, and gave us a good deal of

trouble, besides, each successive clearing out deepened it considerably,

and this took us to a level where the brackish water mixed with the

fresh; from this cause the water was now too brackish to be palatable,

and we sunk another well apart from that used for the horses, at which to

procure any water we required for our own use. During the afternoon I

shot a wallabie behind the camp, but the place being densely scrubby, and

the animal not quite dead, I did not get it.

On the 3rd, I sent the overseer out in one direction and I went myself

out in another, to examine the country and try to procure wallabies for

food. We both returned late, greatly fatigued with walking through dense

scrubs and over steep heavy sand ridges, but without having fired a shot.

Our mutton (excepting the last sheep) being all used on the 4th, we were

reduced to our daily allowance of half a pound of flour each, without any

meat.

On the 5th, the overseer and one of the native boys got ready to go back

for some of the stores and other things we had abandoned, forty-seven

miles away. As they were likely to have severe exercise, and to be away

for four days, I gave them five pounds extra of flour above their daily

allowance, together with the wallabie which I had shot, and which had not

yet been used; they drove before them three horses to carry their supply

of water, and bring back the things sent for.

As soon as they were gone, with the assistance of the two native boys who

were left, I removed the camp to the white sand-drifts, five miles

further west. Being anxious to keep as near to the grass as I could, I

commenced digging at some distance away from where the natives procured

their water, but at a place where there were a great many rushes. After

sinking to about seven feet, I found the soil as dry as ever, and

removing to the native wells, with some little trouble opened a hole

large enough to water all the horses. The single sheep gave us a great

deal of trouble and kept us running about from one sand hill to another,

until we were tired out, before we could capture it; at last we

succeeded, and I tied him up for the night, resolved never to let him

loose again.

In the evening I noticed the native boys looking more woe-begone and

hungry than usual. Heretofore, since our mutton was consumed, they had

helped out their daily half-pound of flour, with the roasted roots of the

gum-scrub, but to-day they had been too busy to get any, and I was

obliged to give to each a piece of bread beyond the regular allowance. It

was pitiable to see them craving for food, and not to have the power of

satisfying them; they were young and had large appetites, and never

having been accustomed to any restraint of this nature, scarcity of food

was the more sensibly felt, especially as they could not comprehend the

necessity that compelled us to hoard with greater care than a miser does

his gold, the little stock of provisions which we yet had left.

April 6.--The severe frost and intense cold of last night entirely

deprived me of sleep, and I was glad when the daylight broke, though

still weary and unrefreshed. After clearing out the well, and watering

the horses, I sent one of the boys out to watch them, and gave the other

the gun to try and shoot a wallabie, but after expending the only two

charges of slugs I had left, he returned unsuccessful. At night we all

made up our supper with the bark of the young roots of the gum-scrub. It

appears to be extensively used for food by the natives in this district,

judging from the remnants left at their encamping places. The bark is

peeled off the young roots of the eucalyptus dumosa, put into hot ashes

until nearly crisp, and then the dust being shaken off, it is pounded

between two stones and ready for use. Upon being chewed, a farinaceous

powder is imbibed from between the fibres of the bark, by no means

unpleasant in flavour, but rather sweet, and resembling the taste of

malt; how far a person could live upon this diet alone, I have no means

of judging, but it certainly appeases the appetite, and is, I should

suppose, nutritious.

April 7.--Another sleepless night from the intense cold. Upon getting up

I put a mark upon the beach to guide the overseer to our camp on his

return, then weighed out flour and baked bread for the party, as I found

it lasted much better when used stale than fresh. I tried to shoot some

pigeons with small gravel, having plenty of powder but no shot. My

efforts were, however, in vain, for though I several times knocked them

over, and tore feathers out, I killed none. The day being very clear, I

ascended the highest sand-hill to obtain a view of what had appeared to

us to be a long point of land, stretching to the south-west. It was now

clearly recognisable as the high level line of cliffs forming the western

boundary of the Great Bight, and I at once knew, that when we left our

present position, we could hope for no water for at least 140 or 150

miles beyond.

The weather on the 8th and 9th suddenly became mild and soft, with the

appearance of rain, but none fell. I was becoming anxious about the

return of my overseer and native boy, who had been absent nine tides,

when they ought to have returned in eight, and I could not help fearing

some mischance had befallen them, and frequently went back wards and

forwards to the beach, to look for them. The tenth tide found me

anxiously at my post on the look out, and after watching for a long time

I thought I discerned some dark objects in the distance, slowly

advancing; gradually I made out a single horse, driven by two people, and

at once descended to meet them. Their dismal tale was soon told. After

leaving us on the 5th, they reached their destination on the 7th; but in

returning one of the horses became blind, and was too weak to advance

further, when they had barely advanced thirteen miles; they were

consequently obliged to abandon him, and leave behind the things he had

been carrying. With the other two horses they got to within five miles of

the place we first procured water at on the 30th March. Here a second

horse had become unable to proceed, and the things he had carried were

also obliged to be left behind. They then got both horses to the first

well at the sand-hills and watered them, and after resting a couple of

hours came on to join me. Short as this distance was, the jaded horse

could not travel it, and was left behind a mile and a half back. Having

shewn the overseer and boy the camp, I sent the other two natives to

fetch up the tired horse, whilst I attended to the other, and put the

solitary sheep in for the night. By a little after dark all was arranged,

and the horse that had been left behind once more with the others.

From the overseer I learnt, that during the fifty miles he had retraced

our route to obtain the provisions we had left, he had five times dug for

water: four times he had found salt water, and once he had been stopped

by rock. The last effort of this kind he had made not far from where we

found water on the 30th of March, and I could not but be struck with the

singular and providential circumstance of our first halting and

attempting to dig for water on that day in all our distress, at the very

first place, and at the only place, within the 160 miles we had

traversed, where water could have been procured. It will be remembered,

that in our advance, we had travelled a great part of the latter portion

of this distance by night, and that thus there was a probability of our

having passed unknowingly some place where water might have been

procured. The overseer had now travelled over the same ground in

daylight, with renovated strength, and in a condition comparatively

strong, and fresh for exertion. He had dug wherever he thought there was

a chance of procuring water, but without success in any one single

instance.

After learning all the particulars of the late unlucky journey, I found

that a great part of the things I had sent for were still thirty-eight

miles back, having only been brought twelve miles from where they had

originally been left; the rest of the things were ten miles away, and as

nearly all our provisions, and many other indispensable articles were

among them, it became absolutely necessary that they should be recovered

in some way or other, but how that was to be accomplished was a question

which we could not so easily determine. Our horses were quite unfit for

service of any kind, and the late unfortunate attempt had but added to

the difficulties by which we were surrounded, and inflicted upon us the

additional loss of another valuable animal. Many and anxious were the

hours I spent in contemplating the circumstances we were in, and in

revolving in my mind the best means at our command to extricate ourselves

from so perilous a situation. We were still 650 miles from King George's

Sound, with an entirely unknown country before us. Our provisions, when

again recovered, would be barely sufficient to last us for three weeks

and a half, at a very reduced rate of allowance. Our horses were jaded

and miserable beyond all conception; they could literally scarcely crawl,

and it was evident they would be unable to move on again at all without

many days' rest where we were. On the other hand we had still the

prospect of another of those fearful pushes without water to encounter,

as soon as we left our present encampment, and had first to recover the

provisions and other things yet so far away. Nothing could be more

disheartening than our situation, and it was also one in which it was

difficult to decide what was best to be done. Aware that a single false

step would now be fatal to us all, I saw that our circumstances required

promptness and decision. With every thing depending upon my sole

judgment, and the determination I arrived at, I felt deeply and anxiously

the over-whelming responsibility that devolved upon me.

We were now about half way between Fowler's Bay and King George's Sound,

located among barren sand-drifts, and without a drop of water beyond us

on either side, within a less distance than 150 miles. Our provisions

were rapidly decreasing, whilst we were lying idle and inactive in camp;

and yet it would be absolutely necessary for us thus to remain for some

time longer, or at once abandon the horses, and endeavour to make our way

without them. To the latter, however, there were many objections, one of

which was, that I well knew from the experience we had already had, that

if we abandoned the horses, and had those fearful long distances to

travel without water, we never could accomplish them on foot, if

compelled at the same time to live upon a very low diet, to carry our

arms, ammunition, and provisions, and in addition to these, a stock of

water, sufficient to last six or seven days. The only thing that had

enabled us to get through so far on our journey in safety, had been the

having the horses with us, for though weak and jaded, they had yet

carried the few things, which were indispensable to us, and which we

never could have carried ourselves under the circumstances.

There was another inducement to continue with the horses, which had

considerable weight with me, and however revolting the idea might be at

first, it was a resource which I foresaw the desperate circumstances we

were in must soon compel us to adopt. It was certainly horrible to

contemplate the destruction of the noble animals that had accompanied us

so far, but ere long I well knew that such would be the only chance of

saving our own lives, and I hoped that by accustoming the mind to dwell

upon the subject beforehand, when the evil hour did arrive, the horror

and disgust would be in some degree lessened. Upon consulting the

overseer, I was glad to find that he agreed with me fully in the

expediency of not abandoning the horses until it became unavoidable, and

that he had himself already contemplated the probability of our being

very shortly reduced to the alternative of using them for food.

It remained now only to decide, which way we would go when we agan moved

on, whether to prosecute our journey to the Sound, or try to retrace our

steps to Fowler's Bay. On this point my own opinion never wavered for an

instant. My conviction of the utter impossibility of our ever being able

to recross the fearful country we had passed through with such

difficulty, under circumstances so much more favourable than we were now

in, was so strong that I never for a moment entertained the idea myself.

I knew the many and frightful pushes without water we should have to make

in any such attempt, and though the country before us was unknown, it

could not well be worse than that we had passed through, whilst the

probability was, that after the first long stage was accomplished, and

which would take us beyond the western boundary of the Great Bight, we

should experience a change in the character of the country, and be able

to advance with comparative ease and facility. Unhappily my overseer

differed from me in opinion upon this point.

The last desperate march we had made, had produced so strong an

impression upon his mind, that he could not divest himself of the idea

that the further we went to the westward the more arid the country would

be found, and that eventually we should all perish from want of water; on

the other hand, the very reduced allowance of food we were compelled to

limit ourselves to, made his thoughts always turn to the depot at

Fowler's Bay, where we had buried a large supply of provisions of all

kinds. In vain I pointed out to him the certain difficulties we must

encounter in any attempt to return, the little probability there was of a

single horse surviving even the first of those dreadful stages we should

have to make, and the utter impossibility of our getting successfully

through without the horses; and, on the other hand, the very cheering

prospect there was of all our most serious difficulties being terminated

as soon as we had turned the western extremity of the Bight (to

accomplish which, would not occupy more than six or seven days at the

furthest when we moved on,) and the strong hopes that we might then

reasonably entertain of falling in with some vessel, sealing or whaling

upon the coast, and from which we might obtain a fresh supply of

provisions. All my arguments were fruitless. With the characteristic

obedience and fidelity with which he had ever served me, he readily

acquiesced in any plan I might decide upon adopting; but I perceived,

with pain, that I could not convince him that the view I took was the

proper one, and that the plan I intended to follow was the only one which

held out to us even the remotest hopes of eventual safety and success.

Finding that I made little progress in removing his doubts on the

question of our advance, I resolved to pursue the subject no further,

until the time for decision came, hoping that in the interim, his

opinions and feelings might in some degree be modified, and that he might

then accompany me cheerfully. The important and pressing duty of

recovering at once the stores we had left behind, now claimed my

attention. The overseer, with his usual anxiety to save me from any extra

labour, kindly offered to attempt this object again; but as he had just

returned from a severe, though unfortunately unsuccessful journey for the

same purpose, I decided upon doing it myself, and at once made my

preparations for leaving the camp.

Chapter XVIII.

GO BACK WITH A NATIVE--SPEAR STING-RAYS--RECOVER THE BAGGAGE--COLD

WEATHER--OVERSEER RECONNOITRES THE CLIFFS--UNFAVOURABLE

REPORT--DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO BEST PLANS FOR THE FUTURE--KILL A

HORSE FOR FOOD--INJURIOUS EFFECTS FROM MEAT DIET--NATIVE BOYS BECOME

DISAFFECTED--THEY STEAL PROVISIONS--NATIVE BOYS DESERT THE PARTY--THEY

RETURN ALMOST STARVED--PARTY PROCEED ONWARDS TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF

THE BIGHT--COUNTRY BEHIND THEM--THREATENING WEATHER--MURDER OF THE

OVERSEER.

April 10.--FOUR days' provisions having been given to each of the party,

I took the King George's Sound native with me to retrace, on foot, our

route to the eastward. For the first ten miles I was accompanied by one

of the other native boys, leading a horse to carry a little water for us,

and take back the stores the overseer had buried at that point, when the

second horse knocked up with him on the morning of the 9th. Having found

the things, and put them on the horse, I sent the boy with them back to

the camp, together with a large sting-ray fish which he had speared in

the surf near the shore. It was a large, coarse, ugly-looking thing, but

as it seemed to be of the same family as the skate, I did not imagine we

should run any risk in eating it. In other respects, circumstances had

broken through many scruples and prejudices, and we were by no means

particular as to what the fish might be, if it were eatable.

Having buried our little keg of water until our return, the King George's

Sound native and myself pushed on for five miles further, and then halted

for the night, after a day's journey of fifteen miles. We now cooked some

sting-ray fish (for the native with me had speared a second one,) and

though it was coarse and dry, our appetites had been sharpened by our

walk, and we thought it far from being unpalatable.

April 11.--Moving away long before daylight, we pushed steadily on, and

about dusk arrived, after a stage of twenty-three miles, at the place

where our stores were. I found a much greater weight here than I

expected, and feared it would be quite impossible for us to carry the

whole away. By the light of the fire, I threw out saddles, clothes,

oil-skins, etc. that we did not absolutely require, and packing up the

remainder, weighed a bundle of thirty-two pounds for myself to carry, and

one of twenty-two for the native, who also had a gun to take. Our

arrangements being completed for the morrow, we enjoyed our supper of

sting-ray, and lay down for the night.

April 12.--To-day the weather was cloudy and sultry, and we found it very

oppressive carrying the weight we had with us, especially as we had no

water. By steady perseverance, we gained the place where our little keg

had been buried; and having refreshed ourselves with a little tea, again

pushed on for a few miles to a place where I had appointed the overseer

to send a native to meet us with water. He was already there, and we all

encamped together for the night, soon forgetting, in refreshing sleep,

the fatigues and labours of the day.

The 13th was a dark cloudy day, with light rains in the morning. About

noon we arrived at the camp, after having walked seventy-six miles in the

last three days and a half, during great part of which, we had carried

heavy weights. We had, however, successfully accomplished the object for

which we had gone, and had now anxieties only for our future progress,

the provisions and other stores being all safely recovered.

During my absence, I had requested the overseer to bake some bread, in

order that it might be tolerably stale before we used it. To my regret

and annoyance, I found that he had baked one third of our whole supply,

so that it would be necessary to use more than our stated allowance, or

else to let it spoil. It was the more vexing, to think that in this case

the provisions had been so improvidently expended, from the fact of our

having plenty of the sting-ray fish, and not requiring so much bread.

April 14.--Early this morning I sent the overseer, and one of the native

boys, with three days' provision to the commencement of the cliffs to the

westward, visible from the sand-hills near our camp, in order that they

might ascertain the exact distance they were from us, and whether any

grass or water could be procured nearer to their base than where we were.

After their departure, I attended to the horses, and then amused myself

preparing some fishing lines to set off the shore, with a large stone as

an anchor, and a small keg for a buoy. The day was, however, wild and

boisterous; and in my attempts to get through the surf, to set the lines,

I was thrown down, together with the large stone I was carrying, and my

leg severely cut and bruised. The weather was extremely cold, too, and

being without coat or jacket of any kind, I suffered severely from it.

The 15th was another cold day, with the wind at south-west, and we could

neither set the lines, nor spear sting-ray, whilst the supply we had

before obtained was now nearly exhausted. One of the horses was taken

ill, and unable to rise, from the effects of the cold; his limbs were

cramped and stiff, and apparently unable to sustain the weight of his

body. After plucking dry grass, and making a bed for him, placing a

breakwind of boughs round, and making a fire near him, we left him for

the night.

Late in the evening, the overseer and boy returned from the westward, and

reported, that the cliffs were sixteen miles away; that they had dug for

water, but that none could be found, and that there was hardly a blade of

grass any where, whilst the whole region around was becoming densely

scrubby; through much of which we should have to pass before we reached

the cliffs. Altogether, the overseer seemed quite discouraged by the

appearance of the country, and to dread the idea of moving on in that

direction, often saying, that he wished he was back, and that he thought

he could retrace his steps to Fowler's Bay, where a supply of provisions

had been buried. I was vexed at these remarks, because I felt that I

could not coincide in them, and because I knew that when the moment for

decision came, my past experience, and the strong reasons which had

produced in my own mind quite a different conviction, would compel me to

act in opposition to the wishes of the only European with me, and he a

person, too, whom I sincerely respected for the fidelity and devotion

with which he had followed me through all my wanderings. I was afraid,

too, that the native boys, hearing his remarks, and perceiving that he

had no confidence in our future movements, would catch up the same idea,

and that, in addition to the other difficulties and anxieties I had to

cope with, would be the still more frightful one of disaffection and

discontent. Another subject of uneasiness arose from the nature of our

diet;--for some few days we had all been using a good deal of the

sting-ray fish, and though at first we had found it palatable, either

from confining ourselves too exclusively to it, or from eating too much,

it had latterly disagreed with us. The overseer declared it made him ill

and weak, and that he could do nothing whilst living upon it. The boys

said the same; and yet we had nothing else to supply its place, and the

small quantity of flour left would not admit of our using more than was

barely necessary to sustain life. At this time we had hardly any fish

left, and the whole party were ravenously hungry. In this dilemma, I

determined to have the sick horse killed for food. It was impossible he

could ever recover, and by depriving him of life a few hours sooner than

the natural course of events would have done, we should be enabled to get

a supply of food to last us over a few days more, by which time I hoped

we might again be able to venture on, and attempt another push to the

westward.

Early on the morning of the 16th, I sent the overseer to kill the

unfortunate horse, which was still alive, but unable to rise from the

ground, having never moved from the place where he had first been found

lying yesterday morning. The miserable animal was in the most wretched

state possible, thin and emaciated by dreadful and long continued

sufferings, and labouring under some complaint, that in a very few hours

at the farthest, must have terminated its life.

After a great portion of the meat had been cut off from the carcase, in

thin slices, they were dipped in salt water and hung up upon strings to

dry in the sun. I could not bring myself to eat any to-day, so horrible

and revolting did it appear to me, but the overseer made a hearty dinner,

and the native boys gorged themselves to excess, remaining the whole

afternoon by the carcase, where they made a fire, cutting off and

roasting such portions as had been left. They looked like ravenous wolves

about their prey, and when they returned to the camp at night, they were

loaded with as much cooked meat as they could carry, and which they were

continually eating during the night; I made a meal upon some of the

sting-ray that was still left, but it made me dreadfully sick, and I was

obliged to lie down, seriously ill.

April 17.--Being rather better to-day, I was obliged to overcome my

repugnance to the disagreeable food we were compelled to resort to, and

the ice once broken, I found that although it was far from being

palatable, I could gradually reconcile myself to it. The boys after

breakfast again went down to the carcase, and spent the whole day

roasting and eating, and at night they again returned to the camp loaded.

We turned all the meat upon the strings and redipped it in sea water

again to-day, but the weather was unfavourable for drying it, being cold

and damp. Both yesterday and to-day light showers fell sufficient to

moisten the grass.

April 18.--The day being much warmer, many large flies were about, and I

was obliged to have a fire kept constantly around the meat, to keep them

away by the smoke. I now put the natives upon an allowance of five pounds

of flesh each per day, myself and the overseer using about half that

quantity.

On the 19th, I sent out one of the boys to try and get a sting-ray to

vary our diet, but he returned unsuccessful. During the forenoon I was

seized with a violent attack of dysentery, accompanied with diabetes,

from which I suffered extremely. The overseer was affected also, but in a

less violent degree. The origin of this complaint was plainly traceable

to the food we had used for the last day or two; it rendered us both

incapable of the least exertion of any kind, whilst the disorder

continued, and afterwards left us very languid and weak. In the evening

upon examining the meat, a great deal of it was found to be getting

putrid, or fly-blown, and we were obliged to pick it over, and throw what

was tainted away.

April 20.--To-day I had all the meat boiled, as I thought it would keep

better cooked than raw, we had only a small tin saucepan without a

handle, to effect our cooking operations with, and the preparation of the

meat therefore occupied the whole of the day. The overseer was again

attacked with dysentery. At night the clouds gathered heavily around, and

the weather being mild and soft, I fully expected rain; after dark,

however, the wind rose high and the threatened storm passed away.

On the 21st, I was seized again with illness. The overseer continued to

be affected also, and we were quite unable to make the necessary

preparations for our journey to the westward, which I fully intended to

have commenced to-morrow. For several hours we were in the greatest

agony, and could neither lie down, sit up, nor stand, except with extreme

pain. Towards the afternoon the violence of the symptoms abated a little,

but we were exceedingly weak.

April 22.--Upon weighing the meat this morning, which as usual was left

out upon the strings at night, I discovered that four pounds had been

stolen by some of the boys, whilst we were sleeping. I had suspected that

our stock was diminishing rapidly for a day or two past, and had weighed

it overnight that I might ascertain this point, and if it were so, take

some means to prevent it for the future. With so little food to depend

upon, and where it was so completely in the power of any one of the

party, to gratify his own appetite at the expense of the others, during

their absence, or when they slept, it became highly necessary to enforce

strict honesty towards each other; I was much grieved to find that the

meat had been taken by the natives, more particularly as their daily

allowance had been so great. We had, moreover, only two days' supply of

the meat left for the party, and being about to commence the long journey

before us, it was important to economise our provisions to support us

under the fatigue and labours we should then have to undergo.

Having deducted the four pounds stolen during the night, from the daily

rations of the three boys, I gave them the remainder, (eight pounds)

telling them the reason why their quantity was less to-day than usual,

and asking them to point out the thief, who alone should be punished and

the others would receive their usual rations. The youngest of the three

boys, and the King George's Sound native, resolutely denied being

concerned in the robbery; but the other native doggedly refused to answer

any questions about it, only telling me that he and the native from King

George's Sound would leave me and make their way by themselves. I pointed

out to them the folly, in fact the impossibility almost, of their

succeeding in any attempt of the kind; advised them to remain quietly

where they were, and behave well for the future, but concluded by telling

them that if they were bent upon going they might do so, as I would not

attempt to stop them.

For some time past the two eldest of the boys, both of whom were now

nearly grown up to manhood, had been far from obedient in their general

conduct. Ever since we had been reduced to a low scale of diet they had

been sulky and discontented, never assisting in the routine of the day,

or doing what they were requested to do with that cheerfulness and

alacrity that they had previously exhibited. Unaccustomed to impose the

least restraint upon their appetites or passions, they considered it a

hardship to be obliged to walk as long as any horses were left alive,

though they saw those horses falling behind and perishing from fatigue;

they considered it a hardship, too, to be curtailed in their allowance of

food, as long as a mouthful was left unconsumed; and in addition to this,

they had imbibed the overseer's idea that we never should succeed in our

attempt to get to the westward, and got daily more dissatisfied at

remaining idle in camp, whilst the horses were recruiting.

The excess of animal food they had had at their command for some few days

after the horse was killed, made them forget their former scarcity, and

in their folly they imagined that they could supply their own wants, and

get on better and more rapidly than we did, and they determined to

attempt it. Vexed as I had been at finding out they had not scrupled to

plunder the small stock of provisions we had left, I was loth to let them

leave me foolishly without making an effort to prevent it. One of them

had been with me a great length of time, and the other I had brought from

his country and his friends, and to both I felt bound by ties of humanity

to prevent if possible their taking the rash step they meditated; my

remonstrances and expostulations were however in vain, and after getting

their breakfasts, they took up some spears they had been carefully

preparing for the last two days, and walked sulkily from the camp in a

westerly direction. The youngest boy had, it seemed, also been enticed to

join them, for he was getting up with the intention of following, when I

called him back and detained him in the camp, as he was too young to know

what he was doing, and had only been led astray by the others. I had

intended to have moved on myself to-day, but the departure of the natives

made me change my intention, for I deemed it desirable that they should

have at least three or four days start of us. Finding that the single

sheep we had left would now be the cause of a good deal of trouble, I had

it killed this afternoon, that we might have the full advantage of it

whilst we had plenty of water, and might be enabled to hoard our bread a

little. We had still a little of the horse-flesh left, and made a point

of using it all up before the mutton was allowed to be touched.

The morning of the 23rd broke cool and cloudy, with showers gathering

from seawards; the wind was south-west, and the sky wild and lowering in

that direction. During the forenoon light rain fell, but scarcely more

than sufficient to moisten the grass; it would, however, probably afford

our deserters a drink upon the cliffs. Towards evening the sky cleared,

and the weather became frosty.

On the following day we still remained in camp, hoping for rain;--a

single heavy shower would so completely have freed us from the danger of

attempting to force a passage through the great extent of arid country

before us, that I was unwilling to move on until the very last moment.

Our rations were however rapidly disappearing whilst we were idling in

camp, the horse-flesh was all consumed, and to-day we had commenced upon

the mutton, so that soon we should be compelled to go, whether it rained

or not. Month after month however had passed away without any fall of

rain, and the season had now arrived when, under ordinary circumstances,

much wet might be expected; and though each day, as it passed without

gratifying our hopes, but added to our disappointment, yet did every hour

we lingered give us a better chance of being relieved by showers in our

route round the last cliffs of the Bight. The evening set in mild but

close, with the wind at north-east, and I had great hopes that showers

would fall.

April 25.--During the night dense clouds, accompanied by gusts of wind

and forked lightning, passed rapidly to the south-west, and this morning

the wind changed to that quarter. Heavy storms gathered to seawards with

much thunder and lightning, but no rain fell near us; the sea appearing

to attract all the showers. The overseer shot a very large eagle to-day

and made a stew of it, which was excellent. I sent the boy out to try and

shoot a wallabie, but he returned without one.

In the evening, a little before dark, and just as we had finished our

tea, to my great astonishment our two runaway natives made their

appearance, the King George's Sound native being first. He came frankly

up, and said that they were both sorry for what they had done, and were

anxious to be received again, as they found they could get nothing to eat

for themselves. The other boy sat silently and sullenly at the fire,

apparently more chagrined at being compelled by necessity to come back to

us than sorry for having gone away. Having given them a lecture, for they

both now admitted having stolen meat, not only on the night they were

detected but previously, I gave each some tea and some bread and meat,

and told them if they behaved well they would be treated in every respect

as before, and share with us our little stock of provisions as long as it

lasted.

I now learnt that they had fared in the bush but little better than I

should have done myself. They had been absent four days, and had come

home nearly starved. For the first two days they got only two small

bandicoots and found no water; they then turned back, and obtaining a

little water in a hollow of the cliffs, left by the shower which had

passed over, they halted under them to fish, and speared a sting-ray;

this they had feasted on yesterday, and to-day came from the cliffs to

look for us without any thing to eat at all.

During the night some heavy clouds passed over our heads, and once a drop

or two of rain fell. The 26th broke wild and stormy to the east and west,

and I determined to remain one day longer in camp, in the hope of rain

falling, but principally to rest the two natives a little after the long

walk from which they had returned. Breakfast being over, I sent the

overseer and one native to the beach, to try to get a sting-ray, and to

the other I gave my gun to shoot wallabie: no fish was procured, but one

wallabie was got, half of which I gave to the native who killed it, for

his dinner.

Being determined to break up camp on the 27th, I sent the King George's

Sound native on a-head, as soon as he had breakfasted, that, by preceding

the party, he might have time to spear a sting-ray against we overtook

him. The day was dull, cloudy, and warm, and still looking likely for

rain, with the wind at north-east. At eleven we were ready, and moved

away from a place where we had experienced so much relief in our

extremity, and at which our necessities had compelled us to remain so

long. For twenty-eight days we had been encamped at the sand-drifts, or

at the first water we had found, five miles from them. Daily, almost

hourly, had the sky threatened rain, and yet none fell. We had now

entered upon the last fearful push, which was to decide our fate. This

one stretch of bad country crossed, I felt a conviction we should be

safe. That we had at least 150 miles to go to the next water I was fully

assured of; I was equally satisfied that our horses were by no means in a

condition to encounter the hardships and privations they must meet with

in such a journey; for though they had had a long rest, and in some

degree recovered from their former tired-out condition, they had not

picked up in flesh or regained their spirits; the sapless, withered state

of the grass and the severe cold of the nights had prevented them from

deriving the advantage that they ought to have done from so long a

respite from labour. Still I hoped we might be successful. We had

lingered day by day, until it would have been folly to have waited

longer; the rubicon was, however, now passed, and we had nothing to rely

upon but our own exertions and perseverance, humbly trusting that the

great and merciful God who had hitherto guarded and guidedus in safety

would not desert us now.

Upon leaving the camp we left behind one carbine, a spade, some horse

hobbles, and a few small articles, to diminish as much as possible the

weight we had to carry. For eight miles we traced round the beach to the

most north-westerly angle of the Bight, and for two miles down its

south-west shore, but were then compelled by the rocks to travel to the

back, through heavy scrubby ridges for four miles; after which we again

got in to the beach, and at one mile along its shore, or fifteen miles

from our camp, we halted for the night, at a patch of old grass. The

afternoon had been hot, but the night set in cold and clear, and all

appearance of rain was gone. The native I had sent on before had not

succeeded in getting a fish, though he had broken one or two spears in

his attempts.

April 28.--After travelling along the beach for two miles we ascended

behind the cliffs, which now came in bluff to the sea, and then keeping

along their summits, nearly parallel with the coast, and passing through

much scrub, low brushwood, and dwarf tea-tree growing upon the rocky

surface, we made a stage of twenty miles; both ourselves and the horses

greatly tired with walking through the matted scrub of tea-tree every

where covering the ground. The cliffs did not appear so high as those we

had formerly passed along, and probably did not exceed from two to three

hundred feet in elevation. They appeared to be of the same geological

formation; the upper crust an oolitic limestone, with many shells

embedded, below that a coarse, hard, grey limestone, and then alternate

streaks of white and yellow in horizontal strata, but which the steepness

of the cliffs prevented my going down to examine.

Back from the sea, the country was rugged and stony, and every where

covered with scrub or dwarf tea-tree. There was very little grass for the

horses, and that old and withered. In the morning one of the natives shot

a large wallabie, and this evening the three had it amongst them for

supper; after which they took charge of the horses for the night, this

being the first time they had ever watched them on the journey, myself

and the overseer having exclusively performed this duty heretofore; but,

as I was now expecting a longer and almost more arduous push than any we

had yet made, and in order that we might be able to discharge efficiently

the duties devolving upon us, and make those exertions which our

exigences might require, I deemed it only right that we should sometimes

be assisted by the two elder boys, in a task which we had before always

found to be the most disagreeable and fagging of any, that of watching

the horses at night, after a long and tiring day's journey.

On the morning of the 29th we moved away very early, passing over a rocky

level country, covered with low brush, and very fatiguing to both

ourselves and our horses. The morning was gloomy and close, and the day

turned out intensely hot. After travelling only fifteen miles we were

compelled to halt until the greatest heat was passed. Our stock of water

and provisions only admitted of our making two meals in the day,

breakfast and supper; but as I intended this evening to travel great part

of the night, we each made our meal now instead of later in the day, that

we might not be delayed when the cool of the evening set in. We had been

travelling along the summit of the cliffs parallel with the coast line,

and had found the country level and uniform in its character; the cliffs

still being from two to three hundred feet in elevation, and of the same

formation as I noticed before. There were patches of grass scattered

among the scrub at intervals, but all were old and withered.

At four in the afternoon we again proceeded on our journey, but had not

gone far before the sky unexpectedly became overcast with clouds, and the

whole heavens assumed a menacing and threatening appearance. To the east

and to the west, thunderclouds gathered heavily around, every indication

of sudden and violent rain was present to cheer us as we advanced, and

all were rejoicing in the prospects of a speedy termination to our

difficulties. The wind had in the morning been north-east, gradually

veering round to north and north-west, at which point it was stationary

when the clouds began to gather. Towards sunset a heavy storm passed over

our heads, with the rapidity almost of lightning; the wind suddenly

shifted from north-west to south-west, blowing a perfect hurricane, and

rendering it almost impossible for us to advance against it. A few

moments before we had confidently expected a heavy fall of rain; the dark

and lowering sky had gradually gathered and concentrated above and around

us, until the very heavens seemed overweighted and ready every instant to

burst. A briefer interval of time, accompanied by the sudden and violent

change of wind, had dashed our hopes to the ground, and the prospect of

rain was now over, although a few heavy clouds still hung around us.

Three miles from where we had halted during the heat of the day, we

passed some tolerable grass, though dry, scattered at intervals among the

scrub, which grew here in dense belts, but with occasional openings

between. The character of the ground was very rocky, of an oolitic

limestone, and having many hollows on its surface. Although we had only

travelled eighteen miles during the day, the overseer requested I would

stop here, as he said he thought the clouds would again gather, and that

rain might fall to-night; that here we had large sheets of rock, and many

hollows in which the rain-water could be collected; but that if we

proceeded onwards we might again advance into a sandy country, and be

unable to derive any advantage from the rain, even should it fall. I

intended to have travelled nearly the whole of this night to make up for

the time we had lost in the heat of the day, and I was the more inclined

to do this, now that the violence of the storm had in some measure

abated, and the appearance of rain had almost disappeared. The overseer

was so earnest, however, and so anxious for me to stop for the night,

that greatly against my own wishes, and in opposition to my better

judgment, I gave way to him and yielded. The native boys too had made the

same request, seconding the overseer's application, and stating, that the

violence of the wind made it difficult for them to walk against it.

The horses having been all hobbled and turned out to feed, the whole

party proceeded to make break-winds of boughs to form a shelter from the

wind, preparatory to laying down for the night. We had taken a meal in

the middle of the day, which ought to have been deferred until night, and

our circumstances did not admit of our having another now, so that there

remained only to arrange the watching of the horses, before going to

sleep. The native boys had watched them last night, and this duty of

course fell to myself and the overseer this evening. The first watch was

from six o'clock P. M. to eleven, the second from eleven until four A.

M., at which hour the whole party usually arose and made preparations for

moving on with the first streak of daylight.

To-night the overseer asked me which of the watches I would keep, and as

I was not sleepy, though tired, I chose the first. At a quarter before

six, I went to take charge of the horses, having previously seen the

overseer and the natives lay down to sleep, at their respective

break-winds, ten or twelve yards apart from one another. The arms and

provisions, as was our custom, were piled up under an oilskin, between my

break-wind and that of the overseer, with the exception of one gun, which

I always kept at my own sleeping place. I have been thus minute in

detailing the position and arrangement of our encampment this evening,

because of the fearful consequences that followed, and to shew the very

slight circumstances upon which the destinies of life sometimes hinge.

Trifling as the arrangement of the watches might seem, and unimportant as

I thought it at the time, whether I undertook the first or the second,

yet was my choice, in this respect, the means under God's providence of

my life being saved, and the cause of the loss of that of my overseer.

The night was cold, and the wind blowing hard from the south-west, whilst

scud and nimbus were passing very rapidly by the moon. The horses fed

tolerably well, but rambled a good deal, threading in and out among the

many belts of scrub which intersected the grassy openings, until at last

I hardly knew exactly where our camp was, the fires having apparently

expired some time ago. It was now half past ten, and I headed the horses

back, in the direction in which I thought the camp lay, that I might be

ready to call the overseer to relieve me at eleven. Whilst thus engaged,

and looking steadfastly around among the scrub, to see if I could

anywhere detect the embers of our fires, I was startled by a sudden

flash, followed by the report of a gun, not a quarter of a mile away from

me. Imagining that the overseer had mistaken the hour of the night, and

not being able to find me or the horses, had taken that method to attract

my attention, I immediately called out, but as no answer was returned, I

got alarmed, and leaving the horses, hurried up towards the camp as

rapidly as I could. About a hundred yards from it, I met the King

George's Sound native (Wylie), running towards me, and in great alarm,

crying out, "Oh Massa, oh Massa, come here,"--but could gain no

information from him, as to what had occurred. Upon reaching the

encampment, which I did in about five minutes after the shot was fired, I

was horror-struck to find my poor overseer lying on the ground, weltering

in his blood, and in the last agonies of death.

APPENDIX.

DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS.

BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S.

I. It was formerly believed, that all the Mammalia inhabiting the

Australian continent, but the wild dog, were marsupial; but as the

natural history of the country is better known, we are becoming

acquainted with nearly as many native non-marsupial beasts as there are

marsupial; but they are certainly, generally, of a small size, such as

bats, mice, etc., as compared to the kangaroos and other marsupial genera.

Some years ago, in the Proceedings of the Geological Society, (iii. 52.)

I described a species of RHINOLOPHUS, from Moreton Bay, which was

peculiar for the large size of its ears, hence named R. MEGAPHYLLUS; the

one now about to be described, which was found flying near the hospital

at Port Essington, by Dr. Sibbald, R.N., is as peculiar for the

brightness and beauty of its colour, the male being nearly as bright an

orange as the Cock of the rock (RUPICOLA) of South America.

THE ORANGE HORSE-SHOE BAT, (RHINOLOPHUS AURANTIUS.) t. 1. f. 1.--Ears

moderate, naked, rather pointed at the end; nose-leaf large, central

process small, scarcely lobed, blunt at the top; fur elongate, soft,

bright orange, the hairs of the back with short brown tips, of the under

side rather paler, of the face rather darker; female pale yellow, with

brown tips to the hair of the upper parts.

Inhab. Port Essington, near the Hospital, Dr. Sibbald, R.N.

The membranes are brown, nakedish; the tail is rather produced beyond the

membrane at the tip; the feet are small, and quite free from the wings.

Male. Female.

The length of the body and head 1.10 1.10

The length of the fore-arm bone 1.11 1.10

The length of the shin-bone 8 8

The length of the ankle and foot 4 4

II. In Captain Grey's Travels in Western Australia I gave a list of the

different species of Reptiles and Amphibia found in Australia. Since that

period the British Museum has received from the different travellers

various other species from that country. The lizards have been described

in the catalogue of the Museum collection, recently published, and are

being figured in the zoology of H.M.S. Erebus and Terror. Two of the most

interesting specimens lately received, belong to a new genus of frogs

which appear to be peculiar to Australia, which I shall now proceed to

describe:--

GENUS PERIALIA. FAM. RANIDAE.--Tongue nearly circular, entire; palate

concave, with two groups of palatine teeth between the orifices of the

internal nostrils; jaw toothed; head smooth, high on the side; mouth

large; eyes convex, swollen above, tympanum scarcely visible; back rather

convex, high on the sides; skin smooth, not porous; limbs rather short;

toes 4.5, tapering to a point, nearly free, the palms with roundish

tubercles beneath; the fourth hind toe elongate, the rest rather short;

the ankle with an oblong, compressed, horny, sharp-edged tubercle on the

inner side at the base of the inner toe; the male with an internal vocal

sac under the throat.

This genus agrees with SCIAPHOS, PYXICEPHALUS, and PELOLATES, in having a

large, sharp-edged tubercle on the inner edge of the ankle, but it

differs from them at first sight, by the head and body being compressed

and high, the mouth very large, and the eyes convex on the side of the

forehead.

PERIALIA EYREI, t. 2. f. 3.--Olive, sides of the face, and body blackish

brown; face varies with white streak; the sides of body marbled with

unequal white spots; limbs brown and white marbled; under side of the

body whitish.

Inhab. Australia, on the banks of the river Murray.

PERIALIA? ORNATA, t. 2. f. 2.--Pale grey, back and sides, marbled with

symmetrical dark-edged spots, those of the middle of the back being

generally confluent, of the face elongate, band-like; the legs

dark-banded, beneath white.

Inhab. Port Essington.

Somewhat like DISCOGLOSUS PICTUS in appearance. The internal nostrils are

far apart, with an elongate group of palatine teeth level with their

hinder edges.

Taking advantage of the space of the plate, figures of the following

species from the same country, which have not hitherto been illustrated

have been added. They were described or noticed in the list before

referred to.

1. Cystignathus dorsalis, t. 1. f. 2. GRAY, ANN. NAT. HIST. 1841.

2. Phryniscus Australis, t. 2. f. 1. DUM. AND BIB. E. GEN. viii. 725.

Bombinator Australis, GRAY, PROC. ZOOL. SOC. 1838. 57.

III. Mr. Eyre having brought home with him the drawing of a species of

cray-fish found near the river Murray, which is called by the natives

UKODKO, I have been induced to examine the different species of Astaci in

the British Museum collection, which have been received at various times

from Australia, for the purpose of attempting to identify it.

As we have three very distinct species which have not yet been described

or figured in any of the works which have passed under my inspection, I

shall proceed to detail their peculiar characters and give figures of

their more characteristic features.

The drawing of "the UKODKO or smaller Murray cray-fish" most nearly

resembles ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, but it is three or four times larger

than any of the specimens of that species which we possess, and the

figure does not shew any indications of the five keels on the front of

the head. In wanting the keel on the thorax it agrees with an Australian

species described by Mr. Milne Edwards under the name of ASTACUS

AUSTRALASIENSIS, said to come from New Holland, and to be about two

inches long, while Mr. Eyre's figure is more than six inches, and is said

not to be taken from a large specimen. It differs from Mr. Milne Edwards'

figures, in having only one spine on the wrist, so that probably there

are still two more species of the genus to be found in Australia.

Mr. Eyre in his notes states--"The Fresh water cray-fish, of the smaller

variety; native names, cu-kod-ko, or koon-go-la, is found in the alluvial

flats of the river Murray, in South Australia, which are subject

to a periodical flooding by the river; it burrows deep below the

surface of the ground as the floods recede and are dried up, and

remains dormant, until the next flooding recals it to the surface;

at first it is in a thin and weakly state, but soon recovers and gets

plump and fat, at which time it is most excellent eating. Thousands

are procured from a small space of ground with ease, and hundreds

of natives are supported in abundance and luxury by them for many

weeks together. It sometimes happens that the flood does not recur

every year, and in this case the eu-kod-ko lie dormant until the next,

and a year and a half would thus be passed below the surface. I have

often seen them dug out of my garden, or in my wheat field, by the men

engaged in digging ditches for irrigation. The floods usually overflow

the river flats in August or September, and recede again in February or

March. For further particulars respecting the modes of catching the

eu-kod-kos, vide vol. ii. pages 252 and 267."

"I have spoken of this cray-fish as the SMALLER variety as respects the

Murray. It is LARGER than the one found in the ponds of the river Torrens

at Adelaide; but in the river Murray one is procured of a size ranging to

4 1/2 lbs., and which is QUITE EQUAL in flavour to the FINEST lobster."

These latter have not yet been received in any of our collections, so

that we are unable to state how it differs from those now described: they

must be the giants of the genus.

1. The Van Diemen's Land Cray-fish. ASTACUS FRANKLINII, t. 3. f.

1.--Carapace convex on the sides, rather rugose on the sides behind, the

front only slightly produced and edged with a toothed raised margin not

reaching beyond the front edge of the lower orbit, and with a very short

ridge at the middle of each orbit behind; the hands compressed, rather

rugose, edge thick and toothed: wrist with four or five conical spines on

the inner side, the front the largest: the central caudal lobe, broad,

continuous, calcareous to the tip, lateral lobes, with a very slight

central keel; the sides of the second abdominal rings spinose.

Inhab. Van Diemen's Land.

Mr. Milne Edwards, (Archives du Museum, ii. 35. t. 3.) has recently

described a species of this genus from Madagascar, under the name of A.

MADAGASCARIENSIS, which is nearly allied to the Van Diemen's Land

species, in the shortness of the frontal process, the spines on the sides

of the second abdominal segment, and in the lobes of the tail; but it

differs from it in the length of the claws, and other particulars.

Madagascar appears to be the tropical confines of the genus.