27th. Started at four o'clock, A.M., traveled down the river two miles,
then left the river, struck across a desert plain 12 miles to the
river; many think this the Great Desert; it is desert enough, but not
the Great Desert. This point will be known by a high mountain dividing
two valleys. The river runs to the right of this mountain. At noon we
had to feed our horses on willows, there being no grass. We got some
rushes by swimming the river. We have now got far enough along to begin
to have a sight of the Elephant. The river here runs through narrow
clay banks like a canal. Passed the grave of a man found in the river;
camped at night on a sand bank, put our horses across the river; grass
poor.