PASSAGE OF THE RIVER.

That part of the bank which I had selected for driving the cattle into the river, that they might swim over, was soft and boggy, but in the opposite shore where they were to go out we cut in the firm clay at the base of the red cliff before mentioned a landing-place and path with picks and spades, so that the cattle on reaching that side could pass along the foot of the cliff to a lower part of the bank adjacent.  After all other obstacles had been surmounted and the best portion of the day had been spent in conducting the party to within a short distance of this place my horse unexpectedly sunk in what had appeared to be firm ground.

CATTLE.

This impediment the party however overcame by cutting down some brush and small trees, and opening a lane through which we at length contrived to bring the cattle forward to the bank.  It was near sunset before they could be driven into the water; yet we finally succeeded in forcing the whole to swim to the other side that evening with the exception of one bullock which, having got bogged, was smothered in the mud on the first rush of the others into the water.  The landing of some of these animals on the opposite bank was attended with difficulty for they did not all make for the proper place, some turning towards the bank they had left and endeavouring to re-ascend it much lower down where the banks were either too soft or inaccessible:  others swimming straight down the stream turned to parts of the opposite bank which they could not climb.  With these last I was prepared to contend, having taken my station in the boat to watch such contingencies; and by dragging the foremost of those who had swum back across the river by the horns, and those which had arrived at the wrong place out with ropes; we succeeded at length in forcing all that had floated too far down to land on the right bank.  But the greater number had got out higher up the river upon some fallen portions of the red cliff instead of taking the path we had cut under it; and the footing there was so slight that, as they crowded on each other, groups fell, from time to time, back into the river.  The last part of the operation was therefore to row towards these, when Woods, who was in the boat, soon induced one of the bullocks well-known to him to take the path, upon which all the rest followed until they reached the grassy flat where others more fortunate than themselves were already feeding.  At the close of this laborious day I encamped on the right bank, leaving still on the other side however a small party in charge of the horses and carts.  The day was extremely hot and the full and flowing river gave an unusual appearance of life and motion to the desert whose wearisome stillness was so unvarying elsewhere.  Serpents were numerous and some were seen of a species apparently peculiar to this river.  Here they invariably took to it, and one beautiful reptile in particular, being of a golden colour with red streaks, sprang from under my horse’s feet and rode upon the strong current of the boiling stream, keeping abreast of us and holding his head erect, as if in defiance and without once attempting to make off, until he died in his glory by a shot from Roach.