In the night the thermometer went down to 62 degrees.  I was so cold that I had to light a fire to lie down by.  All this day was uselessly lost in various traverses and searchings without reward; and after travelling forty-two miles, the unfortunate horses had to go again for the third night without water.  We were, however, nearing the depot again, and reached it, in sixteen miles, early the next morning.  Thankful enough we were to have plenty of water to drink, a bath, and change of clothes.

CHAPTER 2.6.  FROM 23RD DECEMBER, 1873 TO 16TH JANUARY, 1874.

Primitive laundry. 
Natives troublesome in our absence. 
The ives. 
Gibson’s estimate of a straight heel. 
Christmas day, 1873. 
Attacked by natives. 
A wild caroo. 
Wild grapes from a sandal-wood tree. 
More earthquakes. 
The moon on the waters. 
Another journey northwards. 
Retreat to the depot. 
More rain at the depot. 
Jimmy’s escape. 
A “canis familiaris”. 
An innocent lamb. 
Sage-bush scrubs. 
Groves of oak-trees. 
Beautiful green flat. 
Crab-hole water. 
Bold and abrupt range. 
A glittering cascade. 
Invisibly bright water. 
The murmur in the shell. 
A shower bath. 
The Alice Falls. 
Ascend to the summit. 
A strange view. 
Gratified at our discoveries. 
Return to Fort Mueller. 
Digging with a tomahawk. 
Storing water. 
Wallaby for supper. 
Another attack. 
Gibson’s gardens. 
Opossums destructive. 
Birds. 
Thoughts. 
Physical peculiarities of the region. 
Haunted. 
Depart.

The way we wash our clothes is primitive—­it can only be done at a depot.  When we have sufficient water, we simply put them into it, and leave them until we want to change again, and then do the same with those we take off; sometimes they sweeten for several days, oftener much less.  It is an inexpensive method, which, however, I suppose I must not claim as an invention.  On the 23rd, when we arrived, Gibson informed us that the natives had been exceedingly troublesome, and had thrown several spears and stones down from the rocks above, so that he and Jimmy had had to defend themselves with firearms.  Our bough-house was a great protection to them, and it appeared also that these wretches had hunted all the horses away from their feeding ground, and they had not been seen for three days, and not having come up to water all the time we were away.  At four p.m. we had our afternoon earthquake, and Gibson said the shock had occurred twice during our absence.  The hostility of the natives was very annoying in more senses than one, as it would delay me in carrying out my desire to visit the new and distant ranges north.  Christmas had been slightly anticipated by Gibson, who said he had made and cooked a Christmas pudding, and that it was now ready for the table.  We therefore had it for dinner, and did ample justice to Gibson’s cookery.  They had also shot several rock-wallabies, which abound here.  They are capital eating, especially when fried; then they have a great resemblance to mutton.