away. I had a good swim in the old tarn, and proceeded,
reaching the Circus early in the afternoon. There
was the solitary eagle still perched upon its rock.
The water had become greatly reduced; ten weeks and
two days had elapsed since I was here; and in another
fortnight it would all be gone. If I intend doing
anything towards the west it must be done at once
or it will be too late. The day was warm—102
degrees. A large flock of galars, a slate-coloured
kind of cockatoo, and a good talking bird, and hundreds
of pigeons came to water at night; but having no ammunition,
we did not bring a gun. The water was so low
in the hole that the horses could not reach it, and
had to be watered with a canvas bucket. I have
said previously, that at the extremity of this range
there lay an ancient lake bed, but I had only been
a mile or two upon it. Further on there were
indications of salt, and as we were quite out of that
commodity, we rode over to try and procure some, but
none existed, and we had to be satisfied with a quantity
of samphire bushes and salt-bush leaves, which we
took home with us, returning to Fort McKellar the following
day. I called the salt feature Lake Christopher.
We remained at the depot for a day or two, preparing
for a start to the west, and cut rails, and fixed
up some palisading for the fort. I delayed entering
that evidently frightful bed of sand which lay to the
west, in hopes of a change, for I must admit I dreaded
to attempt the western country while the weather was
still so hot and oppressive. Though the thermometer
may not appear to rise extraordinarily high in this
region, yet the weight and pressure of the atmosphere
is sometimes almost overpowering. Existence here
is in a permanent state of languor, and I am sure
the others in the party feel it more than I do, being
consumed with the fire or frenzy of renown for opening
unknown lands, all others have to pale their ineffectual
fires before it. No doubt, not being well fed
is some cause for our feelings of lassitude.
The horses are also affected with extreme languor,
as well as the men. The thermometer to-day registered
only 99 degrees. The horses are always trying
to roam away back to Sladen Water, and Mr. Tietkens
and I had a walk of many miles after them to-day.
I was getting really anxious about the water at the
Circus. I scarcely dare to grapple with that
western desert in such weather, yet, if I do not, I
shall lose the Circus water.
Although we were near the change of the moon, I despaired of a change of weather. I did not ask for rain, for it would be useless on the desert sands; I only wanted the atmosphere to become a little less oppressive. I had not been round the extreme western end of the range, though we had been to it, and I thought perhaps some creek might be found to contain a good rock-hole, perhaps as far to the west, if not farther, than the Circus; on the opposite side of the range, Mr. Tietkens and Gibson, who volunteered, went to see what they