camels licked up in no time, and went off to feed.  They seemed particularly partial to a low pale-green-foliaged tree with fringelike leaves, something like fennel or asparagus.  I have often gathered specimens of this in former journeys, generally in the most desert places.  The botanical name of this tree is Gyrostemon ramulosus.  After hobbling out the camels, and sitting down to dinner, we became aware of the absence of Mr. Jess Young, and I was rather anxious as to what had become of him, as a new arrival from England adrift in these scrubs would be very liable to lose himself.  However, I had not much fear for Mr. Young, as, having been a sailor, and carrying a compass, he might be able to recover us.  Immediately after our meal I was going after him, but before it was finished he came, without his camel, and said he could not get her on, so had tied her up to a tree and walked back, he having gone a long way on my old tracks.  I sent Tommy and another riding-camel with him, and in a couple of hours they returned with Mr. Young’s animal.

The following morning, the 17th, much to my distress, one of our young bull camels was found to be poisoned, and could not move.  We made him sick with hot butter and gave him a strong clyster.  Both operations produced the same substance, namely, a quantity of the chewed and digested Gyrostemon; indeed, the animal apparently had nothing else in his inside.  He was a trifle better by night, but the following morning, my best bull, Mustara, that had brought me through this region before, was poisoned, and couldn’t move.  I was now very sorry I had camped at this horrid place.  We dosed Mustara with butter as an emetic, and he also threw up nothing but the chewed Gyrostemon; the clyster produced the same.  It was evident that this plant has a very poisonous effect on the camels, and I was afraid some of them would die.  I was compelled to remain here another day.  The first camel poisoned had got a little better, and I hoped the others would escape; but as they all seemed to relish the poisonous plant so much until they felt the effects, and as there were great quantities of it growing on the sandhills, I was in great anxiety during the whole day.  On the 19th I was glad to find no fresh cases, though the two camels that had suffered were very weak and afflicted with spasmodic staggerings.  We got them away, though they were scarcely able to carry their loads, which we lightened as much as possible; anything was better than remaining here, as others might get affected.

On this day’s march we passed the spot where I had put the horse’s packsaddle in the sandal-wood-tree, and where my first horse had given in.  The saddle was now of no use, except that the two pads, being stuffed with horsehair, made cushions for seats of camels’ riding-saddles; these we took, but left the frame in the tree again.  That night we camped about five miles from Mount Finke, and I was glad to find that the two poisoned bulls had greatly recovered.