grabbed Charlie’s revolver pouch, and somehow the revolver exploded, the bullet narrowly missing them both.  It had the useful effect of attracting our attention, and we were in time to save Charlie some nasty wounds, as the buck was using his powerful jaws to great advantage.  Of course we could not blame him for trying to escape—­that was only natural—­but it made us more cautious in the future.  Excepting the inconvenience of being unable to get away, he had nothing to complain of, and had the advantage of plenty to eat and drink without the trouble of looking for it.  The manufacture of the “quid” mentioned above is interesting.  Cleaning and smoothing a place in the sand, a small branch from a silvery-leafed ti-tree (a grevillea, I think), is set alight and held up; from it as it burns a light, white, very fine ash falls on to the prepared ground.  Now the stems of a small plant already chewed are mixed with the ashes.  The compound so formed is squeezed and pressed and kneaded into a small, oval-shaped ball, of sticky and stringy consistency.  The ball when in use is chewed and sucked but not swallowed, and is passed round from mouth to mouth; when not in use it is placed behind the ear, where it is carried.  Nearly every tribe we saw had such “quids.”  No doubt they derive some sustenance from them.  Sir John preferred his “chew” to any food we gave him; though he did not care about tobacco.

For the next two days the sand-ridges seemed to vie with each other in their height and steepness, between them there was hardly any flat ground at all; mile after mile we travelled, up one and down and over the next without ceasing.  First came the native and his guard, then in a long, broken line the string of camels.  What a labour it was!  Often each camel had to be urged in turn over the ridge whilst those behind were continually breaking their nose-lines to lie down or hurry off to the nearest shade, however scanty, and there await the blows and exhortations of their driver; those which remained in their places were continually lifting their feet, for they could not stay still on the burning sand; then their packs were always being jolted about and thrown out of place, necessitating reloading, and when at last we had them again in line the whole performance had to be repeated a few ridges further on.

Sometimes our caravan would cover half a mile or more, the guide and guardian waiting far in advance whilst the broken line was rejoined and the stragglers brought in, and away far behind the last camel would appear alone, with his nose-line dangling and tripping him up.  Usually Billy brought up the rear—­nothing would induce him to follow close behind; a jerk of his head and away went the nose-line, and Billy was left behind to follow when so inclined.  The heat was really tremendous.  It can be fairly sultry around Coolgardie, but never before have I experienced such scorching heat; the sun rose like a ball of fire, and in two hours’ time had as great power as at any period during the day.  How one prayed for it to set, and how thankful one was when in due course it did so, sinking below the horizon as suddenly as it had risen!