Expedition into Central Australia eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 759 pages of information about Expedition into Central Australia.

Expedition into Central Australia eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 759 pages of information about Expedition into Central Australia.
required.  At three miles a large grassy flat opened out to view upon our right, similar to that at the termination of the Depot creek.  It might have contained 1000 acres, but there was not at the first glance, a tree to be seen upon it This flat was bounded to the S.W. by a sand bank, lying at right angles to the sand ridges we had been crossing.  The latter, therefore, ran down upon this bank in parallel, lines, some falling short of, and others striking it; so that, as the drainage was towards the embankment, the collected waters lodged against it.  After crossing a portion of the plain we saw some box-trees in a hollow, towards which we rode, and then came upon a deep dry pond, in whose bottom the natives had dug several wells, and had evidently lingered near it as long as a drop of water remained.  It was now clear that our further search for water would be useless.  I therefore turned on a course of 12 degrees to the north of east for the muddy water we had passed two days before, and halted there about an hour after sunset, having journeyed 42 miles.  We fell into our tracks going out about four miles before we halted, and were surprised to observe that a solitary native had been running them down.  On riding a little further however, we noticed several tracks of different sizes, as if a family of natives had been crossing the country to the north-west.  It is more than probable that their water having failed in the hills, they were on their way to some other place where they had a well.

Although we had ourselves been without water for two days, the mud in the creek was so thick that I could not swallow it, and was really astonished how Mr. Browne managed to drink a pint of it made into tea.  It absolutely fell over the cup of the panakin like thick cream, and stuck to the horses’ noses like pipe-clay.  They drank sparingly however, and took but little grass during the night.  As we pursued our journey homewards on the following day, we passed several flights of dotterel making to the south, this being the first migration we had observed in that direction.  These birds were in great numbers on the plains of Adelaide the year preceding, and had afforded good sport to my friend Torrens; we also observed a flight of pelicans, wheeling about close to the ground, as they had before done to the eastward, as well as a flight of the black-shouldered hawks hovering in the air.  Our day’s ride had been very long and fatiguing, as the horses were tired, but we got relieved by our arrival at the camp a little before sunset on the 25th:  and thus terminated another journey in disappointment.  We regretted to find that Mr. Poole was seriously indisposed.  His muscles were now attacked and he was suffering great pain, but, as the disease appeared inclined to make to the surface, Mr. Browne had some hopes of a favourable change.  Both Mr. Browne and myself found that the sameness of our diet began to disagree with us, and were equally anxious for the reappearance of vegetation, in the hope that we should be able to collect sow-thistles or the tender shoots of the rhagodia as a change.  We had, whilst it lasted, taken mint tea, in addition to the scanty supply of tea to which we were obliged to limit ourselves, but I do not think it was wholesome.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Expedition into Central Australia from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.