September 26.—­Passing up a barren valley between low hills, we had at first a good road, but afterwards it became very stony.  We encamped early, after a short stage of fifteen miles, having gradually left most of the hills to the north of us.  One that we were encamped under I ascended, and had a very extensive view, and took many angles.  A large lake (named Lake Gilles) [Note 22:  After the first Colonial Treasurer of the province.] bore nearly due south, and was the same that had been seen from Baxter’s range; the latter was now distinctly visible at a bearing of E. 20 degrees S. The latitude of our camp was 32 degrees 35 minutes 58 seconds S. There was barely enough rain water found to supply our horses, but the feed was tolerably good.

September 27.—­We had a very bad stony road to-day, consisting principally of quartz and iron-stone, of which the ranges had latterly been entirely composed.  Our stage was sixteen miles, passing round the south end of Baxter’s range, and encamping under it, on the eastern front, upon a gorge, in which was plenty of water and good grass.  We had thus, by taking advantage of the rains that had fallen, been enabled to force a passage from Streaky Bay to Spencer’s Gulf; but we had done so with much difficulty, and had we been but a few days later, we should have failed altogether, for though travelling for a great part of the distance under very high rocky ranges, we never found a drop of permanent fresh-water nor a single spring near them.  There are no watercourses, and no timber; all is barren rocky and naked in the extreme.  The waters that collected after rains, lodged in the basins of small lakes; but such was the nature of the soil that these were invariably salt.

It was through this dreary region I had left my overseer to take his division of the party when we separated at Baxter’s range; but I confided the task to him with confidence.  Rain had at that time fallen very abundantly; he had already been over the road with me before, and knew all the places where water or grass was likely to be found; and our former dray tracks of 1839, which were still distinctly visible, would be a sufficient guide to prevent his getting off the line of route.  The skill, judgment, and success with which the overseer conducted the task assigned to him, fully justified the confidence I reposed in him; and upon my rejoining the party at Streaky Bay, after an absence of seven weeks, I was much gratified to find that neither the men, animals, or equipment, were in the least degree the worse for their passage through the desert.

Chapter XI.