This, In A Less Degree, Was Our Experience, For The
Month Being September The Days Were Hotter And The Nights Less Cold.
No
doubt this extreme change in temperature, combined with the dry
atmosphere and the tremendous heat of the sun, has caused the hills to be
weathered away in the remarkable shapes of which McPherson's Pillar is a
good example.
The pillar is formed of a huge square block of red rock,
planted on the top of a conical mound, perhaps fifty feet in height,
whose slopes are covered with broken slabs and boulders. This remarkable
landmark, which, from the North, is visible from twenty-four miles
distant, I named after Mr. McPherson, a well-known and respected
prospector, who, though leaving no record of his journey, crossed the
Colony from West to East, visiting the hills and waters on Forrest's
route as far East as the Parker Ranges, and thence striking Giles's route
at the Alfred and Marie, and so VIA the Rawlinson into Alice Springs, on
the overland telegraph line. Though little of his journey was through new
country, yet it had the valuable result of proving the non-existence of
auriferous country in the belt traversed.
Due West of the Pillar, distant two and a half miles, situated in a
scrub-covered rocky gorge, is a fair-sized rockhole. Breaden and Godfrey
managed to get about two gallons of filth from it; I have swallowed all
kinds of water, but this was really too powerful. Had we been hard
pressed it would undoubtedly have been used, but since we had not long
left water, we discarded this mixture, after trying it on Czar, whose
indignation was great.
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