I Passed Some Hills And Plains; And
Ascending One Of The Hills, I Obtained A Fine View.
To the west by south
I saw other isolated mountains:
The country to the westward was not
broken by any elevation; a fine long range was visible to the north-west.
It was now 3 o'clock P.M., and my Blackfellows had left me, as usual; my
horse was foot-sore, and neither the poor animal nor myself had tasted
water for the last thirty-six hours. Under these circumstances, though I
ardently desired to push on to the north-west ranges, I thought it
prudent to return; and after a short rest to my horse, during which I
chewed some dry pieces of beef, I rode on my way back until 9 o'clock,
and then encamped. The coldness of the night reminded me too strongly of
the pleasures of the fire and the heavy dew which had fallen, though a
comfort to my horse, rendered it difficult to light one; by dint of
patience, however, I succeeded, and then stretched myself, hungry and
thirsty as I was, by the side of a large Ironbark log; whilst my horse,
which I had hobbled and tethered, drooped his head over me, little
inclined either to feed or move. I started early in the morning of the
14th, and passed between Mount Lang and Razorback Hill. At the foot of
the latter I met a small creek, which I followed through a long series of
plains until I came on my old track, not very far from Big Ant-hill
Creek. At the sight of water, which we had been without full fifty hours,
my horse and I rushed simultaneously into it, and we drank, and drank,
and drank again, before I could induce myself to light a fire and make
some tea, which was always found to be much more wholesome, and to allay
thirst sooner than the water alone.
Near the large water-hole at which I halted, was an old camping place of
the natives, and the remnants of many a hut lay scattered round two large
flooded gum trees. The smoke of the natives fires was seen in every
direction. This part of the country is doubtless well supplied with
water-holes: but as they are unconnected with a watercourse, the
traveller, unless by accident, has little chance of finding them.
In returning along Ant-hill Creek, I passed a few native men sitting
before their gunyas; they were not a hundred yards from me, yet they
remained silent and motionless, like the black stumps of the trees around
them, until the strange apparition passed by. At sunset, just as I was
taking the saddle from my horse, I heard a cooee, and not considering it
prudent to encamp in the vicinity of the natives, I began to tighten up
the girths again; but, at the same time, answered the cooee, and soon
after I saw Master Charley and his wearied horse descending from the
opposite range.
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