We had not seen the latter for a long time, although
Grevillea mimosoides, with which it was generally associated, had been
our constant companion.
Beyond the ridges, we came again on salt-water creeks, and saw sheets of
sand, which looked like the sea from the distance. I turned to the south
and even south-east; and, finding no water, we were compelled to encamp
without it, after a very long and fatiguing stage. Whilst we were
occupied in tethering and hobbling our horses, and eating our supper,
Charley, whose watch it was, allowed the bullocks to stray in search of
water, and the next morning he was so long absent whilst looking for
them, that my exhausted companions became impatient; and I thought it
advisable to send them back to our last camp with as many pack-horses as
we could muster, myself remaining alone to guard the rest of our
property. They found three of the bullocks on the plain, in the most
wretched condition, and met Charley returning with four others, which had
made an immense round along all the salt-water creeks. My companions,
however, were fortunate enough to find a fresh water lagoon about three
miles west of our last camp. John and Charley returned after moon-rise,
with three pack-horses, and arrived at my camp at a quarter to seven in
the morning. I had been in a state of the most anxious suspense about the
fate of our bullocks, and was deeply thankful to the Almighty when I
heard that they were all safe. I had suffered much from thirst, having
been forty-eight hours without water, and which had been increased by a
run of two miles after my horse, which attempted to follow the others;
and also from a severe pain in the head, produced by the impatient
brute's jumping with its hobbled forefeet on my forehead, as I was lying
asleep with the bridle in my hand; but, after drinking three quarts of
cold tea which John had brought with him, I soon recovered, and assisted
to load our horses with the remainder of our luggage, when we returned to
join our companions. The weather was very hot during the day, but a cool
breeze moved over the plains, and the night, as usual, was very cold.
Yesterday morning, John and Brown rode down to a hollow to look for
water, whilst we were waiting for the bullocks. At their return, they
stated that they had come to two salt-water creeks, all full of salt, of
which they brought several lumps. I started immediately with Mr. Calvert
and Brown, and, sure enough! I found the broad bed of a creek one mass of
the purest and whitest salt. Lumps of it had crystallized round stems of
grasses which the wind had blown into the water. A little higher up the
creek, a large pool of water was full of these lumps, and in less than
ten minutes we collected more than sufficient to supply us for the rest
of the journey.
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