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.
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