We Travelled About Twelve Miles South By West To Latitude 16 Degrees 47
Minutes; At First Over An Almost Uninterrupted Box-Flat, Full Of
Melon-Holes, And With Many Small Holes In The Ground, Which Caused Our
Horses And Cattle To Stumble At Almost Every Step.
The dry melon-holes
were covered with dead Paludinas, with shells of a large crab, and of the
fresh water turtle.
At about seven miles, we passed a strip of Blackwood
forest, with many Nonda trees; and crossed a small creek. The latter part
of the stage was again over a large box-flat, intersected by shallow
grassy depressions, timbered with flooded-gum. We saw on the rising
ground some open scrub, with scattered Bauhinias and Cochlospermums. Our
encampment was at a creek on the south side of a slight rise, with
Bauhinia trees, and near good water-holes. The creek, like all the others
we had passed, flowed to the westward.
Near our camp we examined three holes, full six feet deep, and four feet
in diameter, communicating with each other at their bottom. They were
about three feet apart, and appeared to have been dug with sharp sticks.
I have not the slightest idea for what purpose they were intended. They
were most certainly not dug to obtain roots; and it seemed unlikely for
wells; for the water, even in this unusually dry season, was very
abundant.
The white ant-hills, which are built in rows, had, during this stage, a
direction from north by west to south by east, and, as I have before
mentioned a conjecture that the little builders would expose the
narrowest side of their habitation to the weather side, the prevailing
winds would be from the north.
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