We Travelled Full Thirteen Miles Without Water, Or Any
Decided Water-Course.
We passed several dry water-holes shaded by the
broad-leaved Terminalia; and saw many Acacias twenty-five and thirty feet
in height, with a slender trunk, and an elegant drooping foliage:
It very
much resembled the Acacia of Expedition Range; but the drooping habit and
more distant leaflets of its bipinnate leaves, showed at once their
difference. We had travelled five hours and a half, and Mr. Roper rode up
to me several times, to complain of his inability to go any farther. I
encouraged him, however, and at sunset, we reached a creek, but it was
dry; and, although we travelled until dark along its winding course, and
saw many deep holes on its flats, and although fresh burnings showed that
the natives had been there, yet no water was to be found, and we were
obliged to encamp without it. We, therefore, hobbled and tethered all the
horses, and watched the bullocks. Charley followed the creek for some
distance in search of water, but returned without finding any.
July 21. - When Charley was riding after our hobbled horses, he came, at
about two miles N. E., from our camp, to another watercourse, with well
filled rocky water-holes. When he brought this welcome intelligence, we
immediately loaded our bullocks, and moved to these water-holes; on which
it appeared some natives had encamped very lately. The country around was
broken and scrubby; but in general it was well-grassed, with a sound
soil.
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