As The Appointed Time For My Return Had Elapsed,
And I Was Sure That My Companions Had Gone Back, I
Changed my course to
go at once to the lagoons of the Nicholson; and came on the tracks of the
Returning party, which we followed to the lagoons, where my companions
had already safely arrived. We had been on the saddle from 10 o'clock at
night, to 6 o'clock in the afternoon of the next day, and, with the
exception of one hour, had ridden the whole time through the most dreary
and scrubby country, and were, of course, extremely fatigued. Most
annoying, however, was the idea that all our fatigues had been to no
purpose, except to show to my companions that I was right in my
supposition, that a good day's journey parallel to the coast would
invariably bring us to water.
August 22. - We travelled about eighteen miles N.N.W., to those
water-holes we had found on our reconnoitring ride. Their latitude was 17
degrees 39 minutes. The country was so very scrubby and difficult, that
we travelled from morning until long after sunset before we reached the
place. The long journey had both tired and galled our bullocks and
horses, and our packs had been torn into pieces by the scrub. This
induced me to stay a day at this creek (which I called Moonlight Creek,
as it had been found and explored during moonlight), to allow some rest
both to my bullocks and myself, whom the long riding had much exhausted,
and also to re-arrange our packs.
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