Had I followed
this, I should easily have found water, and been relieved from much of
the anxiety which I had then undergone.
In travelling through a country previously unexplored, no pains should be
spared in examining every spot, even the most unlikely, where it is
possible for water to exist, for after searching in vain, in large deep
rocky and likely looking watercourses, I have frequently found water in
some small branch or gorge, that had appeared too insignificant, or too
uninviting to require to be explored. This I named The Mundy, after my
friend, Alfred Mundy, Esq., now the Colonial Secretary of South
Australia.
Early this morning, I took Mr. Scott with me, to examine The Mundy,
leaving the overseer to proceed with the party.
After entering the hills a short distance, we found in the bed of the
Mundy a strongly running stream, connecting several reaches of waters,
upon which many black ducks were sailing about. This appeared to be one
of the finest and best streams we had yet discovered, although the water
was slightly impregnated with alum. After the watercourse left the hills,
the surface water all disappeared, the drainage being then absorbed by
the light sandy soil of the plains, and this had invariably been the case
with all the waters emanating from Flinders range.
