Our well had again tumbled in, and gave us a good deal of
trouble, besides, each successive clearing out deepened it considerably,
and this took us to a level where the brackish water mixed with the
fresh; from this cause the water was now too brackish to be palatable,
and we sunk another well apart from that used for the horses, at which to
procure any water we required for our own use. During the afternoon I
shot a wallabie behind the camp, but the place being densely scrubby, and
the animal not quite dead, I did not get it.
On the 3rd, I sent the overseer out in one direction and I went myself
out in another, to examine the country and try to procure wallabies for
food. We both returned late, greatly fatigued with walking through dense
scrubs and over steep heavy sand ridges, but without having fired a shot.
Our mutton (excepting the last sheep) being all used on the 4th, we were
reduced to our daily allowance of half a pound of flour each, without any
meat.
On the 5th, the overseer and one of the native boys got ready to go back
for some of the stores and other things we had abandoned, forty-seven
miles away. As they were likely to have severe exercise, and to be away
for four days, I gave them five pounds extra of flour above their daily
allowance, together with the wallabie which I had shot, and which had not
yet been used; they drove before them three horses to carry their supply
of water, and bring back the things sent for.
As soon as they were gone, with the assistance of the two native boys who
were left, I removed the camp to the white sand-drifts, five miles
further west. Being anxious to keep as near to the grass as I could, I
commenced digging at some distance away from where the natives procured
their water, but at a place where there were a great many rushes. After
sinking to about seven feet, I found the soil as dry as ever, and
removing to the native wells, with some little trouble opened a hole
large enough to water all the horses. The single sheep gave us a great
deal of trouble and kept us running about from one sand hill to another,
until we were tired out, before we could capture it; at last we
succeeded, and I tied him up for the night, resolved never to let him
loose again.
In the evening I noticed the native boys looking more woe-begone and
hungry than usual. Heretofore, since our mutton was consumed, they had
helped out their daily half-pound of flour, with the roasted roots of the
gum-scrub, but to-day they had been too busy to get any, and I was
obliged to give to each a piece of bread beyond the regular allowance.
