Varied supply of stores, than we could possibly have
brought up from Port Lincoln in a single dray. We were now amply
furnished with conveniences of every kind; and both men and horses were
in good plight and ready to enter upon the task before them.
Chapter X.
COUNTRY BETWEEN STREAKY BAY AND BAXTER'S RANGE - ITS SCRUBBY
CHARACTER - GAWLER RANGE - MOUNT STURT - ASCEND A PEAK - SALT
LAKES - BEAUTIFUL FLOWER - ASCEND ANOTHER HILL - MOUNT BROWN SEEN - EXTENSIVE
VIEW TO THE NORTH - LAKE GILLES - BAXTER'S RANGE.
During the time that I had been occupied in conducting my division of the
party from Baxter's Range to Port Lincoln, the overseer had been engaged
in guiding the other portion across to Streaky Bay, upon my former track
from thence to Mount Arden, in September 1839. The following brief
extracts from my Journal of that period, whilst crossing from Streaky Bay
to Mount Arden, will convey an idea of the character of the country
extending between these two points; and of the great difficulty, indeed
almost the impossibility of forcing a passage, except immediately after
the occurrence of heavy rains.
1839, Sept. 18. - We left the depot near Streaky Bay, at a course nearly
due east, and passing through alternations of brush and of open grassy
plains, upon the skirts of which grew a few casuarinae; halted after a
stage of eighteen miles, at an opening in the brush, where we had good
grass, but no water; we were consequently obliged to watch the horses
during the night, to prevent their straying.
