- We moved away early, steering for Mount Deception. Near its
base, and emanating from it, we crossed the dry bed of a very large
watercourse, more resembling that of a river in character, its channel
being wide, deep, and well-defined, and lined with the salt-water
tea-tree; whilst its course was marked by very large, green looking
gum-trees, the bed consisted of an earthy, micaceous slate of a reddish
colour, and in very minute particles, almost in some places as fine as
sand, but we could find no water in it anywhere.
The range in which this watercourse has its source, is of the same slaty
rock, and very rugged; it could not be less than 3,000 feet in elevation,
and its summit was only attainable by winding along the steep and stony
ridges that led round the deep gorges and ravines by which it was
surrounded.
From the top the view was extensive and unsatisfactory. Lake Torrens
appearing as large and mysterious as ever, and bearing in its most
northerly extreme visible W. 22 degrees N. To the north was a low level
cheerless waste, and to the east Flinders range trending more easterly,
and then sweeping back to N. 28 degrees W. but its appearance seemed to
be changing and its character altering; the ranges struck me as being
more separated by ridges, with barren flats and valleys between, among
which winding to the N. W. were many large and deep watercourses, but
which when traced up, often for many miles, I found to emanate from
gorges of the hills, and to have neither water nor springs in them.
I had fully calculated upon finding permanent water at this very high
range, and was proportionally disappointed at not succeeding, especially
after having toiled to the summit, and tired both myself and horses in
tracing up its watercourses. There was now no other alternative left me,
than to make back for the hills to the eastward, in the hope of being
more fortunate there. I had only found permanent water once, (at Salt
watercourse) since I left my party, having depended entirely upon puddles
of rain water for subsistence; but it now became imperative on me to turn
my attention exclusively to this subject, not only to enable me to bring
up my men, but to secure the possibility of my own return, as every day
that passed dried up more and more the small puddles I had found in the
plains.
Descending Mount Deception, we travelled five miles upon a S. E. course,
and encamped upon a small dry watercourse for the night, with good grass
for our horses, but without water.
July 13. - Bending our steps backwards, to search for water in the eastern
hills, we were lucky enough to fall in with a puddle in the plains, at
which we watered our horses, and again proceeded.
Selecting one of the larger watercourses running out from the hills, we
traced it up a considerable distance, examining all its minor branches
carefully, and sparing no pains in seeking a permanent spring of water;
the channel, however, gradually diminished in size, as we occasionally
passed the junctions of small branches from the various gorges; the
gum-trees on its course were either dead or dying; the hills, which at a
distance had appeared very rugged and lofty, upon a nearer approach
turned out to be mere detached eminences of moderate elevation, covered
with loose stones, but without the least sign of water.
About two o'clock, P.M. we passed a little grass, and as the day appeared
likely to become rainy, I halted for the night. Leaving the native boy to
hobble the horses, I took my gun and ascended one of the hills near me
for a view. Lake Torrens was visible to the west, and Mount Deception to
the N.W. but higher hills near me, shut out the view in every other
direction. In descending, I followed a little rocky gully leading to the
main watercourse, and to my surprise and joy, discovered a small but deep
pool of water in a hole of the rock: upon sounding the depth, I found it
would last us some time, and that I might safely bring on my party thus
far, until I could look for some other point for a depot still farther
north; the little channel where the water was, I named Depot Pool.
Regaining the camp, I immediately set to work with the native boy to
construct a bough hut, as the weather looked very threatening. We had
hardly completed it before the rain came down in torrents, and water was
soon laying every where in the ledges of rock in the bed of the
watercourse. So little do we know what is before us, and so short a time
is necessary to change the aspect of affairs, and frequently too, when we
least expect it!
July 14. - Our hut not having been quite water-tight before the rain came,
we got very wet during the night, and turned out early this morning to go
and hunt for firewood to warm ourselves.
As the weather still continued rainy, I determined to give our horses a
day's rest, whilst I walked up the watercourse to examine it farther. I
found the hills open a good deal more as I proceeded, with nice grassy
valleys between; and the hills themselves, though high and steep, were
rounded at the summits, and richly clothed with vegetation: among them
numerous watercourses took their rise in the gorges, and generally these
were well marked by gum-trees. Altogether it was a pretty and fertile
spot, and though very hilly, would do well for stock, if permanent water
could be found near. I was quite unsuccessful, however, in my search for
this, and the native boy, whom I sent in the opposite direction, after my
return, was equally unfortunate.
