July 18. - In travelling to "Depot Pool," the native boy caught another
opossum, and we again halted early in the day for the sake of resting the
horses.
July 19. - Concealing among some rocks every thing we did not absolutely
require, we descended towards the plains, searching as we went, for the
most favourable line of road to them, for the drays, but at best the
country was very rough and stony.
After clearing the hills, we made a stage of twenty-eight miles along the
plains running under Flinders range, and at night encamped upon a channel
coming out of it, where we obtained water, but very little grass for our
horses.
July 20. - To-day I kept behind some of the low front hills, passing
through some extensive valleys between them and the main range; and as I
found abundance of water lying in pools upon the plains, I did not make
for the hills at all.
Before sunset, I got a shot at a kangaroo with my rifle, which, though
severely wounded, gave me a long chase before I could capture it; this
furnished us with a welcome and luxurious repast. We had been so long
living upon nothing but the bush baked bread, called damper (so named, I
imagine, from its heavy, sodden character), with the exception of the one
or two occasions upon which the native boy had added an opossum to our
fare, that we were delighted to obtain a supply of animal food for a
change; and the boy, to shew how he appreciated our good luck, ate
several pounds of it for his supper. Our horses were equally fortunate
with ourselves, for we obtained both good grass and water for them.
July 21. - Taking with us the best part of what was left of the kangaroo,
we crossed a stony ridge to the S. W., and at four miles struck a
watercourse with a large pool of water in its bed, and well adapted for a
halting place for the party on their route to the north: we had not seen
this in our outward course, having kept further to the westward in the
plains. From the water-hole, Mount Eyre bore W. 30 degrees S. distant
five miles.
Upon leaving this pool I pushed on as rapidly as I could, being anxious
to rejoin my party; and after a hard and fatiguing ride of forty miles,
arrived at the depot under Mount Arden, late in the day, having been
absent sixteen days. I had been anxiously expected, and was cordially
welcomed by the whole party, who were getting sadly tired of inactivity,
and especially by my young friend Mr. Scott, whose eager and ardent
disposition rendered him quite uneasy under the confinement and restraint
of a depot encampment; he would gladly have shared with me the
difficulties and hazards of exploring the country in advance, but from
the very embarrassing nature of the undertaking, I did not think it right
to take more than a single native with me, as every addition to the
number of a party, on such occasions, only tends to increase the
difficulty and anxiety of the task.
Having rested a little, and made innumerable inquiries, I was very much
gratified to find that the whole party were in good health, and that
every thing had been conducted in a satisfactory manner during my
absence. No one had been idle, and every thing that I could have wished,
had been properly arranged. The stores had been safely brought up from
the WATERWITCH, including a barometer kindly sent by the Governor, and a
large packet of English letters, at any time a highly valued prize, and
not the less so now that they were received 200 miles in the interior,
amidst the labours and anxieties of an exploring expedition.
During my absence all the harness, hobbles, tents, tarpaulins, etc. had
been fully repaired; and according to my instructions, a large deep hole
had been dug in the slope of the hill, to bury a portion of the stores
in, that if compelled by circumstances to return from the north, we might
still have supplies to fall back upon. Mr. Scott had employed his time in
collecting botanical and geological specimens, and had already made a
very fair commencement for our collections in both these departments of
science. He had also regularly kept the meteorological journal,
registering the observations three times in each day.
July 22. - After breakfast I had all the stores reweighed, and examined
the supplies sent us in the WATERWITCH, which consisted chiefly of flour,
biscuit, sugar, tea, salt pork, soap, tobacco, salt, canvas, etc. besides
many little luxuries which the kindness of the Governor, and the
consideration of our many friends had added to the list.
The men during my absence, having been living entirely upon salt pork, to
economize the sheep, were glad to receive the kangaroo which I brought
home with me.
Having inspected the stores, the whole party were put upon their
travelling rations, and the first week's allowance was issued to each,
consisting of ten pounds of meat, seven pounds of biscuit or flour, a
quarter of a pound of tea, a pound and a half of sugar, a quarter of a
pound of soap, and the same quantity of tobacco.
Provisions of different kinds were then weighed out, headed up in casks,
and buried in the hole dug by the men during my absence, to wait our
return, if ever it should be our lot to reach the place again. The
remainder were all properly packed up, and the drays loaded and arranged
for moving on.
After satisfactorily concluding all the preparations for leaving the
depot, I employed myself busily in writing letters and despatches until a
very late hour of the night, as it was the last opportunity I should have
for a long time, of reporting our prospects and progress, or of thanking
the Governor and our numerous friends, for the many attentions we had
experienced.
