In the course of the morning Mr. Scott shot a rock wallabie of rather a
large species, and many more were seen about the high perpendicular cliff
under which we had found the water. These singular animals appeared to
have a wonderful facility for scaling precipices, for they leapt and
clambered up among the steep sides of the cliffs in a manner quite
incredible, and where it was perfectly impossible for any human being to
follow them.
In the evening the overseer and native boy returned, they had traced up
the watercourse I turned back from on the 5th of August, and had found
water in it about eight miles beyond where I gave up the search. They had
also visited the native camp where the two little children had been left
deserted, they were now gone, and the whole plain around had been strewed
with green boughs. The handkerchief I had tied round the eldest child had
been taken off and left at the camp, the natives probably dreading to
have anything to do with property belonging to such fearful enchanters as
they doubtless suspected us to be.
Our party being once more all together, it became necessary to decide
upon our future movements, the water in the hole at the depot being
nearly all used, and what was left being very muddy and unpalatable.
Before I abandoned our present position, however, I was anxious to make a
journey to the shores of Lake Torrens to the westward; I had already
visited its basin at points fully 150 miles apart, viz. in about 29
degrees 10 minutes S. latitude, and in 31 degrees 30 minutes S. I had
also traced its course from various heights in Flinders range, from which
it was distinctly visible, and in my mind, had not the slightest doubt
that it was one continuous and connected basin. Still, from the hills of
our present depot, it was not visible to the north of west, and I should
not have felt myself justified in going away to the eastward, without
positively ascertaining its connection with the basin I was at to the
north-west; accordingly, as soon as the overseer returned I got ready for
another harassing and uninteresting journey to the westward.
August 22. - Setting off early this morning, accompanied by a native boy,
I steered W.N.W. For the first four miles, I took my overseer along with
me, to shew him the direction I intended to take, so that if I did not
return in two days, he might send a pack-horse with water to meet me
along the tracks.
After he had left I pushed steadily on for thirty-five miles, principally
over heavy sandy ridges, which were very fatiguing to the horses, and at
dark reached the outer dunes of the lake, where I was obliged to tie the
horses up to some small bushes, as there was neither water nor grass for
them.
