RAINS - DRY
WATER-COURSES - MOUNT DISTANCE - BRINE SPRINGS - MOUNT HOPELESS - TERMINATION
OF FLINDERS RANGE - LAKE TORRENS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST - ALL FURTHER
ADVANCE HOPELESS - YOUNG EMUS CAUGHT - REJOIN PARTY - MOVE BACK TOWARDS
MOUNT ARDEN - LOSS OF A HORSE - ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT - PLANS FOR THE
FUTURE - TAKE UP STORES - PREPARE FOR LEAVING.
Upon returning to the depot at the Burr, I decided upon making an
excursion to the north-east, to ascertain the actual termination of
Flinders range, and the nature of the prospect beyond it; not to satisfy
myself, for a single glance from the eminence I had recently occupied at
Mount Serle, had for ever set my curiosity at rest on these points, but
in discharge of the duty I owed to the Governor, and the promoters of the
expedition, who could not be expected to be satisfied with a bare
conjecture on a subject which they had sent me practically to
demonstrate, however fairly from circumstances the conclusions might be
deduced at which I had been compelled to arrive. Accordingly, on the
morning of the 29th, I took with me my overseer, one man, a native boy,
and a cart drawn by three horses to carry water; and making an early
start, proceeded to attempt for the last time to penetrate into those
regions of gloom.
After travelling ten miles, we arrived at the Frome, where we watered and
fed the horses. From this place I sent the overseer on before us, to see
how far the water extended, that we might determine where to fix our
halting-place for the night. After resting awhile we proceeded on with
the cart, tracing down the watercourse over a very rough and stony road
on which the cart was upset, but without any serious damage, and passing
several very large and fine water-holes with many teal and wood-duck upon
them.
At eight miles from where we lunched, we encamped with abundance of
water, but very little grass. The latitude by meridian altitude of Altair
was 30 degrees 18 minutes 30 seconds S. In the evening the overseer
returned, and stated there was water for nine miles further, but that the
road was very rocky and bad.
August 30. - Leaving the overseer to bring on the cart, I rode on a-head
down the watercourse to trace the continuance of the water. The road I
found to be very bad, and at twenty-three miles, upon tasting the water I
found it as salt as the sea, and the bed of the creek quite impracticable
for a cart; I therefore hurried back for seven miles, and halted the
party at the last good water-hole, which was about sixteen miles from our
yesterday's camp.
We had seen many ducks during the day, two of which I shot, and the black
boy found a nest with fresh eggs in it, so that we fared more luxuriously
than usual.
