After 11 Miles Of This Kind Of Travelling They Camped, The Horses Completely Knocked Up, The Men In Not Much Better Condition, Having Had To Drag The Horses Out Of Bogs Several Times, Besides Cutting Through The Hanging Vines Of The Scrubs.

Distance 12 miles.

'February' 11. - The main camp was reached to-day, after another fatiguing journey of 11 or 12 miles, the first 6 miles similar to that of yesterday, the remainder through heath and brushwood. It was sundown before they reached the river, which they found much swollen. A heavy thunder-shower of two hours' duration, put up all the creeks bank high, one of which, at about two miles from the river, they had to swim across. Having struck it immediately opposite the camp, they left their jaded horses with their saddles on the north side, and swam across themselves to the party. During their absence another of the horses, "Pussey," had died from exhaustion.

'February' 12. - The meat at the camp being all consumed, it became necessary to halt for a couple of days, in order to kill and jerk a beast. The flour too was now exhausted, save 10 lbs., which was judiciously put by and reserved for an emergency. The day was spent in crossing back the four horses, with saddles and swags. The cattle were counted and some found missing; the Black-boys were therefore sent in search of them. A beast was killed, cut up, and jerked, a tedious task, from the absence of the sun.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 141 of 205
Words from 38013 to 38267 of 55599