This Was A Paramount Necessity, For The Weather Was So Hot And The Country So Dry That Twenty-Four Hours Without Drinking Drove The Cattle Nearly Mad, Their Drivers Suffering Almost Equally.

Finding no water during this search Mr. Jardine was again in perplexity.

Supposing the Mitchell to be 40 or 45 miles ahead, the cattle could not reach it without water. On the other hand if the coast were followed, it was probable that on reaching the Mitchell they would have to trace it up 40 or 50 miles before it could be crossed. The latter however seemed to be the best course, if not the only one. The intention of Alexander Jardine was to have got on to the mule's tracks, and run them over again until he "pulled" him, but the ground being baked hard, stony, and grassless Sambo was unable again to pick them up. However, whilst looking for the mule's tracks they found three more of the horses, on a small creek, fourteen miles from the camp, which ran into the river below the last camp on it. He now determined to look for the other two, and abandon the search after the mule for the present. One of them "Lucifer" was found at camp 35. He was out of hobbles, and immediately on being seen, started off at a gallop up the river. His tracks were followed up to the next camp, six miles, where night closing in Mr. Jardine was constrained to halt. The wretched animal had apparently gone mad, probably with drinking salt water.

'December' 9. - On resuming the search this morning Mr. A. Jardine met Eulah and Barney. They also, had seen "Lucifer" on the coast, but could do nothing with him. Detaching Sambo and Barney to continue the search after the mule, and giving them all the provision, he took Eulah with him to try once again to recover "Lucifer." Picking up his trail at last night's camp, where they left the three recovered horses, they ran it four miles up the river and came upon him in a patch of scrub; they headed him after a hard gallop and endeavoured to drive him down to the other horses, but all to no purpose, they knocked up their horses and were obliged to abandon the pursuit. He had evidently gone mad. Returning to the camp they got fresh horses, and returned with the three to the party of the main camp.

'December' 10. - The two lost horses ("Lucifer" and "Deceiver") being Mr. Jardine's best hacks and favourites, he determined to make one more effort to recover them. Starting with Eulah this morning, he travelled down the creek on which the cattle were camped for six miles west, when he reached some large marine plains and downs, so large, that though they ascended a high tree they could see nothing between them and the horizon; they were grassed only with spinifex "and other rubbish." They came on to Lucifer's tracks about 25 miles from the camp, and found the place where he had been drinking the salt water and lying down.

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