This was the first night which
we had passed absolutely without water.
June 1. - A cold frosty morning. The weather during the might changed
from very mild and pleasant to extreme cold; the thermometer varying
24. At daylight we loaded the horses and set forward to get out of this
scrub, and endeavour to procure water and grass for the horses, which
we were obliged to tie to bushes, to prevent them from straying. After
going about two miles farther we cleared the thickest of it: but the
country was only more open, and not in any degree more fertile. We
proceeded on towards the south-east end of Peel's range until twelve
o'clock, when, having gone nearly eleven miles, the horses were unable
to proceed farther with their loads. There was nothing left for us but
to unload them, and separate in every direction in search of that most
precious of elements, without tasting a drop of which both men and
horses had now existed nearly thirty-six hours.
Water was found in three holes in the side of Peel's range sufficient
for all our necessities, and a most grateful relief it proved,
particularly to the poor horses, who were nearly famished for the want
of it: one of the best of our animals was so exhausted that it was with
some difficulty he could be taken to the water. I wish the grass had
proved equally good, but there is nothing for them but dead wire-grass
(IRA). We saw no game, with the exception of three or four kangaroo
rats: many beautiful small parrots were observed; and, barren as the
scrub appeared to us, yet our botanists reaped an excellent harvest
here; nothing being more true than that the most beautiful plants and
shrubs flourish best where no grass or other herbage will grow.
June 2. - Fine and clear as usual, the nights cold. One of our best
horses, mentioned yesterday as having fallen repeatedly under his load,
was this morning extremely ill, having entirely lost the use of his
hind quarters. Finding that he was quite unable to accompany us, and in
fact unfit to do any more work, it was with extreme reluctance that I
caused him to be shot, since it would have been no mercy to suffer him
to linger in his present miserable condition. Observations were taken to
ascertain our situation, and they placed us lat. 34. 8. 8. S.,
long. 146.03. E., the variation of the compass being 7. 18. E.
The hills to the southward of us are curiously composed of pudding-stone
in very large masses, the lower stratum being a coarse granite
intermingled with pieces of quartz, and a variety of other stones.
