Since leaving the depot we had been so extremely
guarded in the issue of provisions, to prevent the possibility of our
suffering from any longer protraction of our journey than was expected,
that never more than six pounds of flour had been issued to each person
weekly, which now, from this accident coming to light, was reduced to
four pounds: it was, in truth, extremely fortunate that we had thus kept
within the calculated ration, as otherwise our situation would have been
highly alarming.
Some of our party began even now to anticipate the resources of famine,
for a large native dog being killed, it was pronounced, like lord
Peter's loaf, in the Tale of a Tub, to be true, good, natural mutton as
any in Leadenhall-market, and eaten accordingly: for myself, I was not
yet brought to the conversion of Martin and Jack.
The natives had been in this valley very recently, and I conjectured
that they were then not far from us. In the afternoon, the rain still
continuing, I sent back the strongest of the horses to bring up the
provisions left behind. Towards eight o'clock the wind increased to a
storm, so that the rain was forced through our tent in every part, and
we were fairly washed out: this abated about ten o'clock, and the
weather partially cleared up. Upon the whole this was the most
uncomfortable day and night we had experienced since we quitted the
depot.
June 19. - Fresh winds from the north-west, with thick small rain. The
valley was now a complete bog, the hills closing on each side of it, and
its widest part not exceeding two hundred yards: the soil imbibes all
the water almost as fast as it falls. There was one comfort in all this
bad weather; we had plenty of water, and the horses tolerable grass.
Taking advantage of a fair interval, I explored to the north-north-west
about a mile, whence I had a tolerable view of the country between the
showers: it was broken into very remarkable hills between the north-west
by north and north-east; to the west it was more level, and having been
burnt, the young grass gave it a more cheering aspect than any we had
seen for some time. Bearings were taken to several remarkable hills for
the purpose of connecting the survey.
Two swans passed over the valley to the north-west, which we considered
as a sign that water lay in that direction.
