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:
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