ridges in that direction, and we might find another
and better watering place than that at the pass. It is only at or near
ridges in this strange region that the traveller can expect to find
water, as in the sandy beds of scrub intervening between them, water
would simply sink away. We passed through some very thick mulga,
which, being mostly dead, ripped our pack-bags, clothes, and skin, as
we had continually to push the persistent boughs and branches aside to
penetrate it. We reached a hill in twenty miles, and saw at a glance
that no favourable signs of obtaining water existed, for it was merely
a pile of loose stones or rocks standing up above the scrubs around.
The view was desolate in the extreme; we had now come thirty miles,
but we pushed on ten miles for another hill, to the south-east, and
after penetrating the usual scrub, we reached its base in the dark,
and camped. In the morning I climbed the hill, but no water could be
seen or procured. This hill was rugged with broken granite boulders,
scrubby with mulga and bushes, and covered with triodia to its summit.
To the south a vague and strange horizon was visible; it appeared
flat, as though a plain of great extent existed there, but as the
mirage played upon it, I could not make anything of it. My old friend
the high mountain loomed large and abrupt at a great distance off, and
it bore 8 degrees 30' west from here, too great a distance for us to
proceed to it at once, without first getting water for our horses, as
it was possible that no water might exist even in the neighbourhood of
such a considerable mountain. The horses rambled in the night; when
they were found we started away for the little pass and glen where we
knew water was to be got, and which was now some thirty miles away to
the west-north-west. We reached it somewhat late. The day was hot,
thermometer 98 degrees in shade, and the horses very thirsty, but they
could get no water until we had dug a place for them. Although we had
reached our camping ground our day's work was only about to commence.
We were not long in obtaining enough water for ourselves, such as it
was--thick and dirty with a nauseous flavour--but first we had to tie
the horses up, to prevent them jumping in on us. We found to our grief
that but a poor supply was to be expected, and though we had not to
dig very deep, yet we had to remove an enormous quantity of sand, so
as to create a sufficient surface to get water to run in, an