scrub, though the feed was
poor, and the water not drinkable. Our situation required most serious
consideration. It was necessary that we should move either backward or
forward in the morning. Yet we could not adopt either measure with
satisfaction to ourselves, under such unfavorable circumstances. I
determined to relieve my own mind by getting the animals into a place
of safety, as soon as possible; and, as the only effectual way of doing
this was to retire upon the nearest fresh water, I resolved at once to
do so. The party turned back on the morning of the 6th; nor do I think
the cattle would ever have reached their destination had we not found a
few buckets of rain water in the cleft of a rock, to refresh them. Thus
it will appear that under our most trying circumstances, we received
aid from Providence, and that the bounty of Heaven was extended towards
us, when we had least reason to expect it.

Notwithstanding we had been thus forced to a partial retreat, both Mr.
Hume and myself were unwilling to quit the pursuit of the river, in so
unsatisfactory a manner. There was no difference in the appearance of
the country to the westward of it; but a seeming interminable flat
stretched away in that direction. A journey across it was not likely,
therefore, to be attended with any favorable results, since it was
improbable that any other leading feature was within our reach. I
proposed, therefore, to take the most serviceable of the horses with me
down the river, that, in the event of our finding fresh water, we might
again push forward. Mr. Hume requesting to be permitted to accompany
me, it was arranged that we should start on the 8th, thereby giving the
animals a day's rest. We had not seen any natives since our parting
with the chief horde; and as we were stationed at some little distance
from the river, I hoped that they would not visit the camp during my
absence. This was the only circumstance that gave me uneasiness, but
the men had generally been behaving so well that I relied a great deal
upon them.

EXTRAORDINARY SOUND.

About 3 p.m. on the 7th, Mr. Hume and I were occupied tracing the chart
upon the ground. The day had been remarkably fine, not a cloud was
there in the heavens, nor a breath of air to be felt. On a sudden we
heard what seemed to be the report of a gun fired at the distance of
between five and six miles. It was not the hollow sound of an earthly
explosion, or the sharp cracking noise of falli