y
the hostility of the blacks, and, what with the uneasiness caused by
their attacks, the plague of myriads of ants, the loss of Gibson, and the
failure of their own hopes, they were forced to return to Adelaide,
baffled for a time, but not beaten.

We thus see how the arid belt of the middle country had defied three
different explorers -- Warburton, Gosse, and Giles -- one equipped with
camels only, one with camels and horses, and one who had relied on horses
alone.

[Illustration. A Camel Caravan in an Australian Desert.]

In 1875 Giles took the field once more. This time, owing to the
generosity of Sir Thomas Elder, of South Australia, he was well-prepared.
He had a fine caravan of camels, and had his former companion Tietkins
with him, besides a completely-equipped party.

The start was made from Beltana, the next halting-place being Youldeh,
where a depot was formed. From this place they shifted north to a native
well, Oaldabinna. As the water supply here proved but scanty, Giles
started off to the westward to search for a better place, sending
Tietkins to the north on a similar errand accompanied by Young.

Giles pushed his way for 150 miles through scrub and past shallow
lakelets of salt water until he came to a native well or dam, containing
a small supply of water. Beyond this he went another 30 miles, but
finding himself amongst saline swamps and scrub, he then returned to the
depot. Tietkins and his companion were not so successful. At their
furthest point they had come across a large number of natives, who, after
decamping in a terrified manner, returned fully armed and painted for
war. No attempts of the two white men to open friendly communication or
to obtain any information from them had succeeded.

A slight shower of rain having replenished the well they were camped at,
Giles determined to make a bold push to the west, trusting to the powers
of endurance of his camels to carry him on to water.

On reaching the dam that he had formerly visited, he was agreeably
surprised to find that it had been nearly filled by the late rains. As it
now contained plenty of water for their wants, and there was good feed
all around, they rested by it until the supply of water began to show
signs of declining.

On the 16th of September, 1875, he left the Boundary Dam, as he called
it, and commenced to try conclusions with the desert to the westward. For
the first six days of their march the caravan passed through