dy plains
of great extent, with nothing visible across the vast expanse but low
ridges of red drift-sand. Here it was Gregory's lot to experience a test
almost equal to one of the grim tramps that had tried Sturt and Eyre.

He camped at a native deserted camp, and the next day failing to find any
water ahead, had to return and form a depot. Here he left five of the
party with instructions to remain three days and then fall back upon the
Oakover. He himself, with Brown and Harding, and six horses, went on to
find a passage.

So far he had encountered fewer obstacles, and made more encouraging
discoveries than had fallen to the lot of any other Western Australian
explorer; but he was now confronted with the stern presence that had
daunted the bravest and best in Australia. In front of him lay barren
plains, hills of drifted sand, and the ominous red haze of the desert.
Let Gregory describe the scene in his own words, as the locality has
become historic:--

The three men started on the 6th of September, "steering south-south-east
along the ranges, looking for some stream-bed that might lead us through
the plains, but I was disappointed to find that they were all lost in the
first mile after leaving the hills, and as crossing the numerous ridges
of sand proved very fatiguing to the horses, we determined once more to
attempt to strike to the eastward between the ridges, which we did for
fifteen miles, when our horses again showed signs of failing us, which
left us the only alternative of either pushing on at all hazards to a
distant range that was just visible to the eastward, where, from the
numerous native fires and general depression of the country, there was
every reason to think a large river would be found to exist, or to make
for some deep rocky gorges in the granite hills ten miles to the south,
in which there was every prospect of finding water. In the former case
the travelling would be smoothest, but the distance so great that, in the
event of our failing to find water, we probably should not succeed in
bringing back one of our horses; while in the latter we should have to
climb over the sand-ridges which we had already found so fatiguing; this
course, however, involved the least amount of risk, and we accordingly
struck south four miles and halted for the night.

"7th September. The horses did not look much refreshed by the night's
rest; we, however, divided three gallons of water amongst them, and
started of