for more than twenty miles over
undulating sand-ridges, without a sight of any indication of the presence
of water. At daybreak, from the top of a low stony rise, he obtained an
extensive outlook. Far as he could see to the north and east, nothing was
visible but the level unending spinifex; not a watercourse or a hill in
sight. Evidently they were trespassing on the edge of the central desert.

Turning back they met the remainder of the party about twenty miles from
Weld Springs; and the whole body retreated to their lately deserted camp.
After a day's rest, Alexander Forrest and a black boy started to the
south-east searching for water. At one o'clock sixty or seventy natives
appeared on the brow of the rise overlooking the camp. They were painted
and dressed in war costume, and evidently planning an attack. After some
consultation they suddenly descended the slope and dashed at the camp.
Fortunately the whites were on the alert, and a well-directed volley sent
them in head-long retreat to their vantage-point on the brow of the
ridge, where they held a fresh council of war. Presently they renewed the
assault, but a rifle-shot from Forrest put an end to the skirmish. That
evening Alexander and the boy returned, and were much surprised to hear
of the adventure with the blacks. They had been over fifty miles from
camp and had passed over some well-grassed country but had found no
water. As their detention at Weld Springs promised to be indefinite, the
party then built a rough shelter of stones in order to ensure themselves
some measure of protection against night attacks. When this small defence
work was finished, Forrest again reconnoitred ahead for water accompanied
by one black boy, and found some clay waterholes, of no great extent, but
sufficient for camping purposes. Thither the camp was shifted.

On the 22nd the leader made another search in advance, and in thirty
miles came to a fine supply of water, in a gully running through a
well-grassed plain whereon there was abundance of good feed for the
horses. To the south of this spot there was a small salt lake, which he
named Lake Augusta. Another good spring in grassy country was also found.
On the 30th of June Forrest made a scouting excursion to the eastward,
but experienced ill fortune; for having penetrated as far as possible
into the spinifex country, his horses gave out. By the aid of some scanty
pools of rainwater trapped in some rocks, he succeeded in getting