low land between this
and the sand hills was also chequered with them. The position was in
every way eligible. The open grassy field or plain stood full in view,
and the men could see the cattle browsing on it, but I directed Mr.
Stuart never to permit them to be without one of the men as a guard, and
to have them secured nightly in the stockyard. In order to provide for
the further security of the camp, I marked out the lines, for the
erection of a stockade, wherein I directed Mr. Stuart to pitch one of the
bell tents. In this tent I instructed him to deposit the arms and
ammunition, and to consider it as the rallying point in the event of any
attack by the natives, in which case I told him his first step would be
to secure the sheep. I desired that the stockade might be commenced as
soon as I left, and that it should be built of palisades 4 1/2 feet above
the ground, and arranged close together. In such a fortification I
considered that the men would be perfectly safe, and as the stockyard was
in a short range of the carbines I felt the cattle would be sufficiently
protected.

I selected Flood, Lewis, and Joseph to accompany me, and took 15 weeks
provisions. This supply required all the horses but one, for although
they had so long a rest at the old Depot they were far from being strong,
since for the last three months they had lived on salsolaceous herbs, or
on the shoots of shrubs, so that although apparently in good condition
they had no work in them. My last instructions to Morgan were to prepare
and paint the boat in the event of her being required.

CHAPTER VIII.

LEAVE THE DEPOT FOR THE NORTH-WEST--SCARCITY OF WATER--FOSSIL
LIMESTONE--ARRIVE AT THE FIRST CREEK--EXTENSIVE PLAINS--SUCCESSION OF
CREEKS--FLOODED CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--POND WITH FISH--STERILE
COUNTRY--GRASSY PLAINS--INTREPID NATIVE--COUNTRY APPARENTLY
IMPROVES--DISAPPOINTMENTS--WATER FOUND--APPEARANCE OF THE STONY
DESERT--NIGHT THEREON--THE EARTHY PLAIN--HILLS RAISED BY
REFRACTION--RECOMMENCEMENT OF THE SAND RIDGES--THEIR UNDEVIATING
REGULARITY--CONJECTURES AS TO THE DESERT--RELATIVE POSITION OF LAKE
TORRENS--CONCLUDING REMARKS.

On the morning of the 14th Mr. Browne and I mounted our horses, and left
the camp at 9 a.m., followed by the men I had selected, and crossing the
grassy plain in a N.W. direction, soon found ourselves amidst sand hills
and scrub.

As I have stated I had determined to preserve a course of 45 degrees to