ned out to be false; and I was half angry with myself for having been
so credulous, well aware as I was of the exaggerations of the natives,
and how little dependence can be placed on what they say.

CHAPTER IX.

FLOOD'S QUICK SIGHT--FOREST FULL OF BIRDS--NATIVE WELL--BIRDS COLLECT TO
DRINK--DANGEROUS PLAIN--FLOOD'S HORSE LOST--SCARCITY OF WATER--TURN
NORTHWARD--DISCOVER A LARGE CREEK--BRIGHT PROSPECTS--SUDDEN
DISAPPOINTMENT--SALT LAGOON--SCARCITY OF WATER--SALT WATER
CREEK--CHARACTER OF THE INTERIOR--FORCED TO TURN BACK--RISK OF
ADVANCING--THE FURTHEST NORTH--RETURN TO AND EXAMINATION OF THE
CREEK--PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--DREADFUL COUNTRY--JOURNEY TO THE
NORTH--AGAIN FORCED TO RETURN--NATIVES--STATION ON THE CREEK--CONCLUDING
REMARKS.

Reflecting on the singular character of the country below me, as I stood
on the pointed termination of the ridge the party had just ascended, I
could not but think how fortunate it was we had not found it in a wet
state, for in such a case to cross it would have been impossible. I felt
assured indeed, from the moment we set foot on it, that in the event of
rain, while we should be in the more distant interior, return would be
altogether impracticable, but we had neither time to pause on, or provide
against, the consequences of any heavy fall that might have set in. I do
not think that this flashed across the minds of any of the party
excepting my own, who would not have been justified in leading men
forward as I was doing, without weighing every probable chance of
difficulty or success.

As the line of the sand ridges was nearly parallel to that of our course,
we descended to a polygonum flat, and keeping the ridge upon our left,
proceeded on a bearing of 342 degrees, or on a N.N.W. course, up a kind
of valley. Whilst thus riding leisurely along, Flood, whose eyes were
always about him, noticed something dark moving in the bushes, to which
he called our attention. It was a dark object, and was then perfectly
stationary; as Flood however insisted that he saw it move, Mr. Browne
went forward to ascertain what it could be, when a native woman jumped up
and ran away. She had squatted down and put a large trough before her,
the more effectually to conceal her person, and must have been astonished
at the quickness of our sight in discovering her. We were much amused at
the figure she cut, but as she exhibited great alarm Mr. Browne refrained
from following her; after getting t