being within 1 1/2 points of a due north course. On this
we went up the flat where we had slept. By keeping close to the ridges we
found, as I had anticipated, firmer ground, though the centre of the flat
was still of the worst description. There were a few small box-trees to
be seen as we passed along, but scarcely any minor vegetation. At about
nine miles we were attracted by the green appearance of some low
polygonum bushes, to which we went, and under them found two small
puddles of water, that we might easily have passed. They must have been
three feet deep after the rains, but were now barely five inches, and
about the size of a loo table. However, we had no choice, and as the
horse had suffered so much from the rickety motion of the cart, caused by
the inequalities of the ground, and there was a silky kind of grass
growing sparingly around, I stopped here for the rest of the day to
effect necessary repairs. When, however, we came to examine the wheels,
we found that so many of the spokes were shivered and had shrunk, that
Lewis got on but slowly, renewing only such as were found absolutely
useless; we were consequently detained at this point another day, but on
the 3rd resumed our journey up the flat, and at two miles crossed a small
sandy ridge into the opposite flat, and at five miles stopped at a second
ridge of some height for Lewis and Joseph, who were a good way behind
with the cart. On coming up, they informed us that they had fallen in
with a tribe of natives, twelve in number, shortly after starting, and
had remained some time with them. They were at a dirty puddle, such as we
had left, and were at no great distance from our little bivouac. Joseph
good-naturedly gave one of them his knife, but he could not understand a
word they said.

After crossing the sand ridge, we kept on the edge of the flats, as I
have said, for the sake of the horses. The ridges had now become very
long, and varied in breadth from a few hundred yards to a mile. Box-trees
were scattered over them, and, although generally bare, they were not
altogether destitute of grass or herbage; the ridges of sand, on the
contrary, still continued unbroken, and several were covered with
spinifex; but on the whole the country appeared to be improving, and the
fall of waters being decidedly somewhat to the eastward of south, or
towards the Stony Desert, I entertained hopes that we had crossed the
lowest part of the interior, and reached the southe