thout the intervention
of a cloud to obscure his disc for a moment. If then I except the rain of
July, which lasted, at intervals, for three days, we had not had any for
eleven months. Under the withering effects of this long continued
drought, the vegetable kingdom was again at a stand; and we ourselves
might be said to have been contending so long against the elements. No
European in that respect had ever been more severely tried.

The day before we commenced our journey to the north it was exceedingly
hot, the thermometer rose to 106 degrees in the shade, and thus early in
the season were we forewarned of what we might expect when the sun should
become more vertical. In the afternoon the old man who had visited us
just before we commenced our late journey, arrived in the camp with his
two wives, and a nice little girl about eleven, with flowing curly hair,
the cleanliness and polish of which would have done credit to the
prettiest head that ever was adorned with such. They came in from the
S.W., and were eagerly passing our tents, without saying a word, and
making for the water, when we called to them and supplied all their
wants. The poor things were almost perishing from thirst, and seized the
pannikins with astonishing avidity, when they saw that they contained
water, and had them replenished several times. It happened also
fortunately for them, that the lamb of the only ewe we had with us, and
which had been dropped a few weeks before, got a coup de soleil, in
consequence of which I ordered it to be killed, and given to the old man
and his family for supper. This they all of them appeared to enjoy
uncommonly, and very little of it was left after their first meal. The
old man seemed to be perfectly aware that we had been out, but shook his
head when I made him understand that I was going out again in the
morning.

I determined, on the journey I was about to commence, to run on a due
north course from the first "Strzelecki's Creek," as soon as I should
reach it, and to penetrate the interior in that direction as far as
circumstances might justify. As the reader will have concluded from the
observations I have made, it had occurred to me that the Stony Desert had
been the bed of a former stream, and I felt satisfied that if I was right
in that conclusion, I should certainly strike it again. My object,
therefore, was to keep at such a distance from my last course, as should
leave no doubt of that fact upon my mind;