overed a little pool about three
yards long and one broad, but deep. At this we breakfasted and watered
the horses, and then pushed on. The lodgment of this water had been
caused by local drainage, and was evident from the green feed round
about. Here again it appeared we had occasion to be thankful, for on this
supply I hoped we might safely calculate for a week at least, so that we
still held on our course with more confidence, keeping at the base of the
ridge, and passing an extent of five miles through an open box-tree
forest, every tree of which was dead. The whole scene being one of the
most profound silence and marked desolation, for here no living thing was
to be seen.

At nine miles we ascended the ridge, and from it the Desert appeared to
be interminable from N. to N.E., but a few distant sand hills now shewed
themselves to the eastward of the last mentioned point. We then descended
into a valley of sand and spinifex, and at four miles and a half ascended
an elevated peak in a sandy ridge lying in our way. From this, the view
to the north-west was over a succession of sand hills. The point we stood
upon, as well as the ridge, was flanked southwards by an immense plain of
red sand and clay, and to the N.E. by a similar but smaller plain.
Crossing a portion of the great plain, at four miles and a half we
ascended another peak, and then traversed a narrow valley crossing from
it into a second valley, down which we travelled for six miles.

At that distance it was half a mile in breadth, and there was a little
verdure near some gum-trees, but no water. As we were searching about, a
cockatoo, (Cacatua Leadbeateri) flew over the sand hill to our right, and
pitched in the trees; we consequently crossed to the opposite side and
halted for the night, where there was a good deal of green grass for the
horses, but no water in the contiguous valley.

CHAPTER II.

THE HORSES--ASCEND THE HILLS--IRRESOLUTION AND RETREAT--HORSES REDUCED TO
GREAT WANT--UNEXPECTED RELIEF--TRY THE DESERT TO THE N.E.--FIND WATER IN
OUR LAST WELL--REACH THE CREEK--PROCEED TO THE EASTWARD--PLAGUE OF FLIES
AND ANTS--SURPRISE AN OLD MAN--SEA-GULLS AND PELICANS--FISH--POOL OF
BRINE--MEET NATIVES--TURN TO THE N.E.--COOPER'S CREEK TRIBE, THEIR
KINDNESS AND APPEARANCE--ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE PLAINS--TURN BACK--PROCEED
TO THE NORTHWARD--EFFECTS OF REFRACTION--FIND NATIVES AT OUR OLD CAMP AND
THE STORES UNTOUCHED--COOPER'S CREEK, ITS GEOGRAPHICA