at Mr. Browne had been obliged to retreat
from Fort Grey, in which case I should still have a journey before me to
the old Depot of 170 miles or more, under privations, to the horses at
least, of no ordinary character; and I had great doubts as to the
practicability of our final retreat upon the Darling. The drought had now
continued so long, and the heat been so severe, that I apprehended we
might be obliged to remain another summer in these fearful solitudes. The
weather was terrifically hot, and appeared to have set in unusually
early.

Under such circumstances, and with so many causes to render my mind
anxious, the reader will believe I did not sleep much. The men were as
restless as myself, so that we commenced our journey before the sun had
risen on the morning of the 10th of November, to give the horses time to
take their journey leisurely. Slowly we retraced our steps, nor did I
stop for a moment until we had got to within five miles of our
destination, at which distance we saw a single native running after us,
and taking it into my head that he might be a messenger from Mr. Browne,
I pulled up to wait for him, but curiosity alone had induced him to come
forward. When he got to within a hundred yards, he stopped and approached
no nearer. This little delay made it after sunset before we reached the
upper pool (not the one Mr. Browne and I had discovered), and were
relieved from present anxiety by finding a thick puddle still remaining
in it, so that I halted for the night. Slommy, Bawley, and the colt had
hard work to keep up with the other horses, and it really grieved me to
see them so reduced. My own horse was even now beginning to give way, but
I had carried a great load upon him.

As we approached the water, three ducks flew up and went off down the
creek southwards, so I was cheered all night by the hope that water still
remained at the lower pool, and that we should be in time to benefit by
it. On the 11th, therefore, early we pushed on, as I intended to stop and
breakfast at that place before I started for the Depot. We had scarcely
got there, however, when the wind, which had been blowing all the morning
hot from the N.E., increased to a heavy gale, and I shall never forget
its withering effect. I sought shelter behind a large gum-tree, but the
blasts of heat were so terrific, that I wondered the very grass did not
take fire. This really was nothing ideal: every thing, both animate and
inanimate, gave w