was obliged to kill for food at this spot.
On June 24th started for Eucla, carrying, as before, over thirty gallons
of water, and walking in turns. On the 25th found on the top of the
cliffs a large rock hole, containing sufficient water to give the horses
as much as they required, and on the 26th were equally fortunate. From
the 26th to the 30th we met with scarcely any water, and our horses
appeared very distressed, more so as the weather was very warm. On the
evening of the 30th, however, we were again fortunate enough to find a
water-hole containing sufficient to give them six gallons each, and were
again in safety, Eucla water being only thirty miles distant. On the
morning of the 1st day of July we reached the cliffs, or Hampton Range
(these cliffs recede from the sea in longitude 126 degrees 12 minutes
East, and run along at the average distance of twelve or fifteen miles
from the sea until they join it again at Wilson's Bluff, in longitude 129
degrees East. They are very steep and rough, and water may generally be
found in rock holes in the gorges. I, however, wished to keep further
inland, and therefore did not follow them), and shortly afterwards we
beheld the Wilson's Bluff and the Eucla sand-hills. Camped for the night
near the Hampton Range, about five miles from Eucla Harbour, and on the
2nd July, on nearing the anchorage, discovered the schooner Adur lying
safely at anchor, which proved by no means the least pleasing feature to
our little band of weary travellers. Camped on west side of Delissier
sand-hills, and found water by digging.
The country passed over between longitude 126 degrees 24 minutes East, as
a grazing country, far surpasses anything I have ever seen. There is
nothing in the settled portions of Western Australia equal to it, either
in extent or quality; but the absence of permanent water is the great
drawback, and I do not think water would be procured by sinking, except
at great depths, as the country is at least three hundred feet above the
sea, and there is nothing to indicate water being within an easy depth
from the surface. The country is very level, with scarcely any
undulation, and becomes clearer as you proceed northward.
Since leaving Cape Arid I have not seen a gully or watercourse of any
description--a distance of 400 miles.
The route from longitude 126 degrees 24 minutes East to Eucla was
generally about thirty miles from the sea.
The natives met with appeared friendl
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