This was a paramount necessity, for
the weather was so hot and the country so dry that twenty-four hours
without drinking drove the cattle nearly mad, their drivers suffering
almost equally. Finding no water during this search Mr. Jardine was
again in perplexity. Supposing the Mitchell to be 40 or 45 miles
ahead, the cattle could not reach it without water. On the other
hand if the coast were followed, it was probable that on reaching the
Mitchell they would have to trace it up 40 or 50 miles before it
could be crossed. The latter however seemed to be the best course,
if not the only one. The intention of Alexander Jardine was to have
got on to the mule's tracks, and run them over again until he
"pulled" him, but the ground being baked hard, stony, and grassless
Sambo was unable again to pick them up. However, whilst looking for
the mule's tracks they found three more of the horses, on a small
creek, fourteen miles from the camp, which ran into the river below
the last camp on it. He now determined to look for the other two,
and abandon the search after the mule for the present. One of them
"Lucifer" was found at camp 35. He was out of hobbles, and
immediately on being seen, started off at a gallop up the river. His
tracks were followed up to the next camp, six miles, where night
closing in Mr. Jardine was constrained to halt. The wretched animal
had apparently gone mad, probably with drinking salt water.

'December' 9.--On resuming the search this morning Mr. A. Jardine
met Eulah and Barney. They also, had seen "Lucifer" on the coast,
but could do nothing with him. Detaching Sambo and Barney to
continue the search after the mule, and giving them all the
provision, he took Eulah with him to try once again to recover
"Lucifer." Picking up his trail at last night's camp, where they
left the three recovered horses, they ran it four miles up the river
and came upon him in a patch of scrub; they headed him after a hard
gallop and endeavoured to drive him down to the other horses, but all
to no purpose, they knocked up their horses and were obliged to
abandon the pursuit. He had evidently gone mad. Returning to the
camp they got fresh horses, and returned with the three to the party
of the main camp.

'December' 10.--The two lost horses ("Lucifer" and "Deceiver") being
Mr. Jardine's best hacks and favourites, he determined to make one
more effort to recover them. Starting with Eulah this morning, he
trav