he base of the hill too, was
an opening with good grass around, and a fine spring of pure water.
Hastening back to the dray, I conducted the party to the hills, which I
named Refuge Rocks, for such they were to us in our difficulties, and
such they may be to many future travellers who may have to cross this
dreary desert.

From the nature of the road and the exhausted state of our horses, it was
very late when we encamped, but as the position was so favourable a one
to recruit at, I determined to take advantage of it, and remain a couple
of days for that purpose.

September 23.--Leaving my party to rest, after the fatigue they had
endured in forcing a way through the scrub, I set off after breakfast to
reconnoitre our position at Refuge Rocks, and to take a series of angles.
The granite elevation, under which we were encamped, I found to be one of
three small hills, forming a triangle, about a mile apart from each
other, and having sheets of granite lying exposed upon their summits,
containing deep holes which receive and retain water after rains. The
hill we were encamped under, was the highest of the three, and the only
one under which there was a spring. [Note 10: This was dried up in
October, 1842.] There was also better grass here than around either of the
other two; it appeared, too, to be the favourite halting place of the
natives, many of whose encampments still remained, and some of which
appeared to have been in use not very long ago. The bearings from the hill
we were under, of the other two elevations, which, with it, constitute
the Refuge Rocks, were N. 15 degrees W. and W. 35 degrees N. Baxter's
range was still visible in the distance, appearing low and wedge-shaped,
with the high end towards the east, at a bearing of N. 24 degrees E.
In the western extreme it bore N. 22 degrees E. Many other hills and
peaks were apparent in various directions, to all of which I took
angles, and then returned to the tent to observe the sun's meridian
altitude for latitude. By this observation, I made the latitude
33 degrees 11 minutes 12 seconds S.; but an altitude of Altair
at night only gave 33 degrees 10 minutes 6 seconds S.; probably
the mean of the two, or 33 degrees 10 minutes 39 seconds S., will be very
nearly the true position of the spring. From the summit of the hill I had
been upon, many native fires were visible in the scrub, in almost every
direction around. At one time I counted eleven different fires from t