We just got to the
borders of this open patch of country, when the poor animal (a mare)
could not be got a yard farther, and we were compelled to halt and decide
upon what was best to be done. The water in the cask was nearly all
consumed, the mare could not stir, and the other horses were very weak,
so that no time was to be lost; I immediately decided upon leaving the
man to take care of the mare and the dray, whilst I and the native boy
took the other horses back for more water; having measured out to the
man, water amounting to a quart per day, during our contemplated absence,
I gave all that was left, consisting of about half a bucket full, to the
mare, and then accompanied by the boy, pushed steadily back towards the
water at the sand hills, distant about twenty-five miles. At dark we
arrived there, but the sand had fallen in, and we had to labour hard to
clear out the hole again; it was eleven o'clock at night before we could
get the horses watered, and we then had to take them a mile and a half
before we could get any grass for them. Returning from this duty, we had
to collect and carry on our backs for more than a mile, a few bundles of
sticks and bushes, to make a little fire for ourselves, near the water,
the night being intensely cold. It was past two o'clock in the morning
before we could lay down, and then, tired and harassed as we were, it was
too cold and damp for us to rest.

December 3.--The scorching rays of the morning sun awoke us early, weary
and unrefreshed, we had no trees to shade us, and were obliged to get up.
After looking at the well, and congratulating ourselves upon its not
having fallen in, we set off to look for the horses, they had wandered
away in search of food, causing us a long and tiresome walk over the
sand-hills in the sun, before we could find them; having at last got them
and driven them to where the water was, we were chagrined to find that
during our absence the well had again fallen in, and we had the labour of
clearing it out to go through again.

The day was excessively oppressive, with a hot parching wind, and both we
and the horses drank incessantly. Towards night we took the horses away
to the grass, and remained near them ourselves for the sake of the
firewood, which was there more abundant.

We had thunder towards evening, and a few dops of rain fell, but not
sufficient to moderate the temperature, the heat continuing as oppressive
as before.

December 4.--After w