ter, provisions, and the pack-saddle
at the camp, I sent the man back with the pack-horse to encamp at the
undulating plains, where nine gallons of water had been left for him and
his horse, and the following day he was to rejoin the overseer at the
sand hills.

To the latter I sent a note, requesting him to send two fresh horses to
meet me at the plains on the 15th of January, for, from the weak
condition of the animals we had with us, and from the almost total
absence of grass for them, I could not but dread lest we might be obliged
to abandon them too, and in this case, if we did not succeed in finding
water, we should perhaps have great difficulty in returning ourselves.

As soon as the man was gone, we once more moved on to the north-west,
through the same barren region of heavy sandy ridges, entirely destitute
of grass or timber. After travelling through this for ten miles, we came
upon a native pathway, and following it under the hummocks of the coast
for eight miles, lost it at some bare sand-drifts, close to the head of
the Great Bight, where we had at last arrived, after our many former
ineffectual attempts.

Following the general direction the native pathway had taken, we ascended
the sand-drifts, and finding the recent tracks of natives, we followed
them from one sand-hill to another, until we suddenly came upon four
persons encamped by a hole dug for water in the sand. We had so
completely taken them by surprise, that they were a good deal alarmed,
and seizing their spears, assumed an offensive attitude. Finding that we
did not wish to injure them, they became friendly in their manner, and
offered us some fruit, of which they had a few quarts on a piece of bark.
This fruit grows upon a low brambly-looking bush, upon the sand-hills or
in the flats, where the soil is of a saline nature. It is found also in
the plains bordering upon the lower parts of the Murrumbidgee, but in
much greater abundance along the whole line of coast to the westward. The
berry is oblong, about the shape and size of an English sloe, is very
pulpy and juicy, and has a small pyramidal stone in the centre, which is
very hard and somewhat indented. When ripe it is a dark purple, a clear
red, or a bright yellow, for there are varieties. The purple is the best
flavoured, but all are somewhat saline in taste. To the natives these
berries are an important article of food at this season of the year, and
to obtain them and the fruit of the m