from the last water; we had been four whole days and nights without a
drop for our horses, and almost without food also, (for parched as they
were they could not feed upon the dry and withered grass we found.) The
state the poor animals were in was truly pitiable, what then was likely
to be the condition of those that were coming after us, and carrying
heavy packs. It was questionable, even, if they would reach the distance
we had already attained in safety; and it was clear, that unless I
discovered water early in the morning, the whole of our horses must
perish, whilst it would be very doubtful if we could succeed even in
saving our own lives.

March 11.--Early this morning we moved on, leading slowly our jaded
animals through the scrub. The night had been one of painful suspense and
gloomy forebodings; and the day set in dark and cloudy, as if to
tantalise us with the hope of rain which was not destined to fall. In a
few miles we reached the edge of the cliffs, from which we had a good
view of the sandy valley we had been travelling round, but which the
thick scrub had prevented our scrutinising sooner. I now noticed some
hillocks of bare sand in the midst of it. These I had not seen before, as
the only previous point from which they could have been visible had been
passed by us in the dark. It now struck me, that the water spoken of by
the natives at Yeerkumban-kauwe might be situated among these sand-hills,
and that we were going away from instead of approaching it. The bare idea
of such a possibility was almost maddening, and as the dreadful thought
flashed across my mind I stood for a moment undecided and irresolute as
to what I ought to do. We were now many miles past these hills, and if we
went back to examine them for water, and did not find it, we could never
hope that our horses would be able to return again to search elsewhere;
whilst if there was water there, and we did not return, every step we
took would but carry us further from it, and lead to our certain
destruction.

For a few minutes I carefully scanned the line of coast before me. In the
distance beyond a projecting point of the cliffs, I fancied I discerned a
low sandy shore, and my mind was made up at once, to advance in the line
we were pursuing. After a little while, we again came to a well beaten
native pathway, and following this along the summit of the cliffs, were
brought by it, in seven miles, to the point where they receded from the
sea-