ary provision; the next, that the country through
which they must pass was infested by blacks; the next, that he waited
for his appointment to be confirmed by the authorities at Melbourne; and
all this time he knew that Burke depended solely upon him to keep up
communication with the depot from the Darling.

Finally he started at the end of January (summer in Australia), more
than a month after his appointment was officially confirmed, and more
than two months after his return from Menindie.

For the first few days after Burke and Wills set off they followed up
the creek, and though the banks were rugged and stony, there was plenty
of grass and soft bush near. They soon fell in with a large tribe of
blacks, the first they had seen, who followed them for some time, and
constantly tried to entice them to their camp to dance. When they
refused to go the natives became very troublesome, until they threatened
to shoot them.

They were fine-looking men, but easily frightened, and only carried as a
means of defence a shield and a large kind of boomerang.

The channel of the Creek was often quite dry for a great distance; then
a chain of magnificent water-holes followed, from whose shady pools
pelicans, black swans, and many species of duck flew up in flocks at the
approach of the travellers.

After a few days they reached what seemed to be the end of Cooper's
Creek, and, steering a more north-easterly course, they journeyed for
some time over great plains covered by dry grass-stalks or barren sandy
ridges, on the steep sides of which grew scant tufts of porcupine grass;
sometimes following the lines of a creek, or, again, travelling along
the edge of a splendid lagoon that stretched its placid waters for miles
over the monotonous landscape.

Even the stony desert they found far from bad travelling ground, and but
little different from much of what they had already crossed.

Yet ever before them there, from the sunrise to its setting, the
spectral illusive shapes of the mirage floated like restless spirit
betwixt heaven and earth on the quivering heat-haze.

On January 7 they crossed the Tropic of Capricorn, and their way beyond
it soon began to improve.

In the excitement of exploring fine country Burke rushed on with almost
headlong feverishness, travelling in every available hour of the day,
and often by night, even grudging the necessary time for food and rest.
He walked with Wills in front, taking it in turn with