n
feet.

If for a moment they went to windward of their camp fires they were
maddened by swarms of mosquitoes, and everywhere were pestered by ants.

Wonderful green and scarlet ants dropped upon them from the trees as
they passed; from every log or stick gathered for the fires a new
species crept; inch-long black or brown 'bulldogs' showed fight at them
underfoot: midgets lurked in the cups of flowers; while the giant white
ant ate its stealthy way in swarms through the sap of the forest trees
from root to crown.

Every night fierce storms of thunder crashed and crackled overhead, and
the vivid lightning flaring across the heavens overpowered the
moonlight.

Gray, who had been ailing for some time, grew worse, though probably, as
they were all in such evil plight, they did not think him really ill.

One night Wills, returning to a camp to bring back some things that had
been left, found him hiding behind a tree eating skilligolee. He
explained he was suffering from dysentery, and had taken the flour
without leave.

It had already been noticed that the provisions disappeared in an
unaccountable way; therefore Wills ordered him back to report himself to
Burke. But Gray was afraid to tell, and got King to do so for him. When
Burke heard of it, he was very angry, and flogged him.

On March 20 they overhauled the packs, and left all they could do
without behind, as the camels were so exhausted.

Soon after this they were again beyond the line of rainfall, and once
more toiling over the vast plains and endless stony rises of the
interior.

At the camp called Boocha's Rest they killed the camel Boocha, and spent
the whole day cutting up and jerking the flesh--that is, removing all
bone and fat and drying the lean parts in the sun; they also now made
use of a plant called portulac as a vegetable, and found it very good,
and a great addition to their food.

For more than a week it had become very troublesome to get Gray to walk
at all; he was still in such bad odour from his thieving that the rest
of the party thought he pretended illness, and as they had to halt
continually to wait for him when marching, he was always in mischief.

The faithful Billy had to be sacrificed in the Stony Desert, as he was
so reduced and knocked up that there seemed little chance of his
reaching the other side; and another day was taken to cut up and jerk
his flesh.

At dawn on the fourth day before they reached the depot, when they