upon them. We, however, who were so much clumsier in all our movements,
could not make use of the same expedient, nor indeed, would the size of
the wells, made by the natives, have enabled us even with their
assistance, to get out a moderate supply for the horses. It became
necessary, therefore, to open a new well, of much larger dimensions, a
task of no easy kind in so loose a sand.

Having put the overseer and men to their arduous employment, I ascended
the highest of the sand hills, and took a set of angles, among which
Point Fowler bore W. 16 degrees S. and Point Bell, E. 40 degrees S.

A small lake was visible at W. 40 degrees N. The country still looked
very cheerless in every direction, and no signs of improvement appeared
to relieve the dreary scene around, or to lead me to hope for better
country beyond.

Upon rejoining the well diggers, I found after great exertions they had
thrown out an immense quantity of sand, and made a large and commodious
well, and were just going to commence watering the horses; at this
juncture and before a single bucket of water could be taken out, the sand
slipped, and the sides of the well tumbled in, nearly burving alive the
man who was at the bottom. The labour of two hours was lost, and tired as
they were, the men had to begin their work afresh. It was eight at night
before the well was cleared out again sufficiently to enable us to water
the horses, for almost as fast as the sand was thrown out other sand fell
in; by nine the whole of them had received two buckets of water each,
when the sides of the well again shot in, and we were obliged to give up
our digging operations altogether, as the men were completely exhausted;
to relieve them Mr. Scott and I watched the horses during the night.

November 16.--Intending to remain in camp to-day, I set the men to clear
out the well once more. It was a tedious and laborious task, in
consequence of the banks of sand falling in so repeatedly, and
frustrating all their efforts, but at last by sinking a large cask bored
full of auger holes we contrived about one o'clock, to get all the horses
and sheep watered; in the evening, however, the whole again fell in, and
we gave up, in despair, the hopeless attempt to procure any further
supply of water, under such discouraging circumstances.

For some days past, we had been travelling through a country in which the
Mesembryanthemum grows in the greatest abundance, it was in full fruit,
and constituted a favourite and important article of food among the
native population; all our party partook of it freely, and found it both
a wholesome and an agreeable addition to their fare; when ripe, the fruit
is rich, juicy, and sweet, of about the size of a gooseberry. In hot
weather it is most grateful and refreshing. I had often tasted this fruit
before, but never until now liked it; in fact, I never in any other part
of Australia, saw it growing in such abundance, or in so great
perfection, as along the western coast. During our stay in camp a native
had been sent out to call some of the other natives, and towards evening
a good many came up, and were all regularly introduced to us by
'Wilguldy' and the others, who had been with us so long; I gave them a
feast of rice which they appeared to enjoy greatly. Our more immediate
friends and guides had learnt to drink tea, and eat meat and damper, with
which we supplied them liberally, in return for the valuable services
they rendered us.

November 17.--Moving on early, we were guided by the natives for about
twelve miles, round the head of Fowler's Bay, crossing through a very
sandy, scrubby, and hilly country, and encamping at a water hole, dug
between the sandy ridges, about two o'clock in the day. I had ridden a
little in advance of the party, and arriving at the water first,
surprised some women and children encamped there, and very busily engaged
in roasting snakes and lizards over a fire. They were much afraid and ran
away on seeing me, leaving their food upon the embers, this our friendly
guides unceremoniously seized upon and devoured, as soon as they came up
with the drays. These few women were the first we had seen for some time,
as the men appeared to keep them studiously out of our way, and it struck
me that this might be in consequence of the conduct of the whalers or
sealers with whom they might have come in contact on the coast. Old
Wilguldy, however, appeared to be less scrupulous on this point, and
frequently made very significant offers on the subject.

Soon after we had encamped several natives came up and joined those with
us. They were exceedingly polite and orderly--indeed the best conducted,
most obliging natives I ever met with--never troubling or importuning for
any thing, and not crowding around in that unmannerly disagreeable
manner, which savages frequently adopt--nor did I ever find any of them
guilty of theft; on the contrary, several times when we had left some
article behind, they called to us, and pointed it out. To them we were
indebted for the facilities we had enjoyed in obtaining water; for
without their guidance, we could never have removed from any encampment
without previously ascertaining where the next water could be procured;
and to have done this would have caused us great delay, and much
additional toil. By having them with us we were enabled to move with
confidence and celerity; and in following their guidance we knew that we
were taking that line of route which was the shortest, and the best
practicable under the circumstances. Upon arriving at any of the watering
places to which they had conducted us, they always pointed out the water,
and gave it up to us entirely, no longer looking upon it as their own,
and literally not taking a drink from it themselves when thirsty, without
first asking permission from us. Surely this true politeness--this
genuine hospitality of the untutored savage, may well put to the blush,
for their exclusiveness and illiberality, his more civilised brethren. In
how strong a light does such simple kindness of the inhabitant of the
wilds to Europeans travelling through his country (when his fears are not
excited or his prejudices violated,) stand contrasted with the treatment
he experiences from them when they occupy his country, and dispossess him
of his all.

There were now a considerable number of natives with us, all of whom had
been subjected to the singular ceremony before described. Those we had
recently met with, had, in addition, a curious brand, or mark on the
stomach, extending above and below the navel, and produced by the
application of fire. I had previously noticed a similar mark in use among
one or two tribes high up on the Murray River, (South Australia,) and
which is there called "Renditch." At the latter place, however, the brand
was on the breast, here it was on the stomach. I have never been able to
account in any way for the origin or meaning of this mark; but it is
doubtless used as a feature of distinction, or else why should it only be
found in one or two tribes and so far apart, had it been accidental or
arisen from lying near or upon the fires in cold weather, every
individual of certain tribes would not have been affected, and some
individuals of every tribe would: now, the first, as far as my experience
enabled me to judge, is the case; but the latter most assuredly is not.
Both at the Murray, and near Fowler's Bay, the natives always told me,
that the marks were made by fire, though how, or for what purpose, I
could never learn at either place.

November 18.--Our horses being all knocked up, and many of them having
their shoulders severely galled by the racking motion of the drays
winding up and down the heavy sandy ridges, or in and out of the dense
scrubs, I determined to remain for some time in depot to recover them,
whilst I reconnoitred the country to the west, as far as the head of the
great Australian Bight. To leave my party in the best position I could, I
sent the overseer round Point Fowler to see if there was any better place
for the horses in that direction, and to communicate with the master of
the WATERWITCH on the subject of landing our stores. Upon the overseer's
return, he reported that there was fresh water under Point Fowler, but
very little grass; that he had not been able to communicate with the
cutter, the wind being unfavourable and violent, and the cutter's boat on
board, but they had noticed him, and shewn their colours; he said,
moreover, that the vessel was lying in a very exposed situation, and did
not appear at all protected by Point Fowler, which, as she was not well
found in ground-tackle, might possibly occasion her being driven ashore,
if a gale came on from the south-east. This news was by no means
satisfactory, and I became anxious to get our things all landed that the
cutter might go to a place of greater safety.

November 19.--The wind still being unfavourable, the day was spent in
removing the drays, tents, etc. to a more elevated situation. Our camp had
been on the low ground, near the water, in the midst of many scrubby
hills, all of which commanded our position. There were now a great many
well armed natives around us, and though they were very kind and
friendly, I did not like the idea of their occupying the acclivities
immediately above us--at all events, not during my contemplated absence
from the party. I therefore had every thing removed to the hill next
above them, and was a good deal amused at the result of this manoeuvre,
for they seemed equally as uneasy as we had been at the heights above
them being occupied. In a very short time they also broke up camp, and
took possession of the next hill beyond us. This defeated the object I
had in view in our former removal, and I now determined not to be
out-manoeuvred any more, but take up our position on the highest hill we
could find. This was a very scrubby one, but by a vigorous application of
the axes for an hour or two, we completely cleared its summit; and then
taking up the drays, tent, baggage, etc. we occupied the best and most
commanding station in the neighbourhood. The result of this movement was,
that during the day the natives all left, and went in the direction of
where the cutter was. I was not sorry for their departure; for although
they had been very friendly and useful to us, yet now that I contemplated
keeping the party for a long time in camp, and should myself probably be
a considerable time absent, I was more satisfied at the idea of the
natives being away, than otherwise; not that I thought there was the
least danger to be apprehended from them if they were properly treated;
but the time of my men would be much occupied in attending to the horses
and sheep; and they were too few in number, to admit of much of that time
being taken up in watching the camp or the natives who might be near it;
for I always deemed it necessary, as a mere matter of prudence, to keep a
strict look out when any natives were near us, however friendly they
might profess to be.

Upon walking round the shores of Fowler's Bay, I found them literally
strewed in all directions with the bones and carcases of whales, which
had been taken here by the American ship I saw at Port Lincoln, and had
been washed on shore by the waves. To judge from the great number of
these remains, of which very many were easily recognisable as being those
of distinct animals, the American must have had a most fortunate and
successful season.

It has often surprised me, that the English having so many colonies and
settlements on the shores of Australia, should never think it worth their
while to send whalers to fish off its coasts, where the whales are in
such great numbers, and where the bays and harbours are so numerous and
convenient, for carrying on this lucrative employment. I believe scarcely
a single vessel fishes any where off these coasts, which are entirely
monopolised by the French and Americans, who come in great numbers; there
cannot, I think, be less than three hundred foreign vessels annually
whaling off the coasts, and in the seas contiguous to our possessions in
the Southern Ocean. I have generally met with a great many French and
American vessels in the few ports or bays that I have occasionally been
at on the southern coast of Australia; and I have no doubt that they all
reap a rich harvest.

Among the many relics strewed around Fowler's Bay, I found the shell of a
very large turtle laying on the beach; it had been taken by the crew of
the vessel that I met at Port Lincoln, and could not have weighed less
than three to four hundred weight. I was not previously aware that turtle
was ever found so far to the southward, and had never seen the least
trace of them before.




Chapter XII.



LAND THE STORES AND SEND THE CUTTER TO DENIAL BAY--PARTY REMOVE TO POINT
FOWLER--LEAVE THE PARTY--BEDS OF LAKES--DENSE SCRUB--COAST SAND
DRIFTS--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--DISTRESS OF THE HORSES--TURN
BACK--LEAVE A HORSE--FIND WATER--REJOIN PARTY--SEND FOR THE
HORSE--COUNTRY AROUND DEPOT--TAKE A DRAY TO THE WESTWARD--WRETCHED
COUNTRY--EALL IN WITH NATIVES--MISUNDERSTAND THEIR SIGNS--THEY LEAVE
US--VAIN SEARCH FOR WATER--TURN BACK--HORSE KNOCKED UP--GO BACK FOR
WATER--REJOIN THE DRAY--COMMENCE RETURN--SEARCH FOR WATER--DRAY
SURROUNDED BY NATIVES--EMBARRASSING SITUATION--BURY BAGGAGE--THREE HORSES
ABANDONED--REACH THE SAND DRIFTS--UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO SAVE THE
HORSES--SEND FOR FRESH HORSES--SEARCH FOR WATER TO N. E.--RECOVER THE
DRAY AND STORES--REJOIN THE PARTY AT DEPOT NEAR POINT FOWLER--RETURN OF
THE CUTTER.


November 20.--THE wind being favourable for the boats landing to-day, I
sent the overseer with pack-horses to the west side of Fowler's Bay, to
bring up some flour and other stores for the use of the party; at the
same time I wrote to the master of the cutter, to know whether he
considered his anchorage, at Fowler's Bay, perfectly safe. His reply was,
that the anchorage was good and secure if he had been provided with a
proper cable; but that as he was not, he could not depend upon the vessel
being safe; should a heavy swell set in from the southeast. Upon this
report, I decided upon landing all the stores from the cutter; and
sending her to lay at a secure place on the west side of Denial Bay,
until I returned from exploring the country, near the head of the Great
Bight. On the 22nd, I gave orders to this effect, at the same time
directing the captain to return to Fowler's Bay by the 11th December, at
which time I hoped to have accomplished the journey I contemplated.

On the same day I gave my overseer instructions for his guidance during
my absence; and after sending the drays on to the water behind Point
Fowler, that they might be nearer to the vessel, I set off on horseback
to the westward, accompanied by a native; and taking with us a pack-horse
to carry provisions. Crossing for about six miles through scrub, at a
west by south course, we entered open grassy plains, among which were
many beds of small dried up salt lakes. This description of country
continued for about six miles, when we again entered a very dense scrub,
and continued in it for eight miles, until we struck the coast. Not
finding any indications of water or grass, I pushed up along the beach
for three miles further, and was then obliged to encamp without either,
as it had become too dark to proceed.

November 23.--Moving along the coast for ten miles, we came to large high
drifts of pure white sand, from which some red-winged cockatoos and
pigeons flew out, and near which were several native encampments. I now
fully hoped to find water; but after a long and anxious examination, was
obliged to give up the search. I knew that our only hope of finding water
lay in these drifts of sand; but as it was frequently very difficult to
find, and never could be procured without digging, (sometimes to a great
depth,) I began to fear that our attempt to reach the head of the Bight
was almost hopeless. We had no means of digging in the sand to any depth;
whilst, from the constant drift, caused by the winds among these bare
hills, it was exceedingly disagreeable to remain even for a short time to
examine them. The wind was blowing strong, and whirlwinds of sand were
circling around us, with a violence which we could scarcely struggle
against, and during which we could hardly venture either to open our
eyes, or to draw our breath.

Leaving the sand-drifts we travelled behind the coast ridge through a
more open but still sandy country, making a long stage to some more high
bare sand-drifts, amidst which we again made a long but unsuccessful
search for water; at night we encamped near them, and our unfortunate
horses were again obliged to be tied up for the second time without
either grass or water.

November 24.--Finding that there was little prospect of procuring water
a-head, and that our horses were scarcely able to move at all, I felt it
necessary to retrace our steps as speedily as possible, to try to save
the lives of the animals we had with us. In order that we might effect
this and be encumbered by no unnecessary articles, I concealed, and left
among some bushes, all our baggage, pack-saddles, etc. After passing about
five miles beyond the sand-drifts where I had seen the cockatoos and
pigeons, one of the horses became completely exhausted and could not
proceed any further; I was necessitated therefore to tie him to a bush
and push on with the other two to save them.

When I left my party on the 22nd, I had directed them to remove to some
water-holes behind Point Fowler, but, as I had not seen this place
myself, I was obliged to steer in the dark in some measure at random, not
knowing exactly where they were. The greatest part of our route being
through a dense brush, we received many scratches and bruises from the
boughs as we led our horses along, to say nothing of the danger we were
constantly in of having our eyes put out by branches we could not see,
and which frequently brought us to a stand still by painful blows across
the face. At last we arrived at the open plains I had crossed on my
outward track, and following them down came to two deep holes in the
limestone rock, similar to the one behind Point Brown. By descending into
these holes we found a little water, and were enabled to give each of the
horses three pints; we then pushed on again, hoping to reach the camp,
but getting entangled among the scrub, were obliged at midnight to halt
until daylight appeared, being almost as much exhausted as the horses,
and quite as much in want of water, for we had not tasted the little that
had been procured from the hole found in the plains.

November 25.--At the first streak of daylight we moved on, and in one
mile and a half reached the camp near Point Fowler, before any of the
party were up. We had guessed our course well in the dark last night, and
could not have gone more direct had it been daylight. Having called up
the party and made them get a hasty breakfast, I hurried off a dray
loaded with water, and accompanied by the overseer, one man, and the
black boy, to follow up our tracks to where the tired horse had been
tied. During my absence I found that every thing but the cart had been
landed from the cutter, and safely brought up to the camp, and that as
soon as that was on shore she would be ready to go and lie at anchor at
Denial Bay.

About noon I was greatly surprised and vexed to see my overseer return
driving the loose horses before him. It seemed that whilst feeding around
the camp they had observed the dray and other horses going away and had
followed upon the tracks, so that the overseer had no alternative but to
drive them back to the camp. This was very unfortunate, as it would
occasion great delay in reaching the one we had left tied in the scrub. I
directed the overseer to hurry back as rapidly as possible, and by
travelling all night to endeavour to make up for lost time, for I greatly
feared that if not relieved before another day passed away, it would be
quite impossible to save the animal alive.

After resting myself a little I walked about to reconnoitre the
neighbourhood of our camp, not having seen it before. The situation was
at the west side of the upper extreme of Point Fowler, immediately behind
the sand-drifts of the coast, which there were high, bare, and of white
sand. The water was on the inland side, immediately under the sand-hills,
and procured in the greatest abundance and of good quality, by sinking
from one to three feet. It was found in a bed of white pipe-clay. To the
north-west of us were some open grassy plains, among which our horses and
sheep obtained their food, whilst here and there were scattered a few
salt swamps or beds of lakes, generally, however, dry. The whole country
was of fossil formation, and the borders of the lakes and swamps
exhibited indurated masses of marine shells, apparently but a very recent
deposit. Further inland the country was crusted on the surface with an
oolitic limestone, and for the most part covered by brush; a few open
plains being interspersed here and there among the scrubs, as is
generally the case in that description of country.

The natives still appeared to be in our neighbourhood, but none had been
near us since they first left on the 19th. I would now gladly have got
one of them to accompany me to look for water, but none could be found.
On the 26th and 27th I was occupied in getting up the cart, some casks,
etc. from the cutter, and preparing for another attempt to round the head
of the Great Bight. The vessel then sailed for Denial Bay, where she
could lie in greater safety, until I required her again.

Early on the 27th the man and black boy returned with the dray from the
westward, they had found the horse very weak and much exhausted, but by
care and attention he was got a little round, and the overseer had
remained to bring him slowly on: he had been four entire days and nights
without food or water, and for the first two days and a half of this time
had been severely worked. In the evening the overseer came up, driving
the jaded animal, somewhat recovered indeed--but miserably reduced in
condition.

The party with the dray had taken spades with them to dig for water at
the sand hills, where I had seen the pigeons and cockatoos on the 23rd,
and at ten feet they had been lucky enough to procure abundance, which
although of a brackish quality was usable; from the great depth, however,
at which it was obtained, and the precarious nature of the soil, it was
very troublesome to get at it.

November 28.--This morning I sent away a dray with three horses, carrying
seventy gallons of water to assist me in again endeavouring to get round
the Bight. As the road was very scrubby, and much impeded by fallen
timber, I had previously sent on a man to clear it a little; and about
ten o'clock I followed with the native boy. We got tolerably well through
the scrub, and encamped in a plain about sixteen miles from the depot,
where there was good grass. The weather being cool and showery, our
horses would not drink more than a bucket each from the casks.

November 29.--Having moved on the dray early over rather a heavy road, we
took up our quarters under the white sand-drifts, after a stage of nine
miles. I then left the boy in charge of the camp, and proceeded myself
with the two men, and provided with spades and buckets, to where the
overseer had obtained water by digging; the place was about two miles
from our camp, between the sand-drifts and the sea, and immediately
behind the front ridges of the coast. By enlarging the hole, and sinking
a tub bored full of holes, we managed to water the horses, and get a
supply for ourselves. In the afternoon an attempt was made to dig a well
nearer the camp, but a stratum of rock put an end to our labours.

November 30.--Sending back one of the men to the depot, I left the native
boy to guide the dray, whilst I diverged towards the coast to look for
water among the sand-drifts, that were seen occasionally in that
direction; in none of them, however, could I obtain a drop. The country
travelled over consisted of very heavy sand ridges, covered for the most
part with low scrub, and as the stage was a long one (twenty-two miles),
I found upon overtaking the dray that the horses were knocked up, and a
party of fourteen natives surrounding it, who were making vehement
gesticulations to the man not to proceed, and he being only accompanied
by a single black boy was greatly alarmed, and did not know what to do;
indeed, had I not arrived opportunely, I have no doubt that he would have
turned the horses round, and driven back again. Upon coming up with the
natives, I saw at once that none of them had been with us before, but at
the same time they appeared friendly and well-behaved, making signs for
us not to proceed, and pointing to some sand-drifts at the coast which we
had passed, implying, as I understood them, that there was water there.
We were now in an opening among the scrub, consisting of small grassy
undulating plains, and at these I determined to halt for the night,
hoping the natives would remain near us, and guide us to water to-morrow.
To induce them to do this, after giving the horses each two buckets of
water, I gave two gallons among them also, besides some bread. They at
once took possession of an elevation a little above our position, and
formed their camp for the night. As we were so few in number compared to
the natives, we were obliged to keep a watch upon them during the whole
night, and they did the same upon us--but at a much less individual
inconvenience from their number; they appeared to take the duty in
turn--two always being upon guard at once.

December 1.--After giving the natives some water, and taking breakfast
ourselves, we moved on in the direction they wished us to go, followed by
the whole party; at two miles they brought us to the sea over a dreadful
heavy road, but upon then asking them where the water was, they now told
us to our horror, that there was "mukka gaip-pe," or, no water.
The truth was now evident, we had mutually misunderstood one
another; they seeing strangers suddenly appear, had taken it for granted
they came from the sea, and pointed there, whilst we, intent only upon
procuring water, had fancied they had told us we should find it where
they pointed; upon reaching the coast both were disappointed--they at not
seeing a ship, and we at not finding water.

It was now a difficult matter to decide what to do: our horses were
greatly jaded, owing to the hilly and sandy character of the country; our
water was reduced to a low ebb in the casks, for relying upon the natives
guiding us to more, we had used it improvidently; whilst the very least
distance we could be away from the water, at the sand-drifts, was
twenty-five miles; if we went back we lost all our previous labour, and
could not do so without leaving the dray behind, and if we went forward,
it was very problematical whether water could be procured within any
distance attainable by our tired horses.

The natives now asserted there was water to the north-west, but that it
was a long way off. As they still seemed willing to accompany us, I
determined to proceed, and pushed on parallel with the coast behind the
front ridges; at nine miles the horses were quite exhausted, and could
get no further, so that I was obliged to halt for the night, where a few
tufts of withered grass were found under the hummocks.

Our sable friends had gradually dropped off, one or two at a time, until
only three remained. These I endeavoured to make friends with, by giving
them plenty of water and bread, and after taking a hasty meal, I got them
to go with me and the native boy along the coast, to search for water.
After going about a mile, they would proceed no further, making signs
that they should be very thirsty, and enabling me clearly to comprehend,
that there was no water until the head of the Great Bight was rounded. As
I did not know exactly, what the actual distance might be, I still hoped
I should be able to reach it, and leaving the natives to return, I and
the boy pushed on beyond all the sandy hills and cliffs, to the low sandy
tract bordering upon the head of the Bight, from which we were about
twelve miles distant. The day was hazy, or the cliffs of the Great Bight
would have been distinctly visible.

We lost a good deal of time in tracking the foot-steps of a party of
native women and children, among some bare sand-drifts, hoping the track
would lead to water; but the party seemed to have been rambling about
without any fixed object, and all our efforts to find water were in vain;
the whole surface of the country, (except where it was hidden by the
sand-drifts) was one sheet of limestone crust, and wherever we attempted
to dig among the sand-drifts, the rock invariably stopped us.

As it was getting on towards evening, I returned to where I had left the
dray, and giving each of the horses one bucket of water and five pints of
oats, was obliged to have them tied for the night, myself and the man
being too much fatigued to watch them.

December 2.--We had not moved far upon our return, when one of our most
valuable dray-horses became completely overdone with fatigue, and I was
obliged to take it out of the team and put in a riding horse, to try, if
possible, to reach the plains where the grass was. 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 watering the horses, we took ten gallons upon a
pack-horse, and proceeded on our return to the man we had left; the state
in which our own horses were, having made it absolutely necessary to give
them the day's rest they had yesterday enjoyed. We arrived about five in
the afternoon, at the little plain where we had left the man; he was
anxiously looking out for us, having just finished his last quart of
water. The poor mare looked very weak and wretched, but after giving her
at intervals, eight gallons of water, she fed a little, and I fully hoped
we should succeed in saving her life. No natives had been seen during our
absence.

The night set in very dark and lowering, and I expected a heavy fall of
rain; to catch which we spread our oilskins and tarpaulin, and placed out
the buckets and pannekins, or whatever else would hold water: a few
drops, however, only fell, and the storm passed away, leaving us as much
under a feeling of disappointment, as we had been previously of hope: one
little shower would have relieved us at once from all our difficulties.

December 5.--Upon getting up early, I thought the horses looked so much
refreshed, that we might attempt to take back the dray, and had some of
the strongest of them yoked up. We proceeded well for two miles and a
half to our encampment of the 30th November; and as there was then a well
defined track, I left the man to proceed alone, whilst I myself went once
more to the coast to make a last effort to procure water among some of
the sand-drifts. In this I was unsuccessful. There were not the slightest
indications of water existing any where. In returning to rejoin the dray,
I struck into our outward track, about three miles below, where I had
left it, and was surprised to find that the dray had not yet passed,
though I had been three hours absent. Hastily riding up the track, I
found the man not half a mile from where I had left him, and surrounded
by natives. They had come up shortly after my departure; and the man,
getting alarmed, was not able to manage his team properly, but by
harassing them had quite knocked up all the horses; the sun was getting
hot, and I saw at once it would be useless to try and take the dray any
further.

Having turned out the horses to rest a little, I went to the natives to
try to find out, if possible, where they procured water, but in vain.
They insisted that there was none near us, and pointed in the direction
of the head of the Bight to the north-west, and of the sand hills to the
south-east, as being the only places where it could be procured; when I
considered, however, that I had seen these same natives on the 30th
November, and that I found them within half a mile of the same place,
five days afterwards, I could not help thinking that there must be water
not very far away. It is true, the natives require but little water
generally, but they cannot do without it altogether. If there was a small
hole any where near us, why they should refuse to point it out, I could
not imagine. I had never before found the least unwillingness on their
part to give us information of this kind; but on the contrary, they were
ever anxious and ready to conduct us to the waters that they were
acquainted with. I could only conclude, therefore, that what they stated
was true--that there was no water near us, and that they had probably
come out upon a hunting excursion, and carried their own supplies with
them in skins, occasionally, perhaps, renewing this from the small
quantities found in the hollows of the gum scrub, and which is deposited
there by the rains, or procuring a drink, as they required it, from the
long lateral roots of the same tree. [Note 26: Vide Chapter XVI., towards
the close.] I have myself seen water obtained in both these ways. The
principal inducement to the natives to frequent the small plains
where we were encamped, appeared to be, to get the fruit of the
Mesembryanthemum, which grew there in immense quantities, and was
now just ripe; whilst the scrub, by which these plains were surrounded,
seemed to be alive with wallabie, adding variety to abundance in the
article of food.

We were now on the horns of a very serious dilemma: our horses were
completely fagged out, and could take the dray no further. We were
surrounded by natives, and could not leave it, and the things upon it,
whilst they were present (for many of these things we could not afford to
lose); and on the other hand, we were twenty-two miles from any water,
and our horses were suffering so much from the want of it, that unless we
got them there shortly, we could not hope to save the lives of any one of
them.

Had the natives been away, we could have buried the baggage, and left the
dray; but as it was, we had only to wait patiently, hoping they would
soon depart. Such, however, was not their intention; there they sat
coolly and calmly, facing and watching us, as if determined to sit us
out. It was most provoking to see the careless indifference with which
they did this, sheltering themselves under the shade of a few shrubs, or
lounging about the slopes near us, to gather the berries of the
Mesembryanthemum. I was vexed and irritated beyond measure, as hour after
hour passed away, and our unconscious tormentors still remained. Every
moment, as it flew, lessened the chance of saving the lives of our
horses; and yet I could not bring myself to abandon so many things that
we could not do without, and which we could not in any way replace. What
made the circumstances, too, so much worse, was, that we had last night
given to our horses every drop of water, except the small quantity put
apart for our breakfasts.

We had now none, and were suffering greatly from the heat, and from
thirst, the day being calm and clear, and intolerably hot. When we had
first unyoked the horses, I made the man and native boy lay down in the
shade, to sleep, whilst I attended to the animals, and kept an eye on the
natives. About noon I called them up again, and we all made our dinner
off a little bread, and some of the fruit that grew around us, the
moisture of which alone enabled us to eat at all, our mouths were so
thoroughly dry and parched.

A movement was now observed among the natives; and gathering up their
spears, they all went off. Having placed the native boy upon an eminence
to watch them, the man and I at once set to work to carry our baggage to
the top of a sand-hill, that it might be buried at some distance from the
dray. We had hardly commenced our labours, however, before the boy called
out that the natives were returning, and in a little time they all
occupied their former position; either they had only gone as a ruse to
see what we intended to do, or they had been noticing us, and had seen us
removing our baggage, or else they had observed the boy watching them,
and wished to disappoint him. Whatever the inducement was, there they
were again, and we had as little prospect of being able to accomplish our
object as ever. If any thing could have palliated aggressive measures
towards the aborigines, it would surely be such circumstances as we were
now in; our own safety, and the lives of our horses, depended entirely
upon our getting rid of them. Yet with the full power to compel them (for
we were all armed), I could not admit the necessity of the case as any
excuse for our acting offensively towards those who had been friendly to
us, and who knew not the embarrassment and danger which their presence
caused us.

Strongly as our patience had been exercised in the morning, it was still
more severely tested in the afternoon--for eight long hours had those
natives sat opposite to us watching. From eight in the morning until four
in the afternoon, we had been doomed to disappointment. About this time,
however, a general movement again took place; once more they collected
their spears, shouldered their wallets, and moved off rapidly and
steadily towards the south-east. It was evident they had many miles to go
to their encampment, and I now knew we should be troubled with them no
more. Leaving the boy to keep guard again upon the hill, the man and I
dug a large hole, and buried all our provisions, harness, pack-saddles,
water-casks, etc. leaving the dray alone exposed in the plains. After
smoothing the surface of the ground, we made a large fire over the place
where the things were concealed, and no trace remained of the earth
having been disturbed.

We had now no time to lose, and moving away slowly, drove the horses
before us towards the water. The delay, however, had been fatal; the
strength of the poor animals was too far exhausted, and before we had
gone seven miles, one of them could not proceed, and we were obliged to
leave him; at three miles further two more were unable to go on, and
they, too, were abandoned, though within twelve miles of the water. We
had still two left, just able to crawl along, and these, by dint of great
perseverance and care, we at last got to the water about four o'clock in
the morning of the 6th. They were completely exhausted, and it was quite
impossible they could go back the same day, to take water to those we had
left behind. The man, myself, and the boy were in but little better
plight; the anxiety we had gone through, the great heat of the weather,
and the harassing task of travelling over the heavy sandy hills, covered
with scrub, in the dark, and driving jaded animals before us, added to
the want of water we were suffering under, had made us exceedingly weak,
and rendered us almost incapable of further exertion. In the evening I
sent the man, who had been resting all day, to try and bring the two
horses nearest to us a few miles on the road, whilst I was to meet him
with water in the morning. Native fires were seen to the north-east of us
at night, but the people did not seem to have been at the water at the
sand-hills for their supply, no traces of their having recently visited
it being found.

December 7.--After giving the horses water we put ten gallons upon one of
them, and hurried off to the animals we had left. The state of those with
us necessarily made our progress slow, and it was four o'clock before we
arrived at the place where they were, about eleven miles from the water.
The man had gone on to the furthest of the three, and had brought them
all nearly together; upon joining him we received the melancholy
intelligence, that our best draught mare had just breathed her
last--another lay rolling on the ground in agony--and the third appeared
but little better. After moistening their mouths with water, we made
gruel for them with flour and water, and gave it to them warm: this they
drank readily, and appeared much revived by it, so that I fully hoped we
should save both of them. After a little time we gave each about four
gallons of water, and fed them with all the bread we had. We then let
them rest and crop the withered grass until nine o'clock, hoping, that in
the cool of the evening, we should succeed in getting them to the water,
now so few miles away. At first moving on, both horses travelled very
well for two miles, but at the end of the third, one of them was unable
to go any further, and I left the man to remain, and bring him on again
when rested; the other I took on myself to within six miles of the water,
when he, too, became worn out, and I had to leave him, and go for a fresh
supply of water.

About four in the morning of the 8th, I arrived with the boy at the
water, just as day was breaking, and quite exhausted. We managed to water
the two horses with us, but were too tired either to make a fire or get
anything to eat ourselves; and lay down for an hour or two on the sand.
At six we got up, watered the horses again, and had breakfast; after
which, I filled the kegs and proceeded once more with ten gallons of
water to the unfortunate animals we had left behind. The black boy was
too tired to accompany me, and I left him to enjoy his rest, after giving
him my rifle for his protection, in the event of natives coming during my
absence.

Upon arriving at the place where I had left the horse, I found him in a
sad condition, but still alive. The other, left further away, in charge
of the man, had also been brought up to the same place, but died just as
I got up to him; there was but one left now out of the three, and to save
him, all our care and attention were directed. By making gruel, and
giving it to him constantly, we got him round a little, and moved him on
to a grassy plain, about a mile further; here we gave him a hearty drink
of water, and left him to feed and rest for several hours. Towards
evening we again moved on slowly, and as he appeared to travel well, I
left the man to bring him on quietly for the last five miles, whilst I
took back to the water the two noble animals that had gone through so
much and such severe toil in the attempt made to save the others. In the
evening I reached the camp near the water, and found the native boy quite
safe and recruited. For the first time for many nights, I had the
prospect of an undisturbed rest; but about the middle of the night I was
awoke by the return of the man with the woful news, that the last of the
three horses was also dead, after travelling to within four miles of the
water. All our efforts, all our exertions had been in vain; the dreadful
nature of the country, and our unlucky meeting with the natives, had
defeated the incessant toil and anxiety of seven days' unremitting
endeavours to save them; and the expedition had sustained a loss of three
of its best horses, an injury as severe as it was irreparable.

December 9.--At day-break, this morning, I sent off the man to the depot
at Fowler's Bay, with orders to the overseer to send five fresh horses,
two men, and a supply of provisions; requesting Mr. Scott to accompany
them, for the purpose of taking back the two tired horses we still had
with us at the sand-hills. Upon the man's departure, we took the two
horses to water, and brought up ten gallons to the camp, where the grass
was; after which, whilst the horses were feeding and resting, we tried to
pass away the day in the same manner; the heat, however, was too great,
and the troubles and anxieties of the last few days had created such an
irritation of mind that I could not rest: my slumbers were broken and
unrefreshing; but the boy managed better, he had no unpleasant
anticipations for the future, and already had forgotten the annoyance of
the past.