. . The Remaining Portion Of The Horizon
Was One Even, Straight Line:
Not a hill or break of any kind, and except
the narrow line of the creek, was barren and
Worthless in the extreme, the
red soil of the level portions of the surface being partially clothed
with Triodia and a few small trees, or rather bushes, rendering the long,
straight ridges of fiery-red, drifting sand more conspicuous."
So Gregory retraced his tracks up the Sturt Creek, and when one remembers
that he had horses, one can only say, "And a good judge too."
Leaving Mount Wilson we steered East and cut the creek that I had seen,
and were glad to find feed near it for both horses and camels. I walked
it up to its head, and found a little rocky pool of water, returning
after dark. Breaden and Warri had been out too, but found nothing. Having
watered the animals, next morning, the 22nd, I steered a course to take
us through a piece of country previously traversed by Warburton, with
Lake White (a dry salt-lake) as our goal, for round it I hoped to find
creeks and clay-pans. I depended on none of Warburton's waters, though he
had some marked on his chart, since I knew that doubts existed as to the
accuracy of his positions, and I preferred to rely upon our own methods
of finding water rather than to waste time in hunting for wells that we
might not find. For the next few days we were crossing spinifex plains
and passing distant hills and tablelands of sandstone. The days were very
hot, but since rising from the hollow of the lake the nights had become
very much cooler. We had come so suddenly into desert country that the
animals gave us great trouble, being unable, poor things, to find any
food. Late starts were the order of the day, camels having wandered miles
in one direction followed by Breaden and Warri, and the horses in another
followed by me.
On the 23rd we found ourselves again amongst the sand ridges, high, red,
and steep; we were now in lat. 20 degrees 30 minutes, and from that date
and point this awful country continued almost without a break, ridge
succeeding ridge with perfect regularity and running, as before, dead
across our route, until we reached lat. 24 degrees 45 minutes on June
2nd - a period of forty one days, during which we travelled 451 miles. Thus
it will be seen that in the far eastern portion of the Colony the ridges
of drift-sand extend over a greater length of country than in the centre;
and consequently our return journey was accomplished with greater
difficulties before us, and with an almost total lack of feed for our
stock - less even than on the first trip but to balance these drawbacks we
had cool nights, lighter equipment, and the advantage of previous
experience - and the incentive of knowing that our rations would not last
out unless we made all speed.
On the 24th we crossed a range of barren hills, which I named the Gordon
Hills, after our friends of Flora Valley. In the neighbourhood Godfrey
picked up a perfectly white egg, somewhat resembling that of an emu,
which lay upon a hummock of spinifex; presumably it had been bleached by
the sun. From the hills to the S.S.W., across high ridges of sand, can be
seen a range apparently of some altitude, distant some twenty-five miles;
this I named the Stretch Range, after our kind host of Denison Downs
Station. From the Gordon Hills we continued on our course for a smoke we
had sighted the day before, and before long picked up two fresh tracks,
which we followed. From some stony rises a large, prominent hill came
into view, as if formed of three great steps of bare rock. This I named
Mount Elphinstone, after my cousin, and towards it we shaped our course,
still on the tracks.
That night we were again forced to camp on a barren spot, and again our
animals wandered far afield. Unless absolutely necessary, I have a great
objection to tying them up at nights, for then they are sure beyond
question of getting nothing to eat; whereas wandering they may find a
patch of herbage or bushes. That night we saw the fire of a native camp
and heard distant screams. In the morning a mob of blacks passed our camp
all unaware of our presence; Breaden and Warri were hunting the camels
and I the horses. As soon as I brought them in we followed and stopped
some of the natives, and they returned with us to camp and presently
decoyed others who were passing.
There was nothing remarkable about these savages except that they were
tall and well-made and fairly friendly. One had the skin disease from
which we had noticed others suffering. An old man, and a young, rather
handsome, buck came with us and went ahead as guides. Their camp had
been, as is the rule, on the top of a sand-ridge - chosen, no doubt, as a
position suitable for watching the approach of others. A four-mile stage
brought us to a nice little oasis - a small area of grass, surrounded by
ti-trees, enclosed by two sand-ridges. In the centre of the grass three
good soaks, in black, sandy soil, yielded sufficient for all our needs at
the expenditure of but little labour. The horses appreciated the change,
and unless we had given them water in instalments would have assuredly
burst themselves. They drank in all sixteen gallons apiece! Seeing that
they had never been in anything but good country all their lives, and
that now we had suddenly come out of it into the howling waste, they
showed satisfactory endurance, having been eighty hours with only six
gallons of water each during that time. What English thoroughbred could
have done this?
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