All The Water-Holes Along The Low
Ridges And Within The Bed Of The River, Were Full Of Water; And
The
district seemed to be one of those which, from their peculiar
conformation of surface, are more frequently favoured by
Thunder-storms.
Native companions flew down the river, and flights of ducks held their
course in the same direction. With the hope of finding a good supply of
water lower down, we continued our journey on the 21st March. The creek
frequently divided into channels, forming large islands of a mile and a
mile and a-half in length, covered with scrub, and over which freshes had
swept. All at once, the water disappeared; the deepest holes were dry;
the Melaleucas were not to be found; the flooded-gums became very rare,
and the rich green grass was replaced by a scanty wiry grass. The whole
river seemed to divide into chains of dry water-holes, scarcely connected
by hollows. Two miles farther we came to a fine large water-hole,
surrounded by Polygonums and young water-grass, and, at two miles
farther, to another, and in about the same distance to a third. Recent
camps of the natives were on each of them, and a beaten path led from one
to the other. One of these holes was crossed by a weir made of sticks for
catching fish. Bones of large fish, turtle shells, and heaps of muscles,
were strewed round the fire places.
The whole day was bright and very hot; the wind in the afternoon from
E.S.E. The latitude of our last camp was 21 degrees 31 minutes 16
seconds, being about eighteen miles W.N.W. from the lake.
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