We Also Crossed Chains Of Water-Holes Surrounded By A Coarse
Stargrass; These Now Changed Into Creeks With Deep And Irregular Beds,
Lined With Melaleucas, And Now Again Dwindled Into Shallow Channels,
Scarcely To Be Recognised Amidst The Surrounding Scrub.
A week before,
these holes were hopelessly dry; but a recent thunder-storm had filled
them; and had also made the ground soft and heavy, and had called into
life thousands of small frogs, which, by an incessant croaking, testified
their satisfaction at the agreeable change.
Dec. 25. - We returned to Brown's Lagoons, and entered our camp just as
our companions were sitting down to their Christmas dinner of suet
pudding and stewed cockatoos. The day was cloudy and sultry; we had had a
heavy thunder-storm on Christmas eve.
Dec. 26. - During the night, scud passed from the east; in the morning we
had some heavy showers without wind; it cleared up at ten o'clock, and we
took advantage of four hours fair weather to travel on. We again passed
the huts of the natives, and encamped about seven miles farther down the
creek. We were, however, scarcely housed, when heavy showers of rain
began to fall, and rendered the soil, which was a stiff loam, heavy and
boggy.
Dec. 27. - Though we had hobbled our horses with straps and stirrup
leathers, they had strayed, during the night, to the more open country,
where they separated from each other in search of food; and it was not
until after three hours search that Charley found the greater part of
them.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 90 of 524
Words from 24189 to 24449
of 141354
