74
Saw a beautiful animal; but, as it escaped into the hollow of a tree, could not ascertain whether it was a species of squirrel, weazel, or wild cat. Entertained great apprehensions of not finding water at night; but found a fresh pool at last. Soil worse and worse: rather melancholy, remembering that my grant is situated somewhere on this day's progress.
22nd.—Started at seven A.M.; came to a long, deep, and narrow lake of fresh water, four miles in length, and eighty or a hundred yards in breadth, with an amazing number of ducks on it. Sheridan's calculation was quite Irish—"a thousand, sir, a hundred thousand, would'nt be missed out of them." Dale shot a black swan, and I swam for it, and tried the depth in several places, which I ascertained to be about six feet. The soil about it is indifferent. On its margin are samphire and the Hottentot fig (a species of sedum), which gives no indication of fresh water running into the lake. Met with a large native dog, and chased another little animal, such as had escaped from us yesterday, into a hollow tree, where we captured it; from the length of its tongue, and other circumstances, we conjecture that it is an ant-eater—its colour yellowish, barred with black and white streaks across the hinder part of the back; its length about twelve inches. Found some water in pools and streams running eastward and the soil improving, but of sandy quality.
23rd.—The country improves. We met seven natives, who drew up in some surprise at the sight of four men on horseback—perhaps the first Europeans they had seen: we had just before disturbed an emu, of which they seemed to be in chase. At noon, having travelled twelve miles, we halted in a fine valley, with plenty of grass for our horses; and having now made sixty miles in a S.S.E. line, we were, to our regret, obliged to return. Turned N.N.W.; ascended a hill, which afforded an extensive view to the eastward of a level country; but undulating to the south. Here were pools of water courses and trees, which are supposed to be casuarinas and
