scurvy that he delayed the others. On 20th June three camels ran away, and several days were vainly spent in trying to recover them. Hidden in a hole, on a hill-top, Warburton found two curious stone slabs, inscribed with strange characters, and he carried them away as precious relics, but when subsequently reduced to starvation and exhaustion, he was compelled to abandon them.
Exactly a month after first crossing the border Warburton again surveyed Western Australian territory. He now struck a north-west course in order to meet, if possible, the extreme south-western limit of A.C. Gregory's exploration in 1856. After traversing a frightful desert of burnt sand and dwarfed vegetation, he got within a few miles of Gregory's Mount Wilson. This was the waste which discouraged that successful man. Warburton came to fresh water lakes where he obtained ample water, and which were covered in flocks of ducks, pigeons, and parrots. Some keen sufferings had been experienced up to this; even in these tropical regions ice lay on the water a quarter of an inch thick in the mornings. But the chief difficulties had yet to come. After leaving the lakes the heat by day became unbearable, and the camels began to weary. The least breeze raised ridges in the baked sand, or brushed it against and burnt the faces of the wanderers. Natives were occasionally caught and ordered to lead them to fresh water. They were usually faithless guides, and, protesting willingness to show them springs, led them up and down heavy sand hills, until men and camels were so exhausted that they could hardly struggle on. A camel ate of a poison plant and was abandoned; a few days later two others were unable to go further, and were left. The provisions were soon reduced, and camels were killed and their flesh dried in the sun for food. What with heat and want of water, the explorers were reduced to a serious situation; roundabout was an endless series of sand hills, with spinifex growing in the valleys or on the sides of the slopes where its roots could take hold. Warburton held a council, and tents and clothing were thrown away to relieve the camels. Both heaven and earth seemed to burn, and a few miles journey in the heat of the day would take away the strength of men and beasts. On 22nd October Warburton wrote in his journal:—"Our condition is, indeed, becoming very serious, owing to our want of provisions. We are placed in a dilemma; if we press forward, we run the chance of losing more camels and dying of thirst; if we stand still, we can only hope to prolong our lives, as God may enable us, on sun-dried camel flesh." For months they had been hedged in with sand ridges and hollows, containing no grass, and clothed with spinifex, stunted vegetation, and melancholy scrub. From the top of one ridge the only view in advance was the top of the next, distant, perhaps, but a few hundred yards. Water could only be obtained from native wells, discovered by following the recent tracks of natives. From the sandy nature of the country the tracks often became suddenly obliterated, and left them in the position that they did not know whither to turn. Warburton wondered whether any traveller had ever crossed so desolate and forsaken a wilderness. Charley was his right hand; he found water, and procured rats and lizards and vegetables to eat. "To Charley," said Warburton afterwards, "they might say, under Divine Providence, their lives were due ..... There is no doubt that if it had not been for Charley they must have perished."
Other camels were abandoned or killed for food, and each week's end found them more exhausted and seriously situated. Warburton determined with what strength he had to push forward to the Oakover River, discovered by F.T. Gregory. It was futile to travel by day, and he forced his men and the remaining camels to travel evening and morning. For ten days on one stretch the animals were without water. A route was kept below lat. 20 south, eternally crossing the sand hills at right angles. The more dangerous their condition, the more useful Charley became. Going out alone, he would use all his keen senses to find water for his white companions. Once he was speared and had his skull fractured during an attack by natives while he was separated from the others, and once he was almost lost. A few minutes more, and be would have missed Warburton. Warburton, determined as he was, at last became so weak that he had to be strapped on to his camel. Thus travelling, he watched eagerly for the Oakover, and finally on 4th December, after nearly eight months' dispiriting striving, he reached a tributary of that river with only two camels. But the desert was defeated; the continent was bridged.
Even here Warburton was so weary that, as he wrote himself, he "would have been glad had his companions left him alone to die." They all "looked death close in the face," he continued, but by the faithfulness of each man they came off with their lives. Lewis and an Afghan were despatched to the De Grey Station, of Messrs. Grant, Harper, and Anderson, for assistance, and when they did not return within the period expected dismal forebodings assailed Warburton, and he feared that even yet his trouble might not be over. Day after day passed, and there was no sign of help, until the 29th December. Charley had climbed a tree, and Warburton was seated some distance away. The silence was suddenly disturbed by loud cries from Charley, and Warburton, fearing he had met with an accident, proceeded to help him; but through the trees some distance away he saw with intense delight Lewis, with several horses, approaching. On 11th January, 1874, Warburton reached the De Grey Station, where he was treated with unbounded hospitality by the proprietors. At Roebourne and in Perth an enthusiastic reception was tendered to the band, banquets were held, and the Government lent Warburton every assistance for his return journey by sea to Adelaide. Thus an old man had stormed the desert of mystery. For examples of bravery, fidelity, and endurance the expedition must be considered famous.
In the meantime W.G. Gosse had been striving to get across by a more southerly route. Mr. Elder supplied camels, and the party consisted of Gosse's brother and four other whites, three camel-drivers, and a native boy. Gosse had previously explored these regions, and well knew the difficulty of his task. On 23rd April, 1873, a few days after Warburton, he left Alice Springs, and for several months vainly tried to get through the inhospitable regions. On 19th July he discovered, in latitude 25° 21' S8" south, longitude 131° 4' 30" east, a singular granite rook, rising abruptly out of a plain, two miles in length from east to west, one mile wide, and 1,100 feet high. It was honey-combed with numerous caves and holes, which the natives used for habitations. The walls were covered with ingeniously drawn figures of snakes and animals, and "two hearts joined together. Beautiful springs of water were found on the sides of this wonderful hill, and Gosse considered that in the wet season it would "present a grand sight," with "waterfalls in every direction." He named it Ayers Rock after Sir Henry Ayers, of South Australia. Gosse got over the Western Australian border to longitude 129° 59' east in latitude 26° 21' south, discovered a vast area of new country, some of which contained good grass. On 16th December he returned to the Port Darwin telegraph line, in latitude 26° 39' 47" south.
Ernest Giles had hardly returned from his first trip when he made arrangements to again set out. Funds were supplied, principally by Victorian subscriptions, and on 4th August, 1873, while Warburton was wrestling with the desert further north, he left the
