Page:Tracks of McKinlay and party across Australia.djvu/257

gallons of water each—they appeared as if they could have drunk all that we possessed. Distance travelled to-day about twenty-six miles. East, in the far distance, I can trace the continuance of the range.

"15th. Every appearance of a hot day. Followed over hard sand undulations, well-grassed, with some little spinifex intermixed, with a creek on our left, and crossed it at eight miles, going south-east, then apparently south—gum and box on creek, and a sandy bed. We then passed over some good grassed country, with stony flats, and latterly a stony sand hill, the ascent difficult for the camels on account of the sharp stones for ten miles; distance, making in all eighteen miles. Low hills about six or seven miles ahead, running north and south; nothing very marked about them. The heat fearful; camels not doing so well as I could wish, so will give them all the water that is to spare, and proceed toward camp this evening in the cool; they won't feed, nor stay without constant watching. Started back at 8·30 p.m. Went first to the south of west, to avoid a stony hill by going round a valley, then went on for about fifteen miles.

"16th. Started at 6 a.m., then bore for Mount Wylde. The greater portion of last night's and to-day's journey was over spinifex country. Passed, immediately after starting, a couple of creeks; drainage to the north—whether they continued that course, and gradually swerved to the east and joined a larger one under the main range to east, and formed one, and passed on to the southward to Cooper's Creek, or formed rain water lakes (vast numbers of them here, and well timbered, and often visited by natives), I cannot pretend to say. From Mount Wylde came in, on the lakes, on our outward track, and arrived at camp at 2 p.m. Found some of the party, viz., Bell, Davis, and Maitland, laid up with dysentery, the former seriously. Have made up my mind to leave this, after one day's spell for the camels, and go back to different water, as this must contain some medicinal properties that I am ignorant of, and affects all of us more or less—no doubt the weather has a good deal to do with it; the heat is fearful."