th night and
morning, and whenever the tribe were about going on a fishing excursion,
he used to give me notice to go with them. They also used to assist me
in making a wurley, or breakwind, whenever they shifted camp. I
generally shot a crow or a hawk, and gave it to them in return for these
little services.

From this time to when the relief party arrived--a period of about a
month--they treated me with uniform kindness, and looked upon me as one
of themselves. The day on which I was released, one of the tribe who had
been fishing came and told me that the white fellows were coming, and
the whole of the tribe who were then in camp sallied out in every
direction to meet the party, while the man who had brought the news took
me over the creek, where I shortly saw the party coming down.

ACROSS THE CONTINENT. SOUTH TO NORTH. II

+Source.+--Explorations in Australia (J.M. Stuart. Hardman, 1865). pp.
164-165, 406-411

Stuart accompanied Sturt in 1844-5, and subsequently became an
enthusiastic explorer. Three times he set out to travel from
Adelaide to the Indian Ocean; the first time passing through the
centre, and finally attaining his object in 1862. The Overland
Telegraph line is laid along his track.

THE CENTRE

_Sunday, 22nd April._ Small Gum Creek, under Mount Stuart, Centre of
Australia. To-day I find from my observations of the sun, 111 deg. 00' 30",
that I am now camped in the centre of Australia. I have marked a tree
and planted the British Flag there. There is a high mount about two
miles and a half to the N.N.E. I wish it had been in the centre; but on
it to-morrow, I will raise a cone of stones, and plant the flag there,
and name it "Central Mount Stuart." We have been in search of permanent
water to-day, but cannot find any. I hope from the top of Central Mount
Stuart to find something good to the N.W. Examined a large creek; can
find no surface water, but got some by scratching in the sand. It is a
large creek divided into many channels, but they are all filled with
sand; splendid grass all round this camp.

_Monday, 23rd April._ Centre. Took Kekwick and the flag, and went to the
top of the Mount, but found it to be much higher and more difficult of
ascent than I anticipated. After a deal of labour, slips and knocks, we
at last arrived on the top. The view to the north is over a large plain
of gums, mulga, and spinifex, with watercourses running through it. The
larg