trip, had crossed unnoticed, as it was
then dry and divided into several channels on their route. This was the
most important discovery made in connection with the lake system,
Cooper's Creek being one of the far-reaching affluents, its tributaries
draining the inland slopes of the main dividing range.

Sturt, on making this unexpected discovery, was undecided whether to
follow Cooper's Creek up to the eastward or persevere in his original
intention of pushing to the north. A thunder-storm falling at the time
made him adhere to his original determination, and defer the examination
of the new river until his return.

Seven days after crossing Cooper's Creek, he had the negative
satisfaction of seeing his gloomy forebodings fulfilled. Once more he
gazed over the dreary waste of the stony desert, unchanged and repellant
as ever. They crossed it, but were again turned back by sandhill and salt
plain, and forced to retrace their steps to Cooper's Creek. This creek
Sturt followed up for many days, but found that it came from a more
easterly direction than the route he desired to travel along; moreover,
the one broad channel that they had commenced to follow became divided
into several ana-branches, running through plains subject to inundation.
This became so tiring to their now exhausted horses, who were woefully
footsore, that he reluctantly turned back. He had found the creek peopled
with well-nurtured natives, and the prospects of advancing were brighter
than they had ever been; but both Sturt and his men were weak and ill,
and the horses almost incapable of further effort. Moreover, he was not
certain of his retreat.

As they went down Cooper's Creek on their way back, they found that the
water was drying up so rapidly that grave fears were entertained lest
Strzelecki's Creek, their main resource in getting back to Fort Grey,
should be dry. Fortunately they were in time to find a little muddy fluid
left, just enough to serve their needs. Here, though most anxious to get
on, they were forced to camp the whole of one day, on account of an
extremely fierce hot wind.

Sturt's vivid account of the day spent during the blast of that
furnace-like sirocco has been oft quoted. But the reader should remember
when reading it that the man who wrote it was in such a weakened
condition that he had not sufficient energy left to withstand the hot
wind, whilst the shade under which the party sought shelter was of the
scantiest descri