weather. The party
were all occupied in preparing the saddles, etc. The ponies having eaten
off the grass in the ravine, we were compelled, about the 28th, to move
them to the higher grounds. These at our first arrival on this coast were
perfectly dry and burnt up; but since the heavy rains had set in they
teemed with running springs, along the margins of which grew a scanty
coating of grass. Being obliged to send the horses to a distance to graze
delayed us a great deal for one portion of our party was occupied in
attending upon them. Our sheep also now began to die off: they had up to
this time improved rapidly and were doing very well, having, during the
absence of the vessel, been regularly tended and driven to the high dry
ground to feed; but now the pressure of business was so great that we
were compelled in some degree to neglect them, and from this they
suffered. The goats had from some cause never succeeded well.

From the period of their being landed many of the horses had declined
very much, and several of them were by this time reduced to a very weakly
state. This originated from the heavy rains and the excessive cold which
accompanied them, as well as from some food they had eaten which had not
agreed with them. On the 28th and 29th the rains increased in violence
and duration; but we still continued our occupations of completing the
packsaddles and arranging the stores in such small packages that they
could easily in case of necessity be transported on men's shoulders.

FINAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE MARCH.

Having provided every requisite for the party, such as food, working
utensils, soap, tobacco, etc., all of which were arranged in their
respective packages, I issued an order that nothing but certain articles
of clothing for each individual were to be put upon the ponies. This step
was rendered the more necessary from their weakness and their diminutive
size having greatly abridged our intended means of transport. Numerous
requests were now made to me to be allowed to put various articles upon
the horses, all of which I felt myself obliged to meet by a steady
refusal; but this refusal, dictated entirely by the necessity of the
case, raised angry and discontented feelings, tending to diminish
materially the individual zeal and energy which were so much required at
this juncture to ensure our success.

DEPARTURE FOR THE INTERIOR. DIFFICULTIES OF THE ROUTE.

On the 29th we began in the afternoon to load