ur journey, travelling for about eight
miles in a due south direction over plains similar to those we had passed
yesterday and this morning, and then began to ascend a red sandstone
range of the same description as the Perth ironstone and thinly studded
with black bay trees. I named this range Gairdner's Range after my friend
Gordon Gairdner, Esquire, of the Colonial Office and, after continuing a
gradual ascent for about four miles, I found that we were in the
neighbourhood of a forest, at the outskirts of which I chose a spot for
our halting-place, which afforded plenty of firewood but was deficient in
water. As we had now however marched thirty-one miles without seeing
water, and were all perfectly worn out, I judged it more prudent to halt
where we were.

FIND SOME EDIBLE ZAMIA NUTS.

Kaiber here brought in some of the nuts of the Zamia tree; they were dry
and therefore in a fit state to eat. I accordingly shared them amongst
the party. Several of the men then straggled off to look for more, and
were imprudent enough, before I found out what they were doing, to eat
several of the nuts which were not sufficiently dried, the consequences
of which were that they were seized with violent fits of vomiting
accompanied by vertigo and other distressing symptoms; these however
gradually abated during the night, and in the morning, although rendered
more weak than they were before, the poor fellows were still able to
resume their march.

GENEROUS CONDUCT OF ONE OF THE MEN.

Soon after the fires had been lighted I was sitting alone by mine, as the
shadows of night were just falling over the wild hilly scenery with which
we were surrounded; I had no water to cook a portion of the three
spoonfuls of arrowroot yet left me, and I saw each of the others
preparing his scanty portion of food. The native had at this time gone
away to look for Zamia nuts, and it may be imagined that many almost
undefined feelings at such a time thronged rapidly through my mind.
Whilst thus thinking I heard Hackney propose to Woods to offer me a share
of their little store of food: "No," said Woods; "everyone for himself
under these circumstances; let Mr. Grey do as well as he can and I will
do the same." "Well then I shall give him some of mine at all events,"
said Hackney; and a few minutes afterwards he came up to my fire and
pressed me to accept a morsel of damper about the size of a walnut. I
hesitated at first whether to do so or not, but, bei