from the decoction of gum leaves; the water
being evidently the partial and surface drainage from the hills. We
stopped here however to breakfast. Whilst so employed, Topar's quick and
watchful eye caught sight of some smoke rising from the bed of the creek
about a mile above us. He was now all impatience to be off, to overtake
the party who had kindled it. Nothing could exceed his vehement
impetuosity and impatience, but this was of no avail, as the natives who
had probably seen our approach, kept in front of us and avoided a
meeting. We rode for five miles on our original bearing of 135 degrees to
the west of north, or N.W. the direct bearing of the hill for which we
were making, Coonbaralba. At five miles Topar insisted on crossing the
creek, and led us over the plains on a bearing of 157 degrees to the west
of north, thus changing his purpose altogether. He assigned as a reason
that there was no water in the creek higher up, and that we must go to
another place where there was some. I was somewhat reluctant to consent
to this, but at length gave way to him; we had not however gone more than
two and a half miles, when he again caught sight of smoke due west of us,
and was as earnest in his desire to return to the creek as he had been to
leave it. Being myself anxious to communicate with the natives I now the
more readily yielded to his entreaties. Where we came upon it there was a
quantity of grass in its bed, but although we saw the fire at which they
had been, the natives again escaped us. Mr. Browne and Topar ran their
track up the creek, and soon reached a hut opposite to which there was a
well. On ascending a little from its bed they discovered a small pool of
water in the centre of a watercourse joining the main branch hereabouts
from the hills. Round this little pool there was an unusual verdure. From
this point we continued to trace the creek upwards, keeping it in sight;
but the ground was so stony and rough, and the brush approached so close
to the banks that I descended into its bed, and halted at sunset after a
fatiguing day's journey without water, about which we did not much care;
the horses having had a good drink not long before and their feed being
good, the want of water was not much felt by them. Topar wished to go on
to some other water at which he expected to find the natives, and did not
hesitate for a moment in thus contradicting his former assertion. This
however I would not allow him to do alon