me other natives to taste
our mutton, on the following day; and, leaving us, returned, as they
said, with their father and brother, the latter a fine young lad. But
neither from the old man could we gather any information, as to the
nature of the country before us. These people were circumcised, like many
others we had seen, but were in no way disfigured by the loss of their
teeth or cuts. I can say as little for their cleanliness as for their
information, since they melted the fat we gave them in troughs, and drank
it as if it had been so much oil, emptying what remained on their heads,
rubbing the grease into their hair, and over their bodies.

I felt satisfied on mature reflection that if the country continued to
any distance either to the northward or westward, such as we had found it
on our recent journey, it would be highly imprudent to venture into it
with the whole party. Setting aside the almost utter impossibility of
pulling the drays over the heavy sand ridges by which our route would be
intersected, little or no surface water now remained. The ground was
becoming as dry and parched as it had been before the fall of rain. I
determined therefore before I again struck the tents to examine the
country to the north-west, and not incautiously to hazard the safety of
the party by leading it into a region from which I might find it
difficult to retreat. As soon therefore as I had run up the charts, I
prepared for this journey. Our position at the new Depot was in latitude
29 degrees 6 minutes 30 seconds, and in longitude 141 degrees 5 minutes 8
seconds, it therefore appeared to me if I ran on a bearing of 45 degrees
to the west of north, I should gain the 138th meridian about the centre
of the continent, and at the same time cross into the Tropics at the
desired point, and I felt certain that if there were any mountain chains
or ranges of hills to the westward of me connected with the north-east
angle of the continent I should be sure to discover them.

In preparing for this important journey, on which it was evident the
success of the expedition would depend, I took more than ordinary
precautions. I purposed giving the charge of the camp to Mr. Stuart.--I
had established it on a small sandy rise, whereon we found five or six
native huts. This spot was at the northern extremity of the Park, but a
little advanced into it. Immediately in front of the tents there was a
broad sheet of water shaded by gum-trees, and the