e more water, and fill our casks again before we faced the scrubby
waste that was still seen ahead of us. I had been last night within fifty
yards of the pools that we now found, but had not discovered them, as the
evening was closing in at the time, and I was in great haste to return to
my party before dark. Leaving Mount Hill at the course of S. 27 degrees
W. we passed through a very dense scrub, the strongest, I think, we had
yet experienced; the drays were tearing down the brush with loud crashes,
at every step which the horses took, and I could only compare their
progress to the effect produced by the efforts of a clearing party, the
brush rapidly disappearing before the wheels, and leaving almost as open
a road as if it had been cut away by axes; the unfortunate animals,
however, had to bear the onus of all, and most severely were they
harassed before our short stage was over. At twelve miles we came to a
large rocky watercourse of brackish water, trending to the
east-north-east, through a narrow valley bounded by dense scrub. In this
we found pools of fresh water, and as there was good grass, I called a
halt about three in the afternoon. We were now able, for the first time
for several hundred miles, to enjoy the luxury of a swim, which we all
fully appreciated. In the afternoon Mr. Scott shot six ducks in the
pools, which furnished us with a most welcome addition to our very scanty
fare. For two days previous to this, we had been subsisting solely upon a
very limited allowance of dry bread, having only taken fourteen days
provisions with us from Baxter's range, which was nearly all expended,
whilst we were yet at least two days journey from Port Lincoln. At night
I observed the latitude of our camp, by alpha Aquilae 34 degrees
12 minutes 52 seconds S. by beta Leonis 34 degrees 12 minutes 35 seconds
S. and assumed the mean of the two, or 34 degrees 12 minutes 43 seconds as
the correct one.

October 1.--Making an early start we passed at three miles the head of
the watercourse we had been encamped upon, and then ascended some scrubby
ranges, for about five miles further, when we entered into a narrow tract
of good grassy country, which at five miles brought us to Mr. Driver's
station; a Mr. Dutton was living at this place as Mr. Driver's manager,
and by him we were very hospitably received, and furnished with such
supplies as we required.

[Note 11: In 1842, Mr. Dutton attempted to take some cattle overland, from