n a gorge, in which was plenty of water and good grass. We had
thus, by taking advantage of the rains that had fallen, been enabled to
force a passage from Streaky Bay to Spencer's Gulf; but we had done so
with much difficulty, and had we been but a few days later, we should
have failed altogether, for though travelling for a great part of the
distance under very high rocky ranges, we never found a drop of permanent
fresh-water nor a single spring near them. There are no watercourses, and
no timber; all is barren rocky and naked in the extreme. The waters that
collected after rains, lodged in the basins of small lakes; but such was
the nature of the soil that these were invariably salt.

It was through this dreary region I had left my overseer to take his
division of the party when we separated at Baxter's range; but I confided
the task to him with confidence. Rain had at that time fallen very
abundantly; he had already been over the road with me before, and knew
all the places where water or grass was likely to be found; and our
former dray tracks of 1839, which were still distinctly visible, would be
a sufficient guide to prevent his getting off the line of route. The
skill, judgment, and success with which the overseer conducted the task
assigned to him, fully justified the confidence I reposed in him; and
upon my rejoining the party at Streaky Bay, after an absence of seven
weeks, I was much gratified to find that neither the men, animals, or
equipment, were in the least degree the worse for their passage through
the desert.

Chapter XI.

EMBARK STORES--PARTY LEAVE STREAKY BAY--DENSE SCRUE--POINT
BROWN--SINGULAR WELL--PROCESS OF CHANGE IN APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY--DIG FOR
WATER--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXTRAORDINARY RITE--NATIVE GUIDES--LEIPOA'S
NEST--DENIAL BAY--BEELIMAH GAIPPE--KANGAROO KILLED--MORE
NATIVES--BERINYANA GAIPPE--SALT LAKES--WADEMAR GAIPPE--SANDY AND SCRUBBY
COUNTRY--MOBEELA GAIPPE--DIFFICULTY OF GETTING WATER--MORE
NATIVES--GENUINE HOSPITALITY--SINGULAR MARKS ON THE ABDOMEN--NATIVES
LEAVE THE PARTY--FOWLER'S BAY--EXCELLENT WHALING STATION.

November 4.--To-DAY the party were occupied in sorting and packing
stores, which I intended to send on board the WATERWITCH to Fowler's Bay,
that by lightening the loads upon the drays, we might the more easily
force a passage through the dense scrub which I knew we had to pass
before we reached that point. In the afternoon the men were engaged in
shearing