to find among the
former one or two rocky points which might be available to my survey.

PARCHED STATE OF THE INTERIOR COUNTRY.

It was now evident that no rain had fallen in these interior regions
since the summer heat had parched the earth. We had passed today no water
except what we saw in the morning, although one green valley which we
noticed on our right soon after starting probably contained some.

THE DOGS KILL A KANGAROO.

A fine kangaroo was this day seen before us and immediately killed by the
dogs. Our journey was prolonged for the purpose of arriving at a
waterhole but we could not find one.

STEEP DESCENT TO THE WESTWARD.

At four o'clock a view of the country beyond the mountain range opened
before us; and, being anxious to gain the valley which lay at its foot, I
hastily effected a descent, although the ground was steep and rocky, in
hopes of finding water before it grew dark. Following the valley
downwards I succeeded, but not until sunset, in finding, in a crevice of
a rock, enough for the men.

SEARCH FOR WATER BY MOONLIGHT. ENCAMP WITHOUT ANY.

The carts were then three miles behind me, and although we sent by
moonlight for water for the party the poor cattle could not be watered,
and were consequently kept in their yokes all night to prevent their
straying in search of it.

Having examined the bed of the dry creek to some distance below the rock
where the water remained I found its course so sinuous, and its banks so
steep, the valley itself having no breadth, steep-sided hills closing on
the deep dry channel, so that it must have been almost impossible to
proceed that way with the party. I therefore determined to explore the
country more to the right, early next morning, expecting to find in that
direction a line of route by which we might be sooner extricated from
these sinuous valleys and hilly extremities. I hoped also that we should
thus reach some more united channel deep enough to retain a portion of
the waters of more favourable seasons.

FOLLOW A VALLEY DOWNWARDS AND FIND WATER.

April 10.

I went forward (prima luce) and soon gained a low ridge, the rocky points
of which had obliged me to keep to the valley in seeking for water the
preceding evening. From this ridge I had the satisfaction of following
with my eye into the far distant level country a continuous valley, the
apparent outlet or channel of all these mountain torrents, and which, I
had no doubt, contained water.