Part 8 (1/2)

In our journey up the Finke two or three creeks had joined from the west, and as ere now beyond the sources of any of these, it would be necessary to discover some road to one or the other before Robinson could be parted with By dispensing with his services, as he illing to go, we should have sufficient provisions left to enable us to hold out for so as the usual rainy season in this part of the country, which is about January and February, we should still have several ain with In all these considerations Mr Carreed, and it was decided that I should inform Alec of our resolution so soon as we returned to the camp After the usual nearly three hours' work to water our horses, we turned our backs for the last time upon Glen Thirsty, where we had so often returned with exhausted and choking horses

Ianxious about Robinson and the state of things at the cah Worrill's Pass, we noticed that scarcely a tree had escaped frohs lay scattered about, and several pines froes had been blasted from their eminence I was not very -struck ot back to Robinson and the caone quite lame, and this caused us to travel very slowly Robinson was alive and quite well, and the little dog was overjoyed to greet us Robinson reported that natives had been frequently in the neighbourhood, and had lit fires close to the camp, but would not show the a daughter; the horse that was staked orse, and I found a stake into his coronet I probed the wounds of both, but could not get any wood out Carht ould like a day's rest; and if I did not do ood deal

The laa et it out What a pleasure it is, not only to have plenty of water to drink, but actually to have sufficient for a bath! I told Robinson ofhim, but said he must yet remain until some eastern waters could be found On the 30th October, Mr

Carain In e of soes at which our caing crag fore I now decided to visit To get out of the ridges in which our creek exists, we had to follow the trend of a valley formed by what are sometimes called reaphook hills; these ran about east-south-east In a few um-trees; it had a srassed and open, and the triodia was also absent

A small pass ushered us into a new valley, in which were several peculiar conical hills Passing over a saddle-like pass, between two of the all the way to the foot of the new range, with a creek channel between The range appeared very red and rocky, being composed of enormous masses of red sandstone; the upper portion of it was bare, with the exception of a few cypress pines, moored in the rifled rock, and, I suppose, proof to the teue We followed up the channel, and Mr Carmichael found a fine little sheet of water in a stony hole, about 400 yards long and forty yards wide This had about four feet of water in it; the grass was green, and all round the foot of the range the country was open, beautifully grassed, green, and delightful to look at

Having found so eligible a spot, we encamped: how different froorge, and found several rock reservoirs with plenty of water; so the rocks Down the channel, about south-west, the creek passed through a kind of low gorge about three miles away

Smoke was seen there, and no doubt it was an encah dry thunderstorm at Glen Thirsty, the te's Creek Another on the western flat beyond joins it I called the north-west point of this range Care trended a little south of east, and we decided to follow along its southern face, which was open, grassy, and beautifully green; it was by far the reeable and pleasant country we had met

(ILlustRATION: PENNY'S CREEK)

At about fiveih and precipitous wall of rock, underneath which was a splendid deep and pellucid basin of the purest water, which cah fissures in the mountain: it then formed a small swamp thickly set with reeds, which covered an area of several acres, having plenty of water a them I called this Penny's Creek Half a mile beyond it was a similar one and reed bed, but no such splendid rock reservoir Farther along the range other channels issued too, with fine rock water-holes At eighteen er one than we had yet seen: I hoped this e, where it calen: here we found three fine rock-holes with good supplies of water in thelen and rock is all red sandstone: the place reminded es of his Central Australian Expedition, only the rock fors both places, and there are other points of resemblance I named this Stokes's Creek

We rested here an hour and had a swiions ard, where we could not get enough water to drink, let alone to swilen as far as the rock-holes, where it sank into the ground There, having a fine stretch of open grassy country to travel upon, and in five miles reached another creek, whose reed beds and water filled the whole glen This I naot's Creek For so the eastern end of the range, we had a piece of broken stony ground and soa for a few miles, e caain open, grassy, and green We could then see that the range ended, but sent out one more creek, which meandered down the valley towards some other hills beyond; this valley was of a clayey soil, and the creek had so it three miles farther, we found that it eer stony mountain stream; I named this Trickett's Creek, after a friend of Mr Care which had thrown out so many creeks, and contained so th, I nae, after my brother-in-law

The country round its foot is by far the best I have seen in this region; and could it be transported to any civilised land, its springs, glens, gorges, ferns, Zamias, and flowers, would charm the eyes and hearts of toil-worn men who are condemned to live and die in crowded towns

The new creek now just discovered had a large stony water-hole immediately above and below the junction of Trickett's Creek, and as we approached the lower one, I noticed several native wurleys just deserted; their owners having seen us while we only thought of them, had fled at our approach, and left all their valuables behind These consisted of clubs, spears, shi+elds, drinking vessels, yam sticks, with other and all the usual appliances of well-furnished aboriginal gentle-puppies came out, however, to welco used to such refined odours as our gar The natives had left so, and when I cooeyed they answered, but would not come near This creek was of soe further eastwards It ca the northern side of Gill's Range I called it Petermann's Creek We were now sixty-five miles from our depot, and had been most successful in our efforts to find a route to allow of the departure of Robinson, as it appeared that this creek would surely reach the Finke, though we afterwards found it did not I intended upon returning here to endeavour to discover a line of country round the south-eastern extrea at last We now turned our horses' heads again for our ho until we reached Stokes's Creek, where we enca, as ere approaching Penny's Creek, o natives lookingwhich they were sloalking, with their backs towards us They neither saw nor heard us until ere close upon their heels Each carried two enora wood and one-third reed at the throwing end, of course having the instrument hich they project these spears, called by some tribes of natives only, but indiscriminately all over the country by whites, a woated to a sort of tail at the holding end, and short-pointed at the projecting end; a kangaroo's claild dog's tooth is firs The projectile force of this implereatest precision for more than a hundred yards

They also had narrow shi+elds, three to four feet long, to protect themselves from hostile spears, with a handle cut out in the centre

These two natives had their hair tied up in a kind of chignon at the back of the head, the hair being dragged back off the forehead froh soain, wear their hair in long thick curls reaching down the shoulders, beautifully elaborated with iguanas' or emus' fat and red ochre This applies only to the men; the women's hair is worn either cut with flints or bitten off short So soon as the two natives heard, and then looking round saw us, they scaround as it is possible for any two-legged creature to do One was quite a young fellow, the other full grown They ran up the side of the hills, and kept travelling along parallel to us; but though we stopped and called, and signalled with boughs, they would not come close, and the oftener I tried to come near theside us until King's Creek was reached, where we rested the horses for an hour We soon became aware that a nu and shouting to inform the others of our advent, and presently hole nation of thee to the south-west, where I had noticed camp-fires onand yelling in the most furious and deh deputed by the others, now approached us much nearer than before, and ca their spears fixed in their wommerahs, in such a position that they could use theht have induced them to spear us, but we appeared to be at our ease, and endeavoured to parley with them The men were not handsome or fat, but were very well made, and, as is the case with most of the natives of these parts, were rather tall, naht and nine inches

When they had coue us, and evidently desired us to know that ere trespassers, and were to be off forthwith, as he waved us away in the direction we had conal, howled, yelled, and waved their hands and weapons at us Fortunately, however, they did not actually attack us; ere not very well prepared for attack, as we had only a revolver each, our guns and rifles being left with Robinson As our horses were frightened and would not feed, we hurried our departure, ere saluted with rounds of cheers and blessings, ie yells and curses in their char On reaching the ca our absence On inspecting the two lame horses, it appeared they orse than ever

We had a very sudden dry thunderstorm, which cooled the air Next day I sent Alec and Carmichael over to the first little five-mile creek eastwards with the two lame horses, so that we can pick them up en route to-morrow They reported that the horses could scarcely travel at all; I thought if I could get them to Penny's Creek I would leave theth broken up, after it had existed here fro nearly threeto the eastwards, when every hope and wish I had was to go in exactly the opposite direction, and I could only console et to the west at last I have great hopes that if I can once set a, my route to the west ether for so, I found they had all greatly i them was the little mare that had foaled at Mount Udor Marzetti's mare looked very well also

It was past midday e turned our backs upon Teot the two la's Creek somewhat late in the afternoon As we neared it,several natives' sion see down frohest points of the ated The yelling, howling, shrieking, and gesticulating they kept up was, to say the least, annoying When we began to unpack the horses, they crowded closer round us, carrying their knotted sticks, long spears, and other fighting i them, and I did not request the very troublesome, and evidently meant mischief I rode towards a mob of the theave a sudden shout or howl It see, of whiteit up, warning thereat astonishment they departed; they probably wanted to find out if we possessed such things, and I trust they were satisfied, for they gave us up apparently as a bad lot

It appeared the exertion of travelling had i with the others in thethee, as the natives would certainly spear, and probably eat the to Stokes's Creek, and encaal supper a circumstance occurred which completely put an end to my expedition Mr Carmichael informed me that he had er, for as Alec Robinson was going away, he should do so too Of course I could not control him; he was a volunteer, and had contributed towards the expenses of the expedition We had never fallen out, and I thought he was as ardent in the cause of exploration as I was, so that when he informed me of his resolve it cauments were all in vain; in vain I showed hoith the stock of provisions we had, we ht keep the field for months I even offered to retreat to the Finke, so that we should not have such arduous work for want of water, but it was all useless

It ith distress that I lay down on ht, after what he had said I scarcely knehat to do I had yet a lot of horses heavily loaded with provisions; but to take them out into a waterless, desert country by ot's Creek, where I renewed uments Mr

Car should alter it; the consequence was that with one coed, and another who discharged himself, any further exploration was out of the question I had no other object now in view but to hastenraph line; but as I still traversed a region previously unexplored, I may as well continue my narrative to the close Marzetti's foal couldn't travel, and had to be killed at Bagot's Creek

On Friday, the 8th November, the party, now silent, still round that Mr Carmichael and I had fore The natives and their pups had departed The hills approached this creek so close as to form a valley; there were several water-holes in the creek; we followed its course as far as the valley existed When the country opened, the creek spread out, and the water ceased to appear in its bed We kept um-trees under some hills two or three miles southwards, and as some smoke appeared above the hills, I knew that natives ot there Accordingly, leaving Caro on with the horses, I rode over, and found there was the channel of a slen the farther I penetrated The grass was burning on all the hillsides, and as I went still farther up, I could hear the voices of the natives, and I felt pretty sure of finding water I was, however, slightly anxious as to what reception I should get I soon saw a single native leisurely walking along in front ofit home for supper He carried several spears, a wo down his shoulders My horse's nose nearly touched his back before he are of ave a sudden start, held up his two hands, dropped his iguana and his spears, uttered a tre to his tribe, and bounded up the rocks in front of us like a wallaby I then passed under a eucalyptus-tree, in whose foliage two ancient warriors had hastily secreted themselves I stopped a second and looked up at them, they also looked at me; they presented a most ludicrous appearance A little farther on there were several rows of wurleys, and I could perceive thethe women and children away, as they doubtless supposedI could possibly be alone While the wo up the rocks, the men snatched up spears and other weapons, and followed the wolen had here narrowed to a gorge, the rocks on either side being not eration to say that the sulen were lined with natives; they could almost touch me with their spears I did not feel quite at hoh I was the cynosure of a e of the rocks like statues, soly towards me, and I certainly expected that some dozens would be thrown at me Both parties seemed paralysed by the appearance of the other I scarcely knehat to do; I knew if I turned to retreat that every spear would be launched at ht the only thing to do was to brave the situation out, as

”Cowards, 'tis said, in certain situations Derive a sort of courage froht desperation, Much bolder deeds than many a braver man would dare”

(ILlustRATION: ESCAPE GLEN--THE ADVANCE)

(ILlustRATION: ESCAPE GLEN--THE RETREAT)

(ILlustRATION: MIDDLETON'S Pass AND FISH PONDS)

I was choking with thirst, though in vain I looked for a sheet of water; but seeing where they had dug out some sand, I advanced to one or tells in which I could see water, but without a shovel only a native could get any out of such a funnel-shaped hole In sheer desperation I dismounted and picked up a s if I could only get a drink I should sue I could only et up a few et in on top of me So far as I could see, there were only two or three of these places where all those natives got water I remounted my horse, one of the best and fastest I have He knew exactly what I wanted because he wished it also, and that was to be gone I mounted sloithround and ith a bound that alreeted ain; the echoes of the voices of these now indignant and infuriated creatures reverberating through the defiles of the hills, and the uncouth sounds of the voices themselves smote so discordantly on len faster, oh! ever so much faster, than ent in I heard a horrid sound of spears, sticks, and other weapons, striking violently upon the ground behind me, but I did not stop to pick up any of the my companions, asseldom spoke to one another, I merely told them I had seen water and natives, but that it was hardly worth while to go back to the place, but that they could go if they liked Robinson asked me why I had ridden my horse West Australian--shortened to WA, but usually called Guts, from his persistent attention to his ”inwards”--so hard when there seeht? I said, ”Ride him back and see” I called this place Escape Glen In two or three miles after I overtook them, the Petermann became exhausted on the plains We pushed on nearly east, as noe must strike the Finke in forty-five to fifty ht without water The lame horses went better the farther they were driven I hoped to travel the lameness out of them, as instances of that kind have occurred with me more than once We were away from our dry camp early, and had scarcely proceeded two miles e struck the bank of a broad sandy-bedded creek, which was almost as broad as the Finke itself: just where we struck it was on top of a red bank twenty or thirty feet high The horses naturally looking down into the bed below, one steady old file of a horse, that carried my boxes with the instruments, papers, quicksilver, etc, went too close, the bank cru a cloud of red dust I rode up i to see a fine s on the sandy bed below, as comfortable as he had been on top, not a strap strained or a box shi+fted in the least The bed here was dry Robinson rode on ahead and shortly found two fine large ponds under a hill which ended abruptly over the a kind of pass Here we outspanned; it was a splendid place Carreat quantity of fish with hook and line I called these Middleton's Pass and Fish Ponds The country all round was open, grassy, and fit for stock The next day we got plenty ht weighed, I dare say, three pounds; they had a great resemblance to Murray cod, which is a species of perch I saw fro the water that the creek trended south-east Going in that direction we did not, however, hted some pointed hills, and found the creek went between the another pass, where there was another water-hole under the rocks This, no doubt, had been of large di filled with sand; there was, however, a considerable quantity of water, and it was literally alive with fish, insoreeable and fishy taste Great nu upon the water Here we h the women would not come close, several of theso firewood Most of theiven them by their Godfathers at their baptism, that is to say, either by the officers or raph Construction parties This was ers's Pass; twenty-two e From here two conspicuous semi-conical hills, or as I should say, truncated cones, of alht rees east