Part 22 (2/2)

What was generally thought of my as the cause of subsequent explorations, as Sir Thoh Baron von Mueller, I was now introduced, desired ed that he would equip hly efficient exploring expedition Upon this occasion I was to traverse, as near as possible, the country lying under the 29th parallel of latitude, and I was to force h the southern interior to the City of Perth in Western Australia, by a new and unknown route But, previous to beginning the new expedition, Sir Tholand, of a squatting nature, in the neighbourhood of Fowler's Bay, of Flinders, on the western coast of South Australia, and near the head of the Great Australian Bight This as done entirely with horses, though I had two camels, or rather dro calf There was no pack-saddle for the bull, and the cow being very poor, I had not yet made use of them After I had completed my surveys near Fowler's Bay, and visited the remote locality of Eucla Harbour, discovered by Flinders and mentioned by Eyre in his travels in 1841, at the boundary of the two colonies of South, and Western Australia, I had to proceed to Sir Thomas Elder's cattle and sheep station, and camel depot, at Beltana, to fit out for the new expedition for Perth Beltana station lies about 300 miles nearly north from the city of Adelaide, while Fowler's Bay lies 450 h Beltana is only 370 or 380 ht line across the country fro reat salt depression of Lake Torrens lying in the way, I had to travel 700 miles to reach it As this was ive an account ofwasbook

BOOK 3

CHAPTER 31 FROM 13TH MARCH TO 1ST APRIL, 1875

Leave Fowlers Bay

Careat plain

A black romance

An oasis

Youldeh

Old Jimmy

cockata blacks

In concealment

Flies, ants, and heat

A line of waters to the east

Leave depot

The caress

Lose a horse loaded ater

Tinkle of a bell

Chi

Heavy sand-dunes

Astray in the wilds

Pylebung

A native dain

The scrubs

Wynbring

A conspicuous mountain

A native family

March flies

While at Fowler's Bay I had heard of a native watering-place called Youldeh, that was known to one or thite people, and I found that it lay about 130 miles inland, in a north-north-westerly direction;to push across to Beltana to the eastwards and endeavour to find a good travelling route by which I could bring e ca depot for the west

Leaving the bay on Saturday, the 13th of March, 1875, I had a strong party with me as far as Youldeh My second in command, Mr Roberts, Mr Tho previously visited Youldeh, was going to show e Murray; I had with me also another white man, Peter Nicholls, asones The oldfelloent on, one day in advance and led the two ca loose We all rode horses, and had several pack-horses to carry our provisions and cah the previous su been tempered by southerly sea breezes Nature now seemed to intend to concentrate all the usual heat of an Australian su months that were left to her The thermometer usually stood for several hours of each day at 104, 105, and 106 degrees in the shade

After leaving Colona, an out sheep station belonging to Fowler's Bay, lying some thirty-five miles north-west from it, and where Mr Murray resided, we traversed a country alternating between belts of scrub and grassy flats or small plains, until at twenty e of a plain that stretched away to the north, and was evidently of a very great extent The soil was loose and yielding, and of a very poor quality Although this plain was covered with vegetation, there was no grass whatever upon it; but a growth of a kind of broo in the heated breezes as far as the eye could reach, which gave it a billowy and extraordinary appearance The botanical name of this plant is Eremophila scoparia