^'^ JOURNEY OF DISCOVEKY INTO 



during the early part of the night, enabled us to collect with our tin 

 plates, from the surrounding bushes, sufficient water to give the two 

 most suffering horses a gallon and a half each, and the remainder a 

 quart apiece. This proved a truly welcome and seasonable taste, after 

 having been three days and nights without a drop of anything but 

 brine. We were also enabled to replenish our own small stock in keg 

 and teakettle, the notes of the latter sounding on such occasions far 

 more melodious in our ears than those of the most celebrated can- 

 tatriee framed out of softer materials. This day we passed over, in 

 latitude 33^ 8' S., longitude 121° 52' E, the dry beds of several salt 

 lakes, of the white and dark red sandstones belonging to the coal for- 

 mation. They were very mottled, and confusedly mixed, and had nu- 

 merous veins of very hard ironstone running through them, similar in 

 appearance to sandstones which we afterwards saw in close connection 

 with coal and shales. 



Striking our light dungaree tents at three o'clock next morning 

 (November 13th), we got away early on our south-eastern route, the 

 horses appearing somewhat revived; but their frequent falling and 

 stumbling betrayed their extreme weakness, and at the end of four 

 miles Ney was again left behind, from utter inability to proceed. With 

 many regrets he was here abandoned and we pushed on, the day becom- 

 ing veiy warm and oppressive. Every obstacle was however finally over- 

 come, and at three o'clock I had the satisfaction to encamp the party 

 once more in a desirable spot, at the east end of the hill for which we 

 had been steering, and to which I gave the name of Mount Eidley, 

 after one of my present companions, to whom I felt greatly indebted 

 for his prompt and valuable aid on all occasions which required it. 

 Indeed the whole party were actuated by the best spirit, and I need 

 not say it was fully taxed in meeting all their privations and difficulties. 

 Next day Messrs. Eidley and Gregory, with the native Bob, brought 

 Ney once more into camp, but in such an exhausted condition as to 

 render another day's halt necessary for his partial recovery. I re- 

 gretted this the more, as the grass around Mount Eidley was scanty 

 and poor, and I hoped to obtain it of much better quality at some 

 other hills of similar character which appeared at the distance of 

 twenty-five to forty miles further eastward. From the summit of the 

 mount, which is a huge mass of bare granite a quarter of a mile in 

 length and about 700 feet above the suiTOunding plains, several hills 



