168 Land Magnetic Observations, 1914-20 



Between No. 5 Well and No. 6 Well the country was mostly barren, parched, spini- 

 fex country with occasional patches of good quondong (a native edible bush which bears 

 a fruit). No. 6 Well, at Pierre Spring, is in a patch of travertine limestone, deposited 

 by the spring, on which salt-bush, acacia, and other good feed grows, forming quite 

 an oasis. On June 16, between No. 6 Well and No. 7 Well, two emus were seen, also 

 the fresh tracks of two Blackfellows. Between No. 7 Well and No. 8 Well, on June 17, 

 on a rich limestone flat with mulga, salt-bush, and grass, we found a number of very 

 large kangaroos. These were the last seen until the northern end of the stock route 

 was reached. Presumably, there is not sufficient feed in the large area between to sup- 

 port them continuously. On June 18 Weld Spring, No. 9 Well on the stock route, was 

 reached. This is in a basin in the hills and has been visited by a number of Australian 

 explorers who have always found plenty of good water and feed. We were greatly 

 surprised to find the well dry and indeed very little feed about. 



At No. 10 Well, June 19, for the first time, we came across a band of natives, whose 

 tracks we had seen for several days past, getting fresher and fresher. We saw two old 

 men, a youth, a boy, four old women, and one young woman. As usual, there was a 

 plentiful supply of dogs. Although they knew a few words of English, they were very 

 unintelligent, and we found it almost impossible to communicate with them. When we 

 broke camp the next morning, we soon found that the blacks were following us, which 

 made our riding camels very nervous. After a good deal of persuasion, they realized 

 that we wanted them all to "Walkaway!" and they soon disappeared. 



On June 20 we reached No. 11 Well at the Goodwin Soak, on the edge of another 

 lake system. Here the dray track we had hitherto followed ends, and the character 

 of the country changes to moving sand-hills. Spinifex is more universal, while the 

 mulga becomes scarce. From now on we had to follow the pad left by the camels of 

 Mr. Canning's expedition. 



Traveling over the broken sand-hills is very heavy and exhausting work for the 

 camels, and their backs require great attention. Between No. 11 Well and No. 17 

 Water the sand-hills were varied by flats with oak, mulga, wattles, salt-bush, quondong, 

 poplar, and gums sparsely scattered among the spinifex. There were also a few clay- 

 pans, or flat spaces covered with a fine clay that holds water for a considerable time after 

 rain, and which are typical of sand-hill country. The water in the wells was excep- 

 tionally low and consequently tasted unusually strong of minerals. That at No. 16 

 Well was not potable. Numerous traces of blacks were seen, and at one well it was 

 evident from the tracks that a native had been surprised by our approach, and after 

 first crawling had then run away. 



No. 17 Water, Killagurra Spring, is in a narrow, precipitous gorge in the Durba Range, 

 which reaches a height of about 1,000 feet above the surrounding plain. The range 

 rises precipitously and is capped by a hard, thick stratum of quartzite. This spot proved 

 the most interesting on the whole trip. The cliffs abounded in wallabies, which came 

 out at dawn and dusk to feed. On some overhanging rocks in the gorge we found a 

 large number of aboriginal rock paintings, done in yellow ochre, picked out with red. 

 There were some very fine white and blood-wood gum trees in the lower portion of the 

 gorge, and in the upper portions were some unique instances of erosion by flood waters. 

 Sunday, June 28, was spent at this camp. 



Leaving No. 17 Water, we again got among steep broken sand-hills, in which the 

 pad made by Mr. Canning's camels was difficult to find. The aboriginal, Nipper, was 

 more expert at finding it than we were, and he doubtless saved us many hours. Wells 

 Nos. 19 to 22 were all near the shore of a large dry lake, "Lake Disappointment." 

 The water in some of these wells is very strongly impregnated with mineral salts, 

 though stock will drink it. There was still fair feed near the lake shore, although the 

 season was dry. Red oaks were abundant in this region, and very handsome. All 



