Nov. 8, 1858.] IN SEARCH OF LEICHHARDT AND PARTY. 25 



and the last 5 miles of the plain were absolutely devoid of vegeta- 

 tion. Our hopes were, however, raised on finding that the late 

 rain had caused the Thompson to flow, though the current was not 

 strong; we had, besides, to travel upwards of 12 miles up its 

 course before any grass could be found for the horses. 



l^th May. — Continuing our route up the Thompson, nothing 

 could be more desolate than the aspect of the country : except the 

 few trees which grew on the immediate bank of the river, there was 

 scarcely a tree left alive, while the plains were quite bare of vegeta- 

 tion, except a few salsolaceous bushes. At the distance of 5 miles 

 low ridges of red drift sand showed the desert character of all 

 around ; even the lower surfaces of the clouds assumed a lurid tinge 

 from the reflection of the bare surface of red sand. 



\2th May. — In latitude 24° 40' low sandstone hills, or rather 

 table-land, approached both banks of the river, and the gullies which 

 intersected them had supplied the water lower down, as the channel 

 was dry above. We, however, succeeded in reaching latitude 23° 47' 

 (15^^ May), when the absence of water and grass — the rain not 

 having extended so far north, and the channels of the river sepa- 

 rating into small gullies and spreading on the wide plains — pre- 

 cluded our progressing farther to the north or west ; and the only 

 prospect of saving our horses was to return south as quickly as 

 possible. 



This was a more severe disappointment, as we had just reached 

 the part of the country through which Leichhardt most probably 

 travelled, if the season was sufiiciently wet to render it practicable. 



Thus compelled to abandon the principal object of the expedition, 

 only two courses remained open — either to return to the head of the 

 Victoria Eiver and attempt a northern course by the valley of the 

 " Belyando," or to follow down the river and ascertain whether it 

 flowed into "Cooper Creek" or the Darling. The latter course 

 appeared most desirable, as it was just possible that Leichhardt, 

 under similar circumstances, had been driven to the S. W. 



In order to ascertain whether any large watercourses came from 

 the west, the return route was along the right bank of the Thompson, 

 but only one small creek and some inconsiderable gullies joined on 

 that side ; nor was the country of a better character than on the left 

 bank— consisting of barren plains, subject to inundation, low rocky 

 ridges covered with dense scrub, and sandy ridges producing 

 triodia. 



22nd May. — We had nearly reached the Barcu, or Victoria River, 

 when, in crossing a gully, Worrell's horse fell and hurt him so 

 severely that we had to halt for some time before he could be placed 



