SUCCESSFUL SEARCH FOR WATER. 115 



period of two months, the world had closed upon 

 him for ever I 



A point, fronting a small islet, almost joined to it 

 at low water, was selected as a fitting spot for the 

 commencement of our well-digging operations, which 

 we hoped to bring to a more successful termination 

 than our former attempt at Point Swan. After sink- 

 ing to a depth of eight feet our anticipations were 

 fully justified, the water flowing in through the sides 

 in great abundance. It was quite fresh, and in 

 every way most acceptable to us all ; but tinged as 

 it was with the red colour of the surrounding soil, 

 we could at once perceive that it was only surface 

 water. As we watched it filling our neatly exca- 

 vated well, we found no great difficulty in under- 

 standing why, in this continent, a native speaks of 

 any very favoured district, as " Very fine country — 

 much plenty water — fine country ;" thus compre- 

 hending in the certain supply of that one necessary 

 of life, the chief, nay almost the sole condition essen- 

 tial to a happy land. 



We named this Skeleton^ Point from our finding 

 here the remains of a native, placed in a semi-recum- 

 bent position under a wide spreading gum tree, 

 enveloped, or more properly, shrouded, in the bark 

 of the papyrus. All the bones were closely packed 

 together, the larger being placed outside, and the 

 general mass surmounted by the head, resting on 

 its base, the fleshless, eyeless scull ' grinning hor- 

 ribly' over the right side. Some of the natives 



I 2 



