MODES OF PROCURING WATER. 13 



are never harassed with the idea of being without 

 any ; which not only distresses but adds to the 

 horror of thirst with the European explorer, who 

 has not experienced the constant watchfulness 

 of Providence, and does not know that he may 

 collect from the leaves, with a sponge, on some 

 mornings, as much as a pint of water. This has, 

 however, been done, even on the south coast, where 

 the dews are not so copious as onthenorth-west. The 

 natives themselves are never at a loss for that indeed 

 precious article, water. They sometimes procure 

 it by digging up the lateral roots of the small gum- 

 tree, a dusty and fatiguing operation: they break 

 them off in short bits, and set them up to drain into 

 a piece of bark or a large shell. By tapping also 

 the knotty excrescences of trees they find the fluid, 

 which they suck out. Many of these modes of 

 obtaining water are of course known to experienced 

 bushmen, like Mr. Eyre, whose deeply interesting- 

 narrative of his hardships and perils has already 

 enlisted the sympathy of the public, 



September 12. — We moved the ship into Port 

 Darwin, anchoring just within the eastern cliffy 

 head which, to commemorate Lieut. Emery's success 

 in finding water by digging, we named after him. All 

 the surveying force was now put in instant requisi- 

 tion ; Captain Wickham went to examine an open- 

 ing in the coast mentioned by Captain King, lying 

 about twelve miles further to the westward, whilst 



