86 LUCKY VALLEY. 



ing, for by 8 o'clock, a.m. we reached the dining 

 place of the second day. To record the satisfaction 

 we felt in escaping a second journey over Thirsty 

 Flat, by following the valley we had seen yester- 

 day evening, we named it Lucky Valley. After a 

 brief halt, we pushed on, and by eleven, were 

 at our old quarters in Muscle Bend. We heard 

 the voices of natives in all directions, far and 

 near, and as I found the party still astonishingly 

 fresh, and eager to proceed, I thought it best 

 to keep going. We therefore continued our journey, 

 and just before dark reached the spot where we had 

 dined the first day. Here, however, the cheerful 

 excitement of our pleasant and shady walk through 

 Lucky Valley having gone ofiF, the men felt the 

 efi'ects of their long day's march, and were all more 

 or less knocked up. 



Near the river, as we were approaching our in- 

 tended bivouac, we came upon a native walking 

 leisurely across the plain, and so intently occupied 

 in poising and straightening his spear, and fixing 

 it in the throwing stick, that he allowed me, being 

 in advance of the rest, to get within sixty yards of 

 him : I then loudly hailed him. He cast one look 

 of utter and indescribable astonishment at the 

 strange being who thus interrupted his pathway 

 over his native soil, and was off at the top of his 

 speed. Little anticipating that I should soon have 

 to test in earnest the fleetness of these people, 

 I tried rates with him for a short distance, and 

 remarked, with surprise, that he had not that 



