30 NATIVE GUIDE AND HIS GIN. [CH. I. 



nately met no other impediment tor six miles. We then 

 crossed the channels of two rivulets, neither of which con- 

 tained any water. At half-past four I wished to encamp, 

 and the natives having at length found a green mantling pool 

 in the bed of the united channel of the two water-courses, 

 we pitched our tents, at a place called " Burandua." Bad 

 as the water seemed to be, " Jemmy" soon obtained some 

 which was both clear and cool, by digging a hole in the sand 

 near the pool. This native was a quiet and sensible fellow — 

 he steadily pursued the course he recommended for the 

 " wheelbarrows," as he termed our carts ; and answered all 

 my queries briefly and decidedly, either by a nod of assent, 

 or the negative monosyllable " Bel," with a shake of the 

 head. His walk was extremely light and graceful; his 

 shoulders were neatly knit, and the flowing luxuriance of 

 his locks was restrained by a bit of half-inch cord, the two 

 ends hanging, like a double queue, half way down his back. 

 He was followed by his gin and a child, which she usually 

 carried on her back, although it seemed old enough and able 

 to walk. 



The air of the evening was very refreshing, and the sun 

 set with peculiar brilliancy. We had travelled during the 

 whole day on good soil, and the ploughed appearance of the 

 surface was very remarkable in various places, particularly 

 a little to the south of Loder's station, where the hollows 

 seemed to terminate in a connnon channel. I noticed also 

 that the direction of all the water-courses was towards the 

 north-west, and it was evident that the streams occasionally 

 overflowed their banks. 



Dec. 9. — This morning, the party was ready to proceed 

 soon after five o'clock, but the barometer got out of oi'der, 

 while I was using it in the dry bed of the rivulet, and some 

 time was lost in an unsuccessful attempt to rejiair it. This 

 derangement of fho instrument was very unfortunate, at so 

 early a stage of our journey. 



After ti'avelling about seven miles and a half, we per- 

 ceived, on our left, an open valley, in which a numerous 



