92 CONTINUE NORTHWARD. [CH. IV. 



from the north-east, and the irresistible attraction of a per- 

 fectly unknown region, still led us northward. 



The undulations were scarcely perceptible, and the woods 

 were disposed in narrow strips, enclosing plains, on which 

 grew abundance of grass. They occupied the lowest parts, 

 and umbrageous clumps of casuarinae in such situations, often 

 led me on unsuccessful searches for water, until I was al- 

 most convinced, that these trees only grew where none could 

 possibly ever be. 



The prospect of finding any, at length, seemed almost 

 hopeless, but I had determined to try the result of as long a 

 journey as could be accomplished this day, with the intention 

 of giving, in the event of failure, the little water remain- 

 ing in our cask to the animals ; and then to retrace our steps 

 during the night, and the cool part of the following day, so 

 as to regain, if possible, the depot camp next evening. 



Meanwhile, my party, faint with heat and thirst, toiled 

 after me. In some parts of these parched plains, numerous 

 prints of human feet appeared, hut the soil which had evi- 

 dently been very soft, when these impressions were made, 

 was now baked as hard as brick, and although we felt that 



'* On desert sands 'twere joy to scan 

 The rudest steps of fellow man," 



these made us only more sensible of the altered state of the 

 surface at that time. Water had evidently once lodged in 

 every hollow, and tho prints of the kangaroo, when pursued 

 by the natives, and impeded by the mud, were visible in 

 various jilaces. 



At five miles, we entered a wood of pine trees {caUltris), 

 the first we had seen since we left the Nammoy ; but on j)ass- 

 ing through it, we discovered no other change. A thick 

 wood of acacia pendula fell next in our way, and then seve- 

 ral patches of casuarinec. On approaching one of these, I 

 observed a very slight hollow, and, on following it to the 

 right, or eastward, about a mile, (the party having in tho 

 mean time liallcd), 1 perceived a few dry leaves in a heap, 



