126 COUNTRY IMPASSABLE. [CH. VI. 



distance on all sides, nor to recognize some of the hills over- 

 lookini>- our old route. Accordino" to the bearino-s of several 

 of these, I found that the plundered camp was only seventeen 

 miles distant ; and as the ground was so soft that we could 

 not move farther with the carts, until fair weather had ao'ain 

 rendered it passable, I resolved to halt the party here, until 

 after my intended excursion to Bombelli's Ponds. 



Feb. 15. — The rain continued but not without some inter- 

 mission. At one time the wind came from the north, and 

 in the evening the moon made her appearance amid fleecy 

 clouds, which raised our hopes. 



Feh. 16. — The rain poured from a sky that might have 

 alarmed Noah. The ground became a sea of mud ; even 

 within our tents we sank to the knees, no one could move 

 about with shoes — the men accordingly waded bare-footed. 

 The water in the pond was also converted into mud. 

 Ground crickets of an undescribed species — which perhaps 

 may be called Gryllotalpa Australis — came out of the earth 

 in great numbers. 



At three p. m. the blue sky appeared in the west, and the 

 nimbus clouds subsided. Towards night the wind died away, 

 and the full moon rising in a most serene sky, encouraged us 

 once more to indulge in the hope of getting home. 



Feh. 17. — A beautiful clear morning, but this was never- 

 theless a dies non to us, owing to the impassable state of the 

 surface of the earth. An emu came very near our tents, and 

 by carrying a bush a la '■'■ Birnam" we got several shots, 

 without, however, having the good fortune to hit it. We had 

 the satisfaction to find that the ground was drying very fast. 

 In the evening the mountains to the eastward were seen 

 clearly, for the first time. They appeared to be very rocky 

 and steep, much resembling the outline of Teneriffe or Ma- 

 deira; and no trees appeared on the highest pinnacles. 



Feb. IK, — The weather continuing fine, it was now in my 

 j)Ower to visit the unfortunate camp of Mr. Finch. Leaving 

 Mr. White, therefore, in charge of ours, I proceeded this 



