316 new-year's range. [ch. viii. 



us, on coining from the soft plains, on account of its firmness, 

 neither hoofs nor wlieels leaving any impression upon it. 

 The two men came in with the stray bullock soon after the 

 tents were pitched, and thus our party was again in a state 

 to move forward. One of the men, Robert Whiting, who 

 had been long afflicted with the black scurvy, continued to 

 get weaker daily ; and it seemed very doubtful whether his 

 life could be preserved, until we should reach a station where 

 vegetables might be procured. In other respects, he was as 

 well off as if in an hospital ; the proper medicines were 

 given to him, he was kept warm in a tent, and on the 

 journey he was conveyed in a covered van. He was, how- 

 ever, sinking daily, all his teeth were dropping out — and yet, 

 poor fellow, he had been, when in health, one of the most 

 indefatigable of the party, and had been also with me, on 

 my journey to the northward. He did not look the same 

 man on this occasion, from the first setting out; and it was 

 evident, that he had brought the disease from an ironed 

 gang, where it had been prevalent some time before. 



Aug. 20. — Following our old route, we crossed the extre- 

 mities of New-Year's range, and at the rocky point, where 

 it was first seen by us, I obtained bearings on it, and several 

 other heights to the westward, which I had seen also from 

 that range. The sky was obscured this morning by a kind 

 of smoky haze, which brought with it a smell of burning 

 grass. It was evident, that either the Macquarie marshes, 

 or some other extensive tract, to the eastward, was on fire, as 

 the wind blew from that quarter. The obscurity continued 

 during the whole of the day, and the smell also. As we 

 crossed the plain, which appeared to Captain Sturt like a 

 " broad and rapid river," the dogs killed an emu, and thus 

 we were now pretty well supplied with fresh meat. We at 

 length encatnpcd, where we first came to the creek, after 

 descending from New-Year's range, having found a good pond 

 there. 



Au(j. 21. — Early this morning, wc were all awakened by 



