712 



Next morning found everything frozen hard. We were 

 scon packed up, camels loaded, and on the move again, pass- 

 ing through thick niulga and dry grass; later more open 

 m.ulga, with ironstone ridges, on which grew a quantity of 

 bluebush. On the flats native willow (Acacia salicinaj 

 and a few cork trees grew. Passing over claypans and on to 

 rising ground, which was covered in a mass of Erenwphila 

 f/ilesii, we camped in a dense mass of mulga. 



When the boys came in with the camels next morning 

 they reported having seen "big smoke" on the rocky range 

 to the east, and added "Blackfellow bin makim fire." Pass- 

 ing on through dense mulga growing on reddish sandy loam, 

 a good many bustards were seen where open patches occurred,. 

 but these fine birds were very wild. Smoke was seen rising 

 from isolated m.asses of granite away to the north. At 

 2.25 p.m. our boys became very excited upon discovering 

 the tracks of wild natives, and it was very noticeable that 

 the boys did not talk to one another nearly as much as usual, 

 and were keeping a sharp look-out all round them. Passed 

 over undulating sandy country covered in mulga, and here 

 and there a native willow. Keaching the top of the last 

 sandhill, the Musgrave Ranges loomed up in all their 

 grandeur, partly enveloped in blue mists. Huge masses of 

 granite rose to the north of us on comparatively level ground. 

 Emerging from mulga scrub on to open loose sandy country, 

 came upon a fine rockhole containing several hundreds of 

 gallons of water. Moving on a little distance from the vv^ater 

 we camped, and spent a very cold night; everything frozen 

 by the morning. Bird life was very scarce, also insects, but 

 a number of botanical specimens were taken, amongst v/hich 

 was a new Toxanthiis which Mr. Black has described as T. 

 irhitei, a most striking little plant with bright yellow flowers. 



Leaving here we passed through large and dense mulga 

 growing on low sandhills, then over hard red sandy loam,, 

 covered in dense mulga, all the lower branches of which were 

 dead, and only the very top showing signs of life; everything 

 in a very dry state, so that it crumbled away on being 

 touched. Here there were numerous holes, excavated up to 

 4 feet deep, under the mulga trees, these having been made 

 by the natives digging for the "Sugar Ant" (Meloijlioru^ 

 'infiafus). These insects are greatly relished by the natives, 

 who pick up the insect with thumb and forefinger, placing 

 the inflated abdomen in the mouth, which is bitten off, and 

 the remainder of the insect's body is thrown away. Judging 

 by the number of these holes the much-sought-after insect 

 must be very numerous all over this country, and are called 

 "woma" by the Everard natives. Com.ing out upon a large 



