MOVINa CAMP — TURRET ROCK. 181 



western side, leaving the sliore party to follow tlie old storm-line, 

 or that indicating the ancient limits of the water. 



A small station was put up upon a little rocky projection just 

 north of the camp, which had to be constructed of stone, filled in 

 with earth, as no timber of any kind could be procured for the 

 purpose. A few slender poles of drift-wood were gathered, erect- 

 ed into a small lodge on the top of the mound, and covered over 

 with white cloth. The camp was broken up, and every thing being 

 loaded into the boats, the customary process of wading com- 

 menced. 



This mode of moving was one of the most disagreeable and 

 onerous of our duties. The boat was nearly two miles from the 

 camp, and the men made their way through a soft, tenacious blue 

 clay, ankle deep, and exposed to the insufferable annoyance of 

 myriads of gnats, which the occupation of both hands in grasping 

 the burden did not allow them to repel ; and although, after get- 

 ting out upon the water, we left for a time our inveterate little 

 enemies behind, it was with the knowledge that the same torment 

 must be again encountered on our next approach to land. In cross- 

 ing we were repeatedly driven to the southward by the shallow- 

 ness of the water ; and, upon at length reaching the shore, we 

 found, to our dismay, that an extensive flat of sand still lay be- 

 tween us and the line of grass and bushes where alone we could 

 obtain fuel for cooking. Over this the camp was carried upon 

 weary shoulders, and pitched among some artemisia, near " Turret 

 Rock," as we named a large pinnacle toward which we had direct- 

 ed our course in the morning, and which had frequently before 

 attracted our notice. 



The soil, after passing the flat, is a hard yellow clay, with some 

 pepper-grass — its only production. We here found a large hole 

 that had been dug by the wolves. It was full of brackish water, 

 which, although unfit to drink, was sufficiently good for mixing 

 bread and for cooking generally. We had learned, by dire ex- 

 perience, not to despise any water, however indifferent, as we did 

 not know at what period we might be reduced to its exclusive use. 



The place had long been a resort for the few Indians that occa- 

 sionally pass through this inhospitable region. Remains of old 

 lodges constructed of sage-bush, beds of the same, collected under 

 the cover of projecting ledges of rock and little caves in the cliff, 

 together with a well-defined horse-trail, showed that this had been a 

 favourite camp-ground. The trail came from the south-west, and led 



