OUR COURSE ARRESTED. 
97 
the animals into a place of safety, as soon as possible ; and, 
as the only effectual way of doing this was to retire upon 
the nearest fresh water, I resolved at once to do so. The 
party turned back on the morning of the 6th ; nor do I 
think the cattle would ever have reached their destination 
had we not found a few buckets of rain water in the cleft of 
a rock, to refresh them. Thus it will appear that under 
our most trying circumstances, we received aid from Pro- 
vidence, and that the bounty of Heaven was extended 
towards us, when we had least reason to expect it. 
Notwithstanding we had been thus forced to a partial 
retreat, both Mr. Hume and myself were unwilling to quit 
the pursuit of the river, in so unsatisfactory a manner. 
There was no difference in the appearance of the country 
to the westward of it; but a seeming interminable flat 
stretched away in that direction. A journey across it 
was not likely, therefore, to be attended with any favorable 
results, since it was improbable that any other leading 
feature was within our reach. I proposed, therefore, to 
take the most serviceable of the horses with me down the 
river, that, in the event of our finding fresh water, we 
might again push forward. Mr. Hume requesting to be 
permitted to accompany me, it was arranged that we 
should start on the 8th, thereby giving the animals a day’s 
rest. We had not seen any natives since our parting with 
the chief horde ; and as we were stationed at some little 
distance from the river, 1 hoped that they would not visit 
the camp during my absence. This was the only circum- 
VOU. 1. 11 
