134 depression of the men. 
unintentionally. In it we found there had been water very 
lately, and it appeared that the natives had dug holes at the 
bottom to insure a longer supply. These were now exhausted, 
but still retained the appearance of moisture. At a mile 
and a half beyond these, we were led to some similar holes, 
by observing a number of birds flying about them. The 
water was too muddy for us to drink, but the horses emptied 
them successively. We now kept sufficiently near the 
channel to insure our seeing any pool that might still re- 
main in it, but rode for about seven miles before we again 
saw water, and even here, although it was a spring, we were 
obliged to dig holes, and await their filling, before we could 
get suflicientfor our use. Having dined, we again pursued 
our journey, and almost immediately came upon a long nar- 
row ditch, full of water, and lined by bulrushes. The creek 
or river had for some time kept the centre of a deep alluvial 
valley, in which there was plenty of food for the cattle, and 
which, at this place, was apparently broader than any- 
where else. The situation being favourable, we returned to 
the camp, and reached it late. 
I do not know whether I was wrong in my conjecture, 
but I fancied, about this time, that the men generally were 
desponding. Whether it was that the constant fatigue en- 
tailed on myself and Mr. Hume, and that our constant ab- 
sence, or the consequent exhaustion it produced, had any 
effect on their minds, or that they feared the result of our 
perseverance, is difficult to say ; but certainly, they all had 
a depression of spirits, and looked, I thought, altered in 
