DRY WATERCOURSE. 
61 
our horses, and refilled the keg ; we then entered 
heavy ridges of dense red sand lying nearly north 
and south, and having small barren plains between. 
There were a few stunted bushes upon the ridges 
and occasionally some small straggling pines. 
Lake Torrens still trended easterly, being occa- 
sionally seen from, and sometimes approaching near 
to our track. 
Emerging from the sandy ridges we again en- 
tered upon vast level plains covered with rhagodia. 
In the midst of these we came to the bed of a large 
dry watercourse, having good grass about it, but con- 
taining no water. I halted here for the day as our 
horses were not very thirsty. 
Upon examining the bed of the watercourse, I found 
traces of a rather recent and high flood ; much drift 
being still left upon the bushes where it had been 
swept by the torrent ; I could, however, find no 
water anywhere. 
A great many emus were seen during our ride, 
and I wounded one with my rifle, but did not get 
it. We found to-day a description of flower, which 
I had not seen before, white, and sweetly scented 
like the hawthorn, growing upon a low prickly 
bush near the watercourse. 
July 11. — To-day I left our course and rambled 
up the watercourse to examine its character and search 
for water, which however I could not find in its 
channel anywhere. Traces of natives were nume- 
rous and recent all the way as we went, till at last 
