BAROMETERS OUT OF ORDER. 
85 
had unfortunately strayed, and it was late before they 
were brought up, so that we could not get away. 
Upon watering them when they arrived, I found 
that less impression was made upon the water than 
on the previous days ; and after an anxious consulta- 
tion with my overseer, I decided upon leaving the 
party in camp at Depot Pool until I could recon- 
noitre further north and return. 
August 1. — To prevent any difficulties during 
my absence, in the event of the water failing in the 
rock} 5 ' hole, I sent the native boy to shew the overseer 
the place where the permanent water was, and gave 
him instructions to move the party thither if he 
should find it necessary ; but not until their safety 
absolutely required it, or before he had fully ascer- 
tained that no water was to be procured by digging 
in the bed of any of the adjoining watercourses. 
During his absence, I employed myself busily in 
getting ready for another push to the north with the 
native boy to search for a new depot, as in a country 
so difficult and embarrassing, it was quite impractica- 
ble to move on the party until after having previously 
ascertained where they could be taken to with safety. 
Upon examining the barometers to-day, I was much 
concerned to find that they were both out of order 
and useless; the damp had softened the glue fastening 
the bags of leather which hold the quicksilver, and 
the leathers that were glued over the joints of the 
cisterns, and so much of the mercury had escaped, 
before I was aware of it, that I found all the previous 
