88 
SURPRISE NATIVE WOMEN. 
ten degrees north of east were seen Flinders range, 
with which Mount Deception and Termination Hills 
were connected, by low long spurs thrown off to the 
northward. In the north-east the horizon was one 
unbroken, low, flat, level waste, with here and there 
small table-topped elevations, appearing white in 
the distance and seemingly exhibiting precipitous 
faces. Wherever I turned, or whatever way I looked, 
the prospect was cheerless and disheartening. Our 
stage had been twenty-two miles. 
August 4. — After giving five gallons of water each 
to my own and the native boy’s horse, I sent back 
the man with the pack-horse and the empty kegs to 
the depot. We then steered E. 5° S. across some 
very extensive barren stony plains, occasionally 
broken into irregular surfaces with steep white banks 
(of a fine freestone), forming the termination of the 
higher levels, fronting the hollows. These hollows 
or flats were covered with salsolaceous plants and 
samphire, and appeared once to have been salt 
swamps. 
At twenty miles we came to a small watercourse 
emanating from the eastern hills, which we had now 
reached, and soon after to a larger one which we 
traced up for five miles among the front hills, which 
were composed of limestone, but were then obliged 
to encamp without water. Whilst rambling about 
after turning out the horses, I met with a party of 
native women and children, but could gain no infor- 
mation from them. They would not permit me to 
