146 
REFUGE ROCKS. 
the place with a telescope I could not make out 
distinctly whether they were rocks or only sand. 
The boy however persisted that there were rocks, 
and to settle the point I halted the dra}^ in camp, 
whilst I proceeded with him to the spot to look. 
At seven miles W. 10° S. of the drays we reached 
the ridge, and to my great delight I found the hoy 
was right ; he had seen the bare sheets of granite 
peeping out near the summit of a sandy elevation, 
and in these we found many holes with water in 
them. At the base of the hill too, was an opening 
with good grass around, and a fine spring of pure 
water. Hastening back to the dray, I conducted 
the party to the hills, which I named Refuge Rocks, 
for such they were to us in our difficulties, and such 
they may be to many future travellers who may 
have to cross this dreary desert. 
From the nature of the road and the exhausted 
state of our horses, it was very late when we en- 
camped, but as the position was so favourable a one 
to recruit at, I determined to take advantage of it, 
and remain a couple of days for that purpose. 
September 23. — 'Leaving my party to rest, after 
the fatigue they had endured in forcing a way 
through the scrub, I set off after breakfast to recon- 
noitre our position at Refuge Rocks, and to take 
a series of angles. The granite elevation, under 
which we were encamped, I found to be one of 
three small hills, forming a triangle, about a mile 
apart from each other, and having sheets of granite 
