MOBEELA GAIPPE. 
219 
thought there was not enough to satisfy our party, 
having now frequently seen how great was the sup- 
ply we required at each encampment. I was myself of 
the opinion that a hole probably existed to the north- 
east similar to the one we had found in the plains 
behind Point Brown, where the access is difficult, 
and the quantity procurable at any one time not 
very great. The scrub we had traversed to-day was 
principally of salt-water tea-tree, growing upon a 
succession of steep sandy ridges, which presented a 
formidable barrier to the progress of the drays ; the 
distance to be accomplished was not above fourteen 
miles ; but so difficult was the nature of the country, 
and so oppressive the heat, that, notwithstanding 
our very early start, it was four o’clock in the after- 
noon before we arrived at the place of destination, 
which was called by the natives, “ Mobeela gaippe.” 
The horses and men were greatly fatigued, but for 
the latter, the labours of the day were far from being 
over, for, upon arriving at the place where the 
water was to be procured, I found that the holes, 
sunk by the natives, were through ridges of a loose 
sand to a depth of fourteen or fifteen feet, at the 
bottom of which, water was obtained in very small 
quantities. There were several of these holes still 
open, and the traces of many others in every direc- 
tion around, which had either fallen in or been filled 
up by the drifting of the sand. These singular wells, 
although sunk through a loose sand to a depth of 
fourteen or fifteen feet, were only about two feet in 
