242 
RETURN TO THE DRAY. 
and we had the labour of clearing it out to go 
through again. 
The day was excessively oppressive, with a hot 
parching wind, and both we and the horses drank 
incessantly. Towards night we took the horses away 
to the grass, and remained near them ourselves for 
the sake of the firewood, which was there more 
abundant. 
We had thunder towards evening, and a few 
dops of rain fell, but not sufficient to moderate the 
temperature, the heat continuing as oppressive as 
before. 
December 4. — After watering the horses, we took 
ten gallons upon a pack-horse, and proceeded on 
our return to the man we had left ; the state in 
which our own horses were, having made it abso- 
lutely necessary to give them the day’s rest they had 
yesterday enjoyed. We arrived about five in the 
afternoon, at the little plain where we had left the 
man ; he was anxiously looking out for us, having 
just finished his last quart of water. The poor mare 
looked very weak and wretched, but after giving 
her at intervals, eight gallons of water, she fed a 
little, and I fully hoped we should succeed in saving 
her life. No natives had been seen during our 
absence. 
The night set in very dark and lowering, and I 
expected a heavy fall of rain ; to catch which we 
spread our oilskins and tarpaulin, and placed out 
the buckets and pannekins, or whatever else would 
