244 
WANT OF WATER. 
where they procured water, but in vain. They in- 
sisted that there was none near us, and pointed in the 
direction of the head of the Bight to the north-west, 
and of the sand hills to the south-east, as being the 
only places where it could be procured ; when I con- 
sidered, however, that I had seen these same natives 
on the 30th November, and that I found them 
within half a mile of the same place, five days after- 
wards, I could not help thinking that there must be 
water not very far away. It is true, the natives re- 
quire but little water generally, but they cannot do 
without it altogether. If there was a small hole any 
where near us, w T hy they should refuse to point it 
out, I could not imagine. I had never before found 
the least unwillingness on their part to give us in- 
formation of this kind ; but on the contrary, they 
were ever anxious and ready to conduct us to the 
waters that they were acquainted with. I could 
only conclude, therefore, that what they stated was 
true — that there was no water near us, and that they 
had probably come out upon a hunting excursion, 
and carried their own supplies with them in skins, 
occasionally, perhaps, renewing this from the small 
quantities found in the hollows of the gum scrub, 
and which is deposited there by the rains, or pro- 
curing a drink, as they required it, from the long 
lateral roots of the same tree.* I have myself seen 
water obtained in both these ways. The principal 
inducement to the natives to frequent the small 
* Vide Chapter XVI., towards the close. 
