54 
CAPE ARID. 
been procured. We found none where we were en- 
camped,- but had sufficient in the kegs for our own 
use, and the horses were not thirsty; many and 
recent tracks of natives were observed, but the people 
themselves were not seen. 
The morning of the 27th was exceedingly cold ; 
and as we left our encampments early, neither I nor 
Wylie were inclined to ride for the first few miles ; 
it was as much as we could do to keep ourselves 
from shivering whilst walking ; the dews were so 
heavy, that we were soon wet through by the 
spangles from the shrubs and grass, whilst the pace 
at which we travelled was not sufficiently rapid to 
promote a quick circulation, and enable us to keep 
ourselves warm. 
At six miles we passed some sand hills, where 
there was every indication of water, but I did not 
think it worth while delaying to try the experiment 
in digging, and pushed on for four miles further, 
round a bight of the coast, encamping on the east 
side of Cape Arid, where a small salt water creek 
entered the bight. The mouth of this was closed by 
a bar of sand, quite dry ; nor did the salt water 
continue for any great distance inland. Following 
it up, in the hope of finding fresh water near its 
source, I found that there was none now, but that after 
rains considerable streams must be poured into it 
from the gorges of Cape Arid. The rocks here 
were all of granite ; and in some of the ledges we 
were fortunate enough to find abundance of water 
