208 
Captain Sturt's Expedition. 
of the brush during the day. The line of the horizon was still 
clear when we reached the summit ol the hill, but we looked if 
vain for a distant peak or elevation. The sea of scrub was un' 
broken. It spread around us on every side, without a ray of 
hope upon it. We had, just as we neared the hill, crossed f 
little grassy flat, to which I now returned, and on which we slept* 
The position of these hills was in long. 141 4 3d east, and if 
lat. 28° 35' 10" south. They were composed of the same quartz or 
sandstone of which the last hills were formed ; but they rose 
from the plain with a slight undulation, and were consequently 
rounded in shape, instead of having sides so abrupt as those I 
have described. Any attempt to penetrate beyond this point 
would have been unavailing, in such heat as that to which we 
were exposed ; the horses would not have endured the privation* 
I thought it right, therefore, to return to the ranges, and to try 
the country to the E.N.E. On our way back through the brush 
it was more intolerably hot than the day before: there was *t 
strong hot wind blowing, and the air was so rarified that we 
could hardly breathe it. Arrived at the base of the hills, we 
turned to the E.N.E., as I had proposed; but we rode for a 
whole day without finding water; indeed the insignificant creeks 
falling into the plains, had a length of scarcely more than a mile. 
The hills decreased rapidly to the eastward; the brush closed in 
upon them, and a hopeless region again lay before us. It had 
not been my object on this journey to make any protracted 
excursion. I had rather been desirous of finding some more 
desirable supply of water than that on which we had to depend. 
We had, during the time we had been out, such fearful proofs of 
the rapid absorption and corruption of the water in the creeks, 
aud the uncertain tenure of any we had yet discovered, that I 
now became anxious as to the safety of the party as regarded its 
supply of water. I was too well aware of the treacherous nature 
of the soil and climate in which I was, to trust to appearances ; 
and 1 felt that we were in the most precarious situation, and 
placed under most doubtful circumstances ; the practicability of 
our retreat itself being doubtful. From this point, therefore, I 
hurried back, and reached the camp on the 24th of the month, 
having been absent 10 days. 
(To be continued.) 
