334 
Captain Sturt’s Expedition into the 
plains were subject to flood, and were bounded by low sand-hills. 
We were still riding on when the sun set, having failed in our 
search for water; and I pulled up on a small flooded flat, on 
which, between the polygonum bushes, there was a little grass. 
Near to us there was a small sand-hill, to which I went in the dusk 
of the evening. From it I saw a dark line of trees traversing the 
country from the eastward to the north-west, but whether it was 
brush or a belt of gum trees I could not decide. Still, I encou¬ 
raged hopes that that dark line might conceal a water-course, 
more especially as I caught the sound of the natives’ cooee in 
that direction. When morning dawned, I again ascended the 
little hill, from which I now clearly saw a broad belt of gum trees, 
flanked on either side by immense plains, crossing the country 
from the east to north-west, and it was evident these trees were 
gum trees so that we were now full of hope. Beyond the N.E. 
horizon, but very distant, there was apparently a lofty and rugged 
chain of mountains; and, as I gazed on the scene, I thought I had 
at length found an outlet from the fearful region in which I had so 
long been wandering. I made straight for a high part of the 
wood, and at three miles entered under the shade of an open box- 
tree forest; and at half a mile found myself on the banks of a 
magnificent water-course. Flooded gums of great size were 
growing on its banks, and the paths of the natives, as large and 
as well-beaten as a footpath in England, led from one angle to 
the other of it. My heart bounded with joy as I led my horse 
into its grassy bed, and saw him profit by our good fortune. 
Having taken breakfast, we crossed the creek for a little hill the 
bearing of which 1 had taken, in order to take bearings of the 
distant ranges, and on descending from it to the north, found 
myself on the banks of another creek still larger than the first, 
(the one by which the plains I had crossed are laid under water), 
and which was evidently an arm of it. The natives had not long 
before fired the grass in its bed, and it was springing up most 
beautifully green. A large sheet of water, the extremity of which 
I could not see, was to the eastward of us; and I could not resist 
the entreaty of Mark to let the horses have the benefit of a day’s 
rest at this place. We accordingly unsaddled and unloaded the 
