338 
Captain Sturt’s Expedition into the 
the valley when we resumed our journey, I found that it opened 
on the Stony Desert, over the rugged surface of which we were 
once more obliged to lead our limping animals, from whose dry 
hoofs large splinters flew as they struck them against the stones. 
As we approached the elevations I have noticed, from which a 
little creek fell into the plain with a hopeless sandy bed, we 
observed that they were merely ridges or dunes of sand covered 
with stones similar to those on the plain below. Ascending the 
highest point, I cast my eye round the horizon, which was as even 
as that of the ocean, excepting to the N.E., where the sand-hills 
we had crossed rose above it; but they were like an island in the 
midst of that gloomy sea. I have refrained from making any 
observations on the weather at this time, but it was fearfully hot 
and the gusts that came upon us were enough to wither us. We 
were exposed to the sun’s first and last rays; for we had no 
shelter to which to fly, and the extreme heat caused both ourselves 
and our animals to feel unusual lassitude. I was now about forty- 
seven miles from the last water we had passed, and we were in a 
situation that demanded my most serious consideration. Should 
I push on or retrace my steps? I was now in lat. 25° 54' S., and 
in long. 139° 22' 30' E.—advanced about fifty miles into the 
most dreary region man ever traversed. From the point on which 
I stood I could see farther to the north than our horses could 
possibly gain unshod as they were, over ground now become 
rougher than before, since large sharp fragments of rocks, driven 
by the force of waters apparently into the ground when soft, were 
mixed with the small rounded stones, and the whole plain pre¬ 
sented the aspect of a wild sea-beach. If I pressed on, and 
should not find water, I felt I should lose every horse I had, and 
that in such case great suffering would overtake us. On the 
other hand, I knew that if I now turned back it would be 
virtually to abandon the great enterprise. I should be doing 
injustice to Mr. Stuart and my two men, Morgan and Mark, 
if I did not state that they expressed the utmost readiness 
to follow me wherever I should determine to go. I could not, 
however, shut my eyes to the critical posture of our affairs, 
and the uncertainty, even as it was, of our being able to effect 
