Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/149

 we took with us four bottles of rum; one of wine; eight of water; four pounds of pork; eighteen pounds of bread; two muskets; one gun, ammunition, an axe; three blankets, and a spare flannel; shoes and stockings each; the morning being very cold, and the beach good, we walked quick until sunrise, when we fell in with a river with the entrance nearly closed with sand; drank some water, as we did not know when we might have so good a chance again, and continued our march, but with very indifferent marching; loose sand; we were obliged to wait a few minutes every hour, not being accustomed to a load on our backs; after leaving the river about two hours and a half, we came to another with about two and a half feet at the entrance and heavy surf, and a remarkable sand-hill on the left. This river is certainly larger than the one we met with before, if we are to judge from its discharge. Fearing we might not be so fortunate as to meet with water again, rested for half an hour, and boiled some tea, after which we walked until half-past 10, when we rested for three hours; the sun being very oppressive on a white sandy beach; gave the men a gill of mixed grog, they being rather fatigued; at half-past 1 renewed our march, and served out another gill of grog; at 4, observed the beach moist above high water mark; dug with our hands about a foot deep, and got beautiful water, which we stood much in need of; filled our empty bottles and again started; walking until half-past 5, when we came to a stop for the night, after walking twenty miles; rather fatigued. Dug with our hands and got water, but very brackish, which was used only for grog; gave each man a pint; made a good fire, and all fell asleep, which remained un-