Page:Tracks of McKinlay and party across Australia.djvu/111

 when Mr. McKinlay arrived with the cart all put to rights, and here we first met Mr. Jacobs, of Parallanah, a station some way farther up, and where he has invited the party to call en route.

10th. Off this night to Belcrackna Creek; rather pretty some part of the way; had to sleep for the first time without water; turned in about 10 o'clock, after a long stirring march.

11th. Proceed now to Willielpa, one of Mr. Chambers' stations, over which reigns supreme a certain Mr. Tom Coffin, quite a character in his way, and quite a curiosity to look at, with very long yellow hair, and nose to match. Fell in with a native well on the march, in which was a dead dog, but we drank the water, and thought it splendid. Who was that general of old who said that the river in which hundreds of the enemy were floating about was the best water he ever tasted? Tom produced milk, bread, and butter, things we had not tasted for some time.

12th. The next stage was Chambers' Creek, some twenty-five miles from Tom Coffin's, which we left the following morning for John's Creek; thence to McTaggart's station, passing through Mr. McCullum's on the way.

13th. At Mr. McCullum's station Mr. McKinlay procured the services of a bullock-driver, and bought his team from him. Ned Palmer was the beau ideal of a bullock-driver; hardy,