Page:Tracks of McKinlay and party across Australia.djvu/124

 of a beautiful sheet of water. They unlashed themselves, and when the camels arrived at the lake they jumped off and rolled into the water. After they had quenched their thirst, some natives came and brought them some fish, and treated them very kindly, and one accompanied them to our camp, about six or seven miles, and very happy indeed we were to see them return, for great doubts were entertained of ever seeing them again. Very weak and ill they looked; McKinlay out all the morning in search of them, and rejoiced he was to find them stretched out in the tent, and gradually improving.

We had meanwhile safely found our way to this water, Lake Hope, where we halted some time to recruit. Hodgkinson found himself so much improved that he and Davis started after the stores that had been left behind, and returned in the evening, having succeeded in finding the camel tracks. Had these stores been lost, we should have missed them very much—some 200 lb. of bacon, etc., which came in very handy afterwards. The natives who showed our missing comrades the way to the camp were rewarded—tomahawk, blanket, etc. Middleton slowly recovering.

Oct. 8th. Lake Hope abounds in fish, and any quantity of wild fowl. Took the shoes off the horses, and stuffed pack-saddles afresh, started from Pando Lake Camp, at 9·20, and found another