Page:Tracks of McKinlay and party across Australia.djvu/129

 timber that surrounds it and commenced ascending sand hills very soft, high, and steep, then through flooded flats with box and polygonum. Distance travelled about eight and a half miles to Kierie Creek, and camped at water-hole. (Name "Wantula Depôt.")

17th. Remained here to-day, preparing for Mr. McKinlay's start for Cooper's Creek, where, as the black fellows say, "white man sit down" (die). They take with them stores, and some little creature comforts, in case they find the poor fellow alive, such as arrowroot, coffee, chocolate, etc. Mr. McKinlay takes the four camels with him, also two men and a native, who seems to know all about the "white fellow." Here we opened the store of recuperated sausages, 200 lb., and found them, to our sorrow, nearly all bad, one tin quite rotten and had to be thrown away there and then. We missed them much, as the sequel will show. The remainder we have hung on lines, hoping they might improve by the process. Thermometer to-day 122°.

18th. Mr. McKinlay and party before-mentioned off this morning, to find the truth of the report of the native, and whether the white man was still alive; and they take with them our best wishes for their success of course.

We must take from McKinlay's journal as the writer was not personally with him (be it known