Page:Tracks of McKinlay and party across Australia.djvu/224

 at 8 ; passed over some fearful country, the horses and camels up to their knees in the rotten flats, over which our course lay, the horses quite in a lather; the camels even sweated, the first time they ever did so during the journey; it was awful work for the bullocks; the cart, when we passed it, was up to the naves of the wheels in the rotten earth, and the bullocks up to their knees. I don't know when they will get into camp to-night.

One of the finest bullocks died from the heat of the sun to-day; he was very fat, and it is a pity we could not save any of the meat, as it would have helped out our sheep considerably; Mr. McKinlay did not know anything of it till the cart came in the evening, too late to send out.

On our journey to-day, after passing these rotten flats, we came to a small creek, where we spelled for a short time, and crossed this creek to a lake, where we camped on the north-east shore at about 1, where the water seemed deepest. Mr. Hodgkinson went out to try the depth, and found at some 300 yards from the shore 10½ feet. It is certainly the deepest lake we have yet come to. This lake I should say is permanent, and from its depth must be a great resort of the natives far and near in great droughts. The native name of it is "Goonaidranganni," but called after our worthy leader, "Lake McKinlay." Splendid bathing in this lake, the water being so