Page:Tracks of McKinlay and party across Australia.djvu/229

 pack-horse to bring some food, if the dray could not come on; it became so dark, however, they could not follow the tracks, and returned unsuccessful at 10 Innumerable pelicans, ducks, gulls, waders, cormorants, and pigeons, plenty of fish also. Small quantities of rain in the claypans. A little flour and water mixed, on the coals, and to bed.

22nd. We remained at this camp all day, awfully hot, no covering, the pegs of the tents having no hold in the sand, so we had to make a sort of an impromptu one with blankets, pack-bags, and camel saddles; water very brackish, and containing soda. Hodgkinson, Bell, and a native were off very early to see what had become of the cart. It appeared that it got turned over crossing a sand hill; sheep all right, and nothing the matter. The men with the sheep and cart had to be up all night to watch the natives, they being numerous, and moving about close by all the time. This lake is about three miles long by two wide. The bullocks very much jaded to-day from the last two days' work, and persist in remaining in the water, sometimes lying at full length in it; they are all off their feed.

23rd. We left this morning with no regret, and came to a creek about seven miles off. The water shocking, so bad that neither horses nor camels would touch it, quite bitter—the name of it