Page:Tracks of McKinlay and party across Australia.djvu/232

 after Miss Jane Pile, of Grawler. We called it Lake Christmas, and did not know that he had named it otherwise till we saw it in his journal in Adelaide. Cart only got as far as the last bitter water-hole we passed.

24th. Christmas-eve, We spelled to-day; many natives. Mr. McKinlay started Hodgkinson this morning to the cart with a pack-horse and two large canteens of water for the men, and to find a firmer place to cross the creek than where we did, as it was rather boggy. Any quantity of pelicans, showing that fish is plentiful; in fact, we saw the natives with large strings of fish going to their whirlies; they brought us plenty also. Cart arrived at 12&middot;30 ; they found a little good water last night. Kirby with the sheep got astray to-day, but was found during the afternoon not far from the camp, but going quite past it, by Bell and Wylde. This part of the country is very fine; magnificent feed, indeed, all round about here.

The natives were kicking up a great disturbance in their camp last night, when the governor ordered a rocket to be sent up, when, as if by magic, the noise ceased, and was heard no more this night. What their ideas may be of fireworks I don't know; perhaps they think us some superior beings, making stars and coloured fires in the clouds. It is a pity that we can understand them so little; their ideas on different subjects would be