Page:Tracks of McKinlay and party across Australia.djvu/250

 in upon the desert, the timber, however, ceasing as the creek emerges upon the dry open plain, But this pleasant oasis did not run in the right direction for the travellers. After four days' excursion the party return, greatly fatigued, and not less convinced that they must depend upon the clouds for a practicable passage through this considerable desert region. This waiting for rain to make some arid tract passable to the traveller is no uncommon incident of Australian travel. Leichhardt alludes to the vast waterless plains which a timely rain enabled him to get over. The bold explorer must push on, taking the providence of the hour. We may thus in imagination make a good shower into a safe ferry-boat, or a plank thrown across an impassable gorge, without whose aid the traveller must only remain where he is.

As this excursion was in the middle of summer—23rd to 26th January—the desert was certainly seen to all advantage after its own sort. How different the rain made it we shall see in the next chapter. The rain did at length come. On the 8th of February there was "splendid rain and steady," as Mr. McKinlay notes, and forthwith the party prepare to march. The natives, who were hereabouts even more numerous than before, were watching the clouds as well as our travellers, for the rain has a providence for them too. As soon as it began to pour down in earnest, they