Page:Tracks of McKinlay and party across Australia.djvu/253

 Mr. McKinlay thus describes in his journal the employments, although not the enjoyments, of this warm region of the world:—

"'Jan. 7th. At Lake Blanche; went out north with Mr. Hodgkinson and native to examine the creek alluded to, but to my disappointment found that it only formed a large valley, and, at some distance on, a dry lake, Millie Millie, to the eastward of Lake Sir Richard, over some high sand hills; returned very much chagrined, and have made up my mind to stay here a short time, although very poor shelter from the excessive heat of the sun (to-day even it blows as if from a furnace), and endeavour, with the camels, to ascertain the description of country first to the east, and probably also from here, if the camels will stand it, to the north. From tho appearance of the country about here I do not expect any water, at least for some distance; the land low, hills between the two lakes, and running northward for some five or six miles, have just the appearance of dirty drift snow heaps with heath bushes protruding; whereas those round to north-east, east, south, and south-east are a glaring red, with coarse grass and shrubs. Shortly after my return to-day a number of natives got the bullocks on the east side of the creek New Year Straits, about two and a half miles from camp, and raced them round Lake Blanche from us in sight; on seeing which, five of the party got mounted and armed, and went after them; they had taken the bullocks two-thirds of the way round the lake, and by some means they broke back from them; they did their best to overtake and turn them again for about two or three miles; when they observed the horsemen, they immediately took to flight, and where shelter was so abundant, of course were immediately out of reach and sight of the horsemen. What their intentions were was difficult to say, but it looked rather suspicious; took the bullocks to camp late and hobbled most of them. The evening before leaving Lake Hodgkinson, about 8·30, they took both horses and bullocks and raced them round from us"