Page:Tracks of McKinlay and party across Australia.djvu/263

 active service; the bathing has done us a power of good; the sheep, too, are as fat as possible, and they have turned out little trumps for travelling; they know the voice of old Kirby who has the care of them as well as possible, and well he does take care of them, and no mistake.

25th. Another fine day, and cool, we could never have better; what a blessing for us who are so busy overhauling and repairing tents; large flight of ducks and teal, too high to bag any for the pot, going north-east; do they smell water after the heavy rains in that quarter? Bell much better; a "header" into cold water three times a day has worked wonders with us all; but talk about fish, they knock up against your legs as you are swimming, and one absolutely jumped out of the water and hit Wylde in the eye; he did not black it certainly, but the eye looked rather fishy. Very cold again during the night.

Sunday, 26th. Kept to-day holy, it being Sunday, and read the Bible aloud, just to put us in mind that we were, or ought to be, Christians, though in a heathen land.

2 McKinlay and party returned, having failed to cross the Stony Desert for want of water, the horses looking very badly on that account, having hardly had a drink since they left this on Thursday; the men, too, did not look well, having had very little themselves.