Page:Tracks of McKinlay and party across Australia.djvu/443

 on the other side. This was a fearful day's work. How we escaped, God knows. After giving the grub over to Wylde I returned over the rocks to the bivouac fire, and had a good feed of "Joe Buggins." We had to kill him yesterday. The camel too is almost done. He can't go much further, as it seems there are only ranges ahead of us. Middleton and Hodgkinson had a good deal of swimming to-day, and I think they are about the best two that could have been selected, being strong swimmers. The governor says the horses would not cross, so left them and hoped for better success. It is a difficult, intricate, and dangerous place, and if they cross in safety it is more than I expect.

29th. (Camp. xlv.) It was a work of difficulty, and no mistake. First we had to get the horses to the spit; that was not so bad, but to get them to the place where we were camped, that was the rub. We had to get three lines fastened to each horse; one in front to guide him to the landing-place, and one on either side to keep him straight, and keep him from swaying. It is a vile place, and I hope I may never see it or its like again if I have to get horses through it. Went about thirteen miles.

30th. (Camp xlvi.), Camped on a small stream running into the Burdekin, 100 yards off. Wylde and Hodgkinson are to dig a hole, for here everything is to be left behind and buried, and only the