Mr. Browne and Topar ran their
track up the creek, and soon reached a hut opposite to which there was a
well. On ascending a little from its bed they discovered a small pool of
water in the centre of a watercourse joining the main branch hereabouts
from the hills. Round this little pool there was an unusual verdure. From
this point we continued to trace the creek upwards, keeping it in sight;
but the ground was so stony and rough, and the brush approached so close
to the banks that I descended into its bed, and halted at sunset after a
fatiguing day's journey without water, about which we did not much care;
the horses having had a good drink not long before and their feed being
good, the want of water was not much felt by them. Topar wished to go on
to some other water at which he expected to find the natives, and did not
hesitate for a moment in thus contradicting his former assertion. This
however I would not allow him to do alone, but Mr. Browne good-naturedly
walked with him up the creek, and at less than a mile came up on a long
and beautiful pond He informed me that it was serpentine in shape and
more than eighty yards long, but as there was no grass in its
neighbourhood I did not move to it. It was evident that Topar had
intended leading us past this water, and it was owing to his anxiety to
see the natives that we had now discovered it.
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