I was not
able to take more than one bearing from the hill I had ascended, to a
remarkable flat-topped hill nearly N.E. I now crossed the creek on an
east course, and traversed sandy plains, and low undulations, there being
a tolerable quantity of grass on both; and at four miles changed the
route a little to the northward for a small conical sand hill, from which
the flat-topped hill bore 41 degrees, and from it some darker hills were
visible, somewhat more to the eastward, and as they appeared to be
different from the sand ridges, I again changed my course for them, and
crossing the bed of the creek at four miles, ascended a small stony range
trending to the eastward, the creek being directly at their base.
Following up its proper left bank I ascended another part of the range at
three miles and a half, from which the flat-topped hill bore 24 degrees,
and the last hill I had ascended 239 degrees. The channel of the creek
had been dry for several miles, but we now saw a large sheet of water
bearing due east, distant two miles, to which we made our way, and then
stopped. From the top of this range the creek seemed to pass over
extensive and bare plains in many branches, southward there were some
stony hills, treeless and herbless, like those nearer to us. I was fairly
driven down to the valley by the flies, as numerous on the burning stones
on the top of the hill as any where else, and I left a knife and a pocket
handkerchief behind me.
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