The Roan was hardly able to move along, and in pity I left
him behind to wander at large along the sunny banks of the finest
water-course we had discovered.
Starting at 10 a.m. we crossed the creek, and traversed a large sandy
plain, intersected by numerous native paths, that had now become as wide
as an ordinary gravel walk. From this plain we observed a thin white line
along the eastern horizon. The plain itself was also of white sand, and
had many stones upon it, similar in substance and shape to those on the
Stony Desert, but there was, not withstanding, some grass upon it. A
little above where we had slept, we struck a turn or angle of the creek
where there was a beautiful sheet of water, but of a deep indigo blue
colour. This was as salt as brine, insomuch that no animal could possibly
have lived in it, and we observed water trickling into it from many
springs on both sides. At four miles when we again struck the creek,
after having crossed the plain, the water was perfectly fresh and sweet
in a large pool close to which we passed. Here again there were several
sea-gulls sitting on the rocks in the water, and a good many cormorants
in the trees, yet I do not think there were any fish in this basin; I
have no other reason for so thinking, however, than that we never saw
any, either swimming in the water or rising to its surface in the
coolness of evening on the sheets of fresh water.
Pages:
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503