CHAPTER IV

WE ENTER THE DESERT

Our position was in lat. 28 degrees 35 minutes, long. 120 degrees 57 minutes, and from this point I started to map the country as we went.  We left here on July 23rd steering a general N.E. by E. course, my intention being to strike Mount Allott and Mount Worsnop, on Forrest’s route of 1874—­two very noticeable hills, 280 miles distant.  I chose these for the double reason that by hitting them off correctly, as I hoped to do, I should not only give confidence to my companions, but have the opportunity of comparing my amateur work with that of a trained surveyor.  Our course would clear the southern end of Lake Wells with which I had no desire to become entangled; and by so avoiding it I should cross a piece of country hitherto untraversed.

Our way lay across a rough range of bare diorite hills, whose stony slopes and steep gullies were not appreciated by the camels.  Beyond the hills flat mulga-clad country extended for several days’ march, only broken by the occurrence of low cliffs or terraces of sandstone.  These are of peculiar formation, running sometimes for five or six miles without a break; abrupt, on one side, and perhaps fifty feet high, with broken boulders strewn about the foot of the cliff from which jut out occasional buttresses.  It takes some time to find a break in the cliffs, or a gully, up which one can pass.  Once on the top, trouble is over, for the summit is flat though often covered with dense scrub; from it a gradual slope takes one presently down to the same level as the foot of the cliffs.  Occasional pines find a footing on the face of the rocks—­how they manage to grow or get moisture is hard to tell—­showing up fresh and green against the dull grey background of rock.  Round the foot of the cliffs a small plain of saltbush is usually found, through which numerous small creeks and watercourses wind their way into the scrub beyond.  In any one of these, as we saw them, water could be obtained by sinking in the gravelly bed.  From the summit of the cliffs, which is often perforated by caves and holes opening on to the sheer face, square bluffs and walls can be seen, standing up above the sea of scrub, each exactly like its neighbour, and itself when again seen from another point.  Doubtless the numberless creeks join and form one larger creek probably running South, as the general trend of the country is in that direction.

We were getting well into the swing of things now, for at first there is always some trouble in the distribution of the loads and in loading up and unloading.  On camping at night the camels were always put down in a circle, as near as might be.  All top-loading was taken off and placed near the centre; the side loads placed one on either side of the camel, and the saddle by his tail.  Thus everything, instead of being scattered about in a long line, was handy, and easily reloaded the next morning.  At this time,