Spinifex and Sand eBook

David Carnegie
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 441 pages of information about Spinifex and Sand.

Spinifex and Sand eBook

David Carnegie
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 441 pages of information about Spinifex and Sand.

On Charlie’s Knob a queer little natural pinnacle of rock stands half-way up the side, and from a hill close by, an excellent view of the Browne Range was obtained, Mount Gordon bearing 148 degrees.  With the help of my field-glasses I could make out the character of this range to be similar to that of the Young Range on which I was standing.  It is of course necessary to name these hills for future reference, and this range got its name from somebody’s remark that it was hardly full grown.  From the knob the hills run in a crescent, a line joining the two horns being North-East.  In the bend of the crescent I could see some very green-looking bloodwoods and made sure we should find a creek.  First we hunted the neighbouring hills without success, and then crossed on to the bloodwood flat which had appeared like a creek.  Here for the only time our patience in carrying the gun was rewarded, and Charlie shot two fine turkeys.  This welcome occurrence, added to Godfrey’s having seen a kangaroo in the hills and the dingoes heard the night before, made us confident that water was not far off.  That night Godfrey and I took it in turns to baste the turkeys, as they were baking between two prospecting dishes.  Godfrey was an excellent cook, and most particular that everything should be done cleanly and properly.  I was quite under his orders in the kitchen, for the cook’s art is one that I have not the patience to learn, and cordially hate.

Cold turkey and tea for breakfast, and then I divided the party into two, Breaden with the camels being directed to a prominent hill at the end of the range there to await the arrival of Godfrey and myself, who went off to the hills to make further search for water.  All day we hunted in different directions and everywhere found the same barren rocks.  We had fixed upon a certain gully as a rendezvous; each gully was exactly like its neighbour.  Towards the evening I returned to the gully, which I was sure was the one agreed upon, and there awaited Godfrey.  He did the same, only chose another gully, equally sure that he was right.  And there we sat, each impatiently blaming the other.  At last, to pass the time, I fired some shots at an ant-hill; these had the effect of bringing Godfrey over the rise, and we had a good laugh at each other when we discovered that for nearly half an hour we had sat not two hundred yards apart—­and each remained firmly convinced that he was right!  Godfrey had shot a kangaroo and carried part of the meat and the tail; he had tracked it a long way, but could see no signs of water.

Still following the hills, we made our way towards the point where the camels should be, and presently cut a deep, rocky gorge, which we followed down.  The camels had crossed this; and, as it was getting late, I sent Godfrey along their tracks to rejoin the others, telling him that I should continue down the creek, and return to wherever they made camp; to guide me to it they were to light a fire.  I

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Project Gutenberg
Spinifex and Sand from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.