see it, I decided to make use of this sign of the presence of natives, and altered our course in consequence.  We started due East and held on that course for eight miles, Godfrey and Charlie lighting the spinifex at intervals.  Some men have a theory that the blacks signal by smokes, the appearance of which they vary by using different grasses, branches, or leaves.  That may be the case in some parts; here, anyway, they are no more than hunting-fires, as we later proved.  If the desert blacks do go in for smoke-telegraphy they must on this occasion have thought that the operator at our end of the wire was mad!  Perhaps unknowingly we sent up smokes which appeared to them to be rational messages!  If such was the case our signals could not have meant “Please stay at home,” for when eventually we did find their camp they had left.  Taking the bearing of the most northerly smoke we travelled for the rest of the day in its direction.  The next morning, though the smoke had long since died down, we continued on our course and in a few miles reached a large area of still smouldering spinifex.  Around this we searched for fresh tracks, and, having discovered some, made camp.  And now I have to chronicle the only occasion on which any one disputed my orders.  And this goes far to show that all I have said in praise of the loyalty and untiring energy of my companions, is not meant in empty compliment, but falls short of what they merit.

It was necessary for one to stay in camp and watch our belongings and the camels, while the rest were engaged in tracking the natives.  Our zeal was so great that the camels were hardly, unloaded and hobbled before each one had set out, and it followed that one must be sent back.  For no particular reason I fixed on Godfrey, who, instead of hailing with joy the prospective rest, was most mutinous!  The mutiny, however, was short-lived, and ended in laughter when I pointed out how ridiculous his objection was.

Charlie and I went in one direction, whilst Breaden and Warri took another.  Before long, so complicated were the tracks, we separated.  A more annoying job it is hard to imagine:  round and round one goes following a track in all its eccentric windings, running off at right angles or turning back when its owner had chased a rat or a lizard; at length there is a long stretch of straight walking and one thinks, “Now, at last, he’s done hunting and is making for home”; another disappointment follows as one wheels round and finds one’s self close to the starting-point.  Such was the experience this day of Breaden, Charlie, and myself, and disgusted we returned to camp at sundown.  Warri was so late that I began to think he must have come upon the natives themselves, who had given him too warm a welcome.  Presently he appeared, slouching along with an expressionless face, save for a twinkle in his eye (literally eye, for one was wall-eyed).  My supposition was more or less correct; he had been fortunate in getting on the home-going tracks of some gins; following these for several miles he came on their camp—­so suddenly that they nearly saw him.  Luckily, he beat a hasty retreat, doubtful of his reception, and hurried home.