We were greatly entertained by two small boys, the sole representatives of the tribe, who showed intense delight and interest in all our doings, and were soon tremendous chums with Warri.  One was quite a child, very sharp and clever; the other a young warrior, very proud of his spear and shield—­a well-built youngster whose appearance was somewhat spoiled by a severe squint in one eye.  They showed no fear whatever of us, or of the camels, and were soon on quite friendly terms with the latter, patting and stroking their noses; they lost confidence before long, when the small boy inadvertently patted the wrong end of a camel and was kicked violently.

The position of the Jew Well is lat. 19 degrees 41 minutes, long. 127 degrees 17 minutes; from it we steered to Mount Bannerman, over the usual ridges of sand, now further apart and lower.  On some of the flats between we found splendid little patches of feed [Amongst it GOODENIA RAMELII], where the spinifex had been burnt and was just sprouting up again.  One plant, new to us, was growing in profusion and resembled nothing so much as bunches of grapes with the fruit pulled off.  We camped early, as such feed was not to be passed by.  The next morning, we found that our axe had been left behind at the well; so, as it was a most useful article, I sent Warri back for it, whilst Godfrey and I put in the day by following the young warrior, who volunteered to show us a very large water—­a ten-mile walk with nothing at the end of it was not at all satisfactory, nor did we feel very kindly disposed to our small friend.  I suppose he wanted to find his tribe again, for when we stopped we could see a smoke in the distance.

We saw quite a number of spinifex rats, and though Godfrey carried a gun one way and I carried it coming home, we never bagged one, and only had one shot, which missed.  Every rat got up quite 150 yards off in the most annoying way.  We started burning a patch of spinifex, but since we were not pressed for food we concluded that the weather was quite hot enough without making fires!  I fancy that only by taking a leaf out of the blackfellows’ book could one have any success in spinifex-rat hunting.  I have read in Giles’s book, and Sir John Forrest has told me, that when he was in the bush the rats were easily secured.  Possibly they were more numerous in the better country that he passed through, or larger and not so quick.  All our efforts were unavailing, the only occasion on which we slaughtered a rat being when Val caught a young one; the full-grown ones were far too fast for her and too quick in turning round the hummocks of spinifex.

Warri returned with the axe in the evening and reported that no natives had visited the well since our departure.  The next day as we approached the hills the two boys, sitting aloft on the top of the loaded camels, were much excited and made many signs that water was not far off.  The hills we found to be the usual barren, rocky tablelands, scoured into gullies and gorges, which, forming small creeks, disappear before many miles amongst the sandhills.