and everlasting ridges, and the knowledge that the next day would be a repetition of the day before, was enough to try the sweetest temper; and I, for one, never professed to have such a thing.  Added to this we had the feeling that our work and energies could have but a negative result—­that is, the proof that the country was barren and useless; and yet its very uselessness made it harder to travel through.  But with all this we never had a complaint or growl from any in the camp.  About this time I again became deaf, which did not tend to make me any more patient.

Another stretch of plain country, a mile or two in width, again raised our hopes and again dashed them, as more ridges confronted us on the other side.  A change of any kind is welcome, therefore the gloomy desert oaks were greeted with joy; for though their sombre appearance is eminently appropriate to a funeral procession, they give some shade and relieve the eye.  In due course we reached the burnt country for which we had steered, and, after hours of tracking, singled out some footsteps going straight away as if to camp.  Warri and I were leading, riding Highlander in turn; on cresting a high ridge we saw before us a little clump of mulga and grass, amongst it a camp of some dozen or more natives.  As soon as we advanced they all ran, except two men, who stood their ground for a short space, then, throwing a stick and boomerang in a most warlike way, they followed their tribe.  It was imperative that we should have a fresh guide, so I followed on Highlander, and succeeded in stopping the last man simply by wearing him out.  He was a most diminutive man, almost a dwarf, absolutely without ornament, not even a girdle of string, with a most repulsive face, and wall-eyes like a Welsh sheepdog.  He was by no means afraid, and before long became friendly and returned with me to their camp.

The tribe had left behind them a number of treasures—­bundles of firemaking sticks, bean-and-gum ornaments, and the usual bark “portmanteaus” [Note at end of paragraph.] containing hair-string, feathers, red ochre, and other knick-knacks.  Amongst their weapons was a curiously shaped boomerang; on one of the woommeras was a rough carving of either a spider or crab.  As soon as the camels arrived we unloaded and set to work on the well, “soak-sucking” in our old style.  By morning we had watered the camels and horses.  The former were of course pretty fit, but the poor ponies had done a fair stage, especially so since they had had no feed except the rank dry tops of the spinifex.  May 3rd sunrise, to May 8th sunrise, they had travelled on what water we could afford them from our own supply, viz., three gallons apiece nightly, and six gallons the first night.  The grass around the well, though dry, was of great benefit to them.  For the camels we had to cut down the mulga trees, the branches of which grew too high from the ground to permit them to browse off the leaves.  A number of dingoes