The country to the west and north-west was dark with scrub, and the whole region barren and desolate.

After taking bearings, Mr.Poole descended, returned to the creek on which he had left Mack, and as I have already stated, reached the camp on the evening of the 25th.
It will be obvious to the reader that the great danger I had to apprehend was that of having my retreat cut off from the failure of water in my rear; or if I advanced without first of all exploring the country, of losing the greater number of my cattle.

It may be said that my officers had now removed every difficulty; but notwithstanding that Mr.Poole was sanguine in his report of the probable permanency of the water he had found, I hesitated whether to advance or not; but considering that under all circumstances the water they had found would still be available for a considerable time, and that it would enable me to push still further to the north, I decided on moving forward at once; but the weather was at this time so terrifically hot, that I hardly dared move whilst it continued, more especially as we had so great a distance to travel without water.

I kept the party in readiness, however, to move at a moment's notice.

On the 27th we had thunder, but no rain fell, and the heat seemed rather to increase than to decrease.