On this we went up the flat where we had slept.

By keeping close to the ridges we found, as I had anticipated, firmer ground, though the centre of the flat was still of the worst description.

There were a few small box-trees to be seen as we passed along, but scarcely any minor vegetation.

At about nine miles we were attracted by the green appearance of some low polygonum bushes, to which we went, and under them found two small puddles of water, that we might easily have passed.

They must have been three feet deep after the rains, but were now barely five inches, and about the size of a loo table.