Descending, therefore, on a bearing of 340 degrees, I went to a distance of six miles before coming to a small puddle at which I was glad to halt, it being the only drinkable water we had seen.

Here we dug a third well, although, like the first, there was but little chance of benefiting by it.

It behoved me therefore to be still more careful in increasing my distance from the creek, so that on the morning of the 17th I thought it prudent to search for some, and as the country appeared open to the south, I turned to that point in the hope of success.
We crossed some low sand hills to a swamp in which there was a good deal of surface water, but none of a permanent kind.

We then crossed the N.W.
extremity of an extensive grassy plain, similar to those I have already described, but infinitely larger.

It continued, indeed, for many miles to the south, passing between all the sandy points jutting into it; and so closely was the Desert allied to fertility at this point, and I may say in these regions, that I stood more than once with one foot on salsolaceous plants growing in pure sand, with the other on luxuriant grass, springing up from rich alluvial soil.