We were all of us sure that he would not face the Stony Desert, but he may still be alive, and wandering over that sterile country.

We stopped for the night on the long channel near the sandy rise where we had before rested, about ten miles short of our camp, and the trees on the muddy plain; and having effected our passage across that plain and the Stony Desert, over which it was with extreme difficulty that we kept our track, found ourselves on the 22nd, in the little grassy valley, from which we had entered upon it; little water was remaining, however, at the place where we had then stopped, so that I sent over to the sequestered spot Lewis had discovered, but the water there had entirely disappeared.

Flood managed to shoot a couple of ducks (Teal), of which there were four or five that flew away to the south-east.

These two birds were, I may truly say, a God-send, and I beg to assure the reader they were uncommonly good.
From this valley we had to cross the heavy sand ridges which had so fatigued our horses before, and I hardly expected we should find water nearer than the Fish Pond.

We therefore started early to get over the distance as soon as possible, and, as on the outward journey, had a most severe task of it.