I shall, therefore, cross this creek
and see if I can get along by the sea-beach, or close to it. Started and
had great difficulty in getting the horses over, though we cut a large
quantity of grass, putting it on the banks and on logs of wood which
were put into it. We had a number bogged, and I was nearly losing one of
my best horses, and was obliged to have him pulled out with ropes; after
the loss of some time we succeeded in getting them all over safely. At
two miles came upon an open part of the beach, went on to it, and again
found the mud quite impassable for horses. Stopped the party, as this
travelling is too much for the horses, and, taking Thring with me, rode
two miles to see if the ground was any firmer in places; found it very
soft where the salt water had covered it, in others not so bad. Judging
from the number of the shells banked up in different places, the sea
must occasionally come over this. I saw at once that this would not do
for the weak state in which my horses were, and I therefore returned to
where I left the party, resolving to re-cross the continent to the City
of Adelaide.
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