We can only crawl along having to
walk and lead the horses, or at least drag them. The party have been
following us, only getting a little water from gullies, and there is
very little to fall back on for over fifty miles. I will leave what I
intend doing until I meet them. I am nearly knocked up again to-night;
my boots have hurt my feet, but I am not yet disheartened.
[Forrest stayed in the Interior for nearly three more months.]
_Sept. 26th._ Got off early and followed the river (Hamilton) about two
miles when it took a bend to the north, and as it was rather boggy near
it, we left it, and steered about east and E.N.E. for about twenty miles
over most miserable country without any grass. We camped on a small
gully with a little water in it, and some old dry grass in a flat. The
horses were very tired, not having had anything to eat for the last two
or three days; and some showed signs of giving in; in fact, all weak and
knocked up, and we had to handle them very carefully. For the first
thirteen miles we passed many clay-pans full of water--water nearly
everywhere--after which there was very little; and the rain does not
appear to have been heavy to the east.
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