The excellent feed growing all over the flats near Lake Darlot gave us a good opportunity of recruiting our animals' strength. For nearly a month we moved slowly about between Lake Darlot and Lawlers prospecting in a desultory sort of way. Our departure from the former place was deeply regretted—by the butcher, whose trade had increased by leaps and bounds during our stay. “I never see'd coves as could stack mutton like you chaps,” he said, in satisfied wonder; “why, a whole blooming sheep don't seem to last you a day; can't ye stop until I get some bullocks up the track?” Certainly that was the best fresh mutton I have ever tasted, and no doubt we did do our duty by it.
By degrees the camels fattened and fattened, until the combination of flesh and the hard muscles their work had formed, made it difficult to believe how great the trials were they had been through. The horses were also getting less like skeletons, though they take far longer than camels to regain their strength; as a rule, if they have been through great hardships they never do regain it and are, practically, useless afterwards. Stoddy, whose back had been bad, was also recovering—this the only sore back amongst them after so many miles of country well calculated to knock both packs and backs to pieces.
CHAPTER X
The End Of The Expedition
By easy stages and frequent halts we eventually reached Coolgardie, after an absence of thirteen months. Of these, ten and a half months were occupied in travelling, during which we traversed a little over three thousand miles. Of this, 550 miles was traversed by roads and tracks, whilst the remainder was through country beyond the limits of any settlements.
TABLE SHOWING SOURCES OF WATER SUPPLY
FOUND ON UPGOING AND RETURN JOURNEYS BETWEEN THE LIMITS OF SETTLEMENT
| Holding Water | Nearly Dry | Quite Dry | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springs | 2 | 1 | Helena, Empress, and Alexander (Forrest) | |
| Creeks | 9 | * | Including Christmas, Janet, Mary, Margaret, and Sturt in Kimberley; Blyth,+ Bonython,+ Erlistoun | |
| Clay-pans | 2 | 4 | ||
| Rocky pools in gorges | 8 | ** | ||
| Rock-holes | 3 | 3 | 21 | Of these 4 were completely drained, and 2 left with water |
| Native Wells | 8 | 3 | 22 | Of these 6 were completely drained, and 5 left with water |
* Numerous small dry watercourses were seen.
** Numerous dry pools in rocky gorges were seen.
+ The only two in the desert area.
TABLE SHOWING CHARACTER AND EXTENT OF COUNTRY TRAVERSED