Next morning they started on Morton's compass-bearing. The distance was about what he judged, and they made a very fair course.
The rock, surrounded by a small area of open country, rose in a round-topped peak to an altitude of about one hundred and fifty feet. The granite sides were smooth and naked, and the two white men, after hanging their horses to a small cork-tree, climbed to the summit. Brown, who had been in Western Australia before, had seen these granite formations peculiar to that colony, but to Morton they were a new phenomenon. From the top they had a good clear view all round. Scrub, east and south, still stretched before them. Presently they both at the same time noticed a clear space west of south, in which there was a sparkle like a reflection from the sun. Morton turned the glasses on it.
"Salt lake," he said, after a pause.
Brown took the glasses and looked.
"Yes, another salt lake, there's no doubt. We'll take the bearings and apparent distance; it's just as well to have all these things down."
"Not worth while going over to it," said Morton.
They descended the hill and rode round it to see if there were any of the holes on the base of the mound, such as are often found. In this case there were two or three, but all small and dry.
"I don't see any good in going into that scrub to the east," said Morton as they rode home; "we'll make a start the day after to-morrow."
Brown agreed with him, and they reached camp in good time.