McKinlays Journal of Exploration in the Interior of Australia | Page 6

to
desire them to move on to this place--so much more desirable for a
depot than where they now are. Turned out the animals to await their
return. In the meantime three lubras arrived on the opposite side of the
lake and we called them over. Shortly after, Mr. Hodgkinson and the
black came back; we had some luncheon, started the lubras back to the
cart at the depot with a note requesting them to advance to this lake and,
at 1.25 p.m., started on a bearing of 345 degrees, along the side of the
lake and at 2.45 left the north-east sweep of the lake; then on a bearing
of 32 degrees over sand ridges and saltbush flats. Very open country till
within one mile of camp at Gunany, a large creek about sixty to eighty
yards wide and from twenty to thirty deep, on which we found a
number of natives just finishing their day's fishing. They had been
successful and had three or four different sorts of fish, namely the
catfish of the Murray, the nombre of the Darling, and the brown perch,
and I think I observed a small cod. They offered, and I took several,
which were very good--they promised to bring more in the morning.
We came upon and crossed a large flooded wooded polygonum flat
which continued close to the camp. Distance travelled twenty-five and
three-quarters miles.
Saturday, October 19.
Early this morning about eighty natives of all sorts, healthy and strong,

visited the camp and could not be coaxed or driven away. I think they
would have tried to help themselves were it not from fear of the
arms--how they came to know their deadliness I cannot say. Altering
one of the camel saddles that has hurt one of their backs and caused us
to be late in starting. Started twenty minutes to 9 a.m. Immediately
crossed creek to Toorabinganee, a succession of reaches of water in a
broad creek, some apparently deep, spelled half an hour, crossed creek
and went over very high sandhills, pretty well grassed, with a little
saltbush of various kinds, with some flooded and saltbush flats, and
arrived at Luncheon Place, an island often, now partly, dry, on
south-eastern side in an extensive irregular lake of about eight and a
half to nine miles long by an average of one and three-quarters to two
miles--very hot--name of Lake Canna Cantajandide. Thought I might
be able to cross it at the narrowest place with the horses and camels
instead of going all round, as it put me out of my course. Sent Mr.
Hodgkinson to ascertain its depth, and found it too deep, so had to go
round. Arrived at Luncheon Place at ten minutes past 12, and started
again twenty minutes to 4, and travelled to east end of lake, bearing
202 degrees till 4.17; then course of 27 degrees over exceedingly high
and abrupt sandhills with poor miserable flats between them; towards
the end of our day's journey over a rather more flat country with large
dry beds of lakes or swamps, as dry as ashes with a salt-like appearance,
the only vegetation being a few scattered bushes of samphire and an
occasional saltbush--a more dreary country you could not well imagine.
Arrived at Lake Mooliondhurunnie, a nice little lake nearly circular and
nearly woodless, about one and a half miles diameter, at five minutes to
seven p.m. Abundance of good water and plenty of feed--clover and
some grass--bearing of creek that fills lake 350 degrees; east end 87
degrees; west end 303 degrees; north side 15 degrees, distance travelled
twenty-eight miles. On arrival at lake saw several native fires, which on
our lighting ours, were immediately put out. Saw nothing of them.
Sunday, October 20.
At daylight about 90 to 100 natives of all sorts visited us; they were not
so unruly as those of the morning before, having evidently had some
communication with whites--using the word Yanaman for horse, as in
Sydney, and one or two other words familiar to me. Plenty of fish, of
sorts, in the lake, although not very deep. Cuddibaien bears 100 degrees.

The natives here say that the whites have left above place and are now
at Undaganie. I observed several portions of European clothing about
their camps as on our course we passed them. At the camp we found
twenty to thirty more natives, principally aged and children; and on the
opposite side of the lake there was another encampment, in all
numbering about 150 souls. The sandhills in our course were
exceedingly high on the western side but pretty hard; but on the eastern
side almost precipitous and soft drift sand; a dray or cart might get east,
but I cannot fancy it possible it could return. An exceedingly