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Show 108 SUFFERING FOR WATER- DESERT PLAINS. ral miles, down the edge of the sand at the foot of the range of hills on our right, when we ascended it, taking a course south- west by west, and passing oyer beds of conglomerate, which presented a stratification almost horizontal. The ridge was about five miles wide, stretching off to the southward, and about five hundred feet above the level of the beach. The soil consisted of decomposed conglomerate, and was much cut up by deep ravines. On the west side, volcanic rock was again met with. Leaving the ridge, we entered upon a plain or sort of bay, partly covered with artemisia, and partly ( to the westward) with mud and salt. It appeared to be bounded on the west, about thirty miles distant, by a high mountain- range, extending far to the northward, upon an easterp spur of which I judged we had encamped on Friday. The plain contained several island mountains, rising from it as from the water. To one of these, distant about twelve miles south- west by west, we directed our course and reached it about an hour before sunset. Here we stopped for a short time to prepare our scanty supper, and to give the mules a chance to pick a little grass, which was scarce and dried up. Not a drop of water had we met with the whole day; but at noon I had ordered a pint to be served out to each animal. Before arriving at thip spot, one of the poor creatures " gave out," and we thought we should have to leave him to the wolves, but he afterward partially recovered, and another pint of water being given him, he went on. The rocky island, at the north end of which we halted, extended many miles to the southward, and was apparently surrounded on all sides by the mud- plain. One of the party ascended it, but could see nothing of the lake, nor any appearance of water in any direction. The rocks were formed of altered clayey and sandy shales, and strata of conglomerate, all of which had been much contorted, but evidently at different periods, as they were not conformable. It now became a matter of serious importance to find water for the mules, as they had been without for nearly forty hours, most of the time under the saddle, and almost without food. Nothing, therefore, remained but to go on as far as possible during the night, so as to reach the western ridge bounding this basin as early the following day as practicable. We accordingly saddled up about dark and proceeded on the same course, directing; our steps toward another island in the plain, which appeared to be about fifteen miles distant. The night was quite cold, and the moon shone as bright as day. Our course lay over a flat of damp clay and salt mud, in many places soft and |