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Explorations in Australia - The Journals of John McDouall Stuart by John McDouall Stuart
page 80 of 465 (17%)
running, and others were choked up, but soft and boggy. At dark arrived
at another batch of springs--not those that I intended going to--they are
on the banks of a small creek, close to and coming from the range; they
are not so active as the others, and taste a little brackish; they are
coated with soda, saltpetre, and salt. The horse seems to be very ill; he
has again attempted to lie down two or three times. I cannot imagine what
is the matter with him.

Sunday, 5th June, Mount Younghusband. I must remain where I am to-day;
the horse is so bad that he cannot proceed; he neither eats nor drinks. I
have sent Muller to the west side of the mount to see the extent of the
springs; they are on the banks of a creek which has brackish water in it,
large and deep, and a great quantity of rushes. The water comes from the
limestone banks which are covered with soda. He rode round the mount: it
is all the same, and the feed is splendid right to the top of the mount.
It is a wonderful country, scarcely to be believed. I have had one of the
springs opened to-day, and the water to-night tastes excellent; it could
not be better. Native tracks about; I am surprised we see none of them;
we are passing old fires constantly. Latitude, 28 degrees 1 minute 32
seconds.

Monday, 6th June, Mount Younghusband. The horses being some distance off,
and my horse requiring a shoe, I was unable to make a start until 10
o'clock, on a bearing of 307 degrees 45 minutes, passing Mount Kingston
on the south-west side. At three-quarters of a mile came upon the springs
that I intended to have camped at on Saturday night: they are flowing in
a stream strong enough to supply any number of cattle. I named them The
Barrow Springs, after J.U. Barrow, Esquire, M.L.A. At four miles and a
half struck a large broad valley, in which are the largest springs I have
yet seen. The flow of water from them is immense, coming in numerous
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