Although it was so early in the day, and we were anxious to make a
good march, yet we camped here, as it seemed to be almost a sin to
leave such good quarters. The bed of the creek is loose sand,
through which the water freely permeates; it is, however,
sufficiently coarse not to be boggy, and animals can approach the
water without any difficulty.
Thursday, 10th January, 1861.--At twenty minutes past five A.M., we
left our camp with a full supply of water, determined to risk no
reverses, and to make a good march. I should mention that last
evening we had been nearly deafened by the noise of the cicadariae,
and but for our large fires should have been kept awake all night
by the mosquitoes. A walk of two miles across a well grassed plain
brought us to a belt of timber, and we soon afterwards found
ourselves pulled up by a large creek in which the water was broad
and deep; we had to follow up the bank of the creek in a
north-easterly direction for nearly a mile before we could cross,
when to our joy we found that it was flowing; not a muddy stream
from the effects of recent floods, but a small rivulet of pure
water as clear as crystal.
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