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at night = made 15 or 18 miles = 21st travellled about 2 miles & overtook & passed small party going with us, & as we neared the lake we turned down upon a rocky point to bathe = the water of the lake is of a beautiful blue (in the distance) & very transparent = the shores are encrusted with sale = & the water a saturated solution = strong as any brine = we could float upon the water, without any exertion with about 1/3 of the body above the surface when we came out our hair & bodies were soon crusted with salt & as we rode on in the hot sun we did not feel as comfortable as we wished later in the day my sorrel mule started away from the train with its head up snuffing I tried to head it but it ran around me & toward a distant hollow I followed on to overtake it, it went down into the hollow to a pool of water but instead of drinking stood looking at it as if in disgust, bring very dry I dismounted & tasted of the water & then I could appreciate the mules feelings, she willingly retraced her steps & joined the train - the water was quite salt & nauseous. we travelled around a point of the mountain south of the lake & then towards the south on the western side, & found a small stream of pure water = upon which we camped = with good grass = as soon as possible after camping we took a bath & rinsed off some of the salt = made about 25 miles = 22nd started early travelled around the north point of the second ridge then south again on its western side stopped an hour or so near some springs of brackish water about 21 miles from our last camp. then travelled nine miles to some deep springs or holes of good water called "hope wells" this is our last good water & grass this side of the desert = we found here a company of a few waggons & cattle encamped preparing & resting for the desert. 23 cut grass = made hay = & tied it up in bundles, to pack for our animals = in a tight Rubber bag, I put 6 buckets of water = also packed = = 15 lbs middlings = & 13 lbs hay & my rifle on my riding saddle we started on the desert early on the morning of the 24th Aug = with the intention of walking as far as we each could & thus