ect the horses they had to
go as far as ten miles in a north-west direction, to a saltwater creek
which, from Mr. Campbell's report, I believe is the River Nicholson. On
the following day I accompanied Mr. Campbell and the troopers to the
Nicholson River. The water in it we found not so brackish as that part of
the Albert River where we left the ship. I was surprised to find it was
not so broad as the river I have just mentioned. We encamped all night on
the bank of the river, and near our camp marked a tree (broad arrow
before L). On the 30th we returned to the ship after getting the troopers
to collect the horses and shoot a quantity of ducks. By counting my steps
I made the distance seven miles to a bend of the Albert River near which
Moore's Ponds are situated, and two miles and three-quarters further
brought us to the point near which the ship had reached. It is a grassy
plain between the two rivers, with a few stunted trees upon it; that
nearest the Nicholson River is the poorest soil, and the grass at present
upon it is very much parched up. A fine large enclosure for stock might
be formed by running a fence across from the Albert to the Nicholson
River.

On the 1st November we commenced making a yard for the horses and, having
got the assistance of two of the carpenters, we commenced to shoe the
horses. On the 4th I got a passage in the barge to H.M.C.S. Victoria,
which was stationed at the distance of seven miles from the mouth of this
river, to consult with yourself respecting the plan to be pursued in the
search for Mr. Burke and his companions, and to express my earnest desire
to have rations at the Albert River depot to make a second expedition by
the route which Mr. Gregory and I agreed to as the most likely way to
find traces to follow Mr. Burke and his companions--namely by skirting
the desert, and passing, as near as the country would admit of my doing,
to their starting-point, and also to go to a place on the Bowen Downs (a
well-watered country) to seek for a continuation of tracks seen by
Messrs. Cornish and Buchanan, which they thought were made by a South
Australian party, at a point rather less than 300 miles towards the Gulf
of Carpentaria from Burke's depot on Cooper's Creek.

On the 6th instant we left the Victoria together (as you are aware) for
the depot on the Albert River, and that evening after nine hours boating
reached our destination.

On the following morning, having proceeded up the