the horse reared and struck him on the
temple with its fore foot, knocking him down and rendering him
insensible. The brute then sprang forward and placed one of his hind feet
on Mr. Stuart's right hand, and, rearing again, dislocated two joints of
his first finger, tearing the flesh and nail from it, and injuring the
bone to such an extent that amputation of the finger was at first thought
unavoidable. By careful treatment, however, it was unnecessary to resort
to such a course, and in five weeks the leader was able to start to
overtake his party, some of whom were to remain at Moolooloo until he
joined them.

In no way discouraged either by his own unlucky accident and previous
want of success, or by the melancholy end of his brother explorers, Burke
and Wills, Mr. Stuart arrived at Moolooloo on Friday, December 20th, and
at Finniss Springs on the 29th. The names of the party were as follows:

John McDouall Stuart, Leader of the Expedition.
William Kekwick, Second Officer.
F.W. Thring, Third Officer.
W.P. Auld, Assistant.
Stephen King.
John Billiatt.
James Frew.
Heath Nash.
John McGorrerey, Shoeing Smith.
J.W. Waterhouse, Naturalist to the Expedition.

Besides these, there were at starting, Woodforde and Jeffries; but at
Finniss Springs, the latter struck one of his companions, and, on being
called to account by his leader, refused to go any further. As to the
former, when quitting Mr. Levi's station on January 21st, it was
arranged, in order to lighten the weak horses, that the great-coats of
the party should be left, but Woodforde objected to this, and said he
would not go unless he had his great-coat with him. Mr. Stuart had very
properly decided not to take any man who refused to obey orders, and he
therefore started without him. The next day Woodforde rejoined the party
near Milne Springs, but did not accompany them many days longer; for on
February 3rd, shortly after starting, he asked McGorrerey to hold his gun
while he returned to get something he had left behind at the previous
night's camp. About an hour afterwards, McGorrerey discovered a piece of
folded-up paper on the nipple of the gun, and on examination this proved
to be an insolent note, addressed to his leader, stating that he had gone
back, taking with him a horse, saddle, bridle, tether-rope, and sundry
other things not belonging to him. Mr. Stuart had been much dissatisfied
with his conduct for some days, and had made up his mind to send him