if that is gone, they will have to cross the range to
Brinkley Bluff. I find myself getting weaker and weaker every day. I am
very ill indeed. Wind, south-east.

Monday, 27th October, Hills North of Mount Hay. About 11.30 a.m. King and
Nash returned for me. Thring had found water in one of the gullies, but
the approach to it was very rough and stony indeed. Thring had gone to
see if there was any water in the clay-pans that I had camped at on my
journey up, and if there is, will take the party over there, and will
send one of the men to meet me and inform me of it. The distance from
here to the water is ten miles. Had the horses saddled; mounted, and
proceeded towards it. At the end of two hours the motion of the horse
became so dreadful to me, and the pain I was suffering from was such as
no language can describe; but I still continued in the saddle, and,
within a mile and a half of the water, met Frew, whom Thring had sent to
say that he had found plenty of water in the clay-pans, with green grass,
and that the party had moved on to it. Distance from where we were then
to the clay-pans, six miles further. I could no more sit in the saddle
that distance than I could fly; I am now already completely exhausted,
and have still a mile and a half to ride before I can reach the other
water. To that I must go, and see what a night's rest will do in the
morning. While taking a drink of water, I was seized with a violent fit
of vomiting blood and mucus, which lasted about five minutes, and nearly
killed me. Sent Frew on to the party. Went on the best way I could with
the other three to the water. Arrived there feeling worse than I have
ever done before. I have told King and Nash to remain with me in case of
my dying during the night, as it would be lonely for one young man to be
here by himself. Wind, south-east.

Tuesday, 28th October, Mount Hay. Started in the cool of the morning, and
in two hours reached where the party were camped, so much exhausted and
so completely done up that I could not speak a word--the power of speech
has completely left me. I was lifted from the saddle and placed under the
shade of a mulga bush. In about ten minutes I recovered my speech. I find
that I can no longer sit on horseback; gave orders for some of the party
to make a sort of reclining seat, to be carried between two horses, one
before the other; also gave orders that a horse was to be shot at
sundown, as we are getting rather short of mea