hing on and cooeeing loudly, he managed
to attract their attention, and then led them back to the new source of
relief. Lewis and the black boy were now the eyes and ears of the party,
and but for them the expedition would never have reached the river.

A fresh start was made after a welcome halt at this well. Warburton and
his son could scarcely sit their camels, and followed the weary caravan
almost with apathy. On the 14th of November Charley found another native
well; but its discovery nearly cost him his life. When close to the
native camp, he had gone ahead by himself, as he usually did, so as not
to startle the aboriginals. The blacks received him kindly and gave him
water, but when he cooeed for his companion, they took sudden alarm and
attacked him. They had speared him in the arm and back, and cut his head
open with a club when Lewis came up just in time to rescue him. Evidently
this attack was not premeditated, but caused by the sudden fear aroused
by the sight of the white men and camels. At this well Lewis and one of
the Afghans went ahead to strike the head of the Oakover, for they
thought they must be drawing near the coast, as the nights were growing
cool and dewy, and they had found traces of white iron work in an old
camp. In a week Lewis returned, having reached a tributary of the river;
and on the 5th of December the whole party arrived at the rocky creek
that he had found.

They now proceeded slowly down the Oakover, but came across no sign of
occupation. The indefatigable Lewis had therefore again to go ahead for
help whilst the others waited for him, living on the flesh of the last
camel. He had 170 miles to journey over before he reached the cattle
station belonging to Grant, Harper, and Anderson, where he was
immediately supplied with horses and provisions to take back to the
starving men.

It was on the 29th of December as Warburton was lying in the shade
thinking moodily that the station must have been abandoned, and that
Lewis had surely been compelled to push on to Roebourne, when the black
boy from a tree-top gave a cheerful signal. Starting to their feet, the
astonished men found the pack-horses and the relief party almost in their
camp.

Of the seventeen camels with which they had started, the two that Lewis
had taken on to the station were the only survivors; and all their
equipment had been abandoned piecemeal in the desert.

15.4. WILLIAM CHRISTIE GOSSE.

[Illustration. William