that my previous day's
march, and the small allowance of food that I had taken was beginning to
have its effects upon me, and that it was probable that I could not reach
the depot before the next morning, by which time the party left there
were to fall back to the Oakover; I therefore directed Brown, who was
somewhat fresher than myself, to push on to the camp and bring out fresh
horses and water, while Harding and myself would do our best to bring on
any straggling horses that could not keep up with him. By dark we
succeeded in reaching to within nine miles of the depot, finding
unmistakable signs towards evening of the condition to which the horses
taken on by Brown were reduced, by the saddles, guns, hobbles, and even
bridles, scattered along the line of march, which had been taken off to
enable them to get on a few miles further."

Next morning they met Brown within a few miles of the depot coming back
to them with water. All the horses but the two which had been left at the
remotest point were recovered.

Further on Gregory remarks upon the painful effects produced on the
horses by excessive heat and thirst:--

"I cannot omit to remark the singular effects of excessive thirst upon
the eyes of the horses; they absolutely sunk into their heads until there
was a hollow of sufficient depth to bury the thumb in, and there was an
appearance as though the whole of the head had shrunk with them,
producing a very unpleasant and ghastly expression."

Gregory was now convinced that the sandy tract before him was not to be
crossed with the means at his command, so reluctantly he had to return to
the Oakover and follow that river down to its junction with the De Grey.
Down the united streams, which now bore the name of the De Grey, the
weary explorers travelled through good fertile land, until the coast was
reached on the 25th of September. The worn-out state of their horses
delayed them greatly in getting across a piece of dry country between the
Yule and the Sherlock, where one animal had to be abandoned.

On the 18th of October, they reached Nickol Bay, and were gladly welcomed
by the crew of the Dolphin, who had profitably passed their time in
collecting several tons of pearl-shell and a few pearls. On the 23rd the
horses and equipment were shipped, and the Dolphin sailed for Fremantle.

This journey ended Frank Gregory's active life as an explorer; and it was
a noteworthy career which now closed. For the western colo