d on, intending to strike the
northern settlements at Hall's Creek where there is a small mining
township. On the way there, while still in unexplored country, they
discovered one more oasis, in a rock hole, which was called Godfrey's
Tank, after Godfrey Massie, one of the party. On November 25th, 1896,
they congratulated themselves that they were at last clear of the desert
and its desolation, having come out on to a well-watered shady river,
running towards the northern coast. But a sad accident turned their
rejoicing into mourning. Charles Stansmore accidentally slipped on a rock
when out shooting, and his gun going off, he was shot through the heart
and died instantly. His friend Carnegie speaks most highly of him, and
his sudden death on the threshold of success was a sad blow to the
company. Stansmore was the third explorer to lose his life from a gun
accident.

At Hall's Creek Carnegie heard of the misfortune that had befallen Wells,
in the loss of two of his party, and he at once volunteered his
assistance; but as search-parties had already started out, his aid was
not required. He therefore rested for a short time before again trying
conclusions with the desert on the return journey. Sturt's Creek was by
this time occupied and stocked, and the party followed it down until they
arrived at its termination in Gregory's Salt Sea. From this point
Carnegie kept a southerly course to Lake Macdonald near the South
Australian border, passing on his way a striking range which he named the
Stansmore Range, after his unfortunate companion. Lake Macdonald was long
thought to be a continuation of Lake Amadeus, until the exploration of
Tietkins in 1889 proved its isolation. From Lake Macdonald, Carnegie, who
had now three horses in his equipment, kept a more south-westerly course
towards the Rawlinson Range, the endless sand-dunes still crossing his
track in dreary succession. So persistently did they rise across his path
that, on one day, eighty-six of them were crossed by the caravan during a
progress of eight hours. From the Rawlinson Range they kept on the same
south-west course until they struck their outward track at Alexander
Spring. A fall of rain fortunately replenished the spring shortly after
the arrival of the party. They reached Lake Darlot on the 15th of July,
and their desert pilgrimage was ended.

Not only did Carnegie get safely across the dreaded desert, but he
returned overland to his starting-point by a d