nsidered the evidence of men who were
not present, but on board the schooner at the time of the party landing,
was more to be relied on than Mr. Baines' statement, which had been made
before the officers generally. As Mr. Baines had minutely detailed the
whole transaction to me, and nothing farther was alleged by Mr. Wilson,
who appeared to be actuated by no friendly feelings towards Mr. Baines,
and my investigation would have only been an expression of a want of
confidence in the veracity of Mr. Baines, which I could not entertain, I
informed Mr. Wilson that I did not see any necessity for the
investigation suggested. Party employed preparing equipment, shoeing
horses, baking meat biscuits, etc. Rain at night.

8th June (Sunday).

MAKE MEAT BISCUITS.

9th June.

Completed shoeing the horses; party employed making small tents and
saddle-bags, fitting pack-saddles, baking biscuits; Dr. Mueller
collecting and arranging botanical specimens.

ARRANGEMENT OF PARTY.

10th June.

Party employed as before, and preparing extra shoes for the horses, etc.
Mr. Elsey returned with the gig from the schooner; boat's crew: Phibbs,
Humphries, and Selby; the sick men had reached the vessel without any
serious difficulty, although the boat grounded on the banks, and was
thereby detained till next tide, and thus kept them several hours exposed
to the rain.

11th June.

Party employed as before.

12th June.

Completed baking 300 pounds of preserved beef and 300 pounds of flour
into biscuits, which weighed 480 pounds when dry. A 6-pound tin of beef,
with the soup and fat, was added to 6 pounds of flour, 1 ounce of salt
(no water being used), and the whole made up into dough and baked in the
ordinary form of sea biscuits; the result was 8 pounds, and thus 1 1/4
pounds contained 1 pound of flour and 1 pound of meat.

13th June.

Mr. Baines proceeded with Phibbs, Humphries, and Selby in the gig to the
Tom Tough, with stores not required at the camp, and for the purpose of
returning with soap and other stores required for the outfit of the land
expedition. Party employed as before. Mr. Wilson completed and furnished
to me a sketch of the Western branch of the Victoria River, which had
been discovered by Mr. Baines in December, 1855, while searching for
stray horses, and which I had then named after him. Preparing maps, etc.,
for transmission to the Governor-General of Australia.

14th June.

Wrote to Governor-General, repor