nd a quarter of nearly level country, entirely under
water in winter, and covered with rushes and tea-trees. At the lowest
level was a well with abundance of water two feet below the surface, near
which we immediately took up our quarters and learnt that the spot was
called by them Bookernyup. We were also given to understand that the
country to the northward and westward was at this time of the year
entirely without water, and that none was to be found nearer than a river
"far away" in the north-east.

This account by no means lessened our fears for the poor fellows of whom
we were in search, and led us to determine on leaving the party here, and
making a forced march of two or three days to the north-west with the
smallest possible supplies, in the hope of reaching the spot where the
absentees had been left by Woods, and which we supposed to be the
vicinity of Jurieu Bay.

SUCCEEDS IN FINDING THEIR TRACES.

Previous however to putting this plan into execution, it was considered
advisable to visit the beach again, fifteen or sixteen miles distant, on
doing which next morning, with Mr. Spofforth and Warrup, we had the
satisfaction to find the feet-marks of five men on the sand, taking a
southerly direction. Warrup having pronounced them to be without doubt
the footsteps of white men, and not more than two or three days old, we
followed them eagerly along the shore for a mile, and then came to an
empty cask that had been washed on shore, together with several broken
bottles and a stone jar. On further examination part of the head of the
cask was found much cut with a knife, as if used for a plate, and near
the extinct embers of a small fire lay the bones of a fish, which Warrup
concluded had been picked on the morning of the previous day. Rejoiced at
having now got upon the right track, and being unwilling to lose time by
following it up from this spot, we took a good look round and returned to
our camp at Bookernyup by sunset, from whence we next morning started
early in a southerly direction, took up safely everything we had
concealed on the Moore River, and shortly after dark had completed 24
miles to a place called Kadjelup, where we halted on some deep pools
similar to those at Barrumbur.

Breakfasting early on the 15th, the baggage was despatched forward to
Neergabby, and at daybreak Mr. Spofforth, Kinchela (a private of the 21st
regiment) and Warrup accompanied me on horseback to the beach, which we
found elev