adopt
such a step I would then have taken with me all such as were willing to
march and have left the others; but this time had passed. My movement to
Perth must now be accomplished with the greatest expedition or it would
be useless; and to take anyone with me who was so much reduced as to have
delayed, impeded, or perhaps altogether to have arrested our progress,
would have sacrificed the lives of all.

CHAPTER 3. FROM WATER PEAK TO GAIRDNER'S RANGE.

RETURN TO THE PARTY.

April 10.

The morning's dawn found us in the vicinity of our comrades, and, just as
the thick grey mists began heavily to ascend from the low plains on which
I had left the party, we emerged from the bush upon the native path down
which we had travelled the preceding evening; here I turned northward,
and a few minutes more placed the party in our view. Some of them were
missing. I felt alarmed lest a new misfortune had happened and, hurrying
on, eagerly asked where they were. The answer given will describe more
truly their position than the most minute detail could do; it was: "They
are just gone into the bush to suck grass, Sir." This semblance of
extreme thirst must however, I suspect, have been in some measure a piece
of affectation upon their parts, for upon the morning of the day before
they had had a plentiful supply of water: whether however their extreme
sufferings were true or feigned mattered not, we fully supplied their
wants; and then I immediately ordered preparations to be made for our
further progress.

We moved on in the direction of the spring of water which lay about half
a mile to the eastward of our true line of route. Our movements were soon
again delayed by Woods, who began as usual to lie down and declare his
inability to proceed any further.

DELAYS CAUSED BY USELESS BAGGAGE. DESTRUCTION OF USELESS BAGGAGE.

I desired him to leave behind the heavy load he was carrying; but as upon
former occasions he again declared his determination to die rather than
part with this mysterious bundle, which appeared to possess an
extraordinary value in his estimation. It was easy to see from his
appearance that he was now really ill and unable to carry such a weight
as he was striving to do. At length he again laid himself down, declaring
that he was dying, and, as I determined no longer to see his life
endangered by his so obstinately insisting on carrying this bundle, I
took it up, and, informing him of my intention to pay him th