d; and then, in the event of not finding those they were in search
of, this last detachment was to push still further northward to look for
them.

As soon as the arrangements were concluded I assembled the men and
publicly repeated these directions to them; and to such as Clotworthy I
addressed strong admonitions as to their future conduct. Many of them did
not appear to be in the least aware of the critical situation they were
placed in; I however entertained great fears for the safety of some of
them. Poor Smith was at this time in a very delicate state of health, and
his courage and gentleness had so endeared him to me that the sight of
his sickly face made me long to be on the march to send out help to him.
For Mr. Walker I had no fear; I have never known anyone endowed with a
greater degree of patient endurance; indeed had he not, from a mistaken
good nature, been too familiar with the men, no one could have been more
admirably adapted for the trying position in which he was placed; and
even as events turned out I doubt if anyone could have been found who
would have endured more, or would have gone through greater exertions to
save those under his command.

The party I left, and who were not required to proceed by forced marches,
consisted of:

Mr. Walker,
Mr. Smith,
Thomas Ruston,
C. Woods,
T. Stiles,
A. Clotworthy.

SEPARATION OF THE PARTY. ADVICE TO THOSE LEFT BEHIND.

Before parting with Mr. Walker and Mr. Smith I again urged them to push
steadily onwards and never to idle for an instant; but I do not think
that either of them were fully aware of the dangers they had to contend
with. Poor Smith, as he squeezed my hand, begged me to send out a horse
for him, if one could be procured, and also some tobacco; he said the
only thing he dreaded was want of water.

Mr. Walker smiled and told me to look out for myself that he was not in
Perth before me, and several others seemed to participate in his feeling
and to regard my plan of proceeding as the height of folly.

I left with Mr. Walker's party everything that was really useful, such as
the cooking saucepan and the only hatchet we had. These were very
valuable to them, for had they come into a grass-tree country they might
have subsisted for a long time upon the tops of these trees, as Mr.
Elliott did upon a former occasion; for he together with two men lived
upon them for fourteen days. This very useful implement they however
threw away the second day