was on his return, when, stopping on the plains to let his
horses feed, he fell fast asleep, during which time they strayed, and he
was obliged to leave everything and walk until he overtook his horse near
the creek. He said the men had consumed all the water I had left with
them, and were in great alarm lest they should die of thirst; I was
exceedingly provoked at Morgan's neglect, more particularly as the
comfort of the other men was involved in the delay, although they
deserved to suffer for the prodigal waste of their previous supply. But
it is impossible to trust to men in their sphere of life under such
circumstances, as they are seldom gifted with that moral courage which
ensures calmness in critical situations. I made every allowance too for
their being in so hot a place, and it only remained for me to relieve
them as soon as I could. I sent the ever ready Flood for the casks and
provisions Morgan had left behind him, but it was necessarily late before
he returned; I then directed him to get up two teams of the strongest
bullocks, and with him and another of the men left Mr. Poole and Mr.
Browne to go myself to the pine forest for two of the drays. About seven
miles from the creek we met Lewis, who was on our tracks. He said he
apprehended that Morgan had lost himself, and that he came on to ensure
relief to the other men, who he said were suffering greatly from the want
of water. At 9 p.m. we rounded up the cattle until the moon should rise,
and made fires to prevent their escape. At 11 she rose, but it was behind
clouds, so that it was 12 before we could move on. About two miles from
the drays we saw Kirby wandering away from the track and called to him.
This man would infallibly have been lost if we had not thus accidentally
seen him. On reaching the party I found that Lewis had somewhat
exaggerated the state of affairs, still the men were bad enough, although
they had not then been 36 hours without water.

Notwithstanding that the moon had risen behind clouds, the first sun of
the new year (1845) rose upon us in all his brightness, and the
temperature increased as he advanced to the meridian. As Jones was with
the hindmost drays, I sent Sullivan on my horse with some water for him,
and ordered Flood to precede me with two of the drays along a flat I had
noticed as I rode along, by which they would avoid a good many of the
ridges. Sullivan returned with Jones about half-past ten, who, he told
me, so far from w