ta the following pages will supply. I have recorded my own
impressions with great diffidence, claiming no more credit than may
attach to an earnest desire to make myself useful, and to further
geographical research. My desire is faithfully to record my own feelings
and impulses under peculiar embarrassments, and as faithfully to describe
the country over which I wandered.

My career as an explorer has probably terminated for ever, and only in
the cause of humanity, had any untoward event called for my exertions,
would I again have left my home. I wish not to hide from my readers the
disappointment, if such a word can express the feeling, with which I
turned my back upon the centre of Australia, after having so nearly
gained it; but that was an achievement I was not permitted to accomplish.

CHAPTER II.

PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE--ARRIVAL AT MOORUNDI--NATIVE GUIDES--NAMES OF
THE PARTY--SIR JOHN BARROW'S MINUTE--REPORTS OF LAIDLEY'S PONDS--CLIMATE
OF THE MURRAY--PROGRESS UP THE RIVER--ARRIVAL AT LAKE BONNEY--GRASSY
PLAINS--CAMBOLI'S HOME--TRAGICAL EVENTS IN THAT NEIGHBOURHOOD--PULCANTI--
ARRIVAL AT THE RUFUS--VISIT TO THE NATIVE FAMILIES--RETURN OF MR. EYRE
TO MOORUNDI--DEPARTURE OF MR. BROWNE TO THE EASTWARD.

Entertaining the views I have explained in my last chapter, I wrote in
January, 1843, to Lord Stanley, at that time Her Majesty's principal
Secretary of State for the Colonies, tendering my services to lead an
expedition from South Australia into the interior of the Australian
continent. As I was personally unknown to Lord Stanley, I wrote at the
same time to Sir Ralph Darling, under whose auspices I had first
commenced my career as an explorer, to ask his advice on so important an
occasion. Immediately on the receipt of my letter, Sir Ralph addressed a
communication to the Secretary of State, in terms that induced his
Lordship to avail himself of my offer.

In May, 1844, Captain Grey, the Governor of South Australia, received a
private letter from Lord Stanley, referring to a despatch his Lordship
had already written to him, to authorise the fitting out of an expedition
to proceed under my command into the interior. This despatch, however,
did not come to hand until the end of June, but on the receipt of it
Captain Grey empowered me to organise an expedition, on the modified plan
on which Lord Stanley had determined.

Aware as I was of the importance of the season in such a climate as that
of Au