arling, I sent Mr. Browne
and Mr. Stuart in advance, to apprise him of our approach.

On their arrival at his camp Mr. Piesse lost no time in repairing to me,
and I shall not readily forget the unaffected joy he evinced at seeing me
again. He had maintained a friendly intercourse with the natives, and had
acquitted himself in a manner, as creditable to himself, as it had been
beneficial to me.

Mr. Piesse was the bearer of numerous letters from my family and friends,
and I was in some measure repaid for the past, by the good intelligence
they conveyed: that my wife and children were well, and the colony was in
the most flourishing condition,--since, during my absence, that
stupendous mine had been discovered, which has yielded such profit to the
owners--and the pastoral pursuits of the colonists were in an equally
flourishing condition. Mr. Browne, too, received equally glad tidings
from his brother, who informed him of his intention to meet the party on
its way homewards.

On the 21st I moved over to the Darling; and found a number of natives at
the camp, and amongst them the old Boocolo of Williorara, who was highly
delighted at our return.

Mr. Piesse had constructed a large and comfortable hut of boughs--which
was much cooler than canvass. In this we made ourselves comfortable, and
I hoped that the numerous and more generous supplies of eatables and
drinkables than those to which we had been accustomed would conduce to
our early restoration to health. I could not but fancy that the berries
Mr. Browne had procured for me, and of which I had taken many, were
beginning to work beneficially--although I was still unable to move. As
I proposed remaining stationary until after Christmas Day, I deemed it
advisable to despatch messengers with letters for the Governor, advising
him of my safety, and to relieve the anxiety of my family and friends.
Mr. Browne accordingly made an agreement with two natives, to take the
letter-bag to the Anabranch of the Darling, and send it on to Lake
Victoria by other natives, who were to be rewarded for their trouble. For
this service our messengers were to receive two blankets and two
tomahawks, and the bag being closed they started off with it. I had
proposed to Mr. Browne to be himself the bearer of it, but he would not
leave me, even now. In order, therefore, to encourage the messengers, I
gave them in advance the tomahawks they were to have received on their
return. Our tent was gene