ble
explanation, considering the tedium and slowness of their progress in
winding through scrubs, and being delayed by crossings, the
tortuousness of their route making it difficult to keep the course.
It was the more unfortunate, therefore, that the sextant, which was
naturally depended upon for keeping them informed of their progress,
should have been allowed to become so deranged, as to be less
reliable than the result of mere dead reckoning.

[footnote] *See his Journal.

CHAPTER V.

First Start in Search of Settlement--Character of the Jardine--
The Eliot--Return to Main Camp--Flooded State of River--
Impromptu Raft--Crossing Horses--Uncertainty--Second Start in
Search of Settlement--View of the Ocean--Reach South Shore of
Newcastle Bay--Reach Mouth of True Escape--Unable to Cross--A
Dainty Meal--Character of the Escape--Return to Main Camp--
Horses Knocked-up--Another Horse Dead--Flour Exhausted--
Wretched Condition of Horses--More Baggage Abandoned--Prospects
--The Whole Party Again Move Forward--Another Horse Abandoned--
Reach Head of Tide View of the Gulf--Barne Island--Return up the
Jardine--Third Start in Search of Settlement--Wild Grape--
Crossing Saddles--a Disappointment--Head the Escape River--Meet
Friendly Natives--Natives Act as Pilots--Native Bread--Canoes
--Corroboree--Native Drums--Arrival at Somerset--Mr. Jardine's
Marked-tree Line--Meeting with their Father--A Heroine.

'January' 30.--This morning, Mr. F. Jardine with his Brother and
the Blackboy, Eulah, started to find the Settlement, leaving the rest
of the party encamped with the cattle, in charge of Mr. Scrutton.
They took with them a week's ration of 25 lbs. of flour, and 12 lbs.
meat (tea and sugar had long been things of the past), intending to
follow the supposed river down to the head of the tide. It was
accordingly followed for about 21 miles, but to their astonishment,
instead of trending N.N.E., its general course was found to be
North-west 1/2 West. This led them to the conclusion that it was a
western water, and not as they had hitherto supposed, the Escape
River. Of this they were now convinced, but to make certain, agreed
to continue travelling down it for two days more, and with this
intent camped on a creek coming in from the southward. The margin of
the river is generally open and coarsely grassed, timbered with
mahogany, bloodwood, and melaleuca, the points of scrubs and
brushwood occasionally closing down to the