of wood, and at dusk lighted a
fire, and kept it burning till about half-past seven or eight o'clock. I
then fired off three rockets one after the other, at intervals of about
twenty minutes. I also took a large pistol up the hill, and stood for
some time firing it as quickly as I could load it, thinking they might
perhaps see the flash of that, if they had not seen the rockets.

December 2.

Early this morning I was up, straining my eyes to catch a view of the
bay, and at length saw the schooner standing in to the shore; and during
the forenoon a boat was lowered. I now made quite certain they were
coming for us, and thinking they might come up the creek in the boat for
some distance, I hastened down the hill, and began to pack up a few
things, determined to keep them waiting for our luggage no longer than I
could help. I looked anxiously for them all the afternoon, wondering much
at their delay in coming, until at last I went up the hill, just in time
to see the schooner passing the bay. I cannot describe the feeling of
despair and desolation which I in common with the rest of our party
experienced as we gazed on the vessel as she fast faded from our view. On
the very brink of starvation and death--death in the lone wilderness,
peopled only with the savage denizens of the forest, who even then were
thirsting for our blood--hope, sure and certain hope, had for one brief
moment gladdened our hearts with the consoling assurance, that after our
many trials, and protracted sufferings, we were again about to find
comfort and safety. But the bright expectancy faded; and although we
strove to persuade ourselves that the vessel was not the Bramble, our
hearts sank within us in deep despondency.

December 4.

We yesterday finished our scanty remnant of flour; and our little store
of meat, which we had been able to dry, could have but very little
nourishment in it. Goddard and I went to the beach and got a bag of
shellfish, but found it very difficult to get back to the camp through
the mangroves, we were in so weak a state.

December 7.

This day I took Mitchell with me to the beach, and procured another bag
of shellfish. During the last few days we shot a very small wallaby and
three or four Torres Strait pigeons. These afforded us some relief, as
our horse-flesh was so very bitter, that nothing but unendurable hunger
could have induced us to eat it. A number of small brown beetles were
generated from it, which ate it,