for me to weigh well and maturely how I might best arrange my
plans so as to meet the necessity of the case. It appeared to me that if
I sent two of my men back to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, a single dray
would carry every necessary for the reduced party remaining, and that by
obtaining a supply of oats and bran for the horses, and giving them a
long rest, they might so far recover strength and spirits as to afford me
reasonable grounds of hope that we might succeed in forcing a passage
through the country to the westward, bad as it evidently was. Acting upon
the opinion I had arrived at, I sent for the master of the cutter and
requested him to get ready at once for sea, and then communicated my
decision to the two men who were to leave us, Corporal Coles, R.S. and M.
and John Houston, requesting them to get ready to embark to-morrow. They
did not appear to experience much surprise, and were I think on the whole
rather pleased than otherwise at the prospect of a return to Adelaide.
Both these men had conducted themselves remarkably well during the whole
time they were in the party, and one of them, John Houston, had been with
me in my late disastrous expedition, during which his obedience and good
conduct had been beyond all praise. We had, however, now been absent for
six months, had traversed a great extent of country, and undergone many
hardships; the country we had met with had unfortunately always been of
the most barren and disheartening character, and that which was yet
before us appeared to be if possible still worse, so that I could not
wonder that my men should appear gratified in the prospect of a
termination to their labours. With so little to cheer and encourage, they
might well perhaps doubt of our final success.

December 18.--Having once decided upon my plans, I lost no time in
putting them in execution. A dray, three sets of horses' harness, and
some other things were sent on board the WATERWITCH, together with half a
sheep and sixty pounds of biscuit for the crew, who were now running
short of provisions. Several casks were brought on shore for us to bury
stores in, and the boat I had purchased at Port Lincoln was left, at Mr.
Scott's request, for him to fish in during the absence of the cutter.
After I had settled with the two men for their services, both of whom had
large sums to receive, they took leave of us, and went on board.

My own time had been fully occupied for the last two days, in writing