On the 15th of April, 1873, the explorers left Alice Springs and followed the overland line until they reached a creek called Burt’s Creek, whence they struck to the westward.  After a vain search for the rivers Hugh and Finke, which were popularly supposed to rise to the north of the McDonnell Ranges, Warburton altered his course to the north-west, meaning to connect with A.C.  Gregory’s most southerly point on Sturt’s Creek.  For some distance his way led him through available pastoral country, and in some of the minor ranges beautiful glens were discovered with deep pools of water in their beds.  So frightened were the camels by the rocks that surrounded them, that they would not approach them to drink.  On the 22nd of May, after travelling for some days in poor sandy country, they came to a good creek with a full head.  The whole flat, on to which the creek emerged from the hills, was one vast spring.  This place, the best camp they had yet met with, was named Eva Springs.  Leaving the main body resting at these springs, the leader, with two companions, started ahead, and was successful in finding some native wells that enabled him to break up his main camp and advance with all the men and material.

On the 5th of June they crossed the boundary-line between the two colonies, and found themselves on the scrubby, sandy tableland common to the interior.  At some native wells, which were called Waterloo Wells, they made an enforced sojourn of about a month; in addition they lost three camels, and one of the Afghans nearly died of scurvy.  When they were at last enabled to leave the Waterloo Wells, they found themselves plunged into the salt lake country, where the native inhabitants exist on shallow wells and soakage springs.  By their reckoning they were now within ten miles of Gregory’s Sturt’s Creek; but though Warburton made two separate attempts to find the place, he was unable to recognise any country that at all resembled the description given by Gregory.  Rightfully ascribing this disappointment to an error in his longitude, he proceeded on a westerly course once more.  The tale of each day’s journey now becomes a dreary record of travels across a monotonous barren country, and an incessant search for native wells, their only means of sustaining life.

In addition to other causes for delay, the excessive heat caused by radiation from the surrounding sandhills during the day compelled the leader to spare his camels as much as possible by travelling at night.  This naturally led to a most unsatisfactory inspection of the country traversed, and it was impossible to say what clues to water were passed by unwittingly.