and murdered by these savages, our newly awakened hope already beginning to fail, when we saw Captain Dobson and Dr. Vallack, accompanied by Jackey and a man named Barrett (who had been wounded a few days before in the arm by a barbed spear) approaching towards us, across the creek.  I and my companion, who was preserved with me, must ever be grateful for the prompt courage with which these persons, at the risk of their own lives, came to our assistance, through the scrub and mangroves, a distance of about three miles, surrounded as they were all the way by a large number of armed natives.

I was reduced almost to a skeleton.  The elbow bone of my right arm was through the skin, as also the bone of my right hip.  My legs also were swollen to an enormous size.  Goddard walked to the boat, but I could not do so without the assistance of Captain Dobson and Dr. Vallack, and I had to be carried altogether a part of the distance.  The others, Jackey and Barrett, kept a lookout for the blacks.  We were unable to bring many things from the camp.  The principal were, the firearms and one parcel of my seeds, which I had managed to keep dry, containing eighty-seven species.  All my specimens were left behind, which I regretted very much:  for though much injured, the collection contained specimens of very beautiful trees, shrubs, and orchideae.  I could also only secure an abstract of my journal, except that portion of it from 13th November to 30th December, which I have in full.  My original journal, with a botanical work which had been kindly lent me by a friend in Sydney for the expedition, was left behind.  We got safely on board the Ariel; and after a very long passage, arrived in Sydney.

I am confident that no man could have done more for the safety of the party than was done by Mr. Kennedy, nor could any man have exerted himself more than he, in the most distressing circumstances of our perilous journey.  He walked by far the greater part of the distance, giving his own horses for the use of the weak men, and the general service of the expedition.  I never rode but two hours all through the journey, and that was on two successive days when we were in the vicinity of Cape Sidmouth, and I was suffering from bad feet.

The unfortunate death of our brave and generous leader, deeply and extensively as I know it to have been lamented, can have no more sincere mourner than myself.

The tale of his sufferings and those of his party has already been read and sympathised over by hundreds, and it would ill become me to add anything to the artless narrative of the faithful and true-hearted Jackey, who having tended his last moments, and closed his eyes, was the first, perhaps the most disinterested, bewailer of his unhappy fate.

...

STATEMENT OF JACKEY-JACKEY.

MADE BY HIM ON BOARD THE ARIEL, AND WRITTEN DOWN BY DR. VALLACK.