March 31.

This day at dawn I sent out a party under Mr. Lushington and Mr. Walker to try if any pass through the mountains could be found, but they returned in four or five hours to report that it was utterly impossible for horses to proceed further in the direction we desired.  During their absence I had made a careful examination of the stores and found that, even at our reduced allowance, we had only provisions left for twenty days; our horses were also reduced in number to twelve, but these, excepting that their feet were sore, were rather improved in condition than otherwise since the commencement of the journey.

CAUSES FOR RETURNING.

My intention had always been, when I found myself reduced to such an extremity as the present, to proceed for a few days by forced marches towards the interior, accompanied by four men, and then, returning to the remainder of the party, to have taken all together back to the vessel; when there I knew I could have got four volunteers to accompany me and, having loaded the horses with ammunition and provisions, I had it in contemplation to have started with them again for Swan River.  But these projects became now impracticable from the declining state of my health, consequent on having started too soon after having received my wound, to the exertions I was obliged daily to make whilst labouring under its effects, and to the want of those comforts which contribute so materially to restore an invalid to health.  Our allowance of food too had been but scanty, and, whilst I fared as my men, who, unshattered in health, had yet grown thin and weak under privation, I, in proportion, had suffered far more.

PREPARATIONS TO RETURN.

Mr. Walker, who was aware of my design, came to me today and said he felt it his duty to recommend me without delay to return to the vessel; that as long as he thought the risk I ran was no more than he considered a man who had undertaken such a service should be prepared to incur, he had refrained from pressing this advice upon me, but in my present debilitated state exposure even for a single night might very probably cost me my life.  To this opinion I felt constrained to yield, and Mr. Walker, having at my desire repeated it in a letter this afternoon, I arranged my plans accordingly.

LIGHT EXPLORING PARTY SENT FORWARD UNDER LIEUTENANT LUSHINGTON.

The march in advance, which, had my health permitted, I had intended to make myself, was now deputed to Mr. Lushington:  four of those men who remained the strongest of our enfeebled band were selected for an excursion of three days under him; after which we were to return to the vessel.

April 1 and 2.

At dawn on Sunday the 1st the party started; and these two days I occupied myself in making magnetic and astronomical observations.  Our latitude I found by two meridian altitudes of the moon to be 16 degrees 0 minutes 45 seconds south, and our longitude by chronometer 125 degrees 11 minutes east.