and that Mr. Smith, Thomas Ruston, and he himself, were endeavouring to make the Isle of France in a boat, when Mr. Smith died, and the remaining two had eaten his body.  Mr. Walker had, with the utmost imprudence, related this dream to some of the men, and they, with that superstition which is so common amongst sailors and Englishmen of the lower orders, had attached a great degree of importance to it; many circumstances which had hitherto been unexplained to me now flashed upon my mind; poor Mr. Smith had been very ill at the time Mr. Walker had related this inauspicious dream, and at that period an extraordinary degree of despondency had crept over him, so much so that some of the men imagined he had become deranged.  When also we were working our way down the eastern coast of Shark Bay in the boats others of the party had got into a very desponding state, one of whom, Henry Woods, had even gone so far as to tell me when I remonstrated with him on this point that he knew that the greater part of us wore doomed, and that our lives were worth nothing.

My anxiety for those I had left behind me now increased, and about an hour and a half before daylight I started for Perth with Imbat, leaving the others to follow as rapidly as they could, and telling them that I would have food ready for them at Williams’s cottage, who was the settler living farthest north from Perth.  In about an hour and a half I reached Williams’s hut, which I entered, and found his wife and another woman at breakfast.

I had often got a drink of milk at this cottage when I had before been at Perth, and I flattered myself that Mrs. Williams would recollect me; little calculating how strangely want and suffering had changed my appearance.  The two women only stared with the utmost surprise and said, “Why, Magic, what’s the matter with you?” (They alluded to a crazy Malay who used to visit the outsettler’s houses, and who had somehow or the other acquired the nickname of Magic.) I was rather hurt at my reception and said, “I am not Magic;” at this they both burst into a roar of laughter and Mrs. Williams said, “Well, then, my good man, who are you?” “One who is almost starved,” was my reply.  “Will you take this then,” said my hostess, handing me a cup of tea she was raising to her lips.  “With all my heart and soul, and God reward you for it,” was my answer, and I swallowed the delicious draught.  Imbat, who had been to search for Williams, now came in and explained who I was; in a few minutes more I was seated at a comfortable breakfast; water was put on to boil, and by the time the things were prepared the rest of the party came up.

Arrival and reception at Perth.  Not recognized by my friends.