Breakfasting early on the 15th, the baggage was despatched forward to Neergabby, and at daybreak Mr. Spofforth, Kinchela (a private of the 21st regiment) and Warrup accompanied me on horseback to the beach, which we found eleven miles off, but to our great disappointment a very high tide had totally obliterated all marks from the sand and left us in perplexity and doubt.  Concluding however that the missing party must be in advance of us, and that they could not fail to observe the papers which had been offered to their notice at the mouth of the Garban River, we turned our steps that way; left a paper of directions in the event of their being behind us, and carefully examined both beach and sandhills, as well as the country immediately in rear of them.  Twelve miles brought us to the mouth of the river, and there we found everything as we had placed it—­not a mark near the beach except the footsteps of the native dog prowling about the sandhills, and nothing which could lead to a belief that the spot had been visited since we last left it.  Somewhat disappointed, although rejoicing in having now hemmed the unfortunate absentees up into a narrow limit, within which we knew they must be wandering towards Perth, we joined our party at Neergabby shortly after dark, and observed on our way the traces of five natives who were confidently said by Warrup to be Perth natives, sent to look after us with intelligence.  They had come along the coast from the south as far as the mouth of the river, and had struck inland to the south-east on their return.  The conclusions of this intelligent lad on the occasion were afterwards found to be strictly correct, even to the names of the men who composed the party.

Providential discovery of them.

The early morning of the 16th found us all in busy preparation for the day’s proceedings and relying with reasonable confidence on a successful issue to our exertions.  The remainder of the party were sent back with one horse to Kadjelup, whilst my indefatigable companion Mr. Spofforth accompanied me, with Kinchela and the two natives and four horses, to resume our examination of the beach to the north.  Fifteen miles in a north-west direction brought us to the desired spot, but still no sign was apparent of its having been visited by any human being since ourselves; we however commenced a close examination to the northward, and at the end of a mile and a half had the infinite satisfaction of falling in with three of the missing party, in the persons of Ruston, Stiles, and Clotworthy, who had formed a portion of the wrecked boats’ crews.

Their miserable condition.