the tops of the tanks secured and covered with pitch and afterwards earth.  Buried a bottle containing directions relative to the foregoing, close to a tree which I had marked thus:  Dig 2 feet north, which tree being on the verge of a waterhole, close to the camp, must attract attention.  At 8.45 p.m. we all left the Firefly.  I put Mr. Landsborough and his party, consisting of Mr. F. Bourne, William Leeson (groom) and three black boys, onto the opposite shore, bringing Mr. H.N.  Campbell and a black boy down to the ship, arriving on board at 1.15 p.m. on the 9th February.

I have the honour to be Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

(Signed) Charles Cecil Gascoyne, Second Lieutenant.

...

Bunnawaunah, Darling River, June 2 1862.

Sir,

I have the honour to inform you that the exploring party under my command arrived here yesterday in safety and in good health.  From the Gulf of Carpentaria we came, in search of Burke’s party, without difficulty, to Gregory’s route from Queensland to South Australia, to a point within 280 miles of the point marked first depot on Burke’s route on the map which shows the routes of different explorers.

Our route from the Gulf of Carpentaria, Mr. Gregory’s route to South Australia, and the routes of other explorers demonstrate the fact that sheep, cattle, and horses can be taken at a small cost and in the finest condition from South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and the inland districts of Queensland to stock the country near the Gulf of Carpentaria, or for exportation to India or elsewhere.

The road we came was so easy, from the richness of the pasturage and the abundance of water, that a foal, named Flinders from his having been foaled on the Flinders River, followed his mother most bravely from the time he was a few hours old until he reached here.  When we were on Gregory’s route to South Australia, and for some time previously, we took many opportunities of asking the blacks respecting the explorers they had seen.  This we were enabled to do as Jemmy the native police trooper could speak their language.  We learned from them that they had seen during the last ten moons explorers to the eastward, but that they had seen none with larger animals than horses.

I am sorry to have to inform you that our familiarity at last led to our having a hostile collision with them on the Barcoo River, near where the blacks treacherously tried to take Mr. Gregory’s party by surprise during the night.  They tried to take us at night by surprise.  If they had succeeded they would no doubt have overpowered us; but it was during Jemmy’s watch and, as he always kept his watch well, he awoke us when they were within a few yards of our fire, and we fortunately succeeded in driving them away.  Next morning (very early) two of them came near our camp.  At my request Jemmy warned them to leave us, for we had now a most hostile feeling towards them.  Instead of their showing the least symptom of leaving us they got their companions (who were in ambush, heavily armed with clubs and throwing-sticks) to join them.  Under these circumstances we fired on them.  In doing so, and in following them up to where the horses were feeding, one was shot and another slightly wounded in the leg.