difficulty they drove their horses before them for 7 miles, when they turned out and camped, as well to hunt, as again to try and reach the river.  In the first they were pretty successful, getting some turkeys’ eggs and shell-fish, but the last they were unable to do, mud and mangroves barring their way, whilst the salt water proved to them that they were still within the influence of the tide, and the stream was still between three and four hundred yards wide.  Despairing of being able to find a crossing to which they could fetch the cattle, their horses being unable to cross the river, to continue the search for Somerset in advance, and their scanty provision of flour being nearly exhausted, Frank Jardine, reluctantly abandoning the idea of getting into the Settlement, determined to return to the cattle, and with them, head the supposed bend of the Escape.  Disheartening as this was, there was nothing else to be done in the present state of the country.  Distance travelled, 7 miles westerly.

‘February’ 10.—­Turning their backs on the mangroves and swamps of the Escape River, the little party faced for the camp, steering S.S.E.  The first four miles was through boggy, swampy country, through which they walked, driving their horses before them.  The remainder was over the usual iron-bark and bloodwood ridges, fairly grassed with coarse grasses, intersected with swamps and belts of scrub, through one of which they were three hours in forcing their way two miles.  After 11 miles of this kind of travelling they camped, the horses completely knocked up, the men in not much better condition, having had to drag the horses out of bogs several times, besides cutting through the hanging vines of the scrubs.  Distance 12 miles.

‘February’ 11.—­The main camp was reached to-day, after another fatiguing journey of 11 or 12 miles, the first 6 miles similar to that of yesterday, the remainder through heath and brushwood.  It was sundown before they reached the river, which they found much swollen.  A heavy thunder-shower of two hours’ duration, put up all the creeks bank high, one of which, at about two miles from the river, they had to swim across.  Having struck it immediately opposite the camp, they left their jaded horses with their saddles on the north side, and swam across themselves to the party.  During their absence another of the horses, “Pussey,” had died from exhaustion.

‘February’ 12.—­The meat at the camp being all consumed, it became necessary to halt for a couple of days, in order to kill and jerk a beast.  The flour too was now exhausted, save 10 lbs., which was judiciously put by and reserved for an emergency.  The day was spent in crossing back the four horses, with saddles and swags.  The cattle were counted and some found missing; the Black-boys were therefore sent in search of them.  A beast was killed, cut up, and jerked, a tedious task, from the absence of the sun.  Although there were only a few light showers towards evening, the air was damp; the meat, therefore, had to be smoked under a covering.