case like this, where the lives of the whole party were concerned, it was out of the question to attend only to the individual feelings and wishes of the patients; I felt for their position to the fullest extent that it was possible for one to feel towards his fellow creatures so situated; but I had equal claims on my attention.  I had to look exclusively to the state of their wounds, and to the consequences of the daily journey on their constitutions; to judge if we could proceed or ought to stop; and I had reason to expect, or at least was sanguine enough to hope, that although the temporary feelings of acute pain might make them discontented with my arrangements, sober reflection at the end of our journey would induce them to do me justice.

The constant attention which they required, and the increased work which fell to the share of our reduced number, had scarcely allowed me time to reflect upon the melancholy accident which had befallen us, and the ill-timed death of our unfortunate companion.  All our energies were roused, we found ourselves in danger, and, as was absolutely necessary, we strained every nerve to extricate ourselves from it:  but I was well aware, that the more coolly we went to work, the better we should succeed.

CHAPTER X

Indications of the neighbourhood of the sea—­natives much more
numerous—­the sea; the gulf of carpentaria—­the Staaten—­A native
intrudes into the camp—­the Van Diemen—­the Gilbert—­singular native
huts—­Caron river—­friendly natives—­the Yappar—­Mr. Calvert
recovered—­Mode of encampment—­swarms of flies—­abundance of
salt—­natives friendly, and more intelligent.

July 1.—­We left the camp where Mr. Gilbert was killed, and travelled in all about fourteen miles south-west, to lat. 16 degrees 6 minutes.  We passed an extensive box-tree flat, and, at four miles, reached a chain of water-holes; but, during the next ten miles, we did not meet the slightest indication of water.  Box-tree flats of various sizes were separated by long tracts of undulating country, covered with broad-leaved tea-trees, Grevillea ceratophylla, and G. mimosoides, and with the new species of Grevillea, with broad lanceolate leaves.  We had to skirt several impassable thickets and scrubs of tea-tree, in one of which Pandanus abounded.  At last, just as the sun was setting, and we were preparing to encamp in the open forest without water, we came to a creek with fine water-holes covered with Villarsias.  Charley shot a native companion; a Fabirou was seen crossing our camp.  My wounded companions got on uncommonly well, notwithstanding the long stage, and I now had all reason to hope, that their wounds would not form any impediment to the progress of our journey.