Wylie, I set off myself on foot with him to search for it.  We had not gone far from the camp, when Wylie wished me to go back, offering to go on by himself; and as I was loth to leave our provisions and ammunition to the mercy of any native that might chance to go that way, I acceded to his request, and delivering to him the rifle, returned to the encampment.  Wylie had pledged himself to the due execution of this errand, and I had some confidence that he would not deceive me.  Hour after hour passed away without his return, and I began to be uneasy at his long delay, and half repented that I had been so foolish as to trust the rifle in his hands.  At last, a little after dark, I was delighted to see him return, followed by the foal, which he had found six miles away and still travelling backwards in search of the horses.  Having given him an extra allowance of bread as a reward for his good conduct, we took our tea and lay down for the night.

During the day, whilst Wylie was absent, I had employed my time in collecting firewood from the back of the sand-hills.  In this occupation I was pleased to meet with the silver-bark tea-tree, another change in the vegetation, which still further convinced me that we were rapidly advancing into a more practicable country.

May 10.—­The morning was spent in washing my clothes, cooking meat, and preparing to move on in the afternoon.  Wylie, who knew that this was his last opportunity, was busy with the skeleton of the horse, and never ceased eating until we moved on in the afternoon.  As we took away with us nearly a hundred pounds of the flesh, the poor horses were heavily laden for the condition they were in.  The scrubby and swampy nature of the country behind the shore compelled us too to keep the beach, where the sands were loose and heavy.  Our progress was slow, and at eight miles I halted.  Here we found a little dry grass not far from the sea, and as the horses did not require water, they fared tolerably well.  This was the first grass we had met with since we descended the cliffs on the 3rd instant.  The horses having entirely subsisted since then on the wiry vegetation which binds the sand-drifts together.  Although we had water in the canteens for ourselves, and the horses did not require any, I was curious to know whether fresh water could be procured where we were encamped—­a long, low and narrow tongue of sandy land, lying between the sea on one side and extensive salt swamps on the other, and in no part elevated more than a few feet above the level of the sea itself.  After tea I took the spade and commenced digging, and to my great surprise at six feet I obtained water, which though brackish was very palatable.  This was very extraordinary, considering the nature of the position we were in, and that there were not any hills from which the fresh water could drain.

The night was again bitterly cold and frosty, and we suffered severely.  Now the winter had set in, and we were sadly unprepared to meet its inclemency, the cold at nights became so intense as to occasion me agonies of pain; and the poor native was in the same predicament.