. . .

During my son’s absence, which lasted for eleven days, in which he travelled altogether above seventy miles, King mentions in his narrative that Mr. Burke, whilst frying some fish set fire to the mia-mia (a shelter made by the blacks with bushes of trees, so thickly laid that it serves to exclude the sun and a great deal of rain); thus destroying every remnant of clothing.  King told me that nothing was saved but a gun, although his narrative says a pistol also; but Mr. Burke’s pistol was burnt.

The incidents of the journal from the 27th of May to the 5th of June, show how well my son had established himself in the good graces of the natives.  Had it been his fortune to have survived, we should probably have had an interesting account of these simple aborigines and their doings.

. . .

Friday, 7th June, 1861.—­Started in the afternoon for the blacks’ camp with such things as we could take; found ourselves all very weak in spite of the abundant supply of fish that we have lately had.  I, myself, could scarcely get along, although carrying the lightest swag, only about thirty pounds.  Found that the blacks had decamped, so determined on proceeding to-morrow up to the next camp, near the nardoo field.

Saturday, 8th June, 1861.—­With the greatest fatigue and difficulty we reached the nardoo camp.  No blacks, greatly to our disappointment; took possession of their best mia-mia and rested for the remainder of the day.

Sunday, 9th June, 1861.—­King and I proceeded to collect nardoo, leaving Mr. Burke at home.

Monday, 10th June, 1861.—­Mr. Burke and King collecting nardoo; self at home too weak to go out; was fortunate enough to shoot a crow.—­[Here follow some meteorological notes which appear to relate to another period.]

Tuesday, 11th June, 1861.—­King out for nardoo; Mr. Burke up the creek to look for the blacks.

Wednesday, 12th June, 1861.—­King out collecting nardoo; Mr. Burke and I at home pounding and cleaning.  I still feel myself, if anything, weaker in the legs, although the nardoo appears to be more thoroughly digested.

Thursday, 13th June, 1861.—­Last night the sky was pretty clear, and the air rather cold, but nearly calm, a few cirrostratus hung about the north-east horizon during the first part of the night.  Mr. Burke and King out for nardoo; self weaker than ever; scarcely able to go to the waterhole for water.  Towards afternoon, cirrocumulus and cirrostratus began to appear moving northward.  Scarcely any wind all day.

Friday, 14th June, 1861.—­Night alternately clear and cloudy; cirrocumulus and cumulostratus moving northwards; no wind; beautifully mild for the time of year; in the morning some heavy clouds on the horizon.  King out for nardoo; brought in a good supply.  Mr. Burke and I at home, pounding and cleaning seed.  I feel weaker than ever, and both Mr. B. and King are beginning to feel very unsteady in the legs.