think, restore our strength.  We have discovered a practicable route to Carpentaria, the chief portion of which lies on the 140th decree of east longitude.  There is some good country between this and the Stony Desert.  From there to the tropic the country is dry and stony.  Between the tropic and Carpentaria a considerable portion is rangy, but it is well watered and richly grassed.  We reached the shores of Carpentaria on 11th February, 1861.  Greatly disappointed at finding the party here gone.

(Signed) ROBERT O’HARA BURKE, Leader.

April 22nd, 1861.

P.S.—­The camels cannot travel, and we cannot walk, or we should follow the other party.  We shall move very slowly down the creek.

KING’S NARRATIVE

Mr. Burke requested Mr. Wills to go up the creek as far as the Depot, and to place a note in the plant there, stating that we were then living on the creek, the former note having stated that we were on our road to South Australia.  He also was to bury there the field-books of the journey to the Gulf.

Mr. Wills being returned, it was decided to go up the creek and live with the natives, if possible, as Mr. Wills thought we should have but little difficulty in obtaining provisions from them if we camped on the opposite side of the creek to them.  He said he knew where they had gone, so we packed up and started.  Coming to the gunyahs where we expected to have found them, we were disappointed, and seeing a nardoo field close by, halted, intending to make it our camp.  For some time we were employed gathering nardoo, and laying up a supply.

Mr. Wills and I used to collect and carry home a bag each day, and Mr. Burke generally pounded sufficient for our dinner during our absence, but Mr. Wills found himself getting very weak, and was shortly unable to go out to gather nardoo as before, nor even strong enough to pound it, so that in a few days he became almost helpless.  Mr. Burke now proposed that I should gather as much nardoo as possible in three days, and that with this supply we should go in search of the natives—­a plan which had been urged upon us by Mr. Wills as the only chance of saving him and ourselves as well, as he clearly saw that I was no longer able to collect sufficient for our wants.  Having collected the seed, as proposed, and having pounded sufficient to last Mr. Wills for eight days, and two days for ourselves, we placed water and firewood within his reach and started.  Before leaving him, however, Mr. Burke asked him whether he still wished it, as under no other circumstances would he leave him; and Mr. Wills again said that he looked on it as our only chance.  He then gave Mr. Burke a letter and his watch for his father, and we buried the remainder of the field-books near the gunyah.