153.  How far did you go?—­About twenty-five miles straight; the weather being very hot we could not go further:  we had to return the second day to the camp.

151.  Then Mr. Wills went out by himself?—­He went ninety miles; he took McDonough with him and three camels.

155.  And he lost one of his camels, did he not?—­He lost the three and returned on foot.

156.  Was he much weakened by that journey?—­Not Mr. Wills.

157.  But McDonough was?—­Rather.

158.  Did they suffer from want of food as well as want of water?  —­No, only from want of water.

159.  How long did you remain after that before there was a final start again?—­I believe we started two or three days after that.  Mr. Wills went out a second time from that camp with King and only two camels to bring down those things that he had left where he lost the camels.

160.  How far was that from the creek?—­Ninety miles.

161.  And he went out with King and two camels for the things that he had left behind when he lost his camels and brought them back?  —­Yes; and on the same day, or the day after, when Mr. Wills went out on that second journey, Mr. Burke removed the depot to the lower place.

162.  Did those camels lost by Mr. Wills ever turn up?—­I believe two of them have been found near Adelaide.

163.  In the meantime you went down to the last depot?—­Yes.

164.  How long did you remain there?—­Mr. Burke started from there about five or six days after Mr. Wills returned from that second journey.

. . .

My son gives his own account of the exploration when the camels were lost, in the following letter to his sister:—­

Cooper’s Creek, December 6th, 1860.  Latitude 27 degrees 36 minutes, Longitude 141 degrees 30 seconds.

My dear Bessy,

You must excuse my writing with a pencil; ink dries so rapidly that it is a nuisance to use it.  We have been here now about three weeks, and shall, I expect, make a start northwards in about a fortnight.  Our journey to this point has been interesting, but not in any particular that you will care much about.  Our party here consists of eight men, sixteen camels, and fourteen horses.  We expect the rest of the men and camels up in a few weeks.  Everything has been very comfortable so far; in fact, more like a picnic party than a serious exploration:  but I suppose we shall have some little difficulties to contend with soon.  I had an intimation of something of the kind a few days ago, having been out reconnoitring the country to the north for three days, with one man and three camels, and had found no water, so that the animals were very thirsty, and on the third night managed to get away from us, leaving us about eighty miles from the main camp, without hay or water, except what remained of that which we had brought with us; so here was nothing for it, but to walk home as soon