26 INAUGURAL ADDRESS. 



camels were led, and those at the depot were herded. These tracks 

 were, therefore, puzzling, and I thought it possible that one of Burke's 

 camels had got away and returned. 



The next morning I went ahead of the party with one of my two 

 blackboys, to try and pick up Burke's tracks. We were now well 

 beyond the stony hills which had, in a sense, confined the river. The 

 country was opening up evidently towards the north. I thought that 

 Wills might have seen an opportunity for making a departure for 

 Eyre's CVeek, for we were, I thought, approaching that part of the 

 creek where Sturt had crossed on his northern journey. While I went 

 on ahead I left Mr. Welch in charge, to follow down the river with the 

 party. 



At the lower end of a large reach of water I saw where a horse had 

 been running recently, and for some time. At the same place I found 

 the handle of a claspknife. I then struck out a little south of the creek, 

 being on that side, and again found the same track of a single camel, 

 and camel dung, apparently some months old. The track was, as 

 before, going eastward. I then left the blackboy to follow down the 

 creek, and went myself to the other side of the channel, striking out 

 to the north over some sandy country, where I might have a better 

 chance of finding tracks than along the river or over the flats near it — 

 where they are soon obliterated by birds and animals running about — 

 or on the paths used by the blacks in travelling from one point to 

 another. After about five miles without seeing any tracks, I turned 

 towards the river, and came to it near the lower end of a very large 

 sheet of v/ater, and where I saw, on the opposite side of the dry chan- 

 nel, a number of native huts. I crossed, and at a little distance again 

 found the same track of a single camel going up stream. At the same 

 time I saw a blackfellow and a woman, who had been picking up sticks 

 for firewood. The latter hastened off to the camp, while the former 

 remained, holding the firewood on his head with one hand, and with 

 the other making a number of gestures and signs. He was very ex- 

 cited, shouting out — what I could not understand — holding up one 

 hand with some fingers extended, and then patting the ground, then 

 again holding up his hand, and waving it towards the camp. As I 

 was some little distance from him, I rode nearer, upon which he 

 receded, and as I again came nearer to him he went off in a hurry to 

 his camp. As I could not make out what he wanted, and as I had 

 not seen my party for a considerable time, I rode up the left bank for 

 some distance, following the camel track, and then crossed to the other 

 side, where I cut the track of the party. Following it I then saw 



