CH. III.] SEARCH FOR MR. CUNNINGHAM. 181 



the more likely, as the dry creek was on the eastward of our 

 line ; where, had he gone that way, he must have found our 

 cattle-tracks, or met with the cattle. I, therefore, determined 

 to examine myself the whole country westward of our line for 

 twelve miles back. I sent the Doctor and Murray, west by 

 compass six miles, with orders to return in a south-east direc- 

 tion, till they intersected the route, and then return along it ; 

 and I sent two other men back along the route, in case our 

 missing friend might have been coming on in a weakly state 

 that way. All three parties carried water and provisions. I 

 proceeded, myself, with two men on horseback, first, seven 

 miles in a south-west direction, which brought me into the 

 line, Mr. Cunningham might have followed, supposing he 

 had continued north-west. The country I traversed, consisted 

 of small plains, and alternate patches of dense casuarina 

 scrubs, and open forest land. 



I seldom saw to less distance, about me, than from one to 

 two miles, or at least as far as that in some one direction. 

 We continued to cooy frequently, and the two men were 

 ordered to look on the ground for a horse's track. 



In the centre of a small plain, where I changed my direc- 

 tion to the south-east, I set up a small stick with a piece of 

 paper fixed in it, containing the following words, 

 " Dear Cunningham, 



"These are my horse's tracks, follow them backwards, 

 they will lead you to our camp, which is N. E. of you. 



"T. L. Mitchell." 



Having proceeded in the same manner, seven miles to the 

 south-east, I came upon our route where it crossed Bullock 

 creek, and there I found the two men, who had been sent 

 from the camp. 



We then continued our search back along the west side of 

 our route, the party, which now consisted of five, spreading 

 so as to keep abreast at about 200 yards from each other, one 

 being on the road. We thus ascertained that no track of 

 Mr. Cunningham's horse or of himself appeared on the soft 



