PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING. 75 
put upon their travelling rations, and the first 
week’s allowance was issued to each, consisting of 
ten pounds of meat, seven pounds of biscuit or flour, 
a quarter of a pound of tea, a pound and a half of 
sugar, a quarter of a pound of soap, and the same 
quantity of tobacco. 
Provisions of different kinds were then weighed 
out, headed up in casks, and buried in the hole dug 
by the men during my absence, to wait our return, 
if ever it should be our lot to reach the place again. 
The remainder were all properly packed up, and 
the drays loaded and arranged for moving on. 
After satisfactorily concluding all the preparations 
for leaving the depot, I employed myself busily in 
writing letters and despatches until a very late hour of 
the night, as it was the last opportunity I should have 
for a long time, of reporting our prospects and pro- 
gress, or of thanking the Governor and our numerous 
friends, for the many attentions we had experienced. 
I had hardly retired to rest before I was suddenly 
seized with a violent attack of illness, arising pro- 
bably from cold and over-exertion, now that a 
return to my party had removed the stimulus to 
activity, and permitted a reaction in the system to 
take place. 
July 23. — This morning I felt weak, and still 
very ill, and it was with great difficulty I could 
manage to close my letters, and give the necessary 
instructions to the overseer, whom I sent down to 
the head of Spencer’s Gulf, with orders to the 
