PRELIMINARY ARRANGEMENTS. 15 
The 17th found me still with plenty of work to 
do, as there were many little matters to attend to 
at the last, which the best exertions could not sooner 
set aside. 
Mr. Scott, who ever since the commencement of 
our preparations, had been most indefatigable and 
useful in his exertions, was even still more severely 
tasked on this day ; at night, however, we were all 
amply rewarded, by seeing every thing completely 
and satisfactorily arranged — the bustle, confusion, 
and excitement over, and our drays all loaded, and 
ready to commence on the morrow a journey of 
which the length, the difficulty, and the result, w r ere 
all a problem yet to be solved. 
In the short space of seventeen days from the 
first commencement of our preparations, we had 
completely organized and fully equipped a party for 
interior exploration. Every thing had been done 
in that short time — men hired, horses sought out and 
selected, drays prepared, saddlery, harness, and the 
thousand little things required on such journeys, 
purchased, fitted and arranged. In that short time 
too, the Colonists had subscribed and collected the 
sum of five hundred pounds towards defraying the 
expenses, exclusive of the Government contribution 
of £100. 
Unfortunately, at the time the expedition was un- 
dertaken, every thing in South Australia was ex- 
cessively dear, and the cost of its outfit was therefore 
much greater in 1840, than it would have been 
