312 
RETURN OF MR. SCOTT 
As the parties we had seen gradually approached 
nearer I recognised one of them with the telescope as 
being Mr. Germain, the master of the Hero ; the 
other I could not make out at first from his being 
enveloped in heavy pilot clothes ; a little time 
however enabled me to distinguish under this guise 
my young friend Mr. Scott, and I went anxiously 
to meet him, and learn what had brought him back. 
Our greeting over, he informed me that the 
Governor had sent him back with letters to me, and 
desired me to return in the Hero to Adelaide. As 
Mr. Scott had not brought the letters up, I walked 
down with him after luncheon, and went on board 
the cutter, where I received many friendly letters, 
all urging me to return and give up the attempt I 
meditated to the westward, and which every one 
appeared to consider as little less than madness. 
From the Governor I received a kind letter to the 
same effect, offering to assist me in any further 
attempts I might wish to make round Lake Torrens, 
or to explore the Northern Interior, and placing ab- 
solutely at my disposal, within the colony, the services 
of the Hero, to enable me either to take my party 
back overland, or to follow out any examinations I 
might wish to make from the coast northerly. As a 
further inducement, and with a view to lessen the 
feelings of disappointment 1 might experience at the 
unsuccessful termination of an expedition from which 
such great results had been expected, the assistant 
commissioner had been instructed to write to me 
