350 
Captain Sturt’s Expedition into the 
had taken, and the consequent illness of the men from dysentery. 
However, both we ourselves and our horses were too much ex¬ 
hausted to move again immediately. The want of drays sealed 
the fate of poor Bally, who was left on a small stony plain, where 
he died on the following day, for although I had little hope of 
saving him, I sent Morgan with my own horse and a leathern 
bottle of water to relieve him. The men came up at midnight, 
having seen our fire. They had been obliged to leave the colt 
behind, but the poor animal crawled on afterwards. We re¬ 
remained here three days, during which it was intensely hot, 
while we had scarcely anything to eat, and the water we had to 
drink was bad enough. On the second day, I had severe pains 
in the heels of my feet, as if I was standing on rounded stones. 
These pains increased so much that I feared if I remained longer 
at the stockade I should be unable to ride to the depfit; I deter¬ 
mined, therefore, to lose no time in pushing on, and at 5 p.m. of 
the evening of the 19th, leaving Morgan and Mark with orders 
to follow me at the same time the next day, and promising that I 
would send them a supply of water, I left with Mr. Stuart, and 
struck into the track the drays had made. 
At nine o’clock on the following morning we had left the Sandy 
Desert behind us, and were rapidly approaching the hills; but we 
did not reach the tents until 3 p.m., after a ride of twenty-two 
hours. Great was the astonishment of the party, and sincere the 
pleasure of Mr. Browne, at seeing us again; for they had great 
doubts of our safety. I was also rejoiced to find that rest had in 
some measure restored him to health, and that the pains of which 
he complained had subsided. It was now my turn to suffer. 
Long-continued and severe riding caused a muscular action when 
I dismounted at the tents that almost threw me on my face; and 
on the following morning I was unable to stir. Gradually my 
sinews contracted, my muscles became rigid, my skin changed 
color, and I lay on my stretcher a helpless cripple. Had we been 
in a place of security or out of our troubles, 1 should not have 
cared for this; but we were full of uncertainty as to our ultimate 
escape from the fearful region in which we still were. There was 
no time for relaxation or repose, for the natives had informed Mr. 
