our legs almost paralyzed, so that each of us found it a
most trying task only to walk a few yards. Such a leg-bound feeling
I never before experienced, and hope I never shall again. The
exertion required to get up a slight piece of rising ground, even
without any load, induces an indescribable sensation of pain and
helplessness, and the general lassitude makes one unfit for
anything. Poor Gray must have suffered very much many times when we
thought him shamming. It is most fortunate for us that these
symptoms, which so early affected him, did not come on us until we
were reduced to an exclusively animal diet of such an inferior
description as that offered by the flesh of a worn-out and
exhausted horse. We were not long in getting out the grub that
Brahe had left, and we made a good supper off some oatmeal porridge
and sugar. This, together with the excitement of finding ourselves
in such a peculiar and most unexpected position, had a wonderful
effect in removing the stiffness from our legs. Whether it is
possible that the vegetables can have so affected us, I know not;
but both Mr. Burke and I remarked a most decided relief and a
strength in the legs greater than we had had for several days. I am
inclined to think that but for the abundance of portulac that we
obtained on the journey, we should scarcely have returned to
Cooper's Creek at all.

. . .

I asked King how my son behaved. His answer was, that he never
once showed the slightest anger or loss of self-command. From under
a tree on which had been marked, "DIG, 21st April, 1861," a box was
extracted containing the provisions, and a bottle with the
following note:--

Depot, Cooper's Creek, April 21, 1861.

The depot party of the V.E.E. leaves this camp to-day to return
to the Darling. I intend to go south-east from Camp 60 to get into
our old track near Bulloo. Two of my companions and myself are
quite well; the third, Patten, has been unable to walk for the last
eighteen days, as his leg has been severely hurt when thrown by one
of the horses. No one has been up here from the Darling. We have
six camels and twelve horses in good working condition.

WILLIAM BRAHE.

. . .

Brahe has been blamed for not having left a true statement of
his condition, and that of those with him; but it was truth when he
wrote it. He believed Patten's to have been a sprain. It was
afterwards that he contradicted himself, in his journal WRITTEN IN
MELBOURNE, and in his evide