the parcel, and forwarded it to Mr. Chambers. Arrived at
the springs, and found that some one had got it. Mr. B.'s party had gone.
Went on to Chambers Creek, and found them there.

Saturday, 21st January, Chambers Creek. Here we found provisions awaiting
us, as we expected; but the two men still exhibit a spirit of
non-compliance, and refuse to proceed again to the north-west; they are
bent upon leaving me and returning to Adelaide although they know that
there are no men here to supply their places. They have demanded their
wages and a discharge, which, under all the circumstances of the case,
and considering how badly they have served me, I feel myself justified in
withholding. I shall therefore be compelled to send Kekwick down as far
as Mr. Chambers' station with my despatches, etc., and to procure other
assistance. This will be a great loss of time and expense, which the
wages these men have forfeited by not fulfilling their agreements will
ill repay. Here we heard of the man Smith, who, it seems, left the mare,
whether dead or alive we know not at present. He was lost for four days
without water (according to his own account), and, after various
adventures, and picking up sundry trifles from different travelling
parties, who relieved him out of compassion, reached the settled
districts in a most forlorn condition. Mr. Barker had left his station
some three weeks before we arrived.

JOURNAL OF MR. STUART'S FOURTH EXPEDITION--FIXING THE CENTRE OF THE
CONTINENT. FROM MARCH TO SEPTEMBER, 1860.

Friday, 2nd March, 1860, Chambers Creek. Left the creek for the
north-west, with thirteen horses and two men. The grey horse being too
weak to travel was left behind. Camped at Hamilton Springs.

Saturday, 3rd March, Mount Hamilton. Camped at the Beresford Springs,
where it was evident that the natives, whose camp is a little way from
this, had had a fight. There were the remains of a body of a very tall
native lying on his back. The skull was broken in three or four places,
the flesh nearly all devoured by the crows and native dogs, and both feet
and hands were gone. There were three worleys on the rising ground, with
waddies, boomerangs, spears, and a number of broken dishes scattered
round them. The natives seemed to have run away and left them, or to have
been driven away by a hostile tribe. Between two of the worleys we
observed a handful of hair, apparently torn from the skull of the dead
man, and a handful of emu fe