ish was
caught, they had become unattractive to their palates. The continuation
of the voyage down the course of the Murray was henceforth a monotonous
repetition of severe daily toil at the oar. The natives whom they
encountered, though friendly, became a nuisance from the constant
handling and embracing that the voyagers had, from purposes of policy, to
suffer unchecked. The tribes met with were more than ordinarily filthy,
and were disfigured by loathsome skin diseases. After twenty-one days on
the water, Sturt began to look most anxiously for indications of the sea,
for his men were fagging with the unremitting labour and short rations,
and they had only the strength of their own arms to rely on for their
return against the current. Soon, however, an old man amongst the natives
described the roaring of the waves, and showed by other signs that he had
been to the sea coast. But more welcome than all were some flocks of
sea-gulls that flew over and welcomed the tired men.

On the thirty-third day after leaving the starting-point on the
Murrumbidgee, Sturt, on landing to inspect the country, saw before him
the lake which was indeed the termination of the Murray, but not the end
that he had dreamt of. "For the lake was evidently so little influenced
by tides that I saw at once our probable disappointment of practical
communication between it and the ocean."

This foreboding was realised after examination of Lake Alexandrina, as it
is now called. Upon ascertaining their exact position on the southern
coast, nothing was left but to take up the weary labours of their return;
the thunder of the surf brought no hopeful message of succour, but rather
warned the lonely men to hasten back while yet some strength remained to
them.

Sturt re-entered the Murray on his homeward journey on the 13th of
February; and the successful accomplishment of this return is Sturt's
greatest achievement. His crew were indeed picked men, but what other
Australian leader of exploration could have inspired them with such a
deep sense of devotion as to carry them through their herculean task
without one word of insubordination or reproach. "I must tell the Captain
to-morrow that I can pull no more," was the utmost that Sturt heard once,
when they thought him asleep; but when the morrow came the speaker
stubbornly pulled on.

Three of these men, it must be remembered, were convicts; yet, despite
their heroic conduct, one only (Clayton) received a