bush.

On the 17th of February in the same year, Grey, who had been back
endeavouring to persuade Sir James Stirling to assist him in his
explorations, was enabled to start on another exploring enterprise. The
object of this, his second important expedition, was to examine the
undiscovered parts of Shark's Bay, and to make excursions as far inland
as circumstances permitted. The party comprised four of the members of
his first expedition, five other men, and a Western Australian
aboriginal, and they left Fremantle in an American whaler, taking three
whale-boats with them. They were duly landed at Bernier Island, where
their troubles commenced at once. The whaler sailed away, taking with her
by mistake the whole of their supply of tobacco. There was no water on
the island, and, in their first attempt to start, one of the boats was
smashed and nearly half a ton of stores lost. The next day they succeeded
in making Dorre Island, but that night both the remaining boats were
driven ashore by a violent storm. Two or three days were spent in making
good the damage, when they succeeded in making the mainland, and obtained
a supply of fresh water. They had landed at or near the mouth of a stream
which afterwards proved to be the second longest river in Western
Australia. Grey named it the Gascoyne, and found that it was then dry
beyond the limit of tidal influence. They then pulled up the coast, but
one night, when effecting a landing, both boats were swamped, and their
previously-damaged provisions suffered another soaking. This accident
kept them prisoners for a week till the wind and surf had abated. Tired,
hungry, and ill, they were here harassed by frequent threats and one
actual attack by the blacks. A slight break in the weather tempted them
forth once more, and, having succeeded in righting the boats, they made
for the mouth of the Gascoyne, where they re-filled their water-beakers.
On March 20th they made a desperate effort in the teeth of foul weather
to fetch their depot on Bernier Island. We may picture their dismay when
they found that during their absence a hurricane had swept the island,
and scattered their cherished stores to the four winds.

Their position was now as desperate as could be imagined: the southerly
winds had set in, and they had to coast along a surf-beaten shore against
a head wind. Their food was scanty, and they were weak with the constant
toils they had undergone. There was nothing for it, howe