found on the
beach was truly pitiable and moving. With scarcely strength to drag one
foot after the other they had marched about a mile and a half that
morning until they encountered the bold rocky projection of land at which
we discovered them, and the passing of which they had given up as utterly
hopeless from want of sufficient strength to climb over it. Having been
three days without water except their own and the seawater, the former of
which they had saved in their canteens, and emptied out before us, and
their only food being such nourishment as they could obtain from chewing
a coarse rushy plant which grew about high-water mark, it cannot be
matter of surprise that they were almost frantic after water, and that
the portions of it which we sparingly administered to them, mixed with a
little brandy, were most eagerly seized. Indeed the greatest firmness and
forbearance were necessary on our part to prevent the unfortunate
sufferers from committing fatal excesses. They declared their extremity
to have been so great that no chance had appeared to them of surviving
the next awful night, or of getting a foot beyond their present position;
and, to his credit be it said, one of them* had been on his knees only
ten minutes before they were rescued, supplicating with uplifted hands
that aid and assistance which had thus, through Divine Providence, been
so opportunely afforded them.

(*Footnote. Ruston.)

SEARCH FOR MR. SMITH.

In answer to our anxious enquiries respecting Mr. Walker and Mr. Smith we
learnt that the former, being much the strongest of the party, had, at
their request, made the best of his way towards Perth ten days since, in
order to send them out assistance, and that Mr. Smith, having been
totally unable to proceed with them any further, had remained behind, in
a dying state, four days ago. Touched by this distressing intelligence,
and sensibly alive to the value of time, we lost not a moment in lifting
our three light weights on our horses, and by supporting them in their
seats conveyed them over the sandhills to the more level space behind,
where sufficient brushwood was scattered about for maintaining a fire.
Here Mr. Spofforth kindly undertook their charge, while I should proceed
with Kinchela and Warrup in search of poor Smith.

Ruston having expressed himself very anxious to accompany us, and fearing
that we might not otherwise accomplish our object, after receiving some
suitable refreshment, h