f the night we every now and then had a tremendous tumble,
so that at the end of about four miles I thought that it would be
imprudent to proceed farther, as we every moment were in danger of
breaking a limb or seriously injuring ourselves. I therefore halted for
the night, and as we were unable to light a fire both on account of the
heavy dew and of having no proper materials with us, the first portion of
it passed wretchedly enough, indeed, weary as I was, I found it necessary
to walk about in order to preserve some slight degree of warmth in my
frame.

At length however the men, who were much too cold to sleep, got up and,
renewing their efforts, succeeded in kindling a blaze. Kaiber soon
collected plenty of wood, and as I was unable to sleep I passed the night
in meditating on our present state.

POSITION AND PROSPECTS.

I felt sure that if the men persisted in their resolution of moving
slowly a lingering and dreadful death awaited us all; yet my opinion was
a solitary one. Mr. Walker had in many instances plainly and publicly
shown that he on this point differed with me; and he was a medical man,
and one who certainly never shrank from any danger or toil which he
thought it his duty to encounter. The most therefore I could say against
those who were opposed to my system of moving was that I conceived them
to be guilty of a grievous error in judgment; but it was not until our
separate opinions had been tested by the future that it could be
definitely pronounced who was right. Nevertheless those who have been
much with men compelled to make long marches cannot fail to have remarked
how readily and foolishly they find excuses to enable them to obtain a
halt, and such persons would probably have agreed with me in suspecting
that natural indolence of disposition, strengthened by fatigue and
privation, might induce men to adopt, without a very strict
investigation, any opinion falling in with their immediate feelings of
feebleness.

Being firmly convinced that these men intended to pursue a plan of
operations which would entail great misery both upon themselves and the
others, I considered that I ought undoubtedly to endeavour to save them
from the danger which I foresaw impending over them; and this could only
be accomplished by my making forced marches to Perth and sending out
supplies to meet them before they were reduced to the last extremities.
Had I foreseen a week ago that I should be compelled eventually to