ld proceed on his journey without delay, he accordingly prepared to
leave us on the 20th.

The reader will have inferred, from what I have said on the subject, that
my object at this particular time was to attain the meridian of Mount
Arden, as soon as circumstances should enable me. Had not this intention
influenced me, on my recent journey, I should have kept nearer to the
ranges; but I hoped, by taking a westerly course, that I should strike
the N.E. angle of Lake Torrens, or find that I had altogether cleared it;
added to this Mr. Eyre had informed me that he could not see the northern
shore of that lake; I therefore thought that it might be connected with
some more central body of water, the early discovery of which, in my
progress to the N.W., would facilitate my future operations. This was a
point whereon I was most anxious to obtain information; but, as my horses
were knocked up, it appeared to me, that Mr. Poole, with fresh horses,
would find no difficulty in gaining a distance sufficiently great to
enable me to act on the knowledge he might acquire of the distant
interior.

In my instructions to that officer therefore, I directed him to pursue a
general N.W. course, as the one most likely to determine the questions on
the several points to which I called his attention. "Should you," I said,
"reach the shores of Lake Torrens, or any body of water of unknown
extent, you will endeavour to gain every information on that head; but if
you should not strike any basin of either description, you will do your
uttermost to ascertain if a westerly course is open to us, after you
shall have reached lat. 30 degrees to enable me to gain the 138 degrees
meridian, as soon as circumstances will permit. Should the supply of
water which the recent rains will ensure for a time, be likely to fail,
or if the rains should not have extended so far as you would desire to
go, and your advance be thus rendered hazardous, it will be discretionary
with you to return direct to the camp, or turn to the eastward, and
proceed along the western flanks of the ranges, but you are on no account
to endanger either yourself or party by an attempt to push into the
interior, to a distance beyond that which prudence might reasonably
justify. Should you return along the ranges you will examine any creek or
water-course you may intersect, and bring me the fullest information as
to the supply of water and feed. Should you, on the other hand, discover
any