y Colonel Warburton, involved much
suffering and was comparatively barren of practical results. Besides, as
we afterwards knew, the route selected by him was so far to the north as
not to interfere with my project.

The following letter to me expresses the official estimate of the result
of Colonel Warburton's expedition:--

Surveyor-General's Office, Perth,

March 27th, 1874.

The gist of the information I have from Colonel Warburton may be summed
up in a few words. From the MacDermot Ranges in South Australia to the
head of the Oakoon River (about 150 miles from the coast), keeping
between the parallels of 20 and 22 degrees south latitude, he traversed a
sterile country, in which he states horses could not possibly exist--they
would starve, as they could not live on the stunted scrub and herbage
which the camels managed to keep alive on.

The general character of the country seen was that of a high, waterless,
slightly undulating, sandy table-land, with in some parts sand deserts in
ridges most harassing to traverse. There was nothing visible in the way
of water courses in which water could be retained; but they were
successful in finding, at long distances, sufficient to maintain
themselves and their camels as they fled, as it were for their lives,
westward over the Sahara, which appears to be in a great part a desolate
wilderness, devoid of life, or of anything life sustaining. Though this
is a grim picture put before you, yet I would not have you daunted. Your
task is a different one, and one which all the colony is looking forward
to see successfully completed by you.

I have, etc.,

(Signed) MALCOLM FRASER, Surveyor-General.

Governor Weld, however, decided that it might be better to postpone my
expedition, as it would not be advisable to appear to enter into
competition with the other colony; besides which it might be of
considerable advantage to wait and avail ourselves of the results of any
discoveries that might be made by the South Australian explorers. Another
reason for delay was that I was required to conduct a survey of
considerable importance, which it was desirable should be completed
before undertaking the new expedition.

It may assist my readers to understand the references in the latter part
of my Journal if I state that in April, 1873, Mr. Gosse, one of the South
Australian explorers, quitted the telegraph line about forty miles south
of Mount Stuart; that the farthest point in a wester