travelled was 17 miles. The course generally West by South, clearly
proving that they could not be on the Escape.

'February' 1.--The river was again followed for about seven miles
further, but as the course still continued to trend West, and even
south of West, the Brothers in disgust determined on re-tracing their
steps, satisfied, if satisfaction can be predicated of such a
disappointment, that they were on western waters, and that they had
not yet reached the looked-for Escape River. At this point,
therefore, they turned, intending to swim the river at the main camp,
and make another exploration to find the Settlement from the North
side, or right bank. By night-fall they reached their first night's
camp, where they found the "gunyah" very acceptable. They had now
followed the supposed Escape 45 miles; deducting a third for its
sinuosities, a distance of at least 30 miles in a straight line
Westward had been travelled, and they were filled with surprise that
so large and important a stream should have remained undiscovered.
Its width at their turning-point was over two-hundred yards, the
banks commencing to be very swampy, and it is described by Mr. A.
Jardine, as the most compact river, with the exception of the
Fitzroy, he had seen in the North. The rain continued as yesterday
during the whole of the day, accompanied with cold winds. This,
together with their disappointment, was sufficient to depress the
spirits of most men. There is not, however, in the journals of
either of the Brothers the slightest indication of despondency or
complaint.

'February' 2.--The main camp was reached this morning early, and
everything found safe and right, save in one particular, that
deserves recording. In looking over the ration account, Mr. Jardine
found a deficiency of 30 lbs. of flour, accruing in the interval of
the four days of his absence. All denied any knowledge of it, and
all were equally certain that the allowance had not been exceeded;
"so" writes Frank Jardine, "where it is gone to, I am never likely to
know," and there the matter dropped. It is humiliating to think,
that amongst white men banded together in exploring parties, where
the success and safety of the enterprise are much dependent on the
good conduct of each individual member, there should be found
individuals so ignoble, as to appropriate an undue share of the
common stock of food on which the health, and perhaps the life of
each equally depe