r rested upon our
oars. We were thirty-nine days gaining the depot from the coast,
against a strong current in both rivers, being seven more than it took
us to go down. From the depot to this station we had seventeen days
hard pulling, making a total of eighty-eight, during which time we
could not have travelled over less than 2000 miles. I was under the
necessity of stopping short on the 10th instant, and of detaching two
men for the drays, which happily arrived on the 17th, on which day our
stock of flour failed us. Had I not adopted this plan, the men would
have become too weak to have pulled up to Pondebadgery, and we should
no doubt have suffered some privations.

This detail will, I am sure, speak more in favour of the men composing
the party than anything I can say. I would most respectfully recommend
them all to His Excellency's notice; and I beg to assure him that,
during the whole of this arduous journey, they were cheerful, zealous,
and obedient. They had many harassing duties to perform, and their
patience and temper were often put to severe trials by the natives, of
whom we could not have seen fewer than 4000 on the Murray alone.

I am to refer His Excellency the Governor to Mr. M'Leay for any more
immediate information he may require,--to whom I stand indebted on many
points--and not less in the anxiety he evinced for the success of the
undertaking, than in the promptitude with which he assisted in the
labours attendant on our return, and his uniform kindness to the men.

I have the honour to subscribe myself,
Sir,
Your most obedient humble Servant,
CHARLES STURT,
Captain of the 39th Regt.

The Hon. the Colonial Secretary.

END OF VOLUME II

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Two Expeditions in the Interior of
Southern Australia, Volume II, by Charles Sturt

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