AY SENT BACK ALONG THE TRACK.

April 20.

After another night of painful anxiety the dawn of the THIRD day of Mr.
Cunningham's absence brought some relief, as daylight renewed the chance
of finding him, or of his finding us by our line, as he might have
endeavoured to retrace his steps on losing the party, or he might be on
our route still farther back than we had looked; but I was desirous that
the natives whom we had left at Beny might be sent in search. I
despatched the Doctor and Murray back along the line, the latter saying
that he knew where Mr. Cunningham had turned off the road. It was not
unlikely that the horse, if he had got loose, might have returned to
where he had last drunk water (20 miles distant) therefore they were
directed, if traces were not found nearer, to go so far back, and to
promise the natives, if they could meet with any, tomahawks, etc. if they
found the white man or his horse. No other course could be imagined. The
line of route, as already stated, was a beaten road, and extended north
and south. To the east of it and nearly parallel, at two or three miles
distance, was the dry channel (Bullock creek) which led to the Bogan; on
the north was our camp and the Bogan, whose general course was west, as
well as our intended route, circumstances both known to Mr. Cunningham.
Southward was the marked route, and the country whence we had come. Still
however I thought it so likely that he must have gone to the north-west
when we changed our route to north, that I determined, although my
sprained ankle was painful, to examine again, and still more extensively,
the country into which such a deviation must have led him.

MY SEARCH SOUTH-SOUTH-WEST 40 MILES.

April 21.

I proceeded in a south-south-west direction (or South 17 degrees West by
compass) or on a intermediate line between our route and the north-west
line by which I had explored that country on the nineteenth, the men
cooeying as before.

We explored every open space; and we looked into many bushes, but in
vain.

I continued my journey far to the southward in order to ascertain what
water was nearest in that direction, as it was probable, were any found,
that Mr. Cunningham, if alive, must have reached it, and I had in vain
sought his track on the other side of the country. I soon came to
undulating ground or low hills of quartzose gravel without any grass,
consisting of unabraded small angular fragments of quartz. I observed a
few