to obtain grass also. We were thus enabled to push on upon nearly a
straight course, which, after seven days of hard travelling, brought us
once more, on the afternoon of the 12th, to our old position at the depot
near Mount Arden. I had intended to have halted the party here for a day
or two, to recruit after the severe march we had just terminated; but the
weather was so favourable and the season so far advanced, that I did not
like to lose an hour in following out my prospective plans.

During the homeward journey from the Mundy, I had reflected much on the
position in which I was placed, and spent many an anxious hour in
deliberating as to the future. I had one of three alternatives to choose,
either to give up the expedition altogether;--to cross to the Murray to
the east and follow up that river to the Darling;--or by crossing over to
Streaky Bay to the westward, to endeavour to find some opening leading
towards the interior in that direction. After weighing well the
advantages and disadvantages of each (and there were many objections to
them all,) I determined upon adopting the last, for reasons which will be
found in my Report sent to the Governor, and to the Chairman of the
Northern Expedition Committee from Port Lincoln. [Note 8: Vide Chapter
IX.] My mind having thus been made up, I knew, from former experience,
that I had no time to lose, now that the weather was showery and
favourable, and that if I delayed at all in putting my plans into
execution I might probably be unable to cross from Mount Arden to
Streaky Bay. The distance between these two points was upwards of
two hundred miles, through a barren and desert region, in which,
though among high ranges, I had on a former occasion been unable to
discover any permanent water, and through which we could only hope
to pass by taking advantage of the puddles left by the late rains;
I therefore decided upon halting at the depot to rest the horses
even for a day; and the party had no sooner reached their encampment,