strength of his party and the means at his command, and thus renders him
less able to provide against or cope with the difficulties that may beset
him. A single false step, the least error of judgment, or the slightest
act of indiscretion might plunge the expedition into inextricable
difficulty or danger, or might defeat altogether the object in view.
Great indeed was the responsibility I had undertaken--and most fully did
I feel sensible of the many and anxious duties that devolved upon me. The
importance and interest attached to the solution of the geographical
problem connected with the interior of Australia, would, I well knew,
engage the observation of the scientific world. If I were successful, the
accomplishment of what I had undertaken would more than repay me in
gratification for the toil and hazard of the enterprise--but if otherwise
I could not help feeling that, however far the few friends who knew me
might give me credit for exertion or perseverance, the world at large
would be apt to reason from the result, and to make too little allowance
for difficulties and impediments, of the magnitude of which from
circumstances they could be but incompetent judges.

With such thoughts as these, and revolving in my mind our future plans,
our chances of success or otherwise, it will not be deemed surprising,
that notwithstanding the fatigue and care I had gone through during the
last fortnight of preparation, sleep should long remain a stranger to my
pillow; and when all nature around me was buried in deep repose I alone
was waking and anxious.

From former experience in a personal examination of the nature of the
country north of the head of Spencer's Gulf, during the months of May and
June, 1839, I had learnt that the farther the advance to the north, the
more dreary and desolate the appearance of the country became, and the
greater was the difficulty, both of finding and of obtaining access to