Accompanied by a native of Mr. Taylor's, followed on the tracks, but,
night setting in, we made the best of our way to where I expected to find
the party, but could see nothing of them, and were obliged to camp for
the night without food, and, what was worse, without a fire, having
neither matches nor powder with us. Luckily I had a rug, by which means I
fared much better than my companion, who had only a small kangaroo skin.
As it blew and rained in torrents most of the night, our position can be
better imagined than described.

22nd.
Early this morning we were looking for the tracks of the party, but
without success; finally we returned eight miles to the Margaret River,
and, after a good deal of searching, found the tracks almost obliterated
by the rain, and followed along them. Upon nearing Stokes' Inlet we met
Tommy Windich looking for us, he having seen the tracks and last night's
bivouac. He informed me that they had camped about four miles westward of
the inlet, and we had therefore passed them in the dark last night. Made
all haste to overtake the party; succeeded in doing so, after a great
deal of trouble, one hour and a half after dark. Encamped on north side
of Barker's Inlet, at a small well of water called Booeynup. We did
justice to the supper, as we had not had anything to eat for thirty-two
hours.

23rd.
For the first nine miles over scrubby sand-plains, kangaroos very
numerous, when we came into and skirted a chain of salt lakes and
marshes. Continuing over generally low country, well grassed, for five
miles, we reached and camped at the old homestead of the Messrs.
Dempster, called Mainbenup.