On the 24th of May we determined to celebrate the Queen's birthday. All
hands from the Adur came ashore, and I drew them up in line under the
Union Jack, which was duly hoisted near the camp. We presented arms; sang
God Save the Queen vigorously, and fired a salute of twenty-one guns,
finishing with three cheers. I venture to record that our vocal efforts
were as sincerely and heartily made in the Australian wilderness as any
which rang that day in any part of her Majesty's wide dominions. We were
all highly delighted--not only feeling that we had done our duty as loyal
subjects, but other celebrations in more civilized places were forcibly
recalled to memory.

I had fixed the 30th as the time for our fresh start, and we had enough
to do in packing bags, and making general repairs and improvements in our
outfit. Eucla Bay, the only other point at which we should be able to
communicate with the coaster, was 350 miles to the east of Israelite Bay.
The nature of the country was quite unknown, except so far as indicated
by the not very encouraging record of Eyre's journey. We felt that we
should inevitably have to encounter considerable difficulties, and
perhaps even fail to reach Eucla. I deemed it right to give explicit
directions to Mr. Waugh, the master of the schooner, so that, in the
event of not meeting with us at the appointed place, he should have no
difficulty as to the course to pursue, and to that end I gave him in
writing the following instructions:--

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SCHOONER.

Israelite Bay, 28th May, 1870.

SIR,