Wills
was engaged in some astronomical pursuits. The man left the camels
to make some tea, and, on his return, the animals had disappeared.
Two of them, as already stated, have been recovered, but no tidings
have been received of the third, unless it be the one recently said
to have arrived at Fort Bourke. We hope we shall soon have further
information, not only respecting Burke and his party, but also of
Stuart, the time of whose anticipated return now draws on rapidly.
***We had scarcely written the above lines when we received a
private telegram, informing us that Mr. Stuart was on his way to
Adelaide.
This intelligence raised my sinking hopes to a high pitch. I felt
convinced that this was the missing party. The black fellow had
described the animals, which the natives called "gobble gobble,"
from the noise they made in their throats. Mr. McKinlay put little
faith in the story; and I was vexed to hear by the next report from
him that he was not hastening to the rescue. But it would then have
been too late. The white men alluded to were, unquestionably,
Burke, my son, and King, with exaggeration as to their being
without clothes, and living on a raft.
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