Burke said,
that we ought to do something, and that if we did not find the
nardoo, we should starve, and that he intended to save a little
dried meat and rice to carry us to Mount Hopeless. The three of us
then came to the conclusion that it would be better to make a
second attempt to reach Mount Hopeless, as we were then as strong
as we were likely to be, our daily allowance being then reduced.
Mr. Burke asked each of us whether we were willing to make another
attempt to reach the South Australian settlements, and we decided
on going; we took with us what remained of the provisions we had
planted--two-and-a-half pounds of oatmeal, a small quantity of
flour, and the dried meat: this, with powder and shot, and other
small articles, made up our swags to thirty pounds each, and Mr.
Burke carried one billy of water; and I another. We had not gone
far before we came on a flat, where I saw a plant growing which I
took to be clover, and on looking closer saw the seed, and called
out that I had found the nardoo; they were very glad when I found
it. We travelled three days, and struck a watercourse coming south
from Cooper's Creek; we traced this as it branched out and
re-formed in the plains, until we at last lost it in flat country;
sandhills were in front of us, for which we made, and travelled all
day but found no water.
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