Mr. Wills said that, in case of my
surviving Mr. Burke, he hoped that I would carry out his last
wishes, in giving the watch and letter to his father.
In travelling the first day, Mr. Burke seemed very weak, and
complained of great pain in his legs and back. On the second day he
seemed to be better, and said that he thought he was getting
stronger, but on starting, did not go two miles before he said he
could go no further. I persisted in his trying to go on, and
managed to get him along several times, until I saw that he was
almost knocked up, when he said he could not carry his swag, and
threw all he had away. I also reduced mine, taking nothing but a
gun and some powder and shot, and a small pouch and some matches.
In starting again, we did not go far before Mr. Burke said we
should halt for the night; but as the place was close to a large
sheet of water, and exposed to the wind, I prevailed on him to go a
little further, to the next reach of water, where we camped. We
searched about and found a few small patches of nardoo, which I
collected and pounded, and with a crow, which I shot, made a good
evening's meal. From the time we halted Mr.
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