They had provisions enough
to have lasted them twelve months with proper economy, and we
had also every right to expect that we should have been immediately
followed up from Menindie by another party with additional
provisions and every necessary for forming a permanent depot
at Cooper's Creek. The party we left here had special instructions
not to leave until our return, UNLESS FROM ABSOLUTE NECESSITY.
We left the creek with nominally three months' supply, but
they were reckoned at little over the rate of half rations. We
calculated on having to eat some of the camels. By the greatest
good luck, at every turn, we crossed to the gulf, through a good
deal of fine country, almost in a straight line from here. On the
other side the camels suffered considerably from wet; we had to
kill and jerk one soon after starting back. We had now been out a
little more than two months, and found it necessary to reduce the
rations considerably; and this began to tell on all hands, but I
felt it by far less than any of the others. The great scarcity and
shyness of game, and our forced marches, prevented our supplying
the deficiency from external sources to any great extent; but we
never could have held out but for the crows and hawks, and the
portulac.
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