April the 22nd. Depot Number Two, Cooper Creek, Camp Number 65. The returned party from Carpentaria consisting of myself, Wills and King (Grey dead) arrived here last night and found that the depot party had only started on the same day. We proceed on slowly down the creek towards Adelaide by Mount Hopeless and shall endeavour to follow Gregory’s track but we are very weak. The two camels are done up and we shall not be able to travel faster than four or five miles a day. Grey died on the road from exhaustion and hunger. The provisions left here will, I think, restore our strength.
We have discovered a practicable route to Carpentaria, the chief portion of which lies on the 140th meridian of east longitude. There is some good country between this and the stony desert. From there to the Tropic, the country is dry and stony between the Tropic and Carpentaria. A considerable portion is rangy but it is well watered and richly grassed. We reached the shores of Carpentaria on the 11th of February 1861.
Greatly disappointed at finding the party here gone.
The camels cannot travel and we cannot walk or we should follow the other party. We shall move very slowly down the creek.
June the 26th. I hope we shall be done justice by. We fulfilled our task but we were not followed up as I expected and the Depot party abandoned their post.
King has behaved nobly and I hope he will be properly cared for. And he goes up the creek in accordance with my request.
