My old horse Cocky had got bad
again, in consequence of his galloping with the packhorses, and I left
him behind me at the Charlotte, in charge of Mr. Johnston. On arrival
at the Peake, I found that Mr. Bagot had broken his collar-bone by a
fall from a horse. I drove him to the Blinman Mine, where we took the
coach for Adelaide. At Beltana, before we reached the Blinman Mine, I
heard that my former black boy Dick was in that neighbourhood, and Mr.
Chandler, whom I had met at the Charlotte Waters, and who was now
stationed here, promised to get and keep him for me until I either
came or sent for him: this he did. And thus ends the first book of my
explorations.
AUSTRALIA TWICE TRAVERSED.
BOOK 2.
NOTE TO THE SECOND EXPEDITION.
In a former part of my narrative I mentioned, that so soon as I had
informed my kind friend Baron von Mueller by wire from the Charlotte
Waters Telegraph Station, of the failure and break up of my
expedition, he set to work and obtained a new fund for me to continue
my labours. Although the greatest despatch was used, and the money
quickly obtained, yet it required some months before I could again
depart.
