Burke and Mr. Wills had a consultation as to what
was best to be done.
We left no provisions behind us, but took everything with us. When we
had consumed all the sugar but 12 lb. we gave some balls of it to the
camel. For a few days our principal food was porridge, which we
preferred to anything else. We boiled it with water and sugar. In going
down towards Mount Hopeless, we found we could not carry all the things
we brought with us. We had to leave the camel-pads and such things. We
made two attempts to get to Mount Hopeless. After losing one camel we
remained at the creek some short time, till we recovered strength to
start for Cooper's Creek again. We had only the clothes we stood in, and
no bed-clothing but the camels' pads and two oilcloths. We had boots and
trousers, such as they were.
BURKE'S LAST LETTER
The following is the despatch of Mr. Burke, left at the Depot at
Cooper's Creek:
Depot No. 2, Cooper's Creek, Camp No. 65.--The return party from
Carpentaria, consisting of myself, Wills and King (Gray dead) arrived
here last night, and found that the depot party had only started on the
same day.
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