Then came representatives of the various exploring parties--Messrs.

F.G.Waterhouse, F.Thring, W.P.Auld, S.King, J.W.
Billiatt, and H.Nash, of Stuart's party; Mr.R.E.Warburton, Mr.Dennis White, and Charley, the native boy, of Colonel Warburton's expedition; Mr.William Gosse (leader), and Mr.Harry Gosse, of the Gosse expedition; and Mr.Ernest Giles, leader of the Giles expedition.
The reception committee and representatives of the Oddfellows, Foresters, Druids, Rechabites, Good Templars, German, and other friendly societies, followed, after which came our party.

We wore the rough, weather-beaten, and, it may be added, shockingly dilapidated garments in which we had been clothed during our expedition, and were mounted on the horses which had served us so well.

It was wished that we should represent to the Adelaide public, as realistically as we could, the actual appearance of our party while engaged on the long journey, so we slung our rifles at our sides, and each of us led a pack-horse carrying the kegs we had used for the conveyance of water.

In one respect, no doubt, we failed to realize adequately the appearance of our party when struggling through the spinifex desert, or anxiously searching for rock holes and springs.
The month of great hospitality we had experienced since reaching Peake station had considerably improved our own personal appearance, and the horses were very unlike the wretched, half-dying animals we had such difficulty to keep alive and moving.