Procured abundance of water by digging one foot deep in the sand-hills, and good feed a short distance from camp.
Our friends on the Adur were looking anxiously for us.

We were two days behind the appointed time, and they feared some evil had befallen us, not taking into consideration the many delays incidental to such a journey through strange and difficult country as we had made.

We had occupied ten days in reaching Israelite Bay since leaving Mr.Dempster's station, going an average of about twelve miles a day, which would be a slow rate of progress in a settled country, but which had sufficiently tried our horses, they being now in a very reduced condition from scarcity of feed.
I resolved to stay at the camp for eight or ten days to recruit the horses, as there was good feed in the vicinity; and we re-stuffed and re-fitted the saddles and had the horses shod.

I made a correct chart of the route from Esperance Bay, and found that the coast-line, as laid down in the Admiralty charts, was in many places incorrect.
On the 24th of May we determined to celebrate the Queen's birthday.

All hands from the Adur came ashore, and I drew them up in line under the Union Jack, which was duly hoisted near the camp.