During the first day's journey he came across some natives, from one of whom he learnt that the aboriginal name of the river was the Barcoo.

Two days afterwards he observed with some anxiety that the trend of the valley was inclining from northwards towards the point whence Sturt had turned back from his upward course on Cooper's Creek.

As the second part of his instructions was to find a practicable road to the Gulf, he feared that he would not have sufficient provisions to fulfil both duties.

He therefore made a stationary camp, and with two men proceeded down the river.

But after two days' journey, he found that the Barcoo turned to the west, and even north of west.