Moreover, he was not certain of his retreat.
As they went down Cooper's Creek on their way back, they found that the water was drying up so rapidly that grave fears were entertained lest Strzelecki's Creek, their main resource in getting back to Fort Grey, should be dry.

Fortunately they were in time to find a little muddy fluid left, just enough to serve their needs.

Here, though most anxious to get on, they were forced to camp the whole of one day, on account of an extremely fierce hot wind.
Sturt's vivid account of the day spent during the blast of that furnace-like sirocco has been oft quoted.

But the reader should remember when reading it that the man who wrote it was in such a weakened condition that he had not sufficient energy left to withstand the hot wind, whilst the shade under which the party sought shelter was of the scantiest description.
They had still a distance of eighty-six miles to cover to get back to Fort Grey, with but little prospect of finding water on the way.

After a long and weary ride they reached it, only to find the tents struck, the flag hauled down, and the Fort abandoned.