Stuart himself thought that he would never live to see the settled districts.

Scurvy had brought him down to a lamentable state, and after all his hard-won success, it seemed as though he would not profit by it.

His right hand had become useless to him, and his eyes lost power of sight after sunset.
He could not undergo the pain of riding, and a stretcher had to be slung between two horses to carry him on.

With painful slowness they crept along until they reached Mount Margaret, the first station.

Here the leader, reduced to a mere skeleton, was furnished with a little relief; and after resting and gaining a little strength, he rode on to Adelaide.
This was Stuart's last expedition; for he never recovered his health nor former eyesight.