A few days afterwards, Wills wrote in his diary that they had to halt and send back for Gray, who was "gammoning" that he could not walk.

Nine days afterwards the unfortunate man died, an act which is not often successfully "gammoned." But to bring the miserable story to an end, at last on the evening of the 21st of April, 1861, two months after they had reached the Gulf, they re-entered the depot camp at Cooper's Creek, where four men had been instructed to await their return, only to find it deserted and lifeless.
Keenly disappointed, for though they knew they were behind the appointed time, they had still hoped that some one would have waited for them, they searched the locality for some sign or message from their friends, and on a tree saw the word DIG carved.

Beneath this message of hope they were soon busy digging, and before long they unearthed a welcome store of provisions and a letter, which ran:-- Depot, Cooper's Creek, April 21, 1861.
The depot party of V.E.E.* leaves this camp to-day to return to the Darling.

I intend to go South-East from Camp 60 to get on our old track at Bulloo.

Two of my companions and myself are quite well; the third -- Patton -- has been unable to walk for the last eighteen days as his leg has been severely hurt when thrown by one of the horses.