All the party in good health.
"If you had any difficulty in reaching this spot, and wish to return to Adelaide by a more practicable route, you may do so for at least three months to come by driving west eighteen miles, then south of west, cutting our dray track within thirty miles.

Abundance of water and feed at easy stages." McKinlay next sent one of his party -- Hodgkinson -- with men and pack-horses to Blanche Water, to carry down the news of his discovery, and to bring back rations for a prolonged exploration.

Meanwhile he remained in camp.

From one old native with whom he had a long conversation, he obtained another version of the alleged massacre, in which there was apparently some vestige of truth.
The new version was to the effect that the whites, on their return, had been attacked by the natives, but had repulsed them.

One white man had been killed, and had been buried after the fight, whilst the other whites went south.