A black who stated that he had visited the scene of the incident was interviewed, and Baron von Mueller wrote to the Western Australian Government offering to lead a party thither and ascertain if there was any truth in the report.

The Government favourably considered the offer, and made preparations to send out a party.

Von Mueller was prevented from taking charge, and the command was given to John Forrest, then a surveyor in the Government service.

Forrest was born near Bunbury, Western Australia, on the 22nd of August, 1847, and entered the Survey Department of West Australia in December 1865.
On the 26th of April, 1869, Forrest left Yarraging, then the furthest station to the eastward.

When camped at a native well, visited by Austin thirteen years before, he says that he could still distinctly see the tracks of that explorer's horses.