On further examination part of the head of the cask was found much cut with a knife, as if used for a plate, and near the extinct embers of a small fire lay the bones of a fish, which Warrup concluded had been picked on the morning of the previous day.

Rejoiced at having now got upon the right track, and being unwilling to lose time by following it up from this spot, we took a good look round and returned to our camp at Bookernyup by sunset, from whence we next morning started early in a southerly direction, took up safely everything we had concealed on the Moore River, and shortly after dark had completed 24 miles to a place called Kadjelup, where we halted on some deep pools similar to those at Barrumbur.
Breakfasting early on the 15th, the baggage was despatched forward to Neergabby, and at daybreak Mr.Spofforth, Kinchela (a private of the 21st regiment) and Warrup accompanied me on horseback to the beach, which we found eleven miles off, but to our great disappointment a very high tide had totally obliterated all marks from the sand and left us in perplexity and doubt.

Concluding however that the missing party must be in advance of us, and that they could not fail to observe the papers which had been offered to their notice at the mouth of the Garban River, we turned our steps that way; left a paper of directions in the event of their being behind us, and carefully examined both beach and sandhills, as well as the country immediately in rear of them.

Twelve miles brought us to the mouth of the river, and there we found everything as we had placed it--not a mark near the beach except the footsteps of the native dog prowling about the sandhills, and nothing which could lead to a belief that the spot had been visited since we last left it.

Somewhat disappointed, although rejoicing in having now hemmed the unfortunate absentees up into a narrow limit, within which we knew they MUST be wandering towards Perth, we joined our party at Neergabby shortly after dark, and observed on our way the traces of five natives who were confidently said by Warrup to be Perth natives, sent to look after us with intelligence.