misfortune now befell them. The sea was so fierce that both boats were wrecked and broken. Despite all efforts to refit, they could not be used, and the explorers were confronted with a prodigious journey to the nearest settlers at Swan River, without provisions enough to last more than a few days.
The food was shared out in equal proportions to each man, and the sailors made bundles of their slight effects and salvage from the wrecks, and placed them on their backs. With heavy hearts, but with strong hope and determination on the part of the leader, they started on their long march of 300 miles over unknown country, through regions which might contain the most sterile deserts for all they knew. The Murchison River was discovered in Gantheaume Bay, and then the little band slowly wended its way to the south through a valley, which they followed for about a mile. There they came upon a romantic and picturesque-looking estuary, and from their commanding station they descried black swans gliding over the water's surface and natives fishing, all unconscious of the presence of intruders.
A thick scrub was penetrated, and gave such difficulty to the anxious people as to tire them more than the distance traversed warranted. Native paths leading to native wells were followed for considerable distances. On 5th April they emerged into what Grey described as a rich and fertile country. A band of natives confronted them, and seemed to dispute their right of progress, but the firing of a gun dispersed them. At another point they met what appeared to be the same estuary, where a river entered it from the east. Native dwellings adorned the banks, and Grey conferred the name of Hutt River on the stream, in compliment to Mr. William Hutt, M.P., brother of the Governor of Western Australia. Two remarkable hills near by were called Mount Victoria and Mount Albert. The river passed through a deep-wooded valley, bordered by rich flats and high hills.
Grey deemed that it would be necessary to make forced marches to Perth if he wished to bring his companions out of their perils in safety. The provisions could not hold out, and their only hope was to make all haste. He tried in vain to impress his opinions on the others. They took the task before them lightly, and believed that ample food would be obtained on the route. Consequently they repeatedly stopped and rested, greatly to the chagrin of the leader. Nor would they lighten the unnecessary burdens which they carried, though Grey begged them to do so. It would seem that those bundles of rags and small valueless articles were possessed of great wealth for all the loving care that was taken of them. Indeed, when the effects of the severe journey began to tell on the foolish men, hallucinations seized hold of their minds of the inestimable value of these bundles.
A long chain of regular and flat-topped mountains was named the Victoria Range, after Her Majesty. Between that range and the sea-board were other hills and rich valleys. Grey was convinced that this neighbourhood was the most fertile in Australia, and he therefore marked it on his chart as the Province of Victoria. Two other rivers were crossed, and named the Bowes and Buller, and then a rich valley was entered containing ample grass. A watercourse meandered through this near to Mount Fairfax, and received the designation of the Chapman River.
The men continued to afford annoyance to Grey, and one in particular straggled behind the rest though he still persisted in carrying his bundle. On the 8th April this man was missing, and in the successful effort to find him Grey discovered and named the Greenough River, a stream which traversed very fertile land. The town of Geraldton now drains the Greenough country. Next day (9th April) the Irwin River was crossed and named after Major Irwin, the commandant of the Western Australian military forces. Water Peak was then named.
During these days Grey strove zealously to impress upon his men the necessity of hurrying forward. He addressed them collectively and individually, but they seemed to prefer to chance obtaining sufficient food, and to rest occasionally. Different members of the party now began to show the effects of the journey, and it was with the utmost difficulty that Grey was able to keep them moving. He repeatedly requested them to throw away their useless baggage, and finally was compelled to destroy it, an act which met with their serious opposition. The headway made each day was very slight, and Grey chafed under the necessity of waiting every few hundred yards for some straggler. He did not wish to abandon anyone, but he believed that the only hope of relief was to reach Perth as early as possible. The safety of the whole party was at stake.
Eventually he decided to divide the party into two. Taking with him Corporals Auger and Coles, besides two other men, and Kaiber, he, wearied and anxious as he was, started to make forced marches to Perth to obtain succour for the weaker men left behind. Dr. Walker was placed in charge of the second party, and was given copious instructions to push on as quickly as the strength of each man would permit. Mr. Smith, though one of the bravest, was also one of the weakest. His boots wore worn through, his clothes were tattered, and he was compelled to lie down at short intervals to rest.
Determined, though fatigued, Grey and his companions separated from Dr. Walker's band. With astonishing hardihood and resolve, they dragged their weary legs over mile after mile. The country appeared unusually heavy and rough, as if to prevent the successful consummation of their task. Dense woods alternated with waterless tracts, and at times the sun beat down so fiercely upon them that they would fain have rested and given up the fight. Grey more than once felt as if he could go no further, but the thought of the lives dependent on his efforts buoyed him up. It was days since any of the band had eaten a full meal, and their infinitesimal allowance would soon be ended. Then they became hungry, thirsty, and feverish.
The Arrowsmith River was discovered and named after John Arrowsmith, the distinguished hydrographer. Upon first seeing the signs of a watercourse in the distance they pushed towards it with a great hope in the expectation of obtaining ample water. But when they reached the banks they saw that the river was dry. Their supply of water was quite ended, and they proceeded to dig, and a spring trickled into the hole. Sixteen miles to the south-east Grey observed a range of hills, and from where he stood he named the topmost peak Mount Horner, after a friend, Leonard Horner.
Grey now travelled by night in order to rest in the heat of the day. Gardiner's Range was named after Gordon Gardiner, of the Colonial Office, and other points were described. Kaiber all this while had been the right-hand man of Grey. Throughout the long journey he had remained bright, and his prattling talk served to lighten the anxiety of the suffering white men. In searching for water, in leading through dense bush, and in discovering food, he proved indispensable. To him Grey owed much
