Australian heroes and adventurers . ad,cut off as much of his flesh as they could, and thendried it in the sun. The following day the nativesvery liberally presented them with a quantity of fishand cake; the explorers returned the complimentby giving them fish-hooks and some sugar. Afterleaving the blacks, the three men struck a southerlybranch of Coopers Creek, which they traced downtill its channel broke up into small water-courses, andwas at last lost in the sand. Then for two days theytravelled, looking around for some other stream,but finding none, Burke and Wills left King withthe camel,
Australian heroes and adventurers . ad,cut off as much of his flesh as they could, and thendried it in the sun. The following day the nativesvery liberally presented them with a quantity of fishand cake; the explorers returned the complimentby giving them fish-hooks and some sugar. Afterleaving the blacks, the three men struck a southerlybranch of Coopers Creek, which they traced downtill its channel broke up into small water-courses, andwas at last lost in the sand. Then for two days theytravelled, looking around for some other stream,but finding none, Burke and Wills left King withthe camel, and pushing ahead, found that the soilbecame loose and cracked up ; and as it appeared tobe more parched further south, they returned toKing. The prospects of the little party now lookedgloomy. Their provisions were rapidly diminishing ;their clothing, and especially their boots, all goingto pieces ; and their only remaining camel, whichhad been ailing for some time, now showed signsof being done up. But the two leaders determined. On the Maucii. The Rehirn Joiwney. 27 to examine the creek more closely, and after a shortrest they set out again. They came across some natives who were blacks, probably moved by the forlorn appear-ance of Burke and Wills, gave them half of the fishjust caught, and promised furthur supplies if theywould come with them to their camp. On reachingit the almost destitute explorers were treated mostgenerously—lumps of nardoo cake and handfuls offish were forced on them till they could positively eatno more. The hospitable blacks also offered themsome stuff composed of dried stems and leaves ofshrubs, which, when chewed even in small quantities,was highly intoxicating. The poor travellers couldonly show their gratitude to the benevolent blacks bytearing off and giving them two pieces of cloth fromtheir tattered macintoshes. Burke now returned toKing, while Wills continued for seven miles along thecreek until it tended northwards; then he re
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