At the Peake I engaged a young man named Alec Robinson, who, according to his account, could do everything, and had been everywhere, who knew the country I was about to explore perfectly well, and who had frequently met and camped with blacks from the west coast, and declared we could easily go over there in a few weeks.

He died at one of the telegraph stations a year or two after he left me.
I must say he was very good at cooking, and shoeing horses.

I am able to do these useful works myself, but I do not relish either.

I had brought a light little spring cart with me all the way from Melbourne to the Peake, which I sold here, and my means of transit from thence was with pack-horses.

After a rather prolonged sojourn at the Peake, where I received great hospitality from Mr.Blood, of the Telegraph Department, and from Messrs.