Calvert and Roper recovered wonderfully, considering the severe injuries they had received; and the wounds, which I feared as being the most dangerous, promised with care and patience to do well. As it was hazardous to remain long at the place, for the natives might return in greater numbers, and repeat their attack, as well on ourselves as the cattle, I determined to proceed, or at least to try if my wounded companions could endure to be removed on horseback. In a case like this, where the lives of the whole party were concerned, it was out of the question to attend only to the individual feelings and wishes of the patients; I felt for their position to the fullest extent that it was possible for one to feel towards his fellow creatures so situated; but I had equal claims on my attention. I had to look exclusively to the state of their wounds, and to the consequences of the daily journey on their constitutions; to judge if we could proceed or ought to stop; and I had reason to expect, or at least was sanguine enough to hope, that although the temporary feelings of acute pain might make them discontented with my arrangements, sober reflection at the end of our journey would induce them to do me justice. The constant attention which they required, and the increased work which fell to the share of our reduced number, had scarcely allowed me time to reflect upon the melancholy accident which had befallen us, and the ill-timed death of our unfortunate companion. All our energies were roused, we found ourselves in danger, and, as was absolutely necessary, we strained every nerve to extricate ourselves from it: but I was well aware, that the more coolly we went to work, the better we should succeed. CHAPTER X INDICATIONS OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE SEA--NATIVES MUCH MORE NUMEROUS--THE SEA; THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA--THE STAATEN--A NATIVE INTRUDES INTO THE CAMP--THE VAN DIEMEN--THE GILBERT--SINGULAR NATIVE HUTS--CARON RIVER--FRIENDLY NATIVES--THE YAPPAR--MR. CALVERT RECOVERED--MODE OF ENCAMPMENT--SWARMS OF FLIES--ABUNDANCE OF SALT--NATIVES FRIENDLY, AND MORE INTELLIGENT.