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While waiting for help to arrive, ST Gill nursed his injured companion and sketched the surrounding country. Horrocks described it as unlikely to support pastoralists, with any water draining into salt lakes or small fresh water ponds that dried up within days. He was dubious of Kilroy being able to reach the depot on his own.

In 1846 John Ainsworth Horrocks had offered to lead an expedition, funded by fellow colonists, to explore the country north of Spencer Gulf. He was looking for country suitable for farming or pastoralism. His expedition included Bernard Kilroy and Theakston, both workmen from his property, ST Gill an artist, to record the country, Mr Garlick, Jimmy Moorhouse an Aboriginal man, and a camel, considered to be the first in Australia.

Some 100 miles from the expedition's depot, Horrocks was reloading his gun to shoot a bird for the natural history collection they were making, when it was accidentally discharged when the camel lurched, knocking him. This movement fired the gun, shooting the ramrod through Horrock's fingers and lower jaw, knocking out a row of teeth from his upper jaw. Bernard Kilroy offered to fetch help for the injured Horrocks.

Samuel Thomas Gill was a trained water colourist. He arrived in South Australia in 1839, and would later make his name recording Australian life and scenes. Two of his drawings are reproduced in George French Angas's South Australia illustrated: Sturt's expedition leaving Adelaide and Hindley Street. His watercolours of Horrocks' expedition provide an additional dimension to the record of the expedition that is only otherwise accounted for in Horrocks' last letter.

Horrocks, John Ainsworth, 1818-1846

Gill, S. T. (Samuel Thomas), 1818-1880

Kilroy, Bernard

State Library of South Australia: Mortlock Wing. Taking it to the edge. August 2004-