Sermon before the exploring expedition

Stuart's sixth and final expedition left Adelaide in a number of parties: Kekwick and Woodforde had left in advance with some of the horses. At Chambers Creek they would begin work on preparing the dried meat for the expedition. The main party left 25 October 1861; Stuart accompanied them only a little of the way, as he needed to remain longer in Adelaide on expedition business. As he made his goodbyes to the men, there was some confusion among the horses and as Stuart stepped forward to free the tangled ropes he was struck by a rearing horse, fell and his hand was trodden on by the horse.. He was forced to remain in Adelaide for six weeks while his hand healed, but he never regained full use of it. This was not an auspicious start to the expedition.

Meanwhile the major part of the expedition continued north. At Gawler, Stephen King's home town, they remained overnight and attended church the next morning. The Reverend Coombs' sermon was on the Israelites in the desert, but in the last few paragraphs of his text he refers to Stuart's previous exploits in the interior, including his reaching the centre of the continent.

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