in the hot dry climate of summer, the group remained trapped at the waterhole for seven months. stuart took a small group to find water to the north, west, and east, but found none. stuart was left behind in charge of the main group at depot glen. it was very hot so they dug an underground room to keep cool. all the men became sick from scurvy because of the lack of fresh fruit and vegetables. this caused their gums to become soft and their teeth to fall out. they had headaches, their noses bled, and their skin began to turn black. when poole died, stuart was made second in command. he also became the surveyor and did all the mapping as sturt could not see properly. when it finally rained the group tried to keep going north but were blocked by the sand dunes of the simpson desert. they turned south and went back to the darling river. stuart took over as leader when sturt became blind and too ill to lead the group. they arrived back in adelaide after six weeks hard travelling. sturt had to be carried in a cart, and stuart, crippled with scurvy and beriberi, looked like a skeleton.