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A SUCCESSFUL EXPLORATION
MELBOURNE TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA.
LONDON: PRrNTBD BT WTLUAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STRKKT,
AND CHARING CROSS.
Tainted, 1?V- Scatt. Melbourne.
Engraved, ty J.Browtz,
SUCCESSFUL EXPLORATION
THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF
| AUSTRALIA,
FROM MELBOURNE TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA.
FROM THE JOURNALS AND LETTERS OF
WILLIAM JOHN WILLS.
EDITED BY HIS FATHER, WILLIAM WILLS.
LONDON:
i;i< IIAKD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET,
|3ubltrfl)rr in ©rtJinarn ta ftcr #UjnUp.
1863.
[ The Itijht of Translation and Rqyroduction is rcscrtcd.']
X>U, to
W5
GJFT OF
^ d. rt /<y o
feMcatrt),
BY PERMISSION,
TO HIS GRACE
THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE, K.G.,
BY HIS GRACES
FAITHFUL SERVANT,
WILLIAM WILLS.
Januaby, 18G3.
M304S25
PREFACE.
A life terminating before it had reached its
meridian, can scarcely be expected to furnisli ma-
terials for an extended biography. But the im-
portant position held by my late son, as second in
command in what is now so well-known as the
Burke and Wills Exploring Expedition across the
Island Continent of Australia; the complciated
duties he undertook as Astronomer, Topographer,
Journalist, and Surveyor; the persevering skill
with which he discharged them, suggesting and
regulating the march of the party through a waste
of eighteen hundred miles, previously untrodden
by European feet; his courage, patience, and
heroic death ; his self-denial in desiring to be
left alone in the desert with scarcely a hope of
rescue, that his companions might find a chance
for themselves;— these claims on public attention
demand that his name should be handed down to
posterity in something more than a mere obituary
record, or an official acknowledgment of services.
viii PREFACE.
A truthful, though brief, memoir of my son's
short career, may furnish a stimulating example,
by showing how much can be accomplished in a
few years, when habits of prudence and industry
have been acquired in early youth. He fell a
victim to errors not originating with himself; but
he resigned his life without a murmur, having
devoted it to science and his country. His death,
with the circumstances attending it, furnishes an
application of the lines of a favourite poet, which
he often quoted with admiration :
" Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And departing leave behind us
Footsteps on the sands of time ;
Footprints that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er Life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwreck'd brother,
Seeing, shall take_heart again."
The following pages are the only tribute a fond
and mourning father can offer to the memory of
one who, while living, merited and reciprocated
his warmest affections.
William Wills.
London, January, 1863.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Biographical Sketch.
TAGU
Birth— Infancy — Boyhood and Early Education— Youthful TraiU
of Character 1
CHAPTER IL
My two Sons leave England for Australia— Incidents of the Voyage
— Extracts from Journal — Arrival at Port Phillip — Melbourne —
Employed as Shepherds in the Interior — Mode of Life — Mel-
bourne in 1853 — Advice to Immigrants — Descriptive Letters
from the Bush 11
CHAPTER III.
I arrive in Australia — Join my two Sons at their Sheep-station —
Return to Melbourne and Remove to Ballaarat — Visit to Mr.
Skene — My Son studies Surveying — His Rapid Proficiency —
Appointed to take Charge of a Party — Letters on various Sub-
jects to his Mother and Brother at Home 25
CHAPTER IV.
My Son is appointed to the Magnetic Observatory at Melbourne,
under Professor Neumayer — His Rapid Advance in the Study of
Magnetism and Mineralogy — Letters to his Relatives at Home,
descriptive of his Pursuits, Wishes, and Sentiments— First Sug-
gestions of his Probable Employment on the Exploring Ex-
pedition 50
6
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V.
PAGE
Postponement of the Exploring Expedition projected at the begin-
ning of 1860 — My Son's Letter to his Sister on going into
Society — Mr. Birnie's Opinion of him, and Extract from his
Lecture — Letter from William to his Mother on Religious Views
and Definitions of Faith — His last Communications to his
Family at Home, before the Departure of the Expedition . . 68
CHAPTER VI.
The Expedition.
How the Expedition originated — Appointment of the Leader,
Officers, and Party — Mr. Robert O'Hara Burke, Mr. Gr. J. Lan-
dells, Mr. W. J. Wills, Dr. Herman Beckler, Dr. Ludwig
Becker, &c. — The Expedition starts from Melbourne on the 20th
of August, 1860 — Progress to Swan Hill — Discharge of Mr.
Ferguson, the Foreman — Advance to Menindie — Resignation of
Mr. Landells and Dr. Herman Beckler — Mr. Wills promoted to
second in command, and Mr. Wright to third . . .88
CHAPTER VII.
From Menindie on the Darling, to Torowoto — Mr. Burke's De-
spatch, and Mr. Wills's Report from Torowoto — Mr. Wright's
unaccountable delay at Menindie — The Expedition proceeds
onwards to Cooper's Creek — Exploring Trips in that neighbour-
- hood — Loss of three Camels — Mr. Wills's Letters to his Sister,
December 6th and 15th — Incorrectness of M'Donough's State-
ments 122
CHAPTER VIII.
Mr. Wills's Survey of the line of Country pursued by the Expedi-
tion, from Torowoto Swamp to Cooper's Creek .... 152
CHAPTER IX.
Departure from Cooper's Creek for the Gulf of Carpentaria — Ar-
rangements for the continuance of the Depot at Cooper's Creek
— Mr. Brahe left in Charge— Determination of Route — Progress
and Incidents — Mr. Wills's Field Books, from the 16th of De-
cember, 1860, to the 30th of January, 1861, No. I. to No. IX.
— Shores of Carpentaria 17r>
CONTENTS, xi
CHAPTER X.
TAOS
Return from Carpentaria to Cooper's Creek — Mr. Wills's Journals
from February 19th to April 21st, 1861— Illness and Death of
Gray — The Survivors arrive at Cooper's Creek Depot and find
it deserted — A Small Stock of Provisions left — Conduct of Brahe
— Report of the Royal Commission . . . . .216
CHAPTER XI.
Proceedings in Melbourne — Meeting of the Exploration Committee
— Tardy Resolutions — Departure of Mr. Howitt — Patriotic Effort
of Mr. Orkney — South Australian Expedition under Mr. M'Kin-
lay — News of White Men and Camels having been seen by
Natives in the Interior — Certain Intelligence of the Fate of the
Explorers reaches Melbourne 239
CHAPTER XII.
The attempt to reach South Australia and Adelaide by Mount
Hopeless — Mistake of selecting^ that Route — Mr. Wills's Journals
from the 23rd of April to the 29 th of June, 1861— Adventures
with the Natives— Discovery of Nardoo as a Substitute for Food
— Mr. Burke and King go in search of Natives for assistance
— Mr. Wills left alone in the Desert — The Last Entry in his
Journal 268
CHAPTER XIII.
King's Narrative — Mr. Burke and King again go in search of the Na-
tives, as a last resource — Death of Mr. Burke — King returns and
finds Mr. Wills dead in the Gunyah — He falls in with the Natives
and wanders about with them until delivered by Mr. Howitt's
party— Extract from Mr. .Howitt's Diary — Extract from Mr.
M'K inlay's Diary— My Son's last Letter to me, dated June 27th,
1861 — Strong Attachment between Mr. Burke and my Son —
King delivers the Letter and Watch intrusted to him — With
some difficulty I recover the Pistol — King's Reception in Mel-
bourne—Sir H. Barkly's Letter to Sir Roderick Murchison —
Summary of Events and their Causes 304
CHAPTER XIV.
Letters of sympathy and condolence ; from Sir Henry Barkly ;
Major Egerton Warburton ; A. J. Baker, Esq. ; P. A. Jennings,
xii CONTENTS.
PAGE
Esq. ; Dr. Mueller ; The Council of Ballaarat East ; Robert
Watson, Esq. ; John Lavington Evans, Esq. — Meeting at Totnes
— Eesolution to erect a Monument to Mr. Wills — Proceedings
in the Royal Geographical Society of London — Letter from
Sir Roderick Murchison to Dr. Wills— Dr. Wills's Reply—' The
Lost Explorers,' a poetical tribute — Concluding Observations . 351
Appendices 387
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
CHAPTER I.
Birth— Infancy — Boyhood and Early Education — Youthful traits of
Character.
William John Wills was born at Totnes, in
Devonshire, on the 5th of January, 1834. He had,
therefore, attained the full age of twenty-seven at
the time of his death. Even in infancy, his coun-
tenance was interesting and expressive. He began
to speak and walk alone before he had completed
his first year. His lively disposition gave ample
employment to his nurses, though I cannot remem-
ber that he ever worried one, through peevishness
or a fractious temper. As soon as he could talk
distinctly, he evinced an aptitude to name things
after his own fancy ; and I may fairly say, that he
was never a child in the common acceptation of
the term, as he gave early indications of diligence
and discretion scarcely compatible with the help-
less and simplicity of such tender years.
B
2 MY SON'S BOYHOOD
About the time of his completing his third year,
Mr. Benthall, a friend and near neighbour, asked
permission to take him for a walk in his garden.
The boy was then in the habit of attending a
school for little children, close by, kept by an old
lady. In less than an hour, Mr. Benthall returned
to ask if he had come home. No one had seen
him, and we began to be alarmed lest he might have
fallen into a well in the garden ; but this appre-
hension was speedily ascertained to be groundless.
Still he returned not, and our alarm increased,
until his mother thought of the school, and there
he was found, book in hand, intent on his lesson.
He knew it was the school hour, and while Mr.
Benthall was speaking to the gardener, had
managed to give him the slip, passing our own
door and proceeding alone to the school, on the
opposite side of the square. Mr. Benthall, who
can have seen or heard very little of him since,
was one of the first, on hearing of his recent fate,
to send a subscription to his monument, about to
be erected at Totnes. Perhaps he remembered the
incident.
Another anecdote of the child bears upon a
leading characteristic in the after life of the man.
My late lamented brother, W. T. Wills, who has
since died at Belleville, in Upper Canada, was on a
visit at my house from abroad. He had occasion
to go to Plymouth and Devonport, and I engaged
to drive him over in a gig. A petition was made
AND EARLY EDUCATION. 3
to his mother, that little Willy might accompany
vlb. It was granted, and we put up for the night
at the Royal Hotel, at Devonport, where he became
quite a lion. The landlady and servants were
much taken by their juvenile visitor. The next
morning, my brother and I had arranged to break-
;it ten, each having early business of his own
to attend to, in different directions. When we
returned at the appointed time, the boy was miss-
ing. None of the household had seen him for an
hour. Each supposed that some one else had
taken charge of him. After a twenty minutes'
search in all directions by the whole establishment,
he was discovered at the window of a nautical
instrument maker's shop, eight or ten doors below
inn, on the same side of the street, within the
recess of the door-way, gazing in riveted attention
on the attractive display before him. The owner
told me that he had noticed him for more than an
hour in the same place, examining the instruments
with the eye of a connoisseur, as if he understood
them. His thirst for knowledge had superseded
his appetite for breakfast. About twelve months
subsequent to this date, we had nearly lost him for
ever, in a severe attack of remittent fever. At
the end of a fortnight, the danger passed away and
he was restored to us. As he lay in complete
prostration from the consequent weakness, our old
and faithful servant, Anne Winter, who seldom
him, became fearful that his intellects might be
b 2
4 YOUTHFUL TRAITS OF CHARACTER.
affected ; and I shall never forget her heartfelt
delight and thankfulness when she saw him notice
and laugh at the ludicrous incident of a neighbour's
tame magpie hopping upon his bed. The effect of
this fever was to alter the contour of his features
permanently, to a longer shape, giving him a
more striking resemblance to his mother's family
than to mine. His utterance, also, which had been
voluble, became slow and slightly hesitating.
For some time after this he resided at home,
under my own tuition. Our intercourse, even at
this early age, was that of friendly companionship.
Instructing him was no task ; his natural diligence
relieved me from all trouble in fixing his attention.
We were both fond of history. From wfcat I
recollect, he took more interest in that of Rome
than of Greece or England. Yirgil and Pope were
his favourite poets. He was very earnest with his
mother in studying the principles of the Christian
religion. More than once my wife remarked,
''that boy astonishes me by the shrewdness with
which he puts questions on different points of
doctrine." In his readings with me he was never
satisfied with bare statements unaccompanied by
reasons. He was always for arguing the matter
before taking either side. One question, when very
young, he would again and again recur to, as a
matter on which the truth should be elicited. This
was a saying of our old servant, above named,
when she broke either glass ,or earthenware : that
YOUTHFUL TRAITS OP CHARACTER. 6
" it was good for trade." His ideas of political
rcuiiomy would not permit him to allow that this
axiom was a sound one for the benefit of the state ;
and on this point, I think, Adam Smith and
Malthus would scarcely disagree.
The pleasure I enjoyed in my son's society when
a boy, was greater than that which intercourse with
many grown men contributed ; for I may strictly
repeat, as I have already said, that he was never
a child in intellect although juvenile enough in
habits and manners. He never made foolish
remarks, although not in the slightest degree un-
comfortably precocious or pragmatical. I had no
fear of trusting him with anything, and was often
reproved for allowing so young a child to handle a
gun, which he was accustomed to do as early as
eleven years of age. His first practice was on some
young rooks which he brought down with unerring
aim, from a rookery on the grounds at our country
residence. He was so particular in his general
demeanour that I designated him Gentleman John,
and my Royal Boy. His brothers, all younger
than himself, styled him, Old Jack, and Gentleman
Jack. He had a wonderful power of attaching
animals of all kinds. Nothing moved him to anger
so readily as seeing one ill-used. Beating a horse
savagely would excite his disgust, as well as his
dislike to the person who did it. Not having a
dog, he used to take a fine cat we had, which
would accompany him to any distance in the fields,
6 SENT TO SCHOOL AT ASHBURTON.
and hunt the hedges and hedgerows for him.
Never feeling that I could have too much of his
company, I frequently made him my companion in
long country walks, during which he incessantly
asked for information. For the science of astro-
nomy he evinced an early taste. When a very
little boy, I began to teach him the names and
positions of the principal constellations, the revo-
lutions of the earth on its axis, and the fixity of
the polar star. I believe we were the first to
notice a comet in 1845, which was only a short
time visible here, having a south declination, and
which we afterwards knew to have been a fine
object in the Southern hemisphere.
At the age of eleven he went to school at
Ashburton. Although the distance was not more
than six miles from the cottage of Ipplepen, my
then general place of residence, it was with much
reluctance that I consented to the separation.
Several friends urged on me that I was not doing
him justice by keeping him at home ; that a public
seminary where he could mix with other boys was
an advantage, even though he might not learn
more. It also happened that, at this time, a gentle-
man with whom I had been long acquainted, and of
whose talents I held a high opinion, was elected to
the head-mastership of that school, which held its
chief endowments from Gifford, the satiric poet,
and Dr. Ireland, the late Dean of Westminster. I
remember how I returned in gloomy spirits after
HIS CONDUCT THERE. 7
h a vin g him there. As I had four other children,
it may be said that I showed undue partiality for
this one, but my conscience clears me from the
el large. I deeply felt the loss of his companion-
ship. He was so suggestive that he set me think-
ing; and whilst I was endeavouring to teach, I
acquired more knowledge than I imparted. There
was nothing remarkable in his progress at school.
I experienced no disappointment because he did
not return home at the end of every half-year with
the head prize. He merely brought his six months'
bill, and a letter commending his steady diligence
and uniform propriety of conduct. In viva voce
examinations he had scarcely an equal chance with
one of inferior intellect who might be quicker in
expression ; for besides the trifling hesitation of
speech I have already noticed, he would have been
ashamed to give a wrong answer from eagerness.
A remark of Mr. Page, his tutor, confirmed me in
my own previous impression on this point. " It
vexes me," he said, " that John does not take a
top prize, for I see by his countenance that he
understands as much, if not more, than any boy in
my school ; yet from want of readiness in answering
he allows very inferior lads to win the tickets from
him." On the whole, I think he derived much
benefit from Ashburton ; for besides his scholastic
improvement he became an adept at the usual
games, and a social favourite out of school hours.
At the age of sixteen he left the grammar-
8 VISIT TO THE GREAT EXHIBITION.
school, and I find the 30th of May, 1850, to be the
date of his articles to me as surgeon. I had at
that time taken a partner, Henry Manly, Esq., now
resident at Ipplepen, with a view of introducing
and resigning to him my Ipplepen practice. Being
in a country place, five miles from Totnes, where
there was no chemist or dispensary, my son readily
acquired his duties, which were to distribute the
medicines and appliances directed for our patients
by my partner and myself. In all cases his cau-
tion was extreme and we had no fear of his making
mistakes. The ordinary operations of extracting
a tooth or breathing a vein when a bumpkin pre-
sented himself as a patient, he speedily mastered.
The absurd practice of going to be bled on any
occasion that might strike the fancy of the party,
without the advice of the doctor, was not at that
time so completely obsolete as in this advanced age
I hope it is, and ought to be. I remember, during
the time of my own articles, that I frequently
performed venesection five or six times in a day
on persons who requested and fancied they required
it ; and I seldom indulged in the liberty of asking,
wherefore.
In 1851, I took my son to London to show him
the Great Exhibition. His chief attractions there,
were the instruments and mechanical inventions.
If, after a day or two, I chanced to deviate from
the leading thoroughfares and missed my way, he
would set me right in a moment. This was rather
STUDIES PRACTICAL CHEMISTRY. 9
mortifying to one who fancied himself well ac-
quainted with London from frequent visits, but he
smiled when he saw I was not a true guide. I
asked him how he acquired this apt knowledge.
"On the secood day," he replied, " when you were
out, I took the map and studied it for two hours,
so that now I am well versed in it." My subse-
quent experience made me think he had some in-
stinctive power in matters like these, such as horses
and carrier-pigeons possess, for the darkest night
never baulked him. On a visit to Windsor, being
told that it was considered a feat to climb the
statue of King George the Third at the end of the
long walk, he accomplished it in a very short time.
At Hampton Court he unravelled the mystery of
the Maze in ten minutes and grew quite familiar
with all its ins and outs.
In the following spring, 1852, I took him again
to London, at the opening of the session for
medical students. As there was no anatomical
class he studied that branch of science by visiting
the museum at Guy's. Having myself been a
student at that school, I introduced him to my late
respected teacher, Charles Aston King, Esq.,
through whom he obtained permission to attend.
Surgical operations he witnessed at the theatres of
any hospital on the regular days. The only class
he entered was that of practical chemistry, under
Dr. John Stenhouse, LL.D., at Bartholomew's.
When the course had nearly terminated, I saw
10 CERTIFICATE FEOM DR. STENHOUSE.
Dr. Stenhouse, and inquired whether my son
evinced any particular talent in that line. Dr.
Stenhouse came from the lecture-room, and walked
with me through Newgate-street into Cheapside,
earnestly requesting me not to take from him one
of the most promising pupils he had ever had.
" I venture an assurance," he said, " that in two
years, in practical chemistry, he will be second to
few in England." Dr. Stenhouse at that time was
engaged in analyzing the different articles of food
sold in the shops, and found my son useful and
suggestive. His testimonial ran thus : —
" I have much pleasure in certifying that Mr.
W. J. Wills attended a course of practical chemis-
try at this medical school during the summer
season of 1852. He obtained considerable pro-
ficiency, and invariably distinguished himself by
great propriety of conduct.
(Signed) "John Stenhouse, LL.D.,
Lecturer to the Medical School of
St. Bartholomew's Hospital,
" September 1st, 1852."
At the house where he lodged, kept by an old
couple and their servant, he was as one of them-
selves, and amused them greatly by the discoveries
he made of the tricks practised by vendors of
goods in the street; tricks they had no idea of,
although they had lived in London all their lives.
They used to say he would be a great genius in
the detective department of the Police.
CHAPTER II.
My two sons leave England for Australia — Incidents of the Voyage —
Extracts from Journal — Arrival at Port Phillip — Melbourne — Em-
ployed as Shepherds in the Interior — Mode of Life — Melbourne in
1853 — Advice to Immigrants — Descriptive Letters from the Bush.
During the summer of 1852, I formed the inten-
tion of joining the exodus, then pouring out from
England to Australia. I had been in treaty with
the " Melbourne Gold Mining Company,*' recently
started, in which promising speculation, on paper,
I held some shares. The late Earl of Devon was
chairman. I was to go in the Sarah Sands, in
my professional capacity. My two sons, William
John, and his younger brother, were to accompany
me ; but on further investigation of the modus
operandi, I gave up all idea of attaching myself to
the scheme, sold my shares at a slight discount,
and engaged as medical attendant on the pas-
sengers, taking my two sons with me, in a fine
new ship, the Ballasrat, on her first voyage. This
arrangement I considered final. But a few days
12 MY TWO SONS LEAVE
after William returned home, he came to me when
I was sitting alone, engaged in writing, and with
that expression in his countenance so peculiarly
his own, said ; " My dear father, I have a favour
to ask of you." " My dear boy," I replied, " there
is nothing you would venture to ask that I could
possibly refuse." " Then," continued he, " it is
this. I see my mother is grieving, although she
says nothing, at our all leaving her together.
Let Tom and I go alone : I will pledge myself to
take care of him." After a consultation with my
wife this new plan was agreed upon. I released
myself from my engagement with Messrs. Simpkin
and Marshall for the Ballaarat, and secured two
berths for the boys in one of Mr. W. S. Lindsay's
ships, which at that time were conveying living
freights to Melbourne, their Channel port of
departure being Dartmouth.
By the advice of Mr. Lindsay himself I took
steerage passages for them. He shrewdly re-
marked, " They will be there as soon and as safely
as the cabin-passengers, and their money will be
saved." This sounded so like an axiom in practi-
cal economy that my dear boy never attempted to
argue the question. Having obtained permission
to knock two cabins into one, my sons considerably
diminished their expenses, and had quite as agree-
able a voyage as if they had paid sixty guineas
each ; for I have lately learned by experience, in
a homeward passage, that you have to put up with
ENGLAND FOR AUSTRALIA. 13
(on i pan ions in the cabin, as objectionable as can be
imagined in almost any situation of life.
At Dartmouth, a day or two before the ship
started, I found that William had expended some
money on a quantity of stuff rolled up like balls of
black ropeyarn. I exclaimed with astonishment,
" In the name of goodness, are you going to chew
or smoke all the way to Australia ?" for the com-
modity was the good old pig-tail tobacco. He said,
smiling, " This is to make friends with the sailors :
I intend to learn something about a ship by the
time we reach our destination." I dare say the
worthy skipper of the good ship Janet Mitchell,
should he be still alive, has some recollection of
him. His mode of proceeding, as he told me, was
first to secure the good graces of the crew through
the persuasive medium of the pig-tail ; then, to
learn the name and use of every rope, and of every
part of the ship's tackle from stem to stern. He
soon acquired the art of splicing and reefing, and
was amongst the first to go aloft in a storm, and
to lend a hand in taking in topsails. When I
arrived in Melbourne at a later period, several of
his fellow-passengers spoke to me with praise and
wonder, referring to his activity, and readiness to
leave an unfinished meal, on the slightest indica-
tion of danger or difficulty. His journal of this
voyage, is now before me, from which I extract a
few remarks : —
"1852. October Is/.— Left Dartmouth— Slightly
H EXTEACTS FROM WILLIAM'S JOURNAL.
sick for the first few days — My brother much more
so, but got right again — Foretopmast carried away
by a squall, just at the crosstrees, bringing down
with it the main top-gallant mast — f We look a
precious wreck !' — Remember the Hon. Michael de
Oourcy, brother of Lord Kmgsale, saying to me on
the quay at Dartmouth, the day before we sailed,
that the first gale would carry away the fore-top-
gallant mast — I believe the Janet Mitchell is quite
a new ship, on her first voyage — The remark
speaks well for the judgment of a young officer.
" 1 9th. — Sailors prigged some spirits in the hold
and got very drunk — A passenger so drunk that
he became mad, and was put in irons.
" 20th. — Sailors not yet recovered from their
drunkenness — A naval captain, passenger on
board, insulted by one of them ; struck him with
his fist and cut his face open.
" 22nd. — Fine weather — Getting hot — Lat.
N. 21., Long. W. 36— The Great Bear getting
low — Sunsets and risings very fine, particularly
the former.
" November 1st. — : Shark taken, of which I had a
large share and rather enjoyed the novelty of the
feed.
" bth. — Crossed the Line — Sailors shaved and
ducked a good many — Tom and I got off very
well. (Query — effects of the pig-tail ?)
" 16/A. — Stormy weather — Obtained some books
on navigation and studied trigonometry.
EXTRACTS FROM WILLIAM'S JOURNAL. 15
"20M and 2 1st— Passed Tristan da Cunha,
Inaccessible and Nightingale Islands, about 37
S. Lat., 12 Long. W. — Saw a great many whales,
mostly sperm, thousands of birds, albatross, Cape
pigeon, and many others, the names of which I am
ignorant of.
"23rcf. — A shoal of porpoises passed us. A
sailor struck one with a harpoon, but it got off
again. They are of a salmon colour, no more like
pigs than horses, just the shape of salmon, only
much larger. In swimming they turn on their sides.
" December 1st. — Smart breeze this morning
which soon increased to a gale — Assisted in furling
top-gallant sail — sailors only half dressed — After
breakfast, had to double reef top-sails and main-
sail. I like reefing very much.
" 2nd. — Waves not so high as I expected. It is
amusing to see how the birds ride them.
" 21th. — Saw an eclipse of the moon last night,
which lasted three hours; little more than three
quarters were eclipsed — Some of the passengers
discontented with the provisions — wonder that
some of them ever thought of leaving home.
" 1853. January 1st. — Saw land this morning —
Reached Cape Otway in the afternoon ; much the
appearance of Berry Head, with a slight haze on it
— Coast to the west very like that about Dartmouth
— Cliffs, high ; could fancy I saw Rock Yale*
• The residence of a gentleman, near Dartmouth, with whom he had
been on a visit a short time before his departure.
16 ARRIVAL AT PORT PHILLIP, AND
" 3rd. — Dropped anchor — Captain and Doctor
going ashore will post my journal and our letters."
His own was short : —
" Port Phillip, January 3rd, 1853.
" My dear Father,
" We have this morning dropped anchor, just
off Williamstown. There are a fine set of ships
here : amongst them are the Great Britain, Cleo-
patra, Ballaarat, Aberfoil, and an immense number
of others, great and small. The Great Britain
leaves early to-morrow, so I cannot finish my
letter. We have been ninety-five days on our
passage. The Cleopatra has only arrived two
days. There are a great many vessels coming in.
The day before yesterday we overtook and passed
the Jane, and Truth, of London, which left Ply-
mouth a fortnight before we sailed from Dartmouth.
I hear already that things are very dear in Mel-
bourne. Our pilot says he gives 2001. a year for
a small four-roomed cottage, two miles from the
town."
To show how well prepared the young adven-
turer was for life in Australia, — notwithstanding
letters of introduction and means of obtaining
money if required — after remaining only a few
days in Melbourne, and disbursing but a small
modicum of the limited supply of cash he had
taken with him, anxious to see the interior of the
Island Continent, he obtained employment for
FIND EMPLOYMENT AS SHEPHERDS. 17
himself and brother, a lad only fifteen years of
age, at a large shrrp station two hundred miles up
tin* country. The following letter, dated Fe-
bruary 12th, 1853, describes their proceedings to
that date : —
" My dear Father,
" We are at Deniliquin. And where in the
world is that? you will say. Well; it is about
two hundred miles north from Melbourne, on the
Edward River, in the New South Wales district,
and nearly five hundred miles from Sydney. The
station belongs to the Royal Bank Company. We
have engaged as shepherds at 30/. per annum each,
and rations. We are very comfortable, in a hut
by ourselves, about four miles from the station.
We have between thirteen and fourteen hundred
rams, by far the smallest and easiest flock, under
our charge. We take the hut-keeping and shep-
herding in turns. The hut is a very nice one,
built of split wood, and roofed with bark. It is
close beside a pleasant creek or river, where there
are plenty of fish and ducks. I assure you we
make ourselves quite snug here. One of us rises
almost as soon as it is light, gets some breakfast,
and starts off with the sheep ; lets them feed about
until ten o'clock, then brings them slowly home,
where they lie down until four ; after that, they
go out again until sunset. The other stays within
to clean up the hut and prepare the meals. We
c
18 MELBOURNE IN 1853.
can kill a sheep when we like.* The worst part
serves for the dogs, of which we have three — a
sheep dog, and two kangaroo dogs.f The latter
are good, and keep off the native curs at night.
The sheep dog was the only one the former owner
had last year, to watch a flock of five thousand
sheep.
" But you will want to hear something of Mel-
bourne and how we came here. The first dis-
covery we made after we got into port was, that
we had to take ourselves and things ashore at our
own expense. There was a good deal of fuss made
about it to no purpose. It was four shillings each
by steamer to Melbourne, and thirty shillings per
ton for goods. It cost us about 21. altogether.
At Melbourne we found everything very dear ;
no lodgings to be had, every place full. At
length we were offered lodgings at sixty shillings
a week, to be paid in advance, and twenty-five
persons sleeping in the same room ; but we pre-
ferred the Immigrant's Home, a government affair,
just fitted up for the accommodation of new-comers,
where you pay one shilling a night, and find your-
self. You must not stay more than ten days. We
got there on Friday and remained until the Satur-
day week following. We then obtained this situa-
tion, and started on the same afternoon. Twenty-
* Not the rams. There were a few others kept for the purpose. I stayed
a few days with them, when I went out myself, at the end of the year.
t They had a horse when I visited them, but not, I conclude, at the
time when this letter was written.
MI LBOURNE IN 1863. II
tin. o of us came up together. Drays were pro-
vided to carry our luggage, but we ourselves had
to walk. We were three weeks on the journey,
through the bush, sleeping, of course, in the open
air."
He then proceeds to describe Melbourne, as it
then was: —
" Melbourne is situated, as you know, on the
Van a Van a,* which has not nearly so large a
bed as the Dart, although more navigable. It is
narrow but very deep, and so far resembles a
canal rather than a river. The town, or city, as
they call it, is situated low, but laid out on a good
scale. The streets are very wide, and I think
when filled with houses it will be a fine place;
but what spoils the appearance now is, the number
of wooden buildings they are throwing up, as they
not get workmen for others. When we were
there, butter was from two shillings and fourpence
to three shillings per pound, bread fourpence, milk
eightpence per pint, vegetables enormous, butcher's
tiu at and sugar, as at home. Fruit very dear; a
shilling would not purchase as much as a penny in
England. Beer and porter, one shilling per pint
in Melbourne, but from two shillings to two and
sixpence here. The town of Melbourne is all on
one side of the river, but on the opposite bank is
Canvas Town, connected with Melbourne by a
good bridge of one arch. Canvas Town takes its
* A native term, which means "always running.**
c 2
20 MELBOUKNE IN 1853.
name from being entirely composed of tents, except
a few wooden erections, such as a public-house, and
the Immigrant's Home, where we had lodged. I
do not like Melbourne in its present state. You
are not safe out after sundown, and in a short
time you will not be safe during the day. There
were some men taken out of the river drowned,
suspected to have been murdered, and several
attempts at robbery, while we were there. I sold
my box of chemicals, after taking out what I
wanted, for 4/., and the soda-water apparatus for
21. 5s. I also sold some books that we could not
carry, but got nothing for them. Scientific works
do not take. The people who buy everything here
are the gold-diggers, and they want story books.
A person I know brought out 100/. worth of more
serious reading, and sold the lot for 16/.
" We started from Melbourne on a Saturday,
with the drays, eight bullocks to each, laden en-
tirely with the luggage of the party, twenty-three
in number. We made only five or six miles that
afternoon, and slept under some gum trees. Our
clothes were nearly saturated with dew ; but as we
advanced farther inland, the dews decreased, and
in a night or two there was no sign of them. The
land for a few miles is dry and sandy, but improves
as you proceed. The woods extensive, sometimes
without interval for two or three days' march.
There was no scarcity of water, except for the first
fifteen miles, after leaving Melbourne. We en-
ADVICE TO IMMIGRANTS. 21
joyed the journey much, and shot many birds,
which constituted our principal food. Ducks
abound in the creeks,* and up this way there are
fine white cockatoos, which are good eating, and
about the size of a small fowl. There is also a
bird very plentiful here which they call a magpie.
It is somewhat the colour of our magpie, but larger,
and without the long tail ; easily shot and eatable,
and feeds, I believe, much like our wood-pigeons.f
The pigeon here is a beautiful bird, of a delicate
bronze colour, tinged with pink about the neck, and
the wings marked with green and purple. They
are tame, and nicer eating than those at home.
Where we are, we have abundance of food ; plenty
of mutton, and we can get a duck, pigeon, or
cockatoo whenever we like, almost without going
out of sight of our hut, besides a good supply of
fish in the river; Murray cod, which in the
Murray are said sometimes to weigh eighty
pounds, but in our creeks generally run from two
to twelve ; also a kind of mussel, and a fish like a
lobster, not quite so large, but good eating. J
" Every one who comes out does a very foolish
thing in bringing such a quantity of clothes that
he never wants. All you require, even in Mel-
bourne, is a blue shirt, a pair of duck trousers, a
straw hat or wide-awake, and what they call a
jumper here. It is a kind of outside shirt, made
of plaid, or anything you please, reaching just
• Watercourses, running in flood time, but partially dry in dry seasons,
f It feeds more on insects. X Crawfish ; the river lobster
22 ADVICE TO IMMIGRANTS.
balow the hips, and fastened round the waist with
a belt. It would be a very nice dress for Charley.*
I should wear it myself if I were in England. It
ought to be made with a good-sized collar, and
open at the breast, like a waistcoat, only to button
at the neck, if required. We brought out the
wrong sort of straw hat, as they are only fit for
summer, but we sold all but two. One I made
six shillings of, but the cabbage-tree hat is worth
a pound. No one should bring out more than he
can carry on his back, except it be to sell. Boots
and shoes are at a great price, but they should
be thick and strong. Wages are very high for
butchers, carpenters, and bakers. A butcher's boy
can get 31. a week, with board and lodging. Bul-
lock-drivers get the same. Innkeepers are making
fortunes. I know a public-house, not larger than
the * Two Mile Oak,'f that cleared 500Z. in three
months, so it was reported. Sydney, I hear, is as
cheap to live in as London. As to the diggings,
I cannot say much about them. I have seen many
who have made money there, and many who have
lost it again. It is generally spent as fast as it is
got. I hope we shall send you some specimens oi
gold dust soon. Please to give my love to my
mother and all at home.
" From your affectionate and dutiful son,
" W. J. Wills."
* His youngest brother, at home.
t A small public-house between Totnes and Newton.
DESCRIPTIVE LETTERS FROM THE BUSH. 23
His subsequent letters were of the same kind,
descriptive of his management in his shepherd's
lit< in the bush. He tells how he converted legs
of mutton into excellent hams by pickling and
smoking them ; and how he also obtained pre-
serves of melons, by sowing seeds which produced
abundantly. The flies and ants were their greatest
torment, particularly the former. The heat was
not great, as there was a constant breeze from one
(juarter or another. Deniliquin is in between 35°
and 36° S. latitude. The trees are almost exclu-
sively gum trees, but they differ in appearance and
leaves, according to age and locality. This gives
the appearance of variety, when, in fact, there is
none. The wood is hard and splits easily. The
bark is tough and thick, and can be converted into
canoes by closing the ends of a piece taken from
half the circumference of a tree, and tying a cord
round the centre to keep it from spreading. The
colour is of a beautiful red. A moisture some-
times exudes from the leaves in such abundance as
to convey the idea of an animal having been slain
under the branches. It has the smell of carraways
and is agreeably sweet. " How it would delight
Bessy and Hannah," (his young sisters, then quite
children), he says, " to go into the woods, picking
up comfits under the trees !"
He then speaks of the blacks in that district;
of their habits and ideas; but expresses a low
opinion of their intellectual powers, and thinks
24 DESCRIPTIVE LETTERS FROM THE BUSH.
little can be done with them. In May, he wrote
to his mother and myself conjointly, fearing his
former communications might not have reached us,
and briefly recapitulating their purport. I after-
wards heard at Deniliquin that he had successfully
performed a surgical operation. A shearer had
run the point of his shears into the neck of a
sheep, and opened the carotid artery. My son
having a small pocket case of instruments, secured
the vessel and saved the animal. I remember
when it was considered a triumph in practice to
effect this on a human subject. The letter I am now
alluding to concludes by hoping that we were all
as comfortable at home as he and his brother were
in the bush. He never tired of expatiating on
the beauties of Australia and its climate. His
next, in August, gave a more extended account of
local peculiarities and features. Deniliquin is at
this time (1862) a place of considerable import-
ance, with a thriving population. The island on
which my sons shepherded their rams is formed
by two branches of the Edward Eiver, which is
itself a branch of the Murray.
as
CHAPTER III.
I arrive in Australia — Join my two Sons at their Sheep-station — Return
to Melbourne and Remove to Ballaarat — Visit to Mr. Skene — My son
studies Surveying — His rapid proficiency — Appointed to take charge
of a Party — Letters on various subjects to his Mother and Brother at
Home.
In the month of August, 1853, I reached Mel-
bourne, after a good voyage, having obtained an
appointment as superintending surgeon of a
government emigrant ship, commanded by Cap-
tain Young, a perfect sailor, and a gentleman I
shall always remember with pleasurable feelings.
More than two months elapsed before I could
discover where my sons were. Having, at length,
ascertained their locality, I purchased a horse and
performed the journey in four days, resting one
day on the road, at the station of Mr. Jefferies, on
the Campaspe. I started at daylight, and made my
fifty miles before halting, as I generally did about
two p.m. I arrived at the shepherds' hut at five
o'clock on a beautiful summer's evening, having
26 I AERIVE IN AUSTRALIA
remained two hours at the hotel at Deniliquin to
refresh.
Eobberies on the road — stickings up as they are
called — were rife at this period. Thefts also were
common at the resting-houses. A gentleman who
arrived at this hotel, not long before I was there,
took the saddle off his horse, and placed it under
the verandah : when he returned, after leading his
animal to a paddock hard by, he missed the saddle,
which he supposed had been removed by some
person belonging to the house, and threw down
his bridle on the same place. After taking some-
thing to drink with the landlord he said, " You
have got my saddle." — " No." u I left it under
the verandah, where I have just placed my bridle."
On going out to show the spot, the bridle also had
disappeared: both stolen. A good saddle and
bridle at that time would fetch twenty pounds
readily.
At the station I took a native black for my
guide. He brought me to a place where my horse
had nearly to swim across the creek, pointed to a
dry path, exclaimed, " There," then turned his
own animal and rode off. I followed the track for
about three miles, and found myself in front of the
hut. My sons were both at home. Tom called
the attention of his brother to my approach. They
appeared as much astonished as he describes the
blacks near the Gulf of Carpentaria to have been
at sight of himself and companions. Presently
AND JOIN MY S<» 27
came the recognition, a shout of joy, and a greet-
ing such as may readily be imagined, on the part
of two boys on seeing the father they had not long
before supposed to be separated from them by
some sixteen thousand miles.
A few days after, we all left Deniliquin, each
mounted on a horse, my sons having first dis-
interred their money, buried at the foot of a gum
tree on a hillock which they considered as a safe
bank of deposit. It was their intention to have
made a present of the greatest part, 100Z., to their
mother, on the first eligible opportunity of for-
warding it. On our way back we paid a visit
to the Bendigo diggings. William here evinced
his skill as an explorer by leading us, with the
aid of his compass, through a trackless bush, by
which we saved a circuit of several miles. At
Matthison's hotel, on the Campaspe river, where
we halted for the night, an amusing conversation
occurred. In the evening there was a great
gathering of all nations in the parlour. I under-
took to tell the different parties of English, by
their dialect, from what particular quarter they
came. A person present, who articulated with
much difficulty from having nearly lost the roof
of his mouth, declared that he would defy any one
to identify him by his speech. We all agreed
that it exceeded our powers, when he informed us
with a great effort that he was "a Kashman,"
meaning Scotchman.
28 RETURN TO MELBOURNE
On our return to Melbourne, we made prepara-
tions for a removal to Ballaarat. William remained
with me at the latter place for twelve months,
attending to any patient that might come in my
absence. He also opened a gold office adjoining
my tent and did very well. Here he perfected
a plan of his own for weighing specimens con-
taining quartz "and gold, in water, so as to find
the quantity of each component. But he was
ever pining for the bush. The " busy haunts of
men " had no attraction for him. He preferred
the society of a few to that of many, but the
study of nature was his passion. His love was
fixed on animals, plants, and the starry firmament.
With regard to medicine, he used to say that it
was not clear and defined in practice. He wanted
to measure the scope of a disease, and to supply
the remedies by mathematical rule. He saw, too,
that medical men were less valued for their real
worth than for their tact in winning confidence
through the credulity of the public. This was
particularly exemphfied in a gold-field, where the
greatest impostors obtained credit for a time. His
thoughts and conversation also constantly re-
verted to the interior, and to the hope that he
would one day undertake the journey to the Gulf
of Carpentaria. He was anxiously looking out
for a movement in that direction, then often
talked of.
About this period he made a pedestrian ex-
AND REMOVE TO BALLAARAT. 29
cursion to the Wannon, to sojourn for a short time
with a Mr. Skene, a most worthy gentleman, now
no more. He was actively employed at that
place, and wrote to me frequently, describing the
family, to which he was much attached, the whim-
Realities of his landlord — a thorough old Scotian,
who amused himself by waking the echoes of the
wilderness with the bagpipes, — the noble fern trees
and the fine black cockatoos. He also continued
his practice in surgery, but I believe he made no
charge, as, not being duly licensed, he considered
he had no right to do so. He returned to
Bftllaarat in consequence of a communication
through me, from an American gentleman named
Catherwood. On receipt of my letter he lost not
an hour, shouldered his swag (blankets, kit, &c),
took leave of Mr. Skene and family, and walked
to Ballaarat, sleeping one night in the bush, by the
way. On the 22nd of April, 1855, he wrote thus
to his mother :
" My dear Mother,
" I had the pleasure of receiving a letter from
you a fortnight since. I was at Moora Moora
then, as you will see by a letter I wrote just before
I (ime down here, in the hope of joining a party
{that is spoken of as about to explore the interior
of the country, which you appear to have such a
dread of. It seems uncertain whether they will
go at all. As to what you say about people being
30 MY SON TURNS BUILDER.
starved to death in the bush, no doubt it would be
rather disagreeable. But when you talk of being
killed in battle, I am almost ashamed to read it.
If every one had such ideas we should have no
one going to sea for fear of being drowned; no
travellers by railway for fear the engine should
burst ; and all would live in the open air for fear
of the houses falling in. I wish you would read
Coombe's * Constitution of Man.' As regards some
.remarks of yours on people's religious opinions,
it is a subject on which so many differ, that I am
inclined to Pope's conclusion who says « —
• ■ For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight ;
His can't be wrong whose life is in the right ;'
and I think we cannot have a better guide to our
actions than ' to do unto others as we would be
done by.'
'- Ever your affectionate son,
"W.J.Wills.
" P.S. If I go, I will write again before starting."
The expedition he here speaks of turned out
a mere venture to obtain cash, and nothing came
of it. He remained but a short time at Ballaarat,
and never idle. In a month he completed a
wooden addition to my residence, building the
sides, and shingling the roof in a most workman-
like manner. It was perfectly weatherproof, and
stood good for some years, being only taken down
STUDIES SURVEYING UNDER Mb. TAYLOR. 31
when an alteration in the line of the street rendered
its removal necessary. He now wished to study
surveying. My acquaintance with Mr. Taylor,
district surveyor at Ballaarat, obtained for him an
admission as an amateur into his office. He there
to work with his characteristic industry to
perfect himself in trigonometry and Euclid ; draw-
ing and mapping in the office by day, and work-
ing hard in his own room by night. On rising
from bed in the morning, I have found him
sitting as I had left him, working out his point,
for he never deserted anything he had once taken
up until he mastered it. At the expiration of a
few months, Mr. Taylor promised me to introduce
him to a gentleman in the survey department
named Byerly, with a view to reciprocal services.
On the 20th of August, 1856, he speaks for
himself in a letter to his mother from Glendaruel :
" My dear Mother,
" I have at length found time to write to you.
You will no doubt expect a long letter after so
much delay, but I am afraid you will be disap-
pointed, as long letters are not my forte. In your
last, you asked me to send Bessy any information
I could. I can assure you I shall be most happy
to do so, and to encourage her taste for knowledge
as much as lies in my power. I send her Bon-
wick's * Geography of Australia/ which is a very
useful little book, and in most instances correct.
32 LETTER TO HIS MOTHER.
You must not look upon it as infallible. For
instance, he says Lake Burrambeet is in the
Pyrenees, whereas it is more than twenty miles
from those mountains. But this may be a mis-
print. I would recommend you to let the children
learn drawing. I do not mean merely sketching,
but perspective drawing, with scale and compasses.
It is a very nice amusement, and may some day
be found extremely useful. There is another
thing would do them much good, if they should
happen to have a taste for it : this is Euclid. Not
to learn by heart, but to read so as to understand
it. Mathematics generally, and Euclid, and Algebra
in particular, are the best studies young people can
undertake, for they are the only things we can
depend on as true, (of course I leave the Bible
out of the question). Christian and Heathen,
Mahometan and Mormon, no matter what their
religious faith may be, agree in mathematics, if in
nothing else. But I must now tell you something
of your undutiful son. I am learning surveying
under Mr. F. Byerly, a very superior man indeed.
In fact I could not have had a better master had
lie been made to order, for he is a first-rate
surveyor, and we are exactly suited to each other
in our general ideas ; and this, to tell the truth,
is a rare chance for me.
"I am getting 150/. per annum, and rations, but
I hope in twelve months to have a party of my
own. It is just the sort of life for me, nearly
ORDER TO MESSRS. TROUOHTON AND SIMS. 33
always in the bush marking out land for sale, or
laying down unknown parts. It is quite a dif-
ferent thing from surveying in England. Glen-
daruel is fifteen miles from Ballaarat. I saw the
Doctor and Tom a few days since. They were
(juite well ; I hope you are so also. Love to all.
" Your affectionate son,
" W. J. Wills."
He was appointed to the charge of a field party
before the time he expected. I was anxious to
give him a set of surveying instruments, and
requested him to send me a list and an order to
the best London maker for such as he wanted.
He transmitted the following letter, which marks
the progress of his knowledge, to be forwarded to
Messrs. Trough ton and Sims, Fleet Street. I
obtained it very recently from that house.
" March 20th, 1857.
" Sirs,
u I shall be much obliged by your executing
iIh following order as quickly as possible, and at
your most reasonable prices.
1. One four-inch theodolite, best & «• <*•
construction . . . . 21
2. One of Troughton's best reflect-
ing circles, eight-inch radius,
divided on silver . . . 23
3. One prismatic compass, three and
a-half inch, with silver ring . 5 5
D
34 ORDER TO MESSRS. TROUGHTON AKD SIMS
4. One six-inch semicircular pro- £ - 8 - d -
tractor, with Yernier . .330
5. One glass plane artificial hori-
zon, ordnance pattern , .440
6. One brass rolling parallel ruler,
two feet long ; must not weigh
less than five pounds
7. One twelve-inch brass sector . 10
8. One set of six-inch ivory plot-
ting-scales, with offset scales
complete . . • .400
9. Two steel straight-edges, three
feet each.
10. Four sixty feet land chains.
11. One small compact case of good
sector-jointed, drawing instru-
ments with ivory parallel ruler 3 3
12. One very small achromatic tele-
scope of the strongest make,
not to exceed six inches in
length, when closed . .10
13. A small chemical blowpipe with
ivory mouthpiece, and two pla-
tina tips ; also some platina foil
and wire .
14. Two Nautical Almanacs, 1858
and 1859.
Leather cases and straps for
theodolite, circle, and prismatic
compass. A catalogue of instru-
ments with prices.
mi; suBYirma instruments. 35
" N.B. I should wish the theodolite and circles
to be packed very d ill '« ivui lv from t lie usual way,
as many instruments are seriously injured by the
box warping either inwards or outwards ; in the
one case pressing too much on the instruments,
and in the other, which is worse, leaving them
too much space, so that they shake about when-
ever the box is carried. The consequence is that
the screws loosen, the glasses fall out of the
telescopes, and the instruments become unfit for
use just when they are most wanted. I think
these evils may be avoided by having the parts of
the box which touch any instrument well padded
with the most elastic materials, and for it to be
supported entirely on steel springs, strong enough
to keep it firmly in its place, and with sufficient
play to allow the box to warp without injury to
any of the contents. I also wish an improvement
in the stand of the theodolite, which ought not to
be smaller than that of the five-inch one, and the
joints made of the metals least likely to sustain
damage from friction. The cap-piece should be
nearly twice the depth, vertically, and cut out of
one solid piece of metal. I subjoin a sketch of it,
with the dimensions. It may be made of what-
ever metal you think proper. There is no harm
in having iron about it, because we seldom require
to use the needle. My reason for wanting this
improvement is, that the legs get loose so quickly
from the wearing away of brass, and that the
D 2
36 THE ORDER SATISFACTORILY EXECUTED.
many small surfaces in contact are too dispro-
portionate to their length. Strength and dura-
bility are of far more consequence than lightness,
as we have not the facilities for getting things
repaired here that you have in England. The
figures I have placed opposite to the instruments
described are not supposed to be the exact prices,
but merely suggested as guides. I hope you will
do the best you can with the improvements men-
tioned, especially in the mode of packing the
larger articles. Please also to insure them to the
full value.
" I have the honour to be,
" Gentlemen,
" Your obedient servant,
" W. J. Wills."
He then in a postscript makes some suggestions
as to the graduation of the scales. The instru-
ments were sent out in the shortest possible time and
gave great satisfaction. On departing for his last
fatal expedition, he requested me, should he not
return, to give all his remaining instruments to
his friend Mr. Byerly, for whom his high esti-
mation never abated. This injunction I fulfilled
as far as in my power. Any person who may
happen to be in charge of some that I had not,
will I trust deliver them to their lawful owner,
Frederick Byerly, Esq., Surveyor, Melbourne.
About the time I am now referring to, I was
HIS SKILL IN THE USB OF INSTRUMENTS. 37
often congratulated by gentlemen of the Survey-
ing Department, who were acquainted with my
son, on his rapid progress in the difficult branches of
the science. One, in particular, said ■ " I consider it
wonderful that your son should have mastered this
business almost by his own exertions, whilst I
have cost my father nearly a thousand pounds in
England, under first-rate teachers, and am glad
to go to him for information on many points."
Mr. Byerly too, who is not given to flatter, when
I thanked him for having so ably instructed and
brought my son forward in so short a time, replied :
" Don't thank me ; I really believe he has taught
me quite as much as I have taught him." In
my own experience, his queries and suggestions
led me to investigate many things, which I had
slightly considered, without thoroughly under-
standing them. He had a rare gift of ascertaining
in a very short time the use of any instrument
put into his hands, and could detect at a glance
its defects, if such existed. In the early part of
1858, a gentleman who had made errors in his
surveys asked him to look over some of his instru-
ments. William, on taking one into his hand,
said at once, with a smile j " If you work with this,
you will find many errors." "That is why I
asked you," replied the owner. " I have been
purveying with it, and have committed nothing
but mistakes." So much were people in the habit
of praising him, that it carried my thoughts back
33 LETTER TO HIS BROTHER.
to my Latin Grammar, and the quotation from
Terence : —
M Omnes omnia
Bona dicere et laudare fortunas meas,
Qui gnatum haberem tali ingenio prseditum."
For himself, he was perpetually lamenting to me
that at school he had not received more mathe-
matical instruction ; that the time spent in classics
exclusively, was, for many, time thrown away. But
I must do his late master the justice of saying, that
when he first received him under his tuition, he
showed little fondness for mathematics in general,
although he had a taste for algebra. The two
following letters, to his brother and mother,
bearing the same date, in the spring of 1858,
were despatched from the out-station where he was
engaged in a survey.
" St. Arnaud, April 10th, 1858.
" Dear Charley,
" I do not think you have written a letter to
me since we have been out here. It gave me
much pleasure to see yours to the Doctor. I wish
you could be here, instead of working for 40/. or
501. s, year at home, out of which you can save
very little. Here you might be getting at least
100/., and nothing to find yourself but clothes.
But it will not do for you to come until the Doctor
goes home. I want you to write and tell rne if
you have any taste for any particular profession,
and if you have been making good use of your
spare time, in reading useful works. You should
LETTER TO HIS BROTH I -i:. 39
remember never to waste a minute; always be
doing something. Try and find out what things
you have most taste for, as they are what you
should study most ; but get a general knowledge
of all the sciences. Whatever else you learn, don't
forget mathematics and the sciences more imme-
ly deduced from them, (at the head of which
stands astronomy,) if you have any love of truth —
and if you have not, you have none of your
mother's Mood in you. Mathematics are the
foundation of all truth as regards practical science
in this world ; they are the only things that
can be demonstrably proved ; no one can dispute
them. In geology, chemistry, and even in
astronomy, there is more or less of mere matter of
opinion. For instance, in astronomy we do not
know for certain what the sun or stars are made
of, or what the spots are on the sun, and a few
details of that kind; but the main mathematical
principles cannot be disputed. The distance and
size of the sun or of any of the planets can be
] roved; the length of their days and years, and
even the weight of the matter of which they are
composed. Such tilings will probably appear to
you impossible, if you have read nothing of them ;
especially when you hear that the sun is ninety-five
millions of miles off, and that the planet Neptune,
wliich is the farthest known planet from the sun,
is at such a distance that the light of the sun takes
about Eve houre to reach it; that is, the sun is
40 LETTER TO HIS BROTHER.
actually five hours above the horizon before the
people there see it rise. Its distance is 2850
millions of miles, and the sun as seen by them is
not larger than Yenus appears to us when an
evening star. And although this planet is so
distant that it can only be seen with large
telescopes, they can not only compute its distance
and size, but also the mass of matter of which it is
composed. But you will find all this thrown into
the shade by the way in which it was discovered.
As I may be telling you what you know already,
I will merely state, that from observed perturba-
tions in the course of the planet Uranus, it was
supposed that another planet was in existence
beyond it ; and two competitors set to work to
calculate its size, situation, &c. The result was,
the discovery of this other planet within a few
minutes of the place pointed out by them, and its
size, &c, not very different from what they esti-
mated it at. But besides this, astronomy includes
matters more intimately mixed up with our every-
day affairs. In the Nautical Almanacs, which are
constructed for several years in advance, the
situations and nearly everything connected with
the different planets are calculated for every day
in the year, and can be found, if required, for any
minute in any day you please, for 10,000 years
to come. Also the eclipses of the sun or moon,
with the exact moment at which they will com-
mence or end, at any spot on the earth ; the exact
LETTER TO HIS BROTHER. 41
portion eclipsed, or, in fact, anything about it you
like to mention for any given number of years in
advance. Not only this, but you can find the
eclipses of Jupiter's moons with the same pre-
cision. Now is there anything to be compared
with this? But if astronomy led to no other end
than the mere gaining of knowledge, or the
assistance of commerce, it would take a far lower
stand than it is really entitled to. As the great
object of the science is the correction of error and
the investigation of truth, it necessarily leads all
those that feel an interest in it to a higher appre-
ciation and desire for truth ; and you will easily
perceive that a man having a knowledge of all
these vast worlds, so much more extensive than
our own, must be capable of forming a far higher
estimate of that Almighty Being who created all
these wonders, than one who knows nothing more
than the comparatively trifling things that sur-
round us on earth.
" I send you 3/., with which you are to get the
following books for yourself and the girls :
Dr. Lardner's Museum of Science and
Art, in six double volumes . . .
Chambers' Mathematics, Parts 1 and 2,
and Chambers' Mathematical Tables,
each
A Nautical Almanac for next year .
The Art of Reasoning, or the Prin-
ciple* of Logic, by Samuel Niel . 4 G
£.
8.
d.
1
1
3
6
2
6
42 LETTER TO HIS BROTHER.
Twelve planispheres, forming a guide £• s - d >
to the stars for every night in the
year, with an introduction ... 6 6
" ' Lardner's Museum of Science and Art ' is one
of the best books that has ever been written. It
includes a general knowledge of nearly everything
you can think of, and will be as useful to Bessy
and Hannah as to you.
" ' Chambers' Mathematics/ contain all that you
are likely to require in that branch, with the
exception of Euclid and Algebra, both of which
you must get, unless you have them. You. will
need some one to assist you and explain points in
the mathematics and algebra, otherwise your
progress will be very slow. But remember that
whenever you have puzzled over a problem for
some time, and cannot understand it, do not give
it up altogether, but leave it for a few days or
weeks and then try it again. It will then, very
likely, appear quite simple, and you will be
astonished that you did not make it out before.
You will find the 'Nautical Almanac' very use-
ful,* not only in giving you an idea of astrono-
mical problems, but also for ascertaining the par-
ticulars of any strange stars you may see, or where
to look for the different planets, &c. With the
help of the twelve maps you will soon be ac-
quainted with all the principal fixed stars.
" You should carefully study the ' Art of Reason-
ing,' as it is what most people are very deficient in,
LETTER TO HIS BROTHER. 43
and I know few things more disagreeable than to
argue, or even converse with a man who has no
idea of inductive and deductive philosophy. After
getting the books I have mentioned, you may
spend the balance in any others you please, but
remember, they must be scientific ones. If you
wfite to Walton and Maberley, 27 Ivy Lane,
Paternoster Row, they will send you a catalogue
of books published by them, in which you will
find descriptions of nearly all that I have men-
tioned and plenty of others. You can order those
you want direct from them, or get them through
a local stationer. I expect you to acquire some
practice at printing, and ornamental writing, in
the Bank. If you have a steady hand, you should
exercise yourself at it as much as possible, and
leant mechanical drawing at the same time.
Draftsmen get well paid out here, and are greatly
in demand. Being able to print neatly and evenly
is the main point : all the rest is easily learned.
My hand is very unsteady, as you may see by my
writing; I do not think I shall ever be able to
write a decent hand. One other piece of advice
I must give you before I shut up ; that is, never
try to show off your knowledge, especially in
scientific matters. It is a sin that certain persons
w, know have been guilty of. The first step is to
learn your own ignorance, and if ever you feel
inrlined to make a display, you may be sure that
you have as y«t 1« ;irned nothing. I think I nmsl
44 LETTER TO HIS MOTHER.
write to mamma next time. Give my love to her,
the girls, old Anne, Aunt M., Miss E., &c, and
when you write tell me what has become of
Farwell, and any others of our schoolmates you
may know about.
" Your affectionate brother,
" William J. Wills."
" St. Arnaud, April 10th, 1858.
" My dear Mother,
" It is all very well to say write about any-
thing, but it is easier said than done. You will
find that I have written Charley a long letter, and
I had no idea of doing so when I began, as you
see I commenced on note paper. But what would
be the use of my writing to you on such subjects,
and all others are soon disposed of ? (You would not
think I was a surveyor, to look at the parallelism
of these lines.) You tell me in one of your letters
to write about myself. That is a very poor subject,
and one that a mother should not recommend to
a son. My father sent me a letter of yours a few
weeks ago, and I cannot say whether it most
amused or pained me to see the extraordinary way
in which you rush to conclusions. Your argument
appears to be this: J. is acquainted with a Mr. T.
another Mr. T. has taken out some Miss G-. G.'s,
about whom there are scandalous reports (which
are as likely to be false as true) : therefore J. is
sure to fall in love with one of the Miss Gr. G.'s.
LBTTBB TO HIS MO'J I 45
As it happens, J. has not had the pleasure of
meeting any of the Miss G. G.'s, and it is quite
probable that he never may, as Australia is not a
little place like Totnes; and 1 do not think he
would have any wish to connect himself with the
G. family, or with any family in marriage, at
present. There is another thing, my dear mother,
in that letter. You talk about high and low
people ; I presume you use the words in a very dif-
ferent sense from that in which I understand them.
I consider nothing low but ignorance, vice, and
meanness, characteristics generally found where
the animal propensities predominate over the
higher sentiments. I have yet to learn that there
is anything high about the TVs. Mr. T. is a jolly
little man, and lives more like a gentleman than
most of the people about the bush; but he has
rather a tendency to the animal development than
otherwise, which makes it probable that there may
be some truth in the reports alluded to.
" From what I can judge of this dear son of yours
he is not likely, I think, to do anything very rashly 5
and as for getting married, he will not be in a
position to think of that for several years ; and if
ever he does, I hope it will be to some one at least
equal to himself in education. Give my love to
Bessy and Hannah. I do not think it would do
them any harm to write a letter sometimes. I
expect Bessy was tired long ago of the algebra
you were talking so much about.
46 EXTRACTS FROM LETTER
Does it ever enter your head that it would be a
good thing for all of you to come out here in a few
years, when the girls have finished their education ?
This country is undergoing great changes for the
better. Now the rush to the diggings is over,
people are beginning to live like civilized human
beings. In a few years everything will be as
settled as in England, and we shall be able to
live much cheaper.
" Believe me ever, my dear mother,
" Your affectionate son,
" William J. Wills."
From a letter to myself of the 6th of June,
which was rather a long one, I give only the
following extracts : —
" What you say about this world I do not quite
agree with ; I think it a very good world, and
only requires a person to be reasonable in his
expectations, and not to trust too much to others.
It appears to be almost equally divided into three
principal classes — honest fools, foolish rogues,
and honest rational beings. Some may add an-
other class, but there are so few belonging to it —
scarcely one in ten thousand — that I think it
should be ranked amongst the phenomena of
nature. I mean, the successful rogues — men who
do things neatly, and escape being found out.
The first and second are often useful to each other ;
the third benefit by the first and second, inas-
TO HIS FATII 47
much as they learn by their experience, without
paying for it themselves." He then cautions me
ftgainst certain money speculations. Another
paragraph says: "I find I am likely to change
iiiv stat i< m, hut have no instructions as yet. I do
not care if they keep me here another month. I
have first-rate neighbours, a Mr. and Mrs. M.,
who live just across the creek ; very nice people,
and no humbug. Mr. M. resembles you in many
ways." He then mentions a colt he had reared,
called Nelly; says she goes in and out of the
tent as if she had been born in it, shakes hands
with any one as soon as asked, and carries Mr.
M.'s little boy Willie on her back with perfect
gentleness. On his way back to Melbourne, he
taught a colt of mine, in two or three days, to
be equally docile, until it became the pet of the
community. It was reared by hand, and I fear I
lost it through the kindly-meant attention of one
of my neighbours.
In the summer of 1858 he went down to
Melbourne in consequence of a disagreement be-
tween Mr. Byerly and the Chief Commissioner of
Land and Works at that time, Mr. Duffy. He
was not then employed in the regular survey, but
took occasional contracts, under Mr. Hodgkinson,
Deputy Surveyor General, who always expressed
his admiration of his character. A letter to his
mother at this date says : —
48 LETTER TO HIS MOTHER.
" Melbourne, August 15th, 1858.
" My dear Mother,
" I have again to plead guilty of the sin of
omitting to write. It is many months since I have
heard from you, and as for Charley and the girls,
they do not write at all. I have just left the bush
and am living, for the present, in town. The
change is pleasant, after being so long in the bush.
Melbourne is wonderfully altered since I last saw it.
There are some very fair buildings in it now, and
things are a little cheaper than they used to be. I
am, of course, living in lodgings, and am fortunate In
getting into a comfortable house ; a private family
with no other lodgers, and Mrs. H. takes almost
as much care of me as you would. It is quite
strange, and at the same time amusing to me, to
see her anxiety about my eating, drinking, catch-
ing cold, and all that sort of thing, as I have been
so long unaccustomed to these little attentions. I
am sure if some of you who have never been away
from home were to see how we live in the bush,
you would not expect us to survive more than a
few weeks, and yet it does us no harm whatever.
I passed through Ballaarat on my way down, and
spent a few days with my father. He was
looking better than he used to be, very healthy,
and not so stout. It is astonishing how little he
eats, and yet is always complaining of having
eaten too much. I expect it will be the same with
me. I have as good an appetite as ever, but I can
I.KTTKi; TO HIS MOTHER. 49
live on much less food than other people can. I
hope Charley has the books I told him to get. I
send you with this a Victoria ' News Letter/ which
will save me the trouble of writing what I suppose
you will care little to hear, so I have no more
news to tell you ; and with best love to
&c. &c,
" Believe me, my dear mother,
" Your affectionate son,
" William J. Wills."
As I shall have occasion to allude to this letter
in a subsequent portion of my narrative, I wish the
latter part of it, with regard to eating, may be
borne in mind.
50
CHAPTER IV.
My Son is appointed to the Magnetic Observatory at Melbourne, under
Professor Neumayer — His Rapid Advance in tbe Study of Magnetism
and Mineralogy — Letters to his Relatives at Home, descriptive of his
Pursuits, Wishes, and Sentiments — First Suggestions of his Probable
Employment on the Exploring Expedition.
In November, 1858, my son received an appoint-
ment in the Magnetic Observatory at Melbourne,
then recently established under Professor Neu-
mayer, on the recommendation of Mr. Ligar, the
Surveyor-General. This gentleman had his eye
on him, as he told me himself, to succeed the
professor, in the event of his returning to his
native country, Germany ; and also with the view
of his being employed, on attaining a thorough
knowledge of magnetic science, in the geodetic
survey of the colony. Such was the progress he
made, that Mr. Ellery, superintendent of the
astronomical observatory at Williamstown, tried
to dissuade him from engaging in the exploratory
expedition, when formed. But notwithstanding
the prospect of double pay and less danger, he
APPOINTED TO THE MAGNETIC OBSERVATORY. 51
led to his long-cherished desire of being one
of the first to reach the Gulf of Carpentaria over-
land l>y a direct route, north from Melbourne ; and
therefore resolved to " set his life upon a cast, and
si and the hazard of the die."
I now give a series of extracts from his letters
to his mother, sisters, and brother, written during
his residence at the Observatory. They indicate
his character, sentiments, and occupations more
distinctly than I could do by rendering them in
my own words. lie and his chief boarded to-
gether; a great advantage, as it gave him the
opportunity, even at table, of conversing on his
favourite subjects, astronomy and magnetism. At
times, he feared that he should lose this position.
One cause of apprehension was, that the local
parliament would discontinue the grant for the
Observatory ; another, that superior interest might
wrest it from him, as he had not been regularly
appointed to the staff by Government, but by
Mr. Ligar himself, who had seen, by intercourse
with him during the survey, that he was putting
u the right man in the right place." In a letter
10 me, December, 1858, he says: "I hope I shall
not have to go into the bush again, I like Mel-
bourne and my present occupation so much. But
everything must be uncertain until after Christ-
mas, as all depends on Parliament voting money for
the Observatory. Should they not allow the neces-
sary sum, I must return to surveying once more."
E 2
52 LETTER TO HIS MOTHER.
" Magnetic Observatory, Melbourne,
" MY DEAR MOTHER, March 16th, 1859.
" It gave me much pleasure to receive a letter
from you by the last mail ; but I can assure you
that I am always so busy, and the time passes so
quickly, that I had almost forgotten to write to
you until it was too late, as the mail closes early
to-morrow morning. I am now living at the
Observatory, Professor Neumayer having kindly
given me a room here, which is a great advantage
in many ways. I hope that Charley will take
every opportunity of learning the things I men-
tioned in a letter to him some time ago, more
especially mathematical drawing : and that I shall
see in the next letter I receive from him that he
has changed his mind as regards the profession he
said he had a taste for. I wish he would find out
for me whether there is a translation into English
of Colonel Savage's ' Practical Astronomy.' It is
a Russian work, and the place to inquire is of
some of the booksellers in London who confine
themselves to foreign publications. I like my
present employment more and more every day.
My only trouble is the want of time. I hope you
all find your time pass as easily as I do ; if the
girls do not, they may as well kill some of it by
writing letters. I have so much to do that I must
conclude, with love to all.
u Ever, my dear mother,
" Your affectionate son,
" William J. Wills."
LETTER TO HIS MOTHER. 53
" Magnetic Obeervatofcy,
June 17th, 1859.
" My dear Mother,
" It was ray intention to have sent yon a
stereoscopic photograph of your dear son by this
mail; but owing to pressure of business I have
been unable to get it done in time. I must there-
fore leave it until next month. I received a letter
from Ballaarat a day or two ago, containing one
from you to my father ; you say something in it
about not hearing from me. I do not understand
how that is, as I have been wonderfully regular
lately, and have sent a letter every month to one
of you. I am sorry to hear that the winter has
been so mild, for I fear that may cause much
damage from frost in the spring. We have had
a considerable quantity of rain here already, which
is a great benefit to the country generally, but
makes it rather unpleasant in Melbourne. Won-
derful improvements have been made in our public
library lately. It is now really a splendid one ;
in fact there are very few better anywhere. I
enclose a ' News Letter/ which is a great conveni-
ence to lazy fellows, or to those who have too
much work. Give my love to all, and
" Believe me, my dear mother,
" Your affectionate son,
• William J. Wills."
54
LETTER TO HIS SISTER.
# " Magnetic Observatory, Melbourne,
June 17th, 1859.
" My dear Bessy,
" I must write a few lines to you, more espe-
cially as I wrote to Hannah by the last mail ; but
mind, I must have a long answer by return of
post. I want to know whether Charles got the
maps of the stars that I told him to get some time
ago. If so, he should begin at once to keep a
register of meteors. In the first place, let him get
a book — a good copybook would do — and rule it
according to the following form, to which I have
attached an example : —
!
4
i
1
i
Altitude.
Azimuth.
Description of its situa-
tion with respect to
certain Stars.
1
o
ft
o
At com-
mence-
ment.
At end.
At com-
mence-
ment.
At end.
At com-
mencement.
At end.
1
June 1
8 p.m.
35°
2Q*
N.E.
E.byS.
2° or 3°
below
Spica.
To An-
tares.
i
i
o
8
a
i
o
2
I
i
*
O
6
i
i
o
J
1
*
§
1
ft
REMARKS.
1
May 2
5°
Yellow
1"
3"
Small, but very bright.
W.
" The time should be very carefully noted. If
there is anything in the form that he does not
understand he must ask me about it when he
writes. The altitude and azimuths will only be
LETTER TO HIS SIST! 66
approximate, but the main thing is to see how the
shooting stars are situated with reference to the
fixed stars. It is of great importance to note these
meteors, even the small ones, as very little is yet
known of them ; and every observation, if care-
fully made, will some day help to show what they
are. The object in noting the stars they pass by
is this : that if two or more observers see the same
meteor from places several miles from one another,
the comparison of their observations will generally
give a means of ascertaining the distance of the
meteor from the earth. But it is getting late, and
I will write to Charley more about it by next
mail ; only tell him to make himself well ac-
quainted with the stars. Give my love to him
and Hannah, your aunt M., and old Anne; and
tell me in your next how the latter is getting on :
and do not forget to let me know all about Charley
and how he spends his time. I am afraid that you
little girls take him out walking too much, and
make him read pretty stories instead of the books
he ought to be studying.
" Your affectionate brother,
" William J. Wills."
" Magnetic Observatory, Melbourne,
July 14th, 1859.
"My dkak Mother,
" The news by the last mail has put us all in
a state of excitement about our defences, in the event
illghud being involved in the continental war.
56 LETTER TO HIS MOTHER.
Melbourne is badly situated in case of an invasion.
There is at present not the least protection ; and
unless the home government sends us out two
or three good war steamers, we shall most cer-
tainly get a good thrashing some day. The
French have possession of the island of New
Caledonia, which is not very far from here, and is
a convenient place of rendezvous for them. I see
by your letter to my father that you are rather
afraid the French may invade England. For my
part I believe they have more sense. It is the
most hopeless thing they can attempt. I send you
two or three photographs ; they are very poor,
and not stereoscopic as I intended. The artist
made a failure of the matter and gave me these.
He is going to try it again some day with a better
camera ; but as that would be too late for the mail
I must send you these now, and you may expect
better next time. I find that the mail is to close
this afternoon instead of Monday morning, but
if a supplementary bag should be made up on
Monday I will write again. I hope that in future
you will direct my letters to Melbourne instead of
Ballaarat, for I seldom get them until the return
mail is about to start. We have had some rather
cold weather lately ; that is, the thermometer has
been below thirty-two degrees once or twice,
which is cold for us. I am glad to hear that
Charley has been appointed to the Bank, as it is a
good thing for all parties at present. I fear that
UTTER TO HIS MOTH K II. 57
I shall be unable to send you a * News Letter * this
time. I wish you would tell me whether you find
anything of interest in them ; also whether you
would like to have the ' Argus' sometimes. Adieu
for the present, my dear mother,
" Your affectionate son,
" William J. Wills."
" August 6th, 1859.
" My dear Mother,
" You see I have sent you the ' News Letter '
for this month, with a long account of an unfor-
tunate shipwreck that happened on the coast last
month. It is a wonder how those passengers that
were saved managed to exist so long without food.
The only reasonable explanation that has been
offered is, that as they were continually wet, from
the sea breaking over them, a large quantity of
moisture must have been absorbed by the skin,
otherwise they could never have lived so long
\\ itliout fresh water. It must have been an aw k-
ward situation to be in. I fancy I would rather
have been drowned at once ; but it is not easy to
judge how we should feel under the circumstances*
unless we had tried it. As Pope says, ' Hope
springs eternal in the human breast ; man never
is,' &c. (of course you know the rest). It strikes
me that the height of happiness is, to hope ever) -
thing and expect nothing, because you have all
the satisfaction of hope, and if you get nothing
58 LETTER TO HIS MOTHER.
you are not disappointed ; but if you obtain what
you want, you are agreeably surprised.
" Your affectionate son,
" William J. Wills."
" Flagstaff Observatory, Melbourne,
August 15th, 1859.
" My dear Mother,
" I am glad to be able to acknowledge the
receipt by this mail of the first letter that you
have sent to me direct since I have been in
Melbourne. It is satisfactory to know that you
are pleased with the ■ News Letters ;' I must endea-
vour to send them regularly. I had a letter from
my father to-day. He has received yours, which
we feared was lost, as he saw nothing of it for
some days after the mail was in ; but he found it
at Bath's Hotel. One must make some little
allowance for a mother's partiality in your account
of B. and H. ; I hope your prejudice against
novels does not prevent their reading those of
Thackeray and Dickens, every one of whose works,
especially the former, should be read by them, for
they contain some of the best things, both in a
moral and literary point of view, that we have in
the English language. I shall be more careful in
future about the postage; and now, my dear
mother, with love to yourself and all,
" I remain,
" Your affectionate son,
" William J. Wills."
LETTER TO HIS MOTIIF.H. 59
"Flagstaff Observatory, Melbourne,
September 15th, 1859.
44 My dear Mother,
•* I was rather disappointed at not receiving
a letter from any one by the last mail. I have
not heard from my father since it arrived. I con-
clude he has not sent me your letters to him,
flunking that I have received some myself. I
suppose you are all glad that the war has ended so
unexpectedly. It is to be hoped that the peace
will be a permanent one, although people here
generally appear to think that it will not prove so.
The election of members for our lower house will
soon terminate. Judging from the results already
known, we are likely to have a curious Parliament
this time. Our winter is nearly over. Last night
there was a festival held in honour of Alexander
von Humboldt. It was unfortunately a very wet
evening, which prevented a great many from
attending who would otherwise have been there.
I hope you are all in good health. It would have
pleased you much to have seen the two splendid
auroras, of which I have sent Charley a descrip-
tion. At one time it was light enough to read a
newspaper out of doors, after the moon went down.
I must now say adieu. With much love to all,
14 Believe me, my dear mother,
" Your affectionate son,
"William J. Wills."
60 LETTER TO HIS BROTHER.
" Melbourne, September 15th, 1859.
" My dear Charley,
" I send you by this mail two accounts of
auroras, which we have had the pleasure of
observing here, one on the 28th ult., and the other
on the 2nd inst. I would recommend you to take
care of these papers, as you may find it very
interesting to refer to them at some future period.
You will perhaps be so good as to let me know
by return of post whether anything of the kind
was observed in England about the same time ;
and be careful to state the dates and hours, &c,
as exactly as possible. You will find much, in the
reports I have sent you, to object to, in the
manner of expression and the words used ; but you
must make due allowance for their having been
written by a German (Professor Neumayer). I
have corrected some of the most prominent errors
in the second, I wish you would look out for
every description of auroras that may appear in
the newspapers, as well as for the phenomena
themselves. You might always cut out the
paragraphs, and put them in a letter ,• and in
the event of your seeing one yourself, you might
write a description, being particular to note the
time of the different phases as nearly as you can.
By just taking this small amount of trouble you
will be rendering a much greater service to the
science of magnetism than you imagine ; for one of
the most important points is to establish or prove
UBTTKH TO His BBOTHBB, ■ 61
the existence of a simultaneity in the Northern
and Southern Lights.
" If you have yet obtained those books that I
told you some time ago to get, you will find some
rl< nientary information on the subject in them,
particularly in Lardner's ■ Museum of Science and
Art/
" I suppose I shall hear by the next mail
whether you have been able to obtain for me
Savage's ' Practical Astronomy/ I want to trouble
you with another commission of the same kind,
viz., to find out whether there is a translation
from the German into English of Professor Carl
Kr« il's 'Introduction to Magnetic Observations,
2nd edition, Vienna, 1858/ I fear you will have
some trouble in getting this book for me, but it is
of great importance that I should have it if pos-
sible. It may not be translated yet, but it
certainly will be before long. Whenever you get
any catalogues of scientific books from the pub-
lishers in London, you might send them to me in
a letter ; or if they are too bulky, you have only
to put a strip of paper round, and send it as a
book, without letter or writing. The postage is
sixpence for four ounces, and threepence for
every two ounces* more, up to three pounds, which
is the greatest weight that may be sent in one
parcel ; its dimensions must not exceed two feet
in any direction.
" They have just succeeded in raising the two
62 ' LETTER TO HIS MOTHER.
thousand pounds here, by subscription, that was
wanted towards an exploration fund, for fitting
out an expedition, that will probably start for the
interior of our continent next March. Camels
have been sent for, to be used in places where
horses cannot go. You would be astonished at
the number of applications that are being made
by people anxious to join the expedition. Nine-
tenths of them would wish themselves home again
before they had been out three months. Grive my
love to the two girls, and believe me, my dear
Charley,
" Your affectionate brother,
" William J. Wills."
" Flagstaff Observatory,
" Melbourne, November 18th, 1859.
" My dear Mother,
" The homeward mail closes in about half an
hour, so that I have very little time to write. The
mail did not arrive here until a few days ago, being
more than a week after time. I was glad to receive
your short letter. We have had a very pleasant
spring this year ; not so many hot winds as usual.
I have mentioned in my letter to B that it is
probable I shall be going up the country again in
a few months, but that need not make any differ-
ence in the address of my letters, as Professor
Neumayer will have the best opportunities of for-
warding them to me. We have lately had a visit
from Dr. Hochstelter, a German professor, who
i;i:mai:ks itun tiii: i.ktti:
came out in the ■ Novara,' an Austrian frigate, sent
by the Austrian government to make a scitnt i ti«-
inin icuiul the world. Dr. Hochstelter isa geolo-
gjflt, and has made a geological survey of Nov
Zealand. He exhibited a few evenings ago at our
philosophical institute a great number of maps
which In has compiled during the short time he
remained on the island, and stated many very in-
teresting facts connected with them. From what
he says, there is no place in the world, except Ice-
land, where boiling springs and geysers are so
large and plentiful. The doctor goes home by this
mail, and 1 suppose there will soon be a good work
published by him, giving a description of all he
has seen. I hope to visit New Zealand as soon as
I return from the interior of this country.
" Ever your affectionate son,
" William J. Wills."
It will be perceived by the foregoing letters how
diligently and anxiously he corresponded with his
mother, sisters, and brother in England, and how
anxiously he desired the mental improvement of
the latter. In his next communications he pre-
jnivs tin in for the probability of his being one of
exploring party. Yet he wrote on the subject
as he had done to me, with reserve, until the
matter should be finally settled. He knew the
aiixu ty it would occasion, and in the event of his
not obtaining the appointment he so earnestly
64 LETTER TO HIS SISTER.
sought for, he wished to avoid creating that
anxiety unnecessarily.
The same mail which bore his letter of the 18th
of November to his mother, carried also the
following to his sister :
"My dear Bessy,
" I do not mean to bother you with such a
long letter this time as I did last month, and
which I hope reached you. I rather expected to
have received the photograph I wrote to you for
by the last mail. I wish you would indite some
good long letters by return of post, as it will pro-
bably be the last, or very nearly so, that I shall
get from you for many months. It seems very
likely that I shall be leaving Melbourne in March,
to accompany the expedition for the exploration
of the interior of this continent. It is calculated
that we shall be away for about three years. It
may be more, but it is not likely to be much less.
It is not yet certain that I shall go. In fact, nothing
is decided, not even who will be the leader ; but I
thought it would be as well to mention it to you
now, as your answer to this cannot reach me until
March. But remember that my going away need
not prevent your writing frequently ; for it is
likely there will be occasional means of communi-
cation with Melbourne for the first six months,
and Professor Neumayer will take every opportu-
nity of forwarding my letters. It is quite possible
LKTTER TO HIS SISTER. 66
that I may not go, but it is more likely that I shall,
as Professor N. is very anxious that I should, to
Blake magnetic and meteorological observations,
and he is on the Exploration Committee. If you
have not been able to get the books I wrote for,
for myself, you may as well leave them for the
present. I have been indulging greatly in operas
lately. I can understand that sort of music better
than high-flown oratorios. The operatic company
at the Theatre Royal is not first-rate, but as good
as we can expect to have in a new colony like this.
The pieces they have ' given are * II Trovatore,'
* Lucia di Lammermoor,' * Lucrezia Borgia,' and
' La Sonnambula ;' the latter is a delightful one, but
they cannot manage it satisfactorily, some of the
songs are so difficult of execution.
" Please to give my love, &c, &c.
" Your affectionate brother,
« William J. Wills."
The following reply to his mother alludes to
the circumstance, which she had mentioned, of an
aurora borealis, having appeared in England.
This completes his letters for 1859.
" Flagstaff Observatory,
December 18 tb, 1869.
" My dear Mother,
" Your letter of the 17th of October arrived
here by the ' Columbian ' only three or four days
after time, which is a wonderful piece of punctuality
p
G6 LETTER TO HIS MOTHER.
for that miserable old tub. I am glad that yon were
so much pleased with the sketch of the Observatory
that I sent you. I now forward a photograph made
by a friend of mine, which will convey a better idea
than the other of the appearance of our habitation,
&c. You will find an explanation of the various
parts of the picture written in pencil on the back
of each respectively. You had better have it
mounted on a piece of cardboard by some one who
is accustomed to mounting photographs ; when
nicely done it looks twice as well. It was in-
tended that we should all have been taken in this
picture, but owing to some mismanagement, no
notice was given, so no one was outside at the
time. Your remarks about the aurora borealis
of the 12th of October were very interesting and
valuable. We knew that there was an aurora
there, but of course could not tell where it was
visible. You little thought that while you were
looking at the vibrations of those beautiful stream-
ers of red and white light, I was watching sympa-
thetic oscillations of little steel magnets, which we
suspended by silk threads, in the underground
magnetic house that you see the top of in the
foreground of the picture. The magnets were
sometimes moving about so rapidly that I could
scarcely read them ; and although the aurora was
with you nearly at an end probably about ten
o'clock, yet the magnets did not resume their
normal position for nearly twenty-four hours after.
I I ITER TO HIS MOTHER. 67
You will see from this the advantage to be deriv. <1
firom noting all particulars with regard to these
phenomena, whenever one has an opportunity of
leetng them; for we must alwaysconsider the pos-
sibility of their not being visible at places where
there are observatories, on account of clouds and
other causes. One great point that has yet to be
satisfactorily determined is, whether the effect on
a magnet at one end of the world is simultaneous
with the auroral discharge at the other ; or whether
a certain time is required for the effect to be com-
municated through the earth. I had a letter from
my father yesterday, enclosing the one you sent
him. V>\ -tlie-by, this day week is Christmas-day ;
and, if I am not mistaken, your birthday as well as
Hannah's is near about this time. She must be
thirteen or fourteen ; but, upon my honour, I do not
certainly know my own age. Was I born in
January 1834 or 1835 ? I wish you all may have
a merry Christmas and many returns of the same.
Please to give my love as usual, and
" Believe me, my dear mother,
" Your affectionate son,
"William J. Wills/'
f 2
63
CHAPTER V.
Postponement of the Exploring Expedition projected at the beginning
of 1860 — My Son's Letter to his Sister on going into Society — Mr.
Birnie's Opinion of him, and Extract from his Lecture — Letter from
William to his Mother on Eeligious Views and Definitions of Faith —
His last Communications to his Family at Home, before the Departure
of the Expedition.
I omit my son's letters of January and February,
1860, as they contain nothing on scientific matters,
or on the subject of Australia, although interesting
in other respects. They mark the habitual tone of
his feelings and principles, his constant habit of
self-examination, his study of his fellow- men, and
how strongly he was impressed with the truth of
Pope's grand conclusion, that
" Virtue alone is happiness below."
" You will be glad to learn," he says, writing
to his mother on the 17th of March, " that the
Exploring Expedition is postponed for six months,
for want of a suitable leader, as none of the can-
didates who offered their services were thought
SELECTIONS FROM LKTT1 69
qualified in a scientific point of view.* You need
not work yourself up to such a state of excitement
at the bare idea of my going, but should rather
rejoice that the opportunity presents itself. The
actual danger is nothing, and the positive advan-
tages very great. Besides, my dear mother, what
avails your faith if you terrify yourself about such
trifles ? Were we born, think you, to be locked
up in comfortable rooms, and never to incur the
hazard of a mishap ? If things were at the
worst, I trust I could meet death with as much
resignation as others, even if it came to-night. I
am often disgusted at hearing young people I
know, declare that they are afraid of doing this or
that, because they might be killed. Were I in some
of their shoes I should be glad to hail the chance
of departing this life fairly in the execution of an
honourable duty."
The following selections from his numerous
letters at this time are little more than extracts,
and form but a small portion of the whole. All
speak his admiration of a great and beneficent
Creator, derived from the study of his works. He
had a great distaste for sectarianism, and for a too
slavish devotion to forms and conventionalities,
whether in religious or social practice, fearing
lest these extremes might savour of untruthful-
ness or hypocrisy.
• Oddly enough, Mr. Burke, who was afterwards chosen, with many
requisites of a high order, was deficient in this, which, indeed, he never
for a moment pretended to possess.
70 SELECTIONS FROM LETTERS.
"Magnetic Observatory,
Melbourne, April 18th, 1860.
u My dear Bessy,
" The mail was to have closed to-morrow, but
the ' Emeu ' has met with an accident, which will
delay it for another week, so that I hope to treat
you to a long letter. I was much disappointed at
receiving nothing from you this month. It would
be a first-rate plan to do what a friend of mine
was recommending to me only this evening, viz.
to commence an epistle at the beginning of each
month, and add a little daily, adopting as your
motto the Latin proverb, " Nulla dies sine linea,"
which means, No day without a line. You might
at least favour me with a few monthly. It would
be as much for your own benefit as for my
pleasure. Pray don't send a poor excuse again
about waiting for an answer to a former letter.
"I must now return to the subject of my last.
I hope you have carefully considered the remarks
contained therein ; and I wish to draw your atten-
tion to other matters not so immediately connected
with religion, but which may seriously affect your
prosperity and happiness in this world. I fear
that mamma is too much inclined to discourage
your going into society. If so, with all due
deference to my dear mother's experience and
judgment, she has adopted a mistaken view. You
will perhaps say, you do not care for society. So
much the worse ; that proves the evil of seclusion.
I had the same ideas once, and greatly to my dis-
SELECTIONS FROM LETT I 19
advantage in a general sense, although in one point
they may have been beneficial, by making me
devote more time to my studies. But I am doubt-
ful even about that. At any rate, girls are
differently situated. Having no need of deep
scientific knowledge, their education is confined
more to the ordinary things of the world, the study
of the fine arts, and of the manners and disposi-
tions of people. It is often asserted that women
a iv much sharper than men in estimating charac-
ter. Whether that be the case or not, is more
than I can say, but I think it ought to be, because
women have better opportunities and more leisure
than we have for noticing little peculiarities
the natural expression of the features. Now, my
advice would be, to go as much as you can into
quiet, good society, and moderately into gay ; not
to make it the business of life, as some do, who
care for little beyond frivolous amusements, and
that merely for the sake of killing time. But go
to these places, even if you do not like them, as a
duty you owe to yourself and others, even as you
used to go to school, when you would rather have
remained at home.
" You should cultivate, as much as possible, the
a i <juaintance of ladies from other parts of the
country, especially of those who have travelled
much. This is the best way of rubbing off pro-
vincialisms, &c. Perhaps you think you have
none ; nevertheless I shall be prepared for some
72 SELECTIONS FROM LETTERS.
whenever I have the felicity of seeing you. You
cannot think how disagreeable the sound of the
Devonshire drawl is to me now, and all people of the
county that I meet have it more or less. You will,
no doubt, wonder how I have become so changed,
and what has induced me to adopt social views so
different from hosel formerly held. The fact is,
that since I have been here, I have been thrown
into every variety of companionship, from the
highest to the lowest, from the educated gentle-
man and scholar to the uncultivated boor. The
first effect was, a disposition to admire the freedom
and bluntness of the uncivilized ; but more per-
sonal experience showed me the dark as well as
the bright side, and brought out in their due
prominence the advantages of the conventionalities
of good society. While in the bush, this convic-
tion only impressed itself partially, but a return to
town extended and confirmed it. When we are
in daily contact and intercourse with an immense
number of persons, some of whom we like, while
we dislike or feel indifferent about many others,
we find a difficulty in avoiding one man's acquain-
tance without offending him, or of keeping another
at a distance without an insult. It is not easy to
treat your superiors with respect void of sycophancy,
or to be friendly with those you prefer, and at the
same time to steer clear of undue familiarity,
adapting yourself to circumstances and persons,
and, in fact, doing always the right thing at the
SELECTIONS FROM LETTERS. 73
proper time and in the best possible manner. I
used to be rather proud of saying that it was
necessary for strangers to know me for some time
before they liked me. I am almost ashamed now
not to have had sense enough to see that this arose
from sheer awkwardness and stupidity on my part ;
from the absence of address, and a careless disre-
gard of the rules of society, which necessarily in-
duce a want of self-confidence, a bashful reserve,
annoying to sensible people and certainly not com-
pensated for by the possession of substantial ac-
quirements, hidden, but not developed, and una-
vailable when wanted. I find now that I can get
into the good graces of any one with whom I
associate better in half an hour than I could have
done in a week two years ago. I know no one
who puts these matters in a better light than Lord
Chesterfield in his * Letters to his Son,' which you
most probably have read.
" Since I wrote to you last, I have received some
light on the subject of faith, which I was not at
that time aware of. In a discussion with a gentle-
man on religious matters, some remarks were made
upon faith and charity, which led to an analysis of
the original Greek word used to express the former
by St. Paul, which has been translated ' faith/ and
is generally accepted in the ordinary sense we
attach to that word in English ; viz., an implicit
trust in what you are told, without question or
doubt. But this friend of mine, who is a splendid
74 ; SELECTIONS FROM LETTERS.
Greek scholar, called my attention to the fact that
the Greek word, for which we have no exact equi-
valent, means an openness to conviction, or a
willingness to receive after proper proof; not a
determination to believe without investigation.
He also pointed out to me what I was less pre-
pared to hear, that the charity spoken of does not
mean, as I supposed it to express, conscientious-
ness, but love and goodfellowship, in action and
speech ; in fact, more in accordance with the sense
in which the word is commonly understood. This
will show you the evil of coming to conclusions on
insufficient data. Depend upon it, you must
always hear both sides of a story before you can
get at the truth.
" I am going out to dinner this evening ex-
pressly to meet two of the finest girls in Melbourne.
Some of my cautious friends say that I am run-
ning a great risk, and that I shall never recover
from the effects. I cannot say that I feel much
frightened. If anything serious should happen,
and the consequences are not immediately fatal, I
shall add a few Hues to-morrow. Look sharp
about photographs. I begin to suspect you are
ashamed to show your faces in this remote region.
Give my love to H., C, &c, and accept the same
from
" Your ever affectionate brother,
" William J. Wills."
" P.S. 19th. — The elements interposed to save
VISIT TO MY SON AT MELBOURNE. 75
me from the danger I wilfully determined not to
avoid. It rained so heavily last evening that tin
syrens stayed at home."
In the month of May 1860, 1 went to Melbourne
for a few days, and spent many pleasant hours
with my son. I found him contented and happy.
His appointment to the Exploring Expedition, so
long the yearning desire of his heart, he appeared
to consider as a fait accompli. He was in com-
fortable lodgings, and had established an intimacy
with a gentleman of superior literary acquirements,
personally acquainted with many London celebri-
ties of our day. I remember the delight with
which he came to my hotel and said : " You must
dine with me to-day ; I want to introduce you to a
person you will much like. His greatest fault is
one you possess yourself, a turn for satire, which
sometimes makes him enemies." On the same
morning he had announced to his friend with
beaming eyes, " My father is here ;" and when the
next day that same friend wished to engage him
to an evening party, he replied : " You forget that
I have a wild young father to take care of."
Alluding again to this, in a letter to his mother,
on the 1 7th of May, he says : " You must excuse
a brief epistle this time. The Doctor has been in
town for a few days lately, and of course seduced
me into all sorts of wild habits. He is looking
well, in good condition, but not so fat as he was
76 HIS HAPPY POSITION THEKE.
two years ago." At that time I had been living
very frequently on little more than one hard egg
per day. Milk and coffee in the morning, and
half a pound of meat twice a week. In another
letter to his mother, shortly after the above date,
he says : " I have not heard from my father for
the last fortnight. I am in very good lodgings,
at a boarding-house, not working hard, and have
time to cultivate some agreeable society. The
landlady is all that can be desired and more than
could be expected — the company far above the
average. There is Mr. B., a barrister and Cam-
bridge man, first rate ; and a nice old lady,
Mrs. F., very intelligent and good-natured. We
three are great friends. Taking it altogether, the
house is so comfortable, that I did not go to the
theatre once last month." The mutual good opinion
may be estimated by the following introduction
from the gentleman alluded to above, to the
Colonial Secretary at Perth, in the event of his
explorations leading my son to Western Australia :
" I pray your hospitality for Mr. W. J. Wills,
for whom I have a very high esteem and friend-
ship. He makes me happy beyond flattery by
permitting me to think that I add something to
his life. You cannot fail to like him. He is a
thorough Englishman, self-relying and self-con-
tained ; a well-bred gentleman without a jot of
effeminacy. Plucky as a mastiff, high-blooded as a
racer, enterprising but reflective, cool, keen, and
ATR. BIRNIE'S LECTURE AT BALLAARAT. 77
as composed as daring. Few men talk less ; few
by manner and conduct suggest more. One fault
you will pardon, a tendency to overrate the writer
of this letter."
This gentleman, Mr. Birnie, is a son of the late
Sir Richard Birnie, so long an eminent police
magistrate in London. At the close of a lecture
which he gave at Ballaarat on the 24th of May,
1862, subsequent to the disastrous intelligence of
my son's death, he introduced the following re-
marks, as reported in a colonial paper : —
" If amusement and gravity might be held com-
patible, they would bear with him in pronouncing
the name of William John Wills. (Cheers.) The
lecturer, when first in Melbourne, lived at a board-
ing-house, and there he met Wills. Their friend-
ship soon grew and strengthened, in spite of the
difference of their ages. Of the man as a public
explorer, everybody knew as well as he did.
Professor Neumayer said that Wills's passion for
astronomy was astonishing, and that his nights
were consumed in the study. Yet his days also
were spent in enlarging his literary attainments.
But with all this labour, Wills never disregarded
Ike commoner duties and virtues of life. Even at
the breakfast-table he was as neat and clean as a
woman. At the ball, of which he was as fond as
a child, he was scrupulously temperate, and in
speech pure as a lady. Wills read Sharon Turner,
Hazlitt, Pope, Wordsworth, Tennyson, and com-
78 MR. BIRNIE'S LECTURE AT BALLAARAT.
mented on all. Of Tennyson's ' In Memoriam '
he said it was wonderful for its frequent bordering
on faults without ever reaching them. He was a
student of literature as well as of astronomy and
science. Much intercourse they had had, and when
the lecturer heard of his death he felt glad that
nothing existed for recrimination or self condemna-
tion. Wills was a great admirer of Shakespeare,
and his remarks on that author were original and
striking. This tribute the lecturer would ]ay
upon his friend's bust, and humble though the
offering was he felt it would be accepted. The
lecturer with much feeling concluded a peroration
of eloquent eulogy upon his deceased friend, amid
the loud and prolonged applause of the audience,
who had cheered him at frequent intervals
throughout the whole of his discourse.
" Mr. M'Dowall moved a vote of thanks to the
lecturer, seconded by Mr. Dimant, both gentlemen
highly complimenting Mr. Birnie for his kindness
in giving his services on the occasion.
" The vote was carried by acclamation, and Mr.
Birnie, in acknowledging it, implored the audience
not to let the movement die away. The proposed
monument could not be too good for the fame of
the heroic explorers, and particularly as commem-
morating the patient, pious, unselfish manliness of
"Wills to the latest moment of his life. (Cheers.)
" The proceedings then closed."
In his ordinary letters to me, and in his journals
NOTI> 0» KI'.I.IOION. 79
of fchfi Bxpeditioil, which he knew were likely to
become public documents, my son seldom or never
touched upon the all-important subject of religion.
This has given rise to an opinion broadly hinted
in Australia by some, and of course believed by
more, t lint he was either a sceptic or a downright
infidels Nothing could be further from the truth.
His mothers love had instructed him early and
zealously in the doctrines of Christianity, and pre-
pared his mind for a conviction of their divine
truth when he reached an age which would
enable him to exercise his own judgment. As I
have already mentioned, even in childhood he had
an inquiring mind and a disposition to take nothing
for granted without investigation. Hence the
questions which sometimes surprised and puzzled
his instructress. The tendency grew with his
growth, and displayed itself in his mode of dealing
with every branch of knowledge comprised in his
education. If a new fact in science or an improve-
ment in a mathematical or surgical instrument
came under his observation, he closely examined
tin ir bearing and use before he adopted them or
subscribed to their truth or utility. Those who
question before they believe are not unfrequently
pronounced unbelievers because they question ; an
inverted mode of reasoning equally uncharitable
and illogical. My son had an undisguised dislike
to any ostentatious display of religious sent inn mi
and phraseology, particularly on the part of those
80 LETTER TO HIS MOTHER ON FAITH.
who were not teachers by calling. He sometimes
suspected more cant than sincerity in the practice,
and thought these matters better suited for inward
communication between man and his Maker than
for public exhibition on common occasions. With
my wife's permission I insert the following letter,
now for the first time placed in my hands : —
" Flagstaff Observatory, Melbourne,
June 17th, 1860.
"My dear Mother,
" The mail arrived here only two or three
days ago, being nearly a fortnight behind time.
I have received your letter of the 13th of April,
and one from Bessy. Your endeavours to show
that my remarks on religion were wrong, have
tended to convince me more clearly that I was
right, and that you, partially at least, misunder-
stood what I said. I did not charge you with
being openly uncharitable or of plainly condemn-
ing any one ; nor do I blame you for believing
you are right. We all think we are right, or we
should not believe as we do. But I do blame
those who pronounce everybody wrong but them-
selves ; for as far as we can judge, one may be as
near the truth as another. How often we hear
very religious people, compassionately remarking
upon a neighbour's death \ " Ah, poor dear fellow,
he was such a good sort of man ! I hope and
trust he died in the faith !" meaning, of course,
their own peculiar tenets, and obliquely implying
I I /ITER TO HIS MOTHER ON FAITH. 81
ilia i, in spite of all his estimable qualities, they
have great doubts of his salvation. For my part,
I consider this as bad as the outspoken unchari-
tableness of bigots and persecutors in the olden
days. The inference may be true, but it is not we
who have a right to think, much less to utter it.
" But I must now come to the more precise
point on which we differ — the meaning of a
single expression, which I think I have named in
a former letter. I allude to the word Faith, which,
as I was always taught to interpret it, appeared to
my apprehension analogous to Credulity, or a blind
belief without question ; — an explanation which
went against my conscience and conviction when-
ever it occurred to me from time to time. As I grew
older I felt it to be wrong, although I was not suffi-
ciently informed to explain it differently. What
perplexed me was that St. Paul should advocate
such a servile submission of the intellectual faculties
which God has bestowed upon man; such an
apparent degradation of the human mind to the
tevel of the lower creation as to call upon us to
lay aside our peculiar attributes of reason, common
sense, and reflection, and to receive without in-
quiry any doctrine that may be offered to us. On
this principle, we should be as likely to believe in
the impostor as in the true saint, and having
yielded up our birthright of judgment, become
incapable of distinguishing between them. I have
tin >ught much on the subject with the assistance of
o
82 LETTER TO HIS MOTHER ON FAITH.
better authorities and scholars than myself, and
will now endeavour to explain what I consider
St. Paul meant by Faith, or rather by the Greek
word along, which has been so translated. After
you have read my explanation, and carefully
examined your own mind, will it be too much to
expect an admission that of the three great ele-
ments of Christianity, faith, hope, and charity, you
have hitherto had more of hope than of the other
two ? The Greek word used by St. Paul signifies
something mOre than faith, or implicit belief, as
many render it. It means a self-reliant confidence
arising from conviction after investigation and
study — the faith that Paley advocates when he
says, ' He that never doubted never half believed.'
It implies, in the first place, an unprejudiced mind,
an openness to conviction, and a readiness to
receive instruction ; and then a desire to judge for
ourselves. This must be followed by a patient
investigation of evidence pro and con, an impartial
summing up, and a conclusion fairly and confi-
dently deduced. If we are thus convinced, then
we have acquired faith — a real, unshakeable faith,
for we have carefully examined the title deeds and
know that they are sound. You will surely see
that faith in this sense, and credulity, a belief
without inquiry, are the very reverse of each
other, and how much superior is the former to the
latter. Credulity is a mere feather, liable to be
blown about with every veering wind of doctrine.
LETTER TO HIS MOTHER ON FAITH. 88
Faith, as St. Paul means it, is as firm as a castle
on a rock, where the foundations have been care-
ful lv examined and tested, before the building was
proceeded with.
"In collateral evidence of what I have just
said, I may instance the often-repeated injunction
to accept things as little children ; which cannot
mean with the ignorance and helpless submission
of infancy, but with minds free from bigotry, bias,
or prejudice, like those of little children, and with
an inclination, like them, to receive instruction.
At what period of life do any of us learn so
rapidly and eagerly as in childhood ? We acquire
new ideas every time we open our eyes ; we are
ever attracted by something we have not observed
before ; every moment adds to our knowledge.
If you give a child something to eat it has not
been accustomed to, does it swallow it at once
without examination ? Does it not rather look at,
sim 11, feel, and then taste it ? And if disagreeable,
will it eat merely because the new food was given
to it for that purpose? On the contrary, it is
more inclined to reject the gift until influenced by
your eating some yourself, or by other modes of
persuasion. Let us then, in like manner, exa-
mine all that is offered to our belief, and test it
by the faculties with which the great God has
endowed us. These rare senses and powers of
reasoning were given to be used freely, but not
audaciously, to discover, not to pervert the truth.
o 2
84 LETTER TO HIS MOTHER ON FAITH.
Why were so many things presented as through
a veil, unless to stimulate our efforts to clear
away the veil, and penetrate to the light? I
think it is plain that St. Paul, while he calls upon
us to believe, never intended that we should be
passively credulous."* Credulity was one of the
most prominent engines of the Eomish Church,
but there was a trace of sense in their application
of it. They taught that the ignorant and unedu-
cated should have faith in the doctrines introduced
to them by their betters, and those who had found
time to investigate the matter ; but some, in the
present day, support the monstrous delusion that
enlightened and well-trained intellects, the most
glorious of all the earthly gifts of God, should bow
to canting and illiterate fanaticism
"Adieu for the present, my dear mother, and
believe me ever your affectionate, and I hope un-
bigoted son,
" W. J. Wills."
This letter was the last but two he ever ad-
dressed to his mother, and I have not transcribed
the whole. It is long and discursive, considering
* My son might have further enforced his view by a passage from
St. Paul, 1 Thessalonians, chap. v. ver. 21, had it occurred to him :
" Prove all things ; hold fast that which is good." By this the apostle
implies, according to Archbishop Seeker's commentary, all things which
may be right or wrong according to conscience. And by "proving
them " he means, not that we should try them by experience, which
would be an absurd and pernicious direction, but that we should
examine them by our faculty of judgment, which is a wise and useful
exhortation.
I.KTTI'.l; TO III- Mmtiiki; on IWITII. 85
liow much lit- had on his hands at that time, and
how completely he was occupied with the pending
expedition. In his next he refers to some appre-
hensions expressed by maternal solicitude that his
religious convictions might be altered by a friend
who entertained extremely different views. "I
intended, my dear mother," he says, "to have
replied at length to one of the remarks in your
but I fear I must be very brief. Your idea
that I am influenced by 's notions of religion
is amusingly erroneous. I never imagined that I
could have written anything to warrant such an
impression ; but it shows how careful we should be
to make clear statements so as to avoid being
misunderstood. Mr. 's religion is to my
mind supremely ridiculous ; I can only find two
points in its favour, namely, its charity and moral
principles. But these, although admirable in
themselves, do not go far towards proving the
truth of the theological notions entertained by its
adherents. I can assure you that such ideas of
religion are quite as far removed from mine as
yours can be." His final letter announces the
certainty of his being about to start on the enter-
prise so long projected. He had hitherto with-
held the fact, from a wish not to distress his
mother unnecessarily while there was a chance
that any unforeseen obstacle might create further
lay.
86 HIS LAST LETTER TO HIS MOTHER.
" Flagstaff Observatory,
Melbourne, July 25th, 1860.
" My dear Mother,
" I am glad to be able to inform you of a matter
that you perhaps will not much like, although
I do not know why you should object to it. It is
that we expect to start on this exploration trip in
a few weeks. You will find some particulars on
the subject in the ' Argus ' that I have sent to
Charles. I fancy we shall not be away so long as
was at first intended ; probably not more than
twelve or eighteen months. I anticipate being
able to send you a letter sometimes, as well as to
receive yours to me, as they propose keeping up
a communication with Cooper's Creek. Professor
Neumayer will probably accompany us as far as
the Darling Eiver, taking an opportunity, at the
same time, to prosecute the magnetic survey.
This will make matters very pleasant, as well as
being of great advantage to me in many respects.
We shall be travelling through the country in the
most favourable and pleasant season, when there
is plenty of water, and everything fresh and
green. It will take us about two months to get
to Coopers Creek. I do not give up my position
in the Observatory, having obtained leave of
absence for the time during which we may be
engaged in the exploration. I am sorry I cannot
give yon more particulars respecting our projected
tour, but you will hear enough about it by-and-
HIS LAST LBTTEH TO HIS MOTIIKi:. 87
by. I received a letter from my father a day or
two since, in whioh lie speaks of coming down
before I start. I do not expect to have time to go
to Ballaarat before we leave. I sent you by the
lit mail one or two small photographs of myself,
and a locket for Bessy, which she asked me for
some time ago. I hope they arrived safely.
There was also a photograph of my father on
paper. I have to thank some one, name unknown,
for the Totnes papers that I received by the last
mail. They appear to be well edited, and are
decidedly a credit to the town. I had heard of
the paper before, but did not expect to find it so
good as it is. I suppose you have had a favour-
able view of the comet that has made its appear-
ance lately. It was visible here for about a week :
at first it was of a good size, but being so low
down in the west, at sunset it could only be seen
for a short time, and then it was comparatively
dim, owing to the twilight. Since then it has
rapidly disappeared, moving in an E.S.E. direc-
tion. With you it was probably very fine. With
kind love, &c, &c,
"Believe me, my dear mother,
" Your affectionate son,
" William J. Wills."
88
CHAPTER VI.
THE EXPEDITION.
How the Expedition Originated — Appointment of the Leader, Officers,
and Party— Mr. Robert O'Hara Burke, Mr. G. J. Landells, Mr. W. J.
Wells, Dr. Herman Beckler, Dr. Ludwig Becker, &c. — The Expe-
dition starts from Melbourne on the 20th of August, 1860 — Progress
to Swan Hill — Discharge of Mr. Ferguson, the Foreman — Advance
to Menindie— Resignation of Mr, Landells and Dr. Herman Beckler
— Mr. Wills promoted to second in Command, and Mr. Wright
to third.
The Exploring Expedition of 1860 originated
thus. A gentleman, whose name is still concealed,
offered one thousand pounds as an inducement to
the Government and other parties to come
forward and raise funds for an exploration of the
island continent, now known as Australia, but
formerly as New Holland ; the vast interior of
which had been supposed to be a desert, an inland
sea, or anything that a poetical imagination might
suggest. Attempts had been made, but always
with insufficient means, and on too contracted a
scale, to solve the problem. It was now for
Victoria to take up the question in earnest. The
ORIGIN OF TI1K KXIM'.MTION. 80
1000/. of the unknown contributor, increased to
2200/. by private subscriptions, with 6000/. voted
by the colonial legislature, supplied in all a sum of
above 9000/. for the prosecution of this great
national enterprise. Let Victoria, then, receive the
honour so justly her due, for an undertaking only
on a par with her characteristic spirit of advance-
ment. Any stranger who visits Melbourne, a place
1 1 1 1 of yesterday, must be struck by the magnificent
scale and number of the public buildings. Let
him look at the Churches, Library, House of Par-
1 iament, University and Museum, Railways and
Parks, Banks, Hotels, Theatres, Botanical Gardens,*
&c, and then call to mind that all this is the
growth of less than a quarter of a century, and
that the existence of the colony dates from a
period subsequent to the accession of our beloved
Queen.
The arrangements for the expedition were in
progress from 1858 to 1860, under Mr. O'Shan-
nassy, a man far above the common order, who
now fills the superior office of Chief Colonial
Secretary. He entered into the object with his
own peculiar zeal. On his personal responsibility,
Mr. Landells, who figures in this narrative, as also
in a preceding one, with little credit, was de-
spatched to India to procure camels, those ships of
the desert, whose aid in traversing the unknown
interior was expected to prove invaluable. u The
* Under the charge of that noble father of industry, Dr. Mueller.
90 . ARRIVAL OF CAMELS.
camels are come !" was the cry when these new
and interesting immigrants made their first appear-
ance in Melbourne. All the people were on the
qui vive. " What was to be done next ? Who
was to be the leader ? When would the party
start ?" Mr. Nicholson had by this time taken
the place of Mr. O'Shannassy, and he hit on the
unfortunate expedient of delegating to the Royal
Society of Melbourne the direction of this im-
portant expedition. I say unfortunate, because,
by this arrangement, the opinions to be consulted
were too numerous to expect unanimity. It
is true they elected a special committee, which
included some who were well qualified for the
duty, and others who were less so ; but, good or
bad, the old adage of "too many cooks" was veri-
fied in this instance. Had they all been excellent
judges, the course was still objectionable, as divided
responsibility falls on no one.
The first point to be settled was the choice of a
leader. Meeting after meeting was held, and I
must do them the justice to say that, on the whole,
no thoroughly unexceptionable candidate offered
himself. The necessary combination of physical
and scientific requisites was not readily found. The
question therefore fell into abeyance for a time on
that account. But at length, and after a considerable
delay, Robert O'Hara Burke, Esq., polici nspector
at the Beechworth district, and afterwards at
Castlemaine r was appointed to the post. He was
SELECTION OF LBAD1B. 91
in his fortieth year, experienced, act i\ . •, and well-
connected, of one of the old Galway families,
and had held a commission as lieutenant in tin-
A ustrian army ; on quitting which service, he pro-
cm v< I an appointment in the Irish constabulary.
There he was so beloved by his men, that several
resigned when he lift for Australia and accom-
panied him, in the hope of still serving under their
favourite commander. He was a brave and true
man, covetous of honour, but careless of profit ; one
who would have sought reputation " even in the
cannon's mouth." With his name that of my
poor son is indelibly conjoined. From all I have
since collected from King, their only surviving
companion, Mr. Burke loved my son as a brother ;
and William, writing of him, says : " The more I
see of Mr. Burke the more I like him ;" and he
wrote with caution, adopted no hasty opinions, and
seldom changed them when once formed.
Mr. Burkes appointment called forth discussions
and strong comments in the Melbourne papers.
Gentlemen who considered their own qualifications
as superior to his, and their friends who thought
with them, expressed their opinions with more
ardour than justice or delicacy in their respective
organs. The committee of management, selected
originally from the " Royal Society of Melbourne,"
now became united to another body called "The
Exploration Fund Committee." The board corn-
ed the following members: — Chairman, the
9g EXPLORATION COMMITTEE.
Hon. Sir William Stawell, one of the Justices of
Yictoria ; Tice-Chairman, the Hon. John Hodgson,
M.L.O. ; Treasurer, the Hon. Dr. Wilkie ; Se-
cretary, the Hon. Dr. Macadam ; Dr. Embling ;
— Ligar, Esq., Surveyor General ; James Smith,
Esq. ; Professor M'Coy ; Dr. M'Kenna ; Professor
Neumayer ; Sizar Elliott, Esq. ; Dr. Mueller ; Dr.
Iffla ; Captain Cadell ; Angus M'Millan, Esq. ;
A. Selwyn, Esq. ; John Watson, Esq. ; Rev. Mr.
Blensdale ; Dr. Eades ; Dr. G-ilbee, Deputy-Sur-
veyor ; and — Hodgkinson, Esq. The commander
being appointed, the next step was to name the
second. This choice, by a sad mistake, fell on Mr.
Gr. J. Landells, who owed his preferment to the cir-
cumstance of his having been employed to bring the
camels from India. His services, therefore, were
considered indispensable for their management in
Australia. Having convinced the committee of this,
he demanded a salary considerably exceeding that
of the leader, or refused to go. When Mr. Burke
found that this point was to be discussed at the
next meeting, he, with his usual high and liberal
spirit, requested that no obstacle might be raised
on that account. We shall presently see how Mr.
Landells repaid his leader, and proved himself
worthy of this disinterestedness. My son ten-
dered his services as astronomer and guide, not at
the moment thinking of or desiring any distinct post
of command, his object being exclusively scientific.
He had been for some time assistant to Professor
APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS AND PARTY. 93
Neumayer at the Magnetic Observatory, was a
seasoned bushman, with great powers of endurance,
and felt that he could discharge the duties ho
wished to undertake. He was not aware, until
1 informed him on his going into the Society's
room to sign the contract, that any command had
been allotted to him, neither did he stipulate for
Hilary ; but in consequence of Dr. Ludwig Becker
demanding an advance of pay, on the sum first
fixed, my son's was raised from 250/. to 300/. per
annum. The next appointments were Dr. Ludwig
';er, as naturalist and artist, and Dr. Herman
Beckler as botanist and medical adviser to the ex-
pedition. These were scarcely more fortunate than
that of Mr. Landells. The first named of these
gentlemen was physically deficient, advanced in
years, and his mode of life in Melbourne had not
been such as to make up for his want of youth. I
do not mean to imply by this that he indulged in
irregular or dissipated habits. He possessed a
happy gift of delineating natural objects with the
pencil, but died before passing the boundaries of
civilization, from causes unconnected with want or
fatigue. Dr. Herman Beckler, who has since
returned to his native country, was neither a man
of courage, energy, nor of medical experience. He
resigned when Mr. Landells did, and, as will be
seen, for a very poor reason. His place should
have been immediately supplied ; for had any one
worth a straw been sent, by hit pointum he must
94 MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.
have been third in command instead of Wright, a
more ignorant being than whom could not have
been extracted from the bush. He was scarcely-
able to write his name.
The following is a copy of the memorandum of
agreement, to which all the members of the
Exploration party attached their signatures : —
" Memorandum of Agreement,
" Made the eighteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty,
between the Honourable David Elliott Wilkie,
as treasurer of the Exploration Committee of
the Royal Society, Melbourne, of the one part, and
the several other persons whose names are hereto
subscribed, of the other part. The said persons
forming an expedition about to explore the in-
terior of Australia under Robert O'Hara Burke,
hereby agree with the said David Elliott
Wilkie faithfully to discharge the special duties
described opposite to their respective names, and
also generally to perform whatever in the opinion
of the said Robert O'Hara Burke, as leader, or in
the eveDt of his death, in the opinion of the leader
for the time being, may be necessary to promote
the success of the expedition : and they hereby
further agree to place themselves unreservedly
under the orders of the leader, recognising George
James Landells as second ; and William John
Wills as third ; and their right of succession in
MEMORANDUM OF AORKKMi 93
tbe order thus stated. In con>M» ration of the
above services being efficiently discharged, the
said David Elliott Wilkie, as treasurer, and on
behalf of the said committee, hereby agrees to pay
the said persons the salaries, at the respective
rates set opposite their names ; such salaries to be
paid by monthly instalments, not exceeding one-
half the amount then due, on a certificate from the
ler that the services have been efficiently per-
formed up to the date ; and the remainder on and
rateably up to the day of the return of the ex-
tion to Melbourne, and no more. And each
of the said persons hereby lastly agrees, on
failuivon liis part fully to perform this agreement,
that his salary shall be forfeited, and that he shall
abide all consequences, the power of discharge
vesting with the leader, and the power of dismissal
and forfeiture of salary resting on the recommen-
dation of the leader with the said David Elliott
AVilkie, acting with the consent of the said
committee. In witness whereof the said parties
have hereunto set their hands the day and year
above written.
" George James Landells — in charge of camels,
second in command.
" William John Wills — as surveyor and astrono-
mical observer, third in command.
" Herman Beckler — medical officer and botanist.
" Ludwig Becker — artist, naturalist, and geolo-
gist.
96 DEPARTURE OF THE EXPEDITION 1 .
" Charles J. Ferguson — foreman.
" Thomas F. M'Donagh — assistant.
" William Paton
" Patrick Langan
" Owen Cowan
" William Brahe
" Eobert Fletcher
" John King
" Henry Creher
" John Dickford
" And three sepoys
" Signed by all the above in the presence of
" John Macadam, M.D.
" Eobert Dickson."
Monday, the 20th of August, 1860, will be a
memorable day in the annals of Melbourne, as
recording the commencement of the expedition.
It was not a false start but a bona-fide departure.
Nearly the whole population suspended ordinary
business and turned out to witness the imposing
s]3ectaele. The camels were a great attraction.
The " Melbourne Herald" of the 21st gave the
annexed description of the proceedings.
" Tom Campbell, in a tender moment, sang a
sweet hymn to a * Name Unknown/ and many an
ardent youth in and since his time, has borrowed
inspiration from the dulcet numbers of the familiar
bard, and allowed his imagination to run riot in
4 castle-building ' upon this simple theme. Had
DEPARTURE OF THE HFH>H10M 97
we the poet's gift, our enthusiasm might, doubtless,
prompt us to extol in more lofty strain the praises
of the 'great unknown' — the donor of the hand-
some instalment of one thousand pounds towards
the organization of an expedition to explore the
terra incognita of interior Australia. But in the
absence of the favour of the Muses, dull prose
must serve the purpose we have in view. If the
4 unknown ' were present yesterday in the Royal
Park, his heart must have leaped for very joy, as
did with one accord the hearts of the ' ten thou-
sand ? or more of our good citizens, who there
assembled to witness the departure of the Explor-
ing Expedition. Never have we seen such a
manifestation of heartfelt interest in any public
undertaking of the kind as on this occasion. The
oldest dwellers in Australia have experienced
nothing to equal it.
"At an early hour crowds of eager holiday
folks, pedestrian and equestrian, were to be seen
hieing along the dusty ways to the pleasant glades
and umbrageous shade (a warm breeze, the first
of the season, was blowing from the north-east)
of the Royal Park. A busy scene was there pre-
sented. Men, horses, camels, drays, and goods,
were scattered here and there amongst the tents,
in the sheds, and on the greensward, in pic-
turesque confusion ; — everything premised a de-
parture — the caravansery was to be deserted.
Hour after hour passed in the preparations for
ii
98 DEPARTURE OF THE EXPEDITION.
starting. By-and-by, however, the drays were
loaded — though not before a burden of three
hundred-weight for each camel at starting was
objected to, and extra vehicles had to be procured
— the horses and the camels were securely packed,
and their loads properly adjusted. Artists, re-
porters, and favoured visitors were all the time
hurrying and scurrying hither and thither to
sketch this, to take a note of that, and to ask a
question concerning t'other. It is needless to say,
that occasionally ludicrous replies were given to
serious questions, and in the bustle of hurried
arrangements, some very amusing contretemps
occurred. One of the most laughable was the
breaking loose of a cantankerous camel, and the
startling and upsetting in the ' scatter ' of a popular
limb of the law. The gentleman referred to is of
large mould, and until we saw his tumbling feat
yesterday, we had no idea that he was such a
sprightly gymnast. His down-going and up-
rising were greeted with shouts of laughter, in
which he good-naturedly joined. The erring
camel went helter-skelter through the crowd, and
was not secured until he showed to admiration how
speedily can go ' the ship of the desert.'
" It was exactly a quarter to four o'clock when
the expedition got into marching order. A lane
was opened through the crowd, and in this the
line was formed ; Mr. Burke on his pretty little
grey at the head. The Exploration Committee
DEPARTURE OF THE EXPEDITION. II
of the Royal Society, together with a distinguished
circle of visitors, amongst whom were several of
our most respectable colonists and their families,
took up a position in front.
"The Mayor op Melbourne then mounted
of the drays, and said: Mr. Burke — I am
folly aware that the grand assemblage, this day,
while it has impeded your movements in starting,
is at the same time a source of much gratification
to you. It assures you of the most sincere sym-
pathy of the citizens. (Hear, hear.) I will not
detain you ; but for this great crowd, and on behalf
of the colony at large, I say — God speed, you !
(Cheers.) His Worship then called for ' three
cheers for Mr. Burke,' ' three cheers for Mr.
Landells/ and ' three cheers for the party itself,*
which, it is needless to say, were responded to with
all the energy and enthusiasm that are the chart. -
teristics of popular assemblages. He then con-
cluded with again saying, * God speed and bless
you !'
" Mr. Burke (uncovered) said, in a clear
earnest voice that was heard all over the crowd :
Mr. Mayor, — On behalf of myself and the Ex-
pedition I beg to return you my most sincere
thanks. No expedition has ever started under
such favourable circumstances as this. The
people, the Government, the committee — all have
done heartily what they could do. It is now our
turn; and we shall never do well till wv justify
h 2
100 DEPARTURE OF THE EXPEDITION.
what you have done in showing what we can do.
(Cheers.)
" The party at once got into motion. Following
the leader were several pack horses, led by some
of the assistants on foot. Then came Mr. Landells,
on a camel, next Dr. Becker, similarly mounted,
and these were succeeded by two European assist-
ants, riding on camels — one leading the ambulance
camel, and the other leading two animals loaded
with provisions. Sepoys on foot led the remainder
of the camels, four and five in hand, variously
loaded, and the caravan was closed by one mounted
sepoy. Altogether twenty-seven camels go with
the expedition. Two new waggons, heavily
loaded, followed at a good distance. These were
built expressly for the expedition, and one of them
is so constructed, that at a verv short notice it can
be taken off the wheels, and put to all the uses of
a river punt, carrying an immense load high and
dry on the water. If it be necessary to swim the
camels, air bags are provided to be lashed under
their jowls, so as to keep their heads clear when cross-
ing deep streams. Two or three hired waggons and
one of the new ones, were detained in the park till
nearly dusk, in charge of the astronomer, Mr. W. J.
Wills, and the foreman, who had to look to the
careful packing of instruments, specimen cases, &c.
The hired waggons will proceed as far as Swan
Hill only. Issuing from the south gate of the park,
the party went down behind the manure depot,
DEPARTURE OF THE EXPEDITION. 101
and thence on to the Sydney road, and the whole
camped last night near the village of Essendon."
The first day's march scarcely exceeded seven
miles, the camping ground for the night being on
an open space of greensward near the church at
Essendon. Here I saw my son for the last time.
It was with a feeling of great misgiving that I
took leave of him. On shaking hands with Mr.
Burke, I said frankly, " If it were in my power,
I would even now prevent his going." I then
added, " If he knew what I am about to say, he
would not, I think, be well pleased ; but if you
ever happen to want my son's advice or opinion,
you must ask it, for he will not offer it un-
asked. No matter what course you may adopt,
he will follow without remonstrance or murmur."
Mr. Burke shook me warmly by the hand in re-
turn, and replied : " There is nothing you can say
will raise him higher in my estimation than he
stands at present; I will do as you desire." There
were some photographers present to take like-
nesses. My son refused to be taken. " Should it
ever be worth while," he said, " my father has an
excellent one, which you can copy from." Alas !
it has been copied very often since.
The progress of the party was slow through the
enclosed districts, until they reached Swan Hill
on the Murray, which, properly speaking, is the
northern boundary of the colony of Victoria.
M v son's first letter was dated August 26th,
102 MY SOH'S LETTERS OF THE 2GTH OF AUGUST,
" My dear Father,
. u We are now at the Mia-Mia, lying be-
tween M'lvor and Castlemaine (a roadside public-
house). We are all right enough, except as
regards cleanliness, and everything has gone well,
barring the necessary break-downs, arid wet
weather. We have to travel slowly, on account
of the camels. I suppose Professor Neumayer
will overtake us in a day or two. I have been
agreeably disappointed in my idea of the camels.
They are far from unpleasant to ride ; in fact, it is
much less fatiguing than riding on horseback, and
even with the little practice I have yet had, I find
it shakes me less. 1 shall write to you from
Swan Hill, if not before.
" Your affectionate son,
" William J. Wills."
From Terrick Terrick, he writes, on the 31st
of August, to his friend Mr. Byerly : " Biding on
camels is a much more pleasant process than I
anticipated, and for my work I find it much better
than riding on horseback. The saddles, as you
are aware, are double, so I sit on the back portion
behind the hump, and pack my instruments in
front. I can thus ride on, keeping my journal
and making calculations ; and need only stop
the camel when I want to take any bearings
carefully; but the barometers can be read and
registered without halting. The animals are very
8TII AND 17TH OF SEPTEMBER, 18G0. 103
quiet, and easily managed, much more so than
horses."
His next letter to me is dated from Swan Hill,
September 8th : —
" My dear Father,
" We arrived here on Saturday last, early in
the afternoon. I had not time to write by the last
post, which closed on the same evening. We are
all in good health and spirits. The road we are
about to take is not that which I had anticipated,
namely, down the side of the Lower Darling, as
we hear there is literally nothing for the horses to
eat ; so that we are going right across the country
to the Darling, passing the Murray at this place.
We leave Swan Hill about the middle of next
week, and shall then be out of the colony of
Victoria. We are expecting Professor Neumayer
up shortly, — a scrap of paper to-day by the post-
man says to-morrow. I am rather disappointed
at not having yet an assistant surveyor, but I
hope he will arrive shortly. Letters in future
had better be directed to the care of Dr. Macadam,
the secretary, as they will have to go by sea."
On the 17th of September he writes to his
mother : —
" Balranald,
" September 17th, 18G0.
" My dear Mother,
As I have an opportunity of sending a few
lines by this mail, I have determined to take
104 LETTER OF THE 17TH SEPTEMBER, 1860.
advantage of the chance, because I know how
glad you will be to receive them ; but I have not
time sufficient to give you any account of our
journey. We are now at the last township at
which we shall touch on our way towards the
interior of the continent. It is an out-of-the-way
place, situated on the lower part of the Murrum-
bidgee River. Our journey so far has been very
satisfactory : we are most fortunate as regards the
season, for there has been more rain this winter
than has been known for the last four or five
years. In fact, it seems probable that we shall
finish our work in a much shorter period than was
anticipated ; very likely in ten or twelve months.
The country up here is beautiful; everything
green and pleasant ; and if you saw it now, you
would not believe that in two months' time it
could have such a parched and barren appearance
as it will then assume. I hope to be able, either
from the Darling or from Cooper's Creek, to send
you some details of our proceedings. Please to
remember me to all, and
" Believe me, ever your affectionate son,
" William J. Wills. "
At Balranald, beyond the Murray, Mr. Burke
found it impossible to get on further with his
foreman, Ferguson, and discharged him in con-
sequence. It required no deep penetration to
discover that this would occur. Before they left
DISCHARGE OF MR. FERGUSON, FOREMAN. 105
the Royal Park, I made a remark to one of the
committee on Ferguson's appearance and general
demeanour : the gentleman I addressed replied,
" I have just told Burke he will have to shoot him
yet-
When Ferguson returned to Melbourne, he
]»ul»lished his own account of the affair ; and after
tin melancholy catastrophe of the expedition be-
came known, he brought his action against the
committee, and obtained a verdict for a con-
siderable sum on the ground of unjust dismissal,
proving his own statement in the absence of
counter-evidence. Those who could or might have
refuted it were dead.
Mr. Burke had no sooner rid himself of his
troublesome foreman, than his second began to ex-
hibit insubordination in an unmistakable manner.
This reached a crisis by the time they had pro-
ceeded as far as Menindie, on the Darling.
Whatever Mr. Landells* merits may have been
as a manager of camels, his post of second in
command had evidently affected the equilibrium
of his intellects. He mistook his position, as also
the character of his superior. His conduct was so
manifestly unjustifiable that no one took his part,
or defended him in the slightest degree. What
his real motive was, whether to escape from
danger when danger was likely to commence, or
to obtain the leadership of the expedition himself,
is difficult to determine. He bad been sowing
106 RESIGNATION OF MR. LANDELLS
dissension in the camp from an early period. My
son was so much engaged in his scientific avo-
cations that he knew little of what was going on ;
but when Mr. Landells was ill-judged enough to
talk plain sedition to him, he saw at once, and
clearly, the state of affairs. Mr. Burke was of
a generous and unsuspecting nature ; he trusted
every one until practical experience opened his
eyes, and then he naturally became angry, almost
to violence. The following correspondence, which
was published at the time, explains the affair
exactly as it happened. Mr. Selwyn laid before
the committee the letter from Professor Neu-
mayer, enclosing my son's to him. The professor
had been lost in the bush, and had to cut his way
through the scrub for a distance of six miles.
" Youngera, November 8.
" My dear Sir,
Bad news from the expedition since I left
them at M'Pherson's. I really do not know what
to think of it. I send you herewith a letter from
Mr. Wills, descriptive of the whole affair, and give
you authority to do. with it according to your
views. I am right in the bush, and have just met
with Captain Gadell, who is so kind as to take this
to you, in order that you might have a chance of
hearing both sides of the question. Landells I
spoke to last night ; and, according to his state-
ment, of course he is in the right.
AND DR. BK( KI 107
H I shall be in town in three or four weeks.
Iv\< use niy writing.
" Sincerely yours,
" Neumayer.
" Alfred Sclwyn, Esq.,
Government Geologist.'*
^ " Mcnindie, October 1C, 18G0.
-* Mv dear Professor,
" I suppose you are by this time safe in town
airam. Great things have occurred since you left;
in fact, I have so much to tell you that I do not
know where to begin.
" That Mr. Landells has resigned, and gives
over his things to-morrow, is news at which you
will not be much surprised ; but that Dr. Beckler
been foolish enough to follow his example,
for no better reason than that he did not like the
way in which Mr. Burke spoke to Mr. Landells,
will I think rather astonish you. I shall now give
you a full account of the whole matter, so that you
may be in a position to make any statement that
you may deem necessary in explanation of the
proceedings.
"It will be necessary for me to remind you
that when you left Kornpany, Mr. Landells was
tlare with the camels, for the purpose of bringing
on some of the heavy goods to lighten the wag-
gons. This he did, and reached the camp at
liill.arka on Tuesday, the 2nd inst., with about
three tons, whilst Mr. Burke wi nt round l.v tlir
Jower road with the waggons and horses; he was
108 MR. WILLS TO PROFESSOR NEUMAYER.
obliged to take the latter with him, greatly to
their disadvantage, because Mr. Landells would
not assume the responsibility of bringing them
with the camels. In bringing the things from
Kornpany, one of Coppin's camels fell, having at
the time on his back a load of upwards of 4 cwt.
The result of this fall was, according to Mr.
Landells report, a dislocation of the shoulder, for
which he said nothing could be done, so that the
camel has been left behind a perfect cripple. I
have dashed the above words because I myself
do not believe it to be a dislocation, but only a
strain ; but that's merely my idea ; Mr. L. ought
to know best. Certain it is that the poor brute
hobbled nearly twenty miles after us on Thursday
last, and I think that is rather a good pull for one
with a dislocation of the shoulder joint.
"On Thursday, the 4th inst., our own two
waggons came up to . M'Pherson's, and in the
evening Mr. Landells and I went down to the
station to post some letters. On the way, Mr. L.
made many remarks about Mr. Burke and his
arrangements that were quite uncalled for. He
told me, amongst other things, that Mr. B. had no
right to interfere about the camels ; that he had
agreements with the committee of which he be-
lieved Mr. B. was ignorant ; that everything was
mismanaged ; and, in fact, that if Mr. Burke had
his way everything would go to the devil.
" On Friday the other waggons came up, and
MR. WILLS TO PROFESSOR NEUMAYER. 109
it was intended that some of the camels should
fetch up what things we required, and that the
remainder should be stored at M'Pherson's; bu*
the camels were not to be found until late at
night. On Saturday morning Mr. Landells and
the Doctor went down with seventeen camels to the
station, a distance of five miles, and, greatly to
Mr. Burke's disgust, did not return until after dark.
In the meantime the nine remaining camels had
travelled off, and could not be found anywhere.
" On Sunday morning, M'Pherson sent a note
to Mr. Burke, requesting him to come down, as all
the shearers were drunk on some of the camels'
rum, which they had obtained from the waggons.
Mr. Burke hereupon expressed his determination,
which he had previously mentioned to me, that he
would leave the rum behind. Mr. Landells objected
to this, and insisted on the necessity of taking it
on, and told Mr. Burke, who was firm in his
resolve, that he would not be responsible for the
camels. Mr. B. said he should do as he pleased,
and left the camp ; and as soon as he was gone, Mr.
L. called me to take delivery of the Government
things in charge, as he intended to leave for Mel-
bourne at once. He said that Mr. B. was mad, and
he was frightened to stay in the tent with him.
He then went off, telling me that he should deliver
over the camels as soon as he could find them. It
appears that he went down to the station, and on
meeting the waggon-drivers on the road, told them
110 MR. WILLS TO PROFESSOR NEUMAYER
that he was about to leave, so that every one in the
camp knew it in a very short time. I should men-
tion that everything was being got ready for a
start ; and on my mentioning to Mr. Burke what
had passed, he said that he should take no notice
of it until it was brought officially before him.
When Mr. Landells returned, he asked Mr. Burke
in my presence to dismiss him, which Mr. B.
refused to do, but said that he would forward his
resignation if he wished it, with a recommendation
that he should receive his pay up to that time.
This did not exactly satisfy Mr. L., who wished to
appear before the public as the injured individual.
He, nevertheless, expressed to me several times his
fixed determination to stay no longer. He took
an opportunity in the evening, in his tent, to give
expression to opinions of his, which would not tend,
if listened to, to raise a leader in the estimation of
his officers. He said that Mr. B. was a rash, mad
man ; that he did not know what he was doing ;
that he would make a mess of the whole thing,
and ruin all of us ; that he was frightened at him ;
that he did not consider himself safe in the tent
with him, and many other things. Some of this
was said in the presence of the Doctor and Mr.
Becker ; but the most severe remarks were to me
alone after they were gone. On Monday, Mr.
Landells asked Hodgkinson to write out for him
his resignation, and then in a private conversation,
told Hodgkinson several things, which the latter
MR. WILLS TO PROFESSOR NEUMAYRR. Ill
thought it best to make a note of at once. 1 1 <1lt-
kinson's statement is this — that Mr. Landells
buying taked liim whether be QOold keep a secret,
told him, after extracting a sort of promise about
holding his tongue, 'that Mr. Burke wanted an
excuse for discharging him, and that lie had sent
hi in with the camels with an order to him (Mr.
Landells) to find fault with hiin for that purpose.
On hearing this, Hodgkinson wanted to go to Mr.
Burke and speak to him about it at once; but
Landells prevented this by reminding him of his
promise. This all came out owing to some re-
marks that Hodgkinson had made to me, and which
I considered myself in "duty bound to tell Mr.
Burke. On Monday evening Mr. Landells was
speaking to me about the best and quickest way of
getting to town, when I suggested to him that he
might be placing himself in a disagreeable position
by leaving in such a hurry without giving any
notice. He replied that he did not care, but that
he meant to propose certain terms to Mr. Burke,
which he read to me from his pocket-book, and on
these terms only he would go — ' That Mr. Burke
should give him a written agreement that he, .Mr.
L., should have full and unqualified charge of the
camels, and that from that time Mr. B. should not
interfere with them in any way ; that they should
travel no further nor faster than Mr. L. chose, and
that he should be allowed to carry provisions for
them to the amount of four camels' burthen.' Just
112 MR. WILLS TO PROFESSOR NEUMAYER.
after this, Mr. B. came up and called Mr. L. aside,
and, as the former told me, read to him a letter that
he had written to accompany the resignation. The
contents of this letter had a considerable effect on
Mr. L., who said that it was a pity they should have
had any quarrel, and so acted on Mr. B.'s feelings,
that he allowed him to withdraw his resignation.
I believe that the information which had arrived
about a steamer being on its way up the river had
had a great influence in making Mr. Landells de-
sirous to withdraw his resignation ; but the chief
reason was, no doubt, that he feared, from the con-
cluding sentence of Mr. Burke's letter, that the
committee would refuse him his pay.
" After this, everything appeared to be healed
for a day or two ; but on Wednesday, from various
matters that had occurred, I considered it my duty
to mention to Mr. Burke about Hodgkinson and
some things that Mr. Landells had said to me ;
whereupon it came out that Mr. L. had been
playing a fine game, trying to set us all together
by the ears. To Mr. Burke he has been abusing
and finding fault with all of us ; so much so, that
Mr. B. tells me that Landells positively hates me.
We have, apparently, been the best of friends. To
me, he has been abusing Mr. Burke, and has always
spoken as if he hated the Doctor and Mr. Becker ;
whereas with them he has been all milk and honey.
There is scarcely a man in the party whom he has
not urged Mr. Burke to dismiss.
MR. WILLS TO PROFESSOR NEUMAYER. 113
" Mr. Burke went ahead with the horses from
Bilbarka, partly because he wanted to be here
sooner than the rest, and partly in order to avoid a
collision with Mr. Landells. He asked Dr. Beckler
to accompany him, for we both expected that Mr.
Landells would be tampering with him, as we
found he had been with others ; but the Doctor
said that he preferred going with the camels, so
that after the first day, when we found that Dr.
Beckler would not go on with the horses, Mr.
I .iirke took Mr. Becker and myself with him.
We crossed the horses at a very good crossing at
Kinchica, six miles below Menindie. Mr. Burke
sent me up from there in the steamer, whilst he
took the horses up. On our arrival, we found that
Mr. Landells had ridden up also, having left the
camels at Kinchica ; he objected to making them
swim the river, and wanted the steamer's barge to
cross them over. This Mr. Burke refused, because
the captain and every one else said that it would be
a very dangerous experiment, from the difficulty
of getting them on or off, which is no easy matter
to do safely, even on a punt arranged for the pur-
pose ; and as for the barge, it can scarcely be
brought within six feet of the bank ; so Mr.
Burke insisted on their swimming the river at Kin-
ehica. After dinner we went down to assist in
crossing them, but Mr. Landells said it was too late,
and that he would cross them at ten o'clock next
morning. On his remarking that there was no
I
114 ME. WILLS TO PROFESSOR NEUMAYER.
rope here, I mentioned that we had just brought
one across with us, when he wanted to know what
business I had to say anything. Altogether he
made a great fool of himself before several of the
men ; and a Mr. Wright, the manager of the
Kinchica station. For this Mr. Burke gave him
an overhauling, and told him that if his officers
misconducted themselves, he (Mr. B.) was the
person to blow them up. Mr. Burke then told me,
before Mr. Landells, that he wished me to be
present at the crossing of the camels, at ten o'clock
to-morrow.
" Mr. Landells then jumped up in a rage, asking
Mr. Burke whether he intended that I should
superintend him, and what he meant by desiring
me to be present. Mr. Burke answered him that
if he knew his place he would not ask such a
question ; that he had no right to ask it, and that
he (Mr. B.) should give what orders he thought
proper to his officers without considering himself
responsible to Mr. L. ; that Mr. Landells' conduct
was insolent and improper, and that he would have
no more of it. This was on Monday.
" On Tuesday morning Mr. L. sent in his resig-
nation, and in the course of the day, Dr. Beckler
followed his example, giving as his reason that he
did not like the manner in which Mr. Burke spoke
to Mr. Landells, and that he did not consider that
the party was safe without Mr. Landells to manage
the camels. Now there is no mistake, Dr. Beckler
MR. WILLS TO i EUMAYER. il-
ia an honest littlo fellow, and w«'!l-intentioned
enough, bn1 he is nothing of a boshman, although
fa has had so much travelling. Landells has taken
advantage of his diffidence for his own purposes;
and at the same time that he hates him, he has put
on such a smooth exterior, that he has humbugged
and hoodwinked him into the belief that no one
can manage the camels but himself/'
The upshot was that the committee accepted
the resignations of Mr. Landells and Dr. Beckler,
fad expressed their entire approbation of the
conduct of Mr. Burke.
The following extract from the Melbourne lead-
ing journal, the " Argus," — and with the view
therein expressed all the other newspapers coincided
— shows pretty clearly the state of public opinion
on the question : —
" Whatever may be the interest attached to
the communications respecting the Victorian Ex-
ploring Expedition, as read before the committee
of the Royal Society, there can be little doubt but
that the judgment pronounced on Mr. Landells
i ins unaltered. He deserted his leader on the
eve of the fight ; and such an act, so subversive of
all discipline, and so far from the thoughts of the
smallest drummer-boy, renders all explanations
contemptible. In the present instance, Mr. Lan-
dells* explanations make his act the more inea
sable. He is still of opinion that the camels are
>pensable to the safety of the party, and that
i 2
116 EXTRACT FEOM THE MELBOURNE ARGUS.
he is indispensable to the safety of the camels.
The inference is, therefore, that he knowingly
left the party to perish. Indeed, we should not
at all enter into an examination of Mr. Landells'
letter, but that it may enable us to form some
opinion as to the prospects of the expedition itself,
and as to the suitability of Mr. Burke for its leader-
ship.
"The charges brought against Mr. Burke by his
late lieutenant, comprise almost everything that a
commander should not be guilty of. His acts of
commission and omission comprehend everything
that a bad general could possibly commit or omit,
and Mr. Landells winds up his bad qualities by
asserting that he ' cultivates the spy system,' and
treats his men like a parcel of \ convicts.' Not
only is he ' un gentlemanly ' to his officers and
* interfering with the best interests of the party'
— not only has he ' displayed such a want of judg-
ment, candour, and decision ;' but he has also
shown, in addition to these and many other
shortcomings, ' such an entire absence of any and
every quality which should characterize him as its
leader, as has led to the conviction in my own
mind that under his leadership the expedition will
be attended by the most disastrous results.'
ki But in this matter we are not left to decide
between Mr. Landells' account and Mr. Burke's
account. Mr. Wills, the third officer, may be
taken as an impartial ^observer, and his statement,
i:\Ti:ACT FROM THE MELBOURNE ARGUS. 11T
a private communication to the head of the depart-
ment to which he lately belonged, Professor Neu-
mayer, is free from any suspicion of toadyism.
From it we may find abundant reason for the
conduct which Mr. Landells calls ' strange.' If
Mr. Burke was restless at nights, hasty in the
day, and apparently undecided what course to
pursue, we have from this account of the matter
only to wonder that he managed to bear with Mr.
Landells so long as he did. Here the rage is all
on Mr. Landells' side. ■ Mr. Landells then jumped
up in a rage, asking Mr. Burke whether he in-
tended that I should superintend him?' To
talk, touch, or mention anything about his fa-
vourites, the camels, was sure to bring on 'a
scene.' < On his remarking that there was no
rope here, I mentioned that we had just brought
one across with us, when he wanted to know what
business I had to say anything. Altogether, he
made a great fool of himself before several of the
men, and a Mr. Wright, the manager of the
Kinchica Station.' These camels, under Mr.
Landells' spoiling, appear to have become the
plague of the expedition. They were to have
rum — solely, as it now appears, because Mr.
Landells ' knew of an officer who took two camels
through a two years' campaign in Cabul, the
Punjab, and Scinde, by allowing them arrack.*
They were to carry more stores for themselves
tlum they were worth. They were not to make
118 EXTRACT FROM THE MELBOURNE ARGUS.
long journeys, nor to travel in bad weather, nor
to be subject to any one's direction, or opinion, or
advice. In fine, the chief difficulty of exploring
Australia seemed to consist in humouring the
camels. We may imagine the feelings of a leader
with such a drag as this encumberiug him. Mr.
Pickwick could never have viewed with such
disgust the horse which he was obliged to lead
about as Mr. Burke must have regarded his
camels. When to this it is added that the leader
observed various intrigues carried on, we cannot
wonder that he determined to come to an open
rupture before Mr. Landells and the camels had
completely disorganized the expedition. * Where-
upon it came out/ writes Mr. Wills, ' that Mr.
Landells has been playing a fine game, trying
to set us all together by the ears. There is
scarcely a man in the party whom he has not
urged Mr. Burke to dismiss.' Under such a
state of things, the leader of the expedition must
have been painfully aware that his party was in
no fit state of organization to enter on a most
perilous undertaking, and that while such con-
tinued, both he and his men were going to in-
evitable destruction. If his conduct appeared to
Mr. Landells restless and uncertain, we may
wonder how, under the circumstances, it could be
otherwise. We find it impossible to believe that
the Exploring Committee of the Eoyal Society
could have secretly informed Mr. Landells that he
MY SON FED SECOND IN COMMAND. 119
held independent command, for such a thing
would bo a burlesque on discipline. He claims,
tlie sole management of the camels ; and perhaps
committee may have defined his duty as such.
so also has a private soldier the sole manage-
in< nt of his musket, but it is under the directions
of liis officer. Profound as may be Mr. Landells*
knowledge of camels, it would be worse than
useless unless subject to the direction of his com-
manding officer."
Mr. Burke, on the resignation of Mr. Landells,
immediately promoted my son to the post he had
vacated, which appointment the committee con-
firmed. Here there was perfect union and
reciprocal understanding. Neither had petty
jealousies or reserved views. The success of the
expedition was their object, and personal glory
their aim. The leader had every confidence in
his second, and the second was proud of his leader.
But Mr. Burke committed an error in the selection
of Mr. Wright for the third position in command,
without any previous knowledge or experience of
his capabilities. In this he acted from his im-
pulsive nature, and the consequences bore heavily
on his own and my son's fate. To the misconduct
of Mr. Wright, in the words of the report of the
Committee of Inquiry, " are mainly attributable
the whole of the disasters of the expedition, with
the exception of the death of Gray." In appear-
1 acquirements, there was nothing to
120 ERROR OF MR, WRIGHT'S APPOINTMENT.
recommend him. Tlie gentleman suggested by Mr.
Burke as a substitute for Dr. Beckler, most unjustly,
according to general opinion, desired to supplant
my son. This the majority of the committee refused
to accede to, and Mr. Nicholson, the chief secretary,
agreed with their decision. Others, including
myself, offered to go ; and a dispute, or rather a
discussion arose on the matter, which produced
delay, so that no one was sent at all. Another
fatal mistake. It will be a source of sorrow and
strong regret to me as long as I exist, that I did
not, of my own will, push on to Menindie, where I
might have been instrumental in saving one for
whom I would willingly have risked my life. But
no one then foresaw or expected the errors which
caused the surviving travellers to perish on their
return.
But the actual cause of what might appear to
be neglect on the part of the committee, in pro-
crastinating the medical appointment, or other
matters that were delayed, arose from the want of
funds. The sum subscribed had been expended,
and when Mr. Hodgkinson arrived at Melbourne,
with "Wright's despatch (written, however, by
Hodgkinson), asking for cash, and a confirmation
of his appointment as third in command, the
committee had no balance at their disposal. His
Excellency, Sir Henry Barkley, to prevent any
misfortune on that ground, came forward on his
personal guarantee, and became responsible until
ADDITIONAL FUNDS 8UPPLIED. 121
Parliament should again meet. The funds asked
for by Wright, and even more, were granted ; but
I believe it would puzzle the committee, to this
day, to find what became of them. One of the
avowed objects was to purchase sheep ; this, at
, was neglected. Hodgkinson fulfilled his
mission zealously, and returned to Wright within
as short a time as possible. But Wright lingered
inactively at Menindie, allowed the proper time
for following out the track of Mr. Burke to glide
away, and disgracefully broke faith with one who
had too generously trusted him.
One word more with respect to Mr. Landells.
His assertion, believed by no rational person at
the time, and emphatically denounced by Mr.
Burke in his despatch as "false," that he had
private instructions from the committee, rendering
him in some respects independent of his leader, was
utterly disproved by the evidence of Dr. Macadam,
Honorary Secretary, related before the Royal Com-
mission, who said in reply to Qu. 110 : " We gave
Mr. Landells no private instructions whatever ;
that has been answered over and over again."
122
CHAPTER VII.
From Menindie on the Darling to Torowoto — Mr. Burke's Despatch,
and Mr. Wills' Report from Torowoto — Mr. Wright's unaccountable
delay at Menindie — The Expedition proceeds onwards to Cooper's Creek
— Exploring Trips in that Neighbourhood — Loss of Three Camels —
My Son's Letters to his Sister, December 6th and 15th — Incorrectness
of M'Donough's Statements.
The incapables being happily disposed of, Mr.
Burke and his party left Menindie on the 19th
of October. The committee having decided
on Coopers Creek as the basis of his operations,
he pushed on in that direction, and reached To-
rowoto on the 29th of the same month. From the
latter encampment he forwarded the following
despatch, including my son's surveying report.
" Torowoto, Oct. 29, 1860.
" Sir,
I have the honour to report, that I left Menin-
die on the 19th instant with the following party : —
Messrs. Burke, Wills, Brahe, Patten, M'Donough,
King, Gray, Dost Mahomet, fifteen horses and
sixteen camels, and Mr. Wright, who had kindly
MR. BURKE'S DESPATCH FROM TOROWOTO. 128
vnlunt. •< red to show me a practical route toward
Cooper's Creek, for a distance of a hundred
miles from the Darling; and he has more than
fulfilled his promise, for we have now travelled for
upwards of 200 miles, generally through a fine
6heep-grazing country ; and we have not had any
difficulty about water, as we found creeks, or
Tholes, many of them having every appear-
ance of permanent water, at distances never exceed-
ing twenty miles. Mr. Wills* s report, herewith
1 «>r warded, gives all the necessary details. Al-
though travelling at the rate of twenty miles a
day, the horses and camels have all improved in
condition, and the country improves as we go on.
Yesterday, from Wanominta to Paldrumata Creek,
we travelled over a splendid grazing country, and
to-day, we are encamped on a creek or swamp,
the banks of which are very well grassed, and
good feed all the way from our last camp (44),
except for two miles, where the ground was barren
and swampy. Of course it is impossible for me to
say what effect an unusually dry summer would
produce throughout this country, or whether
we are now travelling in an unusually favour-
able season or not. I describe things as I find
them.
" Mr. Wright returns from here to Menindie.
1 informed him that I should consider him third
officer of the expedition, subject to the approval
of the committee, from the day of our departure
124 MR. BURKE'S DESPATCH FROM TOROWOTO.
from Menindie, and I hope that they will confirm
the appointment. In the mean time I have in-
structed him to follow me up with the remainder
of the camels to Cooper's Creek, to take steps to
procure a supply of jerked meat, and I have
written to the doctor to inform him that I have
accepted his resignation, as, although I was
anxious to await the decision of the committee,
the circumstances will not admit of delay, and he
has positively refused to leave the settled dis-
tricts. I am willing to admit that he did his best
until his fears for the safety of the party overcame
him; but these fears, I think, clearly show how
unfit he is for his post. If Mr. Wright is allowed
to follow out the instructions I have given him, I
am confident that the result will be satisfactory ;
and if the committee think proper to make inquiries
with regard to him they will find that he is well
qualified for the post, and that he bears the very
highest character. I shall proceed on from here to
Cooper's Creek. I may, or may not, be able to
send back from there until we are followed up.
Perhaps it would not be prudent to divide the
party ; the natives here have told Mr. "Wright
that we shall meet with opposition on our way
there. Perhaps I might find it advisable to leave
a depot at Cooper's Creek, and to go on with a
small party to examine the country beyond it.
tf Under any circumstances it is desirable that we
should soon be followed up. I consider myself
MR. BURKE'S DESPATCH FROM TOROWOTO. 126
very fortunate in having Mr. Wills as my second
in command. He is a capital officer, zealous and
untiring in the performance of his duties, and I
trust that he will remain my second as long as
I am in charge of the expedition.
" The men all conduct themselves admirably,
and they are all most anxious to go on ; but the
committee may rely upon it that I shall go on
steadily and carefully, and that I shall endeavour
not to lose a chance or to run any unnecessary
risk.
" I have the honour to be, Sir,
" Your most obedient servant,
" R. O'Hara Burke, Leader.,
* P.S. — The two blacks and four horses go back
with Mr. Wright."
" The following is a list of the camps from
Menindie to this place : —
Gamp No.
Oct. 19. Totoynya, a waterhole on the
plains 35
20. Kokriega, well in the Scope
Ranges 36
21. Bilpa Creek, do 37
22. Botoja Clay-pans 38
23. Langawirra Gully, Mount Dou-
beny Range 39
24. Bengora Creek, Mount Dou-
beny Range 40
25. Naudtherungee Creek ... 41
V26 . MR. WILLS'S SURVEY.
Camp No.
Oct. 26. Teltawongee Creek .... 41
27. Wonominta Creek .... 43
28. A clay-pan on the plains . . 44
29. Torowoto Swamp 45
" Lat., 30° V 30' S. ; long., 142° 27 7 E/*
" Oct, 30, 1860. Forwarded.
" R. O'Hara Burke, Leader.
11 Dr. Macadam, Secretary-
Exploring Expedition."
FROM MR. WILLS, SECOND IN COMMAND, ASTRONOMER
AND SURVEYOR OF THE PARTY.
surveyor's REPORT,
" The country, Bilbarka and Tolarno, in the
immediate vicinity of the eastern bank of the
River Darling, presents the most barren and
miserable appearance of any land that we have
yet met with. It consists chiefly of mud flats,
covered with polygonum bushes, box timber, and
a few salsolaceous plants, of inferior quality.
Above Tolarno there is a slight improvement,
and between Kinchica and Menindie there is some
fair grazing country. All agree in saying that
there is fine grazing land back from the river ;
but the want of water will probably prevent its
being occupied, except in a very partial manner,
for many years ; and I fear that the high sand
ridges, twenty to forty feet, and in some cases more
MR. WILLS'S 8URV1. 127
than sixty feet above the level of the river banks,
will form almost insapftpftbk barriers in the way of
any one who may attempt to conduct water from
the river by means of canals. It appears to me, from
information that I have been able to obtain,
the difficulties with which settlers have here
to contend arise not so much from the absorbent
nature of the soil as from the want of anything
to ahsorb. This last season is said to have been
the most rainy that they have had for several
years ; yet everything looked so parched up that
I should have imagined it had been an exceedingly
dry one.
"Gales. — I noticed that the forests for about
30 miles below Menindie had been subjected to
severe gales from W.N.W. This was so striking,
that I at first thought it was the effect of a hurri-
cane ; but I could find no indications of a whirl-
ing force, all the trees and branches lying in the
same direction ; besides which, they seemed to
have been torn down at various times, from the
different stages of decay in which they were
found ; and Mr. Wright has subsequently informed
me that almost every spring they have a gale from
W.N.W., which lasts but a short time, but
carries everything before it. It is this same strip
of country which is said to be more favoured with
rain than that lower down.
" Sand Drifting. — One can perceive everywhere
in the neighbourhood of Menindie, the effect of the
128 MR. WILLS'S SURVEY.
winds in shifting the sand, by the numerous logs
in various stages of inhumation.
u The Darling Pea. — It appears to be a dis-
puted question, even on the river, as to the effect
of the Darling pea on horses, some asserting that
they become cranky simply from eating that herb,
and others that it is starvation that makes them
mad. I could get no satisfactory information even
as to the symptoms, which seem to vary consider-
ably ; but this I had from a reliable source, that
horses will eat the pea in large quantities without
being injuriously affected, provided they can ob-
tain other food as well ; but that when they are
on portions of the river where they can get
nothing else to eat, then they soon get an attack
of madness.
" Menindie to Scrope Eanges. — The country
between Menindie and Kokriega, in the Scrope
Eanges, a distance of thirty-six miles in a north-
erly direction, is a fine open tract of country, well
grassed, but having no permanent water. At
Kokriega there is a well which may be relied on for
a small supply, but would be of no use in watering
cattle in large numbers. The ranges are composed
of ferruginous sandstone and quartz conglomerate,
and as to vegetation are of a very uninviting
aspect. The plain to the south is covered with
quartz and sandstone pebbles. About five miles
to the N.E. of the Kokriega is a spot where the
schist rock crops out from under the sandstone,
MR. WILLS*S SURV1 129
and the rises here have somewhat of an auriferous
character.
" North of the Scrope Range. — To the north of
the Scrope Range the country has much the same
appearance, except that there are more trees, and
no stones until one reaches the Mount Doubeny
Ranges, a distance of nearly forty miles. At a
spot half way, named Botoga, there are some flats
well calculated for collecting and retaining rain
water.
" Mount Doubeny Range. — In this range there
are, no doubt, many places where permanent water
may be found in considerable quantities. Two
places I may mention where the water is certainly
permanent — Mutwongee, a gully midway between
camps 39 and 40 ; and Bengora Creek, the latter
camp.
" Country North of Mount Doubeny. — From
these ranges up to our present position we have
passed over as good grazing country as one would
wish to see ; salt bushes of every kind, grass in
abundance, and plenty of water. Amongst the
ranges we found kangaroo grass as high as our
shoulders, and on the plains the spear grass up to
our knees.
" Naudtherungee Creek. — At this creek, which
takes its rise near Mount Lyell, and probably
flows into the M'Farlane's Creek of Sturt, we
found a small shallow pond of water, in the
sandy bed of the creek. This did not look very
K
130 MR. WILLS'S SURVEY.
promising, but on digging I found that the whole
bed of the creek was a mass of loose sand, through
which the water freely permeated, and that the
waterhole we found was only a spot where, the
level of the surface of the sand being below
that of the water, the latter oozed through. I am
informed by Mr. Wright, who was here in January
last, that the creek contained much more water
then than now.
" Country North of JSTaudtherimgee Creek. —
For a few miles to the north of this creek the
ground is very sandy, and timbered with pines,
acacias, and several descriptions of trees with
which I am unacquainted. There are two very
handsome trees that I have never seen in any
other part of the country — the leopard tree
(called so from its spotted bark), and a tree
which in general appearance much resembles the
poplar. a On these sandhills the grass is very
coarse, but in the flats there is good feed. Beyond
the sand rises the country becomes more open
again ; and at about twelve or thirteen miles one
comes to quartz rises, from which there is a fine
view to the E., N., and W. Two creeks are
distinctly visible by the lines of gum timber ; they
take their rise near some hills to the eastward,
and passing around towards the north, join at a
point about three miles N. W., from whence the
resulting creek continues in a W.N.W. direction,
as far as the eye can reach. The hills are com-
KB. WILLS'S SURVEY. l '!
posed of an argillaceouss chist. On several of the
lower rises, quartz reefs crop out, and some of tin
quarts which I examined had every appearance
of being auriferous, except the main one — the
colour of the gold. There are some fine waterholes
in the first creek (Teltawongee), but I cannot say
certain that the water is permanent. The
whole of the country from here to our next camp,
a distance of twenty-six miles, is the finest I have
seen for collecting and retaining water ; and the
only question as to a permanent supply of that
essential liquid is, whether this part of the country
is subject to long-continued droughts ; for the water-
holes that we have met with are not large enough
to last for any great length of time, in the event
of the country being stocked. At ten miles from
Teltawongee, we came to the Wonominta — a creek
having all the characteristics of water-courses
thai take their rise in hills of schistoze formation.
At first, the numberless small waterholes, without
the trace of a creek connecting them, then the
deep-cut narrow channel, with every here and
there a fine waterhole. The banks of the creek
are clothed with high grass and marshmallows.
The latter grow to an immense size on nearly all
the creeks out here.
"The Wonominta Ranges are high, bare-
looking hills, lying to the eastward of the creek ;
the highest peaks must be between two and three
thousand feet above the sea. The blacks say that
k 2
132 ME. WILLS'S SURVEY.
there is no water in them — an assertion that I
can scarcely credit. They say, however, that
there is a fine creek, with permanent water, to
the east of the ranges, flowing northwards. At
the point of the Wonominta Creek where we
camped there is a continuous waterhole of more
than a mile long, which, they say, is never dry.
It is from fifteen to twenty feet broad, and ave-
rages about five feet in depth, as near as I could
ascertain. From this point, Camp No. 43, the creek
turns to the N.W. and around to N., where it
enters a swamp, named Wannoggin ; it must be
the same that Sturt crossed in coming across from
Evelyn Plains. In going over to Wannoggin, a
distance of fourteen miles, I found the plains
everywhere intersected by small creeks, most of
them containing water, which was sheltered from
the sun by the overhanging branches of drooping
shrubs, tall marshmallows, and luxuriant salt
bushes ; and at some of them were hundreds of
ducks and waterhens. When crossing some flats
of light-coloured clay soil, near Wannoggin,
and which were covered with box timber, one
might almost fancy himself in another planet,
they were so arid and barren. The Wannoggin
Swamp is at present dry, but I believe it is gene-
rally a fine place for water. Birds are very
numerous about there, and I noticed that by far
the greater portion of the muslka trees (a species
of acacia) contained nests, either old or new.
MR. WIUS'S SUKVEY.
"At about twenty miles from Wonominta, in ;i
N.N.Iv direction, there is a fine creek, with ;i
waterhole about a mile long, which we passed';
and Mr. Wright tells me there is a larger one
further up the creek.
" The land in the neighbourhood of the Toro-
woto Swamp is very fine for pastoral purposes.
It is rather low and swampy, and therefore better
for cattle than for sheep. There appears to be a
gradual fall in the land from Totoynya to this place,
amounting to about 500 feet. This swamp can
scarcely be more than 600 feet above the sea, if so
much. The highest ground over which we have
passed has been in the Mount Doubeny Ranges,
from Langawirra to Bengora, and that appears to
be about 1000 feet above the sea. Mount Ben-
gora is, by barometrical observation, about 300
feet above the camp at Bengora, but it is not the
highest peak in the range by perhaps fifty or sixty
feet; and I think we may assume that the highest
peak does not exceed 1,500 feet above the sea.
" Meteorogical. — We have been very fortunate
up to the present time as regards the weather,
both in having had plenty of water and moderate
temperatures. The thermometer has never risen
above 88 0, 5' in the shade, and has seldom been
below 50° ; the average daily range having been
from 58° to 80°. During our stay on the Darling,
the temperature of the water varied very slightly,
being always between 65° and 67°. The winds
134 MR. WILLS'S SURVEY.
have generally been light, frequently going all
round the compass in the course of the day ; but
in any case it has almost invariably fallen calm after
sunset. Cirri and cirro stratus' clouds have been
very prevalent during the day, and cumulo stratus
during the night.
"Wells and Creeks. — The temperature of the
water in the well at Kokriega, at ten a.m. Oct. 21,
was 58°' 5', being exactly the same as the tempe-
rature of the air. That of the water between the
rocks, at Bilpa, at five p.m. on the same day, was
64°, the temperature of air being 75°. The tem-
perature of the water in the sand at Naudthe-
rungee, at seven a.m. on the 26th, was 59°* 5', that
of the air being 62°. At five a.m. October 28, the
temperature of the water in "Wonominta Creek
was 63°- 5', that of the air being 62°.
" Note. — The temperature of the water is always
taken within six inches of the surface."
The Royal Commission of Inquiry censured Mr.
Burke for the appointment of Mr. Wright, without
personal knowledge of him ; and, judging by the
lamentable results, a grave mistake it was. But
Mr. Burke was placed in great difficulty by the
resignation of Mr. Landells and Dr. Beckler, and
acted to the best of his judgment under the cir-
cumstances, with the means at his disposal. His
confidence, too hastily bestowed, was repaid
by ingratitude and contumely. Wright never
spoke of his commander without using terms of
McDONOUGITS EVIDENCE AS TO MR. WRIGHT. 135
<li-l>arageraent, and dwelling on his incapacity.
" He was gone to destruction," he said, " and
would lose all who were with him." He repeated
these words to me, and others even stronger, both in
Melbourne and in Adelaide. McDonough, in his
evidence before the Royal Commission, was asked,
u What did you say as to Mr. Wright's despond-
ing ?" He answered (436) : " He always gave Mr.
r>i nke up as lost; said he was neither gone to
Queensland nor anywhere else ; the man has rushed
madly on, depending upon surface water, and is
lost in the desert. He never gave us any hope
for him ; in fact, so much so, that I offered to
make a bet that he would be found at Queensland,
or turn up somewhere."
It has been seen by Mr. Burke's despatch of the
29th of October, that he gave orders to Mr. Wright
to follow him up to Cooper's Creek with the re-
mainder of the camels and supplies, without unne-
cessary delay. McDonough states (ans. 197) that
Mr. Burke said to him, on the 15th of December,
" I expect Mr. Wright up in a few days — a fort-
night at farthest. I left him positive instructions to
follow me." King states (ans. 693) "that on the
1 6th of December, Mr. Burke told the party * he
thru expected Mr. Wright daily.' " Wright him-
self states in his evidence (ans. 1235), " I gave Mr.
I >i nke my word that I would take the remainder of
the party out, as soon as I returned to Menindic."
A circumstance happened about this tim- .
13G INTELLIGENCE FORWARDED TO MR. BURKE.
(Dec. 1860), which delayed him, but not even that
necessarily. Information reached Melbourne that
Mr. Stuart had nearly penetrated to the Gulf of Car-
pentaria, more to the westward ; that he had been
driven back by the natives, but would start again
immediately. The Committee thought it advisable
to forward the intelligence to Mr. Burke. This
was done by a despatch to Swan Hill, where Mr.
Foster was superintendent of police. He accord-
ingly sent on a trooper named Lyons, who followed
in the track of the party, and arrived at Menindie
just as Wright returned with his two natives,
after escorting the expedition to Torowoto. Lyons
refused to give up the despatch, as he had been
ordered to place it in Mr. Burke's own hands.
Here was a plausible excuse for Wright, no doubt,
so he sent McPherson, a saddler by trade, who
had been engaged en route by Mr. Burke, accom-
panied by Dick, a native, to assist Lyons in his
pursuit of the leader. Had he put himself and
the whole party in motion at once, the subsequent
misfortunes would have heen averted. Lyons and
McPherson lost their way, being quite unable to
overtake Mr. Burke, who had eight days' start,
travelling at the rate of twenty miles a day.
Neither had they ingenuity enough to find Mr.
Burke's tracks, although accompanied by a native,
which is inexplicable, if they trusted to Dick, who
had both intelligence and energy of purpose. He
found his way back to Wright, however, and was
ARRIVAL OP HODGKINSON AT MELBOURNE 137
thus tliu means of saving the lives of the trooper
and McPherson.
Hodgkinson, we have seen, was despatched by
Wright to Melbourne, from Menindie, on the 19th
of December, with letters assuming to be written
by himself, but, in fact, by Hodgkinson. Whether
t be committee knew this does not appear : if they
di<l not, here was one reason for confirming
Wright's appointment. Hodgkinson reached
Melbourne on the morning of the 30th, riding
nearly four hundred miles in eleven days. A
meeting of the committee was called on Monday,
the 31st, at which His Excellency attended, and
Hodgkinson started on his return the same
evening. This certainly was business. Nearly
double the sum that he had asked was allowed to
Wright, in cash. From the 5th of November, he
lingered at Menindie, until the 19th of December,
doing nothing. He says he was waiting for an
answer to a letter he had previously sent. Dr.
Macadam, the Secretary, denies that he ever
received such a letter. Wright is here unworthy
of credit, for he could not write. This was ex-
tracted from himself, after considerable fencing, in
his examination before the Commission on the 12th
of December, 1861 :
Mr. Wm. Wright further examined.
Qu. 1565. M There is evidently some discrepancy
between the statement that you wrote yourself on
138 WEIGHT'S EXAMINATION.
the 5th of November, when you came back, and
the statement of Dr. Macadam that no such letter
was ever received. This letter of yours of the
19th of December, is it written by yourself? — The
one I sent myself?
1566. " The one of the 19th of December, is it in
your own handwriting ? — The one that is missing ?
1567. " No ; this one [handing a paper to the wit-
ness] ? — No, it is not ; Hodgkinson did all the writing.
1568. " Did he write the one that is stated to
be missing ? — No, he did not.
1569. " You wrote that one ? — I wrote that with
my own hand. I just wrote a few words.
1570. " Could your memory serve you suffi-
ciently to write the purport of that letter that is
missing ? — It would not.
1571. "Nothing approaching to it? — I never
thought for a moment of keeping a copy of it, or
of giving it to Hodgkinson to keep a copy.
1572. " Have you no recollection of the general
purport of it ? — I just mentioned that Mr. Burke
had appointed me to take the party out and take
the command ; that is about the heads of it.
1573. " Have you any objection to write a letter
similar to that one, as nearly as you can remember
it? — No. I write a very indifferent hand.
1574. " Which was the reason, it is to be pre-
sumed, why you got some one to write the letter of
the 19th?— Yes."
Hodgkinson arrived at Menindie on the 9th of
DESPATCH FROM THK COMMITTEE TO WRIGITT. 139
January, 1861, and immediately placed in Wright's
1 muds the following letter : —
_, " Melbourne, December 31st.
" Sir,
" Your despatch of the 19th inst., forwarded
Mr. Hodgkinson, was laid before a meeting of
the members of the Exploration Committee held
this day, when the following resolutions were
carried unanimously :
" 1. ' That a letter be forwarded to Mr. "Wright,
informing him that his appointment as third in
command of the Victorian Expedition, by Mr.
Burke, has been approved of and confirmed by this
committee.
" 2. * That Mr. Wright, third officer of the
Victorian Expedition, be empowered to procure a
number of horses (not more than ten), and the
necessary accoutrements; and also one hundred
and fifty (say 150) sheep, and be authorized to
draw on the treasurer, the Hon. David E. Wilkie,
M.D., M.L.C., for an amount not exceeding four
hundred pounds (say £400) sterling, for their
purchase, and other necessary incidental expenses.
" I have further to inform you that Mr. Hodg-
kinson, who returns as the bearer of this despatch,
will hand you an order from Mr. Superintendent
Foster, of Swan Hill, to obtain from trooper
Lyons the despatches for the leader, now in tlir
possession of that officer, and which it is do-
vou should hand to Mr. Bin
140 DESPATCH FROM THE COMMITTEE TO WRIGHT.
"It is hoped by the committee, that trooper
Lyons and saddler Macpherson have safely returned
to the camp, and you will kindly report as to the
manner in which the former has endeavoured to
carry out the duty committed to his charge.
"The medal for Dick, the aboriginal guide,
bearing a suitable inscription, is forwarded with
this despatch, and the committee leave in your
hands the bestowal of such additional reward as
you may deem proper — not exceeding five guineas
(say £5 5s.)
" Captain Cadell informed the committee to-day
that his store at Menindie would be at your service
for depositing any articles you may find it incon-
venient to remove to Cooper's Creek at present.
" You will endeavour to secure, if possible,
twelve pommel pack-saddles, now arrived, it is
believed, on the Darling. These were forwarded
via Adelaide, and will no doubt be of great use
to the main party.
"The committee desire that on your meeting
with Mr. Burke, you will show him, and deposit
with him, this despatch, as also a copy of yours of
the 19th inst., together with copies of all despatches
you may forward to the committee during Mr.
Burke's absence ; and the committee expect that
you will communicate under such circumstances as
frequently as possible.
" Mr. Hodgkinson bears letters for the leader
and Mr. Wills.
Tin; EXPEDITION PROCEEDS TO COOPER'S CREEK. 141
" In conclusion, it is hoped that your endeavours
to remove the stores from your present dep6t to
Cooper's Creek will be early and successfully
accomplished.
" I have the honour to be, sir,
" Your obedient servant,
" (Signed) John Macadam, M.D., Sec.
"To Mr. Wright, third in com-
mand, temporary deiot, Plurar-
mora Creek, Darling River, New
South Wales."
Nothing can be clearer than the instructions
herein conveyed ; yet in the face of them, Wright
made no start until the 2Gth of January. His
answers to the Royal Commission were full of
contradictions, but to the main question of his
delay he gave no answer at- all. From my own
inquiries I never could make out that any one at
M« nindie thought him fit for the post, or under-
took to recommend him. Captain Cadell did to
the committee, but with Mr. Burke, Captain Cadell
was not on speaking terms.
Mr. Burke and my son proceeded onwards, ac-
companied by the reduced party, consisting of
Brahe, King, Gray, Patten, McDonough, and Dost
Mahomet, fifteen horses and sixteen camels, on the
29th of September, 1860, and reached Cooper's
Creek on the 11th of November, a distance of
about 250 miles. Here my son went out occa-
ally, taking a man with him, to explore the
142 BRAHE'S EXAMINATION.
country, far and near. His great desire was to
reach Carpentaria by the shortest practicable cut,
and he inclined to a direct northern course, or to
the eastward of north. The committee represented
afterwards, as prominently as they could put it,
that Mr. Burke was left unshackled on this point,
but still suggestions were offered, which a leader
naturally considers he is expected to listen to.
One of these was, that on leaving Cooper's Creek
they should proceed towards Eyre's Creek and
Sturt's Farthest (September, 1845) ; for which I
refer the reader to the map. My son could not
see the wisdom of this, as Sturt had declared
that beyond that point he saw nothing but
an impenetrable desert. McDouall Stuart's return
Adelaide was also reported, and that he was about
to start again : it therefore became a rival race as
to who should reach the goal first.
"With reference to my son's exploration trips
during the halt at Cooper's Creek, Mr. Brahe, on
his examination before the Royal Commission, gave
the following particulars : —
" We travelled down the creek ; our first camp
on Cooper's Creek was Camp 57 ; from some of
the first camps Mr. Wills went out exploring the
creek.
Qu. 148. " How long did you remain at the first
camp ? — One night ; at the second camp, two
days ; and at the third camp, two days ; and from
each camp Mr. Wills went down tracing the creek.
II - i:\AMINATION. 143
149. "And you remained two days at each
camp for thivc camps down the creek? — Yes.
150. " Wastlic third camp t he final camp formed
on the creek ? — No, at the 63rd camp the first
depot was formed. We remained there a fortnight.
151. "At the 63rd camp ?— Yes, that would be
the fifth or sixth camp on the creek.
152. u What were you doing that fortnight ? —
Mr. Wills was exploring the country to the north ;
Mr. Burke was out with him once ; Mr. Burke
was out with me first, and we could not go far
enough with horses, not finding any water away
from the camp.
153. "How far did you go? — About twenty-
five miles straight ; the weather being very hot we
could not go further : we had to return the second
day to the camp.
154. "Then Mr. Wills went out by himself? —
He went ninety miles ; he took McDonough with
him and three camels.
155. " And he lost one of his camels, did he
not ? — He lost the three and returned on foot.
156. " Was he much weakened by that journey ?
—Not Mr. Wills.
157. " But McDonough was? — Rather.
158. " Did they suffer from want of food as well
as want of water ? — No, only from want of water.
159. " How long did you remain after that before
there was a final start again? — I believe we
started two or three days after that. Mr. Wills
144: BKAHE'S EXAMINATION.
went out a second time from that camp with King
and only two camels to bring down those things
that he had left where he lost the camels.
160. "How far was that from the creek? —
Ninety miles.
161. "And he went out with King and two
camels for the things that he had left behind when
he lost his camels and brought them back ? — Yes ;
and on the same day, or the day after, when Mr.
"Wills went out on that second journey, Mr.
Burke removed the depot to the lower place.
162. " Did those camels lost by Mr. Wills ever
turn up ? — I believe two of them have been found
near Adelaide.
163. "In the meantime you went down to the
last depot? — Yes.
164. " How long did you remain there ? — Mr.
Burke started from there about five or six days after
Mr. Wills returned from that second journey."
My son gives his own account of the exploration
when the camels were lost, in the following letter
to his sister : —
" Cooper's Creek, December 6th, 1860.
Lat. 27° 36', Long. 141° 30".
" My dear Bessy,
" You must excuse my writing with a pencil ;
ink dries so rapidly that it is a nuisance to use it.
We have been here now about three weeks, and
shall, I expect, make a start northwards in about
a fortnight. Our journey to this point has been
MY SON'S LETTERS TO HIS SISTER. 146
interesting, but not in any particulnr that you
will care much about. Our party here consists of
eight men, sixteen camels, and fourteen horses. We
expect the rest of the men and camels up in a few
weeks. Everything has been very comfortable so
far; in fact, more like a picnic party than a
serious exploration : but I suppose we shall have
some little difficulties to contend with soon. I
had an intimation of something of the kind a
few days ago, having been out reconnoitring the
country to the north for three days, with one man
and three camels, and had found no water, so that
the animals were very thirsty, and on the third
night managed to get away from us, leaving us
about eighty miles from the main camp, without
hay or water, except what remained of that which
we had brought with us ; so here was nothing for
it, but to walk home as soon as we could, carrying
as much water as possible, to be drunk on the way.
After searching about in order to be sure that the
camels had gone home, we started at about halt-
past seven, and were lucky enough to find a creek
with some water in it about ten miles on, where
we remained until evening; for it is dry work
travelling in the middle of the day, with the
thermometer varying from 90° to 105° in the shade,
and about 140° in the sun. Well, we start* I
ii in the evening and walked until between
nine and ten P.M.; and Rgain at three A.M. had
pushed on until midday. We then went on from
i.
146 MY SON'S LETTERS TO HIS SISTER. \
five P.M., as before, until nine p.m. t and then from
two a.m., and reached the camp at nine a.m., having
walked more than eighty miles in rather less than
fifty hours, including sleeping, feeding, and all
stoppages. We found no water all the way,
except what I have mentioned above, so that, as
you may imagine, we ran rather short towards
the end of our journey, having not quite half a
pint left between us. When we stopped to rest the
second night, it had been blowing a hot wind all
day, with the thermometer at 107° in the shade.
This made us require more water than usual. I
can assure you there is nothing like a walk of
this sort to make one appreciate the value of a
drink of cold water. We feel no inclination for
anything else, and smack our lips over a drop
such as you would not think of tasting, with as
much relish as ever any one did over the best
sherry or champagne. I have enjoyed myself so
far. It is now nearly four months since we left
Melbourne, and you will see by the map that we
are about half-way across the continent. I hope by
the time that this reaches you we shall not only
have been entirely across, but back here again,
and possibly on our way to Melbourne. There is
no probability of the expedition lasting two or
three years. I expect to be in town again within
twelve months from the time of starting. I enclose
a few chrysanthemums from the Australian desert.
I know you will highly prize them. To give you
MY SON'S LETTERS TO HIS SISTER. 147
mii idea of Cooper's Creek, fancy extensive flat,
sandy plains, covered with herbs dried like hay,
and imagine a creek or river, somewhat similar in
appearance and size to the Dart above the Weir,
winding its way through these flats, having its
banks densely clothed with gum trees and other
evergreens : — so far there appears to be a con-
siderable resemblance, but now for the different.
The water of Cooper's Creek is the colour of flood-
water in the Dart ; the latter is a continuous run-
ning stream ; Cooper's Creek is only a number of
waterholes. In some places it entirely disappears,
the water in flood-time spreading all over the flats
and forming no regular channel. The flies are
very numerous, so that one can do nothing without
having a veil on ; and whilst eating the only plan
is to wear goggles."
His next letter is written with ink : —
" December 15th.
"Dear Bessy,
" Since scribbling the above, I have been up
to the place from whence I had the walk I men-
tioned. The camels did not get away this time.
\\Y haw si lifted our quarters to a better place,
about twenty miles down the creek. To-morrow
we start for Eyre's Creek, about two hundred miles
towards the Una. There have been heavy thunder-
storms towards the north, and I hope we shall find
plenty of water. If so, I shall soon be able to
l 2
143 MY SON'S LETTERS TO HIS SISTER.
send you a good long letter without resorting to
the use of a pencil. I wish I could send mamma
a few lines, but she must read yours and fancy it
written to her : I have not even time to send a line
to my father. Tell mamma that I am getting into
that robust state of health that I always enjoy
when in the bush ; a tremendous appetite, and can
eat anything. One of our chief articles of con-
sumption is horseflesh : it is very nice ; you would
scarcely know it from beef. Give my love to
all, and
" Believe me,
"Ever your affectionate brother,
" William J. Wills."
Here we find my son, between the 1st and 15th of
December, travelling about five hundred miles, and
walking from eighty to ninety. McDonough, in
his examination, gave altogether a falsified account
respecting the loss of the camels, as he also made a
bombastic statement of his great intimacy with
Mr. Burke. The real truth is, that McDonough
was the least trustworthy of the party. He would
not have been taken by my son, but in the morning
Mr. Burke had volunteered to accompany him, so
that McDonough would not have been left alone ;
but after travelling a short distance, Mr. Burke
did not feel well, and returned. At the place
mentioned by my son as having dismounted, he
told McDonough that he wished to make some
KING'S EXAMINATION. 149
observations, and was going to a rising ground at
a distance ; that the camels should feed, but he
was not to lose sight of them for an instant.
Instead of attending to his instructions, McDo-
nough set to work to light a fire and boil his pan-
nikin. Perhaps he went to sleep ; for he pointed
out some stunted bushes in the distance and said
they were the camels. My son then sent him to
search for them, but they could not be found.
King, the only survivor of the party, on his exami-
nation, said : —
" Mr. Wills told me that the camels were lost
through McDonough' s neglect during the time he
was writing and taking observations.
"Qu. 1737. McDonough never disputed that,
did he ? — McDonough told me that it was while
they were at supper in the evening ; but I do not
see how that could be, because they generally took
supper, and ourselves, about six o'clock ; and it was
so dark that they could not see the camels, so that
they were most likely lost when Mr. Wills was
taking* observations. ,,
Mr. Burke, in his report from Cooper's Creek,
dated December the 13th, says : — " Mr. Wills, upon
one occasion, travelled ninety miles to the north,
without finding water, when his camels escaped,
and he and the man who accompanied him were
obliged to return on foot, which they accomplished
in forty-eight hours. Fortunately, upon their
return they found a pool of water. The three
150 KING'S EXAMINATION.
camels have not yet been recovered Mr.
Wills co-operates cordially with me. He is a most
zealous and efficient officer."
King, in the course of his evidence stated as
follows : —
" Qu. 667. What did you do when you got to
Cooper's Creek; did you go on any of these expedi-
tions with Mr. Burke or Mr. Wills ? — Yes ; when
Mr. Burke made our first depot at the creek, Mr.
Burke, Mr. Wills, and McDonough started one morn-
ing to try and find water some distance to the north.
Mr. Burke seemed not to be well, and returned after
going a mile or so, and so McDonough and Mr.
Wills continued, and were away some few days ;
I do not know the exact number of days ; they lost
the camels (three in number) and had to return to
the depot on foot.
"668. After a few days? — Yes; after a few
days.
"669. Did you go out yourself on that expedi-
tion ? — Not then ; a few days after, Mr. Burke,
Mr. Wills, and myself went to a distance of about
seventy miles north ; we could not find water ;
Mr. Wills found water when he and McDonough
went before.
" 670. Did you go the same track as they did ? —
Yes ; but I do not know how Mr. Wills could not
find it ; he seemed not to recognize the place.
" 671. Did you lose any horses or camels then ? —
None ; we just rested, and Mr. Wills and myself
KING'S EXAMINATION. 151
m -lit the third time, and found the water at a dis-
tance of about ninety miles to the north, and we
also had to bring the camel saddles, and riding
saddles, which Mr. Burke intended to take with
him across the continent."
152
CHAPTER VIII.
Mr. Wills's Survey of the line of Country pursued by the Expedition,
from Torovvoto Swamp to Coopers Creek.
The following reports, which were duly for-
warded and published, contain interesting parti-
culars of the country traversed, and the observa-
tions made between Torowoto and Cooper's Creek.
They were accompanied by a tracing, which is
shown on the map.
" Camp 65, Depot, Cooper's Creek,
M q December 15th, 1860.
" I have had the honour to place in the hands
of our leader, for transmission to the committee, my
third report, and a tracing, showing the country
traversed since my last was written. I regret that
I have been unable to devote as much attention
to either as I could have desired ; but I have no
doubt the committee will make due allowance for
my want of time, and the inconveniences attending
the execution of such work in our present position.
" I have, &c.
" William J. Wills,
Surveyor and Assistant Observer.
" The Honorary Secretary of
the Exploration Committee."
SURVEY FROM TOROWOTO TO COOPER'S CREEK. 153
(Forwarded). 4i Depot, December 16, 1860.
u As Mr. Wills's report, with which I fully
concur, contains all the necessary details with
regard to the state of the country through which
we passed, I have not referred to the subject in
mine.
u R. O'Hara Burke, Leader.
" The Honorary Secretary of the
Exploration Committee."
" The accompanying tracing will show the course
taken by the expedition party from the Torowoto
Swamp, in latitude 30° l 1 30" S., long. 142° 36' E.,
to the depot on Cooper's Creek, Camp 65, latitude
27° 37' 8" S., longitude 141° 6' E.
" Water supply between Torowoto and Wright's
Creek. — The country traversed to the north of the
Torowoto Swamp, and lying between that place
and Wright's Creek, is neither so well grassed nor
watered as that to the south of the Swamp; the
land falls considerably as far as Cangapundy,
and a great extent of it is subject to inundation.
Nearly all the water met with was thick and
muddy : it was met with in small clay pans, most
of which would probably be dry in three weeks.
This applies to all the places at which we found
water, with the exception of Cannilta, Canga-
pundy, and the four waterholes to the south of
Wright's Creek.
11 Cannilta. — Cannilta is a waterhole of good ole*K
154 MR. WILLS'S SURVEY FROM
water in a small rocky creek which runs out on
the low mud flats and swampy ground lying
between Altoka and Tangowoko : it is situated in
latitude 29° 26' 42" S., longitude 142° 40' E., by
account, nearly a mile from the north-westernmost
point of the swampy ground. This point may be
distinguished by the growth of a coarse kind of
reedy grass, which does not make its appearance
on the southern portion of the swamp or lake.
The water in the hole was only two or three feet
deep, but is well shaded by box trees, and will
probably last two or three months. The tempe-
rature of the surface of the water at seven a.m.,
2nd of November, was 60°- 5' ; that of the airjoeing
at the same time 60°.
" The Cangapundy Swamp. — The Cangapundy
Swamp is an extensive tract of low clay land,
which bears the appearance, as regards the vege-
tation of its banks, of having a tolerably perma-
nent supply of water ; but, unless some portions
of the swamp are much deeper than where we
passed, the water could not last throughout a dry
season. The banks of the swamp are densely
clothed with grasses, marshmallows, polygonum
bushes, and shrubs, which shelter numerous kinds
of waterfowl and snakes.
l< Character of Land. — It will be seen by the
tracing that a large proportion of the land between
Torowoto and Wright's Creek is composed of low
mud plains and clay flats, subject to inundation.
TOROWOTO SWAMP TO COOPER'S CREIK. 156
Most of these are devoid of vegetation of any
kind, and others carry some stunted salt bushes
ami coarse grasses, which appear to be struggling
between life and death. Bounding the mud-flats
are generally some stony rises well grassed and
sometimes lightly timbered. The more elevated
plains are sandy, and support a fine supply of
Ik althy salt bushes, as well as here and there a few
grasses. On the rises to the S.S.E of Cannilta may
be seen great quantities of quartz rock, forming
dykes in the schist rises : the latter in some places
adjoin, and run into hills of loose stone, having
the appearance of indurated clay. From Canga-
pundy to Wright's Creek the ground is light-
coloured, and of a clayey nature : it forms a series
of dry clay-pans, separated from one another by
low sandy banks, on which the vegetation was
t'usli and green. At about seventeen miles from
the former place are three large holes with water
from two to three feet deep in the deepest part,
and at six miles further another large one which
might almost be termed a lake, being nearly 1 000
links square. About these there were some lines
of sandhills running about N.E. and S.W. ; and in
one of the flats between the sandhills I found
several pieces of satin spar in lumps of the size of
one's hand, partially buried in the ground, and all
of them with the plane of cleavage nearly perpen-
dirnlar with the surface to the ground.
M Halloo, or Wright's Creek. — The lower portion
156 MR. WILLS'S SURVEY FROM
of Wright's Creek, called by the natives ' Balloo,'
is situated in latitude 28° 48' S., and longitude
142° 53' E. by account. At this point, the creek,
after breaking into several small channels, runs
out on a grassy plain, the water running in a
southerly direction, probably until it meets that
from the Torrens and other creeks at the Canga-
pundy Swamp. There was plenty of water in
this part of the creek when we passed, but I
cannot speak to its permanence. The banks are
well lined with box timber, as well as with marsh-
mallows and wild spinach : the land on either
side consists of well-grassed sandy rises. At four
or five miles above this, the creek is a narrow,
dry, sandy watercourse, winding through a grassy
valley, which everywhere presents indications of
the most violent floods. Beyond this is an ex-
tensive grassy plain ; and for three or four miles
scarcely a trace of the creek could be seen. We
then came to a clump of trees, amongst which
were two large waterholes surrounded by poly-
gonum bushes, and containing great numbers of
small fish. These holes appear to be permanent.
We found about sixty blacks camped here. Above
these waterholes, which are together about half a
mile long, the creek again disappears on the
plain. The land for the next ten or twelve miles
in a N.N.E. direction is very fine for pastoral
purposes, being alternately grassy plains and
ridges. At twelve or thirteen miles we crossed
% TOROWOTO SWAMP TO COOPER'S CKEKK. 157
the creek where it has cut for itself a deep narrow
channel, the banks of which are densely timbered
and well grassed, but the waterholes are small,
and contained very little water. For a distance
of six miles the creek is of a very insignificant
character. It appears to be divided into several
branches, which traverse clay flats badly grassed.
Here and there are some lines of low sandy rises,
with plenty of feed on them. All the water-
courses are distinctly marked by lines of box
timber. At about nine miles from where we
crossed the creek, and after traversing some loose
polygonum ground, which was covered with mussel
shells and a shell resembling a periwinkle, we
came to a branch of the creek containing a
splendid waterhole 150 links broad and about half
a mile long. A little above this the creek again
disappears for a short distance, and then there is
a long narrow channel of undoubtedly permanent
water, being nearly four feet deep in the shal-
lowest places ; it is only on an average about fifty
links broad, and well sheltered by overhanging
box trees. The temperature of the water on the
morning of the 7th November, at six o'clock, was
68° ; the temperature of the air at the same time
being 50°'5'. Our camp at this place is indicated
by a box tree marked B over lii in square, the
geographical position of which is by account
28° 26' 9" S. latitude, and longitude 143° 0' E. In
proceeding from here in a N.N.E. direction up
158 MR. WILLS'S SURVEY FROM
the course of the creek, or rather of the water, for
the creek is again lost on the plains for five or six
miles, we passed the southernmost point of a
prominent sandstone range, the nearest portion of
which lay about a mile and a half to the west-
ward. At about nine miles we again touched the
creek, where it is about three chains broad. The
banks are firm and shelving, from ten to twelve
feet above the water, and lined with box, acacias,
some large gums, gigantic marshmallows, poly-
gonum, &c. In the creek there is abundance of
fish, and the ducks and other waterfowl on it are
numberless. From what we have seen of the
blacks, I should say the population cannot be far
short of 150, and it might be considerably more.
From here we proceeded in an E.N.E. direction
along the west bank of this fine waterhole, and at
two and a half miles found it begin rapidly to
decrease in breadth, and a little further on there
was nothing but a few small stony watercourses
traversing a dense box forest : at this point there
is a level bed of sandstone pebbles, close to and
over a part of which the creek flows The blacks
have here gone to the trouble of making paths for
themselves, along which we turned off from the
creek on a N.N.E. course, and at about three
miles, coming on earthy plains, with no signs of
water ahead, we again turned in to the creek and
camped at a small waterhole. From here the line
of river timber continues in a N.E. direction. To
TOROWOTO SWAMP TO COOPER'S ( TJ.l K. 159
the W. and N.N.W. is a line of sandstone ranges
running off in the same dinnion. The land in
the immediate vicinity of the creek on the west
side is very poorly grassed all the way up from
where we crossed it : that on the east side appeared
to be better.
" I think there can scarcely be a doubt but that
this creek is the lower portion of the Warrego
River, although I believe that its main supply of
water is obtained from the adjoining ranges,
which send down innumerable creeks into the
flats through which it flows.
" Some latitude observations at Camp 53, (the
furthest point to which we traced the creek)
placed us in 28° 16' 40" S. ; our latitude, by ac-
count, being 28° 17' 8", and longitude, 143° 18'
east. On Thursday, November 8th, we left
Wright's Creek with the intention of crossing the
ranges to Cooper's Creek. We found the land as
we approached the hills well grassed, and in some
places densely timbered : it is intersected by
numerous watercourses with deep sandy channels,
in most of which there seemed little chance of
finding water. We camped at a waterhole in
M'Donagh's Creek; the spot is indicated by a
gum tree marked B over liv within square.
" De Rinsy's Tracks. — Near here we found the
tracks of drays; there were four distinct tracks,
two of which appeared to be those of heavy horse
ih ays, the other two might have been made by
160 MR. WILLS'S SUKVEY FROM
light ones or ring carts ; we were unable to make
out the tracks of the horses or cattle. I cannot
imagine what tracks these are, unless they may
be those of De Binsy, who, I believe, had some
drays with him, and reported that he had been
somewhere in this direction. From Camp 54 to
Camp 55 we were obliged to take a very circuitous
route on account of the rugged and stony nature
of the ranges, which were more extensive than
we had anticipated. They stretch away far to the
N. and N.N.W., and although we kept well out
to the N.W. we were unable to avoid the low
stony rises which adjoin them.
" On the N.W. side of the hills we crossed two
dry creeks which flow in a N.N.E. direction ;
their banks are thinly lined with box trees, and
the holes in them were quite dry. From this we
took a W.N.W. course, across an undulating coun-
try covered with sandstone, quartz, and (magnetic)
ironstone pebbles, so densely and firmly set to-
gether in some places as to have the appearance
of an old-fashioned pavement. At about three
miles, we had to change our course to N.W., to
avoid a spur of the high range on our left. At
two miles further we came to a grassy flat through
which ran a fine-looking creek, but the bed was
sandy and quite dry ; there were, however, a good
many small birds about here, which would indi-
cate that there must be water in the neighbour-
hood. We here again changed our course to
TOROWOTO SWAMP TO COOPER'S CREKK. 101
W.N.W., and at six miles camped at a dry stony
creek, having travelled about eight-an<l- twenty
in i Irs over the worst ground that we had yet me
with. On the morning of the 10th we continual
on a W.N.W. course, across stony ground of the
same nature as that passed during the previous
day ; but at a distance of five miles we turned to
W. J S., as the ranges appeared to be as low in
that direction as in the other; and as they ran
ii< arly N.N.W. there seemed a chance of sooner
getting out of them, which we did at a distance of
about eight miles more.
"From the point at whioh we emerged from
i li< fee ranges the view was as follows : — From S.W.
nearly up to N.W. were extensive plains, as. far as
tke eye could reach, intersected by numerous lines
of timber, the general direction of which was about
N.N.W. Several columns of smoke were visible
along these lines, some of which had the appear-
ance of camp and others of bush fires. From
N.W. to N. were lines of ranges running in a
X . \\\ direction, and in the valley between us and
the first spur was a fine line of timber, indicating
the course of what appeared to be a large creek,
probably the recipient of all the small creeks that
we had crossed during the morning; in every
other direction there was nothing to be seen hut
ti inhered sandstone ranges. At noon we crossed a
small creek running nearly north : the grass had
been burnt on its banks. About half a mile
M
162 MR. WILLS'S SURVEY FROM
beyond it was another creek of a more promising
appearance, and as we approached it we saw
several crows, as well as other birds, in the trees.
We here found a small hole with the water fast
drying np ; it contained a lot of young fish about
half an inch long, and just sufficient water to
replenish our water bags and give the horses a
drink ; below it the creek took a N.N.W. course,
and was dry and sandy for a distance of two miles
and a half, at which point we found some large but
shallow holes of milky-looking water. On the
plains near these holes we found large flocks of
pigeons. The grass was very coarse and dry, and
the water would probably not last more than a few
weeks.
" Horse Tracks. — On the plains to the east of the
creek were the tracks of a single horse, which had
evidently crossed when the ground was very soft,
and gone in a S.W. direction.
" Position of Water. — The waterholes are situ-
ated in latitude 27° 51' S., longitude 142° 40' E.,
by account from Camp 55. From here a
course of W. £ S. took us in a distance of about
twenty miles to Cooper's Creek, which we first
struck in latitude 27° 49' S., longitude 142°
20' E. The land through which we passed
on the 11th was so low and wooded as to pre-
vent me from seeing the direction of the ranges ;
the first five or six miles was tolerably open. We
then came to a box forest, where the soil was loose
T0R0W0T0 SWAMP TO COOPER'S CREEK. 1C3
and earthy, similar to polygonum ground; there
were in every direction signs of heavy floods and
frequent inundations. We crossed several small
rcourses, in one of which there was a hole of
rather creamy water, at which we halted for an
hour. From the waterhole we quite unexpectedly
obtained a rather fine fish, about eight inches long;
of the same description as the young ones we had
found in Brahe's Creek.
" Cooper s Creek. — At the point at which we
first struck Cooper's Creek it was rocky, sandy, and
dry ; but about half a mile further down we came
to some good waterholes, where the bed of tlie
creek was very boggy, and the banks richly grassed
with kangaroo and other grasses. The general
course is a little north of west, but it winds about
very much between high sand hills. The water-
holes are not large, but deep, and well shaded, both
by the steep banks and the numerous box trees
surrounding them. The logs and bushes high upon
the forks of the trees, tell of the destructive floods
to which this part of the country has been subjected,
and that at no very distant period, as may be seen
by the flood marks on trees of not more than five
or six years' growth.
" From Camp 57 we traced the creek in a W.N.W,
direction about six miles. It then runs out among
the sand hills, the water flowing by various small
channels in a south-westerly direction. The mi in
channel, however, continues nearly south until itw
M 2
164 MR. WILLS'S SURVEY FROM
lost on an extensive earthy plain covered with
marshmallows and chrysanthemums.
" Creek. — In one of the valleys between the sand
hills, at a distance of about ten miles in a south-
westerly direction, we found a shallow waterhole
where a creek is formed for a short distance, and
is then lost again on the earthy plain beyond.
W. by N; and W. from here, about twelve miles,
there are some splendid sheets of water, in some
places two and three chains broad ; the banks well
timbered, but the land in the neighbourhood so
loose and rotten that one can scarcely ride over it.
I expect this is the reason why we saw no blacks
about here, for it must be worse for them to walk
over than the stony ground. From Camp 60 the
general course of the creek is N.W., but it fre-
quently disappears on the earthy plains for several
miles, and then forms into waterholes again finer
than before. At our first depot, Camp 63, in
latitude 27° 36' 15" S., longitude 141° 30' E.,
there is a fine hole about a mile long, and on
an average one chain and a half broad. It exceeds
five feet in depth everywhere that I tried it, except
within three or four feet of the bank. Two or
three miles above this camp we saw the first mela-
burus growing around the waterholes, some of
them as large as a moderate size gum tree.
" Earthy Flat. — The feed in the vicinity of Camp
63 is unexceptionable, both for horses and camels
but the herbage on the creek generally down to
TOROWOTO SWAMP TO COOPER'S CREEK. 1M
this point is of a very inferior quality; the grasses
| iv very coarse, and bear a very small proportion
to the other plants. By far the chief portion of
tlic herbage consists of chrysanthemums and
marshmallows ; the former, to judge from their
dried-op powdery state, can contain very little
nourishment, although some of the horses and
camels eat them with great relish ; the latter, I
need hardly mention, are at this time of the year
mi r.lv withered sticks. A few small salsolaceous
plants are to be found on some of the flats, but
they are scarcely worth mentioning. In some
places where the bed of the creek is shallow and
dry, there is an abundance of good grass and rushes
of several kinds. The polygonum bushes are also
fresh and good, in such places.
"Stony Rises. — The stony rises are generally
bare and barren ; but some of those on the north
side of the creek carry a fair crop of light grass.
" Sand Hills. — Wherever there are sand banks or
ridges the feed is almost invariably good ; the salt
bush is healthy and abundant, and there are a
mi] iety of plants on which cattle would do well.
For camels, these hills are particularly well adapted,
for there is scarcely a plant grows on them that
tin v will not eat, with the exception of porcupine
grass ; but there is very little of that until one gets
many miles back iV<»m kike creek.
" Character of Ground. — I have mentioned three
• li-tiiM t kinds of ground — the earthy plains, the
166 MR. WILLS'S SURVEY FROM
stony rises, and the sand ridges. The latter, which
is by far the most agreeable whether for travelling
on, for feed, or in respect to the freedom from flies,
ants, musquitoes, and rats, is simply a series of
hills composed of blown sand of a red colour, very
fine, and so compactly set that the foot does not
sink in it much. In some places the ridges have a
uniform direction, in other the hills are scattered
about without any regularity ; the average direc-
tion of the ridges is N.N.E. and S.S.W. In the
valleys between the hills, are shallow clay plains,
in which the water rapidly collects, even after
slight showers ; but when full they seldom exceed
five or six inches in depth, so that in summer they
are soon dry again.
" Stony Rises. — The stony ground, in contradis-
tinction to the sandstone ranges, appears to have
been formed from the detritus of the latter, depo-
sited in undulating beds of vast extent. The
greater portion of this ground appears almost level
when one is on it, but when viewed from a distance
the undulations are very distinct ; the stones are
chiefly water-worn pebbles of sandstone, quartz,
and iron-stone ; in some places the rises approach
more nearly to the nature of the sandstone ranges,
and here the stones are less water-worn, and are
mixed with large blocks of rock. I found .the
magnetic polarity to be very distinct in some of
the ironstone pebbles on these rises.
" Earthy Plains. — The earthy plains which are
T0R0W0T0 SWAMP TO COOPER'S GREEK, 167
such an important geological feature in this part of
tlic country, will. I feat, greatly interfere with its
fin ure occupation. When dry they are so inter-
sected by chasms and cracks that it is in some
phoefl dangerous for animals to cross them, and
when wet they would be quite impassable. Cattle
would, perhaps, do well on them for some time
after an inundation, and the ground might improve
aft. r having been stocked. The boggy nature of
1 1 1« 1 »anks of the creeks passing through this ground
would be another impediment to settlers, from the
losses of cattle that it would sometimes entail. To
furnish an idea of the danger in that respect, I
may mention, that there are places where, for a
distance of two or three miles, neither a bullock nor
a horse could get to the water with safety, and it
was with difficulty that we could approach it our-
selves ; the safest spots are at the lower end of the
waterhole, where the creeks run out on the plains.
A peculiar geological feature that I have never
seen so strongly exhibited elsewhere is, that the
watercourses on these plains have a strong tendency
to work away to the south and south-west ; the fall
of the ground, as shown by the flow of the flood
water, being to the west and north-west. I found
tliat at almost every place where a portion of the
k ran out, the small branches into which it
split, before disappearing, struck off at nearly
right angles to the creek, and that the flow of the
wamr on the level plain was invariably in a Vi.
168 MR. WILLS'S SURVEY FROM
or N.W. direction; wnereas the creeks generally
had a course considerably to the S. and W., more
especially before running out. The branch creeks
and waterholes are always lined with box trees
and polygonum bushes ; they are generally situ-
ated between or near sandhills, and have doubt-
less been formed by the rush of water consequent
on the interference of these hills by the general
flow. In some places the direction of the sand
ridges was the course of the creeks, trending to
the southward ; but I allude to the tendency as
exhibited on the open plain, with no sand ridges
near the creek.
" Country to the north of Camp 63,^-Cooper's. —
During our stay at Camp 63, from which spot Ave
found it necessary to remove for several reasons,
but chiefly because the rats attacked our stores
in such numbers that we could keep nothing from
them, unless by suspending it in the trees, four
excursions were made to the north of that place
in search of a practicable route to the Gulf. The
first attempt was made with horses, which were
soon knocked up from the strong nature of the
ground and the want of water ; the others we
made with camels, by the help of which the
country was well examined to a distance of
nearly ninety miles. Water was found at two
places at distances of about seventy and seventy-
three miles north of the creek, but it was fast
drying up, and would not last beyond Christmas.
TOROWOTO SWAMP TO COOPER'S CREEK. 109
No blacks were seen, but a column of smoke was
observed to tbe N.N.E., at a distance of about
fifteen miles, as ascertained by some bearings,
from the point at which we turned back. The
<lii<f portion of the land traversed consists of
land-dunes and flats of the same nature, the latter
elothed with porcupine grass, the former with
salt bushes, grasses, and a variety of shrubs,
sometimes intermixed with mesembryanthemums
and porcupine grass. The sandy ground is bounded
on either side by sandstone ranges, from which
numerous small creeks flow east and west until
they are lost in small flats and clay pans amongst
the sand hills. Their course is marked by an
acacia, which is somewhat analogous in its general
characteristics to the common wattle ; a few are
favoured with some box trees, but we only found
water in one. The whole country has a most
deplorably arid appearance ; birds are very scarce,
native dogs numerous. The paths of the blacks
on the strong ground look as if they had been
1 1 d many years. Anthills and beds are to be
found everywhere in great numbers and of con-
siderable size ; the paths to and from them are
better marked and more worn than any I have
ever seen before; but nearly all of them are
deserted, and those that are inhabited contain a
small and weakly population that seems to be
haA dying away. Neither about the flats nor tin
ranges did we see any signs of the heavy floods
170 ME. WILLS'S SURVEY FROM
that have left such distinct marks in other parts,
and the appearance of the whole country gave
me the idea of a place that had been subjected to
a long-continued drought. At the northernmost
end of the eastern line of ranges, and on the west
side of them, in lat. 26° 30' S., long. 141° 40' E.,
is a low detached line of range about seven miles
from north to south. On passing inside this
range at its southern extremity, one enters a flat
bounded to the south by high red sand hills to the
west and north by the low range, and running up
to the N.N.E., until it reaches the main range.
On the lower part of the flat there is no creek, but
on proceeding up it, at a mile and a half there are
three waterholes with a few bushes growing
around them ; the water was fast drying up when
we were there. There were some ducks, snipe,
and pigeons about them : the former always
returned to the holes after having been disturbed,
so I imagine there is not much more water in the
vicinity. In continuing up the flat, the main
creek appears to be that along which the box
timber grows, but the bed is sandy and quite dry.
By keeping off a little to the left, at a mile above
the waterholes, one comes on the bed of another
creek, with only here and there a gum tree and a
few bushes. Up this creek at a distance of three
miles nearly north from the three holes, and
where the creek emerges from the ranges, is a
large hole well shaded by heavy box trees ; it
TOROWOTO SWAMP TO COOPER'S GREEK. WJ
8 "iifained only a small quantity of water when we
passed, but I fancy that in ordinary seasons the
water would be permanent. This creek has been
much frequented by blacks at one time, but not
lately. Hundreds of hawks and a good many
(lows and magpies were in the trees near the
waterhole.
" Geographical position.— -The geographical po-
sition of the three waterholes is by account from
Cooper's Creek latitude 26° 34' S., longitude 140°
43' E.
"Meteorological remarks. — It would be rather
premature for me to offer any opinion on the
climate of Cooper s Creek on so short a stay, and
my other duties have prevented me from making
any observations that would be worth forwarding
in detail. I may mention, however, that neither
on the creek, nor during the journey up, have we
experienced any extreme temperatures : the heat,
although considerably greater here than in Mel-
bourne, as shown by a thermometer, is not felt
more severely by us. The maximum daily tem-
peratures since our arrival on Cooper's Creek
liave generally exceeded 100°; the highest of all
was registered on November 27th at Camp 63,
when the thermometer stood at 109° in the shade.
There was at that time a strong wind from the
north, which felt rather warm, but had not the
peculiar characteristics of a hot wind. One of the
most noticeable features in the weather has been
172 MR. WILLS'S SURVEY FROM
the well-marked regularity in the course of the
wind, which almost invariably blew lightly from
the E. or S.E. soon after sunrise, went gradually
round to north by two o'clock, sometimes blow-
ing fresh from that quarter, followed the sun to
west by sunset, and then died away or blew
gently from the south throughout the night. A
sudden change took place yesterday, December
14th ; the day had been unusually hot, tempera-
ture of air at one p.m. 106°, at which time circum
clouds began to cross the sky from N.W., and at
two p.m. the wind sprang up in the S.W., blowing
with great violence (force 6) ; it soon shifted to
south, increasing in force to (7) and sometimes
(8) ; it continued to blow from the same quarter
all night, and has not yet much abated. Once
during the night it lulled for about an hour, and
then commenced again ; it is now (four p.m.) blow-
ing with a force of (5) from S. by E., with a
clear sky. Before the wind had sprung up the
sky had become overcast, and we were threatened
with a thunderstorm ; rain was evidently falling
in the "W. and N.W., but the sky partially cleared
in the evening without our receiving any.
Flashes of distant lightning were visible towards
the north. During the night, the thunderstorm
from the north approached sufficiently near for
thunder to be distinctly heard ; the flashes of
lightning were painfully brilliant, although so far
nway. The storm passed to the S.E. without
TOROWOTO SWAMP TO COOPER'S CREEK. 17 1
teaching us; the sky remained overcast until
1" t ween eight and nine a.m., since when it lias been
<|iiitr clear ; the temperature of air, which at sun-
was as low as 72°, has reached a maximum of
92° : it is at present 89°, and that of the surface of
the wan r in the creek 78°. Two other thunder-
storms have passed over since we have been on
tin creek, from only one of which we have
e. -ivr-1 any rain worth mentioning.
" Mr. Brahe, who remains here in charge of the
depot, and from whom I have received great
assistance both in making meteorological observa-
tions and in the filling in of feature surveys, will
keep a regular meteorological register. I have
handed over to him for that purpose an aneroid
barometer, No 21,543, and four thermometers,
two for dry and wet bulb observations, and the
others for temperature of water, &c.
" With regard to hot winds, the direction of the
sand-ridges would seem to indicate a prevalence
of east and west winds here rather than of
northerly.
u William J. Wills,
u Surveyor and Astronomical Observer.
" Cooper's Creek,
15th December, I860."
This concludes my son's third report ; the first,
as far as I can ascertain, was never published
This last was accompanied by many observations
taken with the sextant and other instruments,
174 BRAHE AND WRIGHT.
requiring long experience to understand and
handle correctly. Brahe, a German, had been
instructed by my son in their use, and had made
some progress. Notwithstanding his fatal error in
leaving the depot contrary to orders, he had, in
some respects, superior requisites to either of the
others left with him. He was a good traveller,
and a better bushman than Wright. Had he
been associated with a single companion of nerve
and energy, the consequent misfortunes might have
been surmounted.
175
CHAPTER IX.
Departure from Cooper's Creek for the Gulf of Carpentaria — Arrange-
ments for the Continuance of the DepOt at Cooper's Creek — Mr. Brahe
left in Charge — Determination of Route — Progress and Incidents —
Mr. Wills's Field Books, from the 16th of December, 1860, to the
30th of January, 1861, No. I. to No. IX.— Shores of Carpentaria.
During the halt at Cooper's Creek, it was re-
ported through an Adelaide paper that Mr.
McDouall Stuart had returned from his attempt
to explore in a north-western direction, and was
preparing to start again with Government aid, and
no longer confined entirely to the private resources
and enterprise of Mr. James Chambers. The Gulf
of Carpentaria was not so much the immediate
object of Stuart's efforts, as the opening of a com-
mercial avenue with a view to future trade, in a
direction more toward the north-west coast, and
as far north as the 16° or 18° of southern latitude.
This line of exploration appeared preferable to the
strong practical mind of Mr. Chambers, who had
in view the quid pro quo. Stuart's object was
therefore plain business, and the immediate ad-
176 DETERMINATION TO PROCEED.
vantage of the colony with which he was con-
nected ; whilst the Victorian Expedition included
scientific discoveries, and the settlement of a great
geographical problem. Stuart is again out, since
August, 1861, and doubts are entertained for his
safety. Mr. Chambers has died in the interim,
and cannot know the result of the work he set
afloat with so much spirit. Thus it is in all ages
of discovery, that few of the early pioneers live to
travel on the roads they open with so much diffi-
culty and endurance.
Mr. Burke and my son, impatient of Wright's
delay, and seeing the time slip by that could never
return, determined to make a dash for the Gulf
while the opportunity still remained to them. I was
not aware, until after a communication with Mr.
Brahe, on his first visit to Melbourne, subsequent
to his desertion of his post at the depot, that my
son had strongly advocated a direct course north-
ward ; but Mr. Burke hesitated to adopt this,
unless he could feel confident in a supply of water ;
the committee having included something in his
instructions as to proceeding north-west towards
Eyre's Creek and Sturt's Furthest. In his excur-
sions round the camp and the district of Cooper's
Creek, with the all-important question of water in
view, my son must have gone over little short of
a thousand miles. When he lost his camels he
had seen smoke in the direction of north by east,
which he believed to be a native fire, but the
DEPARTURE FROM COOPER'S CREEK. 177
disaster frustrated his* attempts to ascertain the
fact. Unable thoroughly to assure his leader on
tin point of water, the more western course was
adopted at the commencement of the journey, for
a day or two, after which they turned to the east,
and scarcely deviated throughout from the 141st
degree of eastern longitude.
The party left Cooper's Creek on the morning
of the 10th of December, 1860. It consisted of
Mr. Burke, Mr. Wills, King, and Gray, (or Charley
as my son calls him in his journal) ; one horse, and
six camels. It appears strange to me that they
did not take more horses. As they had been living
on horseflesh so much they would have increased
their available food, in addition to the facility of
carrying burthens.
Mr. Brahe remained at Cooper's Creek dep6t
with Patten, McDonough, Dost Mahomet, an
Indian, six camels, and twelve horses. He was
Kit in charge until the arrival of Mr. Wright or
some other person duly appointed by the com-
mittee to take command of the remainder of the
expedition at Menindie. A surveyor also was
expected to assist my son, and plenty of work was
laid out for all, until Mr. Burke's return, had the
authorities known how to employ the proper
people and employed them in time.
There can be no doubt that Brahe received most
positive orders to remain at Coopers Creek until the
return of the exploring party from the Gulf of Car*
178 REASONS FOR LEAVING BRAHE IN CHARGE.
pentaria. Three and four months were named as
the possible time of absence. Brahe did remain
over four months ; but even then it was in his
power to have waited much longer, and he ought
to have done so. But the man was over-weighted >
the position was too much for him, and he gave
way when a stronger mind might have stood
firm. The worst point about him appears to be
his want of consistency and miserable prevarica-
tion ; but this may have been weakness rather
than absolute absence of principle, or of any due
sense of right or wrong. He was unfit to direct,
but he might have been directed. Mr. Burke has
been blamed for trusting Brahe ; but he was the
best of those who remained behind, and there
were not many to choose from. King has since
told me that it was by my son's advice Brahe was
appointed, and that the arrival of the party from
Menindie was considered so certain, that the
appointment was looked upon only as a temporary
affair. It has been also said that King might have
been left behind in charge, and Brahe taken on.
This arrangement, eligible in some respects, was
open to objection in others. Brahe could travel by
compass and observation, which King could not ;
and one so qualified might be wanted for a journey
to Menindie.
The details of the journey are given as follows,
in my son's Field Books, numbered from 1 to 7
consecutively, transcribed by Dr. Mueller, Mr.
COOPER'S CREEK TO CARPENTARIA. 179
Smith, and Mr. Cooper. I was associated with
t In in as a matter of personal delicacy to the
of the memory deceased explorer.
Mr. Wjlls's Journal. Field Book, No. 1.
Cooper's Creek to Carpentaria.
[The omissions in this diary are supplied by the information contained
in the maps, with the exception of the last two days on the shore of
the Gulf.]
" Sunday, 16*A December, 1860.—The horse hav-
ing been shod and our reports finished, we started
at 6'40 a.m. for Eyre's Creek, the party consisting
of Mr. Burke, myself, King, and Charley, having
with us six camels, one horse, and three months'
provisions. We followed down the creek to t lie
point where the sandstone ranges cross the creek,
and were accompanied to that place by Brahe, who
would return to take charge of the depot. Down
to this point the banks of the creek are very
rugged and stony, but there is a tolerable supply
of grass and salt bush in the vicinity. A large
tribe of blacks came pestering us to go to their
camp and have a dance, which we declined. They
were very troublesome, and nothing but the threat
to shoot them will keep them away. They are,
however, easily frightened ; and, although fine-
looking men, decidedly not of a warlike disposi-
tion. They show the greatest inclination to take
whatever they can, but will run no unnecessary
risk in so doing. They seldom carry any weapon,
n 2
180 JOUKNAL FKOM COOPEE'S CREEK
except a shield and a large kind of boomerang,
which I believe they use for killing rats, &c.
Sometimes, but very seldom, they have a large
spear ; reed spears seem to be quite unknown to
them. They are undoubtedly a finer and better-
looking race of men than the blacks on the Murray
and Darling, and more peaceful ; but in other re-
spects I believe they will not compare favourably
with them, for from the little we have seen of
them, they appear to be mean-spirited and con-
temptible in every respect.
"Monday, 17th December, 1860. — We continued
to follow down the creek. Found its course very
crooked, and the channel frequently dry for a con-
siderable distance, and then forming into magnifi-
cent waterholes, abounding in water fowl of all
kinds. The country on each side is more open
than on the upper part of the creek. The soil on
the plains is of a light earthy nature, supporting
abundance of salt bush and grass. Most of the
plains are lightly timbered, and the ground is finer
and not cracked up as at the head of the creek.
Left Camp 67 at ten minutes to six a.m., having
breakfasted before leaving. We followed the creek
along from point to point, at first in a direction
west-north-west for about twelve miles, then about
north-west. At about noon we passed the last
water, a short distance beyond which the creek
runs out on a polygonum* flat ; but the timber was
* Polygonum Cunninghami.
TO THE GULP OF CARPENTARIA. 181
so large and dense that it deceived us into the
1m lie t that there was a continuation of the channel.
On crossing the polygonum ground to where we
expected to find the creek we became aware of our
mistake. Not thinking it advisable to chance the
existence of water ahead, we camped at the end of
a large but shallow sheet of water in the sandy bed
of the creek.
" The hole was about 150 links broad, and * feet
deep in most places. In many places the tempera-
ture of the water was almost incredibly high, which
induced me to try it at several points. The mean
of two on the shady side of the creek gave 97^j
degrees. As may be imagined this water tasted dis-
agreeably warm, but we soon cooled some in water
bags, and thinking that it would be interesting to
know what we might call cool, I placed the ther-
mometer in a pannikin containing some that
appeared delightfully so, almost cold in fact ; its
temperature was, to our astonishment, 78 degrees.
At half-past six, when a strong wind was blowing
from south, and temperature of air had fallen to
80 degrees, the lowest temperature of water in the
hose, that had been exposed to the full effect of
evaporation for several hours was 72 degrees.
This water for drinking appeared positively cold,
and is too low a temperature to be pleasant under
the circumstances. A remarkable southerly squall
came on between five and six p.m., with every ap-
• Blank in original.
182 JOUKNAL FEOM COOPEE'S CKEEK
pearance of rain. The sky however soon cleared,
but the wind continued to blow in a squally and
irregular manner from the same quarter at evening.
" Wednesday, 19th December, 1860. — Started at a
quarter-past eight a.m., leaving what seemed to be
the end of Cooper's Creek. We took a course a little
to the north of west, intending to try and obtain
water in some of the creeks that Sturt mentioned
that he had crossed, and at the same time to see
whether they were connected with Cooper's Creek,
as appeared most probable from the direction in
which we found the latter running, and from the
manner in which it had been breaking up into
small channels, flowing across the plains in a north
and north-north-west direction. We left on our
right the flooded flats on which this branch of the
creek runs out, and soon came to a series of sand
ridges, the directions of which were between north
half-west and north-north-west. The country is
well grassed and supports plenty of salt bush.
Many of the valleys are liable to be inundated by
the overflow of the main creek. They have water-
courses and polygonum flats bordered with box
trees, but we met with no holes fit to hold a supply
of water. At about ten miles we crossed a large
earthy flat lightly timbered with box and gum.
The ground was very bad for travelling on, being
much cracked up and intersected by innumerable
channels, which continually carried off the water
of a large creek. Some of the valleys beyond this
TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA. 183
were very pretty, the ground being sound and
covered with fresh plants, which made them look
beautifully green. At fifteen miles we halted,
where two large plains joined. Our attention had
been attracted by some red-breasted cockatoos,
pigeons, a crow, and several other birds, whose
presence made us feel sure that there was water
not far off ; but our hopes were soon destroyed by
finding a claypan just drying up. It contained
just sufficient liquid to make the clay boggy. At
ten minutes to seven p.m., we moved on, steering
straight for Eyre's Creek, north-west by north,
intending to make a good night's journey and
avoid the heat of the day ; but at a mile and a half
we came to a creek which looked so well that we
followed it for a short distance, and finding two or
three waterholes of good milky water we camped
for the night. This enabled me to secure an ob-
servation of the eclipse of Jupiter's (I) satellite, as
well as some latitude observations. The night was
so calm that I used the water as an horizon ; but I
find it much more satisfactory to take the mercury
for several reasons.
" Thursday, 20th December, — We did not leave
this camp until half-past eight, having delayed to
refill the water-bags with the milky water, which
all of us found to be a great treat again. It is
certainly more pleasant to drink than the clear
water, and at the same time more satisfying. Our
course from here, north-west by north, took us
184 JOUENAL FROM COOPER'S CREEK
through some pretty country, lightly timbered and
well grassed. We could see the line of creek timber
winding through the valley on our left. At a
distance of five miles there was a bush fire on its
banks, and beyond it the creek made a considerable
bend to the south-west. At two miles farther we
came in sight of a large lagoon bearing north by
west, and at three miles more we camped on what
would seem the same creek as last night, near
where it enters the lagoon. The latter is of great
extent and contains a large quantity of water,
which swarms with wild fowl of every description.
It is very shallow, but is surrounded by the most
pleasing woodland scenery, and everything in the
vicinity looks fresh and green. The creek near its
junction with the lagoon contains some good
waterholes five to six feet deep. They are found
in a sandy alluvium which is very boggy when
wet. There was a large camp of not less than
forty or fifty blacks near where we stopped. They
brought us presents of fish, for which we gave
them some beads and matches. These fish we
found to be a most valuable addition to our rations.
They were of the same kind as we had found else-
where, but finer, being from nine to ten inches long,
and two to three inches deep, and in such good con-
dition that they might have been fried in their own
fat. It is a remarkable fact, that these were the
first blacks who have offered us any fish since we
reached Cooper's Creek.
TO THE OULF OF CARPENTARIA. Hfl
" Friday, 21rf December.— We left Camp 70 at
half-past five a.m., and tried to induce one or two
of the hlacks to go with us, but it was of no use.
Keeping our former course we were pulled up at
time miles by a fine lagoon, and then by the creek
that flows into it ; the latter being full of water,
we were obliged to trace it a mile up before we
could cross. I observed on its banks two wild
plants of the gourd or melon tribe, one much
resembling a stunted cucumber : the other, both in
leaf and appearance of fruit, was very similar to a
small model of a water melon.* The latter plant
I also found at Camp 68. On tasting the pulp of
the newly-found fruit, which was about the size of
a large pea, I found it to be so acrid that it was
with difficulty that I removed the taste from my
mouth. At eight or nine miles from where we
crossed the creek we passed another large lagoon,
leaving it two miles on our left, and shortly after-
wards we saw one nearly as far on our right. This
last we should have availed ourselves of, but that
we expected to find water in a creek which we
could see, by the timber lining its banks, flowed
from the lagoon on our left and crossed our course
a few miles ahead. We reached it at a distance of
four or five miles farther, and found a splendid
waterhole at which we camped. The creek at the
point flows in a northerly direction through a large
lightly timbered flat, on which it partially runs
• Probably Muckia niicrantha. — F.M.
186 JOURNAL FROM COOPER'S CREEK
out. The ground is, however, sound and well
clothed with grass and salsolaceous plants. Up to
this point the country through which we have
passed has been of the finest description for pas-
toral purposes. The grass and saltbush are every-
where abundant, and water is plentiful with every
appearance of permanence. We met with porcu-
pine grass,* and only two sand ridges before
reaching Camp 71.
Field Book, No. 2.— Lat. 27— 25|° S.L.
— Camp 72 to 78.
" Saturday, 22?id December. — At five minutes to
five a.m. we left one of the most delightful camps
we have had in the journey, and proceeded on the
same course as before, north-west by north, across
some high ridges of loose sand, many of which
were partially clothed with porcupine grass. We
found the ground much worse to travel over than
any we have yet met with, as the ridges were
exceedingly abrupt and steep on their eastern side,
and although sloping gradually towards the west,
were so honeycombed in some places by the
burrows of rats, that the camels were continually
in danger of falling. At a distance of about six
miles, we descended from these ridges to undu-
lating country of open box forest, where everything
was green and fresh. There is an abundance of
* Triodia pungens,— Br.
TO THE GULP OP CARPENTARIA. 187
grass and salt bushes, and lots of birds of all
descriptions. Several flocks of pigeons passed
over our heads, making for a point a little to our
right, where there is no doubt plenty of water,
but we did not go off our course to look for it.
Beyond the box forest, which keeps away to the
right, we again entered the sand ridges, and at a
distance of six miles, passed close to a dry salt
lagoon, the ridges in the vicinity of which are less
regular in their form and direction, and contain
nodules of limestone. The ground in the flats and
claypans near, has that encrusted surface that
cracks under the pressure of the foot, and is a sure
indication of saline deposits. At a distance of
eight miles from the lagoon, we camped at the
foot of a sand ridge, jutting out on the stony desert.
I was rather disappointed, but not altogether sur-
prised, to find the latter nothing more nor less than
the stony rises that we had before met with, only
on a larger scale and not quite as undulating.
During the afternoon several crows came to feed
on the plain. They came from an east-north-east
direction, no doubt from a portion of the creek
that flows through the forest that we left on
our right. In the morning, as we were loading, a
duck passed over, but it was too dark to see which
way it went.
" Sunday, 23rd December. — At five a.m. we struck
out across the desert in a west-north-west direction.
At four and a-half miles we crossed a sand ridge,
188 JOURNAL FKOM COOPER'S CREEK
and then returned to our north-west by north
course. We found the ground not nearly as bad
for travelling on as that between Bulloo and
Coopers Creek. In fact I do not know whether
it arose from our exaggerated anticipation of
horrors or not, but we thought it far from bad
travelling ground, and as to pasture it is only the
actually stony ground that is bare, and .many a
sheep run is in fact worse grazing ground than
that. At fifteen miles we crossed another sand
ridge, for several miles round which there is plenty
of grass and fine salt bush. After crossing this
ridge we descended to an earthy plain, where the
ground was rather heavy, being in some places
like pieces of slaked lime, and intersected by small
watercourses ; flocks of pigeons rose from amongst
the salt bushes and polygonum ; but all the creeks
were dry, although marked by lines of box timber.
Several gunyahs of the blacks were situated near
a waterhole that had apparently contained water
very lately, and heaps of grass were lying about
the plains, from which they had beaten the seeds.
We pushed on, hoping to find the creeks assuming
an improved appearance, but they did not, and at
one o'clock we halted, intending to travel through
part of the night. About sunset, three flocks of
pigeons passed over us, all going in the same
direction, due north by compass, and passing over
a ridge of sand in that direction. Not to have
taken notice of such an occurrence would have been
TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA. 189
little short of a sin, so we determined to go eight
or ten miles in that direction. Starting at seven
o'clock p.m., we, at six miles, crossed the ridge over
which the birds had flown, and came on a flat,
subject to inundation. The ground was at first hard
and even like the bottom of a claypan, but at a
mile or so, we came on cracked earthy ground,
intersected by numberless small channels running
in all directions. At nine miles we reached the bed
of a creek running from east to west : it was only
bordered by polygonum bushes, but as there was
no timber visible on the plains, we thought it safer
to halt until daylight, for fear we should miss the
water. At daylight, when we had saddled, a small
quantity of timber could be seen at the point of a
sand ridge about a mile and a half or two miles to
the west of us, and on going there we found a fine
creek, with a splendid sheet of water more than a
mile long, and averaging nearly three chains
broad : it is, however, only two or three feet deep in
most parts.
"Monday, 24M December, 1860. — We took a day
of rest on Gray's Creek to celebrate Christmas.
This was doubly pleasant, as we had never, in our
most sanguine moments, anticipated finding such a
delightful oasis in the desert. Our camp was
H ally an agreeable place, for we had all the
advantages of food and water, attending a position
of a large creek or river, and were at the same
time free from the annoyance of the numberless ants,
190 JOURNAL FROM COOPER'S CREEK
flies, and mosquitoes that are invariably met with
amongst timber or heavy scrub.
" Tuesday, 25th December, I860.— We left Gray's
Creek at half-past four a.m. and proceeded to cross
the earthy rotten plains in the direction of Eyre's
Creek. At a distance of about nine miles we reached
some lines of trees and bushes which were visible
from the top of the sand ridge at Gray's Creek.
We found them growing on the banks of several
small creeks which trend to the N. and JST.N.W. ;
at a mile and a half further we crossed a
small creek N.N.E., and joining the ones above
mentioned. This creek contained abundance
of water in small detached holes from fifty to a
hundred links long, well shaded by steep banks
and overhanging bushes. The water had a sus-
piciously transparent colour and a slight trace of
brackishness, but the latter was scarcely perceptible.
Near where the creek joined the holes is a sandhill
and a dense mass of fine timber. The smoke of a
fire indicated the presence of blacks, who soon
made their appearance and followed us for some
distance, beckoning us away to the N.E. We how-
ever continued our course N.W. by N., but at a
distance of one mile and a half found that the
creek did not come round as we expected, and that
the fall of the water was in a direction nearly
opposite to our course, or about west to east. We
struck off north half west for a high sand ridge,
from which we anticipated seeing whether it were
TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA. 191
worth while for us to follow the course of the
creeks we had crossed. We were surprised to find
all the watercourses on the plains trending rather
to the south of east, and at a distance of three
pules, after changing our course, and when we
approached the sandhills towards which we had
been steering, we were agreeably pulled up by a
magnificent creek coming from the N.N.W., and
running in the direction of the fire we had seen.
We had now no choice but to change our course
again, for we could not have crossed even if we
had desired to do so. On following up the south
bank of the creek we found it soon keeping a more
northerly course than it had where we first struck if.
This fact, together with its magnitude and general
appearance, lessened the probability of its being
Eyre's Creek, as seemed at first very likely from
their relative positions and directions. The day
being very hot and the camels tired from travel-
ling over the earthy plains, which by-the-by are
not nearly so bad as those at the head of Cooper's
Creek, we camped at one p.m., having traced the
creek up about five miles, not counting the bends.
For the whole of this distance we found not a
break or interruption of water, which appears to
be very deep ; the banks are from twenty to thirty
feet above the water, and very steep ; they are
clothed near the water's edge with mint and other
weeds, and on the top of each side there is a belt
of box trees and various shrubs. The lower part
192 JOURNAL FROM COOPER'S CREEK
of the creek is bounded towards the north by a
high red sand ridge, and on the south side is an
extensive plain, intersected by numerous water-
courses, which drain off the water in flood-time.
The greater portion of the plain is at present very
bare, but the stalks of dry grass show that after
rain or floods there will be a good crop on the
harder and well drained portion; but I believe
the loose earthy portion supports no vegetation at
any time. The inclination of the ground from the
edge of the creek-bank towards the plain is in
many places very considerable ; this I should take
to indicate that the flooding is or has been at one
time both frequent and regular.
" Wednesday, 26th December, I860.— We started
at five a.m., following up the creek from point to
point of the bends. Its general course was at first
north-by-west, but at about six miles, the sand ridge
on the west closed in on it, and at this point it takes
a turn to the N.N.E. for half a mile, and then comes
around suddenly N.W. Up to this point it had
been rather improving in appearance than other-
wise, but in the bend to the N.W. the channel is
very broad. Its bed being limestone rock and indu-
rated clay, is for a space of five or six chains quite
dry ; then commences another waterhole, the creek
keeping a little more towards north. We crossed
the creek here and struck across the plain in a due
north course, for we could see the line of timber
coming up to the sand ridges in that direction.
TO THE GULF OF CAKIKM A1I1A. 193
For from seven to eight miles we did not touch the
Gteek, and the eastern sand ridge seceded to a
distance, in some places of nearly three miles,
from our line, leaving an immense extent of grassy
plain between it and the creek. The distinctly
in; i iked feature on the lower part of this creek is
that whenever the main creek is on one side of a
plain, there is always a fine billibong on the opposite
side, each of them almost invariably sticking close
to the respective sand ridges. Before coming to
the next bend of the creek a view from the top of
a sandhill showed me that the creek received a
large tributary from the N.W. at about two miles
above where we had crossed it. A fine line of
timber, running up to the N.W., joined an ex-
tensive tract of box forest, and the branch we were
following was lost to view in a similar forest to-
wards the north. The sand ridge was so abrupt
when we came to the creek, that it was necessary
to descend into its bed through one of the small
ravines adjoining it. We found it partially run
out, the bed being sand and strewed with nodules
of lime, some of which were from one half to two
feet long: they had apparently been formed in
tin.' sanddowns by infiltration."
194 JOURNAL FROM COOPER'S CREEK
Field Book, No. 3.— Lat. S. 25J° to 23|°.
Camps 78 to 85.*
"Sunday, 30th December, I860.— Finding that
the creek was trending considerably towards the
east without much likelihood of altering its course,
we struck off from it, taking a ten days' supply of
water, as there were ranges visible to the north,
which had the appearance of being stony. A north-
east by north course was first taken for about seven
miles in order to avoid them. The whole of this
distance was over alluvial earthy plains, the soil
of which was firm, but the vegetation scanty.
Field Book, No. 4.
Camps 85 to 90. Lat. 23J° to 22 J°.
" (Fine Country, Tropics.)
" Saturday, hth January, 1861. — On leaving
Camp 84, we found slight but distinct indications of
rain in the groves, and a few blades of grass and
small weeds in the little depressions on the plain :
these indications were, however, so slight, that, but
for the fact of our having found surface-water in
two holes near our camp, we should hardly have
noticed them. At a distance of about two miles
in a N.N.E. direction, we came to a creek with a
long broad shallow waterhole. The well-worn
paths, the recent tracks of natives, and the heaps
* This Field Book was mostly occupied by notes of astronomical
observations, and surveyor's notes for mapping.
TO THE GUL1 OP < AKIT.NTAIMA. MB
of shells, on the contents of which the latter had
feasted, showed at once that this creek must be
connected with some creek of considerable impor-
i;mce. The camels and horses being greatly in
1 of rest, we only moved up about half a mile,
and camped for the day.
" Sunday, 6th January, 1861. — Started at twenty
minutes to six o'clock, intending to make an easy
day's stage along the creek. As we proceeded up
in a northerly direction, we found the waterhole to
diminish in size very much, and at about two and
a half miles the creek ran out in a lot of small
watercourses. At the upper end of the creek we
found in its bed what appeared to be an arrange-
ment for catching fish : it consisted of a small oval
mud paddock about twelve feet by eight feet, the
sides of which were about nine inches above the
bottom of the hole, and the top of the fence
covered with long grass, so arranged that the ends
of the blades overhung scantily by several inches
the sides of the hole. As there was no sign of
timber to the north, we struck off to N.W. by
N. for a fine line that came up from S.W.,
and seemed to run parallel with the creek we were
about to leave. At a distance of about three miles,
we reached the bank of a fine creek containing a
sheet of water two chains broad, and at least
fifteen feet deep in the middle. The banks are
Anlfilig, sandy, and lightly clothed with box trees
and various shrubs. On starting to cross the
o 2
196 JOURNAL FROM COOPER S CREEK
plains towards this creek we were surprised at the
bright green appearance of strips of land, which
look in the distance like swamps. On approaching
some of them, we found that there had been a con-
siderable fall of rain in some places, which had
raised a fine crop of grass and portulac* wherever
the soil was of a sandy and light nature ; but the
amount of moisture had been insufficient to affect
the hard clayey ground which constitutes the main
portion of the plain. The sight of two native
companions feeding here, added greatly to the en-
couraging prospects ; they are the only specimens
of that bird that I remember to have seen on that
side of the Darling.
" 7th January, 1861. — We started at half-past four
a.m. without water, thinking that we might safely
rely on this creek for one day's journey. "VVe,
however, found the line of timber soon begin to
look small ; at three miles the channel contained
only a few pools of surface water. We continued
across the plains on a due north course, frequently
crossing small watercourses, which had been filled
by the rain, but were fast drying up. Here and
there, as we proceeded, dense lines of timber on
our right showed that the creek came from the
east of north ; at a distance of thirteen miles
we turned to the N.N.E. towards a fine line
of timber. We found a creek of considerable di-
mensions, that had only two or three small water-
* Portulaca oleracea. L.
TO THE GULP OF CARPENTARIA. 197
holes, but as there was more than sufficient for us,
and very little feed for the beasts anywhere else,
we camped. I should have liked this camp to have
been in a more prominent and easily recognizable
position, as it happens to be almost exactly on the
tropic of Capricorn. The tremendous gale of wind
that we had in the evening and night prevented me
from taking a latitude observation, whereas I had
some good ones at the last camp and at Camp 87.
My reckoning cannot be far out. I found, on taking
out my instruments, that one of the spare ther-
mometers was broken, and the glass of my aneroid
barometer cracked ; the latter I believe not otherwise
injured. This was done by the camel having taken
it into his head to roll while the pack was on his back.
" Tuesday, Stk January, 1861. — Started at a
quarter past five a.m. with a load of water, deter-
mined to be independent of all creeks and water-
courses. At a mile and a half, found surface water
in a small creek, and at a mile farther, water in two
or three places on the open plains. The country we
crossed for the first ten miles consists of fine open
plains of firm argillaceous soils, too stiff and hard to
be affected by the small quantity of rain that has
fallen as yet. They are subject to inundations from
the overflow of a number of small creeks, which
intersect them in a direction E.N.E. to W.S.W.
Nearly all the creeks are lined with box trees ami
si nubs in a tolerably healthy state; of the remains
of dead trees there is only a fair proportion to the
198 JOURNAL FROM COOPER'S CREEK
living ones. After traversing a plain of greater
extent than the rest, we, at ten miles, reached the
creek, proportionately large and important looking.
The channel, however, at the point where we struck
it, was deep, level, and dry ; but I believe there is
water in it not far off, for there were some red-
breasted cockatoos in the trees, and native parrots on
each side. On the north side there is a part bearing
off to the N.N.W. The mirage on the plain to the
south of the creek was stronger than I have before
seen it. There appear to be sheets of water within
a few yards of one, and it looks sufficiently smooth
and glassy to be used for an artificial horizon. To
the westward of the plains, some fine sandhills were
visible, nearly in the direction in which the creek
flowed. To the north of the creek the country
undergoes a great change. At first there is a little
earthy land subject to inundation. The soil then
becomes more sandy, with stony pans in which water
collects after rain ; the whole country is slightly un-
dulating, lightly timbered, and splendidly grassed.
A number of small disconnected creeks are scattered
about, many of which contained water protected
from the sun and wind by luxuriant growth of
fine grasses and small bushes. We passed one or
two little rises of sand and pebbles, on which were
growing some trees quite new to me ; but for the
seed pods I should have taken them for a species
of Casuarina, although the leaf-stalks have not
the jointed peculiarities of those plants. The trunks
TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA. 190
ami branches are lik« the she oak, the leaves
like those of a pine; tiny droop like a willow,
an.l th.' seed is small, flat, in ;i large flat pod, about
six inches by three-quarters of an inch. As we
proceeded, the country improved at every step.
Flocks of pigeons rose and flew off to the eastward,
and fresh plants met our view on every rise ; every-
thing green and luxuriant. The horse licked liis
lips, and tried all he could to break his nose-string
in order to get at the food. We camped at the
foot of a sandy rise, where there was a large stony
pan with plenty of water, and where the feed was
•(goal in quality, and superior as to variety, to any
that I have seen in Australia, excepting perhaps
on some soils of volcanic origin.
" Wednesday, dth January, 1861. — Started at five
minutes past five, without water, trusting to get a
supply of water from the rain that fell during the
thunderstorm. Tra versed six miles of undulating
plains covered with vegetation richer than ever.
Several ducks rose from the little creeks as we
passed, and flocks of pigeons were flying in all
directions. The richness of the vegetation is evi-
dently not suddenly arising from chance thunder-
storms, for the trees and bushes on the open plain
are everywhere healthy and fresh looking ; very
few dead ones are to be seen ; besides which, the
quantity of dead and rotten grass which at piv
almost overpowers in some places the young blades
shows that iliis is not the first crop of the kind.
200 JOURNAL FROM COOPER S CREEK
The grasses are numerous and many of them un-
known to me, but they only constitute a moderate
portion of the herbage. Several kinds of spurious
vetches and portulac, as well as salsolacese, add to
the luxuriance of the vegetation. At seven miles
we found ourselves in an open forest country,
where the feed was good, but not equal to what
we had passed, neither had it been visited by
yesterday's rain. We soon emerged again on open
plains, but the soil being of a more clayish nature,
they were not nearly so much advanced in vege-
tation as the others. We found surface water in
several places, and at one spot disturbed a fine
bustard which was feeding in the long grass ; we
did not see him until he flew up. I should have
mentioned that one flew over our camp last even-
ing in a northerly direction ; this speaks well for
the country and climate. At noon we came to a
large creek the course of which was from E.N.E.
to W.S.W. ; the sight of the white gum trees in the
distance had raised hopes, which were not at all
damped on a close inspection of the channel. At the
point where we struck it there was certainly no
great quantity of water ; the bed was broad and
sandy, but its whole appearance was that of an im-
portant watercourse, and the large gums which line
its banks, together with the improved appearance of
the soil, and the abundance of feed in the vicinity,
satisfied us as to the permanency of the water and
the value of the discovery. Although it was so early
TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA. 101
in the day, and we were anxious to make a good
march, yet we camped here, as it seemed to be al-
most a sin to 1< ave such good quarters. The bed of
ilir creek is loose sand, through which the water
freely permeates ; it is, however, sufficiently coarse
not to be boggy, and animals can approach the
water without any difficulty.
" Thursday, 10M January, 1861. — At twenty
minutes past five a.m., we left our camp with a full
supply of water, determined to risk no reverses,
and to make a good march. I should mention that
last evening we had been nearly deafened by the
noise of the cicadarise, and but for our large fires
should have been kept awake all night by the
mosquitoes. A walk of two miles across a well
grassed plain brought us to a bell of timber, and
we soon afterwards found ourselves pulled up by a
large creek in which the water was broad and deep ;
we had to follow up the bank of the creek in a
N.E. direction for nearly a mile before we could
cross, when to our joy we found that it was flowing ;
not a muddy stream from the effects of recent
floods, but a small rivulet of pure water as clear as
crystal. The bed of the river at this place is deep
and rather narrow ; the water flows over sand and
pebbles, winding its way between clumps of mela-
lema, and gum saplings. After leaving the river,
we kept our old course due north, crossing, at a
distance of one mile, three creeks with gum trees
on theil banks. The soil of the flats through
202 JOURNAL FKOM COOPER'S CREEK
which they flow is a red loam of fair quality and
well grassed. Beyond the third creek is a large
plain, parts of which are very stony, and this is
bounded towards the east by a low stony rise,
partly composed of decayed and honeycombed
quartz rock in situ, and partly of waterworn peb-
bles and other alluvial deposits. At about two
miles across this plain, we reached the first of a
series of small creeks with deep waterholes : these
creeks and holes have the characteristics peculiar
to watercourses which are found in flats formed
from the alluvial deposits of schistose rocks. The
banks are on a level with the surrounding ground,
and are irregularly marked by small trees, or only
by tufts of long grass which overhang the channel
and frequently hide it from one's view, even when
within a few yards. At about five miles from
where we crossed the river, we came to the main
creek in these flats, Patten's Creek ; it flows along
at the foot of a stony range, and we had to trace
it up nearly a mile in a N.N.E. direction before
we could cross it ; as it happened, we might almost
as well have followed its course up the flat, for at a
little more than two miles we came to it again. We
re-crossed it at a stony place just below a very
large waterhole, and then continued our course
over extensive plains, not so well grassed as those
we had passed before, and very stony in some
places. At eight miles from Patten's Creek, we
came to another, running from S.W. to S.E. there
TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA. 203
was plenty of water in it, but it was evidently
the result of recent local rains. On the banks
was an abundance of good feed but very little timber.
" Friday ', llth January, 18GL — We started at
five a.m., and in the excitement of exploring fine
well-watered country, forgot all about the eclipse
ei the sun until the reduced temperature and pecu-
liarly gloomy appearance of the sky drew our
attention to the matter; it was then too late to
remedy the deficiency, so we made a good day's
journey, the moderation of the midday heat, which
was only about 86°, greatly assisting us. The
country traversed has the most verdant and cheer-
ful aspect; abundance of feed and water every-
where. All the creeks seen to-day have a course
more or less to the east by south. The land im-
proves in appearance at every mile. A quantity
of rain has fallen here and to the south, and some
of the flats are suitable for cultivation, if the regu-
larity of the seasons will admit.
Field Book, No. 5.
Camps 92 to 95. LaU 22i° to 21i°.
" (Standish Ranges.)
"Saturday, 12th January, 1861. — We started at
five a.m., and, keeping as nearly as possible a due
north course, traversed for about eight miles a
splendid flat, through which flow several fine well-
watered creeks, lined with white gum trees. We
204 JOURNAL FROM COOPER'S CREEK
then entered a series of slaty, low, sandstone
ranges, amongst which were some well-grassed flats,
and plenty of water in the main gullies. The
more stony portions are, however, covered with
porcupine grass, and here and there with mallee ;
large ant-hills are very numerous ; they vary in
height from two and a half to four feet. There
was a continuous rise perceptible all the way in
crossing the ranges, and from the highest portion,
which we reached at a distance of about seven
miles, we had a pretty good view of the country
towards the north. As far as we could see in the
distance, and bearing due north, was a large range,
having somewhat the outline of a granite moun-
tain. The east end of this range just comes up to
the magnetic north ; on the left of this, and bearing
N.N.W., is a single conical peak, the top of which
only is visible. Further to the west there were
some broken ranges, apparently sandstone ; to the
E. of N. the tops of very distant and apparently
higher ranges were seen, the outline of which was
so indistinct that I can form no idea as to their
character ; the intermediate country below us
appeared alternations of fine valleys and stony
ranges, such as we had just been crossing. From
here a descent of two miles brought us to a creek
having a northern course, but on tracing it down
for about a mile, we found it to turn to the south-
east and join another from the north. We crossed
over to the latter on a north-by-west course, and
TO THE GULF OF CAKIKM ARIA. 205
camped on the west banfe. It has a broad sandy
channel; tl ic waterholes are large, but not deep; the
banks are bordered with fine white gums, and an-
in some places very scrubby. There is abundance of
rich green feed everywhere in the vicinity. We
found here numerous indications of blacks having
been here, but saw nothing of them. It seems
remarkable that where their tracks are so plentiful,
we should have seen none since we left King's Creek.
I observed that the natives here climb trees as
those on the Murray do, in search of some animal
corresponding in habits to the opossum, which
they get out of the hollow branches in a similar
manner. I have not yet been able to ascertain
what the animal is.
"Sunday, \%th January, 1861. — We did not
leave camp this morning until half-past seven,
having delayed for the purpose of getting the
camels' shoes on — a matter in which we were
eminently unsuccessful. We took our breakfast
before starting, for almost the first time since
leaving the depot. Having crossed the creek, our
course was due north as before, until, at about six
miles, we came in sight of the range ahead, when
we took a north-half-east direction for the purpose
of clearing the eastern front of it. We found the
ground more sandy than what we had before
crossed, and a great deal of it even more richly
grassed. Camp 93 is situate at the junction of
three sandy creeks, in which there is abundance
206 JOURNAL 'FROM COOPER'S CREEK
of water. The sand is loose, and the water per-
meates freely, so that the latter may be obtained
delightfully cool and clear by sinking anywhere in
the beds of the creeks.
Field Book, No. 6.
Lat. 21J° to 20i. Station 98 to 105.
" (Upper part of Cloncurry.)
"Saturday, l§th January, 1861. — Started from
Camp 98 at 5*30 a.m., and passing to the N.W. of
Mount Forbes, across a fine and well-grassed plain,
kept at first a north-by-east direction. At a dis-
tance of three miles, the plain became everywhere
stony, being scattered over with quartz pebbles ;
and a little further on we came to low quartz
ranges, the higher portions of which are covered
with porcupine grass, but the valleys are well
clothed with a variety of coarse and rank herbage.
At about five miles we crossed a creek with a
sandy bed, which has been named Green's Creek ;
there were blacks not far above where we crossed,
but we did not disturb them. After crossing the
creek, we took a due north course over very
rugged quartz ranges of an auriferous character.
Pieces of iron ore, very rich, were scattered in
great numbers over some of the hills. On our
being about to cross one of the branch creeks in
the low range, we surprised some blacks — a man
who, with a young fellow apparently his son, was
Till: GULF OF CAKIKM ARIA. 207
upon a tree, cutting out something ; and a lubra
with a piccaninny. Tin t\\.» former did not see
me until I was nearly close to them, and then they
were dreadfully frightened ; jumping down from
the trees, they started off, shouting what sounded
to us very like 'Joe, Joe.' Thus disturbed, the
lubra* who was at some distance from them, just then
caught sight of the camels and the remainder of the
party as they came over the hill into the creek,
and this tended to hasten their flight over the
stones and porcupine grass. Crossing the range
at the head of this creek, we came on a gully
running north, down which we proceeded, and
soon found it open out into a creek, at two or thiee
points in which we found water. On this creek
we found the first specimen of an eucalyptus,
winch has a very different appearance from the
members of the gum-tree race. It grows as high
as a good-sized gum tree, but with the branches
less spreading; in shape it much resembles the
elm; the foliage is dark, like that of the light
wood ; the trunk and branches are covered with a
grey bark resembling in outward appearance that
of the box tree. Finding that the creek was trend-
ing too much to the eastward, we struck off to the
north again, and at a short distance came on a fine
creek running about S.S.E. As it was now nearly
time to camp, we travelled it up for about one and
a-half mile, and came to a fine waterhole in a
rocky basin, at which there were lots of birds.
208 journal from cooper's creek
Field Book, No. 7.
Lat. 20i° to 19J°. Camps 105 to 112.
" (Middle part of Cloneurry.)
"Sunday, 27th January, 1861. — Started from
Camp 105 at five minutes past two in the morning.
AVe followed along the bends of the creek Ly
moonlight, and found the creek wind about very
much, taking on the whole a N.E. course. At
about ^ve miles it changed somewhat its features ;
from a broad and sandy channel, winding about
through gum-tree flats, it assumes the unpropitious
appearance of a straight, narrow creek, running in
a N.N.E. direction between high, perpendicular,
earthy banks. After running between three or
four miles in this manner, it took a turn to the
west, at which point there is a fine waterhole, and
then assumed its original character. Below this
we found water at several places, but it all seemed
to be either from surface drainage or from springs
in the sand. The land in the vicinity of the creek
appears to have received plenty of rain, the vege-
tation everywhere green and fresh ; but there is
no appearance of the creek having flowed in this
part of the channel for a considerable period.
Palm trees are numerous, and some bear an abun-
dance of small, round dates (nuts) just ripening.
These palms give a most picturesque and pleasant
appearance to the creek.
TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA. 209
" Wednesday, 30th January, 1861.— Started at
half-past seven a.m., after several unsuccessful
attempts at getting Golah out of the bed of the
creek. It was determined to try bringing him
down until we could find a place for him to get
out at ; but after going in this way two or three
miles it was found necessary to leave him behind,
as it was almost impossible to get him through
some of the waterholes, and had separated King
from the party, which became a matter for very
serious consideration when we found blacks hiding
in the box trees close to us."
Having reached the point indicated by the last
date and passage in " Field Book No. 7," Mr.
Burke and my son determined to leave Gray and
King there in charge of the camels, and to proceed
onwards to the shores of Carpentaria, themselves
on foot and leading the horse. The river or creek
down which they passed is named in the journal
the Cloncurry. The channel making a sudden
turn, my son remarked that it might be a new
river. " If it should prove so," said Mr. Burke,
" we will call it after my old friend Lord Clon-
curry."
With reference to this locality, marked in the
map as Camp 119, King was asked in his examina-
tion before the Royal Commissioners:
" Qu. 815. Was the water salt ?— Quite salt.
" 816. Who first made the discovery of reaching
the sea, or did you all come upon it tog< tin r j
P
210 JOURNAL FEOM COOPER'S CREEK
that is, reaching the salt water where the tide
was ? — Mr. Wills knew it ; he had told lis two or
three days before we reached the salt water that
we were in the country that had been discovered
by Mr. Gregory and other previous explorers.
" 817. Some days before you got upon it he told
you that ? — Yes, and showed us on the chart the
supposed place where Mr. Gregory crossed this
small creek."
It will be seen by these answers of King, that
Mr. Burke assumed no topographical knowledge
of the position. The 6 Melbourne Argus ' stated
and repeated that he had mistaken the Flinders
for the Albert. Now the river in question was
never mentioned as either, and the mistake, if
made, was Mr. Wills's and not Mr. Burke s. This
portion of the map was said to have been lost on
the morning of its arrival in Melbourne ; and this
I can readily believe, as also that more might have
met with the same fate had I not fortunately been
there.
Field Book, No. 8.
Camps 112 to 119.— S. Lat. 19±° to 17° 53'.
" Lower part of Cloncurry.
Field Book, No. 9.
" Returning from Carpentaria to Cooper's Creek.
u Sunday y February, 1861. — Finding the ground
in such a state from the heavy falls of rain, that
TO THE GULP OF CARPENTARIA. 211
camels could scarcely be got along, it was decided
to leave them at Camp 119, and for Mr. Burke and
I to proceed towards the sea on foot. After
breakfast we accordingly started, taking with us
the horse and three days' provisions. Our first
difficulty was in crossing Billy's Creek, which we
had to do where it enters the river, a few hundred
yards below the camp. In getting the horse in
here, he got bogged in a quicksand bank so deeply
as to be unable to stir, and we only succeeded in
extricating him by undermining him on the creek's
side, and then lugging him into the water. Hav-
ing got all the things in safety, we continued down
the river bank, which bent about from east to
west, but kept a general north course. A great
deal of the land was so soft and rotten that the
horse, with only a saddle and about twenty-five
pounds on his back, could scarcely walk over it.
At a distance of about five miles we again had him
bogged in crossing a small creek, after which he
seemed so weak that we had great doubts about
getting him on. We, however, found some better
ground close to the waters edge, where the sand-
stone rock crops out, and we stuck to it as far as
possible. Finding that the river was bending
about so much that we were making very little
progress in a northerly direction, we struck off due
north and soon came on some table-land, where the
soil is shallow and gravelly, and clothed with box
and swamp gums. Patches of the land were very
p 2
212 JOURNAL FROM COOPER'S CREEK
boggy, but the main portion was sound enough ;
beyond this we came on an open plain, covered
with water up to one's ankles. The soil here was
a stiff clay, and the surface very uneven, so that
between the tufts of grass one was frequently knee
deep in water. The bottom, however, was sound
and no fear of bogging. After floundering through
this for several miles, we came to a path formed by
the blacks, and there were distinct signs of a
recent migration in a southerly direction. By
making use of this path we got on much better,
for the ground was well trodden and hard. At
rather more than a mile, the path entered a forest
through which flowed a nice watercourse, and we
had not gone far before we found places where the
blacks had been camping. The forest was inter-
sected by little pebbly rises, on which they had
made their fires, and in the sandy ground adjoin-
ing some of the former had been digging yams,
which seemed to be so numerous that they could
afford to leave lots of them about, probably having
only selected the very best. We were not so par-
ticular, but ate many of those that they had
rejected, and found them very good. About half
a mile further, we came close on a black fellow,
who was coiling up by a camp fire, whilst his gin
and piccaninny were yabbering alongside. We
stopped for a short time to take out some of the
pistols that were on the horse, and that they might
see us before we were so near as to frighten them.
TO THE GULP OF CARPENTARIA 213
Just after wo stopped, the black got up to stretch
DM liiiil>s, and after a few seconds looked in our
direction. It was very amusing to see the way in
which he stared, standing for some time as if he
thought he must be dreaming, and then, having
signalled to the others, they dropped on their
1 launches, and shuffled off in the quietest manner
possible. Near their fire was a fine hut, the best
I have ever seen, built on the same principle as
those at Cooper's Creek, but much larger and more
complete : I should say a dozen blacks might com-
fortably coil in it together. It is situated at the
end of the forest towards the north, and looks out
on an extensive marsh, which is at times flooded
by the sea water. Hundreds of wild geese, plover
and pelicans, were enjoying themselves in the
watercourses on the marsh, all the water on which
was too brackish to be drinkable, except some holes
that are filled by the stream that flows through
the forest. The neighbourhood of this encamp-
ment is one of the prettiest we have seen during
the journey. Proceeding on our course across the
marsh, we came to a channel through which the
water enters. Here we passed three blacks,
who, as is universally their custom, pointed out to
us, unasked, the best part down. This assisted us
greatly, for the ground we were taking was very
boggy. We moved slowly down about three
miles and then camped for the night ; the horse
Billy being completely baked. Next morning
214 JOURNAL FROM COOPER'S CREEK
we started at daybreak, leaving the horse short
hobbled.
" Memo, — Verbally transcribed from the Field
Books of the late Mr. Wills. Very few words,
casually omitted in the author's manuscripts, have
been added in brackets. A few botanical explana-
tions have been appended. A few separate
general remarks referring to this portion of the
diary will be published, together with the meteor-
ological notes to which they are contiguous. No
other notes in reference to this portion of the
journey are extant.
5 | 1] | 61 "Ferd. Mueller."
It will be observed in following these Field Books
that there are occasional intervals and omissions,
which I account for thus : — My son's first entries,
in pencil, are more in the form of notes, with ob-
servations, and figures to, guide him in mapping;
because, when his maps are accurate and attended
to, his journal is imperfect, and vice versa. Besides,
there can be no doubt that Mr. Burke kept a
journal, though perhaps not a complete one, and
of which a very small portion has come to hand.
In it he mentions a difficult pass they went
through on the route to Carpentaria, of which my
son does not speak. King confirms Mr. Burke's
statement, and says my son knew he had written
it, which was the reason why he did not himself
repeat the same passage.
TO THE GULP OP CARPENTARIA. 215
The Royal Commissioners in their Report said :
" It does not appear that Mr. Burke kept any
regular journal, or that he gave written instruc-
tions to his officers. Had he performed these
essential portions of the duties of a leader, many of
the calamities of the Expedition might have been
averted, and little or no room would have been
left for doubt in judging the conduct of those sub-
ordinates who pleaded unsatisfactory and contra-
dictory verbal orders and statements."
With all due submission and humility, I think
this opinion too conclusive, and formed on unsatis-
factory evidence, as any statement must be con-
sidered, proceeding from one who destroyed his
own credit by self-contradiction to the extent that
Mr. Brahe did. He admitted, on his examination,
that he had burnt some of Mr. Burke's papers at
Mr. Burke's own request. How then is it possible
to determine what he may otherwise have burnt
or placed out of the way ? In fact, what written
instructions, if any, he did or not receive, and
what he did with them ?
216
CHAPTER X.
Return from Carpentaria to Cooper's Creek — Mr. Wills's Journals from
February 19th to April 21st, 1861— Illness and Death of Gray— The
Survivors arrive at Cooper's Creek Depot and find it deserted — A
Small Stock of Provisions left — Conduct of Brahe — Report of the
Royal Commission.
Mr. Burke and Mr. Wills having accomplished
the grand object of the Expedition by reaching the
Gulf of Carpentaria, rejoined Gray and King at
Camp 119, where they had left them with the
camels. On the 13th of February the party turned
their faces to the south, and commenced their long
and toilsome march in return. The entries in my
son's journals were transcribed as follows t —
"Tuesday, 19M February, 1861. — Boocha's
Camp.
"Wednesday, 20th February, 1861.— Pleasant
Camp ; 5 R.
''Thursday, 2lst February, 1861. -*— Recovery
Camp ; 6 R. Between four and five o'clock a heavy
thunderstorm broke over us, having given very
little warning of its approach. There had been
RETURNitfO COOPER'S CKKI.K. 217
Hg] i tning and thunder towards S.E. and S. ever
since noon yesterday. The rain was incessant and
very heavy for an hour and a half, which made
the ground so boggy that the animals could scarcely
walk over it ; we nevertheless started at ten
minutes to seven a.m., and after floundering along
for half an hour halted for breakfast. We then
moved on again, but soon found that the travelling
was too heavy for the camels, so camped for the
remainder of the day. In the afternoon the sky
cleared a little, and the sun soon dried the ground,
considering. Shot a pheasant, and much dis-
appointed at finding him all feathers and claws.
This bird nearly resembles a cock pheasant in
plumage, but in other respects it bears more the
character of the magpie or crow ; the feathers are
remarkably wiry and coarse.
"Friday, 22nd February, 1861.— Camp 7 R.
A fearful thunderstorm in the evening, about
eight p.m., fromE.S.E., moving gradually round to
south. The flashes of lightning were so vivid
and incessant as to keep up a continual light for
short intervals, overpowering the moonlight.
Heavy rain and strong squalls continued for more
than an hour, when the storm moved off W.N.W.
The sky remained more or less overcast for the
rest of the night, and the following morning was
both sultry and oppressive, with the ground so
boggy as to be almost impassable.
"Saturday, 23rd February, 1861.— Camp 8 R.
218 RETURN FROM CARPENTARIA
In spite of the difficulties thrown in our way by
last night's storm, we crossed the creek, but were
shortly afterwards compelled to halt for the day
on a small patch of comparatively dry ground,
near the river. The day turned out very fine, so
that the soil dried rapidly, and we started in the
evening to try a trip by moonlight. We were
very fortunate in finding sound ground along a
billibong, which permitted of our travelling for
about five miles up the creek, when we camped for
the night. The evening was most oppressively
hot and sultry, so much so that the slightest exer-
tion made one feel as if he were in a state of
suffocation. The dampness of the atmosphere
prevented any evaporation, and gave one a help-
less feeling of lassitude that I have never before
experienced to such an extent. All the party
complained of the same symptoms, and the horses
showed distinctly the effect of the' evening trip,
short as it was. We had scarcely turned in half
an hour when it began to rain, some heavy clouds
having come up from the eastward in place of the
layer of small cirro-cumuli that before ornamented
the greater portion of the sky. These clouds soon
moved on, and we were relieved from the dread of
additional mud. After the sky cleared, the atmo-
sphere became rather cooler and less sultry, so that,
with the assistance of a little smoke to keep the
mosquitoes off, we managed to pass a tolerable
night
TO CdOPEirS CREEK. 219
"Sunday, 24/A February, 1861.— Camp 9 R.
Comparatively little rain has fallen above the
branch creek with the running water. The vege-
tation, although tolerably fresh, is not so rank as
that we have left ; the water in the creek is muddy,
but good, and has been derived merely from the
surface drainage of the adjoining plains. The
Melaleneus continues on this branch creek, which
creeps along at the foot of the ranges.
"Monday, 25th February, 1861.— Camp 10 R.
There has been very little rain on this portion of
the creek since we passed down ; there was, how-
ever, no water at all then at the pans. At the
Tea-tree spring, a short distance up the creek, we
found plenty of water in the sand, but it had a
disagreeable taste, from the decomposition of leaves
and the presence of mineral matter, probably iron.
There seems to have been a fair share of rain along
here, everything is so very fresh and green, and
there is water in many of the channels we have
crossed.
" Tuesday, 26th February, 1861. — Apple-tree
Camp; 11 R.
" Thursday, 28th February, 1861.— Reedy Gully
Camp; 12 R. Came into the Reedy Gully Camp
about midnight on Tuesday, the 26th; remained
there throughout the day on Wednesday ; starting
at two a.m. on Thursday.
"Friday, 1st March, 1861.— Camp of the Three
Crows ; 13 R.
220 RETURN FROM CARPENTARIA
" Saturday, 2nd March, 1861. — Salt-bush Camp ;
14 R. Found Golah. He looks thin and miser-
able ; seems to have fretted a great deal, probably
at finding himself left behind, and he has been
walking up and down our tracks till he has made
a regular pathway ; could find no sign of his
having been far off, although there is a splendid
feed to which he could have gone. He began to
eat as soon as he saw the other camels.
"Sunday, 3rd March, 1861. — Eureka Camp;
15 E. In crossing a creek by moonlight, Charley
rode over a large snake ; he did not touch him,
and we thought that it was a log until he struck it
with the stirrup iron ; we then saw that it was an
immense snake, larger than any I have ever before
seen in a wild state. It measured eight feet four
inches in length and seven inches in girth round
the belly ; it was nearly the same thickness from
the head to within twenty inches of the tail ; it then
tapered rapidly. The weight was Hi lbs. From
the tip of the nose to five inches back, the neck was
black, both above and below ; throughout the rest
of the body, the under part was yellow, and the
sides and back had irregular brown transverse
bars on a yellowish brown ground. I could detect
no poisonous fangs, but there were two distinct
rows of teeth in each jaw, and two small claws of
nails, about three-eighths of an inch long, one on
each side of the vent.
"Monday, Mh March, 1861. — Feasting Camp;
TO COOPER'S CREEK. 221
16 R. Shortly after arriving at Camp 16 we
could frequently hear distant thunder towards the
east, from which quarter the wind was blowing.
I) u ring the afternoon there were frequent heavy
ihowers, and towards evening it set in to ram
steadily but lightly; this lasted till about eight
p.m., when the rain ceased and the wind got round
to west; the sky, however, remained overcast until
late in the night, and then cleared for a short
time ; the clouds were soon succeeded by a dense
fog or mist, which continued until morning. The
vapour having then risen, occupied the upper
air in the form of light cir.-stratus and cumuli
clouds.
"Tuesday, hth March, 1861. — Camp 17 K.
Started at two a.m. on a S.S.W. course, but had
soon to turn in on the creek, as Mr. Burke felt very
unwell, having been attacked by dysentery since
eating the snake ; he now felt giddy and unable to
keep his seat. At six a.m., Mr. Burke feeling
better, we started again, following along the creek,
in which there was considerably more water than
when we passed down. We camped, at 2*15 p.m.,
at a part of the creek where the date trees* were
very numerous, and found the fruit nearly ripe and
very much improved on what it was when we were
here before.
" Wednesday, 6th March, 1861.— Camp 18 I J.
Arrived at our former camp, and found the
* Probably Liviatonas.
222 RETURN FROM CARPENTARIA
richer than ever, and the ants just as troublesome.
Mr. Burke is a little better, and Charley looks com-
paratively well. The dryness of the atmosphere
seems to have a beneficial effect on all. We found
yesterday, that it was a hopeless matter about
Golah, and we were obliged to leave him behind,
as he seemed to be completely done up and could
not come on, even when the pack and saddle were
taken off.
" Thursday, 7th March, 1861. — Fig-tree Camp;
19 E ; Palm-tree Camp, No. 104, and 20°. Lati-
tude, by observation, coming down, 20° 21' 40".
There is less water here than there was when we
passed down, although there is evidence of the
creek having been visited by considerable floods
during the interval. Feed is. abundant, and the
vegetation more fresh than before. Mr. Burke
almost recovered, but Charley is again very un-
well and unfit to do anything ; he caught cold last
night through carelessness in covering himself.
" Friday, Sth March, 1861.— Camp 20 E. Fol-
lowed the creek more closely coming up than going
down. Found more water in it generally.
"Saturday, Sth March, 1861. — Camp 21 E.
Eeached our former camp at 1*30 p.m. Found the
herbage much dried up, but still plenty of feed for
the camels.
"Sunday, 10th March, 1861. — Camp 22 E.
Camped at the junction of a small creek from the
westward, a short distance below our former camp,
TO COOPER'S CRFi K jj.j
there being plenty of good water here, when -as
the supply at Specimen Camp is very doubtful.
"Monday, llth March, 1861. — Camp 23 R.
Halted for breakfast at the Specimen Camp at
7*15 a.m., found more water and feed there tlum
before ; then proceeded up the creek and got safely
over the most dangerous part of our journey.
Camped near the head of the Gap in a flat, about
two miles below our former camp at the Gap.
" Tuesday, Ylth March, 1861.— Camp 24 R.
■ Wednesday, IZth March, 1861.— Camp 25 R.
Rail! all day, so heavily that I was obliged to put
my watch and field book in the pack to keep tin m
dry. In the afternoon the rain increased, and all
the creeks became flooded. We took shelter under
some fallen rocks, near which was some feed for
the camels ; but the latter was of no value, for we
had soon to remove them up amongst the rocks,
out of the way of the flood, which fortunately did
not rise high enough to drive us out of the cave ;
but we were obliged to shift our packs to the upper
part. In the evening the water fell as rapidly as
it had risen, leaving everything in a very boggy
state. There were frequent light showers during
the night.
"Thursday, lAth March, 1861.— Camp 26 R;
Sandstone cave. The water in the creek having
f;il Ien sufficiently low, we crossed over from the
cave and proceeded down the creek. Our progress
was slow, as it was necessary to keep on the stony
224 RETURN FROM CARPENTARIA
ridge instead of following the flats, the latter being
very boggy after the rain. Thinking that this
creek must join Scratchley's, near our old camp,
we followed it a long way, until finding it trend
altogether too much eastward, we tried to shape
across for the other creek, but were unable to do
so, from the boggy nature of the intervening
plain.
"Friday, Xbth March, 1861.— Camp 27 R.
"Saturday, 16th March, 1861.— Camp 28 R.
Scratchley's Creek.
"Sunday, 17 th March, 1861.— Camp 29 R.
"Monday, ISth March, 1861.— Camp 30 R.
" Tuesday, ISth March, 1861.— Camp 31 R.
f? Wednesday, 20th March, 1861.— Camp 32 R.
Feasting Camp. Last evening the sky was clouded
about nine p.m., and a shower came down from the
north. At ten o'clock it became so dark that we
camped on the bank of the creek, in which was a
nice current of clear water. To-day we halted,
intending to try a night journey. The packs we
overhauled and left nearly 601b. weight of things
behind. They were all suspended in a pack from
the branches of a shrub close to the creek. We
started at a quarter to six, but were continually
pulled up by billibongs and branch creeks, and soon
had to camp for the night. At the junction of the
two creeks just above are the three cones, which
are three remarkably small hills to the eastward.
" Thursday, 2lst March, 1861. — Humid Camp,
TO COOPER'S CREIK. 225
R. — Unable to proceed on account of the
slippery and boggy state of the ground. The
rain has fallen very heavily here to-day, and
every little depression in the ground is either full
of water or covered with slimy mud. Another
heavy storm passed over during the night, almost
extinguishing the miserable fire we were able to
get up with our very limited quantity of water-
logged and green wood. Having been so un-
fortunate last night, we took an early breakfast
this morning at Camp 33, which I had named the
Humid Camp, from the state of dampness in which
we found everything there ; and crossing to the
east bank of the main creek, proceeded in a
southerly direction nearly parallel with the creek.
Some of the flats near the creek contain the
richest alluvial soil, and are clothed with luxuriant
vegetation. There is an immense extent of plain,
back, of the finest character for pastoral purposes,
and the country bears every appearance of being
permanently well watered. We halted on a large
billibong at noon, and were favoured during
dinner by a thunderstorm, the heavier portion of
which missed us, some passing north and some
south, which was fortunate, as it would otherwise
have spoiled our baking process, a matter of some
importance just now. We started again at seven
o'clock, but the effects of the heavy rain prevented
our making a good journey.
"Friday, 22nd March, 1861.— Muddy Camp,
Q
226 RETURN FROM CARPENTARIA
34 E. — Had an early breakfast this morning, and
started before sunrise. Found that the wet swampy
ground that checked our progress last night was
only a narrow strip, and that had we gone a little
further we might have made a fine journey. The
country consisted of open, well-grassed, pebbly
plains, intersected by numerous small channels, all
containing water. Abundance of fine rich portu-
lac was just bursting into flower along all these
channels, as well as on the greater portion of the
plain. The creek that we camped on last night
ran nearly parallel with us throughout this stage.
We should have crossed it, to avoid the stony
plains, but were prevented by the flood from so
doing.
" Saturday ', 23rd March, 1861« — Mosquito Camp,
35 R. — Started at a quarter to six and followed
down the creek, which has much of the character-
istic appearance of the River Burke, where we
crossed it on our up journey. The land in the
vicinity greatly improves as one goes down, be-
coming less stony and better grassed. At eleven
o'clock we crossed a small tributary from the
eastward, and there was a distant range of con-
siderable extent visible in that direction. Halted
for the afternoon in a bend where there was
tolerable feed, but the banks are everywhere more
or less scrubby.
" Sunday, 24dh March, 1861. — Three-hour Camp,
36 R.
TO OOOPKK'S (UK. 227
" Monday, 25/A March, 1 861 .—Native-Dog Camp,
37 R. — Started at half-past five, looking for a
good place to halt for the day. This we found at
a short distance down the creek, and immediately
discovered that it was close to Camp 89 of our up
journey. Had not expected that we were so much
to the westward. After breakfast, took some time-
all it udes, and was about to go back to last camp
for some things that had been left, when I found
Gray behind a tree eating skilligolee. He ex-
plained that he was suffering from dysentery, and
had taken the flour without leave. Sent him to
report himself to Mr. Burke, and went on. He,
having got King to tell Mr. Burke for him, was
called up, and received a good thrashing. There
is no knowing to what extent he has been robbing
us. Many things have been found to run unac-
countably short. Started at seven o'clock, the
camels in first-rate spirits. We followed our old
course back (S.). The first portion of the plains
had much the same appearance as when we came
up, but that near Camp 88, which then looked so
fresh and green, is now very much dried up ; and
we saw no signs of water anywhere. In feet,
there seems to have been little or no rain about
here since we passed. Soon after three o'clock
we struck the first of several small creeks or billi-
bongs, which must be portions of the creek with
the deep channel that we crossed on going up, we
being now rather to the westward of our former
Q 2
228 RETURN FROM CARPENTARIA
course. From here, after traversing about two
miles of the barest clay plain, devoid of all vege-
tation, we reached a small watercourse, most of
the holes in which contained some water of a
milky or creamy description. Fine salt bush and
portulac being abundant in the vicinity, we camped
here at 4*30 a.m. When we started in the even-
ing, a strong breeze had already sprung up in the
south, which conveyed much of the characteristic
feeling of a hot wind. It increased gradually to a
force of five and six, but by eleven o'clock had
become decidedly cool, and was so chilly towards
morning that we found it necessary* to throw on
our ponchos. A few cir. cum. clouds were coming
up from the east when we started, but we left
them behind, and nothing was visible during the
night but a thin hazy veil. The gale continued
throughout the 26th, becoming warmer as the day
advanced. In the afternoon it blew furiously,
raising a good deal of dust. The temperature of
air at four p.m. was 84° in the shade. Wind trees
all day."
This last entry contains an unpleasant record of
poor Gray's delinquency. He appears to have
been hitherto rather a favourite with my son.
King, on his examination before the Royal
Commission, finding that Mr. Burke was censured
for chastising Gray, at first denied it strongly.
My son only relates in his diary what Mr. Burke
had told him ; " I have given Gray a good thrash-
TO COOPER'S CREEK. 229
ing, and well he deserved it." King blamed my
son for mentioning this, but admitted that Mr.
I)i nke gave Gray several slaps on the head;
afterwards, seeing that Mr. Burke was found fault
with for not keeping a journal, King was made
to appear to say that Mr. Wills's journal was
written in conjunction with and under the super-
vision of Mr. Burke ; and thus accounted for the
absence of one by Mr. Burke. I was present at
King's examination, and can bear witness that he
said nothing of the kind. His answers, as given
in the Koyal Commission Report, were framed to
suit the questions of the interrogator, which ap-
peared to astonish King, and he made no reply.
King's statements, as far as he understood what
he was asked, I believe to have been generally
very truthful, and honestly given.
After March 25th, an interval of three days
occurs, in which nothing is noted. Gray's illness,
attending to the maps, with extra labour, may
account for this omission.
" March 29. — Camels' last feast ; fine green feed
at this camp : plenty of vines and young poly-
gonums on the small billibongs.
" March 30. — Boocha's rest. — Poor Boocha was
killed ; employed all day in cutting up and jerkin-
hi in : the day turned out as favourable for us a«
we could have wished, and a considerable portion
<>i the meat was completely jerked before sunset.
"March 31. — Mia Mia Camp. — Plenty of good
2S0 RETURN FROM CARPENTARIA
dry feed ; various shrubs ; salt bushes, including
cotton bush and some coarse kangaroo grass ; water
in the hollows on the stony pavement. The neigh-
bouring country chiefly composed of stony rises
and sand ridges.
" April 5 — Oil Camp. — Earthy and clayey plains,
generally sound and tolerably grassed, but in
other places bare salt bush, and withered.
"April 6 and 7. — Earthy flats, cut into in-
numerable water courses, succeeded by fine open
plains, generally very bare, but having in some
places patches of fine salt bush. The dead stalks
of portulac and mallows show that those plants
are very plentiful in some seasons. Towards noon
came upon earthy plains and numerous billibongs.
The next day the water and feed much dried up,
and nearly all the water has a slightly brackish
taste of a peculiar kind, somewhat resembling in
flavour potassio-tartrate of soda (cream of tartar).
On the 8th, poor Gray, suffering under the bad
odour of his peculations, was thought to be pre-
tending illness, because he could not walk, and
my son, when he was himself ill, much regretted
their suspicions on this point ; but it appears
from King's evidence, that Gray's excuse for
using the provisions surreptitiously, that he was
attacked by dysentery, was without foundation.
" Monday, April 8. — Camp 50 B. — Camped a
short distance above Camp 75. The creek here
contains more water, and there is a considerable
TO COOPER'S CRE1K 231
quantity of green grass in its bed, hut it is mucli
dried np since we passed before. Halted fifteen
minutes to send back for Gray, who pretended
that In could not walk. Some good showers must
have fallen lately, as we have passed surface
water on the plains every day. In the latter por-
tion of to-day's journey, the young grass and
portulac are springing freshly in the flats, and on
the sides of the sand ridges.
" Tuesday, April 9. — Camp 51 R. — Camped on
the bank of the creek, where there is a regular field
of salt bush, as well as some grass in its bed, very
acceptable to the horse, who has not had a proper
feed for the last week until last night, and is,
consequently, nearly knocked up.
" Wednesday, April 10. — Camp 52 R. — Remained
at Camp 52 R all day, to cut up and jerk the
meat of the horse Billy, who was so reduced and
knocked up for want of food that there appeared
little chance of his reaching the other side of
tli. desert; and as we were running short of
food of every description ourselves, we thought it
best to secure his flesh at once. We found it
lif.ihliy and tender, but without the slightest
tnnv of l:it in any portion 01 the l»<«ly.
In the journal to the Fifteenth, there is nothing
worthy of note; there were watercourses daily,
the character of the country the same; the plants
chiefly chrysanthemums and salt bush. On the
ft rained heavily, commenced at fih
232 DEATH AND INTERMENT OF GRAY.
the morning, and continued pretty steadily through-
out the day. The camel, Linda, got knocked up
owing to the wet, and having to cross numerous
sand ridges ; and at four o'clock they had to halt
at a clay-pan among the sandhills.
On Wednesday, the 17th, my son notes the
death of poor Gray : " He had not spoken ,a
word distinctly since his first attack, which was
just about as we were going to start." Here
King mentions that they remained one day to
bury Gray. They were so weak, he said, that it
was with difficulty they could dig a grave suffi-
ciently deep to inter him in. This is not in the
journal, but in King's narrative.
" On the 19th, camped again without water,
on the sandy bed of the creek, having been
followed by a lot of natives who were desirous
of our company ; but as we preferred camping
alone, we were compelled to move on until
rather late, in order to get away from them.
The night was very cold. A strong breeze was
blowing from the south, which made the fire so
irregular that, as on the two previous nights, it
was impossible to keep up a fair temperature.
Onr general course throughout the day had been
S.S.E.
On Sunday, April 21, the survivors, Mr. Burke,
my son, King, and two camels, reached Cooper's
Creek at the exact place where the depot party
had been left under Brahe. There was no one
ARRIVAL AT COOPER'S CREEK. 233
there I During the last few days every exertion
had been made, every nerve strained to reach the
goal of their arduous labours — the spot where they
expected to find rest, clothing, and provisions in
abundance. King describes in vivid language
tlu i exertions of that last ride of thirty miles; and
I> urke's delight when he thought he saw the
depot camp ; " There they are !" he exclaimed ; " I
see them !" The wish was " father to the thought."
Lost and bewildered in amazement, he appeared
like one stupefied when the appalling truth burst
on him. King has often described to me the
scene. " Mr. Wills looked about him in all
directions. Presently he said, ' King, they are
gone ;' pointing a short way off to a spot, ' there
are the things they have left.' Then he and I
set to work to dig them up, which we did in a
short time. Mr. Burke at first was quite over-
whelmed, and flung himself on the ground." But
soon recovering, they all three set to work to cook
some victuals. When thus refreshed, my son made
the following entry in his journal :
M Sunday , April 21. — Arrived at the depot this
evening, just in time to find it deserted. A note
left in the plant by Brahe communicates the
pleasing information that they have started to-
day for the Darling ; their camels and horses all
well and in good condition. We and our camels
being just done up, and scarcely able to reach
the depot, have very little chance of overtaking
234 CONDITION OF THE SURVIVORS.
them. Brahe has fortunately left us ample pro-
visions to take us to the bounds of civilization,
namely j — Flour, 50 lb. ; rice, 20 lb. ; oatmeal,
60 lb. ; sugar, 60 lb ; and dried meat, 15 lb. These
provisions, together with a few horse-shoes and
nails, and some odds and ends, constitute all the
articles left, and place us in a very awkward
position in respect to clothing. Our disappoint-
ment at finding the depot deserted may easily be
imagined ; — returning in an exhausted state, after
four months of the severest travelling and priva-
tion, our legs almost paralyzed, so that each of us
found it a most trying task only to walk a few
yards. Such a leg-bound feeling I never before
experienced, and hope I never shall again. The
exertion required to get up a slight piece of rising
ground, even without any load, induces an inde-
scribable sensation of pain and helplessness, and
the general lassitude makes one unfit for anything.
Poor Gray must have suffered very much many
times when we thought him shamming. It is
most fortunate for us that these symptoms, which
so early affected him, did not come on us until we
were reduced to an exclusively animal diet of
such an inferior description as that offered by
the flesh of a worn-out and exhausted horse. We
were not long in getting out the grub that
Brahe had left, and we made a good supper off
some oatmeal porridge and sugar. This, together
with the excitement of finding ourselves in such
NOTE LEFT BY BRAHE. Ml
a peculiar and most unexpected position, had a
wonderful effect in removing the stiffness from
our legs. Whether it is possible that the vege-
tables can have so affected us, I know not; but
both Mr. Burke and I remarked a most decided
relief and a strength in the legs greater than we
had had for several days. I am inclined to think
that but for the abundance of portulac that we
obtained on the journey, we should scarcely have
returned to Cooper's Creek at all."
I asked King how my son behaved. His answer
was, that he never once showed the slightest
anger or loss of self-command. From under a tree
on which had been marked, " DIG, 21st April,
1861," a box was extracted containing the pro-
visions, and a bottle with the following note : —
" Depdt, Cooper's Creek, April 21, 1861.
" The depot party of the V. E. E. leaves this
camp to-day to return to the Barling. I intend to
go S.E. from Camp 60 to get into our old track
near Bulloo. Two of my companions and myself
are quite well ; the third, Patten, has been unable
to walk for the last eighteen days, as his leg has
been severely hurt when thrown by one of the
horses. No one has been up here from the Darling.
We have six camels and twelve horses in good
working condition.
"William Brahe."
236 EXTRACT FROM BRAHE'S JOURNAL.
Brahe has been blamed for not having left a
true statement of his condition, and that of those
with him ; but it was truth when he wrote it.
He believed Patten's to have been a sprain. It
was afterwards that he contradicted himself, in
his journal written in Melbourne, and in his evidence
before the Royal Commission. Brahe had no
journal when he came down the first time with a
message from "Wright, and was requested, or
ordered, by the committee to produce one, which
he subsequently did. In this journal, Brahe
enters, on the 15th April : " Patten is getting
worse. I and M'Donough begin to feel alarming
symptoms of the same disease (viz., a sprain).
" April 18. — There is no probability of Mr.
Burke returning this way. Patten is in a deplorable
state, and desirous of returning to the Darling to
obtain medical assistance ; and our provisions will
soon be reduced to a quantity insufficient to take
us back to the Barling if the trip should turn
out difficult and tedious. Being also sure that I
and M'Donough would not much longer escape
scurvy, I, after most seriously considering all
circumstances, made up my mind to start for the
Darling on Sunday next, the 21st."
That day he abandoned the depot at ten a.m.
leaving 50 lb. of flour, taking with him 150 lb. ;
leaving 50 lb. of oatmeal, taking about 70 lb. ;
leaving 50 lb. of sugar, taking 75 lb. ; leaving
rice 30 lb., taking one bag. He left neither tea
BRAKE'S EXAMINATI
nor biscuits, and took all the clothes, being the
property of Mr. Wills. The latter, he said before
tlir Royal Commissioners, were only shirts, omit-
ting the word flannel, and added that they were
badly off themselves. He was asked, Qu. 323.
" Had you any clothes of any description at
Cooper's Creek that might have been left ? — Yes, I
had a parcel of clothes that were left with me by
Mr. Wills ; these were all that I know of, and we
ourselves were very badly off."
Qu. 1729. By Dr. Wills (through the chair-
man) — " I wish to know whether a portmanteau
was left with you, belonging to Mr. Wills, my
son? — Yes, a bag, a calico bag containing
clothes.
" 1730. — You were aware it was his own pro-
perty ? — I was.
" 1731. — What made you take those clothes
back to Menindie, and not leave them in the
cache ? — Mr. Wills was better supplied than any
other member of the party, and I certainly did
not think he would be in want of clothes."
With a somewhat unaccountable disposition to
sympathize with Brahe, on the part of the Com-
mittee and the Royal Commission, the latter
summed up their impression of his conduct thus :
" The conduct of Mr. Brahe in retiring from his
position at the depot before he was rejoined by
his commander, or relieved from the Darling,
may be deserving of considerable censure ; but
238 OPINION OF THE EOYAL COMMISSION.
we are of opinion that a responsibility far beyond
bis expectations devolved upon bim ; and it must
be borne in mind that, with the assurance of his
leader, and his own conviction that he might each
day expect to be relieved by Mr. Wright, he still
held his post for four months and five days ; and
that only when pressed by the appeals of a
comrade sickening even to death, as was sub-
sequently "proved, his powers of endurance gave
way, and he retired from the position which
could alone afford succour to the weary explorers
should they return by that route. His decision
was most unfortunate ; but we believe he acted
from a conscientious desire to discharge his duty,
and we are confident that the painful reflection
that twenty-four hours' further perseverance would
have made him the rescuer of the explorers, and
gained for himself the praise and approbation of all,
must be of itself an agonizing thought, without
the addition of censure he might feel himself
undeserving of."
CHAPTER XL
Proceedings in Melbourne — Meeting of the Exploration Committee—
Tardy Resolutions — Departure of Mr. Howitt — Patriotic Effort of Mr.
Orkney — South Australian Expedition under Mr. M'Kinley — News of
White Men and Camels having been seen by Natives in the Interior —
Certain Intelligence of the fate of the Explorers reaches Melbourne.
In March, 1861, 1 began, in the absence of all in-
b 1 licence, to feel some apprehension for my son's
safety, and the result of the expedition. On the
8th, Professor Neumayer, in reply to a letter from
me, said : " You have asked me about the Exploring
Expedition, and it is really a difficult matter to
give a definite answer to the question. I think
that by this time the party must have reached the
Gulf of Carpentaria, supposing them to have pro-
ceeded in that direction. In fact, I think they
may have recrossed already a great part of the
desert country, if everything went on smoothly
after leaving Cooper's Creek. I have a thorough
confidence in Mr. Wills's character and energy, and
I am sure they will never fail. I cannot help re-
240 PROFESSOR NEWMAYER'S LETTER.
gretting that the Committee should not have under-
stood the force of my arguments, when I advised
them to send the expedition towards the N.W. This
would very likely have forwarded the task con-
siderably. My feeling is not very strong as to the
results we may expect from the present attempt.
Indeed, as far as science and practical advantages
are concerned, I look upon the whole as a mistake.
Mr. Wills is entirely alone ; he has no one to assist
him in his zeal, and take a part of his onerous
duties from him. Had he been put in a position to
make valuable magnetic observations, he would
have earned the thanks of the scientific world.
But, under existing circumstances, he can do
nothing at all for the advancement of this particu-
lar branch. However, I hope future expeditions
will afford him an opportunity to fill up that defi-
ciency, if he should now be successful. The affair
with Landells was nothing more nor less than what
I expected and was quite prepared to hear. The
man was not more qualified for the task he under-
took than he would have been for any scientific
position in the expedition. I am confident Mr.
Wills is all right, and that Mr. Burke and he will
agree well together."
All this was complimentary and gratifying to a
father's feelings. Still, as time passed on, fore-
bodings came upon me that this great expedition,
starting with so much display from Melbourne,
with a steady, declared, and scientific object, would
SUPINENESS OP THE COMMIT'] T 241
dwindle down into a flying light corps, makin
sodden dash across the oontinenl and back again
with no permanent results. Discharges and resig-
nations had taken place, and no efforts were made
by the committee to fill up the vacancies. No
assistant surveyor had been sent to my son, no
successor appointed to Dr. Beckler. The last-
named gentleman brought back many of the
scientific instruments intrusted to his charge,
alleging that if he had not done so, Mr. Burke,
who was unscientific and impatient of the time lost
in making and registering observations, threatened
to throw them into the next creek. The supine-
ness of the committee was justly, not too severely
commented on in the Report of the Royal Commis-
sion : " The Exploration Committee, in overlooking
the importance of the contents of Mr. Burke's
despatch from Torowoto, and in not urging Mr.
Wright's departure from the Darling, committed
errors of a serious nature. A means of knowledge
of the delay of the party at Menindie was in pos-
session of the committee, not indeed by direct
communication to that effect, but through the
receipt of letters from Drs. Becker and Beckler, at
various dates up to the end of November ; — without,
however, awakening the committee to a sense of
the vital importance of Mr. Burke's request in that
despatch that he should * be soon followed up ;' —
or to a consideration of the disastrous conse-
4 ul- n cvs which would be likely to result, and did
R
242 LETTERS IN THE 'ARGUS; NEWSPAPER.
unfortunately result, from the fatal inactivity and
idling of Mr. Wright and his party on the
Darling."
During the month of March, the ' Argus '
newspaper called attention to the matter, and a
letter, signed Lockhart More ton, expressed itself
thus : " What has become of the expedition ? Surely
the committee are not alive to the necessity of
sending some one up ? Burke has by this time
crossed the continent, or is lost. What has become
of Wright ? What is he doing ?"
Then came a letter from Menindie, expressing
strong opinions on the state of affairs, but flatter-
ing to my son. It was evident to me that these
gentlemen knew or thought more than they felt
disposed to state directly in words. I have already
mentioned that Mr. Burke, while within the
districts where newspapers could reach him, had
been harassed, from the time of his appointment, by
remarks in the public prints, evidently proceeding
from parties and their friends who thought the
honour of leading this grand procession more pro-
perly belonged to themselves. Being a gentleman
of sensitive feelings, these observations touched
him to the quick. When he was no longer within
reach, they still continued, but he found defenders
in the all-powerful * Argus.' I am sorry to say,
for the sake of human nature, that there were some
who went so far as to wish no successful result to
his enterprise.
1 GO TO MELBOURNE TO MAKE INQUIRIES. 243
BcliVving and trusting that those remarks of Mr.
Moreton and others, would stir up the committee
to take some steps to ascertain if Mr. Wright was
moving in his duty, I contented myself with
writing to the Magnetic Observatory, to learn from
Professor Neumayer what was going on. 1 1 1 1
being absent on scientific tours, I received answers
from his locum tenens, to the effect that within a
month certain information was expected. The
committee I did not trouble, as their Honorary
Secretary had deigned no reply to letters I had
previously sent.
In the month of June, unable to bear longer
suspense, with a small pack on my shoulders and a
stick in my hand, I walked from Ballaarat to Mel-
bourne, a distance of seventy-five miles, stopping
for a couple of nights on the way at the house of
a kind and hospitable friend, Dugald M'Pher-
son, Esq., J.P., at Bungel-Tap. This gentleman has
built a substantial mansion there, in the Elizabethan
style, likely, from its solidity, to last for centuries.
I arrived at Melbourne on Saturday, the 16th of
June. On Monday, the 18th, I called on the Hon.
David Wilkie, honorary treasurer to the commit-
tee. I found him issuing circulars for a meeting
to consider what was to be done. My heart sank
within me when I found that no measures whatever
had yet been taken. I called on those I knew
amongst the committee to entreat their attendance.
I hastened to Professor Neumayer, with reference
r 2
244 MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE.
to Mr. Loekhart's letter, to ask if it had been
arranged witb Mr. Burke that a vessel should be
despatched round the coast to the Gulf to meet him
there. His answer was that a conversation on that
point had taken place between Mr. Burke, my son,
and himself, but that Mr. Burke had enjoined him
(the professor) not to move in it, for that, if so dis-
posed, he would himself apply to the committee by
letter.
A meeting took place on the evening of the
18th. The opinions were as numerous as the
members in attendance. Quot homines tot sententice.
One talked of financial affairs, another of science,
a third of geography, a fourth of astronomy, and
so on. A chapter in the Circumlocution Office
painfully unfolded itself. Mr. Ligar rather rudely
asked me what I was in such alarm about;
observed that " there was plenty of time ; no news
was good news ; and I had better go home and
mind my own business." I felt hurt, naturally
enough, some of my readers may suppose, and
replied that had I not been convinced something
was doing, I should scarcely have remained quiet
at Ballaarat for three months. A gentleman, with
whom I had no previous acquaintance, seeing my
anxiety, and feeling that the emergency called for
immediate action, appealed to them warmly, and
the result was a decision, nemine contradicente,
that it was time to move, if active and trustworthy
agents could be found. I offered my services for
#
DESPATCH OP A PARTY UNDER MR. HOWITT. 245
one, but the meeting adjourned without coming to
any decision, and was followed by other indefinite
meetings and adjournments de die in diem.
On the following day, Dr. Macadam, Honorary
Secretary, attended (the press of the morning had
incited movement) and announced the welcome
intelligence that Mr. A. Howitt was in Melbourne ;
that he had seen him ; that he was ready to go on
the shortest notice. So far all was good. But
now I saw the full misery and imbecility of leaving
a large body to decide what should have been
delegated to a quorum of three at the most. Tho
meetings took place regularly, but the same mem-
bers seldom attended twice. New illusions and
conceits suggested themselves as often as different
committee-men found it convenient to deliver their
opinions and vouchsafe their presence. Let me
here specially except Ferdinand Mueller, M.D.
and F.R.S., of London, who though a foreigner,
a Dane by birth, I believe, has won by his talents
that honourable distinction. His energy in all he
undertakes is untiring and unsurpassable. On this
occasion he was ever active and unremitting, while
his sympathy and kindness to myself have never
varied from the first day of our acquaintance. The
Hon. David Wilkie, at whose private house we
met nightly, deserves the highest credit for expe-
diting the business, which ended in the despatch of
the party under Mr. Howitt. Mr. Heales also,
then Chief Secretary for the Colony, promised
246 ARTICLE IN THE MELBOURNE 'ARGUS.'
assistance in money, and the use of the c Victoria '
steamer, under Captain Norman, to be sent round
to the Gulf of Carpentaria as soon as she could be
got ready.
The Melbourne ' Argus/ of June 19th, contained
the following leading article : — " The public will
be glad to learn that the Exploration Committee of
the Eoyal Society have at length resolved to set
about partly doing what in April last we urged
upon them. A small party is to be despatched to
Cooper's Creek with means to supply necessaries
to the Exploring Expedition, and to make all
possible efforts to ascertain the whereabouts of Mr.
Burke. It is well this should be done, and that
quickly, for we some eight months since learned
that Mr. Burke had provisions calculated to last
his party for five months only. But this is not
all that should be done. When referring to this
subject two months ago, basing our calculations on
the knowledge we then had — and it has since
received no increase — we reckoned that Mr.
Burke, who left Menindie on the 19th of October
last, would reach Cooper's Creek by the beginning
of November, and that if he determined upon
making for the Gulf of Carpentaria, he might be
expected to reach the north coast by about the
middle of March last. If his provisions enabled
him to do this, it is unlikely they would suffice him
for a return journey southwards, or an expedition
westward. We cannot think, then, that a party
ARTICLE IN THE MELBOURNE 'ARGUS/ Mf
sent to Cooper's Creek should be regarded as
sufficient. Why should not tho 'Victoria' bu
utilized? Were she sent round the west coast to
tin point Mr. Burke might be expected to strike
— if, instead of bearing north, after reaching the
m ntre, he has turned westward, as wo anticipated
he might do — he would possibly be heard of there.
If not, the * Victoria ' would be still so far on her
way to the Gulf of Carpentaria — the only other
goal he is likely to aim at reaching. Two expedi-
tions, therefore, should at once be despatched — the
party to Cooper's Creek, and the colonial steamer
round the coast. Let it not be said to our disgrace
that anything has been neglected which money or
energy could have done to insure the safety of the
men who have devoted themselves to a work in
which the whole civilized world is interested, and
of which, if now carried on with success, this
colony will reap all the glory. It is a work which
all men must have at heart, whether as lovers of
their fellow-men, of science, or of their country.
Let it not be marred by aught of niggardliness or
supineness. The work must be well and quickly
done. The progress of Mr. Stuart and of Mr.
Burke is now watched with the warmest interest
and sympathy by men of science in Europe. Mr.
Stuart is well and generously cared for by the
South Australian Government and people. What
will be said if Victoria alone, by parsimony or
apathy, allowed her Exploring Expedition to fail,
248 AKTICLE IN THE MELBOUKNE * ARGUS.'
or her public servants to suffer unnecessary hard-
ships, or even death ?
"As to the men to whom the inland expedition is
to be intrusted, some conversation took place at the
recent meeting of the Exploration Committee. Dr.
Wills, of Ballaarat, father of Mr. Wills, second in
command with Mr. Burke, was present, and offered
to accompany the party. Professor Neumayer
suggested a gentleman named Walsh, from his own
office, as suitable for the enterprise ; and Dr. Enab-
ling, it is rumoured, supports Mr. Landells as a
fit person for the post of leader. We have nothing
to say for or against the two former suggestions,
but this last demands notice. We consider that
Mr. Landells has already shown himself singularly
unfitted to fill a post of this kind."
Mr. Howitt's offer did away with the necessity
for my pressing to go. Although I felt tolerably
confident in my own physical powers, I should
have much regretted had they failed on experiment,
and thereby retarded rather than aided the object
in view. Mr. Walsh went, but was of no service,
as he lost the sight of one eye in the first observa-
tion he attempted to make ; but Mr. Howitt proved
equal to the emergency and did the work.*
* A strange incident connected with Mr. Walsh's misfortune was re-
ported abroad, but I do not vouch for its truth. When under surgical
treatment for his impaired vision, it was said that the operators in con-
sultation decided on an experiment to test the powers of the retina to
receive light, and in so doing blinded the other eye. Mr. Walsh went to
England, having had a sum granted to him by the Victoria government.
Whether he has recovered his sight I know not,
NEWS FROM THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 249
Mr. Howitt being equipped and despatched, I
returned to Ballaarat, somewhat relieved, after my
fortnight's anxious labours with the committee ;
but on the evening of Friday, the 5th of July, I
was startled by reading the following statement in
the * Melbourne Weekly Age ': —
"THE NEWS FROM THE EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS
11 The unexpected news of Mr. Burke's expedi-
tion of discovery, which we publish this morning,
is positively disastrous. The entire company of
explorers has been dissipated out of being, like
dewdrops before the sun. Some are dead, some
are on their way back, one has come to Melbourne,
and another has made his way to Adelaide, whilst
only four of the whole party have gone forward
from the depot at Cooper's Creek upon the main
journey of the expedition to explore the remote
interior. The four consist of the two chief officers
and two men ; namely, Mr. Burke, the leader, and
Mr. Wills, the surveyor and second in command of
the party, together with the men King and Gray.
This devoted little band left Cooper's Creek for
the far interior on the 16th of December last,
more than six months ago, taking with them six
camels and one horse, and only twelve weeks'
provisions. From Mr. Burke's despatch we learn
that he meant to proceed in the first place to
Eyre's Creek ; and from that place he would make
an effort to explore the country northward in the
250 NEWS FEOM THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION.
direction of the Gulf of Carpentaria. He states
also that he meant to return to Cooper's Creek
within three months at the farthest ; that is, about
the middle of March. Before starting on this
route he had already tried a passage northward
between Gregory's and Stuart's tracks ; but he
found this passage impracticable, from want of
water. He does not state anything that would
enable us to form an opinion of what his intentions
might be after leaving Eyre's Creek, beyond his
saying that he meant to push northwards towards
the Gulf. Neither does it appear that he left any
instructions or directions upon the matter with
Mr. Brahe. He merely informed the latter that
he meant to run no risks, and that he would be
back within a brief stated period, and that Mr.
Brahe was not to wait for him at the depot beyond
three months. Mr. Brahe' s statement, in fact,
throws very little light upon the probabilities of
Mr. Burke's future course, after leaving the depot
at Cooper's Creek. He accompanied him one
day's journey, some twenty miles or so, on his way
towards the north. But he seems to know very
little of what Mr. Burke's ultimate intentions were.
Perhaps, indeed, Mr. Burke himself had no very
definite scheme sketched out in his own mind, as
to any settled purpose for the future, beyond his
trying to make the best of his way in the direction
of the Gulf of Carpentaria. He probably never
entertained the idea of its being necessary to plan
DOUBTS AS TO MR. BURKE'S PLANS. 251
out various different alternatives to adopt, in case
of the failure of any one particular course of pro-
ceeding. The facility and despatch with which
he had got over the ground to Cooper's Creek may
have produced too confident a state of mind as to
the future. And his having learned that Start
had, with only two or three companions, advanced
within a couple of days' journey of the northern
coast, would tend greatly to increase that too con-
fident tone of mind. Both circumstances were
likely to produce a feeling, especially in a san-
guiue temperament like Burke's, that there was no
need of his arranging beforehand, and leaving
behind him, with Mr. Brahe, plans of intended
procedure on his part, the knowledge of which
would subsequently give a clue to his fate, in case
of his continued absence. He seems not to have
formed any anticipation of a vessel being sent
round to meet him on the north coast, according
to Mr. Brahe's account.
" What then did he propose to do, and what is
likely to have become of him? The fear forces
itself upon us, that, acting under the influence of
excessive confidence, arising from the causes
already referred to, Mr. Burke and his little band
of three companions went forth towards the north
in a state of mind unprepared to meet insurmount-
able obstacles; that difficulties, arising chiefly from
want of water, sprung up in his path, and assumed
iter magnitude than the previous experience
252 GLOOMY CONJECTURES.
of the expedition could have led them to antici-
pate ; and that if the little party has not suc-
cumbed to these difficulties before now, they are
to be sought for either on the northern coast, by
a vessel to be sent there for that purpose, or in the
country towards the Gulf of Carpentaria, by an
overland party despatched in that direction. In-
deed, both attempts should be made simultaneously,
and with the least possible delay. The present
period of the year is most propitious for the inland
journey, both on account of the abundance of
water and the moderate temperature incident to
the winter season. There should not be a moment
lost, then, in forwarding this portion of the search ;
and the coasting portion of it should be commenced
as soon after as possible.
" The sufferings to which the unhappy men are
exposed will be understood from Mr. Wright's
report of what befel the party under his charge.
They were prostrated by scurvy, as well as being
additionally enfeebled by the irregular supply of
water. And at length four of their number, worn
out by their sufferings, perished by a wretched,
lingering death in the wilderness. There is some-
thing deeply melancholy in such a fact. Poor
Becker ! He had scarcely the physique for en-
countering the toils of such an expedition. How-
ever, regrets over the past are vain. What is of
importance now is to save the remainder of the
party, if possible. And perhaps the best way of
REITERATED BLUNDERS. 263
opening up the search inland would be for OaM
committee to avail themselves of Mr. Howitt's
offer to proceed at once, with an enlarged party,
including Mr. Brahe, to Coopers Creek, and thence
to Eyre's Creek, and northwards towards the coast,
should they not previously have encountered Mr.
Burke and his companions on their return.
" It is somewhat disheartening to find that when
Mr. Wright returned for the last time to the
Cooper s Creek depot, namely, so recently as the
first week in May — that is, five months after
Burke set out on his final excursion — he did not
think it necessary to make any examination of the
country, as far at least as Eyre's Creek. It might
naturally be supposed that on finding, by exami-
ning the concealed stores, that Mr. Burke had not
revisited the dep6t, Mr. Wright would endeavour
to make some search for him, to the extent of a
few days' journey at all events. Before turning
their back finally upon the solitude where their
companions were wandering, one last search might
I !;ive well been made. But perhaps the disabled
condition of the men, horses, and camels may be
taken to account for this seeming neglect. It may
not be too late even now, however, to make amends
for this strange oversight, by hastening on Mr.
Howitt's party. The whole expedition appears to
have been one prolonged blunder throughout;
and it is to be hoped that the rescuing party may
not be mismanaged and retarded in the same way
254 ANOTHER MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE.
as the unfortunate original expedition was. The
savans have made a sad mess of the whole affair;
let them, if possible, retrieve themselves in this its
last sad phase."
I returned immediately to Melbourne, and found
the committee in earnest at last, the Government
aiding them in every possible way. Mr. Heales
offered all the assistance he could give. The
1 Victoria,' which I thought had been made ready,
was now put under immediate repair. Proceedings
were reported in the ' Herald ' as follows :
" The adjourned meeting of the Exploration
Committee was held yesterday afternoon, in the
Hall of the Eoyal Society, Victoria Street. Dr.
Mueller occupied the chair, in the unavoidable
absence of Sir William Stawell.
" The minutes of the previous meeting were read
and confirmed.
" The Chairman said the hon. treasurer would
lay before the committee the result of the inter-
view the deputation had the honour to hold with
the Chief Secretary that day. Unfortunately they
had not had the advantage of Dr. Macadam's
assistance, but he was glad that gentleman was
now present, and that they had one member of the
Government.
" The Hon. Dr. Wilkie, M.L.C., said that Dr.
Mueller, himself, and Dr. Wills, father of Mr.
Wills, a member of the expedition, waited on the
Chief Secretary and communicated to him the
FRESH RESOLUTIONS. &H
resolution passed by the Exploration Committee,
strongly recommending the Government to give
the k V ictoria ' steamer for tin; purpose of pro-
ceeding to the Gulf of Carpentaria in aid of
Mr. Burke's party. He might state that the
deputation entered fully into the whole question,
and that the Chief Secretary very cordially pro-
mised that the 'Victoria' should be given, and
tliat at the same time he (the Chief Secretary) said
it was the desire of the Government to promote
the wishes of the Exploration Committee, as far
as possible, in rendering assistance to Mr. Burke.
Further discussion took place with reference to
other matters, which would immediately come
under the consideration of the committee ; — as to
the sending a land party from Rockhampton ; and
the Government had promised every possible
assistance that they could render."
Mr. Howitt, who returned the next day, was
soon despatched again with increased means, to
follow up his work in aid. A communication was
immediately opened with the Queensland Govern-
ment on the N.E. to get up an expedition under
some competent person, but at the charge of
Victoria ; and Mr. Walker, who had already ac-
quired note as a leader of a party of native police,
was proposed for the command. Captain Norman
with the ' Victoria ' steamer was to start as soon
as possible, coasting round to the Gulf, taking
with him a small tender ; whilst Walker, or who-
256 MR. ORKNEY'S PATRIOTIC ACT.
ever might be appointed in Queensland, should
proceed north, overland. Nothing further could
be done in Melbourne by the committee or Govern-
ment ; but I have now to narrate a noble act on
the part of a private individual.
James Orkney, Esq., M.L.A. for West Mel-
bourne, had a small steamer of sixteen tons, built
by himself from a model of the ' Great Eastern,'
which was quite ready for sea ; and having also a
captain willing to embark in her, he undertook to
send her round to the Gulf of Carpentaria at his
own charge. The adventurous gentleman who
offered his services was no less a personage than
Wyse, the skipper of Lord Dufferin's yacht on his
celebrated voyage to the North Seas, which his
lordship has commemmorated in his delightful
little book entitled, ' Letters from High Latitudes/
The \ Sir Charles Hotham,' for so the little craft
was called, was intended to precede Captain
Norman, as the * Victoria ' would take at least a
fortnight in equipping. She was expected, from
her light draught of water, to render much aid in
exploring the rivers and steaming against currents.
She left on the 6th of July, towed out of Hudson's
Bay by the ! Sydney ' steamer. The weather be-
came stormy, and the steamer was compelled to cut
her adrift during the night. Left to herself and her
gallant captain, with a crew of two men only, she
made her way to Sydney. During this time the
coast was visited by severe gales, and much anxiety
MR. ORKNEFS PATRIOTIC ACT. l:>7
was felt for the * Sir Charles Hotham.' The
agents of the Sydney steamer regretted that they
had not heard of the proposed arrangement a few
hours earlier, as they would readily have taken
In t on deck. But they did all that was in their
power.
Mr. Orkney soon received the pleasing intelli-
gence that his little craft was safe in Sydney
Harbour, but requiring some repairs. These were
completed with as much speed as possible, Mr.
Orkney bearing every expense, including that of
the telegrams, which was considerable. Again the
miniature steamer proceeded from Sydney, north-
ward ; but after some progress, Wyse, steering her
into shallow water, near shore, to anchor for the
night, ran her on the peak of the anchor, which
made a hole in her bottom, and quite incapacitated
ber from further service. Thus Mr. Orkney lost
the hope he entertained and the satisfaction he
would have enjoyed, of being serviceable to the
lost explorers; but the credit due to him is far
from being diminished by his want of success, and
the patriotic effort deserves to be recorded to his
eternal honour. Through this incident I made his
acquaintance, and ever since we have been, and I
hope shall continue to be, sincere friends.
My anxiety for my son's safety interfered with
my attention to ordinary professional avocations.
I accordingly left Ballaarat for a time, and con-
tinued in Melbourne, casting about to see how I
s
258 I KEPAIR TO ADELAIDE.
could render myself useful in the great object of
my thoughts. At first I inclined to go round to
the Gulf with Captain Norman, and obtained per-
mission to do so, when an announcement reached
Melbourne by telegram to the effect that the South
Australian Government had decided on sending
an Expedition from that quarter, and asking for
the loan of some camels, with the use of the two
that had strayed in that direction, and had been
brought down to Adelaide from Dr. Brown's
station. These turned out to be two of the three
that my son had lost when out on an excursion
from Cooper's Creek, the circumstances of which
have been already mentioned. Mr. M'Kinlay was
at that time in Melbourne. He immediately
started by the 'Havelock' steamer to offer his
services as leader of the party. I sent a letter to
Sir Eichard McDonnel, the Governor, by him,
proposing to accompany them as surgeon, and to
assist as guide. I received a reply by telegram ask-
ing if I would put myself under Mr. M'Kinlay,
and also requesting from the Government some
additional camels. I obtained permission from
Mr. Heales to have those that might be useful, and
in three days started in the ' Oscar ' (since lost)
with the camels.
On arriving in Adelaide, I found that the South
Australian Expedition was instructed to proceed,
in the first instance, to Cooper's Creek, whither
Mr. Howitt had already gone. This I thought a
MR. M'KINLA \ > 1 . X 1 EDITION. 259
mistaken direction, as Howitt would be there be-
fore us, and the north and east search being amply
provided for, it appeared profitless. The Govern-
ment also proposed a surveying tour on their own
account, in conjunction with the search for the
missing explorers. These plans not exactly falling
in with my view of the business, I gave up my in-
tention of forming one of the party. Mr. M'Kinlay
was a fine fellow, well adapted to the work ; his
companions strong and lively, and of a proper age,
neither too old nor too young. Having seen him
off, I determined to remain for a time in Adelaide,
a delightful place, where I found some of the
kindest and most agreeable acquaintances I have
ever had the good fortune to meet with.
The ' South Australian Register,' of the 24th of
August, 1861, gave the following summary of the
measures in progress : —
" Our readers will perhaps be surprised to learn
that a new exploring expedition has just been sent
to the northern interior. To explore is clearly
one of the missions of South Australia ; but this
time the object is less one of curiosity than
humanity. With Mr. Stuart and his party still
engaged in the work of opening a route to the
N.W. coast, no one would have thought it desir-
able, under ordinary circumstances, to undertake
fresh explorations. But the whole colony has been
moved by the dreadful doubt which hangs over
the fate of Mr. Burke, the Victorian explorer, who,
8 2
260 MR. M'KINLAY'S INSTRUCTIONS.
with three men, left Cooper's Creek at the begin-
ning of the year, having only a few months' pro-
visions with him. They have not been heard of
since, and there is not much hope entertained of
their safety. But all that can be done to assist
them or to ascertain their fate is being done. The
three adjacent provinces have sent in search of the
lost explorers, and this colony has also despatched
its expedition for the same good purpose. Mr.
M'Kinlay, an experienced bushman, has left
Adelaide upon this chivalric task, taking with
him six men, twenty-four horses, and four camels.
His first duty is to seek for Burke, and in the next
place to obtain a knowledge of unexplored country
in the north."
After general instructions, Mr. M'Kinlay's duties
were more specifically defined.
"You will in all matters keep the following
objects in full view : —
" Firstly. The relief of the expedition under the
command of Mr. Burke, or the acquiring a know-
ledge of its fate. This is the great object of the
expedition under your command.
" When you may have accomplished the fore-
going, or may have deemed it necessary to abandon
the search for Mr. Burke, then,
" Secondly. The acquiring a knowledge of the
country between Eyre's Creek and Central Mount
Stuart.
" Thirdly. The acquiring a knowledge of the
NEWS OF THE LOST EXPLORERS. 261
western shores of Lake Eyre. A separate letter
of instructions is given to you and the particular
matters to which you will direct your attention in
this locality."
I had been in Adelaide nearly a month when j
was startled l>y the following note, from Major
Egerton Warburton : —
" September 19th.
"Mr dear Sir,
" "Would you kindly call in at my office ? I
have important news which must interest you.
" Yours very truly,
" J. Egerton Warburton."
I hastened to him, and asked, almost breathlessly,
" What news — good or bad ?" He replied, " Not
so bad ;" and then gave me the information which
was made known in the House of Assembly that
night, and embodied in the * Adelaide Advertiser,'
the next day, to the following effect : —
" On Thursday morning, considerable interest
was excited in Adelaide by a rumour to the effect
that intelligence from the interior had been re-
ceived of Burke's party. We lost no time in in-
stituting inquiry, and found that the report was
certainly not unfounded. It was stated that a
police trooper in the north had sent down infor-
mation, derived through a black, that at a long
distance beyond the settled districts some white
men were living, and that the black had obtained
262 LETTER FROM THE INTERIOR.
a portion of their hair. The white men were
described as being entirely naked, and as living
upon a raft on a lake, supporting themselves by-
catching fish : that they had no firearms nor horses,
but some great animals, which, from the description
given by the native, were evidently camels. There
could, therefore, be but little doubt as to this being
Burke's party, or a portion of it ; and as soon as it
was ascertained that the rumour had some tangible
kind of foundation, public curiosity for fuller and
more authentic details speedily rose very high.
On the assembling of Parliament, the Commissioner
of Crown Lands, desirous of allaying the anxiety of
the public, read from his place the letter brought
by the native, of which the following is a copy : —
" Wirrilpa, September 12, 1861.
« Sir,
" I have the honour to forward the following
particulars gathered from the blacks, seeming to
refer to Mr. Burke and party. A black fellow
called Sambo, who has lately come in from Lake
Hope, brought with him the hair of two white
men, which he showed, to the cook and stockman
at Tooncatchin. He says it was given to him by
other blacks, who told him tha't there were white
men living much farther out than where he had
l>een. Frank James, one of Mr. Butler's stock-
men, saw Sambo again on the 6th inst., and tried
to get the hair from him. He had unfortunately
LETTER FROM THE INTERIOR. 203
given it away to other blacks. James promised
him tobacco for it, and be has promised to get it
i. Sambo says that the white men are naked,
have no firearms or horses, but animals which
IV in Lis description are evidently camels; that
they sleep on a raft, which they build on the
water. They live on fish which they catch with
nets made with grass. Sambo says that the other
blacks had told him that the white men arrived
there this winter. According to Sambo, the people
are twenty sleeps from Tooncatchin, by way of
Lake Hope Creek. I do not think that these
sleeps on the average exceed ten miles, so it is
probable that they are on or near Cooper's Creek.
Sambo is quite willing to go out all the way with
a party of white men. He also says that the
blacks on Lake Hope Creek are afraid of these
white men. I received the above information
from Mr. H. Butler, Frank James, and Cleland,
on my arrival at Blanche on the 8th inst. Know-
ing that Mr. M'Kinlay and party were on their
way, I accordingly left Blanche on the 9th, and
I met Mr. M'Kinlay and party to-day on Band-
noota Plain, 145 miles south of Blanche, when I
put that gentleman in possession of the above parti-
culars.
" I have &c.
" James Howe, Police Trooper.
■ To George Hamilton, Esq., J.P.
Inspector of Police."
264 REMARKS IN THE
" The Surveyor-General (Mr. Goyder) says that
from the general tenor of the letter he inclines to
the opinion that the white men are on some of the
newly-discovered waters between Coopers Creek
and Eyre's Creek ; and if so, this is precisely in the
direction that Mr. M'Kinlay would, according to
his instructions, have taken. But the most grati-
fying portion of the whole statement is that which
assures us of Mr. M'Kinlay being 'placed in posses-
sion of the whole of the circumstances of the case ;
and considering the date when the information was
given him, there is little doubt but that Mr.
M'Kinlay, as the reader's eye rests on these words,
is on the spot indicated by the black ; and should
this prove to be correct, and the party be saved,
South Australia will have, in the cause of humanity,
reason to rejoice that the Parliament took such
prompt and vigorous measures to send out the
relief expedition. The Commissioner of Crown
Lands telegraphed to Melbourne, without delay, the
substance of the trooper's letter ; but it is not likely
that any practical use could be made of it there,
though it would revive the hopes of many of the
friends of Burke and his party. If the white men
spoken of in the letter are where Mr. Goyder
imagines them to be, it is not very likely that Mr.
Howitt's relief party would find them ; so that it
may, after all, be the destiny of South Australia not
only to find men to^ cross the Australian continent,
'ADELAIDE ADVERTISI I:
hut to relieve and restore other explorers who have
f;til<<l in that hazardous attempt.
" Mr. Burke's party consists of himself as leader,
Mr. Wills, astronomer and surveyor, and who is
second in command, — two men, six camels, and one
horse. Dr. Wills, who is now in Adelaide, having
come round from Melbourne with the additional
camels, says that the two camels which a short
time since made their way into this colony over-
land, and were brought to town from Truro, were
two out of the three that belonged to his son, and
that they were allowed to stray, by a man left in
charge of them whilst Mr. Wills was engaged in
some astronomical pursuits. The man left the
camels to make some tea, and, on his return, the
animals had disappeared. Two of them, as already
stated, have been recovered, but no tidings have
been received of the third, unless it be the one
recently said to have arrived at Fort Bourke. We
hope we shall soon have further information, not
only respecting Burke and his party, but also of
Stuart, the time of whose anticipated return now
draws on rapidly.
" * t *We had scarcely written the above lines
when we received a private telegram, informing
us that Mr. Stuart was on his way to Adelaide."
This intelligence raised my sinking hopes to a
high pitch. I felt convinced that this was the
missing party. The black fellow had described the
animals, which the natives called * gobble gobble,"
266 THE LOSS OF THE EXPLORERS CONFIRMED.
from the noise they made in their throats. Mr.
M'Kinlay put little faith in the story ; and I was
vexed to hear by the next report from him that he
was not hastening to the rescue. But it would then
have been too late. The white men alluded to
were, unquestionably, Burke, my son, and King,
with exaggeration as to their being without clothes,
and living on a raft.
Shortly after this I returned to Melbourne, and
in another week the sad catastrophe became public
beyond all further doubt. The intelligence had
reached Melbourne on a Saturday night. I was
staying at that time at the house of my kind friend
Mr. Orkney. He had gone to the opera with Mrs.
Orkney and another lady, and came home about
half-past ten. I was surprised at their early return,
and thought something unpleasant must have hap-
pened. A servant came to say that he wished to
speak with me privately, and then I received the
terrible communication which had been announced
at the theatre during an interval between the acts.
As soon as I had sufficiently recovered the shock,
we proceeded in a car to the residence of Dr.
Wilkie, the treasurer of the Committee. He had
heard a report, but was rather incredulous, as no-
thing official had reached the Committee. At this
moment, Dr. Macadam, the Honorary Secretary,
came in. He was perfectly bewildered, believed
nothing, and had received no telegram. " But,"
said I, "when were you at your own house last?"
THE LOSS OF Till' i:\ri < ttBBfl CONFIRMED. W
" At seven o'clock," was the reply. " Good God !"
I exclaimed, "jump into the car." We proceeded
to his house, and there indeed was the telegram,
which had been waiting for him some hours.
The next morning, Sunday, November the 3rd,
Brahe arrived at an early hour at the Spencer-
street Station, having been sent in by Mr. Howitt
with the journals and letters dug up in the cache
at Cooper's Creek. I was anxiously waiting his
arrival. Dr. Macadam was also there, and appeared
confused, as if he had been up all night. He
insisted on dragging me on to the Governor's
house, four miles from Melbourne, Heaven only
knows with what object. With some difficulty I
obtained from him possession of the bundle of
papers, and deposited them for safety in the hands
of Dr. Wilkie. I have nothing more to say of
Dr. Macadam, except that I sincerely trust it may
never be my fortune to come in contact with
him again, in any official business whatever. He
is a man of unbounded confidence in his own
powers, ready to undertake many things at the
same time ; and would not, I suspect, shrink from
including the honorary governorship of the colony,
if the wisdom of superior authority were to place
it at his disposal.
268
CHAPTER XII.
The attempt to reach South Australia and Adelaide by Mount Hopeless
— Mistake of selecting that Route — Mr. Wills's Journals from the
23rd of April to the 29th of June, 1861— Adventures with the
Natives — Discovery of Nardoo as a Substitute for Food — Mr. Burke
and King go in search of Natives as a last resource — Mr. Wills left
alone in the Desert — The last Entry in his Journal.
On the morning of Thursday, the 23rd of April,
1861, Mr. Burke, my son, and King, being
refreshed and strengthened by the provisions they
found at Cooper's Creek, again resumed their
journey homewards. It was an unfortunate re-
solve of Burke's, to select the route to the Adelaide
district by Mount Hopeless, instead of returning
by the Darling. King says, " Mr. Wills and I
were of opinion that to follow Brahe was the
best mode of proceeding; but Mr. Burke had
heard it stated positively at the meeting of the
Royal Society, that there were South Australian
settlers within one hundred miles of Cooper's
Creek in the direction he proposed to take ;" and
by this very questionable assertion, without evi-
JOURNEY TOWARDS MOUNT HOPELESS. Ill
dence, his mind was biassed. There was, in fact,
nothing to recommend the route by Mount
Hopeless, while everything was in favour of
tli.it by the Darling. Blanche Water, the nearest
I •<> lice-station on the Adelaide line, was distant
between four and five hundred miles. The one
road they knew nothing of, the other was familiar
to them. The camels, too, would have plucked up
spirit on returning after the others on the old
track. It is true that Brahe's false statement of
tin condition of his party held out no encourage-
ment that they might be able to overtake him ;
but there was a chance that a new party might
even then be coming up, or that the laggard
Wright would be on the advance at last, as
proved to be the fact. A Melbourne paper,
commenting on these points, had the following
remarks, which were as just as they were doubly
painful, being delivered after the event.
" Wills and King it appears were desirous of
following their track out from Menindie, which
would unquestionably have been the wiser course ;
but Mr. Burke preferred striking for the South
Australian stations, some of which, he had been
informed by the Royal Committee of Exploration,
were only one hundred and fifty miles from Cooper's
Creek. It was a most unfortunate and fatal
matter for Mr. Burke that these Royal people
had anything whatever to do with his move-
ments.
270 JOUENEY TOWARDS MOUNT HOPELESS.
¥ He made two attempts to strike in the direction
in which they had assured him he would easily
reach a settled district, and twice was he driven
back for want of water. It was a fatal mistake
on his part to follow the suggestion of these
ready advisers. The practical impressions of
Wills or King were worth a world of theoretical
conjectures and philosophic presumption. But
it seems to have been decreed that Burke should
have favoured the former instead of the latter ;
the consequences of which were that himself and
poor Wills were to perish miserably.' '
Much as I approve of and admire my son's
steady obedience to his leader, I cannot but regret
and wonder that in this particular instance he
was not more resolute in remonstrance. It bears
out what I said to Mr. Burke on taking leave of
him : " If you ask his advice, take it ; but he will
never offer it ; and should he see you going to de-
struction, he will follow you without a murmur/'
The party, before they left Cooper' s Creek,
buried my son's journals in the cache, with the
subjoined note from Mr. Burke, which were
dug out and brought up by Brahe.
" Depot No. 2, Cooper's Creek Camp 65.
<l The return party from Carpentaria, consisting
of myself, Wills, and King (Gray dead), arrived
here last night and found that the depot party
had only started on the same day. We proceed
MR. BURKE'S LAST LETTKK. *J
on, to-morrow, slowly down the creek towards
Adelaide by Mount Hopeless, and shall endeavour
to follow Gregory's track ; but we are very weak.
The two camels are done up, and we shall not
be able to travel faster than four or five miles a
day. Gray died on the road, from exhaustion
and fatigue. We have all suffered much from hun-
ger. The provisions left here will, I think, restore
our strength. We have discovered a practicable
route to Carpentaria, the chief position of which
lies in the 140° of East longitude. There is some
good country between this and the Stony Desert.
From thence to the tropics the land is dry and
stony. Between the Carpentaria a considerable
portion is rangy, but well watered and richly
grassed. We reached the shores of Carpentaria
on the 11th of February, 1861. Greatly disap-
pointed at finding the party here gone.
(Signed) " Eobert O'Hara Burke, Leader.
"April 22, 1861.
" P.S. The camels cannot travel, and we cannot
walk, or we should follow the other party. We
shall move very slowly down the creek."
My son's journal is now written in a more
complete and consecutive form. He had no instru-
ments for observation or mapping, so that his time
and mind were concentrated on the one employ-
ment.
272 DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS.
April, 1861. — Journal of Trip from Cooper's
Creek towards Adelaide.
" The advance party of the Y.E.E., consisting of
Burke, Wills, and King (Gray being dead), hav-
ing returned from Carpentaria, on the 21st April,
1861, in an exhausted and weak state, and finding
that the depot party left at Cooper's Creek had
started for the Darling with their horses and
camels fresh and in good condition, deemed it
useless to attempt to overtake them, having only
two camels, both done up, and being so weak
themselves as to be unable to walk more than
four or five miles a day. Finding also that the
provisions left at the depot for them would
scarcely take them to Menindie, they started down
Cooper's Creek for Adelaide, vid Mount Hopeless,
on the morning of 23rd April, 1861, intending to
follow as nearly as possible, the route taken by
Gregory. By so doing they hoped to be able to
recruit themselves and the camels whilst saunter-
ing slowly down the creek, and to have sufficient
provisions left to take them comfortably, or at least
without risk, to some station in South Australia.
" Their equipment consists of the following
articles : — Flour, 501b. ; sugar, 60lb. ; rice, 201b. ;
oatmeal, 60lb. ; jerked meat, 251b.; ginger, 2lb. ;
salt, lib. — [Then follow some native words with
their meanings.]
1)1 AIIV FROM COOPER'S OBSES HOMEWARDS. 273
" From Depot.
4k 'Jws.hnu 23rd AptH L861.- -Having collected
together all the odds and ends that seemed likely
to be of use to us, in addition to provisions left in
tlir plant, we started at 9*15 a.m., keeping down
tin southern bank of the creek; we only went
about five miles, and camped at 11*30 on a billi-
bong, where the feed was pretty good. "We find
the change of diet already making a great im-
provement in our spirits and strength. The
weather is delightful, days agreeably warm, but
the nights very chilly. The latter is more notice-
able from our deficiency in clothing, the depot
partly having taken all "the reserve things back
with them to the Darling. — To Camp No. 1.
"From Camp No. 1.
" Wednesday, 24th April, 1861. — As we were
about to start this morning, some blacks came by,
from whom we were fortunate enough to get
about twelve pounds of fish for a few pieces of
straps and some matches, &c. This is a great treat
for us, as well as a valuable addition to our rations.
We started at 8*15 p.m., on our way down the
creek, the blacks going in the opposite direction,
little thinking that in a few miles they might be
able to get lots of pieces for nothing, better than
those they had obtained from us. — To Camp
No. 2.
T
274 DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS.
"From Camp No. 2.
" Thursday, 25th April, 1861. — Awoke at five
o'clock after a most refreshing night's rest — the
sky was beautifully clear, and the air rather chilly
— the terrestrial radiation seems to have been
considerable, and a slight dew had fallen. We
had scarcely finished breakfast, when our friends
the blacks, from whom we obtained the fish, made
their appearance with a few more, and seemed
inclined to go with us and keep up the supply.
We gave them some sugar, with which they were
greatly pleased — they are by far the most well-
behaved blacks we have seen on Cooper's Creek.
We did not get away from the camp until 9*30 a.m.,
continuing our course down the most southern
branch of the creek which keeps a general south-
west course. We passed across the stony point
which abuts on one of the largest waterholes in
the creek, and camped at 12*30 about a mile below
the most dangerous part of the rocky path. At
this latter place we had an accident that might
have resulted badly for us : one of the camels fell
while crossing the worst part, but we fortunately
got him out with only a few cuts and bruises. To
Camp No 3. — The waterhole at this camp is a
very fine one, being several miles long, and on an
average about — chains broad. The water-fowl
are numerous, but rather shy, not nearly so much
so, however, as those on the creeks between here
and Carpentaria ; and I am convinced that the
DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMKWAIIDS. -7.".
shj ness of the latter, which was also remarked by
Sturt on his trip to Eyre's Creek, arises entirely
from the scarcity of animals, both human and
otherwise, and not from any peculiar mode of
catching them that the blacks may have.
" From Camp No. 3.
"Friday, 26*A April, 1861. — Last night was
beaut i fully calm and comparatively warm, although
the sky was very clear. We loaded the camels
by moonlight this morning, and started at a
quarter to six : striking off to the south of the
creek, we soon got on a native path which leaves
the creek just below the stony ground and takes a
course nearly west across a piece of open country,
bounded on the south by sand ridges and on the
north by the scrub by ground which flanks the
bank of the creek at this part of its course.
Leaving the path on our right at a distance of three
miles, we turned up a small creek, which passes
down between some sandhills, and finding a nice
patch of feed for the camels at a waterhole, we
1 1: 1 1 ted at 7* 1 5 for breakfast. We started again at
9*50 a.m., continuing our westerly course along the
path : we crossed to the south of the watercourse
above the water, and proceeded over the most
splendid salt-bush country that one could wish to
see, bounded on the left by sandhills, whilst to the
right the peculiar-looking flat-topped sandstone
ranges form an extensive amphitheatre, through
I 2
276 DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS.
the far side of the arena of which may be traced
the dark line of creek timber. At twelve o'clock
we camped in the bed of the creek at camp No. — ,
onr last camp on the road down from the Gulf,
having taken four days to do what we then did
in one. This comparative rest and the change in
diet have also worked wonders, however ; the leg-
tied feeling is now entirely gone, and I believe
that in less than a week we shall be fit to undergo
any fatigue whatever. The camels are improving,
and seem capable of doing all that we are likely
to require of them. — To Camp No. 4.
I " From Camp No. 4.
" Saturday, 27th April, 1861. — First part of
night clear, with a light breeze from south.
Temperature at midnight 10° (Reaumur). Towards
morning there were a few cir. cum. clouds passing
over N.E. to S.W., but these disappeared before
daylight. At five a.m. the temperature was 7*5°
(Reaumur). We started at six o'clock, and follow-
ing the native path, which at about a mile from
our camp takes a southerly direction, we soon
came to the high sandy alluvial deposit which
separates the creek at this point from the stony
rises. Here we struck off from the path, keeping
well to the south of the creek, in order that we
might mess in a branch of it that took a southerly
direction. At 9*20 we came in on the creek again
where it runs due south, and halted for breakfast
DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMKWARPS. -77
at a fine waterhole with fine fresh feed for the
camels. Here we remained until noon, when we
moved on again, and camped at one o'clock on
a general course, having been throughout the
morning S.W. eight miles. The weather is most
agreeable and pleasant ; nothing could be more
favourable for us up to the present time. The
temperature in the shade at 10*30 a.m. was 17*5°
iiiraur), with a light breeze from south and a
few small cir. cum. clouds towards the north. I
greatly feel the want of more instruments, the
only things I have left being my watch, prism
compass, pocket compass, and one thermometer
(Reaumur). — To Camp No. 5.
" From Camp No. 5.
"Sunday, 2%th April, 1861. — Morning fine and
calm, but rather chilly. Started at 4*45 a.m.,
following down the bed of a creek in a westerly
direction by moonlight. Our stage was, however,
very short for about a mile — one of the camels
(Linda) got bogged by the side of a waterhole,
and although we tried every means in our power,
we found it impossible to get him out. All the
ground beneath the surface was a bottomless
quicksand, through which the beast sank too
rapidly for us to get bushes of timber fairly be-
neath him ; and being of a very sluggish stupid
nature he could never be got to make sufficiently
strenuous efforts towards extricating himself. In
278 DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS.
the evening, as a last chance, we let the water in
from the creek, so as to buoy him up and at the
same time soften the ground about his legs ; but
it was of no avail. The brute lay quietly in it, as
if he quite enjoyed his position. — To Camp No. 6.
" Camp No. 6.
"Monday, 29th April, 1861.— Finding Landa
still in the hole, we made a few attempts at ex-
tricating him, and then shot him, and after break-
fast commenced cutting off what flesh we could
get at for jerking.
"Tuesday, 30th April, 1861. — Remained here
to-day for the purpose of drying the meat, for
which process the weather is not very favourable.
[Meteorological note follows.]
" From Camp No. 6.
" Wednesday, 1st May, 1861.— Started at 8*40,
having loaded our only camel, Rajah, with the
most necessary and useful articles, and packed up
a small swag each, of bedding and clothing for our
own shoulders. We kept on the right bank of
the creek for about a mile, and then crossed over
at a native camp to the left, where we got on a
path running due west, the creek having turned
to the north. Following the path we crossed an
open plain, and then some sand ridges, whence we
saw the creek straight ahead of us running nearly
south again : the path took us to the southernmost
1MAKY IBOil OOOPlRfS CREEK HOMEWARDS. 279
point of the bend in a distance of about two and
:i-liali miles from where we had crossed the ci<
tli reby saving us from three to four miles, as it
cannot be less than six miles round by the creek.
—To Camp No. 7.
" From Camp No. 7.
" Thursday, 2nd May, 1861.— Breakfasted by
moonlight and started at 6*30. Following down
the left bank of the creek in a westerly direction,
we came at a distance of six miles on a lot of
natives who were camped on the bed of a creek.
They seemed to have just breakfasted, and were
most liberal in their presentations of fish and cake.
We could only return the compliment by some fish-
hooks and sugar. About a mile further on we came
to a separation of the creek, where what looked
like the main branch, turned towards the south.
This channel we followed, not however without
some misgivings as to its character, which were
soon increased by the small and unfavourable ap-
pearance that the creek assumed. On our continu-
ing along it a little further it began to improve and
widened out with fine waterholes of considerable
depth. The banks were very steep, and a belt of
scrub lined it on either side. This made it very in-
convenient for travelling, especially as the bed of the
creek was full of water for a considerable distance.
At eleven a.m., we halted, until 1*30 p.m., and then
moved on again taking a S.S.W. course for about
280 DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS.
two miles, when at the end of a very long waterhole
it breaks into billibongs, which continue splitting
into sandy channels until they are all lost in the
earthy soil of a box forest. Seeing little chance
of water ahead, we turned back to the end of the
long waterhole and camped for the night. On
our way back, Rajah showed signs of being done
up. He had been trembling greatly all the morn-
ing. On this account his load was further light-
ened to the amount of a few pounds by the doing
away with the sugar, ginger, tea, cocoa, and two
or three tin plates. — To Camp No. 8.
" From Camp No. 8.
" Friday, 3rd May, 1861. — Started at seven A.M.,
striking off in a northerly direction for the main
creek. At a mile and a-half came to a branch
which — [Left unfinished]. — To Camp No. 9.
" Junction. — From Camp No. 9.
" Saturday, Ath May, 1861. — Night and morning
very cold. Sky clear, almost calm, occasionally a
light breath of air from south. Rajah appears to
feel the cold very much. He was so stiff this
morning as to be scarcely able to get up with his
load. Started to return down the creek at
6*45, and halted for breakfast at 9 a.m., at
the same spot as we breakfasted at yesterday.
Proceeding from there down the creek we soon
found a repetition of the features that were ex-
DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS. 281
1 iil>ited by the creek examined on Thursday. At
a mile and a-half we came to the last waterhole,
and below that the channel became more sandy
and shallow, and continued to send off billibongs
to the south and west, slightly changing its course
each time until it disappeared altogether in a
north-westerly direction. Leaving King with the
camel, we went on a mile or two to see if we could
find water ; and being unsuccessful we were obliged
to return to where we had breakfasted as being the
best place for feed and water. — To Camp No. 10.
"Sunday, 5th May, 1861. — Started by myself, to
reconnoitre the country in a southerly direction,
leaving Mr. Burke and King with the camel at
Camp No. 10. Travelled S.W. by S. for two
hours, following the course of the most southerly
Hllibongs; found the earthy soil becoming more
loose and cracked up, and the box track gradually
disappearing. Changed course to west for a high
sand ridge, which I reached in one hour and a half,
and continuing in the same direction to one still
higher, obtained from it a good view of the sur-
rounding country. To the north were the ex-
tensive box forests bounding the creek on either
side. To the east earthy plains intersected by
watercourses and lines of timber, and bounded in
the distance by sand ridges. To the south the
projection of the sand ridge partially intercepted
the view ; the rest was composed of earthy plains,
apparently clothed with chrysanthemums. To the
282 DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS.
westward another but smaller plain was bounded
also by high sand ridges running nearly parallel
with the one on which I was standing. This
dreary prospect offering no encouragement to
proceed, I returned to Camp 10 by a more direct
and better route than I had come, passing over
some good salt-bush land which borders on the
billibongs to the westward. — [Here follow some
meteorological notes.]
" From Camp No. 10 back to No. 9.
"Monday, 6th May, 1861. — Moved up the creek
again to Camp No. 9, at the junction, to breakfast,
and remained the day there. The present state of
things is not calculated to raise our spirits much ;
the rations are rapidly diminishing ; our clothing,
especially the boots, are all going to pieces, and we
have not the materials for repairing them properly ;
the camel is completely done up and can scarcely get
along, although he has the best of feed and is rest-
ing half his time. I suppose this will end in our
having to live like the blacks for a few months.
"From Camp No. 9.
" Tuesday, 7th May, 1861.— Breakfasted at day-
light ; but when about to start, found that the
camel would not rise even without any load on his
back. After making every attempt to get him up,
we were obliged to leave him to himself.
Mr. Burke and I started down the creek to re-
DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS. 283
< umoitre ; at about eleven miles we came to some
blacks fishing ; they gave us some half-a-dozen fish
each, for luncheon, and intimated that if we would
go to their camp we should have some more and
some bread. I tore in two a piece of macintosh
stuff that I had, and Mr. Burke gave one piece and
I the other. We then went on to their camp about
three miles further. They had caught a consider-
able quantity of fish, but most of them were small.
I noticed three different kinds ; a small one that
they call Cupi, from five to six inches long, and not
broader than an eel ; the common one, with large
coarse scales, termed Peru ; and a delicious fish,
some of which run from a pound to two pounds
weight ; the natives call them Cawilchi. On our
arrival at the camp they led us to a spot to camp
on, and soon afterwards brought a lot of fish, and
a kind of bread which they call nardoo. The
lighting a fire with matches delights them, but
they do not care about having them. In the even-
ing various members of the tribe came down with
lumps of nardoo and handfuls of fish, until we
were positively unable to eat any more. They also
gave us some stuff they call bedgery or pedgery ;
it has a highly intoxicating effect when chewed
even in small quantities. It appears to be the
dried stems and leaves of some shrub.
"Wednesday, Sth May, 1861.— Left the blacks'
camp at 7*30, Mr. Burke returning to the
junction, whilst I proceeded to trace down the
284 DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS.
creek. This I found a shorter task than I had ex-
pected, for it soon showed signs of running out,
and at the same time kept considerably to the north
of west. There were several fine waterholes within
about four miles of the camp I had left, but not
a drop all the way beyond that, a distance of seven
miles. Finding that the creek turned greatly
towards the north, I returned to the blacks' en-
campment, and as I was about to pass they invited
me to stay; — I did so, and was even more hospi-
tably entertained than before, being, on this occa-
sion, offered a share of a gunyah, and supplied
with plenty of fish and nardoo, as well as a couple
of nice fat rats — the latter found most delicious ;
they were baked in their skins.
" Last night was clear and calm, but unusually
warm. We slept by a fire just in front of the
blacks' camp ; they were very attentive in bringing
us firewood and keeping the fire up during the
night.
" Thursday, 9th May, 1861. — Parted from my
friends, the blacks, at 7*30, and started for camp
No. 9.
From Camp No. 9.
"Friday, 10th May, 1861.— Mr. Burke and
King employed in jerking the camel's flesh, whilst
I went out to look for the nardoo seed for making
bread : in this I was unsuccessful, not being able to
find a single tree of it in the neighbourhood of the
camp. I, however, tried boiling the large kind of
DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS. 285
bean which the blacks call padlu ; they boil easily,
and when shelled are very sweet, much resembling
in taste the French chestnut; they are to be found
in large quantities nearly everywhere.
"Saturday, llth May, 1861.— To-day Mr. Burke
and King started down the creek to the blacks'
cm up, determined to ascertain all particulars about
tlic nardoo. I have now my turn at the meat
j< iking, and must devise some means for trapping
the birds and rats, which is a pleasant prospect
after our dashing trip to Carpentaria, Laving to
hang about Cooper's Creek, living like the blacks.
"Sunday, Uth May, 1861.— Mr. Burke and
King returned this morning having been unsuccess-
ful in their search for the blacks, who it seems have
moved over to the other branch of the creek.
" Decided on moving out on the main creek to-
morrow, and then trying to find the natives of the
creek.
" Monday, Uth May, 1861.— Shifted some of the
things, and brought them back again, Mr. Burke
thinking it better for one to remain here with
them for a few days, so as to eat the remains of the
fresh meat, whilst the others went in search of the
blacks and nardoo.
"Tuesday, Uth May, 1861.— Mr. Burke and
King gone up the creek to look for blacks with four
days' provisions. Self employed in preparing for
a final start on their return.
" This evening Mr. Burke and King returned,
286 KING DISCOVERS THE NAKDOO.
having been some considerable distance up the
creek and found no blacks. It is now settled tbat
we plant the things, and all start together the day
after to-morrow.
" The weather continues very fine ; the nights
calm, clear and cold, and the days clear, with a
breeze generally from south, but to-day from east,
for a change ; this makes the first part of the
day rather cold. When clouds appear they in-
variably move from west to east.
" Wednesday, 15th, 1861. — Planting the things
and preparing to leave the creek for Mount Hope-
less.
" Thursday, 16th, 1861. — Having completed our
planting, &c, started up the creek for the second
blacks' camp, a distance of about eight miles :
finding our loads rather too heavy we made a
small plant here of such articles as could best
be spared. — [Here follow a few meteorological
notes.]
" Nardoo, Friday, 17th May, 1861.— Started this
morning on a blacks' path, leaving the creek on
our left, our intention being to keep a south-easterly
direction until we should cut some likely looking
creek, and then to follow it down. On approach-
ing the foot of the first sandhill, King caught sight
in the flat of some nardoo seeds, and we soon
found that the flat was covered with them. This
discovery caused somewhat of a revolution in our
feelings, for we considered that with the know-
DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK UOMEWARDS. 287
ledge of this plant we were in a position to support
ourselves, even if we were destined to remain on
the creek and wait for assistance from town.
Crossing some sand ridges, running north and
south, we struck into a creek which runs out of
Cooper's Creek, and followed it down ; at about
five miles we came to a large waterhole, beyond
which the watercourse runs out on extensive flats
and earthy plains.
" Calm night ; sky cleared towards morning, and
it became very cold. A slight easterly breeze
sprung up at sunrise but soon died away again.
The sky again became overcast and remained so
throughout the day. There was occasionally a
light breeze from south, but during the greater
portion of the day it was quite calm. Fine halo
around the sun in the afternoon.
" Camp No. 16.
"Saturday, \%th May, 1861. — [No entry except
the following meteorological entry on an opposite
page, which may probably refer to this date.]
" Calm night ; sky sometimes clear and sometimes
partially overcast with veil clouds.
"Sunday, 19th May, 1861.-— [No entry beyond
this citation of date.]
"Monday, 20th May, 1861.— [No entry beyond
this citation of date.]
" Tuesday, 2lst May.— Creek.— [No entry be-
yond this citation of date.]
288 DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS.
" Wednesday, 22nd May, 1861. — Cooper's Creek.
— [No entry beyond this citation of date.]
" Thursday, 23rd May, 1861. — [No entry beyond
tins citation of date.]
"Friday, 2tih May, 1861.— Started with King
to celebrate the Queen's birthday by fetching from
Nardoo Creek what is now to us the staff of life ;
returned at a little after two p.m. with a fair
supply, but find the collecting of the seed a slower
and more troublesome process than could be de-
sired. Whilst picking the seed, about eleven a.m.,
both of us heard distinctly the noise of an explo-
sion, as if of a gun, at some considerable distance.
We supposed it to have been a shot fired by Mr.
Burke, but on returning to the camp found that
he had not fired, nor had heard the noise. The
sky was partially overcast with high cum. str.
clouds, and a light breeze blew from the east, but
nothing to indicate a thunderstorm in any direc-
tion.
" Saturday, 25th May, 1861.— [No entry beyond
this.]
" Sunday, 26th May. — [No entry beyond this.]
"Monday, 27th May, 1861.— Started up the
creek this morning for the depot, in order to
deposit journals and a record of the state of affairs
here. On reaching the sandhills below where
Landa was bogged, I passed some blacks on a flat
collecting nardoo seed. Never saw such an abun-
dance of the seed before. The ground in some
DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS. 289
parte was quite black with it. There were only
two or three gins and children, and they directed
me on, as if to their camp, in the direction I was
before going; but I had not gone far over the
first sandhill when I was overtaken by about
twenty blacks, bent on taking me back to their
camp, and promising any quantity of nardoo and
fish. On my going with them, one carried the
shovel, and another insisted on taking my swag in
such a friendly manner that I could not refuse
them. They were greatly amused with the various
little things I had with me. In the evening they
supplied me with abundance of nardoo and fish,
and one of the old men, Poko Tinnamira, shared
his gunyah with me The night was very
cold, but by the help of several fires — [The entry
suddenly stops here; but in the margin of the oppo-
site page is written the names of several natives,
and certain native words with their meanings in
English.]
" Tuesday, 28th May, 1861.— Left the blacks'
camp, and proceeded up the creek ; obtained some
mussels near where Landa died, and halted for
breakfast. Still feel very unwell from the effects
of constipation of the bowels. After breakfast
towelled on to our third camp coming down.
" Wednesday, 29M. — Started at seven a.m.. and
went on to the duck-holes, where we breakfasted
coming down. Halted there at 9*30 a.m. for a
feed, and then moved on. At the stones saw a
U
290 DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS.
lot of crows quarrelling about something near the
water ; found it to be a large fish, of which they
had eaten a considerable portion. As it was quite
fresh and good, I decided the quarrel by taking it
with me. ... It proved a most valuable addition
to my otherwise scanty supper of nardoo porridge.
This evening I camped very comfortably in a
mia-mia, about eleven miles from the depot. The
night was very cold, although not entirely cloud-
less. A brisk easterly breeze sprang up in the
morning, and blew freshly all day. In the evening
the sky clouded in, and there were one or two
slight showers, but nothing to wet the ground.
" Thursday, 30th May, 1861.— Eeached the
depot this morning at eleven a.m. ; no traces of
any one except blacks having been here since we
left. Deposited some journals and a notice of our
present condition. Started back in the afternoon,
and camped at the first waterhole. Last night,
being cloudy, was unusually warm and pleasant.*
"Friday, 31st May, 1861. — Decamped at
* The notice left in the cache ran as follows : —
" Depdt Camp, May 30th.
" We have been unable to leave the creek. Both camels are dead, and
our provisions are exhausted. Mr. Burke and'King are down the lower
part of the creek. J I am about to return to them, when we shall probably
come up this way. We are trying to live the best way we can, like the
blacks, but find it hard work. Our clothes are going to pieces fast.
Send provisions and clothes as soon as possible.
"W. J. WILLS.
" The depot party having left, contrary to instructions, has put us in
this fix. I have deposited some of my journals here for fear of accident.
«W, J. W."
DIARY FROM COOPER'S CUI.KK HOMEWARDS. 291
7*30 a.m., having first breakfasted ; passed l-»-
tween the sandhills at nine a.m., and reached the
blanket mia-mias at 10*40 a.m.; from there pro-
ceeded on to the rocks, where I arrived at 1*30 p.m.,
Laving delayed about half-an-hour on the road in
iratlaring some portulac. It had been a fine
morning, but the sky now became overcast, and
threatened to set in for steady rain ; and as I felt
very weak and tired, I only moved on about a mile
further, and camped in a sheltered gully under
some bushes. Night clear and very cold ; no
wind; towards morning, sky became slightly
overcast with cirro strat. clouds,
" Saturday, 1st June, 1861.— Started at 7*45 a.m. ;
passed the duck-holes at ten a.m. and my second
camp up, at two p.m., having rested in the mean-
time about forty-five minutes. Thought to have
reached the blacks' camp, or at least where Landa
was bogged, but found myself altogether too weak
and exhausted ; in fact, had extreme difficulty in
getting across the numerous little gullies, and was
at last obliged to camp from sheer fatigue. Night
ultimately both clear and cloudy, with occasional
showers.
" Sunday, 2nd June, 1861. — Started at half-past
six, thinking to breakfast at the blacks' camp
below Landa's grave. Found myself very much
fagged, and did not arrive at their camp until
ten a.m., and then found myself disappointed as to
a good breakfast, the camp being deserted. Hav-
u 2
292 DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS.
ing rested awhile and eaten a few fish-bones, I
moved down the creek, hoping by a late march to
be able to reach our own camp ; but I soon found,
from my extreme weakness, that that would be
out of the question. A certain amount of good
luck, however, still stuck to me, for on going along
by a large waterhole I was so fortunate as to find
a large fish, about a pound and a half in weight,
which was just being choked by another which it
had tried to swallow, but which had stuck in its
throat. I soon had a fire lit, and both of the fish
cooked and eaten : the large one was in good con-
dition. Moving on again after my late breakfast,
I passed Camp No. 67 of the journey to Carpen-
taria, and camped for the night under some poly-
gonum bushes.
"Monday, 3rd June, 1861. — Started at seven
o'clock, and keeping on the south bank of the creek
was rather encouraged at about three miles by the
sound of numerous crows ahead ; presently fancied
I could see smoke, and was shortly afterwards set at
my ease by hearing a cooey from Pitchery, who
stood on the opposite bank, and directed me
round the lower end of the waterhole, continually
repeating his assurance of abundance of fish and
bread. Having with some considerable difficulty
managed to ascend the sandy path that led to the
camp, I was conducted by the chief to a fire where
a large pile of fish were just being cooked in the
most approved style. These I imagined to be for
ADVENTURES WITH THE NATIVES. 203
-Ceneral consumption of the half-dozen natives
gathered around, but it turned out that they had
Already had their breakfast. I was expected to
dispose of this lot — a task which, to my own
astonishment, I soon accomplished, keeping two or
three blacks pretty steadily at work extracting the
bones for me. The fish being disposed of, next
came a supply of nardoo cake and water until I
was so full as to be unable to eat any more ; when
Pitchery, allowing me a short time to recover
myself, fetched a large bowl of the raw nardoo
flour mixed to a thin paste, a most insinuating
article, and one that they appear to esteem a great
delicacy. I was then invited to stop the night
there, but this I declined, and proceeded on my
way home.
"Tuesday, ±th June, 1861. — Started for the
blacks* camp intending to test the practicability of
living with them, and to see what I could learn as
to their ways and manners.
" Wednesday, 5th June, 1861. — Remained with
the blacks. Light rain during the greater part of
fbe night, and more or less throughout the day in
showers. Wind blowing in squalls from south.
" Thursday, 6th June, 1861. — Returned to our
own camp : found that Mr. Burke and King had
been well supplied with fish by the blacks. Made
preparation for shifting our camp nearer theirs on
the morrow."
294: CLOTHING DESTROYED BY FIRE.
During my son's absence, which lasted for eleven
days, in which he travelled altogether abov°
seventy miles, King mentions in his narrative
that Mr. Burke, whilst frying some fish set fire to
the mia-mia (a shelter made by the blacks with
bushes of trees, so thickly laid that it serves to
exclude the sun and a great deal of rain) ; thus
destroying every remnant of clothing. King told
me that nothing was saved but a gun, although his
narrative says a pistol also ; but Mr. Burke's pistol
was burnt.
The incidents of the journal from the 27th of
May to the 5th of June, show how well my son
had established himself in the good graces of the
natives. Had it been his fortune to have survived,
we should probably have had an interesting account
of these simple aborigines and their doings.
"Friday, 7 th June, 1861. — Started in the after-
noon for the blacks' camp with such things as we
could take ; found ourselves all very weak in spite
of the abundant supply of fish that we have lately
had. I, myself, could scarcely get along, although
carrying the lightest swag, only about thirty
pounds. Found that the blacks had decamped, so
determined on proceeding to-morrow up to the
next camp, near the nardoo field.
"Saturday, 8th June, 1861. — With the greatest
fatigue and difficulty we reached the nardoo camp.
No blacks, greatly to our disappointment ; took
DIARY FROM COOPER'S CREEK HOMEWARDS. 295
possession of their best mia-mia and rested for the
remainder of the day.
"Sunday, 9th June, 1861. — King and I pro-
ceeded to collect nardoo, leaving Mr. Burke at
home.
"Monday, 10th June, 1861. — Mr. Burke and
King collecting nardoo ; self at home too weak to
go out; was fortunate enough to shoot a crow.
— [Here follow some meteorological notes which
appear to relate to another period.]
"Tuesday, 11th June, 1861. — King out for
nardoo ; Mr. Burke up the creek to look for the
blacks.
"Wednesday, 12th June, 1861. — King out collect-
ing nardoo ; Mr. Burke and I at home pounding
and cleaning. I still feel myself, if anything,
weaker in the legs, although the nardoo appears
to be more thoroughly digested.
" Thursday, 13th June, 1861.— Last night the
sky was pretty clear, and the air rather cold, but
nearly calm, a few cir. st. hung about the N.E.
horizon during the first part of the night Mr.
Burke and King out for nardoo ; self weaker than
ever; scarcely able to go to the waterhole for
water. Towards afternoon, cir. cum. and cir. st.
began to appear moving northward. Scarcely any
wind all day.
"Friday, 14th June, 1861. — Night alternately
clear and cloudy ; cir. cum. and cum. st. moving
northwards ; no wind ; beautifully mild for the time
296 HOMEWARD DIAEY CONTINUED.
of year ; in the morning some heavy clouds on the
horizon. King out for nardoo ; brought in a good
supply. Mr. Burke and I at home, pounding and
cleaning seed. I feel weaker than ever, and both
Mr. B. and King are beginning to feel very un-
steady in the legs.
"Saturday, 15th June, 1861. — Night clear, calm,
and cold ; morning very fine, with a light breath
of air from N.E. King out for nardoo ; brought in
a fine supply. Mr. Burke and I pounding and
cleaning ; he finds himself getting very weak, and
I am not a bit stronger.
" I have determined on beginning to chew
tobacco and eat less nardoo, in hopes that it may
induce some change in the system. I have never
yet recovered from the constipation, the effect of
which continues to be exceedingly painful.
" Sunday, 16th June, 1861. — Wind shifted to
north ; clouds moving from west to east ; thunder
audible two or three times to the southward : sky
becoming densely overcast, with an occasional
shower about nine a.m.
" We finished up the remains of the camel
Eajah yesterday, for dinner ; King was fortunate
enough to shoot a crow this morning.
"The rain kept all hands in, pounding and
cleaning seed during the morning. The weather
cleared up towards the middle of the day, and a
brisk breeze sprang up in the south, lasting till
near sunset, but rather irregular in its force. Dis-
1I0MEWARD DIARY CONTINUED. 207
tant thunder was audible to westward and south-
wntl frequently during the afternoon.
"Monday, 11th June, 1861. — Night very bois-
terous and stormy ; northerly wind blowing in
squalls, and heavy showers of rain, with thunder
in the north and west; heavy clouds moving
rapidly from north to south ; gradually clearing
up during the morning; the wind continuing
squally during the day from W. and N.W.
" King out in the afternoon for nardoo.
" Tuesday, 18/A June, 1861. — Exceedingly cold
night ; sky clear, slight breeze, very chilly and
changeable ; very heavy dew. After sunrise, cirro-
stratus clouds began to pass over from west to east,
gradually becoming more dense, and assuming the
form of cumuli-stratus. The sky cleared, and it
became warmer towards noon.
" Wednesday, 19 th June, 1861. — Night calm ; sky
during first part overcast with cirro-cumulus clouds,
most of which cleared away towards morning,
I i \ ing the air much colder ; but the sky remained
more or less hazy all night, and it was not nearly
as cold as last night.
"About eight o'clock a strong southerly wind
sprung up, which enabled King to blow the dust
out of our nardoo seed, but made me too weak to
render him any assistance.
" Thursday, 20*A June, 1861. — Night and morn-
ing very cold, sky clear. I am completely reduced
by the effects of the cold and starvation. King
298 HOMEWAKD DIARY CONTINUED.
gone out for nardoo ; Mr. Burke at home pound-
ing seed ; he finds himself getting very weak in
the legs. King holds out by far the best; the
food seems to agree with him pretty well.
"Finding the sun come out pretty warm to-
wards noon, I took a sponging all over ; but it
seemed to do little good beyond the cleaning
effects, for my weakness is so great that I could
not do it with proper expedition.
"I cannot understand this nardoo at all — it
certainly will not agree with me in any form ; we
are now reduced to it alone, and we manage to
consume from four to five pounds per day between
us ; it appears to be quite indigestible, and cannot
possibly be sufficiently nutritious to sustain life
by itself.
"Friday, 21st June, 1861. — Last night was cold
and clear, winding up with a strong wind from
N.E. in the morning. I feel much weaker than
ever and can scarcely crawl out of the mia-mia.
Unless relief comes in some form or other, I cannot
possibly last more than a fortnight.
" It is a great consolation, at least, in this position
of ours, to know that we have done all we could,
and that our deaths will rather be the result of
the mismanagement of others than of any rash
acts of our own. Had we come to grief else-
where, we could only have blamed ourselves ; but
here we are returned to Cooper's Creek, where we
we had every reason to look for provisions and
HOMEWARD DIARY CONTINUED. 299
clothing ; and yet we have to die of starvation, in
spite of the explicit instructions given by Mr.
I)i nke — 'That the depot party should await our
return;' and the strong recommendation to the
Committee * that we should be followed up by a
party from Menindie.'
" About noon a change of wind took place, and
it blew almost as hard from the west as it did
previously from the N.E. A few cir. cum. con-
tinued to pass over towards east.
" Saturday, 22nd June, 1861. — Night cloudy and
warm ; every appearance of rain ; thunder once or
twice during the night ; clouds moving in an
easterly direction; lower atmosphere perfectly
calm. There were a few drops of rain during the
night, and in the morning, about nine A.M., there
was every prospect of more rain until towards
noon, when the sky cleared up for a time.
"Mr. Burke and King out for nardoo; the
former returned much fatigued. I am so weak
to-day as to be unable to get on my feet.
" Sunday, 23rd June, 1861. — All hands at home.
I am so weak as to be incapable of crawling out of
the mia-mia. King holds out well, but Mr. Burke
finds himself weaker every day.
"Monday, 24tth June, 1861.— A fearful night.
At about an hour before sunset, a southerly gale
sprung up and continued throughout the greater
portion of the night ; the cold was intense, and it
seemed as if one would be shrivelled up. Towards
300 THE PARTY ON THE VERGE OF STARVATION.
morning it fortunately lulled a little, but a strong
cold breeze continued till near sunset, after which
it became perfectly calm.
" King went out for nardoo in spite of the wind,
and came in with a good load ; but he himself
terribly cut up. He says that he can no longer
keep up the work, and as he and Mr. Burke are
both getting rapidly weaker, we have but a slight
chance of anything but starvation, unless we can
get hold of some blacks.
" Tuesday, 25th June, 1861. — Night calm, clear
and intensely cold, especially towards morning.
Near daybreak, King reported seeing a moon in
the east, with a haze of light stretching up from
it ; he declared it to be quite as large as the moon,
and not dim at the edges. I am so weak that any
attempt to get a sight of it was out of the ques
tion ; but I think it must have been Yenus in the
Zodiacal Light that he saw, with a corona around
her.
" 26th. — Mr. Burke and King remain at home
cleaning and pounding seed ; they are both getting
weaker every day ; the cold plays the deuce with
us, from the small amount of clothing we have :
my wardrobe consists of a wide-awake, a merino
shirt, a regatta shirt without sleeves, the remains
of a pair of flannel trousers, two pairs of socks in
rags, and a waistcoat, of which I have managed to
keep the pockets together. The others are no
better off. Besides these, we have between us, for
MY SON REQUESTS TO BE LEFT ALONE. 301
bedding, two small camel pads, some horse-hair,
two or three little bits of rag, and pieces of oil-
cloth saved from the fire.
" The day turned out nice and warm.
" Wednesday, 27th June, 1861. — Calm night ; sky
overcast with hazy cum.-strat. clouds ; an easterly
breeze sprung up towards morning, making the air
much colder. After sunrise there were indications
of a clearing up of the sky, but it soon clouded
in again, the upper current continuing to move in
an easterly direction, whilst a breeze from the N.
and N.E. blew pretty regularly throughout the
day. Mr. Burke and King are preparing to go
up the creek in search of the blacks; they will
leave me some nardoo, wood, and water, with
which I must do the best I can until they return.
/ think this is almost our only cliance. I feel my-
self, if anything, rather better, but I cannot say
stronger : the nardoo is beginning to agree better
with me; but without some change I see little
chance for any of us. They have both shown
great hesitation and reluctance with regard to
leaving me, and have repeatedly desired my
candid opinion in the matter. I could only repeat,
however, that I considered it our only chance, for
I could not last long on the nardoo, even if a
supply could be kept up.
" Thursday, 28th June, 1861.— Cloudy, calm, and
comparatively warm night, clouds almost station-
ary ; in the morning a gentle breeze from east.
302 LAST ENTRY IN MY SON'S JOURNAL.
Sky partially cleared up during the day, making
it pleasantly warm and bright ; it remained clear
during the afternoon and evening, offering every
prospect of a clear cold night.
"Friday, 22th June, 1861. — Clear cold night,
slight breeze from the east, day beautifully warm
and pleasant. Mr. Burke suffers greatly from the
cold and is getting extremely weak ; he and King
start to-morrow up the creek to look for the blacks ;
it is the only chance we have of being saved from
starvation. I am weaker than ever, although I have
a good appetite and relish the nardoo much ; but it
seems to give us no nutriment, and the birds here
are so shy as not to be got at. Even if we got a
good supply of fish, I doubt whether we could
do much work on them and the nardoo alone.
Nothing now but the greatest good luck can
save any of us ; and as for myself I may live four
or five days if the weather continues warm. My
pulse is at forty-eight, and very weak, and my
legs and arms are nearly skin and bone. I can
only look out, like Mr. Micawber, * for something to
turn up ;' starvation on nardoo is by no means
very unpleasant, but for the weakness one feels,
and the utter inability to move one's self; for as
far as appetite is concerned, it gives the greatest
satisfaction. Certainly fat and sugar would be
more to one's taste ; in fact those seem to me to
be the great stand-by for one in this extraordinary
continent : not that I mean to depreciate the fari-
LAST ENTRY IN MY SON'S JOURNAL. 303
naceous food ; but the want of sugar and fat in all
substances obtainable here is so great- that they
become almost valueless to us as articles of food,
without the addition of something else.
(Signed) " W. J. Wills."
304
CHAPTER XIII.
King.'s Narrative — Mr. Burke and King go in search of the Natives, as a
last resource — Death of Mr. Burke — King returns and finds Mr. Wills
dead in the Gunyah — He falls in with the Natives and wanders about
with them until delivered by Mr. Howitt's party — Extract from
Mr. Howitt's Diary — Extract from Mr. M'Kinlay's Diary — My Son's
last Letter to me, dated June 27th, 1861 — Strong attachment
between Mr. Burke and my Son — King delivers the Letter and Watch
intrusted to him — With some difficulty I recover the Pistol — King's
reception in Melbourne — Sir H. Barkly's Letter to Sir Boderick
Murchison — Summary of events and their causes.
The latter portion of my poor son's journal was
transcribed by Mr. Archer, Eegistrar-General of
Yictoria. We may believe that after writing the
last paragraph to which he subscribed his name, he
did not survive for many hours. The sequel, as
far as any of its details can ever be made known
to us, is best told in the unaffected language of
John King's Narrative,
As delivered to the Royal Commission.
"Mr. Burke, Mr. Wills, and I, reached the
depot at Cooper's Creek, on April 21st, about half-
past seven in the evening, with two camels ; all
that remained of the six Mr. Burke took with him.
'I'll p
KING'S NARRATIVE. 805
All the provisions we then had consisted of one-
and-a-half pound of dried meat. Wo found the
party had gone the same day; and looking about
K>T any mark they might have left, found the tree
with 'DIG, A p. 21/ Mr Wills said the party
had Lefl for the Darling. We dug and found the
plant of stores. Mr. I>urke took the papers out of
the bottle, ami then asked each of us whether we
w< iv able to proceed up the creek in pursuit of the
party ; we said not, and he then said that he
thought it his duty to ask us, but that he himself
was unable to do so, but that he had decided
upon trying to make Mount Hopeless, as he had
been assured by the Committee in Melbourne, that
there was a cattle station within 150 miles of
Cooper's Creek. Mr. Wills was not inclined to
follow this plan, and wished to go down our old
track ; hut at last gave in to Mr. Burke's wishes.
1 also wished to go down by our old track. We
remained four or five days to recruit, making
preparations to go down the creek by stages of
four 01 five miles a day, and Mr. Burke placed a
paper in the plant stating what were our plans.
Tra veiling down the creek, we got some fish from
the natives; and some distance down, one of the
caniel> (Lamia) got bogged, and although we re-
mained theiv that day and part of the next, trying
to dig him out, we found our strength insufficient
to do 90. The evening of the second day we shot
him as he lay, and having cut off" as much meat as
x
306 KING'S NAKKATIVE.
we could, we lived on it while we stayed to dry the
remainder. Throwing all the least necessary things
away, we made one load for the remaining camel
(Rajah), and each of us carried a swag of about
twenty-five pounds. We were then tracing down
the branches of the creek running south, and found
that they ran out into earthy plains. We had
understood that the creek along Gregory's track
was continuous ; and finding that all these creeks
ran out into plains, Mr. Burke returned, our camel
being completely knocked up. We then intended
to give the camel a spell for a few days, and to
make a new attempt to push on forty or fifty miles
to the south, in the hope of striking the creek.
During the time that the camel was being rested,
Mr. Burke and Mr. Wills went in search of the
natives, to endeavour to find out how the nardoo
grew. Having found their camp, they obtained as
much nardoo cake and fish as they could eat, but
could not explain that they wished to be shown
how to find the seed themselves : they returned on
the third day bringing some fish and nardoo cake
with them. On the following day the camel Rajah
seemed very ill, and I told Mr. Burke I thought
he could not linger out more than four days, and as
on the same evening the poor brute was on the
point of dying, Mr. Burke ordered him to be shot ;
I did so, and we cut him up with two broken
knives and a lancet : we cured the meat and planted
it, and Mr. Burke then made another attempt to
KING'8 NARRATIVE. 307
Bad ili* nardoo, taking me with him: we went
<lo\vn the creek expecting to find the natives at the
camp where they had been last seen, but found
that they had left; and not knowing whether they
lad gone up or down the creek, we slept in their
gunyahs that night, and on the following morn-
ing returned to Mr. Wills. The next day, Mr.
Burke and I started up the creek, but could see
nothing of them, and were three days away, when
we returned and remained three days in our camp
with Mr. Wills. We then made a plant of all the
articles we could not carry with us, leaving five
pounds of rice and a quantity of meat, and then
followed up the creek to where there were some
good native huts. We remained at that place a
few days; and finding that our provisions were
beginning to run short, Mr. Burke said, that we
ought to do something, and that if we did not find
the nardoo, we should starve, and that he intended
to save a little dried meat and rice to carry us to
Mount Hopeless. The three of us then came to
the conclusion that it would be better to make a
second attempt to reach Mount Hopeless, as we
were then as strong as we were likely to be, our
daily allowance being then reduced. Mr. Burke
asked each of us whether we were willing to make
another attempt to reach the South Australian
settlements, and we decided on going ; we took
with us what remained of the provisions we bad
planted — two-and-a-half pounds of oatmeal, a small
x 2
308 KING'S NARRATIVE.
quantity of flour, and the dried meat : this, with
powder and shot, and other small articles, made up
our swags to thirty pounds each, and Mr. Burke
carried one billy of water, and I another. We
had not gone far before we came on a flat, where I
saw a plant growing which I took to be clover,
and on looking closer saw the seed, and called out
that I had found the nardoo ; they were very glad
when I found it. We travelled three days, and
struck a watercourse coming south from Cooper's
Creek ; we traced this as it branched out and
re-formed in the plains, until we at last lost it in
flat country; sandhills were in front of us, for
which we made, and travelled all day but found
no water. We were all greatly fatigued, as our
rations now consisted of only one small Johnny
cake and three sticks of dried meat daily. We
camped that evening about four o'clock, intending
to push next day until two o'clock p.m., and then,
should we not find water, to return. We travelled
and found no water, and the three of us sat down
and rested for one hour, and then turned back.
We all felt satisfied that had there been a few
days' rain we could have got through : we were
then, according to Mr. Wills's calculation, forty-
five miles from the creek. We travelled, on the
day we turned back, very late, and the following
evening reached the nearest water at the creek.
We gathered some nardoo and boiled the seeds,
as we were unable to pound them. The following
KINO'S NARRATIVE. 809
day we reached the main creek, and knowing
where there was a fine waterhole and native
jnmvahs, we went there intending to save what
] vmained of our flour and dried meat for the
purpose of making another attempt to reach Mount
Hopeless. On the following day Mr. Wills and I
went out to gather nardoo, of which we obtained
a supply sufficient for three days, and finding a
pounding stone at the gunyahs, Mr. Burke and I
pounded the seed, which was such slow work that
we were compelled to use half flour and half
nardoo. Mr. Burke and Mr. Wills then went
down the creek for the remainder of the dried
meat which we had planted ; and we had now all
our things with us, gathering nardoo and living
the best way we could. Mr. Burke requested Mr.
Wills to go up the creek as far as the depot, and
to place a note in the plant there, stating that we
were then living on the creek, the former note
having stated that we were on our road to South
Australia. He also was to bury there the field-
books of the journey to the Gulf. Before starting
he got three pounds of flour and four pounds of
pounded nardoo, and about a pound of meat, as he
expected to be absent about eight days. During
his absence I gathered nardoo and pounded it, as
Mr. Burke wished to lay in a supply in case of
rain.
" A few days after Mr. Wills left, some natives
came down the creek to fish at some waterholes
310 KING'S NARRATIVE.
near our camp. They were very civil to us at
first and offered us some fish. On the second day
they came again to fish, and Mr. Burke took down
two hags, which they filled for him. On the third
day they gave us one bag of fish, and afterwards
all came to our camp. We used to keep our
ammunition and other articles in one gunyah, and
all three of us lived together in another. One of
the natives took an oilcloth out of this gunyah,
and Mr. Burke seeing him run away with it
followed him with his revolver and fired over his
head, and upon this the native dropt the oilcloth ;
while he was away, the other blacks invited me
away to a waterhole to eat fish, but I declined to
do so as Mr. Burke was absent, and a number of
natives were about who would have taken all our
things. When I refused, one took his boomerang
and laid it over my shoulder, and then told me by
signs that if I called out for Mr. Burke (as I was
doing) that he would strike me ; upon this I got
them all in front of the gunyah and fired a re-
volver over their heads, but they did not seem at
all afraid until I got out the gun, when they all
ran away. Mr. Burke hearing the report came
back, and we saw no more of them until late that
night, when they came with some cooked fish and
called out ' white fellow.' Mr. Burke then went
out with his revolver, and found a whole tribe
coming down, all painted, and with fish in small
nets carried by two men. Mr. Burke went to
KING'S NARRATIVE. 311
meet them, and they wished to surround him ; but
he knocked as many of the nets of fish out of their
hands as he could, and shouted out to me to fire.
I »lid so, and they ran off. We collected five
small nets of cooked fish. The reason he would not
accept the fish from them was, that he was afraid
of being too friendly lest they should be always at
our camp. We then lived on fish until Mr. Wills
returned. He told us that he had met the natives
soon after leaving us, and that they were very
kind to him, and had given him plenty to eat both
on going up and returning. He seemed to con-
sider that he should have very little difficulty in
living with them, and as their camp was close to
ours he returned to them the same day and found
them very hospitable and friendly, keeping him
with them two days. They then made signs to
him to be off: he came to us and narrated what
had happened, but went back to them the following
day, when they gave him his breakfast, but made
signs for him to go away ; he pretended not to
understand them, and would not go, upon which
they made signs that they were going up the creek,
and that he had better go down : they packed up
and left the camp, giving Mr. Wills a little nardoo
to take to us.
" During his absence, while Mr. Burke was cook-
ing some fish during a strong wind, the flames
caught the gunyah and burned so rapidly that we
were unable not only to put it out but to save any
312 KING'S NAREATIVE.
of our things, excepting one revolver and a gun.
Mr. Wills having returned, it was decided to go up
the creek and live with the natives if possible,
as Mr. Wills thought we should have but little
difficulty in obtaining provisions from them if we
camped on the opposite side of the creek to them.
He said he knew where they were gone, so we
packed up and started. Coming to the gunyahs
where we expected to have found them, we were
disappointed, and seeing a nardoo field close by
halted, intending to make it our camp. For some
time we were employed gathering nardoo, and
laying up a supply. Mr. Wills and I used to
collect and carry home a bag each day, and Mr.
Burke generally pounded sufficient for our dinner
during our absence ; but Mr. Wills found himself
getting very weak, and was shortly unable to go
out to gather nardoo as before, or even strong
enough to pound it, so that in a few days he be-
came almost helpless. I still continued gathering,
and Mr. Burke now also began to feel very weak,
and said he could be of very little use in pound-
ing ; I had now to gather and pound for all three
of us. I continued to do this for a few days ; but
finding my strength rapidly failing, my legs being
very weak and painful, I was unable to go out for
several days, and we were compelled to consume
six days' stock which we had laid by. Mr. Burke
now proposed that I should gather as much as
possible in three days, and that with this supply
KING'S NARRATIVE. 313
we should go in search of the natives — a plan
which had been urged upon us by Mr. Wills as
the only chance of saving him and ourselves as
well, as he clearly saw that I was no longer able
to collect sufficient for our wants. Having col-
lected the seed as proposed, and having pounded
sufficient to last Mr. Wills for eight days, and two
days for ourselves, we placed water and firewood
within his reach and started ; before leaving him,
however, Mr. Burke asked him whether he still
wished it, as under no other circumstance would
he leave him, and Mr. Wills again said that he
looked on it as our only chance. He then gave
Mr. Burke a letter and his watch for his father,
and we buried the remainder of the field-books
near the gunyah. Mr. Wills said that, in case of
my surviving Mr. Burke, he hoped that I would
carry out his last wishes, in giving the watch and
letter to his father.
" In travelling the first day, Mr. Burke seemed
very weak, and complained of great pain in his legs
and back. On the second day he seemed to be
better, and said that he thought he was getting
stronger, but on starting, did not go two miles
before he said he could go no further. I persisted
in his trying to go on, and managed to get him
along several times, until I saw that he was
almost knocked up, when he said he could not
carry his swag, and threw all he had away. I
also reduced mine, taking nothing but a gun and
314 DEATH OF MK. BURKE.
some powder and shot, and a small pouch and
some matches. In starting again, we did not go
far before Mr. Burke said we should halt for the
night ; but as the place was close to a large sheet
of water, and exposed to the wind, I prevailed on
him to go a little further, to the next reach of
water, where we camped. We searched about
and found a few small patches of nardoo, which I
collected and pounded, and with a crow, which I
shot, made a good evening's meal. From the time
we halted Mr. Burke seemed to be getting worse,
although he ate his supper ; he said he felt con-
vinced he could not last many hours, and gave me
his watch, which he said belonged to the committee,
and a pocket-book to give to Sir William Stawell,
and in which he wrote some notes. He then said
to me, ' I hope you will remain with me here till
I am quite dead — it is a comfort to know that
some one is by ; but, when I am dying, it is my
wish that you should place the pistol in my right
hand, and that you leave me unburied as I lie.'
That night he spoke very little, and the following
morning I found him speechless, or nearly so, and
about eight o'clock he expired. I remained a few
hours there, but as I saw there was no use re-
maining longer I went up the creek in search of
the natives. I felt very lonely, and at night
usually slept in deserted wurleys belonging to the
natives. Two days after leaving the spot where
Mr. Burke died, I found some gunyahs where the
KINO FINDS MY SON DEAD IN THE GUNYAII. 315
natives had deposited a bag of nardoo, sufficient to
last me a fortnight, and three bundles containing
various articles. I also shot a crow that evening ;
but was in great dread that the natives would
come and deprive me of the nardoo.
"I remained there two days to recover my
strength, and then returned to Mr. Wills. I took
back three crows ; but found him lying dead in his
Liuiiyah, and the natives had been there and had
taken away some of his clothes. I buried the
corpse with sand, and remained there some days,
but finding that my stock of nardoo was running
short, and as I was unable to gather it, I tracked
the natives who had been to the camp by their
footprints in the sand, and went some distance
down the creek shooting crows and hawks on the
road. The natives, hearing the report of the gun,
came to meet me, and took me with them to their
camp, giving me nardoo and fish : they took the
birds I had shot and cooked them for me, and
afterwards showed me a gunyah where I was to
sleep with three of the single men. The follow-
ing morning they commenced talking to me, and
putting one finger on the ground and covering it
with sand, at the same time pointing up the creek
saying ' white fellow/ which I understood to mean
that one white man was dead. From this I knew
that they were the tribe who had taken Mr.
Wills's clothes. They then asked me where the
third white man was, and I also made the sign of
316 KING'S NARRATIVE.
putting two fingers on the ground and covering
them with sand, at the same time pointing up the
creek. They appeared to feel great compassion for
me when they understood that I was alone on the
creek, and gave me plenty to eat. After being four
days with them, I saw that they were becoming
tired of me, and they made signs that they were
going up the creek and that I had better go down-
wards ; but 1 pretended not to understand them.
The same day they shifted camp, and I followed
them, and on reaching their camp I shot some
crows, which pleased them so much that they
made me a breakwind in the centre of their camp,
and came and sat round me until such time as the
crows were cooked, when they assisted me to eat
them. The same day one of the women, to whom
I had given part of a crow, came and gave me a
ball of nardoo, saying that she would give me
more only she had such a sore arm that she was
unable to pound. She showed me a sore on her
arm, and the thought struck me that I would boil
some water in the billy and wash her arm with a
sponge. During the operation, the whole tribe sat
round and were muttering one to another. Her
husband sat down by her side, and she was crying
all the time. After I had washed it, I touched it
with some nitrate of silver, when she began to yell,
and ran off, crying out ' Mokow ! Mokow !' (Fire !
Fire !). From this time, she and her husband used
to give me a small quantity of nardoo both night
KING'8 NARRATIVE. 317
and morning, and whenever the tribe was about
going on a fishing excursion he used to give me
notice to go with them. They also used to assist
me in making a wurley or breakwind whenever
they shifted camp. I generally shot a crow or a
hawk, and gave it to them in return for these little
services. Every four or five days the tribe would
surround me and ask whether I intended going up
or down the creek ; at last I made them under-
stand that if they went up I should go up the
creek, and if they went down I should also go
down ; and from this time they seemed to look upon
me as one of themselves, and supplied me with fish
and nardoo regularly : they were very anxious,
however, to know where Mr. Burke lay, and one
day when we were fishing in the waterholes close
by, I took them to the spot. On seeing his
remains, the whole party wept bitterly, and covered
them with bushes. After this, they were much
kinder to me than before, and I always told them
that the white men would be here before two
moons ; and in the evening when they came with
nardoo and fish they used to talk about the ' white-
fellows ' coming, at the same time pointing to the
moon. I also told them they would receive many
presents, and they constantly asked me for toma-
hawks, called by them * Bomay Ko.' From this
time to when the relief party arrived, a period of
about a month, they treated me with uniform kind-
ness, and looked upon me as one of themselves.
318 KING'S NARRATIVE.
The day on which I was released, one of the tribe
who had been fishing came and told me that the
' white fellows,' were coming, and the whole of the
tribe who were then in camp sallied out in every
direction to meet the party, while the man who
had brought the news took me over the creek,
where I shortly saw the party coming down."
Brahe having quitted Cooper's Creek, as we
have seen, on the 21st of April, retraced his steps,
towards the Darling. On the 28th or 29th (there
is a doubt about the exact date), he fell in with
Wright's party at Bulloo, and placed himself under
his orders. On the 29th, Dr. Becker died. On the
1st of May they left Bulloo, on their return to
Menindie. On the 3rd, Wright makes the fol-
lowing entry in his diary : —
" Friday, Koorliatto. — As I was anxious to ascer-
tain, before finally leaving the country, whether
Mr. Burke had visited the old depot at Cooper's
Creek, between the present date and that on which
he left on his advance northward, or whether the
stores cached there had been disturbed by the
natives, I started with Mr. Brahe and three horses
for Cooper's Creek and reached the head waters of
that creek on Sunday, the 5th May, in about seventy
miles, steering about W.N.W. I did not find any
water throughout the distance, but crossed several
fine large gum creeks, and saw an immense num-
ber of native dogs.
« AKKIKS8NE88 OF WRIGHT AND BRA I IK. W
* Thursday, May 9th. — This morning I reached
Coopers Creek depot, and found no sign of Mr.
Burke having visited the creek, or of the natives
having disturbed the stores. I therefore retraced
my steps to the depot that remained at Koorliatto. ,,
On the examination of Wright and Brahe before
the Royal Commission, it came out that they did
not remain more than a quarter of an hour at
Cooper's Creek depot, casting only a hurried glance
around ; and believing that no one had been there,
never thought of opening the cache to identify the
fact. Had they done so, they would have found
the papers and letters deposited by Mr. Burke,
and all would yet have been well. It is much
to be regretted, and may excite some surprise,
that Burke and my son, after opening and closing
up the cache, affixed no external token of their
Laving been there. But the apathy, stupidity, and
carelessness of Wright and Brahe are really be-
yond comprehension. The effect of their miserably
evasive and contradictory evidence, when under
examination, can never be forgotten by those who
were present. They, too, left no indications of
their useless visit. It will be remembered that
twenty-two days after, on the 30th of May, my
son returned to Cooper's Creek for the last time,
and deposited his journals and letters in the cache.
The following extracts from Mr. Howitt's diary
relate the discovery of King, with the finding and
interment of the remains of Mr. Burke and my son.
320 EXTRACTS FROM MR. HO WITTS DIARY.
"September 14th, 1861.— Latitude, 27° 4'; longi-
tude 140° 4'. — Camped on a large waterhole, about
a quarter of a mile below Mr. Burke's first camp,
after leaving the depot at Cooper's Creek. We
could see where the camels had been tied up, but
found no marked tree. To-day I noticed in two or
three places old camel-droppings and tracks, where
Mr. Brahe informed me he was certain their camels
had never been, as they were watched every day
near the depot and tied up at night. Mr. Burke's
camels were led on the way down. It looked very
much as if stray camels had been about during the
last four months. The tracks seemed to me to be
going up the creek, but the ground was too strong
to be able to make sure.
" September 15th.— Camp 32.— Latitude, 27° 44' ;
longitude, 140° 40'. — On leaving this morning I
went ahead with Sandy, to try and pick up Mr.
Burke's track. At the lower end of a large water-
hole, from which one or two horses had been feed-
ing for some months, the tracks ran in all direc-
tions to and from the water, and even as recent as
a week. At the same place I found the handle of
a clasp-knife. From here struck out south for a
short distance from the creek, and found a distinct
camel's track and droppings on a native path : the
footprint was about four months old and going E.
I then sent the black boy to follow the creek, and
struck across some sandy country in a bend on the
north side. No tracks here; and coming on a
KXTRACT FROM MR. HOWITTS JOURNAL. 321
native path leading my way, I followed it, as the
most likely place to see any signs. In about four
miles this led me to the lower end of a very large
reach of water, and on the opposite side were num-
bers of native wurleys. I crossed at a neck of
sand, and at a little distance again came on the
track of a camel going up the creek ; at the same
time I found a native, who began to gesticulate in
a very excited manner, and to point down the
creek, bawling out, ' Gow, gow f as loud as he
could. When I went towards him he ran away,
and finding it impossible to get him to come to me,
I turned back to follow a camel track, and to look
after my party. The track was visible in sandy
places, and was evidently the same I had seen for
the last two days. I also found horse traces in
places, but very old. Crossing the creek, I cut our
track, and rode after the party. In doing so I came
upon three pounds of tobacco, which had lain where
I saw it for some time. This, together with a
knife-handle, fresh horse tracks, and the camel
track going eastward, puzzled me extremely, and
led me into a hundred conjectures. At the lower
end of the large reach of water before mentioned,
I met Sandy and Frank looking for me, with the
intelligence that King, the only survivor of Mr.
Burke's party, had been found. A little further
on I found the party halted, and immediately went
across to the blacks' wurleys, where I found King
sitting in a hut which the natives had made for
Y
322 EXTRACT FROM MR. HOWITTS JOURNAL.
liim. He presented a melancholy appearance —
wasted to a shadow, and hardly to be distinguished
as a civilized being but by the remnants of clothes
upon him. He seemed exceedingly weak, and I
found it occasionally difficult to follow what he
said. The natives were all gathered round, seated
on the ground, looking with a most gratified and
delighted expression.
" September 18th. — Left camp this morning with
Messrs. Brahe, Welsh, Wheeler, and King, to per-
form a melancholy duty, which has weighed on
my mind ever since we have encamped here, and
which I have only put off until King should be
well enough to accompany us. We proceeded down
the creek for seven miles, crossing a branch run-
ning to the southward, and followed a native track
leading to that part of the creek where Mr. Burke,
Mr. Wills, and King encamped after their unsuc-
cessful attempt to reach Mount Hopeless and the
northern settlements of South Australia, and where
poor Wills died. We found the two gunyahs situ-
ated on a sand-bank between two waterholes and
about a mile from the flat where they procured
nardoo seed, on which they managed to exist so
long. Poor Wills's remains we found lying in the
wurley in which he died, and where King, after his
return from seeking for the natives, had buried
him with sand and rushes. We carefully collected
the remains and interred them where they lay;
and, not having a prayer-book, I read chap. xv. of
I IK FINDS AND BURIES MY SON. M
1 Cor., that we might at least feel a melancholy
satisfaction in having shown the last respect to his
remains. W< • 1 1 < •:« | >ed sand over the grave, and la i« 1
branches upon it, that the natives might under-
stand by their own tokens not to disturb the last
repose of a fellow-being. I cut the following in-
scription on a tree close by, to mark the spot j —
W. J. WILLS,
XLV. Yes.
\y.n\w.
A.H.
The field-books, a note-book belonging to Mr.
Burke, various small articles lying about, of no
value in themselves, but now invested with a deep
interest, from the circumstances connected with
them, and some of the nardoo seed on which they
had subsisted, with the small wooden trough in
which it had been cleaned, I have now in my pos-
session.
"September list, — Finding that it would not be
prudent for King to go out for two or three days,
I could no longer defer making a search for the spot
where Mr. Burke died, and with such directions as
Kin<2; could give, I went up to the creek this morn-
jng with Messrs. Brahe, Welsh, Wheeler, and Ait-
kin. We searched the creek upwards for eight
miles, and at length, strange to say, found the re-
mains of Mr. Burke lying among tall plants uiuhr
a clump of box-trees, within two hundred yards of
our last camp, and nut thirty paces from our track.
i 2
324 FINDS AND BUEIES MR. BURKE.
It was still more extraordinary that three or four
of the party and the two black boys had been close
to the spot without noticing it. The bones were
entire, with the exception of the hands and feet ;
and the body had been removed from the spot
where it first lay, and where the natives had placed
branches over it, to about five paces' distance. I
found the revolver which Mr. Burke held in his
hand when he expired partly covered with leaves
and earth, and corroded with rust. It was loaded
and capped. We dug a grave close to the spot,
and interred the remains wrapped in the union-
jack — the most fitting covering in which the bones
of a brave but unfortunate man could take their
last rest. On a box-tree, at the head of the grave,
the following inscription is cut in a similar manner
to the above : —
K. O'H.
B.
21|9|
61
A. H
if September 23rd. — Went down the creek to-day
in search of the natives I could not think of
leaving without showing them that we could ap-
preciate and reward the kindness they had shown
to Burke's party and particularly to King
Passed the first feeder of Strleczki's Creek, going to
the southward, and at a large reach of water below,
found the natives camped. They made a great
commotion when we rode up, but seemed very
friendly. I unpacked my blanket, and took out speci-
PRESENTS TO FRIENDLY NATIVES. 325
mens of the things I intended giving them, — a
tomahawk, a knife, beads, a looking-glass, comb, and
flour and sugar. The tomahawk was the great ob-
ject oi attraction, after that the knife, but I think
the looking-glass surprised them most. On seeing
their faces reflected, some seemed dazzled, others
opened their eyes like saucers, and made a rattling
noise with their tongues expressive of wonder. We
had quite a friendly palaver, and my watch amused
them immeDsely. I made them understand that
they were to bring the whole tribe up next morn-
ing to our camp to receive their presents, and we
parted the best of friends.
"September 2£th. — This morning, about ten
o'clock, our black friends appeared in a long pro-
cession, men, women, and children, or, as they here
also call them, piccaninnies ; and at a mile distance
they commenced bawling at the top of their voices
as usual. When collected altogether on a little
flat, just below our camp, they must have numbered
between thirty and forty, and the uproar was
deafening. With the aid of King, I at last got
them all seated before me, and distributed the
presents — tomahawks, knives, necklaces, looking-
glasses, combs — amongst them. I think no people
were ever so happy before, and it was very inte-
resting to see how they pointed out one or another
whom they thought might be overlooked. The
piccaninnies were brought forward by their parents
to have red ribbon tied round their dirty little
326 GOOD IMPRESSION LEFT AMONGST THEM.
heads. An old woman, Carrawaw, who had been
particularly kind to King, was loaded with things.
I then divided fifty pounds of sugar between them,
each one taking his share in a union-jack pocket-
handkerchief, which they were very proud of. The
sugar soon found its way into their mouths j the
flour, fifty pounds of which I gave them, they at
once called 'white-fellow nardoo,' and explained
that they understood that these things were given to
them for having fed King. Some old clothes were
then put on some of the men and women, and the
affair ended in several of our party and several of
the black fellows having an impromptu i corro-
boree,' to the intense delight of the natives, and I
must say, very much to our amusement. They
left, making signs expressive of friendship, carry-
ing their presents with them. The men all wore
a net girdle ; and of the women some wore one of
leaves, others of feathers. I feel confident that we
have left the best impression behind us, and that
the 'white fellows,' as they have already learned
to call us, will be looked on henceforth as friends,
and that, in case of emergency, any one will receive
the kindest treatment at their hands."
The * South Australian Kegister,' of the 26th
of November, 1861, published at Adelaide, con-
tained the following statement, which excited
universal attention : —
" The Government have just received from
Mr. M'Kinlay, leader of the expedition sent
NEWS FROM M'KINLAVS EXPEDITION. 3'_'7
from this colony in search of Burke, a diary of
his proceedings up to the 26th of October last.
This document contains a most singular narrative,
being nothing less than an account of M'Kinlay's
discovery of what he believes to be the remains
of Burke's party, who he considers were some
time since not only murdered, but partly eaten
by the natives in the neighbourhood of Cooper's
Creek. He, of course, had heard nothing of the
result of Mr. Howitt's expedition, or of Mr. King
baring been found alive by that expedition.
When, therefore, he came to a spot where there
were graves containing the bones of white men,
and where there were indications of a conflict
having taken place with the natives, some of
whom spoke of those white men having been
killed and partly eaten, he came to the conclusion
that he had ascertained all that was possible of
Mr. Burke and his companions. He accordingly
buried a letter, containing a statement to this
effect, at a place near where the remains were
found, and then after forwarding to Adelaide the
despatch which has now reached us, proceeded
westward upon some other business intrusted to
him by the Government.
" It seems fated that every chapter of the unfor-
tunate Burke exploration shall be marked with
unusual interest. The failures at the beginning
of the enterprise, the tragedy of the explorers'
I lis, and the remarkable rescue of the survivor
328 KEMAINS OF WHITE MEN. DISCOVEKED.
King, are now followed by a subject of interest alto-
gether new and mysterious. Certain as it is that
M'Kinlay cannot have discovered the remains of
Burke's party, as he so firmly believed he had, it
is equally clear that some other white men must
have met their deaths at the spot reached by him,
and that those deaths were, to all appearance, the
result of foul play. That the remains found by
M'Kinlay cannot have been those of Burke and
Wills, disinterred, removed, and mangled after
death, may be inferred from a number of circum-
stances detailed by him in the extracts which we
have given from his diary. It will be seen that
marks of violence were found on the remains, that
there were indications of white men having
camped in the neighbourhood (which was far
distant from any camp of Burke's), that one of the
natives bore marks of having been engaged in a
conflict where pistols were used, and that, lastly,
the natives themselves said the bones were those
of white men who had been murdered and eaten.
All this would probably appear conclusive to
Mr. M'Kinlay that he had ascertained the fate of
the explorers whom he had been in search of.
He was prepared for such a result, and there were
many circumstances favourable to its probability.
He saw even, as he believed, positive indications
of camels having been at the place where he
found the graves; and yet, it will be seen, he
speaks of appearances indicating that the remains
kkmains OF WHITE MEN DISCOVERED. 329
were buried a long time ago, and states that some
of the human hair discovered was in a state of
decay. This certainly would not accord with the
supposition of the remains being those of Burke.
But it is useless to seek an explanation of this
strange matter from the facts at present before us.
It is a mystery which will have further to be in-
quired into, and which Mr. M'Kinlay himself
will perhaps be able to throw some light upon
when he reviews all the particulars of the discovery,
with the knowledge before him that Burke and
his companions were not killed by the natives, but
died from starvation, and were buried at places far
distant from the spot where these new remains
were discovered."
The following extract from M'Kinlay *s diary
details the incidents here spoken of more mi-
nutely.
" October 21st. — Up in good time. Before start-
ing for the grave went round the lake, taking
Mr. Hodgkinson with me, to see if natives
were really on the lake, as I did not intend
saddling the camels to-day if there were no natives
here, intending to leave our camp unprotected —
rather unwise, but being so short of hands could
not help it, the grave being much out of sight.
Found no natives round the lake, nor any very
recent traces, saving that some of the trees were
still burning that they (when here last) had
lighted. We started at once for the grave, taking
330 EXTEACT FEOM MR. M'KINLAY'S DIARY.
a canteen of water with us and all the arms. On
arrival removed the ground carefully, and close to
the top of the earth found the body of a European
enveloped in a flannel shirt with short sleeves — a
piece of the breast of which I have taken — the
flesh, I may say, completely cleared from the
bones, and very little hair but what must have
been decomposed ; what little there was, I have
taken. Description of body : Skull marked with
slight sabre cuts, apparently two in number — one
immediately over the left eye, the other on the
right temple, inclining over right ear, more deep
than the left ; decayed teeth existed in both sides
of lower jaw and right of upper ; the other
teeth were entire and sound. In the lower jaw
were two teeth — one on each side (four between
in front) rather projecting, as is sometimes called
in the upper jaw ' back teeth.' I have measured
the bones of the thigh and leg as well as the arm
with a cord, not having any other method of doing
it ; gathered all the bones together and buried them
again, cutting a lot of boughs and other wood and
putting over top of the earth. Body lies head
south, feet north, lying on face, head severed from
body. On a small tree immediately south we
marked ' MK, 21st Oct., 61.' Immediately this
was over we questioned the native further on the
subject of his death. He says he was killed by a
stroke from what the natives call a sword (an
instrument of semicircular form, five to eight feet
TRACT FROM MR. M'KINLAY'S DIARY. 331
long, and very formidable). He showed us where
1 1 1 • \\ • 1 1 i t es had been attacked when encamped. We
saw lots of fish-bones, but no evidence there on the
trees to suppose whites had been there. They had
certainly chosen a very bad camp, in the centre
<>f ;i box scrub, with native huts within 150 to
200 yards of them. On further examination we
found the dung of camels and horse or horses
evidently tied up a long time ago. Between
that and the grave we found another grave, evi-
dently dug with a spade or shovel, and a lot of
human hair of two colours, that had become
decomposed in the skin of the skull and fallen off
in flakes, some of which I have also taken. I
fancy they must all have been murdered here.
Dug out the new-found grave with a stick, the
only instrument we had, but found no remains of
bodies, save one little bone. The black accounted
for this in this manner — he says they had eaten
them. Found in an old fireplace immediately
adjoining what appeared to be bones very well
burnt, but not in any quantity. In and about
the last grave named, a piece of light blue
tweed and fragments of paper, and small pieces of
a Nautical Almanac were found, and an exploded
Kl< v's cartridge; no appearance on any of the
trees of bullet marks as if a struggle had taken
place. On a further examination of the blacks'
camp where the pint pot was found, there was
also found a tin canteen similar to what is used for
332 EXTRACT FROM MR. M'KINLAY'S DIARY.
keeping naphtha in, or some such stuff, both of
which we keep. The natives say that any memos
the whites had are back on the last camp we were
at on the lake with the natives, as well as the
iron-work of saddles, etc., which on our return we
mean to endeavour to recover, if the blacks can
be found. It may be rash, but there is necessity
for it. Intend before returning to have a further
search."
The next day they dug up a quantity of baked
horsehair, which had apparently been used for
saddle stuffing. The hostility displayed by the
blacks compelled Mr. M'Kinlay and his party to
fire upon them. The mystery attached to the
remains here spoken of has yet to be cleared up.
The idea at first entertained that they were those
of Gray is not tenable. A glance at the map will
show that Gray died and was buried far away
to the N.E. of M 'Kinky s track.
On the day of King's arrival in Melbourne, my
son's watch, a gold chronometer, which he had
used to calculate the longitudes by, was duly
delivered to me in presence of the Governor ;
also his last letter, distinctly traced in a firm hand
on a ruled page torn from some book. It was
not sealed, but neatly wrapped in a loose cover.
The relic is invaluable.
MY SON'S LAST LETTER TO MK 333
MR. WILLs's LAST LETTER TO HIS FATHER. BROUGHT
DOWN BY KINO.
" Cooper's Creek, 27 June, 10
"My dear Father,
" These are probably the last lines you will
eyer get from me. "We are on the point of starva-
tion, not so much from absolute want of food, but
from the want of nutriment in what we can get.
"Our position, although more provoking, is
probably not near so disagreeable as that of poor
Harry* and his companions. We have had very
good luck, and made a most successful trip to Car-
pentaria, and back to where we had every right to
consider ourselves safe, having left a depot here
consisting of four men, twelve horses, and six
camels. They had provisions enough to have
lasted them twelve months with proper economy,
and we had also every right to expect that we
should have been immediately followed up from
Menindie by another party with additional pro-
visions and every necessary for forming a per-
manent depot at Cooper's Creek. The party we
left here had special instructions not to leave until
our return, unless from absolute necessity. We left
the creek with nominally three months' supply, but
they were reckoned at little over the rate of half
rations. We calculated on having to eat some of
the camels. By the greatest good luck, at every
• Harry, his cousin, Lieut. Lc Vescompte, who perished with Sir
John Franklin.
334 MY SON'S LAST LETTER TO ME.
turn, we crossed to the gulf, through a good deal of
fine country, almost in a straight line from here.
On the other side the camels suffered considerably
from wet ; we had to kill and jerk one soon after
starting back. We had now been out a little
more than two months, and found it necessary to
reduce the rations considerably ; and this began to
tell on all hands, but I felt it by for less than any
of the others. The great scarcity and shyness of
game, and our forced marches, prevented our
supplying the deficiency from external sources to
any great extent ; but we never could have held
out but for the crows and hawks, and the portulac.
The latter is an excellent vegetable, and I believe
secured our return to this place. We got back
here in four months and four days, and found the
party had left the Creek the same day, and we
were not in a fit state to follow them.
" I find I must close this, that it may be planted ;
but I will write some more, although it has not so
good a chance of reaching you as this. You have
great claims on the committee for their neglect.
I leave you in sole charge of what is coming to
me. The whole of my money I desire to leave to
my sisters; other matters I pass over for the
present. Adieu, my dear Father. Love to Tom.*
" W. J. Wills.
"I think to live about four or five days. My
spirits are excellent."
~* Tom, his brother in Melbourne.
EXTRACT FROM KING'S KXAMINATION. Mf
Tin- remark that I had great claims on the
committee was inserted in tlie letter, as K
informed me, in consequence of Mr. Burke ob-
s. lv in-, ; * Wills, be sure to say something to that
• net." The letter was read to Burke and King
by my son, as soon as he had concluded it. On
King s examination, he was questioned as follows,
on this point :
Qu. 10G8. " Do you see that letter — [pointing to
the I 'ten by Mr. Wills to his fatlier] ? — That
is the letter Mr. Wills read.
1069. " Did he read it out for the purpose of
being corrected if there was any statement in it
that was not quite correct? — I believe the reason
was, in case the letter should be found, that he
should not say anything to our disadvantage,
mine or Mr. Burke's; he thought that we would
see it was the truth and nothing but the truth. —
[Watch produced'] — That is the watch .Mr. Wills
desired the survivor to give to his father, which I
have done.
1070. " There was a pocket-book, was there
not? — Yes, which Mr. Burke gave me on tlie
evening before his death, requesting me to deliver
it to Sir William Stawell, but under any circum-
stances I was not to deliver it to any other gentle-
man of the committee. I delivered it to Sir
William Stawell this morning.
1071. " Did you know anything of the nature
of the contents of it? — No, except what Mr.
336 EXTRACT FROM KING'S EXAMINATION.
Burke read to me affecting myself, and which Sir
William Stawell has read to me this morning.
The same book I showed to Mr. Howitt, telling
him that it was Mr. Burke's desire that I should
deliver it to Sir William Stawell himself. Mr.
Burke also gave me his watch, and told me it was
the property of the committee ; the same I de-
livered to Mr. Howitt.
1072. "You kept possession of the book? — Yes,
and gave it over to Sir William Stawell this
morning.
1073. " How did you preserve all those things
while with the blacks? — I had a small canvas
pouch, which I always carried about with me on
my person.
1074. * Did they ever covet anything ? — Yes,
they used often to make me show them the con-
tents of it."
The letter and watch being handed to Mr.
Burke, my son then lent him his pistol, the only
defence he could have retained against hostile
attack, and lying on the bare ground, resigned to
his fate, urgently requested them to leave him.
Imagination, with all the aid of poetical fancy, can
conceive no position to exceed this in utter deso-
lation. It has been said, and many may think,
they ought not to have separated. No consider-
ation, or argument, should have induced his two
companions to abandon him. It was indeed a
trying alternative, but falling in with the blacks
FRIENDSHIP KKTWKEN MY SON AND MR. BURKE. 337
appeared to be the only chance of rescue for the
whole party ; and had this fortunately happened
before the sudden and total prostration of Burke,
there can be no doubt they would have hastened
immediately to bring the same succour to my son.
King informed me that Mr. Burke was dreadfully
distressed, and that he had great difficulty in per-
suading him to go on. At times he would stop
and exclaim, " How can I leave him, that dear,
good fellow ?" He was usually in the habit of
addressing him as " My dear boy/' for although
twenty-seven, and wearing a beard, he had such a
youthful appearance that few would have taken
him for more than twenty when he left Melbourne.
During the whole journey, and through all their
trials, King said that not an approach to alter-
cation, or a word of difference, ever took place
between my poor boy and his leader. When I
claimed the pistol above alluded to, it was con-
sidered of too much consequence to be surrendered
without minute investigation. To my first appli-
cation I received the following diplomatic reply :
" Exploration Committee,
u Royal Society of Victoria,
" Victoria Street, Melbourne, Jan. 28th, 1862.
" Sir,
" I have the honour to inform you that, at a
committee meeting held 27th inst., the Honourable
Dr. Wilkie in the chair, the subject of delivering
the * Burke p pistol to you, which you claim as
338 I OBTAIN MY SON'S PISTOL.
your late son's property, was discussed. The re-
port of the Assistant-Secretary was to the effect
that, as the tradesmen who supplied the fire-arms
did not register the numbers, the identity of this
particular pistol could not be traced as one sup-
plied to the expedition ; but that as there were
several ' Colt's ' revolvers furnished, there is room
for doubt as to whether this may not be one of
them.
" As the committee merely wishes to be fully
satisfied of the validity of your claim before part-
ing with such a melancholy and interesting relic,
instructions have been given to apply to Mr.
King for any information he may be able to
supply, to guide the committee to a right decision.
" I have the honour to be, sir,
"Your most obedient servant,
" John Macadam, M.D.,
" Hon. Secretary.
" W. Wills, Esq. M.D."
Finally, and with much trouble, after I know
not how many meetings, and what amount of dis-
cussion, the pistol was handed over to me, and is
now in my possession. So much for my claims
on the Committee, who are the only parties ac-
quainted with the merits of my poor son from
whom I have received anything like coldness or
offence. On the day of King's arrival, as the
mail was leaving for England, I was anxious to
obtain at once the letter which I knew was in
ARRIVAL OF KING IN MELBOURNE. :;..»
ttifl poBsession. My earnestness interrupted an
arrangement they had made for receiving him, and
my unseasonable importunity, as it was considered,
(Ik won me something bearing a close resemblance
to a vote of censure.
King, who although only a common soldier, has
a heart and feelings which would do no dishonour
to a gentleman of education, would have preferred
coming into Melbourne, after the loss of his officers,
at least unostentatiously, if not in sackcloth and
ashes. But he was greeted with a howling and
shouting more suitable to the reception of some
notorious bush-ranger recently captured. Many,
in common with myself, considered the ovation
out of place and character; while others, and
apparently the more numerous party, were of a
different opinion. Perhaps it was well meant,
and chacun a son gout. Public enthusiasm is not
always gaugeable by the standard of reason or
good taste. The following account was printed : —
" From about five o'clock, groups of persons
anxious to welcome back the first who had crossed
and re-crossed the Australian continent began to
pour into the station, and its vicinity was so
crowded with cars and spectators that it was im-
possible to reach the entrance. The arrival of the
train was hailed with vociferous cheering. The
carriage in which King was a passenger was at
once recognized by its being decorated with flags.
Such was the 'rush* to see King that it was
z 2
340 ARRIVAL OF KING IN MELBOURNE.
some time before the porters could reach the
carriage door, and when they had reached it they
experienced considerable difficulty in getting the
door opened. Dr. Gilbee, who was accompanied
by Dr. Macadam, was in attendance with his
private carriage to convey King as quietly as
possible to the Koyal Institute, where the Ex-
ploration Committee and a numerous assemblage
of ladies and gentlemen were in waiting to see
him. Those gentlemen, however, were unable to
reach the carriage ; and Dr. Wills, who was
fortunately opposite the door, seeing that it was
impossible for the arrangements to be carried out,
immediately conveyed King to an open car and
drove off. Dr. Gillbee and Dr. Macadam, with
King's sister, immediately followed. The cars
were then rushed ; and cars, buggies, horses, and
pedestrians raced along Collins Street to William
Street, and thence to Government House. A
great many were, of course, disappointed by this
alteration, as it was generally expected that King
would be received by His Excellency and the
Committee at the Eoyal Institute, and therefore
drove along the streets that were likely to facili-
tate their reaching the institution before King's
arrival. On reaching Government House, King
was assisted up stairs, for though he looked very
healthy and robust ; he was scarcely able to stand.
He was taken into the room adjoining the Chief
Secretary's office, where he was shortly afterwards
I IIS RECEPTION. 341
joined by Lis sister. Their meeting was, of octane,
strictly private. In a few minutes the approaches
to Government House, the lobbies, stairs, and
lam ling were impassably crowded, so that it was
necessary for the police to clear a passage for His
Excellency from his own office to that of the Chief
Secretary. His Excellency, accompanied by Cap-
tain Timins, entered the Chief Secretary's office,
and after a short conversation with Welch, who
accompanied King to town, went into the ante-
room, accompanied by Captain Timins, and
followed by Dr. Wills, Welch, and Brahe. When
His Excellency entered the room, King and his
sister respectfully stood up, but His Excellency
requested them to be seated, as King was evi-
dently unable to stand on his feet. The excite-
ment was almost too much for the poor fellow,
and it was thought advisable to get him away as
speedily and as privately as possible to St. Kilda,
where his sister resides.
" A few days afterwards, at a meeting of the
Exploration Committee, a series of questions, more
or less pertinent to the circumstances under which
he appeared before them, were personally put to
him by members of the committee, and which he
answered calmly, displaying considerable intelli-
gence and precision of mind in his replies to the
rather discursive examination he was subjected to.
The ' Herald] in reference to the interview, had
tlic following observations: — John King was an
342 KING BEFOKE THE COMMITTEE.
object of great and curious interest. Having
come out of such great tribulation — having fasted
for so many days in the desert — having been
wasted by privations till he became so near death
that for Death to have overcome him would have
been no triumph — he was regarded with feelings
similar to those which made the people say of
Dante, ' There goes the man who has been in
Hades.' Though only a subordinate, he is a man
possessing, we should say — or, indeed, as we know
— good leading qualities, the attributes of a hero ;
and though his intellectual powers have not been
highly cultivated, he evidently possesses no small
share of intelligence. A man who would mind
his own business, and not given to ask very many
questions, which as things have turned out is to
be regretted ; but with a memory capable of re-
taining everything that came within his knowledge.
His coolness rather took aback those members of
the committee, yesterday, who seemed to have
come loaded to the muzzle with questions, which
they proceeded to fire off indiscriminately. He
seemed to know better than those inquisitors the
way in which his examination should be con-
ducted ; that the inquiry had a more important
object than gratifying sheer curiosity ; and when
he goes before the Royal Commission next Thurs-
day they will find him a very good witness. The
deepest sympathy was expressed by the meeting,
and it will be most sincerely felt by every soul
KINO BEFORE THE COMMITTEE. 343
to whom his extraordinary history will become
known.
" The Exploration Committee held a private
meeting on the 29th, at which King was present.
He there stated that the tide rose and fell six
inches at the part of the river where he was left
by Messrs. Burke and Wills when they proceeded
on foot with the object of discovering the sea.
The gallantry of King is amply testified to by
some memoranda in the handwriting of poor
Burke — the last he ever wrote. The documents
were contained in a pocket-book which the dying
explorer committed to the care of the survivor,
charging him to deliver it into the hands of Sir
William Stawell. This last desire of his unfortu-
nate commander was most scrupulously observed
by King. The MS. ran as follows : —
" ' I hope that we shall be done justice to. We
have fulfilled our task, but we have been aband
. We have not been followed up as we
expected, and the depot party abandoned their
post.
"«R. O'Hara Burke.
" * Cooper's Creek, June 26th.'
" * King has behaved nobly. I hope that he will
be properly cared for. He comes up the creek in
accordance with my request.
"<R. O'Hara Burki.
44 'Cooler's Omk, l"n. J8th.'
344 LETTER FROM SIR HENRY BARKLY
" Again, the next entry says —
" * King has behaved nobly. He has stayed with
me to the last, and placed the pistol in my hand,
leaving me lying on the surface as I wished.
<"R. O'H. Burke.
'« ■ Cooper's Creek, June 28th.' "
The following sketch of the journey across the
continent of Australia, by Messrs. Burke and
Wills, in a letter from the Governor of Victoria,
Sir Henry Barkly, to Sir Roderick Murchison,
was read before the Royal Geographical Society
in London on the 15th of January, 1862, and was
ordered to be printed in their proceedings. The
letter also appeared in the * Times' of the 15th of
January : —
u My dear Sir Roderick,
" Knowing the interest you have ever taken
in the exploration of the interior of Australia, and
that you still occupy the post of Yice-President of
the Royal Geographical Society, it was my inten-
tion to address you fully by the present mail-
steamer respecting the Victorian expedition under
Burke and Wills, which you will learn has achieved
the honour of first crossing from sea to sea, by a
route far distant and utterly distinct from that of
M'Douall Stuart, from whose great fame as an
explorer I have not the least desire to detract.
TO SIR RODERICK MURCHISON. 345
" I wished, indeed, as the expedition had cost
the gallant leaders of it their lives, to narrate in a
connected form its design and history from the
very commencement, in order that it might serve
the Geographical Society as a record, and prevent
any misconception of the causes which have
marred its triumphant result.
u I find, however, that the pressure of other
business will prevent my carrying out this design,
and I must content myself therefore with forward-
ing the newspapers which contain the best report
of what has recently come to light, together with
the diaries of Burke and Wills, as published in a
pamphlet form, and lastly with a map of Australia,
on which our Surveyor-General has added to other
recent explorations, a reduced tracing of the track
of the expedition, from the dep6t on Cooper's
Creek to the Gulf of Carpentaria, where it struck,
as would appear, the Flinders River, and not the
* Albert/ as the explorers supposed.
" I would refer you, at the same time, for precise
details of the whole enterprise to my several de-
patches of 21st of August, 1860 ; 20th of July, and
20th of November, 1861 ; which I am confident
the Duke of Newcastle will put at your disposal
for the information of the Geographical Society, if
applied to.
" On one account I am not sorry to be obliged
to postpone a detailed communication on the sub-
ject, for it would be difl&cult to tell the sad story of
346 LETTER FROM SIR HENRY BARKLY
the sufferings and death of the brave men who re-
turned to the spot where they expected to find
friends and ample store of provisions and clothing,
only to find the dep6t abandoned, and to perish
miserably in default of assistance, without at least
implying blame in some quarter or other ; and, as a
good deal is still enveloped in mystery, and I have
appointed a commission of inquiry to take evidence
and report thereupon, it would obviously be im-
proper in me to anticipate their conclusion.
" The sole survivor of the party who crossed
the continent, John King, once, I believe, a soldier
in India, is expected to reach Melbourne to-night ;
and with the aid of his recollections of the journey,
the Surveyor-General hopes to be enabled to add
to the chart on a large scale, which he is construct-
ing from Mr. Wills' s field books, fuller particulars
as to the nature of the country ; as well as to supply
some blanks which were evidently left to be filled
in afterwards, especially in regard to the route
back, which, from the determination at our ob-
servatory of one of his earlier camps, from an
observation of oiie of the planets which is recorded,
seems to have been considerably to the eastward of
the course pursued in going, though this is not
expressly so stated.
" I need hardly add that as soon as Mr. Ligar
finishes this chart I will send you copies of it, as
also the report of the commission of inquiry.
" The country towards Carpentaria or Burke's
TO SIR RODERICK MURCHISON. Ml
Land — as I hope it will be called — seems so good
that there can be little doubt of the formation, at
no distant date, of a colony on the shores of that
estuary ; — a project which you have long, I know,
had at heart; and before we recal the several
parties sent out for the relief of the missing expe-
dition, I trust we shall be able so far to complete
the task as to connect the settled country, by Mr.
Howitt's aid, with Burke's Land by the best possible
route ; and, by means of the party sent by sea in
the Victoria steamer, to add greatly to our know-
ledge of the Gulf, and of the embouchures of the
different rivers falling into it.
" Believe me ever,
" My dear Sir Boderick,
" Yours very truly,
"Henry Barkly.
" Government Offices, Melbourne,
25th November, 1861.
" P.S. — After I had finished my letter, I received
a memorandum from the Surveyor-General re-
specting Mr. Wills's astronomical observations,
which is of so much importance that I enclose it
for your information, not having time to get a copy
made.
"H. B."
It has been remarked, with some disposition
to draw uncharitable conclusions therefrom, that
no religious expressions, or any specific references
to that all-important subject, are to be found in the
348 SUMMARY OF EVENTS
field-books and journals that have been given to
the public. On this point, King said, in reply to
Question 1714, "I wish to state, with regard to
there being no particular tokens of religion re-
corded in any part of the diaries, that we each had
our Bible and Prayer-book, and occasionally read
them going and coming back ; and also the evening
before the death of Mr. Burke, I am happy to say,
he prayed to God for forgiveness for the past, and
died happy, a sincere Christian.
The curtain drops here on the history of the
great Yictorian Exploring Expedition, and little
more remains to be told of its results or short-
comings. The continent was crossed, the Gulf
reached, and the road indicated by the hardy
pioneers, which their successors will find it com-
paratively easy to level and macadamize. Al-
ready the stimulant of the Burke and Wills cata-
strophe has called into active exercise the succes-
sive expeditions and discoveries of Howitt, Norman,
Walker, Landsborough, and M'Kinlay. Others
will rapidly follow, with the characteristic energy
and perseverance of the Saxon race. Now that
time has, to a certain extent, allayed the poignant
grief of those who are most nearly and dearly in-
terested in the fate of the original explorers ; when
first impulses have cooled down, and the excite-
ment of personal feelings has given way before un-
questionable evidence, we may safely ascribe, as far
as human agencies are concerned, the comparative
>ND THEIR CAUSES. ?>Vj
failure of the enterprise to the following specific
causes: —
1. The double mistake on the part of the leader,
of dividing and subdividing his forces at Men indie
and Cooper s Creek ;"
2. The utter unfitness of Wright for the position
in which he was placed ;
3. The abandonment by Brahe of the depot at
Cooper s Creek ;
4. The resolve of the surviving explorers to
attempt the route by Mount Hopeless, on their
homeward journey ;
And lastly, to the dilatory inefficiency of the
Committee, in not hurrying forward reliefs without
a moment's delay, as the state of circumstances
became gradually known to them.
It is not so easy to estimate the relative quantity
of blame which ought justly to attach to all who
are implicated. Each will endeavour to convince
himself that his own share is light, and that the
weight of the burden should fall on the shoulders
of some one else. Meanwhile, there remain for the
heroic men who died in harness without a murmur
in the unflinching exercise of their duty, an un-
dying name, a public funeral, and a national
monument ; the unavailing sympathy and respect
which rear an obelisk instead of bestowing a ribbon
or a pension ; recorded honours to the unconscious
dead, in place of encouraging rewarcteto the tri-
350 SUMMARY OF EVENT?.
umphant living. A reverse of the picture, had it
been permitted, might have been more agreeable ;
but the lesson intended to be conveyed, and the
advantages to be derived from studying it, would
have been far less salutary and profitable.
351
CHAPTER XIV.
Letters of sympathy and condolence : from Sir Henry Barkly ; Major
Egerton Warburton ; A. J. Baker, Esq. ; P. A. Jennings, Esq. ;
Dr. Mueller ; The Council of Ballaarat East ; Robert Watson, Esq. ;
John Lavington Evans, Esq. — Meeting at Totnes — Resolution to
erect a Monument to Mr. Wilta — Proceedings in the Royal Geo-
graphical Society of London — Letter from Sir Roderick Murchison to
Dr. Wills— Dr. Wills's reply — The Lost Explorers, a poetical tribute
— Concluding observations.
As soon as my son's death became publicly known,
and there could no longer be a doubt on the sub-
ject, letters of condolence and sympathy poured in
upon me from many quarters. From these I
select a few as indicating the general impression
produced by his untimely fate, and the estimation
in which he was held by those who were person-
ally acquainted with him. The afflicting event
was communicated to his mother in Totnes, Devon,
by a telegram a fortnight before the regular mail,
accompanied by the following letter from Sir*
1 1, nry Barkly, Governor of Victoria : —
352 LETTERS OF SYMPATHY
" Government Office, Melbourne,
November 26th, 1861.
"Dear Madam,
" Though you will hear of the bereavement
which has befallen you in the loss of your gallant
son from those that are near and dear both to you
and to himself, I cannot refrain, in the position I
have the honour to hold, from adding my assur-
ance of the sympathy of the entire community
with your grief, and the universal admiration of
his abilities as displayed throughout the expedition,
and which his noble and heroic conduct to the last
hour of his life have inspired.
"You may rely upon it that the name of
"William John Wills will go down to posterity,
both at home and in this colony, amongst the
brightest of those who have sacrificed their lives
for the advancement of scientific knowledge and
the good of their fellow-creatures.
" Believe me, dear Madam,
" Yours very respectfully,
(Signed) "Henry Barkly,
"Governor of Victoria.
"Mrs. Wills, Totnes, Devon."
Sir Henry also moved in the committee and the
motion was carried nem. con., that from the impor-
tant part Mr. Wills had taken, the expedition
should be called, " The Burke and Wills exploring
Expedition ." Some spiteful remarks by opposite
partisans were made in the Melbourne Argus on
D CONDOLENCE. 8H
tli is very natural and complimentary resolution.
An advocate on one side said, "If the expedition
had failed would it have been called the Burke
and Wills Expedition ? — We opine not." To which
another replied the following day, in the same
columns, " Would the expedition have succeeded if
Wills had not been there? — We opine not."
None would have regretted these invidious obser-
vations more than the generous, free-hearted Burke,
and my gallant son, had they lived to see them.
They had no petty jealousies. Each knew his
position, and they acted throughout with unswerv-
ing confidence as friends as well as associated
explorers.
It was asserted by Burke's enemies that he was
violent, and not having sufficient command over
himself, was therefore unfitted to command others.
This conclusion, sound enough in the abstract, is
more easily made than proved, and in the present
instance receives direct contradiction from the
undeviating cordiality between the leader and his
second. In the cases of Landells and Dr. Beckler,
universal opinion pronounced Burke to be in the
right.
From Major Egerton Warburton.
"My dear Dr. Wills, Adelaide.
" Vain as must be any consolation that can be
offered to you under the circumstances of almost
unparalleled distress attending the loss of your son,
2 A
354' LETTERS OF SYMPATHY
I cannot but avail myself of our acquaintanceship
to express my most humble and hearty sympathy
in the terrible catastrophe.
" Anger and horror combine to drive us away
from the contemplation of the causes of this tragic
termination of a feat of heroism and endurance
such as has been rarely before achieved ;. and we
turn with deep sorrow and admiration to dwell
upon that noble display of faithful, patient courage
which calmly awaited an early and unbefriended
grave on the spot where the foot-prints of triumph
were reasonably to have been expected.
" We all share in your grief, and would fain
hope that this may somewhat lessen its bitterness
to you ; but it must be a source of pride and com-
fort to you to remember that your son died having
done his duty to his country and his companions.
More than this no man can do, live he ever so
long, and few there are who do so much.
"Permit me to subscribe myself a deep sym-
pathiser with you in your affliction,
"J. Egerton Warburton."
The Major had been a candidate for the office of
leader, but his conditions as to his second were
objected to. The next letter is from a gentleman
who had accompanied Major Warburton as second
on some explorations from Adelaide, At Totnes
I knew him when a boy.
AND CONDOLENCE.
u Dorset Terrace, Adelaide.
"My dear Sir,
" I truly sympathize with you in the loss you
have met with in so heroic and superb a fellow as
your son. I cannot read his journals without
\\ isliing that I had been with him, for his qualities
as an explorer were perfect in my humble opinion.
The news of his sad death has been a great blow
to all of us, and we sincerely feel for you in your
affliction. But though dead in the flesh, the brave
spirit of your son will stand emblazoned on the
pages of our country's history as one of those heroes
who have died for the cause in which he was en-
gaged, in the flush of victory, cheerfully fulfilling
lii.s duties to the last.
" I cannot believe that Wright and Brahe ever
returned to Cooper's Creek. If they had done so
* stockman so well experienced in tracking as
Wright must be, would have detected the presence
of signs that might escape the eye of one less prac-
tised ; for it is ascertained now that the stores had
been removed about the time that Brahe left, and
before, as they say, they returned in company.
" I also believe that, had Burke taken his com-
panions' advice, and followed down Brahe's tracks,
they would have been saved, for it is well known
to all travellers that animals will feel cheered in
following the footsteps of their late associates ;
but to attempt to force his party to explore new
country when a well-known route was open to him
2 a 2
356 LETTERS OF SYMPATHY
was little short of madness. I have not patience
to criticize Wright and Brahe's conduct. If Brahe
had even left more stores, clothing especially, we
should have had the pleasure of welcoming the
explorers home.
" But God's wise providence knows what is best,
and in saying, His will be done, I pray that He
may comfort you and yours in this great bereave-
ment. Mrs. B. and my daughter unite with me in
kindest regards, and believe me to be as ever,
" My dear sir,
" Your sincere friend,
"Arthur John Baker."
From P. A. Jennings, Esq., St. Arnaud, Victoria.
« St. Arnaud, December 15th, 1861.
" My dear Sir,
" I did not like to intrude upon your sorrow
before ; but I feel desirous of now testifying the
sympathy of myself and friends at St. Arnaud
with you under your heavy affliction. I had the
pleasure of forming an intimacy with your
lamented and gallant son during his stay here ; an
intimacy which soon ripened into a true friend-
ship.
" It was in the year 1858, from March to July,
that your son stopped in this vicinity, as the pro-
moter of the survey of this town. I was thrown
much into his company, and soon learned to ap-
preciate his amiable and noble disposition. My
AND CONDOLENCE. 357
mother and sisters, who also found pleasure in his
society, had the deepest regard and admiration for
him ; and the expedition in which he was engaged
therefore possessed an unusual interest for us.
" I assure you I can hardly find words to express
our feelings, at the thought of his fate, and the
base desertion of Burke and himself by those who
should have endeavoured to sustain them. I had
the most profound confidence in your son's ability
as an explorer, knowing well the varied nature of
his scientific attainments, his great practical know-
ledge of bush life, and the clear common sense
which was his leading characteristic. Many a
time we have talked about him ; and every time we
mentioned his name the same feeling of assurance
in his safe return was always expressed, even to
the last. Such was our confidence in him. A
week before the sad tidings of his death reached
Melbourne, I had a conversation with Mr. Byerly,
whom I then met accidentally, and who had just
returned from Queensland. Our conversation
reverted to your son, and Mr. Byerly coincided
with me in my faith in him, but remarked that all
his exertions could be of little avail if not properly
supported. Mr. Byerly had at first expressed a
fear that the party had been allowed to perish
through the remissness of those whose duty it
should have been to use every possible means to
rescue them in the proper time. His words were,
unfortunately, prophetic.
858 LETTERS OF SYMPATHY
" I know 5 my dear sir, that almost anything like
consolation for you now must come from other
than man, but I could not help saying these few
words to you ; and I know that no persons uncon-
nected by blood with your family, and enjoying
such brief personal acquaintance with your son as
myself, and mother and sisters, can be more sin-
cerely or deeply moved at the harrowing record of
his untimely fate. Indeed, it has cast a gloom over
every one ; and the hardest heart could not but be
affected by such a noble spectacle as the last days
of his glorious life present.
" It is proposed here to erect an obelisk to his
memory, and I am about to get one of the streets
named after him. I cannot commit myself to
write further on the subject, but will conclude by
subscribing myself,
" Yours, ever faithfully,
" P. A. Jennings.
"W.Wills, Esq., M.D."
From Dr. Mueller.
"December llth, 1861.
" My dear Doctor,
"His Excellency informed me by note last
night that Mr. Heales thinks to leave the con-
sideration of everything connected with the great
and glorious enterprise of your son and Mr. Burke,
to the Commission, which Mr. Heales will pro-
bably have installed before leaving office.
" His Excellency adds, that every thought shall
AND CONDOLENCE. .TO
be given, that the family who immortalized tin ir
name by the work of your lamented son shall not
be forgotten. I hope to be in town to-morrow,
ami will do myself the pleasure of calling on you.
" Very regardfully yours,
" Ferd. Mueller."
The ' Melbourne Advertiser/ of December the
•lth, 1861, contained the following leading para-
graph:
" It is the intention of Mr. O'Shanassy to place
a sum of 5000/. on the Estimates towards the erec-
tion of a national monument to Burke and Wills,
and it is believed a like amount will be raised by
public subscription in various parts of the colony ;
so that the aggregate amount will enable us to
raise a memorial worthy of Victoria, and worthy
of the heroes whom we design to honour. This is
as it should be. Burke and Wills achieved a
splendid exploit : their lives were the forfeit of
llmir dating ; and we owe it to their reputation,
as well as to our own character, to preserve a
durable record of their great achievement, and to
MLrnalize to after-ages our admiration of its simple
grandeur, and our gratitude to the brave men who
accomplished it. A time will come when a belt of
settlements will connect the shores of Port Phillip
with those of the Gulf of Carpentaria; when, on
the banks of the Albert or of the Flinders, a
populous city will arise, and will constitute the
360 REMARKS IN THE 'MELBOURNE ADVERTISER.'
entrepot of our commerce with the Indies; and
when beaten roads will traverse the interior, and
a line of electric telegraph will bisect the continent.
The happy valley of Prince Rasselas was not more
verdant or more fertile than much of the country
passed through by the explorers, whose loss we
deplore ; and it is certain that these beautiful soli-
tudes will be rapidly occupied by the flocks and
herds of the squatter. Agricultural settlements
will follow; towns and villages will be established,
gold-fields probably discovered, and waves of popu-
lation will overflow and will fertilize vast tracts of
country which we have hitherto concluded to be a
sterile desert. These events will owe their initia-
tion to the adventurous pioneers who first crossed
the continent from sea to sea. Theirs was the
arduous effort ; theirs the courage, endurance, and
sustaining hope ; theirs the conflict with danger
and the great triumph over difficulties; theirs
the agony of a lingering death, and theirs the
mournful glory of a martyr's crown. Defrauded,
as it were, of the honours which would have
rewarded them had they lived to receive the con-
gratulations they had earned, it becomes the me-
lancholy duty of their fellow- citizens to perpetuate
the memory of Burke and Wills by a monument
which shall testify to their worth and our muni-
ficence."
LETTERS FROM DR. MUELLER.
From Dr. Mueller.
" Melbourne, December 21st, 18C1.
" My very dear Doctor,
" I need not assure you that I shall be but
too happy to render you any services within my
power, and especially such as are connected with
doing justice to your poor and great son.
" Having been duly authorized by you to secure
the pistol of your late son, I will take an early
opportunity to claim it for you and bring it to
your son Thomas. I will also very gladly do what
I can in restoring to you any other property I may
hear of as belonging to your lamented son William.
As soon as Professor Neumayer returns, we can
learn with exactness what instruments were your
son's. I will also inquire about the telescope. I
believe I forgot mentioning to you, that it would
be a source of the highest gratification to me to
call some new plant by the name of the family,
who claim as their own, one of now imperishable
fame. But I will not be unmindful that, in offer-
ing an additional tribute, humble as it is, to your
son's memory, it will be necessary to select, for the
Willsia, a plant as noble in the Australian flora as
the young savant himself who sacrificed his life
in accomplishing a great national and never-to-be-
forgotten enterprise.
Trusting, my dear and highly valued friend, that
the greatness of the deed will, to a certain extent,
362 LETTERS FROM DR. MUELLER.
alleviate your grief and sorrow for an irreparable
loss, and that Providence may spare you long in
health and happiness, for your family.
" I remain,
" Your faithfully attached,
" Ferd. Mueller.
" W. Wills, Esq., M.D."
u Melbourne Botanical Gardens,
January 5th, 1862.
" My dear Dr. Wills,
" It affords me a melancholy satisfaction that
the humble tribute which I wish to pay to the
memory of your lamented son, in attaching his
name to the enclosed plant, elicited such kind re-
cognition from yourself. I need not assure you
that I shall continue to maintain, as I have done
on all previous occasions, that only by the skilful
guidance and scientific talents of your unfortunate
son, the great geographic success is achieved, which
he sealed with his heroic death.
" We can only now deeply deplore the loss of
such a man, and award that honour to his memory
which his great exploit for ever merits.
" With the deepest sympathy for you, ever dear
and respected friend,
" Yours,
" Ferd. Mueller.
LETTERS FROM DR. MUELLER. 3G3
" The plant is thus registered in the ' Fragmenta
Phytographia3 Australia': —
"EREMOPHILA WIU.siI
"Speciem Eremophilas Goodwinii (F. M. Report on the Plants of
Babbage's. 'Expedition, p. 17) propinquam tesqua Australia) centralis
orrantcm, elegi ut botanicis recordareni gloriam nunquam obliviscen-
dain intrepidi ct ingeniosi sed infclicissimi Gulielmi Wills, qui primo
tcrram Australia) continentalem a litore ad litus peragravit, sua morte
pnucocissiina in tacito eremo triumphum ajtemum ageus."*
From Dr. Mueller.
" June 6th, 18G2.
k Dear Dr. Wills,
u Once more I wish you a most cordial good-
bye, and trust that in the circle of your family you
will feel some consolation for the dreadful bereave-
ment which has befallen you in the loss of your son.
May it alleviate your affliction to some small
extent, to remember that your son has gained by
the sacrifice of his precious life a world-wide fame,
and an appreciation which will remain unoblite-
rated throughout all ages.
" With the deepest solicitude for your health and
happiness, I remain, my veiy dear Dr. Wills,
" Your attached friend,
"Ferd. Mueller."
* " I have chosen a species of Eremophila resembling Goodwin's, which
adorns the deserts of central Australia, to record by botany the glory
to be forgotten of the Intrepid ami talented, but most unfortunate,
William Wills, who was the first to traverse the continent of Australia
from shore to A shore, winning for himself, by his too early death in the
silent wilderness, an eternal triumph."
364 ADDRESS FROM BALLAARAT EAST.
At an earlier period, the Municipal Council of
Ballaarat East paid me the compliment of the
subjoined address : —
" To W. Wills, Esq., M.D.
" Council Chamber,
Ballaarat East,
Nov. 7th, 1861.
"Sir,
"The Municipal Council of Ballaarat East,
for itself and on behalf of the native community of
this district, with feelings of the deepest sorrow
and commiseration, beg leave to sympathize with
you in the most severe and irreparable bereavement
which you are so unfortunately called upon to bear
in the loss of your worthy and devoted son, Mr.
William John "Wills. It would however hope that
all possible consolation will be yours in the know-
ledge of his having nobly and successfully accom-
plished his mission, the benefits of which cannot
be too highly appreciated by the whole of the in-
habitants of the Australian Colonies ; and which
must secure to his future memory, under the unfor-
tunate circumstances by which he was sacrificed,
not only honour and fame, but the sympathy, love,
and respect of his fellow-men in all parts of Her
Majesty's dominions, and in every civilized coun-
try throughout the world. These considerations
the Council trusts you will endeavour to bring to
LETTERS FROM DEVONIANS IN VICTORIA. M
your aid in overcoming the intense grief with
which you must be afflicted.
" I am, sir,
" In the most heartfelt sorrow,
" Yours very truly,
" W. B. Rodier,
Toum Clerk."
A proclamation in a supplement to one of the
Melbourne Gazettes, towards the end of November,
announced that the (xovernor, with the advice of
the Executive Council, had directed that the por-
tions of Main-street, Ballaarat East, lying between
the Yarrowee River and Princess Street, shall
hereafter be designated Wills Street, in memory of
the companion of Burke.
The two following letters, written by Devonians
settled in Victoria, appeared in the Totnes
' Weekly Times':—
* Batesford, Geelong,
25th November, 1861.
"Dear Sir,
" I have sent you by this mail the sad history
of poor Burke and Wills, which I am sure will be
read with painful interest by all your fellow-
townsmen. The Melbourne papers have been
very severe on the Exploration Committee, and it
it was my intention to have sent you copies of the
'Argus/ from 4th to 9th November, but they
366 LETTERS FROM DEVONIANS
cannot now be procured at any price. My brother
will lend you his, if you desire it.
" Nothing that has occurred here for many
years has thrown such a gloom over the whole of
the Australian Colonies. We are generally, per-
haps, a cold, unfeeling people, but there are few
whose hearts have not been touched by this sad
event.
" It is scarcely possible that you, accustomed as
you are to the green pastures, the shady lanes, and
crystal springs of dear old Devon, can realize to
the full extent the sickening hardships they had to
endure, or the cruel disappointment under which
even they at last gave way. I cannot conceive a
situation more heartrending than theirs must have
been on their return to Cooper's Creek, to find the
depot abandoned. They had succeeded in accom-
plishing the glorious feat which so many brave
men had tried in vain to accomplish ; they had
endured hardships which might make the stoutest
heart quail ; they had returned alive, but footsore,
worn out and in rags, to where they might have
hoped for help and succour ; they were on their
way to where honour and glory, well and nobly
earned, awaited them ; and now they must lie down
in the dreary wilds of an almost unknown country,
and die that most horrible of all deaths, starvation.
They must have felt, too, that, worse than even this
death itself, the fruits of their labours would, in
IN VICTORIA. m
all probability, perish with them, their fate re-
main unknown, and the glorious page of the
world's history which they would have written
would be buried in oblivion, and all this — all this
brcausc
" ' Some one had blundered.'
" It has been decided that the remains are to be
brought to Melbourne and have a public funeral.
Monuments are also to be erected to the memory
of the brave fellows —
u These come too late, and almost mock whom they are intended to
honour."
" Poor Wills ! you will remember him as a boy.
It has occurred to me that Totnes may wish in some
way to perpetuate the memory of one who perished
so young and with such honour in a noble cause.
Should it be so, I have asked my brother to be
there with something from me. Every good man
must deeply regret his loss, and sincerely sympa-
tliize with his relatives and friends.
" ' Your hero has passed to no ignoble grave ;
He died not ere a deathless fame was won ;
And earth must count amongst her true and brave,
The brave and patient Wills, Devonia's son."
" I am, dear Sir,
" Yours truly,
" Robt. Watson.
« To the Editor of the € Totnes Times.' n
368 LETTERS FROM DEVONIANS
" To the Editor of the * Totnes Weekly Times. 9
" Melbourne, November 26, 1861.
" By this mail, I have sent you the public jour-
nals of this city, containing detailed accounts of the
Exploring Expedition, despatched hence on the
20 th August last, to find its way to and return from
the Gulf of Carpentaria. Only one of the party
has succeeded in accomplishing this unparalleled
undertaking, three having fallen victims to hunger
and disease. R. O'Hara Burke was the leader of
the Expedition, and W. J. Wills, a native of Tot-
nes, and son of a physician from your locality, was
the second in command, observer and astronomer.
The Expedition had visited the Gulf, and had
returned to Cooper's Creek, where a depot had
been formed, but unfortunately broken up only six
hours before the return of the weary travellers.
Their disappointment at finding such to be the
case, you must gather from Wills' s journal, which
was the best kept of the party, and is replete with
information of the country through which they
passed. To Mr. Wills, senior, the loss of his
favourite son is a sad blow, under such distressing
circumstances; yet, amid all, young Wills was
full of spirit to the last, and his final entry in his
journal must have been made just six hours before
he breathed his last. For him and for them, the
IN VICTORIA. 360
colonists in Australia have shed tears of sorrow,
and the Government have given instructions that
their remains are to be brought to the city, and
interred with all the pomp and solemnity befitting
such an occasion. A sum of money is voted by
Parliament to mark specially the event by erecting
an obelisk in some conspicuous part of the
city, most probably in face of one of our Par-
1 iaiuent Houses. A number of Devonians, how-
ever, have resolved to subscribe, and with the
consent of the municipal authorities, wish to mark
the event more especially in his native town ;
and it is thought the Plains, at Totnes, is a
suitable place for the erection of such a monu-
ment. To that end, subscription lists will be
opened in our principal towns, and by next
mail I hope to report that satisfactory progress is
being made. The school where he was educated
(Ashburton), conducted, too, by a Totnes man,
Mr. Paige, has not been forgotten ; and as there
are schoolfellows of Wills's in this colony, they
also intend bearing testimony to his worth by
placing a tablet, with the consent of the trus-
tees, in the Grammar School of St. Andrew's.
None more worthy exists in that ancient hall of
learning.
u In conclusion, I would just remark that the con-
tinent has been traversed from north to south, hut
there is yet the important feat of crossing from east
to west. For whom is this wreath reserved ? 16
2 B
370 PUBLIC MEETING AT TOTNES.
it to be won by a Totnes or an Ashburton man, or
one from this country ? Time will decide.
" I remain,
" Yours truly,
"John Lavington Evans."
A correspondent to the ' Bendigo Advertiser
concluded a long letter with the subjoined para-
graph : —
" Poor Wills, the martyr, whose history of the
journey is all that is left to us, is deserving of a
nation's tears : his youth — his enduring patience —
his evenness of temper, which must have been
sorely tried — his lively disposition even in extremi-
ties — his devotion to his leader — all tend to stamp
him as the real master-mind of the expedition, and
as such let Victoria be justly proud of him — let no
false delicacy keep the memory of the noble youth
from the pinnacle it is so justly entitled to."
The Mayor of Totnes, J. Derry, Esq., in com-
pliance with a requisition from many of the prin-
cipal inhabitants, convened a meeting at the
Guildhall on the 31st of January, 1862, which was
most numerously attended. Eloquent speeches
were made, extracts from the letters of Mr.
"Watson, and Mr. Lavington Evans, were read, and
the following resolutions were unanimously passed :
" 1. That this Meeting is of opinion that a
Memorial should be erected in Totnes to the late
RESOLUTIONS RESPECTING A MONUMENT. 371
Mr. William Jolm Wills, who perished at Cooper's
Creek so his bban ward journey, after, with three
others, having for the first time successfully crossed
the great Island Continent of Australia."
"IYrlmps when the subscriptions were received
they would be able to decide what form the memorial
should assume. It had been suggested that a ftfcblet
should be placed in the church, but he, Mr. Cuming,
the mover, rather demurred to this: the church
would not be a conspicuous place for it ; and as
many would subscribe who did not attend the
parish church, he thought the Plains, or some other
public site, should be chosen, but it would be well
to leave this matter for the present an open
question."
" 2. That a committee be now formed to solicit
subscriptions for the purpose of carrying into effect
the last resolution, and that such committee consist
of the following gentlemen : — The Mayor, Messrs.
Ben tall, Kellock, Cuming, Presswell, Heath,
Windeatt, Watson, Michelmore, Condy, Clarke,
Ough, Endle ; with power to add to their number."
" 3. That as soon as the subscription list is com-
pleted, and the Devonshire men resident in the
colony have communicated their wishes and in-
tentions to the committee, according to the inti-
mations expressed by them, the committee be
requested to call a meeting of the subscribers to
• 1 -■< ide on the character of the memorial to be
ted."
2 b 2
372 THE EOYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.
The subscriptions at Totnes have been very
liberal, and are still open. Mr. Watson and his
family contributed most liberally. The Duke of
Somerset gave ten pounds. Each of the members,
Admiral Mitchell, and various others five pounds ;
but the character of the monument has not yet been
decided on. At Ashburton Grammar School a
memorial has been erected, Mr. Lavington Evans
and his brother contributing ten pounds from
Australia.
At the annual meeting of the Royal Geographical
Society of London, held on the 26th of May, 1862,
Lord Ashburton awarded the founder s Gold Medal
to the representative of the late Robert O'Hara
Burke, and a gold watch to King. These were
handed to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, who
attended in his public capacity as Secretary of
State for the Colonies, and undertook to deliver
them to the respective parties, with many justly
eulogistic observations. Lord Ashburton read a
paper on the progress of geographical science, and
Sir R. Murchison, in the course of a notice on Aus-
tralia, suggested that that portion which had been
explored by Mr. Burke should be hereafter called
' Burke's Land.' But it so happened that my son's
name was neither mentioned nor alluded to in
the published proceedings.
At the first meeting of the Society for the pre-
sent season, held on the 10th November, 1862, and
at which I was present, Sir Roderick Murchison
LETTER FROM SIR R. MURCIIISON TO DR. WILLS. 373
introduced the subject of Australian exploration
in his address, in a manner quite unexpected by
me. The next day 1 received the following official
comnnmi< -a Hon, which embodied the substance of
what he had said, and nearly in the same words.
" To Dr. Wills.
44 15, Whitehall Place,
1 1th November, 1862.
"Sir,
" At the first meeting of the Council of this
Society, during this session, I brought under the
consideration of my associates, a statement of the
distinguished botanist, Dr. Mueller, of Victoria,
to the effect that the friends of your deceased son
were dissatisfied on finding that Mr. Burke, the
leader of the late expedition to the Gulf of Car-
pentaria, had received a gold medal, and that
Mr. King had received a watch, whilst no testi-
monial of the services of Mr. Wills had been
presented on the part of the Royal Geographical
Society.
" Permit me to assure you that when the award
of the gold medal was made, every member of the
Council, as well as myself, who proposed it, felt
that to your son alone was due the determination
of all the geographical points, by his astronomical
observations, and that therefore the honour should
be shared between the leader and himself.
" Continuing to entertain the same sentiments,
and regretting that the rule of the society pre-
374 DR. WILLS'S REPLY.
vented them from granting more than one gold
medal for an expedition, the Council have autho-
rized me to offer this explanation to you, in order
that it may be preserved as a memorial.
"As nothing less than a medal could have been
adjudicated to so good a geographer as your
lamented son, so I trust that this explanation, and
the words which fell from me last evening at
the general meeting, in eulogizing his valuable
services, may prove satisfactory. Rely upon it,
that his merits will never be forgotten by my
associates and myself.
" I have the honour to be, Sir,
" Your very faithful servant,
(Signed) " Roderick Murchison,
" President of the Royal Geographical Society.
" P.S. This letter shall be printed in the Pro-
ceedings of the Society."
I replied thus :• —
" To Sir Roderick MurcMson,
" President of the Royal Geographical Society.
" 27 Arundel Street, Strand,
18th Nov., 1862.
" Sir,
"It was with much satisfaction that I re-
ceived your letter of the 11th inst., acknowledging
the appreciation, by yourself and the Council of the
Royal Geographical Society, of the merits of my
DR. WILLS'S REPLY. 375
lamented son in the Burke and Wills Exploring
Expedition in Australia. That he, and he alone,
was the only one who had the least pretension to
the title of geographer, is manifest ; — therefore it
is not strange that Dr. Mueller and my friends in
Australia should feel somewhat annoyed in the
matter of the Medal.
" I am not surprised that it should have so
happened under the circumstances. The motto
Sic vos non vobis, would be appropriate for him in
memoriam. The clothes, for the want of which he
died, so amply provided by himself, were worn by
others; the land discovered has been called ex-
clusively by another name; — the Gold Medal
should follow.
"Still I am grateful for your well-expressed
remarks at the meeting of the 10th inst., and
for this written testimonial of the 11th, from
yourself and the Council.
" I have the honour to be,
" Sir Roderick,
" Your obedient and humble servant,
" William Wills,
Father of the late Explorer. 1 *
Several poetical tributes in honour of the ad-
venturous dead were published in Victoria. I
select one which appeared in the 'Melbourne
Herald,' on the 1st of December, 1861.
376 VERSES FEOM THE 'MELBOURNE HERALD.'
THE LOST EXPLORERS.
" 'Tis but a little lapse of time
Since they passed from out our sight ;
Their hearts with hope were buoyant,
And each face with gladness bright ;
And many were the fervent prayers
That in safety they might go,
Through a hidden land to the distant strand
Where ocean billows flow.
" Theirs was no gay adventure
In some softly pleasant place :
They left home's quiet sanctitude
To meet a hostile race ;
To carve a passage through the land,
That down its channels wide,
With a joyous start might flow a part
Of the restless human tide.
" Across bleak stony deserts,
Through dense scrub and tangled brier,
They passed with hearts undaunted,
And with steps that would not tire ;
Through morass and flooding waters,
Undismayed by toil and fears,
At their chiefs command, with salient hand,
Fought on the pioneers.
" Battled with cold and famine,
• Battled with fiery heat,
Battled o'er rocks till a trail of blood
Was left by their wounded feet ;
Battled when death with his icy hand
Struck down the body of Gray ; —
1 Onward !' they said, as they buried the dead,
And went on their gloomy way.
" Now gather round your household hearths,
Your children by your knee ;
'Tis well that they should understand
This tale of misery.
'Tis well that they should know the names
Of those whose toil is o'er ;
Whose coming feet, we shall run to meet
With a welcome never mobe.
Yl i:si;s FROM THE 'MELBOURNE HERALD/ 377
" Tell how these modern martyrs,
In the strength and pride of men,
Went Ml into the wilderness
And came not back again ;
How they battled bravely onward,
For a nobler prise than thrones,
And how they lay, in the glaring day,
With the sun to bleach their bones.
" Tell how their poor hearts held them up
Till victory was won ;
How with fainting steps they journeyed back,
The great achievement done.
But of their anguish who may know,
Save God, who heard each groan,
When they saw no face at the trysting place,
And found themselves alone !
" Left alone with gaunt starvation,
And its sickly brood of ills,
Stood Burke the sanguine, hopeful King,
And the hero-hearted Wills;
Sad and weary stood the pioneers,
With no hand to give relief,
And so each day winged on its'way
As a dark embodied grief.
• Who can guess the depth of agony —
That no mortal tongue may tell —
Which each felt when slowly dying
At the brink "of hope's dry well 1
Deserted, famished, garmentless,
No voice of friendship nigh,
With loving^care, to breathe a prayer
When they settled down to die.
" Yet God be praised, that one dear life
Was held within His hand,
And saved, the only rescued one
Of that devoted band
Who went into the wilderness,
In the strength and pride of men :
The goal was won and their task was done,
But they came not back again.
378 CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.
11 We cannot break their calm, grand sleep,
By fond endearing cries ;
We cannot smile them back again,
However bright our eyes ;
But we may lowly bend the head,
Though not asham'd of the tears
We sadly shed, for the lowly dead,
Cut down in their bloom of years.
" And laurel garlands, greener
Than war's heroes ever bought
With the blood of slaughtered thousands,
Shall by loving hands be brought ;
And sanctified by many prayers,
Laid gently in their grave,
That the coming race may know the place
Where sleep our martyr' d brave.
" F. M. Hughan.'
Concluding Observations.
The narrative I have felt called upon to give
to the public, founded on an unexaggerated state-
ment of facts, with many of which no other person
could have been so well acquainted, is now con-
cluded, — with the natural anguish of a father for
the loss of a son of whom he was justly proud, and
who fell a victim to incapacity and negligence not
his own. Still, I have no desire to claim merit for
him to which he is not entitled, or to abstract an
iota from what is justly due to others. The
Eeport of the Eoyal Commission is to be found
at full in the Appendix ; unaccompanied neces-
sarily by the mass of conflicting evidence, trust-
worthy, contradictory, misinterpreted or misunder-
stood, on which it was based. The members who
.CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS. 879
composed that court were honourable gentlemen,
who investigated patiently, and I have no doubt
conscientiously. But there were many present,
with myself, who witnessed the examinations, and
wondered at some points of the verdict. We find
th» judgment most severe on the leader who
sacrificed his life, and whose mistakes would have
been less serious and fatal had his orders been
obeyed. There is also a disposition to deal
leniently with the far heavier errors and omissions
of the Exploration Committee ; and an unaccount-
able tendency to feel sympathy for Brahe, whose
evidence left it difficult to decide whether stu-
pidity, selfishness, or utter disregard of truth was
his leading deficiency.
It now only remains to sum up a brief retrospect
of the active spirit of discovery set astir, and not
likely to die away, as a sequel to the great Burke
and Wills Expedition, for by that name it will
continue to be known. We have already seen tint
the Victoria steamer, under Commander Norman,
was sent round to the Gulf of Carpentaria to
search for the missing explorers, had they reached
that part of the coast ; and to expedite and assist
land parties in advancing, southwards, to their aid.
Captain Norman suffered some delay by the unfor-
tunate wreck of the Firefly, a trader, laden with
horses, coals, and straw ; and having on board Mr.
Landsborough and party, who were to start from
the Albert river, or thereabouts. This wreck
380 CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.
occurred on the 4tli September, 1861, on one of the
group of islands to the north, called Sir Charles
Hardy's Islands. On the 7th, they were found by
Commander Norman, and through his great
personal exertions, ably seconded by his officers
and crew, he got* the ship off, with the greater
part of the horses and coals, and nearly all the
stores.
On the 1st of October, they reached the mouth
of the Albert. On the 14th of the same month,
Landsborough started for the head of that river,
as far as it was navigable, in the Firefly, under
the command of Lieutenant Woods of the Victoria ;
and on the 17th they were landed about twelve
miles up the stream. It was past the middle of
November before Mr. Landsborough resumed his
onward course ; and as his explorations had little
to do with an endeavour to discover the tracks of
the Yictorian Expedition, although he gained
much credit by his exertions, it is unnecessary to
detail them more minutely here. I shall merely
say that he followed a course S. by E., skirting
the country rather more to the westward than
the track followed by previous explorers, and
eventually reached Victoria.
Mr. Walker, despatched overland from Queens-
land, reached the Gulf on the 7th of December,
1861 ; and reported that he had, on the 24th of
November, found well-defined traces of three or
four camels and one horse, undoubtedly belonging
CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS. 381
to the Victorian Expedition, and making tin ir
way down the Flinders. With his usual cliaru -
teristic, he started again on the 11th of December.
Mr. Walker, with his party, consisting chiefly of
natives, did good service in his progress through
Queensland ; for when the report reached Mel-
bourne, through Captain Norman, that he lia<l
discovered the tracks of the camels so near the
it furnished satisfactory evidence of the cor-
rectness of my son's journals, although the fatal
news of his death and that of his commander had
been long received. There were not wanting un-
generous cavillers to insinuate doubts that he and
Burke had been at the Gulf. This inference they
sought to establish from an expression in one of the
few of Burke's notes preserved, to this effect : " 28th
Match. — At the conclusion of report, it would be
well to say that we reached the sea, but we could
not obtain a view of the open ocean, although we
made every effort to do so." At the extreme
point they reached, about fifteen miles down tiro
Minders, the tide ebbed and flowed regularly, and
the water was quite salt. The very simplicity of
Mr. Burke's remark shows that it was made by
a man not given to lying or deceit. Mr. Walker
followed the return tracks for some distance, but
lost them at about 20° of south latitude, and Chen
struck off direct east for the Queensland distt i< -t,
to inquire, and get further supplies for a new start.
At Rockhampton he received the fatal into Hi-
382 CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.
gence which had been sent round by sea from
Melbourne ; and also the news of the discovery of
King by the gallant Howitt, to whom all honour
is due for his labours in the cause.
But Mr. M'Kinlay, leader of the South Austra-
lian Expedition, of whom I have already spoken
more than once, has performed the most extra-
ordinary exploit of all, and has traversed by far
the greatest quantity of new ground, but not in
the direction originally intended by the govern-
ment that sent him. Failing in finding the traces
of Burke and his expedition, M'Kinlay took
more to the N. and N.W. between the 120° and
140° of Eastern longitude. Yet from some flood-
in gs which my son, it will be remembered, pointed
out in his journal as occurring from indications on
trees, M'Kinlay changed his course to N. and by
E. until he reached the Gulf of Carpentaria, and
then to S. and by E., and crossed to Queensland, re-
turning from Rockhampton to Adelaide by water.
A glance at the map will show the courses of
these respective explorers sufficiently for general
purposes. Thus Queensland, by some mysterious
influences in its favour, has reaped the whole
benefit of these explorations at the least apparent
cost. The land discovered by the Burke and
Wills Expedition, now named " Burke's Land,"
has been handed over to Queensland by the Home
Government, up to Cape York, on the extreme
north, in Torres Straits. This vast continent,
CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS. Ml
Tvest of 140°, in wliicli the South Australian, and
West Australian governments have so much inte-
rest, is, with the exception of Stuart's Line, qui i»
unexplored.
It has been a subject of congratulation by some,
that the misadventures, or more properly speak-
the gross errors connected with the Victorian
Expedition, have led to results that amply com-
pensate for the loss sustained. It is truly painful
to hear, and not very easy for those who ;in
deeply interested, to believe this ; and I think the
.majority of all readers will consider that these
losses might have been easily avoided.
The relatives of the sacrificed explorers have to
mourn their fate, and the colony of Victoria has
spent large sums of money, not for her own
benefit, immediate or indirect, present or prospec-
tiw. She, too, may exclaim "Sic vos non vobis"
Lucky Queensland derives the benefit ; her boun-
daries are extended to 140° of E. longitul. .
A great part of this country, formerly supposed
to be of a doubtful nature, is now known to be
the finest land in the Australian, capable of pro-
ducing cereals, wines, and tropical fruits ; also a
vast extent of ground fitted for the growth of
cotton. A source of unbounded wealth is thus
opened to that fortunate young colony : coals had
previously been discovered there. She is also
better supplied with timber and forests than the
more southern districts. Victoria, with her capital,
384 CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.
Melbourne, will have to wait for the extension of
railways, marking her position as the centre of
commerce, and will in time reap her well-merited
reward. Melbourne will always represent the
metropolis of the various colonies of Australia.
South Australia, so happy in her abundant pro-
duce of corn, wine, and mineral ores of copper
and iron, is a most desirable colony, but a great
portion of her interior being yet unexplored, her
full capabilities cannot at present be estimated.
There is no man more likely than John M'Kinlay,
with his robust frame, his energy and activity, to
carry out this great object, if the opportunity is
supplied to him.
The Australias altogether comprise a country
capable of conferring happiness upon countless
thousands of the Saxon race. Everything is to be
found, if the right people only are selected. Let
them comprise youth, vigorous health, temperate
habits, persevering industry, and morals based on
sound Christianity, and their success and advance-
ment in life is as certain as anything can be pro-
nounced in this world of uncertainty.
"While these pages are going through the press,
the last mail from Melbourne informs us that Mr.
Howitt was expected to arrive in that capital
towards the middle of December, 1862, with the
remains of Messrs. Burke and Wills. Arrange-
ments are being made for a public interment of
the most imposing character. If numbers can
CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS. 888
add to the effect, they are not likely to be want-
ing. Circulars have been officially addressed to
nearly 250 public bodies and societies throughout
the colony, inviting the different members to join
in the ceremony. Replies have been received
from by far the greater portion, stating their will-
ingness and desire to join in this last testimony
of respect for the lamented explorers. The monu-
ment, for which 5000/. has been voted by Govern-
ment, is to be erected in the Reserve surrounding
the Parliament House.
2 o Appkkdios.
APPENDICES.
(A.)
INSTRUCTIONS TO LEADER.
Exploration Committee, Royal Society of Victoria,
Melbourne, 18th August, 1860.
Sir,
I am directed by the Committee to convey to you the
instructions and views which have bejn adopted in con-
nection with the duties which devolve upon you as Leader of
the party now organized to explore the interior of Australia.
The Committee having decided on Cooper's Creek, of Sturt's,
as the basis of your operations, request that you will proceed
thither, form a depfit of provisions and stores, and make
arrangements for keeping open a communication in your rear
to the Darling, if in your opinion advisable ; and thence to
Melbourne, so that you may be enabled to keep the Committee
informed of your movements, and receive in return the assist-
ance in stores and advice of which you may stand in need.
Should you find that a better communication can be made by
way of the South Australian Police Station, near Mount
Serle, you will avail yourself of that means of writing to the
Committee.
In your route to Cooper's Creek, you will avail yourself of
any opportunity that may present itself for examining and
reporting on the character of the country east and west of the
Darling.
You will make arrangements for carrying the stores to a
point opposite Mount McPherson, which seems to the Com-
mittee to be the best point of departure from this river for
2 c 2
388 APPENDICES.
Cooper's Creek ; and while the main body of the party is
proceeding to that point you may have further opportunities
of examining the country on either side of your route.
In your further progress from Mount McPherson towards
Cooper's Creek, the Committee also desires that you should
make further detours to the right and left with the same
object.
The object of the Committee in directing- you to Cooper's
Creek, is, that you should explore the countiy intervening
between it and Leichhardt's track, south of the Gulf of Car-
pentaria, avoiding, as far as practicable, Sturt's route on the
west, and Gregory's, down the Victoria, on the east.
To this object the Committee wishes you to devote your
energies in the first instance ; but should you determine the
impracticability of this route you are desired to turn west-
ward into the country recently discovered by Stuart, and
connect his farthest point northward with Gregory's farthest
Southern Exploration in 1856 (Mount Wilson).
Tn proceeding from Cooper's Creek to Stuart's Country,
you may find the Salt Marshes an obstacle to the progress of
the camels ; if so, it is supposed you will be able to avoid
these marshes by turning to the northward as far as Eyre's
Creek, where there is permanent waj;er, and going then west-
ward to Stuart's Farthest.
Should you, however, fail, in connecting the two points of
Stuart's and Gregory's Farthest, pr should you ascertain that
this space has been already traversed, you are requested if
possible to connect your explorations with those of the
younger Gregory, in the vicinity of Mount Gould, and thence
you might proceed to Sharks' Bay, or down the River Murchi-
son, to the settlements in Western Australia.
This country would afford the means of recruiting the
strength of your party, and you might, after a delay of five or
six months, be enabled, with the knowledge of the country
you shall have previously acquired, to return by a more
direct route through South Australia to Melbourne.
If you should, however, have been successful in connecting
Stuart's with Gregory's farthest point in 1856 (Mount Wilson),
and your party should be equal to the task, you would pro-
APPENDICE8. 889
bably find it possible from thence to reach the country dis-
covered by the younger Gregory.
The Committee is fully aware of the difficulty of the country
you are called on to traverse ; and in giving you these in-
structions has placed these routes before you more as an
indication of what it has been deemed desirable to have accom-
ptiahed than as indicating any exact course for you to pursue.
The Committee considers you will find a better and a safer
guide in the natural features of the country through which
you will have to pass. For all useful and practical purposes
it will be better for you and the object of future settlement
that you should follow the watercourses and the country
yielding herbage, than* pursue any route which the Committee
might be able to sketch out from an imperfect map of Australia.
The Committee intrusts you with the largest discretion as
regards the forming of depdts, and your movements generally,
but request that you will mark your routes as permanently as
possible, by leaving records, sowing seeds, building cairns,
and marking trees at as many points as possible, consistently
with your various other duties.
With reference to financial subjects, you will be furnished
with a letter of authority to give orders on the Treasurer for
the payment of any stores or their transport, cattle, sheep, or
horses you may require ; and you will not fail to furnish the
Treasurer from time to time with detailed accounts of the
articles for which you have given such orders in payment.
Each person of the party will be allowed to give authority
for half of his salary being paid into any bank, or to any person
he may appoint to receive the same ; provided a certificate is
forwarded from you to the effect that he has efficiently dis-
charged his duty.
The Committee requests that you will make arrangements
for an exact account being taken of the stores and their ex-
penditure by the person you place in charge of them.
The Committee also requests that you would address all
your communications on subjects connected with the explora-
tion to the Honorary Secretary ; and that all persons acting
with you should forward their communications on the same
subject through you.
390 APPENDICES.
You will cause full reports to be furnished by your officers
on any subject of interest, and forward them to Melbourne as
often as may be practicable without retarding the progress of
the expedition.
The Committee has caused the inclosed set of instructions
to be drawn up, having relation to each department of science ;
and you are requested to hand each of the gentlemen a copy of
the part more particularly relating to his department.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
(Signed) JOHN MACADAM, M.D.,
Honorary Secretary, E.C., R.S.V.
Robert O'Hara Burke, Esq.
Leader, Victorian Exploring Expedition.
APPENDICES. 891
(B.)
Victoria : By tho Grace of God, of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of
the Faith.
To onr trusty and well-beloved The Honourable Sir Thomas
Simson Pratt, K.C.B., The Honourable Sir Francis Murphy,
Speaker of our Legislative Assembly, The Honourable
Matthew Hervey, M.P., The Honourable James Forester
Sullivan, M.P., and Evelyn PUfield Shirley Sturt, Esquire,
all of Melbourne, in the Colony of Victoria, Greeting.
WHEREAS the Governor of our Colony of Victoria, with tho
advice of the Executive Council thereof, has deemed it ex-
pedient that a Commission should forthwith issue for the
purpose of inquiring into all the circumstances connected
with the sufferings and death of Bobert O'Hara Burke and
William John Wills, the Victorian Explorers : and Whereas
it is desirable to ascertain tho true causes of this lamentable
result of the Expedition to the said Bobert O'Hara Burke and
his companions; and especially to investigate the circum-
stances under which the dep6t at Cooper's Creek was aban-
doned by William Brahe and his party on the twenty-first
day of April last; and to determine upon whom rests the
grave responsibility of there not having been a sufficient
supply of provisions and clothing secured for tho recruiting
of the Explorers on their return, and for their support until
they could reach the settlements ; and generally to inquire
into tho organization and conduct of the Expedition: also,
392 APPENDICES.
with regard to the claims upon the Colony of the surviving
members thereof, and of the relatives (if any) of the deceased
members : Now know ye that we, reposing great trust and
confidence in your integrity, knowledge, and ability, have
authorized and appointed, and by these presents do authorize
and appoint you, Sir Thomas Simson Pratt, Sir Francis Murphy,
Matthew Hervey, James Forester Sullivan, and Evelyn Pitfield
Shirley Sturt, to be Commissioners for the purpose aforesaid :
and for the better effecting the purpose of this Commission, we
do give and grant you power and authority to call before
you such persons as you shall judge likely to afford you any
information upon the subject of this Commission : and to in-
quire of and concerning the premises by all other lawful means
and ways whatsoever : and this Commission shall continue in
full force and virtue ; and you the said Commissioners may,
from time to time, and at every place or places, proceed in
the execution thereof, and of every matter or thing therein
contained, although the inquiry be not regularly continued
from time to time by adjournment : and lastly, that you do
report, as occasion may require, for the information of our
Governor of our said Colony, under your hands and seals, all
matters and things elicited by you during the inquiry under
this Commission.
Witness our trusty and well-beloved Sir
Henry Barhly, Knight Commander of
the Most Noble Order of the Bath,
Captain-General, and Governor-in-
Chief of our Colony of Victoria, and
Vice-Admiral of the same, at Mel-
bourne, this twelfth day of November,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
one, and in the twenty-fifth year of
our Eeign.
HENRY BARELY.
By His Excellency's command,
(Signed) R. HEALES.
APPEND* 3W
(C.)
To His Excellency Sir Henry Barklv, Knight Commander
of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Captain-General
and Governor-in-Chief of the Colony of Victoria, and Vice-
Admiral of the same, dc. t dc.
May it please Your Excellency —
In conformity with the terms of Her Majesty's commis-
sion, we have made inquiry into the circumstances
connected with the sufferings and death of Robert
O'Hara Burke and William John Wills, the Victorian
explorers.
We have endeavoured to ascertain the true causes of this
lamentable result of the expedition, and have investi-
gated the circumstances under which the depot at
Cooper's Creek was abandoned by Mr. William Braho.
We have sought to determine upon whom rests the
grave responsibility of there not having been a suffi-
cient supply of provisions and olothing secured for the
recruiting of the explorers on their return, and for
their support until they could reach the settlements ;
and we have generally inquired into the organization
and conduct of the expedition.
Our investigations have been confined to the above
matters, the Government having already taken into
consideration the claims on the colony of the surviv-
ing members of the expedition, &c.
39i APPENDICES.
We have examined all persons willing to give evidence
who professed,, or whom we supposed to possess, know-
ledge upon the various subjects of our inquiries : and
we now, after mature consideration, submit to your
Excellency the following Eeport : —
The expedition, having been provided and equipped in
the most ample and liberal manner, and having reached
Menindie, on the Darling, without experiencing any difficul-
ties, was most injudiciously divided at that point by Mr.
Burke.
It was an error of judgment on the part of Mr. Burke to
appoint Mr. Wright to an important command in the expedi-
tion, without a previous personal knowledge of him ; although,
doubtless, a pressing urgency had arisen for the appointment,
from the sudden resignations of Mr. Landells and Dr.
Beckler.
Mr. Burke evinced a far greater amount of zeal than
prudence in finally departing from Cooper's Creek before the
depot party had arrived from Menindie, and without having
secured communication with the settled districts as he had
been instructed to do ; and, in undertaking so extended a
journey with an insufficient supply of provisions, Mr. Burke
was forced into the necessity of overtaxing the powers of his
party, whose continuous and unremitting exertions resulted in
the destruction of his animals, and the prostration of himself
and his companions from fatigue and severe privation.
The conduct of Mr. Wright appears to have been repre-
hensible in the highest degree. Tt is clear that Mr. Burke,
on parting with him at Torowoto, relied on receiving his
immediate and zealous support ; and it seems extremely im-
probable that Mr. Wright could have misconstrued the inten-
tions of his leader so far, as to suppose that he ever calcu-
lated for a moment on his remaining for any length of time on
the Darling. Mr. Wright has failed to give any satisfactory
explanation of the causes of his delay ; and to that delay are
mainly attributable the whole of the disasters of the expedi-
tion, with the exception of the death of Gray. The grave
responsibility of not having left a larger supply of provisions,
together with some clothing, in the cache, at Cooper's Creek,
APPENDICES. Hi
rests with Mr. Wright. Even had he been unable to convey
stores to Cooper's Creek, he might have left them elsewhere,
leaving notice at the depot of his having done so.
The Exploration Committee, in overlooking the import-
ance of the contents of Mr. Burke's despatch from Torowoto,
and in not urging Mr. Wright's departure from the Darling,
committed errors of a serious nature. A moans of knowledge
of the delay of the party at Men indie was in the possession of
the Committee, not indeed by direct communication to that
effect, but through the reoeipt of letters from Drs. Becker and
Beckler at various dates up to the end of November,— with-
out, however, awakening the Committee to a sense of the vital
importance of Mr. Burke's request in that despatch that ho
should " bo soon followed up," — or to a consideration of the
disastrous consequences which would be likely to result, and
did unfortunately result, from the fatal inactivity and idling
of Mr. Wright and his party on the Darling.
The conduct of Mr. Brahe in retiring from his position
at the depot before he was rejoined by his commander, or
relieved from the Darling, may be deserving of considerable
censure ; but we are of opinion that a responsibility far beyond
his expectations devolved upon him ; and it must be borne in
mind that, with the assurance of his leader, and his own con-
viction, he might each day expect to be relieved by Mr.
Wright, he still held his post for four months and five days,
and that only when pressed by the appeals of a comrade sick-
ening even to death, as was subsequently proved, his powers
of endurance gave way, and he retired from the position which
could alone afford succour to the weary explorers should they
return by that route. His decision was most unfortunate;
but wo believe he acted from a conscientious desire to dis-
charge his duty, and we are confident that the painful reflec-
tion that twenty-four hours' further perseverance, would have
made him the rescuer of the explorers, and gained for himself
the praise and approbation of all, must be of itself an agoniz-
ing thought, without the addition of censure he might
himself undeserving of.
It does not appear that Mr. Burke kept any regular
journal, or that he gave written instructions to his officers.
396 APPENDICES.
Had he performed these essential portions of the duties of a
leader, many of the calamities of the expedition might have
been averted, and little or no room would have been left for
doubt in judging the conduct of those subordinates who
pleaded unsatisfactory and contradictory verbal orders and
statements.
We cannot too deeply deplore the lamentable result of an
expedition, undertaken at so great a cost to the colony ; but,
while we regret the absence of a systematic plan of operations
on the part of the leader, we desire to express our admiration
of his gallantry and daring, as well as of the fidelity of his
brave coadjutor, Mr. \\ills, and their more fortunate and en-
during associate, Mr. King ; and we would record our feelings
of deep sympathy with the deplorable sufferings and untimely
deaths of Mr. Burke and his fallen comrades.
T. S. Pratt, Chairman,
Matthew Hervey,
E. P. S. Sturt,
Francis Murphy,
J. F. Sullivan.
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