The History of Discovery in Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand, from the earliest date to the present day ... With maps of the recent explorations

Chapter I. Dr

LEICHHARDT'S EXPEDITION OVERLAND FROM MORETON TO PORT ESSINGTON IN THE YEARS 1844 AND 1845. Proposition to send Sir Thomas Mitchell on an expedition across the continent. Dr. Leichhardt finally employed. Captain Sturt about to start from Adelaide for the same point. Dr. Leichhardt's antecedents. Rather scantily supplied with instruments. His party. At Brisbane. Abundant supplies offered. Their equipments. Messrs. Hodgson and Gilbert join the expedition. Start on the 1st of September. Cross the Darling Downs. Acacia scrubs. Leichhardt notes all facts of natural history. Trouble with the native guides. Dawson River. Calvert Plains. Pursued by hornets. Lakes and mountains. Expedition Range. Mount Nicholson. The Boyd. Sandstone Rocks. Creek of the Ruined Castles. Bigge's Mountain. Albinia Downs.

Comet Creek and Comet Range. Startled natives from their dinner. Abundance of kangaroos. The Mackenzie. Wild beans which make good coffee. Mount Stewart. Honey plentiful. West Hill. A very mountainous region before them. Calvert's Peak, Gilbert's Downs, Lowe's, MacArthur's and Roper's Peaks. Leichhardt makes a reconnoissance northward. Mountainous region. Zamia Creek. Black ants and hornets. Alarmed black woman and infant. Coxon'sPeak. Charley and Brown, the blacks, dismissed, but allowed to come back to the party. Intense heat. The Isaac's and Suttor. Fine valleys. Black man and woman mount into trees. The deaf black woman's fright at seeing Leichhardt on horseback. Water, water plants, and water fowl. Mount M'Connell. The Burdekin. Pelicans and black swans. Geological character of the rocks.

Mount Graham. Gourds and calabash. Numerous fig trees. The figs full of ants. Luxuriant wild beans. Roby's and Porter's Ranges. Clarke River. Basaltic dykes and fossiliferous limestone. Only thirty miles from Halifax Bay. Hitherto a coast journey. Now strike more westward. The Perry. Fine country. Interesting descriptions of the routine of a day on the journey. Basaltic rocks, lava, lagoons. Mulberry trees. Dividing Range from 2000 to 3000 feet high. Granite, basalt, and lava. Obliged to diverge. Question of the blacks about the bullocks. Want of water. Separation Creek. A traveller's trials and pleasures. Blacks again fly, and leave their dinner. Fine rock crystal in a bag. New trees and plants. Daring kites. The Lynd. Kirehener's Range. Fig and cotton trees. Sandstone country. A sawfish found.

Superior huts of the natives. The Mitchell River. The gum-tree ants. The crocodile. Palm trees appear. Natives numerous and hostile. Attempt to drive off the cattle. Murder of Mr. Gilbert. A nocturnal fight. Calvert and Roper wounded severely. The night intensely cold. Chase away the natives. Gilbert's funeral. In sight of the Gulf of Carpentaria. A wild plum found. Fine grassy country. Reach the salt water. a CONTENTS. IV Page Lagoons, with white, blue, and pink lilies. A native suddenly appears in the camp. Native melons. The Gilbert River. Grevilleas, Barthemas, and Balfourias abound. Numerous natives. Kill abundance of ducks, spoonbills, and three emus. Cross the Plahi9 of Promise. Pugnacious native boy. The Albert River. Carving of an emu's foot. Audacity of natives. The river Leichhardt.

The Nicholson. Emu trap. _ Cross a succession of rivers to Tasman's River. Numerous kinds of animal life. Cycas palms. Fruit of the pandanus. Seven Emu River. The Robinson River. Zamia and Cycas palm groves. Desperate condition of their clothes. Moccasins of "bullock hide. Tea and sugar gone. Pound seeds for a beverage. The white-barked tree of Tasman, figs, and sterculias. The MacArthm* salt-water river. Soup of dry bullock hides. Blistering fruit. Cape Maria. Reduce then* baggage. The Limmen River. Sw*amps, wild geese, ducks, alligators, and thickets of acacias. Native fish traps. The Wickham. Flat-topped sandstone rocks. The Four Archers. Their kangaroo dog died. Strike westward across the Arnheim Peninsula for Port Essington. The Roper River. Abandon more luggage and botanical specimens.

A horse drowned. Cattle very much exhausted. Great swamps full of water fowl. Natives with English articles of dress. More speaking some English. East Alligator River. Rocks, hills, swamps, wild geese, and flying foxes. Shoot a buffalo. Port Essington. Return by sea to Sydney. Honours aud rew*ards. Fresh Expedition in 1847. Not heard of again. Traces of Leichhardt seen by Gregory and Walker. Lost probably in the great western desert. His supplies. Mr. Hovcden Hely sent in quest of Leichhardt. Journey fruitless. Blacks' report, Leichhardt murdered with alibis party. Seventeen years passed without certain information of Leichhardt's fate.

Chapter II. The Expedition Op Captain Sturt Into Central Australia In The

YEARS 1844, 45, AND 46. Reasons for the expedition. — Stuart's theory of an inland sea. His hope to clear this up. His party, and its equipments. Start August 18th, 1844. Reach Mr. Eyre's station at Moorundi, on the Murray. Captain Sturt restrained by his instructions from crossing to the North Sea. Mischiefs of stay-at-home wisdom. Leave Moorundi accompanied for some distance by Mr. Eyre. The River Rufus. Nadbuck and Toonda, black guides. Laidley's Ponds. The building rat. Quit the Darling. Mitchell, Sturt, Burke, and Wills all make journeys northwards from this point. Native remembrance of Sir Thomas Mitchell's castigation. Despatches from Adelaide by three natives. Their excessive fatigue. Talkativeness of Camboli. Mr. Poole reconnoitres a-head. Sturt moves to Cawndilla Lake. Measures a base line.

Goes a-head to explore. Treachery of Topar, a native. The country destitute of water. Finds the Clianthus Damperi. A terrible hurricane. Break up camp, and advance. The Coonbaralba Range. Lewis's Hill. Stopped by rocks. Vast desert plains on each side of the ranges. Mr. Poole goes S.W. to seek Lake Torrens. Reached Lake Blanche. Mr. Flood precedes the main party to seek for water. Tremendous heat. Flood finds a little creek. They advance. See Mounts Lyell and Babbage from the lulls. Curious hollow balls. Parties go out to seek for water. Abundance of emus and kangaroos. A visit from the natives. An excursion eastward. Burning plains. News of water northward! Drays falling to pieces with the heat. Dreadful travelling in the torrid heat. Two bullocks killed by it. Mount Arrowsmith, the magnetic hill.

Plague of ants and flies. Camped in a pleasant glen by deep water in latitude 29" 4t/ 14" S., longitude 141" 30' 41". Detained there by drought for six CONTENTS. V 1 2. 3 Page months. Their experiences there. Health of Messrs. Poole and Browne failing. Captain Sturt and others attacked by scurvy. The captain with a party rides forward to reconnoitre, carrying water-barrels. Reach within twenty or thirty miles of Cooper's Creek, but driven back. Two horses abandoned. Another attempt westward. Return to the camp. Discover a grassy valley which they call the Park. Effects of the heat on the ground and on their implements. Make an underground room. All the birds leave. A solitary native appears. A desert philosopher. Chain a hue of thirty miles towards Lake Torrens. Rain and flood in the creek.

Mr. Poole dies. A monument to him piled on Red Hill. Captain Sturt pro ceeds westward with a light party to Lake Blanche. Verifies Mr. Eyre's character of the country. Proceed N.W. The bare desert destroys all idea of an inland sea. A creek, with native huts and troughs for grinding seeds. The Stony Desert. Eyre's Creek. They return. Water hole with fish. Reach their camp, which they name Fort Grey. Captain Sturt entreats Mr. Browne to return to Adelaide on account of his health, but in vain. A last effort to penetrate northward. Endeavour to trace the ex tent of the Stony Desert eastward. Report as of a cannon in the desert. Dismal sandy regions. Salt Lake. The Stony Desert again, a gloomy, herbless, treeless region. Eleven days over this horrid desert. Exhausted condition of the horses. Reach Cooper's Creek, and name it.

Sturt's account of this creek. The natives friendly. Signs of floods, and abundance of water fowl and fish. Leave behind a roan horse. Traced the creek eastward into hollow plains, bearing marks of periodical floods. Return to Fort Grey. Leave another horse. Bawley Plains. Intense heat again. Return journey to Adelaide. Results of this expedition, the explosion of an inland sea, and confirmation of desert, but westward. Exploration of the south-eastern sea coast of South Australia by Governor Grey in 1844 . 42

Chapter III. Exploring Expeditions In Western Australiacontinued

Expedition op Messrs. Landor and Lefeoy in seaech of an In iand Sea, in 1843. Journal published in Perth Inquirer. Leave York, January 9. Proceed to the Hotham River. Country level. Cross a large river. Byriering Lake. Lake Novring. Salt Lakes. Go down a fresh water lake. Discover a river named the Landor. Another named the Lefroy. See two Timor ponies. Return by a branch of the Hotham. General report of the country. Expedition of Mb. Roe, Surveyor-General of Western Australia, eastward of Perth, accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory and others. Set out from York. Pass over heights to Cape Riche. The Jeeramungup. Good grazing country. Mount Madden and Mount Short. Poor country and salt lakes. Bremer Range. Mount Gordon. Fitzgerald Range. Barren country. Severe journey to the Russell Range : no grass, no water.

Return by the shore to Cape Riche. Howick Hill, Mount Merivale, and Mount Hawes, -named by them. The streamlet Gore and inlet Lort, Philhps's River, and Eyre's named by them. Found coal-beds at the junction ofthe Elwes and Jeeramungup. Between the Elwes and Cape Richie named Mount Bland, Gairdner River, and Gordon Inlet. In their homeward route by Bunbury, came on a sandal-wood-cutting station. Return to Perth. Expedition of Messrs. Gregory into the interior of Western Australia. Start from Boyeen Spring, on Swan River, August 7th. Lake Brown. See ranges from N. to E.S.E. Eastward a discouraging country. Columns of red sand or dust. Took a N.W. course. Vast flats and bogs. Cross them by means of hurdles. Lake Moore. Salt, gypsum, and mud beds. Still on to September 3rd over wretched country.

Strike the Arrow- VI CONTENTS. Page smith River. Followed the river down to its mouth. Found beds of coal. Follow the coast homewards. 4. Votase of Lieutenant Helpman to examine the coal of the Arrowsmith. Examined the country from the Arrowsmith to the Hutt. Mistook the rivers as laid down by Captain Grey. The error rectified by Mr. Arrowsmith. Mr, Hillman's trip to Lake Moore. 5. Settlers' Expedition northward from Perth under A. C. Gregory. Instructions for the tour from the Local Government. The object, to discover pasture lands. Joined by friends at Toodyay. At Arrowsmith Creek. Irwin Plains.— Large extent of good pasturage land found. Also on Champion Bay. The Murchison country poor. Freyeinet Harbour. Country around wretched. Found lead ore at the Hutt. Some good land on the Bowes. Return to Perth. 6.

Visit of Governor Fitzg-erald to the Muhchison. Sailed to Champion Bay. Find no coal, but lead in the Murchison. Attacked by natives. The Governor speared through the thigh. Shot one man. Mining commenced on the Murchison and Bowes .... 77

Chapter IV

sir thomas Mitchell's fourth expedition, discovery of THE BARCOO. Need of an overland route from New South Wales to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Two iron boat3 built. Expedition left Paramatta November the 7th, 1854. The party well selected and equipped. Blacks meet them on the Bogan to inquire their object. An old native resembling Socrates offers himself again. Traces of conflict between the natives and the squatters. Want of water. The Bogan dry. Attacked by ophthalmia. Encamp on a creek, and wait. Piper, the native guide, dismissed. On the 12th of April advance. Sudden coming down of waters in the Macquarie. A furious flood carrying trees along with it. Reach the Barwan. Messrs. Russell's exploration in 1841. Surprising changes. The white man now lord of the region. The Narran. The Balonne, a fine large river.

The Calgoa. Sir Thomas now marks his camping places on trees. Lake Parachute. Advances with a light party. Lakes and lagoons. LakeTurauimga. Mount Toolumba. Name this district Fitzroy Downs. Natives. The Maranoa and Amby. Curious embassage from the natives. Warned away by them. Mr. Kennedy, Sir Thomas's second in command, brings up the rear detachment. Sir Thomas again starts northwards. Distress for water. Water fouud through a dream. A sulphurous stream, the Salvator. The Claude, fertdity of its banks. Abundance of fossil wood. Entered the tropics. The Belyando. Vast numbers of wild fowl and kangaroos. Menacing natives. Return to the Salvator. Beauty and fertility of the country. Remarkable meteor. The Claude. Encamp in a mountain gorge. The depot fixed there. Sir Thomas sets out north-westward.

The Nine. Discover the Barcoo. Sir Thomas's warm eulogium of the river and country around. Pronounced by him the finest river and district of Australia. Return homewards. See marks of squatters already on their track . . . . ,92

Chapter V

Kennedy's explorations of the barcoo and of the york peninsula, 1847. Edward Kennedy sent to trace the Barcoo, and find a route to Carpentaria. Crossed the Barcoo at Sir Thomas Mitchell's lowest point on August the 13th. Found the river running a fresh course. The Thomson falling CONTENTS. VII into the Barcoo. Traces the Barcoo down 100 miles. Then lightens his luggage, and advances downwards through a wretched country to latitude 26" 13' 9", longitude 142° 20'. A low, flat country. The river dividing into many channels. Convinced that it was identical with Cooper's Creek. Returns northwards. The natives had plundered his buried stores. Obliged by this to return home. Kennedy's journal edited by the Rev. W. B. Clarke. Kennedy's Expedition to the York Peninsula. Proposed plan of a new expedition towards the Gulf.

Provisions to be carried by ship to Albany. York Peninsula to be first examined, then the route towards Carpentaria. Kennedy and party land at Rockingham Bay in May, 1848. Compelled to diverge to the south-west by the mountains Abandon their carts and heavy stores. Leave eight men at Weymouth Bay. Kennedy and four men, including Jackey, the native guide, push on for Albany. One of the party wounded by a gun, which impeded them. Leave him and the other two whites, and Kennedy and Jackey proceed towards Albany alone. Attacked by natives near Albany. Kennedy killed. Jackey reaches Albany with his journal. Sufferings and deaths in the party at Weymouth Bay. Only two saved. Relief party from the " Ariel." The three other men sought for in vain. Ten out of the original thirteen of this expedition perished. Generous nature of Edward Kennedy . . . . . . .108

Chapter VI. The Expedition Op Mr

ROBERT AUSTIN, ASSISTANT SURVEYOR, INTO THE INTERIOR OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, IN 1854. Objects of the expedition. The party. Left Mombe Kine, on Swan River, in July. The samphire plains toWaddoming. The salt lake Cow-cowing. Thence a poor country to Mount Marshall. A miserable region of dead scrub to Mount Kenneth. Views from Mount Kenneth sterde and forbidding. Journey northward over this desert to August 20th. Their horses poisoned by a shrub. Fourteen died. Mount Magnet. Views all round still dismal. Miseries of tight boots. West Mount Magnet. Rude, rocky, and scrubby country. Natives refuse to eat a new kind of kangaroo. Believed it a demon. The Carved Cave Spring. Native art. Accident to Farmer by his own gun. Poison plants again. Farmer dies of lock-jaw. Bequeathes his property. Buried near a hill named Mount Farmer.

Mount Charles. Views round into rocky and scrubby regions. Native cross, and springes for emus. Mounts Lake and Murchison. Murchison river. Advanced to within fifty miles of Shark's Bay. Driven back by wretched, waterless country. Mounts Narryer, Welcome, Grass, and Vinden. Sufferings on the retreat to the Geraldine Mines. Bury luggage. Native guide nearly dead. Generous offer of Captain Sanford, but unavailing. Return to Perth. Mr. Austin's estimate of the lands passed over. Mr. Phillip's Report ...... . 120

Chapter VII. Expedition For The Exploration Of Northern Australia In

1855-6, UNDER THE COMMAND OF MR. A. C. GREGORY. Mr. Uzzielli offers £10,000 for an expedition to explore the north of Australia. Offer of Mr. W. S. Lmdsay, M.P. Undertaken by the Government. Outfit to be completed at Moreton Bay. The party. Sailed from Brisbane August 12th, 1855. Reached Port Patterson, Arnheim's Land, September 2nd. Ran on a rock. Great damage to, and loss of horses. Land at CONTENTS. Page Point Pearce. Part of the expedition went by land to the higher part of the river. Two horses poisoned. Horses attacked by alligators on Fitz maurice River. The party ascending the river struck on a rock. Great loss of stores and sheep. Out of 200 shipped, only twenty-six reached the camp alive. Rules laid down for the conduct of the party. Their good effect. Set out a small party southward.

Exploration of the Victoria for 100 miles. Return to camp. Fresh exploration in January, 1856. Stupendous rocks on the river course. Basaltic country with deep gullies. The head waters of the Victoria. Dividing range. Wretched country. Retreat before the heat and drought. Mount Miiller. Follow the Wick ham to the Victoria. Serious injury to one of the party. Party formed to proceed towards Carpentaria. Start on 21st of June. Reach a creek of the Roper, July 12th. The Roper. Flat country. Creeks and lagoons. Marks of floods. The gigantic water-lily. Proceed S.E., leave basaltic country. Blacks try to surprise them. Two horses poisoned. Bad country. Limmen Bight. MacAdam range and MacArthur river. Sand- Btone hills. Cross the Robinsor. and Leichhardt rivers. Country better. Brimstone and basalt.

Nicholson River. Poor Country. Beame's Brook a branch of the Albert. The Tom Tough not arrived. Determined to push on for the east course. Buried canisters to say this. September 3rd, continued their journey. Plains of Promise disappoint them. The Leich hardt. Attacked by the natives. The spring season, yet the country looked poor. Betwixt the Fliuders and Gilbert saw good country. Gd bert nearly dry. Arrive at ranges 2500 feet high. Head waters of the Lynd. Basaltic country well grassed. Reach the Burdekin in October. Trees marked with an iron axe. Camp of Leichhardt. Rocks of various kinds. Trace the Burdekin to the " Suttor and Belyando." On the Comet noticed a camp of Leichhardt's. Arrival at Brisbane. The expedition completed in sixteen months. Objects accomplished by this expedition.

The part of the expedition which went in the Tom Tough to Timor for supplies reaches Sydney by sea. Mr. Baines' boat-voyage of 650 mdes. Remarks of Captain Sturt on Mr. Gregory's discoveries, and on the theory of the Australian interior. — Theory of Mr. Alfred Howitt. Diagram in illustration of it. Reports of Messrs. Elsey, Wdson, Flood, Baines, and Lieutenant Chimmo ...... 133

Chapter VIII. The Expeditions Of John M'douall Stuart, Extending From Adelaide To

THE NORTH SEA, FROM 1858 TO 1862. Mr. Stuart, draftsman of Captain Sturt's expedition, in 1844-5. — Aided in his attempts at discovery by Messrs. Finke and Chambers. In 1858 passed Lake Torrens for the north-west. Mr. Babbage at Yalticourie invites him to Coulthardt's funeral, and proposes to accompany him on his expedition. Mr. Stuart excuses himself. Bottle Hdl. Bad country. Enquires after Wingillpin. Mr. Stuart's idea of Wmgdlpin. Mount Hamilton. Stony country. Mr. Stuart looking out for Cooper's Creek to the west. Supposes a creek near Mount Hamilton, to form the Glenelg of Captain Grey in Western Australia. Turns south, finding scrub and salt lagoons. Turned next N.W. till the 1st of August. Worthless country. Near Lake Gairdner. Proceeds towards Denial Bay. Dismal country about Mount Finke.

Reach Gibson's Station, Streaky Bay. Return by Mount Arden. Stuart's Second Journey into the vicinity of Lake Torrens. Assisted by Messrs. Finke and Chambers. Ascends the eastern side of Lake Torrens. Finniss's Springs. Mount Hamilton. Mount Hugh. Elizabeth Springs. Douglas Creek. Davenport. Range. Other springs. The Hanson Range. Mounts Kingston and Younghusband. Good country. Barrow CONTENTS. IX Page and Freeling Springs. Neale Creek. Mount O'Halloran. No water. Returns to Glen's Station, Termination Hill. Third Expedition. From the Spring of Hope to Mount Anna. Wdd grape at Parry's Springs. Thinks he saw Lake Torrens. December 20th set his men to dig for gold. No gold. Returned to Chambers' Creek. Fourth Expedition towards the centre of the continent. Advances beyond the Neale to new ground.

Mount Ben and Head's Range. Goes westward. Wretched scrub. West Neale. Enter extensive ranges. Mounts Beddome, Daniel, Humphries, and the Twins. Gwyder and Finke Creeks. Poor country. Extraordinary sandstone rock, which he names Chambers' Pdlar. Numerous hills named, ending in Mount Stuart. This he named Central Mount Stuart, as the centre of Australia, and planted a flag on it. Went west 150 miles, naming several hids, but found ad barren scrub. Again went northward till June 26th. Named various hills and creeks as far as Mount Samuel. At Kekwick Pond says he met with a native freemason. On June 26th at Attack Creek. The native freemasons drive him back. Sufferings of the party. Mr. Stuart nearly blind. Left a horse alive bogged in a creek. On returning found his bones. Returned to Adelaide.

Fifth Expedition. Mr. Stuart's report of his progress in Adelaide. Fund voted for another expedition. November 29th started from Adelaide. His party and equipments. Squatting stations already near the 28th degree of S. latitude. A little dog killed by the heat. Spitting native. Attack Creek. Whittington Range. Morphett Creek. New plants and trees. Finely grassed country. Mount Primrose. Carruther's and Hunter's Creeks. Sturt's Plains. Ashburton Range. Vain attempt to go westward toward the Victoria river. Curious baby's coffin. Difficult country. Newcastle Water. Mount Shilhnglaw. Natives fire the grass. Howell's Ponds. Return to Adelaide. Sixth Expedition, in which the Northern Coast is reached. — Offers to proceed north again. News of Burke and Wills being found dead at Cooper's Creek, after crossing the continent.

October 21st, 1861, Stuart starts again. Kicked by a horse. December 20th at Moolooloo. His party. Two of these desert. Hottest season of the year. Natives hostde at Marchant's Springs, and Mount Hay. April 17, 1862, at their farthest point, Howell's Springs. Difficulties from drought and dense scrub. Try right and left. Push through. Frew's Water-Hole. King's Ponds. Return to Howell's Ponds, defeated by the scrub. Once more advance. Auld's and McGorrerey's Ponds. Better country. Daly Waters. New tree. Fine grassy country. Blue Grass Swamp. The bean-tree again. Sickness from eating gum. Purdie's Ponds. Strangways River. Hilly region. Tall trees, and plenty of fish. Mount Miiller. Reach the Roper. A horse drowned. Natives firing the grass. Chambers' River. Stony hills. The Waterhouse Creek.

Mounts Helpman, Levi, and Watts. Chambers Range. Fanny and Catherine Creeks. Basaltic country. Mount Stone. Kekwick's Springs. The Fan palm. The Adelaide River. Splendid view. Palms and tropical plants. Through stony country. Mary Creek. William Creek. Priscilla Creek. Very tall grass. Helen Creek. The Adelaide again. The Daly Range. Reach the sea in Van Diemen's Gulf. Plant a flag. Return homewards. Natives still fire the grass. Two horses drowned in the Roper. Abandon luggage. Mr. Stuart seized witli scurvy. His eyes fail. August 27, a comet is visible. A remarkable native mummy. Reach Attack Creek. Lose several horses through exhaustion. Stuart much worse. Make long halts. Men and horses failing fast. Have to send ahead to look for water. Everywhere drought. Kill now and then a horse for food.

November 26, reach Jarvis's Station. Mount Margaret. Stuart travels in a litter. Reach Adelaide, December 18th. General view of the advantages of these expeditions, and prospects of this northern country. Dr. Hardman's edition of Stuart's Journal. X CONTENTS. Page Question of telegraphic communication across the continent. Lease of 1000 square miles of land to Stuart. Grant of £2000 to Stuart, and different sums to other members of his party. Order in which the transit of the continent has been made by different explorers . . . 159

Chapter IX. The Exploring Expedition Of Victoria In

1860-1 UNDER THE COMMAND OF MESSRS. BURKE AND WILLS. Offer of £1000 by Mr. Ambrose Kyte towards an expedition across the continent. £3400 subscribed by the public for this object ; £6000 voted by the Victoria government : total, £12,400. Camels brought from India by Mr. Landells for the journey. Committee of Royal Society appointed managers ofthe expedition business, Robert O'Hara Burke selected as leader. His antecedents. Mr. Landells, manager of the camels. William John Wills, astronomer and surveyor. Names of the party. — Start August the 20th, 1860, in great eclat from Melbourne. Misgivings of Wdls's father. Ferguson, the foreman, dismissed on the Murrumbidgee. Landells resigns. Prophecies the ruin of the expedition. Wills made second in command. His amiable character. Burke appoints Mr. Wright third in command.

Unfitness of Wright. Leaves half of his expedition with Wright at Menindie. Advances to Cooper's Creek. Mr. Wright does not follow. Charged with looking out stations for squatters. Description ofthe country between Menindie and Cooper's Creek. Mr. Wills advances ninety mdes direct northward from Cooper's Creek, but returns from want of w*ater. Wills's description ofthe country about Cooper's Creek. News of Stuart having crossed the continent carried by Trooper Lyons to Menindie. Sent on by Wright, but returned without finding the way to Cooper's Creek. Wright sends back to Melbourne for more money. Mr. Wright not appearing at Cooper's Creek, Mr. Burke appoints Brahe to the command at Cooper's Creek, and sets out for the Gulf of Carpentaria with a small party. His haste. Threatens to throw the scientific instruments into a creek.

Anxiety at Melbourne regarding the expedition. Efforts of Dr. Wills. An expedition sent in quest of Burke and Wills under Mr. Alfred W. Howitt . . . . . . .190

Chapter X. Expedition In Quest Of That Of Messrs

BURKE AND WILLS, UNDER THE COMMAND OF MR. ALFRED WILLIAM HOWITT, 1861-2. Previous bush experience of the leader. — Journey to Stuart's new country in South. Australia. His report of that country. Appointed to search for gold in Gippsland. Success. Mi*. Howitt met on his way to the Murray by Mr. Brahe with despatches stating that Burke and Wills left Cooper's Creek on the 16th of December, and nothing had since been heard of them. Dr. Becker, Messrs. Purcell and Stone dead. Great sensation in Melbourne. Wright's despatch. A too late visit of Wright and Brahe to Cooper's Creek. Then* leaving it altogether. — Brahe's examination by the Exploration Committee. Mr. Howitt ordered to hasten north in quest of Burke and Wills. Mr. Walker ordered to proceed from Rockhampton to the Gulf of Carpentaria in quest of Burke and Wills.

Captain Norman, with the Victoria steamer, ordered to the Gulf. The Firefly sent from Brisbane, with a party under IL*. Landsborough, to the Gulf, to proceed thence south for the same object. Mr. Howitt sets out, accompanied by Dr. Wheeler. Mr. Landells offer his services to conduct the camels. CONTENTS. XI Page These not accepted. Howitt and Wheeler left Melbourne July 4, 1861. August 13th arrived at Pomomaroo Creek, on the Darling. Menindie and its land-hunters. Dislike of the horses to the camels. At Poria Creek Mr. Howitt leaves Burke's track, and strikes N.W. to Cooper's Creek. Reaches the depot. Einds the papers of Burke and Wills buried at Wills Eort, informing them of Burke and Wids having returned thither. Camel tracks. Find various articles. Find King amongst the natives, and learn the death of Burke and Wills.

Find the remains of the explorers, with field-books and papers. Buried the remains. — Fadure of an attempt to send word to Melbourne of the news by carrier pigeons. Presents made to the natives for their kindness to King. Return to the Darling. Mr. Howitt and Dr. Wheeler to Melbourne . .. . 212

CHAPTER XL THE JOURNEY OF BURKE AND WILLS TO THE GULF OF

CARPEN TARIA, AND RETURN TO COOPER^S CREEK. Directed their course to Eyre's Creek. — The water in Cooper's Creek at 97*4 of Fahrenheit. Crossed the Stony Desert and found it not very bad. Spent Christmas Eve at a creek on the other side of the desert. On Christmas Day struck a creek, now caded Burke's Creek. Alternate sand-ridges and grassy plains. King's and Wills's Creek. Australian spinach. Patton's Creek. Progress through good country, naming hids and creeks. River which Burke caded the Cloncurry, a branch of the Flinders. Followed the Flinders to near the sea. A horse swamped in BiUy Creek. Proceed on foot. — Here Wills's journal abruptly ceases. — On the 19th of February they are on their way homewards. Burke says they reached the sea, but not the open ocean. In great anxiety about their provisions holding out.

Burke ill from eating snake. Lighten the loads of the camels. Kdl a camel and a horse for food. Burke beats Gray for privately taking food. Gray cannot walk. His companions think him shamming. Gray dies. Sunday, April 21st, 1861. arrive at the dcpdt and find it deserted only seven hours before. Their consternation. Find some provisions, but are too weary to follow. Burke decides to make for Mount Hopeless. Leave memoranda of their return and present route at the depot. Started for Mount Hopeless Aprd 23rd. Received fish from the natives. Camel bogged and killed. Only one camel left. Kill that. Wills makes an excursion to fiud a better track. Treated to " nardoo," a seed, by the natives. Nardoo bread. Bury part of their provisions and return to the depot. Rapidly sink on the nardoo food. Burke and King set out to find the natives.

Too weak to carry anything. Burke dies. King returns and finds Wdls dead. Joins the natives. Affecting notes in Wills's diary. Letter to his father in prospect of death. Hasty notes of Burke. King's life amongst the natives. Return of Howitt and party to Menindie. His opinion of the natives at Cooper's Creek . 239

Chapter XII. The Exploration Expedition Of Mr

McKINLAY IN SEARCH OF BURKE AND WILLS IN 1861 AND 186.2. Order in which explorers have crossed Australia. McKinlay second as to the whole width. McKinlay summoned from Melbourne. Sets out at once. His party. Evidently wed qualified for his office. Left Adelaide August the 16th, 1861. Baker's Station on Blanche Water. Squatting stations beyond Eyre's farthest point. Dry and stony country to Lake Hope. Mr. Elder and Mr. Stuckey. A pelican choked by a fish. Lakes Camel, Perigundi, and Buchanan. Straying of horses and camels. Hear from natives of white men at Cooper's Creek, and one of them dead. CONTENTS. Page Mr. McKinlay sets out for Cooper's Creek. Sees natives in European clothing. Further rumours of the white men. Lake Kadhi-baerri. Foimd a flattened pint pot. Abundance of grass and clover.

Found a mutilated body in a grave. Story of a battle with white men. Fragments of a tin can, a nautical almanac, &c. Hear of iron-work of saddles, a pistol, &c. A native digs up some baked horse hair for stuffing saddles. Probably the grave was Gray's. The natives of Cooper's Creek are fired on. Probable cause of this. McKinlay and party imagine these natives to have killed and eaten Burke and his party. Name the water Lake Massacre. McKinlay sends despatches to Adelaide with news of his discovery. Laid up with the hot weather. Natives tell of a flood coming down Cooper's Creek. McKinlay rides there to see. No signs of flood. Trees marked by Howitt, indicating the graves of Burke and Wills. Saw a cobby horse. Deposited memorandum at Burke's grave of his visit, and intention to go northward.