INTRODUCTION XV 



Thence their coui-se was to Newcastle. Tlic trip occupied over twelve 

 mouths. The worst has to be told. In crossing a swollen river in an 

 improvised punt, the primitive caii (which was merely ;v box on two 

 wheels with a pair of shafts attached, and in which all the natural history 

 collection was packed) capsized, and the greater portion was lost in the 

 Hood ; while, to add to this misfortune, the powder they possessed became 

 wet and useless, so that more collecting was out of the question. At 

 this point, also, the blacks were very niunerous and warlike, and an 

 attack of scui-vy added to the intrepid explorers' trouble. 



The last and most ambitious trip cost Mr. Samuel White liis life. 

 First he built a steamer at Port Adelaide, and after £500 was spent 

 in England in machinci-y alone, it was found she was unsuitable for his 

 purpose. Then he built a fore and aft schooner called the " Elsie " 

 (named after his wife), and fitted her for a two years' cruise in the region 

 of Cape York, New Guinea, and the Am Islands. Some interesting 

 collecting was accomplished at the Aims ; but the crew, objecting to work 

 in New Guinea, which wa« a- dangei'oiis quarter at that time, mutinied, 

 locked Mr. White in his cabin, and turned the ship about, shaping a 

 coiu-se for Thursday Island. The ship thus in their hands, the mutineers 

 became overjoyed, broached the store of spirits and got intoxicated. 

 Taking advantage of this state of affairs, Mr. J. Cockcrell and 

 Mr. F. W. Andrews (two of Mr. White's collectors), released him. Willi 

 some difl&culty tlie crew were secured, but not before they had smashed 

 the binnacle. 



Mr. White navigated his vessel back to Tluu'sday Island, where the 

 crew were tried and committed, the ringleaders, including the CapUiin 

 and first mate, being remanded to Sydney- Leaving the vessel at 

 Thui'sday Island, Mr. White took the first opportimity of retiu'ning to 

 Sydney for a fresh crew. At Sydney he met his wife, and when looking 

 for a suitable temporary residence was caught in a heavy thundei-stonn, 

 took a severe chill (possibly on accoimt of his system having been run 

 down by the worries of the expedition), died on the 16th November, 1880, 

 and was buried in the Waverley Cemeteiy. 



Disaster followed disaster. The vessel, lying at Thursday Island, 

 Cape York, was pillaged ; the collections of a lifetime were knocked 

 down and scattered under the auctioneer's hammer at Adelaide ; and, 

 most deplorable of all (next to the ornithologist's untimely death), some 

 of Mj-. Wliite's numerous diaiies, which no doubt it was his intention to 

 eventually publish, and which must have contained a vast fimd of 



