184 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXIV. 



he produced articles, made from Australian woods, which any 

 carpenter, or even cabinetmaker, would have had no hesitation in 

 declaring to be the work of a man who knew his trade. 



In i860 the Burke and Wills expedition was fitted out in 

 Victoria, its object being to cross the continent from south to 

 north. A rude stone obelisk in the Royal Park, standing close 

 to what is now one of the main thoroughfares leading into 

 Melbourne, but, at that time, far beyond the city bounds, marks 

 the spot where the enthusiastic citizens bade farewell to the two 

 explorers, who were destined never to see Victoria again. The 

 story of the expedition and its disastrous ending is well known. 

 Burke was evidently emulous to outdo M'Douall Stuart, who was 

 then leading his fourth expedition north from Adelaide, in the 

 attempt to cross the continent, and Burke was determined at 

 all risks to be the first to do this. More than forty years later, 

 when dealing with this expedition, Dr. Howitt wrote as follows : — 

 "Taking everything into consideration, I think that the un- 

 fortunate occurrence of mischances was due, primarily, to errors 

 of judgment on the part of Burke, and that these arose because 

 he did not possess that kind of knowledge which is absolutely 

 necessary to enable even the bravest and most determined man 

 to be the successful leader of such an expedition as was com- 

 mitted to his charge. . . . Unfortunately Burke had no ex- 

 perience of the work, and Wills, the best man Burke had, a man 

 of noble character — who seems to have placed duty first — had not 

 the special bush training which would have enabled him to see 

 what course would be necessary, and also to speak with the 

 authority given by knowledge. ... It was he who really took 

 Burke across the continent and brought him back to Cooper's 

 Creek. Without Wills, Burke would have been absolutely helpless." 

 This is the final word of the man who knew more about that ill- 

 fated expedition than anyone, save those who perished and its 

 one survivor, from whom he had the opportunity of learning its 

 true story, while the events were yet quite fresh in his memory. 

 It is not too much to say that, had Howitt been the leader the 

 expedition would have been a brilliant success instead of a 

 brilliant failure. 



As month after month passed by and no news of the explorers 

 reached Melbourne, it was decided to send out a search parly, 

 and of this Mr. Howitt was a|)pointed leader. On the Loddon 

 he met Brahe. who reported that Burke had left Coop-^r's Creek 

 on the 1 6th December, i860, accompanied by Wills, Grey, and 

 King. Burke's instructions from the Melbourne committee were 

 to " form a depot of provisions and stores at Cooper's Creek, 

 and to make arrangements for keeping open a communication to 

 the Darling or by way of the South Australian police ai Mt. Serle." 

 This he did not do. He left Cooper's Creek before his stores 

 arrived, telling Brahe to wait there three months for him. Brahe 



