April,"! Barnard, Journeys of Dr. Neumayev in Victoria. 189 



with Mr. Burke, from whom he parted on 30th. He says of 

 Mr. Wills : — " This was the last time I ever saw this young 

 man, he having perished, as is well known, on his return to 

 Cooper's Creek. There can be no doubt but that, both prac- 

 tically and scientifically, he united all the qualities of an 

 explorer, and that had he lived he would eventually have 

 attained an equally high reputation in connection with the 

 science of the Australian continent with that which he has 

 attained in connection with its exploration and crossing." He 

 remarks that, with the exception of some ravens, parr(;ts, and 

 cockatoos, and one Native Turkey, no animal life had been seen 

 during the whole trip from Lake Paika to the Darling. On 

 the return large tracts of country were inundated, and near 

 Lake Paika saw plenty of Pelicans and Black Swans, also 

 kangaroos and wallabies. On 30th October left for Lake 

 Tyrrell ; found portions of lake dry, showing dazzling white, 

 from salt. Met Messrs. Beveridge, and went to their out-station 

 known as " TiebuUit." Whole country covered with mallee 

 scrub. Mallee-Hens fairly plentiful. On 4th November reached 

 Piangeil, on Murray. Went on to Euston ; on i6th started 

 for Mournpall, where Mr. Curlewis lent him an aboriginal to 

 accompany him across the desert country to Pine Plains, a 

 distance of about 72 miles. The track went continually over 

 sand-hills 170 to 256 feet above sea. Camped at Terreejee.* 

 Next morning started due south, ascended hill, from which he 

 had a view of endless mallee, here and there broken by groups 

 of fine pine trees ; otherwise nothing else to be seen, and not 

 a sound to be heard. The temperature rose at i p.m. to 86°. 

 Had to clear track in many places. Camped at night without 

 water. Started early next morning, but countless sand-hills, 

 with mallee and spinifex, everywhere. Reached Mr. Cameron's, 

 at Pine Plains, about 7 p.m. Horses quite knocked up. The 

 geological formation sand, with the same Tertiary sandstone 

 as we find at Brighton, near Melbourne. The Messrs. Cameron 

 expressed great surprise at his having undertaken to pass 

 through the country between the Murray and this place with 

 a springcart. The first attempt of the kind, though a year 

 previously a missionary had got through on horseback. The 

 basin of Pine Plains bears a strong resemblance to an extensive 

 lake, and he was informed that some years ]:)eforc, prolmbly in 

 1852-3, the years of the great floods in the Murrumbidgee, it 

 was filled with water. Went on to Albacutya, and readied 

 Lake Hindmarsh on 24th — a refreshing siglit, having seen 

 nothing but sand and heath for the last tliree weeks. Proceeded 

 to Antwerp, passing through flats covered with Box-trees, 

 Encalypins melliodora. On 28th proceeded towards H<.)rsliam, 

 * Not lar Iroiu the site of the present Ouyeii. 



