XXXVI. 
Ellangowan in November-December, 1875, and of D’Albertis in 1875-77 in the 
Neva, the steam launch placed at his disposal by the New South Wales Govern- 
ment, demonstrated the importance of the Fly River as a route to the interior, and 
showed that hostility on the part of the natives was a less serious obstacle than at 
the time of Captain Stokes’ visit. No doubt Sir William was disappomted in the 
non-realisation of his hopes ; but the primary object of his cruise was not geographical 
exploration, and it is unfair to judge of results from that standpoint alone, more 
especially since any geographical results which, under more favourable circumstances 
and with a longer time at disposal, might have been obtained were only postponed 
for a short time, for Signor D’Albertis had been resident on Yule Island nearly six 
months when the Chevert arrived there, and the Revs. S. Mactarlane and W. G. 
Lawes had already commenced active operations in connection with the London 
Missionary Society. 
In other respects certainly Sir William Macleay was not disappointed with the 
results of his cruise, nor did he ever begrudge the money he spent in connection with 
it. Of the zoological acquisitions, which it was his chief object to obtain, he says :— 
*« Altogether I have succeeded in getting together a vast and valuable collection—a collection which, 
considering the short time at my disposal, seems wonderful, and which affords undoubted proof of the 
industry and zeal of my staff of collectors. For, it must be remembered that, though the full time of my 
intended absence from Sydney has expired, the actual time available for the purposes of the voyage was 
much less than I calculated on. The Chevert, though a good, dry, and comfortable ship, was unable to 
sail against the wind, and it was so constantly against us during a great part of the expedition, that I do 
not think we had more than sixty days for collecting during the five months’ cruise.” 
Nor is the gain resulting from the voyage of the Chevert to be measured simply 
by the extensive collections obtained. In one of his Presidential Addresses, the late 
Professor Stephens, referring to this subject, gives it as his opinion that “it was 
unquestionably to that expedition and its results that the Linnean Society of New 
South Wales owes its early and vigorous growth.” This, however, was not all. 
The voyage of the Chevert, besides adding to his knowledge of Australia, brought 
under Sir William Macleay’s notice the exuberant animal life of the tropics, thereby 
stimulating anew his interest in general zoology ; and this, together with his desire 
to see his collections worked up, not only confirmed and strengthened his wish to 
promote the welfare of biology, but helped to lead up to a further unfolding of plans 
to that end. 
There are several events in the history of the Linnean Society of New South 
Wales to which further reference must be made because they brought out in a 
characteristic manner the quiet and undemonstrative but effective way in which Sir 
William set about his work, and the unostentatious liberality of his dealings with the 
Society, and this in the face of difficulties and complications which quite unexpectedly 
arose. 
