12 INAUGURAL ADDRESS. 



country to the Shamrock Pool of Parry, which was about 50 miles 

 from Fortress Hill. In time, and with the exercise of much care, 

 we got our horses through the droughty country of the Flinders Range, 

 and finally finished our ride of some 1,500 miles with the same horses 

 at Mount Sturgeon, in Victoria. 



Such was my apprenticeship in Central Australia, which in the 

 near future was to stand me in good stead in a far more important 

 expedition. 



The renewal of interest in exploration of the unknown interior 

 of Australia culminated in the fitting out of the Burke and Wills Ex- 

 pedition in 1860. An oft'er, made by Mr. Ambrose Kyte, of £1,000, on 

 the condition that £2,000 should be given by the public for the purpose 

 of exploring, initiated the scheme. The matter was taken up by the 

 Royal Society. The Government promised assistance, and the Ex- 

 ploration Committee was formed, consisting, I believe, of 21 members, 

 with whom rested the responsibility of organising the expedition and 

 selecting its leader. Their choice fell upon Robert O'Hara Burke, 

 and I assume they also selected the other members of the party. I 

 was not in Melbourne at that time, being engaged in Gippsland as 

 leader of a party in prospecting the mountainous country in which 

 the Mitchell River takes its rise. From time to time, as the Melbourne 

 papers reached our mountain camp, I read of the organisation of the 

 party, of its start from Melbourne, and the difficulties met with in 

 conveying its great outfit to Menindie. Then came the news of dis- 

 sensions in the party, and of the resignation of Landells. 



Naturally I felt a lively interest in this expedition, considering 

 the facts by the light of my experience of the year before. I still clearly 

 remember the day when, having learned from the papers received that 

 Burke had divided his party at Menindie, leaving the greater part of 

 his equipment there and pushing northwards himself with a small 

 party and a slight outfit, I felt a strong foreboding of future misfortune 

 for Burke and his companions. My party were all interested in the 

 news, and I remember talking about it with some of the men by the 

 camp fire in the evening. I said that I felt that Burke had no idea of 

 what was before him in Central Australia, and, half in a joking mood, 

 I said, " Who knows that they may not lose themselves ? If so, then 

 I might have to go and look for them." Two of my hearers — Alexander 

 Aitkin and Weston Phillips — then said, " If you go, take us with you." 

 These two did accompany me in my search for Burke and his com- 

 panions, and proved themselves to be thoroughly trustworthy in every 

 way. 



