14 INAUGURAL ADDRESS. 



siders that the total weight to be carried is said to have been 21 tons, (x) 

 This had to be conveyed from Melbourne to Menindie — a distance of 

 some 500 miles — before the real business of exploration commenced. 

 Much of the loading, and also of the equipment, was left on the way 

 up, showing clearly that the means of conveyance were insufficient, 

 even when there was a road of some kind. 



This was the first expedition which used camels as one of the 

 principal means of carriage. Once before a camel was used by J. A. 

 Horrocks, one of the earlier explorers of the country on either side of 

 the head of Spencer Gulf. In the year 1846 he set out to explore 

 north-westward from the further side of Lake Torrens, but he was 

 accidentally shot while loading his camel, (y) 



In Burke's party the camels caused some trouble, for Landells 

 carried rum for them, and it seems that the shearers at McPherson's 

 station got drunk on some of this rum, and Burke insisted on it being 

 left behind, as it endangered the sobriety of his men. 



From what I saw of the camels subsequently, and of the " sepoys " 

 (as they were called) who looked after them, I came to the conclusion 

 that any man who was good with horses could manage camels. There- 

 fore, when on my relief expedition, I sent the " sepoys " back to Mel- 

 bourne, and placed the camels under the charge of Brahe, who did the 

 work to my complete satisfaction. When I received the camels they 

 were suffering from scab, but were soon cured by the use of creosote. 

 On my way to Menindie, when setting out with the relief expedition, 

 I came across some of the equipment and stores which had been left 

 behind at Balranald and at Tarcoola Station, on the Darling River. 

 Among these things were two of the wagons, one of which carried the 

 boat ; six sets of wagon harness ; a spare wagon axle ; and two spare 

 hind wagon wheels. The other things seemed to be an assortment 

 of the tools, implements, and general equipment of the party. At 

 Menindie I found a still larger assortment, some of which, in my 

 opinion, need never have been taken, while there were other things left 

 behind which would certainly be required and could not be obtained 

 when wanted beyond the settlements. 



Burke's instructions were explicit. He was 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 at Mount Serle." 



(.r) J. E. T- Woods' " History of Discovery and Exploration of Australia," 

 Vol. II., p. 39. 

 (y) Woods, op. cit., Vol. II., p. 350. 



