HEROES OF EXPLORATION. 161 



two of the other party of eight escaped. Jacky, however, turned up at the 

 schooner with the papers confided to his care, a living skeleton. He is 

 one of the many instances of the fidelity of the Australian black when once 

 he has become attached to his master. 



The rush to the gold-fields checked exploration for a time. All thoughts 

 were directed to the auriferous treasure. But after the new population had 

 settled down somewhat, a strong desire manifested itself to discover the 

 secret of the continent. The South Australian Government offered a 

 reward of two thousand pounds to the first person who should cross the 

 continent from south to north, and the intrepid John McDouall Stuart was 

 soon in the field to earn the money and to secure the fame. Stuart had 

 been one of the officers in Sturt's last party, and he had discovered for 

 South Australian employers a fine belt of pastoral territory beyond the 

 salt lakes that had discomfited Eyre. In Victoria the public subscribed 

 a large sum of money, which the Government doubled. The Government 

 also sent for camels, at a great expense, and the Royal Society appointed 

 a committee to organise the expedition. The command was given to Robert 

 O'Hara Burke ; Landells, who had brought over the camels, was second ; 

 and a young man from the Melbourne Observatory, W. J. Wills, was 

 placed in charge of the instruments. The dash and energy of O'Hara 

 Burke, and the talent and Christian fortitude shown by Wills, have endeared 

 the memory of both these leaders to the country ; but the admission must be 

 reluctantly made that the tragic issue was due to Burke's unfitness for the 

 command. He was no bushman, and was too eager and impulsive for a 

 leader. As a second in command he would have been invaluable ; as a chief 

 he was overweighted. 



The expedition left Melbourne August 20, i860. Burke's orders were 

 to take his stores up to Cooper's Creek, and, when he had established his 

 depot there, to start for Carpentaria. On the way up Burke quarrelled with 

 Landells, who resigned, Wills taking his place. At the same time Burke 

 met with a man named Wright, who struck his fancy, and this stranger, 

 utterly unqualified for the post, was placed in an important command. 

 Burke left the bulk of the stores and most of the party on the Darling in 

 charge of Wright, who was to bring them on with all possible speed, while 

 the leader made a forced march with a light party to Cooper's Creek. Days 

 passed without Wright's appearing ; and, instead of returning to hasten up 

 his stores, Burke, with characteristic boldness, resolved to make a dash for 

 Carpentaria. He divided his party and his stores, leaving Brahe and three 

 men at the creek to wait for Wright, and started with Wills, King and 

 Gray, on December 16, with six camels and a horse. 



The party made a rapid journey through fair and good country. Box 

 forests and well-grassed plains — a good squatting country — was traversed, 

 and finally the explorers struck a fine stream, the Concherry, running to the 



M 



