106 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



the whole camp. The third officer, W. J. Wills, was the only one 

 who possessed the necessary scientific attainments for the work. 

 At the time of his appointment he was a valued assistant to Professor 

 Neumayer at the magnetic observatory, and though only twenty-six 

 years of age was held in very high esteem for his abilities by the small 

 body of scientists in Melbourne. To these three were added a Dr. 

 Beckler as botanist and medical adviser, and another German doctor 

 as naturalist and draughtsman, making, with the necessary subor- 

 dinates and Hindoo camel drivers, a party of eighteen in all. The 

 large and not very unanimous committee in charge were responsible 

 for many delays, and for the ponderous character of the cavalcade 

 which started from Melbourne on the 20th of August, 1860, with some- 

 thing of a theatrical display, followed by the cheers of thousands of 

 excited spectators. It included a large number of saddle and pack 

 horses, twenty-four camels, two huge waggons, and half a dozen 

 other vehicles carrying several tons of provisions and fodder, and 

 much unnecessary impedimenta. The start was unfortunately made 

 quite three months too late in the season. The ponderous caravan 

 was slow in its movements, and seven weeks slipped away in reach- 

 ing the outposts of civilisation at Menindie on the Darling. Here, 

 on the eve of plunging into the unknown, the rupture between Burke 

 and Landells came to a head, and the latter, accompanied by Dr. 

 Beckler, the medical officer, turned tail and hurried back to Melbourne 

 to bombard the committee with complaints against their leader. 

 Meanwhile Burke, who realised that the summer was now close 

 upon him, was most anxious to push on to Cooper's Creek, where 

 the committee had instructed him to form a depdt as a base for 

 further operations. Water and grass were already getting scarce, 

 and the value of the camels for travelling had not come up to ex- 

 pectations. So on the 19th of October Burke started from Menindie 

 with Wills and six men, leaving directions for the others to follow 

 leisurely with the remaining camels and the bulk of the stores. 

 They reached Cooper's Creek, fixed the site of the main dep6t, on 

 21st November, and then impatiently waited the arrival of the laggard 

 rear party for nearly a month. 



But the leader of the rear party, a man named Wright, whom 

 Burke had hastily engaged at Menindie in place of the deserter 



