THE ADMINISTRATION OF SIR HENRY BARKLY 107 



Landells, proved an unfaithful servant. Under various excuses of 

 waiting the confirmation of his appointment by the committee in 

 Melbourne, and want of funds to purchase extra stores, he made 

 no effort to fulfil his leader's injunctions, and did not start north 

 for more than three months after he should have been en route. 

 Burke waited, expecting him daily, until the 16th of December, 

 when his patience gave out. Once more dividing his party he 

 started northward, accompanied by Wills, King and Gray, taking 

 only one horse, six camels and three months' provisions on a 

 strictly limited scale. He directed Brahe, who remained in charge 

 of the depot with the other three men, to await his return, and 

 plunged into the unknown. 



The country presented no difficulties to their progress. For 

 the most part there was plenty of feed for the camels, numerous 

 creeks, and an abundance of wild duck and other game. As they 

 approached the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria, the country was 

 found so swampy, and the camels got so frequently bogged, that 

 they were obliged to leave them, and load their provisions on the 

 one horse. With this they made fair progress until the 9th of 

 February, when Burke once more resorted to his favourite plan of 

 halving his resources, and leaving King and Gray with the bulk 

 of the provisions, he and Wills pushed on together over the rotten 

 ground towards the sea coast. Two days later they reached the 

 Flinders Kiver near its mouth, and saw, amidst a wilderness of 

 mangrove, the inrushing salt tide from the Gulf. It was a squalid 

 denouement of the grand cavalcade that had set out from the 

 Royal Park nine months before. Two gaunt, ragged men hi a 

 mangrove swamp within a few miles of the sea, but from their 

 weakness not able to reach it, as the apex of the prolonged labours 

 and costly expenditure of the Exploration Committee. Still, the 

 prescribed work had been done, the continent actually crossed 

 for the first time, and such eclat as pertained to the feat had been 

 won for Victoria. 



Provisions were nearly exhausted, and it was necessary to 

 hurry back, so rejoining King and Gray, a start was made home- 

 ward on the 13th of February. The camels were recovered, and 

 the chances of a safe and rapid return looked promising. But 



