REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. 



PROGRESS REPORT OF EXPLORATION COMMITTEE. 



DRAWN UP BY DBS, MUELLER, -SVILKIE, AND MACADAM, 



In the Report presented by your Committee for 1859, you were 

 congratulated upon tlie successful accomplishment of the laborious 

 undertaking to raise the sum of .€2000 by private subscription, in 

 order to secure the munificent donation of i^lOOO, jironiised by an 

 anonymous donor, on that condition, for the purpose of organising a 

 party to explore the interior of Austi-alia. 



Your Committee also expressed a hope that the Legislature would 

 supplement these amounts with a vote of £6000. This sum was 

 promptly appropriated by Government and duly voted by the Legis- 

 lature, for the purpose, and placed at the disposal of your Committee, 

 by the Hon . William Nicholson, Chief Secretary. 



The importance of taking advantage of the winter season to pene- 

 trate the arid regions of the interior was not overlooked hj your 

 Committee, but as a sinn of £3000 had been forwarded by Govern- 

 ment to India, to purchase camels for this express object, it Avas 

 deemed, after careful consideration, to be better to await the arrival 

 of these "ships of the desert," rather thaii hasten the departure of 

 the Ex[)edition before they arrived. A light party, to reconnoitre 

 the vicinity of Cooper's Creek, was at one time seriously thought of, 

 but no advantage seemed likely to be gained liy such a proceeding, 

 that would compensate for the large additional outlay it would 

 entail. 



The camels, twenty-five in numloer, arrived in Hobson's Eay June 

 25th, in good order and condition, under the care of ]\Ir. George 

 James Landells, on board the " Chinsurah," Captain Gisbornc, and 

 immediate arrangements were made to have them safely landed and 

 properly housed. Your Committee has gratefully to acknowledge 

 the ready co-operation of the Government in securing these imi)or- 

 tant objects. 



