220 
It had been often remarked by his friends 
in New South Wales, who had accompa- 
nied him on short excursions for the plea- 
sure of his instructive conversation, that 
he seldom quitted a beaten track to pene- 
trate a mile into the wild bush without be- 
coming embarrassed in his attempts to re- 
gain the path he had left. This repeatedly 
occurred in the earlier stages of the expe- 
dition to which he was attached. Daily, 
when the party were on the march, the 
Botanist would deviate to the right or left 
of the line of route, and oftentimes would 
wander so far from the people in his zeal 
to collect plants, that it was with great dif- 
ficulty he found out the evening encamp- 
ments of his companions, whose anxiety 
for his safety was thus oftentimes greatly 
excited. 
Vainly did the Director of the Expedi- 
tion expostulate with our poor friend on 
the risk he was running in thus quitting 
the party so incautiously in a wild flat 
country. It was to no purpose that Major 
Mitchell repeatedly urged his friend to 
keep close company with the others, ex- 
pressing his opinion in forcible language, 
that “ unless he took more care, he would 
never return to Sydney!” All was inef- 
fectual—an inexplicable fatality attended 
all his movements when alone, which was 
of daily occurrence when on horseback, so 
that it became a remark that he was not so 
often with his companions as away from 
them. 
But we must hasten towards the close of 
our Memoir, for sad are the events with 
which it must conclude! 
After a march of nine days from the 
station at Boree, whence the expedition 
commenced its progress, Major Mitchell 
reached the country through which “ New 
Year's Creek" of Sturt (the Bogan of the 
aborigines) meandered, to its junction 
with the Darling. As he found no water 
for either his party or the cattle, in any 
cessitated to bivouack on the evening of 
the 16th of April, the Surveyor-General 
put his people in motion at an early hour 
A BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF 
of the following morning, and purs 
course, generally to the North- West, 
self leading the way, some distance 
the party with the drays. Mr. Cunningha 
had, it seems, lingered behind the people 
on coming up, however, with them, 
learning that the principal of the Expedi- 
tion had gone on to mark the line of rc 
he again left them, riding on before, 
observing as he parted company, that 
would join the Major. But it was oth 
wise ordained—his companions saw 
no more! 
Major Mitchell, after proceeding a 
miles to the North- West, earnestly trusting 
to find water for his famishing cattle, most — 
unexpectedly intersected a dry creek, dip- 
ham, when he came to its dry channel, di 
not observe, but crossing it, continued on- 
ward, over the dead level to the North- 
West, in hopes of soon overtaking the 
conductor of the expedition. By pursuing 
this westerly route for five or six miles, be 
effectually lost all knowledge of his po 
tion relatively with that of his companions, 
when darkness closed the day, leaving i 
his horse, and dog, to spend the night on 
a trackless, waterless, waste. n 
lowed with earnest expectation 
very deviating course, to all points of the 
compass, on an area of level, es d 
wooded country, of about twenty m9" 
length by four in breadth. In P 
their painful search, they observ Mn 
second day of his absence, the per 
proofs of the exhaustion of the pot : 
in Mr. Cunningham's steps being fie 
side those of the animal which he was 
leading. Two days afterwards, the ^ 
having apparently strayed from his 
