xx Report of Exploration Committee. 



certain whether it would be better to reach the proposed depot from 

 Victoria by the Darling, or from the east coast, as considerable 

 difficulties woidd have to be encountered in either case. 



Your Committee have, therefore, arrived at the conclusion that, 

 under all the circumstances, it would be better that a preliminary 

 exploring expedition should be undertaken by Victoria, for the pur- 

 pose of opening up, if practicable, a fine of communication between 

 the Darling and the Victoria Rivers. They recommend that the 

 expedition for this purpose should consist of a light party, and that 

 their primary objects should be — first, to discover any available 

 country for depasturing stock ; secondly, to examine the nature of 

 the country near the junction of the Thomson and Victoria Rivers, 

 Avith a view to determine the practicability of forming a suitable 

 depot, with permanent water, for ulterior exploration. 



Your Committee recommend that the exploring party should 

 reach the Darling River before the beginning of March ; and, 

 according to the evidence already stated, they hope that the party 

 will be able to accomplish this route to the Victoria River and back in 

 less than five months, Ry that time Mr. Gregory will most likely have 

 returned from his expedition in search of Leichhardt, and we shoidd 

 also be hi possession of important information respecting the country 

 to the north-west of Lake Torrens, the exploring of which is at pre- 

 sent engaging the attention of the South Australian Government. 

 We shall thus it is hoped, be in a much better position to undertake 

 the more difficult and hazardous expedition afterwards through Central 

 Australia. In recommending to the Institute this shorter and less 

 expensive expedition, preparatory to the more important exploration 

 of the interior, your Committee hope that the Institute will thus 

 more readily obtain the support of the Government ; nor can they 

 feel indifferent to the advantage of leading the path of civilisation 

 into a portion of the interior which, although politically belonging to 

 New South Wales, may, commercially, be regarded as an enlargement 

 of the Victorian territory. 



Your Committee would also express the hope that the proposed 

 expedition may possibly gain from the natives some traditional in- 

 formation respecting Leichhardt's fate, and would recommend that 

 the expedition be specially instructed to embrace every opportunity 

 of searching on their route for traces of that ill-fated explorer. Your 

 Committee are of opinion that in the proposed expedition from the 

 Darling the number of the party shoidd be limited to four and a 

 leader, in order to secure a more certain and speedy progress, and 

 that the pack-horses may be safely reduced to twelve with two 

 saddle-horses, which, with judicious arrangements, would carry an 

 ample supply of provisions and all the requisites for an exploration 

 of this tract of country during one rainy season ; and as Victoria is 

 now for the first time invited to take part in the honorable task of 

 exploration, your Committee indulge the hope that the liberality of 



