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Dr. Nenmayer on a Scientific 



[May 14, 



included in the plan of immediate investigation while in the field which 

 may well be deferred without prejudicing the general objects of the expe- 

 dition. This rule is to hold good for all scientific branches, and will also 

 be made a guiding principle with reference to the reduction and discussion 

 of observations, the examining of natural-history objects, and the collecting 

 of specimens. 



At the present time, when mystery still surrounds the fate of Dr. Leich- 

 hardt, I should consider myself open to just reproach were I to lay out the 

 plan and scope of an expedition through the interior of Australia without 

 calling attention to this subject, and including it among the duties of such 

 an expedition to aid in clearing up that mystery. As remarked at the 

 outset of this paper, twenty years have now elapsed since the utter disap- 

 pearance of that great explorer, and there is now indeed scarcely any like- 

 lihood of rescuing any of his party alive. But the hope of even ascertain- 

 ing the fate of that brave body of men should never be abandoned until 

 the object be attained, though there can be no doubt that the chances of 

 our doing so grow smaller from year to year, every fresh inundation or 

 conflagration of large tracts of forest diminishing them considerably. The 

 scientific survey entailed upon such an expedition as that proposed offers 

 great facilities also for the promotion of a search after traces of the missing 

 explorers. In addition to which I consider it of extreme importance for 

 such a purpose that the search should be instituted in the direction in 

 which the missing expedition intended to move, the more so as all efforts 

 to cut Leichhardt's probable route at right angles have hitherto proved 

 ineffectual. When we consider that the eastern portion of the Australian 

 continent has been so frequently crossed and recrossed during the last six 

 years without any material information having been gained as to Leich- 

 hardt's fate, we feel almost disposed to believe that he shaped his course 

 from Upper Victoria and the Alice River, in a direction somewhat similar 

 to that talien by Mr. Gregory on his expedition in search of him, particu- 

 larly as such an opinion is supported by such an authority on Australian 

 exploration as Mr. J. E. T. Woods in his recent work. According to his 

 opinion the explorer was compelled to follow the Barcoo, and may have 

 perished in the country to the west of Lake Eyre and Stuart's track. But 

 we must not forget that such a course to the south-west would, with this 

 indefatigable explorer, have been equivalent to giving up his original plans 

 respecting the exploration— plans which, as far as we are acquainted with 

 them through the Hev. Mr. Clarke of Sydney, and others intimately con- 

 nected with him, would have carried him to the west, and even to the north 

 of west. This opinion was also entertained by Mr. A. Gregory, who thought 

 "that Leichhardt had left the Barcoo at its junction with the Alice, and, 

 favoured by thunderstorms, penetrated the level desert country to the 

 north-west, where, being unable to return, they may have perished for 

 want of water." (Expedition in Search of Dr. Leichhardt, 1857-58, 

 page 8.) Such may be the case, but it may also be that they succeeded 

 in forcing their way through the country referred toby Gregory, and there- 



