Successful Exploration | Page 2

Expedition.
CHAPTER 6
. THE EXPEDITION.
How the Expedition originated.--Appointment of the Leader, Officers,
and Party.--Mr. Robert O'Hara Burke, Mr. G.J. Landells, Mr. W.J.
Wills, Dr. Herman Beckler, Dr. Ludwig Becker, etc.--The Expedition
starts from Melbourne on the 20th of August, 1860. --Progress to Swan
Hill.--Discharge of Mr. Ferguson, the Foreman. --Advance to
Menindie.--Resignation of Mr. Landells and Dr. Herman Beckler.--Mr.
Wills promoted to second in command, and Mr. Wright to third.
CHAPTER 7

.
From Menindie on the Darling to Torowoto.--Mr. Burke's Despatch,
and Mr. Wills's Report from Torowoto.--Mr. Wright's unaccountable
delay at Menindie.--The Expedition proceeds onwards to Cooper's
Creek.--Exploring Trips in that neighbourhood.--Loss of three
Camels.--Mr. Wills's Letter to his Sister, December 6th and 15th.
--Incorrectness of McDonough's Statements.
CHAPTER 8
.
Mr. Wills's Survey of the line of Country pursued by the Expedition,
from Torowoto Swamp to Cooper's Creek.
CHAPTER 9
.
Departure from Cooper's Creek for the Gulf of Carpentaria.
--Arrangements for the continuance of the Depot at Cooper's Creek.
--Mr. Brahe left in Charge.--Determination of Route.--Progress and
Incidents.--Mr. Wills's Field Books, from the 16th of December, 1860,
to the 30th of January, 1861, 1 to 9.--Shores of Carpentaria.
CHAPTER 10
.
Return from Carpentaria to Cooper's Creek.--Mr. Wills's Journals from
February 19th to April 21st, 1861.--Illness and Death of Gray. --The
Survivors arrive at Cooper's Creek Depot and find it deserted.--A Small
Stock of Provisions left.--Conduct of Brahe. --Report of the Royal
Commission.
CHAPTER 11
.
Proceedings in Melbourne.--Meeting of the Exploration Committee.
--Tardy Resolutions.--Departure of Mr. Howitt.--Patriotic Effort of Mr.
Orkney.--South Australian Expedition under Mr. McKinlay.--News of
White Men and Camels having been seen by Natives in the
Interior.--Certain Intelligence of the Fate of the Explorers reaches

Melbourne.
CHAPTER 12
.
The attempt to reach South Australia and Adelaide by Mount
Hopeless.--Mistake of selecting that Route.--Mr. Wills's Journals from
the 23rd of April to the 29th of June, 1861.--Adventures with the
Natives.--Discovery of Nardoo as a Substitute for Food.--Mr. Burke
and King go in search of Natives for assistance.--Mr. Wills left alone in
the Desert.--The Last Entry in his Journal.
CHAPTER 13
.
King's Narrative.--Mr. Burke and King again go in search of the
Natives, as a last resource.--Death of Mr. Burke.--King returns and
finds Mr. Wills dead in the Gunyah.--He falls in with the Natives and
wanders about with them until delivered by Mr. Howitt's party.
--Extract from Mr. Howitt's Diary.--Extract from Mr. McKinlay's
Diary.--My Son's last Letter to me, dated June 27th, 1861.--Strong
Attachment between Mr. Burke and my Son.--King delivers the Letter
and Watch intrusted to him.--With some difficulty I recover the
Pistol.--King's Reception in Melbourne.--Sir H. Barkly's Letter to Sir
Roderick Murchison.--Summary of Events and their Causes.
CHAPTER 14
.
Letters of sympathy and condolence; from Sir Henry Barkly; Major
Egerton Warburton; A.J. Baker, Esquire; P.A. Jennings, Esquire; Dr.
Mueller; The Council of Ballaarat East; Robert Watson, Esquire; John
Lavington Evans, Esquire--Meeting at Totnes.--Resolution to erect a
Monument to Mr. Wills.--Proceedings in the Royal Geographical
Society of London.--Letter from Sir Roderick Murchison to Dr.
Wills.--Dr. Wills's Reply.--'The Lost Explorers,' a poetical
tribute.--Concluding Observations.
APPENDICES.
ILLUSTRATIONS:
1. THE LAST HOURS OF MR. WILLS.

Painted by Scott. Melbourne. London: Richard Bentley, 1863.
Engraved by J. Saddle.
2. WILLIAM J. WILLS.
Painted by Scott. Melbourne. Engraved by J. Brown.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
CHAPTER 1
.
Birth. Infancy. Boyhood and Early Education. Youthful Traits of
Character.
William John Wills was born at Totnes, in Devonshire, on the 5th of
January, 1834. He had, therefore, attained the full age of twenty-seven
at the time of his death. Even in infancy, his countenance was
interesting and expressive. He began to speak and walk alone before he
had completed his first year. His lively disposition gave ample
employment to his nurses, though I cannot remember that he ever
worried one, through peevishness or a fractious temper. As soon as he
could talk distinctly, he evinced an aptitude to name things after his
own fancy; and I may fairly say, that he was never a child in the
common acceptation of the term, as he gave early indications of
diligence and discretion scarcely compatible with the helplessness and
simplicity of such tender years. About the time of his completing his
third year, Mr. Benthall, a friend and near neighbour, asked permission
to take him for a walk in his garden. The boy was then in the habit of
attending a school for little children, close by, kept by an old lady. In
less than an hour, Mr. Benthall returned to ask if he had come home.
No one had seen him, and we began to be alarmed lest he might have
fallen into a well in the garden; but this apprehension was speedily
ascertained to be groundless. Still he returned not, and our alarm
increased, until his mother thought of the school,