In March, 1861, I began, in the absence of all intelligence, to feel some apprehension for my son’s safety, and the result of the expedition.  On the 8th, Professor Neumayer, in reply to a letter from me, said:  “You have asked me about the Exploring Expedition, and it is really a difficult matter to give a definite answer to the question.  I think that by this time the party must have reached the Gulf of Carpentaria, supposing them to have proceeded in that direction.  In fact, I think they may have recrossed already a great part of the desert country, if everything went on smoothly after leaving Cooper’s Creek.  I have a thorough confidence in Mr. Wills’s character and energy, and I am sure they will never fail.  I cannot help regretting that the Committee should not have understood the force of my arguments, when I advised them to send the expedition towards the north-west.  This would very likely have forwarded the task considerably.  My feeling is not very strong as to the results we may expect from the present attempt.  Indeed, as far as science and practical advantages are concerned, I look upon the whole as a mistake.  Mr. Wills is entirely alone; he has no one to assist him in his zeal, and take a part of his onerous duties from him.  Had he been put in a position to make valuable magnetic observations, he would have earned the thanks of the scientific world.  But, under existing circumstances, he can do nothing at all for the advancement of this particular branch.  However, I hope future expeditions will afford him an opportunity to fill up that deficiency, if he should now be successful.  The affair with Landells was nothing more nor less than what I expected and was quite prepared to hear.  The man was not more qualified for the task he undertook than he would have been for any scientific position in the expedition.  I am confident Mr. Wills is all right, and that Mr. Burke and he will agree well together.”

All this was complimentary and gratifying to a father’s feelings.  Still, as time passed on, forebodings came upon me that this great expedition, starting with so much display from Melbourne, with a steady, declared, and scientific object, would dwindle down into a flying light corps, making a sudden dash across the continent and back again with no permanent results.  Discharges and resignations had taken place, and no efforts were made by the committee to fill up the vacancies.  No assistant surveyor had been sent to my son, no successor appointed to Dr. Beckler.  The last-named gentleman brought back many of the scientific instruments intrusted to his charge, alleging that if he had not done so, Mr. Burke, who was unscientific and impatient of the time lost in making and registering observations, threatened to throw them into the next creek.  The supineness of the committee was justly, not too severely commented on in the Report of the Royal Commission:  “The Exploration Committee, in overlooking the importance of the contents of Mr.