As to the men to whom the inland expedition is to be intrusted, some conversation took place at the recent meeting of the Exploration Committee.  Dr. Wills, of Ballaarat, father of Mr. Wills, second in command with Mr. Burke, was present, and offered to accompany the party.  Professor Neumayer suggested a gentleman named Walsh, from his own office, as suitable for the enterprise; and Dr. Embling, it is rumoured, supports Mr. Landells as a fit person for the post of leader.  We have nothing to say for or against the two former suggestions, but this last demands notice.  We consider that Mr. Landells has already shown himself singularly unfitted to fill a post of this kind.

. . .

Mr. Howitt’s offer did away with the necessity for my pressing to go.  Although I felt tolerably confident in my own physical powers, I should have much regretted had they failed on experiment, and thereby retarded rather than aided the object in view.  Mr. Walsh went, but was of no service, as he lost the sight of one eye in the first observation he attempted to make; but Mr. Howitt proved equal to the emergency and did the work. [Footnote:  A strange incident connected with Mr. Walsh’s misfortune was reported abroad, but I do not vouch for its truth.  When under surgical treatment for his impaired vision, it was said that the operators in consultation decided on an experiment to test the powers of the retina to receive light, and in so doing blinded the other eye.  Mr. Walsh went to England, having had a sum granted to him by the Victoria government.  Whether he has recovered his sight I know not.]

Mr. Howitt being equipped and despatched, I returned to Ballaarat, somewhat relieved, after my fortnight’s anxious labours with the committee; but on the evening of Friday, the 5th of July, I was startled by reading the following statement in the Melbourne Weekly Age:—­

The news from the exploring expedition.

The unexpected news of Mr. Burke’s expedition of discovery, which we publish this morning, is positively disastrous.  The entire company of explorers has been dissipated out of being, like dewdrops before the sun.  Some are dead, some are on their way back, one has come to Melbourne, and another has made his way to Adelaide, whilst only four of the whole party have gone forward from the depot at Cooper’s Creek upon the main journey of the expedition to explore the remote interior.  The four consist of the two chief officers and two men; namely, Mr. Burke, the leader, and Mr. Wills, the surveyor and second in command of the party, together with the men King and Gray.  This devoted little band left Cooper’s Creek for the far interior on the 16th of December last, more than six months ago, taking with them six camels and one horse, and only twelve weeks’ provisions.  From Mr. Burke’s despatch we learn that he meant to proceed in the first place to Eyre’s Creek; and from that place he would