make an effort to explore the country northward in the direction of the Gulf of Carpentaria.  He states also that he meant to return to Cooper’s Creek within three months at the farthest; that is, about the middle of March.  Before starting on this route he had already tried a passage northward between Gregory’s and Stuart’s tracks; but he found this passage impracticable, from want of water.  He does not state anything that would enable us to form an opinion of what his intentions might be after leaving Eyre’s Creek, beyond his saying that he meant to push northwards towards the Gulf.  Neither does it appear that he left any instructions or directions upon the matter with Mr. Brahe.  He merely informed the latter that he meant to run no risks, and that he would be back within a brief stated period, and that Mr. Brahe was not to wait for him at the depot beyond three months.  Mr. Brahe’s statement, in fact, throws very little light upon the probabilities of Mr. Burke’s future course, after leaving the depot at Cooper’s Creek.  He accompanied him one day’s journey, some twenty miles or so, on his way towards the north.  But he seems to know very little of what Mr. Burke’s ultimate intentions were.  Perhaps, indeed, Mr. Burke himself had no very definite scheme sketched out in his own mind, as to any settled purpose for the future, beyond his trying to make the best of his way in the direction of the Gulf of Carpentaria.  He probably never entertained the idea of its being necessary to plan out various different alternatives to adopt, in case of the failure of any one particular course of proceeding.  The facility and despatch with which he had got over the ground to Cooper’s Creek may have produced too confident a state of mind as to the future.  And his having learned that Stuart had, with only two or three companions, advanced within a couple of days’ journey of the northern coast, would tend greatly to increase that too confident tone of mind.  Both circumstances were likely to produce a feeling, especially in a sanguine temperament like Burke’s, that there was no need of his arranging beforehand, and leaving behind him, with Mr. Brahe, plans of intended procedure on his part, the knowledge of which would subsequently give a clue to his fate, in case of his continued absence.  He seems not to have formed any anticipation of a vessel being sent round to meet him on the north coast, according to Mr. Brahe’s account.

What then did he propose to do, and what is likely to have become of him?  The fear forces itself upon us, that, acting under the influence of excessive confidence, arising from the causes already referred to, Mr. Burke and his little band of three companions went forth towards the north in a state of mind unprepared to meet insurmountable obstacles; that difficulties, arising chiefly from want of water, sprung up in his path, and assumed greater magnitude than the previous experience of the expedition could have led them to