Mr. Burke’s appointment called forth discussions and strong comments in the Melbourne papers.  Gentlemen who considered their own qualifications as superior to his, and their friends who thought with them, expressed their opinions with more ardour than justice or delicacy in their respective organs.  The committee of management, selected originally from the “Royal Society of Melbourne,” now became united to another body called “The Exploration Fund Committee.”  The board comprised the following members:—­Chairman, the Honourable Sir William Stawell, one of the Justices of Victoria; Vice-Chairman, the Honourable John Hodgson, M.L.C.; Treasurer, the Honourable Dr. Wilkie; Secretary, the Honourable Dr. Macadam; Dr. Embling;—­Ligar, Esquire, Surveyor General; James Smith, Esquire; Professor McCoy; Dr. McKenna; Professor Neumayer; Sizar Elliott, Esquire; Dr. Mueller; Dr. Iffla; Captain Cadell; Angus McMillan, Esquire; A. Selwyn, Esquire; John Watson, Esquire; Reverend Mr. Blensdale; Dr. Eades; Dr. Gilbee, Deputy-Surveyor; and—­Hodgkinson, Esquire The commander being appointed, the next step was to name the second.  This choice, by a sad mistake, fell on Mr. G.J.  Landells, who owed his preferment to the circumstance of his having been employed to bring the camels from India.  His services, therefore, were considered indispensable for their management in Australia.  Having convinced the committee of this, he demanded a salary considerably exceeding that of the leader, or refused to go.  When Mr. Burke found that this point was to be discussed at the next meeting, he, with his usual high and liberal spirit, requested that no obstacle might be raised on that account.  We shall presently see how Mr. Landells repaid his leader, and proved himself worthy of this disinterestedness.  My son tendered his services as astronomer and guide, not at the moment thinking of or desiring any distinct post of command, his object being exclusively scientific.  He had been for some time assistant to Professor Neumayer at the Magnetic Observatory, was a seasoned bushman, with great powers of endurance, and felt that he could discharge the duties he wished to undertake.  He was not aware, until I informed him on his going into the Society’s room to sign the contract, that any command had been allotted to him, neither did he stipulate for salary; but in consequence of Dr. Ludwig Becker demanding an advance of pay, on the sum first fixed, my son’s was raised from 250 to 300 pounds per annum.  The next appointments were Dr. Ludwig Becker, as naturalist and artist, and Dr. Herman Beckler as botanist and medical adviser to the expedition.  These were scarcely more fortunate than that of Mr. Landells.  The first named of these gentlemen was physically deficient, advanced in years, and his mode of life in Melbourne had not been such as to make up for his want of youth.  I do not mean to imply by this that he indulged in irregular or dissipated habits.  He possessed a happy gift of delineating natural objects with the