One word more with respect to Mr. Landells.  His assertion, believed by no rational person at the time, and emphatically denounced by Mr. Burke in his despatch as “false,” that he had private instructions from the committee, rendering him in some respects independent of his leader, was utterly disproved by the evidence of Dr. Macadam, Honorary Secretary, related before the Royal Commission, who said in reply to Question 110:  “We gave Mr. Landells no private instructions whatever; that has been answered over and over again.”

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.

The incapables being happily disposed of, Mr. Burke and his party left Menindie on the 19th of October.  The committee having decided on Cooper’s Creek as the basis of his operations, he pushed on in that direction, and reached Torowoto on the 29th of the same month.  From the latter encampment he forwarded the following despatch, including my son’s surveying report.

Torowoto, October 29, 1860.

Sir,

I have the honour to report, that I left Menindie on the 19th instant with the following party:—­

Messrs. Burke, Wills, Brahe, Patten, McDonough, King, Gray, Dost Mahomet, fifteen horses and sixteen camels, and Mr. Wright, who had kindly volunteered to show me a practical route towards Cooper’s Creek, for a distance of a hundred miles from the Darling; and he has more than fulfilled his promise, for we have now travelled for upwards of 200 miles, generally through a fine sheep-grazing country; and we have not had any difficulty about water, as we found creeks, or waterholes, many of them having every appearance of permanent water, at distances never exceeding twenty miles.  Mr. Wills’s report, herewith forwarded, gives all the necessary details.  Although travelling at the rate of twenty miles a day, the horses and camels have all improved in condition, and the country improves as we go on.  Yesterday, from Wanominta to Paldrumata Creek, we travelled over a splendid grazing country, and to-day, we are encamped on a creek or swamp, the banks of which are very well grassed, and good feed all the way from our last camp (44), except for two miles, where the ground was barren and swampy.  Of course it is impossible for me to say what effect an unusually dry summer would produce throughout this country, or whether we are now travelling in an unusually favourable season or not.  I describe things as I find them.