Book: Successful Exploration Through the Interior of Australia

W >> William John Wills >> Successful Exploration Through the Interior of Australia




Mr. Burke went ahead with the horses from Bilbarka, partly because
he wanted to be here sooner than the rest, and partly in order to
avoid a collision with Mr. Landells. He asked Dr. Beckler to
accompany him, for we both expected that Mr. Landells would be
tampering with him, as we found he had been with others; but the
Doctor said that he preferred going with the camels, so that after
the first day, when we found that Dr. Beckler would not go on with
the horses, Mr. Burke took Mr. Becker and myself with him. We
crossed the horses at a very good crossing at Kinchica, six miles
below Menindie. Mr. Burke sent me up from there in the steamer,
whilst he took the horses up. On our arrival, we found that Mr.
Landells had ridden up also, having left the camels at Kinchica; he
objected to making them swim the river, and wanted the steamer's
barge to cross them over. This Mr. Burke refused, because the
captain and every one else said that it would be a very dangerous
experiment, from the difficulty of getting them on or off, which is
no easy matter to do safely, even on a punt arranged for the
purpose; and as for the barge, it can scarcely be brought within
six feet of the bank; so Mr. Burke insisted on their swimming the
river at Kinchica. After dinner we went down to assist in crossing
them, but Mr. Landells said it was too late, and that he would
cross them at ten o'clock next morning. On his remarking that there
was no rope here, I mentioned that we had just brought one across
with us, when he wanted to know what business I had to say
anything. Altogether he made a great fool of himself before several
of the men; and a Mr. Wright, the manager of the Kinchica station.
For this Mr. Burke gave him an overhauling, and told him that if
his officers misconducted themselves, he (Mr. B.) was the person to
blow them up. Mr. Burke then told me, before Mr. Landells, that he
wished me to be present at the crossing of the camels, at ten
o'clock to-morrow.

Mr. Landells then jumped up in a rage, asking Mr. Burke whether he
intended that I should superintend him, and what he meant by
desiring me to be present. Mr. Burke answered him that if he knew
his place he would not ask such a question; that he had no right to
ask it, and that he (Mr. B.) should give what orders he thought
proper to his officers without considering himself responsible to
Mr. L.; that Mr. Landells' conduct was insolent and improper, and
that he would have no more of it. This was on Monday.

On Tuesday morning Mr. L. sent in his resignation, and in the
course of the day, Dr. Beckler followed his example, giving as his
reason that he did not like the manner in which Mr. Burke spoke to
Mr. Landells, and that he did not consider that the party was safe
without Mr. Landells to manage the camels. Now there is no mistake,
Dr. Beckler is an honest little fellow, and well-intentioned
enough, but he is nothing of a bushman, although he has had so much
travelling. Landells has taken advantage of his diffidence for his
own purposes; and at the same time that he hates him, he has put on
such a smooth exterior, that he has humbugged and hoodwinked him
into the belief that no one can manage the camels but himself.

. . .

The upshot was that the committee accepted the resignations of Mr.
Landells and Dr. Beckler, and expressed their entire approbation of
the conduct of Mr. Burke.

The following extract from the Melbourne leading journal, the
"Argus,"--and with the view therein expressed all the other
newspapers coincided--shows pretty clearly the state of public
opinion on the question:--

Whatever may be the interest attached to the
communications respecting the Victorian Exploring Expedition, as
read before the committee of the Royal Society, there can be little
doubt but that the judgment pronounced on Mr. Landells remains
unaltered. He deserted his leader on the eve of the fight; and such
an act, so subversive of all discipline, and so far from the
thoughts of the smallest drummer-boy, renders all explanations
contemptible. In the present instance, Mr. Landells' explanations
make his act the more inexcusable. He is still of opinion that the
camels are indispensable to the safety of the party, and that he is
indispensable to the safety of the camels. The inference is,
therefore, that he knowingly left the party to perish. Indeed, we
should not at all enter into an examination of Mr. Landells'
letter, but that it may enable us to form some opinion as to the
prospects of the expedition itself, and as to the suitability of
Mr. Burke for its leadership.

The charges brought against Mr. Burke by his late lieutenant,
comprise almost everything that a commander should not be guilty
of. His acts of commission and omission comprehend everything that
a bad general could possibly commit or omit, and Mr. Landells winds
up his bad qualities by asserting that he "cultivates the spy
system," and treats his men like a parcel of "convicts." Not only
is he "ungentlemanly" to his officers and "interfering with the
best interests of the party"--not only has he "displayed such a
want of judgment, candour, and decision;" but he has also shown, in
addition to these and many other shortcomings, "such an entire
absence of any and every quality which should characterize him as
its leader, as has led to the conviction in my own mind that under
his leadership the expedition will be attended by the most
disastrous results."

But in this matter we are not left to decide between Mr. Landells'
account and Mr. Burke's account. Mr. Wills, the third officer, may
be taken as an impartial observer, and his statement, a private
communication to the head of the department to which he lately
belonged, Professor Neumayer, is free from any suspicion of
toadyism. From it we may find abundant reason for the conduct which
Mr. Landells calls "strange." If Mr. Burke was restless at nights,
hasty in the day, and apparently undecided what course to pursue,
we have from this account of the matter only to wonder that he
managed to bear with Mr. Landells so long as he did. Here the rage
is all on Mr. Landells' side. "Mr. Landells then jumped up in a
rage, asking Mr. Burke whether he intended that I should
superintend him?" To talk, touch, or mention anything about his
favourites, the camels, was sure to bring on "a scene." "On his
remarking that there was no rope here, I mentioned that we had just
brought one across with us, when he wanted to know what business I
had to say anything. Altogether, he made a great fool of himself
before several of the men, and a Mr. Wright, the manager of the
Kinchica Station." These camels, under Mr. Landells' spoiling,
appear to have become the plague of the expedition. They were to
have rum--solely, as it now appears, because Mr. Landells "knew of
an officer who took two camels through a two years' campaign in
Cabul, the Punjab, and Scinde, by allowing them arrack." They were
to carry more stores for themselves than they were worth. They were
not to make long journeys, nor to travel in bad weather, nor to be
subject to any one's direction, or opinion, or advice. In fine, the
chief difficulty of exploring Australia seemed to consist in
humouring the camels. We may imagine the feelings of a leader with
such a drag as this encumbering him. Mr. Pickwick could never have
viewed with such disgust the horse which he was obliged to lead
about as Mr. Burke must have regarded his camels. When to this it
is added that the leader observed various intrigues carried on, we
cannot wonder that he determined to come to an open rupture before
Mr. Landells and the camels had completely disorganized the
expedition. "Whereupon it came out," writes Mr. Wills, "that Mr.
Landells has been playing a fine game, trying to set us all
together by the ears. There is scarcely a man in the party whom he
has not urged Mr. Burke to dismiss." Under such a state of things,
the leader of the expedition must have been painfully aware that
his party was in no fit state of organization to enter on a most
perilous undertaking, and that while such continued, both he and
his men were going to inevitable destruction. If his conduct
appeared to Mr. Landells restless and uncertain, we may wonder how,
under the circumstances, it could be otherwise. We find it
impossible to believe that the Exploring Committee of the Royal
Society could have secretly informed Mr. Landells that he held
independent command, for such a thing would be a burlesque on
discipline. He claims the sole management of the camels; and
perhaps the committee may have defined his duty as such. But so
also has a private soldier the sole management of his musket, but
it is under the directions of his officer. Profound as may be Mr.
Landells' knowledge of camels, it would be worse than useless
unless subject to the direction of his commanding officer.

. . .

Mr. Burke, on the resignation of Mr. Landells, immediately
promoted my son to the post he had vacated, which appointment the
committee confirmed. Here there was perfect union and reciprocal
understanding. Neither had petty jealousies or reserved views. The
success of the expedition was their object, and personal glory
their aim. The leader had every confidence in his second, and the
second was proud of his leader. But Mr. Burke committed an error in
the selection of Mr. Wright for the third position in command,
without any previous knowledge or experience of his capabilities.
In this he acted from his impulsive nature, and the consequences
bore heavily on his own and my son's fate. To the misconduct of Mr.
Wright, in the words of the report of the Committee of Inquiry,
"are mainly attributable the whole of the disasters of the
expedition, with the exception of the death of Gray." In appearance
and acquirements, there was nothing to recommend him. The gentleman
suggested by Mr. Burke as a substitute for Dr. Beckler, most
unjustly, according to general opinion, desired to supplant my son.
This the majority of the committee refused to accede to, and Mr.
Nicholson, the chief secretary, agreed with their decision. Others,
including myself, offered to go; and a dispute, or rather a
discussion arose on the matter, which produced delay, so that no
one was sent at all. Another fatal mistake. It will be a source of
sorrow and strong regret to me as long as I exist, that I did not,
of my own will, push on to Menindie, where I might have been
instrumental in saving one for whom I would willingly have risked
my life. But no one then foresaw or expected the errors which
caused the surviving travelers to perish on their return.

But the actual cause of what might appear to be neglect on the part
of the committee, in procrastinating the medical appointment, or
other matters that were delayed, arose from the want of funds. The
sum subscribed had been expended, and when Mr. Hodgkinson arrived
at Melbourne, with Wright's despatch (written, however, by
Hodgkinson), asking for cash, and a confirmation of his appointment
as third in command, the committee had no balance at their
disposal. His Excellency, Sir Henry Barkly, to prevent any
misfortune on that ground, came forward on his personal guarantee,
and became responsible until Parliament should again meet. The
funds asked for by Wright, and even more, were granted; but I
believe it would puzzle the committee, to this day, to find what
became of them. One of the avowed objects was to purchase sheep;
this, at least, was neglected. Hodgkinson fulfilled his mission
zealously, and returned to Wright within as short a time as
possible. But Wright lingered inactively at Menindie, allowed the
proper time for following out the track of Mr. Burke to glide away
and disgracefully broke faith with one who had too generously
trusted him.

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.

Mr. Wright returns from here to Menindie. I informed him that I
should consider him third officer of the expedition, subject to the
approval of the committee, from the day of our departure from
Menindie, and I hope that they will confirm the appointment. In the
mean time I have instructed him to follow me up with the remainder
of the camels to Cooper's Creek, to take steps to procure a supply
of jerked meat, and I have written to the doctor to inform him that
I have accepted his resignation, as, although I was anxious to
await the decision of the committee, the circumstances will not
admit of delay, and he has positively refused to leave the settled
districts. I am willing to admit that he did his best until his
fears for the safety of the party overcame him; but these fears, I
think, clearly show how unfit he is for his post. If Mr. Wright is
allowed to follow out the instructions I have given him, I am
confident that the result will be satisfactory; and if the
committee think proper to make inquiries with regard to him they
will find that he is well qualified for the post, and that he bears
the very highest character. I shall proceed on from here to
Cooper's Creek. I may, or may not, be able to send back from there
until we are followed up. Perhaps it would not be prudent to divide
the party; the natives here have told Mr. Wright that we shall meet
with opposition on our way there. Perhaps I might find it advisable
to leave a depot at Cooper's Creek, and to go on with a small party
to examine the country beyond it.

Under any circumstances it is desirable that we should soon be
followed up. I consider myself very fortunate in having Mr. Wills
as my second in command. He is a capital officer, zealous and
untiring in the performance of his duties, and I trust that he will
remain my second as long as I am in charge of the expedition.

The men all conduct themselves admirably, and they are all most
anxious to go on; but the committee may rely upon it that I shall
go on steadily and carefully, and that I shall endeavour not to
lose a chance or to run any unnecessary risk.

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

R. O'HARA BURKE, Leader.,

P.S.--The two blacks and four horses go back with Mr. Wright.

The following is a list of the camps from Menindie to this place:--

October 19. Totoynya, a waterhole on the plains. . .Camp 35.

October 20. Kokriega, well in the Scope Ranges. . .Camp 36.

October 21. Bilpa Creek, do. . .Camp 37.

October 22. Botoja Clay-pans. . .Camp 38.

October 23. Langawirra Gully; Mount Doubeny Range. . .Camp 39.

October 24. Bengora Creek, Mount Doubeny Range. . .Camp 40.

October 25. Naudtherungee Creek. . .Camp 41.

October 26. Teltawongee Creek. . .Camp 42.

October 27. Wonominta Creek. . .Camp 43.

October 28. A clay-pan on the plains. . .Camp 44.

October 29. Torowoto Swamp...Camp 45.
Latitude, 30 degrees 1 minute 30 seconds south;
longitude, 142 degrees 27 minutes east.

. . .

October 30, 1860. Forwarded.

R. O'HARA BURKE, Leader.

Dr. Macadam, Secretary, Exploring Expedition.

. . .

FROM MR. WILLS, SECOND IN COMMAND, ASTRONOMER AND SURVEYOR OF
THEPARTY.

SURVEYOR'S REPORT.

The country, Bilbarka and Tolarno, in the immediate vicinity of the
eastern bank of the River Darling, presents the most barren and
miserable appearance of any land that we have yet met with. It
consists chiefly of mud flats, covered with polygonum bushes, box
timber, and a few salsolaceous plants, of inferior quality. Above
Tolarno there is a slight improvement, and between Kinchica and
Menindie there is some fair grazing country. All agree in saying
that there is fine grazing land back from the river; but the want
of water will probably prevent its being occupied, except in a very
partial manner, for many years; and I fear that the high sand
ridges, twenty to forty feet, and in some cases more than sixty
feet above the level of the river banks, will form almost
insuperable barriers in the way of any one who may attempt to
conduct water from the river by means of canals. It appears to me,
from the information that I have been able to obtain, that the
difficulties with which settlers have here to contend arise not so
much from the absorbent nature of the soil as from the want of
anything to absorb. This last season is said to have been the most
rainy that they have had for several years; yet everything looked
so parched up that I should have imagined it had been an
exceedingly dry one.

Gales.--I noticed that the forests for about 30 miles below
Menindie had been subjected to severe gales from west-north-west.
This was so striking, that I at first thought it was the effect of
a hurricane; but I could find no indications of a whirling force,
all the trees and branches lying in the same direction; besides
which, they seemed to have been torn down at various times, from
the different stages of decay in which they were found; and Mr.
Wright has subsequently informed me that almost every spring they
have a gale from west-north-west, which lasts but a short time, but
carries everything before it. It is this same strip of country
which is said to be more favoured with rain than that lower down.

Sand Drifting.--One can perceive everywhere in the neighbourhood of
Menindie, the effect of the winds in shifting the sand, by the
numerous logs in various stages of inhumation.

The Darling Pea.--It appears to be a disputed question, even on the
river, as to the effect of the Darling pea on horses, some
asserting that they become cranky simply from eating that herb, and
others that it is starvation that makes them mad. I could get no
satisfactory information even as to the symptoms, which seem to
vary considerably; but this I had from a reliable source, that
horses will eat the pea in large quantities without being
injuriously affected, provided they can obtain other food as well;
but that when they are on portions of the river where they can get
nothing else to eat, then they soon get an attack of madness.

Menindie to Scrope Ranges.--The country between Menindie and
Kokriega, in the Scrope Ranges, a distance of thirty-six miles in a
northerly direction, is a fine open tract of country, well grassed,
but having no permanent water. At Kokriega there is a well which
may be relied on for a small supply, but would be of no use in
watering cattle in large numbers. The ranges are composed of
ferruginous sandstone and quartz conglomerate, and as to vegetation
are of a very uninviting aspect. The plain to the south is covered
with quartz and sandstone pebbles. About five miles to the
north-east of the Kokriega is a spot where the schist rock crops
out from under the sandstone, and the rises here have somewhat of
an auriferous character.

North of the Scrope Range.--To the north of the Scrope Range the
country has much the same appearance, except that there are more
trees, and no stones until one reaches the Mount Doubeny Ranges, a
distance of nearly forty miles. At a spot half way, named Botoga,
there are some flats well calculated for collecting and retaining
rain water.

Mount Doubeny Range.--In this range there are, no doubt, many
places where permanent water may be found in considerable
quantities. Two places I may mention where the water is certainly
permanent--Mutwongee, a gully midway between camps 39 and 40; and
Bengora Creek, the latter camp.

Country North of Mount Doubeny.--From these ranges up to our
present position we have passed over as good grazing country as one
would wish to see; salt bushes of every kind, grass in abundance,
and plenty of water. Amongst the ranges we found kangaroo grass as
high as our shoulders, and on the plains the spear grass up to our
knees.

Naudtherungee Creek.--At this creek, which takes its rise near
Mount Lyell, and probably flows into the McFarlane's Creek of
Sturt, we found a small shallow pond of water, in the sandy bed of
the creek. This did not look very promising, but on digging I found
that the whole bed of the creek was a mass of loose sand, through
which the water freely permeated, and that the waterhole we found
was only a spot where, the level of the surface of the sand being
below that of the water, the latter oozed through. I am informed by
Mr. Wright, who was here in January last, that the creek contained
much more water then than now.

Country North of Naudtherungee Creek.--For a few miles to the north
of this creek the ground is very sandy, and timbered with pines,
acacias, and several descriptions of trees with which I am
unacquainted. There are two very handsome trees that I have never
seen in any other part of the country--the leopard tree (called so
from its spotted bark), and a tree which in general appearance much
resembles the poplar. On these sandhills the grass is very coarse,
but in the flats there is good feed. Beyond the sand rises the
country becomes more open again; and at about twelve or thirteen
miles one comes to quartz rises, from which there is a fine view to
the east, north, and west. Two creeks are distinctly visible by the
lines of gum timber; they take their rise near some hills to the
eastward, and passing around towards the north, join at a point
about three miles north-west, from whence the resulting creek
continues in a west-north-westerly direction, as far as the eye can
reach. The hills are composed of an argillaceous schist. On several
of the lower rises, quartz reefs crop out, and some of the quartz
which I examined had every appearance of being auriferous, except
the main one--the colour of the gold. There are some fine
waterholes in the first creek (Teltawongee), but I cannot say for
certain that the water is permanent. The whole of the country from
here to our next camp, a distance of twenty six miles, is the
finest I have seen for collecting and retaining water; and the only
question as to a permanent supply of that essential liquid is,
whether this part of the country is subject to long-continued
droughts; for the waterholes that we have met with are not large
enough to last for any great length of time, in the event of the
country being stocked. At ten miles from Teltawongee, we came to
the Wonominta--a creek having all the characteristics of
water-courses that take their rise in hills of schistoze formation.
At first, the numberless small waterholes, without the trace of a
creek connecting them, then the deep-cut narrow channel, with every
here and there a fine waterhole. The banks of the creek are clothed
with high grass and marshmallows. The latter grow to an immense
size on nearly all the creeks out here.

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