had returned alive, but footsore, worn
out and in rags, to where they might have hoped for help and
succour; they were on their way to where honour and glory, well and
nobly earned, awaited them; and now they must lie down in the
dreary wilds of an almost unknown country, and die that most
horrible of all deaths, starvation, They must have felt, too, that,
worse than even this death itself, the fruits of their labours
would, in all probability, perish with them, their fate remain
unknown, and the glorious page of the world's history which they
would have written would be buried in oblivion, and all this--ALL
this because

'Some one had blundered.'

It has been decided that the remains are to be brought to Melbourne
and have a public funeral. Monuments are also to be erected to the
memory of the brave fellows:--

"These come too late, and almost mock whom they are intended
to honour."

Poor Wills! you will remember him as a boy. It has occurred to
me that Totnes may wish in some way to perpetuate the memory of one
who perished so young and with such honour in a noble cause. Should
it be so, I have asked my brother to be there with something from
me. Every good man must deeply regret his loss, and sincerely
sympathize with his relatives and friends.

Your hero has passed to no ignoble grave;
He died not ere a deathless fame was won;
And earth must count amongst her true and brave,
The brave and patient Wills, Devonia's son.

I am, dear Sir,

Yours truly,

ROBT. WATSON.

To the Editor of the Totnes Times.

. . .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TOTNES WEEKLY TIMES.

Melbourne, November 26, 1861.

By this mail, I have sent you the public journals of this city,
containing detailed accounts of the Exploring Expedition,
despatched hence on the 20th August last, to find its way to and
return from the Gulf of Carpentaria. Only one of the party has
succeeded in accomplishing this unparalleled undertaking, three
having fallen victims to hunger and disease. R. O'Hara Burke was
the leader of the Expedition, and W.J. Wills, a native of Totnes,
and son of a physician from your locality, was the second in
command, observer and astronomer. The Expedition had visited the
Gulf, and had returned to Cooper's Creek, where a depot had been
formed, but unfortunately broken up only six hours before the
return of the weary travellers. Their disappointment at finding
such to be the case, you must gather from