ignations of Mr. Landells and Dr. Beckler.

Mr. Burke evinced a far greater amount of zeal than prudence in
finally departing from Cooper's Creek before the depot party had
arrived from Menindie, and without having secured communication
with the settled districts as he had been instructed to do; and, in
undertaking so extended a journey with an insufficient supply of
provisions, Mr. Burke was forced into the necessity of over-taxing
the powers of his party, whose continuous and unremitting exertions
resulted in the destruction of his animals, and the prostration of
himself and his companions from fatigue and severe privation.

The conduct of Mr. Wright appears to have been reprehensible in the
highest degree. It is clear that Mr. Burke, on parting with him at
Torowoto, relied on receiving his immediate and zealous support;
and it seems extremely improbable that Mr. Wright could have
misconstrued the intentions of his leader so far, as to suppose
that he ever calculated for a moment on his remaining for any
length of time on the Darling. Mr. Wright has failed to give any
satisfactory explanation of the causes of his delay; and to that
delay are mainly attributable the whole of the disasters of the
expedition, with the exception of the death of Gray. The grave
responsibility of not having left a larger supply of provisions,
together with some clothing, in the cache, at Cooper's Creek, rests
with Mr. Wright. Even had he been unable to convey stores to
Cooper's Creek, he might have left them elsewhere, leaving notice
at the depot of his having done so.

The Exploration Committee, in overlooking the importance of the
contents of Mr. Burke's despatch from Torowoto, and in not urging
Mr. Wright's departure from the Darling, committed errors of a
serious nature. A means of knowledge of the delay of the party at
Menindie was in the possession of the Committee, not indeed by
direct communication to that effect, but through the receipt of
letters from Drs. Becker and Beckler at various dates up to the end
of November,--without, however, awakening the Committee to a sense
of the vital importance of Mr. Burke's request in that despatch
that he should "be soon followed up,"--or to a consideration of the
disastrous consequences which would be likely to result, and did
unfortunately result, from the fatal inactivity and idling of Mr.
Wright and his party on the Darling.

The conduct of Mr. Brahe in retiring from his position at th