act from Mr. Howitt's Diary.--Extract from Mr. McKinlay's
Diary.--My Son's last Letter to me, dated June 27th, 1861.--Strong
Attachment between Mr. Burke and my Son.--King delivers the Letter
and Watch intrusted to him.--With some difficulty I recover the
Pistol.--King's Reception in Melbourne.--Sir H. Barkly's Letter to
Sir Roderick Murchison.--Summary of Events and their Causes.

CHAPTER 14.

Letters of sympathy and condolence; from Sir Henry Barkly; Major
Egerton Warburton; A.J. Baker, Esquire; P.A. Jennings, Esquire; Dr.
Mueller; The Council of Ballaarat East; Robert Watson, Esquire;
John Lavington Evans, Esquire--Meeting at Totnes.--Resolution to
erect a Monument to Mr. Wills.--Proceedings in the Royal
Geographical Society of London.--Letter from Sir Roderick Murchison
to Dr. Wills.--Dr. Wills's Reply.--'The Lost Explorers,' a poetical
tribute.--Concluding Observations.

APPENDICES.

ILLUSTRATIONS:

1. THE LAST HOURS OF MR. WILLS.

Painted by Scott. Melbourne. London: Richard Bentley, 1863.
Engraved by J. Saddle.

2. WILLIAM J. WILLS.

Painted by Scott. Melbourne. Engraved by J. Brown.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

CHAPTER 1.

Birth.
Infancy.
Boyhood and Early Education.
Youthful Traits of Character.

William John Wills was born at Totnes, in Devonshire, on the 5th of
January, 1834. He had, therefore, attained the full age of
twenty-seven at the time of his death. Even in infancy, his
countenance was interesting and expressive. He began to speak and
walk alone before he had completed his first year. His lively
disposition gave ample employment to his nurses, though I cannot
remember that he ever worried one, through peevishness or a
fractious temper. As soon as he could talk distinctly, he evinced
an aptitude to name things after his own fancy; and I may fairly
say, that he was never a child in the common acceptation of the
term, as he gave early indications of diligence and discretion
scarcely compatible with the helplessness and simplicity of such
tender years. About the time of his completing his third year, Mr.
Benthall, a friend and near neighbour, asked permission to take him
for a walk in his garden. The boy was then in the habit of
attending a school for little children, close by, kept by an old
lady. In less than an hour, Mr. Benthall returned to ask if he had
come home. No one had seen him, and we began to be alarmed lest he
might have fallen into a well in the garden; but this apprehension