the faintest idea of the easy
task that the explorers with their imposing retinue and outfit had before
them. In fact, with all the resources at Burke's command, a favourable
season and good open country, the excursion would have been a mere picnic
to most men of experience. A number of camels had been specially imported
from India at a cost of 5,500 pounds. G.J. Landells came to the country
in charge of them, and had been appointed second in command. Long before
they left the settled districts, Burke quarrelled with him, whereupon he
resigned and returned to Melbourne. There he openly declared that under
Burke's control the expedition would assuredly meet with disaster. Wills
was then appointed second by Burke, and Wright, who was supposed to be
acquainted with the locality which they were approaching, was engaged as
third, another most unfortunate selection. Besides those already
mentioned, there were Dr. Hermann Beckler, medical officer and botanist,
and Dr. Ludwig Becker, artist, naturalist, and geologist, ten white
assistants, and three camel-drivers.

The expedition in full reached Menindie on the Darling, where Wright
joined them. On the 19th of October, 1860, Burke, Wills, six men, five
horses and sixteen camels, left Menindie for Cooper's Creek. Wright went
with them two hundred miles to indicate the best route, and then returned
to take charge of the main body waiting at Menindie. On the 11th of
November, Burke with the advance party reached Cooper's Creek, where they
camped and awaited the arrival of Wright with the rest. Grass and water
were both plentiful, and the journey had hitherto proved no more arduous
than an ordinary over-landing trip.

The long delay and inaction worked sadly upon Burke's active and
impatient temperament, and he suddenly announced his intention to
subdivide his party and, with three men, to start across the belt of
unknown country -- a distance of five hundred miles at the furthest --
that separated him from Gregory's track round the Gulf. Although his
lavish outfit had been purchased specially to explore this comparatively
small extent of land, he thus deliberately left it behind him during the
most critical part of the journey. He had with him no means of following
up any discoveries he might make, and his botanist and naturalist and
geologist were also left behind. He killed time for a little while by
making short excursions northward, and then, on the 16th of December,
impatien