Produced by Sue Asscher and Robert PrinceSUCCESSFUL EXPLORATIONTHROUGH THE INTERIOR OFAUSTRALIAFROM MELBOURNE TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIAFROM THE JOURNALS AND LETTERS OFWILLIAM JOHN WILLSEDITED BY HIS FATHER WILLIAM WILLSLONDONRICHARD BENTLEY NEW BURLINGTON STREETPUBLISHER IN ORDINARY TO HER MAJESTY1863DEDICATEDBY PERMISSIONTO HIS GRACETHE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE KGETC ETC ETCBY HIS GRACESFAITHFUL SERVANTWILLIAM WILLSJANUARY 1863PREFACEA life terminating before it had reached its meridian can scarcelybe expected to furnish materials for an extended biography But theimportant position held by my late son as second in command inwhat is now so wellknown as the Burke and Wills ExploringExpedition across the Island Continent of Australia thecomplicated duties he undertook as Astronomer TopographerJournalist and Surveyor the persevering skill with which hedischarged them suggesting and regulating the march of the partythrough a waste of eighteen hundred miles previously untrodden byEuropean feet his courage patience and heroic death hisselfdenial in desiring to be left alone in the desert withscarcely a hope of rescue that his companions might find a chancefor themselvesthese claims on public attention demand that hisname should be handed down to posterity in something more than amere obituary record or an official acknowledgment of servicesA truthful though brief memoir of my sons short career mayfurnish a stimulating example by showing how much can beaccomplished in a few years when habits of prudence and industryhave been acquired in early youth He fell a victim to errors notoriginating with himself but he resigned his life without amurmur having devoted it to science and his country His deathwith the circumstances attending it furnishes an application ofthe lines of a favourite poet which he often quoted withadmiration    Lives of great men all remind us    We can make our lives sublime    And departing leave behind us    Footsteps on the sands of time    Footprints that perhaps another    Sailing oer Lifes solemn main    A forlorn and shipwreckd brother    Seeing shall take heart againThe following pages are the only tribute a fond and mourning fathercan offer to the memory of one who while living merited andreciprocated his warmest affectionsWILLIAM WILLSLondon January 1863CONTENTSCHAPTER 1BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHBirthInfancyBoyhood and Early EducationYouthful Traits ofCharacterCHAPTER 2My two Sons leave England for AustraliaIncidents of the VoyageExtracts from JournalArrival at Port PhillipMelbourneEmployed as Shepherds in the InteriorMode of LifeMelbournein 1853Advice to ImmigrantsDescriptive Letters from the BushCHAPTER 3I arrive in AustraliaJoin my two Sons at their SheepstationReturn to Melbourne and Remove to BallaaratVisit to Mr SkeneMy son studies SurveyingHis Rapid ProficiencyAppointed totake Charge of a PartyLetters on various Subjects to his Motherand Brother at HomeCHAPTER 4My Son is appointed to the Magnetic Observatory at Melbourne underProfessor NeumayerHis Rapid Advance in the Study of Magnetismand MineralogyLetters to his Relatives at Home descriptive ofhis Pursuits Wishes and SentimentsFirst suggestions of hisProbable Employment on the Exploring ExpeditionCHAPTER 5Postponement of the Exploring Expedition projected at the beginningof 1860My Sons Letter to his Sister on going into SocietyMrBirnies Opinion of him and Extract from his LectureLetter fromWilliam to his Mother on Religious Views and Definitions of FaithHis last Communications to his family at Home before theDeparture of the ExpeditionCHAPTER 6THE EXPEDITIONHow the Expedition originatedAppointment of the LeaderOfficers and PartyMr Robert OHara Burke Mr GJ LandellsMr WJ Wills Dr Herman Beckler Dr Ludwig Becker etcTheExpedition starts from Melbourne on the 20th of August 1860Progress to Swan HillDischarge of Mr Ferguson the ForemanAdvance to MenindieResignation of Mr Landells and Dr HermanBecklerMr Wills promoted to second in command and Mr Wrightto thirdCHAPTER 7From Menindie on the Darling to TorowotoMr Burkes Despatchand Mr Willss Report from TorowotoMr Wrights unaccountabledelay at MenindieThe Expedition proceeds onwards to CoopersCreekExploring Trips in that neighbourhoodLoss of threeCamelsMr Willss Letter to his Sister December 6th and 15thIncorrectness of McDonoughs StatementsCHAPTER 8Mr Willss Survey of the line of Country pursued by theExpedition from Torowoto Swamp to Coopers CreekCHAPTER 9Departure from Coopers Creek for the Gulf of CarpentariaArrangements for the continuance of the Depot at Coopers CreekMr Brahe left in ChargeDetermination of RouteProgress andIncidentsMr Willss Field Books from the 16th of December1860 to the 30th of January 1861 1 to 9Shores of CarpentariaCHAPTER 10Return from Carpentaria to Coopers CreekMr Willss Journalsfrom February 19th to April 21st 1861Illness and Death of GrayThe Survivors arrive at Coopers Creek Depot and find itdesertedA Small Stock of Provisions leftConduct of BraheReport of the Royal CommissionCHAPTER 11Proceedings in MelbourneMeeting of the Exploration CommitteeTardy ResolutionsDeparture of Mr HowittPatriotic Effort ofMr OrkneySouth Australian Expedition under Mr McKinlayNewsof White Men and Camels having been seen by Natives in theInteriorCertain Intelligence of the Fate of the Explorersreaches MelbourneCHAPTER 12The attempt to reach South Australia and Adelaide by MountHopelessMistake of selecting that RouteMr Willss Journalsfrom the 23rd of April to the 29th of June 1861Adventures withthe NativesDiscovery of Nardoo as a Substitute for FoodMrBurke and King go in search of Natives for assistanceMr Willsleft alone in the DesertThe Last Entry in his JournalCHAPTER 13Kings NarrativeMr Burke and King again go in search of theNatives as a last resourceDeath of Mr BurkeKing returns andfinds Mr Wills dead in the GunyahHe falls in with the Nativesand wanders about with them until delivered by Mr Howitts partyExtract from Mr Howitts DiaryExtract from Mr McKinlaysDiaryMy Sons last Letter to me dated June 27th 1861StrongAttachment between Mr Burke and my SonKing delivers the Letterand Watch intrusted to himWith some difficulty I recover thePistolKings Reception in MelbourneSir H Barklys Letter toSir Roderick MurchisonSummary of Events and their CausesCHAPTER 14Letters of sympathy and condolence from Sir Henry Barkly MajorEgerton Warburton AJ Baker Esquire PA Jennings Esquire DrMueller The Council of Ballaarat East Robert Watson EsquireJohn Lavington Evans EsquireMeeting at TotnesResolution toerect a Monument to Mr WillsProceedings in the RoyalGeographical Society of LondonLetter from Sir Roderick Murchisonto Dr WillsDr Willss ReplyThe Lost Explorers a poeticaltributeConcluding ObservationsAPPENDICESILLUSTRATIONS1 THE LAST HOURS OF MR WILLSPainted by Scott Melbourne London Richard Bentley 1863Engraved by J Saddle2 WILLIAM J WILLSPainted by Scott Melbourne Engraved by J BrownBIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHCHAPTER 1BirthInfancyBoyhood and Early EducationYouthful Traits of CharacterWilliam John Wills was born at