Monday, the 18th, I called on the Honourable David Wilkie, honorary
treasurer to the committee. I found him issuing circulars for a
meeting to consider what was to be done. My heart sank within me
when I found that no measures whatever had yet been taken. I called
on those I knew amongst the committee to entreat their attendance.
I hastened to Professor Neumayer, with reference to Mr. Lockhart's
letter, to ask if it had been arranged with Mr. Burke that a vessel
should be despatched round the coast to the Gulf to meet him there.
His answer was that a conversation on that point had taken place
between Mr. Burke, my son, and himself, but that Mr. Burke had
enjoined him (the professor) not to move in it, for that, if so
disposed, he would himself apply to the committee by letter.

A meeting took place on the evening of the 18th. The opinions were
as numerous as the members in attendance. Quot homines tot
sententiae. One talked of financial affairs, another of science, a
third of geography, a fourth of astronomy, and so on. A chapter in
the Circumlocution Office painfully unfolded itself. Mr. Ligar
rather rudely asked me what I was in such alarm about; observed
that "there was plenty of time; no news was good news; and I had
better go home and mind my own business." I felt hurt, naturally
enough, some of my readers may suppose, and replied that had I not
been convinced something was doing, I should scarcely have remained
quiet at Ballaarat for three months. A gentleman, with whom I had
no previous acquaintance, seeing my anxiety, and feeling that the
emergency called for immediate action, appealed to them warmly, and
the result was a decision, nemine contradicente, that it was time
to move, if active and trustworthy agents could be found. I offered
my services for one, but the meeting adjourned without coming to
any decision, and was followed by other indefinite meetings and
adjournments de die in diem.

On the following day, Dr. Macadam, Honorary Secretary, attended
(the press of the morning had incited movement) and announced the
welcome intelligence that Mr. A. Howitt was in Melbourne; that he
had seen him; that he was ready to go on the shortest notice. So
far all was good. But now I saw the full misery and imbecility of
leaving a large body to decide what should have been delegated to a
quorum of three at the most. The meetings took place regularly, but
the same members seldom attended twice. New illusions and conc