the honour of first crossing from sea
to sea, by a route far distant and utterly distinct from that of
McDouall Stuart, from whose great fame as an explorer I have not
the least desire to detract.

I wished, indeed, as the expedition had cost the gallant leaders of
it their lives, to narrate in a connected form its design and
history from the very commencement, in order that it might serve
the Geographical Society as a record, and prevent any misconception
of the causes which have marred its triumphant result.

I find, however, that the pressure of other business will prevent
my carrying out this design, and I must content myself therefore
with forwarding the newspapers which contain the best report of
what has recently come to light, together with the diaries of Burke
and Wills, as published in a pamphlet form, and lastly with a map
of Australia, on which our Surveyor-General has added to other
recent explorations, a reduced tracing of the track of the
expedition, from the depot on Cooper's Creek to the Gulf of
Carpentaria, where it struck, as would appear, the Flinders River,
and not the Albert, as the explorers supposed.

I would refer you, at the same time, for precise details of the
whole enterprise to my several despatches of 21st of August, 1860;
20th of July, and 20th of November, 1861; which I am confident the
Duke of Newcastle will put at your disposal for the information of
the Geographical Society, if applied to.

On one account I am not sorry to be obliged to postpone a detailed
communication on the subject, for it would be difficult to tell the
sad story of the sufferings and death of the brave men who returned
to the spot where they expected to find friends and ample store of
provisions and clothing, only to find the depot abandoned, and to
perish miserably in default of assistance, without at least
implying blame in some quarter or other; and, as a good deal is
still enveloped in mystery, and I have appointed a commission of
inquiry to take evidence and report thereupon, it would obviously
be improper in me to anticipate their conclusion.

The sole survivor of the party who crossed the continent, John
King, once, I believe, a soldier in India, is expected to reach
Melbourne to-night; and with the aid of his recollections of the
journey, the Surveyor-General hopes to be enabled to add to the
chart on a large scale, which he is constructing from Mr. Wills's
field books, fuller particulars as to the