to establish
from an expression in one of the few of Burke's notes preserved, to
this effect: "28th March.--At the conclusion of report, it would be
well to say that we reached the sea, but we could not obtain a view
of the open ocean, although we made every effort to do so." At the
extreme point they reached, about fifteen miles down the Flinders,
the tide ebbed and flowed regularly, and the water was quite salt.
The very simplicity of Mr. Burke's remark shows that it was made by
a man not given to lying or deceit. Mr. Walker followed the return
tracks for some distance, but lost them at about 20 degrees of
south latitude, and then struck off direct east for the Queensland
district, to inquire, and get further supplies for a new start. At
Rockhampton he received the fatal intelligence which had been sent
round by sea from Melbourne; and also the news of the discovery of
King by the gallant Howitt, to whom all honour is due for his
labours in the cause.

But Mr. McKinlay, leader of the South Australian Expedition, of
whom I have already spoken more than once, has performed the most
extraordinary exploit of all, and has traversed by far the greatest
quantity of new ground, but not in the direction originally
intended by the government that sent him. Failing in finding the
traces of Burke and his expedition, McKinlay took more to the north
and north-west between the 120 and 140 degrees of eastern
longitude. Yet from some floodings which my son, it will be
remembered, pointed out in his journal as occurring from
indications on trees, McKinlay changed his course to north and by
east until he reached the Gulf of Carpentaria, and then to south
and by east, and crossed to Queensland, returning from Rockhampton
to Adelaide by water. A glance at the map will show the courses of
these respective explorers sufficiently for general purposes. Thus
Queensland, by some mysterious influences in its favour, has reaped
the whole benefit of these explorations at the least apparent cost.
The land discovered by the Burke and Wills Expedition, now named
Burke's Land, has been handed over to Queensland by the Home
Government, up to Cape York, on the extreme north, in Torres
Straits. This vast continent, west of 140 degrees, in which the
South Australian, and West Australian governments have so much
interest, is, with the exception of Stuart's Line, quite
unexplored.

It has been a subject of congratulation by some, that the
misadventure