ield of active exploration. The settlement of the upper Darling and the
Darling Downs had caused numerous speculations as to the nature of the
unknown territory comprising the northern half of Australia. In 1841,
communications had passed between the Governor and Captain Sturt, and in
December of the same year Eyre, not long returned from his march round
the Great Bight, wrote offering his services, provided that no prior
claim had been advanced by Sturt. Governor Gipps asked for an estimate of
the expenses, but considered Eyre's estimate of five thousand pounds too
high, and nothing further was done. In 1843, Sir Thomas Mitchell
submitted a plan of exploration to the Governor, who consulted the
Legislative Council. The Council approved it and voted one thousand
pounds towards expenses. The Governor referred the matter to Lord
Stanley, whose reply was favourable, but the project still hung fire. In
1844 Eyre again wrote offering to make the journey at a much more
reasonable rate, but his offer was however declined as Mitchell's
proposals held the field. In 1845 the fund was increased to two thousand
pounds, and Sir George Gipps ordered the Surveyor-General to make his
preparations.

Mitchell favoured the search for a practicable road to the Gulf of
Carpentaria, and hoped also that he would at last find his long-sought
northern-flowing river. In a letter which he then received from a
well-known grazier, Walter Bagot, there is mention of an aboriginal
description of a large river running northward to the west of the
Darling. But as natives in their descriptions frequently confuse flowing
to and flowing from, they probably had Cooper's Creek in mind.

During the earlier part of the year, Commissioner Mitchell, the son of
Sir Thomas, who was afterwards drowned during a passage to Newcastle, had
made a flying survey towards the Darling, and the discovery of the
Narran, Balonne, and Culgoa rivers has been attributed to him.

On the 15th of December, 1845, Mitchell started from Buree with a very
large company, including E.B. Kennedy as second in command, and W.
Stephenson as surgeon and collector. He struck the Darling much higher
than Fort Bourke, and it was not until he was across the river that he
passed the outermost cattle-stations, which had sprung rapidly into
existence since his last visit to the neighbourhood. The Narran was then
followed up until the Balonne was reached. This river, in his superlative
style, Mitche