Burke"s tracks, although accompanied by a native, which is inexplicable, if they trusted to d.i.c.k, who had both intelligence and energy of purpose. He found his way back to Wright, however, and was thus the means of saving the lives of the trooper and McPherson.
Hodgkinson, we have seen, was despatched by Wright to Melbourne, from Menindie, on the 19th of December, with letters a.s.suming to be written by himself, but, in fact, by Hodgkinson. Whether the committee knew this does not appear: if they did not, here was one reason for confirming Wright"s appointment. Hodgkinson reached Melbourne on the morning of the 30th, riding nearly four hundred miles in eleven days. A meeting of the committee was called on Monday, the 31st, at which his Excellency attended, and Hodgkinson started on his return the same evening. This certainly was business. Nearly double the sum that he had asked was allowed to Wright, in cash. From the 5th of November, he lingered at Menindie, until the 19th of December, doing nothing. He says he was waiting for an answer to a letter he had previously sent. Dr. Macadam, the Secretary, denies that he ever received such a letter. Wright is here unworthy of credit, for he could not write. This was extracted from himself, after considerable fencing, in his examination before the Commission on the 12th of December, 1861:--
MR. WM. WRIGHT further examined.
Question 1565. There is evidently some discrepancy between the statement that you wrote yourself on the 5th of November, when you came back, and the statement of Dr. Macadam that no such letter was ever received. This letter of yours of the 19th of December, is it written by yourself?--The one I sent myself?
1566. The one of the 19th of December, is it in your own handwriting?--The one that is missing?
1567. No; this one [handing a paper to the witness]?--No, it is not; Hodgkinson did all the writing.
1568. Did he write the one that is stated to be missing?--No, he did not.
1569. You wrote that one?--I wrote that with my own hand. I just wrote a few words.
1570. Could your memory serve you sufficiently to write the purport of that letter that is missing?--It would not.
1571. Nothing approaching to it?--I never thought for a moment of keeping a copy of it, or of giving it to Hodgkinson to keep a copy.
1572. Have you no recollection of the general purport of it?--I just mentioned that Mr. Burke had appointed me to take the party out and take the command; that is about the heads of it.
1573. Have you any objection to write a letter similar to that one, as nearly as you can remember it?--No. I write a very indifferent hand.
1574. Which was the reason, it is to be presumed, why you got some one to write the letter of the 19th?--Yes.
Hodgkinson arrived at Menindie on the 9th of January, 1861, and immediately placed in Wright"s hands the following letter:--
Melbourne, December 31st.
SIR,
Your despatch of the 19th instant, forwarded per Mr. Hodgkinson, was laid before a meeting of the members of the Exploration Committee held this day, when the following resolutions were carried unanimously:
1. That a letter be forwarded to Mr. Wright, informing him that his appointment as third in command of the Victorian Expedition, by Mr.
Burke, has been approved of and confirmed by this committee.
2. That Mr. Wright, third officer of the Victorian Expedition, be empowered to procure a number of horses (not more than ten), and the necessary accoutrements; and also one hundred and fifty (say 150) sheep, and be authorized to draw on the treasurer, the Honourable David E. Wilkie, M.D., M.L.C., for an amount not exceeding four hundred (say 400) pounds sterling, for their purchase, and other necessary incidental expenses.
I have further to inform you that Mr. Hodgkinson, who returns as the bearer of this despatch, will hand you an order from Mr.
Superintendent Foster, of Swan Hill, to obtain from trooper Lyons the despatches for the leader, now in the possession of that officer, and which it is desired you should hand to Mr. Burke.
It is hoped by the committee, that trooper Lyons and saddler Macpherson have safely returned to the camp, and you will kindly report as to the manner in which the former has endeavoured to carry out the duty committed to his charge.
The medal for d.i.c.k, the aboriginal guide, bearing a suitable inscription, is forwarded with this despatch, and the committee leave in your hands the bestowal of such additional reward as you may deem proper--not exceeding five guineas (say 5 pounds 5 shillings.)
Captain Cadell informed the committee to-day that his store at Menindie would be at your service for depositing any articles you may find it inconvenient to remove to Cooper"s Creek at present.
You will endeavour to secure, if possible, twelve pommel pack-saddles, now arrived, it is believed, on the Darling. These were forwarded via Adelaide, and will no doubt be of great use to the main party.
The committee desire that on your meeting with Mr. Burke, you will show him, and deposit with him, this despatch, as also a copy of yours of the 19th instant, together with copies of all despatches you may forward to the committee during Mr. Burke"s absence; and the committee expect that you will communicate under such circ.u.mstances as frequently as possible.
Mr. Hodgkinson bears letters for the leader and Mr. Wills.
In conclusion, it is hoped that your endeavours to remove the stores from your present depot to Cooper"s Creek will be early and successfully accomplished.
I have the honour to be, sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) JOHN MACADAM, M.D., Secretary.
To Mr. Wright, third in command, temporary depot, Plurarmora Creek, Darling River, New South Wales.
Nothing can be clearer than the instructions herein conveyed; yet in the face of them, Wright made no start until the 26th of January.
His answers to the Royal Commission were full of contradictions, but to the main question of his delay he gave no answer at all.
From my own inquiries I never could make out that any one at Menindie thought him fit for the post, or undertook to recommend him. Captain Cadell did to the committee, but with Mr. Burke, Captain Cadell was not on speaking terms.
Mr. Burke and my son proceeded onwards, accompanied by the reduced party, consisting of Brahe, King, Gray, Patten, McDonough, and Dost Mahomet, fifteen horses and sixteen camels, on the 29th of September, 1860, and reached Cooper"s Creek on the 11th of November, a distance of about 250 miles. Here my son went out occasionally, taking a man with him, to explore the country, far and near. His great desire was to reach Carpentaria by the shortest practicable cut, and he inclined to a direct northern course, or to the eastward of north. The committee represented afterwards, as prominently as they could put it, that Mr. Burke was left unshackled on this point, but still suggestions were offered, which a leader naturally considers he is expected to listen to. One of these was, that on leaving Cooper"s Creek they should proceed towards Eyre"s Creek and Sturt"s Farthest (September, 1845); for which I refer the reader to the map. My son could not see the wisdom of this, as Sturt had declared that beyond that point he saw nothing but an impenetrable desert. McDouall Stuart"s return to Adelaide was also reported, and that he was about to start again: it therefore became a rival race as to who should reach the goal first.
With reference to my son"s exploration trips during the halt at Cooper"s Creek, Mr. Brahe, on his examination before the Royal Commission, gave the following particulars:--
We travelled down the creek; our first camp on Cooper"s Creek was Camp 57; from some of the first camps Mr. Wills went out exploring the creek.
Question 148. How long did you remain at the first camp?--One night; at the second camp, two days; and at the third camp, two days; and from each camp Mr. Wills went down tracing the creek.
149. And you remained two days at each camp for three camps down the creek?--Yes.
150. Was the third camp the final camp formed on the creek?--No, at the 63rd camp the first depot was formed. We remained there a fortnight.
151. At the 63rd camp?--Yes, that would be the fifth or sixth camp on the creek.
152. What were you doing that fortnight?--Mr. Wills was exploring the country to the north; Mr. Burke was out with him once; Mr.
Burke was out with me first, and we could not go far enough with horses, not finding any water away from the camp.
153. How far did you go?--About twenty-five miles straight; the weather being very hot we could not go further: we had to return the second day to the camp.
151. Then Mr. Wills went out by himself?--He went ninety miles; he took McDonough with him and three camels.
155. And he lost one of his camels, did he not?--He lost the three and returned on foot.
156. Was he much weakened by that journey?--Not Mr. Wills.
157. But McDonough was?--Rather.
158. Did they suffer from want of food as well as want of water?
--No, only from want of water.