Part 2 (1/2)
_SEARCH PARTIES AND CONCLUSION_
WeAs soon as it was known that Burke and the advance party had not been heard of for five reat consternation was felt throughout all the colonies, and relief parties were organised and equipped with praiseworthy alacrity A sent, under Mr A W
Howitt, was furnished by the Royal Society of Victoria, and started from Melbourne early in July to exaust, McKinlay was sent out by the South Australian Government, with instructions to reach Cooper's Creek by way of Lake Torrens Before the end of the sah, and another under Walker--had set out to explore the region round about the Gulf of Carpentaria These expeditions all prosecuted their search with eagerness, and through their instrureatly extended; but Mr Howitt's party was the only one that succeeded in getting facts about the fate of the explorers
[Illustration: BURYING THE BODY OF POOR WILLS]
From his diary we learn that, with the assistance of Brahe, the depot was reached on the 13th of Septeh this ill-fated place appeared to the on the fifteenth He had been living with the blacks for more than two months, and now presented a melancholy appearance--wasted to a shadow, and hardly to be distinguished as a civilised being but by the re in a hut, while the natives were all gathered round, sitting on the ground and looking on with atwo days to recruit King, Howitt and four of thethe body of poor Wills They found the corpse covered with sand and rushes just as King had left it, and when they had carefully collected the remains they interred them where they lay Mr Howitt showed their respect by conducting over the grave a short funeral cererave and laid bushes upon it, that the natives ht know by their own tokens not to disturb the last repose of a fellow-being Toinscription was cut on a tree close by:--
+--------------+ | W J WILLS | | XLV YDS | | WNW | | --A H-- | +--------------+
Mr Howitt deferred his visit to Burke's re would be able to acco it would not be prudent to rely took such directions as King could give, and started up the creek in search of the spot where Burke had died After travelling eighttall plants under a clump of box-trees The bones were entire, with the exception of the hands and feet, and the body had been removed from the spot where it first lay, and where the natives had placed branches over it, to about five paces distant The revolver, loaded and capped, was lying close by, partly covered with leaves and earth, and corroded with rust A grave was dug, and the reently placed therein
On a box-tree at the head of the grave Mr Howitt cut the following inscription:--
+------------+ | R O'H B | | 21/9/61 | | A H | +------------+
The relief-party noent in search of the natives who had been so hospitable to the unfortunate explorers On co up to the blacks, Mr
Howitt displayed to their astonished gaze soive them as a reward for their kindness They exareat interest, but the looking-glass surprised the their faces reflected in it some seemed dazzled; others opened their eyes like saucers and ues, expressive of surprise After a friendly palaver, Mr Howitt gave thehts-of-hand, as if in dread of being poisoned, and only pretended to eat it They were then made to understand that the whole tribe were to co to receive the presents On the following day, at ten o'clock, the friendly blacks appeared in a long procession, and at about aat the top of their voices When collected together, just below the camp, they numbered between thirty and forty, and the uproar they ot them all seated round him, and then distributed the presents--tolasses, combs, etc The blacks behaved as if they had never before experienced such happiness
The piccanninies were brought forward by their parents to have red ribbons tied round their dirty little heads One old wo, was loaded with presents Fifty pounds of sugar was divided ast them, and soon found its way to their mouths
Every one had a share in a Union-jack pocket-handkerchief, which they were very proud of On fifty pounds of flour being given to them, they at once called it ”white fellow nardoo” The blacks were iven to the
Mr Howitt then took leave of the delighted fellows, and as he had now accomplished the object of his journey, he bent his course homewards
[Illustration: ”THEY FOUND THE REMAINS UNDER A CLUMP OF BOX-TREES”]
On his arrival at Melbourne the sad story which he had to tell rief prevailed throughout Australia
In Victoria the sorroas intense, and it was agreed that the bodies of the two gallant explorers who had forfeited their lives in the nation's service should be brought to Melbourne and accorded a public funeral
Mr Hoas sent on the painfuldown their remains, and returned with them at the close of the year 1862 On the 21st of January 1863 the reater part of the shops in the city were closed, although no official announce that the day should be held sacred to the memory of Burke and Wills The re in state at the Royal Society's Hall for a fortnight, and were now placed in handsorave, which is near Sir Charles Hotha-place by the leading gentlemen of the colony, and a procession which extended a distance of more than half-a-ed with spectators The Very Rev the Dean of Melbourne conducted the funeral service, after which three volleys were fired Thebeen paid a, the crowd dispersed and left the heroes in their quiet graves
Honours of a otten To the nearest relatives of Burke and Wills a large surant that enabled him to live comfortably for the rest of his life
After the rewards had been given there was a less pleasing duty to be done It was generally agreed that, with proper precautions, the disastrous termination of the expedition could have been avoided The Govern out the truth, and its members examined every person in any way connected with the expedition The following is a su his party at Menindie, Mr Burke actedMr Wright, though a pressing eency had arisen for the appointment of someone Mr Burke evincedfro secured com so extended a journey with an insufficient supply of food The conduct of Mr Wright appears to be reprehensible in the highest degree The exploration co Mr Wright's departure fro the depotof considerable censure; but a responsibility far beyond his expectations devolved upon hiave hen pressed by the appeals of a sick coht have been averted, and none of his subordinates could have pleaded contradictory orders, had Mr Burke kept a regular journal and given written instructions to his officers The report ends thus:--”We cannot too deeply deplore the lareat a cost to the country; but while we regret the absence of any systematic plan of operation on the part of the leader, we desire to express our ad, as well as the fidelity of his brave coadjutor, Mr Wills, and their ; and ould record our deep sys and untimely death of Mr Burke and his fellow-comrades”
Two years later a monument was erected in honour of the memory of Burke and Wills It is a beautiful statue in bronze, based on granite The sculptor was Mr Charles Summers, an eminent Australian artist The materials are also Australian--the bronze is composed of copper froranite was taken froures of Burke and Wills stand about 12 feet high, and are h and 11 feet by 7 feet square at base The attitude of the explorers is a very suitable and effective one Wills is in an easy sitting posture, and Burke is standing erect with his right ar the country towards the left, and is apparently drawing the attention of his companion to some of its particular features Wills, with book on his knee and pencil in hand, is just about to make a note of them The sides of the pedestals are adorned with bronze bas-reliefs, which represent:--(1) The starting of the expedition from the Royal Park, Melbourne; (2) the return of Burke, Wills, and King to Cooper's Creek fro over the dead body of Burke; and (4) the finding of King by Howitt's search party
On the 21st of April 1865 this stately monument was unveiled in the presence of vast nu, Governor of Victoria After the uncovering cere delivered the following address, which is condensed frous_ of the 22nd of April:--
”At the conclusion of the cheering His Excellency said, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, Inhabitants of Victoria, I need not tell you that the sounds which are still reverberating are the echoes of what may be well termed a national honour to the illustrious dead To make that honour as complete and perfect as we can, you have assembled in the vast numbers which meet the eye in every direction, and I accepted the position which I now occupy in the appointed cereallant company, non to all posterity as the ”Burke and Wills Exploring Expedition,” set forth, amidst the enthusiastic cheers of assembled thousands of their fellow-colonists, to win their way from the southern to the northern shore of the Australian continent (Cheers) A year had nearly passed ahen the fact was entertained beyond a doubt that the victory had been nobly won, but that the leaders, in the exhausting struggle, had fallen almost in the hour of triumph In the uishi+ng characteristics of each were strikingly illustrated The calins his last letter to his father in these words--”These are probably the last lines you will ever get from me; we are on the point of starvation, not so much from the absolute want of food, but froet;” and he concludes it with the tranquilly-expressed opinion and assurance, ”I think to live about four or five days; my spirits are excellent” Two days later, probably but a few hours before his death, the last words recorded in his journal are literally a scientific dissertation upon the nutritious nature of the food--the nardoo plant--by means of which they had for so Burke, instinctively recurring to his early military days, and, as I doubt not, with the picture of a fallen warrior upon the battle-field vivid in his iination, ”place my weapon in my hand, and leave me unburied as I lie” Such was the fate of the men whom this day we mourn and honour