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[Illustration: ROBERT O'HARA BURKE.

_From Photo_--HILL, Melbourne.]




    AUSTRALIAN HEROES

    AND

    ADVENTURERS.


    LONDON:
    WALTER SCOTT, 24 WARWICK LANE,
    AND MELBOURNE.
    1889.




PREFACE.


This book is the first of a series which the Publisher intends to issue,
illustrative of life and adventure in the Australian Colonies and the
Islands of the Pacific. It has been carefully compiled from reliable
sources of information--viz., _Wills's Diary_, _King's Narrative_,
_Howitt's Diary_, Wood's _Explorations in Australia_, Withers's _History
of Ballarat_, Sutherland's _Tales of the Gold-fields_, Raffello's
_Account of the Ballarat Riots_, McCombie's _History of Victoria_, etc.,
etc. Most of these books are very expensive or out of print, and
therefore not easily procurable at the booksellers.

In the succeeding volumes of the series it is proposed to
give--"Buckley, the Runaway Convict, and his Black Friends," "John
Batman, the Founder of Melbourne," "Fawkner, the Pioneer," "Early Days
of Tasmania," "Botany Bay Tales," "Remarkable Convicts," "Notorious
Bushrangers," "Brave Deeds," "Squatting Tales," "Remarkable Personal
Adventures," "Curious Anecdotes," etc., etc.

    MELBOURNE, 1889.




CONTENTS.


Burke and Wills--Two Heroes of Exploration.

  CHAPTER I.                                   PAGE
    ACROSS AUSTRALIA                              7

  CHAPTER II.
    THE RETURN JOURNEY                           21

  CHAPTER III.
    SUFFERINGS AND DEATHS OF THE TWO LEADERS     34

  CHAPTER IV.
    SEARCH PARTIES, AND CONCLUSION               48


Old Times on the Gold-Fields.

  CHAPTER I.
    THE CONVICT'S STRATAGEM                      63
    EARLY DISCOVERIES IN NEW SOUTH WALES         66
    HARGRAVES, THE PIONEER MINER                 69
    AN ABORIGINAL DISCOVERER                     77

  CHAPTER II.
    GOLD IN VICTORIA                             80
    JAMES ESMOND, THE VICTORIAN PIONEER          81
    OTHER PIONEERS                               85

  CHAPTER III.
    EFFECT OF DISCOVERIES                        89
    CANVAS TOWN                                  94
    RAG FAIR                                     95
    NEW CHUMS AND OLD CHUMS                      96

  CHAPTER IV.
    SLY GROG SHANTIES                           100

  CHAPTER V.
    THE DIGGER'S LICENSE                        105
    DIGGER-HUNTING ANECDOTES                    109

  CHAPTER VI.
    BEGINNINGS OF REVOLT                        116
    AN IRISH GALLANT                            117
    REFORM LEAGUES                              120

  CHAPTER VII.
    THE EUREKA HOTEL MURDER                     125
    A LOYAL TOAST                               130
    BURNING THE LICENSES                        131
    THE LAST DIGGER-HUNT                        134

  CHAPTER VIII.
    THE EUREKA STOCKADE                         136
    STORMING OF THE STOCKADE                    141
    EXCITEMENT IN MELBOURNE                     145
    WRONGS RIGHTED                              149


[ILLUSTRATION: MAP ROUTE.]




Australian Heroes and Adventurers.




BURKE AND WILLS.

TWO HEROES OF EXPLORATION.




CHAPTER I.

_ACROSS AUSTRALIA._


There stood for twenty years, at the intersection of Collins and Russell
Streets, the only monument which the city of Melbourne can boast of.
Increasing traffic has recently necessitated its removal to a small
reserve opposite our Parliament Houses, where it occupies a most
commanding position at one of the chief entrances of the city. It is the
lasting memorial of two men and the expedition they led across the
continent of Australia. It stands in silent and solemn grandeur amidst
the noisy turmoil of a busy thoroughfare--two massive figures gazing
earnestly and longingly, seemingly in a solitude as complete as the
deepest seclusion of the lonely plains of the interior, where the
heroes whose memory they perpetuate met their fate. No inscription tells
the curious visitor or wayfarer who they are, or records the deeds that
have gained them such a high place in the estimation of the citizens of
Victoria. The story is an old one in these days of rapidly passing
events, but we think it will bear repetition, and, therefore, in the
following pages we will do our best to relate the events that led to the
erection of so magnificent a memorial.

From the days of the first settlement of New South Wales at Port Jackson
in 1788, down to the present time, the laudable desire of bettering
their condition, enhanced by the adventurous spirit moving in their
breasts, has prompted the colonists of Australia to organise parties for
the exploration of the unknown interior of their vast continent. In not
a few instances the explorer has been the precursor of the squatter and
the selecter of settlements and civilisation. The journey of Oxley, in
1818, led to the discovery that the Macquarie and other rivers ended in
large reedy marshes. This discovery gave rise to the belief in an
immense inland sea, into which all the rivers of the interior emptied
themselves. But subsequent travellers in search of this supposed inland
sea dissipated the belief in its existence. In 1828 Sturt reached the
"great salt river," called the Darling, which has since filled such an
important part in facilitating the carriage of our staple product to
the ocean. In his next journey Sturt went down the Murrumbidgee and the
Murray as far as Lake Alexandrina. His description of the country
surrounding the lake--plenty of green pastures and abundance of
agricultural land of the most fertile kind--induced the squatters to
send down their emaciated flocks from the parched plains of Riverina,
and also led to the emigration of numbers of farmers and vine-growers
from overcrowded Europe, who founded the Colony of South Australia.
Mitchell, in 1836, descended the Darling, crossed over the Murray, and
entered into what is now the Colony of Victoria. He named it "Australia
Felix," because the country which met his view delighted him with its
beautiful scenery, and its congenial climate presented such a pleasant
contrast to that of the land he had just travelled over. Pioneers from
Port Jackson and Van Diemen's Land migrated to this newly-revealed
district. The productiveness of its soil, and the subsequent discovery
of gold, soon attracted a great number of adventurers and immigrants to
the happy clime. In an incredibly short period the district grew into a
rich and prosperous colony, and Melbourne, its mighty capital, took rank
amongst the chief cities of the world.

The success attending the early exploring expeditions equipped by the
mother colony seems to have incited the colonists of Victoria to emulate
the doings of their neighbours. In 1859 a patriotic offer was made by
an enterprising citizen of Melbourne--Mr. Ambrose Kyte--to contribute
L1000 towards defraying the cost of fitting out an expedition to explore
the vast interior of Australia. This generous offer was accepted. The
project was taken up by the Royal Society of Victoria, and the sum of
L3400 was raised by public subscription. The Government voted L6000, and
granted an additional L3000 for the purchase of camels in India. Thus
originated, under the most favourable auspices, the Victorian Exploring
Expedition, which is now more commonly known, owing, no doubt, to its
calamitous termination, as the "Burke and Wills' Expedition."

The Exploration Committee had some trouble in obtaining a suitable
leader. Several well-known explorers were written to, but each of them
declined. At last the appointment was given to Mr. Robert O'Hara Burke,
a man of approved ability, and in himself actuated by an enthusiastic
desire to perform the hitherto unaccomplished feat of crossing our vast
continent from sea to sea.

Mr. Burke was an Irishman, born in 1821, and was, therefore, only forty
years old at the time of his melancholy end. He had served in the
Austrian Cavalry, and also in the Irish Mounted Constabulary, previous
to his arrival in Van Diemen's Land, in 1853. After performing services
as Acting Inspector at Hobart Town and as Police Magistrate at
Beechworth (Victoria), he was granted leave of absence in order to go
to England, where he hoped to obtain a commission in one of the
regiments embarking for the seat of the war then waging between England
and Russia. Being unsuccessful, owing to the termination of the war, he
returned to Victoria, and shortly received an appointment as one of the
superintendents of the Victorian Police Force, which position he held
until the setting out of the exploring expedition. Mr. Burke diligently
prepared himself for the journey across the continent. He examined the
records of previous expeditions for the personal experiences of former
explorers, as well as for knowledge of the interior already at hand. He
also made severe walking tours, in order to qualify himself physically
for the unusual hardships accompanying such a journey. The following
characteristic letter, written whilst _en route_, will show his
determination to succeed in his undertaking:--

                              "ON THE DARLING, _4th October 1860_.

        "MY DEAR S----,

     "I received your letter, and was glad to hear of the safe
     arrival of your friend B----. We have been resting here a few
     days, awaiting the arrival of the baggage, which has just come
     up. To-morrow we proceed on, and I shall not delay anywhere
     until I reach Cooper's Creek--being an Irishman I must add,
     unless I can't help it.

     "I leave the hired waggons and my own behind. The accursed
     impediments, the ruin of so many expeditions, I am determined
     shall not ruin me.

     "We all march on foot three or four hundred miles at all
     events, and the camels and horses will have to carry our weight
     in provisions.

     "We have already done so for the last forty miles. You should
     have seen old B----'s face, upon my announcing that all the
     officers would have to act as working men, and that we should
     only carry 30 lbs. weight of baggage for each man.

     "Loading camels and then marching twenty miles is no joke. The
     first two days of it nearly choked poor B----, and I think he
     will not be able to stand it much longer.

     "I am still confident of success, and willing to accept the
     alternative of success or disgrace, although failure is
     possible. This self-imposed task (as you justly call it) is no
     sinecure, and I think will take the sting out of me if I see it
     out. Good-bye, my dear S----.

                    "From yours, ever sincerely,

                                                "R. O'HARA BURKE."

In William John Wills we see the real hero of the expedition. He was an
Englishman, born in Devonshire, and at his untimely end was but
twenty-seven years of age. He was endowed with an unquenchable thirst
for knowledge. It manifested itself on the voyage out, where, in
addition to his other studies, he acquired a knowledge of the science of
navigation. After his arrival in Victoria, in 1853, his taste for
science, which was also accompanied by a naturally courageous and
enterprising spirit, displayed itself. At first he obtained an
appointment in the Survey Department. He gained a knowledge of
astronomical and other sciences to which the Observatory is
dedicated, and was then admitted, through the influence of the
Surveyor-General, into that establishment as an assistant. As early as
1855 the friends of young Wills had frequently heard him speak of his
intention to explore the unknown interior of Australia, and to be one of
the first to reach the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria. In 1856 a
proposal was mooted to send out an expedition, and, on hearing of this,
Mr. Wills walked from the river Wannon to Ballarat, a distance of ninety
miles, to offer his services; but the project was abandoned. His
scientific attainments had qualified him for an important post in the
expedition of 1860, and he joined it in the capacity of astronomical and
meteorological observer. Of his fitness for exploring, the Rev. Julian
Woods writes--"Having studied every journal connected with Australian
exploration, and become, as it were personally acquainted with all our
discoverers, I conscientiously say I have not met with so courageous, so
noble, so fine an explorer as William John Wills."

[Illustration: WILLIAM JOHN WILLS.

_From Photo_--HILL, Melbourne.]

The other officers of the expedition were:--Mr. Landells, who had
brought the camels to the colony, and was appointed second in command;
Dr. Herman Beckler, botanist and medical adviser of the expedition; and
Dr. Ludwig Becker, artist, naturalist, and geological surveyor. There
were eleven subordinates, including three Hindoo camel-drivers.

On the 20th August 1860 the expedition left Melbourne. During the
morning of its departure crowds of holiday folks were to be seen
wending their various ways to the Royal Park, on the northern outskirts
of the city. It was late in the afternoon before the picturesque groups
of camels and horses, with their keepers and the baggage, were arranged
in marching order. Then Mr. Burke, on a little grey horse, took up his
position at the head of the procession. When it was about to start, the
Mayor of Melbourne mounted one of the drays and delivered a short
speech, wishing them God-speed. Mr. Burke uncovered, and replied, in a
clear voice that was heard all over the crowd:--"Mr. Mayor, on behalf of
myself and the expedition, I beg to return you my most sincere thanks.
No expedition has ever started under such favourable circumstances as
this. The people, the Government, the Committee--all have done heartily
what they could do. It is now our turn! and we shall never do well till
we justify what you have done in showing you what we can do." Then,
amidst the loud cheering and acclamations of the spectators, who
numbered fully ten thousand, the brilliant cavalcade was put in motion.
It was truly a fine, imposing spectacle, and the applauding cheers of
the enthusiastic citizens were prolonged till the procession had faded
away in the dim distance.

The progress of the explorers through the settled districts to the river
Darling was very slow, and even before they reached Menindie serious
dissensions had broken out in their camp. On arriving at that
township Burke dismissed the foreman, and Mr. Landells resigned his
position and left the party. Mr. Wills was then appointed second in
command, and instead of Mr. Landells, Burke placed in charge of the
camels a man named Wright, whom he had picked up at a sheep station.

[Illustration: COOPER'S CREEK.]

The Exploration Committee had instructed Burke to establish a depot on
Cooper's Creek, and make a line of communication between it and the
Darling. When the explorers reached that river the spring season was far
advanced, and soon the fervid rays of the sun would wither the green
grass and dry up the water-courses; therefore Burke decided to push
forward to the creek without delay. But some of the camels were unfit to
proceed immediately, so Burke divided his party, and with seven of his
companions and Wright, who offered to show him a direct and well-watered
track, set out from Menindie on the 19th of October.

They accomplished more than half of the journey, and having been
fortunate in finding good feed and water on the way, Burke sent Wright
back to the encampment on the Darling with instructions to bring the
rear party with the heavy supplies on by easy stages to Cooper's Creek.
On the 11th of November, thirteen days after despatching Wright, Burke
and his party arrived safely at the creek. They then travelled slowly
along the banks of the stream, recruiting the animals and looking around
for a camping-ground. On the twenty-first they pitched on a suitable
locality, and there established the main depot.

Whilst awaiting the arrival of Wright with the remainder of the company,
frequent excursions were made in order to find a route to the north. On
one of these excursions, Mr. Wills travelled ninety miles without
finding water; their camels escaped from them, and he and his companions
were forced to return on foot. Fortunately for them they found a pool on
their way back to the depot, but the camels were never recovered. On
another occasion Wills and King got into a stony desert. The knowledge
obtained by means of these and other short excursions was not of an
encouraging nature to the explorers.

After waiting at Cooper's Creek for more than a month, the advance party
grew tired of their life of inaction, and made preparations for the
journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria. As Wright did not come forward as
expected, Burke got impatient, and decided to subdivide the few men he
had with him as follows:--Four men were to remain at the depot, one of
them named William Brahe in command; and were to construct a stockade
while waiting for Wright, and when he had arrived they were to seek a
more available and direct route to the Darling. The rest of the little
party--Burke, Wills, King, and Gray--were to push forward to the Gulf,
and were to take with them six of the camels, one horse, and three
months' provisions.

On 16th December the little band of explorers bade their companions
good-bye, and started northwards.