under the circumstances, with the means at his disposal. His
confidence, too hastily bestowed, was repaid by ingratitude and
contumely. Wright never spoke of his commander without using terms
of disparagement, and dwelling on his incapacity. "He was gone to
destruction," he said, "and would lose all who were with him." He
repeated these words to me, and others even stronger, both in
Melbourne and in Adelaide. McDonough, in his evidence before the
Royal Commission, was asked, "What did you say as to Mr. Wright's
desponding?" He answered (436): "He always gave Mr. Burke up as
lost; said he was neither gone to Queensland nor anywhere else; the
man has rushed madly on, depending upon surface water, and is lost
in the desert. He never gave us any hope for him; in fact, so much
so, that I offered to make a bet that he would be found at
Queensland, or turn up somewhere."

It has been seen by Mr. Burke's despatch of the 29th of October,
that he gave orders to Mr. Wright to follow him up to Cooper's
Creek with the remainder of the camels and supplies, without
unnecessary delay. McDonough states (Answer 197) that Mr. Burke
said to him, on the 15th of December, "I expect Mr. Wright up in a
few days--a fortnight at farthest. I left him POSITIVE INSTRUCTIONS
to follow me." King states (Answer 693) "that on the 16th of
December, Mr. Burke told the party 'he then expected Mr. Wright
daily.'" Wright himself states in his evidence (Answer 1235), "I
gave Mr. Burke my word that I would take the remainder of the party
out, as soon as I returned to Menindie."

A circumstance happened about this time, (December 1860), which
delayed him, but not even that necessarily. Information reached
Melbourne that Mr. Stuart had nearly penetrated to the Gulf of