of Carpentaria overland by a direct route, north from Melbourne;
and therefore resolved to "set his life upon a cast, and stand the
hazard of the die."

I now give a series of extracts from his letters to his mother,
sisters, and brother, written during his residence at the
Observatory. They indicate his character, sentiments, and
occupations more distinctly than I could do by rendering them in my
own words. He and his chief boarded together; a great advantage, as
it gave him the opportunity, even at table, of conversing on his
favourite subjects, astronomy and magnetism. At times, he feared
that he should lose this position. One cause of apprehension was,
that the local parliament would discontinue the grant for the
Observatory; another, that superior interest might wrest it from
him, as he had not been regularly appointed to the staff by
Government, but by Mr. Ligar himself, who had seen, by intercourse
with him during the survey, that he was putting "the right man in
the right place." In a letter to me, December, 1858, he says: "I
hope I shall not have to go into the bush again, I like Melbourne
and my present occupation so much. But everything must be uncertain
until after Christmas, as all depends on Parliament voting money
for the Observatory. Should they not allow the necessary sum, I
must return to surveying once more."

. . .

Magnetic Observatory, Melbourne, March 16th, 1859.

MY DEAR MOTHER,