At Balranald, beyond the Murray, Mr. Burke found it impossible
to get on further with his foreman, Ferguson, and discharged him in
consequence. It required no deep penetration to discover that this
would occur. Before they left the Royal Park, I made a remark to
one of the committee on Ferguson's appearance and general
demeanour: the gentleman I addressed replied, "I have just told
Burke he will have to shoot him yet."

When Ferguson returned to Melbourne, he published his own account
of the affair; and after the melancholy catastrophe of the
expedition became known, he brought his action against the
committee, and obtained a verdict for a considerable sum on the
ground of unjust dismissal, proving his own statement in the
absence of counter-evidence. Those who could or might have refuted
it were dead.

Mr. Burke had no sooner rid himself of his troublesome foreman,
than his second began to exhibit insubordination in an unmistakable
manner. This reached a crisis by the time they had proceeded as far
as Menindie, on the Darling. Whatever Mr. Landells' merits may have
been as a manager of camels, his post of second in command had
evidently affected the equilibrium of his intellects. He mistook
his position, as also the character of his superior. His conduct
was so manifestly unjustifiable that no one took his part, or
defended him in the slightest degree. What his real motive was,
whether to escape from danger when danger was likely to commence,
or to obtain the leadership of the expedition himself, is difficult
to determine. He had been sowing dissension in the camp from an
early period. My son was so much engaged in his scientific
avocations that he knew little of what was going on; but when Mr.