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Everything had to be abandoned, and the explorers escaped from their critical position by resorting to the construction of coracles of horse hide, by means of which they managed to save their lives. On his return, M'Kinlay examined the mouth of the Daly River in Anson Bay, and recommended it as a site in preference to Escape Cliffs, the suggestion was not, however, acted on.
M'Kinlay was sent by South Australia to advance in the direction of Lake Torrens and reach Cooper's Creek. These various expeditions were all eager in prosecuting the search, but it was to Mr. Howitt's party that success fell. In following the course of Cooper's Creek downward from the depôt he saw the tracks of camels, and by these he was led to the district in which Burke and Wills had died.
On reaching Mount M'Connell, where the tracks of the two former explorers came respectively to the river, and left it, M'Kinlay kept down the river, crossing the formidable Leichhardt Range, through which the Burdekin forces its way to the lower lands of the coast. Here they came to a temporary station, just formed by Mr. Phillip Somer, where they were received with the usual hearty hospitality.
Settlement formed at Somerset, Cape York, by the Queensland Government Expedition of the Brothers Jardine Start from Carpentaria Downs Station Disaster by fire Reduced resources Arrive at the coast of the Gulf Hostility of the blacks Continual attacks Horses mad through drinking salt water Poison country An unfortunate camp Still followed by the natives Rain and bog Dense scrub Efforts of the two brothers to reach Somerset Final Success Lull in exploration Private parties Settlement at Escape Cliffs by South Australia J. M'Kinlay sent up Narrow escape from floods Removal of the settlement to Port Darwin M'Intyre's expedition in search of Leichhardt His death Hunt in Western Australia False reports about traces of Leichhardt Forrest's first expedition Sent to investigate the report of the murder of white men in the interior Convinced of its want of truth Unpromising country Second expedition to Eucla The cliffs of the Great Bight Excursion to the north Safe arrival at Eucla.
Stuart's last Expedition Frew's Pond Daly Waters Arrival at the Sea The flag at last hoisted on the northern shore Return Serious illness of the Leader The Burke relief Expedition John M'Kinlay Native rumours Discovery of Gray's body Hodgkinson sent to Blanche Water with the news Returns with the information of King's rescue by Howitt M'Kinlay starts north Reaches the Gulf coast Makes for the new Queensland settlements on the Burdekin Reaches the Bowen River in safety Mystery of the camel's tracks Landsborough's expedition Discovery of the Gregory River The Herbert Return to the Albert depot News of Burke and Wills Landsborough reduces his party and starts home overland Returns by way of the Barcoo Landsborough and his critics His work as an Explorer Walker starts from Rockhampton Another L tree found on the Barcoo Walker crosses the head of the Flinders Finds the tracks of Burke and Wills Tries to follow them up Returns to Queensland Abandonment of the desert theory Private expeditions Dalrymple and others.
The native names of every small lake and waterhole are all given in full, and as the course of each day's travel is omitted, it becomes rather difficult to follow the track of the expedition, excepting on the map. A fairly northerly course was, however, maintained, and M'Kinlay speaks highly of the country for pastoral purposes.
M'Kinlay was most anxious to get to the mouth of the Albert, it being understood that Captain Norman with the steamer Victoria, would there form a depot for the use of the other explorers, Landsborough and Walker, and M'Kinlay's stock of rations was getting perilously low. His attempts to reach the sea were, however, fruitless.
Burke and Wills were, according to the journal of Wills, at the northern coast in February, 1861, so they could claim the honour of first crossing; next came M'Kinlay, in May, 1862. Landsborough reached the Darling from the north in June of the same year, and then Stuart on the north coast comes but a few weeks afterwards in July.
M'Kinlay's trip across the continent did good service at this juncture. His track was across the country that had always been considered a terrible desert, useless for pastoral occupation. His report being of such a favourable nature, dealt a final blow to this theory, which Stuart had partly demolished. Fortunately, M'Kinlay was an experienced man, whose verdict was accepted without cavil.
In following up Stuart's last expedition, we have lost sight for a time of the three parties sent out after Burke and Wills, which, although they were unsuccessful in their first aim, yet did sterling service in the field of discovery. John M'Kinlay started from Adelaide-the scene of so many departures on similar errands on October 26th, 1861.
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