To Alfred Howitt   24 June 1861

Exploration Committee

Royal Society of Victoria

Melbourne June 24 1861¹

Sir

The necessary authority having been issued to organize and equip the Party which you are intended to conduct to Coopers Creek for the purpose of ascertaining as far as possible the position of the Victorian Exploring Party² and their probable requirements you are now instructed to proceed, as soon as your arrangements are completed, by Cobbs³ coach with your chosen companions to Swan Hill taking with you those articles of equipment which have been purposely provided at Melbourne by the Exploration Committee for your party.

You are next desired to purchase at Swan Hill those horses, requisite for mounting your party and for conveying your equipment and stores, the number of horses being limited to 16; or if you find on local enquiry it preferable, you will only purchase at the above mentioned locality such horses as are immediately required for your journey to the Darling, and you will add then as opportunity occurs, the remainder of packhorses for conveying stores.

In order to render the progress of your party as easy as possible, you are desired to avail yourself, if practicable, of any steam communication, which may exist between Swan Hill and Menindie for forwarding your equipment to the latter locality, where you are authorized to obtain such a supply of provisions, as in addition to your equipment can be conveniently carried on your packhorses.

In case the needful provisions for your party cannot be drawn from any Expedition Stores left at Menindie⁴ or elsewhere, you are authorized to effect their purchase either there or in some other convenient locality.

It will be for your judgment to decide, whether it is desirable to secure the services of one of the Aborigines of the Darling for the purpose either of sending the first dispatches of your progressive movements or to aid you in tracing the vestiges of the Exploring party.

Having thus far completed your prearrangements at the outskirts of the settlements you are requested to proceed to Coopers Creek with as little delay as is consistent with the prosperity of your party. Arrived at Coopers Creek it will be one of the main objects of your mission, to ascertain the position of the depôt, which the Committee has reason to believe being formed there, to put yourself in communication with the Officer commanding at the Depôt, to ascertain as exactly as possible the intentions and prospects of the travelling party and to collect all other information with a special view of guiding the Committee, how far they can adopt measures for aiding the expedition and advancing the security and comfort both of the travelling and Depot party.

The results of your observations you will be good enough to communicate with the utmost dispatch to the Committee under such arrangements as you can most conveniently and safely effect.

At the same time you are particularly requested to render all possible aid and cooperation to the Expedition, and you are in carrying out these instructions provided with a larger supply of provisions Stores &c than will be needed for your own use, in order to enable you to replenish some of the most essential stores at the Depôt.

But whilst the Committee wishes you to understand, that you are not placed in a position subordinate to the Victorian Expedition, but on the contrary that we concede to you independent action, the grave responsibility will devolve on yourself of leaving nothing within your reach undone, that can be conducive to the welfare safety and support of the Victorian Expedition, placing implicit trust in the exercise of your ability judgment and philanthropic disposition under all circumstances, when you can be of any possible service to the Exploring party, circumstances which are beyond the control of our foresight and which to meet we cannot afford you special guidance.

In case no party will be found at Coopers Creek or on any of its tributaries or anabranches, you will unquestionably find documents buried, which will enable you to judge of the movements of the Victorian Expedition. Under such circumstances your own discretion alone must guide you, whether you should proceed beyond Cooper's Creek with a view of obtaining further intelligence, or whether you should immediately return to the settlements and forward dispatches to the Committee. But under no circumstances whatever are you entitled to risk the safety of your little party in an endeavour to proceed further onward, than the means at your command will with perfect security justify.

You are also requested to mark on your way at every halting place some tree with the letter H, and you will also bear in mind, that should you not fall in at Coopers Creek with any members of the Victorian Expedition you are expected to bury documents setting forth the cause of your presence, for the information of the Exploring party, and this measure is to be effected under such arrangements, as will secure as far as possible concealment of your notes before the Natives and yet afford facility of recognition by the Exploring party.

In the event of your being prompted to return without having effected a direct communication with the Victorian Explorers, the Committee requests you to conceal any of your surplus stores on or near to Coopers Creek so as to be, if possible, readily attainable for the Expedition on its return.

In case you should meet on your way a Messenger of the Expedition, you are authorized to open the dispatches, of which he may be the bearer, in order that you may judge what ought to be your next proceedings, which may be materially altered by the tidings thus conveyed to you. It is hardly necessary to remark that such dispatches accompanied by your own reports should not be further detained on their way to this Committee.

Mr Welch will be regarded ad "interim," as the successor in the command of your party should you unfortunately be disabled to continue its Leadership. The same gentleman is at liberty to join at his own option either the Victorian Expedition, if approved of by the Leader, or to remain with you; and you will endeavour in case of his joining the main party, to obtain if you deem it requisite a man of the Expedition now in the field, to strengthen the small band under your special command.

It is scarcely needful to point out, that the Committee expects you to leave any of your spare horses at the depôt or to place them at the disposal of the Commander of the Victorian Expedition, if so required.

By the Honorary Treasurer of the Exploration Committee, you will be provided with authority not only of effecting the purchases pointed out in these instructions, but also to buy after your return to the settlements such supplies as may be immediately demanded by the Victorian Expedition; and should circumstances render it urgent, you enjoy the Committees consent of at once acting in the most efficient manner to aid the party, whether it be by a new journey or otherwise.

Finally the Committee wishes to impress on your mind, that your selection for the honorable and responsible post you now occupy is made under the anticipation, that all your measures in this enterprise will be characterized by that prudence caution and energy, which you have shown in former journeys under the auspices of the Government and that your exertions will be worthy of the undertaking on which you are now engaged.

I have the honor to be

Sir

your most obedient Servant

(Signed) John Macadam M.D.

Hon Secretary Expr Comtee R.S.V.

Alfred W. Howitt Esqe

Leader of the Contingent Party Victorian Exploration.