Burke and Wills: The scientific legacy of the Victorian exploring expedition [Book Review]

2012·0.34 MB·English

by  Anne Morton

Book Reviews
Burke &Wills: the scientific legacy ofthe Victorian
Exploring Expedition
edited byEB Joyce and DA McCann
Publisher: CSIROPublishing,Melbourne, 2011.368pages, hardback, colourimages
ISBN9780643103320. RRP$59.95.
—
The 150th anniversary ofthe Burke and Wills bytheexplorers thegeologyoftheroute,the
expedition and the epic journey from Mel- botany, the zoology, hydrology, meteorology
bourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria was cele- andtheaboriginalpeopleencountered.
brated and commemorated in 2010. Under the Throughout, the dedication and ability ofthe
umbrella ofthe Royal Society ofVictoria, the scientists is marvelled at, particularly for the
Victorian ExploringExpeditionleftMelbourne threeofthe exploringexpedition who, through
in August 1860 to journeyto the GulfofCar- greathardships, stillmanagedtomaintain their
pentaria and back, with the aim of exploring recordings of latitude and longitude (Wills),
the great interior ofthe continent to link the weather observations (Wills and Beckler),
known areas with the unknown. It is history country traversed, botanical collections
nowthattheexpeditionsucceeded in its aimof (Beckler) and detailed artistic representations
reaching the Gulf, but failed to bring the lead- (Becker).
ers back to Melbourne. In all, seven members Thebookisbeautifullyillustratedthroughout
ofthe expedition lost their lives and only one with paintings and drawings (most by Becker)
man,John King,reachedtheGulfandreturned andphotos ofplantsandanimalscollectedand
to Melbourne. nowinmuseums.
What is notsowell knownis that the explor—- This is a very fine book which redresses the
ingpartyleft Melbourne with a second aim imbalance between the hype and what was
to carryout scientific exploration. Thisbookis actually achieved by the Victorian Exploring
an attempt to show what was achieved by the Expedition. One can onlywonder what would
scientists ofthe exploring party despite the in- have been the result had the Royal Society
adequate collectingequipmentandlimited sci- Exploring Committee chosen a better man as
entific apparatus, the difficulties encountered leaderoftheexpedition.
duringthejourneyandtheindifferenceoftheir I have travelled through the area covered by
leader, Burke. the expedition so it was interesting to see the
Three scientists were members ofthe explor- area throughthe eyes of19th centuryobserva-
—
ingexpedition WilliamJohnWills,surveyor tion and collection. Well done, Joyce and Mc-
and astronomer; Hermann Beckler, medical Cann, for bringing it all together and also to
officer and botanist; and Ludwig Becker, art- theauthorsofeachchapterforhighlightingthe
ist and naturalist. Editors Joyce and McCann achievementsofthescientistsofthe Burkeand
challenge the notion that little or nothing ofa Wills expedition,who made such alastingand
scientific nature was achieved, byassembling a important contribution to the body ofknowl-
collection ofexperts to discuss everyaspect of edgeaboutthenaturalhistoryoftheinteriorof
the scientists ofthe exploring expedition, and Australia.
also ofthose who followed, such as Wright of
the reliefexpedition and Howitt and Welsh of
thesearchparty. AnneMorton
Beginning with a succinct discussion of 10RupicolaCrt,
the Victorian Exploration Expedition by Rowville,Victoria3178
Dave Phoenix in the Introduction, there are
chapters on the disciplines that were covered
122 TheVictorianNaturalist