SUPPOSED DISCOVERY OF LEICHARDT'S REMAINS.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 924, 8 February 1872, Page 2

SUPPOSED DISCOVERY OF LEICHARDT'S REMAINS.

From'the "Argus," Jan, 16.)

We have obtained from Inspectof J. M. Gilmour, of the Queensland Native Mounted Police, who is now in Melbourne, some information respecting Ins second expedition to the interior, which points to the discovery of some further relics of the unfortunate explorer, Leicbardt and his party. Mr Gilmour having completed his search, journeyed from Bulloo Barracks by horseback and coach to Brisbane, « distance of about SSO miles, and he has since come via Sydney to Mel. bourne. In his first search, which, like the present, was undertaken by direc. tion of the Queensland Government, who had received a story from the blades as to the existence amongst the native tribes of a white man, Mr Gilmour penetrated as far as Wautata, a place westward of the Barcoo, in about lat. 24deg, and long. I4odeg. There he found, near some sandhills, the remains of apparently four Eu. ropeans. The natives told him that at this place four white men had been killed, and that "furtheron" three others had been killed long ago. Mr Gilmour, who was unable to prosecute his search beyond Wantata, on account of floods, returned to Brisbane with his relics ; but the assertion that they were the, remains of Lei'chardt's party is questioned, and the Queensland Government resolved to send Mr Gilmour out again. He returned after his first expedition in March, 1871, and commenced his second search on the 13th September of the same year, starting from the police-station at Bulloo Barracks, situated 900 miles due west of Brisbane. Taking a different route to that adopted on the first occasion, he arrived again at Wan' tata, where he found a number of additional fragments of bones, dried by the sun and brittle with age,, but evidently human bones, and to all appearance the skull and bones of European bodies. Leaving Wantata offout 100 miles to the west, and at' riving at a spot ab6ut 80 miles northwards of Eyre's Creek," which, lies south-west of Wantata, he came upon a larve bative camp, where he had the good fortune to discover a number of European relics. There were, found here.a variety of fragments of European clothing, such as the explorers wonld have worn, including six or eight pieces of trousers, a piece of an old waterproof legging, and a portion of au old sock. There were also found a piece of an old canvas tent, several pieces of white blanket, one piece of blue blanket, a flint knife bound with European cord and cloth, an old tomahawk head fitted into a native handle, and'a lot of saddle stuffing" of curled hair, sufficient to make an ordinary saddle. The traces of while men were further shown by the finding of two sheep or cattle dogs, while the discovery of a number of ornaments manufactured out of goats' hair suggests the idea that the natives bad utilised some of the numerous flock of goats which Leichardt took with him. Another article found was a portion of a net made in European fashion, and an additional and still stronger proof that some white men —whether ardt's party or riot—had met th6| death in the neighbourhood ww afforded by the discovery in the nativ<

<amp of a Bmall bag woyen out of a jort of hempen material combined with' human hair. Some of the hair was black, but was much too fine to be the hair any aboriginal, and amongst it was some brown or auburn hair, evidently European. The place where all these relics were found is about 290 miles west of the junction of the Thomson and the Barcoo, in lat. 20 <leg., long. 138. This is near the furthest point .reached by Sturt in 1845; and it may be suggested, of course, that the articles of clothing, &c., were left behind by this explorer. Sturt, however, had no goats with him, and none of his party perished on the way, so that the human remains cannot be those of any ef his party. As far as any one can tell, no white man can have visited the ggot since 1845 save Leichardt (who* Bet out from Mounij Abundance on the 4th April, 1848), and it seems almost certain, therefore, that the relics brought down by Mr Grilmour are those of Leichardt and his party: Mr Rudall, to whose examination the bones have been submitted, declares tliem to be portions of the skeletons of European men, and Baron Von Mueller, in whose custody the.precious relics now remain, is satislied that the remains are.those of his lost countrymen or some of his party. Ibe> bones consist entirely of small fragments, and there has not yet be6n time .to thoroughly examine and classify them, but an attempt will be made to do so before they are taken to Brisbane, 'their -ultimate destination.