Employment History

Original appointments made in Melbourne : 19 men.
(5 officers, 10 men and 4 Sepoys)
Burke, Landells, Willls, Beckler, Becker, Ferguson, Cowen, Brahé, Creber, Fletcher, McDonough, Patten, Langan, Drakeford, King, Samla, Mahomet, Khan, Belooch.

Sunday 19th August 1860 , Melbourne.
Creber discharged after Landells accused him of being drunk.
Fletcher dismissed for incompetence, having supported Creber.

Monday 20th August 1860, Melbourne.
Cowen discharged for insobriety.
McIlwaine, Lane and Brooks hired.

Party that left Melbourne, : 19 men (5 officers, 10 men and 4 Sepoys)
Burke, Landells, Wills, Beckler, Becker, Ferguson, Brahé, McDonough, Patton, Langan, Drakeford, King, McIlwaine, Lane, Brooks. Samla, Mahomet, Khan, Belooch,

Wednesday 22nd August 1860, Bulla : 18 men.
Sepoy Samla resigned two days out from Melbourne as he was unable to eat the rations due to his religion.

Saturday 25th August 1860, Mia Mia : 19 men.
Polongeaux hired at Mia Mia.

Tuesday 4th September 1860, Tragowel : 20 men.
Burke hires Bowman.

Thursday 6th to Monday 10th September 1860, Swan Hill : 21 men.
Burke dismisses Esau Khan due to illness as well as Brooks, Lane and Polongeaux.
Burke hires McPherson and Gray.
Hodgkinson and Neumeyer arrive from Melbourne.

Sunday 16th September 1860, Balranald : 17 men.
Burke dismisses Ferguson, McIlwaine, Langan and Belooch.
Belooch rejoins party two days later.

Friday 21st September 1860, Prungle.
The wagons are slowed by the heavy sand and Burke divides the party.
Lead party to Darling - Burke, Landells, Wills, Neumeyer, Bowman, Gray, King, Drakeford, McPherson, Belooch, Mahomet.
The party with wagons was left in Beckler's charge.

Thursday 11^th October 1860, Darling : 16 men.
Landells resigns. Beckler also resigns but stays with party unill he can be replaced.

Friday 19th October 1860, Menindee : 2 parties of 19 men in total.
(5 officers, 10 men, 2 sepoys, 2 Aboriginals).
Burke dismisses Drakeford for drunkenness.
Expedition party leaves with sixteen camels and nine horses - Burke, Wills, Gray, King, Brahé, McDonough, Patten, Mahomet.
Wright, Dick and Mountain go as far as Torowotto - returning to Menindie 5^th November.
Becker, Beckler, McPherson, Hodgkinson, Belooch were left at Menindie.

Saturday 10th November 1860, Menindee.
Dispatches from Melbourne leave with Trooper Lyons, McPherson & Dick the Aboriginal guide.
Party rescued by Beckler, Belooch & Peter the Aboriginal tracker

Thursday 6th December 1860, Dig Tree, Coopers Creek.
Party arrives at Camp 65 Fort Wills - Burke, Wills, Gray, King, Brahé, Patten, McDonough, Mahomet.

Sunday 16th December 1860, Dig Tree : 3 parties of 19 men in total.
(5 officers, 10 men, 2 sepoys, 2 Aborigines).
Burke divides the party again -
Depôt Party- Brahé, Patten, McDonough, Mahomet.
Carpentaria Party, leaves Cooper Depôt 16^th December 1860- Burke, Wills, Gray, King

Saturday 26th January 1861, Menindee : 3 parties of 17 men.
(5 officers, 10 men, 2 sepoys).
Wright hires Purcell and Smith.
Party leaves Menindee with Beckler, Becker, Hodgkinson, Smith, Stone, Purcell, Belooch.

Died on expedition :

Charley Gray	Wednesday 17^th April 1861	Polygonum Swamp (Lake Massacre ?)
Charles Stone	Monday 22^nd April 1861	Koorliatto Waterhole, Bulloo River
William Purcell	Tuesday 23^rd April 1861	Koorliatto Waterhole, Bulloo River
Dr Ludwig Becker	Monday 29^th April 1861	Koorliatto Waterhole, Bulloo River
William Patten	Wednesday 5^th June 1861	Desolation Camp, Rat Point
William John Wills	Fri 30^th June or Sat 1st July 1861	Tilcha Waterhole, Coopers Creek
Robert O'Hara Burke	Saturday 1^st July 1861	Burkes Waterhole, Coopers Creek

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