OBITUARY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 142, 10 March 1908, Page 7

OBITUARY.

' V DR. HOWITT. BY ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT , Melbourne, March 9. •V TKo .•;doath; is" ''annpuhpcd''bf 'Dr.' Efow'itt, aged"77. : Dr. |Jpwitt/ was leader ol! t)i<j. re-; lief . party, sent' inf..quest' of' "the explorers Burko: and Wills in;: 1861: "r ' . ' /

ETHNOLOCIST AND EXPLORER. Alfred William Howitt, H.Sc;, F.G.S., was created C.11.G. in 190(i, Ho. was' born iii England'in 1830, the son of the authors William and; Mary. Howitt; and., while', /still, a youth .went:" to 1 Victoria." ' Whilst" engaged in squatting ; ;pursuits, 'ho'gained/a'reputation, as a fearless and; energetic brishman; arid whon tho, relief .party,'" which" wag •; sent in' quest of the, Burko arid/'Wills expedition' was projected in 18IH', ' : MiV' Howitt': was 'chosen . leader. -Near. Swdu Hill- 'he met Eraljo returning! iwitli' thq intelligence 'that ,Bnrkp /had'' not returned to' the i depot.'. Mr. 'Howitt was' reinforced and sanl.forward. > Ho crossed the' Darling near W.ilcannia," 'arid./'directing his courso; towards tlie. Stokes ranges .(reached ' and".named by Stiirt iri'lßls),' passed M'Adani Range,'' Wilkie's .Creek/;. Mount; Shilliriglaw,' 'M'Leay's Plains," aritl ' finally " the ,'/ depot' at' Fort-' Wills,' Pri Cooper's' 'Creek','* on' September 8. ; • On th'o lGtli : the party found;'King,-'th'o'.Survivor;' 1 two' days after -they, •buried' - the reinains of ' Wills, 'and on the 21st those: of; 'Suite Tho 'relief, party; with ICing, ; returned:. to; Melbourne v on ■' No T vembcr 28,- 1801. It having, bepn determined that, thp remains of Burko' and Wills should be brought , to Melbourne, i Mr. Howitt was again sent. to, Cooper's Creek''with'a' stronger party.''They'left': Melbourne,' oh Decembei- :1, 1861'; reached 'Fort'' on "Februaiy': 18, 1802,/ after, making"several: excursions in' vari-, oris -: directions,' ■ and ' discovering'' '"'Balemari's Burrell's, Phillip's,'' O'Donrield's, arid' "Wil-' liams's : Creeks,'and Lake'/SHdrti " Mr; Howitt finally/'. left Coop.e'r's > Creek. 'iri' October,: 1862; arriving, "witli. -tlie'- reinains of-yßui-ke /arid Wills,:;w Adelaide on/December li;-: and;'in Melbourne piTDec'enibor 28,"1802.' Mr.- Howitt; for tii.esp'. and' other -' service's;' "was'' appointed polico magistrate' of Victoria arid' stationed' 'iri .Gippsland, where he ' resided' first' at 1 Bairnsdale; ' arid latterly. at/Sale. ' lib • made 'a' profound 'st.iidy' ;; :bf'-'Wio. ethriology ' arid : characteristics. of the natives' of . Australia; and iri* 1880 jniblifihed.- a' iyork, 'iii:' conjunction''witlr the Rev. L. Fison, oji the. marriage/Customs, of two , rioted'' tribes. :Mr./ Howitt' also 'made a scientific' arid practical''"study of gold mining,and'was the leader/of more than one . Government prospecting . party./ His excpptibnal'capii.bilitipsin" this.:dir?ctipn'Ayero.'recbgriised":by his 'ajjpomtment 'as 1 Sccrptary. for' 'in Victoria."