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The York Agricultural Society having requested the earnest attention of the Colonial Government to the expediency of organizing a party for the purpose of exploring the interior of this Colony eastward of that District, for the especial purpose of discovering, if possible, new districts suitable for sheep-farming, and having requested that any expedition formed for this purpose might be placed under my leadership, on March 23, in company with Mr Locke Burges, a leading settler and stock-owner of this Colony, I waited on the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, at his office, for the purpose of conferring generally on the subject of the projected expedition, the constitution and number of the party, the distribution of the expense of it as between the Colonial Government and the York Agricultural Society, and the leave of absence from my official duties which his Excellency might be disposed to grant me, so that I might undertake the command of it.

The result of this interview was a scheme for the organization, equipment, place and date of departure, duty, and field of action of the proposed party, as follows, namely:—

1st.—That the party consist of myself, as leader, of one or two young settlers, to be nominated by the York Agricultural Society, of one mounted policeman, of one convict, as my personal servant, and of one native.

2ndly.—That His Excellency be respectfully solicited to grant me leave of absence for three months, on full pay.

3rdly.—That the York Agricultural Society be requested to supply 11 horses, (Mr Burges and myself undertaking to furnish one horse each in addition thereto,) all the provisions, and some few specified articles of equipment; but that His Excellency be solicited to authorize the preparation and issue of all such articles of equipment as might be in the stores of the Imperial Convict Department established in this Colony, and of any Department of the Colonial Government, or could be manufactured within the former Department.

4thly.—That all stores and horses be collected in York, and ready tor delivery into my charge, by the 21st of April.

5thly.—That the party should endeavour to take a final departure from Narimbeen, the extreme sheep station in that direction, and the property of Mr Smith, on or about the first day of May.

Mr Barlee kindly undertook to submit to His Excellency, for his information and approval, the above plan, and to communicate without delay with the Secretary of the York Agricultural Society, suggesting that he should lose no time in summoning an extraordinary meeting of the members of that Society, to obtain a formal expression of their views and wishes on the subject generally, and as to the extent to which they would contribute towards the excuses and equipment of the Expedition.

April 3.—Rode to Crawley to confer with Mr Barlee on the steps which it might be desirable to take to meet the unexpected event of the meeting of the York Agricultural Society, held on the 1st instant, having passed resolutions in favour of a considerable extension of the scale of organization, and period of service, of the proposed party.

Mr Barlee authorised and directed me to proceed vigorously with all that portion of the equipment which, it had been determined, was to be prepared at the Convict Establishment, expressing a hope and assurance that the party would still be organized mainly on the plan above stated, but intimating that the latter might be slightly modified to meet partially the more extensive views of the York settlers.

April 10.—A letter, of which the following is a copy, was this day addressed to the Secretary of the York Agricultural Society by the Hon. the Colonial Secretary:—

Colonial Secretary's Office,

Perth, April 10, 1863.

Sir,—In acknowledging your letter of the 7th instant, stating that a meeting of the members of the York Agricultural Society has been called for the purpose of reconsidering the subject of the proposed expedition to the eastward of York, I am directed by His Excellency the Governor to state that Messrs. S. E. and L. C. Burges and Mr H. M. Lefroy met in my office yesterday for the purpose of discussing the question, and that it was determined to recommend to the York Agricultural Society that provision be made for an absence of four months from Mr Smith's station.

If a direct distance of 10 miles per day from this point be made for one half of this period, and no good country be found, it would be useless to proceed further, and it would he equally useless to proceed so far if any quantity of good country be discovered at a less distance.

To meet the wishes of the settlers, it is proposed to defer the starting of the expedition from Mr Smith's station until the 10th May.

His Excellency is prepared to sanction this course, and, in the event of its meeting the concurrence of the settlers, to provide, at the public expense, such extra pack-saddles, &c., as may be required.

In regard to the appointment of some person as second in command of the expedition, His Excellency will be prepared to consider any suggestion which may be made by the Society.

Should the above suggestions meet the wishes of the settlers, it is desirable that the following suggestions should be considered, and that I should be favoured with a definite reply to them, namely:—

1st.—That a dray be at Perth on or before the 25th instant, to receive and convey to York the portion of the equipment of the expedition to be provided by the Government.

2ndly.—That some farm in the immediate vicinity of York be appointed for the reception of the horses and equipment of the party, not later than the 1st day of May.

3rdly.—That the pork for the party be at once hung up in a barn or shed to dry as far as possible, as its portability and utility will be considerably increased thereby.

4thly.—That one ton of cut hay, barley, &c., and a three-horse team to carry the same, and a portion of the equipments of the party, from York to Mr Smith's station, be supplied; the forage being required for the consumption of the horses en route to that station.

This seems very necessary, as the party and horses will be detained a few days on the road from York to Mr Smith's station, and only after leaving that station will it become possible to keep the horses on tether.

I have the honor, &c., &c.

FRED. P. BARLEE,

Colonial Secretary.

The Secretary of the York Agricultural Society.

April 17.—I this day addressed the following letter to the Secretary of the York Agricultural Society.

Fremantle, April 17, 1863.

Sir,—Having, through the kindness of Mr Barlee, been favoured with a copy of resolutions passed at a meeting of your Society on the 14th instant, I have the honor to address myself directly to you, very briefly, as the early departure of the mail leaves me little time, on a few points of great importance to the contemplated exploring, party, of which you have done me the honor to approve of the command being conferred on me.

1st.—The equipment contributed by the Colonial Government at Fremantle and Perth will be ready for delivery at the Police Barracks, at Perth, at 4 p.m. of Saturday, the 25th instant, it being found impracticable to get it ready by the earlier date first proposed.

2nd.—I have amended the list of equipments for the basis of an absence of 120 days instead of 75 days, as at first proposed, but retaining still the assumption that the party will consist of 5 members only.

If the York Agricultural Society still deem it essential that the party shall consist of 6 members, it will be incumbent on it to select another person to join it, and to increase their contribution of provisions, &c., proportionally.

My own opinion, which is concurred in by most experienced persons whom I have had an opportunity of consulting on the subject, is that a party of 5 men will be sufficient for protection against the natives, and is therefore absolutely preferable to a larger party.

I propose to be in York by mid-day of Wednesday, the 29th instant, which, if the horses and provisions be all delivered by that day, will enable the party to leave York on the Monday following, and to leave Mr Smith's station on the Saturday following, if fortunately blunders and accidents be avoided.

I have the honor to be, Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

H. M. LEFROY.

P.S.—In the estimate of the quantity of pork, I have assumed the weight to be taken, after the extraction of every bone, and its being thoroughly dried. To the thorough drying of it I attach great importance.

By means of the above, and other letters which it does not appear necessary to quote, of further inter views with Mr Barlee, to whose prompt and zealous efforts to meet and remove all obstacles to the realization of the expedition I feel much indebted, and by the active exertions of the Storekeeper of the Convict Establishment in pressing forward the preparation of the equipment of the expedition, the latter was despatched to Perth on the 26th of April, and at 6 a.m. on the morning of the 28th I was enabled to leave Fremantle, (my official duties being transferred to Mr Duval, the Deputy Superintendent of the Convict Establishment,) and to proceed to York, where my assistance was requisite to complete the organization and equipment of the party; there fore, having said adieu to Mr Duval and many of the officers of the Convict Establishment, who had assembled to see me start, and having had the pleasure of hearing their many hearty good wishes for our success and safe return, myself and the colonial prisoner Frank Hall started for Perth, each riding one of the two horses which I intended to take with me on the expedition.

Arrived at Perth, and having taken breakfast at the house of my kind friend Lieut-Colonel Bruce, I waited on Mr Barlee to receive any final instructions which he might have to give me, and to thank him for the courtesy, confidence in me, and readiness to remove every difficulty which has arisen in the development of the plan of the expedition, which he has shown. Thence I proceeded to the Survey Office, where the Surveyor-General, Mr Roe, delivered to me the chronometer for the use of the expedition, with much useful advice and information touching the conduct of the same, and with many kind wishes for its success, and our safety in it. Proceeding then to the Police Office, I, with Mr Hogan, the Superintendent of Police, made the final arrangements as to the pay and travelling expenses of mounted constable Thomas Edwards, and of the native Kowitch, namely, that the former would draw his regular police pay during the term occupied by the expedition, and a travelling allowance of three shillings per day until the departure of the party from York; and that the latter would be placed on the list of native constables, drawing pay at the rate of 50s per month, out of which 10s per month was to be advanced, from time to time, to his wife.

Leaving police constable Edwards, now formally transferred to the staff of the expedition, with orders to accompany to York that portion of the stores and equipment of the expedition which had been provided by the Colonial Government, and which was then collected in the store of the Police Department, awaiting the arrival of the settlers' dray, by which it was to be conveyed to that town, and to pick up on the road the horse which Mr Brockman had offered for the use of the expedition, myself and Frank Hall left Perth in the early part of the afternoon, and on the evening of the following day (April 29) reached the farm of my old friend Mr S. E. Burges, one of the principal supporters of the projected exploring party.

April 30.—In the forenoon Mr Burges and myself rode into York for the purpose of attending a meeting of the Exploration Committee of the York Agricultural Society, when such progress in the development of the plans and equipment was made as gave me hope that the party would be enabled to start from York on the 7th of May.

The heavy rain which fell yesterday and the last two nights has removed any apprehension which I may have previously entertained that the date selected for the departure of the expedition from York might prove too early in the season, and that obstacles and delay might be encountered in the early progress of the expedition therefrom.

May 2.—Attended another meeting of the Exploration Committee, when further detail-arrangements were discussed and settled. At 11 a.m., the Government portion of the stores and equipment arrived from Perth, in the dray of Mr Nairn, and under the escort of constable Edwards.

May 3.—In the Divine Service of the Church his morning Archdeacon Brown offered a prayer for God's protection of our party during the contemplated exploration, and subsequently in his sermon very kindly referred to it, alleging its claim to be viewed as an undertaking of great public importance and expressing a fervent hope that the obligation of keeping holy the Sabbath, and of daily prayer, would not be forgotten by us,—a sentiment to which I cordially responded, and I sincerely intend to act up to the principle which he inculcated to the utmost of my power.

May 4—Attended a farewell dinner, very kindly given at Craig's Hotel, in our honor, and as evidence of their friendly interest in our success, by the principal supporters of, and contributors to, the expedition; Captain Newland, R.N., Comptroller-General of Convicts, who arrived at York yesterday, being also one of the invited guests. It proved a very pleasant party, gratifying to myself as an evidence of the kind and friendly feeling of those who were, many years since, my brother settlers of the York district, and not proceeding from, or attesting my unreasonable confidence in, our expedition being crowned with successful results.

As it appears unnecessary to recite in detail the successive steps of the progress of the completion of the organisation and equipment of the party, it will suffice to record that, by the prompt and untiring efforts of the Secretary of the York Agricultural Society, of the members of the Exploration Committee, of the Government Resident of York, L. Bayly, Esq., and, in fact, of almost every one who had it in his power to aid us, and by much hard work on the part of all the members of our small party; and having, on the morning of the 6th instant, despatched a heavy dray-load of forage and equipment en route to Mr Smith's station, with orders to leave portions of the forage at certain specified points of the track to that station, for the use of the horses on the road, (the distance to the station being 96 miles, and it being ascertained that at this season of the year no natural food at all sufficient for our horses would be found near it), at 11 a.m. on the 7th of May, and in the presence of a large gathering of the population of York and its neighbourhood, of all ranks, ages and conditions, who gave us three very hearty cheers, and many warm and gratifying expressions of their interest in the public objects of the expedition and hopes for our personal safety and welfare, we were enabled to make a final departure from the farm of Mr S. Parker, who had kindly placed his premises and establishment at our service during the stay of the expedition at York.

The party consists of the following, namely:—

H. M. Lefroy, Leader

Edward Robinson, second in command

Thomas Edwards, of the colonial mounted police force

Frank Hall, colonial convict

Kowitch, an aboriginal of the York district.

Of the above, Mr Robinson had accompanied me about three years since, when I followed the course of the Williams River, through the Darling Range: to the coast, in which little excursion I had conceived a very high opinion both of his experience and energy in the bush, and of his agreeableness as a companion He is a stepson of a wealthy settler of the York district, and has been nominated for the expedition by the York Agricultural Society.

Thomas Edwards had earned a well-established reputation as an efficient bushman and energetic police constable, by many years valuable services in the mounted police force of the York district, and had attended Mr Hargraves, in the capacity of constable, in his recent inspection of the Colony, with a view to ascertain the existence or otherwise of auriferous rocks in it.

Frank Hall is a son of a now deceased but highly respectable settler of this Colony, and is at present undergoing a sentence of 15 years transportation for the crime of cattle stealing. His well-known bush experience, and familiarity with the natives, and his general cleverness and smartness, had induced me to solicit His Excellency's permission to take him with me in the capacity of convict servant, which request His Excellency was pleased to accede to.

The native Kowitch I had known from his childhood, he having accompanied Dr. Landor and myself when he was not more than 10 years of age, in a exploring expedition to the south-east of the York district, made by us in 1842, and having in fact been brought up principally in Mr Landor's house. Since then he has served many years as a native policeman and is well known to all the settlers of the York district as an intelligent, sensible, courageous, and trustworthy native; an estimate of his character which my observation and experience in this expedition has fully confirmed.