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Dig: The Burke & Wills Saga
When British surveyor, William John Wills, and Irish police officer, Robert O'Hara Burke, set off in 1860 to cross the continent from south to north, they did so with very little experience in bushcraft.
The Burke and Wills expedition has become an immortal part of Australian history. Frank Clune's meticulously researched account captures the heroic and enduring saga in all its drama and pathos.
The Burke and Wills expedition has become an immortal part of Australian history. Frank Clune's meticulously researched account captures the heroic and enduring saga in all its drama and pathos.
182 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1937
34 people want to read
About the author
Frank Clune
70 books2 followersAustralian Dictionary of Biography entry
http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biog...
Checklist of major works
http://www.burnetsbooks.com.au/biblio...
http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biog...
Checklist of major works
http://www.burnetsbooks.com.au/biblio...
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 27, 2022
Dig - the story of Burke & Wills and the pioneering of the route north from Melbourne to the north coast of Australia, for the award money of two thousand pounds, in 1860.
This is a relatively well known story, which has been told numerous times, none better than by Sarah Murgatroyd in her book The Dig Tree , which I read in 2019. Written in 2002, it no doubt takes into consideration Clune's book, along with many others.
Normally I am a fan of Frank Clune's work, but this one was a little unusual. Clune seems to have a bee in his bonnet about criticisms of Burke and Wills. I tend to agree criticisms of these men are unwarranted, but Clune appears to take this personally and this effects the way he presents the narrative.
As the story develops and Clune explains the roles or actions of people he attributes a prefix to their name - in some cases explanatory (Explorer Landsborough; Survivor King; Galloper Hodgkinson; Rescuer Howitt; Sailor Charley Gray), but more used to show his disapproval of their actions (Deserter Brahe; Backslider Brahe; Craven Wright; Spellbinder Wright). For me this comes across as petty. It is self evident from their actions and behaviours that Wright certainly didn't act in the best interests of the explorers; and Brahe perhaps lacked judgement in his action of departing from the depot before the return of Burke & Wills, and the leaving of only 1/3 of the food, taking 2/3 for his own return trip. However the commission found Brahe's actions ill considered rather than a desertion of this place, mainly due to the fact Wright made a limp effort to re-stock as directed.
The other aspect of the book I didn't enjoy was the last chapter, entitled Aftermaths where Clune takes it upon himself to respond to some of his reviewers - those who were critical of his book; and to add in supplementary information (which perhaps came to light after the original publication) all of which add support of Clune assertions.
So while this might have been one of the earlier publications (1937) to bring together various sources and compile them into a narrative, it is not the best or most balanced view, and I would certainly recommend Sarah Murgatroyd's book The Dig Tree over this. I also have a copy of Alan Moorhouse's Cooper's Creek on the same topic, which I have not yet read.
2.5 stars, rounded up.
This is a relatively well known story, which has been told numerous times, none better than by Sarah Murgatroyd in her book The Dig Tree , which I read in 2019. Written in 2002, it no doubt takes into consideration Clune's book, along with many others.
Normally I am a fan of Frank Clune's work, but this one was a little unusual. Clune seems to have a bee in his bonnet about criticisms of Burke and Wills. I tend to agree criticisms of these men are unwarranted, but Clune appears to take this personally and this effects the way he presents the narrative.
As the story develops and Clune explains the roles or actions of people he attributes a prefix to their name - in some cases explanatory (Explorer Landsborough; Survivor King; Galloper Hodgkinson; Rescuer Howitt; Sailor Charley Gray), but more used to show his disapproval of their actions (Deserter Brahe; Backslider Brahe; Craven Wright; Spellbinder Wright). For me this comes across as petty. It is self evident from their actions and behaviours that Wright certainly didn't act in the best interests of the explorers; and Brahe perhaps lacked judgement in his action of departing from the depot before the return of Burke & Wills, and the leaving of only 1/3 of the food, taking 2/3 for his own return trip. However the commission found Brahe's actions ill considered rather than a desertion of this place, mainly due to the fact Wright made a limp effort to re-stock as directed.
The other aspect of the book I didn't enjoy was the last chapter, entitled Aftermaths where Clune takes it upon himself to respond to some of his reviewers - those who were critical of his book; and to add in supplementary information (which perhaps came to light after the original publication) all of which add support of Clune assertions.
So while this might have been one of the earlier publications (1937) to bring together various sources and compile them into a narrative, it is not the best or most balanced view, and I would certainly recommend Sarah Murgatroyd's book The Dig Tree over this. I also have a copy of Alan Moorhouse's Cooper's Creek on the same topic, which I have not yet read.
2.5 stars, rounded up.
October 27, 2019
I enjoyed this book, and the author's writing style. It tells of a famous expedition to cross the continent of Australia, from south to north, in 1860. So as not to spoil it for those who have never heard of this expedition, I won't go into details of all that transpired on their journey. This book is excellent place for you to start. If you've already read other books, you'd probably still enjoy this one, as the author is adept at keeping a reader's interest.
The cover art is the oil painting entitled, "Arrival of Burke, Wills and King at the Deserted Camp at Cooper's Creek, Sunday Evening, 21st April 1861" and I found it to be very poignant.
4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely held my interest.
The cover art is the oil painting entitled, "Arrival of Burke, Wills and King at the Deserted Camp at Cooper's Creek, Sunday Evening, 21st April 1861" and I found it to be very poignant.
4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely held my interest.
November 11, 2021
Although almost totally unknown outside of Australia, the expedition led by Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills is the stuff of legend in Australia. It was organized by the Royal Society of Victoria in Australia and took place in 1860-1861. At the time, very little was known by those of European extraction about the interior of the Australian land mass. The expedition consisted of 19 men and was to start at Melbourne in the south and traverse the interior directly northward to the Gulf of Carpentaria. This is a distance of approximately 2,000 miles.
Unlike the Lewis and Clark expedition, there were no natural highways such as rivers to follow and much of the land was extremely dry and subject to intense dust storms. The expedition was a struggle to carry out, food and water were often scarce and their pack animals, camels and horses, suffered along with the men. Many, including the two namesakes of the expedition, died during the journey. Only one man of the original group completed the entire journey. Unlike the Lewis and Clark expedition, this one did not get a great deal of assistance from the indigenous people.
This book is a description of that journey written at the YA level. It is well illustrated and demonstrates the difficulties of exploring the unknown without detailed preparation and knowledge of the native people. The Europeans were arrogant towards the Native Australians, considering them savages. Yet, while they watched them very closely, the Native Australians did very little to impede or assist the progress of the expedition.
A book in the Young Australia series, this is a solid introduction to a major event in Australian history.
Unlike the Lewis and Clark expedition, there were no natural highways such as rivers to follow and much of the land was extremely dry and subject to intense dust storms. The expedition was a struggle to carry out, food and water were often scarce and their pack animals, camels and horses, suffered along with the men. Many, including the two namesakes of the expedition, died during the journey. Only one man of the original group completed the entire journey. Unlike the Lewis and Clark expedition, this one did not get a great deal of assistance from the indigenous people.
This book is a description of that journey written at the YA level. It is well illustrated and demonstrates the difficulties of exploring the unknown without detailed preparation and knowledge of the native people. The Europeans were arrogant towards the Native Australians, considering them savages. Yet, while they watched them very closely, the Native Australians did very little to impede or assist the progress of the expedition.
A book in the Young Australia series, this is a solid introduction to a major event in Australian history.
August 9, 2021
Amazing dry humour, had my chuckling all the time.
I love how he mixed his own storytelling with excerpts of articles or speeches from the day, in a wonderful blend.
Tragic story but well represented.
I love how he mixed his own storytelling with excerpts of articles or speeches from the day, in a wonderful blend.
Tragic story but well represented.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2017
Some time since I read this, maybe I'll read it again to refresh myself regarding its style!
Read
May 18, 2020I read this book as background to holiday I'm about to go on through Queensland's outback. While I enjoyed the background information on Bourke interesting I was constantly questioning the dialogue. As far as I know there wasn't anybody taking notes as the expeditioners spoke amongst themselves so the dialogue was, quite frankly, ridiculous. Our guess is as good as the author's on when somebody patted another on the back or took a sip of water. Also, having Walker referred to not once, but twice, as an "abo-lover" was really offputting.
Happy to have read the book and rekindled my memories of what I learned in primary school about this ill fated journey though.
Happy to have read the book and rekindled my memories of what I learned in primary school about this ill fated journey though.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews