We have seen that whilst Mr. Alfred Howitt was despatched with an expedition directly overland in quest of Messrs. Burke and Wills, a party was engaged under Mr. Landsborough to proceed from Brisbane in Queensland by sea, in company of the Victoria steamer, Captain Norman, to the Gulf of Carpentaria, and thence to set out S.W. in quest of the lost explorers; another, under Mr. Walker, to set out overland from Rockhampton, and to proceed to the Gulf from that point. Besides these, as we have seen, Mr. Orkney, member of the Legislative Assembly for West Melbourne, volunteered his little steamer the Sir Charles Hotham, of only sixteen tons, to proceed instantly to the Albert River, Gulf of Carpentaria, to look out for the missing expedition. This little vessel, built by Mr. Orkney himself from a model of the Great Eastern, was commanded by Mr. Wyse, the skipper of Lord Dufferin's yacht in his voyage to the Arctic Regions. It was taken in tow by the “Sydney” steamer, and left Hobson's Bay on the 6th of July, with only the Captain and two men on board. The weather setting in stormy, the “Sydney” was soon obliged to cut her adrift, but she made her way safely to Sydney, and again setting forward on her voyage, had the misfortune soon after in being brought to in shallow water for the night, to run upon the peak of her own anchor, knocking a hole in her bottom, and thus incapacitate herself for the voyage, so that Mr. Orkney was disappointed in his generous hope of being of service to the lost explorers.