This record of the Australian expedition was compiled by Hill from telegraphic and newspaper reports. Lawrence Wells led the 7-man expedition, which was financed by the London mining engineer Albert Calvert. The expedition planned to continue the work of the Elder Scientific Exploration Expedition of 1891-2, in which Wells had also participated, by exploring the unmapped desert regions of Australia. The expedition suffered due to the hostile conditions, losing two men who had undertaken a subsidiary reconnaissance.