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The instructions to the leader of the Elder Scientific Exploration Expedition are continued; the expedition was to travel to The Peake (Telegraph Station) and then to Cootanoorinna Station before setting out into unexplored territory to the west. Each member of the expedition was given a handbook of instructions with directions for every particular of his duties. Those for the leader are, as would be expected, particularly detailed.

The Elder Scientific Exploration Expedition was financed by Sir Thomas Elder and managed by the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (South Australian Branch), as Adelaide was closest to the areas to be explored and there was no branch of the Society in Western Australia. The expedition's purpose was to explore western South Australia and central Western Australia, some of the remaining blank spaces on the map of Australia. It was hoped the expedition would find good grazing, or possibly agricultural lands and mineral resources. For this reason a geologist and naturalist were included, and the medical officer was also to make observations of the Aboriginal peoples encountered and to record their languages.

Elder, Thomas, Sir, 1818-1897

Lindsay, David, 1856-1922

State Library of South Australia: Mortlock Wing. Taking it to the edge August 2004-