(Signed) W. Landsborough.
...
(MEMO.)
(NUMBER 2.)
Being at the depot to start Landsborough on the South-West Expedition
from November 5th to 16th, and Walker not having arrived, I offered the
services of Lieutenant Woods, which Landsborough declined to accept of,
stating he considered they could do very well without any assistance.
(Initialled) W.H.N.*
(*Footnote. At Brisbane, where I met Captain Norman before I had started
on the expedition, he led me to expect that Lieutenant Woods would
accompany me to make astronomical observations whilst on my search for
Burke, provided I made application for his assistance. At Carpentaria,
having ascertained that Lieutenant Woods was himself anxious to accompany
me, I wrote the foregoing letter (Number 1) applying for that officer.
Captain Norman's reply to this letter I considered tantamount to a
refusal, and accordingly arranged to take Captain Alison. Having done so,
I may have stated to Captain Norman that I considered I could do very
well on this occasion without any assistance from him.)
...
(COPY.)