of a party going south west. Also two trees marked L about 15 years old. Leichhardt Search Committee When it became known that McIntyre had found evidence of Leichhardt, a group of Melbourne society ladies formed a committee, the Leichhardt Search Committee, and sought contributions for a new search. McIntyre was appointed leader, probably in May 1865, though he was unaware of his appointment – he was in the Queensland bush buying cattle to stock Dalgonally. With McIntyre somewhere in Queensland – and still oblivious of his new role as leader – the Leichhardt search party left Glengower on Monday, 3 July 1865, at midday. After his return from the Gulf, McIntyre's intention was to return north in the cooler months of 1865 and claim Dalgonally – but he would have to stock it with Queensland cattle because stock were prohibited from crossing the border with New South Wales. In late May 1865 he was in Queensland on his way to collect a mob of cattle on the Barcoo River, and from there to drive them to Dalgonally. But circumstances changed. In a letter to Donald Campbell dated 24 August 1865, McIntyre describes his movements: I have been up in Queensland and bought a lot of cattle from a station near the Barcoo River. I started on May 27, passing through the Maranoa district. After a journey of nearly 500 miles I arrived at the station to take delivery. Everything was in great confusion. We had to put up cattle yards before we could do anything – and no water where the station and yards were. After a month’s hard work we got the cattle together and started them. I intended to go a week with them to see how McLeod would shape. In a few days I saw he was not capable of taking the cattle on alone, and as I would not be able to continue with him (I had to return to the Darling River for the horses) we drove the cattle back to the station and let them go again – for the place had been deserted by the owners... On 12 July, McIntyre and McLeod left the station for the Darling River, arriving in mid-August. The letter continues: ... I learned ... for the first time that I had been appointed leader of the Ladies’ Leichhardt Search Expedition ... The camels and stores left here