Myles Archibald Lyons Explained

Myles Archibald Lyons (1823–99) was a Mounted Police Trooper stationed at Swan Hill, Victoria. He was on the Burke and Wills expedition from the Murray River to Coopers Creek,^[1] in September 1860.

He and Alexander MacPherson became lost in the desert and were saved by a Barkinji guide called Dick.^{[2] [3]}

Dick accompanied Trooper Lyons and Alexander MacPherson when they set out from Menindie to convey despatches to Burke. When they became lost and desperately short of provisions and water, Dick conveyed them to the care of local Aborigines. He then returned to camp, walking for eight days after having run his horse into the ground.^[4]

Lyons died in Eltham, Victoria on 19 August 1899, aged 75.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Hermann Beckler, edited by Stephen Jefferies, A Journey To Cooper's Creek (Carlton, Vic., Melbourne University Press, 1993).
2. Peter FitzSimons, Burke and Wills (Hachette Australia)
3. Ian Clark, Fred Cahir, The Aboriginal Story of Burke and Wills: Forgotten Narratives (Csiro Publishing, 2013) page 7.
4. http://burkeandwills.slv.vic.gov.au/content/terra-incognita/expedition/aborigines Dig, the Burke and wills Research Gateway
5. http://www.burkeandwills.net.au/Explorers/Additional_Members/lyons.htm Myles Archibald Lyons