pleased, had the vote been more commensurate with the value of those services. (Cheers.) In asking the present assembly to join him in drinking the toast of Mr. Forrest's health and that of his party, he considered it was as if he moved a vote of thanks on behalf of the colony for the labours in which they had been associated, for the honour they had conferred on their country, and he would ask them to join him in heartily drinking the toast. (Cheers.) The toast was received with several rounds of cheering. The Commandant rose in explanation, and said he never for a moment meant to infer that in the midst of his greatest difficulties Mr. Forrest ever thought of giving up his task. What he said was that he must have often, in lying down his head after a wearisome day's journey, wished himself at home in Perth all well, with his enterprise accomplished, but not otherwise (cheers). He did not believe that Mr. Forrest ever winced at danger, ever swerved from the path he had laid out for himself to traverse. Mr. John Forrest, on rising, was received with applause, which rose to ringing cheers. Upon the subsiding of the applause, Mr. Forrest said, "Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I feel that I ought to say a great deal on this occasion, but I really hardly know what to say. I can, of course, say that I sincerely thank you for your kindness in inviting myself and companions to this great banquet, and when I say that, I trust you will give me credit for saying what I feel in my heart of hearts. But I feel I have much more than this to say this evening, knowing as I do that I would disappoint you if I did not address you at some length. I will endeavour to muster the words and the courage to do so; as you know, public speaking is not my forte, and if I fail in satisfying your expectations, you must accept the will for the deed (cheers). When I had the honour of being entertained at a public banquet at Adelaide, I had a good deal to say there of my career up to the present; but here I need not say a word about my antecedents, for most of you have known me from my childhood (cheers). For the last few years you all know I have had some little to do with exploration, and for me to tell you anything of my past experience would be simply waste of time and waste of words. You will, however, expect me to say something of our latest enterprise. I had been for some time animated by a desire to explore the untrodden interior of our island continent. I had, as you know, been twice before in the field; once in an eastward direction, and once along the south sea-board to Adelaide--the latter, I was told, being considered a very small undertaking, quite a coasting trip, and one on account of which we could not lay claim to much credit. I therefore was desirous of penetrating the mystery that shrouded the interior, and, with that object in view, I used my utmost endeavours to organize an expedition in that direction. Without