Narrative of an Expedition into Central Australia: Performed Under the Authority of Her Majesty's Government, During the Years 1844, 5, and 6, Together With A Notice of the Province of South Australia in 1847Sturt, Charles
History
Narrative of an Expedition into Central Australia: Performed Under the Authority of Her Majesty's Government, During the Years 1844, 5, and 6, Together With A Notice of the Province of South Australia in 1847
Sturt, Charles
Central Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Natural history -- Australia -- Central Australia; South Australia -- Description and travel
He then determined on one of those bold movements, which characterise all
his enterprises, and leaving the coast, struck away to the N.E. for Mount
Arden along the Gawler Range; but the view from the summit of that rugged
line of hills, threw darkness only on the view he obtained of the distant
interior, and he returned to Adelaide without having penetrated further
north than 29 degrees 30 minutes, notwithstanding the unconquerable
perseverance and energy he had displayed.
In the following year, the colonists of South Australia, with the
assistance of the local government, raised funds to equip another
expedition to penetrate to the centre of the continent, the command of
which was entrusted to the same dauntless officer. On the morning on
which he was to take his departure, from the fair city of Adelaide,
Colonel Gawler, the Governor, gave a breakfast, to which he invited most
of the public officers and a number of the colonists, that they might
have the opportunity of thus collectively bidding adieu to one who had
already exerted himself so much for the public good.
Few, who were present at that breakfast will ever forget it, and few who
were there present, will refuse to Colonel Gawler the mead of praise due
to him, for the display on that occasion of the most liberal and generous
feelings. It was an occasion on which the best and noblest sympathies of
the heart were roused into play, and a scene during which many a bright
eye was dim through tears.
Some young ladies of the colony, amongst whom were Miss Hindmarsh and
Miss Lepson, the one the daughter of the first Governor of the province,
the other of the Harbour-master, had worked a silken union to present to
Mr. Eyre, to be unfurled by him in the centre of the continent, if
Providence should so far prosper his undertaking, and it fell to my lot,
at the head of that fair company, to deliver it to him.
When that ceremony was ended, prayers were read by the Colonial Chaplain,
after which Mr. Eyre mounted his horse, and escorted by a number of his
friends, himself commenced a journey of almost unparalleled difficulty
and privation [Note 5. Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central
Australia, and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound, in the years
1840 and 41, by E. J. Eyre, Esq.]--a journey, which, although not
successful in its primary objects, yet established the startling fact,
that there is not a single watercourse to be found on the South coast of
Australia, from Port Lincoln to King George's Sound, a distance of more
than 1500 miles. To what point then, let me ask, does the drainage of the
interior set? It is a question of deep interest to all--a question bearing
strongly on my recent investigations, and one that, in connection with
established facts, will, I think, enable the reader to draw a reasonable
conclusion, as to the probable character of the country, which is hid from
our view by the adamantine wall which encircles the great Australian
bight.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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