As regards authorities, I have spared no pains to get at the original sources of information, and have succeeded in all but a few unimportant exceptions. In these cases I have derived some help from interviews with surviving relatives of the explorers and several very old colonists. I have also been indebted for further light to works of acknowledged merit which have been for some time before the public--notably, to the Rev. J. E. Tenison Woods's "Exploration of Australia," and to Mr. Howitt's "Discoveries in Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand." My best acknowledgments are also due to the Honourable P. G. King, Esq., M.L.C., for the excellent notes he has written on the discoveries made by his distinguished father, Admiral King. That this small volume may be found to afford pleasant and profitable reading is the earnest wish of THE AUTHOR. BALMAIN WEST, SYDNEY, _18th May, 1888_. CONTENTS. PAGE INTRODUCTION--THE AUSTRALIAN NAVIGATORS 1 CHAPTER I. THE PIONEERS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS 25 CHAPTER II. EVANS'S DISCOVERY OF THE LACHLAN AND MACQUARIE 34 CHAPTER III. OXLEY'S EXPEDITION TO THE LACHLAN AND MACQUARIE 37 CHAPTER IV. HUME AND HOVELL'S EXPEDITION FROM LAKE GEORGE TO PORT PHILLIP 45 CHAPTER V. ALLAN CUNNINGHAM'S EXPLORATIONS 53 CHAPTER VI. CAPTAIN STURT'S THREE EXPEDITIONS 66 CHAPTER VII. EYRE'S ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY ALONG THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN BIGHT 96 CHAPTER VIII. SIR THOMAS MITCHELL'S FOUR EXPEDITIONS 110 CHAPTER IX. KENNEDY'S DISASTROUS EXPEDITION TO CAPE YORK 144 CHAPTER X. LEICHHARDT'S EXPEDITIONS TO PORT ESSINGTON AND INTO THE INTERIOR 152 CHAPTER XI. MR. A. C. GREGORY'S EXPEDITION TO THE NORTH-WEST INTERIOR 163 CHAPTER XII. BURKE AND WILLS'S EXPEDITION ACROSS THE AUSTRALIAN CONTINENT 167 CHAPTER XIII. SEARCH EXPEDITIONS IN QUEST OF BURKE AND WILLS 182 CHAPTER XIV. JOHN M'DOUALL STUART'S EXPEDITIONS IN THE SOUTH, TO THE CENTRE, AND ACROSS THE CONTINENT 194 CHAPTER XV. COLONEL WARBURTON'S JOURNEY ACROSS THE WESTERN INTERIOR 210 CHAPTER XVI. THE HON. JOHN FORREST'S EXPLORATIONS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA 219 CHAPTER XVII. MR. ERNEST GILES'S EXPLORATIONS IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN AUSTRALIA 228 CHAPTER XVIII. OTHER EXPLORERS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA--CONCLUSION 237 THE AUSTRALIAN EXPLORERS. INTRODUCTION: PIONEER NAVIGATORS.