The Australian Explorers: Their Labours, Perils, and Achievements: Being a Narrative of Discovery from the Landing of Captain Cook to the Centennial YearGrimm, George
History
The Australian Explorers: Their Labours, Perils, and Achievements: Being a Narrative of Discovery from the Landing of Captain Cook to the Centennial Year
Grimm, George
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Explorers -- Australia
To give decent burial to the body of a friend whom death only could
separate would have been a melancholy satisfaction, but even this slight
tribute of affection was denied by the situation. No grave could be dug,
for sheet-rock, stretching far and wide, formed the adamantine pavement
of this horrible place. Wrapt in a blanket for its winding-sheet, the
corpse was left in this lonely wilderness, where it lay undisturbed till
it was stumbled on quite recently by the district mailman. On a calmer
view of the position, Eyre discovered that the ruffians had left him
only forty pounds of flour, a little tea and sugar, and four gallons of
water. Such was the provision for two men against a journey of 600
miles! Nothing, however, could be gained by delay in this awful scene,
and every consideration counselled an immediate departure--most of all,
the knowledge that the two murderers were skulking in the neighbourhood
with the probable design of taking Eyre's life. A start was made without
further loss of time. Another horse was killed for food, but the animal
having been poor and sickly, its flesh did not agree with them, and ill
health supervened. When thus brought face to face with the last
extremity, a sudden vision of deliverance nearly overwhelmed them with
joy. Coming unexpectedly on an opening in the Bight, first a boat and
then a ship at anchor rushed upon the view. A closer acquaintance proved
the apparition to be a French whaling-vessel, under the command of
Captain Rossiter, whose name is fittingly perpetuated in the same little
bay. The unlooked-for visitors were hospitably entertained and lodged
for twelve days in the ship, till they were sufficiently recruited for
the remainder of the journey. With renewed strength, and a fresh supply
of provisions, the march through the desert was once more resumed, for
the indomitable explorer would not even yet abandon the project. Though
hardship had now lost its sting, more difficulties had yet to be
encountered than might have been expected, but they were of a different
kind from the preceding. Water became only too plentiful, for a wet
season had set in, and the travellers had often to wade rather than to
walk. But the end of this terrible journey drew on apace. To their
unspeakable joy the mountains on the further side of King George's Sound
began to loom in the distance, and Wylie, who was a native of that
district, now for the first time showed some confidence in his leader,
whom he never expected to bring him back to his home. The welcome sight,
in truth, inspired both the black and the white man with fresh life; for
they had to make only one more effort, and, this over, their weary feet
found rest in the hospitable settlement of Albany. The heroic endurance
displayed during this journey stands without a parallel in history, but
it led to nothing but a barren triumph over stupendous difficulties. Had
Eyre kept further inland he would have found a better route and opened
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account