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AUTHOR’S NOTES
The original journals of the field notes, from which the present narrative
is compiled, were published, as each expedition ended, as parliamentary
papers by the Government of the Colony of South Australia.
The journals of the first two expeditions, formed a small
book, which was distributed mostly to the patrons who had subscribed to the
fund for my second expedition. The account of the third, found its way into
the South Australian while
the records of the fourth and fifth journeys remained as parliamentary
documents, the whole never having appeared together. Thus only fragments of
the accounts of my wanderings became known ; and though my name as an
explorer has been heard of, both in Australia and England, yet very few
people even in the Colonies are aware of what I have really done.
Therefore it was thought that a work embodying the whole of my explorations
might be acceptable to both English and Colonial readers.
Some years have been allowed to elapse since these journeys were commenced;
but the facts are the same, and to those not mixed up in the adventures, the
incidents as fresh as when they occurred.
Unavoidably, I have had to encounter a large area of desert country in the
interior of the colonies of South Australia, and Western Australia, in my
various wanderings; but I also discovered considerable tracts of
lands watered and suitable for occupation.
It is not in accordance with my own feelings in regard to Australia that I
am the chronicler of her poorer regions ; and although an Englishman,
Australia has no sincerer well-wisher; had it been otherwise, I could not
have performed the work these volumes record. It has indeed been often a
cause of regret that my lines of march should have led me away from the
beautiful and fertile places upon Australia’s shores, where our countrymen
have made their homes.
On the subject of the wonderful resources of Australia I am not called upon
to enlarge, and surely all who have heard her name must have heard also of
her gold, copper, wool, wine, beef, mutton, wheat, timber, and other
products; and if any other evidence were wanting to show what Australia
really is, a visit to her cities, and an experience of her civilisation, not
forgetting the great revenues of her different provinces, would dispel at
once all previous inaccurate impressions of those who, never having
seen, perhaps cannot believe in the existence of them.
In the course of this work my reader will easily discover to whom it is
dedicated, without a more formal statement under such a heading. The
preface, which may seem out of its place, is merely such to my own journeys.
I thought it due to my readers and my predecessors in the Australian field
of discovery, that I should give a rapid epitome (which may contain some
minor errors) of what they had done, and which is here put forward by way of
introduction.
Most of the illustrations, except one or two photographs, were originally
from very rough sketches, or I might rather say scratches, of mine, improved
upon by Mr. Vai Prinsep, of Perth, Western Australia, who drew most of the
plates referring to the camel expeditions, while those relating to the horse
journeys were sketched by Mr. Woodhouse, Junr., of Melbourne; the whole,
however, have undergone a process of reproduction at the hands of London
artists.
To Mrs. Cashel Hoey, the well-known authoress and Australian correspondent,
who revised and cleared my original MSS., I have to accord my most sincere
thanks. To Mr. Henniker-Heaton, M.P., who appears to be the Imperial Member
in the British Parliament for all Australia, I am under great obligations,
he having introduced me to Mr. Marston, of the publishing firm who have
produced these volumes. I also have to thank Messrs. Clowes and Sons for the
masterly way in which they have printed this work. Also Messrs. Creed,
Robinson, Fricker, and Symons, of the publishing staff. The maps have
been reproduced by Weller, the well-known geographer.
Volume 1 |
Volume 2 |
