Let any man lay the map of Australia before him, and regard the blank
upon its surface, and then let me ask him if it would not be an
honourable achievement to be the first to place foot in its centre.
Men of undoubted perseverance and energy in vain had tried to work their
way to that distant and shrouded spot. A veil hung over Central Australia
that could neither be pierced or raised. Girt round about by deserts, it
almost appeared as if Nature had intentionally closed it upon civilized
man, that she might have one domain on the earth's wide field over which
the savage might roam in freedom.
I had traced down almost every inland river of the continent, and had
followed their courses for hundreds of miles, but, they had not led me to
its central regions. I had run the Castlereagh, the Macquarie, the
Lachlan, the Murrumbidgee, the Hume, the Darling, and the Murray down to
their respective terminations, but beyond them I had not passed--yet--I
looked upon Central Australia as a legitimate field, to explore which no
man had a greater claim than myself, and the first wish of my heart was
to close my services in the cause of Geography by dispelling the mists
that hung over it.
True it is that my friend Eyre had penetrated high up to the north of
Mount Arden, and there can be no doubt but that his ardent and chivalrous
spirit would have carried him far beyond the point he attained, if he had
not met unconquerable difficulties.
Pages:
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437