May 25, 1857.] MR. GREGORY— ROYAL AWARDS. 367 



stream flowing south, whicli he named Sturt Creek, and which, 

 bending to the S.S.W., terminates in a desiccated salt lake near 

 Mount Wilson, in S. lat. 20° 2' and E. long. 127° 5'. Whilst the 

 south-eastern and southern slopes of the dividing range were thus 

 proved to be everywhere dry and sterile sands, the whole of the 

 territory to the north of the same presented the most striking con- 

 trast, being generally fertile in grasses, particularly the extensive 

 grounds named Hutt Plains and Eoe Downs. 



In this first effort, therefore, made specially by the advice of our 

 medallist Sturt, the grand geographical and statistical feature, which 

 was suspected to exist, was brought to the test ; and we may now 

 fairly infer, that all the central portion of this continent, as well 

 as the long southern coast line examined by our associate Eyre, 

 and a considerable maritime frontier of Western Australia, constitute 

 an uninhabitable desert, probably the dried-up bottom of a sea, 

 and that hence all future intercourse between our Australian colo- 

 nies must take place either along the fertile coast ranges, or by sea. 



Eeturning to his camp, which he had left under the charge of 

 Mr. Wilson, who had in the mean time examined the adjacent 

 countr}'-, of which he sent home a sketch map to this Society, Mr. 

 Gregory sent away Mr. Baines, with Mr. Wilson, and the larger 

 number of his party, in the schooner ; and after giving directions 

 that the vessel should meet him at the head of the Gulf of Carpen- 

 taria, he set out on his chief mission, accompanied by his brother, 

 Mr. Elsey the surgeon, Dr. Mueller, and three men. 



Quitting the basin of the Victoria, and passing over, a broad 

 table-land of sandstone, he entered a valley watered by a tributary 

 of Leichhardt's river, the Eoper, which he named Elsey Creek, in 

 S. lat. 15° 15' and E. long. 133° 10'. He next took a south-south- 

 easterly direction to the west of Leichhardt's route, or about 70 miles 

 distant from the western shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and tra- 

 versed the various rivers discovered by his adventurous precursor (but 

 nearer to their sources) until he reached the Albert, which empties 

 itself into the head of the Gulf. Not meeting there with the party 

 sent by sea, under the orders of Mr. Baines, he left the ' Plains of 

 Promise ' of Stokes, and crossed the river Flinders at about 80 miles 

 distance from the Albert, and, journeying to the north-east, fixed a 

 position on the Gilbert Eiver at S. lat. 18^ 0' and E. long. 140° 40'. 

 Ascending that stream, Mr. Gregory left behind the drainage into 

 the Gulf of Carpentaria, and traversed the high basaltic plateau 

 which separates the waters flowing into that gulf, from those which 



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