41 G SUGGESTED ROUTE. 



this kind ; and I may here add, that they might be 

 procured in the neighbourhood of the Gulf of Cutch,* 

 which place the vessel should leave in the N. E. 

 monsoon, in time to have the latter end of the N. W. 

 monsoon to take her to the Gulf of Carpentaria, 

 where at Sweers Island the final arrangements for 

 disembarking, before alluded to,| could be made. 



In a country like Australia, wnth so varied a sur- 

 face, it is certainly impossible to indicate with con- 

 fidence any thing beyond the point of departure 

 for an exploring party. Their direction must, of 

 course, depend on the country they find ; but I 

 think it may be said from the most recent, and 1 

 much fear melancholy, experience, that the routes 

 from neither Moreton Bay nor Fort Bourke are 

 practicable. That from the head of the Albert is, 

 I believe, much superior, and I consider, after ma- 

 ture deliberation, that the plan I have recom- 

 mended is at once the most expeditious and the most 

 economical way of solving a question of daily in- 

 creasing interest, and of removing an imputation 

 on English enterprise which is daily becoming more 

 serious. 



The other routes of exploration which appears to 

 me both practicable and useful are from Halifax 



* Camels are to be procured in this neiglibourhood, when 

 they are not required for war service, for about five pounds 

 a head. Besides, the natives of tliat part are more easily to be 

 obtained as attendants than Arabs. 



t See p. 272. 



