156 An Historical Review of the 



and rare, the surface rock being invariably an oolitic lime- 

 stone. Mountains were nowhere seen for encouraging the 

 traveller to deviate from his coast route inland, not even 

 trees were observed. Permanent surface water was totally 

 absent around the bight, and the natives denied also its exis- 

 tence inland. From the head of the bight, westward for 300 

 miles, water was only obtained on one locality in the sand- 

 ridges, the universal extent of the limestone formation frus- 

 trating every attempt of getting it by digging. 



The dew-fall, together with humidity of the sea air, alone 

 saved the remainder of Mr. Eyre's sheep and horses from 

 perishing. 



Our surprise and sympathy are equally raised, when we 

 learn that these poor animals could have travelled six and 

 seven days, over a generally scrubby country, in long stages, 

 perfectly deprived of water. Away from the humid coast air 

 this would have been an imposibility. I will not detain the 

 Assembly with relating all the horrors attending the murder 

 of Mr. Eyre's companion, further than observing how careful 

 a traveller should be in placing implicit reliance in the 

 attachment of natives, however kindly treated, to their masters. 

 But let us sufficiently value the evidence of Mr. Eyre in our 

 theories of the Australian interior, when he establishes the 

 startling fact, that from Eussell Range, discovered on this 

 occasion to the termination of Spencers Gulf, a coast line of 

 more than 800 miles, not a single river enters the ocean, a 

 fact without parallel in any part of the globe. 



The first journey of Dr. Leichhardt performed in 1844 and 

 1845 will ever be recorded as a triumphantly successful exploit, 

 performed by slender means. The line of his wanderings extends 

 over 3000 miles of unexplored country, and for the first time a 

 land journey from the eastern settlements of this country to the 

 extremity of the north coast was prosperously accomplished. 



We learned from Leichhardt that in about lat. 18° S. the divi- 

 sion takes place between the waters of the Gulf Carpen- 

 taria and those of the east coast. We learnt from 

 him the unexpected existence of numerous, although 

 insignificant rivers falling into the Gulf of Carpentaria. 

 We learnt from him the extensive fertility of Arnheim's 

 land, and of • eastern tropical Australia and that a salu- 

 brious climate pervades the greater part of Northern Australia. 

 The life of Mr. Gilbert, a meritorious contributor to the works of 

 Gould, was sacrificed in the journey in which he shared for pur- 

 suing his favourite science. 



The expedition performed in 1846 by the late Sir Thomas 



