108 PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. 



the completion of his heroic and lengthened labours in the ex- 

 ploration of that wonderful entanglement of lakes and rivers 

 constituting the great Mle basin. Who does not grieve that the 

 final solution should be reserved for others, that the devoted 

 traveller and missionary should be robbed of the reward of his 

 labours ? But it has been truly said that a man's work is not to 

 be measured by what is achieved in this world and during one 

 lifetime. If through his self-sacrificing spirit the abominable 

 slave trade in Eastern and Central Africa should, as we hope, be 

 extinguished, none can say that his life has been lost in vain, or 

 his work not well and nobly done. 



The great island continent of Australia seems also to be gradu- 

 ally revealing itself to the adventurous spirit of our own race in 

 that vast country. Yery recently, Mr. Gorse and Col. Warburton, 

 starting from the line of the telegraph running from Adelaide to 

 the north coast, have successfully conducted expeditions through 

 wide regions in the interior, the latter having, with the help of 

 a camel train, travelled over a thousand miles of longitude through 

 countiy previously quite unknown. The former, besides meet- 

 ing with a large lake and a great extent of rich land, discovered 

 an immense isolated pyramidal hill; a monolith of conglomerate, 

 attaining the altitude of eleven hundred feet, six or seven miles 

 in girth, and having copious streams of water flowing from its 

 centre. Eoth travellers were on their way towards Perth, in 

 Western Australia, but Col. Warburton only was enabled, by the 

 help of his camels, to accomplish the whole distance. 



The voyage of H. M. S. ''Challenger" brings us, from time to 

 time, topics of not less interest. The occasional reports of the 

 progress of the vessel have no doubt attracted the notice of most 

 of the members of the Club, and we look with the liveliest ex- 

 pectation to the conclusion of the voyage and the publication of 

 its results. These, as now known, have become so numerous 

 that it is difficult, on the present occasion, even to select from 

 them. When collected and classified they will probably throw 

 such a light upon the domain of old ocean, as will enable us to 

 map out its boundaries and the configuration of its bottom, and 

 to localize its inhabitants with a precision hitherto unattainable. 



