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238 Geographical Notices. 
I cannot hope that it speedily closes in, either to the east: 
Ww ” 
In 1848, Leichhardt, whose previous journeys had made it 
portant additions to our knowledge of the northeastern parts of , 
Australia, set out with a party of eight men to cross the cont 
nent from east to west, expecting to be gone two years and to | 
determine the great question in respect to the interior. No 
news has been received from him since a short time after lis — 
departure. Hopes were entertained that Gregory’s expedition 
would bring some news of his course and fate, but these expect 
tions are disappointed. 
H. Gregory, Mr. Wilson the geologist, and Dr. Ferdinand Muel- 
ler the botanist, he then explored the Victoria to Jasper Vit 
determining the geological nature of the country, and asoertall: 
ing that the river made a great southward bend. Again Ws 
with ‘him his brother, and Dr. Ferdinand Mueller, together wit 
the artist, Mr. Baines, he marched southwards to ascertalm, a 
saline desert, which Sturt had discovered in pr wut 
from the southern regions of Australia, and which he 
with in a journey southwards from the north coast. <o. and 
“For this purpose he ascended the Victotia to its e660 
found the hilly or dividing range to have an altitude of 7 
feet above the sea. Traversing this watershed, he descen¢ hich, 
a south-flowing stream, which he named Sturt Creek, and pis 
bending to the S.S.W., terminates in a desiccated salt Whilst 
Mount Wilson, in S. lat. 20° 2’ and E. long. 127° 5'. 
_ the southeastern and southern slopes of the dividing range 
: cool 
“Tn this first effort, therefore, made oe by hee fea 
we may now fairly infer, that all the central portion of 
tinent, as well as the long southern coast-line examine ts col 
and a considerable maritime frontier of Western A pottom a i 
stitute an uninhabitable desert, probably the dried-up P _ 
a sea, and that hence all future intercourse bela rang 
lian colonies must take place either along the fertile pe 
or by sea. ‘ 
