1868.] 



Exploration of Central Australia. 



353 



extremity of the continent, notliing is known ; and in choosing a prac- 

 ticable route, we must be guided entirely by surmises as to the nature 

 of the country, based upon the supposition that we shall most probably 

 have to deal with a state of things in the west very similar to that already 

 known to exist in the east. I shall, in the first place, however, lay down 

 the entire course, and then enter upon my reasons for having done so. 

 From point B I propose keeping nearly on the same parallel as far as 

 point C, in longitude 125|° East; from thence proceeding on the same 

 meridian to a point in 27° South, and thence to a point D in 116|° East 

 and 31|° South. Near the latter point, on our route to Perth in Western 

 Austraha, we shall strike the Swan Eiver. The entire distance on that 

 route is about 2649 miles, of v/hich 1080 comprise the distance from 

 A to B, and the remainder that from B to C and D, an allowance of 

 20 per cent, being made for curvature, v/hich percentage must always be 

 understood when reference to distance occurs in the course of this paper. 



As a close examination of the country traversed is the primary object of 

 the expedition, it is proposed to accomplish it in thirteen stages, so that 

 fourteen separate depots will have to be established during its progress, 

 each depot being intended to be retained only for such a time as will be 

 requisite for the survey and exploration of the surrounding country, and 

 for the formation and transport to the next. From A to B the number of 

 depots will be six, so that the average distance between two consecutive 

 depots will be 2'1 6 miles, while from B to C and C to D there will be eight 

 depots, with an average distance of 200 miles. On the map these depots 

 are marked ; but it is evident that it is next to impossible to assign them 

 their proper positions with any degree of accuracy, as these will depend so 

 much upon circumstances at present almost entirely unknown to us. It is 

 only for the line from A to B that we are enabled to fix with any certainty 

 the positions of such depots, as we are already acquainted with some loca- 

 lities the nature of which will probably recommend them for such a pur- 

 pose. Thus we should propose fixing depot No. 2 on the meridian of 145° 

 and near Walker's track, depot No. 3 on the Middleton River of M*Kinlay, 

 depot No. 4 near the fine open plains of Burke and Wills, and depot 

 No. 6 on Stuart's track somewhere between the Fincke and Hugh rivers, 

 in each of which cases the country is described as well grassed and provided 

 with permanent water. For depot No. 6, and depots 7 to 12, we have no 

 data whereby to guide us, until we again approach the regions already ex- 

 plored from the west. As it is proposed from these various depots to strike 

 out in different directions, they will have also to be selected with a view to 

 enable these minor expeditions to yield the greatest possible amount of in- 

 formation with respect to the largest possible tracts of country. 



With reference to the time required for accomplishing the whole expe- 

 dition in a manner commensurate with the scientific objects of the under- 

 taking, it may be said, that it is proposed to devote three years and six 

 months to it, of which fifteen months are taken up by the examination of 



