Dec. 14, 1857.] GALTON ON THE EXPLORATION OF ARID COUNTRIES. 61 
caravan routes could never liave been discovered, but, speaking 
generally, the difficulties of an explorer are sucb as I have described 
them to be, and any unknown fringe of desert which happens to 
contain no sure watering place within a circuit of a day and a half or 
a two days’ journey will check the progress of travellers and settlers 
for many years. 
It would therefore be a real advantage to persons who found 
themselves at the borders of unknown regions in arid countries, 
whether they were cattle owners straitened for fresh pasture land, 
or miners seeking for new fields of mineral wealth, as well as to 
leaders of expeditions who found themselves stopped by drought, if 
any satisfactory method could be devised by means of which the 
radius of exploratory trips might be largely increased, and the 
object of the present paper is to show that it is really feasible to 
devise such a scheme, and that by its aid the desert may be explored 
to distances fully as great as any cattle could be driven, and, lastly, 
that these distant explorations may readily be carried on without 
the sacrifice of a single meal. 
I suppose an “ exploring ” party, as few in number as is con- 
sistent with efficiency, to be aided by a “ supporting ” party, who 
may be divided into two or more sections. The duty of this sup- 
porting party is to carry provisions, partly to be eaten on the way 
out, and partly to be “ cached ,” or buried in the ground, in order to 
supply the wants of the homeward journey. After a certain dis- 
tance from camp had been reached, and the loads of one “ section ” of 
the supporting party had become exhausted in furnishing meals 
and caches to the entire expedition, this section would separate 
from its companions and return home. A second “section” would 
subsequently act as the first had done, and afterwards a third, and 
even a fourth, according to their original number. Finally, the 
explorers would be left by themselves at some days’ journey in ad- 
vance of the farthest known watering place, with their own loads 
of provisions untouched, and with other provisions, stored in caches, 
fully sufficient for their return, and in every respect as capable 
of farther exploration as if it was from their own camp, and not 
from a spot in the heart of the desert, whence they were about to 
take their departure. 
Doubtless the same general idea must often have occurred to 
other travellers besides myself ; but whether it is because the details 
have been found puzzling and difficult to work out, or because the 
necessary vessels for carrying water were not to be met with when 
wanted, no traveller in arid countries has ever availed himself of 
the great power which this method of exploration affords. 
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