Wales, and Allan Cunningham
the southern part of what is now the colony of Queensland. Hume and
Hovell, Sturt and Mitchell, had traversed the southern districts of New
South Wales and the territory now occupied by Victoria. Following
closely in the footsteps of these intrepid discoverers, the squatters
had entered all these districts, and, wherever the land was suitable,
had settled down with their flocks; so that, ere long, all that corner
of Australia which would be cut off by drawing a straight line from
Brisbane to Adelaide was fully surveyed. But there still remained to be
explored about seven-eighths of the continent; and from this date onward
there was an unbroken succession of adventurous travellers, who entered
the vast central territory for the purpose of making known its nature
and capacities. But the manner of conducting an expedition was now very
different from what it had been. Previous explorers had been provided
with parties of convicts, and had traversed lands for the greater part
grassy and well watered. These expeditions had their dangers, arising
chiefly from the hostility of the blacks; and Allan Cunningham, his
brother Richard, with many others, sacrificed their lives in their
ardour for discovery. But subsequent travellers had to encounter, in
addition, the pangs of hunger and thirst in that dry and desolate
country which occupies so great a portion of Central Australia.

#2. Eyre.#--The first on this roll of gallant discoverers was Edward John
Eyre, who, in 1840, offered to conduct an expedition to the interior. He
himself provided about half the money required, the South Australian
Government--which was then in difficulties--gave a hundred pounds, and a
number of Eyre's personal friends made up the remainder. With five
Europeans, three natives, and thirteen horses, and with forty sheep to
serve as food on the way, he set out from Adelaide and travelled to the
head of Spencer's Gulf, where a small vessel lay waiting to supply them
with provisions sufficient for three months. Having traversed forty or
fifty miles of desert land, he turned to the west, and came in sight of
what he called Lake Torrens. It was now dried up, so that in place of a
sheet of water twenty miles broad, he saw only a dreary region covered
with glittering salt. When he entered upon it the thin crust of salt
broke, and a thick black mud oozed up. The party plunged onward for
about six miles, the mud becoming always deeper a