ey it may be useful to state
as briefly as possible the efforts made to obtain a better acquaintance
with the vast territory popularly known as No Man's Land, which had been
traversed by Eyre, and afterwards to summarize the little knowledge which
had been obtained.

In 1860 Major Warburton--who afterwards, in 1873 and 1874, succeeded in
crossing the northern part of the great inland desert, after enduring
great privations--contrived to reach eighty-five miles beyond the head of
the Bight, and made several journeys from the coast in a north and
north-westerly direction for a distance of about sixty miles. Traces of
Eyre's expedition were then visible. The holes he had dug in search of
water twenty years before were still there, and the records of his
journey were of great value as guiding Warburton's movements. His
experience of the nature of the country amply confirmed that of the
previous explorer. He found the district to the north to be a dreary
waste, destitute of food and water. Rain seldom fell, and, when it did,
was immediately absorbed by the arid soil. Bustards and moles were the
only living creatures. To the north-west there was a little grass, but
the tract showing verdure was very small in extent, and beyond it was
again the scorched, barren, inhospitable desert.

Two years afterwards other explorations were attempted, and especially
should be noted Captain Delessier's. He was disposed to think more
favourably of the nature of the country. The enterprise of squatters
seeking for "fresh fields and pastures new," to whom square miles
represent less than acres to graziers and sheep farmers in England--is
not easily daunted. They made a few settlements; but the scanty pasturage
and the difficulty of obtaining water, by sinking wells, in some
instances to the depth of over 200 feet, have been great drawbacks.

DISCOVERY OF PORT EUCLA.

It might naturally be inquired why no attempts were made to reach the
coast of the Great Bight by sea? Why so much suffering has been endured
when a well-equipped vessel might have landed explorers at various points
and been ready to afford them assistance? In his explorations to the
north of Western Australia, Mr. F. Gregory had a convenient base of
operations in the Dolphin, a barque which remained on the coast. It might
seem that similar aid could have been afforded to Warburton and others
who attempted to trace the south-coast line. But for hundreds of miles
along the shor