the chain before we arrived on the shore of a
vast sandy basin, which I could not cross, and to the northward of which
I could not penetrate. Thus disappointed in my attempt to gain the 138th
meridian on a westerly course, as well as in my anticipation of finding
Lake Torrens connected with some more central feature, it appeared to me
that I could not follow out my instructions better than by attempting to
penetrate towards the centre of the continent on a north-west course, for
it was clear that if there were any ranges or any mountain chains
traversing the interior from north-east to south-west I should
undoubtedly strike them; but that if no such chains existed the proposed
course would take me to the Tropic on the meridian of 138 degrees, and
would enable me to determine the character of the interior, and more
central regions of the continent. In this attempt I succeeded in gaining
the desired meridian, but failed in reaching the Tropic. My position was
about 500 miles north of Mount Arden, 60 miles from the Tropic, and
somewhat less than 150 to the eastward of the centre of the Australian
continent. Forced back to my depot a second time, from the total failure
both of water and grass, in the quarter to which I had penetrated with
the above objects in view, having passed the centre in point of latitude,
I again left it on a due north course to ascertain if there were any
ranges or hills between my position and the Gulf of Carpentaria, as well
as to satisfy myself as to the character and extent of a stony desert I
had crossed on my last excursion. That iron region however again stopped
me in my progress northwards, and obliged me to fall back on a place of
safety. For fourteen months I kept my position in a country which never
changed but for the worse, and from which it was with difficulty that I
ultimately escaped; but as the minuter details of the expedition will be
given in the subsequent pages of this work, any mention of them here
would be superfluous. I shall only express my regret that we were unable
to make the centre or to gain the Tropic. As regards the objects for
which the expedition was fitted out, I hope it will be granted that they
were accomplished, and that little doubt can now be entertained as to the
non-existence of the mountain chains, the supposed existence of which I
was sent to ascertain. It would, however, have gratified me exceedingly
to have crossed into the Tropic, to have decided my own hyp