s Hindmarsh and
Miss Lepson, the one the daughter of the first Governor of the province,
the other of the Harbour-master, had worked a silken union to present to
Mr. Eyre, to be unfurled by him in the centre of the continent, if
Providence should so far prosper his undertaking, and it fell to my lot,
at the head of that fair company, to deliver it to him.

When that ceremony was ended, prayers were read by the Colonial Chaplain,
after which Mr. Eyre mounted his horse, and escorted by a number of his
friends, himself commenced a journey of almost unparalleled difficulty
and privation [Note 5. Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central
Australia, and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound, in the years
1840 and 41, by E. J. Eyre, Esq.]--a journey, which, although not
successful in its primary objects, yet established the startling fact,
that there is not a single watercourse to be found on the South coast of
Australia, from Port Lincoln to King George's Sound, a distance of more
than 1500 miles. To what point then, let me ask, does the drainage of the
interior set? It is a question of deep interest to all--a question bearing
strongly on my recent investigations, and one that, in connection with
established facts, will, I think, enable the reader to draw a reasonable
conclusion, as to the probable character of the country, which is hid from
our view by the adamantine wall which encircles the great Australian
bight.

On this long and remarkable journey, Mr. Eyre again found it impossible
to penetrate to the north, but steadily advancing to the westward, he
ultimately reached the confines of Western Australia, with one native
boy, and one horse only. Neither, however, did this tremendous
undertaking throw any light on the distant interior, and thus it almost
appeared that its recesses were never to be entered by civilized man.

From this time neither the government of South Australia, or that of New
South Wales, made any further effort to push geographical inquiry, and
all interest in it appeared to have past away.

It remains for me to observe, however, that, whilst these attempts were
being made to prosecute inland discovery, Her Majesty's naval service was
actively employed upon the coast. Captain Wickham, in command of the
Beagle, was carrying on a minute survey of the intertropical shores of
the continent, which led to the discovery of two considerable rivers, the
Victoria and the Albert, the one situat