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Australia Twice Traversed 37 / 39

CHAPTER 5.5. FROM 23RD AUGUST TO 20TH SEPTEMBER, 1876.

Depart for the south. Arrive at Beltana. Camels returned to their depot. The Blinman Mine. A dinner. Coach journey to the Burra-Burra Mines. A banquet and address. Rail to Adelaide. Reception at the Town Hall. A last address. Party disbanded. Remarks. The end.

Being among such good friends at the Peake, we naturally remained a few days before we left for Adelaide; nothing remarkable occurred on the road down. At Beltana the camels were returned to their depot. The Blinman Copper Mine is about thirty miles from there, and was then, the terminus of the mail coach line from Adelaide. The residents of the Blinman invited Alec Ross and myself to a dinner, presided over by my very good friend Mr. J.B. Buttfield, the Resident Police Magistrate. Then we all took the mail coach, and reached the Burra-Burra Copper Mines, on the evening of the next day. Here a banquet was held in our honour, at which a number of ladies attended, and I was presented with a very handsome address. The Burra Mines are a hundred miles from Adelaide.

Next day we took the train for the city. At the town of Gawler, or, as it used to be called, Gawlertown, twenty-five miles from the metropolis, a number of gentlemen were assembled to welcome us on the platform. Our healths were drank in champagne, and an address presented to me. Pursuing our journey, Adelaide was reached by midday. A number of people were waiting the arrival of the train, and when we alighted we were welcomed with cheers. Carriages were in attendance to take us to the Town Hall, where we were welcomed by Caleb Peacock, Esquire, the Mayor,—who first invited us to refreshments, and then presented us to the citizens, who were crowded in the large hall. Mr. Peacock made a very eloquent and eulogistic speech, and presented me with a very handsome address on behalf of himself, the Corporation, and the citizens of Adelaide. The next day the party was disbanded, and the expedition was at an end.

A few closing remarks, I suppose I may make. We again joined the great family of civilised mankind; and if I have any readers who have followed my story throughout its five separate phases, I may account myself fortunate indeed. A long array of tautological detail is inseparable from the records of Australian, as well as any other exploration, because it must be remembered that others, who come after, must be guided by the experiences and led to places, and waters, that the first traveller discovers; and am I to be blamed if I have occasionally mixed up my narrative with an odd remark, anecdote, or imaginative idea? These, I trust, will not in my reader's opinion detract from any merits it may possess. I have collected many thousands of plants and hundreds of entomological and geological specimens; a great portion of the list of the former and all of the latter have unfortunately been lost, only a list of plants collected during my first and second expeditions now remains, which appears at the end of these volumes.

It is with regret I have had to record the existence of such large areas of desert land encountered in my travels in Australia. The emigrant, however, need have no fear on that account. The scenes of his avocations will be far removed from them. They are no more a check to emigration now than fifty years ago. As a final remark, I may say my former companion in the field, Mr. W.H. Tietkens, has just returned from a fresh exploration of the country in the vicinity of Lake Amadeus, and the report of his travels should be looked forward to with pleasure by all who take any interest in our Colonial dependencies.

If my narrative has no other recommendation, it may at least serve to while away a vacant hour, and remind my readers of something better, they have read before. It was not for what I had written, that I hoped to reap the good opinion of the world, but for what I have done, and that I have recorded. Any one who is sufficiently interested to read these pages, may well understand the trials and dangers that have beset my path. The number of miles of previously unknown country that I have explored reaches to the sum of many thousands. The time I expended was five of the best years of my life. As a recognition of my labours, I have received the Patron's Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society of London; and the late King Victor Emanuel sent me a decoration and diploma of Knighthood, of the Order of the Crown of Italy.

To a man accustomed to camels for exploration, the beautiful horse sinks into the insignificance of a pigmy when compared to his majestic rival, the mighty ship of the desert, and assuredly had it not been for these creatures and their marvellous powers, I never could have performed the three last journeys which complete my public explorations in Australia.

I have called my book The Romance of Exploration; the romance is in the chivalry of the achievement of difficult and dangerous, if not almost impossible, tasks. Should I again be called on to enter the Field of Discovery, although to scenes remote from my former Australian sphere, I should not be the explorer I have represented myself in these pages, if, even remembering the perils of my former adventures, I should shrink from facing new. An explorer is an explorer from love, and it is nature, not art, that makes him so.

The history of Australian exploration, though not yet quite complete, is now so far advanced towards its end, that only minor details now are wanting, to fill the volume up; and though I shall not attempt to rank myself amongst the first or greatest, yet I think I have reason to call myself, the last of the Australian explorers.

As a last remark, I may say the following lines may convey some of my real feelings towards:—

AUSTRALIA.

What though no hist'ries old,
Rest o'er that land of gold;
And though no bard has told
Tales, of her clime:

What though no tow'r display,
Man's work of other days;
And, though her sun's bright rays
In the old time;

Gleam'd on no mighty fanes,
Built by the toiling pains
Of slaves, in galling chains,
In the earth's prime.

Hers is a new bright land;
By God's divine command,
Where each industr'us hand,
Willing to toil;

What though no song records,
Deeds of her martial hordes,
Who made, with conquering swords,
Heroes sublime.

Gathers the fruits of peace,
Gathers the golden fleece,
And the fair earth's increase,
From the rich soil.

Hers is a flow'ry crown;
Science and Hope look down
On each new glitt'ring town,
Whose structures rise;

And to Time's latest age,
Hers shall, the brightest page,
Written by bard or sage,
Be, 'neath the skies.

APPENDIX.

LIST OF PLANTS

COLLECTED BY ERNEST GILES, F.R.G.S.,
DURING HIS FIRST AND SECOND EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS,
1872-1874.
(ARRANGED BY BARON VON MUELLER.)
DILLENIACEAE:
Hibbertia glaberrima, F.M., Fragm. 3, 1.
Mount Olga, Glen of Palms.
[Brassicaceae =] CRUCIFERAE:
Menkea sphaerocarpa, F.M., Fragm. 8, 223.
Near Mount Olga.
[Lepidium oxytrichum] Lepidium papillosum, F.M. in Linnaea 25, 370.
Between the Alberga and Mount Olga.
[Lepidium rotundum] Lepidium phlebopetalum, F.M., Plants of Vict. 1, 47.
Between the River Finke and Lake Eyre.
[Blennodia trisecta] Sisymbrium trisectum, F.M., Transact. Vict. Inst. 1, 114.
Near Lake Eyre and Mount Olga.
[Capparidaceae] CAPPARIDEAE:
Cleome viscosa, L. Sp. Pl., 938.
Rawlinson's Range.
[Capparis mitchellii] Capparis Mitchelli, Lindl. in Mitch. Three Exped. 1, 315.
MacDonnell's Range, Mount Udor.
[Pittosporaceae] PITTOSPOREAE:
Pittosporum phillyroides, Cand. Prodr. 1, 347.
Between the Alberga and Mount Olga, also on Gosse's Range.
DROSERACEAE:
[Drosera indica] Drosera Indici, L. Sp., 403.
Rawlinson's Range.
[?] Drosera Burmanni, Vahl., Symb. 3, 50.
MacDonnell's Range.
[Polygalaceae] POLYGALEAE:
[?] Comesperma silvestre, Lindl. in Mitch. Trop. Austr., 342.
Between MacDonnell's and Gill's Ranges.
VIOLACEAE:
[?] Ionidium aurantiacum, F.M. in Benth. Fl. Austr. 1, 102.
MacDonnell's Range.
GERANIACEAE:
Oxalis corniculata L. Sp., 624.
Between the Alberga and Mount Olga.
TILIACEAE:
[?] Corchorus sidoides, F.M., Fragm. 3, 9.
MacDonnell's Range.
MALVACEAE:
Hibiscus Farragei, F.M., Fragm. 8, 241.
MacDonnell's Range.
Hibiscus Sturtii, Hook. in Mitch. Trop. Austr., 363.
Rawlinson's Range.
[Hibiscus brachychlaenus] Hibiscus microchlaenus, F.M., Fragm. 2, 116.
Rawlinson's Range.
[Gossypium sturtianum] Gossypium Sturtii, F.M., Fragm. 3, 6.
On Mount Olga, also towards the Alberga, Gosse's Range, and MacDonnell's Range.
[?] Abutilon diplotrichum, F.M. in Linnaea 25, 380.
Between Lake Eyre and the River Finke.
Abutilon halophilum, F.M. in Linnaea 25, 381.
Near Lake Eyre.
Sida cardiophylla, F.M., Fragm. 8, 242.
Rawlinson's Range.
[Sida platycalyx] Sida inclusa, Benth., Flor. Austr. 1, 197.
Rawlinson's Range, MacDonnell's Range.
Sida cryphiopetala, F.M., Fragm. 2, 4.
MacDonnell's Range.
Sida virgata, Hook. in Mitch. Trop. Austr., 361.
Mount Olga.
Sida petrophila, F.M. in Linnaea 25, 381.
MacDonnell's Range.
[Sida trichopoda] Sida corrugata, Lindl. in Mitch. Three Exped. 2, 13.
Lake Eyre, Mount Olga, Gosse's Range, MacDonnell's Range, Lake Amadeus.
Malvastrum spicatum, As. Gr. Plant Fendl., 23.
Near Lake Eyre.
Plagianthus glomeratus, Benth. in Journ. of Linn. Soc. 6, 103.
Near Lake Eyre.
STERCULIACEAE:
[?] Keraudrenia nephrosperma, Benth., Fl. Austr. 1, 246.
Mount Olga, MacDonnell's Range.
[?] Keraudrenia Hookeriana, Walp. Annal. 2, 164.
MacDonnell's Range.
Rulingia magniflora F.M., Fragm. 8, 223.
Mount Olga.
[?] Rulingia loxophylla, F.M., Fragm. 1, 68.
MacDonnell's Range.
Brachychiton Gregorii, F.M. in Hook. Kew Mis. 9, 199.
Mount Stevenson, MacDonnell's Range, Carmichael's Creek, Mount Udor. The specific position, in the absence of flowers and fruit, not to be ascertained beyond doubts from the material secured.
FRANKENIACAE:
Frankenia pauciflora, Cand. Prodr. 1, 350.
Lake Eyre, River Finke.
[Zygophyllaceae] ZYGOPHYLLEAE
Tribulus terrestris, L. Sp., 554.
Rawlinson's Range.
Tribulus Hystrix, R. Br., App. to Sturt's Centr. Austr., 6.
Near Lake Amadeus.
[Zygophyllum aurantiacum] Zygophyllum fruticulosum, Cand. Prodr. 1, 705.
Near Lake Eyre.
SAPINDACEAE:
Atalaya hemiglauca, F.M. in Benth. Fl. Austr 1, 463.
MacDonnell's Range and Lake Amadeus.
Dodonaea viscosa, L. Mantiss., 231
Alberga, Mount Olga, Rawlinson's Range, Barrow's Range, D. microzyga, F.M., Plants of Stuart's Exped., 1862. page 12, is known from the Neale River.
[?] Diplopeltis Stuartii, F.M., Fragm. 3, 12.
MacDonnell's Range.
[Phytolaccaceae] PHYTOLACCEAE:
Codonocarpus cotinifolius, F.M., Plants of Vict. 1, 200.
Between the Alberga and Mount Olga.
Gyrostemon ramulosus, Desf. in Mem. Du Mus. 6, 17, t. 6.
Glen of Palms.
[Gyrostemon australasicus] Cyclotheca Australasica, Mog. in Cand. Prodr. 13, Sect. 2, 38.
Mount Olga, Rawlinson's Range, Barrow's Range.
[Caryophyllaceae] CARYOPHYLLEAE:
Polycarpaea corymbosa, Lam. 3, N., 2798.
Glen of Palms.
[Aizoaceae] FICOIDEAE:
Trianthema crystallina, Vahl., Symb. 1, 32.
Near Lake Eyre.
Aizoon zygophylloides, F.M., Fragm. 7, 129.
Between Lake Eyre and the River Finke.
[Portulacaceae] PORTULACEAE:
[Calandrinia balonensis] Calandrinia Balonnensis, Lindl. in Mitch. Trop. Austr., 148.
MacDonnell's Range.
Portulaca oleracea, L. Sp. Pl., 638.
Towards MacDonnell's Range.
[Chenopodiaceae] SALSOLACEAE:
Rhagodia nutans, R. Br., Prodr., 408.
Lake Eyre.
Rhagodia spinescens, R. Br., Prodr., 408.
Lake Eyre.
Chenopodium carinatum, R. Br., Prodr., 407.
Between the Alberga and Mount Olga.
Babbagia dipterocarpa, F.M., Rep. on Babb. Pl., 21.
Lake Eyre.
Kochia villosa, Lindl. in Mitch. Trop. Austr., 91.
Between the Alberga and Mount Olga.
[Amaranthaceae] AMARANTACEAE:
Hemichroa mesembryanthema, F.M., Fragm. 8, 38.
Lake Eyre.
[Amaranthus mitchellii] Euxolus Mitchelli, Amarantus Mitchelli, Benth., Fl. Austr. 5, 214.
Lake Eyre.
Alternanthera nodiflora, R. Br., Prodr., 417.
MacDonnell's Range.
Ptilotus obovatus, F.M., Fragm. 6, 228.
Between the Alberga and Mount Olga; MacDonnell's and Rawlinson's Ranges.
[Ptilotus polystachyus] Ptilotus alopecuroides, F.M., Fragm. 6, 227.
Between the Alberga and Mount Olga.
Ptilotus nobilis, F.M., Fragm. 6, 227.
Mount Olga.
Ptilotus Hoodii, F.M., Fragm. 8, 232.
Mount Olga.
Ptilotus helipteroides, F.M., Fragm. 6, 231.
Between the Alberga and Mount Olga; also Barrow's Range.
[Ptilotus gaudichaudii] Ptilotus hemisteirus, F.M., Fragm. 6, 231.
Between the Alberga and Mount Olga.
[Nyctaginaceae] NYCTAGINEAE:
[Boerhavia repanda] Boerhaavia repanda, Willd., Sp. Pl., 1, 22.
Lake Eyre.
[Boerhavia diffusa] Boerhaavia diffusa, L. Sp. Pl., 4.
Lake Amadeus.
[not a family] LEGUMINOSAE:
[Fabaceae (=Papilionaceae)]
Daviesia arthropoda, F.M., Fragm. 8, 225.
Mount Olga.
Brachysema Chambersii, F.M. in Benth. Fl. Austr. 2, 13.
Mount Olga; MacDonnell's Range.
Isotropis atropurpurea, F.M., Fragm. 3, 16.
Mount Olga.
[?] Burtonia polyzyga, Benth., Fl. Austr. 2, 51.
MacDonnell's Range.
[?] Mirbelia oxyclada, F.M., Fragm. 4, 12.
MacDonnell's and Rawlinson's Ranges.
Gastrolobium grandiflorum, F.M., Fragm. 3, 17.
Glen of Palms.
Psoralea patens, Lindl. in Mitch. Three Exped. 2, 9.
Between Lake Eyre and Mount Olga. P. balsamica is known from MacDonnell's Range.
[Crotalaria cunninghamii] Crotalaria Cunninghami, R. Br., App. to Sturt's Exped., 8.
Rawlinson's Range.
Crotalaria dissitiflora, Benth. in Mitch. Trop. Austr. 386.
Lake Eyre.
[Clianthus dampieri] Clianthus Dampierii, A. Cunn. in Trans. Hort. Soc. Lond., Sec. Ser. 1, 522.
Mount Whitby.
Swainsona phacoides, Benth. in Mitch. Trop. Aust., 363.
MacDonnell's Range.
Swainsona unifoliolata, F.M., Fragm., 8, 226.
Between the Alberga and Mount Olga; also on Rawlinson's Range. Several other species of Swainsona, but in an imperfect state, occur in the collection, also a species of Tephrosia.
Lotus Australis, Andr., Bot. Reg., t. 624.
Lake Eyre.
[?] Caulinia prorepens, F.M., Fragm. 8, 225.
Between the Alberga and Mount Olga.
[?] Indigofera monophylla, Cand. Prodr. 2, 222.
MacDonnell's Range.
Indigofera brevidens, Benth. in Mitch. Trop. Austr., 385.
Between Lake Eyre and the River Finke; also Glen of Palms, MacDonnell's Range, Rawlinson's Range, between Mount Olga and Barrow's Range. (I. villosa is also known from MacDonnell's Range.)
Erythrina Vespertilio, Benth. in Mitch. Trop. Austr., 218.
MacDonnell's Range, Mount Udor.
[Caesalpiniaceae]
[?] Bauhinia Leichhardtii, F.M. in Transact. Vict. Inst. 3, 50.
Occurs also in many of the central regions of the continent.
Cassia notabilis, F.M., Fragm. 3, 28.
Mount Olga, Rawlinson's Range.
Cassia venusta, F.M., Fragm. 1, 165.
MacDonnell's Range.
Cassia pleurocarpa, F.M., Fragm. 1, 223.
Between Lake Eyre and the River Finke; also between the Alberga and Mount Olga, MacDonnell's Range.
Cassia desolata, F.M. in Linnaea 25, 389.
Mount Olga, Rawlinson's Range.
Cassia artemisioides, Gaud. in Cand. Prodr. 2, 495.
From the Alberga to Mount Olga and Barrow's Range.
Petalostylis labicheoides, R. Br., App. to Sturt's Centr. Austr., 17.
Glen of Palms; between the Alberga and Mount Olga, and towards Barrow's Range.
[Mimosaceae]
[Acacia victoriae] Acacia Sentis, F.M. in Journ. Linn. Soc. 3, 128.
Between Mount Olga and Barrow's Range.
[Acacia maitlandii] Acacia patens, F.M. in Journ. Linn. Soc. 3, 120.
Mount Olga and MacDonnell's Range.
[?] Acacia spondylophylla, F.M., Fragm. 8, 243.
Glen of Palms; MacDonnell's and Rawlinson's Ranges.
[?] Acacia lycopodifolia, A. Cunn. in Hook. Icon., 172.
MacDonnell's Range.
[?] Acacia minutifolia, F.M., Fragm. 8, 243.
Mount Olga.
Acacia strongylophylla, F.M., Fragm. 8, 226.
Between the Alberga and Mount Olga, Glen of Palms, MacDonnell's Range.
Acacia salicina, Lindl. in Mitch. Three Exped. 2, 20.
Between the Alberga and Mount Olga, MacDonnell's Range; also towards Lake Amadeus and Barrow's Range.
Acacia aneura, F.M. in Linnaea 26, 627.
Between Mount Olga and Barrow's Range.

Numerous other species of Acacia were gathered, but not found in flower or fruit, hence are not with certainty referable to the respective species of this great genus.