FURTHER DISCOVERIES IN AUSTRALIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XVII, Issue 983, 12 April 1862, Page 3

FURTHER DISCOVERIES IN AUSTRALIA.

A further contribution to our knowledge of the topography of the northern portion of this continent has been made, by the publication of Mr. Landsborough's journal, which will be found elsewhere. Starting from the left bank of the Albert river, he took a south-westerly direction, and penetrated into the interior as far as 20 deg. 14 mm. 5 sec. south latitude, in longitude 138 deg. 17 mm., thus reaching a point about 250 miles south-east of Stuart's farthest, on the 27th of August, 1860. Finding no trace of the Burke and Wills Expedition, and being apprehensive of a collision with some natives, one hundred in number, who were encamped close to the little party, Mr. Landsborough retraced his step's by a somewhat different route, to the depot oh the Albert river, where he obtained intelligence of Walker's party having'discovered traces of Burke and his companions on the Flinders river. The country traversed during the outward journey, consisted tor tiie first few days of thinly-wooded and well-grassed plains, which were suffering, at that period of the year (the height of summer), from want of rain. The explorers followed the course of the Gregory river for some distance, and discovered numerous creeks and streams flowing into it, and one water course from the' south, having a wider channel, though a shallower current than the Gregory.

Most of the creeks subsequently crossed appeared to be destitute of water at that season, and showed traces of being subjected to floods during the winter months, In the excursions undertaken after water, Mr. Landsborough, after crossing some basaltic ridges, overrun with desert grass, came upon fine plateaux, lightly timbered and covered with rich' grasses, to which he gave the name of Barkly Table Land. Indeed, the frequency with which he mentions the occurrence of these fertile elevations conveys a very favourable impression, both of the climate and the natural capabilities of the country. No less than four considerable watercourses flowing into the Gregory River from the south were discovered and named by Mr. Landsborough, and most of the country traversed is described as well adapted for pastoral purposes at certain seasons of the year. And, inasmuch as the rainfall oti the north-eastern coast occurs at a period when the country skirting the southern portion of the Gujf of Carpentaria appears to be suffering from drought, it is possible that a system of migratory settlement may hereafter be adopted, with advantage to the flocks and herds which will eventually occupy both regions. A belt of table-land appears to stretch from east to west, between the 18th and 19th parallels of south latitude, and the mountain barrier which separates it from the plains on the seaboard is the source df most of the affluents of the Nicholson, the Albert, the Leichardt, the Flinders, and other rivers flowing into the Gulf. Burke and Wills crossed this table land, and were much struck with the beauty, of its aspect, the richness of its vegetation, amenity of its climate, and the indications it presented of the existence of mineral wealth. Although within the tropics, its natural elevation is sufficiently great to insure a mild temperature, and as the formation of the country, consisting of a number of basins lying in amonga chain of hills would render the construction of reservoirs comparatively easy, while the annual rainfall must be very great, this region holds out the promise of becoming colonised by that wave of population which is gradually creeping up the eastern side of Australia, and will naturally trend round towards the Gulf, when it reaches the peninsula. After returning to the depot on the Albert, and obtaining a fresh supply of provisions, Mr. Landsborough and his party purposed following upßnrke's tracks to the Flinders, as as already been mentioned; and the narrative now published, together with that which will hereafter be received from Mr. Walker, embracing the record of his journey overland, will enable our hydrographers to map out most of the country lying immediately to the north of the 20th parallel of south latitude, and between the 135 th and the 1451h degrees of east longitude. In fact, if we bisect the continent at the line which Mr. Stuart has drawn across it, and trace upon the eastern half the routes of Burke and Wills, Walker, and Landsborough, Howitt and M'Kinlay, and add to these the discoveries which are being daily made by private enterprise—by expeditions fitted out by persons on the look out for new pastoral country—we shall find few blank spaces of any magnitude in that portion of the map, and may anticipate that the time' is.not far distant when these will altogether disappear. One gratifying circumstance connected with these subsidiary expeditions is, that they have been unattended with any serious casualty on land. Mr. Lundsborough only lost two horses, which were drowned in crossing a river, and he seems to have acted with commendable caution, in not pushing his exploration forward beyond a point at which his retreat was secure; andi the cheerful nlacrity with which he resumed his arduous labours, the moment his party had been strengthened and provisioned for the exploit, proves that his heart was in*his work. We trust that both he and Mr. Walker wi^be enabled to add materially to the information we already possess with respect, to the country traversed by the Burke and Wills Expedition, and willsupply many interesting details unavoidably overlooked or unrecorded by the brave men who have perished.— Argus, March 26.