LOST AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23115, 13 August 1938, Page 4 (Supplement)

LOST AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION

Life of Leieliardt

By G.H

THE discovery in Central Australia of the supposed remains of the ill-fated Leichhardt expedition lends especial interest to Catherine Drummond Cotton's life of "Ludwig Leichhardt." It is a strange story she has to tell. In the far-off town of Trebatsch was a poor,, delicate German hoy being trained to be a teacher. But somewhere within him was a Joan-of-Are-like urge that someday, somewhere, he was destined to do great things. Ho threw over his intended profession to • study botany, science, languages—anything that might tit him for the call ■when it came. Ho had neither money nor prospects, but somehow he managed to live. He grew intimate with an English fellow-student, William Nicholson, and thus had his attention turned to the English colony of New Holland. Both of them became enamoured of the lure £of travel. Yet the remarkable thing is %hat when Leichhardt sailed for New Holland, Nicholson stayed behind. In the new land Leichhardt felt that ho was close to his destiny, but it was still hidden from him. He wished to explore the interior of Australia but he had weak eyesight, was a poor bushman and was always short of funds. The Great Opportunity Then the chance came and he took •it with the confidence of a man with An overwhelming belief in his own destiny. The squatters of New South Wales' were being driven ever further afield by the Government; new land became a necessity, and the Government was slow to provide a grant for exploration. So Leichhardt decided to lead an expedition north without, money, relying on whatever gilts in animals or kind the squatters would provide. 111-equipped on all sides, the little party set' out and as time passed without news, was given up for lost. But over a year later, ragged and exhausted, thev arrived in Port Essington in the extreme north of Australia, after a journey of HOOO miles, during which .'thev were successful in discovering vast tracts of rich rolling pasture land. Overnight Leichhardt had become famous; his praises were on all men's lips; all Australia delighted to honour him. But his- work was only partly done. Before long he was away again into the impossible interior. Restless Spirit Floods and disease drove him back, but his restless spirit was unconquerable. Swan Biver beckoned him and not knowing the difficult task he had set himself he made a second attempt. His partv of seven set out in I'ebruarv 18-iS and"from that day to the discovery of .human bones in Central Australia last month, not a trace of the expedition has been found. Mrs. Cotton writes' as a warmhearted admirer, identifying herself with the storv and recreating it in the telling with all the vividness of life. "Wisely eschewing the distraction of footnotes she keeps her authorities foi the end. She admits Dr. Leichhardt s faults, but treats them as of minor importance compared with his great achievements. His story could scarcely have been better told. " T.udwig Leichhardt," by Drummond Cotton. (Angus and Hobertson.)