MR. STUART’S DISCOVERIES.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XV, Issue 1607, 26 December 1860, Page 4

MR. STUART’S DISCOVERIES.

(From the Maitland Mercury.) Our Adelaide files, to the 27th October contain some items of interest relative to the recent exploring expedition of Mr. Stuart: — It will be remembered that doubts pr.

pressed in Victoria as to the possibility of Mr. Stuart’s having penetrated to the far distant central spot he reported, and returned, in the space of time occupied by the journey. A public breakfast was given to Mr. Stuart, in Adelaide, on the 24th, the Governor being present, with all the notables of the colony, and about 400 gentlemen. Two rifles were presented to Mr. Stuart—one the gift of Mr. Morphett, a Westley-Richards rifle, of the Whitworth construction, the only one of that kind in the colony; and the other a noted rifle, previously belonging to a Mr. M'Farlane, and purchased Mr. Stuart by a public subscription. The toast of Mr. Stuart’s health was proposed by the Governor, who referred to the Victorian doubts in plain terms, and stated that he and the Ministry never doubted Mr. Stuart’s statement, relying on the known facts that he had previously penetrated into the interior further, and in less time, than any prior explorer. But he had now had the opportunity of examining for Mr. Stuart’s map and journal, and they fully bore out all the general statements already made public. He himself, on a previous occasion, had personally visited the scene of one of Mr. Stuart’s expeditions, and he and those with him had every reason to be satisfied with the thorough truthfulness of Mr. Stuart’s statements, and the accuracy of his observations as a surveyor. And so, he felt confident, that after the time had come when the parties interested in Mr. Stuart’s recent expedition should permit the publication of the journal and map now deposited with the Government, other persons would follow Mr. Stuart’s footsteps and would be found to confirm the accuracy of his present statements. The Governor, in the course of his remarks, made'also the following observations, tending to throw some additional light on Mr. Stuart’s journey and its results: “I see by the newspapers of a neighbouring colony that some doubts deserving notice have been thrown upon the latitude and longitude of his furthest point. lam able to say that Mr. Stuart was furnished with most excellent instruments, the sextant particularly so ; and the Surveyor General, who, as well as myself and the Ministry, has seen his maps, has no doubt that his latitudes may be relied upon, and that his longitudes were as reliable as those of persons making greater pretension to astronomical knowledge than Mr. Stuart. * * * Let us now consider the pointhe reached. Mr. Stuart reached 134° east longtitude, and latitude 18°57’. There is a map published with a Parliamentary Paper, illustrating Mr. Gregory's trip in the years 1856-7, down the course of the Victoria River, and along the north coast. The Surveyor-General had marked Mr. Stuart’s furthest point upon that map ; and, as it is not in the possession of many, I will mention some facts connected with the bearings of that point in connection with Mr. Gregory's track. He appears to have reached within 258 miles of Mr. Gregory’s depot on the Victoria, bearing nearly N. W., and within 200 miles of the nearest part of Gregory’s track on the west, and within 206 miles of the nearest point of Mr. Gregory's track to the eastward along the Gulf of Carpentaria ; whilst the distance by which, in his advance northwards, he overlapped Gregory’s most southern point was exactly 100 miles. I therefore quite agree with that portion of the press of Victoria which admits that for all practical purposes the feat of crossing the continent has been already accomplished. Mr. Stuart had reached a spot of which we had no previous knowledge ; but the fact of his having at that point overlapped Gregory's most southern point, and finding him within 200 miles of his other tracts to the westward and eastward, placed him in what is now comparatively known land. It is, however, an important consideration whether Mr. Stuart, on his return to his furthest point, should make to the west for the Victoria River, or to the east for the Gulf of Carpentaria. In the latter case his route would probably add somewhat to our greographical knowledge : but expeditions such as his become still more interesting when practical advantages are obtained by them ; and the great object should be to connect us with India right across the Continent. If occasionally ourneighbours now had advantage from their geographical position, when this route once opened, it would be difficult to say what colony was so advantageously placed in reference thereto as South Australia. It was therefore very desirable that Mr. Stuart should endeavour to make from his late furthest point to the Victoria River. * * * Sir Roderick Murchison appeared to regard the centre as one great desert with perhaps a few exceptional cases. Now, however, we find that while there are many utterly arid parts, they are the exception, and that there are extensive tracts of good pasture ; and instead of being depressed, the country has ranges such as I found and such as has been met with by Major Warburton. There is undoubtedly in some places a want of timber, but still there is nowhere an absolute dearth of it, whilst in many places it is abundant; and thus we have now reason to hope that we may be able to carry out a project pregnant with important future consequences to all these colonies.” We do not find in Mr. Stuart’s reply to the toast a word of reply to the insinuations here spoken of by the Governor ; while he said he was unable at present to give any further information than had already been made public. In proposing the toast of Mr. Chamber’s health (the munificent squatting fitter out of the former expedition) the Attorney-General said that gelatine of a highly concentrated nature, and very nourishing, would be taken by’ the new expedition now about to start, from Oratunga, Mr. Chamber’s furthest station, with sugar and other necessary stores.

The Observer had the following paragraph, throwing a little additional light on the late expedition : —“ Baobab-tree discovered by Mr. Stuart.—Mr. George M’Ewin, J.P., has shown us some seeds of an Adansonia, a variety of the Baobab-tree, found by Mr. Stuart on his recent journey. It is a large tree with palmated leaves, and the seed resembles a bean. The extent of the tree was such as to entirely shelter the whole party—three men and 15 horses. Mr. M’Ewin remarks that to a botanist no better proof could be given that Mr. Stuart had penetrated as far north as he states, the Adansonia being a strictly tropical production.”