A TALE OF TRAVEL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14281, 1 August 1908, Page 13

A TALE OF TRAVEL.

THE LAND OF THE DAWNING. Fourteen years' residence in any given place, nnd especially in an out-of-the-way place like Port Darwin, is certainly ample justification for writing a book, and when the writer has held so important, an official position as Sub-collector of Customs for the whole of that perid, it is .some guarantee that the book will he worth reading, Such is the standing of Mr Alfred Searcv. who, from his present position as Clerk Assistant of the House of Assembly. Adelaide, has found. leisure to review 'and re-1 count his adventures in that Northern Territory of Australia, winch has, appro pnatcly enough, been dubbed "The Land of the Dawning." The title of the book, "In Australian Tropics,", sufficiently indicates the scope of the volume, and Air Ernest Whitlbigten, of the South .Australian ltcgister— evidently a close friend of the author—in a brief preface voucne's lor the value of the .work. Air Alfred Searcy knows the north coast of Australia- For 14 years he was stationed at Port Darwin as Sub-collec-tor of Customs, and without any attempt at. line writing, lie nas told the. story of that novel audi exciting period, in his life of hard workj of his adventures by. liuid and sea, ofj " moving accidents" and "hairbreadth 1 'scapes." Anything' which Mr Searcy;lias set down, 'if not an actual personal experience—and that is the foundation of the great portion ot the book,—is at least an actual fact which can be verified. In not a single' instance has Mr Searcy done nnyromauc-, ln fi- ■ "ille Macassar proas were discovered on February 17, 1803, in the Malay Road, south of Cotton Islands ffinghsh Company's Islands), by Captain Flinders, and on March 27, 1884, when on a cruise h scorch of proas which had failed to procure tfie necessary licenses, Mr Searcy alciiorcd in almost tho identical place were Flinders first sighted them m February, 1803, 81 years before. I was told off to go and interview Mr Searcy and write au article about Malay proas. He :old me of his several cruises after the nen irom Macassar, and the one article developed into four. .Such great intartst was faken in tho interviews with Mr Searcy Hint numerous correspondents wrote asking that the iviicles mijht be extended. I dropped down from the Hansard Gallery mi night, and ji tho course of a smoke and a chat'it vas decided to continue the narrative. The succeeding articles dealt with liujititg buffalo and wild cattle, justified tin term "Sportsman's Para<use with regard to the Northern Territory of Sotth Australia, detailed exciting experiences with alligators, recorded come of the hard work winch fell to tho lot of tie sub-collector, told .of the pioneers at tho extreme outposts oi civilisation, walled the history of tho<e early settlements at Fort Dundas, on Melville Island, and Raffles Bay and Port Eesington on the mainland, recounted incidents which explained tha character of the treacherous aborigines, and m many other ways delighted the reader Theso articles were published in pamphlet form by the authority of the South Australian Government. That publication is but tie skeleton of the present book, which is charged full ol thrilling experiences from beginning to enc Both Mr Louis Becke and °Mr t«ran!: Bullen told Mr Searcv, after reading Ins pamphlet, that with such abundant experiences to work on, they could Have knocked together a dozen books. And Mr Whittington concludes his preface with the significant remark: " Although it languishes, the Northern 'Territory ir, a wondorful country, and is destined to prove >of vital importance, to tlie Empire. Anyone who wants to learn all about it can safely he recommended to read In Australian Tropics.' "■ Tin's Imperial importance of the Northern Territory to which Mr Whittington refers is emphasised by Mr Searcv in that most interesting chapter dealing with Port Daiwin, and from which we lake the following:— Port. Darwin is one of the finest harbours in Australia, a harbour into which the largest steamer afloat can enter at any state of the tide, which meaus something when it is remembered that the rise and fall at spring tides is at times upwards of 26ft, the mean being 22ft4m. So sure as to-morrow follows tothis magnificent harbour will be the Singapore of Australia, provided, of course, certain works are undertaken and restrictions removed. The work I refer principally to h the transcontinental line, an undertaking which is bound to be carried out in time°, and which will connect the two splendid ports of Augusta and Darwin. Would not Port Augusta then occupy the place among the ports of Australia which its geographical position and great facilities tor aupping justify? Port Darwin would become a port of vast importance, a position which it rightly ought to occupy. Under the altered conditions I speak of and backed up by the great natural resources of the Territory—it contains enormous regions of the best grazing land to be found on the continent, with a splendid climate and an excellent rainfall, millions of acres of which are adaptable for settlement, besides being rich in gold and other minerals, of which very little is yet. known—l repeat, that under such conditions Darwin would be one of the greatest, if Jlol the greatest, entrepot of .trade in Australia. Consider for a moment: If tha railway were completed,.and for the protection of British interests in the East trcops were urgently required. One can realise the advantages' being able to rush them across Australia and thence in last steamers to their destination. A\ hen the time comes—and it will come —for Port Darwin fo be fortified; it Beems to me, as a layman, that it could be done, with the greatest of ease and elhcacy, and that it would be simply impossible for a hostile vessel to enter or get anywhere near the month of % liaroour. In addition to emphasising the importance of Port Darwin from an Imperial point of view, Mr Searcy points out the desirability of the Northern Territory for' settlement purposes, and, in passim',' asks the question: "Wiiy should not the Northern territory carry a few millions instead of lying neglected r' adding in almost the same breath: "Let those who are responsible answer the question. It cannot, for a moment be supposed that with such binds backed up by the finest cattle ami torse-brecduig country in Australia, the Northern territory is to remain dormant, and the grand harbour of Port Darwin wast«!-a harbour which Nature has provided with an admirable site for a town " In another place Mr Searcy exclaims- "I may be prejudiced, but I'cannot imagine anything more enjoyable than a trip" to Port Darwin." And elaborating the idea M continues:— ' To those who are anxious to see something fresh and new, to see a -ountry about which so little is known, ;lic Territory is an ideal place. What I should like to see is a party of rich adventurous Englishmen charter a steamer and put in a few months on the north coast. Supposing such a thing did eventuate, they ought to be there by May, just as the. south eastern monsoon commences, and then they could work their way along the coast doing a little exploring, prospecting, and hunting; they could" always make good shelter. With a small launch they could ascend numerous rivers and streams, many of which have never yet been navigated, or perchance discover new ones. They would have great shooting and see new country. They could visit the adjacent islands, which are full of interest, and are remarkable Tor line scenery. Photo- * " In. Australian Tropics." By Alfred Searcy.■fourteen years Sub-collector of Customs at Poil Darwin, Northern Territory, and now Clerk Assistant of House of Assembly, Adelaide, South Australia. With .a Map and fiTty-six illustrations. London: Keegan, Paid and Co., Ltd. Duucdin: Whitcombo and Jombs (,10s 6d net).

graphs could be taken of scenes which never yet have been reproduced, and, in many instances, have never yet been seen by Kuropeans, What a cliancc for the botanist, the naturalist, the geologist, and many other " ists." What an opportunity for a man with a literary taste to make a world-wide name for himself. Of course, we have not the wild animals found in other parts of the world, but still there is grand shooting. The Myalls may not be so far advanced as the wild tribes in other countries, but if such a party as I have spoken of were to run up against a crowd of them I am certain they would be satisfied with the result. . . To my mind there is no finer country or a place with circumstance more favourable for steady, reliable young men lo open out than the Northern Territory, provided that, after having paid the passage, they have enough to keep the wolf from the door for a period, during which they could look around and decide in what direction they would put forth their energies. We have quoted thus far in order to whet the reader's appetite for the stirring talo which Mr Searcy has to tell of his life and adventures in and around Port Darwin. The recital is studded with intcrestmg anecdotes, and thus the reader, while informing himself fully of the advantages and delights which" the Northern Territory ha"s to offer, never, whilst turning'the • pages of this boolcj feels that he is being either instructed or preached at. And the story is further enlivened by numerous illustrations for the most part reproduced from photographs and depicting all phases ol life in " The Land of the Dawning." We have great pleasure, therefore, in thoroughly recommending Mr Searcy's "In Australian Tropics" both to the reader who cherishes designs of one day visiting that part of the Commonwealth and to the man who, content to remain at home, plans to spend quite a number of evenings in a comfortable arm chair before the fire,, and be at once amused and entertained.