The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-02-22 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

EXPLoBaTION op Sol-Tii AusritAtia.- Three explor•
ing parties have been out in South Australia, and their
reports all agree in announcing the discovery of • valu-
able pastoral region to the west of Lake Torrens. The
first to make the announcement wiui Mr. Stuart, a
vate gentleman. lie 11411 been rewanlet by the promise
of • lease of • considerable portion of the country tbs.
covered by him. The regular exploring party sent out
by the Government, under the leadership of Mr.
Bahhage, took nearly the direction that Mr. Stuart
had done. Some misunderstanding, which minims
explanation, led the Government to send another
expedition, under Major Warburton, to recall and
supersede Mr. Rabbage. and that gentleman, without
waiting for what he anticipated, plunged into the bush,
and Major Warburton followed him up without being
able to catch Lim until the objects of the expedition hail
been attained. The result had been so far satisfactory
that the testimony as to the good character of the new
country has been well corroborated.
- • •

ALPACAS IX AI'MTKALIA. Few enterprines of
modern times have been marked with more determined
energy or greater perneverance under unexampled
difficulties than that which Mr. Ledger has at length
happily accomplinhed. To the Engliali public generally
the name of thin gentleman in but little known ; but.
utile.* we are greatly mistaken, the inanufacturern of
thin country will, at no distant date, owe him a debt
of deep and lasting gratitude, while his name will be
remembered in the Auntralian colonies RA one who had
contributed inure to the permanent wealth of the
country than any other individual. Mr. Charles Ledger
i. an English merchant. entablished for many year. in
Tacna. in Peru, the trade in alpaca wool forming • por-
tion of his huninesa ; and about nix yearn knee he com•
inenced carrying into effect the long cherinhed idea of
introdocing into Anntralia Ma valuable breed of wool.
bearing &Minsk. The difficulties with which he had to
contend in carrying out thin idea were of the most I
remarkable character, but after six yearn of indomitahle
pernevetance, And after undergoing an amount of Ihanger
and difficulty to which it had been the lot of a few
travellern to be subjected, he lien succeeded in Isis object
and the lent Auntralian mail 111111.1111C4,1 the ',leaning
telligenee of the arrival at Sydney of 2*) of these value-
ble animal.. The Hock includes cheep .4 the llama,
alpacca, and vicuna brvC.LI, together with some vitrieth
that have been obtained by cross-breeding. The animal,'
were. on the departure of the mail, quietly grating near
the city, apparently well contented with the change of
climate and scene which they have experienced. The
safe arrival at Sydney of the dock of alpacaa in a great
triumph to Mr. Ledger, And given an example of in-
trepidity and prudence which &mavens public acknow-
ledgment. To collect A flock in defiance of a Govern-
ment, to divide it, like Jacob of old, for ha better
wordy —to conduct it over intiontanioun regions. ex•
pone.' to all the vieissituden i 4 climate, change of feed,
the ravages 44 &wan, and the jealousy and vindicative-
!SOLl Of WO. thuuiu to MIMIC that flock and convey it
over the most dintant era., Alla finally to conduct it to •
new world—to do all this combines • number of biota
which, in a more poetic age, would have been the theme
of song as well as of history.