Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-11-21
The Interior Of Australia.

The western half Of Australia has
been traverSed in three parallel lines
about 100 miles apart; while various
shorter explorations have made known
large portions of the intermediate
country. Tho southern and northern
coasts are also fairly known, and we are
forced To conclude that nearly half Of
the entire continent of Australia IN I'M
nhnbitable by Europeans. No where
else, perhaps, ON the globe do we meet
with thestrauge phenomenon of dense
vegetation combined with mn nridity
equal To that OF the Sahara. For the
traveller the country is worse even than
the Sahara. For hundreds of miles NJ
u stretch the sandy fluctuations are
covered with the dreaded spinfex, or
porcupine grass, which renders it i'm
possible To walk without painful pre-
caution. Again, Tor hundreds of miles
IL found the dense scrub Of dwarf euea-
| lypius, Coveilug the ground like the
rods Of IN osier bed, ten or twelve feet
high, hindering all view Of the country,
and rendering il necessary literally to
bore ones way, like n mole, under.
ground.
I Then come acacia scrubs, which add
the annoyance of sharp prickles to
those OF the other kinds, Mr.. Giles
tells us that horses dread the triodia, or
spinifex, like = pestllence. The con.
slant pricking of this grass causes raw
and bleeding ave lllngs round their feet;
and TO escape from il they will prefer
To force their way through the densest
scrubs, where the ground is soft, and
the spinifex does not grow. Here they
rush along, tearing the coverings oil
their loads, and frequently forcing
sticks between their backs and Their
saddles; then comes frantic crashing
through the scrub, loads are forced oil,
ana horses are lost sight Of, and IL may
take hours or days to recover them.
Nor do the travellers escape, for their
clothes get torn and ripped to pieces,
and their bodies scratched and often
seriously wounded. Sometimes sting.
ing ants abound To such nm extent that
the wearIed explorer can get no rest.
However hot and tired he may be, he
dare not lie down in the shade, but
must remain exposed to the sun, or
lie on the heated soil in order 10 escape
this torment. In other parts the whole
country il mass Of angular stones,
over which the traveller has to pass for
days together, without finding spot Of
easier ground while IN some districts
loose sand is heapod up in ridges, like
the long swell Of the ocean, and appear
ing almost ms interminaDle. Often,
after passing days without water, when
Mt length il Is discovered, it turns out 10
bo undrinkable brine, or 1t exists in
such small quantity AZ 10 be insult
cent to supply the wants Of both men
and horses for single day. Again, the
extreme uncertainty Of the climate and
rainfall renders it impossible 10 depend
upon the accounts Of previous explor-
ers IN the same district. Who're water
is at one time abundant and heritage
luxurIant, there may be found year
or two later burnt up desert.
The lake described by one traveller
may be found an expanse ofbaked mud
by his SUCCESSOR, while where one
marched over grassy plains another
may be stopped by inundations which
cover the whole country. Exploration
for mere discovery sake has now done
It's work in Australia, and the rest may
be left 70 the unaided expansion OF ag-
riculture and commerce. So many
outlying stations are already occupied,
and the overland telegraph affords 80
admirable base Of operations that
every spot available for settlement will
be found and occupied quite as quick
" ~ desirable The work that has al.
ready been done in 80 inhospitable
country and 80 trying a climate il little
less than marvellous; and the story of
Australian exploration, with It's episodes
of hnroism and maryrdom, affords
convincing proof Of the undimlnished
energies Of our countrymen in their
southern home.