Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1898-04-09
AUSTRALIAN EXPLORER GONE.
Ernest Giles, Hero of Many PcriIous
Fents, Passes Away.

One Of the greatest Of Australian ex-
plorers has passed away If not "unhon-
ored and unsung." at least in undeservel
obscuri;y, says the Pall Mall Gazette. For
Ernest Giles well and truly did his share
of the work of lifting the veil of mystery
that for so long enshroudcd the interior
of the island continent and his name
stands high with those of such gallant
and undaunted hardy pioneers Of COLOMBIA
ton as the Inflated Burke and wills. who
persisted so miserably Sir Thomas Nit
chell, Sturt Kennedy, Or. Leichhardt and
Sir George Grey. His contributions 20 our
geographical knowledge of the interior OF
Australia were such as should have earn
ed him substantial reward and honorable
recognition, for he devoted the best years
OF his life to his work. TAN muscular
and commanding, sitting his horse as only
born bushman SITS, he was the beau
ideal of leader of men bent on desperate
and daring enterprise-to tight with the
terrors of the unknown desert and the
agonies and horrors of thirst.
Twenty-Five years ago he made his first
success as an explorer, when he led
party through an unknown cuntry 3Qo
miles westward firm the telegraph Inc
that traverses the center of Australia
from north to south A second journey
initiated by Baron Won Muller who had
formed a high opinion of Giles resource
fulness and daring under the most trying
circumstances. resulted in his adding Ia
the blank map of the interior knowledge
OF 600 miles of new country. In this iour-
ney he was accompanied by only tour
white men, some aboriginals and twenty
five horses The hardships they end1rsd
were terrible. and before reaching the
west coast (after being out nearly a year
from their starting poinO they had 10
kin and live upon the few horses that re-
NAMED alive.
In 1875 the generosity of Sir Thomas
Elder enabled HIM to start on a third eN
petition, which was amply equipped aud
provis,oued for is months For hundrels
OF miles the route of the expedition lay
through a succession Of fearful wateriess
deserts, Fortunately. on this occasion he
had camels or else he and his party would
never have returned. once they Travelled
for IL days over one sandy stretch Of $50
niles without discovering water. Yet lie
blOuGHl illiS CARING lllp Oh -,f"O iHilf@ ~
a successful issue by reaching one of tue
outlying settlements in western Australia,
and then, after resting, he struck north
about 20O miles of his first route and re-
turned TO south Australia For this feat
lie was rewarded with the somewhat bar
rem honor of the gold medal Of the Royal
Geographical society.
Early in 1889 he published one Of the
most interesting of the many books writ
ten OH Australian exploration, "Australia
Twice Traversed." lis knowledge of the
wild black tribes of the interior was not
excelled by amy other man in Australia,
and equaIled only by that Of Ernest Fa-
venc, another gallant fellow who has done
great work for his adopted country. AMI
ike Giles and the rest of these devoted
men, earned nothing for the benefits he
has conferred upon the Australian people.
Poor Giles a year ago, was given IN
official position on Coolgardie gold teld
by the government of western Australia,
A severe cold developed into pneumonia
carried off, on Nov. A. one Of the most
resolute and undaunted men that ever
looked across the notwithstanding eNpdnse
of an Australian desert.