Chapter 27 Twenty-seven a magical land

The next day, we set off at dawn.It was quite hot, but bearable, and the road was smooth, and the horses had no trouble running.The party passed through a young forest, the trees were rather sparse.They walked all day and camped at night on the shore of White Lake, where the water was too salty to drink. There, the geographer had to admit that the White Lake is not white, just as the Black Sea is not black, the Red Sea is not red, the Yellow Sea is not yellow, and the Blue Mountains are not blue.However, in the name of geography, he defended the nomenclature for a long time, but none of the reasons put forward proved to be tenable.

O'Bill had dinner prepared regularly.After the meal, some of the passengers were in their cars or in their tents, and soon fell asleep, despite the constant howling of the shepherds outside. On the other side of the White Lake, there is a beautiful plain covered with colorful chrysanthemums.The next day, when the passengers woke up, they saw the beautiful scenery and wanted to enjoy it.However, they still set off on time.Except for a few bald hills in the distance, there are grasslands and flowers all around as far as the eye can see, which is a beautiful spring.Blue hemp and vermilion acanthus, native to the region, complement each other.Elmophylla trees of various styles dot the meadows.The saline ground is covered with cochineal plants such as quinoa and sugar beets, some are green and some are light red. These plants are useful industrial raw materials, and burning them into ashes can extract excellent alkali .When Paganel encountered flowers and plants, he became a botanist again. He could name those unfamiliar flowers and plants. , divided into 4,200 kinds, which is a considerable number.

After sixteen kilometers, the bullock cart began to drill through the tall trees.Those trees are bean flower trees, woody mimosa trees, white gum trees, etc., and they are vying for beauty and beauty.The plants in this plain with many springs have lived up to the gift of sunlight. The more sunlight they receive, the stronger the fragrance they emit and the colorful colors they present. As for the animal kingdom, what is produced is stingy.A few cassowaries hopped about on the plain, unable to approach them.At this time, the major was dexterous enough to shoot a nearly extinct strange bird with one shot.The strange bird is called Xiabilu, and the British immigrants also call it the giant crane.It is a freshman.Five meters, sixty centimeters long, black mouth, wide lower part, very pointed end, conical.The scarlet on the head, the oil green on the neck, the white on the chest, and the bright red on the feet complement each other.It seemed as if nature had used all the colors on the palette for this strange bird.

Everyone praises the bird.If Robert Jr. hadn't bravely fought a monster after walking a few miles, McNabbs would have given all the credit for the day.The monster Robert killed was half like a hedgehog and half like an anteater. It can be said to be a four-dimensional animal, just like the ten-different reptiles mentioned in Genesis.It can stick out a long tongue with mucus hanging outside the cylindrical mouth to catch ants and eat them.Ants are its main food. It's an echidna!Paganel called the name of this monster, have you ever seen it? Ugly.Jazz didn't answer the question.

Ugly is ugly, but it is a rare animal, the geographer said, and it is only found in the Australian mainland. Paganel wanted to take the echidna away so that it could be used as a monotreme specimen in the future, but O'Bill strongly opposed it, so he had to give up.On this day, the caravan arrived at 141.30 east longitude.So far, they have seen very few immigrants and locals.The place seemed uninhabited, not even a native.For the savage peoples roam in that vast country where no one has ever traveled, at the end of the tributaries of the Darling and the Murray. But a rare spectacle thrilled the travelers.Some daring speculators on the Continent trafficked cattle from the mountains of the East to the provinces of Victoria and South Australia.They have the opportunity to see this huge lineup.

Just before four o'clock in the afternoon, the captain pointed out that three kilometers ahead, a long dust lane rose from the horizon.How did this phenomenon happen?It is difficult for everyone to understand.A learned geographer has to be asked to explain.But before Paganel could speak, a word from Ayrton interrupted his meditation.Ayrton said it was the dust raised by the passing animals. The bosun was not mistaken.The smoke gradually drifted closer, and there was an ensemble of sheep bleating, horse neighing, and cow mooing. In this pastoral symphony, people shouted, whistled, and cursed.

A man emerged from the tumultuous smoke, who seemed to be the commander-in-chief of the army.The jazz went up to meet him and chatted informally.The commander-in-chief, or Mushou, his name is Sam.Marcher, indeed, came from the East, and went to Potland. These livestock were bought from the plains of the Blue Mountains. They were very thin when they were bought. Now they are going to be driven to the lush pastures of South Australia. After they are fattened up, they will be sold at a high price. The net profit is quite a lot, and the total can be obtained Fifty thousand francs.But how much patience and perseverance is required to drive this group of disobedient animals to their destination!How much hardship will be suffered on the way!It is not easy for a businessman to make money!

As the herd moved on along the mimosa bushes, Marcher began to describe his experience.Mrs. Helen, Miss Mary and the knights all came under the big tree to listen to the shepherd speak. It has been seven months since Marcher came out, and he walks about twenty-five kilometers every day, and he still needs three months to complete the long journey.He was aided in this business by twenty dogs and thirty men, five of whom were negroes who were good at finding stray cattle.Six wagons followed this army of beasts, and the herdsmen walked through the herd with a nine-foot-long whip made of leather thongs attached to a pole one foot nine inches long. Go, maintain a fixed order, and the group of dogs formed a light vehicle team to patrol on both sides.

The travelers admired the order of the vast army.Animals of different kinds cannot walk together, because wild oxen and sheep cannot live in harmony.Cows will never graze where sheep walk.It is therefore necessary to let the oxen go first, and divide them into two battalions as the vanguard; then five regiments of sheep, commanded by twenty men; and finally a company of horses as the rear. Macher also reminded everyone that the leader of this beast army is not a dog or a man, but a cow. The cow is a smart leader, and all the livestock support them.They march forward with great dignity, choosing the right path instinctively, convinced of their right to be treated differently.So people are also very attracted to them.They want to stop, let them stop; if they don't give the start signal after a short rest, you can't make them go if you try your best.

Although the expedition of this beast army was not personally commanded by the famous ancient Greek general Xenophon, it is still worthy of being included in history.Na Mushou made some additions to the details of the expedition.He said that as long as this large army walks on the plains, everything will be fine.The livestock graze along the road during the day, drink water in the ditches, and sleep at night. When the dogs bark, all the animals gather immediately and are very obedient.But in the big forest, through those eucalyptus and woody mimosa bushes, it is more difficult.At this time, the herds get mixed up or get separated, and it will take a long time to get order right.In the unfortunate event that a chief should be lost, it must be found at all costs, or they are in danger of falling apart.If it rains heavily, worse, the lazy animals will not move forward, and if there is a big storm, the animals will be frightened and the whole herd will run wild.

However, thanks to the tact and bravery of Mu Shou, he managed to overcome these difficulties.He kept going, moving kilometer by kilometer, leaving behind many plains, woods, and hills.However, in addition to wit and bravery, a more noble quality is needed, which is patience, which is especially needed when crossing the river.As soon as he reached the river, Mu Shou was worried, not because he couldn't cross it, but because the herds refused to cross it.As soon as the cow smelled the water, it ran back.The sheep can't go into the water either, and they scurry around.At night, drag the ram into the river by force, but the ewe will not follow, and it will not work.Let them drink water to familiarize themselves with the environment. They would rather not drink water. Although the lamb bleats, the mother still does not move.This sometimes even delays for a month, and Mu Shou has nothing to do with these bleating, hissing, and mooing guys.Then, one day, out of the blue, a small caravan crossed the river on a whim.At this time, another difficulty arose, people could not make so many livestock cross the river in an orderly manner.As a result, the team was in chaos and many livestock were drowned. These are the details that Marcher added.As he narrated, the herd had traveled a long way in order.At this time, it is time for him to catch up with the head of the team and choose the best pasture.So, he bid farewell to Sir, stepped on the native horse, and bid farewell to everyone cordially.After a while, it disappeared into a cloud of dust. Then the travelers moved on with their backs to the herd.It was not until evening that we stopped at the foot of Mount Talpo. At this time, the geographer solemnly reminded everyone that today is December 25th, and Christmas is here.The chief secretary did not forget this important festival, so a delicious dinner was served.Everyone praised Mr. O'Bier's craftsmanship, and the dinner was so well done.The meal consisted of deer ham, corned beef, smoked salmon, cakes of barley flour and buckwheat, Chinese tea for all to drink, plenty of whiskey, and bottles of Bordeaux.Everyone ate and thought they were in the big dining room of Macomb House in the lady's house! Of course, nothing was missing from this sumptuous dinner.However, the geographer has to add some fruit, which he picks from the wild orange tree.The natives call this tree the Maka pear. The fruit is tasteless, but the pits are as spicy as peppers when crushed.In order to express his love for science, the geographer bit the bullet and put the fruit in his mouth. As a result, his mouth became numb.The major then asked about the characteristics of the inland desert, but he was at a loss for words. The next day, nothing to say.They crossed the fertile lands of the Notton and later the half-dry Mackenzie.The weather was fine and not too hot, and the wind from the south conditioned the air very cool, just as the north wind regulates the climate in the northern hemisphere. Paganel explained to his pupil Robert: We are lucky, because on average, the southern hemisphere is hotter than the northern hemisphere. Why is the southern hemisphere hotter than the northern hemisphere?the child asked. Haven't you heard that the earth is closer to the sun in winter? I have, sir! Have you never heard that the cold in winter is due to the oblique sunlight? I know too! My child, this is the reason for the heat in the southern hemisphere! I don't understand!Robert blinked. Think about it, the geographer explained, when we spend the winter in Europe, what season is Australia on the other side of the earth? Summer!Robert said. Well, it is at this time that the earth is closest to the sun, do you understand? I understand The southern hemisphere is hotter in summer because the southern hemisphere is closer to the sun in summer than the northern hemisphere. If so, Monsieur Paganel. Therefore, people say that the earth is closer to us in winter, which means to people in the northern hemisphere. This, I never thought of.Robert replied. Know it now, don't forget it in the future. Robert was very satisfied with this astronomy and geography class. In the end, he also learned that the average temperature in Victoria Province is about 23 degrees Celsius. In the evening, the caravan camped five kilometers from Longstar Lake, surrounded by mountains on both sides: the towering Mount Delongmont to the north, and Mount Deledon to the south. About eleven o'clock the next day, the ox cart reached the bank of the Vimela River.The river was half a mile wide and shallow, and in its midst grew gum-trees and bean-bean trees, and several tall myrtles called Metrosidro.Spey laughed at Sand.Its long branches can reach four.Five meters high, the branches are dotted with red flowers.Thousands of birds are jumping back and forth among the green branches and leaves.On the blue waves below, a pair of black swans were playing shyly in the water. The pair of rare birds in the river got into the water and disappeared after a while.The Vimera River has many bends and twists and turns in this fascinating wilderness. At this time, the car parked on this carpet-like grassland. The edge of the grassland was covered with grasses, and their shadows were reflected in the water.There were no rafts or bridges on the river, so we had to find a shoal and wade across.A quarter of a kilometer upstream, the river is shallower, where crossings are to be made.After repeated detection, the river water is only three meters, so there is no danger for bullock carts to pass over this high river bottom. Is there no other way?Sir asked Ayrton. Yes, replied the boatswain, but I do not see any danger here.We can go there! Well, Madame and Miss Mary are going to get off. no need!The cattle walk very steadily, and I guarantee that they will walk on flat waterways. Well, Ayrton, I trust you. The riders surrounded the ox cart and decisively went down the river.Usually, the car crosses the river through the shallows, surrounded by a series of empty barrels floating around.But Jazz and his party did not have such a lifebuoy, so they had to cross the river by touching the water.Ayrton sat on the throne, led the bull, and directed.The major and two sailors blocked the rapids in front, and the sir and the captain were on both sides of the car, ready to escort the two ladies at any time.The geographer and Robert Jr. were in the rear.When we reached the center of the river, the water was so deep that it reached the wheel axle.If the cow walks out of the shallows, if it can't reach the bottom, it may even drag the car down.Ayrton, therefore, valiantly obliged, and got into the water himself to hold the bull by the horns, and brought the cart at last into the right path. At this moment, unexpectedly, the car bumped into each other suddenly, with a loud click, and the body of the car tilted violently.The water was up to the heels of the ladies.Jazz and the captain grabbed the gear and pulled hard, and the car finally floated.This is the most thrilling moment. Happily, Ayrton took hold of the yoke, pulled it hard, and turned the cart around again.The bottom of the river ahead is a gentle slope, and the feet of cattle and horses gradually rise up.After a while, I finally crossed the river safely.Although everyone was wet and cold, they were still satisfied. However, the carriage was a little damaged, and Sir's horse lost the forefoot. This unexpected loss urgently needs to be repaired, and everyone looks at each other in blank dismay, very embarrassed.At this time, Ayrton volunteered again, willing to go to the black spot station several kilometers away to find the blacksmith who shoed the horses. Well, I beseech you then, Ayrton, said sir, how long will it take you to and fro? Fifteen hours at most, but no more. You go, go and come back quickly.We camped right on the banks of the Vimera. A few minutes later the boatswain, Ayrton, rode fast and disappeared behind a row of thick woody mimosas. The rest of the day was spent in gossip and walks, talking and laughing as travelers visited the Vimera River scenery.Many gray herons and flamingos fluttered away as they approached.Satinbirds hide on the high branches of fig trees, orioles, turtledoves, and warp-winged birds fly among the plump lily branches, emerald birds no longer fish, and more civilized parrots still hang out on the flowering gum trees. Deafening chirping. Walkers enjoy the beautiful nature all day long. Some of them come to the edge of the gurgling water, some lie on the soft grass, and some walk among the woody mimosa bushes.Evening time is short, and it will be dark in a while.They looked at the direction of the stars and walked back because there is no Big Dipper in the southern hemisphere, so they had to use the shining Antarctic Cross between the horizon and the zenith as their pointing mark. Mr. O'Bill had laid out his supper in the tent.Everyone was seated quickly.The supper was very rich, and it was a pot of parrot, which was beaten by Wilson's skill and made by the steward's skillful hand. After dinner, everyone wants to find a topic to talk about, and go to bed later, so as not to disappoint the beautiful moonlight.Naturally, Paganel was indispensable in the crowd. Mrs. Helen asked him to tell some stories about the explorers who came to Oceania, and everyone agreed. It was just what he wished for the geographer to open up the chatterbox.The listener lay under a luxuriant fir tree, and the wisps of smoke from the cigar rose straight into the branches and leaves that disappeared into the darkness.Paganel immediately began without thinking: You may remember, my friends.I have told on board the names of many travelers who went deep into the hinterland, and made expeditions from south to north or from north to south.Famous among them were Burke, Makinley, Landsborough, and Stuart.I won't say much about Makinley and Landsboro.The two of them were sent by the Australian Committee to find Burke, since Burke had never returned from that trip. Burke and Stuart were two daring explorers, and I will now tell the history of their explorations.Gossip less, let's get down to business. On August 20, 1860, with the encouragement of the Royal Society of Melbourne, an Irish officer set off. He was Robert.Burke.There were eleven people who went with him: the outstanding astronomer Wells, the botanist Dr. Clare Baker, Gelai, the young Indian officer Ginger, Laner, Bellach, and several others. Indian soldiers.In addition, there were twenty-five horses and twenty-five camels loaded with luggage and provisions for eighteen months.The expedition was scheduled to follow the Cobb River to the Gulf of Carpentaria on the north shore.They successfully crossed the Murray and Darling River valleys to the Menin Station on the colonial border. When they got there, they thought that the luggage was too cumbersome.Because of this difficulty, coupled with Burke's bad temper, there was discord within the expedition.Landale, who commanded the camels, fled the expedition with several servants.Burke continued to move forward as before. He walked towards the Cobb River. Sometimes he walked through pastures with abundant water and grass, and sometimes he walked through gravel roads that lacked water.By November, three months from their starting point, they established their first grain storage station on the banks of the Cobb. The travelers remained there for some time, and, overcoming a series of difficulties, established a staging post at Wellsburg.Burke divided the expedition into two small teams.One detachment, led by Bellach, remained at Wellsburg for three months, or more, if provisions were available, until the other detachment returned.The other team consisted only of Burke, Ginger, Gray, and Wells.They brought six camels and three months' food, including 150 catties of flour, 50 catties of rice, 50 catties of buckwheat flour, 50 catties of dry horse meat, 100 catties of salt pork and bacon, 30 catties Pounds of biscuits, all of which are needed on the way. The four set off.Difficult to cross a deserted country, at last on the river El.From then on, they followed the 140° east longitude line as far as possible, and went northward. On January 7, they walked across the Tropic of Capricornus, and the sun was as hot as fire.There are often mirages in this area, and there is often no water to drink. Sometimes it can be cooler during severe storms, and sometimes you will encounter a few wandering natives, but the natives do not make things difficult for them.In short, there are no rivers or mountains along the way, so the road is not difficult. On January 12, some sandstone hills appeared to the north.At the foot of the mountain, walking is hard.People can barely move forward, but animals refuse to move. As the saying goes, they always turn around in the mountains!The camel was sweating from fear!Nevertheless, with great perseverance they reached the banks of the Tuna, and later the upper Flinders, a river that empties into the Gulf of Carpentaria under a curtain of palm and eucalyptus. Then there is a series of flats, which shows that the ocean is not far away.At this time, unfortunately, one camel died, and the rest of the camels refused to move forward.Ginger and Grey had to stay with them.Burke and Wells continued on foot northward with untold difficulties, as is evident in their diaries.Afterwards, they reached a flooded beach, but did not see the ocean. So they don't go any further?Sir asked. Of course they couldn't go forward, the geographer replied, the beach sank as soon as they went up, and they had to go back to Wellsburg to meet their traveling companions.Coming back is easier said than done!Burke and his companions were exhausted, but moved step by step to Gray and Ginger.Then continue to walk back. On the way back, we encountered various accidents, dangers, and hardships. We don't know exactly, because they didn't keep records, but it must be very dangerous. Indeed, when they reached the Cobb at four months, there were but three of the four.Gray died of illness due to overwork, and four of the six camels also died successively.However, Burke and his companions would be saved as soon as he reached Wellsburg, where Bracherius' stores of grain awaited him.Therefore, with the last energy, I walked forward step by step.On April 21st, finally arrived in Wellsburg!Unexpectedly, on this day, Bellach left alone because he had waited for five months for no one to come. gone!Little Robert cried out. That's right, let's go!You say, irritating people are not irritating people!Of course, he couldn't catch up with Bellach.The three abandoned people ate some surplus food and recovered a little bit of physical strength.However, transportation is difficult to solve, and the Darling River is still one hundred and fifty miles away! Just then Burke came up with an idea, and they decided to go to the Australian Colonial Station on Mount Despair, sixty leagues from the fort.The three of them set off again.Of the two remaining camels, one died in the muddy tributary of the Cobb, and the other, too, could not move a step, and had to be killed for dry food.Because the dry food was gone by then.Then, they had to eat an aquatic plant called natto.There was no water on either side of the road, and they had no means of holding it, so they had to walk along the banks of the Cobb River.Unexpectedly, there was an unexpected situation, and a fire burned down their thatched hut and all the clothes used in the camp.They really are all over it!There is only one way to die! Burke called Ginger to his side and said: I'm going to die, here are my watch and notebook, keep it as a souvenir; you put the pistol in my right hand, don't worry about your posture when you die, don't bury me .After saying these few words, Burke stopped talking, and died at eight o'clock the next morning. Ginger was terrified and didn't know what to do, so he ran to the natives for help.But when he returned, Wells was dead too.As for Ginger himself, he was finally taken in by the natives.In September, the Royal Society sent an expedition to find them, and finally found Ginger in the place where the natives lived.In this way, only one of the four explorers who crossed the continent that time returned alive. Paganel's account left a tragic impression on the minds of the listeners.Everyone thinks of Captain Grant, who knows where he is, and who may have the same fate as Burke.The association was so natural that Miss Mary could not help shedding tears. my father!My poor father!she cried out to herself. Calm down, Miss Mary, the captain hastened to say, those difficulties are due to adventure.Captain Grant, like Ginger, will live very well with the natives and will come back alive!Your father did not suffer from such a dangerous environment! His safety is absolutely fine!Paganel added, and I repeat, miss, the natives of Oceania are hospitable! May God bless him!The girl said tearfully. And what about Stuart?Jazz asked, he wanted to change the pessimistic atmosphere. Stuart?The geographer went on to say that he was more fortunate, and his name has been recorded in history.From 1848, Stuart began to travel, has been carried out twice, have not been successful.But he is not one to be discouraged.On New Year's Day, 1867, with eleven more patient companions, he left the Cambus River as far as sixty leagues from the Gulf of Carpentali, but, being exhausted, he gave up halfway. .Then, he took a risk and organized a fourth trip, which was a huge success! The South Australian Parliament allocated £2,000 to support his expedition.Stuart made full preparations based on his own experience.A total of ten people including his friends Woodford and Odd joined the expedition.They took twenty large leather casks, each holding seven gallons.On April 5, 1862, the expedition assembled at New Battery Lake, just beyond the eighteenth degree south latitude, at a point where Stuart had not previously traveled.They decided to follow the 130th parallel, seven degrees west of Burke's line. New Fortress Lake was originally intended as the base for this new expedition.At that time, Stuart was surrounded by jungle. He tried to go north and northeast, but failed.He tried again to walk west to the Victoria River, but failed again; they were blocked by thickets that no one could penetrate. So Stuart wanted to change to another place to camp, and tried to move the tent to the north a little bit, and pitched it at Hewutan.Then to the east, he encountered Dali Creek in the grassy plain, and followed the stream up for about fifty kilometers. This area is a good place. There are some rich pastures. If there are land people grazing here, the cattle will be fat and the horses will be strong, and the eucalyptus trees will grow very tall.Surprised and delighted, Stuart continued on, and encountered Robert's River again.Both rivers flow through veritable tropical groves of giant palms, and are populated by natives who warmly entertain explorers. From here the caravan traveled northwest again, crossing large stretches of gravel sand, to the headwaters of the Adelaide River, which empties into Vendimen Bay.So they crossed the Anhang area, the Adelaide River gradually widened, and there were swamps on both sides, and the sea should not be far away. On Tuesday, July 21, they rested at Liangshui Beach, because there were many streams in front of them blocking the way, making it difficult to walk.The next day, they sometimes bypassed the impassable fork, sometimes advanced in the mud, and at last they came to the plateau covered with shallow grass, where there were many gum trees and fir trees with fibrous barks, and flying birds of all kinds. The waterfowl are very fierce, and the natives are rare.I saw smoke coming from a few campsites in the distance. On July 24th, nine months had passed since their departure.Go north at 8:20 this morning, and you can reach the seaside that day.Gradually, Stuart heard the sound of waves crashing on the shore, but he didn't say it out loud.Then, they got into a wild vineyard. Stuart took a few more steps, and he set foot on the coast of the Indian Ocean!O sea!O sea!Slin shouted, and the others followed, three exclamations of excitement echoed over the sea for a long time. This piece of land is finally completed in the fourth traverse journey! Just as the governor of South Australia said when he set off, Stuart washed his hands and face, returned to the valley, and carved his initials on a tree.The word "Si" is used to commemorate this great expedition. The next day, Stuart went to survey again to see if it was possible to reach the mouth of the Adelaide River from the southwest, but it was full of swamps, which were not suitable for horses, so the plan had to be abandoned. So Stuart climbed a tree and planted an Australian flag on top of it.There is another line engraved on the trunk: dig down one foot to the south. If a traveler follows the instructions on the tree, he will find a tin box containing a document, the contents of which I still remember clearly: Across Australia from south to north great adventure travel Take John.The explorers headed by Stuart arrived here on July 25, 1862. They traveled through Australia, from the South China Sea to the coast of the Indian Ocean, passing through the center of the continent.They left Adelaide on October 12, 1861, and marched north.To commemorate this success, they left a flag on the tree and left the name of the expedition leader.Everything went well.May God bless the Queen! Below are the signatures of the explorers. That was the case with the event that caused a sensation in the world. Have all these brave people returned to their homeland?Lady Helene asked. Yes, ma'am, they're all back, but with a lot of trouble.Especially Stuart, on the way back, suffered from sepsis, which seriously damaged his health.At the beginning of September, his condition worsened, and everyone thought that he would not be able to return to the county where people lived.He could no longer sit in the saddle, but slept in a basket carried by two horses.At the end of October, a bout of hemoptysis nearly killed him.They slaughtered a horse and made meat porridge for him; on October 28, he was about to die, but he was revived due to a sudden change in his illness; stand. Stuart returned to Adelaide City on December 10th, and the residents of the city warmly welcomed his return.However, his health was always poor, and after receiving the gold medal from the Australian Geographical Society, he returned to his motherland, Scotland, on the India.Finally, died in 1866 in his little house in Nottingham Hill. This man really has perseverance, Sir said, his perseverance is more important than physical strength, it can make people complete unfinished business.Scotland should be proud of having such a good son! After Stuart, has anyone else taken risks?Lady Helen asked. And, madam, replied the geographer, I often tell you about Reshad.In 1844 this traveler made a very meaningful expedition in Northern Australia.In 1848 he made another expedition to the northeast.Since then, he has not come back, and it has been seventeen years.Last year, renowned Melbourne botanist Dr Muller launched a fundraiser to pay for the organization of an expedition.The donation was quickly successful, and a group of brave sitters, led by the smart and courageous Yin Taier, left the pasture in the Baru River District on June 21, 1864.Maybe they're trudging across land looking for Reshad while I'm talking to you!We wish them success!I wish us the same success as them! The geographer ends here.It was getting late, and everyone went back to sleep.In this silent late night, only the clock bird hid in the dense leaves of the white gum tree to regularly report the time every second.