Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- CHAPTER I DR. LEICHHARDT'S EXPEDITION OVERLAND FROM MORETON BAY TO PORT ESSINGTON IN THE YEARS 1844 AND 1845
- CHAPTER II THE EXPEDITION OF CAPTAIN STURT INTO CENTRAL AUSTRALIA IN THE YEARS 1844, 45, AND 46
- CHAPTER III EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIACONTINUED
- CHAPTER IV SIR THOMAS MITCHELL'S FOURTH EXPEDITION, DISCOVERY OF THE BARCOO
- CHAPTER V KENNEDY'S EXPLORATIONS OF THE BARCOO AND OF THE YORK PENINSULA, 1847
- CHAPTER VI THE EXPEDITION OF MR. ROBERT AUSTIN, ASSISTANT SURVEYOR, INTO THE INTERIOR OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, IN 1854
- CHAPTER VII EXPEDITION FOR THE EXPLORATION OF NORTHERN AUSTRALIA IN 1855–6, UNDER THE COMMAND OF MR. A. C. GREGORY
- CHAPTER VIII THE EXPEDITIONS OF JOHN M'DOUALL STUART, EXTENDING FROM ADELAIDE TO THE NORTH SEA, FROM 1858 TO 1862
- CHAPTER IX THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION OF VICTORIA IN 1860-1 UNDER THE COMMAND OF MESSRS. BURKE AND WILLS
- CHAPTER X EXPEDITION IN QUEST OF THAT OF MESSRS. BURKE AND WILLS, UNDER THE COMMAND OF MR. ALFRED WILLIAM HOWITT, 1861-2
- CHAPTER XI THE JOURNEY OF BURKE AND WILLS TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA, AND RETURN TO COOPER'S CREEK
- CHAPTER XII THE EXPLORATION EXPEDITION OF MR. McKINLAY IN SEARCH OF BURKE AND WILLS IN 1861 AND 1862
- CHAPTER XIII LANDSBOROUGH'S EXPEDITION FROM THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA IN QUEST OF BURKE AND WILLS, 1861
- CHAPTER XIV MR. FREDERICK WALKER'S EXPEDITION IN QUEST OF BURKE AND WILLS
- CHAPTER XV EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA IN 1856–57–58, AND 59
- CHAPTER XVI EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA IN 1856–57–58, AND 59, CONTINUED
- CHAPTER XVII AUGUSTUS C. GREGORY'S EXPEDITION IN QUEST OF DR. LEICH HARDT'S REMAINS
- CHAPTER XVIII EXPEDITIONS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA IN 1858 AND 1861, BY MR. FRANK T. GREGORY
- CHAPTER XIX EXPEDITION FOR BRINGING DOWN THE REMAINS OF BURKE AND WILLS
- CHAPTER XX CONCLUSION OF DISCOVERY IN AUSTRALIA
- CHAPTER XXI INCIDENTS OF DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT IN NEW ZEALAND
- CHAPTER XXII DISCOVERY OF THE INSULARITY OF THE SOUTH ISLAND
- CHAPTER XXIII DISCOVERIES IN THE MIDDLE ISLAND CONTINUED
- CHAPTER XXIV OPENING COMMUNICATION WITH THE WEST COAST
- Plate section
CHAPTER XXIV - OPENING COMMUNICATION WITH THE WEST COAST
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2011
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- CHAPTER I DR. LEICHHARDT'S EXPEDITION OVERLAND FROM MORETON BAY TO PORT ESSINGTON IN THE YEARS 1844 AND 1845
- CHAPTER II THE EXPEDITION OF CAPTAIN STURT INTO CENTRAL AUSTRALIA IN THE YEARS 1844, 45, AND 46
- CHAPTER III EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIACONTINUED
- CHAPTER IV SIR THOMAS MITCHELL'S FOURTH EXPEDITION, DISCOVERY OF THE BARCOO
- CHAPTER V KENNEDY'S EXPLORATIONS OF THE BARCOO AND OF THE YORK PENINSULA, 1847
- CHAPTER VI THE EXPEDITION OF MR. ROBERT AUSTIN, ASSISTANT SURVEYOR, INTO THE INTERIOR OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, IN 1854
- CHAPTER VII EXPEDITION FOR THE EXPLORATION OF NORTHERN AUSTRALIA IN 1855–6, UNDER THE COMMAND OF MR. A. C. GREGORY
- CHAPTER VIII THE EXPEDITIONS OF JOHN M'DOUALL STUART, EXTENDING FROM ADELAIDE TO THE NORTH SEA, FROM 1858 TO 1862
- CHAPTER IX THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION OF VICTORIA IN 1860-1 UNDER THE COMMAND OF MESSRS. BURKE AND WILLS
- CHAPTER X EXPEDITION IN QUEST OF THAT OF MESSRS. BURKE AND WILLS, UNDER THE COMMAND OF MR. ALFRED WILLIAM HOWITT, 1861-2
- CHAPTER XI THE JOURNEY OF BURKE AND WILLS TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA, AND RETURN TO COOPER'S CREEK
- CHAPTER XII THE EXPLORATION EXPEDITION OF MR. McKINLAY IN SEARCH OF BURKE AND WILLS IN 1861 AND 1862
- CHAPTER XIII LANDSBOROUGH'S EXPEDITION FROM THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA IN QUEST OF BURKE AND WILLS, 1861
- CHAPTER XIV MR. FREDERICK WALKER'S EXPEDITION IN QUEST OF BURKE AND WILLS
- CHAPTER XV EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA IN 1856–57–58, AND 59
- CHAPTER XVI EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA IN 1856–57–58, AND 59, CONTINUED
- CHAPTER XVII AUGUSTUS C. GREGORY'S EXPEDITION IN QUEST OF DR. LEICH HARDT'S REMAINS
- CHAPTER XVIII EXPEDITIONS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA IN 1858 AND 1861, BY MR. FRANK T. GREGORY
- CHAPTER XIX EXPEDITION FOR BRINGING DOWN THE REMAINS OF BURKE AND WILLS
- CHAPTER XX CONCLUSION OF DISCOVERY IN AUSTRALIA
- CHAPTER XXI INCIDENTS OF DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT IN NEW ZEALAND
- CHAPTER XXII DISCOVERY OF THE INSULARITY OF THE SOUTH ISLAND
- CHAPTER XXIII DISCOVERIES IN THE MIDDLE ISLAND CONTINUED
- CHAPTER XXIV OPENING COMMUNICATION WITH THE WEST COAST
- Plate section
Summary
Comparatively small as is the breadth of the islands of New Zealand, yet the height and extent of its mountains, the impetuous rapidity of its rivers, descending from the steep declivities of ranges from 10,000 to 12,000 feet in height, and the denseness of its woods, thick grown with supplejacks and knit together with vines, have made it arduous work for those who have attempted to open up its savage hills and intricate defiles to the passage of civilization. In the Middle Island Mr. Brunner explored at great risk, and amid much hardship, its mountain heights; Dr. Haast, the government geologist, has made these tracks more known, and pointed out fresh saddles and ways of access. Others, equally adventurous but less fortunate, have laid down their lives in these patriotic enterprises. Perhaps in no country are the casualties of drowning so numerous in proportion to the population. The rivers descend with such momentum and velocity from the precipitous hills that persons even passing known fords are continually swept away irresistibly. So that drowning has been said to be a natural death in these islands.
The year 1863 was prolific of such fatalities amongst gentlemen in the public service, whose employments led them into the mountains, and required them to cross lakes and rivers. Amongst these was Mr. Whitcombe the civil engineer, a young man of great spirit and power of endurance. He was sent out to endeavour to discover a passage through the range of mountains which separate the east and west sides of the Middle Island.
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- The History of Discovery in Australia, Tasmania, and New ZealandFrom the Earliest Date to the Present Day, pp. 439 - 461Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2011First published in: 1865