NEW STAMP

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1930, Page 7

NEW STAMP

HONOURING AN EXPLORER,

AUSTRALIAN ISSUE

SYDNEY, June 5

New Zealanders receiving Australian correspondence this week will find it adorned with a stamp that is quite new to them—one bearing the figure of Charles Sturt, one of Australia’s greatest explorers, whose centenary is being celebrated this year. It is one hundred years since Charles jSturt made his momentous Voyage down the famous Murray River that runs through three Australian States. He was then about 35 years of age, and had seen service with the 39th. Regiment in the Napoleonic Wars. He accompanied the regiment when it came to Sydney in 1827. He was made aide to Governor Darling, and with Hume, another great explorer, he was dispatched to discover the course of the Macquarie River in New South Wales.

When Sturt found the Murray he decided to follow it westward, and the ensuing voyage was full of incident. His kindly firmness preserved relations with the aboriginals, with whom there were frequent and sometimes dangerous encounters. Ho discovered the junction with the Darling River, where the town of Wentworth is to-day, and continued to follow the course of the Murray. Finally lie came to Lake Alexandria, whiJi he named, and endeavoured to get into Encounter Bay where ft vessel awaited him, but all elfortH to do this proved fruitless. A return by the route he had followed offered the only salvation for the party, and the story of this return is one of the most heroic in the annals of Australia. It took the party 33 days to reach Murrimbidgee River in .New South Wales, and another six days passed before they reached the depot that had been established, They then discovered that the depot had been deserted, and the disappointment was almost fatal. For another 17 days the weary and half-starved men had to pull against the flooded river. Help came to them when they had consumed their hint ounce of flour. When they did get back to Sydney Sturt was blind lor many months, Sturt died in England in 1860, hut ■ be was broken in health for many years owing to the hardships he had endured in Australia.