AT WALK ACROSS AUSTRALIA.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1046, 13 June 1883, Page 2

AT WALK ACROSS AUSTRALIA.

An adventurous walk across the entire Continent of AustraUa'harijust been completed by Mr George Ernest Morrison, a son, of the principal of the Geelong College. He frpnf the Gulf of Carpentaria, leaving Nonnanton- the week before Christmas. After passing ? Cloncurry, he followed the course of theDiainantina and llie Thomson, . .striking-. , the JBulloo at Tfiargomindah, arid the Paroo at Hungerford. following the Paroo through a country-inundated by the enormous rainfall that characterised this: season, ho encountered the most dangerous part of his route, having for nearly 350 miles to . wade 1 almost daily’- considerable distances and to swim swollen erfeeks. He crossed the Darling at Wilcannia, the Lachlan at Booligal, the Murrmnbidgee at Hay, And the driver, Murray, at ,'Echucr. The whole traversed from the Gulf of Carpentaria to Melbourne exceeded 2000 miles, and this was covered in 120 days. Passing through uninhabited wastes, where sometimes ‘ intervals ;.of over 100 miles intervened between human habitations, he had to .cairy ,a swag witli _pi:or visions and : apparatus ; for ; cooking, and this of course materially impeded his' rate ’of travelling. He /had to carry a supply* of water in some parts bf his route,, where water could only be found at very long intervals/ Part bf his way led throngh’a'district,inhabited by hostile blacks, who,- in reveiige for being so mercilessly hunted down by the remote settlers, show ? litlltr mercy to any white man who conics in their way. , He walked every ’inch of the distance alone and unarmed, cooking;. £6r himself.: sucli provisions as he could secure by the way, and generally sleeping invthe s( y®eQ "'air, muffled up in the blanket swag. Notwithstanding the hardshfpsTte endured, he finished his toilsome 5 march in robust health. "