Part 23 (1/2)

RECEPTION AT SALISBURY

At Salisbury, which we reached on the 2nd of November, a very hearty reception awaited us, and ere entertained at a dinner given at the Salisbury Hotel under the presidency of the Reverend JR Ferguson After dinner the chairned by the Chairman of the District Council; and as the speeches referred not only toin relation to other explorations and thea portion of the report of the proceedings which appeared in the local newspapers:--

The Chairreat pleasure it was to him to meet Mr Forrest, his brother, and party, after their triu of crossing from the Australian shores of the Indian Ocean to the very interior of South Australia We at all times felt constrained to value and honour ress and welfare of mankind We esteemed those men whose lives were devoted to the explorations of science, and whose discoveries were rendered serviceable to the comfort and advancement of the race; and ere the achievements of travellers but contributions to the advancement and welfare of the race--contributions in which were involved the ions which had hitherto been untrodden by the foot of the white man? They obtained their contributions to the advanceh moral endurance, which enabled the character; while withal they showed dauntless courage in going forward and ers of every possible kind, even to the loss of life itself He was disposed to rank the achieveuests with those of the foremost of travellers of e read He had sat enchanted with the perusal of the travels of John Franklin in the Arctic Regions; and, by the way, John Franklin accompanied Captain Flinders in his expedition in the year 1800, which was sent out for the purpose of surveying the south coast of Australia He had perused with intense interest the travels of Sa the source of that wondrous Nile, as also those of Speke, Grant, Stanley, and that prince of uest was entitled to rank along with such (Cheers) Let now our stockholders and e of Mr Forrest's explorations--let his well-earned honours be bestowed upon hience and enterprise hail him We ere here as Australians were proud of him and rejoiced over him, and would seek to send him back to his own horatitude

The Vice-Chair The Health of Mr John Forrest, the Leader of the Expedition, said he was sure they were all extrelad to see Mr Forrest and his party in their ht he was a fine, jolly young fellow, and thought none the less of him on that occasion (Applause) At any rate, he was stouter than when he appeared on his first visit He thought the country would feel grateful to Mr Forrest and his companions for the benefits which would result from their achievement (Applause)

Mr John Forrest, as received with loud cheers, said he thanked them very heartily for the enthusiastic way in which they had drunk his health, and for the very handsoether unable to respond in the way he could wish to the many remarks that had been made by their worthy chairman If he could onlyplaced in the rank of the men whom he had mentioned, he certainly would feel very proud indeed

It had always given hireatest pleasure to read the accounts of the travels of these greatclosely connected with Captain Flinders's researches upon the south coast of Australia, and, after his journey from Perth to Eucla, Mr Eyre, the late Governor of Jamaica, wrote to him that he risked his life upon the accuracy of Captain Flinders's observations, and in no case had he the least cause to regret it Exploration in other parts of the world, as in Africa, was carried on in a very different style to the exploration in Australia

Even in the early times, exploration here was carried on in a very different way to what it was at the present ti were used in the time of Captain Sturt and other early explorers, until Mr Eyre took a light equipment, with very few horses and very few ht turn-outs In Western Australia a good deal of exploration was done before his tienerally cost very little indeed The horses were generally given by the settlers, the Govern settlers volunteered for the service The cost was sometimes 400 or 500 pounds; and upon his expedition, up to the time they left the settled districts of Western Australia, they had only spent about 330 pounds He did not know that he could say anything more He had spoken several times on his journey down, and it seeain His forte was not in public speaking, but he hoped they would take the will for the deed They never could forget the very kind and hearty reception they had received in every place they had visited in South Australia (Cheers)

The Reverend JG Wright proposed The health of Mr Alexander Forrest and the rereat deal about Mr Forrest, the leader of the party, and whilst he had e and perseverance, and they all felt indebted to him as the leader of the party, yet there was much praise due to his brother and the rest of his co the opportunity ofthem before they went down to the metropolis, and he was sure it was no s with them for a short tienerally to see them, and he trusted that the hich had been so nobly performed, and what had followed after it, would tend to link the colonies inal holders of the land in their western colony--the natives--had been e up the country (Hear, hear) They were expected to do honour to generals and warriors who had distinguished theh on the roll of fareater honours than the explorer His as not one of bloodshed, but one which was undertaken in the interests and for the benefit of huriculture, art, and science followed the explorations of those noble men who had taken their lives in their hands and faced difficulties and dangers for the advancement of their fellow-s the toast of Mr Alexander Forrest and his companions

The toast was very cordially drunk

Mr Alex Forrest, on rising to respond, was greeted with hearty and continued cheering He said he thanked the company most heartily for the manner in which they had drunk his health and that of his cohly flattered at the reception which had been accorded theo, it was on a small trip compared hat they had accoo over the saround that his brother had remarked upon--in fact, his brother had quite taken the wind out of his sails; and public speaking certainly not being his forte, although he was quite at ho a lengthy speech He could assure them they all thanked them very sincerely for their kindness, and deeply appreciated the honour which had been done theinals attached to the expedition, being called upon to respond, after soood huh

We got a capital gaffer that leaded us through; but it wasn't hiht us through the place, and we ought to be very thankful to God for getting us through

(Laughter and cheers) I ahter), but I will speak when I get in Adelaide” (Prolonged cheering)

Toinal attached to the expedition, was also asked to respond, but he could not h to do so

WELCOME AT ADELAIDE

The preparations for our reception at Adelaide were most elaborate It seems to have been resolved that the capital of South Australia should appear as the representative of the satisfaction felt throughout the colony at the successful completion of an adventure, the result of which was so deeply interesting, and which had been several times attempted by explorers, not less ardent and determined, but less fortunate than ourselves At an early hour on theof the 3rd of November, on which day it was known our party would arrive, the streets through which ere to pass were thronged with thousands eager to bid us welcome Not only the city itself, but the suburban districts contributed to swell the crowd Balconies and housetops were thronged, and all along the line of route were flags and decorations of flowers and evergreens, streamers with inscriptions of welco incidents of bush life The bells, too, rang out eneral holiday at Adelaide

We left Salisbury at twelve o'clock, escorted by a considerable nu Adelaide erethe Mayors of Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Kensington, and Norwood, the town clerks, andand characteristic compliment was paid to us by the presence ofexpeditions, who, from their own experience, could best estimate the value of the results we had achieved, and the difficulties we had encountered Following the official personages, on horseback, was Mr John Chambers, ith his brother, the late Mr James Chambers, and the late Mr Finke, sent out in 1860 the parties under the leadershi+p of the intrepid Mr John McDouall Stuart, to explore the interior lying between South Australia and the northern shores of the continent Three members of this party--Messrs AJ

Lawrence, D Tho standards marked with the dates January, 1862, and July 25, 1862, when Stuart departed fro on the northern shores Then ca parties--Messrs FG Waterhouse, F Thring, WP Auld, S King, JW

Billiatt, and H Nash, of Stuart's party; Mr RE Warburton, Mr Dennis White, and Charley, the native boy, of Colonel Warburton's expedition; Mr William Gosse (leader), and Mr Harry Gosse, of the Gosse expedition; and Mr Ernest Giles, leader of the Giles expedition

The reception committee and representatives of the Oddfellows, Foresters, Druids, Rechabites, Good Templars, German, and other friendly societies, followed, after which cah, weather-beaten, and, it ar our expedition, and were mounted on the horses which had served us so well It ished that we should represent to the Adelaide public, as realistically as we could, the actual appearance of our party while engaged on the long journey, so we slung our rifles at our sides, and each of us led a pack-horse carrying the kegs we had used for the conveyance of water In one respect, no doubt, we failed to realize adequately the appearance of our party when struggling through the spinifex desert, or anxiously searching for rock holes and springs

ThePeake station had considerably improved our own personal appearance, and the horses were very unlike the wretched, half-dying ani After us ca procession, bands of music, and the members of the various orders, the Geroodly nu strains, the crowd shouted and cheered, and ments As for the two natives, Tommy Windich and Tommy Pierre, they appeared to be perfectly amazed by the novelty of the spectacle, and the enthusias which lined the streets

On our arrival at the town hall ere received by the Ministry, the Honourable W Milne (President of the Legislative Council), Sir GS

Kingston (the Speaker), several entlehted, ere conducted to a platform, and addresses were presented to us by the Mayor, on behalf of the citizens of Adelaide; from the Odd Fellows, the Foresters, the Rechabites, the Good Te to these I did ratitude for the reception we had enerous manner in which our endeavours to successfully perforton, Norwood, and Port Adelaide, also offered a feords of congratulation to our party

By particular request, we showed ourselves on the balcony, and bowed our acknowledgments for the very hearty welcome we received Then we remounted our horses, and took them to the police paddocks, after which my brother and I were introduced to the Adelaide Club

I have uished Australian explorers took part in the reception, and Itheallant leader and Mr Kekwick, ere dead, Mr Feas in a distant part of the colony, and the farrier, who had gone no one knehither It was also appropriate to the occasion that two horses, ere memorably connected with explorations, should be associated with the animals who had served one so well The horse which had carried poor Burke on his ill-fated expedition from Melbourne was ridden by Mr FG Waterhouse, and Mr F Thring was mounted on a horse which had crossed the continent with Stuart

BANQUET AT THE TOWN HALL

In the evening ere entertained at a banquet in the town hall, the chair being occupied by the Honourable Arthur Blyth, the Pres were fully reported in the newspapers on the following day; and as so many explorers were present, and addressed the company, I may be permitted, apart from personal considerations, to quote the principal speeches delivered on the occasion

The chair, and was received with cheers He said, ”I think, for the last two or three days, that there has been a general feeling that South Australians were not very good at receptions and getting up processions; but at all events to-day we have showed that we can s as well as people of more importance probably than ourselves--at all events quite as well as countries much more thickly populated than our own (Cheers) We have all of us read so about the old Roman triumphs--how the conquerors, when they went forth and were successful, were granted a triumph, and in this triumph were accompanied by the most beautiful of their captives, and the ular of the anih the cities of which they were citizens, and received the plaudits of their inhabitants To-day we have granted a triumph, not to a warrior who has killed thousands of his fellows, or added much to the landed property of the country, but to one who has been a warrior nevertheless, fighting many difficulties thathis life in his hands, as warriors have done of old, in leading those who are associated with him in the triumph here to-day (Cheers) There was no beautiful captive in his train, and no curious animals, as in the old Roman triumphs All that ere some dusty pack-horses, and some orn packsaddles; yet with these the explorer has to proceed on his journey, and conquer the difficulties of the desert, knowing that with such slender things to rely upon he ers, and endure to the end (Cheers) Gentlee of Australian Exploration, which is the senties there are to be read too ic stories We cannot think of the history of exploration without thinking with regret of soe is that of Leichardt, of whom it has been said no man

'--knows his place of rest Far in the cedar shade'

”And yet so great is the interest which is taken in his fate that the wildest stories of a convict in the gaols of a neighbouring colony have been of interest to us, and have caused some of our fellow Australians to send out a party to see if so could not still be heard of that explorer Then think of Burke and Wills, and what a tragic tale was theirs--so nearly saved, so closely arrived to a place of safety, and yet to miss it after all! I daresay there are hundreds here who, like loomy hearse on the road to that colony which they had served so well; and we know that now the country where they laid down their lives is brought under the hand of pastoral settlement They were the heroes of other lands; but have we not heroes also of our own? (Loud cheering) Have we not here the likeness of a man who knew not what fear was, because he never saw fear who carried out the thorough principle of the Briton in that he always persevered to the end? And then, co by weeks andin the city the leader of an expedition that successfully passed its way through the desert to the shores of Western Australia? I refer to Colonel Warburton When speaking, upon that occasion, of the noble way in which the people of Western Australia had received our explorer, I ventured to hope that beforesome explorer from that colony Gentle) For West Australia, though the least of the colonies in population, has its exploring heroes too (Cheers) I have no doubt you have read, within the last few days, all about the battle that Mr

Forrest has had to fight with the spinifex desert, with unknown regions, and hostile natives While giving all praise to those Australian explorers connected with this Australian E the health of the last and not the least, and I now give you the toast of Australian Exploration, coupled with the name of Mr John Forrest” (Cheers)

The toast was enthusiastically received, and three hearty cheers given

Band: The Song of Australia