Part 24 (1/2)
Mr William Gosse rose, and was received with loud cheers He said he felt honoured by being invited on the present occasion, and hadpart in the reception of Mr John Forrest and party
He would take that opportunity ofa few remarks His instructions, when he was sent out, were to find a route as nearly as possible in a direct line froraph line to Perth, only deviating when obliged to do so for water He had to feel his way as he advanced, form depots to secure his retreat if necessary, and accurately fix all points on his track The last words the Honourable T
Reynolds had said to him were, ”You fully understand that Perth is your destination, and not any other point on the western coast,” or words to that effect They would see by that, that had he been fortunate enough to discover the country by which Mr Forrest got across, he should scarcely have been justified in proceeding His farthest point as between 500 and 600 miles from the explored portion of the Murchison, and 360 miles from the sources of the same Copies of his diary and map had been forwarded to Mr Forrest by Mr Goyder on the 27th of February, 1874, the originals of which had been ready for publication on his arrival on the telegraph line, and had not been compiled after their return to Adelaide, as some people supposed from the delay in their publication He made these statements partly in self-defence, as remarks had been made by members in the House to the effect that the Government had fitted out an expedition at an enorh his map showed 50,000 square miles of country
Sir John Morphett had been asked to propose the toast of The Australian Colonies It was a very large toast indeed at the present tiht be in the future it was i wonderful (Cheers) At the present time the immense country was occupied by 2,000,000 people, and we could not with that nuet on What anted was more population What were the products which Australia could produce? First of all heat--the best in the world Then there ine and wool, and lead, and gold, and copper, tin, and sugar These were all products that the world wanted, and all that we required to make our production of these a success was federation We should have greater individual strength and prosperity, and greater universal strength and prosperity if ere federated, and ould in time become anted to be--a nation (Cheers) Let them come to West Australia, which was the birth-place of their esteelad to see that she had at last freed herself froo hand in hand with the other colonies in the ave the with it the na been duly honoured, Mr Ernest Giles rose to respond, and was met with cheers He had been called upon to respond to this toast, which, as Sir John Morphett had told them, was a very comprehensive one--so comprehensive that he was sure that he would fail to do it justice What he had to say therefore on the subject would not detain theress and prosperity of the colonies, and there was no doubt that at the present time the colonies were in a far more prosperous state than they had ever been in before With regard to federation, a gentle to him, had said that if that was carried out exploration should not be forgotten, but that fresh lines should be taken with the co-operation of all the colonies The splendid success which had attended Mr Forrest would, he had no doubt, tend greatly to promote the ultimate prosperity of the colonies (Applause)
Mr John Forrest, in a few complimentary words, proposed the health of the Chaired
VISIT TO GAWLER AND MELBOURNE
A few days afterwards I was honoured by an invitation from Gawler to lay the first stone of a monument to commemorate the achievements of the late Mr John McKinlay, the leader of the Burke Relief Expedition, and the explorer, under great difficulties, of the northern territory Mr
McKinlay died at Gawler in December, 1874, and it was resolved to perpetuate his memory by the erection of an obelisk in the cemetery The 14th of November was the day appointed for the ceremony, and after I had laid the stone with the customary forms, there was a luncheon, presided over by Mr WF Wincey, the Mayor of Gawler He delivered a really eloquent address, describing the character and heroic labours of the distinguished explorer, whose achieve My own health and that of( present) I once more took occasion to express the deep sense, on the part of all my associates, of the kindness hich we had been received
After thisvisit to Melbourne, where we remained a few days, and received e Bowen, the Mayor of Melbourne, and others; and then, on the 5th of December, we bade farewell to our South Australian friends and started on our hoe's Sound, where ere heartily welcoratulatory address At Banbury and Fremantle ere received with kindness and enthusiastic demonstrations At Banbury we e's Sound, en route for his new Government in Tasret that he was unable to receive us at Perth The popular air, When Johnny coain, was selected as extrene breakfast at the residence of the Chairman of the Municipal Council, Mr
Mare and six, Toaily-decked horses i Perth ere met by the Commandant, Colonel Harvest, the chairman and members of the Reception Committee, and representatives of the Friendly Societies The streets were crowded, and on our way to the Town Hall ere enthusiastically cheered Mr Randell, the Chairman of the Perth Municipality, read an address of welcome I need not repeat what I said in reply; my words were but the expression of what has been felt ever since our perilous journey was cothened to do my duty, and that I had been so well supported by brave and faithful companions But I will quote the characteristic speech of Tommy Pierre, who returned thanks on behalf of the party--Windich was called on, but could not suentlemen, I am very thankful to come back to Swan River, and Banbury, Frehter) Many a tih desert place, and swear and curse and say, 'Master, where the deuce are you going to take us?' I say to hihter) Master say, 'Hush!+ what are you talking about? I will take you all right through to Adelaide;' and I always obey him Gentlemen, I aot to say” (Cheers)
No doubt we all shared Toe very fairly expressed the spirit in which allour long journey
A banquet and ball were given in the Town Hall Mr Randell presided at the former, supported by the Bishop of Perth; Sir Archibald P Burt, the Chief Justice; the Honourable the Coislative Council; the Honourable A O'Grady Lefroy, Colonial Treasurer, and other gentle report of the principal speeches delivered:--
The Chairave His Excellency the Governor, whose unavoidable absence he, in co full well the deep interest his Excellency had always evinced in connexion with exploration, and especially in connexion with the expedition so successfully carried through by their guests that evening
The toast was drunk aave The Army, Navy, and Volunteers, which was duly honoured
The Honourable the Co for the Army and the Navy, heartily thanked the assembly for the loyal manner in which the toast had been received The toast of the British Army and Navy, always appropriate at a banquet where Britons were asseathered together as they were to do honour to valour (Cheers) It was needless for him to state that--all knew it--British soldiers, well equipped, properly provided in every way, and properly led, would go anywhere, and face any ; and so, it appeared, would West Australians, true sons of Great Britain The other day, at the presentation of the address given to Mr Forrest by the citizens of Perth, he (the Coallant and truly heroic services in the field of exploration, had said that, were he a soldier, the distinguished feat he had accomplished would have entitled him to be decorated with the soldier's most honourable mark of distinction--the Victoria Cross (Cheers) Now he had no desire to accord Mr Forrest the least particle of credit beyond what he honestly believed he was entitled to, but he meant to say this--that Mr Forrest had displayed all the noblest characteristics of a British soldier under circu a spirit of intrepidity, and for sti bravery, as was in operation on a battle-field, aeed on to deeds of valour by the examples of comrades Who or what had Mr Forrest and his little band of followers to cheer thee them forward on their perilous and dreary enterprise? What surrounding circuers? He should think thatthe arid, trackless desert-path he was traversing, he would, on laying down his head to rest, say, ”Would for bedti daunted, however, by perils, privations, and difficulties, he carried his enterprise successfully through; and although there were no Victoria Crosses for distinguished services of that nature, there, nevertheless, was an order ofexploits such as Mr Forrest had performed, and he most heartily and sincerely trusted that the decoration of honour conferred upon the gallant Warburton would be likewise conferred on Mr Forrest (Applause)
Captain Birch briefly responded on behalf of the Volunteers
The Chair duty devolved upon him to propose the toast which was in reality the toast of the evening, and to ask them to drink with him The Health and Prosperity of Mr John Forrest and his Party (Cheers) Nine o, within a day, they had undertaken a perilous journey across an unknown country, to accomplish as believed by many to be an impossible task on account of the terrible nature of that country What dangers, what difficulties, what privations they had suffered in carrying out their daring enterprise, and what the result of their arduous labours had been, was already known to most if not all of those now present, a succinct chronicle of their journey having been published in the South Australian and in the local newspapers To-night they were ahty Providence froers which they could not have contended with, and surmounted difficulties which but for such Divine help must have been insuperable All honour to them; all honour to the brave men who had assisted to achieve such a victory, of which even Mr
Forrest and his coes of which he felt that we could not yet fully appreciate (Cheers) The Honourable the Commandant had spoken so ably of their victory that little remained for hiallant Commandant on one point, namely, that, when compassed on all sides by difficulties, far from aid, succour, or assistance of any kind, Mr
Forrest must have wished himself back in Perth, all well He (Mr
Randell) did not believe that such a thought ever entered Mr Forrest's head, fully determined as he was to cross the continent, or perish in the atteolden reward offered by Toallant leader'sToe with a ”hush” and a proh to Adelaide Mr Forrest's courage never failed him on the way, nor had they any reason to believe that the courage of any member of his party had really failed in the face of the terrible difficulties they had encountered, and, by God's help, suraed in by the Ro conducted in the presence of immense crowds of spectators naturally stiuish theed theht and main to win the crown of laurel or ivy leaves hich the brow of the victor was decked He well remembered an incident recorded in Grecian history, where two brothers had been engaged in an athletic contest and been victorious When they came forth to receive the crohich rewarded their victory, their aged father--who hier days, had been an athlete--was present, and the sons placed their crown on his venerable head He was sorry that the father of the young heroes who was not present to witness the reward freely bestowed upon his sons by their fellow-countrynificent reception of Mr Forrest and his party, had given us a good example of how to appreciate and reward noble deeds, and itto every Western Australian to reflect on the cordiality of that reception (Applause) He thought the colony would be neglecting its duty if it did not, as one allant explorers by the people and by the Government of our sister colony--South Australia (Cheers) It was a pleasing trait in Mr Forrest's character that he had not been at all spoilt by the enthusiastic and really splendid ovation he and his party had received at the hands of our southern neighbours; nothing could bedeportment in the face of such a reception The life of a lion did not spoil their young hero, nor, as the Inquirer had said that ; for however teht be to some people to live upon laurels well earned, suchthe te and indisputable his claims thereto (Cheers) He believed with the Inquirer that it was Mr Forrest's natural instinct to lead a hard life in the cause of exploration He belonged--not by birth it was true, but through his parents--to a country that had produced such o Park; Bruce, who explored the sources of the Nile; and Ca in the sareatest and noblest of all explorers, the dead but istone (Cheers) Mr Forrest's achievee of history with men of that stareat obligations by their undaunted and self-denying efforts in the cause of exploration (Cheers) It would not perhaps be right on his part to refer to the pecuniary rehich the Legislature had voted as an honorarium to Mr Forrest and his party, but he would say this much--and he believed every one in the colony would be in accord with hirurant had been 1000 pounds and not 500 pounds (Hear, hear) He did not think for a ht that 500 pounds was the measure of the value of Mr Forrest's services; they were rather influenced by the extent of the public revenue and the ability of the country to pay a larger amount; nevertheless, he would have been pleased, and the public would have been pleased, had the vote been more commensurate with the value of those services (Cheers) In asking the present asse the toast of Mr Forrest's health and that of his party, he considered it was as if he moved a vote of thanks on behalf of the colony for the labours in which they had been associated, for the honour they had conferred on their country, and he would ask the the toast (Cheers)
The toast was received with several rounds of cheering
The Commandant rose in explanation, and said he never for a reatest difficulties Mr Forrest ever thought of giving up his task What he said was that hedown his head after a wearisome day's journey, wished himself at home in Perth all well, with his enterprise accomplished, but not otherwise (cheers) He did not believe that Mr Forrest ever winced at danger, ever swerved from the path he had laid out for hi, was received with applause, which rose to ringing cheers Upon the subsiding of the applause, Mr Forrest said, ”Mr Chairreat deal on this occasion, but I really hardly knohat to say I can, of course, say that I sincerely thank you for your kindness in inviting reat banquet, and when I say that, I trust you will givewhat I feel in my heart of hearts But I feel I haveas I do that I would disappoint you if I did not address you at soe to do so; as you know, public speaking is notyour expectations, you must accept the will for the deed (cheers) When I had the honour of being entertained at a public banquet at Adelaide, I had a good deal to say there of my career up to the present; but here I need not say a word about my antecedents, for most of you have known me from my childhood (cheers) For the last few years you all know I have had some little to do with exploration, and forof my past experience would be simply waste of time and waste of words You will, however, expectof our latest enterprise I had been for some time animated by a desire to explore the untrodden interior of our island continent I had, as you know, been twice before in the field; once in an eastward direction, and once along the south sea-board to Adelaide--the latter, I was told, being considered a very s trip, and one on account of which we could not lay clai the mystery that shrouded the interior, and, with that object in view, I used anize an expedition in that direction Without the support and co-operation of one who I a quitted the metropolis--his Excellency Governor Weld--my endeavours, I anization of the expedition I had at heart, and I should not have been here to-night, occupying the proud position which I do (Cheers) My proposition to his Excellency, through the Commissioner of Crown Lands, armly received, and cordially espoused by the Executive Any one can see it on application, together with his Excellency's minute, which was very coislative Council, and a small sum of money was voted for the expedition, without which it could not probably have been organized and fitted out I am happy to say that our trip is not likely to cost much more than the amount voted (400 pounds) Possibly the expense may reach 600 pounds or so; if it does, I have no doubt the Legislature illingly vote the extra amount (Hear, hear) If it does not, of course we keep to the original proposition, and we shall only ask for the 400 pounds I aement; but I think that every man in the colony is satisfied that the expedition was conducted at the least possible expense, and that we all tried to do our very best (Cheers) I scarcely think it is necessary for iven the raphic despatch to the Government We experienced some difficulties, no doubt, and some few privations, but I can assure you none of us ever thought of turning back (Cheers) On one occasion, I adht have to turn back, but I did not tell any ht haunted ht, and I could not sleep; and had we to carry it into execution we should have probably found ourselves co out somewhere near Victoria Plains, and it struck reeted with such expressions as ”Well, old et through” I knew people would be glad to see us back, but their satisfaction at our safe return would be alloyed with regret at our failure to get right across; so I said to ain we did, and you know the result (Cheers) I candidly tell you that the thought struck h, it ht be all the better for this colony, inash the credit due to me would be considerably diminished But I did not care so much for that When, however, I reached the settled portions of South Australia, I was very anxious to get right through to the telegraph line, just to show our neighbours that we could get across From the date of our arrival at Peake Station, you kno cordially ere received throughout the rest of our journey, and hat kindness ere treated Probably all of you have read of our enthusiastic reception at Adelaide I never saw so many people in my life before, nor such a demonstration They say there were 20,000 persons present I thought there were 100,000 present
(Laughter) As for ht, and especially with the ladies He has said he thought they were all looking at hi at h and low, treated us ain in Melbourne (Cheers) Now, IMelbourne
The first object of interest that caught my attention was the splendid allant explorers, Burke and Wills
Baron von Mueller kindly met me on the jetty e landed, and I accompanied him in a cab to have an intervieith the Governor When we caht of this hted to inspect it He courteously did so Gentle on that memorial of two brave men who sacrificed their lives in the cause of exploration Theover Wills, who is kneeling down The first relief represents the party leaving Melbourne, and the popular demonstration accorded them; in the next place the return from Carpentaria is depicted, and the discovery of a depot where so in the act of holding a candle, Burke reading a letter, and Wills's head is peering over his shoulder Further on there is a relief representing the death of the brave leader with his revolver grasped in his hand On the other side there is Howitt and his party finding King, the sole survivor of Burke's party, a for several weeks--the black fellows looking aghast at the relief party Several ti my stay in Melbourne, I went to look at this h ain express ratitude for the kind manner in which you have received st you My only consolation, in the face of the ovations I have received, is that we all tried to do our very best (Cheers) As to the vote of the Legislature, alluded to by your chairman, while I thank him heartily for his liberal spirit, I assure you I am very well satisfied indeed (Applause) When I started on the expedition I never expected one farthing of honorariuether unselfish, and I did expect what I think every Briton expects from his countryet--the thanks of my fellow-colonists (Cheers) That I HAVE received most abundantly, and I am quite satisfied with it, and so I think are all the members of my party We are also quite content with, and thankful for, the provision islative Council I don't knohether I shall again appear before you as an explorer, or whether I shall rest on my laurels, as the Inquirer said to-day I can only say that if(Cheers) In the toast you have so enthusiastically drank my companions are very properly associated with myself, for I am much indebted to them for their hearty co-operation They always endeavoured to do what I desired, and the hout the journey (Cheers) I never withheld from them any information as to our whereabouts or ourthe expedition were always open for their inspection, so that they could see our exact position from day to day I had no secrets from them (hear, hear), and this confidence was reciprocated on their part I never had occasion to check or to use an angry word to one of ness to obey my instructions--in fact, I seldoladly avail myself of this opportunity to thank them publicly for their exemplary conduct (Cheers) On their behalf, as well as on my own behalf, I once more also thank you most sincerely for the honour you have done us and the kindness you have shown us I hope that our future career will show that we are not altogether unworthy of that kindness” (Loud cheers)
Toinals attached to the expedition, then stepped forward, and, addressing the asse at all but just a feords I ought to give you good lecture (Laughter) Well, gentleot into the city of Perth; that people giveI aht hter) When I speak so of city of Perth I don't speak wrong at all, what I speak is true and true Well, gentlemen, I am very thankful to the people in Perth at the Town Hall; I am very thankful to every one that welcolad to see white fellows around me In Bunbury, Governor Weld spoke to me and say he left et it too (Cheers and laughter) Governor Weld is a splendid fellow; splendid governor Well, gentlemen, I am all thankful; my last word is--I am thankful to you all (Cheers)
Mr Randell: In consequence of the absence of the Surveyor-General--from what cause I am unable to state--his lordshi+p Bishop Hale has kindly consented to propose the next toast (Cheers)