whole party. Had Leichhardt used the same vigilance
and decision the life of poor Gilbert would not have
been sacrificed, and in all probability we should
not now deplore his own loss. But the black
tribes which dogged the steps of each expedition, and
amongst whom, probably, were the slayers of Kennedy
and Gilbert, met at the hands of the Brothers the
treatment they deserved. If the lessons were
severe, they were in every case of the native’s
own seeking, and were administered in fair and open
combat, in which few of the white party were without
having narrow escapes to record; but a providential
good fortune seemed to attend them, for every member
got through the journey without accident. An
account has been furnished to the newspapers in the
form of a journal by Mr. Richardson, the Surveyor
appointed to accompany the expedition, but it is much
too brief and epitomized to do justice to the subject,
and omits altogether the detached and independant
trips of the Brothers whilst exploring ahead to find
the best country through which to take the herd; and,
as the Brothers Jardine themselves would probably
much rather repeat their journey than write a full
account of it, it has devolved on the Editor to attempt
to put before the public a compilation of their journals
in such form as will give the narrative sufficient
interest to carry with it the attention of the reader
to the end. Although the matter is ample, this
is no easy task for an unpracticed pen, for to the
general reader, the usual monotonous details and entries
of an explorer’s notes, which alone give them
value to the geographer, cannot be hoped to excite
interest or command attention. But the journey
was full of incident, and the Brothers, although not
scientific naturalists, were keen sportsmen, excelling
in all exercises requiring strength and activity,
who had acquired from their training in the bush that
sharpening of the senses and faculty of observing,
the peculiar result of a life in the wilds, which not
only so well fitted them for the conduct of such an
expedition, but also enabled them to note and describe
with accuracy the various interesting objects in botany
and zoology met with in the course of their journey.
It is therefore hoped that there will be sufficient
to interest each class of reader. Aided by Mr.
Jardine, senior, a gentleman of large experience in
both Botany and Natural History, the Editor has been
enabled to supply the generic names of the birds and
plants met with; which, in many cases, if not altogether
new, are interesting as determining the range and
habitat of the birds, and the zones of vegetation
and trees; but it is to be regretted that there was
no one in the party having sufficient knowledge of
drawing to figure such objects, or to delineate some
of the more striking scenes and incidents of the journey.
As these can now only be supplied from the graphic
descriptions given by the actors in them, the Editor,
without drawing too much on his imagination, has, in