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JOHN McDOTJALL RTU\RT; THE SOUTII
AUSTRALIAN EXPLORER.
A correspondent has kindly furnished 113 with tbe
following particulars respecting Mr. Stuart, the
explorer:— ? '
' The return of our South Australian explorer,
John McLtenall Stuart to his native country is an
event that may fairly call forth a few comments on
the career of that gentleman and his supporters,
Messrs. James ami John Ghambers and William
Finke.- The most singular incidents in connection
with this afiair are that just about the time that
Mr. Stuart was planting the flag on the north
coast one of the promoters ot this great under
taking, Mr. James Chaaber.y died; and just
as the arrangements' for selling and settling
on the ; lands were being formed, :Mr. ' Finke,
another of the pfoinoters,klso died; an4 just at
the time that Colonel Finniss- and his. party
were leaving tn form the new settlement on the
north coast Mr. Stuart Ikimself was oUiged to
leave the colony to recruit his shattered can6titu
tion, and totake means lor the restoratito of his
eyesight' And now the §nly one of the original
promoters ef northern exploration living in the
colony is Mr. John Chambers, who remains to
witness the successful issue of the new colony
which is ab«ut to be established in the country
opened up by 'the energy and enterprise of
these .gentlemen. .Although, as may naturally
fce supposed, the expenses in such an undertaking
weie very heavy, while the risk and iBaee were
doubtful, that did not deter our explorer and his
supporters frem persevering; and although more
than once they were beaten back by adverse cir
cumstances, they finally triumphed, and planted
the British fla? on the nsrth-west coast of Aus
tralia, which Colonel Finniss and his' parly are
going to occupy to form tfee nucleus of wWst is
likely to become a great and important empire.
'John McDouall Stuart, the son of William
Stuart late captain in the army, was born in Fife
shire, in 1820, and received an education in the
Royal Military Academy at Edinburgh. He landed
in the colony in 1839, shortly after which his
services were engaged by the Government as a
Surveyor. In this occupation he continued until
the celebrated expedition into the interior by
Captain Sturt, when he formed one of the party
as draftsman. At the death of Mr. Took, the
second in command, Mr Stuart was appointed
to fill that office, and it will be seen
by Captain Sturt's journal that Mr. Stuart
distinguished himself as a draftsman surveyor
and leader of several excursions sent out from the
mai. party. There is no doubt that it was on this
expedition, Mr. Stuart acquired a love for exploring,
for it is certain that he ever after expressed a wish
to cross the continent. On his return from the
Sturt Expedition he principally resided: at the
stations of Messrs. James & John Chambers
in the North, and it was there that he and
Mr. John Chambers organized a plan for
carrying out his wishes; and on the proposition
being submitted to Mr. James Chambers arid Mr.
Finke, they readily assented to support the under
taking, and continued to do so for upwards of
three years until the object was attained.
'The demonstration to Mr. Stuart and party on
their return will ever be remembered by them and
by the colonists: and although Mr. Stuart's health
demanded that he should leave the colony in peace
and quiet, we are sure the good wishes of the
whole colony attend him. .
. 'Mr. Stuart sailed in the ship Indus, 25th April,
for London ; and another remarkable incident in
his career is that the name of the vessel that
brought him to this colony was a barque also called
the Indus.
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