The Explorers: William Joy

The heroism, triumphs, quarrels and suffering of the explorers who blazed the trail across the great southern land and laid it open for settlement. The author refers back to the original diaries of the explorers for details of the hazards they overcame: river, marsh, mountain and desert; and to contemporary newspapers for evidence of the various committees of inquiry that investigated the tragedies and administered rebukes when explorers exceeded their power in several ways. There's vivid insight into the characters of the explorers as the author describes their difficulties and whether they overcame them or succumbed to them; the final conquering of the Simpson Desert; and the adventures of settlers, overlanders and gold fossickers who also played an important part in opening up Australia. Illustrated.