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Into the Interior
The end of the 18-century mapped Ausralia´s coastline.
There were many theories about what could be on the other side of the
Blue Mountains.
Some people thought, the land was rich and fertile. But others believed
it was dry and marshland.
A telegraph line was needed to set up a connection with Australia to
the rest of the world. The first men suffered terrible hardships and some
lost their lives.
In 1859 the government of Australia offered a prize to the first person
who was able to cross the continent from north to south.
Robert Burke and William Wills were leader of one of the most expensively
equipped expeditions in Australians history.
But neither Burke nor Wills had an idea of the outback.
They started in Melbourne, in August 1860. Burke went first, followed
by his team of 15 members.
After two months, they had reached Menindee. They set up a camp, but
quarrels broke and Burke dismissed some of his men.
The teams had changing speeds in going. This was the reason for them
to separate.
Burke got very impatient to move on.
Now the expedition divided into little groups. Once they arrived at
Coopers Creek, Brahe was told to wait there for three months.
Once they arrived at Coopers Creek, Brahe was told to wait there for
three months.
Meanwhile Burk, Wills, Charles and King tried to reach the Gulf of
Carpentaria.
Suddenly the weather changed. It rained for days and the camels couldn´t
walk anymore, so the group had to go by foot.
In February 1861 they arrived at the sea, but the footway was blocked
so they decided to turn back.
They all headed back to Coopers Creek again. It rained heavily- the
land turned into a swamp of slush.
After a time, they even had to eat their camels. Gray, who seemed the
strongest, collapsed and died.
In April they arrived at Coopers Creek, they arrived at Coopers Creek,
but their team wasn´t there anymore.
Burke decided, that they should walk to Adelaide. On their way some
Aborogines gave them food.
They just missed Brahe, who returned with a rescue party to look for
them!
In the meanwhile, Burke, Wills and King slowly began to starve: Wills
and Burke died.
Now, King was alone. He looked for some Abos. Without their help he
would have surely died.
King was found three months later from a rescue party. They brought
him back to Melbourne.
John McDonall Stuart: he was the first person that reached the north
coast and return alive.
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