At the start of the journey Sir George had his sextant, but, having to
walk hungry and thirsty, he needed to walk light. Therefore he hid the
sextant in a tree, where many a year later it was found, a rustic relic,
by some settlers. Death raced him so hard that he eased the burden of
keeping in front of it by tearing the boards from his New Testament. To
the Word itself he clung impregnably.
The perils of Sir George Grey, as an Australian explorer, match some of
those experienced by Captain Sturt. That brought up the name of the
latter, and Sir George passed the eulogy: 'Australia owes to Sturt a
greater debt, perhaps, than to any other of her explorers. His
discoveries, apart from their own stir and colour; were of the first
importance in the successful settlement of the country. I knew him well;
a man who would do anything for anybody, and never think of his own
interests.'
Admiring Sturt so heartily, Sir George, with others, had urged that the
honour of a title should be conferred upon him. He died in England before
actually receiving it, 'Whereupon,' said Sir George, 'I next suggested
that his widow should have the rank which otherwise would have been hers,
and from that, I judge, sprang the very proper rule now obtaining in such
a case.'
VII PLANTING THE BRITON
'I always got what I wanted in life,' Sir George Grey made arch comment
on himself, 'and many things, also, that I did not want.
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