Edward John Eyre (1815-1901),Australian explorer. In 1840,Eyre led an expedition from Adelaide,in South Australia,to try and cross the continent to the northern coast. They abandoned this expedition at Mount Hopeless in the Flinders Range,deciding to try and find an overland route westwards along the southern coast of Australia to Albany. A party comprising Eyre,another European named Baxter and three aboriginal guides,set out from Fowler's Bay in February 1841. Serious water shortages hampered them,and Baxter was murdered by two of the guides who deserted. Eyre and the remaining guide,Wylie,were rescued by a whaling ship,recovered,resumed the expedition and reached Albany in July 1841 |