Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World. Part 2

In Short

This book captures a celebrated humorist's journey across turn-of-the-century Australia and its surrounding seas. Travelling by steamship, rail, and open carriage through Sydney, Melbourne, Wagga-Wagga, and Adelaide, the narrator records everything from phosphorescent marine life to local dust storms, political history, and pastoral economies. Blending shrewd social commentary with historical vignettes—including corporate corruption in early penal colonies, the infamous Tichborne claimant case, and native technology—the narrative reveals how a booming, self-governing southern continent constructed its own unique brand of modern civilization.

The Story

The journey opens along the Australian coast, where night-time ocean waters erupt with glowing porpoises that leap and tumble before the ship's bow. Landing at Sydney, the traveler explores an expansive, winding harbor and dives into the social life, local weather, and colorful gossip of New South Wales. He observes how the city’s early history was shaped by the ruthless "Rum Corps," an elite military clique that established a lucrative monopoly, used liquor as currency, and seized land from desperate settlers before wool production, gold discoveries, and modern commerce transformed the region into a thriving commonwealth.

Moving southward by train, the narrator compares continental rail travel with American sleeping cars, noting the quirks of excess baggage fees and round-trip tickets that cover thousands of extra miles. A stop near Wagga-Wagga prompts a lively recount of the famous Tichborne Claimant case, illustrating how real-world deception often outpaces the strict plausibility required of fiction. Upon arriving in Melbourne, the traveler witnesses the electric excitement surrounding the Melbourne Cup, a national holiday that commands universal enthusiasm across Australasia.

Continuing seventeen hours west toward Adelaide, the trip passes through landscapes dotted with imported yellow gorse, broom, and native wattle trees in full bloom. The traveler listens to fellow passengers share tales of early pioneer life, including a man who arrived fifty years prior planning to make two hundred pounds in five years, only to remain for half a century. Driving into Adelaide, he encounters a modern, manicured city built on wide avenues and public architecture, currently riding high on the gold boom of nearby Coolgardie.

Throughout his travels, the author examines the rapid development of the continent, from the massive telegraph line pushed two thousand miles through central desert wilderness to Port Darwin, to the vast sheep runs where single squatters hold domains the size of American states. The narrative concludes with reflections on Australian political life, the friendly nature of city youth, and conversations with elderly pioneers who recall the disappearing Aboriginal population and the unmatched mastery required to throw a native boomerang.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Night falls near the Australian coast as luminous porpoises display a brilliant, glowing spectacle beneath the ship's bow.

Exploring Sydney harbor The narrator arrives in New South Wales, taking in the city's temperate spring weather, sweeping water passages, and lively local society.

Recounting penal colony history A dive into regional history details how the corrupt officers of the Rum Corps exploited early settlers through liquor monopolies before wool and mining brought prosperity.

Overland to Melbourne Boarding a modern sleeper train, the traveler passes through countryside towns like Wagga-Wagga while reflecting on real-life mysteries like the Tichborne imposter.

The excitement of Melbourne The narrative examines the cultural impact of Australasia's supreme annual gathering, the Melbourne Cup, alongside the unique hospitality of local urban youth.

Crossing to South Australia A long rail journey through bright yellow wattle and imported gorse brings the author into contact with veteran pioneers and fellow travelers.

Arrival in Adelaide Carriage rides over scenic hills reveal a prosperous capital city enriched by telegraph connections and western gold fields.

Reflections on native culture Conversations with early settlers highlight the fading Aboriginal population and the incredible, unmatched skill required to navigate a boomerang.

The People

The Narrator An observant, inquisitive traveler who gathers facts, stories, and tall tales from everyone he meets. He suffers periodic health breakdowns along his route, yet retains an unyielding curiosity for local customs, politics, train systems, and natural wonders.

The Rum Corps Officers Historical figures of early New South Wales who used their power to monopolize imported and distilled spirits. By trading cheap rum at exorbitant prices and accepting land as payment, they enriched themselves at the expense of struggling farmers until routed by the government.

Cecil Rhodes A legendary, bold young figure depicted in a dramatic biographical anecdote. Driven by sheer confidence and persuasive charisma, he approaches a skeptical financial broker to secure a hundred-thousand-pound loan to corner the entire Australian wool crop within sixty days.

The Fifty-Year Exile An elderly fellow passenger on the train to Adelaide who originally arrived from England as a twenty-year-old youth with only thirty-six shillings. He intended to stay just five years until he saved two hundred pounds, but ended up spending his entire life in Australia.

The Pioneer Veterans A group of honored, time-worn early settlers whose passionate public speeches and personal memories offer firsthand accounts of building a commonwealth, constructing early telegraph lines, and interacting with the native population.

In Its Own Voice

"The porpoise is the kitten of the sea; he never has a serious thought, he cares for nothing but fun and play."

When approaching Sydney at night, the author watches glowing marine life perform energetic acrobatics right against the ship's bow.

"Everything human is pathetic. The secret source of Humor itself is not joy but sorrow. There is no humor in heaven."

This reflective entry from Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar sets a sober tone before a chapter detailing the hardships and corruption of Australia's early colonial days.

"Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't."

Reflecting on the bizarre history of the Tichborne Claimant, the traveler notes how real life freely takes narrative risks that a fiction writer could never get away with.

What It's Really About

Beneath its humorous observations and travel anecdotes, the book explores how human societies transplant themselves, adapt, and build anew in unfamiliar environments. It examines the mechanics of colonial growth, contrasting the tragic exploitation of indigenous populations and native wildlife with the relentless push of modern enterprise, rail lines, and global telegraph networks. The text repeatedly weighs reality against appearance, showing how national character is forged by geography, climate, and economic opportunity. It also ponders the nature of truth itself, demonstrating how history, public reputation, and local legend are constructed through the stories people tell to travelers and to themselves.

Why Read It Today

This travelogue appeals to readers who enjoy sharp observational humor mixed with historical geography and classic nineteenth-century prose. It offers a vivid, eyewitness snapshot of late-nineteenth-century Australia during a period of rapid modernization and economic expansion. Reading the text feels like sitting alongside an easygoing, wry companion who is equally interested in grand political history, urban street slang, and local wildlife.

The narrative does present certain challenges for modern readers. Its episodic structure moves freely between personal travel details, lengthy quoted documents, statistical breakdowns, and historical tangents, which can interrupt the narrative flow. Additionally, the text reflects period attitudes regarding colonization, race, and the environment—such as the casual acceptance of eradicating native species like the dingo—that show the unvarnished perspectives of its era. Nevertheless, the book remains a compelling, deeply human account of global exploration, filled with lasting insights into human nature and the urge to explore new horizons.