Unfortunately this expedition destroyed all hope of the existence of any river, the mouth of which might have been crossed unwittingly by Eyre.
We now come to that exploit which gained for Forrest a place in the foremost rank of Australian explorers.

The western central desert had long defied the explorers in their attempts to cross its dread confines.
But the young West Australian took his men and most of his horses through the very heart of the terrible desert.

We have seen how three expeditions had started from the east for the purpose of making this continental traverse, all differently composed -- one with the aid of camels only, one with a composite equipment of both horses and camels, and the third with only horses.

The successful expedition to be now recorded travelled from west to east, and crossed the desert with horses only.
[Illustration.

Members of the Exploring Expedition, Geraldton to Adelaide, 1874.
Standing, left to right: Tommy Pierre, Tommy Windich, James Kennedy, James Sweeny.
Seated, left to right: Alexander Forrest (Second in Command), John Forrest (In Command).] On the 14th of April, 1874, Forrest left Yuin, then the border of settlement on the Murchison, accompanied by his brother Alexander, two white men, and two natives, to endeavour to cross the unknown stretch of desert country that separated the colonies of eastern Australia from the western settlements.