John Oxley's personality is not very familiar, but the portrait presented to the reader in this volume was taken in the prime of his life, before he suffered the scars of doubtful battle with the Australian wilderness.

It has never been published before, and is taken from the original miniature that he presented to Mrs.King, widow of Governor King, in 1810.
3.2.HIS FIRST EXPEDITION.
On this, Oxley's first journey of exploration, Evans accompanied him as second in command, and another man who has left an immortal name was also with him -- Allan Cunningham, officially known as King's Botanist.
Charles Fraser, well-known in connection with the early history both of New South Wales and of Western Australia, accompanied Oxley under the title of Colonial Botanist.

There were nine other men in the party -- boatmen, horse-tenders, and so forth; they had with them two boats and fourteen pack and riding-horses.

A depot was first formed at the junction of the small creek whence Evans had turned back, and where he had marked a tree with his initials in 1815.

There the boats were launched and preparations completed for the final start.