Robson's career was similar. Of humble origin, but well educated, he had considerable literary ability. He was the author of several plays; one, Love and Loyalty, achieved some success. He, too, began life as a law-writer. He married on a salary of 20s. a week. His masters secured him an appointment as clerk in the Great Northern Railway Company, whence he passed to a better position under the Crystal Palace Company. Within a year he was chief clerk of the transfer department. His talents were such that soon the whole management of the transfer department was entrusted to him. Finally (Newgate Chronicles) he yielded to temptation, issued bogus scrip without detection, until the defalcations amounted to £27,000. With the proceeds he lived a merry life, kept open house at Kilburn Priory, entertained literary, artistic, and dramatic celebrities, purchased a smart carriage, and attended race meetings dressed in approved fashion. Nemesis came in the form of Mr. Fasson, who, while in the office, casually asked for certain certificates. Robson rummaged among his documents and replied that they must be at Kilburn Priory. Mr. Fasson insisted on driving thither, and upon arrival Robson hospitably sought to entertain him. After persistent demands for the certificates, Robson at last went to his room, secured money and valuables, and, leaving Mr. Fasson in the house, levanted. He coolly drove to a favourite West End dining place, had dinner, and then with a woman (not his wife) took steamer for Copenhagen. He was arrested in Sweden, taken to London, and sentenced to two terms of transportation, one of twenty and the other of fourteen years' duration. He was conveyed to Western Australia, where his conduct in prison was good, and where his services were utilised, in company with Redpath, in the Commissariat Department. He was early eligible to ticket of leave, and in June, 1860, was rearrested and sentenced to three months' imprisonment for embezzlement and obtaining goods on false pretences. He was for some time known in journalistic circles in Perth and Fremantle, and in 1861 projected and edited the Western Australian Literary Magazine in Perth, which was continued for only four numbers.
Many remarkable stories are told of the exploits of another ex-prisoner, "Moondyne Joe." A book has been written with him as a noble hero, and romance and myth encompass him about. But Moondyne was not so great as some of his contemporaries, and he obtained credit for exploits which he did not deserve. He was a successful prison-breaker, but not such an ingenious one as others. In brief, he was an overrated celebrity.
With true British instincts, colonists were encroaching on the wilds of the north-west. In Western Australia the later history of English colonisation is, except for physical and aboriginal differences, the history of their persistency in America, India, Africa, and the foam-girt islands of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The Britisher goes wherever there is an opening to acquire wealth and property. His compatriots lie down and die on the march, but he does not falter. The northwest of this colony was believed to be exceedingly barren and so hot and thirsty that no European could live there. But the success of settlers on the Victoria plains, the Greenough and Murchison Rivers, caused them to explore farther north, and ultimately to establish sheep and cattle breeding stations among the natives. The progress during 1861-68 was made not without pain and loss and death. This advance of settlement was, perhaps, the most distinguished feature of local history between 1860 and 1870.
A certain air of romance surrounds north-west settlement. To the southern Australian reader the tales of tropical and semitropical flora and fauna, of life under the conditions peculiar to such abnormally productive regions, are more interesting than the stories of places which he knows better by experience. There may be something oriental in this semi-tropical existence, and, where nature does nothing by halves, there is a strong excitement. She is there universally artistic, never shallow; has penetrating, comprehensive, all-absorbing passion. If she undertakes to bestow good years, they are indeed abundant; if droughts, they are unextenuatingly lean; if attractive scenes, they are enchanting; if desolate and sterile, they are abodes of hopelessness and despair. It will be well conceived that the pioneers experienced all the tricky buffets of fortune. It was not an existence to be passed in the lap of luxury; there was a provoking uncertainty. Two years' drought would simply disperse five years' plenty. Happily, the lean years have been comparatively few. But, it may be said, almost without exception, that those who have gained fortunes by living and investing in the northwest have amply deserved them.
The indefatigable enthusiasm of Mr. F. T. Gregory, assisted by the Burges family, led to important north-west explorations in 1861, and the subsequent merging of settlers there. In 1860 it was announced that Mr. F. T. Gregory and Mr. W. Burges were in communication with Sir R. Murchison, and were arranging to equip a strong party to go into the north country, and that the Geographical Society and Imperial Government would contribute funds. In January, 1861, a letter, written by Mr. Gregory, was considered by the Legislative Council, in which he mentioned that Messrs. W. and J. Burges, T. Brown, and W. Padbury were willing to supply men and horses, valued at £400, towards the equipment of a party to land in Nickol Bay and explore the inland country. Mr Gregory himself was no mercenary explorer; he offered, if necessary, his six months' salary— £250—in the Survey Department, towards the funds. If the Government contributed £1,350, he explained, these amounts, with other subscriptions promised, would be sufficient to charter a vessel and supply a party for six months. After calling Mr. Gregory before the Bar of the House, the amount was voted.
The arrangements were quickly made, and on the 23rd April, 1861, the barque Dolphin sailed for Nickol Bay. The explorers were Messrs. F. T. Gregory (leader), James Turner (second in command), E. Brockman, Maitland Brown, J. McCourt, Harding, and Walcott. They were well supplied with horses. On the 11th May the Dolphin arrived at Nickol Bay, and leaving there the farrier, Walcott, in charge of the stores, the others began their journey on the 25th. Mr. Gregory proposed to survey the country to the Lyons and Alma Rivers to connect with his last explorations, then eastwards to longitude 120°, and even, if practicable, to longitude 123° or 124°, and finally north to the Fitzroy River. The first part of the journey was mostly over hilly country, down to the Fortescue River, whose banks were steep and stony. In its valleys was abundance of feed and water. After following the Fortescue for some 180 miles E.S.E. the party went over a grassy country bounded by hills, through which it was found difficult to pass. These hills were named the Hamersley Range. The season was evidently a favourable one; the grass was luxuriant. On the further side of the Hamersley Hills the explorers came to grassy plains, which extended beyond longitude 118°, where, 2,000 feet above sea level, they were still surrounded by rich vegetation. The country hereabouts to latitude 22°58' south, was stony, intersected
