After saying a few words about the great explorers and travelers of the past, and explaining why a study of their exploits is more important for us than ever before, I give a podcast reading of my most recent article, Charles Sturt: A Pioneer Of Australian Exploration.
The student of the history of exploration and discovery cannot fail to notice certain recurring patterns in the lives of great explorers. Many of them come from modest or poor backgrounds; many have military experience; many are driven by an inner conviction that they are destined for great achievements; many have a high tolerance for pain and hardship; and some of them have combative or disputatious natures that make them difficult to get along with. Not all of these generalizations are found in every explorer, of course. But it cannot be denied that a certain personality type is well-suited to a life of exploration.
We have here related incredible tales of suffering, adventure, and endurance. The little-known account of the adventures of John Ireland ranks high on the list of harrowing stories of nineteenth century explorations. The world was a larger place then, vastly less explored than now, and some places in the remoter regions of the globe were as isolated as they had been for thousands of years. Just how isolated and remote, the reader here will soon discover.
Quintus Curtius 
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