Cirrus@Austlit

19th-Century Australian Travel Writing

George Francis Train (1829-1904) was a successful merchant, entrepreneur, and one-time US Presidential candidate. He wrote An American Merchant in Europe, Asia, and Australia, a text that presented a global travel narrative driven by commercial interests. The work was divided into two parts, the first being Train's voyage from Melbourne to Batavia, China, India, Egypt, and Europe. The second section elaborates on Train's thirty months' residence in Australia, which he referred to as "the Southern El Dorado." In his descriptions of Australia, he focused on Melbourne, which was the site for his company, George F. Train & Co., and advances in business matters that occurred during his time in the colony. He also described the gold fields, the convict population, and visits to Sydney and Tasmania.