Nineteenth-Century Travel Writing
This collection of travel anecdotes was written under the pseudonym “A Pioneer”, however it has been attributed to John Phillips (1822-1902), with illustrations by prolific novelist and artist Hume Nisbet (James Hume Nisbet 1849-1923). The author stated that the idea of emigrating to the far distant land of Australia from England was first brought to his attention after reading a book. The pioneer prefaced his work as an endeavour to portray his journey to Australia and employment in the colony. At times sensational, the narrative provided an account of the Aboriginal populations and their customs, gold digging, and the bushrangers. It also included historical information and a brief history of Victoria.
