The departure of Captain Sturt August, 1844

Plate 54: The departure of Captain Sturt on his expedition into the interior, in the month of August, 1844. Part of the text accompanying the illustration reads 'The annexed plate will convey some idea of the busy and animated scene the city of Adelaide presented on the eventful morning the gallant Sturt set out on his late expedition to penetrate into the centre of the vast continent of Australia: he was attended by a large concourse of his friends and fellow colonists, who accompanied him out of town, mounted upon horseback, and the day was a gala for the citizens of Adelaide.'

This is one of 60 coloured lithographs found in the 1847 edition of 'South Australia Illustrated' by colonial artist George French Angas, together with a descriptive passage for each. The lithograph was created by J.W. Giles from Angas' painting, after S.T. Gill's original painting. The date assigned is assumed to be approximately when the lithographs were created; the original paintings were done in earlier years.