The opening of the overland route to India again brought the west coast of Arabia into importance.
The overland mail route from England to India by way of Suez was opened in 1837.
This able leader, eager to reach Asuncion as quickly as possible, sent on his ships to the river Plate, but himself with a small following marched overland from Santa Catherina on the coast of Brazil to join Irala.
Overland routes had now been found possible, though scarcely convenient for traffic, between all the widely separated Australian provinces.
C. Smith with a force of 263 men left his camp at the Umgazi,on the eastern frontier of Cape Colony, and marching overland reached Durban without opposition, and encamped, on the 4th of May, at the base of the Berea hills.
