AustLit

'In the imperishable story of the colonizing and developing of Australia, a story too vast to be compressed within the compass of the ordinary novel, Mr Chauvel has made no effort to stress the usual glaring themes of brutality, degradation, and misery. At the same time no denial of such conditions is suggested, but shining above the cruel early struggles is the white light of high endeavour, unexampled courage in the face of almost insuperable difficulties, and a steadfast faith in the destiny of this nation.

It is of the qualities of courage, sacrifice, endurance, enterprise, heroism and achievement that Mr Chauvel tells, leaving the leg irons, and the bloodied triangles to fade into a well deserved obscurity, remembering them only when truth shall demand it, but remembering also that such systems, punishments and conditions were then common to the world. Out of tribulation has come triumph, out of misery has come magnificnce, and out of that early heroism has come a mighty heritage.' - Dust jacket flap