11. John McDouall Stuart, born September 7, 1815, under the sign of Virgo
Those born under the sign of Virgo are said to be attentive, faithful, and friendly, though they have little patience for fools and shirkers. They are worriers who exercise caution. When with people who are their match in intelligence, they are friendly though they tend to avoid those who exhibit ignorance. John McDouall Stuart was such a man. Stuart made several journeys into the unknown areas of Australia in the 19th century. His first took place in 1858, during the antipodean winter. The expeditions were important in the mapping of the continent and the location of sources of minerals and lands suitable for ranching and farming.
His most important expedition was his sixth, which began in October 1861. Stuart led a ten-man party from Adelaide across the continent, from the south to the north coasts. One member was dismissed from the party by Stuart because the man would not discard his greatcoat. Stuart, experienced in the country to be traversed, recognized the coat as an unnecessary burden, and unable to tolerate the man’s obtuseness, sent him home. The remaining party reached the north coast in July 1862. They were the first to traverse the continent from south to north, and not a man was lost on the way. The success was directly due to Stuart’s attention to detail, attentiveness to the men under his leadership, and unwillingness to brook opposition to his knowledge and experience.