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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10461 ***
+
+JOURNALS
+
+OF
+
+AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS
+
+BY
+
+AUGUSTUS CHARLES GREGORY,
+C.M.G., F.R.G.S., ETC.,
+Gold Medalist, Royal Geographical Society,
+
+AND
+
+FRANCIS THOMAS GREGORY,
+F.R.G.S., ETC., ETC.,
+Gold Medalist, Royal Geographical Society.
+
+
+BRISBANE:
+JAMES C. BEAL, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, WILLIAM STREET.
+
+1884.
+
+
+
+PREFACE.
+
+Numerous inquiries having been made for copies of the Journals of the
+Explorations by the Messrs. Gregory in the Western, Northern, and Central
+portions of Australia, and as these journals have hitherto only been
+partially published in a fragmentary form, and are now out of print, it
+has been deemed desirable to collect the material into one volume, for
+convenience of reference, and to place on permanent record some of the
+earlier attempts to penetrate the terra incognita which then constituted
+so vast a portion of the Australian Continent.
+
+Although, during the twenty-two years which have elapsed since the last
+of these expeditions was undertaken, the geographical knowledge of
+Australia has so far advanced as to fill in most of the details of its
+physical features and set at rest the speculative opinions and theories
+of early explorers, it has not been deemed desirable to alter or amend
+the impressions or views recorded at the time, but simply reproduce the
+journals as originally compiled.
+
+
+[TABLE OF CONTENTS.
+
+MESSRS. GREGORY'S EXPEDITION TO THE EAST AND NORTH OF SWAN RIVER. 1846.
+
+THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY. 1848.
+
+HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR CHARLES FITZGERALD'S EXPEDITION TO THE GERALDINE
+LEAD MINE. 1848.
+
+THE MURCHISON RIVER. 1857.
+
+GASCOYNE RIVER. 1858.
+
+NORTH-WEST COAST. 1861.
+
+NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. 1855 TO 1856.
+
+EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT. 1857 TO 1858.
+
+
+LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
+
+[missing frontispiece (ripped out), probably photo of A.C. Gregory.]
+
+F.T. GREGORY.
+
+H.C. GREGORY.
+
+THE GOUTY-STEM TREE, NEAR THE DOME, ON THE RIVER VICTORIA, NORTH-WEST
+AUSTRALIA.
+
+T. BAINES.
+
+C.F. GREGORY.]
+
+
+
+AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS.
+
+
+MESSRS. GREGORY'S EXPEDITION TO THE EAST AND NORTH OF SWAN RIVER.
+
+1846.
+
+EARLY CONDITION OF WEST AUSTRALIA.
+
+The colony of Western Australia was established in 1829; but its
+isolation from the older settlement of New South Wales rendered it
+necessary to import all the horses, cattle, and sheep by sailing vessels
+from Tasmania, or other remote sources, while the heavy losses and
+difficulties attending long sea voyages prevented any large importations
+of stock--so that, though there was a fair rate of increase, the flocks
+and herds of the settlers had found sufficient pasturage for the first
+ten years on the banks of the Swan River and its upper valley, the Avon,
+together with the coast district southward to the Vasse Inlet; but after
+1840 the stock-owners began to feel that all prospect of material
+increase must be relinquished unless additional pastures could be
+discovered.
+
+Several public as well as private expeditions were undertaken for the
+purpose of ascertaining whether in the interior or along the coast on
+either side of the settlement there existed any available country, but
+they had only encountered dense scrubs of acacia and eucalyptus, with
+salt marshes and scarcity of fresh water in the interior. The coast to
+the east had been traversed from Adelaide to King George's Sound by Mr.
+Eyre, and found to be altogether unfit for settlement, while to the north
+the coast presented a series of sandy plains for more than 200 miles.
+
+It may now appear extraordinary that the earlier explorers in Australia
+were so frequently unsuccessful in their endeavours to penetrate the
+interior; but the scarcity of suitable horses, the unsuitable character
+of the saddlery, cumbersome camp equipment, and deficiency of knowledge
+regarding the seasons in the interior, all combined to defeat the first
+explorers in districts which have since been traversed with comparative
+facility.
+
+In 1846 the known country had become so nearly stocked to the full extent
+of its capability that the leading question of interest with the settlers
+was, where new runs could be discovered; and, among many others, the
+Messrs. Gregory proposed to attempt the further exploration of the
+interior.
+
+Messrs. A.C. and F.T. Gregory, who were attached to the department of the
+Surveyor-General, applied for three months' leave of absence for the
+purpose; but it was eventually arranged that the expedition should be
+under the auspices of the Government, which provided four horses, and
+voted 5 pounds for the purchase of equipment, the remainder being
+supplied at private expense.
+
+The party consisted of A.C. Gregory, F.T. Gregory, and H.C. Gregory,
+provided with four horses and seven weeks' provisions, the equipment
+being reduced to the least possible weight. The starting point was Mr.
+T.N. Yule's station, in the Toodyay district, sixty miles north-east from
+Perth.
+
+The following is a transcript of the journal:--
+
+EXPLORATION TO EAST OF SWAN RIVER, 1846.
+
+DIARY.
+
+7th August, 1846.
+
+Leaving Mr. Yule's farm at Boyeen Spring, passed Captain Scully's station
+at Bolgart Spring at 10.15 a.m.; thence steered north 70 degrees east
+over sandy downs, thinly timbered with eucalyptus; at 12.50 p.m. crossed
+a small watercourse trending in the direction of our course till 2 p.m.,
+when it turned south; at 3.50 p.m. halted for the night on a small stream
+flowing to the south-west.
+
+Latitude by observation 31 degrees 12 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 116
+degrees 50 minutes.
+
+8th August.
+
+At 7.5 a.m. commenced a course 70 degrees; at 8.0 crossed a granite hill
+with some grass, after which the country was scrubby till 9.30, when we
+entered a grassy flat timbered with casuarina; at 10.25 the country was
+more open, but scrubby; at 12.45 p.m. observed a small lake bearing 10
+degrees; steered on that course, and reached it at 2.10 p.m.; halted till
+3.15, and then resumed our former course through a swampy country, and at
+4.50 camped on the bank of another small shallow lake.
+
+Latitude by observation 31 degrees 4 minutes 24 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 4 minutes.
+
+9th August.
+
+At 7.35 a.m. steered on a course of 95 degrees through a scrubby country
+with small wooded valleys; at noon observed several large shallow lakes
+five to ten miles to the north-east; at 3 p.m. altered the course to 45
+degrees, and at 3.30 to north; at 4 p.m. reached a large open flat
+covered with salicornia and other salt plants, and with shallow lakes of
+salt water. At the edge of the flat found a native well with good water
+and a patch of grass around it, and bivouacked.
+
+Latitude by observation 31 degrees 2 minutes 22 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 23 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+10th August.
+
+At 7.35 a.m. left the bivouac and steered 95 degrees, passed several
+small salt lagoons in a thick swampy country; at 9.15 entered a gum
+forest with close underwood, which rendered travelling slow and
+difficult, but it gradually became more open; at 1 p.m. observed several
+lakes to the north and east, six to seven miles distant; we then passed a
+succession of dense thickets and patches of gum forest till 4.25, when we
+turned north, and at 5.30 halted in an open patch of grass surrounded by
+swampy thickets.
+
+Latitude by observation 31 degrees 1 minute 44 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 45 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+11th August.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. steered north-east through gum forest; at 8.30 passed a dry
+lagoon; at 9.10 changed the course to 95 degrees; the country became more
+open; at 11.35 ascended an elevated ridge, and saw several bare granite
+hills to the eastward; steered 75 degrees to the nearest; reached its
+summit at 1.40 p.m., and halted for the remainder of the day to refresh
+the horses, there being abundance of water in the hollows of the rock and
+some grass around the base of the hill.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 58 minutes 47 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 59 minutes 47 seconds.
+
+DRY COUNTRY. GRANITE HILLS.
+
+12th August.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 7.30 a.m., steered 122 degrees through alternate
+patches of gum forest, underwood, and grass; at 11.50 reached the summit
+of a bare granite hill, from which we could see Lake Brown, bearing 93
+degrees to 103 degrees, Eaglestone Hill, 100 degrees, also many other
+remarkable hills and peaks. Leaving this hill at 12.15 p.m., steered 58
+degrees over undulating wooded country with several small watercourses
+trending to the south; at 4.30 bivouacked at a scrubby hill, near a small
+pool of rainwater, on a granite rock.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 59 minutes 54 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 17 minutes.
+
+13th August.
+
+Resumed our course 58 degrees through level gum forest, then a spearwood
+thicket, then dense underwood and patches of gum forest till 1.25 p.m.,
+when we came to a native well among granite rocks; having watered the
+horses, continued the course through the same description of country till
+4.40, when we halted at the foot of a granite hill with plenty of
+rainwater in the hollows and grass on a narrow strip between the scrub
+and base of the bare rock.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 48 minutes 34 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 40 minutes.
+
+14th August.
+
+Started at 10.35 a.m., and steered 41 degrees through a level country,
+with thickets of underwood, cypress, and gum, with some grassy patches;
+at 2.20 p.m. reached a bare granite hill, at the foot of which we
+bivouacked.
+
+15th August.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 7.15 a.m., steered 50 degrees; at 8.50 crossed a
+steep ridge of white sandy rocks resting on granite; after this the
+country was grassy, with little timber, 10.30, when we entered a thick
+scrub; at 11.0 observed a high granite hill bearing 50 degrees, steered
+for it, and reached the summit at 12.55 p.m., descending into thick scrub
+on the other side. Having climbed a tree to get a view, observed a very
+remarkable peak and range of rugged hills distant about forty miles, the
+highest point bearing 57 degrees; at 2.30 came to scrubby country with
+only a few trees, and at 4.15 camped at a small waterhole in a granite
+rock.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 31 minutes 43 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 52 minutes.
+
+16th August.
+
+At 7.15 a.m. resumed our march on a bearing 68 degrees, through
+well-wooded country till 9.35, when we ascended a fine grassy hill of
+trap-rock. From this hill several of a similar character were visible to
+the southward, while to the north numerous large dry salt lakes or
+marshes occupied the valley along the south-eastern declivity of which we
+had travelled for the last two days; the course was then 56 degrees,
+through scattered forest, with much underwood and a little grass. At noon
+struck the shore of one of the lakes, the bank being composed of gypsum
+and red sand, in some parts twenty feet high; following the shore of the
+lake to the east till 1.15 p.m., again resumed a course 56 degrees
+through dense thickets of wattle (acacia), with patches of gum forest and
+cypress, the soil a red sandy loam devoid of smaller vegetation; at 5.0
+halted for the night.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 21 minutes 40 seconds; longitude 119
+degrees 11 minutes.
+
+WHIRLWINDS. RED SAND.
+
+17th August.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. recommenced our journey 50 degrees; at 6.55 crossed a narrow
+swampy patch of salicornia trending east and west; altered the course to
+63 degrees, and at 7.35 crossed a deep watercourse trending to the south;
+at 8.15 ascended a trap hill with a few granite rocks at the foot, among
+which we found a small pool of rainwater, at which we halted for three
+hours to refresh our horses, and then proceeded 40 degrees till 2.20
+p.m., when we arrived at the foot of the highest hill in the range for
+which we had been steering. Leaving our horses, we ascended the hill,
+which was composed of trap-rock, and did not exceed 300 feet in height
+above the general level of the country. From the summit several similar
+ranges of trap hills were visible, extending from north to
+east-south-east; to the south-east the country appeared to be a level
+sandy desert without the least appearance of vegetation, while to the
+west and north the smokes of many native fires were visible in the
+distance. The extremely level character of the country between the ranges
+to the east and north, and the immense columns of red sand or dust which
+were raised by whirlwinds to a height of 200 to 500 feet, gave but little
+hope of finding water in that direction. Returning to our horses at 4.20,
+steered 350 degrees about three and a half miles to a small patch of
+grass which had been observed from the hill, which was named Mount
+Jackson. There was a small watercourse through the patch of grass, but no
+water, and the country was suffering from prolonged drought.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 12 minutes 28 seconds; longitude 119
+degrees 16 minutes.
+
+18th August.
+
+After six hours' ineffectual search for water, we were compelled to
+return to the water passed early on the previous day.
+
+19th August.
+
+Left the bivouac at 7.20 a.m. and steered 275 degrees through a scattered
+gum forest with much underwood; at 9.55 came on a dry salt lagoon of
+irregular form, which was crossed at 10.20; passing a native well among
+flat granite rocks, the country rose gradually till 11.50, when we
+arrived at a hill crowned by steep white sandstone cliffs twenty to
+thirty feet high. The course was then changed to north, through dense
+thickets, till 12.20 p.m., when we again turned west through a
+well-wooded country, and at 3.0 camped on a high granite hill with some
+patches of grass and abundance of rainwater in the hollows of the rocks.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 19 minutes 33 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 55
+minutes.
+
+20th August.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. resumed a westerly course through dense thickets of acacia
+and melaleuca, and at 5.15 p.m. bivouacked in a small patch of grass and
+a small pool of rainwater on a granite rock.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 17 minutes 40 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 35
+minutes.
+
+21st August.
+
+At 7.45 a.m. started on a course 320 degrees over an undulating country
+with dense thickets and patches of cypress and gum forest; at 4.30 p.m.
+bivouacked near a small hole in a rock with about two gallons of
+rainwater remaining in it.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 5 minutes 43 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 22
+seconds.
+
+22nd August.
+
+At 7.35 a.m. resumed a west course through a succession of thickets, gum
+forest, and scrub; at 12.30 p.m. observed a granite hill bearing 315
+degrees; made for the hill, and finding some excellent grass around a
+native well, at 2.15 camped.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 3 minutes 36 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 8
+minutes.
+
+23rd August.
+
+Started at 7.40 a.m. in a direction 320 degrees, over thinly-timbered
+scrubby country, which gradually improved and became grassy; at 10.5
+altered the course to 336 degrees, and at 1.15 p.m. reached the summit of
+a granite hill from which a series of dry lakes, or salt marshes, were
+visible in a wide valley trending to the north-east. A very remarkable
+hill bore 316 degrees, about 35 miles distant. Steering in the direction
+of this hill, found the country covered with almost impenetrable scrub of
+acacia. At 4.20 halted at the foot of a high sandstone cliff, where some
+deep holes in the rock retained a small quantity of rainwater.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 51 minutes; longitude 119 degrees 55 minutes.
+
+24th August.
+
+Left the bivouac at 7.35 a.m. steering 312 degrees; passed over a nearly
+level country timbered with cypress and eucalyptus, with patches of
+acacia thicket; at 2.45 p.m. halted at a deep waterhole in a flat granite
+rock.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 42 minutes 31 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 41
+minutes.
+
+EXTENSIVE SALT MARSHES.
+
+25th August.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. resumed our journey on the same course as yesterday, and at
+9.15 came on an extensive flat covered with salicornia, which formed the
+margin of an immense salt marsh or dry lake, extending to the north-east
+and south-west to the horizon, but narrowing to about three miles at the
+point we came to it. It was decided to attempt crossing at this place,
+and, after travelling for an hour across the salicornia flat, reached the
+bare salt marsh. This at first seemed firm; but, after half-a-mile, the
+hard crust of salt and gypsum, which formed the surface, gave way and
+three of the horses were bogged almost at the same time. After a long
+ineffectual struggle to extricate themselves they were quite exhausted,
+and we waded through the mud to the opposite shore, a distance of
+half-a-mile, and cut some small trees, and with them, combined with
+tether ropes and saddle-bags, formed two hurdles or platforms twelve feet
+long and two feet wide. These with much difficulty were taken to the
+horses, and by placing them alternately in front of each animal, worked
+them over the soft mud, and after six hours of severe exertion succeeded
+in reaching the firm ground. The hard salt crust, though apparently
+strong, having once been broken, its edges gave way like thin ice. After
+reaching the ground, which was dry enough to bear the weight of the
+horses, we had to travel about three miles through soft dust of white
+gypsum, in which we sank from one to two feet, but at length reached a
+large granite rock, at the foot of which there was a little grass and on
+the rock some small pools of rainwater.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 37 minutes 30 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 38
+minutes.
+
+26th August.
+
+From the summit of the rock we had an extensive view, the lake extending
+twelve miles east, fifteen miles to the south and west, eight miles to
+the north and to the north-east, only bounded by the horizon. Shallow
+pools of brine, varying from one to three miles in diameter, with
+low-wooded and high bare granite islets, were scattered over this vast
+area of white mud gypsum and salt. At 8.35 a.m. started in a southerly
+direction along the shore of the lake in the hope of turning its west
+side; at 10.40 altered the course to 221 degrees; and at 12.30 p.m.
+camped on a grassy granite hill, about a mile from the lake.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 47 minutes 13 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 36
+minutes.
+
+27th August.
+
+Steering a general course 200 degrees from 7.40 a.m. to 8.40, again
+reached the shore of the lake, followed it south-east till 9.45, then 80
+degrees till 12.15 p.m., when we halted for one and a half hours under a
+very remarkable solitary gum-tree; we then steered 173 degrees till 2.20;
+then 204 degrees till 3.30, when we left the lake, which trended to the
+west, and, steering 250 degrees till 5.5, camped at a native well in a
+small grassy valley. Some good open grassy flats were passed during the
+day and a large number of wild turkeys were seen.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 59 minutes 4 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 39
+minutes.
+
+28th August.
+
+Starting at 7.35 a.m. in a west-north-west course, at 8.45 passed several
+small dry salt lagoons; at 9.0 ascended a granite hill, from the summit
+of which it was discovered that further progress in this direction was
+impracticable, and that we were on a peninsula, as the lake still trended
+south to the horizon. We therefore turned east, and at 11.35 came on the
+southern extension of the eastern branch of the lake; followed it nearly
+east till noon, then north-east and north-north-east till 1.0 p.m.; then
+17 degrees, leaving the lake and crossing extensive open downs till 2.5,
+when a small dry salt lake was passed, and we entered thickets of acacia,
+which changed to gum and cypress forest; at 3.0 came to a rich grassy
+hill, then thickets and grassy patches, and at 4.0 reached the summit of
+a lofty granite hill and had an extensive view over the country. On the
+north side of the hill found a native well and some good grass, where we
+camped.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 45 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 46
+minutes.
+
+GRANITE HILLS AND GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+29th August.
+
+At 7.35 a.m. left the bivouac and steered 30 degrees through thickets; at
+8.30 crossed our track of the 24th, and at 9.15 passed a salt marsh
+trending north-west and south-east; at 12.25 p.m. altered the course to
+north till 1.0; then, 37 degrees, ascended a granite hill, on which we
+found a few shallow pools of rainwater; then north till 4.0 p.m., and
+bivouacked in a grassy patch with a small hollow containing a little
+muddy water.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 30 minutes 46 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 51
+minutes.
+
+30th August.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.35 a.m., steering north over a level country
+with patches of brushwood and grass; at 10.35 ascended a steep grassy
+ridge, and found ourselves at the north-east extremity of the immense
+salt lake which for five days had baffled our attempts to proceed north.
+The lake, which was named Lake Moore, was at this part about five miles
+wide, and extended to the horizon to the south-west; to the north and
+west there were many bare granite hills; changing the course to 328
+degrees, at 12.55 p.m. camped at a grassy granite hill.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 17 minutes 56 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 47
+minutes.
+
+31st August.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. steered 328 degrees for two hours through thickets of
+acacia, cypress, and gum; then entered a grassy country with jam-wattle;
+at 10.35 passed a granite hill and altered the course to 357 degrees, and
+at 11.30 ascended a high granite hill, from which many similar hills were
+visible to the north and east, and a remarkable range of trap hills about
+thirty miles to the north-north-east; also some smaller trap ranges to
+the north-west, from ten to thirty miles distant. At noon steered 302
+degrees towards the nearest of these ranges, traversing a level plain
+with brushwood and grass; at 4.45 crossed a small dry watercourse
+trending west, and at 5.5 bivouacked on a granite hill, with some grass
+and a fine pool of rainwater in a hollow of the rock.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 3 minutes 14 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 31
+minutes.
+
+1st September.
+
+Resumed our route at 7.45 a.m.; at 8.45 reached the hills we had been
+steering for; from the summit there was an extensive view: to the north
+and west were many trap hills and several dry salt lakes; to the north
+the country was level for several miles, and then rose into a low range
+of granite hills, covered with brushwood and grass; at 9.20 steered 230
+degrees over level country with dense thickets of acacia; at noon the
+country became more open; at 1.0 passed some small dry salt lagoons, the
+country more open and with some grass, and at 3.0 camped at the foot of a
+granite hill, with good grass and some water oozing out of a cleft in the
+rock.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 50 minutes 44 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 20
+minutes.
+
+2nd September.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 7.40 a.m., steered 330 degrees over a succession
+of grassy granite hills, with small watercourse trending to the west; at
+12.40 p.m. came on a party of four aboriginals, who hastily decamped,
+leaving their spears and shields behind in the hurry of retreat; they
+appeared to be of rather small stature, and somewhat darker in colour
+than the blacks near the Swan River. Observing a remarkable hill bearing
+312 degrees about twenty miles distant, steered for it; the country
+became more level, with grass and brushwood; at 3.5 turned north to a
+steep granite hill, crossing a dry watercourse thirty yards wide and
+sixteen feet deep trending north-west; at 4.40 halted in a gully in the
+granite range, and obtained water by digging among the rocks.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 34 minutes 9 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 2
+minutes.
+
+3rd September.
+
+Started at 8.0 a.m., steering towards the hill seen yesterday, and which
+now bore 307 degrees. The country was nearly a dead level, with a few
+small dry watercourses trending south-west; the soil a red loam,
+producing some grass and small acacias; at 10.50 came on an extensive
+flat covered with salicornia, which extended to the base of the hill, the
+summit of which was reached at 12.25 p.m.; from this position the flat or
+marsh appeared to extend fifteen miles to the north-east, a branch also
+to the north-west, in which direction the water seemed to trend, though
+the dip of the country, if any, was so slight as to render it uncertain.
+To the north a range of trap hills, five to ten miles distant,
+intercepted the view. Having completed observations at 2.10, steered 300
+degrees along the foot of a range of trap hills; at 3.50 passed a dry
+salt lake on our right, and at 5.15 bivouacked on the side of a trap
+hill, among some fine oat-grass growing on calcareous tufa. From the
+summit of the hill we could see salt marshes continuing in a north-west
+direction for many miles; all the hills within twenty miles were of a
+trap formation, and therefore gave no prospect of obtaining water, the
+soil being loose and the rock full of fissures; hitherto we seldom had
+found water except on or near granite rocks, which serve to collect the
+rainwater of even slight showers.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 24 minutes 20 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 42
+minutes.
+
+SCARCITY OF WATER. TURN TO THE WEST.
+
+4th September.
+
+As the horses had been twenty-four hours without water, and there was no
+prospect of obtaining any to the north or west, no rain having fallen for
+the past month, it was deemed advisable to return to the last bivouac,
+and then, by a westerly course, attempt to make the sources of the Hutt
+or Arrowsmith rivers, the mouths of which had been discovered by Captain
+Grey on the coast opposite our position. Accordingly, after six hours'
+ride, we got back to the well at the bivouac of the 2nd.
+
+5th September.
+
+At 7.50 a.m. left the bivouac, and, steering 240 degrees, at 8.15 crossed
+the dry watercourse trending west; at 11.0 ascended the ridge bounding
+the valley; at noon found a small pool of water in a gully descending to
+the westward; after this traversed a continuous thicket of acacia with
+narrow strips of cypress forest, and bivouacked at 5.50 without water.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 47 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 41
+minutes.
+
+6th September.
+
+At 6.45 a.m., proceeding west, ascended a granite hill, near the top of
+which we found a native well, where we halted at 7.30. Having watered the
+horses and breakfasted, at 9.30 resumed our journey over granite hills,
+covered with brushwood and cypress with a few grassy patches; at 11.10
+passed a native well; altered the course to west-south-west, crossing
+three small watercourses trending north-west; and at 1.15 p.m. halted at
+the foot of a bare granite hill, on the top of which there was a fine
+pool of rainwater in a shallow basin of the rock.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 50 minutes 51 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 29
+minutes.
+
+7th September.
+
+Started at 7.15 a.m. on a course 255 degrees through acacia thickets; at
+10.5 crossed a narrow strip of salt marsh, which spread out into dry salt
+lakes to the south; after this the country was grassy till 11.30, when we
+entered a dense thicket of acacia, melaleuca, cypress, and eucalypti, the
+ground gradually rising till 4.0 p.m., and then descending till 5.25,
+when we crossed a small dry watercourse trending south; at 6.10
+bivouacked in a gum forest without water or grass, though a large flight
+of white cockatoos which roosted near seemed to indicate that water was
+not far distant.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 58 minutes 14 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 6
+minutes.
+
+8th September.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 7.0 am steered west; at 7.20 came to a grassy
+granite hill, then west-north-west to another hill, where we halted for
+half an hour to look for water, but being unsuccessful, again resumed a
+westerly course through acacia thickets, alternating with grassy gum
+forest, till noon, when the soil changed from a red loam to ironstone
+gravel; grass disappeared and was replaced by scrub; the country was much
+broken and continued to rise till 4.0 p.m., when it began to descend
+rapidly till 4.30, when we came to a small watercourse trending south;
+following it down for half a mile, found a small pool of water and some
+grass, and halted for the night, this being the only water seen for
+nearly fifty miles.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 58 minutes 50 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 45
+minutes.
+
+DISCOVER TWO SEAMS OF COAL.
+
+9th September.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. resumed a westerly course through grassy gum forest; at 8.0
+a.m. crossed a large watercourse trending south, with many shallow pools
+of water; the country then became scrubby; at 9.10 crossed a granite
+ridge and entered a rich grassy valley timbered with eucalypti and
+raspberry-jam wattle, a small watercourse trending north. The ridge on
+the west side of the valley was destitute of timber, but covered with
+dense wattle brush; at 10.0 a.m. altered the course to 305 degrees, and
+at 10.35 came on the head of a small stream-bed with pools of water;
+following it west-north-west, at 11.30 it was joined by a running stream
+four yards wide, the water being brackish, and trended to the south-west;
+left it and steered west over an open scrubby country; at 12.30 p.m.
+entered a dense thicket of eucalypti and acacia, the soil being formed of
+fragments of granite and trap; at 1.0 p.m. entered a deep valley by an
+abrupt descent, and found ourselves once more on the banks of the
+brackish stream, which was much enlarged, and running through a narrow
+grassy flat backed by high sandstone cliffs from 80 to 100 feet high.
+Continuing our course along the river west till 1.55 p.m., when it turned
+north, and at 2.20 p.m. north-west; at 3.0 p.m. the banks of the stream
+became very high, and stratified in a remarkable manner, the lower rocks
+in thin beds dipping to the east, while the superincumbent rocks of red
+sandstone were horizontal. We therefore entered the bed of the river to
+examine it, and found two seams of coal--one five feet thick and the
+other about six feet thick--between beds of sandstone and shale. Having
+pitched the tent and tethered the horses, we commenced to collect
+specimens of the various strata, and succeeded in cutting out five or six
+hundredweight of coal with the tomahawk, and in a short time had the
+satisfaction of seeing the first fire of Western Australian coal burning
+cheerfully in front of the camp, this being the first discovery of coal
+in the western part of the Continent.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 57 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 30
+minutes.
+
+10th September.
+
+At 7.20 a.m. left the camp and followed the river downwards on a general
+course 250 degrees; at 7.40 crossed to the left bank, the valley opening
+out and the soil improving, being formed by the decomposition of soft
+shales, which contain much gypsum in fine crystals. Oat and rye grasses
+were abundant, with plenty of saltbush; at 9.10 crossed to the right
+bank, and steered 220 degrees to an abrupt headland on the north side of
+the valley, which was here about two miles wide; the soil a stiff brown
+loam, with rounded fragments of granite, flinty trap, and quartz,
+resembling in appearance the French millstone burr; the grass improved,
+being chiefly of perennial species. After a halt of twenty minutes to
+take bearings from the hill, at 9.40 steered 200 degrees, and again
+crossed the river at 11.15, and altered the course to 235 degrees; the
+grassy country having a breadth of two miles. At noon ascended a sandy
+ridge with a few gum-trees on the top; there the valley closed in, the
+grassy flats below being only half a mile wide and backed by extensive
+elevated sandy downs, covered with heath and short scrub. The course of
+the river was about 230 degrees. At 1.35 p.m. ascended a remarkable red
+sandstone hill, with a table summit and steep rocks on all sides nearly
+blocking up the valley; at 2.15 p.m. resumed a general course of 242
+degrees along the bank of the river, and at 4.5 bivouacked in a rich
+grassy flat thinly timbered with white-barked eucalyptus.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 10 minutes 42 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 15
+minutes.
+
+REACH THE SEA-COAST.
+
+11th September.
+
+Started at 7.40 a.m., and, steering 240 degrees, crossed the river, left
+the grassy flats, and entered the sandy downs; at 8.45 ascended a steep
+sandstone cliff, and from the top had a distant view of the sea; the
+river about one and a half miles to the south, where a large branch
+joined it from the east about two miles below the bivouac. At 9.35
+steered 267 degrees over open sandy downs, and at 10.35 struck the river,
+running north through beautiful grassy flats timbered with York and
+white-gums and wattles; there were many fine pools of water, which
+appeared to be permanent. After an unsuccessful attempt to cross the
+river, followed it northerly till 11.0; then west-north-west till 11.20,
+and then west-south-west till 11.45, when we found a practicable crossing
+to the left bank, and, steering west by south, ascended a sandy limestone
+ridge; then on a west-south-west course followed the valley of the river
+down to its mouth, which was reached at 3.40 p.m. The entrance of the
+river was choked up with sand and rocks, and not passable for even small
+boats. This river appears to be the Irwin River of Captain Grey, as this
+spot is only one and a half miles to the south of the position assigned
+to it on Arrowsmith's map of this part of the coast. At 4.30 left the
+beach and retraced our steps to where we crossed the river at 1.30, and
+bivouacked at 5.50.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 15 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 114 degrees 59
+minutes.
+
+12th September.
+
+At 7.50 a.m. resumed our journey up the river, steering north-east till
+8.25; then east along the north bank, through rich grassy flats timbered
+with York gum. At 10.20 left the river and entered the sandy downs; at
+10.30 crossed a small stream with some fine springs; at 11.0 changed the
+course to east by south; at noon altered the course to 83 degrees,
+crossing the river at 12.50 p.m., where it is joined by the east branch,
+which is of equal size with the northern one; followed the east branch up
+through wide grassy flats till 2.0, and camped.
+
+The country consists of elevated sandy downs covered with heathy bushes
+and a few small banksia trees, it being only on the alluvial flats of the
+river that there is any grass or good soil. Large flocks of
+cockatoos--white, black with white tails, and black with red tails--came
+to water near the camp; some were shot, also a turkey, the flesh of which
+was extremely bitter and scarcely eatable. Several kangaroos were seen on
+the sandy downs.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 11 minutes 20 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 18
+minutes.
+
+13th September.
+
+At 7.55 a.m. left the Irwin River and steered a course 160 degrees, over
+open sandy downs of considerable elevation; at 11.45 halted for half an
+hour and shot a kangaroo, which proved a welcome addition to the
+commissariat; at 1.30 p.m. changed the course to 142 degrees, and at 2.30
+came to a running stream three yards wide. This we assumed to be the
+Arrowsmith River of Captain Grey, and as there was little prospect of
+finding water farther on, we bivouacked, though there was only a little
+grass close to the bank of the stream and the rest of the country covered
+with short scrub.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 27 minutes 9 seconds.
+
+14th September.
+
+Left the bivouac at 8.35 a.m., and steered 160 degrees over sandy downs
+with ridges of red sandstone till 3.0 p.m., when the course was altered
+to 220 degrees, following down a shallow valley; at 4.0 turned
+west-south-west, and at 5.15 bivouacked in a swampy spot with some grass;
+obtaining water by digging in the sand.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 48 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 32
+minutes.
+
+15th September.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 8.0 a.m., steered 214 degrees over scrubby country
+with patches of gum forest; at 9.0 turned to 160 degrees, crossed a
+country of sand and ironstone of considerable elevation; at 3.30 p.m.
+altered the course to 170 degrees, and followed down a scrubby valley
+till 5.0; then 115 degrees for half an hour, and came to a native well in
+a patch of York gum-trees, where we camped. The last three hours our
+progress was scarcely six miles, as one of the horses knocked up.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 10 minutes; longitude 115 degrees 39 minutes.
+
+STEER SOUTH OVER SANDY DOWNS.
+
+16th September.
+
+As there was no grass for the horses, we were compelled to push on our
+journey, and at 7.20 a.m. steered 160 degrees; the country was more
+broken up by valleys, the soil sand and ironstone, with heathy scrub,
+banksia, and grass trees (xanthorrhoea) with a few patches of white-gum
+forest; at 10.30 steered 138 degrees towards a high summit, distant
+twelve miles. The horse again knocked up, but by relieving him of his
+load, which was transferred to the other horses, succeeded in driving him
+a few miles further. At 2.20 p.m. changed the course to 180 degrees, and
+entered a level sandy piece of country, bounded on all sides by hills; at
+3.40 altered the course to south-west; at 5.0 had to abandon the weak
+horse and continue our route in search of water; at 5.30 passed a small
+salt lake with a little grass on the margin; at 6.0, finding the country
+getting worse, returned to the salt lake and camped on the western side.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 27 minutes 19 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 47
+minutes.
+
+17th September.
+
+After digging in about twenty different places around the lake, at length
+found fresh water, and then went back for the knocked-up horse, and with
+some difficulty got him to the well, where we decided to rest the horses
+this and the following day, before encountering the inhospitable sandy
+region to the southwards.
+
+18th September.
+
+One of the party made a short excursion to the west of the plain, and in
+about three miles reached the hills, which appeared very barren and
+scrubby; but after crossing the first ridge, the country was timbered
+with York and red gum and a large species of acacia, producing abundance
+of gum; the soil a red loam, producing some grass and abundance of the
+everlasting flowers and warran, or native yam. After penetrating this
+good country four miles returned to the camp, having shot a kangaroo and
+ten cockatoos.
+
+19th September.
+
+Leaving the camp at 8.5 a.m., steered 160 degrees, and soon ascended the
+sandy downs, which were destitute of trees, except a few banksia and
+floribunda; at 11.45 crossed a valley trending to the west; at 1.15 p.m.
+observed a range of wooded hills to the east and south; altered the
+course towards a remarkable gorge which bore 129 degrees; at 3.30 entered
+a gum forest, and at 3.50 came to a large stream-bed with many pools of
+water; followed it down south, and camped at 4.20.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 42 minutes 39 seconds; longitude 116 degrees.
+
+REACH THE MOORE RIVER.
+
+20th September.
+
+Crossed the watercourse, which seemed to be a branch of the Moore River,
+and steered 163 degrees from 7.30 a.m. till 8.20, when the country
+improved, with grassy hills and brown loam, with fragments of granite and
+trap rock; the timber York-gum and jam-wattle. This description of
+country continued till 12.15 p.m., when scrub again prevailed on
+ironstone hills timbered with white-gum; at 2.20 entered a valley of
+better character, with quartz and granite rocks. After crossing several
+rocky ridges, at 3.20 reached the main branch of the Moore River, which
+we crossed, and camped. This was the first place where the poisonous
+gastrolobium was observed.
+
+Latitude 31 degrees 39 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 13 minutes.
+
+21st September.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. followed the river upwards on a bearing of 130 degrees; at
+8.0 passed a deserted sheep-station, the river coming from the north;
+continued our course over broken ironstone ridges, timbered with
+white-gum; at 10.0 the country became more level and sandy, and at 11.45
+struck the road from Toodyay to Victoria Plains; followed the road
+southerly till 4.5 p.m., and camped at a small spring.
+
+Latitude 31 degrees 14 minutes 19 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 34
+minutes.
+
+CAPTAIN GREY'S REPORT OF GOOD COUNTRY CONFIRMED.
+
+22nd September.
+
+This morning an hour's ride brought us to Bolgart Spring, after an
+absence of forty-seven days, during which we had travelled 953 miles,
+traversing three degrees of latitude and nearly four and a half of
+longitude.
+
+The discovery of coal and country available for settlement on the coast
+to the north of Swan River was deemed to be of such importance that the
+Government dispatched Lieutenant Helpman in the colonial schooner
+Champion to procure a sufficient quantity of the coal to admit of its
+being practically tested as to quality, and also to ascertain what
+facilities existed for its conveyance to a port for shipment. A volunteer
+party, consisting of Lieutenant Irby, Dr. Meekleham, Messrs. Gregory and
+Hazlewood, accompanied Lieutenant Helpman to Champion Bay, now the site
+of Geraldton, and thence by land to the coal-seam on the Irwin River, a
+distance of ninety miles, and brought down about half a ton of coal to
+the vessel. This coal, though of fair quality and suitable for steam
+purposes, proved, however, to be so remote from any suitable port for
+shipment that it has hitherto not been available for commercial purposes.
+
+The primary object of the voyage having been attained, it was considered
+desirable to avail of the opportunity to examine the country to the
+northward and ascertain its capabilities for settlement; for though
+Captain, now Sir George Grey, had seen some good country on his journey
+along the coast from Gantheaume Bay to Swan River, in 1839, Captain
+Stokes, who landed from the Beagle subsequently and ascended Wizard Peak
+about twelve miles inland, had distinctly negatived the existence of any
+country capable of occupation, though, as an illustration of the
+difficulty of ascertaining the real capabilities of country by partial
+and hurried inspection, it may be observed that this has since become one
+of the most prosperous districts of Western Australia in regard to its
+pastoral, agricultural, and mining industries.
+
+For the purpose of making this examination of the country, Messrs. A.C.
+Gregory, H.C. Gregory, and Lieutenant Irby, taking three horses and three
+days' provisions, left Champion Bay on the 20th December, the following
+being a copy of the journal:--
+
+20th December, 1846.
+
+At 6.20 a.m. left the bivouac and followed the shore of Champion Bay
+about a mile northerly; then steered 87 degrees over a scrubby country;
+at 7.20 crossed the Chapman River; and at 8.0, being a quarter of a mile
+north from Mount Fairfax, altered the course to 66 degrees, the country
+being thinly covered with wattle scrub and some grass; at 8.45 crossed a
+large branch of the Chapman with several small pools of water in the bed;
+the country beyond was more scrubby and the soil gravelly; at 9.0 changed
+the course to 18 degrees, and at 9.20 again crossed the Chapman River
+just below a pool of apparently permanent water; at 9.50 crossed a
+granite ridge, beyond which the country improved, with many large patches
+of grass to the eastward; at 10.20 ascended a high flat-topped hill of
+red sandstone resting on granite, which proved to be the eastern point of
+Moresby's Flat-topped Range. From this hill Mount Fairfax and Wizard Hill
+were visible to the east; grassy hills rose gradually from the Chapman
+River for seven or eight miles; steering 10 degrees over grassy country,
+the soil was composed of detritus of granite and trap rocks; at 11.0 came
+on a large party of natives, some of whom accompanied us for about a
+mile, pointing out places where we should find water. At noon turned to
+the north-east and entered an extensive valley with some patches of
+grass, but not generally of a good character; at 12.30 p.m. crossed a
+small watercourse trending west; followed it about half a mile, and then
+steered north-west over scrubby flats till 1.0, when we struck a small
+stream-bed with small pools of water, and halted till 1.20, and then
+followed up the stream to the north till 3.0, when we bivouacked.
+
+21st December.
+
+At 6.35 a.m. steered north over a hilly country with scrub, grass,
+York-gum, and wattle--the prevailing rocks red sandstone, quartz, and
+granite; at 8.30 crossed a stream-bed with pools of brackish water
+trending east, and at 8.50 entered a good grassy country which appeared
+to extend ten to twelve miles to the east and north--clumps of York-gum,
+jam-wattle, and sandalwood were observed on some of the hills. After
+crossing several small watercourses, at 9.45 ascended an elevated sandy
+tableland covered with coarse scrub; and at 10.35, not seeing any
+prospect of better country, changed the course to west, and following
+down a deep gully, at 11.7 came to a small pool of salt water; following
+the watercourse south-south-west, at 11.25 came to a small hole dug by
+the natives, in which the water was fresh, though the pools above and
+below were salt. Halting till nearly 1.0 p.m., resumed a westerly course,
+crossing several deep grassy valleys trending south; at 1.35 steered 211
+degrees over a hilly, quartz, and granite country with very good grass;
+at 2.30 again came on the stream-bed, the country improved and
+well-grassed, with scattered jam and black wattle trees as far as the
+country was visible; at 3.50 the stream was joined by a branch from the
+east, and following it to the west-north-west till 5.0, bivouacked in the
+bed of the stream, water being obtained by digging in the sand.
+
+22nd December.
+
+At 6.35 a.m. steered 220 degrees over a fine grassy country; at 7.0
+ascended a small ironstone hill, from which we observed a deep valley
+trending to the south-west; to the north and west the country was open
+and grassy for twelve miles, presenting at one view fifty or sixty
+thousand acres of fine sheep pasture. Continuing a south-west course over
+granite country with some good grass, but not equal to that seen the
+previous day, at 8.0 crossed a small stream-bed, which we assumed to be
+the Bowes River of Captain Grey; we ascended steep limestone hills on the
+west bank, and from the summit observed the large white sand patch on
+Point Moore bearing 170 degrees; turning south three-quarters of a mile,
+crossed the Bowes River at its mouth, which was choked up with sand; we
+then steered south-east with the intention of following Captain Grey's
+route to Champion Bay; but, after traversing sandy downs with limestone
+rocks for four miles, one of the horses became so footsore that we
+descended a deep ravine to the sea-beach, which was followed southerly,
+and after crossing the dry mouth of the Buller and Chapman Rivers,
+reached the landing place in Champion Bay at 1.10 p.m.
+
+On the 23rd the party and horses were shipped on board the Champion and
+reached Fremantle on the 28th.
+
+***
+
+
+THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY.
+
+1848.
+
+As the stock belonging to the settlers on the Swan River had increased to
+the full extent of the pastoral capabilities of the known available
+country, it became of pressing importance to push forward the exploration
+of the Colony of West Australia, and accordingly, in 1848 the
+Surveyor-General, Captain Roe, conducted an expedition to the south-east
+of Swan River, while the settlers organised one to proceed to the north,
+and made application to the Government to grant the services of Mr.
+Assistant-Surveyor A.C. Gregory as the leader of the party.
+
+THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY.
+
+We could not do justice to the enterprise and exertions of the gentlemen
+who discovered the new tract of good land to the northward in any other
+way than by giving Mr. Augustus Gregory's Journal entire:--
+
+INSTRUCTIONS TO LEADER OF THE EXPEDITION AND ITS OBJECTS.
+
+Colonial Secretary's Office,
+
+Perth, August 28, 1848.
+
+SIR,
+
+I am directed by the Governor to inform you that you have been appointed
+to direct the exploring expedition about to proceed northwards on account
+of the zeal, energy, and enterprising spirit that have been exhibited by
+you on other occasions, and called into action with credit to yourself
+and advantage to the public interests. The party under your direction, it
+is intended, should proceed northward as high as the Gascoyne River. (The
+Gascoyne River flows into Shark Bay, in latitude 24 degrees 52 minutes
+South.) It is advisable to approach that river from the eastward, about
+100 miles from the coast, after proceeding in a north-easterly and
+northerly direction from the country abreast of Champion Bay, it being
+desirable that part of your route which lies farthest in the interior
+country should be first accomplished, in order to avail yourself of the
+best chance of finding water.
+
+You will examine that river as far as it may be practicable to do, with
+the view of tracing its course; of ascertaining, if possible, the nature
+of the bar at the mouth of it, and the question of its being practicable
+for boats, to what distance from the bar, and the nature of the soil in
+the vicinity of either bank.
+
+After having examined thus the Gascoyne River you will proceed in a
+southerly direction and examine the river, as yet unnamed, about forty
+miles farther south, that flows into Shark's Bay, the mouth of which was
+seen by Captain Grey, and is placed by him at Point Long.
+
+Should you proceed along the sea-shore for any distance you will pay as
+much attention as your limited means will allow you to do to the
+peculiarities of the coast, and of any estuaries, creeks, or roadsteads
+that may present themselves.
+
+You will bear in mind that the primary object of this expedition is the
+examination of a new tract of unknown country for practical purposes, by
+practical men--that, in fact, the discovery of new land of an available
+kind for pasture has become a thing to be desired, of paramount
+importance, and an object in the attainment of which the interests and
+perhaps the fate of this colony depend.
+
+You will thus conduct your expedition with the view of promoting this
+principal object to the best of your ability. But it is hardly needful to
+observe to you that this chief object may be promoted and attained
+without neglecting to observe the geographical, geological, and
+mineralogical features of the country you pass through; its
+productions--animal and vegetable; and the character, dialects, and
+customs, to some extent, of the aboriginal tribes you may fall in with.
+You have been so frequently employed in exploring expeditions, though of
+minor importance perhaps to the present, that you must be well aware it
+is no less impolitic than cruel to come into actual collision, wantonly,
+unadvisedly, and maliciously, with the natives; and, on the contrary,
+that it is no less humane than politic to leave no angry recollections of
+white people, where the footsteps of travellers, however few and far
+between, must be expected to follow yours.
+
+Should your route, either in proceeding on the expedition or returning,
+be in the direction of that part of the Irwin River where for the
+discovery of coal the colony is indebted to yourself and brothers, it
+would be desirable that you should devote a short time to the examination
+of the locality where it was first found; to excavation, to some moderate
+extent, in the vicinity of the veins of coal of most promise; and, above
+all, to the ascertainment of the fact if coal crops out, or if there be
+in the soil any indications of it between the place where the mine was
+discovered by you in 1846 and the seashore, in that intervening space of
+about thirty-eight or forty miles, or to the northward of it in the
+direction of Shark's Bay, where Dr. von Somner thought the coal-seam of
+the Irwin might again make its appearance.
+
+In the event of accident, occasioning loss of provisions and beasts of
+burden, and a necessity arising for a prompt return to the settled
+districts, you will bear in mind the causes of impediment on the march
+which proved so disastrous to Captain Grey's party on its return from
+Gantheaume Bay; the want of vigilance at night manifested in another
+expedition in the murder of Lieutenant Eyre's European companion; and the
+want of caution, forgetfulness of the nature of barbarians, and the
+facilities for ambush afforded by a wilderness of trees and jungle, that
+have led to injuries fatal to life, as in the case of Mr. Cunningham in
+Sir Thomas Mitchell's expedition, and of two of his companions at another
+time; and in some instances, as in those of Captain Stokes and Captain
+Grey, that have led to results all but fatal to the explorers and their
+expeditions; injuries suddenly and unexpectedly inflicted on individuals
+straggling from the main body of their party, or venturing considerable
+distances in advance of it.
+
+You are to bear in mind that it might be of some advantage throughout
+your expedition to keep a register of the depths at which water has been
+found by you, and of those depths to which you have penetrated in vain
+for it.
+
+It will be requisite that you should ascertain the course of rivers of
+any magnitude, and direction of chains of high land, that you may meet
+with, and follow the same to some extent--at least wherever appearances
+may lead you to expect improvement of soil, a richer country, or one
+indicating mineral productions.
+
+In the event of occurrences of unexpected disasters, impediments, and
+unavoidable accidents, arising from loss of provisions or of horses, or
+of any injury to the health or strength of the party, rendering it
+utterly impracticable for the expedition to proceed as high northward as
+Gascoyne River, your discretion then supplying whatever you may be
+unprovided for in your instructions, you will explore as far as it is
+possible for you to do, on your return, the country north of the settled
+districts of York and Toodyay; so that something of utility may be
+accomplished, and the great object for which this expedition was prepared
+may not be wholly frustrated.
+
+I am further to add that His Excellency's best wishes accompany your
+party, and that the success of the expedition, and the return of all
+engaged in it in health and safety, will be hailed by him with very
+lively satisfaction.
+
+I have the honour to be, Sir,
+
+Your obedient servant,
+
+R.R. MADDEN,
+
+Colonial Secretary.
+
+To A.C. Gregory, Esquire, Perth.
+
+...
+
+GENERAL REPORT OF JOURNEY.
+
+Perth, November 20, 1848.
+
+SIR,
+
+I have the honour to transmit, for the information of His Excellency the
+Governor, the following outline of the proceedings of the exploring party
+to the northward which His Excellency has been pleased to place under my
+direction. I regret that we have not succeeded in reaching the Gascoyne
+River, which your instructions for my guidance pointed out as the
+ultimate object of the expedition; but I trust that our attempts to
+render the expedition serviceable to the colony have not proved
+unsuccessful, especially as the result has been the discovery of several
+fine portions of good grassy land near Champion Bay, which, with the more
+minute examination of the country in the vicinity which had been
+previously discovered, will render available a tract of pasturage
+sufficiently extensive to relieve the present overstocked districts; the
+estimated quantity of land suitable for depasturing sheep being about
+225,000 acres, exclusive of 100,000 acres on the Irwin, the greater
+portion of which, however, is better suited to agricultural purposes. The
+observations I have had the opportunity of making during this journey
+have confirmed my previous opinion, that, could the party have started in
+July instead of September, the chief obstacle to our progress--the want
+of water--might have been avoided; and although there would have been
+many minor difficulties to encounter, I feel assured that the same zeal
+and energy which enabled my party to contend so long with the obstacles
+which opposed their advance to the Gascoyne River, would have ensured
+their success in a more favourable season. The gentlemen who formed my
+party have my sincere thanks for their prompt and energetic co-operation
+on all occasions; nor can I omit to mention the cheerful and trustworthy
+conduct of private W. King of the 96th regiment. For minute details I beg
+to refer my journal and the plans of my route, which I am plotting.
+
+I have the honour to be, Sir,
+
+Your obedient servant,
+
+A.C. Gregory,
+
+Assistant-Surveyor.
+
+The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, etc.
+
+...
+
+JOURNAL.
+
+LEAVE THE SETTLED DISTRICTS. STAMPEDE OF HORSES.
+
+2nd September, 1848.
+
+Started for Toodyay, with Mr. C.F. Gregory and five horses for the
+expedition to Shark's Bay; bivouacked at Worrilloo.
+
+3rd September.
+
+Proceeded to Toodyay, where Messrs. L. Burges, J. Walcott, and A. Bedart
+joined on the 4th, bringing six horses with them. Having had the horses
+shod at Ferguson's, we continued our journey to Mr. Lefroy's station,
+near Bebano, which we reached on the 7th. The following day the cart,
+with our provisions, etc., arrived, accompanied by private W. King.
+Having obtained another horse from Mr. Lefroy, on the 9th we left
+Welbing, with ten pack and two riding horses, carrying three months'
+provisions, etc. Steering north by west for the first twenty miles,
+generally grassy, we entered the extensive sandy plains which occupy
+almost the whole country between the Moore and Irwin rivers. The rainy
+season having scarcely ended, we found both water and grass for our
+horses every night; and, not meeting with any serious impediments, we
+reached the upper part of the Arrowsmith Brook on the 13th. Here the
+country improved, and the valleys, in which the stream takes its rise,
+were estimated to contain about 10,000 acres of tolerable sheep pasture.
+Early the ensuing day we entered the Irwin Plains; crossing the eastern
+branches of the river, we encamped, on the 15th, on the northern branch,
+three-quarters of a mile below the spot where the coal was first
+discovered. The Irwin Plains presented a beautiful aspect, being covered
+with rich grass and vegetation; the soil is generally good; but most of
+the grasses being of the annual species, would not afford good pasturage
+in the summer, and in consequence they are better suited for agriculture,
+while the open character of the country would render clearing for the
+plough a matter of little expense. While dinner was preparing, the
+horses, being herded, suddenly started off at full speed, in consequence
+of a large stone rolled down by one of the party in ascending the hill.
+Two of the remaining horses were immediately saddled, and Mr. Burges and
+myself started to catch them; in about a mile we came up with them at the
+foot of an almost perpendicular cliff; on seeing us they started off, and
+scrambling up the rocks like goats, left us far behind; we did not
+overtake them for several miles, when with some difficulty we captured
+one, but had the mortification of losing one of the saddled horses in
+exchange. Leaving the captured horse in charge of Mr. Burges, I followed
+the rest; caught another after a smart ride of three miles, but it was
+not till I reached the East Irwin that I could again overtake the rest,
+when, favoured by the steep bank of the stream, I succeeded in securing
+our truant steeds. It was now dark, and being unable to manage nine
+horses by myself, I tethered several of the wildest, and started with two
+of the best for the encampment ten miles distant, which, owing to the
+nature of the country, I did not reach till midnight. Mr. Burges had
+arrived about an hour previous with the horse first caught. Light showers
+in the morning.
+
+16th September.
+
+Messrs. Bedart, C. Gregory, and J. Walcott started to bring in the
+horses; the rest of the party was employed in repairing damages of the
+harness, and at 3.0 p.m. the party returned with the horses. Slight
+showers in the morning.
+
+17th September (Sunday).
+
+Light clouds from the south-west; thunder; rain in the evening. Read
+prayers.
+
+18th September.
+
+Left the bivouac at 8.15 a.m., and followed upwards the main branch of
+the Irwin to the north-north-east, through a steep and rocky valley, the
+sandstone hills in some parts approaching the river, so as to render it
+necessary to cross frequently with the pack-horses. The very level
+character of the summits of these hills gives the country the appearance
+of having been once a plain, through which the valley of the stream has
+since been worn by the action of water; the upper stratum is a hard red
+sandstone, resting on a softer rock of a sandy or clayey character,
+beneath which the shales and rocks belonging to the coal formation show
+themselves, lying in unconformable beds, and often at a very high angle.
+At 9.25 the stream divided into two branches, that to the east being the
+most considerable; at this spot the sandstone ceased, and we commenced
+ascending the granite range, the direction of which was about
+north-north-west. The soil was poor and stony, producing a little feed
+for stock; but it could scarcely be made available, as the country is
+completely covered with thickets of acacia of small growth. At 4 p.m.
+bivouacked on a small watercourse running through a level grassy flat,
+bounded on both sides by thickets of wattle.
+
+SCRUBBY COUNTRY NORTH FROM THE IRWIN RIVER.
+
+19th September.
+
+At 8.15 a.m. steered a nearly north course, through a country of the same
+description as yesterday; crossed several small gullies trending west, in
+some of which a little water still remained; at 4.20 p.m. halted for the
+night at a brackish pool in a small gully trending west.
+
+20th September.
+
+Started at 8.0 a.m., continuing a northerly course, over a similar
+description of country as during the past two days, crossing three large
+gullies coming from the eastward, but apparently near their source. At
+3.45 halted on a large stream-bed, with a few brackish or rather salt
+pools in its sandy channel, which was in some places nearly 100 yards
+wide; from our encampment we observed a very remarkable peaked hill,
+distant about twenty miles, and from its outline conjectured it to be
+composed of the same vein of trap-rock as that which forms similar ranges
+further to the eastward.
+
+21st September.
+
+The scarcity of water and the very level appearance of the country to the
+northward of our bivouac, added to the general denseness of the thicket
+of acacia and cypress, rendering a continuance of a north course
+unadvisable, we steered north-west from 8.30 a.m. till noon, when we
+ascended a scrubby sand ridge, from which we had an extensive view;
+neither hill nor valley could be discovered to the north, east, or
+west--nothing but one immense sea of dense thicket of acacia and cypress
+was visible in these directions; the course was therefore changed to
+west, and continuing it without much alteration over a succession of low
+ridges of drifted sand, the valleys being filled with dense thickets,
+until 6.20 p.m., when the approach of night compelled us to bivouac in a
+small patch of gum forest, which also afforded a few scattered tufts of
+grass for our horses. Although this was the lowest spot passed in a
+distance of more than ten miles, it was so completely dried up and
+parched that a search for water was fruitless, even by digging; the
+scanty allowance of very brackish water in our kegs was therefore much
+relished by the party.
+
+22nd September.
+
+The night having been cloudy, and a strong breeze preventing any dew, our
+horses were not much refreshed; we, however, started at 7.45 a.m., and
+steering nearly west till 3.15 p.m. through a succession of dense
+thickets, high scrubs, and thorny bushes, we entered open sandy downs,
+and changed the course to south-west, with the intention of making the
+Hutt River, should we not find any water nearer, when, almost hopeless of
+procuring this essential element before the next day, we unexpectedly
+came to a native well in the centre of the sandy plain; here we
+bivouacked at 5.40, but, from the loose sandy soil in which the well was
+dug, we could not obtain more than about two and a half gallons of water
+for each horse, the sides of the well continually falling in. Strong
+breeze from the north-west, and several light showers in the evening and
+night.
+
+23rd September.
+
+Having completed watering the horses, we left the well at 9.30 a.m., and
+steering about north-west over undulating sandy downs, covered with
+coarse scrub and patches of dense thickets, at 2.15 p.m. entered a small
+gully trending north-west. The country improved, but was so thickly
+clothed with wattles as to render travelling difficult; a few patches of
+grass were seen in some small watercourses, in which a little water
+remained. At 4.40 bivouacked on a large gully trending northwards, with
+several small pools of water in a rocky bed of gneiss, containing
+numerous small garnets. Strong breeze from the north-west and slight
+showers.
+
+24th September (Sunday).
+
+Although the feed for the horses was not very abundant, yet the long
+marches they had encountered the last few days made it expedient to give
+them a day's rest to recruit their weary limbs. Read prayers. Strong
+breeze from the north-west and slight showers during the day.
+
+ENTER THE VALLEY OF THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+25th September.
+
+Started at 8.27 a.m.; passed over poor stony hills of granite formation
+and producing a little grass in tufts--the wattles growing so close
+together as to render travelling difficult and tedious. At 10.45 came on
+a large stream-bed, which had scarcely ceased to run; the channel was
+fifty yards wide, the bed steep and rocky, and, where crossed, ran over a
+dyke of trap-rock, the water slightly brackish and in long shallow pools,
+with samphire on the banks. This stream must be the Murchison River, as
+no other was passed for 30 miles to the northward; the effects of violent
+floods were visible, but it did not bear the character of a stream rising
+at any great distance inland, nor did the nature of the gravel and sand
+brought down by it indicate a rich soil on its upper portion, as I did
+not see anything besides fragments of siliceous rock and garnet sand. The
+valley through which it ran appeared to be five or six miles wide,
+extending twenty miles to the eastward, backed by sandy plains on both
+sides; a few patches of grass appeared in the lower parts of the valley;
+westward it seemed to contract and turn to the south-west, flanked by
+steep flat-topped hills of sandstone, resting on granite rock. Continuing
+north-north-east up a small valley, we passed through wattle thickets
+till 1.40 p.m., when we again ascended the level sandy tableland or
+plains, and changed the course to the north; the scrub increased in
+density as we proceeded. At 4.25 halted for the night in a patch of good
+grass, where the thicket had been burnt off by the native fires; the
+sandy nature of the soil rendered the search for water unsuccessful; we
+therefore contended ourselves with the allowance of one pint each.
+
+26th September.
+
+Left the bivouac at 7.15 a.m.; course north; the country more open; 9.25
+came on a large native well of good water in a slight hollow trending
+westward; having watered the horses and filled the kegs, continued our
+journey over sandy plains, covered with short coarse scrub; many hummocks
+of loose sand, covered partially with scrub, lay on each side of our
+track. At noon passed the last sandy ridge; before us lay an immense
+plain, covered with thickets, and not a hill or valley could be
+observed--the country seemed to settle into one vast level of dense and
+almost impenetrable scrub or thicket. At 1 p.m. entered it, and continued
+our route through it; although the bush-fires, which had burnt some large
+patches, greatly assisted us; 4.15 not finding any grass, we steered
+west, but at 5.15 were compelled to halt for the night in a dense
+thicket, without a single blade of grass or even scrub of any kind which
+could afford food for the horses; water it was hopeless to look for; and
+after a supper of raw bacon, damper, and a pint of water each, we retired
+to rest.
+
+WATERLESS COUNTRY AND DENSE SCRUB NORTH OF MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+27th September.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. set out on a north course; at 8.5, finding the thicket almost
+impassable, I ascended a cypress-tree, where a most cheerless view met my
+sight to the north, east, and west; not a break was visible--nothing but
+thicket in all directions, with scarcely an undulation of any kind; the
+view to the north-west was most extensive--nearly twenty miles of thicket
+could be seen, with a surface as level as the sea. Not considering it
+prudent to proceed onwards, the thicket being too dense to advance
+without the greatest difficulty, the saddle-bags being almost torn to
+pieces, and the horses quite worn out with continual exertions in
+dragging their packs through the thickets, we were compelled to return to
+the well passed yesterday morning. The country seen to the northwards was
+of too flat and sandy a character to give any hope of finding water or
+grass--and without these requisites, it would be incurring great risk of
+losing the horses, and of course defeating the object of the expedition;
+therefore, taking advantage of the partially cleared tracts of yesterday,
+we reached the watering place at 4.30 p.m.
+
+28th September.
+
+This day we employed ourselves in repairing our pack-saddles, which it
+was found necessary to restuff, as they had been padded with coarse
+rushes; the saddle-bags had been torn to pieces, and the repairs of these
+required more time than could be afforded in an evening's bivouac.
+
+29th September.
+
+Started at 8.35 a.m.; pursued a general course of 310 degrees, gradually
+ascending the sandy downs on the north side of the valley for three
+miles; it then turned to the north of west, and we again descended, and
+found the bottom occupied by a narrow samphire flat, 50 to 100 yards
+wide, over which the water runs during heavy rains, but it was now dry,
+and in some parts covered with a thin crust of salt; 11.26 passed a
+native well of slightly brackish water, amongst loose blocks of red
+sandstone; a small well was passed at 11.50; the samphire flat then
+changed to a small sandy channel, among large blocks of sandstone
+belonging to the coal-formation: in one place the slate also cropped out.
+Abundance of brackish water lay in small pools along the course of the
+stream-bed, which at 1.0 p.m. changed its direction nearly west; we
+followed it through a scrubby valley, with high hills on both sides, till
+4.45, when we bivouacked just below the junction of a small gully from
+the northwards, with a very remarkable sandstone hill about
+three-quarters of a mile south; below this spot the valley trended to the
+south-west, and was bounded on the north-west by flat-tapped sandstone
+hills.
+
+30th September.
+
+Not being more than ten to fifteen miles from the sea, I steered north
+330 degrees east magnetic. Starting at 8.5, and having ascended the high
+land, passed through a thick line of wattles and dwarf gum, growing on
+the eastern face of the limestone range, which forms the high barren
+range along this part of the coast. The country was covered with thick
+scrub, and some patches of gum and wattle thicket; about noon it was more
+open, and ascending an elevated sandy ridge, saw apparently a high range
+of hills extending north-north-west as far as Shark Bay, and terminated
+by a very abrupt and detached hill; but the excessive refraction caused
+by the heated and nearly level plain which intervened more than doubled
+their real height. We descended gradually over a succession of sandy
+hills or ridges till 2.0 p.m., when the lowest part of the plain was
+reached; we found it occupied by a small patch of spear-wood; the soil
+was hard dry clay, but on proceeding a little farther we found a patch of
+moist ground, encircled by a ridge of sand; at one foot deep we found
+water, but in such small quantity that we could only obtain sufficient
+for ourselves, and should have had to wait at least two hours to have
+given each horse only one gallon. Proceeding onwards, in hope of finding
+a more plentiful supply, we found the country became drier and full of
+circular hollows, filled with fine clumps of green wattle and a little
+grass; in one of these we bivouacked at 5.0, and dug six feet for water
+in red sand, but without any appearance of obtaining it even at double
+that depth.
+
+REPULSED FOR WANT OF WATER.
+
+1st October.
+
+This morning started at 7.55 a.m., and steering north-west, in hope of
+finding water, at 8.40 came on dense thickets of wattle, which extended
+at least seven or eight miles farther north; we therefore turned west to
+avoid them; at 9.30 changed the course to 300 degrees magnetic, and with
+great difficulty forced our way for two miles to a narrow strip of open
+ground; 12.40 p.m. arrived at the foot of the range of hills seen
+yesterday; found them to consist of limestone and sand, covered with
+thick scrub; between the hills were many nearly circular hollows filled
+with thickets of wattles; although the bottoms of the hollows were at
+least fifty feet below the lowest part of the ridges around them, they
+were quite dry, and afforded no hope of water even by digging; the
+country northward appeared even less likely to afford a supply, so much
+required, as it seemed to consist wholly of limestone and loose sand,
+without swamps or watercourses; the nearest spot at which we could hope
+to find it in this direction was the south part of Freycinet Harbour,
+distant, according to the charts, about thirty miles, and great doubt
+existed of the accuracy of it in this position (error having been found
+in some other parts of the coast-line); nor was it certain that we could
+find water on the coast, in which case the loss of our horses would be
+almost a necessary consequence, several of them showing extreme fatigue.
+The circumstances of the case required a prompt decision; I therefore
+ordered an immediate return towards the last spot where we had seen
+water. The whole party felt convinced of the necessity of returning,
+though with the greatest reluctance to do so, as it seemed to put an end
+to almost every hope of reaching the Gascoyne River. We followed our
+route back, and halted at 5.30 in a wattle thicket.
+
+A HORSE FINDS WATER.
+
+2nd October.
+
+Left our uncomfortable bivouac at 7.30 a.m.; steered south-east. Finding
+the horses scarcely able to travel from want of water, I took the
+strongest and rode over to the spot where we had obtained a little on the
+30th September, to dig wells and have a supply ready, if it could be
+obtained in sufficient quantity; at 11.0 arrived, and found the wells we
+had dug nearly dry; by opening several trenches down to the rocks which
+lay about one and a half feet below the surface, the water oozed in, and
+when the party came up, at 12.0, there was about a gallon for each horse;
+taking off the packs, we commenced watering: four horses had received
+their small allowance, when it came to my horse Bob's turn; after
+drinking his share he marched off at a smart pace, which somewhat
+surprised us, as he started in the direction of what we had supposed to
+be nothing but a tea-tree scrub; on following him, we found the horse
+drinking at a small shallow pool of water in a hollow in the clay. This
+was a very fortunate discovery, as the trenches filled with water so
+slowly that a full supply could not have been obtained that night, and
+the horses had been sixty-five hours without water.
+
+SAND PLAINS AND SCRUB. RETURN TO THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+3rd October.
+
+This morning Mr. Burges and myself started at 7.30 a.m. in a
+north-easterly course, to ascertain the practicability of proceeding in
+that direction, taking two of the strongest horses. After riding four
+hours over an open, scrubby sand-plain, with circular valleys, we again
+fell in with thickets of wattles so dense that, although burnt by the
+native fires about four years previous, they would have been impassable
+for the pack-horses; but, favoured by this circumstance, we penetrated
+the thicket in a north-north-west direction for about twelve miles. From
+one small sandy ridge we had an extensive view, but of a most
+discouraging nature; the whole country was one vast plain, covered with
+dense thickets and scrub as far as the eye could reach, except to the
+west-north-west, where rose a high and barren ridge, which would not have
+been visible but for excessive refraction, as it must have been more than
+twenty-five miles distant. The plain was still dotted over with the
+remarkable circular hollows or valleys which, by their extreme dryness,
+indicated a great depth of sandy soil, incapable of retaining water on
+the surface even for a short time, or any probability of our obtaining it
+by digging. We turned in disappointment towards the encampment, scarcely
+extricating ourselves from the thickets before it became dark. Having
+gained the sand-plain, we continued our return for several hours,
+steering by the stars, hoping by a night march to avoid the scorching
+effects of the sun, which at this season renders travelling over an
+extensive sandy plain very fatiguing. Having been more than eleven hours
+in the saddle, we halted for the night.
+
+4th October.
+
+Started with the dawn, and pushing our tired and hungry horses over the
+plain as fast as circumstances would admit, arrived at the encampment
+before the heat of the day became excessive. During our absence two more
+waterholes had been excavated, and sufficient water obtained for the
+horses; but, from the great evaporation, it did not seem likely to last
+longer than three or four days: the hardness of the sandstone precluded
+our sinking the wells more than one and a half feet. The extreme aridity
+of the country--the absence of water in consequence of the sandy nature
+of the soil, which renders it impossible that watercourses should
+exist--the dense and almost impassable nature of the thickets of acacia
+and melaleuca of small growth, and the heat of the climate--all tend to
+prove the fallacy of attempting to explore this part of the colony,
+excepting during the wettest of the winter months. Under the existing
+circumstances, I considered it my duty not to lead the party into a
+position from which it would most probably be impracticable to extricate
+ourselves without at least losing some of our horses; and even
+difficulties of a more serious nature might arise, which would prevent
+the more complete examination of the imperfectly known country to the
+southward of our present position, more especially as a successful
+advance to the northward seemed impossible.
+
+5th October.
+
+Left the encampment at 8.10 a.m.; steered north 135 degrees east magnetic
+over sandy country, covered with coarse scrub; at noon passed a narrow
+strip of wooded grassy land, the soil being limestone and red loam. The
+country again became scrubby, and, descending an open valley, came on a
+small watercourse at 1.5 p.m., trending south; followed it
+south-south-west. At 2.15 passed our bivouac of the 29th September, and
+turning south-west along the stream-bed, at 4.0 came on the right bank of
+the Murchison River, running through wide grassy flats, the stream
+forming large pools, some of them more than a mile in length; but, with
+the exception of the flats on each side of the bank, the country is poor
+and scrubby, destitute of trees, and the hills high and rocky, consisting
+of red sandstone, those to the west capped with limestone.
+
+6th October.
+
+The horses being much fatigued and nearly starved, having subsisted
+chiefly on scrub for the last two days, we determined to rest them for a
+few days, while we examined the river towards its mouth. I started with
+Mr. Bedart, and tracing the stream downwards to the south-west, reached
+the sea after a ride of six hours. Excepting the flats and a narrow strip
+of land on each side, the country was very indifferent, the hills being
+composed of sandstone and sand, covered with coarse scrub and a gigantic
+species of grass, the leaves of which, instead of affording food for
+stock, were a source of great annoyance to our horses, being armed with
+sharp thorny points, and was somewhat appropriately called bayonet grass
+by the party. The tide flows about five miles up the river, when it is
+obstructed by some slight rapids; although it seems shallow, and full of
+rocks and islands, I think it is navigable for small boats. Above the
+rapids the river is a succession of long reaches of water about 100 yards
+wide, and wide flats covered with reeds, the roots of which seem to form
+an important article of food with the natives. Many springs were seen on
+the left bank, but few on the right, the water of which was of excellent
+quality. After making observations of the bar, which appeared to be
+practicable for whaleboats in moderate weather if the wind be south of
+west, we returned along the south shore of the estuary, which is about
+one and a half mile long and half a mile wide; it does not appear to be
+of any great depth. My horse being quite knocked up, it was dark before
+we could reach a spot where we could obtain water and grass; having come
+to a convenient place, we bivouacked under a large overhanging rock, as
+it promised to be a wet night.
+
+7th October.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. we were in our saddles, but owing to the rocky nature of the
+country did not arrive at the encampment till 12.30 p.m. During our
+absence the party had been successful in fishing and shooting; a savoury
+mess of cockatoos, swans, and ducks, with fried fish, proved a welcome
+change to us, after living so many weeks on salt meat and damper.
+
+8th October (Sunday).
+
+9th October.
+
+The valley of the river being rocky and impassable above the camp, we
+crossed to the left bank and ascended the sandy tableland; steered about
+south-east from 7.45 a.m. to 11.0, when we came on the stream in a deep
+valley formed by almost perpendicular red sandstone cliffs from 50 to 200
+feet in height, broken at short intervals by enormous fissures (their
+general direction west-north-west and nearly at right angles with the
+river), which time, with the action of water, had worn into impassable
+ravines, frequently extending more than half a mile back from the river,
+and rendered travelling very tedious and unsafe, as it was requisite to
+avoid the thick scrubs covering the higher land. The course of the river
+now changed to nearly south, and preserved the same rocky and
+unapproachable character till 5.0 p.m., when a break in the cliffs
+enabled us to descend into the valley, although with some difficulty and
+danger to the horses, which had to slide down the steep rocks at the risk
+of breaking their necks, which would have been the almost certain result
+of a single false step; but the descent being accomplished, they were
+rewarded by an abundant supply of grass and water, the latter from a
+large spring at the foot of the cliffs.
+
+10th October.
+
+While breakfast was preparing, Mr. Burges and myself examined the right
+bank of the river, and after a short search, found a practicable ascent
+to the top of the cliffs, and having cleared a way through the thicket of
+melaleuca on the bank of the river, returned to breakfast. At 7.50 a.m.
+commenced ascending, and at 8.30 reached the summit of the rocky hills,
+and steering about south-east through a succession of thickets, rocks,
+yawning chasms, sand-hills, and scrub, we attained to a fine grassy flat
+at 12.30 p.m. The bed of the river here quite changed its character, the
+sandstones giving place to granite gneiss, with dark trap dykes
+intersecting it in a northerly and southerly direction, the dip of the
+strata being to the west at a very high angle, at times almost
+perpendicular.
+
+A DEPOT CAMP. EXPLORE THE UPPER MURCHISON.
+
+11th October.
+
+As this appeared to be a good spot for the formation of a depot, while we
+examined the upper portion of the Murchison, I proceeded up the river in
+company with Mr. Burges, leaving the rest of the party to guard the camp
+and attend to the horses. After one hour's ride we came on our track
+where we crossed the river on the 25th September, the general course of
+the stream-bed being east-north-east, its channel averaging 100 yards in
+width, full of rocks, small trees, and sandbanks, with many shallow
+brackish pools of water, with the exception of one, which was both wide
+and deep, where we halted for two hours to rest the horses; few of the
+pools seemed likely to last through the heat of summer. At 1.0 p.m. we
+came on a party of natives, five of whom came up to us, following us for
+some distance. As they seemed to prefer mimicking our attempts to speak
+the York dialect to using their own, we could not obtain much
+information; they carried kylies and dowaks, but had left their spears
+and shields with the rest of their party, who did not make their
+appearance. At 3.0 passed several ridges of red sandstone rocks, the
+strata dipping to the east-north-east at an angle of from 20 to 60
+degrees. The granite rock entirely disappearing, the country became quite
+level, and covered with one universal thicket of acacia and cypress,
+except the very slight depression which formed a shallow valley about
+three miles wide, through which the river runs in a deep channel from 80
+to 100 yards wide in ordinary seasons, but when in flood must exceed 300
+yards, and the rise of the water, judging from the rubbish drifted up in
+former years, must exceed thirty feet. The valleys did not seem to be
+more than 100 feet below the general surface of the country (which was
+quite level), filled with a dense thicket of wattles; a narrow strip of
+large gum-trees, growing in grassy flats close to the river, marked the
+course of the stream. At 5.0 we halted for the night by a small pool of
+fresh water in one of the back channels of the river, the pools in the
+main bed being all brackish.
+
+12th October.
+
+Started at 6.35 a.m., following the river, the general course being
+north-north-east; no change was observed in its character. At 11.20
+halted to rest the horses, and again started at 1.40 p.m. At 3.40 came on
+a large party of natives at a fresh water pool; five followed us some
+miles, and were not to be satisfied until we had made an exchange of part
+of a handkerchief for a quantity of noolban, some dowaks, and dabbas,
+some of which we accepted as a token of our friendly intentions. The
+stream-bed turned east, and we followed it until 6.0, when we were halted
+for the night, having the good fortune to find a little fresh water by
+digging in the sand in the bed of the river, the pools being all
+brackish.
+
+RETURN TO DEPOT CAMP.
+
+13th October.
+
+At 6.15 a.m., we were again in our saddles, and continued journey up the
+river--the general course north-north-east. In vain we looked for some
+rising ground or hill from which we might obtain a view of the country,
+but the same sandy level, covered with dense thickets of wattles, still
+met the eye till 11.0, when we observed a low sandstone cliff forming the
+eastern side of the valley. In this direction we steered, and after
+pushing through thickets of wattle growing on stony ground, with small
+patches of salsolaceous plants, we arrived at the foot of the cliff,
+which was about sixty feet in height, of white sandstone, full of rounded
+quartz pebbles. The top was nearly on a level with the general plane of
+the country, which was of a most cheerless aspect. The valley of the
+river trended to the north-north-east for eight or ten miles, then to the
+east; the width appeared about five miles, and one dense thicket of
+wattles seemed to fill the entire space. The rest of the country was,
+without the slightest exception, level in the extreme, covered with one
+universal thicket of acacia and cypress, the latter indicating the sandy
+nature of the soil. As no appearance of change in the character of the
+country within twenty or thirty miles was visible, and we had only two
+days' provisions left (not having expected the stream to extend so far),
+and the camp at sixty miles distant, we were obliged to leave the farther
+examination of the river to some future explorers; but we regretted it
+the less as, from the nature of the gravel and sand brought down by the
+stream, there seemed great probability that it takes its rise in large
+salt marshes similar to those known to exist 100 miles east of the Irwin,
+if it does not actually drain them, as the general trend of the most
+northerly marshes seen was in the direction of the upper part of the
+Murchison. Under these circumstances, we returned to our bivouac of last
+night, reaching it at 5.40 p.m.
+
+14th October.
+
+Started at 6.25 a.m., and retracing our route down the river, came to our
+bivouac of the 11th at 5.5 p.m. without any incident worthy of notice,
+but surprising three or four natives asleep in the bed of the stream;
+they were of the party seen on our route up the river.
+
+15th October (Sunday).
+
+Resumed our journey; passed two parties of natives; a few of them
+followed us some distance, and having overcome their first surprise,
+commenced talking in their own language, which, as far as we could
+understand it, had great affinity to that spoken by the natives in the
+York and Toodyay districts. After a smart ride of seven hours we arrived
+at the encampment, found the rest of the party all well, and the horses
+much improved by their few days' rest.
+
+THE GERALDINE LEAD MINE DISCOVERED. THE HUTT RIVER.
+
+16th October.
+
+The two horses we had ridden up the river requiring a day's rest, which
+was also acceptable to Mr. Burges and myself, we remained at the camp and
+made preparations to move on to the Hutt River the next day. Mr. Walcott
+brought in some specimens of galena, which, on farther observation,
+proved to be abundant.
+
+17th October.
+
+Leaving our encampment at 9.10 a.m., we steered a southerly course,
+passing over a succession of low granite hills, thickly covered with
+acacia, to the exclusion of almost every other kind of vegetation, save a
+few scattered tufts of grass. At noon entered the sand-plains which
+occupy the high lands in this district; observed a patch of grassy land
+bearing south-west; proceeding in that direction, at 1.0 p.m. came on it,
+but found it to be a very small spot of grassy granite country, encircled
+by sand-plains and scrub. Continuing our course, at 2.5 struck a small
+stream-bed trending west-south-west; the valley in which it runs is
+bounded on both sides by sandy hills, covered with scrub; some patches of
+grass and wattles occupied the lower ground wherever the granite rock
+showed itself; tracing the stream-bed downwards, we found many brackish
+pools. At 3.45 crossed the left bank--found it running, but brackish; and
+at 4.20 we bivouacked at its junction with the Hutt River, which was here
+about ten yards wide, with narrow grassy flats on both banks. The hills
+are of sandstone and sand, producing little besides scrub.
+
+18th October.
+
+Started at 7.50 a.m., steering north 140 degrees east magnetic up the
+valley of the Hutt, which gradually widened and improved, the hills being
+grassy for an average distance of two miles back from the stream, of
+granite formation, and thinly sprinkled with wattles; behind the grassy
+land the country rose into sandy plains, covered with short scrub. At
+9.20 crossed to the left bank; the river trended to the eastward. At
+11.10 sighted King's Table Hill, bearing south magnetic. We then
+descended into the rich and grassy valley of the Bowes River; this we
+traversed till 4.0 p.m., when we bivouacked in a small stream tributary
+to the Bowes. As the country passed over this day had not been previously
+examined, we were much pleased to find it equal to the best land on the
+southern branch of the Bowes, visited by the Surveyor-General and myself
+on former occasions.
+
+FINE PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+19th October.
+
+Messrs. Burges, Bedart, and myself rode down the Bowes to examine the
+country, and found it generally of good grassy character, suitable for
+sheep; the bed of the streams being filled with broad-leaved reeds, seems
+to indicate an abundant supply of water in the dry season; but the pools
+were very small, and the water all brackish, not even excepting the
+running streams. The hills are of gneiss, with garnets and trap-rock, the
+latter producing excellent grass of various kinds, the most conspicuous
+of which is a species of kangaroo-grass, but of a less woody character of
+seed-stalk than that found in other parts of the colony. The extent of
+land fit for sheep-feeding on this stream (it can scarcely be called a
+river) I should estimate at 100,000 acres, and Mr. Burges considered it
+capable of feeding about 17,000 sheep. The existence of garnets, iron
+pyrites, and a mineral resembling in many of its properties plumbago,
+specimens of which were found in the gneiss of this district, seems to
+indicate a metalliferous formation, and I have little doubt a further
+search might develop many of the present hidden sources of wealth. Near
+the coast we fell in with some natives (four men and five women), who
+were very friendly, but from their peculiar nature we were unable to
+accept of their civilities.
+
+20th October.
+
+Started with Messrs. Burges and Walcott to examine the upper part of the
+Buller river; after passing over the country examined by Lieutenant Irby
+and myself in December, 1846, we crossed the granite ridge which divides
+the valley of the Buller into two nearly equal portions. We found the
+land on the left bank of the eastern branch of very good and grassy
+description, consisting of a range of granite hills about ten miles north
+and south, and two miles in width; to the east of which the high sandy
+and level plains commence in an abrupt line of sandstone slopes and
+hills. Halted for the night in the east branch of the Buller, with water
+in small pools and abundance of grass for our horses.
+
+21st October.
+
+Continued the examination of the Buller Valley down to the spot where I
+bivouacked on the river in December, 1846; then followed up the stream
+for seven miles, where we dined, and then steering west-north-west,
+arrived at the camp at 6.30 p.m. We estimated the valley of the Buller to
+contain about 10,000 acres of good grassy land, and 30,000 acres of
+inferior feeding country; the good land is much broken into patches by
+that which is of indifferent quality. Timber is here, and also on the
+Bowes, very scarce, and the little that exists is very indifferent and
+small.
+
+22nd October (Sunday).
+
+Messrs. Bedart and C.F. Gregory walked to the hill which lies
+three-quarters of a mile west of King's Table Hill. The rock of which it
+is formed appeared to belong to the coal formation, as thin seams of
+black shale were seen in the rocks of which the lower strata of the hill
+are composed; but the natives making their appearance, it was not
+considered prudent to remain geologizing among the cliffs. Returning
+towards the camp, the natives followed for some distance, and on
+descending a cliff the women commenced pelting the party with stones,
+apparently in revenge for the refusal of certain courteous invitations,
+which perhaps are the greatest marks of politeness which they think it
+possible to offer to strangers.
+
+CHAPMAN RIVER.
+
+23rd October.
+
+Left our encampment at 8.5 a.m., and steered 150 degrees magnetic over
+granite hills producing wattles and good grass. At 9.40 crossed the south
+branch of the Bowes, after which the country was not so well grassed,
+except in the valleys. The lower hills were of granite; the higher red
+sandstone of tabular form. At 11.0 the country became more sandy and
+covered with short scrub, gradually rising to the south. At noon we
+attained the high tableland; crossed two scrubby valleys bounded by
+sandstone hills, in the first of which the black shale peculiar to the
+coal formation showed itself, with a slight dip to the south. At 1.50
+p.m. crossed the Buller in a rocky channel with reedy pools, apparently
+of permanent character. The land improved and became grassy, and
+ascending the hills on the left bank, passed Peak Hill at 2.50: this is
+the highest part of the range between the Buller and Chapman. From this
+we steered south down a small grassy valley; the hills with granite bases
+and sandstone table summits, with excellent grass, and thinly wooded with
+acacia and a few York gums. At 3.15 bivouacked in a patch of excellent
+grass with water in small quantities.
+
+24th October.
+
+A violent thunderstorm during the night was followed by a rainy and misty
+morning; the weather clearing up, we walked down to the Chapman River,
+which was running in a sandy channel with small shallow pools. The land
+on the bank of the stream was very indifferent and sandy for about a
+mile, when it rose into granite and sandstone hills, covered with
+excellent grass.
+
+EFFECT OF REFRACTION. GREENOUGH RIVER.
+
+25th October.
+
+Accompanied by Messrs. Burges and Walcott, I proceeded to examine the
+country to the eastward of our camp. Starting at 7.20 a.m., steered east
+over grassy hills, with granite bases and table summits of red sandstone,
+the latter rock forming but a poor soil with scanty feed and scrub;
+crossed several small gullies running into the Chapman. At 10.0 passed a
+large sandy hill, covered with short scrub, and halted at 11.0 in a
+grassy gully in the bottom of a wide scrubby valley; at 12.45 p.m. again
+resumed our journey, and ascending the sandy downs, at 1.15 gained the
+highest ridge. Before us lay the valley of the Greenough River; the white
+and red sandstone cliffs, which bound the valley on the south-east, were
+distorted by excessive refractions, which, as we crossed each sandy
+ridge, changed their appearance, sometimes assuming the appearance of
+islands with high rocky shores, then like reefs with heavy breakers,
+followed by high cliffs and grassy hills; but as we approached they
+assumed their true character of low rocky hills and cliffs, scarce
+exceeding 200 feet in height, and generally covered with dense thickets
+of acacia growing on an otherwise barren stony soil. At 3.30 came on the
+right bank of the Greenough River; the bed was quite dry, and had no
+appearance of having run since the winter of 1847. Following up the
+stream-bed to the north-east, passed some shallow pools of salt water;
+and at 4.45 observed the black coal shales at the bottom of a deep cliff,
+which formed the left bank of the river. At 5.0 halted for the night,
+obtaining fresh water by scraping in the sand by the side of a pool of
+salt water; we also found sufficient grass for our horses on the bank of
+the river.
+
+26th October.
+
+At 7.10 a.m. left our bivouac, steering north 120 degrees east magnetic
+towards a high sandstone cliff, which, after a ride of three-quarters of
+an hour through thickets of acacia, we ascended; but the view was not
+satisfactory, as thickets and scrubs extended over the whole of the
+country. We therefore returned to the river, and followed it downwards to
+the south-west by south. At 11.30 found some fresh water in a small
+waterhole in the bed of the river; halted till 1.50 p.m. to refresh the
+horses. The river turned south, and at 2.27 was joined by a small gully
+from the west, and coming from a grassy valley. As it had run during the
+last winter, it quite altered the character of the river for quarter of a
+mile, filling the pools with water, and giving the grass and trees a
+freshness which formed a most striking contrast with the brown and
+parched appearance of the rest of the valley. At 3.55 altered the course
+to 210 degrees magnetic; the country improved, many patches of grassy
+land appearing in the valley, and the country became more rocky. At 5.30
+crossed to the left bank, and found the river running with many large
+pools of water, some more than a half a mile long and 80 to 100 yards
+wide. The water was slightly brackish, being this year supplied
+principally by springs, taking their rise in the new red sandstone
+formation. We then followed the winding course of the river south-west
+amongst high hills of sandstone, many of which were covered with
+excellent grass, though the country was not generally good. At 6.20
+halted for the night on the right bank of the stream, in a narrow but
+rich grassy flat; heavy rain in the night.
+
+WIZARD PEAK. CHAMPION BAY. MOUNT FAIRFAX.
+
+27th October.
+
+Started at 7.0 a.m. and steering an average course of west by north,
+ascended the high land on the north bank of the Greenough. For the first
+hour the hills were of red sandstone, very steep and rocky, producing
+little but coarse scrub; some of the valleys and lower hills were well
+grassed; the country then improved, the hills being of the coal
+formation, and the limestones forming very rich and grassy hills. At 9.40
+the granite and gneiss formed a basis of the high sandstone-topped hills,
+which rose about 500 feet on each side of the valley. At 10.15 crossed to
+the left bank of the river, and re-crossed to the right at 11.10. The
+lower parts of the valley were not so rich or well grassed as the hills,
+but would afford excellent summer feed for sheep. Having dined, and given
+our horses an hour's feed on the rich grass which grew in the bed of the
+river (which here turned to the south), we continued our route. After an
+hour's ride over rich grassy hills, reached the foot of Wizard's Peak.
+Here we left our horses and ascended the hill; arrived at the summit, to
+our great surprise, instead of the scrubby and sterile country described
+by Captain Stokes of the Beagle, beautiful grassy hills, stretching from
+north to south-east, met our view to the extent of about 20,000 acres;
+had it not been certain, from bearings to Mount Fairfax and other hills,
+that we were on Wizard Peak, I should have suspected its identity.
+Leaving Wizard Peak at 2.30 p.m., steered north along the western foot of
+the grassy range. The country to the east consists of grassy hills of
+limestone, rich in fossil remains of wood and shells, with an occasional
+granite hill producing coarse grass or short scrub; to the west the
+country was more level, but less grassy, and in many parts scrubby. We
+fell in with some of the natives, who appeared friendly disposed. Crossed
+the Chapman at 6.5, and arrived at the camp at 7.15.
+
+28th October.
+
+Left the camp at 7.40 a.m., steering north-west. Made the stream
+previously called the Buller at 9.0; followed it downwards to the
+south-south-west till 11.0, when it became evident that, instead of being
+the Buller, it was the north branch of the Chapman. The land on its banks
+was not generally good, although some fine patches of grass were seen.
+Leaving the stream, we ascended Moresby's Range; the valleys and sides of
+the hills were covered with fine grass, and the sandstone rocks were rich
+with fossil remains of shells and wood. With some difficulty we descended
+the western face of the hills; after which, an hour's ride over a scrubby
+plain brought us to the mouth of the Chapman River, running strongly over
+a ledge of limestone rock into the sea. We crossed the river, and over to
+the usual landing-place in Champion Bay; we then returned to the Chapman,
+and halted for the night.
+
+29th October.
+
+Two of the horses having broken from their tether during the night, we
+were obliged to put the three saddles on the remaining horse, and proceed
+to track the stray horses; after tracking them about two miles, we found
+them on their way back to the camp. We then rode along the western foot
+of Moresby's Range, and ascended Mount Fairfax; after taking sketches and
+bearings, we steered for the encampment, and reached it about 2.0 p.m.
+
+30th October.
+
+Messrs. Burges, Walcott, and Bedart rode out this morning to examine the
+grassy hills on the south side of the Chapman River, and on their return
+reported the country to be of a generally good grassy character.
+
+NATIVES STEAL FRYING-PAN.
+
+31st October.
+
+Left the encampment at 8.0 a.m. and steering 200 degrees magnetic over
+alternately grassy and scrubby hills of granite sandstone, crossed the
+Chapman at 9.40. Our course then lay nearly parallel to the river till
+noon; the land on the river was indifferent and thinly grassed, but rose
+into good grassy hills about a mile from the river. We then entered a
+level scrubby plain, extending from the Victoria Range to the sea. At
+12.30 p.m. altered the course to 175 degrees magnetic, and at 1.5 to 139
+degrees magnetic. At 1.15 the plain became grassy, and the soil good
+(with the exception of a few patches of York gum, the only trees were
+wattles), and by a rough estimate contained about 8,000 acres of good
+grassy land; on the north bank of the Greenough River, which we reached
+at 3.15, the channel was about seventy yards wide, but dry and sandy; nor
+did we observe any sign of its having run during the past winter. A
+little below where we struck the river it turned to the south-east;
+following it in that direction till 3.45 we bivouacked, obtaining a
+scanty supply of water by digging in the sand. Shortly after halting, a
+party of about thirty natives came up, and appeared friendly; they told
+us that there was a fine spring at some distance to the westward, but we
+could not obtain any other useful information, as their dialect differs
+considerably from that spoken in the settled districts, although some few
+words are the same. They encamped a short distance from us, and in the
+night stole our frying-pan, to dig a well, but returned it next morning
+before the theft was discovered.
+
+THE IRWIN RIVER.
+
+1st November.
+
+At 7.10 a.m. resumed our course south-east, along the eastern side of the
+grassy plain. The scrubby hills gradually approached on each side; at
+9.30 the good land terminated, the estimate being 2,000 acres on the
+south bank of the Greenough River. The country then became sandy,
+producing little besides scrub and a few banksia trees. At 10.0 passed
+about one mile west of Mount Hill; passed a small pool of water in a
+watercourse trending south-west. At 12.50 p.m. altered the course to 170
+degrees magnetic; at 3.0 entered a thick forest of York gum; at 3.25
+changed the course to 130 degrees magnetic and entered a grassy flat
+extending to the Irwin River, which we reached at 3.55, and following it
+upwards till 4.15, bivouacked on the left bank in a large flat. Shortly
+before reaching the river a large party of natives came up with us, after
+tracking the horses for some distance. Seventy or eighty men came to the
+bivouac, and, with the exception of one man who shipped a spear, making a
+demonstration of throwing it at us, they evinced a desire for the more
+peaceable amusement of eating damper and fat bacon. A few of the natives
+spoke a little English, having been for a short time in the settled
+districts. At sunset they retired to the other side of the river, and all
+appeared quiet when my watch commenced at 10.30; but at midnight I
+detected a native crawling up amongst the thick grass about ten yards
+from the back of the tents. He lay quiet till I almost turned him out of
+his hiding-place with the muzzle of my gun, when he took to his heels,
+but I did not consider it prudent either to fire at or capture him.
+
+2nd November.
+
+The natives being too numerous to allow any of the party leaving the camp
+to examine the country around without incurring greater risk than seemed
+prudent, we left our bivouac at 7.45 a.m. and steered north 170 degrees
+east magnetic over sandy hills, covered with short scrub. After two hours
+the country became nearly level, with small patches of swampy ground,
+which would be very wet in the rainy season, but was at present quite
+dry; the rising grounds were sand, covered with short scrub with a few
+scattered banksia trees. At 5.40 p.m. struck the left bank of the stream
+which has been considered to be the Arrowsmith River of Captain Grey,
+though I have now some reason to doubt its identity. The banks of the
+stream are sandstone and sand, and the channel scarcely three yards wide,
+with a strip of grassy thicket twenty yards in width along the stream,
+which is the only feed near the river, as the plain through which it runs
+produces nothing but scrub and banksia with a few grass-trees. We
+bivouacked a short distance below the spot where we first struck the
+stream, which was still running.
+
+3rd November.
+
+Our horses having but a very scanty feed at this place, we moved down the
+stream to obtain better grass for them before crossing the sand-plains
+which lay to the south. After following the stream west for two hours,
+encamped in a small grassy flat, below which the stream ceased to run,
+the water being wholly absorbed by the sandy soil, which has a substratum
+of limestone of recent formation.
+
+SEVENTY MILES OF SAND PLAIN.
+
+4th November.
+
+Accompanied by Mr. Bedart, rode to the westward; passing over sandy
+plains and ridges for four hours, came to the beach, which we followed
+northwards for three hours, hoping to meet with the mouth of the stream
+on which our camp was placed. Not perceiving any signs of it, we turned
+to the east, and after an hour's struggle through a thick jungle, we came
+on a wet grassy flat, on which the stream seemed to be lost. Steering a
+general course of south-south-east, we arrived at 9.10 p.m. at the camp,
+after a ride of thirteen and a quarter hours, and the country traversed
+almost wholly worthless sand and scrub.
+
+5th November (Sunday).
+
+Remained at our encampment to rest the horses. Read prayers.
+
+6th November.
+
+Leaving our encampment at 7.10 a.m., we steered north 170 degrees east
+magnetic, along the limits of the low scrubby limestone hills which
+extend along this part of the coast. To the east the level sandy plain
+extended from eight to ten miles, and then rose into high sandstone
+hills, covered with scrub and destitute of trees; but at the junction of
+the limestone and sandstone formation, along which lay our route, were
+several small lagoons and swamps of fresh water, with grassy margins. At
+10.0 altered the course to southward; the line of swamps trending to
+south-south-west, we entered the level sandy plain. At noon passed a
+shallow pool of rainwater in a slight depression of the plain, and
+shortly after crossed two small watercourses trending west; a little
+brackish water remained in the deeper portions of their channels. The
+effect of refraction on this level country, when heated by the midday
+sun, was so great as to cause many of the low sandy ridges to appear like
+large lakes and inlets of the sea, as in some instances the more distant
+hills were obscured by its effects. At 2.45 p.m. we reached the sandstone
+range, and at 3.5 halted in a small patch of grass around a native well
+of good water, which had the appearance of retaining water throughout the
+summer. While here we obtained several additions to our small collection
+of birds.
+
+MOUNTS PERON AND LESUEUR.
+
+7th November.
+
+At 7.20 a.m. resumed our journey southwards, over a high and somewhat
+rugged range of sandstone hills; passed a short distance to the east of
+Mounts Peron and Lesueur. The valleys were wooded with red and white-gum
+of large growth, but the hills produced little besides coarse scrub. At
+2.20 p.m. passed a large mound spring; at 2.45 crossed the Hill River of
+Captain Grey; the land on its banks, with the exception of a few grassy
+hills on the northern side, was very scrubby and indifferent. Ascending
+the high sandstone country on the south side of the river, we halted at
+5.35 in a sandy valley trending north-west, in which we found a small
+patch of grass around a native well; but we were not much in want of
+water, being completely drenched by a heavy shower of rain just after we
+halted.
+
+8th November.
+
+Resumed our journey at 8.0 a.m., steering north 105 degrees east magnetic
+over a range of high scrubby sandstone hills. At 1.15 p.m. crossed a
+small stream-bed trending westwards in a wide scrubby valley. At 3.5,
+having ascended the hills to the south of the valley, observed a
+remarkable sandstone hill which I passed on a previous excursion from Mr.
+Lefroy's station at Welbing. Altering the course to 170 degrees magnetic,
+we passed the hill; at 5.45 halted in a fine grassy flat on the banks of
+a small brook-course trending west, in which we found abundance of water
+in small pools. As we were only forty miles west of Mr. Lefroy's station
+at Welbing, and the country in that direction already examined, I
+instructed Mr. C.F. Gregory to proceed with the party and pack-horses to
+Welbing and thence by the road to Perth, while, accompanied by Mr.
+Bedart, I pursued a more direct but less eligible course for pack-horses.
+
+THE MOORE RIVER.
+
+9th November.
+
+Leaving the rest of the party at the bivouac, at 9.50 a.m., in company
+with Mr. Bedart, we steered a general course of south by east magnetic
+over hills of sandy loam, producing a little grass and thickly timbered
+with red-gum. Passed several extensive grassy valleys, with many fine
+patches of rich limestone land on their slopes. At 2.0 p.m. the grass was
+replaced by scrub, and at 3.30 entered the wide scrubby valley of the
+Moore River, which we reached at 4.20. After some delay in crossing the
+river, in consequence of one of the horses falling down in the mud, from
+which we had some trouble to extricate him, we bivouacked about one mile
+below the spot where we first made the river.
+
+10th November.
+
+Leaving the Moore River we steered south by west, and after traversing a
+nearly level sandy plain, producing banksia and scrub, with many lagoons
+and swamps, in eight hours' riding reached the Norcott or Gingin Brook.
+The banks were low and swampy; after a short search found a suitable
+place for crossing, and having swam the horses across, we halted for the
+night on the left bank.
+
+11th November.
+
+Started at 7.0 a.m., steering east by south magnetic; ascended the
+western Wilbinga Hill at 9.0, and traversing a rough limestone country,
+with several reedy swamps, reached Lake Nowergup at 2.50 p.m., and at 4.0
+halted on the western side of the Wanaginup Swamp.
+
+12th November (Sunday).
+
+Once more in the saddle, and following the road past Wonneroo, arrived in
+Perth at 2.30 p.m.
+
+Mr. C.F. Gregory having accompanied the party to the Victoria Plains,
+proceeded with Private W. King by the Bindoon road to Perth, where he
+arrived on the 17th.
+
+The total distance travelled in this expedition was, in round numbers,
+1,500 miles, and the extreme point reached in latitude 27 degrees south,
+350 miles from Perth in a direct line; and the period we were engaged in
+the expedition was ten weeks.
+
+***
+
+
+HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR CHARLES FITZGERALD'S EXPEDITION TO THE GERALDINE
+LEAD MINE.
+
+1848.
+
+CHAMPION BAY TO MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+1st December.
+
+Sailed from Fremantle in the Champion for Champion Bay, where we arrived
+on the 3rd, swam the ponies on shore, and encamped at the mouth of the
+Chapman River.
+
+4th December.
+
+His Excellency the Governor came on shore, when the party, consisting of
+the Governor, Mr. Bland, and myself, with three soldiers of the 96th
+regiment, and the Governor's servant, started at 7.15 a.m., steering
+north-east, crossed Moresby's flat-topped range at 9.0, made the North
+Chapman at 10.0, followed the stream upward till 11.50, the general
+course north-east by north. One native man and two women came up, and
+then retired to the other side of the river, watching our proceedings.
+Having dined, we started again at 2.25 p.m., steering a general north
+course over an indifferent scrubby country till 4.40, when we halted for
+twenty minutes to examine the black shale-like soil which was seen on a
+former occasion, but on digging it proved to be only alluvial soil
+resting on sand; from this spot we steered north 330 degrees magnetic
+over high sandy hills covered with scrub; the country gradually improved,
+and at 7.0 we halted for the night in a small grassy gully trending
+north-west, obtaining water in a native well.
+
+5th December.
+
+Started at 6.40 a.m., continuing the same course as yesterday evening
+over a succession of grassy hills of granitic formation till 11.10, when
+we halted on the eastern branch of the Bowes River; several natives
+shortly came to the encampment, and having eaten some biscuit and pork
+which we offered to them, retired in the evening to the opposite side of
+the stream-bed, keeping a close watch on us from behind some large rocks;
+a strict watch was therefore maintained by us during the night.
+
+6th December.
+
+This morning the natives commenced by throwing stones at the men who went
+down for the water, but we did not see any method of resenting it, except
+by expressing our disapprobation in words, and at 5.35 a.m. we started on
+a north-north-west course, the natives followed for about a mile, and
+continued throwing stones at the party. The country passed over was
+generally grassy granite hills till 9.0, when we ascended the high
+tableland between the valley of the Bowes and Hutt rivers, which last we
+reached at 10.25, and halted during the heat of the day on a pool of
+brackish water; at 3.20 p.m., again started, and following the river
+downwards, in a general course 310 degrees magnetic, at 6.10 bivouacked
+at the spot where we had before halted on the 17th October; the water in
+the pools brackish, but by digging near a moist bank obtained abundance
+of fresh water.
+
+THE GERALDINE LEAD MINE.
+
+7th December.
+
+Left our bivouac at 5.50 a.m., and steered north-east over high sandy
+downs, covered with coarse scrub; at 10.30 entered the valley of the
+Murchison River; at noon halted at our bivouac of the 24th September,
+obtained some brackish water by digging in the sand of the small
+stream-bed. Having dined, we resumed our journey at 2.30 p.m., and
+bivouacked about 5.0 on the left bank of the Murchison, 500 yards below
+the large lead vein, obtaining good water in the sandy bed of the river
+by digging a few inches, the pools being all salt. While the men were
+preparing the tents, etc., the Governor proceeded to examine the vein of
+lead, which we traced to a greater distance than on the former occasion
+of its discovery, the water having sunk two feet, exposing many portions
+of the vein which were before covered.
+
+8th December.
+
+Examined the lead vein, tracing it 320 yards in a direction north 30
+degrees east magnetic, along the bed of the Murchison River, which was
+nearly dry; clearing the sand and loose stones from the surface, found it
+to vary from eight to twenty-four inches in width, the general average
+being twelve inches, the dip to the west-north-west at an angle of about
+80 degrees from the horizon. Throughout the whole length the lead vein
+appeared to be one solid mass of galena; the northern end either
+terminates or alters its direction close to a vein of schistose rock,
+which intersects the adjacent rocks; to the south the lode was covered by
+several feet of sand, which prevented its being traced further, as we had
+not time to remove it; the whole of the vein which was traced was
+included within the banks of the river, and the greater portion was
+covered by shallow water. One specimen of galena showed traces of copper.
+The rock which prevails on each side of the vein is a hard compact
+gneiss, abounding with garnets, some of which are of good colour, but
+mostly full of flaws; the stratification of the gneiss is somewhat
+confused, but it generally dips at a high angle (sometimes nearly
+perpendicular) to the westward, the strike being north and south. The
+facilities which the position of the lode offers for mining are not very
+great, as it occupies the lowest part of the valley, and steam power
+would be requisite to free the mine from water, and at the same time,
+unless the small boat-harbour near the mouth of the Hutt River, or
+Gantheaume Bay (both within thirty miles), be found suitable for the
+purpose, Champion Bay, distant sixty-two miles in a direct line to the
+south, is the nearest port where the ore could be shipped. In the evening
+the Governor examined the spot where Mr. Walcott had discovered the small
+pieces of lead ore about two and a half miles below the lode, but as most
+of the pieces had been picked up on that occasion, we could only find a
+few fragments of it.
+
+9th December.
+
+Left the encampment at 4.40 a.m., and steering about south-west, made our
+former bivouac on the Hutt River about 1.0 p.m., and halted for the rest
+of the day.
+
+10th December.
+
+Started at 4.50 a.m., steering 160 degrees magnetic over sandy country;
+passed a small grassy valley at 8.0; halted on the north branch of the
+Bowes at 10.10 on a small pool of brackish water; dined and resumed our
+route at 2.40 p.m.; steered south over a grassy country till 6.10, when
+we halted for the night on a tributary stream to the Bowes; obtained
+fresh water by digging, the pools being very small and brackish.
+
+CONFLICT WITH NATIVES. GOVERNOR SPEARED.
+
+11th December.
+
+Left the bivouac at 5.15 a.m., steering 175 degrees magnetic over an
+indifferent country till 6.40, when we crossed the south branch of the
+Bowes, the country improving. Here we saw several natives, who at first
+hid themselves, but finding that we saw them, came after us. At first
+they did not exceed eight or ten in number, but, being joined by several
+other parties, gradually increased till they exceeded fifty, when they
+altogether changed their friendly manner, and began to bring up their
+spears. At 6.15 we passed to the west of King's Table Hill, and as the
+country was covered with dense wattle thickets, the natives took
+advantage of the ground, and having completely surrounded the party,
+commenced first to threaten to throw their spears, then to throw stones,
+and finally one man caught hold of Mr. Bland by the arm, threatening to
+strike him with a dowak; another native threw a spear at myself, though
+without effect; but before I could fire at him, the Governor, perceiving
+that unless some severe example was made the whole party would be cut
+off, fired at one of the most forward of our assailants, and killed him;
+two other shots were fired by the soldiers, but the thickness of the
+bushes prevented our seeing with what effect. A shower of spears, stones,
+kylies, and dowaks followed, and although we moved to a more open spot,
+the natives were only kept off by firing at any that exposed themselves.
+At this moment a spear struck the Governor in the leg just above the
+knee, with such force as to cause it to protrude two feet on the other
+side, which was so far fortunate, as it enabled me to break off the barb
+and withdraw the shaft. The Governor, notwithstanding his wound,
+continued to direct the party, and although the natives made many
+attempts to approach close enough to reach us with their spears, we were
+enabled, by keeping on the most open ground, and checking them by an
+occasional shot, to avoid their attacks in crossing the gullies. They
+followed us closely for seven miles, after which they were only seen
+occasionally, following in our track. Having reached the beach, we were
+enabled to travel more rapidly, and although one of the ponies knocked
+up, we reached Champion Bay at 3.30 p.m., and got the party and horses on
+board the Champion by 5.0, where we were gladly welcomed by Lieutenant
+Helpman. About sunset the natives came down to the beach, concealing
+themselves behind the bushes, whilst a single unarmed native stood on the
+beach, and called to us to come on shore, no doubt in the hope of making
+a sudden attack on the boat should we venture to do so.
+
+A.C. Gregory,
+
+Assistant Surveyor.
+
+***
+
+
+THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+1857.
+
+THE UPPER MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+In the month of March, 1857, Mr. Surveyor F.T. Gregory, while engaged on
+the survey of the lower part of the Murchison, observed that the river
+came down in flood, though there had been no rain for several months near
+the coast, and taking advantage of such a favourable opportunity of
+extending the exploration of the country beyond the point at which
+previous explorers had been driven back for want of water and grass, he
+proceeded up the Murchison, accompanied by his assistant, Mr. S. Trigg,
+following the course of the river for 180 miles. For the last fifty miles
+the condition of the vegetation showed that there had been heavy rains
+which had caused the floods in the lower part of the river.
+
+The following is an abstract of Mr. Gregory's report to the
+Surveyor-General, as published at the time in the Perth Gazette:--
+
+We last week intimated that an exploratory trip had lately been made into
+the interior eastward of the Geraldine Mine. We have now the pleasure and
+satisfaction of laying before our readers some details of one of the most
+unassuming explorations, yet important in its results, which has ever
+been undertaken in this colony. In the latter end of March last, Mr.
+Assistant Surveyor F. Gregory and Mr. S. Trigg started from the Geraldine
+Mine with two horses and sixteen pounds of flour, to trace the Murchison
+to its source, and returned after thirteen days' absence. Mr. Gregory has
+made a short report of his journey to the Surveyor-General, from which we
+have been kindly furnished with the following extract:--
+
+While at the Geraldine Mine I availed myself of the circumstance of the
+Murchison being in flood to ascend that river and complete the sketch of
+the unexamined portions, as also to gain any additional information that
+might facilitate the exploration of the country between this and the
+Gascoyne River. The fact that the natives describe a considerable tract
+of grassy country extending northward from the head of the Murchison,
+plentifully supplied with water, was an additional incentive to ascertain
+from whence the inundation came.
+
+TROPICAL RAINY SEASON. GOOD PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+Accompanied by Mr. S. Trigg, I proceeded up the river about 180 miles, at
+which point it ceased to run; we then ascended a hill in the vicinity of
+600 or 700 feet elevation above the plain, which I have since found to
+be, beyond a doubt, Mount Murchison of Austin; unfortunately I was unable
+to procure a copy of his map or journal, and was thus prevented from
+laying out my route to the greatest advantage by pushing more to the
+northward and going over more new ground. As it is, the only information
+I have been able to gain, beyond completing the plan of the river, is
+that the principal fall of rain had been eastward of the 116th degree of
+longitude, and that the tract of country between the great South Bend and
+Mount Murchison, which proved barely capable of supporting Mr. Austin's
+small party of horses in November, 1854, is now yielding a pasture nearly
+equal to the average of the Champion Bay district, and in some parts most
+luxuriant, the grass having scarcely arrived at maturity was perfectly
+green; this remarkable change in the character of the country is, I am
+inclined to think, not entirely confined to this year in particular, but
+that from meteorological causes this district has not unfrequently the
+benefit of tropical rains falling during the months of January and
+February, although not always in sufficient quantity to cause the river
+to flow as low as the settled districts.
+
+It has already been observed by many persons that during the summer
+months the prevailing sea breezes divide the northerly currents of vapour
+about 100 miles inland from the west coast, preventing the rain from
+falling throughout the same parallel of latitude.
+
+As near the eastern limits of my route the Murchison throws off two
+branches nearly equal in magnitude to the main stream, I am induced to
+imagine that its extreme source does not lie more than sixty or seventy
+miles beyond that point, and had it not been that I did not feel
+justified in abstracting so large a portion of time from the regular
+surveys of this district, there is no doubt but that I could with every
+facility have completed the exploration of the country as far as the
+Gascoyne in two or three weeks.
+
+On comparing the tracing of the Murchison, which I now enclose, with Mr.
+Austin's route, it will be observed that there is a difference of
+seventeen miles in latitude, and something more in longitude throughout
+the eastern portion, a discrepancy which I am at a loss to account for,
+as my dead-reckoning to both the outward and inward track agree well with
+my cross-bearings; my latitudes were, however, taken only with a pocket
+sextant with a treacle horizon, and might therefore not be implicitly
+relied on. I have, however, preferred plotting my route exactly as booked
+in the field, leaving the existing error to be cleared up at some future
+period.
+
+...
+
+From Mr. Trigg, who arrived on Wednesday by the Preston from Champion
+Bay, we have gathered the following additional particulars:--
+
+The outward route was on the south bank of the river Murchison; the first
+sixty miles was but indifferent, but there were many spots of grass,
+sufficient to maintain travelling herds or flocks; afterwards the soil on
+the banks of the river improved and were continuously grassy, the general
+width being about half a mile. About latitude 26 degrees 50 minutes,
+longitude 116 degrees east, two large branches, almost if not quite equal
+to the main stream, join the Murchison from the eastward. About Mr.
+Austin's Mount Welcome the grass was found very luxuriant--from two to
+three feet high, and between there and Mount Murchison the country is
+described by Mr. Trigg to be very beautiful, and the soil superior to any
+he had previously seen in the colony, and equal to the best land in
+Victoria. Mount Murchison itself is an immense mass of quartz with
+granite round the base; this differs from Mr. Austin's description, but
+that gentleman does not appear to have ascended the hill. From the summit
+three high lands were observable, one an isolated peak fifty miles east,
+the others to the north and north-east apparently more distant; so far as
+could be seen, the country to the east and north-east appeared scrubby
+and indifferent. The return was on the north side of the Murchison; and
+here a large extent of good grassy land was found, not on the bank, but a
+mile and a half from the river, and reaching four or five miles in width
+to the base of some hills, and reaching westward to the large northerly
+bend of the river in longitude 115 degrees 30 minutes about forty miles
+from the Geraldine Mine; the good land in all cases was very flat, the
+soil a red loam, which when dry was very open; the whole country is
+singularly infested with white ants, of which every tree living or dead
+appeared to have its colony. Mr. Trigg regards the country around Mount
+Murchison as auriferous.
+
+...
+
+The striking difference there is between this account of the country on
+the Murchison and that given by Mr. Austin may be accounted for in
+several ways: first, Mr. Austin does not appear to have crossed, but
+skirted the country intervening between Mount Welcome and Mount
+Murchison, but he describes the land about the latter as improving, and
+found water; while it was the feed and water at Mount Welcome which, in
+all probability, saved his party from perishing. The land on the north
+side, spoken of so favourably by Mr. Trigg, was not seen by Mr. Austin,
+and also his party was so exhausted that it was out of his power to
+diverge from a direct line in order to examine the nature of the country
+on either side; whereas Messrs. Gregory and Trigg made such an
+examination whenever any favourable appearance presented itself, and thus
+determined the quantity of valuable land for a distance of six or seven
+miles on each side of the river, and have thus been the means of
+conferring on the Colony one of the greatest benefits it has received
+since the northern district was first opened by Mr. A. Gregory.
+
+***
+
+
+GASCOYNE RIVER.
+
+1858.
+
+PERTH TO CHAMPION BAY.
+
+In consequence of the very satisfactory results of the exploration of the
+Upper Murchison River by Messrs. Gregory and Trigg in 1857, a number of
+settlers in the northern districts subscribed horses and equipment for an
+exploring party to examine the country still further to the east and
+north, and with the sanction of the Government, the Expedition was placed
+under the command of Mr. F.T. Gregory, the result being the discovery of
+a considerable area of available country on the Gascoyne and Lyons
+Rivers, as described in Mr. Gregory's journal, of which the following is
+a copy:--
+
+MR. F. GREGORY'S REPORT.
+
+Western Australia,
+
+Perth, July 26, 1858.
+
+SIR,
+
+In accordance with the instructions conveyed in your letter of the 15th
+March, authorising me to take command of the Expedition to Shark's Bay,
+in course of organisation by the northern settlers, I have the honour to
+furnish the following report of our proceedings while in that service,
+for the information of His Excellency the Governor.
+
+The preliminary arrangements having been completed, and the heavy portion
+of the stores forwarded by sea to Champion Bay, I left Perth on the 26th
+March, accompanied by Mr. James Roe as second in command, chainer
+Fairburn having started the previous day with the team and light
+equipment of the Expedition.
+
+Proceeding by way of Toodyay to the Irwin River, the party were joined by
+Mr. W. Moore with three horses; passing on by way of Champion Bay, we
+arrived a Koobijawanna, the point of general rendezvous, by the 10th of
+April. On the 12th the remainder of the stores arrived from Champion Bay,
+the party being augmented to six persons by the addition of Mr. C. Nairn
+and Dugel, an aboriginal policeman. This day and the following were
+occupied in weighing and packing stores, shoeing horses, etc.
+
+14th April.
+
+The equipment of the Expedition being completed (with the exception of
+one horse to be procured at the Geraldine Mine), we moved on to
+Yanganooka, passing the Geraldine Mine on the 16th, and bivouacked on the
+Murchison River, six miles above the mine, having obtained the additional
+horse, making in all six saddle and six pack horses; our supplies
+consisting of sixty days' rations, on a scale of one and a half pounds of
+flour, eight ounces of pork, four ounces of sugar, and half an ounce of
+tea per diem, the party being all well armed and furnished with
+ammunition.
+
+The mean of our observations with the Aneroid barometer gives 575 feet
+for the elevation of this part of the river above the sea.
+
+ASCEND THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+17th April to the 25th April.
+
+Was occupied in ascending the Murchison River by easy stages to the
+junction of the Impey, the highest point attained by me last year. The
+only observations worthy of remark were that the inundation had not been
+so great as that which occurred the previous summer, the grass up to this
+point not being by any means so abundant as I had found it on my former
+visit; the volume of water now running in the bed of the river being,
+however, at this time about the same, although none of the tributaries,
+including the Roderick and Impey, had been in flood, little or no rain
+having fallen to the west of the 117th degree of longitude, except to the
+north of latitude 26 degrees.
+
+I availed myself of the opportunity afforded to make several additions
+and corrections to the map of this part of the country, verifying the
+correction made by me last year in the latitude of Mount Murchison and
+adjacent hills. By an improved series of triangulation and a carefully
+observed set of lunar distances, I am inclined to place Mount Murchison
+in about longitude 116 degrees 30 minutes east, which makes it more
+nearly approximate to the longitude formerly given by Mr. Austin.
+
+The variation of the compass I found by several amplitudes to be 2
+degrees 30 minutes west. The bed of the Murchison River is here about
+1,077 feet above the sea. In addition to the fish and game formerly
+observed on this part of the river, we met with large flocks of the
+gallinule, which have for so many years excited the curiosity of the
+colonists as to their habitat; from subsequent observations it is evident
+they come from much further to the north-eastward. But one party of
+natives had as yet been seen, consisting of eight or ten, who chased our
+native Dugel to the camp while out shooting, but it was difficult to
+ascertain whether with hostile intentions. From this time to our return
+we regularly mounted sentry during the night, and no one was allowed to
+quit the party any distance alone--a precautionary measure the necessity
+of which was fully borne out by the sequel.
+
+26th April.
+
+From our camp, which was situated about eight miles west of Mount
+Murchison, we fairly commenced the exploration of unknown country.
+Following the river nearly north-north-east for fourteen miles it turned
+abruptly to the east; we, however, held our course, which at four miles
+further brought us to the foot of Mount Narryer, which we ascended, and
+procured a valuable round of angles from its summit. This hill has an
+altitude of 1,688 feet above the sea, and is formed by the eruption of a
+coarse dark-coloured crystalline trap through a base of amorphous
+sandstone, the direction of the range of which it forms a part being
+nearly north and south. Skirting round the north end of this range, we
+struck east over a stony plain, thinly grassed amongst open wattles, and
+at five miles again came upon the Murchison some time after dark. The
+pools here were somewhat larger than for many miles below, being from
+sixty to eighty yards wide and half a mile in length, the water in them
+becoming decidedly brackish; samphire, atriplex, and other salsolaceous
+plants being abundant on the banks.
+
+27th April.
+
+We only advanced nine miles, owing to Mr. Moore and Dugel having to
+return for one of the water-beakers, which had been torn off the
+pack-saddle the previous night in a thicket. Towards our bivouac, which
+was in latitude 26 degrees 23 minutes 38 seconds, the country near the
+river improved much, the channel of the river becoming very shallow; the
+water had spread over the flats for more than half a mile on either side,
+large flooded-gum trees growing abundantly with a fine sward of grass
+beneath, the soil being a rich brown clay loam. Gallinule and cockatoos
+were in large flocks feeding on the grass seeds, which were now nearly
+ripe.
+
+28th April.
+
+To latitude 28 degrees 7 minutes the river continued to come from north
+by east through an extensive plain, bounded on the west by a low range of
+trap and granite hills, at an average distance of six or seven miles,
+while to the eastward only a few distant peaks were visible, flooded-gum
+growing plentifully for more than a mile back from the river, on flats of
+tolerably good pasture. Receding somewhat further from the river, the
+country opens out into extensive plains yielding but little grass;
+atriplex bush and thinly scattered stunted acacia and melaleuca trees
+forming almost the entire vegetation.
+
+29th April.
+
+A few miles nearly north brought us to where a considerable tributary
+joins the Murchison from the north, the river trending first north-east,
+then east, and finally towards the afternoon it came from the southward
+of east, our bivouac being only seven miles north of the previous night,
+while we had made nearly eighteen miles of easting. The bed of the river
+had gradually become more rocky as we ascended, gneiss with quartz dykes
+passing through it and yielding a large quantity of salt, rendered the
+running water of the river scarcely drinkable; the only fresh water was
+found in the back channels filled by the late inundations. The ranges
+which ran parallel to the river to the westward terminated some miles to
+the north of the bend. Another range, apparently granitic and broken up
+into detached peaks, commencing a little to the eastward of its
+termination, runs east for about twenty miles at the distance of six or
+seven miles from the north bank of the river.
+
+To the eastward an elevated range with two conspicuous summits, which
+were respectively named Mount Matthew and Mount Hale, terminated the view
+in that direction, while to the south only a few detached peaks were
+visible.
+
+To-day we first observed a very beautiful convolvulus, which we
+afterwards found to bear roots like a sweet potato, some of them more
+than a pound weight and well flavoured, forming a very important article
+of food to the natives. The flowers are numerous, and measure from two to
+three inches in diameter, their outer edges of a dark lilac, deepening to
+a rich purple at the centre, with a pale green convolute ribbing on the
+outside, the stem and leaf of the plant resembling the kennedya. Mr.
+Drummond, to whom I have described it, considers it an important
+discovery, as by cultivation it might become a valuable addition to our
+Australian esculents.
+
+A small species of rock-melon was also found in great abundance about the
+size of a pigeon's egg, somewhat bitter to the taste, but they were not
+ripe; in other respects it much resembles the cultivated varieties.
+
+The bed of the river at this night's bivouac had attained an elevation of
+1,240 feet above the sea.
+
+LEAVE THE MURCHISON FOR THE GASCOYNE RIVER.
+
+30th April.
+
+Finding that the Murchison was leading us too much to the eastward, the
+object of the expedition being to reach the Gascoyne with as little delay
+as possible, we quitted the river on a north-north-east course for about
+eight miles over a tolerably grassy plain, in some parts open, with
+atriplex and samphire, and in others rather thickly studded with acacia
+and melaleuca. Ascending a granite hill of 150 feet elevation, the plain
+was observed to the eastward to extend to the horizon, only broken by one
+remarkable bold trap hill at the distance of twenty miles, which was
+eventually named Mount Gould, the main Murchison flowing round its
+southern base, while a considerable tributary from the north-east passed
+close under it to the north-west. To the north of our position the
+country rose into a succession of stony ridges thinly grassed and nearly
+destitute of trees; in the valleys the kangaroo grass was tolerably
+plentiful and quite green--a sufficient evidence that we had now arrived
+within the influence of the rains that had produced the recent
+inundation, which gave us every hope of being able to push across the
+country intervening between this and the Gascoyne. We accordingly altered
+our course to north-west for the remainder of this and the following day,
+crossing several tributaries to the Murchison, in which we found plenty
+of water, and on their banks an abundant supply of grass for our horses,
+the streams being generally divided from each other by low stony ridges
+or plains of red sandy loam, yielding a rather scanty supply of grass.
+
+3rd May.
+
+Having rested the party the previous day, it being Sunday, in latitude 25
+degrees 33 minutes 48 seconds, at a fine pool of fresh water in a stream
+running south, and apparently tributary to the Murchison, we resumed our
+course for three or four miles up a branch of the stream upon which we
+had been encamped, which terminated at a gentle stony ascent; another
+mile brought us to its summit, which proved to be the watershed between
+the Gascoyne and Murchison; its elevation was found to be 1,500 feet
+above the sea. From this ridge a short descent northward led us to the
+head of a watercourse, which we followed in the same direction for
+seventeen miles, augmented by several small tributaries; turning to the
+westward, it formed a junction with another river coming from the
+eastward, in latitude 25 degrees 14 minutes 23 seconds, at an elevation
+of 1,144 feet above the sea.
+
+STONY PLAINS.
+
+The country through which we had passed was a nearly level and barren
+plain, evenly and closely paved with small stones, amongst which a few
+stunted acacia found a precarious existence; to this portion of country
+we gave the characteristic name of Macadam Plains.
+
+GASCOYNE RIVER.
+
+4th May.
+
+The river we had encamped upon the preceding night had a level sandy
+channel thirty-five yards wide, with several shallow pools in its bed; a
+narrow belt of flooded-gum lined either bank, which also produced
+abundance of excellent feed; several of the grasses were new to us,
+yielding a large quantity of seed; further back the pasture was more
+scanty, and of an inferior variety of grass, the trees consisting almost
+entirely of small hakea or acacia.
+
+The features of the country are generally very tame, with the exception
+of a prominent hill of considerable altitude, nearly twenty miles to the
+northward, to which we gave the name of Mount Gascoyne. The summit of
+another range, of less elevation, a little to the northward of west,
+distant fifteen miles, was called Mount Puckford.
+
+Having decided upon following the left bank of the river, with the view
+of ascertaining what tributaries might joint from the southward, we this
+morning took our course for Mount Puckford, touching frequently upon the
+bends of the river, which soon found a junction with a large channel
+coming from the eastward, which ultimately proved to be the main
+Gascoyne; it was still running in a small stream in the bottom of a sandy
+bed, eighty yards wide, traces of recent heavy floods being plentiful. At
+ten miles the river has broken through a ridge of opaline rocks, in
+irregular masses, resembling flints, lying north-east and south-west, and
+a few miles further coming in contact with the south-east foot of Mount
+Puckford, it doubles back round its north-east base, and there takes a
+general north-west course to latitude 24 degrees 36 minutes, and
+longitude 116 degrees east, which we reached by noon of the 7th, a
+considerable tributary joining at this point from the northward. A
+compact sandstone range, resting on a granite base (which was named the
+Lockier Range, after Mr. Lockier Burgess, one of the principal promoters
+of the expedition), here diverts the course of the river to the left,
+which, by sundown, we found was running nearly south. The country for the
+last fifty miles varies but little in character, extensive open plains
+alternating with low granite ridges; the banks of the river, which here
+has acquired a width of 100 yards, with a depth of forty-six feet, being
+in many places stony and cut down by deep muddy creeks, rendering
+travelling both slow and laborious. Several tributaries join from the
+north and south, all of which had very recently ceased to run.
+
+To the north and east were several prominent peaks and ranges of trap
+hills clothed with short herbage; to the highest of the former, a single
+conical peak, with deeply serrated sides, was given the name of Mount
+James, after my friend and fellow-traveller, Mr. James Roe; while two
+lofty summits, far to the northward, were called Mount Samuel and Mount
+Phillips.
+
+The principal feed was found near the banks of the rivers, the back
+country still yielding only a scanty supply of a red-coloured silky grass
+of little value except when quite fresh. A tree resembling the sycamore
+of the Murchison, but with the leaves arranged in triplets, and the seed
+pods in the form of a large bean, grows near the river and attains to two
+feet in diameter, with a height of forty feet; the wood is light and
+spongy, something resembling the Nuytsia floribunda, but not gummy. It is
+formed by the natives into shields, and near the coast into canoes. We
+also found on some of the rocky hills a tree with fruit and flowers
+resembling a small fig, the leaves like a lemon, but yielding an acrid
+milky juice.
+
+Several new species of crested quail and dark-brown pigeons were first
+observed here; the beautiful small doves, common in the northern
+districts, were also seen by thousands; gallinule and the elegant
+Ochaphaps plumafera (crested pigeon of the marshes) were also very
+numerous.
+
+SURPRISE A NATIVE CAMP.
+
+8th May.
+
+Pursuing our course down the left bank, we crossed several stream-beds
+which drain the large tract of country between this and the Murchison.
+The Gascoyne here divides into several broad sandy channels, sometimes as
+much as a mile apart. Towards evening we came upon a native encampment;
+few of the men appeared to have returned from their day's hunting, but we
+observed upwards of thirty women and children, who ran into the bed of
+the river to hide, some of the women immersing their children completely
+under water occasionally to prevent their cry of alarm attracting our
+attention. Although we had before met with and spoken to several natives,
+this was the first opportunity we had of examining into their domestic
+economy. Around their fires, of which there were many, were ranged a
+number of wooden scoops capable of holding from two to four quarts; these
+contained a variety of seed and roots; the most plentiful was a species
+of grain like small plump drake, gathered from a grass much resembling
+wheat, which is very abundant on the alluvial flats, and a root
+resembling an onion not larger than a pistol bullet, a few rats, which
+are very numerous in the grassy flats, and a small variety of samphire
+like a Hottentot fig, formed the principal portion of their evening's
+repast.
+
+The few weapons left by the men consisted of heavy spears, with from
+three to eighteen barbs cut out of the solid wood, the shaft from ten to
+twelve feet in length, large shields resembling those in use by the
+natives at Champion Bay, made from the sycamore, and few skins of the red
+kangaroo, formed their entire camp equipment.
+
+A NIGHT ATTACK.
+
+Leaving everything as we found it, we passed on about two miles and
+encamped for the night on a low sandy island in the bed of the river,
+which was here full of flooded-gums of large growth, there being just
+sufficient grass for our horses immediately around our fire. By 9 o'clock
+our supper had been disposed of, and I had just completed my observations
+for latitude, when we heard the shouts of a large party of natives
+approaching from the direction of their camp; leaving Mr. Roe with two
+others to guard the camp, I advanced with Mr. Moore and Dugel to
+ascertain the object of their visit, which we soon found to be evidently
+hostile, as they came on rapidly, all well armed to the number of sixty
+or seventy, the women and children retiring to some rocky ground, while
+the men advanced lighting the large stacks of drift which were abundant
+in this part of the river. When within about forty yards they halted a
+moment, as we had damped our fire and they could not exactly make out our
+position. Mr. Moore was in the act of removing his horse from the front
+when a fresh fire enabled them to see us, upon which ten or twelve of the
+leading men shipped their spears. Being still desirous, if possible, of
+avoiding a collision, I hesitated to fire upon them; but observing a
+large body of them advancing with the evident intention of attacking Mr.
+Roe and his little party in charge of the camp, I advanced a few steps
+and fired a charge of small shot at the leading men as they were in the
+act of throwing at us. The effect was instantaneous and most salutary, as
+they fled with some precipitation, some of them being evidently wounded.
+We mounted extra guard for the remainder of the night, but they did not
+again venture to attack us.
+
+9th May.
+
+Being Sunday, we only moved a few miles lower down the river for more
+grass, and again found ourselves in close proximity to the natives. In
+the course of the day several of them made their appearance at the top of
+the hill overlooking the camp, but appeared afraid to molest us; they had
+with them several large white dogs which were evidently of Australian
+breed.
+
+10th May.
+
+The river took a south-west course, receiving two large tributaries from
+the south-east, one of ninety and the other of fifty yards in width. The
+flats were wider and large trees more abundant; the recent floods had,
+however, been very destructive to the pasture, and removed much of the
+soil for a considerable distance back from the river. The trap hills here
+ceased to appear; the last remarkable one lay about ten miles south-east
+of our morning's camp, and had been named Mount Dalgetty. Our evening's
+bivouac was found to be in latitude 25 degrees 14 minutes, longitude 115
+degrees 30 minutes east by account, and its elevation 700 feet above the
+sea.
+
+11th May.
+
+Until noon our course along the river was nearly north-west, sandstones
+beginning to crop out on the banks, and the country generally was poor
+and scrubby; from our noon halt to sunset our course was nearly west, our
+bivouac being in latitude 25 degrees 2 minutes. The bed of the river had
+here widened out to 300 yards with an average depth of thirty feet, a
+small stream running through the sand in the bottom. In addition to the
+flooded-gum which grows here abundantly, we observed in the bed of the
+river a melaleuca of large size, like a paper-bark tree, but having broad
+leaves resembling the eucalyptus. During the night the natives were very
+noisy in the vicinity, some of them approaching so close as to startle
+our horses, keeping us well on the alert; the horses on this as on
+several other occasions appear to have been our principal safeguard
+against sudden attack.
+
+FRIENDLY INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES.
+
+12th May.
+
+By the time we had commenced loading our horses, a large body of natives
+had collected and approached to reconnoitre our camp; I advanced towards
+them to keep them in check until the loads were completed. On observing
+that I came alone three natives advanced to meet me, throwing three or
+four spears at me in a friendly way, which I picked up and stuck in the
+ground by my side; this token at once established a good understanding,
+and after an exchange of presents they followed us for many miles down
+the river before quitting us. Towards nightfall several of our friends of
+the morning again made their appearance with a number of strange natives,
+dodging us among the deep muddy ravines which abound at this part of the
+river; their manoeuvres being equivocal and unsatisfactory, we kept well
+on our guard; they, however, ran off at night, on my facing about on
+horseback to drive them away.
+
+Our course during the day had been nearly west twenty-two miles, one
+large tributary having joined the river from the northward, which was
+afterwards named the Lyons, in honour of the gallant admiral of that
+name; this accession had increased the breadth of the channel to 400
+yards. As we drew towards our evening's bivouac the river entered a gorge
+formed by the river cutting through the south end of a flat-topped
+sandstone range of about 1,200 feet elevation above the sea, presenting
+many bold and picturesque outlines and detached summits, terminating in
+abrupt and almost precipitous faces; to this we gave the name of the
+Kennedy Range, in honour of our present Governor.
+
+To the south a detached mass of broken sandstone hills gradually falls
+away in the distance, apparently into a barren scrub similar to those on
+the banks of the lower Murchison, while to the west lay before us an
+extensive plain, unbroken by a single object save a few long ridges of
+red drift sand, clothed with a stunted scrub of melaleuca and acacia. The
+bottom of the gorge we found to be 480 feet above the sea.
+
+13th May.
+
+From this morning to noon of the 15th the country passed over was similar
+to that first described, the sand ridges running north-west and
+south-east at about a quarter of a mile apart; the river keeping a
+general course of west-north-west, its channel deepening to sixty feet,
+and maintaining an average width of 400 yards. Grass was only to be found
+in small patches along the margin of the river; the accumulated waters of
+the late inundations having been confined to one channel, had risen to
+the height of forty-eight feet, carrying away many of the largest timber
+trees, as also much of the soil from the banks, leaving a scene of
+devastation exceeding anything of the kind I had hitherto witnessed.
+
+A small description of Spanish reed was here first observed to grow on
+the margin of the pools. Deep muddy creeks, having only short courses,
+were very numerous, rendering travelling both tedious and intricate.
+
+From noon of the 15th the country gradually opened out to a
+thinly-grassed plain of light alluvial soil, atriplex bushes and acacia
+widely scattered forming almost the entire vegetation; the ground, with
+the exception of the bed of the river, being parched and dry, no rain
+having fallen during the summer to the west of the Lyons River, in
+longitude 115 degrees 30 minutes east.
+
+16th May.
+
+Being Sunday, we only moved four miles lower down the river for better
+feed, the channel widening out to 600 yards.
+
+17th May.
+
+Early to-day the river began to throw off numerous channels to the north
+and south, shedding, when in a flood, a considerable amount of water over
+the adjoining plains, clothing the country in the garb of spring, the
+grass growing luxuriantly along the numerous channels, atriplex and other
+low bushes generally covering the plain, the lowest levels of which were
+extensively covered with fields of mud from one to fourteen inches thick,
+the deposit of a single inundation, yet scarcely hardened by the summer
+sun.
+
+REACH THE COAST AT SHARK'S BAY.
+
+At twenty miles we ascended a sandy ridge of about sixty feet in height,
+from which we had our first view of Shark's Bay, Babbage Island, and the
+mouths of the Gascoyne, now only four miles distant.
+
+Behind the ridge upon which we stood, and for many miles to the
+south-east, the country was still under water from the recent floods,
+while between us and the sea lay a low flat, on which were many patches
+of acacia thicket, alternating with open grassy glades, or fields of
+atriplex and samphire, terminating to the westward in a broad irregular
+belt of mangroves, resting on the shallow margin of the bay.
+
+Descending to the flat, we encamped in a rank patch of grass on the bank
+of the river, about a mile above Babbage Island, the north end of which I
+found to be in latitude 24 degrees 52 minutes, which is four miles north
+of the position as given by Sir G. Grey.
+
+KOLAINA PLAINS.
+
+18th May.
+
+We found no difficulty in crossing the southern mouth on to Babbage
+Island; the tide being low, it was quite dry at the junction. Having,
+with Mr. Roe, walked over the greater part of the island, making a rough
+sketch of its outlines, and completing the requisite observations, while
+the rest of the party were occupied in an unsuccessful attempt to catch
+fish, we retraced our steps and crossed the main channel opposite our
+last night's bivouac, where it is not more than 250 yards wide.
+Continuing our course north-east for nearly a mile, we crossed several
+back channels, some trending towards the Kolaina flat of Sir G. Grey,
+while others were lost in the deep sandy ravines that extend for some
+distance to the north of the river.
+
+While on Babbage Island several natives had waded across the northern
+mouth of the river to meet us, and had returned after a friendly
+interview, in which they apparently described the recent landing of two
+boats with Europeans. We now again fell in with the same natives on the
+north bank, near a large encampment of women and children; the latter
+quickly hid themselves on our approach, but the men assumed a threatening
+attitude, following us for some distance with much clamour. As their
+numbers quickly augmented, and they appeared determined to commence a
+fight, we led them out on to an open plain, where, leaving the
+pack-horses in charge of two of the party, four of us suddenly faced
+about and charged them at a gallop. This harmless manoeuvre had the
+desired effect, several of them having narrowly escaped being trodden
+under foot by the horses. They were very quickly dispersed, and made no
+further attempt to molest us. We encamped this night about six miles
+above Babbage Island.
+
+19th May.
+
+As our object was to explore as far to the northward as circumstances
+would allow, we left the river on a north-east course; but two hours'
+ride across an open plain, through which several channels ran to the
+north-west, brought us to dry barren scrubs, in which it appeared
+hopeless we should find either feed or water; we accordingly altered our
+course to south-east, and made the river again about sundown.
+
+RETURN UP THE RIVER.
+
+20th to 23rd May.
+
+Was occupied in tracing up the north bank of the river in the hope of
+finding a tributary coming in from the northward; but, with the exception
+of one small stream which drains the western face of the Kennedy Range,
+not a single tributary was met with until we arrived at the Lyons River,
+a distance of more than ninety miles from Babbage Island. The country on
+the north bank differs but little from that on the south, except that
+travelling was somewhat easier.
+
+THE LYONS RIVER. ALMA RIVER.
+
+24th May.
+
+Our horses having had a rest, the previous day being Sunday, we made an
+early start, and by noon halted on the Lyons River, a short distance
+above its confluence with the Gascoyne; its channel here was equal in
+magnitude and similar in appearance to the main river; a small stream was
+still flowing through the wide sandy bed, and gradually increased in
+volume for nearly eighty miles up the river. Three miles to the north of
+our midday halt Mr. Roe and myself ascended a deep sandstone peak, from
+which we had a fine view of the Kennedy Range, the nearest part of which
+lay about six miles to the west, extending for nearly thirty miles to the
+northward; the eastern face presents an almost unbroken line of nearly
+perpendicular sandstone, of probably 500 or 600 feet elevation. To the
+north a few remarkable peaks served as valuable points to carry on our
+triangulation, which had been continued almost uninterruptedly from Mount
+Hope, on the Murchison.
+
+To the east were several ranges of flat-topped hills, filling in the
+space between the Lyons and the great southern bend of the Gascoyne;
+while to the south, with the exception of a few very distant peaks, it
+appeared, as far as the eye could reach, to be an uniform plain of open
+but almost grassless scrub.
+
+Having completed our round of angles, we struck south-east to a patch of
+forest on the banks of the river, which we did not reach until sometime
+after dark.
+
+25th May.
+
+From this point to latitude 23 degrees 56 minutes the Lyons maintains a
+general course of north-north-east. The country passed over during to-day
+had evidently been tolerably grassy, but the floods had been quite as
+destructive here as on the Gascoyne, the bed of the river and flats for
+half a mile on each side being mostly choked up or buried under fields of
+fine white sand, which had been brought down by the inundations. In
+several places we observed beds of gypsum and fossil shells with other
+strong indications of the existence of coal in the vicinity. Bivouac in
+latitude 24 degrees 41 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+26th May.
+
+A few miles along the river brought us to a gorge in the eastern edge of
+the sandstones, to the east of which it opened out into extensive plains
+in some parts well grassed, and in others much washed by the river.
+Several trap and granite hills were visible at some distance to the
+northward and eastward. Our bivouac was in latitude 24 degrees 31 minutes
+0.5 seconds, about three miles south of a bold trap-range, the summit of
+which was named Mount Sandiman.
+
+27th May.
+
+The country still maintained its variable character, travelling near the
+river being exceedingly heavy on account of the sand. The morning had
+been calm and sultry, but towards noon a strong breeze set in from the
+north, bringing with it a dense cloud of fine red dust, against which it
+was no easy matter to make head with our horses. Towards evening the
+flats began to improve, and we halted for the night amongst fine grass;
+melons and tobacco growing very luxuriantly. To-night it rained for about
+two hours, clearing the atmosphere of its load of dust.
+
+28th May.
+
+Resuming our course up the river, at four miles we crossed a stream-bed
+forty yards wide, coming in from the north-north-west, and in the course
+of the day passed over several thin beds of opaque opalline rock resting
+upon the sandstone. At our camp, which was in latitude 24 degrees 0.3
+minutes 0.8 seconds, granite began to make its appearance in the bed of
+the river.
+
+29th May.
+
+Our pack-horses having now been much lightened of their loads, we were
+to-day for the first time able to trot for several hours; and as the
+country still improved, several fine grassy valleys coming in from the
+eastward, we made considerable progress.
+
+ALMA RIVER.
+
+At our noon halt Mr. Moore and myself ascended a hill of red schist of
+300 or 400 feet elevation, in latitude 23 degrees 57 minutes 15 seconds,
+which had been named Mount Thompson. From this hill we had an extensive
+view of the surrounding country; close to the northern foot the river
+divided into two nearly equal parts--one coming from the north-north-east
+we named the Alma. To the north, just resting on the edge of the tropic,
+lay a compact range through which there was apparently but one break, and
+that was on the line of the Alma; from the southern face of this range,
+which extends nearly forty miles to the eastward, numerous streams take
+their rise and flow southward into the Lyons, which had altered its
+course and was now coming from the east-south-east. Our intention had
+been to keep our course until we had touched upon the tropic; but as the
+Alma was not running, we decided upon following the main course of the
+stream, and accordingly adopted an easterly course for the remainder of
+the day, encamping about six miles to the east of Mount Thompson. The
+river here was much narrower, with a rocky bed containing many pools of
+permanent character, overshadowed by flooded-gums of large growth, much
+resembling the Eucalyptus piperita of the flats of the Swan, but not
+possessing the same pungent leaf.
+
+30th May (Sunday).
+
+Found our latitude to be 23 degrees 58 minutes 32 seconds, and longitude
+111 degrees east by account.
+
+31st May.
+
+NATIVE TOBACCO.
+
+We started off at a quick pace, clearing sixteen miles by noon, over some
+fine open grassy flats, timbered for nearly a mile back from the river;
+one tributary 100 yards wide having joined from the north, and a smaller
+one from the south. Leaving the party busily occupied catching fish,
+which were abundant in this part of the river and much resembling those
+found in the Murchison, but larger, some of them being upwards of a pound
+in weight, I walked with Mr. Nairn to the summit of a granite hill two
+miles to the northward, from which I had a number of cross-bearings to
+hills already observed from Mount Thompson. One of considerable elevation
+bearing north 121 degrees 30 minutes east, distance fifty miles, lay
+directly up the valley of the river, and was ultimately named Mount
+Augustus, after my brother, now conducting the expedition in quest of the
+remains of Dr. Leichhardt. Pushing on twelve miles further, we halted for
+the night in latitude 23 degrees 59 minutes 39 seconds. Tobacco here grew
+to sufficient size for manufacture, occupying many hundred acres of the
+best land; a plant much resembling stramonium was also abundant on the
+moist land, yielding a strongly offensive odour from its leaves.
+
+1st June.
+
+For the first twelve miles along the river the flats much improved, and
+were only occasionally broken up by stony ridges; good country was seen
+to extend up the tributaries, several of which came in from the north. To
+the south, at two or three miles distant, and running parallel to the
+river for many miles, was an even grassy range of moderate elevation
+nearly destitute of trees or bushes; the acacia and melaleuca, which had
+hitherto generally covered the plains, was evidently fast giving way to
+an open undulating and thinly-grassed country, the back lands being
+however still too stony to yield much pasture, the summer grass being
+already parched and dry, the flats alone continuing moist and verdant.
+
+At our noon halt the main river had ceased to flow, but a tributary
+coming from the north-east had a small stream still running in the bottom
+of a muddy channel down which the recent floods had brought flags and
+portions of bulrush, the only instance throughout the district in which
+we had observed them.
+
+The next ten miles passed over between this and sunset was chiefly an
+alluvial flat, much resembling the fertile lands near the mouth of the
+Greenough; the acacias and several varieties of melaleuca, amongst which
+was the Callistemon phoeniceus, with its beautiful scarlet flowers, were
+growing with tropical luxuriance, the soil in many places being still
+saturated with moisture. A water-melon was here first observed, the fruit
+not attaining to more than two inches in length, but not otherwise
+differing from the cultivated kinds; we also found a fruit in shape like
+a pear, three inches in length, growing on a small creeper, the interior
+of the fruit consisting of a number of small flat seeds, to which were
+attached a bundle of long silky fibres resembling cotton. Our bivouac was
+in latitude 24 degrees 7 minutes 52 seconds, near a fine pool of fresh
+water, with limestone cropping out in a thin bed on the banks; we had
+frequently met with it distributed in small nodules scattered over a
+large portion of the country on the Upper Murchison.
+
+Since quitting the mouth of the Gascoyne we had seen natives almost
+daily; to-night we again found ourselves in close proximity to a large
+encampment of them.
+
+2nd June.
+
+Our neighbours paid us an early visit this morning, some of them
+evidently bent on mischief, but were restrained by others more
+prudent--not, however, before it had nearly cost one of them his life;
+having pointed a spear at Mr. Moore, Dugel, whose natural instincts are
+very destructive, hastily took aim at him, but fortunately pulled the
+wrong trigger, which just gave his adversary time to lower his weapon; on
+our mounting our horses they hastily fell back and joined their other
+companions at their camp, which was just in our line of march; about
+thirty of them awaited our approach with some tokens of defiance, but
+most of them decamped on our coming within spear's throw.
+
+MOUNT AUGUSTUS 3,480 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
+
+Directing our course for Mount Augustus, we pushed on at a rapid pace
+with the object of ascending it if possible before sundown; but after
+riding twenty miles, we found it to be farther off than we anticipated,
+and accordingly altered our course and encamped at a pool in the river
+about three miles north-east of the mount, in latitude 24 degrees 20
+minutes, and at an elevation of 1500 feet above the sea.
+
+We here met with strong evidences of the cannibalism of the natives; at a
+recently occupied encampment we found several of the bones of a
+full-grown native that had been cooked, the teeth marks on the edges of a
+bladebone bearing conclusive evidence as to the purpose to which it had
+been applied; some of the ribs were lying by the huts with a portion of
+the meat still on them.
+
+Nearly the whole of the country passed over this day was an alluvial flat
+extending on the south-west to the grassy range already described, while
+to the north and east it extended for many miles, branching out into the
+numerous valleys that drain the different ranges in that direction; the
+grass and vegetation on these flats is not so rank as on that traversed
+the previous day, but more even, and the soil better adapted for
+agriculture; the amount of good land on this part of the Lyons River was
+estimated at 150 square miles, while on the tributaries between Mount
+Thompson and Mount Augustus I have no doubt that there is as much more.
+Water at this time was plentiful in the numerous channels that intersect
+the plain, their permanency being the only matter of doubt--our limited
+acquaintance with the nature of the seasons in these latitudes does not
+enable us to decide with any degree of certainty; the pools lower down
+the river are unquestionably of a permanent character, but many of them
+were already becoming brackish.
+
+The quantity of game seen in this part of the country was also a
+favourable indication. Turkeys, and a new variety of pigeon, having a
+brown back and slate-coloured breast, on the wing resembling a tame
+pigeon, congregate in flights sometimes of a thousand together; emus,
+cockatoos, quail, and parakeets are also very numerous, particularly the
+latter.
+
+3rd June.
+
+A gentle ascent of two and a half miles brought us to the foot of Mount
+Augustus, where, leaving our horses in charge of Fairburn and Dugel, we
+commenced the ascent up the only accessible point on this side of the
+hill; it required two hours' heavy toil to bring us to the summit, the
+barometer gradually falling until it only registered 26.10, which,
+compared with the simultaneous observations kept at Champion Bay by Mr.
+H. Gray, gives an elevation of 3,480 feet above the level of the sea; the
+last 500 feet of the summit being clothed in thickets of melaleuca,
+amongst which grew a nondescript variety of red gum-tree, the only new
+thing observed in this locality. The air was fortunately very clear,
+enabling us to take bearings to almost every remarkable summit within
+eighty miles, and in two instances to hills more than a hundred miles
+distant.
+
+From this commanding position I was enabled to sketch in the courses of
+the rivers for more than twenty miles, some of them probably taking their
+rise from 60 to 100 miles still further to the eastward. To the
+north-east the country continued to improve in appearance until the view
+was intercepted by bold ranges of trap and granite--one of which bearing
+north 32 degrees east magnetic, distant nearly 100 miles, having a sharp
+volcanic outline, reared its summit above all the rest. To the south-east
+the country was not quite so promising, the ridges presenting naked stony
+outlines, upon which was only a little scanty grass or a few bushes; to
+the south it was almost an uninterrupted plain, extending nearly as far
+as the Murchison River, over which lay our homeward course. Descending
+the mount, we encamped at a spring in some fine feed close at its foot.
+
+RETURN TOWARDS SETTLEMENTS.
+
+4th June.
+
+As we had now been out fifty-one days, and our provisions were only
+calculated to last twenty-four days longer, although we had reduced our
+allowance shortly after quitting the Geraldine Mine, we were reluctantly
+compelled to turn our steps homewards, being still 360 miles from the
+settled districts; passing, therefore, over the eastern foot of Mount
+Augustus, we pursued a south-south-east course for twenty miles over
+alternating grassy plains and stony ridges, and encamped on the river
+with a sandy bed, in which were a few shallow pools, its trend bearing
+north-north-west, and probably joins the Gascoyne near the Lockier Range.
+The feed on this river, as well as on those between this and the
+Murchison, was principally kangaroo-grass of strong growth; the course of
+the streams being easily traceable from a distance by the flooded-gum
+trees that invariably lined their margins.
+
+5th June.
+
+A south course of ten miles over a poor stony country brought us to the
+head of a stream, which, following in the same direction to latitude 24
+degrees 51 minutes 52 seconds, we found plenty of feed on its banks and
+pools of water in its bed, which was here thirty yards wide; the
+principal features of the adjacent country being low granite ridges,
+intersected by occasional quartz dykes, alternating with chlorite schist.
+
+6th June (Sunday).
+
+7th June.
+
+Following a south-south-east course, at six miles the stream turned to
+the south-west. Passing over several miles of stony country, in latitude
+24 degrees 59 minutes 32 seconds, we crossed another stream-bed forty
+yards wide, running to the westward, and forming a junction with the last
+at some miles distant. Towards sundown we came upon a recently inundated
+plain, and a mile further struck a grassy channel thirty yards wide,
+which had barely ceased running, the soil for some distance on either
+bank being a strong red loam, yielding a fair supply of pasture. This
+channel we afterward found to be only one of several which formed the
+main branch of the Gascoyne. The observed latitude was 25 degrees 6
+minutes 30 seconds, and elevation 1,740 feet above the sea.
+
+8th June.
+
+A mile farther we came upon the main channel of the river, with a wide
+shallow bed, down which a small stream was still running; the flats were
+well grassed, and the flooded-gums growing for more than a mile back from
+the river. To the eastward the country continued level and grassy as far
+as the eye could reach; our time was, however, too limited to admit of
+our making any further examination of this promising tract. A party of
+twenty or thirty natives were encamped here, and were apparently living
+upon the roots of the convolvulus, which grows in the vicinity in great
+abundance.
+
+For fifteen miles to the south-east it continued a level plain of red
+loam, tolerably well grassed and covered with an open wood of acacia; the
+next eight miles was over a poor stony ridge of moderate elevation,
+terminating at a large dry stream-bed, in latitude 25 degrees 24 minutes
+16 seconds, with some fine kangaroo-grass on its banks.
+
+9th June.
+
+Ten miles south, over a granite country, we struck the head of a
+watercourse, which, after winding about for sixteen miles, ran close to
+the western foot of Mount Gould, where we encamped at its junction with
+another small stream coming from the northward. The country passed over
+to-day was generally very stony until we came within a few miles of Mount
+Gould.
+
+10th June.
+
+Taking our course direct for Mount Hale, the pasture rapidly improved; at
+ten miles the watercourse we had been following formed a junction with
+the main Murchison, coming in from the eastward. From the appearance of
+the river at this point, it is probable that it takes its rise nearly
+another 100 miles farther to the north-east. The next thirteen miles down
+the river was fair average cattle pasture, extending for several miles to
+the right and left; open flats of atriplex and samphire occurring at
+intervals.
+
+11th June.
+
+The river soon divided into several channels, shedding its waters over a
+fine alluvial flat, of considerable extent, yielding a rich sward of
+grass, under flooded-gums of large growth. A little after noon we came
+upon our outward track, and encamped at night near the north-west bend of
+the Murchison.
+
+DOWN THE MURCHISON.
+
+12th to 22nd June.
+
+Was occupied in descending the river to the Geraldine Mine, cutting off
+several bends of the river, and making such additions to our sketch of
+the outward route as circumstances would admit.
+
+RETURN TO PERTH.
+
+23rd June.
+
+We all arrived safe at the hospitable residence of Mr. W. Burges, on the
+Irwin; the following day being occupied in making up the accounts
+connected with the expedition, which, including the whole of the cash
+expenditure, did not exceed 40 pounds, which sum had already been
+subscribed by a few settlers interested in the undertaking.
+
+Quitting the Irwin on the 1st of July, and proceeding by way of
+Dandaragan and Toodyay, I arrived, with Mr. Roe and chainer Fairburn, in
+Perth on the 10th instant, having accomplished a journey of nearly 2000
+miles in 107 days.
+
+On reviewing the foregoing report, I find it necessary to add a few
+observations on subjects that could not well be introduced into the body
+of the narrative.
+
+GEOLOGY OF COUNTRY.
+
+In the first place, viewing the geographical and geological features in
+combination, the tract of country contained within the 114th and 118th
+parallels of longitude, and the 24th and 27th degrees of south latitude,
+may be considered as an inclined plane, the eastern edge of which has an
+elevation of about 1700 feet above the level of the sea. Commencing from
+the coast, the first 100 miles is almost exclusively of tertiary
+sandstone formation, which the process of denudation has, in many
+instances, converted into either stony or sandy tracts, rarely fertile,
+except when subject to the influence of frequent inundation. This region
+seldom gives rise to rivers or watercourses; the flat-topped ranges,
+which are often found towards the eastern limits of this formation, do
+not generally exceed 500 or 600 feet in altitude, and are only those
+portions of country that have not as yet yielded to the waste of time, or
+the constant action of rivers, which, rising in the higher lands more to
+the eastward, rapidly abrade, and in their onward course remove the soft
+and porous sandstone from their bases.
+
+In the deeper valleys, towards the eastern edge of these sandstones thin
+beds of oolitic limestone, containing numerous fossil shells,
+occasionally occur; also gypsum and clayey shales, with other indications
+of the probable existence of coal in the vicinity; following the series
+appears a compact, fine-grained amorphous sandstone, having an almost
+flinty fracture; this rock, in a few miles, gives place to granite and
+gneiss, frequently broken up by the upheaval of whinstone and porphyritic
+trap hills, having an elevation of from 100 to 500 feet above the plain.
+
+As we proceeded eastward, the eruptive rocks became more numerous;
+chlorite slate, veins of quartz, chert, and variegated jasper, frequently
+forming the summits of the most elevated hills, while, on the general
+level of the plain, are occasionally found thin beds of ancient lava.
+
+The rivers, unlike most others in Western Australia, have nearly an even
+fall throughout their entire length, amounting on an average to six feet
+per mile; this, in a country subject to the sudden fall of almost
+tropical rains, is what gives rise to the destructive inundations already
+described.
+
+CLIMATE.
+
+Of the climate and seasons so little is at present known that, allowing
+all other difficulties to have been overcome, it would be very hazardous
+to risk flocks and herds beyond the head of the Murchison until the
+country has again been visited at a different period of the year, as it
+is probably that it has as yet only been seen under the most favourable
+conditions.
+
+The fluctuations of the temperature are occasionally considerable; in the
+middle of June it some days amounted to 46 degrees in six
+hours--registering, at 7 a.m., 36 degrees, and at 1 p.m., 82 degrees; ice
+having been seen as far north as latitude 24 degrees 30 minutes.
+
+The prevailing winds during the period of inundation appear to have been
+from the south-east, as most of the trees blown down while the soil was
+in a state of saturation lay with their tops to the north-west. In May
+and June the winds ranged between north-east and south-east.
+
+Of the regularity of the return of the summer rains it is at present
+difficult to form a decided opinion; but, as far as observation would
+admit, I am inclined to think they cannot be relied on with any degree of
+certainty, to the southward of the 25th degree of latitude. The period at
+which they fall being about January and February, it is a significant
+fact that the grasses found buried beneath the mud during these months
+had generally attained only to nearly half their growth.
+
+AREA OF AVAILABLE COUNTRY.
+
+With regard to the quantity and distribution of the available lands, it
+will only be necessary to observe that, with the exception of 30,000 or
+40,000 acres at the mouth of the Gascoyne, there is no land worth
+occupying for many years to come to the west of the Lyons River; the
+amount of land on this river has already been estimated at nearly 300
+square miles, while on the Upper Gascoyne and its tributaries there is
+probably double that quantity; this, with the lands on the Murchison near
+Mount Hale, would make a total of about a million of acres.
+
+A very important circumstance in connection with this district is the
+total absence, so far as we were able to observe, of any of the varieties
+of gastrolobium or euphorbia, which constitute the poisonous plants so
+fatal to cattle and sheep in other parts of the colony.
+
+The means of access to the Upper Gascoyne and Lyons is another important
+matter for consideration. I am inclined to think that this district
+cannot be advantageously settled until the tract of country between it
+and the north coast has been explored, and a port established somewhere
+between Exmouth Gulf and Depuch Island, as, should the country in that
+direction fulfil its promise, the intervening space would very quickly be
+filled up, and the lands on the Gascoyne become available, its distance
+from the north coast being about 200 miles, while from Port Gregory or
+Champion Bay would not be less than from 340 to 360 miles--a difference
+of some moment in the transport of stores or produce.
+
+From the lay of the country to the northward of the Lyons River there
+does not appear to be any reason to suppose that a river of any magnitude
+falls into Exmouth Gulf, as there would be hardly room for it between the
+sources of the Alma and the rivers flowing to the north coast.
+
+I cannot bring my report to a conclusion without recording my
+acknowledgments to Mr. James Roe for the able and effective assistance he
+has rendered me throughout the expedition, the barometrical observations
+and management of the provision department having been especially under
+his charge.
+
+My best thanks are also due to Mr. W.D. Moore and Mr. C. Nairn, who on
+every occasion endeavoured to relieve me as much as possible from some of
+the many arduous duties that usually devolve on the leader of an
+exploring party. Chainer Fairburn and the native Dugel also gave general
+satisfaction in the performance of their respective duties.
+
+I may add that to the ready cooperation and unanimity that prevailed
+throughout the party may in no small degree be ascribed the successful
+issue of the undertaking.
+
+I have the honour to be, Sir, etc.,
+
+F.T. GREGORY,
+
+Assistant Surveyor.
+
+To the Honourable the Surveyor-General, etc.
+
+***
+
+
+NORTH-WEST COAST.
+
+1861.
+
+ORIGIN OF EXPEDITION TO NORTH-WEST AUSTRALIA.
+
+The important additions to geographical discovery, and the large extent
+of valuable pastoral country that had been found on the Gascoyne River
+and its tributaries, attracted the attention of a number of English
+capitalists interested in cotton manufactures, which were then in a very
+depressed condition in consequence of the civil war in America, it was
+proposed to establish a new colony on the north-west coast of Australia,
+having for its special object the cultivation of cotton.
+
+Advantage was taken of the presence of Mr. F. Gregory in London to urge
+on the Home Government and the Royal Geographical Society the
+desirability of fitting out an expedition to proceed direct to the
+north-west coast of Australia, accompanied by a large body of Asiatic
+labourers, and all the necessary appliances for the establishment of a
+colony.
+
+Under the advice of Captain Roe, Surveyor-General of Western Australia,
+and other gentlemen well acquainted with the subject, the scheme was
+modified so as to have the country explored as a preliminary to actual
+settlement, and for this purpose a grant of 2000 pounds was obtained from
+the Imperial Government, to be supplemented by an equal subsidy by the
+Colonial Treasury.
+
+Accordingly Mr. Gregory obtained a suitable outfit for the party in
+London, and early in 1861 proceeded to Western Australia to confer with
+the Governor as to the requisite details; but owing to the delays caused
+by a part of the funds having to be provided by a vote of the local
+Legislature, the expedition did not finally leave Fremantle until 23rd
+April, 1861--nearly two months later in the season than it should have
+done, as the rainy season in North-west Australia terminates about the
+beginning of March.
+
+The following is an abstract of the journal and report of Mr. Gregory to
+the Governor of Western Australia:--
+
+JOURNAL OF THE NORTH-WEST AUSTRALIAN EXPLORING EXPEDITION.
+
+20th April, 1861.
+
+All the preliminary arrangements in Perth having been completed, and the
+stores and equipment of the expedition already sent on board the barque
+Dolphin, I proceeded to Fremantle and shipped the ten horses that had
+been furnished by the settlers in this part of the colony; the remainder
+of the hay and water being also completed by 2 p.m., we were prepared to
+sail, when the agent for the vessel raised objections to our departure,
+on the plea that the arrangements for the payments on account of the
+charter were not satisfactory. Wrote accordingly by express to the
+Private Secretary for an acknowledgment that the requisite documents were
+complete.
+
+21st April.
+
+Received reply from the Private Secretary to the effect that everything
+necessary had been approved of already by the Governor; the agent would
+not, however, allow the vessel to leave until he had actually received
+the first instalment on account of the charter from the Colonial
+Treasurer.
+
+22nd April.
+
+Accompanied Mr. Manning and Captain Dixon to Perth, when they were
+informed by the Colonial Treasurer that the money would be forthcoming on
+the presentation of the accounts. Returned to Fremantle, where we were
+detained for the remainder of the day to enable the agent to close his
+accounts.
+
+23rd April.
+
+Went on board the Dolphin at 7 a.m., and by 11 a.m. got underweigh, with
+a fresh breeze from the east-north-east, and stood to the
+north-north-west. The portion of the exploring party embarked at
+Fremantle comprised the following persons: F.T. Gregory, commander; J.
+Turner, assistant and storekeeper; E. Brockman, W.S. Hall, and J.
+McCourt, assistants; and A. James, farrier. Supplies of flour, salt pork,
+dried beef, preserved meat, bacon, sugar, tea, etc., sufficient for eight
+months, were provided for a party of nine; three more volunteers and ten
+horses having yet to be taken on board at Champion Bay.
+
+24th April.
+
+Light winds from the north; at noon sighted land, in latitude 31 degrees
+28 minutes 12 seconds south; all hands attending to horses.
+
+25th April.
+
+Experienced variable and contrary winds; made but little progress.
+
+26th April.
+
+Weather cloudy, winds unfavourable; had a distant view of Mount Lesueur.
+
+CHAMPION BAY.
+
+27th April.
+
+Sighted Mount Hill soon after daylight, rain and squalls rendering it
+difficult to distinguish the coast; the weather clearing up, ran into
+Champion Bay, and came to anchor by noon, half a mile north of the jetty,
+in four fathoms; landed and procured a horse from the Government
+Resident, and rode out to Mr. K. Brown's station.
+
+28th April.
+
+Procured a horse for the expedition from Mr. W. Moore, on account of
+Hamersley and Company, and returned with it to the Bay.
+
+29th April.
+
+Sent round to the rest of the subscribers of horses to the expedition;
+party employed filling up ship's water-tanks.
+
+30th April.
+
+Mr. J. Harding arrived, as a volunteer, with two horses from Mr. W.
+Burges; also Mr. M. Brown, as a volunteer, with one horse. The following
+gentlemen also sent horses: Messrs. J.S. Davis, 2; F. DuBoulay, 1; C. von
+Bibra, 1; H. Gray, 1; M. Morrissey, 1; and J. Drummond, 12 sheep. Mr. P.
+Walcott joined as a volunteer for the collection of specimens of natural
+history and botany. Ship's crew employed discharging the remainder of the
+cargo from England, consigned to Champion Bay.
+
+1st May.
+
+With the assistance of a number of gentlemen who kindly volunteered their
+aid, the ten additional horses were safely swum off to the Dolphin;
+Captain Dixon and his crew being employed landing a steam-engine. Wrote
+to His excellency the Governor, reporting intention to sail to-morrow.
+
+CHAMPION BAY TO NICKOL BAY.
+
+2nd May.
+
+Wrote to the Secretary of the Royal Geographical Society, reporting
+progress of the expedition. Transferred order for twenty sheep,
+subscribed by J. Williams, to Mr. T. Burges. Took on board twelve sheep
+sent by Mr. Drummond, and closed accounts at the bay. Party fitting up
+mangers, etc. At 5.30 p.m. got underweigh and stood to the north-west,
+the soundings for five miles varying from three and three-quarters to
+seven fathoms; the sea breaking heavily for about a mile in a northerly
+direction from the end of the sheltering reef, showing a much greater
+extent of shoalwater than is noted on the charts. Established a routine
+of watches of two hours each, for the members of the expedition to attend
+upon the horses.
+
+3rd May.
+
+By observations at noon, found the latitude to be 26 degrees 53 minutes
+south; longitude 112 degrees 33 minutes east. Party preparing equipment,
+drying horse-slings, etc. Wind light from south-east.
+
+4th May.
+
+Putting pack-saddles together, covering water-belts, etc.; light wind
+from south, ship making from one to four knots; course north by east.
+Increased allowance of water to horses from four or five gallons each, on
+account of the heat of the hold. Killed a sheep.
+
+Latitude at noon, 25 degrees 40 minutes south; longitude 112 degrees 1
+minute east.
+
+5th May (Sunday).
+
+Held Divine service; passed through several drifts of seaweed at noon, in
+latitude 25 degrees 43 minutes 34 seconds south, longitude 112 degrees 5
+minutes east, showing a southerly current of nearly two miles per hour;
+cloudy, with light winds from south-east and south.
+
+6th May.
+
+At noon sighted Cape Cuvier, bearing east twenty miles; latitude 23
+degrees 52 minutes; longitude 112 degrees 53 minutes east; current of
+nineteen miles south in twenty-four hours.
+
+7th May.
+
+North-west Cape was visible at noon, bearing east three-quarters north,
+distant twenty-five miles; our latitude being 22 degrees south; and
+longitude 113 degrees 18 minutes east. The Cape appears to have an
+elevation of 500 or 600 feet, and to be of a sandstone formation; the
+soil back of the hills appearing good, and clothed at this period of the
+year with an abundance of grass, wattles of large growth and flooded-gum
+trees growing on the slopes; the character of some of the lower hills and
+valleys is that of a mineral district.
+
+8th May.
+
+Passed through many patches of drifting seaweed coming from the eastward.
+Light south-east winds and cloudy weather.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 24 minutes south; longitude 114 degrees 37 minutes
+east, at noon.
+
+9th May.
+
+Richie's Reef cannot be in the position shown on the charts, as we sailed
+over it, and saw no broken water. At noon found our latitude to be 19
+degrees 58 minutes south; longitude 115 degrees 23 minutes east; light
+winds from the south-east, and a current of half a mile per hour setting
+to the west or north-west.
+
+10th May.
+
+At daylight sighted Legendre Island to the south-east, distant ten miles.
+Ran east-north-east till 10 a.m., with fresh breeze; tacked to south-west
+with wind at east; by noon it fell calm, having fetched to within ten
+miles of the north end of Delambre Island. At 5 p.m. a light wind from
+the north-west enabled us to run in and drop anchor at 6.0 in thirteen
+fathoms, the south end of Delambre bearing east about three miles; at
+11.0 a strong breeze sprung up from the south-east, freshening to a gale
+by 2 a.m. of the 11th. Tide setting to south-west at four miles per hour,
+with a rise of sixteen feet.
+
+STRONG TIDES PREVENT LANDING.
+
+11th May.
+
+The gale continued to 11 a.m., when it moderated; the tide being full at
+about noon. Got underweigh at 1 p.m., and stood to the south-west, under
+topsails, stemming a strong ebb tide to 3.30, when we came to anchor in
+five fathoms (sand and shells), about three miles from the western shore
+of the bay, Sloping Head bearing north by east five miles. The water of
+the bay is much discoloured, being of a deep reddish-brown. In passing
+down the shore we observed that the whole of what is shown on the chart
+as a promontory, extending to the north of Sloping Head, is an island,
+with a channel nearly half a mile wide, separating it from the main; to
+the outer portion was given the name of Dolphin Island. At 4 p.m. left
+the ship in the life boat, accompanied by Captain Dixon, Mr. Hall, and
+four men, and took soundings for six miles to the south-west down the
+centre of the bay, finding five and six fathoms all the way; the water
+then shoaled to three fathoms, when, being within a mile of the head of
+the bay, it became dark. Pulling about two miles to the south-east, it
+gradually shoaled to one foot, when we grounded, and remained there till
+11 p.m., when the tide being at full we pulled for the ship, but not
+seeing her lights by 1 a.m. on the 12th, and the men being much fatigued,
+we lay on our oars for an hour, and then took a stretch for two miles to
+the south-south-east, to get under the shelter of the south-east shore of
+the bay, when, having no anchor, we lay-to till daylight, by which time
+the boat had drifted into heavy rollers under the high rocky land at the
+south-west head of the bay; the wind having risen so much that the boat
+was only kept afloat by keeping her head to the sea. As we could not
+observe any spot at which we could land without the risk of swamping the
+boat and wetting our firearms, we continued pulling towards the ship, the
+ebb tide assisting us until 2 p.m., when just as all hands were becoming
+thoroughly tired out, a boat was sent from the Dolphin to our relief,
+with a timely supply of biscuit and brandy, which, with the assistance of
+a tow-line, enabled us to reach the ship by 3 p.m., very thankful that we
+had escaped what at one time appeared likely to have proved a serious
+disaster.
+
+LANDING EFFECTED.
+
+13th May.
+
+In the morning it blew so fresh from the eastward that Captain Dixon did
+not like to move the vessel until 2 p.m., when we stood to the south for
+about four miles, and came to anchor in four fathoms. Taking the
+life-boat and cutter, both well-manned, we pulled south to the shore
+about three miles, the water gradually shoaling until at half a mile from
+the shore the boats grounded on a sandbank, from which we walked, through
+mud, shells, and coral, to a belt of mangroves about fifty yards through,
+behind which rose a sandbank about thirty feet high, covered with flowers
+and coarse grass; from this to the foot of a range of rugged metamorphic
+sandstone, a distance of half a mile, was an open, undulating, loamy
+plain, covered with grass just arriving at maturity, a few small wattles,
+hakea, and white-gum trees. As the sun had now set, we had only just time
+to ascend a few hundred feet up the rocky ridge, from which elevation
+could be discerned a sheet of water about a mile to the eastward, which
+we attempted to reach, but it became so dark that it was found better to
+return to the boats, which were now high and dry. By 8 p.m. the tide had
+risen sufficiently to admit of Captain Dixon's return to the Dolphin,
+while I remained with a portion of my own party to make further
+examination in the morning; the leaky state of the cutter keeping one of
+us bailing through the night.
+
+14th May.
+
+With Messrs. Turner, Brown, Harding, and Brockman, landed at 7 a.m., and
+walked to the sheet of water observed last night, but found it only a
+tidal inlet, terminating in a salt marsh. Continuing on our course for
+five miles to the south-east, across a grassy plain, the soil being a
+light brown loam, with occasional patches of quartz and gneiss pebbles,
+and beds of limestone in irregular nodules, in an hour and a half arrived
+at a deep stony watercourse, containing some small pools of brackish
+water. This stream was followed up to the southward about a mile, but
+found to be dry, and did not appear to come from a greater distance than
+twenty miles. This river was named the Nickol. The country to the south
+not being very promising, we turned to the westward, recrossing the plain
+more to the south, passing several hollows, in which the rainwater had
+very recently rested, leaving a rich alluvial deposit from which had
+sprung up a splendid sward of grass, which was still quite green. Not
+meeting with water in this direction, and the party not being yet in full
+training, we were glad to return to the boat, which was reached by 2
+p.m.; the tide being now in, enabled her to come in close to the beach,
+the rise being found to be about sixteen feet. By 5.0 we had returned to
+the ship, all tolerably well fatigued with our first day's march on
+shore.
+
+INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES.
+
+15th May.
+
+Not being satisfied to land the horses on a shore devoid of water, I
+determined to attempt a landing in a small sandy cove in the high rocky
+shore on the west of the bay, which we had been afraid to enter during
+the gale on the 12th. Leaving the ship with two boats and provisions for
+the day, we pulled for the little cove about four miles distant, bearing
+west by north. For the first three miles the soundings did not show less
+than three fathoms, with an even sandy bottom, the last mile shoaling
+gradually to the beach; the landing being easily effected, as there now
+was but little surf. The shore was found to be generally very sandy, a
+low flat valley extending from the head of the cove across the isthmus
+about two miles to Mermaid Strait, where it terminated in a muddy
+mangrove creek. In about half an hour several wells were found, some
+containing rather brackish water, but one, about eight feet deep, in a
+hollow under a steep range of bare volcanic and granite hills, not more
+than 200 yards from the beach, was found to contain an abundant supply of
+good water; grass being plentiful and of fine quality in the valleys
+under the hills. Our principal requirements being now satisfied, it only
+remained to bring the ship in near enough to land the horses. On our
+return to the Dolphin we found that she had been visited by two natives,
+who had paddled off on logs of wood, shaped like canoes, not hollow, but
+very bouyant, about seven feet long and one foot thick, which they
+propelled with their hands only, their legs resting on a little rail made
+of small sticks driven in on each side. At first they were afraid to come
+on board, but on friendly signs being made, they ascended the ladder that
+had been put down for them. They were both fine-looking men, of about
+forty years of age, above the middle stature, one measuring six feet four
+inches, and the other five feet eight inches; their hair straight and
+black, teeth regular, and general features characteristic of the tribes
+on the west coast; their bodies were rather more spare, and had not on
+them a vestige of clothing. The Champion Bay dialect was quite
+incomprehensible to them; they, however, knew the use of both biscuit and
+tobacco, some of which was given them. After remaining several hours on
+board, they took their departure for the eastern shore of the bay,
+distant at least six miles, promising by signs to repeat their visit the
+next day. It is worthy of remark that neither of these natives were
+circumcised, or had lost the front teeth, as is common on this coast
+further to the eastward. Their fearlessness and confidence in the good
+faith of Europeans would lead to the impression that this was not their
+first acquaintance with vessels on the coast. It was not far from this
+place that Captain P.P. King had a visit from natives similarly equipped
+more than forty years ago. While on shore to-day several new and very
+beautiful plants and flowers were observed, amongst them one in
+particular, which, without exception, is the handsomest shrub I have ever
+seen in Australia; in form the plant resembles a large chandelier, with a
+series of branches springing from a centre stem in sets of five each; on
+these are short erect stems a few inches apart, carrying five beautiful
+deep crimson dragon flowers, nearly three inches in length, grouped like
+lustres, producing a very gorgeous effect; the leaves of the plant are
+elegantly formed, like those of the mountain ash, and are of a rich
+green. A purple flowering bean, the seeds of which are the size of the
+English horse-bean, is here found in abundance, and are eaten by the
+natives. Melons similar to those formerly seen by me on the Gascoyne,
+several varieties of brachychiton, a small variety of the adansonia,
+three or four different kinds of convolvulus (one of which runs along the
+sands near the beach with arms sometimes as much as forty yards in
+length), acacias, sterculia, and a variety of eucalyptus resembling a
+stunted red-gum, are also found growing among the hills in small
+quantities.
+
+ACCIDENT FROM CARELESS USE OF FIREARMS.
+
+16th May.
+
+Early this morning the Dolphin was moved to within three miles of the
+cove visited yesterday, and anchored in two and a half fathoms at the
+lowest water, the landing place bearing west by north. By 11.0 a.m. the
+first pair of horses were hoisted out and placed in the water under the
+counter of the cutter, two other boats assisted in towing us to the
+shore, which occupied about an hour; the horses, on landing, being
+scarcely able to stand, from the length of time they were in the water.
+On reaching the beach, a serious accident occurred to Mr. Hearson, the
+second mate of the vessel, resulting from the negligence of James the
+farrier, who, notwithstanding my repeated cautions to all the members of
+the Expedition to keep snappers on the locks of the guns, had omitted to
+do so, in consequence of which, on its being handed out, the hammer
+caught on the gunwale of the boat and discharged a ball through both the
+hips of the mate, causing him to fall in the water, which circumstance
+fortunately tended materially to stop the haemorrhage; he was immediately
+carried to a sheltered spot, and a tent pitched over him. On examining
+the wound, I found the ball had entered the right posterior, passing
+close below the joint, and taking an oblique direction through the lower
+edge of the pelvis, made its exit in front of the left thigh, between the
+femoral artery and the principal tendon, without injuring either. This
+mishap and the freshening of the breeze prevented our landing any more
+horses to-day, the remainder of it being spent in making a camp and
+attending to the comfort of our wounded companion, who occasioned me some
+anxiety, as the treatment must entirely devolve upon myself, who
+possessed but a very limited amount of experience in matters of this
+nature.
+
+17th May.
+
+Four more horses were safely landed this morning, and we were returning
+to the vessel for another pair when a party of fourteen natives made
+their appearance at the camp. At first they came boldly up, but on a gun
+being discharged as a signal for my recall, they appeared much alarmed,
+although they would not go away. Our numbers being small, I determined
+not to allow them to enter the camp, on account of their propensity to
+thieving, and the few that could now be spared to guard the stores was
+insufficient to keep a constant watch on their stealthy movements; I
+therefore tried at first to make them understand that we had taken
+possession for the present, and did not want their company; they were,
+however, very indignant at our endeavours to drive them away, and very
+plainly ordered us off to the ship. It was very evident that our
+forbearance was mistaken for weakness, and that mischief was preparing. I
+accordingly took hold of one of the most refractory, and compelled him to
+march off at double-quick time, when they all retired to some rocky hills
+overlooking our camp, from which it was necessary to dislodge them.
+Taking Mr. Brown with me, we climbed the first hill, which made them
+retreat to the next. Resting ourselves for a few minutes, and taking a
+view of the surrounding country, we were just on the point of returning
+to the camp, when we observed three armed natives stealing down a ravine
+to the horses, evidently with hostile intentions, as they shipped their
+spears on getting close enough to throw; we did not, however, give them
+time to accomplish their object, as we ran down the hill in time to
+confront them, on which they took to the rocks. Seeing that it was now
+time to convince them we were not to be trifled with, and to put a stop
+at once to what I saw would otherwise terminate in bloodshed, we both
+took deliberate aim and fired a couple of bullets so close to the
+principal offender, that he could hardly escape feeling the effects of
+the fragments of lead, as they split upon the rocks within a few feet of
+his body. After dark, it set in to rain heavily for an hour, when lights
+were observed moving in the direction of our horses, but the sentries
+being on the alert, no further attempt was made to molest us.
+
+18th May.
+
+Two more horses were landed this morning; but rain setting in from the
+north-west with a strong easterly wind below, a stop was put to landing
+any more to-day.
+
+19th May (Sunday).
+
+It had rained both heavily and continuously during the night; but as our
+tents were good, we did not experience much inconvenience from it, and it
+gave a fair prospect of finding a good supply of water on our
+contemplated trip into the interior. Mr. Hearson's wound was progressing
+favourably, and I was in consequence enabled to go off to the ship and
+procure a few additional comforts. On our return two more horses were
+brought ashore, reducing the number on board to one-half.
+
+20th May.
+
+We succeeded in landing six more horses during the day; the great
+distance they had to be swam ashore made the process very slow and
+fatiguing, some of the horses being scarcely able to stand for some time
+after landing. This morning I made a rough survey of the cove and
+surrounding hills, and while so employed observed seventeen natives pass
+across the shoals at low water, carrying nets but no weapons; they did
+not appear to fear us, or inclined to come up to the camp; nor did we
+offer them any encouragement, as in the present exposed state of our camp
+they would have been very troublesome.
+
+In the evening Mr. Brown and myself rode across the isthmus to Mermaid
+Strait, and found it to form a very fine and romantic-looking little
+harbour, surrounded by a bold rocky coast, giving it much more the
+appearance of an inland lake than an open strait. I have no doubt but
+that it would afford an excellent harbour; there is, however, reason to
+think it is equally difficult of access from the main with the cove upon
+which our camp is, as a wide expanse of marsh land appears to extend all
+round behind the hills that bound it to the southward.
+
+21st May.
+
+The last four horses were landed this morning, as also the instruments
+and remainder of the stores required for our first journey. The farrier,
+with two assistants, was kept busily employed all day shoeing horses.
+
+PREPARATIONS FOR JOURNEY INLAND.
+
+22nd May.
+
+The forge was in full employ during the day, and great progress made with
+the shoeing and preparations for our departure. Accompanied by Mr. Brown,
+I rode out to-day to reconnoitre, and seek for a pass through the hills
+that encompassed our camp; the only practical outlet we found to be
+through some very rocky ravines to the south-west, where at about five
+miles we found--what I had for some time suspected to be the case--that
+the whole of the isthmus upon which we had landed was cut off from the
+mainland by an extensive salt-water marsh, commencing at the bottom of
+Nickol Bay and running parallel to the general line of coast, at least as
+far as Enderby Island. Skirting the northern edge of the marsh for
+several miles to the westward, we found it gradually getting wider and
+deeper; we accordingly returned to the narrowest part, and rode into it
+for about half a mile, the water being very shallow, and the bottom
+sufficiently firm to carry us, although with considerable labour to the
+horses. Finding it was getting late, we determined to try and return to
+the camp round by the head of Nickol Bay, and succeeded in climbing over
+the rocks and boulders that encumber this portion of the coast, until we
+were within a quarter of a mile of the camp, when the tide came in upon
+us so quickly that, after having been repeatedly thrown down by the surf,
+we were compelled to leave the horses jammed up in the rocks just above
+high-water mark, and proceeded on foot to the camp.
+
+23rd May.
+
+At 3.0 a.m., the tide having fallen sufficiently, Messrs. Brown and
+Harding were enabled to bring in the horses left imprisoned last night.
+During the day, all the arrangements for our departure were completed,
+and in the afternoon Mr. Hearson was removed to the Dolphin, having been
+kept on shore since the accident, to be constantly under my own
+attendance; he was now rapidly recovering, although much reduced. Wrote
+instructions for the guidance of Captain Dixon and Mr. Walcott during the
+absence of the expedition, the latter gentleman being left in charge of
+the stores, and to make such observations as the means at his disposal
+should admit of.
+
+24th May.
+
+Landed at daylight, intending to make a start, as it was the Queen's
+birthday; but owing to some of the horses having rambled, we did not
+succeed in getting them all in and saddled up before 2.0 p.m., when three
+or four of the horses that had not been accustomed to carrying packs
+commenced playing up and scattering their loads in all directions,
+straining and otherwise injuring several of the pack-saddles, which
+detained us until so late in the day that I deemed it best to return to
+camp, and as the forge had not been removed to the ship, to shorten some
+of the saddle-irons, to render them less liable to injury, which was
+otherwise a great improvement.
+
+25th May.
+
+The re-adjustments having been satisfactorily accomplished, we made a
+fair start this morning by 9.0 a.m., and arrived on the edge of the marsh
+by 11.30, where, having first taken a survey of the several channels from
+the summit of a high granite hill, we entered the waste of mud at a point
+where it did not appear to be more than two miles wide; an hour's
+struggle carried us fairly through on to terra firma, only one horse
+having to be assisted by the removal of his load. After resting an hour
+and a half for dinner, we resumed our route in a south direction, across
+an extensive low grassy plain of red clayey loam, passing over a few
+rocky ridges at sunset, and at 6 p.m. encamped on a dry creek twenty
+yards wide, water being found in some clay-pans in the adjoining plain.
+Camp 2.
+
+MAITLAND RIVER.
+
+26th May.
+
+Being Sunday, the camp was only moved a mile further to a fine pool of
+water in a river eighty yards wide, with beautiful grassy banks, which I
+named the Maitland; it comes from the south-east, and may probably have a
+course of sixty miles, coming through a plain five or six miles wide, the
+greater part of which is occasionally inundated by floods from the
+interior. Cockatoos and other game were plentiful, sixteen of the former
+being killed by Mr. Brockman at one shot; they were white, with
+orange-tinted feathers in the crest, similar to those on the Murchison
+and Gascoyne Rivers. It may be as well here to observe that upon first
+starting a regular routine of duty had been established in the party, the
+care and loading of five horses being told off to each two of the party,
+as they could lift on opposite packs simultaneously, and their being all
+numbered, everyone could at once know the loads under his charge. The
+night was also divided into eight watches, commencing at 8 p.m. and
+ending at 6 a.m.; the duty of the first watch being to cook the bread for
+the following day, and the last to have breakfast ready in the morning by
+the time it was light enough to see. By this arrangement no time was
+lost, and everyone knew what was under his particular charge. Camp 3.
+
+SUDDEN FLOOD.
+
+27th May.
+
+Having determined in the first instance to strike to the westward, with a
+view to cutting any large rivers coming from the interior that might
+serve to lead us through the rocky hills that hemmed us in in that
+quarter, we this morning took a south-south-west by south course to 11.40
+a.m. when we crossed a dry stream-bed sixty yards wide, coming out of the
+granite ranges to the southward, the country becoming more barren as we
+edged upon the spurs of the rocky hills. At 2.0 p.m. we halted on the
+banks of another stream-bed of the same size as the last, when it came on
+to rain; resuming our march at 4.10, steering west to 6.0, when we
+encamped on a dry gully, with a little feed near it. Having pitched the
+tents, it continued to rain until 11.0 p.m., when a sudden rush of water
+swept down the valley, filling the watercourse and carrying away our
+fire, and before we had time to remove the baggage to higher ground, we
+had a foot of water in the camp. Fortunately nothing was lost or injured,
+and it only served as a useful lesson for the future. Camp 4.
+
+28th May.
+
+The early part of the day was employed drying the stores, so that we did
+not make a start until late. Four and a half hours' travelling over stony
+country, principally covered with triodia, but containing several patches
+of good grass, brought us to another river fifty yards wide, in which
+were a few pools. This stream was followed up to 5 p.m., when we left it,
+and halted on an open plain close to some shallow clay-pans containing
+rainwater; our course for the day having been about south-west eleven
+miles. Camp 5.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 7 minutes.
+
+29th May.
+
+By an azimuth of the sun's centre taken this morning, the magnetic
+variation was observed to be about 20 minutes west. Steering north 230
+degrees east magnetic, soon brought us out of the hills into a plain
+extending as far as the eye could reach to the north-west, with a few
+patches of good grass upon it, but mostly covered with triodia, which was
+now just ripe, yielding fine heads of seed, which the horses are very
+fond of. At thirteen miles struck the channel of a considerable river
+coming from the south. As this offered us a fair prospect of working
+inland, and we had already attained nearly to longitude 116 degrees, or
+about the meridian of the mouth of the Alma, the stream was followed up
+for an hour, its average breadth being over 200 yards. At 4.40 encamped
+at a fine spring on the bank of a deep pool, under a cliff of metamorphic
+sandstone nearly 300 feet high; a cane, much resembling a Spanish red,
+growing in considerable quantities near the water. Camp 6.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 18 minutes; longitude 116 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+SURPRISE A CAMP OF NATIVES.
+
+30th May.
+
+Soon after starting this morning, we came upon a camp of fifteen or
+twenty natives, on the bank of a deep reach of water, hemmed in by steep
+rocky hills, up which they hastily scrambled on our approach, and on
+reaching the summit, tried by various gestures to express their
+disapproval of our visit, but would not hold any parley with us. At five
+miles the river turned abruptly to the north-east, through a precipitous
+rocky defile, which induced us to make an attempt to cut across and
+strike the river some miles higher up; but after being for some time
+involved in impracticable ravines, we were again obliged to have recourse
+to the bed of the river, although encumbered with beds of large stones,
+over which the horses had great difficulty in travelling; so that by
+sunset we had not accomplished more than six miles in a direct east by
+south line from last night's camp. Camp 7.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 19 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+31st May.
+
+The general course of the river during the day was very little to the
+south of east, its banks still maintaining the same rocky and precipitous
+character, marks of inundation being frequently observed at the height of
+thirty feet above the present stream, which now was only running gently
+in a channel not more than thirty yards wide, but when in flood occupying
+the whole of the valley, which averages a quarter of a mile in width. The
+larger pools are lined with flags and reeds, and contain numbers of small
+fish resembling trout, similar to those found in the Lyons and Gascoyne
+Rivers. A very handsome tree, resembling an ash, grew on the margin,
+bearing a beautiful white flower, four to five inches across, having on
+the inside a delicate tinge of yellow, and yielding a sweet scent like
+violets. Several natives were met in the course of the day, but would not
+come near us; in one instance, however, we came upon one so suddenly that
+he had only time to jump into a pool to escape being surrounded by the
+party. After calling for some time most lustily for his friends, he
+gradually crept away amongst the canes and disappeared. Only one
+tributary of any size was observed to join the river in the course of the
+day's march, and that came in from the southward. At 5.20 p.m. halted on
+the banks of a deep pool, surrounded by fine cajeput-trees and
+flooded-gum, grass being plentiful for our horses. Camp 8.
+
+ENCOUNTER DIFFICULT COUNTRY.
+
+1st June.
+
+There was a decided improvement in the appearance of the valley as we
+continued to ascend the river, the deep pools were more continuous, and
+grass more abundant; the high lands on either bank still, however,
+retained their rugged outlines, and were clothed with little else but
+triodia. Travelling along the bed of the river was nevertheless difficult
+and dangerous for the horses, on account of the immense quantity of
+rounded boulders of water-worn rocks that occupied a large portion of the
+channel, and frequently jammed the horses into narrow passes, where they
+could not be extricated without meeting with very severe falls, which
+very soon crippled more than one of them; their shoes also began to be
+wrenched off by being caught in the deep clefts of the rocks, very soon
+expending all the extra sets brought with us. Just before coming to our
+night's halt a large stream-bed, forty yards wide, was observed to come
+in from the southward. Camp 9.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 28 minutes 18 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 31
+minutes by account.
+
+2nd June (Sunday).
+
+Having abundance of feed and water, we gladly availed ourselves of it to
+make it a day of rest; it also afforded me an opportunity to ascertain
+the rate of the chronometer, which, as I had reason to expect, had gone
+very irregularly since landing.
+
+3rd June.
+
+Made an early start, and as the valley of the river was not quite so
+rugged as that we had passed over during the last two or three days, by
+noon we had accomplished about eight miles, the course of the river still
+being very little from the southward of east; we had not, therefore, made
+much progress towards the Lyons River (our more immediate destination),
+and to quit the valley was out of the question, as there is no feed or
+water out of it within a reasonable distance. Both the valley and
+surrounding country are destitute of trees, and bold hills of metamorphic
+sandstone frequently jut out into the valley, and terminate in
+perpendicular cliffs 200 or 300 feet high. Towards the evening the river
+had been coming from the northward of east. Camp 10.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 27 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+4th June.
+
+During the forenoon the river became much hemmed in by steep rocky hills,
+the bed being a succession of rapids, over a bare, rocky channel; but
+after the noon halt the stream came more from the south-east, with wide
+grassy flats on either side, in many parts very boggy, and producing
+Melaleuca leucodendron, with tall, straight stems, and a variety of
+eucalyptus, resembling Eucalyptus piperita. White sandstone and shales
+began to make their appearance on the banks, and the water in the river
+had a saline taste. Several of the horses began to show signs of being
+much distressed, by falling and sticking fast in the mud, from which they
+had not strength to extricate themselves, even after being relieved of
+their loads. Ducks were plentiful, and tolerably tame. Camp 11.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 33 minutes 55 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 2
+minutes by account.
+
+SANDSTONE CLIFFS.
+
+5th June.
+
+Having marked a large double-stemmed gum-tree with NAE and the date, we
+made a start up the river, but at about a mile found the valley narrow in
+until the channel of the river, which was here full of water, was walled
+in on both banks by perpendicular cliffs, from which we were compelled to
+turn back nearly to our last night's camp. During the last two days we
+had caught an occasional glimpse of an elevated range of hills extending
+for many miles parallel to the river and about ten miles to the
+southward, which rendered it probable that some change would now be found
+in the character of the back country, enabling us to travel without being
+so frequently retarded by the rocks and bends of the river. A suitable
+spot was accordingly selected for ascending out of the valley, which was
+accomplished with some difficulty, when the country was observed to be
+intersected for many miles by deep ravines, terminating, however, to the
+south in a level plain, extending to the base of the range already
+referred to. After four hours' heavy toiling, we at length reached the
+summit of the plain, water having been found in one of the rocky gullies
+by the way. For the first half-mile, on entering the plain or tableland,
+the ground was stony and covered with stunted acacia, but it very quickly
+changed into a rich clayey loam, yielding a splendid crop of kangaroo and
+other grasses, melons, and small white convolvulus, yielding a round
+black seed the size of a pea, which we found scattered over nearly the
+whole surface of the plain for miles together. In the lower parts of the
+flat rainwater appeared to have remained in shallow clay-pans until very
+recently, killing much of the grass, which was replaced by atriplex
+bushes. As we approached the foot of the range the ground became stony
+and covered with triodia; good grass was still, however, to be found in
+the ravines leading out of the hills, and as our object was now to shape
+a course to the southward, we followed up one of the most promising
+valleys, in the hope that it might lead us through the range; we were,
+however, disappointed in finding that, after pushing some distance up
+very steep and rocky passes, they all terminated in cliffs of horizontal
+sandstone, running in parallel bands one above another to the height of
+500 or 600 feet, and frequently extending without a break for ten or
+fifteen miles along the face of the range. The horses being much fatigued
+by the climb from the valley of the river, we encamped at 3.10 p.m.,
+within the hills, and without water. Camp 12.
+
+FINE GRASSY PLAIN. FORTESCUE RIVER.
+
+6th June.
+
+A light drizzling rain came on early in the morning, but not enough to
+supply the horses, who rambled so far during the night in search of it
+that it was noon before they were all collected. Quitting the range,
+which had been named after one of the most liberal promoters of the
+expedition, Hamersley Range, we took a north-east course, crossing over
+twelve or fourteen miles of beautiful open grassy plain, in many parts
+the kangaroo-grass reaching above the horses' backs; the soil being of
+the richest clay-loam, occasionally containing beds of singular fragments
+of opaline rocks, resembling ancient lava. By 5.30 p.m. we reached the
+river again, several miles above the deep glen that had checked our
+course on the 5th. The valley having again opened out, gave us easy
+access to its banks, which were here a rich black peat soil, containing
+numerous springs. Here was first observed a very handsome fan-palm,
+growing in topes, some of them attaining to the height of forty feet and
+twenty inches diameter, the leaves measuring eight to ten feet in length.
+The river had again opened into deep reaches of water, and contained
+abundance of fish resembling cobblers, weighing four and five pounds
+each. The whole character of the country was evidently changing for the
+better; and as I have no doubt that at no distant period it will become a
+rich and thriving settlement, I named the river the Fortescue, after the
+Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, under whose auspices the
+expedition took its origin, and the large expanse of fertile plain that
+lies between the river and the Hamersley Range, Chichester Downs.
+
+7th June.
+
+A quarter of a mile up the river brought us to a fine tributary from the
+south, running strong enough to supply a large mill. This had to be
+traced up for two miles before we could find a ford; it was found to take
+its rise in several deep pools, fed by springs issuing out of the plains
+crossed yesterday. Some powerful springs were also observed to flow into
+the river from the northward, through a dense forest of melaleuca, with a
+rank undergrowth of canes, flags, etc. At five miles the river again
+presented a wide reach of water several miles in length, after which it
+all at once broke up into numerous channels, wandering through a forest
+of white-gum, well grassed, the soil being highly fertile. Owing to my
+having been accidentally trodden upon by one of the horses, we were
+obliged to encamp early, having only made about twelve miles. Camp 14.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 40 minutes 42 seconds; longitude by account 117
+degrees 17 minutes east.
+
+8th June.
+
+Following up the channel upon which we had encamped, in about an hour it
+was lost in open grassy plains, which we continued to traverse until
+noon, when we struck on a well-defined stream-bed, which had branched off
+a mile or two south of last night's camp. Grass and water being abundant,
+we halted till 2, when we resumed an easterly route to 5.30, over rather
+stony plains, yielding triodia. Encamped after dark without water or
+feed, tying the horses up short to prevent their rambling, having
+accomplished about twenty miles in an east-south-east direction during
+the day. Camp 12.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 49 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+9th June (Sunday).
+
+Less than a mile this morning brought us to a grassy channel containing
+water, which was followed up for a short distance, when we halted for the
+remainder of the day to refresh our tired and famished horses. Camp 16.
+
+A NATIVE CHILD.
+
+10th June.
+
+The channel of the river was still followed for several miles to the
+eastward, when it again disappeared in open plains extending to the base
+of the Hamersley Range, which still continued to run parallel to the
+river at about seven miles distance to the southward. Pools of water were
+occasionally found in channels scooped out of the alluvial soil of which
+the plains were composed--the waters of the Fortescue, during the period
+of the summer rains, spreading over the country for miles and leaving a
+rich deposit of alluvial mud, adding greatly to its fertility. In the
+course of the afternoon we came suddenly on a party of natives, digging
+roots. One woman, with a child of about five years of age, hid close to
+our line of march, and did not move until she was afraid of being run
+over by the pack-horses, when she ran away, leaving the child gazing upon
+the monster intruders with a look of passive wonder. It was a poor,
+ill-conditioned-looking object, suffering from a cutaneous disorder. On
+giving it a piece of damper, it quickly began to devour it, tearing it to
+fragments with its sharp and attenuated fingers, with all the keenness of
+a hawk. We left it standing with a lump of bread in each hand, where its
+mother would no doubt find it when she came to see what had been left of
+it by the large dogs, as the aborigines of this part of Australia call
+our horses. Travelling on till late, we encamped in an open grassy plain,
+without water. Camp 17.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 55 minutes 57 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 3
+minutes.
+
+ROCKY RANGES.
+
+11th June.
+
+Four miles to the south-east we came upon a pool of brackish water,
+surrounded with bulrushes, in a channel coming from the south of the
+Hamersley Range, again apparently offering us a chance of getting to the
+southward. We accordingly struck for the gorge out of which this stream
+came, and succeeded in penetrating for three miles up a very rocky gully,
+filled with some of the harshest triodia we had yet encountered, and had
+to halt for the night in a narrow pass, where there was scarcely room to
+tie up our horses. Camp 18.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 12 minutes 52 seconds.
+
+ASCEND THE RANGES.
+
+12th June.
+
+One of the horses having slipped his halter during the night, Messrs.
+Brown and Brockman returned down the gully to track it up, while we made
+an attempt to follow up the deep defile in which we were hemmed, but a
+quarter of a mile brought us to an impassable barrier of cliffs.
+Retracing our steps about a mile, we again made an attempt more to the
+eastward, and this time succeeded in reaching a considerable stream-bed,
+which ultimately proved to be the main channel of the Fortescue, and led
+us through the range. Resting till noon, Messrs. Brown and Brockman
+overtook us with the missing horse, when we resumed our route up the bed
+of the river to the southward, until again brought to a dead stand by the
+whole bed of the stream being occupied by deep pools of water, fed by
+numerous strong springs. As it was getting late in the day, I left the
+party to form a camp, while I climbed the hills to get a view of the
+country in advance. A laborious ascent of nearly an hour brought me to
+one of the highest summits of the range, at an elevation of about 2700
+feet above the sea, and 700 above the bed of the river. From this hill I
+had a fine view to the southward, and observed that by following up a
+small dry ravine to the south-east there would be a fair prospect of
+reaching a large extent of open level plain that came within two or three
+miles of the camp in that direction. To the east and south-east the range
+was lofty and mountainous, while to the south and south-west stretched
+open grassy plains, occasionally interrupted by bold detached hills,
+apparently of the same formation as the Hamersley Range. On descending to
+the camp, I started a fragment of rock of a few tons weight, which rushed
+with fearful velocity towards the deep gorge in which the horses were
+feeding. After carrying all before it for a quarter of a mile, it made a
+clear spring over a cliff 200 feet in depth, and plunged into the waters
+below with a sound like thunder, inducing a belief at the camp that a
+large portion of cliff had fallen. Fortunately it did not produce an
+estampede, which I had known to have been caused on another occasion by a
+similar occurrence. Camp 19.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 15 minutes; longitude 118 degrees 4 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+13th June.
+
+Availing ourselves of the observations made yesterday, we succeeded,
+after a hard scramble of two hours, in getting through the remaining
+portion of the range, our horses having learned to climb like goats, or
+they never would have accomplished the passage. The plain appears to have
+a considerable elevation above those to the northward, and is drained by
+several deep breaks through the Hamersley Range. Resuming a
+south-south-west course to latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes 32 seconds, we
+passed at first over some very stony land, yielding little else besides
+triodia and stunted acacia; but for the last six or seven miles was a
+rich alluvial clay, covered with very fair pasture, and water was found
+in abundance in pools in the bed of a watercourse coming from the
+south-east. Camp 20.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes 58 seconds.
+
+14th June.
+
+On our first landing at Nickol Bay the nights had been very mild, but we
+now began to feel them cold and bracing. This was partly owing to the
+increased elevation of the country we were now travelling over; the
+south-east wind coming off the mountainous country was very keen, and
+almost frosty early in the morning. Our course this day was at first over
+tolerably good country, which gradually became more and more rocky, the
+ridges increasing in elevation until the aneroid barometer fell to 27.33,
+giving an altitude of 2400 feet above the sea. Night overtook us in a
+deep rocky ravine, where we had much difficulty in keeping the
+pack-horses together, and were at last compelled to unload them amongst
+rocks in the bed of a dry watercourse trending to the westward; a little
+grass being procurable in the vicinity. Fortunately water had been met
+with at noon, so that we were not pressed for want of it. Camp 21.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 41 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+15th June.
+
+Following the gully upon which we had encamped, it led us to the
+westward, over a rocky line of country, until 1 p.m., when not meeting
+with any water, and the horses showing great weakness and symptoms of
+distress from the loss of their shoes, it was found desirable to quit the
+main gully and try and find feed and water up a promising tributary
+coming from the north with the view of ultimately falling back on the
+plains under the Hamersley Range, should we fail to meet with water
+sooner; fortunately, however, in an hour we came upon a small supply
+amongst rocks, surrounded by some tolerable feed. Had we failed to find
+this timely relief, it is probable that not more than half the horses
+would have been able to carry their loads to the nearest known waterhole.
+Camp 22.
+
+16th June (Sunday).
+
+This day of rest was alike acceptable to man and horse, and afforded me
+an opportunity, after reading prayers to the party, to clear a set of
+lunar distances, by which I found that the chronometer would have placed
+us forty miles to the west of our true position. I had long since
+observed that it could not be trusted under even ordinary variations of
+temperature, but could procure no other, the Acting Surveyor-General
+having declined to supply me with either of the two chronometers
+belonging to his department that could be relied on, and in consequence I
+now found I should be compelled to have recourse entirely to lunar
+observations and triangulation for the compilation of the maps, which
+would add very much to the amount of labour and liability to error.
+Several crested pigeons, white cockatoos, and crested quail or
+partridges, were shot as they came to drink at the waterhole.
+
+METAMORPHIC ROCKS.
+
+17th June.
+
+The horses had so far recovered after the day's rest that we were enabled
+to resume a south-west course, following down the bed of the stream to
+latitude 22 degrees 51 minutes, the country slightly improving towards
+evening; but we again had to encamp without water, having, however,
+obtained a small quantity in some gravel at noon. The hills to the east
+of our track rose about 1000 feet above the bed of the watercourse, and
+consisted of metamorphic sandstones and shales, intersected by whinstone
+dykes, their summits being capped with red conglomerate. In one place the
+river had cut through a ridge of altered rocks, and exhibited a very
+singular contortion of the strata, the laminae being crippled up into an
+arch of 100 feet high, showing a dip on each flank of 45 degrees, forming
+a cave beneath running for some distance into the hill. Camp 23.
+
+18th June.
+
+Continuing to follow the stream-bed south-west for eight or nine miles,
+we came upon a patch of very green grass, on which we halted, to allow
+the horses the benefit, on account of their not having had any water
+since noon yesterday. In the meanwhile, accompanied by Mr. Brown, I
+started off and walked to a prominent hill six miles to the south, to get
+a view of the surrounding country. From the summit of this hill, which we
+found to have an elevation of 700 or 800 feet, we procured a valuable
+round of bearings, and had a distant view of the country to the
+southward. Level plains and detached ranges of moderate elevation
+appeared to be the general character of the country towards the Lyons
+River. We returned to the party by 3.0 p.m., and were glad to find that
+during our absence water had been found in shallow clay-pans a mile to
+the westward, to which we moved over and encamped. Camp 24.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 56 minutes 23 seconds; longitude by account 117
+degrees 21 minutes.
+
+19th June.
+
+We were unable to proceed this day, owing to my having eaten some of the
+dwarf mesembryanthemum, which I had formerly observed to be used as food
+by the natives on the Gascoyne, but which had produced with me violent
+headache and vomiting. The horses were, however, enjoying excellent feed;
+and I contrived to work up my map and clear a lunar.
+
+20th June.
+
+Started at 7.25 a.m. with nineteen horses, having been obliged to leave
+behind a horse belonging to Mr. Lennard, so lame that he could not move.
+Following the stream-bed nearly west for ten miles, came upon a pool of
+permanent water containing flags--the first we had met with since
+quitting the Hamersley Range. This was of great value, as there was no
+water that could be depended upon on our return, in the last sixty miles.
+Pushing on quickly for twelve miles further, the river entered a wide
+plain, in which was some tolerable feed; we had again, however, to halt
+for the night without water.
+
+DEPOT CAMP ON THE HARDEY RIVER.
+
+21st June.
+
+Although the size of the channel of the river we had been following down
+for the last sixty miles had considerably increased both in width and
+depth, yet very little water had been found in it, and as it took a
+decided turn in its course this morning to north-west, after two hours'
+ride, without observing any change, and there being every appearance of
+its keeping the same course for the next twenty miles, I was convinced
+that it could not be a tributary to either the Edmund or Lyons, which I
+had at first hoped it might prove. The barometer also ranged too high for
+it to be at a sufficient elevation to admit of it flowing into either of
+those rivers, as the elevation of the Lyons at the confluence of the Alma
+is at least of the same altitude above the sea. Having named the river
+the Hardey, we fell back upon the pools passed yesterday, where I had
+decided upon forming a depot camp at which to rest the weakest horses,
+while with a lightly equipped party I proposed to complete the expedition
+of the country intervening between this and the Lyons River. Camp 26.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 58 minutes 28 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 10
+minutes.
+
+22nd June.
+
+In accordance with the plan decided upon yesterday, I started this day
+accompanied by Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Brockman, with three
+pack-horses, conveying eight days' provisions and fourteen gallons of
+water. Twelve miles on the south-south-west course, over a very stony
+country, brought us to a deep stream-bed trending in the same direction,
+which we pursued for thirteen miles, the country gradually improving
+until the channel was lost in an open plain of rich soil, covered with
+fine green grass. Several pools of rainwater of a deep red colour, but
+fresh and sweet, gave us a good camp for the night; a set of Stellar
+observations giving the latitude 23 degrees 19 minutes 16 seconds. To the
+south, at about six miles distance, lay a bold range of hills, running
+nearly east and west with many sharp summits, having an average elevation
+of from 600 to 1000 feet above the plain, and extending for twelve or
+fifteen miles to the eastward, while to the west it was lost in numerous
+broken hills of lesser elevation. Camp 27.
+
+ASHBURTON RIVER. CAPRICORN RANGE.
+
+23rd June.
+
+As to pass the eastern end of the range appeared likely to take us too
+much off our course, we struck for what appeared to be a break in the
+hills about seven miles to the south-west. The first five miles was
+across an open grassy plain, at times subject to inundation, which
+brought us to the bank of a fine river, containing permanent reaches of
+fresh water, lined with canes, the channel generally being from 100 to
+200 yards wide, with a depth of forty feet; it was now barely running,
+but it was quite evident that it was too large for either the Alma or
+Edmund, and its bed must be at least 200 feet below the level of those
+rivers. We, however, determined to follow it so long as it ran to the
+south of west, which it did until it came in contact with the range
+observed yesterday, when it altered its course to west-north-west, and
+appeared to continue that direction for many miles, probably until joined
+by the Hardey, when, in all likelihood, it continues its course direct to
+Exmouth Gulf. Anxious, as I naturally was, to continue the examination of
+this promising river, time and the condition of our horses' feet did not
+permit us to do so with advantage. Naming it the Ashburton, after the
+noble President of the Royal Geographical Society, we quitted its verdant
+banks, and took a south course up a stony ravine, which led us into the
+heart of the range, where we soon became involved amongst steep rocky
+ridges of sharp slaty schist, which very quickly deprived the horses of
+many of their remaining shoes, and retarded our progress so much that by
+nightfall we found ourselves to be in only latitude 23 degrees 28 minutes
+15 seconds, hemmed in on all sides by rugged country yielding little else
+but small acacia-trees and triodia. A little water and grass was,
+however, obtained in the bed of a stream tributary to the Ashburton. The
+summits of the hills passed over during the day had been seen from the
+Lyons River in 1858, and were now named the Capricorn Range. Camp 28.
+
+24th June.
+
+A rather rough ride of four hours to the south-east brought us to a
+watercourse sixty yards wide, trending to the north-north-east, in which
+we found pools of water lined with reeds and flags. This was traced up to
+the southward till 3.0 p.m., when we entered a deep gorge in a sandstone
+range, the bed of the stream becoming very stony and full of
+melaleuca-trees; it, however, contained many fine pools and strong
+running springs, with a small supply of grass. There was now a fair
+prospect of our reaching the Lyons, as the range we were now entering
+must contain the sources of the Edmund, which river has a much more
+restricted course than was originally supposed. Camp 29.
+
+Latitude 23 degrees 42 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+25th June.
+
+The country continued hilly for about ten miles, when we arrived at the
+summit of a granite and sandstone tableland, at the extreme sources of
+the watercourse we had been following up. From this point we had at last
+the satisfaction of observing the bold outlines of Mount Augustus,
+bearing south-south-east about thirty miles, while more to the westward
+could be discerned the summits of Mounts Phillips and Samuel, and yet
+more to the right the southern face of the Barlee Range. Descending to
+the south across an open plain, we struck for a remarkable gorge in a
+granite range (the only one now between us and the Lyons), at which we
+arrived by sundown. On examining this singular gorge, it was found to be
+an almost perpendicular cut through a narrow ridge nearly 300 feet in
+depth, the length of the pass not exceeding 200 yards, the plain on each
+side being nearly on the same level. From the summit of this pass the
+course of the stream could be traced across the fertile flats of the
+Lyons until it was lost in the numerous channels of that river, and I was
+able to obtain bearings to many well-remembered objects noticed on my
+former visit to this part of the country. Camp 30.
+
+Latitude 23 degrees 56 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+RETURN TO DEPOT.
+
+26th June.
+
+As we had only four days' rations left, and no further object could be
+attained by advancing further south, unless there had been time to
+examine the present condition of the pasture in the vicinity of Mount
+Augustus, we marked several trees on the north side of the gorge close to
+a pool, and retraced our steps to within a mile of our camp of the 24th,
+having improved upon our outward track by keeping rather more to the
+eastward. Camp 31.
+
+27th June.
+
+Instead of returning by the rough route by which we came through the
+Capricorn Range, we followed the stream to the north-north-east, through
+a good country all the way to the Ashburton, which river it joined in
+latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes, passing through the end of the range one
+mile south of the junction. In this pass we encamped on a fine deep pool,
+in which we caught a small quantity of fish, showing the water to be
+permanent. Camp 32.
+
+28th June.
+
+Making an early start, we soon crossed the Ashburton, and rode twelve
+miles across open plains, thinly timbered and yielding a large quantity
+of good pasture, principally of kangaroo-grass, which here grew to the
+height of six feet. Resting for several hours at the waterholes of the
+22nd, at 4.30 p.m. we resumed our route, having filled our water-kegs,
+and pushed on to within sixteen or seventeen miles of the depot,
+encamping amongst some good grass on our outward route, but without any
+water except what we carried with us. Camp 33.
+
+29th June.
+
+Giving our horses rather more than a gallon of water each, we made an
+early start just as it came on to rain, which was the first shower we had
+experienced since the 27th May; it continued until noon, but not heavy
+enough to leave any surface-water on the parched and thirsty loam.
+Keeping more to the westward than our outward track, we escaped much of
+the stony ground then passed over, and arrived at the depot camp by 2
+p.m.
+
+30th June (Sunday).
+
+Remained in camp and read prayers to the party.
+
+1st July.
+
+The horses left at the depot were much improved by their nine days' rest,
+and had we been provided with more shoes for them, I should have at once
+returned to the Ashburton, and traced that river up to the eastward, as
+it offered a fine opportunity of penetrating to the south-east probably
+at least another 100 miles; and our provisions on a reduced allowance
+would admit of our remaining out forty days longer; but the lameness of
+many of the horses and lacerated condition of their fetlocks convinced me
+that, should we meet with any more difficulties or rough country before
+obtaining a fresh supply of shoes, much valuable time would be lost, and
+we should probably fail to get many of the horses back. I therefore
+deemed it more prudent to return at once by a shorter route more to the
+eastward so soon as we had repassed the Hamersley Range, and, obtaining a
+refit at the bay, to throw all our remaining time into the second trip.
+We accordingly to-day returned to camp 24, where we found the horses left
+there on the 20th June sufficiently recovered to accompany the party,
+although incapable of carrying a load. The remainder of the day was
+devoted to obtaining bearings and adding to the triangulation of the many
+remarkable summits visible from this part of the country.
+
+2nd July.
+
+The country generally being very rough, except on the banks of the
+Hardey, on our outward track, we found it desirable to return along it,
+more particularly as there was a better prospect of procuring water by so
+doing. At about twenty miles we found a little water under a cliff in the
+bed of the stream, and halted for the night. Camp 34.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 32 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+MOUNT BRUCE.
+
+3rd July.
+
+Still returning on our old track, at five miles I stopped to ascend a
+very remarkable hill which had formed an important point in the
+triangulation of this part of the country, to which had been given the
+name of Mount Samson. Sending the party onward to wait for me at camp 22,
+I commenced the ascent of the mount, which proved something more than I
+had calculated upon, as it occupied more than an hour's sharp toil to
+arrive at its summit; when gained, however, it amply repaid the trouble,
+as from it I could discern almost every prominent hill or peak within
+sixty or seventy miles, and amongst them the mountain which on a former
+occasion I had procured a bearing to from Mount Augustus, at a distance
+of 124 geographical miles, and which I now named Mount Bruce, after the
+gallant commander of the troops, who has always warmly supported me in
+carrying out explorations. This part of the country I believe to be the
+most elevated in north-west Australia--Mount Samson having an altitude of
+not less than 1000 feet above the valley of the Hardey, while Mount Bruce
+and the mountainous country to the eastward rose to a considerable height
+above its summit, which, by comparisons from the aneroid barometer, would
+give not less than 4000 feet for the elevation of those ranges. Having
+completed my observations, I descended the hill with somewhat greater
+speed than it took to climb it, and was met at the foot by Messrs. Brown
+and Harding, who had waited for me with a horse. In less than an hour we
+overtook the rest of the party at Camp 22, when the additional horses at
+once drank up all the remaining water left in the rocks; resting,
+therefore, less than an hour, we moved on, taking a north course, over a
+very rocky but highly fertile country of trap formation, the grass just
+now being much dried up. At sundown we halted in an open grassy flat, on
+which no water could be found, although it is probable there is plenty in
+the vicinity, as emus and cockatoos were numerous; one of the former
+walked boldly up to the horses, and was fired at, but without effect.
+Camp 35.
+
+OPEN GRASSY PLAINS. PASS HAMERSLEY RANGE.
+
+4th July.
+
+Travelling at a rapid pace on an average north-east course for upwards of
+twenty miles, over plains mostly of rich loam, well grassed, and
+extending to the southern foot of the Hamersley Range, we came upon a low
+range of sandstone hills, covered with acacia bushes and triodia,
+extending for three or four miles, when we again emerged on open plains,
+in which was found a deep channel, thirty yards wide, containing pools of
+rainwater retained in the clay. The amount of fine pasture country passed
+over during the day could not be less than 200,000 acres; and although we
+had not time to go in search for it, I have no doubt that abundance of
+water will be found in the deep gorges of the range skirting the plain.
+This tract of country is, I imagine, well suited for the growth of either
+cotton or sugar, as it is apparently well-irrigated during the summer
+months, and the soil is remarkably rich and strong, while its limits to
+the westward are at present unknown, and most probably continues to skirt
+the hills for at least thirty or forty miles. Halted at the waterholes
+about four miles to the west of the pass through the Hamersley Range.
+Camp 36.
+
+5th July.
+
+Two hours brought us to the head of the pass, which we entered by a
+ravine a little more to the northward than on our outward route, and by
+so doing saved a preliminary ascent of nearly 200 feet, and a similar
+amount of descent, making a very successful passage through the range
+without experiencing the same difficulties we had formerly met with, and
+by 3 p.m. found ourselves once more in the open grassy country that forms
+the Chichester Downs. At 6 p.m. encamped in an open flat without water.
+Camp 37.
+
+PROCEED TOWARDS THE COAST.
+
+6th July.
+
+Started at 7.30 a.m., and in an hour came upon a pool of water in one of
+the numerous channels into which the Fortescue is here divided, and at
+seven miles struck the bulrush spring passed on the 11th June. From this
+the river was followed down for thirteen miles, through grassy clay
+plains, thinly timbered with white-gum. Encamped on a pool, in latitude
+21 degrees 53 minutes 4 seconds, about five miles north of a very
+remarkable bold projection of the Hamersley Range. Camp 38.
+
+7th July (Sunday) was kept as a day of rest.
+
+8th July.
+
+The horses strayed so far back on our tracks during Sunday night that by
+the time they were brought in it was too late to make a start with
+advantage, as we were now about to enter a new tract of country, by
+striking for the coast somewhere between Breaker Inlet and Depuch Island.
+As a knowledge of this part of the country would greatly assist us in
+starting on the second division of our exploration, I availed myself of
+the delay here to fix by triangulation many of the summits and prominent
+spurs of the Hamersley Range, and take observations for the variation of
+the needle, which I found to be about 1 degree east by the prismatic
+compass I had in use.
+
+9th July.
+
+Our horses again gave us some trouble to find them, so that we did not
+start until 10.30 a.m. Two hours' sharp travelling across the plain
+brought us to the foot of low hills of trap and sandstone, covered with
+triodia; good feed being, however, plentiful in the valleys, although now
+rather dry. Tracing up a small tributary to the Fortescue, at sunset we
+halted on a small rocky pool near its source, in latitude 21 degrees 41
+minutes 40 seconds. Several pools, supplied by springs coming from under
+the superstratum of sandstone, were passed during the day. Camp 39.
+
+Longitude 117 degrees 47 minutes.
+
+10th July.
+
+For seven miles the country continued gently to ascend, the sandstone
+giving place to trap boulders, yielding a very rich soil, clothed with
+short green grass and melons, the soil being too stony for agricultural
+purposes, although I have seen country of a similar appearance in the
+island of Mauritius producing fine crops of sugar. Some of the melons
+weighed as much as five or six ounces, and were passably good eating,
+although rather bitter. At noon the country dropped suddenly to the
+northward, and we descended a deep rocky ravine, in which we soon found
+water and grass. Travelling now became difficult and sometimes dangerous
+to the horses; rugged and semi-columnar metamorphic sandstone cliffs
+hemmed in the ravines on either side, while large rounded boulders of
+trap-rock filled the bed of the stream, which in several places was
+running. We had a rather indifferent camp in latitude 21 degrees 29
+minutes 10 seconds, the camp at Nickol Bay bearing west-north-west,
+distant seventy-five miles by account. Camp 40.
+
+SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+11th July.
+
+The stream we were upon continued to take a northerly course for eight or
+ten miles down a valley from 200 to 300 feet in depth, where it is
+diverted to the eastward for about the same distance by a cross range of
+black volcanic hills of loose ragged rocks, totally devoid of vegetation.
+The channel receiving several tributaries, here becomes a succession of
+fine open pools of water from eighty to 150 yards in width. We halted for
+the night on a wide bed of bare sand and rocks, the only feed being in
+the channel of the river, to which was now given the name of Sherlock.
+Camp 41.
+
+12th July.
+
+This morning the river resumed a north-north-west course, and very soon
+led us into an open plain, rather sandy in character, the channel
+dividing into several branches separating miles apart, the stream of
+water issuing from the hills soon being absorbed in the sandy bed; but a
+well-defined line of verdant trees served well to mark the course of the
+channels through the plain for many miles. Selecting the one that
+appeared the most promising, it was traced down to latitude 21 degrees 6
+minutes 43 seconds, where we encamped on a shallow pool of brackish
+water--the only one seen during the day. Several natives were found here,
+employed capturing partridges by means of nets constructed out of the
+leaf of the triodia neatly twisted and netted in the same way as done by
+ourselves, the mesh varying from one to five inches, according to the
+purpose to which it is applied. It was very singular to observe the mode
+in which they induced the birds to enter the nets, or rather cages,
+prepared for them. In the first instance they place ragged bushes all
+round the small pools, with the exception of a few spaces five or six
+feet wide, from which openings they stick in a double row of twigs,
+arching so as to meet overhead in the centre one or two feet from the
+ground; these little avenues lead away for several yards, and then
+terminate with a net thrown over a few light sticks at the end. The birds
+first alight on the margin of the pool, but after drinking, do not take
+flight at once, but run up the only opening, which leads them first under
+the arch of twigs and finally into the net, which is then drawn to by the
+hunter lying in wait under a few bushes. In this way they must capture a
+large amount of game, judging by the quantity of feathers around some of
+the waterholes. Camp 42.
+
+13th July.
+
+Two miles north the river turned west, and kept that course for seven or
+eight miles, through a poor sandy and stony tract of country, and was
+then joined by a fine channel coming from the south. Near the junction
+are two reaches of water, half a mile long each and a rifle-shot across,
+containing a quantity of ducks and other water-fowl, amongst which our
+sportsmen were very successful, along with other game bagging the only
+two swans we had seen since landing; a number of fine fish, like
+cobblers, were also caught, weighing from 1 to 5 pounds a-piece. As it
+was Saturday, and our horses were showing unmistakable signs of knocking
+up, we halted for the rest of the day. Camp 43.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 6 minutes 5 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 32 minutes
+30 seconds.
+
+VOLCANIC HILLS.
+
+14th July (Sunday).
+
+After reading prayers, Messrs. Brown, Harding, and myself walked to the
+summit of the range of black volcanic hills that skirted the western bank
+of the river at about a mile distant. These hills consist of ragged
+scoria, elevated 300 to 400 feet above the plain, and are nearly
+destitute of vegetation. At their summits are deep fissures, the heat of
+the eruptive rocks from beneath having been sufficient to convert the
+trap and sandstone rocks into a deep bluish-grey scoria, having a
+specific gravity of nearly four; but we did not observe any instance of
+the actual overflow of lava, and consequently there was a want of the
+fertilising properties in the soil resulting from it that usually
+accompanies volcanic formations. A native dog had left a litter of pups
+under a heap of stones not eighteen inches beneath our feet, but such was
+the sharpness and ponderability of the fragments of rock that it fairly
+baffled our attempts to unhouse them. A valuable round of bearings was
+procured from this spot, Depuch Island being seen bearing north 14
+degrees east, distant about twenty-eight miles.
+
+EXTENSIVE GRASSY PLAINS.
+
+15th July.
+
+We resumed our course down the Sherlock, the stony nature of the country
+telling severely upon our horses' feet, who in other respects were in
+very tolerable condition. We had not proceeded more than three or four
+miles when Mr. Brockman's horse, Rocket, gave in, and could not move
+another step, the hoof being fairly worn through; leaving him close to a
+pool of water amongst plenty of feed, I hoped he might possibly recover
+by the time we returned from the bay. Below this the channel became sandy
+and dry, and we only procured a little water at night in a clay-hole.
+Plains extended from the river to the north and eastward as far as the
+eye could reach, only interrupted by occasional detached hills of granite
+or volcanic trap, the feed being generally coarse and the soil poor. Camp
+44.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 54 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+NATIVES FISHING WITH NETS.
+
+16th July.
+
+Leaving the valley of the river on a north-west course, in half an hour
+we came upon an open plain of rich clayey loam, covered with a fine even
+sward of good grass, on which were feeding large flocks of pigeons and
+white cockatoos; this change in the character of the soil being
+ascribable to the occasional overflow of the river, leaving a deposit of
+rich mud. This plain extends as far as we could see to the north and
+east, a few widely-scattered topes of trees being the only objects
+breaking the monotony of the sea of grass. To the north-west was a strong
+line of large timber, for which we steered. At three miles we entered the
+wood, and found it to contain the main channel of the Sherlock, in which
+were a few small pools of rainwater. Crossing the bed of the river on the
+same course, we soon came upon another branch coming from the south-west,
+which was named the George. Immediately below the junction of the two
+streams the river opened out into reaches of brackish water, evidently
+under the influence of the spring tides. From this point the left bank
+was followed down to within three or four miles of the sea, when, the
+country becoming low and flat, the grass coarse, and no fresh water
+procurable, we quitted the Sherlock and struck to the west for six or
+seven miles, crossing several salt-water creeks, until we were compelled
+to turn to the southward to avoid a channel much larger and deeper than
+the rest, at which a party of natives were engaged drawing their nets,
+but ran away on our approach. A little further on the plain became more
+fertile, and we found a small pool of rainwater in the clay, at which we
+encamped. There is no doubt but that the Sherlock and the creek we were
+upon discharged their waters, by the numerous creeks shown on Captain
+King's charts, fifteen or sixteen miles to the west of Depuch Island.
+Camp 45.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 52 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 15
+minutes.
+
+RETURN TO NICKOL BAY.
+
+17th July.
+
+By observation of the sun at rising, the variation of the needle was
+found to be 1 degree 10 minutes east. We were now about forty miles from
+Nickol Bay; and as it was very doubtful whether water would be procurable
+in that distance, I became very anxious on account of the horses, as,
+should the country prove stony, I was quite certain they could not
+perform the journey in less than three days; I therefore determined upon
+following up a leading valley towards the Maitland River, with the
+intention, in the event of not finding water or a pass through the heavy
+mass of hills that back Cape Lambert, of pushing through the upper
+branches of that river, and by a round of sixty or seventy miles to
+approach the bay by our outward track; fortunately, however, in the
+course of the day we fell in with some small pools of rainwater, which
+enabled us to advance about eighteen miles over tolerably even plains,
+well grassed, our night halt being without water. Camp 46.
+
+18th July.
+
+From our position, and the observations I had made of the country on the
+eastern shores of Nickol Bay, I was satisfied that the breadth of stony
+ranges lying between us and our destination did not exceed eight or ten
+miles, which we therefore now determined to venture upon, although at
+great risk to the horses, some of which now walked upon stones as they
+would over red-hot coals. Entering the range by a small ravine, three
+hours' scramble over sharp rocks brought us out on the head of a small
+tributary to the Nickol River, the sufferings of the horses in crossing
+the range being quite painful to witness; they all, however, succeeded in
+getting through, and as a little water was found in the bed of the
+stream, we were enabled to push on late, and cross the marsh at the head
+of the bay before it was quite dark, the departing rays of the setting
+sun having first favoured us with a glimpse of the Dolphin, riding at
+anchor on the deep-blue waters of the bay--a sight which was welcomed
+with no small satisfaction by the little band of weary travellers. Camp
+47.
+
+19th July.
+
+The camp was easily aroused by the morning watch, as there was now only
+six miles between us and the landing-place in Hearson cove, the horses
+appearing to partake of the general activity; so that it was only 10.0
+a.m. when we arrived on our old camping ground, which we found occupied
+by ten or a dozen natives, engaged mending their nets. Coming upon them
+suddenly, they would not stop to carry off their gear, although not half
+an hour before they had been employed assisting a boat's crew from the
+Dolphin, in loading with wood and water. A rifle-shot soon recalled the
+boat, which was not a mile from the shore, when we were glad to learn
+that Mr. Hearson was fast recovering from his wound, and that all had
+been going on well since our departure. From Mr. Walcott I ascertained
+that he had been able to establish a friendly understanding with the
+natives who frequented the western side of the bay, and that they had
+been made useful in filling up the ship's water and wood, for which
+service they had been rewarded by a suitable distribution of biscuit. In
+one instance the natives on the eastern shore of the bay had shown a
+hostile tendency on the occasion of a boat landing on the reef to gather
+shells. One of the seaman, who had wandered from the rest, was chased
+into the sea, and menaced with spears and clubs until he was up to his
+neck in water, when the boat came to his rescue, the officer in charge of
+her firing a shot over their heads to drive them off. Mr. Walcott had
+also been successful in obtaining a very useful vocabulary of native
+words and other interesting particulars from the aborigines, as also many
+botanical specimens, shells, etc.--amongst the latter some very fine
+pearl-oysters, from which several pearls of good colour had been
+obtained, but appeared to be principally valuable on account of the size
+and beauty of the mother-of-pearl, which averaged six inches diameter,
+with more than half an inch in thickness of solid shell.
+
+PARTY REFIT FOR JOURNEY TO EASTWARD.
+
+20th July.
+
+The forge, stores, and other additional supplies having been landed, and
+the party set to work shoeing horses, repairing saddle-bags, etc., I
+proceeded with Mr. Walcott and Mr. Angel in the boat to make a rough
+survey of the coves on the western side of the bay, with a view to
+selecting a suitable spot from which to re-embark the horses on our
+return from the next trip, as it would be too late in the season by that
+time to venture the trip overland to Champion Bay. I found that a good
+anchorage existed, with three fathoms at low water, one mile off the
+little cove from which the ship had been watered, and is approachable at
+all times, except in strong east or south-east gales, when a heavy swell
+sets in across the bay, rendering a landing unsafe. The fresh water runs
+down a rocky gully at the north-west corner of the cove, at the north end
+of a small patch of sandy beach, and the supply appears tolerably
+abundant; it is, however, rather difficult of access towards the end of
+the dry season, as the water has then to be carried over the rocks in
+small baracas fifty or sixty yards to the boats, but from the setting in
+of the rains to the end of August it runs down strongly at high-water
+mark. I walked back overland to the camp with Mr. Walcott, the distance
+being about four miles, heading by the way another deep cove, the margin
+of which was lined with a broad belt of mangroves.
+
+21st to 28th July.
+
+Was fully taken up in shoeing horses, making spare shoes, refitting and
+packing stores, etc., ready for our trip to the eastward, my own time
+being principally taken up in roughly plotting the country already
+explored, so as to secure all the information obtained, in the event of
+any accident occurring to my field-books.
+
+29th July.
+
+Everything being in readiness for our departure, I gave Captain Dixon
+instructions to wait for us in the bay to the 10th December, and in the
+event of our not then returning, Mr. Walcott would land one of the ship's
+iron tanks, and bury in it a quantity of stores, at a spot already agreed
+upon; the Dolphin would then proceed to Fremantle. It blew so fresh all
+the morning that I could not land until 3 p.m., when we quickly saddled
+up and proceeded three miles to a waterhole up in the volcanic hills, as
+it was probable we should have a very long day's march tomorrow without
+water. As we had now only nineteen horses, and one of these so low in
+condition as not to be able to carry a load, we could only take with us
+eighty-seven days' rations, at the rate of one pound of flour, seven
+ounces of meat, and four ounces of sugar per man per diem; we were,
+however, well provided with ammunition, and thirty spare sets of
+horse-shoes, with nails sufficient for at least two removes, the horses
+themselves being shod at starting with extra strong shoes tipped with
+steel. We had now only seven saddle-horses, so that one of the party was
+always on foot by turns of an hour each. It had been originally intended
+that the Dolphin should proceed to Roebuck Bay and meet us there; but it
+was now so late in the season that I did not deem it prudent to run the
+risk of removing her to an unknown anchorage, where it was possible we
+might not be able to reach, and thus lay ourselves open to the
+probability of a very embarrassing uncertainty. The result proved we had
+adopted the right course. Bivouac.
+
+DIFFICULTY IN CROSSING MUD FLATS.
+
+30th July.
+
+This morning we crossed the marsh with some difficulty, as all the
+pack-horses but three fell and stuck in the mud, until we transferred
+their loads to our own backs and carried them through half a mile of the
+softest part. The operation detained us so long that we did not make more
+than eighteen miles, when we found a little water left in the pool seen
+on the 18th. Camp 48.
+
+31st July.
+
+Started at 8 a.m., following our old tracks to 3.30 p.m., when we turned
+to the south up a stream-bed crossed on the 17th. At the gorge where it
+issued from the granite ranges we found a fine pool of permanent water
+and abundance of beautiful green grass. This stream was now named the
+Harding, and, as the packs were heavy, we remained here the rest of the
+afternoon. Camp 49.
+
+A FERTILE PLAIN.
+
+1st August.
+
+Passing under the northern foot of the granite ranges on an easterly
+course for sixteen miles, we came upon a fine reach of open water in a
+branch of the creek on which we had encamped on the 16th July. This pool
+was a valuable discovery, as it would not only form a useful halting
+place on our return, but, from being in the middle of a fertile plain
+containing at least from 15,000 to 20,000 acres of arable land equal in
+quality to the Greenough Flats, the whole could, if necessary, be easily
+irrigated from this large natural reservoir, the highest part of the
+plain not being thirty feet above the water-level at the driest period of
+the year. This fine tract of country, in connection with the lands
+already seen almost adjoining on the eastern bank of the Sherlock, would
+in itself support a larger population than is at present contained in the
+whole of the colony of Western Australia. We had seen more kangaroos on
+these plains than on any other portion of our route; one that was shot
+resembled the Osphranter, and was in very good order, the fur much
+thicker and softer than the common kangaroo of the western coast, and of
+a pale mouse colour. It weighed about forty-five pounds. Camp 50.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+2nd August.
+
+Proceeding eastward over grassy plains and stony ridges, at thirteen
+miles we struck the Sherlock only two miles below the pool at which we
+had left the horse Rocket, and hoped to find him improved by the rest;
+but, on approaching the spot, the presence of crows and a wild dog gave
+indications of a different fate; we found him partly devoured within a
+few yards of where we left him, inflammation of the feet having most
+probably produced mortification. Pushing on till sunset, we arrived at
+our old camping ground (Camp 43) at the bend of the Sherlock. Camp 51.
+
+ASCEND THE SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+3rd August.
+
+Followed up the left bank of the Sherlock to Camp 42, and found a little
+water still remaining in the bird-cage pools, where we halted for two
+hours. At 1.30 p.m. resumed an easterly route across a sandy plain,
+yielding little but hakea and triodia. Five miles brought us to a large
+branch of the Sherlock coming from the south-east, in which were several
+small permanent pools, surrounded by flags, at which we halted. Camp 52.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 7 minutes.
+
+4th August (Sunday).
+
+Although the feed here was very indifferent, yet, as we had again entered
+unexplored country, I was glad to make it a day of rest before entering
+upon the rather unpromising tract of country that lay in the outward
+route.
+
+5th August.
+
+Making a rather late start, on account of the horses having strayed very
+far in search of feed, we steered for a bold range bearing
+east-south-east, distant about twenty miles. At four miles crossed a dry
+channel coming from the south-south-east, and continued our course over a
+poor tract of country, covered with triodia and a few acacia, large bare
+red granite rocks cropping out here and there. At one of these was a
+small waterhole, near which a native was hunting mice. Although at first
+alarmed, he soon told us, in answer to our inquiries, that we should find
+no water to the east, but plenty to the south, which we found to be
+correct, as we had to halt, after a very long day's march, in a dry
+ravine in the ranges for which we had been making. Camp 53.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 10 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+RECONNOITRE THE COUNTRY AHEAD.
+
+6th August.
+
+Having reconnoitred the country for some miles ahead overnight without
+finding water, it was no use leading our horses further into the rugged
+defiles, where we might get entangled for many hours; we accordingly
+struck to the south-west for four miles, when we came on a rocky pool of
+permanent water in the south-east branch of the Sherlock, just at the
+point where it emerges from the hills. Having watered the horses and
+given them an hour's rest, we followed up the stream to the south-east
+for seven miles, when it divided into numerous small dry ravines in the
+heart of an elevated range of granite, capped with metamorphic sandstone;
+water having only been met with within the first mile from where we
+struck it. Camp 54.
+
+7th August.
+
+The horses requiring water, we fell back upon the pool passed yesterday,
+where I decided upon leaving the bulk of the party for the day or two,
+while I explored the country for a pass to the eastward. Camp 55.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 14 minutes 28 seconds.
+
+8th August.
+
+Taking with me Mr. Brown and Mr. Harding mounted, and one pack-horse
+carrying water, we struck through the hills to the eastward, and at six
+miles came upon a stream-bed that led us to the north-east fifteen or
+sixteen miles, when, finding it contained no water, we resumed an
+easterly course over an open sandy and stony plain, covered with triodia,
+for twelve miles, and encamped in poor feed without water. Camp 56.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+THE YULE RIVER.
+
+9th August.
+
+A heavy dew having fallen during the night, our horses were much
+refreshed, and we were enabled to proceed with the scanty supply of water
+carried with us. In an hour we struck upon the channel of a river with a
+sandy bed, 300 yards wide, in which were a few pools of water, under a
+bold sandstone bluff, rising abruptly 300 feet from the plain. From the
+summit of this hill the river was observed to trend to the
+north-north-west for eight or ten miles, and to come upon a gap in a
+granite range four miles to the south-south-east, towards which we now
+turned our steps, across extensive beds of soft drift-sand brought down
+by the river. Cajeput and acacia trees occupied a large portion of the
+channel, and it was not until reaching the gorge in the range that grass
+was met with in sufficient quantities to supply our wants. Several large
+pools, teeming with water-fowl, occupied the whole of the valley, which
+here was fully a quarter of a mile wide. The remainder of the day I
+devoted to sketching and triangulating the country, while the horses were
+enjoying the benefit of the fine feed. Camp 57.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 6 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+10th August.
+
+As this river, from its magnitude, afforded a fair chance of working to
+the south-east, I determined to bring forward the rest of the party.
+Having named this river the Yule, we returned to the depot party by a
+somewhat shorter cut, making it in about thirty miles, which we
+accomplished by sundown.
+
+11th August (Sunday).
+
+Party resting. Observed a set of lunars, which placed us in longitude 118
+degrees 3 minutes east, the rate of the chronometer being still so
+irregular as to be almost useless.
+
+12th August.
+
+To-day the whole party proceeded twenty-four miles towards the Yule,
+finding a small pool of water in a rocky ravine by the way which we had
+missed on our former trip. Bivouacked in an open grassy plain six miles
+short of the river.
+
+13th August.
+
+Moved on to our camp of the 9th, and halted there for the remainder of
+the day. The latitude by meridian altitude of the sun I found to be 21
+degrees 6 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+14th August.
+
+As travelling near the river was found to be very laborious, on account
+of the vast beds of loose drift-sand thrown up by the summer floods, we
+steered to the south-south-east for a pass in the ranges about twenty
+miles distant, through which the river was supposed to come, but on
+reaching the hills, the river was observed to the westward; we
+accordingly altered our course to south-west, and struck it at about six
+miles; the character of the river being still the same, the aggregate
+width of the several channels amounting to nearly half a mile; water
+being procured in them by digging a few inches in the sand. The country
+passed over during the day was an open plain of light sandy loam,
+interspersed with bare granite rocks, cropping out at intervals of a few
+miles. Giant ant-hills of from ten to sixteen feet in height, and thirty
+to forty feet in circumference (a few of which had already been met with
+on our first trip), were here remarkably conspicuous, on account of their
+size and bright brick-red colour. An emu was shot during the day, while
+running at full speed, at the range of over 200 yards. Camp 58.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 23 minutes 23 seconds.
+
+15th August.
+
+One of the horses was missing this morning, so we did not start until 10
+a.m., when the river was followed up to the south-east through country
+the same as yesterday; halting for the night in latitude 21 degrees 32
+minutes 13 seconds. Camp 59.
+
+16th August.
+
+Our average course to-day was nearly east, occasionally crossing channels
+coming from the south-east. Towards evening we found that the main
+channel, which it had been our intention to have followed, had escaped
+our observation to the southward, and we were only on a comparatively
+small tributary coming from a rugged range of hills to the eastward. Our
+object for the present not being to push too far into the interior, this
+tributary was followed until it broke up into numerous small valleys, in
+one of which water was obtained by digging three feet in the sand,
+amongst tolerable feed, the country having much improved in the course of
+the day. Camp 60.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 34 minutes.
+
+ROCKY RANGES.
+
+17th August.
+
+Soon after starting this morning we came upon a camp of natives, but we
+could not prevail upon any of them to stop and hold parley with us. Four
+hours' travelling over rather rocky ground led us well into the range,
+which we found to consist of granite, capped with metamorphic sandstones
+and broken up by dykes of variegated jasper. In a deep ravine at the foot
+of a cliff we found a small pool of beautiful clear spring water, which
+was very acceptable, as the sun had now acquired considerable power, and
+the grasses were beginning to get very dry food for our horses. During
+the halt at this spring Mr. Harding and myself ascended the highest part
+of the range, which was found to be 500 or 600 feet above the plain. From
+this elevation I was enabled to select our onward route, and obtain
+bearings to several useful summits for triangulation--a few hills to the
+south-south-east being visible at the distance of sixty or seventy miles,
+which no doubt form part of the continuation of the Hamersley Range.
+Resuming an east course, the culminating point of the range was soon
+passed, when we descended to the eastward down some deep and remarkably
+picturesque rocky glens, in which were found several springs and pools of
+water, leading down to a fine grassy flat, in which were growing some
+fine large flooded-gum trees. Camp 61.
+
+18th August (Sunday).
+
+Found our latitude 21 degrees 36 minutes 8 seconds; longitude 119 degrees
+13 minutes east by account.
+
+THE STRELLEY RIVER.
+
+19th August.
+
+The country being very hilly, it was found best to follow down the stream
+upon which we had encamped, although it trended to the north of east. In
+a few miles the valley opened out with fine pools of permanent water,
+covered with numerous flights of ducks, and at eight miles it joined a
+wide valley from the south, down which flowed a river, divided into
+several channels, containing many fine pools from 50 to 200 yards wide,
+which were still running gently from one to another. The banks, although
+well grassed, were very rocky, rendering travelling excessively fatiguing
+to our heavily-loaded pack-horses, several of them being bruised and
+strained while jumping from rock to rock, the clefts being too deep and
+narrow for them to walk between, and the ranges bordering the valley were
+too steep to admit of our leaving the river, which we were compelled to
+follow down to latitude 21 degrees 26 minutes 52 seconds. Camp 62.
+
+20th August.
+
+The river, which had been named the Strelley, continued to hold a
+northerly course; we therefore availed ourselves of a smoother valley
+coming in from the east to resume our old course. At nine miles we met
+with a stream 100 yards wide coming from the south-east, evidently
+tributary to the Strelley, and taking its rise in elevated granite ranges
+with black volcanic ridges protruding through them, but not to any
+considerable height above the general level of the country. After a few
+hours' scramble over these ridges we came upon a small stream trending
+east, containing several springs, surrounded by high grass and flags,
+gradually leading us by sunset into a deep pass, walled in by cliffs and
+bluffs from 100 to 300 feet high; the stream, having joined several
+larger ones from the southward, now occupying nearly the whole width of
+the valley. We encamped in one of the wildest and most romantic-looking
+spots to be found in this part of Australia, to which we gave the name of
+Glen Herring, from a fish bearing a resemblance to a herring being found
+in the stream. Camp 63.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+THE SHAW RIVER. NORTON PLAINS.
+
+21st August.
+
+With some difficulty we wended our way down the intricate windings of the
+glen for six miles in a north-east direction, when it opened out into
+grassy flats, turning to the northward. Leaving it at this point, a mile
+east brought us to the bank of a fine open river-bed 200 yards wide, down
+which a little water was still flowing, the country on its banks becoming
+much more promising and grass plentiful. This river I named the Shaw, and
+some beautiful grassy plains through which it came for twenty or thirty
+miles to the southward Norton Plains, after the talented Secretary of the
+Royal Geographical Society. In the afternoon a large tributary from the
+south-east was followed up for some miles, when, turning to the south, we
+quitted it to follow an open valley leading east towards a bold granite
+and schistose range, under which we encamped late without finding water.
+Camp 64.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes.
+
+22nd August.
+
+As we did not find water for some distance to the eastward under the foot
+of the hills, we turned to the south-east, quickly emerging from the
+hills upon the Norton Plains, and at two miles came upon the stream
+quitted last evening, to which the name of Emu Creek had been given. It
+had altered its course, and was again coming from the east, and contained
+several fine springs. This creek was followed up for the rest of the day
+through a rather indifferent country, and, towards nightfall, led us into
+a deep rocky ravine, in which we encamped, a small supply of water being
+obtained from holes in the rocks. Camp 65.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 28 minutes.
+
+23rd August.
+
+As we advanced, the ravine divided into many branches coming from an
+elevated tableland to the southward; we therefore again resumed an
+easterly course for five or six miles, over rugged hills, and descended
+by a gully trending north-east, which led us in a few miles into open
+plains. Skirting the northern foot of the range until after dark, we
+encamped on a small watercourse, in which we obtained water by digging
+under some granite rocks. Camp 66.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 23 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+24th August.
+
+The horses having suffered much amongst the rocks during the last few
+days, I determined to follow the southern edge of the plain until a
+stream could be met with to lead us to the south-east. A few miles
+brought us to a small watercourse running gently from some springs in the
+plain, which, contrary to our expectations, ran into the ranges to the
+south-east instead of coming out of them. As here there was plenty of
+green grass and water, and the horses were not looking well, we encamped
+early in the entrance of the gorge. Camp 67.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+25th August (Sunday).
+
+Longitude by observation 120 degrees 17 minutes; variation 30 minutes
+east.
+
+26th August.
+
+The stream we were upon led us about five miles south-east through the
+hills, and then joined a river coming from the southward, 100 yards wide,
+which was followed down on an average course of east-north-east to
+latitude 21 degrees 18 minutes; reeds and rank grass lining its banks in
+many parts, while in others granite boulders and banks of drift-sand
+offered considerable impediments to travelling. Camp 68.
+
+DEGREY RIVER.
+
+27th August.
+
+The river took us on a northerly course nine or ten miles, receiving many
+large tributaries, several of them still running slightly, forming
+altogether a stream of some importance, which, on account of the large
+extent of pastoral and agricultural lands afterwards found on its banks
+lower down, and its many fine tributaries, I named the DeGrey, in honour
+of the noble lord who took a lively interest in promoting the objects of
+the expedition. As the object at present in view was to push to the
+south-east, we left this promising river and resumed an east-south-east
+course for five or six miles into a hilly country, and encamped in a
+gully with rather scanty feed, a little water being obtained by digging.
+Camp 69.
+
+28th August.
+
+We soon became involved in deep ravines, which led up into high
+tableland, the summit of which was no sooner attained than we had again
+to descend equally precipitous gullies to the eastward, the horses
+sliding down amongst the loose rocks and stones with a velocity that
+threatened immediate destruction; they all, however, arrived safe at the
+bottom, although in so exhausted a state that two of them had very
+shortly after to be left behind, while we pushed on with the rest in
+search of water and feed, which was not met with until late in the day.
+After a short rest I sent Messrs. Brown and Brockman back for the two
+beaten horses, while I moved the party on a mile further to a fine spring
+in a grassy flat, where we encamped. Camp 70.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 9 minutes 3 seconds.
+
+EXTENSIVE GRASSY PLAINS.
+
+29th August.
+
+The two horses left yesterday were brought into camp early in the day,
+and as they were too weak to carry their loads, they were placed on our
+saddle-horses, one of the party by turns having to walk. As the season
+was rapidly advancing, we could not venture to incur any delay, much as
+the horses required rest, and accordingly resumed an east course late in
+the day. At five miles came upon a sandy stream-bed fifty yards wide,
+trending to the north-east, beyond which the country opened out into an
+extensive plain of white waving grass--to the north uninterrupted by a
+single elevation, while to the east and south, at eight or ten miles
+distant, rose ranges of granite hills, capped with horizontal sandstones.
+It was not until some time after dark that we arrived near the opposite
+edge of the plain, when we came upon a river 200 yards wide, running to
+the northward. The long drought had reduced it to a few shallow pools,
+running from one to the other through the deep sand in the bed;
+magnificent cajeput-trees lined the banks, and grass was in abundance.
+Camp 71.
+
+OAKOVER RIVER.
+
+30th August.
+
+We did not start till late, as Mr. Brown had to go back some little
+distance for his horse, which had been again left behind overnight,
+knocked up. As it would have been useless, in the present condition of
+our horses, to attempt at once to enter the ranges to the east, we
+determined to follow up the river for a few days to the south-south-east
+and by so doing secure feed and water, and give the poor animals a chance
+of recovering their strength; we therefore followed the river up for
+seven or eight miles, through fine open forest country, and encamped near
+a deep pool, in which were caught ten or twelve dozen of small trout,
+which, with cockatoos and ducks, afforded an important addition to our
+ration of only seven ounces of meat. This river was named the Oakover.
+Camp 72.
+
+31st August.
+
+For nearly ten miles the river continued to lead us to the eastward of
+south; it then divided, the main channel coming from the south-west; we,
+however, followed the eastern branch until quite satisfied that it
+contained no water, and then fell back to the westward, striking the
+river near some cliffs, at the foot of which water was plentiful.
+Although only 1 p.m., I determined to halt for the remainder of the day,
+as it was too late to make an attempt to enter the hills without giving
+the horses the advantage of some hours' feed and rest. It also afforded
+me leisure to make astronomical observations and work up the plans of our
+route. A set of lunar distances, very carefully taken, placed the camp in
+longitude 121 degrees 3 minutes 30 seconds east, while that by account,
+carried on by triangulation and dead-reckoning from the Sherlock, placed
+us four and a half miles more to the westward; the latitude being 21
+degrees 23 minutes 43 seconds. Camp 73.
+
+1st September (Sunday).
+
+Read prayers.
+
+2nd September.
+
+A march of three hours across the plains to the eastward brought us to
+the foot of the range, which we entered by a tolerably easy pass, and
+soon came upon a pool of water in a tributary to the Oakover, the mouth
+of which had been passed on our ascent of that river. Here we halted for
+two hours, and then resumed our route through steep and rocky hills,
+containing numerous fine springs. It was not until 7 p.m. that we finally
+got through the ranges, and emerged upon open sandy plains of vast
+extent, no object being observable from north-north-east round to
+south-south-east except low ridges of red drift-sand, in many parts
+nearly bare of vegetation. A large party of natives were encamped upon
+the watercourse down which we descended to the plain. Not wishing to
+alarm them, we passed the waterholes from which they were supplied, and
+proceeded a mile farther, but had in consequence to camp without water,
+although amongst abundance of grass. Camp 74.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 21 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+NATIVE HEAD-DRESS. ENTER THE SANDY DESERT.
+
+3rd September.
+
+This morning we returned to the native encampment for water, and found
+that they had already deserted it, leaving many of their things
+behind--amongst others, a very singular head-dress, shaped like a helmet.
+It consisted of a circular band, made of twisted grass, the size of the
+head, into which were stuck ten or twelve upright twigs, brought together
+into a point two feet high, which was woven like an open basket, with
+yarn made of opossum fur; the whole no doubt being considered highly
+ornamental by the wearers, but of not the least service as an article of
+protection for the head, either from the sun or in war. Having watered
+the horses, we entered the sand-plain, travelling between the ridges,
+which ran in straight lines parallel to each other at the distance of
+several hundred yards apart, the sand being thrown by the south-east
+gales into acute ridges thirty to sixty feet high, their direction being
+almost invariably north 109 degrees east. Travelling to 2.15 p.m., we got
+over about eighteen miles, the valleys yielding little else but triodia,
+with occasional patches of stunted gum forest, in which was found a
+little good grass, on which were feeding flights of pigeons and a variety
+of parrot new to us, but which I believe to be the golden-backed parakeet
+(Psephotus chrysopterygius) of Gould. As no water could be found, and
+many of the horses gave signs of being greatly distressed, no change
+being observable in the country for many miles ahead, a few very distant
+ranges being the only objects visible, we were obliged to have recourse
+to the only safe expedient of falling back and forming a depot. Resting
+to 5.10, we commenced a retreat until 7.20, having been obliged to
+abandon a horse of Mr. Brown's, quite exhausted. Camp 75.
+
+4th September.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. resumed our retreat, and by noon arrived at the waterhole of
+the 2nd, having left two more horses behind, which, however, Mr. Brown
+and myself carried out water to in the course of the evening and drove
+them in during the night.
+
+5th September.
+
+Leaving the party to rest, I walked ten or twelve miles round to the
+south-south-eastward, along the foot of the range, in search of water,
+and to ascertain if a better line of country could be found in that
+direction, but it continued to maintain the same arid appearance, and I
+only came on one pool in a gully four miles from the camp. Depot.
+
+6th September.
+
+Leaving Mr. Turner and four of the party in depot, with instructions to
+remain there three days, and then fall back upon the Oakover, where there
+was much better feed, I started with Messrs. Brown and Harding, taking
+six of the strongest horses, sixteen days' rations and six gallons of
+water, and steered south-south-east along the ranges for six or eight
+miles, looking for some stream-bed that might lead us through the plains,
+but was disappointed to find that they were all lost in the first mile
+after leaving the hills, and as crossing the numerous ridges of sand
+proved very fatiguing to the horses, we determined once more to attempt
+to strike to the eastward between the ridges, which we did for fifteen
+miles, when our horses again showed signs of failing us, which left us
+the only alternative of either pushing on at all hazards to a distant
+range that was now just visible to the eastward, where, from the numerous
+native fires and general depression of the country, there was every
+reason to think a large river would be found to exist, or to make for
+some deep rocky gorges in the granite hills ten miles to the south, in
+which there was every prospect of finding water. In the former case the
+travelling would be smoothest, but the distance so great that, in the
+event of our failing to obtain water, we probably should not succeed in
+bringing back one of our horses; while, in the latter, we should have to
+climb over the sand ridges, which we had already found so fatiguing; this
+course, however, involved the least amount of risk, and we accordingly
+struck south four miles, and halted for the night. Camp 76.
+
+REPULSED FOR WANT OF WATER. INTENSE HEAT.
+
+7th September.
+
+The horses did not look much refreshed by the night's rest; we, however,
+divided three gallons of water amongst them, and started off early, in
+the hope of reaching the ranges by noon; but we had not gone three miles
+when one of the pack-horses, that was carrying less than forty pounds
+weight, began to fail, and the load was placed upon my saddle-horse; it
+did not, however, enable him to get on more than a couple of miles
+further, when we were compelled to abandon him, leaving him under the
+shade of the only tree we could find, in the hope that we might bring
+back water to his relief. Finding that it would be many hours before the
+horses could be got on to the hills, I started ahead on foot, leaving
+Messrs. Brown and Harding to come on gently, while I was to make a signal
+by fires if successful in finding water. Two hours' heavy toil through
+the sand, under a broiling sun, brought me to the ranges, where I
+continued to hunt up one ravine after another until 5.0 p.m. without
+success. Twelve hours' almost incessant walking, on a scanty breakfast,
+and without water, with the thermometer over 100 degrees of Fahrenheit,
+began to tell upon me rather severely; so much so that, by the time I had
+tracked up my companions (who had reached the hills by 1.0 p.m., and were
+anxiously waiting for me), it was as much as I could do to carry my rifle
+and accoutrements. The horses were looking truly wretched, and I was
+convinced that the only chance of saving them, if water was not found,
+would be by abandoning our pack-saddles, provisions, and everything we
+could possibly spare, and try and recover them afterwards if practicable;
+we therefore encamped for the night on the last plot of grass we could
+find, and proceeded to make arrangements for an early start in the
+morning. There was still remaining a few pints of water in the kegs,
+having been very sparing in the use of it; this enabled us to have a
+little tea and make a small quantity of damper, of which we all stood in
+much need. Camp 77.
+
+8th September.
+
+At 4.0 a.m. we were again up. Having disposed of our equipment and
+provisions, except our riding-saddles, instruments, and firearms, by
+suspending them in the branches of a large tree, we divided a pint of
+water for our breakfast, and by the first peep of dawn were driving our
+famished horses before us at their best speed toward the depot, which was
+now thirty-two miles distant. For the first eight miles they went on
+pretty well, but the moment the sun began to have power they flagged
+greatly, and it was not long before we were obliged to relinquish another
+horse quite unable to proceed. By 9.0 a.m. I found that my previous day's
+march, and the small allowance of food I had taken, was beginning to have
+its effects upon me, and that it was probable I could not reach the depot
+until next morning, by which time the party left there were to fall back
+to the Oakover; I therefore directed Mr. Brown, who was somewhat fresher
+than myself, to push on for the camp and to bring out fresh horses with
+water, while Mr. Harding and myself would do our best to bring on any
+straggling horses that could not keep up with him. By dark we had
+succeeded in reaching to within nine miles of the depot, finding
+unmistakable evidence towards evening of the condition to which the
+horses taken on by Mr. Brown were reduced, by the saddles, guns, hobbles,
+and even bridles, scattered along the line of march, which had been taken
+off to enable them to go on a few miles further.
+
+EFFECTS OF WANT OF WATER.
+
+9th September.
+
+At dawn Mr. Harding and myself got up from our beds of sand stiff and
+giddy, but much refreshed by the cold night air. In four or five miles we
+met Mr. Brown with fresh horses and a supply of water, having succeeded
+in reaching the depot at 8 p.m. the night before, with only one horse. We
+were now enabled to proceed with the tracking up of the horses left
+overnight, which, after resting some hours, had commenced to ramble in
+search of water; Mr. Brown returning on our route and recovering the
+saddles and firearms left the previous evening, the stores abandoned the
+day before being too far off to attempt their recovery. By 8.30 p.m. we
+had all returned to the depot, having tracked up the three missing
+horses, the two left at the furthest point being too distant to carry
+relief to without incurring the risk of further loss. I cannot omit to
+remark the singular effects of excessive thirst upon the eyes of the
+horses; they absolutely sunk into their heads until there was a hollow of
+sufficient depth to entirely bury the thumb in, and there was an
+appearance as though the whole of the head had shrunk with them,
+producing a very unpleasant and ghastly expression. Depot camp.
+
+10th September.
+
+We were only able to move the camp a mile to another waterhole, for the
+sake of a little better feed. Bivouac.
+
+COMMENCE RETURN JOURNEY.
+
+11th September.
+
+On taking into consideration the reduced number and strength of our
+horses, it was quite evident that we had but little prospect of being
+able to cross the tract of dry sandy country that had already occasioned
+us so much loss and trouble; yet there were many reasons to stimulate us
+to make the attempt. Not only had we now attained to within a very few
+miles of the longitude in which, from various geographical data, there
+are just grounds for believing that a large river may be found to exist,
+draining Central Australia, but the character of the country appeared
+strongly to indicate the vicinity of such a feature; added to which, the
+gradual decline in the elevation of the country, notwithstanding our
+increasing distance from the coast, tended towards the same conclusion.
+Nor should we omit the strong evidences that the remarkable ridges of
+drift-sand which encumbered the plains must in the first instance, have
+been brought from the interior by water, and then have been blown by the
+strong prevailing south-east winds across the country in a direction at
+least 50 degrees from that which they originally came from; this, with
+the clean water-worn appearance of the sand, the bold outlines of the
+hills seen to the far east, and the number of native fires observed in
+the same direction, must all tend to support the hypothesis that the
+western half of Australia is probably drained by a large river in about
+this meridian. I could not, therefore, help regretting more than ever
+that we should be driven back at such an interesting spot; but mature
+reflection convinced me that any further attempt with our present means,
+at this period of the year, was almost certain to be attended with the
+most disastrous results; I therefore decided upon adopting the only other
+useful course open to us--that of examining down to the sea the rivers
+already discovered. With this in view, we to-day fell back five or six
+miles across the ranges to a tributary to the Oakover, called the Davis,
+when one of the horses became so crippled by a strain in the loins that
+we were obliged to halt to give him a chance of recovery, affording me
+leisure to verify our position by observing another set of lunar
+distances, which I found to agree well with those formerly taken ten
+miles to the westward. Camp 78.
+
+DOWN THE OAKOVER RIVER.
+
+12th September.
+
+We commenced the descent of the Davis, having much difficulty in getting
+along the sick horse, as it required the united strength of the party to
+lift him on his legs every time he fell, which he at last did so
+frequently that I ordered him to be shot, as it was hopeless to attempt
+to bring him on, and if left, he must have died of starvation. By 2.0
+p.m. we reached the junction of the stream we were upon with the Oakover,
+and halted two miles south of Camp 72; most of the party being now
+dismounted, shoe-leather was beginning to get very scarce with us. Camp
+79.
+
+13th September.
+
+This day we only travelled eight miles down the Oakover, and encamped
+near a deep creek, in which was caught a good haul of fish. Camp 80.
+
+14th September.
+
+The feed was so good on this river that we were able to proceed to-day to
+latitude 20 degrees 59 minutes 33 seconds; the country improving much,
+grassy flats extending for some miles to the northward, the channel of
+the river being augmented by the junction of the large tributary crossed
+on our eastward track on the afternoon of the 29th August. Camp 81.
+
+15th September (Sunday).
+
+Remained in camp to rest the horses. A few natives were seen near the
+camp during the day.
+
+16th September.
+
+After running four or five miles further north, the Oakover turned to the
+north-west for fourteen miles, having a clear sandy or stony bed from 150
+to 200 yards wide, water and grass being plentiful, and the country
+generally being open forest, with a pleasing appearance. Camp 82.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 46 minutes.
+
+17th September.
+
+The course of the river was followed for about seventeen miles in a
+westerly direction, the bed widening out to 300 or 400 yards, the water
+being now confined to a sandy channel not above 150 yards in width, the
+depth of the valley through which it runs being about forty feet; timber
+of white-gum and cajeput is tolerably plentiful on the banks, the soil of
+which is a red loam of considerable depth. Many of the pools are lined
+with tall reeds. Camp 83.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 41 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+REACH THE DEGREY RIVER.	ABUNDANCE OF FISH.
+
+18th September.
+
+Started at 6.40 a.m. and in two and a half hours entered a deep and
+wild-looking gorge, at which point it formed a junction with the DeGrey,
+coming from the south-south-east, through a beautiful level tract of open
+grassy country, a broad belt of flooded-gum trees growing for some
+distance back on either side. Passing through the gorge, which was a
+quarter of a mile wide and about a mile long, we came upon a camp of
+natives, who, as usual, quickly dispersed without giving us an
+opportunity of showing them that we intended them no harm. The river here
+contains a fine reach of deep water, upon which was a large quantity of
+whistling ducks and other water-fowl. Two miles lower down we halted on
+the banks of a deep creek coming in from the northward; the rest of the
+day being employed re-stuffing pack-saddles, etc., while some of the
+party caught a quantity of fine fish--amongst them an eel, which,
+however, was allowed to escape, being taken for a water-snake by one of
+the party who had never seen one before. A large kind of bat, or vampire,
+was first observed here, measuring about two feet across the wings. Camp
+84.
+
+19th September.
+
+We continued to follow down the DeGrey for about eighteen miles in a
+west-north-west direction, through open grassy plains extending for many
+miles on either bank, the channel of the river still maintaining the same
+sandy character, and with abundance of water in its bed. Camp 85.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 36 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+20th September.
+
+There was little or no change in the appearance of the country for the
+eighteen or twenty miles that the river was traced down during to-day. We
+encamped on the bank of a wide and deep reach of water more than a mile
+long, surrounded by tall reeds. Fish were caught here in great abundance.
+Camp 86.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 31 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+NATIVE CAMP.
+
+21st September.
+
+Shortly after starting we crossed the bed of a tributary coming in from
+the southward, with a shallow sandy channel 200 yards wide, which must
+drain the high ranges between the DeGrey and Shaw Rivers, which we passed
+over on our outward track. In many places we began to observe patches of
+triodia in the midst of the alluvial plains through which the river
+continued to run, and distant ranges were observed both to the north and
+south. Towards sundown we surprised a large party of natives encamped in
+a dry channel of the river, and approached so near before we were
+discovered that we had separated a young child from the rest of the
+party, which was observed by the mother, who remained while the rest of
+the natives made a hasty retreat; it was not long, however, before an
+aged warrior returned to her aid, with his spear shipped, and came
+forward in a very menacing attitude to recover the child, who stood by us
+with a look of the most perfect unconcern. Finding we took no notice of
+his threats, he threw down his weapon, and, walking up to the boy, caught
+him up in his arms and bore him off, with a look of triumph, to his
+companions. No attempt was made to carry away their supper, which was
+ready prepared in a number of wooden scoops, and consisted of fish, rats,
+beans, grass-seed cakes, and a beverage made with some oily seed pounded.
+Leaving everything undisturbed, we pushed on for another mile, so as to
+prevent their being afraid of returning to their evening repast. Camp 87.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 25 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+ATTEMPT TO SPEAR HORSES.
+
+22nd September.
+
+Being Sunday, we only moved a mile lower down the river to a fine reach
+of water, on the banks of which was a rich sward of green grass for our
+horses. Shortly after we had made ourselves comfortable for the day we
+were startled by six of the horses coming into camp at a gallop in their
+hobbles, followed by eighteen armed natives. Everyone sprang to their
+arms in a moment, which caused the intruders to fall back. I tried to
+make them comprehend that we did not approve of the horses being hunted;
+but as they would not go away, and they had a strong party concealed in
+the brushwood, I fired at a tree to show them the use of our arms. The
+moment they heard the report of the rifle and saw the splinters fly, they
+took to their heels and did not again trouble us. We afterwards found a
+spear sticking in the ground in the track of the horses, having evidently
+be thrown while in pursuit. Camp 88.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 25 minutes; longitude 119 degrees 21 minutes.
+
+23rd September.
+
+The river soon passed round the southern foot of a range of hills of 400
+or 500 feet elevation, the country to the south again becoming very
+fertile, and clothed with a rich sward of kangaroo-grass; at ten miles we
+struck the Shaw River, coming from the south-east, with a broad, deep,
+and well-defined channel, in which were many fine pools of water. Below
+the confluence of the rivers the DeGrey widened out considerably, turning
+rather more to the northward, and seven miles further was joined by the
+Strelley, in latitude 20 degrees 16 minutes, and longitude 119 degrees 5
+minutes east; the river being diverted to the northward by a rugged range
+of volcanic hills; its course being now direct for Breaker Inlet, which
+was distant about eighteen miles. Camp 89.
+
+MAGNETIC ROCKS RENDER THE COMPASS USELESS.
+
+24th September.
+
+As it was very important that I should obtain a round of bearings before
+proceeding any further, the country having for some days past been too
+flat to afford many opportunities for triangulation. I to-day started
+with Messrs. Harding and Brown to ascend the ranges that lie to the west
+of the river. A scramble of three miles over very rugged rocks brought us
+to the highest point, which was found to be not more than 500 feet above
+the sea; our journey, however, turned out to be fruitless, the magnetic
+attraction of the volcanic rocks of which the hills are composed being so
+great as to reverse the needle, which varied so much that I could not
+even make use of the compass to take angles, and I had omitted to bring a
+sextant. Kangaroos were numerous among these hills, but we did not
+succeed in shooting any; they appear to be similar to those seen on the
+plains near the Sherlock. The view we had of the country was very
+extensive. To the south is a vast gently-undulating plain, only
+occasionally interrupted by detached granite and sandstone peaks; while
+narrow green lines of trees intersecting the plain in various directions
+indicate the watercourses coming from the distant ranges, and wander in
+wide sandy channels towards the sea; the course of the Strelley being
+easily distinguished for many miles. To the north the eye could trace the
+broad sandy bed of the DeGrey, trending towards Breaker Inlet, the
+position of which was only distinguishable by the margin of deep-blue
+mangroves that line it, and the whole of the extremity of the delta
+formed by the alluvial deposits brought down by the river. To the east
+and west of this is a wide expanse of alluvial flats, covered in most
+parts with rich, waving grass, the sameness of the scenery being relieved
+by detached patches of open park-like forest of flooded-gum. Returning to
+the camp by noon, the remainder of the day was devoted by me to bringing
+up the arrears of mapping, etc., and by the party generally in providing
+a supply of fish and ducks, which here were found to be very plentiful.
+
+25th September.
+
+By 7 a.m. we were once more tracing down the DeGrey through the flats
+seen yesterday. At eight miles the river divided into two channels of
+nearly equal width, the eastern one being followed to latitude 20 degrees
+5 minutes 16 seconds, travelling being very heavy, on account of the
+numerous rat-holes that completely undermine the banks of the river for
+more than a quarter of a mile back on either side. For the last few miles
+the water in the river was decidedly brackish, and at our camp was
+evidently influenced by the tides; we, however, procured some tolerably
+good water by sinking a well in a sandbank in the dry portion of the
+channel, which here was about 300 yards wide. Camp 90.
+
+SUDDEN RISE OF TIDE.
+
+26th September.
+
+This morning we found the water in the well quite salt, in consequence of
+the tide having risen during the night; and as our horses required water,
+it was found desirable to fall back upon some of the fresh pools to form
+a camp, while a day or two could be devoted to the examination of this
+fertile and interesting tract of country. We accordingly crossed the
+channel and proceeded westward for nearly three miles, when we came upon
+the other branch, which proved eventually to join again several miles
+below, forming an island containing some 8000 or 9000 acres of alluvial
+flat soil, covered with a quantity of mixed grasses. To this was given
+the name of Ripon Island. The western channel was found to be over 300
+yards wide, and to contain several fine reaches of open water, some fresh
+and others slightly brackish; they were all teeming with ducks and a
+great variety of water-fowl. Having selected a suitable spot for a camp,
+I started with Messrs. Brown and Harding to examine the country towards
+the inlet. At a little more than two miles we crossed the river between
+two pools of salt water, subject to the influence of the tides, and
+proceeded northward over an open grassy flat for two miles further, when
+the grass gave place to samphire and small mangrove bushes, which
+gradually thickened to dense mangroves, cut up by deep muddy creeks,
+which put a stop to proceeding further in that direction. Here we
+observed several remarkable stacks of dead mangroves, evidently piled
+together by the natives, but for what purpose we could not ascertain,
+unless to escape upon from the tide when fishing. Having gained firm
+ground, we made a detour more to the eastward, and at last succeeded in
+reaching the bank of the river close to the head of the inlet. The tide
+being at the ebb, I was able to walk over the mud and sand to the mouth
+of the river, and obtain bearings to Points Larrey and Poissonier, and
+observe the character of the entrance, from which I formed the opinion
+that the breakers seen by Captain Stokes when surveying this portion of
+the coast, and which deterred him from entering the inlet, were nothing
+more than the sea-rollers meeting a strong ebb tide setting out of the
+DeGrey, possibly backed up by freshes from the interior which would, from
+a river of this size, occasion a considerable commotion where the tide
+amounts to twenty feet; at any rate, I could not observe any rocks, and
+there appeared to be a channel with at least five or six feet of water in
+it at low tide. For the first mile the river has a breadth of from 400 to
+800 yards, and would admit with the tide vessels of twelve or fourteen
+feet draft of water with perfect safety up as far as Ripon Island, where
+they could lie completely sheltered in all weathers quite close to the
+shore, which here has steep banks twenty to thirty feet high; they would
+however, be left aground at low water, as we did not observe any pools in
+this part of the river. I had only just time to complete my observations
+when the roaring of the incoming tide warned me that no time was to be
+lost in returning to the horses, which were nearly a mile higher up the
+river. Although I ran part of the way, the mud creeks filled up so
+rapidly, there was some risk of my being cut off from the shore and
+having to take up a roost on the top of the mangroves until the tide
+fell; I had time, however, to observe that the head of the tide carried
+with it thousands of fish of great variety, amongst them a very
+remarkable one from three to six inches in length, in form resembling a
+mullet, but with fins like a flying-fish; it is amphibious, landing on
+the mud and running with the speed of a lizard, and when frightened can
+jump five or six feet at a bound; I did not, however, succeed in
+capturing one for a specimen. Swarms of beautiful bright-crimson crabs,
+about two inches diameter, were to be seen issuing from their holes to
+welcome the coming flood, on which was borne a great number of sea-fowl,
+who, it was evident, came in for an abundant feast in the general
+turmoil. Mounting our horses, that had stood for the last two hours
+without touching a mouthful of the rank grass around them for want of
+water, we returned to the camp by a different route, through open grass
+flats bordering the deep reaches of water that encompass the north-west
+side of Ripon Island.
+
+SCARCITY OF WATER NEAR THE WEST.
+
+27th September.
+
+Accompanied by the same party, but with three fresh horses, we again
+started to explore the plains eastwards towards Mount Blaze. For several
+miles after leaving the island the country continued of the same fertile
+character as that passed over yesterday, and is at times subject to
+inundation from the river; but as we receded from the influence of the
+floods the soil became lighter and the grass thinner, with patches of
+triodia and samphire. At twelve miles we entered a patch of open grassy
+forest, extending for some miles; but as there was no promise of
+obtaining water, and the day was calm and sultry, we turned to the
+northward in the hope that water might be procurable under the low
+sand-hills that line this portion of the coast. In this we were, however,
+disappointed, as the fall of the country terminated in mangroves and
+salt-water creeks, between which and the sea is a narrow ridge of low
+sand-hills. Amongst them we observed many tracks of natives; but did not
+discover any water. The sea here is apparently very shallow for many
+miles off shore, more than half a mile of mud and sandbank being left dry
+at low water. Resting the horses for two hours, we returned to camp by a
+more direct route, passing for several miles over a plain of rich black
+mould, covered with a short sward of bright-green grass, the native fires
+having swept off the dry grass a few weeks previously; and although there
+had been no rain since, the heavy dews that fell during the night in
+these latitudes had been sufficient to produce a rapid growth.
+
+28th September.
+
+As I expected to meet with some difficulties for want of water between
+this and the Yule River, I thought it best to give the horses the benefit
+of a little rest before resuming our homeward route. Some of the party
+were also deriving much benefit from the abundance of fresh game, as they
+had been suffering from debility, brought on most probably by
+over-exertion while traversing the heavy country of the interior. While
+here we obtained several additions to our small collection of
+birds--amongst them a beautiful wader, the size of a large snipe, the
+head being covered by a remarkable membranous hood or sheath of a rich
+gamboge-yellow, resembling the leaf of a flower falling back from the
+beak, and lying close over the feathers, protecting them when the beak is
+plunged into the sand after food; they had also a remarkable sharp horn
+or claw projecting forward from the last joint of the wing, with which
+they can fight when attacked by birds of prey. A very handsome bird was
+also shot resembling a flamingo, the body being about the size, and in
+plumage like a pelican; the head and neck of a deep rich purple, and
+formed like the flamingo; the legs bright red, long and slender; it flies
+extended to its greatest length, measuring six feet two inches, and
+across the wings seven feet two inches; its weight being only 11 pounds.
+A white heron, with bird-of-paradise feathers on its back, was
+occasionally seen, but only one specimen procured.
+
+29th September (Sunday).
+
+DELTA OF THE DEGREY RIVER.
+
+30th September.
+
+We made an early start up the river, and at three miles struck out into
+the plains to the westward, where we found a large extent of open flat,
+yielding grass and atriplex, and timbered in many parts with
+flooded-gums. At ten miles we came upon a deep reach of water flowing to
+the north-west, which must empty itself into the sea four or five miles
+to the south-west of Spit Point, forming an island of a portion of the
+delta of the DeGrey, containing between 90,000 and 100,000 acres of
+alluvial land. This channel was followed up, and found to come from the
+river, close to the junction of the Strelley, and must be a very
+considerable outlet for the water during the summer rains. I regretted
+much not having time to trace this branch of the DeGrey to its mouth, as
+it might be found to be navigable, and afford a fine site for a seaport
+town. Fresh water is abundant, and building stone procurable in any
+quantity being found in the immediate vicinity on land superior to
+inundation. We remained at the junction the rest of the day. Camp 92.
+
+THE STRELLEY RIVER.
+
+1st October.
+
+As the plains were now dry and parched, we determined to follow up the
+Strelley to the ranges before striking west to the Yule. At first the
+river spread out into so many wide grassy channels that it was difficult
+to trace it; but at four or five miles collected into one bed, about 100
+yards wide, in which were a few small pools. Up to this point the country
+had been fertile, the soil being an alluvial clay, resulting from
+volcanic rocks; but after getting clear of the line of hills, the soil
+became poor and hungry, yielding little else but triodia and acacia
+bushes; water was procured in several places in the course of the day's
+march; our course having been nearly due south. Camp 93.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 32 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+2nd October.
+
+The river led us this morning a little to the eastward of south, through
+a country very similar to yesterday. Late in the day we crossed a
+considerable tributary coming from the south-east, which was now quite
+dry, and takes its rise in a bold range of granite hills now visible to
+the southward, at the distance of ten or twelve miles, and forms a part
+of the main tableland of this part of the coast; the plain we had been
+passing over being only a sea-flat, with a few detached ranges widely
+scattered over its surface. The river now began to trend to the westward,
+granite rocks showing themselves on the surface in large masses. Water
+was occasionally procurable, which was very important, as the horses
+could not travel many hours without it, although the heaviest packs were
+reduced below 100 pounds. We had now only six saddle-horses, so that two
+of the party had to walk by turns for an hour at a time. We halted late
+in latitude 20 degrees 45 minutes 17 seconds. Camp 94.
+
+3rd October.
+
+Started at 6.30 a.m., and in an hour came upon a fine pool in the
+granite, which was very acceptable, as we had encamped overnight without
+any water. The channel of the river here deepened considerably, was full
+of rocks, and contained plenty of water. Skirting the ranges for some
+distance, several tributaries joined from the southward. The country,
+although rocky, improved much in general appearance; grass was abundant,
+and game frequently met with. At night we encamped on a small pool in the
+bed of the river about five miles from the foot of the range. Cockatoos
+and pigeons came in great numbers to drink at the pool about sundown.
+Camp 95.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 56 minutes 33 seconds, longitude 119 degrees 10
+minutes by account.
+
+4th October.
+
+Made an early start, and travelled four miles on a south-west course,
+when the river divided into two channels, the main one coming from a deep
+gorge to the south-south-east, exactly in the direction in which we had
+left the Strelley on our outward route, at a distance of about thirty
+miles; identifying the stream with some degree of certainty. Taking the
+western branch, which would lead us towards the Yule, we followed it up
+until long past noon into a hilly country, without meeting with water;
+we, however, saw a large extent of fine grazing land which would make an
+excellent summer station when the flats were inundated. Having rested
+during the heat of the day, which had lately become rather oppressive, we
+resumed a westerly course, having run out the head watercourses of the
+western branch of the Strelley. A few miles brought us to a considerable
+stream-bed trending to the north-west, which was followed down till some
+time after dark, having procured a few gallons of water from a native
+well in the bed of a creek. To-day we had travelled for nine hours, and
+accomplished a distance of twenty-two miles, the longest day's march we
+had made for many weeks past. Early in the day we had noticed what we
+took for a great number of native fires springing up in all directions,
+and quickly to die away again; we, however, found it to be a number of
+whirlwinds, carrying with them huge columns of charcoal and dust, which
+traversed the plains sometimes for miles before they broke. Camp 96.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+REACH THE YULE RIVER.
+
+5th October.
+
+Our computed distance from the Yule was now only twenty-one miles, and
+the country promised well for travelling; but the long march yesterday,
+and the short allowance of water, rendered it very doubtful whether some
+of the horses would hold out long enough to reach it; we therefore had
+our breakfast before daylight, and as soon as we could see resumed our
+route to the westward. At five miles we crossed a sandy channel, 200
+yards wide, full of cajeput and gum trees, but as we did not soon find
+any water in it, pushed on at a rapid pace, and in two miles more crossed
+a similar channel, 100 yards wide, trending north-west and running
+parallel to the first; beyond this the ground became rocky for a few
+miles, and by the time we had gone rather more than twelve miles, Mr.
+Burges' mare, Lucy, could go no further; giving her half a-gallon of
+water out of the little stock carried with us, I left Messrs. Brown and
+Harding to bring her on when rested, and with the rest of the party
+continued our route. A mile or two further, and another horse, Bob, was
+knocked up and left behind, having also had some water given him. With
+considerable difficulty we succeeded in getting the rest of the horses on
+to the Yule by 1.30 p.m., making it close to our camp of 13th August. Had
+the distance been ten miles further, probably not more than three or four
+of the horses would have ever reached it, so much were they reduced in
+strength. On reaching the pool, several of the horses, notwithstanding
+our efforts to prevent them, rushed headlong into the water with their
+packs on, and drank so much of it that it was with great difficulty we
+could drag them out again. In the course of the afternoon Messrs. Brown
+and Harding came in with the horse Bob, but had not been able to get the
+mare on more than two or three miles; being anxious, however, not to lose
+her, I sent McCourt and James with two of the strongest horses, carrying
+four gallons of water for her, after which they succeeded in getting her
+into camp by midnight. Camp 97.
+
+6th October (Sunday).
+
+Moved a short distance down the river to camp 57 for better feed.
+
+CROSS DRY COUNTRY TO SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+7th October.
+
+As the distance from the Yule to the last known permanent water on the
+eastern branch of the Sherlock is over twenty-five miles, and our means
+of carrying water very limited since abandoning our largest pair of kegs
+in the retreat on the 8th September, I to-day set to work and soldered up
+a number of preserved-meat tins that had been carefully opened and kept
+for this purpose, putting a small spout to each; eight of these (4-pound
+tins) we found to contain something over four gallons, which, added to
+our water belts and the two remaining kegs, would provide for the
+conveyance of twelve gallons of water, which I hoped would prove
+sufficient to enable us to pass the dry tract of country in safety, as it
+would allow half a gallon to each horse and an ample supply for the party
+for two days. I also succeeded in repairing the aneroid barometer, which
+had been crushed nearly flat by the fall of a horse; fortunately,
+however, without injury to the vacuum vase.
+
+8th October.
+
+Having rearranged the loads and lightened them by leaving hid amongst the
+rocks a pack-saddle and sixty pounds weight of horse-shoes and nails, at
+3.45 p.m. we commenced a retreat on our outward tracks of the 13th
+August, travelling to 7.15 p.m., when we encamped on a patch of tolerably
+good grass in the plain at the foot of a volcanic range, without any
+signs of water near us. Camp 98.
+
+9th October.
+
+We were up before daylight, and by 6 a.m. had our breakfast, and were
+again on our march, visiting a waterhole seen on our outward route, but
+now found to be quite dry. We pushed on at the best speed of our horses,
+which was now not much over two miles an hour, to 10.0, when the heat of
+the day began to tell on the jaded animals; we therefore halted for an
+hour to give the horses half a gallon of water each, after which they
+travelled on much more briskly, so that by a little past noon we
+succeeded in reaching the large pool in the eastern Sherlock, near Camp
+55; some of the horses were, however, so much exhausted that we had some
+difficulty in getting them to move for the last mile, although entirely
+relieved of their loads. Camp 55a.
+
+10th October.
+
+Although the horses were by no means in a fit state to continue the
+march, yet grass was so scarce, on account of the native fires having
+here swept it off, that we found it best to push on for the springs at
+Camp 52.
+
+Following down the banks of the stream, we found several pools not yet
+dried up, which proved a great help to our horses; before noon, however,
+the mare Lucy again gave in, and was finally abandoned, as there was but
+little chance of her ever reaching the bay; it is possible she may live
+to be picked up by some future travellers, although too old to last many
+years. By 1.0 p.m. we reached the springs at Camp 52, and found an ample
+supply of water, but the grass was here also much parched up; we,
+however, remained for the rest of the day.
+
+NATIVE DEPREDATIONS.
+
+11th October.
+
+This morning our route was resumed down the eastern Sherlock, tracing a
+portion that had not been before examined, and which was now found to be
+well supplied with water and grass; cockatoos and pigeons being seen in
+large numbers feeding on the banks. As we approached the junction of the
+two branches of the river we met a party of ten or twelve natives, who
+came boldly up to us, which was the only time we had known them to do so
+since quitting Nickol Bay. Hoping to gain some useful information from
+them, they were allowed to follow us to our old camp of 2nd August, where
+there are the large fish-pools, of which they gave us the native names.
+We were not quite so successful in procuring game here as on the former
+visit, although as much fish was caught as could be consumed while it was
+good. The natives kept rather aloof while we were shooting on the river,
+but after dusk eight or ten came to the camp, unarmed, evidently on a
+thieving excursion, and although narrowly watched, managed to carry off a
+portion of Mr. Hall's kit, which, however, he recovered next morning, on
+paying them an early visit, finding the articles buried under some rushes
+in their camp.
+
+THEY SET THE GRASS ON FIRE.
+
+12th October.
+
+We were now getting so near our destination that, although provisions
+were getting low, we could afford to give the party a whole day's rest,
+while I was enabled roughly to plot out some more of my work and write up
+the journal, which, from having my time constantly taken up with more
+pressing duties, had fallen sadly into arrears. The natives again came to
+see what they could steal, but this time were made to sit outside a line
+drawn on the sand, some twenty paces from the camp--an arrangement they
+appeared highly to disapprove of, giving expression to their
+dissatisfaction in a manner anything but polite; finding, however, that
+we were inattentive to their impertinence so long as they confined it to
+harmless display, they watched their opportunity, and suddenly set fire
+to the grass in several places at once around the camp, and ran off as
+hard as they could. As this was an open act of hostility that it was
+necessary they should be chastised for, although I did not wish seriously
+to hurt them, they were allowed to run to a suitable distance, when a
+charge of small shot was fired after them, a few of which taking effect
+in the rear of the principal offender, induced him, on meeting some of
+the party out shooting, to make an apology, and try to lay the blame of
+the theft of the previous day on the dogs.
+
+13th October (Sunday).
+
+As the distances between the several watering places on the homeward
+route were too much to perform without intermediate halts, and the heat
+of the noon-day sun rather oppressive, it was found better to start from
+the pools late in the day, so as to make the halts without water during
+the cool of the night, travelling only very late in the evening and early
+in the morning. We accordingly did not start this afternoon until 4 p.m.,
+and travelled on to 8.45, encamping in an open grassy plain under Black
+Hill--a volcanic eminence, the position of which is shown on the
+Admiralty charts. Camp 99.
+
+14th October.
+
+By 6 a.m. we were again on the move, and in an hour gained the banks of
+the George, which takes its rise in the volcanic hills to the southward.
+In its channel was an abundant supply of water, with many fine healthy
+trees overshadowing the pools. By 9.0 we arrived at our old camp (50),
+where we rested to 4.15 p.m., when we resumed and travelled on till
+nearly 8.0, encamping on the open grassy plains near the Harding River.
+Camp 100.
+
+REACH THE HARDING RIVER. FLYING FOXES.
+
+15th October.
+
+An early start enabled us to accomplish the remaining six miles to the
+Harding by 8.30, where we halted for the remainder of the day, as it was
+not unlikely that we might have to travel the remaining thirty miles into
+the bay without finding any more water. As we had now only four days'
+rations left, and it was uncertain, in the present low condition of our
+horses, how long it might take us to reach the ship, the sportsmen of the
+party made the best use of the halt to procure game, while I proceeded to
+convert some more of the empty meat-tins into water-canisters, increasing
+our means for the transport of water to eighteen gallons, with which we
+had a fair prospect of getting in all the horses, even though no more
+should be found on the route. Our camp was enlivened this evening by the
+continued screeching of a number of large bats, which kept up a vigorous
+fight in the trees overhead the greater part of the night,
+notwithstanding our shooting ten or twelve of them. They were very fat,
+but emitted such an intolerable odour that it would require even an
+explorer to be hard pressed before he could make a supper of them, either
+roasted or boiled.
+
+16th October.
+
+This morning set in intensely hot, by noon the thermometer standing at
+107 degrees in the shade, and at 3 p.m., when placed on a sandbank in the
+sun, rose to 178 of Fahrenheit; on the setting in of the westerly breeze
+it, however, fell at once to 96 degrees, and by 4.30 p.m. we were enabled
+to resume our route without feeling in any way inconvenienced by the
+temperature. We did not now attempt to pass through the rocky ranges so
+far to the eastward as on our outward route, but kept more to the
+westward along the open grassy valley, until opposite the narrowest part
+of the range, when, turning sharp to the north, we very quickly passed
+over the rocky portion of the hills, only encountering a few miles of
+extra rampant triodia, which was anything but pleasant to walk through,
+especially leading the party after dark. Following down a small
+watercourse for several miles, it at length joined the Nickol River, in
+which we shortly after found a small quantity of water in the bottom of
+what had been a pool, but which towards the close of the dry season
+sometimes goes dry; here we halted for a few hours to rest. Camp 101.
+
+LAST DAY'S JOURNEY.
+
+17th October.
+
+Without waiting for daylight, by 2.10 a.m. we were again on the move, as
+there was now a fair chance of getting all the remaining horses into the
+bay, if we did but avoid travelling during the heat of the day. In an
+hour the hills were cleared, and it was now all open plain as far as the
+marsh at the head of Nickol Bay. By the time the morning broke we were in
+full view of the bay and several islands of the Archipelago, the long
+black hull of our ocean-home riding at anchor on the now placid waters
+forming by no means the least pleasing feature of the scene to those who
+had not seen a vestige of civilisation for many months. After halting for
+nearly two hours for breakfast, and to distribute the water amongst the
+horses, we again moved rapidly on, crossing the marsh with some
+difficulty, owing to the spring-tide having been recently over it, and at
+1 p.m. arrived on our old ground at Hearson Cove, where we found a boat
+and party from the ship waiting for us, James having been despatched by a
+shorter route to signalize our return. Everything had gone on
+satisfactorily during our absence. The vessel's water-tanks had been kept
+filled up, ensuring a supply for our horses on the homeward voyage, as it
+would be utterly impossible at this season of the year, with the animals
+in such low condition, to attempt the overland route to Champion Bay.
+Amongst other discoveries during our absence was a bed of pearl-oysters
+at the head of the bay, from which the crew of the Dolphin had procured
+several tons of very fine mother-of-pearl, besides a small number of
+pearls varying in size from one to four carats.
+
+18th October.
+
+The party was fully occupied in clearing out the well and packing up
+saddles and outfit for shipment. It was also found that deepening the
+well had caused the water to become brackish, so much so that we had to
+bring water by boat from the spring at which the ship had been filled up;
+the horses however still managed to drink the well-water, although it
+produced great thirst. I have no doubt but that, had we had time to sink
+a fresh well closer to the foot of the hills, we should have obtained
+fresh water, as several ravines terminate there in a beautiful grassy
+flat, where a large proportion of the rainwater brought down from the
+hills sinks into the soil, from whence it gradually drains down and
+supplies the wells in the salt strata. I was disappointed to find that
+the cotton plants, that had thriven so well on first being sown, had been
+burnt in consequence of some of the sailors having thoughtlessly set fire
+to the adjoining grass; had they not been killed, by this time they would
+probably have been in flower, as their growth was very rapid.
+
+EASTERN PART OF NICKOL BAY.
+
+19th October.
+
+As it was necessary to give the horses a few days' rest previous to
+swimming them off to the ship, I started this morning in the life-boat,
+accompanied by Captain Dixon and Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Walcott, to
+examine the eastern shores of the bay, for the purpose of ascertaining
+whether a more suitable spot for a landing place and site for a future
+town could be found in that quarter. Leaving the Dolphin at 5.30 a.m., we
+ran to the eastward with a light south wind, passing, at six miles, two
+small islands in the mouth of the small bay into which the Nickol River
+discharges itself. These islands had been visited already by Mr. Walcott,
+and I gave them the name of Pemberton and Walcott Islands. Continuing to
+run along the shore towards Cape Lambert, the soundings gave from two to
+three fathoms, with a good bottom of mud and sand, but the landing was
+generally indifferent and rocky until we came to within about nine miles
+of the cape, when a deep opening was passed, affording good shelter and
+landing for small craft. Two miles further we landed in a small rocky
+cove for breakfast, which gave me an opportunity of climbing a hill and
+examining the surrounding country, which proved very dry and rocky. A
+little further we passed a bold headland, against the extremity of which
+rested a singular flying buttress, forming half an arch of fifty or sixty
+feet span, and from thirty to forty feet in height. Turning this
+headland, another opening was observed, which we entered with the tide,
+and soon found that it communicated with the first one, forming an island
+of some extent and elevation, to which was given the name of Dixon
+Island. We continued to beat down the channel, which had an average width
+of over half a mile, until late in the evening, when we came to anchor in
+eleven feet of water.
+
+20th October.
+
+At daylight we found ourselves high and dry, only a narrow channel a few
+yards wide being left. Having walked over the mud to Dixon Island to
+breakfast, the vicinity was examined for water, but without success. At 6
+a.m. the tide came in again so rapidly that it was not without some
+little difficulty that we gained our boat, when the wind set in so
+strongly from the south-west that, after several hours' almost
+ineffectual attempts to work to windward, we again landed not two miles
+from our last night's anchorage, the character of the country being
+equally unfavourable for landing, as it was cut up by deep mangrove
+creeks running far up the valleys into the steep rocky hills, forming a
+difficult and unpromising country. The breeze having moderated and
+shifted a point more to the westward, we again attempted to beat out into
+the bay, but by 9 p.m. had not made more than three miles, when we landed
+for the night, leaving two of the party in charge of the boat to keep her
+off the rocks when the tide fell.
+
+21st October.
+
+The wind and tide being now in our favour, by 3.30 a.m. we took to our
+boat, and arrived on board the Dolphin by 10, when she was very soon got
+underweigh for the purpose of taking her closer in to ship the horses;
+light and variable winds, however, prevented our working more than a mile
+nearer the landing cove by sundown, when we dropped anchor for the night.
+
+22nd October.
+
+With a light west wind the Dolphin was worked into eleven feet water, one
+and a quarter miles off the point near the cove; the vessel drawing over
+ten feet, brought the mud up to the surface in our wake. Eight horses
+were soon swam off without much difficulty, as we all had now some little
+experience in this sort of work.
+
+EMBARK FOR FREMANTLE.
+
+23rd October.
+
+By 2 p.m. the remaining six horses and equipment of the Expedition were
+all safely shipped, and a conspicuous intimation of our sojourn on the
+coast having been painted in large white letters on a pile of granite
+rocks near the south corner of the cove, we took our final departure,
+getting the Dolphin underweigh by 4, with a light westerly wind, which
+carried us through the passage between Hauy and Delambre Islands by 7,
+when we hauled up and stood to north-north-west.
+
+24th October.
+
+The wind still holding to the west, we made but little progress, the
+Dolphin being only a good sailer in smooth water, or running before the
+wind.
+
+Latitude 19 degrees 12 minutes south at noon.
+
+25th October.
+
+By noon observations we were only in latitude 18 degrees 42 minutes;
+longitude 113 degrees 32 minutes.
+
+26th October.
+
+The wind veering slightly to the south, we were able to make by noon to
+latitude 18 degrees 46 minutes 30 seconds; longitude 111 degrees 47
+minutes 30 seconds.
+
+27th October.
+
+From this time to the 3rd November the winds continued to blow almost
+uninterruptedly from the south and eastward, which carried us as far west
+as longitude 101 degrees east, and latitude 31 degrees south, where we
+met with westerly winds, which enabled us to run up to within sight of
+Cape Naturaliste by the 8th.
+
+9th November.
+
+By 10 a.m. we were off Rottnest Island, when the pilot came on board and
+took us to the anchorage in Gage's Roads by noon. Having given
+instructions to Mr. Turner for the landing of the horses, etc., I landed
+with Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Hall, all of whom were, at their desire,
+at once released from the duties of the Expedition. Proceeded by steamer
+to Perth.
+
+10th November.
+
+Had an interview with His Excellency the Governor, and reported the safe
+return of the party and general results of the Expedition.
+
+F.T. GREGORY,
+
+Commander North-West Australian Expedition.
+
+Perth, 6th February, 1862.
+
+...
+
+APPENDIX.
+
+Adopting the course which I have found most convenient on similar
+occasions, I now proceed to offer a few remarks on the general features,
+productions, and natural capabilities, etc., of the country traversed by
+the Expedition, which could not, without disadvantage, have been
+introduced into the foregoing narrative. These remarks have already
+appeared at the conclusion of my report published on the 18th November,
+1861, but are equally applicable to the present publication.
+
+Commencing with its geographical and geological peculiarities, that
+portion of the country that came under our observation consists of a
+succession of terraces, rising inland for nearly 200 miles, more or less
+broken up by volcanic hills towards the coast. The first belt averages
+from ten to forty miles in width from the sea, and is a nearly level
+plain, slightly ascending to the southward, with an elevation of from 40
+to 100 feet, the soil being generally either light loam or strong clays,
+according as it is the result of the disintegration of the granite rocks
+that occasionally protrude above its surface, or of volcanic rocks of
+black scoria that frequently interrupt the general level; hills of this
+nature also constitute the greater portion of the more elevated islands
+off the coast, Cape Lambert, and the promontory that shelters the western
+side of Nickol Bay. The generality of these rocks do not, however, yield
+so rich a soil as might be expected from their origin. This is owing to
+the absence of actual lava, the eruptive heat having nearly been
+sufficient to convert the superincumbent primary and tertiary rocks into
+a vitreous scoria, having a specific gravity of 3.2, and is highly
+indestructible in its texture.
+
+Proceeding inland for the next fifty or sixty miles is a granite country
+that has been originally capped with horizontal sandstones, and has an
+elevation of about 1000 feet. This range terminates to the southward in
+level plains of good soil, the produce of the next series of more
+elevated country, while towards the northern edges the granite and
+sandstones have undergone great changes through the action of numerous
+trap dykes, that have greatly disturbed its surface, producing
+metamorphic rocks, some resembling jasper, and others highly cellular and
+scoriaceous.
+
+In about latitude 22 degrees, on the meridian of Nickol Bay, we came upon
+another and more elevated range trending away to the south-east, having
+an altitude of 2500 feet above the sea. This, unlike the last section,
+has a southern escarpment of 500 or 600 feet, and consists of horizontal
+sandstones and conglomerates, which have comparatively undergone little
+change, and has an average breadth of eight or ten miles, the southern
+flank being bordered by fertile valleys of strong loamy clays, merging
+gradually to the southward into stony ridges and hills, some having an
+elevation of nearly 4000 feet, the culminating point being attained at
+Mount Bruce, in latitude 22 degrees 30 minutes.
+
+From this point the country gradually falls to the Ashburton, the bed of
+which river, in the same meridian as the bay, is about 1600 feet above
+the sea, and the adjoining ranges not above 2200 feet, or about the same
+as the country on the Gascoyne, Lyons, and Upper Murchison.
+
+Of minerals I was unable to discover any traces, except iron. Quartz
+reefs occasionally traversed the country in a north-north-east and
+south-south-west direction, or nearly the same as the mineral lodes at
+Champion Bay; but I could not find any instance in which this rock
+offered much to indicate the probable existence of gold, it being far
+surpassed in this respect by the rocks on the Upper Murchison. Coal does
+not appear likely to be found within the limits of the country passed
+over, unless towards the easternmost point attained by the Expedition.
+
+With respect to the harbours on the coast, I can only speak of Nickol Bay
+and the anchorage under Rosemary and the adjacent islands. The former I
+consider only second to King George's Sound, as it can be entered in all
+weathers, either from the north or north-east, and there is reason to
+believe that a safe passage exists between Legendre and Dolphin Islands,
+leading into Mermaid Straits, where there appears to be an excellent
+harbour at all seasons of the year.
+
+The soundings towards the eastern and western shores of Nickol Bay, taken
+at low water, show sufficient depth for vessels of considerable tonnage
+to lie within a cable's length of the shore, the bottom being fine sand
+and soft mud. Towards the head of the bay the water is much shallower,
+not carrying more than two fathoms two miles from the shore. No reefs are
+known to exist in this bay, except quite close into land.
+
+In making the running survey of the western promontory I found that all
+to the north of Sloping Head was an island, having a boat channel between
+from half a mile to a mile wide. To the outer portion I therefore gave
+the name of Dolphin Island.
+
+The tides are tolerably regular, and average sixteen feet, but at the
+spring they rise twenty-one feet, on which occasions the whole of the
+western promontory, including the high lands for several miles to the
+westward, are entirely cut off by the sea, the other opening being under
+Enderby Island--a circumstance that greatly detracts from the value of
+these otherwise fine harbours, as it would require two miles of causeway
+to connect the best landing place, where water is to be found, with the
+mainland.
+
+The average declination of the needle throughout this district I found to
+be 1 degree east, the result of many amplitudes and azimuths; there is,
+however, in the vicinity of many of the volcanic hills great local
+attraction.
+
+Of the climate I can only say that during the five months we remained on
+the coast we never experienced the same inconvenience from it that we
+frequently have done within the limits of the settled districts of the
+colony; the weather was, however, principally fine, and the sky clear
+during our stay, only two showers having occurred--one at the latter end
+of May and the other in June. The meteorological register kept at Nickol
+Bay shows the following results, from observations taken at all hours of
+the day and night:--
+
+COLUMN 1: MONTH IN WHICH THERMOMETER READING WAS RECORDED.
+COLUMN 2: MAXIMUM.
+COLUMN 3: MINIMUM.
+
+May : 80 : 65.
+June : 76 : 63.
+July : 78 : 56.
+August : 80 : 54.
+September : 83 : 65.
+October : 92 : 70.
+
+Under the peculiar circumstance of the thermometer being placed on a
+sandbank in the sun during the hot days in October, it rose to 178
+degrees of Fahrenheit, whilst the lowest it ever fell to was up in the
+hills, in July, when it was 2 degrees below freezing just before sunrise.
+
+The winds continued to blow almost uninterruptedly from the east and
+south-east during the first four months, veering to the south-south-east
+and south and occasionally to the north-east. Latterly the wind was
+alternately south-east in the morning, and north-west or westerly in the
+afternoon; the sky becoming frequently overcast, and every appearance of
+the near approach of the rainy season, which it has been observed by
+navigators and explorers to do about the beginning of November, and
+continue to March.
+
+Amongst the natural productions I would first briefly refer to the beds
+of the pearl oysters, as they are likely to become of immediate
+commercial importance, considerable numbers having been gathered by the
+crew of the Dolphin at their leisure time, the aggregate value of which,
+I am told, is between 500 and 600 pounds; besides pearls, one of which
+has been valued by competent persons at 25 pounds. The limits of the bed
+are as yet undefined, but there is good reason to believe, from the
+position of it, that with proper apparatus ships could soon be loaded
+with them.
+
+Sandalwood was found in small quantities, very highly scented, but too
+widely scattered to become of much importance as an article of export.
+
+Of indigenous fruits, etc., we observed the adansonia, or gouty-stemmed
+tree of Sir G. Grey (nearly allied to the baobab or monkey bread-fruit of
+Southern Africa), sweet and water melons similar to those formerly seen
+by me on the Lyons River, but of much larger size; a small gourd; a wild
+fig, well-tasted; and a sweet plum, very palatable, were found in
+tolerable abundance.
+
+I have already spoken of the palms which grow on the bank of the
+Fortescue; they are very handsome and grow to the height of forty feet,
+but not having brought in any specimens, they have not yet been
+identified as to their variety.
+
+Tobacco does not grow so luxuriantly here as on the Lyons River, but the
+natives collect it, and after preparation, chew it; but we did not on any
+occasion observe them to smoke.
+
+Many beautiful flowers were also collected, which will be forwarded to
+some of the most eminent botanists, to be described and classified.
+
+It now only remains for me to give an opinion on the capabilities of the
+country for colonisation. It would be almost impossible to particularise
+the positions or define the limits of country adapted for grazing
+purposes beyond the reference already made to them. The total amount of
+land available for this purpose within the limit of our route I should
+estimate at not less than two or three millions of acres, and of this I
+may safely say 200,000 are suitable for agricultural purposes, the
+greater portion of which lies on the two flanks of the Hamersley Range,
+on the banks of the DeGrey and its tributaries, and on the Lower
+Sherlock.
+
+Of the fitness of this district for the growth of wool, which, on account
+of its being an intertropical country, it is generally supposed it would
+be unsuitable, I would remark that its elevation above the sea appears
+likely to obviate the objection, and render it probable that sheep may
+not degenerate in the same way they are found to do in other tropical
+countries; at any rate, flocks are now being pushed over on to the same
+latitude in Queensland, and we do not hear of the wool-grower complaining
+that such is the case there.
+
+As to its fitness for the growth of cereals, it is quite possible that
+wheat and barley may not come to the same degree of perfection they do in
+the more temperate latitudes of Australia, but there is no reason to
+doubt its capability of growing sufficient grain for the support of a
+numerous population.
+
+What it appears more highly qualified for than anything else is the
+growth of cotton--a question which at the present juncture cannot be lost
+sight of. From my personal observation of the cultivation of this plant
+in Egypt, and the attention I have recently paid to this subject while in
+Europe, I feel confident that a very considerable portion of the arable
+lands on the DeGrey and Sherlock are precisely the soils adapted for the
+production of this valuable commodity. As, however, I purpose to make
+this the subject of a more lengthy paper at a future period, I will not
+now venture to enlarge upon it.
+
+As the number and disposition of the aborigines is likely to have some
+effect on the first settlement of a district, I would give it as my
+opinion that these people will not prove particularly troublesome to the
+settlers, if properly and fairly treated. They are not numerous, and
+appear very willing to take employ under Europeans, and will no doubt
+soon be made as useful as in the other districts. In stature they rather
+exceed the usual standard, some of them measuring two or three inches
+over six feet.
+
+In bringing my report to a close, I would wish to observe, that although
+the results of the Expedition have fallen short of my sanguine hopes with
+regard to Geographical discovery, and will, I am afraid, in some degree
+disappoint the anticipations of the eminent Geographers who have lent
+their valuable aid in promoting the undertaking, yet I cannot but hope
+that the large amount of additional fertile country it has brought to our
+knowledge will compensate in some degree for the deficiency. I am,
+however, unable to refrain from again expressing my opinion, that had not
+so many concurrent circumstances combined to retard the departure of the
+Expedition until so late in the season, and it had arrived on the coast
+at the time originally recommended by the Geographical Society, it would,
+in all probability, have resulted in the full accomplishment of the
+object they had in view.
+
+It now devolves upon me to perform the pleasing duty of recording my
+entire satisfaction with the manner in which the whole of the members of
+the Expedition put forward their best energies in the performance of
+their respective functions. To Mr. Turner I am indebted for the care
+bestowed on the management of the store department, which came under his
+immediate charge. To Messrs. Brockman and Hall, J. McCourt, and James,
+are due my acknowledgments for the cheerful alacrity with which they
+performed the duties allotted to them.
+
+Of Messrs. Maitland, Brown and J. Harding I cannot speak too highly.
+Accompanying me on all the extra services upon which I was engaged, they
+had to endure privations of no ordinary description, which they met with
+a spirit of steady fortitude deserving of the highest praise. Of the
+valuable services rendered to the Expedition and to science by Mr. P.
+Walcott I have already had occasion to refer, and I sincerely hope that
+his talents and zeal in the pursuits of Botany and Natural History may
+meet a more substantial reward than the thanks which are justly due to
+him and those gentlemen who have given their time and talents
+gratuitously in the service of their fellow-colonists.
+
+To Captain Dixon and the officers and crew of the Dolphin every praise is
+due for the assistance which on all occasions they promptly afforded in
+aiding the Expedition, and for which I gladly avail myself of the present
+opportunity to return them my best thanks.
+
+In conclusion, permit me to tender Your Excellency my acknowledgments for
+the readiness with which you have acceded to my various suggestions in
+carrying out the arrangements of the Expedition since the passing of the
+vote of money in aid by the local legislature.
+
+F.T.G.
+
+...
+
+VOCABULARY OF THE ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE AT NICKOL BAY.
+
+BY MR. P. WALCOTT.
+
+COLUMN 1: ENGLISH.
+COLUMN 2: ABORIGINAL.
+
+Emu : Galiberie.
+Kangaroo : Peckoora.
+Kangaroo (Rock) : Noordee.
+Barbed spear : Bilara.
+Common spear : Wera Wera.
+Foot : Jinna.
+Sleep : Gnaree.
+Water : Baba.
+Sit down : Barnee Boongoo.
+Come here : Gokie.
+Eastern tribes : Kakardi.
+Hair of head : Knuggnura.
+Twine : Bingooro.
+Nose : Moola.
+Tongue : Talee.
+Cockle (unio) : Yoondo.
+Ears : Kulka.
+Scars on the arms, etc. : Waarbungabo.
+Red ochre or wilgee : Marder.
+Sand : Narnoo.
+Bean (scarlet runner) : Koordala.
+Toe nail : Mindee.
+Oyster (rock) : Jibboor.
+Oyster (pearl) : Weerdee.
+Grass : Warabo.
+Fishing net : Takaroo.
+Fetch or bring : Takora.
+Acacia : Baragoon.
+Breadfruit tree : Tangoola.
+Gourd or calabash : Guabooraam.
+Firewood : Tamara.
+Granite rock : Caragnoo.
+Come : Gokee.
+Go : Wakkie.
+Cowrie or Cypraea : Weelungooroo.
+Sun : Yanda.
+Biscuit : Mardomurrie.
+Sea shag : Toorna.
+Native dog : Wanga.
+Vomit : Kalkalubata.
+Knife : Chumberrie.
+Horse : Gnoormiee.
+Sponge : Banga.
+Axe : Carama.
+Black wattle : Eringgna.
+Snake : Walee.
+Tobacco : Gaanaree.
+Convolvulus : Yaabin.
+Scarlet trefoil : Beeban.
+Hungry : Kamoongoo.
+Knee : Manboor.
+Shin : Kojaee.
+Thigh : Woolagallu.
+Eyelash : Gneearee.
+Forehead : Wara.
+Lip : Walee.
+Knuckles : Munjee.
+Elbow : Yarna Mangoola.
+Big toe : Guangnaree.
+Seaweed : Binda.
+Smoke : Choochoo.
+Ribs : Boonggna.
+Fly :  Boroo.
+Clouds : Yoonggnoo.
+Rain : Bandaroo.
+Scoop shell : Bera.
+Iron : Tanga Tanga.
+Boat : Kajuree.
+Sneeze : Kanjeerneo.
+Sugar : Kungknara.
+
+***
+
+
+NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION.
+
+1855 TO 1856.
+
+ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION.
+
+The circumstances which led to the organisation of the Expedition for
+exploring Northern Australia, and the special objects of the Imperial
+Government in undertaking it, are best detailed in the following Despatch
+from His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, Secretary of State for the
+Colonies, to Captain Fitzgerald, Governor of Western Australia:--
+
+The Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, to the Governor
+of Western Australia.
+
+Downing Street,
+
+31st August, 1854.
+
+SIR,
+
+You will probably have been rendered aware by the reports of the
+Parliamentary Debates of last session, and from other sources, that Her
+Majesty's Government have been long considering the project of
+despatching an exploring expedition to lay open, if favoured with
+success, more of the interior of the great Australian Continent than the
+many energetic but partial attempts hitherto made have succeeded in
+developing.
+
+This scheme originated with the Council of the Royal Geographical
+Society, who corresponded with the Colonial Department on the subject of
+it during last winter. But it was ultimately considered by Her Majesty's
+Government that the importance of the subject rendered it more advisable
+that the expedition should be undertaken under their own
+superintendence, and as a matter of public concern; and Parliament has
+now placed at their disposal a sum of 5000 pounds for the purpose, and
+will undoubtedly give further assistance should it be requisite.
+
+Great difficulties have, however, presented themselves as to the
+necessary arrangements. The hostilities in which the country is involved
+have necessarily directed the time and thoughts, not of Her Majesty's
+Government only, but also of many of those whose professional knowledge
+and experience might have been of the greatest assistance, in another
+direction. Of the distinguished Australian explorers now in this country
+some are incapacitated by reason of health, and others by the
+circumstance of their services being required in other directions, from
+taking the command.
+
+It would, however, be a matter of regret if, now that the money has been
+voted and the preparations partially made, the Expedition was not able to
+start at the best period for commencing operations next year, which on
+the northern coast of Australia seems generally thought to be from
+February to April.
+
+I enclose copies of certain portions of the correspondence which took
+place early in the present year between the Colonial Department and
+Captain Stokes and Mr. Sturt, who were consulted in order to obtain the
+benefit of their advice, and the former of whom I had at one time the
+hope to secure for the command of the Expedition.
+
+You will collect from these documents that the general view of those who
+have considered the subject appears to be that Moreton Bay would be a
+convenient rendezvous for the land portion of the Expedition; that they
+might be conveyed by sea to the mouth of the Victoria River, on the
+north-west coast; that it would be advantageous, if possible, that they
+should act in concert with a Government vessel, which might be employed
+in surveying operations in the Gulf of Carpentaria and neighbourhood,
+while the land explorers were engaged in the interior.
+
+SELECTION OF COMMANDER.
+
+Her Majesty's Government are, however, fully aware that such projects,
+especially where they involve so much combination, can only be submitted
+generally to the leader of such an expedition, to whom great latitude
+must be left as to the mode of carrying his instructions into execution.
+
+They have now come to the determination of offering the command of the
+land expedition to Mr. A.C. Gregory, Assistant Surveyor, in Western
+Australia. They have been induced to take this course both by the very
+high testimonials which have been given to the abilities and fitness of
+this gentleman for the purpose by such authorities as they have been able
+to consult in England, and also by your own reports concerning him,
+particularly that contained in your despatch of the 6th January, 1852.
+
+Should Mr. Gregory accept the charge, which I trust, notwithstanding its
+arduous and responsible nature, you will find him ready to do, it is the
+wish of Her Majesty's Government that without waiting for further
+instructions he should proceed immediately to Sydney, where he will find
+such instructions awaiting him, and where his party will be organised.
+
+You are authorised to supply Mr. Gregory with the necessary funds for
+this purpose, which will be repaid to the Local Government, from the
+Commissariat chest.
+
+If you are aware of any persons in your Government well qualified and
+willing to serve under Mr. Gregory in subordinate capacities, or if he
+has himself any assistants whom he would be anxious to engage, you are at
+liberty to place them at his disposal; but it must be understood that
+this permission does not apply to persons who are to take charge of
+scientific departments of the Expedition, as there are already gentlemen
+of this class with whom her Majesty's Government have been in
+correspondence; any such person who may wish to join the Expedition can
+do so only as a volunteer.
+
+Copy of this despatch has been transmitted by the same mail to Sir
+Charles Fitzroy, and likewise to the other Australian Governors. Sir
+Charles Fitzroy will therefore be fully prepared to receive Mr. Gregory,
+and to render him all assistance in his power; and I have every reason to
+hope for the zealous co-operation of the several local Legislatures and
+Governments in a scheme intended for the development of the vast and
+unknown resources of their common Continent.
+
+You will, on receiving this despatch, immediately communicate with Mr.
+Gregory, and if he should accept the command of the Expedition, inform
+both the Secretary of State for the Colonies and Sir Charles Fitzroy, and
+the other Australian Governments, immediately of his having done so, and
+of his intended movements.
+
+I have, etc.,
+
+(Signed) NEWCASTLE.
+
+...
+
+JOURNAL OF THE NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPLORING EXPEDITION, BY A.C. GREGORY.
+
+The preliminary arrangements for the North Australian Exploring
+Expedition being complete, the stores, equipment, and a portion of the
+party were embarked at Sydney in the barque Monarch and schooner Tom
+Tough, and sailed for Moreton Bay on the 18th July, 1855, and on the 22nd
+anchored at the bar of the Brisbane River. The next day the Monarch
+attempted to enter the river, but being taken by the Government Pilot
+half a mile to the east of the channel over the bar, grounded, and was
+not got off till the 26th, when she entered the river. The steamer
+Ballarat was engaged to tow the Monarch up to the town of Brisbane; but
+having struck on a rock near Ipswich, sank, and the steamer Hawk was
+engaged to tow up the river. The Hawk, however, proved to be of
+insufficient power, and it was then decided to embark the horses and
+sheep, which had been collected by Mr. H.C. Gregory, at Eagle Farm.
+
+HORSES EMBARKED AT MORETON BAY.
+
+The horses having been got on board the Monarch on the 31st July, and the
+sheep the next day, the steamer Bremer was employed to tow her over the
+Bar. It was evident, however, that the Bremer did not intend to do this,
+for she slacked the tow-line, and then steamed ahead full speed and
+snapped the hawser, and went off without any explanation.
+
+Having removed a quantity of stores from the Monarch to the Tom Tough, so
+as to reduce the draft of the former, on the 8th August warped over the
+bar and went over to Moreton Island, where about three tons of water were
+taken in from the fresh-water creeks near the Pilot Station.
+
+On the 12 August weighed and left Moreton Bay; and this being the last
+point of communication with the civilised world, the Expedition might be
+considered to commence on this date.
+
+The party consisted of eighteen persons, as follows: commander A.C.
+Gregory; assistant commander, H.C. Gregory; geologist, J.S. Wilson;
+artist and storekeeper, J. Baines; surgeon and naturalist, J.R. Elsey;
+botanist, F. Mueller; collector and preserver, J. Flood; overseer, G.
+Phibbs; stockmen, etc., C. Humphries, R. Bowman, C. Dean, J. Melville, W.
+Dawson, W. Shewell, W. Selby, S. Macdonald, H. Richards, J. Fahey. The
+livestock comprised fifty horses and 200 sheep.
+
+The provisions consisted of flour, salt pork, preserved beef, rice, peas,
+preserved potatoes, sago, sugar, tea, coffee, vinegar, limejuice, etc.,
+calculated to supply the party on full rations for eighteen months.
+
+On 13th August passed Breaksea Spit, and Port Curtis next morning, the
+weather being fine with south-east winds; reached Port Albany on 26th.
+Landed on Albany Island, which is principally of sandstone formation
+rising into hills of moderate elevation, the soil generally poor and
+sandy covered with bush and small trees, with a few open grassy patches.
+Fresh water was found in a small cove 100 yards north from the
+landing-place on the sandy beach; the supply was so small as to be of
+little use, and the position inconvenient of access.
+
+The mainland appeared to be covered with much dense bush, and the rocky
+sandstone hills did not indicate that the country was of any great value
+either for agricultural or pastoral purposes.
+
+Port Albany is a narrow, but deep channel between Albany Island and the
+mainland of Cape York. It is easy of ingress and egress; but is neither
+safe or convenient, owing to the great rapidity of the current which sets
+through with the tide.
+
+Some canoes with natives came to the vessels. They evidently have
+frequent communication with vessels passing through the Straits, and are
+well acquainted with the use and name of tobacco, which they smoke in
+large bamboo pipes. Their arms consisted of spears, bows, and arrows. The
+canoes, formed of a single tree, rudely hollowed out, and fitted with
+outriggers.
+
+27th August.
+
+Left Port Albany, and, passing through Endeavour Strait, were favoured
+with a light easterly wind as far as Port Essington, which was sighted on
+September 1st, and after passing through Dundas Strait anchored for the
+night.
+
+The following morning passed Vernon Island with a light breeze. At 9.50
+p.m. the Monarch grounded on a rocky reef off the entrance of Port
+Patterson, the master of the vessel not having made due allowance for the
+indraught of the tide. Unfortunately this occurred at the top of the
+spring tide, and the result was that, though every exertion was made to
+warp the vessel off, the tide did not rise sufficiently to float her
+until the 10th September, when, by cutting off the false keel and
+levelling the surface of the rock, we succeeded in hauling her off, with
+comparatively little damage, as the weather continued calm during the
+whole of this anxious period.
+
+As the vessel lay on her side at low tide, the position of the horses was
+extremely inconvenient, and they suffered a greater amount of injury
+during these eight days than on the whole of the preceding voyage, and it
+is to this that the subsequent loss of so large a number of the horses is
+to be attributed; for though only two died on board the vessel, the
+others became so excessively weak that some had not the strength to go
+through the fatigue of landing and the journey from Point Pearce to the
+Victoria River, and at the same time the supply of forage was so reduced
+that it became necessary to land the horses immediately on reaching Point
+Pearce, and before the place could be examined for the best landing.
+
+LAND AT THE ENTRANCE OF VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+After getting off the reef, light winds and calms delayed the voyage to
+the Victoria River; but as the Tom Tough worked along the coast better
+than the Monarch, I went on with the schooner to examine the entrance of
+the river. Ascending the Victoria to Blunder Bay, found that the locality
+was not suited for landing horses, and therefore returned to Treachery
+Bay, near which Mr. H.C. Gregory had discovered abundance of grass and
+water under Providence Hill of Captain Stokes; commenced landing the
+horses on the 18th; but, in consequence of the strong tides and extensive
+mangrove flats, great difficulties were encountered, the horses having to
+swim more than two miles from the vessel to the shore, and were so
+exhausted that three were drowned, one lost in the mud and mangroves, and
+one went mad and rushed into the bush and was lost. Having transferred
+the stores to the Tom Tough, on the 24th the Monarch sailed for
+Singapore. Mr. Wilson was instructed to proceed in the schooner up the
+Victoria River, and to establish a camp at the highest convenient
+position on the bank of the river, while I proceeded overland with Mr. H.
+Gregory, Dr. Mueller, and seven of the men, hoping, by easy journeys of
+eight to ten miles per day, to give the horses time to partially recover
+the effects of the voyage.
+
+MACADAM RANGE. RUNNING STREAM OF FRESH WATER.
+
+1st October, 1855.
+
+Accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, I left the camp to search for a
+practicable route by which we could cross the MacAdam range; but, after
+proceeding about a mile, shot an emu, with which we returned to camp, and
+again started at 7.10 a.m., pursuing a south-east course, crossed a stony
+ridge, and at 8.0 a.m. came on a creek about twenty yards wide, with good
+pools of water and a grassy margin, but the country generally barren and
+stony. After several ineffectual attempts, we ascended the hills to the
+south-east of the creek, and traversed a very broken country of sandstone
+formation till 11.0 a.m., when we reached the head of a creek trending to
+the southward; this was followed down till 1.0 p.m. when we halted an
+hour, and again proceeded till 4.30 p.m., the country being very poor and
+rising into rocky hills on both banks of the creek; we then entered a
+wide grassy flat destitute of trees, extending six miles north to south,
+and fifteen miles east to west; on the south side there appeared to be a
+creek or river, which we supposed to be the Fitzmaurice River. This plain
+was bounded on all sides by steep rocky hills of sandstone of barren
+aspect. Returned up the creek till 6.0 p.m. and halted for the night. The
+day was hot and sultry, though a heavy thundershower somewhat cooled the
+air. The MacAdam Range is of sandstone, the strata of which dip about 30
+degrees to the south, in which direction, as we advanced, the rock was
+more slaty, and broke into rhomboidal fragments. Water is abundant in the
+creeks, but the grass is scanty, and the rough surface of the sandstone
+and rocky ravines renders the country difficult to traverse. Timber is
+scarce, chiefly small-sized eucalypti; the cotton-tree was observed in a
+few of the valleys.
+
+2nd October.
+
+Returning to the camp we attempted to follow one of the creeks down to
+the plain on the north-west side of the range, but found the ravine too
+steep and rocky for the horses to pass, and were compelled to retrace our
+steps and cross several steep and rocky hills, reaching the camp at 2.0
+p.m., at which time the thermometer stood at 94 degrees in the shade and
+114 degrees in the sun.
+
+3rd October.
+
+Three of the horses had strayed, and this detained us till 11.0 a.m.,
+when I started with the party, leaving Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman to look
+for the missing animals. Proceeding in a south-east direction to the
+crossing of the first creek, ascended the MacAdam Range, and steered
+east-south-east to the second creek; the course was then north-east and
+east to the head of the creek tributary to the Fitzmaurice River, and
+then encamped at 3.45 p.m. At the highest point on this day's route the
+aneroid stood at 29.40, and at the camp 29.55; thermometer, 88 degrees.
+The higher points of the range did not exceed 100 before the highest
+ridge crossed.
+
+By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude 14 degrees 33 minutes 26
+seconds.
+
+4th October.
+
+At 10.0 a.m. Messrs. H. Gregory and Bowen reached the camp with one of
+the missing horses, and, having obtained some provisions, returned to
+search for the other two horses. At noon started with the party, and
+followed down the creek in a south-south-east direction till 4 p.m., and
+encamped at the termination of the hilly country. One of the horses,
+Madman, showed symptoms of illness a short time before we started, and in
+crossing the creek half a mile above where we encamped he fell down and
+in less than three minutes died. This was a serious loss, as this animal
+was one of the most serviceable of our horses, having stood the voyage
+without losing his condition. The cause of death we were unable to
+ascertain; but the probability is that some poisonous plants existed at
+the place where we encamped last night.
+
+By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude of the camp was 14
+degrees 39 minutes 26 seconds. Thermometer: Sunrise, 80 degrees; at 11
+a.m., 93 degrees; wet bulb, 80 degrees.
+
+5th October.
+
+This morning I started with C. Dean to examine the country to the east;
+after traversing the plain for two hours, came to a running stream ten
+yards wide, but the current very slow. The vegetation on its banks was
+very luxuriant, presenting a striking contrast to the surrounding
+country. Followed the creek to the east and south for one and a half
+miles, when it changed to a salt creek, joining the Fitzmaurice River. We
+then steered south-east to a detached conical hill, which consisted of
+the same hard fine-grained sandstone as the ranges near the camp.
+Steering north-east and east for three miles along a salt creek, came to
+the termination of the salt water, where we saw four natives digging
+roots; on observing us they decamped. Our course was now south-east to a
+range of rocky hills, which we could not ascend with our horses from
+their steep and rocky character. We therefore steered north-west to a
+green patch of bushes in the plain, and at two miles came to a small
+lagoon 200 yards long and 30 yards wide, on which were numerous ducks and
+other water-fowl. Here we halted for one and a half hours, and then by a
+north-west and west course, passing through grassy plains and patches of
+forest, reached the camp at 8.30 p.m. Thermometer, 78 degrees to 104
+degrees.
+
+6th October.
+
+Started at 8.10 a.m. with the whole party, and, steering east to the
+running creek, crossed it at the head of the salt water, and proceeding
+up the stream three-quarters of a mile, encamped. Near the creek we saw a
+native man and two women, who were much alarmed at the sudden appearance
+of the party, and retreated across the plain.
+
+By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude was 14 degrees 40 minutes
+4 seconds at this camp.
+
+7th October.
+
+At 8.0 a.m. steered an easterly course, crossing the grassy plain, beyond
+which we passed a low stony ridge thinly wooded with small trees; at 9.40
+crossed a deep watercourse, with waterholes and grassy flats, and at
+10.15 p.m. came to a second creek, which was followed up to the
+east-north-east till 11.20, when we halted at a small patch of grass; at
+1 p.m. I rode to the north and east to seek a more suitable spot for an
+encampment, and having found a grassy flat and pool of good water one and
+a half miles higher up the creek, the party moved on to it at 4 p.m.
+
+8th October.
+
+Taking Dean with me, I proceeded to the south of the camp to ascertain
+the most convenient ascent of the rocky hills which bounded the plain.
+Following a small valley into the hills, after two hours' ride came to a
+creek trending to the south, the valley of which afforded a practicable
+line of route. We therefore returned to the camp at noon. At 3.0 p.m.
+started with the party, and moved the camp to the creek found in the
+morning. Thermometer, 114 degrees at 1 p.m.
+
+9th October.
+
+Started at 8.0 a.m., accompanied by Dean, and followed the creek through
+a rocky valley between sandstone ranges, the strata of which dip to the
+west at a high angle--30 degrees to 40 degrees; at 10.15 a.m. came to the
+tide waters of the creek, and after crossing several stony ridges which
+came close to the bank of the creek, at 11.30 a.m. reached a small
+running stream with a patch of good grass; here we halted for two hours,
+and then returned to camp; which we reached at 5.0 p.m., and found that
+Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman had arrived with the two stray horses, having
+found them about ten miles to the north-west of the camp, at the reedy
+swamp from which they strayed. Thermometer, 6 a.m., 77 degrees; noon, 114
+degrees; 6 p.m., 92 degrees.
+
+ENCOUNTER STEEP ROCKY RANGES.
+
+10th October.
+
+At 7.50 a.m. started with the whole party, and proceeded down the creek
+to the head of the salt water, and then by a detour among the rocky hills
+reached the running creek visited yesterday, and encamped at 11.0 a.m.; I
+then started with Mr. H. Gregory in a southerly direction, and after an
+hour's ride came to the Fitzmaurice River, which varied from 100 to 300
+yards in width, the general course nearly east and west; the channel was
+full of rocks and banks which were dry at low water, the rise of the tide
+nearly twenty feet. The hills which bounded the valley of the creek we
+had descended terminated in an abrupt rocky ridge which left no passage
+between it and the river; we therefore returned about half a mile to the
+north, and, after a toilsome ascent of nearly an hour, crossed the ridge
+and halted at a small spring on its eastern side till 2.0 p.m., when we
+proceeded up the river, crossing two small dry creeks; after a fruitless
+search for a suitable spot to which the camp could be moved, there being
+no fresh water in the creeks, we turned towards the camp, but could not
+cross the range, as we everywhere encountered steep rocks and ravines,
+and were glad to extricate ourselves from the hills at 9.0 p.m., when we
+bivouacked in a grassy flat.
+
+11th October.
+
+At 4.30 a.m. resumed the attempt to cross the range, and at length found
+a practicable route for the pack-horses, passing a small spring of water
+at 7.0 a.m., and reached the camp at 8 a.m.; during our absence one of
+our best pack animals had died, apparently from poison. At 2.0 p.m. the
+party started to cross the range; but the horse Drummer was so weak that
+he fell several times, and we were at length compelled to abandon him.
+Having crossed the hills to the Fitzmaurice River, we proceeded up the
+valley and halted at a salt creek seven or eight yards wide, there being
+a little green grass on its banks.
+
+Latitude by observation b Pegasi and a Andromedae 14 degrees 47 minutes
+18 seconds.
+
+HORSES BITTEN BY ALLIGATORS. CROSS THE FITZMAURICE RIVER.
+
+12th October.
+
+During the night the horses were several times disturbed, but it was not
+till morning that the cause was ascertained, when we found that they had
+been attacked by the alligators, and three were severely bitten and
+scratched. At 8.0 a.m. started to follow up the river; but the rocky
+hills approached so close to its banks as to leave no passage, and we had
+to ascend the range, which was not an easy task; after three hours of
+severe toil under a scorching sun we reached a more practicable country,
+and at 3.30 p.m. encamped on the bank of the river, above the influence
+of the tide, fifty yards wide. Two of the horses had been left about a
+mile from the camp quite exhausted, but at sunset they were brought in to
+the camp.
+
+Latitude by observation a Cygni 14 degrees 51 minutes 37 seconds.
+
+13th October.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. crossed to the left bank of the river at a stony bar where
+the water formed a rapid twenty yards wide and two feet deep; we then
+followed the river up for half an hour and altered the course to
+south-south-east, along a running creek ten to twenty yards wide; at 8.5
+a.m. crossed a running stream from the west; at 10.30 a.m. two of the
+horses were completely exhausted, but having rested them at a pool of
+water, one revived, but were compelled to leave the other. We then
+proceeded, but were obliged to return to the creek about a mile higher
+up, as several of the horses began to fail, and though we rested till 3.0
+p.m., the second horse was unable to proceed, and was therefore
+abandoned. Since these horses were landed they have not had strength to
+rise without assistance, and it has been necessary to even watch them
+while feeding to lift them up when they fall down from exhaustion.
+Continuing our route, the valley was about two miles wide, with
+flat-topped hills bounding it on the east and west; there were a few
+pools of water in the creek, but the country was poor and stony with a
+few patches of grass; at 5.0 p.m. encamped.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of a Cygni 15 degrees 1 minute 10 seconds.
+
+14th October.
+
+Started at 6.30 a.m. and pursued a south course till 8.0 a.m., when we
+crossed the ridge at the source of the creek and ascended some stony
+gullies to the south-west; at 10.40 a.m. halted at a small waterhole in a
+small creek. Re-commenced our journey at 3.0 p.m., and followed a valley
+to the south-east; but finding the country in that direction unsuited for
+our object, turned to the west and reached the creek again at 5.15 p.m.;
+followed it till 6.0 p.m. to the south-west, and encamped. There was
+abundance of water in the creek, and the rank growth of the grass on its
+immediate banks proved a great impediment to the horses. The back
+country, however, was very rough and stony, thinly timbered with
+white-gum eucalyptus of small size, and nearly destitute of leaves; and
+though the whole country was grassy, it was so much parched by the
+intense heat that it presented a very sterile aspect; at 4.30 p.m. there
+was a heavy thundershower.
+
+15th October.
+
+As the creek below the camp trended to the west and entered a deep rocky
+gorge in the sandstone range, we steered south at 7.0 a.m., crossing
+several stony ridges with small gullies and creeks trending west; at
+10.20 a.m. crossed the highest ridge, and observed a succession of low
+stony ridges occupying the space between us and the Sea Range.
+Descending, we reached a creek, on the bank of which we halted at 11.30
+a.m. Here we caught several small fish in a deep pool in the creek.
+
+15th October.
+
+Resuming our route down the creek at 2.30 pm, the average course was
+south-west till 5.30, when we were encamped at a large deep pool or reach
+of water three-quarters of a mile long and fifty yards wide, supplied by
+a small stream. Great numbers of large bats were seen hanging in the
+trees on the margin of the creek, some of which we shot; the flesh was
+white and was eaten, but it had an unpleasant flavour. The country during
+this day's journey has not been so hilly as yesterday, and near the camp
+the trees have retained a few leaves. The soil, however, shows no
+improvement, being universally stony, and though well-grassed, the
+country is useless for any purpose than feeding stock. The gouty-stemmed
+tree (adansonia) is more frequent on the banks of the creeks; pandanus
+and fig trees prevail near the water, and eucalypti on the hills.
+
+Latitude 15 degrees 17 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+THE VALLEY OF THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+16th October.
+
+Resumed our journey down the creek at 7.0 a.m., the general course
+south-south-west; the country became so steep and rocky that at 8.0 we
+left the valley and steered south, crossing several stony hills with
+rocky ravines, which were so rugged that they were scarcely passable. At
+11.0 sighted the Victoria River, about six miles below Kangaroo Point;
+but, on attempting to descend the range, was intercepted by a deep valley
+bounded by sandstone cliffs 50 to 100 feet high; following the valley to
+the east and north-east in search of a break by which we could descend,
+but without success. At 3.0 p.m. one of the horses was so completely
+exhausted that he could proceed no farther; I therefore halted the party,
+and was examining the cliff to ascertain the best place for lowering one
+of the party by a rope into the valley for the purpose of procuring water
+from the pool which was visible 300 feet below us, when I found a small
+spring on the top of the cliff, at which we encamped. As soon as the
+horses were unsaddled, Mr. H. Gregory and myself proceeded to examine the
+valley to the east, but had not gone more than a mile when we observed a
+column of smoke rise from the camp, followed by a sheet of flame, which
+extended in a few seconds to the side of the adjacent hill. We therefore
+returned to the camp to subdue the fire, and, if possible, save some of
+the grass for the horses, which, with great difficulty, we succeeded in
+doing; but though checked, the fire had extended many miles over the
+country, and kept us busy all night. This fire originated for want of due
+precaution in clearing the grass around the fire at the camp, though the
+cook had been cautioned on the subject.
+
+17th October.
+
+At 5.0 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory, and recommenced the search
+for a practicable descent into the valley, and about two miles from the
+camp found a break in the cliff. The hill was, however, so steep and
+rocky that it was necessary to form a path for the horses, and while Mr.
+H. Gregory returned, and was bringing up the party from the camp, I
+employed myself in filling up chasms with stones and removing rocks from
+the path, the steepness of the declivity greatly facilitating their
+removal, as it required but little force to hurl rocks of several tons
+weight into the valley below. Fortunately, we accomplished the descent
+without any accident, and reached the base of the hill at 11.30 a.m.
+Descending the creek, which occupied the lower part of the valley, for
+about two miles, encamped at a small pool of water. I then rode down the
+bank of the Victoria River, and ascertained that we were about six miles
+below Kangaroo Point. Returning to the camp, procured fresh horses, and,
+accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, proceeded to Kangaroo Point, reaching the
+spot appointed for leaving a notice of the movements of the party in the
+schooner just as it fell dark, and though we found a small tree notched
+with an axe, there was nothing to guide us in any further search, and we
+therefore bivouacked.
+
+18th October.
+
+At daylight recommenced our search for some memorandum for our guidance
+to the camp or vessel, but only found five or six small trees cut with an
+iron axe, and the remains of a large fire; but if any memorandum had been
+left, there was no mark left for our guidance in the search for it, and I
+felt disappointed that my instructions had been so inefficiently carried
+into effect. As it was doubtful whether the vessel had proceeded up the
+river, I decided on continuing our route to some convenient spot for a
+camp near Steep Head, and accordingly returned to the party. The southern
+face of Sea Range is very abrupt and surmounted by a cliff of red
+sandstone 50 to 100 feet high, the whole height of the hills about 500
+feet, the range being the edge of an elevated tableland, the upper strata
+being hard sandstone in horizontal beds which rest on soft shales which
+appear to be somewhat inclined; but its surface was so covered by
+fragments of the upper rocks that no satisfactory data was obtained. The
+soil of the level land between the Victoria and the Sea Range is very
+poor, and either sandy or covered with fragments of rock; there is no
+water, and the grass is very coarse and blady. Many flights of cockatoos
+came to drink at the pools near the camp, and about fifty were shot
+during the day.
+
+ASCEND THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+19th October.
+
+Started at 7.0 a.m. and followed the river up to Kangaroo Point, and then
+by an easterly course ascended the salt-water creek which joins the
+Victoria at this point; at 4.0 p.m. we reached the termination of the
+salt water, beyond which it divided into several small dry channels, in
+one of which we found a small pool of fresh water, at which we encamped
+at 4.15. The result of our shooting this day was one turkey, one hawk,
+and thirty-nine cockatoos. The country near the creek is brown loam; but
+as the hills are approached the soil is very stony, but well covered with
+grass, and very thinly wooded with small eucalypti, which were nearly
+destitute of foliage. To the south of the creek the country appeared to
+be of somewhat better character.
+
+THE TOM TOUGH WRECKED.
+
+20th October.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered north 160 degrees east till 10.0, over a level grassy
+plain wooded with small eucalypti and melaleuca, etc., the soil varying
+from a brown loam to a strong clay; altering the course to 190 degrees,
+we passed some low stony ridges, and at 11.30 halted in a dry gully to
+rest the horses during the heat of the day; at 3.0 p.m. again started and
+steered to the south-west for half an hour, when we camped at a sandy
+creek in which there was a shallow waterhole. At 4.0 I left the camp with
+Mr. H. Gregory and proceeded west-south-west to the river, which we
+reached at 5.45, and then followed it up for half an hour, when we
+observed a tent and boat on the opposite side of the river. Having
+hobbled the horses, we crossed over to the camp, which was established at
+a small spring, and found Mr. Elsey and two of the men in charge. Mr.
+Elsey informed me that the schooner had grounded on the bank below
+Mosquito Flat, and had received considerable damage. Fourteen of the
+sheep had been brought up to the camp, and the boat was expected up that
+evening with another lot of sheep. I now ascertained that a bottle had
+been buried near the marked trees at Kangaroo Point, and a pencil-mark
+made on one of the trees indicating its position, but this mark had
+escaped our observation. In the evening Messrs. Baines and Flood and one
+of the men arrived at the camp in the long-boat, bringing twelve sheep,
+having lost several on the passage up the river in consequence of
+detention on the shoals near the Dome. The whole stock of provisions at
+the camp consisting of ten pounds flour, ten pounds pork, six pounds
+sugar, and twelve pounds beef, I was unable to send the required supplies
+to the party in charge of the horses, and the sheep were too poor to be
+fit for food. The Tom Tough reached Entrance Island on the 25th
+September, and the next day anchored off Rugged Ridge; on the 27th was
+proceeding up the river, and grounded on a ledge of rocks on the south
+side of the river, about six miles below Mosquito Flats; and from that
+date was never sufficiently afloat to be under control, but gradually
+drifted up to about two and a half miles below Curiosity Peak. From the
+time of getting on the rocks she had leaked considerably, and a large
+quantity of stores had been destroyed or damaged, there being at one time
+four feet of water in the hold; but by nailing battens and tarred
+blankets over the open seams the leaks had been greatly reduced. The
+stock of water on board the schooner having been exhausted during her
+detention, Mr. Wilson had sent the boat up to Palm Island to bring down a
+supply; but having greatly miscalculated the time requisite for this
+expedition up the river, the distance being sixty miles, the sheep had
+been kept several days without a sufficient supply of water, and a great
+number had died.
+
+21st October.
+
+Proceeding down the river with Messrs. Baines and Flood in the long-boat,
+the tide being unfavourable, we only reached Kangaroo Point.
+
+22nd October.
+
+Started at 2.0 a.m., and reached the schooner at 11.0 a.m., having been
+delayed by the flood tide. The vessel had not moved during the last four
+tides, and the leaks had in some degree stopped. She was so deeply bedded
+in the sand that, though the bank was dry at three-quarter ebb, I could
+not examine her bottom. The deck beams, however, were strained and
+broken, and it was evident that the vessel had been much damaged by
+resting on her centre, when the current had worked deep holes at the head
+and stern. Only fifty-five sheep remained on board, and those in a
+miserable condition. At 5.0 p.m. despatched Mr. Flood in the gig with one
+month's provisions for the party at the camp; 8.0 p.m. the tide rose to
+five feet on the bank, but the vessel only just floated in the hollow in
+which she lay.
+
+23rd October.
+
+At 8.0 a.m. the tide rose to six feet on the bank, and the schooner was
+moved her own length towards the channel in shore; at 10.0 a.m. the tide
+ebbed, and she settled on an even keel. Mr. Baines having informed me
+that Overseer Humphries had refused to assist in pumping the schooner on
+the 9th, he had, therefore, put him off duty till Mr. Wilson returned, on
+the 14th, when he was put on duty again. I therefore fined him one week's
+pay. The night tide did not rise so high as in the morning. Landed to
+search for fresh water, and found a small spring on the bank of the river
+at the upper end of the stony beach, three and a half miles below
+Curiosity Peak; this spring is below high-water mark, but at half tide
+boats can approach close to it, there being deep water close to the bank.
+
+24th October.
+
+Landed at 2 a.m. to procure water, having opened a well at the spring;
+filled two casks and returned to the vessel at 7. At 9.30 the schooner
+floated, and we moved her to about a mile above Curiosity Peak, where she
+again grounded on a bank; while afloat the pumps had to be kept
+constantly at work. With the night tide we floated over the bank; but the
+breeze failing, she was swept against the shore two and a half miles
+above Curiosity Peak, and before the kedge could be laid out the tide
+fell.
+
+25th October.
+
+The morning tide did not rise sufficiently to allow us to cross the
+banks; but the schooner was warped into a better position in the channel,
+about one mile higher up the river. Landed the sheep and drove such as
+could walk to the waterhole at our camping place, one mile north of the
+Dome, and left a party in charge, consisting of Dr. Mueller, Mr. Wilson,
+Overseer Humphries, and W. Selby. Fifty sheep were landed, but only
+forty-four reached the waterhole, and of these one died during the night.
+The night tide rose eight feet, and we moved the schooner to the right
+bank of the river off Broken Hill and anchored in the channel. Before the
+full moon the tides have been higher during the day, but as the time of
+full moon approaches the higher tide is at night.
+
+26th October.
+
+At 10.0 a.m. weighed and ran up the river with the flood to the
+commencement of the reach below Kangaroo Point, when the schooner
+grounded on a bank. Proceeded with Mr. Baines in the gig to the sheep
+camp with the intention of moving the sheep across the river and then
+driving them to the upper camp, but found them so weak that this
+arrangement was not practicable. Returned to the vessel.
+
+27th October.
+
+At 3 a.m. the vessel floated, and she was moved about a mile above
+Kangaroo Point, when we anchored in three and a half fathoms. At noon
+weighed, and with a light breeze from the west and north till a
+thunder-squall from the south-east compelled us to come to anchor one
+mile below Sandy Island; a change of wind enabled us to move on to Sandy
+Island.
+
+28th October.
+
+At 2 a.m. weighed, and towed the schooner to the upper end of the spit
+off Sandy Island, when she grounded, but was warped off at 4; the wind
+and tide were now adverse, and we therefore anchored in two fathoms.
+There is two fathoms in the channel past Sandy Island, but a reef of
+rocks extend from the left bank of the river, which renders it necessary
+to keep close to the edge of the shoal off the island.
+
+TOM TOUGH REACHES DEPOT CAMP.
+
+29th October.
+
+At 2 a.m. weighed with the flood, and towed the schooner up the river
+about four miles; at 6.30 a light northerly breeze enabled us to stem the
+ebb tide, and at 9.40 the schooner was moored at the camp, in two
+fathoms, close to the bank. Having obtained a supply of water, I
+despatched Mr. Baines, with Phibbs, Shewell, and Dawson, in the gig to
+bring up the sheep, the long-boat also going down the river with a crew
+from the vessel to bring up the kedge anchor and warp from Alligator
+Island, and also to assist in bringing up the sheep. In the evening there
+was a fine breeze from the east, and the thermometer fell to 65 degrees
+during the night. A few days before our arrival one of the kangaroo dogs
+had been seized by an alligator, and instantly drowned. The horses had
+been brought to the camp by the ford at Steep Head, and were looking
+well.
+
+30th October.
+
+Commenced the erection of a shed to protect the stores, as it is
+necessary to land the cargo of the schooner to effect repairs. The
+keelson is broken seven feet before the mainmast, three of the deck beams
+are broken in the centre, and the knees are strained, and the bolts
+drawn; there is also reason to think that the floor timbers are
+fractured, and some of the timbers broken in her bends.
+
+31st October.
+
+Messrs. Wilson, Baines, and Mueller, with the party in charge of the
+sheep, arrived at 7 a.m., bringing the remainder of the sheep, twenty-six
+in number, eleven having been drowned from want of proper care in bailing
+the boat, which consequently sunk during the night. Such of the party as
+are not otherwise engaged are employed in the erection of the store shed.
+Being desirous to examine the river above Steep Head, commenced fitting
+the portable boat, but found that the heat of the climate had destroyed
+the seams of three of the air cells, and the boat is therefore
+unserviceable. The general character of the materials of which inflated
+boats are constructed precludes any effectual repairs, as the intense
+heat of the sun decomposes the varnish with which the canvas is covered;
+it first becomes soft and adhesive, and then changes to a substance like
+tar, which does not consolidate with a lower temperature. Adjusted the
+aneroid barometer.
+
+1st November.
+
+S. Macdonald was reported for being asleep on his watch during last
+night; reprimanded him for this neglect of duty. Several of the sheep
+escaped from the fold last night; some have been found, but eight are
+missing. Commenced thatching the store; landed maize, bran, and other
+stores from the schooner. Though the thermometer stood at 100 degrees in
+the shade, yet a westerly breeze renders it cool enough to work. Mr.
+Baines employed repairing the portable boat; Richards clearing a plot of
+ground near the spring for a garden.
+
+DAMAGE TO PROVISIONS.
+
+2nd November.
+
+Continued to discharge the cargo of the schooner; at the request of the
+master of the Tom Tough, examined sixteen small and four large casks of
+bread, which had been damaged by salt-water; the whole of this bread was
+found to be quite destroyed and unfit for use. Although the large casks
+had been carefully coopered in Sydney, yet the hot climate had opened the
+joints, and as there were three to five feet of water in the vessel when
+aground in the lower part of the river, the bread was completely
+saturated. The leakage of the schooner has been much reduced, and now
+only requires pumping every six hours. The dryness of the air has
+increased from 10 to 20 degrees of evaporation, and the heat is not so
+oppressive, though the mean temperature exceeds 85 degrees. Heavy
+thunder-clouds are visible on the horizon, and the lightning is frequent
+in the early part of the night, especially to the east. Since the spring
+tides the river has gradually fallen, and is now four feet lower than low
+water at the full and change, and it does not vary more than one and a
+half feet in the twenty-four hours. A small spring of water has been
+found below high-water mark close to the landing place.
+
+3rd November.
+
+Completed thatching the store; continued landing stores from the
+schooner; coopering the flour-barrels. Towards evening there was a strong
+breeze from the north, which suddenly veered to the west, with thunder
+and a little rain. The sheep are visibly gaining flesh, and the horses
+have improved, but they are still unfit for work, as the grass is very
+dry and not in a state to fatten animals.
+
+4th November (Sunday).
+
+The sky was overcast in the afternoon with a strong north-west breeze,
+and every indication of approaching rain.
+
+5th November.
+
+Landing stores from the schooner; general duties; light shower at 3 p.m.;
+evening cloudy. By observed altitudes on the meridian, the latitude of
+the camp 15 degrees 34 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+6th November.
+
+Messrs. H. Gregory, Elsey, and Mueller, with two men and the master of
+the schooner, proceeded up the river in the gig to ascertain the most
+convenient spot for procuring timber for the repair of the vessel; the
+men variously employed coopering casks, fencing garden, etc. Towards
+evening the sky was overcast, and a slight shower fell at 4 p.m., the
+thermometer varying from 85 degrees, 100 degrees, 90 degrees. Mosquitoes
+are very numerous in the evenings. Received from Mr. Wilson a copy of his
+diary while in charge of the party on board the schooner ascending the
+Victoria River. In going down to the well Richards fell down among the
+reeds, and a splinter entered his wrist, passing under the skin for one
+and a half inches; but no material injury has occurred, though the wound
+will disable him for a few days.
+
+7th November.
+
+Men employed coopering the flour-casks, fencing the garden, completing
+the store, and general camp duties. The party which went up the river
+yesterday in search of timber for the repair of the vessel returned in
+the evening, having found some suitable melaleuca-trees on the bank of
+the creek below Steep Head. The afternoon was again cloudy, with much
+lightning in the evening.
+
+8th November.
+
+Men employed clearing away the grass and bushes around the camp, landing
+cargo from the schooner, plotting map of route from Point Pearce to the
+Victoria River.
+
+9th November.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+10th November.
+
+Party employed as before. On unpacking the rice and peas, found that 720
+pounds of rice and half a bushel of peas were destroyed by salt-water,
+and much more damaged; much of the sugar is damaged; but as it is not
+prudent to open casks, the quantity lost cannot be ascertained. Wrote to
+the master of the Tom Tough, requesting information with reference to a
+complaint by Mr. Wilson, that on the 30th September his signals for a
+boat to bring him to the schooner had been disregarded.
+
+11th November (Sunday).
+
+TIMBER FOR REPAIRS OF VESSEL.
+
+12th November.
+
+Mr. H. Gregory, with Shewell and Dawson, accompanied Captain Gourlay to
+Steep Head to cut timber for the repair of the schooner. Erected a forge
+and continued the preparation of the garden, etc. Last night one of the
+sheep was strangled by getting entangled in the net which formed the
+sheep-pen. Received from the master of the Tom Tough a letter replying to
+my queries of the 10th instant. It appears that on the 30th September,
+while the schooner was aground in the lower part of the Victoria, Mr.
+Wilson landed to search for fresh water at Mosquito Flat; having made
+some indefinite arrangements with Mr. Elsey to signalize for a boat,
+should he require it, to return to the vessel; but he omitted to acquaint
+either the master of the schooner, or Mr. Baines, who was next in command
+to Mr. Wilson. The result was that when the signals were made there was
+some uncertainty whether they were fires lighted by Mr. Wilson as signals
+for a boat, and some delay ensued in preparing the boat, when it was
+found that the tide had fallen so much that there was not sufficient
+water to float the boat over the intervening sand-banks, and at low water
+Mr. Wilson waded across the deeper channels and walked over the dry banks
+to the vessel. As the affair appeared to be complicated with some private
+misunderstanding between the parties, and Mr. Wilson had neglected to
+make proper arrangements with the master of the vessel, I deemed it
+desirable that the investigation should not proceed any farther.
+
+13th November.
+
+Mr. Baines having succeeded in repairing the portable boat, I made
+preparation for an excursion up the river, as the horses were still unfit
+for the work of exploration, and I hoped to be able to cross the shallows
+which had obstructed Captain Stokes. Richards' arm does not progress in a
+favourable manner, and it is therefore necessary that Mr. Elsey should
+remain at the camp to attend to his case. The party proceeding with the
+boats will therefore consist of Mr. Wilson, Mr. Baines, Mr. Flood, and
+myself. Men employed as before, and the general duties of the camp.
+
+14th November.
+
+Party employed as before. At 3.30 p.m. I left the camp and proceeded to
+the creek, where the timber party were at work, reaching their bivouac at
+7.30; six logs had been cut twenty to twenty-five feet long and twelve to
+fourteen inches square; the timber is a melaleuca with a broad leaf
+(Melaleuca leucodendron). The gum timber is generally unsound and
+worthless.
+
+15th November.
+
+Returned to the principal camp with Mr. H. Gregory at 11.0 a.m., and at 2
+p.m. started in the indiarubber boat with Messrs. Wilson, Baines, and
+Flood; at 8.0 p.m. reached the creek near Steep Head, and remained at the
+camp of the timber party for the night.
+
+16th November.
+
+Started at 6.30 a.m. and crossed the shallows at Steep Head without much
+difficulty--as the tide was high, the water was six to eight inches deep.
+Three miles above Steep Head we observed three natives watching us, but
+they did not approach. At 10.0 a.m. reached Palm Island, which is only a
+bank of shingle with a few pandanus and melaleuca trees growing on it
+without a single palm-tree of any kind. One of the boats having been
+injured, hauled her up for repairs. Mr. Baines shot three whistling ducks
+on the island; they were very good eating. While at our dinner a native
+approached the bank of the river and came to us, and a parley commenced
+which was rather unintelligible, and when he found that he could not make
+himself understood by words, resorted to the language of signs, and
+expressed his contempt of us in an unmistakable manner. Having repaired
+the leak in the boat, we again moved up the river, but at one and a half
+miles came to a dry bar of rock, over which the boats were carried, and
+we passed a shallow pool of brackish water half a mile long to a second
+bar of greater breadth, and then entered a deep reach; but the day was so
+far advanced that we took advantage of a level rocky ledge and
+bivouacked.
+
+INDIARUBBER BOATS FAIL.
+
+17th November.
+
+Proceeded up the river about a mile and came to a dry bank of shingle and
+rocks, which extended for at least a mile, and over which it was not
+practicable to carry the boats, which had been much injured in crossing
+the rocky bars yesterday, the heat having destroyed the texture of the
+waterproof canvas. I therefore decided not to expend any more time on
+this excursion, but return to the camp. We observed some blacks watching
+us from some thick scrub; but they did not approach near enough to hold
+any communication. At 2.0 p.m. commenced the return down the river and
+reached Palm Island after dark and bivouacked.
+
+18th November.
+
+At 3.0 a.m. there was a slight shower, and at 6.0 a.m. proceeded down the
+river, having dragged the boats over the shingle bank at Steep Head,
+where there was scarcely one inch of water; halted at the creek where the
+timber had been cut, to procure water for breakfast, and then sailed down
+the river and encountered a heavy squall, with thunder and lightning,
+just as we approached the camp; the rain continued nearly throughout the
+night. Captain Gourlay informed me that on the 16th three blacks had
+visited his party while cutting timber, and that in the evening some
+noise was heard, and being taken for the voices of the blacks, they had
+taken to the boat with great precipitation and returned to the schooner;
+the mosquitoes have nearly disappeared.
+
+19th November.
+
+Sent a party, consisting of Phibbs, Humphries, Shewell, Selby, and
+Dawson, to assist the master of the schooner in bringing the timber down
+the river; Richards' arm is somewhat better, but not progressing
+favourably; Fahey is on the sick list; the rain having moistened the
+grass, the horses did not come in for water to-day; the weather continues
+very hot, generally 90 degrees at sunrise and 105 degrees at noon in the
+shade.
+
+20th November.
+
+Commenced shoeing the horses and made preparations for a journey up the
+Victoria, to reconnoitre the country previous to starting for the
+interior.
+
+21st November.
+
+Fahey, being convalescent, was employed as cook; Mr. H. Gregory, Mr.
+Flood, Bowman, and Melville, shoeing horses; Dean making charcoal for the
+forge; in the afternoon there was a heavy thundershower; the flies are
+very troublesome and annoy the horses so much that they will not stand
+quiet to be shod, and some of the horses are nearly blind in consequence
+of the flies crawling into their eyes.
+
+22nd November.
+
+Shoeing horses, fitting saddles, etc.; the schooner leaks about seven
+inches per hour, and as the master is absent with the greater part of the
+crew, procuring timber, I have afforded assistance from the party at the
+camp, to assist in keeping the vessel dry.
+
+EXPLORE THE UPPER VICTORIA.
+
+23rd November.
+
+Preparing equipment for the party proceeding to explore the Victoria
+River, towards the upper part of its course; the grass has become quite
+green and fresh water is also abundant, which has caused some of the
+horses to stray beyond the usual feeding ground on the Whirlwind Plains.
+
+24th November.
+
+Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Flood brought in the stray horses, having found
+them beyond Sandy Island. The timber party returned to the camp with four
+logs of timber, which are intended to strengthen the keelson. While at
+work at the creek where the timber was procured the party had been twice
+visited by the blacks; these intrusions were neither decidedly friendly
+or hostile, but they stole some small articles which had been imprudently
+left lying near one of the logs of timber while the party was employed
+elsewhere; about 10.0 a.m. the blacks set fire to the grass about 200
+yards from the camp, and then retired. At 2.0 p.m., left the camp,
+accompanied by Messrs. H. Gregory, Wilson, and Mueller, with seven horses
+and twenty days' provisions, the object being to examine the country
+through which the exploring party will have to travel on the route to the
+interior; at 6 a.m. bivouacked at Timber Creek; in the principal channel
+of the creek there were many small pools of water, and the grass was
+fresh and green on the flats. Except on the banks of the river and
+creeks, the country is very poor and stony; the geological structure of
+the country is the same as at Sea Range--the same bands of sandstone
+cliff resting on soft shales, the strata being horizontal; but beneath
+the shales chert and coarse siliceous limestone were exposed, and
+fragments of jasper are frequent. The principal timber is white-gum of
+small size, and the cotton-tree (cochlospermum), which sometimes attains
+the thickness of nine to twelve inches. Though grass is abundant on every
+description of soil, yet the greater part is of inferior descriptions and
+dries up completely at this season.
+
+Latitude by altitude of Achernar, 15 degrees 39 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+25th November.
+
+Started at 5.45 a.m., and followed the creek to the south-south-east; it
+rapidly decreased in size, branching into small gullies, so that we had
+some difficulty in finding water for a midday halt. The flats on the bank
+of the creek are in some parts nearly a mile wide, well grassed and
+openly timbered; the hills are of sandstone, but chert and coarse
+limestone were frequently seen on the lower ridges. At noon halted at a
+small pool of rainwater. The day was cloudy and cool, the thermometer
+only 90 degrees at 2 p.m. At 3.0 resumed our route up the creek, which
+soon terminated in small gullies rising in stony ridges; as there was no
+appearance of water to the south, the course was changed to south-east
+and east, in which direction we followed down a gully, and at 7.20 halted
+at a small waterhole.
+
+26th November.
+
+Starting at 6.15 a.m., steered first north 70 degrees east and then 60
+degrees till 3 p.m., traversing a level grassy box-flat extending along
+the northern side of a rocky sandstone range. At 3.0 p.m. reached the
+south-west end of the Fitzroy Range, which is a narrow ridge of sandstone
+hills ten miles long and one to two miles broad; at the north end of the
+range we found a small pool of rainwater, and, having watered the horses,
+pushed on towards the Victoria River, at the base of Bynoe Range; but
+although the country was level, we were so much retarded by the soft
+nature of the soil that the river was not reached till sunset, and the
+banks of the river were so steep that the water was not accessible for
+the horses, and we therefore encamped at a small hole of muddy rainwater.
+Our camp was about four miles above the furthest point attained by
+Captain Stokes, and consequently in Beagle Valley which we had traversed
+for more than thirty miles, the greater part of which was well grassed
+and openly wooded with box, bauhinia, and acacia. The Fitzroy Range is
+almost isolated, and there is a level plain five or six miles wide to the
+south-east, beyond which there is a high sandstone range surmounted by an
+almost unbroken cliff of sandstone near the summit, and which appeared to
+be quite impassable.
+
+27th November.
+
+Steering east-south-east through grassy flats for one hour and a half,
+found that the river had turned to the northward round a steep hill, but
+continuing our course, crossed a low stony ridge and again approached the
+river, the banks of which were so steep that the horses could not get to
+the water, and therefore followed it two miles and encamped on a stony
+bar where the water was easy of access. The valley of the river is much
+contracted by the steep sandstone hills, which come close on both banks.
+In the bed of the river several fragments of jasper and black shale were
+found, the latter appearing to belong to the coal formation. A slight
+shower in the afternoon cooled the air, and the temperature was only 92
+degrees at sunset, and the wet bulb 79 degrees.
+
+Latitude by Achernar 15 degrees 36 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+DEEP GORGE IN TABLELAND.
+
+28th November.
+
+Started at 6.15 a.m. and followed the river, which first came from the
+east, then south-east and south-west till 10.40, when we crossed to the
+right bank and halted. The valley of the river is much narrower, and does
+not exceed half a mile, and is bounded by cliffs of sandstone varying
+from 50 to 300 feet high. The waters of the river occasionally rise 100
+feet, as the marks of the floods extended to the base of the cliffs; the
+regular channel of the river is about 200 feet wide, the water forming
+deep reaches often more than a mile long and separated by dry stony bars
+of shingle and rock. The sandstone is thicker here than towards Steep
+Head, but there is no change in the geological character, except that the
+chert-beds are not exposed. The tracks of several natives were observed,
+but they were not seen by us; at 2.0 p.m. resumed the journey up the
+river in a generally south direction, and at 4.30 encamped, but had great
+difficulty in forcing our way through the reeds to procure water.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of a Persei 15 degrees 41 minutes 54
+seconds.
+
+29th November.
+
+Left the camp at 6 a.m. and continued the route up the river to the south
+till 10.10, when we halted till 2.15 p.m., and then proceeded on till
+4.45, and encamped at a small pool of rainwater, the bank of the river
+being so steep and covered with high reeds that the water is scarcely
+accessible. The valley of the river is still bounded by sandstone cliffs;
+but as the strata are horizontal, and the bed of the river rises, the
+shales are not much exposed, and the alluvial banks reach to the base of
+the cliffs, which are so continuous that I have not yet seen a spot where
+we could have ascended the tableland in which the valley is excavated.
+Several tributary gullies having passed, but none worthy of special
+notice. Fragments of trap-rock are frequent in the bed of the river, and
+one specimen contained traces of carbonate of copper; at 6.0 thermometer
+92 degrees, aneroid 29.80, at the camp--sixty feet above the river.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 15 degrees 50 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+VALLEY SUDDENLY WIDENS.
+
+30th November.
+
+Resumed our route up the river at 5.40 a.m., the general course south;
+there being no change in the character of the country till 10.0, when the
+hills receded and the cliffs ceased; at 10.30 halted at a small pool in a
+back channel of the river. At noon the thermometer stood at 100 degrees
+in the shade, and the aneroid 29.75--forty feet above the river. Starting
+again at 2.0 p.m., soon entered an extensive plain extending to the east,
+south, and west; followed a large creek to the south-west till 6.15, and
+encamped.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 2 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+1st December.
+
+At 5.40 a.m. crossed the creek and steered east to the foot of a rocky
+hill, but not seeing the principal branch of the Victoria, returned to
+the creek and then steered south-south-west till 10.0 a.m., when we
+crossed two small creeks, in the second of which we found a pool of water
+surrounded by reeds (typha), and halted during the heat of the day. The
+country traversed was first a stony ridge, on which several small stone
+huts had been erected, but scarcely of sufficient size for a man to
+enter, and the roofs were only formed by a few pieces of wood and a
+little grass; they consist of a wall three feet high, in the form of a
+horseshoe, about three feet in diameter inside; the entrances of some had
+been closed with stones and afterwards partially opened, and I can only
+conjecture that, as the practice of carrying the bones of their deceased
+relatives prevails in this part of Australia, it is probable that these
+erections are used as temporary sepulchres. After crossing this stony
+ridge entered a level plain of clay, much fissured by the sun, and in
+some parts covered with fragments of jasper and sandstones; as the creek
+was approached limestone prevailed, but the exposed portion seemed to be
+formed by a rearrangement of the broken fragments of older rocks, which
+were visible in the gullies. The water at which we halted appeared to be
+supplied by a spring, and not to be the retention of rainwater. At 3.15
+p.m. proceeded in a westerly direction in search of the principal branch
+of the creek, which we reached at 4.0 p.m., but found it much reduced in
+size, not exceeding fifteen yards in width; followed it up for an hour,
+and camped at a small but deep pool of water, which is evidently supplied
+by a spring in the limestone rocks, which form the banks of the creek.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 10 minutes.
+
+JASPER RANGE.
+
+2nd December.
+
+Having filled our water-bags, we left the camp at 6.40 a.m., and steered
+a course of north 200 degrees east towards a range of hills composed of
+jasper rock, the highest point of which we reached at 10.0. The aneroid
+stood at 29.15; thermometer 94 degrees. Three miles to the south-west of
+this range the country rose into an elevated tableland higher than the
+Jasper Range; towards this we continued our route, following a small
+watercourse which gradually turned to the east. Finding the country very
+dry and rocky, and no prospect of finding a spot where the tableland
+could be ascended, we returned to the waterhole at which we camped last
+night.
+
+3rd December.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. were again in the saddle, and steering north till 7.20,
+ascended an isolated hill of trap-rock rising abruptly in the centre of
+the open plain about 200 feet. Having taken bearings of the surrounding
+ranges, steered north 30 degrees east till 10.30, across a level grassy
+plain to the creek, which, though much larger than at the camp, was
+destitute of water; but following its course downwards, at 10.50 halted
+at a small pool. Judging from the height that drift-wood was lodged in
+the branches of the trees, the floods rise about fifty feet; the regular
+channel is thirty yards wide; on the banks red, green, and white shales
+are exposed, but the bed of the creek is generally sandy. A large
+tributary appears to join this creek from the west, in which direction a
+large valley extends fifteen miles. At 3 p.m. steered east, and passed to
+the south of a remarkable sandstone hill, which we named Mount Sandiman,
+and at 5.30 reached the bank of the Victoria coming from the
+south-south-east; followed it up for one mile and encamped where a ledge
+of rock gave easy access to the water. In the evening there was a slight
+shower, and a heavy thunderstorm passed to the north.
+
+4th December.
+
+About 5.45 resumed our journey up the river, passing through wide grassy
+flats and over a sandstone ridge which was covered with triodia; from
+this ridge there was an extensive view of the country to the south and
+east, but no hills of greater elevation than the sandstone tableland were
+visible, and for twenty miles the valley of the river expanded into a
+wide plain thinly timbered with box-trees. Continuing a south-south-east
+course through a fine grassy country till 10.0, halted in a patch of
+green grass. The elevation of this part of the valley of the Victoria is
+not great, as the barometer stood at 29.77 forty feet above the river;
+thermometer, 101 degrees. The soil on the bank of the river is good and
+well-grassed, but the inundations during the rainy season extend on each
+side of the river several miles. The strata of the sandstone, where
+exposed, dip to the north, but there is no alteration in the character of
+the rocks. Abundance of portulaca grew near our halting place, and
+furnished us with an agreeable vegetable; this plant was afterwards found
+over the whole of Northern Australia, and proved a very valuable article
+of food. At 3.20 continued our route, and at 5.30 bivouacked at a small
+pool of rainwater in one of the back channels of the river, the banks of
+which were inconveniently covered with high reeds. During the night there
+was continuous light rain till 4.0 a.m.
+
+ABUNDANCE OF FISH.
+
+5th December.
+
+Continued our route up the river to the south-south-west from 5.45 a.m.
+till 10.45, passing through open grassy box flats; a low grassy range
+approached the right bank and again receded; to the west a range of
+broken hills rose to 500 feet parallel to our course and five miles
+distant. Halted in the bed of the river, which formed fine reaches of
+water, with dry sand-bars between; caught several catfish and perch;
+mussels were abundant, the form of the shell much longer than I have
+before seen in the other parts of the river. At noon: Barometer, 29.80;
+thermometer, 104 degrees; at 3.0 p.m.: Barometer, 29.65; thermometer, 93
+degrees. At 3.30 steered south from the right bank of the river, which
+turned to the westward; crossed some fine grassy country thinly timbered
+with box, and at 4.50 came to the southern branch of the river. This
+branch trended to the north-east, and consequently joins at a point lower
+down than where we crossed, the junction not having been observed. These
+two branches of the Victoria are so nearly equal in apparent size that it
+will remain for future examination to determine which is to be considered
+the tributary. Crossing to the right bank, we followed it upwards along
+the foot of the high land for half an hour, and encamped in the bed of
+the river.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 26 minutes.
+
+RETURN DOWN THE VICTORIA.
+
+6th December.
+
+The day commenced with a heavy thundershower, which continued for several
+hours; but the rain not being quite so heavy at 6 a.m., we started and
+proceeded along the bank of the river to a hill about one and a half
+miles south-west of the bivouac. On ascending the hill, we found that
+though the elevation and position accommodated a fine view in fine
+weather, yet the rain at the present time obscured all distant objects,
+but the country to the south and west consisted of flat-topped sandstone
+hills with large open valleys between; to the east the view was
+obstructed by rising ground, while to the north lay the vast grassy plain
+which we had traversed during the last two days. The western branch of
+the river turned to the west-south-west along the foot of the sandstone
+ranges, its course being marked by a line of green trees, which
+contrasted strongly with the white grass on the open plains on its banks.
+The south branch of the river appeared to come from a valley trending
+south-south-east, but the thick mist obscured that part of the country.
+As we had now examined the country sufficiently to enable the main party
+to advance a whole degree of latitude without any great impediment, and
+ascertained the general character of the country and the nature of the
+obstacles to be encountered, and on which the equipment of the party
+would in some measure depend, we turned our steps towards the principal
+camp, crossing the western branch of the river at 9.50, and reached our
+camp of the 4th at 3.20 p.m. The rain this morning cooled the air to 74
+degrees at 9 a.m. and 85 degrees at sunset.
+
+7th December.
+
+Resumed our journey down the river, following the outward track from 5.40
+a.m. till 11.0, when we halted till 3.25 p.m. Thermometer at noon 102
+degrees, with a cool southerly breeze; wet bulb, 78 degrees. Resuming our
+route, crossed to the right bank of the river, and bivouacked at the
+termination of the plains.
+
+8th December.
+
+At 5.45 a.m. proceeded down the right bank of the river, which was very
+rocky and steep; we therefore crossed to the left bank, and at 11.0
+halted one mile above the bivouac of the 29 ultimo. Between 2.0 and 3.0
+p.m. there was a heavy thunderstorm, when half an inch of rain fell; at
+3.45 resumed our journey, and encamped about four miles lower down the
+river.
+
+9th December.
+
+Followed the left bank of the river from 6.0 to 11.0 a.m.; found the
+travelling less stony and intersected by gullies than the right bank; at
+3.50 p.m. resumed our route, and at 6.30 encamped.
+
+10th December.
+
+Travelled down the river from 5.45 till 10.0 a.m.; when we halted a
+quarter of a mile above the camp of the 27th November. At 2.0 p.m. a
+heavy thundershower cooled the atmosphere from 100 degrees to 77 degrees.
+Resumed our journey at 3.0 and at 6.30 camped in the level plain at the
+foot of the Fitzroy Range, on the east side, water being abundant in
+every hollow, and since we passed up the river there has been heavy rain
+in this part of the country, and several of the gullies have been running
+eight feet deep. Shot a turkey and three black ibis. The Fitzroy Range
+extends about two miles north of a line from the gorge of the river to
+Bynoe Range, the Victoria winding round the north end of the range, and
+some tributary creeks appear to join from the north, as a valley extends
+several miles in that direction. The rain does not appear to have been
+general over the country, as it often occurs that after travelling over
+two or three miles of green grass where the gullies show signs of recent
+flood, that this beautiful verdure suddenly ceases, and we again
+encounter a dry and parched country which exhibits all the signs of an
+Australian summer.
+
+11th December.
+
+Left our camp at 5.45 a.m., and, steering west, crossed the low ridge of
+the Fitzroy Range, and having taken bearings of the features of the
+country, steered north 260 degrees east through the level plain which
+occupies the space between Wickham Heights and the Fitzroy Range, and
+which was named Beagle Valley by Captain Stokes. The soil of this plain
+is a brown clay, which in the dry weather crumbles into small pieces, so
+that the horses sink deeply into it; but in the wet season the whole is
+deep mud; it, however, appears to be very fertile, and produces an
+abundance of grass; the trees consist of bauhinia, acacia, and some
+eucalypti. Halting from 10.0 a.m. till 4.0 p.m. changed course to north
+245 degrees east, and after traversing a grassy box flat for two hours,
+camped at a small watercourse with pools of rainwater in a rocky
+limestone channel.
+
+BEAGLE VALLEY.
+
+12th December.
+
+Started at 5.30 a.m., and steered north 245 degrees east for one and a
+half hours, when we passed the high bluff of the range and changed the
+course north 330 degrees east, keeping three-quarters of a mile east of
+the remarkable hill called the Tower, by Captain Stokes, from a
+remarkable rock on the summit. The country was very rough and stony,
+though the ridge we passed over was not more than 200 or 300 feet above
+the river. Continuing a north-north-west course, at 9.45 reached the bank
+of the Victoria, which was followed on a course of 200 degrees till
+10.10, when a large creek joined the river; this creek drains nearly the
+whole of Beagle Valley, and takes its rise in the north-west slope of
+Stokes' Range. The course was then westerly till 12.15 p.m., when we
+encamped in a grassy flat one-third of a mile from the river. Marked a
+large adansonia tree 12 on its south side.
+
+13th December.
+
+Leaving our bivouac at 5.30 a.m., followed the valley of the river,
+passing the ridge at back of Steep Head at 10.0., and halted at Timber
+Creek at 11.0. The heavy rains which occurred in Beagle Valley do not
+appear to have extended to this part of the country, and the grass is
+still dry and withered. At 2.30 p.m. resumed our route and reached the
+principal camp at 6.30, and found the party all well, except Richards,
+who was still suffering severely from the injury to his wrist. Mr. Baines
+was absent, having started on Wednesday in search of two horses which had
+strayed to the westward.
+
+BAINES' RIVER.
+
+14th December.
+
+Messrs. Baines and Bowman returned with the stray horses, having found
+them on the bank of a small river fifteen miles to the west of the camp.
+This river, which I named the Baines River, has considerable pools of
+fresh water in its bed, which comes from the south-west, and flows into
+the large salt-water creek above Curiosity Peak. On one occasion Messrs.
+Baines and Bowman had halted to rest during the heat of the day, when
+they observed some blacks creeping towards them in the high grass; but,
+on finding they were observed, retired and soon returned openly with
+augmented numbers and approached with their spears shipped; but Mr.
+Baines and his companion having mounted their horses, galloped sharply
+towards them, and the blacks retreated with great precipitation. Mr. H.
+Gregory brought in the greater part of the horses; but as they had
+scattered very much in search of green grass, many of the horses were ten
+miles from the camp. Men employed cutting and carrying timber for the
+repair of the schooner, which work is progressing satisfactorily;
+computing astronomical observations.
+
+15th December.
+
+Party employed as before. One of the mares is reported to have foaled a
+fine filly. Thundershowers are frequent, and the country near the camp is
+clothed with verdure. Rode out with Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Baines to
+bring in some horses which had strayed, and which, after several hours'
+tracking, we found and brought to the camp. The horses are now much
+improved, and, with the exception of three which are still very weak, are
+now in a serviceable condition, though few are capable of carrying heavy
+loads or performing long journeys; but as grass and water are now
+abundant for the first 100 miles of the route towards the interior, I
+hope that by travelling easy stages the horses will improve, and
+preparations are being made for commencing the journey early in January.
+The country being impracticable for drays, and as the sheep cannot be
+driven with advantage, owing to the high grass and reeds, it is necessary
+to constitute the party so that the whole equipment can be conveyed by
+pack-horses, to accomplish which the party proceeding to the interior
+must not exceed nine in number, for which the horses are capable of
+conveying five months' provisions and equipment. The remaining half of
+the party will have full employment in the repair of the schooner and
+care of the stores--points of vital importance to the Expedition. It is
+therefore proposed to make the following division of the party, which,
+under existing circumstances, appears to me the most eligible.
+
+PREPARATIONS FOR EXPEDITION.
+
+16th December.
+
+The exploring party to consist of the following: Commander, A. Gregory;
+assistant commander, H. Gregory; artist, T. Baines; botanist, F. Mueller;
+collector, J. Flood; overseer, G. Phibbs; farrier, R. Bowman;
+harness-maker, C. Dean; stockman, J. Fahey.
+
+The party remaining in charge of the principal camp: Geologist, J.S.
+Wilson; surgeon, J.R. Elsey; overseer, C. Humphries; stockmen, Dawson,
+Shewell, Selby, Macdonald, Richards, Melville.
+
+17th December.
+
+Preparing a map of the late journey up the Victoria, shoeing horses, and
+other preparations for the expedition into the interior.
+
+18th December.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+19th December.
+
+Removing the bones from the salt pork which is to form part of the
+provisions of the exploring party; the reduction in weight is 17 per
+cent. Packing flour in double canvas bags, containing forty or fifty
+pounds each. In the centre of each bag of flour one pound of gunpowder is
+placed as the most secure from accidents. Shoeing horses, etc., as
+before. At 10 o'clock last night it commenced raining, and continued till
+daybreak; the day has been cool and cloudy.
+
+20th December.
+
+Party employed as before; killed one of the sheep, which weighed
+thirty-eight pounds. During last night it rained for four hours, and
+there have been showers to-day.
+
+21st December.
+
+Preparing for explorations as before. The river commenced running, but is
+still brackish. The weather is cloudy, with frequent showers; the country
+is becoming very soft and boggy.
+
+22nd December.
+
+Frequent heavy showers, especially at night. Mr. Wilson, Dr. Mueller, and
+Selby went down the river to examine Sea Range and procure specimens of
+rocks and plants. The repairs of the schooner requiring some broad iron,
+I had the ironwork of one of the drays appropriated to the purpose, as
+there was no iron of a suitable size on board the vessel. Party employed
+shoeing horses, fitting saddles, and general preparations of equipment
+for the exploring party.
+
+23rd December.
+
+Two of the horses have again strayed to the westward, and Mr. H. Gregory
+and Bowman were employed nearly the whole day in tracking them, and
+succeeded in bringing them in at night. The river is quite fresh, and
+running with a current from one to two miles per hour. Since the
+commencement of the rainy weather the general health of the party has
+improved; but this, perhaps, is due to the reduction of temperature,
+combined with greater regularity of habits and diet. Richards' arm is,
+however, in a very unsatisfactory state, though this is more the result
+of general ill-health than the original extent of actual injury.
+
+24th December.
+
+Preparing equipment, etc., as before. Dr. Mueller and Mr. Wilson returned
+in the boat from Sea Range. They report the river to be fresh at Sandy
+Island. Frequent heavy showers, which rendered the ground so soft that
+the horses cannot be hobbled without danger of their getting bogged, and
+it is scarcely possible to ride after them to herd them.
+
+25th December.
+
+Christmas day. Frequent heavy showers throughout the day and night.
+Killed a sheep; the weight, 38 1/2 pounds.
+
+26th December.
+
+Preparing equipment; fitting spare shoes for the horses, etc. Frequent
+showers.
+
+27th December.
+
+Packing stores, fitting saddles, etc. This has been the first fine day
+during the past week, having had only a single shower during the
+twenty-four hours.
+
+FLOOD IN THE RIVER.
+
+28th December.
+
+Party employed as before. The schooner was moved into the stream, as the
+drift-wood collected in large quantities, and could not be easily cleared
+away from the bows when moored near the bank. The water of the river is
+very muddy, and has risen about six feet above the ordinary high-water
+mark. The current is about two miles per hour. In winding chronometer
+2139, the chain, which was much corroded, broke, and the force of the
+recoil of the spring snapped it in so many places that I had to splice
+six of the links.
+
+29th December.
+
+As before--preparing equipment, etc.
+
+30th December (Sunday).
+
+31st December.
+
+Preparing tracings of maps, etc., completed the preparations for the
+exploration of the interior.
+
+A STAMPEDE.
+
+1st January, 1856.
+
+Wrote to Mr. Wilson, enclosing instructions for the guidance of the
+officer in charge of the camp on the Victoria. Wrote to the master of the
+Tom Tough instructions relative to the movements and repair of the Tom
+Tough, etc. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter requesting to be informed
+why he had been selected to take charge of the party at the principal
+camp. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply to his letter of this day's date.
+Having completed the preparations for the journey into the interior, the
+horses were saddled, and the party was on the point of starting, when a
+gun was fired on board the schooner, and the horses took fright and
+rushed wildly into the bush; and it was only after a hard gallop of two
+miles that they could be turned and driven back to the camp. Many of the
+saddles and loads were torn off by the horses having run against trees,
+and, as they had scattered very much, it took some time to collect the
+bags which had fallen from the horses, and four bags of provisions could
+not be found. A few of the straps of the colonial-made pack-saddles had
+given way, but there was no other damage done to them; but the
+English-made saddle was shaken to pieces. The party were occupied in the
+evening repairing damages.
+
+2nd January.
+
+Completed the repair of the saddlery, etc. broken yesterday; two of the
+missing bags were found, but a heavy shower having obliterated the tracks
+of the horses, two bags of sugar and sago were lost.
+
+3rd January.
+
+All arrangements being complete, the party commenced their journey at 11
+a.m., and, proceeding up the river to Timber Creek, encamped there at 3.0
+p.m.
+
+The following is a memorandum of the arrangements and equipment of the
+party:
+
+The Party: Commander, A.C. Gregory; assistant-commander, H.C. Gregory;
+artist, T. Baines; botanist, F. Mueller, collector, J. Flood; overseer,
+G. Phibbs; farrier, R. Bowman; harness-maker, C. Dean; stockman, J.
+Fahey.
+
+Horses: 27 pack-horses with pack-saddles; 3 pack-horses with
+riding-saddles; 6 riding-horses.
+
+Provisions for five months: Flour, 1,470 pounds; pork, 1200 pounds; rice,
+200 pounds; sago, 44 pounds; sugar, 280 pounds; tea, 36 pounds; coffee,
+28 pounds; tobacco, 21 pounds; soap, 51 pounds. Total, 3,330 pounds.
+
+Equipment: Instruments, clothing, tents, ammunition, horseshoes, tools,
+etc., 800 pounds; saddle-bags and packages, 400 pounds; saddles, bridles,
+hobbles, etc., 900 pounds. Total, 5,430 pounds.
+
+SENTRIES AT NIGHT.
+
+The total weight was thus about two and a half tons, which, distributed
+on thirty horses, gave a load of 180 pounds each horse. Each person had a
+stated number of horses in his special charge, and was responsible for
+the proper care of the loads and equipment, the saddles and loads being
+all marked with numbers. A watch was constantly kept through the night,
+each person being on sentry for two hours in regular rotation, except
+myself, as I had to make astronomical observations at uncertain hours.
+The cook was on watch from 2.0 till 4.0 a.m., and having prepared
+breakfast, the party concluded this meal at daybreak, and thus the most
+valuable part of the day was not lost.
+
+4th January.
+
+Started at 7 a.m. and followed up the creek; but Dr. Mueller having
+wandered away into the rocky hills and lost himself, I halted at the
+first convenient spot, having despatched several of the party to search
+for him, but it was not till 4 p.m. that the Doctor reached the camp. At
+noon there was a shower of rain, which reduced the temperature to 92
+degrees.
+
+ASCEND TABLELAND.
+
+5th January.
+
+The day broke with a heavy shower, which continued till 7.30 a.m., when
+it was followed by a cool breeze from the west; at 8.30 steered north 150
+degrees east magnetic up the valley of the creek till 11.0, when,
+crossing a low rocky ridge, we descended into Beagle Valley, and,
+steering 160 degrees till 2.10 p.m., halted at a small creek. The country
+is now covered with fine grass, and water is abundant, though the smaller
+watercourses have ceased to flow. In the evening walked to a hill about a
+mile from the camp; it was only 150 feet high, but gave a fine view of
+the distant ranges.
+
+6th January.
+
+It rained continuously during the night, with thunder and lightning. At
+8.0 a.m. steered 160 degrees and soon came on a small creek with
+water-pandanus on its banks; followed it to the south-south-east; at 11.0
+crossed it and changed the course to south-east, and at 11.30 encamped in
+a small gully; I then went with Mr. H. Gregory to look for a practicable
+ascent of Stokes' Range; having been successful in the search, we
+returned to the camp at 6 p.m. There are few spots where this range can
+be ascended, as a line of cliffs run along the brow of the hills varying
+from 10 to 100 feet in height. While on the hill we saw a few blacks, but
+they did not approach; the day was cloudy and cool, clearing after
+sunset.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Capella 15 degrees 59 minutes 57 seconds.
+
+7th January.
+
+The day again commenced with heavy showers, which lasted till 7 a.m. At
+7.30 started on a course of 120 degrees; reached the foot of the
+sandstone range at 8.50, and the summit at 9.30, the tableland on the top
+of the range being intersected by deep ravines trending to the
+south-west; we steered east till 11.40, when we came to a deep valley
+trending east-south-east; having made the necessary observations for
+elevation, commenced the descent of the hills, which was practicable in
+few places, as the valley was walled-in by steep hills crowned by
+sandstone cliffs 20 to 100 feet in height, with only an occasional break.
+At 1.0 p.m. reached the base of the hill, and encamped at a small gully.
+The summit of the range is nearly a level tableland, the undulations not
+exceeding 100 feet, but is intersected by deep ravines with perpendicular
+sides, which vary from 100 to 600 feet in depth. The upper rock is
+sandstone, and the soil on it very poor and sandy, producing small
+eucalypti, hakea, grevillia, and a sharp spiny grass (triodia); this is
+the spinifex of Captain Sturt and other Australian explorers. The
+character of the country is similar to that of the interior of some parts
+of the western coast.
+
+Latitude by Capella 15 degrees 59 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+JASPER CREEK. GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+8th January.
+
+Heavy rain till 7.0 a.m.; at 7.15 started and followed down the valley of
+the creek to south-south-east and south till 9.0, when it joined a larger
+valley trending east, in which a large creek in high flood obstructed our
+course. As the water was too deep to ford, we fixed a rope to a branch of
+a tree and passed the packs over the stream. This was accomplished at 3.0
+p.m., and the water having also sunk a foot, the horses crossed over, and
+we encamped on the south side of the creek. The valleys are well grassed,
+and vary from a quarter to three-quarters of a mile in width, the hills
+rising steeply from the base to near the summit, where they are crowned
+by a sandstone cliff 20 to 150 feet high; the summits are level, or
+nearly so, as the valleys are only deep ravines excavated in the
+tableland. The valley of the larger creek appears to expand about five
+miles to the west of the camp, and the hills all rounded in their
+outline.
+
+9th January.
+
+A light shower at night was followed by a cool cloudy morning. At 6.50
+a.m. followed down the creek to the east, and crossed to the left bank to
+avoid a rocky hill. On attempting to cross lower down, one of the
+pack-horses was carried down the stream some distance by the force of the
+current, and the saddle-bags were recovered a quarter of a mile below.
+The valley contracted as we proceeded, and at length the steep cliff left
+no passage on the left bank, and we had to return one and a half miles up
+the creek and cross to the right bank, when our course was again
+obstructed by a large tributary, which was crossed with some difficulty,
+and we passed through the rough rocky gorge of the creek, where the cliff
+approached the bank of the stream so closely that there was scarcely
+space for a horse to pass. At 12.10 p.m. camped on the bank of the creek
+at the termination of the hilly country, and, ascending a rocky
+elevation, obtained a view of the valley of the Victoria, and ascertained
+that we were on one of the branches of Jasper Creek. The afternoon and
+night were showery.
+
+10th January.
+
+Started at 6.30 a.m. and steered south-east, leaving the creek to the
+north; the country soon changed to a level plain well-grassed, but, owing
+to the late rain, very soft and muddy; at 10.20 passed to the north end
+of Jasper Range, and came to a creek fifteen yards wide trending
+north-east. Having forded the creek, camped on the right bank. The soil
+of the country traversed this day is a good brown loam on the plains, but
+rough and stony on the hills. The trees are of a small size, principally
+box and bauhinia. Sandstone is the prevailing rock, sometimes passing
+into jasper, and also into chert and coarse limestone. Small veins of
+quartz intersected the jasper, and contained small crystals of sulphuret
+of copper and iron.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella, 116 degrees 6 minutes 54 seconds;
+variation of compass, 3 degrees 6 minutes east.
+
+11th January.
+
+One of the mares having foaled in the night, she was not fit for a day's
+journey; we therefore remained at the camp, and employed the day in
+repairing and adjusting the saddles, and other works of indispensable
+nature; marked a large gum-tree NAE, 11 Jan., 1856.
+
+12th January.
+
+The night was fine, with a heavy dew and a light breeze from the south.
+At 6.15 a.m. steered north 150 degrees east over the level country which
+extends along the east side of Jasper Range; the soil is stony, but well
+grassed, and the fine weather had allowed the surface to become firm, so
+that the horses were not often bogged. At 12.25 p.m. camped on a small
+creek between the Fitzgerald and Jasper Ranges; marked a gum-tree at camp
+Number 9. The general character of this part of the country is good and
+well suited for stock, though not equal to the basaltic country to the
+eastward on the Victoria. Hard sandstone, jasper, and coarse limestone
+are the prevailing rocks.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran, Saturn, and a Orionis 16 degrees 16 minutes 22
+seconds.
+
+FINE PLAINS.
+
+13th January.
+
+The night cool and clear; thermometer 62 degrees at sunrise with heavy
+dew; steering an average south course from 6.40 a.m. till 11.25, reached
+the western branch of the Victoria River and encamped. The country
+traversed was nearly level and well grassed and thinly wooded with
+eucalypti and bauhinia; the soil is brown loam with small fragments of
+limestone; the river was running strong, but not in flood; the greatest
+rise this season had been only ten feet, and the usual flood-marks were
+twenty feet higher.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella 16 degrees 25 minutes 12 seconds.
+
+14th January.
+
+Followed the river to the west-south-west, crossing two large tributary
+creeks from the north-west, approaching the sandstone ranges on the
+western side of the plain; the soil did not improve, but became very
+sandy; the country is thinly wooded with box-trees and bauhinia of small
+size; grass is abundant and good. At noon one of the pack-horses, Sam,
+knocked up, and his load being transferred to one of the riding-horses,
+he was left to rest while we sought a suitable spot for a camp, and at
+12.15 p.m. halted at a small gully, as the bank of the river was unsafe
+for the horses, being very boggy. Sent back for the horse Sam, and
+brought him to camp; ascended the hill to the north-west of the camp to
+take bearings, but no important features of the country were visible; in
+ascending the hill the aneroid (B) fell from 29.62 to 28.55 degrees, and
+on descending only rose to 28.80 degrees, the estimated height being 300
+feet; as this indicated a change in form of the metal of the instrument,
+I re-adjusted it to the aneroid (A), 29.45 degrees. The continuance of
+fine weather and forward state of the grass led to the supposition that
+the wet season had already terminated, though only two months have
+elapsed since the first rains. It is probable that the wet season is much
+shorter in the interior than on the coast, and at no great distance
+inland the tropical wet season will cease altogether, as Captain Sturt,
+in latitude 26 degrees, only observed a fall of rain in the month of
+August; but this might be exceptional, as in the case of Dr. Leichhardt,
+who never encountered a rainy season during the journey to Port
+Essington.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella 16 degrees 27 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+15th January.
+
+Started at 6.45 a.m. and followed the river to the west-south-west; the
+hills coming close to the bank for some miles, caused the journey to be
+slow and difficult; crossed two large creeks coming from the
+west-north-west, the second seventy yards wide; at 10.35 encamped in a
+fine grassy flat. The course of the river was now more from the south,
+and the valley expanded into a plain several miles wide.
+
+16th January.
+
+As several of the horses required a day's rest, at 6.0 a.m. I started
+with Mr. H. Gregory to examine the country to the southward, and followed
+the river through a fine grassy plain till 10.0, when it entered the
+sandstone ranges, and the valley contracted to half a mile; the hills
+were steep, but the level ground in the valley, except where intersected
+by gullies, was good travelling and well grassed. The river is much
+reduced in size and the water is confined to the smaller channels of the
+principal bed; the water is clear, and had not that muddy appearance
+which characterises it lower down. The geological character of the rocks
+is unchanged; but the bed of the river being less deeply excavated, the
+lower beds of limestone and jasper are not so largely developed, the
+summit of the hills are not quite as level, and large blocks of
+sandstone, the remains of an upper stratum, gives the country a very
+rugged appearance. Returned to the camp at 6.30 p.m. In the evening there
+was a heavy thunder-squall from the north, but the weather cleared at
+midnight.
+
+LOSE A HORSE.
+
+17th January.
+
+Started at 7.5 a.m. and steered a south-west course till 10.30 a.m.,
+passing over a level grassy flat the whole distance; but the soil became
+more sandy as we proceeded up the river; there is very little wood of any
+description; the few trees that exist are white-stem eucalypti and a few
+acacia with pinnate leaves; the horse Sam is very weak, and two other
+horses are lame and can scarcely travel; since the 3rd of January the
+distance travelled has not exceeded ten miles per diem; water and grass
+everywhere abundant, and the loads not heavy, yet the greater part of the
+horses appear to be unable to perform a greater amount of work.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran 16 degrees 36 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+18th January.
+
+Some of the horses having strayed towards our last camp, we were detained
+till 8.10 a.m. and then steered south for three miles; the sandstone
+hills here closed in on each side of the river, scarcely leaving a
+passage at the base of the steep rocks; here the horse Sam fell into a
+pool of water, and when extricated could not stand; this having caused
+considerable delay, we encamped in a grassy flat half a mile farther on;
+in the evening sent Bowman and Dean to bring the horse to the camp, but
+they found him dead; marked a tree near camp 14.
+
+19th January.
+
+The night was fine, with heavy dew, the temperature 73 degrees at
+sunrise; having collected the horses and saddled at 6.45 a.m., left the
+camp and followed the valley of the river on an average south-west
+course, crossing a large creek from the north-west; the valley of the
+river expanded to three miles and then narrowed to one mile, and the
+course of the river was nearly west till 10.50 a.m., when we encamped;
+the soil of the valley is a brown loam, producing abundance of grass; but
+the hills, though less rocky, are more barren than lower down the river;
+the character of the channel of the river has altered, and has the
+appearance of a stream which continues to run late into the dry season,
+as the channels are narrow and fringed with pandanus, melaleuca, and
+other trees which grow near permanent water; the banks are of less height
+and the timber on them grows to a greater size than lower down the
+valley; at 1.0 p.m. the thermometer 100 degrees, and the wet bulb 76
+degrees, indicating 24 degrees of evaporation.
+
+CROSS THE WICKHAM RIVER.
+
+20th January.
+
+Left the camp at 6.55 a.m. and followed the river in a west-north-west
+direction till 8.5, when we crossed at a ledge of rocks which caused a
+fall of about one foot, the water being twenty yards wide and one to two
+feet deep; but above and below the rapid the river formed fine reaches
+seventy yards wide; the course was now west-south-west till 9.0 a.m.,
+when the river turned west, and at 10.50 came to a large stony creek from
+the south-west, at which we encamped; the country on the banks of the
+river rises gradually as it recedes, and, except within the influence of
+the floods, is poor and stony, producing little besides a sharp grass
+(triodia)--this is the spinifex of some Australian explorers--a few small
+gum-trees and bushes. As we progress towards the interior the wet season
+appears to have been of less duration and the fall of rain less, yet the
+great heat has forced the vegetation towards maturity, and many of the
+grasses have already ripened their seeds, while there are many other
+indications of the dry season having fairly set in; the wind is steadily
+from the south and south-east, and is very dry; the sky is clear and
+bright, and the creeks have ceased to run; the almost total absence of
+birds or animals shows that we are approaching the limits of the dry
+summer season of the southern interior; in the afternoon rode out with
+Mr. H. Gregory to examine the country, and found that the river came
+through a gorge in the sandstone range; this gorge is two miles long, a
+quarter of a mile wide, and 400 feet deep, with nearly perpendicular
+sides, the winter channel of the river occupying nearly the whole
+breadth, and intersecting the otherwise flat bottom of the valley with
+dry sandy channels and long pools of water; beyond the gorge the valley
+opened, but the view was intercepted by hills.
+
+A HORSE KILLED.
+
+21st January.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.10 a.m., and, following the right bank of the
+river nearly west through the gorge, at 9.0 entered an open valley,
+through which the river came from the south-west; but at 10.0 we entered
+a second defile, which, from the inclined strata of sandstone, was almost
+impassable for the horses. In crossing some soft ground between the rocks
+one of the horses fell on a sharp stump, and was deeply wounded in the
+belly. The wound was sewn up; but the injury was so severe that the horse
+died in the night. Having extricated ourselves from this ravine, we
+encamped at the foot of a sandstone hill, the strata of which dipped 60
+degrees to the south-west. Ascending the hill, which was about 300 feet
+high, the country appeared more level to the south, rising into sandstone
+ranges at ten miles distance. The course of the river was from
+west-south-west, the channel being bounded by sandstone cliffs 100 to 200
+feet high. The general aspect of the country was wretched in the extreme,
+as little besides a few small gum-trees and triodia clothed the rugged
+surface of the red sandstone. The weather continues fine, with only an
+occasional cloud or flash of lightning in the early part of the night.
+The temperature is increasing, being 104 degrees at 1.0 p.m. Some catfish
+and a small tortoise were caught in the river.
+
+22nd January.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. continued our route up the river; but, to avoid the deep
+ravines on its banks, made a sweep to the south, and at noon encamped in
+a grassy flat on the bank of the river. The country traversed was very
+barren and rocky, and the horses had great difficulty in crossing the
+deep ravines; many of their shoes were torn from their feet during the
+day's journey. The highest ridge crossed was 500 feet above the bed of
+the river, the height of which is approximately 500 feet above the
+sea-level, and thus the general level of the tableland may be considered
+to be 1000 feet above the sea. The general course of the river being from
+the west, it appears advisable to reconnoitre the country to the south.
+
+Latitude by Capella 16 degrees 47 minutes 58 seconds.
+
+RECONNOITRE TO THE SOUTH.
+
+23rd January.
+
+Leaving the camp in charge of Dr. Mueller, at 6.30 a.m. started in a
+southerly direction, accompanied by Messrs. H. Gregory and Baines, taking
+with us four horses and six days' rations, etc.; after clearing the deep
+rocky gullies near the river, we passed over a more level country with
+some fine open plains covered with fine grass, but the intervening ridges
+were very stony; at 9.45 a.m. reached the highest part of the range, and
+the country declined to the south-east, and intersected by deep rocky
+ravines trending towards a large valley, which is probably drained by the
+southern branch of the Victoria; the course was now south-east,
+descending to the valley of a creek, through a very barren and rugged
+sandstone country, producing little besides stunted eucalypti, acacia,
+and triodia. At 11.15 a.m. halted at the creek, and resumed our route at
+3.0 p.m., and followed the valley to the south-east till 4.40 p.m., when
+it turned east through a rocky gorge between cliffs 150 feet high; but
+notwithstanding the dense bush of pandanus, fallen rocks and deep muddy
+channel of the creek, we succeeded in forcing our way through the gorge
+of the creek, and bivouacked in the open valley below at 5.30 p.m., there
+being a fine patch of grass in the flat, though the surrounding country
+is rocky and barren. The sandstone rocks show a great disturbance and dip
+at all angles and directions, so that no general angle or strike could be
+determined; the upper rocks, however, show a new feature in a coarse
+conglomerate of fragments of the lower sandstones and a few fragments of
+basalt; some of the enclosed pieces of rock are nearly a foot in
+diameter, and are mostly angular, though occasionally round; this rock
+forms a horizontal bed of 100 feet in thickness. Towards evening the sky
+was clouded, with lightning to the east, but no rain.
+
+BASALTIC PLAINS.
+
+24th January.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. crossed the creek, and steered south-east over broken
+sandstone ridges till 8.0, when we entered a plain of basaltic formation
+covered with good grass, and where the ground was not entirely composed
+of fragments of rock the soil was a rich black loam; crossing the large
+creeks trending north, at 10.0 a.m. halted on the second. These creeks
+appear to rise in a steep range of sandstone hills which bound the
+basaltic plains to the west, about two miles from our track. At 3.0 p.m.
+resumed our route and traversed the trap plain for one and a half hours,
+and bivouacked in a small gully; the country on both sides of our track
+seems to be of trap formation for several miles, and then rises into
+sandstone hills with flat tops. The basaltic rock of this plain is not of
+great thickness, as the sandstone rose in a few spots above its surface
+and formed small islands covered with coarse vegetation, surrounded by
+the open grassy plain. The basalt seems to have been poured out into the
+valley after it had been excavated in the sandstone, and not to have been
+much disturbed subsequently. The surface of the plain is very stony, and
+the horses' feet were much injured by the roughness of the rock.
+
+STONE SPEAR HEADS.
+
+25th January.
+
+The night was cloudy, and it was not till after daybreak that I could get
+observations for latitude by altitudes of Venus and b Centauri. At 6.5
+a.m. were again in the saddle, and steered south-east to a rocky hill,
+which we reached at 7.0; the hill was sandstone, rising about 150 feet
+above the trap plain; from the summit the view was extensive, but from
+the broken nature of the country to the east nothing could be traced of
+either the courses of creeks or rivers; to the south the trap plain rose
+to a greater elevation than the summit of the hill we were on, and was
+surmounted by table hills of sandstone at ten miles distance to the east
+and north-east; the country appeared to consist of plains of basaltic
+formation, well grassed, and very thinly wooded. Leaving this hill at
+8.0, followed a dry rocky creek to the east and north-east, through
+basaltic plains with sandstone hills and ridges, till 10.30, and halted
+during the heat of the day. At this place the bed of the creek had been
+cut through the basalt into the sandstone, exposing a fine section of the
+junction of the two rocks; the sandstone was much altered at the line of
+contact, and, having been deeply cracked, the basalt had filled the
+fissures of the older rock. This altered sandstone and also a white
+quartz-like rock are much used by the natives for the heads of their
+spears; and during this day's journey great quantities of broken stones
+and imperfect spear heads were noticed on the banks of the creek. At 3.45
+p.m. recommenced our journey, and proceeded down the creek to the
+north-east till 6.30, and bivouacked.
+
+Latitude by Capella, Saturn, and Canopus 17 degrees 24 seconds.
+
+ROE'S DOWNS.
+
+26th January.
+
+Having ascertained that the party could be moved across the range to the
+basalt plains with advantage, commenced our return to the camp by a
+westerly route across the plain, which rose gently for ten miles, and was
+well grassed, but thinly wooded; the soil was stony, with fragments of
+altered sandstone and basalt. On the higher part of the plain there were
+several hills of trap-rock, forming flat-topped ridges trending north and
+south; the highest of these we named Mount Sanford, and the plains Roe's
+Downs. The country now generally sloped to the bank of the creek near the
+western limit of the plain, at which, after six hours' ride, we halted at
+11.35. The banks of the creek are of trap-rock; but the sandstone is
+exposed in the bed; the pools of water are deep and apparently permanent.
+At 4.0 resumed our route and passed over about one mile of sandstone, and
+then two miles of basalt, and bivouacked at a small gully at the western
+limit of the valley.
+
+27th January.
+
+At 5.30 a.m. steered north-north-west, over several ridges of sandstone,
+till we struck our outward track, which we followed with some deviations
+to the camp, which was reached at 2.0 p.m. The evening was cloudy with a
+smart thunder-shower. Dr. Mueller informed me that he had traced the
+river about six miles to the west-south-west, but that beyond that point
+it appeared to come from the north-west, in which direction there was a
+low range of hills.
+
+28th January.
+
+Having collected the horses, at 7.15 a.m. steered south to the rocky
+creek, and followed it down to the rocky gorge and encamped. As the
+valley was completely walled in by steep rocks, it appeared to be a
+suitable spot for a depot camp, as it would prevent the horses from
+straying; and, from the rapidity with which the water in the creeks was
+drying up, it became desirable that no time should be lost in pushing to
+the head of the Victoria while it was practicable to cross the ranges in
+which it was supposed to rise; but as many of the horses were quite unfit
+for the journey, it became necessary to leave them in some convenient
+spot while a small party pushed on with a light equipment.
+
+FORM A DEPOT CAMP.
+
+29th January.
+
+Preparing equipment for the party proceeding to the interior and making
+arrangements for the formation of the depot camp; the party to consist of
+myself, Mr. H. Gregory, Dr. Mueller, and C. Dean, Mr. Baines remaining at
+the depot in charge. Selected eleven of the strongest horses and had them
+re-shod; fitted four with riding and seven with pack saddles. The
+following provisions were packed for the journey: 150 pounds pork, 300
+pounds flour, 50 pounds rice, 10 pounds sago, 8 pounds tea, 6 pounds
+coffee, 48 pounds sugar.
+
+30th January.
+
+Left the camp at 7.30 a.m. and steered an average course south-south-east
+till 10.20, over stony ground, at the junction of the sandstone and trap
+formation, and camped at a fine running creek which came from a rocky
+gorge in the sandstone range to the west of our course. Messrs. Baines
+and Bowman, who had accompanied us thus far, returned to the camp, which
+I had instructed him to move to this creek as better for the horses, as
+one of them had shown symptoms of poison, and I feared to leave them in
+that locality. A severe attack of the fever, from which I had been
+suffering since the beginning of the month, precluded our proceeding
+farther this day, as I had at first intended. At 5 p.m. it commenced
+raining, and continued till midnight with incessant thunder and
+lightning.
+
+31st January.
+
+Being able to mount my horse, at 8 a.m. left the camp and steered a
+course south-east by south, along the foot of the sandstone range--the
+basalt plain extending to the north-east. At 12.45 p.m. camped on a
+shallow watercourse trending to the south-south-west. The whole of the
+country to the east of our track, except some isolated hills, appear to
+be covered with excellent grass. The evening was raining, with continuous
+thunder.
+
+1st February.
+
+Steered north 160 degrees east from 6.25 a.m. till 7.0 across the
+basaltic plain, then crossed a large creek trending east, in which there
+were some large pools of water. We then entered the sandstone country,
+and crossed several rocky ridges; at 9.10 we had a good view from one of
+the ridges to the north and east. Fine grassy plains extended almost to
+the horizon, to the south the country consisted of sandstone ranges, and
+to the south-east large grassy plains and rocky ridges appeared to
+alternate with each other. Changing the course to south-east, traversed a
+fine plain covered with grass, beyond which was a rocky ridge, and then a
+second plain, in which we halted at 11.10, as I was unable to keep on my
+horse, owing to an attack of fever. At 2 p.m. again proceeded, and after
+crossing some rugged country with deep rocky ravines, at length reached a
+large creek, at which we encamped, though there was nothing but reeds and
+triodia for the horses to eat.
+
+2nd February.
+
+Left the camp at 6 a.m. and followed the creek up for three-quarters of
+an hour before we could find a crossing place; the course was then
+south-south-east over very broken sandstone country; at 9.50 halted in a
+grassy valley to feed the horses, and at 2.30 p.m. resumed our route
+south-east, crossed a sandstone ridge, and descended into a wide valley,
+the centre of which was occupied by a basaltic plain, at the edge of
+which we encamped at 3.55 p.m.
+
+CRESTED PIGEON.
+
+3rd February.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. ascended the trap plain and steered north 190 degrees east;
+at 6.45 a.m. came to a large creek from the west, which joined the
+Victoria three-quarters of a mile to the east; but the deep and rocky
+character of the valley, or rather ravine, in which it ran precluded our
+approaching it, and we had to turn to the west, and descend from the
+basalt to the sandstone before the creek could be passed. Continuing an
+average south course, at 10.10 a.m. came to the Victoria River; the whole
+channel did not exceed 150 yards in breadth, of which only twenty to
+fifty were now occupied by water, and the rest by dry rocks and gravel,
+overgrown by bushes. With great difficulty we followed the river upwards,
+and were compelled to follow up a tributary creek for about a mile, and
+then encamped. Near this camp I saw the crested pigeon of Western
+Australia for the first time in this part of Australia.
+
+Latitude by Leonis 17 degrees 41 minutes.
+
+4th February.
+
+Left the camp at 5.55 a.m. and steered nearly south for six hours, and
+then encamped on the bank of the Victoria River, at the end of a fine
+deep pool seventy yards wide, but at the lower end the water was
+contracted into a shallow rapid ten yards wide. The country traversed is
+of basaltic formation in the valley, but the hills are of sandstone, and
+rise on each side from 200 to 300 feet, and the whole appearance of the
+country shows that there has been little change in the form of the
+surface since the basalt was poured into the valley. On the banks of a
+small creek we saw a flock of tribonyx--a bird which has created some
+speculation as to its proper habitat, as it often makes its appearance in
+large numbers at the Swan River, on the western coast.
+
+Latitude by Canopus 17 degrees 52 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+THUNDERSTORM AND SQUALL.
+
+5th February.
+
+Started at 5.55 a.m., and steered south-west, keeping parallel to the
+river at about a mile from it, as the creeks cut so deeply into the rock
+near the river that they are impassable; at 9.20 a.m. crossed to the
+right bank of the river, and continued a south-west course, but found the
+country exceedingly rough and rocky, and therefore turned to the
+north-west to the river, and at 11.30 a.m. camped at a fine pool of
+water. In the afternoon we were visited by a sudden thunder-squall;
+fortunately the tents had not been set up, or they must have been blown
+to pieces. The valley of the river has contracted to about fifteen miles,
+and turns to the west, but a branch seems to come from the south, and a
+second from the north-west. The country is, however, nearly level, and it
+is difficult to ascertain the limits of the valley, as many portions of
+the original tableland exist as detached hills and ridges. Though the
+horses are well shod, they are becoming lame and footsore from
+continually travelling over rough and stony country, as more than half of
+the last 100 miles has been so completely covered with fragments of rock
+that the soil, if any exists, has been wholly concealed.
+
+6th February.
+
+Leaving the camp at 6.20 a.m., steered south up the valley of a large
+creek. At first the ground was very rough and rocky, but as we proceeded
+it became more level and sandy--the bed of the creek being worn in the
+basalt, and the hills of sandstone conglomerate rising 100 to 200 feet.
+Except on the bank of the creek, there was no grass, the hills being
+covered with triodia. Encamped in a grassy flat at 11.30 a.m.
+
+Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 48 seconds.
+
+CROSS WATERSHED TO INTERIOR. HOOKER'S CREEK.
+
+7th February.
+
+At 6.30 resumed our journey to the south-south-west, and reached the head
+of the creek at 8.0 a.m. Ascending the tableland by an abrupt slope of
+100 feet, our course was south one mile, when the southern slope was
+reached, and a large shallow valley extended across our course, beyond
+which a vast and slightly undulating plain extended to the horizon with
+scarcely a rising ground to relieve its extreme monotony. Descending by a
+very gentle slope into the valley, at 9.40 a.m. crossed a small
+watercourse trending south-east, and then passed through a plain densely
+covered with kangaroo-grass seven to nine feet high, and at 10.40 a.m.
+encountered the level sandy country beyond, which was covered with
+triodia and small acacia and gum trees, or rather bushes. Seeing little
+prospects of either water or grass to the southward, turned east to the
+creek, at which we encamped at 12.30 p.m. The bed of the creek was dry,
+except a few shallow pools of rainwater, and there had been so little
+rain this season that no water had flowed down the channel. A level
+grassy flat extended nearly a mile on each side of the creek, which
+indicated the extent of occasional inundations, beyond which the country
+was very sandy and covered with small gum-trees, acacia, and triodia.
+
+Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 3 seconds.
+
+8th February.
+
+The country to the south being so level and barren that we could not
+expect to find either water or grass in that direction, at 6.0 a.m.
+steered north 110 degrees east along the course of the creek, which
+turned somewhat to the north of our track for a few miles; but at 8.0
+again came on its banks. The country was very barren and sandy, with
+small trees of silver-leafed ironbark and triodia, except on the
+inundated flats of the creek, which were well grassed and thinly wooded
+with box-trees. The course of the creek was now nearly south-east, but
+the channel decreased in size, and was quite dry till 10.0 a.m., when we
+reached a fine pool which had been filled by a tributary gully. Here we
+halted and shot several ducks. At 2.45 p.m. resumed our route, and at
+3.20 came to a level grassy flat, on which the channel of the creek was
+completely lost. Crossing the flat to the east, the country was quite
+level and sandy; therefore turned to the north, where there seemed to be
+a slight depression, and at 4.50 came to a shallow pool of rainwater, at
+which we encamped. Frequent showers during the night.
+
+THE DESERT INTERIOR.
+
+9th February.
+
+On winding the chronometers this morning, found the chain of 2139, by
+Arnold, was broken. Taking advantage of the cool cloudy morning, we
+steered south at 6.5 a.m. to ascertain if the water of the creek, after
+spreading on the grassy flat, collected again and found an outlet to the
+southward, but found the ground rise in that direction; observed a slight
+hollow to the west, for which we steered, but found it terminate on the
+sandy plain, and the country became a perfect desert of red sand, with
+scattered tufts of triodia and a few bushes of eucalypti and acacia. At
+noon, finding it hopeless to proceed further into the desert, we turned
+our steps to the north-north-east, and returned to our camp of last
+night. In returning to the camp we ascended a slight elevation, from
+which there was an uninterrupted view of the desert from east to
+south-west. The horizon was unbroken; all appeared one slightly
+undulating plain, with just sufficient triodia and bushes growing on it
+to hide the red sand when viewed at a distance. The day was remarkably
+cool and cloudy; the temperature at noon 86 degrees. Though the rain at
+the camp had been abundant during the previous night, it had not extended
+more than five miles into the desert, which is more remarkable, as the
+clouds were moving to the south.
+
+TURN TO THE WEST.
+
+10th February.
+
+As the horses required a day's rest, we remained at our camp, which
+enabled us to repair our saddles and perform other necessary work.
+Repaired the chronometer and one of the aneroid barometers, which had
+been broken by the motion of one of the pack-horses. As there was no
+practicable route to the south, and the sandstone hills to the north
+seemed to diminish in elevation to the east, I decided on following the
+northern limit of the desert to the west till some line of practicable
+country was found by which to penetrate the country to the south. In
+selecting a westerly route I was also influenced by the greater elevation
+of the country on the western side of the Victoria, and the fact that all
+the larger tributaries join from that side of the valley. It is also
+probable that, should the waters of the interior not be lost in the sandy
+desert, they will follow the southern limit of the elevated tract of
+sandstone which occupies north-west Australia from Roebuck Bay to the
+Gulf of Carpentaria, both of which points are nearly in the same latitude
+as our present position, from which it may be assumed that the line of
+greatest elevation is between the 17th and 18th parallels. None of the
+rivers crossed by Leichhardt are of sufficient magnitude to drain the
+country beyond the coast range, and therefore any streams descending from
+the tableland to the south will either be absorbed in the sandy desert or
+follow the southern limit of the sandstone and flow into the sea to the
+south-west of Roebuck Bay. There is, however, reason to expect that, as
+the interior of north-west Australia is partly within the influence of
+the tropical and partly the extra-tropical climates, it does not enjoy a
+regular rainy season; and though heavy rain doubtless falls at times, it
+is neither sufficiently general or regular to form rivers of sufficient
+magnitude to force their way through the flat sandy country to the coast.
+
+Latitude by Capella 18 degrees 20 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+11th February.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. proceeded up the creek, and at 12.30 p.m. camped at a
+shallow pool of rainwater on the flat, the channel of the creek being
+dry. On the northern bank of the creek we passed a small lagoon with a
+great number of duck and other water-fowl on it. The afternoon was
+cloudy, with a fresh breeze from south-east.
+
+Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 15 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+12th February.
+
+Three of the horses having strayed some distance, we did not start till
+7.0 a.m., when we steered an average course of north 300 degrees east
+till 11.45 a.m., when we camped at a small pool of water in the bed of
+the creek, which was reduced to a small gully; for the first four miles
+we traversed the grassy flats of the creek, after which we passed over a
+level sandy country producing nothing but triodia, stunted eucalypti, and
+acacia till we again approached the creek, where the grassy flat was
+nearly half a mile wide, but of inferior character.
+
+Latitude by b Tauri 18 degrees 9 minutes 44 seconds.
+
+13th February.
+
+At 6.50 a.m. followed the valley of the creek to the west, passing some
+fine flats with high grass, but the country generally very poor and
+thinly wooded with white-gum and silver-leafed ironbark; at 10.40 halted
+at a small waterhole at the foot of a low granite ridge; at 3.0 p.m.
+ascended the granite hills, which rose abruptly 100 to 150 feet above the
+plain, and extended about five miles to the south and east; to the west
+the sandstone covered the granite and formed a level tableland or plain;
+to the north a valley trended to the west, on the northern side of which
+the hills appeared to be granitic. Returning to the camp, examined a deep
+rocky ravine and found some small pools of water which might last for
+nearly another month.
+
+Latitude by Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 11 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+PIGEONS AND SEA-GULLS.
+
+14th February.
+
+Leaving the camp at 6.0 a.m., steered an average course of north 300
+degrees east; crossing the granite ridge, we entered a level sandy
+country with much scrub, which was traversed till 8.40, when we entered a
+wide grassy plain extending to the north-west, in which direction we
+steered till 2.10 p.m., when we halted at a small muddy puddle two inches
+deep and three yards wide. Then rode on with Mr. H. Gregory to search for
+a larger supply of water, and found a shallow pool about a mile distant,
+to which the party moved and encamped. Although this pool was not 100
+yards long and six inches deep, a large flock of ducks, snipe, and small
+gulls, were congregated at it, several thousand pigeons of species new to
+us came to drink. These pigeons keep in flocks of from ten to more than a
+thousand, feeding on the seeds of the grass on the open plains, as they
+never alight on trees. They are somewhat larger than the common
+bronze-wing; the head is black, with a little white at the base of the
+beak and behind the eye; back pale brown; breast, blue; throat marked
+with white; wings with white tips to the feathers and a small patch of
+bronze; tail short, tip white; feet, dull red. The evening and night were
+cloudy.
+
+WILD RICE.
+
+15th February.
+
+At 6.5 a.m. followed a line of small trees and bushes which grew on the
+lower part of the grassy plain and indicated the course of the water in
+the wet season, and at 9.0 came to the head of a small creek trending
+north-west. Water was now abundant and formed large pools, and at 11.15
+camped on the right bank of the creek at a pool a quarter of a mile long
+and fifty yards wide. This spot seemed to be much frequented by the
+natives, and large quantities of mussel-shells lay around their fires.
+The plain traversed this morning was well grassed; the soil a stiff clay
+loam; this plain extended three to six miles on each side of the track,
+and was bounded by a low-wooded country, which, in some parts, rose
+nearly 100 feet above the plain. In the lower part of the plain we
+observed the salt-bush (atriplex) and a species of rice; but as it was
+only just in ear, we could not judge of the quality of the grain. In the
+afternoon there was a fine breeze from the east which lasted till 8.0
+p.m., the sky being cloudy.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 17 degrees 53 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+16th February.
+
+At 6.25 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, which turned first west
+and then south-west, and at 12.20 p.m. encamped at a small pool; on the
+right bank of the creek wide grassy plains extended from three to five
+miles back towards a low-wooded ridge, but on the left bank the scrubby
+country came close to the creek.
+
+Latitude by a Orionis, Canopus and Pollux 17 degrees 59 minutes 40
+seconds.
+
+17th February (Sunday).
+
+As the water and grass were abundant on this camp, we were not compelled
+to move on in search of these requisites, and were enabled to observe it
+as a day of rest.
+
+18th February.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.30 a.m., and steered an average south-west
+course till 11.10, and then south till 12.25 p.m., and again camped on
+the creek. The country consisted of wide grassy plains on the bank of the
+creek, without trees and well grassed; beyond the plains, at one to six
+miles distance, low-wooded ridges were visible; but the general aspect of
+the whole was extremely level. A great number of ducks and a few geese
+were seen on some of the pools in the creek.
+
+Latitude by Canopus 18 degrees 4 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+STURT'S CREEK.
+
+19th February.
+
+Commenced our day's journey at 6.0 a.m., followed the bank of the creek
+till 8.15, thence south-south-west till noon, when the course was altered
+to south-south-east to close in with the creek, but found that the
+channel was completely lost on the level grassy plain, and at 1.40 p.m.
+encamped at a small puddle of muddy water as thick as cream. Before the
+creek was lost in the level plain it spread into some large, though
+shallow pools, which swarmed with ducks of several species, but
+principally the whistling duck. The grassy plain gradually extended to a
+greater breadth, and the back country was so nearly level that it
+scarcely rose above the grassy horizon, while to the south the country
+was so level that the clumps of bushes appeared like islands, and the
+grassy plain extended to the horizon. Near one of the waterholes in the
+creek we surprised a native, who was sitting at his fire with a couple of
+women, who decamped with all possible despatch. Several smokes have been
+observed to the south and south-west, which shows that water must exist
+in that direction, though it may not be in sufficient quantity to supply
+our horses. The morning was cloudy, and at midnight there was a heavy
+shower of rain. Judging from the general appearance of the country, the
+waters of the creek, after spreading over the plain, must escape to the
+westward, as the grass has been bent in that direction by the current
+last year, but there has been so little rain this season that the channel
+of the creek has not been filled.
+
+20th February.
+
+As it appeared that the waters of the creek trended to the west in the
+wet season, at 6.5 a.m. we steered north 250 degrees east, through a
+level forest of box-trees, with abundance of good grass; the soil brown
+loam with fragments of limestone; the shower last night had left many
+shallow pools of water on the surface. At 8.40 a.m. passed a small swampy
+salt flat covered with salicornia; at 9.10 came on the grassy plain which
+we skirted on a west course, but as it turned to the north-west, again
+changed the course to 320 degrees; the plain was now reduced to about a
+mile in width, and we therefore crossed it in search of a definite
+channel, but without success, though there were some slight indications
+that during inundation the water flowed to the north-west. At 11.50 we
+camped at a shallow puddle of rainwater, on the north side of the plain.
+From the camp, till 8.0 a.m., the grass, though very backward, showed
+that there had been sufficient rain to cause it to spring; but as we
+proceeded it was perfectly dry and parched up, as at the end of the dry
+season, showing that little or no rain had fallen for many months in this
+part of the country. The day was cloudy, with thunder, and was followed
+by a heavy shower at night, which prevented my ascertaining the latitude
+by observation.
+
+ENTER WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
+
+21st February.
+
+As we were now three days' journey from the last water which could be
+depended on for more than a few days, and the channel of the creek had
+been so completely lost on the plain that it was uncertain whether the
+marks of inundations near this camp had been caused by the creek flowing
+to the west, or by some tributary flowing to the east, I determined to
+attempt a south-west course, in the hope that, should the country prove
+rocky, the heavy showers might have collected a sufficient quantity of
+water to enable us to continue a southerly route, and accordingly
+selected the most prominent point of the rising ground to the south of
+our position, and at 6.5 a.m. started north 235 degrees east. After
+leaving the open plains we entered a grassy box forest, which continued
+to the foot of the hills, which we reached at 8.0. The slope of the hills
+proved very scrubby, with small eucalypti and acacia, the soil red sand
+and ironstone gravel; at 9.0 reached the highest part of the hills for
+many miles round. To the south the country was slightly depressed for ten
+or fifteen miles, and then rose into an even ridge or plain, the whole
+country appearing to be covered with acacia and eucalyptus scrub. To the
+west and north the view was more extended; the low ridge of sandstone
+hills extended to the west-north-west, on the northern side of the grassy
+flats for thirty miles, and only broken by a large valley from the north.
+Throughout its whole extent this range appeared to rise to 150 or 200
+feet above the plain, and had the appearance of being the edge of a level
+tableland. South of the grassy plain, the western limit of which was not
+seen, the country rose gradually to eighty or 100 feet, and presented an
+extremely level and unvaried appearance. It was evident that our only
+chance of farther progress was to follow the grassy plain to the west
+till some change in the country rendered a southerly course practicable,
+it being probable that some creek from the north might join the grassy
+plain, and that the channel which had been lost might be reformed. At
+9.30 steered north-west, and at 12.30 p.m. cleared the acacia scrub, and
+at 1.30 reached the bank of the creek, which had formed a channel twenty
+yards wide, with pools of water, which was brackish; but we were too glad
+to find any water which we could use without detriment to object to it
+because it was not agreeable in taste, and therefore encamped. We have
+thus been a second time compelled to make a retrograde movement to the
+north after reaching the same latitude as in the first attempt to
+penetrate the desert; but I did not feel justified in incurring the
+extreme risk which would have attended any other course, though following
+the creek is by no means free from danger, as very few of the waterholes
+which have supplied us on the outward track will retain any water till
+the time of our return. The weather was calm and hot in the early part of
+the day, and in the afternoon it clouded over, and there was a slight
+shower of rain. According to our longitude, by account, we have this day
+passed the boundary of Western Australia, which is in the 129th meridian.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Procyon 18 degrees 26 minutes.
+
+STURT'S CREEK.
+
+22nd February.
+
+Leaving the camp at 5.40 a.m., followed the creek to the west-south-west
+and crossed a small gully from the south; at 11.30 a.m. camped at a fine
+pool of water in a small creek from the south, close to its junction with
+the principal creek, which we named after Captain Sturt, whose researches
+in Australia are too well known to need comment; the grassy plains
+extended from three to ten miles on each side of the creek, which has a
+more definite channel than higher up, there being some pools of
+sufficient size to retain water throughout the year; the plain is bounded
+on the north by sandstone hills 100 to 200 feet high, and there is also a
+mass of hilly country to the south, the highest point of which was named
+Mount Wittenoon; about noon a thunder-shower passed to the east and up
+the creek on which we were encamped, and though the channel was then dry
+between the pools, at 4.0 p.m. it was running two feet deep; the grass is
+much greener near this camp, and there has evidently been more rain here
+than in any part of the country south of Victoria yet visited; a fresh
+southerly breeze in the morning, thunderstorms at noon, night cloudy with
+heavy dew.
+
+23rd February.
+
+At 5.50 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, the general course first
+south-west and changing to the south-south-west; the channel was
+gradually lost on the broad swampy flat, which was overgrown with
+polygonum and atriplex, etc., and had a breadth of half a mile to a mile,
+being depressed about ten feet below the grassy plain; the grassy plain
+also extended to about fifteen miles wide, the hills decrease in height,
+and the whole country is so level that little is to be seen but the
+distant horizon, scarcely in any part rising above the vast expanse of
+waving grass. At 10.50 a.m. camped at a shallow puddle of muddy water,
+just sufficient to supply the horses; I walked about a mile into the
+polygonum flat, but could not find any water, though the ground was soft
+and muddy in a few spots. Mr. H.C. Gregory, when rounding up the horses
+in the evening, saw eight blacks watching us; we therefore went out to
+communicate with them; but they hid themselves in the high bushes and
+grass. The night was clear, and I took a set of lunar distances, which
+the cloudy weather had prevented for more than a week, though I had been
+able to get altitudes for latitude.
+
+Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 39 minutes 54 seconds.
+
+EFFECT OF SEASONS ON APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY.
+
+24th February.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, which spread into a broad
+swampy flat about a mile wide, and covered with atriplex, polygonum, and
+grass, the general trend south-west; at 7.30 crossed a large watercourse
+from the south-east, with a dry sandy channel, no water having flowed
+down it this season; at 9.0 a.m. crossed to the right bank of the creek;
+there were many shallow muddy channels and one with running water four
+yards wide and one foot deep; the largest channel was near the right
+bank, but, except a large shallow pool, it was dry. As we advanced the
+country showed effects of long-continued drought, and though the creek
+contained some large shallow pools, the channel was dry between, the dry
+soil absorbing the whole of the water which was running in the channel
+above; at 11.50 camped at what appeared to be the termination of the
+pools of water, as the channel was again lost in a perfectly level flat.
+Great numbers of ducks, cockatoos, cranes, and crows frequented the banks
+of the creek above the camp, and appeared to feed on the wild rice which
+was growing in considerable quantities in the moist hollows, as also a
+species of panicum; to the south-east of the creek there is a level
+box-flat which extends two to three miles back to the foot of some low
+sandy ridges covered with triodia and a few small eucalypti; to the
+north-west and west the grassy plain extended to the horizon, with
+scarcely even a bush to intercept the even surface of the waving grass.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 18 degrees 45 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+25th February.
+
+The small number of water-fowl which passed up or down the creek during
+the night indicated that water was not abundant below our present
+position, and we were therefore prepared for a dry country, in which we
+were not disappointed, for leaving the camp at 6.15 a.m. we traversed a
+level box-flat covered with long dry grass; at 9.10 a.m. again entered
+the usual channel of the creek, which was now a wide flat of deeply
+cracked mud with a great quantity of atriplex growing on it, but which
+had lost all the leaves from the long continuance of the dry weather. The
+flat was traversed by numerous small channels from one to two feet deep,
+but they were all perfectly dry and had not contained water for more than
+a year; there were, however, marks of inundations in previous years, when
+the country must have exhibited a very different appearance, and had it
+been then visited by an explorer, the account of a fine river nearly a
+mile wide flowing through splendid plains of high grass, could be
+scarcely reconciled with the facts I have to record of a mud flat deeply
+fissured by the scorching rays of a tropical sun, the absence of water,
+and even scarcity of grass. The creek now turned to the south, and we
+followed the shallow channels till 12.30 p.m., when we fortunately came
+to a small pool which had been filled by a passing thunder-shower, and
+here we encamped during the day; a fresh breeze at times blew from the
+south-east and south, and the air was exceedingly warm; thermometer 106
+degrees at noon, but being very dry, was not very oppressive.
+
+Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 55 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+LEVEL COUNTRY.
+
+26th February.
+
+As the course of the creek was uncertain, we steered south at 5.45 a.m.
+across the atriplex plain, and at 6.35 reached the ordinary right bank of
+the creek, which was low and gravelly, covered with triodia and small
+bushes; we then passed a patch of white-gum forest, and at 8 entered a
+grassy plain which had been favoured by a passing shower; green grass was
+abundant, and even some small puddles of water still remained in the
+hollows of the clay soil. At 10.50 came on the creek, which had collected
+into a single channel and formed pools, some of which appeared to be
+permanent, as they contained small fish. At one of these pools we
+encamped at 11.10. The channel of the creek is about fifteen feet below
+the level of the plain, and is marked by a line of small flooded-gum
+trees, the atriplex flat has ceased, and the soil is a hard white clay,
+producing salsola and a little grass; the morning clear with a moderate
+easterly breeze, afternoon cloudy with a few drops of rain at night.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 7 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+27th February.
+
+Resumed our journey down the creek at 6.5 a.m., when it turned to the
+west and formed a fine lake-like reach 200 yards wide, with rocky banks
+and sandstone ridges on both sides of the creek; at 11.0 camped at the
+lower end of a fine reach trending south: the general character of these
+reaches of water is that they are very shallow and are separated by wide
+spans of dry channel, the water being ten feet below the running level.
+The country is very inferior, and the grassy flats are reduced to very
+narrow limits, and the hills are red sandstone, producing nothing but
+small trees and triodia.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 12 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+28th February.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. we were again in the saddle, following a creek which had an
+average west-south-west course, but the channel was soon lost in a wide
+grassy flat, with polygonum and atriplex, in this flat were some large
+detached pools of water, 50 to 100 yards wide and a quarter to half a
+mile long, although the dry season had reduced them to much narrower
+limits than usual, as they were now eight to ten feet below the level of
+the plain; at 11.45 camped at a large sheet of water, just above a
+remarkable ridge of sandstone rocks on the right bank of the creek.
+Ducks, pelicans, spoonbills, etc., were very numerous, but so wild that
+they could scarcely be approached within range of our guns; until the
+present time it has been doubtful whether the creek turned towards
+Cambridge Gulf, the interior, or to the coast westward of the Fitzroy,
+but the first point being now 220 nautic miles to the north, and the
+general course of Sturt's Creek south-west, such a course is not
+probable, and it therefore only remains to determine whether it is lost
+in the level plains of the interior, or finds an outlet on the north-west
+coast. The careful and minute surveys of the coast from the Victoria
+River to Roebuck Bay show that no rivers exist of such magnitude as the
+Sturt would attain in passing through the ranges to the coast, nor does
+the general abrupt character of the coast-line favour the supposition
+that any interior waters would find an outlet in this space. That the
+elevation of this part of the creek is sufficient to enable it to form a
+channel to the north-west coast is shown by the barometric measurement:
+the dividing ridge between the head of the Victoria and Hooker's Creek is
+about 1200 feet, at the head of Sturt's Creek 1,370 feet, and our present
+camp 1100 feet; thus the average fall of Sturt's Creek has been 270 feet
+in 180 miles, or one and a half feet per mile. Now the distance to
+Desault Bay (which appears the most probable outlet) is 370 miles, and
+allowing an increase of 500 for deviations, there would be more than two
+feet descent per mile, which would be sufficient for the maintenance of a
+channel. Should the creek turn to the south and enter the sandy desert
+country, the water would soon be absorbed, especially as the wet season
+at the upper part of the creek occurs when the dry season is prevailing
+in the lower part of its course. That it does lose itself in a barren
+sandy country is, I fear, the most probable termination of the creek, and
+that a level country exists for many miles on each side of our route is
+shown by the small number and size of the tributary watercourses.
+
+Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 19 degrees 18 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+29th February.
+
+Leaving the camp at 5.40 a.m., traced the creek to the south-west for
+about three miles. It formed fine reaches of water fifty to 100 yards
+wide; but the channel terminated suddenly in a level flat, covered with
+polygonum, atriplex, and grass. In this flat we passed some large shallow
+pools of water; at 7.30 the creek turned to the west round the north end
+of a rocky sandstone hill, and was joined by a tributary gully from the
+north, below which point the channel was a well-defined sandy bed, with
+long parallel waterholes on each side, but very little water remained at
+this time; at 9.15 the course of the creek changed to south by west, and
+passed through a level flat timbered with flooded-gum trees; it was about
+one mile wide and well grassed, but completely dried up for want of rain.
+The back country was thinly wooded with white-gum, and gently rising as
+it receded, forming sandstone hills about 100 feet high of extremely
+barren appearance; at 11.45 camped at a small muddy pool which would last
+only for a few days. A strong breeze from the west commenced early in the
+day, and gradually changed to the south. Thermometer, 109 degrees in the
+coolest shade that could be found.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and e Argus 19 degrees 28 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+DESERT OF RED SAND.
+
+1st March.
+
+Our horses having strayed farther than usual in search of better grass,
+we were delayed till 6.20 a.m., when we steered a south by west course
+down the valley of the creek. Immediately below the camp the country
+beyond the effect of inundation changed to a nearly level plain of red
+sand, producing nothing but triodia and stunted bushes. The level of this
+desert country was only broken by low ridges of drifted sand. They were
+parallel and perfectly straight, with a direction nearly east and west.
+At 11.50 camped at a fine pool of water three to five feet deep and
+twenty yards wide. That we had actually entered the desert was apparent,
+and the increase of temperature during the past three days was easily
+explained; but whether this desert is part of that visited by Captain
+Sturt, or an isolated patch, has yet to be ascertained, and the only hope
+is that the creek will enable us to continue our course, as the nature of
+the country renders an advance quite impracticable unless by following
+watercourses.
+
+Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 19 degrees 40 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+2nd March.
+
+Left our camp at 6.30 a.m., and steered south-west by west, which soon
+took us into the sandy desert on the left bank of the creek. Crossing one
+of the sand ridges, got a sight of a range of low sandstone hills to the
+south-east, the highest of which I named Mount Mueller, as the doctor had
+seen them the previous evening while collecting plants on one of the
+sandy ridges near the camp. At 10.15 again made the creek, which had
+scarcely any channel to mark its course; the wide clay flat bearing marks
+of former inundations was the only indication visible. At 12.35 p.m.
+camped at a small muddy pool, the grass very scanty and dry. Traces of
+natives are frequent. Large flights of pigeons feed on the plains on the
+seeds of grass. A flock of cockatoos was also seen.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 51 seconds 12 minutes.
+
+3rd March.
+
+At 5.30 a.m. started and followed the creek on a general course
+south-west. There was a very irregular channel sometimes ten yards wide
+and very shallow, and then expanding into pools fifty yards wide. The
+sandy plain encroached much on the grassy flats, and reduced the winter
+course of the creek to half a mile in breadth. At 8.0 the course was
+changed to south, and at 10.15 camped at a swamp, which was nearly dry,
+and covered with beautiful grass. The country differed in character from
+that seen yesterday, there being a few scattered white-gum trees and
+patches of tall acacia. Salsola and salicornia are also very abundant,
+and show the saline nature of the soil.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 20 degrees 2 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+SALT LAKES.
+
+4th March.
+
+Left the camp at 5.50 a.m., and steered south-west over a very level
+country, with shallow hollows filled with a dense growth of acacia, and
+at 7.30 struck the creek with a sandy channel and narrow flats, covered
+with salsola and salicornia. The pools were very shallow, and gradually
+became salt, and at 10.15 it spread into the dry bed of a salt lake more
+than a mile in diameter. This was connected by a broad channel with a
+pool of salt-water in it, with a second dry salt lake eight miles in
+diameter. As there was little prospect of water ahead and the day far
+advanced, we returned to one of the brackish pools and encamped. The
+country passed was of a worthless character, and so much impregnated with
+salt that the surface of the ground is often covered with a thin crust of
+salt.
+
+Latitude by e Argus 20 degrees 10 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+5th March.
+
+Started from the camp at 5.45 a.m., and steered south-south-east through
+the acacia wood to the lake, and then south by east across the dry bed of
+the lake towards a break in the trees on the southern side. Here we found
+a creek joining the lake from the south-west, in which there were some
+shallow pools. We then steered east, to intersect any channel by which
+the waters of the lake might flow to the south or south-east, and passing
+through a wood of acacia entered the sandy desert. As some low rocky
+hills were visible to the east we steered for them. At 2.10 halted half a
+mile from the hills, and then ascended them on foot. They were very
+barren and rocky, scarcely eighty feet above the plain, formed of
+sandstone, the strata horizontal. From the summit of the hill nothing was
+visible but one unbounded waste of sandy ridges and low rocky hillocks,
+which lay to the south-east of the hill. All was one impenetrable desert,
+as the flat and sandy surface, which could absorb the waters of the
+creek, was not likely to originate watercourses. Descending the hill,
+which I named Mount Wilson, after the geologist attached to the
+expedition, we returned towards the creek at the south end of the lake,
+reaching it at 9.30.
+
+6th March.
+
+As the day was extremely hot and the horses required rest and food, we
+remained at the camp. Ducks were numerous in some of the pools, but so
+wild that only two were shot. The early part of the day was clear, with a
+hot strong breeze varying from west to south-east. At 1 p.m. there was a
+heavy thunder-squall from the south-east, which swept a cloud of salt and
+sand from the dry surface of the lake. The squall was followed by a
+slight shower.
+
+Latitude by Canopus 20 degrees 16 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+DRY BEDS OF SALT LAKES.
+
+7th March.
+
+As I had frequently observed that in the dry channels of creeks
+traversing very level country a heavy shower in the lower part of its
+course often causes a strong current of water to rush up the stream-bed
+and leave flood marks, which would mislead a person examining them in the
+dry season, it seemed probable that this must be the case with the creek
+entering the salt lake at its south-west angle, as it might be the outlet
+of the lake when filled by Sturt's Creek flowing into it, though in
+ordinary seasons the flow of water would be into the lake; accordingly I
+decided on following the creek and ascertain its actual course. Leaving
+the camp at 5.50 a.m., steered nearly south-west along the general course
+of the creek till 7.30, when it turned to the north and entered the dry
+bed of a lake. As the beds of the two lakes were lower than the channel
+between them, the water during the last heavy rains had flooded both ways
+from the central part of the channel. Having skirted the lake on the west
+to intercept any watercourses which might enter or leave the lake on that
+side, we came to a large shallow channel with pools of water--some fresh
+and others salt--with broad margin of salicornia growing on the banks; at
+11.0 camped at a small pool of fresh water. The soil of the country on
+the bank of the creek is loose white sand with concretions of lime,
+covered with a dense growth of tall acacia, with salsola and a little
+grass in the open spaces.
+
+TERMINATION OF STURT'S CREEK.
+
+8th March.
+
+Started at 6.5 a.m. and traced the creek into a salt lake to the west,
+but this was also dry. After some search we found a creek joining on the
+northern side and communicating with a large mud plain, partly overgrown
+with salicornia, and with large shallow pools of muddy water two to three
+inches deep. On the northern side the plain narrowed into a sandy creek
+with shallow pools, the flow of the water being decidedly from the
+northward. At 12.15 p.m. camped at a shallow pool, near which there was a
+little grass, the country generally being sandy and only producing
+triodia and acacia. Thus, after having followed Sturt's Creek for nearly
+300 miles, we have been disappointed in our hope that it would lead to
+some important outlet to the waters of the Australian interior; it has,
+however, enabled us to penetrate far into the level tract of country
+which may be termed the Great Australian Desert.
+
+Latitude by Pollux and e Argus 20 degrees 4 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+9th March.
+
+Left our camp at 6.35 a.m., and followed the creek up for half an hour,
+and then steered east to Sturt's Creek, which we reached at 9.5, the
+country being level, sandy, and covered with triodia and acacia in small
+patches; we then steered a southerly course down the creek till 11.0, and
+camped at the large brackish pool.
+
+COMMENCE RETURN TO DEPOT. HOT WINDS.
+
+10th March.
+
+We had observed that a creek appeared to join the salt lake to the
+north-east angle. There yet remained a possibility that the waters of the
+lake might find an outlet to the east and pass north of Mount Wilson; we
+therefore steered east from the camp at 6.45 a.m. and passed close to the
+south of a small salt lake (dry) three-quarters of a mile in diameter,
+and then traversed a level sandy country thickly wooded with acacia and a
+few white-gum trees. At 8.15 struck a small grassy watercourse with broad
+shallow pools; this we followed down to the south-south-west to the large
+salt lake, close to which it was joined by a small sandy creek coming
+from the east. Having reached the bank of the lake at 10.0, steered south
+along its shore till 11.15, when its shore trended to the
+west-south-west, and there was a small well-defined bank without any
+break to the point which had been the limit of our examination from the
+southern part of the lake, and thus determined that there was no outlet
+for the water to the eastward. As the whole country to the south was one
+vast sandy desert, destitute of any indications of the existence of
+water, it was clear that no useful results could arise from any attempt
+to penetrate this inhospitable region, especially as the loss of any of
+the horses might deprive the expedition of the means for carrying out the
+explorations towards the Gulf of Carpentaria. I therefore determined on
+commencing our retreat to the Victoria River while it was practicable, as
+the rapid evaporation and increasing saltness of the water in this arid
+and inhospitable region warned us that each day we delayed increased the
+difficulty of the return, and it was possible that we were cut off from
+any communication with the party at the depot by an impassable tract of
+dry country, and might be compelled to maintain ourselves on the lower
+part of the creek till the ensuing rainy season. Returned to the creek at
+the north-east angle of the lake and encamped. The morning was cloudy
+with a strong hot wind from the east and south-east; the night calm and
+misty.
+
+11th March.
+
+At 6.10 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek to the
+north-north-east, but it soon spread into a number of small gullies,
+which drained a patch of clay land. At 7.0 steered north through a wood
+of acacia growing on loose sandy soil. Entering the open sandy plain at
+8.15, a few small white-gum trees were scattered over this part of the
+plain, which was quite level, the loose sand being covered with triodia,
+which partially concealed the glaring red colour of the ground. Observing
+a low abrupt hill a little to the east of our course, deviated towards
+it, and ascended it at 10.0. It was less than 100 feet above the plains,
+and composed of the same sandstone which prevails over the whole of the
+country south of the Victoria. The view was cheerless in the extreme.
+From north 26 degrees east to north 166 degrees east, the country was a
+level plain with small isolated or grouped hills of red sandstone, but
+not forming any definite ranges; the even height and peculiar table
+summits appear to indicate that they are only small remaining portions of
+a sandstone tableland or plain nearly the whole of which has been
+removed, the strata, however, had a dip to the east of one or two
+degrees. The vegetation on this part of the country was reduced to a few
+stunted gum-trees, hakea bushes, and triodia, the whole extremely barren
+in appearance. The remaining portion of the horizon was one even straight
+line; not a hill or break of any kind was visible, and, except the narrow
+line of the creek, was barren and worthless in the extreme, the red soil
+of the level portions of the surface being partially clothed with triodia
+and a few small trees, or rather bushes, rendered the long straight
+ridges of fiery-red drifting sand more conspicuous. The wind being
+strong, we observed the smoke of several fires along the course of
+Sturt's Creek, and also one near Mount Mueller, to the north-east,
+indicating the existence of natives in that direction, and doubtless of
+water in that locality, as it was a day's journey from the creek. Our
+course was now north 340 degrees east, and on approaching the creek
+passed through a patch of casuarina forest, which was remarkable, as they
+are the only trees of this genus we had seen on the coast since landing
+at the Victoria, though abundant in all other parts of Australia. At 1.35
+p.m. reached Sturt's Creek and halted at our camp of the 2nd March; there
+was a strong hot wind from the east during the day.
+
+12th March.
+
+Resumed our route at 5.50 a.m. and steered north 20 degrees east till
+8.0, then 40 degrees and 60 degrees till 1.0 p.m., when we encamped at a
+shallow pool of water near the creek, and about three miles above camp
+48, as the route only traversed the level flats near the creek. Nothing
+worthy of further notice was seen, the channel being split into small
+hollows, some of which retained a little water. The grass was much dried
+up and limited to the flat near the creek, the more remote portions being
+covered with triodia. The day was hot and nearly calm, but at noon we
+were benefited by a few passing clouds, and at 6.0 p.m. a dry
+thunderstorm cooled the air from 100 degrees to 93 degrees, but the
+temperature rose at 8.0 to 96 degrees.
+
+13th March.
+
+At 5.50 steered north 10 degrees east, crossing the creek several times,
+and at 10.0 turned to the north-north-east and north-east, crossing the
+sandstone hills, round which the creek turns at a right angle, and at
+12.10 p.m. camped on the creek near our track of the 29th February.
+Nearly all the pools of water had dried up, and the water at the camp had
+become brackish; some of the pools, however, must be permanent, as there
+were small fish in them. A great party of natives appeared to be
+travelling up the creek, as fresh fires are constantly seen to the
+north-east along its course. A cool breeze from the west to north-east
+moderated the heat, the temperature at 2 p.m. 103 degrees; passing clouds
+from the east in the afternoon.
+
+FOLLOW UP STURT'S CREEK.
+
+14th March.
+
+Resumed our route and followed the creek upwards from 5.50 a.m. till 1.50
+p.m., when we camped about three miles south-west of camp 45 at the first
+pool before the atriplex flat. A short distance above the camp we crossed
+a large sandy creek, which proved to be the cause of the change in the
+character of Sturt's Creek below that point. As our route was at a
+greater distance from the creek than in tracing it down, it gave a better
+opportunity of ascertaining the nature of the country beyond the
+influence of inundation; to the north-west a vast plain traversed by low
+ridges of gravel and drift sand, clothed with a scanty growth of triodia
+and a few hakea bushes, rose gradually from the creek, but on the
+south-east a more abrupt sandstone slope terminated in a similar plain of
+somewhat greater elevation, and showed that we were still within the
+bounds of the desert. Moderate breeze from the north-west changing to
+north-east; passing clouds; a slight shower at 11.0 p.m.
+
+15th March.
+
+Resumed our route at 5.50 a.m., steering north 40 degrees east, one hour
+into the triodia plain, then north 60 degrees east till 9.20 a.m., when
+we reached the first large pool in the creek, and rounding the bend
+camped at one of the narrow pools above the sandstone ridges. The water
+in the larger pools had sunk from six inches to a foot since we had
+passed downwards, and almost all the pools were now dry. The morning
+clear and cool, with clouds and light showers in the afternoon
+accompanied by thunder.
+
+16th March.
+
+As there was no water in the creek for the next thirty-three miles, we
+filled the water-bags and prepared for an early start; but unfortunately
+the horses had strayed farther than usual, which delayed us till 7.0
+a.m., when following nearly the outward route, passed close to camp 43,
+the waterhole at which was dry, and at 1.0 p.m. halted under the shade of
+a few acacia-trees during the heat of the day, and resumed our journey at
+3.0 p.m., following the south-east side of the plain through which the
+creek flows. The ground was stony and bad travelling, but as the moon was
+clear and bright we succeeded in reaching the first pool of water at 8.30
+p.m.; this was one mile above Camp 42, the water at which had dried up,
+though four feet deep on the 24th February. The pool at which we now
+camped appears to be permanent; it is 100 yards wide and 300 long, the
+water three feet deep close to the bank. Ducks were numerous, and I shot
+four in the morning. An easterly breeze continued through the day, and as
+usual there were a few clouds towards sunset. Unfortunately, the dry
+weather had warped the scale of the thermometer to such an extent that it
+broke the tube.
+
+DENISON PLAINS. WATER DRYING UP.
+
+17th March.
+
+We were again delayed by trifling circumstances, and did not leave the
+camp until 7.40 a.m., but having nearly cleared the desert the weather
+was comparatively cool. Steering an average course north-east, traversed
+the wide grassy plains on the right bank of Sturt's Creek, to which the
+name of Denison's Plains was given. At 2.0 p.m. camped at a small pool in
+the polygonum flat, which was all that remained of the water which had
+covered the flat to the extent of three-quarters of a mile in breadth,
+and was running when we passed down last month. Our course this day
+showed the great extent of the grassy plains to the north-west, as we did
+not see the limit at any point in that direction. Cool breeze from east
+with thin clouds all day.
+
+18th March.
+
+Left the camp at daylight and proceeded to Camp 40 on the outward route,
+and halted for the remainder of the day to rest the horses, as a heavy
+stage lay before us across the dry country. Large flocks of cockatoos
+came to the pool at this camp, and we shot thirty-three, which was a very
+welcome addition to our provisions. Strong easterly wind; passing clouds.
+
+19th March.
+
+Steered north 60 degrees east at 6.35 a.m., and followed up the course of
+the creek, crossing the right bank at 9.0, when there was nothing but the
+polygonum flat to mark its course; at 10.30 altered the course to nearly
+east, passing a large sheet of brackish water, which appeared deep and
+permanent at the lower end, but shallow at the upper part; at 11.20
+encamped at a small pool of fresh water in a back channel, the creek
+being brackish, and we were anxious to procure a supply of good water
+before proceeding further, as the next three stages of the outward track
+were now destitute of water. Strong easterly breeze; light clouds.
+
+20th March.
+
+At 5.55 am steered 110 degrees; at 6.20 struck a small creek with steep
+banks; altered the course to 90 degrees, crossing two small watercourses
+from the north with a little water in the deeper portions of their beds,
+the general character of the country box flats and open grassy plains
+near the creek. At 7.25 entered a large grassy plain extending north and
+east for ten miles, and at 9.15 halted at a small watercourse which
+retained a little water in a grassy hollow, our object in halting thus
+early being to enable us to start fresh in the afternoon, and, should the
+country continue open, to push on through the night, by which the water
+could be reached before the heat of the sun was too great for travelling.
+At 3.5 resumed our march and traversed level grassy plains extending one
+to five miles on each side of our route; at 7.0 observed a native fire
+about two miles to the north, from which we concluded that water existed
+at no great distance, and at 7.15 were fortunate in finding a pool of
+rainwater in a slight depression of the plain, and encamped. We could not
+find sufficient wood near the camp to boil our tea, but were satisfied
+with the discovery of a sufficient supply of water.
+
+21st March.
+
+We were again in the saddle at 5.15 a.m., and continuing our course north
+73 degrees east, reached the limit of the open plain, which turned to the
+south-east and extended to the horizon; at 6.40 entered the wooded
+country which bounded the plain, and the soil changed from a rich
+clay-loam to sandy and gravelly soil with fragments of sandstone, the
+vegetation consisting of small white-gum trees, shrubby acacia, and
+triodia, with a few patches of grass. The country gradually rose till
+9.25, when we came to an abrupt descent into the valley of Sturt's Creek,
+but the country did not improve in character till 10.20, when we came to
+the grassy flats; at 10.50 camped at a large open pool of water in the
+bed of the creek. On the pools there were large flights of whistling
+ducks, but so wild that they could not be approached within range of our
+guns. Moderate breeze from east with light clouds from south-east during
+the day. The weather has for the past ten days been so misty that I have
+not been able to get a good set of lunar distances, and it is useless to
+observe unless under circumstances favourable for accuracy.
+
+22nd March.
+
+5.35 a.m. found us again travelling up the creek on a northerly course;
+at 7.20 changed the course north-east by north, and at 11.30 camped about
+a mile below Camp 35. The hill at the bend of the creek proved to be
+basaltic, with a stratum of ironstone conglomerate resting on it. The
+pools of water in the bed of the creek were much reduced and all the
+smaller ones dried up.
+
+23rd March (Sunday).
+
+The feed and water not being in sufficient quantity to permit of our
+resting at this camp, we followed up the creek nearly on the outward
+course. A few miles above the creek a party of blacks came out of the
+creek and commenced a distant parley, but on one of the party approaching
+them they picked up their spears they had secreted in the grass and ran
+away into the bed of the creek. After six and a half hours' journey
+camped at the lower end of the pool, where we had halted on the 15th
+February; near the northern bend of the creek we passed a fine deep pool,
+which appears to retain water through the dry season. All the smaller
+pools had dried up, and the larger ones had sunk two feet since we were
+here in February.
+
+24th March.
+
+As the horses had not had a day's rest for some time past, we remained at
+the camp to refresh them before attempting to cross the dry country which
+divides the southern waters from those flowing to the north-west coast.
+As the nearest water which we knew to exist was now fifty miles to the
+east, and the country in that direction very bad travelling, we were now,
+however, eighty miles in a direct line from the depot camp, and as that
+course would take us over new and unexplored country I determined to
+attempt a direct route.
+
+1700 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
+
+25th March.
+
+At 6.20 a.m. steered north 40 degrees east, and, leaving Sturt's Creek,
+traversed open grassy plains till 9.5, when we entered a wooded country,
+with white-gum trees and underwood, acacia, triodia, and patches of
+grass; the soil a poor sandy red loam. At 11.0 passed to the south of an
+extensive grassy plain trending to the north-west; at 12.30 p.m. halted
+to ease the horses' backs from their loads, and resumed our route at
+1.40, and at 2.0 crossed a ridge of stony country which the aneroid
+showed to be about 1700 feet above the sea level, and was the highest
+spot yet visited by the Expedition. At 2.20 altered the course to east,
+and followed a slight depression till 4.0, when we came to a dry
+watercourse trending north-west; this was traced down in search of water
+till 6.30, when we halted for the night, without finding any water. The
+day being very calm and hot, the horses were very much distressed for
+want of water; but as there was a little green grass on the bank of the
+creek, they were able to feed for a few hours during the night.
+
+Latitude by Leonis 17 degrees 35 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+26th March.
+
+Proceeded down the creek, and at 7.20 a.m. came to a small pool of water,
+which the horses consumed in the space of a few minutes, but farther on
+came to a more abundant supply, and some of the pools appeared to be
+permanent, having a belt of water-pandanus and reeds round them; below
+this the channel was perfectly dry and sandy, but was much enlarged by
+numerous tributary gullies. At 12.50 p.m. came to a shallow pool, at
+which we camped. The country through which this creek passes is poor and
+stony, low hills of sandstone schist and limestone rising immediately
+behind the narrow strip of grassy land, which is fertilised by the
+overflow of the creek in the rainy season. The vegetable productions of
+the country seemed to be limited to a few small gum-trees, shrubby
+acacia, and triodia, with an occasional patch of grass. At the camp the
+bed of the creek was about forty yards wide, with banks fifteen feet
+high; the general course appeared to be north-west, a direction which
+renders it probable that it flows into Cambridge Gulf.
+
+Latitude by Pollux 17 degrees 25 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+SIXTY MILES WITHOUT WATER.
+
+27th March.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. left the camp and steered a course north 60 degrees east,
+gradually ascending among hills of schist and sandstone till 8.20, when
+we reached the level tableland. The principal trees were white-gum and
+silver-leafed ironbark, the soil a red loam of varying character, well
+grassed, but with patches of triodia, which affects a poor gravelly soil
+or deep sand. The country was now so nearly level that scarcely any rise
+or fall was discoverable, though the aneroid showed some slight
+undulations; at 1.15 p.m. halted for an hour, and at 6.0 camped in a
+patch of green grass, which enabled the horses to feed though they had no
+water. The weather was clear and hot during the day with a light easterly
+breeze, the night cloudy and very warm.
+
+DEPOT CAMP.
+
+28th March.
+
+At 5.10 a.m. resumed our course north 60 degrees east through a grassy
+forest of ironbark and bloodwood, with patches of small acacia and
+triodia. At 7.45 entered a series of open plains covered with high grass.
+The plains continued till 10.0, when we passed through an open gum
+forest, and the country declined to the east, and at 11.15 came on a
+small watercourse, which was dry and sandy. This we followed down to the
+north-east till 11.40, when it passed through a rocky gorge in a
+sandstone ridge, which rose at an angle of 30 degrees to the south-west
+and 40 degrees to the north-east, the latter being the dip of the strata.
+In this rocky gorge we could see some pools of water, but they were quite
+inaccessible from that side of the ridge, and we had to make a
+considerable detour to the south before we could descend to the plain
+below, and found a fine pool of water at the termination of the gorge, at
+which we halted and watered our thirsty horses. As we were now only two
+hours' ride from the depot camp, we after a short rest started again at
+3.10 p.m., and at 5.15 reached the depot camp, where we were welcomed by
+Mr. Baines and his party, and I was glad to find them all enjoying good
+health, and that the horses were in excellent condition. They had been,
+however, somewhat annoyed by the blacks, who had made frequent attempts
+to burn the camp, and also the horses, by setting fire to the grass, and
+on some occasions had come to actual hostilities, though by judicious
+management none of the party had been injured; nor was it certain that
+any of the blacks had been wounded, though it had been necessary to
+resort to the use of firearms in self-defence and for the protection of
+the horses.
+
+29th March.
+
+Returned our surplus provisions into store, when we found that the pieces
+of pork, originally four pounds weight each, were reduced to one-fifth of
+the original weight, as the long continuance of heat had melted the whole
+of the fat. Our ration had therefore been one pound flour, one-fifth
+pound salt pork, and two ounces sugar per diem. Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman
+rode out to round in the horses.
+
+Latitude by Regulus and e Argus 17 degrees 2 minutes.
+
+30th March (Sunday).
+
+Read prayers to those of the party who were in camp, some of the men
+having been sent out to attend to the horses. Mr. Baines having handed me
+his journal, I regret to find that he has been compelled to make an entry
+regarding Mr. Flood, who had refused to attend to his order to carry arms
+while on watch at night on the 18th March. I therefore called on Mr.
+Flood for any statement he had to make in extenuation of his conduct. His
+replies were, however, extremely unsatisfactory, and only attempted to
+excuse the act on account of some private misunderstanding with Mr.
+Baines some months previous, and that the order to wear his pistol was
+given before he had time to put on his clothes. There had, however, been
+a distinct refusal to obey the orders of the officer in charge of the
+party, and those orders were neither vexatious or unreasonable, as they
+were simply in enforcement of well-established regulations. I therefore
+cautioned Mr. Flood that unless his future conduct was more satisfactory
+than it had hitherto been I should remove his name from the list of
+officers taking command in the Expedition, according to the general
+orders of the 27th August, 1855. The weather continues cloudy and calm,
+and, though the temperature is not extreme, it is very oppressive.
+
+31st March.
+
+Examining and packing stores in readiness for the exploration of the
+valley of the Victoria to the east of the depot. Found the stores in good
+condition, though the bags had been much injured by the rats and white
+ants. Although in some respects it would be more convenient to move the
+party at once to the bank of the Victoria before examining the country
+beyond, yet as the horses were now accustomed to the run near the depot,
+and the huts and stockyard rendered the station a more safe and
+convenient spot than any we could elsewhere select, I therefore decided
+on leaving the party here until I had explored the country to the east,
+and then move the whole party down the right bank of the river, by which
+the number and magnitude of the tributaries from the east would be
+ascertained, as this was an important point with reference to the
+contemplated journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
+
+1st April.
+
+Preparing equipment for a light party to explore the country to the east
+of the camp; shod six horses, and packed eighteen days' provisions for
+four persons. The weather continues cloudy, with light variable winds.
+
+EXPLORE EAST OF THE DEPOT.
+
+2nd April.
+
+At 6.45 am started from the depot with Messrs. H. Gregory, Baines, and
+John Fahey, taking four riding and two pack horses, carrying eighteen
+days' rations, etc. Steered east over an undulating grassy country of
+basaltic formation with occasional sandstone ridges; the soil was
+generally good, but very stony. I had already traversed this country, and
+as the day was very misty with much rain, nothing worthy of further
+record was observed. At 1.30 p.m. altered the course to east-south-east,
+and at 3.15 camped on a large creek trending north-east, in the bed of
+which were large pools of a permanent character. The hills were basaltic,
+but the creeks having cut through the rocks and excavated the sandstone,
+the valleys were not of such a fertile character as the plains and
+ridges. Timber was wholly absent, and only a few small trees were seen at
+intervals on the hills. The morning was cloudy with light rain, but it
+cleared towards sunset.
+
+Latitude by e Argus 17 degrees 4 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+3rd April.
+
+Resumed our route at 6.30, and steered east-south-east to a basaltic
+hill, which we reached at 7.40; from the summit a great extent of country
+was visible, but there were no marked features, as the broken ranges and
+isolated hills were nearly similar to each other. The whole country
+appeared to be a nearly level basaltic plain, with masses of sandstone
+rising 100 to 200 feet above its surface, while the valleys of the creek
+were excavated to the depth of 100 feet. The country was well grassed,
+but very stony; but this, though very inconvenient to the traveller, does
+not render it less valuable for pasture, as stony land always stands
+feeding better than any other. At 8.20 altered the course to nearly east
+towards a low ridge of hills. The plain was well grassed till 12.50 p.m.,
+when the sandstone prevailed on the surface and triodia prevailed in the
+valleys. At 1.50 followed down a rocky ravine, and at 2.15 encamped.
+
+THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+4th April.
+
+At 6.5 a.m. left the camp and followed the gully to the east-south-east;
+at 7.0 crossed a sandstone ridge, and beyond it a large creek from the
+south-west, in the bed of which there were some fine pools of water. We
+then ascended to a basaltic plain, and altered the course to south-east;
+at 8.0 the country gradually declined to the east, and sandstone was the
+prevailing rock, but grass was abundant. At 9.40 reached the Victoria,
+the course from south-south-west to north-north-east; the river had
+ceased to run and was now only in large pools; crossed to the right bank
+and steered south half an hour, and camped on the bank of a creek from
+south-south-east; at noon the sky was overcast, and at 2 p.m. it
+commenced raining and continued till 4.30, with thunder; heavy dew at
+night. After it commenced raining the aneroid fell 0.10, but rose again
+before it ceased. In this part of Australia neither wind nor rain appear
+to affect the atmospheric pressure to any great extent.
+
+ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.
+
+5th April.
+
+The result of the rain yesterday was a thick fog this morning, and when
+we left the camp at 5.50 a.m. we could not see 100 yards, and we
+traversed the basaltic plain in an east course till 7.0, when the fog
+cleared away and we found ourselves at the foot of some low rocky hills
+of basalt, over which we travelled north 70 degrees east. These hills
+were very rough and stony, but covered with excellent grass. We then
+entered a basaltic plain, richly grassed and less stony than usual. At
+9.30 crossed a basaltic ridge and entered a large valley trending to the
+north and east; at 10.10 ascended a rocky hill about 150 feet high, and
+got bearings of the ranges, etc. The country appeared to consist of
+grassy hills and plains, extending twenty to thirty miles to the north
+and east. To the south a range of basalt and sandstone hills intercepted
+the view. Steered east from the hill, and traversed an undulating
+country, the rocks being basalt, sandstone schist, and jasper; the basalt
+forming the higher ground, though on the banks of the creek the jasper
+rested on the basalt. At 2.10 p.m. encamped on a large creek with a
+gravelly channel twenty yards wide. Fahey obtained a large quantity of
+mussels from the pools in the creek; they proved an excellent addition to
+our supper, though rather deficient in flavour. The weather was cloudy,
+and, though there was an occasional sight of the sun, we could observe
+neither the commencement or end of the solar eclipse. I was therefore
+unable to avail myself of it for correcting the longitude.
+
+Latitude by e Argus 17 degrees 9 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+6th April.
+
+Left the camp at 6.10 a.m. and steered east over a grassy plain; at 7.25
+crossed some wide channels from the south-east, forming a large creek; at
+8.15 turned south-east and followed the creek till noon. It then turned
+south, and at 12.15 p.m. we camped at a shallow pool of muddy water. The
+creek was here divided into several small channels, in which only a few
+pools of water remained. The whole of the country traversed this day was
+nearly level, well grassed, and very open. Basalt and jasper are the
+prevailing rocks.
+
+Latitude by Regulus and Argus 17 degrees 15 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+7th April.
+
+As the creek appeared to come from the south and not to have a long
+course, but to rise in the low sandstone ranges which were visible in
+that direction, it was useless to follow it farther; we therefore steered
+northwards to intercept any streams which might join the Victoria River
+lower down its course, and, after travelling over open grassy ridges of
+basalt for six hours, at 12.25 p.m. camped at a small gully, in which
+there were some small pools, which appeared to be supplied by springs.
+The country for five to ten miles to the east of our track appeared open
+and grassy, basalt being the prevailing rock.
+
+RUNNING WATER. FINE PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+8th April.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. left the camp, and steered an average west-north-west course
+over an undulating grassy country of basaltic formation; at 11.45 reached
+the bank of the creek, which formed fine pools fifty yards wide, with
+fine open grassy country on both sides, well suited for stock. Followed
+the creek west till 1.5 p.m., when we crossed to the left bank and
+encamped.
+
+Latitude by Regulus and Argus 16 degrees 59 minutes.
+
+9th April.
+
+Continued our route down the creek in a northerly direction, leaving the
+camp at 6.15 a.m., and at 7.55 reached its junction with the Victoria.
+The river had high banks and formed deep reaches of water, with a dense
+growth of pandanus, melaleuca, flooded-gum, and other trees in the dry
+portions of the channel; the country on both banks was basaltic, and rose
+gradually into fine grassy downs; the soil very stony, but a good dark
+loam; sandstone showed where the river had cut through the basalt, which
+is not of any great thickness. At 2.35 p.m. camped on a back channel of
+the river, as the principal channel was difficult of access from the
+steep bank and dense growth of reeds. Although the upper part of the
+Victoria had long ceased to run, this part of the river was flowing with
+a strong stream ten yards wide and six feet deep.
+
+Latitude by Regulus and Argus 16 degrees 45 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+10th April.
+
+Continued our route at 6.5 a.m., and followed the river northward till
+8.10, when it turned to the north-west; the country consisted of nearly
+level grassy plains of various elevations, separated by low rocky ridges
+of sandstone and basalt, the whole well grassed, except some small
+patches where triodia prevailed; at 11.0 altered the course to average
+north-west by west, and at 1.30 p.m. camped at a small gully with a
+little water remaining from a recent shower. The horses suffered much
+from the heat, as the air was very moist; at 1.40 there was a shower of
+rain, and the temperature was reduced from 95 degrees to 84 degrees.
+
+Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 35 minutes 8 seconds.
+
+11th April.
+
+Started from the camp at 6.30 a.m., steering west-south-west; at first
+sandstone prevailed, and triodia replaced the grass, but at two miles
+again entered the basaltic country, which was well grassed but very
+stony, and forming flat-topped hills of small elevation; the basalt
+appeared to be interstratified with sandstone, the latter much altered at
+the line of contact. At 9.15 came on the bank of the river, which was
+running in a deep channel with a dense line of pandanus, fig-trees,
+terminalia, flooded-gum, and melaleuca; followed the valley of the river
+to the north-west till noon, and camped at the foot of the hill which we
+had ascended, at the most southern point attained in December, 1855;
+ascended the hill and took the bearings, as on the former occasion the
+rain had obscured the features of the country.
+
+Latitude by Leonis and Argus 16 degrees 27 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+12th April.
+
+Having connected this part of our route with that of December last, at
+6.20 a.m. commenced our return up the river, crossing to the left bank at
+7.15; the water was running strong twenty yards, and one to two feet
+deep; in examining the ford my horse trod on the back of a large
+alligator, which seemed to be equally astonished as the horse at this
+unexpected meeting; I then proceeded up the river a mile and a half and
+halted, as Mr. H. Gregory, who I had sent to examine the river in another
+part, had not come up with the party, but he shortly after overtook us,
+having found a good ford lower down the river; at 4.0 p.m. resumed our
+journey, and at dusk encamped in the bed of a large creek, which joined
+the Victoria from the south-south-west; at 7.0 it commenced raining, and
+there were frequent showers till midnight, with thunder and lightning.
+
+HUTT PLAINS.
+
+13th April.
+
+As the creek in which we bivouacked seemed to come from the south-west,
+we followed the valley in that direction; at 6.40 a.m. the hills
+receding, the grassy flats appeared to extend to the Wickham River and
+form a continuation of Hutt Plains; the creek now came from the
+south-south-west and had some fine pools of water in the channel; at 2.10
+p.m. camped at a shallow pool in the grassy flat, as the water in the
+creek was not very easy of access owing to the dense masses of reeds and
+grass. The hills which bound the valley of the creek are basalt,
+sandstone, and schist. In the level ground near the creek the grass was
+five to nine feet high, and greatly impeded our horses. The day was cool
+and cloudy with some light showers at night. The aneroid barometer was
+completely put out of adjustment by the principal lever having been moved
+from its position by a violent shake in crossing one of the deep gullies.
+
+NATIVE PAINTINGS.
+
+14th April.
+
+At 6.10 a.m. resumed our journey up the creek in a southerly direction,
+the valley gradually narrowing, and in one part of the sandstone rocks
+came close to the banks of the creek, leaving scarcely space to pass
+between them and the deep pools of water; at 12.30 p.m. camped on the
+right bank. The basaltic hills appeared to turn to the south-east, and we
+now entered the sandstone country. The valley of this creek appears to
+offer the best line of access to the upper part of the valley of the
+Victoria, as it is nearly level from Hutt Plains to 10.40 in this day's
+journey, beyond which point drays would have to ascend the hills and turn
+to the south-east to reach Roe's Downs, which is the finest part of the
+country yet examined. A short distance below our camp we saw several
+native paintings on the sandstone rocks; they consisted of rude outlines
+of fish and snakes, some in red ochre and others in white clay. Mr.
+Baines sketched some of the most remarkable.
+
+Latitude by Argus 16 degrees 55 minutes.
+
+15th April.
+
+At 6.25 a.m. recommenced our journey and followed the creek, which turned
+to the west, and the country became extremely rugged, and at length, as
+the valley became impassable, we ascended the hills and steered
+south-west across a very rocky sandstone country to the basaltic plains.
+Changing the course to west-north-west, crossed two tributary creeks, and
+at 3.40 p.m. camped on the bank of the creek, which was now much reduced
+in size. The country to the north of the creek consisted of very rough
+and rocky hills of red sandstone, extremely barren in appearance, while
+to the south it rose into the basaltic plain which forms Roe's Downs.
+
+Latitude by Argus 17 degrees 6 seconds.
+
+16th April.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.45 a.m. and travelled in a west by north course
+towards a remarkable basaltic hill, which I called Mount Sanford,
+traversing a fine open grassy country till 1.0 p.m., when we camped on a
+creek with permanent pools of water. The rough stony country has rendered
+the horses quite footsore, and their legs are much cut and bruised by
+constantly falling over the large rocks in crossing the deep ravines and
+rocky ridges.
+
+Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 59 minutes 38 seconds.
+
+RETURN TO DEPOT CAMP.
+
+17th April.
+
+Started at 6.25 a.m. and reached Mount Sanford at 7.30, the country
+passed being sandstone producing triodia and a little grass. The hill is
+of basalt with a flat top, but is based on sandstone; its form is nearly
+a truncated cone 150 feet high and 300 feet in diameter at the top.
+Having taken angles to the surrounding hills, we descended and steered
+south-west and west to the depot camp at 1.0 p.m. During our absence Dr.
+Mueller had found full employment in collecting the plants in the
+vicinity of the camp, and the rest of the party had been fully occupied
+in the care of the horses and duties of the camp. I was glad to find that
+they had not been again molested by the blacks.
+
+18th April.
+
+Preparing maps of the late excursion to the east of the depot; party
+preparing for the return to principal camp.
+
+19th April.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+20th April (Sunday).
+
+A fine cool breeze from the south, with thin clouds.
+
+21st April.
+
+Several of the horses had strayed some distance from the camp, and we did
+not start till 12.30 p.m., when we steered north by west till 5.15 p.m.
+and camped at a small creek in a deep rocky valley; the country after
+leaving the basaltic plain was very rocky, the hills composed of schist
+with a superstratum of red sandstone; grass was abundant in the valley,
+but the hills produced little but triodia and small gum-trees.
+
+START FOR MAIN CAMP.
+
+22nd April.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. steered east down the creek one mile to its junction with
+Depot Creek, which was followed north and north-north-east till 8.40. The
+back country rose into sandstone hills covered with triodia; but there
+were good grassy flats on the bank of the creek. The creek then entered a
+rocky gorge about 100 yards wide, with cliffs upward of 100 feet high on
+each side. With some difficulty we forced our way through the dense
+growth of reeds and brush, among huge masses of rock and deep pools of
+water, till 10.10, when we reached a more open part of the valley. The
+creek now turned to east-north-east, and the wide valley was bounded by
+low schist hills to the north and the sandstone range we had just passed
+to the south; except in the lower part of the valley and a few small
+patches on the hills the country was very poor and stony, triodia taking
+the place of the grass; water was abundant in the bed of the creek, where
+it formed large permanent pools, between which there was a small stream
+of running water in the upper part of the creek, but lower down the
+channel was dry between the pools; at 1.0 p.m. camped on the right bank
+of the creek; crossed to the left bank of the creek at 6.20 p.m. and
+followed it north-east one hour, when the creek turned east and our
+course was over stony ridges; it was now found that one of the horses was
+missing, having been lost in one of the dense thickets on the bed of the
+creek. Mr. H. Gregory therefore returned to search for the lost animal,
+and we halted till 9.20, and then went on with the party, leaving Mr.
+Baines to wait on the track till Mr. Gregory came up; at 10.20 p.m.
+reached the Wickham River and followed it down to the junction of Depot
+Creek, which we crossed at noon, and camped in a grassy flat about a mile
+lower down; at 2.0 am Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Baines came into the camp,
+but had not been able to find the missing horse; at 3.0 a.m. Mr. H.
+Gregory and Bowman started to look for the horse.
+
+24th April.
+
+At 10.30 Mr. H. Gregory brought in the pack-horse lost yesterday.
+Fortunately, this horse was not carrying a load, and though the saddle
+got under the horse's belly nothing was injured.
+
+25th April.
+
+Followed the river down from 7.40 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. and encamped at
+9.10 p.m.; crossed a large tributary creek from the south; the country
+was grassy near the river, but rose into rocky hills with flat tops at a
+short distance from it; light rain from 4.0 a.m. till 1.0 p.m., with
+light easterly breeze.
+
+CROSS THE VICTORIA RANGE. STOKES' RANGE.
+
+26th April.
+
+Continued the route along the right bank of the Wickham from 7.45 a.m.
+till 3.15 p.m., the general course east-north-east, and camped; after
+passing the gorge in the sandstone range, which was very narrow and
+rocky, the country opened into level plains. The best line of route to
+the upper part of the Wickham is near Mount Warburton, as the sandstone
+hills which form the rocky gorge are detached; the day was cool and
+cloudy, with a strong easterly breeze in the morning, and it commenced
+raining at sunset.
+
+27th April.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. left the camp and steered east to the Victoria River, but as
+we could not find a fording place, turned north to the Wickham, and
+encamped on its banks at 12.25. The bank of the Victoria being so densely
+covered with reeds that the water was not accessible; at noon I rode out
+with Mr. H. Gregory to search for a ford, as I wished to keep on the
+right bank of the river to ascertain what tributary streams joined from
+the east; after three hours' search found a practicable ford and returned
+to the camp after dark. In the afternoon the blacks were heard calling on
+the left bank of the Wickham, near the camp, but were not seen, owing to
+the thick brush and reeds which filled the bed of the river.
+
+28th April.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. steered south to the Victoria and reached the ford at 8.35,
+and at 9.0 a.m., having accomplished the passage of the river with only a
+few slight accidents, followed the right bank of the Victoria downwards
+till 1.15 p.m., and encamped on the eastern side of the Victoria; the
+country was level and well grassed for several miles back, and then rose
+into the sandstone range to the south and basaltic hills to the east.
+
+29th April.
+
+At 7.10 a.m. steered north-east over a nearly level grassy basaltic
+country with low hills to the east of our route; at 8.0 a.m. altered the
+course to north and traversed a fine grassy country with table hills of
+basalt resting on chert and sandstone; crossed one creek from the
+south-east with a muddy channel fifteen yards wide; at 2.0 p.m. changed
+the course to north 300 degrees east, and at 4.15 p.m. reached the bank
+of the Victoria; but it was so steep that the horses could not approach
+the water, and therefore followed it to the rocky ford east-south-east
+from Mount Sandiman and encamped.
+
+30th April.
+
+Crossed the left bank of the river at 7.0 a.m., but one of the horses
+injured his leg among the rocks, and the wound had to be sewn up, which
+delayed us till 8.20 a.m., when we steered north-west to Jasper Creek,
+which, after much labour in forcing a passage through the reeds, we
+crossed at 11.25 a.m., and at 12.55 p.m. encamped on the bank of the
+Victoria, at the commencement of the rocky gorge through Stokes' Range.
+
+1st May.
+
+Proceeded down the river, leaving the camp at 6.50 a.m., and at 2.15 p.m.
+encamped a short distance above our camp of the 8th December, 1855.
+
+2nd May.
+
+Continued route from 6.45 a.m. till 1.0 p.m., and encamped one mile above
+our bivouac of the 28th December.
+
+3rd May.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.45 a.m. and followed the left bank of the river
+till 10.10 a.m., when we encamped at the spot where we crossed the
+Victoria on the 28th November, 1855; at 2.0 p.m. crossed the river with
+Mr. H. Gregory, and rode to the east to examine a large creek which
+joined the Victoria two miles below the camp. The creek was thirty to
+forty yards wide, with high muddy banks covered with reeds, and the marks
+of floods were fifty feet above its present level; the general appearance
+was that of a stream having a course of forty to fifty miles. The wide
+flat on the left bank of the creek was well grassed; but the valley was
+bounded by steep sandstone hills covered with triodia and scrub; returned
+to the camp at 5.0 p.m.
+
+6th May.
+
+As we should have to pass this camp on our route to the Gulf of
+Carpentaria, I deposited 100 pounds of flour and a quantity of shot and
+lead, horse-shoes, etc., in a cleft in the rocks, and covered them with
+large stones, and then set the grass on fire to deface our tracks; at
+8.15 a.m. left the camp and proceeded along our former track till noon,
+and camped on a small creek two miles east-south-east from Bynoe Range.
+
+7th May.
+
+Left the camp at 8.10 a.m. and steered north 240 degrees east over a
+level grassy country, wooded with bauhinia, acacia, and eucalypti--the
+latter being more abundant as we advanced; at 1.0 p.m. the country
+changed to low rocky ridges of chert and limestone, and at 2.0 p.m.
+encamped at a small creek trending north-west, and in which a few small
+muddy pools of water remained. At noon we passed a party of five or six
+blacks, who shouted to us from a distance, but would not approach within
+200 yards. They were armed with spears, and seemed to be on their return
+from hunting, as the grass was on fire to the south.
+
+8th May.
+
+At 7.20 resumed our journey, and steering west crossed a fine creek with
+fine pools and water-pandanus growing on the banks. We then traversed a
+very rocky country, at the southern base of the sandstone range, till
+11.0, when we came to a more level and grassy country, consisting of
+chert ridges. At noon steered north 300 degrees east down the valley of a
+small creek, and soon entered a deep valley bounded on both sides by
+steep sandstone hills. At 1.0 p.m. turned north 320 degrees east, and at
+2.20 camped at a shallow pool in the bed of the creek, which was now in
+the limestone rock.
+
+REACH THE MAIN CAMP.
+
+9th May.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. resumed our journey down the valley to the junction of the
+creek with the Victoria River, which we followed down, crossing the ridge
+at Steep Head at 10.20, and reached the principal camp at 5.30 p.m.,
+where we were welcomed by Mr. Elsey, who was in charge, Mr. Wilson being
+absent down the river at the schooner, which had been laid on the shingle
+bank near the Dome to complete repairs. I was glad to learn that all the
+men belonging to the Expedition were in good health, except Richards,
+whose hand was still in a very unsatisfactory state, though better than
+when we left in January. The crew of the schooner had not been so
+fortunate, as the carpenter, John Finlay, had died, and three of the men
+were so ill that they had been left at the camp to be under the immediate
+care of the medical officer. This great amount of sickness is owing to
+the combined effects of previous disease and the inferior quality of the
+provisions with which the vessel is supplied. It appears that through
+damage by salt water and want of good management the provisions, which
+should have been sufficient for two years, are now reduced to salt beef
+of inferior quality and tea, the Expedition having had to furnish flour,
+rice, sugar, peas, and pork, as also medical stores, for the sick men. In
+consequence of the reduced number of the crew of the Tom Tough, Mr.
+Wilson had found it necessary to furnish men to assist in working the
+schooner, as well as to effect repairs.
+
+10th May.
+
+Much of the grass near the camp having been burnt, I sent the horses to
+the creek, three miles above the camp. Party employed in general duties
+of the camp. Twenty-nine sheep remained; they are now in fair condition;
+the average weight forty to forty-five pounds. They would probably have
+been much fatter had they been judiciously shepherded, but they had been
+kept close to the camp, where the feed had been eaten off closely. The
+natives have been frequently at the camp in small parties, and on these
+occasions were very quiet in their demeanour, but had made hostile
+demonstrations when met by small detached parties of the Expedition; and
+on one occasion Mr. Wilson had deemed it necessary to fire at them; but
+only one of the blacks appears to have been wounded, with small shot, in
+the arm, as he was afterwards seen at the camp.
+
+11th May (Sunday).
+
+12th May.
+
+Preparing maps, arranging stores, etc.
+
+13th May.
+
+Drawing maps of the late journey and preparing for the Expedition to the
+Albert River.
+
+THE TOM TOUGH REFITTED.
+
+14th May.
+
+Preparing maps, sifting flour, packing specimens, burning charcoal for
+the forge, preparing horse-shoes. At 6 p.m. Mr. Wilson returned in the
+boat from the Tom Tough. One of the boys belonging to the schooner was
+brought to the camp for medical treatment, as he was suffering from
+scurvy. The Tom Tough had been moored below the shoals, and was now
+moored in a secure position below Curiosity Peak. All the leaks had been
+secured, and she now only made about half an inch of water per hour. The
+crew of the vessel have been so much reduced by sickness that it will be
+necessary to send men on board to assist in refitting the vessel and
+procure a supply of wood and water. As it is necessary to replace the
+stores destroyed or damaged by salt-water, it appears desirable that the
+Tom Tough should proceed to the Gulf of Carpentaria via Coupang, in the
+island of Timor, where a supply of rice and sugar can be procured for the
+Expedition, and the vessel will be enabled to complete her stores. It
+appears desirable that the land party should refit with all possible
+despatch for the journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria, in order to take
+advantage of the cool season, and there is reason to expect that the
+horses will be sufficiently recruited in strength towards the end of
+June. I am, therefore, in hope that the party will be able to leave the
+Victoria before the expiration of the ensuing month. A small party of
+natives came to the camp in the morning and bartered a few trifles, and
+then retired.
+
+15th May.
+
+Continued preparation of maps; party employed in preparations for the
+journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria, camp duties, and preparing oakum for
+the schooner. Having found that the pork had been so much reduced in
+weight during the late journey, I made some experiments in the
+preparation of meat biscuits by mixing the preserved fresh beef with
+flour in equal proportions, with satisfactory results, as the reduction
+in weight by baking was 33 per cent.
+
+16th May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+17th May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+18th May (Sunday).
+
+19th May.
+
+Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller being desirous of proceeding up the
+Baines River to collect specimens, etc., made the necessary arrangements
+for the same, and they therefore proceeded in the boat with Phibbs,
+Humphries, and Shewell to the schooner; the men were then to return to
+the camp with a cargo of stores; and Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller
+were to proceed up Baines' River in the small boat which they were to
+obtain from the schooner. Richards is in charge of the sheep; Macdonald
+cook during the week; Bowman and Melville in charge of horses; Dean
+preparing saddle-bags and harness; Fahey and Selby burning charcoal and
+general camp duties.
+
+20th May.
+
+Party employed as before. The weather continues fine, with southerly
+winds.
+
+21st May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+22nd May.
+
+Party employed as before. At noon the boat returned from the schooner
+with stores; Captain Gourlay also came up in the gig to the camp; he
+informed me that the schooner now only made ten inches of water per day,
+and that she would be ready for sea so soon as the upper seams were
+caulked, and that he considered her perfectly seaworthy for the purpose
+of the expedition.
+
+23rd May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+24th May.
+
+Despatched the boat to the schooner with three cases containing
+sationery, tobacco, clothing, etc. Captain Gourlay returned to the Tom
+Tough.
+
+25th May (Sunday).
+
+PREPARATIONS FOR JOURNEY EASTWARD.
+
+26th May.
+
+Party employed preparing equipment for the journey to the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+27th May.
+
+As before.
+
+29th May.
+
+Party employed as before. Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller returned
+with the long-boat and gig from the schooner, having been about thirty
+miles up Baines' River to the south-west of Curiosity Hill. Mr. Wilson
+brought a native in the boat from Stony Spit.
+
+30th May.
+
+Party employed as before, and packing stores to be put on board the
+schooner.
+
+31st May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+1st June (Sunday).
+
+2nd June.
+
+Party employed preparing saddlery and equipment for the journey to the
+Gulf of Carpentaria.
+
+3rd June.
+
+Mr. Baines proceeded in the boat to the schooner (which was now anchored
+below the shoals), conveying a quantity of stores. Boat's crew: Phibbs,
+Humphries, Dean, and Selby; remainder of party at the camp employed as
+before. Preparing map of route up the Victoria River, etc.
+
+4th June.
+
+Party employed as before, namely, shoeing horses, restuffing saddles, and
+other preparations for journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Received from
+Mr. Wilson a journal of his proceedings from 31st January to 3rd March,
+and 1st April to 14th May.
+
+5th June.
+
+Party at camp employed as before. Mr. Baines returned with the gig.
+Boat's crew: Phibbs, Humphries, Dean, Selby, and Dawson, also one of the
+seaman belonging to the schooner; received a note from the master of the
+Tom Tough, complaining that Dawson had used abusive language to Mr.
+Gourlay; but as it appeared that considerable provocation had been given,
+I only reprimanded Dawson for his conduct. Mr. Baines informed me that on
+the 4th instant he had landed early in the day from the schooner, in
+company with Captain Gourlay, Dawson, and one of the seamen (Adams), for
+the purpose of bartering with a party of natives, about twenty in number.
+The blacks having been allowed to come close to the boat, stole a
+tomahawk, and on Adams making a demonstration of detaining one of their
+number until the stolen article was returned, one of the blacks seized
+his gun and tried to wrest it from him; but, Captain Gourlay approaching,
+he ran into the bush, and the rest of the blacks retired; the party then
+returned to the schooner. The tomahawk was afterwards found in the water
+near where the boat had landed.
+
+6th June.
+
+Party employed as before; the shoeing of the horses progresses rapidly,
+Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman shoeing five horses each day, although some of
+them are very restive.
+
+7th June.
+
+Mr. Elsey proceeded in the gig with Phibbs, Humphries, Selby, and Adams,
+conveying the two sick men and boy belonging to the schooner crew to the
+Tom Tough. Mr. Wilson requested me to hold an investigation into the
+circumstances attending the landing of a party from the Tom Tough on the
+4th instant, to traffic with the blacks, as he deemed it very imprudent,
+when so large a number of natives were assembled on the shore, to land
+with only four persons, though they were all armed; and adverted to the
+possible results of such a proceeding, which he said might have
+terminated the hitherto undisturbed harmony which had been maintained by
+the parties in his charge during my absence in their intercourse with the
+aborigines, and stated that he considered the evidence of men who were
+not present, but on board the schooner at the time of the party landing,
+was more to be relied on than Mr. Baines' statement, which had been made
+before the officers generally. As Mr. Baines had minutely detailed the
+whole transaction to me, and nothing farther was alleged by Mr. Wilson,
+who appeared to be actuated by no friendly feelings towards Mr. Baines,
+and my investigation would have only been an expression of a want of
+confidence in the veracity of Mr. Baines, which I could not entertain, I
+informed Mr. Wilson that I did not see any necessity for the
+investigation suggested. Party employed preparing equipment, shoeing
+horses, baking meat biscuits, etc. Rain at night.
+
+8th June (Sunday).
+
+MAKE MEAT BISCUITS.
+
+9th June.
+
+Completed shoeing the horses; party employed making small tents and
+saddle-bags, fitting pack-saddles, baking biscuits; Dr. Mueller
+collecting and arranging botanical specimens.
+
+ARRANGEMENT OF PARTY.
+
+10th June.
+
+Party employed as before, and preparing extra shoes for the horses, etc.
+Mr. Elsey returned with the gig from the schooner; boat's crew: Phibbs,
+Humphries, and Selby; the sick men had reached the vessel without any
+serious difficulty, although the boat grounded on the banks, and was
+thereby detained till next tide, and thus kept them several hours exposed
+to the rain.
+
+11th June.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+12th June.
+
+Completed baking 300 pounds of preserved beef and 300 pounds of flour
+into biscuits, which weighed 480 pounds when dry. A 6-pound tin of beef,
+with the soup and fat, was added to 6 pounds of flour, 1 ounce of salt
+(no water being used), and the whole made up into dough and baked in the
+ordinary form of sea biscuits; the result was 8 pounds, and thus 1 1/4
+pounds contained 1 pound of flour and 1 pound of meat.
+
+13th June.
+
+Mr. Baines proceeded with Phibbs, Humphries, and Selby in the gig to the
+Tom Tough, with stores not required at the camp, and for the purpose of
+returning with soap and other stores required for the outfit of the land
+expedition. Party employed as before. Mr. Wilson completed and furnished
+to me a sketch of the Western branch of the Victoria River, which had
+been discovered by Mr. Baines in December, 1855, while searching for
+stray horses, and which I had then named after him. Preparing maps, etc.,
+for transmission to the Governor-General of Australia.
+
+14th June.
+
+Wrote to Governor-General, reporting progress of the North Australian
+Expedition. Party employed as before; set of spare horse-shoes completed.
+
+15th June (Sunday).
+
+The weather has been remarkably cool and clear for several days, the
+temperature at sunrise 48 to 52 degrees.
+
+16th June.
+
+Mr. Baines returned from the schooner with the gig and long-boat (boat's
+crew as before) bringing the stores required for the land party. Party at
+the camp preparing equipment for expedition to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
+Mr. Wilson requested to be informed whether I had decided to attach him
+to the party which was to be organised at the Gulf of Carpentaria for the
+exploration of the country towards Moreton Bay, and in reply I informed
+him that so many unforeseen circumstances might occur before reaching the
+Albert River to require me to modify any arrangements made at the present
+time, that I should not select the individuals to form that party till we
+reached the Albert River. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter stating that
+unless I would now decide that he was to form one of the party proceeding
+from the Albert River overland to Moreton Bay, he was desirous of
+resigning his appointment of geologist to the North Australian
+Expedition. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply, stating that I could not comply
+with his request.
+
+17th June.
+
+Preparing copies of letters to Governor-General of Australia for
+transmission to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Party preparing
+for journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter
+stating that he declined to perform any further duties as an officer of
+the North Australian Expedition unless I complied with certain conditions
+therein named. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply, and informed him that he was
+henceforth suspended from any command in the Expedition. As I could not
+now include Mr. Wilson in the party proceeding to the Albert River by
+land, I requested Dr. Mueller to prepare to take Mr. Wilson's place in
+the party.
+
+18th June.
+
+Issued a general order, Number 4, suspending Mr. Wilson from any further
+command in the exploring party till further orders. Party employed as
+before--preparing equipment. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter relative
+to his being suspended from any further command in the party.
+
+19th June.
+
+Wrote to Mr. Baines instructing him to take charge of the portion of the
+North Australian Expedition proceeding in the Tom Tough to the Albert
+River. Preparing equipment for explorations towards the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+20th June.
+
+Wrote to the Governor-General of Australia, forwarding copies of
+correspondence with Mr. Wilson. Wrote to Secretary of State for the
+Colonies forwarding copies of despatches to the Governor-General. Wrote
+to master of Tom Tough schooner, instructing him to proceed to Coepang
+for supplies, and thence to Albert River. Wrote to Mr. Baines two letters
+of instructions; inspected equipment, and fitted the saddles of the party
+proceeding overland to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Wrote to Mr. Wilson a
+letter in reply to his communication of the 18th.
+
+START FOR GULF OF CARPENTARIA.
+
+21st June.
+
+At 10.0 a.m. left the principal camp on the Victoria with a party
+consisting of Messrs. H. Gregory, Elsey, and Dr. Mueller, Robert Bowman,
+Charles Dean, and J. Melville, seven saddle and twenty-seven pack horses,
+conveying five months' provisions of salt pork and meat biscuits, and six
+months' supply of flour, tea, sugar, coffee, etc., twenty-six pounds of
+gunpowder, sixty pounds bullets, 1 hundredweight shot, 5000 caps, etc.
+Proceeding up the left bank of the Victoria, crossed the ridge at back of
+Steep Head, and at 3.15 p.m. camped about three-quarters of a mile above
+it on the bank of the river.
+
+22nd June (Sunday).
+
+At 7.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the river up for ten miles, and
+then along a small creek four miles south-south-east; but the country
+proving very steep and rocky, returned one mile and camped at 3 p.m.
+
+23rd June.
+
+Left the camp at 7.0 a.m., and returned down the valley of the creek to
+the river, and kept along the bank of the Victoria to the junction of
+Beagle Creek. We ascended for five miles, and camped at 11.0, as there
+was no water between this point and the Victoria at Bynoe Range on the
+Beagle Valley route, and the distance was too great to be commenced at
+this late hour of the day.
+
+24th June.
+
+Started at 7.0 a.m., and steered east through an open box forest nearly
+level and well grassed. The grass had been burnt off by the blacks, but
+had shot up to a foot in height. Passed to the south of the Fitzroy
+Range; the valley between it and Stokes' Range similar to Beagle Valley,
+and about four miles wide. Keeping close to Stokes' Range, passed behind
+some of the detached hills at 4.20 p.m. Reached our old camp of the 5th
+May, and found the stores we had left secreted in the rocks undisturbed.
+
+25th June.
+
+Having distributed the stores which had been left here in May among the
+several pack-horses, at 7.15 a.m. resumed our route up the river, and
+crossed to the right bank two miles above the creek we intended to
+ascend, and camped at 11.0. Marked a large gum-tree Delta V.
+
+Latitude by b and a2 Centauri 15 degrees 39 minutes 17 seconds.
+
+LEAVE THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+26th June.
+
+Left the camp at 7.0 a.m., and followed the creek upwards to the
+east-south-east for five miles. The valley was about one mile wide, with
+fine grassy flats, bounded by sandstone cliffs 50 to 200 feet high, and
+forming tableland with deep ravines. The valley now turned to the east
+and east-north-east; some small tributaries joined the creek from the
+south-east, the sandstone cliffs disappeared, and the outline of the
+hills became rounded and rose about 300 feet above the creek. Shallow
+pools of water with dry shingle between, and an occasional deep
+waterhole, characterised the channel of the watercourse. At 1.30 p.m.
+camped on the left bank of the creek in an open grassy flat; the higher
+land very stony and indifferent.
+
+Latitude by Canopus 15 degrees 40 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+27th June.
+
+The temperature was lower at sunrise this morning than on any other day
+since landing in North Australia, being only 41 degrees. A little dew on
+the grass, and a light air from the east. At 6.50 a.m. started and
+followed up the creek to the east-north-east till 1.0 p.m., when we
+camped at a deep pool of water 20 yards wide and 200 yards long. Our
+attempts to procure fish were unsuccessful. The country consisted of low
+stony hills, thinly wooded, and the flats of the creek from a quarter to
+three quarters of a mile wide continued to be well grassed. On the north
+side of the creek a few miles back the hills rose to a greater elevation,
+and formed table-topped hills; some with cliffs of sandstone near the
+summits, and others smooth grassy slopes. The latter, from the colour of
+the grass, appeared to be of trap formation, and fragments of this rock
+were found in the bed of the creek. Soft shales were exposed in the
+gullies and on the sides of the hills, and were overlaid compact gray
+sandstones.
+
+Latitude by b Centauri, a2 Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 37 minutes 15
+seconds.
+
+28th June.
+
+Left the camp at 7.15 a.m., and followed up the creek to the
+east-north-east till noon, when we reached the last water in its channel
+near a steep range of sandstone hills, or rather tablelands; the country
+traversed was an undulating plain of trap formation resting on gray
+sandstone; it is thinly wooded, and well grassed; water was abundant in
+the creek below the camp; above the channel was dry, and soon divided
+into small gullies; in the afternoon ascended a hill three-quarters of a
+mile north-west of the camp; the lower portion was a dark compact trap or
+basalt, and the summit a horizontal bed of sandstone about 200 feet above
+the camp; the country to the north was very level, and only occasionally
+interrupted by flat-topped sandstone hills, the view extending at least
+thirty miles; to the south and south-west a country of trap formation
+extended for twenty miles, and to the east the tableland rose about 300
+feet above the camp, and was composed of the same strata as the hill
+ascended, but surmounted by the ferruginous conglomerate, which is the
+highest rock of the new red sandstone series.
+
+Latitude by b Centauri, a Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 33 minutes 13
+seconds.
+
+ARNHEIM LAND. DALY RIVER.
+
+29th June.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory to reconnoitre the country
+to the east; ascending the tableland, steered east till 10.0 through a
+level forest of stringybark and other eucalypti; the soil a light
+gravelly loam, but well grassed; we then turned north-north-east for one
+hour, along a shallow watercourse, and then east through level forest
+country till 3.20 p.m., when we reached a small stream-bed trending
+north-north-east, tracing it through wide grassy flats, which were on
+fire; at 4.40 found a small pool of water, where we halted for the night.
+
+30th June.
+
+As this appeared to be a spot to which the party could be advanced with
+safety, we left our bivouac at 6.50 a.m.; returning across the tableland,
+reached the camp at 4.30 p.m.
+
+1st July.
+
+At 6.40 a.m. started an average course of 80 degrees magnetic, and
+reached the waterholes in the small creek at 3.30 p.m. with the whole
+party, and camped at our bivouac of the 29th June.
+
+Latitude by b Centauri 15 degrees 30 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+2nd July.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek down to the
+east-north-east till 11.0 a.m.; it then turned more to the northward, and
+was nearly lost in wide level flats covered with high grass; the back
+country level stringybark forest, with good grass; at 2.25 p.m. the
+channel of the creek again collected, and we found a small waterhole
+twenty yards long and four feet deep, at which we camped; here we
+observed the fires of a party of blacks who had camped at the waterhole
+the previous day; small heaps of mussel-shells lay at intervals along the
+banks of the creek, though the channel was perfectly dry; but it appears
+that during the last wet season less rain has fallen than usual, and the
+soil has not been fully saturated, and consequently the waterholes have
+dried up sooner than in average years; although from the level character
+and geological features of the country, we are now on the tableland which
+divides the waters flowing to the north-west coast from those which fall
+into the Gulf of Carpentaria, the elevation of the country does not
+exceed 800 feet above the sea.
+
+Latitude by Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 18 minutes 33 seconds.
+
+3rd July.
+
+Starting at 7.30 a.m., followed the creek to the north-east by east till
+8.25, when it was joined by a small creek from the south; thus increased
+water was abundant in the bed of the creek, but the pools were shallow
+and not permanent. Grassy flats extended for a mile on each bank of the
+creek, beyond which the level forest of stringybark, bloodwood, and box
+was well grassed; the soil a good red loam. In a few spots fragments of
+limestone and agate were strewed over the surface, and an occasional
+ridge of ironstone conglomerate was crossed on which the grass was
+indifferent. At 12.45 p.m. camped in a wide grassy flat, where the grass,
+having been burnt early in the season, had sprung up again quite fresh
+and green.
+
+Latitude by a2 Centauri 15 degrees 11 minutes 24 seconds; variation of
+compass 2 degrees 10 minutes east.
+
+4th July.
+
+We were again in the saddle at 7.10 a.m., and, steering 70 degrees
+magnetic, diverged from the creek, traversing a level grassy forest of
+stringybark with abundance of green grass; at 8.0 turned north-east; the
+forest became more open, and the stringybark was replaced by bloodwood
+and box; limestone rock was frequent, and rendered the surface of the
+country very rough; and frequent depressions of the surface appeared to
+result from the falling-in of the roofs of caverns beneath which were
+farther indicated by deep clefts and holes in the rock, into which the
+surface waters flow during the rains. At 11.0 a.m. turned north, and at
+noon again struck the creek, which gradually turned to the
+north-north-east; limestone formed the banks, and only one small pool was
+seen till 4.50 p.m., when we found a little water in the sandy bed of a
+tributary creek from the south-south-east, at which we encamped. On the
+bank of the creek we this day first observed the casuarina, which is so
+frequent on the banks of the creeks trending towards the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+Latitude by Arcturus and a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 54 minutes 2
+seconds.
+
+5th July.
+
+As the course of the creek was to the north-west, and we had already been
+driven further north than was desirable, we left the creek and followed
+up the tributary to the east-south-east, leaving the camp at 7.5 a.m. The
+channel was soon lost on the wide grassy flats, in one of which was a
+fine waterhole covered with nymphae, near which a party of blacks were
+encamped. On our approach most of the women decamped with their bags and
+nets containing their valuables, while the men stood spear in hand gazing
+on the strange sight, as we passed them. Continuing up the creek, the
+course of which was only marked for some distance by the nature of the
+vegetation, which indicated occasional inundations, it again formed a
+shallow irregular channel in the centre of an open box flat, and at 1.30
+p.m. camped at a small waterhole in the channel.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 14 degrees 55 minutes 15
+seconds.
+
+TABLELAND.
+
+6th July.
+
+The small size of the creek affording little prospect of water nearer to
+its source, and as Mr. H. Gregory was suffering from a severe attack of
+fever, which rendered travelling unadvisable, I proceeded with Charles
+Dean to examine the country to the east-south-east. Leaving the camp at
+7.0 a.m., steered 120 degrees magnetic; at eight crossed a sandstone
+ridge covered with acacia scrub, and again descended into the valley of
+the creek, passing some fine grassy plains, and at 11.0 ascended the
+level tableland, the edge of which was covered with acacia scrub, beyond
+which we passed a level flat acacia scrub and small trees, and at noon
+entered a stringybark forest with occasional patches of bloodwood,
+leguminous ironbark, and sterculia. The soil varied from a brown loam to
+ironstone gravel, and in a few spots ferruginous conglomerate was
+visible. On the loamy soil the grass was good and abundant, but the
+gravel was covered with spiny treraphis. This tableland was so level that
+no declivity could be detected during the continuance of our day's
+journey, which lasted till 5.30, when we bivouacked without water; by
+taking the precaution of letting the horses feed on the outward track,
+and secreting ourselves after dark in the high grass, we passed the night
+without the necessity of keeping watch after midnight.
+
+7th July.
+
+Our horses having strayed back on the track, we carried our saddles and
+tracked them about two miles, and then mounting our horses steered north
+for some miles; but all was level forest without any sign of the
+existence of water, except a few cockatoos. I then turned to the
+south-west; crossing the outward track, and at length came on a shallow
+watercourse trending west, a ridge of rocks having confined the channel
+to a narrow space; three small waterholes were discovered in which a
+little water remained; below this the creek turned south-south-east, and
+I again turned towards the camp; but night overtaking us in the
+stringybark forest, we passed to the south of the camp without observing
+its position.
+
+8th July.
+
+Having ascertained that we had passed the position of the camp, turned to
+the north-east and reached the camp at 11.20. Mr. H. Gregory was somewhat
+recovered, but very weak from a violent attack of fever. During my
+absence a small party of blacks had visited the camp and had bivouacked a
+short distance up the creek.
+
+9th July.
+
+Moved the camp to the waterholes twelve miles south-east, and in the
+afternoon rode down the creek with Mr. Elsey; the creek turned to the
+south-south-east for a mile and a half, and was lost on a level flat,
+from which a channel trended to the west, which was again lost in a level
+flat extending to the west several miles. Heavy showers at night.
+
+CIRCUMCISION PRACTISED.
+
+10th July.
+
+Accompanied by Mr. Elsey, I proceeded to reconnoitre the country to the
+south-east, and at 7.45 a.m. steered 130 degrees, gradually ascending the
+tableland, and which was openly wooded with bloodwood, box, and
+white-gum; acacia and sterculia occasionally appearing. The soil was
+brown sandy loam with a few ridges of sandstone rock of white colour;
+grass had been abundant, but was now burnt off. The small white-ant nests
+from two to five feet high were very numerous; at 12.40 p.m. a slight
+depression in the country was observed, and limestone appeared, and deep
+hollows were frequent. One of these hollows which I examined was thirty
+yards in diameter and fifteen feet deep; in the centre was a deep cleft
+of fifteen feet more, which extended to the east and west under the
+surface with a width of three feet; at 3.0 struck a small creek trending
+east-north-east with a few small pools of water in the channel; in
+following down the creek in search of a sufficient supply of water for
+the horses, we passed some blacks sitting at a fire near the creek; at
+3.30 came to a pool sufficient for the supply of the whole party, below
+which the channel was dry; returning to the pool we met the blacks
+following our tracks, but, observing us, they ran away, and on being
+followed hid themselves; having unsaddled, we commenced our dinner and
+soon saw the blacks watching us from their hiding places, and after some
+time spent in making signs, they were induced to approach, the oldest of
+the party feigning to weep bitterly till they got close to us, when we
+commenced an attempt at conversation, and they appeared to recognise some
+few words of the language of the Victoria River. Their spears were formed
+of reeds with large heads of white sandstone, and also with three wooden
+points for fishing. They were circumcised and had their front teeth
+remaining; at 5.0 steered to the west-north-west for one hour, and
+bivouacked to secure ourselves from an attack during the night.
+
+11th July.
+
+At 6.30 a.m., resumed our route towards the camp, and reached it about
+1.0 p.m., without observing anything of farther remark.
+
+Latitude by a2 Centauri 15 degrees 2 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+ABSENCE OF WATERCOURSES.
+
+12th July.
+
+The grass near the camp having been burnt off, the horses had scattered
+very much, and could not be collected and saddled before 10.0 a.m., when
+we followed our track of yesterday and reached the pool of water at
+sunset. The country was so level, although we were crossing the watershed
+between the north-west coast and the Gulf of Carpentaria, that the
+aneroid only varied from 29.55 to 29.62, and even of this change the
+greater part was caused by alteration of the temperature. The geological
+character of this portion of the country differs slightly from that of
+the Victoria River. The upper stratum is a bed of ironstone conglomerate
+about twenty feet thick, this rests on sandstone, the upper part of which
+is highly ferruginous, then passes away into a variegated sandstone
+imperfectly stratified, changing into a hard siliceous sandstone which is
+white and breaks with a conchoidal fracture; this rests on a hard cherty
+sandstone similar to that of the Victoria River. In this rock many
+depressions occur, which is apparently caused by the roofs of caverns
+falling in and there are usually deep fissures in the rock at the bottom
+of these hollows, in which all the water that drains into them is
+absorbed; in some places the sandstone resting on the limestone has sunk
+many feet below the general level, with areas varying from one to ten
+acres, sometimes sloping towards a centre ten to thirty feet below the
+plain, and in other spots with abrupt rocky banks five to eight feet high
+and a perfectly level bottom. The level character of the country is
+unfavourable for investigations of this nature, and the thickness of the
+several strata not easily determined; but I think that the collective
+thickness of the several strata above the limestone does not exceed 100
+feet. The porous nature of the lower rocks preclude the existence of
+permanent surface water by draining the whole of the upper part of the
+tableland, while it forms strong springs in the lower ground towards the
+banks of the Roper River, where the limestone is exposed on the surface.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 14 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+WHITE MAN'S CAMP.
+
+13th July (Sunday).
+
+Leaving the camp at 8.30 a.m., proceeding down the creek, mistook a
+tributary for the main creek; following it south for two hours, when it
+spread into small gullies, and we had to return to the creek, which had
+now a northerly course, and at 4.25 camped about three miles from our
+starting point in the morning. The country passed over was of a very poor
+character, stiff clay flats, with melaleuca scrub in the valley, while
+low but steep ridges of sandstone rose to the east, and were timbered
+with stringybark and bloodwood, etc.; to the south the country seemed to
+rise slightly, but was very poor and sandy. The smoke of bush fires were
+visible to the south, east, and north, and several trees cut with iron
+axes were noticed near the camp. There was also the remains of a hut and
+the ashes of a large fire, indicating that there had been a party
+encamped there for several weeks; several trees from six to eight inches
+diameter had been cut down with iron axes in fair condition, and the hut
+built by cutting notches in standing trees and resting a large pole
+therein for a ridge; this hut had been burnt apparently by the subsequent
+bush fires, and only some pieces of the thickest timber remained
+unconsumed. Search was made for marked trees, but none found, nor were
+there any fragments of iron, leather, or other material of the equipment
+of an exploring party, or of any bones of animals other than those common
+to Australia. Had an exploring party been destroyed here, there would
+most likely have been some indications, and it may therefore be inferred
+that the party had proceeded on its journey. It could not have been a
+camp of Leichhardt's in 1845, as it is 100 miles south-west of his route
+to Port Essington, and it was only six or seven years old, judging by the
+growth of the trees; having subsequently seen some of Leichhardt's camps
+on the Burdekin, Mackenzie, and Barcoo Rivers, a great similarity was
+observed in regard to the mode of building the hut, and its relative
+position in regard to the fire and water supply, and the position in
+regard to the great features of the country was exactly where a party
+going westward would first receive a check from the waterless tableland
+between the Roper and Victoria Rivers, and would probably camp and
+reconnoitre ahead before attempting to cross to the north-west coast.
+This creek is named Elsey Creek on the map.
+
+ELSEY CREEK.
+
+14th July.
+
+Resuming our journey at 8.10 a.m., steered north-east down the valley of
+the creek, which I named Elsey Creek, after the surgeon of the
+expedition. Its course was generally to the north-east, but spreading
+into lagoons and swampy flats, became very tortuous and irregular. It
+then changed to a very winding reach of water fifty to sixty yards wide,
+with low banks covered with reeds and tall melaleuca-trees, beyond which
+was a belt of pandanus growing on the drier ground. Many small springs
+rose in the limestone rock and ran into the creek, on the banks of which
+large quantities of mussel-shells showed the frequent camps of the
+blacks. The banks of the creek and springs were so soft and boggy that
+our horses could not approach the water, and we followed its banks in
+search of a spot where they could drink in safety, till 4.0, without
+success, and having camped, had to water the horses with our leather
+buckets.
+
+Latitude by a2 Centauri and a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 5 minutes 35
+seconds.
+
+ROPER RIVER.
+
+15th July.
+
+Leaving our camp at 7.10 a.m., steered north-east till 9.0, over level
+country, which appeared to be very swampy in the rainy season; altered
+the course to 10 degrees magnetic, and crossed a small dry watercourse
+which proved to be a continuation of Elsey Creek. At 11.0 turned 60
+degrees magnetic, and shortly came on the bank of a fine river with banks
+thirty to forty feet high, and fine reaches of water fifty to eighty
+yards wide; at 11.45 camped at the junction of Elsey Creek and the river,
+which appears to be the Roper of Dr. Leichhardt. The fan-palm was
+frequently seen on the banks of Elsey Creek, where it obtained a height
+of fifty to eighty feet, and had a thicker stem and produced a more
+palatable vegetable than the species growing on the banks of the Victoria
+River.
+
+KILL AN EMU.
+
+16th July.
+
+At 7.5 a.m. recommenced our journey, following down the Roper River east
+and north-east; about a mile below the camp the limestone rocks formed a
+bar, over which the river ran with a rapid current ten yards wide and two
+feet deep; the banks became lower and the surface of the country
+extremely level. The overflows of the river had formed shallow lagoons,
+in which the nelumbium or gigantic water-lily was first seen. A ridge of
+low sandstone hills came close to the left bank, and on the right a vast
+level plain, covered with high grass and reeds, extending two or three
+miles back. This plain is evidently inundated during the wet season,
+though the soil was now dry and full of deep cracks. The river divided
+into several small shallow channels full of reeds, and each with a small
+stream of water, the deep green of the vegetation along the course of the
+running water contrasting strongly with the parched vegetation of the
+other portions of the plain. Clumps of melaleuca occurred at intervals,
+and at a distance appeared like low hills. At 2.0 p.m. camped at the end
+of a low basaltic ridge, which approached the bank of the river from the
+south. A range of flat-topped hills extended to the north-east from the
+river, about eight miles distant, to the north-west of the camp; they
+appeared wooded, and 200 to 300 feet high. Bowman rode down a young emu,
+which supplied us with a meal of fresh meat.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 50 minutes 56 seconds.
+
+17th July.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered east-south-east, following the bank of the river for
+a mile, when, to avoid the high grass and reeds, altered the course to
+south-east till 8.10; then steering 100 degrees magnetic till 9.25, when
+we camped on a small waterhole, there being abundance of water. The river
+appears to turn to the north and enter a range of hills, which trends
+north and south a few miles to the east of our camp. The country
+traversed this day is all well grassed and thinly timbered with
+terminalia, box, and silver-leafed ironbark; trap-rock visible in several
+places, and the soil was a good red loam. The metallic barometer has a
+second time suddenly deviated from the aneroid barometer, and the form of
+the vacuum vessel has visibly altered, the construction being too slight
+to bear the motion of the pack-horse, though one of the steadiest animals
+had been selected to carry the instruments, and they are always
+surrounded with blankets.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 14 degrees 53 minutes 16
+seconds.
+
+18th July.
+
+As this was a suitable camp for resting the party, and grass was
+abundant, I rode to the south-east with Mr. H. Gregory to look for a
+route towards the head of the Wickham River; our course was along a
+valley between the trap hills to the west and a sandstone range to the
+east. About eight miles reached a creek trending north-east; its channel
+was dry and sandy, but after some search found a small pool of water in a
+side channel; casuarina and flooded-gum trees grew on the banks of the
+creek, and there was some good grass on the flats, which were limited by
+sandstone hills densely wooded with acacia of the same species as that
+seen on the lower part of Sturt's Creek. After an hour's halt at the pool
+of water we returned to camp.
+
+SILENT NATIVES.
+
+19th July.
+
+The horses having scattered much during the night, it was 8 a.m. before
+they were collected and saddled; we then followed our track of yesterday
+to the pool in the creek, eight miles south-east, reaching it at 11.45.
+The sandstones here showed a decided dip to the west, at angles varying
+from 5 degrees to 30 degrees, and the trap-rocks only extended five miles
+from the previous camp. In the afternoon five natives were observed
+watching the camp, and finding they were observed by us came up to the
+party, but could not be induced to speak a single word; they soon after
+retired. They had no spears, and were followed by a small dog. Their
+teeth were entire, but they were all circumcised. At 8.0 p.m. the blacks
+were detected stealing into the camp, and, though we called upon them to
+retire, only hid themselves in the grass; but as it was absolutely
+necessary for our own safety to dislodge them from their position, I
+caused a gun to be fired in the air, hoping that they would retire, but
+they commenced to ship their spears, and I therefore ordered a charge of
+shot to be fired at them, which had the desired effect of compelling them
+to retreat. What their object was in thus approaching the camp at night,
+unless for hostile purposes, we had no means of ascertaining; but the
+aboriginal Australian considers it an act of positive hostility to
+approach a camp in silence at night.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 59 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+20th July.
+
+Starting at 7.30 a.m., steered south-east over an undulating sandstone
+country, well grassed, but very stony and thinly wooded; a low range of
+rocky hills, nearly parallel to our route, lay to the south-west, and at
+11.20 a.m. we camped at a fine running stream in a rocky ravine in this
+range; the grass was, however, very dry and inferior near the range.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 4 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+21st July.
+
+The horses had shown an unusual desire to stray during the night, and as
+we had reason to apprehend a visit from the blacks, they were kept close
+to the camp; at 6.20 a.m. steered south-east, crossing a tableland about
+250 feet above the camp, and at 8.0 a.m. descended by a rocky gully, in
+which was a fine spring, into a grassy valley, which varied from a few
+yards to a mile in breadth, bounded by sandstone hills, the strata of
+which were not well defined, but appeared to have a considerable dip to
+the west-south-west; in the upper part of the valley the creek was well
+supplied with water, but as we advanced into the lower ground the channel
+was dry, though increased to twenty yards wide and ten to fifteen feet
+deep; at 11.15 a.m. one of the horses, Prince, was observed to be unwell,
+and at 1.20 p.m. a second horse, Bob, was noticed to be suffering from
+illness, having bled them, we proceeded down the creek in search of water
+at which the party could halt, and found a small waterhole at 2.20 p.m.,
+but the two sick horses dropped dead about 150 yards before reaching it;
+their loads had been previously removed to the saddle-horses; as soon as
+the camp had been formed Mr. Elsey and Dr. Mueller examined the dead
+horses to ascertain the cause of death, and it appeared from the state of
+extreme inflammation of the stomachs that they had eaten some poisonous
+plant; but the food was too much comminuted to admit of the plants eaten
+being recognised.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 12 minutes 46 seconds.
+
+22nd July.
+
+At 7.10 a.m. resumed our journey down the valley of the creek to the east
+and east-north-east, passing a fine lagoon with nelumbium and a number of
+pelicans; at 8.30 a.m. crossed two large creeks and passed a second
+lagoon, 70 yards by 300 yards. The principal creek now turned to the
+north, and our course was along the foot of a sandstone range 200 feet
+high, till 12.40 p.m., when, altering the course to south-east, we
+ascended the range and crossed the level sandy tableland covered with
+scrub; descending to the south, found a small dry watercourse in an open
+valley, and followed it in search of water to the north-west till 4.0
+p.m., when we found a small pool of rainwater, at which we camped.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 13 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+23rd July.
+
+The horses had strayed so far in search of green grass that we did not
+start till 10.30 a.m., when we steered south-east, crossing a spur of the
+tableland which lay to the south-west; then crossing several valleys and
+small watercourses trending to the north-east, camped at a shallow
+waterhole at 3.20 p.m. The country was of sandstone formation and the
+soil very poor, melaleuca scrubs prevailing on the lower ground, and
+eucalypti, acacia, and grevillia on the hills; to the south-west the
+hills were rocky, with a rounded outline, but to the north-east they were
+flat-topped and of less height. The sandstones are often at a
+considerable angle, but in no general direction, a thin bed of
+ferruginous conglomerate rests on hard gray sandstone, imperfectly
+stratified, beneath which shales of various colours exist; on the exposed
+surface of the shales observed an efflorescence of sulphate of magnesia.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 18
+minutes 48 seconds.
+
+SCARCITY OF GRASS.
+
+24th July.
+
+Resuming our route at 7.20 a.m., steered south-east and ascended a
+sandstone range with horizontal strata and very abrupt on the south-east
+side. Entering a wide valley, crossed two small watercourses, the second
+of which was running apparently from springs, as several clumps of the
+melaleuca grew on the slope of the sandstone hills from which they came.
+Crossing a second spur of the tableland, descended to a small creek with
+waterholes and narrow grassy flats, the general character of the country
+being very poor and scrubby.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 38
+minutes 56 seconds.
+
+25th July.
+
+At 7.40 a.m. left the camp, and steered south-east through a succession
+of miserable scrubs of eucalypti, grevillia, acacia, and jacksonia, with
+patches of melaleuca. At 1.30 p.m. crossed a ridge of steep sandstone
+rocks, and gradually descended till 2.55, when we camped on a small gully
+coming from the south, and in which a little water remained, and on the
+bank some dry grass of very inferior kind. Since leaving the Roper River
+the general character of the country has been worthless; the small size
+of the watercourses indicating an arid country to the south-west of our
+route. Few traces of blacks have been seen, though vast columns of smoke
+rise to the east and south-east; animals or birds are rarely seen. The
+rocky nature of the country has caused the horses' shoes to wear out
+rapidly, and the day seldom passes without having to replace the shoes of
+several of the horses.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 40
+minutes 19 seconds.
+
+26th July.
+
+At 8.0 a.m. steered south-east, soon entering a scrub of acacia,
+melaleuca, and grevillia, with a few eucalypti; the soil sandy, with a
+few blocks of gray sandstone; some small dry watercourses trended to the
+north. At noon crossed a large creek trending to the south-south-east
+through a very rocky valley, and the whole country was very barren and
+rocky. At 2.35 p.m. recrossed the creek, which here turned to the east
+and north-east. After following it down for an hour, found a small patch
+of grass, and encamped. The bed of the creek was very rocky and well
+supplied with water in shallow pools.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 50
+minutes 2 seconds.
+
+BARREN COUNTRY.
+
+27th July (Sunday).
+
+Resumed our route at 7.0 a.m., crossing a very rocky ridge of hills, in
+descending which one of the horses wedged his foot into a cleft of the
+rock, and falling down, was only released by beating the rock away with
+an axe. Fortunately, though much cut and bruised, there was no serious
+injury. With some difficulty we extricated ourselves from these rocky
+ridges, and, crossing a large creek, entered a level plain covered with
+melaleuca scrub. Crossing two sandy creeks fifteen and twenty yards wide
+with shallow pools, at noon reached a barren range of white sandstone
+hills, rising about 250 feet. Beyond this entered an open grassy plain,
+with clumps of melaleuca-trees, indicating the existence of springs of
+water, one of which we reached at 1.25 p.m., and encamped. The country
+passed is of a worthless description, there being very little grass, and
+the soil very poor and stony. The sandstones are of gray colour, and not
+regularly stratified; but where it could be ascertained the bedding was
+horizontal, and the lamina dipping 20 degrees to 30 degrees to the north,
+but often in the opposite direction. These sandstones are at least 200
+feet thick, and rest on soft shales of white-brown and green colour.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 55 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+28th July.
+
+The indifferent character of the country having caused the horses to
+stray in search of better food, we were delayed till 8.30 a.m., when we
+steered south-east over several low ridges of sandstone, wooded with
+white and paper-bark gum, with triodia in the hollows. Small dry
+watercourses trended to the north-east and north. At 10.20 crossed a
+creek ten yards wide, with pools of water, and at 1.5 p.m. a second of
+the same size, which trended to the east, was followed till 1.50, when a
+small pool of water and a little grass enabled us to camp. The country
+continues to be of a bad description, and covered with scrub, though of a
+more open nature than before, the soil more gravelly, melaleuca less
+frequent, and eucalypti and triodia more abundant. The rock is a coarse
+gray sandstone, thick bedded with horizontal strata, the lamina dipping
+30 degrees to north-east generally; but varying much, the peculiar
+marking on the surface of the rock resembling the rippling of water, is
+frequent, forming grooves two to four inches wide and half an inch deep.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 59 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+29th July.
+
+A dense fog was the unusual cause of delay in collecting our horses, as
+they could not be seen more than a few yards distant. At 8.45 a.m.
+steered south-east through scrubs of melaleuca, acacia, grevillia, and
+eucalypti; at 11.0 the country became more open, and entering a grassy
+plain extending five to eight miles to the east, where it was bounded by
+a low range of hills; to the south-west a level forest of white-gum ran
+parallel to our route. The soil was a brown clay-loam with pebbles of
+sandstone; a few box and bauhinia trees grew on the plain; the grass had
+been burnt off and sprung up again very green. At 1.20 p.m. came on a
+large dry creek trending north-east; it had several channels twenty yards
+wide with loose sandy beds, and was bordered by casuarina, melaleuca, and
+flooded-gum trees; following down the creek, at 1.15 camped at a shallow
+pool in one of the side channels. About three miles before we reached the
+camp Dr. Mueller had fallen some distance behind the party; but as this
+was a frequent occurrence in collecting botanical specimens, it was not
+observed till we reached the creek, when he was out of sight; after
+unsaddling the pack-horses I was preparing to send in search of him, when
+he came up to the camp, the cause of delay having been that his horse had
+knocked up. This was unfortunate, as the load of one of the pack-horses
+had to be distributed among the others, in order to remount the doctor,
+who requires stronger horses than any other person in the party, having
+knocked up four since January, while not one of the other riding-horses
+had failed, though carrying heavier weights.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 7 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+30th July.
+
+There being abundance of good grass at this camp, we remained this day to
+shoe some of the horses and repair harness, etc., and rest the horses;
+nor was I sorry to get a day of comparative rest, as I had been in the
+saddle every day since leaving the Victoria on the 21st June. Eleven of
+the horses were re-shod.
+
+A SPRING OF GOOD WATER.
+
+31st July.
+
+Leaving the camp at 7.40 a.m., pursued a south-east course, soon leaving
+the grassy flats of the creek and entering a melaleuca scrub; at 8.20
+ascended the tableland by a gentle slope; the country was now sandy with
+much bush of acacia, grevillia, and bossiaca, with triodia in the more
+open part of the forest, which consisted of paper-bark gums. The
+prevailing rock was ironstone conglomerate, and hard white sandstone
+sometimes appeared; after 10.0 the country declined to the south, and we
+passed through a belt of cypress scrub; at 1.15 p.m. altered the course
+to east-south-east; crossed a rough sandstone ridge and came on a deep
+valley with sandstone cliffs on each side; with some difficulty descended
+the rocks and reached a small watercourse which was quite dry; but
+observing some very green trees about a mile to the north-west at the
+foot of the rocks, turned towards them and found a fine spring of water
+flowing from the face of the cliff; selecting a suitable spot, encamped
+at 2.30. Near this spring were several huts constructed in the rudest
+manner by heaping branches together. From the summit of the hill the view
+extended thirty miles to the north-east, but no marked features were
+visible, the country only undulating slightly. The country too became
+more open and travelling easier, but no other improvement has been
+observed.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 17 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+1st August.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the valley to the south till
+9.15, when a break in the sandstone cliffs which bounded the valley
+enabled us to ascend the hills and pursue our course to the south-east,
+crossing several ridges of sandstone, the strata dipping to the west, and
+becoming more shaly as we proceeded. Descending into a valley with a dry
+creek fifteen yards wide, the rocks on the south-east slope cherty
+limestone alternating with thin beds of shale, the strata dipping 20
+degrees to 30 degrees west. The summit had a thin horizontal bed of
+ironstone conglomerate through which masses of white sandstone protruded.
+This limestone country was well grassed, and thinly timbered with
+eucalypti of small growth; at 1.20 p.m. altered the course to north-east
+and followed down a gully in search of water; but though it gradually
+enlarged to a considerable creek and we continued our search till 7.0, we
+were compelled to encamp without water. I then walked down the creek two
+miles, but only found one moist spot in which, by digging, a few pints of
+water were obtained.
+
+2nd August.
+
+At 6.5 a.m. resumed our search for water, and following the creek
+north-east for two hours reached a small muddy pool of rainwater, at
+which we encamped. The country near the creek was very level, and
+thinly-wooded low hills were visible in the distance to the south-east
+and north.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 16 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+3rd August.
+
+The water at this pool near our camp being nearly consumed, and nothing
+but thick mud remaining, we proceeded down the creek in search of a
+better supply; but it was not until we had followed its dry sandy bed for
+three hours that we attained our object, and encamped at a small pool in
+one of the back channels, the principal bed of the creek being perfectly
+dry. The country near the creek continues very level, and well grassed,
+but distant rocky hills are visible in almost every direction. In
+approaching the Gulf of Carpentaria heavy dews and fogs have become more
+frequent in the mornings, when it is usually calm. About 10.0 a.m. a
+breeze usually sets in from the eastward, varying from north to
+south-east; at sunset it falls calm, but commences again at 8.0 p.m. and
+blows moderately from the eastward for one or two hours; very thin misty
+clouds are frequent, and render the heat oppressive when they prevail.
+According to my reckoning, we are now only fifty miles from the
+sea-coast, and therefore much nearer Dr. Leichhardt's track than I could
+wish to traverse the country; but, however desirable a more inland route
+might be, it is evident, from the small size of the watercourses hitherto
+crossed, that we have been skirting a tableland which is doubtless a
+continuation of the desert into which we followed Sturt's Creek, and the
+small altitude of the country in which the watercourses trending towards
+the Gulf take their rise precludes the existence of any considerable
+drainage towards the interior.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 14 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+THE MCARTHUR RIVER.
+
+4th August.
+
+The general course of the creek being northerly, and our distance from
+the McArthur about 20 miles on the chart, steered south-east from 6.35
+a.m., crossing many rocky sandstone ridges and hills, the strata of which
+dipped 20 degrees to 40 degrees to the west. At noon from one of the
+higher ridges saw the valley of the McArthur River to the south-east;
+continuing our course, descended a small dry watercourse till 4.0 p.m.,
+when we reached a large creek with a belt of casuarina, melaleuca and
+eucalypti along its banks. The channel was dry and sandy, about twenty
+yards wide, but showed the marks of high floods. Following the creek down
+for three-quarters of an hour found a small pool just sufficient for the
+supply of the party. Just below our camp a creek fifteen yards wide
+joined the principal one from the south, and, from the general lay of the
+country, it was evident that we were now on the McArthur River of
+Leichhardt; but though from the steepness of the banks the floods
+frequently rise thirty to forty feet, the creek did not bear the
+character of one which would take its rise at any great distance inland
+of our track. The country passed over was very thinly wooded with
+eucalypti of small growth, seldom more than one and a half feet in
+diameter and fifty feet high; a few leguminous ironbark, and sterculia
+were scattered on the hills, with much triodia and little grass. After
+crossing the highest ridge at 11.0 a.m. the sandstone strata were
+variously inclined, but generally to the west or north-east at high
+angles, except on the immediate bank of the McArthur, where the
+sandstones were horizontal. To the south-west of our route the country
+rose into stony hills of very barren aspect, but to the north the country
+appeared to be wooded.
+
+Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 25 minutes 11 seconds.
+
+5th August.
+
+The country to the south-east being very rocky and broken, we followed
+down the river, leaving the camp at 7.20 a.m., the general course
+north-east; the sandstone hills rose abruptly from the bank of the river,
+the sandstone rock being frequently worn away in a partial manner, so as
+to leave isolated columns sometimes three feet in diameter and thirty
+feet high; a few miles below the camp a few pools of water were seen, but
+there was no grass near them, and we continued our route for four hours,
+and camped at a shallow pool with a small patch of grass on the bank of
+the river; the principal channel of the river was only twenty-three yards
+wide, but in times of flood the side channels carry off the greater
+portion of the water, which rises nearly forty feet; considerable
+quantities of mussel-shells lay at the old camps of the blacks along the
+bank of the river.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 16 degrees 18 minutes 41
+seconds; longitude by lunar distances 136 degrees 21 minutes.
+
+6th August.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. resumed our journey on a south-east course, over a miserable
+sandy country, with stunted eucalypti, grevillia, and triodia; at 11.0
+reached a range of broken sandstone hills, which, with great difficulty
+and risk to the horses, we crossed in an east-south-east direction; but
+though the direct distance was only three miles, the deep ravines and
+rocks delayed us for three hours, and we were glad to emerge into an open
+valley, in which we camped at 2.30 p.m.; in the deep ravines of the
+sandstone hills water was abundant, but inaccessible for our horses, from
+the steep and rocky character of the country; a few small white-gum trees
+and triodia formed almost the entire vegetation; the rock is gray
+sandstone in horizontal beds with cleavage lamina, which varied so much
+in angle and direction that no general direction could be assigned, the
+cleavage of the upper beds often being the reverse of those immediately
+below them; the beds were from one to four feet thick, and the lamina
+half an inch to two inches, the grain very even and moderately fine.
+
+Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 24 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+7th August.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.10 a.m. on an average east-south-east course,
+along the foot of a rocky range of sandstone hills; at 8.30 came on a
+deep rocky creek, with long pools of water trending to the north; as our
+horses required rest, and the country ahead appeared very barren and
+rocky, we encamped.
+
+8th August.
+
+Steering a south-east course from 6.50 a.m., crossed a sandy tableland,
+with paper-bark and melaleuca with broad leaves; passed a small creek
+with pools trending north-east, and at 10.0 a low rocky ridge; then
+descended into a wide valley, with melaleuca and a few box-trees. At 1.25
+camped on a large sandy creek with two channels ten yards wide, with low
+sandy banks; one channel was dry, but the other had a few small pools in
+it; a line of melaleuca and flooded-gum trees marked its course along the
+valley. When in flood the waters of the creek are 100 yards wide and ten
+to fifteen feet deep. The grass was inferior, but from having been burnt
+had grown up fresh and green.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 34 minutes 44 seconds.
+
+IRON TOOLS USED BY NATIVES.
+
+9th August.
+
+Starting at 6.40 a.m., traversed an undulating sandstone country on a
+south-east course till 1.15 p.m., when we came on a large dry sandy
+creek, which we followed to the north-north-east till 1.50, when we found
+a shallow pool, at which we encamped. This creek had a sandy channel ten
+yards wide, with low banks, subject to flood to the breadth of fifty to
+eighty yards. Pandanus, melaleuca, and flooded-gum grow on its banks. The
+country generally is poor and stony, with paper-bark, gum, bloodwood, and
+narrow-leafed melaleuca. Shortly after reaching the creek the horse
+Monkey knocked up, though only carrying a pack-saddle since the 30th
+July; I therefore left the saddle, having removed all such portion of the
+fittings which might hereafter be useful. A few yards from our camp we
+found some spears and water vessels, which had been hidden under some
+sheets of bark by the blacks, who evidently were out hunting, as we heard
+them calling to each other in the afternoon, though they were not seen.
+These water vessels were formed by hollowing out a block of wood in the
+shape of a canoe, and had a capacity of three gallons, and it was evident
+that they possess tools of iron as also of stone.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 42 minutes 50 seconds;
+longitude by lunar distances 136 degrees 28 minutes.
+
+10th August.
+
+As there was a sufficient supply of grass and water, remained at the camp
+to rest the party. The morning was cloudy, but cleared up about 9 a.m.,
+and I observed a set of lunar distances. Dean brought in some jasper from
+a hill one mile north-west of the camp. He also reported that the creek
+appeared to trend to the north for eight or ten miles.
+
+11th August.
+
+We continued a south-east route at 7.40 a.m., ascending hills of
+limestone and sandstone, with an upper bed of basalt, which on the higher
+land to the south-west was again covered by sandstone. The trap or basalt
+was much decomposed, and contained fragments of lower rocks. At 1.40 p.m.
+camped on a fine but small creek, with permanent pools of water in a
+rocky channel from five to thirty yards wide. The country was well
+grassed and openly wooded with box, sterculia, leguminous ironbark, and
+terminalia.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 51 minutes 55 seconds.
+
+12th August.
+
+At 6.50 a.m. resumed a south-east course, traversing a broken country
+with limestone, chert, sandstone, and trap hills, deeply cut by dry
+watercourses. The grass was abundant and good, though triodia appeared on
+the higher ridges; at 7.0 crossed a small river, with fine permanent
+pools of water in a rocky bed ten to thirty yards wide. The floods rise
+twenty feet, and extend over a breadth of 70 to 100 yards. It is the
+largest stream-bed crossed since leaving the river, and may possibly
+drain the country to a distance of sixty miles to the southward. At 1.25
+camped on a small creek trending to the north-north-east, in which were
+pools twenty yards long and five feet deep.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 17 degrees 1 minute 31 seconds.
+
+NATIVE FISHING NETS.
+
+13th August.
+
+Left the camp at 7.0 a.m. and continued a south-easterly course, crossing
+a succession of sandy valleys and broken sandstone hills; the strata
+horizontal, and lamina dipping to the north and east generally, but
+sometimes in the opposite direction; the soil poor and sandy, producing
+little besides white-gum and triodia. At noon ascended a high ridge, from
+which we saw a broad valley to the south-east, beyond which was a range
+of flat-topped hills terminating abruptly at the northern end, which bore
+east by north. Descending by a rocky ravine, at 1.30 p.m. reached a fine
+creek, on which we camped. This creek had deep pools of water fifty yards
+wide; but the steep rocky character of its banks caused the channel to
+appear larger than if it had been in a more level country. Under some
+large rocks Dean found a fishing-net made neatly of twisted bark, the
+mesh one and a half inch, the length perhaps thirty feet; some fishing
+spears showed the marks of iron tools. The rocks in this part of the
+country often contain angular fragments of the lower strata; thus the
+limestone includes fragments of chert and jasper, and the sandstone
+pieces of limestone, but I could not detect either granite, quartz, or
+slate.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 17 degrees 11 minutes 1 second.
+
+14th August.
+
+At 6.20 a.m. we were again in the saddle, and steered south-east across
+very rocky hills till 8.0, when we entered a fine valley with low hills
+of limestone and trap, well grassed and thinly wooded with box-trees and
+acacia; at 10.0 ascended a rough sandstone range with white-gum, acacia,
+and triodia; at 11.0 again descended into a valley bounded by sandstone
+cliffs on the northern side, and camped at a fine pool of water in a
+small creek at 12.5. Several trees near this pool of water had been
+marked by the blacks, the bark having been removed, the wood was painted
+yellow with brown spots at regular intervals, and vertical waved lines in
+black. It is evident from the outline of the hills that we are travelling
+on the edge of the tableland of Northern Australia, and this accounts for
+the small size of the watercourses, while the abrupt and broken nature of
+the hills has caused the rocks to form channels of sufficient size to
+retain water throughout the year, while the same disruption of the strata
+has exposed the limestone and trap-rock, has caused fertile patches of
+country, and thus enabled us to traverse a country which is otherwise
+barren and inhospitable in the extreme, our chief difficulty being the
+rocky character of the country, which can only be traversed with
+well-shod horses. It is possible that some small tracts of available
+country may exist between our track and the shores of the Gulf of
+Carpentaria, but to the south there is little to expect besides a barren
+sandy desert, as on every occasion that the tableland has been ascended,
+nothing but sandy worthless country has been encountered.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 17 minutes 56 seconds.
+
+KANGAROO ABUNDANT.
+
+15th August.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.35 a.m., and followed a large creek up to the
+south-east, and at 7.45 crossed it below a fine pool of water, above
+which the creek came from the south-west, in which direction the country
+consisted of low sandstone hills of barren aspect. We then crossed a few
+miles of sandy tableland and descended at 10.20 into a deep valley
+trending east. This brought us to a small creek with good water, on which
+we encamped at 11.30. The country is very poor and rocky, thinly wooded
+with box-trees in valleys and white-gum on the hills, where the grass is
+replaced by triodia. Kangaroos are more numerous than in any other part
+of Australia yet visited by the Expedition, and as many as twelve or
+fifteen have been seen each day. Early in the morning a light breeze from
+west; at 7.0 a fresh breeze from south-east which lasted till 4 p.m., and
+at sunset a light air from west.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 23 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+16th August.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. steered south-east and followed the valley of the creek till
+8.0, when it turned to the north-east; continuing our course along the
+valley south-east, though there was now no watercourse in it, at 11.20
+came on a creek in a trap valley trending north-east, across the larger
+valley, and crossing a ridge of sandstone and basalt, came on a large
+creek trending north, in which were long pools of water fifteen to twenty
+yards wide. Following this creek upwards to the south-south-east, as the
+valley widened the water ceased for some distance, but at 12.40 p.m. came
+on a pool supplied by a spring at the upper end. Here we encamped, as
+there was some good grass. The rock which formed the hills on this day's
+journey is a hard red-brown sandstone, the lower part thin-bedded,
+beneath which trap or basalt has been forced between the strata, and was
+exposed in the deep valleys excavated by the creeks. The view at times
+extended twenty miles to the north-east over a level depressed country,
+beyond which were low ridges of hills. The country generally was poor and
+stony, thinly wooded with eucalypti and acacia, except when the basalt
+was exposed, and by its decomposition formed a richer soil, well covered
+with grass and very open in character.
+
+17th August (Sunday).
+
+Grass and water being sufficient, remained at the camp to rest the
+horses, though, as several had to be shod, it was not altogether a day of
+rest to the party. A fresh breeze from south-east cooled the air at noon,
+but died away towards sunset.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 32 minutes 11 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 135 degrees 51 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+18th August.
+
+Collected the horses early, but two of them appeared to be much griped
+from eating the coarse grass, and I therefore delayed starting till 7.40
+a.m., and then ascended the stony range to the south-east and reached the
+tableland. The soil was sandy with acacia scrub, paper-bark gum,
+stringybark, and bloodwood; at 10.0 the country became stony, with
+white-gum, tall acacia, and triodia, and we gradually ascended till the
+aneroid indicated an elevation of 1100 feet, and we appeared to be on a
+ridge parallel to the tableland of the interior and at a greater
+elevation; at 1.20 p.m. observed a clump of melaleuca in a deep rocky
+ravine, and steered south to it. Here we found a spring with a few acres
+of grass around it, and encamped.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 40 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+BASALTIC RANGE. 1300 FEET ABOVE SEA.
+
+19th August.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. steered south-east and soon ascended a rocky range of
+altered sandstone and trap or basalt, thinly wooded with white-gum, tall
+acacia, and grevillia, triodia, and treraphis superseding the grass; at
+7.30 the aneroid indicated the greatest altitude (1300 feet) which we had
+attained since leaving the Victoria River. From this point the view was
+extensive to the north and south. Towards the interior the surface of the
+tableland, not being so elevated as our position, appeared like a vast
+level plain without any marked feature whatsoever. To the north the
+country appeared to consist of low ridges of wooded hills gradually
+decreasing in height as they receded. Southward our view was intercepted
+by broken wooded hills of equal elevation with our position, while deep
+ravines trending to the south intercepted our route. I therefore altered
+the course to 200 degrees magnetic, and descended a rocky valley in which
+was a small watercourse which enlarged into a considerable creek with
+large rocky waterholes. The hills consisted of basalt and altered
+sandstone, which dipped 20 degrees to 60 degrees to the north-west, and
+by their outcrop formed parallel ridges which we passed with difficulty
+and great risk to our horses; at 12.30 p.m. we extricated ourselves from
+these ridges and entered a level valley extending thirty miles to the
+north-east and south-west. Here granite rock was exposed on the bank of
+the creek, which now trended across the valley to the south-east, with a
+broad sandy bed from a quarter to half a mile in width, but quite dry and
+overgrown with bushes; at 4.5 reached the hills which bounded the valley
+to the south-east, and the creek entering a deep gorge which, by
+concentrating its waters, had formed a fine pool, at which we encamped.
+The country after leaving the basalt hills, where the valleys were well
+grassed, was barren and useless sand, gravel, and rock.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 53 minutes 42 seconds.
+
+20th August.
+
+We left our camp at 7.0 a.m., and finding the valley of the creek
+impassable, crossed the hills in an east-south-east direction, the
+country consisting of steep sandstone ridges covered with triodia and a
+few stunted eucalypti; at 3.0 p.m. we again attained the bank of the
+creek and camped in a small patch of coarse rushes, as there was no grass
+for the horses.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 58 minutes 7 seconds.
+
+21st August.
+
+Leaving this miserable spot with our starving horses, followed the creek,
+which had now increased to a small river, to the east-south-east, and
+after two hours' travelling reached a small patch of grass and camped at
+8.20 a.m.; the bed of the river is nearly dry, only a few shallow pools
+remaining in the sandy channel, which is ten to fifty yards wide, with
+smaller side channels, altogether occupying a breadth of nearly 200
+yards, dense clumps of melaleuca-trees growing in the intervening banks
+of sand; large quantities of unio-shell, some five and six inches in
+length, are found on the banks of the river near the camps of the blacks;
+Bowman complains of an attack of scurvy, which causes pains in his legs
+and swelling of the gums.
+
+22nd August.
+
+Although our yesterday's journey was only of two hours' duration, the
+horses appeared very weak and fatigued when we started at 6.45 am, and it
+was with great difficulty that Boco and Monkey could keep up with the
+rest of the horses; we were frequently compelled to leave the bank of the
+river and cross steep rocky ridges of sandstone rock; the country was
+very rugged and barren, producing little besides triodia and a few
+stunted gum-trees. The bed of the river increased to 400 yards in width,
+consisting of sandy channels with narrow banks of sand covered with large
+melaleuca-trees between them. At 1.5 p.m. camped in a small patch of dry
+wiry grass; procuring water from a small pool in the bed of the river.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 59 minutes 2 seconds.
+
+THE NICHOLSON RIVER.
+
+23rd August.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.15 a.m., following the right bank of the river
+to the east-north-east; it soon passed between two steep rocky hills and
+turned to the north. Continuing our course a short distance, rocky hills
+compelled us to turn north-north-east to regain the banks of the river,
+following an ana-branch till 11.0 a.m., when it joined the main channel,
+which then trended north-east; at 11.30 came to a small grassy flat,
+along the banks of the river, and camped. The valley of the river is now
+more open, but the country of very barren character, with stunted
+eucalypti and triodia on the hills, and melaleuca and flooded-gum trees,
+with a little grass, on the bank of the river. The hills have decreased
+in height, the upper strata thick-bedded coarse sandstone with sandstone
+shale beneath; hard white sandstone exists in some of the lower ridges.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 56 minutes 37 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 138 degrees 22 minutes 7 seconds.
+
+24th August (Sunday).
+
+Although this was not a good spot for a day's halt, yet it was requisite
+the horses should have a day's rest, and, as it was Sunday, remained at
+the camp. While collecting the horses a native woman and child were seen
+at a distance, in the bed of the river; but on being approached hid
+themselves in the reeds, and though the grass was set on fire in several
+places by the blacks, they were not seen again.
+
+25th August.
+
+Resumed our journey down the river at 8.5 a.m., the general course being
+east; at 2.35 p.m. camped at a nymphae pool in one of the side channels
+of the river. The country was now more level and open, with grassy flats
+along the river, but the back country rose into low rocky sandstone
+hills, thinly clothed with white-gum and triodia. At noon we crossed a
+sandstone ridge, from which the view was extensive, but, except on a
+range of hills fifteen miles north of our position and terminating
+abruptly on a north-east bearing, there was nothing visible but low and
+flat wooded country. The bed of the river is a quarter of a mile wide,
+consisting of broad sandy channels with low sandy ridges between covered
+with melaleuca and acacia trees. Some of the party walked down the river
+and came to the camp of some blacks; but only one lame old man remained,
+who made a great noise to frighten away the invaders of his country.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+26th August.
+
+Followed down the river from 6.45 a.m. till 1.40 p.m., the general course
+being east. The country is now more level, and ironstone conglomerate
+forms low steep banks to the river, the bed of which is unchanged, being
+broad dry sandy channels. The back country shows no improvement, and is
+covered with triodia. Some blacks were seen on the left bank of the
+river, but though within hearing of our horses' bells, did not appear to
+notice us.
+
+Latitude by z and a Aquilae 17 degrees 54 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+27th August.
+
+The course of the river continued nearly east, and we followed its right
+bank from 7.30 a.m. till 1.5 p.m., when we camped at a fine pool of water
+in one of the side channels, the main channel continuing dry and sandy.
+The country on the immediate bank of the river was openly wooded with
+box, flooded-gum, leguminous ironbark, and melia, and was scantily
+grassed; the soil a brown sandy loam. Beyond the influence of the floods
+the ground was quite level; small terminalia, broad-leafed melaleuca, and
+silver-leafed ironbark, with dry triodia, formed the entire vegetation of
+this worthless plain. Ironstone conglomerate and sandstone boulders are
+the only rocks visible.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 56 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+A FINE STREAM OF RUNNING WATER.
+
+28th August.
+
+Our day's journey commenced at 7.0 a.m., and following the right bank of
+the river to the east-south-east till 12.45 p.m., encamped in the bed of
+the river, which was nearly half a mile wide from bank to bank, the
+principal channel, eighty yards wide, was shallow and sandy, with a few
+small pools of water at intervals. The side channels of similar
+character, but smaller and without water. Beyond the bed the banks rose
+abruptly about thirty feet, and then appeared to decline as it receded,
+and no higher ground was visible. The soil was a sandy loam, thinly
+timbered with small box-trees and scanty grass.
+
+Latitude by Vega and b Cygni 18 degrees 1 minute 3 seconds.
+
+29th August.
+
+At 7.20 a.m. steered east through level box flats, the country gradually
+becoming more open and better grassed, though very scantily; at noon
+crossed some open grassy plains, and altered the course to north-east,
+north-north-east, and north, and at 3.20 p.m. again came on the bank of
+the river and encamped at a small pool of water; the rest of the channel,
+which exceeded a quarter of a mile in width, being dry and overgrown with
+large melaleuca and flooded-gum trees. The general character of the
+country is a level plain about forty feet above the level of the river,
+thinly wooded with box and a few bloodwood, acacia, and bauhinia trees;
+the soil a brown loam, and the grass, though scanty, of good quality, but
+at this season very dry.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 55 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+30th August.
+
+At 6.50 a.m. steered east-north-east through box flats and open grassy
+flats, the course of the river nearly parallel to our route; at 10.10
+came to a large tributary creek from the south. Its principal channel was
+30 yards wide, with pools separated by dry banks, but two small side
+channels existed with small running stream. After half an hour's delay,
+we succeeded in crossing without further accident than resulted from some
+of the pack-horses falling down the bank into the water and wetting their
+packs, and getting a ducking myself, which wetted the chronometers.
+Water-pandanus, fan-palm, and casuarina formed a belt of trees along the
+bank of the stream, which bore quite a different character to that of the
+dry sandy bed of the river above the junction. Continuing our route, at
+12.5 p.m. came to a second running creek, but of smaller size. This we
+crossed and followed down to the east till 1.5, when we encamped. Here we
+observed that, though the water was fresh, yet it was affected by the
+tide, which was now at the highest spring.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 52 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+THE ALBERT RIVER. A MARKED TREE.
+
+31st August (Sunday).
+
+Rode down the creek with Mr. H. Gregory. At two miles from the camp came
+to the junction of a smaller creek from the south, the two forming a fine
+reach of water, which we recognised as the Albert River of Captain
+Stokes. This spot between the two creeks was the rendezvous appointed for
+the two sections of the Expedition, and though, from the short period
+which had elapsed since leaving the Victoria, the Tom Tough could
+scarcely be expected to have arrived before us, on approaching the spot
+we saw several marked trees:
+
+CHUMLUT + arrow pointing up ORE RCH TO 1856,
+
+but were disappointed in our hope that the vessel had reached the Albert,
+as these marks consisted of several names of seamen, who appeared to have
+formed the crew of a boat sent up the river by H.M. steamer Torch. Search
+was made for directions for finding any memorandum which might have been
+concealed, as I first thought it probable that the object of the visit
+might have been to communicate with the Expedition; but the nature of the
+inscriptions and the absence of anything which led to even a surmise of
+what was the object of the visit caused us to come to the conclusion that
+it had no reference to the North Australian Expedition. From the state of
+the ashes of the fire and branches of the trees which had been cut and
+broken, it appeared that several weeks had elapsed, and consequently the
+Torch was not likely to still be in or near the river. In accordance with
+arrangements made with Mr. Baines, I marked a tree thus:
+
+NAE AUG 30 DIG1YD TO E.
+
+in order to apprise him of our having reached the Albert, and of our
+prospective movements. Returning to the camp, wrote a memorandum of the
+visit of the Expedition and a note to Mr. Baines, informing him that we
+intended leaving other marks and memoranda at the junction of the
+salt-water arm of the river, and then continue without delay our route
+towards Moreton Bay. These memoranda were enclosed in a powder-canister,
+and Messrs. Elsey and Bowman took them down to the marked tree and buried
+them. In the afternoon rode over with Mr. H. Gregory towards the
+Nicholson River, crossing Beame's Brook. Steered north-north-east four
+and a half miles over a level grassy plain with stripes of box-trees. As
+we could see four or five miles farther, and no indication of the river,
+returned to the camp, having ascertained that the Nicholson River does
+not join the Albert, unless many miles below the junction of Beame's
+Brook with the South Creek, which together form the Albert River.
+
+1st September.
+
+At 7.40 a.m. steered east to the South Creek, which we found at the
+distance of two miles, and followed it up for an hour in search of a
+crossing place, as the channel was very muddy. A suitable spot having
+been found, we filled up the channel, which was two yards wide, with
+pandanus stems, and crossed the horses over without accident. Steering
+east-north-east two miles across wide level plains, with patches of
+box-trees, turned north at noon and struck the Albert just below the
+junction of the South Creek and Beame's Brook. Finding the water
+brackish, we did not proceed farther down the river, and encamped. The
+existence of a narrow belt of mangrove along the bank of the river
+indicates that the water is often salt to the head of the Albert.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 51 minutes 55 seconds.
+
+2nd September.
+
+The water in the river being very brackish, it became evident that we
+should be unable to procure fresh water if we followed it towards the
+sea, and therefore I decided on leaving the letters I had written to Mr.
+Baines at this spot, and accordingly marked a tree thus:
+
+NAEXPDN AUG 30 1856 DIG2YDN
+
+and buried a tin canister with letters, stating that the exploring party
+was to start the following morning for Moreton Bay, and instructing Mr.
+Baines to remain at the Albert till the 29th September, 1856, in case any
+unforeseen circumstance should compel the party to return to the Albert
+within that period. Five months' flour, tea, sugar, etc., and three
+months' supply of meat at full ration still remained; and as our horses
+would supply the deficiency of meat, if required, we have sufficient
+quantity of provisions to enable the party to reach the settled part of
+New South Wales, unless extraordinary difficulties should be encountered;
+under the circumstances it did not appear prudent to delay at the Albert
+River, as the arrival of the Tom Tough might be deferred for an
+indefinite period.
+
+3rd September.
+
+Left our camp at 6.45 a.m., and steered east over level box-flats and
+open grassy plains; at 10.0 came on a small creek, which we followed half
+an hour to the north-east, when we came to salt-water, which had been
+left in pools at high tides. I therefore steered south-east till 5.0 p.m.
+and camped at a shallow pool in a large creek trending north. The country
+consists of vast open level plains, separated by narrow belts of box and
+terminalia trees; the soil a brown clay loam, producing rather short and
+dry grass. On approaching the waterhole at which we encamped, a black and
+three or four women were found camped on the opposite side of the creek;
+they climbed the trees and remained among the branches till dusk, when
+they descended to their fires and made a great noise till 9.0, when they
+decamped. This creek is probably the head of the salt-water arm of the
+Albert River or of the Disaster River.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 2 minutes 5 seconds; variation of compass 4
+degrees east.
+
+THE "PLAINS OF PROMISE," LEICHHARDT RIVER.
+
+4th September.
+
+Continued a south-east course through large open plains thinly grassed;
+passed a dry watercourse with a small waterhole in one of the back
+channels, but insufficient for our horses, and at noon camped at a
+shallow waterhole in a grassy flat. Mr. Elsey walked half a mile to the
+eastward; came to a river eighty yards wide, but observing some blacks,
+returned to the camp. In the evening nine blacks came towards us, and
+appeared inclined to hostilities; but, after a short interview, retired
+up the creek. These blacks were not circumcised, and their teeth were
+perfect; they had neither ornaments or any description of clothing, and
+were slightly scarred on the back and chest. Their spears were large and
+heavy, made of a single piece of wood, and thrown by hand; they had also
+smaller ones of reed, with wooden points, which were thrown with the
+throwing board, which were flattened vertically; clubs two and a half
+feet long and two and a half inches in diameter, and shields formed of a
+single piece of wood two and a half feet long and three inches wide. The
+river proved to be fresh, and in pools separated by rock flats, and is
+evidently the same that Dr. Leichhardt supposed to be the Albert--a
+mistake which has caused considerable error in the maps of his route; as
+it was not named, I called it the Leichhardt. The character of the
+country is inferior, as the grass which covers the plains is principally
+aristidia and andropogon; anthisteria or kangaroo grass only in small
+patches. The soil is a good brown loam.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 11 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+ATTACK BY THE NATIVES.
+
+5th September.
+
+At daybreak we heard the blacks making a great noise up the river, and
+while the horses were being brought in nineteen blacks came to the camp,
+all armed with clubs and spears. They did not make any hostile
+demonstration, and the approach of the horses appeared to keep them in
+check; and a person unacquainted with the treacherous character of the
+Australian might have thought them friendly. When we started at 6.50 a.m.
+they followed the party to the bank of the river, and began to ship their
+spears, and when we were crossing a deep ravine made a rush on us with
+their spears poised ready to throw them at us, hoping to take advantage
+of our position; but just as their leader was in the act of throwing his
+spear he received a charge of small shot. This checked them, and we
+charged them on horseback, and with a few shots from our revolvers put
+them to flight, except one man, who climbed a tree, where we left him, as
+our object was only to procure our own safety, and that with as little
+injury to the blacks as possible. We did not pursue our advantage; by
+following the fugitives. Proceeding down the river a short distance, at
+7.40 crossed to the right bank on a ledge of flat rocks. It was here
+about 100 yards wide, with shallow reaches of water, the banks rising
+steep--thirty to forty feet. Very little vegetation grew on the banks,
+which appeared to result from salt water occasionally reaching this part
+at very high tides. We now steered east over level grassy plains, with
+patches of box and terminalia. Passed a small but deep waterhole, near
+which were two black gins, who did not appear to notice us. At 10.0 the
+country was covered with an open scrub of terminalia, with silvery
+leaves, and triodia replaced the grass. At noon passed a small rocky
+gully with a waterhole, which our horses quite emptied of its contents.
+Altering the course to north-east, the country was covered with melaleuca
+scrub, with silver-leafed ironbark, triodia, and a little grass; but we
+soon re-entered the open plains which extended to the north, and,
+following a watercourse at 3.5 p.m. camped at a small muddy waterhole, on
+the banks of which the blacks had often encamped, as shown by the heaps
+of mussel-shells round their fireplaces. Our route has been along the
+southern limit of the open grassy plains, and to the south the country
+rises into low ridges and stony plains, covered with scrub and triodia.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 7 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+6th September.
+
+Starting at 6.25 a.m. our route was average east over a level country of
+very bad quality; the soil ironstone gravel, producing terminalia,
+triodia, and silk cotton-trees (Cochospermum gregoranum). Towards the
+latter part of the stage the country improved, becoming more open and
+grassy. At 12.15 camped on a large creek with a shallow pool of muddy
+water.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 9 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+7th September (Sunday).
+
+Remained at the camp to rest the party. A strong south-east wind blew
+during the night, and the day was cool and clear; the air very dry.
+Repaired our saddle-bags, which, from frequent contact with rocks and
+dead trees, were much dilapidated.
+
+8th September.
+
+Steered east-south-east from 6.40 am to 11.40, crossing low ironstone
+ridges and wide grassy plains, with belts of box, terminalia, white-gum,
+and silver-leafed ironbark of small size; the grass very inferior, with
+patches of triodia on the ridges; then traversed a level country covered
+with small trees and dry grass for two hours, after which we followed a
+dry watercourse, with large hollows in its bed, to the north-north-west
+for one hour; the shells of large unios abundant, but no water; altered
+the course to the east; passed two lines of box-trees crossing the plain
+from the south to the north, and at 5.50 p.m. camped in the plain without
+water; a strong breeze from the south-east during the day had rendered
+the heat less oppressive than usual.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 12 minutes 40 seconds; variation of compass 5
+degrees east.
+
+THE FLINDERS RIVER.
+
+9th September.
+
+Left our waterless camp at 6.10 a.m., steering north 50 degrees east
+magnetic over a level grassy plain; at 9.40 reached a fine river of fresh
+water 100 yards wide, but very shallow; pelicans, ducks, and other
+water-fowl were numerous, but very shy and wild; here we camped, although
+the grass was very inferior on the immediate banks of the river, the
+surface of the soil being very much furrowed by the rain; small fragments
+of limestone and a few quartz pebbles have been observed on the surface
+of the plain for the past twenty miles, and a dark limestone rock is
+exposed in the bed of the river, where it has horizontal stratification;
+fragments of flinty slate and trap exist in the gravel of the bed of the
+river, which, from its position, must be the Flinders River of the
+charts.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 18 degrees 8 minutes 41 seconds; variation of
+compass 4 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+10th September.
+
+6.10 a.m. again found us in the saddle, and crossing the right bank
+followed it to the south-south-east till 7.20, when it turned to the
+south-south-west, and changing our course to the east, passed through a
+fine grassy plain for two miles, and entered a level open box-flat, well
+grassed, the soil a brown loam; this continued till 2.30 p.m., when we
+entered a belt of terminalia, and at 1.0 reached a small watercourse, and
+camped at a fine waterhole fifty yards wide and 100 yards long,
+apparently deep and permanent water, with open grassy banks; this
+waterhole would render a great extent of the fine grassy country around
+available for pasturage; in passing through the box forest we observed
+several sleeping places which had been constructed by the blacks during
+the wet season; they consisted of four stakes two feet high, supporting a
+platform of small sticks five feet long and two and a half feet wide;
+three to twenty of these frames would be grouped together, and were
+frequent till we reached the Gilbert River.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 10 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+11th September.
+
+At 6.20 a.m. steered east for one hour through level box and terminalia
+flats, with good grass and brown loam; came to a fine lagoon eighty yards
+wide and nearly one mile long; beyond this was a creek with small pools
+of water; as it appeared to come from the south-east, we steered in that
+direction, but soon receded from it, as its course changed to
+south-south-east, and altering our course more to the southward, at noon
+came again on the creek, much reduced in size; melaleuca scrub and
+triodia growing close to its banks, and only a few shallow pools of
+water, nearly dried up, and very little grass; at 12.25 p.m. camped at a
+small pool. On the banks of the lagoon passed in the morning large heaps
+of mussel-shells showed the spots where, from the vast accumulation, the
+blacks had for many centuries camped successively on the same spots, and
+a well-beaten footpath along the bank showed that it was a favourite
+resort of the aboriginals. The common flies are very troublesome; very
+few birds, and no kangaroos have been seen during the last few days'
+journey.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 18 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+12th September.
+
+The course of the creek being from the south and water very scarce in its
+bed, it does not appear that we have yet reached the streams rising in
+the high land at the head of the Burdekin and Lynd rivers; it therefore
+appeared expedient to steer an east-north-east course till some
+stream-bed of sufficient size to retain water at this season can be
+found, and then to follow it up to the ranges where alone water can be
+expected to be found to enable us to steer to the south-east. At an
+earlier season of the year, when water is abundant, it would be more
+desirable to ascend the Flinders, and cross from its upper branches to
+the head of the Clark; but under present circumstances this course would
+be highly imprudent, and no experimental deviations from the most direct
+course would be justifiable. The grass being scanty, the horses had
+scattered much, and we did not leave the camp till 10.20 a.m., when we
+steered east-north-east. A short mile from our camp passed four blacks at
+a pool of water; they did not observe us till we had passed, though only
+100 yards distant, and the country very open. Our route was through a
+level country, wooded with box, bloodwood, terminalia, grevillia, and
+broad-leafed melaleuca, triodia, and patches of grass. The soil is a hard
+ironstone gravel and clay. Passing several dry beds of shallow lagoons,
+came to a small dry watercourse coming from the east; at 12.20 p.m.
+camped at a shallow pool of water scarcely four inches deep. Near the
+camp were some fine grassy flats, but limited in extent, and the grass
+very dry. The cool southerly breezes have ceased, and the north-east and
+westerly winds are light and very warm.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 14 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+13th September.
+
+At 8.5 a.m. steered east-north-east through box-flats with broad-leafed
+melaleuca, with a little grass. The country gradually became more scrubby
+with grevillia, terminalia, bloodwood, and triodia; the soil very poor,
+and in some parts sand and gravel. At 2.0 p.m. altered the course to
+north, and at 5.50 came to a dry creek in a rocky channel trending west,
+which we followed down till 6.15, and camped without water.
+
+14th September (Sunday).
+
+At 5.50 proceeded down the creek on a nearly west course, searching the
+channel in its winding course for water, but without success, till 10.0,
+when we found a pool of good water fifty yards long and two feet deep, at
+which we encamped. Some blacks had been camped at this pool, and their
+fires were still burning. The country on the creek is very poor, with
+patches of open melaleuca scrub, box, bloodwood, leguminous ironbark,
+terminalia, white-gum, and a few pandanus, triodia, and a little very dry
+grass. The soil sandstone, with ironstone gravel. The native bee appears
+to be very numerous, and great numbers of trees have been cut by the
+blacks to obtain the honey.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 59 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+LEVEL COUNTRY. SCARCITY OF WATER.
+
+15th September.
+
+At 8.15 a.m. resumed our journey north 10 degrees magnetic, over a very
+level country thinly wooded with box, bloodwood, melaleuca, terminalia,
+grevillia, and cotton-trees, also a small tree which we recognised as
+Leichhardt's little bread-tree, the fruit of which, when ripe, is mealy
+and acid, but made some of the party, who ate it, sick. Several dry
+watercourses trending west were crossed, and at 2.5 p.m. camped at a
+small waterhole in a sandy creek, fifteen yards wide. By enlarging the
+hole we obtained, though with difficulty, a sufficient supply of water
+for our horses. On the flats near the creek the grass was good, but very
+dry.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 46 minutes 11 seconds.
+
+16th September.
+
+Although our horses required a day's rest, none of our camps for some
+days had afforded a sufficient supply of water and grass for a second
+night; we therefore continued a north 20 degrees east course at 6.25
+a.m.; at 7.30 a.m. came to a creek which we followed east an hour and a
+half, when it was reduced to a small gully, and again steered
+north-north-east, passing over much poor country with patches of
+melaleuca scrub, the country perfectly level; at 2.0 p.m. came to a sandy
+creek which we followed to the west till 6.5 p.m. without any water;
+camped in an open grassy box flat; I then walked down the creek, and was
+fortunate in finding a pool of water half a mile distant, and as soon as
+the moon rose we drove the horses to the water and filled our
+saddle-bags. Few parts of our journey have been through country so
+destitute of animal life as the level plain we have traversed since
+leaving the Flinders River--no kangaroo or even their track; emu tracks
+very rare, and very few birds were at the waterholes. Many of the
+sleeping-frames of the blacks have been observed, and thousands of deep
+impressions of their feet in the now dry and sun-baked clay show that
+during the rainy season the extremely level nature of the country causes
+it to be extensively inundated.
+
+17th September.
+
+The supply of water and grass being sufficient, we remained at this camp
+to refresh the horses, which had suffered much from the long stages.
+
+Latitude by Capella 17 degrees 34 minutes 5 seconds; variation of compass
+4 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+DRIED HORSE-FLESH.
+
+18th September.
+
+Starting at 7.0 a.m., steered north 10 degrees east magnetic till 12.30
+p.m., crossing a level country with frequent hollows which form lagoons
+in the wet season, reaching a sandy creek with several channels, which we
+searched in vain for water; but found a fine lagoon about a quarter of a
+mile from it, in a grassy flat, in which we encamped. The country
+generally was more open, with grassy box-flats; melaleuca scrubs less
+frequent. As this camp appeared suitable for a halt of a few days, I
+decided on availing ourselves of the opportunity, and to kill one of the
+unserviceable horses and replenish our stock of meat and supply the party
+with fresh provisions. Old Boco, who had not carried a pack since leaving
+the Albert, and whose wandering and kicking propensities had rendered him
+a troublesome animal, was therefore shot, skinned and quartered.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 21 minutes 20 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees 15 minutes east.
+
+19th September.
+
+The horse was cut into thin slices and hung on ropes to dry by 10.0 a.m.,
+the liver and heart furnishing the party with an excellent dinner.
+
+20th September.
+
+The night had been cloudy, but the meat dried well, and promised to be
+fit to pack the following day, the weather being very hot with little
+wind. Reduced the ration of flour to three-quarters of a pound per diem
+while fresh meat is abundant.
+
+21st September.
+
+Resumed our journey at 8.15 a.m. and traversed on a course north 40
+degrees east a level plain grassy country thinly wooded with box,
+bloodwood, and terminalia, etc. The soil a dark loam of good quality, but
+very wet in the rainy season. At 11.30 a.m. came on a large creek or
+river with many sandy channels in which only a few small pools of water
+remained; followed it up to the east-south-east through fine open grassy
+flats till 2.35 p.m. and camped in the bed of the river. The banks of the
+river (which is probably the Gilbert of Leichhardt) are well grassed, and
+a dense line of melaleuca, leucodendron, flooded-gum, and morinda, mark
+its course through the plain; but being divided into many channels its
+size is difficult to ascertain. Considerable quantities of mica are mixed
+with the soil on its banks, which indicates that it rises in country of
+primary formation. Two kangaroos, some wallabies, and pink and
+sulphur-crested white cockatoos were seen near the river.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 18 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+THE GILBERT RIVER.
+
+22nd September.
+
+Leaving our camp at 7.25 a.m., steered north 120 degrees east across the
+plains on the left bank of the river, and at 1.30 p.m. camped at a small
+pool in the sandy bed of the Gilbert, which is broad, sandy, and retains
+very little water. Fragments of porphyry, quartz, and black slate are
+abundant in the drift, and mica, iserine, and minute garnets exist.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 25 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+23rd September.
+
+At 7.5 a.m. continued our journey up the river's left bank, the average
+course south-east by east; at 2.50 p.m., camped at a small pool in the
+bed of the river; the principal channel is 200 yards wide, and the
+smaller ones occupy a breadth of half a mile; the banks are low, and the
+country quite level, thinly wooded with box-trees; the grass good, but
+not thick; water very scarce, except by digging in the sand of the river.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 17 degrees 36 minutes; variation of compass 5 degrees
+east.
+
+24th September.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered south-east, and at 8.0 crossed to the right bank of
+the river, the channel 300 yards wide, with banks fifteen feet high,
+beyond which the ground gradually declined, so that when the river
+overflows a great extent of country must be inundated. Continuing our
+course, the river turned more to the south, and we passed through some
+poor stunted forest of eucalypti, alternating with grassy box-flats. At
+noon altered the course south-south-east, and at 12.30 p.m. camped at a
+chain of small lagoons in the shade of some fine nonda-trees.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 45 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+25th September.
+
+At 6.35 a.m. steered south-east through an open melaleuca scrub, the soil
+sandy loam, thinly grassed; acacia, bloodwood, silver-leafed ironbark,
+and grevillia forming open patches of wood at intervals. At noon turned
+south, and at 1.35 p.m. camped at a small lagoon nearly dry and half a
+mile from the bank of the river; a few hills rose close to the south-west
+of the river opposite our camp, the lower ridges grassy, the higher hills
+wooded, but not exceeding 500 feet above the plain. The bed of the river
+is broad, dry, and sandy, and the box-flats much reduced in width, seldom
+exceeding a mile. At 5.0 p.m. there was a heavy squall with rain and
+lightning, followed by a cloudy night and moderate breeze from the south.
+
+26th September.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. resumed our route, and, following up the right bank of the
+river in a south-east direction till 2.0 p.m., when we camped in the
+sandy bed of the river, procuring water from a small hole in the sand.
+The country on the banks of the river consisted of box flats, some parts
+well grassed, but usually very poor; this extended about half a mile, and
+then changed gradually to a poor country with little grass and small
+eucalypti and melaleuca, the soil gravel and sand. The bed of the river
+continues to be about 300 yards wide, dry, and sandy; a line of
+melaleuca, morinda, flooded-gum and fig trees, grow along it and mark its
+course.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 18 degrees 10 minutes 10 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+27th September.
+
+Steered an average south-east course up the river from 6.40 a.m. till 1.0
+p.m., when we camped at some pools of water in a side channel of the
+river, where it was divided by a hillock of slate-rock. The country is
+inferior in quality, the flats narrowing to an average of half a mile
+with very dry and thinly scattered tufts of grass. The bed of the river
+is better defined, and formed at times a single channel 250 yards wide,
+dry and sandy, as water was only once seen during the day. Low rocky
+ridges of sandstone gradually approached its banks, and near the camp
+porphyry, slate, and coarse granite formed detached hills 50 to 100 feet
+high, seeming to indicate an approach to the ranges in which the stream
+takes its rise.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 15 minutes 21 seconds.
+
+GRANITE, PORPHYRY, AND SLATE.
+
+28th September (Sunday).
+
+Walked out from the camp to a low hill about one mile south-south-east.
+It was composed of granite at the base and capped with horizontal strata
+of sandstone, some of the beds containing large water-worn pebbles, and
+the superstratum highly ferruginous. To the south-west of this hill the
+rock was slate, the strata nearly vertical; the strike north and south,
+but much contorted, and large pebbles of porphyry, quartz, slate,
+granite, sandstone, and agate formed banks in the bed of the river. The
+country, as seen from the hill, was generally level in appearance, but
+consisted of numerous low ridges and detached hills of granite, with
+sandstone on the summits. The valley of the river extended to the east
+and south, and a large branch appeared to join from the south about ten
+miles lower down, as a valley and some ranges of hills trended in that
+direction. The whole face of the country had an arid and desolate aspect,
+as there were no large trees except along the principal watercourses, and
+many of the hills appeared destitute of any other vegetation besides
+small acacias and scrub trees, the bare rock showing through its scanty
+covering.
+
+29th September.
+
+At 7.15 a.m. again steered east up the river, the country level and
+timbered with stringybark, box, bloodwood, leguminous ironbark, and rusty
+gum; the soil a red sandy loam, thinly grassed; at 10.30 a.m. came to low
+hills and ridges of granite and porphyry, timbered with box, leguminous
+ironbark, terminalia, and the grass somewhat improved. Altered the course
+at 11.0 a.m. to the south to close in with the river; but after crossing
+a great number of dry watercourses, and even steering west, only reached
+the bank of the river at sunset. The channel was dry, and all the
+vegetation had disappeared, only a barren waste of coarse sand and gravel
+180 yards wide, with bare rocky banks, showed that it had once been a
+running stream. A few small hollows in the rocks retained water from the
+late rain, but not sufficient for our horses, and though we found a small
+pool in the sand, it was insufficient for the supply of the party.
+Encamped at 6.0 p.m. The geological structure of this portion of the
+country is wholly dissimilar to any other part of North Australia we have
+yet traversed. Granite, porphyry, and slate are the prevailing rocks. The
+whole appear to have been subjected to considerable disturbance, as the
+slate is much broken and contorted, and in several parts altered by
+contact with the porphyry, and no definite strike or dip appeared to
+exist. The porphyry is of a red-brown colour, consisting of grey paste
+with crystal of felspar and angular fragments of slate and granite
+sometimes one foot in length. The granite contains little mica, and the
+quartz frequently is arranged in rhomboidal crystals nearly parallel to
+each other; it readily decomposes, and from the predominance of quartz
+forms a coarse gritty soil. Quartz-rock forms large beds and veins in the
+granite, and has a general trend north and south. It often contains
+crystals of mica, and therefore not likely to contain metals. In washing
+the sand of the river near Camp 83, only a small quantity of titaniferous
+iron remained after the removal of the quartz and mica. It was in this
+locality that the Gilbert Gold Field was afterwards discovered.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 25 minutes 33 seconds.
+
+30th September.
+
+Moved the camp about one mile higher up the river to some small pools of
+water, and then with Mr. H. Gregory ascended the hills to the south of
+the camp. From the highest ridge the course of the river was visible for
+nearly twenty miles, trending first seven miles south-south-west and then
+south-south-east; at the bend a branch appeared to join from
+west-south-west, in which direction the country appeared very flat for
+fifteen or twenty miles, as only a few distant hills were visible; from
+north round to south-east the country was very broken and hilly, rising
+highest to the north-east, but the view was limited to eight or ten
+miles; south-east a valley opened through hills, and more distant ranges
+were indistinctly seen beyond. The whole aspect of the country was
+barren, rock forming the principal feature. Returning to the camp,
+collected a quantity of the clustered figs on the bank of the creek; this
+fruit is rather insipid.
+
+1st October.
+
+Steering an average south-south-east course from 7.40 a.m. till 2.40
+p.m., camped on the right bank of the river, which first came from
+south-west and then from south-east, throwing off two branches to the
+south-west, and was thereby diminished to 100 yards wide at our camp;
+only one creek and some gullies joined from the east, although the
+country in that direction was hilly; the bed of the river was still dry
+and sandy; water very scarce. Slate, quartz, schist, granite, and trap
+are the principal rocks, and by their decomposition do not produce a soil
+favourable to vegetation, the country becoming more desolate as we
+advanced. The only trees which retain their verdure are those which grow
+on the banks of the river.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 40 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+RECONNOITRE TO THE EASTWARD.
+
+2nd October.
+
+The river above the camp coming from the south-south-west, it appeared
+desirable to pursue a more eastern course, and I therefore started from
+the camp at 6.30 a.m., accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, to reconnoitre the
+country, steering east three miles over low slate hills (the strata
+dipping 60 degrees to 80 degrees to south by west); ascended a hill from
+which a range of hills were seen eight to ten miles to the east of a
+creek rising in them and joining the river near the camp to the
+east-south-east; at the head of the creek a gap in the hills showed a
+more distant range of hills; steering in this direction, came to the
+creek with a sandy and rocky bed ten yards wide and perfectly dry;
+ascending the range of hills, found them to consist of gneiss, schist,
+and slate, trap existing on the lower ridges. A large valley extended
+across our course to the east, beyond which a range of flat-topped hills
+or tableland bounded the horizon. Descending to the east the country
+improved and granite constituted the principal rock, ironbark and a few
+box-trees forming an open forest which on some of the ridges was well
+grassed; the soil a red loam. At 2.0 p.m. came on a small river with a
+dry sandy bed eighty yards wide; following it down to the south found a
+small pool of water in a hollow in the sand; here we halted till 3.30,
+and then followed the river south-west, south-east, south-west, west, and
+south; at 6.10 ascended a hill on the left hand, from which we saw that
+the river turned west and north-west, breaking through the hills and
+joining the Gilbert River. Having ascertained that we were still on a
+western watercourse, we bivouacked near the river without water.
+
+3rd October.
+
+At daybreak steered north-west, crossing several rocky ridges of hills,
+and at 2.0 p.m. reached the camp. Nothing of importance had occurred
+during our absence; the horses had improved by the two days' rest.
+
+4th October.
+
+At 7.15 a.m. left the camp, and, following an average east-south-east
+course for seven hours, reached the pools found on the 2nd, in the upper
+branch of the Gilbert River, and encamped. As this route nearly coincided
+with that on the 2nd, nothing was seen worthy of farther notice.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 47 minutes 54 seconds.
+
+5th October.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. left the camp and followed up the river in an
+east-north-east direction for three miles; water was abundant in the
+gullies owing to a heavy shower some days previous. Beyond three miles
+the water ceased and the country was dry and parched. Low hills of schist
+trap and granite formed a country near the river, and farther back high
+ranges bounded the valley; they appeared to be flat-topped and with
+horizontal strata of sandstone on the summits. At noon the river had
+divided into several small branches, and the character of the country did
+not promise the existence of water within the space of a day's journey;
+we returned down the river to the last water we had seen, and camped
+about three miles north-east of our last camp. As there was little
+prospect of finding water again till the range to the east of our present
+position was crossed, I decided on reconnoitring the country before
+moving the party farther, and as the weather promised to continue fine,
+the horse Monkey was shot and skinned preparatory to drying the meat
+during my absence.
+
+6th October.
+
+At 6.5 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory, steering nearly east,
+crossed the south branch of the river, and reached the base of the higher
+range at 9.30; here we found a small spring a quarter of a mile south of
+a remarkable hill formed of a single mass of bare rock completely
+honeycombed by the action of the atmosphere; ascended the range, which
+consisted of porphyry with horizontal sandstone on the summit; we
+continued our east course over rocky hills with dry watercourses trending
+north; the grass was very thin and dry; and the country was openly wooded
+with acacia, eucalypti, cypress, etc., none of which attained a large
+size; at 1.30 p.m. halted to rest the horses, and searching among the
+rocks in the gullies obtained about three quarts of water by digging; at
+2.45 resumed our route, traversing a hilly country, and at 4.15 ascended
+a granite hill with sandstone summit, from which the view was very
+extensive. Large valleys seemed to join and trend from south to north,
+and were bounded by ranges, except to the east, where a level plain or
+wide valley extended to the horizon. In the valley a line of green trees
+five miles distant marked the course of a creek. Descending the range we
+encountered a very rocky country with deep gullies, in one of which we
+found a few gallons of water, which our horses consumed. As there was no
+grass here, we pushed on till dusk, and bivouacked in a small patch of
+grass by the side of a dry gully. The country east of the range is
+entirely granitic; grass very scanty, and very thinly wooded with
+ironbark.
+
+CROSS A GRANITE RANGE.
+
+7th October.
+
+Continued an east course at 5.50 a.m., and at 7.50 reached the large
+creek, which was 100 yards wide with shallow sandy bed; the banks low and
+thinly timbered with ironbark and a few box trees; the soil poor and
+sandy, producing little grass. Large casuarina and flooded-gum trees grew
+in the channel of the creek, which we followed three miles to the
+north-east without finding any water, and only two spots where it could
+be procured by digging; we therefore returned up the creek, and dug a
+well at the most eligible spot, procuring an abundance of good water; at
+2.20 p.m. commenced our return route towards the camp, and following up
+the spurs of the range found a practicable route for the pack-horses;
+passed the highest point of the range at 6.0, and bivouacked at a small
+dry watercourse at 7.15 p.m.
+
+8th October.
+
+Resumed our route at 6.0 a.m., and deviating to the north of the outward
+route, found a small pool of water in a rocky gully, and following it
+down a mile came to a pool of sufficient size to supply the whole party.
+At 10.30 reached Bowman's Spring at the foot of the range, and by digging
+in the moist soil obtained a little water. As we approached the spring a
+small party of blacks shouted to us from the summit of one of the hills,
+but did not descend to us, though we halted till 12.30 p.m., and then
+resumed our route, reaching the camp at 4.0, and found the party all
+well; the horse-meat quite dry and fit for carriage. Bowman had also
+replaced the shoes on all the horses. The geological character gradually
+changes, in consequence of the larger development of the older rocks, as
+we proceed to the eastward. At the camp gneiss, porphyry, and trap have
+superseded the slates, and proceeding east, granite is visible at the
+western base of the range. This is covered by a thick mass of porphyry,
+containing large fragments of slate, gneiss and granite in its lower
+part, and in its upper portion it has a fine grain and light colour.
+Being deeply cracked by vertical fissures, it forms vertical columns of
+rhomboidal form, resembling basalt. The summits of the higher hills are
+formed by horizontal beds of white sandstone, containing water-worn
+pebbles of quartz. Granite supersedes the other rocks as the east slope
+of the range is approached, and is there occasionally intercepted by
+veins of dark trap.
+
+9th October.
+
+Proposed to start from the camp at the usual time, but four of the horses
+could not be found, and owing to the rocky nature of the country the
+tracks were not found till late in the evening, when tracing them some
+miles I found them at sunset in a secluded valley.
+
+10th October.
+
+This morning we were more successful in collecting the horses, and
+started from the camp at 6.35 a.m., and steering an easterly course
+reached the fate of the range at 10.20 and the summit at noon. Following
+our previous track, reached the pool of water at 1.0 p.m. and camped.
+Near the camp the xanthorrhoea first made its appearance.
+
+CROSS THE MAIN DIVIDING RANGE.
+
+11th October.
+
+Leaving the camp at 7.0 a.m., steered an easterly course over somewhat
+barren granite country, timbered with cypress and ironbark; passed close
+to a hill on the highest point of the range, the summit of which, by
+approximate measurement, rose to 2500 feet above the sea. Then following
+a spur of the range we reached the well in the sandy creek at 1.5 p.m.
+Having cleared out the sand and banked it up with stakes and brushwood, a
+plentiful supply of water was obtained at about five feet below the
+surface of the dry channel.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 45 minutes 53 seconds.
+
+12th October.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered north 60 degrees east over undulating granite
+country, timbered with ironbark and box, the grass scanty and very dry;
+at 8.45 crossed a large creek coming from the south. Its channel was 100
+yards wide, dry, sandy, and a few pools of shallow water; the banks ten
+to twenty feet high. Crossing several gullies trending northward, at noon
+came on a dry sandy creek, also trending to the north. On its right bank
+was a level flat of cellular lava or basalt. Following the course of the
+creek, at 1.50 p.m. camped at a fine lagoon a quarter of a mile long and
+seventy yards wide, the water appearing to be about ten feet deep,
+although unusually low at the present time. A high range of hills exist
+to the north of this creek, and the watercourses all trend to the
+north-west; and, as our latitude is the same as the Reedy Brook of
+Leichhardt on the south-west side of the Valley of Lagoons, it is evident
+that these streams do not join the Burdekin, but are tributary to the
+Lynd, joining it probably at the southern bend.
+
+Latitude by b Aurigae 18 degrees 38 minutes 12 seconds.
+
+13th October.
+
+At 6.25 a.m. steered east and traversed a slightly undulating granite
+country, with small watercourses trending west-south-west. Ironbark and
+box formed an open forest, the soil poor and gritty, with a few patches
+of black soil, with blocks of lava on the surface. At 11.15 ascended a
+small hill of lava, from which the country appeared very level to the
+east. To the north-east large hills rose about twelve miles distant;
+ranges also bounded the plain to the south, and some distant summits were
+visible to the south-east. Continuing an east course, lava became more
+frequent, and at length covered the whole surface. At 2.30 p.m. came on
+several streams of lava, forming ridges of rugged rocks, which were
+crossed with difficulty. These streams of lava appeared to have run from
+north to south, the thickness twenty to thirty feet, and breadth very
+variable. The level ground was lightly timbered with ironbark and box. At
+5.25 turned to the south-east, following a small gully. Passed a small
+native well; but very little water in it, and the rock prevented it being
+enlarged. At 6.15 camped near some large rocks, in which five or six
+gallons of rainwater had collected. Walking down the creek one and a half
+miles in search of water, found two small pools of rainwater; but the
+darkness of the night and broken nature of the ground prevented the party
+moving to them.
+
+14th October.
+
+Moved the camp to the waterholes found last night, one and a half miles
+down the gully. The country is here granite formation, undulating and
+moderately grassed, and wooded with box and ironbark. The day was cloudy,
+but cleared at night, and I took sights for time, latitude, and lunar
+distance. Chronometer 2287 would not wind up in the morning, and stopped
+during the day, but, having run down, wound again without difficulty.
+
+Longitude by lunar distances 144 degrees 33 minutes 15 seconds; latitude
+by e Pegasi 18 degrees 41 minutes 38 seconds; variation of compass 5
+degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+15th October.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.0 a.m., and followed the course of the creek to
+the south-east. The north-east side was a plain of lava, and the
+south-west consisted of granite ridges with sandstone on the summits.
+Several small creeks joined from the south-west, and increased the
+principal channel considerably. At 10.0 the country was more level and
+openly timbered with box and bloodwood; grass was abundant and green,
+owing to heavy rains, which appear to have been accompanied with hail, as
+the west-north-west sides of the trees were much bruised and the soil
+indented, and a great portion of the leaves torn from the trees. At 1.15
+p.m. camped on a small tributary creek. The country appears to be chiefly
+granite and mica schist, with thin beds or streams of lava, which have
+come from the ranges to the north and advanced to various distances into
+the more level land. The surface of the lava is more thinly wooded and
+better grassed than the granite; but the roughness of the surface and
+scarcity of water rendered it less convenient travelling. From one of the
+higher ridges we had a wide but imperfect view of the country. The air
+being hazy, only a few of the marked features of the ranges to the north
+were visible; to the east a high hill twenty-five miles distant rose
+beyond an undulating wooded country. At 6.0 a heavy thunderstorm caused
+the creek to run for several hours.
+
+Latitude by Capella 18 degrees 49 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+THE BURDEKIN RIVER. A CAMP OF LEICHHARDT'S.
+
+16th October.
+
+The rain having passed away, the morning was clear and cool, and at 6.35
+a.m. resumed our journey, steering average south-east, crossing the creek
+several times, and at 11.0 reached the bank of the Burdekin River, which
+had a strong stream of water flowing in its channel, which is here about
+100 yards wide, but full of casuarina and melaleuca trees; the banks
+steep and cut with deep gullies. Following the river to the south-east,
+at 2.0 p.m. camped in a large open grassy flat a mile from the river,
+obtaining water from a small pool filled by the rain last night.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 57 minutes 48 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees east.
+
+17th October.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. resumed our journey, steering east and south for two hours
+over level flats; then turning east crossed a steep range of sandstone
+hills, the strata nearly vertical; the strike north and south; thin veins
+of quartz intersected the rock in every direction, forming a complete
+network. The steepness of the country compelled us to turn north-east to
+the bank of the river, which we followed to the south-east; the banks
+were high and cut by deep gullies. At 12.30 p.m. the hills receded, and
+we entered some fine flats. Here I picked up a fragment of the
+shoulder-bone of a bullock, and observed several trees that had been cut
+with iron axes; and as the latitude corresponds with that of Dr.
+Leichhardt's camp of the 26th April, 1845, the bone doubtless belonged to
+the bullock he killed at this place. At 1.5 camped on the bank of the
+river. The Moreton-Bay ash, poplar gum, and a rough-barked gum-tree with
+very green leaves, were added to the ironbark, bloodwood, and other
+eucalypti which constituted the forest, while casuarina and Melaleuca
+leucodendron grow in the beds of the larger watercourses. The channel of
+the river is about 150 yards, with a small stream winding along the sandy
+bed; much of the running water is due to the late rain, but it is evident
+from the character of the vegetation that it continues to run throughout
+the dry season.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 19 degrees 37 seconds.
+
+18th October.
+
+Continued our route at 6.25 a.m., steering nearly east till 8.30, when
+the river turned to the north round a range of sandstone hills, crossing
+which, reached the river again at 10.5 flowing south, with fine
+openly-timbered flats on the banks; steering south till 1.0 p.m., camped
+on the bank of the river just below a ridge of slate rock which crossed
+the channel. From the hills, at 9.0, we saw a fine valley joining that of
+the Burdekin from the east; it was bounded by a steep range to the south,
+which terminated two miles from the river. South-west of our position
+were several flat-topped hills, which appeared to be a continuation of
+the range crossed yesterday. To the south only a few distant hills were
+visible, the view being obstructed by trees. The flats on the banks of
+the river are well grassed and openly timbered with ironbark, Moreton-Bay
+ash, bloodwood, and poplar gum; the soil varying from a soft brown loam
+into which our horses sank deeply, to a firm black or brown clay loam;
+the ranges were stony and thinly grassed; the timber box and ironbark.
+The geological features consist of a fine-grained sandstone
+interstratified with slate and coarse conglomerates. The sandstone is
+intersected in every direction with veins of quartz, which do not appear
+to enter the slate. The dip of the strata is nearly vertical, the strike
+north and south. The whole appear to have been much disturbed and
+altered; neither granite nor trap has been observed since yesterday
+morning. Consumed the last of the dried horse-meat, and increased the
+ration of flour to one pound per diem.
+
+19th October (Sunday).
+
+Remained at the camp to rest the party; the day was cloudy, with variable
+breeze from the south-east to north-east and north; no observations for
+latitude could be taken till early on Monday morning, and even then the
+altitudes were imperfect; the stream of running water in the bed of the
+river has increased, but is still quite clear.
+
+Latitude by Saturn 19 degrees 7 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+CROSS THE CLARK RIVER.
+
+20th October.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.40 a.m., steering south-east through fine grassy
+flats till 10.0, when we crossed the Clark River, and altered the course
+to east over well-grassed flats, to the foot of a rocky range of
+sandstone hills, which we reached at noon, and ascending by a steep spur,
+at 2.30 p.m. attained the highest ridge; here sandstone was the
+prevailing rock; xanthorrhoea, silver-leafed ironbark, and triodia
+constituted the principal vegetation; descending gradually, at 3.30
+reached a small creek with a patch of good green grass on its banks, and
+at 3.45 halted at some small waterholes, which appeared to be permanent;
+except near the creek, the country was poor and stony, with a forest of
+ironbark and box trees; the country between the Clark and the Burdekin
+appears to be of excellent quality, consisting of well-grassed flats,
+timbered with ironbark, Moreton-Bay ash, poplar, gum, and box trees. The
+Clark is about 100 yards wide, with a sandy bed crossed by ridges of
+slate rock; the banks are sixty to eighty feet high, and the marks of
+last year's flood thirty to thirty-five feet, the trees being bent and
+broken by the force of the current; more water appears to come down the
+Clark during floods, but the Burdekin has a more constant stream, the
+Clark containing only shallow pools of water, separated by dry sand and
+rock; after leaving the immediate flats of the river the country was very
+poor and stony; the late rains had not extended so far, and the grass had
+the dry and parched appearance which characterised the country on the
+banks of the Gilbert.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 14 minutes 2 seconds.
+
+FRIENDLY NATIVES.
+
+21st October.
+
+6.15 a.m., resumed our journey and traversed an inferior country of
+sandstone and porphyry; box, silver-leafed ironbark, and triodia
+characterized the vegetation; in crossing one of these gullies, in which
+were some pools of water, Bowman's horse fell over the bank into the
+pool, and he got some severe bruises; at 10.15 came on the river, where
+it ran over a ledge of rocks forming a succession of rapids, below which
+it spread out into a broad sheet of sand a quarter of a mile wide, and
+turned to the south. As Bowman had fallen some distance in the rear, I
+selected the first suitable spot, and at 11.0 encamped, and shortly after
+Mr. H. Gregory came in with Bowman to camp. On the bank of the river we
+saw two black gins, who climbed a tree on our approach, and in the
+afternoon came to the camp with an old man, and after some unintelligible
+conversation departed; they had neither clothes or weapons, except a
+throwing-stick of the same form as those used by the blacks of the
+southern shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria. The geological character of
+the country has been sandstone, much altered by contact with porphyry
+which has been forced through it; both dip and strike are confused, and
+could not be ascertained to have any general angle or direction, except
+in the bed of the river, where the strata dipped 10 degrees to the north,
+but in the hills, on the left bank below the camp, the strata was
+horizontal; the river is now 150 yards wide at the narrowest parts, a
+small stream of water, one foot deep and ten to twenty yards wide,
+running in a winding course through the sand, and sometimes expanding
+into sheets of water occupying the whole breadth of the channel.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 16 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+22nd October.
+
+At 6.15 a.m. steered south and followed the right bank of the river; for
+the first hour the country was hilly on both banks, with deep gullies; it
+then became more level, and opened into flats, well grassed; the timber
+box, ironbark, and Moreton-Bay ash; the soil a light brown loam in some
+parts, sandy and very soft from the numerous excavations of the funnel
+ant. These flats extended one to two miles back and then rose into low
+ridges of poor land, timbered with box and ironbark; crossed a sandy
+creek coming from the west, and at 1.30 p.m. camped on the right bank of
+the river. A short distance from the camp surprised a black and his gin
+and a child; the man climbed a tree and the woman ran off with the child,
+leaving a small water vessel, hollowed out of a piece of wood, and a
+calabash full of water. The rocks near the last camp were sandstone or
+porphyry; in the only exposed section the sandstone dipped to the north 5
+degrees to 15 degrees. We also crossed a hill of porphyry which was
+remarkable for the regularity of cleavage into thick lamina, which were
+vertical, with a north and south strike; but though it had the appearance
+of a stratified rock, its structure was perfectly crystalline. About
+noon, granite, containing large plates of mica, was observed in some of
+the gullies.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi 19 degrees 29 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+23rd October.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered south-south-east and south-east over ridges of
+sandstone, timbered with ironbark and thinly grassed, for an hour and a
+half; again struck the river and passed at the foot of some limestone
+hills and ridges; this limestone contained fragments of shells and coral.
+Altering the course to south, traversed fine open flats half a mile to a
+mile wide, beyond which the country rose into low ridges of limestone. At
+noon basalt appeared covering the limestone and sandstone. The steep
+slope which formed the boundary of this rock was very rugged; but the
+level surface was covered with black soil and well grassed. At 12.55 p.m.
+camped in a fine grassy flat, walled in by steep rocks of basalt. We
+experienced some difficulty in watering the horses, as the bank of the
+river was so steep that they frequently fell back into the river in
+ascending it. The limestone rocks seen on this day's journey appear to
+rise from beneath the sandstones, some of which are very hard and
+close-grained; it dips about 10 degrees to the west and some of the
+adjacent sandstones 20 degrees west, in well-defined strata. The basalt
+covers all the other rocks, filling up the former inequalities of the
+surface and forming a perfectly level plain; where the softer sandstones
+were in contact, they were only baked into a coarse brick-like mass,
+which had had much the appearance of having been formed from the alluvial
+banks of the river.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi and a Gruis 19 degrees 42 minutes 10 seconds;
+variation of compass 6 degrees 15 minutes east.
+
+DUCKS, GEESE, AND PELICANS.
+
+24th October.
+
+Leaving our camp at 6.0 a.m., steered south-south-east over well-grassed
+basaltic flats, timbered thinly with ironbark, etc.; the soil a red loam.
+At 9.0 a.m. came on a large reedy lagoon or swamp with considerable
+patches of shallow open water, on which were great numbers of ducks,
+geese, pelicans, etc. A broad and deep stream flowed from it to the
+south-east, varying from thirty to eighty yards in width, with a thick
+belt of reeds along the margin, beyond which the ground rose about fifty
+feet to the level surface of the basaltic plain. Following the winding of
+the stream till 10.35 a.m., crossed it at a ledge of basaltic rocks, when
+it formed a fine rapid with vertical fall of eight to ten feet. Beyond
+the running channel a dry sandy creek ran parallel at a distance of 80 to
+100 yards from it. Our course was now between the creek and the steep
+rocky edge of the basaltic plain, which was too rugged for the horses to
+ascend till 11.20 a.m., when, crossing the basalt, we passed to the south
+of a shallow lake about half a mile in diameter. The country now became
+scrubby, with patches of grass. Altering the course more to the east, we
+again entered an open ironbark forest; at 2.0 p.m. crossed a large dry
+sandy creek, beyond which the country was poor and sandy, with pandanus
+growing on the ridges. On the bank of the creek we observed the marks of
+a recent camp of a large party of blacks, and a patch of ground twenty
+yards by thirty yards cleared of grass, and the surface scraped up into
+ridges, the whole covered with footprints, which showed that some dance
+or ceremony had been performed by a large number of men. At 3.30 p.m.
+entered a dense scrub of small crooked eucalypti and acacia, with a few
+sterculia. After losing an hour in attempting to penetrate the scrub, we
+turned north to the dry creek and followed it down till 7.0 p.m., when we
+camped near a pool of water; but the night was so dark that the horses
+could not be watered with safety, the banks being very steep and rendered
+slippery by a slight shower.
+
+25th October.
+
+The grass having been burnt near the camp, the horses had strayed
+considerably, and we did not start till 7.30 a.m., when, turning east, we
+soon came on the Burdekin, which now trended to the south-south-west and
+south-east; the basalt coming close to the river, we were compelled to
+cross a very rough ridge and came on a deep pool of water eighty yards
+wide and half a mile long; it terminated in a dry stony channel which
+joined a sandy creek, and entered the river. Crossing a granite ridge, we
+camped in a fine grassy flat on the bank of the Burdekin, the banks being
+high and steep, but the water easy of access.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 58 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+26th October (Sunday).
+
+Remained at the camp. During the day there was a succession of showers
+without thunder, the clouds and wind from the east. At 10.0 p.m. the rain
+ceased, but the night continued cloudy.
+
+GOOD GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+27th October.
+
+The morning was cloudy, with light rain till 7.0 a.m.; at 7.30 steered
+east-south-east and east over fine grassy ridges of granite and trap
+formation, timbered with ironbark, box, Moreton-Bay ash, and bloodwood;
+the river taking a sweep to the north of the track, but at 10.40 came
+again on its banks. The course was now south till 2.15 p.m., when we
+crossed a large stream-bed from the south-west, with a sandy and rocky
+bed forty yards wide, which contained a few shallow pools of water. Below
+the junction of this tributary the river turned to the east and
+east-north-east, and we crossed low ridges of granite porphyry and trap,
+which came down from the high land to the bank of the river; at 3.30
+encamped. The whole of the country traversed this day was well grassed,
+except about a mile of bauhinia scrub, which did not appear of any
+considerable extent. Ironbark, box, bloodwood, and Moreton-Bay ash formed
+the principal trees with which the country was openly timbered. The
+prevailing rock granite, traversed by numerous veins of dark trap, and in
+the latter part of the day porphyry and schist appeared; concretions of
+limestone were frequent near the trap veins. The soil was somewhat light
+and gritty loam, except on the trap-rocks, where it was rich black soil.
+The available country here appears more extensive than higher up the
+river; more rain has fallen in the early part of the season, and the
+grass is rich and green, especially where it had been previously burnt
+off.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 20 degrees 7 minutes 23 seconds; variation of
+compass 6 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+28th October.
+
+We resumed our journey at 6.25 a.m., steering an east-south-east course,
+but after crossing some fine grassy ironbark ridges, entered a dense
+scrub of acacia, sterculia, bauhinia, and thorny shrubs. Turning north,
+with some difficulty extricated the party from the scrub, which we then
+skirted to the east along the bank of the river till 9.10, when the scrub
+receded, and fine openly-timbered ironbark ridges replaced the scrub.
+These ridges were well-grassed, the rocks granite, trap, and porphyry.
+The country generally appeared well suited for stock; on both sides of
+the river no high ranges were visible. At 2.45 p.m. camped on a fine
+grassy flat, part of which having been burnt, was now covered with
+excellent green grass. The day was cool, with light showers from the
+east. The character of the granite was fine-grained, and intersected by
+veins and masses of trap, and in the latter part of the day's journey
+porphyry was superincumbent. In the scrubs sandstone existed; it was
+coarse-grained, and contained worn boulders of trap, quartz, granite,
+slate, and hard sandstone.
+
+29th October.
+
+As the river below turned to the east of its general course, at 6.20 a.m.
+steered east-south-east and south-east till 9.30, when we again came on
+the river trending south. The country consisted of openly-timbered and
+grassy ironbark ridges, but not equally good with that passed during the
+last two days. The river at 10.0 turned to the south-east, along the foot
+of some steep rocky hills of porphyry resting on granite, and at 11.45
+was joined by a dry creek twenty yards wide, coming from the south-west;
+our course was now east-south-east, passing with difficulty between the
+river and a steep granite hill, beyond which the country became more
+sandy, and rose to the south in long gentle slopes scantily grassed, and
+timbered with bloodwood, ironbark, Moreton-Bay ash, and poplar gum, with
+a few pandanus; an immense number of deep gullies intersected the ground,
+cutting deeply into the granite rock beneath the soil, and rendering it
+difficult to traverse. A fine range of openly-wooded and grassy hills
+rose about two to three miles from the left bank of the river, attaining
+an elevation of 500 to 800 feet above the valley; these hills are
+probably porphyritic; they are the Porter Range of Leichhardt. At 2.45
+p.m. camped on the bank of the Burdekin River.
+
+THE SUTTOR RIVER. MOUNT MCCONNELL.
+
+30th October.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. steered north 120 degrees east, but at 7.0 a.m. came on the
+river trending south, the country gradually became more rugged, and rocky
+hills closed in on both banks forming a deep gorge through which the
+river forced its way. By keeping at the back of some hills we avoided
+much of the rocky ground, crossing at noon a high ridge, from which the
+view extended to the junction of the Burdekin and Suttor Rivers, Mount
+McConnell bearing 159 degrees magnetic, and the west end of Porter Range
+334 degrees magnetic. A long range seemed to extend south from Robey
+Range, and bound the valley of the Upper Burdekin, while a high range
+appeared to trend north-east from the eastern side of the Suttor Valley,
+and to turn the Burdekin to the north of east. Continuing our route
+nearly south-east over steep rocky ridges, we encamped in a fine grassy
+flat, a quarter of a mile from the Suttor River, at 1.50 p.m., Mount
+McConnell bearing north 172 degrees east magnetic. About 10.0 a.m. we
+heard some blacks calling in our rear, and soon after came in sight, but
+would not allow any of the party to approach them, till one of the
+horsemen cantering up quickly, some of the blacks climbed into trees,
+where, after making signs to them that it was desirable that they should
+pursue an opposite route to ours, we left them to descend at leisure. The
+country passed this day was of a broken character, with deep gullies and
+rocky hills near the river, but was generally well grassed and openly
+timbered with ironbark and Moreton-Bay ash. Granite rock forms the base
+of the hills, and was covered by masses of porphyry, forming hills with
+rocky summits of columnar structure, as at the head of the Gilbert River
+a dark-coloured trap changing into porphyry formed some of the lower
+ridges, and was largely developed on the bank of the Suttor. Thin veins
+of calcareous spar and quartz intersected the granite. The bed of the
+Burdekin where we last saw it, one mile above the junction of the Suttor,
+was about half a mile wide with a stream of water varying from twenty
+yards wide to the whole breadth of the channel, which was very level and
+sandy. The Suttor is but a small river compared with the Burdekin. Near
+the camp it formed some fine reaches of water 180 yards wide, but of no
+great depth. The trees on its banks were much broken and bent by a
+violent flood which had occurred within the year. Considering the number
+of miles we have travelled along the banks of the Burdekin, few
+impediments have been encountered, while the extent of country suited for
+squatting purposes is very considerable--water forming a never-failing
+stream throughout the whole distance.
+
+Latitude by a Gruis and a Pegasi 20 degrees 36 minutes 20 seconds;
+variation of compass 70 degrees east.
+
+THE FIRST BRIGALOW SCRUB.
+
+31st October.
+
+A rainy night was followed by a thick fog in the morning, so that when we
+started at 6.30 a.m. it was with difficulty the deep gullies on the banks
+of the Suttor were avoided; steering south-west for one hour, crossed to
+the right bank of the Suttor, and then by an average south course passed
+to the west of Mount McConnell, which, by its isolated character and
+height (about 600 feet above the river) forms a very conspicuous
+landmark. It is wooded to the summit, and has fine patches of grass on
+the slopes, with cliffs of porphyry near the upper part, this being the
+prevailing rock; on the right bank white shaly rocks and dark trap, with
+veins of calcareous spar and limestone, prevailed on the left bank of the
+Suttor; the country on both sides well grassed and openly timbered with
+ironbark. The bed of the river was very irregular and sandy, with small
+shallow pools of water at intervals; at 11.0 the river came from the
+south-west, but continuing a south course we crossed some fine basaltic
+plains, covered with fine grass and separated by open box forest; at noon
+crossed a sandstone hill, the base of which was porphyry; traversing
+ironbark ridges for an hour, we crossed a sandy creek coming from the
+east, and at 1.0 p.m. encountered the first brigalow scrub; through this
+scrub we steered south-west till 3.40, and camped on a small dry creek
+with a narrow grassy flat; water was obtained from a small gully where it
+had lodged during a shower on the previous night. The country till we
+reached the brigalow scrub was well adapted for pastoral purposes; the
+rock trap, slate, and porphyry, with veins of limestone. The brigalow
+scrub grows on the detritus of a coarse conglomerate, the larger boulders
+of which lay scattered over the surface of the ground; these boulders
+consist of trap, porphyry, sandstone, and quartz, and show marks of being
+water-worn. A range of hills, apparently sandstone, bounds the valley to
+the east from three to seven miles from the river. They have no great
+elevation, and we did not obtain a good view of them from any point.
+
+Latitude by Capella 20 degrees 52 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+1st November.
+
+The horses had strayed so far into the scrub in search of grass that it
+was 9.40 a.m. before they were collected and saddled; we then steered
+south-west through the scrub, which gradually became more open, and at
+11.15 we again reached the river coming from the south-south-east; it
+gradually turned to south and south-south-west; two creeks joined the
+river from the east, but neither of any importance; the brigalow scrub
+came close to the bank of the river, only leaving a narrow flat open; the
+west side of the river we could see but little, except that it consisted
+of wooded ridges and scrub to the east at a distance of one to three
+miles; rocky hills of moderate height existed, and from their flat tops
+and red cliffs near the summit, evidently consisted of sandstone in
+horizontal strata; sandstone was also exposed near the river with a dip
+of 30 degrees to the south; at 3.30 camped on the right bank of the
+Suttor, where a fine grassy plain extended about a mile back, and was
+covered with beautiful green grass; water was abundant, as the river had
+been running during the past week and had filled the hollows in the
+channel, though it had now ceased to flow; the bed is very irregular, and
+consists of three to six channels, which separate and rejoin so as to
+form a complete network, with occasional isolated hollows. Being free
+from scrub, the bed of the river was good travelling ground, large
+flooded-gum trees and melaleuca-trees affording an agreeable shade.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 4 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+2nd November (Sunday).
+
+Grass and water being abundant, we enjoyed a day's rest. Several
+cockatoos were shot; they are similar in colour and form to the
+sulphur-crested cockatoos of the Victoria and Gulf of Carpentaria, but
+much larger in size.
+
+IRON TOMAHAWKS USED BY THE NATIVES.
+
+3rd November.
+
+Leaving the camp at 6.35 a.m., followed the river in a southerly
+direction till 11.0, when it turned to the east, and we ascended a
+sandstone hill; from the summit there was a fine view of the surrounding
+country. To the east several distant peaks and hills were visible, the
+most remarkable north 86 degrees east magnetic; to the south a low range
+about thirty miles distant, with one large peaked hill, bounded the
+horizon, the intervening country being very level and apparently covered
+with scrub. To the west the valley was bounded by low hills of sandstone.
+Although ironbark ridges are frequent, the general character of the
+country is very scrubby, and this combined with the scarcity of water
+will render it unsuitable for pastoral purposes. Descending the hill,
+steered south-east, crossed a fine basaltic plain, and entered open
+brigalow scrub, and at 2.0 p.m. again came on the Suttor River, which had
+completely altered its character, now consisting of level grassy flats
+with uncertain limits and intersected by long waterholes, which were
+mostly dry; the general course from south-south-west; at 3.30 camped at a
+fine waterhole. Two miles below the camp we surprised some blacks, who
+decamped into the scrub. The country along the river consists of open
+flats, thinly grassed and interspersed with patches of saltbush
+(atriplex), and openly timbered with box and flooded-gum, while ironbark,
+box and brigalow prevail over the rest of the country. The marks of iron
+tomahawks are frequent where the blacks have been cutting honey or
+opposums out of the hollow branches of the trees.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 22 minutes 43 seconds; variation of
+compass 6 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+4th November.
+
+Steering south-west from 7.40 a.m. till 8.5, the river turned suddenly to
+the south-east, and, changing our course to 170 degrees, traversed an
+open brigalow scrub with several shallow channels winding through it in
+an irregular manner. At 10.30 again came on the principal channel of the
+river, which was running, and very muddy from the effect of recent rains
+in the upper part of its course. The banks are very low, and the country
+so level that the floods must frequently extend more than a mile back
+into the scrub, which comes close to the bank on both sides. Box and
+flooded-gum trees grow along the larger channels, and sometimes box flats
+extend into the scrub. We now followed the river south-south-west,
+through a level country covered with dense brigalow scrub, passing only
+one low rocky hill, on the left bank, at 11.20. At 2.15 p.m. the river
+diverged to the eastward, and the course was altered to south. The
+country was more open, and at 3.0 encamped on one of the side channels of
+the river in a fine grassy box flat.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 38 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+5th November.
+
+Steering south-east for one mile, reached the main channel of the river,
+which was followed south. Crossing to the right bank at 7.20 a.m., at
+9.15 a dense brigalow scrub forced us south-west, and again came to the
+river at 10.30. A south course was then followed till 1.0 p.m.; then
+south-east till 4.0; then followed the river south-south-east till 4.50,
+and camped on a large grassy flat. The whole of the country is very level
+and covered with dense brigalow scrubs, except one sandy plain, on which
+triodia was more abundant than grass. Having now passed the latitude of
+Sir T. Mitchell's last camp on the Belyando, and thus connected his route
+with that of Dr. Leichhardt, I considered it unnecessary to follow the
+river further, and decided on taking a south-easterly route to Peak Downs
+and the Mackenzie River.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 57 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+6th November.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. crossed the Belyando, and steered south through brigalow
+scrubs till 9.0; then entered a box and Moreton-Bay ash flat, in which
+was a small gully with rainwater, near which a camp of blacks was
+observed; but they ran into the scrub on our approach. At 9.30 changed
+the course to south-east towards some rocky hills, which were reached at
+11.0. From this we saw several distant ranges to the westward; but the
+intervening twenty to forty miles was very flat. The route was now over
+scrubby sandstone hills for three hours, and then descended into an open
+flat, with box, bloodwood, and Moreton-Bay ash, triodia, and grass
+growing on a sandy loam. At 3.30 p.m. camped at a pool of rainwater in a
+small creek. In crossing the sandstone range we had a view of some high
+peaks twenty to thirty miles distant to the south-south-east; but to the
+east the country was quite level.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 13 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+7th November.
+
+Started at 6.5 a.m., steering south-east; the whole country appeared
+perfectly level with brigalow scrub and patches of open sandy country,
+producing triodia and a little grass; the timber Moreton-Bay ash and box.
+Towards noon the country was more open. At 1.30 p.m. passed a shallow
+pool of rainwater at the edge of a scrub. About a mile further on
+Melville's horse fell, and so bruised his rider that we had to return to
+the water and camp.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 23 minutes 36 seconds.
+
+HORSE-SKIN SOUP.
+
+8th November.
+
+The water being exhausted, the party had to move on in search of a
+further supply where we could halt until Melville had recovered from his
+injuries. Steering south-east for one hour, came to a fine creek with
+grassy flats and a stream of muddy water, indicating that there had been
+heavy rain in the ranges to the south. Having camped, we shot the filly,
+which was now eleven months old, cut the flesh into slices and hung it up
+to dry in the sun during the day and over a charcoal fire at night. The
+skin was cleared of hair, and was thus made into a species of gelatine,
+from which excellent soup was subsequently prepared. The saddlery had
+become much worn by passing through the scrubs, and the party was fully
+employed in repairs and shoeing the horses, many of which were very lame
+from injury among the fallen timber.
+
+9th November (Sunday).
+
+Melville somewhat better, but scarcely able to walk. The meat drying
+well.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 26 minutes 16 seconds.
+
+10th November.
+
+At 7.40 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek up for an hour
+south-south-east; then steered south-east through brigalow scrub, which
+gradually changed to open ironbark and box flats well grassed. At 2.0
+p.m. came to broken country covered with a dense scrub of acacia and
+ironbark, deep gullies intersecting the country in every direction; at
+3.30 ascended a ridge of mica schist, from which a high range was seen
+twenty miles to the south-east, but the scrub was so dense that the view
+was imperfect. Followed a gully, which changed from south round to
+north-west till 5.15, when we camped at a small pool of rainwater. There
+were good grassy flats along the watercourse, but the hills were covered
+with scrub. It is evident that we are now approaching the watershed of
+the Fitzroy River, and hope soon to emerge from the vast tract of scrub
+which occupies the valley of the Suttor River. On the plain we observed
+that more than half the box-trees had died within the last three years,
+and that they had not been killed by bush fires, as the old timber which
+lay on the ground was not scorched.
+
+Latitude by a Andromedae 22 degrees 42 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+PEAK RANGE.
+
+11th November.
+
+Leaving the camp at 6.30 a.m., steered south-east over ironbark ridges of
+very scrubby character with open grassy valleys; the ridges increased in
+height, and at 11.0, having reached the most elevated summit, got a view
+of Peak Range about thirty miles to the north-east; to the north-west the
+view was obscured by wooded ranges, but from north to east-south-east the
+country consisted of low-wooded ridges for ten miles, beyond which fine
+open grassy plains extended from east-north-east to east, along the foot
+of Peak Range. Descending from the range, followed a small watercourse
+east-south-east for two hours, and then north-east, and at 2.30 p.m.
+encamped in a fine grassy flat with a small pool of rainwater in a gully,
+the larger creek being dry. The country generally consists of low ridges
+of schist, which, by decomposition, forms a gravelly loam, the gravel
+being derived from the quartz veins which intersect the schist in all
+directions. The forest consists of ironbark and acacia; grass everywhere
+abundant. Many of the horses are very lame from the splinters of dead
+wood in the scrub, and some have to be relieved entirely of their loads.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 48 minutes 17 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 147 degrees 30 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+12th November.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. steered north 110 degrees east, over grassy ironbark ridges,
+with small watercourses trending north; at 11.0 entered a dense brigalow
+scrub with a few Moreton-Bay ash-trees, the soil very poor and derived
+from the decomposition of a coarse conglomerate; small watercourses
+trending to the south. At 12.45 p.m. emerged from the scrub into open box
+forest, with limestone and quartz gravel, and a soft black soil producing
+rather dry scanty grass. At 1.45 entered a well-grassed plain with
+limestone ridges covered with bottle-tree scrub; the grass was good at
+this season, green but much mixed with salsola; the summits of Peak Range
+showed well above the ridges, and from the cliff around the tops seem to
+be capped with sandstone or more probably porphyry. There being little
+prospect of finding water in an easterly direction, at 4.0 altered the
+course to south-east; a heavy squall and thunderstorm brought some rain,
+but it was all immediately absorbed by the hot dry soil, at 5.0 came to a
+watercourse trending south, followed it till 6.30, and camped without
+water; about a mile north from the camp saw a small box-tree marked AB,
+and near it a large sheet of bark which had been cut about two years
+before.
+
+Latitude by Saturn 23 degrees 18 seconds.
+
+13th November.
+
+Resumed the journey at 6.20 a.m., steering south down the watercourse; at
+7.0 saw some blacks, who, when asked by signs where water could be found,
+pointed down the creek and into the scrub; at 9.20 came to a pool of
+rainwater and camped. This part of the country is very poor and scrubby,
+with large Moreton-Bay ash trees, the soil formed by the decomposition of
+sandstone and conglomerate, with intervals of schist and trap-rock.
+
+CROSS THE PEAK DOWNS.
+
+14th November.
+
+At 6.50 a.m. steered south-east; we soon entered a grassy plain with
+ironbark ridges and belts of acacia scrub, trap, and limestone on the
+plains, and sandstone on the ridges; at noon passed a belt of cypress and
+entered extensive open downs covered with beautiful green grass.
+Following a shallow watercourse, passed some blacks at a distance, and at
+4.20 p.m. came to a small pool of rainwater, and camped. The country to
+the north-east appeared level, and the grassy downs apparently extend to
+the foot of Peak Range. To the south-west it appeared to be a fine open
+country for three to eight miles, and then rose into wooded hills of
+moderate elevation, at the base of which a creek appeared to run to the
+south-east. If this part of the country were well supplied with water it
+would form splendid stations for the squatter; but from its level
+character and geological structure, permanent surface-water is very
+scarce, and where it does exist it is surrounded by scrubby
+country, which renders it almost unavailable.
+
+THE MACKENZIE RIVER.
+
+15th November.
+
+At 6.40 steered east-south-east and soon entered an open acacia scrub
+with some grassy patches; the soil a fine black loam; limestone, trap,
+and quartz-pebbles occurring on the surface in the open plain; at 9.0
+entered a fine box flat, and passed some pools of water; the flat
+extending east three miles; then entered a scrubby tract of country, the
+soil a black mould with much salsola growing even in the thick scrub; at
+11.0 came on a fine creek from the north with pools of permanent water
+(Crinum Creek), but the banks covered with scrub. Changing the course to
+south-east, at 12.20 p.m. came to a fine river with high grassy banks and
+several deep channels which were now full of water and running in
+consequence of the late rains. It had been slightly flooded this season,
+and the previous year had risen twenty-five feet above the present level.
+This river is the Mackenzie of Leichhardt. The course of the river is to
+the east-south-east, and we crossed to the right bank without much
+difficulty, the bottom being firm and the bank sandy; followed the river
+till 2.40, and camped. The country on the banks of the Mackenzie is
+scrubby, with occasional open flats; the timber box, with good grass. The
+little lemon-tree was in full bearing, and though the fruit is only half
+an inch in diameter, was excellent eating when boiled with sugar. The day
+was cool and cloudy, and it rained lightly for some hours during the
+night.
+
+Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 28 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+16th November (Sunday).
+
+Remained at the camp. The morning was cool and cloudy, but cleared
+towards noon, and at night got sights for latitude.
+
+LEICHHARDT'S CAMP.
+
+17th November.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.40 a.m. Followed the Mackenzie south-east
+through level country with much scrub till 9.25 a.m., when we crossed a
+large creek from the south, which proved to be the Comet River of Dr.
+Leichhardt. The whole bed of the Comet did not exceed seventy yards, and
+the smaller channel only five to six yards wide, and even below its
+junction the Mackenzie only had a channel ten to thirty yards wide in the
+bottom of a bed 150 yards wide from bank to bank. Just below the junction
+of the Comet we found the remains of a camp of Dr. Leichhardt's party on
+its second journey. The ashes of the fire were still visible, and a
+quantity of bones of goats were scattered around. A large tree was marked
+thus:
+
+DIG arrow pointing down L
+
+but a hollow in the ground at the foot of the tree showed that whatever
+had been deposited had long since been removed. We, however, cleared out
+the loose earth, but found nothing. The river now turned east-north-east,
+and our course being east, we receded from it, and at noon we ascended a
+rocky hill of sandstone covered with scrub; we therefore steered north
+for an hour and came to the Mackenzie, and encamped in a fine grassy
+flat, but beyond the immediate flats of the river the country was covered
+with scrub. Near the camp a large flooded-gum tree had been marked:
+
+Solid square [symbol ??]
+
+some years before. The day was cloudy with easterly breeze. Marked a
+tree:
+
+120 solid Delta
+
+this being the 120th camp since starting from the Victoria River.
+
+18th November.
+
+Rain commenced at 7.0 a.m. and continued till noon; at 6.25 steered east
+and soon entered a dense scrub of acacia, box, sterculia, and Moreton-Bay
+ash. Ascending to the level tableland by a steep sandstone slope, at
+11.25 passed a gully with deep waterholes which appeared permanent, and
+at 1.40 p.m. encamped at a deep creek with a small pool of water. To the
+south-east of the camp about five miles distant a range of hills rose
+abruptly from the level country to a height of 800 to 1000 feet. The
+summits were flat and surrounded by high cliffs of red sandstone
+(Expedition Range).
+
+Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 33 minutes 40 seconds; variation of
+compass 7 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+19th November.
+
+Resumed our route at 6.30 a.m.; steered east through dense scrubs with
+open patches of grassy forest, the soil a light loam, very sandy in the
+open forest. Small watercourses trended north; at 10.0 turned to
+south-east to avoid a large scrubby hill which lay detached from the
+principal range; at 11.0 again steered east, ascending a steep sandstone
+hill from which the country to the north and east appeared extremely
+level, we then crossed a series of ironbark ridges with scrub at
+intervals, and fine flooded-gum and box flats in the valleys; casuarina
+and cypress grew on some of the ridges, but the country generally was
+well grassed; at 3.30 p.m. encamped at a small pool of water in a shallow
+watercourse trending north-east.
+
+Latitude by Saturn 23 degrees 37 minutes 23 seconds.
+
+20th November.
+
+At 7.40 a.m. steered east over open country, thinly timbered with box and
+ironbark; at 10.0 crossed a dry creek, on the banks of which were recent
+tracks of horses and cattle; at noon there was a heavy thunderstorm, and
+at the same time entered a dense scrub of brigalow and casuarina; at 2.0
+p.m. the country was more open, and at 4.10 camped near a small gully
+with pools of rainwater; heavy rain during the night.
+
+21st November.
+
+Continued an east course; at 6.50 a.m. crossed some wooded ridges, from
+which ranges of hills were imperfectly seen about twelve miles to the
+east; descending the ridges, entered a brigalow scrub, and at 11.40 came
+to the Dawson River, about eighty yards wide, with long shallow pools of
+water, the scrub coming close to the bank on both sides, leaving a narrow
+grassy flat; followed the river upwards to the southward till 2.50 p.m.,
+and camped on the left bank of the river. The flats on the bank of the
+river are here much wider and well grassed, and we observed the tracks of
+horses.
+
+REACH THE FIRST STATION ON THE DAWSON RIVER.
+
+22nd November.
+
+At 6.15 a.m. resumed our route up the river south-east, and at 8.0 came
+to a dray-track, which was followed east-north-east two miles to Messrs.
+Connor and Fitz' station, where we met with a most hospitable reception.
+
+Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 51 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+The party having thus reached the occupied country travelled by the
+dray-tracks past Mr. Hay's station Rannes, on the 25th November, and
+thence by Rawbelle, Boondooma, Tabinga, Nanango, Collinton, Kilkoy,
+Durandur, and Cabulture stations, reached Brisbane on the 16th December,
+1856.
+
+***
+
+
+1857. NEW SOUTH WALES LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.
+
+DR. LEICHHARDT, PROPOSED EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF.
+
+ORDERED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY TO BE PRINTED, 28TH OCTOBER, 1857.
+
+PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON THE 14TH SEPTEMBER, 1857, WITH
+RESPECT TO AN EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT.
+
+MINUTE NUMBER 57-44.
+
+His Excellency the Governor-General, at the instance of the Honourable
+the Colonial Secretary, brings under the consideration of the Council a
+proposal which has been made to organise another Expedition to ascertain,
+if possible, beyond doubt, the fate of Dr. Leichhardt, who left Sydney
+some nine years ago with the intention of exploring the north-western
+interior of Australia. This proposal has its origin in a public meeting,
+held in Sydney on the 11th instant, at which resolutions were passed
+invoking the assistance of the Government, and it is recommended to
+favourable consideration at the present moment by the circumstance that
+Mr. Gregory, who recently returned from a successful exploration in the
+same direction, has intimated his willingness to undertake the conduct of
+the proposed Expedition.
+
+2. The Council express themselves desirous of seizing so favourable an
+opportunity of pursuing this inquiry, and they therefore advise that Mr.
+Gregory should be at once invited to submit, for approval, a definite
+proposal having for its object: 1st, to ascertain the fate of the late
+Dr. Leichhardt; and, 2nd, to connect the exploring surveys of Mitchell
+and Kennedy with his own; such proposal to be accompanied by an estimate
+of the probable expense which it will be necessary to incur.
+
+EDWARD C. MEREWETHER,
+
+Clerk of the Council.
+
+Executive Council Office,
+
+Sydney, 22 September, 1857.
+
+...
+
+A.C. GREGORY, ESQUIRE, TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
+
+Sydney, 15 September, 1857.
+
+SIR,
+
+Adverting to your verbal communication of yesterday, with reference to
+the proposed Expedition in search of traces of Dr. Leichhardt, I have the
+honour to furnish a memorandum of the arrangements I would suggest for
+the  organisation and conduct of a party calculated to effect the objects
+in view, together with an estimate of the probable cost.
+
+These documents I have submitted to such of the gentlemen composing the
+Committee of the Leichhardt Association as I have had the opportunity of
+consulting, and I have availed myself of their experience of the District
+in which the Expedition would be organised.
+
+Although I have allowed extreme rates for many of the items of
+expenditure, yet, as in all undertakings of this description unavoidable
+and unforeseen contingencies are certain to arise, I should scarcely feel
+justified in naming the gross amount which should be available, though
+not necessarily expended, at a less sum than 4,500 pounds.
+
+I have, etc.,
+
+A.C. GREGORY.
+
+The Honourable the Colonial Secretary.
+
+...
+
+MEMORANDUM FOR THE ORGANISATION OF AN EXPLORING EXPEDITION FOR THE
+PURPOSE OF SEARCHING FOR TRACES OF DR. LEICHHARDT'S PARTY.
+
+The objects of the proposed Expedition would be primarily to search for
+traces of Dr. Leichhardt and his party, who started from the settled
+districts of New South Wales in April, 1848, with the intention of
+proceeding to Western Australia, and, if possible, to ascertain the fate
+of that unfortunate explorer. Secondly, the examination of the country
+both in the intervening spaces between the tracks of previous explorers,
+and also beyond the limits of that hitherto explored, with a view of
+developing its resources, especially with reference to its capabilities
+for settlement.
+
+The party despatched by the Colonial Government, under Mr. Hely, in
+1851-2, traced Dr. Leichhardt to a spot near the head of the Warrego
+River.
+
+Beyond this spot Dr. Leichhardt had expressed his intention of proceeding
+down the Victoria River to its northern bend, and then shape his course
+along the interior slope of the ranges which he supposed existed at the
+sources of the streams flowing to the northern coast.
+
+The proposed route of the searching Expedition would therefore be to
+reach Leichhardt's last known camp, and then to examine the banks of the
+Victoria River to the junction of the Alice River, at the northern bend,
+where especial search would be made, as Dr. Leichhardt intended to leave
+letters there, and would probably encamp for several days to recruit
+before finally entering the unknown country; and the non-existence of
+marks at this point would be almost conclusive evidence that the party
+had perished nearer to the settlements.
+
+In the search for traces of the missing party beyond this point (as it
+could only be at the camping places that any traces would remain after so
+long an interval), it would be necessary to follow such natural features
+as would probably have influenced the party in the selection of its
+route, assuming that the general course would be north-west.
+
+The investigation having been carried to the fullest extent that time and
+circumstances would admit, the searching party would adopt such a route
+on its return as would intersect the greatest extent of unexamined
+country. To effect these objects it is proposed to organise a party at
+one of the outer stations, say at Surat, on the Lower Condamine River,
+from which Leichhardt's last known camp is 230 miles, and the junction of
+the Alice with the Victoria River, 370 miles, not allowing for
+deviations.
+
+The party to consist of two sections, which may be termed the Exploring
+and the Auxiliary parties.
+
+The first would comprise eight persons, equipped and provisioned for 5
+months, and for the conveyance of which 32 horses would be required, as
+follows:
+
+Commander.
+
+Assistant.
+
+Overseer, etc.
+
+4 Stockmen.
+
+1 Aboriginal Stockman.
+
+The second section would be composed of six persons, provisioned etc.,
+for 2 months, and for the conveyance of which 13 horses would be
+required, as follows:
+
+1 Leader.
+
+4 Stockmen.
+
+1 Aboriginal Black.
+
+These two sections would proceed together to the junction of the Alice
+and Victoria Rivers, and would be sufficiently strong to detach parties
+to examine points out of the more direct line of route which the main
+body would follow.
+
+On reaching the spot above referred to, the Exploring Party would be
+fitted out in the most efficient manner for continuing its operations, by
+selecting the strongest and most serviceable portion of the horses,
+equipment, etc., while the Auxiliary Party would return with the
+remainder to the settlements; thus affording nearly all the advantages of
+a depot, without incurring the greater expense or inconvenience attending
+the otherwise necessary return of the Exploring Party by the same route.
+
+It is scarcely necessary to advert to the many advantages which would be
+derived from this arrangement, for enabling the Exploring Party to reach
+the extreme known point of country, with its strength impaired in the
+least possible degree, while it would afford an opportunity of testing
+the capabilities of the party to be finally selected.
+
+ESTIMATE OF THE COST (IN POUNDS/SHILLINGS/PENCE) OF THE EQUIPMENT, ETC.,
+OF THE EXPLORING PARTY.
+
+PROVISIONS.
+1400 pounds Flour : 17/10/0.
+500 pounds Bacon : 25/0/0.
+400 pounds Sugar : 10/0/0.
+70 pounds Tea : 7/0/0.
+750 pounds Meat Biscuit : 37/10/0.
+70 pounds Tobacco : 8/15/0.
+20 pounds Sago : 0/13/4.
+6 pounds Pepper : 0/6/0.
+50 pounds Salt : 0/5/0.
+50 pounds Soap : 0/18/8.
+6 pounds Sperm Candles : 0/9/0.
+150 pounds Dried Beef--800 pounds fresh meat : 10/0/0.
+1000 pounds Fresh Meat : 12/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 130/7/0.
+
+TRANSPORT.
+45 Horses, at 40 pounds : 1800/0/0.
+14 Riding Saddles, at 60 shillings : 42/0/0.
+31 Pack Saddles, at 77 shillings 6 pence : 120/2/6.
+45 Bridles and Headstalls, at 9 shillings : 20/5/0.
+45 Horse Blankets, at 8 shillings : 18/0/0.
+100 Hobbles, at 4 shillings : 20/0/0.
+20 Pairs Girths, at 4 shillings : 4/0/0.
+31 Canvas Saddle-bags, at 25 shillings : 38/17/0.
+100 Provision Bags, at 3 shillings : 15/0/0.
+40 Yards Canvas, at 1 shilling 6 pence : 3/0/0.
+10 Horse-bells, at 6 shillings 6 pence : 3/5/0.
+Materials for repairs, etc. : 20/0/0.
+90 Sets Horse-straps and Nails : 10/0/0.
+100 Saddle-straps, at 1 shilling : 5/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 2119/9/6.
+
+ARMS AND AMMUNITION.
+13 Double guns, at 5 pounds : 65/0/0.
+13 Revolvers, at 5 pounds : 65/0/0.
+30 pounds Gunpowder : 6/0/0.
+150 pounds Shot and Lead : 3/0/0.
+5000 Percussion Caps : 1/10/0.
+14 Belts and Pouches : 3/10/0.
+14 Gun-buckets : 4/18/0.
+Sundries : 10/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 158/18/0.
+
+CAMP EQUIPAGE.
+14 Calico Sheets for Tents, at 12 shillings : 8/8/0.
+50 yards Calico, at 6 pence : 1/5/0.
+6 Camp Kettles, at 5 shillings : 1/10/0.
+40 Pannikins, at 8 pence : 1/6/8.
+3 Leather Buckets, at 17 shillings 6 pence : 2/12/6.
+20 Tin Dishes, at 9 pence : 0/15/0.
+2 Frying-Pans, at 4 shillings 6 pence : 0/9/0.
+2 Water Bags, at 30 shillings : 3/0/0.
+14 Water Holders, India-Rubber, at 10 shillings 6 pence : 7/7/0.
+2 Socket Shovels, at 2 shillings 6 pence : 0/5/0.
+2 spring Balances, at 7 shillings : 0/14/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 27/12/2.
+
+INSTRUMENTS, ETC.
+1 Sextant : 10/0/0.
+1 Prismatic Compass : 3/0/0.
+1 Artificial Horizon : 4/0/0.
+4 Pocket Compasses : 1/0/0.
+2 Aneroid Barometers : 7/0/0.
+3 Thermometers : 1/1/0.
+1 Lever Watch : 9/0/0.
+Stationery : 5/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 40/1/0.
+
+CLOTHING.
+20 Trousers, at 7 shillings : 7/0/0.
+20 Serge Shirts, at 6 shillings : 6/0/0.
+20 Cotton Shirts, at 3 shillings : 3/0/0.
+20 Pairs of Boots, at 15 shillings : 15/0/0.
+14 Blankets, at 10 shillings : 7/0/0.
+14 Oiled Capes, at 10 shillings : 7/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 45/0/0.
+
+TOTAL EQUIPMENT : 2521/7/8.
+
+CONTINGENCIES.
+Medical Stores and Drugs : 20/0/0.
+Petty Contingencies : 50/0/0.
+Collection and Forage for Horses prior to starting : 100/0/0.
+Freights and Passages from Sydney to Moreton Bay : 50/0/0.
+Conveyance of Stores from Brisbane to Surat : 200/0/0.
+Contingent Expenses in the Collection of the Party at Surat : 100/0/0.
+TOTAL CONTINGENCIES : 520/0/0.
+
+SALARIES.
+Commander, 9 months, 600 pounds per annum : 450/0/0.
+Assistant, 7 months, 300 pounds per annum : 175/0/0.
+Overseer, 6 months, at 150 pounds per annum : 75/0/0.
+4 Stockmen, 6 months, at 2 pounds per week : 208/0/0.
+1 Aboriginal Stockman, 6 months : 20/0/0.
+Leader of the Auxiliary Party, 3 months : 75/0/0.
+4 Stockmen, 3 months : 104/0/0.
+1 Aboriginal Stockman, 3 months : 10/0/0.
+TOTAL SALARIES : 1117/0/0.
+
+RECAPITULATION.
+EQUIPMENT : 2521/7/8.
+CONTINGENT EXPENSES : 520/0/0.
+SALARIES : 1117/0/0.
+TOTAL : 4158/7/8.
+
+A.C. GREGORY.
+
+Sydney, 16th September, 1857.
+
+***
+
+
+1858. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, NEW SOUTH WALES.
+
+EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT.
+
+REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS.
+
+ORDERED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY TO BE PRINTED, 1 SEPTEMBER, 1858.
+
+REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT
+AND PARTY.
+
+8TH DECEMBER, 1857, TO 11TH JANUARY, 1858.
+
+Having received instructions from the Honourable the Secretary for Lands
+and Public Works to organise an expedition for the purpose of searching
+for traces of Dr. Leichhardt and party, who left New South Wales in 1848
+with the intention of proceeding overland to Western Australia, I
+proceeded to Moreton Bay with such portions of the equipment as had been
+prepared in Sydney. On reaching Ipswich forty horses were purchased, and
+having despatched the stores to Mr. Royd's station, on the Dawson River,
+by drays, the party were collected at that place; but, owing to
+unforeseen delays in the transport of the stores, the equipment and
+organisation of the expedition was not complete till the latter part of
+March.
+
+The following list of the party, horses, stores, etc., will show the
+principal arrangements.
+
+The party consisted of nine persons, namely: Commander A.C. Gregory;
+assistant commander, C.F. Gregory; assistant, S. Burgoyne; overseer, G.
+Phibbs; stockmen, etc., R. Bowman, W. Selby, T. Dunn, W. von Wedel, and
+D. Worrell. The stock consisted of horses alone, comprising thirty-one
+pack and nine saddle horses, completely equipped. Provisions comprised
+the dried meat of two bullocks and four sheep, weighing, as butcher's
+meat, 16 hundredweight; but when dried and the bones removed, reduced to
+300 pounds. In addition to this 500 pounds bacon, 1600 pounds flour, 100
+pounds rice, 350 pounds sugar, 60 pounds tea, 40 pounds tobacco, and some
+minor articles. The arms and ammunition were: one minie rifle, eight
+double-barrel guns, nine revolver pistols, 25 pounds gunpowder, 150
+pounds shot and balls, percussion caps, etc. For the conveyance of water
+two leather water-bags were provided, each holding five gallons, besides
+which each of the party was furnished with a water-bag of India-rubber
+holding three pints. The tents were made of calico, each suited for the
+accommodation of two persons, and the several articles of camp equipage
+were of the lightest construction consistent with the service required.
+The instruments employed were an eight-inch sextant, box-sextant,
+prismatic compasses, pocket compasses, double axis compass, aneroid
+barometers, thermometers, and artificial horizon, etc. Including forty
+sets of horse-shoes, farrier's and carpenter's tools, together with
+sundry material for repairs, etc., the total weight of the equipment was
+about 4,600 pounds, exclusive of the saddles and harness, which gave an
+average load of 150 pounds as the net load carried by each pack-horse.
+
+THE PARTY START FROM JUANDA STATION.
+
+24th March to 27th March.
+
+These arrangements being complete, the expedition left Juanda, and
+proceeded by the road to Mr. Cardew's station at Euroomba, from which,
+under the guidance of Mr. Bolton--whose local knowledge was of material
+service--we made our way through the dense scrubs and broken country to
+the west for about thirty miles, to the head of Scott's Creek, a small
+tributary of the Dawson River.
+
+29th March.
+
+The general course was now west-north-west through a country with rich
+grassy valleys and dense scrubs of brigalow acacia on the higher ground.
+Green grass was abundant at this time; but I fear that in seasons of
+drought few of the waterholes are permanent; the timber consists of
+ironbark, box, and a few other species of eucalyptus--the brigalow acacia
+attaining the height of thirty feet; soft brown sandstones of the coal
+measures are the prevailing rock, forming hills with table summits.
+
+2nd April.
+
+With some difficulty, owing to the dense scrubs, we crossed the basaltic
+ridge which divides the eastern waters flowing to the Dawson River from
+those trending to the west into the basin of the Maranoa River, a
+tributary of which--probably the Merivale River--was followed westward.
+The country became more sandy, timbered with ironbark, cypress, etc. The
+whole was, however, well grassed, and suited for grazing, if not too
+heavily stocked.
+
+5th April.
+
+Reaching the Maranoa River in about latitude 25 degrees 45 minutes, water
+was scarcely procurable in the sandy bed, and we had to dig wells to
+obtain a supply.
+
+7th April to 12th April.
+
+Warned by the fact that Messrs. H. Gregory and Haly had been unable to
+penetrate the country to the west from scarcity of water, even three
+months earlier in the season, we followed up the Maranoa to Mount Owen,
+and having found a sufficient supply of water and grass for a few days'
+halt, I proceeded to reconnoitre the country to the west, and at length
+found a practicable route to the tributaries of the Warrego River, to
+which the party was advanced. A heavy shower of rain had filled the
+gullies in this locality, and green grass clothed the country, forming a
+striking contrast to the dry and waterless valley of the Maranoa.
+
+15th to 16th April.
+
+Fine openly timbered valleys, well suited for pasture, alternated with
+ridges of scrub of brigalow acacia till we reached Mount Playfair, a
+basaltic hill on the sandstone ridge which separates the Warrego Valley
+from that of the Nive, a small branch of which was followed down to its
+junction with the main channel in latitude 25 degrees 6 minutes. The soil
+in the valley of the Nive is sandy, thinly grassed, and openly timbered
+with ironbark spotted gum, etc.; the back country rising into low
+sandstone ridges, covered with dense scrub of brigalow acacia. Some pools
+of permanent water containing small fish were passed, on the bank of
+which the remains of numerous native camps were seen.
+
+17th April.
+
+From the Nive River a north-north-west course was pursued through a
+nearly level sandy country, covered with a scrub of acacia, eucalypti,
+bottle-tree, etc., which offered great impediments to our progress, till
+within six miles of the Victoria River, when we suddenly emerged from the
+scrub on to open downs of rich clay soil; but the drought had been of
+such a long continuance that the whole of the vegetation had been
+destroyed and swept away by the wind, leaving the country to all
+appearance an absolute desert. The bed of the Victoria was scarcely ten
+yards wide, and perfectly dry, so that it was only after a prolonged
+search along its course that a small puddle of water was found in a
+hollow of the clay flat, and near it, fortunately for our horses, a
+little grass growing in widely scattered tufts.
+
+THE BARCOO RIVER.
+
+19th April.
+
+Being now on the line of route which Dr. Leichhardt had stated his
+intention of following, the party was divided, so that both sides of the
+river were examined in all probable positions in which his camps might
+have been situated; but as the high floods appeared to have inundated the
+country for nearly a mile on each bank last year, all tracks of previous
+explorers were necessarily obliterated, and it was only by marked trees,
+or the bones of cattle, that we could hope to discover any trace. During
+the first two days' journey down the river only a few small pools of
+water were seen, and these not of a permanent character, while the rich
+vegetation on the open downs, which had excited the admiration of Sir T.
+Mitchell on his discovery of the country in a favourable season, had
+wholly passed away, leaving little but a bare surface of clay, the deep
+fissures in its surface giving evidence of long-continued drought.
+
+20th April.
+
+In latitude 24 degrees 37 minutes, longitude 146 degrees 13 minutes, a
+small sandy creek, of equal size with the Victoria, joined from the east,
+and just below the first permanent pool of water was found. There was a
+slight improvement in the grass, but dense scrubs prevailed in the back
+country, and even approached the river at intervals.
+
+LEICHHARDT'S MARKED TREE.
+
+21st April.
+
+While collecting the horses near this pool of water I detected a party of
+armed natives watching one of the stockmen, evidently, from their
+position in the scrub and general movements, inclined to hostilities, and
+I imagine that it was a knowledge that we were aware of their intentions
+which prevented my being able to establish any communication with them. I
+may here remark that this party, which numbered about eight, were the
+first natives seen during the journey. Continuing our route along the
+river (latitude 24 degrees 35 minutes; longitude 36 degrees 6 minutes),
+we discovered a Moreton-Bay ash (Eucalyptus sp.), about two feet in
+diameter, marked with the letter L on the east side, cut through the
+bark, about four feet from the ground, and near it the stumps of some
+small trees which had been cut with a sharp axe, also a deep notch cut in
+the side of a sloping tree, apparently to support the ridge pole of a
+tent, or some similar purposes; all indicating that a camp had been
+established here by Leichhardt's party. The tree was near the bank of a
+small reach of water, which is noted on Sir T. Mitchell's map. This,
+together with its actual and relative position as regards other features
+of the country, prove it not to have been either one of Sir T. Mitchell's
+or Mr. Kennedy's camps, as neither encamped within several miles of the
+spot, besides which, the letter could not have been marked by either of
+them to designate the number of the camp, as the former had long passed
+his fiftieth camp, and the latter had not reached that number on the
+outward route, and numbered his camp from the farthest point attained on
+his return journey. Notwithstanding a careful search, no traces of stock
+could be found. This is, however, easily accounted for, as the country
+had been inundated last season, though the current had not been
+sufficiently strong to remove some emu bones and mussel shells which lay
+round a native camping place within a few yards of the spot. No other
+indications having been found, we continued the search down the river,
+examining every likely spot for marked trees, but without success. The
+general aspect of the country was extremely level, and even the few
+distant ridges which were visible had but small elevation above the
+plain, the highest apparently not exceeding 200 or 300 feet. Timber was
+wholly confined to the bank of the river, and though open plains existed,
+acacia scrubs were the principal feature. Water became very scarce in the
+channels of the river, and we were principally dependent on small puddles
+of rainwater from a recent thunder-shower; but as we approached the
+northern bend some fine reaches of water were passed.
+
+THE ALICE RIVER.
+
+6th April to 28th April.
+
+In latitude 26 degrees 2 minutes we observed a small dry creek joining
+from the north-east. This I traced upwards for a few miles; but as its
+relative position with regard to the adjacent country, as well as the
+latitude, did not correspond with that of the Alice River on the chart,
+we continued our route. Finding, however, that the general course of the
+river changed to south-west, I left the party at a small lagoon and rode
+up the river again, making a second search, more especially at the
+junction of the small dry creek, which proved to be identical with the
+Alice River, though more than five miles to the south, as the Victoria
+River never reaches the parallel of 24 degrees. Our position was now
+becoming very critical, as a long continuance of drought had not only
+dried up all the water, except in the deepest hollows in the channel of
+the main river, but the smaller vegetation, and even the trees on the
+back country were annihilated, rendering the country almost impracticable
+from the quantity of fallen dead branches, and even in the bed of the
+river, where the inundation derived from heavy rain near the sources of
+the river last year had somewhat refreshed the grass, it was scarcely
+possible to find subsistence for the horses. Under existing
+circumstances, it would have been certain destruction to attempt a
+north-west route from this point; and the only course that appeared
+opened to us was to follow down the main river to the junction of the
+Thompson River, and ascend that watercourse so as to intersect
+Leichhardt's probable line of route, had he penetrated in that direction,
+favoured by a better season. At the same time, it was probable that, like
+ourselves, he had been repulsed, and would then follow down the river,
+and search for a more favourable point from which to commence his
+north-west course, in order to round the desert interior on its northern
+side; and we therefore continued our search down towards the Thompson
+River.
+
+29th April to 2nd May.
+
+The country was perfectly flat on both sides of the river, and showed
+traces of tremendous floods. The soil near the river was often
+deeply-cracked mud, water very scarce, and grass seldom seen. The back
+country was covered with scrubs of dead acacia, the soil a red sand or
+gravel; and such was the unpromising appearance that I began to fear that
+our horses would soon fail for want of food and water; but having camped
+at a waterhole during Sunday to rest the party, heavy rain commenced, and
+though the greater portion of the water was absorbed by the dry soil,
+some of the channels of the river filled and commenced to flow. This
+relieved us from much difficulty as regarded the want of water, and
+enabled us to seek for grass in positions which were otherwise
+inaccessible.
+
+3rd May.
+
+Just as we were leaving our camp a party of seven natives made their
+appearance; but though they came up to us, and talked much, I could get
+no useful information from them. As the party moved on they followed us,
+and thinking they were not observed, made an attempt to throw a spear at
+one of the men; but Mr. C. Gregory, wheeling his horse quickly and
+presenting a revolver at the intending aggressors, they ran away, and
+left us to pursue our journey in peace.
+
+THE THOMPSON RIVER.
+
+4th May to 6th May.
+
+The abundance of water was not without its inconveniences, and had the
+rain continued the party would have been annihilated, as our camp was
+between the deep channels which intersected the plain; and in attempting
+to extricate ourselves from the plains subject to inundation, found
+ourselves so completely entangled among the numerous deep channels and
+boggy gullies, in some of which the horses narrowly escaped suffocation
+in the soft mud, that after having forded one branch of the river,
+carrying the whole equipment across on our own backs, constructing a
+bridge over a second for the transport of the stores, and dragging the
+horses through as we best could with ropes, after three days of severe
+toil we had scarcely accomplished a direct distance of five miles. The
+dry weather which followed rapidly hardened the surface of the clay
+plains, and I attempted to steer due west to the Thompson, but found the
+country so destitute of feed, and covered with dense acacia scrub, that
+we were compelled to return to the plains on the bank of the river.
+
+8th May.
+
+The valley of the river trending west was somewhat contracted, and did
+not exceed five or six miles in breadth; the plains were firmer,
+salt-bush and grass more abundant, and the horses recovered slightly from
+the effects of the barren country. Keeping back from the right bank of
+the main channel, we passed some ridges of drift sand, and came on a fine
+lagoon nearly a mile in length. Here we surprised a party of natives, who
+decamped on our approach, leaving a net, fish, etc., which we of course
+left untouched, and camped at a spot lower down the lagoon.
+
+9th May.
+
+The next day being Sunday, we remained at our camp, and the party of
+natives, consisting of seven or eight men, three or four women, and some
+children, approached us, and remained the greater part of the day near
+the tents. They were very anxious to enter the camp, but this was not
+permitted. By signs they expressed that they had observed we had not
+taken away any of their property the evening before, when they ran away
+and left their nets, and were therefore satisfied our intentions were
+friendly; but we could not procure any information relative to the
+objects of our journey or the character of the country before us. At 4
+p.m. they informed us they were going to sleep at the most distant part
+of the lagoon, and would return next morning at sunrise, and then
+departed. After dark, however, the natives were detected attempting to
+crawl into the camp through the bushes, and though we called to them in
+an unmistakable tone to retire, they would not withdraw. As the position
+they had taken up was such as to command our camp, and render it unsafe
+in the event of an attack, it was necessary to dislodge them. I therefore
+fired a pistol over them, but was answered by a shout of derision, which
+no doubt would have been soon followed by a shower of spears had we not
+compelled them to retreat by a discharge of small shot directed into the
+scrub, after which we were not further molested.
+
+10th May.
+
+We were now approaching the junction of the Thompson River, but the
+country became worse as we advanced, and the last five miles of the plain
+were absolutely devoid of vegetation. Our hopes were, however, raised on
+finding that the late rain had caused the Thompson to flow, though the
+current was not strong; we had, however, to travel upwards of twelve
+miles up its course before any grass could be found for the horses.
+
+11th May.
+
+Continuing our route up the Thompson, nothing could be more desolate than
+the aspect of the country; except the few trees which grew on the
+immediate bank of the river there was scarcely a tree left alive, while
+the plains were quite bare of vegetation, except a few salsolaceous
+bushes. At the distance of five miles low ridges of red drift sand showed
+the desert character of all around; even the lower surfaces of the clouds
+assumed a lurid tinge from the reflection of the bare surface of red
+sand.
+
+12th to 15th May.
+
+In latitude 24 degrees 40 minutes low sandstone hills, or rather
+tableland, approached both banks of the river, and the gullies which
+intersected them had supplied the water lower down, as the channel was
+dry above. We, however, succeeded in reaching latitude 23 degrees 47
+minutes, when the absence of water and grass--the rain not having
+extended so far north, and the channels of the river separating into
+small gullies and spreading on the wide plains--precluded our progressing
+further to the north or west; and the only prospect of saving our horses
+was to return south as quickly as possible. This was a most severe
+disappointment, as we had just reached the part of the country through
+which Leichhardt most probably travelled, if the season was sufficiently
+wet to render it practicable. Thus compelled to abandon the principal
+object of the expedition, only two courses remained open--either to
+return to the head of the Victoria River and attempt a northern course by
+the valley of the Belyando, or to follow down the river and ascertain
+whether it flowed into Cooper's Creek or the Darling. The latter course
+appeared most desirable, as it was just possible that Leichhardt, under
+similar circumstances, had been driven to the south-west. In order to
+ascertain whether any large watercourses came from the west, the return
+route was along the right bank of the Thompson, but only one small creek
+and some inconsiderable gullies joined on that side; nor was the country
+of a better character than on the left bank--consisting of barren plains,
+subject to inundation, low rocky ridges covered with dense scrub, and
+sandy ridges producing triodia.
+
+22nd to 23rd May.
+
+We had nearly reached the Victoria River, when, in crossing a gully,
+Worrell's horse fell and hurt him so severely that we had to halt for
+some time before he could be placed on his horse again, and it was
+therefore fortunate that a small patch of dry grass was found on the bank
+of the river, which enabled us to halt the next day, which was Sunday.
+Travelling down the right bank of the river, the principal channels were
+full of water, but the clay plains between were quite dry, the rain which
+had caused the river to flow not having extended so far south; nothing
+could well be more desolate than the unbounded level of these vast
+plains, which, destitute of vegetation, extended to the horizon. Our
+horses were reduced to feeding on the decayed weeds, and even these were
+so scarce that they eagerly devoured the thatch of some old native huts.
+
+27th May.
+
+We had nearly reached the furthest point attained by Mr. Kennedy when the
+horses showed signs of failing strength, and the channels on the east
+side of the plain being dry, I conceived it prudent to cross to the
+western side again. The dry mud was so deeply cracked that the horses
+were continually falling, and one horse was so completely exhausted that
+we had to abandon him.
+
+KENNEDY'S MARKED TREE.
+
+28th May.
+
+Steering a westerly, and then a north course, we reached the small
+waterhole at Mr. Kennedy's second camp on the return route; there was
+just sufficient water to supply the party for one night, and a few
+scattered tufts of grass near it, but quite insufficient for the supply
+of so large a number of horses. Close to the waterhole we found Mr.
+Kennedy's marked tree; it was a large box-tree, marked on the north side
+thus:
+
+K II.
+
+The cuts of the axe and chisel were still quite clear, though twelve
+years had elapsed; but the slow growth and decay of trees in the interior
+may be attributed to the dryness of the climate.
+
+29th May.
+
+Steering north-west, after toiling nearly thirty miles across this
+fearful waste of dry mud, we at length reached a small patch of grass on
+a sandy hummock, but only just in time to save the horses, as many could
+scarcely keep on their legs, and we had to remove their loads to those
+which were less exhausted.
+
+30th May.
+
+Long before the next morning our hungry animals had consumed every blade
+of grass, and the small patch round the camp was reduced to the same
+barren appearance as the surrounding plain. We therefore started in
+search of food for them, and were fortunate in finding a second patch of
+grass, about three miles to the south, and halted for the remainder of
+the day, which was Sunday, thankful that Providence had enabled us to
+make it a day of rest.
+
+PLAINS OF DRY MUD.
+
+31st May.
+
+The running channel of the river being still to the west of our position,
+we steered south-west, over barren clay plains, to some low ridges of
+drift sand, beyond which we found the channel full of water, with a
+slight current; but it terminated in a large reach of water which had not
+yet filled, and the channel lower down was dry. Low ridges of red drift
+sand were now frequent on the plain, and appeared to be the higher points
+of the former sandy desert, the clay plains resulting from the deposition
+of mud in the hollows between which had in course of time filled it to
+one uniform level.
+
+Latitude 26 degrees 2 minutes.
+
+1st June.
+
+The channels on the western side of the plain were very irregular,
+sometimes completely lost on the level surface, and again collecting into
+large hollows, with box-trees on the banks, in which fine sheets of water
+still remained, some 100 yards wide and more than a mile in length. We
+therefore did not experience so much inconvenience with regard to the
+supply of this necessary element as from the absence of sufficient grass,
+and the all but impracticable nature of the mud plains.
+
+4th June.
+
+In latitude 27 degrees, low sandstone tableland approached the west side
+of the river, and we attempted to travel along the slope between it and
+the mud plains, but found it so stony that the horses' hoofs were soon
+worn to the quick, as we had been compelled to remove their shoes to
+enable them to traverse the mud plains. Had it not been for green bushes
+of salsolae, and some similar plants which had sprung up since the rain,
+this tract of country exactly resembled the stony desert described by
+Captain Sturt as existing 200 miles to the westward. These remarkable
+features forming the declivities of the sandstone tableland through which
+Cooper's Creek forces its way, and by confining the waters to a narrower
+space during floods, causes the fine deep reaches of water which
+characterize it.
+
+8th June.
+
+By following the western limits of the plains we reached latitude 27
+degrees 30 minutes, when the sandstone tableland receded, and a boundless
+expanse of mud plain was before us; the lines of box-trees which had
+hitherto marked the channels nearly ceased, polygonum and atriplex
+constituting the main feature of the vegetation.
+
+COOPER'S CREEK.
+
+9th June.
+
+After toiling south-west a day and a half over this level surface to
+latitude 27 degrees 50 minutes, we approached some low ridges, at the
+foot of which there was a lagoon 100 yards wide, exhibiting signs of a
+current during flood to the north-west; and as there was an evident
+westerly trend in all the smaller channels previously crossed, it was
+evident they would soon merge in Cooper's Creek. Steering
+west-north-west, the several channels collected together, and soon formed
+a deep watercourse, with fine reaches of water. The sandstone tableland
+closed in on both sides; the soil of the intervening plain was much
+firmer, but showed by the vegetation that saline nature which so often
+attends the development of the upper sandstones in Australia. Grass was
+abundant, and it was surprising with what rapidity the horses recovered
+their strength.
+
+BOUNDARY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
+
+12th June.
+
+Approaching the 141st meridian, which is the boundary of the province of
+South Australia, stony ridges closed in on both banks of Cooper's Creek,
+forming almost a natural division, across which we followed a well-beaten
+native path; and here I observed the only instance which has come under
+my observation where the aborigines have taken the trouble to remove
+natural obstacles from their paths. The loose stones had been cleared
+from the track, and in some places piled in large heaps.
+
+14th June.
+
+After passing the stony ridge the valley became wider, the hills receding
+suddenly, in longitude 140 degrees 30 minutes, both to the north and
+south; and the whole of the country to the west seemed to consist of a
+succession of low ridges of red sand and level plains of dry mud, subject
+to inundation. Shortly before reaching the branch of Cooper's Creek named
+by Captain Sturt Streletzki Creek, we observed the tracks of two horses,
+one apparently a cart-horse, and the other a well-bred animal, but as
+none of their tracks were within the last month, the rain had obliterated
+them to such an extent that they could not be traced up, as they had left
+the bank of the creek on the first fall of rain, as is the usual habit of
+horses whose wanderings are uncontrolled. There can be little doubt that
+these horses belonged to Captain Sturt, who left one in an exhausted
+state near this locality, and also lost a second horse, whose tracks were
+followed many miles in the direction of this part of Cooper's Creek.
+
+16th June.
+
+Streletzki Creek, which separates nearly at a right angle from the main
+channel, appears to convey about one-third of the waters of Cooper's
+Creek nearly south, and, as we afterwards ascertained, connects it with
+Lake Torrens. We, however, continued to follow the channels which trended
+west for thirty miles, but large branches continually broke off to the
+south and west, and at length the whole was lost on the wide plains of
+dry mud between the sand ridges; and, as there was no prospect of either
+water or grass to the west, I steered south and south-east for fifty
+miles over a succession of ridges of red drift sand, ten to fifty feet
+high, running parallel to each other, and in a nearly north and south
+direction. Between these ridges we occasionally found shallow puddles of
+rainwater, or rather mud, as it was so thick with clay as to be scarcely
+fluid. Fortunately a great quantity of green weeds had grown up since the
+rain, and the horses improved in condition, and did not require much
+water.
+
+21st June to 25th June.
+
+In latitude 28 degrees 24 minutes we again came on Streletzki Creek, and
+then followed it nearly south-south-west between sandy ridges to latitude
+29 degrees 25 minutes, when it turned to the west and entered Lake
+Torrens. No permanent water was seen in the bed of the creek, though
+there were many deep hollows which, when once filled, retain water for
+several months, and this, combined with the existence of a fine reach of
+water in Cooper's Creek immediately above the point where Streletzki
+Creek branches off, renders it far the best line of route into the
+interior which has yet been discovered. Passing between the eastern point
+of Lake Torrens and what has hitherto been considered the eastern arm,
+but now ascertained to be an independent lake, the space between (about
+half a mile) was level sandy ground, covered with salicornia, without any
+apparent connecting channel. The course was continued south-south-west
+towards Mount Hopeless, at the northern extreme of the high ranges of
+South Australia, which had been visible across the level country at a
+distance of sixty miles.
+
+26th June.
+
+As we approached the range of hills tracks of cattle and horses were
+observed, and eight miles beyond Mount Hopeless came to a cattle station
+which had been lately established by Mr. Baker. As the nature of the
+country we had traversed was such as not to admit of any useful
+deviations from it if we returned to New South Wales by land, I deemed it
+advisable to proceed forthwith to Adelaide, and, disposing of the horses
+and equipment, return with the party by sea to Sydney.
+
+ARRIVE IN ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
+
+31st July.
+
+We therefore proceeded by easy stages towards Adelaide, experiencing the
+greatest hospitality at the stations on our route, while our reception in
+the city was of the most flattering nature. His Excellency Sir Richard
+Macdonald kindly gave me the use of an extensive paddock for the horses,
+and provided quarters for the men during the period which necessarily
+elapsed before the sale of the equipment of the expedition was effected.
+I have also to express my acknowledgments of the kind assistance rendered
+by the Honourable the Commissioner of Crown Lands, to the
+Surveyor-General, and the Superintendent of Telegraphs, for valuable data
+connected with the construction of the map of the route, as well as to
+many other gentlemen whose cordial co-operation greatly facilitated my
+arrangements. It is extremely gratifying to record my appreciation of the
+untiring zeal and energy which distinguished every individual composing
+the expedition; and it is to the unvarying and cheerful alacrity with
+which each and all performed their respective duties, that, under
+Providence, the rapidity and success of the journey is to be mainly
+attributed. With reference to the probable fate of Dr. Leichhardt, it is
+evident, from the existence of the marked camp, nearly eighty miles
+beyond those seen by Mr. Hely, that the account given to that gentleman
+by the natives of the murder of the party was untrue; and I am inclined
+to think only a revival of the report current during Leichhardt's first
+journey to Port Essington. Nor is it probable that they were destroyed
+until they had left the Victoria, as, if killed by the natives, the
+scattered bones of the horses and cattle would have been observed during
+our search. I am therefore of opinion that they left the river at the
+junction of the Alice, and, favoured by thunder-showers, penetrated the
+level desert country to the north-west; in which case, on the cessation
+of the rain, the party would not only be deprived of a supply of water
+for the onward journey, but unable to retreat, as the shallow deposits of
+rainwater would evaporate in a few days, and it is not likely that they
+would commence a retrograde movement until the strength of the party had
+been severely taxed in the attempt to advance. The character of the
+country traversed, from the out-stations on the Dawson River to the head
+of the Warrego River, was generally that of a grassy forest, with ridges
+of dense brigalow scrub. A great portion is available for pastoral
+purposes, but not well watered; and the soil being sandy, the grass would
+soon be destroyed if too heavily stocked. As we advanced into the
+interior it became more barren, and, except along the banks of the larger
+watercourses, destitute of timber, and the character of the vegetation
+indicated excessive droughts. North of latitude 26 degrees dense scrubs
+of acacia prevailed on the level country beyond the influence of the
+inundations, but to the southward sandy and stony deserts, with low
+shrubby vegetation, were the characteristic feature. West of longitude
+147 degrees, nearly to the boundary of South Australia, in 141 degrees,
+the country is unfit for occupation, for, though in favourable seasons
+there might in some few localities be abundance of feed for stock, the
+uncertainty of rain and frequent recurrence of drought renders it
+untenable, the grasses and herbage being principally annuals, which not
+only die but are swept away by the hot summer winds, leaving the surface
+of the soil completely bare. On Cooper's Creek, near the boundary, there
+is a small tract of second-rate country, which, being abundantly supplied
+with water, may eventually be occupied. The best part is, however, within
+the province of South Australia. Between Cooper's Creek and Lake Torrens
+about 120 miles of sandy country intervenes. This tract is destitute of
+surface water, but as it is probable that it could be obtained by sinking
+wells of moderate depth, I think it might be occupied to advantage during
+the cool season, and thus relieve the stations which are now established
+within Lake Torrens, though I fear that the summer heat would be too
+great to admit of permanent occupation. The geological character of the
+country is remarkably uniform. Carboniferous sandstones and shales,
+containing occasional beds of coal, with superincumbent hills and ridges
+of basalt, extend from Darling Downs to the 146th meridian, where these
+rocks are covered by horizontal sandstones with beds of chert and
+water-worn quartz pebbles. This latter formation extends as far as Mount
+Hopeless, where the slate ranges of South Australia rise abruptly from
+the plain. The sandy deserts and mud plains are only superficial
+deposits, as the sandstones are often exposed where the upper formation
+is intersected by gullies. The direction of the parallel ridges of drift
+sand appear to be the result of the prevailing winds, and not the action
+of water, it being sufficient to visit them on a windy day to be
+convinced that it is unnecessary to seek for a more remote and obscure
+cause than that which is in present operation. It is, perhaps, with
+reference to the physical geography of Australia that the results of the
+Expedition are most important; as by connecting successively the
+explorations of Sir T. Mitchell, Mr. Kennedy, Captain Sturt, and Mr.
+Eyre, the waters of the tropical interior of the eastern portion of the
+Continent are proved to flow towards Spencer's Gulf, if not actually into
+it, the barometrical observations showing that Lake Torrens, the lowest
+part of the interior, is decidedly above the sea-level. Although only
+about one-third of the waters of Cooper's Creek flow into Lake Torrens by
+the channel of Streletzki Creek, there is strong evidence that the
+remaining channels, after spreading their waters on the vast plains which
+occupy the country between them and Sturt's Stony Desert, finally drain
+to the south, augmented probably by the waters of Eyre's Creek, the Stony
+Desert, and perhaps some other watercourses of a similar character coming
+from the westward. This peculiar structure of the interior renders it
+improbable that any considerable inland lakes should exist in connection
+with the known system of waters; for, as Lake Torrens is decidedly only
+an expanded continuation of Cooper's Creek, and therefore the culminating
+point of this vast system of drainage, if there was sufficient average
+fall of rain in the interior to balance the effects of evaporation from
+the surface of an extensive sheet of water, the Torrens Basin, instead of
+being occupied by salt marshes, in which the existence of anything beyond
+shallow lagoons of salt-water is yet problematical, would be maintained
+as a permanent lake. Therefore, if the waters flowing from so large a
+tract of country are insufficient to meet the evaporation from the
+surface of Lake Torrens, there is even less probability of the waters of
+the western interior forming an inland lake of any magnitude, even should
+there be so anomalous a feature as a depression of the surface in which
+it could be collected, especially as our knowledge of its limits indicate
+a much drier climate and less favourable conformation of surface than in
+the eastern division of the continent. The undulations of the surface of
+the country are nearly parallel to the meridian, gradually decreasing in
+height from the dividing range between the eastern and western waters
+till, instead of the waters of the rivers being confined to valleys, they
+occupy plains formed by a slight flattening of the curvature of the
+sphere. Thus the sides of the plain through which the river ran before it
+turned west to Cooper's Creek were 150 feet below the tangential level of
+the centre channels, and even the summit of the sandstone tableland which
+rose beyond was below the visible horizon. It is this peculiar
+conformation which causes the stream-beds to spread so widely when
+following the course of the valleys from north to south, and it is only
+where they break through the intervening ridges that the water is
+confined sufficiently to form well-defined channels. The existence of
+these extensive valleys trending north and south over so large a tract of
+country render it by no means unlikely that they continue far beyond the
+limits of present explorations, and it is not unreasonable to infer that
+the great depression which has been traced nearly five hundred miles
+north from Spencer's Gulf through Lake Torrens to the stony desert of
+Sturt (or rather the mud plains contiguous to its western limit) may be
+continuous for an equal distance beyond to the low land at the head of
+the Gulf of Carpentaria; a theory also supported by the fact that the
+rivers flowing into the Gulf either come from the east or west,
+apparently from higher land in those directions, while there is not a
+single watercourse from the south, or any indication of elevated country
+in that direction. Captain Wickham having named an important river
+discovered by him in H.M.S. Beagle, on the north-west coast, the
+Victoria, several years prior to Sir T. Mitchell having attached that
+name to the upper portion of Cooper's Creek, which had also been
+previously discovered and named by Captain Sturt, I would suggest that
+the term River Cooper be adopted for the whole of the main channel from
+its sources, discovered by Sir T. Mitchell, to its termination in Lake
+Torrens; as, while it does not interfere with the rule that the name
+given by the first discoverer should be retained, will prevent the
+recurrence of the misapprehension and inconvenience of having two
+important rivers with the same designation on the maps of Australia. With
+regard to the numbers and habits of the aborigines, I could collect
+little information, as only a collective number of about 100 men, a few
+women and children, were seen, in small scattered parties; but, judging
+from the number of encampments seen, at least a thousand must visit the
+banks of the river; and it is probable that the whole of the inhabitants
+for at least 100 miles on each side are dependent on it for water during
+the dry season. Neither sex wear any clothing. Their weapons and utensils
+are similar to those used on the eastern coast; nor was there any
+characteristic by which they could be observed to differ from the
+aborigines of other portions of Australia. Fish, rats, grass seeds, and a
+few roots, constitute their chief food. On the upper part of the river
+they bury their dead, piling wood on the grave; near the junction of the
+Thompson they suspend the bodies in nets, and afterwards remove the
+bones; while on Cooper's Creek the graves are mounds of earth three to
+four feet high, apparently without any excavation, and surmounted by a
+pile of dead wood. In the last-named locality the number of burial mounds
+which had been constructed about two years ago greatly exceed the
+proportion of deaths which could have possibly occurred in any ordinary
+season of mortality, even assuming the densest population known in any
+other part of Australia; and it is not improbable that the seasons of
+drought which proved so destructive to the tree vegetation higher up the
+river may have been equally disastrous in its effects on the aboriginal
+inhabitants of this portion of the interior.
+
+A.C. GREGORY.
+
+Sydney, 27 August, 1858.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals of Australian Explorations
+by A C and F T Gregory
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10461 ***
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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals of Australian Explorations
+by A C and F T Gregory
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+Title: Journals of Australian Explorations
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+
+
+<h3>JOURNALS OF AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS</h3>
+
+<h4>BY</h4>
+
+<h3>AUGUSTUS CHARLES GREGORY,</h3>
+<h4>C.M.G., F.R.G.S., ETC.,<br>
+<i>Gold Medalist, Royal Geographical Society,</i></h4>
+
+<h4>AND</h4>
+
+<h3>FRANCIS THOMAS GREGORY,</h3>
+<h4>F.R.G.S., ETC., ETC.,<br>
+<i>Gold Medalist, Royal Geographical Society.</i></h4>
+
+<h5>BRISBANE:<br>
+JAMES C. BEAL, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, WILLIAM STREET.<br>
+1884.</h5>
+
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+
+<h3>PREFACE.</h3>
+
+<p>Numerous inquiries having been made for copies of the Journals of the
+Explorations by the Messrs. Gregory in the Western, Northern, and Central
+portions of Australia, and as these journals have hitherto only been
+partially published in a fragmentary form, and are now out of print, it
+has been deemed desirable to collect the material into one volume, for
+convenience of reference, and to place on permanent record some of the
+earlier attempts to penetrate the terra incognita which then constituted
+so vast a portion of the Australian Continent.
+
+<p>Although, during the twenty-two years which have elapsed since the last
+of these expeditions was undertaken, the geographical knowledge of
+Australia has so far advanced as to fill in most of the details of its
+physical features and set at rest the speculative opinions and theories
+of early explorers, it has not been deemed desirable to alter or amend
+the impressions or views recorded at the time, but simply reproduce the
+journals as originally compiled.
+
+
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+
+<h3>[TABLE OF CONTENTS.]</h3>
+
+<p align="center">
+<a href="#one">1. MESSRS. GREGORY'S EXPEDITION TO THE EAST AND NORTH OF SWAN RIVER. 1846.</a><br>
+<a href="#two">2. THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY. 1848.</a><br>
+<a href="#three">3. HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR CHARLES FITZGERALD'S EXPEDITION TO THE GERALDINE
+LEAD MINE. 1848.</a><br>
+<a href="#four">4. THE MURCHISON RIVER. 1857.</a><br>
+<a href="#five">5. GASCOYNE RIVER. 1858.</a><br>
+<a href="#six">6. NORTH-WEST COAST. 1861.</a><br>
+<a href="#seven">7. NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. 1855 TO 1856.</a><br>
+
+<p align="center"><img alt=""  src="cfgregory.jpg"><br>
+C F Gregory</p>
+<p align="center"><img alt=""  src="ftgregory.jpg"><br>
+F T Gregory</p>
+<p align="center"><img alt=""  src="hcgregory.jpg"><br>
+H C Gregory</p>
+<p align="center"><img alt=""  src="tbaines.jpg"><br>
+T Baines</p>
+<p align="center">[The page containing A C Gregory's image had been removed from the book used to create this ebook]
+</p>
+
+<h2>AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS.</h2>
+
+
+<a name="one"></a>
+<h3>MESSRS. GREGORY'S EXPEDITION TO THE EAST AND NORTH OF SWAN RIVER.</h3>
+
+<h4>1846.</h4>
+
+<h4>EARLY CONDITION OF WEST AUSTRALIA.</h4>
+
+<p>The colony of Western Australia was established in 1829; but its
+isolation from the older settlement of New South Wales rendered it
+necessary to import all the horses, cattle, and sheep by sailing vessels
+from Tasmania, or other remote sources, while the heavy losses and
+difficulties attending long sea voyages prevented any large importations
+of stock--so that, though there was a fair rate of increase, the flocks
+and herds of the settlers had found sufficient pasturage for the first
+ten years on the banks of the Swan River and its upper valley, the Avon,
+together with the coast district southward to the Vasse Inlet; but after
+1840 the stock-owners began to feel that all prospect of material
+increase must be relinquished unless additional pastures could be
+discovered.
+
+<p>Several public as well as private expeditions were undertaken for the
+purpose of ascertaining whether in the interior or along the coast on
+either side of the settlement there existed any available country, but
+they had only encountered dense scrubs of acacia and eucalyptus, with
+salt marshes and scarcity of fresh water in the interior. The coast to
+the east had been traversed from Adelaide to King George's Sound by Mr.
+Eyre, and found to be altogether unfit for settlement, while to the north
+the coast presented a series of sandy plains for more than 200 miles.
+
+<p>It may now appear extraordinary that the earlier explorers in Australia
+were so frequently unsuccessful in their endeavours to penetrate the
+interior; but the scarcity of suitable horses, the unsuitable character
+of the saddlery, cumbersome camp equipment, and deficiency of knowledge
+regarding the seasons in the interior, all combined to defeat the first
+explorers in districts which have since been traversed with comparative
+facility.
+
+<p>In 1846 the known country had become so nearly stocked to the full extent
+of its capability that the leading question of interest with the settlers
+was, where new runs could be discovered; and, among many others, the
+Messrs. Gregory proposed to attempt the further exploration of the
+interior.
+
+<p>Messrs. A.C. and F.T. Gregory, who were attached to the department of the
+Surveyor-General, applied for three months' leave of absence for the
+purpose; but it was eventually arranged that the expedition should be
+under the auspices of the Government, which provided four horses, and
+voted 5 pounds for the purchase of equipment, the remainder being
+supplied at private expense.
+
+<p>The party consisted of A.C. Gregory, F.T. Gregory, and H.C. Gregory,
+provided with four horses and seven weeks' provisions, the equipment
+being reduced to the least possible weight. The starting point was Mr.
+T.N. Yule's station, in the Toodyay district, sixty miles north-east from
+Perth.
+
+<p>The following is a transcript of the journal:--
+
+<h4>DIARY.</h4>
+
+<p>EXPLORATION TO EAST OF SWAN RIVER, 1846.
+
+<p>7th August, 1846.
+
+<p>Leaving Mr. Yule's farm at Boyeen Spring, passed Captain Scully's station
+at Bolgart Spring at 10.15 a.m.; thence steered north 70 degrees east
+over sandy downs, thinly timbered with eucalyptus; at 12.50 p.m. crossed
+a small watercourse trending in the direction of our course till 2 p.m.,
+when it turned south; at 3.50 p.m. halted for the night on a small stream
+flowing to the south-west.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 31 degrees 12 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 116
+degrees 50 minutes.
+
+<p>8th August.
+
+<p>At 7.5 a.m. commenced a course 70 degrees; at 8.0 crossed a granite hill
+with some grass, after which the country was scrubby till 9.30, when we
+entered a grassy flat timbered with casuarina; at 10.25 the country was
+more open, but scrubby; at 12.45 p.m. observed a small lake bearing 10
+degrees; steered on that course, and reached it at 2.10 p.m.; halted till
+3.15, and then resumed our former course through a swampy country, and at
+4.50 camped on the bank of another small shallow lake.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 31 degrees 4 minutes 24 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 4 minutes.
+
+<p>9th August.
+
+<p>At 7.35 a.m. steered on a course of 95 degrees through a scrubby country
+with small wooded valleys; at noon observed several large shallow lakes
+five to ten miles to the north-east; at 3 p.m. altered the course to 45
+degrees, and at 3.30 to north; at 4 p.m. reached a large open flat
+covered with salicornia and other salt plants, and with shallow lakes of
+salt water. At the edge of the flat found a native well with good water
+and a patch of grass around it, and bivouacked.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 31 degrees 2 minutes 22 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 23 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+<p>10th August.
+
+<p>At 7.35 a.m. left the bivouac and steered 95 degrees, passed several
+small salt lagoons in a thick swampy country; at 9.15 entered a gum
+forest with close underwood, which rendered travelling slow and
+difficult, but it gradually became more open; at 1 p.m. observed several
+lakes to the north and east, six to seven miles distant; we then passed a
+succession of dense thickets and patches of gum forest till 4.25, when we
+turned north, and at 5.30 halted in an open patch of grass surrounded by
+swampy thickets.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 31 degrees 1 minute 44 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 45 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+<p>11th August.
+
+<p>At 7.25 a.m. steered north-east through gum forest; at 8.30 passed a dry
+lagoon; at 9.10 changed the course to 95 degrees; the country became more
+open; at 11.35 ascended an elevated ridge, and saw several bare granite
+hills to the eastward; steered 75 degrees to the nearest; reached its
+summit at 1.40 p.m., and halted for the remainder of the day to refresh
+the horses, there being abundance of water in the hollows of the rock and
+some grass around the base of the hill.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 30 degrees 58 minutes 47 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 59 minutes 47 seconds.
+
+<p>DRY COUNTRY. GRANITE HILLS.
+
+<p>12th August.
+
+<p>Leaving the bivouac at 7.30 a.m., steered 122 degrees through alternate
+patches of gum forest, underwood, and grass; at 11.50 reached the summit
+of a bare granite hill, from which we could see Lake Brown, bearing 93
+degrees to 103 degrees, Eaglestone Hill, 100 degrees, also many other
+remarkable hills and peaks. Leaving this hill at 12.15 p.m., steered 58
+degrees over undulating wooded country with several small watercourses
+trending to the south; at 4.30 bivouacked at a scrubby hill, near a small
+pool of rainwater, on a granite rock.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 30 degrees 59 minutes 54 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 17 minutes.
+
+<p>13th August.
+
+<p>Resumed our course 58 degrees through level gum forest, then a spearwood
+thicket, then dense underwood and patches of gum forest till 1.25 p.m.,
+when we came to a native well among granite rocks; having watered the
+horses, continued the course through the same description of country till
+4.40, when we halted at the foot of a granite hill with plenty of
+rainwater in the hollows and grass on a narrow strip between the scrub
+and base of the bare rock.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 30 degrees 48 minutes 34 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 40 minutes.
+
+<p>14th August.
+
+<p>Started at 10.35 a.m., and steered 41 degrees through a level country,
+with thickets of underwood, cypress, and gum, with some grassy patches;
+at 2.20 p.m. reached a bare granite hill, at the foot of which we
+bivouacked.
+
+<p>15th August.
+
+<p>Leaving the bivouac at 7.15 a.m., steered 50 degrees; at 8.50 crossed a
+steep ridge of white sandy rocks resting on granite; after this the
+country was grassy, with little timber, 10.30, when we entered a thick
+scrub; at 11.0 observed a high granite hill bearing 50 degrees, steered
+for it, and reached the summit at 12.55 p.m., descending into thick scrub
+on the other side. Having climbed a tree to get a view, observed a very
+remarkable peak and range of rugged hills distant about forty miles, the
+highest point bearing 57 degrees; at 2.30 came to scrubby country with
+only a few trees, and at 4.15 camped at a small waterhole in a granite
+rock.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 30 degrees 31 minutes 43 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 52 minutes.
+
+<p>16th August.
+
+<p>At 7.15 a.m. resumed our march on a bearing 68 degrees, through
+well-wooded country till 9.35, when we ascended a fine grassy hill of
+trap-rock. From this hill several of a similar character were visible to
+the southward, while to the north numerous large dry salt lakes or
+marshes occupied the valley along the south-eastern declivity of which we
+had travelled for the last two days; the course was then 56 degrees,
+through scattered forest, with much underwood and a little grass. At noon
+struck the shore of one of the lakes, the bank being composed of gypsum
+and red sand, in some parts twenty feet high; following the shore of the
+lake to the east till 1.15 p.m., again resumed a course 56 degrees
+through dense thickets of wattle (acacia), with patches of gum forest and
+cypress, the soil a red sandy loam devoid of smaller vegetation; at 5.0
+halted for the night.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 30 degrees 21 minutes 40 seconds; longitude 119
+degrees 11 minutes.
+
+<p>WHIRLWINDS. RED SAND.
+
+<p>17th August.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. recommenced our journey 50 degrees; at 6.55 crossed a narrow
+swampy patch of salicornia trending east and west; altered the course to
+63 degrees, and at 7.35 crossed a deep watercourse trending to the south;
+at 8.15 ascended a trap hill with a few granite rocks at the foot, among
+which we found a small pool of rainwater, at which we halted for three
+hours to refresh our horses, and then proceeded 40 degrees till 2.20
+p.m., when we arrived at the foot of the highest hill in the range for
+which we had been steering. Leaving our horses, we ascended the hill,
+which was composed of trap-rock, and did not exceed 300 feet in height
+above the general level of the country. From the summit several similar
+ranges of trap hills were visible, extending from north to
+east-south-east; to the south-east the country appeared to be a level
+sandy desert without the least appearance of vegetation, while to the
+west and north the smokes of many native fires were visible in the
+distance. The extremely level character of the country between the ranges
+to the east and north, and the immense columns of red sand or dust which
+were raised by whirlwinds to a height of 200 to 500 feet, gave but little
+hope of finding water in that direction. Returning to our horses at 4.20,
+steered 350 degrees about three and a half miles to a small patch of
+grass which had been observed from the hill, which was named Mount
+Jackson. There was a small watercourse through the patch of grass, but no
+water, and the country was suffering from prolonged drought.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 30 degrees 12 minutes 28 seconds; longitude 119
+degrees 16 minutes.
+
+<p>18th August.
+
+<p>After six hours' ineffectual search for water, we were compelled to
+return to the water passed early on the previous day.
+
+<p>19th August.
+
+<p>Left the bivouac at 7.20 a.m. and steered 275 degrees through a scattered
+gum forest with much underwood; at 9.55 came on a dry salt lagoon of
+irregular form, which was crossed at 10.20; passing a native well among
+flat granite rocks, the country rose gradually till 11.50, when we
+arrived at a hill crowned by steep white sandstone cliffs twenty to
+thirty feet high. The course was then changed to north, through dense
+thickets, till 12.20 p.m., when we again turned west through a
+well-wooded country, and at 3.0 camped on a high granite hill with some
+patches of grass and abundance of rainwater in the hollows of the rocks.
+
+<p>Latitude 30 degrees 19 minutes 33 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 55
+minutes.
+
+<p>20th August.
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. resumed a westerly course through dense thickets of acacia
+and melaleuca, and at 5.15 p.m. bivouacked in a small patch of grass and
+a small pool of rainwater on a granite rock.
+
+<p>Latitude 30 degrees 17 minutes 40 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 35
+minutes.
+
+<p>21st August.
+
+<p>At 7.45 a.m. started on a course 320 degrees over an undulating country
+with dense thickets and patches of cypress and gum forest; at 4.30 p.m.
+bivouacked near a small hole in a rock with about two gallons of
+rainwater remaining in it.
+
+<p>Latitude 30 degrees 5 minutes 43 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 22
+seconds.
+
+<p>22nd August.
+
+<p>At 7.35 a.m. resumed a west course through a succession of thickets, gum
+forest, and scrub; at 12.30 p.m. observed a granite hill bearing 315
+degrees; made for the hill, and finding some excellent grass around a
+native well, at 2.15 camped.
+
+<p>Latitude 30 degrees 3 minutes 36 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 8
+minutes.
+
+<p>23rd August.
+
+<p>Started at 7.40 a.m. in a direction 320 degrees, over thinly-timbered
+scrubby country, which gradually improved and became grassy; at 10.5
+altered the course to 336 degrees, and at 1.15 p.m. reached the summit of
+a granite hill from which a series of dry lakes, or salt marshes, were
+visible in a wide valley trending to the north-east. A very remarkable
+hill bore 316 degrees, about 35 miles distant. Steering in the direction
+of this hill, found the country covered with almost impenetrable scrub of
+acacia. At 4.20 halted at the foot of a high sandstone cliff, where some
+deep holes in the rock retained a small quantity of rainwater.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 51 minutes; longitude 119 degrees 55 minutes.
+
+<p>24th August.
+
+<p>Left the bivouac at 7.35 a.m. steering 312 degrees; passed over a nearly
+level country timbered with cypress and eucalyptus, with patches of
+acacia thicket; at 2.45 p.m. halted at a deep waterhole in a flat granite
+rock.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 42 minutes 31 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 41
+minutes.
+
+<p>EXTENSIVE SALT MARSHES.
+
+<p>25th August.
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. resumed our journey on the same course as yesterday, and at
+9.15 came on an extensive flat covered with salicornia, which formed the
+margin of an immense salt marsh or dry lake, extending to the north-east
+and south-west to the horizon, but narrowing to about three miles at the
+point we came to it. It was decided to attempt crossing at this place,
+and, after travelling for an hour across the salicornia flat, reached the
+bare salt marsh. This at first seemed firm; but, after half-a-mile, the
+hard crust of salt and gypsum, which formed the surface, gave way and
+three of the horses were bogged almost at the same time. After a long
+ineffectual struggle to extricate themselves they were quite exhausted,
+and we waded through the mud to the opposite shore, a distance of
+half-a-mile, and cut some small trees, and with them, combined with
+tether ropes and saddle-bags, formed two hurdles or platforms twelve feet
+long and two feet wide. These with much difficulty were taken to the
+horses, and by placing them alternately in front of each animal, worked
+them over the soft mud, and after six hours of severe exertion succeeded
+in reaching the firm ground. The hard salt crust, though apparently
+strong, having once been broken, its edges gave way like thin ice. After
+reaching the ground, which was dry enough to bear the weight of the
+horses, we had to travel about three miles through soft dust of white
+gypsum, in which we sank from one to two feet, but at length reached a
+large granite rock, at the foot of which there was a little grass and on
+the rock some small pools of rainwater.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 37 minutes 30 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 38
+minutes.
+
+<p>26th August.
+
+<p>From the summit of the rock we had an extensive view, the lake extending
+twelve miles east, fifteen miles to the south and west, eight miles to
+the north and to the north-east, only bounded by the horizon. Shallow
+pools of brine, varying from one to three miles in diameter, with
+low-wooded and high bare granite islets, were scattered over this vast
+area of white mud gypsum and salt. At 8.35 a.m. started in a southerly
+direction along the shore of the lake in the hope of turning its west
+side; at 10.40 altered the course to 221 degrees; and at 12.30 p.m.
+camped on a grassy granite hill, about a mile from the lake.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 47 minutes 13 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 36
+minutes.
+
+<p>27th August.
+
+<p>Steering a general course 200 degrees from 7.40 a.m. to 8.40, again
+reached the shore of the lake, followed it south-east till 9.45, then 80
+degrees till 12.15 p.m., when we halted for one and a half hours under a
+very remarkable solitary gum-tree; we then steered 173 degrees till 2.20;
+then 204 degrees till 3.30, when we left the lake, which trended to the
+west, and, steering 250 degrees till 5.5, camped at a native well in a
+small grassy valley. Some good open grassy flats were passed during the
+day and a large number of wild turkeys were seen.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 59 minutes 4 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 39
+minutes.
+
+<p>28th August.
+
+<p>Starting at 7.35 a.m. in a west-north-west course, at 8.45 passed several
+small dry salt lagoons; at 9.0 ascended a granite hill, from the summit
+of which it was discovered that further progress in this direction was
+impracticable, and that we were on a peninsula, as the lake still trended
+south to the horizon. We therefore turned east, and at 11.35 came on the
+southern extension of the eastern branch of the lake; followed it nearly
+east till noon, then north-east and north-north-east till 1.0 p.m.; then
+17 degrees, leaving the lake and crossing extensive open downs till 2.5,
+when a small dry salt lake was passed, and we entered thickets of acacia,
+which changed to gum and cypress forest; at 3.0 came to a rich grassy
+hill, then thickets and grassy patches, and at 4.0 reached the summit of
+a lofty granite hill and had an extensive view over the country. On the
+north side of the hill found a native well and some good grass, where we
+camped.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 45 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 46
+minutes.
+
+<p>GRANITE HILLS AND GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+<p>29th August.
+
+<p>At 7.35 a.m. left the bivouac and steered 30 degrees through thickets; at
+8.30 crossed our track of the 24th, and at 9.15 passed a salt marsh
+trending north-west and south-east; at 12.25 p.m. altered the course to
+north till 1.0; then, 37 degrees, ascended a granite hill, on which we
+found a few shallow pools of rainwater; then north till 4.0 p.m., and
+bivouacked in a grassy patch with a small hollow containing a little
+muddy water.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 30 minutes 46 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 51
+minutes.
+
+<p>30th August.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 7.35 a.m., steering north over a level country
+with patches of brushwood and grass; at 10.35 ascended a steep grassy
+ridge, and found ourselves at the north-east extremity of the immense
+salt lake which for five days had baffled our attempts to proceed north.
+The lake, which was named Lake Moore, was at this part about five miles
+wide, and extended to the horizon to the south-west; to the north and
+west there were many bare granite hills; changing the course to 328
+degrees, at 12.55 p.m. camped at a grassy granite hill.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 17 minutes 56 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 47
+minutes.
+
+<p>31st August.
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. steered 328 degrees for two hours through thickets of
+acacia, cypress, and gum; then entered a grassy country with jam-wattle;
+at 10.35 passed a granite hill and altered the course to 357 degrees, and
+at 11.30 ascended a high granite hill, from which many similar hills were
+visible to the north and east, and a remarkable range of trap hills about
+thirty miles to the north-north-east; also some smaller trap ranges to
+the north-west, from ten to thirty miles distant. At noon steered 302
+degrees towards the nearest of these ranges, traversing a level plain
+with brushwood and grass; at 4.45 crossed a small dry watercourse
+trending west, and at 5.5 bivouacked on a granite hill, with some grass
+and a fine pool of rainwater in a hollow of the rock.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 3 minutes 14 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 31
+minutes.
+
+<p>1st September.
+
+<p>Resumed our route at 7.45 a.m.; at 8.45 reached the hills we had been
+steering for; from the summit there was an extensive view: to the north
+and west were many trap hills and several dry salt lakes; to the north
+the country was level for several miles, and then rose into a low range
+of granite hills, covered with brushwood and grass; at 9.20 steered 230
+degrees over level country with dense thickets of acacia; at noon the
+country became more open; at 1.0 passed some small dry salt lagoons, the
+country more open and with some grass, and at 3.0 camped at the foot of a
+granite hill, with good grass and some water oozing out of a cleft in the
+rock.
+
+<p>Latitude 28 degrees 50 minutes 44 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 20
+minutes.
+
+<p>2nd September.
+
+<p>Leaving the bivouac at 7.40 a.m., steered 330 degrees over a succession
+of grassy granite hills, with small watercourse trending to the west; at
+12.40 p.m. came on a party of four aboriginals, who hastily decamped,
+leaving their spears and shields behind in the hurry of retreat; they
+appeared to be of rather small stature, and somewhat darker in colour
+than the blacks near the Swan River. Observing a remarkable hill bearing
+312 degrees about twenty miles distant, steered for it; the country
+became more level, with grass and brushwood; at 3.5 turned north to a
+steep granite hill, crossing a dry watercourse thirty yards wide and
+sixteen feet deep trending north-west; at 4.40 halted in a gully in the
+granite range, and obtained water by digging among the rocks.
+
+<p>Latitude 28 degrees 34 minutes 9 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 2
+minutes.
+
+<p>3rd September.
+
+<p>Started at 8.0 a.m., steering towards the hill seen yesterday, and which
+now bore 307 degrees. The country was nearly a dead level, with a few
+small dry watercourses trending south-west; the soil a red loam,
+producing some grass and small acacias; at 10.50 came on an extensive
+flat covered with salicornia, which extended to the base of the hill, the
+summit of which was reached at 12.25 p.m.; from this position the flat or
+marsh appeared to extend fifteen miles to the north-east, a branch also
+to the north-west, in which direction the water seemed to trend, though
+the dip of the country, if any, was so slight as to render it uncertain.
+To the north a range of trap hills, five to ten miles distant,
+intercepted the view. Having completed observations at 2.10, steered 300
+degrees along the foot of a range of trap hills; at 3.50 passed a dry
+salt lake on our right, and at 5.15 bivouacked on the side of a trap
+hill, among some fine oat-grass growing on calcareous tufa. From the
+summit of the hill we could see salt marshes continuing in a north-west
+direction for many miles; all the hills within twenty miles were of a
+trap formation, and therefore gave no prospect of obtaining water, the
+soil being loose and the rock full of fissures; hitherto we seldom had
+found water except on or near granite rocks, which serve to collect the
+rainwater of even slight showers.
+
+<p>Latitude 28 degrees 24 minutes 20 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 42
+minutes.
+
+<p>SCARCITY OF WATER. TURN TO THE WEST.
+
+<p>4th September.
+
+<p>As the horses had been twenty-four hours without water, and there was no
+prospect of obtaining any to the north or west, no rain having fallen for
+the past month, it was deemed advisable to return to the last bivouac,
+and then, by a westerly course, attempt to make the sources of the Hutt
+or Arrowsmith rivers, the mouths of which had been discovered by Captain
+Grey on the coast opposite our position. Accordingly, after six hours'
+ride, we got back to the well at the bivouac of the 2nd.
+
+<p>5th September.
+
+<p>At 7.50 a.m. left the bivouac, and, steering 240 degrees, at 8.15 crossed
+the dry watercourse trending west; at 11.0 ascended the ridge bounding
+the valley; at noon found a small pool of water in a gully descending to
+the westward; after this traversed a continuous thicket of acacia with
+narrow strips of cypress forest, and bivouacked at 5.50 without water.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 47 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 41
+minutes.
+
+<p>6th September.
+
+<p>At 6.45 a.m., proceeding west, ascended a granite hill, near the top of
+which we found a native well, where we halted at 7.30. Having watered the
+horses and breakfasted, at 9.30 resumed our journey over granite hills,
+covered with brushwood and cypress with a few grassy patches; at 11.10
+passed a native well; altered the course to west-south-west, crossing
+three small watercourses trending north-west; and at 1.15 p.m. halted at
+the foot of a bare granite hill, on the top of which there was a fine
+pool of rainwater in a shallow basin of the rock.
+
+<p>Latitude 28 degrees 50 minutes 51 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 29
+minutes.
+
+<p>7th September.
+
+<p>Started at 7.15 a.m. on a course 255 degrees through acacia thickets; at
+10.5 crossed a narrow strip of salt marsh, which spread out into dry salt
+lakes to the south; after this the country was grassy till 11.30, when we
+entered a dense thicket of acacia, melaleuca, cypress, and eucalypti, the
+ground gradually rising till 4.0 p.m., and then descending till 5.25,
+when we crossed a small dry watercourse trending south; at 6.10
+bivouacked in a gum forest without water or grass, though a large flight
+of white cockatoos which roosted near seemed to indicate that water was
+not far distant.
+
+<p>Latitude 28 degrees 58 minutes 14 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 6
+minutes.
+
+<p>8th September.
+
+<p>Leaving the bivouac at 7.0 am steered west; at 7.20 came to a grassy
+granite hill, then west-north-west to another hill, where we halted for
+half an hour to look for water, but being unsuccessful, again resumed a
+westerly course through acacia thickets, alternating with grassy gum
+forest, till noon, when the soil changed from a red loam to ironstone
+gravel; grass disappeared and was replaced by scrub; the country was much
+broken and continued to rise till 4.0 p.m., when it began to descend
+rapidly till 4.30, when we came to a small watercourse trending south;
+following it down for half a mile, found a small pool of water and some
+grass, and halted for the night, this being the only water seen for
+nearly fifty miles.
+
+<p>Latitude 28 degrees 58 minutes 50 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 45
+minutes.
+
+<p>DISCOVER TWO SEAMS OF COAL.
+
+<p>9th September.
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. resumed a westerly course through grassy gum forest; at 8.0
+a.m. crossed a large watercourse trending south, with many shallow pools
+of water; the country then became scrubby; at 9.10 crossed a granite
+ridge and entered a rich grassy valley timbered with eucalypti and
+raspberry-jam wattle, a small watercourse trending north. The ridge on
+the west side of the valley was destitute of timber, but covered with
+dense wattle brush; at 10.0 a.m. altered the course to 305 degrees, and
+at 10.35 came on the head of a small stream-bed with pools of water;
+following it west-north-west, at 11.30 it was joined by a running stream
+four yards wide, the water being brackish, and trended to the south-west;
+left it and steered west over an open scrubby country; at 12.30 p.m.
+entered a dense thicket of eucalypti and acacia, the soil being formed of
+fragments of granite and trap; at 1.0 p.m. entered a deep valley by an
+abrupt descent, and found ourselves once more on the banks of the
+brackish stream, which was much enlarged, and running through a narrow
+grassy flat backed by high sandstone cliffs from 80 to 100 feet high.
+Continuing our course along the river west till 1.55 p.m., when it turned
+north, and at 2.20 p.m. north-west; at 3.0 p.m. the banks of the stream
+became very high, and stratified in a remarkable manner, the lower rocks
+in thin beds dipping to the east, while the superincumbent rocks of red
+sandstone were horizontal. We therefore entered the bed of the river to
+examine it, and found two seams of coal--one five feet thick and the
+other about six feet thick--between beds of sandstone and shale. Having
+pitched the tent and tethered the horses, we commenced to collect
+specimens of the various strata, and succeeded in cutting out five or six
+hundredweight of coal with the tomahawk, and in a short time had the
+satisfaction of seeing the first fire of Western Australian coal burning
+cheerfully in front of the camp, this being the first discovery of coal
+in the western part of the Continent.
+
+<p>Latitude 28 degrees 57 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 30
+minutes.
+
+<p>10th September.
+
+<p>At 7.20 a.m. left the camp and followed the river downwards on a general
+course 250 degrees; at 7.40 crossed to the left bank, the valley opening
+out and the soil improving, being formed by the decomposition of soft
+shales, which contain much gypsum in fine crystals. Oat and rye grasses
+were abundant, with plenty of saltbush; at 9.10 crossed to the right
+bank, and steered 220 degrees to an abrupt headland on the north side of
+the valley, which was here about two miles wide; the soil a stiff brown
+loam, with rounded fragments of granite, flinty trap, and quartz,
+resembling in appearance the French millstone burr; the grass improved,
+being chiefly of perennial species. After a halt of twenty minutes to
+take bearings from the hill, at 9.40 steered 200 degrees, and again
+crossed the river at 11.15, and altered the course to 235 degrees; the
+grassy country having a breadth of two miles. At noon ascended a sandy
+ridge with a few gum-trees on the top; there the valley closed in, the
+grassy flats below being only half a mile wide and backed by extensive
+elevated sandy downs, covered with heath and short scrub. The course of
+the river was about 230 degrees. At 1.35 p.m. ascended a remarkable red
+sandstone hill, with a table summit and steep rocks on all sides nearly
+blocking up the valley; at 2.15 p.m. resumed a general course of 242
+degrees along the bank of the river, and at 4.5 bivouacked in a rich
+grassy flat thinly timbered with white-barked eucalyptus.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 10 minutes 42 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 15
+minutes.
+
+<p>REACH THE SEA-COAST.
+
+<p>11th September.
+
+<p>Started at 7.40 a.m., and, steering 240 degrees, crossed the river, left
+the grassy flats, and entered the sandy downs; at 8.45 ascended a steep
+sandstone cliff, and from the top had a distant view of the sea; the
+river about one and a half miles to the south, where a large branch
+joined it from the east about two miles below the bivouac. At 9.35
+steered 267 degrees over open sandy downs, and at 10.35 struck the river,
+running north through beautiful grassy flats timbered with York and
+white-gums and wattles; there were many fine pools of water, which
+appeared to be permanent. After an unsuccessful attempt to cross the
+river, followed it northerly till 11.0; then west-north-west till 11.20,
+and then west-south-west till 11.45, when we found a practicable crossing
+to the left bank, and, steering west by south, ascended a sandy limestone
+ridge; then on a west-south-west course followed the valley of the river
+down to its mouth, which was reached at 3.40 p.m. The entrance of the
+river was choked up with sand and rocks, and not passable for even small
+boats. This river appears to be the Irwin River of Captain Grey, as this
+spot is only one and a half miles to the south of the position assigned
+to it on Arrowsmith's map of this part of the coast. At 4.30 left the
+beach and retraced our steps to where we crossed the river at 1.30, and
+bivouacked at 5.50.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 15 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 114 degrees 59
+minutes.
+
+<p>12th September.
+
+<p>At 7.50 a.m. resumed our journey up the river, steering north-east till
+8.25; then east along the north bank, through rich grassy flats timbered
+with York gum. At 10.20 left the river and entered the sandy downs; at
+10.30 crossed a small stream with some fine springs; at 11.0 changed the
+course to east by south; at noon altered the course to 83 degrees,
+crossing the river at 12.50 p.m., where it is joined by the east branch,
+which is of equal size with the northern one; followed the east branch up
+through wide grassy flats till 2.0, and camped.
+
+<p>The country consists of elevated sandy downs covered with heathy bushes
+and a few small banksia trees, it being only on the alluvial flats of the
+river that there is any grass or good soil. Large flocks of
+cockatoos--white, black with white tails, and black with red tails--came
+to water near the camp; some were shot, also a turkey, the flesh of which
+was extremely bitter and scarcely eatable. Several kangaroos were seen on
+the sandy downs.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 11 minutes 20 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 18
+minutes.
+
+<p>13th September.
+
+<p>At 7.55 a.m. left the Irwin River and steered a course 160 degrees, over
+open sandy downs of considerable elevation; at 11.45 halted for half an
+hour and shot a kangaroo, which proved a welcome addition to the
+commissariat; at 1.30 p.m. changed the course to 142 degrees, and at 2.30
+came to a running stream three yards wide. This we assumed to be the
+Arrowsmith River of Captain Grey, and as there was little prospect of
+finding water farther on, we bivouacked, though there was only a little
+grass close to the bank of the stream and the rest of the country covered
+with short scrub.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 27 minutes 9 seconds.
+
+<p>14th September.
+
+<p>Left the bivouac at 8.35 a.m., and steered 160 degrees over sandy downs
+with ridges of red sandstone till 3.0 p.m., when the course was altered
+to 220 degrees, following down a shallow valley; at 4.0 turned
+west-south-west, and at 5.15 bivouacked in a swampy spot with some grass;
+obtaining water by digging in the sand.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 48 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 32
+minutes.
+
+<p>15th September.
+
+<p>Leaving the bivouac at 8.0 a.m., steered 214 degrees over scrubby country
+with patches of gum forest; at 9.0 turned to 160 degrees, crossed a
+country of sand and ironstone of considerable elevation; at 3.30 p.m.
+altered the course to 170 degrees, and followed down a scrubby valley
+till 5.0; then 115 degrees for half an hour, and came to a native well in
+a patch of York gum-trees, where we camped. The last three hours our
+progress was scarcely six miles, as one of the horses knocked up.
+
+<p>Latitude 30 degrees 10 minutes; longitude 115 degrees 39 minutes.
+
+<p>STEER SOUTH OVER SANDY DOWNS.
+
+<p>16th September.
+
+<p>As there was no grass for the horses, we were compelled to push on our
+journey, and at 7.20 a.m. steered 160 degrees; the country was more
+broken up by valleys, the soil sand and ironstone, with heathy scrub,
+banksia, and grass trees (xanthorrhoea) with a few patches of white-gum
+forest; at 10.30 steered 138 degrees towards a high summit, distant
+twelve miles. The horse again knocked up, but by relieving him of his
+load, which was transferred to the other horses, succeeded in driving him
+a few miles further. At 2.20 p.m. changed the course to 180 degrees, and
+entered a level sandy piece of country, bounded on all sides by hills; at
+3.40 altered the course to south-west; at 5.0 had to abandon the weak
+horse and continue our route in search of water; at 5.30 passed a small
+salt lake with a little grass on the margin; at 6.0, finding the country
+getting worse, returned to the salt lake and camped on the western side.
+
+<p>Latitude 30 degrees 27 minutes 19 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 47
+minutes.
+
+<p>17th September.
+
+<p>After digging in about twenty different places around the lake, at length
+found fresh water, and then went back for the knocked-up horse, and with
+some difficulty got him to the well, where we decided to rest the horses
+this and the following day, before encountering the inhospitable sandy
+region to the southwards.
+
+<p>18th September.
+
+<p>One of the party made a short excursion to the west of the plain, and in
+about three miles reached the hills, which appeared very barren and
+scrubby; but after crossing the first ridge, the country was timbered
+with York and red gum and a large species of acacia, producing abundance
+of gum; the soil a red loam, producing some grass and abundance of the
+everlasting flowers and warran, or native yam. After penetrating this
+good country four miles returned to the camp, having shot a kangaroo and
+ten cockatoos.
+
+<p>19th September.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 8.5 a.m., steered 160 degrees, and soon ascended the
+sandy downs, which were destitute of trees, except a few banksia and
+floribunda; at 11.45 crossed a valley trending to the west; at 1.15 p.m.
+observed a range of wooded hills to the east and south; altered the
+course towards a remarkable gorge which bore 129 degrees; at 3.30 entered
+a gum forest, and at 3.50 came to a large stream-bed with many pools of
+water; followed it down south, and camped at 4.20.
+
+<p>Latitude 30 degrees 42 minutes 39 seconds; longitude 116 degrees.
+
+<p>REACH THE MOORE RIVER.
+
+<p>20th September.
+
+<p>Crossed the watercourse, which seemed to be a branch of the Moore River,
+and steered 163 degrees from 7.30 a.m. till 8.20, when the country
+improved, with grassy hills and brown loam, with fragments of granite and
+trap rock; the timber York-gum and jam-wattle. This description of
+country continued till 12.15 p.m., when scrub again prevailed on
+ironstone hills timbered with white-gum; at 2.20 entered a valley of
+better character, with quartz and granite rocks. After crossing several
+rocky ridges, at 3.20 reached the main branch of the Moore River, which
+we crossed, and camped. This was the first place where the poisonous
+gastrolobium was observed.
+
+<p>Latitude 31 degrees 39 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 13 minutes.
+
+<p>21st September.
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. followed the river upwards on a bearing of 130 degrees; at
+8.0 passed a deserted sheep-station, the river coming from the north;
+continued our course over broken ironstone ridges, timbered with
+white-gum; at 10.0 the country became more level and sandy, and at 11.45
+struck the road from Toodyay to Victoria Plains; followed the road
+southerly till 4.5 p.m., and camped at a small spring.
+
+<p>Latitude 31 degrees 14 minutes 19 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 34
+minutes.
+
+<p>CAPTAIN GREY'S REPORT OF GOOD COUNTRY CONFIRMED.
+
+<p>22nd September.
+
+<p>This morning an hour's ride brought us to Bolgart Spring, after an
+absence of forty-seven days, during which we had travelled 953 miles,
+traversing three degrees of latitude and nearly four and a half of
+longitude.
+
+<p>The discovery of coal and country available for settlement on the coast
+to the north of Swan River was deemed to be of such importance that the
+Government dispatched Lieutenant Helpman in the colonial schooner
+Champion to procure a sufficient quantity of the coal to admit of its
+being practically tested as to quality, and also to ascertain what
+facilities existed for its conveyance to a port for shipment. A volunteer
+party, consisting of Lieutenant Irby, Dr. Meekleham, Messrs. Gregory and
+Hazlewood, accompanied Lieutenant Helpman to Champion Bay, now the site
+of Geraldton, and thence by land to the coal-seam on the Irwin River, a
+distance of ninety miles, and brought down about half a ton of coal to
+the vessel. This coal, though of fair quality and suitable for steam
+purposes, proved, however, to be so remote from any suitable port for
+shipment that it has hitherto not been available for commercial purposes.
+
+<p>The primary object of the voyage having been attained, it was considered
+desirable to avail of the opportunity to examine the country to the
+northward and ascertain its capabilities for settlement; for though
+Captain, now Sir George Grey, had seen some good country on his journey
+along the coast from Gantheaume Bay to Swan River, in 1839, Captain
+Stokes, who landed from the Beagle subsequently and ascended Wizard Peak
+about twelve miles inland, had distinctly negatived the existence of any
+country capable of occupation, though, as an illustration of the
+difficulty of ascertaining the real capabilities of country by partial
+and hurried inspection, it may be observed that this has since become one
+of the most prosperous districts of Western Australia in regard to its
+pastoral, agricultural, and mining industries.
+
+<p>For the purpose of making this examination of the country, Messrs. A.C.
+Gregory, H.C. Gregory, and Lieutenant Irby, taking three horses and three
+days' provisions, left Champion Bay on the 20th December, the following
+being a copy of the journal:--
+
+<p>20th December, 1846.
+
+<p>At 6.20 a.m. left the bivouac and followed the shore of Champion Bay
+about a mile northerly; then steered 87 degrees over a scrubby country;
+at 7.20 crossed the Chapman River; and at 8.0, being a quarter of a mile
+north from Mount Fairfax, altered the course to 66 degrees, the country
+being thinly covered with wattle scrub and some grass; at 8.45 crossed a
+large branch of the Chapman with several small pools of water in the bed;
+the country beyond was more scrubby and the soil gravelly; at 9.0 changed
+the course to 18 degrees, and at 9.20 again crossed the Chapman River
+just below a pool of apparently permanent water; at 9.50 crossed a
+granite ridge, beyond which the country improved, with many large patches
+of grass to the eastward; at 10.20 ascended a high flat-topped hill of
+red sandstone resting on granite, which proved to be the eastern point of
+Moresby's Flat-topped Range. From this hill Mount Fairfax and Wizard Hill
+were visible to the east; grassy hills rose gradually from the Chapman
+River for seven or eight miles; steering 10 degrees over grassy country,
+the soil was composed of detritus of granite and trap rocks; at 11.0 came
+on a large party of natives, some of whom accompanied us for about a
+mile, pointing out places where we should find water. At noon turned to
+the north-east and entered an extensive valley with some patches of
+grass, but not generally of a good character; at 12.30 p.m. crossed a
+small watercourse trending west; followed it about half a mile, and then
+steered north-west over scrubby flats till 1.0, when we struck a small
+stream-bed with small pools of water, and halted till 1.20, and then
+followed up the stream to the north till 3.0, when we bivouacked.
+
+<p>21st December.
+
+<p>At 6.35 a.m. steered north over a hilly country with scrub, grass,
+York-gum, and wattle--the prevailing rocks red sandstone, quartz, and
+granite; at 8.30 crossed a stream-bed with pools of brackish water
+trending east, and at 8.50 entered a good grassy country which appeared
+to extend ten to twelve miles to the east and north--clumps of York-gum,
+jam-wattle, and sandalwood were observed on some of the hills. After
+crossing several small watercourses, at 9.45 ascended an elevated sandy
+tableland covered with coarse scrub; and at 10.35, not seeing any
+prospect of better country, changed the course to west, and following
+down a deep gully, at 11.7 came to a small pool of salt water; following
+the watercourse south-south-west, at 11.25 came to a small hole dug by
+the natives, in which the water was fresh, though the pools above and
+below were salt. Halting till nearly 1.0 p.m., resumed a westerly course,
+crossing several deep grassy valleys trending south; at 1.35 steered 211
+degrees over a hilly, quartz, and granite country with very good grass;
+at 2.30 again came on the stream-bed, the country improved and
+well-grassed, with scattered jam and black wattle trees as far as the
+country was visible; at 3.50 the stream was joined by a branch from the
+east, and following it to the west-north-west till 5.0, bivouacked in the
+bed of the stream, water being obtained by digging in the sand.
+
+<p>22nd December.
+
+<p>At 6.35 a.m. steered 220 degrees over a fine grassy country; at 7.0
+ascended a small ironstone hill, from which we observed a deep valley
+trending to the south-west; to the north and west the country was open
+and grassy for twelve miles, presenting at one view fifty or sixty
+thousand acres of fine sheep pasture. Continuing a south-west course over
+granite country with some good grass, but not equal to that seen the
+previous day, at 8.0 crossed a small stream-bed, which we assumed to be
+the Bowes River of Captain Grey; we ascended steep limestone hills on the
+west bank, and from the summit observed the large white sand patch on
+Point Moore bearing 170 degrees; turning south three-quarters of a mile,
+crossed the Bowes River at its mouth, which was choked up with sand; we
+then steered south-east with the intention of following Captain Grey's
+route to Champion Bay; but, after traversing sandy downs with limestone
+rocks for four miles, one of the horses became so footsore that we
+descended a deep ravine to the sea-beach, which was followed southerly,
+and after crossing the dry mouth of the Buller and Chapman Rivers,
+reached the landing place in Champion Bay at 1.10 p.m.
+
+<p>On the 23rd the party and horses were shipped on board the Champion and
+reached Fremantle on the 28th.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="50%">
+
+<a name="two"></a>
+
+<h3>THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY.</h3>
+
+<h4>1848.</h4>
+
+<p>As the stock belonging to the settlers on the Swan River had increased to
+the full extent of the pastoral capabilities of the known available
+country, it became of pressing importance to push forward the exploration
+of the Colony of West Australia, and accordingly, in 1848 the
+Surveyor-General, Captain Roe, conducted an expedition to the south-east
+of Swan River, while the settlers organised one to proceed to the north,
+and made application to the Government to grant the services of Mr.
+Assistant-Surveyor A.C. Gregory as the leader of the party.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="20%">
+
+<p><i>THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY.</i></p>
+
+<p>We could not do justice to the enterprise and exertions of the gentlemen
+who discovered the new tract of good land to the northward in any other
+way than by giving Mr. Augustus Gregory's Journal entire:--
+
+<p>INSTRUCTIONS TO LEADER OF THE EXPEDITION AND ITS OBJECTS.
+
+<p>Colonial Secretary's Office,
+
+<p>Perth, August 28, 1848.
+
+<p>SIR,
+
+<p>I am directed by the Governor to inform you that you have been appointed
+to direct the exploring expedition about to proceed northwards on account
+of the zeal, energy, and enterprising spirit that have been exhibited by
+you on other occasions, and called into action with credit to yourself
+and advantage to the public interests. The party under your direction, it
+is intended, should proceed northward as high as the Gascoyne River. (The
+Gascoyne River flows into Shark Bay, in latitude 24 degrees 52 minutes
+South.) It is advisable to approach that river from the eastward, about
+100 miles from the coast, after proceeding in a north-easterly and
+northerly direction from the country abreast of Champion Bay, it being
+desirable that part of your route which lies farthest in the interior
+country should be first accomplished, in order to avail yourself of the
+best chance of finding water.
+
+<p>You will examine that river as far as it may be practicable to do, with
+the view of tracing its course; of ascertaining, if possible, the nature
+of the bar at the mouth of it, and the question of its being practicable
+for boats, to what distance from the bar, and the nature of the soil in
+the vicinity of either bank.
+
+<p>After having examined thus the Gascoyne River you will proceed in a
+southerly direction and examine the river, as yet unnamed, about forty
+miles farther south, that flows into Shark's Bay, the mouth of which was
+seen by Captain Grey, and is placed by him at Point Long.
+
+<p>Should you proceed along the sea-shore for any distance you will pay as
+much attention as your limited means will allow you to do to the
+peculiarities of the coast, and of any estuaries, creeks, or roadsteads
+that may present themselves.
+
+<p>You will bear in mind that the primary object of this expedition is the
+examination of a new tract of unknown country for practical purposes, by
+practical men--that, in fact, the discovery of new land of an available
+kind for pasture has become a thing to be desired, of paramount
+importance, and an object in the attainment of which the interests and
+perhaps the fate of this colony depend.
+
+<p>You will thus conduct your expedition with the view of promoting this
+principal object to the best of your ability. But it is hardly needful to
+observe to you that this chief object may be promoted and attained
+without neglecting to observe the geographical, geological, and
+mineralogical features of the country you pass through; its
+productions--animal and vegetable; and the character, dialects, and
+customs, to some extent, of the aboriginal tribes you may fall in with.
+You have been so frequently employed in exploring expeditions, though of
+minor importance perhaps to the present, that you must be well aware it
+is no less impolitic than cruel to come into actual collision, wantonly,
+unadvisedly, and maliciously, with the natives; and, on the contrary,
+that it is no less humane than politic to leave no angry recollections of
+white people, where the footsteps of travellers, however few and far
+between, must be expected to follow yours.
+
+<p>Should your route, either in proceeding on the expedition or returning,
+be in the direction of that part of the Irwin River where for the
+discovery of coal the colony is indebted to yourself and brothers, it
+would be desirable that you should devote a short time to the examination
+of the locality where it was first found; to excavation, to some moderate
+extent, in the vicinity of the veins of coal of most promise; and, above
+all, to the ascertainment of the fact if coal crops out, or if there be
+in the soil any indications of it between the place where the mine was
+discovered by you in 1846 and the seashore, in that intervening space of
+about thirty-eight or forty miles, or to the northward of it in the
+direction of Shark's Bay, where Dr. von Somner thought the coal-seam of
+the Irwin might again make its appearance.
+
+<p>In the event of accident, occasioning loss of provisions and beasts of
+burden, and a necessity arising for a prompt return to the settled
+districts, you will bear in mind the causes of impediment on the march
+which proved so disastrous to Captain Grey's party on its return from
+Gantheaume Bay; the want of vigilance at night manifested in another
+expedition in the murder of Lieutenant Eyre's European companion; and the
+want of caution, forgetfulness of the nature of barbarians, and the
+facilities for ambush afforded by a wilderness of trees and jungle, that
+have led to injuries fatal to life, as in the case of Mr. Cunningham in
+Sir Thomas Mitchell's expedition, and of two of his companions at another
+time; and in some instances, as in those of Captain Stokes and Captain
+Grey, that have led to results all but fatal to the explorers and their
+expeditions; injuries suddenly and unexpectedly inflicted on individuals
+straggling from the main body of their party, or venturing considerable
+distances in advance of it.
+
+<p>You are to bear in mind that it might be of some advantage throughout
+your expedition to keep a register of the depths at which water has been
+found by you, and of those depths to which you have penetrated in vain
+for it.
+
+<p>It will be requisite that you should ascertain the course of rivers of
+any magnitude, and direction of chains of high land, that you may meet
+with, and follow the same to some extent--at least wherever appearances
+may lead you to expect improvement of soil, a richer country, or one
+indicating mineral productions.
+
+<p>In the event of occurrences of unexpected disasters, impediments, and
+unavoidable accidents, arising from loss of provisions or of horses, or
+of any injury to the health or strength of the party, rendering it
+utterly impracticable for the expedition to proceed as high northward as
+Gascoyne River, your discretion then supplying whatever you may be
+unprovided for in your instructions, you will explore as far as it is
+possible for you to do, on your return, the country north of the settled
+districts of York and Toodyay; so that something of utility may be
+accomplished, and the great object for which this expedition was prepared
+may not be wholly frustrated.
+
+<p>I am further to add that His Excellency's best wishes accompany your
+party, and that the success of the expedition, and the return of all
+engaged in it in health and safety, will be hailed by him with very
+lively satisfaction.
+
+<p>I have the honour to be, Sir,
+
+<p>Your obedient servant,
+
+<p>R.R. MADDEN,
+
+<p>Colonial Secretary.
+
+To A.C. Gregory, Esquire, Perth.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="20%">
+
+GENERAL REPORT OF JOURNEY.
+
+<p>Perth, November 20, 1848.
+
+<p>SIR,
+
+<p>I have the honour to transmit, for the information of His Excellency the
+Governor, the following outline of the proceedings of the exploring party
+to the northward which His Excellency has been pleased to place under my
+direction. I regret that we have not succeeded in reaching the Gascoyne
+River, which your instructions for my guidance pointed out as the
+ultimate object of the expedition; but I trust that our attempts to
+render the expedition serviceable to the colony have not proved
+unsuccessful, especially as the result has been the discovery of several
+fine portions of good grassy land near Champion Bay, which, with the more
+minute examination of the country in the vicinity which had been
+previously discovered, will render available a tract of pasturage
+sufficiently extensive to relieve the present overstocked districts; the
+estimated quantity of land suitable for depasturing sheep being about
+225,000 acres, exclusive of 100,000 acres on the Irwin, the greater
+portion of which, however, is better suited to agricultural purposes. The
+observations I have had the opportunity of making during this journey
+have confirmed my previous opinion, that, could the party have started in
+July instead of September, the chief obstacle to our progress--the want
+of water--might have been avoided; and although there would have been
+many minor difficulties to encounter, I feel assured that the same zeal
+and energy which enabled my party to contend so long with the obstacles
+which opposed their advance to the Gascoyne River, would have ensured
+their success in a more favourable season. The gentlemen who formed my
+party have my sincere thanks for their prompt and energetic co-operation
+on all occasions; nor can I omit to mention the cheerful and trustworthy
+conduct of private W. King of the 96th regiment. For minute details I beg
+to refer my journal and the plans of my route, which I am plotting.
+
+<p>I have the honour to be, Sir,
+
+<p>Your obedient servant,
+
+<p>A.C. Gregory,
+
+<p>Assistant-Surveyor.
+
+<p>The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, etc.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="20%">
+
+<h4>JOURNAL.</h4>
+
+<p>LEAVE THE SETTLED DISTRICTS. STAMPEDE OF HORSES.
+
+<p>2nd September, 1848.
+
+<p>Started for Toodyay, with Mr. C.F. Gregory and five horses for the
+expedition to Shark's Bay; bivouacked at Worrilloo.
+
+<p>3rd September.
+
+<p>Proceeded to Toodyay, where Messrs. L. Burges, J. Walcott, and A. Bedart
+joined on the 4th, bringing six horses with them. Having had the horses
+shod at Ferguson's, we continued our journey to Mr. Lefroy's station,
+near Bebano, which we reached on the 7th. The following day the cart,
+with our provisions, etc., arrived, accompanied by private W. King.
+Having obtained another horse from Mr. Lefroy, on the 9th we left
+Welbing, with ten pack and two riding horses, carrying three months'
+provisions, etc. Steering north by west for the first twenty miles,
+generally grassy, we entered the extensive sandy plains which occupy
+almost the whole country between the Moore and Irwin rivers. The rainy
+season having scarcely ended, we found both water and grass for our
+horses every night; and, not meeting with any serious impediments, we
+reached the upper part of the Arrowsmith Brook on the 13th. Here the
+country improved, and the valleys, in which the stream takes its rise,
+were estimated to contain about 10,000 acres of tolerable sheep pasture.
+Early the ensuing day we entered the Irwin Plains; crossing the eastern
+branches of the river, we encamped, on the 15th, on the northern branch,
+three-quarters of a mile below the spot where the coal was first
+discovered. The Irwin Plains presented a beautiful aspect, being covered
+with rich grass and vegetation; the soil is generally good; but most of
+the grasses being of the annual species, would not afford good pasturage
+in the summer, and in consequence they are better suited for agriculture,
+while the open character of the country would render clearing for the
+plough a matter of little expense. While dinner was preparing, the
+horses, being herded, suddenly started off at full speed, in consequence
+of a large stone rolled down by one of the party in ascending the hill.
+Two of the remaining horses were immediately saddled, and Mr. Burges and
+myself started to catch them; in about a mile we came up with them at the
+foot of an almost perpendicular cliff; on seeing us they started off, and
+scrambling up the rocks like goats, left us far behind; we did not
+overtake them for several miles, when with some difficulty we captured
+one, but had the mortification of losing one of the saddled horses in
+exchange. Leaving the captured horse in charge of Mr. Burges, I followed
+the rest; caught another after a smart ride of three miles, but it was
+not till I reached the East Irwin that I could again overtake the rest,
+when, favoured by the steep bank of the stream, I succeeded in securing
+our truant steeds. It was now dark, and being unable to manage nine
+horses by myself, I tethered several of the wildest, and started with two
+of the best for the encampment ten miles distant, which, owing to the
+nature of the country, I did not reach till midnight. Mr. Burges had
+arrived about an hour previous with the horse first caught. Light showers
+in the morning.
+
+<p>16th September.
+
+<p>Messrs. Bedart, C. Gregory, and J. Walcott started to bring in the
+horses; the rest of the party was employed in repairing damages of the
+harness, and at 3.0 p.m. the party returned with the horses. Slight
+showers in the morning.
+
+<p>17th September (Sunday).
+
+<p>Light clouds from the south-west; thunder; rain in the evening. Read
+prayers.
+
+<p>18th September.
+
+<p>Left the bivouac at 8.15 a.m., and followed upwards the main branch of
+the Irwin to the north-north-east, through a steep and rocky valley, the
+sandstone hills in some parts approaching the river, so as to render it
+necessary to cross frequently with the pack-horses. The very level
+character of the summits of these hills gives the country the appearance
+of having been once a plain, through which the valley of the stream has
+since been worn by the action of water; the upper stratum is a hard red
+sandstone, resting on a softer rock of a sandy or clayey character,
+beneath which the shales and rocks belonging to the coal formation show
+themselves, lying in unconformable beds, and often at a very high angle.
+At 9.25 the stream divided into two branches, that to the east being the
+most considerable; at this spot the sandstone ceased, and we commenced
+ascending the granite range, the direction of which was about
+north-north-west. The soil was poor and stony, producing a little feed
+for stock; but it could scarcely be made available, as the country is
+completely covered with thickets of acacia of small growth. At 4 p.m.
+bivouacked on a small watercourse running through a level grassy flat,
+bounded on both sides by thickets of wattle.
+
+<p>SCRUBBY COUNTRY NORTH FROM THE IRWIN RIVER.
+
+<p>19th September.
+
+<p>At 8.15 a.m. steered a nearly north course, through a country of the same
+description as yesterday; crossed several small gullies trending west, in
+some of which a little water still remained; at 4.20 p.m. halted for the
+night at a brackish pool in a small gully trending west.
+
+<p>20th September.
+
+<p>Started at 8.0 a.m., continuing a northerly course, over a similar
+description of country as during the past two days, crossing three large
+gullies coming from the eastward, but apparently near their source. At
+3.45 halted on a large stream-bed, with a few brackish or rather salt
+pools in its sandy channel, which was in some places nearly 100 yards
+wide; from our encampment we observed a very remarkable peaked hill,
+distant about twenty miles, and from its outline conjectured it to be
+composed of the same vein of trap-rock as that which forms similar ranges
+further to the eastward.
+
+<p>21st September.
+
+<p>The scarcity of water and the very level appearance of the country to the
+northward of our bivouac, added to the general denseness of the thicket
+of acacia and cypress, rendering a continuance of a north course
+unadvisable, we steered north-west from 8.30 a.m. till noon, when we
+ascended a scrubby sand ridge, from which we had an extensive view;
+neither hill nor valley could be discovered to the north, east, or
+west--nothing but one immense sea of dense thicket of acacia and cypress
+was visible in these directions; the course was therefore changed to
+west, and continuing it without much alteration over a succession of low
+ridges of drifted sand, the valleys being filled with dense thickets,
+until 6.20 p.m., when the approach of night compelled us to bivouac in a
+small patch of gum forest, which also afforded a few scattered tufts of
+grass for our horses. Although this was the lowest spot passed in a
+distance of more than ten miles, it was so completely dried up and
+parched that a search for water was fruitless, even by digging; the
+scanty allowance of very brackish water in our kegs was therefore much
+relished by the party.
+
+<p>22nd September.
+
+<p>The night having been cloudy, and a strong breeze preventing any dew, our
+horses were not much refreshed; we, however, started at 7.45 a.m., and
+steering nearly west till 3.15 p.m. through a succession of dense
+thickets, high scrubs, and thorny bushes, we entered open sandy downs,
+and changed the course to south-west, with the intention of making the
+Hutt River, should we not find any water nearer, when, almost hopeless of
+procuring this essential element before the next day, we unexpectedly
+came to a native well in the centre of the sandy plain; here we
+bivouacked at 5.40, but, from the loose sandy soil in which the well was
+dug, we could not obtain more than about two and a half gallons of water
+for each horse, the sides of the well continually falling in. Strong
+breeze from the north-west, and several light showers in the evening and
+night.
+
+<p>23rd September.
+
+<p>Having completed watering the horses, we left the well at 9.30 a.m., and
+steering about north-west over undulating sandy downs, covered with
+coarse scrub and patches of dense thickets, at 2.15 p.m. entered a small
+gully trending north-west. The country improved, but was so thickly
+clothed with wattles as to render travelling difficult; a few patches of
+grass were seen in some small watercourses, in which a little water
+remained. At 4.40 bivouacked on a large gully trending northwards, with
+several small pools of water in a rocky bed of gneiss, containing
+numerous small garnets. Strong breeze from the north-west and slight
+showers.
+
+<p>24th September (Sunday).
+
+<p>Although the feed for the horses was not very abundant, yet the long
+marches they had encountered the last few days made it expedient to give
+them a day's rest to recruit their weary limbs. Read prayers. Strong
+breeze from the north-west and slight showers during the day.
+
+<p>ENTER THE VALLEY OF THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+<p>25th September.
+
+<p>Started at 8.27 a.m.; passed over poor stony hills of granite formation
+and producing a little grass in tufts--the wattles growing so close
+together as to render travelling difficult and tedious. At 10.45 came on
+a large stream-bed, which had scarcely ceased to run; the channel was
+fifty yards wide, the bed steep and rocky, and, where crossed, ran over a
+dyke of trap-rock, the water slightly brackish and in long shallow pools,
+with samphire on the banks. This stream must be the Murchison River, as
+no other was passed for 30 miles to the northward; the effects of violent
+floods were visible, but it did not bear the character of a stream rising
+at any great distance inland, nor did the nature of the gravel and sand
+brought down by it indicate a rich soil on its upper portion, as I did
+not see anything besides fragments of siliceous rock and garnet sand. The
+valley through which it ran appeared to be five or six miles wide,
+extending twenty miles to the eastward, backed by sandy plains on both
+sides; a few patches of grass appeared in the lower parts of the valley;
+westward it seemed to contract and turn to the south-west, flanked by
+steep flat-topped hills of sandstone, resting on granite rock. Continuing
+north-north-east up a small valley, we passed through wattle thickets
+till 1.40 p.m., when we again ascended the level sandy tableland or
+plains, and changed the course to the north; the scrub increased in
+density as we proceeded. At 4.25 halted for the night in a patch of good
+grass, where the thicket had been burnt off by the native fires; the
+sandy nature of the soil rendered the search for water unsuccessful; we
+therefore contended ourselves with the allowance of one pint each.
+
+<p>26th September.
+
+<p>Left the bivouac at 7.15 a.m.; course north; the country more open; 9.25
+came on a large native well of good water in a slight hollow trending
+westward; having watered the horses and filled the kegs, continued our
+journey over sandy plains, covered with short coarse scrub; many hummocks
+of loose sand, covered partially with scrub, lay on each side of our
+track. At noon passed the last sandy ridge; before us lay an immense
+plain, covered with thickets, and not a hill or valley could be
+observed--the country seemed to settle into one vast level of dense and
+almost impenetrable scrub or thicket. At 1 p.m. entered it, and continued
+our route through it; although the bush-fires, which had burnt some large
+patches, greatly assisted us; 4.15 not finding any grass, we steered
+west, but at 5.15 were compelled to halt for the night in a dense
+thicket, without a single blade of grass or even scrub of any kind which
+could afford food for the horses; water it was hopeless to look for; and
+after a supper of raw bacon, damper, and a pint of water each, we retired
+to rest.
+
+<p>WATERLESS COUNTRY AND DENSE SCRUB NORTH OF MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+<p>27th September.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. set out on a north course; at 8.5, finding the thicket almost
+impassable, I ascended a cypress-tree, where a most cheerless view met my
+sight to the north, east, and west; not a break was visible--nothing but
+thicket in all directions, with scarcely an undulation of any kind; the
+view to the north-west was most extensive--nearly twenty miles of thicket
+could be seen, with a surface as level as the sea. Not considering it
+prudent to proceed onwards, the thicket being too dense to advance
+without the greatest difficulty, the saddle-bags being almost torn to
+pieces, and the horses quite worn out with continual exertions in
+dragging their packs through the thickets, we were compelled to return to
+the well passed yesterday morning. The country seen to the northwards was
+of too flat and sandy a character to give any hope of finding water or
+grass--and without these requisites, it would be incurring great risk of
+losing the horses, and of course defeating the object of the expedition;
+therefore, taking advantage of the partially cleared tracts of yesterday,
+we reached the watering place at 4.30 p.m.
+
+<p>28th September.
+
+<p>This day we employed ourselves in repairing our pack-saddles, which it
+was found necessary to restuff, as they had been padded with coarse
+rushes; the saddle-bags had been torn to pieces, and the repairs of these
+required more time than could be afforded in an evening's bivouac.
+
+<p>29th September.
+
+<p>Started at 8.35 a.m.; pursued a general course of 310 degrees, gradually
+ascending the sandy downs on the north side of the valley for three
+miles; it then turned to the north of west, and we again descended, and
+found the bottom occupied by a narrow samphire flat, 50 to 100 yards
+wide, over which the water runs during heavy rains, but it was now dry,
+and in some parts covered with a thin crust of salt; 11.26 passed a
+native well of slightly brackish water, amongst loose blocks of red
+sandstone; a small well was passed at 11.50; the samphire flat then
+changed to a small sandy channel, among large blocks of sandstone
+belonging to the coal-formation: in one place the slate also cropped out.
+Abundance of brackish water lay in small pools along the course of the
+stream-bed, which at 1.0 p.m. changed its direction nearly west; we
+followed it through a scrubby valley, with high hills on both sides, till
+4.45, when we bivouacked just below the junction of a small gully from
+the northwards, with a very remarkable sandstone hill about
+three-quarters of a mile south; below this spot the valley trended to the
+south-west, and was bounded on the north-west by flat-tapped sandstone
+hills.
+
+<p>30th September.
+
+<p>Not being more than ten to fifteen miles from the sea, I steered north
+330 degrees east magnetic. Starting at 8.5, and having ascended the high
+land, passed through a thick line of wattles and dwarf gum, growing on
+the eastern face of the limestone range, which forms the high barren
+range along this part of the coast. The country was covered with thick
+scrub, and some patches of gum and wattle thicket; about noon it was more
+open, and ascending an elevated sandy ridge, saw apparently a high range
+of hills extending north-north-west as far as Shark Bay, and terminated
+by a very abrupt and detached hill; but the excessive refraction caused
+by the heated and nearly level plain which intervened more than doubled
+their real height. We descended gradually over a succession of sandy
+hills or ridges till 2.0 p.m., when the lowest part of the plain was
+reached; we found it occupied by a small patch of spear-wood; the soil
+was hard dry clay, but on proceeding a little farther we found a patch of
+moist ground, encircled by a ridge of sand; at one foot deep we found
+water, but in such small quantity that we could only obtain sufficient
+for ourselves, and should have had to wait at least two hours to have
+given each horse only one gallon. Proceeding onwards, in hope of finding
+a more plentiful supply, we found the country became drier and full of
+circular hollows, filled with fine clumps of green wattle and a little
+grass; in one of these we bivouacked at 5.0, and dug six feet for water
+in red sand, but without any appearance of obtaining it even at double
+that depth.
+
+<p>REPULSED FOR WANT OF WATER.
+
+<p>1st October.
+
+<p>This morning started at 7.55 a.m., and steering north-west, in hope of
+finding water, at 8.40 came on dense thickets of wattle, which extended
+at least seven or eight miles farther north; we therefore turned west to
+avoid them; at 9.30 changed the course to 300 degrees magnetic, and with
+great difficulty forced our way for two miles to a narrow strip of open
+ground; 12.40 p.m. arrived at the foot of the range of hills seen
+yesterday; found them to consist of limestone and sand, covered with
+thick scrub; between the hills were many nearly circular hollows filled
+with thickets of wattles; although the bottoms of the hollows were at
+least fifty feet below the lowest part of the ridges around them, they
+were quite dry, and afforded no hope of water even by digging; the
+country northward appeared even less likely to afford a supply, so much
+required, as it seemed to consist wholly of limestone and loose sand,
+without swamps or watercourses; the nearest spot at which we could hope
+to find it in this direction was the south part of Freycinet Harbour,
+distant, according to the charts, about thirty miles, and great doubt
+existed of the accuracy of it in this position (error having been found
+in some other parts of the coast-line); nor was it certain that we could
+find water on the coast, in which case the loss of our horses would be
+almost a necessary consequence, several of them showing extreme fatigue.
+The circumstances of the case required a prompt decision; I therefore
+ordered an immediate return towards the last spot where we had seen
+water. The whole party felt convinced of the necessity of returning,
+though with the greatest reluctance to do so, as it seemed to put an end
+to almost every hope of reaching the Gascoyne River. We followed our
+route back, and halted at 5.30 in a wattle thicket.
+
+<p>A HORSE FINDS WATER.
+
+<p>2nd October.
+
+<p>Left our uncomfortable bivouac at 7.30 a.m.; steered south-east. Finding
+the horses scarcely able to travel from want of water, I took the
+strongest and rode over to the spot where we had obtained a little on the
+30th September, to dig wells and have a supply ready, if it could be
+obtained in sufficient quantity; at 11.0 arrived, and found the wells we
+had dug nearly dry; by opening several trenches down to the rocks which
+lay about one and a half feet below the surface, the water oozed in, and
+when the party came up, at 12.0, there was about a gallon for each horse;
+taking off the packs, we commenced watering: four horses had received
+their small allowance, when it came to my horse Bob's turn; after
+drinking his share he marched off at a smart pace, which somewhat
+surprised us, as he started in the direction of what we had supposed to
+be nothing but a tea-tree scrub; on following him, we found the horse
+drinking at a small shallow pool of water in a hollow in the clay. This
+was a very fortunate discovery, as the trenches filled with water so
+slowly that a full supply could not have been obtained that night, and
+the horses had been sixty-five hours without water.
+
+<p>SAND PLAINS AND SCRUB. RETURN TO THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+<p>3rd October.
+
+<p>This morning Mr. Burges and myself started at 7.30 a.m. in a
+north-easterly course, to ascertain the practicability of proceeding in
+that direction, taking two of the strongest horses. After riding four
+hours over an open, scrubby sand-plain, with circular valleys, we again
+fell in with thickets of wattles so dense that, although burnt by the
+native fires about four years previous, they would have been impassable
+for the pack-horses; but, favoured by this circumstance, we penetrated
+the thicket in a north-north-west direction for about twelve miles. From
+one small sandy ridge we had an extensive view, but of a most
+discouraging nature; the whole country was one vast plain, covered with
+dense thickets and scrub as far as the eye could reach, except to the
+west-north-west, where rose a high and barren ridge, which would not have
+been visible but for excessive refraction, as it must have been more than
+twenty-five miles distant. The plain was still dotted over with the
+remarkable circular hollows or valleys which, by their extreme dryness,
+indicated a great depth of sandy soil, incapable of retaining water on
+the surface even for a short time, or any probability of our obtaining it
+by digging. We turned in disappointment towards the encampment, scarcely
+extricating ourselves from the thickets before it became dark. Having
+gained the sand-plain, we continued our return for several hours,
+steering by the stars, hoping by a night march to avoid the scorching
+effects of the sun, which at this season renders travelling over an
+extensive sandy plain very fatiguing. Having been more than eleven hours
+in the saddle, we halted for the night.
+
+<p>4th October.
+
+<p>Started with the dawn, and pushing our tired and hungry horses over the
+plain as fast as circumstances would admit, arrived at the encampment
+before the heat of the day became excessive. During our absence two more
+waterholes had been excavated, and sufficient water obtained for the
+horses; but, from the great evaporation, it did not seem likely to last
+longer than three or four days: the hardness of the sandstone precluded
+our sinking the wells more than one and a half feet. The extreme aridity
+of the country--the absence of water in consequence of the sandy nature
+of the soil, which renders it impossible that watercourses should
+exist--the dense and almost impassable nature of the thickets of acacia
+and melaleuca of small growth, and the heat of the climate--all tend to
+prove the fallacy of attempting to explore this part of the colony,
+excepting during the wettest of the winter months. Under the existing
+circumstances, I considered it my duty not to lead the party into a
+position from which it would most probably be impracticable to extricate
+ourselves without at least losing some of our horses; and even
+difficulties of a more serious nature might arise, which would prevent
+the more complete examination of the imperfectly known country to the
+southward of our present position, more especially as a successful
+advance to the northward seemed impossible.
+
+<p>5th October.
+
+<p>Left the encampment at 8.10 a.m.; steered north 135 degrees east magnetic
+over sandy country, covered with coarse scrub; at noon passed a narrow
+strip of wooded grassy land, the soil being limestone and red loam. The
+country again became scrubby, and, descending an open valley, came on a
+small watercourse at 1.5 p.m., trending south; followed it
+south-south-west. At 2.15 passed our bivouac of the 29th September, and
+turning south-west along the stream-bed, at 4.0 came on the right bank of
+the Murchison River, running through wide grassy flats, the stream
+forming large pools, some of them more than a mile in length; but, with
+the exception of the flats on each side of the bank, the country is poor
+and scrubby, destitute of trees, and the hills high and rocky, consisting
+of red sandstone, those to the west capped with limestone.
+
+<p>6th October.
+
+<p>The horses being much fatigued and nearly starved, having subsisted
+chiefly on scrub for the last two days, we determined to rest them for a
+few days, while we examined the river towards its mouth. I started with
+Mr. Bedart, and tracing the stream downwards to the south-west, reached
+the sea after a ride of six hours. Excepting the flats and a narrow strip
+of land on each side, the country was very indifferent, the hills being
+composed of sandstone and sand, covered with coarse scrub and a gigantic
+species of grass, the leaves of which, instead of affording food for
+stock, were a source of great annoyance to our horses, being armed with
+sharp thorny points, and was somewhat appropriately called bayonet grass
+by the party. The tide flows about five miles up the river, when it is
+obstructed by some slight rapids; although it seems shallow, and full of
+rocks and islands, I think it is navigable for small boats. Above the
+rapids the river is a succession of long reaches of water about 100 yards
+wide, and wide flats covered with reeds, the roots of which seem to form
+an important article of food with the natives. Many springs were seen on
+the left bank, but few on the right, the water of which was of excellent
+quality. After making observations of the bar, which appeared to be
+practicable for whaleboats in moderate weather if the wind be south of
+west, we returned along the south shore of the estuary, which is about
+one and a half mile long and half a mile wide; it does not appear to be
+of any great depth. My horse being quite knocked up, it was dark before
+we could reach a spot where we could obtain water and grass; having come
+to a convenient place, we bivouacked under a large overhanging rock, as
+it promised to be a wet night.
+
+<p>7th October.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. we were in our saddles, but owing to the rocky nature of the
+country did not arrive at the encampment till 12.30 p.m. During our
+absence the party had been successful in fishing and shooting; a savoury
+mess of cockatoos, swans, and ducks, with fried fish, proved a welcome
+change to us, after living so many weeks on salt meat and damper.
+
+<p>8th October (Sunday).
+
+<p>9th October.
+
+<p>The valley of the river being rocky and impassable above the camp, we
+crossed to the left bank and ascended the sandy tableland; steered about
+south-east from 7.45 a.m. to 11.0, when we came on the stream in a deep
+valley formed by almost perpendicular red sandstone cliffs from 50 to 200
+feet in height, broken at short intervals by enormous fissures (their
+general direction west-north-west and nearly at right angles with the
+river), which time, with the action of water, had worn into impassable
+ravines, frequently extending more than half a mile back from the river,
+and rendered travelling very tedious and unsafe, as it was requisite to
+avoid the thick scrubs covering the higher land. The course of the river
+now changed to nearly south, and preserved the same rocky and
+unapproachable character till 5.0 p.m., when a break in the cliffs
+enabled us to descend into the valley, although with some difficulty and
+danger to the horses, which had to slide down the steep rocks at the risk
+of breaking their necks, which would have been the almost certain result
+of a single false step; but the descent being accomplished, they were
+rewarded by an abundant supply of grass and water, the latter from a
+large spring at the foot of the cliffs.
+
+<p>10th October.
+
+<p>While breakfast was preparing, Mr. Burges and myself examined the right
+bank of the river, and after a short search, found a practicable ascent
+to the top of the cliffs, and having cleared a way through the thicket of
+melaleuca on the bank of the river, returned to breakfast. At 7.50 a.m.
+commenced ascending, and at 8.30 reached the summit of the rocky hills,
+and steering about south-east through a succession of thickets, rocks,
+yawning chasms, sand-hills, and scrub, we attained to a fine grassy flat
+at 12.30 p.m. The bed of the river here quite changed its character, the
+sandstones giving place to granite gneiss, with dark trap dykes
+intersecting it in a northerly and southerly direction, the dip of the
+strata being to the west at a very high angle, at times almost
+perpendicular.
+
+<p>A DEPOT CAMP. EXPLORE THE UPPER MURCHISON.
+
+<p>11th October.
+
+<p>As this appeared to be a good spot for the formation of a depot, while we
+examined the upper portion of the Murchison, I proceeded up the river in
+company with Mr. Burges, leaving the rest of the party to guard the camp
+and attend to the horses. After one hour's ride we came on our track
+where we crossed the river on the 25th September, the general course of
+the stream-bed being east-north-east, its channel averaging 100 yards in
+width, full of rocks, small trees, and sandbanks, with many shallow
+brackish pools of water, with the exception of one, which was both wide
+and deep, where we halted for two hours to rest the horses; few of the
+pools seemed likely to last through the heat of summer. At 1.0 p.m. we
+came on a party of natives, five of whom came up to us, following us for
+some distance. As they seemed to prefer mimicking our attempts to speak
+the York dialect to using their own, we could not obtain much
+information; they carried kylies and dowaks, but had left their spears
+and shields with the rest of their party, who did not make their
+appearance. At 3.0 passed several ridges of red sandstone rocks, the
+strata dipping to the east-north-east at an angle of from 20 to 60
+degrees. The granite rock entirely disappearing, the country became quite
+level, and covered with one universal thicket of acacia and cypress,
+except the very slight depression which formed a shallow valley about
+three miles wide, through which the river runs in a deep channel from 80
+to 100 yards wide in ordinary seasons, but when in flood must exceed 300
+yards, and the rise of the water, judging from the rubbish drifted up in
+former years, must exceed thirty feet. The valleys did not seem to be
+more than 100 feet below the general surface of the country (which was
+quite level), filled with a dense thicket of wattles; a narrow strip of
+large gum-trees, growing in grassy flats close to the river, marked the
+course of the stream. At 5.0 we halted for the night by a small pool of
+fresh water in one of the back channels of the river, the pools in the
+main bed being all brackish.
+
+<p>12th October.
+
+<p>Started at 6.35 a.m., following the river, the general course being
+north-north-east; no change was observed in its character. At 11.20
+halted to rest the horses, and again started at 1.40 p.m. At 3.40 came on
+a large party of natives at a fresh water pool; five followed us some
+miles, and were not to be satisfied until we had made an exchange of part
+of a handkerchief for a quantity of noolban, some dowaks, and dabbas,
+some of which we accepted as a token of our friendly intentions. The
+stream-bed turned east, and we followed it until 6.0, when we were halted
+for the night, having the good fortune to find a little fresh water by
+digging in the sand in the bed of the river, the pools being all
+brackish.
+
+<p>RETURN TO DEPOT CAMP.
+
+<p>13th October.
+
+<p>At 6.15 a.m., we were again in our saddles, and continued journey up the
+river--the general course north-north-east. In vain we looked for some
+rising ground or hill from which we might obtain a view of the country,
+but the same sandy level, covered with dense thickets of wattles, still
+met the eye till 11.0, when we observed a low sandstone cliff forming the
+eastern side of the valley. In this direction we steered, and after
+pushing through thickets of wattle growing on stony ground, with small
+patches of salsolaceous plants, we arrived at the foot of the cliff,
+which was about sixty feet in height, of white sandstone, full of rounded
+quartz pebbles. The top was nearly on a level with the general plane of
+the country, which was of a most cheerless aspect. The valley of the
+river trended to the north-north-east for eight or ten miles, then to the
+east; the width appeared about five miles, and one dense thicket of
+wattles seemed to fill the entire space. The rest of the country was,
+without the slightest exception, level in the extreme, covered with one
+universal thicket of acacia and cypress, the latter indicating the sandy
+nature of the soil. As no appearance of change in the character of the
+country within twenty or thirty miles was visible, and we had only two
+days' provisions left (not having expected the stream to extend so far),
+and the camp at sixty miles distant, we were obliged to leave the farther
+examination of the river to some future explorers; but we regretted it
+the less as, from the nature of the gravel and sand brought down by the
+stream, there seemed great probability that it takes its rise in large
+salt marshes similar to those known to exist 100 miles east of the Irwin,
+if it does not actually drain them, as the general trend of the most
+northerly marshes seen was in the direction of the upper part of the
+Murchison. Under these circumstances, we returned to our bivouac of last
+night, reaching it at 5.40 p.m.
+
+<p>14th October.
+
+<p>Started at 6.25 a.m., and retracing our route down the river, came to our
+bivouac of the 11th at 5.5 p.m. without any incident worthy of notice,
+but surprising three or four natives asleep in the bed of the stream;
+they were of the party seen on our route up the river.
+
+<p>15th October (Sunday).
+
+<p>Resumed our journey; passed two parties of natives; a few of them
+followed us some distance, and having overcome their first surprise,
+commenced talking in their own language, which, as far as we could
+understand it, had great affinity to that spoken by the natives in the
+York and Toodyay districts. After a smart ride of seven hours we arrived
+at the encampment, found the rest of the party all well, and the horses
+much improved by their few days' rest.
+
+<p>THE GERALDINE LEAD MINE DISCOVERED. THE HUTT RIVER.
+
+<p>16th October.
+
+<p>The two horses we had ridden up the river requiring a day's rest, which
+was also acceptable to Mr. Burges and myself, we remained at the camp and
+made preparations to move on to the Hutt River the next day. Mr. Walcott
+brought in some specimens of galena, which, on farther observation,
+proved to be abundant.
+
+<p>17th October.
+
+<p>Leaving our encampment at 9.10 a.m., we steered a southerly course,
+passing over a succession of low granite hills, thickly covered with
+acacia, to the exclusion of almost every other kind of vegetation, save a
+few scattered tufts of grass. At noon entered the sand-plains which
+occupy the high lands in this district; observed a patch of grassy land
+bearing south-west; proceeding in that direction, at 1.0 p.m. came on it,
+but found it to be a very small spot of grassy granite country, encircled
+by sand-plains and scrub. Continuing our course, at 2.5 struck a small
+stream-bed trending west-south-west; the valley in which it runs is
+bounded on both sides by sandy hills, covered with scrub; some patches of
+grass and wattles occupied the lower ground wherever the granite rock
+showed itself; tracing the stream-bed downwards, we found many brackish
+pools. At 3.45 crossed the left bank--found it running, but brackish; and
+at 4.20 we bivouacked at its junction with the Hutt River, which was here
+about ten yards wide, with narrow grassy flats on both banks. The hills
+are of sandstone and sand, producing little besides scrub.
+
+<p>18th October.
+
+<p>Started at 7.50 a.m., steering north 140 degrees east magnetic up the
+valley of the Hutt, which gradually widened and improved, the hills being
+grassy for an average distance of two miles back from the stream, of
+granite formation, and thinly sprinkled with wattles; behind the grassy
+land the country rose into sandy plains, covered with short scrub. At
+9.20 crossed to the left bank; the river trended to the eastward. At
+11.10 sighted King's Table Hill, bearing south magnetic. We then
+descended into the rich and grassy valley of the Bowes River; this we
+traversed till 4.0 p.m., when we bivouacked in a small stream tributary
+to the Bowes. As the country passed over this day had not been previously
+examined, we were much pleased to find it equal to the best land on the
+southern branch of the Bowes, visited by the Surveyor-General and myself
+on former occasions.
+
+<p>FINE PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+<p>19th October.
+
+<p>Messrs. Burges, Bedart, and myself rode down the Bowes to examine the
+country, and found it generally of good grassy character, suitable for
+sheep; the bed of the streams being filled with broad-leaved reeds, seems
+to indicate an abundant supply of water in the dry season; but the pools
+were very small, and the water all brackish, not even excepting the
+running streams. The hills are of gneiss, with garnets and trap-rock, the
+latter producing excellent grass of various kinds, the most conspicuous
+of which is a species of kangaroo-grass, but of a less woody character of
+seed-stalk than that found in other parts of the colony. The extent of
+land fit for sheep-feeding on this stream (it can scarcely be called a
+river) I should estimate at 100,000 acres, and Mr. Burges considered it
+capable of feeding about 17,000 sheep. The existence of garnets, iron
+pyrites, and a mineral resembling in many of its properties plumbago,
+specimens of which were found in the gneiss of this district, seems to
+indicate a metalliferous formation, and I have little doubt a further
+search might develop many of the present hidden sources of wealth. Near
+the coast we fell in with some natives (four men and five women), who
+were very friendly, but from their peculiar nature we were unable to
+accept of their civilities.
+
+<p>20th October.
+
+<p>Started with Messrs. Burges and Walcott to examine the upper part of the
+Buller river; after passing over the country examined by Lieutenant Irby
+and myself in December, 1846, we crossed the granite ridge which divides
+the valley of the Buller into two nearly equal portions. We found the
+land on the left bank of the eastern branch of very good and grassy
+description, consisting of a range of granite hills about ten miles north
+and south, and two miles in width; to the east of which the high sandy
+and level plains commence in an abrupt line of sandstone slopes and
+hills. Halted for the night in the east branch of the Buller, with water
+in small pools and abundance of grass for our horses.
+
+<p>21st October.
+
+<p>Continued the examination of the Buller Valley down to the spot where I
+bivouacked on the river in December, 1846; then followed up the stream
+for seven miles, where we dined, and then steering west-north-west,
+arrived at the camp at 6.30 p.m. We estimated the valley of the Buller to
+contain about 10,000 acres of good grassy land, and 30,000 acres of
+inferior feeding country; the good land is much broken into patches by
+that which is of indifferent quality. Timber is here, and also on the
+Bowes, very scarce, and the little that exists is very indifferent and
+small.
+
+<p>22nd October (Sunday).
+
+<p>Messrs. Bedart and C.F. Gregory walked to the hill which lies
+three-quarters of a mile west of King's Table Hill. The rock of which it
+is formed appeared to belong to the coal formation, as thin seams of
+black shale were seen in the rocks of which the lower strata of the hill
+are composed; but the natives making their appearance, it was not
+considered prudent to remain geologizing among the cliffs. Returning
+towards the camp, the natives followed for some distance, and on
+descending a cliff the women commenced pelting the party with stones,
+apparently in revenge for the refusal of certain courteous invitations,
+which perhaps are the greatest marks of politeness which they think it
+possible to offer to strangers.
+
+<p>CHAPMAN RIVER.
+
+<p>23rd October.
+
+<p>Left our encampment at 8.5 a.m., and steered 150 degrees magnetic over
+granite hills producing wattles and good grass. At 9.40 crossed the south
+branch of the Bowes, after which the country was not so well grassed,
+except in the valleys. The lower hills were of granite; the higher red
+sandstone of tabular form. At 11.0 the country became more sandy and
+covered with short scrub, gradually rising to the south. At noon we
+attained the high tableland; crossed two scrubby valleys bounded by
+sandstone hills, in the first of which the black shale peculiar to the
+coal formation showed itself, with a slight dip to the south. At 1.50
+p.m. crossed the Buller in a rocky channel with reedy pools, apparently
+of permanent character. The land improved and became grassy, and
+ascending the hills on the left bank, passed Peak Hill at 2.50: this is
+the highest part of the range between the Buller and Chapman. From this
+we steered south down a small grassy valley; the hills with granite bases
+and sandstone table summits, with excellent grass, and thinly wooded with
+acacia and a few York gums. At 3.15 bivouacked in a patch of excellent
+grass with water in small quantities.
+
+<p>24th October.
+
+<p>A violent thunderstorm during the night was followed by a rainy and misty
+morning; the weather clearing up, we walked down to the Chapman River,
+which was running in a sandy channel with small shallow pools. The land
+on the bank of the stream was very indifferent and sandy for about a
+mile, when it rose into granite and sandstone hills, covered with
+excellent grass.
+
+<p>EFFECT OF REFRACTION. GREENOUGH RIVER.
+
+<p>25th October.
+
+<p>Accompanied by Messrs. Burges and Walcott, I proceeded to examine the
+country to the eastward of our camp. Starting at 7.20 a.m., steered east
+over grassy hills, with granite bases and table summits of red sandstone,
+the latter rock forming but a poor soil with scanty feed and scrub;
+crossed several small gullies running into the Chapman. At 10.0 passed a
+large sandy hill, covered with short scrub, and halted at 11.0 in a
+grassy gully in the bottom of a wide scrubby valley; at 12.45 p.m. again
+resumed our journey, and ascending the sandy downs, at 1.15 gained the
+highest ridge. Before us lay the valley of the Greenough River; the white
+and red sandstone cliffs, which bound the valley on the south-east, were
+distorted by excessive refractions, which, as we crossed each sandy
+ridge, changed their appearance, sometimes assuming the appearance of
+islands with high rocky shores, then like reefs with heavy breakers,
+followed by high cliffs and grassy hills; but as we approached they
+assumed their true character of low rocky hills and cliffs, scarce
+exceeding 200 feet in height, and generally covered with dense thickets
+of acacia growing on an otherwise barren stony soil. At 3.30 came on the
+right bank of the Greenough River; the bed was quite dry, and had no
+appearance of having run since the winter of 1847. Following up the
+stream-bed to the north-east, passed some shallow pools of salt water;
+and at 4.45 observed the black coal shales at the bottom of a deep cliff,
+which formed the left bank of the river. At 5.0 halted for the night,
+obtaining fresh water by scraping in the sand by the side of a pool of
+salt water; we also found sufficient grass for our horses on the bank of
+the river.
+
+<p>26th October.
+
+<p>At 7.10 a.m. left our bivouac, steering north 120 degrees east magnetic
+towards a high sandstone cliff, which, after a ride of three-quarters of
+an hour through thickets of acacia, we ascended; but the view was not
+satisfactory, as thickets and scrubs extended over the whole of the
+country. We therefore returned to the river, and followed it downwards to
+the south-west by south. At 11.30 found some fresh water in a small
+waterhole in the bed of the river; halted till 1.50 p.m. to refresh the
+horses. The river turned south, and at 2.27 was joined by a small gully
+from the west, and coming from a grassy valley. As it had run during the
+last winter, it quite altered the character of the river for quarter of a
+mile, filling the pools with water, and giving the grass and trees a
+freshness which formed a most striking contrast with the brown and
+parched appearance of the rest of the valley. At 3.55 altered the course
+to 210 degrees magnetic; the country improved, many patches of grassy
+land appearing in the valley, and the country became more rocky. At 5.30
+crossed to the left bank, and found the river running with many large
+pools of water, some more than a half a mile long and 80 to 100 yards
+wide. The water was slightly brackish, being this year supplied
+principally by springs, taking their rise in the new red sandstone
+formation. We then followed the winding course of the river south-west
+amongst high hills of sandstone, many of which were covered with
+excellent grass, though the country was not generally good. At 6.20
+halted for the night on the right bank of the stream, in a narrow but
+rich grassy flat; heavy rain in the night.
+
+<p>WIZARD PEAK. CHAMPION BAY. MOUNT FAIRFAX.
+
+<p>27th October.
+
+<p>Started at 7.0 a.m. and steering an average course of west by north,
+ascended the high land on the north bank of the Greenough. For the first
+hour the hills were of red sandstone, very steep and rocky, producing
+little but coarse scrub; some of the valleys and lower hills were well
+grassed; the country then improved, the hills being of the coal
+formation, and the limestones forming very rich and grassy hills. At 9.40
+the granite and gneiss formed a basis of the high sandstone-topped hills,
+which rose about 500 feet on each side of the valley. At 10.15 crossed to
+the left bank of the river, and re-crossed to the right at 11.10. The
+lower parts of the valley were not so rich or well grassed as the hills,
+but would afford excellent summer feed for sheep. Having dined, and given
+our horses an hour's feed on the rich grass which grew in the bed of the
+river (which here turned to the south), we continued our route. After an
+hour's ride over rich grassy hills, reached the foot of Wizard's Peak.
+Here we left our horses and ascended the hill; arrived at the summit, to
+our great surprise, instead of the scrubby and sterile country described
+by Captain Stokes of the Beagle, beautiful grassy hills, stretching from
+north to south-east, met our view to the extent of about 20,000 acres;
+had it not been certain, from bearings to Mount Fairfax and other hills,
+that we were on Wizard Peak, I should have suspected its identity.
+Leaving Wizard Peak at 2.30 p.m., steered north along the western foot of
+the grassy range. The country to the east consists of grassy hills of
+limestone, rich in fossil remains of wood and shells, with an occasional
+granite hill producing coarse grass or short scrub; to the west the
+country was more level, but less grassy, and in many parts scrubby. We
+fell in with some of the natives, who appeared friendly disposed. Crossed
+the Chapman at 6.5, and arrived at the camp at 7.15.
+
+<p>28th October.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 7.40 a.m., steering north-west. Made the stream
+previously called the Buller at 9.0; followed it downwards to the
+south-south-west till 11.0, when it became evident that, instead of being
+the Buller, it was the north branch of the Chapman. The land on its banks
+was not generally good, although some fine patches of grass were seen.
+Leaving the stream, we ascended Moresby's Range; the valleys and sides of
+the hills were covered with fine grass, and the sandstone rocks were rich
+with fossil remains of shells and wood. With some difficulty we descended
+the western face of the hills; after which, an hour's ride over a scrubby
+plain brought us to the mouth of the Chapman River, running strongly over
+a ledge of limestone rock into the sea. We crossed the river, and over to
+the usual landing-place in Champion Bay; we then returned to the Chapman,
+and halted for the night.
+
+<p>29th October.
+
+<p>Two of the horses having broken from their tether during the night, we
+were obliged to put the three saddles on the remaining horse, and proceed
+to track the stray horses; after tracking them about two miles, we found
+them on their way back to the camp. We then rode along the western foot
+of Moresby's Range, and ascended Mount Fairfax; after taking sketches and
+bearings, we steered for the encampment, and reached it about 2.0 p.m.
+
+<p>30th October.
+
+<p>Messrs. Burges, Walcott, and Bedart rode out this morning to examine the
+grassy hills on the south side of the Chapman River, and on their return
+reported the country to be of a generally good grassy character.
+
+<p>NATIVES STEAL FRYING-PAN.
+
+<p>31st October.
+
+<p>Left the encampment at 8.0 a.m. and steering 200 degrees magnetic over
+alternately grassy and scrubby hills of granite sandstone, crossed the
+Chapman at 9.40. Our course then lay nearly parallel to the river till
+noon; the land on the river was indifferent and thinly grassed, but rose
+into good grassy hills about a mile from the river. We then entered a
+level scrubby plain, extending from the Victoria Range to the sea. At
+12.30 p.m. altered the course to 175 degrees magnetic, and at 1.5 to 139
+degrees magnetic. At 1.15 the plain became grassy, and the soil good
+(with the exception of a few patches of York gum, the only trees were
+wattles), and by a rough estimate contained about 8,000 acres of good
+grassy land; on the north bank of the Greenough River, which we reached
+at 3.15, the channel was about seventy yards wide, but dry and sandy; nor
+did we observe any sign of its having run during the past winter. A
+little below where we struck the river it turned to the south-east;
+following it in that direction till 3.45 we bivouacked, obtaining a
+scanty supply of water by digging in the sand. Shortly after halting, a
+party of about thirty natives came up, and appeared friendly; they told
+us that there was a fine spring at some distance to the westward, but we
+could not obtain any other useful information, as their dialect differs
+considerably from that spoken in the settled districts, although some few
+words are the same. They encamped a short distance from us, and in the
+night stole our frying-pan, to dig a well, but returned it next morning
+before the theft was discovered.
+
+<p>THE IRWIN RIVER.
+
+<p>1st November.
+
+<p>At 7.10 a.m. resumed our course south-east, along the eastern side of the
+grassy plain. The scrubby hills gradually approached on each side; at
+9.30 the good land terminated, the estimate being 2,000 acres on the
+south bank of the Greenough River. The country then became sandy,
+producing little besides scrub and a few banksia trees. At 10.0 passed
+about one mile west of Mount Hill; passed a small pool of water in a
+watercourse trending south-west. At 12.50 p.m. altered the course to 170
+degrees magnetic; at 3.0 entered a thick forest of York gum; at 3.25
+changed the course to 130 degrees magnetic and entered a grassy flat
+extending to the Irwin River, which we reached at 3.55, and following it
+upwards till 4.15, bivouacked on the left bank in a large flat. Shortly
+before reaching the river a large party of natives came up with us, after
+tracking the horses for some distance. Seventy or eighty men came to the
+bivouac, and, with the exception of one man who shipped a spear, making a
+demonstration of throwing it at us, they evinced a desire for the more
+peaceable amusement of eating damper and fat bacon. A few of the natives
+spoke a little English, having been for a short time in the settled
+districts. At sunset they retired to the other side of the river, and all
+appeared quiet when my watch commenced at 10.30; but at midnight I
+detected a native crawling up amongst the thick grass about ten yards
+from the back of the tents. He lay quiet till I almost turned him out of
+his hiding-place with the muzzle of my gun, when he took to his heels,
+but I did not consider it prudent either to fire at or capture him.
+
+<p>2nd November.
+
+<p>The natives being too numerous to allow any of the party leaving the camp
+to examine the country around without incurring greater risk than seemed
+prudent, we left our bivouac at 7.45 a.m. and steered north 170 degrees
+east magnetic over sandy hills, covered with short scrub. After two hours
+the country became nearly level, with small patches of swampy ground,
+which would be very wet in the rainy season, but was at present quite
+dry; the rising grounds were sand, covered with short scrub with a few
+scattered banksia trees. At 5.40 p.m. struck the left bank of the stream
+which has been considered to be the Arrowsmith River of Captain Grey,
+though I have now some reason to doubt its identity. The banks of the
+stream are sandstone and sand, and the channel scarcely three yards wide,
+with a strip of grassy thicket twenty yards in width along the stream,
+which is the only feed near the river, as the plain through which it runs
+produces nothing but scrub and banksia with a few grass-trees. We
+bivouacked a short distance below the spot where we first struck the
+stream, which was still running.
+
+<p>3rd November.
+
+<p>Our horses having but a very scanty feed at this place, we moved down the
+stream to obtain better grass for them before crossing the sand-plains
+which lay to the south. After following the stream west for two hours,
+encamped in a small grassy flat, below which the stream ceased to run,
+the water being wholly absorbed by the sandy soil, which has a substratum
+of limestone of recent formation.
+
+<p>SEVENTY MILES OF SAND PLAIN.
+
+<p>4th November.
+
+<p>Accompanied by Mr. Bedart, rode to the westward; passing over sandy
+plains and ridges for four hours, came to the beach, which we followed
+northwards for three hours, hoping to meet with the mouth of the stream
+on which our camp was placed. Not perceiving any signs of it, we turned
+to the east, and after an hour's struggle through a thick jungle, we came
+on a wet grassy flat, on which the stream seemed to be lost. Steering a
+general course of south-south-east, we arrived at 9.10 p.m. at the camp,
+after a ride of thirteen and a quarter hours, and the country traversed
+almost wholly worthless sand and scrub.
+
+<p>5th November (Sunday).
+
+<p>Remained at our encampment to rest the horses. Read prayers.
+
+<p>6th November.
+
+<p>Leaving our encampment at 7.10 a.m., we steered north 170 degrees east
+magnetic, along the limits of the low scrubby limestone hills which
+extend along this part of the coast. To the east the level sandy plain
+extended from eight to ten miles, and then rose into high sandstone
+hills, covered with scrub and destitute of trees; but at the junction of
+the limestone and sandstone formation, along which lay our route, were
+several small lagoons and swamps of fresh water, with grassy margins. At
+10.0 altered the course to southward; the line of swamps trending to
+south-south-west, we entered the level sandy plain. At noon passed a
+shallow pool of rainwater in a slight depression of the plain, and
+shortly after crossed two small watercourses trending west; a little
+brackish water remained in the deeper portions of their channels. The
+effect of refraction on this level country, when heated by the midday
+sun, was so great as to cause many of the low sandy ridges to appear like
+large lakes and inlets of the sea, as in some instances the more distant
+hills were obscured by its effects. At 2.45 p.m. we reached the sandstone
+range, and at 3.5 halted in a small patch of grass around a native well
+of good water, which had the appearance of retaining water throughout the
+summer. While here we obtained several additions to our small collection
+of birds.
+
+<p>MOUNTS PERON AND LESUEUR.
+
+<p>7th November.
+
+<p>At 7.20 a.m. resumed our journey southwards, over a high and somewhat
+rugged range of sandstone hills; passed a short distance to the east of
+Mounts Peron and Lesueur. The valleys were wooded with red and white-gum
+of large growth, but the hills produced little besides coarse scrub. At
+2.20 p.m. passed a large mound spring; at 2.45 crossed the Hill River of
+Captain Grey; the land on its banks, with the exception of a few grassy
+hills on the northern side, was very scrubby and indifferent. Ascending
+the high sandstone country on the south side of the river, we halted at
+5.35 in a sandy valley trending north-west, in which we found a small
+patch of grass around a native well; but we were not much in want of
+water, being completely drenched by a heavy shower of rain just after we
+halted.
+
+<p>8th November.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 8.0 a.m., steering north 105 degrees east magnetic
+over a range of high scrubby sandstone hills. At 1.15 p.m. crossed a
+small stream-bed trending westwards in a wide scrubby valley. At 3.5,
+having ascended the hills to the south of the valley, observed a
+remarkable sandstone hill which I passed on a previous excursion from Mr.
+Lefroy's station at Welbing. Altering the course to 170 degrees magnetic,
+we passed the hill; at 5.45 halted in a fine grassy flat on the banks of
+a small brook-course trending west, in which we found abundance of water
+in small pools. As we were only forty miles west of Mr. Lefroy's station
+at Welbing, and the country in that direction already examined, I
+instructed Mr. C.F. Gregory to proceed with the party and pack-horses to
+Welbing and thence by the road to Perth, while, accompanied by Mr.
+Bedart, I pursued a more direct but less eligible course for pack-horses.
+
+<p>THE MOORE RIVER.
+
+<p>9th November.
+
+<p>Leaving the rest of the party at the bivouac, at 9.50 a.m., in company
+with Mr. Bedart, we steered a general course of south by east magnetic
+over hills of sandy loam, producing a little grass and thickly timbered
+with red-gum. Passed several extensive grassy valleys, with many fine
+patches of rich limestone land on their slopes. At 2.0 p.m. the grass was
+replaced by scrub, and at 3.30 entered the wide scrubby valley of the
+Moore River, which we reached at 4.20. After some delay in crossing the
+river, in consequence of one of the horses falling down in the mud, from
+which we had some trouble to extricate him, we bivouacked about one mile
+below the spot where we first made the river.
+
+<p>10th November.
+
+<p>Leaving the Moore River we steered south by west, and after traversing a
+nearly level sandy plain, producing banksia and scrub, with many lagoons
+and swamps, in eight hours' riding reached the Norcott or Gingin Brook.
+The banks were low and swampy; after a short search found a suitable
+place for crossing, and having swam the horses across, we halted for the
+night on the left bank.
+
+<p>11th November.
+
+<p>Started at 7.0 a.m., steering east by south magnetic; ascended the
+western Wilbinga Hill at 9.0, and traversing a rough limestone country,
+with several reedy swamps, reached Lake Nowergup at 2.50 p.m., and at 4.0
+halted on the western side of the Wanaginup Swamp.
+
+<p>12th November (Sunday).
+
+<p>Once more in the saddle, and following the road past Wonneroo, arrived in
+Perth at 2.30 p.m.
+
+<p>Mr. C.F. Gregory having accompanied the party to the Victoria Plains,
+proceeded with Private W. King by the Bindoon road to Perth, where he
+arrived on the 17th.
+
+<p>The total distance travelled in this expedition was, in round numbers,
+1,500 miles, and the extreme point reached in latitude 27 degrees south,
+350 miles from Perth in a direct line; and the period we were engaged in
+the expedition was ten weeks.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="50%">
+
+<a name="three"></a>
+
+<h3>HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR CHARLES FITZGERALD'S EXPEDITION TO THE GERALDINE
+LEAD MINE.</h3>
+
+<h4>1848.</h4>
+
+<p>CHAMPION BAY TO MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+1st December.
+
+<p>Sailed from Fremantle in the Champion for Champion Bay, where we arrived
+on the 3rd, swam the ponies on shore, and encamped at the mouth of the
+Chapman River.
+
+<p>4th December.
+
+<p>His Excellency the Governor came on shore, when the party, consisting of
+the Governor, Mr. Bland, and myself, with three soldiers of the 96th
+regiment, and the Governor's servant, started at 7.15 a.m., steering
+north-east, crossed Moresby's flat-topped range at 9.0, made the North
+Chapman at 10.0, followed the stream upward till 11.50, the general
+course north-east by north. One native man and two women came up, and
+then retired to the other side of the river, watching our proceedings.
+Having dined, we started again at 2.25 p.m., steering a general north
+course over an indifferent scrubby country till 4.40, when we halted for
+twenty minutes to examine the black shale-like soil which was seen on a
+former occasion, but on digging it proved to be only alluvial soil
+resting on sand; from this spot we steered north 330 degrees magnetic
+over high sandy hills covered with scrub; the country gradually improved,
+and at 7.0 we halted for the night in a small grassy gully trending
+north-west, obtaining water in a native well.
+
+<p>5th December.
+
+<p>Started at 6.40 a.m., continuing the same course as yesterday evening
+over a succession of grassy hills of granitic formation till 11.10, when
+we halted on the eastern branch of the Bowes River; several natives
+shortly came to the encampment, and having eaten some biscuit and pork
+which we offered to them, retired in the evening to the opposite side of
+the stream-bed, keeping a close watch on us from behind some large rocks;
+a strict watch was therefore maintained by us during the night.
+
+<p>6th December.
+
+<p>This morning the natives commenced by throwing stones at the men who went
+down for the water, but we did not see any method of resenting it, except
+by expressing our disapprobation in words, and at 5.35 a.m. we started on
+a north-north-west course, the natives followed for about a mile, and
+continued throwing stones at the party. The country passed over was
+generally grassy granite hills till 9.0, when we ascended the high
+tableland between the valley of the Bowes and Hutt rivers, which last we
+reached at 10.25, and halted during the heat of the day on a pool of
+brackish water; at 3.20 p.m., again started, and following the river
+downwards, in a general course 310 degrees magnetic, at 6.10 bivouacked
+at the spot where we had before halted on the 17th October; the water in
+the pools brackish, but by digging near a moist bank obtained abundance
+of fresh water.
+
+<p>THE GERALDINE LEAD MINE.
+
+<p>7th December.
+
+<p>Left our bivouac at 5.50 a.m., and steered north-east over high sandy
+downs, covered with coarse scrub; at 10.30 entered the valley of the
+Murchison River; at noon halted at our bivouac of the 24th September,
+obtained some brackish water by digging in the sand of the small
+stream-bed. Having dined, we resumed our journey at 2.30 p.m., and
+bivouacked about 5.0 on the left bank of the Murchison, 500 yards below
+the large lead vein, obtaining good water in the sandy bed of the river
+by digging a few inches, the pools being all salt. While the men were
+preparing the tents, etc., the Governor proceeded to examine the vein of
+lead, which we traced to a greater distance than on the former occasion
+of its discovery, the water having sunk two feet, exposing many portions
+of the vein which were before covered.
+
+<p>8th December.
+
+<p>Examined the lead vein, tracing it 320 yards in a direction north 30
+degrees east magnetic, along the bed of the Murchison River, which was
+nearly dry; clearing the sand and loose stones from the surface, found it
+to vary from eight to twenty-four inches in width, the general average
+being twelve inches, the dip to the west-north-west at an angle of about
+80 degrees from the horizon. Throughout the whole length the lead vein
+appeared to be one solid mass of galena; the northern end either
+terminates or alters its direction close to a vein of schistose rock,
+which intersects the adjacent rocks; to the south the lode was covered by
+several feet of sand, which prevented its being traced further, as we had
+not time to remove it; the whole of the vein which was traced was
+included within the banks of the river, and the greater portion was
+covered by shallow water. One specimen of galena showed traces of copper.
+The rock which prevails on each side of the vein is a hard compact
+gneiss, abounding with garnets, some of which are of good colour, but
+mostly full of flaws; the stratification of the gneiss is somewhat
+confused, but it generally dips at a high angle (sometimes nearly
+perpendicular) to the westward, the strike being north and south. The
+facilities which the position of the lode offers for mining are not very
+great, as it occupies the lowest part of the valley, and steam power
+would be requisite to free the mine from water, and at the same time,
+unless the small boat-harbour near the mouth of the Hutt River, or
+Gantheaume Bay (both within thirty miles), be found suitable for the
+purpose, Champion Bay, distant sixty-two miles in a direct line to the
+south, is the nearest port where the ore could be shipped. In the evening
+the Governor examined the spot where Mr. Walcott had discovered the small
+pieces of lead ore about two and a half miles below the lode, but as most
+of the pieces had been picked up on that occasion, we could only find a
+few fragments of it.
+
+<p>9th December.
+
+<p>Left the encampment at 4.40 a.m., and steering about south-west, made our
+former bivouac on the Hutt River about 1.0 p.m., and halted for the rest
+of the day.
+
+<p>10th December.
+
+<p>Started at 4.50 a.m., steering 160 degrees magnetic over sandy country;
+passed a small grassy valley at 8.0; halted on the north branch of the
+Bowes at 10.10 on a small pool of brackish water; dined and resumed our
+route at 2.40 p.m.; steered south over a grassy country till 6.10, when
+we halted for the night on a tributary stream to the Bowes; obtained
+fresh water by digging, the pools being very small and brackish.
+
+<p>CONFLICT WITH NATIVES. GOVERNOR SPEARED.
+
+<p>11th December.
+
+<p>Left the bivouac at 5.15 a.m., steering 175 degrees magnetic over an
+indifferent country till 6.40, when we crossed the south branch of the
+Bowes, the country improving. Here we saw several natives, who at first
+hid themselves, but finding that we saw them, came after us. At first
+they did not exceed eight or ten in number, but, being joined by several
+other parties, gradually increased till they exceeded fifty, when they
+altogether changed their friendly manner, and began to bring up their
+spears. At 6.15 we passed to the west of King's Table Hill, and as the
+country was covered with dense wattle thickets, the natives took
+advantage of the ground, and having completely surrounded the party,
+commenced first to threaten to throw their spears, then to throw stones,
+and finally one man caught hold of Mr. Bland by the arm, threatening to
+strike him with a dowak; another native threw a spear at myself, though
+without effect; but before I could fire at him, the Governor, perceiving
+that unless some severe example was made the whole party would be cut
+off, fired at one of the most forward of our assailants, and killed him;
+two other shots were fired by the soldiers, but the thickness of the
+bushes prevented our seeing with what effect. A shower of spears, stones,
+kylies, and dowaks followed, and although we moved to a more open spot,
+the natives were only kept off by firing at any that exposed themselves.
+At this moment a spear struck the Governor in the leg just above the
+knee, with such force as to cause it to protrude two feet on the other
+side, which was so far fortunate, as it enabled me to break off the barb
+and withdraw the shaft. The Governor, notwithstanding his wound,
+continued to direct the party, and although the natives made many
+attempts to approach close enough to reach us with their spears, we were
+enabled, by keeping on the most open ground, and checking them by an
+occasional shot, to avoid their attacks in crossing the gullies. They
+followed us closely for seven miles, after which they were only seen
+occasionally, following in our track. Having reached the beach, we were
+enabled to travel more rapidly, and although one of the ponies knocked
+up, we reached Champion Bay at 3.30 p.m., and got the party and horses on
+board the Champion by 5.0, where we were gladly welcomed by Lieutenant
+Helpman. About sunset the natives came down to the beach, concealing
+themselves behind the bushes, whilst a single unarmed native stood on the
+beach, and called to us to come on shore, no doubt in the hope of making
+a sudden attack on the boat should we venture to do so.
+
+<p>A.C. Gregory,
+
+<p>Assistant Surveyor.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="20%">
+
+<a name="four"></a>
+
+<h3>THE MURCHISON RIVER.</h3>
+
+<h4>1857.</h4>
+
+<p>THE UPPER MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+<p>In the month of March, 1857, Mr. Surveyor F.T. Gregory, while engaged on
+the survey of the lower part of the Murchison, observed that the river
+came down in flood, though there had been no rain for several months near
+the coast, and taking advantage of such a favourable opportunity of
+extending the exploration of the country beyond the point at which
+previous explorers had been driven back for want of water and grass, he
+proceeded up the Murchison, accompanied by his assistant, Mr. S. Trigg,
+following the course of the river for 180 miles. For the last fifty miles
+the condition of the vegetation showed that there had been heavy rains
+which had caused the floods in the lower part of the river.
+
+<p>The following is an abstract of Mr. Gregory's report to the
+Surveyor-General, as published at the time in the Perth Gazette:--
+
+<p>We last week intimated that an exploratory trip had lately been made into
+the interior eastward of the Geraldine Mine. We have now the pleasure and
+satisfaction of laying before our readers some details of one of the most
+unassuming explorations, yet important in its results, which has ever
+been undertaken in this colony. In the latter end of March last, Mr.
+Assistant Surveyor F. Gregory and Mr. S. Trigg started from the Geraldine
+Mine with two horses and sixteen pounds of flour, to trace the Murchison
+to its source, and returned after thirteen days' absence. Mr. Gregory has
+made a short report of his journey to the Surveyor-General, from which we
+have been kindly furnished with the following extract:--
+
+<p>While at the Geraldine Mine I availed myself of the circumstance of the
+Murchison being in flood to ascend that river and complete the sketch of
+the unexamined portions, as also to gain any additional information that
+might facilitate the exploration of the country between this and the
+Gascoyne River. The fact that the natives describe a considerable tract
+of grassy country extending northward from the head of the Murchison,
+plentifully supplied with water, was an additional incentive to ascertain
+from whence the inundation came.
+
+<p>TROPICAL RAINY SEASON. GOOD PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+<p>Accompanied by Mr. S. Trigg, I proceeded up the river about 180 miles, at
+which point it ceased to run; we then ascended a hill in the vicinity of
+600 or 700 feet elevation above the plain, which I have since found to
+be, beyond a doubt, Mount Murchison of Austin; unfortunately I was unable
+to procure a copy of his map or journal, and was thus prevented from
+laying out my route to the greatest advantage by pushing more to the
+northward and going over more new ground. As it is, the only information
+I have been able to gain, beyond completing the plan of the river, is
+that the principal fall of rain had been eastward of the 116th degree of
+longitude, and that the tract of country between the great South Bend and
+Mount Murchison, which proved barely capable of supporting Mr. Austin's
+small party of horses in November, 1854, is now yielding a pasture nearly
+equal to the average of the Champion Bay district, and in some parts most
+luxuriant, the grass having scarcely arrived at maturity was perfectly
+green; this remarkable change in the character of the country is, I am
+inclined to think, not entirely confined to this year in particular, but
+that from meteorological causes this district has not unfrequently the
+benefit of tropical rains falling during the months of January and
+February, although not always in sufficient quantity to cause the river
+to flow as low as the settled districts.
+
+<p>It has already been observed by many persons that during the summer
+months the prevailing sea breezes divide the northerly currents of vapour
+about 100 miles inland from the west coast, preventing the rain from
+falling throughout the same parallel of latitude.
+
+<p>As near the eastern limits of my route the Murchison throws off two
+branches nearly equal in magnitude to the main stream, I am induced to
+imagine that its extreme source does not lie more than sixty or seventy
+miles beyond that point, and had it not been that I did not feel
+justified in abstracting so large a portion of time from the regular
+surveys of this district, there is no doubt but that I could with every
+facility have completed the exploration of the country as far as the
+Gascoyne in two or three weeks.
+
+<p>On comparing the tracing of the Murchison, which I now enclose, with Mr.
+Austin's route, it will be observed that there is a difference of
+seventeen miles in latitude, and something more in longitude throughout
+the eastern portion, a discrepancy which I am at a loss to account for,
+as my dead-reckoning to both the outward and inward track agree well with
+my cross-bearings; my latitudes were, however, taken only with a pocket
+sextant with a treacle horizon, and might therefore not be implicitly
+relied on. I have, however, preferred plotting my route exactly as booked
+in the field, leaving the existing error to be cleared up at some future
+period.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="20%">
+
+<p>From Mr. Trigg, who arrived on Wednesday by the Preston from Champion
+Bay, we have gathered the following additional particulars:--
+
+<p>The outward route was on the south bank of the river Murchison; the first
+sixty miles was but indifferent, but there were many spots of grass,
+sufficient to maintain travelling herds or flocks; afterwards the soil on
+the banks of the river improved and were continuously grassy, the general
+width being about half a mile. About latitude 26 degrees 50 minutes,
+longitude 116 degrees east, two large branches, almost if not quite equal
+to the main stream, join the Murchison from the eastward. About Mr.
+Austin's Mount Welcome the grass was found very luxuriant--from two to
+three feet high, and between there and Mount Murchison the country is
+described by Mr. Trigg to be very beautiful, and the soil superior to any
+he had previously seen in the colony, and equal to the best land in
+Victoria. Mount Murchison itself is an immense mass of quartz with
+granite round the base; this differs from Mr. Austin's description, but
+that gentleman does not appear to have ascended the hill. From the summit
+three high lands were observable, one an isolated peak fifty miles east,
+the others to the north and north-east apparently more distant; so far as
+could be seen, the country to the east and north-east appeared scrubby
+and indifferent. The return was on the north side of the Murchison; and
+here a large extent of good grassy land was found, not on the bank, but a
+mile and a half from the river, and reaching four or five miles in width
+to the base of some hills, and reaching westward to the large northerly
+bend of the river in longitude 115 degrees 30 minutes about forty miles
+from the Geraldine Mine; the good land in all cases was very flat, the
+soil a red loam, which when dry was very open; the whole country is
+singularly infested with white ants, of which every tree living or dead
+appeared to have its colony. Mr. Trigg regards the country around Mount
+Murchison as auriferous.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="50%">
+
+<p>The striking difference there is between this account of the country on
+the Murchison and that given by Mr. Austin may be accounted for in
+several ways: first, Mr. Austin does not appear to have crossed, but
+skirted the country intervening between Mount Welcome and Mount
+Murchison, but he describes the land about the latter as improving, and
+found water; while it was the feed and water at Mount Welcome which, in
+all probability, saved his party from perishing. The land on the north
+side, spoken of so favourably by Mr. Trigg, was not seen by Mr. Austin,
+and also his party was so exhausted that it was out of his power to
+diverge from a direct line in order to examine the nature of the country
+on either side; whereas Messrs. Gregory and Trigg made such an
+examination whenever any favourable appearance presented itself, and thus
+determined the quantity of valuable land for a distance of six or seven
+miles on each side of the river, and have thus been the means of
+conferring on the Colony one of the greatest benefits it has received
+since the northern district was first opened by Mr. A. Gregory.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="50%">
+
+<a name="five"></a>
+
+<h3>GASCOYNE RIVER.</h3>
+
+<h4>1858.</h4>
+
+<p>PERTH TO CHAMPION BAY.
+
+<p>In consequence of the very satisfactory results of the exploration of the
+Upper Murchison River by Messrs. Gregory and Trigg in 1857, a number of
+settlers in the northern districts subscribed horses and equipment for an
+exploring party to examine the country still further to the east and
+north, and with the sanction of the Government, the Expedition was placed
+under the command of Mr. F.T. Gregory, the result being the discovery of
+a considerable area of available country on the Gascoyne and Lyons
+Rivers, as described in Mr. Gregory's journal, of which the following is
+a copy:--
+
+<p>MR. F. GREGORY'S REPORT.
+
+<p>Western Australia,
+
+<p>Perth, July 26, 1858.
+
+<p>SIR,
+
+<p>In accordance with the instructions conveyed in your letter of the 15th
+March, authorising me to take command of the Expedition to Shark's Bay,
+in course of organisation by the northern settlers, I have the honour to
+furnish the following report of our proceedings while in that service,
+for the information of His Excellency the Governor.
+
+<p>The preliminary arrangements having been completed, and the heavy portion
+of the stores forwarded by sea to Champion Bay, I left Perth on the 26th
+March, accompanied by Mr. James Roe as second in command, chainer
+Fairburn having started the previous day with the team and light
+equipment of the Expedition.
+
+<p>Proceeding by way of Toodyay to the Irwin River, the party were joined by
+Mr. W. Moore with three horses; passing on by way of Champion Bay, we
+arrived a Koobijawanna, the point of general rendezvous, by the 10th of
+April. On the 12th the remainder of the stores arrived from Champion Bay,
+the party being augmented to six persons by the addition of Mr. C. Nairn
+and Dugel, an aboriginal policeman. This day and the following were
+occupied in weighing and packing stores, shoeing horses, etc.
+
+<p>14th April.
+
+<p>The equipment of the Expedition being completed (with the exception of
+one horse to be procured at the Geraldine Mine), we moved on to
+Yanganooka, passing the Geraldine Mine on the 16th, and bivouacked on the
+Murchison River, six miles above the mine, having obtained the additional
+horse, making in all six saddle and six pack horses; our supplies
+consisting of sixty days' rations, on a scale of one and a half pounds of
+flour, eight ounces of pork, four ounces of sugar, and half an ounce of
+tea per diem, the party being all well armed and furnished with
+ammunition.
+
+<p>The mean of our observations with the Aneroid barometer gives 575 feet
+for the elevation of this part of the river above the sea.
+
+<p>ASCEND THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+<p>17th April to the 25th April.
+
+<p>Was occupied in ascending the Murchison River by easy stages to the
+junction of the Impey, the highest point attained by me last year. The
+only observations worthy of remark were that the inundation had not been
+so great as that which occurred the previous summer, the grass up to this
+point not being by any means so abundant as I had found it on my former
+visit; the volume of water now running in the bed of the river being,
+however, at this time about the same, although none of the tributaries,
+including the Roderick and Impey, had been in flood, little or no rain
+having fallen to the west of the 117th degree of longitude, except to the
+north of latitude 26 degrees.
+
+<p>I availed myself of the opportunity afforded to make several additions
+and corrections to the map of this part of the country, verifying the
+correction made by me last year in the latitude of Mount Murchison and
+adjacent hills. By an improved series of triangulation and a carefully
+observed set of lunar distances, I am inclined to place Mount Murchison
+in about longitude 116 degrees 30 minutes east, which makes it more
+nearly approximate to the longitude formerly given by Mr. Austin.
+
+<p>The variation of the compass I found by several amplitudes to be 2
+degrees 30 minutes west. The bed of the Murchison River is here about
+1,077 feet above the sea. In addition to the fish and game formerly
+observed on this part of the river, we met with large flocks of the
+gallinule, which have for so many years excited the curiosity of the
+colonists as to their habitat; from subsequent observations it is evident
+they come from much further to the north-eastward. But one party of
+natives had as yet been seen, consisting of eight or ten, who chased our
+native Dugel to the camp while out shooting, but it was difficult to
+ascertain whether with hostile intentions. From this time to our return
+we regularly mounted sentry during the night, and no one was allowed to
+quit the party any distance alone--a precautionary measure the necessity
+of which was fully borne out by the sequel.
+
+<p>26th April.
+
+<p>From our camp, which was situated about eight miles west of Mount
+Murchison, we fairly commenced the exploration of unknown country.
+Following the river nearly north-north-east for fourteen miles it turned
+abruptly to the east; we, however, held our course, which at four miles
+further brought us to the foot of Mount Narryer, which we ascended, and
+procured a valuable round of angles from its summit. This hill has an
+altitude of 1,688 feet above the sea, and is formed by the eruption of a
+coarse dark-coloured crystalline trap through a base of amorphous
+sandstone, the direction of the range of which it forms a part being
+nearly north and south. Skirting round the north end of this range, we
+struck east over a stony plain, thinly grassed amongst open wattles, and
+at five miles again came upon the Murchison some time after dark. The
+pools here were somewhat larger than for many miles below, being from
+sixty to eighty yards wide and half a mile in length, the water in them
+becoming decidedly brackish; samphire, atriplex, and other salsolaceous
+plants being abundant on the banks.
+
+<p>27th April.
+
+<p>We only advanced nine miles, owing to Mr. Moore and Dugel having to
+return for one of the water-beakers, which had been torn off the
+pack-saddle the previous night in a thicket. Towards our bivouac, which
+was in latitude 26 degrees 23 minutes 38 seconds, the country near the
+river improved much, the channel of the river becoming very shallow; the
+water had spread over the flats for more than half a mile on either side,
+large flooded-gum trees growing abundantly with a fine sward of grass
+beneath, the soil being a rich brown clay loam. Gallinule and cockatoos
+were in large flocks feeding on the grass seeds, which were now nearly
+ripe.
+
+<p>28th April.
+
+<p>To latitude 28 degrees 7 minutes the river continued to come from north
+by east through an extensive plain, bounded on the west by a low range of
+trap and granite hills, at an average distance of six or seven miles,
+while to the eastward only a few distant peaks were visible, flooded-gum
+growing plentifully for more than a mile back from the river, on flats of
+tolerably good pasture. Receding somewhat further from the river, the
+country opens out into extensive plains yielding but little grass;
+atriplex bush and thinly scattered stunted acacia and melaleuca trees
+forming almost the entire vegetation.
+
+<p>29th April.
+
+<p>A few miles nearly north brought us to where a considerable tributary
+joins the Murchison from the north, the river trending first north-east,
+then east, and finally towards the afternoon it came from the southward
+of east, our bivouac being only seven miles north of the previous night,
+while we had made nearly eighteen miles of easting. The bed of the river
+had gradually become more rocky as we ascended, gneiss with quartz dykes
+passing through it and yielding a large quantity of salt, rendered the
+running water of the river scarcely drinkable; the only fresh water was
+found in the back channels filled by the late inundations. The ranges
+which ran parallel to the river to the westward terminated some miles to
+the north of the bend. Another range, apparently granitic and broken up
+into detached peaks, commencing a little to the eastward of its
+termination, runs east for about twenty miles at the distance of six or
+seven miles from the north bank of the river.
+
+<p>To the eastward an elevated range with two conspicuous summits, which
+were respectively named Mount Matthew and Mount Hale, terminated the view
+in that direction, while to the south only a few detached peaks were
+visible.
+
+<p>To-day we first observed a very beautiful convolvulus, which we
+afterwards found to bear roots like a sweet potato, some of them more
+than a pound weight and well flavoured, forming a very important article
+of food to the natives. The flowers are numerous, and measure from two to
+three inches in diameter, their outer edges of a dark lilac, deepening to
+a rich purple at the centre, with a pale green convolute ribbing on the
+outside, the stem and leaf of the plant resembling the kennedya. Mr.
+Drummond, to whom I have described it, considers it an important
+discovery, as by cultivation it might become a valuable addition to our
+Australian esculents.
+
+<p>A small species of rock-melon was also found in great abundance about the
+size of a pigeon's egg, somewhat bitter to the taste, but they were not
+ripe; in other respects it much resembles the cultivated varieties.
+
+<p>The bed of the river at this night's bivouac had attained an elevation of
+1,240 feet above the sea.
+
+<p>LEAVE THE MURCHISON FOR THE GASCOYNE RIVER.
+
+<p>30th April.
+
+<p>Finding that the Murchison was leading us too much to the eastward, the
+object of the expedition being to reach the Gascoyne with as little delay
+as possible, we quitted the river on a north-north-east course for about
+eight miles over a tolerably grassy plain, in some parts open, with
+atriplex and samphire, and in others rather thickly studded with acacia
+and melaleuca. Ascending a granite hill of 150 feet elevation, the plain
+was observed to the eastward to extend to the horizon, only broken by one
+remarkable bold trap hill at the distance of twenty miles, which was
+eventually named Mount Gould, the main Murchison flowing round its
+southern base, while a considerable tributary from the north-east passed
+close under it to the north-west. To the north of our position the
+country rose into a succession of stony ridges thinly grassed and nearly
+destitute of trees; in the valleys the kangaroo grass was tolerably
+plentiful and quite green--a sufficient evidence that we had now arrived
+within the influence of the rains that had produced the recent
+inundation, which gave us every hope of being able to push across the
+country intervening between this and the Gascoyne. We accordingly altered
+our course to north-west for the remainder of this and the following day,
+crossing several tributaries to the Murchison, in which we found plenty
+of water, and on their banks an abundant supply of grass for our horses,
+the streams being generally divided from each other by low stony ridges
+or plains of red sandy loam, yielding a rather scanty supply of grass.
+
+<p>3rd May.
+
+<p>Having rested the party the previous day, it being Sunday, in latitude 25
+degrees 33 minutes 48 seconds, at a fine pool of fresh water in a stream
+running south, and apparently tributary to the Murchison, we resumed our
+course for three or four miles up a branch of the stream upon which we
+had been encamped, which terminated at a gentle stony ascent; another
+mile brought us to its summit, which proved to be the watershed between
+the Gascoyne and Murchison; its elevation was found to be 1,500 feet
+above the sea. From this ridge a short descent northward led us to the
+head of a watercourse, which we followed in the same direction for
+seventeen miles, augmented by several small tributaries; turning to the
+westward, it formed a junction with another river coming from the
+eastward, in latitude 25 degrees 14 minutes 23 seconds, at an elevation
+of 1,144 feet above the sea.
+
+<p>STONY PLAINS.
+
+<p>The country through which we had passed was a nearly level and barren
+plain, evenly and closely paved with small stones, amongst which a few
+stunted acacia found a precarious existence; to this portion of country
+we gave the characteristic name of Macadam Plains.
+
+<p>GASCOYNE RIVER.
+
+<p>4th May.
+
+<p>The river we had encamped upon the preceding night had a level sandy
+channel thirty-five yards wide, with several shallow pools in its bed; a
+narrow belt of flooded-gum lined either bank, which also produced
+abundance of excellent feed; several of the grasses were new to us,
+yielding a large quantity of seed; further back the pasture was more
+scanty, and of an inferior variety of grass, the trees consisting almost
+entirely of small hakea or acacia.
+
+<p>The features of the country are generally very tame, with the exception
+of a prominent hill of considerable altitude, nearly twenty miles to the
+northward, to which we gave the name of Mount Gascoyne. The summit of
+another range, of less elevation, a little to the northward of west,
+distant fifteen miles, was called Mount Puckford.
+
+<p>Having decided upon following the left bank of the river, with the view
+of ascertaining what tributaries might joint from the southward, we this
+morning took our course for Mount Puckford, touching frequently upon the
+bends of the river, which soon found a junction with a large channel
+coming from the eastward, which ultimately proved to be the main
+Gascoyne; it was still running in a small stream in the bottom of a sandy
+bed, eighty yards wide, traces of recent heavy floods being plentiful. At
+ten miles the river has broken through a ridge of opaline rocks, in
+irregular masses, resembling flints, lying north-east and south-west, and
+a few miles further coming in contact with the south-east foot of Mount
+Puckford, it doubles back round its north-east base, and there takes a
+general north-west course to latitude 24 degrees 36 minutes, and
+longitude 116 degrees east, which we reached by noon of the 7th, a
+considerable tributary joining at this point from the northward. A
+compact sandstone range, resting on a granite base (which was named the
+Lockier Range, after Mr. Lockier Burgess, one of the principal promoters
+of the expedition), here diverts the course of the river to the left,
+which, by sundown, we found was running nearly south. The country for the
+last fifty miles varies but little in character, extensive open plains
+alternating with low granite ridges; the banks of the river, which here
+has acquired a width of 100 yards, with a depth of forty-six feet, being
+in many places stony and cut down by deep muddy creeks, rendering
+travelling both slow and laborious. Several tributaries join from the
+north and south, all of which had very recently ceased to run.
+
+<p>To the north and east were several prominent peaks and ranges of trap
+hills clothed with short herbage; to the highest of the former, a single
+conical peak, with deeply serrated sides, was given the name of Mount
+James, after my friend and fellow-traveller, Mr. James Roe; while two
+lofty summits, far to the northward, were called Mount Samuel and Mount
+Phillips.
+
+<p>The principal feed was found near the banks of the rivers, the back
+country still yielding only a scanty supply of a red-coloured silky grass
+of little value except when quite fresh. A tree resembling the sycamore
+of the Murchison, but with the leaves arranged in triplets, and the seed
+pods in the form of a large bean, grows near the river and attains to two
+feet in diameter, with a height of forty feet; the wood is light and
+spongy, something resembling the Nuytsia floribunda, but not gummy. It is
+formed by the natives into shields, and near the coast into canoes. We
+also found on some of the rocky hills a tree with fruit and flowers
+resembling a small fig, the leaves like a lemon, but yielding an acrid
+milky juice.
+
+<p>Several new species of crested quail and dark-brown pigeons were first
+observed here; the beautiful small doves, common in the northern
+districts, were also seen by thousands; gallinule and the elegant
+Ochaphaps plumafera (crested pigeon of the marshes) were also very
+numerous.
+
+<p>SURPRISE A NATIVE CAMP.
+
+<p>8th May.
+
+<p>Pursuing our course down the left bank, we crossed several stream-beds
+which drain the large tract of country between this and the Murchison.
+The Gascoyne here divides into several broad sandy channels, sometimes as
+much as a mile apart. Towards evening we came upon a native encampment;
+few of the men appeared to have returned from their day's hunting, but we
+observed upwards of thirty women and children, who ran into the bed of
+the river to hide, some of the women immersing their children completely
+under water occasionally to prevent their cry of alarm attracting our
+attention. Although we had before met with and spoken to several natives,
+this was the first opportunity we had of examining into their domestic
+economy. Around their fires, of which there were many, were ranged a
+number of wooden scoops capable of holding from two to four quarts; these
+contained a variety of seed and roots; the most plentiful was a species
+of grain like small plump drake, gathered from a grass much resembling
+wheat, which is very abundant on the alluvial flats, and a root
+resembling an onion not larger than a pistol bullet, a few rats, which
+are very numerous in the grassy flats, and a small variety of samphire
+like a Hottentot fig, formed the principal portion of their evening's
+repast.
+
+<p>The few weapons left by the men consisted of heavy spears, with from
+three to eighteen barbs cut out of the solid wood, the shaft from ten to
+twelve feet in length, large shields resembling those in use by the
+natives at Champion Bay, made from the sycamore, and few skins of the red
+kangaroo, formed their entire camp equipment.
+
+<p>A NIGHT ATTACK.
+
+<p>Leaving everything as we found it, we passed on about two miles and
+encamped for the night on a low sandy island in the bed of the river,
+which was here full of flooded-gums of large growth, there being just
+sufficient grass for our horses immediately around our fire. By 9 o'clock
+our supper had been disposed of, and I had just completed my observations
+for latitude, when we heard the shouts of a large party of natives
+approaching from the direction of their camp; leaving Mr. Roe with two
+others to guard the camp, I advanced with Mr. Moore and Dugel to
+ascertain the object of their visit, which we soon found to be evidently
+hostile, as they came on rapidly, all well armed to the number of sixty
+or seventy, the women and children retiring to some rocky ground, while
+the men advanced lighting the large stacks of drift which were abundant
+in this part of the river. When within about forty yards they halted a
+moment, as we had damped our fire and they could not exactly make out our
+position. Mr. Moore was in the act of removing his horse from the front
+when a fresh fire enabled them to see us, upon which ten or twelve of the
+leading men shipped their spears. Being still desirous, if possible, of
+avoiding a collision, I hesitated to fire upon them; but observing a
+large body of them advancing with the evident intention of attacking Mr.
+Roe and his little party in charge of the camp, I advanced a few steps
+and fired a charge of small shot at the leading men as they were in the
+act of throwing at us. The effect was instantaneous and most salutary, as
+they fled with some precipitation, some of them being evidently wounded.
+We mounted extra guard for the remainder of the night, but they did not
+again venture to attack us.
+
+<p>9th May.
+
+<p>Being Sunday, we only moved a few miles lower down the river for more
+grass, and again found ourselves in close proximity to the natives. In
+the course of the day several of them made their appearance at the top of
+the hill overlooking the camp, but appeared afraid to molest us; they had
+with them several large white dogs which were evidently of Australian
+breed.
+
+<p>10th May.
+
+<p>The river took a south-west course, receiving two large tributaries from
+the south-east, one of ninety and the other of fifty yards in width. The
+flats were wider and large trees more abundant; the recent floods had,
+however, been very destructive to the pasture, and removed much of the
+soil for a considerable distance back from the river. The trap hills here
+ceased to appear; the last remarkable one lay about ten miles south-east
+of our morning's camp, and had been named Mount Dalgetty. Our evening's
+bivouac was found to be in latitude 25 degrees 14 minutes, longitude 115
+degrees 30 minutes east by account, and its elevation 700 feet above the
+sea.
+
+<p>11th May.
+
+<p>Until noon our course along the river was nearly north-west, sandstones
+beginning to crop out on the banks, and the country generally was poor
+and scrubby; from our noon halt to sunset our course was nearly west, our
+bivouac being in latitude 25 degrees 2 minutes. The bed of the river had
+here widened out to 300 yards with an average depth of thirty feet, a
+small stream running through the sand in the bottom. In addition to the
+flooded-gum which grows here abundantly, we observed in the bed of the
+river a melaleuca of large size, like a paper-bark tree, but having broad
+leaves resembling the eucalyptus. During the night the natives were very
+noisy in the vicinity, some of them approaching so close as to startle
+our horses, keeping us well on the alert; the horses on this as on
+several other occasions appear to have been our principal safeguard
+against sudden attack.
+
+<p>FRIENDLY INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES.
+
+<p>12th May.
+
+<p>By the time we had commenced loading our horses, a large body of natives
+had collected and approached to reconnoitre our camp; I advanced towards
+them to keep them in check until the loads were completed. On observing
+that I came alone three natives advanced to meet me, throwing three or
+four spears at me in a friendly way, which I picked up and stuck in the
+ground by my side; this token at once established a good understanding,
+and after an exchange of presents they followed us for many miles down
+the river before quitting us. Towards nightfall several of our friends of
+the morning again made their appearance with a number of strange natives,
+dodging us among the deep muddy ravines which abound at this part of the
+river; their manoeuvres being equivocal and unsatisfactory, we kept well
+on our guard; they, however, ran off at night, on my facing about on
+horseback to drive them away.
+
+<p>Our course during the day had been nearly west twenty-two miles, one
+large tributary having joined the river from the northward, which was
+afterwards named the Lyons, in honour of the gallant admiral of that
+name; this accession had increased the breadth of the channel to 400
+yards. As we drew towards our evening's bivouac the river entered a gorge
+formed by the river cutting through the south end of a flat-topped
+sandstone range of about 1,200 feet elevation above the sea, presenting
+many bold and picturesque outlines and detached summits, terminating in
+abrupt and almost precipitous faces; to this we gave the name of the
+Kennedy Range, in honour of our present Governor.
+
+<p>To the south a detached mass of broken sandstone hills gradually falls
+away in the distance, apparently into a barren scrub similar to those on
+the banks of the lower Murchison, while to the west lay before us an
+extensive plain, unbroken by a single object save a few long ridges of
+red drift sand, clothed with a stunted scrub of melaleuca and acacia. The
+bottom of the gorge we found to be 480 feet above the sea.
+
+<p>13th May.
+
+<p>From this morning to noon of the 15th the country passed over was similar
+to that first described, the sand ridges running north-west and
+south-east at about a quarter of a mile apart; the river keeping a
+general course of west-north-west, its channel deepening to sixty feet,
+and maintaining an average width of 400 yards. Grass was only to be found
+in small patches along the margin of the river; the accumulated waters of
+the late inundations having been confined to one channel, had risen to
+the height of forty-eight feet, carrying away many of the largest timber
+trees, as also much of the soil from the banks, leaving a scene of
+devastation exceeding anything of the kind I had hitherto witnessed.
+
+<p>A small description of Spanish reed was here first observed to grow on
+the margin of the pools. Deep muddy creeks, having only short courses,
+were very numerous, rendering travelling both tedious and intricate.
+
+<p>From noon of the 15th the country gradually opened out to a
+thinly-grassed plain of light alluvial soil, atriplex bushes and acacia
+widely scattered forming almost the entire vegetation; the ground, with
+the exception of the bed of the river, being parched and dry, no rain
+having fallen during the summer to the west of the Lyons River, in
+longitude 115 degrees 30 minutes east.
+
+<p>16th May.
+
+<p>Being Sunday, we only moved four miles lower down the river for better
+feed, the channel widening out to 600 yards.
+
+<p>17th May.
+
+<p>Early to-day the river began to throw off numerous channels to the north
+and south, shedding, when in a flood, a considerable amount of water over
+the adjoining plains, clothing the country in the garb of spring, the
+grass growing luxuriantly along the numerous channels, atriplex and other
+low bushes generally covering the plain, the lowest levels of which were
+extensively covered with fields of mud from one to fourteen inches thick,
+the deposit of a single inundation, yet scarcely hardened by the summer
+sun.
+
+<p>REACH THE COAST AT SHARK'S BAY.
+
+<p>At twenty miles we ascended a sandy ridge of about sixty feet in height,
+from which we had our first view of Shark's Bay, Babbage Island, and the
+mouths of the Gascoyne, now only four miles distant.
+
+<p>Behind the ridge upon which we stood, and for many miles to the
+south-east, the country was still under water from the recent floods,
+while between us and the sea lay a low flat, on which were many patches
+of acacia thicket, alternating with open grassy glades, or fields of
+atriplex and samphire, terminating to the westward in a broad irregular
+belt of mangroves, resting on the shallow margin of the bay.
+
+<p>Descending to the flat, we encamped in a rank patch of grass on the bank
+of the river, about a mile above Babbage Island, the north end of which I
+found to be in latitude 24 degrees 52 minutes, which is four miles north
+of the position as given by Sir G. Grey.
+
+<p>KOLAINA PLAINS.
+
+<p>18th May.
+
+<p>We found no difficulty in crossing the southern mouth on to Babbage
+Island; the tide being low, it was quite dry at the junction. Having,
+with Mr. Roe, walked over the greater part of the island, making a rough
+sketch of its outlines, and completing the requisite observations, while
+the rest of the party were occupied in an unsuccessful attempt to catch
+fish, we retraced our steps and crossed the main channel opposite our
+last night's bivouac, where it is not more than 250 yards wide.
+Continuing our course north-east for nearly a mile, we crossed several
+back channels, some trending towards the Kolaina flat of Sir G. Grey,
+while others were lost in the deep sandy ravines that extend for some
+distance to the north of the river.
+
+<p>While on Babbage Island several natives had waded across the northern
+mouth of the river to meet us, and had returned after a friendly
+interview, in which they apparently described the recent landing of two
+boats with Europeans. We now again fell in with the same natives on the
+north bank, near a large encampment of women and children; the latter
+quickly hid themselves on our approach, but the men assumed a threatening
+attitude, following us for some distance with much clamour. As their
+numbers quickly augmented, and they appeared determined to commence a
+fight, we led them out on to an open plain, where, leaving the
+pack-horses in charge of two of the party, four of us suddenly faced
+about and charged them at a gallop. This harmless manoeuvre had the
+desired effect, several of them having narrowly escaped being trodden
+under foot by the horses. They were very quickly dispersed, and made no
+further attempt to molest us. We encamped this night about six miles
+above Babbage Island.
+
+<p>19th May.
+
+<p>As our object was to explore as far to the northward as circumstances
+would allow, we left the river on a north-east course; but two hours'
+ride across an open plain, through which several channels ran to the
+north-west, brought us to dry barren scrubs, in which it appeared
+hopeless we should find either feed or water; we accordingly altered our
+course to south-east, and made the river again about sundown.
+
+<p>RETURN UP THE RIVER.
+
+<p>20th to 23rd May.
+
+<p>Was occupied in tracing up the north bank of the river in the hope of
+finding a tributary coming in from the northward; but, with the exception
+of one small stream which drains the western face of the Kennedy Range,
+not a single tributary was met with until we arrived at the Lyons River,
+a distance of more than ninety miles from Babbage Island. The country on
+the north bank differs but little from that on the south, except that
+travelling was somewhat easier.
+
+<p>THE LYONS RIVER. ALMA RIVER.
+
+<p>24th May.
+
+<p>Our horses having had a rest, the previous day being Sunday, we made an
+early start, and by noon halted on the Lyons River, a short distance
+above its confluence with the Gascoyne; its channel here was equal in
+magnitude and similar in appearance to the main river; a small stream was
+still flowing through the wide sandy bed, and gradually increased in
+volume for nearly eighty miles up the river. Three miles to the north of
+our midday halt Mr. Roe and myself ascended a deep sandstone peak, from
+which we had a fine view of the Kennedy Range, the nearest part of which
+lay about six miles to the west, extending for nearly thirty miles to the
+northward; the eastern face presents an almost unbroken line of nearly
+perpendicular sandstone, of probably 500 or 600 feet elevation. To the
+north a few remarkable peaks served as valuable points to carry on our
+triangulation, which had been continued almost uninterruptedly from Mount
+Hope, on the Murchison.
+
+<p>To the east were several ranges of flat-topped hills, filling in the
+space between the Lyons and the great southern bend of the Gascoyne;
+while to the south, with the exception of a few very distant peaks, it
+appeared, as far as the eye could reach, to be an uniform plain of open
+but almost grassless scrub.
+
+<p>Having completed our round of angles, we struck south-east to a patch of
+forest on the banks of the river, which we did not reach until sometime
+after dark.
+
+<p>25th May.
+
+<p>From this point to latitude 23 degrees 56 minutes the Lyons maintains a
+general course of north-north-east. The country passed over during to-day
+had evidently been tolerably grassy, but the floods had been quite as
+destructive here as on the Gascoyne, the bed of the river and flats for
+half a mile on each side being mostly choked up or buried under fields of
+fine white sand, which had been brought down by the inundations. In
+several places we observed beds of gypsum and fossil shells with other
+strong indications of the existence of coal in the vicinity. Bivouac in
+latitude 24 degrees 41 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+<p>26th May.
+
+<p>A few miles along the river brought us to a gorge in the eastern edge of
+the sandstones, to the east of which it opened out into extensive plains
+in some parts well grassed, and in others much washed by the river.
+Several trap and granite hills were visible at some distance to the
+northward and eastward. Our bivouac was in latitude 24 degrees 31 minutes
+0.5 seconds, about three miles south of a bold trap-range, the summit of
+which was named Mount Sandiman.
+
+<p>27th May.
+
+<p>The country still maintained its variable character, travelling near the
+river being exceedingly heavy on account of the sand. The morning had
+been calm and sultry, but towards noon a strong breeze set in from the
+north, bringing with it a dense cloud of fine red dust, against which it
+was no easy matter to make head with our horses. Towards evening the
+flats began to improve, and we halted for the night amongst fine grass;
+melons and tobacco growing very luxuriantly. To-night it rained for about
+two hours, clearing the atmosphere of its load of dust.
+
+<p>28th May.
+
+<p>Resuming our course up the river, at four miles we crossed a stream-bed
+forty yards wide, coming in from the north-north-west, and in the course
+of the day passed over several thin beds of opaque opalline rock resting
+upon the sandstone. At our camp, which was in latitude 24 degrees 0.3
+minutes 0.8 seconds, granite began to make its appearance in the bed of
+the river.
+
+<p>29th May.
+
+<p>Our pack-horses having now been much lightened of their loads, we were
+to-day for the first time able to trot for several hours; and as the
+country still improved, several fine grassy valleys coming in from the
+eastward, we made considerable progress.
+
+<p>ALMA RIVER.
+
+<p>At our noon halt Mr. Moore and myself ascended a hill of red schist of
+300 or 400 feet elevation, in latitude 23 degrees 57 minutes 15 seconds,
+which had been named Mount Thompson. From this hill we had an extensive
+view of the surrounding country; close to the northern foot the river
+divided into two nearly equal parts--one coming from the north-north-east
+we named the Alma. To the north, just resting on the edge of the tropic,
+lay a compact range through which there was apparently but one break, and
+that was on the line of the Alma; from the southern face of this range,
+which extends nearly forty miles to the eastward, numerous streams take
+their rise and flow southward into the Lyons, which had altered its
+course and was now coming from the east-south-east. Our intention had
+been to keep our course until we had touched upon the tropic; but as the
+Alma was not running, we decided upon following the main course of the
+stream, and accordingly adopted an easterly course for the remainder of
+the day, encamping about six miles to the east of Mount Thompson. The
+river here was much narrower, with a rocky bed containing many pools of
+permanent character, overshadowed by flooded-gums of large growth, much
+resembling the Eucalyptus piperita of the flats of the Swan, but not
+possessing the same pungent leaf.
+
+<p>30th May (Sunday).
+
+<p>Found our latitude to be 23 degrees 58 minutes 32 seconds, and longitude
+111 degrees east by account.
+
+<p>31st May.
+
+<p>NATIVE TOBACCO.
+
+<p>We started off at a quick pace, clearing sixteen miles by noon, over some
+fine open grassy flats, timbered for nearly a mile back from the river;
+one tributary 100 yards wide having joined from the north, and a smaller
+one from the south. Leaving the party busily occupied catching fish,
+which were abundant in this part of the river and much resembling those
+found in the Murchison, but larger, some of them being upwards of a pound
+in weight, I walked with Mr. Nairn to the summit of a granite hill two
+miles to the northward, from which I had a number of cross-bearings to
+hills already observed from Mount Thompson. One of considerable elevation
+bearing north 121 degrees 30 minutes east, distance fifty miles, lay
+directly up the valley of the river, and was ultimately named Mount
+Augustus, after my brother, now conducting the expedition in quest of the
+remains of Dr. Leichhardt. Pushing on twelve miles further, we halted for
+the night in latitude 23 degrees 59 minutes 39 seconds. Tobacco here grew
+to sufficient size for manufacture, occupying many hundred acres of the
+best land; a plant much resembling stramonium was also abundant on the
+moist land, yielding a strongly offensive odour from its leaves.
+
+<p>1st June.
+
+<p>For the first twelve miles along the river the flats much improved, and
+were only occasionally broken up by stony ridges; good country was seen
+to extend up the tributaries, several of which came in from the north. To
+the south, at two or three miles distant, and running parallel to the
+river for many miles, was an even grassy range of moderate elevation
+nearly destitute of trees or bushes; the acacia and melaleuca, which had
+hitherto generally covered the plains, was evidently fast giving way to
+an open undulating and thinly-grassed country, the back lands being
+however still too stony to yield much pasture, the summer grass being
+already parched and dry, the flats alone continuing moist and verdant.
+
+<p>At our noon halt the main river had ceased to flow, but a tributary
+coming from the north-east had a small stream still running in the bottom
+of a muddy channel down which the recent floods had brought flags and
+portions of bulrush, the only instance throughout the district in which
+we had observed them.
+
+<p>The next ten miles passed over between this and sunset was chiefly an
+alluvial flat, much resembling the fertile lands near the mouth of the
+Greenough; the acacias and several varieties of melaleuca, amongst which
+was the Callistemon phoeniceus, with its beautiful scarlet flowers, were
+growing with tropical luxuriance, the soil in many places being still
+saturated with moisture. A water-melon was here first observed, the fruit
+not attaining to more than two inches in length, but not otherwise
+differing from the cultivated kinds; we also found a fruit in shape like
+a pear, three inches in length, growing on a small creeper, the interior
+of the fruit consisting of a number of small flat seeds, to which were
+attached a bundle of long silky fibres resembling cotton. Our bivouac was
+in latitude 24 degrees 7 minutes 52 seconds, near a fine pool of fresh
+water, with limestone cropping out in a thin bed on the banks; we had
+frequently met with it distributed in small nodules scattered over a
+large portion of the country on the Upper Murchison.
+
+<p>Since quitting the mouth of the Gascoyne we had seen natives almost
+daily; to-night we again found ourselves in close proximity to a large
+encampment of them.
+
+<p>2nd June.
+
+<p>Our neighbours paid us an early visit this morning, some of them
+evidently bent on mischief, but were restrained by others more
+prudent--not, however, before it had nearly cost one of them his life;
+having pointed a spear at Mr. Moore, Dugel, whose natural instincts are
+very destructive, hastily took aim at him, but fortunately pulled the
+wrong trigger, which just gave his adversary time to lower his weapon; on
+our mounting our horses they hastily fell back and joined their other
+companions at their camp, which was just in our line of march; about
+thirty of them awaited our approach with some tokens of defiance, but
+most of them decamped on our coming within spear's throw.
+
+<p>MOUNT AUGUSTUS 3,480 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
+
+<p>Directing our course for Mount Augustus, we pushed on at a rapid pace
+with the object of ascending it if possible before sundown; but after
+riding twenty miles, we found it to be farther off than we anticipated,
+and accordingly altered our course and encamped at a pool in the river
+about three miles north-east of the mount, in latitude 24 degrees 20
+minutes, and at an elevation of 1500 feet above the sea.
+
+<p>We here met with strong evidences of the cannibalism of the natives; at a
+recently occupied encampment we found several of the bones of a
+full-grown native that had been cooked, the teeth marks on the edges of a
+bladebone bearing conclusive evidence as to the purpose to which it had
+been applied; some of the ribs were lying by the huts with a portion of
+the meat still on them.
+
+<p>Nearly the whole of the country passed over this day was an alluvial flat
+extending on the south-west to the grassy range already described, while
+to the north and east it extended for many miles, branching out into the
+numerous valleys that drain the different ranges in that direction; the
+grass and vegetation on these flats is not so rank as on that traversed
+the previous day, but more even, and the soil better adapted for
+agriculture; the amount of good land on this part of the Lyons River was
+estimated at 150 square miles, while on the tributaries between Mount
+Thompson and Mount Augustus I have no doubt that there is as much more.
+Water at this time was plentiful in the numerous channels that intersect
+the plain, their permanency being the only matter of doubt--our limited
+acquaintance with the nature of the seasons in these latitudes does not
+enable us to decide with any degree of certainty; the pools lower down
+the river are unquestionably of a permanent character, but many of them
+were already becoming brackish.
+
+<p>The quantity of game seen in this part of the country was also a
+favourable indication. Turkeys, and a new variety of pigeon, having a
+brown back and slate-coloured breast, on the wing resembling a tame
+pigeon, congregate in flights sometimes of a thousand together; emus,
+cockatoos, quail, and parakeets are also very numerous, particularly the
+latter.
+
+<p>3rd June.
+
+<p>A gentle ascent of two and a half miles brought us to the foot of Mount
+Augustus, where, leaving our horses in charge of Fairburn and Dugel, we
+commenced the ascent up the only accessible point on this side of the
+hill; it required two hours' heavy toil to bring us to the summit, the
+barometer gradually falling until it only registered 26.10, which,
+compared with the simultaneous observations kept at Champion Bay by Mr.
+H. Gray, gives an elevation of 3,480 feet above the level of the sea; the
+last 500 feet of the summit being clothed in thickets of melaleuca,
+amongst which grew a nondescript variety of red gum-tree, the only new
+thing observed in this locality. The air was fortunately very clear,
+enabling us to take bearings to almost every remarkable summit within
+eighty miles, and in two instances to hills more than a hundred miles
+distant.
+
+<p>From this commanding position I was enabled to sketch in the courses of
+the rivers for more than twenty miles, some of them probably taking their
+rise from 60 to 100 miles still further to the eastward. To the
+north-east the country continued to improve in appearance until the view
+was intercepted by bold ranges of trap and granite--one of which bearing
+north 32 degrees east magnetic, distant nearly 100 miles, having a sharp
+volcanic outline, reared its summit above all the rest. To the south-east
+the country was not quite so promising, the ridges presenting naked stony
+outlines, upon which was only a little scanty grass or a few bushes; to
+the south it was almost an uninterrupted plain, extending nearly as far
+as the Murchison River, over which lay our homeward course. Descending
+the mount, we encamped at a spring in some fine feed close at its foot.
+
+<p>RETURN TOWARDS SETTLEMENTS.
+
+<p>4th June.
+
+<p>As we had now been out fifty-one days, and our provisions were only
+calculated to last twenty-four days longer, although we had reduced our
+allowance shortly after quitting the Geraldine Mine, we were reluctantly
+compelled to turn our steps homewards, being still 360 miles from the
+settled districts; passing, therefore, over the eastern foot of Mount
+Augustus, we pursued a south-south-east course for twenty miles over
+alternating grassy plains and stony ridges, and encamped on the river
+with a sandy bed, in which were a few shallow pools, its trend bearing
+north-north-west, and probably joins the Gascoyne near the Lockier Range.
+The feed on this river, as well as on those between this and the
+Murchison, was principally kangaroo-grass of strong growth; the course of
+the streams being easily traceable from a distance by the flooded-gum
+trees that invariably lined their margins.
+
+<p>5th June.
+
+<p>A south course of ten miles over a poor stony country brought us to the
+head of a stream, which, following in the same direction to latitude 24
+degrees 51 minutes 52 seconds, we found plenty of feed on its banks and
+pools of water in its bed, which was here thirty yards wide; the
+principal features of the adjacent country being low granite ridges,
+intersected by occasional quartz dykes, alternating with chlorite schist.
+
+<p>6th June (Sunday).
+
+<p>7th June.
+
+<p>Following a south-south-east course, at six miles the stream turned to
+the south-west. Passing over several miles of stony country, in latitude
+24 degrees 59 minutes 32 seconds, we crossed another stream-bed forty
+yards wide, running to the westward, and forming a junction with the last
+at some miles distant. Towards sundown we came upon a recently inundated
+plain, and a mile further struck a grassy channel thirty yards wide,
+which had barely ceased running, the soil for some distance on either
+bank being a strong red loam, yielding a fair supply of pasture. This
+channel we afterward found to be only one of several which formed the
+main branch of the Gascoyne. The observed latitude was 25 degrees 6
+minutes 30 seconds, and elevation 1,740 feet above the sea.
+
+<p>8th June.
+
+<p>A mile farther we came upon the main channel of the river, with a wide
+shallow bed, down which a small stream was still running; the flats were
+well grassed, and the flooded-gums growing for more than a mile back from
+the river. To the eastward the country continued level and grassy as far
+as the eye could reach; our time was, however, too limited to admit of
+our making any further examination of this promising tract. A party of
+twenty or thirty natives were encamped here, and were apparently living
+upon the roots of the convolvulus, which grows in the vicinity in great
+abundance.
+
+<p>For fifteen miles to the south-east it continued a level plain of red
+loam, tolerably well grassed and covered with an open wood of acacia; the
+next eight miles was over a poor stony ridge of moderate elevation,
+terminating at a large dry stream-bed, in latitude 25 degrees 24 minutes
+16 seconds, with some fine kangaroo-grass on its banks.
+
+<p>9th June.
+
+<p>Ten miles south, over a granite country, we struck the head of a
+watercourse, which, after winding about for sixteen miles, ran close to
+the western foot of Mount Gould, where we encamped at its junction with
+another small stream coming from the northward. The country passed over
+to-day was generally very stony until we came within a few miles of Mount
+Gould.
+
+<p>10th June.
+
+<p>Taking our course direct for Mount Hale, the pasture rapidly improved; at
+ten miles the watercourse we had been following formed a junction with
+the main Murchison, coming in from the eastward. From the appearance of
+the river at this point, it is probable that it takes its rise nearly
+another 100 miles farther to the north-east. The next thirteen miles down
+the river was fair average cattle pasture, extending for several miles to
+the right and left; open flats of atriplex and samphire occurring at
+intervals.
+
+<p>11th June.
+
+<p>The river soon divided into several channels, shedding its waters over a
+fine alluvial flat, of considerable extent, yielding a rich sward of
+grass, under flooded-gums of large growth. A little after noon we came
+upon our outward track, and encamped at night near the north-west bend of
+the Murchison.
+
+<p>DOWN THE MURCHISON.
+
+<p>12th to 22nd June.
+
+<p>Was occupied in descending the river to the Geraldine Mine, cutting off
+several bends of the river, and making such additions to our sketch of
+the outward route as circumstances would admit.
+
+<p>RETURN TO PERTH.
+
+<p>23rd June.
+
+<p>We all arrived safe at the hospitable residence of Mr. W. Burges, on the
+Irwin; the following day being occupied in making up the accounts
+connected with the expedition, which, including the whole of the cash
+expenditure, did not exceed 40 pounds, which sum had already been
+subscribed by a few settlers interested in the undertaking.
+
+<p>Quitting the Irwin on the 1st of July, and proceeding by way of
+Dandaragan and Toodyay, I arrived, with Mr. Roe and chainer Fairburn, in
+Perth on the 10th instant, having accomplished a journey of nearly 2000
+miles in 107 days.
+
+<p>On reviewing the foregoing report, I find it necessary to add a few
+observations on subjects that could not well be introduced into the body
+of the narrative.
+
+<p>GEOLOGY OF COUNTRY.
+
+<p>In the first place, viewing the geographical and geological features in
+combination, the tract of country contained within the 114th and 118th
+parallels of longitude, and the 24th and 27th degrees of south latitude,
+may be considered as an inclined plane, the eastern edge of which has an
+elevation of about 1700 feet above the level of the sea. Commencing from
+the coast, the first 100 miles is almost exclusively of tertiary
+sandstone formation, which the process of denudation has, in many
+instances, converted into either stony or sandy tracts, rarely fertile,
+except when subject to the influence of frequent inundation. This region
+seldom gives rise to rivers or watercourses; the flat-topped ranges,
+which are often found towards the eastern limits of this formation, do
+not generally exceed 500 or 600 feet in altitude, and are only those
+portions of country that have not as yet yielded to the waste of time, or
+the constant action of rivers, which, rising in the higher lands more to
+the eastward, rapidly abrade, and in their onward course remove the soft
+and porous sandstone from their bases.
+
+<p>In the deeper valleys, towards the eastern edge of these sandstones thin
+beds of oolitic limestone, containing numerous fossil shells,
+occasionally occur; also gypsum and clayey shales, with other indications
+of the probable existence of coal in the vicinity; following the series
+appears a compact, fine-grained amorphous sandstone, having an almost
+flinty fracture; this rock, in a few miles, gives place to granite and
+gneiss, frequently broken up by the upheaval of whinstone and porphyritic
+trap hills, having an elevation of from 100 to 500 feet above the plain.
+
+<p>As we proceeded eastward, the eruptive rocks became more numerous;
+chlorite slate, veins of quartz, chert, and variegated jasper, frequently
+forming the summits of the most elevated hills, while, on the general
+level of the plain, are occasionally found thin beds of ancient lava.
+
+<p>The rivers, unlike most others in Western Australia, have nearly an even
+fall throughout their entire length, amounting on an average to six feet
+per mile; this, in a country subject to the sudden fall of almost
+tropical rains, is what gives rise to the destructive inundations already
+described.
+
+<p>CLIMATE.
+
+<p>Of the climate and seasons so little is at present known that, allowing
+all other difficulties to have been overcome, it would be very hazardous
+to risk flocks and herds beyond the head of the Murchison until the
+country has again been visited at a different period of the year, as it
+is probably that it has as yet only been seen under the most favourable
+conditions.
+
+<p>The fluctuations of the temperature are occasionally considerable; in the
+middle of June it some days amounted to 46 degrees in six
+hours--registering, at 7 a.m., 36 degrees, and at 1 p.m., 82 degrees; ice
+having been seen as far north as latitude 24 degrees 30 minutes.
+
+<p>The prevailing winds during the period of inundation appear to have been
+from the south-east, as most of the trees blown down while the soil was
+in a state of saturation lay with their tops to the north-west. In May
+and June the winds ranged between north-east and south-east.
+
+<p>Of the regularity of the return of the summer rains it is at present
+difficult to form a decided opinion; but, as far as observation would
+admit, I am inclined to think they cannot be relied on with any degree of
+certainty, to the southward of the 25th degree of latitude. The period at
+which they fall being about January and February, it is a significant
+fact that the grasses found buried beneath the mud during these months
+had generally attained only to nearly half their growth.
+
+<p>AREA OF AVAILABLE COUNTRY.
+
+<p>With regard to the quantity and distribution of the available lands, it
+will only be necessary to observe that, with the exception of 30,000 or
+40,000 acres at the mouth of the Gascoyne, there is no land worth
+occupying for many years to come to the west of the Lyons River; the
+amount of land on this river has already been estimated at nearly 300
+square miles, while on the Upper Gascoyne and its tributaries there is
+probably double that quantity; this, with the lands on the Murchison near
+Mount Hale, would make a total of about a million of acres.
+
+<p>A very important circumstance in connection with this district is the
+total absence, so far as we were able to observe, of any of the varieties
+of gastrolobium or euphorbia, which constitute the poisonous plants so
+fatal to cattle and sheep in other parts of the colony.
+
+<p>The means of access to the Upper Gascoyne and Lyons is another important
+matter for consideration. I am inclined to think that this district
+cannot be advantageously settled until the tract of country between it
+and the north coast has been explored, and a port established somewhere
+between Exmouth Gulf and Depuch Island, as, should the country in that
+direction fulfil its promise, the intervening space would very quickly be
+filled up, and the lands on the Gascoyne become available, its distance
+from the north coast being about 200 miles, while from Port Gregory or
+Champion Bay would not be less than from 340 to 360 miles--a difference
+of some moment in the transport of stores or produce.
+
+<p>From the lay of the country to the northward of the Lyons River there
+does not appear to be any reason to suppose that a river of any magnitude
+falls into Exmouth Gulf, as there would be hardly room for it between the
+sources of the Alma and the rivers flowing to the north coast.
+
+<p>I cannot bring my report to a conclusion without recording my
+acknowledgments to Mr. James Roe for the able and effective assistance he
+has rendered me throughout the expedition, the barometrical observations
+and management of the provision department having been especially under
+his charge.
+
+<p>My best thanks are also due to Mr. W.D. Moore and Mr. C. Nairn, who on
+every occasion endeavoured to relieve me as much as possible from some of
+the many arduous duties that usually devolve on the leader of an
+exploring party. Chainer Fairburn and the native Dugel also gave general
+satisfaction in the performance of their respective duties.
+
+<p>I may add that to the ready cooperation and unanimity that prevailed
+throughout the party may in no small degree be ascribed the successful
+issue of the undertaking.
+
+<p>I have the honour to be, Sir, etc.,
+
+<p>F.T. GREGORY,
+
+<p>Assistant Surveyor.
+
+<p>To the Honourable the Surveyor-General, etc.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="50%">
+
+<a name="six"></a>
+
+<h3>NORTH-WEST COAST.</h3>
+
+<h4>1861.</h4>
+
+<p>ORIGIN OF EXPEDITION TO NORTH-WEST AUSTRALIA.
+
+<p>The important additions to geographical discovery, and the large extent
+of valuable pastoral country that had been found on the Gascoyne River
+and its tributaries, attracted the attention of a number of English
+capitalists interested in cotton manufactures, which were then in a very
+depressed condition in consequence of the civil war in America, it was
+proposed to establish a new colony on the north-west coast of Australia,
+having for its special object the cultivation of cotton.
+
+<p>Advantage was taken of the presence of Mr. F. Gregory in London to urge
+on the Home Government and the Royal Geographical Society the
+desirability of fitting out an expedition to proceed direct to the
+north-west coast of Australia, accompanied by a large body of Asiatic
+labourers, and all the necessary appliances for the establishment of a
+colony.
+
+<p>Under the advice of Captain Roe, Surveyor-General of Western Australia,
+and other gentlemen well acquainted with the subject, the scheme was
+modified so as to have the country explored as a preliminary to actual
+settlement, and for this purpose a grant of 2000 pounds was obtained from
+the Imperial Government, to be supplemented by an equal subsidy by the
+Colonial Treasury.
+
+<p>Accordingly Mr. Gregory obtained a suitable outfit for the party in
+London, and early in 1861 proceeded to Western Australia to confer with
+the Governor as to the requisite details; but owing to the delays caused
+by a part of the funds having to be provided by a vote of the local
+Legislature, the expedition did not finally leave Fremantle until 23rd
+April, 1861--nearly two months later in the season than it should have
+done, as the rainy season in North-west Australia terminates about the
+beginning of March.
+
+<p>The following is an abstract of the journal and report of Mr. Gregory to
+the Governor of Western Australia:--
+
+<p>JOURNAL OF THE NORTH-WEST AUSTRALIAN EXPLORING EXPEDITION.
+
+<p>20th April, 1861.
+
+<p>All the preliminary arrangements in Perth having been completed, and the
+stores and equipment of the expedition already sent on board the barque
+Dolphin, I proceeded to Fremantle and shipped the ten horses that had
+been furnished by the settlers in this part of the colony; the remainder
+of the hay and water being also completed by 2 p.m., we were prepared to
+sail, when the agent for the vessel raised objections to our departure,
+on the plea that the arrangements for the payments on account of the
+charter were not satisfactory. Wrote accordingly by express to the
+Private Secretary for an acknowledgment that the requisite documents were
+complete.
+
+<p>21st April.
+
+<p>Received reply from the Private Secretary to the effect that everything
+necessary had been approved of already by the Governor; the agent would
+not, however, allow the vessel to leave until he had actually received
+the first instalment on account of the charter from the Colonial
+Treasurer.
+
+<p>22nd April.
+
+<p>Accompanied Mr. Manning and Captain Dixon to Perth, when they were
+informed by the Colonial Treasurer that the money would be forthcoming on
+the presentation of the accounts. Returned to Fremantle, where we were
+detained for the remainder of the day to enable the agent to close his
+accounts.
+
+<p>23rd April.
+
+<p>Went on board the Dolphin at 7 a.m., and by 11 a.m. got underweigh, with
+a fresh breeze from the east-north-east, and stood to the
+north-north-west. The portion of the exploring party embarked at
+Fremantle comprised the following persons: F.T. Gregory, commander; J.
+Turner, assistant and storekeeper; E. Brockman, W.S. Hall, and J.
+McCourt, assistants; and A. James, farrier. Supplies of flour, salt pork,
+dried beef, preserved meat, bacon, sugar, tea, etc., sufficient for eight
+months, were provided for a party of nine; three more volunteers and ten
+horses having yet to be taken on board at Champion Bay.
+
+<p>24th April.
+
+<p>Light winds from the north; at noon sighted land, in latitude 31 degrees
+28 minutes 12 seconds south; all hands attending to horses.
+
+<p>25th April.
+
+<p>Experienced variable and contrary winds; made but little progress.
+
+<p>26th April.
+
+<p>Weather cloudy, winds unfavourable; had a distant view of Mount Lesueur.
+
+<p>CHAMPION BAY.
+
+<p>27th April.
+
+<p>Sighted Mount Hill soon after daylight, rain and squalls rendering it
+difficult to distinguish the coast; the weather clearing up, ran into
+Champion Bay, and came to anchor by noon, half a mile north of the jetty,
+in four fathoms; landed and procured a horse from the Government
+Resident, and rode out to Mr. K. Brown's station.
+
+<p>28th April.
+
+<p>Procured a horse for the expedition from Mr. W. Moore, on account of
+Hamersley and Company, and returned with it to the Bay.
+
+<p>29th April.
+
+<p>Sent round to the rest of the subscribers of horses to the expedition;
+party employed filling up ship's water-tanks.
+
+<p>30th April.
+
+<p>Mr. J. Harding arrived, as a volunteer, with two horses from Mr. W.
+Burges; also Mr. M. Brown, as a volunteer, with one horse. The following
+gentlemen also sent horses: Messrs. J.S. Davis, 2; F. DuBoulay, 1; C. von
+Bibra, 1; H. Gray, 1; M. Morrissey, 1; and J. Drummond, 12 sheep. Mr. P.
+Walcott joined as a volunteer for the collection of specimens of natural
+history and botany. Ship's crew employed discharging the remainder of the
+cargo from England, consigned to Champion Bay.
+
+<p>1st May.
+
+<p>With the assistance of a number of gentlemen who kindly volunteered their
+aid, the ten additional horses were safely swum off to the Dolphin;
+Captain Dixon and his crew being employed landing a steam-engine. Wrote
+to His excellency the Governor, reporting intention to sail to-morrow.
+
+<p>CHAMPION BAY TO NICKOL BAY.
+
+<p>2nd May.
+
+<p>Wrote to the Secretary of the Royal Geographical Society, reporting
+progress of the expedition. Transferred order for twenty sheep,
+subscribed by J. Williams, to Mr. T. Burges. Took on board twelve sheep
+sent by Mr. Drummond, and closed accounts at the bay. Party fitting up
+mangers, etc. At 5.30 p.m. got underweigh and stood to the north-west,
+the soundings for five miles varying from three and three-quarters to
+seven fathoms; the sea breaking heavily for about a mile in a northerly
+direction from the end of the sheltering reef, showing a much greater
+extent of shoalwater than is noted on the charts. Established a routine
+of watches of two hours each, for the members of the expedition to attend
+upon the horses.
+
+<p>3rd May.
+
+<p>By observations at noon, found the latitude to be 26 degrees 53 minutes
+south; longitude 112 degrees 33 minutes east. Party preparing equipment,
+drying horse-slings, etc. Wind light from south-east.
+
+<p>4th May.
+
+<p>Putting pack-saddles together, covering water-belts, etc.; light wind
+from south, ship making from one to four knots; course north by east.
+Increased allowance of water to horses from four or five gallons each, on
+account of the heat of the hold. Killed a sheep.
+
+<p>Latitude at noon, 25 degrees 40 minutes south; longitude 112 degrees 1
+minute east.
+
+<p>5th May (Sunday).
+
+<p>Held Divine service; passed through several drifts of seaweed at noon, in
+latitude 25 degrees 43 minutes 34 seconds south, longitude 112 degrees 5
+minutes east, showing a southerly current of nearly two miles per hour;
+cloudy, with light winds from south-east and south.
+
+<p>6th May.
+
+<p>At noon sighted Cape Cuvier, bearing east twenty miles; latitude 23
+degrees 52 minutes; longitude 112 degrees 53 minutes east; current of
+nineteen miles south in twenty-four hours.
+
+<p>7th May.
+
+<p>North-west Cape was visible at noon, bearing east three-quarters north,
+distant twenty-five miles; our latitude being 22 degrees south; and
+longitude 113 degrees 18 minutes east. The Cape appears to have an
+elevation of 500 or 600 feet, and to be of a sandstone formation; the
+soil back of the hills appearing good, and clothed at this period of the
+year with an abundance of grass, wattles of large growth and flooded-gum
+trees growing on the slopes; the character of some of the lower hills and
+valleys is that of a mineral district.
+
+<p>8th May.
+
+<p>Passed through many patches of drifting seaweed coming from the eastward.
+Light south-east winds and cloudy weather.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 24 minutes south; longitude 114 degrees 37 minutes
+east, at noon.
+
+<p>9th May.
+
+<p>Richie's Reef cannot be in the position shown on the charts, as we sailed
+over it, and saw no broken water. At noon found our latitude to be 19
+degrees 58 minutes south; longitude 115 degrees 23 minutes east; light
+winds from the south-east, and a current of half a mile per hour setting
+to the west or north-west.
+
+<p>10th May.
+
+<p>At daylight sighted Legendre Island to the south-east, distant ten miles.
+Ran east-north-east till 10 a.m., with fresh breeze; tacked to south-west
+with wind at east; by noon it fell calm, having fetched to within ten
+miles of the north end of Delambre Island. At 5 p.m. a light wind from
+the north-west enabled us to run in and drop anchor at 6.0 in thirteen
+fathoms, the south end of Delambre bearing east about three miles; at
+11.0 a strong breeze sprung up from the south-east, freshening to a gale
+by 2 a.m. of the 11th. Tide setting to south-west at four miles per hour,
+with a rise of sixteen feet.
+
+<p>STRONG TIDES PREVENT LANDING.
+
+<p>11th May.
+
+<p>The gale continued to 11 a.m., when it moderated; the tide being full at
+about noon. Got underweigh at 1 p.m., and stood to the south-west, under
+topsails, stemming a strong ebb tide to 3.30, when we came to anchor in
+five fathoms (sand and shells), about three miles from the western shore
+of the bay, Sloping Head bearing north by east five miles. The water of
+the bay is much discoloured, being of a deep reddish-brown. In passing
+down the shore we observed that the whole of what is shown on the chart
+as a promontory, extending to the north of Sloping Head, is an island,
+with a channel nearly half a mile wide, separating it from the main; to
+the outer portion was given the name of Dolphin Island. At 4 p.m. left
+the ship in the life boat, accompanied by Captain Dixon, Mr. Hall, and
+four men, and took soundings for six miles to the south-west down the
+centre of the bay, finding five and six fathoms all the way; the water
+then shoaled to three fathoms, when, being within a mile of the head of
+the bay, it became dark. Pulling about two miles to the south-east, it
+gradually shoaled to one foot, when we grounded, and remained there till
+11 p.m., when the tide being at full we pulled for the ship, but not
+seeing her lights by 1 a.m. on the 12th, and the men being much fatigued,
+we lay on our oars for an hour, and then took a stretch for two miles to
+the south-south-east, to get under the shelter of the south-east shore of
+the bay, when, having no anchor, we lay-to till daylight, by which time
+the boat had drifted into heavy rollers under the high rocky land at the
+south-west head of the bay; the wind having risen so much that the boat
+was only kept afloat by keeping her head to the sea. As we could not
+observe any spot at which we could land without the risk of swamping the
+boat and wetting our firearms, we continued pulling towards the ship, the
+ebb tide assisting us until 2 p.m., when just as all hands were becoming
+thoroughly tired out, a boat was sent from the Dolphin to our relief,
+with a timely supply of biscuit and brandy, which, with the assistance of
+a tow-line, enabled us to reach the ship by 3 p.m., very thankful that we
+had escaped what at one time appeared likely to have proved a serious
+disaster.
+
+<p>LANDING EFFECTED.
+
+<p>13th May.
+
+<p>In the morning it blew so fresh from the eastward that Captain Dixon did
+not like to move the vessel until 2 p.m., when we stood to the south for
+about four miles, and came to anchor in four fathoms. Taking the
+life-boat and cutter, both well-manned, we pulled south to the shore
+about three miles, the water gradually shoaling until at half a mile from
+the shore the boats grounded on a sandbank, from which we walked, through
+mud, shells, and coral, to a belt of mangroves about fifty yards through,
+behind which rose a sandbank about thirty feet high, covered with flowers
+and coarse grass; from this to the foot of a range of rugged metamorphic
+sandstone, a distance of half a mile, was an open, undulating, loamy
+plain, covered with grass just arriving at maturity, a few small wattles,
+hakea, and white-gum trees. As the sun had now set, we had only just time
+to ascend a few hundred feet up the rocky ridge, from which elevation
+could be discerned a sheet of water about a mile to the eastward, which
+we attempted to reach, but it became so dark that it was found better to
+return to the boats, which were now high and dry. By 8 p.m. the tide had
+risen sufficiently to admit of Captain Dixon's return to the Dolphin,
+while I remained with a portion of my own party to make further
+examination in the morning; the leaky state of the cutter keeping one of
+us bailing through the night.
+
+<p>14th May.
+
+<p>With Messrs. Turner, Brown, Harding, and Brockman, landed at 7 a.m., and
+walked to the sheet of water observed last night, but found it only a
+tidal inlet, terminating in a salt marsh. Continuing on our course for
+five miles to the south-east, across a grassy plain, the soil being a
+light brown loam, with occasional patches of quartz and gneiss pebbles,
+and beds of limestone in irregular nodules, in an hour and a half arrived
+at a deep stony watercourse, containing some small pools of brackish
+water. This stream was followed up to the southward about a mile, but
+found to be dry, and did not appear to come from a greater distance than
+twenty miles. This river was named the Nickol. The country to the south
+not being very promising, we turned to the westward, recrossing the plain
+more to the south, passing several hollows, in which the rainwater had
+very recently rested, leaving a rich alluvial deposit from which had
+sprung up a splendid sward of grass, which was still quite green. Not
+meeting with water in this direction, and the party not being yet in full
+training, we were glad to return to the boat, which was reached by 2
+p.m.; the tide being now in, enabled her to come in close to the beach,
+the rise being found to be about sixteen feet. By 5.0 we had returned to
+the ship, all tolerably well fatigued with our first day's march on
+shore.
+
+<p>INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES.
+
+<p>15th May.
+
+<p>Not being satisfied to land the horses on a shore devoid of water, I
+determined to attempt a landing in a small sandy cove in the high rocky
+shore on the west of the bay, which we had been afraid to enter during
+the gale on the 12th. Leaving the ship with two boats and provisions for
+the day, we pulled for the little cove about four miles distant, bearing
+west by north. For the first three miles the soundings did not show less
+than three fathoms, with an even sandy bottom, the last mile shoaling
+gradually to the beach; the landing being easily effected, as there now
+was but little surf. The shore was found to be generally very sandy, a
+low flat valley extending from the head of the cove across the isthmus
+about two miles to Mermaid Strait, where it terminated in a muddy
+mangrove creek. In about half an hour several wells were found, some
+containing rather brackish water, but one, about eight feet deep, in a
+hollow under a steep range of bare volcanic and granite hills, not more
+than 200 yards from the beach, was found to contain an abundant supply of
+good water; grass being plentiful and of fine quality in the valleys
+under the hills. Our principal requirements being now satisfied, it only
+remained to bring the ship in near enough to land the horses. On our
+return to the Dolphin we found that she had been visited by two natives,
+who had paddled off on logs of wood, shaped like canoes, not hollow, but
+very bouyant, about seven feet long and one foot thick, which they
+propelled with their hands only, their legs resting on a little rail made
+of small sticks driven in on each side. At first they were afraid to come
+on board, but on friendly signs being made, they ascended the ladder that
+had been put down for them. They were both fine-looking men, of about
+forty years of age, above the middle stature, one measuring six feet four
+inches, and the other five feet eight inches; their hair straight and
+black, teeth regular, and general features characteristic of the tribes
+on the west coast; their bodies were rather more spare, and had not on
+them a vestige of clothing. The Champion Bay dialect was quite
+incomprehensible to them; they, however, knew the use of both biscuit and
+tobacco, some of which was given them. After remaining several hours on
+board, they took their departure for the eastern shore of the bay,
+distant at least six miles, promising by signs to repeat their visit the
+next day. It is worthy of remark that neither of these natives were
+circumcised, or had lost the front teeth, as is common on this coast
+further to the eastward. Their fearlessness and confidence in the good
+faith of Europeans would lead to the impression that this was not their
+first acquaintance with vessels on the coast. It was not far from this
+place that Captain P.P. King had a visit from natives similarly equipped
+more than forty years ago. While on shore to-day several new and very
+beautiful plants and flowers were observed, amongst them one in
+particular, which, without exception, is the handsomest shrub I have ever
+seen in Australia; in form the plant resembles a large chandelier, with a
+series of branches springing from a centre stem in sets of five each; on
+these are short erect stems a few inches apart, carrying five beautiful
+deep crimson dragon flowers, nearly three inches in length, grouped like
+lustres, producing a very gorgeous effect; the leaves of the plant are
+elegantly formed, like those of the mountain ash, and are of a rich
+green. A purple flowering bean, the seeds of which are the size of the
+English horse-bean, is here found in abundance, and are eaten by the
+natives. Melons similar to those formerly seen by me on the Gascoyne,
+several varieties of brachychiton, a small variety of the adansonia,
+three or four different kinds of convolvulus (one of which runs along the
+sands near the beach with arms sometimes as much as forty yards in
+length), acacias, sterculia, and a variety of eucalyptus resembling a
+stunted red-gum, are also found growing among the hills in small
+quantities.
+
+<p>ACCIDENT FROM CARELESS USE OF FIREARMS.
+
+<p>16th May.
+
+<p>Early this morning the Dolphin was moved to within three miles of the
+cove visited yesterday, and anchored in two and a half fathoms at the
+lowest water, the landing place bearing west by north. By 11.0 a.m. the
+first pair of horses were hoisted out and placed in the water under the
+counter of the cutter, two other boats assisted in towing us to the
+shore, which occupied about an hour; the horses, on landing, being
+scarcely able to stand, from the length of time they were in the water.
+On reaching the beach, a serious accident occurred to Mr. Hearson, the
+second mate of the vessel, resulting from the negligence of James the
+farrier, who, notwithstanding my repeated cautions to all the members of
+the Expedition to keep snappers on the locks of the guns, had omitted to
+do so, in consequence of which, on its being handed out, the hammer
+caught on the gunwale of the boat and discharged a ball through both the
+hips of the mate, causing him to fall in the water, which circumstance
+fortunately tended materially to stop the haemorrhage; he was immediately
+carried to a sheltered spot, and a tent pitched over him. On examining
+the wound, I found the ball had entered the right posterior, passing
+close below the joint, and taking an oblique direction through the lower
+edge of the pelvis, made its exit in front of the left thigh, between the
+femoral artery and the principal tendon, without injuring either. This
+mishap and the freshening of the breeze prevented our landing any more
+horses to-day, the remainder of it being spent in making a camp and
+attending to the comfort of our wounded companion, who occasioned me some
+anxiety, as the treatment must entirely devolve upon myself, who
+possessed but a very limited amount of experience in matters of this
+nature.
+
+<p>17th May.
+
+<p>Four more horses were safely landed this morning, and we were returning
+to the vessel for another pair when a party of fourteen natives made
+their appearance at the camp. At first they came boldly up, but on a gun
+being discharged as a signal for my recall, they appeared much alarmed,
+although they would not go away. Our numbers being small, I determined
+not to allow them to enter the camp, on account of their propensity to
+thieving, and the few that could now be spared to guard the stores was
+insufficient to keep a constant watch on their stealthy movements; I
+therefore tried at first to make them understand that we had taken
+possession for the present, and did not want their company; they were,
+however, very indignant at our endeavours to drive them away, and very
+plainly ordered us off to the ship. It was very evident that our
+forbearance was mistaken for weakness, and that mischief was preparing. I
+accordingly took hold of one of the most refractory, and compelled him to
+march off at double-quick time, when they all retired to some rocky hills
+overlooking our camp, from which it was necessary to dislodge them.
+Taking Mr. Brown with me, we climbed the first hill, which made them
+retreat to the next. Resting ourselves for a few minutes, and taking a
+view of the surrounding country, we were just on the point of returning
+to the camp, when we observed three armed natives stealing down a ravine
+to the horses, evidently with hostile intentions, as they shipped their
+spears on getting close enough to throw; we did not, however, give them
+time to accomplish their object, as we ran down the hill in time to
+confront them, on which they took to the rocks. Seeing that it was now
+time to convince them we were not to be trifled with, and to put a stop
+at once to what I saw would otherwise terminate in bloodshed, we both
+took deliberate aim and fired a couple of bullets so close to the
+principal offender, that he could hardly escape feeling the effects of
+the fragments of lead, as they split upon the rocks within a few feet of
+his body. After dark, it set in to rain heavily for an hour, when lights
+were observed moving in the direction of our horses, but the sentries
+being on the alert, no further attempt was made to molest us.
+
+<p>18th May.
+
+<p>Two more horses were landed this morning; but rain setting in from the
+north-west with a strong easterly wind below, a stop was put to landing
+any more to-day.
+
+<p>19th May (Sunday).
+
+<p>It had rained both heavily and continuously during the night; but as our
+tents were good, we did not experience much inconvenience from it, and it
+gave a fair prospect of finding a good supply of water on our
+contemplated trip into the interior. Mr. Hearson's wound was progressing
+favourably, and I was in consequence enabled to go off to the ship and
+procure a few additional comforts. On our return two more horses were
+brought ashore, reducing the number on board to one-half.
+
+<p>20th May.
+
+<p>We succeeded in landing six more horses during the day; the great
+distance they had to be swam ashore made the process very slow and
+fatiguing, some of the horses being scarcely able to stand for some time
+after landing. This morning I made a rough survey of the cove and
+surrounding hills, and while so employed observed seventeen natives pass
+across the shoals at low water, carrying nets but no weapons; they did
+not appear to fear us, or inclined to come up to the camp; nor did we
+offer them any encouragement, as in the present exposed state of our camp
+they would have been very troublesome.
+
+<p>In the evening Mr. Brown and myself rode across the isthmus to Mermaid
+Strait, and found it to form a very fine and romantic-looking little
+harbour, surrounded by a bold rocky coast, giving it much more the
+appearance of an inland lake than an open strait. I have no doubt but
+that it would afford an excellent harbour; there is, however, reason to
+think it is equally difficult of access from the main with the cove upon
+which our camp is, as a wide expanse of marsh land appears to extend all
+round behind the hills that bound it to the southward.
+
+<p>21st May.
+
+<p>The last four horses were landed this morning, as also the instruments
+and remainder of the stores required for our first journey. The farrier,
+with two assistants, was kept busily employed all day shoeing horses.
+
+<p>PREPARATIONS FOR JOURNEY INLAND.
+
+<p>22nd May.
+
+<p>The forge was in full employ during the day, and great progress made with
+the shoeing and preparations for our departure. Accompanied by Mr. Brown,
+I rode out to-day to reconnoitre, and seek for a pass through the hills
+that encompassed our camp; the only practical outlet we found to be
+through some very rocky ravines to the south-west, where at about five
+miles we found--what I had for some time suspected to be the case--that
+the whole of the isthmus upon which we had landed was cut off from the
+mainland by an extensive salt-water marsh, commencing at the bottom of
+Nickol Bay and running parallel to the general line of coast, at least as
+far as Enderby Island. Skirting the northern edge of the marsh for
+several miles to the westward, we found it gradually getting wider and
+deeper; we accordingly returned to the narrowest part, and rode into it
+for about half a mile, the water being very shallow, and the bottom
+sufficiently firm to carry us, although with considerable labour to the
+horses. Finding it was getting late, we determined to try and return to
+the camp round by the head of Nickol Bay, and succeeded in climbing over
+the rocks and boulders that encumber this portion of the coast, until we
+were within a quarter of a mile of the camp, when the tide came in upon
+us so quickly that, after having been repeatedly thrown down by the surf,
+we were compelled to leave the horses jammed up in the rocks just above
+high-water mark, and proceeded on foot to the camp.
+
+<p>23rd May.
+
+<p>At 3.0 a.m., the tide having fallen sufficiently, Messrs. Brown and
+Harding were enabled to bring in the horses left imprisoned last night.
+During the day, all the arrangements for our departure were completed,
+and in the afternoon Mr. Hearson was removed to the Dolphin, having been
+kept on shore since the accident, to be constantly under my own
+attendance; he was now rapidly recovering, although much reduced. Wrote
+instructions for the guidance of Captain Dixon and Mr. Walcott during the
+absence of the expedition, the latter gentleman being left in charge of
+the stores, and to make such observations as the means at his disposal
+should admit of.
+
+<p>24th May.
+
+<p>Landed at daylight, intending to make a start, as it was the Queen's
+birthday; but owing to some of the horses having rambled, we did not
+succeed in getting them all in and saddled up before 2.0 p.m., when three
+or four of the horses that had not been accustomed to carrying packs
+commenced playing up and scattering their loads in all directions,
+straining and otherwise injuring several of the pack-saddles, which
+detained us until so late in the day that I deemed it best to return to
+camp, and as the forge had not been removed to the ship, to shorten some
+of the saddle-irons, to render them less liable to injury, which was
+otherwise a great improvement.
+
+<p>25th May.
+
+<p>The re-adjustments having been satisfactorily accomplished, we made a
+fair start this morning by 9.0 a.m., and arrived on the edge of the marsh
+by 11.30, where, having first taken a survey of the several channels from
+the summit of a high granite hill, we entered the waste of mud at a point
+where it did not appear to be more than two miles wide; an hour's
+struggle carried us fairly through on to terra firma, only one horse
+having to be assisted by the removal of his load. After resting an hour
+and a half for dinner, we resumed our route in a south direction, across
+an extensive low grassy plain of red clayey loam, passing over a few
+rocky ridges at sunset, and at 6 p.m. encamped on a dry creek twenty
+yards wide, water being found in some clay-pans in the adjoining plain.
+Camp 2.
+
+<p>MAITLAND RIVER.
+
+<p>26th May.
+
+<p>Being Sunday, the camp was only moved a mile further to a fine pool of
+water in a river eighty yards wide, with beautiful grassy banks, which I
+named the Maitland; it comes from the south-east, and may probably have a
+course of sixty miles, coming through a plain five or six miles wide, the
+greater part of which is occasionally inundated by floods from the
+interior. Cockatoos and other game were plentiful, sixteen of the former
+being killed by Mr. Brockman at one shot; they were white, with
+orange-tinted feathers in the crest, similar to those on the Murchison
+and Gascoyne Rivers. It may be as well here to observe that upon first
+starting a regular routine of duty had been established in the party, the
+care and loading of five horses being told off to each two of the party,
+as they could lift on opposite packs simultaneously, and their being all
+numbered, everyone could at once know the loads under his charge. The
+night was also divided into eight watches, commencing at 8 p.m. and
+ending at 6 a.m.; the duty of the first watch being to cook the bread for
+the following day, and the last to have breakfast ready in the morning by
+the time it was light enough to see. By this arrangement no time was
+lost, and everyone knew what was under his particular charge. Camp 3.
+
+<p>SUDDEN FLOOD.
+
+<p>27th May.
+
+<p>Having determined in the first instance to strike to the westward, with a
+view to cutting any large rivers coming from the interior that might
+serve to lead us through the rocky hills that hemmed us in in that
+quarter, we this morning took a south-south-west by south course to 11.40
+a.m. when we crossed a dry stream-bed sixty yards wide, coming out of the
+granite ranges to the southward, the country becoming more barren as we
+edged upon the spurs of the rocky hills. At 2.0 p.m. we halted on the
+banks of another stream-bed of the same size as the last, when it came on
+to rain; resuming our march at 4.10, steering west to 6.0, when we
+encamped on a dry gully, with a little feed near it. Having pitched the
+tents, it continued to rain until 11.0 p.m., when a sudden rush of water
+swept down the valley, filling the watercourse and carrying away our
+fire, and before we had time to remove the baggage to higher ground, we
+had a foot of water in the camp. Fortunately nothing was lost or injured,
+and it only served as a useful lesson for the future. Camp 4.
+
+<p>28th May.
+
+<p>The early part of the day was employed drying the stores, so that we did
+not make a start until late. Four and a half hours' travelling over stony
+country, principally covered with triodia, but containing several patches
+of good grass, brought us to another river fifty yards wide, in which
+were a few pools. This stream was followed up to 5 p.m., when we left it,
+and halted on an open plain close to some shallow clay-pans containing
+rainwater; our course for the day having been about south-west eleven
+miles. Camp 5.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 7 minutes.
+
+<p>29th May.
+
+<p>By an azimuth of the sun's centre taken this morning, the magnetic
+variation was observed to be about 20 minutes west. Steering north 230
+degrees east magnetic, soon brought us out of the hills into a plain
+extending as far as the eye could reach to the north-west, with a few
+patches of good grass upon it, but mostly covered with triodia, which was
+now just ripe, yielding fine heads of seed, which the horses are very
+fond of. At thirteen miles struck the channel of a considerable river
+coming from the south. As this offered us a fair prospect of working
+inland, and we had already attained nearly to longitude 116 degrees, or
+about the meridian of the mouth of the Alma, the stream was followed up
+for an hour, its average breadth being over 200 yards. At 4.40 encamped
+at a fine spring on the bank of a deep pool, under a cliff of metamorphic
+sandstone nearly 300 feet high; a cane, much resembling a Spanish red,
+growing in considerable quantities near the water. Camp 6.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 18 minutes; longitude 116 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+<p>SURPRISE A CAMP OF NATIVES.
+
+<p>30th May.
+
+<p>Soon after starting this morning, we came upon a camp of fifteen or
+twenty natives, on the bank of a deep reach of water, hemmed in by steep
+rocky hills, up which they hastily scrambled on our approach, and on
+reaching the summit, tried by various gestures to express their
+disapproval of our visit, but would not hold any parley with us. At five
+miles the river turned abruptly to the north-east, through a precipitous
+rocky defile, which induced us to make an attempt to cut across and
+strike the river some miles higher up; but after being for some time
+involved in impracticable ravines, we were again obliged to have recourse
+to the bed of the river, although encumbered with beds of large stones,
+over which the horses had great difficulty in travelling; so that by
+sunset we had not accomplished more than six miles in a direct east by
+south line from last night's camp. Camp 7.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 19 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+<p>31st May.
+
+<p>The general course of the river during the day was very little to the
+south of east, its banks still maintaining the same rocky and precipitous
+character, marks of inundation being frequently observed at the height of
+thirty feet above the present stream, which now was only running gently
+in a channel not more than thirty yards wide, but when in flood occupying
+the whole of the valley, which averages a quarter of a mile in width. The
+larger pools are lined with flags and reeds, and contain numbers of small
+fish resembling trout, similar to those found in the Lyons and Gascoyne
+Rivers. A very handsome tree, resembling an ash, grew on the margin,
+bearing a beautiful white flower, four to five inches across, having on
+the inside a delicate tinge of yellow, and yielding a sweet scent like
+violets. Several natives were met in the course of the day, but would not
+come near us; in one instance, however, we came upon one so suddenly that
+he had only time to jump into a pool to escape being surrounded by the
+party. After calling for some time most lustily for his friends, he
+gradually crept away amongst the canes and disappeared. Only one
+tributary of any size was observed to join the river in the course of the
+day's march, and that came in from the southward. At 5.20 p.m. halted on
+the banks of a deep pool, surrounded by fine cajeput-trees and
+flooded-gum, grass being plentiful for our horses. Camp 8.
+
+<p>ENCOUNTER DIFFICULT COUNTRY.
+
+<p>1st June.
+
+<p>There was a decided improvement in the appearance of the valley as we
+continued to ascend the river, the deep pools were more continuous, and
+grass more abundant; the high lands on either bank still, however,
+retained their rugged outlines, and were clothed with little else but
+triodia. Travelling along the bed of the river was nevertheless difficult
+and dangerous for the horses, on account of the immense quantity of
+rounded boulders of water-worn rocks that occupied a large portion of the
+channel, and frequently jammed the horses into narrow passes, where they
+could not be extricated without meeting with very severe falls, which
+very soon crippled more than one of them; their shoes also began to be
+wrenched off by being caught in the deep clefts of the rocks, very soon
+expending all the extra sets brought with us. Just before coming to our
+night's halt a large stream-bed, forty yards wide, was observed to come
+in from the southward. Camp 9.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 28 minutes 18 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 31
+minutes by account.
+
+<p>2nd June (Sunday).
+
+<p>Having abundance of feed and water, we gladly availed ourselves of it to
+make it a day of rest; it also afforded me an opportunity to ascertain
+the rate of the chronometer, which, as I had reason to expect, had gone
+very irregularly since landing.
+
+<p>3rd June.
+
+<p>Made an early start, and as the valley of the river was not quite so
+rugged as that we had passed over during the last two or three days, by
+noon we had accomplished about eight miles, the course of the river still
+being very little from the southward of east; we had not, therefore, made
+much progress towards the Lyons River (our more immediate destination),
+and to quit the valley was out of the question, as there is no feed or
+water out of it within a reasonable distance. Both the valley and
+surrounding country are destitute of trees, and bold hills of metamorphic
+sandstone frequently jut out into the valley, and terminate in
+perpendicular cliffs 200 or 300 feet high. Towards the evening the river
+had been coming from the northward of east. Camp 10.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 27 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+<p>4th June.
+
+<p>During the forenoon the river became much hemmed in by steep rocky hills,
+the bed being a succession of rapids, over a bare, rocky channel; but
+after the noon halt the stream came more from the south-east, with wide
+grassy flats on either side, in many parts very boggy, and producing
+Melaleuca leucodendron, with tall, straight stems, and a variety of
+eucalyptus, resembling Eucalyptus piperita. White sandstone and shales
+began to make their appearance on the banks, and the water in the river
+had a saline taste. Several of the horses began to show signs of being
+much distressed, by falling and sticking fast in the mud, from which they
+had not strength to extricate themselves, even after being relieved of
+their loads. Ducks were plentiful, and tolerably tame. Camp 11.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 33 minutes 55 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 2
+minutes by account.
+
+<p>SANDSTONE CLIFFS.
+
+<p>5th June.
+
+<p>Having marked a large double-stemmed gum-tree with NAE and the date, we
+made a start up the river, but at about a mile found the valley narrow in
+until the channel of the river, which was here full of water, was walled
+in on both banks by perpendicular cliffs, from which we were compelled to
+turn back nearly to our last night's camp. During the last two days we
+had caught an occasional glimpse of an elevated range of hills extending
+for many miles parallel to the river and about ten miles to the
+southward, which rendered it probable that some change would now be found
+in the character of the back country, enabling us to travel without being
+so frequently retarded by the rocks and bends of the river. A suitable
+spot was accordingly selected for ascending out of the valley, which was
+accomplished with some difficulty, when the country was observed to be
+intersected for many miles by deep ravines, terminating, however, to the
+south in a level plain, extending to the base of the range already
+referred to. After four hours' heavy toiling, we at length reached the
+summit of the plain, water having been found in one of the rocky gullies
+by the way. For the first half-mile, on entering the plain or tableland,
+the ground was stony and covered with stunted acacia, but it very quickly
+changed into a rich clayey loam, yielding a splendid crop of kangaroo and
+other grasses, melons, and small white convolvulus, yielding a round
+black seed the size of a pea, which we found scattered over nearly the
+whole surface of the plain for miles together. In the lower parts of the
+flat rainwater appeared to have remained in shallow clay-pans until very
+recently, killing much of the grass, which was replaced by atriplex
+bushes. As we approached the foot of the range the ground became stony
+and covered with triodia; good grass was still, however, to be found in
+the ravines leading out of the hills, and as our object was now to shape
+a course to the southward, we followed up one of the most promising
+valleys, in the hope that it might lead us through the range; we were,
+however, disappointed in finding that, after pushing some distance up
+very steep and rocky passes, they all terminated in cliffs of horizontal
+sandstone, running in parallel bands one above another to the height of
+500 or 600 feet, and frequently extending without a break for ten or
+fifteen miles along the face of the range. The horses being much fatigued
+by the climb from the valley of the river, we encamped at 3.10 p.m.,
+within the hills, and without water. Camp 12.
+
+<p>FINE GRASSY PLAIN. FORTESCUE RIVER.
+
+<p>6th June.
+
+<p>A light drizzling rain came on early in the morning, but not enough to
+supply the horses, who rambled so far during the night in search of it
+that it was noon before they were all collected. Quitting the range,
+which had been named after one of the most liberal promoters of the
+expedition, Hamersley Range, we took a north-east course, crossing over
+twelve or fourteen miles of beautiful open grassy plain, in many parts
+the kangaroo-grass reaching above the horses' backs; the soil being of
+the richest clay-loam, occasionally containing beds of singular fragments
+of opaline rocks, resembling ancient lava. By 5.30 p.m. we reached the
+river again, several miles above the deep glen that had checked our
+course on the 5th. The valley having again opened out, gave us easy
+access to its banks, which were here a rich black peat soil, containing
+numerous springs. Here was first observed a very handsome fan-palm,
+growing in topes, some of them attaining to the height of forty feet and
+twenty inches diameter, the leaves measuring eight to ten feet in length.
+The river had again opened into deep reaches of water, and contained
+abundance of fish resembling cobblers, weighing four and five pounds
+each. The whole character of the country was evidently changing for the
+better; and as I have no doubt that at no distant period it will become a
+rich and thriving settlement, I named the river the Fortescue, after the
+Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, under whose auspices the
+expedition took its origin, and the large expanse of fertile plain that
+lies between the river and the Hamersley Range, Chichester Downs.
+
+<p>7th June.
+
+<p>A quarter of a mile up the river brought us to a fine tributary from the
+south, running strong enough to supply a large mill. This had to be
+traced up for two miles before we could find a ford; it was found to take
+its rise in several deep pools, fed by springs issuing out of the plains
+crossed yesterday. Some powerful springs were also observed to flow into
+the river from the northward, through a dense forest of melaleuca, with a
+rank undergrowth of canes, flags, etc. At five miles the river again
+presented a wide reach of water several miles in length, after which it
+all at once broke up into numerous channels, wandering through a forest
+of white-gum, well grassed, the soil being highly fertile. Owing to my
+having been accidentally trodden upon by one of the horses, we were
+obliged to encamp early, having only made about twelve miles. Camp 14.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 40 minutes 42 seconds; longitude by account 117
+degrees 17 minutes east.
+
+<p>8th June.
+
+<p>Following up the channel upon which we had encamped, in about an hour it
+was lost in open grassy plains, which we continued to traverse until
+noon, when we struck on a well-defined stream-bed, which had branched off
+a mile or two south of last night's camp. Grass and water being abundant,
+we halted till 2, when we resumed an easterly route to 5.30, over rather
+stony plains, yielding triodia. Encamped after dark without water or
+feed, tying the horses up short to prevent their rambling, having
+accomplished about twenty miles in an east-south-east direction during
+the day. Camp 12.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 49 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+<p>9th June (Sunday).
+
+<p>Less than a mile this morning brought us to a grassy channel containing
+water, which was followed up for a short distance, when we halted for the
+remainder of the day to refresh our tired and famished horses. Camp 16.
+
+<p>A NATIVE CHILD.
+
+<p>10th June.
+
+<p>The channel of the river was still followed for several miles to the
+eastward, when it again disappeared in open plains extending to the base
+of the Hamersley Range, which still continued to run parallel to the
+river at about seven miles distance to the southward. Pools of water were
+occasionally found in channels scooped out of the alluvial soil of which
+the plains were composed--the waters of the Fortescue, during the period
+of the summer rains, spreading over the country for miles and leaving a
+rich deposit of alluvial mud, adding greatly to its fertility. In the
+course of the afternoon we came suddenly on a party of natives, digging
+roots. One woman, with a child of about five years of age, hid close to
+our line of march, and did not move until she was afraid of being run
+over by the pack-horses, when she ran away, leaving the child gazing upon
+the monster intruders with a look of passive wonder. It was a poor,
+ill-conditioned-looking object, suffering from a cutaneous disorder. On
+giving it a piece of damper, it quickly began to devour it, tearing it to
+fragments with its sharp and attenuated fingers, with all the keenness of
+a hawk. We left it standing with a lump of bread in each hand, where its
+mother would no doubt find it when she came to see what had been left of
+it by the large dogs, as the aborigines of this part of Australia call
+our horses. Travelling on till late, we encamped in an open grassy plain,
+without water. Camp 17.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 55 minutes 57 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 3
+minutes.
+
+<p>ROCKY RANGES.
+
+<p>11th June.
+
+<p>Four miles to the south-east we came upon a pool of brackish water,
+surrounded with bulrushes, in a channel coming from the south of the
+Hamersley Range, again apparently offering us a chance of getting to the
+southward. We accordingly struck for the gorge out of which this stream
+came, and succeeded in penetrating for three miles up a very rocky gully,
+filled with some of the harshest triodia we had yet encountered, and had
+to halt for the night in a narrow pass, where there was scarcely room to
+tie up our horses. Camp 18.
+
+<p>Latitude 22 degrees 12 minutes 52 seconds.
+
+<p>ASCEND THE RANGES.
+
+<p>12th June.
+
+<p>One of the horses having slipped his halter during the night, Messrs.
+Brown and Brockman returned down the gully to track it up, while we made
+an attempt to follow up the deep defile in which we were hemmed, but a
+quarter of a mile brought us to an impassable barrier of cliffs.
+Retracing our steps about a mile, we again made an attempt more to the
+eastward, and this time succeeded in reaching a considerable stream-bed,
+which ultimately proved to be the main channel of the Fortescue, and led
+us through the range. Resting till noon, Messrs. Brown and Brockman
+overtook us with the missing horse, when we resumed our route up the bed
+of the river to the southward, until again brought to a dead stand by the
+whole bed of the stream being occupied by deep pools of water, fed by
+numerous strong springs. As it was getting late in the day, I left the
+party to form a camp, while I climbed the hills to get a view of the
+country in advance. A laborious ascent of nearly an hour brought me to
+one of the highest summits of the range, at an elevation of about 2700
+feet above the sea, and 700 above the bed of the river. From this hill I
+had a fine view to the southward, and observed that by following up a
+small dry ravine to the south-east there would be a fair prospect of
+reaching a large extent of open level plain that came within two or three
+miles of the camp in that direction. To the east and south-east the range
+was lofty and mountainous, while to the south and south-west stretched
+open grassy plains, occasionally interrupted by bold detached hills,
+apparently of the same formation as the Hamersley Range. On descending to
+the camp, I started a fragment of rock of a few tons weight, which rushed
+with fearful velocity towards the deep gorge in which the horses were
+feeding. After carrying all before it for a quarter of a mile, it made a
+clear spring over a cliff 200 feet in depth, and plunged into the waters
+below with a sound like thunder, inducing a belief at the camp that a
+large portion of cliff had fallen. Fortunately it did not produce an
+estampede, which I had known to have been caused on another occasion by a
+similar occurrence. Camp 19.
+
+<p>Latitude 22 degrees 15 minutes; longitude 118 degrees 4 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+<p>13th June.
+
+<p>Availing ourselves of the observations made yesterday, we succeeded,
+after a hard scramble of two hours, in getting through the remaining
+portion of the range, our horses having learned to climb like goats, or
+they never would have accomplished the passage. The plain appears to have
+a considerable elevation above those to the northward, and is drained by
+several deep breaks through the Hamersley Range. Resuming a
+south-south-west course to latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes 32 seconds, we
+passed at first over some very stony land, yielding little else besides
+triodia and stunted acacia; but for the last six or seven miles was a
+rich alluvial clay, covered with very fair pasture, and water was found
+in abundance in pools in the bed of a watercourse coming from the
+south-east. Camp 20.
+
+<p>Latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes 58 seconds.
+
+<p>14th June.
+
+<p>On our first landing at Nickol Bay the nights had been very mild, but we
+now began to feel them cold and bracing. This was partly owing to the
+increased elevation of the country we were now travelling over; the
+south-east wind coming off the mountainous country was very keen, and
+almost frosty early in the morning. Our course this day was at first over
+tolerably good country, which gradually became more and more rocky, the
+ridges increasing in elevation until the aneroid barometer fell to 27.33,
+giving an altitude of 2400 feet above the sea. Night overtook us in a
+deep rocky ravine, where we had much difficulty in keeping the
+pack-horses together, and were at last compelled to unload them amongst
+rocks in the bed of a dry watercourse trending to the westward; a little
+grass being procurable in the vicinity. Fortunately water had been met
+with at noon, so that we were not pressed for want of it. Camp 21.
+
+<p>Latitude 22 degrees 41 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+<p>15th June.
+
+<p>Following the gully upon which we had encamped, it led us to the
+westward, over a rocky line of country, until 1 p.m., when not meeting
+with any water, and the horses showing great weakness and symptoms of
+distress from the loss of their shoes, it was found desirable to quit the
+main gully and try and find feed and water up a promising tributary
+coming from the north with the view of ultimately falling back on the
+plains under the Hamersley Range, should we fail to meet with water
+sooner; fortunately, however, in an hour we came upon a small supply
+amongst rocks, surrounded by some tolerable feed. Had we failed to find
+this timely relief, it is probable that not more than half the horses
+would have been able to carry their loads to the nearest known waterhole.
+Camp 22.
+
+<p>16th June (Sunday).
+
+<p>This day of rest was alike acceptable to man and horse, and afforded me
+an opportunity, after reading prayers to the party, to clear a set of
+lunar distances, by which I found that the chronometer would have placed
+us forty miles to the west of our true position. I had long since
+observed that it could not be trusted under even ordinary variations of
+temperature, but could procure no other, the Acting Surveyor-General
+having declined to supply me with either of the two chronometers
+belonging to his department that could be relied on, and in consequence I
+now found I should be compelled to have recourse entirely to lunar
+observations and triangulation for the compilation of the maps, which
+would add very much to the amount of labour and liability to error.
+Several crested pigeons, white cockatoos, and crested quail or
+partridges, were shot as they came to drink at the waterhole.
+
+<p>METAMORPHIC ROCKS.
+
+<p>17th June.
+
+<p>The horses had so far recovered after the day's rest that we were enabled
+to resume a south-west course, following down the bed of the stream to
+latitude 22 degrees 51 minutes, the country slightly improving towards
+evening; but we again had to encamp without water, having, however,
+obtained a small quantity in some gravel at noon. The hills to the east
+of our track rose about 1000 feet above the bed of the watercourse, and
+consisted of metamorphic sandstones and shales, intersected by whinstone
+dykes, their summits being capped with red conglomerate. In one place the
+river had cut through a ridge of altered rocks, and exhibited a very
+singular contortion of the strata, the laminae being crippled up into an
+arch of 100 feet high, showing a dip on each flank of 45 degrees, forming
+a cave beneath running for some distance into the hill. Camp 23.
+
+<p>18th June.
+
+<p>Continuing to follow the stream-bed south-west for eight or nine miles,
+we came upon a patch of very green grass, on which we halted, to allow
+the horses the benefit, on account of their not having had any water
+since noon yesterday. In the meanwhile, accompanied by Mr. Brown, I
+started off and walked to a prominent hill six miles to the south, to get
+a view of the surrounding country. From the summit of this hill, which we
+found to have an elevation of 700 or 800 feet, we procured a valuable
+round of bearings, and had a distant view of the country to the
+southward. Level plains and detached ranges of moderate elevation
+appeared to be the general character of the country towards the Lyons
+River. We returned to the party by 3.0 p.m., and were glad to find that
+during our absence water had been found in shallow clay-pans a mile to
+the westward, to which we moved over and encamped. Camp 24.
+
+<p>Latitude 22 degrees 56 minutes 23 seconds; longitude by account 117
+degrees 21 minutes.
+
+<p>19th June.
+
+<p>We were unable to proceed this day, owing to my having eaten some of the
+dwarf mesembryanthemum, which I had formerly observed to be used as food
+by the natives on the Gascoyne, but which had produced with me violent
+headache and vomiting. The horses were, however, enjoying excellent feed;
+and I contrived to work up my map and clear a lunar.
+
+<p>20th June.
+
+<p>Started at 7.25 a.m. with nineteen horses, having been obliged to leave
+behind a horse belonging to Mr. Lennard, so lame that he could not move.
+Following the stream-bed nearly west for ten miles, came upon a pool of
+permanent water containing flags--the first we had met with since
+quitting the Hamersley Range. This was of great value, as there was no
+water that could be depended upon on our return, in the last sixty miles.
+Pushing on quickly for twelve miles further, the river entered a wide
+plain, in which was some tolerable feed; we had again, however, to halt
+for the night without water.
+
+<p>DEPOT CAMP ON THE HARDEY RIVER.
+
+<p>21st June.
+
+<p>Although the size of the channel of the river we had been following down
+for the last sixty miles had considerably increased both in width and
+depth, yet very little water had been found in it, and as it took a
+decided turn in its course this morning to north-west, after two hours'
+ride, without observing any change, and there being every appearance of
+its keeping the same course for the next twenty miles, I was convinced
+that it could not be a tributary to either the Edmund or Lyons, which I
+had at first hoped it might prove. The barometer also ranged too high for
+it to be at a sufficient elevation to admit of it flowing into either of
+those rivers, as the elevation of the Lyons at the confluence of the Alma
+is at least of the same altitude above the sea. Having named the river
+the Hardey, we fell back upon the pools passed yesterday, where I had
+decided upon forming a depot camp at which to rest the weakest horses,
+while with a lightly equipped party I proposed to complete the expedition
+of the country intervening between this and the Lyons River. Camp 26.
+
+<p>Latitude 22 degrees 58 minutes 28 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 10
+minutes.
+
+<p>22nd June.
+
+<p>In accordance with the plan decided upon yesterday, I started this day
+accompanied by Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Brockman, with three
+pack-horses, conveying eight days' provisions and fourteen gallons of
+water. Twelve miles on the south-south-west course, over a very stony
+country, brought us to a deep stream-bed trending in the same direction,
+which we pursued for thirteen miles, the country gradually improving
+until the channel was lost in an open plain of rich soil, covered with
+fine green grass. Several pools of rainwater of a deep red colour, but
+fresh and sweet, gave us a good camp for the night; a set of Stellar
+observations giving the latitude 23 degrees 19 minutes 16 seconds. To the
+south, at about six miles distance, lay a bold range of hills, running
+nearly east and west with many sharp summits, having an average elevation
+of from 600 to 1000 feet above the plain, and extending for twelve or
+fifteen miles to the eastward, while to the west it was lost in numerous
+broken hills of lesser elevation. Camp 27.
+
+<p>ASHBURTON RIVER. CAPRICORN RANGE.
+
+<p>23rd June.
+
+<p>As to pass the eastern end of the range appeared likely to take us too
+much off our course, we struck for what appeared to be a break in the
+hills about seven miles to the south-west. The first five miles was
+across an open grassy plain, at times subject to inundation, which
+brought us to the bank of a fine river, containing permanent reaches of
+fresh water, lined with canes, the channel generally being from 100 to
+200 yards wide, with a depth of forty feet; it was now barely running,
+but it was quite evident that it was too large for either the Alma or
+Edmund, and its bed must be at least 200 feet below the level of those
+rivers. We, however, determined to follow it so long as it ran to the
+south of west, which it did until it came in contact with the range
+observed yesterday, when it altered its course to west-north-west, and
+appeared to continue that direction for many miles, probably until joined
+by the Hardey, when, in all likelihood, it continues its course direct to
+Exmouth Gulf. Anxious, as I naturally was, to continue the examination of
+this promising river, time and the condition of our horses' feet did not
+permit us to do so with advantage. Naming it the Ashburton, after the
+noble President of the Royal Geographical Society, we quitted its verdant
+banks, and took a south course up a stony ravine, which led us into the
+heart of the range, where we soon became involved amongst steep rocky
+ridges of sharp slaty schist, which very quickly deprived the horses of
+many of their remaining shoes, and retarded our progress so much that by
+nightfall we found ourselves to be in only latitude 23 degrees 28 minutes
+15 seconds, hemmed in on all sides by rugged country yielding little else
+but small acacia-trees and triodia. A little water and grass was,
+however, obtained in the bed of a stream tributary to the Ashburton. The
+summits of the hills passed over during the day had been seen from the
+Lyons River in 1858, and were now named the Capricorn Range. Camp 28.
+
+<p>24th June.
+
+<p>A rather rough ride of four hours to the south-east brought us to a
+watercourse sixty yards wide, trending to the north-north-east, in which
+we found pools of water lined with reeds and flags. This was traced up to
+the southward till 3.0 p.m., when we entered a deep gorge in a sandstone
+range, the bed of the stream becoming very stony and full of
+melaleuca-trees; it, however, contained many fine pools and strong
+running springs, with a small supply of grass. There was now a fair
+prospect of our reaching the Lyons, as the range we were now entering
+must contain the sources of the Edmund, which river has a much more
+restricted course than was originally supposed. Camp 29.
+
+<p>Latitude 23 degrees 42 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+<p>25th June.
+
+<p>The country continued hilly for about ten miles, when we arrived at the
+summit of a granite and sandstone tableland, at the extreme sources of
+the watercourse we had been following up. From this point we had at last
+the satisfaction of observing the bold outlines of Mount Augustus,
+bearing south-south-east about thirty miles, while more to the westward
+could be discerned the summits of Mounts Phillips and Samuel, and yet
+more to the right the southern face of the Barlee Range. Descending to
+the south across an open plain, we struck for a remarkable gorge in a
+granite range (the only one now between us and the Lyons), at which we
+arrived by sundown. On examining this singular gorge, it was found to be
+an almost perpendicular cut through a narrow ridge nearly 300 feet in
+depth, the length of the pass not exceeding 200 yards, the plain on each
+side being nearly on the same level. From the summit of this pass the
+course of the stream could be traced across the fertile flats of the
+Lyons until it was lost in the numerous channels of that river, and I was
+able to obtain bearings to many well-remembered objects noticed on my
+former visit to this part of the country. Camp 30.
+
+<p>Latitude 23 degrees 56 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>RETURN TO DEPOT.
+
+<p>26th June.
+
+<p>As we had only four days' rations left, and no further object could be
+attained by advancing further south, unless there had been time to
+examine the present condition of the pasture in the vicinity of Mount
+Augustus, we marked several trees on the north side of the gorge close to
+a pool, and retraced our steps to within a mile of our camp of the 24th,
+having improved upon our outward track by keeping rather more to the
+eastward. Camp 31.
+
+<p>27th June.
+
+<p>Instead of returning by the rough route by which we came through the
+Capricorn Range, we followed the stream to the north-north-east, through
+a good country all the way to the Ashburton, which river it joined in
+latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes, passing through the end of the range one
+mile south of the junction. In this pass we encamped on a fine deep pool,
+in which we caught a small quantity of fish, showing the water to be
+permanent. Camp 32.
+
+<p>28th June.
+
+<p>Making an early start, we soon crossed the Ashburton, and rode twelve
+miles across open plains, thinly timbered and yielding a large quantity
+of good pasture, principally of kangaroo-grass, which here grew to the
+height of six feet. Resting for several hours at the waterholes of the
+22nd, at 4.30 p.m. we resumed our route, having filled our water-kegs,
+and pushed on to within sixteen or seventeen miles of the depot,
+encamping amongst some good grass on our outward route, but without any
+water except what we carried with us. Camp 33.
+
+<p>29th June.
+
+<p>Giving our horses rather more than a gallon of water each, we made an
+early start just as it came on to rain, which was the first shower we had
+experienced since the 27th May; it continued until noon, but not heavy
+enough to leave any surface-water on the parched and thirsty loam.
+Keeping more to the westward than our outward track, we escaped much of
+the stony ground then passed over, and arrived at the depot camp by 2
+p.m.
+
+<p>30th June (Sunday).
+
+<p>Remained in camp and read prayers to the party.
+
+<p>1st July.
+
+<p>The horses left at the depot were much improved by their nine days' rest,
+and had we been provided with more shoes for them, I should have at once
+returned to the Ashburton, and traced that river up to the eastward, as
+it offered a fine opportunity of penetrating to the south-east probably
+at least another 100 miles; and our provisions on a reduced allowance
+would admit of our remaining out forty days longer; but the lameness of
+many of the horses and lacerated condition of their fetlocks convinced me
+that, should we meet with any more difficulties or rough country before
+obtaining a fresh supply of shoes, much valuable time would be lost, and
+we should probably fail to get many of the horses back. I therefore
+deemed it more prudent to return at once by a shorter route more to the
+eastward so soon as we had repassed the Hamersley Range, and, obtaining a
+refit at the bay, to throw all our remaining time into the second trip.
+We accordingly to-day returned to camp 24, where we found the horses left
+there on the 20th June sufficiently recovered to accompany the party,
+although incapable of carrying a load. The remainder of the day was
+devoted to obtaining bearings and adding to the triangulation of the many
+remarkable summits visible from this part of the country.
+
+<p>2nd July.
+
+<p>The country generally being very rough, except on the banks of the
+Hardey, on our outward track, we found it desirable to return along it,
+more particularly as there was a better prospect of procuring water by so
+doing. At about twenty miles we found a little water under a cliff in the
+bed of the stream, and halted for the night. Camp 34.
+
+<p>Latitude 22 degrees 32 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+<p>MOUNT BRUCE.
+
+<p>3rd July.
+
+<p>Still returning on our old track, at five miles I stopped to ascend a
+very remarkable hill which had formed an important point in the
+triangulation of this part of the country, to which had been given the
+name of Mount Samson. Sending the party onward to wait for me at camp 22,
+I commenced the ascent of the mount, which proved something more than I
+had calculated upon, as it occupied more than an hour's sharp toil to
+arrive at its summit; when gained, however, it amply repaid the trouble,
+as from it I could discern almost every prominent hill or peak within
+sixty or seventy miles, and amongst them the mountain which on a former
+occasion I had procured a bearing to from Mount Augustus, at a distance
+of 124 geographical miles, and which I now named Mount Bruce, after the
+gallant commander of the troops, who has always warmly supported me in
+carrying out explorations. This part of the country I believe to be the
+most elevated in north-west Australia--Mount Samson having an altitude of
+not less than 1000 feet above the valley of the Hardey, while Mount Bruce
+and the mountainous country to the eastward rose to a considerable height
+above its summit, which, by comparisons from the aneroid barometer, would
+give not less than 4000 feet for the elevation of those ranges. Having
+completed my observations, I descended the hill with somewhat greater
+speed than it took to climb it, and was met at the foot by Messrs. Brown
+and Harding, who had waited for me with a horse. In less than an hour we
+overtook the rest of the party at Camp 22, when the additional horses at
+once drank up all the remaining water left in the rocks; resting,
+therefore, less than an hour, we moved on, taking a north course, over a
+very rocky but highly fertile country of trap formation, the grass just
+now being much dried up. At sundown we halted in an open grassy flat, on
+which no water could be found, although it is probable there is plenty in
+the vicinity, as emus and cockatoos were numerous; one of the former
+walked boldly up to the horses, and was fired at, but without effect.
+Camp 35.
+
+<p>OPEN GRASSY PLAINS. PASS HAMERSLEY RANGE.
+
+<p>4th July.
+
+<p>Travelling at a rapid pace on an average north-east course for upwards of
+twenty miles, over plains mostly of rich loam, well grassed, and
+extending to the southern foot of the Hamersley Range, we came upon a low
+range of sandstone hills, covered with acacia bushes and triodia,
+extending for three or four miles, when we again emerged on open plains,
+in which was found a deep channel, thirty yards wide, containing pools of
+rainwater retained in the clay. The amount of fine pasture country passed
+over during the day could not be less than 200,000 acres; and although we
+had not time to go in search for it, I have no doubt that abundance of
+water will be found in the deep gorges of the range skirting the plain.
+This tract of country is, I imagine, well suited for the growth of either
+cotton or sugar, as it is apparently well-irrigated during the summer
+months, and the soil is remarkably rich and strong, while its limits to
+the westward are at present unknown, and most probably continues to skirt
+the hills for at least thirty or forty miles. Halted at the waterholes
+about four miles to the west of the pass through the Hamersley Range.
+Camp 36.
+
+<p>5th July.
+
+<p>Two hours brought us to the head of the pass, which we entered by a
+ravine a little more to the northward than on our outward route, and by
+so doing saved a preliminary ascent of nearly 200 feet, and a similar
+amount of descent, making a very successful passage through the range
+without experiencing the same difficulties we had formerly met with, and
+by 3 p.m. found ourselves once more in the open grassy country that forms
+the Chichester Downs. At 6 p.m. encamped in an open flat without water.
+Camp 37.
+
+<p>PROCEED TOWARDS THE COAST.
+
+<p>6th July.
+
+<p>Started at 7.30 a.m., and in an hour came upon a pool of water in one of
+the numerous channels into which the Fortescue is here divided, and at
+seven miles struck the bulrush spring passed on the 11th June. From this
+the river was followed down for thirteen miles, through grassy clay
+plains, thinly timbered with white-gum. Encamped on a pool, in latitude
+21 degrees 53 minutes 4 seconds, about five miles north of a very
+remarkable bold projection of the Hamersley Range. Camp 38.
+
+<p>7th July (Sunday) was kept as a day of rest.
+
+<p>8th July.
+
+<p>The horses strayed so far back on our tracks during Sunday night that by
+the time they were brought in it was too late to make a start with
+advantage, as we were now about to enter a new tract of country, by
+striking for the coast somewhere between Breaker Inlet and Depuch Island.
+As a knowledge of this part of the country would greatly assist us in
+starting on the second division of our exploration, I availed myself of
+the delay here to fix by triangulation many of the summits and prominent
+spurs of the Hamersley Range, and take observations for the variation of
+the needle, which I found to be about 1 degree east by the prismatic
+compass I had in use.
+
+<p>9th July.
+
+<p>Our horses again gave us some trouble to find them, so that we did not
+start until 10.30 a.m. Two hours' sharp travelling across the plain
+brought us to the foot of low hills of trap and sandstone, covered with
+triodia; good feed being, however, plentiful in the valleys, although now
+rather dry. Tracing up a small tributary to the Fortescue, at sunset we
+halted on a small rocky pool near its source, in latitude 21 degrees 41
+minutes 40 seconds. Several pools, supplied by springs coming from under
+the superstratum of sandstone, were passed during the day. Camp 39.
+
+<p>Longitude 117 degrees 47 minutes.
+
+<p>10th July.
+
+<p>For seven miles the country continued gently to ascend, the sandstone
+giving place to trap boulders, yielding a very rich soil, clothed with
+short green grass and melons, the soil being too stony for agricultural
+purposes, although I have seen country of a similar appearance in the
+island of Mauritius producing fine crops of sugar. Some of the melons
+weighed as much as five or six ounces, and were passably good eating,
+although rather bitter. At noon the country dropped suddenly to the
+northward, and we descended a deep rocky ravine, in which we soon found
+water and grass. Travelling now became difficult and sometimes dangerous
+to the horses; rugged and semi-columnar metamorphic sandstone cliffs
+hemmed in the ravines on either side, while large rounded boulders of
+trap-rock filled the bed of the stream, which in several places was
+running. We had a rather indifferent camp in latitude 21 degrees 29
+minutes 10 seconds, the camp at Nickol Bay bearing west-north-west,
+distant seventy-five miles by account. Camp 40.
+
+<p>SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+<p>11th July.
+
+<p>The stream we were upon continued to take a northerly course for eight or
+ten miles down a valley from 200 to 300 feet in depth, where it is
+diverted to the eastward for about the same distance by a cross range of
+black volcanic hills of loose ragged rocks, totally devoid of vegetation.
+The channel receiving several tributaries, here becomes a succession of
+fine open pools of water from eighty to 150 yards in width. We halted for
+the night on a wide bed of bare sand and rocks, the only feed being in
+the channel of the river, to which was now given the name of Sherlock.
+Camp 41.
+
+<p>12th July.
+
+<p>This morning the river resumed a north-north-west course, and very soon
+led us into an open plain, rather sandy in character, the channel
+dividing into several branches separating miles apart, the stream of
+water issuing from the hills soon being absorbed in the sandy bed; but a
+well-defined line of verdant trees served well to mark the course of the
+channels through the plain for many miles. Selecting the one that
+appeared the most promising, it was traced down to latitude 21 degrees 6
+minutes 43 seconds, where we encamped on a shallow pool of brackish
+water--the only one seen during the day. Several natives were found here,
+employed capturing partridges by means of nets constructed out of the
+leaf of the triodia neatly twisted and netted in the same way as done by
+ourselves, the mesh varying from one to five inches, according to the
+purpose to which it is applied. It was very singular to observe the mode
+in which they induced the birds to enter the nets, or rather cages,
+prepared for them. In the first instance they place ragged bushes all
+round the small pools, with the exception of a few spaces five or six
+feet wide, from which openings they stick in a double row of twigs,
+arching so as to meet overhead in the centre one or two feet from the
+ground; these little avenues lead away for several yards, and then
+terminate with a net thrown over a few light sticks at the end. The birds
+first alight on the margin of the pool, but after drinking, do not take
+flight at once, but run up the only opening, which leads them first under
+the arch of twigs and finally into the net, which is then drawn to by the
+hunter lying in wait under a few bushes. In this way they must capture a
+large amount of game, judging by the quantity of feathers around some of
+the waterholes. Camp 42.
+
+<p>13th July.
+
+<p>Two miles north the river turned west, and kept that course for seven or
+eight miles, through a poor sandy and stony tract of country, and was
+then joined by a fine channel coming from the south. Near the junction
+are two reaches of water, half a mile long each and a rifle-shot across,
+containing a quantity of ducks and other water-fowl, amongst which our
+sportsmen were very successful, along with other game bagging the only
+two swans we had seen since landing; a number of fine fish, like
+cobblers, were also caught, weighing from 1 to 5 pounds a-piece. As it
+was Saturday, and our horses were showing unmistakable signs of knocking
+up, we halted for the rest of the day. Camp 43.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 6 minutes 5 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 32 minutes
+30 seconds.
+
+<p>VOLCANIC HILLS.
+
+<p>14th July (Sunday).
+
+<p>After reading prayers, Messrs. Brown, Harding, and myself walked to the
+summit of the range of black volcanic hills that skirted the western bank
+of the river at about a mile distant. These hills consist of ragged
+scoria, elevated 300 to 400 feet above the plain, and are nearly
+destitute of vegetation. At their summits are deep fissures, the heat of
+the eruptive rocks from beneath having been sufficient to convert the
+trap and sandstone rocks into a deep bluish-grey scoria, having a
+specific gravity of nearly four; but we did not observe any instance of
+the actual overflow of lava, and consequently there was a want of the
+fertilising properties in the soil resulting from it that usually
+accompanies volcanic formations. A native dog had left a litter of pups
+under a heap of stones not eighteen inches beneath our feet, but such was
+the sharpness and ponderability of the fragments of rock that it fairly
+baffled our attempts to unhouse them. A valuable round of bearings was
+procured from this spot, Depuch Island being seen bearing north 14
+degrees east, distant about twenty-eight miles.
+
+<p>EXTENSIVE GRASSY PLAINS.
+
+<p>15th July.
+
+<p>We resumed our course down the Sherlock, the stony nature of the country
+telling severely upon our horses' feet, who in other respects were in
+very tolerable condition. We had not proceeded more than three or four
+miles when Mr. Brockman's horse, Rocket, gave in, and could not move
+another step, the hoof being fairly worn through; leaving him close to a
+pool of water amongst plenty of feed, I hoped he might possibly recover
+by the time we returned from the bay. Below this the channel became sandy
+and dry, and we only procured a little water at night in a clay-hole.
+Plains extended from the river to the north and eastward as far as the
+eye could reach, only interrupted by occasional detached hills of granite
+or volcanic trap, the feed being generally coarse and the soil poor. Camp
+44.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 54 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>NATIVES FISHING WITH NETS.
+
+<p>16th July.
+
+<p>Leaving the valley of the river on a north-west course, in half an hour
+we came upon an open plain of rich clayey loam, covered with a fine even
+sward of good grass, on which were feeding large flocks of pigeons and
+white cockatoos; this change in the character of the soil being
+ascribable to the occasional overflow of the river, leaving a deposit of
+rich mud. This plain extends as far as we could see to the north and
+east, a few widely-scattered topes of trees being the only objects
+breaking the monotony of the sea of grass. To the north-west was a strong
+line of large timber, for which we steered. At three miles we entered the
+wood, and found it to contain the main channel of the Sherlock, in which
+were a few small pools of rainwater. Crossing the bed of the river on the
+same course, we soon came upon another branch coming from the south-west,
+which was named the George. Immediately below the junction of the two
+streams the river opened out into reaches of brackish water, evidently
+under the influence of the spring tides. From this point the left bank
+was followed down to within three or four miles of the sea, when, the
+country becoming low and flat, the grass coarse, and no fresh water
+procurable, we quitted the Sherlock and struck to the west for six or
+seven miles, crossing several salt-water creeks, until we were compelled
+to turn to the southward to avoid a channel much larger and deeper than
+the rest, at which a party of natives were engaged drawing their nets,
+but ran away on our approach. A little further on the plain became more
+fertile, and we found a small pool of rainwater in the clay, at which we
+encamped. There is no doubt but that the Sherlock and the creek we were
+upon discharged their waters, by the numerous creeks shown on Captain
+King's charts, fifteen or sixteen miles to the west of Depuch Island.
+Camp 45.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 52 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 15
+minutes.
+
+<p>RETURN TO NICKOL BAY.
+
+<p>17th July.
+
+<p>By observation of the sun at rising, the variation of the needle was
+found to be 1 degree 10 minutes east. We were now about forty miles from
+Nickol Bay; and as it was very doubtful whether water would be procurable
+in that distance, I became very anxious on account of the horses, as,
+should the country prove stony, I was quite certain they could not
+perform the journey in less than three days; I therefore determined upon
+following up a leading valley towards the Maitland River, with the
+intention, in the event of not finding water or a pass through the heavy
+mass of hills that back Cape Lambert, of pushing through the upper
+branches of that river, and by a round of sixty or seventy miles to
+approach the bay by our outward track; fortunately, however, in the
+course of the day we fell in with some small pools of rainwater, which
+enabled us to advance about eighteen miles over tolerably even plains,
+well grassed, our night halt being without water. Camp 46.
+
+<p>18th July.
+
+<p>From our position, and the observations I had made of the country on the
+eastern shores of Nickol Bay, I was satisfied that the breadth of stony
+ranges lying between us and our destination did not exceed eight or ten
+miles, which we therefore now determined to venture upon, although at
+great risk to the horses, some of which now walked upon stones as they
+would over red-hot coals. Entering the range by a small ravine, three
+hours' scramble over sharp rocks brought us out on the head of a small
+tributary to the Nickol River, the sufferings of the horses in crossing
+the range being quite painful to witness; they all, however, succeeded in
+getting through, and as a little water was found in the bed of the
+stream, we were enabled to push on late, and cross the marsh at the head
+of the bay before it was quite dark, the departing rays of the setting
+sun having first favoured us with a glimpse of the Dolphin, riding at
+anchor on the deep-blue waters of the bay--a sight which was welcomed
+with no small satisfaction by the little band of weary travellers. Camp
+47.
+
+<p>19th July.
+
+<p>The camp was easily aroused by the morning watch, as there was now only
+six miles between us and the landing-place in Hearson cove, the horses
+appearing to partake of the general activity; so that it was only 10.0
+a.m. when we arrived on our old camping ground, which we found occupied
+by ten or a dozen natives, engaged mending their nets. Coming upon them
+suddenly, they would not stop to carry off their gear, although not half
+an hour before they had been employed assisting a boat's crew from the
+Dolphin, in loading with wood and water. A rifle-shot soon recalled the
+boat, which was not a mile from the shore, when we were glad to learn
+that Mr. Hearson was fast recovering from his wound, and that all had
+been going on well since our departure. From Mr. Walcott I ascertained
+that he had been able to establish a friendly understanding with the
+natives who frequented the western side of the bay, and that they had
+been made useful in filling up the ship's water and wood, for which
+service they had been rewarded by a suitable distribution of biscuit. In
+one instance the natives on the eastern shore of the bay had shown a
+hostile tendency on the occasion of a boat landing on the reef to gather
+shells. One of the seaman, who had wandered from the rest, was chased
+into the sea, and menaced with spears and clubs until he was up to his
+neck in water, when the boat came to his rescue, the officer in charge of
+her firing a shot over their heads to drive them off. Mr. Walcott had
+also been successful in obtaining a very useful vocabulary of native
+words and other interesting particulars from the aborigines, as also many
+botanical specimens, shells, etc.--amongst the latter some very fine
+pearl-oysters, from which several pearls of good colour had been
+obtained, but appeared to be principally valuable on account of the size
+and beauty of the mother-of-pearl, which averaged six inches diameter,
+with more than half an inch in thickness of solid shell.
+
+<p>PARTY REFIT FOR JOURNEY TO EASTWARD.
+
+<p>20th July.
+
+<p>The forge, stores, and other additional supplies having been landed, and
+the party set to work shoeing horses, repairing saddle-bags, etc., I
+proceeded with Mr. Walcott and Mr. Angel in the boat to make a rough
+survey of the coves on the western side of the bay, with a view to
+selecting a suitable spot from which to re-embark the horses on our
+return from the next trip, as it would be too late in the season by that
+time to venture the trip overland to Champion Bay. I found that a good
+anchorage existed, with three fathoms at low water, one mile off the
+little cove from which the ship had been watered, and is approachable at
+all times, except in strong east or south-east gales, when a heavy swell
+sets in across the bay, rendering a landing unsafe. The fresh water runs
+down a rocky gully at the north-west corner of the cove, at the north end
+of a small patch of sandy beach, and the supply appears tolerably
+abundant; it is, however, rather difficult of access towards the end of
+the dry season, as the water has then to be carried over the rocks in
+small baracas fifty or sixty yards to the boats, but from the setting in
+of the rains to the end of August it runs down strongly at high-water
+mark. I walked back overland to the camp with Mr. Walcott, the distance
+being about four miles, heading by the way another deep cove, the margin
+of which was lined with a broad belt of mangroves.
+
+<p>21st to 28th July.
+
+<p>Was fully taken up in shoeing horses, making spare shoes, refitting and
+packing stores, etc., ready for our trip to the eastward, my own time
+being principally taken up in roughly plotting the country already
+explored, so as to secure all the information obtained, in the event of
+any accident occurring to my field-books.
+
+<p>29th July.
+
+<p>Everything being in readiness for our departure, I gave Captain Dixon
+instructions to wait for us in the bay to the 10th December, and in the
+event of our not then returning, Mr. Walcott would land one of the ship's
+iron tanks, and bury in it a quantity of stores, at a spot already agreed
+upon; the Dolphin would then proceed to Fremantle. It blew so fresh all
+the morning that I could not land until 3 p.m., when we quickly saddled
+up and proceeded three miles to a waterhole up in the volcanic hills, as
+it was probable we should have a very long day's march tomorrow without
+water. As we had now only nineteen horses, and one of these so low in
+condition as not to be able to carry a load, we could only take with us
+eighty-seven days' rations, at the rate of one pound of flour, seven
+ounces of meat, and four ounces of sugar per man per diem; we were,
+however, well provided with ammunition, and thirty spare sets of
+horse-shoes, with nails sufficient for at least two removes, the horses
+themselves being shod at starting with extra strong shoes tipped with
+steel. We had now only seven saddle-horses, so that one of the party was
+always on foot by turns of an hour each. It had been originally intended
+that the Dolphin should proceed to Roebuck Bay and meet us there; but it
+was now so late in the season that I did not deem it prudent to run the
+risk of removing her to an unknown anchorage, where it was possible we
+might not be able to reach, and thus lay ourselves open to the
+probability of a very embarrassing uncertainty. The result proved we had
+adopted the right course. Bivouac.
+
+<p>DIFFICULTY IN CROSSING MUD FLATS.
+
+<p>30th July.
+
+<p>This morning we crossed the marsh with some difficulty, as all the
+pack-horses but three fell and stuck in the mud, until we transferred
+their loads to our own backs and carried them through half a mile of the
+softest part. The operation detained us so long that we did not make more
+than eighteen miles, when we found a little water left in the pool seen
+on the 18th. Camp 48.
+
+<p>31st July.
+
+<p>Started at 8 a.m., following our old tracks to 3.30 p.m., when we turned
+to the south up a stream-bed crossed on the 17th. At the gorge where it
+issued from the granite ranges we found a fine pool of permanent water
+and abundance of beautiful green grass. This stream was now named the
+Harding, and, as the packs were heavy, we remained here the rest of the
+afternoon. Camp 49.
+
+<p>A FERTILE PLAIN.
+
+<p>1st August.
+
+<p>Passing under the northern foot of the granite ranges on an easterly
+course for sixteen miles, we came upon a fine reach of open water in a
+branch of the creek on which we had encamped on the 16th July. This pool
+was a valuable discovery, as it would not only form a useful halting
+place on our return, but, from being in the middle of a fertile plain
+containing at least from 15,000 to 20,000 acres of arable land equal in
+quality to the Greenough Flats, the whole could, if necessary, be easily
+irrigated from this large natural reservoir, the highest part of the
+plain not being thirty feet above the water-level at the driest period of
+the year. This fine tract of country, in connection with the lands
+already seen almost adjoining on the eastern bank of the Sherlock, would
+in itself support a larger population than is at present contained in the
+whole of the colony of Western Australia. We had seen more kangaroos on
+these plains than on any other portion of our route; one that was shot
+resembled the Osphranter, and was in very good order, the fur much
+thicker and softer than the common kangaroo of the western coast, and of
+a pale mouse colour. It weighed about forty-five pounds. Camp 50.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+<p>2nd August.
+
+<p>Proceeding eastward over grassy plains and stony ridges, at thirteen
+miles we struck the Sherlock only two miles below the pool at which we
+had left the horse Rocket, and hoped to find him improved by the rest;
+but, on approaching the spot, the presence of crows and a wild dog gave
+indications of a different fate; we found him partly devoured within a
+few yards of where we left him, inflammation of the feet having most
+probably produced mortification. Pushing on till sunset, we arrived at
+our old camping ground (Camp 43) at the bend of the Sherlock. Camp 51.
+
+<p>ASCEND THE SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+<p>3rd August.
+
+<p>Followed up the left bank of the Sherlock to Camp 42, and found a little
+water still remaining in the bird-cage pools, where we halted for two
+hours. At 1.30 p.m. resumed an easterly route across a sandy plain,
+yielding little but hakea and triodia. Five miles brought us to a large
+branch of the Sherlock coming from the south-east, in which were several
+small permanent pools, surrounded by flags, at which we halted. Camp 52.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 7 minutes.
+
+<p>4th August (Sunday).
+
+<p>Although the feed here was very indifferent, yet, as we had again entered
+unexplored country, I was glad to make it a day of rest before entering
+upon the rather unpromising tract of country that lay in the outward
+route.
+
+<p>5th August.
+
+<p>Making a rather late start, on account of the horses having strayed very
+far in search of feed, we steered for a bold range bearing
+east-south-east, distant about twenty miles. At four miles crossed a dry
+channel coming from the south-south-east, and continued our course over a
+poor tract of country, covered with triodia and a few acacia, large bare
+red granite rocks cropping out here and there. At one of these was a
+small waterhole, near which a native was hunting mice. Although at first
+alarmed, he soon told us, in answer to our inquiries, that we should find
+no water to the east, but plenty to the south, which we found to be
+correct, as we had to halt, after a very long day's march, in a dry
+ravine in the ranges for which we had been making. Camp 53.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 10 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+<p>RECONNOITRE THE COUNTRY AHEAD.
+
+<p>6th August.
+
+<p>Having reconnoitred the country for some miles ahead overnight without
+finding water, it was no use leading our horses further into the rugged
+defiles, where we might get entangled for many hours; we accordingly
+struck to the south-west for four miles, when we came on a rocky pool of
+permanent water in the south-east branch of the Sherlock, just at the
+point where it emerges from the hills. Having watered the horses and
+given them an hour's rest, we followed up the stream to the south-east
+for seven miles, when it divided into numerous small dry ravines in the
+heart of an elevated range of granite, capped with metamorphic sandstone;
+water having only been met with within the first mile from where we
+struck it. Camp 54.
+
+<p>7th August.
+
+<p>The horses requiring water, we fell back upon the pool passed yesterday,
+where I decided upon leaving the bulk of the party for the day or two,
+while I explored the country for a pass to the eastward. Camp 55.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 14 minutes 28 seconds.
+
+<p>8th August.
+
+<p>Taking with me Mr. Brown and Mr. Harding mounted, and one pack-horse
+carrying water, we struck through the hills to the eastward, and at six
+miles came upon a stream-bed that led us to the north-east fifteen or
+sixteen miles, when, finding it contained no water, we resumed an
+easterly course over an open sandy and stony plain, covered with triodia,
+for twelve miles, and encamped in poor feed without water. Camp 56.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+<p>THE YULE RIVER.
+
+<p>9th August.
+
+<p>A heavy dew having fallen during the night, our horses were much
+refreshed, and we were enabled to proceed with the scanty supply of water
+carried with us. In an hour we struck upon the channel of a river with a
+sandy bed, 300 yards wide, in which were a few pools of water, under a
+bold sandstone bluff, rising abruptly 300 feet from the plain. From the
+summit of this hill the river was observed to trend to the
+north-north-west for eight or ten miles, and to come upon a gap in a
+granite range four miles to the south-south-east, towards which we now
+turned our steps, across extensive beds of soft drift-sand brought down
+by the river. Cajeput and acacia trees occupied a large portion of the
+channel, and it was not until reaching the gorge in the range that grass
+was met with in sufficient quantities to supply our wants. Several large
+pools, teeming with water-fowl, occupied the whole of the valley, which
+here was fully a quarter of a mile wide. The remainder of the day I
+devoted to sketching and triangulating the country, while the horses were
+enjoying the benefit of the fine feed. Camp 57.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 6 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+<p>10th August.
+
+<p>As this river, from its magnitude, afforded a fair chance of working to
+the south-east, I determined to bring forward the rest of the party.
+Having named this river the Yule, we returned to the depot party by a
+somewhat shorter cut, making it in about thirty miles, which we
+accomplished by sundown.
+
+<p>11th August (Sunday).
+
+<p>Party resting. Observed a set of lunars, which placed us in longitude 118
+degrees 3 minutes east, the rate of the chronometer being still so
+irregular as to be almost useless.
+
+<p>12th August.
+
+<p>To-day the whole party proceeded twenty-four miles towards the Yule,
+finding a small pool of water in a rocky ravine by the way which we had
+missed on our former trip. Bivouacked in an open grassy plain six miles
+short of the river.
+
+<p>13th August.
+
+<p>Moved on to our camp of the 9th, and halted there for the remainder of
+the day. The latitude by meridian altitude of the sun I found to be 21
+degrees 6 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+<p>14th August.
+
+<p>As travelling near the river was found to be very laborious, on account
+of the vast beds of loose drift-sand thrown up by the summer floods, we
+steered to the south-south-east for a pass in the ranges about twenty
+miles distant, through which the river was supposed to come, but on
+reaching the hills, the river was observed to the westward; we
+accordingly altered our course to south-west, and struck it at about six
+miles; the character of the river being still the same, the aggregate
+width of the several channels amounting to nearly half a mile; water
+being procured in them by digging a few inches in the sand. The country
+passed over during the day was an open plain of light sandy loam,
+interspersed with bare granite rocks, cropping out at intervals of a few
+miles. Giant ant-hills of from ten to sixteen feet in height, and thirty
+to forty feet in circumference (a few of which had already been met with
+on our first trip), were here remarkably conspicuous, on account of their
+size and bright brick-red colour. An emu was shot during the day, while
+running at full speed, at the range of over 200 yards. Camp 58.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 23 minutes 23 seconds.
+
+<p>15th August.
+
+<p>One of the horses was missing this morning, so we did not start until 10
+a.m., when the river was followed up to the south-east through country
+the same as yesterday; halting for the night in latitude 21 degrees 32
+minutes 13 seconds. Camp 59.
+
+<p>16th August.
+
+<p>Our average course to-day was nearly east, occasionally crossing channels
+coming from the south-east. Towards evening we found that the main
+channel, which it had been our intention to have followed, had escaped
+our observation to the southward, and we were only on a comparatively
+small tributary coming from a rugged range of hills to the eastward. Our
+object for the present not being to push too far into the interior, this
+tributary was followed until it broke up into numerous small valleys, in
+one of which water was obtained by digging three feet in the sand,
+amongst tolerable feed, the country having much improved in the course of
+the day. Camp 60.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 34 minutes.
+
+<p>ROCKY RANGES.
+
+<p>17th August.
+
+<p>Soon after starting this morning we came upon a camp of natives, but we
+could not prevail upon any of them to stop and hold parley with us. Four
+hours' travelling over rather rocky ground led us well into the range,
+which we found to consist of granite, capped with metamorphic sandstones
+and broken up by dykes of variegated jasper. In a deep ravine at the foot
+of a cliff we found a small pool of beautiful clear spring water, which
+was very acceptable, as the sun had now acquired considerable power, and
+the grasses were beginning to get very dry food for our horses. During
+the halt at this spring Mr. Harding and myself ascended the highest part
+of the range, which was found to be 500 or 600 feet above the plain. From
+this elevation I was enabled to select our onward route, and obtain
+bearings to several useful summits for triangulation--a few hills to the
+south-south-east being visible at the distance of sixty or seventy miles,
+which no doubt form part of the continuation of the Hamersley Range.
+Resuming an east course, the culminating point of the range was soon
+passed, when we descended to the eastward down some deep and remarkably
+picturesque rocky glens, in which were found several springs and pools of
+water, leading down to a fine grassy flat, in which were growing some
+fine large flooded-gum trees. Camp 61.
+
+<p>18th August (Sunday).
+
+<p>Found our latitude 21 degrees 36 minutes 8 seconds; longitude 119 degrees
+13 minutes east by account.
+
+<p>THE STRELLEY RIVER.
+
+<p>19th August.
+
+<p>The country being very hilly, it was found best to follow down the stream
+upon which we had encamped, although it trended to the north of east. In
+a few miles the valley opened out with fine pools of permanent water,
+covered with numerous flights of ducks, and at eight miles it joined a
+wide valley from the south, down which flowed a river, divided into
+several channels, containing many fine pools from 50 to 200 yards wide,
+which were still running gently from one to another. The banks, although
+well grassed, were very rocky, rendering travelling excessively fatiguing
+to our heavily-loaded pack-horses, several of them being bruised and
+strained while jumping from rock to rock, the clefts being too deep and
+narrow for them to walk between, and the ranges bordering the valley were
+too steep to admit of our leaving the river, which we were compelled to
+follow down to latitude 21 degrees 26 minutes 52 seconds. Camp 62.
+
+<p>20th August.
+
+<p>The river, which had been named the Strelley, continued to hold a
+northerly course; we therefore availed ourselves of a smoother valley
+coming in from the east to resume our old course. At nine miles we met
+with a stream 100 yards wide coming from the south-east, evidently
+tributary to the Strelley, and taking its rise in elevated granite ranges
+with black volcanic ridges protruding through them, but not to any
+considerable height above the general level of the country. After a few
+hours' scramble over these ridges we came upon a small stream trending
+east, containing several springs, surrounded by high grass and flags,
+gradually leading us by sunset into a deep pass, walled in by cliffs and
+bluffs from 100 to 300 feet high; the stream, having joined several
+larger ones from the southward, now occupying nearly the whole width of
+the valley. We encamped in one of the wildest and most romantic-looking
+spots to be found in this part of Australia, to which we gave the name of
+Glen Herring, from a fish bearing a resemblance to a herring being found
+in the stream. Camp 63.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+<p>THE SHAW RIVER. NORTON PLAINS.
+
+<p>21st August.
+
+<p>With some difficulty we wended our way down the intricate windings of the
+glen for six miles in a north-east direction, when it opened out into
+grassy flats, turning to the northward. Leaving it at this point, a mile
+east brought us to the bank of a fine open river-bed 200 yards wide, down
+which a little water was still flowing, the country on its banks becoming
+much more promising and grass plentiful. This river I named the Shaw, and
+some beautiful grassy plains through which it came for twenty or thirty
+miles to the southward Norton Plains, after the talented Secretary of the
+Royal Geographical Society. In the afternoon a large tributary from the
+south-east was followed up for some miles, when, turning to the south, we
+quitted it to follow an open valley leading east towards a bold granite
+and schistose range, under which we encamped late without finding water.
+Camp 64.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes.
+
+<p>22nd August.
+
+<p>As we did not find water for some distance to the eastward under the foot
+of the hills, we turned to the south-east, quickly emerging from the
+hills upon the Norton Plains, and at two miles came upon the stream
+quitted last evening, to which the name of Emu Creek had been given. It
+had altered its course, and was again coming from the east, and contained
+several fine springs. This creek was followed up for the rest of the day
+through a rather indifferent country, and, towards nightfall, led us into
+a deep rocky ravine, in which we encamped, a small supply of water being
+obtained from holes in the rocks. Camp 65.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 28 minutes.
+
+<p>23rd August.
+
+<p>As we advanced, the ravine divided into many branches coming from an
+elevated tableland to the southward; we therefore again resumed an
+easterly course for five or six miles, over rugged hills, and descended
+by a gully trending north-east, which led us in a few miles into open
+plains. Skirting the northern foot of the range until after dark, we
+encamped on a small watercourse, in which we obtained water by digging
+under some granite rocks. Camp 66.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 23 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>24th August.
+
+<p>The horses having suffered much amongst the rocks during the last few
+days, I determined to follow the southern edge of the plain until a
+stream could be met with to lead us to the south-east. A few miles
+brought us to a small watercourse running gently from some springs in the
+plain, which, contrary to our expectations, ran into the ranges to the
+south-east instead of coming out of them. As here there was plenty of
+green grass and water, and the horses were not looking well, we encamped
+early in the entrance of the gorge. Camp 67.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+<p>25th August (Sunday).
+
+<p>Longitude by observation 120 degrees 17 minutes; variation 30 minutes
+east.
+
+<p>26th August.
+
+<p>The stream we were upon led us about five miles south-east through the
+hills, and then joined a river coming from the southward, 100 yards wide,
+which was followed down on an average course of east-north-east to
+latitude 21 degrees 18 minutes; reeds and rank grass lining its banks in
+many parts, while in others granite boulders and banks of drift-sand
+offered considerable impediments to travelling. Camp 68.
+
+<p>DEGREY RIVER.
+
+<p>27th August.
+
+<p>The river took us on a northerly course nine or ten miles, receiving many
+large tributaries, several of them still running slightly, forming
+altogether a stream of some importance, which, on account of the large
+extent of pastoral and agricultural lands afterwards found on its banks
+lower down, and its many fine tributaries, I named the DeGrey, in honour
+of the noble lord who took a lively interest in promoting the objects of
+the expedition. As the object at present in view was to push to the
+south-east, we left this promising river and resumed an east-south-east
+course for five or six miles into a hilly country, and encamped in a
+gully with rather scanty feed, a little water being obtained by digging.
+Camp 69.
+
+<p>28th August.
+
+<p>We soon became involved in deep ravines, which led up into high
+tableland, the summit of which was no sooner attained than we had again
+to descend equally precipitous gullies to the eastward, the horses
+sliding down amongst the loose rocks and stones with a velocity that
+threatened immediate destruction; they all, however, arrived safe at the
+bottom, although in so exhausted a state that two of them had very
+shortly after to be left behind, while we pushed on with the rest in
+search of water and feed, which was not met with until late in the day.
+After a short rest I sent Messrs. Brown and Brockman back for the two
+beaten horses, while I moved the party on a mile further to a fine spring
+in a grassy flat, where we encamped. Camp 70.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 9 minutes 3 seconds.
+
+<p>EXTENSIVE GRASSY PLAINS.
+
+<p>29th August.
+
+<p>The two horses left yesterday were brought into camp early in the day,
+and as they were too weak to carry their loads, they were placed on our
+saddle-horses, one of the party by turns having to walk. As the season
+was rapidly advancing, we could not venture to incur any delay, much as
+the horses required rest, and accordingly resumed an east course late in
+the day. At five miles came upon a sandy stream-bed fifty yards wide,
+trending to the north-east, beyond which the country opened out into an
+extensive plain of white waving grass--to the north uninterrupted by a
+single elevation, while to the east and south, at eight or ten miles
+distant, rose ranges of granite hills, capped with horizontal sandstones.
+It was not until some time after dark that we arrived near the opposite
+edge of the plain, when we came upon a river 200 yards wide, running to
+the northward. The long drought had reduced it to a few shallow pools,
+running from one to the other through the deep sand in the bed;
+magnificent cajeput-trees lined the banks, and grass was in abundance.
+Camp 71.
+
+<p>OAKOVER RIVER.
+
+<p>30th August.
+
+<p>We did not start till late, as Mr. Brown had to go back some little
+distance for his horse, which had been again left behind overnight,
+knocked up. As it would have been useless, in the present condition of
+our horses, to attempt at once to enter the ranges to the east, we
+determined to follow up the river for a few days to the south-south-east
+and by so doing secure feed and water, and give the poor animals a chance
+of recovering their strength; we therefore followed the river up for
+seven or eight miles, through fine open forest country, and encamped near
+a deep pool, in which were caught ten or twelve dozen of small trout,
+which, with cockatoos and ducks, afforded an important addition to our
+ration of only seven ounces of meat. This river was named the Oakover.
+Camp 72.
+
+<p>31st August.
+
+<p>For nearly ten miles the river continued to lead us to the eastward of
+south; it then divided, the main channel coming from the south-west; we,
+however, followed the eastern branch until quite satisfied that it
+contained no water, and then fell back to the westward, striking the
+river near some cliffs, at the foot of which water was plentiful.
+Although only 1 p.m., I determined to halt for the remainder of the day,
+as it was too late to make an attempt to enter the hills without giving
+the horses the advantage of some hours' feed and rest. It also afforded
+me leisure to make astronomical observations and work up the plans of our
+route. A set of lunar distances, very carefully taken, placed the camp in
+longitude 121 degrees 3 minutes 30 seconds east, while that by account,
+carried on by triangulation and dead-reckoning from the Sherlock, placed
+us four and a half miles more to the westward; the latitude being 21
+degrees 23 minutes 43 seconds. Camp 73.
+
+<p>1st September (Sunday).
+
+<p>Read prayers.
+
+<p>2nd September.
+
+<p>A march of three hours across the plains to the eastward brought us to
+the foot of the range, which we entered by a tolerably easy pass, and
+soon came upon a pool of water in a tributary to the Oakover, the mouth
+of which had been passed on our ascent of that river. Here we halted for
+two hours, and then resumed our route through steep and rocky hills,
+containing numerous fine springs. It was not until 7 p.m. that we finally
+got through the ranges, and emerged upon open sandy plains of vast
+extent, no object being observable from north-north-east round to
+south-south-east except low ridges of red drift-sand, in many parts
+nearly bare of vegetation. A large party of natives were encamped upon
+the watercourse down which we descended to the plain. Not wishing to
+alarm them, we passed the waterholes from which they were supplied, and
+proceeded a mile farther, but had in consequence to camp without water,
+although amongst abundance of grass. Camp 74.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 21 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>NATIVE HEAD-DRESS. ENTER THE SANDY DESERT.
+
+<p>3rd September.
+
+<p>This morning we returned to the native encampment for water, and found
+that they had already deserted it, leaving many of their things
+behind--amongst others, a very singular head-dress, shaped like a helmet.
+It consisted of a circular band, made of twisted grass, the size of the
+head, into which were stuck ten or twelve upright twigs, brought together
+into a point two feet high, which was woven like an open basket, with
+yarn made of opossum fur; the whole no doubt being considered highly
+ornamental by the wearers, but of not the least service as an article of
+protection for the head, either from the sun or in war. Having watered
+the horses, we entered the sand-plain, travelling between the ridges,
+which ran in straight lines parallel to each other at the distance of
+several hundred yards apart, the sand being thrown by the south-east
+gales into acute ridges thirty to sixty feet high, their direction being
+almost invariably north 109 degrees east. Travelling to 2.15 p.m., we got
+over about eighteen miles, the valleys yielding little else but triodia,
+with occasional patches of stunted gum forest, in which was found a
+little good grass, on which were feeding flights of pigeons and a variety
+of parrot new to us, but which I believe to be the golden-backed parakeet
+(Psephotus chrysopterygius) of Gould. As no water could be found, and
+many of the horses gave signs of being greatly distressed, no change
+being observable in the country for many miles ahead, a few very distant
+ranges being the only objects visible, we were obliged to have recourse
+to the only safe expedient of falling back and forming a depot. Resting
+to 5.10, we commenced a retreat until 7.20, having been obliged to
+abandon a horse of Mr. Brown's, quite exhausted. Camp 75.
+
+<p>4th September.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. resumed our retreat, and by noon arrived at the waterhole of
+the 2nd, having left two more horses behind, which, however, Mr. Brown
+and myself carried out water to in the course of the evening and drove
+them in during the night.
+
+<p>5th September.
+
+<p>Leaving the party to rest, I walked ten or twelve miles round to the
+south-south-eastward, along the foot of the range, in search of water,
+and to ascertain if a better line of country could be found in that
+direction, but it continued to maintain the same arid appearance, and I
+only came on one pool in a gully four miles from the camp. Depot.
+
+<p>6th September.
+
+<p>Leaving Mr. Turner and four of the party in depot, with instructions to
+remain there three days, and then fall back upon the Oakover, where there
+was much better feed, I started with Messrs. Brown and Harding, taking
+six of the strongest horses, sixteen days' rations and six gallons of
+water, and steered south-south-east along the ranges for six or eight
+miles, looking for some stream-bed that might lead us through the plains,
+but was disappointed to find that they were all lost in the first mile
+after leaving the hills, and as crossing the numerous ridges of sand
+proved very fatiguing to the horses, we determined once more to attempt
+to strike to the eastward between the ridges, which we did for fifteen
+miles, when our horses again showed signs of failing us, which left us
+the only alternative of either pushing on at all hazards to a distant
+range that was now just visible to the eastward, where, from the numerous
+native fires and general depression of the country, there was every
+reason to think a large river would be found to exist, or to make for
+some deep rocky gorges in the granite hills ten miles to the south, in
+which there was every prospect of finding water. In the former case the
+travelling would be smoothest, but the distance so great that, in the
+event of our failing to obtain water, we probably should not succeed in
+bringing back one of our horses; while, in the latter, we should have to
+climb over the sand ridges, which we had already found so fatiguing; this
+course, however, involved the least amount of risk, and we accordingly
+struck south four miles, and halted for the night. Camp 76.
+
+<p>REPULSED FOR WANT OF WATER. INTENSE HEAT.
+
+<p>7th September.
+
+<p>The horses did not look much refreshed by the night's rest; we, however,
+divided three gallons of water amongst them, and started off early, in
+the hope of reaching the ranges by noon; but we had not gone three miles
+when one of the pack-horses, that was carrying less than forty pounds
+weight, began to fail, and the load was placed upon my saddle-horse; it
+did not, however, enable him to get on more than a couple of miles
+further, when we were compelled to abandon him, leaving him under the
+shade of the only tree we could find, in the hope that we might bring
+back water to his relief. Finding that it would be many hours before the
+horses could be got on to the hills, I started ahead on foot, leaving
+Messrs. Brown and Harding to come on gently, while I was to make a signal
+by fires if successful in finding water. Two hours' heavy toil through
+the sand, under a broiling sun, brought me to the ranges, where I
+continued to hunt up one ravine after another until 5.0 p.m. without
+success. Twelve hours' almost incessant walking, on a scanty breakfast,
+and without water, with the thermometer over 100 degrees of Fahrenheit,
+began to tell upon me rather severely; so much so that, by the time I had
+tracked up my companions (who had reached the hills by 1.0 p.m., and were
+anxiously waiting for me), it was as much as I could do to carry my rifle
+and accoutrements. The horses were looking truly wretched, and I was
+convinced that the only chance of saving them, if water was not found,
+would be by abandoning our pack-saddles, provisions, and everything we
+could possibly spare, and try and recover them afterwards if practicable;
+we therefore encamped for the night on the last plot of grass we could
+find, and proceeded to make arrangements for an early start in the
+morning. There was still remaining a few pints of water in the kegs,
+having been very sparing in the use of it; this enabled us to have a
+little tea and make a small quantity of damper, of which we all stood in
+much need. Camp 77.
+
+<p>8th September.
+
+<p>At 4.0 a.m. we were again up. Having disposed of our equipment and
+provisions, except our riding-saddles, instruments, and firearms, by
+suspending them in the branches of a large tree, we divided a pint of
+water for our breakfast, and by the first peep of dawn were driving our
+famished horses before us at their best speed toward the depot, which was
+now thirty-two miles distant. For the first eight miles they went on
+pretty well, but the moment the sun began to have power they flagged
+greatly, and it was not long before we were obliged to relinquish another
+horse quite unable to proceed. By 9.0 a.m. I found that my previous day's
+march, and the small allowance of food I had taken, was beginning to have
+its effects upon me, and that it was probable I could not reach the depot
+until next morning, by which time the party left there were to fall back
+to the Oakover; I therefore directed Mr. Brown, who was somewhat fresher
+than myself, to push on for the camp and to bring out fresh horses with
+water, while Mr. Harding and myself would do our best to bring on any
+straggling horses that could not keep up with him. By dark we had
+succeeded in reaching to within nine miles of the depot, finding
+unmistakable evidence towards evening of the condition to which the
+horses taken on by Mr. Brown were reduced, by the saddles, guns, hobbles,
+and even bridles, scattered along the line of march, which had been taken
+off to enable them to go on a few miles further.
+
+<p>EFFECTS OF WANT OF WATER.
+
+<p>9th September.
+
+<p>At dawn Mr. Harding and myself got up from our beds of sand stiff and
+giddy, but much refreshed by the cold night air. In four or five miles we
+met Mr. Brown with fresh horses and a supply of water, having succeeded
+in reaching the depot at 8 p.m. the night before, with only one horse. We
+were now enabled to proceed with the tracking up of the horses left
+overnight, which, after resting some hours, had commenced to ramble in
+search of water; Mr. Brown returning on our route and recovering the
+saddles and firearms left the previous evening, the stores abandoned the
+day before being too far off to attempt their recovery. By 8.30 p.m. we
+had all returned to the depot, having tracked up the three missing
+horses, the two left at the furthest point being too distant to carry
+relief to without incurring the risk of further loss. I cannot omit to
+remark the singular effects of excessive thirst upon the eyes of the
+horses; they absolutely sunk into their heads until there was a hollow of
+sufficient depth to entirely bury the thumb in, and there was an
+appearance as though the whole of the head had shrunk with them,
+producing a very unpleasant and ghastly expression. Depot camp.
+
+<p>10th September.
+
+<p>We were only able to move the camp a mile to another waterhole, for the
+sake of a little better feed. Bivouac.
+
+<p>COMMENCE RETURN JOURNEY.
+
+<p>11th September.
+
+<p>On taking into consideration the reduced number and strength of our
+horses, it was quite evident that we had but little prospect of being
+able to cross the tract of dry sandy country that had already occasioned
+us so much loss and trouble; yet there were many reasons to stimulate us
+to make the attempt. Not only had we now attained to within a very few
+miles of the longitude in which, from various geographical data, there
+are just grounds for believing that a large river may be found to exist,
+draining Central Australia, but the character of the country appeared
+strongly to indicate the vicinity of such a feature; added to which, the
+gradual decline in the elevation of the country, notwithstanding our
+increasing distance from the coast, tended towards the same conclusion.
+Nor should we omit the strong evidences that the remarkable ridges of
+drift-sand which encumbered the plains must in the first instance, have
+been brought from the interior by water, and then have been blown by the
+strong prevailing south-east winds across the country in a direction at
+least 50 degrees from that which they originally came from; this, with
+the clean water-worn appearance of the sand, the bold outlines of the
+hills seen to the far east, and the number of native fires observed in
+the same direction, must all tend to support the hypothesis that the
+western half of Australia is probably drained by a large river in about
+this meridian. I could not, therefore, help regretting more than ever
+that we should be driven back at such an interesting spot; but mature
+reflection convinced me that any further attempt with our present means,
+at this period of the year, was almost certain to be attended with the
+most disastrous results; I therefore decided upon adopting the only other
+useful course open to us--that of examining down to the sea the rivers
+already discovered. With this in view, we to-day fell back five or six
+miles across the ranges to a tributary to the Oakover, called the Davis,
+when one of the horses became so crippled by a strain in the loins that
+we were obliged to halt to give him a chance of recovery, affording me
+leisure to verify our position by observing another set of lunar
+distances, which I found to agree well with those formerly taken ten
+miles to the westward. Camp 78.
+
+<p>DOWN THE OAKOVER RIVER.
+
+<p>12th September.
+
+<p>We commenced the descent of the Davis, having much difficulty in getting
+along the sick horse, as it required the united strength of the party to
+lift him on his legs every time he fell, which he at last did so
+frequently that I ordered him to be shot, as it was hopeless to attempt
+to bring him on, and if left, he must have died of starvation. By 2.0
+p.m. we reached the junction of the stream we were upon with the Oakover,
+and halted two miles south of Camp 72; most of the party being now
+dismounted, shoe-leather was beginning to get very scarce with us. Camp
+79.
+
+<p>13th September.
+
+<p>This day we only travelled eight miles down the Oakover, and encamped
+near a deep creek, in which was caught a good haul of fish. Camp 80.
+
+<p>14th September.
+
+<p>The feed was so good on this river that we were able to proceed to-day to
+latitude 20 degrees 59 minutes 33 seconds; the country improving much,
+grassy flats extending for some miles to the northward, the channel of
+the river being augmented by the junction of the large tributary crossed
+on our eastward track on the afternoon of the 29th August. Camp 81.
+
+<p>15th September (Sunday).
+
+<p>Remained in camp to rest the horses. A few natives were seen near the
+camp during the day.
+
+<p>16th September.
+
+<p>After running four or five miles further north, the Oakover turned to the
+north-west for fourteen miles, having a clear sandy or stony bed from 150
+to 200 yards wide, water and grass being plentiful, and the country
+generally being open forest, with a pleasing appearance. Camp 82.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 46 minutes.
+
+<p>17th September.
+
+<p>The course of the river was followed for about seventeen miles in a
+westerly direction, the bed widening out to 300 or 400 yards, the water
+being now confined to a sandy channel not above 150 yards in width, the
+depth of the valley through which it runs being about forty feet; timber
+of white-gum and cajeput is tolerably plentiful on the banks, the soil of
+which is a red loam of considerable depth. Many of the pools are lined
+with tall reeds. Camp 83.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 41 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+<p>REACH THE DEGREY RIVER.	ABUNDANCE OF FISH.
+
+<p>18th September.
+
+<p>Started at 6.40 a.m. and in two and a half hours entered a deep and
+wild-looking gorge, at which point it formed a junction with the DeGrey,
+coming from the south-south-east, through a beautiful level tract of open
+grassy country, a broad belt of flooded-gum trees growing for some
+distance back on either side. Passing through the gorge, which was a
+quarter of a mile wide and about a mile long, we came upon a camp of
+natives, who, as usual, quickly dispersed without giving us an
+opportunity of showing them that we intended them no harm. The river here
+contains a fine reach of deep water, upon which was a large quantity of
+whistling ducks and other water-fowl. Two miles lower down we halted on
+the banks of a deep creek coming in from the northward; the rest of the
+day being employed re-stuffing pack-saddles, etc., while some of the
+party caught a quantity of fine fish--amongst them an eel, which,
+however, was allowed to escape, being taken for a water-snake by one of
+the party who had never seen one before. A large kind of bat, or vampire,
+was first observed here, measuring about two feet across the wings. Camp
+84.
+
+<p>19th September.
+
+<p>We continued to follow down the DeGrey for about eighteen miles in a
+west-north-west direction, through open grassy plains extending for many
+miles on either bank, the channel of the river still maintaining the same
+sandy character, and with abundance of water in its bed. Camp 85.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 36 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>20th September.
+
+<p>There was little or no change in the appearance of the country for the
+eighteen or twenty miles that the river was traced down during to-day. We
+encamped on the bank of a wide and deep reach of water more than a mile
+long, surrounded by tall reeds. Fish were caught here in great abundance.
+Camp 86.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 31 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+<p>NATIVE CAMP.
+
+<p>21st September.
+
+<p>Shortly after starting we crossed the bed of a tributary coming in from
+the southward, with a shallow sandy channel 200 yards wide, which must
+drain the high ranges between the DeGrey and Shaw Rivers, which we passed
+over on our outward track. In many places we began to observe patches of
+triodia in the midst of the alluvial plains through which the river
+continued to run, and distant ranges were observed both to the north and
+south. Towards sundown we surprised a large party of natives encamped in
+a dry channel of the river, and approached so near before we were
+discovered that we had separated a young child from the rest of the
+party, which was observed by the mother, who remained while the rest of
+the natives made a hasty retreat; it was not long, however, before an
+aged warrior returned to her aid, with his spear shipped, and came
+forward in a very menacing attitude to recover the child, who stood by us
+with a look of the most perfect unconcern. Finding we took no notice of
+his threats, he threw down his weapon, and, walking up to the boy, caught
+him up in his arms and bore him off, with a look of triumph, to his
+companions. No attempt was made to carry away their supper, which was
+ready prepared in a number of wooden scoops, and consisted of fish, rats,
+beans, grass-seed cakes, and a beverage made with some oily seed pounded.
+Leaving everything undisturbed, we pushed on for another mile, so as to
+prevent their being afraid of returning to their evening repast. Camp 87.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 25 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+<p>ATTEMPT TO SPEAR HORSES.
+
+<p>22nd September.
+
+<p>Being Sunday, we only moved a mile lower down the river to a fine reach
+of water, on the banks of which was a rich sward of green grass for our
+horses. Shortly after we had made ourselves comfortable for the day we
+were startled by six of the horses coming into camp at a gallop in their
+hobbles, followed by eighteen armed natives. Everyone sprang to their
+arms in a moment, which caused the intruders to fall back. I tried to
+make them comprehend that we did not approve of the horses being hunted;
+but as they would not go away, and they had a strong party concealed in
+the brushwood, I fired at a tree to show them the use of our arms. The
+moment they heard the report of the rifle and saw the splinters fly, they
+took to their heels and did not again trouble us. We afterwards found a
+spear sticking in the ground in the track of the horses, having evidently
+be thrown while in pursuit. Camp 88.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 25 minutes; longitude 119 degrees 21 minutes.
+
+<p>23rd September.
+
+<p>The river soon passed round the southern foot of a range of hills of 400
+or 500 feet elevation, the country to the south again becoming very
+fertile, and clothed with a rich sward of kangaroo-grass; at ten miles we
+struck the Shaw River, coming from the south-east, with a broad, deep,
+and well-defined channel, in which were many fine pools of water. Below
+the confluence of the rivers the DeGrey widened out considerably, turning
+rather more to the northward, and seven miles further was joined by the
+Strelley, in latitude 20 degrees 16 minutes, and longitude 119 degrees 5
+minutes east; the river being diverted to the northward by a rugged range
+of volcanic hills; its course being now direct for Breaker Inlet, which
+was distant about eighteen miles. Camp 89.
+
+<p>MAGNETIC ROCKS RENDER THE COMPASS USELESS.
+
+<p>24th September.
+
+<p>As it was very important that I should obtain a round of bearings before
+proceeding any further, the country having for some days past been too
+flat to afford many opportunities for triangulation. I to-day started
+with Messrs. Harding and Brown to ascend the ranges that lie to the west
+of the river. A scramble of three miles over very rugged rocks brought us
+to the highest point, which was found to be not more than 500 feet above
+the sea; our journey, however, turned out to be fruitless, the magnetic
+attraction of the volcanic rocks of which the hills are composed being so
+great as to reverse the needle, which varied so much that I could not
+even make use of the compass to take angles, and I had omitted to bring a
+sextant. Kangaroos were numerous among these hills, but we did not
+succeed in shooting any; they appear to be similar to those seen on the
+plains near the Sherlock. The view we had of the country was very
+extensive. To the south is a vast gently-undulating plain, only
+occasionally interrupted by detached granite and sandstone peaks; while
+narrow green lines of trees intersecting the plain in various directions
+indicate the watercourses coming from the distant ranges, and wander in
+wide sandy channels towards the sea; the course of the Strelley being
+easily distinguished for many miles. To the north the eye could trace the
+broad sandy bed of the DeGrey, trending towards Breaker Inlet, the
+position of which was only distinguishable by the margin of deep-blue
+mangroves that line it, and the whole of the extremity of the delta
+formed by the alluvial deposits brought down by the river. To the east
+and west of this is a wide expanse of alluvial flats, covered in most
+parts with rich, waving grass, the sameness of the scenery being relieved
+by detached patches of open park-like forest of flooded-gum. Returning to
+the camp by noon, the remainder of the day was devoted by me to bringing
+up the arrears of mapping, etc., and by the party generally in providing
+a supply of fish and ducks, which here were found to be very plentiful.
+
+<p>25th September.
+
+<p>By 7 a.m. we were once more tracing down the DeGrey through the flats
+seen yesterday. At eight miles the river divided into two channels of
+nearly equal width, the eastern one being followed to latitude 20 degrees
+5 minutes 16 seconds, travelling being very heavy, on account of the
+numerous rat-holes that completely undermine the banks of the river for
+more than a quarter of a mile back on either side. For the last few miles
+the water in the river was decidedly brackish, and at our camp was
+evidently influenced by the tides; we, however, procured some tolerably
+good water by sinking a well in a sandbank in the dry portion of the
+channel, which here was about 300 yards wide. Camp 90.
+
+<p>SUDDEN RISE OF TIDE.
+
+<p>26th September.
+
+<p>This morning we found the water in the well quite salt, in consequence of
+the tide having risen during the night; and as our horses required water,
+it was found desirable to fall back upon some of the fresh pools to form
+a camp, while a day or two could be devoted to the examination of this
+fertile and interesting tract of country. We accordingly crossed the
+channel and proceeded westward for nearly three miles, when we came upon
+the other branch, which proved eventually to join again several miles
+below, forming an island containing some 8000 or 9000 acres of alluvial
+flat soil, covered with a quantity of mixed grasses. To this was given
+the name of Ripon Island. The western channel was found to be over 300
+yards wide, and to contain several fine reaches of open water, some fresh
+and others slightly brackish; they were all teeming with ducks and a
+great variety of water-fowl. Having selected a suitable spot for a camp,
+I started with Messrs. Brown and Harding to examine the country towards
+the inlet. At a little more than two miles we crossed the river between
+two pools of salt water, subject to the influence of the tides, and
+proceeded northward over an open grassy flat for two miles further, when
+the grass gave place to samphire and small mangrove bushes, which
+gradually thickened to dense mangroves, cut up by deep muddy creeks,
+which put a stop to proceeding further in that direction. Here we
+observed several remarkable stacks of dead mangroves, evidently piled
+together by the natives, but for what purpose we could not ascertain,
+unless to escape upon from the tide when fishing. Having gained firm
+ground, we made a detour more to the eastward, and at last succeeded in
+reaching the bank of the river close to the head of the inlet. The tide
+being at the ebb, I was able to walk over the mud and sand to the mouth
+of the river, and obtain bearings to Points Larrey and Poissonier, and
+observe the character of the entrance, from which I formed the opinion
+that the breakers seen by Captain Stokes when surveying this portion of
+the coast, and which deterred him from entering the inlet, were nothing
+more than the sea-rollers meeting a strong ebb tide setting out of the
+DeGrey, possibly backed up by freshes from the interior which would, from
+a river of this size, occasion a considerable commotion where the tide
+amounts to twenty feet; at any rate, I could not observe any rocks, and
+there appeared to be a channel with at least five or six feet of water in
+it at low tide. For the first mile the river has a breadth of from 400 to
+800 yards, and would admit with the tide vessels of twelve or fourteen
+feet draft of water with perfect safety up as far as Ripon Island, where
+they could lie completely sheltered in all weathers quite close to the
+shore, which here has steep banks twenty to thirty feet high; they would
+however, be left aground at low water, as we did not observe any pools in
+this part of the river. I had only just time to complete my observations
+when the roaring of the incoming tide warned me that no time was to be
+lost in returning to the horses, which were nearly a mile higher up the
+river. Although I ran part of the way, the mud creeks filled up so
+rapidly, there was some risk of my being cut off from the shore and
+having to take up a roost on the top of the mangroves until the tide
+fell; I had time, however, to observe that the head of the tide carried
+with it thousands of fish of great variety, amongst them a very
+remarkable one from three to six inches in length, in form resembling a
+mullet, but with fins like a flying-fish; it is amphibious, landing on
+the mud and running with the speed of a lizard, and when frightened can
+jump five or six feet at a bound; I did not, however, succeed in
+capturing one for a specimen. Swarms of beautiful bright-crimson crabs,
+about two inches diameter, were to be seen issuing from their holes to
+welcome the coming flood, on which was borne a great number of sea-fowl,
+who, it was evident, came in for an abundant feast in the general
+turmoil. Mounting our horses, that had stood for the last two hours
+without touching a mouthful of the rank grass around them for want of
+water, we returned to the camp by a different route, through open grass
+flats bordering the deep reaches of water that encompass the north-west
+side of Ripon Island.
+
+<p>SCARCITY OF WATER NEAR THE WEST.
+
+<p>27th September.
+
+<p>Accompanied by the same party, but with three fresh horses, we again
+started to explore the plains eastwards towards Mount Blaze. For several
+miles after leaving the island the country continued of the same fertile
+character as that passed over yesterday, and is at times subject to
+inundation from the river; but as we receded from the influence of the
+floods the soil became lighter and the grass thinner, with patches of
+triodia and samphire. At twelve miles we entered a patch of open grassy
+forest, extending for some miles; but as there was no promise of
+obtaining water, and the day was calm and sultry, we turned to the
+northward in the hope that water might be procurable under the low
+sand-hills that line this portion of the coast. In this we were, however,
+disappointed, as the fall of the country terminated in mangroves and
+salt-water creeks, between which and the sea is a narrow ridge of low
+sand-hills. Amongst them we observed many tracks of natives; but did not
+discover any water. The sea here is apparently very shallow for many
+miles off shore, more than half a mile of mud and sandbank being left dry
+at low water. Resting the horses for two hours, we returned to camp by a
+more direct route, passing for several miles over a plain of rich black
+mould, covered with a short sward of bright-green grass, the native fires
+having swept off the dry grass a few weeks previously; and although there
+had been no rain since, the heavy dews that fell during the night in
+these latitudes had been sufficient to produce a rapid growth.
+
+<p>28th September.
+
+<p>As I expected to meet with some difficulties for want of water between
+this and the Yule River, I thought it best to give the horses the benefit
+of a little rest before resuming our homeward route. Some of the party
+were also deriving much benefit from the abundance of fresh game, as they
+had been suffering from debility, brought on most probably by
+over-exertion while traversing the heavy country of the interior. While
+here we obtained several additions to our small collection of
+birds--amongst them a beautiful wader, the size of a large snipe, the
+head being covered by a remarkable membranous hood or sheath of a rich
+gamboge-yellow, resembling the leaf of a flower falling back from the
+beak, and lying close over the feathers, protecting them when the beak is
+plunged into the sand after food; they had also a remarkable sharp horn
+or claw projecting forward from the last joint of the wing, with which
+they can fight when attacked by birds of prey. A very handsome bird was
+also shot resembling a flamingo, the body being about the size, and in
+plumage like a pelican; the head and neck of a deep rich purple, and
+formed like the flamingo; the legs bright red, long and slender; it flies
+extended to its greatest length, measuring six feet two inches, and
+across the wings seven feet two inches; its weight being only 11 pounds.
+A white heron, with bird-of-paradise feathers on its back, was
+occasionally seen, but only one specimen procured.
+
+<p>29th September (Sunday).
+
+<p>DELTA OF THE DEGREY RIVER.
+
+<p>30th September.
+
+<p>We made an early start up the river, and at three miles struck out into
+the plains to the westward, where we found a large extent of open flat,
+yielding grass and atriplex, and timbered in many parts with
+flooded-gums. At ten miles we came upon a deep reach of water flowing to
+the north-west, which must empty itself into the sea four or five miles
+to the south-west of Spit Point, forming an island of a portion of the
+delta of the DeGrey, containing between 90,000 and 100,000 acres of
+alluvial land. This channel was followed up, and found to come from the
+river, close to the junction of the Strelley, and must be a very
+considerable outlet for the water during the summer rains. I regretted
+much not having time to trace this branch of the DeGrey to its mouth, as
+it might be found to be navigable, and afford a fine site for a seaport
+town. Fresh water is abundant, and building stone procurable in any
+quantity being found in the immediate vicinity on land superior to
+inundation. We remained at the junction the rest of the day. Camp 92.
+
+<p>THE STRELLEY RIVER.
+
+<p>1st October.
+
+<p>As the plains were now dry and parched, we determined to follow up the
+Strelley to the ranges before striking west to the Yule. At first the
+river spread out into so many wide grassy channels that it was difficult
+to trace it; but at four or five miles collected into one bed, about 100
+yards wide, in which were a few small pools. Up to this point the country
+had been fertile, the soil being an alluvial clay, resulting from
+volcanic rocks; but after getting clear of the line of hills, the soil
+became poor and hungry, yielding little else but triodia and acacia
+bushes; water was procured in several places in the course of the day's
+march; our course having been nearly due south. Camp 93.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 32 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>2nd October.
+
+<p>The river led us this morning a little to the eastward of south, through
+a country very similar to yesterday. Late in the day we crossed a
+considerable tributary coming from the south-east, which was now quite
+dry, and takes its rise in a bold range of granite hills now visible to
+the southward, at the distance of ten or twelve miles, and forms a part
+of the main tableland of this part of the coast; the plain we had been
+passing over being only a sea-flat, with a few detached ranges widely
+scattered over its surface. The river now began to trend to the westward,
+granite rocks showing themselves on the surface in large masses. Water
+was occasionally procurable, which was very important, as the horses
+could not travel many hours without it, although the heaviest packs were
+reduced below 100 pounds. We had now only six saddle-horses, so that two
+of the party had to walk by turns for an hour at a time. We halted late
+in latitude 20 degrees 45 minutes 17 seconds. Camp 94.
+
+<p>3rd October.
+
+<p>Started at 6.30 a.m., and in an hour came upon a fine pool in the
+granite, which was very acceptable, as we had encamped overnight without
+any water. The channel of the river here deepened considerably, was full
+of rocks, and contained plenty of water. Skirting the ranges for some
+distance, several tributaries joined from the southward. The country,
+although rocky, improved much in general appearance; grass was abundant,
+and game frequently met with. At night we encamped on a small pool in the
+bed of the river about five miles from the foot of the range. Cockatoos
+and pigeons came in great numbers to drink at the pool about sundown.
+Camp 95.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 56 minutes 33 seconds, longitude 119 degrees 10
+minutes by account.
+
+<p>4th October.
+
+<p>Made an early start, and travelled four miles on a south-west course,
+when the river divided into two channels, the main one coming from a deep
+gorge to the south-south-east, exactly in the direction in which we had
+left the Strelley on our outward route, at a distance of about thirty
+miles; identifying the stream with some degree of certainty. Taking the
+western branch, which would lead us towards the Yule, we followed it up
+until long past noon into a hilly country, without meeting with water;
+we, however, saw a large extent of fine grazing land which would make an
+excellent summer station when the flats were inundated. Having rested
+during the heat of the day, which had lately become rather oppressive, we
+resumed a westerly course, having run out the head watercourses of the
+western branch of the Strelley. A few miles brought us to a considerable
+stream-bed trending to the north-west, which was followed down till some
+time after dark, having procured a few gallons of water from a native
+well in the bed of a creek. To-day we had travelled for nine hours, and
+accomplished a distance of twenty-two miles, the longest day's march we
+had made for many weeks past. Early in the day we had noticed what we
+took for a great number of native fires springing up in all directions,
+and quickly to die away again; we, however, found it to be a number of
+whirlwinds, carrying with them huge columns of charcoal and dust, which
+traversed the plains sometimes for miles before they broke. Camp 96.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+<p>REACH THE YULE RIVER.
+
+<p>5th October.
+
+<p>Our computed distance from the Yule was now only twenty-one miles, and
+the country promised well for travelling; but the long march yesterday,
+and the short allowance of water, rendered it very doubtful whether some
+of the horses would hold out long enough to reach it; we therefore had
+our breakfast before daylight, and as soon as we could see resumed our
+route to the westward. At five miles we crossed a sandy channel, 200
+yards wide, full of cajeput and gum trees, but as we did not soon find
+any water in it, pushed on at a rapid pace, and in two miles more crossed
+a similar channel, 100 yards wide, trending north-west and running
+parallel to the first; beyond this the ground became rocky for a few
+miles, and by the time we had gone rather more than twelve miles, Mr.
+Burges' mare, Lucy, could go no further; giving her half a-gallon of
+water out of the little stock carried with us, I left Messrs. Brown and
+Harding to bring her on when rested, and with the rest of the party
+continued our route. A mile or two further, and another horse, Bob, was
+knocked up and left behind, having also had some water given him. With
+considerable difficulty we succeeded in getting the rest of the horses on
+to the Yule by 1.30 p.m., making it close to our camp of 13th August. Had
+the distance been ten miles further, probably not more than three or four
+of the horses would have ever reached it, so much were they reduced in
+strength. On reaching the pool, several of the horses, notwithstanding
+our efforts to prevent them, rushed headlong into the water with their
+packs on, and drank so much of it that it was with great difficulty we
+could drag them out again. In the course of the afternoon Messrs. Brown
+and Harding came in with the horse Bob, but had not been able to get the
+mare on more than two or three miles; being anxious, however, not to lose
+her, I sent McCourt and James with two of the strongest horses, carrying
+four gallons of water for her, after which they succeeded in getting her
+into camp by midnight. Camp 97.
+
+<p>6th October (Sunday).
+
+<p>Moved a short distance down the river to camp 57 for better feed.
+
+<p>CROSS DRY COUNTRY TO SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+<p>7th October.
+
+<p>As the distance from the Yule to the last known permanent water on the
+eastern branch of the Sherlock is over twenty-five miles, and our means
+of carrying water very limited since abandoning our largest pair of kegs
+in the retreat on the 8th September, I to-day set to work and soldered up
+a number of preserved-meat tins that had been carefully opened and kept
+for this purpose, putting a small spout to each; eight of these (4-pound
+tins) we found to contain something over four gallons, which, added to
+our water belts and the two remaining kegs, would provide for the
+conveyance of twelve gallons of water, which I hoped would prove
+sufficient to enable us to pass the dry tract of country in safety, as it
+would allow half a gallon to each horse and an ample supply for the party
+for two days. I also succeeded in repairing the aneroid barometer, which
+had been crushed nearly flat by the fall of a horse; fortunately,
+however, without injury to the vacuum vase.
+
+<p>8th October.
+
+<p>Having rearranged the loads and lightened them by leaving hid amongst the
+rocks a pack-saddle and sixty pounds weight of horse-shoes and nails, at
+3.45 p.m. we commenced a retreat on our outward tracks of the 13th
+August, travelling to 7.15 p.m., when we encamped on a patch of tolerably
+good grass in the plain at the foot of a volcanic range, without any
+signs of water near us. Camp 98.
+
+<p>9th October.
+
+<p>We were up before daylight, and by 6 a.m. had our breakfast, and were
+again on our march, visiting a waterhole seen on our outward route, but
+now found to be quite dry. We pushed on at the best speed of our horses,
+which was now not much over two miles an hour, to 10.0, when the heat of
+the day began to tell on the jaded animals; we therefore halted for an
+hour to give the horses half a gallon of water each, after which they
+travelled on much more briskly, so that by a little past noon we
+succeeded in reaching the large pool in the eastern Sherlock, near Camp
+55; some of the horses were, however, so much exhausted that we had some
+difficulty in getting them to move for the last mile, although entirely
+relieved of their loads. Camp 55a.
+
+<p>10th October.
+
+<p>Although the horses were by no means in a fit state to continue the
+march, yet grass was so scarce, on account of the native fires having
+here swept it off, that we found it best to push on for the springs at
+Camp 52.
+
+<p>Following down the banks of the stream, we found several pools not yet
+dried up, which proved a great help to our horses; before noon, however,
+the mare Lucy again gave in, and was finally abandoned, as there was but
+little chance of her ever reaching the bay; it is possible she may live
+to be picked up by some future travellers, although too old to last many
+years. By 1.0 p.m. we reached the springs at Camp 52, and found an ample
+supply of water, but the grass was here also much parched up; we,
+however, remained for the rest of the day.
+
+<p>NATIVE DEPREDATIONS.
+
+<p>11th October.
+
+<p>This morning our route was resumed down the eastern Sherlock, tracing a
+portion that had not been before examined, and which was now found to be
+well supplied with water and grass; cockatoos and pigeons being seen in
+large numbers feeding on the banks. As we approached the junction of the
+two branches of the river we met a party of ten or twelve natives, who
+came boldly up to us, which was the only time we had known them to do so
+since quitting Nickol Bay. Hoping to gain some useful information from
+them, they were allowed to follow us to our old camp of 2nd August, where
+there are the large fish-pools, of which they gave us the native names.
+We were not quite so successful in procuring game here as on the former
+visit, although as much fish was caught as could be consumed while it was
+good. The natives kept rather aloof while we were shooting on the river,
+but after dusk eight or ten came to the camp, unarmed, evidently on a
+thieving excursion, and although narrowly watched, managed to carry off a
+portion of Mr. Hall's kit, which, however, he recovered next morning, on
+paying them an early visit, finding the articles buried under some rushes
+in their camp.
+
+<p>THEY SET THE GRASS ON FIRE.
+
+<p>12th October.
+
+<p>We were now getting so near our destination that, although provisions
+were getting low, we could afford to give the party a whole day's rest,
+while I was enabled roughly to plot out some more of my work and write up
+the journal, which, from having my time constantly taken up with more
+pressing duties, had fallen sadly into arrears. The natives again came to
+see what they could steal, but this time were made to sit outside a line
+drawn on the sand, some twenty paces from the camp--an arrangement they
+appeared highly to disapprove of, giving expression to their
+dissatisfaction in a manner anything but polite; finding, however, that
+we were inattentive to their impertinence so long as they confined it to
+harmless display, they watched their opportunity, and suddenly set fire
+to the grass in several places at once around the camp, and ran off as
+hard as they could. As this was an open act of hostility that it was
+necessary they should be chastised for, although I did not wish seriously
+to hurt them, they were allowed to run to a suitable distance, when a
+charge of small shot was fired after them, a few of which taking effect
+in the rear of the principal offender, induced him, on meeting some of
+the party out shooting, to make an apology, and try to lay the blame of
+the theft of the previous day on the dogs.
+
+<p>13th October (Sunday).
+
+<p>As the distances between the several watering places on the homeward
+route were too much to perform without intermediate halts, and the heat
+of the noon-day sun rather oppressive, it was found better to start from
+the pools late in the day, so as to make the halts without water during
+the cool of the night, travelling only very late in the evening and early
+in the morning. We accordingly did not start this afternoon until 4 p.m.,
+and travelled on to 8.45, encamping in an open grassy plain under Black
+Hill--a volcanic eminence, the position of which is shown on the
+Admiralty charts. Camp 99.
+
+<p>14th October.
+
+<p>By 6 a.m. we were again on the move, and in an hour gained the banks of
+the George, which takes its rise in the volcanic hills to the southward.
+In its channel was an abundant supply of water, with many fine healthy
+trees overshadowing the pools. By 9.0 we arrived at our old camp (50),
+where we rested to 4.15 p.m., when we resumed and travelled on till
+nearly 8.0, encamping on the open grassy plains near the Harding River.
+Camp 100.
+
+<p>REACH THE HARDING RIVER. FLYING FOXES.
+
+<p>15th October.
+
+<p>An early start enabled us to accomplish the remaining six miles to the
+Harding by 8.30, where we halted for the remainder of the day, as it was
+not unlikely that we might have to travel the remaining thirty miles into
+the bay without finding any more water. As we had now only four days'
+rations left, and it was uncertain, in the present low condition of our
+horses, how long it might take us to reach the ship, the sportsmen of the
+party made the best use of the halt to procure game, while I proceeded to
+convert some more of the empty meat-tins into water-canisters, increasing
+our means for the transport of water to eighteen gallons, with which we
+had a fair prospect of getting in all the horses, even though no more
+should be found on the route. Our camp was enlivened this evening by the
+continued screeching of a number of large bats, which kept up a vigorous
+fight in the trees overhead the greater part of the night,
+notwithstanding our shooting ten or twelve of them. They were very fat,
+but emitted such an intolerable odour that it would require even an
+explorer to be hard pressed before he could make a supper of them, either
+roasted or boiled.
+
+<p>16th October.
+
+<p>This morning set in intensely hot, by noon the thermometer standing at
+107 degrees in the shade, and at 3 p.m., when placed on a sandbank in the
+sun, rose to 178 of Fahrenheit; on the setting in of the westerly breeze
+it, however, fell at once to 96 degrees, and by 4.30 p.m. we were enabled
+to resume our route without feeling in any way inconvenienced by the
+temperature. We did not now attempt to pass through the rocky ranges so
+far to the eastward as on our outward route, but kept more to the
+westward along the open grassy valley, until opposite the narrowest part
+of the range, when, turning sharp to the north, we very quickly passed
+over the rocky portion of the hills, only encountering a few miles of
+extra rampant triodia, which was anything but pleasant to walk through,
+especially leading the party after dark. Following down a small
+watercourse for several miles, it at length joined the Nickol River, in
+which we shortly after found a small quantity of water in the bottom of
+what had been a pool, but which towards the close of the dry season
+sometimes goes dry; here we halted for a few hours to rest. Camp 101.
+
+<p>LAST DAY'S JOURNEY.
+
+<p>17th October.
+
+<p>Without waiting for daylight, by 2.10 a.m. we were again on the move, as
+there was now a fair chance of getting all the remaining horses into the
+bay, if we did but avoid travelling during the heat of the day. In an
+hour the hills were cleared, and it was now all open plain as far as the
+marsh at the head of Nickol Bay. By the time the morning broke we were in
+full view of the bay and several islands of the Archipelago, the long
+black hull of our ocean-home riding at anchor on the now placid waters
+forming by no means the least pleasing feature of the scene to those who
+had not seen a vestige of civilisation for many months. After halting for
+nearly two hours for breakfast, and to distribute the water amongst the
+horses, we again moved rapidly on, crossing the marsh with some
+difficulty, owing to the spring-tide having been recently over it, and at
+1 p.m. arrived on our old ground at Hearson Cove, where we found a boat
+and party from the ship waiting for us, James having been despatched by a
+shorter route to signalize our return. Everything had gone on
+satisfactorily during our absence. The vessel's water-tanks had been kept
+filled up, ensuring a supply for our horses on the homeward voyage, as it
+would be utterly impossible at this season of the year, with the animals
+in such low condition, to attempt the overland route to Champion Bay.
+Amongst other discoveries during our absence was a bed of pearl-oysters
+at the head of the bay, from which the crew of the Dolphin had procured
+several tons of very fine mother-of-pearl, besides a small number of
+pearls varying in size from one to four carats.
+
+<p>18th October.
+
+<p>The party was fully occupied in clearing out the well and packing up
+saddles and outfit for shipment. It was also found that deepening the
+well had caused the water to become brackish, so much so that we had to
+bring water by boat from the spring at which the ship had been filled up;
+the horses however still managed to drink the well-water, although it
+produced great thirst. I have no doubt but that, had we had time to sink
+a fresh well closer to the foot of the hills, we should have obtained
+fresh water, as several ravines terminate there in a beautiful grassy
+flat, where a large proportion of the rainwater brought down from the
+hills sinks into the soil, from whence it gradually drains down and
+supplies the wells in the salt strata. I was disappointed to find that
+the cotton plants, that had thriven so well on first being sown, had been
+burnt in consequence of some of the sailors having thoughtlessly set fire
+to the adjoining grass; had they not been killed, by this time they would
+probably have been in flower, as their growth was very rapid.
+
+<p>EASTERN PART OF NICKOL BAY.
+
+<p>19th October.
+
+<p>As it was necessary to give the horses a few days' rest previous to
+swimming them off to the ship, I started this morning in the life-boat,
+accompanied by Captain Dixon and Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Walcott, to
+examine the eastern shores of the bay, for the purpose of ascertaining
+whether a more suitable spot for a landing place and site for a future
+town could be found in that quarter. Leaving the Dolphin at 5.30 a.m., we
+ran to the eastward with a light south wind, passing, at six miles, two
+small islands in the mouth of the small bay into which the Nickol River
+discharges itself. These islands had been visited already by Mr. Walcott,
+and I gave them the name of Pemberton and Walcott Islands. Continuing to
+run along the shore towards Cape Lambert, the soundings gave from two to
+three fathoms, with a good bottom of mud and sand, but the landing was
+generally indifferent and rocky until we came to within about nine miles
+of the cape, when a deep opening was passed, affording good shelter and
+landing for small craft. Two miles further we landed in a small rocky
+cove for breakfast, which gave me an opportunity of climbing a hill and
+examining the surrounding country, which proved very dry and rocky. A
+little further we passed a bold headland, against the extremity of which
+rested a singular flying buttress, forming half an arch of fifty or sixty
+feet span, and from thirty to forty feet in height. Turning this
+headland, another opening was observed, which we entered with the tide,
+and soon found that it communicated with the first one, forming an island
+of some extent and elevation, to which was given the name of Dixon
+Island. We continued to beat down the channel, which had an average width
+of over half a mile, until late in the evening, when we came to anchor in
+eleven feet of water.
+
+<p>20th October.
+
+<p>At daylight we found ourselves high and dry, only a narrow channel a few
+yards wide being left. Having walked over the mud to Dixon Island to
+breakfast, the vicinity was examined for water, but without success. At 6
+a.m. the tide came in again so rapidly that it was not without some
+little difficulty that we gained our boat, when the wind set in so
+strongly from the south-west that, after several hours' almost
+ineffectual attempts to work to windward, we again landed not two miles
+from our last night's anchorage, the character of the country being
+equally unfavourable for landing, as it was cut up by deep mangrove
+creeks running far up the valleys into the steep rocky hills, forming a
+difficult and unpromising country. The breeze having moderated and
+shifted a point more to the westward, we again attempted to beat out into
+the bay, but by 9 p.m. had not made more than three miles, when we landed
+for the night, leaving two of the party in charge of the boat to keep her
+off the rocks when the tide fell.
+
+<p>21st October.
+
+<p>The wind and tide being now in our favour, by 3.30 a.m. we took to our
+boat, and arrived on board the Dolphin by 10, when she was very soon got
+underweigh for the purpose of taking her closer in to ship the horses;
+light and variable winds, however, prevented our working more than a mile
+nearer the landing cove by sundown, when we dropped anchor for the night.
+
+<p>22nd October.
+
+<p>With a light west wind the Dolphin was worked into eleven feet water, one
+and a quarter miles off the point near the cove; the vessel drawing over
+ten feet, brought the mud up to the surface in our wake. Eight horses
+were soon swam off without much difficulty, as we all had now some little
+experience in this sort of work.
+
+<p>EMBARK FOR FREMANTLE.
+
+<p>23rd October.
+
+<p>By 2 p.m. the remaining six horses and equipment of the Expedition were
+all safely shipped, and a conspicuous intimation of our sojourn on the
+coast having been painted in large white letters on a pile of granite
+rocks near the south corner of the cove, we took our final departure,
+getting the Dolphin underweigh by 4, with a light westerly wind, which
+carried us through the passage between Hauy and Delambre Islands by 7,
+when we hauled up and stood to north-north-west.
+
+<p>24th October.
+
+<p>The wind still holding to the west, we made but little progress, the
+Dolphin being only a good sailer in smooth water, or running before the
+wind.
+
+<p>Latitude 19 degrees 12 minutes south at noon.
+
+<p>25th October.
+
+<p>By noon observations we were only in latitude 18 degrees 42 minutes;
+longitude 113 degrees 32 minutes.
+
+<p>26th October.
+
+<p>The wind veering slightly to the south, we were able to make by noon to
+latitude 18 degrees 46 minutes 30 seconds; longitude 111 degrees 47
+minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>27th October.
+
+<p>From this time to the 3rd November the winds continued to blow almost
+uninterruptedly from the south and eastward, which carried us as far west
+as longitude 101 degrees east, and latitude 31 degrees south, where we
+met with westerly winds, which enabled us to run up to within sight of
+Cape Naturaliste by the 8th.
+
+<p>9th November.
+
+<p>By 10 a.m. we were off Rottnest Island, when the pilot came on board and
+took us to the anchorage in Gage's Roads by noon. Having given
+instructions to Mr. Turner for the landing of the horses, etc., I landed
+with Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Hall, all of whom were, at their desire,
+at once released from the duties of the Expedition. Proceeded by steamer
+to Perth.
+
+<p>10th November.
+
+<p>Had an interview with His Excellency the Governor, and reported the safe
+return of the party and general results of the Expedition.
+
+<p>F.T. GREGORY,
+
+<p>Commander North-West Australian Expedition.
+
+<p>Perth, 6th February, 1862.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="50%">
+
+<h3>APPENDIX.</h3>
+
+<p>Adopting the course which I have found most convenient on similar
+occasions, I now proceed to offer a few remarks on the general features,
+productions, and natural capabilities, etc., of the country traversed by
+the Expedition, which could not, without disadvantage, have been
+introduced into the foregoing narrative. These remarks have already
+appeared at the conclusion of my report published on the 18th November,
+1861, but are equally applicable to the present publication.
+
+<p>Commencing with its geographical and geological peculiarities, that
+portion of the country that came under our observation consists of a
+succession of terraces, rising inland for nearly 200 miles, more or less
+broken up by volcanic hills towards the coast. The first belt averages
+from ten to forty miles in width from the sea, and is a nearly level
+plain, slightly ascending to the southward, with an elevation of from 40
+to 100 feet, the soil being generally either light loam or strong clays,
+according as it is the result of the disintegration of the granite rocks
+that occasionally protrude above its surface, or of volcanic rocks of
+black scoria that frequently interrupt the general level; hills of this
+nature also constitute the greater portion of the more elevated islands
+off the coast, Cape Lambert, and the promontory that shelters the western
+side of Nickol Bay. The generality of these rocks do not, however, yield
+so rich a soil as might be expected from their origin. This is owing to
+the absence of actual lava, the eruptive heat having nearly been
+sufficient to convert the superincumbent primary and tertiary rocks into
+a vitreous scoria, having a specific gravity of 3.2, and is highly
+indestructible in its texture.
+
+<p>Proceeding inland for the next fifty or sixty miles is a granite country
+that has been originally capped with horizontal sandstones, and has an
+elevation of about 1000 feet. This range terminates to the southward in
+level plains of good soil, the produce of the next series of more
+elevated country, while towards the northern edges the granite and
+sandstones have undergone great changes through the action of numerous
+trap dykes, that have greatly disturbed its surface, producing
+metamorphic rocks, some resembling jasper, and others highly cellular and
+scoriaceous.
+
+<p>In about latitude 22 degrees, on the meridian of Nickol Bay, we came upon
+another and more elevated range trending away to the south-east, having
+an altitude of 2500 feet above the sea. This, unlike the last section,
+has a southern escarpment of 500 or 600 feet, and consists of horizontal
+sandstones and conglomerates, which have comparatively undergone little
+change, and has an average breadth of eight or ten miles, the southern
+flank being bordered by fertile valleys of strong loamy clays, merging
+gradually to the southward into stony ridges and hills, some having an
+elevation of nearly 4000 feet, the culminating point being attained at
+Mount Bruce, in latitude 22 degrees 30 minutes.
+
+<p>From this point the country gradually falls to the Ashburton, the bed of
+which river, in the same meridian as the bay, is about 1600 feet above
+the sea, and the adjoining ranges not above 2200 feet, or about the same
+as the country on the Gascoyne, Lyons, and Upper Murchison.
+
+<p>Of minerals I was unable to discover any traces, except iron. Quartz
+reefs occasionally traversed the country in a north-north-east and
+south-south-west direction, or nearly the same as the mineral lodes at
+Champion Bay; but I could not find any instance in which this rock
+offered much to indicate the probable existence of gold, it being far
+surpassed in this respect by the rocks on the Upper Murchison. Coal does
+not appear likely to be found within the limits of the country passed
+over, unless towards the easternmost point attained by the Expedition.
+
+<p>With respect to the harbours on the coast, I can only speak of Nickol Bay
+and the anchorage under Rosemary and the adjacent islands. The former I
+consider only second to King George's Sound, as it can be entered in all
+weathers, either from the north or north-east, and there is reason to
+believe that a safe passage exists between Legendre and Dolphin Islands,
+leading into Mermaid Straits, where there appears to be an excellent
+harbour at all seasons of the year.
+
+<p>The soundings towards the eastern and western shores of Nickol Bay, taken
+at low water, show sufficient depth for vessels of considerable tonnage
+to lie within a cable's length of the shore, the bottom being fine sand
+and soft mud. Towards the head of the bay the water is much shallower,
+not carrying more than two fathoms two miles from the shore. No reefs are
+known to exist in this bay, except quite close into land.
+
+<p>In making the running survey of the western promontory I found that all
+to the north of Sloping Head was an island, having a boat channel between
+from half a mile to a mile wide. To the outer portion I therefore gave
+the name of Dolphin Island.
+
+<p>The tides are tolerably regular, and average sixteen feet, but at the
+spring they rise twenty-one feet, on which occasions the whole of the
+western promontory, including the high lands for several miles to the
+westward, are entirely cut off by the sea, the other opening being under
+Enderby Island--a circumstance that greatly detracts from the value of
+these otherwise fine harbours, as it would require two miles of causeway
+to connect the best landing place, where water is to be found, with the
+mainland.
+
+<p>The average declination of the needle throughout this district I found to
+be 1 degree east, the result of many amplitudes and azimuths; there is,
+however, in the vicinity of many of the volcanic hills great local
+attraction.
+
+<p>Of the climate I can only say that during the five months we remained on
+the coast we never experienced the same inconvenience from it that we
+frequently have done within the limits of the settled districts of the
+colony; the weather was, however, principally fine, and the sky clear
+during our stay, only two showers having occurred--one at the latter end
+of May and the other in June. The meteorological register kept at Nickol
+Bay shows the following results, from observations taken at all hours of
+the day and night:--
+
+<pre>
+Thermometer     Max.   Min
+May             80     65
+June            76     63
+July            78     56
+August          80     54
+September       83     65
+October         92     70
+</pre>
+
+<p>Under the peculiar circumstance of the thermometer being placed on a
+sandbank in the sun during the hot days in October, it rose to 178
+degrees of Fahrenheit, whilst the lowest it ever fell to was up in the
+hills, in July, when it was 2 degrees below freezing just before sunrise.
+
+<p>The winds continued to blow almost uninterruptedly from the east and
+south-east during the first four months, veering to the south-south-east
+and south and occasionally to the north-east. Latterly the wind was
+alternately south-east in the morning, and north-west or westerly in the
+afternoon; the sky becoming frequently overcast, and every appearance of
+the near approach of the rainy season, which it has been observed by
+navigators and explorers to do about the beginning of November, and
+continue to March.
+
+<p>Amongst the natural productions I would first briefly refer to the beds
+of the pearl oysters, as they are likely to become of immediate
+commercial importance, considerable numbers having been gathered by the
+crew of the Dolphin at their leisure time, the aggregate value of which,
+I am told, is between 500 and 600 pounds; besides pearls, one of which
+has been valued by competent persons at 25 pounds. The limits of the bed
+are as yet undefined, but there is good reason to believe, from the
+position of it, that with proper apparatus ships could soon be loaded
+with them.
+
+<p>Sandalwood was found in small quantities, very highly scented, but too
+widely scattered to become of much importance as an article of export.
+
+<p>Of indigenous fruits, etc., we observed the adansonia, or gouty-stemmed
+tree of Sir G. Grey (nearly allied to the baobab or monkey bread-fruit of
+Southern Africa), sweet and water melons similar to those formerly seen
+by me on the Lyons River, but of much larger size; a small gourd; a wild
+fig, well-tasted; and a sweet plum, very palatable, were found in
+tolerable abundance.
+
+<p>I have already spoken of the palms which grow on the bank of the
+Fortescue; they are very handsome and grow to the height of forty feet,
+but not having brought in any specimens, they have not yet been
+identified as to their variety.
+
+<p>Tobacco does not grow so luxuriantly here as on the Lyons River, but the
+natives collect it, and after preparation, chew it; but we did not on any
+occasion observe them to smoke.
+
+<p>Many beautiful flowers were also collected, which will be forwarded to
+some of the most eminent botanists, to be described and classified.
+
+<p>It now only remains for me to give an opinion on the capabilities of the
+country for colonisation. It would be almost impossible to particularise
+the positions or define the limits of country adapted for grazing
+purposes beyond the reference already made to them. The total amount of
+land available for this purpose within the limit of our route I should
+estimate at not less than two or three millions of acres, and of this I
+may safely say 200,000 are suitable for agricultural purposes, the
+greater portion of which lies on the two flanks of the Hamersley Range,
+on the banks of the DeGrey and its tributaries, and on the Lower
+Sherlock.
+
+<p>Of the fitness of this district for the growth of wool, which, on account
+of its being an intertropical country, it is generally supposed it would
+be unsuitable, I would remark that its elevation above the sea appears
+likely to obviate the objection, and render it probable that sheep may
+not degenerate in the same way they are found to do in other tropical
+countries; at any rate, flocks are now being pushed over on to the same
+latitude in Queensland, and we do not hear of the wool-grower complaining
+that such is the case there.
+
+<p>As to its fitness for the growth of cereals, it is quite possible that
+wheat and barley may not come to the same degree of perfection they do in
+the more temperate latitudes of Australia, but there is no reason to
+doubt its capability of growing sufficient grain for the support of a
+numerous population.
+
+<p>What it appears more highly qualified for than anything else is the
+growth of cotton--a question which at the present juncture cannot be lost
+sight of. From my personal observation of the cultivation of this plant
+in Egypt, and the attention I have recently paid to this subject while in
+Europe, I feel confident that a very considerable portion of the arable
+lands on the DeGrey and Sherlock are precisely the soils adapted for the
+production of this valuable commodity. As, however, I purpose to make
+this the subject of a more lengthy paper at a future period, I will not
+now venture to enlarge upon it.
+
+<p>As the number and disposition of the aborigines is likely to have some
+effect on the first settlement of a district, I would give it as my
+opinion that these people will not prove particularly troublesome to the
+settlers, if properly and fairly treated. They are not numerous, and
+appear very willing to take employ under Europeans, and will no doubt
+soon be made as useful as in the other districts. In stature they rather
+exceed the usual standard, some of them measuring two or three inches
+over six feet.
+
+<p>In bringing my report to a close, I would wish to observe, that although
+the results of the Expedition have fallen short of my sanguine hopes with
+regard to Geographical discovery, and will, I am afraid, in some degree
+disappoint the anticipations of the eminent Geographers who have lent
+their valuable aid in promoting the undertaking, yet I cannot but hope
+that the large amount of additional fertile country it has brought to our
+knowledge will compensate in some degree for the deficiency. I am,
+however, unable to refrain from again expressing my opinion, that had not
+so many concurrent circumstances combined to retard the departure of the
+Expedition until so late in the season, and it had arrived on the coast
+at the time originally recommended by the Geographical Society, it would,
+in all probability, have resulted in the full accomplishment of the
+object they had in view.
+
+<p>It now devolves upon me to perform the pleasing duty of recording my
+entire satisfaction with the manner in which the whole of the members of
+the Expedition put forward their best energies in the performance of
+their respective functions. To Mr. Turner I am indebted for the care
+bestowed on the management of the store department, which came under his
+immediate charge. To Messrs. Brockman and Hall, J. McCourt, and James,
+are due my acknowledgments for the cheerful alacrity with which they
+performed the duties allotted to them.
+
+<p>Of Messrs. Maitland, Brown and J. Harding I cannot speak too highly.
+Accompanying me on all the extra services upon which I was engaged, they
+had to endure privations of no ordinary description, which they met with
+a spirit of steady fortitude deserving of the highest praise. Of the
+valuable services rendered to the Expedition and to science by Mr. P.
+Walcott I have already had occasion to refer, and I sincerely hope that
+his talents and zeal in the pursuits of Botany and Natural History may
+meet a more substantial reward than the thanks which are justly due to
+him and those gentlemen who have given their time and talents
+gratuitously in the service of their fellow-colonists.
+
+<p>To Captain Dixon and the officers and crew of the Dolphin every praise is
+due for the assistance which on all occasions they promptly afforded in
+aiding the Expedition, and for which I gladly avail myself of the present
+opportunity to return them my best thanks.
+
+<p>In conclusion, permit me to tender Your Excellency my acknowledgments for
+the readiness with which you have acceded to my various suggestions in
+carrying out the arrangements of the Expedition since the passing of the
+vote of money in aid by the local legislature.
+
+<p>F.T.G.
+
+<hr width="50%" align="center">
+
+<p>VOCABULARY OF THE ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE AT NICKOL BAY.
+
+<p>BY MR. PWALCOTT.
+
+<pre>
+ENGLISH : ABORIGINAL.
+
+Emu : Galiberie.
+Kangaroo : Peckoora.
+Kangaroo (Rock) : Noordee.
+Barbed spear : Bilara.
+Common spear : Wera Wera.
+Foot : Jinna.
+Sleep : Gnaree.
+Water : Baba.
+Sit down : Barnee Boongoo.
+Come here : Gokie.
+Eastern tribes : Kakardi.
+Hair of head : Knuggnura.
+Twine : Bingooro.
+Nose : Moola.
+Tongue : Talee.
+Cockle (unio) : Yoondo.
+Ears : Kulka.
+Scars on the arms, etc. : Waarbungabo.
+Red ochre or wilgee : Marder.
+Sand : Narnoo.
+Bean (scarlet runner) : Koordala.
+Toe nail : Mindee.
+Oyster (rock) : Jibboor.
+Oyster (pearl) : Weerdee.
+Grass : Warabo.
+Fishing net : Takaroo.
+Fetch or bring : Takora.
+Acacia : Baragoon.
+Breadfruit tree : Tangoola.
+Gourd or calabash : Guabooraam.
+Firewood : Tamara.
+Granite rock : Caragnoo.
+Come : Gokee.
+Go : Wakkie.
+Cowrie or Cypraea : Weelungooroo.
+Sun : Yanda.
+Biscuit : Mardomurrie.
+Sea shag : Toorna.
+Native dog : Wanga.
+Vomit : Kalkalubata.
+Knife : Chumberrie.
+Horse : Gnoormiee.
+Sponge : Banga.
+Axe : Carama.
+Black wattle : Eringgna.
+Snake : Walee.
+Tobacco : Gaanaree.
+Scarlet trefoil : Beeban.
+Hungry : Kamoongoo.
+Knee : Manboor.
+Shin : Kojaee.
+Thigh : Woolagallu.
+Eyelash : Gneearee.
+Forehead : Wara.
+Lip : Walee.
+Knuckles : Munjee.
+Elbow : Yarna Mangoola.
+Big toe : Guangnaree.
+Seaweed : Binda.
+Iron : Tanga Tanga.
+Boat : Kajuree.
+Sneeze : Kanjeerneo.
+Sugar : Kungknara.
+</pre>
+
+<hr width="50%" align="center">
+
+<a name="seven"></a>
+
+<h3>NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION.</h3>
+
+<h4>1855 TO 1856.</h4>
+
+<p>The circumstances which led to the organisation of the Expedition for
+exploring Northern Australia, and the special objects of the Imperial
+Government in undertaking it, are best detailed in the following Despatch
+from His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, Secretary of State for the
+Colonies, to Captain Fitzgerald, Governor of Western Australia:--
+
+<p>The Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, to the Governor
+of Western Australia.
+
+<p>Downing Street,
+
+<p>31st August, 1854.
+
+<p>SIR,
+
+<p>You will probably have been rendered aware by the reports of the
+Parliamentary Debates of last session, and from other sources, that Her
+Majesty's Government have been long considering the project of
+despatching an exploring expedition to lay open, if favoured with
+success, more of the interior of the great Australian Continent than the
+many energetic but partial attempts hitherto made have succeeded in
+developing.
+
+<p>This scheme originated with the Council of the Royal Geographical
+Society, who corresponded with the Colonial Department on the subject of
+it during last winter. But it was ultimately considered by Her Majesty's
+Government that the importance of the subject rendered it more advisable
+that the expedition should be undertaken under their own
+superintendence, and as a matter of public concern; and Parliament has
+now placed at their disposal a sum of 5000 pounds for the purpose, and
+will undoubtedly give further assistance should it be requisite.
+
+<p>Great difficulties have, however, presented themselves as to the
+necessary arrangements. The hostilities in which the country is involved
+have necessarily directed the time and thoughts, not of Her Majesty's
+Government only, but also of many of those whose professional knowledge
+and experience might have been of the greatest assistance, in another
+direction. Of the distinguished Australian explorers now in this country
+some are incapacitated by reason of health, and others by the
+circumstance of their services being required in other directions, from
+taking the command.
+
+<p>It would, however, be a matter of regret if, now that the money has been
+voted and the preparations partially made, the Expedition was not able to
+start at the best period for commencing operations next year, which on
+the northern coast of Australia seems generally thought to be from
+February to April.
+
+<p>I enclose copies of certain portions of the correspondence which took
+place early in the present year between the Colonial Department and
+Captain Stokes and Mr. Sturt, who were consulted in order to obtain the
+benefit of their advice, and the former of whom I had at one time the
+hope to secure for the command of the Expedition.
+
+<p>You will collect from these documents that the general view of those who
+have considered the subject appears to be that Moreton Bay would be a
+convenient rendezvous for the land portion of the Expedition; that they
+might be conveyed by sea to the mouth of the Victoria River, on the
+north-west coast; that it would be advantageous, if possible, that they
+should act in concert with a Government vessel, which might be employed
+in surveying operations in the Gulf of Carpentaria and neighbourhood,
+while the land explorers were engaged in the interior.
+
+<p>SELECTION OF COMMANDER.
+
+<p>Her Majesty's Government are, however, fully aware that such projects,
+especially where they involve so much combination, can only be submitted
+generally to the leader of such an expedition, to whom great latitude
+must be left as to the mode of carrying his instructions into execution.
+
+<p>They have now come to the determination of offering the command of the
+land expedition to Mr. A.C. Gregory, Assistant Surveyor, in Western
+Australia. They have been induced to take this course both by the very
+high testimonials which have been given to the abilities and fitness of
+this gentleman for the purpose by such authorities as they have been able
+to consult in England, and also by your own reports concerning him,
+particularly that contained in your despatch of the 6th January, 1852.
+
+<p>Should Mr. Gregory accept the charge, which I trust, notwithstanding its
+arduous and responsible nature, you will find him ready to do, it is the
+wish of Her Majesty's Government that without waiting for further
+instructions he should proceed immediately to Sydney, where he will find
+such instructions awaiting him, and where his party will be organised.
+
+<p>You are authorised to supply Mr. Gregory with the necessary funds for
+this purpose, which will be repaid to the Local Government, from the
+Commissariat chest.
+
+<p>If you are aware of any persons in your Government well qualified and
+willing to serve under Mr. Gregory in subordinate capacities, or if he
+has himself any assistants whom he would be anxious to engage, you are at
+liberty to place them at his disposal; but it must be understood that
+this permission does not apply to persons who are to take charge of
+scientific departments of the Expedition, as there are already gentlemen
+of this class with whom her Majesty's Government have been in
+correspondence; any such person who may wish to join the Expedition can
+do so only as a volunteer.
+
+<p>Copy of this despatch has been transmitted by the same mail to Sir
+Charles Fitzroy, and likewise to the other Australian Governors. Sir
+Charles Fitzroy will therefore be fully prepared to receive Mr. Gregory,
+and to render him all assistance in his power; and I have every reason to
+hope for the zealous co-operation of the several local Legislatures and
+Governments in a scheme intended for the development of the vast and
+unknown resources of their common Continent.
+
+<p>You will, on receiving this despatch, immediately communicate with Mr.
+Gregory, and if he should accept the command of the Expedition, inform
+both the Secretary of State for the Colonies and Sir Charles Fitzroy, and
+the other Australian Governments, immediately of his having done so, and
+of his intended movements.
+
+<p>I have, etc.,
+
+<p>(Signed) NEWCASTLE.
+
+<hr width="20%" align="center">
+
+<h5>JOURNAL OF THE NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPLORING EXPEDITION, BY A.C. GREGORY.</h5>
+
+<p>The preliminary arrangements for the North Australian Exploring
+Expedition being complete, the stores, equipment, and a portion of the
+party were embarked at Sydney in the barque Monarch and schooner Tom
+Tough, and sailed for Moreton Bay on the 18th July, 1855, and on the 22nd
+anchored at the bar of the Brisbane River. The next day the Monarch
+attempted to enter the river, but being taken by the Government Pilot
+half a mile to the east of the channel over the bar, grounded, and was
+not got off till the 26th, when she entered the river. The steamer
+Ballarat was engaged to tow the Monarch up to the town of Brisbane; but
+having struck on a rock near Ipswich, sank, and the steamer Hawk was
+engaged to tow up the river. The Hawk, however, proved to be of
+insufficient power, and it was then decided to embark the horses and
+sheep, which had been collected by Mr. H.C. Gregory, at Eagle Farm.
+
+<p>HORSES EMBARKED AT MORETON BAY.
+
+<p>The horses having been got on board the Monarch on the 31st July, and the
+sheep the next day, the steamer Bremer was employed to tow her over the
+Bar. It was evident, however, that the Bremer did not intend to do this,
+for she slacked the tow-line, and then steamed ahead full speed and
+snapped the hawser, and went off without any explanation.
+
+<p>Having removed a quantity of stores from the Monarch to the Tom Tough, so
+as to reduce the draft of the former, on the 8th August warped over the
+bar and went over to Moreton Island, where about three tons of water were
+taken in from the fresh-water creeks near the Pilot Station.
+
+<p>On the 12 August weighed and left Moreton Bay; and this being the last
+point of communication with the civilised world, the Expedition might be
+considered to commence on this date.
+
+<p>The party consisted of eighteen persons, as follows: commander A.C.
+Gregory; assistant commander, H.C. Gregory; geologist, J.S. Wilson;
+artist and storekeeper, J. Baines; surgeon and naturalist, J.R. Elsey;
+botanist, F. Mueller; collector and preserver, J. Flood; overseer, G.
+Phibbs; stockmen, etc., C. Humphries, R. Bowman, C. Dean, J. Melville, W.
+Dawson, W. Shewell, W. Selby, S. Macdonald, H. Richards, J. Fahey. The
+livestock comprised fifty horses and 200 sheep.
+
+<p>The provisions consisted of flour, salt pork, preserved beef, rice, peas,
+preserved potatoes, sago, sugar, tea, coffee, vinegar, limejuice, etc.,
+calculated to supply the party on full rations for eighteen months.
+
+<p>On 13th August passed Breaksea Spit, and Port Curtis next morning, the
+weather being fine with south-east winds; reached Port Albany on 26th.
+Landed on Albany Island, which is principally of sandstone formation
+rising into hills of moderate elevation, the soil generally poor and
+sandy covered with bush and small trees, with a few open grassy patches.
+Fresh water was found in a small cove 100 yards north from the
+landing-place on the sandy beach; the supply was so small as to be of
+little use, and the position inconvenient of access.
+
+<p>The mainland appeared to be covered with much dense bush, and the rocky
+sandstone hills did not indicate that the country was of any great value
+either for agricultural or pastoral purposes.
+
+<p>Port Albany is a narrow, but deep channel between Albany Island and the
+mainland of Cape York. It is easy of ingress and egress; but is neither
+safe or convenient, owing to the great rapidity of the current which sets
+through with the tide.
+
+<p>Some canoes with natives came to the vessels. They evidently have
+frequent communication with vessels passing through the Straits, and are
+well acquainted with the use and name of tobacco, which they smoke in
+large bamboo pipes. Their arms consisted of spears, bows, and arrows. The
+canoes, formed of a single tree, rudely hollowed out, and fitted with
+outriggers.
+
+<p>27th August.
+
+<p>Left Port Albany, and, passing through Endeavour Strait, were favoured
+with a light easterly wind as far as Port Essington, which was sighted on
+September 1st, and after passing through Dundas Strait anchored for the
+night.
+
+<p>The following morning passed Vernon Island with a light breeze. At 9.50
+p.m. the Monarch grounded on a rocky reef off the entrance of Port
+Patterson, the master of the vessel not having made due allowance for the
+indraught of the tide. Unfortunately this occurred at the top of the
+spring tide, and the result was that, though every exertion was made to
+warp the vessel off, the tide did not rise sufficiently to float her
+until the 10th September, when, by cutting off the false keel and
+levelling the surface of the rock, we succeeded in hauling her off, with
+comparatively little damage, as the weather continued calm during the
+whole of this anxious period.
+
+<p>As the vessel lay on her side at low tide, the position of the horses was
+extremely inconvenient, and they suffered a greater amount of injury
+during these eight days than on the whole of the preceding voyage, and it
+is to this that the subsequent loss of so large a number of the horses is
+to be attributed; for though only two died on board the vessel, the
+others became so excessively weak that some had not the strength to go
+through the fatigue of landing and the journey from Point Pearce to the
+Victoria River, and at the same time the supply of forage was so reduced
+that it became necessary to land the horses immediately on reaching Point
+Pearce, and before the place could be examined for the best landing.
+
+<p>LAND AT THE ENTRANCE OF VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+<p>After getting off the reef, light winds and calms delayed the voyage to
+the Victoria River; but as the Tom Tough worked along the coast better
+than the Monarch, I went on with the schooner to examine the entrance of
+the river. Ascending the Victoria to Blunder Bay, found that the locality
+was not suited for landing horses, and therefore returned to Treachery
+Bay, near which Mr. H.C. Gregory had discovered abundance of grass and
+water under Providence Hill of Captain Stokes; commenced landing the
+horses on the 18th; but, in consequence of the strong tides and extensive
+mangrove flats, great difficulties were encountered, the horses having to
+swim more than two miles from the vessel to the shore, and were so
+exhausted that three were drowned, one lost in the mud and mangroves, and
+one went mad and rushed into the bush and was lost. Having transferred
+the stores to the Tom Tough, on the 24th the Monarch sailed for
+Singapore. Mr. Wilson was instructed to proceed in the schooner up the
+Victoria River, and to establish a camp at the highest convenient
+position on the bank of the river, while I proceeded overland with Mr. H.
+Gregory, Dr. Mueller, and seven of the men, hoping, by easy journeys of
+eight to ten miles per day, to give the horses time to partially recover
+the effects of the voyage.
+
+<p>MACADAM RANGE. RUNNING STREAM OF FRESH WATER.
+
+<p>1st October, 1855.
+
+<p>Accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, I left the camp to search for a
+practicable route by which we could cross the MacAdam range; but, after
+proceeding about a mile, shot an emu, with which we returned to camp, and
+again started at 7.10 a.m., pursuing a south-east course, crossed a stony
+ridge, and at 8.0 a.m. came on a creek about twenty yards wide, with good
+pools of water and a grassy margin, but the country generally barren and
+stony. After several ineffectual attempts, we ascended the hills to the
+south-east of the creek, and traversed a very broken country of sandstone
+formation till 11.0 a.m., when we reached the head of a creek trending to
+the southward; this was followed down till 1.0 p.m. when we halted an
+hour, and again proceeded till 4.30 p.m., the country being very poor and
+rising into rocky hills on both banks of the creek; we then entered a
+wide grassy flat destitute of trees, extending six miles north to south,
+and fifteen miles east to west; on the south side there appeared to be a
+creek or river, which we supposed to be the Fitzmaurice River. This plain
+was bounded on all sides by steep rocky hills of sandstone of barren
+aspect. Returned up the creek till 6.0 p.m. and halted for the night. The
+day was hot and sultry, though a heavy thundershower somewhat cooled the
+air. The MacAdam Range is of sandstone, the strata of which dip about 30
+degrees to the south, in which direction, as we advanced, the rock was
+more slaty, and broke into rhomboidal fragments. Water is abundant in the
+creeks, but the grass is scanty, and the rough surface of the sandstone
+and rocky ravines renders the country difficult to traverse. Timber is
+scarce, chiefly small-sized eucalypti; the cotton-tree was observed in a
+few of the valleys.
+
+<p>2nd October.
+
+<p>Returning to the camp we attempted to follow one of the creeks down to
+the plain on the north-west side of the range, but found the ravine too
+steep and rocky for the horses to pass, and were compelled to retrace our
+steps and cross several steep and rocky hills, reaching the camp at 2.0
+p.m., at which time the thermometer stood at 94 degrees in the shade and
+114 degrees in the sun.
+
+<p>3rd October.
+
+<p>Three of the horses had strayed, and this detained us till 11.0 a.m.,
+when I started with the party, leaving Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman to look
+for the missing animals. Proceeding in a south-east direction to the
+crossing of the first creek, ascended the MacAdam Range, and steered
+east-south-east to the second creek; the course was then north-east and
+east to the head of the creek tributary to the Fitzmaurice River, and
+then encamped at 3.45 p.m. At the highest point on this day's route the
+aneroid stood at 29.40, and at the camp 29.55; thermometer, 88 degrees.
+The higher points of the range did not exceed 100 before the highest
+ridge crossed.
+
+<p>By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude 14 degrees 33 minutes 26
+seconds.
+
+<p>4th October.
+
+<p>At 10.0 a.m. Messrs. H. Gregory and Bowen reached the camp with one of
+the missing horses, and, having obtained some provisions, returned to
+search for the other two horses. At noon started with the party, and
+followed down the creek in a south-south-east direction till 4 p.m., and
+encamped at the termination of the hilly country. One of the horses,
+Madman, showed symptoms of illness a short time before we started, and in
+crossing the creek half a mile above where we encamped he fell down and
+in less than three minutes died. This was a serious loss, as this animal
+was one of the most serviceable of our horses, having stood the voyage
+without losing his condition. The cause of death we were unable to
+ascertain; but the probability is that some poisonous plants existed at
+the place where we encamped last night.
+
+<p>By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude of the camp was 14
+degrees 39 minutes 26 seconds. Thermometer: Sunrise, 80 degrees; at 11
+a.m., 93 degrees; wet bulb, 80 degrees.
+
+<p>5th October.
+
+<p>This morning I started with C. Dean to examine the country to the east;
+after traversing the plain for two hours, came to a running stream ten
+yards wide, but the current very slow. The vegetation on its banks was
+very luxuriant, presenting a striking contrast to the surrounding
+country. Followed the creek to the east and south for one and a half
+miles, when it changed to a salt creek, joining the Fitzmaurice River. We
+then steered south-east to a detached conical hill, which consisted of
+the same hard fine-grained sandstone as the ranges near the camp.
+Steering north-east and east for three miles along a salt creek, came to
+the termination of the salt water, where we saw four natives digging
+roots; on observing us they decamped. Our course was now south-east to a
+range of rocky hills, which we could not ascend with our horses from
+their steep and rocky character. We therefore steered north-west to a
+green patch of bushes in the plain, and at two miles came to a small
+lagoon 200 yards long and 30 yards wide, on which were numerous ducks and
+other water-fowl. Here we halted for one and a half hours, and then by a
+north-west and west course, passing through grassy plains and patches of
+forest, reached the camp at 8.30 p.m. Thermometer, 78 degrees to 104
+degrees.
+
+<p>6th October.
+
+<p>Started at 8.10 a.m. with the whole party, and, steering east to the
+running creek, crossed it at the head of the salt water, and proceeding
+up the stream three-quarters of a mile, encamped. Near the creek we saw a
+native man and two women, who were much alarmed at the sudden appearance
+of the party, and retreated across the plain.
+
+<p>By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude was 14 degrees 40 minutes
+4 seconds at this camp.
+
+<p>7th October.
+
+<p>At 8.0 a.m. steered an easterly course, crossing the grassy plain, beyond
+which we passed a low stony ridge thinly wooded with small trees; at 9.40
+crossed a deep watercourse, with waterholes and grassy flats, and at
+10.15 p.m. came to a second creek, which was followed up to the
+east-north-east till 11.20, when we halted at a small patch of grass; at
+1 p.m. I rode to the north and east to seek a more suitable spot for an
+encampment, and having found a grassy flat and pool of good water one and
+a half miles higher up the creek, the party moved on to it at 4 p.m.
+
+<p>8th October.
+
+<p>Taking Dean with me, I proceeded to the south of the camp to ascertain
+the most convenient ascent of the rocky hills which bounded the plain.
+Following a small valley into the hills, after two hours' ride came to a
+creek trending to the south, the valley of which afforded a practicable
+line of route. We therefore returned to the camp at noon. At 3.0 p.m.
+started with the party, and moved the camp to the creek found in the
+morning. Thermometer, 114 degrees at 1 p.m.
+
+<p>9th October.
+
+<p>Started at 8.0 a.m., accompanied by Dean, and followed the creek through
+a rocky valley between sandstone ranges, the strata of which dip to the
+west at a high angle--30 degrees to 40 degrees; at 10.15 a.m. came to the
+tide waters of the creek, and after crossing several stony ridges which
+came close to the bank of the creek, at 11.30 a.m. reached a small
+running stream with a patch of good grass; here we halted for two hours,
+and then returned to camp; which we reached at 5.0 p.m., and found that
+Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman had arrived with the two stray horses, having
+found them about ten miles to the north-west of the camp, at the reedy
+swamp from which they strayed. Thermometer, 6 a.m., 77 degrees; noon, 114
+degrees; 6 p.m., 92 degrees.
+
+<p>ENCOUNTER STEEP ROCKY RANGES.
+
+<p>10th October.
+
+<p>At 7.50 a.m. started with the whole party, and proceeded down the creek
+to the head of the salt water, and then by a detour among the rocky hills
+reached the running creek visited yesterday, and encamped at 11.0 a.m.; I
+then started with Mr. H. Gregory in a southerly direction, and after an
+hour's ride came to the Fitzmaurice River, which varied from 100 to 300
+yards in width, the general course nearly east and west; the channel was
+full of rocks and banks which were dry at low water, the rise of the tide
+nearly twenty feet. The hills which bounded the valley of the creek we
+had descended terminated in an abrupt rocky ridge which left no passage
+between it and the river; we therefore returned about half a mile to the
+north, and, after a toilsome ascent of nearly an hour, crossed the ridge
+and halted at a small spring on its eastern side till 2.0 p.m., when we
+proceeded up the river, crossing two small dry creeks; after a fruitless
+search for a suitable spot to which the camp could be moved, there being
+no fresh water in the creeks, we turned towards the camp, but could not
+cross the range, as we everywhere encountered steep rocks and ravines,
+and were glad to extricate ourselves from the hills at 9.0 p.m., when we
+bivouacked in a grassy flat.
+
+<p>11th October.
+
+<p>At 4.30 a.m. resumed the attempt to cross the range, and at length found
+a practicable route for the pack-horses, passing a small spring of water
+at 7.0 a.m., and reached the camp at 8 a.m.; during our absence one of
+our best pack animals had died, apparently from poison. At 2.0 p.m. the
+party started to cross the range; but the horse Drummer was so weak that
+he fell several times, and we were at length compelled to abandon him.
+Having crossed the hills to the Fitzmaurice River, we proceeded up the
+valley and halted at a salt creek seven or eight yards wide, there being
+a little green grass on its banks.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation b Pegasi and a Andromedae 14 degrees 47 minutes
+18 seconds.
+
+<p>HORSES BITTEN BY ALLIGATORS. CROSS THE FITZMAURICE RIVER.
+
+<p>12th October.
+
+<p>During the night the horses were several times disturbed, but it was not
+till morning that the cause was ascertained, when we found that they had
+been attacked by the alligators, and three were severely bitten and
+scratched. At 8.0 a.m. started to follow up the river; but the rocky
+hills approached so close to its banks as to leave no passage, and we had
+to ascend the range, which was not an easy task; after three hours of
+severe toil under a scorching sun we reached a more practicable country,
+and at 3.30 p.m. encamped on the bank of the river, above the influence
+of the tide, fifty yards wide. Two of the horses had been left about a
+mile from the camp quite exhausted, but at sunset they were brought in to
+the camp.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation a Cygni 14 degrees 51 minutes 37 seconds.
+
+<p>13th October.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. crossed to the left bank of the river at a stony bar where
+the water formed a rapid twenty yards wide and two feet deep; we then
+followed the river up for half an hour and altered the course to
+south-south-east, along a running creek ten to twenty yards wide; at 8.5
+a.m. crossed a running stream from the west; at 10.30 a.m. two of the
+horses were completely exhausted, but having rested them at a pool of
+water, one revived, but were compelled to leave the other. We then
+proceeded, but were obliged to return to the creek about a mile higher
+up, as several of the horses began to fail, and though we rested till 3.0
+p.m., the second horse was unable to proceed, and was therefore
+abandoned. Since these horses were landed they have not had strength to
+rise without assistance, and it has been necessary to even watch them
+while feeding to lift them up when they fall down from exhaustion.
+Continuing our route, the valley was about two miles wide, with
+flat-topped hills bounding it on the east and west; there were a few
+pools of water in the creek, but the country was poor and stony with a
+few patches of grass; at 5.0 p.m. encamped.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of a Cygni 15 degrees 1 minute 10 seconds.
+
+<p>14th October.
+
+<p>Started at 6.30 a.m. and pursued a south course till 8.0 a.m., when we
+crossed the ridge at the source of the creek and ascended some stony
+gullies to the south-west; at 10.40 a.m. halted at a small waterhole in a
+small creek. Re-commenced our journey at 3.0 p.m., and followed a valley
+to the south-east; but finding the country in that direction unsuited for
+our object, turned to the west and reached the creek again at 5.15 p.m.;
+followed it till 6.0 p.m. to the south-west, and encamped. There was
+abundance of water in the creek, and the rank growth of the grass on its
+immediate banks proved a great impediment to the horses. The back
+country, however, was very rough and stony, thinly timbered with
+white-gum eucalyptus of small size, and nearly destitute of leaves; and
+though the whole country was grassy, it was so much parched by the
+intense heat that it presented a very sterile aspect; at 4.30 p.m. there
+was a heavy thundershower.
+
+<p>15th October.
+
+<p>As the creek below the camp trended to the west and entered a deep rocky
+gorge in the sandstone range, we steered south at 7.0 a.m., crossing
+several stony ridges with small gullies and creeks trending west; at
+10.20 a.m. crossed the highest ridge, and observed a succession of low
+stony ridges occupying the space between us and the Sea Range.
+Descending, we reached a creek, on the bank of which we halted at 11.30
+a.m. Here we caught several small fish in a deep pool in the creek.
+
+<p>15th October.
+
+<p>Resuming our route down the creek at 2.30 pm, the average course was
+south-west till 5.30, when we were encamped at a large deep pool or reach
+of water three-quarters of a mile long and fifty yards wide, supplied by
+a small stream. Great numbers of large bats were seen hanging in the
+trees on the margin of the creek, some of which we shot; the flesh was
+white and was eaten, but it had an unpleasant flavour. The country during
+this day's journey has not been so hilly as yesterday, and near the camp
+the trees have retained a few leaves. The soil, however, shows no
+improvement, being universally stony, and though well-grassed, the
+country is useless for any purpose than feeding stock. The gouty-stemmed
+tree (adansonia) is more frequent on the banks of the creeks; pandanus
+and fig trees prevail near the water, and eucalypti on the hills.
+
+<p align="center"><img alt=""  src="tree.jpg"><br>
+<b>THE GOUTY STEM TREE, NEAR THE "DOME", ON THE RIVER VICTORIA, N. W. AUSTRALIA</b></p>
+
+<p>Latitude 15 degrees 17 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+<p>THE VALLEY OF THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+<p>16th October.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey down the creek at 7.0 a.m., the general course
+south-south-west; the country became so steep and rocky that at 8.0 we
+left the valley and steered south, crossing several stony hills with
+rocky ravines, which were so rugged that they were scarcely passable. At
+11.0 sighted the Victoria River, about six miles below Kangaroo Point;
+but, on attempting to descend the range, was intercepted by a deep valley
+bounded by sandstone cliffs 50 to 100 feet high; following the valley to
+the east and north-east in search of a break by which we could descend,
+but without success. At 3.0 p.m. one of the horses was so completely
+exhausted that he could proceed no farther; I therefore halted the party,
+and was examining the cliff to ascertain the best place for lowering one
+of the party by a rope into the valley for the purpose of procuring water
+from the pool which was visible 300 feet below us, when I found a small
+spring on the top of the cliff, at which we encamped. As soon as the
+horses were unsaddled, Mr. H. Gregory and myself proceeded to examine the
+valley to the east, but had not gone more than a mile when we observed a
+column of smoke rise from the camp, followed by a sheet of flame, which
+extended in a few seconds to the side of the adjacent hill. We therefore
+returned to the camp to subdue the fire, and, if possible, save some of
+the grass for the horses, which, with great difficulty, we succeeded in
+doing; but though checked, the fire had extended many miles over the
+country, and kept us busy all night. This fire originated for want of due
+precaution in clearing the grass around the fire at the camp, though the
+cook had been cautioned on the subject.
+
+<p>17th October.
+
+<p>At 5.0 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory, and recommenced the search
+for a practicable descent into the valley, and about two miles from the
+camp found a break in the cliff. The hill was, however, so steep and
+rocky that it was necessary to form a path for the horses, and while Mr.
+H. Gregory returned, and was bringing up the party from the camp, I
+employed myself in filling up chasms with stones and removing rocks from
+the path, the steepness of the declivity greatly facilitating their
+removal, as it required but little force to hurl rocks of several tons
+weight into the valley below. Fortunately, we accomplished the descent
+without any accident, and reached the base of the hill at 11.30 a.m.
+Descending the creek, which occupied the lower part of the valley, for
+about two miles, encamped at a small pool of water. I then rode down the
+bank of the Victoria River, and ascertained that we were about six miles
+below Kangaroo Point. Returning to the camp, procured fresh horses, and,
+accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, proceeded to Kangaroo Point, reaching the
+spot appointed for leaving a notice of the movements of the party in the
+schooner just as it fell dark, and though we found a small tree notched
+with an axe, there was nothing to guide us in any further search, and we
+therefore bivouacked.
+
+<p>18th October.
+
+<p>At daylight recommenced our search for some memorandum for our guidance
+to the camp or vessel, but only found five or six small trees cut with an
+iron axe, and the remains of a large fire; but if any memorandum had been
+left, there was no mark left for our guidance in the search for it, and I
+felt disappointed that my instructions had been so inefficiently carried
+into effect. As it was doubtful whether the vessel had proceeded up the
+river, I decided on continuing our route to some convenient spot for a
+camp near Steep Head, and accordingly returned to the party. The southern
+face of Sea Range is very abrupt and surmounted by a cliff of red
+sandstone 50 to 100 feet high, the whole height of the hills about 500
+feet, the range being the edge of an elevated tableland, the upper strata
+being hard sandstone in horizontal beds which rest on soft shales which
+appear to be somewhat inclined; but its surface was so covered by
+fragments of the upper rocks that no satisfactory data was obtained. The
+soil of the level land between the Victoria and the Sea Range is very
+poor, and either sandy or covered with fragments of rock; there is no
+water, and the grass is very coarse and blady. Many flights of cockatoos
+came to drink at the pools near the camp, and about fifty were shot
+during the day.
+
+<p>ASCEND THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+<p>19th October.
+
+<p>Started at 7.0 a.m. and followed the river up to Kangaroo Point, and then
+by an easterly course ascended the salt-water creek which joins the
+Victoria at this point; at 4.0 p.m. we reached the termination of the
+salt water, beyond which it divided into several small dry channels, in
+one of which we found a small pool of fresh water, at which we encamped
+at 4.15. The result of our shooting this day was one turkey, one hawk,
+and thirty-nine cockatoos. The country near the creek is brown loam; but
+as the hills are approached the soil is very stony, but well covered with
+grass, and very thinly wooded with small eucalypti, which were nearly
+destitute of foliage. To the south of the creek the country appeared to
+be of somewhat better character.
+
+<p>THE TOM TOUGH WRECKED.
+
+<p>20th October.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. steered north 160 degrees east till 10.0, over a level grassy
+plain wooded with small eucalypti and melaleuca, etc., the soil varying
+from a brown loam to a strong clay; altering the course to 190 degrees,
+we passed some low stony ridges, and at 11.30 halted in a dry gully to
+rest the horses during the heat of the day; at 3.0 p.m. again started and
+steered to the south-west for half an hour, when we camped at a sandy
+creek in which there was a shallow waterhole. At 4.0 I left the camp with
+Mr. H. Gregory and proceeded west-south-west to the river, which we
+reached at 5.45, and then followed it up for half an hour, when we
+observed a tent and boat on the opposite side of the river. Having
+hobbled the horses, we crossed over to the camp, which was established at
+a small spring, and found Mr. Elsey and two of the men in charge. Mr.
+Elsey informed me that the schooner had grounded on the bank below
+Mosquito Flat, and had received considerable damage. Fourteen of the
+sheep had been brought up to the camp, and the boat was expected up that
+evening with another lot of sheep. I now ascertained that a bottle had
+been buried near the marked trees at Kangaroo Point, and a pencil-mark
+made on one of the trees indicating its position, but this mark had
+escaped our observation. In the evening Messrs. Baines and Flood and one
+of the men arrived at the camp in the long-boat, bringing twelve sheep,
+having lost several on the passage up the river in consequence of
+detention on the shoals near the Dome. The whole stock of provisions at
+the camp consisting of ten pounds flour, ten pounds pork, six pounds
+sugar, and twelve pounds beef, I was unable to send the required supplies
+to the party in charge of the horses, and the sheep were too poor to be
+fit for food. The Tom Tough reached Entrance Island on the 25th
+September, and the next day anchored off Rugged Ridge; on the 27th was
+proceeding up the river, and grounded on a ledge of rocks on the south
+side of the river, about six miles below Mosquito Flats; and from that
+date was never sufficiently afloat to be under control, but gradually
+drifted up to about two and a half miles below Curiosity Peak. From the
+time of getting on the rocks she had leaked considerably, and a large
+quantity of stores had been destroyed or damaged, there being at one time
+four feet of water in the hold; but by nailing battens and tarred
+blankets over the open seams the leaks had been greatly reduced. The
+stock of water on board the schooner having been exhausted during her
+detention, Mr. Wilson had sent the boat up to Palm Island to bring down a
+supply; but having greatly miscalculated the time requisite for this
+expedition up the river, the distance being sixty miles, the sheep had
+been kept several days without a sufficient supply of water, and a great
+number had died.
+
+<p>21st October.
+
+<p>Proceeding down the river with Messrs. Baines and Flood in the long-boat,
+the tide being unfavourable, we only reached Kangaroo Point.
+
+<p>22nd October.
+
+<p>Started at 2.0 a.m., and reached the schooner at 11.0 a.m., having been
+delayed by the flood tide. The vessel had not moved during the last four
+tides, and the leaks had in some degree stopped. She was so deeply bedded
+in the sand that, though the bank was dry at three-quarter ebb, I could
+not examine her bottom. The deck beams, however, were strained and
+broken, and it was evident that the vessel had been much damaged by
+resting on her centre, when the current had worked deep holes at the head
+and stern. Only fifty-five sheep remained on board, and those in a
+miserable condition. At 5.0 p.m. despatched Mr. Flood in the gig with one
+month's provisions for the party at the camp; 8.0 p.m. the tide rose to
+five feet on the bank, but the vessel only just floated in the hollow in
+which she lay.
+
+<p>23rd October.
+
+<p>At 8.0 a.m. the tide rose to six feet on the bank, and the schooner was
+moved her own length towards the channel in shore; at 10.0 a.m. the tide
+ebbed, and she settled on an even keel. Mr. Baines having informed me
+that Overseer Humphries had refused to assist in pumping the schooner on
+the 9th, he had, therefore, put him off duty till Mr. Wilson returned, on
+the 14th, when he was put on duty again. I therefore fined him one week's
+pay. The night tide did not rise so high as in the morning. Landed to
+search for fresh water, and found a small spring on the bank of the river
+at the upper end of the stony beach, three and a half miles below
+Curiosity Peak; this spring is below high-water mark, but at half tide
+boats can approach close to it, there being deep water close to the bank.
+
+<p>24th October.
+
+<p>Landed at 2 a.m. to procure water, having opened a well at the spring;
+filled two casks and returned to the vessel at 7. At 9.30 the schooner
+floated, and we moved her to about a mile above Curiosity Peak, where she
+again grounded on a bank; while afloat the pumps had to be kept
+constantly at work. With the night tide we floated over the bank; but the
+breeze failing, she was swept against the shore two and a half miles
+above Curiosity Peak, and before the kedge could be laid out the tide
+fell.
+
+<p>25th October.
+
+<p>The morning tide did not rise sufficiently to allow us to cross the
+banks; but the schooner was warped into a better position in the channel,
+about one mile higher up the river. Landed the sheep and drove such as
+could walk to the waterhole at our camping place, one mile north of the
+Dome, and left a party in charge, consisting of Dr. Mueller, Mr. Wilson,
+Overseer Humphries, and W. Selby. Fifty sheep were landed, but only
+forty-four reached the waterhole, and of these one died during the night.
+The night tide rose eight feet, and we moved the schooner to the right
+bank of the river off Broken Hill and anchored in the channel. Before the
+full moon the tides have been higher during the day, but as the time of
+full moon approaches the higher tide is at night.
+
+<p>26th October.
+
+<p>At 10.0 a.m. weighed and ran up the river with the flood to the
+commencement of the reach below Kangaroo Point, when the schooner
+grounded on a bank. Proceeded with Mr. Baines in the gig to the sheep
+camp with the intention of moving the sheep across the river and then
+driving them to the upper camp, but found them so weak that this
+arrangement was not practicable. Returned to the vessel.
+
+<p>27th October.
+
+<p>At 3 a.m. the vessel floated, and she was moved about a mile above
+Kangaroo Point, when we anchored in three and a half fathoms. At noon
+weighed, and with a light breeze from the west and north till a
+thunder-squall from the south-east compelled us to come to anchor one
+mile below Sandy Island; a change of wind enabled us to move on to Sandy
+Island.
+
+<p>28th October.
+
+<p>At 2 a.m. weighed, and towed the schooner to the upper end of the spit
+off Sandy Island, when she grounded, but was warped off at 4; the wind
+and tide were now adverse, and we therefore anchored in two fathoms.
+There is two fathoms in the channel past Sandy Island, but a reef of
+rocks extend from the left bank of the river, which renders it necessary
+to keep close to the edge of the shoal off the island.
+
+<p>TOM TOUGH REACHES DEPOT CAMP.
+
+<p>29th October.
+
+<p>At 2 a.m. weighed with the flood, and towed the schooner up the river
+about four miles; at 6.30 a light northerly breeze enabled us to stem the
+ebb tide, and at 9.40 the schooner was moored at the camp, in two
+fathoms, close to the bank. Having obtained a supply of water, I
+despatched Mr. Baines, with Phibbs, Shewell, and Dawson, in the gig to
+bring up the sheep, the long-boat also going down the river with a crew
+from the vessel to bring up the kedge anchor and warp from Alligator
+Island, and also to assist in bringing up the sheep. In the evening there
+was a fine breeze from the east, and the thermometer fell to 65 degrees
+during the night. A few days before our arrival one of the kangaroo dogs
+had been seized by an alligator, and instantly drowned. The horses had
+been brought to the camp by the ford at Steep Head, and were looking
+well.
+
+<p>30th October.
+
+<p>Commenced the erection of a shed to protect the stores, as it is
+necessary to land the cargo of the schooner to effect repairs. The
+keelson is broken seven feet before the mainmast, three of the deck beams
+are broken in the centre, and the knees are strained, and the bolts
+drawn; there is also reason to think that the floor timbers are
+fractured, and some of the timbers broken in her bends.
+
+<p>31st October.
+
+<p>Messrs. Wilson, Baines, and Mueller, with the party in charge of the
+sheep, arrived at 7 a.m., bringing the remainder of the sheep, twenty-six
+in number, eleven having been drowned from want of proper care in bailing
+the boat, which consequently sunk during the night. Such of the party as
+are not otherwise engaged are employed in the erection of the store shed.
+Being desirous to examine the river above Steep Head, commenced fitting
+the portable boat, but found that the heat of the climate had destroyed
+the seams of three of the air cells, and the boat is therefore
+unserviceable. The general character of the materials of which inflated
+boats are constructed precludes any effectual repairs, as the intense
+heat of the sun decomposes the varnish with which the canvas is covered;
+it first becomes soft and adhesive, and then changes to a substance like
+tar, which does not consolidate with a lower temperature. Adjusted the
+aneroid barometer.
+
+<p>1st November.
+
+<p>S. Macdonald was reported for being asleep on his watch during last
+night; reprimanded him for this neglect of duty. Several of the sheep
+escaped from the fold last night; some have been found, but eight are
+missing. Commenced thatching the store; landed maize, bran, and other
+stores from the schooner. Though the thermometer stood at 100 degrees in
+the shade, yet a westerly breeze renders it cool enough to work. Mr.
+Baines employed repairing the portable boat; Richards clearing a plot of
+ground near the spring for a garden.
+
+<p>DAMAGE TO PROVISIONS.
+
+<p>2nd November.
+
+<p>Continued to discharge the cargo of the schooner; at the request of the
+master of the Tom Tough, examined sixteen small and four large casks of
+bread, which had been damaged by salt-water; the whole of this bread was
+found to be quite destroyed and unfit for use. Although the large casks
+had been carefully coopered in Sydney, yet the hot climate had opened the
+joints, and as there were three to five feet of water in the vessel when
+aground in the lower part of the river, the bread was completely
+saturated. The leakage of the schooner has been much reduced, and now
+only requires pumping every six hours. The dryness of the air has
+increased from 10 to 20 degrees of evaporation, and the heat is not so
+oppressive, though the mean temperature exceeds 85 degrees. Heavy
+thunder-clouds are visible on the horizon, and the lightning is frequent
+in the early part of the night, especially to the east. Since the spring
+tides the river has gradually fallen, and is now four feet lower than low
+water at the full and change, and it does not vary more than one and a
+half feet in the twenty-four hours. A small spring of water has been
+found below high-water mark close to the landing place.
+
+<p>3rd November.
+
+<p>Completed thatching the store; continued landing stores from the
+schooner; coopering the flour-barrels. Towards evening there was a strong
+breeze from the north, which suddenly veered to the west, with thunder
+and a little rain. The sheep are visibly gaining flesh, and the horses
+have improved, but they are still unfit for work, as the grass is very
+dry and not in a state to fatten animals.
+
+<p>4th November (Sunday).
+
+<p>The sky was overcast in the afternoon with a strong north-west breeze,
+and every indication of approaching rain.
+
+<p>5th November.
+
+<p>Landing stores from the schooner; general duties; light shower at 3 p.m.;
+evening cloudy. By observed altitudes on the meridian, the latitude of
+the camp 15 degrees 34 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>6th November.
+
+<p>Messrs. H. Gregory, Elsey, and Mueller, with two men and the master of
+the schooner, proceeded up the river in the gig to ascertain the most
+convenient spot for procuring timber for the repair of the vessel; the
+men variously employed coopering casks, fencing garden, etc. Towards
+evening the sky was overcast, and a slight shower fell at 4 p.m., the
+thermometer varying from 85 degrees, 100 degrees, 90 degrees. Mosquitoes
+are very numerous in the evenings. Received from Mr. Wilson a copy of his
+diary while in charge of the party on board the schooner ascending the
+Victoria River. In going down to the well Richards fell down among the
+reeds, and a splinter entered his wrist, passing under the skin for one
+and a half inches; but no material injury has occurred, though the wound
+will disable him for a few days.
+
+<p>7th November.
+
+<p>Men employed coopering the flour-casks, fencing the garden, completing
+the store, and general camp duties. The party which went up the river
+yesterday in search of timber for the repair of the vessel returned in
+the evening, having found some suitable melaleuca-trees on the bank of
+the creek below Steep Head. The afternoon was again cloudy, with much
+lightning in the evening.
+
+<p>8th November.
+
+<p>Men employed clearing away the grass and bushes around the camp, landing
+cargo from the schooner, plotting map of route from Point Pearce to the
+Victoria River.
+
+<p>9th November.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>10th November.
+
+<p>Party employed as before. On unpacking the rice and peas, found that 720
+pounds of rice and half a bushel of peas were destroyed by salt-water,
+and much more damaged; much of the sugar is damaged; but as it is not
+prudent to open casks, the quantity lost cannot be ascertained. Wrote to
+the master of the Tom Tough, requesting information with reference to a
+complaint by Mr. Wilson, that on the 30th September his signals for a
+boat to bring him to the schooner had been disregarded.
+
+<p>11th November (Sunday).
+
+<p>TIMBER FOR REPAIRS OF VESSEL.
+
+<p>12th November.
+
+<p>Mr. H. Gregory, with Shewell and Dawson, accompanied Captain Gourlay to
+Steep Head to cut timber for the repair of the schooner. Erected a forge
+and continued the preparation of the garden, etc. Last night one of the
+sheep was strangled by getting entangled in the net which formed the
+sheep-pen. Received from the master of the Tom Tough a letter replying to
+my queries of the 10th instant. It appears that on the 30th September,
+while the schooner was aground in the lower part of the Victoria, Mr.
+Wilson landed to search for fresh water at Mosquito Flat; having made
+some indefinite arrangements with Mr. Elsey to signalize for a boat,
+should he require it, to return to the vessel; but he omitted to acquaint
+either the master of the schooner, or Mr. Baines, who was next in command
+to Mr. Wilson. The result was that when the signals were made there was
+some uncertainty whether they were fires lighted by Mr. Wilson as signals
+for a boat, and some delay ensued in preparing the boat, when it was
+found that the tide had fallen so much that there was not sufficient
+water to float the boat over the intervening sand-banks, and at low water
+Mr. Wilson waded across the deeper channels and walked over the dry banks
+to the vessel. As the affair appeared to be complicated with some private
+misunderstanding between the parties, and Mr. Wilson had neglected to
+make proper arrangements with the master of the vessel, I deemed it
+desirable that the investigation should not proceed any farther.
+
+<p>13th November.
+
+<p>Mr. Baines having succeeded in repairing the portable boat, I made
+preparation for an excursion up the river, as the horses were still unfit
+for the work of exploration, and I hoped to be able to cross the shallows
+which had obstructed Captain Stokes. Richards' arm does not progress in a
+favourable manner, and it is therefore necessary that Mr. Elsey should
+remain at the camp to attend to his case. The party proceeding with the
+boats will therefore consist of Mr. Wilson, Mr. Baines, Mr. Flood, and
+myself. Men employed as before, and the general duties of the camp.
+
+<p>14th November.
+
+<p>Party employed as before. At 3.30 p.m. I left the camp and proceeded to
+the creek, where the timber party were at work, reaching their bivouac at
+7.30; six logs had been cut twenty to twenty-five feet long and twelve to
+fourteen inches square; the timber is a melaleuca with a broad leaf
+(Melaleuca leucodendron). The gum timber is generally unsound and
+worthless.
+
+<p>15th November.
+
+<p>Returned to the principal camp with Mr. H. Gregory at 11.0 a.m., and at 2
+p.m. started in the indiarubber boat with Messrs. Wilson, Baines, and
+Flood; at 8.0 p.m. reached the creek near Steep Head, and remained at the
+camp of the timber party for the night.
+
+<p>16th November.
+
+<p>Started at 6.30 a.m. and crossed the shallows at Steep Head without much
+difficulty--as the tide was high, the water was six to eight inches deep.
+Three miles above Steep Head we observed three natives watching us, but
+they did not approach. At 10.0 a.m. reached Palm Island, which is only a
+bank of shingle with a few pandanus and melaleuca trees growing on it
+without a single palm-tree of any kind. One of the boats having been
+injured, hauled her up for repairs. Mr. Baines shot three whistling ducks
+on the island; they were very good eating. While at our dinner a native
+approached the bank of the river and came to us, and a parley commenced
+which was rather unintelligible, and when he found that he could not make
+himself understood by words, resorted to the language of signs, and
+expressed his contempt of us in an unmistakable manner. Having repaired
+the leak in the boat, we again moved up the river, but at one and a half
+miles came to a dry bar of rock, over which the boats were carried, and
+we passed a shallow pool of brackish water half a mile long to a second
+bar of greater breadth, and then entered a deep reach; but the day was so
+far advanced that we took advantage of a level rocky ledge and
+bivouacked.
+
+<p>INDIARUBBER BOATS FAIL.
+
+<p>17th November.
+
+<p>Proceeded up the river about a mile and came to a dry bank of shingle and
+rocks, which extended for at least a mile, and over which it was not
+practicable to carry the boats, which had been much injured in crossing
+the rocky bars yesterday, the heat having destroyed the texture of the
+waterproof canvas. I therefore decided not to expend any more time on
+this excursion, but return to the camp. We observed some blacks watching
+us from some thick scrub; but they did not approach near enough to hold
+any communication. At 2.0 p.m. commenced the return down the river and
+reached Palm Island after dark and bivouacked.
+
+<p>18th November.
+
+<p>At 3.0 a.m. there was a slight shower, and at 6.0 a.m. proceeded down the
+river, having dragged the boats over the shingle bank at Steep Head,
+where there was scarcely one inch of water; halted at the creek where the
+timber had been cut, to procure water for breakfast, and then sailed down
+the river and encountered a heavy squall, with thunder and lightning,
+just as we approached the camp; the rain continued nearly throughout the
+night. Captain Gourlay informed me that on the 16th three blacks had
+visited his party while cutting timber, and that in the evening some
+noise was heard, and being taken for the voices of the blacks, they had
+taken to the boat with great precipitation and returned to the schooner;
+the mosquitoes have nearly disappeared.
+
+<p>19th November.
+
+<p>Sent a party, consisting of Phibbs, Humphries, Shewell, Selby, and
+Dawson, to assist the master of the schooner in bringing the timber down
+the river; Richards' arm is somewhat better, but not progressing
+favourably; Fahey is on the sick list; the rain having moistened the
+grass, the horses did not come in for water to-day; the weather continues
+very hot, generally 90 degrees at sunrise and 105 degrees at noon in the
+shade.
+
+<p>20th November.
+
+<p>Commenced shoeing the horses and made preparations for a journey up the
+Victoria, to reconnoitre the country previous to starting for the
+interior.
+
+<p>21st November.
+
+<p>Fahey, being convalescent, was employed as cook; Mr. H. Gregory, Mr.
+Flood, Bowman, and Melville, shoeing horses; Dean making charcoal for the
+forge; in the afternoon there was a heavy thundershower; the flies are
+very troublesome and annoy the horses so much that they will not stand
+quiet to be shod, and some of the horses are nearly blind in consequence
+of the flies crawling into their eyes.
+
+<p>22nd November.
+
+<p>Shoeing horses, fitting saddles, etc.; the schooner leaks about seven
+inches per hour, and as the master is absent with the greater part of the
+crew, procuring timber, I have afforded assistance from the party at the
+camp, to assist in keeping the vessel dry.
+
+<p>EXPLORE THE UPPER VICTORIA.
+
+<p>23rd November.
+
+<p>Preparing equipment for the party proceeding to explore the Victoria
+River, towards the upper part of its course; the grass has become quite
+green and fresh water is also abundant, which has caused some of the
+horses to stray beyond the usual feeding ground on the Whirlwind Plains.
+
+<p>24th November.
+
+<p>Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Flood brought in the stray horses, having found
+them beyond Sandy Island. The timber party returned to the camp with four
+logs of timber, which are intended to strengthen the keelson. While at
+work at the creek where the timber was procured the party had been twice
+visited by the blacks; these intrusions were neither decidedly friendly
+or hostile, but they stole some small articles which had been imprudently
+left lying near one of the logs of timber while the party was employed
+elsewhere; about 10.0 a.m. the blacks set fire to the grass about 200
+yards from the camp, and then retired. At 2.0 p.m., left the camp,
+accompanied by Messrs. H. Gregory, Wilson, and Mueller, with seven horses
+and twenty days' provisions, the object being to examine the country
+through which the exploring party will have to travel on the route to the
+interior; at 6 a.m. bivouacked at Timber Creek; in the principal channel
+of the creek there were many small pools of water, and the grass was
+fresh and green on the flats. Except on the banks of the river and
+creeks, the country is very poor and stony; the geological structure of
+the country is the same as at Sea Range--the same bands of sandstone
+cliff resting on soft shales, the strata being horizontal; but beneath
+the shales chert and coarse siliceous limestone were exposed, and
+fragments of jasper are frequent. The principal timber is white-gum of
+small size, and the cotton-tree (cochlospermum), which sometimes attains
+the thickness of nine to twelve inches. Though grass is abundant on every
+description of soil, yet the greater part is of inferior descriptions and
+dries up completely at this season.
+
+<p>Latitude by altitude of Achernar, 15 degrees 39 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+<p>25th November.
+
+<p>Started at 5.45 a.m., and followed the creek to the south-south-east; it
+rapidly decreased in size, branching into small gullies, so that we had
+some difficulty in finding water for a midday halt. The flats on the bank
+of the creek are in some parts nearly a mile wide, well grassed and
+openly timbered; the hills are of sandstone, but chert and coarse
+limestone were frequently seen on the lower ridges. At noon halted at a
+small pool of rainwater. The day was cloudy and cool, the thermometer
+only 90 degrees at 2 p.m. At 3.0 resumed our route up the creek, which
+soon terminated in small gullies rising in stony ridges; as there was no
+appearance of water to the south, the course was changed to south-east
+and east, in which direction we followed down a gully, and at 7.20 halted
+at a small waterhole.
+
+<p>26th November.
+
+<p>Starting at 6.15 a.m., steered first north 70 degrees east and then 60
+degrees till 3 p.m., traversing a level grassy box-flat extending along
+the northern side of a rocky sandstone range. At 3.0 p.m. reached the
+south-west end of the Fitzroy Range, which is a narrow ridge of sandstone
+hills ten miles long and one to two miles broad; at the north end of the
+range we found a small pool of rainwater, and, having watered the horses,
+pushed on towards the Victoria River, at the base of Bynoe Range; but
+although the country was level, we were so much retarded by the soft
+nature of the soil that the river was not reached till sunset, and the
+banks of the river were so steep that the water was not accessible for
+the horses, and we therefore encamped at a small hole of muddy rainwater.
+Our camp was about four miles above the furthest point attained by
+Captain Stokes, and consequently in Beagle Valley which we had traversed
+for more than thirty miles, the greater part of which was well grassed
+and openly wooded with box, bauhinia, and acacia. The Fitzroy Range is
+almost isolated, and there is a level plain five or six miles wide to the
+south-east, beyond which there is a high sandstone range surmounted by an
+almost unbroken cliff of sandstone near the summit, and which appeared to
+be quite impassable.
+
+<p>27th November.
+
+<p>Steering east-south-east through grassy flats for one hour and a half,
+found that the river had turned to the northward round a steep hill, but
+continuing our course, crossed a low stony ridge and again approached the
+river, the banks of which were so steep that the horses could not get to
+the water, and therefore followed it two miles and encamped on a stony
+bar where the water was easy of access. The valley of the river is much
+contracted by the steep sandstone hills, which come close on both banks.
+In the bed of the river several fragments of jasper and black shale were
+found, the latter appearing to belong to the coal formation. A slight
+shower in the afternoon cooled the air, and the temperature was only 92
+degrees at sunset, and the wet bulb 79 degrees.
+
+<p>Latitude by Achernar 15 degrees 36 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+<p>DEEP GORGE IN TABLELAND.
+
+<p>28th November.
+
+<p>Started at 6.15 a.m. and followed the river, which first came from the
+east, then south-east and south-west till 10.40, when we crossed to the
+right bank and halted. The valley of the river is much narrower, and does
+not exceed half a mile, and is bounded by cliffs of sandstone varying
+from 50 to 300 feet high. The waters of the river occasionally rise 100
+feet, as the marks of the floods extended to the base of the cliffs; the
+regular channel of the river is about 200 feet wide, the water forming
+deep reaches often more than a mile long and separated by dry stony bars
+of shingle and rock. The sandstone is thicker here than towards Steep
+Head, but there is no change in the geological character, except that the
+chert-beds are not exposed. The tracks of several natives were observed,
+but they were not seen by us; at 2.0 p.m. resumed the journey up the
+river in a generally south direction, and at 4.30 encamped, but had great
+difficulty in forcing our way through the reeds to procure water.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of a Persei 15 degrees 41 minutes 54
+seconds.
+
+<p>29th November.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 6 a.m. and continued the route up the river to the south
+till 10.10, when we halted till 2.15 p.m., and then proceeded on till
+4.45, and encamped at a small pool of rainwater, the bank of the river
+being so steep and covered with high reeds that the water is scarcely
+accessible. The valley of the river is still bounded by sandstone cliffs;
+but as the strata are horizontal, and the bed of the river rises, the
+shales are not much exposed, and the alluvial banks reach to the base of
+the cliffs, which are so continuous that I have not yet seen a spot where
+we could have ascended the tableland in which the valley is excavated.
+Several tributary gullies having passed, but none worthy of special
+notice. Fragments of trap-rock are frequent in the bed of the river, and
+one specimen contained traces of carbonate of copper; at 6.0 thermometer
+92 degrees, aneroid 29.80, at the camp--sixty feet above the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 15 degrees 50 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+<p>VALLEY SUDDENLY WIDENS.
+
+<p>30th November.
+
+<p>Resumed our route up the river at 5.40 a.m., the general course south;
+there being no change in the character of the country till 10.0, when the
+hills receded and the cliffs ceased; at 10.30 halted at a small pool in a
+back channel of the river. At noon the thermometer stood at 100 degrees
+in the shade, and the aneroid 29.75--forty feet above the river. Starting
+again at 2.0 p.m., soon entered an extensive plain extending to the east,
+south, and west; followed a large creek to the south-west till 6.15, and
+encamped.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 2 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+<p>1st December.
+
+<p>At 5.40 a.m. crossed the creek and steered east to the foot of a rocky
+hill, but not seeing the principal branch of the Victoria, returned to
+the creek and then steered south-south-west till 10.0 a.m., when we
+crossed two small creeks, in the second of which we found a pool of water
+surrounded by reeds (typha), and halted during the heat of the day. The
+country traversed was first a stony ridge, on which several small stone
+huts had been erected, but scarcely of sufficient size for a man to
+enter, and the roofs were only formed by a few pieces of wood and a
+little grass; they consist of a wall three feet high, in the form of a
+horseshoe, about three feet in diameter inside; the entrances of some had
+been closed with stones and afterwards partially opened, and I can only
+conjecture that, as the practice of carrying the bones of their deceased
+relatives prevails in this part of Australia, it is probable that these
+erections are used as temporary sepulchres. After crossing this stony
+ridge entered a level plain of clay, much fissured by the sun, and in
+some parts covered with fragments of jasper and sandstones; as the creek
+was approached limestone prevailed, but the exposed portion seemed to be
+formed by a rearrangement of the broken fragments of older rocks, which
+were visible in the gullies. The water at which we halted appeared to be
+supplied by a spring, and not to be the retention of rainwater. At 3.15
+p.m. proceeded in a westerly direction in search of the principal branch
+of the creek, which we reached at 4.0 p.m., but found it much reduced in
+size, not exceeding fifteen yards in width; followed it up for an hour,
+and camped at a small but deep pool of water, which is evidently supplied
+by a spring in the limestone rocks, which form the banks of the creek.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 10 minutes.
+
+<p>JASPER RANGE.
+
+<p>2nd December.
+
+<p>Having filled our water-bags, we left the camp at 6.40 a.m., and steered
+a course of north 200 degrees east towards a range of hills composed of
+jasper rock, the highest point of which we reached at 10.0. The aneroid
+stood at 29.15; thermometer 94 degrees. Three miles to the south-west of
+this range the country rose into an elevated tableland higher than the
+Jasper Range; towards this we continued our route, following a small
+watercourse which gradually turned to the east. Finding the country very
+dry and rocky, and no prospect of finding a spot where the tableland
+could be ascended, we returned to the waterhole at which we camped last
+night.
+
+<p>3rd December.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. were again in the saddle, and steering north till 7.20,
+ascended an isolated hill of trap-rock rising abruptly in the centre of
+the open plain about 200 feet. Having taken bearings of the surrounding
+ranges, steered north 30 degrees east till 10.30, across a level grassy
+plain to the creek, which, though much larger than at the camp, was
+destitute of water; but following its course downwards, at 10.50 halted
+at a small pool. Judging from the height that drift-wood was lodged in
+the branches of the trees, the floods rise about fifty feet; the regular
+channel is thirty yards wide; on the banks red, green, and white shales
+are exposed, but the bed of the creek is generally sandy. A large
+tributary appears to join this creek from the west, in which direction a
+large valley extends fifteen miles. At 3 p.m. steered east, and passed to
+the south of a remarkable sandstone hill, which we named Mount Sandiman,
+and at 5.30 reached the bank of the Victoria coming from the
+south-south-east; followed it up for one mile and encamped where a ledge
+of rock gave easy access to the water. In the evening there was a slight
+shower, and a heavy thunderstorm passed to the north.
+
+<p>4th December.
+
+<p>About 5.45 resumed our journey up the river, passing through wide grassy
+flats and over a sandstone ridge which was covered with triodia; from
+this ridge there was an extensive view of the country to the south and
+east, but no hills of greater elevation than the sandstone tableland were
+visible, and for twenty miles the valley of the river expanded into a
+wide plain thinly timbered with box-trees. Continuing a south-south-east
+course through a fine grassy country till 10.0, halted in a patch of
+green grass. The elevation of this part of the valley of the Victoria is
+not great, as the barometer stood at 29.77 forty feet above the river;
+thermometer, 101 degrees. The soil on the bank of the river is good and
+well-grassed, but the inundations during the rainy season extend on each
+side of the river several miles. The strata of the sandstone, where
+exposed, dip to the north, but there is no alteration in the character of
+the rocks. Abundance of portulaca grew near our halting place, and
+furnished us with an agreeable vegetable; this plant was afterwards found
+over the whole of Northern Australia, and proved a very valuable article
+of food. At 3.20 continued our route, and at 5.30 bivouacked at a small
+pool of rainwater in one of the back channels of the river, the banks of
+which were inconveniently covered with high reeds. During the night there
+was continuous light rain till 4.0 a.m.
+
+<p>ABUNDANCE OF FISH.
+
+<p>5th December.
+
+<p>Continued our route up the river to the south-south-west from 5.45 a.m.
+till 10.45, passing through open grassy box flats; a low grassy range
+approached the right bank and again receded; to the west a range of
+broken hills rose to 500 feet parallel to our course and five miles
+distant. Halted in the bed of the river, which formed fine reaches of
+water, with dry sand-bars between; caught several catfish and perch;
+mussels were abundant, the form of the shell much longer than I have
+before seen in the other parts of the river. At noon: Barometer, 29.80;
+thermometer, 104 degrees; at 3.0 p.m.: Barometer, 29.65; thermometer, 93
+degrees. At 3.30 steered south from the right bank of the river, which
+turned to the westward; crossed some fine grassy country thinly timbered
+with box, and at 4.50 came to the southern branch of the river. This
+branch trended to the north-east, and consequently joins at a point lower
+down than where we crossed, the junction not having been observed. These
+two branches of the Victoria are so nearly equal in apparent size that it
+will remain for future examination to determine which is to be considered
+the tributary. Crossing to the right bank, we followed it upwards along
+the foot of the high land for half an hour, and encamped in the bed of
+the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 26 minutes.
+
+<p>RETURN DOWN THE VICTORIA.
+
+<p>6th December.
+
+<p>The day commenced with a heavy thundershower, which continued for several
+hours; but the rain not being quite so heavy at 6 a.m., we started and
+proceeded along the bank of the river to a hill about one and a half
+miles south-west of the bivouac. On ascending the hill, we found that
+though the elevation and position accommodated a fine view in fine
+weather, yet the rain at the present time obscured all distant objects,
+but the country to the south and west consisted of flat-topped sandstone
+hills with large open valleys between; to the east the view was
+obstructed by rising ground, while to the north lay the vast grassy plain
+which we had traversed during the last two days. The western branch of
+the river turned to the west-south-west along the foot of the sandstone
+ranges, its course being marked by a line of green trees, which
+contrasted strongly with the white grass on the open plains on its banks.
+The south branch of the river appeared to come from a valley trending
+south-south-east, but the thick mist obscured that part of the country.
+As we had now examined the country sufficiently to enable the main party
+to advance a whole degree of latitude without any great impediment, and
+ascertained the general character of the country and the nature of the
+obstacles to be encountered, and on which the equipment of the party
+would in some measure depend, we turned our steps towards the principal
+camp, crossing the western branch of the river at 9.50, and reached our
+camp of the 4th at 3.20 p.m. The rain this morning cooled the air to 74
+degrees at 9 a.m. and 85 degrees at sunset.
+
+<p>7th December.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey down the river, following the outward track from 5.40
+a.m. till 11.0, when we halted till 3.25 p.m. Thermometer at noon 102
+degrees, with a cool southerly breeze; wet bulb, 78 degrees. Resuming our
+route, crossed to the right bank of the river, and bivouacked at the
+termination of the plains.
+
+<p>8th December.
+
+<p>At 5.45 a.m. proceeded down the right bank of the river, which was very
+rocky and steep; we therefore crossed to the left bank, and at 11.0
+halted one mile above the bivouac of the 29 ultimo. Between 2.0 and 3.0
+p.m. there was a heavy thunderstorm, when half an inch of rain fell; at
+3.45 resumed our journey, and encamped about four miles lower down the
+river.
+
+<p>9th December.
+
+<p>Followed the left bank of the river from 6.0 to 11.0 a.m.; found the
+travelling less stony and intersected by gullies than the right bank; at
+3.50 p.m. resumed our route, and at 6.30 encamped.
+
+<p>10th December.
+
+<p>Travelled down the river from 5.45 till 10.0 a.m.; when we halted a
+quarter of a mile above the camp of the 27th November. At 2.0 p.m. a
+heavy thundershower cooled the atmosphere from 100 degrees to 77 degrees.
+Resumed our journey at 3.0 and at 6.30 camped in the level plain at the
+foot of the Fitzroy Range, on the east side, water being abundant in
+every hollow, and since we passed up the river there has been heavy rain
+in this part of the country, and several of the gullies have been running
+eight feet deep. Shot a turkey and three black ibis. The Fitzroy Range
+extends about two miles north of a line from the gorge of the river to
+Bynoe Range, the Victoria winding round the north end of the range, and
+some tributary creeks appear to join from the north, as a valley extends
+several miles in that direction. The rain does not appear to have been
+general over the country, as it often occurs that after travelling over
+two or three miles of green grass where the gullies show signs of recent
+flood, that this beautiful verdure suddenly ceases, and we again
+encounter a dry and parched country which exhibits all the signs of an
+Australian summer.
+
+<p>11th December.
+
+<p>Left our camp at 5.45 a.m., and, steering west, crossed the low ridge of
+the Fitzroy Range, and having taken bearings of the features of the
+country, steered north 260 degrees east through the level plain which
+occupies the space between Wickham Heights and the Fitzroy Range, and
+which was named Beagle Valley by Captain Stokes. The soil of this plain
+is a brown clay, which in the dry weather crumbles into small pieces, so
+that the horses sink deeply into it; but in the wet season the whole is
+deep mud; it, however, appears to be very fertile, and produces an
+abundance of grass; the trees consist of bauhinia, acacia, and some
+eucalypti. Halting from 10.0 a.m. till 4.0 p.m. changed course to north
+245 degrees east, and after traversing a grassy box flat for two hours,
+camped at a small watercourse with pools of rainwater in a rocky
+limestone channel.
+
+<p>BEAGLE VALLEY.
+
+<p>12th December.
+
+<p>Started at 5.30 a.m., and steered north 245 degrees east for one and a
+half hours, when we passed the high bluff of the range and changed the
+course north 330 degrees east, keeping three-quarters of a mile east of
+the remarkable hill called the Tower, by Captain Stokes, from a
+remarkable rock on the summit. The country was very rough and stony,
+though the ridge we passed over was not more than 200 or 300 feet above
+the river. Continuing a north-north-west course, at 9.45 reached the bank
+of the Victoria, which was followed on a course of 200 degrees till
+10.10, when a large creek joined the river; this creek drains nearly the
+whole of Beagle Valley, and takes its rise in the north-west slope of
+Stokes' Range. The course was then westerly till 12.15 p.m., when we
+encamped in a grassy flat one-third of a mile from the river. Marked a
+large adansonia tree 12 on its south side.
+
+<p>13th December.
+
+<p>Leaving our bivouac at 5.30 a.m., followed the valley of the river,
+passing the ridge at back of Steep Head at 10.0., and halted at Timber
+Creek at 11.0. The heavy rains which occurred in Beagle Valley do not
+appear to have extended to this part of the country, and the grass is
+still dry and withered. At 2.30 p.m. resumed our route and reached the
+principal camp at 6.30, and found the party all well, except Richards,
+who was still suffering severely from the injury to his wrist. Mr. Baines
+was absent, having started on Wednesday in search of two horses which had
+strayed to the westward.
+
+<p>BAINES' RIVER.
+
+<p>14th December.
+
+<p>Messrs. Baines and Bowman returned with the stray horses, having found
+them on the bank of a small river fifteen miles to the west of the camp.
+This river, which I named the Baines River, has considerable pools of
+fresh water in its bed, which comes from the south-west, and flows into
+the large salt-water creek above Curiosity Peak. On one occasion Messrs.
+Baines and Bowman had halted to rest during the heat of the day, when
+they observed some blacks creeping towards them in the high grass; but,
+on finding they were observed, retired and soon returned openly with
+augmented numbers and approached with their spears shipped; but Mr.
+Baines and his companion having mounted their horses, galloped sharply
+towards them, and the blacks retreated with great precipitation. Mr. H.
+Gregory brought in the greater part of the horses; but as they had
+scattered very much in search of green grass, many of the horses were ten
+miles from the camp. Men employed cutting and carrying timber for the
+repair of the schooner, which work is progressing satisfactorily;
+computing astronomical observations.
+
+<p>15th December.
+
+<p>Party employed as before. One of the mares is reported to have foaled a
+fine filly. Thundershowers are frequent, and the country near the camp is
+clothed with verdure. Rode out with Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Baines to
+bring in some horses which had strayed, and which, after several hours'
+tracking, we found and brought to the camp. The horses are now much
+improved, and, with the exception of three which are still very weak, are
+now in a serviceable condition, though few are capable of carrying heavy
+loads or performing long journeys; but as grass and water are now
+abundant for the first 100 miles of the route towards the interior, I
+hope that by travelling easy stages the horses will improve, and
+preparations are being made for commencing the journey early in January.
+The country being impracticable for drays, and as the sheep cannot be
+driven with advantage, owing to the high grass and reeds, it is necessary
+to constitute the party so that the whole equipment can be conveyed by
+pack-horses, to accomplish which the party proceeding to the interior
+must not exceed nine in number, for which the horses are capable of
+conveying five months' provisions and equipment. The remaining half of
+the party will have full employment in the repair of the schooner and
+care of the stores--points of vital importance to the Expedition. It is
+therefore proposed to make the following division of the party, which,
+under existing circumstances, appears to me the most eligible.
+
+<p>PREPARATIONS FOR EXPEDITION.
+
+<p>16th December.
+
+<p>The exploring party to consist of the following: Commander, A. Gregory;
+assistant commander, H. Gregory; artist, T. Baines; botanist, F. Mueller;
+collector, J. Flood; overseer, G. Phibbs; farrier, R. Bowman;
+harness-maker, C. Dean; stockman, J. Fahey.
+
+<p>The party remaining in charge of the principal camp: Geologist, J.S.
+Wilson; surgeon, J.R. Elsey; overseer, C. Humphries; stockmen, Dawson,
+Shewell, Selby, Macdonald, Richards, Melville.
+
+<p>17th December.
+
+<p>Preparing a map of the late journey up the Victoria, shoeing horses, and
+other preparations for the expedition into the interior.
+
+<p>18th December.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>19th December.
+
+<p>Removing the bones from the salt pork which is to form part of the
+provisions of the exploring party; the reduction in weight is 17 per
+cent. Packing flour in double canvas bags, containing forty or fifty
+pounds each. In the centre of each bag of flour one pound of gunpowder is
+placed as the most secure from accidents. Shoeing horses, etc., as
+before. At 10 o'clock last night it commenced raining, and continued till
+daybreak; the day has been cool and cloudy.
+
+<p>20th December.
+
+<p>Party employed as before; killed one of the sheep, which weighed
+thirty-eight pounds. During last night it rained for four hours, and
+there have been showers to-day.
+
+<p>21st December.
+
+<p>Preparing for explorations as before. The river commenced running, but is
+still brackish. The weather is cloudy, with frequent showers; the country
+is becoming very soft and boggy.
+
+<p>22nd December.
+
+<p>Frequent heavy showers, especially at night. Mr. Wilson, Dr. Mueller, and
+Selby went down the river to examine Sea Range and procure specimens of
+rocks and plants. The repairs of the schooner requiring some broad iron,
+I had the ironwork of one of the drays appropriated to the purpose, as
+there was no iron of a suitable size on board the vessel. Party employed
+shoeing horses, fitting saddles, and general preparations of equipment
+for the exploring party.
+
+<p>23rd December.
+
+<p>Two of the horses have again strayed to the westward, and Mr. H. Gregory
+and Bowman were employed nearly the whole day in tracking them, and
+succeeded in bringing them in at night. The river is quite fresh, and
+running with a current from one to two miles per hour. Since the
+commencement of the rainy weather the general health of the party has
+improved; but this, perhaps, is due to the reduction of temperature,
+combined with greater regularity of habits and diet. Richards' arm is,
+however, in a very unsatisfactory state, though this is more the result
+of general ill-health than the original extent of actual injury.
+
+<p>24th December.
+
+<p>Preparing equipment, etc., as before. Dr. Mueller and Mr. Wilson returned
+in the boat from Sea Range. They report the river to be fresh at Sandy
+Island. Frequent heavy showers, which rendered the ground so soft that
+the horses cannot be hobbled without danger of their getting bogged, and
+it is scarcely possible to ride after them to herd them.
+
+<p>25th December.
+
+<p>Christmas day. Frequent heavy showers throughout the day and night.
+Killed a sheep; the weight, 38 1/2 pounds.
+
+<p>26th December.
+
+<p>Preparing equipment; fitting spare shoes for the horses, etc. Frequent
+showers.
+
+<p>27th December.
+
+<p>Packing stores, fitting saddles, etc. This has been the first fine day
+during the past week, having had only a single shower during the
+twenty-four hours.
+
+<p>FLOOD IN THE RIVER.
+
+<p>28th December.
+
+<p>Party employed as before. The schooner was moved into the stream, as the
+drift-wood collected in large quantities, and could not be easily cleared
+away from the bows when moored near the bank. The water of the river is
+very muddy, and has risen about six feet above the ordinary high-water
+mark. The current is about two miles per hour. In winding chronometer
+2139, the chain, which was much corroded, broke, and the force of the
+recoil of the spring snapped it in so many places that I had to splice
+six of the links.
+
+<p>29th December.
+
+<p>As before--preparing equipment, etc.
+
+<p>30th December (Sunday).
+
+<p>31st December.
+
+<p>Preparing tracings of maps, etc., completed the preparations for the
+exploration of the interior.
+
+<p>A STAMPEDE.
+
+<p>1st January, 1856.
+
+<p>Wrote to Mr. Wilson, enclosing instructions for the guidance of the
+officer in charge of the camp on the Victoria. Wrote to the master of the
+Tom Tough instructions relative to the movements and repair of the Tom
+Tough, etc. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter requesting to be informed
+why he had been selected to take charge of the party at the principal
+camp. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply to his letter of this day's date.
+Having completed the preparations for the journey into the interior, the
+horses were saddled, and the party was on the point of starting, when a
+gun was fired on board the schooner, and the horses took fright and
+rushed wildly into the bush; and it was only after a hard gallop of two
+miles that they could be turned and driven back to the camp. Many of the
+saddles and loads were torn off by the horses having run against trees,
+and, as they had scattered very much, it took some time to collect the
+bags which had fallen from the horses, and four bags of provisions could
+not be found. A few of the straps of the colonial-made pack-saddles had
+given way, but there was no other damage done to them; but the
+English-made saddle was shaken to pieces. The party were occupied in the
+evening repairing damages.
+
+<p>2nd January.
+
+<p>Completed the repair of the saddlery, etc. broken yesterday; two of the
+missing bags were found, but a heavy shower having obliterated the tracks
+of the horses, two bags of sugar and sago were lost.
+
+<p>3rd January.
+
+<p>All arrangements being complete, the party commenced their journey at 11
+a.m., and, proceeding up the river to Timber Creek, encamped there at 3.0
+p.m.
+
+<p>The following is a memorandum of the arrangements and equipment of the
+party:
+
+<p>The Party: Commander, A.C. Gregory; assistant-commander, H.C. Gregory;
+artist, T. Baines; botanist, F. Mueller, collector, J. Flood; overseer,
+G. Phibbs; farrier, R. Bowman; harness-maker, C. Dean; stockman, J.
+Fahey.
+
+<p>Horses: 27 pack-horses with pack-saddles; 3 pack-horses with
+riding-saddles; 6 riding-horses.
+
+<p>Provisions for five months: Flour, 1,470 pounds; pork, 1200 pounds; rice,
+200 pounds; sago, 44 pounds; sugar, 280 pounds; tea, 36 pounds; coffee,
+28 pounds; tobacco, 21 pounds; soap, 51 pounds. Total, 3,330 pounds.
+
+<p>Equipment: Instruments, clothing, tents, ammunition, horseshoes, tools,
+etc., 800 pounds; saddle-bags and packages, 400 pounds; saddles, bridles,
+hobbles, etc., 900 pounds. Total, 5,430 pounds.
+
+<p>SENTRIES AT NIGHT.
+
+<p>The total weight was thus about two and a half tons, which, distributed
+on thirty horses, gave a load of 180 pounds each horse. Each person had a
+stated number of horses in his special charge, and was responsible for
+the proper care of the loads and equipment, the saddles and loads being
+all marked with numbers. A watch was constantly kept through the night,
+each person being on sentry for two hours in regular rotation, except
+myself, as I had to make astronomical observations at uncertain hours.
+The cook was on watch from 2.0 till 4.0 a.m., and having prepared
+breakfast, the party concluded this meal at daybreak, and thus the most
+valuable part of the day was not lost.
+
+<p>4th January.
+
+<p>Started at 7 a.m. and followed up the creek; but Dr. Mueller having
+wandered away into the rocky hills and lost himself, I halted at the
+first convenient spot, having despatched several of the party to search
+for him, but it was not till 4 p.m. that the Doctor reached the camp. At
+noon there was a shower of rain, which reduced the temperature to 92
+degrees.
+
+<p>ASCEND TABLELAND.
+
+<p>5th January.
+
+<p>The day broke with a heavy shower, which continued till 7.30 a.m., when
+it was followed by a cool breeze from the west; at 8.30 steered north 150
+degrees east magnetic up the valley of the creek till 11.0, when,
+crossing a low rocky ridge, we descended into Beagle Valley, and,
+steering 160 degrees till 2.10 p.m., halted at a small creek. The country
+is now covered with fine grass, and water is abundant, though the smaller
+watercourses have ceased to flow. In the evening walked to a hill about a
+mile from the camp; it was only 150 feet high, but gave a fine view of
+the distant ranges.
+
+<p>6th January.
+
+<p>It rained continuously during the night, with thunder and lightning. At
+8.0 a.m. steered 160 degrees and soon came on a small creek with
+water-pandanus on its banks; followed it to the south-south-east; at 11.0
+crossed it and changed the course to south-east, and at 11.30 encamped in
+a small gully; I then went with Mr. H. Gregory to look for a practicable
+ascent of Stokes' Range; having been successful in the search, we
+returned to the camp at 6 p.m. There are few spots where this range can
+be ascended, as a line of cliffs run along the brow of the hills varying
+from 10 to 100 feet in height. While on the hill we saw a few blacks, but
+they did not approach; the day was cloudy and cool, clearing after
+sunset.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Capella 15 degrees 59 minutes 57 seconds.
+
+<p>7th January.
+
+<p>The day again commenced with heavy showers, which lasted till 7 a.m. At
+7.30 started on a course of 120 degrees; reached the foot of the
+sandstone range at 8.50, and the summit at 9.30, the tableland on the top
+of the range being intersected by deep ravines trending to the
+south-west; we steered east till 11.40, when we came to a deep valley
+trending east-south-east; having made the necessary observations for
+elevation, commenced the descent of the hills, which was practicable in
+few places, as the valley was walled-in by steep hills crowned by
+sandstone cliffs 20 to 100 feet in height, with only an occasional break.
+At 1.0 p.m. reached the base of the hill, and encamped at a small gully.
+The summit of the range is nearly a level tableland, the undulations not
+exceeding 100 feet, but is intersected by deep ravines with perpendicular
+sides, which vary from 100 to 600 feet in depth. The upper rock is
+sandstone, and the soil on it very poor and sandy, producing small
+eucalypti, hakea, grevillia, and a sharp spiny grass (triodia); this is
+the spinifex of Captain Sturt and other Australian explorers. The
+character of the country is similar to that of the interior of some parts
+of the western coast.
+
+<p>Latitude by Capella 15 degrees 59 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+<p>JASPER CREEK. GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+<p>8th January.
+
+<p>Heavy rain till 7.0 a.m.; at 7.15 started and followed down the valley of
+the creek to south-south-east and south till 9.0, when it joined a larger
+valley trending east, in which a large creek in high flood obstructed our
+course. As the water was too deep to ford, we fixed a rope to a branch of
+a tree and passed the packs over the stream. This was accomplished at 3.0
+p.m., and the water having also sunk a foot, the horses crossed over, and
+we encamped on the south side of the creek. The valleys are well grassed,
+and vary from a quarter to three-quarters of a mile in width, the hills
+rising steeply from the base to near the summit, where they are crowned
+by a sandstone cliff 20 to 150 feet high; the summits are level, or
+nearly so, as the valleys are only deep ravines excavated in the
+tableland. The valley of the larger creek appears to expand about five
+miles to the west of the camp, and the hills all rounded in their
+outline.
+
+<p>9th January.
+
+<p>A light shower at night was followed by a cool cloudy morning. At 6.50
+a.m. followed down the creek to the east, and crossed to the left bank to
+avoid a rocky hill. On attempting to cross lower down, one of the
+pack-horses was carried down the stream some distance by the force of the
+current, and the saddle-bags were recovered a quarter of a mile below.
+The valley contracted as we proceeded, and at length the steep cliff left
+no passage on the left bank, and we had to return one and a half miles up
+the creek and cross to the right bank, when our course was again
+obstructed by a large tributary, which was crossed with some difficulty,
+and we passed through the rough rocky gorge of the creek, where the cliff
+approached the bank of the stream so closely that there was scarcely
+space for a horse to pass. At 12.10 p.m. camped on the bank of the creek
+at the termination of the hilly country, and, ascending a rocky
+elevation, obtained a view of the valley of the Victoria, and ascertained
+that we were on one of the branches of Jasper Creek. The afternoon and
+night were showery.
+
+<p>10th January.
+
+<p>Started at 6.30 a.m. and steered south-east, leaving the creek to the
+north; the country soon changed to a level plain well-grassed, but, owing
+to the late rain, very soft and muddy; at 10.20 passed to the north end
+of Jasper Range, and came to a creek fifteen yards wide trending
+north-east. Having forded the creek, camped on the right bank. The soil
+of the country traversed this day is a good brown loam on the plains, but
+rough and stony on the hills. The trees are of a small size, principally
+box and bauhinia. Sandstone is the prevailing rock, sometimes passing
+into jasper, and also into chert and coarse limestone. Small veins of
+quartz intersected the jasper, and contained small crystals of sulphuret
+of copper and iron.
+
+<p>Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella, 116 degrees 6 minutes 54 seconds;
+variation of compass, 3 degrees 6 minutes east.
+
+<p>11th January.
+
+<p>One of the mares having foaled in the night, she was not fit for a day's
+journey; we therefore remained at the camp, and employed the day in
+repairing and adjusting the saddles, and other works of indispensable
+nature; marked a large gum-tree NAE, 11 Jan., 1856.
+
+<p>12th January.
+
+<p>The night was fine, with a heavy dew and a light breeze from the south.
+At 6.15 a.m. steered north 150 degrees east over the level country which
+extends along the east side of Jasper Range; the soil is stony, but well
+grassed, and the fine weather had allowed the surface to become firm, so
+that the horses were not often bogged. At 12.25 p.m. camped on a small
+creek between the Fitzgerald and Jasper Ranges; marked a gum-tree at camp
+Number 9. The general character of this part of the country is good and
+well suited for stock, though not equal to the basaltic country to the
+eastward on the Victoria. Hard sandstone, jasper, and coarse limestone
+are the prevailing rocks.
+
+<p>Latitude by Aldebaran, Saturn, and a Orionis 16 degrees 16 minutes 22
+seconds.
+
+<p>FINE PLAINS.
+
+<p>13th January.
+
+<p>The night cool and clear; thermometer 62 degrees at sunrise with heavy
+dew; steering an average south course from 6.40 a.m. till 11.25, reached
+the western branch of the Victoria River and encamped. The country
+traversed was nearly level and well grassed and thinly wooded with
+eucalypti and bauhinia; the soil is brown loam with small fragments of
+limestone; the river was running strong, but not in flood; the greatest
+rise this season had been only ten feet, and the usual flood-marks were
+twenty feet higher.
+
+<p>Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella 16 degrees 25 minutes 12 seconds.
+
+<p>14th January.
+
+<p>Followed the river to the west-south-west, crossing two large tributary
+creeks from the north-west, approaching the sandstone ranges on the
+western side of the plain; the soil did not improve, but became very
+sandy; the country is thinly wooded with box-trees and bauhinia of small
+size; grass is abundant and good. At noon one of the pack-horses, Sam,
+knocked up, and his load being transferred to one of the riding-horses,
+he was left to rest while we sought a suitable spot for a camp, and at
+12.15 p.m. halted at a small gully, as the bank of the river was unsafe
+for the horses, being very boggy. Sent back for the horse Sam, and
+brought him to camp; ascended the hill to the north-west of the camp to
+take bearings, but no important features of the country were visible; in
+ascending the hill the aneroid (B) fell from 29.62 to 28.55 degrees, and
+on descending only rose to 28.80 degrees, the estimated height being 300
+feet; as this indicated a change in form of the metal of the instrument,
+I re-adjusted it to the aneroid (A), 29.45 degrees. The continuance of
+fine weather and forward state of the grass led to the supposition that
+the wet season had already terminated, though only two months have
+elapsed since the first rains. It is probable that the wet season is much
+shorter in the interior than on the coast, and at no great distance
+inland the tropical wet season will cease altogether, as Captain Sturt,
+in latitude 26 degrees, only observed a fall of rain in the month of
+August; but this might be exceptional, as in the case of Dr. Leichhardt,
+who never encountered a rainy season during the journey to Port
+Essington.
+
+<p>Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella 16 degrees 27 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+<p>15th January.
+
+<p>Started at 6.45 a.m. and followed the river to the west-south-west; the
+hills coming close to the bank for some miles, caused the journey to be
+slow and difficult; crossed two large creeks coming from the
+west-north-west, the second seventy yards wide; at 10.35 encamped in a
+fine grassy flat. The course of the river was now more from the south,
+and the valley expanded into a plain several miles wide.
+
+<p>16th January.
+
+<p>As several of the horses required a day's rest, at 6.0 a.m. I started
+with Mr. H. Gregory to examine the country to the southward, and followed
+the river through a fine grassy plain till 10.0, when it entered the
+sandstone ranges, and the valley contracted to half a mile; the hills
+were steep, but the level ground in the valley, except where intersected
+by gullies, was good travelling and well grassed. The river is much
+reduced in size and the water is confined to the smaller channels of the
+principal bed; the water is clear, and had not that muddy appearance
+which characterises it lower down. The geological character of the rocks
+is unchanged; but the bed of the river being less deeply excavated, the
+lower beds of limestone and jasper are not so largely developed, the
+summit of the hills are not quite as level, and large blocks of
+sandstone, the remains of an upper stratum, gives the country a very
+rugged appearance. Returned to the camp at 6.30 p.m. In the evening there
+was a heavy thunder-squall from the north, but the weather cleared at
+midnight.
+
+<p>LOSE A HORSE.
+
+<p>17th January.
+
+<p>Started at 7.5 a.m. and steered a south-west course till 10.30 a.m.,
+passing over a level grassy flat the whole distance; but the soil became
+more sandy as we proceeded up the river; there is very little wood of any
+description; the few trees that exist are white-stem eucalypti and a few
+acacia with pinnate leaves; the horse Sam is very weak, and two other
+horses are lame and can scarcely travel; since the 3rd of January the
+distance travelled has not exceeded ten miles per diem; water and grass
+everywhere abundant, and the loads not heavy, yet the greater part of the
+horses appear to be unable to perform a greater amount of work.
+
+<p>Latitude by Aldebaran 16 degrees 36 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+<p>18th January.
+
+<p>Some of the horses having strayed towards our last camp, we were detained
+till 8.10 a.m. and then steered south for three miles; the sandstone
+hills here closed in on each side of the river, scarcely leaving a
+passage at the base of the steep rocks; here the horse Sam fell into a
+pool of water, and when extricated could not stand; this having caused
+considerable delay, we encamped in a grassy flat half a mile farther on;
+in the evening sent Bowman and Dean to bring the horse to the camp, but
+they found him dead; marked a tree near camp 14.
+
+<p>19th January.
+
+<p>The night was fine, with heavy dew, the temperature 73 degrees at
+sunrise; having collected the horses and saddled at 6.45 a.m., left the
+camp and followed the valley of the river on an average south-west
+course, crossing a large creek from the north-west; the valley of the
+river expanded to three miles and then narrowed to one mile, and the
+course of the river was nearly west till 10.50 a.m., when we encamped;
+the soil of the valley is a brown loam, producing abundance of grass; but
+the hills, though less rocky, are more barren than lower down the river;
+the character of the channel of the river has altered, and has the
+appearance of a stream which continues to run late into the dry season,
+as the channels are narrow and fringed with pandanus, melaleuca, and
+other trees which grow near permanent water; the banks are of less height
+and the timber on them grows to a greater size than lower down the
+valley; at 1.0 p.m. the thermometer 100 degrees, and the wet bulb 76
+degrees, indicating 24 degrees of evaporation.
+
+<p>CROSS THE WICKHAM RIVER.
+
+<p>20th January.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 6.55 a.m. and followed the river in a west-north-west
+direction till 8.5, when we crossed at a ledge of rocks which caused a
+fall of about one foot, the water being twenty yards wide and one to two
+feet deep; but above and below the rapid the river formed fine reaches
+seventy yards wide; the course was now west-south-west till 9.0 a.m.,
+when the river turned west, and at 10.50 came to a large stony creek from
+the south-west, at which we encamped; the country on the banks of the
+river rises gradually as it recedes, and, except within the influence of
+the floods, is poor and stony, producing little besides a sharp grass
+(triodia)--this is the spinifex of some Australian explorers--a few small
+gum-trees and bushes. As we progress towards the interior the wet season
+appears to have been of less duration and the fall of rain less, yet the
+great heat has forced the vegetation towards maturity, and many of the
+grasses have already ripened their seeds, while there are many other
+indications of the dry season having fairly set in; the wind is steadily
+from the south and south-east, and is very dry; the sky is clear and
+bright, and the creeks have ceased to run; the almost total absence of
+birds or animals shows that we are approaching the limits of the dry
+summer season of the southern interior; in the afternoon rode out with
+Mr. H. Gregory to examine the country, and found that the river came
+through a gorge in the sandstone range; this gorge is two miles long, a
+quarter of a mile wide, and 400 feet deep, with nearly perpendicular
+sides, the winter channel of the river occupying nearly the whole
+breadth, and intersecting the otherwise flat bottom of the valley with
+dry sandy channels and long pools of water; beyond the gorge the valley
+opened, but the view was intercepted by hills.
+
+<p>A HORSE KILLED.
+
+<p>21st January.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 7.10 a.m., and, following the right bank of the
+river nearly west through the gorge, at 9.0 entered an open valley,
+through which the river came from the south-west; but at 10.0 we entered
+a second defile, which, from the inclined strata of sandstone, was almost
+impassable for the horses. In crossing some soft ground between the rocks
+one of the horses fell on a sharp stump, and was deeply wounded in the
+belly. The wound was sewn up; but the injury was so severe that the horse
+died in the night. Having extricated ourselves from this ravine, we
+encamped at the foot of a sandstone hill, the strata of which dipped 60
+degrees to the south-west. Ascending the hill, which was about 300 feet
+high, the country appeared more level to the south, rising into sandstone
+ranges at ten miles distance. The course of the river was from
+west-south-west, the channel being bounded by sandstone cliffs 100 to 200
+feet high. The general aspect of the country was wretched in the extreme,
+as little besides a few small gum-trees and triodia clothed the rugged
+surface of the red sandstone. The weather continues fine, with only an
+occasional cloud or flash of lightning in the early part of the night.
+The temperature is increasing, being 104 degrees at 1.0 p.m. Some catfish
+and a small tortoise were caught in the river.
+
+<p>22nd January.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. continued our route up the river; but, to avoid the deep
+ravines on its banks, made a sweep to the south, and at noon encamped in
+a grassy flat on the bank of the river. The country traversed was very
+barren and rocky, and the horses had great difficulty in crossing the
+deep ravines; many of their shoes were torn from their feet during the
+day's journey. The highest ridge crossed was 500 feet above the bed of
+the river, the height of which is approximately 500 feet above the
+sea-level, and thus the general level of the tableland may be considered
+to be 1000 feet above the sea. The general course of the river being from
+the west, it appears advisable to reconnoitre the country to the south.
+
+<p>Latitude by Capella 16 degrees 47 minutes 58 seconds.
+
+<p>RECONNOITRE TO THE SOUTH.
+
+<p>23rd January.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp in charge of Dr. Mueller, at 6.30 a.m. started in a
+southerly direction, accompanied by Messrs. H. Gregory and Baines, taking
+with us four horses and six days' rations, etc.; after clearing the deep
+rocky gullies near the river, we passed over a more level country with
+some fine open plains covered with fine grass, but the intervening ridges
+were very stony; at 9.45 a.m. reached the highest part of the range, and
+the country declined to the south-east, and intersected by deep rocky
+ravines trending towards a large valley, which is probably drained by the
+southern branch of the Victoria; the course was now south-east,
+descending to the valley of a creek, through a very barren and rugged
+sandstone country, producing little besides stunted eucalypti, acacia,
+and triodia. At 11.15 a.m. halted at the creek, and resumed our route at
+3.0 p.m., and followed the valley to the south-east till 4.40 p.m., when
+it turned east through a rocky gorge between cliffs 150 feet high; but
+notwithstanding the dense bush of pandanus, fallen rocks and deep muddy
+channel of the creek, we succeeded in forcing our way through the gorge
+of the creek, and bivouacked in the open valley below at 5.30 p.m., there
+being a fine patch of grass in the flat, though the surrounding country
+is rocky and barren. The sandstone rocks show a great disturbance and dip
+at all angles and directions, so that no general angle or strike could be
+determined; the upper rocks, however, show a new feature in a coarse
+conglomerate of fragments of the lower sandstones and a few fragments of
+basalt; some of the enclosed pieces of rock are nearly a foot in
+diameter, and are mostly angular, though occasionally round; this rock
+forms a horizontal bed of 100 feet in thickness. Towards evening the sky
+was clouded, with lightning to the east, but no rain.
+
+<p>BASALTIC PLAINS.
+
+<p>24th January.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. crossed the creek, and steered south-east over broken
+sandstone ridges till 8.0, when we entered a plain of basaltic formation
+covered with good grass, and where the ground was not entirely composed
+of fragments of rock the soil was a rich black loam; crossing the large
+creeks trending north, at 10.0 a.m. halted on the second. These creeks
+appear to rise in a steep range of sandstone hills which bound the
+basaltic plains to the west, about two miles from our track. At 3.0 p.m.
+resumed our route and traversed the trap plain for one and a half hours,
+and bivouacked in a small gully; the country on both sides of our track
+seems to be of trap formation for several miles, and then rises into
+sandstone hills with flat tops. The basaltic rock of this plain is not of
+great thickness, as the sandstone rose in a few spots above its surface
+and formed small islands covered with coarse vegetation, surrounded by
+the open grassy plain. The basalt seems to have been poured out into the
+valley after it had been excavated in the sandstone, and not to have been
+much disturbed subsequently. The surface of the plain is very stony, and
+the horses' feet were much injured by the roughness of the rock.
+
+<p>STONE SPEAR HEADS.
+
+<p>25th January.
+
+<p>The night was cloudy, and it was not till after daybreak that I could get
+observations for latitude by altitudes of Venus and b Centauri. At 6.5
+a.m. were again in the saddle, and steered south-east to a rocky hill,
+which we reached at 7.0; the hill was sandstone, rising about 150 feet
+above the trap plain; from the summit the view was extensive, but from
+the broken nature of the country to the east nothing could be traced of
+either the courses of creeks or rivers; to the south the trap plain rose
+to a greater elevation than the summit of the hill we were on, and was
+surmounted by table hills of sandstone at ten miles distance to the east
+and north-east; the country appeared to consist of plains of basaltic
+formation, well grassed, and very thinly wooded. Leaving this hill at
+8.0, followed a dry rocky creek to the east and north-east, through
+basaltic plains with sandstone hills and ridges, till 10.30, and halted
+during the heat of the day. At this place the bed of the creek had been
+cut through the basalt into the sandstone, exposing a fine section of the
+junction of the two rocks; the sandstone was much altered at the line of
+contact, and, having been deeply cracked, the basalt had filled the
+fissures of the older rock. This altered sandstone and also a white
+quartz-like rock are much used by the natives for the heads of their
+spears; and during this day's journey great quantities of broken stones
+and imperfect spear heads were noticed on the banks of the creek. At 3.45
+p.m. recommenced our journey, and proceeded down the creek to the
+north-east till 6.30, and bivouacked.
+
+<p>Latitude by Capella, Saturn, and Canopus 17 degrees 24 seconds.
+
+<p>ROE'S DOWNS.
+
+<p>26th January.
+
+<p>Having ascertained that the party could be moved across the range to the
+basalt plains with advantage, commenced our return to the camp by a
+westerly route across the plain, which rose gently for ten miles, and was
+well grassed, but thinly wooded; the soil was stony, with fragments of
+altered sandstone and basalt. On the higher part of the plain there were
+several hills of trap-rock, forming flat-topped ridges trending north and
+south; the highest of these we named Mount Sanford, and the plains Roe's
+Downs. The country now generally sloped to the bank of the creek near the
+western limit of the plain, at which, after six hours' ride, we halted at
+11.35. The banks of the creek are of trap-rock; but the sandstone is
+exposed in the bed; the pools of water are deep and apparently permanent.
+At 4.0 resumed our route and passed over about one mile of sandstone, and
+then two miles of basalt, and bivouacked at a small gully at the western
+limit of the valley.
+
+<p>27th January.
+
+<p>At 5.30 a.m. steered north-north-west, over several ridges of sandstone,
+till we struck our outward track, which we followed with some deviations
+to the camp, which was reached at 2.0 p.m. The evening was cloudy with a
+smart thunder-shower. Dr. Mueller informed me that he had traced the
+river about six miles to the west-south-west, but that beyond that point
+it appeared to come from the north-west, in which direction there was a
+low range of hills.
+
+<p>28th January.
+
+<p>Having collected the horses, at 7.15 a.m. steered south to the rocky
+creek, and followed it down to the rocky gorge and encamped. As the
+valley was completely walled in by steep rocks, it appeared to be a
+suitable spot for a depot camp, as it would prevent the horses from
+straying; and, from the rapidity with which the water in the creeks was
+drying up, it became desirable that no time should be lost in pushing to
+the head of the Victoria while it was practicable to cross the ranges in
+which it was supposed to rise; but as many of the horses were quite unfit
+for the journey, it became necessary to leave them in some convenient
+spot while a small party pushed on with a light equipment.
+
+<p>FORM A DEPOT CAMP.
+
+<p>29th January.
+
+<p>Preparing equipment for the party proceeding to the interior and making
+arrangements for the formation of the depot camp; the party to consist of
+myself, Mr. H. Gregory, Dr. Mueller, and C. Dean, Mr. Baines remaining at
+the depot in charge. Selected eleven of the strongest horses and had them
+re-shod; fitted four with riding and seven with pack saddles. The
+following provisions were packed for the journey: 150 pounds pork, 300
+pounds flour, 50 pounds rice, 10 pounds sago, 8 pounds tea, 6 pounds
+coffee, 48 pounds sugar.
+
+<p>30th January.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 7.30 a.m. and steered an average course south-south-east
+till 10.20, over stony ground, at the junction of the sandstone and trap
+formation, and camped at a fine running creek which came from a rocky
+gorge in the sandstone range to the west of our course. Messrs. Baines
+and Bowman, who had accompanied us thus far, returned to the camp, which
+I had instructed him to move to this creek as better for the horses, as
+one of them had shown symptoms of poison, and I feared to leave them in
+that locality. A severe attack of the fever, from which I had been
+suffering since the beginning of the month, precluded our proceeding
+farther this day, as I had at first intended. At 5 p.m. it commenced
+raining, and continued till midnight with incessant thunder and
+lightning.
+
+<p>31st January.
+
+<p>Being able to mount my horse, at 8 a.m. left the camp and steered a
+course south-east by south, along the foot of the sandstone range--the
+basalt plain extending to the north-east. At 12.45 p.m. camped on a
+shallow watercourse trending to the south-south-west. The whole of the
+country to the east of our track, except some isolated hills, appear to
+be covered with excellent grass. The evening was raining, with continuous
+thunder.
+
+<p>1st February.
+
+<p>Steered north 160 degrees east from 6.25 a.m. till 7.0 across the
+basaltic plain, then crossed a large creek trending east, in which there
+were some large pools of water. We then entered the sandstone country,
+and crossed several rocky ridges; at 9.10 we had a good view from one of
+the ridges to the north and east. Fine grassy plains extended almost to
+the horizon, to the south the country consisted of sandstone ranges, and
+to the south-east large grassy plains and rocky ridges appeared to
+alternate with each other. Changing the course to south-east, traversed a
+fine plain covered with grass, beyond which was a rocky ridge, and then a
+second plain, in which we halted at 11.10, as I was unable to keep on my
+horse, owing to an attack of fever. At 2 p.m. again proceeded, and after
+crossing some rugged country with deep rocky ravines, at length reached a
+large creek, at which we encamped, though there was nothing but reeds and
+triodia for the horses to eat.
+
+<p>2nd February.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 6 a.m. and followed the creek up for three-quarters of
+an hour before we could find a crossing place; the course was then
+south-south-east over very broken sandstone country; at 9.50 halted in a
+grassy valley to feed the horses, and at 2.30 p.m. resumed our route
+south-east, crossed a sandstone ridge, and descended into a wide valley,
+the centre of which was occupied by a basaltic plain, at the edge of
+which we encamped at 3.55 p.m.
+
+<p>CRESTED PIGEON.
+
+<p>3rd February.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. ascended the trap plain and steered north 190 degrees east;
+at 6.45 a.m. came to a large creek from the west, which joined the
+Victoria three-quarters of a mile to the east; but the deep and rocky
+character of the valley, or rather ravine, in which it ran precluded our
+approaching it, and we had to turn to the west, and descend from the
+basalt to the sandstone before the creek could be passed. Continuing an
+average south course, at 10.10 a.m. came to the Victoria River; the whole
+channel did not exceed 150 yards in breadth, of which only twenty to
+fifty were now occupied by water, and the rest by dry rocks and gravel,
+overgrown by bushes. With great difficulty we followed the river upwards,
+and were compelled to follow up a tributary creek for about a mile, and
+then encamped. Near this camp I saw the crested pigeon of Western
+Australia for the first time in this part of Australia.
+
+<p>Latitude by Leonis 17 degrees 41 minutes.
+
+<p>4th February.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 5.55 a.m. and steered nearly south for six hours, and
+then encamped on the bank of the Victoria River, at the end of a fine
+deep pool seventy yards wide, but at the lower end the water was
+contracted into a shallow rapid ten yards wide. The country traversed is
+of basaltic formation in the valley, but the hills are of sandstone, and
+rise on each side from 200 to 300 feet, and the whole appearance of the
+country shows that there has been little change in the form of the
+surface since the basalt was poured into the valley. On the banks of a
+small creek we saw a flock of tribonyx--a bird which has created some
+speculation as to its proper habitat, as it often makes its appearance in
+large numbers at the Swan River, on the western coast.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus 17 degrees 52 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+<p>THUNDERSTORM AND SQUALL.
+
+<p>5th February.
+
+<p>Started at 5.55 a.m., and steered south-west, keeping parallel to the
+river at about a mile from it, as the creeks cut so deeply into the rock
+near the river that they are impassable; at 9.20 a.m. crossed to the
+right bank of the river, and continued a south-west course, but found the
+country exceedingly rough and rocky, and therefore turned to the
+north-west to the river, and at 11.30 a.m. camped at a fine pool of
+water. In the afternoon we were visited by a sudden thunder-squall;
+fortunately the tents had not been set up, or they must have been blown
+to pieces. The valley of the river has contracted to about fifteen miles,
+and turns to the west, but a branch seems to come from the south, and a
+second from the north-west. The country is, however, nearly level, and it
+is difficult to ascertain the limits of the valley, as many portions of
+the original tableland exist as detached hills and ridges. Though the
+horses are well shod, they are becoming lame and footsore from
+continually travelling over rough and stony country, as more than half of
+the last 100 miles has been so completely covered with fragments of rock
+that the soil, if any exists, has been wholly concealed.
+
+<p>6th February.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 6.20 a.m., steered south up the valley of a large
+creek. At first the ground was very rough and rocky, but as we proceeded
+it became more level and sandy--the bed of the creek being worn in the
+basalt, and the hills of sandstone conglomerate rising 100 to 200 feet.
+Except on the bank of the creek, there was no grass, the hills being
+covered with triodia. Encamped in a grassy flat at 11.30 a.m.
+
+<p>Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 48 seconds.
+
+<p>CROSS WATERSHED TO INTERIOR. HOOKER'S CREEK.
+
+<p>7th February.
+
+<p>At 6.30 resumed our journey to the south-south-west, and reached the head
+of the creek at 8.0 a.m. Ascending the tableland by an abrupt slope of
+100 feet, our course was south one mile, when the southern slope was
+reached, and a large shallow valley extended across our course, beyond
+which a vast and slightly undulating plain extended to the horizon with
+scarcely a rising ground to relieve its extreme monotony. Descending by a
+very gentle slope into the valley, at 9.40 a.m. crossed a small
+watercourse trending south-east, and then passed through a plain densely
+covered with kangaroo-grass seven to nine feet high, and at 10.40 a.m.
+encountered the level sandy country beyond, which was covered with
+triodia and small acacia and gum trees, or rather bushes. Seeing little
+prospects of either water or grass to the southward, turned east to the
+creek, at which we encamped at 12.30 p.m. The bed of the creek was dry,
+except a few shallow pools of rainwater, and there had been so little
+rain this season that no water had flowed down the channel. A level
+grassy flat extended nearly a mile on each side of the creek, which
+indicated the extent of occasional inundations, beyond which the country
+was very sandy and covered with small gum-trees, acacia, and triodia.
+
+<p>Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 3 seconds.
+
+<p>8th February.
+
+<p>The country to the south being so level and barren that we could not
+expect to find either water or grass in that direction, at 6.0 a.m.
+steered north 110 degrees east along the course of the creek, which
+turned somewhat to the north of our track for a few miles; but at 8.0
+again came on its banks. The country was very barren and sandy, with
+small trees of silver-leafed ironbark and triodia, except on the
+inundated flats of the creek, which were well grassed and thinly wooded
+with box-trees. The course of the creek was now nearly south-east, but
+the channel decreased in size, and was quite dry till 10.0 a.m., when we
+reached a fine pool which had been filled by a tributary gully. Here we
+halted and shot several ducks. At 2.45 p.m. resumed our route, and at
+3.20 came to a level grassy flat, on which the channel of the creek was
+completely lost. Crossing the flat to the east, the country was quite
+level and sandy; therefore turned to the north, where there seemed to be
+a slight depression, and at 4.50 came to a shallow pool of rainwater, at
+which we encamped. Frequent showers during the night.
+
+<p>THE DESERT INTERIOR.
+
+<p>9th February.
+
+<p>On winding the chronometers this morning, found the chain of 2139, by
+Arnold, was broken. Taking advantage of the cool cloudy morning, we
+steered south at 6.5 a.m. to ascertain if the water of the creek, after
+spreading on the grassy flat, collected again and found an outlet to the
+southward, but found the ground rise in that direction; observed a slight
+hollow to the west, for which we steered, but found it terminate on the
+sandy plain, and the country became a perfect desert of red sand, with
+scattered tufts of triodia and a few bushes of eucalypti and acacia. At
+noon, finding it hopeless to proceed further into the desert, we turned
+our steps to the north-north-east, and returned to our camp of last
+night. In returning to the camp we ascended a slight elevation, from
+which there was an uninterrupted view of the desert from east to
+south-west. The horizon was unbroken; all appeared one slightly
+undulating plain, with just sufficient triodia and bushes growing on it
+to hide the red sand when viewed at a distance. The day was remarkably
+cool and cloudy; the temperature at noon 86 degrees. Though the rain at
+the camp had been abundant during the previous night, it had not extended
+more than five miles into the desert, which is more remarkable, as the
+clouds were moving to the south.
+
+<p>TURN TO THE WEST.
+
+<p>10th February.
+
+<p>As the horses required a day's rest, we remained at our camp, which
+enabled us to repair our saddles and perform other necessary work.
+Repaired the chronometer and one of the aneroid barometers, which had
+been broken by the motion of one of the pack-horses. As there was no
+practicable route to the south, and the sandstone hills to the north
+seemed to diminish in elevation to the east, I decided on following the
+northern limit of the desert to the west till some line of practicable
+country was found by which to penetrate the country to the south. In
+selecting a westerly route I was also influenced by the greater elevation
+of the country on the western side of the Victoria, and the fact that all
+the larger tributaries join from that side of the valley. It is also
+probable that, should the waters of the interior not be lost in the sandy
+desert, they will follow the southern limit of the elevated tract of
+sandstone which occupies north-west Australia from Roebuck Bay to the
+Gulf of Carpentaria, both of which points are nearly in the same latitude
+as our present position, from which it may be assumed that the line of
+greatest elevation is between the 17th and 18th parallels. None of the
+rivers crossed by Leichhardt are of sufficient magnitude to drain the
+country beyond the coast range, and therefore any streams descending from
+the tableland to the south will either be absorbed in the sandy desert or
+follow the southern limit of the sandstone and flow into the sea to the
+south-west of Roebuck Bay. There is, however, reason to expect that, as
+the interior of north-west Australia is partly within the influence of
+the tropical and partly the extra-tropical climates, it does not enjoy a
+regular rainy season; and though heavy rain doubtless falls at times, it
+is neither sufficiently general or regular to form rivers of sufficient
+magnitude to force their way through the flat sandy country to the coast.
+
+<p>Latitude by Capella 18 degrees 20 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+<p>11th February.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. proceeded up the creek, and at 12.30 p.m. camped at a
+shallow pool of rainwater on the flat, the channel of the creek being
+dry. On the northern bank of the creek we passed a small lagoon with a
+great number of duck and other water-fowl on it. The afternoon was
+cloudy, with a fresh breeze from south-east.
+
+<p>Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 15 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+<p>12th February.
+
+<p>Three of the horses having strayed some distance, we did not start till
+7.0 a.m., when we steered an average course of north 300 degrees east
+till 11.45 a.m., when we camped at a small pool of water in the bed of
+the creek, which was reduced to a small gully; for the first four miles
+we traversed the grassy flats of the creek, after which we passed over a
+level sandy country producing nothing but triodia, stunted eucalypti, and
+acacia till we again approached the creek, where the grassy flat was
+nearly half a mile wide, but of inferior character.
+
+<p>Latitude by b Tauri 18 degrees 9 minutes 44 seconds.
+
+<p>13th February.
+
+<p>At 6.50 a.m. followed the valley of the creek to the west, passing some
+fine flats with high grass, but the country generally very poor and
+thinly wooded with white-gum and silver-leafed ironbark; at 10.40 halted
+at a small waterhole at the foot of a low granite ridge; at 3.0 p.m.
+ascended the granite hills, which rose abruptly 100 to 150 feet above the
+plain, and extended about five miles to the south and east; to the west
+the sandstone covered the granite and formed a level tableland or plain;
+to the north a valley trended to the west, on the northern side of which
+the hills appeared to be granitic. Returning to the camp, examined a deep
+rocky ravine and found some small pools of water which might last for
+nearly another month.
+
+<p>Latitude by Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 11 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+<p>PIGEONS AND SEA-GULLS.
+
+<p>14th February.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 6.0 a.m., steered an average course of north 300
+degrees east; crossing the granite ridge, we entered a level sandy
+country with much scrub, which was traversed till 8.40, when we entered a
+wide grassy plain extending to the north-west, in which direction we
+steered till 2.10 p.m., when we halted at a small muddy puddle two inches
+deep and three yards wide. Then rode on with Mr. H. Gregory to search for
+a larger supply of water, and found a shallow pool about a mile distant,
+to which the party moved and encamped. Although this pool was not 100
+yards long and six inches deep, a large flock of ducks, snipe, and small
+gulls, were congregated at it, several thousand pigeons of species new to
+us came to drink. These pigeons keep in flocks of from ten to more than a
+thousand, feeding on the seeds of the grass on the open plains, as they
+never alight on trees. They are somewhat larger than the common
+bronze-wing; the head is black, with a little white at the base of the
+beak and behind the eye; back pale brown; breast, blue; throat marked
+with white; wings with white tips to the feathers and a small patch of
+bronze; tail short, tip white; feet, dull red. The evening and night were
+cloudy.
+
+<p>WILD RICE.
+
+<p>15th February.
+
+<p>At 6.5 a.m. followed a line of small trees and bushes which grew on the
+lower part of the grassy plain and indicated the course of the water in
+the wet season, and at 9.0 came to the head of a small creek trending
+north-west. Water was now abundant and formed large pools, and at 11.15
+camped on the right bank of the creek at a pool a quarter of a mile long
+and fifty yards wide. This spot seemed to be much frequented by the
+natives, and large quantities of mussel-shells lay around their fires.
+The plain traversed this morning was well grassed; the soil a stiff clay
+loam; this plain extended three to six miles on each side of the track,
+and was bounded by a low-wooded country, which, in some parts, rose
+nearly 100 feet above the plain. In the lower part of the plain we
+observed the salt-bush (atriplex) and a species of rice; but as it was
+only just in ear, we could not judge of the quality of the grain. In the
+afternoon there was a fine breeze from the east which lasted till 8.0
+p.m., the sky being cloudy.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 17 degrees 53 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+<p>16th February.
+
+<p>At 6.25 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, which turned first west
+and then south-west, and at 12.20 p.m. encamped at a small pool; on the
+right bank of the creek wide grassy plains extended from three to five
+miles back towards a low-wooded ridge, but on the left bank the scrubby
+country came close to the creek.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Orionis, Canopus and Pollux 17 degrees 59 minutes 40
+seconds.
+
+<p>17th February (Sunday).
+
+<p>As the water and grass were abundant on this camp, we were not compelled
+to move on in search of these requisites, and were enabled to observe it
+as a day of rest.
+
+<p>18th February.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 6.30 a.m., and steered an average south-west
+course till 11.10, and then south till 12.25 p.m., and again camped on
+the creek. The country consisted of wide grassy plains on the bank of the
+creek, without trees and well grassed; beyond the plains, at one to six
+miles distance, low-wooded ridges were visible; but the general aspect of
+the whole was extremely level. A great number of ducks and a few geese
+were seen on some of the pools in the creek.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus 18 degrees 4 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+<p>STURT'S CREEK.
+
+<p>19th February.
+
+<p>Commenced our day's journey at 6.0 a.m., followed the bank of the creek
+till 8.15, thence south-south-west till noon, when the course was altered
+to south-south-east to close in with the creek, but found that the
+channel was completely lost on the level grassy plain, and at 1.40 p.m.
+encamped at a small puddle of muddy water as thick as cream. Before the
+creek was lost in the level plain it spread into some large, though
+shallow pools, which swarmed with ducks of several species, but
+principally the whistling duck. The grassy plain gradually extended to a
+greater breadth, and the back country was so nearly level that it
+scarcely rose above the grassy horizon, while to the south the country
+was so level that the clumps of bushes appeared like islands, and the
+grassy plain extended to the horizon. Near one of the waterholes in the
+creek we surprised a native, who was sitting at his fire with a couple of
+women, who decamped with all possible despatch. Several smokes have been
+observed to the south and south-west, which shows that water must exist
+in that direction, though it may not be in sufficient quantity to supply
+our horses. The morning was cloudy, and at midnight there was a heavy
+shower of rain. Judging from the general appearance of the country, the
+waters of the creek, after spreading over the plain, must escape to the
+westward, as the grass has been bent in that direction by the current
+last year, but there has been so little rain this season that the channel
+of the creek has not been filled.
+
+<p>20th February.
+
+<p>As it appeared that the waters of the creek trended to the west in the
+wet season, at 6.5 a.m. we steered north 250 degrees east, through a
+level forest of box-trees, with abundance of good grass; the soil brown
+loam with fragments of limestone; the shower last night had left many
+shallow pools of water on the surface. At 8.40 a.m. passed a small swampy
+salt flat covered with salicornia; at 9.10 came on the grassy plain which
+we skirted on a west course, but as it turned to the north-west, again
+changed the course to 320 degrees; the plain was now reduced to about a
+mile in width, and we therefore crossed it in search of a definite
+channel, but without success, though there were some slight indications
+that during inundation the water flowed to the north-west. At 11.50 we
+camped at a shallow puddle of rainwater, on the north side of the plain.
+From the camp, till 8.0 a.m., the grass, though very backward, showed
+that there had been sufficient rain to cause it to spring; but as we
+proceeded it was perfectly dry and parched up, as at the end of the dry
+season, showing that little or no rain had fallen for many months in this
+part of the country. The day was cloudy, with thunder, and was followed
+by a heavy shower at night, which prevented my ascertaining the latitude
+by observation.
+
+<p>ENTER WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
+
+<p>21st February.
+
+<p>As we were now three days' journey from the last water which could be
+depended on for more than a few days, and the channel of the creek had
+been so completely lost on the plain that it was uncertain whether the
+marks of inundations near this camp had been caused by the creek flowing
+to the west, or by some tributary flowing to the east, I determined to
+attempt a south-west course, in the hope that, should the country prove
+rocky, the heavy showers might have collected a sufficient quantity of
+water to enable us to continue a southerly route, and accordingly
+selected the most prominent point of the rising ground to the south of
+our position, and at 6.5 a.m. started north 235 degrees east. After
+leaving the open plains we entered a grassy box forest, which continued
+to the foot of the hills, which we reached at 8.0. The slope of the hills
+proved very scrubby, with small eucalypti and acacia, the soil red sand
+and ironstone gravel; at 9.0 reached the highest part of the hills for
+many miles round. To the south the country was slightly depressed for ten
+or fifteen miles, and then rose into an even ridge or plain, the whole
+country appearing to be covered with acacia and eucalyptus scrub. To the
+west and north the view was more extended; the low ridge of sandstone
+hills extended to the west-north-west, on the northern side of the grassy
+flats for thirty miles, and only broken by a large valley from the north.
+Throughout its whole extent this range appeared to rise to 150 or 200
+feet above the plain, and had the appearance of being the edge of a level
+tableland. South of the grassy plain, the western limit of which was not
+seen, the country rose gradually to eighty or 100 feet, and presented an
+extremely level and unvaried appearance. It was evident that our only
+chance of farther progress was to follow the grassy plain to the west
+till some change in the country rendered a southerly course practicable,
+it being probable that some creek from the north might join the grassy
+plain, and that the channel which had been lost might be reformed. At
+9.30 steered north-west, and at 12.30 p.m. cleared the acacia scrub, and
+at 1.30 reached the bank of the creek, which had formed a channel twenty
+yards wide, with pools of water, which was brackish; but we were too glad
+to find any water which we could use without detriment to object to it
+because it was not agreeable in taste, and therefore encamped. We have
+thus been a second time compelled to make a retrograde movement to the
+north after reaching the same latitude as in the first attempt to
+penetrate the desert; but I did not feel justified in incurring the
+extreme risk which would have attended any other course, though following
+the creek is by no means free from danger, as very few of the waterholes
+which have supplied us on the outward track will retain any water till
+the time of our return. The weather was calm and hot in the early part of
+the day, and in the afternoon it clouded over, and there was a slight
+shower of rain. According to our longitude, by account, we have this day
+passed the boundary of Western Australia, which is in the 129th meridian.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Procyon 18 degrees 26 minutes.
+
+<p>STURT'S CREEK.
+
+<p>22nd February.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 5.40 a.m., followed the creek to the west-south-west
+and crossed a small gully from the south; at 11.30 a.m. camped at a fine
+pool of water in a small creek from the south, close to its junction with
+the principal creek, which we named after Captain Sturt, whose researches
+in Australia are too well known to need comment; the grassy plains
+extended from three to ten miles on each side of the creek, which has a
+more definite channel than higher up, there being some pools of
+sufficient size to retain water throughout the year; the plain is bounded
+on the north by sandstone hills 100 to 200 feet high, and there is also a
+mass of hilly country to the south, the highest point of which was named
+Mount Wittenoon; about noon a thunder-shower passed to the east and up
+the creek on which we were encamped, and though the channel was then dry
+between the pools, at 4.0 p.m. it was running two feet deep; the grass is
+much greener near this camp, and there has evidently been more rain here
+than in any part of the country south of Victoria yet visited; a fresh
+southerly breeze in the morning, thunderstorms at noon, night cloudy with
+heavy dew.
+
+<p>23rd February.
+
+<p>At 5.50 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, the general course first
+south-west and changing to the south-south-west; the channel was
+gradually lost on the broad swampy flat, which was overgrown with
+polygonum and atriplex, etc., and had a breadth of half a mile to a mile,
+being depressed about ten feet below the grassy plain; the grassy plain
+also extended to about fifteen miles wide, the hills decrease in height,
+and the whole country is so level that little is to be seen but the
+distant horizon, scarcely in any part rising above the vast expanse of
+waving grass. At 10.50 a.m. camped at a shallow puddle of muddy water,
+just sufficient to supply the horses; I walked about a mile into the
+polygonum flat, but could not find any water, though the ground was soft
+and muddy in a few spots. Mr. H.C. Gregory, when rounding up the horses
+in the evening, saw eight blacks watching us; we therefore went out to
+communicate with them; but they hid themselves in the high bushes and
+grass. The night was clear, and I took a set of lunar distances, which
+the cloudy weather had prevented for more than a week, though I had been
+able to get altitudes for latitude.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 39 minutes 54 seconds.
+
+<p>EFFECT OF SEASONS ON APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY.
+
+<p>24th February.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, which spread into a broad
+swampy flat about a mile wide, and covered with atriplex, polygonum, and
+grass, the general trend south-west; at 7.30 crossed a large watercourse
+from the south-east, with a dry sandy channel, no water having flowed
+down it this season; at 9.0 a.m. crossed to the right bank of the creek;
+there were many shallow muddy channels and one with running water four
+yards wide and one foot deep; the largest channel was near the right
+bank, but, except a large shallow pool, it was dry. As we advanced the
+country showed effects of long-continued drought, and though the creek
+contained some large shallow pools, the channel was dry between, the dry
+soil absorbing the whole of the water which was running in the channel
+above; at 11.50 camped at what appeared to be the termination of the
+pools of water, as the channel was again lost in a perfectly level flat.
+Great numbers of ducks, cockatoos, cranes, and crows frequented the banks
+of the creek above the camp, and appeared to feed on the wild rice which
+was growing in considerable quantities in the moist hollows, as also a
+species of panicum; to the south-east of the creek there is a level
+box-flat which extends two to three miles back to the foot of some low
+sandy ridges covered with triodia and a few small eucalypti; to the
+north-west and west the grassy plain extended to the horizon, with
+scarcely even a bush to intercept the even surface of the waving grass.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 18 degrees 45 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>25th February.
+
+<p>The small number of water-fowl which passed up or down the creek during
+the night indicated that water was not abundant below our present
+position, and we were therefore prepared for a dry country, in which we
+were not disappointed, for leaving the camp at 6.15 a.m. we traversed a
+level box-flat covered with long dry grass; at 9.10 a.m. again entered
+the usual channel of the creek, which was now a wide flat of deeply
+cracked mud with a great quantity of atriplex growing on it, but which
+had lost all the leaves from the long continuance of the dry weather. The
+flat was traversed by numerous small channels from one to two feet deep,
+but they were all perfectly dry and had not contained water for more than
+a year; there were, however, marks of inundations in previous years, when
+the country must have exhibited a very different appearance, and had it
+been then visited by an explorer, the account of a fine river nearly a
+mile wide flowing through splendid plains of high grass, could be
+scarcely reconciled with the facts I have to record of a mud flat deeply
+fissured by the scorching rays of a tropical sun, the absence of water,
+and even scarcity of grass. The creek now turned to the south, and we
+followed the shallow channels till 12.30 p.m., when we fortunately came
+to a small pool which had been filled by a passing thunder-shower, and
+here we encamped during the day; a fresh breeze at times blew from the
+south-east and south, and the air was exceedingly warm; thermometer 106
+degrees at noon, but being very dry, was not very oppressive.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 55 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>LEVEL COUNTRY.
+
+<p>26th February.
+
+<p>As the course of the creek was uncertain, we steered south at 5.45 a.m.
+across the atriplex plain, and at 6.35 reached the ordinary right bank of
+the creek, which was low and gravelly, covered with triodia and small
+bushes; we then passed a patch of white-gum forest, and at 8 entered a
+grassy plain which had been favoured by a passing shower; green grass was
+abundant, and even some small puddles of water still remained in the
+hollows of the clay soil. At 10.50 came on the creek, which had collected
+into a single channel and formed pools, some of which appeared to be
+permanent, as they contained small fish. At one of these pools we
+encamped at 11.10. The channel of the creek is about fifteen feet below
+the level of the plain, and is marked by a line of small flooded-gum
+trees, the atriplex flat has ceased, and the soil is a hard white clay,
+producing salsola and a little grass; the morning clear with a moderate
+easterly breeze, afternoon cloudy with a few drops of rain at night.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 7 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>27th February.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey down the creek at 6.5 a.m., when it turned to the
+west and formed a fine lake-like reach 200 yards wide, with rocky banks
+and sandstone ridges on both sides of the creek; at 11.0 camped at the
+lower end of a fine reach trending south: the general character of these
+reaches of water is that they are very shallow and are separated by wide
+spans of dry channel, the water being ten feet below the running level.
+The country is very inferior, and the grassy flats are reduced to very
+narrow limits, and the hills are red sandstone, producing nothing but
+small trees and triodia.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 12 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+<p>28th February.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. we were again in the saddle, following a creek which had an
+average west-south-west course, but the channel was soon lost in a wide
+grassy flat, with polygonum and atriplex, in this flat were some large
+detached pools of water, 50 to 100 yards wide and a quarter to half a
+mile long, although the dry season had reduced them to much narrower
+limits than usual, as they were now eight to ten feet below the level of
+the plain; at 11.45 camped at a large sheet of water, just above a
+remarkable ridge of sandstone rocks on the right bank of the creek.
+Ducks, pelicans, spoonbills, etc., were very numerous, but so wild that
+they could scarcely be approached within range of our guns; until the
+present time it has been doubtful whether the creek turned towards
+Cambridge Gulf, the interior, or to the coast westward of the Fitzroy,
+but the first point being now 220 nautic miles to the north, and the
+general course of Sturt's Creek south-west, such a course is not
+probable, and it therefore only remains to determine whether it is lost
+in the level plains of the interior, or finds an outlet on the north-west
+coast. The careful and minute surveys of the coast from the Victoria
+River to Roebuck Bay show that no rivers exist of such magnitude as the
+Sturt would attain in passing through the ranges to the coast, nor does
+the general abrupt character of the coast-line favour the supposition
+that any interior waters would find an outlet in this space. That the
+elevation of this part of the creek is sufficient to enable it to form a
+channel to the north-west coast is shown by the barometric measurement:
+the dividing ridge between the head of the Victoria and Hooker's Creek is
+about 1200 feet, at the head of Sturt's Creek 1,370 feet, and our present
+camp 1100 feet; thus the average fall of Sturt's Creek has been 270 feet
+in 180 miles, or one and a half feet per mile. Now the distance to
+Desault Bay (which appears the most probable outlet) is 370 miles, and
+allowing an increase of 500 for deviations, there would be more than two
+feet descent per mile, which would be sufficient for the maintenance of a
+channel. Should the creek turn to the south and enter the sandy desert
+country, the water would soon be absorbed, especially as the wet season
+at the upper part of the creek occurs when the dry season is prevailing
+in the lower part of its course. That it does lose itself in a barren
+sandy country is, I fear, the most probable termination of the creek, and
+that a level country exists for many miles on each side of our route is
+shown by the small number and size of the tributary watercourses.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 19 degrees 18 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+<p>29th February.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 5.40 a.m., traced the creek to the south-west for
+about three miles. It formed fine reaches of water fifty to 100 yards
+wide; but the channel terminated suddenly in a level flat, covered with
+polygonum, atriplex, and grass. In this flat we passed some large shallow
+pools of water; at 7.30 the creek turned to the west round the north end
+of a rocky sandstone hill, and was joined by a tributary gully from the
+north, below which point the channel was a well-defined sandy bed, with
+long parallel waterholes on each side, but very little water remained at
+this time; at 9.15 the course of the creek changed to south by west, and
+passed through a level flat timbered with flooded-gum trees; it was about
+one mile wide and well grassed, but completely dried up for want of rain.
+The back country was thinly wooded with white-gum, and gently rising as
+it receded, forming sandstone hills about 100 feet high of extremely
+barren appearance; at 11.45 camped at a small muddy pool which would last
+only for a few days. A strong breeze from the west commenced early in the
+day, and gradually changed to the south. Thermometer, 109 degrees in the
+coolest shade that could be found.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and e Argus 19 degrees 28 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+<p>DESERT OF RED SAND.
+
+<p>1st March.
+
+<p>Our horses having strayed farther than usual in search of better grass,
+we were delayed till 6.20 a.m., when we steered a south by west course
+down the valley of the creek. Immediately below the camp the country
+beyond the effect of inundation changed to a nearly level plain of red
+sand, producing nothing but triodia and stunted bushes. The level of this
+desert country was only broken by low ridges of drifted sand. They were
+parallel and perfectly straight, with a direction nearly east and west.
+At 11.50 camped at a fine pool of water three to five feet deep and
+twenty yards wide. That we had actually entered the desert was apparent,
+and the increase of temperature during the past three days was easily
+explained; but whether this desert is part of that visited by Captain
+Sturt, or an isolated patch, has yet to be ascertained, and the only hope
+is that the creek will enable us to continue our course, as the nature of
+the country renders an advance quite impracticable unless by following
+watercourses.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 19 degrees 40 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>2nd March.
+
+<p>Left our camp at 6.30 a.m., and steered south-west by west, which soon
+took us into the sandy desert on the left bank of the creek. Crossing one
+of the sand ridges, got a sight of a range of low sandstone hills to the
+south-east, the highest of which I named Mount Mueller, as the doctor had
+seen them the previous evening while collecting plants on one of the
+sandy ridges near the camp. At 10.15 again made the creek, which had
+scarcely any channel to mark its course; the wide clay flat bearing marks
+of former inundations was the only indication visible. At 12.35 p.m.
+camped at a small muddy pool, the grass very scanty and dry. Traces of
+natives are frequent. Large flights of pigeons feed on the plains on the
+seeds of grass. A flock of cockatoos was also seen.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 51 seconds 12 minutes.
+
+<p>3rd March.
+
+<p>At 5.30 a.m. started and followed the creek on a general course
+south-west. There was a very irregular channel sometimes ten yards wide
+and very shallow, and then expanding into pools fifty yards wide. The
+sandy plain encroached much on the grassy flats, and reduced the winter
+course of the creek to half a mile in breadth. At 8.0 the course was
+changed to south, and at 10.15 camped at a swamp, which was nearly dry,
+and covered with beautiful grass. The country differed in character from
+that seen yesterday, there being a few scattered white-gum trees and
+patches of tall acacia. Salsola and salicornia are also very abundant,
+and show the saline nature of the soil.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 20 degrees 2 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+<p>SALT LAKES.
+
+<p>4th March.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 5.50 a.m., and steered south-west over a very level
+country, with shallow hollows filled with a dense growth of acacia, and
+at 7.30 struck the creek with a sandy channel and narrow flats, covered
+with salsola and salicornia. The pools were very shallow, and gradually
+became salt, and at 10.15 it spread into the dry bed of a salt lake more
+than a mile in diameter. This was connected by a broad channel with a
+pool of salt-water in it, with a second dry salt lake eight miles in
+diameter. As there was little prospect of water ahead and the day far
+advanced, we returned to one of the brackish pools and encamped. The
+country passed was of a worthless character, and so much impregnated with
+salt that the surface of the ground is often covered with a thin crust of
+salt.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Argus 20 degrees 10 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+<p>5th March.
+
+<p>Started from the camp at 5.45 a.m., and steered south-south-east through
+the acacia wood to the lake, and then south by east across the dry bed of
+the lake towards a break in the trees on the southern side. Here we found
+a creek joining the lake from the south-west, in which there were some
+shallow pools. We then steered east, to intersect any channel by which
+the waters of the lake might flow to the south or south-east, and passing
+through a wood of acacia entered the sandy desert. As some low rocky
+hills were visible to the east we steered for them. At 2.10 halted half a
+mile from the hills, and then ascended them on foot. They were very
+barren and rocky, scarcely eighty feet above the plain, formed of
+sandstone, the strata horizontal. From the summit of the hill nothing was
+visible but one unbounded waste of sandy ridges and low rocky hillocks,
+which lay to the south-east of the hill. All was one impenetrable desert,
+as the flat and sandy surface, which could absorb the waters of the
+creek, was not likely to originate watercourses. Descending the hill,
+which I named Mount Wilson, after the geologist attached to the
+expedition, we returned towards the creek at the south end of the lake,
+reaching it at 9.30.
+
+<p>6th March.
+
+<p>As the day was extremely hot and the horses required rest and food, we
+remained at the camp. Ducks were numerous in some of the pools, but so
+wild that only two were shot. The early part of the day was clear, with a
+hot strong breeze varying from west to south-east. At 1 p.m. there was a
+heavy thunder-squall from the south-east, which swept a cloud of salt and
+sand from the dry surface of the lake. The squall was followed by a
+slight shower.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus 20 degrees 16 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+<p>DRY BEDS OF SALT LAKES.
+
+<p>7th March.
+
+<p>As I had frequently observed that in the dry channels of creeks
+traversing very level country a heavy shower in the lower part of its
+course often causes a strong current of water to rush up the stream-bed
+and leave flood marks, which would mislead a person examining them in the
+dry season, it seemed probable that this must be the case with the creek
+entering the salt lake at its south-west angle, as it might be the outlet
+of the lake when filled by Sturt's Creek flowing into it, though in
+ordinary seasons the flow of water would be into the lake; accordingly I
+decided on following the creek and ascertain its actual course. Leaving
+the camp at 5.50 a.m., steered nearly south-west along the general course
+of the creek till 7.30, when it turned to the north and entered the dry
+bed of a lake. As the beds of the two lakes were lower than the channel
+between them, the water during the last heavy rains had flooded both ways
+from the central part of the channel. Having skirted the lake on the west
+to intercept any watercourses which might enter or leave the lake on that
+side, we came to a large shallow channel with pools of water--some fresh
+and others salt--with broad margin of salicornia growing on the banks; at
+11.0 camped at a small pool of fresh water. The soil of the country on
+the bank of the creek is loose white sand with concretions of lime,
+covered with a dense growth of tall acacia, with salsola and a little
+grass in the open spaces.
+
+<p>TERMINATION OF STURT'S CREEK.
+
+<p>8th March.
+
+<p>Started at 6.5 a.m. and traced the creek into a salt lake to the west,
+but this was also dry. After some search we found a creek joining on the
+northern side and communicating with a large mud plain, partly overgrown
+with salicornia, and with large shallow pools of muddy water two to three
+inches deep. On the northern side the plain narrowed into a sandy creek
+with shallow pools, the flow of the water being decidedly from the
+northward. At 12.15 p.m. camped at a shallow pool, near which there was a
+little grass, the country generally being sandy and only producing
+triodia and acacia. Thus, after having followed Sturt's Creek for nearly
+300 miles, we have been disappointed in our hope that it would lead to
+some important outlet to the waters of the Australian interior; it has,
+however, enabled us to penetrate far into the level tract of country
+which may be termed the Great Australian Desert.
+
+<p>Latitude by Pollux and e Argus 20 degrees 4 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+<p>9th March.
+
+<p>Left our camp at 6.35 a.m., and followed the creek up for half an hour,
+and then steered east to Sturt's Creek, which we reached at 9.5, the
+country being level, sandy, and covered with triodia and acacia in small
+patches; we then steered a southerly course down the creek till 11.0, and
+camped at the large brackish pool.
+
+<p>COMMENCE RETURN TO DEPOT. HOT WINDS.
+
+<p>10th March.
+
+<p>We had observed that a creek appeared to join the salt lake to the
+north-east angle. There yet remained a possibility that the waters of the
+lake might find an outlet to the east and pass north of Mount Wilson; we
+therefore steered east from the camp at 6.45 a.m. and passed close to the
+south of a small salt lake (dry) three-quarters of a mile in diameter,
+and then traversed a level sandy country thickly wooded with acacia and a
+few white-gum trees. At 8.15 struck a small grassy watercourse with broad
+shallow pools; this we followed down to the south-south-west to the large
+salt lake, close to which it was joined by a small sandy creek coming
+from the east. Having reached the bank of the lake at 10.0, steered south
+along its shore till 11.15, when its shore trended to the
+west-south-west, and there was a small well-defined bank without any
+break to the point which had been the limit of our examination from the
+southern part of the lake, and thus determined that there was no outlet
+for the water to the eastward. As the whole country to the south was one
+vast sandy desert, destitute of any indications of the existence of
+water, it was clear that no useful results could arise from any attempt
+to penetrate this inhospitable region, especially as the loss of any of
+the horses might deprive the expedition of the means for carrying out the
+explorations towards the Gulf of Carpentaria. I therefore determined on
+commencing our retreat to the Victoria River while it was practicable, as
+the rapid evaporation and increasing saltness of the water in this arid
+and inhospitable region warned us that each day we delayed increased the
+difficulty of the return, and it was possible that we were cut off from
+any communication with the party at the depot by an impassable tract of
+dry country, and might be compelled to maintain ourselves on the lower
+part of the creek till the ensuing rainy season. Returned to the creek at
+the north-east angle of the lake and encamped. The morning was cloudy
+with a strong hot wind from the east and south-east; the night calm and
+misty.
+
+<p>11th March.
+
+<p>At 6.10 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek to the
+north-north-east, but it soon spread into a number of small gullies,
+which drained a patch of clay land. At 7.0 steered north through a wood
+of acacia growing on loose sandy soil. Entering the open sandy plain at
+8.15, a few small white-gum trees were scattered over this part of the
+plain, which was quite level, the loose sand being covered with triodia,
+which partially concealed the glaring red colour of the ground. Observing
+a low abrupt hill a little to the east of our course, deviated towards
+it, and ascended it at 10.0. It was less than 100 feet above the plains,
+and composed of the same sandstone which prevails over the whole of the
+country south of the Victoria. The view was cheerless in the extreme.
+From north 26 degrees east to north 166 degrees east, the country was a
+level plain with small isolated or grouped hills of red sandstone, but
+not forming any definite ranges; the even height and peculiar table
+summits appear to indicate that they are only small remaining portions of
+a sandstone tableland or plain nearly the whole of which has been
+removed, the strata, however, had a dip to the east of one or two
+degrees. The vegetation on this part of the country was reduced to a few
+stunted gum-trees, hakea bushes, and triodia, the whole extremely barren
+in appearance. The remaining portion of the horizon was one even straight
+line; not a hill or break of any kind was visible, and, except the narrow
+line of the creek, was barren and worthless in the extreme, the red soil
+of the level portions of the surface being partially clothed with triodia
+and a few small trees, or rather bushes, rendered the long straight
+ridges of fiery-red drifting sand more conspicuous. The wind being
+strong, we observed the smoke of several fires along the course of
+Sturt's Creek, and also one near Mount Mueller, to the north-east,
+indicating the existence of natives in that direction, and doubtless of
+water in that locality, as it was a day's journey from the creek. Our
+course was now north 340 degrees east, and on approaching the creek
+passed through a patch of casuarina forest, which was remarkable, as they
+are the only trees of this genus we had seen on the coast since landing
+at the Victoria, though abundant in all other parts of Australia. At 1.35
+p.m. reached Sturt's Creek and halted at our camp of the 2nd March; there
+was a strong hot wind from the east during the day.
+
+<p>12th March.
+
+<p>Resumed our route at 5.50 a.m. and steered north 20 degrees east till
+8.0, then 40 degrees and 60 degrees till 1.0 p.m., when we encamped at a
+shallow pool of water near the creek, and about three miles above camp
+48, as the route only traversed the level flats near the creek. Nothing
+worthy of further notice was seen, the channel being split into small
+hollows, some of which retained a little water. The grass was much dried
+up and limited to the flat near the creek, the more remote portions being
+covered with triodia. The day was hot and nearly calm, but at noon we
+were benefited by a few passing clouds, and at 6.0 p.m. a dry
+thunderstorm cooled the air from 100 degrees to 93 degrees, but the
+temperature rose at 8.0 to 96 degrees.
+
+<p>13th March.
+
+<p>At 5.50 steered north 10 degrees east, crossing the creek several times,
+and at 10.0 turned to the north-north-east and north-east, crossing the
+sandstone hills, round which the creek turns at a right angle, and at
+12.10 p.m. camped on the creek near our track of the 29th February.
+Nearly all the pools of water had dried up, and the water at the camp had
+become brackish; some of the pools, however, must be permanent, as there
+were small fish in them. A great party of natives appeared to be
+travelling up the creek, as fresh fires are constantly seen to the
+north-east along its course. A cool breeze from the west to north-east
+moderated the heat, the temperature at 2 p.m. 103 degrees; passing clouds
+from the east in the afternoon.
+
+<p>FOLLOW UP STURT'S CREEK.
+
+<p>14th March.
+
+<p>Resumed our route and followed the creek upwards from 5.50 a.m. till 1.50
+p.m., when we camped about three miles south-west of camp 45 at the first
+pool before the atriplex flat. A short distance above the camp we crossed
+a large sandy creek, which proved to be the cause of the change in the
+character of Sturt's Creek below that point. As our route was at a
+greater distance from the creek than in tracing it down, it gave a better
+opportunity of ascertaining the nature of the country beyond the
+influence of inundation; to the north-west a vast plain traversed by low
+ridges of gravel and drift sand, clothed with a scanty growth of triodia
+and a few hakea bushes, rose gradually from the creek, but on the
+south-east a more abrupt sandstone slope terminated in a similar plain of
+somewhat greater elevation, and showed that we were still within the
+bounds of the desert. Moderate breeze from the north-west changing to
+north-east; passing clouds; a slight shower at 11.0 p.m.
+
+<p>15th March.
+
+<p>Resumed our route at 5.50 a.m., steering north 40 degrees east, one hour
+into the triodia plain, then north 60 degrees east till 9.20 a.m., when
+we reached the first large pool in the creek, and rounding the bend
+camped at one of the narrow pools above the sandstone ridges. The water
+in the larger pools had sunk from six inches to a foot since we had
+passed downwards, and almost all the pools were now dry. The morning
+clear and cool, with clouds and light showers in the afternoon
+accompanied by thunder.
+
+<p>16th March.
+
+<p>As there was no water in the creek for the next thirty-three miles, we
+filled the water-bags and prepared for an early start; but unfortunately
+the horses had strayed farther than usual, which delayed us till 7.0
+a.m., when following nearly the outward route, passed close to camp 43,
+the waterhole at which was dry, and at 1.0 p.m. halted under the shade of
+a few acacia-trees during the heat of the day, and resumed our journey at
+3.0 p.m., following the south-east side of the plain through which the
+creek flows. The ground was stony and bad travelling, but as the moon was
+clear and bright we succeeded in reaching the first pool of water at 8.30
+p.m.; this was one mile above Camp 42, the water at which had dried up,
+though four feet deep on the 24th February. The pool at which we now
+camped appears to be permanent; it is 100 yards wide and 300 long, the
+water three feet deep close to the bank. Ducks were numerous, and I shot
+four in the morning. An easterly breeze continued through the day, and as
+usual there were a few clouds towards sunset. Unfortunately, the dry
+weather had warped the scale of the thermometer to such an extent that it
+broke the tube.
+
+<p>DENISON PLAINS. WATER DRYING UP.
+
+<p>17th March.
+
+<p>We were again delayed by trifling circumstances, and did not leave the
+camp until 7.40 a.m., but having nearly cleared the desert the weather
+was comparatively cool. Steering an average course north-east, traversed
+the wide grassy plains on the right bank of Sturt's Creek, to which the
+name of Denison's Plains was given. At 2.0 p.m. camped at a small pool in
+the polygonum flat, which was all that remained of the water which had
+covered the flat to the extent of three-quarters of a mile in breadth,
+and was running when we passed down last month. Our course this day
+showed the great extent of the grassy plains to the north-west, as we did
+not see the limit at any point in that direction. Cool breeze from east
+with thin clouds all day.
+
+<p>18th March.
+
+<p>Left the camp at daylight and proceeded to Camp 40 on the outward route,
+and halted for the remainder of the day to rest the horses, as a heavy
+stage lay before us across the dry country. Large flocks of cockatoos
+came to the pool at this camp, and we shot thirty-three, which was a very
+welcome addition to our provisions. Strong easterly wind; passing clouds.
+
+<p>19th March.
+
+<p>Steered north 60 degrees east at 6.35 a.m., and followed up the course of
+the creek, crossing the right bank at 9.0, when there was nothing but the
+polygonum flat to mark its course; at 10.30 altered the course to nearly
+east, passing a large sheet of brackish water, which appeared deep and
+permanent at the lower end, but shallow at the upper part; at 11.20
+encamped at a small pool of fresh water in a back channel, the creek
+being brackish, and we were anxious to procure a supply of good water
+before proceeding further, as the next three stages of the outward track
+were now destitute of water. Strong easterly breeze; light clouds.
+
+<p>20th March.
+
+<p>At 5.55 am steered 110 degrees; at 6.20 struck a small creek with steep
+banks; altered the course to 90 degrees, crossing two small watercourses
+from the north with a little water in the deeper portions of their beds,
+the general character of the country box flats and open grassy plains
+near the creek. At 7.25 entered a large grassy plain extending north and
+east for ten miles, and at 9.15 halted at a small watercourse which
+retained a little water in a grassy hollow, our object in halting thus
+early being to enable us to start fresh in the afternoon, and, should the
+country continue open, to push on through the night, by which the water
+could be reached before the heat of the sun was too great for travelling.
+At 3.5 resumed our march and traversed level grassy plains extending one
+to five miles on each side of our route; at 7.0 observed a native fire
+about two miles to the north, from which we concluded that water existed
+at no great distance, and at 7.15 were fortunate in finding a pool of
+rainwater in a slight depression of the plain, and encamped. We could not
+find sufficient wood near the camp to boil our tea, but were satisfied
+with the discovery of a sufficient supply of water.
+
+<p>21st March.
+
+<p>We were again in the saddle at 5.15 a.m., and continuing our course north
+73 degrees east, reached the limit of the open plain, which turned to the
+south-east and extended to the horizon; at 6.40 entered the wooded
+country which bounded the plain, and the soil changed from a rich
+clay-loam to sandy and gravelly soil with fragments of sandstone, the
+vegetation consisting of small white-gum trees, shrubby acacia, and
+triodia, with a few patches of grass. The country gradually rose till
+9.25, when we came to an abrupt descent into the valley of Sturt's Creek,
+but the country did not improve in character till 10.20, when we came to
+the grassy flats; at 10.50 camped at a large open pool of water in the
+bed of the creek. On the pools there were large flights of whistling
+ducks, but so wild that they could not be approached within range of our
+guns. Moderate breeze from east with light clouds from south-east during
+the day. The weather has for the past ten days been so misty that I have
+not been able to get a good set of lunar distances, and it is useless to
+observe unless under circumstances favourable for accuracy.
+
+<p>22nd March.
+
+<p>5.35 a.m. found us again travelling up the creek on a northerly course;
+at 7.20 changed the course north-east by north, and at 11.30 camped about
+a mile below Camp 35. The hill at the bend of the creek proved to be
+basaltic, with a stratum of ironstone conglomerate resting on it. The
+pools of water in the bed of the creek were much reduced and all the
+smaller ones dried up.
+
+<p>23rd March (Sunday).
+
+<p>The feed and water not being in sufficient quantity to permit of our
+resting at this camp, we followed up the creek nearly on the outward
+course. A few miles above the creek a party of blacks came out of the
+creek and commenced a distant parley, but on one of the party approaching
+them they picked up their spears they had secreted in the grass and ran
+away into the bed of the creek. After six and a half hours' journey
+camped at the lower end of the pool, where we had halted on the 15th
+February; near the northern bend of the creek we passed a fine deep pool,
+which appears to retain water through the dry season. All the smaller
+pools had dried up, and the larger ones had sunk two feet since we were
+here in February.
+
+<p>24th March.
+
+<p>As the horses had not had a day's rest for some time past, we remained at
+the camp to refresh them before attempting to cross the dry country which
+divides the southern waters from those flowing to the north-west coast.
+As the nearest water which we knew to exist was now fifty miles to the
+east, and the country in that direction very bad travelling, we were now,
+however, eighty miles in a direct line from the depot camp, and as that
+course would take us over new and unexplored country I determined to
+attempt a direct route.
+
+<p>1700 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
+
+<p>25th March.
+
+<p>At 6.20 a.m. steered north 40 degrees east, and, leaving Sturt's Creek,
+traversed open grassy plains till 9.5, when we entered a wooded country,
+with white-gum trees and underwood, acacia, triodia, and patches of
+grass; the soil a poor sandy red loam. At 11.0 passed to the south of an
+extensive grassy plain trending to the north-west; at 12.30 p.m. halted
+to ease the horses' backs from their loads, and resumed our route at
+1.40, and at 2.0 crossed a ridge of stony country which the aneroid
+showed to be about 1700 feet above the sea level, and was the highest
+spot yet visited by the Expedition. At 2.20 altered the course to east,
+and followed a slight depression till 4.0, when we came to a dry
+watercourse trending north-west; this was traced down in search of water
+till 6.30, when we halted for the night, without finding any water. The
+day being very calm and hot, the horses were very much distressed for
+want of water; but as there was a little green grass on the bank of the
+creek, they were able to feed for a few hours during the night.
+
+<p>Latitude by Leonis 17 degrees 35 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+<p>26th March.
+
+<p>Proceeded down the creek, and at 7.20 a.m. came to a small pool of water,
+which the horses consumed in the space of a few minutes, but farther on
+came to a more abundant supply, and some of the pools appeared to be
+permanent, having a belt of water-pandanus and reeds round them; below
+this the channel was perfectly dry and sandy, but was much enlarged by
+numerous tributary gullies. At 12.50 p.m. came to a shallow pool, at
+which we camped. The country through which this creek passes is poor and
+stony, low hills of sandstone schist and limestone rising immediately
+behind the narrow strip of grassy land, which is fertilised by the
+overflow of the creek in the rainy season. The vegetable productions of
+the country seemed to be limited to a few small gum-trees, shrubby
+acacia, and triodia, with an occasional patch of grass. At the camp the
+bed of the creek was about forty yards wide, with banks fifteen feet
+high; the general course appeared to be north-west, a direction which
+renders it probable that it flows into Cambridge Gulf.
+
+<p>Latitude by Pollux 17 degrees 25 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+<p>SIXTY MILES WITHOUT WATER.
+
+<p>27th March.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. left the camp and steered a course north 60 degrees east,
+gradually ascending among hills of schist and sandstone till 8.20, when
+we reached the level tableland. The principal trees were white-gum and
+silver-leafed ironbark, the soil a red loam of varying character, well
+grassed, but with patches of triodia, which affects a poor gravelly soil
+or deep sand. The country was now so nearly level that scarcely any rise
+or fall was discoverable, though the aneroid showed some slight
+undulations; at 1.15 p.m. halted for an hour, and at 6.0 camped in a
+patch of green grass, which enabled the horses to feed though they had no
+water. The weather was clear and hot during the day with a light easterly
+breeze, the night cloudy and very warm.
+
+<p>DEPOT CAMP.
+
+<p>28th March.
+
+<p>At 5.10 a.m. resumed our course north 60 degrees east through a grassy
+forest of ironbark and bloodwood, with patches of small acacia and
+triodia. At 7.45 entered a series of open plains covered with high grass.
+The plains continued till 10.0, when we passed through an open gum
+forest, and the country declined to the east, and at 11.15 came on a
+small watercourse, which was dry and sandy. This we followed down to the
+north-east till 11.40, when it passed through a rocky gorge in a
+sandstone ridge, which rose at an angle of 30 degrees to the south-west
+and 40 degrees to the north-east, the latter being the dip of the strata.
+In this rocky gorge we could see some pools of water, but they were quite
+inaccessible from that side of the ridge, and we had to make a
+considerable detour to the south before we could descend to the plain
+below, and found a fine pool of water at the termination of the gorge, at
+which we halted and watered our thirsty horses. As we were now only two
+hours' ride from the depot camp, we after a short rest started again at
+3.10 p.m., and at 5.15 reached the depot camp, where we were welcomed by
+Mr. Baines and his party, and I was glad to find them all enjoying good
+health, and that the horses were in excellent condition. They had been,
+however, somewhat annoyed by the blacks, who had made frequent attempts
+to burn the camp, and also the horses, by setting fire to the grass, and
+on some occasions had come to actual hostilities, though by judicious
+management none of the party had been injured; nor was it certain that
+any of the blacks had been wounded, though it had been necessary to
+resort to the use of firearms in self-defence and for the protection of
+the horses.
+
+<p>29th March.
+
+<p>Returned our surplus provisions into store, when we found that the pieces
+of pork, originally four pounds weight each, were reduced to one-fifth of
+the original weight, as the long continuance of heat had melted the whole
+of the fat. Our ration had therefore been one pound flour, one-fifth
+pound salt pork, and two ounces sugar per diem. Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman
+rode out to round in the horses.
+
+<p>Latitude by Regulus and e Argus 17 degrees 2 minutes.
+
+<p>30th March (Sunday).
+
+<p>Read prayers to those of the party who were in camp, some of the men
+having been sent out to attend to the horses. Mr. Baines having handed me
+his journal, I regret to find that he has been compelled to make an entry
+regarding Mr. Flood, who had refused to attend to his order to carry arms
+while on watch at night on the 18th March. I therefore called on Mr.
+Flood for any statement he had to make in extenuation of his conduct. His
+replies were, however, extremely unsatisfactory, and only attempted to
+excuse the act on account of some private misunderstanding with Mr.
+Baines some months previous, and that the order to wear his pistol was
+given before he had time to put on his clothes. There had, however, been
+a distinct refusal to obey the orders of the officer in charge of the
+party, and those orders were neither vexatious or unreasonable, as they
+were simply in enforcement of well-established regulations. I therefore
+cautioned Mr. Flood that unless his future conduct was more satisfactory
+than it had hitherto been I should remove his name from the list of
+officers taking command in the Expedition, according to the general
+orders of the 27th August, 1855. The weather continues cloudy and calm,
+and, though the temperature is not extreme, it is very oppressive.
+
+<p>31st March.
+
+<p>Examining and packing stores in readiness for the exploration of the
+valley of the Victoria to the east of the depot. Found the stores in good
+condition, though the bags had been much injured by the rats and white
+ants. Although in some respects it would be more convenient to move the
+party at once to the bank of the Victoria before examining the country
+beyond, yet as the horses were now accustomed to the run near the depot,
+and the huts and stockyard rendered the station a more safe and
+convenient spot than any we could elsewhere select, I therefore decided
+on leaving the party here until I had explored the country to the east,
+and then move the whole party down the right bank of the river, by which
+the number and magnitude of the tributaries from the east would be
+ascertained, as this was an important point with reference to the
+contemplated journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
+
+<p>1st April.
+
+<p>Preparing equipment for a light party to explore the country to the east
+of the camp; shod six horses, and packed eighteen days' provisions for
+four persons. The weather continues cloudy, with light variable winds.
+
+<p>EXPLORE EAST OF THE DEPOT.
+
+<p>2nd April.
+
+<p>At 6.45 am started from the depot with Messrs. H. Gregory, Baines, and
+John Fahey, taking four riding and two pack horses, carrying eighteen
+days' rations, etc. Steered east over an undulating grassy country of
+basaltic formation with occasional sandstone ridges; the soil was
+generally good, but very stony. I had already traversed this country, and
+as the day was very misty with much rain, nothing worthy of further
+record was observed. At 1.30 p.m. altered the course to east-south-east,
+and at 3.15 camped on a large creek trending north-east, in the bed of
+which were large pools of a permanent character. The hills were basaltic,
+but the creeks having cut through the rocks and excavated the sandstone,
+the valleys were not of such a fertile character as the plains and
+ridges. Timber was wholly absent, and only a few small trees were seen at
+intervals on the hills. The morning was cloudy with light rain, but it
+cleared towards sunset.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Argus 17 degrees 4 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+<p>3rd April.
+
+<p>Resumed our route at 6.30, and steered east-south-east to a basaltic
+hill, which we reached at 7.40; from the summit a great extent of country
+was visible, but there were no marked features, as the broken ranges and
+isolated hills were nearly similar to each other. The whole country
+appeared to be a nearly level basaltic plain, with masses of sandstone
+rising 100 to 200 feet above its surface, while the valleys of the creek
+were excavated to the depth of 100 feet. The country was well grassed,
+but very stony; but this, though very inconvenient to the traveller, does
+not render it less valuable for pasture, as stony land always stands
+feeding better than any other. At 8.20 altered the course to nearly east
+towards a low ridge of hills. The plain was well grassed till 12.50 p.m.,
+when the sandstone prevailed on the surface and triodia prevailed in the
+valleys. At 1.50 followed down a rocky ravine, and at 2.15 encamped.
+
+<p>THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+<p>4th April.
+
+<p>At 6.5 a.m. left the camp and followed the gully to the east-south-east;
+at 7.0 crossed a sandstone ridge, and beyond it a large creek from the
+south-west, in the bed of which there were some fine pools of water. We
+then ascended to a basaltic plain, and altered the course to south-east;
+at 8.0 the country gradually declined to the east, and sandstone was the
+prevailing rock, but grass was abundant. At 9.40 reached the Victoria,
+the course from south-south-west to north-north-east; the river had
+ceased to run and was now only in large pools; crossed to the right bank
+and steered south half an hour, and camped on the bank of a creek from
+south-south-east; at noon the sky was overcast, and at 2 p.m. it
+commenced raining and continued till 4.30, with thunder; heavy dew at
+night. After it commenced raining the aneroid fell 0.10, but rose again
+before it ceased. In this part of Australia neither wind nor rain appear
+to affect the atmospheric pressure to any great extent.
+
+<p>ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.
+
+<p>5th April.
+
+<p>The result of the rain yesterday was a thick fog this morning, and when
+we left the camp at 5.50 a.m. we could not see 100 yards, and we
+traversed the basaltic plain in an east course till 7.0, when the fog
+cleared away and we found ourselves at the foot of some low rocky hills
+of basalt, over which we travelled north 70 degrees east. These hills
+were very rough and stony, but covered with excellent grass. We then
+entered a basaltic plain, richly grassed and less stony than usual. At
+9.30 crossed a basaltic ridge and entered a large valley trending to the
+north and east; at 10.10 ascended a rocky hill about 150 feet high, and
+got bearings of the ranges, etc. The country appeared to consist of
+grassy hills and plains, extending twenty to thirty miles to the north
+and east. To the south a range of basalt and sandstone hills intercepted
+the view. Steered east from the hill, and traversed an undulating
+country, the rocks being basalt, sandstone schist, and jasper; the basalt
+forming the higher ground, though on the banks of the creek the jasper
+rested on the basalt. At 2.10 p.m. encamped on a large creek with a
+gravelly channel twenty yards wide. Fahey obtained a large quantity of
+mussels from the pools in the creek; they proved an excellent addition to
+our supper, though rather deficient in flavour. The weather was cloudy,
+and, though there was an occasional sight of the sun, we could observe
+neither the commencement or end of the solar eclipse. I was therefore
+unable to avail myself of it for correcting the longitude.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Argus 17 degrees 9 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+<p>6th April.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 6.10 a.m. and steered east over a grassy plain; at 7.25
+crossed some wide channels from the south-east, forming a large creek; at
+8.15 turned south-east and followed the creek till noon. It then turned
+south, and at 12.15 p.m. we camped at a shallow pool of muddy water. The
+creek was here divided into several small channels, in which only a few
+pools of water remained. The whole of the country traversed this day was
+nearly level, well grassed, and very open. Basalt and jasper are the
+prevailing rocks.
+
+<p>Latitude by Regulus and Argus 17 degrees 15 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>7th April.
+
+<p>As the creek appeared to come from the south and not to have a long
+course, but to rise in the low sandstone ranges which were visible in
+that direction, it was useless to follow it farther; we therefore steered
+northwards to intercept any streams which might join the Victoria River
+lower down its course, and, after travelling over open grassy ridges of
+basalt for six hours, at 12.25 p.m. camped at a small gully, in which
+there were some small pools, which appeared to be supplied by springs.
+The country for five to ten miles to the east of our track appeared open
+and grassy, basalt being the prevailing rock.
+
+<p>RUNNING WATER. FINE PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+<p>8th April.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. left the camp, and steered an average west-north-west course
+over an undulating grassy country of basaltic formation; at 11.45 reached
+the bank of the creek, which formed fine pools fifty yards wide, with
+fine open grassy country on both sides, well suited for stock. Followed
+the creek west till 1.5 p.m., when we crossed to the left bank and
+encamped.
+
+<p>Latitude by Regulus and Argus 16 degrees 59 minutes.
+
+<p>9th April.
+
+<p>Continued our route down the creek in a northerly direction, leaving the
+camp at 6.15 a.m., and at 7.55 reached its junction with the Victoria.
+The river had high banks and formed deep reaches of water, with a dense
+growth of pandanus, melaleuca, flooded-gum, and other trees in the dry
+portions of the channel; the country on both banks was basaltic, and rose
+gradually into fine grassy downs; the soil very stony, but a good dark
+loam; sandstone showed where the river had cut through the basalt, which
+is not of any great thickness. At 2.35 p.m. camped on a back channel of
+the river, as the principal channel was difficult of access from the
+steep bank and dense growth of reeds. Although the upper part of the
+Victoria had long ceased to run, this part of the river was flowing with
+a strong stream ten yards wide and six feet deep.
+
+<p>Latitude by Regulus and Argus 16 degrees 45 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>10th April.
+
+<p>Continued our route at 6.5 a.m., and followed the river northward till
+8.10, when it turned to the north-west; the country consisted of nearly
+level grassy plains of various elevations, separated by low rocky ridges
+of sandstone and basalt, the whole well grassed, except some small
+patches where triodia prevailed; at 11.0 altered the course to average
+north-west by west, and at 1.30 p.m. camped at a small gully with a
+little water remaining from a recent shower. The horses suffered much
+from the heat, as the air was very moist; at 1.40 there was a shower of
+rain, and the temperature was reduced from 95 degrees to 84 degrees.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 35 minutes 8 seconds.
+
+<p>11th April.
+
+<p>Started from the camp at 6.30 a.m., steering west-south-west; at first
+sandstone prevailed, and triodia replaced the grass, but at two miles
+again entered the basaltic country, which was well grassed but very
+stony, and forming flat-topped hills of small elevation; the basalt
+appeared to be interstratified with sandstone, the latter much altered at
+the line of contact. At 9.15 came on the bank of the river, which was
+running in a deep channel with a dense line of pandanus, fig-trees,
+terminalia, flooded-gum, and melaleuca; followed the valley of the river
+to the north-west till noon, and camped at the foot of the hill which we
+had ascended, at the most southern point attained in December, 1855;
+ascended the hill and took the bearings, as on the former occasion the
+rain had obscured the features of the country.
+
+<p>Latitude by Leonis and Argus 16 degrees 27 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>12th April.
+
+<p>Having connected this part of our route with that of December last, at
+6.20 a.m. commenced our return up the river, crossing to the left bank at
+7.15; the water was running strong twenty yards, and one to two feet
+deep; in examining the ford my horse trod on the back of a large
+alligator, which seemed to be equally astonished as the horse at this
+unexpected meeting; I then proceeded up the river a mile and a half and
+halted, as Mr. H. Gregory, who I had sent to examine the river in another
+part, had not come up with the party, but he shortly after overtook us,
+having found a good ford lower down the river; at 4.0 p.m. resumed our
+journey, and at dusk encamped in the bed of a large creek, which joined
+the Victoria from the south-south-west; at 7.0 it commenced raining, and
+there were frequent showers till midnight, with thunder and lightning.
+
+<p>HUTT PLAINS.
+
+<p>13th April.
+
+<p>As the creek in which we bivouacked seemed to come from the south-west,
+we followed the valley in that direction; at 6.40 a.m. the hills
+receding, the grassy flats appeared to extend to the Wickham River and
+form a continuation of Hutt Plains; the creek now came from the
+south-south-west and had some fine pools of water in the channel; at 2.10
+p.m. camped at a shallow pool in the grassy flat, as the water in the
+creek was not very easy of access owing to the dense masses of reeds and
+grass. The hills which bound the valley of the creek are basalt,
+sandstone, and schist. In the level ground near the creek the grass was
+five to nine feet high, and greatly impeded our horses. The day was cool
+and cloudy with some light showers at night. The aneroid barometer was
+completely put out of adjustment by the principal lever having been moved
+from its position by a violent shake in crossing one of the deep gullies.
+
+<p>NATIVE PAINTINGS.
+
+<p>14th April.
+
+<p>At 6.10 a.m. resumed our journey up the creek in a southerly direction,
+the valley gradually narrowing, and in one part of the sandstone rocks
+came close to the banks of the creek, leaving scarcely space to pass
+between them and the deep pools of water; at 12.30 p.m. camped on the
+right bank. The basaltic hills appeared to turn to the south-east, and we
+now entered the sandstone country. The valley of this creek appears to
+offer the best line of access to the upper part of the valley of the
+Victoria, as it is nearly level from Hutt Plains to 10.40 in this day's
+journey, beyond which point drays would have to ascend the hills and turn
+to the south-east to reach Roe's Downs, which is the finest part of the
+country yet examined. A short distance below our camp we saw several
+native paintings on the sandstone rocks; they consisted of rude outlines
+of fish and snakes, some in red ochre and others in white clay. Mr.
+Baines sketched some of the most remarkable.
+
+<p>Latitude by Argus 16 degrees 55 minutes.
+
+<p>15th April.
+
+<p>At 6.25 a.m. recommenced our journey and followed the creek, which turned
+to the west, and the country became extremely rugged, and at length, as
+the valley became impassable, we ascended the hills and steered
+south-west across a very rocky sandstone country to the basaltic plains.
+Changing the course to west-north-west, crossed two tributary creeks, and
+at 3.40 p.m. camped on the bank of the creek, which was now much reduced
+in size. The country to the north of the creek consisted of very rough
+and rocky hills of red sandstone, extremely barren in appearance, while
+to the south it rose into the basaltic plain which forms Roe's Downs.
+
+<p>Latitude by Argus 17 degrees 6 seconds.
+
+<p>16th April.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 6.45 a.m. and travelled in a west by north course
+towards a remarkable basaltic hill, which I called Mount Sanford,
+traversing a fine open grassy country till 1.0 p.m., when we camped on a
+creek with permanent pools of water. The rough stony country has rendered
+the horses quite footsore, and their legs are much cut and bruised by
+constantly falling over the large rocks in crossing the deep ravines and
+rocky ridges.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 59 minutes 38 seconds.
+
+<p>RETURN TO DEPOT CAMP.
+
+<p>17th April.
+
+<p>Started at 6.25 a.m. and reached Mount Sanford at 7.30, the country
+passed being sandstone producing triodia and a little grass. The hill is
+of basalt with a flat top, but is based on sandstone; its form is nearly
+a truncated cone 150 feet high and 300 feet in diameter at the top.
+Having taken angles to the surrounding hills, we descended and steered
+south-west and west to the depot camp at 1.0 p.m. During our absence Dr.
+Mueller had found full employment in collecting the plants in the
+vicinity of the camp, and the rest of the party had been fully occupied
+in the care of the horses and duties of the camp. I was glad to find that
+they had not been again molested by the blacks.
+
+<p>18th April.
+
+<p>Preparing maps of the late excursion to the east of the depot; party
+preparing for the return to principal camp.
+
+<p>19th April.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>20th April (Sunday).
+
+<p>A fine cool breeze from the south, with thin clouds.
+
+<p>21st April.
+
+<p>Several of the horses had strayed some distance from the camp, and we did
+not start till 12.30 p.m., when we steered north by west till 5.15 p.m.
+and camped at a small creek in a deep rocky valley; the country after
+leaving the basaltic plain was very rocky, the hills composed of schist
+with a superstratum of red sandstone; grass was abundant in the valley,
+but the hills produced little but triodia and small gum-trees.
+
+<p>START FOR MAIN CAMP.
+
+<p>22nd April.
+
+<p>At 6.45 a.m. steered east down the creek one mile to its junction with
+Depot Creek, which was followed north and north-north-east till 8.40. The
+back country rose into sandstone hills covered with triodia; but there
+were good grassy flats on the bank of the creek. The creek then entered a
+rocky gorge about 100 yards wide, with cliffs upward of 100 feet high on
+each side. With some difficulty we forced our way through the dense
+growth of reeds and brush, among huge masses of rock and deep pools of
+water, till 10.10, when we reached a more open part of the valley. The
+creek now turned to east-north-east, and the wide valley was bounded by
+low schist hills to the north and the sandstone range we had just passed
+to the south; except in the lower part of the valley and a few small
+patches on the hills the country was very poor and stony, triodia taking
+the place of the grass; water was abundant in the bed of the creek, where
+it formed large permanent pools, between which there was a small stream
+of running water in the upper part of the creek, but lower down the
+channel was dry between the pools; at 1.0 p.m. camped on the right bank
+of the creek; crossed to the left bank of the creek at 6.20 p.m. and
+followed it north-east one hour, when the creek turned east and our
+course was over stony ridges; it was now found that one of the horses was
+missing, having been lost in one of the dense thickets on the bed of the
+creek. Mr. H. Gregory therefore returned to search for the lost animal,
+and we halted till 9.20, and then went on with the party, leaving Mr.
+Baines to wait on the track till Mr. Gregory came up; at 10.20 p.m.
+reached the Wickham River and followed it down to the junction of Depot
+Creek, which we crossed at noon, and camped in a grassy flat about a mile
+lower down; at 2.0 am Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Baines came into the camp,
+but had not been able to find the missing horse; at 3.0 a.m. Mr. H.
+Gregory and Bowman started to look for the horse.
+
+<p>24th April.
+
+<p>At 10.30 Mr. H. Gregory brought in the pack-horse lost yesterday.
+Fortunately, this horse was not carrying a load, and though the saddle
+got under the horse's belly nothing was injured.
+
+<p>25th April.
+
+<p>Followed the river down from 7.40 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. and encamped at
+9.10 p.m.; crossed a large tributary creek from the south; the country
+was grassy near the river, but rose into rocky hills with flat tops at a
+short distance from it; light rain from 4.0 a.m. till 1.0 p.m., with
+light easterly breeze.
+
+<p>CROSS THE VICTORIA RANGE. STOKES' RANGE.
+
+<p>26th April.
+
+<p>Continued the route along the right bank of the Wickham from 7.45 a.m.
+till 3.15 p.m., the general course east-north-east, and camped; after
+passing the gorge in the sandstone range, which was very narrow and
+rocky, the country opened into level plains. The best line of route to
+the upper part of the Wickham is near Mount Warburton, as the sandstone
+hills which form the rocky gorge are detached; the day was cool and
+cloudy, with a strong easterly breeze in the morning, and it commenced
+raining at sunset.
+
+<p>27th April.
+
+<p>At 7.25 a.m. left the camp and steered east to the Victoria River, but as
+we could not find a fording place, turned north to the Wickham, and
+encamped on its banks at 12.25. The bank of the Victoria being so densely
+covered with reeds that the water was not accessible; at noon I rode out
+with Mr. H. Gregory to search for a ford, as I wished to keep on the
+right bank of the river to ascertain what tributary streams joined from
+the east; after three hours' search found a practicable ford and returned
+to the camp after dark. In the afternoon the blacks were heard calling on
+the left bank of the Wickham, near the camp, but were not seen, owing to
+the thick brush and reeds which filled the bed of the river.
+
+<p>28th April.
+
+<p>At 7.25 a.m. steered south to the Victoria and reached the ford at 8.35,
+and at 9.0 a.m., having accomplished the passage of the river with only a
+few slight accidents, followed the right bank of the Victoria downwards
+till 1.15 p.m., and encamped on the eastern side of the Victoria; the
+country was level and well grassed for several miles back, and then rose
+into the sandstone range to the south and basaltic hills to the east.
+
+<p>29th April.
+
+<p>At 7.10 a.m. steered north-east over a nearly level grassy basaltic
+country with low hills to the east of our route; at 8.0 a.m. altered the
+course to north and traversed a fine grassy country with table hills of
+basalt resting on chert and sandstone; crossed one creek from the
+south-east with a muddy channel fifteen yards wide; at 2.0 p.m. changed
+the course to north 300 degrees east, and at 4.15 p.m. reached the bank
+of the Victoria; but it was so steep that the horses could not approach
+the water, and therefore followed it to the rocky ford east-south-east
+from Mount Sandiman and encamped.
+
+<p>30th April.
+
+<p>Crossed the left bank of the river at 7.0 a.m., but one of the horses
+injured his leg among the rocks, and the wound had to be sewn up, which
+delayed us till 8.20 a.m., when we steered north-west to Jasper Creek,
+which, after much labour in forcing a passage through the reeds, we
+crossed at 11.25 a.m., and at 12.55 p.m. encamped on the bank of the
+Victoria, at the commencement of the rocky gorge through Stokes' Range.
+
+<p>1st May.
+
+<p>Proceeded down the river, leaving the camp at 6.50 a.m., and at 2.15 p.m.
+encamped a short distance above our camp of the 8th December, 1855.
+
+<p>2nd May.
+
+<p>Continued route from 6.45 a.m. till 1.0 p.m., and encamped one mile above
+our bivouac of the 28th December.
+
+<p>3rd May.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 6.45 a.m. and followed the left bank of the river
+till 10.10 a.m., when we encamped at the spot where we crossed the
+Victoria on the 28th November, 1855; at 2.0 p.m. crossed the river with
+Mr. H. Gregory, and rode to the east to examine a large creek which
+joined the Victoria two miles below the camp. The creek was thirty to
+forty yards wide, with high muddy banks covered with reeds, and the marks
+of floods were fifty feet above its present level; the general appearance
+was that of a stream having a course of forty to fifty miles. The wide
+flat on the left bank of the creek was well grassed; but the valley was
+bounded by steep sandstone hills covered with triodia and scrub; returned
+to the camp at 5.0 p.m.
+
+<p>6th May.
+
+<p>As we should have to pass this camp on our route to the Gulf of
+Carpentaria, I deposited 100 pounds of flour and a quantity of shot and
+lead, horse-shoes, etc., in a cleft in the rocks, and covered them with
+large stones, and then set the grass on fire to deface our tracks; at
+8.15 a.m. left the camp and proceeded along our former track till noon,
+and camped on a small creek two miles east-south-east from Bynoe Range.
+
+<p>7th May.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 8.10 a.m. and steered north 240 degrees east over a
+level grassy country, wooded with bauhinia, acacia, and eucalypti--the
+latter being more abundant as we advanced; at 1.0 p.m. the country
+changed to low rocky ridges of chert and limestone, and at 2.0 p.m.
+encamped at a small creek trending north-west, and in which a few small
+muddy pools of water remained. At noon we passed a party of five or six
+blacks, who shouted to us from a distance, but would not approach within
+200 yards. They were armed with spears, and seemed to be on their return
+from hunting, as the grass was on fire to the south.
+
+<p>8th May.
+
+<p>At 7.20 resumed our journey, and steering west crossed a fine creek with
+fine pools and water-pandanus growing on the banks. We then traversed a
+very rocky country, at the southern base of the sandstone range, till
+11.0, when we came to a more level and grassy country, consisting of
+chert ridges. At noon steered north 300 degrees east down the valley of a
+small creek, and soon entered a deep valley bounded on both sides by
+steep sandstone hills. At 1.0 p.m. turned north 320 degrees east, and at
+2.20 camped at a shallow pool in the bed of the creek, which was now in
+the limestone rock.
+
+<p>REACH THE MAIN CAMP.
+
+<p>9th May.
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. resumed our journey down the valley to the junction of the
+creek with the Victoria River, which we followed down, crossing the ridge
+at Steep Head at 10.20, and reached the principal camp at 5.30 p.m.,
+where we were welcomed by Mr. Elsey, who was in charge, Mr. Wilson being
+absent down the river at the schooner, which had been laid on the shingle
+bank near the Dome to complete repairs. I was glad to learn that all the
+men belonging to the Expedition were in good health, except Richards,
+whose hand was still in a very unsatisfactory state, though better than
+when we left in January. The crew of the schooner had not been so
+fortunate, as the carpenter, John Finlay, had died, and three of the men
+were so ill that they had been left at the camp to be under the immediate
+care of the medical officer. This great amount of sickness is owing to
+the combined effects of previous disease and the inferior quality of the
+provisions with which the vessel is supplied. It appears that through
+damage by salt water and want of good management the provisions, which
+should have been sufficient for two years, are now reduced to salt beef
+of inferior quality and tea, the Expedition having had to furnish flour,
+rice, sugar, peas, and pork, as also medical stores, for the sick men. In
+consequence of the reduced number of the crew of the Tom Tough, Mr.
+Wilson had found it necessary to furnish men to assist in working the
+schooner, as well as to effect repairs.
+
+<p>10th May.
+
+<p>Much of the grass near the camp having been burnt, I sent the horses to
+the creek, three miles above the camp. Party employed in general duties
+of the camp. Twenty-nine sheep remained; they are now in fair condition;
+the average weight forty to forty-five pounds. They would probably have
+been much fatter had they been judiciously shepherded, but they had been
+kept close to the camp, where the feed had been eaten off closely. The
+natives have been frequently at the camp in small parties, and on these
+occasions were very quiet in their demeanour, but had made hostile
+demonstrations when met by small detached parties of the Expedition; and
+on one occasion Mr. Wilson had deemed it necessary to fire at them; but
+only one of the blacks appears to have been wounded, with small shot, in
+the arm, as he was afterwards seen at the camp.
+
+<p>11th May (Sunday).
+
+<p>12th May.
+
+<p>Preparing maps, arranging stores, etc.
+
+<p>13th May.
+
+<p>Drawing maps of the late journey and preparing for the Expedition to the
+Albert River.
+
+<p>THE TOM TOUGH REFITTED.
+
+<p>14th May.
+
+<p>Preparing maps, sifting flour, packing specimens, burning charcoal for
+the forge, preparing horse-shoes. At 6 p.m. Mr. Wilson returned in the
+boat from the Tom Tough. One of the boys belonging to the schooner was
+brought to the camp for medical treatment, as he was suffering from
+scurvy. The Tom Tough had been moored below the shoals, and was now
+moored in a secure position below Curiosity Peak. All the leaks had been
+secured, and she now only made about half an inch of water per hour. The
+crew of the vessel have been so much reduced by sickness that it will be
+necessary to send men on board to assist in refitting the vessel and
+procure a supply of wood and water. As it is necessary to replace the
+stores destroyed or damaged by salt-water, it appears desirable that the
+Tom Tough should proceed to the Gulf of Carpentaria via Coupang, in the
+island of Timor, where a supply of rice and sugar can be procured for the
+Expedition, and the vessel will be enabled to complete her stores. It
+appears desirable that the land party should refit with all possible
+despatch for the journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria, in order to take
+advantage of the cool season, and there is reason to expect that the
+horses will be sufficiently recruited in strength towards the end of
+June. I am, therefore, in hope that the party will be able to leave the
+Victoria before the expiration of the ensuing month. A small party of
+natives came to the camp in the morning and bartered a few trifles, and
+then retired.
+
+<p>15th May.
+
+<p>Continued preparation of maps; party employed in preparations for the
+journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria, camp duties, and preparing oakum for
+the schooner. Having found that the pork had been so much reduced in
+weight during the late journey, I made some experiments in the
+preparation of meat biscuits by mixing the preserved fresh beef with
+flour in equal proportions, with satisfactory results, as the reduction
+in weight by baking was 33 per cent.
+
+<p>16th May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>17th May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>18th May (Sunday).
+
+<p>19th May.
+
+<p>Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller being desirous of proceeding up the
+Baines River to collect specimens, etc., made the necessary arrangements
+for the same, and they therefore proceeded in the boat with Phibbs,
+Humphries, and Shewell to the schooner; the men were then to return to
+the camp with a cargo of stores; and Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller
+were to proceed up Baines' River in the small boat which they were to
+obtain from the schooner. Richards is in charge of the sheep; Macdonald
+cook during the week; Bowman and Melville in charge of horses; Dean
+preparing saddle-bags and harness; Fahey and Selby burning charcoal and
+general camp duties.
+
+<p>20th May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before. The weather continues fine, with southerly
+winds.
+
+<p>21st May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>22nd May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before. At noon the boat returned from the schooner
+with stores; Captain Gourlay also came up in the gig to the camp; he
+informed me that the schooner now only made ten inches of water per day,
+and that she would be ready for sea so soon as the upper seams were
+caulked, and that he considered her perfectly seaworthy for the purpose
+of the expedition.
+
+<p>23rd May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>24th May.
+
+<p>Despatched the boat to the schooner with three cases containing
+sationery, tobacco, clothing, etc. Captain Gourlay returned to the Tom
+Tough.
+
+<p>25th May (Sunday).
+
+<p>PREPARATIONS FOR JOURNEY EASTWARD.
+
+<p>26th May.
+
+<p>Party employed preparing equipment for the journey to the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+<p>27th May.
+
+<p>As before.
+
+<p>29th May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before. Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller returned
+with the long-boat and gig from the schooner, having been about thirty
+miles up Baines' River to the south-west of Curiosity Hill. Mr. Wilson
+brought a native in the boat from Stony Spit.
+
+<p>30th May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before, and packing stores to be put on board the
+schooner.
+
+<p>31st May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>1st June (Sunday).
+
+<p>2nd June.
+
+<p>Party employed preparing saddlery and equipment for the journey to the
+Gulf of Carpentaria.
+
+<p>3rd June.
+
+<p>Mr. Baines proceeded in the boat to the schooner (which was now anchored
+below the shoals), conveying a quantity of stores. Boat's crew: Phibbs,
+Humphries, Dean, and Selby; remainder of party at the camp employed as
+before. Preparing map of route up the Victoria River, etc.
+
+<p>4th June.
+
+<p>Party employed as before, namely, shoeing horses, restuffing saddles, and
+other preparations for journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Received from
+Mr. Wilson a journal of his proceedings from 31st January to 3rd March,
+and 1st April to 14th May.
+
+<p>5th June.
+
+<p>Party at camp employed as before. Mr. Baines returned with the gig.
+Boat's crew: Phibbs, Humphries, Dean, Selby, and Dawson, also one of the
+seaman belonging to the schooner; received a note from the master of the
+Tom Tough, complaining that Dawson had used abusive language to Mr.
+Gourlay; but as it appeared that considerable provocation had been given,
+I only reprimanded Dawson for his conduct. Mr. Baines informed me that on
+the 4th instant he had landed early in the day from the schooner, in
+company with Captain Gourlay, Dawson, and one of the seamen (Adams), for
+the purpose of bartering with a party of natives, about twenty in number.
+The blacks having been allowed to come close to the boat, stole a
+tomahawk, and on Adams making a demonstration of detaining one of their
+number until the stolen article was returned, one of the blacks seized
+his gun and tried to wrest it from him; but, Captain Gourlay approaching,
+he ran into the bush, and the rest of the blacks retired; the party then
+returned to the schooner. The tomahawk was afterwards found in the water
+near where the boat had landed.
+
+<p>6th June.
+
+<p>Party employed as before; the shoeing of the horses progresses rapidly,
+Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman shoeing five horses each day, although some of
+them are very restive.
+
+<p>7th June.
+
+<p>Mr. Elsey proceeded in the gig with Phibbs, Humphries, Selby, and Adams,
+conveying the two sick men and boy belonging to the schooner crew to the
+Tom Tough. Mr. Wilson requested me to hold an investigation into the
+circumstances attending the landing of a party from the Tom Tough on the
+4th instant, to traffic with the blacks, as he deemed it very imprudent,
+when so large a number of natives were assembled on the shore, to land
+with only four persons, though they were all armed; and adverted to the
+possible results of such a proceeding, which he said might have
+terminated the hitherto undisturbed harmony which had been maintained by
+the parties in his charge during my absence in their intercourse with the
+aborigines, and stated that he considered the evidence of men who were
+not present, but on board the schooner at the time of the party landing,
+was more to be relied on than Mr. Baines' statement, which had been made
+before the officers generally. As Mr. Baines had minutely detailed the
+whole transaction to me, and nothing farther was alleged by Mr. Wilson,
+who appeared to be actuated by no friendly feelings towards Mr. Baines,
+and my investigation would have only been an expression of a want of
+confidence in the veracity of Mr. Baines, which I could not entertain, I
+informed Mr. Wilson that I did not see any necessity for the
+investigation suggested. Party employed preparing equipment, shoeing
+horses, baking meat biscuits, etc. Rain at night.
+
+<p>8th June (Sunday).
+
+<p>MAKE MEAT BISCUITS.
+
+<p>9th June.
+
+<p>Completed shoeing the horses; party employed making small tents and
+saddle-bags, fitting pack-saddles, baking biscuits; Dr. Mueller
+collecting and arranging botanical specimens.
+
+<p>ARRANGEMENT OF PARTY.
+
+<p>10th June.
+
+<p>Party employed as before, and preparing extra shoes for the horses, etc.
+Mr. Elsey returned with the gig from the schooner; boat's crew: Phibbs,
+Humphries, and Selby; the sick men had reached the vessel without any
+serious difficulty, although the boat grounded on the banks, and was
+thereby detained till next tide, and thus kept them several hours exposed
+to the rain.
+
+<p>11th June.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>12th June.
+
+<p>Completed baking 300 pounds of preserved beef and 300 pounds of flour
+into biscuits, which weighed 480 pounds when dry. A 6-pound tin of beef,
+with the soup and fat, was added to 6 pounds of flour, 1 ounce of salt
+(no water being used), and the whole made up into dough and baked in the
+ordinary form of sea biscuits; the result was 8 pounds, and thus 1 1/4
+pounds contained 1 pound of flour and 1 pound of meat.
+
+<p>13th June.
+
+<p>Mr. Baines proceeded with Phibbs, Humphries, and Selby in the gig to the
+Tom Tough, with stores not required at the camp, and for the purpose of
+returning with soap and other stores required for the outfit of the land
+expedition. Party employed as before. Mr. Wilson completed and furnished
+to me a sketch of the Western branch of the Victoria River, which had
+been discovered by Mr. Baines in December, 1855, while searching for
+stray horses, and which I had then named after him. Preparing maps, etc.,
+for transmission to the Governor-General of Australia.
+
+<p>14th June.
+
+<p>Wrote to Governor-General, reporting progress of the North Australian
+Expedition. Party employed as before; set of spare horse-shoes completed.
+
+<p>15th June (Sunday).
+
+<p>The weather has been remarkably cool and clear for several days, the
+temperature at sunrise 48 to 52 degrees.
+
+<p>16th June.
+
+<p>Mr. Baines returned from the schooner with the gig and long-boat (boat's
+crew as before) bringing the stores required for the land party. Party at
+the camp preparing equipment for expedition to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
+Mr. Wilson requested to be informed whether I had decided to attach him
+to the party which was to be organised at the Gulf of Carpentaria for the
+exploration of the country towards Moreton Bay, and in reply I informed
+him that so many unforeseen circumstances might occur before reaching the
+Albert River to require me to modify any arrangements made at the present
+time, that I should not select the individuals to form that party till we
+reached the Albert River. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter stating that
+unless I would now decide that he was to form one of the party proceeding
+from the Albert River overland to Moreton Bay, he was desirous of
+resigning his appointment of geologist to the North Australian
+Expedition. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply, stating that I could not comply
+with his request.
+
+<p>17th June.
+
+<p>Preparing copies of letters to Governor-General of Australia for
+transmission to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Party preparing
+for journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter
+stating that he declined to perform any further duties as an officer of
+the North Australian Expedition unless I complied with certain conditions
+therein named. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply, and informed him that he was
+henceforth suspended from any command in the Expedition. As I could not
+now include Mr. Wilson in the party proceeding to the Albert River by
+land, I requested Dr. Mueller to prepare to take Mr. Wilson's place in
+the party.
+
+<p>18th June.
+
+<p>Issued a general order, Number 4, suspending Mr. Wilson from any further
+command in the exploring party till further orders. Party employed as
+before--preparing equipment. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter relative
+to his being suspended from any further command in the party.
+
+<p>19th June.
+
+<p>Wrote to Mr. Baines instructing him to take charge of the portion of the
+North Australian Expedition proceeding in the Tom Tough to the Albert
+River. Preparing equipment for explorations towards the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+<p>20th June.
+
+<p>Wrote to the Governor-General of Australia, forwarding copies of
+correspondence with Mr. Wilson. Wrote to Secretary of State for the
+Colonies forwarding copies of despatches to the Governor-General. Wrote
+to master of Tom Tough schooner, instructing him to proceed to Coepang
+for supplies, and thence to Albert River. Wrote to Mr. Baines two letters
+of instructions; inspected equipment, and fitted the saddles of the party
+proceeding overland to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Wrote to Mr. Wilson a
+letter in reply to his communication of the 18th.
+
+<p>START FOR GULF OF CARPENTARIA.
+
+<p>21st June.
+
+<p>At 10.0 a.m. left the principal camp on the Victoria with a party
+consisting of Messrs. H. Gregory, Elsey, and Dr. Mueller, Robert Bowman,
+Charles Dean, and J. Melville, seven saddle and twenty-seven pack horses,
+conveying five months' provisions of salt pork and meat biscuits, and six
+months' supply of flour, tea, sugar, coffee, etc., twenty-six pounds of
+gunpowder, sixty pounds bullets, 1 hundredweight shot, 5000 caps, etc.
+Proceeding up the left bank of the Victoria, crossed the ridge at back of
+Steep Head, and at 3.15 p.m. camped about three-quarters of a mile above
+it on the bank of the river.
+
+<p>22nd June (Sunday).
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the river up for ten miles, and
+then along a small creek four miles south-south-east; but the country
+proving very steep and rocky, returned one mile and camped at 3 p.m.
+
+<p>23rd June.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 7.0 a.m., and returned down the valley of the creek to
+the river, and kept along the bank of the Victoria to the junction of
+Beagle Creek. We ascended for five miles, and camped at 11.0, as there
+was no water between this point and the Victoria at Bynoe Range on the
+Beagle Valley route, and the distance was too great to be commenced at
+this late hour of the day.
+
+<p>24th June.
+
+<p>Started at 7.0 a.m., and steered east through an open box forest nearly
+level and well grassed. The grass had been burnt off by the blacks, but
+had shot up to a foot in height. Passed to the south of the Fitzroy
+Range; the valley between it and Stokes' Range similar to Beagle Valley,
+and about four miles wide. Keeping close to Stokes' Range, passed behind
+some of the detached hills at 4.20 p.m. Reached our old camp of the 5th
+May, and found the stores we had left secreted in the rocks undisturbed.
+
+<p>25th June.
+
+<p>Having distributed the stores which had been left here in May among the
+several pack-horses, at 7.15 a.m. resumed our route up the river, and
+crossed to the right bank two miles above the creek we intended to
+ascend, and camped at 11.0. Marked a large gum-tree Delta V.
+
+<p>Latitude by b and a2 Centauri 15 degrees 39 minutes 17 seconds.
+
+<p>LEAVE THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+<p>26th June.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 7.0 a.m., and followed the creek upwards to the
+east-south-east for five miles. The valley was about one mile wide, with
+fine grassy flats, bounded by sandstone cliffs 50 to 200 feet high, and
+forming tableland with deep ravines. The valley now turned to the east
+and east-north-east; some small tributaries joined the creek from the
+south-east, the sandstone cliffs disappeared, and the outline of the
+hills became rounded and rose about 300 feet above the creek. Shallow
+pools of water with dry shingle between, and an occasional deep
+waterhole, characterised the channel of the watercourse. At 1.30 p.m.
+camped on the left bank of the creek in an open grassy flat; the higher
+land very stony and indifferent.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus 15 degrees 40 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+<p>27th June.
+
+<p>The temperature was lower at sunrise this morning than on any other day
+since landing in North Australia, being only 41 degrees. A little dew on
+the grass, and a light air from the east. At 6.50 a.m. started and
+followed up the creek to the east-north-east till 1.0 p.m., when we
+camped at a deep pool of water 20 yards wide and 200 yards long. Our
+attempts to procure fish were unsuccessful. The country consisted of low
+stony hills, thinly wooded, and the flats of the creek from a quarter to
+three quarters of a mile wide continued to be well grassed. On the north
+side of the creek a few miles back the hills rose to a greater elevation,
+and formed table-topped hills; some with cliffs of sandstone near the
+summits, and others smooth grassy slopes. The latter, from the colour of
+the grass, appeared to be of trap formation, and fragments of this rock
+were found in the bed of the creek. Soft shales were exposed in the
+gullies and on the sides of the hills, and were overlaid compact gray
+sandstones.
+
+<p>Latitude by b Centauri, a2 Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 37 minutes 15
+seconds.
+
+<p>28th June.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 7.15 a.m., and followed up the creek to the
+east-north-east till noon, when we reached the last water in its channel
+near a steep range of sandstone hills, or rather tablelands; the country
+traversed was an undulating plain of trap formation resting on gray
+sandstone; it is thinly wooded, and well grassed; water was abundant in
+the creek below the camp; above the channel was dry, and soon divided
+into small gullies; in the afternoon ascended a hill three-quarters of a
+mile north-west of the camp; the lower portion was a dark compact trap or
+basalt, and the summit a horizontal bed of sandstone about 200 feet above
+the camp; the country to the north was very level, and only occasionally
+interrupted by flat-topped sandstone hills, the view extending at least
+thirty miles; to the south and south-west a country of trap formation
+extended for twenty miles, and to the east the tableland rose about 300
+feet above the camp, and was composed of the same strata as the hill
+ascended, but surmounted by the ferruginous conglomerate, which is the
+highest rock of the new red sandstone series.
+
+<p>Latitude by b Centauri, a Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 33 minutes 13
+seconds.
+
+<p>ARNHEIM LAND. DALY RIVER.
+
+<p>29th June.
+
+<p>At 6.45 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory to reconnoitre the country
+to the east; ascending the tableland, steered east till 10.0 through a
+level forest of stringybark and other eucalypti; the soil a light
+gravelly loam, but well grassed; we then turned north-north-east for one
+hour, along a shallow watercourse, and then east through level forest
+country till 3.20 p.m., when we reached a small stream-bed trending
+north-north-east, tracing it through wide grassy flats, which were on
+fire; at 4.40 found a small pool of water, where we halted for the night.
+
+<p>30th June.
+
+<p>As this appeared to be a spot to which the party could be advanced with
+safety, we left our bivouac at 6.50 a.m.; returning across the tableland,
+reached the camp at 4.30 p.m.
+
+<p>1st July.
+
+<p>At 6.40 a.m. started an average course of 80 degrees magnetic, and
+reached the waterholes in the small creek at 3.30 p.m. with the whole
+party, and camped at our bivouac of the 29th June.
+
+<p>Latitude by b Centauri 15 degrees 30 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+<p>2nd July.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek down to the
+east-north-east till 11.0 a.m.; it then turned more to the northward, and
+was nearly lost in wide level flats covered with high grass; the back
+country level stringybark forest, with good grass; at 2.25 p.m. the
+channel of the creek again collected, and we found a small waterhole
+twenty yards long and four feet deep, at which we camped; here we
+observed the fires of a party of blacks who had camped at the waterhole
+the previous day; small heaps of mussel-shells lay at intervals along the
+banks of the creek, though the channel was perfectly dry; but it appears
+that during the last wet season less rain has fallen than usual, and the
+soil has not been fully saturated, and consequently the waterholes have
+dried up sooner than in average years; although from the level character
+and geological features of the country, we are now on the tableland which
+divides the waters flowing to the north-west coast from those which fall
+into the Gulf of Carpentaria, the elevation of the country does not
+exceed 800 feet above the sea.
+
+<p>Latitude by Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 18 minutes 33 seconds.
+
+<p>3rd July.
+
+<p>Starting at 7.30 a.m., followed the creek to the north-east by east till
+8.25, when it was joined by a small creek from the south; thus increased
+water was abundant in the bed of the creek, but the pools were shallow
+and not permanent. Grassy flats extended for a mile on each bank of the
+creek, beyond which the level forest of stringybark, bloodwood, and box
+was well grassed; the soil a good red loam. In a few spots fragments of
+limestone and agate were strewed over the surface, and an occasional
+ridge of ironstone conglomerate was crossed on which the grass was
+indifferent. At 12.45 p.m. camped in a wide grassy flat, where the grass,
+having been burnt early in the season, had sprung up again quite fresh
+and green.
+
+<p>Latitude by a2 Centauri 15 degrees 11 minutes 24 seconds; variation of
+compass 2 degrees 10 minutes east.
+
+<p>4th July.
+
+<p>We were again in the saddle at 7.10 a.m., and, steering 70 degrees
+magnetic, diverged from the creek, traversing a level grassy forest of
+stringybark with abundance of green grass; at 8.0 turned north-east; the
+forest became more open, and the stringybark was replaced by bloodwood
+and box; limestone rock was frequent, and rendered the surface of the
+country very rough; and frequent depressions of the surface appeared to
+result from the falling-in of the roofs of caverns beneath which were
+farther indicated by deep clefts and holes in the rock, into which the
+surface waters flow during the rains. At 11.0 a.m. turned north, and at
+noon again struck the creek, which gradually turned to the
+north-north-east; limestone formed the banks, and only one small pool was
+seen till 4.50 p.m., when we found a little water in the sandy bed of a
+tributary creek from the south-south-east, at which we encamped. On the
+bank of the creek we this day first observed the casuarina, which is so
+frequent on the banks of the creeks trending towards the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+<p>Latitude by Arcturus and a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 54 minutes 2
+seconds.
+
+<p>5th July.
+
+<p>As the course of the creek was to the north-west, and we had already been
+driven further north than was desirable, we left the creek and followed
+up the tributary to the east-south-east, leaving the camp at 7.5 a.m. The
+channel was soon lost on the wide grassy flats, in one of which was a
+fine waterhole covered with nymphae, near which a party of blacks were
+encamped. On our approach most of the women decamped with their bags and
+nets containing their valuables, while the men stood spear in hand gazing
+on the strange sight, as we passed them. Continuing up the creek, the
+course of which was only marked for some distance by the nature of the
+vegetation, which indicated occasional inundations, it again formed a
+shallow irregular channel in the centre of an open box flat, and at 1.30
+p.m. camped at a small waterhole in the channel.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 14 degrees 55 minutes 15
+seconds.
+
+<p>TABLELAND.
+
+<p>6th July.
+
+<p>The small size of the creek affording little prospect of water nearer to
+its source, and as Mr. H. Gregory was suffering from a severe attack of
+fever, which rendered travelling unadvisable, I proceeded with Charles
+Dean to examine the country to the east-south-east. Leaving the camp at
+7.0 a.m., steered 120 degrees magnetic; at eight crossed a sandstone
+ridge covered with acacia scrub, and again descended into the valley of
+the creek, passing some fine grassy plains, and at 11.0 ascended the
+level tableland, the edge of which was covered with acacia scrub, beyond
+which we passed a level flat acacia scrub and small trees, and at noon
+entered a stringybark forest with occasional patches of bloodwood,
+leguminous ironbark, and sterculia. The soil varied from a brown loam to
+ironstone gravel, and in a few spots ferruginous conglomerate was
+visible. On the loamy soil the grass was good and abundant, but the
+gravel was covered with spiny treraphis. This tableland was so level that
+no declivity could be detected during the continuance of our day's
+journey, which lasted till 5.30, when we bivouacked without water; by
+taking the precaution of letting the horses feed on the outward track,
+and secreting ourselves after dark in the high grass, we passed the night
+without the necessity of keeping watch after midnight.
+
+<p>7th July.
+
+<p>Our horses having strayed back on the track, we carried our saddles and
+tracked them about two miles, and then mounting our horses steered north
+for some miles; but all was level forest without any sign of the
+existence of water, except a few cockatoos. I then turned to the
+south-west; crossing the outward track, and at length came on a shallow
+watercourse trending west, a ridge of rocks having confined the channel
+to a narrow space; three small waterholes were discovered in which a
+little water remained; below this the creek turned south-south-east, and
+I again turned towards the camp; but night overtaking us in the
+stringybark forest, we passed to the south of the camp without observing
+its position.
+
+<p>8th July.
+
+<p>Having ascertained that we had passed the position of the camp, turned to
+the north-east and reached the camp at 11.20. Mr. H. Gregory was somewhat
+recovered, but very weak from a violent attack of fever. During my
+absence a small party of blacks had visited the camp and had bivouacked a
+short distance up the creek.
+
+<p>9th July.
+
+<p>Moved the camp to the waterholes twelve miles south-east, and in the
+afternoon rode down the creek with Mr. Elsey; the creek turned to the
+south-south-east for a mile and a half, and was lost on a level flat,
+from which a channel trended to the west, which was again lost in a level
+flat extending to the west several miles. Heavy showers at night.
+
+<p>CIRCUMCISION PRACTISED.
+
+<p>10th July.
+
+<p>Accompanied by Mr. Elsey, I proceeded to reconnoitre the country to the
+south-east, and at 7.45 a.m. steered 130 degrees, gradually ascending the
+tableland, and which was openly wooded with bloodwood, box, and
+white-gum; acacia and sterculia occasionally appearing. The soil was
+brown sandy loam with a few ridges of sandstone rock of white colour;
+grass had been abundant, but was now burnt off. The small white-ant nests
+from two to five feet high were very numerous; at 12.40 p.m. a slight
+depression in the country was observed, and limestone appeared, and deep
+hollows were frequent. One of these hollows which I examined was thirty
+yards in diameter and fifteen feet deep; in the centre was a deep cleft
+of fifteen feet more, which extended to the east and west under the
+surface with a width of three feet; at 3.0 struck a small creek trending
+east-north-east with a few small pools of water in the channel; in
+following down the creek in search of a sufficient supply of water for
+the horses, we passed some blacks sitting at a fire near the creek; at
+3.30 came to a pool sufficient for the supply of the whole party, below
+which the channel was dry; returning to the pool we met the blacks
+following our tracks, but, observing us, they ran away, and on being
+followed hid themselves; having unsaddled, we commenced our dinner and
+soon saw the blacks watching us from their hiding places, and after some
+time spent in making signs, they were induced to approach, the oldest of
+the party feigning to weep bitterly till they got close to us, when we
+commenced an attempt at conversation, and they appeared to recognise some
+few words of the language of the Victoria River. Their spears were formed
+of reeds with large heads of white sandstone, and also with three wooden
+points for fishing. They were circumcised and had their front teeth
+remaining; at 5.0 steered to the west-north-west for one hour, and
+bivouacked to secure ourselves from an attack during the night.
+
+<p>11th July.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m., resumed our route towards the camp, and reached it about
+1.0 p.m., without observing anything of farther remark.
+
+<p>Latitude by a2 Centauri 15 degrees 2 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+<p>ABSENCE OF WATERCOURSES.
+
+<p>12th July.
+
+<p>The grass near the camp having been burnt off, the horses had scattered
+very much, and could not be collected and saddled before 10.0 a.m., when
+we followed our track of yesterday and reached the pool of water at
+sunset. The country was so level, although we were crossing the watershed
+between the north-west coast and the Gulf of Carpentaria, that the
+aneroid only varied from 29.55 to 29.62, and even of this change the
+greater part was caused by alteration of the temperature. The geological
+character of this portion of the country differs slightly from that of
+the Victoria River. The upper stratum is a bed of ironstone conglomerate
+about twenty feet thick, this rests on sandstone, the upper part of which
+is highly ferruginous, then passes away into a variegated sandstone
+imperfectly stratified, changing into a hard siliceous sandstone which is
+white and breaks with a conchoidal fracture; this rests on a hard cherty
+sandstone similar to that of the Victoria River. In this rock many
+depressions occur, which is apparently caused by the roofs of caverns
+falling in and there are usually deep fissures in the rock at the bottom
+of these hollows, in which all the water that drains into them is
+absorbed; in some places the sandstone resting on the limestone has sunk
+many feet below the general level, with areas varying from one to ten
+acres, sometimes sloping towards a centre ten to thirty feet below the
+plain, and in other spots with abrupt rocky banks five to eight feet high
+and a perfectly level bottom. The level character of the country is
+unfavourable for investigations of this nature, and the thickness of the
+several strata not easily determined; but I think that the collective
+thickness of the several strata above the limestone does not exceed 100
+feet. The porous nature of the lower rocks preclude the existence of
+permanent surface water by draining the whole of the upper part of the
+tableland, while it forms strong springs in the lower ground towards the
+banks of the Roper River, where the limestone is exposed on the surface.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 14 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+<p>WHITE MAN'S CAMP.
+
+<p>13th July (Sunday).
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 8.30 a.m., proceeding down the creek, mistook a
+tributary for the main creek; following it south for two hours, when it
+spread into small gullies, and we had to return to the creek, which had
+now a northerly course, and at 4.25 camped about three miles from our
+starting point in the morning. The country passed over was of a very poor
+character, stiff clay flats, with melaleuca scrub in the valley, while
+low but steep ridges of sandstone rose to the east, and were timbered
+with stringybark and bloodwood, etc.; to the south the country seemed to
+rise slightly, but was very poor and sandy. The smoke of bush fires were
+visible to the south, east, and north, and several trees cut with iron
+axes were noticed near the camp. There was also the remains of a hut and
+the ashes of a large fire, indicating that there had been a party
+encamped there for several weeks; several trees from six to eight inches
+diameter had been cut down with iron axes in fair condition, and the hut
+built by cutting notches in standing trees and resting a large pole
+therein for a ridge; this hut had been burnt apparently by the subsequent
+bush fires, and only some pieces of the thickest timber remained
+unconsumed. Search was made for marked trees, but none found, nor were
+there any fragments of iron, leather, or other material of the equipment
+of an exploring party, or of any bones of animals other than those common
+to Australia. Had an exploring party been destroyed here, there would
+most likely have been some indications, and it may therefore be inferred
+that the party had proceeded on its journey. It could not have been a
+camp of Leichhardt's in 1845, as it is 100 miles south-west of his route
+to Port Essington, and it was only six or seven years old, judging by the
+growth of the trees; having subsequently seen some of Leichhardt's camps
+on the Burdekin, Mackenzie, and Barcoo Rivers, a great similarity was
+observed in regard to the mode of building the hut, and its relative
+position in regard to the fire and water supply, and the position in
+regard to the great features of the country was exactly where a party
+going westward would first receive a check from the waterless tableland
+between the Roper and Victoria Rivers, and would probably camp and
+reconnoitre ahead before attempting to cross to the north-west coast.
+This creek is named Elsey Creek on the map.
+
+<p>ELSEY CREEK.
+
+<p>14th July.
+
+<p>Resuming our journey at 8.10 a.m., steered north-east down the valley of
+the creek, which I named Elsey Creek, after the surgeon of the
+expedition. Its course was generally to the north-east, but spreading
+into lagoons and swampy flats, became very tortuous and irregular. It
+then changed to a very winding reach of water fifty to sixty yards wide,
+with low banks covered with reeds and tall melaleuca-trees, beyond which
+was a belt of pandanus growing on the drier ground. Many small springs
+rose in the limestone rock and ran into the creek, on the banks of which
+large quantities of mussel-shells showed the frequent camps of the
+blacks. The banks of the creek and springs were so soft and boggy that
+our horses could not approach the water, and we followed its banks in
+search of a spot where they could drink in safety, till 4.0, without
+success, and having camped, had to water the horses with our leather
+buckets.
+
+<p>Latitude by a2 Centauri and a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 5 minutes 35
+seconds.
+
+<p>ROPER RIVER.
+
+<p>15th July.
+
+<p>Leaving our camp at 7.10 a.m., steered north-east till 9.0, over level
+country, which appeared to be very swampy in the rainy season; altered
+the course to 10 degrees magnetic, and crossed a small dry watercourse
+which proved to be a continuation of Elsey Creek. At 11.0 turned 60
+degrees magnetic, and shortly came on the bank of a fine river with banks
+thirty to forty feet high, and fine reaches of water fifty to eighty
+yards wide; at 11.45 camped at the junction of Elsey Creek and the river,
+which appears to be the Roper of Dr. Leichhardt. The fan-palm was
+frequently seen on the banks of Elsey Creek, where it obtained a height
+of fifty to eighty feet, and had a thicker stem and produced a more
+palatable vegetable than the species growing on the banks of the Victoria
+River.
+
+<p>KILL AN EMU.
+
+<p>16th July.
+
+<p>At 7.5 a.m. recommenced our journey, following down the Roper River east
+and north-east; about a mile below the camp the limestone rocks formed a
+bar, over which the river ran with a rapid current ten yards wide and two
+feet deep; the banks became lower and the surface of the country
+extremely level. The overflows of the river had formed shallow lagoons,
+in which the nelumbium or gigantic water-lily was first seen. A ridge of
+low sandstone hills came close to the left bank, and on the right a vast
+level plain, covered with high grass and reeds, extending two or three
+miles back. This plain is evidently inundated during the wet season,
+though the soil was now dry and full of deep cracks. The river divided
+into several small shallow channels full of reeds, and each with a small
+stream of water, the deep green of the vegetation along the course of the
+running water contrasting strongly with the parched vegetation of the
+other portions of the plain. Clumps of melaleuca occurred at intervals,
+and at a distance appeared like low hills. At 2.0 p.m. camped at the end
+of a low basaltic ridge, which approached the bank of the river from the
+south. A range of flat-topped hills extended to the north-east from the
+river, about eight miles distant, to the north-west of the camp; they
+appeared wooded, and 200 to 300 feet high. Bowman rode down a young emu,
+which supplied us with a meal of fresh meat.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 50 minutes 56 seconds.
+
+<p>17th July.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. steered east-south-east, following the bank of the river for
+a mile, when, to avoid the high grass and reeds, altered the course to
+south-east till 8.10; then steering 100 degrees magnetic till 9.25, when
+we camped on a small waterhole, there being abundance of water. The river
+appears to turn to the north and enter a range of hills, which trends
+north and south a few miles to the east of our camp. The country
+traversed this day is all well grassed and thinly timbered with
+terminalia, box, and silver-leafed ironbark; trap-rock visible in several
+places, and the soil was a good red loam. The metallic barometer has a
+second time suddenly deviated from the aneroid barometer, and the form of
+the vacuum vessel has visibly altered, the construction being too slight
+to bear the motion of the pack-horse, though one of the steadiest animals
+had been selected to carry the instruments, and they are always
+surrounded with blankets.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 14 degrees 53 minutes 16
+seconds.
+
+<p>18th July.
+
+<p>As this was a suitable camp for resting the party, and grass was
+abundant, I rode to the south-east with Mr. H. Gregory to look for a
+route towards the head of the Wickham River; our course was along a
+valley between the trap hills to the west and a sandstone range to the
+east. About eight miles reached a creek trending north-east; its channel
+was dry and sandy, but after some search found a small pool of water in a
+side channel; casuarina and flooded-gum trees grew on the banks of the
+creek, and there was some good grass on the flats, which were limited by
+sandstone hills densely wooded with acacia of the same species as that
+seen on the lower part of Sturt's Creek. After an hour's halt at the pool
+of water we returned to camp.
+
+<p>SILENT NATIVES.
+
+<p>19th July.
+
+<p>The horses having scattered much during the night, it was 8 a.m. before
+they were collected and saddled; we then followed our track of yesterday
+to the pool in the creek, eight miles south-east, reaching it at 11.45.
+The sandstones here showed a decided dip to the west, at angles varying
+from 5 degrees to 30 degrees, and the trap-rocks only extended five miles
+from the previous camp. In the afternoon five natives were observed
+watching the camp, and finding they were observed by us came up to the
+party, but could not be induced to speak a single word; they soon after
+retired. They had no spears, and were followed by a small dog. Their
+teeth were entire, but they were all circumcised. At 8.0 p.m. the blacks
+were detected stealing into the camp, and, though we called upon them to
+retire, only hid themselves in the grass; but as it was absolutely
+necessary for our own safety to dislodge them from their position, I
+caused a gun to be fired in the air, hoping that they would retire, but
+they commenced to ship their spears, and I therefore ordered a charge of
+shot to be fired at them, which had the desired effect of compelling them
+to retreat. What their object was in thus approaching the camp at night,
+unless for hostile purposes, we had no means of ascertaining; but the
+aboriginal Australian considers it an act of positive hostility to
+approach a camp in silence at night.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 59 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+<p>20th July.
+
+<p>Starting at 7.30 a.m., steered south-east over an undulating sandstone
+country, well grassed, but very stony and thinly wooded; a low range of
+rocky hills, nearly parallel to our route, lay to the south-west, and at
+11.20 a.m. we camped at a fine running stream in a rocky ravine in this
+range; the grass was, however, very dry and inferior near the range.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 4 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+<p>21st July.
+
+<p>The horses had shown an unusual desire to stray during the night, and as
+we had reason to apprehend a visit from the blacks, they were kept close
+to the camp; at 6.20 a.m. steered south-east, crossing a tableland about
+250 feet above the camp, and at 8.0 a.m. descended by a rocky gully, in
+which was a fine spring, into a grassy valley, which varied from a few
+yards to a mile in breadth, bounded by sandstone hills, the strata of
+which were not well defined, but appeared to have a considerable dip to
+the west-south-west; in the upper part of the valley the creek was well
+supplied with water, but as we advanced into the lower ground the channel
+was dry, though increased to twenty yards wide and ten to fifteen feet
+deep; at 11.15 a.m. one of the horses, Prince, was observed to be unwell,
+and at 1.20 p.m. a second horse, Bob, was noticed to be suffering from
+illness, having bled them, we proceeded down the creek in search of water
+at which the party could halt, and found a small waterhole at 2.20 p.m.,
+but the two sick horses dropped dead about 150 yards before reaching it;
+their loads had been previously removed to the saddle-horses; as soon as
+the camp had been formed Mr. Elsey and Dr. Mueller examined the dead
+horses to ascertain the cause of death, and it appeared from the state of
+extreme inflammation of the stomachs that they had eaten some poisonous
+plant; but the food was too much comminuted to admit of the plants eaten
+being recognised.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 12 minutes 46 seconds.
+
+<p>22nd July.
+
+<p>At 7.10 a.m. resumed our journey down the valley of the creek to the east
+and east-north-east, passing a fine lagoon with nelumbium and a number of
+pelicans; at 8.30 a.m. crossed two large creeks and passed a second
+lagoon, 70 yards by 300 yards. The principal creek now turned to the
+north, and our course was along the foot of a sandstone range 200 feet
+high, till 12.40 p.m., when, altering the course to south-east, we
+ascended the range and crossed the level sandy tableland covered with
+scrub; descending to the south, found a small dry watercourse in an open
+valley, and followed it in search of water to the north-west till 4.0
+p.m., when we found a small pool of rainwater, at which we camped.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 13 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+<p>23rd July.
+
+<p>The horses had strayed so far in search of green grass that we did not
+start till 10.30 a.m., when we steered south-east, crossing a spur of the
+tableland which lay to the south-west; then crossing several valleys and
+small watercourses trending to the north-east, camped at a shallow
+waterhole at 3.20 p.m. The country was of sandstone formation and the
+soil very poor, melaleuca scrubs prevailing on the lower ground, and
+eucalypti, acacia, and grevillia on the hills; to the south-west the
+hills were rocky, with a rounded outline, but to the north-east they were
+flat-topped and of less height. The sandstones are often at a
+considerable angle, but in no general direction, a thin bed of
+ferruginous conglomerate rests on hard gray sandstone, imperfectly
+stratified, beneath which shales of various colours exist; on the exposed
+surface of the shales observed an efflorescence of sulphate of magnesia.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 18
+minutes 48 seconds.
+
+<p>SCARCITY OF GRASS.
+
+<p>24th July.
+
+<p>Resuming our route at 7.20 a.m., steered south-east and ascended a
+sandstone range with horizontal strata and very abrupt on the south-east
+side. Entering a wide valley, crossed two small watercourses, the second
+of which was running apparently from springs, as several clumps of the
+melaleuca grew on the slope of the sandstone hills from which they came.
+Crossing a second spur of the tableland, descended to a small creek with
+waterholes and narrow grassy flats, the general character of the country
+being very poor and scrubby.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 38
+minutes 56 seconds.
+
+<p>25th July.
+
+<p>At 7.40 a.m. left the camp, and steered south-east through a succession
+of miserable scrubs of eucalypti, grevillia, acacia, and jacksonia, with
+patches of melaleuca. At 1.30 p.m. crossed a ridge of steep sandstone
+rocks, and gradually descended till 2.55, when we camped on a small gully
+coming from the south, and in which a little water remained, and on the
+bank some dry grass of very inferior kind. Since leaving the Roper River
+the general character of the country has been worthless; the small size
+of the watercourses indicating an arid country to the south-west of our
+route. Few traces of blacks have been seen, though vast columns of smoke
+rise to the east and south-east; animals or birds are rarely seen. The
+rocky nature of the country has caused the horses' shoes to wear out
+rapidly, and the day seldom passes without having to replace the shoes of
+several of the horses.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 40
+minutes 19 seconds.
+
+<p>26th July.
+
+<p>At 8.0 a.m. steered south-east, soon entering a scrub of acacia,
+melaleuca, and grevillia, with a few eucalypti; the soil sandy, with a
+few blocks of gray sandstone; some small dry watercourses trended to the
+north. At noon crossed a large creek trending to the south-south-east
+through a very rocky valley, and the whole country was very barren and
+rocky. At 2.35 p.m. recrossed the creek, which here turned to the east
+and north-east. After following it down for an hour, found a small patch
+of grass, and encamped. The bed of the creek was very rocky and well
+supplied with water in shallow pools.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 50
+minutes 2 seconds.
+
+<p>BARREN COUNTRY.
+
+<p>27th July (Sunday).
+
+<p>Resumed our route at 7.0 a.m., crossing a very rocky ridge of hills, in
+descending which one of the horses wedged his foot into a cleft of the
+rock, and falling down, was only released by beating the rock away with
+an axe. Fortunately, though much cut and bruised, there was no serious
+injury. With some difficulty we extricated ourselves from these rocky
+ridges, and, crossing a large creek, entered a level plain covered with
+melaleuca scrub. Crossing two sandy creeks fifteen and twenty yards wide
+with shallow pools, at noon reached a barren range of white sandstone
+hills, rising about 250 feet. Beyond this entered an open grassy plain,
+with clumps of melaleuca-trees, indicating the existence of springs of
+water, one of which we reached at 1.25 p.m., and encamped. The country
+passed is of a worthless description, there being very little grass, and
+the soil very poor and stony. The sandstones are of gray colour, and not
+regularly stratified; but where it could be ascertained the bedding was
+horizontal, and the lamina dipping 20 degrees to 30 degrees to the north,
+but often in the opposite direction. These sandstones are at least 200
+feet thick, and rest on soft shales of white-brown and green colour.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 55 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+<p>28th July.
+
+<p>The indifferent character of the country having caused the horses to
+stray in search of better food, we were delayed till 8.30 a.m., when we
+steered south-east over several low ridges of sandstone, wooded with
+white and paper-bark gum, with triodia in the hollows. Small dry
+watercourses trended to the north-east and north. At 10.20 crossed a
+creek ten yards wide, with pools of water, and at 1.5 p.m. a second of
+the same size, which trended to the east, was followed till 1.50, when a
+small pool of water and a little grass enabled us to camp. The country
+continues to be of a bad description, and covered with scrub, though of a
+more open nature than before, the soil more gravelly, melaleuca less
+frequent, and eucalypti and triodia more abundant. The rock is a coarse
+gray sandstone, thick bedded with horizontal strata, the lamina dipping
+30 degrees to north-east generally; but varying much, the peculiar
+marking on the surface of the rock resembling the rippling of water, is
+frequent, forming grooves two to four inches wide and half an inch deep.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 59 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>29th July.
+
+<p>A dense fog was the unusual cause of delay in collecting our horses, as
+they could not be seen more than a few yards distant. At 8.45 a.m.
+steered south-east through scrubs of melaleuca, acacia, grevillia, and
+eucalypti; at 11.0 the country became more open, and entering a grassy
+plain extending five to eight miles to the east, where it was bounded by
+a low range of hills; to the south-west a level forest of white-gum ran
+parallel to our route. The soil was a brown clay-loam with pebbles of
+sandstone; a few box and bauhinia trees grew on the plain; the grass had
+been burnt off and sprung up again very green. At 1.20 p.m. came on a
+large dry creek trending north-east; it had several channels twenty yards
+wide with loose sandy beds, and was bordered by casuarina, melaleuca, and
+flooded-gum trees; following down the creek, at 1.15 camped at a shallow
+pool in one of the side channels. About three miles before we reached the
+camp Dr. Mueller had fallen some distance behind the party; but as this
+was a frequent occurrence in collecting botanical specimens, it was not
+observed till we reached the creek, when he was out of sight; after
+unsaddling the pack-horses I was preparing to send in search of him, when
+he came up to the camp, the cause of delay having been that his horse had
+knocked up. This was unfortunate, as the load of one of the pack-horses
+had to be distributed among the others, in order to remount the doctor,
+who requires stronger horses than any other person in the party, having
+knocked up four since January, while not one of the other riding-horses
+had failed, though carrying heavier weights.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 7 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+<p>30th July.
+
+<p>There being abundance of good grass at this camp, we remained this day to
+shoe some of the horses and repair harness, etc., and rest the horses;
+nor was I sorry to get a day of comparative rest, as I had been in the
+saddle every day since leaving the Victoria on the 21st June. Eleven of
+the horses were re-shod.
+
+<p>A SPRING OF GOOD WATER.
+
+<p>31st July.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 7.40 a.m., pursued a south-east course, soon leaving
+the grassy flats of the creek and entering a melaleuca scrub; at 8.20
+ascended the tableland by a gentle slope; the country was now sandy with
+much bush of acacia, grevillia, and bossiaca, with triodia in the more
+open part of the forest, which consisted of paper-bark gums. The
+prevailing rock was ironstone conglomerate, and hard white sandstone
+sometimes appeared; after 10.0 the country declined to the south, and we
+passed through a belt of cypress scrub; at 1.15 p.m. altered the course
+to east-south-east; crossed a rough sandstone ridge and came on a deep
+valley with sandstone cliffs on each side; with some difficulty descended
+the rocks and reached a small watercourse which was quite dry; but
+observing some very green trees about a mile to the north-west at the
+foot of the rocks, turned towards them and found a fine spring of water
+flowing from the face of the cliff; selecting a suitable spot, encamped
+at 2.30. Near this spring were several huts constructed in the rudest
+manner by heaping branches together. From the summit of the hill the view
+extended thirty miles to the north-east, but no marked features were
+visible, the country only undulating slightly. The country too became
+more open and travelling easier, but no other improvement has been
+observed.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 17 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+<p>1st August.
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the valley to the south till
+9.15, when a break in the sandstone cliffs which bounded the valley
+enabled us to ascend the hills and pursue our course to the south-east,
+crossing several ridges of sandstone, the strata dipping to the west, and
+becoming more shaly as we proceeded. Descending into a valley with a dry
+creek fifteen yards wide, the rocks on the south-east slope cherty
+limestone alternating with thin beds of shale, the strata dipping 20
+degrees to 30 degrees west. The summit had a thin horizontal bed of
+ironstone conglomerate through which masses of white sandstone protruded.
+This limestone country was well grassed, and thinly timbered with
+eucalypti of small growth; at 1.20 p.m. altered the course to north-east
+and followed down a gully in search of water; but though it gradually
+enlarged to a considerable creek and we continued our search till 7.0, we
+were compelled to encamp without water. I then walked down the creek two
+miles, but only found one moist spot in which, by digging, a few pints of
+water were obtained.
+
+<p>2nd August.
+
+<p>At 6.5 a.m. resumed our search for water, and following the creek
+north-east for two hours reached a small muddy pool of rainwater, at
+which we encamped. The country near the creek was very level, and
+thinly-wooded low hills were visible in the distance to the south-east
+and north.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 16 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+<p>3rd August.
+
+<p>The water at this pool near our camp being nearly consumed, and nothing
+but thick mud remaining, we proceeded down the creek in search of a
+better supply; but it was not until we had followed its dry sandy bed for
+three hours that we attained our object, and encamped at a small pool in
+one of the back channels, the principal bed of the creek being perfectly
+dry. The country near the creek continues very level, and well grassed,
+but distant rocky hills are visible in almost every direction. In
+approaching the Gulf of Carpentaria heavy dews and fogs have become more
+frequent in the mornings, when it is usually calm. About 10.0 a.m. a
+breeze usually sets in from the eastward, varying from north to
+south-east; at sunset it falls calm, but commences again at 8.0 p.m. and
+blows moderately from the eastward for one or two hours; very thin misty
+clouds are frequent, and render the heat oppressive when they prevail.
+According to my reckoning, we are now only fifty miles from the
+sea-coast, and therefore much nearer Dr. Leichhardt's track than I could
+wish to traverse the country; but, however desirable a more inland route
+might be, it is evident, from the small size of the watercourses hitherto
+crossed, that we have been skirting a tableland which is doubtless a
+continuation of the desert into which we followed Sturt's Creek, and the
+small altitude of the country in which the watercourses trending towards
+the Gulf take their rise precludes the existence of any considerable
+drainage towards the interior.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 14 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>THE MCARTHUR RIVER.
+
+<p>4th August.
+
+<p>The general course of the creek being northerly, and our distance from
+the McArthur about 20 miles on the chart, steered south-east from 6.35
+a.m., crossing many rocky sandstone ridges and hills, the strata of which
+dipped 20 degrees to 40 degrees to the west. At noon from one of the
+higher ridges saw the valley of the McArthur River to the south-east;
+continuing our course, descended a small dry watercourse till 4.0 p.m.,
+when we reached a large creek with a belt of casuarina, melaleuca and
+eucalypti along its banks. The channel was dry and sandy, about twenty
+yards wide, but showed the marks of high floods. Following the creek down
+for three-quarters of an hour found a small pool just sufficient for the
+supply of the party. Just below our camp a creek fifteen yards wide
+joined the principal one from the south, and, from the general lay of the
+country, it was evident that we were now on the McArthur River of
+Leichhardt; but though from the steepness of the banks the floods
+frequently rise thirty to forty feet, the creek did not bear the
+character of one which would take its rise at any great distance inland
+of our track. The country passed over was very thinly wooded with
+eucalypti of small growth, seldom more than one and a half feet in
+diameter and fifty feet high; a few leguminous ironbark, and sterculia
+were scattered on the hills, with much triodia and little grass. After
+crossing the highest ridge at 11.0 a.m. the sandstone strata were
+variously inclined, but generally to the west or north-east at high
+angles, except on the immediate bank of the McArthur, where the
+sandstones were horizontal. To the south-west of our route the country
+rose into stony hills of very barren aspect, but to the north the country
+appeared to be wooded.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 25 minutes 11 seconds.
+
+<p>5th August.
+
+<p>The country to the south-east being very rocky and broken, we followed
+down the river, leaving the camp at 7.20 a.m., the general course
+north-east; the sandstone hills rose abruptly from the bank of the river,
+the sandstone rock being frequently worn away in a partial manner, so as
+to leave isolated columns sometimes three feet in diameter and thirty
+feet high; a few miles below the camp a few pools of water were seen, but
+there was no grass near them, and we continued our route for four hours,
+and camped at a shallow pool with a small patch of grass on the bank of
+the river; the principal channel of the river was only twenty-three yards
+wide, but in times of flood the side channels carry off the greater
+portion of the water, which rises nearly forty feet; considerable
+quantities of mussel-shells lay at the old camps of the blacks along the
+bank of the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 16 degrees 18 minutes 41
+seconds; longitude by lunar distances 136 degrees 21 minutes.
+
+<p>6th August.
+
+<p>At 7.25 a.m. resumed our journey on a south-east course, over a miserable
+sandy country, with stunted eucalypti, grevillia, and triodia; at 11.0
+reached a range of broken sandstone hills, which, with great difficulty
+and risk to the horses, we crossed in an east-south-east direction; but
+though the direct distance was only three miles, the deep ravines and
+rocks delayed us for three hours, and we were glad to emerge into an open
+valley, in which we camped at 2.30 p.m.; in the deep ravines of the
+sandstone hills water was abundant, but inaccessible for our horses, from
+the steep and rocky character of the country; a few small white-gum trees
+and triodia formed almost the entire vegetation; the rock is gray
+sandstone in horizontal beds with cleavage lamina, which varied so much
+in angle and direction that no general direction could be assigned, the
+cleavage of the upper beds often being the reverse of those immediately
+below them; the beds were from one to four feet thick, and the lamina
+half an inch to two inches, the grain very even and moderately fine.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 24 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+<p>7th August.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 7.10 a.m. on an average east-south-east course,
+along the foot of a rocky range of sandstone hills; at 8.30 came on a
+deep rocky creek, with long pools of water trending to the north; as our
+horses required rest, and the country ahead appeared very barren and
+rocky, we encamped.
+
+<p>8th August.
+
+<p>Steering a south-east course from 6.50 a.m., crossed a sandy tableland,
+with paper-bark and melaleuca with broad leaves; passed a small creek
+with pools trending north-east, and at 10.0 a low rocky ridge; then
+descended into a wide valley, with melaleuca and a few box-trees. At 1.25
+camped on a large sandy creek with two channels ten yards wide, with low
+sandy banks; one channel was dry, but the other had a few small pools in
+it; a line of melaleuca and flooded-gum trees marked its course along the
+valley. When in flood the waters of the creek are 100 yards wide and ten
+to fifteen feet deep. The grass was inferior, but from having been burnt
+had grown up fresh and green.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 34 minutes 44 seconds.
+
+<p>IRON TOOLS USED BY NATIVES.
+
+<p>9th August.
+
+<p>Starting at 6.40 a.m., traversed an undulating sandstone country on a
+south-east course till 1.15 p.m., when we came on a large dry sandy
+creek, which we followed to the north-north-east till 1.50, when we found
+a shallow pool, at which we encamped. This creek had a sandy channel ten
+yards wide, with low banks, subject to flood to the breadth of fifty to
+eighty yards. Pandanus, melaleuca, and flooded-gum grow on its banks. The
+country generally is poor and stony, with paper-bark, gum, bloodwood, and
+narrow-leafed melaleuca. Shortly after reaching the creek the horse
+Monkey knocked up, though only carrying a pack-saddle since the 30th
+July; I therefore left the saddle, having removed all such portion of the
+fittings which might hereafter be useful. A few yards from our camp we
+found some spears and water vessels, which had been hidden under some
+sheets of bark by the blacks, who evidently were out hunting, as we heard
+them calling to each other in the afternoon, though they were not seen.
+These water vessels were formed by hollowing out a block of wood in the
+shape of a canoe, and had a capacity of three gallons, and it was evident
+that they possess tools of iron as also of stone.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 42 minutes 50 seconds;
+longitude by lunar distances 136 degrees 28 minutes.
+
+<p>10th August.
+
+<p>As there was a sufficient supply of grass and water, remained at the camp
+to rest the party. The morning was cloudy, but cleared up about 9 a.m.,
+and I observed a set of lunar distances. Dean brought in some jasper from
+a hill one mile north-west of the camp. He also reported that the creek
+appeared to trend to the north for eight or ten miles.
+
+<p>11th August.
+
+<p>We continued a south-east route at 7.40 a.m., ascending hills of
+limestone and sandstone, with an upper bed of basalt, which on the higher
+land to the south-west was again covered by sandstone. The trap or basalt
+was much decomposed, and contained fragments of lower rocks. At 1.40 p.m.
+camped on a fine but small creek, with permanent pools of water in a
+rocky channel from five to thirty yards wide. The country was well
+grassed and openly wooded with box, sterculia, leguminous ironbark, and
+terminalia.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 51 minutes 55 seconds.
+
+<p>12th August.
+
+<p>At 6.50 a.m. resumed a south-east course, traversing a broken country
+with limestone, chert, sandstone, and trap hills, deeply cut by dry
+watercourses. The grass was abundant and good, though triodia appeared on
+the higher ridges; at 7.0 crossed a small river, with fine permanent
+pools of water in a rocky bed ten to thirty yards wide. The floods rise
+twenty feet, and extend over a breadth of 70 to 100 yards. It is the
+largest stream-bed crossed since leaving the river, and may possibly
+drain the country to a distance of sixty miles to the southward. At 1.25
+camped on a small creek trending to the north-north-east, in which were
+pools twenty yards long and five feet deep.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 17 degrees 1 minute 31 seconds.
+
+<p>NATIVE FISHING NETS.
+
+<p>13th August.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 7.0 a.m. and continued a south-easterly course, crossing
+a succession of sandy valleys and broken sandstone hills; the strata
+horizontal, and lamina dipping to the north and east generally, but
+sometimes in the opposite direction; the soil poor and sandy, producing
+little besides white-gum and triodia. At noon ascended a high ridge, from
+which we saw a broad valley to the south-east, beyond which was a range
+of flat-topped hills terminating abruptly at the northern end, which bore
+east by north. Descending by a rocky ravine, at 1.30 p.m. reached a fine
+creek, on which we camped. This creek had deep pools of water fifty yards
+wide; but the steep rocky character of its banks caused the channel to
+appear larger than if it had been in a more level country. Under some
+large rocks Dean found a fishing-net made neatly of twisted bark, the
+mesh one and a half inch, the length perhaps thirty feet; some fishing
+spears showed the marks of iron tools. The rocks in this part of the
+country often contain angular fragments of the lower strata; thus the
+limestone includes fragments of chert and jasper, and the sandstone
+pieces of limestone, but I could not detect either granite, quartz, or
+slate.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 17 degrees 11 minutes 1 second.
+
+<p>14th August.
+
+<p>At 6.20 a.m. we were again in the saddle, and steered south-east across
+very rocky hills till 8.0, when we entered a fine valley with low hills
+of limestone and trap, well grassed and thinly wooded with box-trees and
+acacia; at 10.0 ascended a rough sandstone range with white-gum, acacia,
+and triodia; at 11.0 again descended into a valley bounded by sandstone
+cliffs on the northern side, and camped at a fine pool of water in a
+small creek at 12.5. Several trees near this pool of water had been
+marked by the blacks, the bark having been removed, the wood was painted
+yellow with brown spots at regular intervals, and vertical waved lines in
+black. It is evident from the outline of the hills that we are travelling
+on the edge of the tableland of Northern Australia, and this accounts for
+the small size of the watercourses, while the abrupt and broken nature of
+the hills has caused the rocks to form channels of sufficient size to
+retain water throughout the year, while the same disruption of the strata
+has exposed the limestone and trap-rock, has caused fertile patches of
+country, and thus enabled us to traverse a country which is otherwise
+barren and inhospitable in the extreme, our chief difficulty being the
+rocky character of the country, which can only be traversed with
+well-shod horses. It is possible that some small tracts of available
+country may exist between our track and the shores of the Gulf of
+Carpentaria, but to the south there is little to expect besides a barren
+sandy desert, as on every occasion that the tableland has been ascended,
+nothing but sandy worthless country has been encountered.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 17 minutes 56 seconds.
+
+<p>KANGAROO ABUNDANT.
+
+<p>15th August.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 6.35 a.m., and followed a large creek up to the
+south-east, and at 7.45 crossed it below a fine pool of water, above
+which the creek came from the south-west, in which direction the country
+consisted of low sandstone hills of barren aspect. We then crossed a few
+miles of sandy tableland and descended at 10.20 into a deep valley
+trending east. This brought us to a small creek with good water, on which
+we encamped at 11.30. The country is very poor and rocky, thinly wooded
+with box-trees in valleys and white-gum on the hills, where the grass is
+replaced by triodia. Kangaroos are more numerous than in any other part
+of Australia yet visited by the Expedition, and as many as twelve or
+fifteen have been seen each day. Early in the morning a light breeze from
+west; at 7.0 a fresh breeze from south-east which lasted till 4 p.m., and
+at sunset a light air from west.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 23 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+<p>16th August.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. steered south-east and followed the valley of the creek till
+8.0, when it turned to the north-east; continuing our course along the
+valley south-east, though there was now no watercourse in it, at 11.20
+came on a creek in a trap valley trending north-east, across the larger
+valley, and crossing a ridge of sandstone and basalt, came on a large
+creek trending north, in which were long pools of water fifteen to twenty
+yards wide. Following this creek upwards to the south-south-east, as the
+valley widened the water ceased for some distance, but at 12.40 p.m. came
+on a pool supplied by a spring at the upper end. Here we encamped, as
+there was some good grass. The rock which formed the hills on this day's
+journey is a hard red-brown sandstone, the lower part thin-bedded,
+beneath which trap or basalt has been forced between the strata, and was
+exposed in the deep valleys excavated by the creeks. The view at times
+extended twenty miles to the north-east over a level depressed country,
+beyond which were low ridges of hills. The country generally was poor and
+stony, thinly wooded with eucalypti and acacia, except when the basalt
+was exposed, and by its decomposition formed a richer soil, well covered
+with grass and very open in character.
+
+<p>17th August (Sunday).
+
+<p>Grass and water being sufficient, remained at the camp to rest the
+horses, though, as several had to be shod, it was not altogether a day of
+rest to the party. A fresh breeze from south-east cooled the air at noon,
+but died away towards sunset.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 32 minutes 11 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 135 degrees 51 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+<p>18th August.
+
+<p>Collected the horses early, but two of them appeared to be much griped
+from eating the coarse grass, and I therefore delayed starting till 7.40
+a.m., and then ascended the stony range to the south-east and reached the
+tableland. The soil was sandy with acacia scrub, paper-bark gum,
+stringybark, and bloodwood; at 10.0 the country became stony, with
+white-gum, tall acacia, and triodia, and we gradually ascended till the
+aneroid indicated an elevation of 1100 feet, and we appeared to be on a
+ridge parallel to the tableland of the interior and at a greater
+elevation; at 1.20 p.m. observed a clump of melaleuca in a deep rocky
+ravine, and steered south to it. Here we found a spring with a few acres
+of grass around it, and encamped.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 40 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+<p>BASALTIC RANGE. 1300 FEET ABOVE SEA.
+
+<p>19th August.
+
+<p>At 6.45 a.m. steered south-east and soon ascended a rocky range of
+altered sandstone and trap or basalt, thinly wooded with white-gum, tall
+acacia, and grevillia, triodia, and treraphis superseding the grass; at
+7.30 the aneroid indicated the greatest altitude (1300 feet) which we had
+attained since leaving the Victoria River. From this point the view was
+extensive to the north and south. Towards the interior the surface of the
+tableland, not being so elevated as our position, appeared like a vast
+level plain without any marked feature whatsoever. To the north the
+country appeared to consist of low ridges of wooded hills gradually
+decreasing in height as they receded. Southward our view was intercepted
+by broken wooded hills of equal elevation with our position, while deep
+ravines trending to the south intercepted our route. I therefore altered
+the course to 200 degrees magnetic, and descended a rocky valley in which
+was a small watercourse which enlarged into a considerable creek with
+large rocky waterholes. The hills consisted of basalt and altered
+sandstone, which dipped 20 degrees to 60 degrees to the north-west, and
+by their outcrop formed parallel ridges which we passed with difficulty
+and great risk to our horses; at 12.30 p.m. we extricated ourselves from
+these ridges and entered a level valley extending thirty miles to the
+north-east and south-west. Here granite rock was exposed on the bank of
+the creek, which now trended across the valley to the south-east, with a
+broad sandy bed from a quarter to half a mile in width, but quite dry and
+overgrown with bushes; at 4.5 reached the hills which bounded the valley
+to the south-east, and the creek entering a deep gorge which, by
+concentrating its waters, had formed a fine pool, at which we encamped.
+The country after leaving the basalt hills, where the valleys were well
+grassed, was barren and useless sand, gravel, and rock.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 53 minutes 42 seconds.
+
+<p>20th August.
+
+<p>We left our camp at 7.0 a.m., and finding the valley of the creek
+impassable, crossed the hills in an east-south-east direction, the
+country consisting of steep sandstone ridges covered with triodia and a
+few stunted eucalypti; at 3.0 p.m. we again attained the bank of the
+creek and camped in a small patch of coarse rushes, as there was no grass
+for the horses.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 58 minutes 7 seconds.
+
+<p>21st August.
+
+<p>Leaving this miserable spot with our starving horses, followed the creek,
+which had now increased to a small river, to the east-south-east, and
+after two hours' travelling reached a small patch of grass and camped at
+8.20 a.m.; the bed of the river is nearly dry, only a few shallow pools
+remaining in the sandy channel, which is ten to fifty yards wide, with
+smaller side channels, altogether occupying a breadth of nearly 200
+yards, dense clumps of melaleuca-trees growing in the intervening banks
+of sand; large quantities of unio-shell, some five and six inches in
+length, are found on the banks of the river near the camps of the blacks;
+Bowman complains of an attack of scurvy, which causes pains in his legs
+and swelling of the gums.
+
+<p>22nd August.
+
+<p>Although our yesterday's journey was only of two hours' duration, the
+horses appeared very weak and fatigued when we started at 6.45 am, and it
+was with great difficulty that Boco and Monkey could keep up with the
+rest of the horses; we were frequently compelled to leave the bank of the
+river and cross steep rocky ridges of sandstone rock; the country was
+very rugged and barren, producing little besides triodia and a few
+stunted gum-trees. The bed of the river increased to 400 yards in width,
+consisting of sandy channels with narrow banks of sand covered with large
+melaleuca-trees between them. At 1.5 p.m. camped in a small patch of dry
+wiry grass; procuring water from a small pool in the bed of the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 59 minutes 2 seconds.
+
+<p>THE NICHOLSON RIVER.
+
+<p>23rd August.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 7.15 a.m., following the right bank of the river
+to the east-north-east; it soon passed between two steep rocky hills and
+turned to the north. Continuing our course a short distance, rocky hills
+compelled us to turn north-north-east to regain the banks of the river,
+following an ana-branch till 11.0 a.m., when it joined the main channel,
+which then trended north-east; at 11.30 came to a small grassy flat,
+along the banks of the river, and camped. The valley of the river is now
+more open, but the country of very barren character, with stunted
+eucalypti and triodia on the hills, and melaleuca and flooded-gum trees,
+with a little grass, on the bank of the river. The hills have decreased
+in height, the upper strata thick-bedded coarse sandstone with sandstone
+shale beneath; hard white sandstone exists in some of the lower ridges.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 56 minutes 37 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 138 degrees 22 minutes 7 seconds.
+
+<p>24th August (Sunday).
+
+<p>Although this was not a good spot for a day's halt, yet it was requisite
+the horses should have a day's rest, and, as it was Sunday, remained at
+the camp. While collecting the horses a native woman and child were seen
+at a distance, in the bed of the river; but on being approached hid
+themselves in the reeds, and though the grass was set on fire in several
+places by the blacks, they were not seen again.
+
+<p>25th August.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey down the river at 8.5 a.m., the general course being
+east; at 2.35 p.m. camped at a nymphae pool in one of the side channels
+of the river. The country was now more level and open, with grassy flats
+along the river, but the back country rose into low rocky sandstone
+hills, thinly clothed with white-gum and triodia. At noon we crossed a
+sandstone ridge, from which the view was extensive, but, except on a
+range of hills fifteen miles north of our position and terminating
+abruptly on a north-east bearing, there was nothing visible but low and
+flat wooded country. The bed of the river is a quarter of a mile wide,
+consisting of broad sandy channels with low sandy ridges between covered
+with melaleuca and acacia trees. Some of the party walked down the river
+and came to the camp of some blacks; but only one lame old man remained,
+who made a great noise to frighten away the invaders of his country.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+<p>26th August.
+
+<p>Followed down the river from 6.45 a.m. till 1.40 p.m., the general course
+being east. The country is now more level, and ironstone conglomerate
+forms low steep banks to the river, the bed of which is unchanged, being
+broad dry sandy channels. The back country shows no improvement, and is
+covered with triodia. Some blacks were seen on the left bank of the
+river, but though within hearing of our horses' bells, did not appear to
+notice us.
+
+<p>Latitude by z and a Aquilae 17 degrees 54 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+<p>27th August.
+
+<p>The course of the river continued nearly east, and we followed its right
+bank from 7.30 a.m. till 1.5 p.m., when we camped at a fine pool of water
+in one of the side channels, the main channel continuing dry and sandy.
+The country on the immediate bank of the river was openly wooded with
+box, flooded-gum, leguminous ironbark, and melia, and was scantily
+grassed; the soil a brown sandy loam. Beyond the influence of the floods
+the ground was quite level; small terminalia, broad-leafed melaleuca, and
+silver-leafed ironbark, with dry triodia, formed the entire vegetation of
+this worthless plain. Ironstone conglomerate and sandstone boulders are
+the only rocks visible.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 56 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+<p>A FINE STREAM OF RUNNING WATER.
+
+<p>28th August.
+
+<p>Our day's journey commenced at 7.0 a.m., and following the right bank of
+the river to the east-south-east till 12.45 p.m., encamped in the bed of
+the river, which was nearly half a mile wide from bank to bank, the
+principal channel, eighty yards wide, was shallow and sandy, with a few
+small pools of water at intervals. The side channels of similar
+character, but smaller and without water. Beyond the bed the banks rose
+abruptly about thirty feet, and then appeared to decline as it receded,
+and no higher ground was visible. The soil was a sandy loam, thinly
+timbered with small box-trees and scanty grass.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega and b Cygni 18 degrees 1 minute 3 seconds.
+
+<p>29th August.
+
+<p>At 7.20 a.m. steered east through level box flats, the country gradually
+becoming more open and better grassed, though very scantily; at noon
+crossed some open grassy plains, and altered the course to north-east,
+north-north-east, and north, and at 3.20 p.m. again came on the bank of
+the river and encamped at a small pool of water; the rest of the channel,
+which exceeded a quarter of a mile in width, being dry and overgrown with
+large melaleuca and flooded-gum trees. The general character of the
+country is a level plain about forty feet above the level of the river,
+thinly wooded with box and a few bloodwood, acacia, and bauhinia trees;
+the soil a brown loam, and the grass, though scanty, of good quality, but
+at this season very dry.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 55 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+<p>30th August.
+
+<p>At 6.50 a.m. steered east-north-east through box flats and open grassy
+flats, the course of the river nearly parallel to our route; at 10.10
+came to a large tributary creek from the south. Its principal channel was
+30 yards wide, with pools separated by dry banks, but two small side
+channels existed with small running stream. After half an hour's delay,
+we succeeded in crossing without further accident than resulted from some
+of the pack-horses falling down the bank into the water and wetting their
+packs, and getting a ducking myself, which wetted the chronometers.
+Water-pandanus, fan-palm, and casuarina formed a belt of trees along the
+bank of the stream, which bore quite a different character to that of the
+dry sandy bed of the river above the junction. Continuing our route, at
+12.5 p.m. came to a second running creek, but of smaller size. This we
+crossed and followed down to the east till 1.5, when we encamped. Here we
+observed that, though the water was fresh, yet it was affected by the
+tide, which was now at the highest spring.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 52 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+<p>THE ALBERT RIVER. A MARKED TREE.
+
+<p>31st August (Sunday).
+
+<p>Rode down the creek with Mr. H. Gregory. At two miles from the camp came
+to the junction of a smaller creek from the south, the two forming a fine
+reach of water, which we recognised as the Albert River of Captain
+Stokes. This spot between the two creeks was the rendezvous appointed for
+the two sections of the Expedition, and though, from the short period
+which had elapsed since leaving the Victoria, the Tom Tough could
+scarcely be expected to have arrived before us, on approaching the spot
+we saw several marked trees:
+
+<p>CHUMLUT + arrow pointing up ORE RCH TO 1856,
+
+<p>but were disappointed in our hope that the vessel had reached the Albert,
+as these marks consisted of several names of seamen, who appeared to have
+formed the crew of a boat sent up the river by H.M. steamer Torch. Search
+was made for directions for finding any memorandum which might have been
+concealed, as I first thought it probable that the object of the visit
+might have been to communicate with the Expedition; but the nature of the
+inscriptions and the absence of anything which led to even a surmise of
+what was the object of the visit caused us to come to the conclusion that
+it had no reference to the North Australian Expedition. From the state of
+the ashes of the fire and branches of the trees which had been cut and
+broken, it appeared that several weeks had elapsed, and consequently the
+Torch was not likely to still be in or near the river. In accordance with
+arrangements made with Mr. Baines, I marked a tree thus:
+
+<p>NAE AUG 30 DIG1YD TO E.
+
+<p>in order to apprise him of our having reached the Albert, and of our
+prospective movements. Returning to the camp, wrote a memorandum of the
+visit of the Expedition and a note to Mr. Baines, informing him that we
+intended leaving other marks and memoranda at the junction of the
+salt-water arm of the river, and then continue without delay our route
+towards Moreton Bay. These memoranda were enclosed in a powder-canister,
+and Messrs. Elsey and Bowman took them down to the marked tree and buried
+them. In the afternoon rode over with Mr. H. Gregory towards the
+Nicholson River, crossing Beame's Brook. Steered north-north-east four
+and a half miles over a level grassy plain with stripes of box-trees. As
+we could see four or five miles farther, and no indication of the river,
+returned to the camp, having ascertained that the Nicholson River does
+not join the Albert, unless many miles below the junction of Beame's
+Brook with the South Creek, which together form the Albert River.
+
+<p>1st September.
+
+<p>At 7.40 a.m. steered east to the South Creek, which we found at the
+distance of two miles, and followed it up for an hour in search of a
+crossing place, as the channel was very muddy. A suitable spot having
+been found, we filled up the channel, which was two yards wide, with
+pandanus stems, and crossed the horses over without accident. Steering
+east-north-east two miles across wide level plains, with patches of
+box-trees, turned north at noon and struck the Albert just below the
+junction of the South Creek and Beame's Brook. Finding the water
+brackish, we did not proceed farther down the river, and encamped. The
+existence of a narrow belt of mangrove along the bank of the river
+indicates that the water is often salt to the head of the Albert.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 51 minutes 55 seconds.
+
+<p>2nd September.
+
+<p>The water in the river being very brackish, it became evident that we
+should be unable to procure fresh water if we followed it towards the
+sea, and therefore I decided on leaving the letters I had written to Mr.
+Baines at this spot, and accordingly marked a tree thus:
+
+<p>NAEXPDN AUG 30 1856 DIG2YDN
+
+<p>and buried a tin canister with letters, stating that the exploring party
+was to start the following morning for Moreton Bay, and instructing Mr.
+Baines to remain at the Albert till the 29th September, 1856, in case any
+unforeseen circumstance should compel the party to return to the Albert
+within that period. Five months' flour, tea, sugar, etc., and three
+months' supply of meat at full ration still remained; and as our horses
+would supply the deficiency of meat, if required, we have sufficient
+quantity of provisions to enable the party to reach the settled part of
+New South Wales, unless extraordinary difficulties should be encountered;
+under the circumstances it did not appear prudent to delay at the Albert
+River, as the arrival of the Tom Tough might be deferred for an
+indefinite period.
+
+<p>3rd September.
+
+<p>Left our camp at 6.45 a.m., and steered east over level box-flats and
+open grassy plains; at 10.0 came on a small creek, which we followed half
+an hour to the north-east, when we came to salt-water, which had been
+left in pools at high tides. I therefore steered south-east till 5.0 p.m.
+and camped at a shallow pool in a large creek trending north. The country
+consists of vast open level plains, separated by narrow belts of box and
+terminalia trees; the soil a brown clay loam, producing rather short and
+dry grass. On approaching the waterhole at which we encamped, a black and
+three or four women were found camped on the opposite side of the creek;
+they climbed the trees and remained among the branches till dusk, when
+they descended to their fires and made a great noise till 9.0, when they
+decamped. This creek is probably the head of the salt-water arm of the
+Albert River or of the Disaster River.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 2 minutes 5 seconds; variation of compass 4
+degrees east.
+
+<p>THE "PLAINS OF PROMISE," LEICHHARDT RIVER.
+
+<p>4th September.
+
+<p>Continued a south-east course through large open plains thinly grassed;
+passed a dry watercourse with a small waterhole in one of the back
+channels, but insufficient for our horses, and at noon camped at a
+shallow waterhole in a grassy flat. Mr. Elsey walked half a mile to the
+eastward; came to a river eighty yards wide, but observing some blacks,
+returned to the camp. In the evening nine blacks came towards us, and
+appeared inclined to hostilities; but, after a short interview, retired
+up the creek. These blacks were not circumcised, and their teeth were
+perfect; they had neither ornaments or any description of clothing, and
+were slightly scarred on the back and chest. Their spears were large and
+heavy, made of a single piece of wood, and thrown by hand; they had also
+smaller ones of reed, with wooden points, which were thrown with the
+throwing board, which were flattened vertically; clubs two and a half
+feet long and two and a half inches in diameter, and shields formed of a
+single piece of wood two and a half feet long and three inches wide. The
+river proved to be fresh, and in pools separated by rock flats, and is
+evidently the same that Dr. Leichhardt supposed to be the Albert--a
+mistake which has caused considerable error in the maps of his route; as
+it was not named, I called it the Leichhardt. The character of the
+country is inferior, as the grass which covers the plains is principally
+aristidia and andropogon; anthisteria or kangaroo grass only in small
+patches. The soil is a good brown loam.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 11 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+<p>ATTACK BY THE NATIVES.
+
+<p>5th September.
+
+<p>At daybreak we heard the blacks making a great noise up the river, and
+while the horses were being brought in nineteen blacks came to the camp,
+all armed with clubs and spears. They did not make any hostile
+demonstration, and the approach of the horses appeared to keep them in
+check; and a person unacquainted with the treacherous character of the
+Australian might have thought them friendly. When we started at 6.50 a.m.
+they followed the party to the bank of the river, and began to ship their
+spears, and when we were crossing a deep ravine made a rush on us with
+their spears poised ready to throw them at us, hoping to take advantage
+of our position; but just as their leader was in the act of throwing his
+spear he received a charge of small shot. This checked them, and we
+charged them on horseback, and with a few shots from our revolvers put
+them to flight, except one man, who climbed a tree, where we left him, as
+our object was only to procure our own safety, and that with as little
+injury to the blacks as possible. We did not pursue our advantage; by
+following the fugitives. Proceeding down the river a short distance, at
+7.40 crossed to the right bank on a ledge of flat rocks. It was here
+about 100 yards wide, with shallow reaches of water, the banks rising
+steep--thirty to forty feet. Very little vegetation grew on the banks,
+which appeared to result from salt water occasionally reaching this part
+at very high tides. We now steered east over level grassy plains, with
+patches of box and terminalia. Passed a small but deep waterhole, near
+which were two black gins, who did not appear to notice us. At 10.0 the
+country was covered with an open scrub of terminalia, with silvery
+leaves, and triodia replaced the grass. At noon passed a small rocky
+gully with a waterhole, which our horses quite emptied of its contents.
+Altering the course to north-east, the country was covered with melaleuca
+scrub, with silver-leafed ironbark, triodia, and a little grass; but we
+soon re-entered the open plains which extended to the north, and,
+following a watercourse at 3.5 p.m. camped at a small muddy waterhole, on
+the banks of which the blacks had often encamped, as shown by the heaps
+of mussel-shells round their fireplaces. Our route has been along the
+southern limit of the open grassy plains, and to the south the country
+rises into low ridges and stony plains, covered with scrub and triodia.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 7 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>6th September.
+
+<p>Starting at 6.25 a.m. our route was average east over a level country of
+very bad quality; the soil ironstone gravel, producing terminalia,
+triodia, and silk cotton-trees (Cochospermum gregoranum). Towards the
+latter part of the stage the country improved, becoming more open and
+grassy. At 12.15 camped on a large creek with a shallow pool of muddy
+water.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 9 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>7th September (Sunday).
+
+<p>Remained at the camp to rest the party. A strong south-east wind blew
+during the night, and the day was cool and clear; the air very dry.
+Repaired our saddle-bags, which, from frequent contact with rocks and
+dead trees, were much dilapidated.
+
+<p>8th September.
+
+<p>Steered east-south-east from 6.40 am to 11.40, crossing low ironstone
+ridges and wide grassy plains, with belts of box, terminalia, white-gum,
+and silver-leafed ironbark of small size; the grass very inferior, with
+patches of triodia on the ridges; then traversed a level country covered
+with small trees and dry grass for two hours, after which we followed a
+dry watercourse, with large hollows in its bed, to the north-north-west
+for one hour; the shells of large unios abundant, but no water; altered
+the course to the east; passed two lines of box-trees crossing the plain
+from the south to the north, and at 5.50 p.m. camped in the plain without
+water; a strong breeze from the south-east during the day had rendered
+the heat less oppressive than usual.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 12 minutes 40 seconds; variation of compass 5
+degrees east.
+
+<p>THE FLINDERS RIVER.
+
+<p>9th September.
+
+<p>Left our waterless camp at 6.10 a.m., steering north 50 degrees east
+magnetic over a level grassy plain; at 9.40 reached a fine river of fresh
+water 100 yards wide, but very shallow; pelicans, ducks, and other
+water-fowl were numerous, but very shy and wild; here we camped, although
+the grass was very inferior on the immediate banks of the river, the
+surface of the soil being very much furrowed by the rain; small fragments
+of limestone and a few quartz pebbles have been observed on the surface
+of the plain for the past twenty miles, and a dark limestone rock is
+exposed in the bed of the river, where it has horizontal stratification;
+fragments of flinty slate and trap exist in the gravel of the bed of the
+river, which, from its position, must be the Flinders River of the
+charts.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 18 degrees 8 minutes 41 seconds; variation of
+compass 4 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+<p>10th September.
+
+<p>6.10 a.m. again found us in the saddle, and crossing the right bank
+followed it to the south-south-east till 7.20, when it turned to the
+south-south-west, and changing our course to the east, passed through a
+fine grassy plain for two miles, and entered a level open box-flat, well
+grassed, the soil a brown loam; this continued till 2.30 p.m., when we
+entered a belt of terminalia, and at 1.0 reached a small watercourse, and
+camped at a fine waterhole fifty yards wide and 100 yards long,
+apparently deep and permanent water, with open grassy banks; this
+waterhole would render a great extent of the fine grassy country around
+available for pasturage; in passing through the box forest we observed
+several sleeping places which had been constructed by the blacks during
+the wet season; they consisted of four stakes two feet high, supporting a
+platform of small sticks five feet long and two and a half feet wide;
+three to twenty of these frames would be grouped together, and were
+frequent till we reached the Gilbert River.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 10 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>11th September.
+
+<p>At 6.20 a.m. steered east for one hour through level box and terminalia
+flats, with good grass and brown loam; came to a fine lagoon eighty yards
+wide and nearly one mile long; beyond this was a creek with small pools
+of water; as it appeared to come from the south-east, we steered in that
+direction, but soon receded from it, as its course changed to
+south-south-east, and altering our course more to the southward, at noon
+came again on the creek, much reduced in size; melaleuca scrub and
+triodia growing close to its banks, and only a few shallow pools of
+water, nearly dried up, and very little grass; at 12.25 p.m. camped at a
+small pool. On the banks of the lagoon passed in the morning large heaps
+of mussel-shells showed the spots where, from the vast accumulation, the
+blacks had for many centuries camped successively on the same spots, and
+a well-beaten footpath along the bank showed that it was a favourite
+resort of the aboriginals. The common flies are very troublesome; very
+few birds, and no kangaroos have been seen during the last few days'
+journey.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 18 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+<p>12th September.
+
+<p>The course of the creek being from the south and water very scarce in its
+bed, it does not appear that we have yet reached the streams rising in
+the high land at the head of the Burdekin and Lynd rivers; it therefore
+appeared expedient to steer an east-north-east course till some
+stream-bed of sufficient size to retain water at this season can be
+found, and then to follow it up to the ranges where alone water can be
+expected to be found to enable us to steer to the south-east. At an
+earlier season of the year, when water is abundant, it would be more
+desirable to ascend the Flinders, and cross from its upper branches to
+the head of the Clark; but under present circumstances this course would
+be highly imprudent, and no experimental deviations from the most direct
+course would be justifiable. The grass being scanty, the horses had
+scattered much, and we did not leave the camp till 10.20 a.m., when we
+steered east-north-east. A short mile from our camp passed four blacks at
+a pool of water; they did not observe us till we had passed, though only
+100 yards distant, and the country very open. Our route was through a
+level country, wooded with box, bloodwood, terminalia, grevillia, and
+broad-leafed melaleuca, triodia, and patches of grass. The soil is a hard
+ironstone gravel and clay. Passing several dry beds of shallow lagoons,
+came to a small dry watercourse coming from the east; at 12.20 p.m.
+camped at a shallow pool of water scarcely four inches deep. Near the
+camp were some fine grassy flats, but limited in extent, and the grass
+very dry. The cool southerly breezes have ceased, and the north-east and
+westerly winds are light and very warm.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 14 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+<p>13th September.
+
+<p>At 8.5 a.m. steered east-north-east through box-flats with broad-leafed
+melaleuca, with a little grass. The country gradually became more scrubby
+with grevillia, terminalia, bloodwood, and triodia; the soil very poor,
+and in some parts sand and gravel. At 2.0 p.m. altered the course to
+north, and at 5.50 came to a dry creek in a rocky channel trending west,
+which we followed down till 6.15, and camped without water.
+
+<p>14th September (Sunday).
+
+<p>At 5.50 proceeded down the creek on a nearly west course, searching the
+channel in its winding course for water, but without success, till 10.0,
+when we found a pool of good water fifty yards long and two feet deep, at
+which we encamped. Some blacks had been camped at this pool, and their
+fires were still burning. The country on the creek is very poor, with
+patches of open melaleuca scrub, box, bloodwood, leguminous ironbark,
+terminalia, white-gum, and a few pandanus, triodia, and a little very dry
+grass. The soil sandstone, with ironstone gravel. The native bee appears
+to be very numerous, and great numbers of trees have been cut by the
+blacks to obtain the honey.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 59 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+<p>LEVEL COUNTRY. SCARCITY OF WATER.
+
+<p>15th September.
+
+<p>At 8.15 a.m. resumed our journey north 10 degrees magnetic, over a very
+level country thinly wooded with box, bloodwood, melaleuca, terminalia,
+grevillia, and cotton-trees, also a small tree which we recognised as
+Leichhardt's little bread-tree, the fruit of which, when ripe, is mealy
+and acid, but made some of the party, who ate it, sick. Several dry
+watercourses trending west were crossed, and at 2.5 p.m. camped at a
+small waterhole in a sandy creek, fifteen yards wide. By enlarging the
+hole we obtained, though with difficulty, a sufficient supply of water
+for our horses. On the flats near the creek the grass was good, but very
+dry.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 46 minutes 11 seconds.
+
+<p>16th September.
+
+<p>Although our horses required a day's rest, none of our camps for some
+days had afforded a sufficient supply of water and grass for a second
+night; we therefore continued a north 20 degrees east course at 6.25
+a.m.; at 7.30 a.m. came to a creek which we followed east an hour and a
+half, when it was reduced to a small gully, and again steered
+north-north-east, passing over much poor country with patches of
+melaleuca scrub, the country perfectly level; at 2.0 p.m. came to a sandy
+creek which we followed to the west till 6.5 p.m. without any water;
+camped in an open grassy box flat; I then walked down the creek, and was
+fortunate in finding a pool of water half a mile distant, and as soon as
+the moon rose we drove the horses to the water and filled our
+saddle-bags. Few parts of our journey have been through country so
+destitute of animal life as the level plain we have traversed since
+leaving the Flinders River--no kangaroo or even their track; emu tracks
+very rare, and very few birds were at the waterholes. Many of the
+sleeping-frames of the blacks have been observed, and thousands of deep
+impressions of their feet in the now dry and sun-baked clay show that
+during the rainy season the extremely level nature of the country causes
+it to be extensively inundated.
+
+<p>17th September.
+
+<p>The supply of water and grass being sufficient, we remained at this camp
+to refresh the horses, which had suffered much from the long stages.
+
+<p>Latitude by Capella 17 degrees 34 minutes 5 seconds; variation of compass
+4 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+<p>DRIED HORSE-FLESH.
+
+<p>18th September.
+
+<p>Starting at 7.0 a.m., steered north 10 degrees east magnetic till 12.30
+p.m., crossing a level country with frequent hollows which form lagoons
+in the wet season, reaching a sandy creek with several channels, which we
+searched in vain for water; but found a fine lagoon about a quarter of a
+mile from it, in a grassy flat, in which we encamped. The country
+generally was more open, with grassy box-flats; melaleuca scrubs less
+frequent. As this camp appeared suitable for a halt of a few days, I
+decided on availing ourselves of the opportunity, and to kill one of the
+unserviceable horses and replenish our stock of meat and supply the party
+with fresh provisions. Old Boco, who had not carried a pack since leaving
+the Albert, and whose wandering and kicking propensities had rendered him
+a troublesome animal, was therefore shot, skinned and quartered.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 21 minutes 20 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees 15 minutes east.
+
+<p>19th September.
+
+<p>The horse was cut into thin slices and hung on ropes to dry by 10.0 a.m.,
+the liver and heart furnishing the party with an excellent dinner.
+
+<p>20th September.
+
+<p>The night had been cloudy, but the meat dried well, and promised to be
+fit to pack the following day, the weather being very hot with little
+wind. Reduced the ration of flour to three-quarters of a pound per diem
+while fresh meat is abundant.
+
+<p>21st September.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 8.15 a.m. and traversed on a course north 40
+degrees east a level plain grassy country thinly wooded with box,
+bloodwood, and terminalia, etc. The soil a dark loam of good quality, but
+very wet in the rainy season. At 11.30 a.m. came on a large creek or
+river with many sandy channels in which only a few small pools of water
+remained; followed it up to the east-south-east through fine open grassy
+flats till 2.35 p.m. and camped in the bed of the river. The banks of the
+river (which is probably the Gilbert of Leichhardt) are well grassed, and
+a dense line of melaleuca, leucodendron, flooded-gum, and morinda, mark
+its course through the plain; but being divided into many channels its
+size is difficult to ascertain. Considerable quantities of mica are mixed
+with the soil on its banks, which indicates that it rises in country of
+primary formation. Two kangaroos, some wallabies, and pink and
+sulphur-crested white cockatoos were seen near the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 18 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+<p>THE GILBERT RIVER.
+
+<p>22nd September.
+
+<p>Leaving our camp at 7.25 a.m., steered north 120 degrees east across the
+plains on the left bank of the river, and at 1.30 p.m. camped at a small
+pool in the sandy bed of the Gilbert, which is broad, sandy, and retains
+very little water. Fragments of porphyry, quartz, and black slate are
+abundant in the drift, and mica, iserine, and minute garnets exist.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 25 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+<p>23rd September.
+
+<p>At 7.5 a.m. continued our journey up the river's left bank, the average
+course south-east by east; at 2.50 p.m., camped at a small pool in the
+bed of the river; the principal channel is 200 yards wide, and the
+smaller ones occupy a breadth of half a mile; the banks are low, and the
+country quite level, thinly wooded with box-trees; the grass good, but
+not thick; water very scarce, except by digging in the sand of the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Cygni 17 degrees 36 minutes; variation of compass 5 degrees
+east.
+
+<p>24th September.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. steered south-east, and at 8.0 crossed to the right bank of
+the river, the channel 300 yards wide, with banks fifteen feet high,
+beyond which the ground gradually declined, so that when the river
+overflows a great extent of country must be inundated. Continuing our
+course, the river turned more to the south, and we passed through some
+poor stunted forest of eucalypti, alternating with grassy box-flats. At
+noon altered the course south-south-east, and at 12.30 p.m. camped at a
+chain of small lagoons in the shade of some fine nonda-trees.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 45 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+<p>25th September.
+
+<p>At 6.35 a.m. steered south-east through an open melaleuca scrub, the soil
+sandy loam, thinly grassed; acacia, bloodwood, silver-leafed ironbark,
+and grevillia forming open patches of wood at intervals. At noon turned
+south, and at 1.35 p.m. camped at a small lagoon nearly dry and half a
+mile from the bank of the river; a few hills rose close to the south-west
+of the river opposite our camp, the lower ridges grassy, the higher hills
+wooded, but not exceeding 500 feet above the plain. The bed of the river
+is broad, dry, and sandy, and the box-flats much reduced in width, seldom
+exceeding a mile. At 5.0 p.m. there was a heavy squall with rain and
+lightning, followed by a cloudy night and moderate breeze from the south.
+
+<p>26th September.
+
+<p>At 6.45 a.m. resumed our route, and, following up the right bank of the
+river in a south-east direction till 2.0 p.m., when we camped in the
+sandy bed of the river, procuring water from a small hole in the sand.
+The country on the banks of the river consisted of box flats, some parts
+well grassed, but usually very poor; this extended about half a mile, and
+then changed gradually to a poor country with little grass and small
+eucalypti and melaleuca, the soil gravel and sand. The bed of the river
+continues to be about 300 yards wide, dry, and sandy; a line of
+melaleuca, morinda, flooded-gum and fig trees, grow along it and mark its
+course.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 18 degrees 10 minutes 10 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+<p>27th September.
+
+<p>Steered an average south-east course up the river from 6.40 a.m. till 1.0
+p.m., when we camped at some pools of water in a side channel of the
+river, where it was divided by a hillock of slate-rock. The country is
+inferior in quality, the flats narrowing to an average of half a mile
+with very dry and thinly scattered tufts of grass. The bed of the river
+is better defined, and formed at times a single channel 250 yards wide,
+dry and sandy, as water was only once seen during the day. Low rocky
+ridges of sandstone gradually approached its banks, and near the camp
+porphyry, slate, and coarse granite formed detached hills 50 to 100 feet
+high, seeming to indicate an approach to the ranges in which the stream
+takes its rise.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 15 minutes 21 seconds.
+
+<p>GRANITE, PORPHYRY, AND SLATE.
+
+<p>28th September (Sunday).
+
+<p>Walked out from the camp to a low hill about one mile south-south-east.
+It was composed of granite at the base and capped with horizontal strata
+of sandstone, some of the beds containing large water-worn pebbles, and
+the superstratum highly ferruginous. To the south-west of this hill the
+rock was slate, the strata nearly vertical; the strike north and south,
+but much contorted, and large pebbles of porphyry, quartz, slate,
+granite, sandstone, and agate formed banks in the bed of the river. The
+country, as seen from the hill, was generally level in appearance, but
+consisted of numerous low ridges and detached hills of granite, with
+sandstone on the summits. The valley of the river extended to the east
+and south, and a large branch appeared to join from the south about ten
+miles lower down, as a valley and some ranges of hills trended in that
+direction. The whole face of the country had an arid and desolate aspect,
+as there were no large trees except along the principal watercourses, and
+many of the hills appeared destitute of any other vegetation besides
+small acacias and scrub trees, the bare rock showing through its scanty
+covering.
+
+<p>29th September.
+
+<p>At 7.15 a.m. again steered east up the river, the country level and
+timbered with stringybark, box, bloodwood, leguminous ironbark, and rusty
+gum; the soil a red sandy loam, thinly grassed; at 10.30 a.m. came to low
+hills and ridges of granite and porphyry, timbered with box, leguminous
+ironbark, terminalia, and the grass somewhat improved. Altered the course
+at 11.0 a.m. to the south to close in with the river; but after crossing
+a great number of dry watercourses, and even steering west, only reached
+the bank of the river at sunset. The channel was dry, and all the
+vegetation had disappeared, only a barren waste of coarse sand and gravel
+180 yards wide, with bare rocky banks, showed that it had once been a
+running stream. A few small hollows in the rocks retained water from the
+late rain, but not sufficient for our horses, and though we found a small
+pool in the sand, it was insufficient for the supply of the party.
+Encamped at 6.0 p.m. The geological structure of this portion of the
+country is wholly dissimilar to any other part of North Australia we have
+yet traversed. Granite, porphyry, and slate are the prevailing rocks. The
+whole appear to have been subjected to considerable disturbance, as the
+slate is much broken and contorted, and in several parts altered by
+contact with the porphyry, and no definite strike or dip appeared to
+exist. The porphyry is of a red-brown colour, consisting of grey paste
+with crystal of felspar and angular fragments of slate and granite
+sometimes one foot in length. The granite contains little mica, and the
+quartz frequently is arranged in rhomboidal crystals nearly parallel to
+each other; it readily decomposes, and from the predominance of quartz
+forms a coarse gritty soil. Quartz-rock forms large beds and veins in the
+granite, and has a general trend north and south. It often contains
+crystals of mica, and therefore not likely to contain metals. In washing
+the sand of the river near Camp 83, only a small quantity of titaniferous
+iron remained after the removal of the quartz and mica. It was in this
+locality that the Gilbert Gold Field was afterwards discovered.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 25 minutes 33 seconds.
+
+<p>30th September.
+
+<p>Moved the camp about one mile higher up the river to some small pools of
+water, and then with Mr. H. Gregory ascended the hills to the south of
+the camp. From the highest ridge the course of the river was visible for
+nearly twenty miles, trending first seven miles south-south-west and then
+south-south-east; at the bend a branch appeared to join from
+west-south-west, in which direction the country appeared very flat for
+fifteen or twenty miles, as only a few distant hills were visible; from
+north round to south-east the country was very broken and hilly, rising
+highest to the north-east, but the view was limited to eight or ten
+miles; south-east a valley opened through hills, and more distant ranges
+were indistinctly seen beyond. The whole aspect of the country was
+barren, rock forming the principal feature. Returning to the camp,
+collected a quantity of the clustered figs on the bank of the creek; this
+fruit is rather insipid.
+
+<p>1st October.
+
+<p>Steering an average south-south-east course from 7.40 a.m. till 2.40
+p.m., camped on the right bank of the river, which first came from
+south-west and then from south-east, throwing off two branches to the
+south-west, and was thereby diminished to 100 yards wide at our camp;
+only one creek and some gullies joined from the east, although the
+country in that direction was hilly; the bed of the river was still dry
+and sandy; water very scarce. Slate, quartz, schist, granite, and trap
+are the principal rocks, and by their decomposition do not produce a soil
+favourable to vegetation, the country becoming more desolate as we
+advanced. The only trees which retain their verdure are those which grow
+on the banks of the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 40 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+<p>RECONNOITRE TO THE EASTWARD.
+
+<p>2nd October.
+
+<p>The river above the camp coming from the south-south-west, it appeared
+desirable to pursue a more eastern course, and I therefore started from
+the camp at 6.30 a.m., accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, to reconnoitre the
+country, steering east three miles over low slate hills (the strata
+dipping 60 degrees to 80 degrees to south by west); ascended a hill from
+which a range of hills were seen eight to ten miles to the east of a
+creek rising in them and joining the river near the camp to the
+east-south-east; at the head of the creek a gap in the hills showed a
+more distant range of hills; steering in this direction, came to the
+creek with a sandy and rocky bed ten yards wide and perfectly dry;
+ascending the range of hills, found them to consist of gneiss, schist,
+and slate, trap existing on the lower ridges. A large valley extended
+across our course to the east, beyond which a range of flat-topped hills
+or tableland bounded the horizon. Descending to the east the country
+improved and granite constituted the principal rock, ironbark and a few
+box-trees forming an open forest which on some of the ridges was well
+grassed; the soil a red loam. At 2.0 p.m. came on a small river with a
+dry sandy bed eighty yards wide; following it down to the south found a
+small pool of water in a hollow in the sand; here we halted till 3.30,
+and then followed the river south-west, south-east, south-west, west, and
+south; at 6.10 ascended a hill on the left hand, from which we saw that
+the river turned west and north-west, breaking through the hills and
+joining the Gilbert River. Having ascertained that we were still on a
+western watercourse, we bivouacked near the river without water.
+
+<p>3rd October.
+
+<p>At daybreak steered north-west, crossing several rocky ridges of hills,
+and at 2.0 p.m. reached the camp. Nothing of importance had occurred
+during our absence; the horses had improved by the two days' rest.
+
+<p>4th October.
+
+<p>At 7.15 a.m. left the camp, and, following an average east-south-east
+course for seven hours, reached the pools found on the 2nd, in the upper
+branch of the Gilbert River, and encamped. As this route nearly coincided
+with that on the 2nd, nothing was seen worthy of farther notice.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 47 minutes 54 seconds.
+
+<p>5th October.
+
+<p>At 6.45 a.m. left the camp and followed up the river in an
+east-north-east direction for three miles; water was abundant in the
+gullies owing to a heavy shower some days previous. Beyond three miles
+the water ceased and the country was dry and parched. Low hills of schist
+trap and granite formed a country near the river, and farther back high
+ranges bounded the valley; they appeared to be flat-topped and with
+horizontal strata of sandstone on the summits. At noon the river had
+divided into several small branches, and the character of the country did
+not promise the existence of water within the space of a day's journey;
+we returned down the river to the last water we had seen, and camped
+about three miles north-east of our last camp. As there was little
+prospect of finding water again till the range to the east of our present
+position was crossed, I decided on reconnoitring the country before
+moving the party farther, and as the weather promised to continue fine,
+the horse Monkey was shot and skinned preparatory to drying the meat
+during my absence.
+
+<p>6th October.
+
+<p>At 6.5 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory, steering nearly east,
+crossed the south branch of the river, and reached the base of the higher
+range at 9.30; here we found a small spring a quarter of a mile south of
+a remarkable hill formed of a single mass of bare rock completely
+honeycombed by the action of the atmosphere; ascended the range, which
+consisted of porphyry with horizontal sandstone on the summit; we
+continued our east course over rocky hills with dry watercourses trending
+north; the grass was very thin and dry; and the country was openly wooded
+with acacia, eucalypti, cypress, etc., none of which attained a large
+size; at 1.30 p.m. halted to rest the horses, and searching among the
+rocks in the gullies obtained about three quarts of water by digging; at
+2.45 resumed our route, traversing a hilly country, and at 4.15 ascended
+a granite hill with sandstone summit, from which the view was very
+extensive. Large valleys seemed to join and trend from south to north,
+and were bounded by ranges, except to the east, where a level plain or
+wide valley extended to the horizon. In the valley a line of green trees
+five miles distant marked the course of a creek. Descending the range we
+encountered a very rocky country with deep gullies, in one of which we
+found a few gallons of water, which our horses consumed. As there was no
+grass here, we pushed on till dusk, and bivouacked in a small patch of
+grass by the side of a dry gully. The country east of the range is
+entirely granitic; grass very scanty, and very thinly wooded with
+ironbark.
+
+<p>CROSS A GRANITE RANGE.
+
+<p>7th October.
+
+<p>Continued an east course at 5.50 a.m., and at 7.50 reached the large
+creek, which was 100 yards wide with shallow sandy bed; the banks low and
+thinly timbered with ironbark and a few box trees; the soil poor and
+sandy, producing little grass. Large casuarina and flooded-gum trees grew
+in the channel of the creek, which we followed three miles to the
+north-east without finding any water, and only two spots where it could
+be procured by digging; we therefore returned up the creek, and dug a
+well at the most eligible spot, procuring an abundance of good water; at
+2.20 p.m. commenced our return route towards the camp, and following up
+the spurs of the range found a practicable route for the pack-horses;
+passed the highest point of the range at 6.0, and bivouacked at a small
+dry watercourse at 7.15 p.m.
+
+<p>8th October.
+
+<p>Resumed our route at 6.0 a.m., and deviating to the north of the outward
+route, found a small pool of water in a rocky gully, and following it
+down a mile came to a pool of sufficient size to supply the whole party.
+At 10.30 reached Bowman's Spring at the foot of the range, and by digging
+in the moist soil obtained a little water. As we approached the spring a
+small party of blacks shouted to us from the summit of one of the hills,
+but did not descend to us, though we halted till 12.30 p.m., and then
+resumed our route, reaching the camp at 4.0, and found the party all
+well; the horse-meat quite dry and fit for carriage. Bowman had also
+replaced the shoes on all the horses. The geological character gradually
+changes, in consequence of the larger development of the older rocks, as
+we proceed to the eastward. At the camp gneiss, porphyry, and trap have
+superseded the slates, and proceeding east, granite is visible at the
+western base of the range. This is covered by a thick mass of porphyry,
+containing large fragments of slate, gneiss and granite in its lower
+part, and in its upper portion it has a fine grain and light colour.
+Being deeply cracked by vertical fissures, it forms vertical columns of
+rhomboidal form, resembling basalt. The summits of the higher hills are
+formed by horizontal beds of white sandstone, containing water-worn
+pebbles of quartz. Granite supersedes the other rocks as the east slope
+of the range is approached, and is there occasionally intercepted by
+veins of dark trap.
+
+<p>9th October.
+
+<p>Proposed to start from the camp at the usual time, but four of the horses
+could not be found, and owing to the rocky nature of the country the
+tracks were not found till late in the evening, when tracing them some
+miles I found them at sunset in a secluded valley.
+
+<p>10th October.
+
+<p>This morning we were more successful in collecting the horses, and
+started from the camp at 6.35 a.m., and steering an easterly course
+reached the fate of the range at 10.20 and the summit at noon. Following
+our previous track, reached the pool of water at 1.0 p.m. and camped.
+Near the camp the xanthorrhoea first made its appearance.
+
+<p>CROSS THE MAIN DIVIDING RANGE.
+
+<p>11th October.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 7.0 a.m., steered an easterly course over somewhat
+barren granite country, timbered with cypress and ironbark; passed close
+to a hill on the highest point of the range, the summit of which, by
+approximate measurement, rose to 2500 feet above the sea. Then following
+a spur of the range we reached the well in the sandy creek at 1.5 p.m.
+Having cleared out the sand and banked it up with stakes and brushwood, a
+plentiful supply of water was obtained at about five feet below the
+surface of the dry channel.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 45 minutes 53 seconds.
+
+<p>12th October.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. steered north 60 degrees east over undulating granite
+country, timbered with ironbark and box, the grass scanty and very dry;
+at 8.45 crossed a large creek coming from the south. Its channel was 100
+yards wide, dry, sandy, and a few pools of shallow water; the banks ten
+to twenty feet high. Crossing several gullies trending northward, at noon
+came on a dry sandy creek, also trending to the north. On its right bank
+was a level flat of cellular lava or basalt. Following the course of the
+creek, at 1.50 p.m. camped at a fine lagoon a quarter of a mile long and
+seventy yards wide, the water appearing to be about ten feet deep,
+although unusually low at the present time. A high range of hills exist
+to the north of this creek, and the watercourses all trend to the
+north-west; and, as our latitude is the same as the Reedy Brook of
+Leichhardt on the south-west side of the Valley of Lagoons, it is evident
+that these streams do not join the Burdekin, but are tributary to the
+Lynd, joining it probably at the southern bend.
+
+<p>Latitude by b Aurigae 18 degrees 38 minutes 12 seconds.
+
+<p>13th October.
+
+<p>At 6.25 a.m. steered east and traversed a slightly undulating granite
+country, with small watercourses trending west-south-west. Ironbark and
+box formed an open forest, the soil poor and gritty, with a few patches
+of black soil, with blocks of lava on the surface. At 11.15 ascended a
+small hill of lava, from which the country appeared very level to the
+east. To the north-east large hills rose about twelve miles distant;
+ranges also bounded the plain to the south, and some distant summits were
+visible to the south-east. Continuing an east course, lava became more
+frequent, and at length covered the whole surface. At 2.30 p.m. came on
+several streams of lava, forming ridges of rugged rocks, which were
+crossed with difficulty. These streams of lava appeared to have run from
+north to south, the thickness twenty to thirty feet, and breadth very
+variable. The level ground was lightly timbered with ironbark and box. At
+5.25 turned to the south-east, following a small gully. Passed a small
+native well; but very little water in it, and the rock prevented it being
+enlarged. At 6.15 camped near some large rocks, in which five or six
+gallons of rainwater had collected. Walking down the creek one and a half
+miles in search of water, found two small pools of rainwater; but the
+darkness of the night and broken nature of the ground prevented the party
+moving to them.
+
+<p>14th October.
+
+<p>Moved the camp to the waterholes found last night, one and a half miles
+down the gully. The country is here granite formation, undulating and
+moderately grassed, and wooded with box and ironbark. The day was cloudy,
+but cleared at night, and I took sights for time, latitude, and lunar
+distance. Chronometer 2287 would not wind up in the morning, and stopped
+during the day, but, having run down, wound again without difficulty.
+
+<p>Longitude by lunar distances 144 degrees 33 minutes 15 seconds; latitude
+by e Pegasi 18 degrees 41 minutes 38 seconds; variation of compass 5
+degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+<p>15th October.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 7.0 a.m., and followed the course of the creek to
+the south-east. The north-east side was a plain of lava, and the
+south-west consisted of granite ridges with sandstone on the summits.
+Several small creeks joined from the south-west, and increased the
+principal channel considerably. At 10.0 the country was more level and
+openly timbered with box and bloodwood; grass was abundant and green,
+owing to heavy rains, which appear to have been accompanied with hail, as
+the west-north-west sides of the trees were much bruised and the soil
+indented, and a great portion of the leaves torn from the trees. At 1.15
+p.m. camped on a small tributary creek. The country appears to be chiefly
+granite and mica schist, with thin beds or streams of lava, which have
+come from the ranges to the north and advanced to various distances into
+the more level land. The surface of the lava is more thinly wooded and
+better grassed than the granite; but the roughness of the surface and
+scarcity of water rendered it less convenient travelling. From one of the
+higher ridges we had a wide but imperfect view of the country. The air
+being hazy, only a few of the marked features of the ranges to the north
+were visible; to the east a high hill twenty-five miles distant rose
+beyond an undulating wooded country. At 6.0 a heavy thunderstorm caused
+the creek to run for several hours.
+
+<p>Latitude by Capella 18 degrees 49 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+<p>THE BURDEKIN RIVER. A CAMP OF LEICHHARDT'S.
+
+<p>16th October.
+
+<p>The rain having passed away, the morning was clear and cool, and at 6.35
+a.m. resumed our journey, steering average south-east, crossing the creek
+several times, and at 11.0 reached the bank of the Burdekin River, which
+had a strong stream of water flowing in its channel, which is here about
+100 yards wide, but full of casuarina and melaleuca trees; the banks
+steep and cut with deep gullies. Following the river to the south-east,
+at 2.0 p.m. camped in a large open grassy flat a mile from the river,
+obtaining water from a small pool filled by the rain last night.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 57 minutes 48 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees east.
+
+<p>17th October.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. resumed our journey, steering east and south for two hours
+over level flats; then turning east crossed a steep range of sandstone
+hills, the strata nearly vertical; the strike north and south; thin veins
+of quartz intersected the rock in every direction, forming a complete
+network. The steepness of the country compelled us to turn north-east to
+the bank of the river, which we followed to the south-east; the banks
+were high and cut by deep gullies. At 12.30 p.m. the hills receded, and
+we entered some fine flats. Here I picked up a fragment of the
+shoulder-bone of a bullock, and observed several trees that had been cut
+with iron axes; and as the latitude corresponds with that of Dr.
+Leichhardt's camp of the 26th April, 1845, the bone doubtless belonged to
+the bullock he killed at this place. At 1.5 camped on the bank of the
+river. The Moreton-Bay ash, poplar gum, and a rough-barked gum-tree with
+very green leaves, were added to the ironbark, bloodwood, and other
+eucalypti which constituted the forest, while casuarina and Melaleuca
+leucodendron grow in the beds of the larger watercourses. The channel of
+the river is about 150 yards, with a small stream winding along the sandy
+bed; much of the running water is due to the late rain, but it is evident
+from the character of the vegetation that it continues to run throughout
+the dry season.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Cygni 19 degrees 37 seconds.
+
+<p>18th October.
+
+<p>Continued our route at 6.25 a.m., steering nearly east till 8.30, when
+the river turned to the north round a range of sandstone hills, crossing
+which, reached the river again at 10.5 flowing south, with fine
+openly-timbered flats on the banks; steering south till 1.0 p.m., camped
+on the bank of the river just below a ridge of slate rock which crossed
+the channel. From the hills, at 9.0, we saw a fine valley joining that of
+the Burdekin from the east; it was bounded by a steep range to the south,
+which terminated two miles from the river. South-west of our position
+were several flat-topped hills, which appeared to be a continuation of
+the range crossed yesterday. To the south only a few distant hills were
+visible, the view being obstructed by trees. The flats on the banks of
+the river are well grassed and openly timbered with ironbark, Moreton-Bay
+ash, bloodwood, and poplar gum; the soil varying from a soft brown loam
+into which our horses sank deeply, to a firm black or brown clay loam;
+the ranges were stony and thinly grassed; the timber box and ironbark.
+The geological features consist of a fine-grained sandstone
+interstratified with slate and coarse conglomerates. The sandstone is
+intersected in every direction with veins of quartz, which do not appear
+to enter the slate. The dip of the strata is nearly vertical, the strike
+north and south. The whole appear to have been much disturbed and
+altered; neither granite nor trap has been observed since yesterday
+morning. Consumed the last of the dried horse-meat, and increased the
+ration of flour to one pound per diem.
+
+<p>19th October (Sunday).
+
+<p>Remained at the camp to rest the party; the day was cloudy, with variable
+breeze from the south-east to north-east and north; no observations for
+latitude could be taken till early on Monday morning, and even then the
+altitudes were imperfect; the stream of running water in the bed of the
+river has increased, but is still quite clear.
+
+<p>Latitude by Saturn 19 degrees 7 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+<p>CROSS THE CLARK RIVER.
+
+<p>20th October.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 6.40 a.m., steering south-east through fine grassy
+flats till 10.0, when we crossed the Clark River, and altered the course
+to east over well-grassed flats, to the foot of a rocky range of
+sandstone hills, which we reached at noon, and ascending by a steep spur,
+at 2.30 p.m. attained the highest ridge; here sandstone was the
+prevailing rock; xanthorrhoea, silver-leafed ironbark, and triodia
+constituted the principal vegetation; descending gradually, at 3.30
+reached a small creek with a patch of good green grass on its banks, and
+at 3.45 halted at some small waterholes, which appeared to be permanent;
+except near the creek, the country was poor and stony, with a forest of
+ironbark and box trees; the country between the Clark and the Burdekin
+appears to be of excellent quality, consisting of well-grassed flats,
+timbered with ironbark, Moreton-Bay ash, poplar, gum, and box trees. The
+Clark is about 100 yards wide, with a sandy bed crossed by ridges of
+slate rock; the banks are sixty to eighty feet high, and the marks of
+last year's flood thirty to thirty-five feet, the trees being bent and
+broken by the force of the current; more water appears to come down the
+Clark during floods, but the Burdekin has a more constant stream, the
+Clark containing only shallow pools of water, separated by dry sand and
+rock; after leaving the immediate flats of the river the country was very
+poor and stony; the late rains had not extended so far, and the grass had
+the dry and parched appearance which characterised the country on the
+banks of the Gilbert.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 14 minutes 2 seconds.
+
+<p>FRIENDLY NATIVES.
+
+<p>21st October.
+
+<p>6.15 a.m., resumed our journey and traversed an inferior country of
+sandstone and porphyry; box, silver-leafed ironbark, and triodia
+characterized the vegetation; in crossing one of these gullies, in which
+were some pools of water, Bowman's horse fell over the bank into the
+pool, and he got some severe bruises; at 10.15 came on the river, where
+it ran over a ledge of rocks forming a succession of rapids, below which
+it spread out into a broad sheet of sand a quarter of a mile wide, and
+turned to the south. As Bowman had fallen some distance in the rear, I
+selected the first suitable spot, and at 11.0 encamped, and shortly after
+Mr. H. Gregory came in with Bowman to camp. On the bank of the river we
+saw two black gins, who climbed a tree on our approach, and in the
+afternoon came to the camp with an old man, and after some unintelligible
+conversation departed; they had neither clothes or weapons, except a
+throwing-stick of the same form as those used by the blacks of the
+southern shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria. The geological character of
+the country has been sandstone, much altered by contact with porphyry
+which has been forced through it; both dip and strike are confused, and
+could not be ascertained to have any general angle or direction, except
+in the bed of the river, where the strata dipped 10 degrees to the north,
+but in the hills, on the left bank below the camp, the strata was
+horizontal; the river is now 150 yards wide at the narrowest parts, a
+small stream of water, one foot deep and ten to twenty yards wide,
+running in a winding course through the sand, and sometimes expanding
+into sheets of water occupying the whole breadth of the channel.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 16 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+<p>22nd October.
+
+<p>At 6.15 a.m. steered south and followed the right bank of the river; for
+the first hour the country was hilly on both banks, with deep gullies; it
+then became more level, and opened into flats, well grassed; the timber
+box, ironbark, and Moreton-Bay ash; the soil a light brown loam in some
+parts, sandy and very soft from the numerous excavations of the funnel
+ant. These flats extended one to two miles back and then rose into low
+ridges of poor land, timbered with box and ironbark; crossed a sandy
+creek coming from the west, and at 1.30 p.m. camped on the right bank of
+the river. A short distance from the camp surprised a black and his gin
+and a child; the man climbed a tree and the woman ran off with the child,
+leaving a small water vessel, hollowed out of a piece of wood, and a
+calabash full of water. The rocks near the last camp were sandstone or
+porphyry; in the only exposed section the sandstone dipped to the north 5
+degrees to 15 degrees. We also crossed a hill of porphyry which was
+remarkable for the regularity of cleavage into thick lamina, which were
+vertical, with a north and south strike; but though it had the appearance
+of a stratified rock, its structure was perfectly crystalline. About
+noon, granite, containing large plates of mica, was observed in some of
+the gullies.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Pegasi 19 degrees 29 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+<p>23rd October.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. steered south-south-east and south-east over ridges of
+sandstone, timbered with ironbark and thinly grassed, for an hour and a
+half; again struck the river and passed at the foot of some limestone
+hills and ridges; this limestone contained fragments of shells and coral.
+Altering the course to south, traversed fine open flats half a mile to a
+mile wide, beyond which the country rose into low ridges of limestone. At
+noon basalt appeared covering the limestone and sandstone. The steep
+slope which formed the boundary of this rock was very rugged; but the
+level surface was covered with black soil and well grassed. At 12.55 p.m.
+camped in a fine grassy flat, walled in by steep rocks of basalt. We
+experienced some difficulty in watering the horses, as the bank of the
+river was so steep that they frequently fell back into the river in
+ascending it. The limestone rocks seen on this day's journey appear to
+rise from beneath the sandstones, some of which are very hard and
+close-grained; it dips about 10 degrees to the west and some of the
+adjacent sandstones 20 degrees west, in well-defined strata. The basalt
+covers all the other rocks, filling up the former inequalities of the
+surface and forming a perfectly level plain; where the softer sandstones
+were in contact, they were only baked into a coarse brick-like mass,
+which had had much the appearance of having been formed from the alluvial
+banks of the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Pegasi and a Gruis 19 degrees 42 minutes 10 seconds;
+variation of compass 6 degrees 15 minutes east.
+
+<p>DUCKS, GEESE, AND PELICANS.
+
+<p>24th October.
+
+<p>Leaving our camp at 6.0 a.m., steered south-south-east over well-grassed
+basaltic flats, timbered thinly with ironbark, etc.; the soil a red loam.
+At 9.0 a.m. came on a large reedy lagoon or swamp with considerable
+patches of shallow open water, on which were great numbers of ducks,
+geese, pelicans, etc. A broad and deep stream flowed from it to the
+south-east, varying from thirty to eighty yards in width, with a thick
+belt of reeds along the margin, beyond which the ground rose about fifty
+feet to the level surface of the basaltic plain. Following the winding of
+the stream till 10.35 a.m., crossed it at a ledge of basaltic rocks, when
+it formed a fine rapid with vertical fall of eight to ten feet. Beyond
+the running channel a dry sandy creek ran parallel at a distance of 80 to
+100 yards from it. Our course was now between the creek and the steep
+rocky edge of the basaltic plain, which was too rugged for the horses to
+ascend till 11.20 a.m., when, crossing the basalt, we passed to the south
+of a shallow lake about half a mile in diameter. The country now became
+scrubby, with patches of grass. Altering the course more to the east, we
+again entered an open ironbark forest; at 2.0 p.m. crossed a large dry
+sandy creek, beyond which the country was poor and sandy, with pandanus
+growing on the ridges. On the bank of the creek we observed the marks of
+a recent camp of a large party of blacks, and a patch of ground twenty
+yards by thirty yards cleared of grass, and the surface scraped up into
+ridges, the whole covered with footprints, which showed that some dance
+or ceremony had been performed by a large number of men. At 3.30 p.m.
+entered a dense scrub of small crooked eucalypti and acacia, with a few
+sterculia. After losing an hour in attempting to penetrate the scrub, we
+turned north to the dry creek and followed it down till 7.0 p.m., when we
+camped near a pool of water; but the night was so dark that the horses
+could not be watered with safety, the banks being very steep and rendered
+slippery by a slight shower.
+
+<p>25th October.
+
+<p>The grass having been burnt near the camp, the horses had strayed
+considerably, and we did not start till 7.30 a.m., when, turning east, we
+soon came on the Burdekin, which now trended to the south-south-west and
+south-east; the basalt coming close to the river, we were compelled to
+cross a very rough ridge and came on a deep pool of water eighty yards
+wide and half a mile long; it terminated in a dry stony channel which
+joined a sandy creek, and entered the river. Crossing a granite ridge, we
+camped in a fine grassy flat on the bank of the Burdekin, the banks being
+high and steep, but the water easy of access.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 58 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+<p>26th October (Sunday).
+
+<p>Remained at the camp. During the day there was a succession of showers
+without thunder, the clouds and wind from the east. At 10.0 p.m. the rain
+ceased, but the night continued cloudy.
+
+<p>GOOD GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+<p>27th October.
+
+<p>The morning was cloudy, with light rain till 7.0 a.m.; at 7.30 steered
+east-south-east and east over fine grassy ridges of granite and trap
+formation, timbered with ironbark, box, Moreton-Bay ash, and bloodwood;
+the river taking a sweep to the north of the track, but at 10.40 came
+again on its banks. The course was now south till 2.15 p.m., when we
+crossed a large stream-bed from the south-west, with a sandy and rocky
+bed forty yards wide, which contained a few shallow pools of water. Below
+the junction of this tributary the river turned to the east and
+east-north-east, and we crossed low ridges of granite porphyry and trap,
+which came down from the high land to the bank of the river; at 3.30
+encamped. The whole of the country traversed this day was well grassed,
+except about a mile of bauhinia scrub, which did not appear of any
+considerable extent. Ironbark, box, bloodwood, and Moreton-Bay ash formed
+the principal trees with which the country was openly timbered. The
+prevailing rock granite, traversed by numerous veins of dark trap, and in
+the latter part of the day porphyry and schist appeared; concretions of
+limestone were frequent near the trap veins. The soil was somewhat light
+and gritty loam, except on the trap-rocks, where it was rich black soil.
+The available country here appears more extensive than higher up the
+river; more rain has fallen in the early part of the season, and the
+grass is rich and green, especially where it had been previously burnt
+off.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 20 degrees 7 minutes 23 seconds; variation of
+compass 6 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+<p>28th October.
+
+<p>We resumed our journey at 6.25 a.m., steering an east-south-east course,
+but after crossing some fine grassy ironbark ridges, entered a dense
+scrub of acacia, sterculia, bauhinia, and thorny shrubs. Turning north,
+with some difficulty extricated the party from the scrub, which we then
+skirted to the east along the bank of the river till 9.10, when the scrub
+receded, and fine openly-timbered ironbark ridges replaced the scrub.
+These ridges were well-grassed, the rocks granite, trap, and porphyry.
+The country generally appeared well suited for stock; on both sides of
+the river no high ranges were visible. At 2.45 p.m. camped on a fine
+grassy flat, part of which having been burnt, was now covered with
+excellent green grass. The day was cool, with light showers from the
+east. The character of the granite was fine-grained, and intersected by
+veins and masses of trap, and in the latter part of the day's journey
+porphyry was superincumbent. In the scrubs sandstone existed; it was
+coarse-grained, and contained worn boulders of trap, quartz, granite,
+slate, and hard sandstone.
+
+<p>29th October.
+
+<p>As the river below turned to the east of its general course, at 6.20 a.m.
+steered east-south-east and south-east till 9.30, when we again came on
+the river trending south. The country consisted of openly-timbered and
+grassy ironbark ridges, but not equally good with that passed during the
+last two days. The river at 10.0 turned to the south-east, along the foot
+of some steep rocky hills of porphyry resting on granite, and at 11.45
+was joined by a dry creek twenty yards wide, coming from the south-west;
+our course was now east-south-east, passing with difficulty between the
+river and a steep granite hill, beyond which the country became more
+sandy, and rose to the south in long gentle slopes scantily grassed, and
+timbered with bloodwood, ironbark, Moreton-Bay ash, and poplar gum, with
+a few pandanus; an immense number of deep gullies intersected the ground,
+cutting deeply into the granite rock beneath the soil, and rendering it
+difficult to traverse. A fine range of openly-wooded and grassy hills
+rose about two to three miles from the left bank of the river, attaining
+an elevation of 500 to 800 feet above the valley; these hills are
+probably porphyritic; they are the Porter Range of Leichhardt. At 2.45
+p.m. camped on the bank of the Burdekin River.
+
+<p>THE SUTTOR RIVER. MOUNT MCCONNELL.
+
+<p>30th October.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. steered north 120 degrees east, but at 7.0 a.m. came on the
+river trending south, the country gradually became more rugged, and rocky
+hills closed in on both banks forming a deep gorge through which the
+river forced its way. By keeping at the back of some hills we avoided
+much of the rocky ground, crossing at noon a high ridge, from which the
+view extended to the junction of the Burdekin and Suttor Rivers, Mount
+MccOnnell bearing 159 degrees magnetic, and the west end of Porter Range
+334 degrees magnetic. A long range seemed to extend south from Robey
+Range, and bound the valley of the Upper Burdekin, while a high range
+appeared to trend north-east from the eastern side of the Suttor Valley,
+and to turn the Burdekin to the north of east. Continuing our route
+nearly south-east over steep rocky ridges, we encamped in a fine grassy
+flat, a quarter of a mile from the Suttor River, at 1.50 p.m., Mount
+MccOnnell bearing north 172 degrees east magnetic. About 10.0 a.m. we
+heard some blacks calling in our rear, and soon after came in sight, but
+would not allow any of the party to approach them, till one of the
+horsemen cantering up quickly, some of the blacks climbed into trees,
+where, after making signs to them that it was desirable that they should
+pursue an opposite route to ours, we left them to descend at leisure. The
+country passed this day was of a broken character, with deep gullies and
+rocky hills near the river, but was generally well grassed and openly
+timbered with ironbark and Moreton-Bay ash. Granite rock forms the base
+of the hills, and was covered by masses of porphyry, forming hills with
+rocky summits of columnar structure, as at the head of the Gilbert River
+a dark-coloured trap changing into porphyry formed some of the lower
+ridges, and was largely developed on the bank of the Suttor. Thin veins
+of calcareous spar and quartz intersected the granite. The bed of the
+Burdekin where we last saw it, one mile above the junction of the Suttor,
+was about half a mile wide with a stream of water varying from twenty
+yards wide to the whole breadth of the channel, which was very level and
+sandy. The Suttor is but a small river compared with the Burdekin. Near
+the camp it formed some fine reaches of water 180 yards wide, but of no
+great depth. The trees on its banks were much broken and bent by a
+violent flood which had occurred within the year. Considering the number
+of miles we have travelled along the banks of the Burdekin, few
+impediments have been encountered, while the extent of country suited for
+squatting purposes is very considerable--water forming a never-failing
+stream throughout the whole distance.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Gruis and a Pegasi 20 degrees 36 minutes 20 seconds;
+variation of compass 70 degrees east.
+
+<p>THE FIRST BRIGALOW SCRUB.
+
+<p>31st October.
+
+<p>A rainy night was followed by a thick fog in the morning, so that when we
+started at 6.30 a.m. it was with difficulty the deep gullies on the banks
+of the Suttor were avoided; steering south-west for one hour, crossed to
+the right bank of the Suttor, and then by an average south course passed
+to the west of Mount McConnell, which, by its isolated character and
+height (about 600 feet above the river) forms a very conspicuous
+landmark. It is wooded to the summit, and has fine patches of grass on
+the slopes, with cliffs of porphyry near the upper part, this being the
+prevailing rock; on the right bank white shaly rocks and dark trap, with
+veins of calcareous spar and limestone, prevailed on the left bank of the
+Suttor; the country on both sides well grassed and openly timbered with
+ironbark. The bed of the river was very irregular and sandy, with small
+shallow pools of water at intervals; at 11.0 the river came from the
+south-west, but continuing a south course we crossed some fine basaltic
+plains, covered with fine grass and separated by open box forest; at noon
+crossed a sandstone hill, the base of which was porphyry; traversing
+ironbark ridges for an hour, we crossed a sandy creek coming from the
+east, and at 1.0 p.m. encountered the first brigalow scrub; through this
+scrub we steered south-west till 3.40, and camped on a small dry creek
+with a narrow grassy flat; water was obtained from a small gully where it
+had lodged during a shower on the previous night. The country till we
+reached the brigalow scrub was well adapted for pastoral purposes; the
+rock trap, slate, and porphyry, with veins of limestone. The brigalow
+scrub grows on the detritus of a coarse conglomerate, the larger boulders
+of which lay scattered over the surface of the ground; these boulders
+consist of trap, porphyry, sandstone, and quartz, and show marks of being
+water-worn. A range of hills, apparently sandstone, bounds the valley to
+the east from three to seven miles from the river. They have no great
+elevation, and we did not obtain a good view of them from any point.
+
+<p>Latitude by Capella 20 degrees 52 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+<p>1st November.
+
+<p>The horses had strayed so far into the scrub in search of grass that it
+was 9.40 a.m. before they were collected and saddled; we then steered
+south-west through the scrub, which gradually became more open, and at
+11.15 we again reached the river coming from the south-south-east; it
+gradually turned to south and south-south-west; two creeks joined the
+river from the east, but neither of any importance; the brigalow scrub
+came close to the bank of the river, only leaving a narrow flat open; the
+west side of the river we could see but little, except that it consisted
+of wooded ridges and scrub to the east at a distance of one to three
+miles; rocky hills of moderate height existed, and from their flat tops
+and red cliffs near the summit, evidently consisted of sandstone in
+horizontal strata; sandstone was also exposed near the river with a dip
+of 30 degrees to the south; at 3.30 camped on the right bank of the
+Suttor, where a fine grassy plain extended about a mile back, and was
+covered with beautiful green grass; water was abundant, as the river had
+been running during the past week and had filled the hollows in the
+channel, though it had now ceased to flow; the bed is very irregular, and
+consists of three to six channels, which separate and rejoin so as to
+form a complete network, with occasional isolated hollows. Being free
+from scrub, the bed of the river was good travelling ground, large
+flooded-gum trees and melaleuca-trees affording an agreeable shade.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 4 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+<p>2nd November (Sunday).
+
+<p>Grass and water being abundant, we enjoyed a day's rest. Several
+cockatoos were shot; they are similar in colour and form to the
+sulphur-crested cockatoos of the Victoria and Gulf of Carpentaria, but
+much larger in size.
+
+<p>IRON TOMAHAWKS USED BY THE NATIVES.
+
+<p>3rd November.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 6.35 a.m., followed the river in a southerly
+direction till 11.0, when it turned to the east, and we ascended a
+sandstone hill; from the summit there was a fine view of the surrounding
+country. To the east several distant peaks and hills were visible, the
+most remarkable north 86 degrees east magnetic; to the south a low range
+about thirty miles distant, with one large peaked hill, bounded the
+horizon, the intervening country being very level and apparently covered
+with scrub. To the west the valley was bounded by low hills of sandstone.
+Although ironbark ridges are frequent, the general character of the
+country is very scrubby, and this combined with the scarcity of water
+will render it unsuitable for pastoral purposes. Descending the hill,
+steered south-east, crossed a fine basaltic plain, and entered open
+brigalow scrub, and at 2.0 p.m. again came on the Suttor River, which had
+completely altered its character, now consisting of level grassy flats
+with uncertain limits and intersected by long waterholes, which were
+mostly dry; the general course from south-south-west; at 3.30 camped at a
+fine waterhole. Two miles below the camp we surprised some blacks, who
+decamped into the scrub. The country along the river consists of open
+flats, thinly grassed and interspersed with patches of saltbush
+(atriplex), and openly timbered with box and flooded-gum, while ironbark,
+box and brigalow prevail over the rest of the country. The marks of iron
+tomahawks are frequent where the blacks have been cutting honey or
+opposums out of the hollow branches of the trees.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 22 minutes 43 seconds; variation of
+compass 6 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+<p>4th November.
+
+<p>Steering south-west from 7.40 a.m. till 8.5, the river turned suddenly to
+the south-east, and, changing our course to 170 degrees, traversed an
+open brigalow scrub with several shallow channels winding through it in
+an irregular manner. At 10.30 again came on the principal channel of the
+river, which was running, and very muddy from the effect of recent rains
+in the upper part of its course. The banks are very low, and the country
+so level that the floods must frequently extend more than a mile back
+into the scrub, which comes close to the bank on both sides. Box and
+flooded-gum trees grow along the larger channels, and sometimes box flats
+extend into the scrub. We now followed the river south-south-west,
+through a level country covered with dense brigalow scrub, passing only
+one low rocky hill, on the left bank, at 11.20. At 2.15 p.m. the river
+diverged to the eastward, and the course was altered to south. The
+country was more open, and at 3.0 encamped on one of the side channels of
+the river in a fine grassy box flat.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 38 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+<p>5th November.
+
+<p>Steering south-east for one mile, reached the main channel of the river,
+which was followed south. Crossing to the right bank at 7.20 a.m., at
+9.15 a dense brigalow scrub forced us south-west, and again came to the
+river at 10.30. A south course was then followed till 1.0 p.m.; then
+south-east till 4.0; then followed the river south-south-east till 4.50,
+and camped on a large grassy flat. The whole of the country is very level
+and covered with dense brigalow scrubs, except one sandy plain, on which
+triodia was more abundant than grass. Having now passed the latitude of
+Sir T. Mitchell's last camp on the Belyando, and thus connected his route
+with that of Dr. Leichhardt, I considered it unnecessary to follow the
+river further, and decided on taking a south-easterly route to Peak Downs
+and the Mackenzie River.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 57 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>6th November.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. crossed the Belyando, and steered south through brigalow
+scrubs till 9.0; then entered a box and Moreton-Bay ash flat, in which
+was a small gully with rainwater, near which a camp of blacks was
+observed; but they ran into the scrub on our approach. At 9.30 changed
+the course to south-east towards some rocky hills, which were reached at
+11.0. From this we saw several distant ranges to the westward; but the
+intervening twenty to forty miles was very flat. The route was now over
+scrubby sandstone hills for three hours, and then descended into an open
+flat, with box, bloodwood, and Moreton-Bay ash, triodia, and grass
+growing on a sandy loam. At 3.30 p.m. camped at a pool of rainwater in a
+small creek. In crossing the sandstone range we had a view of some high
+peaks twenty to thirty miles distant to the south-south-east; but to the
+east the country was quite level.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 13 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+<p>7th November.
+
+<p>Started at 6.5 a.m., steering south-east; the whole country appeared
+perfectly level with brigalow scrub and patches of open sandy country,
+producing triodia and a little grass; the timber Moreton-Bay ash and box.
+Towards noon the country was more open. At 1.30 p.m. passed a shallow
+pool of rainwater at the edge of a scrub. About a mile further on
+Melville's horse fell, and so bruised his rider that we had to return to
+the water and camp.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 23 minutes 36 seconds.
+
+<p>HORSE-SKIN SOUP.
+
+<p>8th November.
+
+<p>The water being exhausted, the party had to move on in search of a
+further supply where we could halt until Melville had recovered from his
+injuries. Steering south-east for one hour, came to a fine creek with
+grassy flats and a stream of muddy water, indicating that there had been
+heavy rain in the ranges to the south. Having camped, we shot the filly,
+which was now eleven months old, cut the flesh into slices and hung it up
+to dry in the sun during the day and over a charcoal fire at night. The
+skin was cleared of hair, and was thus made into a species of gelatine,
+from which excellent soup was subsequently prepared. The saddlery had
+become much worn by passing through the scrubs, and the party was fully
+employed in repairs and shoeing the horses, many of which were very lame
+from injury among the fallen timber.
+
+<p>9th November (Sunday).
+
+<p>Melville somewhat better, but scarcely able to walk. The meat drying
+well.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 26 minutes 16 seconds.
+
+<p>10th November.
+
+<p>At 7.40 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek up for an hour
+south-south-east; then steered south-east through brigalow scrub, which
+gradually changed to open ironbark and box flats well grassed. At 2.0
+p.m. came to broken country covered with a dense scrub of acacia and
+ironbark, deep gullies intersecting the country in every direction; at
+3.30 ascended a ridge of mica schist, from which a high range was seen
+twenty miles to the south-east, but the scrub was so dense that the view
+was imperfect. Followed a gully, which changed from south round to
+north-west till 5.15, when we camped at a small pool of rainwater. There
+were good grassy flats along the watercourse, but the hills were covered
+with scrub. It is evident that we are now approaching the watershed of
+the Fitzroy River, and hope soon to emerge from the vast tract of scrub
+which occupies the valley of the Suttor River. On the plain we observed
+that more than half the box-trees had died within the last three years,
+and that they had not been killed by bush fires, as the old timber which
+lay on the ground was not scorched.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Andromedae 22 degrees 42 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+<p>PEAK RANGE.
+
+<p>11th November.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 6.30 a.m., steered south-east over ironbark ridges of
+very scrubby character with open grassy valleys; the ridges increased in
+height, and at 11.0, having reached the most elevated summit, got a view
+of Peak Range about thirty miles to the north-east; to the north-west the
+view was obscured by wooded ranges, but from north to east-south-east the
+country consisted of low-wooded ridges for ten miles, beyond which fine
+open grassy plains extended from east-north-east to east, along the foot
+of Peak Range. Descending from the range, followed a small watercourse
+east-south-east for two hours, and then north-east, and at 2.30 p.m.
+encamped in a fine grassy flat with a small pool of rainwater in a gully,
+the larger creek being dry. The country generally consists of low ridges
+of schist, which, by decomposition, forms a gravelly loam, the gravel
+being derived from the quartz veins which intersect the schist in all
+directions. The forest consists of ironbark and acacia; grass everywhere
+abundant. Many of the horses are very lame from the splinters of dead
+wood in the scrub, and some have to be relieved entirely of their loads.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 48 minutes 17 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 147 degrees 30 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>12th November.
+
+<p>At 7.25 a.m. steered north 110 degrees east, over grassy ironbark ridges,
+with small watercourses trending north; at 11.0 entered a dense brigalow
+scrub with a few Moreton-Bay ash-trees, the soil very poor and derived
+from the decomposition of a coarse conglomerate; small watercourses
+trending to the south. At 12.45 p.m. emerged from the scrub into open box
+forest, with limestone and quartz gravel, and a soft black soil producing
+rather dry scanty grass. At 1.45 entered a well-grassed plain with
+limestone ridges covered with bottle-tree scrub; the grass was good at
+this season, green but much mixed with salsola; the summits of Peak Range
+showed well above the ridges, and from the cliff around the tops seem to
+be capped with sandstone or more probably porphyry. There being little
+prospect of finding water in an easterly direction, at 4.0 altered the
+course to south-east; a heavy squall and thunderstorm brought some rain,
+but it was all immediately absorbed by the hot dry soil, at 5.0 came to a
+watercourse trending south, followed it till 6.30, and camped without
+water; about a mile north from the camp saw a small box-tree marked AB,
+and near it a large sheet of bark which had been cut about two years
+before.
+
+<p>Latitude by Saturn 23 degrees 18 seconds.
+
+<p>13th November.
+
+<p>Resumed the journey at 6.20 a.m., steering south down the watercourse; at
+7.0 saw some blacks, who, when asked by signs where water could be found,
+pointed down the creek and into the scrub; at 9.20 came to a pool of
+rainwater and camped. This part of the country is very poor and scrubby,
+with large Moreton-Bay ash trees, the soil formed by the decomposition of
+sandstone and conglomerate, with intervals of schist and trap-rock.
+
+<p>CROSS THE PEAK DOWNS.
+
+<p>14th November.
+
+<p>At 6.50 a.m. steered south-east; we soon entered a grassy plain with
+ironbark ridges and belts of acacia scrub, trap, and limestone on the
+plains, and sandstone on the ridges; at noon passed a belt of cypress and
+entered extensive open downs covered with beautiful green grass.
+Following a shallow watercourse, passed some blacks at a distance, and at
+4.20 p.m. came to a small pool of rainwater, and camped. The country to
+the north-east appeared level, and the grassy downs apparently extend to
+the foot of Peak Range. To the south-west it appeared to be a fine open
+country for three to eight miles, and then rose into wooded hills of
+moderate elevation, at the base of which a creek appeared to run to the
+south-east. If this part of the country were well supplied with water it
+would form splendid stations for the squatter; but from its level
+character and geological structure, permanent surface-water is very
+scarce, and where it does exist it is surrounded by scrubby
+country, which renders it almost unavailable.
+
+<p>THE MACKENZIE RIVER.
+
+<p>15th November.
+
+<p>At 6.40 steered east-south-east and soon entered an open acacia scrub
+with some grassy patches; the soil a fine black loam; limestone, trap,
+and quartz-pebbles occurring on the surface in the open plain; at 9.0
+entered a fine box flat, and passed some pools of water; the flat
+extending east three miles; then entered a scrubby tract of country, the
+soil a black mould with much salsola growing even in the thick scrub; at
+11.0 came on a fine creek from the north with pools of permanent water
+(Crinum Creek), but the banks covered with scrub. Changing the course to
+south-east, at 12.20 p.m. came to a fine river with high grassy banks and
+several deep channels which were now full of water and running in
+consequence of the late rains. It had been slightly flooded this season,
+and the previous year had risen twenty-five feet above the present level.
+This river is the Mackenzie of Leichhardt. The course of the river is to
+the east-south-east, and we crossed to the right bank without much
+difficulty, the bottom being firm and the bank sandy; followed the river
+till 2.40, and camped. The country on the banks of the Mackenzie is
+scrubby, with occasional open flats; the timber box, with good grass. The
+little lemon-tree was in full bearing, and though the fruit is only half
+an inch in diameter, was excellent eating when boiled with sugar. The day
+was cool and cloudy, and it rained lightly for some hours during the
+night.
+
+<p>Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 28 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+<p>16th November (Sunday).
+
+<p>Remained at the camp. The morning was cool and cloudy, but cleared
+towards noon, and at night got sights for latitude.
+
+<p>LEICHHARDT'S CAMP.
+
+<p>17th November.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 6.40 a.m. Followed the Mackenzie south-east
+through level country with much scrub till 9.25 a.m., when we crossed a
+large creek from the south, which proved to be the Comet River of Dr.
+Leichhardt. The whole bed of the Comet did not exceed seventy yards, and
+the smaller channel only five to six yards wide, and even below its
+junction the Mackenzie only had a channel ten to thirty yards wide in the
+bottom of a bed 150 yards wide from bank to bank. Just below the junction
+of the Comet we found the remains of a camp of Dr. Leichhardt's party on
+its second journey. The ashes of the fire were still visible, and a
+quantity of bones of goats were scattered around. A large tree was marked
+thus:
+
+<p>DIG arrow pointing down L
+
+<p>but a hollow in the ground at the foot of the tree showed that whatever
+had been deposited had long since been removed. We, however, cleared out
+the loose earth, but found nothing. The river now turned east-north-east,
+and our course being east, we receded from it, and at noon we ascended a
+rocky hill of sandstone covered with scrub; we therefore steered north
+for an hour and came to the Mackenzie, and encamped in a fine grassy
+flat, but beyond the immediate flats of the river the country was covered
+with scrub. Near the camp a large flooded-gum tree had been marked:
+
+<p>Solid square [symbol ??]
+
+<p>some years before. The day was cloudy with easterly breeze. Marked a
+tree:
+
+<p>120 solid Delta
+
+<p>this being the 120th camp since starting from the Victoria River.
+
+<p>18th November.
+
+<p>Rain commenced at 7.0 a.m. and continued till noon; at 6.25 steered east
+and soon entered a dense scrub of acacia, box, sterculia, and Moreton-Bay
+ash. Ascending to the level tableland by a steep sandstone slope, at
+11.25 passed a gully with deep waterholes which appeared permanent, and
+at 1.40 p.m. encamped at a deep creek with a small pool of water. To the
+south-east of the camp about five miles distant a range of hills rose
+abruptly from the level country to a height of 800 to 1000 feet. The
+summits were flat and surrounded by high cliffs of red sandstone
+(Expedition Range).
+
+<p>Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 33 minutes 40 seconds; variation of
+compass 7 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+<p>19th November.
+
+<p>Resumed our route at 6.30 a.m.; steered east through dense scrubs with
+open patches of grassy forest, the soil a light loam, very sandy in the
+open forest. Small watercourses trended north; at 10.0 turned to
+south-east to avoid a large scrubby hill which lay detached from the
+principal range; at 11.0 again steered east, ascending a steep sandstone
+hill from which the country to the north and east appeared extremely
+level, we then crossed a series of ironbark ridges with scrub at
+intervals, and fine flooded-gum and box flats in the valleys; casuarina
+and cypress grew on some of the ridges, but the country generally was
+well grassed; at 3.30 p.m. encamped at a small pool of water in a shallow
+watercourse trending north-east.
+
+<p>Latitude by Saturn 23 degrees 37 minutes 23 seconds.
+
+<p>20th November.
+
+<p>At 7.40 a.m. steered east over open country, thinly timbered with box and
+ironbark; at 10.0 crossed a dry creek, on the banks of which were recent
+tracks of horses and cattle; at noon there was a heavy thunderstorm, and
+at the same time entered a dense scrub of brigalow and casuarina; at 2.0
+p.m. the country was more open, and at 4.10 camped near a small gully
+with pools of rainwater; heavy rain during the night.
+
+<p>21st November.
+
+<p>Continued an east course; at 6.50 a.m. crossed some wooded ridges, from
+which ranges of hills were imperfectly seen about twelve miles to the
+east; descending the ridges, entered a brigalow scrub, and at 11.40 came
+to the Dawson River, about eighty yards wide, with long shallow pools of
+water, the scrub coming close to the bank on both sides, leaving a narrow
+grassy flat; followed the river upwards to the southward till 2.50 p.m.,
+and camped on the left bank of the river. The flats on the bank of the
+river are here much wider and well grassed, and we observed the tracks of
+horses.
+
+<p>REACH THE FIRST STATION ON THE DAWSON RIVER.
+
+<p>22nd November.
+
+<p>At 6.15 a.m. resumed our route up the river south-east, and at 8.0 came
+to a dray-track, which was followed east-north-east two miles to Messrs.
+Connor and Fitz' station, where we met with a most hospitable reception.
+
+<p>Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 51 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+<P>The party having thus reached the occupied country travelled by the
+dray-tracks past Mr. Hay's station Rannes, on the 25th November, and
+thence by Rawbelle, Boondooma, Tabinga, Nanango, Collinton, Kilkoy,
+Durandur, and Cabulture stations, reached Brisbane on the 16th December,
+1856.
+
+<hr width="50%" align="center">
+
+<h4>1857. NEW SOUTH WALES LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.</h4>
+
+<h3>DR. LEICHHARDT, PROPOSED EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF.</h3>
+
+<p><i>Ordered by the Legislative Assembly to be Printed, 28th October, 1857.</i></p>
+
+<h4>PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON THE 14TH SEPTEMBER, 1857, WITH
+RESPECT TO AN EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT.</h4>
+
+<h4>MINUTE NUMBER 57-44.</h4>
+
+<p>His Excellency the Governor-General, at the instance of the Honourable
+the Colonial Secretary, brings under the consideration of the Council a
+proposal which has been made to organise another Expedition to ascertain,
+if possible, beyond doubt, the fate of Dr. Leichhardt, who left Sydney
+some nine years ago with the intention of exploring the north-western
+interior of Australia. This proposal has its origin in a public meeting,
+held in Sydney on the 11th instant, at which resolutions were passed
+invoking the assistance of the Government, and it is recommended to
+favourable consideration at the present moment by the circumstance that
+Mr. Gregory, who recently returned from a successful exploration in the
+same direction, has intimated his willingness to undertake the conduct of
+the proposed Expedition.
+
+<p>2. The Council express themselves desirous of seizing so favourable an
+opportunity of pursuing this inquiry, and they therefore advise that Mr.
+Gregory should be at once invited to submit, for approval, a definite
+proposal having for its object: 1st, to ascertain the fate of the late
+Dr. Leichhardt; and, 2nd, to connect the exploring surveys of Mitchell
+and Kennedy with his own; such proposal to be accompanied by an estimate
+of the probable expense which it will be necessary to incur.
+
+<p>EDWARD C. MEREWETHER,
+
+<p>Clerk of the Council.
+
+<p>Executive Council Office,
+
+<p>Sydney, 22 September, 1857.
+
+<hr width="20%" align="center">
+
+<p>A.C. GREGORY, ESQUIRE, TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
+
+<p>Sydney, 15 September, 1857.
+
+<p>SIR,
+
+<p>Adverting to your verbal communication of yesterday, with reference to
+the proposed Expedition in search of traces of Dr. Leichhardt, I have the
+honour to furnish a memorandum of the arrangements I would suggest for
+the  organisation and conduct of a party calculated to effect the objects
+in view, together with an estimate of the probable cost.
+
+<p>These documents I have submitted to such of the gentlemen composing the
+Committee of the Leichhardt Association as I have had the opportunity of
+consulting, and I have availed myself of their experience of the District
+in which the Expedition would be organised.
+
+<p>Although I have allowed extreme rates for many of the items of
+expenditure, yet, as in all undertakings of this description unavoidable
+and unforeseen contingencies are certain to arise, I should scarcely feel
+justified in naming the gross amount which should be available, though
+not necessarily expended, at a less sum than 4,500 pounds.
+
+<p>I have, etc.,
+
+<p>A.C. GREGORY.
+
+<p>The Honourable the Colonial Secretary.
+
+<hr width="50%" align="center">
+
+<H4>MEMORANDUM FOR THE ORGANISATION OF AN EXPLORING EXPEDITION FOR THE
+PURPOSE OF SEARCHING FOR TRACES OF DR. LEICHHARDT'S PARTY.</H4>
+
+<p>The objects of the proposed Expedition would be primarily to search for
+traces of Dr. Leichhardt and his party, who started from the settled
+districts of New South Wales in April, 1848, with the intention of
+proceeding to Western Australia, and, if possible, to ascertain the fate
+of that unfortunate explorer. Secondly, the examination of the country
+both in the intervening spaces between the tracks of previous explorers,
+and also beyond the limits of that hitherto explored, with a view of
+developing its resources, especially with reference to its capabilities
+for settlement.
+
+<p>The party despatched by the Colonial Government, under Mr. Hely, in
+1851-2, traced Dr. Leichhardt to a spot near the head of the Warrego
+River.
+
+<p>Beyond this spot Dr. Leichhardt had expressed his intention of proceeding
+down the Victoria River to its northern bend, and then shape his course
+along the interior slope of the ranges which he supposed existed at the
+sources of the streams flowing to the northern coast.
+
+<p>The proposed route of the searching Expedition would therefore be to
+reach Leichhardt's last known camp, and then to examine the banks of the
+Victoria River to the junction of the Alice River, at the northern bend,
+where especial search would be made, as Dr. Leichhardt intended to leave
+letters there, and would probably encamp for several days to recruit
+before finally entering the unknown country; and the non-existence of
+marks at this point would be almost conclusive evidence that the party
+had perished nearer to the settlements.
+
+<p>In the search for traces of the missing party beyond this point (as it
+could only be at the camping places that any traces would remain after so
+long an interval), it would be necessary to follow such natural features
+as would probably have influenced the party in the selection of its
+route, assuming that the general course would be north-west.
+
+<p>The investigation having been carried to the fullest extent that time and
+circumstances would admit, the searching party would adopt such a route
+on its return as would intersect the greatest extent of unexamined
+country. To effect these objects it is proposed to organise a party at
+one of the outer stations, say at Surat, on the Lower Condamine River,
+from which Leichhardt's last known camp is 230 miles, and the junction of
+the Alice with the Victoria River, 370 miles, not allowing for
+deviations.
+
+<p>The party to consist of two sections, which may be termed the Exploring
+and the Auxiliary parties.
+
+<p>The first would comprise eight persons, equipped and provisioned for 5
+months, and for the conveyance of which 32 horses would be required, as
+follows:
+
+<p>Commander.
+
+<p>Assistant.
+
+<p>Overseer, etc.
+
+<p>4 Stockmen.
+
+<p>1 Aboriginal Stockman.
+
+<p>The second section would be composed of six persons, provisioned etc.,
+for 2 months, and for the conveyance of which 13 horses would be
+required, as follows:
+
+<p>1 Leader.
+
+<p>4 Stockmen.
+
+<p>1 Aboriginal Black.
+
+<p>These two sections would proceed together to the junction of the Alice
+and Victoria Rivers, and would be sufficiently strong to detach parties
+to examine points out of the more direct line of route which the main
+body would follow.
+
+<P>On reaching the spot above referred to, the Exploring Party would be
+fitted out in the most efficient manner for continuing its operations, by
+selecting the strongest and most serviceable portion of the horses,
+equipment, etc., while the Auxiliary Party would return with the
+remainder to the settlements; thus affording nearly all the advantages of
+a depot, without incurring the greater expense or inconvenience attending
+the otherwise necessary return of the Exploring Party by the same route.
+
+<P>It is scarcely necessary to advert to the many advantages which would be
+derived from this arrangement, for enabling the Exploring Party to reach
+the extreme known point of country, with its strength impaired in the
+least possible degree, while it would afford an opportunity of testing
+the capabilities of the party to be finally selected.
+
+<hr width="20%" align="center">
+
+<H4>ESTIMATE OF THE COST (IN POUNDS/SHILLINGS/PENCE) OF THE EQUIPMENT, ETC.,
+OF THE EXPLORING PARTY.</H4>
+
+<pre>
+PROVISIONS.
+
+1400 pounds Flour : 17/10/0.
+500 pounds Bacon : 25/0/0.
+400 pounds Sugar : 10/0/0.
+70 pounds Tea : 7/0/0.
+750 pounds Meat Biscuit : 37/0/0.
+70 pounds Tobacco : 8/15/0.
+20 pounds Sago : 0/13/4.
+6 pounds Pepper : 0/6/0.
+50 pounds Salt : 0/5/0.
+50 pounds Soap : 0/18/8.
+6 pounds Sperm Candles : 0/9/0.
+150 pounds Dried Beef--800 pounds fresh meat : 10/0/0.
+1000 pounds Fresh Meat : 12/0/0.
+subtotal : 130/7/0.
+
+TRANSPORT.
+
+45 Horses, at 40 pounds : 1800/0/0.
+14 Riding Saddles, at 60 shillings : 42/0/0.
+31 Pack Saddles, at 77 shillings 6 pence : 120/2/6.
+45 Bridles and Headstalls, at 9 shillings : 20/5/0.
+45 Horse Blankets, at 8 shillings : 18/0/0.
+100 Hobbles, at 4 shillings : 20/0/0.
+20 Pairs Girths, at 4 shillings : 4/0/0.
+31 Canvas Saddle-bags, at 25 shillings : 38/17/0.
+100 Provision Bags, at 60 shillings : 15/0/0.
+40 Yards Canvas, at 1 shilling 6 pence : 3/0/0.
+10 Horse-bells, at 6 shillings 6 pence : 3/5/0.
+Materials for repairs, etc. : 20/0/0.
+90 Horse-straps and Nails : 10/0/0.
+100 Saddle-straps, at 1 shilling : 5/0/0.
+subtotal : 2119/9/6.
+
+ARMS AND AMMUNITION.
+
+13 Double guns, at 5 pounds : 65/0/0.
+13 Revolvers, at 5 pounds : 65/0/0.
+30 pounds Gunpowder : 6/0/0.
+150 pounds Shot and Lead : 3/0/0.
+5000 Percussion Caps : 1/10/0.
+14 Belts and Pouches : 3/10/0.
+14 Gun-buckets : 4/18/0.
+Sundries : 10/0/0.
+subtotal : 158/18/0.
+
+CAMP EQUIPAGE.
+14 Calico Sheets for Tents, at 1 shillings : 8/8/0.
+50 yards Calico, at 6 pence : 1/5/0.
+6 Camp Kettles, at 5 shillings : 1/10/0.
+40 Pannikins, at 8 pence : 1/6/8.
+3 Leather Buckets, at 17 shillings 6 pence : 2/12/6.
+20 Tin Dishes, at 9 pence : 0/15/0.
+2 Frying-Pans, at 4 shillings 6 pence : 0/9/0.
+2 Water Bags, at 30 shillings : 3/0/0.
+14 Water Holders, India-Rubber, at 10 shillings 6 pence : 7/7/0.
+2 Socket Shovels, at 2 shillings 6 pence : 0/5/0.
+2 spring Balances, at 7 shillings : 0/14/0.
+Materials for repairs, etc. : 20/0/0.
+subtotal : 27/12/2.
+
+INSTRUMENTS, ETC.
+
+1 Sextant : 10/0/0.
+1 Prismatic Compass : 3/0/0.
+1 Artificial Horizon : 4/0/0.
+2 Aneroid Barometers : 7/0/0.
+3 Thermometers : 1/1/0.
+1 Lever Watch : 9/0/0.
+Stationery : 5/0/0.
+subtotal : 40/1/0.
+
+CLOTHING.
+
+20 Trousers, at 7 shillings : 7/0/0.
+20 Serge Shirts, at 6 shillings : 6/0/0.
+20 Cotton Shirts, at 3 shillings : 3/0/0.
+20 Pairs of Boots, at 15 shillings : 15/0/0.
+14 Blankets, at 10 shillings : 7/0/0.
+14 Oiled Capes, at 10 shillings : 7/0/0.
+subtotal : 45/0/0.
+
+total equipment : 2521/7/8.
+
+CONTINGENCIES.
+
+Medical Stores and Drugs : 20/0/0.
+Petty Contingencies : 50/0/0.
+Collection and Forage for Horses prior to starting : 100/0/0.
+Freights and Passages from Sydney to moreton Bay : 50/0/0.
+Conveyance of Stores from Brisbane to Surat : 200/0/0.
+Contingent Expenses in the Collection of the Party at Surat : 100/0/0.
+Total Contingencies : 520/0/0.
+
+SALARIES.
+
+Commander, 9 months, 600 pounds per annum : 450/0/0.
+Assistant, 7 months, 300 pounds per annum : 175/0/0.
+Overseer, 6 months, at 150 pounds per annum : 75/0/0.
+4 Stock men, 6 months, at 2 pounds per week : 208/0/0.
+1 Aboriginal Stock man, 6 months : 20/0/0.
+Leader of the Auxiliary Party, 3 months : 104/0/0.
+4 Stock men, 3 months : 208/0/0.
+1 Aboriginal Stock man, 3 months : 10/0/0.
+Total salaries : 1117/0/0.
+
+RECAPITULATION.
+
+equipment : 2521/7/8.
+Contingent Expenses : 520/0/0.
+salaries : 1117/0/0.
+total : 4158/7/8.
+
+</pre>
+
+<p>A.C. Gregory.
+
+<p>Sydney, 16th September, 1857.
+
+<hr width="50%" align="center">
+
+<h4>1858. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, NEW SOUTH WALES.</h4>
+
+<hr width="20%" align="center">
+
+<h3>EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT.--REPORT ON PROCEEDINGS.</h3>
+
+<hr width="20%" align="center">
+
+<p><i>Ordered by the Legislative Assembly to be Printed, 1 September, 1858.</i>
+
+<hr width="20%" align="center">
+
+<h4>REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT
+AND PARTY.</h4>
+
+<p>8TH DECEMBER, 1857, TO 11TH JANUARY, 1858.
+
+<p>Having received instructions from the Honourable the Secretary for Lands
+and Public Works to organise an expedition for the purpose of searching
+for traces of Dr. Leichhardt and party, who left New South Wales in 1848
+with the intention of proceeding overland to Western Australia, I
+proceeded to Moreton Bay with such portions of the equipment as had been
+prepared in Sydney. On reaching Ipswich forty horses were purchased, and
+having despatched the stores to Mr. Royd's station, on the Dawson River,
+by drays, the party were collected at that place; but, owing to
+unforeseen delays in the transport of the stores, the equipment and
+organisation of the expedition was not complete till the latter part of
+March.
+
+<p>The following list of the party, horses, stores, etc., will show the
+principal arrangements.
+
+<p>The party consisted of nine persons, namely: Commander A.C. Gregory;
+assistant commander, C.F. Gregory; assistant, S. Burgoyne; overseer, G.
+Phibbs; stockmen, etc., R. Bowman, W. Selby, T. Dunn, W. von Wedel, and
+D. Worrell. The stock consisted of horses alone, comprising thirty-one
+pack and nine saddle horses, completely equipped. Provisions comprised
+the dried meat of two bullocks and four sheep, weighing, as butcher's
+meat, 16 hundredweight; but when dried and the bones removed, reduced to
+300 pounds. In addition to this 500 pounds bacon, 1600 pounds flour, 100
+pounds rice, 350 pounds sugar, 60 pounds tea, 40 pounds tobacco, and some
+minor articles. The arms and ammunition were: one minie rifle, eight
+double-barrel guns, nine revolver pistols, 25 pounds gunpowder, 150
+pounds shot and balls, percussion caps, etc. For the conveyance of water
+two leather water-bags were provided, each holding five gallons, besides
+which each of the party was furnished with a water-bag of India-rubber
+holding three pints. The tents were made of calico, each suited for the
+accommodation of two persons, and the several articles of camp equipage
+were of the lightest construction consistent with the service required.
+The instruments employed were an eight-inch sextant, box-sextant,
+prismatic compasses, pocket compasses, double axis compass, aneroid
+barometers, thermometers, and artificial horizon, etc. Including forty
+sets of horse-shoes, farrier's and carpenter's tools, together with
+sundry material for repairs, etc., the total weight of the equipment was
+about 4,600 pounds, exclusive of the saddles and harness, which gave an
+average load of 150 pounds as the net load carried by each pack-horse.
+
+<p>THE PARTY START FROM JUANDA STATION.
+
+<p>24th March to 27th March.
+
+<p>These arrangements being complete, the expedition left Juanda, and
+proceeded by the road to Mr. Cardew's station at Euroomba, from which,
+under the guidance of Mr. Bolton--whose local knowledge was of material
+service--we made our way through the dense scrubs and broken country to
+the west for about thirty miles, to the head of Scott's Creek, a small
+tributary of the Dawson River.
+
+<p>29th March.
+
+<p>The general course was now west-north-west through a country with rich
+grassy valleys and dense scrubs of brigalow acacia on the higher ground.
+Green grass was abundant at this time; but I fear that in seasons of
+drought few of the waterholes are permanent; the timber consists of
+ironbark, box, and a few other species of eucalyptus--the brigalow acacia
+attaining the height of thirty feet; soft brown sandstones of the coal
+measures are the prevailing rock, forming hills with table summits.
+
+<p>2nd April.
+
+<p>With some difficulty, owing to the dense scrubs, we crossed the basaltic
+ridge which divides the eastern waters flowing to the Dawson River from
+those trending to the west into the basin of the Maranoa River, a
+tributary of which--probably the Merivale River--was followed westward.
+The country became more sandy, timbered with ironbark, cypress, etc. The
+whole was, however, well grassed, and suited for grazing, if not too
+heavily stocked.
+
+<p>5th April.
+
+<p>Reaching the Maranoa River in about latitude 25 degrees 45 minutes, water
+was scarcely procurable in the sandy bed, and we had to dig wells to
+obtain a supply.
+
+<p>7th April to 12th April.
+
+<p>Warned by the fact that Messrs. H. Gregory and Haly had been unable to
+penetrate the country to the west from scarcity of water, even three
+months earlier in the season, we followed up the Maranoa to Mount Owen,
+and having found a sufficient supply of water and grass for a few days'
+halt, I proceeded to reconnoitre the country to the west, and at length
+found a practicable route to the tributaries of the Warrego River, to
+which the party was advanced. A heavy shower of rain had filled the
+gullies in this locality, and green grass clothed the country, forming a
+striking contrast to the dry and waterless valley of the Maranoa.
+
+<p>15th to 16th April.
+
+<p>Fine openly timbered valleys, well suited for pasture, alternated with
+ridges of scrub of brigalow acacia till we reached Mount Playfair, a
+basaltic hill on the sandstone ridge which separates the Warrego Valley
+from that of the Nive, a small branch of which was followed down to its
+junction with the main channel in latitude 25 degrees 6 minutes. The soil
+in the valley of the Nive is sandy, thinly grassed, and openly timbered
+with ironbark spotted gum, etc.; the back country rising into low
+sandstone ridges, covered with dense scrub of brigalow acacia. Some pools
+of permanent water containing small fish were passed, on the bank of
+which the remains of numerous native camps were seen.
+
+<p>17th April.
+
+<p>From the Nive River a north-north-west course was pursued through a
+nearly level sandy country, covered with a scrub of acacia, eucalypti,
+bottle-tree, etc., which offered great impediments to our progress, till
+within six miles of the Victoria River, when we suddenly emerged from the
+scrub on to open downs of rich clay soil; but the drought had been of
+such a long continuance that the whole of the vegetation had been
+destroyed and swept away by the wind, leaving the country to all
+appearance an absolute desert. The bed of the Victoria was scarcely ten
+yards wide, and perfectly dry, so that it was only after a prolonged
+search along its course that a small puddle of water was found in a
+hollow of the clay flat, and near it, fortunately for our horses, a
+little grass growing in widely scattered tufts.
+
+<p>THE BARCOO RIVER.
+
+<p>19th April.
+
+<p>Being now on the line of route which Dr. Leichhardt had stated his
+intention of following, the party was divided, so that both sides of the
+river were examined in all probable positions in which his camps might
+have been situated; but as the high floods appeared to have inundated the
+country for nearly a mile on each bank last year, all tracks of previous
+explorers were necessarily obliterated, and it was only by marked trees,
+or the bones of cattle, that we could hope to discover any trace. During
+the first two days' journey down the river only a few small pools of
+water were seen, and these not of a permanent character, while the rich
+vegetation on the open downs, which had excited the admiration of Sir T.
+Mitchell on his discovery of the country in a favourable season, had
+wholly passed away, leaving little but a bare surface of clay, the deep
+fissures in its surface giving evidence of long-continued drought.
+
+<p>20th April.
+
+<p>In latitude 24 degrees 37 minutes, longitude 146 degrees 13 minutes, a
+small sandy creek, of equal size with the Victoria, joined from the east,
+and just below the first permanent pool of water was found. There was a
+slight improvement in the grass, but dense scrubs prevailed in the back
+country, and even approached the river at intervals.
+
+<p>LEICHHARDT'S MARKED TREE.
+
+<p>21st April.
+
+<p>While collecting the horses near this pool of water I detected a party of
+armed natives watching one of the stockmen, evidently, from their
+position in the scrub and general movements, inclined to hostilities, and
+I imagine that it was a knowledge that we were aware of their intentions
+which prevented my being able to establish any communication with them. I
+may here remark that this party, which numbered about eight, were the
+first natives seen during the journey. Continuing our route along the
+river (latitude 24 degrees 35 minutes; longitude 36 degrees 6 minutes),
+we discovered a Moreton-Bay ash (Eucalyptus sp.), about two feet in
+diameter, marked with the letter L on the east side, cut through the
+bark, about four feet from the ground, and near it the stumps of some
+small trees which had been cut with a sharp axe, also a deep notch cut in
+the side of a sloping tree, apparently to support the ridge pole of a
+tent, or some similar purposes; all indicating that a camp had been
+established here by Leichhardt's party. The tree was near the bank of a
+small reach of water, which is noted on Sir T. Mitchell's map. This,
+together with its actual and relative position as regards other features
+of the country, prove it not to have been either one of Sir T. Mitchell's
+or Mr. Kennedy's camps, as neither encamped within several miles of the
+spot, besides which, the letter could not have been marked by either of
+them to designate the number of the camp, as the former had long passed
+his fiftieth camp, and the latter had not reached that number on the
+outward route, and numbered his camp from the farthest point attained on
+his return journey. Notwithstanding a careful search, no traces of stock
+could be found. This is, however, easily accounted for, as the country
+had been inundated last season, though the current had not been
+sufficiently strong to remove some emu bones and mussel shells which lay
+round a native camping place within a few yards of the spot. No other
+indications having been found, we continued the search down the river,
+examining every likely spot for marked trees, but without success. The
+general aspect of the country was extremely level, and even the few
+distant ridges which were visible had but small elevation above the
+plain, the highest apparently not exceeding 200 or 300 feet. Timber was
+wholly confined to the bank of the river, and though open plains existed,
+acacia scrubs were the principal feature. Water became very scarce in the
+channels of the river, and we were principally dependent on small puddles
+of rainwater from a recent thunder-shower; but as we approached the
+northern bend some fine reaches of water were passed.
+
+<p>THE ALICE RIVER.
+
+<p>6th April to 28th April.
+
+<p>In latitude 26 degrees 2 minutes we observed a small dry creek joining
+from the north-east. This I traced upwards for a few miles; but as its
+relative position with regard to the adjacent country, as well as the
+latitude, did not correspond with that of the Alice River on the chart,
+we continued our route. Finding, however, that the general course of the
+river changed to south-west, I left the party at a small lagoon and rode
+up the river again, making a second search, more especially at the
+junction of the small dry creek, which proved to be identical with the
+Alice River, though more than five miles to the south, as the Victoria
+River never reaches the parallel of 24 degrees. Our position was now
+becoming very critical, as a long continuance of drought had not only
+dried up all the water, except in the deepest hollows in the channel of
+the main river, but the smaller vegetation, and even the trees on the
+back country were annihilated, rendering the country almost impracticable
+from the quantity of fallen dead branches, and even in the bed of the
+river, where the inundation derived from heavy rain near the sources of
+the river last year had somewhat refreshed the grass, it was scarcely
+possible to find subsistence for the horses. Under existing
+circumstances, it would have been certain destruction to attempt a
+north-west route from this point; and the only course that appeared
+opened to us was to follow down the main river to the junction of the
+Thompson River, and ascend that watercourse so as to intersect
+Leichhardt's probable line of route, had he penetrated in that direction,
+favoured by a better season. At the same time, it was probable that, like
+ourselves, he had been repulsed, and would then follow down the river,
+and search for a more favourable point from which to commence his
+north-west course, in order to round the desert interior on its northern
+side; and we therefore continued our search down towards the Thompson
+River.
+
+<p>29th April to 2nd May.
+
+<p>The country was perfectly flat on both sides of the river, and showed
+traces of tremendous floods. The soil near the river was often
+deeply-cracked mud, water very scarce, and grass seldom seen. The back
+country was covered with scrubs of dead acacia, the soil a red sand or
+gravel; and such was the unpromising appearance that I began to fear that
+our horses would soon fail for want of food and water; but having camped
+at a waterhole during Sunday to rest the party, heavy rain commenced, and
+though the greater portion of the water was absorbed by the dry soil,
+some of the channels of the river filled and commenced to flow. This
+relieved us from much difficulty as regarded the want of water, and
+enabled us to seek for grass in positions which were otherwise
+inaccessible.
+
+<p>3rd May.
+
+<p>Just as we were leaving our camp a party of seven natives made their
+appearance; but though they came up to us, and talked much, I could get
+no useful information from them. As the party moved on they followed us,
+and thinking they were not observed, made an attempt to throw a spear at
+one of the men; but Mr. C. Gregory, wheeling his horse quickly and
+presenting a revolver at the intending aggressors, they ran away, and
+left us to pursue our journey in peace.
+
+<p>THE THOMPSON RIVER.
+
+<p>4th May to 6th May.
+
+<p>The abundance of water was not without its inconveniences, and had the
+rain continued the party would have been annihilated, as our camp was
+between the deep channels which intersected the plain; and in attempting
+to extricate ourselves from the plains subject to inundation, found
+ourselves so completely entangled among the numerous deep channels and
+boggy gullies, in some of which the horses narrowly escaped suffocation
+in the soft mud, that after having forded one branch of the river,
+carrying the whole equipment across on our own backs, constructing a
+bridge over a second for the transport of the stores, and dragging the
+horses through as we best could with ropes, after three days of severe
+toil we had scarcely accomplished a direct distance of five miles. The
+dry weather which followed rapidly hardened the surface of the clay
+plains, and I attempted to steer due west to the Thompson, but found the
+country so destitute of feed, and covered with dense acacia scrub, that
+we were compelled to return to the plains on the bank of the river.
+
+<p>8th May.
+
+<p>The valley of the river trending west was somewhat contracted, and did
+not exceed five or six miles in breadth; the plains were firmer,
+salt-bush and grass more abundant, and the horses recovered slightly from
+the effects of the barren country. Keeping back from the right bank of
+the main channel, we passed some ridges of drift sand, and came on a fine
+lagoon nearly a mile in length. Here we surprised a party of natives, who
+decamped on our approach, leaving a net, fish, etc., which we of course
+left untouched, and camped at a spot lower down the lagoon.
+
+<p>9th May.
+
+<p>The next day being Sunday, we remained at our camp, and the party of
+natives, consisting of seven or eight men, three or four women, and some
+children, approached us, and remained the greater part of the day near
+the tents. They were very anxious to enter the camp, but this was not
+permitted. By signs they expressed that they had observed we had not
+taken away any of their property the evening before, when they ran away
+and left their nets, and were therefore satisfied our intentions were
+friendly; but we could not procure any information relative to the
+objects of our journey or the character of the country before us. At 4
+p.m. they informed us they were going to sleep at the most distant part
+of the lagoon, and would return next morning at sunrise, and then
+departed. After dark, however, the natives were detected attempting to
+crawl into the camp through the bushes, and though we called to them in
+an unmistakable tone to retire, they would not withdraw. As the position
+they had taken up was such as to command our camp, and render it unsafe
+in the event of an attack, it was necessary to dislodge them. I therefore
+fired a pistol over them, but was answered by a shout of derision, which
+no doubt would have been soon followed by a shower of spears had we not
+compelled them to retreat by a discharge of small shot directed into the
+scrub, after which we were not further molested.
+
+<p>10th May.
+
+<p>We were now approaching the junction of the Thompson River, but the
+country became worse as we advanced, and the last five miles of the plain
+were absolutely devoid of vegetation. Our hopes were, however, raised on
+finding that the late rain had caused the Thompson to flow, though the
+current was not strong; we had, however, to travel upwards of twelve
+miles up its course before any grass could be found for the horses.
+
+<p>11th May.
+
+<p>Continuing our route up the Thompson, nothing could be more desolate than
+the aspect of the country; except the few trees which grew on the
+immediate bank of the river there was scarcely a tree left alive, while
+the plains were quite bare of vegetation, except a few salsolaceous
+bushes. At the distance of five miles low ridges of red drift sand showed
+the desert character of all around; even the lower surfaces of the clouds
+assumed a lurid tinge from the reflection of the bare surface of red
+sand.
+
+<p>12th to 15th May.
+
+<p>In latitude 24 degrees 40 minutes low sandstone hills, or rather
+tableland, approached both banks of the river, and the gullies which
+intersected them had supplied the water lower down, as the channel was
+dry above. We, however, succeeded in reaching latitude 23 degrees 47
+minutes, when the absence of water and grass--the rain not having
+extended so far north, and the channels of the river separating into
+small gullies and spreading on the wide plains--precluded our progressing
+further to the north or west; and the only prospect of saving our horses
+was to return south as quickly as possible. This was a most severe
+disappointment, as we had just reached the part of the country through
+which Leichhardt most probably travelled, if the season was sufficiently
+wet to render it practicable. Thus compelled to abandon the principal
+object of the expedition, only two courses remained open--either to
+return to the head of the Victoria River and attempt a northern course by
+the valley of the Belyando, or to follow down the river and ascertain
+whether it flowed into Cooper's Creek or the Darling. The latter course
+appeared most desirable, as it was just possible that Leichhardt, under
+similar circumstances, had been driven to the south-west. In order to
+ascertain whether any large watercourses came from the west, the return
+route was along the right bank of the Thompson, but only one small creek
+and some inconsiderable gullies joined on that side; nor was the country
+of a better character than on the left bank--consisting of barren plains,
+subject to inundation, low rocky ridges covered with dense scrub, and
+sandy ridges producing triodia.
+
+<p>22nd to 23rd May.
+
+<p>We had nearly reached the Victoria River, when, in crossing a gully,
+Worrell's horse fell and hurt him so severely that we had to halt for
+some time before he could be placed on his horse again, and it was
+therefore fortunate that a small patch of dry grass was found on the bank
+of the river, which enabled us to halt the next day, which was Sunday.
+Travelling down the right bank of the river, the principal channels were
+full of water, but the clay plains between were quite dry, the rain which
+had caused the river to flow not having extended so far south; nothing
+could well be more desolate than the unbounded level of these vast
+plains, which, destitute of vegetation, extended to the horizon. Our
+horses were reduced to feeding on the decayed weeds, and even these were
+so scarce that they eagerly devoured the thatch of some old native huts.
+
+<p>27th May.
+
+<p>We had nearly reached the furthest point attained by Mr. Kennedy when the
+horses showed signs of failing strength, and the channels on the east
+side of the plain being dry, I conceived it prudent to cross to the
+western side again. The dry mud was so deeply cracked that the horses
+were continually falling, and one horse was so completely exhausted that
+we had to abandon him.
+
+<p>KENNEDY'S MARKED TREE.
+
+<p>28th May.
+
+<p>Steering a westerly, and then a north course, we reached the small
+waterhole at Mr. Kennedy's second camp on the return route; there was
+just sufficient water to supply the party for one night, and a few
+scattered tufts of grass near it, but quite insufficient for the supply
+of so large a number of horses. Close to the waterhole we found Mr.
+Kennedy's marked tree; it was a large box-tree, marked on the north side
+thus:
+
+<p>K II.
+
+<p>The cuts of the axe and chisel were still quite clear, though twelve
+years had elapsed; but the slow growth and decay of trees in the interior
+may be attributed to the dryness of the climate.
+
+<p>29th May.
+
+<p>Steering north-west, after toiling nearly thirty miles across this
+fearful waste of dry mud, we at length reached a small patch of grass on
+a sandy hummock, but only just in time to save the horses, as many could
+scarcely keep on their legs, and we had to remove their loads to those
+which were less exhausted.
+
+<p>30th May.
+
+<p>Long before the next morning our hungry animals had consumed every blade
+of grass, and the small patch round the camp was reduced to the same
+barren appearance as the surrounding plain. We therefore started in
+search of food for them, and were fortunate in finding a second patch of
+grass, about three miles to the south, and halted for the remainder of
+the day, which was Sunday, thankful that Providence had enabled us to
+make it a day of rest.
+
+<p>PLAINS OF DRY MUD.
+
+<p>31st May.
+
+<p>The running channel of the river being still to the west of our position,
+we steered south-west, over barren clay plains, to some low ridges of
+drift sand, beyond which we found the channel full of water, with a
+slight current; but it terminated in a large reach of water which had not
+yet filled, and the channel lower down was dry. Low ridges of red drift
+sand were now frequent on the plain, and appeared to be the higher points
+of the former sandy desert, the clay plains resulting from the deposition
+of mud in the hollows between which had in course of time filled it to
+one uniform level.
+
+<p>Latitude 26 degrees 2 minutes.
+
+<p>1st June.
+
+<p>The channels on the western side of the plain were very irregular,
+sometimes completely lost on the level surface, and again collecting into
+large hollows, with box-trees on the banks, in which fine sheets of water
+still remained, some 100 yards wide and more than a mile in length. We
+therefore did not experience so much inconvenience with regard to the
+supply of this necessary element as from the absence of sufficient grass,
+and the all but impracticable nature of the mud plains.
+
+<p>4th June.
+
+<p>In latitude 27 degrees, low sandstone tableland approached the west side
+of the river, and we attempted to travel along the slope between it and
+the mud plains, but found it so stony that the horses' hoofs were soon
+worn to the quick, as we had been compelled to remove their shoes to
+enable them to traverse the mud plains. Had it not been for green bushes
+of salsolae, and some similar plants which had sprung up since the rain,
+this tract of country exactly resembled the stony desert described by
+Captain Sturt as existing 200 miles to the westward. These remarkable
+features forming the declivities of the sandstone tableland through which
+Cooper's Creek forces its way, and by confining the waters to a narrower
+space during floods, causes the fine deep reaches of water which
+characterize it.
+
+<p>8th June.
+
+<p>By following the western limits of the plains we reached latitude 27
+degrees 30 minutes, when the sandstone tableland receded, and a boundless
+expanse of mud plain was before us; the lines of box-trees which had
+hitherto marked the channels nearly ceased, polygonum and atriplex
+constituting the main feature of the vegetation.
+
+<p>COOPER'S CREEK.
+
+<p>9th June.
+
+<p>After toiling south-west a day and a half over this level surface to
+latitude 27 degrees 50 minutes, we approached some low ridges, at the
+foot of which there was a lagoon 100 yards wide, exhibiting signs of a
+current during flood to the north-west; and as there was an evident
+westerly trend in all the smaller channels previously crossed, it was
+evident they would soon merge in Cooper's Creek. Steering
+west-north-west, the several channels collected together, and soon formed
+a deep watercourse, with fine reaches of water. The sandstone tableland
+closed in on both sides; the soil of the intervening plain was much
+firmer, but showed by the vegetation that saline nature which so often
+attends the development of the upper sandstones in Australia. Grass was
+abundant, and it was surprising with what rapidity the horses recovered
+their strength.
+
+<p>BOUNDARY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
+
+<p>12th June.
+
+<p>Approaching the 141st meridian, which is the boundary of the province of
+South Australia, stony ridges closed in on both banks of Cooper's Creek,
+forming almost a natural division, across which we followed a well-beaten
+native path; and here I observed the only instance which has come under
+my observation where the aborigines have taken the trouble to remove
+natural obstacles from their paths. The loose stones had been cleared
+from the track, and in some places piled in large heaps.
+
+<p>14th June.
+
+<p>After passing the stony ridge the valley became wider, the hills receding
+suddenly, in longitude 140 degrees 30 minutes, both to the north and
+south; and the whole of the country to the west seemed to consist of a
+succession of low ridges of red sand and level plains of dry mud, subject
+to inundation. Shortly before reaching the branch of Cooper's Creek named
+by Captain Sturt Streletzki Creek, we observed the tracks of two horses,
+one apparently a cart-horse, and the other a well-bred animal, but as
+none of their tracks were within the last month, the rain had obliterated
+them to such an extent that they could not be traced up, as they had left
+the bank of the creek on the first fall of rain, as is the usual habit of
+horses whose wanderings are uncontrolled. There can be little doubt that
+these horses belonged to Captain Sturt, who left one in an exhausted
+state near this locality, and also lost a second horse, whose tracks were
+followed many miles in the direction of this part of Cooper's Creek.
+
+<p>16th June.
+
+<p>Streletzki Creek, which separates nearly at a right angle from the main
+channel, appears to convey about one-third of the waters of Cooper's
+Creek nearly south, and, as we afterwards ascertained, connects it with
+Lake Torrens. We, however, continued to follow the channels which trended
+west for thirty miles, but large branches continually broke off to the
+south and west, and at length the whole was lost on the wide plains of
+dry mud between the sand ridges; and, as there was no prospect of either
+water or grass to the west, I steered south and south-east for fifty
+miles over a succession of ridges of red drift sand, ten to fifty feet
+high, running parallel to each other, and in a nearly north and south
+direction. Between these ridges we occasionally found shallow puddles of
+rainwater, or rather mud, as it was so thick with clay as to be scarcely
+fluid. Fortunately a great quantity of green weeds had grown up since the
+rain, and the horses improved in condition, and did not require much
+water.
+
+<p>21st June to 25th June.
+
+<p>In latitude 28 degrees 24 minutes we again came on Streletzki Creek, and
+then followed it nearly south-south-west between sandy ridges to latitude
+29 degrees 25 minutes, when it turned to the west and entered Lake
+Torrens. No permanent water was seen in the bed of the creek, though
+there were many deep hollows which, when once filled, retain water for
+several months, and this, combined with the existence of a fine reach of
+water in Cooper's Creek immediately above the point where Streletzki
+Creek branches off, renders it far the best line of route into the
+interior which has yet been discovered. Passing between the eastern point
+of Lake Torrens and what has hitherto been considered the eastern arm,
+but now ascertained to be an independent lake, the space between (about
+half a mile) was level sandy ground, covered with salicornia, without any
+apparent connecting channel. The course was continued south-south-west
+towards Mount Hopeless, at the northern extreme of the high ranges of
+South Australia, which had been visible across the level country at a
+distance of sixty miles.
+
+<p>26th June.
+
+<p>As we approached the range of hills tracks of cattle and horses were
+observed, and eight miles beyond Mount Hopeless came to a cattle station
+which had been lately established by Mr. Baker. As the nature of the
+country we had traversed was such as not to admit of any useful
+deviations from it if we returned to New South Wales by land, I deemed it
+advisable to proceed forthwith to Adelaide, and, disposing of the horses
+and equipment, return with the party by sea to Sydney.
+
+<p>ARRIVE IN ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
+
+<p>31st July.
+
+<p>We therefore proceeded by easy stages towards Adelaide, experiencing the
+greatest hospitality at the stations on our route, while our reception in
+the city was of the most flattering nature. His Excellency Sir Richard
+Macdonald kindly gave me the use of an extensive paddock for the horses,
+and provided quarters for the men during the period which necessarily
+elapsed before the sale of the equipment of the expedition was effected.
+I have also to express my acknowledgments of the kind assistance rendered
+by the Honourable the Commissioner of Crown Lands, to the
+Surveyor-General, and the Superintendent of Telegraphs, for valuable data
+connected with the construction of the map of the route, as well as to
+many other gentlemen whose cordial co-operation greatly facilitated my
+arrangements. It is extremely gratifying to record my appreciation of the
+untiring zeal and energy which distinguished every individual composing
+the expedition; and it is to the unvarying and cheerful alacrity with
+which each and all performed their respective duties, that, under
+Providence, the rapidity and success of the journey is to be mainly
+attributed. With reference to the probable fate of Dr. Leichhardt, it is
+evident, from the existence of the marked camp, nearly eighty miles
+beyond those seen by Mr. Hely, that the account given to that gentleman
+by the natives of the murder of the party was untrue; and I am inclined
+to think only a revival of the report current during Leichhardt's first
+journey to Port Essington. Nor is it probable that they were destroyed
+until they had left the Victoria, as, if killed by the natives, the
+scattered bones of the horses and cattle would have been observed during
+our search. I am therefore of opinion that they left the river at the
+junction of the Alice, and, favoured by thunder-showers, penetrated the
+level desert country to the north-west; in which case, on the cessation
+of the rain, the party would not only be deprived of a supply of water
+for the onward journey, but unable to retreat, as the shallow deposits of
+rainwater would evaporate in a few days, and it is not likely that they
+would commence a retrograde movement until the strength of the party had
+been severely taxed in the attempt to advance. The character of the
+country traversed, from the out-stations on the Dawson River to the head
+of the Warrego River, was generally that of a grassy forest, with ridges
+of dense brigalow scrub. A great portion is available for pastoral
+purposes, but not well watered; and the soil being sandy, the grass would
+soon be destroyed if too heavily stocked. As we advanced into the
+interior it became more barren, and, except along the banks of the larger
+watercourses, destitute of timber, and the character of the vegetation
+indicated excessive droughts. North of latitude 26 degrees dense scrubs
+of acacia prevailed on the level country beyond the influence of the
+inundations, but to the southward sandy and stony deserts, with low
+shrubby vegetation, were the characteristic feature. West of longitude
+147 degrees, nearly to the boundary of South Australia, in 141 degrees,
+the country is unfit for occupation, for, though in favourable seasons
+there might in some few localities be abundance of feed for stock, the
+uncertainty of rain and frequent recurrence of drought renders it
+untenable, the grasses and herbage being principally annuals, which not
+only die but are swept away by the hot summer winds, leaving the surface
+of the soil completely bare. On Cooper's Creek, near the boundary, there
+is a small tract of second-rate country, which, being abundantly supplied
+with water, may eventually be occupied. The best part is, however, within
+the province of South Australia. Between Cooper's Creek and Lake Torrens
+about 120 miles of sandy country intervenes. This tract is destitute of
+surface water, but as it is probable that it could be obtained by sinking
+wells of moderate depth, I think it might be occupied to advantage during
+the cool season, and thus relieve the stations which are now established
+within Lake Torrens, though I fear that the summer heat would be too
+great to admit of permanent occupation. The geological character of the
+country is remarkably uniform. Carboniferous sandstones and shales,
+containing occasional beds of coal, with superincumbent hills and ridges
+of basalt, extend from Darling Downs to the 146th meridian, where these
+rocks are covered by horizontal sandstones with beds of chert and
+water-worn quartz pebbles. This latter formation extends as far as Mount
+Hopeless, where the slate ranges of South Australia rise abruptly from
+the plain. The sandy deserts and mud plains are only superficial
+deposits, as the sandstones are often exposed where the upper formation
+is intersected by gullies. The direction of the parallel ridges of drift
+sand appear to be the result of the prevailing winds, and not the action
+of water, it being sufficient to visit them on a windy day to be
+convinced that it is unnecessary to seek for a more remote and obscure
+cause than that which is in present operation. It is, perhaps, with
+reference to the physical geography of Australia that the results of the
+Expedition are most important; as by connecting successively the
+explorations of Sir T. Mitchell, Mr. Kennedy, Captain Sturt, and Mr.
+Eyre, the waters of the tropical interior of the eastern portion of the
+Continent are proved to flow towards Spencer's Gulf, if not actually into
+it, the barometrical observations showing that Lake Torrens, the lowest
+part of the interior, is decidedly above the sea-level. Although only
+about one-third of the waters of Cooper's Creek flow into Lake Torrens by
+the channel of Streletzki Creek, there is strong evidence that the
+remaining channels, after spreading their waters on the vast plains which
+occupy the country between them and Sturt's Stony Desert, finally drain
+to the south, augmented probably by the waters of Eyre's Creek, the Stony
+Desert, and perhaps some other watercourses of a similar character coming
+from the westward. This peculiar structure of the interior renders it
+improbable that any considerable inland lakes should exist in connection
+with the known system of waters; for, as Lake Torrens is decidedly only
+an expanded continuation of Cooper's Creek, and therefore the culminating
+point of this vast system of drainage, if there was sufficient average
+fall of rain in the interior to balance the effects of evaporation from
+the surface of an extensive sheet of water, the Torrens Basin, instead of
+being occupied by salt marshes, in which the existence of anything beyond
+shallow lagoons of salt-water is yet problematical, would be maintained
+as a permanent lake. Therefore, if the waters flowing from so large a
+tract of country are insufficient to meet the evaporation from the
+surface of Lake Torrens, there is even less probability of the waters of
+the western interior forming an inland lake of any magnitude, even should
+there be so anomalous a feature as a depression of the surface in which
+it could be collected, especially as our knowledge of its limits indicate
+a much drier climate and less favourable conformation of surface than in
+the eastern division of the continent. The undulations of the surface of
+the country are nearly parallel to the meridian, gradually decreasing in
+height from the dividing range between the eastern and western waters
+till, instead of the waters of the rivers being confined to valleys, they
+occupy plains formed by a slight flattening of the curvature of the
+sphere. Thus the sides of the plain through which the river ran before it
+turned west to Cooper's Creek were 150 feet below the tangential level of
+the centre channels, and even the summit of the sandstone tableland which
+rose beyond was below the visible horizon. It is this peculiar
+conformation which causes the stream-beds to spread so widely when
+following the course of the valleys from north to south, and it is only
+where they break through the intervening ridges that the water is
+confined sufficiently to form well-defined channels. The existence of
+these extensive valleys trending north and south over so large a tract of
+country render it by no means unlikely that they continue far beyond the
+limits of present explorations, and it is not unreasonable to infer that
+the great depression which has been traced nearly five hundred miles
+north from Spencer's Gulf through Lake Torrens to the stony desert of
+Sturt (or rather the mud plains contiguous to its western limit) may be
+continuous for an equal distance beyond to the low land at the head of
+the Gulf of Carpentaria; a theory also supported by the fact that the
+rivers flowing into the Gulf either come from the east or west,
+apparently from higher land in those directions, while there is not a
+single watercourse from the south, or any indication of elevated country
+in that direction. Captain Wickham having named an important river
+discovered by him in H.M.S. Beagle, on the north-west coast, the
+Victoria, several years prior to Sir T. Mitchell having attached that
+name to the upper portion of Cooper's Creek, which had also been
+previously discovered and named by Captain Sturt, I would suggest that
+the term River Cooper be adopted for the whole of the main channel from
+its sources, discovered by Sir T. Mitchell, to its termination in Lake
+Torrens; as, while it does not interfere with the rule that the name
+given by the first discoverer should be retained, will prevent the
+recurrence of the misapprehension and inconvenience of having two
+important rivers with the same designation on the maps of Australia. With
+regard to the numbers and habits of the aborigines, I could collect
+little information, as only a collective number of about 100 men, a few
+women and children, were seen, in small scattered parties; but, judging
+from the number of encampments seen, at least a thousand must visit the
+banks of the river; and it is probable that the whole of the inhabitants
+for at least 100 miles on each side are dependent on it for water during
+the dry season. Neither sex wear any clothing. Their weapons and utensils
+are similar to those used on the eastern coast; nor was there any
+characteristic by which they could be observed to differ from the
+aborigines of other portions of Australia. Fish, rats, grass seeds, and a
+few roots, constitute their chief food. On the upper part of the river
+they bury their dead, piling wood on the grave; near the junction of the
+Thompson they suspend the bodies in nets, and afterwards remove the
+bones; while on Cooper's Creek the graves are mounds of earth three to
+four feet high, apparently without any excavation, and surmounted by a
+pile of dead wood. In the last-named locality the number of burial mounds
+which had been constructed about two years ago greatly exceed the
+proportion of deaths which could have possibly occurred in any ordinary
+season of mortality, even assuming the densest population known in any
+other part of Australia; and it is not improbable that the seasons of
+drought which proved so destructive to the tree vegetation higher up the
+river may have been equally disastrous in its effects on the aboriginal
+inhabitants of this portion of the interior.
+
+<p>A.C. GREGORY.
+
+<p>Sydney, 27 August, 1858.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="50%">
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals of Australian Explorations
+by A C and F T Gregory
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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals of Australian Explorations
+by A C and F T Gregory
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Journals of Australian Explorations
+
+Author: A C and F T Gregory
+
+Release Date: December 15, 2003 [EBook #10461]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Sue Asscher
+
+
+
+
+JOURNALS
+
+OF
+
+AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS
+
+BY
+
+AUGUSTUS CHARLES GREGORY,
+C.M.G., F.R.G.S., ETC.,
+Gold Medalist, Royal Geographical Society,
+
+AND
+
+FRANCIS THOMAS GREGORY,
+F.R.G.S., ETC., ETC.,
+Gold Medalist, Royal Geographical Society.
+
+
+BRISBANE:
+JAMES C. BEAL, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, WILLIAM STREET.
+
+1884.
+
+
+
+PREFACE.
+
+Numerous inquiries having been made for copies of the Journals of the
+Explorations by the Messrs. Gregory in the Western, Northern, and Central
+portions of Australia, and as these journals have hitherto only been
+partially published in a fragmentary form, and are now out of print, it
+has been deemed desirable to collect the material into one volume, for
+convenience of reference, and to place on permanent record some of the
+earlier attempts to penetrate the terra incognita which then constituted
+so vast a portion of the Australian Continent.
+
+Although, during the twenty-two years which have elapsed since the last
+of these expeditions was undertaken, the geographical knowledge of
+Australia has so far advanced as to fill in most of the details of its
+physical features and set at rest the speculative opinions and theories
+of early explorers, it has not been deemed desirable to alter or amend
+the impressions or views recorded at the time, but simply reproduce the
+journals as originally compiled.
+
+
+[TABLE OF CONTENTS.
+
+MESSRS. GREGORY'S EXPEDITION TO THE EAST AND NORTH OF SWAN RIVER. 1846.
+
+THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY. 1848.
+
+HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR CHARLES FITZGERALD'S EXPEDITION TO THE GERALDINE
+LEAD MINE. 1848.
+
+THE MURCHISON RIVER. 1857.
+
+GASCOYNE RIVER. 1858.
+
+NORTH-WEST COAST. 1861.
+
+NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. 1855 TO 1856.
+
+EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT. 1857 TO 1858.
+
+
+LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
+
+[missing frontispiece (ripped out), probably photo of A.C. Gregory.]
+
+F.T. GREGORY.
+
+H.C. GREGORY.
+
+THE GOUTY-STEM TREE, NEAR THE DOME, ON THE RIVER VICTORIA, NORTH-WEST
+AUSTRALIA.
+
+T. BAINES.
+
+C.F. GREGORY.]
+
+
+
+AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS.
+
+
+MESSRS. GREGORY'S EXPEDITION TO THE EAST AND NORTH OF SWAN RIVER.
+
+1846.
+
+EARLY CONDITION OF WEST AUSTRALIA.
+
+The colony of Western Australia was established in 1829; but its
+isolation from the older settlement of New South Wales rendered it
+necessary to import all the horses, cattle, and sheep by sailing vessels
+from Tasmania, or other remote sources, while the heavy losses and
+difficulties attending long sea voyages prevented any large importations
+of stock--so that, though there was a fair rate of increase, the flocks
+and herds of the settlers had found sufficient pasturage for the first
+ten years on the banks of the Swan River and its upper valley, the Avon,
+together with the coast district southward to the Vasse Inlet; but after
+1840 the stock-owners began to feel that all prospect of material
+increase must be relinquished unless additional pastures could be
+discovered.
+
+Several public as well as private expeditions were undertaken for the
+purpose of ascertaining whether in the interior or along the coast on
+either side of the settlement there existed any available country, but
+they had only encountered dense scrubs of acacia and eucalyptus, with
+salt marshes and scarcity of fresh water in the interior. The coast to
+the east had been traversed from Adelaide to King George's Sound by Mr.
+Eyre, and found to be altogether unfit for settlement, while to the north
+the coast presented a series of sandy plains for more than 200 miles.
+
+It may now appear extraordinary that the earlier explorers in Australia
+were so frequently unsuccessful in their endeavours to penetrate the
+interior; but the scarcity of suitable horses, the unsuitable character
+of the saddlery, cumbersome camp equipment, and deficiency of knowledge
+regarding the seasons in the interior, all combined to defeat the first
+explorers in districts which have since been traversed with comparative
+facility.
+
+In 1846 the known country had become so nearly stocked to the full extent
+of its capability that the leading question of interest with the settlers
+was, where new runs could be discovered; and, among many others, the
+Messrs. Gregory proposed to attempt the further exploration of the
+interior.
+
+Messrs. A.C. and F.T. Gregory, who were attached to the department of the
+Surveyor-General, applied for three months' leave of absence for the
+purpose; but it was eventually arranged that the expedition should be
+under the auspices of the Government, which provided four horses, and
+voted 5 pounds for the purchase of equipment, the remainder being
+supplied at private expense.
+
+The party consisted of A.C. Gregory, F.T. Gregory, and H.C. Gregory,
+provided with four horses and seven weeks' provisions, the equipment
+being reduced to the least possible weight. The starting point was Mr.
+T.N. Yule's station, in the Toodyay district, sixty miles north-east from
+Perth.
+
+The following is a transcript of the journal:--
+
+EXPLORATION TO EAST OF SWAN RIVER, 1846.
+
+DIARY.
+
+7th August, 1846.
+
+Leaving Mr. Yule's farm at Boyeen Spring, passed Captain Scully's station
+at Bolgart Spring at 10.15 a.m.; thence steered north 70 degrees east
+over sandy downs, thinly timbered with eucalyptus; at 12.50 p.m. crossed
+a small watercourse trending in the direction of our course till 2 p.m.,
+when it turned south; at 3.50 p.m. halted for the night on a small stream
+flowing to the south-west.
+
+Latitude by observation 31 degrees 12 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 116
+degrees 50 minutes.
+
+8th August.
+
+At 7.5 a.m. commenced a course 70 degrees; at 8.0 crossed a granite hill
+with some grass, after which the country was scrubby till 9.30, when we
+entered a grassy flat timbered with casuarina; at 10.25 the country was
+more open, but scrubby; at 12.45 p.m. observed a small lake bearing 10
+degrees; steered on that course, and reached it at 2.10 p.m.; halted till
+3.15, and then resumed our former course through a swampy country, and at
+4.50 camped on the bank of another small shallow lake.
+
+Latitude by observation 31 degrees 4 minutes 24 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 4 minutes.
+
+9th August.
+
+At 7.35 a.m. steered on a course of 95 degrees through a scrubby country
+with small wooded valleys; at noon observed several large shallow lakes
+five to ten miles to the north-east; at 3 p.m. altered the course to 45
+degrees, and at 3.30 to north; at 4 p.m. reached a large open flat
+covered with salicornia and other salt plants, and with shallow lakes of
+salt water. At the edge of the flat found a native well with good water
+and a patch of grass around it, and bivouacked.
+
+Latitude by observation 31 degrees 2 minutes 22 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 23 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+10th August.
+
+At 7.35 a.m. left the bivouac and steered 95 degrees, passed several
+small salt lagoons in a thick swampy country; at 9.15 entered a gum
+forest with close underwood, which rendered travelling slow and
+difficult, but it gradually became more open; at 1 p.m. observed several
+lakes to the north and east, six to seven miles distant; we then passed a
+succession of dense thickets and patches of gum forest till 4.25, when we
+turned north, and at 5.30 halted in an open patch of grass surrounded by
+swampy thickets.
+
+Latitude by observation 31 degrees 1 minute 44 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 45 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+11th August.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. steered north-east through gum forest; at 8.30 passed a dry
+lagoon; at 9.10 changed the course to 95 degrees; the country became more
+open; at 11.35 ascended an elevated ridge, and saw several bare granite
+hills to the eastward; steered 75 degrees to the nearest; reached its
+summit at 1.40 p.m., and halted for the remainder of the day to refresh
+the horses, there being abundance of water in the hollows of the rock and
+some grass around the base of the hill.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 58 minutes 47 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 59 minutes 47 seconds.
+
+DRY COUNTRY. GRANITE HILLS.
+
+12th August.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 7.30 a.m., steered 122 degrees through alternate
+patches of gum forest, underwood, and grass; at 11.50 reached the summit
+of a bare granite hill, from which we could see Lake Brown, bearing 93
+degrees to 103 degrees, Eaglestone Hill, 100 degrees, also many other
+remarkable hills and peaks. Leaving this hill at 12.15 p.m., steered 58
+degrees over undulating wooded country with several small watercourses
+trending to the south; at 4.30 bivouacked at a scrubby hill, near a small
+pool of rainwater, on a granite rock.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 59 minutes 54 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 17 minutes.
+
+13th August.
+
+Resumed our course 58 degrees through level gum forest, then a spearwood
+thicket, then dense underwood and patches of gum forest till 1.25 p.m.,
+when we came to a native well among granite rocks; having watered the
+horses, continued the course through the same description of country till
+4.40, when we halted at the foot of a granite hill with plenty of
+rainwater in the hollows and grass on a narrow strip between the scrub
+and base of the bare rock.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 48 minutes 34 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 40 minutes.
+
+14th August.
+
+Started at 10.35 a.m., and steered 41 degrees through a level country,
+with thickets of underwood, cypress, and gum, with some grassy patches;
+at 2.20 p.m. reached a bare granite hill, at the foot of which we
+bivouacked.
+
+15th August.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 7.15 a.m., steered 50 degrees; at 8.50 crossed a
+steep ridge of white sandy rocks resting on granite; after this the
+country was grassy, with little timber, 10.30, when we entered a thick
+scrub; at 11.0 observed a high granite hill bearing 50 degrees, steered
+for it, and reached the summit at 12.55 p.m., descending into thick scrub
+on the other side. Having climbed a tree to get a view, observed a very
+remarkable peak and range of rugged hills distant about forty miles, the
+highest point bearing 57 degrees; at 2.30 came to scrubby country with
+only a few trees, and at 4.15 camped at a small waterhole in a granite
+rock.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 31 minutes 43 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 52 minutes.
+
+16th August.
+
+At 7.15 a.m. resumed our march on a bearing 68 degrees, through
+well-wooded country till 9.35, when we ascended a fine grassy hill of
+trap-rock. From this hill several of a similar character were visible to
+the southward, while to the north numerous large dry salt lakes or
+marshes occupied the valley along the south-eastern declivity of which we
+had travelled for the last two days; the course was then 56 degrees,
+through scattered forest, with much underwood and a little grass. At noon
+struck the shore of one of the lakes, the bank being composed of gypsum
+and red sand, in some parts twenty feet high; following the shore of the
+lake to the east till 1.15 p.m., again resumed a course 56 degrees
+through dense thickets of wattle (acacia), with patches of gum forest and
+cypress, the soil a red sandy loam devoid of smaller vegetation; at 5.0
+halted for the night.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 21 minutes 40 seconds; longitude 119
+degrees 11 minutes.
+
+WHIRLWINDS. RED SAND.
+
+17th August.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. recommenced our journey 50 degrees; at 6.55 crossed a narrow
+swampy patch of salicornia trending east and west; altered the course to
+63 degrees, and at 7.35 crossed a deep watercourse trending to the south;
+at 8.15 ascended a trap hill with a few granite rocks at the foot, among
+which we found a small pool of rainwater, at which we halted for three
+hours to refresh our horses, and then proceeded 40 degrees till 2.20
+p.m., when we arrived at the foot of the highest hill in the range for
+which we had been steering. Leaving our horses, we ascended the hill,
+which was composed of trap-rock, and did not exceed 300 feet in height
+above the general level of the country. From the summit several similar
+ranges of trap hills were visible, extending from north to
+east-south-east; to the south-east the country appeared to be a level
+sandy desert without the least appearance of vegetation, while to the
+west and north the smokes of many native fires were visible in the
+distance. The extremely level character of the country between the ranges
+to the east and north, and the immense columns of red sand or dust which
+were raised by whirlwinds to a height of 200 to 500 feet, gave but little
+hope of finding water in that direction. Returning to our horses at 4.20,
+steered 350 degrees about three and a half miles to a small patch of
+grass which had been observed from the hill, which was named Mount
+Jackson. There was a small watercourse through the patch of grass, but no
+water, and the country was suffering from prolonged drought.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 12 minutes 28 seconds; longitude 119
+degrees 16 minutes.
+
+18th August.
+
+After six hours' ineffectual search for water, we were compelled to
+return to the water passed early on the previous day.
+
+19th August.
+
+Left the bivouac at 7.20 a.m. and steered 275 degrees through a scattered
+gum forest with much underwood; at 9.55 came on a dry salt lagoon of
+irregular form, which was crossed at 10.20; passing a native well among
+flat granite rocks, the country rose gradually till 11.50, when we
+arrived at a hill crowned by steep white sandstone cliffs twenty to
+thirty feet high. The course was then changed to north, through dense
+thickets, till 12.20 p.m., when we again turned west through a
+well-wooded country, and at 3.0 camped on a high granite hill with some
+patches of grass and abundance of rainwater in the hollows of the rocks.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 19 minutes 33 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 55
+minutes.
+
+20th August.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. resumed a westerly course through dense thickets of acacia
+and melaleuca, and at 5.15 p.m. bivouacked in a small patch of grass and
+a small pool of rainwater on a granite rock.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 17 minutes 40 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 35
+minutes.
+
+21st August.
+
+At 7.45 a.m. started on a course 320 degrees over an undulating country
+with dense thickets and patches of cypress and gum forest; at 4.30 p.m.
+bivouacked near a small hole in a rock with about two gallons of
+rainwater remaining in it.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 5 minutes 43 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 22
+seconds.
+
+22nd August.
+
+At 7.35 a.m. resumed a west course through a succession of thickets, gum
+forest, and scrub; at 12.30 p.m. observed a granite hill bearing 315
+degrees; made for the hill, and finding some excellent grass around a
+native well, at 2.15 camped.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 3 minutes 36 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 8
+minutes.
+
+23rd August.
+
+Started at 7.40 a.m. in a direction 320 degrees, over thinly-timbered
+scrubby country, which gradually improved and became grassy; at 10.5
+altered the course to 336 degrees, and at 1.15 p.m. reached the summit of
+a granite hill from which a series of dry lakes, or salt marshes, were
+visible in a wide valley trending to the north-east. A very remarkable
+hill bore 316 degrees, about 35 miles distant. Steering in the direction
+of this hill, found the country covered with almost impenetrable scrub of
+acacia. At 4.20 halted at the foot of a high sandstone cliff, where some
+deep holes in the rock retained a small quantity of rainwater.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 51 minutes; longitude 119 degrees 55 minutes.
+
+24th August.
+
+Left the bivouac at 7.35 a.m. steering 312 degrees; passed over a nearly
+level country timbered with cypress and eucalyptus, with patches of
+acacia thicket; at 2.45 p.m. halted at a deep waterhole in a flat granite
+rock.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 42 minutes 31 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 41
+minutes.
+
+EXTENSIVE SALT MARSHES.
+
+25th August.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. resumed our journey on the same course as yesterday, and at
+9.15 came on an extensive flat covered with salicornia, which formed the
+margin of an immense salt marsh or dry lake, extending to the north-east
+and south-west to the horizon, but narrowing to about three miles at the
+point we came to it. It was decided to attempt crossing at this place,
+and, after travelling for an hour across the salicornia flat, reached the
+bare salt marsh. This at first seemed firm; but, after half-a-mile, the
+hard crust of salt and gypsum, which formed the surface, gave way and
+three of the horses were bogged almost at the same time. After a long
+ineffectual struggle to extricate themselves they were quite exhausted,
+and we waded through the mud to the opposite shore, a distance of
+half-a-mile, and cut some small trees, and with them, combined with
+tether ropes and saddle-bags, formed two hurdles or platforms twelve feet
+long and two feet wide. These with much difficulty were taken to the
+horses, and by placing them alternately in front of each animal, worked
+them over the soft mud, and after six hours of severe exertion succeeded
+in reaching the firm ground. The hard salt crust, though apparently
+strong, having once been broken, its edges gave way like thin ice. After
+reaching the ground, which was dry enough to bear the weight of the
+horses, we had to travel about three miles through soft dust of white
+gypsum, in which we sank from one to two feet, but at length reached a
+large granite rock, at the foot of which there was a little grass and on
+the rock some small pools of rainwater.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 37 minutes 30 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 38
+minutes.
+
+26th August.
+
+From the summit of the rock we had an extensive view, the lake extending
+twelve miles east, fifteen miles to the south and west, eight miles to
+the north and to the north-east, only bounded by the horizon. Shallow
+pools of brine, varying from one to three miles in diameter, with
+low-wooded and high bare granite islets, were scattered over this vast
+area of white mud gypsum and salt. At 8.35 a.m. started in a southerly
+direction along the shore of the lake in the hope of turning its west
+side; at 10.40 altered the course to 221 degrees; and at 12.30 p.m.
+camped on a grassy granite hill, about a mile from the lake.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 47 minutes 13 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 36
+minutes.
+
+27th August.
+
+Steering a general course 200 degrees from 7.40 a.m. to 8.40, again
+reached the shore of the lake, followed it south-east till 9.45, then 80
+degrees till 12.15 p.m., when we halted for one and a half hours under a
+very remarkable solitary gum-tree; we then steered 173 degrees till 2.20;
+then 204 degrees till 3.30, when we left the lake, which trended to the
+west, and, steering 250 degrees till 5.5, camped at a native well in a
+small grassy valley. Some good open grassy flats were passed during the
+day and a large number of wild turkeys were seen.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 59 minutes 4 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 39
+minutes.
+
+28th August.
+
+Starting at 7.35 a.m. in a west-north-west course, at 8.45 passed several
+small dry salt lagoons; at 9.0 ascended a granite hill, from the summit
+of which it was discovered that further progress in this direction was
+impracticable, and that we were on a peninsula, as the lake still trended
+south to the horizon. We therefore turned east, and at 11.35 came on the
+southern extension of the eastern branch of the lake; followed it nearly
+east till noon, then north-east and north-north-east till 1.0 p.m.; then
+17 degrees, leaving the lake and crossing extensive open downs till 2.5,
+when a small dry salt lake was passed, and we entered thickets of acacia,
+which changed to gum and cypress forest; at 3.0 came to a rich grassy
+hill, then thickets and grassy patches, and at 4.0 reached the summit of
+a lofty granite hill and had an extensive view over the country. On the
+north side of the hill found a native well and some good grass, where we
+camped.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 45 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 46
+minutes.
+
+GRANITE HILLS AND GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+29th August.
+
+At 7.35 a.m. left the bivouac and steered 30 degrees through thickets; at
+8.30 crossed our track of the 24th, and at 9.15 passed a salt marsh
+trending north-west and south-east; at 12.25 p.m. altered the course to
+north till 1.0; then, 37 degrees, ascended a granite hill, on which we
+found a few shallow pools of rainwater; then north till 4.0 p.m., and
+bivouacked in a grassy patch with a small hollow containing a little
+muddy water.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 30 minutes 46 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 51
+minutes.
+
+30th August.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.35 a.m., steering north over a level country
+with patches of brushwood and grass; at 10.35 ascended a steep grassy
+ridge, and found ourselves at the north-east extremity of the immense
+salt lake which for five days had baffled our attempts to proceed north.
+The lake, which was named Lake Moore, was at this part about five miles
+wide, and extended to the horizon to the south-west; to the north and
+west there were many bare granite hills; changing the course to 328
+degrees, at 12.55 p.m. camped at a grassy granite hill.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 17 minutes 56 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 47
+minutes.
+
+31st August.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. steered 328 degrees for two hours through thickets of
+acacia, cypress, and gum; then entered a grassy country with jam-wattle;
+at 10.35 passed a granite hill and altered the course to 357 degrees, and
+at 11.30 ascended a high granite hill, from which many similar hills were
+visible to the north and east, and a remarkable range of trap hills about
+thirty miles to the north-north-east; also some smaller trap ranges to
+the north-west, from ten to thirty miles distant. At noon steered 302
+degrees towards the nearest of these ranges, traversing a level plain
+with brushwood and grass; at 4.45 crossed a small dry watercourse
+trending west, and at 5.5 bivouacked on a granite hill, with some grass
+and a fine pool of rainwater in a hollow of the rock.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 3 minutes 14 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 31
+minutes.
+
+1st September.
+
+Resumed our route at 7.45 a.m.; at 8.45 reached the hills we had been
+steering for; from the summit there was an extensive view: to the north
+and west were many trap hills and several dry salt lakes; to the north
+the country was level for several miles, and then rose into a low range
+of granite hills, covered with brushwood and grass; at 9.20 steered 230
+degrees over level country with dense thickets of acacia; at noon the
+country became more open; at 1.0 passed some small dry salt lagoons, the
+country more open and with some grass, and at 3.0 camped at the foot of a
+granite hill, with good grass and some water oozing out of a cleft in the
+rock.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 50 minutes 44 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 20
+minutes.
+
+2nd September.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 7.40 a.m., steered 330 degrees over a succession
+of grassy granite hills, with small watercourse trending to the west; at
+12.40 p.m. came on a party of four aboriginals, who hastily decamped,
+leaving their spears and shields behind in the hurry of retreat; they
+appeared to be of rather small stature, and somewhat darker in colour
+than the blacks near the Swan River. Observing a remarkable hill bearing
+312 degrees about twenty miles distant, steered for it; the country
+became more level, with grass and brushwood; at 3.5 turned north to a
+steep granite hill, crossing a dry watercourse thirty yards wide and
+sixteen feet deep trending north-west; at 4.40 halted in a gully in the
+granite range, and obtained water by digging among the rocks.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 34 minutes 9 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 2
+minutes.
+
+3rd September.
+
+Started at 8.0 a.m., steering towards the hill seen yesterday, and which
+now bore 307 degrees. The country was nearly a dead level, with a few
+small dry watercourses trending south-west; the soil a red loam,
+producing some grass and small acacias; at 10.50 came on an extensive
+flat covered with salicornia, which extended to the base of the hill, the
+summit of which was reached at 12.25 p.m.; from this position the flat or
+marsh appeared to extend fifteen miles to the north-east, a branch also
+to the north-west, in which direction the water seemed to trend, though
+the dip of the country, if any, was so slight as to render it uncertain.
+To the north a range of trap hills, five to ten miles distant,
+intercepted the view. Having completed observations at 2.10, steered 300
+degrees along the foot of a range of trap hills; at 3.50 passed a dry
+salt lake on our right, and at 5.15 bivouacked on the side of a trap
+hill, among some fine oat-grass growing on calcareous tufa. From the
+summit of the hill we could see salt marshes continuing in a north-west
+direction for many miles; all the hills within twenty miles were of a
+trap formation, and therefore gave no prospect of obtaining water, the
+soil being loose and the rock full of fissures; hitherto we seldom had
+found water except on or near granite rocks, which serve to collect the
+rainwater of even slight showers.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 24 minutes 20 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 42
+minutes.
+
+SCARCITY OF WATER. TURN TO THE WEST.
+
+4th September.
+
+As the horses had been twenty-four hours without water, and there was no
+prospect of obtaining any to the north or west, no rain having fallen for
+the past month, it was deemed advisable to return to the last bivouac,
+and then, by a westerly course, attempt to make the sources of the Hutt
+or Arrowsmith rivers, the mouths of which had been discovered by Captain
+Grey on the coast opposite our position. Accordingly, after six hours'
+ride, we got back to the well at the bivouac of the 2nd.
+
+5th September.
+
+At 7.50 a.m. left the bivouac, and, steering 240 degrees, at 8.15 crossed
+the dry watercourse trending west; at 11.0 ascended the ridge bounding
+the valley; at noon found a small pool of water in a gully descending to
+the westward; after this traversed a continuous thicket of acacia with
+narrow strips of cypress forest, and bivouacked at 5.50 without water.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 47 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 41
+minutes.
+
+6th September.
+
+At 6.45 a.m., proceeding west, ascended a granite hill, near the top of
+which we found a native well, where we halted at 7.30. Having watered the
+horses and breakfasted, at 9.30 resumed our journey over granite hills,
+covered with brushwood and cypress with a few grassy patches; at 11.10
+passed a native well; altered the course to west-south-west, crossing
+three small watercourses trending north-west; and at 1.15 p.m. halted at
+the foot of a bare granite hill, on the top of which there was a fine
+pool of rainwater in a shallow basin of the rock.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 50 minutes 51 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 29
+minutes.
+
+7th September.
+
+Started at 7.15 a.m. on a course 255 degrees through acacia thickets; at
+10.5 crossed a narrow strip of salt marsh, which spread out into dry salt
+lakes to the south; after this the country was grassy till 11.30, when we
+entered a dense thicket of acacia, melaleuca, cypress, and eucalypti, the
+ground gradually rising till 4.0 p.m., and then descending till 5.25,
+when we crossed a small dry watercourse trending south; at 6.10
+bivouacked in a gum forest without water or grass, though a large flight
+of white cockatoos which roosted near seemed to indicate that water was
+not far distant.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 58 minutes 14 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 6
+minutes.
+
+8th September.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 7.0 am steered west; at 7.20 came to a grassy
+granite hill, then west-north-west to another hill, where we halted for
+half an hour to look for water, but being unsuccessful, again resumed a
+westerly course through acacia thickets, alternating with grassy gum
+forest, till noon, when the soil changed from a red loam to ironstone
+gravel; grass disappeared and was replaced by scrub; the country was much
+broken and continued to rise till 4.0 p.m., when it began to descend
+rapidly till 4.30, when we came to a small watercourse trending south;
+following it down for half a mile, found a small pool of water and some
+grass, and halted for the night, this being the only water seen for
+nearly fifty miles.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 58 minutes 50 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 45
+minutes.
+
+DISCOVER TWO SEAMS OF COAL.
+
+9th September.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. resumed a westerly course through grassy gum forest; at 8.0
+a.m. crossed a large watercourse trending south, with many shallow pools
+of water; the country then became scrubby; at 9.10 crossed a granite
+ridge and entered a rich grassy valley timbered with eucalypti and
+raspberry-jam wattle, a small watercourse trending north. The ridge on
+the west side of the valley was destitute of timber, but covered with
+dense wattle brush; at 10.0 a.m. altered the course to 305 degrees, and
+at 10.35 came on the head of a small stream-bed with pools of water;
+following it west-north-west, at 11.30 it was joined by a running stream
+four yards wide, the water being brackish, and trended to the south-west;
+left it and steered west over an open scrubby country; at 12.30 p.m.
+entered a dense thicket of eucalypti and acacia, the soil being formed of
+fragments of granite and trap; at 1.0 p.m. entered a deep valley by an
+abrupt descent, and found ourselves once more on the banks of the
+brackish stream, which was much enlarged, and running through a narrow
+grassy flat backed by high sandstone cliffs from 80 to 100 feet high.
+Continuing our course along the river west till 1.55 p.m., when it turned
+north, and at 2.20 p.m. north-west; at 3.0 p.m. the banks of the stream
+became very high, and stratified in a remarkable manner, the lower rocks
+in thin beds dipping to the east, while the superincumbent rocks of red
+sandstone were horizontal. We therefore entered the bed of the river to
+examine it, and found two seams of coal--one five feet thick and the
+other about six feet thick--between beds of sandstone and shale. Having
+pitched the tent and tethered the horses, we commenced to collect
+specimens of the various strata, and succeeded in cutting out five or six
+hundredweight of coal with the tomahawk, and in a short time had the
+satisfaction of seeing the first fire of Western Australian coal burning
+cheerfully in front of the camp, this being the first discovery of coal
+in the western part of the Continent.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 57 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 30
+minutes.
+
+10th September.
+
+At 7.20 a.m. left the camp and followed the river downwards on a general
+course 250 degrees; at 7.40 crossed to the left bank, the valley opening
+out and the soil improving, being formed by the decomposition of soft
+shales, which contain much gypsum in fine crystals. Oat and rye grasses
+were abundant, with plenty of saltbush; at 9.10 crossed to the right
+bank, and steered 220 degrees to an abrupt headland on the north side of
+the valley, which was here about two miles wide; the soil a stiff brown
+loam, with rounded fragments of granite, flinty trap, and quartz,
+resembling in appearance the French millstone burr; the grass improved,
+being chiefly of perennial species. After a halt of twenty minutes to
+take bearings from the hill, at 9.40 steered 200 degrees, and again
+crossed the river at 11.15, and altered the course to 235 degrees; the
+grassy country having a breadth of two miles. At noon ascended a sandy
+ridge with a few gum-trees on the top; there the valley closed in, the
+grassy flats below being only half a mile wide and backed by extensive
+elevated sandy downs, covered with heath and short scrub. The course of
+the river was about 230 degrees. At 1.35 p.m. ascended a remarkable red
+sandstone hill, with a table summit and steep rocks on all sides nearly
+blocking up the valley; at 2.15 p.m. resumed a general course of 242
+degrees along the bank of the river, and at 4.5 bivouacked in a rich
+grassy flat thinly timbered with white-barked eucalyptus.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 10 minutes 42 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 15
+minutes.
+
+REACH THE SEA-COAST.
+
+11th September.
+
+Started at 7.40 a.m., and, steering 240 degrees, crossed the river, left
+the grassy flats, and entered the sandy downs; at 8.45 ascended a steep
+sandstone cliff, and from the top had a distant view of the sea; the
+river about one and a half miles to the south, where a large branch
+joined it from the east about two miles below the bivouac. At 9.35
+steered 267 degrees over open sandy downs, and at 10.35 struck the river,
+running north through beautiful grassy flats timbered with York and
+white-gums and wattles; there were many fine pools of water, which
+appeared to be permanent. After an unsuccessful attempt to cross the
+river, followed it northerly till 11.0; then west-north-west till 11.20,
+and then west-south-west till 11.45, when we found a practicable crossing
+to the left bank, and, steering west by south, ascended a sandy limestone
+ridge; then on a west-south-west course followed the valley of the river
+down to its mouth, which was reached at 3.40 p.m. The entrance of the
+river was choked up with sand and rocks, and not passable for even small
+boats. This river appears to be the Irwin River of Captain Grey, as this
+spot is only one and a half miles to the south of the position assigned
+to it on Arrowsmith's map of this part of the coast. At 4.30 left the
+beach and retraced our steps to where we crossed the river at 1.30, and
+bivouacked at 5.50.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 15 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 114 degrees 59
+minutes.
+
+12th September.
+
+At 7.50 a.m. resumed our journey up the river, steering north-east till
+8.25; then east along the north bank, through rich grassy flats timbered
+with York gum. At 10.20 left the river and entered the sandy downs; at
+10.30 crossed a small stream with some fine springs; at 11.0 changed the
+course to east by south; at noon altered the course to 83 degrees,
+crossing the river at 12.50 p.m., where it is joined by the east branch,
+which is of equal size with the northern one; followed the east branch up
+through wide grassy flats till 2.0, and camped.
+
+The country consists of elevated sandy downs covered with heathy bushes
+and a few small banksia trees, it being only on the alluvial flats of the
+river that there is any grass or good soil. Large flocks of
+cockatoos--white, black with white tails, and black with red tails--came
+to water near the camp; some were shot, also a turkey, the flesh of which
+was extremely bitter and scarcely eatable. Several kangaroos were seen on
+the sandy downs.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 11 minutes 20 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 18
+minutes.
+
+13th September.
+
+At 7.55 a.m. left the Irwin River and steered a course 160 degrees, over
+open sandy downs of considerable elevation; at 11.45 halted for half an
+hour and shot a kangaroo, which proved a welcome addition to the
+commissariat; at 1.30 p.m. changed the course to 142 degrees, and at 2.30
+came to a running stream three yards wide. This we assumed to be the
+Arrowsmith River of Captain Grey, and as there was little prospect of
+finding water farther on, we bivouacked, though there was only a little
+grass close to the bank of the stream and the rest of the country covered
+with short scrub.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 27 minutes 9 seconds.
+
+14th September.
+
+Left the bivouac at 8.35 a.m., and steered 160 degrees over sandy downs
+with ridges of red sandstone till 3.0 p.m., when the course was altered
+to 220 degrees, following down a shallow valley; at 4.0 turned
+west-south-west, and at 5.15 bivouacked in a swampy spot with some grass;
+obtaining water by digging in the sand.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 48 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 32
+minutes.
+
+15th September.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 8.0 a.m., steered 214 degrees over scrubby country
+with patches of gum forest; at 9.0 turned to 160 degrees, crossed a
+country of sand and ironstone of considerable elevation; at 3.30 p.m.
+altered the course to 170 degrees, and followed down a scrubby valley
+till 5.0; then 115 degrees for half an hour, and came to a native well in
+a patch of York gum-trees, where we camped. The last three hours our
+progress was scarcely six miles, as one of the horses knocked up.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 10 minutes; longitude 115 degrees 39 minutes.
+
+STEER SOUTH OVER SANDY DOWNS.
+
+16th September.
+
+As there was no grass for the horses, we were compelled to push on our
+journey, and at 7.20 a.m. steered 160 degrees; the country was more
+broken up by valleys, the soil sand and ironstone, with heathy scrub,
+banksia, and grass trees (xanthorrhoea) with a few patches of white-gum
+forest; at 10.30 steered 138 degrees towards a high summit, distant
+twelve miles. The horse again knocked up, but by relieving him of his
+load, which was transferred to the other horses, succeeded in driving him
+a few miles further. At 2.20 p.m. changed the course to 180 degrees, and
+entered a level sandy piece of country, bounded on all sides by hills; at
+3.40 altered the course to south-west; at 5.0 had to abandon the weak
+horse and continue our route in search of water; at 5.30 passed a small
+salt lake with a little grass on the margin; at 6.0, finding the country
+getting worse, returned to the salt lake and camped on the western side.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 27 minutes 19 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 47
+minutes.
+
+17th September.
+
+After digging in about twenty different places around the lake, at length
+found fresh water, and then went back for the knocked-up horse, and with
+some difficulty got him to the well, where we decided to rest the horses
+this and the following day, before encountering the inhospitable sandy
+region to the southwards.
+
+18th September.
+
+One of the party made a short excursion to the west of the plain, and in
+about three miles reached the hills, which appeared very barren and
+scrubby; but after crossing the first ridge, the country was timbered
+with York and red gum and a large species of acacia, producing abundance
+of gum; the soil a red loam, producing some grass and abundance of the
+everlasting flowers and warran, or native yam. After penetrating this
+good country four miles returned to the camp, having shot a kangaroo and
+ten cockatoos.
+
+19th September.
+
+Leaving the camp at 8.5 a.m., steered 160 degrees, and soon ascended the
+sandy downs, which were destitute of trees, except a few banksia and
+floribunda; at 11.45 crossed a valley trending to the west; at 1.15 p.m.
+observed a range of wooded hills to the east and south; altered the
+course towards a remarkable gorge which bore 129 degrees; at 3.30 entered
+a gum forest, and at 3.50 came to a large stream-bed with many pools of
+water; followed it down south, and camped at 4.20.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 42 minutes 39 seconds; longitude 116 degrees.
+
+REACH THE MOORE RIVER.
+
+20th September.
+
+Crossed the watercourse, which seemed to be a branch of the Moore River,
+and steered 163 degrees from 7.30 a.m. till 8.20, when the country
+improved, with grassy hills and brown loam, with fragments of granite and
+trap rock; the timber York-gum and jam-wattle. This description of
+country continued till 12.15 p.m., when scrub again prevailed on
+ironstone hills timbered with white-gum; at 2.20 entered a valley of
+better character, with quartz and granite rocks. After crossing several
+rocky ridges, at 3.20 reached the main branch of the Moore River, which
+we crossed, and camped. This was the first place where the poisonous
+gastrolobium was observed.
+
+Latitude 31 degrees 39 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 13 minutes.
+
+21st September.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. followed the river upwards on a bearing of 130 degrees; at
+8.0 passed a deserted sheep-station, the river coming from the north;
+continued our course over broken ironstone ridges, timbered with
+white-gum; at 10.0 the country became more level and sandy, and at 11.45
+struck the road from Toodyay to Victoria Plains; followed the road
+southerly till 4.5 p.m., and camped at a small spring.
+
+Latitude 31 degrees 14 minutes 19 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 34
+minutes.
+
+CAPTAIN GREY'S REPORT OF GOOD COUNTRY CONFIRMED.
+
+22nd September.
+
+This morning an hour's ride brought us to Bolgart Spring, after an
+absence of forty-seven days, during which we had travelled 953 miles,
+traversing three degrees of latitude and nearly four and a half of
+longitude.
+
+The discovery of coal and country available for settlement on the coast
+to the north of Swan River was deemed to be of such importance that the
+Government dispatched Lieutenant Helpman in the colonial schooner
+Champion to procure a sufficient quantity of the coal to admit of its
+being practically tested as to quality, and also to ascertain what
+facilities existed for its conveyance to a port for shipment. A volunteer
+party, consisting of Lieutenant Irby, Dr. Meekleham, Messrs. Gregory and
+Hazlewood, accompanied Lieutenant Helpman to Champion Bay, now the site
+of Geraldton, and thence by land to the coal-seam on the Irwin River, a
+distance of ninety miles, and brought down about half a ton of coal to
+the vessel. This coal, though of fair quality and suitable for steam
+purposes, proved, however, to be so remote from any suitable port for
+shipment that it has hitherto not been available for commercial purposes.
+
+The primary object of the voyage having been attained, it was considered
+desirable to avail of the opportunity to examine the country to the
+northward and ascertain its capabilities for settlement; for though
+Captain, now Sir George Grey, had seen some good country on his journey
+along the coast from Gantheaume Bay to Swan River, in 1839, Captain
+Stokes, who landed from the Beagle subsequently and ascended Wizard Peak
+about twelve miles inland, had distinctly negatived the existence of any
+country capable of occupation, though, as an illustration of the
+difficulty of ascertaining the real capabilities of country by partial
+and hurried inspection, it may be observed that this has since become one
+of the most prosperous districts of Western Australia in regard to its
+pastoral, agricultural, and mining industries.
+
+For the purpose of making this examination of the country, Messrs. A.C.
+Gregory, H.C. Gregory, and Lieutenant Irby, taking three horses and three
+days' provisions, left Champion Bay on the 20th December, the following
+being a copy of the journal:--
+
+20th December, 1846.
+
+At 6.20 a.m. left the bivouac and followed the shore of Champion Bay
+about a mile northerly; then steered 87 degrees over a scrubby country;
+at 7.20 crossed the Chapman River; and at 8.0, being a quarter of a mile
+north from Mount Fairfax, altered the course to 66 degrees, the country
+being thinly covered with wattle scrub and some grass; at 8.45 crossed a
+large branch of the Chapman with several small pools of water in the bed;
+the country beyond was more scrubby and the soil gravelly; at 9.0 changed
+the course to 18 degrees, and at 9.20 again crossed the Chapman River
+just below a pool of apparently permanent water; at 9.50 crossed a
+granite ridge, beyond which the country improved, with many large patches
+of grass to the eastward; at 10.20 ascended a high flat-topped hill of
+red sandstone resting on granite, which proved to be the eastern point of
+Moresby's Flat-topped Range. From this hill Mount Fairfax and Wizard Hill
+were visible to the east; grassy hills rose gradually from the Chapman
+River for seven or eight miles; steering 10 degrees over grassy country,
+the soil was composed of detritus of granite and trap rocks; at 11.0 came
+on a large party of natives, some of whom accompanied us for about a
+mile, pointing out places where we should find water. At noon turned to
+the north-east and entered an extensive valley with some patches of
+grass, but not generally of a good character; at 12.30 p.m. crossed a
+small watercourse trending west; followed it about half a mile, and then
+steered north-west over scrubby flats till 1.0, when we struck a small
+stream-bed with small pools of water, and halted till 1.20, and then
+followed up the stream to the north till 3.0, when we bivouacked.
+
+21st December.
+
+At 6.35 a.m. steered north over a hilly country with scrub, grass,
+York-gum, and wattle--the prevailing rocks red sandstone, quartz, and
+granite; at 8.30 crossed a stream-bed with pools of brackish water
+trending east, and at 8.50 entered a good grassy country which appeared
+to extend ten to twelve miles to the east and north--clumps of York-gum,
+jam-wattle, and sandalwood were observed on some of the hills. After
+crossing several small watercourses, at 9.45 ascended an elevated sandy
+tableland covered with coarse scrub; and at 10.35, not seeing any
+prospect of better country, changed the course to west, and following
+down a deep gully, at 11.7 came to a small pool of salt water; following
+the watercourse south-south-west, at 11.25 came to a small hole dug by
+the natives, in which the water was fresh, though the pools above and
+below were salt. Halting till nearly 1.0 p.m., resumed a westerly course,
+crossing several deep grassy valleys trending south; at 1.35 steered 211
+degrees over a hilly, quartz, and granite country with very good grass;
+at 2.30 again came on the stream-bed, the country improved and
+well-grassed, with scattered jam and black wattle trees as far as the
+country was visible; at 3.50 the stream was joined by a branch from the
+east, and following it to the west-north-west till 5.0, bivouacked in the
+bed of the stream, water being obtained by digging in the sand.
+
+22nd December.
+
+At 6.35 a.m. steered 220 degrees over a fine grassy country; at 7.0
+ascended a small ironstone hill, from which we observed a deep valley
+trending to the south-west; to the north and west the country was open
+and grassy for twelve miles, presenting at one view fifty or sixty
+thousand acres of fine sheep pasture. Continuing a south-west course over
+granite country with some good grass, but not equal to that seen the
+previous day, at 8.0 crossed a small stream-bed, which we assumed to be
+the Bowes River of Captain Grey; we ascended steep limestone hills on the
+west bank, and from the summit observed the large white sand patch on
+Point Moore bearing 170 degrees; turning south three-quarters of a mile,
+crossed the Bowes River at its mouth, which was choked up with sand; we
+then steered south-east with the intention of following Captain Grey's
+route to Champion Bay; but, after traversing sandy downs with limestone
+rocks for four miles, one of the horses became so footsore that we
+descended a deep ravine to the sea-beach, which was followed southerly,
+and after crossing the dry mouth of the Buller and Chapman Rivers,
+reached the landing place in Champion Bay at 1.10 p.m.
+
+On the 23rd the party and horses were shipped on board the Champion and
+reached Fremantle on the 28th.
+
+***
+
+
+THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY.
+
+1848.
+
+As the stock belonging to the settlers on the Swan River had increased to
+the full extent of the pastoral capabilities of the known available
+country, it became of pressing importance to push forward the exploration
+of the Colony of West Australia, and accordingly, in 1848 the
+Surveyor-General, Captain Roe, conducted an expedition to the south-east
+of Swan River, while the settlers organised one to proceed to the north,
+and made application to the Government to grant the services of Mr.
+Assistant-Surveyor A.C. Gregory as the leader of the party.
+
+THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY.
+
+We could not do justice to the enterprise and exertions of the gentlemen
+who discovered the new tract of good land to the northward in any other
+way than by giving Mr. Augustus Gregory's Journal entire:--
+
+INSTRUCTIONS TO LEADER OF THE EXPEDITION AND ITS OBJECTS.
+
+Colonial Secretary's Office,
+
+Perth, August 28, 1848.
+
+SIR,
+
+I am directed by the Governor to inform you that you have been appointed
+to direct the exploring expedition about to proceed northwards on account
+of the zeal, energy, and enterprising spirit that have been exhibited by
+you on other occasions, and called into action with credit to yourself
+and advantage to the public interests. The party under your direction, it
+is intended, should proceed northward as high as the Gascoyne River. (The
+Gascoyne River flows into Shark Bay, in latitude 24 degrees 52 minutes
+South.) It is advisable to approach that river from the eastward, about
+100 miles from the coast, after proceeding in a north-easterly and
+northerly direction from the country abreast of Champion Bay, it being
+desirable that part of your route which lies farthest in the interior
+country should be first accomplished, in order to avail yourself of the
+best chance of finding water.
+
+You will examine that river as far as it may be practicable to do, with
+the view of tracing its course; of ascertaining, if possible, the nature
+of the bar at the mouth of it, and the question of its being practicable
+for boats, to what distance from the bar, and the nature of the soil in
+the vicinity of either bank.
+
+After having examined thus the Gascoyne River you will proceed in a
+southerly direction and examine the river, as yet unnamed, about forty
+miles farther south, that flows into Shark's Bay, the mouth of which was
+seen by Captain Grey, and is placed by him at Point Long.
+
+Should you proceed along the sea-shore for any distance you will pay as
+much attention as your limited means will allow you to do to the
+peculiarities of the coast, and of any estuaries, creeks, or roadsteads
+that may present themselves.
+
+You will bear in mind that the primary object of this expedition is the
+examination of a new tract of unknown country for practical purposes, by
+practical men--that, in fact, the discovery of new land of an available
+kind for pasture has become a thing to be desired, of paramount
+importance, and an object in the attainment of which the interests and
+perhaps the fate of this colony depend.
+
+You will thus conduct your expedition with the view of promoting this
+principal object to the best of your ability. But it is hardly needful to
+observe to you that this chief object may be promoted and attained
+without neglecting to observe the geographical, geological, and
+mineralogical features of the country you pass through; its
+productions--animal and vegetable; and the character, dialects, and
+customs, to some extent, of the aboriginal tribes you may fall in with.
+You have been so frequently employed in exploring expeditions, though of
+minor importance perhaps to the present, that you must be well aware it
+is no less impolitic than cruel to come into actual collision, wantonly,
+unadvisedly, and maliciously, with the natives; and, on the contrary,
+that it is no less humane than politic to leave no angry recollections of
+white people, where the footsteps of travellers, however few and far
+between, must be expected to follow yours.
+
+Should your route, either in proceeding on the expedition or returning,
+be in the direction of that part of the Irwin River where for the
+discovery of coal the colony is indebted to yourself and brothers, it
+would be desirable that you should devote a short time to the examination
+of the locality where it was first found; to excavation, to some moderate
+extent, in the vicinity of the veins of coal of most promise; and, above
+all, to the ascertainment of the fact if coal crops out, or if there be
+in the soil any indications of it between the place where the mine was
+discovered by you in 1846 and the seashore, in that intervening space of
+about thirty-eight or forty miles, or to the northward of it in the
+direction of Shark's Bay, where Dr. von Somner thought the coal-seam of
+the Irwin might again make its appearance.
+
+In the event of accident, occasioning loss of provisions and beasts of
+burden, and a necessity arising for a prompt return to the settled
+districts, you will bear in mind the causes of impediment on the march
+which proved so disastrous to Captain Grey's party on its return from
+Gantheaume Bay; the want of vigilance at night manifested in another
+expedition in the murder of Lieutenant Eyre's European companion; and the
+want of caution, forgetfulness of the nature of barbarians, and the
+facilities for ambush afforded by a wilderness of trees and jungle, that
+have led to injuries fatal to life, as in the case of Mr. Cunningham in
+Sir Thomas Mitchell's expedition, and of two of his companions at another
+time; and in some instances, as in those of Captain Stokes and Captain
+Grey, that have led to results all but fatal to the explorers and their
+expeditions; injuries suddenly and unexpectedly inflicted on individuals
+straggling from the main body of their party, or venturing considerable
+distances in advance of it.
+
+You are to bear in mind that it might be of some advantage throughout
+your expedition to keep a register of the depths at which water has been
+found by you, and of those depths to which you have penetrated in vain
+for it.
+
+It will be requisite that you should ascertain the course of rivers of
+any magnitude, and direction of chains of high land, that you may meet
+with, and follow the same to some extent--at least wherever appearances
+may lead you to expect improvement of soil, a richer country, or one
+indicating mineral productions.
+
+In the event of occurrences of unexpected disasters, impediments, and
+unavoidable accidents, arising from loss of provisions or of horses, or
+of any injury to the health or strength of the party, rendering it
+utterly impracticable for the expedition to proceed as high northward as
+Gascoyne River, your discretion then supplying whatever you may be
+unprovided for in your instructions, you will explore as far as it is
+possible for you to do, on your return, the country north of the settled
+districts of York and Toodyay; so that something of utility may be
+accomplished, and the great object for which this expedition was prepared
+may not be wholly frustrated.
+
+I am further to add that His Excellency's best wishes accompany your
+party, and that the success of the expedition, and the return of all
+engaged in it in health and safety, will be hailed by him with very
+lively satisfaction.
+
+I have the honour to be, Sir,
+
+Your obedient servant,
+
+R.R. MADDEN,
+
+Colonial Secretary.
+
+To A.C. Gregory, Esquire, Perth.
+
+...
+
+GENERAL REPORT OF JOURNEY.
+
+Perth, November 20, 1848.
+
+SIR,
+
+I have the honour to transmit, for the information of His Excellency the
+Governor, the following outline of the proceedings of the exploring party
+to the northward which His Excellency has been pleased to place under my
+direction. I regret that we have not succeeded in reaching the Gascoyne
+River, which your instructions for my guidance pointed out as the
+ultimate object of the expedition; but I trust that our attempts to
+render the expedition serviceable to the colony have not proved
+unsuccessful, especially as the result has been the discovery of several
+fine portions of good grassy land near Champion Bay, which, with the more
+minute examination of the country in the vicinity which had been
+previously discovered, will render available a tract of pasturage
+sufficiently extensive to relieve the present overstocked districts; the
+estimated quantity of land suitable for depasturing sheep being about
+225,000 acres, exclusive of 100,000 acres on the Irwin, the greater
+portion of which, however, is better suited to agricultural purposes. The
+observations I have had the opportunity of making during this journey
+have confirmed my previous opinion, that, could the party have started in
+July instead of September, the chief obstacle to our progress--the want
+of water--might have been avoided; and although there would have been
+many minor difficulties to encounter, I feel assured that the same zeal
+and energy which enabled my party to contend so long with the obstacles
+which opposed their advance to the Gascoyne River, would have ensured
+their success in a more favourable season. The gentlemen who formed my
+party have my sincere thanks for their prompt and energetic co-operation
+on all occasions; nor can I omit to mention the cheerful and trustworthy
+conduct of private W. King of the 96th regiment. For minute details I beg
+to refer my journal and the plans of my route, which I am plotting.
+
+I have the honour to be, Sir,
+
+Your obedient servant,
+
+A.C. Gregory,
+
+Assistant-Surveyor.
+
+The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, etc.
+
+...
+
+JOURNAL.
+
+LEAVE THE SETTLED DISTRICTS. STAMPEDE OF HORSES.
+
+2nd September, 1848.
+
+Started for Toodyay, with Mr. C.F. Gregory and five horses for the
+expedition to Shark's Bay; bivouacked at Worrilloo.
+
+3rd September.
+
+Proceeded to Toodyay, where Messrs. L. Burges, J. Walcott, and A. Bedart
+joined on the 4th, bringing six horses with them. Having had the horses
+shod at Ferguson's, we continued our journey to Mr. Lefroy's station,
+near Bebano, which we reached on the 7th. The following day the cart,
+with our provisions, etc., arrived, accompanied by private W. King.
+Having obtained another horse from Mr. Lefroy, on the 9th we left
+Welbing, with ten pack and two riding horses, carrying three months'
+provisions, etc. Steering north by west for the first twenty miles,
+generally grassy, we entered the extensive sandy plains which occupy
+almost the whole country between the Moore and Irwin rivers. The rainy
+season having scarcely ended, we found both water and grass for our
+horses every night; and, not meeting with any serious impediments, we
+reached the upper part of the Arrowsmith Brook on the 13th. Here the
+country improved, and the valleys, in which the stream takes its rise,
+were estimated to contain about 10,000 acres of tolerable sheep pasture.
+Early the ensuing day we entered the Irwin Plains; crossing the eastern
+branches of the river, we encamped, on the 15th, on the northern branch,
+three-quarters of a mile below the spot where the coal was first
+discovered. The Irwin Plains presented a beautiful aspect, being covered
+with rich grass and vegetation; the soil is generally good; but most of
+the grasses being of the annual species, would not afford good pasturage
+in the summer, and in consequence they are better suited for agriculture,
+while the open character of the country would render clearing for the
+plough a matter of little expense. While dinner was preparing, the
+horses, being herded, suddenly started off at full speed, in consequence
+of a large stone rolled down by one of the party in ascending the hill.
+Two of the remaining horses were immediately saddled, and Mr. Burges and
+myself started to catch them; in about a mile we came up with them at the
+foot of an almost perpendicular cliff; on seeing us they started off, and
+scrambling up the rocks like goats, left us far behind; we did not
+overtake them for several miles, when with some difficulty we captured
+one, but had the mortification of losing one of the saddled horses in
+exchange. Leaving the captured horse in charge of Mr. Burges, I followed
+the rest; caught another after a smart ride of three miles, but it was
+not till I reached the East Irwin that I could again overtake the rest,
+when, favoured by the steep bank of the stream, I succeeded in securing
+our truant steeds. It was now dark, and being unable to manage nine
+horses by myself, I tethered several of the wildest, and started with two
+of the best for the encampment ten miles distant, which, owing to the
+nature of the country, I did not reach till midnight. Mr. Burges had
+arrived about an hour previous with the horse first caught. Light showers
+in the morning.
+
+16th September.
+
+Messrs. Bedart, C. Gregory, and J. Walcott started to bring in the
+horses; the rest of the party was employed in repairing damages of the
+harness, and at 3.0 p.m. the party returned with the horses. Slight
+showers in the morning.
+
+17th September (Sunday).
+
+Light clouds from the south-west; thunder; rain in the evening. Read
+prayers.
+
+18th September.
+
+Left the bivouac at 8.15 a.m., and followed upwards the main branch of
+the Irwin to the north-north-east, through a steep and rocky valley, the
+sandstone hills in some parts approaching the river, so as to render it
+necessary to cross frequently with the pack-horses. The very level
+character of the summits of these hills gives the country the appearance
+of having been once a plain, through which the valley of the stream has
+since been worn by the action of water; the upper stratum is a hard red
+sandstone, resting on a softer rock of a sandy or clayey character,
+beneath which the shales and rocks belonging to the coal formation show
+themselves, lying in unconformable beds, and often at a very high angle.
+At 9.25 the stream divided into two branches, that to the east being the
+most considerable; at this spot the sandstone ceased, and we commenced
+ascending the granite range, the direction of which was about
+north-north-west. The soil was poor and stony, producing a little feed
+for stock; but it could scarcely be made available, as the country is
+completely covered with thickets of acacia of small growth. At 4 p.m.
+bivouacked on a small watercourse running through a level grassy flat,
+bounded on both sides by thickets of wattle.
+
+SCRUBBY COUNTRY NORTH FROM THE IRWIN RIVER.
+
+19th September.
+
+At 8.15 a.m. steered a nearly north course, through a country of the same
+description as yesterday; crossed several small gullies trending west, in
+some of which a little water still remained; at 4.20 p.m. halted for the
+night at a brackish pool in a small gully trending west.
+
+20th September.
+
+Started at 8.0 a.m., continuing a northerly course, over a similar
+description of country as during the past two days, crossing three large
+gullies coming from the eastward, but apparently near their source. At
+3.45 halted on a large stream-bed, with a few brackish or rather salt
+pools in its sandy channel, which was in some places nearly 100 yards
+wide; from our encampment we observed a very remarkable peaked hill,
+distant about twenty miles, and from its outline conjectured it to be
+composed of the same vein of trap-rock as that which forms similar ranges
+further to the eastward.
+
+21st September.
+
+The scarcity of water and the very level appearance of the country to the
+northward of our bivouac, added to the general denseness of the thicket
+of acacia and cypress, rendering a continuance of a north course
+unadvisable, we steered north-west from 8.30 a.m. till noon, when we
+ascended a scrubby sand ridge, from which we had an extensive view;
+neither hill nor valley could be discovered to the north, east, or
+west--nothing but one immense sea of dense thicket of acacia and cypress
+was visible in these directions; the course was therefore changed to
+west, and continuing it without much alteration over a succession of low
+ridges of drifted sand, the valleys being filled with dense thickets,
+until 6.20 p.m., when the approach of night compelled us to bivouac in a
+small patch of gum forest, which also afforded a few scattered tufts of
+grass for our horses. Although this was the lowest spot passed in a
+distance of more than ten miles, it was so completely dried up and
+parched that a search for water was fruitless, even by digging; the
+scanty allowance of very brackish water in our kegs was therefore much
+relished by the party.
+
+22nd September.
+
+The night having been cloudy, and a strong breeze preventing any dew, our
+horses were not much refreshed; we, however, started at 7.45 a.m., and
+steering nearly west till 3.15 p.m. through a succession of dense
+thickets, high scrubs, and thorny bushes, we entered open sandy downs,
+and changed the course to south-west, with the intention of making the
+Hutt River, should we not find any water nearer, when, almost hopeless of
+procuring this essential element before the next day, we unexpectedly
+came to a native well in the centre of the sandy plain; here we
+bivouacked at 5.40, but, from the loose sandy soil in which the well was
+dug, we could not obtain more than about two and a half gallons of water
+for each horse, the sides of the well continually falling in. Strong
+breeze from the north-west, and several light showers in the evening and
+night.
+
+23rd September.
+
+Having completed watering the horses, we left the well at 9.30 a.m., and
+steering about north-west over undulating sandy downs, covered with
+coarse scrub and patches of dense thickets, at 2.15 p.m. entered a small
+gully trending north-west. The country improved, but was so thickly
+clothed with wattles as to render travelling difficult; a few patches of
+grass were seen in some small watercourses, in which a little water
+remained. At 4.40 bivouacked on a large gully trending northwards, with
+several small pools of water in a rocky bed of gneiss, containing
+numerous small garnets. Strong breeze from the north-west and slight
+showers.
+
+24th September (Sunday).
+
+Although the feed for the horses was not very abundant, yet the long
+marches they had encountered the last few days made it expedient to give
+them a day's rest to recruit their weary limbs. Read prayers. Strong
+breeze from the north-west and slight showers during the day.
+
+ENTER THE VALLEY OF THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+25th September.
+
+Started at 8.27 a.m.; passed over poor stony hills of granite formation
+and producing a little grass in tufts--the wattles growing so close
+together as to render travelling difficult and tedious. At 10.45 came on
+a large stream-bed, which had scarcely ceased to run; the channel was
+fifty yards wide, the bed steep and rocky, and, where crossed, ran over a
+dyke of trap-rock, the water slightly brackish and in long shallow pools,
+with samphire on the banks. This stream must be the Murchison River, as
+no other was passed for 30 miles to the northward; the effects of violent
+floods were visible, but it did not bear the character of a stream rising
+at any great distance inland, nor did the nature of the gravel and sand
+brought down by it indicate a rich soil on its upper portion, as I did
+not see anything besides fragments of siliceous rock and garnet sand. The
+valley through which it ran appeared to be five or six miles wide,
+extending twenty miles to the eastward, backed by sandy plains on both
+sides; a few patches of grass appeared in the lower parts of the valley;
+westward it seemed to contract and turn to the south-west, flanked by
+steep flat-topped hills of sandstone, resting on granite rock. Continuing
+north-north-east up a small valley, we passed through wattle thickets
+till 1.40 p.m., when we again ascended the level sandy tableland or
+plains, and changed the course to the north; the scrub increased in
+density as we proceeded. At 4.25 halted for the night in a patch of good
+grass, where the thicket had been burnt off by the native fires; the
+sandy nature of the soil rendered the search for water unsuccessful; we
+therefore contended ourselves with the allowance of one pint each.
+
+26th September.
+
+Left the bivouac at 7.15 a.m.; course north; the country more open; 9.25
+came on a large native well of good water in a slight hollow trending
+westward; having watered the horses and filled the kegs, continued our
+journey over sandy plains, covered with short coarse scrub; many hummocks
+of loose sand, covered partially with scrub, lay on each side of our
+track. At noon passed the last sandy ridge; before us lay an immense
+plain, covered with thickets, and not a hill or valley could be
+observed--the country seemed to settle into one vast level of dense and
+almost impenetrable scrub or thicket. At 1 p.m. entered it, and continued
+our route through it; although the bush-fires, which had burnt some large
+patches, greatly assisted us; 4.15 not finding any grass, we steered
+west, but at 5.15 were compelled to halt for the night in a dense
+thicket, without a single blade of grass or even scrub of any kind which
+could afford food for the horses; water it was hopeless to look for; and
+after a supper of raw bacon, damper, and a pint of water each, we retired
+to rest.
+
+WATERLESS COUNTRY AND DENSE SCRUB NORTH OF MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+27th September.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. set out on a north course; at 8.5, finding the thicket almost
+impassable, I ascended a cypress-tree, where a most cheerless view met my
+sight to the north, east, and west; not a break was visible--nothing but
+thicket in all directions, with scarcely an undulation of any kind; the
+view to the north-west was most extensive--nearly twenty miles of thicket
+could be seen, with a surface as level as the sea. Not considering it
+prudent to proceed onwards, the thicket being too dense to advance
+without the greatest difficulty, the saddle-bags being almost torn to
+pieces, and the horses quite worn out with continual exertions in
+dragging their packs through the thickets, we were compelled to return to
+the well passed yesterday morning. The country seen to the northwards was
+of too flat and sandy a character to give any hope of finding water or
+grass--and without these requisites, it would be incurring great risk of
+losing the horses, and of course defeating the object of the expedition;
+therefore, taking advantage of the partially cleared tracts of yesterday,
+we reached the watering place at 4.30 p.m.
+
+28th September.
+
+This day we employed ourselves in repairing our pack-saddles, which it
+was found necessary to restuff, as they had been padded with coarse
+rushes; the saddle-bags had been torn to pieces, and the repairs of these
+required more time than could be afforded in an evening's bivouac.
+
+29th September.
+
+Started at 8.35 a.m.; pursued a general course of 310 degrees, gradually
+ascending the sandy downs on the north side of the valley for three
+miles; it then turned to the north of west, and we again descended, and
+found the bottom occupied by a narrow samphire flat, 50 to 100 yards
+wide, over which the water runs during heavy rains, but it was now dry,
+and in some parts covered with a thin crust of salt; 11.26 passed a
+native well of slightly brackish water, amongst loose blocks of red
+sandstone; a small well was passed at 11.50; the samphire flat then
+changed to a small sandy channel, among large blocks of sandstone
+belonging to the coal-formation: in one place the slate also cropped out.
+Abundance of brackish water lay in small pools along the course of the
+stream-bed, which at 1.0 p.m. changed its direction nearly west; we
+followed it through a scrubby valley, with high hills on both sides, till
+4.45, when we bivouacked just below the junction of a small gully from
+the northwards, with a very remarkable sandstone hill about
+three-quarters of a mile south; below this spot the valley trended to the
+south-west, and was bounded on the north-west by flat-tapped sandstone
+hills.
+
+30th September.
+
+Not being more than ten to fifteen miles from the sea, I steered north
+330 degrees east magnetic. Starting at 8.5, and having ascended the high
+land, passed through a thick line of wattles and dwarf gum, growing on
+the eastern face of the limestone range, which forms the high barren
+range along this part of the coast. The country was covered with thick
+scrub, and some patches of gum and wattle thicket; about noon it was more
+open, and ascending an elevated sandy ridge, saw apparently a high range
+of hills extending north-north-west as far as Shark Bay, and terminated
+by a very abrupt and detached hill; but the excessive refraction caused
+by the heated and nearly level plain which intervened more than doubled
+their real height. We descended gradually over a succession of sandy
+hills or ridges till 2.0 p.m., when the lowest part of the plain was
+reached; we found it occupied by a small patch of spear-wood; the soil
+was hard dry clay, but on proceeding a little farther we found a patch of
+moist ground, encircled by a ridge of sand; at one foot deep we found
+water, but in such small quantity that we could only obtain sufficient
+for ourselves, and should have had to wait at least two hours to have
+given each horse only one gallon. Proceeding onwards, in hope of finding
+a more plentiful supply, we found the country became drier and full of
+circular hollows, filled with fine clumps of green wattle and a little
+grass; in one of these we bivouacked at 5.0, and dug six feet for water
+in red sand, but without any appearance of obtaining it even at double
+that depth.
+
+REPULSED FOR WANT OF WATER.
+
+1st October.
+
+This morning started at 7.55 a.m., and steering north-west, in hope of
+finding water, at 8.40 came on dense thickets of wattle, which extended
+at least seven or eight miles farther north; we therefore turned west to
+avoid them; at 9.30 changed the course to 300 degrees magnetic, and with
+great difficulty forced our way for two miles to a narrow strip of open
+ground; 12.40 p.m. arrived at the foot of the range of hills seen
+yesterday; found them to consist of limestone and sand, covered with
+thick scrub; between the hills were many nearly circular hollows filled
+with thickets of wattles; although the bottoms of the hollows were at
+least fifty feet below the lowest part of the ridges around them, they
+were quite dry, and afforded no hope of water even by digging; the
+country northward appeared even less likely to afford a supply, so much
+required, as it seemed to consist wholly of limestone and loose sand,
+without swamps or watercourses; the nearest spot at which we could hope
+to find it in this direction was the south part of Freycinet Harbour,
+distant, according to the charts, about thirty miles, and great doubt
+existed of the accuracy of it in this position (error having been found
+in some other parts of the coast-line); nor was it certain that we could
+find water on the coast, in which case the loss of our horses would be
+almost a necessary consequence, several of them showing extreme fatigue.
+The circumstances of the case required a prompt decision; I therefore
+ordered an immediate return towards the last spot where we had seen
+water. The whole party felt convinced of the necessity of returning,
+though with the greatest reluctance to do so, as it seemed to put an end
+to almost every hope of reaching the Gascoyne River. We followed our
+route back, and halted at 5.30 in a wattle thicket.
+
+A HORSE FINDS WATER.
+
+2nd October.
+
+Left our uncomfortable bivouac at 7.30 a.m.; steered south-east. Finding
+the horses scarcely able to travel from want of water, I took the
+strongest and rode over to the spot where we had obtained a little on the
+30th September, to dig wells and have a supply ready, if it could be
+obtained in sufficient quantity; at 11.0 arrived, and found the wells we
+had dug nearly dry; by opening several trenches down to the rocks which
+lay about one and a half feet below the surface, the water oozed in, and
+when the party came up, at 12.0, there was about a gallon for each horse;
+taking off the packs, we commenced watering: four horses had received
+their small allowance, when it came to my horse Bob's turn; after
+drinking his share he marched off at a smart pace, which somewhat
+surprised us, as he started in the direction of what we had supposed to
+be nothing but a tea-tree scrub; on following him, we found the horse
+drinking at a small shallow pool of water in a hollow in the clay. This
+was a very fortunate discovery, as the trenches filled with water so
+slowly that a full supply could not have been obtained that night, and
+the horses had been sixty-five hours without water.
+
+SAND PLAINS AND SCRUB. RETURN TO THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+3rd October.
+
+This morning Mr. Burges and myself started at 7.30 a.m. in a
+north-easterly course, to ascertain the practicability of proceeding in
+that direction, taking two of the strongest horses. After riding four
+hours over an open, scrubby sand-plain, with circular valleys, we again
+fell in with thickets of wattles so dense that, although burnt by the
+native fires about four years previous, they would have been impassable
+for the pack-horses; but, favoured by this circumstance, we penetrated
+the thicket in a north-north-west direction for about twelve miles. From
+one small sandy ridge we had an extensive view, but of a most
+discouraging nature; the whole country was one vast plain, covered with
+dense thickets and scrub as far as the eye could reach, except to the
+west-north-west, where rose a high and barren ridge, which would not have
+been visible but for excessive refraction, as it must have been more than
+twenty-five miles distant. The plain was still dotted over with the
+remarkable circular hollows or valleys which, by their extreme dryness,
+indicated a great depth of sandy soil, incapable of retaining water on
+the surface even for a short time, or any probability of our obtaining it
+by digging. We turned in disappointment towards the encampment, scarcely
+extricating ourselves from the thickets before it became dark. Having
+gained the sand-plain, we continued our return for several hours,
+steering by the stars, hoping by a night march to avoid the scorching
+effects of the sun, which at this season renders travelling over an
+extensive sandy plain very fatiguing. Having been more than eleven hours
+in the saddle, we halted for the night.
+
+4th October.
+
+Started with the dawn, and pushing our tired and hungry horses over the
+plain as fast as circumstances would admit, arrived at the encampment
+before the heat of the day became excessive. During our absence two more
+waterholes had been excavated, and sufficient water obtained for the
+horses; but, from the great evaporation, it did not seem likely to last
+longer than three or four days: the hardness of the sandstone precluded
+our sinking the wells more than one and a half feet. The extreme aridity
+of the country--the absence of water in consequence of the sandy nature
+of the soil, which renders it impossible that watercourses should
+exist--the dense and almost impassable nature of the thickets of acacia
+and melaleuca of small growth, and the heat of the climate--all tend to
+prove the fallacy of attempting to explore this part of the colony,
+excepting during the wettest of the winter months. Under the existing
+circumstances, I considered it my duty not to lead the party into a
+position from which it would most probably be impracticable to extricate
+ourselves without at least losing some of our horses; and even
+difficulties of a more serious nature might arise, which would prevent
+the more complete examination of the imperfectly known country to the
+southward of our present position, more especially as a successful
+advance to the northward seemed impossible.
+
+5th October.
+
+Left the encampment at 8.10 a.m.; steered north 135 degrees east magnetic
+over sandy country, covered with coarse scrub; at noon passed a narrow
+strip of wooded grassy land, the soil being limestone and red loam. The
+country again became scrubby, and, descending an open valley, came on a
+small watercourse at 1.5 p.m., trending south; followed it
+south-south-west. At 2.15 passed our bivouac of the 29th September, and
+turning south-west along the stream-bed, at 4.0 came on the right bank of
+the Murchison River, running through wide grassy flats, the stream
+forming large pools, some of them more than a mile in length; but, with
+the exception of the flats on each side of the bank, the country is poor
+and scrubby, destitute of trees, and the hills high and rocky, consisting
+of red sandstone, those to the west capped with limestone.
+
+6th October.
+
+The horses being much fatigued and nearly starved, having subsisted
+chiefly on scrub for the last two days, we determined to rest them for a
+few days, while we examined the river towards its mouth. I started with
+Mr. Bedart, and tracing the stream downwards to the south-west, reached
+the sea after a ride of six hours. Excepting the flats and a narrow strip
+of land on each side, the country was very indifferent, the hills being
+composed of sandstone and sand, covered with coarse scrub and a gigantic
+species of grass, the leaves of which, instead of affording food for
+stock, were a source of great annoyance to our horses, being armed with
+sharp thorny points, and was somewhat appropriately called bayonet grass
+by the party. The tide flows about five miles up the river, when it is
+obstructed by some slight rapids; although it seems shallow, and full of
+rocks and islands, I think it is navigable for small boats. Above the
+rapids the river is a succession of long reaches of water about 100 yards
+wide, and wide flats covered with reeds, the roots of which seem to form
+an important article of food with the natives. Many springs were seen on
+the left bank, but few on the right, the water of which was of excellent
+quality. After making observations of the bar, which appeared to be
+practicable for whaleboats in moderate weather if the wind be south of
+west, we returned along the south shore of the estuary, which is about
+one and a half mile long and half a mile wide; it does not appear to be
+of any great depth. My horse being quite knocked up, it was dark before
+we could reach a spot where we could obtain water and grass; having come
+to a convenient place, we bivouacked under a large overhanging rock, as
+it promised to be a wet night.
+
+7th October.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. we were in our saddles, but owing to the rocky nature of the
+country did not arrive at the encampment till 12.30 p.m. During our
+absence the party had been successful in fishing and shooting; a savoury
+mess of cockatoos, swans, and ducks, with fried fish, proved a welcome
+change to us, after living so many weeks on salt meat and damper.
+
+8th October (Sunday).
+
+9th October.
+
+The valley of the river being rocky and impassable above the camp, we
+crossed to the left bank and ascended the sandy tableland; steered about
+south-east from 7.45 a.m. to 11.0, when we came on the stream in a deep
+valley formed by almost perpendicular red sandstone cliffs from 50 to 200
+feet in height, broken at short intervals by enormous fissures (their
+general direction west-north-west and nearly at right angles with the
+river), which time, with the action of water, had worn into impassable
+ravines, frequently extending more than half a mile back from the river,
+and rendered travelling very tedious and unsafe, as it was requisite to
+avoid the thick scrubs covering the higher land. The course of the river
+now changed to nearly south, and preserved the same rocky and
+unapproachable character till 5.0 p.m., when a break in the cliffs
+enabled us to descend into the valley, although with some difficulty and
+danger to the horses, which had to slide down the steep rocks at the risk
+of breaking their necks, which would have been the almost certain result
+of a single false step; but the descent being accomplished, they were
+rewarded by an abundant supply of grass and water, the latter from a
+large spring at the foot of the cliffs.
+
+10th October.
+
+While breakfast was preparing, Mr. Burges and myself examined the right
+bank of the river, and after a short search, found a practicable ascent
+to the top of the cliffs, and having cleared a way through the thicket of
+melaleuca on the bank of the river, returned to breakfast. At 7.50 a.m.
+commenced ascending, and at 8.30 reached the summit of the rocky hills,
+and steering about south-east through a succession of thickets, rocks,
+yawning chasms, sand-hills, and scrub, we attained to a fine grassy flat
+at 12.30 p.m. The bed of the river here quite changed its character, the
+sandstones giving place to granite gneiss, with dark trap dykes
+intersecting it in a northerly and southerly direction, the dip of the
+strata being to the west at a very high angle, at times almost
+perpendicular.
+
+A DEPOT CAMP. EXPLORE THE UPPER MURCHISON.
+
+11th October.
+
+As this appeared to be a good spot for the formation of a depot, while we
+examined the upper portion of the Murchison, I proceeded up the river in
+company with Mr. Burges, leaving the rest of the party to guard the camp
+and attend to the horses. After one hour's ride we came on our track
+where we crossed the river on the 25th September, the general course of
+the stream-bed being east-north-east, its channel averaging 100 yards in
+width, full of rocks, small trees, and sandbanks, with many shallow
+brackish pools of water, with the exception of one, which was both wide
+and deep, where we halted for two hours to rest the horses; few of the
+pools seemed likely to last through the heat of summer. At 1.0 p.m. we
+came on a party of natives, five of whom came up to us, following us for
+some distance. As they seemed to prefer mimicking our attempts to speak
+the York dialect to using their own, we could not obtain much
+information; they carried kylies and dowaks, but had left their spears
+and shields with the rest of their party, who did not make their
+appearance. At 3.0 passed several ridges of red sandstone rocks, the
+strata dipping to the east-north-east at an angle of from 20 to 60
+degrees. The granite rock entirely disappearing, the country became quite
+level, and covered with one universal thicket of acacia and cypress,
+except the very slight depression which formed a shallow valley about
+three miles wide, through which the river runs in a deep channel from 80
+to 100 yards wide in ordinary seasons, but when in flood must exceed 300
+yards, and the rise of the water, judging from the rubbish drifted up in
+former years, must exceed thirty feet. The valleys did not seem to be
+more than 100 feet below the general surface of the country (which was
+quite level), filled with a dense thicket of wattles; a narrow strip of
+large gum-trees, growing in grassy flats close to the river, marked the
+course of the stream. At 5.0 we halted for the night by a small pool of
+fresh water in one of the back channels of the river, the pools in the
+main bed being all brackish.
+
+12th October.
+
+Started at 6.35 a.m., following the river, the general course being
+north-north-east; no change was observed in its character. At 11.20
+halted to rest the horses, and again started at 1.40 p.m. At 3.40 came on
+a large party of natives at a fresh water pool; five followed us some
+miles, and were not to be satisfied until we had made an exchange of part
+of a handkerchief for a quantity of noolban, some dowaks, and dabbas,
+some of which we accepted as a token of our friendly intentions. The
+stream-bed turned east, and we followed it until 6.0, when we were halted
+for the night, having the good fortune to find a little fresh water by
+digging in the sand in the bed of the river, the pools being all
+brackish.
+
+RETURN TO DEPOT CAMP.
+
+13th October.
+
+At 6.15 a.m., we were again in our saddles, and continued journey up the
+river--the general course north-north-east. In vain we looked for some
+rising ground or hill from which we might obtain a view of the country,
+but the same sandy level, covered with dense thickets of wattles, still
+met the eye till 11.0, when we observed a low sandstone cliff forming the
+eastern side of the valley. In this direction we steered, and after
+pushing through thickets of wattle growing on stony ground, with small
+patches of salsolaceous plants, we arrived at the foot of the cliff,
+which was about sixty feet in height, of white sandstone, full of rounded
+quartz pebbles. The top was nearly on a level with the general plane of
+the country, which was of a most cheerless aspect. The valley of the
+river trended to the north-north-east for eight or ten miles, then to the
+east; the width appeared about five miles, and one dense thicket of
+wattles seemed to fill the entire space. The rest of the country was,
+without the slightest exception, level in the extreme, covered with one
+universal thicket of acacia and cypress, the latter indicating the sandy
+nature of the soil. As no appearance of change in the character of the
+country within twenty or thirty miles was visible, and we had only two
+days' provisions left (not having expected the stream to extend so far),
+and the camp at sixty miles distant, we were obliged to leave the farther
+examination of the river to some future explorers; but we regretted it
+the less as, from the nature of the gravel and sand brought down by the
+stream, there seemed great probability that it takes its rise in large
+salt marshes similar to those known to exist 100 miles east of the Irwin,
+if it does not actually drain them, as the general trend of the most
+northerly marshes seen was in the direction of the upper part of the
+Murchison. Under these circumstances, we returned to our bivouac of last
+night, reaching it at 5.40 p.m.
+
+14th October.
+
+Started at 6.25 a.m., and retracing our route down the river, came to our
+bivouac of the 11th at 5.5 p.m. without any incident worthy of notice,
+but surprising three or four natives asleep in the bed of the stream;
+they were of the party seen on our route up the river.
+
+15th October (Sunday).
+
+Resumed our journey; passed two parties of natives; a few of them
+followed us some distance, and having overcome their first surprise,
+commenced talking in their own language, which, as far as we could
+understand it, had great affinity to that spoken by the natives in the
+York and Toodyay districts. After a smart ride of seven hours we arrived
+at the encampment, found the rest of the party all well, and the horses
+much improved by their few days' rest.
+
+THE GERALDINE LEAD MINE DISCOVERED. THE HUTT RIVER.
+
+16th October.
+
+The two horses we had ridden up the river requiring a day's rest, which
+was also acceptable to Mr. Burges and myself, we remained at the camp and
+made preparations to move on to the Hutt River the next day. Mr. Walcott
+brought in some specimens of galena, which, on farther observation,
+proved to be abundant.
+
+17th October.
+
+Leaving our encampment at 9.10 a.m., we steered a southerly course,
+passing over a succession of low granite hills, thickly covered with
+acacia, to the exclusion of almost every other kind of vegetation, save a
+few scattered tufts of grass. At noon entered the sand-plains which
+occupy the high lands in this district; observed a patch of grassy land
+bearing south-west; proceeding in that direction, at 1.0 p.m. came on it,
+but found it to be a very small spot of grassy granite country, encircled
+by sand-plains and scrub. Continuing our course, at 2.5 struck a small
+stream-bed trending west-south-west; the valley in which it runs is
+bounded on both sides by sandy hills, covered with scrub; some patches of
+grass and wattles occupied the lower ground wherever the granite rock
+showed itself; tracing the stream-bed downwards, we found many brackish
+pools. At 3.45 crossed the left bank--found it running, but brackish; and
+at 4.20 we bivouacked at its junction with the Hutt River, which was here
+about ten yards wide, with narrow grassy flats on both banks. The hills
+are of sandstone and sand, producing little besides scrub.
+
+18th October.
+
+Started at 7.50 a.m., steering north 140 degrees east magnetic up the
+valley of the Hutt, which gradually widened and improved, the hills being
+grassy for an average distance of two miles back from the stream, of
+granite formation, and thinly sprinkled with wattles; behind the grassy
+land the country rose into sandy plains, covered with short scrub. At
+9.20 crossed to the left bank; the river trended to the eastward. At
+11.10 sighted King's Table Hill, bearing south magnetic. We then
+descended into the rich and grassy valley of the Bowes River; this we
+traversed till 4.0 p.m., when we bivouacked in a small stream tributary
+to the Bowes. As the country passed over this day had not been previously
+examined, we were much pleased to find it equal to the best land on the
+southern branch of the Bowes, visited by the Surveyor-General and myself
+on former occasions.
+
+FINE PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+19th October.
+
+Messrs. Burges, Bedart, and myself rode down the Bowes to examine the
+country, and found it generally of good grassy character, suitable for
+sheep; the bed of the streams being filled with broad-leaved reeds, seems
+to indicate an abundant supply of water in the dry season; but the pools
+were very small, and the water all brackish, not even excepting the
+running streams. The hills are of gneiss, with garnets and trap-rock, the
+latter producing excellent grass of various kinds, the most conspicuous
+of which is a species of kangaroo-grass, but of a less woody character of
+seed-stalk than that found in other parts of the colony. The extent of
+land fit for sheep-feeding on this stream (it can scarcely be called a
+river) I should estimate at 100,000 acres, and Mr. Burges considered it
+capable of feeding about 17,000 sheep. The existence of garnets, iron
+pyrites, and a mineral resembling in many of its properties plumbago,
+specimens of which were found in the gneiss of this district, seems to
+indicate a metalliferous formation, and I have little doubt a further
+search might develop many of the present hidden sources of wealth. Near
+the coast we fell in with some natives (four men and five women), who
+were very friendly, but from their peculiar nature we were unable to
+accept of their civilities.
+
+20th October.
+
+Started with Messrs. Burges and Walcott to examine the upper part of the
+Buller river; after passing over the country examined by Lieutenant Irby
+and myself in December, 1846, we crossed the granite ridge which divides
+the valley of the Buller into two nearly equal portions. We found the
+land on the left bank of the eastern branch of very good and grassy
+description, consisting of a range of granite hills about ten miles north
+and south, and two miles in width; to the east of which the high sandy
+and level plains commence in an abrupt line of sandstone slopes and
+hills. Halted for the night in the east branch of the Buller, with water
+in small pools and abundance of grass for our horses.
+
+21st October.
+
+Continued the examination of the Buller Valley down to the spot where I
+bivouacked on the river in December, 1846; then followed up the stream
+for seven miles, where we dined, and then steering west-north-west,
+arrived at the camp at 6.30 p.m. We estimated the valley of the Buller to
+contain about 10,000 acres of good grassy land, and 30,000 acres of
+inferior feeding country; the good land is much broken into patches by
+that which is of indifferent quality. Timber is here, and also on the
+Bowes, very scarce, and the little that exists is very indifferent and
+small.
+
+22nd October (Sunday).
+
+Messrs. Bedart and C.F. Gregory walked to the hill which lies
+three-quarters of a mile west of King's Table Hill. The rock of which it
+is formed appeared to belong to the coal formation, as thin seams of
+black shale were seen in the rocks of which the lower strata of the hill
+are composed; but the natives making their appearance, it was not
+considered prudent to remain geologizing among the cliffs. Returning
+towards the camp, the natives followed for some distance, and on
+descending a cliff the women commenced pelting the party with stones,
+apparently in revenge for the refusal of certain courteous invitations,
+which perhaps are the greatest marks of politeness which they think it
+possible to offer to strangers.
+
+CHAPMAN RIVER.
+
+23rd October.
+
+Left our encampment at 8.5 a.m., and steered 150 degrees magnetic over
+granite hills producing wattles and good grass. At 9.40 crossed the south
+branch of the Bowes, after which the country was not so well grassed,
+except in the valleys. The lower hills were of granite; the higher red
+sandstone of tabular form. At 11.0 the country became more sandy and
+covered with short scrub, gradually rising to the south. At noon we
+attained the high tableland; crossed two scrubby valleys bounded by
+sandstone hills, in the first of which the black shale peculiar to the
+coal formation showed itself, with a slight dip to the south. At 1.50
+p.m. crossed the Buller in a rocky channel with reedy pools, apparently
+of permanent character. The land improved and became grassy, and
+ascending the hills on the left bank, passed Peak Hill at 2.50: this is
+the highest part of the range between the Buller and Chapman. From this
+we steered south down a small grassy valley; the hills with granite bases
+and sandstone table summits, with excellent grass, and thinly wooded with
+acacia and a few York gums. At 3.15 bivouacked in a patch of excellent
+grass with water in small quantities.
+
+24th October.
+
+A violent thunderstorm during the night was followed by a rainy and misty
+morning; the weather clearing up, we walked down to the Chapman River,
+which was running in a sandy channel with small shallow pools. The land
+on the bank of the stream was very indifferent and sandy for about a
+mile, when it rose into granite and sandstone hills, covered with
+excellent grass.
+
+EFFECT OF REFRACTION. GREENOUGH RIVER.
+
+25th October.
+
+Accompanied by Messrs. Burges and Walcott, I proceeded to examine the
+country to the eastward of our camp. Starting at 7.20 a.m., steered east
+over grassy hills, with granite bases and table summits of red sandstone,
+the latter rock forming but a poor soil with scanty feed and scrub;
+crossed several small gullies running into the Chapman. At 10.0 passed a
+large sandy hill, covered with short scrub, and halted at 11.0 in a
+grassy gully in the bottom of a wide scrubby valley; at 12.45 p.m. again
+resumed our journey, and ascending the sandy downs, at 1.15 gained the
+highest ridge. Before us lay the valley of the Greenough River; the white
+and red sandstone cliffs, which bound the valley on the south-east, were
+distorted by excessive refractions, which, as we crossed each sandy
+ridge, changed their appearance, sometimes assuming the appearance of
+islands with high rocky shores, then like reefs with heavy breakers,
+followed by high cliffs and grassy hills; but as we approached they
+assumed their true character of low rocky hills and cliffs, scarce
+exceeding 200 feet in height, and generally covered with dense thickets
+of acacia growing on an otherwise barren stony soil. At 3.30 came on the
+right bank of the Greenough River; the bed was quite dry, and had no
+appearance of having run since the winter of 1847. Following up the
+stream-bed to the north-east, passed some shallow pools of salt water;
+and at 4.45 observed the black coal shales at the bottom of a deep cliff,
+which formed the left bank of the river. At 5.0 halted for the night,
+obtaining fresh water by scraping in the sand by the side of a pool of
+salt water; we also found sufficient grass for our horses on the bank of
+the river.
+
+26th October.
+
+At 7.10 a.m. left our bivouac, steering north 120 degrees east magnetic
+towards a high sandstone cliff, which, after a ride of three-quarters of
+an hour through thickets of acacia, we ascended; but the view was not
+satisfactory, as thickets and scrubs extended over the whole of the
+country. We therefore returned to the river, and followed it downwards to
+the south-west by south. At 11.30 found some fresh water in a small
+waterhole in the bed of the river; halted till 1.50 p.m. to refresh the
+horses. The river turned south, and at 2.27 was joined by a small gully
+from the west, and coming from a grassy valley. As it had run during the
+last winter, it quite altered the character of the river for quarter of a
+mile, filling the pools with water, and giving the grass and trees a
+freshness which formed a most striking contrast with the brown and
+parched appearance of the rest of the valley. At 3.55 altered the course
+to 210 degrees magnetic; the country improved, many patches of grassy
+land appearing in the valley, and the country became more rocky. At 5.30
+crossed to the left bank, and found the river running with many large
+pools of water, some more than a half a mile long and 80 to 100 yards
+wide. The water was slightly brackish, being this year supplied
+principally by springs, taking their rise in the new red sandstone
+formation. We then followed the winding course of the river south-west
+amongst high hills of sandstone, many of which were covered with
+excellent grass, though the country was not generally good. At 6.20
+halted for the night on the right bank of the stream, in a narrow but
+rich grassy flat; heavy rain in the night.
+
+WIZARD PEAK. CHAMPION BAY. MOUNT FAIRFAX.
+
+27th October.
+
+Started at 7.0 a.m. and steering an average course of west by north,
+ascended the high land on the north bank of the Greenough. For the first
+hour the hills were of red sandstone, very steep and rocky, producing
+little but coarse scrub; some of the valleys and lower hills were well
+grassed; the country then improved, the hills being of the coal
+formation, and the limestones forming very rich and grassy hills. At 9.40
+the granite and gneiss formed a basis of the high sandstone-topped hills,
+which rose about 500 feet on each side of the valley. At 10.15 crossed to
+the left bank of the river, and re-crossed to the right at 11.10. The
+lower parts of the valley were not so rich or well grassed as the hills,
+but would afford excellent summer feed for sheep. Having dined, and given
+our horses an hour's feed on the rich grass which grew in the bed of the
+river (which here turned to the south), we continued our route. After an
+hour's ride over rich grassy hills, reached the foot of Wizard's Peak.
+Here we left our horses and ascended the hill; arrived at the summit, to
+our great surprise, instead of the scrubby and sterile country described
+by Captain Stokes of the Beagle, beautiful grassy hills, stretching from
+north to south-east, met our view to the extent of about 20,000 acres;
+had it not been certain, from bearings to Mount Fairfax and other hills,
+that we were on Wizard Peak, I should have suspected its identity.
+Leaving Wizard Peak at 2.30 p.m., steered north along the western foot of
+the grassy range. The country to the east consists of grassy hills of
+limestone, rich in fossil remains of wood and shells, with an occasional
+granite hill producing coarse grass or short scrub; to the west the
+country was more level, but less grassy, and in many parts scrubby. We
+fell in with some of the natives, who appeared friendly disposed. Crossed
+the Chapman at 6.5, and arrived at the camp at 7.15.
+
+28th October.
+
+Left the camp at 7.40 a.m., steering north-west. Made the stream
+previously called the Buller at 9.0; followed it downwards to the
+south-south-west till 11.0, when it became evident that, instead of being
+the Buller, it was the north branch of the Chapman. The land on its banks
+was not generally good, although some fine patches of grass were seen.
+Leaving the stream, we ascended Moresby's Range; the valleys and sides of
+the hills were covered with fine grass, and the sandstone rocks were rich
+with fossil remains of shells and wood. With some difficulty we descended
+the western face of the hills; after which, an hour's ride over a scrubby
+plain brought us to the mouth of the Chapman River, running strongly over
+a ledge of limestone rock into the sea. We crossed the river, and over to
+the usual landing-place in Champion Bay; we then returned to the Chapman,
+and halted for the night.
+
+29th October.
+
+Two of the horses having broken from their tether during the night, we
+were obliged to put the three saddles on the remaining horse, and proceed
+to track the stray horses; after tracking them about two miles, we found
+them on their way back to the camp. We then rode along the western foot
+of Moresby's Range, and ascended Mount Fairfax; after taking sketches and
+bearings, we steered for the encampment, and reached it about 2.0 p.m.
+
+30th October.
+
+Messrs. Burges, Walcott, and Bedart rode out this morning to examine the
+grassy hills on the south side of the Chapman River, and on their return
+reported the country to be of a generally good grassy character.
+
+NATIVES STEAL FRYING-PAN.
+
+31st October.
+
+Left the encampment at 8.0 a.m. and steering 200 degrees magnetic over
+alternately grassy and scrubby hills of granite sandstone, crossed the
+Chapman at 9.40. Our course then lay nearly parallel to the river till
+noon; the land on the river was indifferent and thinly grassed, but rose
+into good grassy hills about a mile from the river. We then entered a
+level scrubby plain, extending from the Victoria Range to the sea. At
+12.30 p.m. altered the course to 175 degrees magnetic, and at 1.5 to 139
+degrees magnetic. At 1.15 the plain became grassy, and the soil good
+(with the exception of a few patches of York gum, the only trees were
+wattles), and by a rough estimate contained about 8,000 acres of good
+grassy land; on the north bank of the Greenough River, which we reached
+at 3.15, the channel was about seventy yards wide, but dry and sandy; nor
+did we observe any sign of its having run during the past winter. A
+little below where we struck the river it turned to the south-east;
+following it in that direction till 3.45 we bivouacked, obtaining a
+scanty supply of water by digging in the sand. Shortly after halting, a
+party of about thirty natives came up, and appeared friendly; they told
+us that there was a fine spring at some distance to the westward, but we
+could not obtain any other useful information, as their dialect differs
+considerably from that spoken in the settled districts, although some few
+words are the same. They encamped a short distance from us, and in the
+night stole our frying-pan, to dig a well, but returned it next morning
+before the theft was discovered.
+
+THE IRWIN RIVER.
+
+1st November.
+
+At 7.10 a.m. resumed our course south-east, along the eastern side of the
+grassy plain. The scrubby hills gradually approached on each side; at
+9.30 the good land terminated, the estimate being 2,000 acres on the
+south bank of the Greenough River. The country then became sandy,
+producing little besides scrub and a few banksia trees. At 10.0 passed
+about one mile west of Mount Hill; passed a small pool of water in a
+watercourse trending south-west. At 12.50 p.m. altered the course to 170
+degrees magnetic; at 3.0 entered a thick forest of York gum; at 3.25
+changed the course to 130 degrees magnetic and entered a grassy flat
+extending to the Irwin River, which we reached at 3.55, and following it
+upwards till 4.15, bivouacked on the left bank in a large flat. Shortly
+before reaching the river a large party of natives came up with us, after
+tracking the horses for some distance. Seventy or eighty men came to the
+bivouac, and, with the exception of one man who shipped a spear, making a
+demonstration of throwing it at us, they evinced a desire for the more
+peaceable amusement of eating damper and fat bacon. A few of the natives
+spoke a little English, having been for a short time in the settled
+districts. At sunset they retired to the other side of the river, and all
+appeared quiet when my watch commenced at 10.30; but at midnight I
+detected a native crawling up amongst the thick grass about ten yards
+from the back of the tents. He lay quiet till I almost turned him out of
+his hiding-place with the muzzle of my gun, when he took to his heels,
+but I did not consider it prudent either to fire at or capture him.
+
+2nd November.
+
+The natives being too numerous to allow any of the party leaving the camp
+to examine the country around without incurring greater risk than seemed
+prudent, we left our bivouac at 7.45 a.m. and steered north 170 degrees
+east magnetic over sandy hills, covered with short scrub. After two hours
+the country became nearly level, with small patches of swampy ground,
+which would be very wet in the rainy season, but was at present quite
+dry; the rising grounds were sand, covered with short scrub with a few
+scattered banksia trees. At 5.40 p.m. struck the left bank of the stream
+which has been considered to be the Arrowsmith River of Captain Grey,
+though I have now some reason to doubt its identity. The banks of the
+stream are sandstone and sand, and the channel scarcely three yards wide,
+with a strip of grassy thicket twenty yards in width along the stream,
+which is the only feed near the river, as the plain through which it runs
+produces nothing but scrub and banksia with a few grass-trees. We
+bivouacked a short distance below the spot where we first struck the
+stream, which was still running.
+
+3rd November.
+
+Our horses having but a very scanty feed at this place, we moved down the
+stream to obtain better grass for them before crossing the sand-plains
+which lay to the south. After following the stream west for two hours,
+encamped in a small grassy flat, below which the stream ceased to run,
+the water being wholly absorbed by the sandy soil, which has a substratum
+of limestone of recent formation.
+
+SEVENTY MILES OF SAND PLAIN.
+
+4th November.
+
+Accompanied by Mr. Bedart, rode to the westward; passing over sandy
+plains and ridges for four hours, came to the beach, which we followed
+northwards for three hours, hoping to meet with the mouth of the stream
+on which our camp was placed. Not perceiving any signs of it, we turned
+to the east, and after an hour's struggle through a thick jungle, we came
+on a wet grassy flat, on which the stream seemed to be lost. Steering a
+general course of south-south-east, we arrived at 9.10 p.m. at the camp,
+after a ride of thirteen and a quarter hours, and the country traversed
+almost wholly worthless sand and scrub.
+
+5th November (Sunday).
+
+Remained at our encampment to rest the horses. Read prayers.
+
+6th November.
+
+Leaving our encampment at 7.10 a.m., we steered north 170 degrees east
+magnetic, along the limits of the low scrubby limestone hills which
+extend along this part of the coast. To the east the level sandy plain
+extended from eight to ten miles, and then rose into high sandstone
+hills, covered with scrub and destitute of trees; but at the junction of
+the limestone and sandstone formation, along which lay our route, were
+several small lagoons and swamps of fresh water, with grassy margins. At
+10.0 altered the course to southward; the line of swamps trending to
+south-south-west, we entered the level sandy plain. At noon passed a
+shallow pool of rainwater in a slight depression of the plain, and
+shortly after crossed two small watercourses trending west; a little
+brackish water remained in the deeper portions of their channels. The
+effect of refraction on this level country, when heated by the midday
+sun, was so great as to cause many of the low sandy ridges to appear like
+large lakes and inlets of the sea, as in some instances the more distant
+hills were obscured by its effects. At 2.45 p.m. we reached the sandstone
+range, and at 3.5 halted in a small patch of grass around a native well
+of good water, which had the appearance of retaining water throughout the
+summer. While here we obtained several additions to our small collection
+of birds.
+
+MOUNTS PERON AND LESUEUR.
+
+7th November.
+
+At 7.20 a.m. resumed our journey southwards, over a high and somewhat
+rugged range of sandstone hills; passed a short distance to the east of
+Mounts Peron and Lesueur. The valleys were wooded with red and white-gum
+of large growth, but the hills produced little besides coarse scrub. At
+2.20 p.m. passed a large mound spring; at 2.45 crossed the Hill River of
+Captain Grey; the land on its banks, with the exception of a few grassy
+hills on the northern side, was very scrubby and indifferent. Ascending
+the high sandstone country on the south side of the river, we halted at
+5.35 in a sandy valley trending north-west, in which we found a small
+patch of grass around a native well; but we were not much in want of
+water, being completely drenched by a heavy shower of rain just after we
+halted.
+
+8th November.
+
+Resumed our journey at 8.0 a.m., steering north 105 degrees east magnetic
+over a range of high scrubby sandstone hills. At 1.15 p.m. crossed a
+small stream-bed trending westwards in a wide scrubby valley. At 3.5,
+having ascended the hills to the south of the valley, observed a
+remarkable sandstone hill which I passed on a previous excursion from Mr.
+Lefroy's station at Welbing. Altering the course to 170 degrees magnetic,
+we passed the hill; at 5.45 halted in a fine grassy flat on the banks of
+a small brook-course trending west, in which we found abundance of water
+in small pools. As we were only forty miles west of Mr. Lefroy's station
+at Welbing, and the country in that direction already examined, I
+instructed Mr. C.F. Gregory to proceed with the party and pack-horses to
+Welbing and thence by the road to Perth, while, accompanied by Mr.
+Bedart, I pursued a more direct but less eligible course for pack-horses.
+
+THE MOORE RIVER.
+
+9th November.
+
+Leaving the rest of the party at the bivouac, at 9.50 a.m., in company
+with Mr. Bedart, we steered a general course of south by east magnetic
+over hills of sandy loam, producing a little grass and thickly timbered
+with red-gum. Passed several extensive grassy valleys, with many fine
+patches of rich limestone land on their slopes. At 2.0 p.m. the grass was
+replaced by scrub, and at 3.30 entered the wide scrubby valley of the
+Moore River, which we reached at 4.20. After some delay in crossing the
+river, in consequence of one of the horses falling down in the mud, from
+which we had some trouble to extricate him, we bivouacked about one mile
+below the spot where we first made the river.
+
+10th November.
+
+Leaving the Moore River we steered south by west, and after traversing a
+nearly level sandy plain, producing banksia and scrub, with many lagoons
+and swamps, in eight hours' riding reached the Norcott or Gingin Brook.
+The banks were low and swampy; after a short search found a suitable
+place for crossing, and having swam the horses across, we halted for the
+night on the left bank.
+
+11th November.
+
+Started at 7.0 a.m., steering east by south magnetic; ascended the
+western Wilbinga Hill at 9.0, and traversing a rough limestone country,
+with several reedy swamps, reached Lake Nowergup at 2.50 p.m., and at 4.0
+halted on the western side of the Wanaginup Swamp.
+
+12th November (Sunday).
+
+Once more in the saddle, and following the road past Wonneroo, arrived in
+Perth at 2.30 p.m.
+
+Mr. C.F. Gregory having accompanied the party to the Victoria Plains,
+proceeded with Private W. King by the Bindoon road to Perth, where he
+arrived on the 17th.
+
+The total distance travelled in this expedition was, in round numbers,
+1,500 miles, and the extreme point reached in latitude 27 degrees south,
+350 miles from Perth in a direct line; and the period we were engaged in
+the expedition was ten weeks.
+
+***
+
+
+HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR CHARLES FITZGERALD'S EXPEDITION TO THE GERALDINE
+LEAD MINE.
+
+1848.
+
+CHAMPION BAY TO MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+1st December.
+
+Sailed from Fremantle in the Champion for Champion Bay, where we arrived
+on the 3rd, swam the ponies on shore, and encamped at the mouth of the
+Chapman River.
+
+4th December.
+
+His Excellency the Governor came on shore, when the party, consisting of
+the Governor, Mr. Bland, and myself, with three soldiers of the 96th
+regiment, and the Governor's servant, started at 7.15 a.m., steering
+north-east, crossed Moresby's flat-topped range at 9.0, made the North
+Chapman at 10.0, followed the stream upward till 11.50, the general
+course north-east by north. One native man and two women came up, and
+then retired to the other side of the river, watching our proceedings.
+Having dined, we started again at 2.25 p.m., steering a general north
+course over an indifferent scrubby country till 4.40, when we halted for
+twenty minutes to examine the black shale-like soil which was seen on a
+former occasion, but on digging it proved to be only alluvial soil
+resting on sand; from this spot we steered north 330 degrees magnetic
+over high sandy hills covered with scrub; the country gradually improved,
+and at 7.0 we halted for the night in a small grassy gully trending
+north-west, obtaining water in a native well.
+
+5th December.
+
+Started at 6.40 a.m., continuing the same course as yesterday evening
+over a succession of grassy hills of granitic formation till 11.10, when
+we halted on the eastern branch of the Bowes River; several natives
+shortly came to the encampment, and having eaten some biscuit and pork
+which we offered to them, retired in the evening to the opposite side of
+the stream-bed, keeping a close watch on us from behind some large rocks;
+a strict watch was therefore maintained by us during the night.
+
+6th December.
+
+This morning the natives commenced by throwing stones at the men who went
+down for the water, but we did not see any method of resenting it, except
+by expressing our disapprobation in words, and at 5.35 a.m. we started on
+a north-north-west course, the natives followed for about a mile, and
+continued throwing stones at the party. The country passed over was
+generally grassy granite hills till 9.0, when we ascended the high
+tableland between the valley of the Bowes and Hutt rivers, which last we
+reached at 10.25, and halted during the heat of the day on a pool of
+brackish water; at 3.20 p.m., again started, and following the river
+downwards, in a general course 310 degrees magnetic, at 6.10 bivouacked
+at the spot where we had before halted on the 17th October; the water in
+the pools brackish, but by digging near a moist bank obtained abundance
+of fresh water.
+
+THE GERALDINE LEAD MINE.
+
+7th December.
+
+Left our bivouac at 5.50 a.m., and steered north-east over high sandy
+downs, covered with coarse scrub; at 10.30 entered the valley of the
+Murchison River; at noon halted at our bivouac of the 24th September,
+obtained some brackish water by digging in the sand of the small
+stream-bed. Having dined, we resumed our journey at 2.30 p.m., and
+bivouacked about 5.0 on the left bank of the Murchison, 500 yards below
+the large lead vein, obtaining good water in the sandy bed of the river
+by digging a few inches, the pools being all salt. While the men were
+preparing the tents, etc., the Governor proceeded to examine the vein of
+lead, which we traced to a greater distance than on the former occasion
+of its discovery, the water having sunk two feet, exposing many portions
+of the vein which were before covered.
+
+8th December.
+
+Examined the lead vein, tracing it 320 yards in a direction north 30
+degrees east magnetic, along the bed of the Murchison River, which was
+nearly dry; clearing the sand and loose stones from the surface, found it
+to vary from eight to twenty-four inches in width, the general average
+being twelve inches, the dip to the west-north-west at an angle of about
+80 degrees from the horizon. Throughout the whole length the lead vein
+appeared to be one solid mass of galena; the northern end either
+terminates or alters its direction close to a vein of schistose rock,
+which intersects the adjacent rocks; to the south the lode was covered by
+several feet of sand, which prevented its being traced further, as we had
+not time to remove it; the whole of the vein which was traced was
+included within the banks of the river, and the greater portion was
+covered by shallow water. One specimen of galena showed traces of copper.
+The rock which prevails on each side of the vein is a hard compact
+gneiss, abounding with garnets, some of which are of good colour, but
+mostly full of flaws; the stratification of the gneiss is somewhat
+confused, but it generally dips at a high angle (sometimes nearly
+perpendicular) to the westward, the strike being north and south. The
+facilities which the position of the lode offers for mining are not very
+great, as it occupies the lowest part of the valley, and steam power
+would be requisite to free the mine from water, and at the same time,
+unless the small boat-harbour near the mouth of the Hutt River, or
+Gantheaume Bay (both within thirty miles), be found suitable for the
+purpose, Champion Bay, distant sixty-two miles in a direct line to the
+south, is the nearest port where the ore could be shipped. In the evening
+the Governor examined the spot where Mr. Walcott had discovered the small
+pieces of lead ore about two and a half miles below the lode, but as most
+of the pieces had been picked up on that occasion, we could only find a
+few fragments of it.
+
+9th December.
+
+Left the encampment at 4.40 a.m., and steering about south-west, made our
+former bivouac on the Hutt River about 1.0 p.m., and halted for the rest
+of the day.
+
+10th December.
+
+Started at 4.50 a.m., steering 160 degrees magnetic over sandy country;
+passed a small grassy valley at 8.0; halted on the north branch of the
+Bowes at 10.10 on a small pool of brackish water; dined and resumed our
+route at 2.40 p.m.; steered south over a grassy country till 6.10, when
+we halted for the night on a tributary stream to the Bowes; obtained
+fresh water by digging, the pools being very small and brackish.
+
+CONFLICT WITH NATIVES. GOVERNOR SPEARED.
+
+11th December.
+
+Left the bivouac at 5.15 a.m., steering 175 degrees magnetic over an
+indifferent country till 6.40, when we crossed the south branch of the
+Bowes, the country improving. Here we saw several natives, who at first
+hid themselves, but finding that we saw them, came after us. At first
+they did not exceed eight or ten in number, but, being joined by several
+other parties, gradually increased till they exceeded fifty, when they
+altogether changed their friendly manner, and began to bring up their
+spears. At 6.15 we passed to the west of King's Table Hill, and as the
+country was covered with dense wattle thickets, the natives took
+advantage of the ground, and having completely surrounded the party,
+commenced first to threaten to throw their spears, then to throw stones,
+and finally one man caught hold of Mr. Bland by the arm, threatening to
+strike him with a dowak; another native threw a spear at myself, though
+without effect; but before I could fire at him, the Governor, perceiving
+that unless some severe example was made the whole party would be cut
+off, fired at one of the most forward of our assailants, and killed him;
+two other shots were fired by the soldiers, but the thickness of the
+bushes prevented our seeing with what effect. A shower of spears, stones,
+kylies, and dowaks followed, and although we moved to a more open spot,
+the natives were only kept off by firing at any that exposed themselves.
+At this moment a spear struck the Governor in the leg just above the
+knee, with such force as to cause it to protrude two feet on the other
+side, which was so far fortunate, as it enabled me to break off the barb
+and withdraw the shaft. The Governor, notwithstanding his wound,
+continued to direct the party, and although the natives made many
+attempts to approach close enough to reach us with their spears, we were
+enabled, by keeping on the most open ground, and checking them by an
+occasional shot, to avoid their attacks in crossing the gullies. They
+followed us closely for seven miles, after which they were only seen
+occasionally, following in our track. Having reached the beach, we were
+enabled to travel more rapidly, and although one of the ponies knocked
+up, we reached Champion Bay at 3.30 p.m., and got the party and horses on
+board the Champion by 5.0, where we were gladly welcomed by Lieutenant
+Helpman. About sunset the natives came down to the beach, concealing
+themselves behind the bushes, whilst a single unarmed native stood on the
+beach, and called to us to come on shore, no doubt in the hope of making
+a sudden attack on the boat should we venture to do so.
+
+A.C. Gregory,
+
+Assistant Surveyor.
+
+***
+
+
+THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+1857.
+
+THE UPPER MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+In the month of March, 1857, Mr. Surveyor F.T. Gregory, while engaged on
+the survey of the lower part of the Murchison, observed that the river
+came down in flood, though there had been no rain for several months near
+the coast, and taking advantage of such a favourable opportunity of
+extending the exploration of the country beyond the point at which
+previous explorers had been driven back for want of water and grass, he
+proceeded up the Murchison, accompanied by his assistant, Mr. S. Trigg,
+following the course of the river for 180 miles. For the last fifty miles
+the condition of the vegetation showed that there had been heavy rains
+which had caused the floods in the lower part of the river.
+
+The following is an abstract of Mr. Gregory's report to the
+Surveyor-General, as published at the time in the Perth Gazette:--
+
+We last week intimated that an exploratory trip had lately been made into
+the interior eastward of the Geraldine Mine. We have now the pleasure and
+satisfaction of laying before our readers some details of one of the most
+unassuming explorations, yet important in its results, which has ever
+been undertaken in this colony. In the latter end of March last, Mr.
+Assistant Surveyor F. Gregory and Mr. S. Trigg started from the Geraldine
+Mine with two horses and sixteen pounds of flour, to trace the Murchison
+to its source, and returned after thirteen days' absence. Mr. Gregory has
+made a short report of his journey to the Surveyor-General, from which we
+have been kindly furnished with the following extract:--
+
+While at the Geraldine Mine I availed myself of the circumstance of the
+Murchison being in flood to ascend that river and complete the sketch of
+the unexamined portions, as also to gain any additional information that
+might facilitate the exploration of the country between this and the
+Gascoyne River. The fact that the natives describe a considerable tract
+of grassy country extending northward from the head of the Murchison,
+plentifully supplied with water, was an additional incentive to ascertain
+from whence the inundation came.
+
+TROPICAL RAINY SEASON. GOOD PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+Accompanied by Mr. S. Trigg, I proceeded up the river about 180 miles, at
+which point it ceased to run; we then ascended a hill in the vicinity of
+600 or 700 feet elevation above the plain, which I have since found to
+be, beyond a doubt, Mount Murchison of Austin; unfortunately I was unable
+to procure a copy of his map or journal, and was thus prevented from
+laying out my route to the greatest advantage by pushing more to the
+northward and going over more new ground. As it is, the only information
+I have been able to gain, beyond completing the plan of the river, is
+that the principal fall of rain had been eastward of the 116th degree of
+longitude, and that the tract of country between the great South Bend and
+Mount Murchison, which proved barely capable of supporting Mr. Austin's
+small party of horses in November, 1854, is now yielding a pasture nearly
+equal to the average of the Champion Bay district, and in some parts most
+luxuriant, the grass having scarcely arrived at maturity was perfectly
+green; this remarkable change in the character of the country is, I am
+inclined to think, not entirely confined to this year in particular, but
+that from meteorological causes this district has not unfrequently the
+benefit of tropical rains falling during the months of January and
+February, although not always in sufficient quantity to cause the river
+to flow as low as the settled districts.
+
+It has already been observed by many persons that during the summer
+months the prevailing sea breezes divide the northerly currents of vapour
+about 100 miles inland from the west coast, preventing the rain from
+falling throughout the same parallel of latitude.
+
+As near the eastern limits of my route the Murchison throws off two
+branches nearly equal in magnitude to the main stream, I am induced to
+imagine that its extreme source does not lie more than sixty or seventy
+miles beyond that point, and had it not been that I did not feel
+justified in abstracting so large a portion of time from the regular
+surveys of this district, there is no doubt but that I could with every
+facility have completed the exploration of the country as far as the
+Gascoyne in two or three weeks.
+
+On comparing the tracing of the Murchison, which I now enclose, with Mr.
+Austin's route, it will be observed that there is a difference of
+seventeen miles in latitude, and something more in longitude throughout
+the eastern portion, a discrepancy which I am at a loss to account for,
+as my dead-reckoning to both the outward and inward track agree well with
+my cross-bearings; my latitudes were, however, taken only with a pocket
+sextant with a treacle horizon, and might therefore not be implicitly
+relied on. I have, however, preferred plotting my route exactly as booked
+in the field, leaving the existing error to be cleared up at some future
+period.
+
+...
+
+From Mr. Trigg, who arrived on Wednesday by the Preston from Champion
+Bay, we have gathered the following additional particulars:--
+
+The outward route was on the south bank of the river Murchison; the first
+sixty miles was but indifferent, but there were many spots of grass,
+sufficient to maintain travelling herds or flocks; afterwards the soil on
+the banks of the river improved and were continuously grassy, the general
+width being about half a mile. About latitude 26 degrees 50 minutes,
+longitude 116 degrees east, two large branches, almost if not quite equal
+to the main stream, join the Murchison from the eastward. About Mr.
+Austin's Mount Welcome the grass was found very luxuriant--from two to
+three feet high, and between there and Mount Murchison the country is
+described by Mr. Trigg to be very beautiful, and the soil superior to any
+he had previously seen in the colony, and equal to the best land in
+Victoria. Mount Murchison itself is an immense mass of quartz with
+granite round the base; this differs from Mr. Austin's description, but
+that gentleman does not appear to have ascended the hill. From the summit
+three high lands were observable, one an isolated peak fifty miles east,
+the others to the north and north-east apparently more distant; so far as
+could be seen, the country to the east and north-east appeared scrubby
+and indifferent. The return was on the north side of the Murchison; and
+here a large extent of good grassy land was found, not on the bank, but a
+mile and a half from the river, and reaching four or five miles in width
+to the base of some hills, and reaching westward to the large northerly
+bend of the river in longitude 115 degrees 30 minutes about forty miles
+from the Geraldine Mine; the good land in all cases was very flat, the
+soil a red loam, which when dry was very open; the whole country is
+singularly infested with white ants, of which every tree living or dead
+appeared to have its colony. Mr. Trigg regards the country around Mount
+Murchison as auriferous.
+
+...
+
+The striking difference there is between this account of the country on
+the Murchison and that given by Mr. Austin may be accounted for in
+several ways: first, Mr. Austin does not appear to have crossed, but
+skirted the country intervening between Mount Welcome and Mount
+Murchison, but he describes the land about the latter as improving, and
+found water; while it was the feed and water at Mount Welcome which, in
+all probability, saved his party from perishing. The land on the north
+side, spoken of so favourably by Mr. Trigg, was not seen by Mr. Austin,
+and also his party was so exhausted that it was out of his power to
+diverge from a direct line in order to examine the nature of the country
+on either side; whereas Messrs. Gregory and Trigg made such an
+examination whenever any favourable appearance presented itself, and thus
+determined the quantity of valuable land for a distance of six or seven
+miles on each side of the river, and have thus been the means of
+conferring on the Colony one of the greatest benefits it has received
+since the northern district was first opened by Mr. A. Gregory.
+
+***
+
+
+GASCOYNE RIVER.
+
+1858.
+
+PERTH TO CHAMPION BAY.
+
+In consequence of the very satisfactory results of the exploration of the
+Upper Murchison River by Messrs. Gregory and Trigg in 1857, a number of
+settlers in the northern districts subscribed horses and equipment for an
+exploring party to examine the country still further to the east and
+north, and with the sanction of the Government, the Expedition was placed
+under the command of Mr. F.T. Gregory, the result being the discovery of
+a considerable area of available country on the Gascoyne and Lyons
+Rivers, as described in Mr. Gregory's journal, of which the following is
+a copy:--
+
+MR. F. GREGORY'S REPORT.
+
+Western Australia,
+
+Perth, July 26, 1858.
+
+SIR,
+
+In accordance with the instructions conveyed in your letter of the 15th
+March, authorising me to take command of the Expedition to Shark's Bay,
+in course of organisation by the northern settlers, I have the honour to
+furnish the following report of our proceedings while in that service,
+for the information of His Excellency the Governor.
+
+The preliminary arrangements having been completed, and the heavy portion
+of the stores forwarded by sea to Champion Bay, I left Perth on the 26th
+March, accompanied by Mr. James Roe as second in command, chainer
+Fairburn having started the previous day with the team and light
+equipment of the Expedition.
+
+Proceeding by way of Toodyay to the Irwin River, the party were joined by
+Mr. W. Moore with three horses; passing on by way of Champion Bay, we
+arrived a Koobijawanna, the point of general rendezvous, by the 10th of
+April. On the 12th the remainder of the stores arrived from Champion Bay,
+the party being augmented to six persons by the addition of Mr. C. Nairn
+and Dugel, an aboriginal policeman. This day and the following were
+occupied in weighing and packing stores, shoeing horses, etc.
+
+14th April.
+
+The equipment of the Expedition being completed (with the exception of
+one horse to be procured at the Geraldine Mine), we moved on to
+Yanganooka, passing the Geraldine Mine on the 16th, and bivouacked on the
+Murchison River, six miles above the mine, having obtained the additional
+horse, making in all six saddle and six pack horses; our supplies
+consisting of sixty days' rations, on a scale of one and a half pounds of
+flour, eight ounces of pork, four ounces of sugar, and half an ounce of
+tea per diem, the party being all well armed and furnished with
+ammunition.
+
+The mean of our observations with the Aneroid barometer gives 575 feet
+for the elevation of this part of the river above the sea.
+
+ASCEND THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+17th April to the 25th April.
+
+Was occupied in ascending the Murchison River by easy stages to the
+junction of the Impey, the highest point attained by me last year. The
+only observations worthy of remark were that the inundation had not been
+so great as that which occurred the previous summer, the grass up to this
+point not being by any means so abundant as I had found it on my former
+visit; the volume of water now running in the bed of the river being,
+however, at this time about the same, although none of the tributaries,
+including the Roderick and Impey, had been in flood, little or no rain
+having fallen to the west of the 117th degree of longitude, except to the
+north of latitude 26 degrees.
+
+I availed myself of the opportunity afforded to make several additions
+and corrections to the map of this part of the country, verifying the
+correction made by me last year in the latitude of Mount Murchison and
+adjacent hills. By an improved series of triangulation and a carefully
+observed set of lunar distances, I am inclined to place Mount Murchison
+in about longitude 116 degrees 30 minutes east, which makes it more
+nearly approximate to the longitude formerly given by Mr. Austin.
+
+The variation of the compass I found by several amplitudes to be 2
+degrees 30 minutes west. The bed of the Murchison River is here about
+1,077 feet above the sea. In addition to the fish and game formerly
+observed on this part of the river, we met with large flocks of the
+gallinule, which have for so many years excited the curiosity of the
+colonists as to their habitat; from subsequent observations it is evident
+they come from much further to the north-eastward. But one party of
+natives had as yet been seen, consisting of eight or ten, who chased our
+native Dugel to the camp while out shooting, but it was difficult to
+ascertain whether with hostile intentions. From this time to our return
+we regularly mounted sentry during the night, and no one was allowed to
+quit the party any distance alone--a precautionary measure the necessity
+of which was fully borne out by the sequel.
+
+26th April.
+
+From our camp, which was situated about eight miles west of Mount
+Murchison, we fairly commenced the exploration of unknown country.
+Following the river nearly north-north-east for fourteen miles it turned
+abruptly to the east; we, however, held our course, which at four miles
+further brought us to the foot of Mount Narryer, which we ascended, and
+procured a valuable round of angles from its summit. This hill has an
+altitude of 1,688 feet above the sea, and is formed by the eruption of a
+coarse dark-coloured crystalline trap through a base of amorphous
+sandstone, the direction of the range of which it forms a part being
+nearly north and south. Skirting round the north end of this range, we
+struck east over a stony plain, thinly grassed amongst open wattles, and
+at five miles again came upon the Murchison some time after dark. The
+pools here were somewhat larger than for many miles below, being from
+sixty to eighty yards wide and half a mile in length, the water in them
+becoming decidedly brackish; samphire, atriplex, and other salsolaceous
+plants being abundant on the banks.
+
+27th April.
+
+We only advanced nine miles, owing to Mr. Moore and Dugel having to
+return for one of the water-beakers, which had been torn off the
+pack-saddle the previous night in a thicket. Towards our bivouac, which
+was in latitude 26 degrees 23 minutes 38 seconds, the country near the
+river improved much, the channel of the river becoming very shallow; the
+water had spread over the flats for more than half a mile on either side,
+large flooded-gum trees growing abundantly with a fine sward of grass
+beneath, the soil being a rich brown clay loam. Gallinule and cockatoos
+were in large flocks feeding on the grass seeds, which were now nearly
+ripe.
+
+28th April.
+
+To latitude 28 degrees 7 minutes the river continued to come from north
+by east through an extensive plain, bounded on the west by a low range of
+trap and granite hills, at an average distance of six or seven miles,
+while to the eastward only a few distant peaks were visible, flooded-gum
+growing plentifully for more than a mile back from the river, on flats of
+tolerably good pasture. Receding somewhat further from the river, the
+country opens out into extensive plains yielding but little grass;
+atriplex bush and thinly scattered stunted acacia and melaleuca trees
+forming almost the entire vegetation.
+
+29th April.
+
+A few miles nearly north brought us to where a considerable tributary
+joins the Murchison from the north, the river trending first north-east,
+then east, and finally towards the afternoon it came from the southward
+of east, our bivouac being only seven miles north of the previous night,
+while we had made nearly eighteen miles of easting. The bed of the river
+had gradually become more rocky as we ascended, gneiss with quartz dykes
+passing through it and yielding a large quantity of salt, rendered the
+running water of the river scarcely drinkable; the only fresh water was
+found in the back channels filled by the late inundations. The ranges
+which ran parallel to the river to the westward terminated some miles to
+the north of the bend. Another range, apparently granitic and broken up
+into detached peaks, commencing a little to the eastward of its
+termination, runs east for about twenty miles at the distance of six or
+seven miles from the north bank of the river.
+
+To the eastward an elevated range with two conspicuous summits, which
+were respectively named Mount Matthew and Mount Hale, terminated the view
+in that direction, while to the south only a few detached peaks were
+visible.
+
+To-day we first observed a very beautiful convolvulus, which we
+afterwards found to bear roots like a sweet potato, some of them more
+than a pound weight and well flavoured, forming a very important article
+of food to the natives. The flowers are numerous, and measure from two to
+three inches in diameter, their outer edges of a dark lilac, deepening to
+a rich purple at the centre, with a pale green convolute ribbing on the
+outside, the stem and leaf of the plant resembling the kennedya. Mr.
+Drummond, to whom I have described it, considers it an important
+discovery, as by cultivation it might become a valuable addition to our
+Australian esculents.
+
+A small species of rock-melon was also found in great abundance about the
+size of a pigeon's egg, somewhat bitter to the taste, but they were not
+ripe; in other respects it much resembles the cultivated varieties.
+
+The bed of the river at this night's bivouac had attained an elevation of
+1,240 feet above the sea.
+
+LEAVE THE MURCHISON FOR THE GASCOYNE RIVER.
+
+30th April.
+
+Finding that the Murchison was leading us too much to the eastward, the
+object of the expedition being to reach the Gascoyne with as little delay
+as possible, we quitted the river on a north-north-east course for about
+eight miles over a tolerably grassy plain, in some parts open, with
+atriplex and samphire, and in others rather thickly studded with acacia
+and melaleuca. Ascending a granite hill of 150 feet elevation, the plain
+was observed to the eastward to extend to the horizon, only broken by one
+remarkable bold trap hill at the distance of twenty miles, which was
+eventually named Mount Gould, the main Murchison flowing round its
+southern base, while a considerable tributary from the north-east passed
+close under it to the north-west. To the north of our position the
+country rose into a succession of stony ridges thinly grassed and nearly
+destitute of trees; in the valleys the kangaroo grass was tolerably
+plentiful and quite green--a sufficient evidence that we had now arrived
+within the influence of the rains that had produced the recent
+inundation, which gave us every hope of being able to push across the
+country intervening between this and the Gascoyne. We accordingly altered
+our course to north-west for the remainder of this and the following day,
+crossing several tributaries to the Murchison, in which we found plenty
+of water, and on their banks an abundant supply of grass for our horses,
+the streams being generally divided from each other by low stony ridges
+or plains of red sandy loam, yielding a rather scanty supply of grass.
+
+3rd May.
+
+Having rested the party the previous day, it being Sunday, in latitude 25
+degrees 33 minutes 48 seconds, at a fine pool of fresh water in a stream
+running south, and apparently tributary to the Murchison, we resumed our
+course for three or four miles up a branch of the stream upon which we
+had been encamped, which terminated at a gentle stony ascent; another
+mile brought us to its summit, which proved to be the watershed between
+the Gascoyne and Murchison; its elevation was found to be 1,500 feet
+above the sea. From this ridge a short descent northward led us to the
+head of a watercourse, which we followed in the same direction for
+seventeen miles, augmented by several small tributaries; turning to the
+westward, it formed a junction with another river coming from the
+eastward, in latitude 25 degrees 14 minutes 23 seconds, at an elevation
+of 1,144 feet above the sea.
+
+STONY PLAINS.
+
+The country through which we had passed was a nearly level and barren
+plain, evenly and closely paved with small stones, amongst which a few
+stunted acacia found a precarious existence; to this portion of country
+we gave the characteristic name of Macadam Plains.
+
+GASCOYNE RIVER.
+
+4th May.
+
+The river we had encamped upon the preceding night had a level sandy
+channel thirty-five yards wide, with several shallow pools in its bed; a
+narrow belt of flooded-gum lined either bank, which also produced
+abundance of excellent feed; several of the grasses were new to us,
+yielding a large quantity of seed; further back the pasture was more
+scanty, and of an inferior variety of grass, the trees consisting almost
+entirely of small hakea or acacia.
+
+The features of the country are generally very tame, with the exception
+of a prominent hill of considerable altitude, nearly twenty miles to the
+northward, to which we gave the name of Mount Gascoyne. The summit of
+another range, of less elevation, a little to the northward of west,
+distant fifteen miles, was called Mount Puckford.
+
+Having decided upon following the left bank of the river, with the view
+of ascertaining what tributaries might joint from the southward, we this
+morning took our course for Mount Puckford, touching frequently upon the
+bends of the river, which soon found a junction with a large channel
+coming from the eastward, which ultimately proved to be the main
+Gascoyne; it was still running in a small stream in the bottom of a sandy
+bed, eighty yards wide, traces of recent heavy floods being plentiful. At
+ten miles the river has broken through a ridge of opaline rocks, in
+irregular masses, resembling flints, lying north-east and south-west, and
+a few miles further coming in contact with the south-east foot of Mount
+Puckford, it doubles back round its north-east base, and there takes a
+general north-west course to latitude 24 degrees 36 minutes, and
+longitude 116 degrees east, which we reached by noon of the 7th, a
+considerable tributary joining at this point from the northward. A
+compact sandstone range, resting on a granite base (which was named the
+Lockier Range, after Mr. Lockier Burgess, one of the principal promoters
+of the expedition), here diverts the course of the river to the left,
+which, by sundown, we found was running nearly south. The country for the
+last fifty miles varies but little in character, extensive open plains
+alternating with low granite ridges; the banks of the river, which here
+has acquired a width of 100 yards, with a depth of forty-six feet, being
+in many places stony and cut down by deep muddy creeks, rendering
+travelling both slow and laborious. Several tributaries join from the
+north and south, all of which had very recently ceased to run.
+
+To the north and east were several prominent peaks and ranges of trap
+hills clothed with short herbage; to the highest of the former, a single
+conical peak, with deeply serrated sides, was given the name of Mount
+James, after my friend and fellow-traveller, Mr. James Roe; while two
+lofty summits, far to the northward, were called Mount Samuel and Mount
+Phillips.
+
+The principal feed was found near the banks of the rivers, the back
+country still yielding only a scanty supply of a red-coloured silky grass
+of little value except when quite fresh. A tree resembling the sycamore
+of the Murchison, but with the leaves arranged in triplets, and the seed
+pods in the form of a large bean, grows near the river and attains to two
+feet in diameter, with a height of forty feet; the wood is light and
+spongy, something resembling the Nuytsia floribunda, but not gummy. It is
+formed by the natives into shields, and near the coast into canoes. We
+also found on some of the rocky hills a tree with fruit and flowers
+resembling a small fig, the leaves like a lemon, but yielding an acrid
+milky juice.
+
+Several new species of crested quail and dark-brown pigeons were first
+observed here; the beautiful small doves, common in the northern
+districts, were also seen by thousands; gallinule and the elegant
+Ochaphaps plumafera (crested pigeon of the marshes) were also very
+numerous.
+
+SURPRISE A NATIVE CAMP.
+
+8th May.
+
+Pursuing our course down the left bank, we crossed several stream-beds
+which drain the large tract of country between this and the Murchison.
+The Gascoyne here divides into several broad sandy channels, sometimes as
+much as a mile apart. Towards evening we came upon a native encampment;
+few of the men appeared to have returned from their day's hunting, but we
+observed upwards of thirty women and children, who ran into the bed of
+the river to hide, some of the women immersing their children completely
+under water occasionally to prevent their cry of alarm attracting our
+attention. Although we had before met with and spoken to several natives,
+this was the first opportunity we had of examining into their domestic
+economy. Around their fires, of which there were many, were ranged a
+number of wooden scoops capable of holding from two to four quarts; these
+contained a variety of seed and roots; the most plentiful was a species
+of grain like small plump drake, gathered from a grass much resembling
+wheat, which is very abundant on the alluvial flats, and a root
+resembling an onion not larger than a pistol bullet, a few rats, which
+are very numerous in the grassy flats, and a small variety of samphire
+like a Hottentot fig, formed the principal portion of their evening's
+repast.
+
+The few weapons left by the men consisted of heavy spears, with from
+three to eighteen barbs cut out of the solid wood, the shaft from ten to
+twelve feet in length, large shields resembling those in use by the
+natives at Champion Bay, made from the sycamore, and few skins of the red
+kangaroo, formed their entire camp equipment.
+
+A NIGHT ATTACK.
+
+Leaving everything as we found it, we passed on about two miles and
+encamped for the night on a low sandy island in the bed of the river,
+which was here full of flooded-gums of large growth, there being just
+sufficient grass for our horses immediately around our fire. By 9 o'clock
+our supper had been disposed of, and I had just completed my observations
+for latitude, when we heard the shouts of a large party of natives
+approaching from the direction of their camp; leaving Mr. Roe with two
+others to guard the camp, I advanced with Mr. Moore and Dugel to
+ascertain the object of their visit, which we soon found to be evidently
+hostile, as they came on rapidly, all well armed to the number of sixty
+or seventy, the women and children retiring to some rocky ground, while
+the men advanced lighting the large stacks of drift which were abundant
+in this part of the river. When within about forty yards they halted a
+moment, as we had damped our fire and they could not exactly make out our
+position. Mr. Moore was in the act of removing his horse from the front
+when a fresh fire enabled them to see us, upon which ten or twelve of the
+leading men shipped their spears. Being still desirous, if possible, of
+avoiding a collision, I hesitated to fire upon them; but observing a
+large body of them advancing with the evident intention of attacking Mr.
+Roe and his little party in charge of the camp, I advanced a few steps
+and fired a charge of small shot at the leading men as they were in the
+act of throwing at us. The effect was instantaneous and most salutary, as
+they fled with some precipitation, some of them being evidently wounded.
+We mounted extra guard for the remainder of the night, but they did not
+again venture to attack us.
+
+9th May.
+
+Being Sunday, we only moved a few miles lower down the river for more
+grass, and again found ourselves in close proximity to the natives. In
+the course of the day several of them made their appearance at the top of
+the hill overlooking the camp, but appeared afraid to molest us; they had
+with them several large white dogs which were evidently of Australian
+breed.
+
+10th May.
+
+The river took a south-west course, receiving two large tributaries from
+the south-east, one of ninety and the other of fifty yards in width. The
+flats were wider and large trees more abundant; the recent floods had,
+however, been very destructive to the pasture, and removed much of the
+soil for a considerable distance back from the river. The trap hills here
+ceased to appear; the last remarkable one lay about ten miles south-east
+of our morning's camp, and had been named Mount Dalgetty. Our evening's
+bivouac was found to be in latitude 25 degrees 14 minutes, longitude 115
+degrees 30 minutes east by account, and its elevation 700 feet above the
+sea.
+
+11th May.
+
+Until noon our course along the river was nearly north-west, sandstones
+beginning to crop out on the banks, and the country generally was poor
+and scrubby; from our noon halt to sunset our course was nearly west, our
+bivouac being in latitude 25 degrees 2 minutes. The bed of the river had
+here widened out to 300 yards with an average depth of thirty feet, a
+small stream running through the sand in the bottom. In addition to the
+flooded-gum which grows here abundantly, we observed in the bed of the
+river a melaleuca of large size, like a paper-bark tree, but having broad
+leaves resembling the eucalyptus. During the night the natives were very
+noisy in the vicinity, some of them approaching so close as to startle
+our horses, keeping us well on the alert; the horses on this as on
+several other occasions appear to have been our principal safeguard
+against sudden attack.
+
+FRIENDLY INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES.
+
+12th May.
+
+By the time we had commenced loading our horses, a large body of natives
+had collected and approached to reconnoitre our camp; I advanced towards
+them to keep them in check until the loads were completed. On observing
+that I came alone three natives advanced to meet me, throwing three or
+four spears at me in a friendly way, which I picked up and stuck in the
+ground by my side; this token at once established a good understanding,
+and after an exchange of presents they followed us for many miles down
+the river before quitting us. Towards nightfall several of our friends of
+the morning again made their appearance with a number of strange natives,
+dodging us among the deep muddy ravines which abound at this part of the
+river; their manoeuvres being equivocal and unsatisfactory, we kept well
+on our guard; they, however, ran off at night, on my facing about on
+horseback to drive them away.
+
+Our course during the day had been nearly west twenty-two miles, one
+large tributary having joined the river from the northward, which was
+afterwards named the Lyons, in honour of the gallant admiral of that
+name; this accession had increased the breadth of the channel to 400
+yards. As we drew towards our evening's bivouac the river entered a gorge
+formed by the river cutting through the south end of a flat-topped
+sandstone range of about 1,200 feet elevation above the sea, presenting
+many bold and picturesque outlines and detached summits, terminating in
+abrupt and almost precipitous faces; to this we gave the name of the
+Kennedy Range, in honour of our present Governor.
+
+To the south a detached mass of broken sandstone hills gradually falls
+away in the distance, apparently into a barren scrub similar to those on
+the banks of the lower Murchison, while to the west lay before us an
+extensive plain, unbroken by a single object save a few long ridges of
+red drift sand, clothed with a stunted scrub of melaleuca and acacia. The
+bottom of the gorge we found to be 480 feet above the sea.
+
+13th May.
+
+From this morning to noon of the 15th the country passed over was similar
+to that first described, the sand ridges running north-west and
+south-east at about a quarter of a mile apart; the river keeping a
+general course of west-north-west, its channel deepening to sixty feet,
+and maintaining an average width of 400 yards. Grass was only to be found
+in small patches along the margin of the river; the accumulated waters of
+the late inundations having been confined to one channel, had risen to
+the height of forty-eight feet, carrying away many of the largest timber
+trees, as also much of the soil from the banks, leaving a scene of
+devastation exceeding anything of the kind I had hitherto witnessed.
+
+A small description of Spanish reed was here first observed to grow on
+the margin of the pools. Deep muddy creeks, having only short courses,
+were very numerous, rendering travelling both tedious and intricate.
+
+From noon of the 15th the country gradually opened out to a
+thinly-grassed plain of light alluvial soil, atriplex bushes and acacia
+widely scattered forming almost the entire vegetation; the ground, with
+the exception of the bed of the river, being parched and dry, no rain
+having fallen during the summer to the west of the Lyons River, in
+longitude 115 degrees 30 minutes east.
+
+16th May.
+
+Being Sunday, we only moved four miles lower down the river for better
+feed, the channel widening out to 600 yards.
+
+17th May.
+
+Early to-day the river began to throw off numerous channels to the north
+and south, shedding, when in a flood, a considerable amount of water over
+the adjoining plains, clothing the country in the garb of spring, the
+grass growing luxuriantly along the numerous channels, atriplex and other
+low bushes generally covering the plain, the lowest levels of which were
+extensively covered with fields of mud from one to fourteen inches thick,
+the deposit of a single inundation, yet scarcely hardened by the summer
+sun.
+
+REACH THE COAST AT SHARK'S BAY.
+
+At twenty miles we ascended a sandy ridge of about sixty feet in height,
+from which we had our first view of Shark's Bay, Babbage Island, and the
+mouths of the Gascoyne, now only four miles distant.
+
+Behind the ridge upon which we stood, and for many miles to the
+south-east, the country was still under water from the recent floods,
+while between us and the sea lay a low flat, on which were many patches
+of acacia thicket, alternating with open grassy glades, or fields of
+atriplex and samphire, terminating to the westward in a broad irregular
+belt of mangroves, resting on the shallow margin of the bay.
+
+Descending to the flat, we encamped in a rank patch of grass on the bank
+of the river, about a mile above Babbage Island, the north end of which I
+found to be in latitude 24 degrees 52 minutes, which is four miles north
+of the position as given by Sir G. Grey.
+
+KOLAINA PLAINS.
+
+18th May.
+
+We found no difficulty in crossing the southern mouth on to Babbage
+Island; the tide being low, it was quite dry at the junction. Having,
+with Mr. Roe, walked over the greater part of the island, making a rough
+sketch of its outlines, and completing the requisite observations, while
+the rest of the party were occupied in an unsuccessful attempt to catch
+fish, we retraced our steps and crossed the main channel opposite our
+last night's bivouac, where it is not more than 250 yards wide.
+Continuing our course north-east for nearly a mile, we crossed several
+back channels, some trending towards the Kolaina flat of Sir G. Grey,
+while others were lost in the deep sandy ravines that extend for some
+distance to the north of the river.
+
+While on Babbage Island several natives had waded across the northern
+mouth of the river to meet us, and had returned after a friendly
+interview, in which they apparently described the recent landing of two
+boats with Europeans. We now again fell in with the same natives on the
+north bank, near a large encampment of women and children; the latter
+quickly hid themselves on our approach, but the men assumed a threatening
+attitude, following us for some distance with much clamour. As their
+numbers quickly augmented, and they appeared determined to commence a
+fight, we led them out on to an open plain, where, leaving the
+pack-horses in charge of two of the party, four of us suddenly faced
+about and charged them at a gallop. This harmless manoeuvre had the
+desired effect, several of them having narrowly escaped being trodden
+under foot by the horses. They were very quickly dispersed, and made no
+further attempt to molest us. We encamped this night about six miles
+above Babbage Island.
+
+19th May.
+
+As our object was to explore as far to the northward as circumstances
+would allow, we left the river on a north-east course; but two hours'
+ride across an open plain, through which several channels ran to the
+north-west, brought us to dry barren scrubs, in which it appeared
+hopeless we should find either feed or water; we accordingly altered our
+course to south-east, and made the river again about sundown.
+
+RETURN UP THE RIVER.
+
+20th to 23rd May.
+
+Was occupied in tracing up the north bank of the river in the hope of
+finding a tributary coming in from the northward; but, with the exception
+of one small stream which drains the western face of the Kennedy Range,
+not a single tributary was met with until we arrived at the Lyons River,
+a distance of more than ninety miles from Babbage Island. The country on
+the north bank differs but little from that on the south, except that
+travelling was somewhat easier.
+
+THE LYONS RIVER. ALMA RIVER.
+
+24th May.
+
+Our horses having had a rest, the previous day being Sunday, we made an
+early start, and by noon halted on the Lyons River, a short distance
+above its confluence with the Gascoyne; its channel here was equal in
+magnitude and similar in appearance to the main river; a small stream was
+still flowing through the wide sandy bed, and gradually increased in
+volume for nearly eighty miles up the river. Three miles to the north of
+our midday halt Mr. Roe and myself ascended a deep sandstone peak, from
+which we had a fine view of the Kennedy Range, the nearest part of which
+lay about six miles to the west, extending for nearly thirty miles to the
+northward; the eastern face presents an almost unbroken line of nearly
+perpendicular sandstone, of probably 500 or 600 feet elevation. To the
+north a few remarkable peaks served as valuable points to carry on our
+triangulation, which had been continued almost uninterruptedly from Mount
+Hope, on the Murchison.
+
+To the east were several ranges of flat-topped hills, filling in the
+space between the Lyons and the great southern bend of the Gascoyne;
+while to the south, with the exception of a few very distant peaks, it
+appeared, as far as the eye could reach, to be an uniform plain of open
+but almost grassless scrub.
+
+Having completed our round of angles, we struck south-east to a patch of
+forest on the banks of the river, which we did not reach until sometime
+after dark.
+
+25th May.
+
+From this point to latitude 23 degrees 56 minutes the Lyons maintains a
+general course of north-north-east. The country passed over during to-day
+had evidently been tolerably grassy, but the floods had been quite as
+destructive here as on the Gascoyne, the bed of the river and flats for
+half a mile on each side being mostly choked up or buried under fields of
+fine white sand, which had been brought down by the inundations. In
+several places we observed beds of gypsum and fossil shells with other
+strong indications of the existence of coal in the vicinity. Bivouac in
+latitude 24 degrees 41 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+26th May.
+
+A few miles along the river brought us to a gorge in the eastern edge of
+the sandstones, to the east of which it opened out into extensive plains
+in some parts well grassed, and in others much washed by the river.
+Several trap and granite hills were visible at some distance to the
+northward and eastward. Our bivouac was in latitude 24 degrees 31 minutes
+0.5 seconds, about three miles south of a bold trap-range, the summit of
+which was named Mount Sandiman.
+
+27th May.
+
+The country still maintained its variable character, travelling near the
+river being exceedingly heavy on account of the sand. The morning had
+been calm and sultry, but towards noon a strong breeze set in from the
+north, bringing with it a dense cloud of fine red dust, against which it
+was no easy matter to make head with our horses. Towards evening the
+flats began to improve, and we halted for the night amongst fine grass;
+melons and tobacco growing very luxuriantly. To-night it rained for about
+two hours, clearing the atmosphere of its load of dust.
+
+28th May.
+
+Resuming our course up the river, at four miles we crossed a stream-bed
+forty yards wide, coming in from the north-north-west, and in the course
+of the day passed over several thin beds of opaque opalline rock resting
+upon the sandstone. At our camp, which was in latitude 24 degrees 0.3
+minutes 0.8 seconds, granite began to make its appearance in the bed of
+the river.
+
+29th May.
+
+Our pack-horses having now been much lightened of their loads, we were
+to-day for the first time able to trot for several hours; and as the
+country still improved, several fine grassy valleys coming in from the
+eastward, we made considerable progress.
+
+ALMA RIVER.
+
+At our noon halt Mr. Moore and myself ascended a hill of red schist of
+300 or 400 feet elevation, in latitude 23 degrees 57 minutes 15 seconds,
+which had been named Mount Thompson. From this hill we had an extensive
+view of the surrounding country; close to the northern foot the river
+divided into two nearly equal parts--one coming from the north-north-east
+we named the Alma. To the north, just resting on the edge of the tropic,
+lay a compact range through which there was apparently but one break, and
+that was on the line of the Alma; from the southern face of this range,
+which extends nearly forty miles to the eastward, numerous streams take
+their rise and flow southward into the Lyons, which had altered its
+course and was now coming from the east-south-east. Our intention had
+been to keep our course until we had touched upon the tropic; but as the
+Alma was not running, we decided upon following the main course of the
+stream, and accordingly adopted an easterly course for the remainder of
+the day, encamping about six miles to the east of Mount Thompson. The
+river here was much narrower, with a rocky bed containing many pools of
+permanent character, overshadowed by flooded-gums of large growth, much
+resembling the Eucalyptus piperita of the flats of the Swan, but not
+possessing the same pungent leaf.
+
+30th May (Sunday).
+
+Found our latitude to be 23 degrees 58 minutes 32 seconds, and longitude
+111 degrees east by account.
+
+31st May.
+
+NATIVE TOBACCO.
+
+We started off at a quick pace, clearing sixteen miles by noon, over some
+fine open grassy flats, timbered for nearly a mile back from the river;
+one tributary 100 yards wide having joined from the north, and a smaller
+one from the south. Leaving the party busily occupied catching fish,
+which were abundant in this part of the river and much resembling those
+found in the Murchison, but larger, some of them being upwards of a pound
+in weight, I walked with Mr. Nairn to the summit of a granite hill two
+miles to the northward, from which I had a number of cross-bearings to
+hills already observed from Mount Thompson. One of considerable elevation
+bearing north 121 degrees 30 minutes east, distance fifty miles, lay
+directly up the valley of the river, and was ultimately named Mount
+Augustus, after my brother, now conducting the expedition in quest of the
+remains of Dr. Leichhardt. Pushing on twelve miles further, we halted for
+the night in latitude 23 degrees 59 minutes 39 seconds. Tobacco here grew
+to sufficient size for manufacture, occupying many hundred acres of the
+best land; a plant much resembling stramonium was also abundant on the
+moist land, yielding a strongly offensive odour from its leaves.
+
+1st June.
+
+For the first twelve miles along the river the flats much improved, and
+were only occasionally broken up by stony ridges; good country was seen
+to extend up the tributaries, several of which came in from the north. To
+the south, at two or three miles distant, and running parallel to the
+river for many miles, was an even grassy range of moderate elevation
+nearly destitute of trees or bushes; the acacia and melaleuca, which had
+hitherto generally covered the plains, was evidently fast giving way to
+an open undulating and thinly-grassed country, the back lands being
+however still too stony to yield much pasture, the summer grass being
+already parched and dry, the flats alone continuing moist and verdant.
+
+At our noon halt the main river had ceased to flow, but a tributary
+coming from the north-east had a small stream still running in the bottom
+of a muddy channel down which the recent floods had brought flags and
+portions of bulrush, the only instance throughout the district in which
+we had observed them.
+
+The next ten miles passed over between this and sunset was chiefly an
+alluvial flat, much resembling the fertile lands near the mouth of the
+Greenough; the acacias and several varieties of melaleuca, amongst which
+was the Callistemon phoeniceus, with its beautiful scarlet flowers, were
+growing with tropical luxuriance, the soil in many places being still
+saturated with moisture. A water-melon was here first observed, the fruit
+not attaining to more than two inches in length, but not otherwise
+differing from the cultivated kinds; we also found a fruit in shape like
+a pear, three inches in length, growing on a small creeper, the interior
+of the fruit consisting of a number of small flat seeds, to which were
+attached a bundle of long silky fibres resembling cotton. Our bivouac was
+in latitude 24 degrees 7 minutes 52 seconds, near a fine pool of fresh
+water, with limestone cropping out in a thin bed on the banks; we had
+frequently met with it distributed in small nodules scattered over a
+large portion of the country on the Upper Murchison.
+
+Since quitting the mouth of the Gascoyne we had seen natives almost
+daily; to-night we again found ourselves in close proximity to a large
+encampment of them.
+
+2nd June.
+
+Our neighbours paid us an early visit this morning, some of them
+evidently bent on mischief, but were restrained by others more
+prudent--not, however, before it had nearly cost one of them his life;
+having pointed a spear at Mr. Moore, Dugel, whose natural instincts are
+very destructive, hastily took aim at him, but fortunately pulled the
+wrong trigger, which just gave his adversary time to lower his weapon; on
+our mounting our horses they hastily fell back and joined their other
+companions at their camp, which was just in our line of march; about
+thirty of them awaited our approach with some tokens of defiance, but
+most of them decamped on our coming within spear's throw.
+
+MOUNT AUGUSTUS 3,480 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
+
+Directing our course for Mount Augustus, we pushed on at a rapid pace
+with the object of ascending it if possible before sundown; but after
+riding twenty miles, we found it to be farther off than we anticipated,
+and accordingly altered our course and encamped at a pool in the river
+about three miles north-east of the mount, in latitude 24 degrees 20
+minutes, and at an elevation of 1500 feet above the sea.
+
+We here met with strong evidences of the cannibalism of the natives; at a
+recently occupied encampment we found several of the bones of a
+full-grown native that had been cooked, the teeth marks on the edges of a
+bladebone bearing conclusive evidence as to the purpose to which it had
+been applied; some of the ribs were lying by the huts with a portion of
+the meat still on them.
+
+Nearly the whole of the country passed over this day was an alluvial flat
+extending on the south-west to the grassy range already described, while
+to the north and east it extended for many miles, branching out into the
+numerous valleys that drain the different ranges in that direction; the
+grass and vegetation on these flats is not so rank as on that traversed
+the previous day, but more even, and the soil better adapted for
+agriculture; the amount of good land on this part of the Lyons River was
+estimated at 150 square miles, while on the tributaries between Mount
+Thompson and Mount Augustus I have no doubt that there is as much more.
+Water at this time was plentiful in the numerous channels that intersect
+the plain, their permanency being the only matter of doubt--our limited
+acquaintance with the nature of the seasons in these latitudes does not
+enable us to decide with any degree of certainty; the pools lower down
+the river are unquestionably of a permanent character, but many of them
+were already becoming brackish.
+
+The quantity of game seen in this part of the country was also a
+favourable indication. Turkeys, and a new variety of pigeon, having a
+brown back and slate-coloured breast, on the wing resembling a tame
+pigeon, congregate in flights sometimes of a thousand together; emus,
+cockatoos, quail, and parakeets are also very numerous, particularly the
+latter.
+
+3rd June.
+
+A gentle ascent of two and a half miles brought us to the foot of Mount
+Augustus, where, leaving our horses in charge of Fairburn and Dugel, we
+commenced the ascent up the only accessible point on this side of the
+hill; it required two hours' heavy toil to bring us to the summit, the
+barometer gradually falling until it only registered 26.10, which,
+compared with the simultaneous observations kept at Champion Bay by Mr.
+H. Gray, gives an elevation of 3,480 feet above the level of the sea; the
+last 500 feet of the summit being clothed in thickets of melaleuca,
+amongst which grew a nondescript variety of red gum-tree, the only new
+thing observed in this locality. The air was fortunately very clear,
+enabling us to take bearings to almost every remarkable summit within
+eighty miles, and in two instances to hills more than a hundred miles
+distant.
+
+From this commanding position I was enabled to sketch in the courses of
+the rivers for more than twenty miles, some of them probably taking their
+rise from 60 to 100 miles still further to the eastward. To the
+north-east the country continued to improve in appearance until the view
+was intercepted by bold ranges of trap and granite--one of which bearing
+north 32 degrees east magnetic, distant nearly 100 miles, having a sharp
+volcanic outline, reared its summit above all the rest. To the south-east
+the country was not quite so promising, the ridges presenting naked stony
+outlines, upon which was only a little scanty grass or a few bushes; to
+the south it was almost an uninterrupted plain, extending nearly as far
+as the Murchison River, over which lay our homeward course. Descending
+the mount, we encamped at a spring in some fine feed close at its foot.
+
+RETURN TOWARDS SETTLEMENTS.
+
+4th June.
+
+As we had now been out fifty-one days, and our provisions were only
+calculated to last twenty-four days longer, although we had reduced our
+allowance shortly after quitting the Geraldine Mine, we were reluctantly
+compelled to turn our steps homewards, being still 360 miles from the
+settled districts; passing, therefore, over the eastern foot of Mount
+Augustus, we pursued a south-south-east course for twenty miles over
+alternating grassy plains and stony ridges, and encamped on the river
+with a sandy bed, in which were a few shallow pools, its trend bearing
+north-north-west, and probably joins the Gascoyne near the Lockier Range.
+The feed on this river, as well as on those between this and the
+Murchison, was principally kangaroo-grass of strong growth; the course of
+the streams being easily traceable from a distance by the flooded-gum
+trees that invariably lined their margins.
+
+5th June.
+
+A south course of ten miles over a poor stony country brought us to the
+head of a stream, which, following in the same direction to latitude 24
+degrees 51 minutes 52 seconds, we found plenty of feed on its banks and
+pools of water in its bed, which was here thirty yards wide; the
+principal features of the adjacent country being low granite ridges,
+intersected by occasional quartz dykes, alternating with chlorite schist.
+
+6th June (Sunday).
+
+7th June.
+
+Following a south-south-east course, at six miles the stream turned to
+the south-west. Passing over several miles of stony country, in latitude
+24 degrees 59 minutes 32 seconds, we crossed another stream-bed forty
+yards wide, running to the westward, and forming a junction with the last
+at some miles distant. Towards sundown we came upon a recently inundated
+plain, and a mile further struck a grassy channel thirty yards wide,
+which had barely ceased running, the soil for some distance on either
+bank being a strong red loam, yielding a fair supply of pasture. This
+channel we afterward found to be only one of several which formed the
+main branch of the Gascoyne. The observed latitude was 25 degrees 6
+minutes 30 seconds, and elevation 1,740 feet above the sea.
+
+8th June.
+
+A mile farther we came upon the main channel of the river, with a wide
+shallow bed, down which a small stream was still running; the flats were
+well grassed, and the flooded-gums growing for more than a mile back from
+the river. To the eastward the country continued level and grassy as far
+as the eye could reach; our time was, however, too limited to admit of
+our making any further examination of this promising tract. A party of
+twenty or thirty natives were encamped here, and were apparently living
+upon the roots of the convolvulus, which grows in the vicinity in great
+abundance.
+
+For fifteen miles to the south-east it continued a level plain of red
+loam, tolerably well grassed and covered with an open wood of acacia; the
+next eight miles was over a poor stony ridge of moderate elevation,
+terminating at a large dry stream-bed, in latitude 25 degrees 24 minutes
+16 seconds, with some fine kangaroo-grass on its banks.
+
+9th June.
+
+Ten miles south, over a granite country, we struck the head of a
+watercourse, which, after winding about for sixteen miles, ran close to
+the western foot of Mount Gould, where we encamped at its junction with
+another small stream coming from the northward. The country passed over
+to-day was generally very stony until we came within a few miles of Mount
+Gould.
+
+10th June.
+
+Taking our course direct for Mount Hale, the pasture rapidly improved; at
+ten miles the watercourse we had been following formed a junction with
+the main Murchison, coming in from the eastward. From the appearance of
+the river at this point, it is probable that it takes its rise nearly
+another 100 miles farther to the north-east. The next thirteen miles down
+the river was fair average cattle pasture, extending for several miles to
+the right and left; open flats of atriplex and samphire occurring at
+intervals.
+
+11th June.
+
+The river soon divided into several channels, shedding its waters over a
+fine alluvial flat, of considerable extent, yielding a rich sward of
+grass, under flooded-gums of large growth. A little after noon we came
+upon our outward track, and encamped at night near the north-west bend of
+the Murchison.
+
+DOWN THE MURCHISON.
+
+12th to 22nd June.
+
+Was occupied in descending the river to the Geraldine Mine, cutting off
+several bends of the river, and making such additions to our sketch of
+the outward route as circumstances would admit.
+
+RETURN TO PERTH.
+
+23rd June.
+
+We all arrived safe at the hospitable residence of Mr. W. Burges, on the
+Irwin; the following day being occupied in making up the accounts
+connected with the expedition, which, including the whole of the cash
+expenditure, did not exceed 40 pounds, which sum had already been
+subscribed by a few settlers interested in the undertaking.
+
+Quitting the Irwin on the 1st of July, and proceeding by way of
+Dandaragan and Toodyay, I arrived, with Mr. Roe and chainer Fairburn, in
+Perth on the 10th instant, having accomplished a journey of nearly 2000
+miles in 107 days.
+
+On reviewing the foregoing report, I find it necessary to add a few
+observations on subjects that could not well be introduced into the body
+of the narrative.
+
+GEOLOGY OF COUNTRY.
+
+In the first place, viewing the geographical and geological features in
+combination, the tract of country contained within the 114th and 118th
+parallels of longitude, and the 24th and 27th degrees of south latitude,
+may be considered as an inclined plane, the eastern edge of which has an
+elevation of about 1700 feet above the level of the sea. Commencing from
+the coast, the first 100 miles is almost exclusively of tertiary
+sandstone formation, which the process of denudation has, in many
+instances, converted into either stony or sandy tracts, rarely fertile,
+except when subject to the influence of frequent inundation. This region
+seldom gives rise to rivers or watercourses; the flat-topped ranges,
+which are often found towards the eastern limits of this formation, do
+not generally exceed 500 or 600 feet in altitude, and are only those
+portions of country that have not as yet yielded to the waste of time, or
+the constant action of rivers, which, rising in the higher lands more to
+the eastward, rapidly abrade, and in their onward course remove the soft
+and porous sandstone from their bases.
+
+In the deeper valleys, towards the eastern edge of these sandstones thin
+beds of oolitic limestone, containing numerous fossil shells,
+occasionally occur; also gypsum and clayey shales, with other indications
+of the probable existence of coal in the vicinity; following the series
+appears a compact, fine-grained amorphous sandstone, having an almost
+flinty fracture; this rock, in a few miles, gives place to granite and
+gneiss, frequently broken up by the upheaval of whinstone and porphyritic
+trap hills, having an elevation of from 100 to 500 feet above the plain.
+
+As we proceeded eastward, the eruptive rocks became more numerous;
+chlorite slate, veins of quartz, chert, and variegated jasper, frequently
+forming the summits of the most elevated hills, while, on the general
+level of the plain, are occasionally found thin beds of ancient lava.
+
+The rivers, unlike most others in Western Australia, have nearly an even
+fall throughout their entire length, amounting on an average to six feet
+per mile; this, in a country subject to the sudden fall of almost
+tropical rains, is what gives rise to the destructive inundations already
+described.
+
+CLIMATE.
+
+Of the climate and seasons so little is at present known that, allowing
+all other difficulties to have been overcome, it would be very hazardous
+to risk flocks and herds beyond the head of the Murchison until the
+country has again been visited at a different period of the year, as it
+is probably that it has as yet only been seen under the most favourable
+conditions.
+
+The fluctuations of the temperature are occasionally considerable; in the
+middle of June it some days amounted to 46 degrees in six
+hours--registering, at 7 a.m., 36 degrees, and at 1 p.m., 82 degrees; ice
+having been seen as far north as latitude 24 degrees 30 minutes.
+
+The prevailing winds during the period of inundation appear to have been
+from the south-east, as most of the trees blown down while the soil was
+in a state of saturation lay with their tops to the north-west. In May
+and June the winds ranged between north-east and south-east.
+
+Of the regularity of the return of the summer rains it is at present
+difficult to form a decided opinion; but, as far as observation would
+admit, I am inclined to think they cannot be relied on with any degree of
+certainty, to the southward of the 25th degree of latitude. The period at
+which they fall being about January and February, it is a significant
+fact that the grasses found buried beneath the mud during these months
+had generally attained only to nearly half their growth.
+
+AREA OF AVAILABLE COUNTRY.
+
+With regard to the quantity and distribution of the available lands, it
+will only be necessary to observe that, with the exception of 30,000 or
+40,000 acres at the mouth of the Gascoyne, there is no land worth
+occupying for many years to come to the west of the Lyons River; the
+amount of land on this river has already been estimated at nearly 300
+square miles, while on the Upper Gascoyne and its tributaries there is
+probably double that quantity; this, with the lands on the Murchison near
+Mount Hale, would make a total of about a million of acres.
+
+A very important circumstance in connection with this district is the
+total absence, so far as we were able to observe, of any of the varieties
+of gastrolobium or euphorbia, which constitute the poisonous plants so
+fatal to cattle and sheep in other parts of the colony.
+
+The means of access to the Upper Gascoyne and Lyons is another important
+matter for consideration. I am inclined to think that this district
+cannot be advantageously settled until the tract of country between it
+and the north coast has been explored, and a port established somewhere
+between Exmouth Gulf and Depuch Island, as, should the country in that
+direction fulfil its promise, the intervening space would very quickly be
+filled up, and the lands on the Gascoyne become available, its distance
+from the north coast being about 200 miles, while from Port Gregory or
+Champion Bay would not be less than from 340 to 360 miles--a difference
+of some moment in the transport of stores or produce.
+
+From the lay of the country to the northward of the Lyons River there
+does not appear to be any reason to suppose that a river of any magnitude
+falls into Exmouth Gulf, as there would be hardly room for it between the
+sources of the Alma and the rivers flowing to the north coast.
+
+I cannot bring my report to a conclusion without recording my
+acknowledgments to Mr. James Roe for the able and effective assistance he
+has rendered me throughout the expedition, the barometrical observations
+and management of the provision department having been especially under
+his charge.
+
+My best thanks are also due to Mr. W.D. Moore and Mr. C. Nairn, who on
+every occasion endeavoured to relieve me as much as possible from some of
+the many arduous duties that usually devolve on the leader of an
+exploring party. Chainer Fairburn and the native Dugel also gave general
+satisfaction in the performance of their respective duties.
+
+I may add that to the ready cooperation and unanimity that prevailed
+throughout the party may in no small degree be ascribed the successful
+issue of the undertaking.
+
+I have the honour to be, Sir, etc.,
+
+F.T. GREGORY,
+
+Assistant Surveyor.
+
+To the Honourable the Surveyor-General, etc.
+
+***
+
+
+NORTH-WEST COAST.
+
+1861.
+
+ORIGIN OF EXPEDITION TO NORTH-WEST AUSTRALIA.
+
+The important additions to geographical discovery, and the large extent
+of valuable pastoral country that had been found on the Gascoyne River
+and its tributaries, attracted the attention of a number of English
+capitalists interested in cotton manufactures, which were then in a very
+depressed condition in consequence of the civil war in America, it was
+proposed to establish a new colony on the north-west coast of Australia,
+having for its special object the cultivation of cotton.
+
+Advantage was taken of the presence of Mr. F. Gregory in London to urge
+on the Home Government and the Royal Geographical Society the
+desirability of fitting out an expedition to proceed direct to the
+north-west coast of Australia, accompanied by a large body of Asiatic
+labourers, and all the necessary appliances for the establishment of a
+colony.
+
+Under the advice of Captain Roe, Surveyor-General of Western Australia,
+and other gentlemen well acquainted with the subject, the scheme was
+modified so as to have the country explored as a preliminary to actual
+settlement, and for this purpose a grant of 2000 pounds was obtained from
+the Imperial Government, to be supplemented by an equal subsidy by the
+Colonial Treasury.
+
+Accordingly Mr. Gregory obtained a suitable outfit for the party in
+London, and early in 1861 proceeded to Western Australia to confer with
+the Governor as to the requisite details; but owing to the delays caused
+by a part of the funds having to be provided by a vote of the local
+Legislature, the expedition did not finally leave Fremantle until 23rd
+April, 1861--nearly two months later in the season than it should have
+done, as the rainy season in North-west Australia terminates about the
+beginning of March.
+
+The following is an abstract of the journal and report of Mr. Gregory to
+the Governor of Western Australia:--
+
+JOURNAL OF THE NORTH-WEST AUSTRALIAN EXPLORING EXPEDITION.
+
+20th April, 1861.
+
+All the preliminary arrangements in Perth having been completed, and the
+stores and equipment of the expedition already sent on board the barque
+Dolphin, I proceeded to Fremantle and shipped the ten horses that had
+been furnished by the settlers in this part of the colony; the remainder
+of the hay and water being also completed by 2 p.m., we were prepared to
+sail, when the agent for the vessel raised objections to our departure,
+on the plea that the arrangements for the payments on account of the
+charter were not satisfactory. Wrote accordingly by express to the
+Private Secretary for an acknowledgment that the requisite documents were
+complete.
+
+21st April.
+
+Received reply from the Private Secretary to the effect that everything
+necessary had been approved of already by the Governor; the agent would
+not, however, allow the vessel to leave until he had actually received
+the first instalment on account of the charter from the Colonial
+Treasurer.
+
+22nd April.
+
+Accompanied Mr. Manning and Captain Dixon to Perth, when they were
+informed by the Colonial Treasurer that the money would be forthcoming on
+the presentation of the accounts. Returned to Fremantle, where we were
+detained for the remainder of the day to enable the agent to close his
+accounts.
+
+23rd April.
+
+Went on board the Dolphin at 7 a.m., and by 11 a.m. got underweigh, with
+a fresh breeze from the east-north-east, and stood to the
+north-north-west. The portion of the exploring party embarked at
+Fremantle comprised the following persons: F.T. Gregory, commander; J.
+Turner, assistant and storekeeper; E. Brockman, W.S. Hall, and J.
+McCourt, assistants; and A. James, farrier. Supplies of flour, salt pork,
+dried beef, preserved meat, bacon, sugar, tea, etc., sufficient for eight
+months, were provided for a party of nine; three more volunteers and ten
+horses having yet to be taken on board at Champion Bay.
+
+24th April.
+
+Light winds from the north; at noon sighted land, in latitude 31 degrees
+28 minutes 12 seconds south; all hands attending to horses.
+
+25th April.
+
+Experienced variable and contrary winds; made but little progress.
+
+26th April.
+
+Weather cloudy, winds unfavourable; had a distant view of Mount Lesueur.
+
+CHAMPION BAY.
+
+27th April.
+
+Sighted Mount Hill soon after daylight, rain and squalls rendering it
+difficult to distinguish the coast; the weather clearing up, ran into
+Champion Bay, and came to anchor by noon, half a mile north of the jetty,
+in four fathoms; landed and procured a horse from the Government
+Resident, and rode out to Mr. K. Brown's station.
+
+28th April.
+
+Procured a horse for the expedition from Mr. W. Moore, on account of
+Hamersley and Company, and returned with it to the Bay.
+
+29th April.
+
+Sent round to the rest of the subscribers of horses to the expedition;
+party employed filling up ship's water-tanks.
+
+30th April.
+
+Mr. J. Harding arrived, as a volunteer, with two horses from Mr. W.
+Burges; also Mr. M. Brown, as a volunteer, with one horse. The following
+gentlemen also sent horses: Messrs. J.S. Davis, 2; F. DuBoulay, 1; C. von
+Bibra, 1; H. Gray, 1; M. Morrissey, 1; and J. Drummond, 12 sheep. Mr. P.
+Walcott joined as a volunteer for the collection of specimens of natural
+history and botany. Ship's crew employed discharging the remainder of the
+cargo from England, consigned to Champion Bay.
+
+1st May.
+
+With the assistance of a number of gentlemen who kindly volunteered their
+aid, the ten additional horses were safely swum off to the Dolphin;
+Captain Dixon and his crew being employed landing a steam-engine. Wrote
+to His excellency the Governor, reporting intention to sail to-morrow.
+
+CHAMPION BAY TO NICKOL BAY.
+
+2nd May.
+
+Wrote to the Secretary of the Royal Geographical Society, reporting
+progress of the expedition. Transferred order for twenty sheep,
+subscribed by J. Williams, to Mr. T. Burges. Took on board twelve sheep
+sent by Mr. Drummond, and closed accounts at the bay. Party fitting up
+mangers, etc. At 5.30 p.m. got underweigh and stood to the north-west,
+the soundings for five miles varying from three and three-quarters to
+seven fathoms; the sea breaking heavily for about a mile in a northerly
+direction from the end of the sheltering reef, showing a much greater
+extent of shoalwater than is noted on the charts. Established a routine
+of watches of two hours each, for the members of the expedition to attend
+upon the horses.
+
+3rd May.
+
+By observations at noon, found the latitude to be 26 degrees 53 minutes
+south; longitude 112 degrees 33 minutes east. Party preparing equipment,
+drying horse-slings, etc. Wind light from south-east.
+
+4th May.
+
+Putting pack-saddles together, covering water-belts, etc.; light wind
+from south, ship making from one to four knots; course north by east.
+Increased allowance of water to horses from four or five gallons each, on
+account of the heat of the hold. Killed a sheep.
+
+Latitude at noon, 25 degrees 40 minutes south; longitude 112 degrees 1
+minute east.
+
+5th May (Sunday).
+
+Held Divine service; passed through several drifts of seaweed at noon, in
+latitude 25 degrees 43 minutes 34 seconds south, longitude 112 degrees 5
+minutes east, showing a southerly current of nearly two miles per hour;
+cloudy, with light winds from south-east and south.
+
+6th May.
+
+At noon sighted Cape Cuvier, bearing east twenty miles; latitude 23
+degrees 52 minutes; longitude 112 degrees 53 minutes east; current of
+nineteen miles south in twenty-four hours.
+
+7th May.
+
+North-west Cape was visible at noon, bearing east three-quarters north,
+distant twenty-five miles; our latitude being 22 degrees south; and
+longitude 113 degrees 18 minutes east. The Cape appears to have an
+elevation of 500 or 600 feet, and to be of a sandstone formation; the
+soil back of the hills appearing good, and clothed at this period of the
+year with an abundance of grass, wattles of large growth and flooded-gum
+trees growing on the slopes; the character of some of the lower hills and
+valleys is that of a mineral district.
+
+8th May.
+
+Passed through many patches of drifting seaweed coming from the eastward.
+Light south-east winds and cloudy weather.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 24 minutes south; longitude 114 degrees 37 minutes
+east, at noon.
+
+9th May.
+
+Richie's Reef cannot be in the position shown on the charts, as we sailed
+over it, and saw no broken water. At noon found our latitude to be 19
+degrees 58 minutes south; longitude 115 degrees 23 minutes east; light
+winds from the south-east, and a current of half a mile per hour setting
+to the west or north-west.
+
+10th May.
+
+At daylight sighted Legendre Island to the south-east, distant ten miles.
+Ran east-north-east till 10 a.m., with fresh breeze; tacked to south-west
+with wind at east; by noon it fell calm, having fetched to within ten
+miles of the north end of Delambre Island. At 5 p.m. a light wind from
+the north-west enabled us to run in and drop anchor at 6.0 in thirteen
+fathoms, the south end of Delambre bearing east about three miles; at
+11.0 a strong breeze sprung up from the south-east, freshening to a gale
+by 2 a.m. of the 11th. Tide setting to south-west at four miles per hour,
+with a rise of sixteen feet.
+
+STRONG TIDES PREVENT LANDING.
+
+11th May.
+
+The gale continued to 11 a.m., when it moderated; the tide being full at
+about noon. Got underweigh at 1 p.m., and stood to the south-west, under
+topsails, stemming a strong ebb tide to 3.30, when we came to anchor in
+five fathoms (sand and shells), about three miles from the western shore
+of the bay, Sloping Head bearing north by east five miles. The water of
+the bay is much discoloured, being of a deep reddish-brown. In passing
+down the shore we observed that the whole of what is shown on the chart
+as a promontory, extending to the north of Sloping Head, is an island,
+with a channel nearly half a mile wide, separating it from the main; to
+the outer portion was given the name of Dolphin Island. At 4 p.m. left
+the ship in the life boat, accompanied by Captain Dixon, Mr. Hall, and
+four men, and took soundings for six miles to the south-west down the
+centre of the bay, finding five and six fathoms all the way; the water
+then shoaled to three fathoms, when, being within a mile of the head of
+the bay, it became dark. Pulling about two miles to the south-east, it
+gradually shoaled to one foot, when we grounded, and remained there till
+11 p.m., when the tide being at full we pulled for the ship, but not
+seeing her lights by 1 a.m. on the 12th, and the men being much fatigued,
+we lay on our oars for an hour, and then took a stretch for two miles to
+the south-south-east, to get under the shelter of the south-east shore of
+the bay, when, having no anchor, we lay-to till daylight, by which time
+the boat had drifted into heavy rollers under the high rocky land at the
+south-west head of the bay; the wind having risen so much that the boat
+was only kept afloat by keeping her head to the sea. As we could not
+observe any spot at which we could land without the risk of swamping the
+boat and wetting our firearms, we continued pulling towards the ship, the
+ebb tide assisting us until 2 p.m., when just as all hands were becoming
+thoroughly tired out, a boat was sent from the Dolphin to our relief,
+with a timely supply of biscuit and brandy, which, with the assistance of
+a tow-line, enabled us to reach the ship by 3 p.m., very thankful that we
+had escaped what at one time appeared likely to have proved a serious
+disaster.
+
+LANDING EFFECTED.
+
+13th May.
+
+In the morning it blew so fresh from the eastward that Captain Dixon did
+not like to move the vessel until 2 p.m., when we stood to the south for
+about four miles, and came to anchor in four fathoms. Taking the
+life-boat and cutter, both well-manned, we pulled south to the shore
+about three miles, the water gradually shoaling until at half a mile from
+the shore the boats grounded on a sandbank, from which we walked, through
+mud, shells, and coral, to a belt of mangroves about fifty yards through,
+behind which rose a sandbank about thirty feet high, covered with flowers
+and coarse grass; from this to the foot of a range of rugged metamorphic
+sandstone, a distance of half a mile, was an open, undulating, loamy
+plain, covered with grass just arriving at maturity, a few small wattles,
+hakea, and white-gum trees. As the sun had now set, we had only just time
+to ascend a few hundred feet up the rocky ridge, from which elevation
+could be discerned a sheet of water about a mile to the eastward, which
+we attempted to reach, but it became so dark that it was found better to
+return to the boats, which were now high and dry. By 8 p.m. the tide had
+risen sufficiently to admit of Captain Dixon's return to the Dolphin,
+while I remained with a portion of my own party to make further
+examination in the morning; the leaky state of the cutter keeping one of
+us bailing through the night.
+
+14th May.
+
+With Messrs. Turner, Brown, Harding, and Brockman, landed at 7 a.m., and
+walked to the sheet of water observed last night, but found it only a
+tidal inlet, terminating in a salt marsh. Continuing on our course for
+five miles to the south-east, across a grassy plain, the soil being a
+light brown loam, with occasional patches of quartz and gneiss pebbles,
+and beds of limestone in irregular nodules, in an hour and a half arrived
+at a deep stony watercourse, containing some small pools of brackish
+water. This stream was followed up to the southward about a mile, but
+found to be dry, and did not appear to come from a greater distance than
+twenty miles. This river was named the Nickol. The country to the south
+not being very promising, we turned to the westward, recrossing the plain
+more to the south, passing several hollows, in which the rainwater had
+very recently rested, leaving a rich alluvial deposit from which had
+sprung up a splendid sward of grass, which was still quite green. Not
+meeting with water in this direction, and the party not being yet in full
+training, we were glad to return to the boat, which was reached by 2
+p.m.; the tide being now in, enabled her to come in close to the beach,
+the rise being found to be about sixteen feet. By 5.0 we had returned to
+the ship, all tolerably well fatigued with our first day's march on
+shore.
+
+INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES.
+
+15th May.
+
+Not being satisfied to land the horses on a shore devoid of water, I
+determined to attempt a landing in a small sandy cove in the high rocky
+shore on the west of the bay, which we had been afraid to enter during
+the gale on the 12th. Leaving the ship with two boats and provisions for
+the day, we pulled for the little cove about four miles distant, bearing
+west by north. For the first three miles the soundings did not show less
+than three fathoms, with an even sandy bottom, the last mile shoaling
+gradually to the beach; the landing being easily effected, as there now
+was but little surf. The shore was found to be generally very sandy, a
+low flat valley extending from the head of the cove across the isthmus
+about two miles to Mermaid Strait, where it terminated in a muddy
+mangrove creek. In about half an hour several wells were found, some
+containing rather brackish water, but one, about eight feet deep, in a
+hollow under a steep range of bare volcanic and granite hills, not more
+than 200 yards from the beach, was found to contain an abundant supply of
+good water; grass being plentiful and of fine quality in the valleys
+under the hills. Our principal requirements being now satisfied, it only
+remained to bring the ship in near enough to land the horses. On our
+return to the Dolphin we found that she had been visited by two natives,
+who had paddled off on logs of wood, shaped like canoes, not hollow, but
+very bouyant, about seven feet long and one foot thick, which they
+propelled with their hands only, their legs resting on a little rail made
+of small sticks driven in on each side. At first they were afraid to come
+on board, but on friendly signs being made, they ascended the ladder that
+had been put down for them. They were both fine-looking men, of about
+forty years of age, above the middle stature, one measuring six feet four
+inches, and the other five feet eight inches; their hair straight and
+black, teeth regular, and general features characteristic of the tribes
+on the west coast; their bodies were rather more spare, and had not on
+them a vestige of clothing. The Champion Bay dialect was quite
+incomprehensible to them; they, however, knew the use of both biscuit and
+tobacco, some of which was given them. After remaining several hours on
+board, they took their departure for the eastern shore of the bay,
+distant at least six miles, promising by signs to repeat their visit the
+next day. It is worthy of remark that neither of these natives were
+circumcised, or had lost the front teeth, as is common on this coast
+further to the eastward. Their fearlessness and confidence in the good
+faith of Europeans would lead to the impression that this was not their
+first acquaintance with vessels on the coast. It was not far from this
+place that Captain P.P. King had a visit from natives similarly equipped
+more than forty years ago. While on shore to-day several new and very
+beautiful plants and flowers were observed, amongst them one in
+particular, which, without exception, is the handsomest shrub I have ever
+seen in Australia; in form the plant resembles a large chandelier, with a
+series of branches springing from a centre stem in sets of five each; on
+these are short erect stems a few inches apart, carrying five beautiful
+deep crimson dragon flowers, nearly three inches in length, grouped like
+lustres, producing a very gorgeous effect; the leaves of the plant are
+elegantly formed, like those of the mountain ash, and are of a rich
+green. A purple flowering bean, the seeds of which are the size of the
+English horse-bean, is here found in abundance, and are eaten by the
+natives. Melons similar to those formerly seen by me on the Gascoyne,
+several varieties of brachychiton, a small variety of the adansonia,
+three or four different kinds of convolvulus (one of which runs along the
+sands near the beach with arms sometimes as much as forty yards in
+length), acacias, sterculia, and a variety of eucalyptus resembling a
+stunted red-gum, are also found growing among the hills in small
+quantities.
+
+ACCIDENT FROM CARELESS USE OF FIREARMS.
+
+16th May.
+
+Early this morning the Dolphin was moved to within three miles of the
+cove visited yesterday, and anchored in two and a half fathoms at the
+lowest water, the landing place bearing west by north. By 11.0 a.m. the
+first pair of horses were hoisted out and placed in the water under the
+counter of the cutter, two other boats assisted in towing us to the
+shore, which occupied about an hour; the horses, on landing, being
+scarcely able to stand, from the length of time they were in the water.
+On reaching the beach, a serious accident occurred to Mr. Hearson, the
+second mate of the vessel, resulting from the negligence of James the
+farrier, who, notwithstanding my repeated cautions to all the members of
+the Expedition to keep snappers on the locks of the guns, had omitted to
+do so, in consequence of which, on its being handed out, the hammer
+caught on the gunwale of the boat and discharged a ball through both the
+hips of the mate, causing him to fall in the water, which circumstance
+fortunately tended materially to stop the haemorrhage; he was immediately
+carried to a sheltered spot, and a tent pitched over him. On examining
+the wound, I found the ball had entered the right posterior, passing
+close below the joint, and taking an oblique direction through the lower
+edge of the pelvis, made its exit in front of the left thigh, between the
+femoral artery and the principal tendon, without injuring either. This
+mishap and the freshening of the breeze prevented our landing any more
+horses to-day, the remainder of it being spent in making a camp and
+attending to the comfort of our wounded companion, who occasioned me some
+anxiety, as the treatment must entirely devolve upon myself, who
+possessed but a very limited amount of experience in matters of this
+nature.
+
+17th May.
+
+Four more horses were safely landed this morning, and we were returning
+to the vessel for another pair when a party of fourteen natives made
+their appearance at the camp. At first they came boldly up, but on a gun
+being discharged as a signal for my recall, they appeared much alarmed,
+although they would not go away. Our numbers being small, I determined
+not to allow them to enter the camp, on account of their propensity to
+thieving, and the few that could now be spared to guard the stores was
+insufficient to keep a constant watch on their stealthy movements; I
+therefore tried at first to make them understand that we had taken
+possession for the present, and did not want their company; they were,
+however, very indignant at our endeavours to drive them away, and very
+plainly ordered us off to the ship. It was very evident that our
+forbearance was mistaken for weakness, and that mischief was preparing. I
+accordingly took hold of one of the most refractory, and compelled him to
+march off at double-quick time, when they all retired to some rocky hills
+overlooking our camp, from which it was necessary to dislodge them.
+Taking Mr. Brown with me, we climbed the first hill, which made them
+retreat to the next. Resting ourselves for a few minutes, and taking a
+view of the surrounding country, we were just on the point of returning
+to the camp, when we observed three armed natives stealing down a ravine
+to the horses, evidently with hostile intentions, as they shipped their
+spears on getting close enough to throw; we did not, however, give them
+time to accomplish their object, as we ran down the hill in time to
+confront them, on which they took to the rocks. Seeing that it was now
+time to convince them we were not to be trifled with, and to put a stop
+at once to what I saw would otherwise terminate in bloodshed, we both
+took deliberate aim and fired a couple of bullets so close to the
+principal offender, that he could hardly escape feeling the effects of
+the fragments of lead, as they split upon the rocks within a few feet of
+his body. After dark, it set in to rain heavily for an hour, when lights
+were observed moving in the direction of our horses, but the sentries
+being on the alert, no further attempt was made to molest us.
+
+18th May.
+
+Two more horses were landed this morning; but rain setting in from the
+north-west with a strong easterly wind below, a stop was put to landing
+any more to-day.
+
+19th May (Sunday).
+
+It had rained both heavily and continuously during the night; but as our
+tents were good, we did not experience much inconvenience from it, and it
+gave a fair prospect of finding a good supply of water on our
+contemplated trip into the interior. Mr. Hearson's wound was progressing
+favourably, and I was in consequence enabled to go off to the ship and
+procure a few additional comforts. On our return two more horses were
+brought ashore, reducing the number on board to one-half.
+
+20th May.
+
+We succeeded in landing six more horses during the day; the great
+distance they had to be swam ashore made the process very slow and
+fatiguing, some of the horses being scarcely able to stand for some time
+after landing. This morning I made a rough survey of the cove and
+surrounding hills, and while so employed observed seventeen natives pass
+across the shoals at low water, carrying nets but no weapons; they did
+not appear to fear us, or inclined to come up to the camp; nor did we
+offer them any encouragement, as in the present exposed state of our camp
+they would have been very troublesome.
+
+In the evening Mr. Brown and myself rode across the isthmus to Mermaid
+Strait, and found it to form a very fine and romantic-looking little
+harbour, surrounded by a bold rocky coast, giving it much more the
+appearance of an inland lake than an open strait. I have no doubt but
+that it would afford an excellent harbour; there is, however, reason to
+think it is equally difficult of access from the main with the cove upon
+which our camp is, as a wide expanse of marsh land appears to extend all
+round behind the hills that bound it to the southward.
+
+21st May.
+
+The last four horses were landed this morning, as also the instruments
+and remainder of the stores required for our first journey. The farrier,
+with two assistants, was kept busily employed all day shoeing horses.
+
+PREPARATIONS FOR JOURNEY INLAND.
+
+22nd May.
+
+The forge was in full employ during the day, and great progress made with
+the shoeing and preparations for our departure. Accompanied by Mr. Brown,
+I rode out to-day to reconnoitre, and seek for a pass through the hills
+that encompassed our camp; the only practical outlet we found to be
+through some very rocky ravines to the south-west, where at about five
+miles we found--what I had for some time suspected to be the case--that
+the whole of the isthmus upon which we had landed was cut off from the
+mainland by an extensive salt-water marsh, commencing at the bottom of
+Nickol Bay and running parallel to the general line of coast, at least as
+far as Enderby Island. Skirting the northern edge of the marsh for
+several miles to the westward, we found it gradually getting wider and
+deeper; we accordingly returned to the narrowest part, and rode into it
+for about half a mile, the water being very shallow, and the bottom
+sufficiently firm to carry us, although with considerable labour to the
+horses. Finding it was getting late, we determined to try and return to
+the camp round by the head of Nickol Bay, and succeeded in climbing over
+the rocks and boulders that encumber this portion of the coast, until we
+were within a quarter of a mile of the camp, when the tide came in upon
+us so quickly that, after having been repeatedly thrown down by the surf,
+we were compelled to leave the horses jammed up in the rocks just above
+high-water mark, and proceeded on foot to the camp.
+
+23rd May.
+
+At 3.0 a.m., the tide having fallen sufficiently, Messrs. Brown and
+Harding were enabled to bring in the horses left imprisoned last night.
+During the day, all the arrangements for our departure were completed,
+and in the afternoon Mr. Hearson was removed to the Dolphin, having been
+kept on shore since the accident, to be constantly under my own
+attendance; he was now rapidly recovering, although much reduced. Wrote
+instructions for the guidance of Captain Dixon and Mr. Walcott during the
+absence of the expedition, the latter gentleman being left in charge of
+the stores, and to make such observations as the means at his disposal
+should admit of.
+
+24th May.
+
+Landed at daylight, intending to make a start, as it was the Queen's
+birthday; but owing to some of the horses having rambled, we did not
+succeed in getting them all in and saddled up before 2.0 p.m., when three
+or four of the horses that had not been accustomed to carrying packs
+commenced playing up and scattering their loads in all directions,
+straining and otherwise injuring several of the pack-saddles, which
+detained us until so late in the day that I deemed it best to return to
+camp, and as the forge had not been removed to the ship, to shorten some
+of the saddle-irons, to render them less liable to injury, which was
+otherwise a great improvement.
+
+25th May.
+
+The re-adjustments having been satisfactorily accomplished, we made a
+fair start this morning by 9.0 a.m., and arrived on the edge of the marsh
+by 11.30, where, having first taken a survey of the several channels from
+the summit of a high granite hill, we entered the waste of mud at a point
+where it did not appear to be more than two miles wide; an hour's
+struggle carried us fairly through on to terra firma, only one horse
+having to be assisted by the removal of his load. After resting an hour
+and a half for dinner, we resumed our route in a south direction, across
+an extensive low grassy plain of red clayey loam, passing over a few
+rocky ridges at sunset, and at 6 p.m. encamped on a dry creek twenty
+yards wide, water being found in some clay-pans in the adjoining plain.
+Camp 2.
+
+MAITLAND RIVER.
+
+26th May.
+
+Being Sunday, the camp was only moved a mile further to a fine pool of
+water in a river eighty yards wide, with beautiful grassy banks, which I
+named the Maitland; it comes from the south-east, and may probably have a
+course of sixty miles, coming through a plain five or six miles wide, the
+greater part of which is occasionally inundated by floods from the
+interior. Cockatoos and other game were plentiful, sixteen of the former
+being killed by Mr. Brockman at one shot; they were white, with
+orange-tinted feathers in the crest, similar to those on the Murchison
+and Gascoyne Rivers. It may be as well here to observe that upon first
+starting a regular routine of duty had been established in the party, the
+care and loading of five horses being told off to each two of the party,
+as they could lift on opposite packs simultaneously, and their being all
+numbered, everyone could at once know the loads under his charge. The
+night was also divided into eight watches, commencing at 8 p.m. and
+ending at 6 a.m.; the duty of the first watch being to cook the bread for
+the following day, and the last to have breakfast ready in the morning by
+the time it was light enough to see. By this arrangement no time was
+lost, and everyone knew what was under his particular charge. Camp 3.
+
+SUDDEN FLOOD.
+
+27th May.
+
+Having determined in the first instance to strike to the westward, with a
+view to cutting any large rivers coming from the interior that might
+serve to lead us through the rocky hills that hemmed us in in that
+quarter, we this morning took a south-south-west by south course to 11.40
+a.m. when we crossed a dry stream-bed sixty yards wide, coming out of the
+granite ranges to the southward, the country becoming more barren as we
+edged upon the spurs of the rocky hills. At 2.0 p.m. we halted on the
+banks of another stream-bed of the same size as the last, when it came on
+to rain; resuming our march at 4.10, steering west to 6.0, when we
+encamped on a dry gully, with a little feed near it. Having pitched the
+tents, it continued to rain until 11.0 p.m., when a sudden rush of water
+swept down the valley, filling the watercourse and carrying away our
+fire, and before we had time to remove the baggage to higher ground, we
+had a foot of water in the camp. Fortunately nothing was lost or injured,
+and it only served as a useful lesson for the future. Camp 4.
+
+28th May.
+
+The early part of the day was employed drying the stores, so that we did
+not make a start until late. Four and a half hours' travelling over stony
+country, principally covered with triodia, but containing several patches
+of good grass, brought us to another river fifty yards wide, in which
+were a few pools. This stream was followed up to 5 p.m., when we left it,
+and halted on an open plain close to some shallow clay-pans containing
+rainwater; our course for the day having been about south-west eleven
+miles. Camp 5.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 7 minutes.
+
+29th May.
+
+By an azimuth of the sun's centre taken this morning, the magnetic
+variation was observed to be about 20 minutes west. Steering north 230
+degrees east magnetic, soon brought us out of the hills into a plain
+extending as far as the eye could reach to the north-west, with a few
+patches of good grass upon it, but mostly covered with triodia, which was
+now just ripe, yielding fine heads of seed, which the horses are very
+fond of. At thirteen miles struck the channel of a considerable river
+coming from the south. As this offered us a fair prospect of working
+inland, and we had already attained nearly to longitude 116 degrees, or
+about the meridian of the mouth of the Alma, the stream was followed up
+for an hour, its average breadth being over 200 yards. At 4.40 encamped
+at a fine spring on the bank of a deep pool, under a cliff of metamorphic
+sandstone nearly 300 feet high; a cane, much resembling a Spanish red,
+growing in considerable quantities near the water. Camp 6.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 18 minutes; longitude 116 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+SURPRISE A CAMP OF NATIVES.
+
+30th May.
+
+Soon after starting this morning, we came upon a camp of fifteen or
+twenty natives, on the bank of a deep reach of water, hemmed in by steep
+rocky hills, up which they hastily scrambled on our approach, and on
+reaching the summit, tried by various gestures to express their
+disapproval of our visit, but would not hold any parley with us. At five
+miles the river turned abruptly to the north-east, through a precipitous
+rocky defile, which induced us to make an attempt to cut across and
+strike the river some miles higher up; but after being for some time
+involved in impracticable ravines, we were again obliged to have recourse
+to the bed of the river, although encumbered with beds of large stones,
+over which the horses had great difficulty in travelling; so that by
+sunset we had not accomplished more than six miles in a direct east by
+south line from last night's camp. Camp 7.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 19 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+31st May.
+
+The general course of the river during the day was very little to the
+south of east, its banks still maintaining the same rocky and precipitous
+character, marks of inundation being frequently observed at the height of
+thirty feet above the present stream, which now was only running gently
+in a channel not more than thirty yards wide, but when in flood occupying
+the whole of the valley, which averages a quarter of a mile in width. The
+larger pools are lined with flags and reeds, and contain numbers of small
+fish resembling trout, similar to those found in the Lyons and Gascoyne
+Rivers. A very handsome tree, resembling an ash, grew on the margin,
+bearing a beautiful white flower, four to five inches across, having on
+the inside a delicate tinge of yellow, and yielding a sweet scent like
+violets. Several natives were met in the course of the day, but would not
+come near us; in one instance, however, we came upon one so suddenly that
+he had only time to jump into a pool to escape being surrounded by the
+party. After calling for some time most lustily for his friends, he
+gradually crept away amongst the canes and disappeared. Only one
+tributary of any size was observed to join the river in the course of the
+day's march, and that came in from the southward. At 5.20 p.m. halted on
+the banks of a deep pool, surrounded by fine cajeput-trees and
+flooded-gum, grass being plentiful for our horses. Camp 8.
+
+ENCOUNTER DIFFICULT COUNTRY.
+
+1st June.
+
+There was a decided improvement in the appearance of the valley as we
+continued to ascend the river, the deep pools were more continuous, and
+grass more abundant; the high lands on either bank still, however,
+retained their rugged outlines, and were clothed with little else but
+triodia. Travelling along the bed of the river was nevertheless difficult
+and dangerous for the horses, on account of the immense quantity of
+rounded boulders of water-worn rocks that occupied a large portion of the
+channel, and frequently jammed the horses into narrow passes, where they
+could not be extricated without meeting with very severe falls, which
+very soon crippled more than one of them; their shoes also began to be
+wrenched off by being caught in the deep clefts of the rocks, very soon
+expending all the extra sets brought with us. Just before coming to our
+night's halt a large stream-bed, forty yards wide, was observed to come
+in from the southward. Camp 9.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 28 minutes 18 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 31
+minutes by account.
+
+2nd June (Sunday).
+
+Having abundance of feed and water, we gladly availed ourselves of it to
+make it a day of rest; it also afforded me an opportunity to ascertain
+the rate of the chronometer, which, as I had reason to expect, had gone
+very irregularly since landing.
+
+3rd June.
+
+Made an early start, and as the valley of the river was not quite so
+rugged as that we had passed over during the last two or three days, by
+noon we had accomplished about eight miles, the course of the river still
+being very little from the southward of east; we had not, therefore, made
+much progress towards the Lyons River (our more immediate destination),
+and to quit the valley was out of the question, as there is no feed or
+water out of it within a reasonable distance. Both the valley and
+surrounding country are destitute of trees, and bold hills of metamorphic
+sandstone frequently jut out into the valley, and terminate in
+perpendicular cliffs 200 or 300 feet high. Towards the evening the river
+had been coming from the northward of east. Camp 10.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 27 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+4th June.
+
+During the forenoon the river became much hemmed in by steep rocky hills,
+the bed being a succession of rapids, over a bare, rocky channel; but
+after the noon halt the stream came more from the south-east, with wide
+grassy flats on either side, in many parts very boggy, and producing
+Melaleuca leucodendron, with tall, straight stems, and a variety of
+eucalyptus, resembling Eucalyptus piperita. White sandstone and shales
+began to make their appearance on the banks, and the water in the river
+had a saline taste. Several of the horses began to show signs of being
+much distressed, by falling and sticking fast in the mud, from which they
+had not strength to extricate themselves, even after being relieved of
+their loads. Ducks were plentiful, and tolerably tame. Camp 11.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 33 minutes 55 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 2
+minutes by account.
+
+SANDSTONE CLIFFS.
+
+5th June.
+
+Having marked a large double-stemmed gum-tree with NAE and the date, we
+made a start up the river, but at about a mile found the valley narrow in
+until the channel of the river, which was here full of water, was walled
+in on both banks by perpendicular cliffs, from which we were compelled to
+turn back nearly to our last night's camp. During the last two days we
+had caught an occasional glimpse of an elevated range of hills extending
+for many miles parallel to the river and about ten miles to the
+southward, which rendered it probable that some change would now be found
+in the character of the back country, enabling us to travel without being
+so frequently retarded by the rocks and bends of the river. A suitable
+spot was accordingly selected for ascending out of the valley, which was
+accomplished with some difficulty, when the country was observed to be
+intersected for many miles by deep ravines, terminating, however, to the
+south in a level plain, extending to the base of the range already
+referred to. After four hours' heavy toiling, we at length reached the
+summit of the plain, water having been found in one of the rocky gullies
+by the way. For the first half-mile, on entering the plain or tableland,
+the ground was stony and covered with stunted acacia, but it very quickly
+changed into a rich clayey loam, yielding a splendid crop of kangaroo and
+other grasses, melons, and small white convolvulus, yielding a round
+black seed the size of a pea, which we found scattered over nearly the
+whole surface of the plain for miles together. In the lower parts of the
+flat rainwater appeared to have remained in shallow clay-pans until very
+recently, killing much of the grass, which was replaced by atriplex
+bushes. As we approached the foot of the range the ground became stony
+and covered with triodia; good grass was still, however, to be found in
+the ravines leading out of the hills, and as our object was now to shape
+a course to the southward, we followed up one of the most promising
+valleys, in the hope that it might lead us through the range; we were,
+however, disappointed in finding that, after pushing some distance up
+very steep and rocky passes, they all terminated in cliffs of horizontal
+sandstone, running in parallel bands one above another to the height of
+500 or 600 feet, and frequently extending without a break for ten or
+fifteen miles along the face of the range. The horses being much fatigued
+by the climb from the valley of the river, we encamped at 3.10 p.m.,
+within the hills, and without water. Camp 12.
+
+FINE GRASSY PLAIN. FORTESCUE RIVER.
+
+6th June.
+
+A light drizzling rain came on early in the morning, but not enough to
+supply the horses, who rambled so far during the night in search of it
+that it was noon before they were all collected. Quitting the range,
+which had been named after one of the most liberal promoters of the
+expedition, Hamersley Range, we took a north-east course, crossing over
+twelve or fourteen miles of beautiful open grassy plain, in many parts
+the kangaroo-grass reaching above the horses' backs; the soil being of
+the richest clay-loam, occasionally containing beds of singular fragments
+of opaline rocks, resembling ancient lava. By 5.30 p.m. we reached the
+river again, several miles above the deep glen that had checked our
+course on the 5th. The valley having again opened out, gave us easy
+access to its banks, which were here a rich black peat soil, containing
+numerous springs. Here was first observed a very handsome fan-palm,
+growing in topes, some of them attaining to the height of forty feet and
+twenty inches diameter, the leaves measuring eight to ten feet in length.
+The river had again opened into deep reaches of water, and contained
+abundance of fish resembling cobblers, weighing four and five pounds
+each. The whole character of the country was evidently changing for the
+better; and as I have no doubt that at no distant period it will become a
+rich and thriving settlement, I named the river the Fortescue, after the
+Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, under whose auspices the
+expedition took its origin, and the large expanse of fertile plain that
+lies between the river and the Hamersley Range, Chichester Downs.
+
+7th June.
+
+A quarter of a mile up the river brought us to a fine tributary from the
+south, running strong enough to supply a large mill. This had to be
+traced up for two miles before we could find a ford; it was found to take
+its rise in several deep pools, fed by springs issuing out of the plains
+crossed yesterday. Some powerful springs were also observed to flow into
+the river from the northward, through a dense forest of melaleuca, with a
+rank undergrowth of canes, flags, etc. At five miles the river again
+presented a wide reach of water several miles in length, after which it
+all at once broke up into numerous channels, wandering through a forest
+of white-gum, well grassed, the soil being highly fertile. Owing to my
+having been accidentally trodden upon by one of the horses, we were
+obliged to encamp early, having only made about twelve miles. Camp 14.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 40 minutes 42 seconds; longitude by account 117
+degrees 17 minutes east.
+
+8th June.
+
+Following up the channel upon which we had encamped, in about an hour it
+was lost in open grassy plains, which we continued to traverse until
+noon, when we struck on a well-defined stream-bed, which had branched off
+a mile or two south of last night's camp. Grass and water being abundant,
+we halted till 2, when we resumed an easterly route to 5.30, over rather
+stony plains, yielding triodia. Encamped after dark without water or
+feed, tying the horses up short to prevent their rambling, having
+accomplished about twenty miles in an east-south-east direction during
+the day. Camp 12.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 49 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+9th June (Sunday).
+
+Less than a mile this morning brought us to a grassy channel containing
+water, which was followed up for a short distance, when we halted for the
+remainder of the day to refresh our tired and famished horses. Camp 16.
+
+A NATIVE CHILD.
+
+10th June.
+
+The channel of the river was still followed for several miles to the
+eastward, when it again disappeared in open plains extending to the base
+of the Hamersley Range, which still continued to run parallel to the
+river at about seven miles distance to the southward. Pools of water were
+occasionally found in channels scooped out of the alluvial soil of which
+the plains were composed--the waters of the Fortescue, during the period
+of the summer rains, spreading over the country for miles and leaving a
+rich deposit of alluvial mud, adding greatly to its fertility. In the
+course of the afternoon we came suddenly on a party of natives, digging
+roots. One woman, with a child of about five years of age, hid close to
+our line of march, and did not move until she was afraid of being run
+over by the pack-horses, when she ran away, leaving the child gazing upon
+the monster intruders with a look of passive wonder. It was a poor,
+ill-conditioned-looking object, suffering from a cutaneous disorder. On
+giving it a piece of damper, it quickly began to devour it, tearing it to
+fragments with its sharp and attenuated fingers, with all the keenness of
+a hawk. We left it standing with a lump of bread in each hand, where its
+mother would no doubt find it when she came to see what had been left of
+it by the large dogs, as the aborigines of this part of Australia call
+our horses. Travelling on till late, we encamped in an open grassy plain,
+without water. Camp 17.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 55 minutes 57 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 3
+minutes.
+
+ROCKY RANGES.
+
+11th June.
+
+Four miles to the south-east we came upon a pool of brackish water,
+surrounded with bulrushes, in a channel coming from the south of the
+Hamersley Range, again apparently offering us a chance of getting to the
+southward. We accordingly struck for the gorge out of which this stream
+came, and succeeded in penetrating for three miles up a very rocky gully,
+filled with some of the harshest triodia we had yet encountered, and had
+to halt for the night in a narrow pass, where there was scarcely room to
+tie up our horses. Camp 18.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 12 minutes 52 seconds.
+
+ASCEND THE RANGES.
+
+12th June.
+
+One of the horses having slipped his halter during the night, Messrs.
+Brown and Brockman returned down the gully to track it up, while we made
+an attempt to follow up the deep defile in which we were hemmed, but a
+quarter of a mile brought us to an impassable barrier of cliffs.
+Retracing our steps about a mile, we again made an attempt more to the
+eastward, and this time succeeded in reaching a considerable stream-bed,
+which ultimately proved to be the main channel of the Fortescue, and led
+us through the range. Resting till noon, Messrs. Brown and Brockman
+overtook us with the missing horse, when we resumed our route up the bed
+of the river to the southward, until again brought to a dead stand by the
+whole bed of the stream being occupied by deep pools of water, fed by
+numerous strong springs. As it was getting late in the day, I left the
+party to form a camp, while I climbed the hills to get a view of the
+country in advance. A laborious ascent of nearly an hour brought me to
+one of the highest summits of the range, at an elevation of about 2700
+feet above the sea, and 700 above the bed of the river. From this hill I
+had a fine view to the southward, and observed that by following up a
+small dry ravine to the south-east there would be a fair prospect of
+reaching a large extent of open level plain that came within two or three
+miles of the camp in that direction. To the east and south-east the range
+was lofty and mountainous, while to the south and south-west stretched
+open grassy plains, occasionally interrupted by bold detached hills,
+apparently of the same formation as the Hamersley Range. On descending to
+the camp, I started a fragment of rock of a few tons weight, which rushed
+with fearful velocity towards the deep gorge in which the horses were
+feeding. After carrying all before it for a quarter of a mile, it made a
+clear spring over a cliff 200 feet in depth, and plunged into the waters
+below with a sound like thunder, inducing a belief at the camp that a
+large portion of cliff had fallen. Fortunately it did not produce an
+estampede, which I had known to have been caused on another occasion by a
+similar occurrence. Camp 19.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 15 minutes; longitude 118 degrees 4 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+13th June.
+
+Availing ourselves of the observations made yesterday, we succeeded,
+after a hard scramble of two hours, in getting through the remaining
+portion of the range, our horses having learned to climb like goats, or
+they never would have accomplished the passage. The plain appears to have
+a considerable elevation above those to the northward, and is drained by
+several deep breaks through the Hamersley Range. Resuming a
+south-south-west course to latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes 32 seconds, we
+passed at first over some very stony land, yielding little else besides
+triodia and stunted acacia; but for the last six or seven miles was a
+rich alluvial clay, covered with very fair pasture, and water was found
+in abundance in pools in the bed of a watercourse coming from the
+south-east. Camp 20.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes 58 seconds.
+
+14th June.
+
+On our first landing at Nickol Bay the nights had been very mild, but we
+now began to feel them cold and bracing. This was partly owing to the
+increased elevation of the country we were now travelling over; the
+south-east wind coming off the mountainous country was very keen, and
+almost frosty early in the morning. Our course this day was at first over
+tolerably good country, which gradually became more and more rocky, the
+ridges increasing in elevation until the aneroid barometer fell to 27.33,
+giving an altitude of 2400 feet above the sea. Night overtook us in a
+deep rocky ravine, where we had much difficulty in keeping the
+pack-horses together, and were at last compelled to unload them amongst
+rocks in the bed of a dry watercourse trending to the westward; a little
+grass being procurable in the vicinity. Fortunately water had been met
+with at noon, so that we were not pressed for want of it. Camp 21.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 41 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+15th June.
+
+Following the gully upon which we had encamped, it led us to the
+westward, over a rocky line of country, until 1 p.m., when not meeting
+with any water, and the horses showing great weakness and symptoms of
+distress from the loss of their shoes, it was found desirable to quit the
+main gully and try and find feed and water up a promising tributary
+coming from the north with the view of ultimately falling back on the
+plains under the Hamersley Range, should we fail to meet with water
+sooner; fortunately, however, in an hour we came upon a small supply
+amongst rocks, surrounded by some tolerable feed. Had we failed to find
+this timely relief, it is probable that not more than half the horses
+would have been able to carry their loads to the nearest known waterhole.
+Camp 22.
+
+16th June (Sunday).
+
+This day of rest was alike acceptable to man and horse, and afforded me
+an opportunity, after reading prayers to the party, to clear a set of
+lunar distances, by which I found that the chronometer would have placed
+us forty miles to the west of our true position. I had long since
+observed that it could not be trusted under even ordinary variations of
+temperature, but could procure no other, the Acting Surveyor-General
+having declined to supply me with either of the two chronometers
+belonging to his department that could be relied on, and in consequence I
+now found I should be compelled to have recourse entirely to lunar
+observations and triangulation for the compilation of the maps, which
+would add very much to the amount of labour and liability to error.
+Several crested pigeons, white cockatoos, and crested quail or
+partridges, were shot as they came to drink at the waterhole.
+
+METAMORPHIC ROCKS.
+
+17th June.
+
+The horses had so far recovered after the day's rest that we were enabled
+to resume a south-west course, following down the bed of the stream to
+latitude 22 degrees 51 minutes, the country slightly improving towards
+evening; but we again had to encamp without water, having, however,
+obtained a small quantity in some gravel at noon. The hills to the east
+of our track rose about 1000 feet above the bed of the watercourse, and
+consisted of metamorphic sandstones and shales, intersected by whinstone
+dykes, their summits being capped with red conglomerate. In one place the
+river had cut through a ridge of altered rocks, and exhibited a very
+singular contortion of the strata, the laminae being crippled up into an
+arch of 100 feet high, showing a dip on each flank of 45 degrees, forming
+a cave beneath running for some distance into the hill. Camp 23.
+
+18th June.
+
+Continuing to follow the stream-bed south-west for eight or nine miles,
+we came upon a patch of very green grass, on which we halted, to allow
+the horses the benefit, on account of their not having had any water
+since noon yesterday. In the meanwhile, accompanied by Mr. Brown, I
+started off and walked to a prominent hill six miles to the south, to get
+a view of the surrounding country. From the summit of this hill, which we
+found to have an elevation of 700 or 800 feet, we procured a valuable
+round of bearings, and had a distant view of the country to the
+southward. Level plains and detached ranges of moderate elevation
+appeared to be the general character of the country towards the Lyons
+River. We returned to the party by 3.0 p.m., and were glad to find that
+during our absence water had been found in shallow clay-pans a mile to
+the westward, to which we moved over and encamped. Camp 24.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 56 minutes 23 seconds; longitude by account 117
+degrees 21 minutes.
+
+19th June.
+
+We were unable to proceed this day, owing to my having eaten some of the
+dwarf mesembryanthemum, which I had formerly observed to be used as food
+by the natives on the Gascoyne, but which had produced with me violent
+headache and vomiting. The horses were, however, enjoying excellent feed;
+and I contrived to work up my map and clear a lunar.
+
+20th June.
+
+Started at 7.25 a.m. with nineteen horses, having been obliged to leave
+behind a horse belonging to Mr. Lennard, so lame that he could not move.
+Following the stream-bed nearly west for ten miles, came upon a pool of
+permanent water containing flags--the first we had met with since
+quitting the Hamersley Range. This was of great value, as there was no
+water that could be depended upon on our return, in the last sixty miles.
+Pushing on quickly for twelve miles further, the river entered a wide
+plain, in which was some tolerable feed; we had again, however, to halt
+for the night without water.
+
+DEPOT CAMP ON THE HARDEY RIVER.
+
+21st June.
+
+Although the size of the channel of the river we had been following down
+for the last sixty miles had considerably increased both in width and
+depth, yet very little water had been found in it, and as it took a
+decided turn in its course this morning to north-west, after two hours'
+ride, without observing any change, and there being every appearance of
+its keeping the same course for the next twenty miles, I was convinced
+that it could not be a tributary to either the Edmund or Lyons, which I
+had at first hoped it might prove. The barometer also ranged too high for
+it to be at a sufficient elevation to admit of it flowing into either of
+those rivers, as the elevation of the Lyons at the confluence of the Alma
+is at least of the same altitude above the sea. Having named the river
+the Hardey, we fell back upon the pools passed yesterday, where I had
+decided upon forming a depot camp at which to rest the weakest horses,
+while with a lightly equipped party I proposed to complete the expedition
+of the country intervening between this and the Lyons River. Camp 26.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 58 minutes 28 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 10
+minutes.
+
+22nd June.
+
+In accordance with the plan decided upon yesterday, I started this day
+accompanied by Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Brockman, with three
+pack-horses, conveying eight days' provisions and fourteen gallons of
+water. Twelve miles on the south-south-west course, over a very stony
+country, brought us to a deep stream-bed trending in the same direction,
+which we pursued for thirteen miles, the country gradually improving
+until the channel was lost in an open plain of rich soil, covered with
+fine green grass. Several pools of rainwater of a deep red colour, but
+fresh and sweet, gave us a good camp for the night; a set of Stellar
+observations giving the latitude 23 degrees 19 minutes 16 seconds. To the
+south, at about six miles distance, lay a bold range of hills, running
+nearly east and west with many sharp summits, having an average elevation
+of from 600 to 1000 feet above the plain, and extending for twelve or
+fifteen miles to the eastward, while to the west it was lost in numerous
+broken hills of lesser elevation. Camp 27.
+
+ASHBURTON RIVER. CAPRICORN RANGE.
+
+23rd June.
+
+As to pass the eastern end of the range appeared likely to take us too
+much off our course, we struck for what appeared to be a break in the
+hills about seven miles to the south-west. The first five miles was
+across an open grassy plain, at times subject to inundation, which
+brought us to the bank of a fine river, containing permanent reaches of
+fresh water, lined with canes, the channel generally being from 100 to
+200 yards wide, with a depth of forty feet; it was now barely running,
+but it was quite evident that it was too large for either the Alma or
+Edmund, and its bed must be at least 200 feet below the level of those
+rivers. We, however, determined to follow it so long as it ran to the
+south of west, which it did until it came in contact with the range
+observed yesterday, when it altered its course to west-north-west, and
+appeared to continue that direction for many miles, probably until joined
+by the Hardey, when, in all likelihood, it continues its course direct to
+Exmouth Gulf. Anxious, as I naturally was, to continue the examination of
+this promising river, time and the condition of our horses' feet did not
+permit us to do so with advantage. Naming it the Ashburton, after the
+noble President of the Royal Geographical Society, we quitted its verdant
+banks, and took a south course up a stony ravine, which led us into the
+heart of the range, where we soon became involved amongst steep rocky
+ridges of sharp slaty schist, which very quickly deprived the horses of
+many of their remaining shoes, and retarded our progress so much that by
+nightfall we found ourselves to be in only latitude 23 degrees 28 minutes
+15 seconds, hemmed in on all sides by rugged country yielding little else
+but small acacia-trees and triodia. A little water and grass was,
+however, obtained in the bed of a stream tributary to the Ashburton. The
+summits of the hills passed over during the day had been seen from the
+Lyons River in 1858, and were now named the Capricorn Range. Camp 28.
+
+24th June.
+
+A rather rough ride of four hours to the south-east brought us to a
+watercourse sixty yards wide, trending to the north-north-east, in which
+we found pools of water lined with reeds and flags. This was traced up to
+the southward till 3.0 p.m., when we entered a deep gorge in a sandstone
+range, the bed of the stream becoming very stony and full of
+melaleuca-trees; it, however, contained many fine pools and strong
+running springs, with a small supply of grass. There was now a fair
+prospect of our reaching the Lyons, as the range we were now entering
+must contain the sources of the Edmund, which river has a much more
+restricted course than was originally supposed. Camp 29.
+
+Latitude 23 degrees 42 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+25th June.
+
+The country continued hilly for about ten miles, when we arrived at the
+summit of a granite and sandstone tableland, at the extreme sources of
+the watercourse we had been following up. From this point we had at last
+the satisfaction of observing the bold outlines of Mount Augustus,
+bearing south-south-east about thirty miles, while more to the westward
+could be discerned the summits of Mounts Phillips and Samuel, and yet
+more to the right the southern face of the Barlee Range. Descending to
+the south across an open plain, we struck for a remarkable gorge in a
+granite range (the only one now between us and the Lyons), at which we
+arrived by sundown. On examining this singular gorge, it was found to be
+an almost perpendicular cut through a narrow ridge nearly 300 feet in
+depth, the length of the pass not exceeding 200 yards, the plain on each
+side being nearly on the same level. From the summit of this pass the
+course of the stream could be traced across the fertile flats of the
+Lyons until it was lost in the numerous channels of that river, and I was
+able to obtain bearings to many well-remembered objects noticed on my
+former visit to this part of the country. Camp 30.
+
+Latitude 23 degrees 56 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+RETURN TO DEPOT.
+
+26th June.
+
+As we had only four days' rations left, and no further object could be
+attained by advancing further south, unless there had been time to
+examine the present condition of the pasture in the vicinity of Mount
+Augustus, we marked several trees on the north side of the gorge close to
+a pool, and retraced our steps to within a mile of our camp of the 24th,
+having improved upon our outward track by keeping rather more to the
+eastward. Camp 31.
+
+27th June.
+
+Instead of returning by the rough route by which we came through the
+Capricorn Range, we followed the stream to the north-north-east, through
+a good country all the way to the Ashburton, which river it joined in
+latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes, passing through the end of the range one
+mile south of the junction. In this pass we encamped on a fine deep pool,
+in which we caught a small quantity of fish, showing the water to be
+permanent. Camp 32.
+
+28th June.
+
+Making an early start, we soon crossed the Ashburton, and rode twelve
+miles across open plains, thinly timbered and yielding a large quantity
+of good pasture, principally of kangaroo-grass, which here grew to the
+height of six feet. Resting for several hours at the waterholes of the
+22nd, at 4.30 p.m. we resumed our route, having filled our water-kegs,
+and pushed on to within sixteen or seventeen miles of the depot,
+encamping amongst some good grass on our outward route, but without any
+water except what we carried with us. Camp 33.
+
+29th June.
+
+Giving our horses rather more than a gallon of water each, we made an
+early start just as it came on to rain, which was the first shower we had
+experienced since the 27th May; it continued until noon, but not heavy
+enough to leave any surface-water on the parched and thirsty loam.
+Keeping more to the westward than our outward track, we escaped much of
+the stony ground then passed over, and arrived at the depot camp by 2
+p.m.
+
+30th June (Sunday).
+
+Remained in camp and read prayers to the party.
+
+1st July.
+
+The horses left at the depot were much improved by their nine days' rest,
+and had we been provided with more shoes for them, I should have at once
+returned to the Ashburton, and traced that river up to the eastward, as
+it offered a fine opportunity of penetrating to the south-east probably
+at least another 100 miles; and our provisions on a reduced allowance
+would admit of our remaining out forty days longer; but the lameness of
+many of the horses and lacerated condition of their fetlocks convinced me
+that, should we meet with any more difficulties or rough country before
+obtaining a fresh supply of shoes, much valuable time would be lost, and
+we should probably fail to get many of the horses back. I therefore
+deemed it more prudent to return at once by a shorter route more to the
+eastward so soon as we had repassed the Hamersley Range, and, obtaining a
+refit at the bay, to throw all our remaining time into the second trip.
+We accordingly to-day returned to camp 24, where we found the horses left
+there on the 20th June sufficiently recovered to accompany the party,
+although incapable of carrying a load. The remainder of the day was
+devoted to obtaining bearings and adding to the triangulation of the many
+remarkable summits visible from this part of the country.
+
+2nd July.
+
+The country generally being very rough, except on the banks of the
+Hardey, on our outward track, we found it desirable to return along it,
+more particularly as there was a better prospect of procuring water by so
+doing. At about twenty miles we found a little water under a cliff in the
+bed of the stream, and halted for the night. Camp 34.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 32 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+MOUNT BRUCE.
+
+3rd July.
+
+Still returning on our old track, at five miles I stopped to ascend a
+very remarkable hill which had formed an important point in the
+triangulation of this part of the country, to which had been given the
+name of Mount Samson. Sending the party onward to wait for me at camp 22,
+I commenced the ascent of the mount, which proved something more than I
+had calculated upon, as it occupied more than an hour's sharp toil to
+arrive at its summit; when gained, however, it amply repaid the trouble,
+as from it I could discern almost every prominent hill or peak within
+sixty or seventy miles, and amongst them the mountain which on a former
+occasion I had procured a bearing to from Mount Augustus, at a distance
+of 124 geographical miles, and which I now named Mount Bruce, after the
+gallant commander of the troops, who has always warmly supported me in
+carrying out explorations. This part of the country I believe to be the
+most elevated in north-west Australia--Mount Samson having an altitude of
+not less than 1000 feet above the valley of the Hardey, while Mount Bruce
+and the mountainous country to the eastward rose to a considerable height
+above its summit, which, by comparisons from the aneroid barometer, would
+give not less than 4000 feet for the elevation of those ranges. Having
+completed my observations, I descended the hill with somewhat greater
+speed than it took to climb it, and was met at the foot by Messrs. Brown
+and Harding, who had waited for me with a horse. In less than an hour we
+overtook the rest of the party at Camp 22, when the additional horses at
+once drank up all the remaining water left in the rocks; resting,
+therefore, less than an hour, we moved on, taking a north course, over a
+very rocky but highly fertile country of trap formation, the grass just
+now being much dried up. At sundown we halted in an open grassy flat, on
+which no water could be found, although it is probable there is plenty in
+the vicinity, as emus and cockatoos were numerous; one of the former
+walked boldly up to the horses, and was fired at, but without effect.
+Camp 35.
+
+OPEN GRASSY PLAINS. PASS HAMERSLEY RANGE.
+
+4th July.
+
+Travelling at a rapid pace on an average north-east course for upwards of
+twenty miles, over plains mostly of rich loam, well grassed, and
+extending to the southern foot of the Hamersley Range, we came upon a low
+range of sandstone hills, covered with acacia bushes and triodia,
+extending for three or four miles, when we again emerged on open plains,
+in which was found a deep channel, thirty yards wide, containing pools of
+rainwater retained in the clay. The amount of fine pasture country passed
+over during the day could not be less than 200,000 acres; and although we
+had not time to go in search for it, I have no doubt that abundance of
+water will be found in the deep gorges of the range skirting the plain.
+This tract of country is, I imagine, well suited for the growth of either
+cotton or sugar, as it is apparently well-irrigated during the summer
+months, and the soil is remarkably rich and strong, while its limits to
+the westward are at present unknown, and most probably continues to skirt
+the hills for at least thirty or forty miles. Halted at the waterholes
+about four miles to the west of the pass through the Hamersley Range.
+Camp 36.
+
+5th July.
+
+Two hours brought us to the head of the pass, which we entered by a
+ravine a little more to the northward than on our outward route, and by
+so doing saved a preliminary ascent of nearly 200 feet, and a similar
+amount of descent, making a very successful passage through the range
+without experiencing the same difficulties we had formerly met with, and
+by 3 p.m. found ourselves once more in the open grassy country that forms
+the Chichester Downs. At 6 p.m. encamped in an open flat without water.
+Camp 37.
+
+PROCEED TOWARDS THE COAST.
+
+6th July.
+
+Started at 7.30 a.m., and in an hour came upon a pool of water in one of
+the numerous channels into which the Fortescue is here divided, and at
+seven miles struck the bulrush spring passed on the 11th June. From this
+the river was followed down for thirteen miles, through grassy clay
+plains, thinly timbered with white-gum. Encamped on a pool, in latitude
+21 degrees 53 minutes 4 seconds, about five miles north of a very
+remarkable bold projection of the Hamersley Range. Camp 38.
+
+7th July (Sunday) was kept as a day of rest.
+
+8th July.
+
+The horses strayed so far back on our tracks during Sunday night that by
+the time they were brought in it was too late to make a start with
+advantage, as we were now about to enter a new tract of country, by
+striking for the coast somewhere between Breaker Inlet and Depuch Island.
+As a knowledge of this part of the country would greatly assist us in
+starting on the second division of our exploration, I availed myself of
+the delay here to fix by triangulation many of the summits and prominent
+spurs of the Hamersley Range, and take observations for the variation of
+the needle, which I found to be about 1 degree east by the prismatic
+compass I had in use.
+
+9th July.
+
+Our horses again gave us some trouble to find them, so that we did not
+start until 10.30 a.m. Two hours' sharp travelling across the plain
+brought us to the foot of low hills of trap and sandstone, covered with
+triodia; good feed being, however, plentiful in the valleys, although now
+rather dry. Tracing up a small tributary to the Fortescue, at sunset we
+halted on a small rocky pool near its source, in latitude 21 degrees 41
+minutes 40 seconds. Several pools, supplied by springs coming from under
+the superstratum of sandstone, were passed during the day. Camp 39.
+
+Longitude 117 degrees 47 minutes.
+
+10th July.
+
+For seven miles the country continued gently to ascend, the sandstone
+giving place to trap boulders, yielding a very rich soil, clothed with
+short green grass and melons, the soil being too stony for agricultural
+purposes, although I have seen country of a similar appearance in the
+island of Mauritius producing fine crops of sugar. Some of the melons
+weighed as much as five or six ounces, and were passably good eating,
+although rather bitter. At noon the country dropped suddenly to the
+northward, and we descended a deep rocky ravine, in which we soon found
+water and grass. Travelling now became difficult and sometimes dangerous
+to the horses; rugged and semi-columnar metamorphic sandstone cliffs
+hemmed in the ravines on either side, while large rounded boulders of
+trap-rock filled the bed of the stream, which in several places was
+running. We had a rather indifferent camp in latitude 21 degrees 29
+minutes 10 seconds, the camp at Nickol Bay bearing west-north-west,
+distant seventy-five miles by account. Camp 40.
+
+SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+11th July.
+
+The stream we were upon continued to take a northerly course for eight or
+ten miles down a valley from 200 to 300 feet in depth, where it is
+diverted to the eastward for about the same distance by a cross range of
+black volcanic hills of loose ragged rocks, totally devoid of vegetation.
+The channel receiving several tributaries, here becomes a succession of
+fine open pools of water from eighty to 150 yards in width. We halted for
+the night on a wide bed of bare sand and rocks, the only feed being in
+the channel of the river, to which was now given the name of Sherlock.
+Camp 41.
+
+12th July.
+
+This morning the river resumed a north-north-west course, and very soon
+led us into an open plain, rather sandy in character, the channel
+dividing into several branches separating miles apart, the stream of
+water issuing from the hills soon being absorbed in the sandy bed; but a
+well-defined line of verdant trees served well to mark the course of the
+channels through the plain for many miles. Selecting the one that
+appeared the most promising, it was traced down to latitude 21 degrees 6
+minutes 43 seconds, where we encamped on a shallow pool of brackish
+water--the only one seen during the day. Several natives were found here,
+employed capturing partridges by means of nets constructed out of the
+leaf of the triodia neatly twisted and netted in the same way as done by
+ourselves, the mesh varying from one to five inches, according to the
+purpose to which it is applied. It was very singular to observe the mode
+in which they induced the birds to enter the nets, or rather cages,
+prepared for them. In the first instance they place ragged bushes all
+round the small pools, with the exception of a few spaces five or six
+feet wide, from which openings they stick in a double row of twigs,
+arching so as to meet overhead in the centre one or two feet from the
+ground; these little avenues lead away for several yards, and then
+terminate with a net thrown over a few light sticks at the end. The birds
+first alight on the margin of the pool, but after drinking, do not take
+flight at once, but run up the only opening, which leads them first under
+the arch of twigs and finally into the net, which is then drawn to by the
+hunter lying in wait under a few bushes. In this way they must capture a
+large amount of game, judging by the quantity of feathers around some of
+the waterholes. Camp 42.
+
+13th July.
+
+Two miles north the river turned west, and kept that course for seven or
+eight miles, through a poor sandy and stony tract of country, and was
+then joined by a fine channel coming from the south. Near the junction
+are two reaches of water, half a mile long each and a rifle-shot across,
+containing a quantity of ducks and other water-fowl, amongst which our
+sportsmen were very successful, along with other game bagging the only
+two swans we had seen since landing; a number of fine fish, like
+cobblers, were also caught, weighing from 1 to 5 pounds a-piece. As it
+was Saturday, and our horses were showing unmistakable signs of knocking
+up, we halted for the rest of the day. Camp 43.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 6 minutes 5 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 32 minutes
+30 seconds.
+
+VOLCANIC HILLS.
+
+14th July (Sunday).
+
+After reading prayers, Messrs. Brown, Harding, and myself walked to the
+summit of the range of black volcanic hills that skirted the western bank
+of the river at about a mile distant. These hills consist of ragged
+scoria, elevated 300 to 400 feet above the plain, and are nearly
+destitute of vegetation. At their summits are deep fissures, the heat of
+the eruptive rocks from beneath having been sufficient to convert the
+trap and sandstone rocks into a deep bluish-grey scoria, having a
+specific gravity of nearly four; but we did not observe any instance of
+the actual overflow of lava, and consequently there was a want of the
+fertilising properties in the soil resulting from it that usually
+accompanies volcanic formations. A native dog had left a litter of pups
+under a heap of stones not eighteen inches beneath our feet, but such was
+the sharpness and ponderability of the fragments of rock that it fairly
+baffled our attempts to unhouse them. A valuable round of bearings was
+procured from this spot, Depuch Island being seen bearing north 14
+degrees east, distant about twenty-eight miles.
+
+EXTENSIVE GRASSY PLAINS.
+
+15th July.
+
+We resumed our course down the Sherlock, the stony nature of the country
+telling severely upon our horses' feet, who in other respects were in
+very tolerable condition. We had not proceeded more than three or four
+miles when Mr. Brockman's horse, Rocket, gave in, and could not move
+another step, the hoof being fairly worn through; leaving him close to a
+pool of water amongst plenty of feed, I hoped he might possibly recover
+by the time we returned from the bay. Below this the channel became sandy
+and dry, and we only procured a little water at night in a clay-hole.
+Plains extended from the river to the north and eastward as far as the
+eye could reach, only interrupted by occasional detached hills of granite
+or volcanic trap, the feed being generally coarse and the soil poor. Camp
+44.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 54 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+NATIVES FISHING WITH NETS.
+
+16th July.
+
+Leaving the valley of the river on a north-west course, in half an hour
+we came upon an open plain of rich clayey loam, covered with a fine even
+sward of good grass, on which were feeding large flocks of pigeons and
+white cockatoos; this change in the character of the soil being
+ascribable to the occasional overflow of the river, leaving a deposit of
+rich mud. This plain extends as far as we could see to the north and
+east, a few widely-scattered topes of trees being the only objects
+breaking the monotony of the sea of grass. To the north-west was a strong
+line of large timber, for which we steered. At three miles we entered the
+wood, and found it to contain the main channel of the Sherlock, in which
+were a few small pools of rainwater. Crossing the bed of the river on the
+same course, we soon came upon another branch coming from the south-west,
+which was named the George. Immediately below the junction of the two
+streams the river opened out into reaches of brackish water, evidently
+under the influence of the spring tides. From this point the left bank
+was followed down to within three or four miles of the sea, when, the
+country becoming low and flat, the grass coarse, and no fresh water
+procurable, we quitted the Sherlock and struck to the west for six or
+seven miles, crossing several salt-water creeks, until we were compelled
+to turn to the southward to avoid a channel much larger and deeper than
+the rest, at which a party of natives were engaged drawing their nets,
+but ran away on our approach. A little further on the plain became more
+fertile, and we found a small pool of rainwater in the clay, at which we
+encamped. There is no doubt but that the Sherlock and the creek we were
+upon discharged their waters, by the numerous creeks shown on Captain
+King's charts, fifteen or sixteen miles to the west of Depuch Island.
+Camp 45.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 52 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 15
+minutes.
+
+RETURN TO NICKOL BAY.
+
+17th July.
+
+By observation of the sun at rising, the variation of the needle was
+found to be 1 degree 10 minutes east. We were now about forty miles from
+Nickol Bay; and as it was very doubtful whether water would be procurable
+in that distance, I became very anxious on account of the horses, as,
+should the country prove stony, I was quite certain they could not
+perform the journey in less than three days; I therefore determined upon
+following up a leading valley towards the Maitland River, with the
+intention, in the event of not finding water or a pass through the heavy
+mass of hills that back Cape Lambert, of pushing through the upper
+branches of that river, and by a round of sixty or seventy miles to
+approach the bay by our outward track; fortunately, however, in the
+course of the day we fell in with some small pools of rainwater, which
+enabled us to advance about eighteen miles over tolerably even plains,
+well grassed, our night halt being without water. Camp 46.
+
+18th July.
+
+From our position, and the observations I had made of the country on the
+eastern shores of Nickol Bay, I was satisfied that the breadth of stony
+ranges lying between us and our destination did not exceed eight or ten
+miles, which we therefore now determined to venture upon, although at
+great risk to the horses, some of which now walked upon stones as they
+would over red-hot coals. Entering the range by a small ravine, three
+hours' scramble over sharp rocks brought us out on the head of a small
+tributary to the Nickol River, the sufferings of the horses in crossing
+the range being quite painful to witness; they all, however, succeeded in
+getting through, and as a little water was found in the bed of the
+stream, we were enabled to push on late, and cross the marsh at the head
+of the bay before it was quite dark, the departing rays of the setting
+sun having first favoured us with a glimpse of the Dolphin, riding at
+anchor on the deep-blue waters of the bay--a sight which was welcomed
+with no small satisfaction by the little band of weary travellers. Camp
+47.
+
+19th July.
+
+The camp was easily aroused by the morning watch, as there was now only
+six miles between us and the landing-place in Hearson cove, the horses
+appearing to partake of the general activity; so that it was only 10.0
+a.m. when we arrived on our old camping ground, which we found occupied
+by ten or a dozen natives, engaged mending their nets. Coming upon them
+suddenly, they would not stop to carry off their gear, although not half
+an hour before they had been employed assisting a boat's crew from the
+Dolphin, in loading with wood and water. A rifle-shot soon recalled the
+boat, which was not a mile from the shore, when we were glad to learn
+that Mr. Hearson was fast recovering from his wound, and that all had
+been going on well since our departure. From Mr. Walcott I ascertained
+that he had been able to establish a friendly understanding with the
+natives who frequented the western side of the bay, and that they had
+been made useful in filling up the ship's water and wood, for which
+service they had been rewarded by a suitable distribution of biscuit. In
+one instance the natives on the eastern shore of the bay had shown a
+hostile tendency on the occasion of a boat landing on the reef to gather
+shells. One of the seaman, who had wandered from the rest, was chased
+into the sea, and menaced with spears and clubs until he was up to his
+neck in water, when the boat came to his rescue, the officer in charge of
+her firing a shot over their heads to drive them off. Mr. Walcott had
+also been successful in obtaining a very useful vocabulary of native
+words and other interesting particulars from the aborigines, as also many
+botanical specimens, shells, etc.--amongst the latter some very fine
+pearl-oysters, from which several pearls of good colour had been
+obtained, but appeared to be principally valuable on account of the size
+and beauty of the mother-of-pearl, which averaged six inches diameter,
+with more than half an inch in thickness of solid shell.
+
+PARTY REFIT FOR JOURNEY TO EASTWARD.
+
+20th July.
+
+The forge, stores, and other additional supplies having been landed, and
+the party set to work shoeing horses, repairing saddle-bags, etc., I
+proceeded with Mr. Walcott and Mr. Angel in the boat to make a rough
+survey of the coves on the western side of the bay, with a view to
+selecting a suitable spot from which to re-embark the horses on our
+return from the next trip, as it would be too late in the season by that
+time to venture the trip overland to Champion Bay. I found that a good
+anchorage existed, with three fathoms at low water, one mile off the
+little cove from which the ship had been watered, and is approachable at
+all times, except in strong east or south-east gales, when a heavy swell
+sets in across the bay, rendering a landing unsafe. The fresh water runs
+down a rocky gully at the north-west corner of the cove, at the north end
+of a small patch of sandy beach, and the supply appears tolerably
+abundant; it is, however, rather difficult of access towards the end of
+the dry season, as the water has then to be carried over the rocks in
+small baracas fifty or sixty yards to the boats, but from the setting in
+of the rains to the end of August it runs down strongly at high-water
+mark. I walked back overland to the camp with Mr. Walcott, the distance
+being about four miles, heading by the way another deep cove, the margin
+of which was lined with a broad belt of mangroves.
+
+21st to 28th July.
+
+Was fully taken up in shoeing horses, making spare shoes, refitting and
+packing stores, etc., ready for our trip to the eastward, my own time
+being principally taken up in roughly plotting the country already
+explored, so as to secure all the information obtained, in the event of
+any accident occurring to my field-books.
+
+29th July.
+
+Everything being in readiness for our departure, I gave Captain Dixon
+instructions to wait for us in the bay to the 10th December, and in the
+event of our not then returning, Mr. Walcott would land one of the ship's
+iron tanks, and bury in it a quantity of stores, at a spot already agreed
+upon; the Dolphin would then proceed to Fremantle. It blew so fresh all
+the morning that I could not land until 3 p.m., when we quickly saddled
+up and proceeded three miles to a waterhole up in the volcanic hills, as
+it was probable we should have a very long day's march tomorrow without
+water. As we had now only nineteen horses, and one of these so low in
+condition as not to be able to carry a load, we could only take with us
+eighty-seven days' rations, at the rate of one pound of flour, seven
+ounces of meat, and four ounces of sugar per man per diem; we were,
+however, well provided with ammunition, and thirty spare sets of
+horse-shoes, with nails sufficient for at least two removes, the horses
+themselves being shod at starting with extra strong shoes tipped with
+steel. We had now only seven saddle-horses, so that one of the party was
+always on foot by turns of an hour each. It had been originally intended
+that the Dolphin should proceed to Roebuck Bay and meet us there; but it
+was now so late in the season that I did not deem it prudent to run the
+risk of removing her to an unknown anchorage, where it was possible we
+might not be able to reach, and thus lay ourselves open to the
+probability of a very embarrassing uncertainty. The result proved we had
+adopted the right course. Bivouac.
+
+DIFFICULTY IN CROSSING MUD FLATS.
+
+30th July.
+
+This morning we crossed the marsh with some difficulty, as all the
+pack-horses but three fell and stuck in the mud, until we transferred
+their loads to our own backs and carried them through half a mile of the
+softest part. The operation detained us so long that we did not make more
+than eighteen miles, when we found a little water left in the pool seen
+on the 18th. Camp 48.
+
+31st July.
+
+Started at 8 a.m., following our old tracks to 3.30 p.m., when we turned
+to the south up a stream-bed crossed on the 17th. At the gorge where it
+issued from the granite ranges we found a fine pool of permanent water
+and abundance of beautiful green grass. This stream was now named the
+Harding, and, as the packs were heavy, we remained here the rest of the
+afternoon. Camp 49.
+
+A FERTILE PLAIN.
+
+1st August.
+
+Passing under the northern foot of the granite ranges on an easterly
+course for sixteen miles, we came upon a fine reach of open water in a
+branch of the creek on which we had encamped on the 16th July. This pool
+was a valuable discovery, as it would not only form a useful halting
+place on our return, but, from being in the middle of a fertile plain
+containing at least from 15,000 to 20,000 acres of arable land equal in
+quality to the Greenough Flats, the whole could, if necessary, be easily
+irrigated from this large natural reservoir, the highest part of the
+plain not being thirty feet above the water-level at the driest period of
+the year. This fine tract of country, in connection with the lands
+already seen almost adjoining on the eastern bank of the Sherlock, would
+in itself support a larger population than is at present contained in the
+whole of the colony of Western Australia. We had seen more kangaroos on
+these plains than on any other portion of our route; one that was shot
+resembled the Osphranter, and was in very good order, the fur much
+thicker and softer than the common kangaroo of the western coast, and of
+a pale mouse colour. It weighed about forty-five pounds. Camp 50.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+2nd August.
+
+Proceeding eastward over grassy plains and stony ridges, at thirteen
+miles we struck the Sherlock only two miles below the pool at which we
+had left the horse Rocket, and hoped to find him improved by the rest;
+but, on approaching the spot, the presence of crows and a wild dog gave
+indications of a different fate; we found him partly devoured within a
+few yards of where we left him, inflammation of the feet having most
+probably produced mortification. Pushing on till sunset, we arrived at
+our old camping ground (Camp 43) at the bend of the Sherlock. Camp 51.
+
+ASCEND THE SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+3rd August.
+
+Followed up the left bank of the Sherlock to Camp 42, and found a little
+water still remaining in the bird-cage pools, where we halted for two
+hours. At 1.30 p.m. resumed an easterly route across a sandy plain,
+yielding little but hakea and triodia. Five miles brought us to a large
+branch of the Sherlock coming from the south-east, in which were several
+small permanent pools, surrounded by flags, at which we halted. Camp 52.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 7 minutes.
+
+4th August (Sunday).
+
+Although the feed here was very indifferent, yet, as we had again entered
+unexplored country, I was glad to make it a day of rest before entering
+upon the rather unpromising tract of country that lay in the outward
+route.
+
+5th August.
+
+Making a rather late start, on account of the horses having strayed very
+far in search of feed, we steered for a bold range bearing
+east-south-east, distant about twenty miles. At four miles crossed a dry
+channel coming from the south-south-east, and continued our course over a
+poor tract of country, covered with triodia and a few acacia, large bare
+red granite rocks cropping out here and there. At one of these was a
+small waterhole, near which a native was hunting mice. Although at first
+alarmed, he soon told us, in answer to our inquiries, that we should find
+no water to the east, but plenty to the south, which we found to be
+correct, as we had to halt, after a very long day's march, in a dry
+ravine in the ranges for which we had been making. Camp 53.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 10 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+RECONNOITRE THE COUNTRY AHEAD.
+
+6th August.
+
+Having reconnoitred the country for some miles ahead overnight without
+finding water, it was no use leading our horses further into the rugged
+defiles, where we might get entangled for many hours; we accordingly
+struck to the south-west for four miles, when we came on a rocky pool of
+permanent water in the south-east branch of the Sherlock, just at the
+point where it emerges from the hills. Having watered the horses and
+given them an hour's rest, we followed up the stream to the south-east
+for seven miles, when it divided into numerous small dry ravines in the
+heart of an elevated range of granite, capped with metamorphic sandstone;
+water having only been met with within the first mile from where we
+struck it. Camp 54.
+
+7th August.
+
+The horses requiring water, we fell back upon the pool passed yesterday,
+where I decided upon leaving the bulk of the party for the day or two,
+while I explored the country for a pass to the eastward. Camp 55.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 14 minutes 28 seconds.
+
+8th August.
+
+Taking with me Mr. Brown and Mr. Harding mounted, and one pack-horse
+carrying water, we struck through the hills to the eastward, and at six
+miles came upon a stream-bed that led us to the north-east fifteen or
+sixteen miles, when, finding it contained no water, we resumed an
+easterly course over an open sandy and stony plain, covered with triodia,
+for twelve miles, and encamped in poor feed without water. Camp 56.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+THE YULE RIVER.
+
+9th August.
+
+A heavy dew having fallen during the night, our horses were much
+refreshed, and we were enabled to proceed with the scanty supply of water
+carried with us. In an hour we struck upon the channel of a river with a
+sandy bed, 300 yards wide, in which were a few pools of water, under a
+bold sandstone bluff, rising abruptly 300 feet from the plain. From the
+summit of this hill the river was observed to trend to the
+north-north-west for eight or ten miles, and to come upon a gap in a
+granite range four miles to the south-south-east, towards which we now
+turned our steps, across extensive beds of soft drift-sand brought down
+by the river. Cajeput and acacia trees occupied a large portion of the
+channel, and it was not until reaching the gorge in the range that grass
+was met with in sufficient quantities to supply our wants. Several large
+pools, teeming with water-fowl, occupied the whole of the valley, which
+here was fully a quarter of a mile wide. The remainder of the day I
+devoted to sketching and triangulating the country, while the horses were
+enjoying the benefit of the fine feed. Camp 57.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 6 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+10th August.
+
+As this river, from its magnitude, afforded a fair chance of working to
+the south-east, I determined to bring forward the rest of the party.
+Having named this river the Yule, we returned to the depot party by a
+somewhat shorter cut, making it in about thirty miles, which we
+accomplished by sundown.
+
+11th August (Sunday).
+
+Party resting. Observed a set of lunars, which placed us in longitude 118
+degrees 3 minutes east, the rate of the chronometer being still so
+irregular as to be almost useless.
+
+12th August.
+
+To-day the whole party proceeded twenty-four miles towards the Yule,
+finding a small pool of water in a rocky ravine by the way which we had
+missed on our former trip. Bivouacked in an open grassy plain six miles
+short of the river.
+
+13th August.
+
+Moved on to our camp of the 9th, and halted there for the remainder of
+the day. The latitude by meridian altitude of the sun I found to be 21
+degrees 6 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+14th August.
+
+As travelling near the river was found to be very laborious, on account
+of the vast beds of loose drift-sand thrown up by the summer floods, we
+steered to the south-south-east for a pass in the ranges about twenty
+miles distant, through which the river was supposed to come, but on
+reaching the hills, the river was observed to the westward; we
+accordingly altered our course to south-west, and struck it at about six
+miles; the character of the river being still the same, the aggregate
+width of the several channels amounting to nearly half a mile; water
+being procured in them by digging a few inches in the sand. The country
+passed over during the day was an open plain of light sandy loam,
+interspersed with bare granite rocks, cropping out at intervals of a few
+miles. Giant ant-hills of from ten to sixteen feet in height, and thirty
+to forty feet in circumference (a few of which had already been met with
+on our first trip), were here remarkably conspicuous, on account of their
+size and bright brick-red colour. An emu was shot during the day, while
+running at full speed, at the range of over 200 yards. Camp 58.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 23 minutes 23 seconds.
+
+15th August.
+
+One of the horses was missing this morning, so we did not start until 10
+a.m., when the river was followed up to the south-east through country
+the same as yesterday; halting for the night in latitude 21 degrees 32
+minutes 13 seconds. Camp 59.
+
+16th August.
+
+Our average course to-day was nearly east, occasionally crossing channels
+coming from the south-east. Towards evening we found that the main
+channel, which it had been our intention to have followed, had escaped
+our observation to the southward, and we were only on a comparatively
+small tributary coming from a rugged range of hills to the eastward. Our
+object for the present not being to push too far into the interior, this
+tributary was followed until it broke up into numerous small valleys, in
+one of which water was obtained by digging three feet in the sand,
+amongst tolerable feed, the country having much improved in the course of
+the day. Camp 60.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 34 minutes.
+
+ROCKY RANGES.
+
+17th August.
+
+Soon after starting this morning we came upon a camp of natives, but we
+could not prevail upon any of them to stop and hold parley with us. Four
+hours' travelling over rather rocky ground led us well into the range,
+which we found to consist of granite, capped with metamorphic sandstones
+and broken up by dykes of variegated jasper. In a deep ravine at the foot
+of a cliff we found a small pool of beautiful clear spring water, which
+was very acceptable, as the sun had now acquired considerable power, and
+the grasses were beginning to get very dry food for our horses. During
+the halt at this spring Mr. Harding and myself ascended the highest part
+of the range, which was found to be 500 or 600 feet above the plain. From
+this elevation I was enabled to select our onward route, and obtain
+bearings to several useful summits for triangulation--a few hills to the
+south-south-east being visible at the distance of sixty or seventy miles,
+which no doubt form part of the continuation of the Hamersley Range.
+Resuming an east course, the culminating point of the range was soon
+passed, when we descended to the eastward down some deep and remarkably
+picturesque rocky glens, in which were found several springs and pools of
+water, leading down to a fine grassy flat, in which were growing some
+fine large flooded-gum trees. Camp 61.
+
+18th August (Sunday).
+
+Found our latitude 21 degrees 36 minutes 8 seconds; longitude 119 degrees
+13 minutes east by account.
+
+THE STRELLEY RIVER.
+
+19th August.
+
+The country being very hilly, it was found best to follow down the stream
+upon which we had encamped, although it trended to the north of east. In
+a few miles the valley opened out with fine pools of permanent water,
+covered with numerous flights of ducks, and at eight miles it joined a
+wide valley from the south, down which flowed a river, divided into
+several channels, containing many fine pools from 50 to 200 yards wide,
+which were still running gently from one to another. The banks, although
+well grassed, were very rocky, rendering travelling excessively fatiguing
+to our heavily-loaded pack-horses, several of them being bruised and
+strained while jumping from rock to rock, the clefts being too deep and
+narrow for them to walk between, and the ranges bordering the valley were
+too steep to admit of our leaving the river, which we were compelled to
+follow down to latitude 21 degrees 26 minutes 52 seconds. Camp 62.
+
+20th August.
+
+The river, which had been named the Strelley, continued to hold a
+northerly course; we therefore availed ourselves of a smoother valley
+coming in from the east to resume our old course. At nine miles we met
+with a stream 100 yards wide coming from the south-east, evidently
+tributary to the Strelley, and taking its rise in elevated granite ranges
+with black volcanic ridges protruding through them, but not to any
+considerable height above the general level of the country. After a few
+hours' scramble over these ridges we came upon a small stream trending
+east, containing several springs, surrounded by high grass and flags,
+gradually leading us by sunset into a deep pass, walled in by cliffs and
+bluffs from 100 to 300 feet high; the stream, having joined several
+larger ones from the southward, now occupying nearly the whole width of
+the valley. We encamped in one of the wildest and most romantic-looking
+spots to be found in this part of Australia, to which we gave the name of
+Glen Herring, from a fish bearing a resemblance to a herring being found
+in the stream. Camp 63.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+THE SHAW RIVER. NORTON PLAINS.
+
+21st August.
+
+With some difficulty we wended our way down the intricate windings of the
+glen for six miles in a north-east direction, when it opened out into
+grassy flats, turning to the northward. Leaving it at this point, a mile
+east brought us to the bank of a fine open river-bed 200 yards wide, down
+which a little water was still flowing, the country on its banks becoming
+much more promising and grass plentiful. This river I named the Shaw, and
+some beautiful grassy plains through which it came for twenty or thirty
+miles to the southward Norton Plains, after the talented Secretary of the
+Royal Geographical Society. In the afternoon a large tributary from the
+south-east was followed up for some miles, when, turning to the south, we
+quitted it to follow an open valley leading east towards a bold granite
+and schistose range, under which we encamped late without finding water.
+Camp 64.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes.
+
+22nd August.
+
+As we did not find water for some distance to the eastward under the foot
+of the hills, we turned to the south-east, quickly emerging from the
+hills upon the Norton Plains, and at two miles came upon the stream
+quitted last evening, to which the name of Emu Creek had been given. It
+had altered its course, and was again coming from the east, and contained
+several fine springs. This creek was followed up for the rest of the day
+through a rather indifferent country, and, towards nightfall, led us into
+a deep rocky ravine, in which we encamped, a small supply of water being
+obtained from holes in the rocks. Camp 65.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 28 minutes.
+
+23rd August.
+
+As we advanced, the ravine divided into many branches coming from an
+elevated tableland to the southward; we therefore again resumed an
+easterly course for five or six miles, over rugged hills, and descended
+by a gully trending north-east, which led us in a few miles into open
+plains. Skirting the northern foot of the range until after dark, we
+encamped on a small watercourse, in which we obtained water by digging
+under some granite rocks. Camp 66.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 23 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+24th August.
+
+The horses having suffered much amongst the rocks during the last few
+days, I determined to follow the southern edge of the plain until a
+stream could be met with to lead us to the south-east. A few miles
+brought us to a small watercourse running gently from some springs in the
+plain, which, contrary to our expectations, ran into the ranges to the
+south-east instead of coming out of them. As here there was plenty of
+green grass and water, and the horses were not looking well, we encamped
+early in the entrance of the gorge. Camp 67.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+25th August (Sunday).
+
+Longitude by observation 120 degrees 17 minutes; variation 30 minutes
+east.
+
+26th August.
+
+The stream we were upon led us about five miles south-east through the
+hills, and then joined a river coming from the southward, 100 yards wide,
+which was followed down on an average course of east-north-east to
+latitude 21 degrees 18 minutes; reeds and rank grass lining its banks in
+many parts, while in others granite boulders and banks of drift-sand
+offered considerable impediments to travelling. Camp 68.
+
+DEGREY RIVER.
+
+27th August.
+
+The river took us on a northerly course nine or ten miles, receiving many
+large tributaries, several of them still running slightly, forming
+altogether a stream of some importance, which, on account of the large
+extent of pastoral and agricultural lands afterwards found on its banks
+lower down, and its many fine tributaries, I named the DeGrey, in honour
+of the noble lord who took a lively interest in promoting the objects of
+the expedition. As the object at present in view was to push to the
+south-east, we left this promising river and resumed an east-south-east
+course for five or six miles into a hilly country, and encamped in a
+gully with rather scanty feed, a little water being obtained by digging.
+Camp 69.
+
+28th August.
+
+We soon became involved in deep ravines, which led up into high
+tableland, the summit of which was no sooner attained than we had again
+to descend equally precipitous gullies to the eastward, the horses
+sliding down amongst the loose rocks and stones with a velocity that
+threatened immediate destruction; they all, however, arrived safe at the
+bottom, although in so exhausted a state that two of them had very
+shortly after to be left behind, while we pushed on with the rest in
+search of water and feed, which was not met with until late in the day.
+After a short rest I sent Messrs. Brown and Brockman back for the two
+beaten horses, while I moved the party on a mile further to a fine spring
+in a grassy flat, where we encamped. Camp 70.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 9 minutes 3 seconds.
+
+EXTENSIVE GRASSY PLAINS.
+
+29th August.
+
+The two horses left yesterday were brought into camp early in the day,
+and as they were too weak to carry their loads, they were placed on our
+saddle-horses, one of the party by turns having to walk. As the season
+was rapidly advancing, we could not venture to incur any delay, much as
+the horses required rest, and accordingly resumed an east course late in
+the day. At five miles came upon a sandy stream-bed fifty yards wide,
+trending to the north-east, beyond which the country opened out into an
+extensive plain of white waving grass--to the north uninterrupted by a
+single elevation, while to the east and south, at eight or ten miles
+distant, rose ranges of granite hills, capped with horizontal sandstones.
+It was not until some time after dark that we arrived near the opposite
+edge of the plain, when we came upon a river 200 yards wide, running to
+the northward. The long drought had reduced it to a few shallow pools,
+running from one to the other through the deep sand in the bed;
+magnificent cajeput-trees lined the banks, and grass was in abundance.
+Camp 71.
+
+OAKOVER RIVER.
+
+30th August.
+
+We did not start till late, as Mr. Brown had to go back some little
+distance for his horse, which had been again left behind overnight,
+knocked up. As it would have been useless, in the present condition of
+our horses, to attempt at once to enter the ranges to the east, we
+determined to follow up the river for a few days to the south-south-east
+and by so doing secure feed and water, and give the poor animals a chance
+of recovering their strength; we therefore followed the river up for
+seven or eight miles, through fine open forest country, and encamped near
+a deep pool, in which were caught ten or twelve dozen of small trout,
+which, with cockatoos and ducks, afforded an important addition to our
+ration of only seven ounces of meat. This river was named the Oakover.
+Camp 72.
+
+31st August.
+
+For nearly ten miles the river continued to lead us to the eastward of
+south; it then divided, the main channel coming from the south-west; we,
+however, followed the eastern branch until quite satisfied that it
+contained no water, and then fell back to the westward, striking the
+river near some cliffs, at the foot of which water was plentiful.
+Although only 1 p.m., I determined to halt for the remainder of the day,
+as it was too late to make an attempt to enter the hills without giving
+the horses the advantage of some hours' feed and rest. It also afforded
+me leisure to make astronomical observations and work up the plans of our
+route. A set of lunar distances, very carefully taken, placed the camp in
+longitude 121 degrees 3 minutes 30 seconds east, while that by account,
+carried on by triangulation and dead-reckoning from the Sherlock, placed
+us four and a half miles more to the westward; the latitude being 21
+degrees 23 minutes 43 seconds. Camp 73.
+
+1st September (Sunday).
+
+Read prayers.
+
+2nd September.
+
+A march of three hours across the plains to the eastward brought us to
+the foot of the range, which we entered by a tolerably easy pass, and
+soon came upon a pool of water in a tributary to the Oakover, the mouth
+of which had been passed on our ascent of that river. Here we halted for
+two hours, and then resumed our route through steep and rocky hills,
+containing numerous fine springs. It was not until 7 p.m. that we finally
+got through the ranges, and emerged upon open sandy plains of vast
+extent, no object being observable from north-north-east round to
+south-south-east except low ridges of red drift-sand, in many parts
+nearly bare of vegetation. A large party of natives were encamped upon
+the watercourse down which we descended to the plain. Not wishing to
+alarm them, we passed the waterholes from which they were supplied, and
+proceeded a mile farther, but had in consequence to camp without water,
+although amongst abundance of grass. Camp 74.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 21 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+NATIVE HEAD-DRESS. ENTER THE SANDY DESERT.
+
+3rd September.
+
+This morning we returned to the native encampment for water, and found
+that they had already deserted it, leaving many of their things
+behind--amongst others, a very singular head-dress, shaped like a helmet.
+It consisted of a circular band, made of twisted grass, the size of the
+head, into which were stuck ten or twelve upright twigs, brought together
+into a point two feet high, which was woven like an open basket, with
+yarn made of opossum fur; the whole no doubt being considered highly
+ornamental by the wearers, but of not the least service as an article of
+protection for the head, either from the sun or in war. Having watered
+the horses, we entered the sand-plain, travelling between the ridges,
+which ran in straight lines parallel to each other at the distance of
+several hundred yards apart, the sand being thrown by the south-east
+gales into acute ridges thirty to sixty feet high, their direction being
+almost invariably north 109 degrees east. Travelling to 2.15 p.m., we got
+over about eighteen miles, the valleys yielding little else but triodia,
+with occasional patches of stunted gum forest, in which was found a
+little good grass, on which were feeding flights of pigeons and a variety
+of parrot new to us, but which I believe to be the golden-backed parakeet
+(Psephotus chrysopterygius) of Gould. As no water could be found, and
+many of the horses gave signs of being greatly distressed, no change
+being observable in the country for many miles ahead, a few very distant
+ranges being the only objects visible, we were obliged to have recourse
+to the only safe expedient of falling back and forming a depot. Resting
+to 5.10, we commenced a retreat until 7.20, having been obliged to
+abandon a horse of Mr. Brown's, quite exhausted. Camp 75.
+
+4th September.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. resumed our retreat, and by noon arrived at the waterhole of
+the 2nd, having left two more horses behind, which, however, Mr. Brown
+and myself carried out water to in the course of the evening and drove
+them in during the night.
+
+5th September.
+
+Leaving the party to rest, I walked ten or twelve miles round to the
+south-south-eastward, along the foot of the range, in search of water,
+and to ascertain if a better line of country could be found in that
+direction, but it continued to maintain the same arid appearance, and I
+only came on one pool in a gully four miles from the camp. Depot.
+
+6th September.
+
+Leaving Mr. Turner and four of the party in depot, with instructions to
+remain there three days, and then fall back upon the Oakover, where there
+was much better feed, I started with Messrs. Brown and Harding, taking
+six of the strongest horses, sixteen days' rations and six gallons of
+water, and steered south-south-east along the ranges for six or eight
+miles, looking for some stream-bed that might lead us through the plains,
+but was disappointed to find that they were all lost in the first mile
+after leaving the hills, and as crossing the numerous ridges of sand
+proved very fatiguing to the horses, we determined once more to attempt
+to strike to the eastward between the ridges, which we did for fifteen
+miles, when our horses again showed signs of failing us, which left us
+the only alternative of either pushing on at all hazards to a distant
+range that was now just visible to the eastward, where, from the numerous
+native fires and general depression of the country, there was every
+reason to think a large river would be found to exist, or to make for
+some deep rocky gorges in the granite hills ten miles to the south, in
+which there was every prospect of finding water. In the former case the
+travelling would be smoothest, but the distance so great that, in the
+event of our failing to obtain water, we probably should not succeed in
+bringing back one of our horses; while, in the latter, we should have to
+climb over the sand ridges, which we had already found so fatiguing; this
+course, however, involved the least amount of risk, and we accordingly
+struck south four miles, and halted for the night. Camp 76.
+
+REPULSED FOR WANT OF WATER. INTENSE HEAT.
+
+7th September.
+
+The horses did not look much refreshed by the night's rest; we, however,
+divided three gallons of water amongst them, and started off early, in
+the hope of reaching the ranges by noon; but we had not gone three miles
+when one of the pack-horses, that was carrying less than forty pounds
+weight, began to fail, and the load was placed upon my saddle-horse; it
+did not, however, enable him to get on more than a couple of miles
+further, when we were compelled to abandon him, leaving him under the
+shade of the only tree we could find, in the hope that we might bring
+back water to his relief. Finding that it would be many hours before the
+horses could be got on to the hills, I started ahead on foot, leaving
+Messrs. Brown and Harding to come on gently, while I was to make a signal
+by fires if successful in finding water. Two hours' heavy toil through
+the sand, under a broiling sun, brought me to the ranges, where I
+continued to hunt up one ravine after another until 5.0 p.m. without
+success. Twelve hours' almost incessant walking, on a scanty breakfast,
+and without water, with the thermometer over 100 degrees of Fahrenheit,
+began to tell upon me rather severely; so much so that, by the time I had
+tracked up my companions (who had reached the hills by 1.0 p.m., and were
+anxiously waiting for me), it was as much as I could do to carry my rifle
+and accoutrements. The horses were looking truly wretched, and I was
+convinced that the only chance of saving them, if water was not found,
+would be by abandoning our pack-saddles, provisions, and everything we
+could possibly spare, and try and recover them afterwards if practicable;
+we therefore encamped for the night on the last plot of grass we could
+find, and proceeded to make arrangements for an early start in the
+morning. There was still remaining a few pints of water in the kegs,
+having been very sparing in the use of it; this enabled us to have a
+little tea and make a small quantity of damper, of which we all stood in
+much need. Camp 77.
+
+8th September.
+
+At 4.0 a.m. we were again up. Having disposed of our equipment and
+provisions, except our riding-saddles, instruments, and firearms, by
+suspending them in the branches of a large tree, we divided a pint of
+water for our breakfast, and by the first peep of dawn were driving our
+famished horses before us at their best speed toward the depot, which was
+now thirty-two miles distant. For the first eight miles they went on
+pretty well, but the moment the sun began to have power they flagged
+greatly, and it was not long before we were obliged to relinquish another
+horse quite unable to proceed. By 9.0 a.m. I found that my previous day's
+march, and the small allowance of food I had taken, was beginning to have
+its effects upon me, and that it was probable I could not reach the depot
+until next morning, by which time the party left there were to fall back
+to the Oakover; I therefore directed Mr. Brown, who was somewhat fresher
+than myself, to push on for the camp and to bring out fresh horses with
+water, while Mr. Harding and myself would do our best to bring on any
+straggling horses that could not keep up with him. By dark we had
+succeeded in reaching to within nine miles of the depot, finding
+unmistakable evidence towards evening of the condition to which the
+horses taken on by Mr. Brown were reduced, by the saddles, guns, hobbles,
+and even bridles, scattered along the line of march, which had been taken
+off to enable them to go on a few miles further.
+
+EFFECTS OF WANT OF WATER.
+
+9th September.
+
+At dawn Mr. Harding and myself got up from our beds of sand stiff and
+giddy, but much refreshed by the cold night air. In four or five miles we
+met Mr. Brown with fresh horses and a supply of water, having succeeded
+in reaching the depot at 8 p.m. the night before, with only one horse. We
+were now enabled to proceed with the tracking up of the horses left
+overnight, which, after resting some hours, had commenced to ramble in
+search of water; Mr. Brown returning on our route and recovering the
+saddles and firearms left the previous evening, the stores abandoned the
+day before being too far off to attempt their recovery. By 8.30 p.m. we
+had all returned to the depot, having tracked up the three missing
+horses, the two left at the furthest point being too distant to carry
+relief to without incurring the risk of further loss. I cannot omit to
+remark the singular effects of excessive thirst upon the eyes of the
+horses; they absolutely sunk into their heads until there was a hollow of
+sufficient depth to entirely bury the thumb in, and there was an
+appearance as though the whole of the head had shrunk with them,
+producing a very unpleasant and ghastly expression. Depot camp.
+
+10th September.
+
+We were only able to move the camp a mile to another waterhole, for the
+sake of a little better feed. Bivouac.
+
+COMMENCE RETURN JOURNEY.
+
+11th September.
+
+On taking into consideration the reduced number and strength of our
+horses, it was quite evident that we had but little prospect of being
+able to cross the tract of dry sandy country that had already occasioned
+us so much loss and trouble; yet there were many reasons to stimulate us
+to make the attempt. Not only had we now attained to within a very few
+miles of the longitude in which, from various geographical data, there
+are just grounds for believing that a large river may be found to exist,
+draining Central Australia, but the character of the country appeared
+strongly to indicate the vicinity of such a feature; added to which, the
+gradual decline in the elevation of the country, notwithstanding our
+increasing distance from the coast, tended towards the same conclusion.
+Nor should we omit the strong evidences that the remarkable ridges of
+drift-sand which encumbered the plains must in the first instance, have
+been brought from the interior by water, and then have been blown by the
+strong prevailing south-east winds across the country in a direction at
+least 50 degrees from that which they originally came from; this, with
+the clean water-worn appearance of the sand, the bold outlines of the
+hills seen to the far east, and the number of native fires observed in
+the same direction, must all tend to support the hypothesis that the
+western half of Australia is probably drained by a large river in about
+this meridian. I could not, therefore, help regretting more than ever
+that we should be driven back at such an interesting spot; but mature
+reflection convinced me that any further attempt with our present means,
+at this period of the year, was almost certain to be attended with the
+most disastrous results; I therefore decided upon adopting the only other
+useful course open to us--that of examining down to the sea the rivers
+already discovered. With this in view, we to-day fell back five or six
+miles across the ranges to a tributary to the Oakover, called the Davis,
+when one of the horses became so crippled by a strain in the loins that
+we were obliged to halt to give him a chance of recovery, affording me
+leisure to verify our position by observing another set of lunar
+distances, which I found to agree well with those formerly taken ten
+miles to the westward. Camp 78.
+
+DOWN THE OAKOVER RIVER.
+
+12th September.
+
+We commenced the descent of the Davis, having much difficulty in getting
+along the sick horse, as it required the united strength of the party to
+lift him on his legs every time he fell, which he at last did so
+frequently that I ordered him to be shot, as it was hopeless to attempt
+to bring him on, and if left, he must have died of starvation. By 2.0
+p.m. we reached the junction of the stream we were upon with the Oakover,
+and halted two miles south of Camp 72; most of the party being now
+dismounted, shoe-leather was beginning to get very scarce with us. Camp
+79.
+
+13th September.
+
+This day we only travelled eight miles down the Oakover, and encamped
+near a deep creek, in which was caught a good haul of fish. Camp 80.
+
+14th September.
+
+The feed was so good on this river that we were able to proceed to-day to
+latitude 20 degrees 59 minutes 33 seconds; the country improving much,
+grassy flats extending for some miles to the northward, the channel of
+the river being augmented by the junction of the large tributary crossed
+on our eastward track on the afternoon of the 29th August. Camp 81.
+
+15th September (Sunday).
+
+Remained in camp to rest the horses. A few natives were seen near the
+camp during the day.
+
+16th September.
+
+After running four or five miles further north, the Oakover turned to the
+north-west for fourteen miles, having a clear sandy or stony bed from 150
+to 200 yards wide, water and grass being plentiful, and the country
+generally being open forest, with a pleasing appearance. Camp 82.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 46 minutes.
+
+17th September.
+
+The course of the river was followed for about seventeen miles in a
+westerly direction, the bed widening out to 300 or 400 yards, the water
+being now confined to a sandy channel not above 150 yards in width, the
+depth of the valley through which it runs being about forty feet; timber
+of white-gum and cajeput is tolerably plentiful on the banks, the soil of
+which is a red loam of considerable depth. Many of the pools are lined
+with tall reeds. Camp 83.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 41 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+REACH THE DEGREY RIVER.	ABUNDANCE OF FISH.
+
+18th September.
+
+Started at 6.40 a.m. and in two and a half hours entered a deep and
+wild-looking gorge, at which point it formed a junction with the DeGrey,
+coming from the south-south-east, through a beautiful level tract of open
+grassy country, a broad belt of flooded-gum trees growing for some
+distance back on either side. Passing through the gorge, which was a
+quarter of a mile wide and about a mile long, we came upon a camp of
+natives, who, as usual, quickly dispersed without giving us an
+opportunity of showing them that we intended them no harm. The river here
+contains a fine reach of deep water, upon which was a large quantity of
+whistling ducks and other water-fowl. Two miles lower down we halted on
+the banks of a deep creek coming in from the northward; the rest of the
+day being employed re-stuffing pack-saddles, etc., while some of the
+party caught a quantity of fine fish--amongst them an eel, which,
+however, was allowed to escape, being taken for a water-snake by one of
+the party who had never seen one before. A large kind of bat, or vampire,
+was first observed here, measuring about two feet across the wings. Camp
+84.
+
+19th September.
+
+We continued to follow down the DeGrey for about eighteen miles in a
+west-north-west direction, through open grassy plains extending for many
+miles on either bank, the channel of the river still maintaining the same
+sandy character, and with abundance of water in its bed. Camp 85.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 36 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+20th September.
+
+There was little or no change in the appearance of the country for the
+eighteen or twenty miles that the river was traced down during to-day. We
+encamped on the bank of a wide and deep reach of water more than a mile
+long, surrounded by tall reeds. Fish were caught here in great abundance.
+Camp 86.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 31 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+NATIVE CAMP.
+
+21st September.
+
+Shortly after starting we crossed the bed of a tributary coming in from
+the southward, with a shallow sandy channel 200 yards wide, which must
+drain the high ranges between the DeGrey and Shaw Rivers, which we passed
+over on our outward track. In many places we began to observe patches of
+triodia in the midst of the alluvial plains through which the river
+continued to run, and distant ranges were observed both to the north and
+south. Towards sundown we surprised a large party of natives encamped in
+a dry channel of the river, and approached so near before we were
+discovered that we had separated a young child from the rest of the
+party, which was observed by the mother, who remained while the rest of
+the natives made a hasty retreat; it was not long, however, before an
+aged warrior returned to her aid, with his spear shipped, and came
+forward in a very menacing attitude to recover the child, who stood by us
+with a look of the most perfect unconcern. Finding we took no notice of
+his threats, he threw down his weapon, and, walking up to the boy, caught
+him up in his arms and bore him off, with a look of triumph, to his
+companions. No attempt was made to carry away their supper, which was
+ready prepared in a number of wooden scoops, and consisted of fish, rats,
+beans, grass-seed cakes, and a beverage made with some oily seed pounded.
+Leaving everything undisturbed, we pushed on for another mile, so as to
+prevent their being afraid of returning to their evening repast. Camp 87.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 25 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+ATTEMPT TO SPEAR HORSES.
+
+22nd September.
+
+Being Sunday, we only moved a mile lower down the river to a fine reach
+of water, on the banks of which was a rich sward of green grass for our
+horses. Shortly after we had made ourselves comfortable for the day we
+were startled by six of the horses coming into camp at a gallop in their
+hobbles, followed by eighteen armed natives. Everyone sprang to their
+arms in a moment, which caused the intruders to fall back. I tried to
+make them comprehend that we did not approve of the horses being hunted;
+but as they would not go away, and they had a strong party concealed in
+the brushwood, I fired at a tree to show them the use of our arms. The
+moment they heard the report of the rifle and saw the splinters fly, they
+took to their heels and did not again trouble us. We afterwards found a
+spear sticking in the ground in the track of the horses, having evidently
+be thrown while in pursuit. Camp 88.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 25 minutes; longitude 119 degrees 21 minutes.
+
+23rd September.
+
+The river soon passed round the southern foot of a range of hills of 400
+or 500 feet elevation, the country to the south again becoming very
+fertile, and clothed with a rich sward of kangaroo-grass; at ten miles we
+struck the Shaw River, coming from the south-east, with a broad, deep,
+and well-defined channel, in which were many fine pools of water. Below
+the confluence of the rivers the DeGrey widened out considerably, turning
+rather more to the northward, and seven miles further was joined by the
+Strelley, in latitude 20 degrees 16 minutes, and longitude 119 degrees 5
+minutes east; the river being diverted to the northward by a rugged range
+of volcanic hills; its course being now direct for Breaker Inlet, which
+was distant about eighteen miles. Camp 89.
+
+MAGNETIC ROCKS RENDER THE COMPASS USELESS.
+
+24th September.
+
+As it was very important that I should obtain a round of bearings before
+proceeding any further, the country having for some days past been too
+flat to afford many opportunities for triangulation. I to-day started
+with Messrs. Harding and Brown to ascend the ranges that lie to the west
+of the river. A scramble of three miles over very rugged rocks brought us
+to the highest point, which was found to be not more than 500 feet above
+the sea; our journey, however, turned out to be fruitless, the magnetic
+attraction of the volcanic rocks of which the hills are composed being so
+great as to reverse the needle, which varied so much that I could not
+even make use of the compass to take angles, and I had omitted to bring a
+sextant. Kangaroos were numerous among these hills, but we did not
+succeed in shooting any; they appear to be similar to those seen on the
+plains near the Sherlock. The view we had of the country was very
+extensive. To the south is a vast gently-undulating plain, only
+occasionally interrupted by detached granite and sandstone peaks; while
+narrow green lines of trees intersecting the plain in various directions
+indicate the watercourses coming from the distant ranges, and wander in
+wide sandy channels towards the sea; the course of the Strelley being
+easily distinguished for many miles. To the north the eye could trace the
+broad sandy bed of the DeGrey, trending towards Breaker Inlet, the
+position of which was only distinguishable by the margin of deep-blue
+mangroves that line it, and the whole of the extremity of the delta
+formed by the alluvial deposits brought down by the river. To the east
+and west of this is a wide expanse of alluvial flats, covered in most
+parts with rich, waving grass, the sameness of the scenery being relieved
+by detached patches of open park-like forest of flooded-gum. Returning to
+the camp by noon, the remainder of the day was devoted by me to bringing
+up the arrears of mapping, etc., and by the party generally in providing
+a supply of fish and ducks, which here were found to be very plentiful.
+
+25th September.
+
+By 7 a.m. we were once more tracing down the DeGrey through the flats
+seen yesterday. At eight miles the river divided into two channels of
+nearly equal width, the eastern one being followed to latitude 20 degrees
+5 minutes 16 seconds, travelling being very heavy, on account of the
+numerous rat-holes that completely undermine the banks of the river for
+more than a quarter of a mile back on either side. For the last few miles
+the water in the river was decidedly brackish, and at our camp was
+evidently influenced by the tides; we, however, procured some tolerably
+good water by sinking a well in a sandbank in the dry portion of the
+channel, which here was about 300 yards wide. Camp 90.
+
+SUDDEN RISE OF TIDE.
+
+26th September.
+
+This morning we found the water in the well quite salt, in consequence of
+the tide having risen during the night; and as our horses required water,
+it was found desirable to fall back upon some of the fresh pools to form
+a camp, while a day or two could be devoted to the examination of this
+fertile and interesting tract of country. We accordingly crossed the
+channel and proceeded westward for nearly three miles, when we came upon
+the other branch, which proved eventually to join again several miles
+below, forming an island containing some 8000 or 9000 acres of alluvial
+flat soil, covered with a quantity of mixed grasses. To this was given
+the name of Ripon Island. The western channel was found to be over 300
+yards wide, and to contain several fine reaches of open water, some fresh
+and others slightly brackish; they were all teeming with ducks and a
+great variety of water-fowl. Having selected a suitable spot for a camp,
+I started with Messrs. Brown and Harding to examine the country towards
+the inlet. At a little more than two miles we crossed the river between
+two pools of salt water, subject to the influence of the tides, and
+proceeded northward over an open grassy flat for two miles further, when
+the grass gave place to samphire and small mangrove bushes, which
+gradually thickened to dense mangroves, cut up by deep muddy creeks,
+which put a stop to proceeding further in that direction. Here we
+observed several remarkable stacks of dead mangroves, evidently piled
+together by the natives, but for what purpose we could not ascertain,
+unless to escape upon from the tide when fishing. Having gained firm
+ground, we made a detour more to the eastward, and at last succeeded in
+reaching the bank of the river close to the head of the inlet. The tide
+being at the ebb, I was able to walk over the mud and sand to the mouth
+of the river, and obtain bearings to Points Larrey and Poissonier, and
+observe the character of the entrance, from which I formed the opinion
+that the breakers seen by Captain Stokes when surveying this portion of
+the coast, and which deterred him from entering the inlet, were nothing
+more than the sea-rollers meeting a strong ebb tide setting out of the
+DeGrey, possibly backed up by freshes from the interior which would, from
+a river of this size, occasion a considerable commotion where the tide
+amounts to twenty feet; at any rate, I could not observe any rocks, and
+there appeared to be a channel with at least five or six feet of water in
+it at low tide. For the first mile the river has a breadth of from 400 to
+800 yards, and would admit with the tide vessels of twelve or fourteen
+feet draft of water with perfect safety up as far as Ripon Island, where
+they could lie completely sheltered in all weathers quite close to the
+shore, which here has steep banks twenty to thirty feet high; they would
+however, be left aground at low water, as we did not observe any pools in
+this part of the river. I had only just time to complete my observations
+when the roaring of the incoming tide warned me that no time was to be
+lost in returning to the horses, which were nearly a mile higher up the
+river. Although I ran part of the way, the mud creeks filled up so
+rapidly, there was some risk of my being cut off from the shore and
+having to take up a roost on the top of the mangroves until the tide
+fell; I had time, however, to observe that the head of the tide carried
+with it thousands of fish of great variety, amongst them a very
+remarkable one from three to six inches in length, in form resembling a
+mullet, but with fins like a flying-fish; it is amphibious, landing on
+the mud and running with the speed of a lizard, and when frightened can
+jump five or six feet at a bound; I did not, however, succeed in
+capturing one for a specimen. Swarms of beautiful bright-crimson crabs,
+about two inches diameter, were to be seen issuing from their holes to
+welcome the coming flood, on which was borne a great number of sea-fowl,
+who, it was evident, came in for an abundant feast in the general
+turmoil. Mounting our horses, that had stood for the last two hours
+without touching a mouthful of the rank grass around them for want of
+water, we returned to the camp by a different route, through open grass
+flats bordering the deep reaches of water that encompass the north-west
+side of Ripon Island.
+
+SCARCITY OF WATER NEAR THE WEST.
+
+27th September.
+
+Accompanied by the same party, but with three fresh horses, we again
+started to explore the plains eastwards towards Mount Blaze. For several
+miles after leaving the island the country continued of the same fertile
+character as that passed over yesterday, and is at times subject to
+inundation from the river; but as we receded from the influence of the
+floods the soil became lighter and the grass thinner, with patches of
+triodia and samphire. At twelve miles we entered a patch of open grassy
+forest, extending for some miles; but as there was no promise of
+obtaining water, and the day was calm and sultry, we turned to the
+northward in the hope that water might be procurable under the low
+sand-hills that line this portion of the coast. In this we were, however,
+disappointed, as the fall of the country terminated in mangroves and
+salt-water creeks, between which and the sea is a narrow ridge of low
+sand-hills. Amongst them we observed many tracks of natives; but did not
+discover any water. The sea here is apparently very shallow for many
+miles off shore, more than half a mile of mud and sandbank being left dry
+at low water. Resting the horses for two hours, we returned to camp by a
+more direct route, passing for several miles over a plain of rich black
+mould, covered with a short sward of bright-green grass, the native fires
+having swept off the dry grass a few weeks previously; and although there
+had been no rain since, the heavy dews that fell during the night in
+these latitudes had been sufficient to produce a rapid growth.
+
+28th September.
+
+As I expected to meet with some difficulties for want of water between
+this and the Yule River, I thought it best to give the horses the benefit
+of a little rest before resuming our homeward route. Some of the party
+were also deriving much benefit from the abundance of fresh game, as they
+had been suffering from debility, brought on most probably by
+over-exertion while traversing the heavy country of the interior. While
+here we obtained several additions to our small collection of
+birds--amongst them a beautiful wader, the size of a large snipe, the
+head being covered by a remarkable membranous hood or sheath of a rich
+gamboge-yellow, resembling the leaf of a flower falling back from the
+beak, and lying close over the feathers, protecting them when the beak is
+plunged into the sand after food; they had also a remarkable sharp horn
+or claw projecting forward from the last joint of the wing, with which
+they can fight when attacked by birds of prey. A very handsome bird was
+also shot resembling a flamingo, the body being about the size, and in
+plumage like a pelican; the head and neck of a deep rich purple, and
+formed like the flamingo; the legs bright red, long and slender; it flies
+extended to its greatest length, measuring six feet two inches, and
+across the wings seven feet two inches; its weight being only 11 pounds.
+A white heron, with bird-of-paradise feathers on its back, was
+occasionally seen, but only one specimen procured.
+
+29th September (Sunday).
+
+DELTA OF THE DEGREY RIVER.
+
+30th September.
+
+We made an early start up the river, and at three miles struck out into
+the plains to the westward, where we found a large extent of open flat,
+yielding grass and atriplex, and timbered in many parts with
+flooded-gums. At ten miles we came upon a deep reach of water flowing to
+the north-west, which must empty itself into the sea four or five miles
+to the south-west of Spit Point, forming an island of a portion of the
+delta of the DeGrey, containing between 90,000 and 100,000 acres of
+alluvial land. This channel was followed up, and found to come from the
+river, close to the junction of the Strelley, and must be a very
+considerable outlet for the water during the summer rains. I regretted
+much not having time to trace this branch of the DeGrey to its mouth, as
+it might be found to be navigable, and afford a fine site for a seaport
+town. Fresh water is abundant, and building stone procurable in any
+quantity being found in the immediate vicinity on land superior to
+inundation. We remained at the junction the rest of the day. Camp 92.
+
+THE STRELLEY RIVER.
+
+1st October.
+
+As the plains were now dry and parched, we determined to follow up the
+Strelley to the ranges before striking west to the Yule. At first the
+river spread out into so many wide grassy channels that it was difficult
+to trace it; but at four or five miles collected into one bed, about 100
+yards wide, in which were a few small pools. Up to this point the country
+had been fertile, the soil being an alluvial clay, resulting from
+volcanic rocks; but after getting clear of the line of hills, the soil
+became poor and hungry, yielding little else but triodia and acacia
+bushes; water was procured in several places in the course of the day's
+march; our course having been nearly due south. Camp 93.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 32 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+2nd October.
+
+The river led us this morning a little to the eastward of south, through
+a country very similar to yesterday. Late in the day we crossed a
+considerable tributary coming from the south-east, which was now quite
+dry, and takes its rise in a bold range of granite hills now visible to
+the southward, at the distance of ten or twelve miles, and forms a part
+of the main tableland of this part of the coast; the plain we had been
+passing over being only a sea-flat, with a few detached ranges widely
+scattered over its surface. The river now began to trend to the westward,
+granite rocks showing themselves on the surface in large masses. Water
+was occasionally procurable, which was very important, as the horses
+could not travel many hours without it, although the heaviest packs were
+reduced below 100 pounds. We had now only six saddle-horses, so that two
+of the party had to walk by turns for an hour at a time. We halted late
+in latitude 20 degrees 45 minutes 17 seconds. Camp 94.
+
+3rd October.
+
+Started at 6.30 a.m., and in an hour came upon a fine pool in the
+granite, which was very acceptable, as we had encamped overnight without
+any water. The channel of the river here deepened considerably, was full
+of rocks, and contained plenty of water. Skirting the ranges for some
+distance, several tributaries joined from the southward. The country,
+although rocky, improved much in general appearance; grass was abundant,
+and game frequently met with. At night we encamped on a small pool in the
+bed of the river about five miles from the foot of the range. Cockatoos
+and pigeons came in great numbers to drink at the pool about sundown.
+Camp 95.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 56 minutes 33 seconds, longitude 119 degrees 10
+minutes by account.
+
+4th October.
+
+Made an early start, and travelled four miles on a south-west course,
+when the river divided into two channels, the main one coming from a deep
+gorge to the south-south-east, exactly in the direction in which we had
+left the Strelley on our outward route, at a distance of about thirty
+miles; identifying the stream with some degree of certainty. Taking the
+western branch, which would lead us towards the Yule, we followed it up
+until long past noon into a hilly country, without meeting with water;
+we, however, saw a large extent of fine grazing land which would make an
+excellent summer station when the flats were inundated. Having rested
+during the heat of the day, which had lately become rather oppressive, we
+resumed a westerly course, having run out the head watercourses of the
+western branch of the Strelley. A few miles brought us to a considerable
+stream-bed trending to the north-west, which was followed down till some
+time after dark, having procured a few gallons of water from a native
+well in the bed of a creek. To-day we had travelled for nine hours, and
+accomplished a distance of twenty-two miles, the longest day's march we
+had made for many weeks past. Early in the day we had noticed what we
+took for a great number of native fires springing up in all directions,
+and quickly to die away again; we, however, found it to be a number of
+whirlwinds, carrying with them huge columns of charcoal and dust, which
+traversed the plains sometimes for miles before they broke. Camp 96.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+REACH THE YULE RIVER.
+
+5th October.
+
+Our computed distance from the Yule was now only twenty-one miles, and
+the country promised well for travelling; but the long march yesterday,
+and the short allowance of water, rendered it very doubtful whether some
+of the horses would hold out long enough to reach it; we therefore had
+our breakfast before daylight, and as soon as we could see resumed our
+route to the westward. At five miles we crossed a sandy channel, 200
+yards wide, full of cajeput and gum trees, but as we did not soon find
+any water in it, pushed on at a rapid pace, and in two miles more crossed
+a similar channel, 100 yards wide, trending north-west and running
+parallel to the first; beyond this the ground became rocky for a few
+miles, and by the time we had gone rather more than twelve miles, Mr.
+Burges' mare, Lucy, could go no further; giving her half a-gallon of
+water out of the little stock carried with us, I left Messrs. Brown and
+Harding to bring her on when rested, and with the rest of the party
+continued our route. A mile or two further, and another horse, Bob, was
+knocked up and left behind, having also had some water given him. With
+considerable difficulty we succeeded in getting the rest of the horses on
+to the Yule by 1.30 p.m., making it close to our camp of 13th August. Had
+the distance been ten miles further, probably not more than three or four
+of the horses would have ever reached it, so much were they reduced in
+strength. On reaching the pool, several of the horses, notwithstanding
+our efforts to prevent them, rushed headlong into the water with their
+packs on, and drank so much of it that it was with great difficulty we
+could drag them out again. In the course of the afternoon Messrs. Brown
+and Harding came in with the horse Bob, but had not been able to get the
+mare on more than two or three miles; being anxious, however, not to lose
+her, I sent McCourt and James with two of the strongest horses, carrying
+four gallons of water for her, after which they succeeded in getting her
+into camp by midnight. Camp 97.
+
+6th October (Sunday).
+
+Moved a short distance down the river to camp 57 for better feed.
+
+CROSS DRY COUNTRY TO SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+7th October.
+
+As the distance from the Yule to the last known permanent water on the
+eastern branch of the Sherlock is over twenty-five miles, and our means
+of carrying water very limited since abandoning our largest pair of kegs
+in the retreat on the 8th September, I to-day set to work and soldered up
+a number of preserved-meat tins that had been carefully opened and kept
+for this purpose, putting a small spout to each; eight of these (4-pound
+tins) we found to contain something over four gallons, which, added to
+our water belts and the two remaining kegs, would provide for the
+conveyance of twelve gallons of water, which I hoped would prove
+sufficient to enable us to pass the dry tract of country in safety, as it
+would allow half a gallon to each horse and an ample supply for the party
+for two days. I also succeeded in repairing the aneroid barometer, which
+had been crushed nearly flat by the fall of a horse; fortunately,
+however, without injury to the vacuum vase.
+
+8th October.
+
+Having rearranged the loads and lightened them by leaving hid amongst the
+rocks a pack-saddle and sixty pounds weight of horse-shoes and nails, at
+3.45 p.m. we commenced a retreat on our outward tracks of the 13th
+August, travelling to 7.15 p.m., when we encamped on a patch of tolerably
+good grass in the plain at the foot of a volcanic range, without any
+signs of water near us. Camp 98.
+
+9th October.
+
+We were up before daylight, and by 6 a.m. had our breakfast, and were
+again on our march, visiting a waterhole seen on our outward route, but
+now found to be quite dry. We pushed on at the best speed of our horses,
+which was now not much over two miles an hour, to 10.0, when the heat of
+the day began to tell on the jaded animals; we therefore halted for an
+hour to give the horses half a gallon of water each, after which they
+travelled on much more briskly, so that by a little past noon we
+succeeded in reaching the large pool in the eastern Sherlock, near Camp
+55; some of the horses were, however, so much exhausted that we had some
+difficulty in getting them to move for the last mile, although entirely
+relieved of their loads. Camp 55a.
+
+10th October.
+
+Although the horses were by no means in a fit state to continue the
+march, yet grass was so scarce, on account of the native fires having
+here swept it off, that we found it best to push on for the springs at
+Camp 52.
+
+Following down the banks of the stream, we found several pools not yet
+dried up, which proved a great help to our horses; before noon, however,
+the mare Lucy again gave in, and was finally abandoned, as there was but
+little chance of her ever reaching the bay; it is possible she may live
+to be picked up by some future travellers, although too old to last many
+years. By 1.0 p.m. we reached the springs at Camp 52, and found an ample
+supply of water, but the grass was here also much parched up; we,
+however, remained for the rest of the day.
+
+NATIVE DEPREDATIONS.
+
+11th October.
+
+This morning our route was resumed down the eastern Sherlock, tracing a
+portion that had not been before examined, and which was now found to be
+well supplied with water and grass; cockatoos and pigeons being seen in
+large numbers feeding on the banks. As we approached the junction of the
+two branches of the river we met a party of ten or twelve natives, who
+came boldly up to us, which was the only time we had known them to do so
+since quitting Nickol Bay. Hoping to gain some useful information from
+them, they were allowed to follow us to our old camp of 2nd August, where
+there are the large fish-pools, of which they gave us the native names.
+We were not quite so successful in procuring game here as on the former
+visit, although as much fish was caught as could be consumed while it was
+good. The natives kept rather aloof while we were shooting on the river,
+but after dusk eight or ten came to the camp, unarmed, evidently on a
+thieving excursion, and although narrowly watched, managed to carry off a
+portion of Mr. Hall's kit, which, however, he recovered next morning, on
+paying them an early visit, finding the articles buried under some rushes
+in their camp.
+
+THEY SET THE GRASS ON FIRE.
+
+12th October.
+
+We were now getting so near our destination that, although provisions
+were getting low, we could afford to give the party a whole day's rest,
+while I was enabled roughly to plot out some more of my work and write up
+the journal, which, from having my time constantly taken up with more
+pressing duties, had fallen sadly into arrears. The natives again came to
+see what they could steal, but this time were made to sit outside a line
+drawn on the sand, some twenty paces from the camp--an arrangement they
+appeared highly to disapprove of, giving expression to their
+dissatisfaction in a manner anything but polite; finding, however, that
+we were inattentive to their impertinence so long as they confined it to
+harmless display, they watched their opportunity, and suddenly set fire
+to the grass in several places at once around the camp, and ran off as
+hard as they could. As this was an open act of hostility that it was
+necessary they should be chastised for, although I did not wish seriously
+to hurt them, they were allowed to run to a suitable distance, when a
+charge of small shot was fired after them, a few of which taking effect
+in the rear of the principal offender, induced him, on meeting some of
+the party out shooting, to make an apology, and try to lay the blame of
+the theft of the previous day on the dogs.
+
+13th October (Sunday).
+
+As the distances between the several watering places on the homeward
+route were too much to perform without intermediate halts, and the heat
+of the noon-day sun rather oppressive, it was found better to start from
+the pools late in the day, so as to make the halts without water during
+the cool of the night, travelling only very late in the evening and early
+in the morning. We accordingly did not start this afternoon until 4 p.m.,
+and travelled on to 8.45, encamping in an open grassy plain under Black
+Hill--a volcanic eminence, the position of which is shown on the
+Admiralty charts. Camp 99.
+
+14th October.
+
+By 6 a.m. we were again on the move, and in an hour gained the banks of
+the George, which takes its rise in the volcanic hills to the southward.
+In its channel was an abundant supply of water, with many fine healthy
+trees overshadowing the pools. By 9.0 we arrived at our old camp (50),
+where we rested to 4.15 p.m., when we resumed and travelled on till
+nearly 8.0, encamping on the open grassy plains near the Harding River.
+Camp 100.
+
+REACH THE HARDING RIVER. FLYING FOXES.
+
+15th October.
+
+An early start enabled us to accomplish the remaining six miles to the
+Harding by 8.30, where we halted for the remainder of the day, as it was
+not unlikely that we might have to travel the remaining thirty miles into
+the bay without finding any more water. As we had now only four days'
+rations left, and it was uncertain, in the present low condition of our
+horses, how long it might take us to reach the ship, the sportsmen of the
+party made the best use of the halt to procure game, while I proceeded to
+convert some more of the empty meat-tins into water-canisters, increasing
+our means for the transport of water to eighteen gallons, with which we
+had a fair prospect of getting in all the horses, even though no more
+should be found on the route. Our camp was enlivened this evening by the
+continued screeching of a number of large bats, which kept up a vigorous
+fight in the trees overhead the greater part of the night,
+notwithstanding our shooting ten or twelve of them. They were very fat,
+but emitted such an intolerable odour that it would require even an
+explorer to be hard pressed before he could make a supper of them, either
+roasted or boiled.
+
+16th October.
+
+This morning set in intensely hot, by noon the thermometer standing at
+107 degrees in the shade, and at 3 p.m., when placed on a sandbank in the
+sun, rose to 178 of Fahrenheit; on the setting in of the westerly breeze
+it, however, fell at once to 96 degrees, and by 4.30 p.m. we were enabled
+to resume our route without feeling in any way inconvenienced by the
+temperature. We did not now attempt to pass through the rocky ranges so
+far to the eastward as on our outward route, but kept more to the
+westward along the open grassy valley, until opposite the narrowest part
+of the range, when, turning sharp to the north, we very quickly passed
+over the rocky portion of the hills, only encountering a few miles of
+extra rampant triodia, which was anything but pleasant to walk through,
+especially leading the party after dark. Following down a small
+watercourse for several miles, it at length joined the Nickol River, in
+which we shortly after found a small quantity of water in the bottom of
+what had been a pool, but which towards the close of the dry season
+sometimes goes dry; here we halted for a few hours to rest. Camp 101.
+
+LAST DAY'S JOURNEY.
+
+17th October.
+
+Without waiting for daylight, by 2.10 a.m. we were again on the move, as
+there was now a fair chance of getting all the remaining horses into the
+bay, if we did but avoid travelling during the heat of the day. In an
+hour the hills were cleared, and it was now all open plain as far as the
+marsh at the head of Nickol Bay. By the time the morning broke we were in
+full view of the bay and several islands of the Archipelago, the long
+black hull of our ocean-home riding at anchor on the now placid waters
+forming by no means the least pleasing feature of the scene to those who
+had not seen a vestige of civilisation for many months. After halting for
+nearly two hours for breakfast, and to distribute the water amongst the
+horses, we again moved rapidly on, crossing the marsh with some
+difficulty, owing to the spring-tide having been recently over it, and at
+1 p.m. arrived on our old ground at Hearson Cove, where we found a boat
+and party from the ship waiting for us, James having been despatched by a
+shorter route to signalize our return. Everything had gone on
+satisfactorily during our absence. The vessel's water-tanks had been kept
+filled up, ensuring a supply for our horses on the homeward voyage, as it
+would be utterly impossible at this season of the year, with the animals
+in such low condition, to attempt the overland route to Champion Bay.
+Amongst other discoveries during our absence was a bed of pearl-oysters
+at the head of the bay, from which the crew of the Dolphin had procured
+several tons of very fine mother-of-pearl, besides a small number of
+pearls varying in size from one to four carats.
+
+18th October.
+
+The party was fully occupied in clearing out the well and packing up
+saddles and outfit for shipment. It was also found that deepening the
+well had caused the water to become brackish, so much so that we had to
+bring water by boat from the spring at which the ship had been filled up;
+the horses however still managed to drink the well-water, although it
+produced great thirst. I have no doubt but that, had we had time to sink
+a fresh well closer to the foot of the hills, we should have obtained
+fresh water, as several ravines terminate there in a beautiful grassy
+flat, where a large proportion of the rainwater brought down from the
+hills sinks into the soil, from whence it gradually drains down and
+supplies the wells in the salt strata. I was disappointed to find that
+the cotton plants, that had thriven so well on first being sown, had been
+burnt in consequence of some of the sailors having thoughtlessly set fire
+to the adjoining grass; had they not been killed, by this time they would
+probably have been in flower, as their growth was very rapid.
+
+EASTERN PART OF NICKOL BAY.
+
+19th October.
+
+As it was necessary to give the horses a few days' rest previous to
+swimming them off to the ship, I started this morning in the life-boat,
+accompanied by Captain Dixon and Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Walcott, to
+examine the eastern shores of the bay, for the purpose of ascertaining
+whether a more suitable spot for a landing place and site for a future
+town could be found in that quarter. Leaving the Dolphin at 5.30 a.m., we
+ran to the eastward with a light south wind, passing, at six miles, two
+small islands in the mouth of the small bay into which the Nickol River
+discharges itself. These islands had been visited already by Mr. Walcott,
+and I gave them the name of Pemberton and Walcott Islands. Continuing to
+run along the shore towards Cape Lambert, the soundings gave from two to
+three fathoms, with a good bottom of mud and sand, but the landing was
+generally indifferent and rocky until we came to within about nine miles
+of the cape, when a deep opening was passed, affording good shelter and
+landing for small craft. Two miles further we landed in a small rocky
+cove for breakfast, which gave me an opportunity of climbing a hill and
+examining the surrounding country, which proved very dry and rocky. A
+little further we passed a bold headland, against the extremity of which
+rested a singular flying buttress, forming half an arch of fifty or sixty
+feet span, and from thirty to forty feet in height. Turning this
+headland, another opening was observed, which we entered with the tide,
+and soon found that it communicated with the first one, forming an island
+of some extent and elevation, to which was given the name of Dixon
+Island. We continued to beat down the channel, which had an average width
+of over half a mile, until late in the evening, when we came to anchor in
+eleven feet of water.
+
+20th October.
+
+At daylight we found ourselves high and dry, only a narrow channel a few
+yards wide being left. Having walked over the mud to Dixon Island to
+breakfast, the vicinity was examined for water, but without success. At 6
+a.m. the tide came in again so rapidly that it was not without some
+little difficulty that we gained our boat, when the wind set in so
+strongly from the south-west that, after several hours' almost
+ineffectual attempts to work to windward, we again landed not two miles
+from our last night's anchorage, the character of the country being
+equally unfavourable for landing, as it was cut up by deep mangrove
+creeks running far up the valleys into the steep rocky hills, forming a
+difficult and unpromising country. The breeze having moderated and
+shifted a point more to the westward, we again attempted to beat out into
+the bay, but by 9 p.m. had not made more than three miles, when we landed
+for the night, leaving two of the party in charge of the boat to keep her
+off the rocks when the tide fell.
+
+21st October.
+
+The wind and tide being now in our favour, by 3.30 a.m. we took to our
+boat, and arrived on board the Dolphin by 10, when she was very soon got
+underweigh for the purpose of taking her closer in to ship the horses;
+light and variable winds, however, prevented our working more than a mile
+nearer the landing cove by sundown, when we dropped anchor for the night.
+
+22nd October.
+
+With a light west wind the Dolphin was worked into eleven feet water, one
+and a quarter miles off the point near the cove; the vessel drawing over
+ten feet, brought the mud up to the surface in our wake. Eight horses
+were soon swam off without much difficulty, as we all had now some little
+experience in this sort of work.
+
+EMBARK FOR FREMANTLE.
+
+23rd October.
+
+By 2 p.m. the remaining six horses and equipment of the Expedition were
+all safely shipped, and a conspicuous intimation of our sojourn on the
+coast having been painted in large white letters on a pile of granite
+rocks near the south corner of the cove, we took our final departure,
+getting the Dolphin underweigh by 4, with a light westerly wind, which
+carried us through the passage between Hauy and Delambre Islands by 7,
+when we hauled up and stood to north-north-west.
+
+24th October.
+
+The wind still holding to the west, we made but little progress, the
+Dolphin being only a good sailer in smooth water, or running before the
+wind.
+
+Latitude 19 degrees 12 minutes south at noon.
+
+25th October.
+
+By noon observations we were only in latitude 18 degrees 42 minutes;
+longitude 113 degrees 32 minutes.
+
+26th October.
+
+The wind veering slightly to the south, we were able to make by noon to
+latitude 18 degrees 46 minutes 30 seconds; longitude 111 degrees 47
+minutes 30 seconds.
+
+27th October.
+
+From this time to the 3rd November the winds continued to blow almost
+uninterruptedly from the south and eastward, which carried us as far west
+as longitude 101 degrees east, and latitude 31 degrees south, where we
+met with westerly winds, which enabled us to run up to within sight of
+Cape Naturaliste by the 8th.
+
+9th November.
+
+By 10 a.m. we were off Rottnest Island, when the pilot came on board and
+took us to the anchorage in Gage's Roads by noon. Having given
+instructions to Mr. Turner for the landing of the horses, etc., I landed
+with Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Hall, all of whom were, at their desire,
+at once released from the duties of the Expedition. Proceeded by steamer
+to Perth.
+
+10th November.
+
+Had an interview with His Excellency the Governor, and reported the safe
+return of the party and general results of the Expedition.
+
+F.T. GREGORY,
+
+Commander North-West Australian Expedition.
+
+Perth, 6th February, 1862.
+
+...
+
+APPENDIX.
+
+Adopting the course which I have found most convenient on similar
+occasions, I now proceed to offer a few remarks on the general features,
+productions, and natural capabilities, etc., of the country traversed by
+the Expedition, which could not, without disadvantage, have been
+introduced into the foregoing narrative. These remarks have already
+appeared at the conclusion of my report published on the 18th November,
+1861, but are equally applicable to the present publication.
+
+Commencing with its geographical and geological peculiarities, that
+portion of the country that came under our observation consists of a
+succession of terraces, rising inland for nearly 200 miles, more or less
+broken up by volcanic hills towards the coast. The first belt averages
+from ten to forty miles in width from the sea, and is a nearly level
+plain, slightly ascending to the southward, with an elevation of from 40
+to 100 feet, the soil being generally either light loam or strong clays,
+according as it is the result of the disintegration of the granite rocks
+that occasionally protrude above its surface, or of volcanic rocks of
+black scoria that frequently interrupt the general level; hills of this
+nature also constitute the greater portion of the more elevated islands
+off the coast, Cape Lambert, and the promontory that shelters the western
+side of Nickol Bay. The generality of these rocks do not, however, yield
+so rich a soil as might be expected from their origin. This is owing to
+the absence of actual lava, the eruptive heat having nearly been
+sufficient to convert the superincumbent primary and tertiary rocks into
+a vitreous scoria, having a specific gravity of 3.2, and is highly
+indestructible in its texture.
+
+Proceeding inland for the next fifty or sixty miles is a granite country
+that has been originally capped with horizontal sandstones, and has an
+elevation of about 1000 feet. This range terminates to the southward in
+level plains of good soil, the produce of the next series of more
+elevated country, while towards the northern edges the granite and
+sandstones have undergone great changes through the action of numerous
+trap dykes, that have greatly disturbed its surface, producing
+metamorphic rocks, some resembling jasper, and others highly cellular and
+scoriaceous.
+
+In about latitude 22 degrees, on the meridian of Nickol Bay, we came upon
+another and more elevated range trending away to the south-east, having
+an altitude of 2500 feet above the sea. This, unlike the last section,
+has a southern escarpment of 500 or 600 feet, and consists of horizontal
+sandstones and conglomerates, which have comparatively undergone little
+change, and has an average breadth of eight or ten miles, the southern
+flank being bordered by fertile valleys of strong loamy clays, merging
+gradually to the southward into stony ridges and hills, some having an
+elevation of nearly 4000 feet, the culminating point being attained at
+Mount Bruce, in latitude 22 degrees 30 minutes.
+
+From this point the country gradually falls to the Ashburton, the bed of
+which river, in the same meridian as the bay, is about 1600 feet above
+the sea, and the adjoining ranges not above 2200 feet, or about the same
+as the country on the Gascoyne, Lyons, and Upper Murchison.
+
+Of minerals I was unable to discover any traces, except iron. Quartz
+reefs occasionally traversed the country in a north-north-east and
+south-south-west direction, or nearly the same as the mineral lodes at
+Champion Bay; but I could not find any instance in which this rock
+offered much to indicate the probable existence of gold, it being far
+surpassed in this respect by the rocks on the Upper Murchison. Coal does
+not appear likely to be found within the limits of the country passed
+over, unless towards the easternmost point attained by the Expedition.
+
+With respect to the harbours on the coast, I can only speak of Nickol Bay
+and the anchorage under Rosemary and the adjacent islands. The former I
+consider only second to King George's Sound, as it can be entered in all
+weathers, either from the north or north-east, and there is reason to
+believe that a safe passage exists between Legendre and Dolphin Islands,
+leading into Mermaid Straits, where there appears to be an excellent
+harbour at all seasons of the year.
+
+The soundings towards the eastern and western shores of Nickol Bay, taken
+at low water, show sufficient depth for vessels of considerable tonnage
+to lie within a cable's length of the shore, the bottom being fine sand
+and soft mud. Towards the head of the bay the water is much shallower,
+not carrying more than two fathoms two miles from the shore. No reefs are
+known to exist in this bay, except quite close into land.
+
+In making the running survey of the western promontory I found that all
+to the north of Sloping Head was an island, having a boat channel between
+from half a mile to a mile wide. To the outer portion I therefore gave
+the name of Dolphin Island.
+
+The tides are tolerably regular, and average sixteen feet, but at the
+spring they rise twenty-one feet, on which occasions the whole of the
+western promontory, including the high lands for several miles to the
+westward, are entirely cut off by the sea, the other opening being under
+Enderby Island--a circumstance that greatly detracts from the value of
+these otherwise fine harbours, as it would require two miles of causeway
+to connect the best landing place, where water is to be found, with the
+mainland.
+
+The average declination of the needle throughout this district I found to
+be 1 degree east, the result of many amplitudes and azimuths; there is,
+however, in the vicinity of many of the volcanic hills great local
+attraction.
+
+Of the climate I can only say that during the five months we remained on
+the coast we never experienced the same inconvenience from it that we
+frequently have done within the limits of the settled districts of the
+colony; the weather was, however, principally fine, and the sky clear
+during our stay, only two showers having occurred--one at the latter end
+of May and the other in June. The meteorological register kept at Nickol
+Bay shows the following results, from observations taken at all hours of
+the day and night:--
+
+COLUMN 1: MONTH IN WHICH THERMOMETER READING WAS RECORDED.
+COLUMN 2: MAXIMUM.
+COLUMN 3: MINIMUM.
+
+May : 80 : 65.
+June : 76 : 63.
+July : 78 : 56.
+August : 80 : 54.
+September : 83 : 65.
+October : 92 : 70.
+
+Under the peculiar circumstance of the thermometer being placed on a
+sandbank in the sun during the hot days in October, it rose to 178
+degrees of Fahrenheit, whilst the lowest it ever fell to was up in the
+hills, in July, when it was 2 degrees below freezing just before sunrise.
+
+The winds continued to blow almost uninterruptedly from the east and
+south-east during the first four months, veering to the south-south-east
+and south and occasionally to the north-east. Latterly the wind was
+alternately south-east in the morning, and north-west or westerly in the
+afternoon; the sky becoming frequently overcast, and every appearance of
+the near approach of the rainy season, which it has been observed by
+navigators and explorers to do about the beginning of November, and
+continue to March.
+
+Amongst the natural productions I would first briefly refer to the beds
+of the pearl oysters, as they are likely to become of immediate
+commercial importance, considerable numbers having been gathered by the
+crew of the Dolphin at their leisure time, the aggregate value of which,
+I am told, is between 500 and 600 pounds; besides pearls, one of which
+has been valued by competent persons at 25 pounds. The limits of the bed
+are as yet undefined, but there is good reason to believe, from the
+position of it, that with proper apparatus ships could soon be loaded
+with them.
+
+Sandalwood was found in small quantities, very highly scented, but too
+widely scattered to become of much importance as an article of export.
+
+Of indigenous fruits, etc., we observed the adansonia, or gouty-stemmed
+tree of Sir G. Grey (nearly allied to the baobab or monkey bread-fruit of
+Southern Africa), sweet and water melons similar to those formerly seen
+by me on the Lyons River, but of much larger size; a small gourd; a wild
+fig, well-tasted; and a sweet plum, very palatable, were found in
+tolerable abundance.
+
+I have already spoken of the palms which grow on the bank of the
+Fortescue; they are very handsome and grow to the height of forty feet,
+but not having brought in any specimens, they have not yet been
+identified as to their variety.
+
+Tobacco does not grow so luxuriantly here as on the Lyons River, but the
+natives collect it, and after preparation, chew it; but we did not on any
+occasion observe them to smoke.
+
+Many beautiful flowers were also collected, which will be forwarded to
+some of the most eminent botanists, to be described and classified.
+
+It now only remains for me to give an opinion on the capabilities of the
+country for colonisation. It would be almost impossible to particularise
+the positions or define the limits of country adapted for grazing
+purposes beyond the reference already made to them. The total amount of
+land available for this purpose within the limit of our route I should
+estimate at not less than two or three millions of acres, and of this I
+may safely say 200,000 are suitable for agricultural purposes, the
+greater portion of which lies on the two flanks of the Hamersley Range,
+on the banks of the DeGrey and its tributaries, and on the Lower
+Sherlock.
+
+Of the fitness of this district for the growth of wool, which, on account
+of its being an intertropical country, it is generally supposed it would
+be unsuitable, I would remark that its elevation above the sea appears
+likely to obviate the objection, and render it probable that sheep may
+not degenerate in the same way they are found to do in other tropical
+countries; at any rate, flocks are now being pushed over on to the same
+latitude in Queensland, and we do not hear of the wool-grower complaining
+that such is the case there.
+
+As to its fitness for the growth of cereals, it is quite possible that
+wheat and barley may not come to the same degree of perfection they do in
+the more temperate latitudes of Australia, but there is no reason to
+doubt its capability of growing sufficient grain for the support of a
+numerous population.
+
+What it appears more highly qualified for than anything else is the
+growth of cotton--a question which at the present juncture cannot be lost
+sight of. From my personal observation of the cultivation of this plant
+in Egypt, and the attention I have recently paid to this subject while in
+Europe, I feel confident that a very considerable portion of the arable
+lands on the DeGrey and Sherlock are precisely the soils adapted for the
+production of this valuable commodity. As, however, I purpose to make
+this the subject of a more lengthy paper at a future period, I will not
+now venture to enlarge upon it.
+
+As the number and disposition of the aborigines is likely to have some
+effect on the first settlement of a district, I would give it as my
+opinion that these people will not prove particularly troublesome to the
+settlers, if properly and fairly treated. They are not numerous, and
+appear very willing to take employ under Europeans, and will no doubt
+soon be made as useful as in the other districts. In stature they rather
+exceed the usual standard, some of them measuring two or three inches
+over six feet.
+
+In bringing my report to a close, I would wish to observe, that although
+the results of the Expedition have fallen short of my sanguine hopes with
+regard to Geographical discovery, and will, I am afraid, in some degree
+disappoint the anticipations of the eminent Geographers who have lent
+their valuable aid in promoting the undertaking, yet I cannot but hope
+that the large amount of additional fertile country it has brought to our
+knowledge will compensate in some degree for the deficiency. I am,
+however, unable to refrain from again expressing my opinion, that had not
+so many concurrent circumstances combined to retard the departure of the
+Expedition until so late in the season, and it had arrived on the coast
+at the time originally recommended by the Geographical Society, it would,
+in all probability, have resulted in the full accomplishment of the
+object they had in view.
+
+It now devolves upon me to perform the pleasing duty of recording my
+entire satisfaction with the manner in which the whole of the members of
+the Expedition put forward their best energies in the performance of
+their respective functions. To Mr. Turner I am indebted for the care
+bestowed on the management of the store department, which came under his
+immediate charge. To Messrs. Brockman and Hall, J. McCourt, and James,
+are due my acknowledgments for the cheerful alacrity with which they
+performed the duties allotted to them.
+
+Of Messrs. Maitland, Brown and J. Harding I cannot speak too highly.
+Accompanying me on all the extra services upon which I was engaged, they
+had to endure privations of no ordinary description, which they met with
+a spirit of steady fortitude deserving of the highest praise. Of the
+valuable services rendered to the Expedition and to science by Mr. P.
+Walcott I have already had occasion to refer, and I sincerely hope that
+his talents and zeal in the pursuits of Botany and Natural History may
+meet a more substantial reward than the thanks which are justly due to
+him and those gentlemen who have given their time and talents
+gratuitously in the service of their fellow-colonists.
+
+To Captain Dixon and the officers and crew of the Dolphin every praise is
+due for the assistance which on all occasions they promptly afforded in
+aiding the Expedition, and for which I gladly avail myself of the present
+opportunity to return them my best thanks.
+
+In conclusion, permit me to tender Your Excellency my acknowledgments for
+the readiness with which you have acceded to my various suggestions in
+carrying out the arrangements of the Expedition since the passing of the
+vote of money in aid by the local legislature.
+
+F.T.G.
+
+...
+
+VOCABULARY OF THE ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE AT NICKOL BAY.
+
+BY MR. P. WALCOTT.
+
+COLUMN 1: ENGLISH.
+COLUMN 2: ABORIGINAL.
+
+Emu : Galiberie.
+Kangaroo : Peckoora.
+Kangaroo (Rock) : Noordee.
+Barbed spear : Bilara.
+Common spear : Wera Wera.
+Foot : Jinna.
+Sleep : Gnaree.
+Water : Baba.
+Sit down : Barnee Boongoo.
+Come here : Gokie.
+Eastern tribes : Kakardi.
+Hair of head : Knuggnura.
+Twine : Bingooro.
+Nose : Moola.
+Tongue : Talee.
+Cockle (unio) : Yoondo.
+Ears : Kulka.
+Scars on the arms, etc. : Waarbungabo.
+Red ochre or wilgee : Marder.
+Sand : Narnoo.
+Bean (scarlet runner) : Koordala.
+Toe nail : Mindee.
+Oyster (rock) : Jibboor.
+Oyster (pearl) : Weerdee.
+Grass : Warabo.
+Fishing net : Takaroo.
+Fetch or bring : Takora.
+Acacia : Baragoon.
+Breadfruit tree : Tangoola.
+Gourd or calabash : Guabooraam.
+Firewood : Tamara.
+Granite rock : Caragnoo.
+Come : Gokee.
+Go : Wakkie.
+Cowrie or Cypraea : Weelungooroo.
+Sun : Yanda.
+Biscuit : Mardomurrie.
+Sea shag : Toorna.
+Native dog : Wanga.
+Vomit : Kalkalubata.
+Knife : Chumberrie.
+Horse : Gnoormiee.
+Sponge : Banga.
+Axe : Carama.
+Black wattle : Eringgna.
+Snake : Walee.
+Tobacco : Gaanaree.
+Convolvulus : Yaabin.
+Scarlet trefoil : Beeban.
+Hungry : Kamoongoo.
+Knee : Manboor.
+Shin : Kojaee.
+Thigh : Woolagallu.
+Eyelash : Gneearee.
+Forehead : Wara.
+Lip : Walee.
+Knuckles : Munjee.
+Elbow : Yarna Mangoola.
+Big toe : Guangnaree.
+Seaweed : Binda.
+Smoke : Choochoo.
+Ribs : Boonggna.
+Fly :  Boroo.
+Clouds : Yoonggnoo.
+Rain : Bandaroo.
+Scoop shell : Bera.
+Iron : Tanga Tanga.
+Boat : Kajuree.
+Sneeze : Kanjeerneo.
+Sugar : Kungknara.
+
+***
+
+
+NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION.
+
+1855 TO 1856.
+
+ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION.
+
+The circumstances which led to the organisation of the Expedition for
+exploring Northern Australia, and the special objects of the Imperial
+Government in undertaking it, are best detailed in the following Despatch
+from His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, Secretary of State for the
+Colonies, to Captain Fitzgerald, Governor of Western Australia:--
+
+The Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, to the Governor
+of Western Australia.
+
+Downing Street,
+
+31st August, 1854.
+
+SIR,
+
+You will probably have been rendered aware by the reports of the
+Parliamentary Debates of last session, and from other sources, that Her
+Majesty's Government have been long considering the project of
+despatching an exploring expedition to lay open, if favoured with
+success, more of the interior of the great Australian Continent than the
+many energetic but partial attempts hitherto made have succeeded in
+developing.
+
+This scheme originated with the Council of the Royal Geographical
+Society, who corresponded with the Colonial Department on the subject of
+it during last winter. But it was ultimately considered by Her Majesty's
+Government that the importance of the subject rendered it more advisable
+that the expedition should be undertaken under their own
+superintendence, and as a matter of public concern; and Parliament has
+now placed at their disposal a sum of 5000 pounds for the purpose, and
+will undoubtedly give further assistance should it be requisite.
+
+Great difficulties have, however, presented themselves as to the
+necessary arrangements. The hostilities in which the country is involved
+have necessarily directed the time and thoughts, not of Her Majesty's
+Government only, but also of many of those whose professional knowledge
+and experience might have been of the greatest assistance, in another
+direction. Of the distinguished Australian explorers now in this country
+some are incapacitated by reason of health, and others by the
+circumstance of their services being required in other directions, from
+taking the command.
+
+It would, however, be a matter of regret if, now that the money has been
+voted and the preparations partially made, the Expedition was not able to
+start at the best period for commencing operations next year, which on
+the northern coast of Australia seems generally thought to be from
+February to April.
+
+I enclose copies of certain portions of the correspondence which took
+place early in the present year between the Colonial Department and
+Captain Stokes and Mr. Sturt, who were consulted in order to obtain the
+benefit of their advice, and the former of whom I had at one time the
+hope to secure for the command of the Expedition.
+
+You will collect from these documents that the general view of those who
+have considered the subject appears to be that Moreton Bay would be a
+convenient rendezvous for the land portion of the Expedition; that they
+might be conveyed by sea to the mouth of the Victoria River, on the
+north-west coast; that it would be advantageous, if possible, that they
+should act in concert with a Government vessel, which might be employed
+in surveying operations in the Gulf of Carpentaria and neighbourhood,
+while the land explorers were engaged in the interior.
+
+SELECTION OF COMMANDER.
+
+Her Majesty's Government are, however, fully aware that such projects,
+especially where they involve so much combination, can only be submitted
+generally to the leader of such an expedition, to whom great latitude
+must be left as to the mode of carrying his instructions into execution.
+
+They have now come to the determination of offering the command of the
+land expedition to Mr. A.C. Gregory, Assistant Surveyor, in Western
+Australia. They have been induced to take this course both by the very
+high testimonials which have been given to the abilities and fitness of
+this gentleman for the purpose by such authorities as they have been able
+to consult in England, and also by your own reports concerning him,
+particularly that contained in your despatch of the 6th January, 1852.
+
+Should Mr. Gregory accept the charge, which I trust, notwithstanding its
+arduous and responsible nature, you will find him ready to do, it is the
+wish of Her Majesty's Government that without waiting for further
+instructions he should proceed immediately to Sydney, where he will find
+such instructions awaiting him, and where his party will be organised.
+
+You are authorised to supply Mr. Gregory with the necessary funds for
+this purpose, which will be repaid to the Local Government, from the
+Commissariat chest.
+
+If you are aware of any persons in your Government well qualified and
+willing to serve under Mr. Gregory in subordinate capacities, or if he
+has himself any assistants whom he would be anxious to engage, you are at
+liberty to place them at his disposal; but it must be understood that
+this permission does not apply to persons who are to take charge of
+scientific departments of the Expedition, as there are already gentlemen
+of this class with whom her Majesty's Government have been in
+correspondence; any such person who may wish to join the Expedition can
+do so only as a volunteer.
+
+Copy of this despatch has been transmitted by the same mail to Sir
+Charles Fitzroy, and likewise to the other Australian Governors. Sir
+Charles Fitzroy will therefore be fully prepared to receive Mr. Gregory,
+and to render him all assistance in his power; and I have every reason to
+hope for the zealous co-operation of the several local Legislatures and
+Governments in a scheme intended for the development of the vast and
+unknown resources of their common Continent.
+
+You will, on receiving this despatch, immediately communicate with Mr.
+Gregory, and if he should accept the command of the Expedition, inform
+both the Secretary of State for the Colonies and Sir Charles Fitzroy, and
+the other Australian Governments, immediately of his having done so, and
+of his intended movements.
+
+I have, etc.,
+
+(Signed) NEWCASTLE.
+
+...
+
+JOURNAL OF THE NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPLORING EXPEDITION, BY A.C. GREGORY.
+
+The preliminary arrangements for the North Australian Exploring
+Expedition being complete, the stores, equipment, and a portion of the
+party were embarked at Sydney in the barque Monarch and schooner Tom
+Tough, and sailed for Moreton Bay on the 18th July, 1855, and on the 22nd
+anchored at the bar of the Brisbane River. The next day the Monarch
+attempted to enter the river, but being taken by the Government Pilot
+half a mile to the east of the channel over the bar, grounded, and was
+not got off till the 26th, when she entered the river. The steamer
+Ballarat was engaged to tow the Monarch up to the town of Brisbane; but
+having struck on a rock near Ipswich, sank, and the steamer Hawk was
+engaged to tow up the river. The Hawk, however, proved to be of
+insufficient power, and it was then decided to embark the horses and
+sheep, which had been collected by Mr. H.C. Gregory, at Eagle Farm.
+
+HORSES EMBARKED AT MORETON BAY.
+
+The horses having been got on board the Monarch on the 31st July, and the
+sheep the next day, the steamer Bremer was employed to tow her over the
+Bar. It was evident, however, that the Bremer did not intend to do this,
+for she slacked the tow-line, and then steamed ahead full speed and
+snapped the hawser, and went off without any explanation.
+
+Having removed a quantity of stores from the Monarch to the Tom Tough, so
+as to reduce the draft of the former, on the 8th August warped over the
+bar and went over to Moreton Island, where about three tons of water were
+taken in from the fresh-water creeks near the Pilot Station.
+
+On the 12 August weighed and left Moreton Bay; and this being the last
+point of communication with the civilised world, the Expedition might be
+considered to commence on this date.
+
+The party consisted of eighteen persons, as follows: commander A.C.
+Gregory; assistant commander, H.C. Gregory; geologist, J.S. Wilson;
+artist and storekeeper, J. Baines; surgeon and naturalist, J.R. Elsey;
+botanist, F. Mueller; collector and preserver, J. Flood; overseer, G.
+Phibbs; stockmen, etc., C. Humphries, R. Bowman, C. Dean, J. Melville, W.
+Dawson, W. Shewell, W. Selby, S. Macdonald, H. Richards, J. Fahey. The
+livestock comprised fifty horses and 200 sheep.
+
+The provisions consisted of flour, salt pork, preserved beef, rice, peas,
+preserved potatoes, sago, sugar, tea, coffee, vinegar, limejuice, etc.,
+calculated to supply the party on full rations for eighteen months.
+
+On 13th August passed Breaksea Spit, and Port Curtis next morning, the
+weather being fine with south-east winds; reached Port Albany on 26th.
+Landed on Albany Island, which is principally of sandstone formation
+rising into hills of moderate elevation, the soil generally poor and
+sandy covered with bush and small trees, with a few open grassy patches.
+Fresh water was found in a small cove 100 yards north from the
+landing-place on the sandy beach; the supply was so small as to be of
+little use, and the position inconvenient of access.
+
+The mainland appeared to be covered with much dense bush, and the rocky
+sandstone hills did not indicate that the country was of any great value
+either for agricultural or pastoral purposes.
+
+Port Albany is a narrow, but deep channel between Albany Island and the
+mainland of Cape York. It is easy of ingress and egress; but is neither
+safe or convenient, owing to the great rapidity of the current which sets
+through with the tide.
+
+Some canoes with natives came to the vessels. They evidently have
+frequent communication with vessels passing through the Straits, and are
+well acquainted with the use and name of tobacco, which they smoke in
+large bamboo pipes. Their arms consisted of spears, bows, and arrows. The
+canoes, formed of a single tree, rudely hollowed out, and fitted with
+outriggers.
+
+27th August.
+
+Left Port Albany, and, passing through Endeavour Strait, were favoured
+with a light easterly wind as far as Port Essington, which was sighted on
+September 1st, and after passing through Dundas Strait anchored for the
+night.
+
+The following morning passed Vernon Island with a light breeze. At 9.50
+p.m. the Monarch grounded on a rocky reef off the entrance of Port
+Patterson, the master of the vessel not having made due allowance for the
+indraught of the tide. Unfortunately this occurred at the top of the
+spring tide, and the result was that, though every exertion was made to
+warp the vessel off, the tide did not rise sufficiently to float her
+until the 10th September, when, by cutting off the false keel and
+levelling the surface of the rock, we succeeded in hauling her off, with
+comparatively little damage, as the weather continued calm during the
+whole of this anxious period.
+
+As the vessel lay on her side at low tide, the position of the horses was
+extremely inconvenient, and they suffered a greater amount of injury
+during these eight days than on the whole of the preceding voyage, and it
+is to this that the subsequent loss of so large a number of the horses is
+to be attributed; for though only two died on board the vessel, the
+others became so excessively weak that some had not the strength to go
+through the fatigue of landing and the journey from Point Pearce to the
+Victoria River, and at the same time the supply of forage was so reduced
+that it became necessary to land the horses immediately on reaching Point
+Pearce, and before the place could be examined for the best landing.
+
+LAND AT THE ENTRANCE OF VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+After getting off the reef, light winds and calms delayed the voyage to
+the Victoria River; but as the Tom Tough worked along the coast better
+than the Monarch, I went on with the schooner to examine the entrance of
+the river. Ascending the Victoria to Blunder Bay, found that the locality
+was not suited for landing horses, and therefore returned to Treachery
+Bay, near which Mr. H.C. Gregory had discovered abundance of grass and
+water under Providence Hill of Captain Stokes; commenced landing the
+horses on the 18th; but, in consequence of the strong tides and extensive
+mangrove flats, great difficulties were encountered, the horses having to
+swim more than two miles from the vessel to the shore, and were so
+exhausted that three were drowned, one lost in the mud and mangroves, and
+one went mad and rushed into the bush and was lost. Having transferred
+the stores to the Tom Tough, on the 24th the Monarch sailed for
+Singapore. Mr. Wilson was instructed to proceed in the schooner up the
+Victoria River, and to establish a camp at the highest convenient
+position on the bank of the river, while I proceeded overland with Mr. H.
+Gregory, Dr. Mueller, and seven of the men, hoping, by easy journeys of
+eight to ten miles per day, to give the horses time to partially recover
+the effects of the voyage.
+
+MACADAM RANGE. RUNNING STREAM OF FRESH WATER.
+
+1st October, 1855.
+
+Accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, I left the camp to search for a
+practicable route by which we could cross the MacAdam range; but, after
+proceeding about a mile, shot an emu, with which we returned to camp, and
+again started at 7.10 a.m., pursuing a south-east course, crossed a stony
+ridge, and at 8.0 a.m. came on a creek about twenty yards wide, with good
+pools of water and a grassy margin, but the country generally barren and
+stony. After several ineffectual attempts, we ascended the hills to the
+south-east of the creek, and traversed a very broken country of sandstone
+formation till 11.0 a.m., when we reached the head of a creek trending to
+the southward; this was followed down till 1.0 p.m. when we halted an
+hour, and again proceeded till 4.30 p.m., the country being very poor and
+rising into rocky hills on both banks of the creek; we then entered a
+wide grassy flat destitute of trees, extending six miles north to south,
+and fifteen miles east to west; on the south side there appeared to be a
+creek or river, which we supposed to be the Fitzmaurice River. This plain
+was bounded on all sides by steep rocky hills of sandstone of barren
+aspect. Returned up the creek till 6.0 p.m. and halted for the night. The
+day was hot and sultry, though a heavy thundershower somewhat cooled the
+air. The MacAdam Range is of sandstone, the strata of which dip about 30
+degrees to the south, in which direction, as we advanced, the rock was
+more slaty, and broke into rhomboidal fragments. Water is abundant in the
+creeks, but the grass is scanty, and the rough surface of the sandstone
+and rocky ravines renders the country difficult to traverse. Timber is
+scarce, chiefly small-sized eucalypti; the cotton-tree was observed in a
+few of the valleys.
+
+2nd October.
+
+Returning to the camp we attempted to follow one of the creeks down to
+the plain on the north-west side of the range, but found the ravine too
+steep and rocky for the horses to pass, and were compelled to retrace our
+steps and cross several steep and rocky hills, reaching the camp at 2.0
+p.m., at which time the thermometer stood at 94 degrees in the shade and
+114 degrees in the sun.
+
+3rd October.
+
+Three of the horses had strayed, and this detained us till 11.0 a.m.,
+when I started with the party, leaving Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman to look
+for the missing animals. Proceeding in a south-east direction to the
+crossing of the first creek, ascended the MacAdam Range, and steered
+east-south-east to the second creek; the course was then north-east and
+east to the head of the creek tributary to the Fitzmaurice River, and
+then encamped at 3.45 p.m. At the highest point on this day's route the
+aneroid stood at 29.40, and at the camp 29.55; thermometer, 88 degrees.
+The higher points of the range did not exceed 100 before the highest
+ridge crossed.
+
+By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude 14 degrees 33 minutes 26
+seconds.
+
+4th October.
+
+At 10.0 a.m. Messrs. H. Gregory and Bowen reached the camp with one of
+the missing horses, and, having obtained some provisions, returned to
+search for the other two horses. At noon started with the party, and
+followed down the creek in a south-south-east direction till 4 p.m., and
+encamped at the termination of the hilly country. One of the horses,
+Madman, showed symptoms of illness a short time before we started, and in
+crossing the creek half a mile above where we encamped he fell down and
+in less than three minutes died. This was a serious loss, as this animal
+was one of the most serviceable of our horses, having stood the voyage
+without losing his condition. The cause of death we were unable to
+ascertain; but the probability is that some poisonous plants existed at
+the place where we encamped last night.
+
+By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude of the camp was 14
+degrees 39 minutes 26 seconds. Thermometer: Sunrise, 80 degrees; at 11
+a.m., 93 degrees; wet bulb, 80 degrees.
+
+5th October.
+
+This morning I started with C. Dean to examine the country to the east;
+after traversing the plain for two hours, came to a running stream ten
+yards wide, but the current very slow. The vegetation on its banks was
+very luxuriant, presenting a striking contrast to the surrounding
+country. Followed the creek to the east and south for one and a half
+miles, when it changed to a salt creek, joining the Fitzmaurice River. We
+then steered south-east to a detached conical hill, which consisted of
+the same hard fine-grained sandstone as the ranges near the camp.
+Steering north-east and east for three miles along a salt creek, came to
+the termination of the salt water, where we saw four natives digging
+roots; on observing us they decamped. Our course was now south-east to a
+range of rocky hills, which we could not ascend with our horses from
+their steep and rocky character. We therefore steered north-west to a
+green patch of bushes in the plain, and at two miles came to a small
+lagoon 200 yards long and 30 yards wide, on which were numerous ducks and
+other water-fowl. Here we halted for one and a half hours, and then by a
+north-west and west course, passing through grassy plains and patches of
+forest, reached the camp at 8.30 p.m. Thermometer, 78 degrees to 104
+degrees.
+
+6th October.
+
+Started at 8.10 a.m. with the whole party, and, steering east to the
+running creek, crossed it at the head of the salt water, and proceeding
+up the stream three-quarters of a mile, encamped. Near the creek we saw a
+native man and two women, who were much alarmed at the sudden appearance
+of the party, and retreated across the plain.
+
+By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude was 14 degrees 40 minutes
+4 seconds at this camp.
+
+7th October.
+
+At 8.0 a.m. steered an easterly course, crossing the grassy plain, beyond
+which we passed a low stony ridge thinly wooded with small trees; at 9.40
+crossed a deep watercourse, with waterholes and grassy flats, and at
+10.15 p.m. came to a second creek, which was followed up to the
+east-north-east till 11.20, when we halted at a small patch of grass; at
+1 p.m. I rode to the north and east to seek a more suitable spot for an
+encampment, and having found a grassy flat and pool of good water one and
+a half miles higher up the creek, the party moved on to it at 4 p.m.
+
+8th October.
+
+Taking Dean with me, I proceeded to the south of the camp to ascertain
+the most convenient ascent of the rocky hills which bounded the plain.
+Following a small valley into the hills, after two hours' ride came to a
+creek trending to the south, the valley of which afforded a practicable
+line of route. We therefore returned to the camp at noon. At 3.0 p.m.
+started with the party, and moved the camp to the creek found in the
+morning. Thermometer, 114 degrees at 1 p.m.
+
+9th October.
+
+Started at 8.0 a.m., accompanied by Dean, and followed the creek through
+a rocky valley between sandstone ranges, the strata of which dip to the
+west at a high angle--30 degrees to 40 degrees; at 10.15 a.m. came to the
+tide waters of the creek, and after crossing several stony ridges which
+came close to the bank of the creek, at 11.30 a.m. reached a small
+running stream with a patch of good grass; here we halted for two hours,
+and then returned to camp; which we reached at 5.0 p.m., and found that
+Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman had arrived with the two stray horses, having
+found them about ten miles to the north-west of the camp, at the reedy
+swamp from which they strayed. Thermometer, 6 a.m., 77 degrees; noon, 114
+degrees; 6 p.m., 92 degrees.
+
+ENCOUNTER STEEP ROCKY RANGES.
+
+10th October.
+
+At 7.50 a.m. started with the whole party, and proceeded down the creek
+to the head of the salt water, and then by a detour among the rocky hills
+reached the running creek visited yesterday, and encamped at 11.0 a.m.; I
+then started with Mr. H. Gregory in a southerly direction, and after an
+hour's ride came to the Fitzmaurice River, which varied from 100 to 300
+yards in width, the general course nearly east and west; the channel was
+full of rocks and banks which were dry at low water, the rise of the tide
+nearly twenty feet. The hills which bounded the valley of the creek we
+had descended terminated in an abrupt rocky ridge which left no passage
+between it and the river; we therefore returned about half a mile to the
+north, and, after a toilsome ascent of nearly an hour, crossed the ridge
+and halted at a small spring on its eastern side till 2.0 p.m., when we
+proceeded up the river, crossing two small dry creeks; after a fruitless
+search for a suitable spot to which the camp could be moved, there being
+no fresh water in the creeks, we turned towards the camp, but could not
+cross the range, as we everywhere encountered steep rocks and ravines,
+and were glad to extricate ourselves from the hills at 9.0 p.m., when we
+bivouacked in a grassy flat.
+
+11th October.
+
+At 4.30 a.m. resumed the attempt to cross the range, and at length found
+a practicable route for the pack-horses, passing a small spring of water
+at 7.0 a.m., and reached the camp at 8 a.m.; during our absence one of
+our best pack animals had died, apparently from poison. At 2.0 p.m. the
+party started to cross the range; but the horse Drummer was so weak that
+he fell several times, and we were at length compelled to abandon him.
+Having crossed the hills to the Fitzmaurice River, we proceeded up the
+valley and halted at a salt creek seven or eight yards wide, there being
+a little green grass on its banks.
+
+Latitude by observation b Pegasi and a Andromedae 14 degrees 47 minutes
+18 seconds.
+
+HORSES BITTEN BY ALLIGATORS. CROSS THE FITZMAURICE RIVER.
+
+12th October.
+
+During the night the horses were several times disturbed, but it was not
+till morning that the cause was ascertained, when we found that they had
+been attacked by the alligators, and three were severely bitten and
+scratched. At 8.0 a.m. started to follow up the river; but the rocky
+hills approached so close to its banks as to leave no passage, and we had
+to ascend the range, which was not an easy task; after three hours of
+severe toil under a scorching sun we reached a more practicable country,
+and at 3.30 p.m. encamped on the bank of the river, above the influence
+of the tide, fifty yards wide. Two of the horses had been left about a
+mile from the camp quite exhausted, but at sunset they were brought in to
+the camp.
+
+Latitude by observation a Cygni 14 degrees 51 minutes 37 seconds.
+
+13th October.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. crossed to the left bank of the river at a stony bar where
+the water formed a rapid twenty yards wide and two feet deep; we then
+followed the river up for half an hour and altered the course to
+south-south-east, along a running creek ten to twenty yards wide; at 8.5
+a.m. crossed a running stream from the west; at 10.30 a.m. two of the
+horses were completely exhausted, but having rested them at a pool of
+water, one revived, but were compelled to leave the other. We then
+proceeded, but were obliged to return to the creek about a mile higher
+up, as several of the horses began to fail, and though we rested till 3.0
+p.m., the second horse was unable to proceed, and was therefore
+abandoned. Since these horses were landed they have not had strength to
+rise without assistance, and it has been necessary to even watch them
+while feeding to lift them up when they fall down from exhaustion.
+Continuing our route, the valley was about two miles wide, with
+flat-topped hills bounding it on the east and west; there were a few
+pools of water in the creek, but the country was poor and stony with a
+few patches of grass; at 5.0 p.m. encamped.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of a Cygni 15 degrees 1 minute 10 seconds.
+
+14th October.
+
+Started at 6.30 a.m. and pursued a south course till 8.0 a.m., when we
+crossed the ridge at the source of the creek and ascended some stony
+gullies to the south-west; at 10.40 a.m. halted at a small waterhole in a
+small creek. Re-commenced our journey at 3.0 p.m., and followed a valley
+to the south-east; but finding the country in that direction unsuited for
+our object, turned to the west and reached the creek again at 5.15 p.m.;
+followed it till 6.0 p.m. to the south-west, and encamped. There was
+abundance of water in the creek, and the rank growth of the grass on its
+immediate banks proved a great impediment to the horses. The back
+country, however, was very rough and stony, thinly timbered with
+white-gum eucalyptus of small size, and nearly destitute of leaves; and
+though the whole country was grassy, it was so much parched by the
+intense heat that it presented a very sterile aspect; at 4.30 p.m. there
+was a heavy thundershower.
+
+15th October.
+
+As the creek below the camp trended to the west and entered a deep rocky
+gorge in the sandstone range, we steered south at 7.0 a.m., crossing
+several stony ridges with small gullies and creeks trending west; at
+10.20 a.m. crossed the highest ridge, and observed a succession of low
+stony ridges occupying the space between us and the Sea Range.
+Descending, we reached a creek, on the bank of which we halted at 11.30
+a.m. Here we caught several small fish in a deep pool in the creek.
+
+15th October.
+
+Resuming our route down the creek at 2.30 pm, the average course was
+south-west till 5.30, when we were encamped at a large deep pool or reach
+of water three-quarters of a mile long and fifty yards wide, supplied by
+a small stream. Great numbers of large bats were seen hanging in the
+trees on the margin of the creek, some of which we shot; the flesh was
+white and was eaten, but it had an unpleasant flavour. The country during
+this day's journey has not been so hilly as yesterday, and near the camp
+the trees have retained a few leaves. The soil, however, shows no
+improvement, being universally stony, and though well-grassed, the
+country is useless for any purpose than feeding stock. The gouty-stemmed
+tree (adansonia) is more frequent on the banks of the creeks; pandanus
+and fig trees prevail near the water, and eucalypti on the hills.
+
+Latitude 15 degrees 17 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+THE VALLEY OF THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+16th October.
+
+Resumed our journey down the creek at 7.0 a.m., the general course
+south-south-west; the country became so steep and rocky that at 8.0 we
+left the valley and steered south, crossing several stony hills with
+rocky ravines, which were so rugged that they were scarcely passable. At
+11.0 sighted the Victoria River, about six miles below Kangaroo Point;
+but, on attempting to descend the range, was intercepted by a deep valley
+bounded by sandstone cliffs 50 to 100 feet high; following the valley to
+the east and north-east in search of a break by which we could descend,
+but without success. At 3.0 p.m. one of the horses was so completely
+exhausted that he could proceed no farther; I therefore halted the party,
+and was examining the cliff to ascertain the best place for lowering one
+of the party by a rope into the valley for the purpose of procuring water
+from the pool which was visible 300 feet below us, when I found a small
+spring on the top of the cliff, at which we encamped. As soon as the
+horses were unsaddled, Mr. H. Gregory and myself proceeded to examine the
+valley to the east, but had not gone more than a mile when we observed a
+column of smoke rise from the camp, followed by a sheet of flame, which
+extended in a few seconds to the side of the adjacent hill. We therefore
+returned to the camp to subdue the fire, and, if possible, save some of
+the grass for the horses, which, with great difficulty, we succeeded in
+doing; but though checked, the fire had extended many miles over the
+country, and kept us busy all night. This fire originated for want of due
+precaution in clearing the grass around the fire at the camp, though the
+cook had been cautioned on the subject.
+
+17th October.
+
+At 5.0 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory, and recommenced the search
+for a practicable descent into the valley, and about two miles from the
+camp found a break in the cliff. The hill was, however, so steep and
+rocky that it was necessary to form a path for the horses, and while Mr.
+H. Gregory returned, and was bringing up the party from the camp, I
+employed myself in filling up chasms with stones and removing rocks from
+the path, the steepness of the declivity greatly facilitating their
+removal, as it required but little force to hurl rocks of several tons
+weight into the valley below. Fortunately, we accomplished the descent
+without any accident, and reached the base of the hill at 11.30 a.m.
+Descending the creek, which occupied the lower part of the valley, for
+about two miles, encamped at a small pool of water. I then rode down the
+bank of the Victoria River, and ascertained that we were about six miles
+below Kangaroo Point. Returning to the camp, procured fresh horses, and,
+accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, proceeded to Kangaroo Point, reaching the
+spot appointed for leaving a notice of the movements of the party in the
+schooner just as it fell dark, and though we found a small tree notched
+with an axe, there was nothing to guide us in any further search, and we
+therefore bivouacked.
+
+18th October.
+
+At daylight recommenced our search for some memorandum for our guidance
+to the camp or vessel, but only found five or six small trees cut with an
+iron axe, and the remains of a large fire; but if any memorandum had been
+left, there was no mark left for our guidance in the search for it, and I
+felt disappointed that my instructions had been so inefficiently carried
+into effect. As it was doubtful whether the vessel had proceeded up the
+river, I decided on continuing our route to some convenient spot for a
+camp near Steep Head, and accordingly returned to the party. The southern
+face of Sea Range is very abrupt and surmounted by a cliff of red
+sandstone 50 to 100 feet high, the whole height of the hills about 500
+feet, the range being the edge of an elevated tableland, the upper strata
+being hard sandstone in horizontal beds which rest on soft shales which
+appear to be somewhat inclined; but its surface was so covered by
+fragments of the upper rocks that no satisfactory data was obtained. The
+soil of the level land between the Victoria and the Sea Range is very
+poor, and either sandy or covered with fragments of rock; there is no
+water, and the grass is very coarse and blady. Many flights of cockatoos
+came to drink at the pools near the camp, and about fifty were shot
+during the day.
+
+ASCEND THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+19th October.
+
+Started at 7.0 a.m. and followed the river up to Kangaroo Point, and then
+by an easterly course ascended the salt-water creek which joins the
+Victoria at this point; at 4.0 p.m. we reached the termination of the
+salt water, beyond which it divided into several small dry channels, in
+one of which we found a small pool of fresh water, at which we encamped
+at 4.15. The result of our shooting this day was one turkey, one hawk,
+and thirty-nine cockatoos. The country near the creek is brown loam; but
+as the hills are approached the soil is very stony, but well covered with
+grass, and very thinly wooded with small eucalypti, which were nearly
+destitute of foliage. To the south of the creek the country appeared to
+be of somewhat better character.
+
+THE TOM TOUGH WRECKED.
+
+20th October.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered north 160 degrees east till 10.0, over a level grassy
+plain wooded with small eucalypti and melaleuca, etc., the soil varying
+from a brown loam to a strong clay; altering the course to 190 degrees,
+we passed some low stony ridges, and at 11.30 halted in a dry gully to
+rest the horses during the heat of the day; at 3.0 p.m. again started and
+steered to the south-west for half an hour, when we camped at a sandy
+creek in which there was a shallow waterhole. At 4.0 I left the camp with
+Mr. H. Gregory and proceeded west-south-west to the river, which we
+reached at 5.45, and then followed it up for half an hour, when we
+observed a tent and boat on the opposite side of the river. Having
+hobbled the horses, we crossed over to the camp, which was established at
+a small spring, and found Mr. Elsey and two of the men in charge. Mr.
+Elsey informed me that the schooner had grounded on the bank below
+Mosquito Flat, and had received considerable damage. Fourteen of the
+sheep had been brought up to the camp, and the boat was expected up that
+evening with another lot of sheep. I now ascertained that a bottle had
+been buried near the marked trees at Kangaroo Point, and a pencil-mark
+made on one of the trees indicating its position, but this mark had
+escaped our observation. In the evening Messrs. Baines and Flood and one
+of the men arrived at the camp in the long-boat, bringing twelve sheep,
+having lost several on the passage up the river in consequence of
+detention on the shoals near the Dome. The whole stock of provisions at
+the camp consisting of ten pounds flour, ten pounds pork, six pounds
+sugar, and twelve pounds beef, I was unable to send the required supplies
+to the party in charge of the horses, and the sheep were too poor to be
+fit for food. The Tom Tough reached Entrance Island on the 25th
+September, and the next day anchored off Rugged Ridge; on the 27th was
+proceeding up the river, and grounded on a ledge of rocks on the south
+side of the river, about six miles below Mosquito Flats; and from that
+date was never sufficiently afloat to be under control, but gradually
+drifted up to about two and a half miles below Curiosity Peak. From the
+time of getting on the rocks she had leaked considerably, and a large
+quantity of stores had been destroyed or damaged, there being at one time
+four feet of water in the hold; but by nailing battens and tarred
+blankets over the open seams the leaks had been greatly reduced. The
+stock of water on board the schooner having been exhausted during her
+detention, Mr. Wilson had sent the boat up to Palm Island to bring down a
+supply; but having greatly miscalculated the time requisite for this
+expedition up the river, the distance being sixty miles, the sheep had
+been kept several days without a sufficient supply of water, and a great
+number had died.
+
+21st October.
+
+Proceeding down the river with Messrs. Baines and Flood in the long-boat,
+the tide being unfavourable, we only reached Kangaroo Point.
+
+22nd October.
+
+Started at 2.0 a.m., and reached the schooner at 11.0 a.m., having been
+delayed by the flood tide. The vessel had not moved during the last four
+tides, and the leaks had in some degree stopped. She was so deeply bedded
+in the sand that, though the bank was dry at three-quarter ebb, I could
+not examine her bottom. The deck beams, however, were strained and
+broken, and it was evident that the vessel had been much damaged by
+resting on her centre, when the current had worked deep holes at the head
+and stern. Only fifty-five sheep remained on board, and those in a
+miserable condition. At 5.0 p.m. despatched Mr. Flood in the gig with one
+month's provisions for the party at the camp; 8.0 p.m. the tide rose to
+five feet on the bank, but the vessel only just floated in the hollow in
+which she lay.
+
+23rd October.
+
+At 8.0 a.m. the tide rose to six feet on the bank, and the schooner was
+moved her own length towards the channel in shore; at 10.0 a.m. the tide
+ebbed, and she settled on an even keel. Mr. Baines having informed me
+that Overseer Humphries had refused to assist in pumping the schooner on
+the 9th, he had, therefore, put him off duty till Mr. Wilson returned, on
+the 14th, when he was put on duty again. I therefore fined him one week's
+pay. The night tide did not rise so high as in the morning. Landed to
+search for fresh water, and found a small spring on the bank of the river
+at the upper end of the stony beach, three and a half miles below
+Curiosity Peak; this spring is below high-water mark, but at half tide
+boats can approach close to it, there being deep water close to the bank.
+
+24th October.
+
+Landed at 2 a.m. to procure water, having opened a well at the spring;
+filled two casks and returned to the vessel at 7. At 9.30 the schooner
+floated, and we moved her to about a mile above Curiosity Peak, where she
+again grounded on a bank; while afloat the pumps had to be kept
+constantly at work. With the night tide we floated over the bank; but the
+breeze failing, she was swept against the shore two and a half miles
+above Curiosity Peak, and before the kedge could be laid out the tide
+fell.
+
+25th October.
+
+The morning tide did not rise sufficiently to allow us to cross the
+banks; but the schooner was warped into a better position in the channel,
+about one mile higher up the river. Landed the sheep and drove such as
+could walk to the waterhole at our camping place, one mile north of the
+Dome, and left a party in charge, consisting of Dr. Mueller, Mr. Wilson,
+Overseer Humphries, and W. Selby. Fifty sheep were landed, but only
+forty-four reached the waterhole, and of these one died during the night.
+The night tide rose eight feet, and we moved the schooner to the right
+bank of the river off Broken Hill and anchored in the channel. Before the
+full moon the tides have been higher during the day, but as the time of
+full moon approaches the higher tide is at night.
+
+26th October.
+
+At 10.0 a.m. weighed and ran up the river with the flood to the
+commencement of the reach below Kangaroo Point, when the schooner
+grounded on a bank. Proceeded with Mr. Baines in the gig to the sheep
+camp with the intention of moving the sheep across the river and then
+driving them to the upper camp, but found them so weak that this
+arrangement was not practicable. Returned to the vessel.
+
+27th October.
+
+At 3 a.m. the vessel floated, and she was moved about a mile above
+Kangaroo Point, when we anchored in three and a half fathoms. At noon
+weighed, and with a light breeze from the west and north till a
+thunder-squall from the south-east compelled us to come to anchor one
+mile below Sandy Island; a change of wind enabled us to move on to Sandy
+Island.
+
+28th October.
+
+At 2 a.m. weighed, and towed the schooner to the upper end of the spit
+off Sandy Island, when she grounded, but was warped off at 4; the wind
+and tide were now adverse, and we therefore anchored in two fathoms.
+There is two fathoms in the channel past Sandy Island, but a reef of
+rocks extend from the left bank of the river, which renders it necessary
+to keep close to the edge of the shoal off the island.
+
+TOM TOUGH REACHES DEPOT CAMP.
+
+29th October.
+
+At 2 a.m. weighed with the flood, and towed the schooner up the river
+about four miles; at 6.30 a light northerly breeze enabled us to stem the
+ebb tide, and at 9.40 the schooner was moored at the camp, in two
+fathoms, close to the bank. Having obtained a supply of water, I
+despatched Mr. Baines, with Phibbs, Shewell, and Dawson, in the gig to
+bring up the sheep, the long-boat also going down the river with a crew
+from the vessel to bring up the kedge anchor and warp from Alligator
+Island, and also to assist in bringing up the sheep. In the evening there
+was a fine breeze from the east, and the thermometer fell to 65 degrees
+during the night. A few days before our arrival one of the kangaroo dogs
+had been seized by an alligator, and instantly drowned. The horses had
+been brought to the camp by the ford at Steep Head, and were looking
+well.
+
+30th October.
+
+Commenced the erection of a shed to protect the stores, as it is
+necessary to land the cargo of the schooner to effect repairs. The
+keelson is broken seven feet before the mainmast, three of the deck beams
+are broken in the centre, and the knees are strained, and the bolts
+drawn; there is also reason to think that the floor timbers are
+fractured, and some of the timbers broken in her bends.
+
+31st October.
+
+Messrs. Wilson, Baines, and Mueller, with the party in charge of the
+sheep, arrived at 7 a.m., bringing the remainder of the sheep, twenty-six
+in number, eleven having been drowned from want of proper care in bailing
+the boat, which consequently sunk during the night. Such of the party as
+are not otherwise engaged are employed in the erection of the store shed.
+Being desirous to examine the river above Steep Head, commenced fitting
+the portable boat, but found that the heat of the climate had destroyed
+the seams of three of the air cells, and the boat is therefore
+unserviceable. The general character of the materials of which inflated
+boats are constructed precludes any effectual repairs, as the intense
+heat of the sun decomposes the varnish with which the canvas is covered;
+it first becomes soft and adhesive, and then changes to a substance like
+tar, which does not consolidate with a lower temperature. Adjusted the
+aneroid barometer.
+
+1st November.
+
+S. Macdonald was reported for being asleep on his watch during last
+night; reprimanded him for this neglect of duty. Several of the sheep
+escaped from the fold last night; some have been found, but eight are
+missing. Commenced thatching the store; landed maize, bran, and other
+stores from the schooner. Though the thermometer stood at 100 degrees in
+the shade, yet a westerly breeze renders it cool enough to work. Mr.
+Baines employed repairing the portable boat; Richards clearing a plot of
+ground near the spring for a garden.
+
+DAMAGE TO PROVISIONS.
+
+2nd November.
+
+Continued to discharge the cargo of the schooner; at the request of the
+master of the Tom Tough, examined sixteen small and four large casks of
+bread, which had been damaged by salt-water; the whole of this bread was
+found to be quite destroyed and unfit for use. Although the large casks
+had been carefully coopered in Sydney, yet the hot climate had opened the
+joints, and as there were three to five feet of water in the vessel when
+aground in the lower part of the river, the bread was completely
+saturated. The leakage of the schooner has been much reduced, and now
+only requires pumping every six hours. The dryness of the air has
+increased from 10 to 20 degrees of evaporation, and the heat is not so
+oppressive, though the mean temperature exceeds 85 degrees. Heavy
+thunder-clouds are visible on the horizon, and the lightning is frequent
+in the early part of the night, especially to the east. Since the spring
+tides the river has gradually fallen, and is now four feet lower than low
+water at the full and change, and it does not vary more than one and a
+half feet in the twenty-four hours. A small spring of water has been
+found below high-water mark close to the landing place.
+
+3rd November.
+
+Completed thatching the store; continued landing stores from the
+schooner; coopering the flour-barrels. Towards evening there was a strong
+breeze from the north, which suddenly veered to the west, with thunder
+and a little rain. The sheep are visibly gaining flesh, and the horses
+have improved, but they are still unfit for work, as the grass is very
+dry and not in a state to fatten animals.
+
+4th November (Sunday).
+
+The sky was overcast in the afternoon with a strong north-west breeze,
+and every indication of approaching rain.
+
+5th November.
+
+Landing stores from the schooner; general duties; light shower at 3 p.m.;
+evening cloudy. By observed altitudes on the meridian, the latitude of
+the camp 15 degrees 34 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+6th November.
+
+Messrs. H. Gregory, Elsey, and Mueller, with two men and the master of
+the schooner, proceeded up the river in the gig to ascertain the most
+convenient spot for procuring timber for the repair of the vessel; the
+men variously employed coopering casks, fencing garden, etc. Towards
+evening the sky was overcast, and a slight shower fell at 4 p.m., the
+thermometer varying from 85 degrees, 100 degrees, 90 degrees. Mosquitoes
+are very numerous in the evenings. Received from Mr. Wilson a copy of his
+diary while in charge of the party on board the schooner ascending the
+Victoria River. In going down to the well Richards fell down among the
+reeds, and a splinter entered his wrist, passing under the skin for one
+and a half inches; but no material injury has occurred, though the wound
+will disable him for a few days.
+
+7th November.
+
+Men employed coopering the flour-casks, fencing the garden, completing
+the store, and general camp duties. The party which went up the river
+yesterday in search of timber for the repair of the vessel returned in
+the evening, having found some suitable melaleuca-trees on the bank of
+the creek below Steep Head. The afternoon was again cloudy, with much
+lightning in the evening.
+
+8th November.
+
+Men employed clearing away the grass and bushes around the camp, landing
+cargo from the schooner, plotting map of route from Point Pearce to the
+Victoria River.
+
+9th November.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+10th November.
+
+Party employed as before. On unpacking the rice and peas, found that 720
+pounds of rice and half a bushel of peas were destroyed by salt-water,
+and much more damaged; much of the sugar is damaged; but as it is not
+prudent to open casks, the quantity lost cannot be ascertained. Wrote to
+the master of the Tom Tough, requesting information with reference to a
+complaint by Mr. Wilson, that on the 30th September his signals for a
+boat to bring him to the schooner had been disregarded.
+
+11th November (Sunday).
+
+TIMBER FOR REPAIRS OF VESSEL.
+
+12th November.
+
+Mr. H. Gregory, with Shewell and Dawson, accompanied Captain Gourlay to
+Steep Head to cut timber for the repair of the schooner. Erected a forge
+and continued the preparation of the garden, etc. Last night one of the
+sheep was strangled by getting entangled in the net which formed the
+sheep-pen. Received from the master of the Tom Tough a letter replying to
+my queries of the 10th instant. It appears that on the 30th September,
+while the schooner was aground in the lower part of the Victoria, Mr.
+Wilson landed to search for fresh water at Mosquito Flat; having made
+some indefinite arrangements with Mr. Elsey to signalize for a boat,
+should he require it, to return to the vessel; but he omitted to acquaint
+either the master of the schooner, or Mr. Baines, who was next in command
+to Mr. Wilson. The result was that when the signals were made there was
+some uncertainty whether they were fires lighted by Mr. Wilson as signals
+for a boat, and some delay ensued in preparing the boat, when it was
+found that the tide had fallen so much that there was not sufficient
+water to float the boat over the intervening sand-banks, and at low water
+Mr. Wilson waded across the deeper channels and walked over the dry banks
+to the vessel. As the affair appeared to be complicated with some private
+misunderstanding between the parties, and Mr. Wilson had neglected to
+make proper arrangements with the master of the vessel, I deemed it
+desirable that the investigation should not proceed any farther.
+
+13th November.
+
+Mr. Baines having succeeded in repairing the portable boat, I made
+preparation for an excursion up the river, as the horses were still unfit
+for the work of exploration, and I hoped to be able to cross the shallows
+which had obstructed Captain Stokes. Richards' arm does not progress in a
+favourable manner, and it is therefore necessary that Mr. Elsey should
+remain at the camp to attend to his case. The party proceeding with the
+boats will therefore consist of Mr. Wilson, Mr. Baines, Mr. Flood, and
+myself. Men employed as before, and the general duties of the camp.
+
+14th November.
+
+Party employed as before. At 3.30 p.m. I left the camp and proceeded to
+the creek, where the timber party were at work, reaching their bivouac at
+7.30; six logs had been cut twenty to twenty-five feet long and twelve to
+fourteen inches square; the timber is a melaleuca with a broad leaf
+(Melaleuca leucodendron). The gum timber is generally unsound and
+worthless.
+
+15th November.
+
+Returned to the principal camp with Mr. H. Gregory at 11.0 a.m., and at 2
+p.m. started in the indiarubber boat with Messrs. Wilson, Baines, and
+Flood; at 8.0 p.m. reached the creek near Steep Head, and remained at the
+camp of the timber party for the night.
+
+16th November.
+
+Started at 6.30 a.m. and crossed the shallows at Steep Head without much
+difficulty--as the tide was high, the water was six to eight inches deep.
+Three miles above Steep Head we observed three natives watching us, but
+they did not approach. At 10.0 a.m. reached Palm Island, which is only a
+bank of shingle with a few pandanus and melaleuca trees growing on it
+without a single palm-tree of any kind. One of the boats having been
+injured, hauled her up for repairs. Mr. Baines shot three whistling ducks
+on the island; they were very good eating. While at our dinner a native
+approached the bank of the river and came to us, and a parley commenced
+which was rather unintelligible, and when he found that he could not make
+himself understood by words, resorted to the language of signs, and
+expressed his contempt of us in an unmistakable manner. Having repaired
+the leak in the boat, we again moved up the river, but at one and a half
+miles came to a dry bar of rock, over which the boats were carried, and
+we passed a shallow pool of brackish water half a mile long to a second
+bar of greater breadth, and then entered a deep reach; but the day was so
+far advanced that we took advantage of a level rocky ledge and
+bivouacked.
+
+INDIARUBBER BOATS FAIL.
+
+17th November.
+
+Proceeded up the river about a mile and came to a dry bank of shingle and
+rocks, which extended for at least a mile, and over which it was not
+practicable to carry the boats, which had been much injured in crossing
+the rocky bars yesterday, the heat having destroyed the texture of the
+waterproof canvas. I therefore decided not to expend any more time on
+this excursion, but return to the camp. We observed some blacks watching
+us from some thick scrub; but they did not approach near enough to hold
+any communication. At 2.0 p.m. commenced the return down the river and
+reached Palm Island after dark and bivouacked.
+
+18th November.
+
+At 3.0 a.m. there was a slight shower, and at 6.0 a.m. proceeded down the
+river, having dragged the boats over the shingle bank at Steep Head,
+where there was scarcely one inch of water; halted at the creek where the
+timber had been cut, to procure water for breakfast, and then sailed down
+the river and encountered a heavy squall, with thunder and lightning,
+just as we approached the camp; the rain continued nearly throughout the
+night. Captain Gourlay informed me that on the 16th three blacks had
+visited his party while cutting timber, and that in the evening some
+noise was heard, and being taken for the voices of the blacks, they had
+taken to the boat with great precipitation and returned to the schooner;
+the mosquitoes have nearly disappeared.
+
+19th November.
+
+Sent a party, consisting of Phibbs, Humphries, Shewell, Selby, and
+Dawson, to assist the master of the schooner in bringing the timber down
+the river; Richards' arm is somewhat better, but not progressing
+favourably; Fahey is on the sick list; the rain having moistened the
+grass, the horses did not come in for water to-day; the weather continues
+very hot, generally 90 degrees at sunrise and 105 degrees at noon in the
+shade.
+
+20th November.
+
+Commenced shoeing the horses and made preparations for a journey up the
+Victoria, to reconnoitre the country previous to starting for the
+interior.
+
+21st November.
+
+Fahey, being convalescent, was employed as cook; Mr. H. Gregory, Mr.
+Flood, Bowman, and Melville, shoeing horses; Dean making charcoal for the
+forge; in the afternoon there was a heavy thundershower; the flies are
+very troublesome and annoy the horses so much that they will not stand
+quiet to be shod, and some of the horses are nearly blind in consequence
+of the flies crawling into their eyes.
+
+22nd November.
+
+Shoeing horses, fitting saddles, etc.; the schooner leaks about seven
+inches per hour, and as the master is absent with the greater part of the
+crew, procuring timber, I have afforded assistance from the party at the
+camp, to assist in keeping the vessel dry.
+
+EXPLORE THE UPPER VICTORIA.
+
+23rd November.
+
+Preparing equipment for the party proceeding to explore the Victoria
+River, towards the upper part of its course; the grass has become quite
+green and fresh water is also abundant, which has caused some of the
+horses to stray beyond the usual feeding ground on the Whirlwind Plains.
+
+24th November.
+
+Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Flood brought in the stray horses, having found
+them beyond Sandy Island. The timber party returned to the camp with four
+logs of timber, which are intended to strengthen the keelson. While at
+work at the creek where the timber was procured the party had been twice
+visited by the blacks; these intrusions were neither decidedly friendly
+or hostile, but they stole some small articles which had been imprudently
+left lying near one of the logs of timber while the party was employed
+elsewhere; about 10.0 a.m. the blacks set fire to the grass about 200
+yards from the camp, and then retired. At 2.0 p.m., left the camp,
+accompanied by Messrs. H. Gregory, Wilson, and Mueller, with seven horses
+and twenty days' provisions, the object being to examine the country
+through which the exploring party will have to travel on the route to the
+interior; at 6 a.m. bivouacked at Timber Creek; in the principal channel
+of the creek there were many small pools of water, and the grass was
+fresh and green on the flats. Except on the banks of the river and
+creeks, the country is very poor and stony; the geological structure of
+the country is the same as at Sea Range--the same bands of sandstone
+cliff resting on soft shales, the strata being horizontal; but beneath
+the shales chert and coarse siliceous limestone were exposed, and
+fragments of jasper are frequent. The principal timber is white-gum of
+small size, and the cotton-tree (cochlospermum), which sometimes attains
+the thickness of nine to twelve inches. Though grass is abundant on every
+description of soil, yet the greater part is of inferior descriptions and
+dries up completely at this season.
+
+Latitude by altitude of Achernar, 15 degrees 39 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+25th November.
+
+Started at 5.45 a.m., and followed the creek to the south-south-east; it
+rapidly decreased in size, branching into small gullies, so that we had
+some difficulty in finding water for a midday halt. The flats on the bank
+of the creek are in some parts nearly a mile wide, well grassed and
+openly timbered; the hills are of sandstone, but chert and coarse
+limestone were frequently seen on the lower ridges. At noon halted at a
+small pool of rainwater. The day was cloudy and cool, the thermometer
+only 90 degrees at 2 p.m. At 3.0 resumed our route up the creek, which
+soon terminated in small gullies rising in stony ridges; as there was no
+appearance of water to the south, the course was changed to south-east
+and east, in which direction we followed down a gully, and at 7.20 halted
+at a small waterhole.
+
+26th November.
+
+Starting at 6.15 a.m., steered first north 70 degrees east and then 60
+degrees till 3 p.m., traversing a level grassy box-flat extending along
+the northern side of a rocky sandstone range. At 3.0 p.m. reached the
+south-west end of the Fitzroy Range, which is a narrow ridge of sandstone
+hills ten miles long and one to two miles broad; at the north end of the
+range we found a small pool of rainwater, and, having watered the horses,
+pushed on towards the Victoria River, at the base of Bynoe Range; but
+although the country was level, we were so much retarded by the soft
+nature of the soil that the river was not reached till sunset, and the
+banks of the river were so steep that the water was not accessible for
+the horses, and we therefore encamped at a small hole of muddy rainwater.
+Our camp was about four miles above the furthest point attained by
+Captain Stokes, and consequently in Beagle Valley which we had traversed
+for more than thirty miles, the greater part of which was well grassed
+and openly wooded with box, bauhinia, and acacia. The Fitzroy Range is
+almost isolated, and there is a level plain five or six miles wide to the
+south-east, beyond which there is a high sandstone range surmounted by an
+almost unbroken cliff of sandstone near the summit, and which appeared to
+be quite impassable.
+
+27th November.
+
+Steering east-south-east through grassy flats for one hour and a half,
+found that the river had turned to the northward round a steep hill, but
+continuing our course, crossed a low stony ridge and again approached the
+river, the banks of which were so steep that the horses could not get to
+the water, and therefore followed it two miles and encamped on a stony
+bar where the water was easy of access. The valley of the river is much
+contracted by the steep sandstone hills, which come close on both banks.
+In the bed of the river several fragments of jasper and black shale were
+found, the latter appearing to belong to the coal formation. A slight
+shower in the afternoon cooled the air, and the temperature was only 92
+degrees at sunset, and the wet bulb 79 degrees.
+
+Latitude by Achernar 15 degrees 36 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+DEEP GORGE IN TABLELAND.
+
+28th November.
+
+Started at 6.15 a.m. and followed the river, which first came from the
+east, then south-east and south-west till 10.40, when we crossed to the
+right bank and halted. The valley of the river is much narrower, and does
+not exceed half a mile, and is bounded by cliffs of sandstone varying
+from 50 to 300 feet high. The waters of the river occasionally rise 100
+feet, as the marks of the floods extended to the base of the cliffs; the
+regular channel of the river is about 200 feet wide, the water forming
+deep reaches often more than a mile long and separated by dry stony bars
+of shingle and rock. The sandstone is thicker here than towards Steep
+Head, but there is no change in the geological character, except that the
+chert-beds are not exposed. The tracks of several natives were observed,
+but they were not seen by us; at 2.0 p.m. resumed the journey up the
+river in a generally south direction, and at 4.30 encamped, but had great
+difficulty in forcing our way through the reeds to procure water.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of a Persei 15 degrees 41 minutes 54
+seconds.
+
+29th November.
+
+Left the camp at 6 a.m. and continued the route up the river to the south
+till 10.10, when we halted till 2.15 p.m., and then proceeded on till
+4.45, and encamped at a small pool of rainwater, the bank of the river
+being so steep and covered with high reeds that the water is scarcely
+accessible. The valley of the river is still bounded by sandstone cliffs;
+but as the strata are horizontal, and the bed of the river rises, the
+shales are not much exposed, and the alluvial banks reach to the base of
+the cliffs, which are so continuous that I have not yet seen a spot where
+we could have ascended the tableland in which the valley is excavated.
+Several tributary gullies having passed, but none worthy of special
+notice. Fragments of trap-rock are frequent in the bed of the river, and
+one specimen contained traces of carbonate of copper; at 6.0 thermometer
+92 degrees, aneroid 29.80, at the camp--sixty feet above the river.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 15 degrees 50 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+VALLEY SUDDENLY WIDENS.
+
+30th November.
+
+Resumed our route up the river at 5.40 a.m., the general course south;
+there being no change in the character of the country till 10.0, when the
+hills receded and the cliffs ceased; at 10.30 halted at a small pool in a
+back channel of the river. At noon the thermometer stood at 100 degrees
+in the shade, and the aneroid 29.75--forty feet above the river. Starting
+again at 2.0 p.m., soon entered an extensive plain extending to the east,
+south, and west; followed a large creek to the south-west till 6.15, and
+encamped.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 2 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+1st December.
+
+At 5.40 a.m. crossed the creek and steered east to the foot of a rocky
+hill, but not seeing the principal branch of the Victoria, returned to
+the creek and then steered south-south-west till 10.0 a.m., when we
+crossed two small creeks, in the second of which we found a pool of water
+surrounded by reeds (typha), and halted during the heat of the day. The
+country traversed was first a stony ridge, on which several small stone
+huts had been erected, but scarcely of sufficient size for a man to
+enter, and the roofs were only formed by a few pieces of wood and a
+little grass; they consist of a wall three feet high, in the form of a
+horseshoe, about three feet in diameter inside; the entrances of some had
+been closed with stones and afterwards partially opened, and I can only
+conjecture that, as the practice of carrying the bones of their deceased
+relatives prevails in this part of Australia, it is probable that these
+erections are used as temporary sepulchres. After crossing this stony
+ridge entered a level plain of clay, much fissured by the sun, and in
+some parts covered with fragments of jasper and sandstones; as the creek
+was approached limestone prevailed, but the exposed portion seemed to be
+formed by a rearrangement of the broken fragments of older rocks, which
+were visible in the gullies. The water at which we halted appeared to be
+supplied by a spring, and not to be the retention of rainwater. At 3.15
+p.m. proceeded in a westerly direction in search of the principal branch
+of the creek, which we reached at 4.0 p.m., but found it much reduced in
+size, not exceeding fifteen yards in width; followed it up for an hour,
+and camped at a small but deep pool of water, which is evidently supplied
+by a spring in the limestone rocks, which form the banks of the creek.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 10 minutes.
+
+JASPER RANGE.
+
+2nd December.
+
+Having filled our water-bags, we left the camp at 6.40 a.m., and steered
+a course of north 200 degrees east towards a range of hills composed of
+jasper rock, the highest point of which we reached at 10.0. The aneroid
+stood at 29.15; thermometer 94 degrees. Three miles to the south-west of
+this range the country rose into an elevated tableland higher than the
+Jasper Range; towards this we continued our route, following a small
+watercourse which gradually turned to the east. Finding the country very
+dry and rocky, and no prospect of finding a spot where the tableland
+could be ascended, we returned to the waterhole at which we camped last
+night.
+
+3rd December.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. were again in the saddle, and steering north till 7.20,
+ascended an isolated hill of trap-rock rising abruptly in the centre of
+the open plain about 200 feet. Having taken bearings of the surrounding
+ranges, steered north 30 degrees east till 10.30, across a level grassy
+plain to the creek, which, though much larger than at the camp, was
+destitute of water; but following its course downwards, at 10.50 halted
+at a small pool. Judging from the height that drift-wood was lodged in
+the branches of the trees, the floods rise about fifty feet; the regular
+channel is thirty yards wide; on the banks red, green, and white shales
+are exposed, but the bed of the creek is generally sandy. A large
+tributary appears to join this creek from the west, in which direction a
+large valley extends fifteen miles. At 3 p.m. steered east, and passed to
+the south of a remarkable sandstone hill, which we named Mount Sandiman,
+and at 5.30 reached the bank of the Victoria coming from the
+south-south-east; followed it up for one mile and encamped where a ledge
+of rock gave easy access to the water. In the evening there was a slight
+shower, and a heavy thunderstorm passed to the north.
+
+4th December.
+
+About 5.45 resumed our journey up the river, passing through wide grassy
+flats and over a sandstone ridge which was covered with triodia; from
+this ridge there was an extensive view of the country to the south and
+east, but no hills of greater elevation than the sandstone tableland were
+visible, and for twenty miles the valley of the river expanded into a
+wide plain thinly timbered with box-trees. Continuing a south-south-east
+course through a fine grassy country till 10.0, halted in a patch of
+green grass. The elevation of this part of the valley of the Victoria is
+not great, as the barometer stood at 29.77 forty feet above the river;
+thermometer, 101 degrees. The soil on the bank of the river is good and
+well-grassed, but the inundations during the rainy season extend on each
+side of the river several miles. The strata of the sandstone, where
+exposed, dip to the north, but there is no alteration in the character of
+the rocks. Abundance of portulaca grew near our halting place, and
+furnished us with an agreeable vegetable; this plant was afterwards found
+over the whole of Northern Australia, and proved a very valuable article
+of food. At 3.20 continued our route, and at 5.30 bivouacked at a small
+pool of rainwater in one of the back channels of the river, the banks of
+which were inconveniently covered with high reeds. During the night there
+was continuous light rain till 4.0 a.m.
+
+ABUNDANCE OF FISH.
+
+5th December.
+
+Continued our route up the river to the south-south-west from 5.45 a.m.
+till 10.45, passing through open grassy box flats; a low grassy range
+approached the right bank and again receded; to the west a range of
+broken hills rose to 500 feet parallel to our course and five miles
+distant. Halted in the bed of the river, which formed fine reaches of
+water, with dry sand-bars between; caught several catfish and perch;
+mussels were abundant, the form of the shell much longer than I have
+before seen in the other parts of the river. At noon: Barometer, 29.80;
+thermometer, 104 degrees; at 3.0 p.m.: Barometer, 29.65; thermometer, 93
+degrees. At 3.30 steered south from the right bank of the river, which
+turned to the westward; crossed some fine grassy country thinly timbered
+with box, and at 4.50 came to the southern branch of the river. This
+branch trended to the north-east, and consequently joins at a point lower
+down than where we crossed, the junction not having been observed. These
+two branches of the Victoria are so nearly equal in apparent size that it
+will remain for future examination to determine which is to be considered
+the tributary. Crossing to the right bank, we followed it upwards along
+the foot of the high land for half an hour, and encamped in the bed of
+the river.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 26 minutes.
+
+RETURN DOWN THE VICTORIA.
+
+6th December.
+
+The day commenced with a heavy thundershower, which continued for several
+hours; but the rain not being quite so heavy at 6 a.m., we started and
+proceeded along the bank of the river to a hill about one and a half
+miles south-west of the bivouac. On ascending the hill, we found that
+though the elevation and position accommodated a fine view in fine
+weather, yet the rain at the present time obscured all distant objects,
+but the country to the south and west consisted of flat-topped sandstone
+hills with large open valleys between; to the east the view was
+obstructed by rising ground, while to the north lay the vast grassy plain
+which we had traversed during the last two days. The western branch of
+the river turned to the west-south-west along the foot of the sandstone
+ranges, its course being marked by a line of green trees, which
+contrasted strongly with the white grass on the open plains on its banks.
+The south branch of the river appeared to come from a valley trending
+south-south-east, but the thick mist obscured that part of the country.
+As we had now examined the country sufficiently to enable the main party
+to advance a whole degree of latitude without any great impediment, and
+ascertained the general character of the country and the nature of the
+obstacles to be encountered, and on which the equipment of the party
+would in some measure depend, we turned our steps towards the principal
+camp, crossing the western branch of the river at 9.50, and reached our
+camp of the 4th at 3.20 p.m. The rain this morning cooled the air to 74
+degrees at 9 a.m. and 85 degrees at sunset.
+
+7th December.
+
+Resumed our journey down the river, following the outward track from 5.40
+a.m. till 11.0, when we halted till 3.25 p.m. Thermometer at noon 102
+degrees, with a cool southerly breeze; wet bulb, 78 degrees. Resuming our
+route, crossed to the right bank of the river, and bivouacked at the
+termination of the plains.
+
+8th December.
+
+At 5.45 a.m. proceeded down the right bank of the river, which was very
+rocky and steep; we therefore crossed to the left bank, and at 11.0
+halted one mile above the bivouac of the 29 ultimo. Between 2.0 and 3.0
+p.m. there was a heavy thunderstorm, when half an inch of rain fell; at
+3.45 resumed our journey, and encamped about four miles lower down the
+river.
+
+9th December.
+
+Followed the left bank of the river from 6.0 to 11.0 a.m.; found the
+travelling less stony and intersected by gullies than the right bank; at
+3.50 p.m. resumed our route, and at 6.30 encamped.
+
+10th December.
+
+Travelled down the river from 5.45 till 10.0 a.m.; when we halted a
+quarter of a mile above the camp of the 27th November. At 2.0 p.m. a
+heavy thundershower cooled the atmosphere from 100 degrees to 77 degrees.
+Resumed our journey at 3.0 and at 6.30 camped in the level plain at the
+foot of the Fitzroy Range, on the east side, water being abundant in
+every hollow, and since we passed up the river there has been heavy rain
+in this part of the country, and several of the gullies have been running
+eight feet deep. Shot a turkey and three black ibis. The Fitzroy Range
+extends about two miles north of a line from the gorge of the river to
+Bynoe Range, the Victoria winding round the north end of the range, and
+some tributary creeks appear to join from the north, as a valley extends
+several miles in that direction. The rain does not appear to have been
+general over the country, as it often occurs that after travelling over
+two or three miles of green grass where the gullies show signs of recent
+flood, that this beautiful verdure suddenly ceases, and we again
+encounter a dry and parched country which exhibits all the signs of an
+Australian summer.
+
+11th December.
+
+Left our camp at 5.45 a.m., and, steering west, crossed the low ridge of
+the Fitzroy Range, and having taken bearings of the features of the
+country, steered north 260 degrees east through the level plain which
+occupies the space between Wickham Heights and the Fitzroy Range, and
+which was named Beagle Valley by Captain Stokes. The soil of this plain
+is a brown clay, which in the dry weather crumbles into small pieces, so
+that the horses sink deeply into it; but in the wet season the whole is
+deep mud; it, however, appears to be very fertile, and produces an
+abundance of grass; the trees consist of bauhinia, acacia, and some
+eucalypti. Halting from 10.0 a.m. till 4.0 p.m. changed course to north
+245 degrees east, and after traversing a grassy box flat for two hours,
+camped at a small watercourse with pools of rainwater in a rocky
+limestone channel.
+
+BEAGLE VALLEY.
+
+12th December.
+
+Started at 5.30 a.m., and steered north 245 degrees east for one and a
+half hours, when we passed the high bluff of the range and changed the
+course north 330 degrees east, keeping three-quarters of a mile east of
+the remarkable hill called the Tower, by Captain Stokes, from a
+remarkable rock on the summit. The country was very rough and stony,
+though the ridge we passed over was not more than 200 or 300 feet above
+the river. Continuing a north-north-west course, at 9.45 reached the bank
+of the Victoria, which was followed on a course of 200 degrees till
+10.10, when a large creek joined the river; this creek drains nearly the
+whole of Beagle Valley, and takes its rise in the north-west slope of
+Stokes' Range. The course was then westerly till 12.15 p.m., when we
+encamped in a grassy flat one-third of a mile from the river. Marked a
+large adansonia tree 12 on its south side.
+
+13th December.
+
+Leaving our bivouac at 5.30 a.m., followed the valley of the river,
+passing the ridge at back of Steep Head at 10.0., and halted at Timber
+Creek at 11.0. The heavy rains which occurred in Beagle Valley do not
+appear to have extended to this part of the country, and the grass is
+still dry and withered. At 2.30 p.m. resumed our route and reached the
+principal camp at 6.30, and found the party all well, except Richards,
+who was still suffering severely from the injury to his wrist. Mr. Baines
+was absent, having started on Wednesday in search of two horses which had
+strayed to the westward.
+
+BAINES' RIVER.
+
+14th December.
+
+Messrs. Baines and Bowman returned with the stray horses, having found
+them on the bank of a small river fifteen miles to the west of the camp.
+This river, which I named the Baines River, has considerable pools of
+fresh water in its bed, which comes from the south-west, and flows into
+the large salt-water creek above Curiosity Peak. On one occasion Messrs.
+Baines and Bowman had halted to rest during the heat of the day, when
+they observed some blacks creeping towards them in the high grass; but,
+on finding they were observed, retired and soon returned openly with
+augmented numbers and approached with their spears shipped; but Mr.
+Baines and his companion having mounted their horses, galloped sharply
+towards them, and the blacks retreated with great precipitation. Mr. H.
+Gregory brought in the greater part of the horses; but as they had
+scattered very much in search of green grass, many of the horses were ten
+miles from the camp. Men employed cutting and carrying timber for the
+repair of the schooner, which work is progressing satisfactorily;
+computing astronomical observations.
+
+15th December.
+
+Party employed as before. One of the mares is reported to have foaled a
+fine filly. Thundershowers are frequent, and the country near the camp is
+clothed with verdure. Rode out with Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Baines to
+bring in some horses which had strayed, and which, after several hours'
+tracking, we found and brought to the camp. The horses are now much
+improved, and, with the exception of three which are still very weak, are
+now in a serviceable condition, though few are capable of carrying heavy
+loads or performing long journeys; but as grass and water are now
+abundant for the first 100 miles of the route towards the interior, I
+hope that by travelling easy stages the horses will improve, and
+preparations are being made for commencing the journey early in January.
+The country being impracticable for drays, and as the sheep cannot be
+driven with advantage, owing to the high grass and reeds, it is necessary
+to constitute the party so that the whole equipment can be conveyed by
+pack-horses, to accomplish which the party proceeding to the interior
+must not exceed nine in number, for which the horses are capable of
+conveying five months' provisions and equipment. The remaining half of
+the party will have full employment in the repair of the schooner and
+care of the stores--points of vital importance to the Expedition. It is
+therefore proposed to make the following division of the party, which,
+under existing circumstances, appears to me the most eligible.
+
+PREPARATIONS FOR EXPEDITION.
+
+16th December.
+
+The exploring party to consist of the following: Commander, A. Gregory;
+assistant commander, H. Gregory; artist, T. Baines; botanist, F. Mueller;
+collector, J. Flood; overseer, G. Phibbs; farrier, R. Bowman;
+harness-maker, C. Dean; stockman, J. Fahey.
+
+The party remaining in charge of the principal camp: Geologist, J.S.
+Wilson; surgeon, J.R. Elsey; overseer, C. Humphries; stockmen, Dawson,
+Shewell, Selby, Macdonald, Richards, Melville.
+
+17th December.
+
+Preparing a map of the late journey up the Victoria, shoeing horses, and
+other preparations for the expedition into the interior.
+
+18th December.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+19th December.
+
+Removing the bones from the salt pork which is to form part of the
+provisions of the exploring party; the reduction in weight is 17 per
+cent. Packing flour in double canvas bags, containing forty or fifty
+pounds each. In the centre of each bag of flour one pound of gunpowder is
+placed as the most secure from accidents. Shoeing horses, etc., as
+before. At 10 o'clock last night it commenced raining, and continued till
+daybreak; the day has been cool and cloudy.
+
+20th December.
+
+Party employed as before; killed one of the sheep, which weighed
+thirty-eight pounds. During last night it rained for four hours, and
+there have been showers to-day.
+
+21st December.
+
+Preparing for explorations as before. The river commenced running, but is
+still brackish. The weather is cloudy, with frequent showers; the country
+is becoming very soft and boggy.
+
+22nd December.
+
+Frequent heavy showers, especially at night. Mr. Wilson, Dr. Mueller, and
+Selby went down the river to examine Sea Range and procure specimens of
+rocks and plants. The repairs of the schooner requiring some broad iron,
+I had the ironwork of one of the drays appropriated to the purpose, as
+there was no iron of a suitable size on board the vessel. Party employed
+shoeing horses, fitting saddles, and general preparations of equipment
+for the exploring party.
+
+23rd December.
+
+Two of the horses have again strayed to the westward, and Mr. H. Gregory
+and Bowman were employed nearly the whole day in tracking them, and
+succeeded in bringing them in at night. The river is quite fresh, and
+running with a current from one to two miles per hour. Since the
+commencement of the rainy weather the general health of the party has
+improved; but this, perhaps, is due to the reduction of temperature,
+combined with greater regularity of habits and diet. Richards' arm is,
+however, in a very unsatisfactory state, though this is more the result
+of general ill-health than the original extent of actual injury.
+
+24th December.
+
+Preparing equipment, etc., as before. Dr. Mueller and Mr. Wilson returned
+in the boat from Sea Range. They report the river to be fresh at Sandy
+Island. Frequent heavy showers, which rendered the ground so soft that
+the horses cannot be hobbled without danger of their getting bogged, and
+it is scarcely possible to ride after them to herd them.
+
+25th December.
+
+Christmas day. Frequent heavy showers throughout the day and night.
+Killed a sheep; the weight, 38 1/2 pounds.
+
+26th December.
+
+Preparing equipment; fitting spare shoes for the horses, etc. Frequent
+showers.
+
+27th December.
+
+Packing stores, fitting saddles, etc. This has been the first fine day
+during the past week, having had only a single shower during the
+twenty-four hours.
+
+FLOOD IN THE RIVER.
+
+28th December.
+
+Party employed as before. The schooner was moved into the stream, as the
+drift-wood collected in large quantities, and could not be easily cleared
+away from the bows when moored near the bank. The water of the river is
+very muddy, and has risen about six feet above the ordinary high-water
+mark. The current is about two miles per hour. In winding chronometer
+2139, the chain, which was much corroded, broke, and the force of the
+recoil of the spring snapped it in so many places that I had to splice
+six of the links.
+
+29th December.
+
+As before--preparing equipment, etc.
+
+30th December (Sunday).
+
+31st December.
+
+Preparing tracings of maps, etc., completed the preparations for the
+exploration of the interior.
+
+A STAMPEDE.
+
+1st January, 1856.
+
+Wrote to Mr. Wilson, enclosing instructions for the guidance of the
+officer in charge of the camp on the Victoria. Wrote to the master of the
+Tom Tough instructions relative to the movements and repair of the Tom
+Tough, etc. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter requesting to be informed
+why he had been selected to take charge of the party at the principal
+camp. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply to his letter of this day's date.
+Having completed the preparations for the journey into the interior, the
+horses were saddled, and the party was on the point of starting, when a
+gun was fired on board the schooner, and the horses took fright and
+rushed wildly into the bush; and it was only after a hard gallop of two
+miles that they could be turned and driven back to the camp. Many of the
+saddles and loads were torn off by the horses having run against trees,
+and, as they had scattered very much, it took some time to collect the
+bags which had fallen from the horses, and four bags of provisions could
+not be found. A few of the straps of the colonial-made pack-saddles had
+given way, but there was no other damage done to them; but the
+English-made saddle was shaken to pieces. The party were occupied in the
+evening repairing damages.
+
+2nd January.
+
+Completed the repair of the saddlery, etc. broken yesterday; two of the
+missing bags were found, but a heavy shower having obliterated the tracks
+of the horses, two bags of sugar and sago were lost.
+
+3rd January.
+
+All arrangements being complete, the party commenced their journey at 11
+a.m., and, proceeding up the river to Timber Creek, encamped there at 3.0
+p.m.
+
+The following is a memorandum of the arrangements and equipment of the
+party:
+
+The Party: Commander, A.C. Gregory; assistant-commander, H.C. Gregory;
+artist, T. Baines; botanist, F. Mueller, collector, J. Flood; overseer,
+G. Phibbs; farrier, R. Bowman; harness-maker, C. Dean; stockman, J.
+Fahey.
+
+Horses: 27 pack-horses with pack-saddles; 3 pack-horses with
+riding-saddles; 6 riding-horses.
+
+Provisions for five months: Flour, 1,470 pounds; pork, 1200 pounds; rice,
+200 pounds; sago, 44 pounds; sugar, 280 pounds; tea, 36 pounds; coffee,
+28 pounds; tobacco, 21 pounds; soap, 51 pounds. Total, 3,330 pounds.
+
+Equipment: Instruments, clothing, tents, ammunition, horseshoes, tools,
+etc., 800 pounds; saddle-bags and packages, 400 pounds; saddles, bridles,
+hobbles, etc., 900 pounds. Total, 5,430 pounds.
+
+SENTRIES AT NIGHT.
+
+The total weight was thus about two and a half tons, which, distributed
+on thirty horses, gave a load of 180 pounds each horse. Each person had a
+stated number of horses in his special charge, and was responsible for
+the proper care of the loads and equipment, the saddles and loads being
+all marked with numbers. A watch was constantly kept through the night,
+each person being on sentry for two hours in regular rotation, except
+myself, as I had to make astronomical observations at uncertain hours.
+The cook was on watch from 2.0 till 4.0 a.m., and having prepared
+breakfast, the party concluded this meal at daybreak, and thus the most
+valuable part of the day was not lost.
+
+4th January.
+
+Started at 7 a.m. and followed up the creek; but Dr. Mueller having
+wandered away into the rocky hills and lost himself, I halted at the
+first convenient spot, having despatched several of the party to search
+for him, but it was not till 4 p.m. that the Doctor reached the camp. At
+noon there was a shower of rain, which reduced the temperature to 92
+degrees.
+
+ASCEND TABLELAND.
+
+5th January.
+
+The day broke with a heavy shower, which continued till 7.30 a.m., when
+it was followed by a cool breeze from the west; at 8.30 steered north 150
+degrees east magnetic up the valley of the creek till 11.0, when,
+crossing a low rocky ridge, we descended into Beagle Valley, and,
+steering 160 degrees till 2.10 p.m., halted at a small creek. The country
+is now covered with fine grass, and water is abundant, though the smaller
+watercourses have ceased to flow. In the evening walked to a hill about a
+mile from the camp; it was only 150 feet high, but gave a fine view of
+the distant ranges.
+
+6th January.
+
+It rained continuously during the night, with thunder and lightning. At
+8.0 a.m. steered 160 degrees and soon came on a small creek with
+water-pandanus on its banks; followed it to the south-south-east; at 11.0
+crossed it and changed the course to south-east, and at 11.30 encamped in
+a small gully; I then went with Mr. H. Gregory to look for a practicable
+ascent of Stokes' Range; having been successful in the search, we
+returned to the camp at 6 p.m. There are few spots where this range can
+be ascended, as a line of cliffs run along the brow of the hills varying
+from 10 to 100 feet in height. While on the hill we saw a few blacks, but
+they did not approach; the day was cloudy and cool, clearing after
+sunset.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Capella 15 degrees 59 minutes 57 seconds.
+
+7th January.
+
+The day again commenced with heavy showers, which lasted till 7 a.m. At
+7.30 started on a course of 120 degrees; reached the foot of the
+sandstone range at 8.50, and the summit at 9.30, the tableland on the top
+of the range being intersected by deep ravines trending to the
+south-west; we steered east till 11.40, when we came to a deep valley
+trending east-south-east; having made the necessary observations for
+elevation, commenced the descent of the hills, which was practicable in
+few places, as the valley was walled-in by steep hills crowned by
+sandstone cliffs 20 to 100 feet in height, with only an occasional break.
+At 1.0 p.m. reached the base of the hill, and encamped at a small gully.
+The summit of the range is nearly a level tableland, the undulations not
+exceeding 100 feet, but is intersected by deep ravines with perpendicular
+sides, which vary from 100 to 600 feet in depth. The upper rock is
+sandstone, and the soil on it very poor and sandy, producing small
+eucalypti, hakea, grevillia, and a sharp spiny grass (triodia); this is
+the spinifex of Captain Sturt and other Australian explorers. The
+character of the country is similar to that of the interior of some parts
+of the western coast.
+
+Latitude by Capella 15 degrees 59 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+JASPER CREEK. GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+8th January.
+
+Heavy rain till 7.0 a.m.; at 7.15 started and followed down the valley of
+the creek to south-south-east and south till 9.0, when it joined a larger
+valley trending east, in which a large creek in high flood obstructed our
+course. As the water was too deep to ford, we fixed a rope to a branch of
+a tree and passed the packs over the stream. This was accomplished at 3.0
+p.m., and the water having also sunk a foot, the horses crossed over, and
+we encamped on the south side of the creek. The valleys are well grassed,
+and vary from a quarter to three-quarters of a mile in width, the hills
+rising steeply from the base to near the summit, where they are crowned
+by a sandstone cliff 20 to 150 feet high; the summits are level, or
+nearly so, as the valleys are only deep ravines excavated in the
+tableland. The valley of the larger creek appears to expand about five
+miles to the west of the camp, and the hills all rounded in their
+outline.
+
+9th January.
+
+A light shower at night was followed by a cool cloudy morning. At 6.50
+a.m. followed down the creek to the east, and crossed to the left bank to
+avoid a rocky hill. On attempting to cross lower down, one of the
+pack-horses was carried down the stream some distance by the force of the
+current, and the saddle-bags were recovered a quarter of a mile below.
+The valley contracted as we proceeded, and at length the steep cliff left
+no passage on the left bank, and we had to return one and a half miles up
+the creek and cross to the right bank, when our course was again
+obstructed by a large tributary, which was crossed with some difficulty,
+and we passed through the rough rocky gorge of the creek, where the cliff
+approached the bank of the stream so closely that there was scarcely
+space for a horse to pass. At 12.10 p.m. camped on the bank of the creek
+at the termination of the hilly country, and, ascending a rocky
+elevation, obtained a view of the valley of the Victoria, and ascertained
+that we were on one of the branches of Jasper Creek. The afternoon and
+night were showery.
+
+10th January.
+
+Started at 6.30 a.m. and steered south-east, leaving the creek to the
+north; the country soon changed to a level plain well-grassed, but, owing
+to the late rain, very soft and muddy; at 10.20 passed to the north end
+of Jasper Range, and came to a creek fifteen yards wide trending
+north-east. Having forded the creek, camped on the right bank. The soil
+of the country traversed this day is a good brown loam on the plains, but
+rough and stony on the hills. The trees are of a small size, principally
+box and bauhinia. Sandstone is the prevailing rock, sometimes passing
+into jasper, and also into chert and coarse limestone. Small veins of
+quartz intersected the jasper, and contained small crystals of sulphuret
+of copper and iron.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella, 116 degrees 6 minutes 54 seconds;
+variation of compass, 3 degrees 6 minutes east.
+
+11th January.
+
+One of the mares having foaled in the night, she was not fit for a day's
+journey; we therefore remained at the camp, and employed the day in
+repairing and adjusting the saddles, and other works of indispensable
+nature; marked a large gum-tree NAE, 11 Jan., 1856.
+
+12th January.
+
+The night was fine, with a heavy dew and a light breeze from the south.
+At 6.15 a.m. steered north 150 degrees east over the level country which
+extends along the east side of Jasper Range; the soil is stony, but well
+grassed, and the fine weather had allowed the surface to become firm, so
+that the horses were not often bogged. At 12.25 p.m. camped on a small
+creek between the Fitzgerald and Jasper Ranges; marked a gum-tree at camp
+Number 9. The general character of this part of the country is good and
+well suited for stock, though not equal to the basaltic country to the
+eastward on the Victoria. Hard sandstone, jasper, and coarse limestone
+are the prevailing rocks.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran, Saturn, and a Orionis 16 degrees 16 minutes 22
+seconds.
+
+FINE PLAINS.
+
+13th January.
+
+The night cool and clear; thermometer 62 degrees at sunrise with heavy
+dew; steering an average south course from 6.40 a.m. till 11.25, reached
+the western branch of the Victoria River and encamped. The country
+traversed was nearly level and well grassed and thinly wooded with
+eucalypti and bauhinia; the soil is brown loam with small fragments of
+limestone; the river was running strong, but not in flood; the greatest
+rise this season had been only ten feet, and the usual flood-marks were
+twenty feet higher.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella 16 degrees 25 minutes 12 seconds.
+
+14th January.
+
+Followed the river to the west-south-west, crossing two large tributary
+creeks from the north-west, approaching the sandstone ranges on the
+western side of the plain; the soil did not improve, but became very
+sandy; the country is thinly wooded with box-trees and bauhinia of small
+size; grass is abundant and good. At noon one of the pack-horses, Sam,
+knocked up, and his load being transferred to one of the riding-horses,
+he was left to rest while we sought a suitable spot for a camp, and at
+12.15 p.m. halted at a small gully, as the bank of the river was unsafe
+for the horses, being very boggy. Sent back for the horse Sam, and
+brought him to camp; ascended the hill to the north-west of the camp to
+take bearings, but no important features of the country were visible; in
+ascending the hill the aneroid (B) fell from 29.62 to 28.55 degrees, and
+on descending only rose to 28.80 degrees, the estimated height being 300
+feet; as this indicated a change in form of the metal of the instrument,
+I re-adjusted it to the aneroid (A), 29.45 degrees. The continuance of
+fine weather and forward state of the grass led to the supposition that
+the wet season had already terminated, though only two months have
+elapsed since the first rains. It is probable that the wet season is much
+shorter in the interior than on the coast, and at no great distance
+inland the tropical wet season will cease altogether, as Captain Sturt,
+in latitude 26 degrees, only observed a fall of rain in the month of
+August; but this might be exceptional, as in the case of Dr. Leichhardt,
+who never encountered a rainy season during the journey to Port
+Essington.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella 16 degrees 27 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+15th January.
+
+Started at 6.45 a.m. and followed the river to the west-south-west; the
+hills coming close to the bank for some miles, caused the journey to be
+slow and difficult; crossed two large creeks coming from the
+west-north-west, the second seventy yards wide; at 10.35 encamped in a
+fine grassy flat. The course of the river was now more from the south,
+and the valley expanded into a plain several miles wide.
+
+16th January.
+
+As several of the horses required a day's rest, at 6.0 a.m. I started
+with Mr. H. Gregory to examine the country to the southward, and followed
+the river through a fine grassy plain till 10.0, when it entered the
+sandstone ranges, and the valley contracted to half a mile; the hills
+were steep, but the level ground in the valley, except where intersected
+by gullies, was good travelling and well grassed. The river is much
+reduced in size and the water is confined to the smaller channels of the
+principal bed; the water is clear, and had not that muddy appearance
+which characterises it lower down. The geological character of the rocks
+is unchanged; but the bed of the river being less deeply excavated, the
+lower beds of limestone and jasper are not so largely developed, the
+summit of the hills are not quite as level, and large blocks of
+sandstone, the remains of an upper stratum, gives the country a very
+rugged appearance. Returned to the camp at 6.30 p.m. In the evening there
+was a heavy thunder-squall from the north, but the weather cleared at
+midnight.
+
+LOSE A HORSE.
+
+17th January.
+
+Started at 7.5 a.m. and steered a south-west course till 10.30 a.m.,
+passing over a level grassy flat the whole distance; but the soil became
+more sandy as we proceeded up the river; there is very little wood of any
+description; the few trees that exist are white-stem eucalypti and a few
+acacia with pinnate leaves; the horse Sam is very weak, and two other
+horses are lame and can scarcely travel; since the 3rd of January the
+distance travelled has not exceeded ten miles per diem; water and grass
+everywhere abundant, and the loads not heavy, yet the greater part of the
+horses appear to be unable to perform a greater amount of work.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran 16 degrees 36 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+18th January.
+
+Some of the horses having strayed towards our last camp, we were detained
+till 8.10 a.m. and then steered south for three miles; the sandstone
+hills here closed in on each side of the river, scarcely leaving a
+passage at the base of the steep rocks; here the horse Sam fell into a
+pool of water, and when extricated could not stand; this having caused
+considerable delay, we encamped in a grassy flat half a mile farther on;
+in the evening sent Bowman and Dean to bring the horse to the camp, but
+they found him dead; marked a tree near camp 14.
+
+19th January.
+
+The night was fine, with heavy dew, the temperature 73 degrees at
+sunrise; having collected the horses and saddled at 6.45 a.m., left the
+camp and followed the valley of the river on an average south-west
+course, crossing a large creek from the north-west; the valley of the
+river expanded to three miles and then narrowed to one mile, and the
+course of the river was nearly west till 10.50 a.m., when we encamped;
+the soil of the valley is a brown loam, producing abundance of grass; but
+the hills, though less rocky, are more barren than lower down the river;
+the character of the channel of the river has altered, and has the
+appearance of a stream which continues to run late into the dry season,
+as the channels are narrow and fringed with pandanus, melaleuca, and
+other trees which grow near permanent water; the banks are of less height
+and the timber on them grows to a greater size than lower down the
+valley; at 1.0 p.m. the thermometer 100 degrees, and the wet bulb 76
+degrees, indicating 24 degrees of evaporation.
+
+CROSS THE WICKHAM RIVER.
+
+20th January.
+
+Left the camp at 6.55 a.m. and followed the river in a west-north-west
+direction till 8.5, when we crossed at a ledge of rocks which caused a
+fall of about one foot, the water being twenty yards wide and one to two
+feet deep; but above and below the rapid the river formed fine reaches
+seventy yards wide; the course was now west-south-west till 9.0 a.m.,
+when the river turned west, and at 10.50 came to a large stony creek from
+the south-west, at which we encamped; the country on the banks of the
+river rises gradually as it recedes, and, except within the influence of
+the floods, is poor and stony, producing little besides a sharp grass
+(triodia)--this is the spinifex of some Australian explorers--a few small
+gum-trees and bushes. As we progress towards the interior the wet season
+appears to have been of less duration and the fall of rain less, yet the
+great heat has forced the vegetation towards maturity, and many of the
+grasses have already ripened their seeds, while there are many other
+indications of the dry season having fairly set in; the wind is steadily
+from the south and south-east, and is very dry; the sky is clear and
+bright, and the creeks have ceased to run; the almost total absence of
+birds or animals shows that we are approaching the limits of the dry
+summer season of the southern interior; in the afternoon rode out with
+Mr. H. Gregory to examine the country, and found that the river came
+through a gorge in the sandstone range; this gorge is two miles long, a
+quarter of a mile wide, and 400 feet deep, with nearly perpendicular
+sides, the winter channel of the river occupying nearly the whole
+breadth, and intersecting the otherwise flat bottom of the valley with
+dry sandy channels and long pools of water; beyond the gorge the valley
+opened, but the view was intercepted by hills.
+
+A HORSE KILLED.
+
+21st January.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.10 a.m., and, following the right bank of the
+river nearly west through the gorge, at 9.0 entered an open valley,
+through which the river came from the south-west; but at 10.0 we entered
+a second defile, which, from the inclined strata of sandstone, was almost
+impassable for the horses. In crossing some soft ground between the rocks
+one of the horses fell on a sharp stump, and was deeply wounded in the
+belly. The wound was sewn up; but the injury was so severe that the horse
+died in the night. Having extricated ourselves from this ravine, we
+encamped at the foot of a sandstone hill, the strata of which dipped 60
+degrees to the south-west. Ascending the hill, which was about 300 feet
+high, the country appeared more level to the south, rising into sandstone
+ranges at ten miles distance. The course of the river was from
+west-south-west, the channel being bounded by sandstone cliffs 100 to 200
+feet high. The general aspect of the country was wretched in the extreme,
+as little besides a few small gum-trees and triodia clothed the rugged
+surface of the red sandstone. The weather continues fine, with only an
+occasional cloud or flash of lightning in the early part of the night.
+The temperature is increasing, being 104 degrees at 1.0 p.m. Some catfish
+and a small tortoise were caught in the river.
+
+22nd January.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. continued our route up the river; but, to avoid the deep
+ravines on its banks, made a sweep to the south, and at noon encamped in
+a grassy flat on the bank of the river. The country traversed was very
+barren and rocky, and the horses had great difficulty in crossing the
+deep ravines; many of their shoes were torn from their feet during the
+day's journey. The highest ridge crossed was 500 feet above the bed of
+the river, the height of which is approximately 500 feet above the
+sea-level, and thus the general level of the tableland may be considered
+to be 1000 feet above the sea. The general course of the river being from
+the west, it appears advisable to reconnoitre the country to the south.
+
+Latitude by Capella 16 degrees 47 minutes 58 seconds.
+
+RECONNOITRE TO THE SOUTH.
+
+23rd January.
+
+Leaving the camp in charge of Dr. Mueller, at 6.30 a.m. started in a
+southerly direction, accompanied by Messrs. H. Gregory and Baines, taking
+with us four horses and six days' rations, etc.; after clearing the deep
+rocky gullies near the river, we passed over a more level country with
+some fine open plains covered with fine grass, but the intervening ridges
+were very stony; at 9.45 a.m. reached the highest part of the range, and
+the country declined to the south-east, and intersected by deep rocky
+ravines trending towards a large valley, which is probably drained by the
+southern branch of the Victoria; the course was now south-east,
+descending to the valley of a creek, through a very barren and rugged
+sandstone country, producing little besides stunted eucalypti, acacia,
+and triodia. At 11.15 a.m. halted at the creek, and resumed our route at
+3.0 p.m., and followed the valley to the south-east till 4.40 p.m., when
+it turned east through a rocky gorge between cliffs 150 feet high; but
+notwithstanding the dense bush of pandanus, fallen rocks and deep muddy
+channel of the creek, we succeeded in forcing our way through the gorge
+of the creek, and bivouacked in the open valley below at 5.30 p.m., there
+being a fine patch of grass in the flat, though the surrounding country
+is rocky and barren. The sandstone rocks show a great disturbance and dip
+at all angles and directions, so that no general angle or strike could be
+determined; the upper rocks, however, show a new feature in a coarse
+conglomerate of fragments of the lower sandstones and a few fragments of
+basalt; some of the enclosed pieces of rock are nearly a foot in
+diameter, and are mostly angular, though occasionally round; this rock
+forms a horizontal bed of 100 feet in thickness. Towards evening the sky
+was clouded, with lightning to the east, but no rain.
+
+BASALTIC PLAINS.
+
+24th January.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. crossed the creek, and steered south-east over broken
+sandstone ridges till 8.0, when we entered a plain of basaltic formation
+covered with good grass, and where the ground was not entirely composed
+of fragments of rock the soil was a rich black loam; crossing the large
+creeks trending north, at 10.0 a.m. halted on the second. These creeks
+appear to rise in a steep range of sandstone hills which bound the
+basaltic plains to the west, about two miles from our track. At 3.0 p.m.
+resumed our route and traversed the trap plain for one and a half hours,
+and bivouacked in a small gully; the country on both sides of our track
+seems to be of trap formation for several miles, and then rises into
+sandstone hills with flat tops. The basaltic rock of this plain is not of
+great thickness, as the sandstone rose in a few spots above its surface
+and formed small islands covered with coarse vegetation, surrounded by
+the open grassy plain. The basalt seems to have been poured out into the
+valley after it had been excavated in the sandstone, and not to have been
+much disturbed subsequently. The surface of the plain is very stony, and
+the horses' feet were much injured by the roughness of the rock.
+
+STONE SPEAR HEADS.
+
+25th January.
+
+The night was cloudy, and it was not till after daybreak that I could get
+observations for latitude by altitudes of Venus and b Centauri. At 6.5
+a.m. were again in the saddle, and steered south-east to a rocky hill,
+which we reached at 7.0; the hill was sandstone, rising about 150 feet
+above the trap plain; from the summit the view was extensive, but from
+the broken nature of the country to the east nothing could be traced of
+either the courses of creeks or rivers; to the south the trap plain rose
+to a greater elevation than the summit of the hill we were on, and was
+surmounted by table hills of sandstone at ten miles distance to the east
+and north-east; the country appeared to consist of plains of basaltic
+formation, well grassed, and very thinly wooded. Leaving this hill at
+8.0, followed a dry rocky creek to the east and north-east, through
+basaltic plains with sandstone hills and ridges, till 10.30, and halted
+during the heat of the day. At this place the bed of the creek had been
+cut through the basalt into the sandstone, exposing a fine section of the
+junction of the two rocks; the sandstone was much altered at the line of
+contact, and, having been deeply cracked, the basalt had filled the
+fissures of the older rock. This altered sandstone and also a white
+quartz-like rock are much used by the natives for the heads of their
+spears; and during this day's journey great quantities of broken stones
+and imperfect spear heads were noticed on the banks of the creek. At 3.45
+p.m. recommenced our journey, and proceeded down the creek to the
+north-east till 6.30, and bivouacked.
+
+Latitude by Capella, Saturn, and Canopus 17 degrees 24 seconds.
+
+ROE'S DOWNS.
+
+26th January.
+
+Having ascertained that the party could be moved across the range to the
+basalt plains with advantage, commenced our return to the camp by a
+westerly route across the plain, which rose gently for ten miles, and was
+well grassed, but thinly wooded; the soil was stony, with fragments of
+altered sandstone and basalt. On the higher part of the plain there were
+several hills of trap-rock, forming flat-topped ridges trending north and
+south; the highest of these we named Mount Sanford, and the plains Roe's
+Downs. The country now generally sloped to the bank of the creek near the
+western limit of the plain, at which, after six hours' ride, we halted at
+11.35. The banks of the creek are of trap-rock; but the sandstone is
+exposed in the bed; the pools of water are deep and apparently permanent.
+At 4.0 resumed our route and passed over about one mile of sandstone, and
+then two miles of basalt, and bivouacked at a small gully at the western
+limit of the valley.
+
+27th January.
+
+At 5.30 a.m. steered north-north-west, over several ridges of sandstone,
+till we struck our outward track, which we followed with some deviations
+to the camp, which was reached at 2.0 p.m. The evening was cloudy with a
+smart thunder-shower. Dr. Mueller informed me that he had traced the
+river about six miles to the west-south-west, but that beyond that point
+it appeared to come from the north-west, in which direction there was a
+low range of hills.
+
+28th January.
+
+Having collected the horses, at 7.15 a.m. steered south to the rocky
+creek, and followed it down to the rocky gorge and encamped. As the
+valley was completely walled in by steep rocks, it appeared to be a
+suitable spot for a depot camp, as it would prevent the horses from
+straying; and, from the rapidity with which the water in the creeks was
+drying up, it became desirable that no time should be lost in pushing to
+the head of the Victoria while it was practicable to cross the ranges in
+which it was supposed to rise; but as many of the horses were quite unfit
+for the journey, it became necessary to leave them in some convenient
+spot while a small party pushed on with a light equipment.
+
+FORM A DEPOT CAMP.
+
+29th January.
+
+Preparing equipment for the party proceeding to the interior and making
+arrangements for the formation of the depot camp; the party to consist of
+myself, Mr. H. Gregory, Dr. Mueller, and C. Dean, Mr. Baines remaining at
+the depot in charge. Selected eleven of the strongest horses and had them
+re-shod; fitted four with riding and seven with pack saddles. The
+following provisions were packed for the journey: 150 pounds pork, 300
+pounds flour, 50 pounds rice, 10 pounds sago, 8 pounds tea, 6 pounds
+coffee, 48 pounds sugar.
+
+30th January.
+
+Left the camp at 7.30 a.m. and steered an average course south-south-east
+till 10.20, over stony ground, at the junction of the sandstone and trap
+formation, and camped at a fine running creek which came from a rocky
+gorge in the sandstone range to the west of our course. Messrs. Baines
+and Bowman, who had accompanied us thus far, returned to the camp, which
+I had instructed him to move to this creek as better for the horses, as
+one of them had shown symptoms of poison, and I feared to leave them in
+that locality. A severe attack of the fever, from which I had been
+suffering since the beginning of the month, precluded our proceeding
+farther this day, as I had at first intended. At 5 p.m. it commenced
+raining, and continued till midnight with incessant thunder and
+lightning.
+
+31st January.
+
+Being able to mount my horse, at 8 a.m. left the camp and steered a
+course south-east by south, along the foot of the sandstone range--the
+basalt plain extending to the north-east. At 12.45 p.m. camped on a
+shallow watercourse trending to the south-south-west. The whole of the
+country to the east of our track, except some isolated hills, appear to
+be covered with excellent grass. The evening was raining, with continuous
+thunder.
+
+1st February.
+
+Steered north 160 degrees east from 6.25 a.m. till 7.0 across the
+basaltic plain, then crossed a large creek trending east, in which there
+were some large pools of water. We then entered the sandstone country,
+and crossed several rocky ridges; at 9.10 we had a good view from one of
+the ridges to the north and east. Fine grassy plains extended almost to
+the horizon, to the south the country consisted of sandstone ranges, and
+to the south-east large grassy plains and rocky ridges appeared to
+alternate with each other. Changing the course to south-east, traversed a
+fine plain covered with grass, beyond which was a rocky ridge, and then a
+second plain, in which we halted at 11.10, as I was unable to keep on my
+horse, owing to an attack of fever. At 2 p.m. again proceeded, and after
+crossing some rugged country with deep rocky ravines, at length reached a
+large creek, at which we encamped, though there was nothing but reeds and
+triodia for the horses to eat.
+
+2nd February.
+
+Left the camp at 6 a.m. and followed the creek up for three-quarters of
+an hour before we could find a crossing place; the course was then
+south-south-east over very broken sandstone country; at 9.50 halted in a
+grassy valley to feed the horses, and at 2.30 p.m. resumed our route
+south-east, crossed a sandstone ridge, and descended into a wide valley,
+the centre of which was occupied by a basaltic plain, at the edge of
+which we encamped at 3.55 p.m.
+
+CRESTED PIGEON.
+
+3rd February.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. ascended the trap plain and steered north 190 degrees east;
+at 6.45 a.m. came to a large creek from the west, which joined the
+Victoria three-quarters of a mile to the east; but the deep and rocky
+character of the valley, or rather ravine, in which it ran precluded our
+approaching it, and we had to turn to the west, and descend from the
+basalt to the sandstone before the creek could be passed. Continuing an
+average south course, at 10.10 a.m. came to the Victoria River; the whole
+channel did not exceed 150 yards in breadth, of which only twenty to
+fifty were now occupied by water, and the rest by dry rocks and gravel,
+overgrown by bushes. With great difficulty we followed the river upwards,
+and were compelled to follow up a tributary creek for about a mile, and
+then encamped. Near this camp I saw the crested pigeon of Western
+Australia for the first time in this part of Australia.
+
+Latitude by Leonis 17 degrees 41 minutes.
+
+4th February.
+
+Left the camp at 5.55 a.m. and steered nearly south for six hours, and
+then encamped on the bank of the Victoria River, at the end of a fine
+deep pool seventy yards wide, but at the lower end the water was
+contracted into a shallow rapid ten yards wide. The country traversed is
+of basaltic formation in the valley, but the hills are of sandstone, and
+rise on each side from 200 to 300 feet, and the whole appearance of the
+country shows that there has been little change in the form of the
+surface since the basalt was poured into the valley. On the banks of a
+small creek we saw a flock of tribonyx--a bird which has created some
+speculation as to its proper habitat, as it often makes its appearance in
+large numbers at the Swan River, on the western coast.
+
+Latitude by Canopus 17 degrees 52 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+THUNDERSTORM AND SQUALL.
+
+5th February.
+
+Started at 5.55 a.m., and steered south-west, keeping parallel to the
+river at about a mile from it, as the creeks cut so deeply into the rock
+near the river that they are impassable; at 9.20 a.m. crossed to the
+right bank of the river, and continued a south-west course, but found the
+country exceedingly rough and rocky, and therefore turned to the
+north-west to the river, and at 11.30 a.m. camped at a fine pool of
+water. In the afternoon we were visited by a sudden thunder-squall;
+fortunately the tents had not been set up, or they must have been blown
+to pieces. The valley of the river has contracted to about fifteen miles,
+and turns to the west, but a branch seems to come from the south, and a
+second from the north-west. The country is, however, nearly level, and it
+is difficult to ascertain the limits of the valley, as many portions of
+the original tableland exist as detached hills and ridges. Though the
+horses are well shod, they are becoming lame and footsore from
+continually travelling over rough and stony country, as more than half of
+the last 100 miles has been so completely covered with fragments of rock
+that the soil, if any exists, has been wholly concealed.
+
+6th February.
+
+Leaving the camp at 6.20 a.m., steered south up the valley of a large
+creek. At first the ground was very rough and rocky, but as we proceeded
+it became more level and sandy--the bed of the creek being worn in the
+basalt, and the hills of sandstone conglomerate rising 100 to 200 feet.
+Except on the bank of the creek, there was no grass, the hills being
+covered with triodia. Encamped in a grassy flat at 11.30 a.m.
+
+Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 48 seconds.
+
+CROSS WATERSHED TO INTERIOR. HOOKER'S CREEK.
+
+7th February.
+
+At 6.30 resumed our journey to the south-south-west, and reached the head
+of the creek at 8.0 a.m. Ascending the tableland by an abrupt slope of
+100 feet, our course was south one mile, when the southern slope was
+reached, and a large shallow valley extended across our course, beyond
+which a vast and slightly undulating plain extended to the horizon with
+scarcely a rising ground to relieve its extreme monotony. Descending by a
+very gentle slope into the valley, at 9.40 a.m. crossed a small
+watercourse trending south-east, and then passed through a plain densely
+covered with kangaroo-grass seven to nine feet high, and at 10.40 a.m.
+encountered the level sandy country beyond, which was covered with
+triodia and small acacia and gum trees, or rather bushes. Seeing little
+prospects of either water or grass to the southward, turned east to the
+creek, at which we encamped at 12.30 p.m. The bed of the creek was dry,
+except a few shallow pools of rainwater, and there had been so little
+rain this season that no water had flowed down the channel. A level
+grassy flat extended nearly a mile on each side of the creek, which
+indicated the extent of occasional inundations, beyond which the country
+was very sandy and covered with small gum-trees, acacia, and triodia.
+
+Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 3 seconds.
+
+8th February.
+
+The country to the south being so level and barren that we could not
+expect to find either water or grass in that direction, at 6.0 a.m.
+steered north 110 degrees east along the course of the creek, which
+turned somewhat to the north of our track for a few miles; but at 8.0
+again came on its banks. The country was very barren and sandy, with
+small trees of silver-leafed ironbark and triodia, except on the
+inundated flats of the creek, which were well grassed and thinly wooded
+with box-trees. The course of the creek was now nearly south-east, but
+the channel decreased in size, and was quite dry till 10.0 a.m., when we
+reached a fine pool which had been filled by a tributary gully. Here we
+halted and shot several ducks. At 2.45 p.m. resumed our route, and at
+3.20 came to a level grassy flat, on which the channel of the creek was
+completely lost. Crossing the flat to the east, the country was quite
+level and sandy; therefore turned to the north, where there seemed to be
+a slight depression, and at 4.50 came to a shallow pool of rainwater, at
+which we encamped. Frequent showers during the night.
+
+THE DESERT INTERIOR.
+
+9th February.
+
+On winding the chronometers this morning, found the chain of 2139, by
+Arnold, was broken. Taking advantage of the cool cloudy morning, we
+steered south at 6.5 a.m. to ascertain if the water of the creek, after
+spreading on the grassy flat, collected again and found an outlet to the
+southward, but found the ground rise in that direction; observed a slight
+hollow to the west, for which we steered, but found it terminate on the
+sandy plain, and the country became a perfect desert of red sand, with
+scattered tufts of triodia and a few bushes of eucalypti and acacia. At
+noon, finding it hopeless to proceed further into the desert, we turned
+our steps to the north-north-east, and returned to our camp of last
+night. In returning to the camp we ascended a slight elevation, from
+which there was an uninterrupted view of the desert from east to
+south-west. The horizon was unbroken; all appeared one slightly
+undulating plain, with just sufficient triodia and bushes growing on it
+to hide the red sand when viewed at a distance. The day was remarkably
+cool and cloudy; the temperature at noon 86 degrees. Though the rain at
+the camp had been abundant during the previous night, it had not extended
+more than five miles into the desert, which is more remarkable, as the
+clouds were moving to the south.
+
+TURN TO THE WEST.
+
+10th February.
+
+As the horses required a day's rest, we remained at our camp, which
+enabled us to repair our saddles and perform other necessary work.
+Repaired the chronometer and one of the aneroid barometers, which had
+been broken by the motion of one of the pack-horses. As there was no
+practicable route to the south, and the sandstone hills to the north
+seemed to diminish in elevation to the east, I decided on following the
+northern limit of the desert to the west till some line of practicable
+country was found by which to penetrate the country to the south. In
+selecting a westerly route I was also influenced by the greater elevation
+of the country on the western side of the Victoria, and the fact that all
+the larger tributaries join from that side of the valley. It is also
+probable that, should the waters of the interior not be lost in the sandy
+desert, they will follow the southern limit of the elevated tract of
+sandstone which occupies north-west Australia from Roebuck Bay to the
+Gulf of Carpentaria, both of which points are nearly in the same latitude
+as our present position, from which it may be assumed that the line of
+greatest elevation is between the 17th and 18th parallels. None of the
+rivers crossed by Leichhardt are of sufficient magnitude to drain the
+country beyond the coast range, and therefore any streams descending from
+the tableland to the south will either be absorbed in the sandy desert or
+follow the southern limit of the sandstone and flow into the sea to the
+south-west of Roebuck Bay. There is, however, reason to expect that, as
+the interior of north-west Australia is partly within the influence of
+the tropical and partly the extra-tropical climates, it does not enjoy a
+regular rainy season; and though heavy rain doubtless falls at times, it
+is neither sufficiently general or regular to form rivers of sufficient
+magnitude to force their way through the flat sandy country to the coast.
+
+Latitude by Capella 18 degrees 20 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+11th February.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. proceeded up the creek, and at 12.30 p.m. camped at a
+shallow pool of rainwater on the flat, the channel of the creek being
+dry. On the northern bank of the creek we passed a small lagoon with a
+great number of duck and other water-fowl on it. The afternoon was
+cloudy, with a fresh breeze from south-east.
+
+Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 15 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+12th February.
+
+Three of the horses having strayed some distance, we did not start till
+7.0 a.m., when we steered an average course of north 300 degrees east
+till 11.45 a.m., when we camped at a small pool of water in the bed of
+the creek, which was reduced to a small gully; for the first four miles
+we traversed the grassy flats of the creek, after which we passed over a
+level sandy country producing nothing but triodia, stunted eucalypti, and
+acacia till we again approached the creek, where the grassy flat was
+nearly half a mile wide, but of inferior character.
+
+Latitude by b Tauri 18 degrees 9 minutes 44 seconds.
+
+13th February.
+
+At 6.50 a.m. followed the valley of the creek to the west, passing some
+fine flats with high grass, but the country generally very poor and
+thinly wooded with white-gum and silver-leafed ironbark; at 10.40 halted
+at a small waterhole at the foot of a low granite ridge; at 3.0 p.m.
+ascended the granite hills, which rose abruptly 100 to 150 feet above the
+plain, and extended about five miles to the south and east; to the west
+the sandstone covered the granite and formed a level tableland or plain;
+to the north a valley trended to the west, on the northern side of which
+the hills appeared to be granitic. Returning to the camp, examined a deep
+rocky ravine and found some small pools of water which might last for
+nearly another month.
+
+Latitude by Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 11 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+PIGEONS AND SEA-GULLS.
+
+14th February.
+
+Leaving the camp at 6.0 a.m., steered an average course of north 300
+degrees east; crossing the granite ridge, we entered a level sandy
+country with much scrub, which was traversed till 8.40, when we entered a
+wide grassy plain extending to the north-west, in which direction we
+steered till 2.10 p.m., when we halted at a small muddy puddle two inches
+deep and three yards wide. Then rode on with Mr. H. Gregory to search for
+a larger supply of water, and found a shallow pool about a mile distant,
+to which the party moved and encamped. Although this pool was not 100
+yards long and six inches deep, a large flock of ducks, snipe, and small
+gulls, were congregated at it, several thousand pigeons of species new to
+us came to drink. These pigeons keep in flocks of from ten to more than a
+thousand, feeding on the seeds of the grass on the open plains, as they
+never alight on trees. They are somewhat larger than the common
+bronze-wing; the head is black, with a little white at the base of the
+beak and behind the eye; back pale brown; breast, blue; throat marked
+with white; wings with white tips to the feathers and a small patch of
+bronze; tail short, tip white; feet, dull red. The evening and night were
+cloudy.
+
+WILD RICE.
+
+15th February.
+
+At 6.5 a.m. followed a line of small trees and bushes which grew on the
+lower part of the grassy plain and indicated the course of the water in
+the wet season, and at 9.0 came to the head of a small creek trending
+north-west. Water was now abundant and formed large pools, and at 11.15
+camped on the right bank of the creek at a pool a quarter of a mile long
+and fifty yards wide. This spot seemed to be much frequented by the
+natives, and large quantities of mussel-shells lay around their fires.
+The plain traversed this morning was well grassed; the soil a stiff clay
+loam; this plain extended three to six miles on each side of the track,
+and was bounded by a low-wooded country, which, in some parts, rose
+nearly 100 feet above the plain. In the lower part of the plain we
+observed the salt-bush (atriplex) and a species of rice; but as it was
+only just in ear, we could not judge of the quality of the grain. In the
+afternoon there was a fine breeze from the east which lasted till 8.0
+p.m., the sky being cloudy.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 17 degrees 53 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+16th February.
+
+At 6.25 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, which turned first west
+and then south-west, and at 12.20 p.m. encamped at a small pool; on the
+right bank of the creek wide grassy plains extended from three to five
+miles back towards a low-wooded ridge, but on the left bank the scrubby
+country came close to the creek.
+
+Latitude by a Orionis, Canopus and Pollux 17 degrees 59 minutes 40
+seconds.
+
+17th February (Sunday).
+
+As the water and grass were abundant on this camp, we were not compelled
+to move on in search of these requisites, and were enabled to observe it
+as a day of rest.
+
+18th February.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.30 a.m., and steered an average south-west
+course till 11.10, and then south till 12.25 p.m., and again camped on
+the creek. The country consisted of wide grassy plains on the bank of the
+creek, without trees and well grassed; beyond the plains, at one to six
+miles distance, low-wooded ridges were visible; but the general aspect of
+the whole was extremely level. A great number of ducks and a few geese
+were seen on some of the pools in the creek.
+
+Latitude by Canopus 18 degrees 4 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+STURT'S CREEK.
+
+19th February.
+
+Commenced our day's journey at 6.0 a.m., followed the bank of the creek
+till 8.15, thence south-south-west till noon, when the course was altered
+to south-south-east to close in with the creek, but found that the
+channel was completely lost on the level grassy plain, and at 1.40 p.m.
+encamped at a small puddle of muddy water as thick as cream. Before the
+creek was lost in the level plain it spread into some large, though
+shallow pools, which swarmed with ducks of several species, but
+principally the whistling duck. The grassy plain gradually extended to a
+greater breadth, and the back country was so nearly level that it
+scarcely rose above the grassy horizon, while to the south the country
+was so level that the clumps of bushes appeared like islands, and the
+grassy plain extended to the horizon. Near one of the waterholes in the
+creek we surprised a native, who was sitting at his fire with a couple of
+women, who decamped with all possible despatch. Several smokes have been
+observed to the south and south-west, which shows that water must exist
+in that direction, though it may not be in sufficient quantity to supply
+our horses. The morning was cloudy, and at midnight there was a heavy
+shower of rain. Judging from the general appearance of the country, the
+waters of the creek, after spreading over the plain, must escape to the
+westward, as the grass has been bent in that direction by the current
+last year, but there has been so little rain this season that the channel
+of the creek has not been filled.
+
+20th February.
+
+As it appeared that the waters of the creek trended to the west in the
+wet season, at 6.5 a.m. we steered north 250 degrees east, through a
+level forest of box-trees, with abundance of good grass; the soil brown
+loam with fragments of limestone; the shower last night had left many
+shallow pools of water on the surface. At 8.40 a.m. passed a small swampy
+salt flat covered with salicornia; at 9.10 came on the grassy plain which
+we skirted on a west course, but as it turned to the north-west, again
+changed the course to 320 degrees; the plain was now reduced to about a
+mile in width, and we therefore crossed it in search of a definite
+channel, but without success, though there were some slight indications
+that during inundation the water flowed to the north-west. At 11.50 we
+camped at a shallow puddle of rainwater, on the north side of the plain.
+From the camp, till 8.0 a.m., the grass, though very backward, showed
+that there had been sufficient rain to cause it to spring; but as we
+proceeded it was perfectly dry and parched up, as at the end of the dry
+season, showing that little or no rain had fallen for many months in this
+part of the country. The day was cloudy, with thunder, and was followed
+by a heavy shower at night, which prevented my ascertaining the latitude
+by observation.
+
+ENTER WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
+
+21st February.
+
+As we were now three days' journey from the last water which could be
+depended on for more than a few days, and the channel of the creek had
+been so completely lost on the plain that it was uncertain whether the
+marks of inundations near this camp had been caused by the creek flowing
+to the west, or by some tributary flowing to the east, I determined to
+attempt a south-west course, in the hope that, should the country prove
+rocky, the heavy showers might have collected a sufficient quantity of
+water to enable us to continue a southerly route, and accordingly
+selected the most prominent point of the rising ground to the south of
+our position, and at 6.5 a.m. started north 235 degrees east. After
+leaving the open plains we entered a grassy box forest, which continued
+to the foot of the hills, which we reached at 8.0. The slope of the hills
+proved very scrubby, with small eucalypti and acacia, the soil red sand
+and ironstone gravel; at 9.0 reached the highest part of the hills for
+many miles round. To the south the country was slightly depressed for ten
+or fifteen miles, and then rose into an even ridge or plain, the whole
+country appearing to be covered with acacia and eucalyptus scrub. To the
+west and north the view was more extended; the low ridge of sandstone
+hills extended to the west-north-west, on the northern side of the grassy
+flats for thirty miles, and only broken by a large valley from the north.
+Throughout its whole extent this range appeared to rise to 150 or 200
+feet above the plain, and had the appearance of being the edge of a level
+tableland. South of the grassy plain, the western limit of which was not
+seen, the country rose gradually to eighty or 100 feet, and presented an
+extremely level and unvaried appearance. It was evident that our only
+chance of farther progress was to follow the grassy plain to the west
+till some change in the country rendered a southerly course practicable,
+it being probable that some creek from the north might join the grassy
+plain, and that the channel which had been lost might be reformed. At
+9.30 steered north-west, and at 12.30 p.m. cleared the acacia scrub, and
+at 1.30 reached the bank of the creek, which had formed a channel twenty
+yards wide, with pools of water, which was brackish; but we were too glad
+to find any water which we could use without detriment to object to it
+because it was not agreeable in taste, and therefore encamped. We have
+thus been a second time compelled to make a retrograde movement to the
+north after reaching the same latitude as in the first attempt to
+penetrate the desert; but I did not feel justified in incurring the
+extreme risk which would have attended any other course, though following
+the creek is by no means free from danger, as very few of the waterholes
+which have supplied us on the outward track will retain any water till
+the time of our return. The weather was calm and hot in the early part of
+the day, and in the afternoon it clouded over, and there was a slight
+shower of rain. According to our longitude, by account, we have this day
+passed the boundary of Western Australia, which is in the 129th meridian.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Procyon 18 degrees 26 minutes.
+
+STURT'S CREEK.
+
+22nd February.
+
+Leaving the camp at 5.40 a.m., followed the creek to the west-south-west
+and crossed a small gully from the south; at 11.30 a.m. camped at a fine
+pool of water in a small creek from the south, close to its junction with
+the principal creek, which we named after Captain Sturt, whose researches
+in Australia are too well known to need comment; the grassy plains
+extended from three to ten miles on each side of the creek, which has a
+more definite channel than higher up, there being some pools of
+sufficient size to retain water throughout the year; the plain is bounded
+on the north by sandstone hills 100 to 200 feet high, and there is also a
+mass of hilly country to the south, the highest point of which was named
+Mount Wittenoon; about noon a thunder-shower passed to the east and up
+the creek on which we were encamped, and though the channel was then dry
+between the pools, at 4.0 p.m. it was running two feet deep; the grass is
+much greener near this camp, and there has evidently been more rain here
+than in any part of the country south of Victoria yet visited; a fresh
+southerly breeze in the morning, thunderstorms at noon, night cloudy with
+heavy dew.
+
+23rd February.
+
+At 5.50 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, the general course first
+south-west and changing to the south-south-west; the channel was
+gradually lost on the broad swampy flat, which was overgrown with
+polygonum and atriplex, etc., and had a breadth of half a mile to a mile,
+being depressed about ten feet below the grassy plain; the grassy plain
+also extended to about fifteen miles wide, the hills decrease in height,
+and the whole country is so level that little is to be seen but the
+distant horizon, scarcely in any part rising above the vast expanse of
+waving grass. At 10.50 a.m. camped at a shallow puddle of muddy water,
+just sufficient to supply the horses; I walked about a mile into the
+polygonum flat, but could not find any water, though the ground was soft
+and muddy in a few spots. Mr. H.C. Gregory, when rounding up the horses
+in the evening, saw eight blacks watching us; we therefore went out to
+communicate with them; but they hid themselves in the high bushes and
+grass. The night was clear, and I took a set of lunar distances, which
+the cloudy weather had prevented for more than a week, though I had been
+able to get altitudes for latitude.
+
+Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 39 minutes 54 seconds.
+
+EFFECT OF SEASONS ON APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY.
+
+24th February.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, which spread into a broad
+swampy flat about a mile wide, and covered with atriplex, polygonum, and
+grass, the general trend south-west; at 7.30 crossed a large watercourse
+from the south-east, with a dry sandy channel, no water having flowed
+down it this season; at 9.0 a.m. crossed to the right bank of the creek;
+there were many shallow muddy channels and one with running water four
+yards wide and one foot deep; the largest channel was near the right
+bank, but, except a large shallow pool, it was dry. As we advanced the
+country showed effects of long-continued drought, and though the creek
+contained some large shallow pools, the channel was dry between, the dry
+soil absorbing the whole of the water which was running in the channel
+above; at 11.50 camped at what appeared to be the termination of the
+pools of water, as the channel was again lost in a perfectly level flat.
+Great numbers of ducks, cockatoos, cranes, and crows frequented the banks
+of the creek above the camp, and appeared to feed on the wild rice which
+was growing in considerable quantities in the moist hollows, as also a
+species of panicum; to the south-east of the creek there is a level
+box-flat which extends two to three miles back to the foot of some low
+sandy ridges covered with triodia and a few small eucalypti; to the
+north-west and west the grassy plain extended to the horizon, with
+scarcely even a bush to intercept the even surface of the waving grass.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 18 degrees 45 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+25th February.
+
+The small number of water-fowl which passed up or down the creek during
+the night indicated that water was not abundant below our present
+position, and we were therefore prepared for a dry country, in which we
+were not disappointed, for leaving the camp at 6.15 a.m. we traversed a
+level box-flat covered with long dry grass; at 9.10 a.m. again entered
+the usual channel of the creek, which was now a wide flat of deeply
+cracked mud with a great quantity of atriplex growing on it, but which
+had lost all the leaves from the long continuance of the dry weather. The
+flat was traversed by numerous small channels from one to two feet deep,
+but they were all perfectly dry and had not contained water for more than
+a year; there were, however, marks of inundations in previous years, when
+the country must have exhibited a very different appearance, and had it
+been then visited by an explorer, the account of a fine river nearly a
+mile wide flowing through splendid plains of high grass, could be
+scarcely reconciled with the facts I have to record of a mud flat deeply
+fissured by the scorching rays of a tropical sun, the absence of water,
+and even scarcity of grass. The creek now turned to the south, and we
+followed the shallow channels till 12.30 p.m., when we fortunately came
+to a small pool which had been filled by a passing thunder-shower, and
+here we encamped during the day; a fresh breeze at times blew from the
+south-east and south, and the air was exceedingly warm; thermometer 106
+degrees at noon, but being very dry, was not very oppressive.
+
+Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 55 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+LEVEL COUNTRY.
+
+26th February.
+
+As the course of the creek was uncertain, we steered south at 5.45 a.m.
+across the atriplex plain, and at 6.35 reached the ordinary right bank of
+the creek, which was low and gravelly, covered with triodia and small
+bushes; we then passed a patch of white-gum forest, and at 8 entered a
+grassy plain which had been favoured by a passing shower; green grass was
+abundant, and even some small puddles of water still remained in the
+hollows of the clay soil. At 10.50 came on the creek, which had collected
+into a single channel and formed pools, some of which appeared to be
+permanent, as they contained small fish. At one of these pools we
+encamped at 11.10. The channel of the creek is about fifteen feet below
+the level of the plain, and is marked by a line of small flooded-gum
+trees, the atriplex flat has ceased, and the soil is a hard white clay,
+producing salsola and a little grass; the morning clear with a moderate
+easterly breeze, afternoon cloudy with a few drops of rain at night.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 7 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+27th February.
+
+Resumed our journey down the creek at 6.5 a.m., when it turned to the
+west and formed a fine lake-like reach 200 yards wide, with rocky banks
+and sandstone ridges on both sides of the creek; at 11.0 camped at the
+lower end of a fine reach trending south: the general character of these
+reaches of water is that they are very shallow and are separated by wide
+spans of dry channel, the water being ten feet below the running level.
+The country is very inferior, and the grassy flats are reduced to very
+narrow limits, and the hills are red sandstone, producing nothing but
+small trees and triodia.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 12 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+28th February.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. we were again in the saddle, following a creek which had an
+average west-south-west course, but the channel was soon lost in a wide
+grassy flat, with polygonum and atriplex, in this flat were some large
+detached pools of water, 50 to 100 yards wide and a quarter to half a
+mile long, although the dry season had reduced them to much narrower
+limits than usual, as they were now eight to ten feet below the level of
+the plain; at 11.45 camped at a large sheet of water, just above a
+remarkable ridge of sandstone rocks on the right bank of the creek.
+Ducks, pelicans, spoonbills, etc., were very numerous, but so wild that
+they could scarcely be approached within range of our guns; until the
+present time it has been doubtful whether the creek turned towards
+Cambridge Gulf, the interior, or to the coast westward of the Fitzroy,
+but the first point being now 220 nautic miles to the north, and the
+general course of Sturt's Creek south-west, such a course is not
+probable, and it therefore only remains to determine whether it is lost
+in the level plains of the interior, or finds an outlet on the north-west
+coast. The careful and minute surveys of the coast from the Victoria
+River to Roebuck Bay show that no rivers exist of such magnitude as the
+Sturt would attain in passing through the ranges to the coast, nor does
+the general abrupt character of the coast-line favour the supposition
+that any interior waters would find an outlet in this space. That the
+elevation of this part of the creek is sufficient to enable it to form a
+channel to the north-west coast is shown by the barometric measurement:
+the dividing ridge between the head of the Victoria and Hooker's Creek is
+about 1200 feet, at the head of Sturt's Creek 1,370 feet, and our present
+camp 1100 feet; thus the average fall of Sturt's Creek has been 270 feet
+in 180 miles, or one and a half feet per mile. Now the distance to
+Desault Bay (which appears the most probable outlet) is 370 miles, and
+allowing an increase of 500 for deviations, there would be more than two
+feet descent per mile, which would be sufficient for the maintenance of a
+channel. Should the creek turn to the south and enter the sandy desert
+country, the water would soon be absorbed, especially as the wet season
+at the upper part of the creek occurs when the dry season is prevailing
+in the lower part of its course. That it does lose itself in a barren
+sandy country is, I fear, the most probable termination of the creek, and
+that a level country exists for many miles on each side of our route is
+shown by the small number and size of the tributary watercourses.
+
+Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 19 degrees 18 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+29th February.
+
+Leaving the camp at 5.40 a.m., traced the creek to the south-west for
+about three miles. It formed fine reaches of water fifty to 100 yards
+wide; but the channel terminated suddenly in a level flat, covered with
+polygonum, atriplex, and grass. In this flat we passed some large shallow
+pools of water; at 7.30 the creek turned to the west round the north end
+of a rocky sandstone hill, and was joined by a tributary gully from the
+north, below which point the channel was a well-defined sandy bed, with
+long parallel waterholes on each side, but very little water remained at
+this time; at 9.15 the course of the creek changed to south by west, and
+passed through a level flat timbered with flooded-gum trees; it was about
+one mile wide and well grassed, but completely dried up for want of rain.
+The back country was thinly wooded with white-gum, and gently rising as
+it receded, forming sandstone hills about 100 feet high of extremely
+barren appearance; at 11.45 camped at a small muddy pool which would last
+only for a few days. A strong breeze from the west commenced early in the
+day, and gradually changed to the south. Thermometer, 109 degrees in the
+coolest shade that could be found.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and e Argus 19 degrees 28 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+DESERT OF RED SAND.
+
+1st March.
+
+Our horses having strayed farther than usual in search of better grass,
+we were delayed till 6.20 a.m., when we steered a south by west course
+down the valley of the creek. Immediately below the camp the country
+beyond the effect of inundation changed to a nearly level plain of red
+sand, producing nothing but triodia and stunted bushes. The level of this
+desert country was only broken by low ridges of drifted sand. They were
+parallel and perfectly straight, with a direction nearly east and west.
+At 11.50 camped at a fine pool of water three to five feet deep and
+twenty yards wide. That we had actually entered the desert was apparent,
+and the increase of temperature during the past three days was easily
+explained; but whether this desert is part of that visited by Captain
+Sturt, or an isolated patch, has yet to be ascertained, and the only hope
+is that the creek will enable us to continue our course, as the nature of
+the country renders an advance quite impracticable unless by following
+watercourses.
+
+Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 19 degrees 40 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+2nd March.
+
+Left our camp at 6.30 a.m., and steered south-west by west, which soon
+took us into the sandy desert on the left bank of the creek. Crossing one
+of the sand ridges, got a sight of a range of low sandstone hills to the
+south-east, the highest of which I named Mount Mueller, as the doctor had
+seen them the previous evening while collecting plants on one of the
+sandy ridges near the camp. At 10.15 again made the creek, which had
+scarcely any channel to mark its course; the wide clay flat bearing marks
+of former inundations was the only indication visible. At 12.35 p.m.
+camped at a small muddy pool, the grass very scanty and dry. Traces of
+natives are frequent. Large flights of pigeons feed on the plains on the
+seeds of grass. A flock of cockatoos was also seen.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 51 seconds 12 minutes.
+
+3rd March.
+
+At 5.30 a.m. started and followed the creek on a general course
+south-west. There was a very irregular channel sometimes ten yards wide
+and very shallow, and then expanding into pools fifty yards wide. The
+sandy plain encroached much on the grassy flats, and reduced the winter
+course of the creek to half a mile in breadth. At 8.0 the course was
+changed to south, and at 10.15 camped at a swamp, which was nearly dry,
+and covered with beautiful grass. The country differed in character from
+that seen yesterday, there being a few scattered white-gum trees and
+patches of tall acacia. Salsola and salicornia are also very abundant,
+and show the saline nature of the soil.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 20 degrees 2 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+SALT LAKES.
+
+4th March.
+
+Left the camp at 5.50 a.m., and steered south-west over a very level
+country, with shallow hollows filled with a dense growth of acacia, and
+at 7.30 struck the creek with a sandy channel and narrow flats, covered
+with salsola and salicornia. The pools were very shallow, and gradually
+became salt, and at 10.15 it spread into the dry bed of a salt lake more
+than a mile in diameter. This was connected by a broad channel with a
+pool of salt-water in it, with a second dry salt lake eight miles in
+diameter. As there was little prospect of water ahead and the day far
+advanced, we returned to one of the brackish pools and encamped. The
+country passed was of a worthless character, and so much impregnated with
+salt that the surface of the ground is often covered with a thin crust of
+salt.
+
+Latitude by e Argus 20 degrees 10 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+5th March.
+
+Started from the camp at 5.45 a.m., and steered south-south-east through
+the acacia wood to the lake, and then south by east across the dry bed of
+the lake towards a break in the trees on the southern side. Here we found
+a creek joining the lake from the south-west, in which there were some
+shallow pools. We then steered east, to intersect any channel by which
+the waters of the lake might flow to the south or south-east, and passing
+through a wood of acacia entered the sandy desert. As some low rocky
+hills were visible to the east we steered for them. At 2.10 halted half a
+mile from the hills, and then ascended them on foot. They were very
+barren and rocky, scarcely eighty feet above the plain, formed of
+sandstone, the strata horizontal. From the summit of the hill nothing was
+visible but one unbounded waste of sandy ridges and low rocky hillocks,
+which lay to the south-east of the hill. All was one impenetrable desert,
+as the flat and sandy surface, which could absorb the waters of the
+creek, was not likely to originate watercourses. Descending the hill,
+which I named Mount Wilson, after the geologist attached to the
+expedition, we returned towards the creek at the south end of the lake,
+reaching it at 9.30.
+
+6th March.
+
+As the day was extremely hot and the horses required rest and food, we
+remained at the camp. Ducks were numerous in some of the pools, but so
+wild that only two were shot. The early part of the day was clear, with a
+hot strong breeze varying from west to south-east. At 1 p.m. there was a
+heavy thunder-squall from the south-east, which swept a cloud of salt and
+sand from the dry surface of the lake. The squall was followed by a
+slight shower.
+
+Latitude by Canopus 20 degrees 16 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+DRY BEDS OF SALT LAKES.
+
+7th March.
+
+As I had frequently observed that in the dry channels of creeks
+traversing very level country a heavy shower in the lower part of its
+course often causes a strong current of water to rush up the stream-bed
+and leave flood marks, which would mislead a person examining them in the
+dry season, it seemed probable that this must be the case with the creek
+entering the salt lake at its south-west angle, as it might be the outlet
+of the lake when filled by Sturt's Creek flowing into it, though in
+ordinary seasons the flow of water would be into the lake; accordingly I
+decided on following the creek and ascertain its actual course. Leaving
+the camp at 5.50 a.m., steered nearly south-west along the general course
+of the creek till 7.30, when it turned to the north and entered the dry
+bed of a lake. As the beds of the two lakes were lower than the channel
+between them, the water during the last heavy rains had flooded both ways
+from the central part of the channel. Having skirted the lake on the west
+to intercept any watercourses which might enter or leave the lake on that
+side, we came to a large shallow channel with pools of water--some fresh
+and others salt--with broad margin of salicornia growing on the banks; at
+11.0 camped at a small pool of fresh water. The soil of the country on
+the bank of the creek is loose white sand with concretions of lime,
+covered with a dense growth of tall acacia, with salsola and a little
+grass in the open spaces.
+
+TERMINATION OF STURT'S CREEK.
+
+8th March.
+
+Started at 6.5 a.m. and traced the creek into a salt lake to the west,
+but this was also dry. After some search we found a creek joining on the
+northern side and communicating with a large mud plain, partly overgrown
+with salicornia, and with large shallow pools of muddy water two to three
+inches deep. On the northern side the plain narrowed into a sandy creek
+with shallow pools, the flow of the water being decidedly from the
+northward. At 12.15 p.m. camped at a shallow pool, near which there was a
+little grass, the country generally being sandy and only producing
+triodia and acacia. Thus, after having followed Sturt's Creek for nearly
+300 miles, we have been disappointed in our hope that it would lead to
+some important outlet to the waters of the Australian interior; it has,
+however, enabled us to penetrate far into the level tract of country
+which may be termed the Great Australian Desert.
+
+Latitude by Pollux and e Argus 20 degrees 4 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+9th March.
+
+Left our camp at 6.35 a.m., and followed the creek up for half an hour,
+and then steered east to Sturt's Creek, which we reached at 9.5, the
+country being level, sandy, and covered with triodia and acacia in small
+patches; we then steered a southerly course down the creek till 11.0, and
+camped at the large brackish pool.
+
+COMMENCE RETURN TO DEPOT. HOT WINDS.
+
+10th March.
+
+We had observed that a creek appeared to join the salt lake to the
+north-east angle. There yet remained a possibility that the waters of the
+lake might find an outlet to the east and pass north of Mount Wilson; we
+therefore steered east from the camp at 6.45 a.m. and passed close to the
+south of a small salt lake (dry) three-quarters of a mile in diameter,
+and then traversed a level sandy country thickly wooded with acacia and a
+few white-gum trees. At 8.15 struck a small grassy watercourse with broad
+shallow pools; this we followed down to the south-south-west to the large
+salt lake, close to which it was joined by a small sandy creek coming
+from the east. Having reached the bank of the lake at 10.0, steered south
+along its shore till 11.15, when its shore trended to the
+west-south-west, and there was a small well-defined bank without any
+break to the point which had been the limit of our examination from the
+southern part of the lake, and thus determined that there was no outlet
+for the water to the eastward. As the whole country to the south was one
+vast sandy desert, destitute of any indications of the existence of
+water, it was clear that no useful results could arise from any attempt
+to penetrate this inhospitable region, especially as the loss of any of
+the horses might deprive the expedition of the means for carrying out the
+explorations towards the Gulf of Carpentaria. I therefore determined on
+commencing our retreat to the Victoria River while it was practicable, as
+the rapid evaporation and increasing saltness of the water in this arid
+and inhospitable region warned us that each day we delayed increased the
+difficulty of the return, and it was possible that we were cut off from
+any communication with the party at the depot by an impassable tract of
+dry country, and might be compelled to maintain ourselves on the lower
+part of the creek till the ensuing rainy season. Returned to the creek at
+the north-east angle of the lake and encamped. The morning was cloudy
+with a strong hot wind from the east and south-east; the night calm and
+misty.
+
+11th March.
+
+At 6.10 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek to the
+north-north-east, but it soon spread into a number of small gullies,
+which drained a patch of clay land. At 7.0 steered north through a wood
+of acacia growing on loose sandy soil. Entering the open sandy plain at
+8.15, a few small white-gum trees were scattered over this part of the
+plain, which was quite level, the loose sand being covered with triodia,
+which partially concealed the glaring red colour of the ground. Observing
+a low abrupt hill a little to the east of our course, deviated towards
+it, and ascended it at 10.0. It was less than 100 feet above the plains,
+and composed of the same sandstone which prevails over the whole of the
+country south of the Victoria. The view was cheerless in the extreme.
+From north 26 degrees east to north 166 degrees east, the country was a
+level plain with small isolated or grouped hills of red sandstone, but
+not forming any definite ranges; the even height and peculiar table
+summits appear to indicate that they are only small remaining portions of
+a sandstone tableland or plain nearly the whole of which has been
+removed, the strata, however, had a dip to the east of one or two
+degrees. The vegetation on this part of the country was reduced to a few
+stunted gum-trees, hakea bushes, and triodia, the whole extremely barren
+in appearance. The remaining portion of the horizon was one even straight
+line; not a hill or break of any kind was visible, and, except the narrow
+line of the creek, was barren and worthless in the extreme, the red soil
+of the level portions of the surface being partially clothed with triodia
+and a few small trees, or rather bushes, rendered the long straight
+ridges of fiery-red drifting sand more conspicuous. The wind being
+strong, we observed the smoke of several fires along the course of
+Sturt's Creek, and also one near Mount Mueller, to the north-east,
+indicating the existence of natives in that direction, and doubtless of
+water in that locality, as it was a day's journey from the creek. Our
+course was now north 340 degrees east, and on approaching the creek
+passed through a patch of casuarina forest, which was remarkable, as they
+are the only trees of this genus we had seen on the coast since landing
+at the Victoria, though abundant in all other parts of Australia. At 1.35
+p.m. reached Sturt's Creek and halted at our camp of the 2nd March; there
+was a strong hot wind from the east during the day.
+
+12th March.
+
+Resumed our route at 5.50 a.m. and steered north 20 degrees east till
+8.0, then 40 degrees and 60 degrees till 1.0 p.m., when we encamped at a
+shallow pool of water near the creek, and about three miles above camp
+48, as the route only traversed the level flats near the creek. Nothing
+worthy of further notice was seen, the channel being split into small
+hollows, some of which retained a little water. The grass was much dried
+up and limited to the flat near the creek, the more remote portions being
+covered with triodia. The day was hot and nearly calm, but at noon we
+were benefited by a few passing clouds, and at 6.0 p.m. a dry
+thunderstorm cooled the air from 100 degrees to 93 degrees, but the
+temperature rose at 8.0 to 96 degrees.
+
+13th March.
+
+At 5.50 steered north 10 degrees east, crossing the creek several times,
+and at 10.0 turned to the north-north-east and north-east, crossing the
+sandstone hills, round which the creek turns at a right angle, and at
+12.10 p.m. camped on the creek near our track of the 29th February.
+Nearly all the pools of water had dried up, and the water at the camp had
+become brackish; some of the pools, however, must be permanent, as there
+were small fish in them. A great party of natives appeared to be
+travelling up the creek, as fresh fires are constantly seen to the
+north-east along its course. A cool breeze from the west to north-east
+moderated the heat, the temperature at 2 p.m. 103 degrees; passing clouds
+from the east in the afternoon.
+
+FOLLOW UP STURT'S CREEK.
+
+14th March.
+
+Resumed our route and followed the creek upwards from 5.50 a.m. till 1.50
+p.m., when we camped about three miles south-west of camp 45 at the first
+pool before the atriplex flat. A short distance above the camp we crossed
+a large sandy creek, which proved to be the cause of the change in the
+character of Sturt's Creek below that point. As our route was at a
+greater distance from the creek than in tracing it down, it gave a better
+opportunity of ascertaining the nature of the country beyond the
+influence of inundation; to the north-west a vast plain traversed by low
+ridges of gravel and drift sand, clothed with a scanty growth of triodia
+and a few hakea bushes, rose gradually from the creek, but on the
+south-east a more abrupt sandstone slope terminated in a similar plain of
+somewhat greater elevation, and showed that we were still within the
+bounds of the desert. Moderate breeze from the north-west changing to
+north-east; passing clouds; a slight shower at 11.0 p.m.
+
+15th March.
+
+Resumed our route at 5.50 a.m., steering north 40 degrees east, one hour
+into the triodia plain, then north 60 degrees east till 9.20 a.m., when
+we reached the first large pool in the creek, and rounding the bend
+camped at one of the narrow pools above the sandstone ridges. The water
+in the larger pools had sunk from six inches to a foot since we had
+passed downwards, and almost all the pools were now dry. The morning
+clear and cool, with clouds and light showers in the afternoon
+accompanied by thunder.
+
+16th March.
+
+As there was no water in the creek for the next thirty-three miles, we
+filled the water-bags and prepared for an early start; but unfortunately
+the horses had strayed farther than usual, which delayed us till 7.0
+a.m., when following nearly the outward route, passed close to camp 43,
+the waterhole at which was dry, and at 1.0 p.m. halted under the shade of
+a few acacia-trees during the heat of the day, and resumed our journey at
+3.0 p.m., following the south-east side of the plain through which the
+creek flows. The ground was stony and bad travelling, but as the moon was
+clear and bright we succeeded in reaching the first pool of water at 8.30
+p.m.; this was one mile above Camp 42, the water at which had dried up,
+though four feet deep on the 24th February. The pool at which we now
+camped appears to be permanent; it is 100 yards wide and 300 long, the
+water three feet deep close to the bank. Ducks were numerous, and I shot
+four in the morning. An easterly breeze continued through the day, and as
+usual there were a few clouds towards sunset. Unfortunately, the dry
+weather had warped the scale of the thermometer to such an extent that it
+broke the tube.
+
+DENISON PLAINS. WATER DRYING UP.
+
+17th March.
+
+We were again delayed by trifling circumstances, and did not leave the
+camp until 7.40 a.m., but having nearly cleared the desert the weather
+was comparatively cool. Steering an average course north-east, traversed
+the wide grassy plains on the right bank of Sturt's Creek, to which the
+name of Denison's Plains was given. At 2.0 p.m. camped at a small pool in
+the polygonum flat, which was all that remained of the water which had
+covered the flat to the extent of three-quarters of a mile in breadth,
+and was running when we passed down last month. Our course this day
+showed the great extent of the grassy plains to the north-west, as we did
+not see the limit at any point in that direction. Cool breeze from east
+with thin clouds all day.
+
+18th March.
+
+Left the camp at daylight and proceeded to Camp 40 on the outward route,
+and halted for the remainder of the day to rest the horses, as a heavy
+stage lay before us across the dry country. Large flocks of cockatoos
+came to the pool at this camp, and we shot thirty-three, which was a very
+welcome addition to our provisions. Strong easterly wind; passing clouds.
+
+19th March.
+
+Steered north 60 degrees east at 6.35 a.m., and followed up the course of
+the creek, crossing the right bank at 9.0, when there was nothing but the
+polygonum flat to mark its course; at 10.30 altered the course to nearly
+east, passing a large sheet of brackish water, which appeared deep and
+permanent at the lower end, but shallow at the upper part; at 11.20
+encamped at a small pool of fresh water in a back channel, the creek
+being brackish, and we were anxious to procure a supply of good water
+before proceeding further, as the next three stages of the outward track
+were now destitute of water. Strong easterly breeze; light clouds.
+
+20th March.
+
+At 5.55 am steered 110 degrees; at 6.20 struck a small creek with steep
+banks; altered the course to 90 degrees, crossing two small watercourses
+from the north with a little water in the deeper portions of their beds,
+the general character of the country box flats and open grassy plains
+near the creek. At 7.25 entered a large grassy plain extending north and
+east for ten miles, and at 9.15 halted at a small watercourse which
+retained a little water in a grassy hollow, our object in halting thus
+early being to enable us to start fresh in the afternoon, and, should the
+country continue open, to push on through the night, by which the water
+could be reached before the heat of the sun was too great for travelling.
+At 3.5 resumed our march and traversed level grassy plains extending one
+to five miles on each side of our route; at 7.0 observed a native fire
+about two miles to the north, from which we concluded that water existed
+at no great distance, and at 7.15 were fortunate in finding a pool of
+rainwater in a slight depression of the plain, and encamped. We could not
+find sufficient wood near the camp to boil our tea, but were satisfied
+with the discovery of a sufficient supply of water.
+
+21st March.
+
+We were again in the saddle at 5.15 a.m., and continuing our course north
+73 degrees east, reached the limit of the open plain, which turned to the
+south-east and extended to the horizon; at 6.40 entered the wooded
+country which bounded the plain, and the soil changed from a rich
+clay-loam to sandy and gravelly soil with fragments of sandstone, the
+vegetation consisting of small white-gum trees, shrubby acacia, and
+triodia, with a few patches of grass. The country gradually rose till
+9.25, when we came to an abrupt descent into the valley of Sturt's Creek,
+but the country did not improve in character till 10.20, when we came to
+the grassy flats; at 10.50 camped at a large open pool of water in the
+bed of the creek. On the pools there were large flights of whistling
+ducks, but so wild that they could not be approached within range of our
+guns. Moderate breeze from east with light clouds from south-east during
+the day. The weather has for the past ten days been so misty that I have
+not been able to get a good set of lunar distances, and it is useless to
+observe unless under circumstances favourable for accuracy.
+
+22nd March.
+
+5.35 a.m. found us again travelling up the creek on a northerly course;
+at 7.20 changed the course north-east by north, and at 11.30 camped about
+a mile below Camp 35. The hill at the bend of the creek proved to be
+basaltic, with a stratum of ironstone conglomerate resting on it. The
+pools of water in the bed of the creek were much reduced and all the
+smaller ones dried up.
+
+23rd March (Sunday).
+
+The feed and water not being in sufficient quantity to permit of our
+resting at this camp, we followed up the creek nearly on the outward
+course. A few miles above the creek a party of blacks came out of the
+creek and commenced a distant parley, but on one of the party approaching
+them they picked up their spears they had secreted in the grass and ran
+away into the bed of the creek. After six and a half hours' journey
+camped at the lower end of the pool, where we had halted on the 15th
+February; near the northern bend of the creek we passed a fine deep pool,
+which appears to retain water through the dry season. All the smaller
+pools had dried up, and the larger ones had sunk two feet since we were
+here in February.
+
+24th March.
+
+As the horses had not had a day's rest for some time past, we remained at
+the camp to refresh them before attempting to cross the dry country which
+divides the southern waters from those flowing to the north-west coast.
+As the nearest water which we knew to exist was now fifty miles to the
+east, and the country in that direction very bad travelling, we were now,
+however, eighty miles in a direct line from the depot camp, and as that
+course would take us over new and unexplored country I determined to
+attempt a direct route.
+
+1700 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
+
+25th March.
+
+At 6.20 a.m. steered north 40 degrees east, and, leaving Sturt's Creek,
+traversed open grassy plains till 9.5, when we entered a wooded country,
+with white-gum trees and underwood, acacia, triodia, and patches of
+grass; the soil a poor sandy red loam. At 11.0 passed to the south of an
+extensive grassy plain trending to the north-west; at 12.30 p.m. halted
+to ease the horses' backs from their loads, and resumed our route at
+1.40, and at 2.0 crossed a ridge of stony country which the aneroid
+showed to be about 1700 feet above the sea level, and was the highest
+spot yet visited by the Expedition. At 2.20 altered the course to east,
+and followed a slight depression till 4.0, when we came to a dry
+watercourse trending north-west; this was traced down in search of water
+till 6.30, when we halted for the night, without finding any water. The
+day being very calm and hot, the horses were very much distressed for
+want of water; but as there was a little green grass on the bank of the
+creek, they were able to feed for a few hours during the night.
+
+Latitude by Leonis 17 degrees 35 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+26th March.
+
+Proceeded down the creek, and at 7.20 a.m. came to a small pool of water,
+which the horses consumed in the space of a few minutes, but farther on
+came to a more abundant supply, and some of the pools appeared to be
+permanent, having a belt of water-pandanus and reeds round them; below
+this the channel was perfectly dry and sandy, but was much enlarged by
+numerous tributary gullies. At 12.50 p.m. came to a shallow pool, at
+which we camped. The country through which this creek passes is poor and
+stony, low hills of sandstone schist and limestone rising immediately
+behind the narrow strip of grassy land, which is fertilised by the
+overflow of the creek in the rainy season. The vegetable productions of
+the country seemed to be limited to a few small gum-trees, shrubby
+acacia, and triodia, with an occasional patch of grass. At the camp the
+bed of the creek was about forty yards wide, with banks fifteen feet
+high; the general course appeared to be north-west, a direction which
+renders it probable that it flows into Cambridge Gulf.
+
+Latitude by Pollux 17 degrees 25 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+SIXTY MILES WITHOUT WATER.
+
+27th March.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. left the camp and steered a course north 60 degrees east,
+gradually ascending among hills of schist and sandstone till 8.20, when
+we reached the level tableland. The principal trees were white-gum and
+silver-leafed ironbark, the soil a red loam of varying character, well
+grassed, but with patches of triodia, which affects a poor gravelly soil
+or deep sand. The country was now so nearly level that scarcely any rise
+or fall was discoverable, though the aneroid showed some slight
+undulations; at 1.15 p.m. halted for an hour, and at 6.0 camped in a
+patch of green grass, which enabled the horses to feed though they had no
+water. The weather was clear and hot during the day with a light easterly
+breeze, the night cloudy and very warm.
+
+DEPOT CAMP.
+
+28th March.
+
+At 5.10 a.m. resumed our course north 60 degrees east through a grassy
+forest of ironbark and bloodwood, with patches of small acacia and
+triodia. At 7.45 entered a series of open plains covered with high grass.
+The plains continued till 10.0, when we passed through an open gum
+forest, and the country declined to the east, and at 11.15 came on a
+small watercourse, which was dry and sandy. This we followed down to the
+north-east till 11.40, when it passed through a rocky gorge in a
+sandstone ridge, which rose at an angle of 30 degrees to the south-west
+and 40 degrees to the north-east, the latter being the dip of the strata.
+In this rocky gorge we could see some pools of water, but they were quite
+inaccessible from that side of the ridge, and we had to make a
+considerable detour to the south before we could descend to the plain
+below, and found a fine pool of water at the termination of the gorge, at
+which we halted and watered our thirsty horses. As we were now only two
+hours' ride from the depot camp, we after a short rest started again at
+3.10 p.m., and at 5.15 reached the depot camp, where we were welcomed by
+Mr. Baines and his party, and I was glad to find them all enjoying good
+health, and that the horses were in excellent condition. They had been,
+however, somewhat annoyed by the blacks, who had made frequent attempts
+to burn the camp, and also the horses, by setting fire to the grass, and
+on some occasions had come to actual hostilities, though by judicious
+management none of the party had been injured; nor was it certain that
+any of the blacks had been wounded, though it had been necessary to
+resort to the use of firearms in self-defence and for the protection of
+the horses.
+
+29th March.
+
+Returned our surplus provisions into store, when we found that the pieces
+of pork, originally four pounds weight each, were reduced to one-fifth of
+the original weight, as the long continuance of heat had melted the whole
+of the fat. Our ration had therefore been one pound flour, one-fifth
+pound salt pork, and two ounces sugar per diem. Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman
+rode out to round in the horses.
+
+Latitude by Regulus and e Argus 17 degrees 2 minutes.
+
+30th March (Sunday).
+
+Read prayers to those of the party who were in camp, some of the men
+having been sent out to attend to the horses. Mr. Baines having handed me
+his journal, I regret to find that he has been compelled to make an entry
+regarding Mr. Flood, who had refused to attend to his order to carry arms
+while on watch at night on the 18th March. I therefore called on Mr.
+Flood for any statement he had to make in extenuation of his conduct. His
+replies were, however, extremely unsatisfactory, and only attempted to
+excuse the act on account of some private misunderstanding with Mr.
+Baines some months previous, and that the order to wear his pistol was
+given before he had time to put on his clothes. There had, however, been
+a distinct refusal to obey the orders of the officer in charge of the
+party, and those orders were neither vexatious or unreasonable, as they
+were simply in enforcement of well-established regulations. I therefore
+cautioned Mr. Flood that unless his future conduct was more satisfactory
+than it had hitherto been I should remove his name from the list of
+officers taking command in the Expedition, according to the general
+orders of the 27th August, 1855. The weather continues cloudy and calm,
+and, though the temperature is not extreme, it is very oppressive.
+
+31st March.
+
+Examining and packing stores in readiness for the exploration of the
+valley of the Victoria to the east of the depot. Found the stores in good
+condition, though the bags had been much injured by the rats and white
+ants. Although in some respects it would be more convenient to move the
+party at once to the bank of the Victoria before examining the country
+beyond, yet as the horses were now accustomed to the run near the depot,
+and the huts and stockyard rendered the station a more safe and
+convenient spot than any we could elsewhere select, I therefore decided
+on leaving the party here until I had explored the country to the east,
+and then move the whole party down the right bank of the river, by which
+the number and magnitude of the tributaries from the east would be
+ascertained, as this was an important point with reference to the
+contemplated journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
+
+1st April.
+
+Preparing equipment for a light party to explore the country to the east
+of the camp; shod six horses, and packed eighteen days' provisions for
+four persons. The weather continues cloudy, with light variable winds.
+
+EXPLORE EAST OF THE DEPOT.
+
+2nd April.
+
+At 6.45 am started from the depot with Messrs. H. Gregory, Baines, and
+John Fahey, taking four riding and two pack horses, carrying eighteen
+days' rations, etc. Steered east over an undulating grassy country of
+basaltic formation with occasional sandstone ridges; the soil was
+generally good, but very stony. I had already traversed this country, and
+as the day was very misty with much rain, nothing worthy of further
+record was observed. At 1.30 p.m. altered the course to east-south-east,
+and at 3.15 camped on a large creek trending north-east, in the bed of
+which were large pools of a permanent character. The hills were basaltic,
+but the creeks having cut through the rocks and excavated the sandstone,
+the valleys were not of such a fertile character as the plains and
+ridges. Timber was wholly absent, and only a few small trees were seen at
+intervals on the hills. The morning was cloudy with light rain, but it
+cleared towards sunset.
+
+Latitude by e Argus 17 degrees 4 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+3rd April.
+
+Resumed our route at 6.30, and steered east-south-east to a basaltic
+hill, which we reached at 7.40; from the summit a great extent of country
+was visible, but there were no marked features, as the broken ranges and
+isolated hills were nearly similar to each other. The whole country
+appeared to be a nearly level basaltic plain, with masses of sandstone
+rising 100 to 200 feet above its surface, while the valleys of the creek
+were excavated to the depth of 100 feet. The country was well grassed,
+but very stony; but this, though very inconvenient to the traveller, does
+not render it less valuable for pasture, as stony land always stands
+feeding better than any other. At 8.20 altered the course to nearly east
+towards a low ridge of hills. The plain was well grassed till 12.50 p.m.,
+when the sandstone prevailed on the surface and triodia prevailed in the
+valleys. At 1.50 followed down a rocky ravine, and at 2.15 encamped.
+
+THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+4th April.
+
+At 6.5 a.m. left the camp and followed the gully to the east-south-east;
+at 7.0 crossed a sandstone ridge, and beyond it a large creek from the
+south-west, in the bed of which there were some fine pools of water. We
+then ascended to a basaltic plain, and altered the course to south-east;
+at 8.0 the country gradually declined to the east, and sandstone was the
+prevailing rock, but grass was abundant. At 9.40 reached the Victoria,
+the course from south-south-west to north-north-east; the river had
+ceased to run and was now only in large pools; crossed to the right bank
+and steered south half an hour, and camped on the bank of a creek from
+south-south-east; at noon the sky was overcast, and at 2 p.m. it
+commenced raining and continued till 4.30, with thunder; heavy dew at
+night. After it commenced raining the aneroid fell 0.10, but rose again
+before it ceased. In this part of Australia neither wind nor rain appear
+to affect the atmospheric pressure to any great extent.
+
+ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.
+
+5th April.
+
+The result of the rain yesterday was a thick fog this morning, and when
+we left the camp at 5.50 a.m. we could not see 100 yards, and we
+traversed the basaltic plain in an east course till 7.0, when the fog
+cleared away and we found ourselves at the foot of some low rocky hills
+of basalt, over which we travelled north 70 degrees east. These hills
+were very rough and stony, but covered with excellent grass. We then
+entered a basaltic plain, richly grassed and less stony than usual. At
+9.30 crossed a basaltic ridge and entered a large valley trending to the
+north and east; at 10.10 ascended a rocky hill about 150 feet high, and
+got bearings of the ranges, etc. The country appeared to consist of
+grassy hills and plains, extending twenty to thirty miles to the north
+and east. To the south a range of basalt and sandstone hills intercepted
+the view. Steered east from the hill, and traversed an undulating
+country, the rocks being basalt, sandstone schist, and jasper; the basalt
+forming the higher ground, though on the banks of the creek the jasper
+rested on the basalt. At 2.10 p.m. encamped on a large creek with a
+gravelly channel twenty yards wide. Fahey obtained a large quantity of
+mussels from the pools in the creek; they proved an excellent addition to
+our supper, though rather deficient in flavour. The weather was cloudy,
+and, though there was an occasional sight of the sun, we could observe
+neither the commencement or end of the solar eclipse. I was therefore
+unable to avail myself of it for correcting the longitude.
+
+Latitude by e Argus 17 degrees 9 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+6th April.
+
+Left the camp at 6.10 a.m. and steered east over a grassy plain; at 7.25
+crossed some wide channels from the south-east, forming a large creek; at
+8.15 turned south-east and followed the creek till noon. It then turned
+south, and at 12.15 p.m. we camped at a shallow pool of muddy water. The
+creek was here divided into several small channels, in which only a few
+pools of water remained. The whole of the country traversed this day was
+nearly level, well grassed, and very open. Basalt and jasper are the
+prevailing rocks.
+
+Latitude by Regulus and Argus 17 degrees 15 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+7th April.
+
+As the creek appeared to come from the south and not to have a long
+course, but to rise in the low sandstone ranges which were visible in
+that direction, it was useless to follow it farther; we therefore steered
+northwards to intercept any streams which might join the Victoria River
+lower down its course, and, after travelling over open grassy ridges of
+basalt for six hours, at 12.25 p.m. camped at a small gully, in which
+there were some small pools, which appeared to be supplied by springs.
+The country for five to ten miles to the east of our track appeared open
+and grassy, basalt being the prevailing rock.
+
+RUNNING WATER. FINE PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+8th April.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. left the camp, and steered an average west-north-west course
+over an undulating grassy country of basaltic formation; at 11.45 reached
+the bank of the creek, which formed fine pools fifty yards wide, with
+fine open grassy country on both sides, well suited for stock. Followed
+the creek west till 1.5 p.m., when we crossed to the left bank and
+encamped.
+
+Latitude by Regulus and Argus 16 degrees 59 minutes.
+
+9th April.
+
+Continued our route down the creek in a northerly direction, leaving the
+camp at 6.15 a.m., and at 7.55 reached its junction with the Victoria.
+The river had high banks and formed deep reaches of water, with a dense
+growth of pandanus, melaleuca, flooded-gum, and other trees in the dry
+portions of the channel; the country on both banks was basaltic, and rose
+gradually into fine grassy downs; the soil very stony, but a good dark
+loam; sandstone showed where the river had cut through the basalt, which
+is not of any great thickness. At 2.35 p.m. camped on a back channel of
+the river, as the principal channel was difficult of access from the
+steep bank and dense growth of reeds. Although the upper part of the
+Victoria had long ceased to run, this part of the river was flowing with
+a strong stream ten yards wide and six feet deep.
+
+Latitude by Regulus and Argus 16 degrees 45 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+10th April.
+
+Continued our route at 6.5 a.m., and followed the river northward till
+8.10, when it turned to the north-west; the country consisted of nearly
+level grassy plains of various elevations, separated by low rocky ridges
+of sandstone and basalt, the whole well grassed, except some small
+patches where triodia prevailed; at 11.0 altered the course to average
+north-west by west, and at 1.30 p.m. camped at a small gully with a
+little water remaining from a recent shower. The horses suffered much
+from the heat, as the air was very moist; at 1.40 there was a shower of
+rain, and the temperature was reduced from 95 degrees to 84 degrees.
+
+Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 35 minutes 8 seconds.
+
+11th April.
+
+Started from the camp at 6.30 a.m., steering west-south-west; at first
+sandstone prevailed, and triodia replaced the grass, but at two miles
+again entered the basaltic country, which was well grassed but very
+stony, and forming flat-topped hills of small elevation; the basalt
+appeared to be interstratified with sandstone, the latter much altered at
+the line of contact. At 9.15 came on the bank of the river, which was
+running in a deep channel with a dense line of pandanus, fig-trees,
+terminalia, flooded-gum, and melaleuca; followed the valley of the river
+to the north-west till noon, and camped at the foot of the hill which we
+had ascended, at the most southern point attained in December, 1855;
+ascended the hill and took the bearings, as on the former occasion the
+rain had obscured the features of the country.
+
+Latitude by Leonis and Argus 16 degrees 27 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+12th April.
+
+Having connected this part of our route with that of December last, at
+6.20 a.m. commenced our return up the river, crossing to the left bank at
+7.15; the water was running strong twenty yards, and one to two feet
+deep; in examining the ford my horse trod on the back of a large
+alligator, which seemed to be equally astonished as the horse at this
+unexpected meeting; I then proceeded up the river a mile and a half and
+halted, as Mr. H. Gregory, who I had sent to examine the river in another
+part, had not come up with the party, but he shortly after overtook us,
+having found a good ford lower down the river; at 4.0 p.m. resumed our
+journey, and at dusk encamped in the bed of a large creek, which joined
+the Victoria from the south-south-west; at 7.0 it commenced raining, and
+there were frequent showers till midnight, with thunder and lightning.
+
+HUTT PLAINS.
+
+13th April.
+
+As the creek in which we bivouacked seemed to come from the south-west,
+we followed the valley in that direction; at 6.40 a.m. the hills
+receding, the grassy flats appeared to extend to the Wickham River and
+form a continuation of Hutt Plains; the creek now came from the
+south-south-west and had some fine pools of water in the channel; at 2.10
+p.m. camped at a shallow pool in the grassy flat, as the water in the
+creek was not very easy of access owing to the dense masses of reeds and
+grass. The hills which bound the valley of the creek are basalt,
+sandstone, and schist. In the level ground near the creek the grass was
+five to nine feet high, and greatly impeded our horses. The day was cool
+and cloudy with some light showers at night. The aneroid barometer was
+completely put out of adjustment by the principal lever having been moved
+from its position by a violent shake in crossing one of the deep gullies.
+
+NATIVE PAINTINGS.
+
+14th April.
+
+At 6.10 a.m. resumed our journey up the creek in a southerly direction,
+the valley gradually narrowing, and in one part of the sandstone rocks
+came close to the banks of the creek, leaving scarcely space to pass
+between them and the deep pools of water; at 12.30 p.m. camped on the
+right bank. The basaltic hills appeared to turn to the south-east, and we
+now entered the sandstone country. The valley of this creek appears to
+offer the best line of access to the upper part of the valley of the
+Victoria, as it is nearly level from Hutt Plains to 10.40 in this day's
+journey, beyond which point drays would have to ascend the hills and turn
+to the south-east to reach Roe's Downs, which is the finest part of the
+country yet examined. A short distance below our camp we saw several
+native paintings on the sandstone rocks; they consisted of rude outlines
+of fish and snakes, some in red ochre and others in white clay. Mr.
+Baines sketched some of the most remarkable.
+
+Latitude by Argus 16 degrees 55 minutes.
+
+15th April.
+
+At 6.25 a.m. recommenced our journey and followed the creek, which turned
+to the west, and the country became extremely rugged, and at length, as
+the valley became impassable, we ascended the hills and steered
+south-west across a very rocky sandstone country to the basaltic plains.
+Changing the course to west-north-west, crossed two tributary creeks, and
+at 3.40 p.m. camped on the bank of the creek, which was now much reduced
+in size. The country to the north of the creek consisted of very rough
+and rocky hills of red sandstone, extremely barren in appearance, while
+to the south it rose into the basaltic plain which forms Roe's Downs.
+
+Latitude by Argus 17 degrees 6 seconds.
+
+16th April.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.45 a.m. and travelled in a west by north course
+towards a remarkable basaltic hill, which I called Mount Sanford,
+traversing a fine open grassy country till 1.0 p.m., when we camped on a
+creek with permanent pools of water. The rough stony country has rendered
+the horses quite footsore, and their legs are much cut and bruised by
+constantly falling over the large rocks in crossing the deep ravines and
+rocky ridges.
+
+Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 59 minutes 38 seconds.
+
+RETURN TO DEPOT CAMP.
+
+17th April.
+
+Started at 6.25 a.m. and reached Mount Sanford at 7.30, the country
+passed being sandstone producing triodia and a little grass. The hill is
+of basalt with a flat top, but is based on sandstone; its form is nearly
+a truncated cone 150 feet high and 300 feet in diameter at the top.
+Having taken angles to the surrounding hills, we descended and steered
+south-west and west to the depot camp at 1.0 p.m. During our absence Dr.
+Mueller had found full employment in collecting the plants in the
+vicinity of the camp, and the rest of the party had been fully occupied
+in the care of the horses and duties of the camp. I was glad to find that
+they had not been again molested by the blacks.
+
+18th April.
+
+Preparing maps of the late excursion to the east of the depot; party
+preparing for the return to principal camp.
+
+19th April.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+20th April (Sunday).
+
+A fine cool breeze from the south, with thin clouds.
+
+21st April.
+
+Several of the horses had strayed some distance from the camp, and we did
+not start till 12.30 p.m., when we steered north by west till 5.15 p.m.
+and camped at a small creek in a deep rocky valley; the country after
+leaving the basaltic plain was very rocky, the hills composed of schist
+with a superstratum of red sandstone; grass was abundant in the valley,
+but the hills produced little but triodia and small gum-trees.
+
+START FOR MAIN CAMP.
+
+22nd April.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. steered east down the creek one mile to its junction with
+Depot Creek, which was followed north and north-north-east till 8.40. The
+back country rose into sandstone hills covered with triodia; but there
+were good grassy flats on the bank of the creek. The creek then entered a
+rocky gorge about 100 yards wide, with cliffs upward of 100 feet high on
+each side. With some difficulty we forced our way through the dense
+growth of reeds and brush, among huge masses of rock and deep pools of
+water, till 10.10, when we reached a more open part of the valley. The
+creek now turned to east-north-east, and the wide valley was bounded by
+low schist hills to the north and the sandstone range we had just passed
+to the south; except in the lower part of the valley and a few small
+patches on the hills the country was very poor and stony, triodia taking
+the place of the grass; water was abundant in the bed of the creek, where
+it formed large permanent pools, between which there was a small stream
+of running water in the upper part of the creek, but lower down the
+channel was dry between the pools; at 1.0 p.m. camped on the right bank
+of the creek; crossed to the left bank of the creek at 6.20 p.m. and
+followed it north-east one hour, when the creek turned east and our
+course was over stony ridges; it was now found that one of the horses was
+missing, having been lost in one of the dense thickets on the bed of the
+creek. Mr. H. Gregory therefore returned to search for the lost animal,
+and we halted till 9.20, and then went on with the party, leaving Mr.
+Baines to wait on the track till Mr. Gregory came up; at 10.20 p.m.
+reached the Wickham River and followed it down to the junction of Depot
+Creek, which we crossed at noon, and camped in a grassy flat about a mile
+lower down; at 2.0 am Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Baines came into the camp,
+but had not been able to find the missing horse; at 3.0 a.m. Mr. H.
+Gregory and Bowman started to look for the horse.
+
+24th April.
+
+At 10.30 Mr. H. Gregory brought in the pack-horse lost yesterday.
+Fortunately, this horse was not carrying a load, and though the saddle
+got under the horse's belly nothing was injured.
+
+25th April.
+
+Followed the river down from 7.40 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. and encamped at
+9.10 p.m.; crossed a large tributary creek from the south; the country
+was grassy near the river, but rose into rocky hills with flat tops at a
+short distance from it; light rain from 4.0 a.m. till 1.0 p.m., with
+light easterly breeze.
+
+CROSS THE VICTORIA RANGE. STOKES' RANGE.
+
+26th April.
+
+Continued the route along the right bank of the Wickham from 7.45 a.m.
+till 3.15 p.m., the general course east-north-east, and camped; after
+passing the gorge in the sandstone range, which was very narrow and
+rocky, the country opened into level plains. The best line of route to
+the upper part of the Wickham is near Mount Warburton, as the sandstone
+hills which form the rocky gorge are detached; the day was cool and
+cloudy, with a strong easterly breeze in the morning, and it commenced
+raining at sunset.
+
+27th April.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. left the camp and steered east to the Victoria River, but as
+we could not find a fording place, turned north to the Wickham, and
+encamped on its banks at 12.25. The bank of the Victoria being so densely
+covered with reeds that the water was not accessible; at noon I rode out
+with Mr. H. Gregory to search for a ford, as I wished to keep on the
+right bank of the river to ascertain what tributary streams joined from
+the east; after three hours' search found a practicable ford and returned
+to the camp after dark. In the afternoon the blacks were heard calling on
+the left bank of the Wickham, near the camp, but were not seen, owing to
+the thick brush and reeds which filled the bed of the river.
+
+28th April.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. steered south to the Victoria and reached the ford at 8.35,
+and at 9.0 a.m., having accomplished the passage of the river with only a
+few slight accidents, followed the right bank of the Victoria downwards
+till 1.15 p.m., and encamped on the eastern side of the Victoria; the
+country was level and well grassed for several miles back, and then rose
+into the sandstone range to the south and basaltic hills to the east.
+
+29th April.
+
+At 7.10 a.m. steered north-east over a nearly level grassy basaltic
+country with low hills to the east of our route; at 8.0 a.m. altered the
+course to north and traversed a fine grassy country with table hills of
+basalt resting on chert and sandstone; crossed one creek from the
+south-east with a muddy channel fifteen yards wide; at 2.0 p.m. changed
+the course to north 300 degrees east, and at 4.15 p.m. reached the bank
+of the Victoria; but it was so steep that the horses could not approach
+the water, and therefore followed it to the rocky ford east-south-east
+from Mount Sandiman and encamped.
+
+30th April.
+
+Crossed the left bank of the river at 7.0 a.m., but one of the horses
+injured his leg among the rocks, and the wound had to be sewn up, which
+delayed us till 8.20 a.m., when we steered north-west to Jasper Creek,
+which, after much labour in forcing a passage through the reeds, we
+crossed at 11.25 a.m., and at 12.55 p.m. encamped on the bank of the
+Victoria, at the commencement of the rocky gorge through Stokes' Range.
+
+1st May.
+
+Proceeded down the river, leaving the camp at 6.50 a.m., and at 2.15 p.m.
+encamped a short distance above our camp of the 8th December, 1855.
+
+2nd May.
+
+Continued route from 6.45 a.m. till 1.0 p.m., and encamped one mile above
+our bivouac of the 28th December.
+
+3rd May.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.45 a.m. and followed the left bank of the river
+till 10.10 a.m., when we encamped at the spot where we crossed the
+Victoria on the 28th November, 1855; at 2.0 p.m. crossed the river with
+Mr. H. Gregory, and rode to the east to examine a large creek which
+joined the Victoria two miles below the camp. The creek was thirty to
+forty yards wide, with high muddy banks covered with reeds, and the marks
+of floods were fifty feet above its present level; the general appearance
+was that of a stream having a course of forty to fifty miles. The wide
+flat on the left bank of the creek was well grassed; but the valley was
+bounded by steep sandstone hills covered with triodia and scrub; returned
+to the camp at 5.0 p.m.
+
+6th May.
+
+As we should have to pass this camp on our route to the Gulf of
+Carpentaria, I deposited 100 pounds of flour and a quantity of shot and
+lead, horse-shoes, etc., in a cleft in the rocks, and covered them with
+large stones, and then set the grass on fire to deface our tracks; at
+8.15 a.m. left the camp and proceeded along our former track till noon,
+and camped on a small creek two miles east-south-east from Bynoe Range.
+
+7th May.
+
+Left the camp at 8.10 a.m. and steered north 240 degrees east over a
+level grassy country, wooded with bauhinia, acacia, and eucalypti--the
+latter being more abundant as we advanced; at 1.0 p.m. the country
+changed to low rocky ridges of chert and limestone, and at 2.0 p.m.
+encamped at a small creek trending north-west, and in which a few small
+muddy pools of water remained. At noon we passed a party of five or six
+blacks, who shouted to us from a distance, but would not approach within
+200 yards. They were armed with spears, and seemed to be on their return
+from hunting, as the grass was on fire to the south.
+
+8th May.
+
+At 7.20 resumed our journey, and steering west crossed a fine creek with
+fine pools and water-pandanus growing on the banks. We then traversed a
+very rocky country, at the southern base of the sandstone range, till
+11.0, when we came to a more level and grassy country, consisting of
+chert ridges. At noon steered north 300 degrees east down the valley of a
+small creek, and soon entered a deep valley bounded on both sides by
+steep sandstone hills. At 1.0 p.m. turned north 320 degrees east, and at
+2.20 camped at a shallow pool in the bed of the creek, which was now in
+the limestone rock.
+
+REACH THE MAIN CAMP.
+
+9th May.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. resumed our journey down the valley to the junction of the
+creek with the Victoria River, which we followed down, crossing the ridge
+at Steep Head at 10.20, and reached the principal camp at 5.30 p.m.,
+where we were welcomed by Mr. Elsey, who was in charge, Mr. Wilson being
+absent down the river at the schooner, which had been laid on the shingle
+bank near the Dome to complete repairs. I was glad to learn that all the
+men belonging to the Expedition were in good health, except Richards,
+whose hand was still in a very unsatisfactory state, though better than
+when we left in January. The crew of the schooner had not been so
+fortunate, as the carpenter, John Finlay, had died, and three of the men
+were so ill that they had been left at the camp to be under the immediate
+care of the medical officer. This great amount of sickness is owing to
+the combined effects of previous disease and the inferior quality of the
+provisions with which the vessel is supplied. It appears that through
+damage by salt water and want of good management the provisions, which
+should have been sufficient for two years, are now reduced to salt beef
+of inferior quality and tea, the Expedition having had to furnish flour,
+rice, sugar, peas, and pork, as also medical stores, for the sick men. In
+consequence of the reduced number of the crew of the Tom Tough, Mr.
+Wilson had found it necessary to furnish men to assist in working the
+schooner, as well as to effect repairs.
+
+10th May.
+
+Much of the grass near the camp having been burnt, I sent the horses to
+the creek, three miles above the camp. Party employed in general duties
+of the camp. Twenty-nine sheep remained; they are now in fair condition;
+the average weight forty to forty-five pounds. They would probably have
+been much fatter had they been judiciously shepherded, but they had been
+kept close to the camp, where the feed had been eaten off closely. The
+natives have been frequently at the camp in small parties, and on these
+occasions were very quiet in their demeanour, but had made hostile
+demonstrations when met by small detached parties of the Expedition; and
+on one occasion Mr. Wilson had deemed it necessary to fire at them; but
+only one of the blacks appears to have been wounded, with small shot, in
+the arm, as he was afterwards seen at the camp.
+
+11th May (Sunday).
+
+12th May.
+
+Preparing maps, arranging stores, etc.
+
+13th May.
+
+Drawing maps of the late journey and preparing for the Expedition to the
+Albert River.
+
+THE TOM TOUGH REFITTED.
+
+14th May.
+
+Preparing maps, sifting flour, packing specimens, burning charcoal for
+the forge, preparing horse-shoes. At 6 p.m. Mr. Wilson returned in the
+boat from the Tom Tough. One of the boys belonging to the schooner was
+brought to the camp for medical treatment, as he was suffering from
+scurvy. The Tom Tough had been moored below the shoals, and was now
+moored in a secure position below Curiosity Peak. All the leaks had been
+secured, and she now only made about half an inch of water per hour. The
+crew of the vessel have been so much reduced by sickness that it will be
+necessary to send men on board to assist in refitting the vessel and
+procure a supply of wood and water. As it is necessary to replace the
+stores destroyed or damaged by salt-water, it appears desirable that the
+Tom Tough should proceed to the Gulf of Carpentaria via Coupang, in the
+island of Timor, where a supply of rice and sugar can be procured for the
+Expedition, and the vessel will be enabled to complete her stores. It
+appears desirable that the land party should refit with all possible
+despatch for the journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria, in order to take
+advantage of the cool season, and there is reason to expect that the
+horses will be sufficiently recruited in strength towards the end of
+June. I am, therefore, in hope that the party will be able to leave the
+Victoria before the expiration of the ensuing month. A small party of
+natives came to the camp in the morning and bartered a few trifles, and
+then retired.
+
+15th May.
+
+Continued preparation of maps; party employed in preparations for the
+journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria, camp duties, and preparing oakum for
+the schooner. Having found that the pork had been so much reduced in
+weight during the late journey, I made some experiments in the
+preparation of meat biscuits by mixing the preserved fresh beef with
+flour in equal proportions, with satisfactory results, as the reduction
+in weight by baking was 33 per cent.
+
+16th May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+17th May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+18th May (Sunday).
+
+19th May.
+
+Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller being desirous of proceeding up the
+Baines River to collect specimens, etc., made the necessary arrangements
+for the same, and they therefore proceeded in the boat with Phibbs,
+Humphries, and Shewell to the schooner; the men were then to return to
+the camp with a cargo of stores; and Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller
+were to proceed up Baines' River in the small boat which they were to
+obtain from the schooner. Richards is in charge of the sheep; Macdonald
+cook during the week; Bowman and Melville in charge of horses; Dean
+preparing saddle-bags and harness; Fahey and Selby burning charcoal and
+general camp duties.
+
+20th May.
+
+Party employed as before. The weather continues fine, with southerly
+winds.
+
+21st May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+22nd May.
+
+Party employed as before. At noon the boat returned from the schooner
+with stores; Captain Gourlay also came up in the gig to the camp; he
+informed me that the schooner now only made ten inches of water per day,
+and that she would be ready for sea so soon as the upper seams were
+caulked, and that he considered her perfectly seaworthy for the purpose
+of the expedition.
+
+23rd May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+24th May.
+
+Despatched the boat to the schooner with three cases containing
+sationery, tobacco, clothing, etc. Captain Gourlay returned to the Tom
+Tough.
+
+25th May (Sunday).
+
+PREPARATIONS FOR JOURNEY EASTWARD.
+
+26th May.
+
+Party employed preparing equipment for the journey to the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+27th May.
+
+As before.
+
+29th May.
+
+Party employed as before. Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller returned
+with the long-boat and gig from the schooner, having been about thirty
+miles up Baines' River to the south-west of Curiosity Hill. Mr. Wilson
+brought a native in the boat from Stony Spit.
+
+30th May.
+
+Party employed as before, and packing stores to be put on board the
+schooner.
+
+31st May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+1st June (Sunday).
+
+2nd June.
+
+Party employed preparing saddlery and equipment for the journey to the
+Gulf of Carpentaria.
+
+3rd June.
+
+Mr. Baines proceeded in the boat to the schooner (which was now anchored
+below the shoals), conveying a quantity of stores. Boat's crew: Phibbs,
+Humphries, Dean, and Selby; remainder of party at the camp employed as
+before. Preparing map of route up the Victoria River, etc.
+
+4th June.
+
+Party employed as before, namely, shoeing horses, restuffing saddles, and
+other preparations for journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Received from
+Mr. Wilson a journal of his proceedings from 31st January to 3rd March,
+and 1st April to 14th May.
+
+5th June.
+
+Party at camp employed as before. Mr. Baines returned with the gig.
+Boat's crew: Phibbs, Humphries, Dean, Selby, and Dawson, also one of the
+seaman belonging to the schooner; received a note from the master of the
+Tom Tough, complaining that Dawson had used abusive language to Mr.
+Gourlay; but as it appeared that considerable provocation had been given,
+I only reprimanded Dawson for his conduct. Mr. Baines informed me that on
+the 4th instant he had landed early in the day from the schooner, in
+company with Captain Gourlay, Dawson, and one of the seamen (Adams), for
+the purpose of bartering with a party of natives, about twenty in number.
+The blacks having been allowed to come close to the boat, stole a
+tomahawk, and on Adams making a demonstration of detaining one of their
+number until the stolen article was returned, one of the blacks seized
+his gun and tried to wrest it from him; but, Captain Gourlay approaching,
+he ran into the bush, and the rest of the blacks retired; the party then
+returned to the schooner. The tomahawk was afterwards found in the water
+near where the boat had landed.
+
+6th June.
+
+Party employed as before; the shoeing of the horses progresses rapidly,
+Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman shoeing five horses each day, although some of
+them are very restive.
+
+7th June.
+
+Mr. Elsey proceeded in the gig with Phibbs, Humphries, Selby, and Adams,
+conveying the two sick men and boy belonging to the schooner crew to the
+Tom Tough. Mr. Wilson requested me to hold an investigation into the
+circumstances attending the landing of a party from the Tom Tough on the
+4th instant, to traffic with the blacks, as he deemed it very imprudent,
+when so large a number of natives were assembled on the shore, to land
+with only four persons, though they were all armed; and adverted to the
+possible results of such a proceeding, which he said might have
+terminated the hitherto undisturbed harmony which had been maintained by
+the parties in his charge during my absence in their intercourse with the
+aborigines, and stated that he considered the evidence of men who were
+not present, but on board the schooner at the time of the party landing,
+was more to be relied on than Mr. Baines' statement, which had been made
+before the officers generally. As Mr. Baines had minutely detailed the
+whole transaction to me, and nothing farther was alleged by Mr. Wilson,
+who appeared to be actuated by no friendly feelings towards Mr. Baines,
+and my investigation would have only been an expression of a want of
+confidence in the veracity of Mr. Baines, which I could not entertain, I
+informed Mr. Wilson that I did not see any necessity for the
+investigation suggested. Party employed preparing equipment, shoeing
+horses, baking meat biscuits, etc. Rain at night.
+
+8th June (Sunday).
+
+MAKE MEAT BISCUITS.
+
+9th June.
+
+Completed shoeing the horses; party employed making small tents and
+saddle-bags, fitting pack-saddles, baking biscuits; Dr. Mueller
+collecting and arranging botanical specimens.
+
+ARRANGEMENT OF PARTY.
+
+10th June.
+
+Party employed as before, and preparing extra shoes for the horses, etc.
+Mr. Elsey returned with the gig from the schooner; boat's crew: Phibbs,
+Humphries, and Selby; the sick men had reached the vessel without any
+serious difficulty, although the boat grounded on the banks, and was
+thereby detained till next tide, and thus kept them several hours exposed
+to the rain.
+
+11th June.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+12th June.
+
+Completed baking 300 pounds of preserved beef and 300 pounds of flour
+into biscuits, which weighed 480 pounds when dry. A 6-pound tin of beef,
+with the soup and fat, was added to 6 pounds of flour, 1 ounce of salt
+(no water being used), and the whole made up into dough and baked in the
+ordinary form of sea biscuits; the result was 8 pounds, and thus 1 1/4
+pounds contained 1 pound of flour and 1 pound of meat.
+
+13th June.
+
+Mr. Baines proceeded with Phibbs, Humphries, and Selby in the gig to the
+Tom Tough, with stores not required at the camp, and for the purpose of
+returning with soap and other stores required for the outfit of the land
+expedition. Party employed as before. Mr. Wilson completed and furnished
+to me a sketch of the Western branch of the Victoria River, which had
+been discovered by Mr. Baines in December, 1855, while searching for
+stray horses, and which I had then named after him. Preparing maps, etc.,
+for transmission to the Governor-General of Australia.
+
+14th June.
+
+Wrote to Governor-General, reporting progress of the North Australian
+Expedition. Party employed as before; set of spare horse-shoes completed.
+
+15th June (Sunday).
+
+The weather has been remarkably cool and clear for several days, the
+temperature at sunrise 48 to 52 degrees.
+
+16th June.
+
+Mr. Baines returned from the schooner with the gig and long-boat (boat's
+crew as before) bringing the stores required for the land party. Party at
+the camp preparing equipment for expedition to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
+Mr. Wilson requested to be informed whether I had decided to attach him
+to the party which was to be organised at the Gulf of Carpentaria for the
+exploration of the country towards Moreton Bay, and in reply I informed
+him that so many unforeseen circumstances might occur before reaching the
+Albert River to require me to modify any arrangements made at the present
+time, that I should not select the individuals to form that party till we
+reached the Albert River. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter stating that
+unless I would now decide that he was to form one of the party proceeding
+from the Albert River overland to Moreton Bay, he was desirous of
+resigning his appointment of geologist to the North Australian
+Expedition. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply, stating that I could not comply
+with his request.
+
+17th June.
+
+Preparing copies of letters to Governor-General of Australia for
+transmission to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Party preparing
+for journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter
+stating that he declined to perform any further duties as an officer of
+the North Australian Expedition unless I complied with certain conditions
+therein named. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply, and informed him that he was
+henceforth suspended from any command in the Expedition. As I could not
+now include Mr. Wilson in the party proceeding to the Albert River by
+land, I requested Dr. Mueller to prepare to take Mr. Wilson's place in
+the party.
+
+18th June.
+
+Issued a general order, Number 4, suspending Mr. Wilson from any further
+command in the exploring party till further orders. Party employed as
+before--preparing equipment. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter relative
+to his being suspended from any further command in the party.
+
+19th June.
+
+Wrote to Mr. Baines instructing him to take charge of the portion of the
+North Australian Expedition proceeding in the Tom Tough to the Albert
+River. Preparing equipment for explorations towards the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+20th June.
+
+Wrote to the Governor-General of Australia, forwarding copies of
+correspondence with Mr. Wilson. Wrote to Secretary of State for the
+Colonies forwarding copies of despatches to the Governor-General. Wrote
+to master of Tom Tough schooner, instructing him to proceed to Coepang
+for supplies, and thence to Albert River. Wrote to Mr. Baines two letters
+of instructions; inspected equipment, and fitted the saddles of the party
+proceeding overland to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Wrote to Mr. Wilson a
+letter in reply to his communication of the 18th.
+
+START FOR GULF OF CARPENTARIA.
+
+21st June.
+
+At 10.0 a.m. left the principal camp on the Victoria with a party
+consisting of Messrs. H. Gregory, Elsey, and Dr. Mueller, Robert Bowman,
+Charles Dean, and J. Melville, seven saddle and twenty-seven pack horses,
+conveying five months' provisions of salt pork and meat biscuits, and six
+months' supply of flour, tea, sugar, coffee, etc., twenty-six pounds of
+gunpowder, sixty pounds bullets, 1 hundredweight shot, 5000 caps, etc.
+Proceeding up the left bank of the Victoria, crossed the ridge at back of
+Steep Head, and at 3.15 p.m. camped about three-quarters of a mile above
+it on the bank of the river.
+
+22nd June (Sunday).
+
+At 7.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the river up for ten miles, and
+then along a small creek four miles south-south-east; but the country
+proving very steep and rocky, returned one mile and camped at 3 p.m.
+
+23rd June.
+
+Left the camp at 7.0 a.m., and returned down the valley of the creek to
+the river, and kept along the bank of the Victoria to the junction of
+Beagle Creek. We ascended for five miles, and camped at 11.0, as there
+was no water between this point and the Victoria at Bynoe Range on the
+Beagle Valley route, and the distance was too great to be commenced at
+this late hour of the day.
+
+24th June.
+
+Started at 7.0 a.m., and steered east through an open box forest nearly
+level and well grassed. The grass had been burnt off by the blacks, but
+had shot up to a foot in height. Passed to the south of the Fitzroy
+Range; the valley between it and Stokes' Range similar to Beagle Valley,
+and about four miles wide. Keeping close to Stokes' Range, passed behind
+some of the detached hills at 4.20 p.m. Reached our old camp of the 5th
+May, and found the stores we had left secreted in the rocks undisturbed.
+
+25th June.
+
+Having distributed the stores which had been left here in May among the
+several pack-horses, at 7.15 a.m. resumed our route up the river, and
+crossed to the right bank two miles above the creek we intended to
+ascend, and camped at 11.0. Marked a large gum-tree Delta V.
+
+Latitude by b and a2 Centauri 15 degrees 39 minutes 17 seconds.
+
+LEAVE THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+26th June.
+
+Left the camp at 7.0 a.m., and followed the creek upwards to the
+east-south-east for five miles. The valley was about one mile wide, with
+fine grassy flats, bounded by sandstone cliffs 50 to 200 feet high, and
+forming tableland with deep ravines. The valley now turned to the east
+and east-north-east; some small tributaries joined the creek from the
+south-east, the sandstone cliffs disappeared, and the outline of the
+hills became rounded and rose about 300 feet above the creek. Shallow
+pools of water with dry shingle between, and an occasional deep
+waterhole, characterised the channel of the watercourse. At 1.30 p.m.
+camped on the left bank of the creek in an open grassy flat; the higher
+land very stony and indifferent.
+
+Latitude by Canopus 15 degrees 40 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+27th June.
+
+The temperature was lower at sunrise this morning than on any other day
+since landing in North Australia, being only 41 degrees. A little dew on
+the grass, and a light air from the east. At 6.50 a.m. started and
+followed up the creek to the east-north-east till 1.0 p.m., when we
+camped at a deep pool of water 20 yards wide and 200 yards long. Our
+attempts to procure fish were unsuccessful. The country consisted of low
+stony hills, thinly wooded, and the flats of the creek from a quarter to
+three quarters of a mile wide continued to be well grassed. On the north
+side of the creek a few miles back the hills rose to a greater elevation,
+and formed table-topped hills; some with cliffs of sandstone near the
+summits, and others smooth grassy slopes. The latter, from the colour of
+the grass, appeared to be of trap formation, and fragments of this rock
+were found in the bed of the creek. Soft shales were exposed in the
+gullies and on the sides of the hills, and were overlaid compact gray
+sandstones.
+
+Latitude by b Centauri, a2 Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 37 minutes 15
+seconds.
+
+28th June.
+
+Left the camp at 7.15 a.m., and followed up the creek to the
+east-north-east till noon, when we reached the last water in its channel
+near a steep range of sandstone hills, or rather tablelands; the country
+traversed was an undulating plain of trap formation resting on gray
+sandstone; it is thinly wooded, and well grassed; water was abundant in
+the creek below the camp; above the channel was dry, and soon divided
+into small gullies; in the afternoon ascended a hill three-quarters of a
+mile north-west of the camp; the lower portion was a dark compact trap or
+basalt, and the summit a horizontal bed of sandstone about 200 feet above
+the camp; the country to the north was very level, and only occasionally
+interrupted by flat-topped sandstone hills, the view extending at least
+thirty miles; to the south and south-west a country of trap formation
+extended for twenty miles, and to the east the tableland rose about 300
+feet above the camp, and was composed of the same strata as the hill
+ascended, but surmounted by the ferruginous conglomerate, which is the
+highest rock of the new red sandstone series.
+
+Latitude by b Centauri, a Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 33 minutes 13
+seconds.
+
+ARNHEIM LAND. DALY RIVER.
+
+29th June.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory to reconnoitre the country
+to the east; ascending the tableland, steered east till 10.0 through a
+level forest of stringybark and other eucalypti; the soil a light
+gravelly loam, but well grassed; we then turned north-north-east for one
+hour, along a shallow watercourse, and then east through level forest
+country till 3.20 p.m., when we reached a small stream-bed trending
+north-north-east, tracing it through wide grassy flats, which were on
+fire; at 4.40 found a small pool of water, where we halted for the night.
+
+30th June.
+
+As this appeared to be a spot to which the party could be advanced with
+safety, we left our bivouac at 6.50 a.m.; returning across the tableland,
+reached the camp at 4.30 p.m.
+
+1st July.
+
+At 6.40 a.m. started an average course of 80 degrees magnetic, and
+reached the waterholes in the small creek at 3.30 p.m. with the whole
+party, and camped at our bivouac of the 29th June.
+
+Latitude by b Centauri 15 degrees 30 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+2nd July.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek down to the
+east-north-east till 11.0 a.m.; it then turned more to the northward, and
+was nearly lost in wide level flats covered with high grass; the back
+country level stringybark forest, with good grass; at 2.25 p.m. the
+channel of the creek again collected, and we found a small waterhole
+twenty yards long and four feet deep, at which we camped; here we
+observed the fires of a party of blacks who had camped at the waterhole
+the previous day; small heaps of mussel-shells lay at intervals along the
+banks of the creek, though the channel was perfectly dry; but it appears
+that during the last wet season less rain has fallen than usual, and the
+soil has not been fully saturated, and consequently the waterholes have
+dried up sooner than in average years; although from the level character
+and geological features of the country, we are now on the tableland which
+divides the waters flowing to the north-west coast from those which fall
+into the Gulf of Carpentaria, the elevation of the country does not
+exceed 800 feet above the sea.
+
+Latitude by Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 18 minutes 33 seconds.
+
+3rd July.
+
+Starting at 7.30 a.m., followed the creek to the north-east by east till
+8.25, when it was joined by a small creek from the south; thus increased
+water was abundant in the bed of the creek, but the pools were shallow
+and not permanent. Grassy flats extended for a mile on each bank of the
+creek, beyond which the level forest of stringybark, bloodwood, and box
+was well grassed; the soil a good red loam. In a few spots fragments of
+limestone and agate were strewed over the surface, and an occasional
+ridge of ironstone conglomerate was crossed on which the grass was
+indifferent. At 12.45 p.m. camped in a wide grassy flat, where the grass,
+having been burnt early in the season, had sprung up again quite fresh
+and green.
+
+Latitude by a2 Centauri 15 degrees 11 minutes 24 seconds; variation of
+compass 2 degrees 10 minutes east.
+
+4th July.
+
+We were again in the saddle at 7.10 a.m., and, steering 70 degrees
+magnetic, diverged from the creek, traversing a level grassy forest of
+stringybark with abundance of green grass; at 8.0 turned north-east; the
+forest became more open, and the stringybark was replaced by bloodwood
+and box; limestone rock was frequent, and rendered the surface of the
+country very rough; and frequent depressions of the surface appeared to
+result from the falling-in of the roofs of caverns beneath which were
+farther indicated by deep clefts and holes in the rock, into which the
+surface waters flow during the rains. At 11.0 a.m. turned north, and at
+noon again struck the creek, which gradually turned to the
+north-north-east; limestone formed the banks, and only one small pool was
+seen till 4.50 p.m., when we found a little water in the sandy bed of a
+tributary creek from the south-south-east, at which we encamped. On the
+bank of the creek we this day first observed the casuarina, which is so
+frequent on the banks of the creeks trending towards the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+Latitude by Arcturus and a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 54 minutes 2
+seconds.
+
+5th July.
+
+As the course of the creek was to the north-west, and we had already been
+driven further north than was desirable, we left the creek and followed
+up the tributary to the east-south-east, leaving the camp at 7.5 a.m. The
+channel was soon lost on the wide grassy flats, in one of which was a
+fine waterhole covered with nymphae, near which a party of blacks were
+encamped. On our approach most of the women decamped with their bags and
+nets containing their valuables, while the men stood spear in hand gazing
+on the strange sight, as we passed them. Continuing up the creek, the
+course of which was only marked for some distance by the nature of the
+vegetation, which indicated occasional inundations, it again formed a
+shallow irregular channel in the centre of an open box flat, and at 1.30
+p.m. camped at a small waterhole in the channel.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 14 degrees 55 minutes 15
+seconds.
+
+TABLELAND.
+
+6th July.
+
+The small size of the creek affording little prospect of water nearer to
+its source, and as Mr. H. Gregory was suffering from a severe attack of
+fever, which rendered travelling unadvisable, I proceeded with Charles
+Dean to examine the country to the east-south-east. Leaving the camp at
+7.0 a.m., steered 120 degrees magnetic; at eight crossed a sandstone
+ridge covered with acacia scrub, and again descended into the valley of
+the creek, passing some fine grassy plains, and at 11.0 ascended the
+level tableland, the edge of which was covered with acacia scrub, beyond
+which we passed a level flat acacia scrub and small trees, and at noon
+entered a stringybark forest with occasional patches of bloodwood,
+leguminous ironbark, and sterculia. The soil varied from a brown loam to
+ironstone gravel, and in a few spots ferruginous conglomerate was
+visible. On the loamy soil the grass was good and abundant, but the
+gravel was covered with spiny treraphis. This tableland was so level that
+no declivity could be detected during the continuance of our day's
+journey, which lasted till 5.30, when we bivouacked without water; by
+taking the precaution of letting the horses feed on the outward track,
+and secreting ourselves after dark in the high grass, we passed the night
+without the necessity of keeping watch after midnight.
+
+7th July.
+
+Our horses having strayed back on the track, we carried our saddles and
+tracked them about two miles, and then mounting our horses steered north
+for some miles; but all was level forest without any sign of the
+existence of water, except a few cockatoos. I then turned to the
+south-west; crossing the outward track, and at length came on a shallow
+watercourse trending west, a ridge of rocks having confined the channel
+to a narrow space; three small waterholes were discovered in which a
+little water remained; below this the creek turned south-south-east, and
+I again turned towards the camp; but night overtaking us in the
+stringybark forest, we passed to the south of the camp without observing
+its position.
+
+8th July.
+
+Having ascertained that we had passed the position of the camp, turned to
+the north-east and reached the camp at 11.20. Mr. H. Gregory was somewhat
+recovered, but very weak from a violent attack of fever. During my
+absence a small party of blacks had visited the camp and had bivouacked a
+short distance up the creek.
+
+9th July.
+
+Moved the camp to the waterholes twelve miles south-east, and in the
+afternoon rode down the creek with Mr. Elsey; the creek turned to the
+south-south-east for a mile and a half, and was lost on a level flat,
+from which a channel trended to the west, which was again lost in a level
+flat extending to the west several miles. Heavy showers at night.
+
+CIRCUMCISION PRACTISED.
+
+10th July.
+
+Accompanied by Mr. Elsey, I proceeded to reconnoitre the country to the
+south-east, and at 7.45 a.m. steered 130 degrees, gradually ascending the
+tableland, and which was openly wooded with bloodwood, box, and
+white-gum; acacia and sterculia occasionally appearing. The soil was
+brown sandy loam with a few ridges of sandstone rock of white colour;
+grass had been abundant, but was now burnt off. The small white-ant nests
+from two to five feet high were very numerous; at 12.40 p.m. a slight
+depression in the country was observed, and limestone appeared, and deep
+hollows were frequent. One of these hollows which I examined was thirty
+yards in diameter and fifteen feet deep; in the centre was a deep cleft
+of fifteen feet more, which extended to the east and west under the
+surface with a width of three feet; at 3.0 struck a small creek trending
+east-north-east with a few small pools of water in the channel; in
+following down the creek in search of a sufficient supply of water for
+the horses, we passed some blacks sitting at a fire near the creek; at
+3.30 came to a pool sufficient for the supply of the whole party, below
+which the channel was dry; returning to the pool we met the blacks
+following our tracks, but, observing us, they ran away, and on being
+followed hid themselves; having unsaddled, we commenced our dinner and
+soon saw the blacks watching us from their hiding places, and after some
+time spent in making signs, they were induced to approach, the oldest of
+the party feigning to weep bitterly till they got close to us, when we
+commenced an attempt at conversation, and they appeared to recognise some
+few words of the language of the Victoria River. Their spears were formed
+of reeds with large heads of white sandstone, and also with three wooden
+points for fishing. They were circumcised and had their front teeth
+remaining; at 5.0 steered to the west-north-west for one hour, and
+bivouacked to secure ourselves from an attack during the night.
+
+11th July.
+
+At 6.30 a.m., resumed our route towards the camp, and reached it about
+1.0 p.m., without observing anything of farther remark.
+
+Latitude by a2 Centauri 15 degrees 2 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+ABSENCE OF WATERCOURSES.
+
+12th July.
+
+The grass near the camp having been burnt off, the horses had scattered
+very much, and could not be collected and saddled before 10.0 a.m., when
+we followed our track of yesterday and reached the pool of water at
+sunset. The country was so level, although we were crossing the watershed
+between the north-west coast and the Gulf of Carpentaria, that the
+aneroid only varied from 29.55 to 29.62, and even of this change the
+greater part was caused by alteration of the temperature. The geological
+character of this portion of the country differs slightly from that of
+the Victoria River. The upper stratum is a bed of ironstone conglomerate
+about twenty feet thick, this rests on sandstone, the upper part of which
+is highly ferruginous, then passes away into a variegated sandstone
+imperfectly stratified, changing into a hard siliceous sandstone which is
+white and breaks with a conchoidal fracture; this rests on a hard cherty
+sandstone similar to that of the Victoria River. In this rock many
+depressions occur, which is apparently caused by the roofs of caverns
+falling in and there are usually deep fissures in the rock at the bottom
+of these hollows, in which all the water that drains into them is
+absorbed; in some places the sandstone resting on the limestone has sunk
+many feet below the general level, with areas varying from one to ten
+acres, sometimes sloping towards a centre ten to thirty feet below the
+plain, and in other spots with abrupt rocky banks five to eight feet high
+and a perfectly level bottom. The level character of the country is
+unfavourable for investigations of this nature, and the thickness of the
+several strata not easily determined; but I think that the collective
+thickness of the several strata above the limestone does not exceed 100
+feet. The porous nature of the lower rocks preclude the existence of
+permanent surface water by draining the whole of the upper part of the
+tableland, while it forms strong springs in the lower ground towards the
+banks of the Roper River, where the limestone is exposed on the surface.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 14 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+WHITE MAN'S CAMP.
+
+13th July (Sunday).
+
+Leaving the camp at 8.30 a.m., proceeding down the creek, mistook a
+tributary for the main creek; following it south for two hours, when it
+spread into small gullies, and we had to return to the creek, which had
+now a northerly course, and at 4.25 camped about three miles from our
+starting point in the morning. The country passed over was of a very poor
+character, stiff clay flats, with melaleuca scrub in the valley, while
+low but steep ridges of sandstone rose to the east, and were timbered
+with stringybark and bloodwood, etc.; to the south the country seemed to
+rise slightly, but was very poor and sandy. The smoke of bush fires were
+visible to the south, east, and north, and several trees cut with iron
+axes were noticed near the camp. There was also the remains of a hut and
+the ashes of a large fire, indicating that there had been a party
+encamped there for several weeks; several trees from six to eight inches
+diameter had been cut down with iron axes in fair condition, and the hut
+built by cutting notches in standing trees and resting a large pole
+therein for a ridge; this hut had been burnt apparently by the subsequent
+bush fires, and only some pieces of the thickest timber remained
+unconsumed. Search was made for marked trees, but none found, nor were
+there any fragments of iron, leather, or other material of the equipment
+of an exploring party, or of any bones of animals other than those common
+to Australia. Had an exploring party been destroyed here, there would
+most likely have been some indications, and it may therefore be inferred
+that the party had proceeded on its journey. It could not have been a
+camp of Leichhardt's in 1845, as it is 100 miles south-west of his route
+to Port Essington, and it was only six or seven years old, judging by the
+growth of the trees; having subsequently seen some of Leichhardt's camps
+on the Burdekin, Mackenzie, and Barcoo Rivers, a great similarity was
+observed in regard to the mode of building the hut, and its relative
+position in regard to the fire and water supply, and the position in
+regard to the great features of the country was exactly where a party
+going westward would first receive a check from the waterless tableland
+between the Roper and Victoria Rivers, and would probably camp and
+reconnoitre ahead before attempting to cross to the north-west coast.
+This creek is named Elsey Creek on the map.
+
+ELSEY CREEK.
+
+14th July.
+
+Resuming our journey at 8.10 a.m., steered north-east down the valley of
+the creek, which I named Elsey Creek, after the surgeon of the
+expedition. Its course was generally to the north-east, but spreading
+into lagoons and swampy flats, became very tortuous and irregular. It
+then changed to a very winding reach of water fifty to sixty yards wide,
+with low banks covered with reeds and tall melaleuca-trees, beyond which
+was a belt of pandanus growing on the drier ground. Many small springs
+rose in the limestone rock and ran into the creek, on the banks of which
+large quantities of mussel-shells showed the frequent camps of the
+blacks. The banks of the creek and springs were so soft and boggy that
+our horses could not approach the water, and we followed its banks in
+search of a spot where they could drink in safety, till 4.0, without
+success, and having camped, had to water the horses with our leather
+buckets.
+
+Latitude by a2 Centauri and a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 5 minutes 35
+seconds.
+
+ROPER RIVER.
+
+15th July.
+
+Leaving our camp at 7.10 a.m., steered north-east till 9.0, over level
+country, which appeared to be very swampy in the rainy season; altered
+the course to 10 degrees magnetic, and crossed a small dry watercourse
+which proved to be a continuation of Elsey Creek. At 11.0 turned 60
+degrees magnetic, and shortly came on the bank of a fine river with banks
+thirty to forty feet high, and fine reaches of water fifty to eighty
+yards wide; at 11.45 camped at the junction of Elsey Creek and the river,
+which appears to be the Roper of Dr. Leichhardt. The fan-palm was
+frequently seen on the banks of Elsey Creek, where it obtained a height
+of fifty to eighty feet, and had a thicker stem and produced a more
+palatable vegetable than the species growing on the banks of the Victoria
+River.
+
+KILL AN EMU.
+
+16th July.
+
+At 7.5 a.m. recommenced our journey, following down the Roper River east
+and north-east; about a mile below the camp the limestone rocks formed a
+bar, over which the river ran with a rapid current ten yards wide and two
+feet deep; the banks became lower and the surface of the country
+extremely level. The overflows of the river had formed shallow lagoons,
+in which the nelumbium or gigantic water-lily was first seen. A ridge of
+low sandstone hills came close to the left bank, and on the right a vast
+level plain, covered with high grass and reeds, extending two or three
+miles back. This plain is evidently inundated during the wet season,
+though the soil was now dry and full of deep cracks. The river divided
+into several small shallow channels full of reeds, and each with a small
+stream of water, the deep green of the vegetation along the course of the
+running water contrasting strongly with the parched vegetation of the
+other portions of the plain. Clumps of melaleuca occurred at intervals,
+and at a distance appeared like low hills. At 2.0 p.m. camped at the end
+of a low basaltic ridge, which approached the bank of the river from the
+south. A range of flat-topped hills extended to the north-east from the
+river, about eight miles distant, to the north-west of the camp; they
+appeared wooded, and 200 to 300 feet high. Bowman rode down a young emu,
+which supplied us with a meal of fresh meat.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 50 minutes 56 seconds.
+
+17th July.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered east-south-east, following the bank of the river for
+a mile, when, to avoid the high grass and reeds, altered the course to
+south-east till 8.10; then steering 100 degrees magnetic till 9.25, when
+we camped on a small waterhole, there being abundance of water. The river
+appears to turn to the north and enter a range of hills, which trends
+north and south a few miles to the east of our camp. The country
+traversed this day is all well grassed and thinly timbered with
+terminalia, box, and silver-leafed ironbark; trap-rock visible in several
+places, and the soil was a good red loam. The metallic barometer has a
+second time suddenly deviated from the aneroid barometer, and the form of
+the vacuum vessel has visibly altered, the construction being too slight
+to bear the motion of the pack-horse, though one of the steadiest animals
+had been selected to carry the instruments, and they are always
+surrounded with blankets.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 14 degrees 53 minutes 16
+seconds.
+
+18th July.
+
+As this was a suitable camp for resting the party, and grass was
+abundant, I rode to the south-east with Mr. H. Gregory to look for a
+route towards the head of the Wickham River; our course was along a
+valley between the trap hills to the west and a sandstone range to the
+east. About eight miles reached a creek trending north-east; its channel
+was dry and sandy, but after some search found a small pool of water in a
+side channel; casuarina and flooded-gum trees grew on the banks of the
+creek, and there was some good grass on the flats, which were limited by
+sandstone hills densely wooded with acacia of the same species as that
+seen on the lower part of Sturt's Creek. After an hour's halt at the pool
+of water we returned to camp.
+
+SILENT NATIVES.
+
+19th July.
+
+The horses having scattered much during the night, it was 8 a.m. before
+they were collected and saddled; we then followed our track of yesterday
+to the pool in the creek, eight miles south-east, reaching it at 11.45.
+The sandstones here showed a decided dip to the west, at angles varying
+from 5 degrees to 30 degrees, and the trap-rocks only extended five miles
+from the previous camp. In the afternoon five natives were observed
+watching the camp, and finding they were observed by us came up to the
+party, but could not be induced to speak a single word; they soon after
+retired. They had no spears, and were followed by a small dog. Their
+teeth were entire, but they were all circumcised. At 8.0 p.m. the blacks
+were detected stealing into the camp, and, though we called upon them to
+retire, only hid themselves in the grass; but as it was absolutely
+necessary for our own safety to dislodge them from their position, I
+caused a gun to be fired in the air, hoping that they would retire, but
+they commenced to ship their spears, and I therefore ordered a charge of
+shot to be fired at them, which had the desired effect of compelling them
+to retreat. What their object was in thus approaching the camp at night,
+unless for hostile purposes, we had no means of ascertaining; but the
+aboriginal Australian considers it an act of positive hostility to
+approach a camp in silence at night.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 59 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+20th July.
+
+Starting at 7.30 a.m., steered south-east over an undulating sandstone
+country, well grassed, but very stony and thinly wooded; a low range of
+rocky hills, nearly parallel to our route, lay to the south-west, and at
+11.20 a.m. we camped at a fine running stream in a rocky ravine in this
+range; the grass was, however, very dry and inferior near the range.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 4 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+21st July.
+
+The horses had shown an unusual desire to stray during the night, and as
+we had reason to apprehend a visit from the blacks, they were kept close
+to the camp; at 6.20 a.m. steered south-east, crossing a tableland about
+250 feet above the camp, and at 8.0 a.m. descended by a rocky gully, in
+which was a fine spring, into a grassy valley, which varied from a few
+yards to a mile in breadth, bounded by sandstone hills, the strata of
+which were not well defined, but appeared to have a considerable dip to
+the west-south-west; in the upper part of the valley the creek was well
+supplied with water, but as we advanced into the lower ground the channel
+was dry, though increased to twenty yards wide and ten to fifteen feet
+deep; at 11.15 a.m. one of the horses, Prince, was observed to be unwell,
+and at 1.20 p.m. a second horse, Bob, was noticed to be suffering from
+illness, having bled them, we proceeded down the creek in search of water
+at which the party could halt, and found a small waterhole at 2.20 p.m.,
+but the two sick horses dropped dead about 150 yards before reaching it;
+their loads had been previously removed to the saddle-horses; as soon as
+the camp had been formed Mr. Elsey and Dr. Mueller examined the dead
+horses to ascertain the cause of death, and it appeared from the state of
+extreme inflammation of the stomachs that they had eaten some poisonous
+plant; but the food was too much comminuted to admit of the plants eaten
+being recognised.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 12 minutes 46 seconds.
+
+22nd July.
+
+At 7.10 a.m. resumed our journey down the valley of the creek to the east
+and east-north-east, passing a fine lagoon with nelumbium and a number of
+pelicans; at 8.30 a.m. crossed two large creeks and passed a second
+lagoon, 70 yards by 300 yards. The principal creek now turned to the
+north, and our course was along the foot of a sandstone range 200 feet
+high, till 12.40 p.m., when, altering the course to south-east, we
+ascended the range and crossed the level sandy tableland covered with
+scrub; descending to the south, found a small dry watercourse in an open
+valley, and followed it in search of water to the north-west till 4.0
+p.m., when we found a small pool of rainwater, at which we camped.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 13 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+23rd July.
+
+The horses had strayed so far in search of green grass that we did not
+start till 10.30 a.m., when we steered south-east, crossing a spur of the
+tableland which lay to the south-west; then crossing several valleys and
+small watercourses trending to the north-east, camped at a shallow
+waterhole at 3.20 p.m. The country was of sandstone formation and the
+soil very poor, melaleuca scrubs prevailing on the lower ground, and
+eucalypti, acacia, and grevillia on the hills; to the south-west the
+hills were rocky, with a rounded outline, but to the north-east they were
+flat-topped and of less height. The sandstones are often at a
+considerable angle, but in no general direction, a thin bed of
+ferruginous conglomerate rests on hard gray sandstone, imperfectly
+stratified, beneath which shales of various colours exist; on the exposed
+surface of the shales observed an efflorescence of sulphate of magnesia.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 18
+minutes 48 seconds.
+
+SCARCITY OF GRASS.
+
+24th July.
+
+Resuming our route at 7.20 a.m., steered south-east and ascended a
+sandstone range with horizontal strata and very abrupt on the south-east
+side. Entering a wide valley, crossed two small watercourses, the second
+of which was running apparently from springs, as several clumps of the
+melaleuca grew on the slope of the sandstone hills from which they came.
+Crossing a second spur of the tableland, descended to a small creek with
+waterholes and narrow grassy flats, the general character of the country
+being very poor and scrubby.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 38
+minutes 56 seconds.
+
+25th July.
+
+At 7.40 a.m. left the camp, and steered south-east through a succession
+of miserable scrubs of eucalypti, grevillia, acacia, and jacksonia, with
+patches of melaleuca. At 1.30 p.m. crossed a ridge of steep sandstone
+rocks, and gradually descended till 2.55, when we camped on a small gully
+coming from the south, and in which a little water remained, and on the
+bank some dry grass of very inferior kind. Since leaving the Roper River
+the general character of the country has been worthless; the small size
+of the watercourses indicating an arid country to the south-west of our
+route. Few traces of blacks have been seen, though vast columns of smoke
+rise to the east and south-east; animals or birds are rarely seen. The
+rocky nature of the country has caused the horses' shoes to wear out
+rapidly, and the day seldom passes without having to replace the shoes of
+several of the horses.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 40
+minutes 19 seconds.
+
+26th July.
+
+At 8.0 a.m. steered south-east, soon entering a scrub of acacia,
+melaleuca, and grevillia, with a few eucalypti; the soil sandy, with a
+few blocks of gray sandstone; some small dry watercourses trended to the
+north. At noon crossed a large creek trending to the south-south-east
+through a very rocky valley, and the whole country was very barren and
+rocky. At 2.35 p.m. recrossed the creek, which here turned to the east
+and north-east. After following it down for an hour, found a small patch
+of grass, and encamped. The bed of the creek was very rocky and well
+supplied with water in shallow pools.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 50
+minutes 2 seconds.
+
+BARREN COUNTRY.
+
+27th July (Sunday).
+
+Resumed our route at 7.0 a.m., crossing a very rocky ridge of hills, in
+descending which one of the horses wedged his foot into a cleft of the
+rock, and falling down, was only released by beating the rock away with
+an axe. Fortunately, though much cut and bruised, there was no serious
+injury. With some difficulty we extricated ourselves from these rocky
+ridges, and, crossing a large creek, entered a level plain covered with
+melaleuca scrub. Crossing two sandy creeks fifteen and twenty yards wide
+with shallow pools, at noon reached a barren range of white sandstone
+hills, rising about 250 feet. Beyond this entered an open grassy plain,
+with clumps of melaleuca-trees, indicating the existence of springs of
+water, one of which we reached at 1.25 p.m., and encamped. The country
+passed is of a worthless description, there being very little grass, and
+the soil very poor and stony. The sandstones are of gray colour, and not
+regularly stratified; but where it could be ascertained the bedding was
+horizontal, and the lamina dipping 20 degrees to 30 degrees to the north,
+but often in the opposite direction. These sandstones are at least 200
+feet thick, and rest on soft shales of white-brown and green colour.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 55 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+28th July.
+
+The indifferent character of the country having caused the horses to
+stray in search of better food, we were delayed till 8.30 a.m., when we
+steered south-east over several low ridges of sandstone, wooded with
+white and paper-bark gum, with triodia in the hollows. Small dry
+watercourses trended to the north-east and north. At 10.20 crossed a
+creek ten yards wide, with pools of water, and at 1.5 p.m. a second of
+the same size, which trended to the east, was followed till 1.50, when a
+small pool of water and a little grass enabled us to camp. The country
+continues to be of a bad description, and covered with scrub, though of a
+more open nature than before, the soil more gravelly, melaleuca less
+frequent, and eucalypti and triodia more abundant. The rock is a coarse
+gray sandstone, thick bedded with horizontal strata, the lamina dipping
+30 degrees to north-east generally; but varying much, the peculiar
+marking on the surface of the rock resembling the rippling of water, is
+frequent, forming grooves two to four inches wide and half an inch deep.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 59 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+29th July.
+
+A dense fog was the unusual cause of delay in collecting our horses, as
+they could not be seen more than a few yards distant. At 8.45 a.m.
+steered south-east through scrubs of melaleuca, acacia, grevillia, and
+eucalypti; at 11.0 the country became more open, and entering a grassy
+plain extending five to eight miles to the east, where it was bounded by
+a low range of hills; to the south-west a level forest of white-gum ran
+parallel to our route. The soil was a brown clay-loam with pebbles of
+sandstone; a few box and bauhinia trees grew on the plain; the grass had
+been burnt off and sprung up again very green. At 1.20 p.m. came on a
+large dry creek trending north-east; it had several channels twenty yards
+wide with loose sandy beds, and was bordered by casuarina, melaleuca, and
+flooded-gum trees; following down the creek, at 1.15 camped at a shallow
+pool in one of the side channels. About three miles before we reached the
+camp Dr. Mueller had fallen some distance behind the party; but as this
+was a frequent occurrence in collecting botanical specimens, it was not
+observed till we reached the creek, when he was out of sight; after
+unsaddling the pack-horses I was preparing to send in search of him, when
+he came up to the camp, the cause of delay having been that his horse had
+knocked up. This was unfortunate, as the load of one of the pack-horses
+had to be distributed among the others, in order to remount the doctor,
+who requires stronger horses than any other person in the party, having
+knocked up four since January, while not one of the other riding-horses
+had failed, though carrying heavier weights.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 7 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+30th July.
+
+There being abundance of good grass at this camp, we remained this day to
+shoe some of the horses and repair harness, etc., and rest the horses;
+nor was I sorry to get a day of comparative rest, as I had been in the
+saddle every day since leaving the Victoria on the 21st June. Eleven of
+the horses were re-shod.
+
+A SPRING OF GOOD WATER.
+
+31st July.
+
+Leaving the camp at 7.40 a.m., pursued a south-east course, soon leaving
+the grassy flats of the creek and entering a melaleuca scrub; at 8.20
+ascended the tableland by a gentle slope; the country was now sandy with
+much bush of acacia, grevillia, and bossiaca, with triodia in the more
+open part of the forest, which consisted of paper-bark gums. The
+prevailing rock was ironstone conglomerate, and hard white sandstone
+sometimes appeared; after 10.0 the country declined to the south, and we
+passed through a belt of cypress scrub; at 1.15 p.m. altered the course
+to east-south-east; crossed a rough sandstone ridge and came on a deep
+valley with sandstone cliffs on each side; with some difficulty descended
+the rocks and reached a small watercourse which was quite dry; but
+observing some very green trees about a mile to the north-west at the
+foot of the rocks, turned towards them and found a fine spring of water
+flowing from the face of the cliff; selecting a suitable spot, encamped
+at 2.30. Near this spring were several huts constructed in the rudest
+manner by heaping branches together. From the summit of the hill the view
+extended thirty miles to the north-east, but no marked features were
+visible, the country only undulating slightly. The country too became
+more open and travelling easier, but no other improvement has been
+observed.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 17 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+1st August.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the valley to the south till
+9.15, when a break in the sandstone cliffs which bounded the valley
+enabled us to ascend the hills and pursue our course to the south-east,
+crossing several ridges of sandstone, the strata dipping to the west, and
+becoming more shaly as we proceeded. Descending into a valley with a dry
+creek fifteen yards wide, the rocks on the south-east slope cherty
+limestone alternating with thin beds of shale, the strata dipping 20
+degrees to 30 degrees west. The summit had a thin horizontal bed of
+ironstone conglomerate through which masses of white sandstone protruded.
+This limestone country was well grassed, and thinly timbered with
+eucalypti of small growth; at 1.20 p.m. altered the course to north-east
+and followed down a gully in search of water; but though it gradually
+enlarged to a considerable creek and we continued our search till 7.0, we
+were compelled to encamp without water. I then walked down the creek two
+miles, but only found one moist spot in which, by digging, a few pints of
+water were obtained.
+
+2nd August.
+
+At 6.5 a.m. resumed our search for water, and following the creek
+north-east for two hours reached a small muddy pool of rainwater, at
+which we encamped. The country near the creek was very level, and
+thinly-wooded low hills were visible in the distance to the south-east
+and north.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 16 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+3rd August.
+
+The water at this pool near our camp being nearly consumed, and nothing
+but thick mud remaining, we proceeded down the creek in search of a
+better supply; but it was not until we had followed its dry sandy bed for
+three hours that we attained our object, and encamped at a small pool in
+one of the back channels, the principal bed of the creek being perfectly
+dry. The country near the creek continues very level, and well grassed,
+but distant rocky hills are visible in almost every direction. In
+approaching the Gulf of Carpentaria heavy dews and fogs have become more
+frequent in the mornings, when it is usually calm. About 10.0 a.m. a
+breeze usually sets in from the eastward, varying from north to
+south-east; at sunset it falls calm, but commences again at 8.0 p.m. and
+blows moderately from the eastward for one or two hours; very thin misty
+clouds are frequent, and render the heat oppressive when they prevail.
+According to my reckoning, we are now only fifty miles from the
+sea-coast, and therefore much nearer Dr. Leichhardt's track than I could
+wish to traverse the country; but, however desirable a more inland route
+might be, it is evident, from the small size of the watercourses hitherto
+crossed, that we have been skirting a tableland which is doubtless a
+continuation of the desert into which we followed Sturt's Creek, and the
+small altitude of the country in which the watercourses trending towards
+the Gulf take their rise precludes the existence of any considerable
+drainage towards the interior.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 14 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+THE MCARTHUR RIVER.
+
+4th August.
+
+The general course of the creek being northerly, and our distance from
+the McArthur about 20 miles on the chart, steered south-east from 6.35
+a.m., crossing many rocky sandstone ridges and hills, the strata of which
+dipped 20 degrees to 40 degrees to the west. At noon from one of the
+higher ridges saw the valley of the McArthur River to the south-east;
+continuing our course, descended a small dry watercourse till 4.0 p.m.,
+when we reached a large creek with a belt of casuarina, melaleuca and
+eucalypti along its banks. The channel was dry and sandy, about twenty
+yards wide, but showed the marks of high floods. Following the creek down
+for three-quarters of an hour found a small pool just sufficient for the
+supply of the party. Just below our camp a creek fifteen yards wide
+joined the principal one from the south, and, from the general lay of the
+country, it was evident that we were now on the McArthur River of
+Leichhardt; but though from the steepness of the banks the floods
+frequently rise thirty to forty feet, the creek did not bear the
+character of one which would take its rise at any great distance inland
+of our track. The country passed over was very thinly wooded with
+eucalypti of small growth, seldom more than one and a half feet in
+diameter and fifty feet high; a few leguminous ironbark, and sterculia
+were scattered on the hills, with much triodia and little grass. After
+crossing the highest ridge at 11.0 a.m. the sandstone strata were
+variously inclined, but generally to the west or north-east at high
+angles, except on the immediate bank of the McArthur, where the
+sandstones were horizontal. To the south-west of our route the country
+rose into stony hills of very barren aspect, but to the north the country
+appeared to be wooded.
+
+Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 25 minutes 11 seconds.
+
+5th August.
+
+The country to the south-east being very rocky and broken, we followed
+down the river, leaving the camp at 7.20 a.m., the general course
+north-east; the sandstone hills rose abruptly from the bank of the river,
+the sandstone rock being frequently worn away in a partial manner, so as
+to leave isolated columns sometimes three feet in diameter and thirty
+feet high; a few miles below the camp a few pools of water were seen, but
+there was no grass near them, and we continued our route for four hours,
+and camped at a shallow pool with a small patch of grass on the bank of
+the river; the principal channel of the river was only twenty-three yards
+wide, but in times of flood the side channels carry off the greater
+portion of the water, which rises nearly forty feet; considerable
+quantities of mussel-shells lay at the old camps of the blacks along the
+bank of the river.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 16 degrees 18 minutes 41
+seconds; longitude by lunar distances 136 degrees 21 minutes.
+
+6th August.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. resumed our journey on a south-east course, over a miserable
+sandy country, with stunted eucalypti, grevillia, and triodia; at 11.0
+reached a range of broken sandstone hills, which, with great difficulty
+and risk to the horses, we crossed in an east-south-east direction; but
+though the direct distance was only three miles, the deep ravines and
+rocks delayed us for three hours, and we were glad to emerge into an open
+valley, in which we camped at 2.30 p.m.; in the deep ravines of the
+sandstone hills water was abundant, but inaccessible for our horses, from
+the steep and rocky character of the country; a few small white-gum trees
+and triodia formed almost the entire vegetation; the rock is gray
+sandstone in horizontal beds with cleavage lamina, which varied so much
+in angle and direction that no general direction could be assigned, the
+cleavage of the upper beds often being the reverse of those immediately
+below them; the beds were from one to four feet thick, and the lamina
+half an inch to two inches, the grain very even and moderately fine.
+
+Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 24 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+7th August.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.10 a.m. on an average east-south-east course,
+along the foot of a rocky range of sandstone hills; at 8.30 came on a
+deep rocky creek, with long pools of water trending to the north; as our
+horses required rest, and the country ahead appeared very barren and
+rocky, we encamped.
+
+8th August.
+
+Steering a south-east course from 6.50 a.m., crossed a sandy tableland,
+with paper-bark and melaleuca with broad leaves; passed a small creek
+with pools trending north-east, and at 10.0 a low rocky ridge; then
+descended into a wide valley, with melaleuca and a few box-trees. At 1.25
+camped on a large sandy creek with two channels ten yards wide, with low
+sandy banks; one channel was dry, but the other had a few small pools in
+it; a line of melaleuca and flooded-gum trees marked its course along the
+valley. When in flood the waters of the creek are 100 yards wide and ten
+to fifteen feet deep. The grass was inferior, but from having been burnt
+had grown up fresh and green.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 34 minutes 44 seconds.
+
+IRON TOOLS USED BY NATIVES.
+
+9th August.
+
+Starting at 6.40 a.m., traversed an undulating sandstone country on a
+south-east course till 1.15 p.m., when we came on a large dry sandy
+creek, which we followed to the north-north-east till 1.50, when we found
+a shallow pool, at which we encamped. This creek had a sandy channel ten
+yards wide, with low banks, subject to flood to the breadth of fifty to
+eighty yards. Pandanus, melaleuca, and flooded-gum grow on its banks. The
+country generally is poor and stony, with paper-bark, gum, bloodwood, and
+narrow-leafed melaleuca. Shortly after reaching the creek the horse
+Monkey knocked up, though only carrying a pack-saddle since the 30th
+July; I therefore left the saddle, having removed all such portion of the
+fittings which might hereafter be useful. A few yards from our camp we
+found some spears and water vessels, which had been hidden under some
+sheets of bark by the blacks, who evidently were out hunting, as we heard
+them calling to each other in the afternoon, though they were not seen.
+These water vessels were formed by hollowing out a block of wood in the
+shape of a canoe, and had a capacity of three gallons, and it was evident
+that they possess tools of iron as also of stone.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 42 minutes 50 seconds;
+longitude by lunar distances 136 degrees 28 minutes.
+
+10th August.
+
+As there was a sufficient supply of grass and water, remained at the camp
+to rest the party. The morning was cloudy, but cleared up about 9 a.m.,
+and I observed a set of lunar distances. Dean brought in some jasper from
+a hill one mile north-west of the camp. He also reported that the creek
+appeared to trend to the north for eight or ten miles.
+
+11th August.
+
+We continued a south-east route at 7.40 a.m., ascending hills of
+limestone and sandstone, with an upper bed of basalt, which on the higher
+land to the south-west was again covered by sandstone. The trap or basalt
+was much decomposed, and contained fragments of lower rocks. At 1.40 p.m.
+camped on a fine but small creek, with permanent pools of water in a
+rocky channel from five to thirty yards wide. The country was well
+grassed and openly wooded with box, sterculia, leguminous ironbark, and
+terminalia.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 51 minutes 55 seconds.
+
+12th August.
+
+At 6.50 a.m. resumed a south-east course, traversing a broken country
+with limestone, chert, sandstone, and trap hills, deeply cut by dry
+watercourses. The grass was abundant and good, though triodia appeared on
+the higher ridges; at 7.0 crossed a small river, with fine permanent
+pools of water in a rocky bed ten to thirty yards wide. The floods rise
+twenty feet, and extend over a breadth of 70 to 100 yards. It is the
+largest stream-bed crossed since leaving the river, and may possibly
+drain the country to a distance of sixty miles to the southward. At 1.25
+camped on a small creek trending to the north-north-east, in which were
+pools twenty yards long and five feet deep.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 17 degrees 1 minute 31 seconds.
+
+NATIVE FISHING NETS.
+
+13th August.
+
+Left the camp at 7.0 a.m. and continued a south-easterly course, crossing
+a succession of sandy valleys and broken sandstone hills; the strata
+horizontal, and lamina dipping to the north and east generally, but
+sometimes in the opposite direction; the soil poor and sandy, producing
+little besides white-gum and triodia. At noon ascended a high ridge, from
+which we saw a broad valley to the south-east, beyond which was a range
+of flat-topped hills terminating abruptly at the northern end, which bore
+east by north. Descending by a rocky ravine, at 1.30 p.m. reached a fine
+creek, on which we camped. This creek had deep pools of water fifty yards
+wide; but the steep rocky character of its banks caused the channel to
+appear larger than if it had been in a more level country. Under some
+large rocks Dean found a fishing-net made neatly of twisted bark, the
+mesh one and a half inch, the length perhaps thirty feet; some fishing
+spears showed the marks of iron tools. The rocks in this part of the
+country often contain angular fragments of the lower strata; thus the
+limestone includes fragments of chert and jasper, and the sandstone
+pieces of limestone, but I could not detect either granite, quartz, or
+slate.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 17 degrees 11 minutes 1 second.
+
+14th August.
+
+At 6.20 a.m. we were again in the saddle, and steered south-east across
+very rocky hills till 8.0, when we entered a fine valley with low hills
+of limestone and trap, well grassed and thinly wooded with box-trees and
+acacia; at 10.0 ascended a rough sandstone range with white-gum, acacia,
+and triodia; at 11.0 again descended into a valley bounded by sandstone
+cliffs on the northern side, and camped at a fine pool of water in a
+small creek at 12.5. Several trees near this pool of water had been
+marked by the blacks, the bark having been removed, the wood was painted
+yellow with brown spots at regular intervals, and vertical waved lines in
+black. It is evident from the outline of the hills that we are travelling
+on the edge of the tableland of Northern Australia, and this accounts for
+the small size of the watercourses, while the abrupt and broken nature of
+the hills has caused the rocks to form channels of sufficient size to
+retain water throughout the year, while the same disruption of the strata
+has exposed the limestone and trap-rock, has caused fertile patches of
+country, and thus enabled us to traverse a country which is otherwise
+barren and inhospitable in the extreme, our chief difficulty being the
+rocky character of the country, which can only be traversed with
+well-shod horses. It is possible that some small tracts of available
+country may exist between our track and the shores of the Gulf of
+Carpentaria, but to the south there is little to expect besides a barren
+sandy desert, as on every occasion that the tableland has been ascended,
+nothing but sandy worthless country has been encountered.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 17 minutes 56 seconds.
+
+KANGAROO ABUNDANT.
+
+15th August.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.35 a.m., and followed a large creek up to the
+south-east, and at 7.45 crossed it below a fine pool of water, above
+which the creek came from the south-west, in which direction the country
+consisted of low sandstone hills of barren aspect. We then crossed a few
+miles of sandy tableland and descended at 10.20 into a deep valley
+trending east. This brought us to a small creek with good water, on which
+we encamped at 11.30. The country is very poor and rocky, thinly wooded
+with box-trees in valleys and white-gum on the hills, where the grass is
+replaced by triodia. Kangaroos are more numerous than in any other part
+of Australia yet visited by the Expedition, and as many as twelve or
+fifteen have been seen each day. Early in the morning a light breeze from
+west; at 7.0 a fresh breeze from south-east which lasted till 4 p.m., and
+at sunset a light air from west.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 23 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+16th August.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. steered south-east and followed the valley of the creek till
+8.0, when it turned to the north-east; continuing our course along the
+valley south-east, though there was now no watercourse in it, at 11.20
+came on a creek in a trap valley trending north-east, across the larger
+valley, and crossing a ridge of sandstone and basalt, came on a large
+creek trending north, in which were long pools of water fifteen to twenty
+yards wide. Following this creek upwards to the south-south-east, as the
+valley widened the water ceased for some distance, but at 12.40 p.m. came
+on a pool supplied by a spring at the upper end. Here we encamped, as
+there was some good grass. The rock which formed the hills on this day's
+journey is a hard red-brown sandstone, the lower part thin-bedded,
+beneath which trap or basalt has been forced between the strata, and was
+exposed in the deep valleys excavated by the creeks. The view at times
+extended twenty miles to the north-east over a level depressed country,
+beyond which were low ridges of hills. The country generally was poor and
+stony, thinly wooded with eucalypti and acacia, except when the basalt
+was exposed, and by its decomposition formed a richer soil, well covered
+with grass and very open in character.
+
+17th August (Sunday).
+
+Grass and water being sufficient, remained at the camp to rest the
+horses, though, as several had to be shod, it was not altogether a day of
+rest to the party. A fresh breeze from south-east cooled the air at noon,
+but died away towards sunset.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 32 minutes 11 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 135 degrees 51 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+18th August.
+
+Collected the horses early, but two of them appeared to be much griped
+from eating the coarse grass, and I therefore delayed starting till 7.40
+a.m., and then ascended the stony range to the south-east and reached the
+tableland. The soil was sandy with acacia scrub, paper-bark gum,
+stringybark, and bloodwood; at 10.0 the country became stony, with
+white-gum, tall acacia, and triodia, and we gradually ascended till the
+aneroid indicated an elevation of 1100 feet, and we appeared to be on a
+ridge parallel to the tableland of the interior and at a greater
+elevation; at 1.20 p.m. observed a clump of melaleuca in a deep rocky
+ravine, and steered south to it. Here we found a spring with a few acres
+of grass around it, and encamped.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 40 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+BASALTIC RANGE. 1300 FEET ABOVE SEA.
+
+19th August.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. steered south-east and soon ascended a rocky range of
+altered sandstone and trap or basalt, thinly wooded with white-gum, tall
+acacia, and grevillia, triodia, and treraphis superseding the grass; at
+7.30 the aneroid indicated the greatest altitude (1300 feet) which we had
+attained since leaving the Victoria River. From this point the view was
+extensive to the north and south. Towards the interior the surface of the
+tableland, not being so elevated as our position, appeared like a vast
+level plain without any marked feature whatsoever. To the north the
+country appeared to consist of low ridges of wooded hills gradually
+decreasing in height as they receded. Southward our view was intercepted
+by broken wooded hills of equal elevation with our position, while deep
+ravines trending to the south intercepted our route. I therefore altered
+the course to 200 degrees magnetic, and descended a rocky valley in which
+was a small watercourse which enlarged into a considerable creek with
+large rocky waterholes. The hills consisted of basalt and altered
+sandstone, which dipped 20 degrees to 60 degrees to the north-west, and
+by their outcrop formed parallel ridges which we passed with difficulty
+and great risk to our horses; at 12.30 p.m. we extricated ourselves from
+these ridges and entered a level valley extending thirty miles to the
+north-east and south-west. Here granite rock was exposed on the bank of
+the creek, which now trended across the valley to the south-east, with a
+broad sandy bed from a quarter to half a mile in width, but quite dry and
+overgrown with bushes; at 4.5 reached the hills which bounded the valley
+to the south-east, and the creek entering a deep gorge which, by
+concentrating its waters, had formed a fine pool, at which we encamped.
+The country after leaving the basalt hills, where the valleys were well
+grassed, was barren and useless sand, gravel, and rock.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 53 minutes 42 seconds.
+
+20th August.
+
+We left our camp at 7.0 a.m., and finding the valley of the creek
+impassable, crossed the hills in an east-south-east direction, the
+country consisting of steep sandstone ridges covered with triodia and a
+few stunted eucalypti; at 3.0 p.m. we again attained the bank of the
+creek and camped in a small patch of coarse rushes, as there was no grass
+for the horses.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 58 minutes 7 seconds.
+
+21st August.
+
+Leaving this miserable spot with our starving horses, followed the creek,
+which had now increased to a small river, to the east-south-east, and
+after two hours' travelling reached a small patch of grass and camped at
+8.20 a.m.; the bed of the river is nearly dry, only a few shallow pools
+remaining in the sandy channel, which is ten to fifty yards wide, with
+smaller side channels, altogether occupying a breadth of nearly 200
+yards, dense clumps of melaleuca-trees growing in the intervening banks
+of sand; large quantities of unio-shell, some five and six inches in
+length, are found on the banks of the river near the camps of the blacks;
+Bowman complains of an attack of scurvy, which causes pains in his legs
+and swelling of the gums.
+
+22nd August.
+
+Although our yesterday's journey was only of two hours' duration, the
+horses appeared very weak and fatigued when we started at 6.45 am, and it
+was with great difficulty that Boco and Monkey could keep up with the
+rest of the horses; we were frequently compelled to leave the bank of the
+river and cross steep rocky ridges of sandstone rock; the country was
+very rugged and barren, producing little besides triodia and a few
+stunted gum-trees. The bed of the river increased to 400 yards in width,
+consisting of sandy channels with narrow banks of sand covered with large
+melaleuca-trees between them. At 1.5 p.m. camped in a small patch of dry
+wiry grass; procuring water from a small pool in the bed of the river.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 59 minutes 2 seconds.
+
+THE NICHOLSON RIVER.
+
+23rd August.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.15 a.m., following the right bank of the river
+to the east-north-east; it soon passed between two steep rocky hills and
+turned to the north. Continuing our course a short distance, rocky hills
+compelled us to turn north-north-east to regain the banks of the river,
+following an ana-branch till 11.0 a.m., when it joined the main channel,
+which then trended north-east; at 11.30 came to a small grassy flat,
+along the banks of the river, and camped. The valley of the river is now
+more open, but the country of very barren character, with stunted
+eucalypti and triodia on the hills, and melaleuca and flooded-gum trees,
+with a little grass, on the bank of the river. The hills have decreased
+in height, the upper strata thick-bedded coarse sandstone with sandstone
+shale beneath; hard white sandstone exists in some of the lower ridges.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 56 minutes 37 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 138 degrees 22 minutes 7 seconds.
+
+24th August (Sunday).
+
+Although this was not a good spot for a day's halt, yet it was requisite
+the horses should have a day's rest, and, as it was Sunday, remained at
+the camp. While collecting the horses a native woman and child were seen
+at a distance, in the bed of the river; but on being approached hid
+themselves in the reeds, and though the grass was set on fire in several
+places by the blacks, they were not seen again.
+
+25th August.
+
+Resumed our journey down the river at 8.5 a.m., the general course being
+east; at 2.35 p.m. camped at a nymphae pool in one of the side channels
+of the river. The country was now more level and open, with grassy flats
+along the river, but the back country rose into low rocky sandstone
+hills, thinly clothed with white-gum and triodia. At noon we crossed a
+sandstone ridge, from which the view was extensive, but, except on a
+range of hills fifteen miles north of our position and terminating
+abruptly on a north-east bearing, there was nothing visible but low and
+flat wooded country. The bed of the river is a quarter of a mile wide,
+consisting of broad sandy channels with low sandy ridges between covered
+with melaleuca and acacia trees. Some of the party walked down the river
+and came to the camp of some blacks; but only one lame old man remained,
+who made a great noise to frighten away the invaders of his country.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+26th August.
+
+Followed down the river from 6.45 a.m. till 1.40 p.m., the general course
+being east. The country is now more level, and ironstone conglomerate
+forms low steep banks to the river, the bed of which is unchanged, being
+broad dry sandy channels. The back country shows no improvement, and is
+covered with triodia. Some blacks were seen on the left bank of the
+river, but though within hearing of our horses' bells, did not appear to
+notice us.
+
+Latitude by z and a Aquilae 17 degrees 54 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+27th August.
+
+The course of the river continued nearly east, and we followed its right
+bank from 7.30 a.m. till 1.5 p.m., when we camped at a fine pool of water
+in one of the side channels, the main channel continuing dry and sandy.
+The country on the immediate bank of the river was openly wooded with
+box, flooded-gum, leguminous ironbark, and melia, and was scantily
+grassed; the soil a brown sandy loam. Beyond the influence of the floods
+the ground was quite level; small terminalia, broad-leafed melaleuca, and
+silver-leafed ironbark, with dry triodia, formed the entire vegetation of
+this worthless plain. Ironstone conglomerate and sandstone boulders are
+the only rocks visible.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 56 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+A FINE STREAM OF RUNNING WATER.
+
+28th August.
+
+Our day's journey commenced at 7.0 a.m., and following the right bank of
+the river to the east-south-east till 12.45 p.m., encamped in the bed of
+the river, which was nearly half a mile wide from bank to bank, the
+principal channel, eighty yards wide, was shallow and sandy, with a few
+small pools of water at intervals. The side channels of similar
+character, but smaller and without water. Beyond the bed the banks rose
+abruptly about thirty feet, and then appeared to decline as it receded,
+and no higher ground was visible. The soil was a sandy loam, thinly
+timbered with small box-trees and scanty grass.
+
+Latitude by Vega and b Cygni 18 degrees 1 minute 3 seconds.
+
+29th August.
+
+At 7.20 a.m. steered east through level box flats, the country gradually
+becoming more open and better grassed, though very scantily; at noon
+crossed some open grassy plains, and altered the course to north-east,
+north-north-east, and north, and at 3.20 p.m. again came on the bank of
+the river and encamped at a small pool of water; the rest of the channel,
+which exceeded a quarter of a mile in width, being dry and overgrown with
+large melaleuca and flooded-gum trees. The general character of the
+country is a level plain about forty feet above the level of the river,
+thinly wooded with box and a few bloodwood, acacia, and bauhinia trees;
+the soil a brown loam, and the grass, though scanty, of good quality, but
+at this season very dry.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 55 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+30th August.
+
+At 6.50 a.m. steered east-north-east through box flats and open grassy
+flats, the course of the river nearly parallel to our route; at 10.10
+came to a large tributary creek from the south. Its principal channel was
+30 yards wide, with pools separated by dry banks, but two small side
+channels existed with small running stream. After half an hour's delay,
+we succeeded in crossing without further accident than resulted from some
+of the pack-horses falling down the bank into the water and wetting their
+packs, and getting a ducking myself, which wetted the chronometers.
+Water-pandanus, fan-palm, and casuarina formed a belt of trees along the
+bank of the stream, which bore quite a different character to that of the
+dry sandy bed of the river above the junction. Continuing our route, at
+12.5 p.m. came to a second running creek, but of smaller size. This we
+crossed and followed down to the east till 1.5, when we encamped. Here we
+observed that, though the water was fresh, yet it was affected by the
+tide, which was now at the highest spring.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 52 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+THE ALBERT RIVER. A MARKED TREE.
+
+31st August (Sunday).
+
+Rode down the creek with Mr. H. Gregory. At two miles from the camp came
+to the junction of a smaller creek from the south, the two forming a fine
+reach of water, which we recognised as the Albert River of Captain
+Stokes. This spot between the two creeks was the rendezvous appointed for
+the two sections of the Expedition, and though, from the short period
+which had elapsed since leaving the Victoria, the Tom Tough could
+scarcely be expected to have arrived before us, on approaching the spot
+we saw several marked trees:
+
+CHUMLUT + arrow pointing up ORE RCH TO 1856,
+
+but were disappointed in our hope that the vessel had reached the Albert,
+as these marks consisted of several names of seamen, who appeared to have
+formed the crew of a boat sent up the river by H.M. steamer Torch. Search
+was made for directions for finding any memorandum which might have been
+concealed, as I first thought it probable that the object of the visit
+might have been to communicate with the Expedition; but the nature of the
+inscriptions and the absence of anything which led to even a surmise of
+what was the object of the visit caused us to come to the conclusion that
+it had no reference to the North Australian Expedition. From the state of
+the ashes of the fire and branches of the trees which had been cut and
+broken, it appeared that several weeks had elapsed, and consequently the
+Torch was not likely to still be in or near the river. In accordance with
+arrangements made with Mr. Baines, I marked a tree thus:
+
+NAE AUG 30 DIG1YD TO E.
+
+in order to apprise him of our having reached the Albert, and of our
+prospective movements. Returning to the camp, wrote a memorandum of the
+visit of the Expedition and a note to Mr. Baines, informing him that we
+intended leaving other marks and memoranda at the junction of the
+salt-water arm of the river, and then continue without delay our route
+towards Moreton Bay. These memoranda were enclosed in a powder-canister,
+and Messrs. Elsey and Bowman took them down to the marked tree and buried
+them. In the afternoon rode over with Mr. H. Gregory towards the
+Nicholson River, crossing Beame's Brook. Steered north-north-east four
+and a half miles over a level grassy plain with stripes of box-trees. As
+we could see four or five miles farther, and no indication of the river,
+returned to the camp, having ascertained that the Nicholson River does
+not join the Albert, unless many miles below the junction of Beame's
+Brook with the South Creek, which together form the Albert River.
+
+1st September.
+
+At 7.40 a.m. steered east to the South Creek, which we found at the
+distance of two miles, and followed it up for an hour in search of a
+crossing place, as the channel was very muddy. A suitable spot having
+been found, we filled up the channel, which was two yards wide, with
+pandanus stems, and crossed the horses over without accident. Steering
+east-north-east two miles across wide level plains, with patches of
+box-trees, turned north at noon and struck the Albert just below the
+junction of the South Creek and Beame's Brook. Finding the water
+brackish, we did not proceed farther down the river, and encamped. The
+existence of a narrow belt of mangrove along the bank of the river
+indicates that the water is often salt to the head of the Albert.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 51 minutes 55 seconds.
+
+2nd September.
+
+The water in the river being very brackish, it became evident that we
+should be unable to procure fresh water if we followed it towards the
+sea, and therefore I decided on leaving the letters I had written to Mr.
+Baines at this spot, and accordingly marked a tree thus:
+
+NAEXPDN AUG 30 1856 DIG2YDN
+
+and buried a tin canister with letters, stating that the exploring party
+was to start the following morning for Moreton Bay, and instructing Mr.
+Baines to remain at the Albert till the 29th September, 1856, in case any
+unforeseen circumstance should compel the party to return to the Albert
+within that period. Five months' flour, tea, sugar, etc., and three
+months' supply of meat at full ration still remained; and as our horses
+would supply the deficiency of meat, if required, we have sufficient
+quantity of provisions to enable the party to reach the settled part of
+New South Wales, unless extraordinary difficulties should be encountered;
+under the circumstances it did not appear prudent to delay at the Albert
+River, as the arrival of the Tom Tough might be deferred for an
+indefinite period.
+
+3rd September.
+
+Left our camp at 6.45 a.m., and steered east over level box-flats and
+open grassy plains; at 10.0 came on a small creek, which we followed half
+an hour to the north-east, when we came to salt-water, which had been
+left in pools at high tides. I therefore steered south-east till 5.0 p.m.
+and camped at a shallow pool in a large creek trending north. The country
+consists of vast open level plains, separated by narrow belts of box and
+terminalia trees; the soil a brown clay loam, producing rather short and
+dry grass. On approaching the waterhole at which we encamped, a black and
+three or four women were found camped on the opposite side of the creek;
+they climbed the trees and remained among the branches till dusk, when
+they descended to their fires and made a great noise till 9.0, when they
+decamped. This creek is probably the head of the salt-water arm of the
+Albert River or of the Disaster River.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 2 minutes 5 seconds; variation of compass 4
+degrees east.
+
+THE "PLAINS OF PROMISE," LEICHHARDT RIVER.
+
+4th September.
+
+Continued a south-east course through large open plains thinly grassed;
+passed a dry watercourse with a small waterhole in one of the back
+channels, but insufficient for our horses, and at noon camped at a
+shallow waterhole in a grassy flat. Mr. Elsey walked half a mile to the
+eastward; came to a river eighty yards wide, but observing some blacks,
+returned to the camp. In the evening nine blacks came towards us, and
+appeared inclined to hostilities; but, after a short interview, retired
+up the creek. These blacks were not circumcised, and their teeth were
+perfect; they had neither ornaments or any description of clothing, and
+were slightly scarred on the back and chest. Their spears were large and
+heavy, made of a single piece of wood, and thrown by hand; they had also
+smaller ones of reed, with wooden points, which were thrown with the
+throwing board, which were flattened vertically; clubs two and a half
+feet long and two and a half inches in diameter, and shields formed of a
+single piece of wood two and a half feet long and three inches wide. The
+river proved to be fresh, and in pools separated by rock flats, and is
+evidently the same that Dr. Leichhardt supposed to be the Albert--a
+mistake which has caused considerable error in the maps of his route; as
+it was not named, I called it the Leichhardt. The character of the
+country is inferior, as the grass which covers the plains is principally
+aristidia and andropogon; anthisteria or kangaroo grass only in small
+patches. The soil is a good brown loam.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 11 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+ATTACK BY THE NATIVES.
+
+5th September.
+
+At daybreak we heard the blacks making a great noise up the river, and
+while the horses were being brought in nineteen blacks came to the camp,
+all armed with clubs and spears. They did not make any hostile
+demonstration, and the approach of the horses appeared to keep them in
+check; and a person unacquainted with the treacherous character of the
+Australian might have thought them friendly. When we started at 6.50 a.m.
+they followed the party to the bank of the river, and began to ship their
+spears, and when we were crossing a deep ravine made a rush on us with
+their spears poised ready to throw them at us, hoping to take advantage
+of our position; but just as their leader was in the act of throwing his
+spear he received a charge of small shot. This checked them, and we
+charged them on horseback, and with a few shots from our revolvers put
+them to flight, except one man, who climbed a tree, where we left him, as
+our object was only to procure our own safety, and that with as little
+injury to the blacks as possible. We did not pursue our advantage; by
+following the fugitives. Proceeding down the river a short distance, at
+7.40 crossed to the right bank on a ledge of flat rocks. It was here
+about 100 yards wide, with shallow reaches of water, the banks rising
+steep--thirty to forty feet. Very little vegetation grew on the banks,
+which appeared to result from salt water occasionally reaching this part
+at very high tides. We now steered east over level grassy plains, with
+patches of box and terminalia. Passed a small but deep waterhole, near
+which were two black gins, who did not appear to notice us. At 10.0 the
+country was covered with an open scrub of terminalia, with silvery
+leaves, and triodia replaced the grass. At noon passed a small rocky
+gully with a waterhole, which our horses quite emptied of its contents.
+Altering the course to north-east, the country was covered with melaleuca
+scrub, with silver-leafed ironbark, triodia, and a little grass; but we
+soon re-entered the open plains which extended to the north, and,
+following a watercourse at 3.5 p.m. camped at a small muddy waterhole, on
+the banks of which the blacks had often encamped, as shown by the heaps
+of mussel-shells round their fireplaces. Our route has been along the
+southern limit of the open grassy plains, and to the south the country
+rises into low ridges and stony plains, covered with scrub and triodia.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 7 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+6th September.
+
+Starting at 6.25 a.m. our route was average east over a level country of
+very bad quality; the soil ironstone gravel, producing terminalia,
+triodia, and silk cotton-trees (Cochospermum gregoranum). Towards the
+latter part of the stage the country improved, becoming more open and
+grassy. At 12.15 camped on a large creek with a shallow pool of muddy
+water.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 9 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+7th September (Sunday).
+
+Remained at the camp to rest the party. A strong south-east wind blew
+during the night, and the day was cool and clear; the air very dry.
+Repaired our saddle-bags, which, from frequent contact with rocks and
+dead trees, were much dilapidated.
+
+8th September.
+
+Steered east-south-east from 6.40 am to 11.40, crossing low ironstone
+ridges and wide grassy plains, with belts of box, terminalia, white-gum,
+and silver-leafed ironbark of small size; the grass very inferior, with
+patches of triodia on the ridges; then traversed a level country covered
+with small trees and dry grass for two hours, after which we followed a
+dry watercourse, with large hollows in its bed, to the north-north-west
+for one hour; the shells of large unios abundant, but no water; altered
+the course to the east; passed two lines of box-trees crossing the plain
+from the south to the north, and at 5.50 p.m. camped in the plain without
+water; a strong breeze from the south-east during the day had rendered
+the heat less oppressive than usual.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 12 minutes 40 seconds; variation of compass 5
+degrees east.
+
+THE FLINDERS RIVER.
+
+9th September.
+
+Left our waterless camp at 6.10 a.m., steering north 50 degrees east
+magnetic over a level grassy plain; at 9.40 reached a fine river of fresh
+water 100 yards wide, but very shallow; pelicans, ducks, and other
+water-fowl were numerous, but very shy and wild; here we camped, although
+the grass was very inferior on the immediate banks of the river, the
+surface of the soil being very much furrowed by the rain; small fragments
+of limestone and a few quartz pebbles have been observed on the surface
+of the plain for the past twenty miles, and a dark limestone rock is
+exposed in the bed of the river, where it has horizontal stratification;
+fragments of flinty slate and trap exist in the gravel of the bed of the
+river, which, from its position, must be the Flinders River of the
+charts.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 18 degrees 8 minutes 41 seconds; variation of
+compass 4 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+10th September.
+
+6.10 a.m. again found us in the saddle, and crossing the right bank
+followed it to the south-south-east till 7.20, when it turned to the
+south-south-west, and changing our course to the east, passed through a
+fine grassy plain for two miles, and entered a level open box-flat, well
+grassed, the soil a brown loam; this continued till 2.30 p.m., when we
+entered a belt of terminalia, and at 1.0 reached a small watercourse, and
+camped at a fine waterhole fifty yards wide and 100 yards long,
+apparently deep and permanent water, with open grassy banks; this
+waterhole would render a great extent of the fine grassy country around
+available for pasturage; in passing through the box forest we observed
+several sleeping places which had been constructed by the blacks during
+the wet season; they consisted of four stakes two feet high, supporting a
+platform of small sticks five feet long and two and a half feet wide;
+three to twenty of these frames would be grouped together, and were
+frequent till we reached the Gilbert River.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 10 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+11th September.
+
+At 6.20 a.m. steered east for one hour through level box and terminalia
+flats, with good grass and brown loam; came to a fine lagoon eighty yards
+wide and nearly one mile long; beyond this was a creek with small pools
+of water; as it appeared to come from the south-east, we steered in that
+direction, but soon receded from it, as its course changed to
+south-south-east, and altering our course more to the southward, at noon
+came again on the creek, much reduced in size; melaleuca scrub and
+triodia growing close to its banks, and only a few shallow pools of
+water, nearly dried up, and very little grass; at 12.25 p.m. camped at a
+small pool. On the banks of the lagoon passed in the morning large heaps
+of mussel-shells showed the spots where, from the vast accumulation, the
+blacks had for many centuries camped successively on the same spots, and
+a well-beaten footpath along the bank showed that it was a favourite
+resort of the aboriginals. The common flies are very troublesome; very
+few birds, and no kangaroos have been seen during the last few days'
+journey.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 18 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+12th September.
+
+The course of the creek being from the south and water very scarce in its
+bed, it does not appear that we have yet reached the streams rising in
+the high land at the head of the Burdekin and Lynd rivers; it therefore
+appeared expedient to steer an east-north-east course till some
+stream-bed of sufficient size to retain water at this season can be
+found, and then to follow it up to the ranges where alone water can be
+expected to be found to enable us to steer to the south-east. At an
+earlier season of the year, when water is abundant, it would be more
+desirable to ascend the Flinders, and cross from its upper branches to
+the head of the Clark; but under present circumstances this course would
+be highly imprudent, and no experimental deviations from the most direct
+course would be justifiable. The grass being scanty, the horses had
+scattered much, and we did not leave the camp till 10.20 a.m., when we
+steered east-north-east. A short mile from our camp passed four blacks at
+a pool of water; they did not observe us till we had passed, though only
+100 yards distant, and the country very open. Our route was through a
+level country, wooded with box, bloodwood, terminalia, grevillia, and
+broad-leafed melaleuca, triodia, and patches of grass. The soil is a hard
+ironstone gravel and clay. Passing several dry beds of shallow lagoons,
+came to a small dry watercourse coming from the east; at 12.20 p.m.
+camped at a shallow pool of water scarcely four inches deep. Near the
+camp were some fine grassy flats, but limited in extent, and the grass
+very dry. The cool southerly breezes have ceased, and the north-east and
+westerly winds are light and very warm.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 14 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+13th September.
+
+At 8.5 a.m. steered east-north-east through box-flats with broad-leafed
+melaleuca, with a little grass. The country gradually became more scrubby
+with grevillia, terminalia, bloodwood, and triodia; the soil very poor,
+and in some parts sand and gravel. At 2.0 p.m. altered the course to
+north, and at 5.50 came to a dry creek in a rocky channel trending west,
+which we followed down till 6.15, and camped without water.
+
+14th September (Sunday).
+
+At 5.50 proceeded down the creek on a nearly west course, searching the
+channel in its winding course for water, but without success, till 10.0,
+when we found a pool of good water fifty yards long and two feet deep, at
+which we encamped. Some blacks had been camped at this pool, and their
+fires were still burning. The country on the creek is very poor, with
+patches of open melaleuca scrub, box, bloodwood, leguminous ironbark,
+terminalia, white-gum, and a few pandanus, triodia, and a little very dry
+grass. The soil sandstone, with ironstone gravel. The native bee appears
+to be very numerous, and great numbers of trees have been cut by the
+blacks to obtain the honey.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 59 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+LEVEL COUNTRY. SCARCITY OF WATER.
+
+15th September.
+
+At 8.15 a.m. resumed our journey north 10 degrees magnetic, over a very
+level country thinly wooded with box, bloodwood, melaleuca, terminalia,
+grevillia, and cotton-trees, also a small tree which we recognised as
+Leichhardt's little bread-tree, the fruit of which, when ripe, is mealy
+and acid, but made some of the party, who ate it, sick. Several dry
+watercourses trending west were crossed, and at 2.5 p.m. camped at a
+small waterhole in a sandy creek, fifteen yards wide. By enlarging the
+hole we obtained, though with difficulty, a sufficient supply of water
+for our horses. On the flats near the creek the grass was good, but very
+dry.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 46 minutes 11 seconds.
+
+16th September.
+
+Although our horses required a day's rest, none of our camps for some
+days had afforded a sufficient supply of water and grass for a second
+night; we therefore continued a north 20 degrees east course at 6.25
+a.m.; at 7.30 a.m. came to a creek which we followed east an hour and a
+half, when it was reduced to a small gully, and again steered
+north-north-east, passing over much poor country with patches of
+melaleuca scrub, the country perfectly level; at 2.0 p.m. came to a sandy
+creek which we followed to the west till 6.5 p.m. without any water;
+camped in an open grassy box flat; I then walked down the creek, and was
+fortunate in finding a pool of water half a mile distant, and as soon as
+the moon rose we drove the horses to the water and filled our
+saddle-bags. Few parts of our journey have been through country so
+destitute of animal life as the level plain we have traversed since
+leaving the Flinders River--no kangaroo or even their track; emu tracks
+very rare, and very few birds were at the waterholes. Many of the
+sleeping-frames of the blacks have been observed, and thousands of deep
+impressions of their feet in the now dry and sun-baked clay show that
+during the rainy season the extremely level nature of the country causes
+it to be extensively inundated.
+
+17th September.
+
+The supply of water and grass being sufficient, we remained at this camp
+to refresh the horses, which had suffered much from the long stages.
+
+Latitude by Capella 17 degrees 34 minutes 5 seconds; variation of compass
+4 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+DRIED HORSE-FLESH.
+
+18th September.
+
+Starting at 7.0 a.m., steered north 10 degrees east magnetic till 12.30
+p.m., crossing a level country with frequent hollows which form lagoons
+in the wet season, reaching a sandy creek with several channels, which we
+searched in vain for water; but found a fine lagoon about a quarter of a
+mile from it, in a grassy flat, in which we encamped. The country
+generally was more open, with grassy box-flats; melaleuca scrubs less
+frequent. As this camp appeared suitable for a halt of a few days, I
+decided on availing ourselves of the opportunity, and to kill one of the
+unserviceable horses and replenish our stock of meat and supply the party
+with fresh provisions. Old Boco, who had not carried a pack since leaving
+the Albert, and whose wandering and kicking propensities had rendered him
+a troublesome animal, was therefore shot, skinned and quartered.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 21 minutes 20 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees 15 minutes east.
+
+19th September.
+
+The horse was cut into thin slices and hung on ropes to dry by 10.0 a.m.,
+the liver and heart furnishing the party with an excellent dinner.
+
+20th September.
+
+The night had been cloudy, but the meat dried well, and promised to be
+fit to pack the following day, the weather being very hot with little
+wind. Reduced the ration of flour to three-quarters of a pound per diem
+while fresh meat is abundant.
+
+21st September.
+
+Resumed our journey at 8.15 a.m. and traversed on a course north 40
+degrees east a level plain grassy country thinly wooded with box,
+bloodwood, and terminalia, etc. The soil a dark loam of good quality, but
+very wet in the rainy season. At 11.30 a.m. came on a large creek or
+river with many sandy channels in which only a few small pools of water
+remained; followed it up to the east-south-east through fine open grassy
+flats till 2.35 p.m. and camped in the bed of the river. The banks of the
+river (which is probably the Gilbert of Leichhardt) are well grassed, and
+a dense line of melaleuca, leucodendron, flooded-gum, and morinda, mark
+its course through the plain; but being divided into many channels its
+size is difficult to ascertain. Considerable quantities of mica are mixed
+with the soil on its banks, which indicates that it rises in country of
+primary formation. Two kangaroos, some wallabies, and pink and
+sulphur-crested white cockatoos were seen near the river.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 18 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+THE GILBERT RIVER.
+
+22nd September.
+
+Leaving our camp at 7.25 a.m., steered north 120 degrees east across the
+plains on the left bank of the river, and at 1.30 p.m. camped at a small
+pool in the sandy bed of the Gilbert, which is broad, sandy, and retains
+very little water. Fragments of porphyry, quartz, and black slate are
+abundant in the drift, and mica, iserine, and minute garnets exist.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 25 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+23rd September.
+
+At 7.5 a.m. continued our journey up the river's left bank, the average
+course south-east by east; at 2.50 p.m., camped at a small pool in the
+bed of the river; the principal channel is 200 yards wide, and the
+smaller ones occupy a breadth of half a mile; the banks are low, and the
+country quite level, thinly wooded with box-trees; the grass good, but
+not thick; water very scarce, except by digging in the sand of the river.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 17 degrees 36 minutes; variation of compass 5 degrees
+east.
+
+24th September.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered south-east, and at 8.0 crossed to the right bank of
+the river, the channel 300 yards wide, with banks fifteen feet high,
+beyond which the ground gradually declined, so that when the river
+overflows a great extent of country must be inundated. Continuing our
+course, the river turned more to the south, and we passed through some
+poor stunted forest of eucalypti, alternating with grassy box-flats. At
+noon altered the course south-south-east, and at 12.30 p.m. camped at a
+chain of small lagoons in the shade of some fine nonda-trees.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 45 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+25th September.
+
+At 6.35 a.m. steered south-east through an open melaleuca scrub, the soil
+sandy loam, thinly grassed; acacia, bloodwood, silver-leafed ironbark,
+and grevillia forming open patches of wood at intervals. At noon turned
+south, and at 1.35 p.m. camped at a small lagoon nearly dry and half a
+mile from the bank of the river; a few hills rose close to the south-west
+of the river opposite our camp, the lower ridges grassy, the higher hills
+wooded, but not exceeding 500 feet above the plain. The bed of the river
+is broad, dry, and sandy, and the box-flats much reduced in width, seldom
+exceeding a mile. At 5.0 p.m. there was a heavy squall with rain and
+lightning, followed by a cloudy night and moderate breeze from the south.
+
+26th September.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. resumed our route, and, following up the right bank of the
+river in a south-east direction till 2.0 p.m., when we camped in the
+sandy bed of the river, procuring water from a small hole in the sand.
+The country on the banks of the river consisted of box flats, some parts
+well grassed, but usually very poor; this extended about half a mile, and
+then changed gradually to a poor country with little grass and small
+eucalypti and melaleuca, the soil gravel and sand. The bed of the river
+continues to be about 300 yards wide, dry, and sandy; a line of
+melaleuca, morinda, flooded-gum and fig trees, grow along it and mark its
+course.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 18 degrees 10 minutes 10 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+27th September.
+
+Steered an average south-east course up the river from 6.40 a.m. till 1.0
+p.m., when we camped at some pools of water in a side channel of the
+river, where it was divided by a hillock of slate-rock. The country is
+inferior in quality, the flats narrowing to an average of half a mile
+with very dry and thinly scattered tufts of grass. The bed of the river
+is better defined, and formed at times a single channel 250 yards wide,
+dry and sandy, as water was only once seen during the day. Low rocky
+ridges of sandstone gradually approached its banks, and near the camp
+porphyry, slate, and coarse granite formed detached hills 50 to 100 feet
+high, seeming to indicate an approach to the ranges in which the stream
+takes its rise.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 15 minutes 21 seconds.
+
+GRANITE, PORPHYRY, AND SLATE.
+
+28th September (Sunday).
+
+Walked out from the camp to a low hill about one mile south-south-east.
+It was composed of granite at the base and capped with horizontal strata
+of sandstone, some of the beds containing large water-worn pebbles, and
+the superstratum highly ferruginous. To the south-west of this hill the
+rock was slate, the strata nearly vertical; the strike north and south,
+but much contorted, and large pebbles of porphyry, quartz, slate,
+granite, sandstone, and agate formed banks in the bed of the river. The
+country, as seen from the hill, was generally level in appearance, but
+consisted of numerous low ridges and detached hills of granite, with
+sandstone on the summits. The valley of the river extended to the east
+and south, and a large branch appeared to join from the south about ten
+miles lower down, as a valley and some ranges of hills trended in that
+direction. The whole face of the country had an arid and desolate aspect,
+as there were no large trees except along the principal watercourses, and
+many of the hills appeared destitute of any other vegetation besides
+small acacias and scrub trees, the bare rock showing through its scanty
+covering.
+
+29th September.
+
+At 7.15 a.m. again steered east up the river, the country level and
+timbered with stringybark, box, bloodwood, leguminous ironbark, and rusty
+gum; the soil a red sandy loam, thinly grassed; at 10.30 a.m. came to low
+hills and ridges of granite and porphyry, timbered with box, leguminous
+ironbark, terminalia, and the grass somewhat improved. Altered the course
+at 11.0 a.m. to the south to close in with the river; but after crossing
+a great number of dry watercourses, and even steering west, only reached
+the bank of the river at sunset. The channel was dry, and all the
+vegetation had disappeared, only a barren waste of coarse sand and gravel
+180 yards wide, with bare rocky banks, showed that it had once been a
+running stream. A few small hollows in the rocks retained water from the
+late rain, but not sufficient for our horses, and though we found a small
+pool in the sand, it was insufficient for the supply of the party.
+Encamped at 6.0 p.m. The geological structure of this portion of the
+country is wholly dissimilar to any other part of North Australia we have
+yet traversed. Granite, porphyry, and slate are the prevailing rocks. The
+whole appear to have been subjected to considerable disturbance, as the
+slate is much broken and contorted, and in several parts altered by
+contact with the porphyry, and no definite strike or dip appeared to
+exist. The porphyry is of a red-brown colour, consisting of grey paste
+with crystal of felspar and angular fragments of slate and granite
+sometimes one foot in length. The granite contains little mica, and the
+quartz frequently is arranged in rhomboidal crystals nearly parallel to
+each other; it readily decomposes, and from the predominance of quartz
+forms a coarse gritty soil. Quartz-rock forms large beds and veins in the
+granite, and has a general trend north and south. It often contains
+crystals of mica, and therefore not likely to contain metals. In washing
+the sand of the river near Camp 83, only a small quantity of titaniferous
+iron remained after the removal of the quartz and mica. It was in this
+locality that the Gilbert Gold Field was afterwards discovered.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 25 minutes 33 seconds.
+
+30th September.
+
+Moved the camp about one mile higher up the river to some small pools of
+water, and then with Mr. H. Gregory ascended the hills to the south of
+the camp. From the highest ridge the course of the river was visible for
+nearly twenty miles, trending first seven miles south-south-west and then
+south-south-east; at the bend a branch appeared to join from
+west-south-west, in which direction the country appeared very flat for
+fifteen or twenty miles, as only a few distant hills were visible; from
+north round to south-east the country was very broken and hilly, rising
+highest to the north-east, but the view was limited to eight or ten
+miles; south-east a valley opened through hills, and more distant ranges
+were indistinctly seen beyond. The whole aspect of the country was
+barren, rock forming the principal feature. Returning to the camp,
+collected a quantity of the clustered figs on the bank of the creek; this
+fruit is rather insipid.
+
+1st October.
+
+Steering an average south-south-east course from 7.40 a.m. till 2.40
+p.m., camped on the right bank of the river, which first came from
+south-west and then from south-east, throwing off two branches to the
+south-west, and was thereby diminished to 100 yards wide at our camp;
+only one creek and some gullies joined from the east, although the
+country in that direction was hilly; the bed of the river was still dry
+and sandy; water very scarce. Slate, quartz, schist, granite, and trap
+are the principal rocks, and by their decomposition do not produce a soil
+favourable to vegetation, the country becoming more desolate as we
+advanced. The only trees which retain their verdure are those which grow
+on the banks of the river.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 40 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+RECONNOITRE TO THE EASTWARD.
+
+2nd October.
+
+The river above the camp coming from the south-south-west, it appeared
+desirable to pursue a more eastern course, and I therefore started from
+the camp at 6.30 a.m., accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, to reconnoitre the
+country, steering east three miles over low slate hills (the strata
+dipping 60 degrees to 80 degrees to south by west); ascended a hill from
+which a range of hills were seen eight to ten miles to the east of a
+creek rising in them and joining the river near the camp to the
+east-south-east; at the head of the creek a gap in the hills showed a
+more distant range of hills; steering in this direction, came to the
+creek with a sandy and rocky bed ten yards wide and perfectly dry;
+ascending the range of hills, found them to consist of gneiss, schist,
+and slate, trap existing on the lower ridges. A large valley extended
+across our course to the east, beyond which a range of flat-topped hills
+or tableland bounded the horizon. Descending to the east the country
+improved and granite constituted the principal rock, ironbark and a few
+box-trees forming an open forest which on some of the ridges was well
+grassed; the soil a red loam. At 2.0 p.m. came on a small river with a
+dry sandy bed eighty yards wide; following it down to the south found a
+small pool of water in a hollow in the sand; here we halted till 3.30,
+and then followed the river south-west, south-east, south-west, west, and
+south; at 6.10 ascended a hill on the left hand, from which we saw that
+the river turned west and north-west, breaking through the hills and
+joining the Gilbert River. Having ascertained that we were still on a
+western watercourse, we bivouacked near the river without water.
+
+3rd October.
+
+At daybreak steered north-west, crossing several rocky ridges of hills,
+and at 2.0 p.m. reached the camp. Nothing of importance had occurred
+during our absence; the horses had improved by the two days' rest.
+
+4th October.
+
+At 7.15 a.m. left the camp, and, following an average east-south-east
+course for seven hours, reached the pools found on the 2nd, in the upper
+branch of the Gilbert River, and encamped. As this route nearly coincided
+with that on the 2nd, nothing was seen worthy of farther notice.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 47 minutes 54 seconds.
+
+5th October.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. left the camp and followed up the river in an
+east-north-east direction for three miles; water was abundant in the
+gullies owing to a heavy shower some days previous. Beyond three miles
+the water ceased and the country was dry and parched. Low hills of schist
+trap and granite formed a country near the river, and farther back high
+ranges bounded the valley; they appeared to be flat-topped and with
+horizontal strata of sandstone on the summits. At noon the river had
+divided into several small branches, and the character of the country did
+not promise the existence of water within the space of a day's journey;
+we returned down the river to the last water we had seen, and camped
+about three miles north-east of our last camp. As there was little
+prospect of finding water again till the range to the east of our present
+position was crossed, I decided on reconnoitring the country before
+moving the party farther, and as the weather promised to continue fine,
+the horse Monkey was shot and skinned preparatory to drying the meat
+during my absence.
+
+6th October.
+
+At 6.5 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory, steering nearly east,
+crossed the south branch of the river, and reached the base of the higher
+range at 9.30; here we found a small spring a quarter of a mile south of
+a remarkable hill formed of a single mass of bare rock completely
+honeycombed by the action of the atmosphere; ascended the range, which
+consisted of porphyry with horizontal sandstone on the summit; we
+continued our east course over rocky hills with dry watercourses trending
+north; the grass was very thin and dry; and the country was openly wooded
+with acacia, eucalypti, cypress, etc., none of which attained a large
+size; at 1.30 p.m. halted to rest the horses, and searching among the
+rocks in the gullies obtained about three quarts of water by digging; at
+2.45 resumed our route, traversing a hilly country, and at 4.15 ascended
+a granite hill with sandstone summit, from which the view was very
+extensive. Large valleys seemed to join and trend from south to north,
+and were bounded by ranges, except to the east, where a level plain or
+wide valley extended to the horizon. In the valley a line of green trees
+five miles distant marked the course of a creek. Descending the range we
+encountered a very rocky country with deep gullies, in one of which we
+found a few gallons of water, which our horses consumed. As there was no
+grass here, we pushed on till dusk, and bivouacked in a small patch of
+grass by the side of a dry gully. The country east of the range is
+entirely granitic; grass very scanty, and very thinly wooded with
+ironbark.
+
+CROSS A GRANITE RANGE.
+
+7th October.
+
+Continued an east course at 5.50 a.m., and at 7.50 reached the large
+creek, which was 100 yards wide with shallow sandy bed; the banks low and
+thinly timbered with ironbark and a few box trees; the soil poor and
+sandy, producing little grass. Large casuarina and flooded-gum trees grew
+in the channel of the creek, which we followed three miles to the
+north-east without finding any water, and only two spots where it could
+be procured by digging; we therefore returned up the creek, and dug a
+well at the most eligible spot, procuring an abundance of good water; at
+2.20 p.m. commenced our return route towards the camp, and following up
+the spurs of the range found a practicable route for the pack-horses;
+passed the highest point of the range at 6.0, and bivouacked at a small
+dry watercourse at 7.15 p.m.
+
+8th October.
+
+Resumed our route at 6.0 a.m., and deviating to the north of the outward
+route, found a small pool of water in a rocky gully, and following it
+down a mile came to a pool of sufficient size to supply the whole party.
+At 10.30 reached Bowman's Spring at the foot of the range, and by digging
+in the moist soil obtained a little water. As we approached the spring a
+small party of blacks shouted to us from the summit of one of the hills,
+but did not descend to us, though we halted till 12.30 p.m., and then
+resumed our route, reaching the camp at 4.0, and found the party all
+well; the horse-meat quite dry and fit for carriage. Bowman had also
+replaced the shoes on all the horses. The geological character gradually
+changes, in consequence of the larger development of the older rocks, as
+we proceed to the eastward. At the camp gneiss, porphyry, and trap have
+superseded the slates, and proceeding east, granite is visible at the
+western base of the range. This is covered by a thick mass of porphyry,
+containing large fragments of slate, gneiss and granite in its lower
+part, and in its upper portion it has a fine grain and light colour.
+Being deeply cracked by vertical fissures, it forms vertical columns of
+rhomboidal form, resembling basalt. The summits of the higher hills are
+formed by horizontal beds of white sandstone, containing water-worn
+pebbles of quartz. Granite supersedes the other rocks as the east slope
+of the range is approached, and is there occasionally intercepted by
+veins of dark trap.
+
+9th October.
+
+Proposed to start from the camp at the usual time, but four of the horses
+could not be found, and owing to the rocky nature of the country the
+tracks were not found till late in the evening, when tracing them some
+miles I found them at sunset in a secluded valley.
+
+10th October.
+
+This morning we were more successful in collecting the horses, and
+started from the camp at 6.35 a.m., and steering an easterly course
+reached the fate of the range at 10.20 and the summit at noon. Following
+our previous track, reached the pool of water at 1.0 p.m. and camped.
+Near the camp the xanthorrhoea first made its appearance.
+
+CROSS THE MAIN DIVIDING RANGE.
+
+11th October.
+
+Leaving the camp at 7.0 a.m., steered an easterly course over somewhat
+barren granite country, timbered with cypress and ironbark; passed close
+to a hill on the highest point of the range, the summit of which, by
+approximate measurement, rose to 2500 feet above the sea. Then following
+a spur of the range we reached the well in the sandy creek at 1.5 p.m.
+Having cleared out the sand and banked it up with stakes and brushwood, a
+plentiful supply of water was obtained at about five feet below the
+surface of the dry channel.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 45 minutes 53 seconds.
+
+12th October.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered north 60 degrees east over undulating granite
+country, timbered with ironbark and box, the grass scanty and very dry;
+at 8.45 crossed a large creek coming from the south. Its channel was 100
+yards wide, dry, sandy, and a few pools of shallow water; the banks ten
+to twenty feet high. Crossing several gullies trending northward, at noon
+came on a dry sandy creek, also trending to the north. On its right bank
+was a level flat of cellular lava or basalt. Following the course of the
+creek, at 1.50 p.m. camped at a fine lagoon a quarter of a mile long and
+seventy yards wide, the water appearing to be about ten feet deep,
+although unusually low at the present time. A high range of hills exist
+to the north of this creek, and the watercourses all trend to the
+north-west; and, as our latitude is the same as the Reedy Brook of
+Leichhardt on the south-west side of the Valley of Lagoons, it is evident
+that these streams do not join the Burdekin, but are tributary to the
+Lynd, joining it probably at the southern bend.
+
+Latitude by b Aurigae 18 degrees 38 minutes 12 seconds.
+
+13th October.
+
+At 6.25 a.m. steered east and traversed a slightly undulating granite
+country, with small watercourses trending west-south-west. Ironbark and
+box formed an open forest, the soil poor and gritty, with a few patches
+of black soil, with blocks of lava on the surface. At 11.15 ascended a
+small hill of lava, from which the country appeared very level to the
+east. To the north-east large hills rose about twelve miles distant;
+ranges also bounded the plain to the south, and some distant summits were
+visible to the south-east. Continuing an east course, lava became more
+frequent, and at length covered the whole surface. At 2.30 p.m. came on
+several streams of lava, forming ridges of rugged rocks, which were
+crossed with difficulty. These streams of lava appeared to have run from
+north to south, the thickness twenty to thirty feet, and breadth very
+variable. The level ground was lightly timbered with ironbark and box. At
+5.25 turned to the south-east, following a small gully. Passed a small
+native well; but very little water in it, and the rock prevented it being
+enlarged. At 6.15 camped near some large rocks, in which five or six
+gallons of rainwater had collected. Walking down the creek one and a half
+miles in search of water, found two small pools of rainwater; but the
+darkness of the night and broken nature of the ground prevented the party
+moving to them.
+
+14th October.
+
+Moved the camp to the waterholes found last night, one and a half miles
+down the gully. The country is here granite formation, undulating and
+moderately grassed, and wooded with box and ironbark. The day was cloudy,
+but cleared at night, and I took sights for time, latitude, and lunar
+distance. Chronometer 2287 would not wind up in the morning, and stopped
+during the day, but, having run down, wound again without difficulty.
+
+Longitude by lunar distances 144 degrees 33 minutes 15 seconds; latitude
+by e Pegasi 18 degrees 41 minutes 38 seconds; variation of compass 5
+degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+15th October.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.0 a.m., and followed the course of the creek to
+the south-east. The north-east side was a plain of lava, and the
+south-west consisted of granite ridges with sandstone on the summits.
+Several small creeks joined from the south-west, and increased the
+principal channel considerably. At 10.0 the country was more level and
+openly timbered with box and bloodwood; grass was abundant and green,
+owing to heavy rains, which appear to have been accompanied with hail, as
+the west-north-west sides of the trees were much bruised and the soil
+indented, and a great portion of the leaves torn from the trees. At 1.15
+p.m. camped on a small tributary creek. The country appears to be chiefly
+granite and mica schist, with thin beds or streams of lava, which have
+come from the ranges to the north and advanced to various distances into
+the more level land. The surface of the lava is more thinly wooded and
+better grassed than the granite; but the roughness of the surface and
+scarcity of water rendered it less convenient travelling. From one of the
+higher ridges we had a wide but imperfect view of the country. The air
+being hazy, only a few of the marked features of the ranges to the north
+were visible; to the east a high hill twenty-five miles distant rose
+beyond an undulating wooded country. At 6.0 a heavy thunderstorm caused
+the creek to run for several hours.
+
+Latitude by Capella 18 degrees 49 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+THE BURDEKIN RIVER. A CAMP OF LEICHHARDT'S.
+
+16th October.
+
+The rain having passed away, the morning was clear and cool, and at 6.35
+a.m. resumed our journey, steering average south-east, crossing the creek
+several times, and at 11.0 reached the bank of the Burdekin River, which
+had a strong stream of water flowing in its channel, which is here about
+100 yards wide, but full of casuarina and melaleuca trees; the banks
+steep and cut with deep gullies. Following the river to the south-east,
+at 2.0 p.m. camped in a large open grassy flat a mile from the river,
+obtaining water from a small pool filled by the rain last night.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 57 minutes 48 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees east.
+
+17th October.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. resumed our journey, steering east and south for two hours
+over level flats; then turning east crossed a steep range of sandstone
+hills, the strata nearly vertical; the strike north and south; thin veins
+of quartz intersected the rock in every direction, forming a complete
+network. The steepness of the country compelled us to turn north-east to
+the bank of the river, which we followed to the south-east; the banks
+were high and cut by deep gullies. At 12.30 p.m. the hills receded, and
+we entered some fine flats. Here I picked up a fragment of the
+shoulder-bone of a bullock, and observed several trees that had been cut
+with iron axes; and as the latitude corresponds with that of Dr.
+Leichhardt's camp of the 26th April, 1845, the bone doubtless belonged to
+the bullock he killed at this place. At 1.5 camped on the bank of the
+river. The Moreton-Bay ash, poplar gum, and a rough-barked gum-tree with
+very green leaves, were added to the ironbark, bloodwood, and other
+eucalypti which constituted the forest, while casuarina and Melaleuca
+leucodendron grow in the beds of the larger watercourses. The channel of
+the river is about 150 yards, with a small stream winding along the sandy
+bed; much of the running water is due to the late rain, but it is evident
+from the character of the vegetation that it continues to run throughout
+the dry season.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 19 degrees 37 seconds.
+
+18th October.
+
+Continued our route at 6.25 a.m., steering nearly east till 8.30, when
+the river turned to the north round a range of sandstone hills, crossing
+which, reached the river again at 10.5 flowing south, with fine
+openly-timbered flats on the banks; steering south till 1.0 p.m., camped
+on the bank of the river just below a ridge of slate rock which crossed
+the channel. From the hills, at 9.0, we saw a fine valley joining that of
+the Burdekin from the east; it was bounded by a steep range to the south,
+which terminated two miles from the river. South-west of our position
+were several flat-topped hills, which appeared to be a continuation of
+the range crossed yesterday. To the south only a few distant hills were
+visible, the view being obstructed by trees. The flats on the banks of
+the river are well grassed and openly timbered with ironbark, Moreton-Bay
+ash, bloodwood, and poplar gum; the soil varying from a soft brown loam
+into which our horses sank deeply, to a firm black or brown clay loam;
+the ranges were stony and thinly grassed; the timber box and ironbark.
+The geological features consist of a fine-grained sandstone
+interstratified with slate and coarse conglomerates. The sandstone is
+intersected in every direction with veins of quartz, which do not appear
+to enter the slate. The dip of the strata is nearly vertical, the strike
+north and south. The whole appear to have been much disturbed and
+altered; neither granite nor trap has been observed since yesterday
+morning. Consumed the last of the dried horse-meat, and increased the
+ration of flour to one pound per diem.
+
+19th October (Sunday).
+
+Remained at the camp to rest the party; the day was cloudy, with variable
+breeze from the south-east to north-east and north; no observations for
+latitude could be taken till early on Monday morning, and even then the
+altitudes were imperfect; the stream of running water in the bed of the
+river has increased, but is still quite clear.
+
+Latitude by Saturn 19 degrees 7 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+CROSS THE CLARK RIVER.
+
+20th October.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.40 a.m., steering south-east through fine grassy
+flats till 10.0, when we crossed the Clark River, and altered the course
+to east over well-grassed flats, to the foot of a rocky range of
+sandstone hills, which we reached at noon, and ascending by a steep spur,
+at 2.30 p.m. attained the highest ridge; here sandstone was the
+prevailing rock; xanthorrhoea, silver-leafed ironbark, and triodia
+constituted the principal vegetation; descending gradually, at 3.30
+reached a small creek with a patch of good green grass on its banks, and
+at 3.45 halted at some small waterholes, which appeared to be permanent;
+except near the creek, the country was poor and stony, with a forest of
+ironbark and box trees; the country between the Clark and the Burdekin
+appears to be of excellent quality, consisting of well-grassed flats,
+timbered with ironbark, Moreton-Bay ash, poplar, gum, and box trees. The
+Clark is about 100 yards wide, with a sandy bed crossed by ridges of
+slate rock; the banks are sixty to eighty feet high, and the marks of
+last year's flood thirty to thirty-five feet, the trees being bent and
+broken by the force of the current; more water appears to come down the
+Clark during floods, but the Burdekin has a more constant stream, the
+Clark containing only shallow pools of water, separated by dry sand and
+rock; after leaving the immediate flats of the river the country was very
+poor and stony; the late rains had not extended so far, and the grass had
+the dry and parched appearance which characterised the country on the
+banks of the Gilbert.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 14 minutes 2 seconds.
+
+FRIENDLY NATIVES.
+
+21st October.
+
+6.15 a.m., resumed our journey and traversed an inferior country of
+sandstone and porphyry; box, silver-leafed ironbark, and triodia
+characterized the vegetation; in crossing one of these gullies, in which
+were some pools of water, Bowman's horse fell over the bank into the
+pool, and he got some severe bruises; at 10.15 came on the river, where
+it ran over a ledge of rocks forming a succession of rapids, below which
+it spread out into a broad sheet of sand a quarter of a mile wide, and
+turned to the south. As Bowman had fallen some distance in the rear, I
+selected the first suitable spot, and at 11.0 encamped, and shortly after
+Mr. H. Gregory came in with Bowman to camp. On the bank of the river we
+saw two black gins, who climbed a tree on our approach, and in the
+afternoon came to the camp with an old man, and after some unintelligible
+conversation departed; they had neither clothes or weapons, except a
+throwing-stick of the same form as those used by the blacks of the
+southern shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria. The geological character of
+the country has been sandstone, much altered by contact with porphyry
+which has been forced through it; both dip and strike are confused, and
+could not be ascertained to have any general angle or direction, except
+in the bed of the river, where the strata dipped 10 degrees to the north,
+but in the hills, on the left bank below the camp, the strata was
+horizontal; the river is now 150 yards wide at the narrowest parts, a
+small stream of water, one foot deep and ten to twenty yards wide,
+running in a winding course through the sand, and sometimes expanding
+into sheets of water occupying the whole breadth of the channel.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 16 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+22nd October.
+
+At 6.15 a.m. steered south and followed the right bank of the river; for
+the first hour the country was hilly on both banks, with deep gullies; it
+then became more level, and opened into flats, well grassed; the timber
+box, ironbark, and Moreton-Bay ash; the soil a light brown loam in some
+parts, sandy and very soft from the numerous excavations of the funnel
+ant. These flats extended one to two miles back and then rose into low
+ridges of poor land, timbered with box and ironbark; crossed a sandy
+creek coming from the west, and at 1.30 p.m. camped on the right bank of
+the river. A short distance from the camp surprised a black and his gin
+and a child; the man climbed a tree and the woman ran off with the child,
+leaving a small water vessel, hollowed out of a piece of wood, and a
+calabash full of water. The rocks near the last camp were sandstone or
+porphyry; in the only exposed section the sandstone dipped to the north 5
+degrees to 15 degrees. We also crossed a hill of porphyry which was
+remarkable for the regularity of cleavage into thick lamina, which were
+vertical, with a north and south strike; but though it had the appearance
+of a stratified rock, its structure was perfectly crystalline. About
+noon, granite, containing large plates of mica, was observed in some of
+the gullies.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi 19 degrees 29 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+23rd October.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered south-south-east and south-east over ridges of
+sandstone, timbered with ironbark and thinly grassed, for an hour and a
+half; again struck the river and passed at the foot of some limestone
+hills and ridges; this limestone contained fragments of shells and coral.
+Altering the course to south, traversed fine open flats half a mile to a
+mile wide, beyond which the country rose into low ridges of limestone. At
+noon basalt appeared covering the limestone and sandstone. The steep
+slope which formed the boundary of this rock was very rugged; but the
+level surface was covered with black soil and well grassed. At 12.55 p.m.
+camped in a fine grassy flat, walled in by steep rocks of basalt. We
+experienced some difficulty in watering the horses, as the bank of the
+river was so steep that they frequently fell back into the river in
+ascending it. The limestone rocks seen on this day's journey appear to
+rise from beneath the sandstones, some of which are very hard and
+close-grained; it dips about 10 degrees to the west and some of the
+adjacent sandstones 20 degrees west, in well-defined strata. The basalt
+covers all the other rocks, filling up the former inequalities of the
+surface and forming a perfectly level plain; where the softer sandstones
+were in contact, they were only baked into a coarse brick-like mass,
+which had had much the appearance of having been formed from the alluvial
+banks of the river.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi and a Gruis 19 degrees 42 minutes 10 seconds;
+variation of compass 6 degrees 15 minutes east.
+
+DUCKS, GEESE, AND PELICANS.
+
+24th October.
+
+Leaving our camp at 6.0 a.m., steered south-south-east over well-grassed
+basaltic flats, timbered thinly with ironbark, etc.; the soil a red loam.
+At 9.0 a.m. came on a large reedy lagoon or swamp with considerable
+patches of shallow open water, on which were great numbers of ducks,
+geese, pelicans, etc. A broad and deep stream flowed from it to the
+south-east, varying from thirty to eighty yards in width, with a thick
+belt of reeds along the margin, beyond which the ground rose about fifty
+feet to the level surface of the basaltic plain. Following the winding of
+the stream till 10.35 a.m., crossed it at a ledge of basaltic rocks, when
+it formed a fine rapid with vertical fall of eight to ten feet. Beyond
+the running channel a dry sandy creek ran parallel at a distance of 80 to
+100 yards from it. Our course was now between the creek and the steep
+rocky edge of the basaltic plain, which was too rugged for the horses to
+ascend till 11.20 a.m., when, crossing the basalt, we passed to the south
+of a shallow lake about half a mile in diameter. The country now became
+scrubby, with patches of grass. Altering the course more to the east, we
+again entered an open ironbark forest; at 2.0 p.m. crossed a large dry
+sandy creek, beyond which the country was poor and sandy, with pandanus
+growing on the ridges. On the bank of the creek we observed the marks of
+a recent camp of a large party of blacks, and a patch of ground twenty
+yards by thirty yards cleared of grass, and the surface scraped up into
+ridges, the whole covered with footprints, which showed that some dance
+or ceremony had been performed by a large number of men. At 3.30 p.m.
+entered a dense scrub of small crooked eucalypti and acacia, with a few
+sterculia. After losing an hour in attempting to penetrate the scrub, we
+turned north to the dry creek and followed it down till 7.0 p.m., when we
+camped near a pool of water; but the night was so dark that the horses
+could not be watered with safety, the banks being very steep and rendered
+slippery by a slight shower.
+
+25th October.
+
+The grass having been burnt near the camp, the horses had strayed
+considerably, and we did not start till 7.30 a.m., when, turning east, we
+soon came on the Burdekin, which now trended to the south-south-west and
+south-east; the basalt coming close to the river, we were compelled to
+cross a very rough ridge and came on a deep pool of water eighty yards
+wide and half a mile long; it terminated in a dry stony channel which
+joined a sandy creek, and entered the river. Crossing a granite ridge, we
+camped in a fine grassy flat on the bank of the Burdekin, the banks being
+high and steep, but the water easy of access.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 58 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+26th October (Sunday).
+
+Remained at the camp. During the day there was a succession of showers
+without thunder, the clouds and wind from the east. At 10.0 p.m. the rain
+ceased, but the night continued cloudy.
+
+GOOD GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+27th October.
+
+The morning was cloudy, with light rain till 7.0 a.m.; at 7.30 steered
+east-south-east and east over fine grassy ridges of granite and trap
+formation, timbered with ironbark, box, Moreton-Bay ash, and bloodwood;
+the river taking a sweep to the north of the track, but at 10.40 came
+again on its banks. The course was now south till 2.15 p.m., when we
+crossed a large stream-bed from the south-west, with a sandy and rocky
+bed forty yards wide, which contained a few shallow pools of water. Below
+the junction of this tributary the river turned to the east and
+east-north-east, and we crossed low ridges of granite porphyry and trap,
+which came down from the high land to the bank of the river; at 3.30
+encamped. The whole of the country traversed this day was well grassed,
+except about a mile of bauhinia scrub, which did not appear of any
+considerable extent. Ironbark, box, bloodwood, and Moreton-Bay ash formed
+the principal trees with which the country was openly timbered. The
+prevailing rock granite, traversed by numerous veins of dark trap, and in
+the latter part of the day porphyry and schist appeared; concretions of
+limestone were frequent near the trap veins. The soil was somewhat light
+and gritty loam, except on the trap-rocks, where it was rich black soil.
+The available country here appears more extensive than higher up the
+river; more rain has fallen in the early part of the season, and the
+grass is rich and green, especially where it had been previously burnt
+off.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 20 degrees 7 minutes 23 seconds; variation of
+compass 6 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+28th October.
+
+We resumed our journey at 6.25 a.m., steering an east-south-east course,
+but after crossing some fine grassy ironbark ridges, entered a dense
+scrub of acacia, sterculia, bauhinia, and thorny shrubs. Turning north,
+with some difficulty extricated the party from the scrub, which we then
+skirted to the east along the bank of the river till 9.10, when the scrub
+receded, and fine openly-timbered ironbark ridges replaced the scrub.
+These ridges were well-grassed, the rocks granite, trap, and porphyry.
+The country generally appeared well suited for stock; on both sides of
+the river no high ranges were visible. At 2.45 p.m. camped on a fine
+grassy flat, part of which having been burnt, was now covered with
+excellent green grass. The day was cool, with light showers from the
+east. The character of the granite was fine-grained, and intersected by
+veins and masses of trap, and in the latter part of the day's journey
+porphyry was superincumbent. In the scrubs sandstone existed; it was
+coarse-grained, and contained worn boulders of trap, quartz, granite,
+slate, and hard sandstone.
+
+29th October.
+
+As the river below turned to the east of its general course, at 6.20 a.m.
+steered east-south-east and south-east till 9.30, when we again came on
+the river trending south. The country consisted of openly-timbered and
+grassy ironbark ridges, but not equally good with that passed during the
+last two days. The river at 10.0 turned to the south-east, along the foot
+of some steep rocky hills of porphyry resting on granite, and at 11.45
+was joined by a dry creek twenty yards wide, coming from the south-west;
+our course was now east-south-east, passing with difficulty between the
+river and a steep granite hill, beyond which the country became more
+sandy, and rose to the south in long gentle slopes scantily grassed, and
+timbered with bloodwood, ironbark, Moreton-Bay ash, and poplar gum, with
+a few pandanus; an immense number of deep gullies intersected the ground,
+cutting deeply into the granite rock beneath the soil, and rendering it
+difficult to traverse. A fine range of openly-wooded and grassy hills
+rose about two to three miles from the left bank of the river, attaining
+an elevation of 500 to 800 feet above the valley; these hills are
+probably porphyritic; they are the Porter Range of Leichhardt. At 2.45
+p.m. camped on the bank of the Burdekin River.
+
+THE SUTTOR RIVER. MOUNT MCCONNELL.
+
+30th October.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. steered north 120 degrees east, but at 7.0 a.m. came on the
+river trending south, the country gradually became more rugged, and rocky
+hills closed in on both banks forming a deep gorge through which the
+river forced its way. By keeping at the back of some hills we avoided
+much of the rocky ground, crossing at noon a high ridge, from which the
+view extended to the junction of the Burdekin and Suttor Rivers, Mount
+McConnell bearing 159 degrees magnetic, and the west end of Porter Range
+334 degrees magnetic. A long range seemed to extend south from Robey
+Range, and bound the valley of the Upper Burdekin, while a high range
+appeared to trend north-east from the eastern side of the Suttor Valley,
+and to turn the Burdekin to the north of east. Continuing our route
+nearly south-east over steep rocky ridges, we encamped in a fine grassy
+flat, a quarter of a mile from the Suttor River, at 1.50 p.m., Mount
+McConnell bearing north 172 degrees east magnetic. About 10.0 a.m. we
+heard some blacks calling in our rear, and soon after came in sight, but
+would not allow any of the party to approach them, till one of the
+horsemen cantering up quickly, some of the blacks climbed into trees,
+where, after making signs to them that it was desirable that they should
+pursue an opposite route to ours, we left them to descend at leisure. The
+country passed this day was of a broken character, with deep gullies and
+rocky hills near the river, but was generally well grassed and openly
+timbered with ironbark and Moreton-Bay ash. Granite rock forms the base
+of the hills, and was covered by masses of porphyry, forming hills with
+rocky summits of columnar structure, as at the head of the Gilbert River
+a dark-coloured trap changing into porphyry formed some of the lower
+ridges, and was largely developed on the bank of the Suttor. Thin veins
+of calcareous spar and quartz intersected the granite. The bed of the
+Burdekin where we last saw it, one mile above the junction of the Suttor,
+was about half a mile wide with a stream of water varying from twenty
+yards wide to the whole breadth of the channel, which was very level and
+sandy. The Suttor is but a small river compared with the Burdekin. Near
+the camp it formed some fine reaches of water 180 yards wide, but of no
+great depth. The trees on its banks were much broken and bent by a
+violent flood which had occurred within the year. Considering the number
+of miles we have travelled along the banks of the Burdekin, few
+impediments have been encountered, while the extent of country suited for
+squatting purposes is very considerable--water forming a never-failing
+stream throughout the whole distance.
+
+Latitude by a Gruis and a Pegasi 20 degrees 36 minutes 20 seconds;
+variation of compass 70 degrees east.
+
+THE FIRST BRIGALOW SCRUB.
+
+31st October.
+
+A rainy night was followed by a thick fog in the morning, so that when we
+started at 6.30 a.m. it was with difficulty the deep gullies on the banks
+of the Suttor were avoided; steering south-west for one hour, crossed to
+the right bank of the Suttor, and then by an average south course passed
+to the west of Mount McConnell, which, by its isolated character and
+height (about 600 feet above the river) forms a very conspicuous
+landmark. It is wooded to the summit, and has fine patches of grass on
+the slopes, with cliffs of porphyry near the upper part, this being the
+prevailing rock; on the right bank white shaly rocks and dark trap, with
+veins of calcareous spar and limestone, prevailed on the left bank of the
+Suttor; the country on both sides well grassed and openly timbered with
+ironbark. The bed of the river was very irregular and sandy, with small
+shallow pools of water at intervals; at 11.0 the river came from the
+south-west, but continuing a south course we crossed some fine basaltic
+plains, covered with fine grass and separated by open box forest; at noon
+crossed a sandstone hill, the base of which was porphyry; traversing
+ironbark ridges for an hour, we crossed a sandy creek coming from the
+east, and at 1.0 p.m. encountered the first brigalow scrub; through this
+scrub we steered south-west till 3.40, and camped on a small dry creek
+with a narrow grassy flat; water was obtained from a small gully where it
+had lodged during a shower on the previous night. The country till we
+reached the brigalow scrub was well adapted for pastoral purposes; the
+rock trap, slate, and porphyry, with veins of limestone. The brigalow
+scrub grows on the detritus of a coarse conglomerate, the larger boulders
+of which lay scattered over the surface of the ground; these boulders
+consist of trap, porphyry, sandstone, and quartz, and show marks of being
+water-worn. A range of hills, apparently sandstone, bounds the valley to
+the east from three to seven miles from the river. They have no great
+elevation, and we did not obtain a good view of them from any point.
+
+Latitude by Capella 20 degrees 52 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+1st November.
+
+The horses had strayed so far into the scrub in search of grass that it
+was 9.40 a.m. before they were collected and saddled; we then steered
+south-west through the scrub, which gradually became more open, and at
+11.15 we again reached the river coming from the south-south-east; it
+gradually turned to south and south-south-west; two creeks joined the
+river from the east, but neither of any importance; the brigalow scrub
+came close to the bank of the river, only leaving a narrow flat open; the
+west side of the river we could see but little, except that it consisted
+of wooded ridges and scrub to the east at a distance of one to three
+miles; rocky hills of moderate height existed, and from their flat tops
+and red cliffs near the summit, evidently consisted of sandstone in
+horizontal strata; sandstone was also exposed near the river with a dip
+of 30 degrees to the south; at 3.30 camped on the right bank of the
+Suttor, where a fine grassy plain extended about a mile back, and was
+covered with beautiful green grass; water was abundant, as the river had
+been running during the past week and had filled the hollows in the
+channel, though it had now ceased to flow; the bed is very irregular, and
+consists of three to six channels, which separate and rejoin so as to
+form a complete network, with occasional isolated hollows. Being free
+from scrub, the bed of the river was good travelling ground, large
+flooded-gum trees and melaleuca-trees affording an agreeable shade.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 4 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+2nd November (Sunday).
+
+Grass and water being abundant, we enjoyed a day's rest. Several
+cockatoos were shot; they are similar in colour and form to the
+sulphur-crested cockatoos of the Victoria and Gulf of Carpentaria, but
+much larger in size.
+
+IRON TOMAHAWKS USED BY THE NATIVES.
+
+3rd November.
+
+Leaving the camp at 6.35 a.m., followed the river in a southerly
+direction till 11.0, when it turned to the east, and we ascended a
+sandstone hill; from the summit there was a fine view of the surrounding
+country. To the east several distant peaks and hills were visible, the
+most remarkable north 86 degrees east magnetic; to the south a low range
+about thirty miles distant, with one large peaked hill, bounded the
+horizon, the intervening country being very level and apparently covered
+with scrub. To the west the valley was bounded by low hills of sandstone.
+Although ironbark ridges are frequent, the general character of the
+country is very scrubby, and this combined with the scarcity of water
+will render it unsuitable for pastoral purposes. Descending the hill,
+steered south-east, crossed a fine basaltic plain, and entered open
+brigalow scrub, and at 2.0 p.m. again came on the Suttor River, which had
+completely altered its character, now consisting of level grassy flats
+with uncertain limits and intersected by long waterholes, which were
+mostly dry; the general course from south-south-west; at 3.30 camped at a
+fine waterhole. Two miles below the camp we surprised some blacks, who
+decamped into the scrub. The country along the river consists of open
+flats, thinly grassed and interspersed with patches of saltbush
+(atriplex), and openly timbered with box and flooded-gum, while ironbark,
+box and brigalow prevail over the rest of the country. The marks of iron
+tomahawks are frequent where the blacks have been cutting honey or
+opposums out of the hollow branches of the trees.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 22 minutes 43 seconds; variation of
+compass 6 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+4th November.
+
+Steering south-west from 7.40 a.m. till 8.5, the river turned suddenly to
+the south-east, and, changing our course to 170 degrees, traversed an
+open brigalow scrub with several shallow channels winding through it in
+an irregular manner. At 10.30 again came on the principal channel of the
+river, which was running, and very muddy from the effect of recent rains
+in the upper part of its course. The banks are very low, and the country
+so level that the floods must frequently extend more than a mile back
+into the scrub, which comes close to the bank on both sides. Box and
+flooded-gum trees grow along the larger channels, and sometimes box flats
+extend into the scrub. We now followed the river south-south-west,
+through a level country covered with dense brigalow scrub, passing only
+one low rocky hill, on the left bank, at 11.20. At 2.15 p.m. the river
+diverged to the eastward, and the course was altered to south. The
+country was more open, and at 3.0 encamped on one of the side channels of
+the river in a fine grassy box flat.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 38 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+5th November.
+
+Steering south-east for one mile, reached the main channel of the river,
+which was followed south. Crossing to the right bank at 7.20 a.m., at
+9.15 a dense brigalow scrub forced us south-west, and again came to the
+river at 10.30. A south course was then followed till 1.0 p.m.; then
+south-east till 4.0; then followed the river south-south-east till 4.50,
+and camped on a large grassy flat. The whole of the country is very level
+and covered with dense brigalow scrubs, except one sandy plain, on which
+triodia was more abundant than grass. Having now passed the latitude of
+Sir T. Mitchell's last camp on the Belyando, and thus connected his route
+with that of Dr. Leichhardt, I considered it unnecessary to follow the
+river further, and decided on taking a south-easterly route to Peak Downs
+and the Mackenzie River.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 57 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+6th November.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. crossed the Belyando, and steered south through brigalow
+scrubs till 9.0; then entered a box and Moreton-Bay ash flat, in which
+was a small gully with rainwater, near which a camp of blacks was
+observed; but they ran into the scrub on our approach. At 9.30 changed
+the course to south-east towards some rocky hills, which were reached at
+11.0. From this we saw several distant ranges to the westward; but the
+intervening twenty to forty miles was very flat. The route was now over
+scrubby sandstone hills for three hours, and then descended into an open
+flat, with box, bloodwood, and Moreton-Bay ash, triodia, and grass
+growing on a sandy loam. At 3.30 p.m. camped at a pool of rainwater in a
+small creek. In crossing the sandstone range we had a view of some high
+peaks twenty to thirty miles distant to the south-south-east; but to the
+east the country was quite level.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 13 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+7th November.
+
+Started at 6.5 a.m., steering south-east; the whole country appeared
+perfectly level with brigalow scrub and patches of open sandy country,
+producing triodia and a little grass; the timber Moreton-Bay ash and box.
+Towards noon the country was more open. At 1.30 p.m. passed a shallow
+pool of rainwater at the edge of a scrub. About a mile further on
+Melville's horse fell, and so bruised his rider that we had to return to
+the water and camp.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 23 minutes 36 seconds.
+
+HORSE-SKIN SOUP.
+
+8th November.
+
+The water being exhausted, the party had to move on in search of a
+further supply where we could halt until Melville had recovered from his
+injuries. Steering south-east for one hour, came to a fine creek with
+grassy flats and a stream of muddy water, indicating that there had been
+heavy rain in the ranges to the south. Having camped, we shot the filly,
+which was now eleven months old, cut the flesh into slices and hung it up
+to dry in the sun during the day and over a charcoal fire at night. The
+skin was cleared of hair, and was thus made into a species of gelatine,
+from which excellent soup was subsequently prepared. The saddlery had
+become much worn by passing through the scrubs, and the party was fully
+employed in repairs and shoeing the horses, many of which were very lame
+from injury among the fallen timber.
+
+9th November (Sunday).
+
+Melville somewhat better, but scarcely able to walk. The meat drying
+well.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 26 minutes 16 seconds.
+
+10th November.
+
+At 7.40 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek up for an hour
+south-south-east; then steered south-east through brigalow scrub, which
+gradually changed to open ironbark and box flats well grassed. At 2.0
+p.m. came to broken country covered with a dense scrub of acacia and
+ironbark, deep gullies intersecting the country in every direction; at
+3.30 ascended a ridge of mica schist, from which a high range was seen
+twenty miles to the south-east, but the scrub was so dense that the view
+was imperfect. Followed a gully, which changed from south round to
+north-west till 5.15, when we camped at a small pool of rainwater. There
+were good grassy flats along the watercourse, but the hills were covered
+with scrub. It is evident that we are now approaching the watershed of
+the Fitzroy River, and hope soon to emerge from the vast tract of scrub
+which occupies the valley of the Suttor River. On the plain we observed
+that more than half the box-trees had died within the last three years,
+and that they had not been killed by bush fires, as the old timber which
+lay on the ground was not scorched.
+
+Latitude by a Andromedae 22 degrees 42 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+PEAK RANGE.
+
+11th November.
+
+Leaving the camp at 6.30 a.m., steered south-east over ironbark ridges of
+very scrubby character with open grassy valleys; the ridges increased in
+height, and at 11.0, having reached the most elevated summit, got a view
+of Peak Range about thirty miles to the north-east; to the north-west the
+view was obscured by wooded ranges, but from north to east-south-east the
+country consisted of low-wooded ridges for ten miles, beyond which fine
+open grassy plains extended from east-north-east to east, along the foot
+of Peak Range. Descending from the range, followed a small watercourse
+east-south-east for two hours, and then north-east, and at 2.30 p.m.
+encamped in a fine grassy flat with a small pool of rainwater in a gully,
+the larger creek being dry. The country generally consists of low ridges
+of schist, which, by decomposition, forms a gravelly loam, the gravel
+being derived from the quartz veins which intersect the schist in all
+directions. The forest consists of ironbark and acacia; grass everywhere
+abundant. Many of the horses are very lame from the splinters of dead
+wood in the scrub, and some have to be relieved entirely of their loads.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 48 minutes 17 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 147 degrees 30 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+12th November.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. steered north 110 degrees east, over grassy ironbark ridges,
+with small watercourses trending north; at 11.0 entered a dense brigalow
+scrub with a few Moreton-Bay ash-trees, the soil very poor and derived
+from the decomposition of a coarse conglomerate; small watercourses
+trending to the south. At 12.45 p.m. emerged from the scrub into open box
+forest, with limestone and quartz gravel, and a soft black soil producing
+rather dry scanty grass. At 1.45 entered a well-grassed plain with
+limestone ridges covered with bottle-tree scrub; the grass was good at
+this season, green but much mixed with salsola; the summits of Peak Range
+showed well above the ridges, and from the cliff around the tops seem to
+be capped with sandstone or more probably porphyry. There being little
+prospect of finding water in an easterly direction, at 4.0 altered the
+course to south-east; a heavy squall and thunderstorm brought some rain,
+but it was all immediately absorbed by the hot dry soil, at 5.0 came to a
+watercourse trending south, followed it till 6.30, and camped without
+water; about a mile north from the camp saw a small box-tree marked AB,
+and near it a large sheet of bark which had been cut about two years
+before.
+
+Latitude by Saturn 23 degrees 18 seconds.
+
+13th November.
+
+Resumed the journey at 6.20 a.m., steering south down the watercourse; at
+7.0 saw some blacks, who, when asked by signs where water could be found,
+pointed down the creek and into the scrub; at 9.20 came to a pool of
+rainwater and camped. This part of the country is very poor and scrubby,
+with large Moreton-Bay ash trees, the soil formed by the decomposition of
+sandstone and conglomerate, with intervals of schist and trap-rock.
+
+CROSS THE PEAK DOWNS.
+
+14th November.
+
+At 6.50 a.m. steered south-east; we soon entered a grassy plain with
+ironbark ridges and belts of acacia scrub, trap, and limestone on the
+plains, and sandstone on the ridges; at noon passed a belt of cypress and
+entered extensive open downs covered with beautiful green grass.
+Following a shallow watercourse, passed some blacks at a distance, and at
+4.20 p.m. came to a small pool of rainwater, and camped. The country to
+the north-east appeared level, and the grassy downs apparently extend to
+the foot of Peak Range. To the south-west it appeared to be a fine open
+country for three to eight miles, and then rose into wooded hills of
+moderate elevation, at the base of which a creek appeared to run to the
+south-east. If this part of the country were well supplied with water it
+would form splendid stations for the squatter; but from its level
+character and geological structure, permanent surface-water is very
+scarce, and where it does exist it is surrounded by scrubby
+country, which renders it almost unavailable.
+
+THE MACKENZIE RIVER.
+
+15th November.
+
+At 6.40 steered east-south-east and soon entered an open acacia scrub
+with some grassy patches; the soil a fine black loam; limestone, trap,
+and quartz-pebbles occurring on the surface in the open plain; at 9.0
+entered a fine box flat, and passed some pools of water; the flat
+extending east three miles; then entered a scrubby tract of country, the
+soil a black mould with much salsola growing even in the thick scrub; at
+11.0 came on a fine creek from the north with pools of permanent water
+(Crinum Creek), but the banks covered with scrub. Changing the course to
+south-east, at 12.20 p.m. came to a fine river with high grassy banks and
+several deep channels which were now full of water and running in
+consequence of the late rains. It had been slightly flooded this season,
+and the previous year had risen twenty-five feet above the present level.
+This river is the Mackenzie of Leichhardt. The course of the river is to
+the east-south-east, and we crossed to the right bank without much
+difficulty, the bottom being firm and the bank sandy; followed the river
+till 2.40, and camped. The country on the banks of the Mackenzie is
+scrubby, with occasional open flats; the timber box, with good grass. The
+little lemon-tree was in full bearing, and though the fruit is only half
+an inch in diameter, was excellent eating when boiled with sugar. The day
+was cool and cloudy, and it rained lightly for some hours during the
+night.
+
+Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 28 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+16th November (Sunday).
+
+Remained at the camp. The morning was cool and cloudy, but cleared
+towards noon, and at night got sights for latitude.
+
+LEICHHARDT'S CAMP.
+
+17th November.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.40 a.m. Followed the Mackenzie south-east
+through level country with much scrub till 9.25 a.m., when we crossed a
+large creek from the south, which proved to be the Comet River of Dr.
+Leichhardt. The whole bed of the Comet did not exceed seventy yards, and
+the smaller channel only five to six yards wide, and even below its
+junction the Mackenzie only had a channel ten to thirty yards wide in the
+bottom of a bed 150 yards wide from bank to bank. Just below the junction
+of the Comet we found the remains of a camp of Dr. Leichhardt's party on
+its second journey. The ashes of the fire were still visible, and a
+quantity of bones of goats were scattered around. A large tree was marked
+thus:
+
+DIG arrow pointing down L
+
+but a hollow in the ground at the foot of the tree showed that whatever
+had been deposited had long since been removed. We, however, cleared out
+the loose earth, but found nothing. The river now turned east-north-east,
+and our course being east, we receded from it, and at noon we ascended a
+rocky hill of sandstone covered with scrub; we therefore steered north
+for an hour and came to the Mackenzie, and encamped in a fine grassy
+flat, but beyond the immediate flats of the river the country was covered
+with scrub. Near the camp a large flooded-gum tree had been marked:
+
+Solid square [symbol ??]
+
+some years before. The day was cloudy with easterly breeze. Marked a
+tree:
+
+120 solid Delta
+
+this being the 120th camp since starting from the Victoria River.
+
+18th November.
+
+Rain commenced at 7.0 a.m. and continued till noon; at 6.25 steered east
+and soon entered a dense scrub of acacia, box, sterculia, and Moreton-Bay
+ash. Ascending to the level tableland by a steep sandstone slope, at
+11.25 passed a gully with deep waterholes which appeared permanent, and
+at 1.40 p.m. encamped at a deep creek with a small pool of water. To the
+south-east of the camp about five miles distant a range of hills rose
+abruptly from the level country to a height of 800 to 1000 feet. The
+summits were flat and surrounded by high cliffs of red sandstone
+(Expedition Range).
+
+Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 33 minutes 40 seconds; variation of
+compass 7 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+19th November.
+
+Resumed our route at 6.30 a.m.; steered east through dense scrubs with
+open patches of grassy forest, the soil a light loam, very sandy in the
+open forest. Small watercourses trended north; at 10.0 turned to
+south-east to avoid a large scrubby hill which lay detached from the
+principal range; at 11.0 again steered east, ascending a steep sandstone
+hill from which the country to the north and east appeared extremely
+level, we then crossed a series of ironbark ridges with scrub at
+intervals, and fine flooded-gum and box flats in the valleys; casuarina
+and cypress grew on some of the ridges, but the country generally was
+well grassed; at 3.30 p.m. encamped at a small pool of water in a shallow
+watercourse trending north-east.
+
+Latitude by Saturn 23 degrees 37 minutes 23 seconds.
+
+20th November.
+
+At 7.40 a.m. steered east over open country, thinly timbered with box and
+ironbark; at 10.0 crossed a dry creek, on the banks of which were recent
+tracks of horses and cattle; at noon there was a heavy thunderstorm, and
+at the same time entered a dense scrub of brigalow and casuarina; at 2.0
+p.m. the country was more open, and at 4.10 camped near a small gully
+with pools of rainwater; heavy rain during the night.
+
+21st November.
+
+Continued an east course; at 6.50 a.m. crossed some wooded ridges, from
+which ranges of hills were imperfectly seen about twelve miles to the
+east; descending the ridges, entered a brigalow scrub, and at 11.40 came
+to the Dawson River, about eighty yards wide, with long shallow pools of
+water, the scrub coming close to the bank on both sides, leaving a narrow
+grassy flat; followed the river upwards to the southward till 2.50 p.m.,
+and camped on the left bank of the river. The flats on the bank of the
+river are here much wider and well grassed, and we observed the tracks of
+horses.
+
+REACH THE FIRST STATION ON THE DAWSON RIVER.
+
+22nd November.
+
+At 6.15 a.m. resumed our route up the river south-east, and at 8.0 came
+to a dray-track, which was followed east-north-east two miles to Messrs.
+Connor and Fitz' station, where we met with a most hospitable reception.
+
+Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 51 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+The party having thus reached the occupied country travelled by the
+dray-tracks past Mr. Hay's station Rannes, on the 25th November, and
+thence by Rawbelle, Boondooma, Tabinga, Nanango, Collinton, Kilkoy,
+Durandur, and Cabulture stations, reached Brisbane on the 16th December,
+1856.
+
+***
+
+
+1857. NEW SOUTH WALES LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.
+
+DR. LEICHHARDT, PROPOSED EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF.
+
+ORDERED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY TO BE PRINTED, 28TH OCTOBER, 1857.
+
+PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON THE 14TH SEPTEMBER, 1857, WITH
+RESPECT TO AN EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT.
+
+MINUTE NUMBER 57-44.
+
+His Excellency the Governor-General, at the instance of the Honourable
+the Colonial Secretary, brings under the consideration of the Council a
+proposal which has been made to organise another Expedition to ascertain,
+if possible, beyond doubt, the fate of Dr. Leichhardt, who left Sydney
+some nine years ago with the intention of exploring the north-western
+interior of Australia. This proposal has its origin in a public meeting,
+held in Sydney on the 11th instant, at which resolutions were passed
+invoking the assistance of the Government, and it is recommended to
+favourable consideration at the present moment by the circumstance that
+Mr. Gregory, who recently returned from a successful exploration in the
+same direction, has intimated his willingness to undertake the conduct of
+the proposed Expedition.
+
+2. The Council express themselves desirous of seizing so favourable an
+opportunity of pursuing this inquiry, and they therefore advise that Mr.
+Gregory should be at once invited to submit, for approval, a definite
+proposal having for its object: 1st, to ascertain the fate of the late
+Dr. Leichhardt; and, 2nd, to connect the exploring surveys of Mitchell
+and Kennedy with his own; such proposal to be accompanied by an estimate
+of the probable expense which it will be necessary to incur.
+
+EDWARD C. MEREWETHER,
+
+Clerk of the Council.
+
+Executive Council Office,
+
+Sydney, 22 September, 1857.
+
+...
+
+A.C. GREGORY, ESQUIRE, TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
+
+Sydney, 15 September, 1857.
+
+SIR,
+
+Adverting to your verbal communication of yesterday, with reference to
+the proposed Expedition in search of traces of Dr. Leichhardt, I have the
+honour to furnish a memorandum of the arrangements I would suggest for
+the  organisation and conduct of a party calculated to effect the objects
+in view, together with an estimate of the probable cost.
+
+These documents I have submitted to such of the gentlemen composing the
+Committee of the Leichhardt Association as I have had the opportunity of
+consulting, and I have availed myself of their experience of the District
+in which the Expedition would be organised.
+
+Although I have allowed extreme rates for many of the items of
+expenditure, yet, as in all undertakings of this description unavoidable
+and unforeseen contingencies are certain to arise, I should scarcely feel
+justified in naming the gross amount which should be available, though
+not necessarily expended, at a less sum than 4,500 pounds.
+
+I have, etc.,
+
+A.C. GREGORY.
+
+The Honourable the Colonial Secretary.
+
+...
+
+MEMORANDUM FOR THE ORGANISATION OF AN EXPLORING EXPEDITION FOR THE
+PURPOSE OF SEARCHING FOR TRACES OF DR. LEICHHARDT'S PARTY.
+
+The objects of the proposed Expedition would be primarily to search for
+traces of Dr. Leichhardt and his party, who started from the settled
+districts of New South Wales in April, 1848, with the intention of
+proceeding to Western Australia, and, if possible, to ascertain the fate
+of that unfortunate explorer. Secondly, the examination of the country
+both in the intervening spaces between the tracks of previous explorers,
+and also beyond the limits of that hitherto explored, with a view of
+developing its resources, especially with reference to its capabilities
+for settlement.
+
+The party despatched by the Colonial Government, under Mr. Hely, in
+1851-2, traced Dr. Leichhardt to a spot near the head of the Warrego
+River.
+
+Beyond this spot Dr. Leichhardt had expressed his intention of proceeding
+down the Victoria River to its northern bend, and then shape his course
+along the interior slope of the ranges which he supposed existed at the
+sources of the streams flowing to the northern coast.
+
+The proposed route of the searching Expedition would therefore be to
+reach Leichhardt's last known camp, and then to examine the banks of the
+Victoria River to the junction of the Alice River, at the northern bend,
+where especial search would be made, as Dr. Leichhardt intended to leave
+letters there, and would probably encamp for several days to recruit
+before finally entering the unknown country; and the non-existence of
+marks at this point would be almost conclusive evidence that the party
+had perished nearer to the settlements.
+
+In the search for traces of the missing party beyond this point (as it
+could only be at the camping places that any traces would remain after so
+long an interval), it would be necessary to follow such natural features
+as would probably have influenced the party in the selection of its
+route, assuming that the general course would be north-west.
+
+The investigation having been carried to the fullest extent that time and
+circumstances would admit, the searching party would adopt such a route
+on its return as would intersect the greatest extent of unexamined
+country. To effect these objects it is proposed to organise a party at
+one of the outer stations, say at Surat, on the Lower Condamine River,
+from which Leichhardt's last known camp is 230 miles, and the junction of
+the Alice with the Victoria River, 370 miles, not allowing for
+deviations.
+
+The party to consist of two sections, which may be termed the Exploring
+and the Auxiliary parties.
+
+The first would comprise eight persons, equipped and provisioned for 5
+months, and for the conveyance of which 32 horses would be required, as
+follows:
+
+Commander.
+
+Assistant.
+
+Overseer, etc.
+
+4 Stockmen.
+
+1 Aboriginal Stockman.
+
+The second section would be composed of six persons, provisioned etc.,
+for 2 months, and for the conveyance of which 13 horses would be
+required, as follows:
+
+1 Leader.
+
+4 Stockmen.
+
+1 Aboriginal Black.
+
+These two sections would proceed together to the junction of the Alice
+and Victoria Rivers, and would be sufficiently strong to detach parties
+to examine points out of the more direct line of route which the main
+body would follow.
+
+On reaching the spot above referred to, the Exploring Party would be
+fitted out in the most efficient manner for continuing its operations, by
+selecting the strongest and most serviceable portion of the horses,
+equipment, etc., while the Auxiliary Party would return with the
+remainder to the settlements; thus affording nearly all the advantages of
+a depot, without incurring the greater expense or inconvenience attending
+the otherwise necessary return of the Exploring Party by the same route.
+
+It is scarcely necessary to advert to the many advantages which would be
+derived from this arrangement, for enabling the Exploring Party to reach
+the extreme known point of country, with its strength impaired in the
+least possible degree, while it would afford an opportunity of testing
+the capabilities of the party to be finally selected.
+
+ESTIMATE OF THE COST (IN POUNDS/SHILLINGS/PENCE) OF THE EQUIPMENT, ETC.,
+OF THE EXPLORING PARTY.
+
+PROVISIONS.
+1400 pounds Flour : 17/10/0.
+500 pounds Bacon : 25/0/0.
+400 pounds Sugar : 10/0/0.
+70 pounds Tea : 7/0/0.
+750 pounds Meat Biscuit : 37/10/0.
+70 pounds Tobacco : 8/15/0.
+20 pounds Sago : 0/13/4.
+6 pounds Pepper : 0/6/0.
+50 pounds Salt : 0/5/0.
+50 pounds Soap : 0/18/8.
+6 pounds Sperm Candles : 0/9/0.
+150 pounds Dried Beef--800 pounds fresh meat : 10/0/0.
+1000 pounds Fresh Meat : 12/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 130/7/0.
+
+TRANSPORT.
+45 Horses, at 40 pounds : 1800/0/0.
+14 Riding Saddles, at 60 shillings : 42/0/0.
+31 Pack Saddles, at 77 shillings 6 pence : 120/2/6.
+45 Bridles and Headstalls, at 9 shillings : 20/5/0.
+45 Horse Blankets, at 8 shillings : 18/0/0.
+100 Hobbles, at 4 shillings : 20/0/0.
+20 Pairs Girths, at 4 shillings : 4/0/0.
+31 Canvas Saddle-bags, at 25 shillings : 38/17/0.
+100 Provision Bags, at 3 shillings : 15/0/0.
+40 Yards Canvas, at 1 shilling 6 pence : 3/0/0.
+10 Horse-bells, at 6 shillings 6 pence : 3/5/0.
+Materials for repairs, etc. : 20/0/0.
+90 Sets Horse-straps and Nails : 10/0/0.
+100 Saddle-straps, at 1 shilling : 5/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 2119/9/6.
+
+ARMS AND AMMUNITION.
+13 Double guns, at 5 pounds : 65/0/0.
+13 Revolvers, at 5 pounds : 65/0/0.
+30 pounds Gunpowder : 6/0/0.
+150 pounds Shot and Lead : 3/0/0.
+5000 Percussion Caps : 1/10/0.
+14 Belts and Pouches : 3/10/0.
+14 Gun-buckets : 4/18/0.
+Sundries : 10/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 158/18/0.
+
+CAMP EQUIPAGE.
+14 Calico Sheets for Tents, at 12 shillings : 8/8/0.
+50 yards Calico, at 6 pence : 1/5/0.
+6 Camp Kettles, at 5 shillings : 1/10/0.
+40 Pannikins, at 8 pence : 1/6/8.
+3 Leather Buckets, at 17 shillings 6 pence : 2/12/6.
+20 Tin Dishes, at 9 pence : 0/15/0.
+2 Frying-Pans, at 4 shillings 6 pence : 0/9/0.
+2 Water Bags, at 30 shillings : 3/0/0.
+14 Water Holders, India-Rubber, at 10 shillings 6 pence : 7/7/0.
+2 Socket Shovels, at 2 shillings 6 pence : 0/5/0.
+2 spring Balances, at 7 shillings : 0/14/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 27/12/2.
+
+INSTRUMENTS, ETC.
+1 Sextant : 10/0/0.
+1 Prismatic Compass : 3/0/0.
+1 Artificial Horizon : 4/0/0.
+4 Pocket Compasses : 1/0/0.
+2 Aneroid Barometers : 7/0/0.
+3 Thermometers : 1/1/0.
+1 Lever Watch : 9/0/0.
+Stationery : 5/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 40/1/0.
+
+CLOTHING.
+20 Trousers, at 7 shillings : 7/0/0.
+20 Serge Shirts, at 6 shillings : 6/0/0.
+20 Cotton Shirts, at 3 shillings : 3/0/0.
+20 Pairs of Boots, at 15 shillings : 15/0/0.
+14 Blankets, at 10 shillings : 7/0/0.
+14 Oiled Capes, at 10 shillings : 7/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 45/0/0.
+
+TOTAL EQUIPMENT : 2521/7/8.
+
+CONTINGENCIES.
+Medical Stores and Drugs : 20/0/0.
+Petty Contingencies : 50/0/0.
+Collection and Forage for Horses prior to starting : 100/0/0.
+Freights and Passages from Sydney to Moreton Bay : 50/0/0.
+Conveyance of Stores from Brisbane to Surat : 200/0/0.
+Contingent Expenses in the Collection of the Party at Surat : 100/0/0.
+TOTAL CONTINGENCIES : 520/0/0.
+
+SALARIES.
+Commander, 9 months, 600 pounds per annum : 450/0/0.
+Assistant, 7 months, 300 pounds per annum : 175/0/0.
+Overseer, 6 months, at 150 pounds per annum : 75/0/0.
+4 Stockmen, 6 months, at 2 pounds per week : 208/0/0.
+1 Aboriginal Stockman, 6 months : 20/0/0.
+Leader of the Auxiliary Party, 3 months : 75/0/0.
+4 Stockmen, 3 months : 104/0/0.
+1 Aboriginal Stockman, 3 months : 10/0/0.
+TOTAL SALARIES : 1117/0/0.
+
+RECAPITULATION.
+EQUIPMENT : 2521/7/8.
+CONTINGENT EXPENSES : 520/0/0.
+SALARIES : 1117/0/0.
+TOTAL : 4158/7/8.
+
+A.C. GREGORY.
+
+Sydney, 16th September, 1857.
+
+***
+
+
+1858. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, NEW SOUTH WALES.
+
+EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT.
+
+REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS.
+
+ORDERED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY TO BE PRINTED, 1 SEPTEMBER, 1858.
+
+REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT
+AND PARTY.
+
+8TH DECEMBER, 1857, TO 11TH JANUARY, 1858.
+
+Having received instructions from the Honourable the Secretary for Lands
+and Public Works to organise an expedition for the purpose of searching
+for traces of Dr. Leichhardt and party, who left New South Wales in 1848
+with the intention of proceeding overland to Western Australia, I
+proceeded to Moreton Bay with such portions of the equipment as had been
+prepared in Sydney. On reaching Ipswich forty horses were purchased, and
+having despatched the stores to Mr. Royd's station, on the Dawson River,
+by drays, the party were collected at that place; but, owing to
+unforeseen delays in the transport of the stores, the equipment and
+organisation of the expedition was not complete till the latter part of
+March.
+
+The following list of the party, horses, stores, etc., will show the
+principal arrangements.
+
+The party consisted of nine persons, namely: Commander A.C. Gregory;
+assistant commander, C.F. Gregory; assistant, S. Burgoyne; overseer, G.
+Phibbs; stockmen, etc., R. Bowman, W. Selby, T. Dunn, W. von Wedel, and
+D. Worrell. The stock consisted of horses alone, comprising thirty-one
+pack and nine saddle horses, completely equipped. Provisions comprised
+the dried meat of two bullocks and four sheep, weighing, as butcher's
+meat, 16 hundredweight; but when dried and the bones removed, reduced to
+300 pounds. In addition to this 500 pounds bacon, 1600 pounds flour, 100
+pounds rice, 350 pounds sugar, 60 pounds tea, 40 pounds tobacco, and some
+minor articles. The arms and ammunition were: one minie rifle, eight
+double-barrel guns, nine revolver pistols, 25 pounds gunpowder, 150
+pounds shot and balls, percussion caps, etc. For the conveyance of water
+two leather water-bags were provided, each holding five gallons, besides
+which each of the party was furnished with a water-bag of India-rubber
+holding three pints. The tents were made of calico, each suited for the
+accommodation of two persons, and the several articles of camp equipage
+were of the lightest construction consistent with the service required.
+The instruments employed were an eight-inch sextant, box-sextant,
+prismatic compasses, pocket compasses, double axis compass, aneroid
+barometers, thermometers, and artificial horizon, etc. Including forty
+sets of horse-shoes, farrier's and carpenter's tools, together with
+sundry material for repairs, etc., the total weight of the equipment was
+about 4,600 pounds, exclusive of the saddles and harness, which gave an
+average load of 150 pounds as the net load carried by each pack-horse.
+
+THE PARTY START FROM JUANDA STATION.
+
+24th March to 27th March.
+
+These arrangements being complete, the expedition left Juanda, and
+proceeded by the road to Mr. Cardew's station at Euroomba, from which,
+under the guidance of Mr. Bolton--whose local knowledge was of material
+service--we made our way through the dense scrubs and broken country to
+the west for about thirty miles, to the head of Scott's Creek, a small
+tributary of the Dawson River.
+
+29th March.
+
+The general course was now west-north-west through a country with rich
+grassy valleys and dense scrubs of brigalow acacia on the higher ground.
+Green grass was abundant at this time; but I fear that in seasons of
+drought few of the waterholes are permanent; the timber consists of
+ironbark, box, and a few other species of eucalyptus--the brigalow acacia
+attaining the height of thirty feet; soft brown sandstones of the coal
+measures are the prevailing rock, forming hills with table summits.
+
+2nd April.
+
+With some difficulty, owing to the dense scrubs, we crossed the basaltic
+ridge which divides the eastern waters flowing to the Dawson River from
+those trending to the west into the basin of the Maranoa River, a
+tributary of which--probably the Merivale River--was followed westward.
+The country became more sandy, timbered with ironbark, cypress, etc. The
+whole was, however, well grassed, and suited for grazing, if not too
+heavily stocked.
+
+5th April.
+
+Reaching the Maranoa River in about latitude 25 degrees 45 minutes, water
+was scarcely procurable in the sandy bed, and we had to dig wells to
+obtain a supply.
+
+7th April to 12th April.
+
+Warned by the fact that Messrs. H. Gregory and Haly had been unable to
+penetrate the country to the west from scarcity of water, even three
+months earlier in the season, we followed up the Maranoa to Mount Owen,
+and having found a sufficient supply of water and grass for a few days'
+halt, I proceeded to reconnoitre the country to the west, and at length
+found a practicable route to the tributaries of the Warrego River, to
+which the party was advanced. A heavy shower of rain had filled the
+gullies in this locality, and green grass clothed the country, forming a
+striking contrast to the dry and waterless valley of the Maranoa.
+
+15th to 16th April.
+
+Fine openly timbered valleys, well suited for pasture, alternated with
+ridges of scrub of brigalow acacia till we reached Mount Playfair, a
+basaltic hill on the sandstone ridge which separates the Warrego Valley
+from that of the Nive, a small branch of which was followed down to its
+junction with the main channel in latitude 25 degrees 6 minutes. The soil
+in the valley of the Nive is sandy, thinly grassed, and openly timbered
+with ironbark spotted gum, etc.; the back country rising into low
+sandstone ridges, covered with dense scrub of brigalow acacia. Some pools
+of permanent water containing small fish were passed, on the bank of
+which the remains of numerous native camps were seen.
+
+17th April.
+
+From the Nive River a north-north-west course was pursued through a
+nearly level sandy country, covered with a scrub of acacia, eucalypti,
+bottle-tree, etc., which offered great impediments to our progress, till
+within six miles of the Victoria River, when we suddenly emerged from the
+scrub on to open downs of rich clay soil; but the drought had been of
+such a long continuance that the whole of the vegetation had been
+destroyed and swept away by the wind, leaving the country to all
+appearance an absolute desert. The bed of the Victoria was scarcely ten
+yards wide, and perfectly dry, so that it was only after a prolonged
+search along its course that a small puddle of water was found in a
+hollow of the clay flat, and near it, fortunately for our horses, a
+little grass growing in widely scattered tufts.
+
+THE BARCOO RIVER.
+
+19th April.
+
+Being now on the line of route which Dr. Leichhardt had stated his
+intention of following, the party was divided, so that both sides of the
+river were examined in all probable positions in which his camps might
+have been situated; but as the high floods appeared to have inundated the
+country for nearly a mile on each bank last year, all tracks of previous
+explorers were necessarily obliterated, and it was only by marked trees,
+or the bones of cattle, that we could hope to discover any trace. During
+the first two days' journey down the river only a few small pools of
+water were seen, and these not of a permanent character, while the rich
+vegetation on the open downs, which had excited the admiration of Sir T.
+Mitchell on his discovery of the country in a favourable season, had
+wholly passed away, leaving little but a bare surface of clay, the deep
+fissures in its surface giving evidence of long-continued drought.
+
+20th April.
+
+In latitude 24 degrees 37 minutes, longitude 146 degrees 13 minutes, a
+small sandy creek, of equal size with the Victoria, joined from the east,
+and just below the first permanent pool of water was found. There was a
+slight improvement in the grass, but dense scrubs prevailed in the back
+country, and even approached the river at intervals.
+
+LEICHHARDT'S MARKED TREE.
+
+21st April.
+
+While collecting the horses near this pool of water I detected a party of
+armed natives watching one of the stockmen, evidently, from their
+position in the scrub and general movements, inclined to hostilities, and
+I imagine that it was a knowledge that we were aware of their intentions
+which prevented my being able to establish any communication with them. I
+may here remark that this party, which numbered about eight, were the
+first natives seen during the journey. Continuing our route along the
+river (latitude 24 degrees 35 minutes; longitude 36 degrees 6 minutes),
+we discovered a Moreton-Bay ash (Eucalyptus sp.), about two feet in
+diameter, marked with the letter L on the east side, cut through the
+bark, about four feet from the ground, and near it the stumps of some
+small trees which had been cut with a sharp axe, also a deep notch cut in
+the side of a sloping tree, apparently to support the ridge pole of a
+tent, or some similar purposes; all indicating that a camp had been
+established here by Leichhardt's party. The tree was near the bank of a
+small reach of water, which is noted on Sir T. Mitchell's map. This,
+together with its actual and relative position as regards other features
+of the country, prove it not to have been either one of Sir T. Mitchell's
+or Mr. Kennedy's camps, as neither encamped within several miles of the
+spot, besides which, the letter could not have been marked by either of
+them to designate the number of the camp, as the former had long passed
+his fiftieth camp, and the latter had not reached that number on the
+outward route, and numbered his camp from the farthest point attained on
+his return journey. Notwithstanding a careful search, no traces of stock
+could be found. This is, however, easily accounted for, as the country
+had been inundated last season, though the current had not been
+sufficiently strong to remove some emu bones and mussel shells which lay
+round a native camping place within a few yards of the spot. No other
+indications having been found, we continued the search down the river,
+examining every likely spot for marked trees, but without success. The
+general aspect of the country was extremely level, and even the few
+distant ridges which were visible had but small elevation above the
+plain, the highest apparently not exceeding 200 or 300 feet. Timber was
+wholly confined to the bank of the river, and though open plains existed,
+acacia scrubs were the principal feature. Water became very scarce in the
+channels of the river, and we were principally dependent on small puddles
+of rainwater from a recent thunder-shower; but as we approached the
+northern bend some fine reaches of water were passed.
+
+THE ALICE RIVER.
+
+6th April to 28th April.
+
+In latitude 26 degrees 2 minutes we observed a small dry creek joining
+from the north-east. This I traced upwards for a few miles; but as its
+relative position with regard to the adjacent country, as well as the
+latitude, did not correspond with that of the Alice River on the chart,
+we continued our route. Finding, however, that the general course of the
+river changed to south-west, I left the party at a small lagoon and rode
+up the river again, making a second search, more especially at the
+junction of the small dry creek, which proved to be identical with the
+Alice River, though more than five miles to the south, as the Victoria
+River never reaches the parallel of 24 degrees. Our position was now
+becoming very critical, as a long continuance of drought had not only
+dried up all the water, except in the deepest hollows in the channel of
+the main river, but the smaller vegetation, and even the trees on the
+back country were annihilated, rendering the country almost impracticable
+from the quantity of fallen dead branches, and even in the bed of the
+river, where the inundation derived from heavy rain near the sources of
+the river last year had somewhat refreshed the grass, it was scarcely
+possible to find subsistence for the horses. Under existing
+circumstances, it would have been certain destruction to attempt a
+north-west route from this point; and the only course that appeared
+opened to us was to follow down the main river to the junction of the
+Thompson River, and ascend that watercourse so as to intersect
+Leichhardt's probable line of route, had he penetrated in that direction,
+favoured by a better season. At the same time, it was probable that, like
+ourselves, he had been repulsed, and would then follow down the river,
+and search for a more favourable point from which to commence his
+north-west course, in order to round the desert interior on its northern
+side; and we therefore continued our search down towards the Thompson
+River.
+
+29th April to 2nd May.
+
+The country was perfectly flat on both sides of the river, and showed
+traces of tremendous floods. The soil near the river was often
+deeply-cracked mud, water very scarce, and grass seldom seen. The back
+country was covered with scrubs of dead acacia, the soil a red sand or
+gravel; and such was the unpromising appearance that I began to fear that
+our horses would soon fail for want of food and water; but having camped
+at a waterhole during Sunday to rest the party, heavy rain commenced, and
+though the greater portion of the water was absorbed by the dry soil,
+some of the channels of the river filled and commenced to flow. This
+relieved us from much difficulty as regarded the want of water, and
+enabled us to seek for grass in positions which were otherwise
+inaccessible.
+
+3rd May.
+
+Just as we were leaving our camp a party of seven natives made their
+appearance; but though they came up to us, and talked much, I could get
+no useful information from them. As the party moved on they followed us,
+and thinking they were not observed, made an attempt to throw a spear at
+one of the men; but Mr. C. Gregory, wheeling his horse quickly and
+presenting a revolver at the intending aggressors, they ran away, and
+left us to pursue our journey in peace.
+
+THE THOMPSON RIVER.
+
+4th May to 6th May.
+
+The abundance of water was not without its inconveniences, and had the
+rain continued the party would have been annihilated, as our camp was
+between the deep channels which intersected the plain; and in attempting
+to extricate ourselves from the plains subject to inundation, found
+ourselves so completely entangled among the numerous deep channels and
+boggy gullies, in some of which the horses narrowly escaped suffocation
+in the soft mud, that after having forded one branch of the river,
+carrying the whole equipment across on our own backs, constructing a
+bridge over a second for the transport of the stores, and dragging the
+horses through as we best could with ropes, after three days of severe
+toil we had scarcely accomplished a direct distance of five miles. The
+dry weather which followed rapidly hardened the surface of the clay
+plains, and I attempted to steer due west to the Thompson, but found the
+country so destitute of feed, and covered with dense acacia scrub, that
+we were compelled to return to the plains on the bank of the river.
+
+8th May.
+
+The valley of the river trending west was somewhat contracted, and did
+not exceed five or six miles in breadth; the plains were firmer,
+salt-bush and grass more abundant, and the horses recovered slightly from
+the effects of the barren country. Keeping back from the right bank of
+the main channel, we passed some ridges of drift sand, and came on a fine
+lagoon nearly a mile in length. Here we surprised a party of natives, who
+decamped on our approach, leaving a net, fish, etc., which we of course
+left untouched, and camped at a spot lower down the lagoon.
+
+9th May.
+
+The next day being Sunday, we remained at our camp, and the party of
+natives, consisting of seven or eight men, three or four women, and some
+children, approached us, and remained the greater part of the day near
+the tents. They were very anxious to enter the camp, but this was not
+permitted. By signs they expressed that they had observed we had not
+taken away any of their property the evening before, when they ran away
+and left their nets, and were therefore satisfied our intentions were
+friendly; but we could not procure any information relative to the
+objects of our journey or the character of the country before us. At 4
+p.m. they informed us they were going to sleep at the most distant part
+of the lagoon, and would return next morning at sunrise, and then
+departed. After dark, however, the natives were detected attempting to
+crawl into the camp through the bushes, and though we called to them in
+an unmistakable tone to retire, they would not withdraw. As the position
+they had taken up was such as to command our camp, and render it unsafe
+in the event of an attack, it was necessary to dislodge them. I therefore
+fired a pistol over them, but was answered by a shout of derision, which
+no doubt would have been soon followed by a shower of spears had we not
+compelled them to retreat by a discharge of small shot directed into the
+scrub, after which we were not further molested.
+
+10th May.
+
+We were now approaching the junction of the Thompson River, but the
+country became worse as we advanced, and the last five miles of the plain
+were absolutely devoid of vegetation. Our hopes were, however, raised on
+finding that the late rain had caused the Thompson to flow, though the
+current was not strong; we had, however, to travel upwards of twelve
+miles up its course before any grass could be found for the horses.
+
+11th May.
+
+Continuing our route up the Thompson, nothing could be more desolate than
+the aspect of the country; except the few trees which grew on the
+immediate bank of the river there was scarcely a tree left alive, while
+the plains were quite bare of vegetation, except a few salsolaceous
+bushes. At the distance of five miles low ridges of red drift sand showed
+the desert character of all around; even the lower surfaces of the clouds
+assumed a lurid tinge from the reflection of the bare surface of red
+sand.
+
+12th to 15th May.
+
+In latitude 24 degrees 40 minutes low sandstone hills, or rather
+tableland, approached both banks of the river, and the gullies which
+intersected them had supplied the water lower down, as the channel was
+dry above. We, however, succeeded in reaching latitude 23 degrees 47
+minutes, when the absence of water and grass--the rain not having
+extended so far north, and the channels of the river separating into
+small gullies and spreading on the wide plains--precluded our progressing
+further to the north or west; and the only prospect of saving our horses
+was to return south as quickly as possible. This was a most severe
+disappointment, as we had just reached the part of the country through
+which Leichhardt most probably travelled, if the season was sufficiently
+wet to render it practicable. Thus compelled to abandon the principal
+object of the expedition, only two courses remained open--either to
+return to the head of the Victoria River and attempt a northern course by
+the valley of the Belyando, or to follow down the river and ascertain
+whether it flowed into Cooper's Creek or the Darling. The latter course
+appeared most desirable, as it was just possible that Leichhardt, under
+similar circumstances, had been driven to the south-west. In order to
+ascertain whether any large watercourses came from the west, the return
+route was along the right bank of the Thompson, but only one small creek
+and some inconsiderable gullies joined on that side; nor was the country
+of a better character than on the left bank--consisting of barren plains,
+subject to inundation, low rocky ridges covered with dense scrub, and
+sandy ridges producing triodia.
+
+22nd to 23rd May.
+
+We had nearly reached the Victoria River, when, in crossing a gully,
+Worrell's horse fell and hurt him so severely that we had to halt for
+some time before he could be placed on his horse again, and it was
+therefore fortunate that a small patch of dry grass was found on the bank
+of the river, which enabled us to halt the next day, which was Sunday.
+Travelling down the right bank of the river, the principal channels were
+full of water, but the clay plains between were quite dry, the rain which
+had caused the river to flow not having extended so far south; nothing
+could well be more desolate than the unbounded level of these vast
+plains, which, destitute of vegetation, extended to the horizon. Our
+horses were reduced to feeding on the decayed weeds, and even these were
+so scarce that they eagerly devoured the thatch of some old native huts.
+
+27th May.
+
+We had nearly reached the furthest point attained by Mr. Kennedy when the
+horses showed signs of failing strength, and the channels on the east
+side of the plain being dry, I conceived it prudent to cross to the
+western side again. The dry mud was so deeply cracked that the horses
+were continually falling, and one horse was so completely exhausted that
+we had to abandon him.
+
+KENNEDY'S MARKED TREE.
+
+28th May.
+
+Steering a westerly, and then a north course, we reached the small
+waterhole at Mr. Kennedy's second camp on the return route; there was
+just sufficient water to supply the party for one night, and a few
+scattered tufts of grass near it, but quite insufficient for the supply
+of so large a number of horses. Close to the waterhole we found Mr.
+Kennedy's marked tree; it was a large box-tree, marked on the north side
+thus:
+
+K II.
+
+The cuts of the axe and chisel were still quite clear, though twelve
+years had elapsed; but the slow growth and decay of trees in the interior
+may be attributed to the dryness of the climate.
+
+29th May.
+
+Steering north-west, after toiling nearly thirty miles across this
+fearful waste of dry mud, we at length reached a small patch of grass on
+a sandy hummock, but only just in time to save the horses, as many could
+scarcely keep on their legs, and we had to remove their loads to those
+which were less exhausted.
+
+30th May.
+
+Long before the next morning our hungry animals had consumed every blade
+of grass, and the small patch round the camp was reduced to the same
+barren appearance as the surrounding plain. We therefore started in
+search of food for them, and were fortunate in finding a second patch of
+grass, about three miles to the south, and halted for the remainder of
+the day, which was Sunday, thankful that Providence had enabled us to
+make it a day of rest.
+
+PLAINS OF DRY MUD.
+
+31st May.
+
+The running channel of the river being still to the west of our position,
+we steered south-west, over barren clay plains, to some low ridges of
+drift sand, beyond which we found the channel full of water, with a
+slight current; but it terminated in a large reach of water which had not
+yet filled, and the channel lower down was dry. Low ridges of red drift
+sand were now frequent on the plain, and appeared to be the higher points
+of the former sandy desert, the clay plains resulting from the deposition
+of mud in the hollows between which had in course of time filled it to
+one uniform level.
+
+Latitude 26 degrees 2 minutes.
+
+1st June.
+
+The channels on the western side of the plain were very irregular,
+sometimes completely lost on the level surface, and again collecting into
+large hollows, with box-trees on the banks, in which fine sheets of water
+still remained, some 100 yards wide and more than a mile in length. We
+therefore did not experience so much inconvenience with regard to the
+supply of this necessary element as from the absence of sufficient grass,
+and the all but impracticable nature of the mud plains.
+
+4th June.
+
+In latitude 27 degrees, low sandstone tableland approached the west side
+of the river, and we attempted to travel along the slope between it and
+the mud plains, but found it so stony that the horses' hoofs were soon
+worn to the quick, as we had been compelled to remove their shoes to
+enable them to traverse the mud plains. Had it not been for green bushes
+of salsolae, and some similar plants which had sprung up since the rain,
+this tract of country exactly resembled the stony desert described by
+Captain Sturt as existing 200 miles to the westward. These remarkable
+features forming the declivities of the sandstone tableland through which
+Cooper's Creek forces its way, and by confining the waters to a narrower
+space during floods, causes the fine deep reaches of water which
+characterize it.
+
+8th June.
+
+By following the western limits of the plains we reached latitude 27
+degrees 30 minutes, when the sandstone tableland receded, and a boundless
+expanse of mud plain was before us; the lines of box-trees which had
+hitherto marked the channels nearly ceased, polygonum and atriplex
+constituting the main feature of the vegetation.
+
+COOPER'S CREEK.
+
+9th June.
+
+After toiling south-west a day and a half over this level surface to
+latitude 27 degrees 50 minutes, we approached some low ridges, at the
+foot of which there was a lagoon 100 yards wide, exhibiting signs of a
+current during flood to the north-west; and as there was an evident
+westerly trend in all the smaller channels previously crossed, it was
+evident they would soon merge in Cooper's Creek. Steering
+west-north-west, the several channels collected together, and soon formed
+a deep watercourse, with fine reaches of water. The sandstone tableland
+closed in on both sides; the soil of the intervening plain was much
+firmer, but showed by the vegetation that saline nature which so often
+attends the development of the upper sandstones in Australia. Grass was
+abundant, and it was surprising with what rapidity the horses recovered
+their strength.
+
+BOUNDARY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
+
+12th June.
+
+Approaching the 141st meridian, which is the boundary of the province of
+South Australia, stony ridges closed in on both banks of Cooper's Creek,
+forming almost a natural division, across which we followed a well-beaten
+native path; and here I observed the only instance which has come under
+my observation where the aborigines have taken the trouble to remove
+natural obstacles from their paths. The loose stones had been cleared
+from the track, and in some places piled in large heaps.
+
+14th June.
+
+After passing the stony ridge the valley became wider, the hills receding
+suddenly, in longitude 140 degrees 30 minutes, both to the north and
+south; and the whole of the country to the west seemed to consist of a
+succession of low ridges of red sand and level plains of dry mud, subject
+to inundation. Shortly before reaching the branch of Cooper's Creek named
+by Captain Sturt Streletzki Creek, we observed the tracks of two horses,
+one apparently a cart-horse, and the other a well-bred animal, but as
+none of their tracks were within the last month, the rain had obliterated
+them to such an extent that they could not be traced up, as they had left
+the bank of the creek on the first fall of rain, as is the usual habit of
+horses whose wanderings are uncontrolled. There can be little doubt that
+these horses belonged to Captain Sturt, who left one in an exhausted
+state near this locality, and also lost a second horse, whose tracks were
+followed many miles in the direction of this part of Cooper's Creek.
+
+16th June.
+
+Streletzki Creek, which separates nearly at a right angle from the main
+channel, appears to convey about one-third of the waters of Cooper's
+Creek nearly south, and, as we afterwards ascertained, connects it with
+Lake Torrens. We, however, continued to follow the channels which trended
+west for thirty miles, but large branches continually broke off to the
+south and west, and at length the whole was lost on the wide plains of
+dry mud between the sand ridges; and, as there was no prospect of either
+water or grass to the west, I steered south and south-east for fifty
+miles over a succession of ridges of red drift sand, ten to fifty feet
+high, running parallel to each other, and in a nearly north and south
+direction. Between these ridges we occasionally found shallow puddles of
+rainwater, or rather mud, as it was so thick with clay as to be scarcely
+fluid. Fortunately a great quantity of green weeds had grown up since the
+rain, and the horses improved in condition, and did not require much
+water.
+
+21st June to 25th June.
+
+In latitude 28 degrees 24 minutes we again came on Streletzki Creek, and
+then followed it nearly south-south-west between sandy ridges to latitude
+29 degrees 25 minutes, when it turned to the west and entered Lake
+Torrens. No permanent water was seen in the bed of the creek, though
+there were many deep hollows which, when once filled, retain water for
+several months, and this, combined with the existence of a fine reach of
+water in Cooper's Creek immediately above the point where Streletzki
+Creek branches off, renders it far the best line of route into the
+interior which has yet been discovered. Passing between the eastern point
+of Lake Torrens and what has hitherto been considered the eastern arm,
+but now ascertained to be an independent lake, the space between (about
+half a mile) was level sandy ground, covered with salicornia, without any
+apparent connecting channel. The course was continued south-south-west
+towards Mount Hopeless, at the northern extreme of the high ranges of
+South Australia, which had been visible across the level country at a
+distance of sixty miles.
+
+26th June.
+
+As we approached the range of hills tracks of cattle and horses were
+observed, and eight miles beyond Mount Hopeless came to a cattle station
+which had been lately established by Mr. Baker. As the nature of the
+country we had traversed was such as not to admit of any useful
+deviations from it if we returned to New South Wales by land, I deemed it
+advisable to proceed forthwith to Adelaide, and, disposing of the horses
+and equipment, return with the party by sea to Sydney.
+
+ARRIVE IN ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
+
+31st July.
+
+We therefore proceeded by easy stages towards Adelaide, experiencing the
+greatest hospitality at the stations on our route, while our reception in
+the city was of the most flattering nature. His Excellency Sir Richard
+Macdonald kindly gave me the use of an extensive paddock for the horses,
+and provided quarters for the men during the period which necessarily
+elapsed before the sale of the equipment of the expedition was effected.
+I have also to express my acknowledgments of the kind assistance rendered
+by the Honourable the Commissioner of Crown Lands, to the
+Surveyor-General, and the Superintendent of Telegraphs, for valuable data
+connected with the construction of the map of the route, as well as to
+many other gentlemen whose cordial co-operation greatly facilitated my
+arrangements. It is extremely gratifying to record my appreciation of the
+untiring zeal and energy which distinguished every individual composing
+the expedition; and it is to the unvarying and cheerful alacrity with
+which each and all performed their respective duties, that, under
+Providence, the rapidity and success of the journey is to be mainly
+attributed. With reference to the probable fate of Dr. Leichhardt, it is
+evident, from the existence of the marked camp, nearly eighty miles
+beyond those seen by Mr. Hely, that the account given to that gentleman
+by the natives of the murder of the party was untrue; and I am inclined
+to think only a revival of the report current during Leichhardt's first
+journey to Port Essington. Nor is it probable that they were destroyed
+until they had left the Victoria, as, if killed by the natives, the
+scattered bones of the horses and cattle would have been observed during
+our search. I am therefore of opinion that they left the river at the
+junction of the Alice, and, favoured by thunder-showers, penetrated the
+level desert country to the north-west; in which case, on the cessation
+of the rain, the party would not only be deprived of a supply of water
+for the onward journey, but unable to retreat, as the shallow deposits of
+rainwater would evaporate in a few days, and it is not likely that they
+would commence a retrograde movement until the strength of the party had
+been severely taxed in the attempt to advance. The character of the
+country traversed, from the out-stations on the Dawson River to the head
+of the Warrego River, was generally that of a grassy forest, with ridges
+of dense brigalow scrub. A great portion is available for pastoral
+purposes, but not well watered; and the soil being sandy, the grass would
+soon be destroyed if too heavily stocked. As we advanced into the
+interior it became more barren, and, except along the banks of the larger
+watercourses, destitute of timber, and the character of the vegetation
+indicated excessive droughts. North of latitude 26 degrees dense scrubs
+of acacia prevailed on the level country beyond the influence of the
+inundations, but to the southward sandy and stony deserts, with low
+shrubby vegetation, were the characteristic feature. West of longitude
+147 degrees, nearly to the boundary of South Australia, in 141 degrees,
+the country is unfit for occupation, for, though in favourable seasons
+there might in some few localities be abundance of feed for stock, the
+uncertainty of rain and frequent recurrence of drought renders it
+untenable, the grasses and herbage being principally annuals, which not
+only die but are swept away by the hot summer winds, leaving the surface
+of the soil completely bare. On Cooper's Creek, near the boundary, there
+is a small tract of second-rate country, which, being abundantly supplied
+with water, may eventually be occupied. The best part is, however, within
+the province of South Australia. Between Cooper's Creek and Lake Torrens
+about 120 miles of sandy country intervenes. This tract is destitute of
+surface water, but as it is probable that it could be obtained by sinking
+wells of moderate depth, I think it might be occupied to advantage during
+the cool season, and thus relieve the stations which are now established
+within Lake Torrens, though I fear that the summer heat would be too
+great to admit of permanent occupation. The geological character of the
+country is remarkably uniform. Carboniferous sandstones and shales,
+containing occasional beds of coal, with superincumbent hills and ridges
+of basalt, extend from Darling Downs to the 146th meridian, where these
+rocks are covered by horizontal sandstones with beds of chert and
+water-worn quartz pebbles. This latter formation extends as far as Mount
+Hopeless, where the slate ranges of South Australia rise abruptly from
+the plain. The sandy deserts and mud plains are only superficial
+deposits, as the sandstones are often exposed where the upper formation
+is intersected by gullies. The direction of the parallel ridges of drift
+sand appear to be the result of the prevailing winds, and not the action
+of water, it being sufficient to visit them on a windy day to be
+convinced that it is unnecessary to seek for a more remote and obscure
+cause than that which is in present operation. It is, perhaps, with
+reference to the physical geography of Australia that the results of the
+Expedition are most important; as by connecting successively the
+explorations of Sir T. Mitchell, Mr. Kennedy, Captain Sturt, and Mr.
+Eyre, the waters of the tropical interior of the eastern portion of the
+Continent are proved to flow towards Spencer's Gulf, if not actually into
+it, the barometrical observations showing that Lake Torrens, the lowest
+part of the interior, is decidedly above the sea-level. Although only
+about one-third of the waters of Cooper's Creek flow into Lake Torrens by
+the channel of Streletzki Creek, there is strong evidence that the
+remaining channels, after spreading their waters on the vast plains which
+occupy the country between them and Sturt's Stony Desert, finally drain
+to the south, augmented probably by the waters of Eyre's Creek, the Stony
+Desert, and perhaps some other watercourses of a similar character coming
+from the westward. This peculiar structure of the interior renders it
+improbable that any considerable inland lakes should exist in connection
+with the known system of waters; for, as Lake Torrens is decidedly only
+an expanded continuation of Cooper's Creek, and therefore the culminating
+point of this vast system of drainage, if there was sufficient average
+fall of rain in the interior to balance the effects of evaporation from
+the surface of an extensive sheet of water, the Torrens Basin, instead of
+being occupied by salt marshes, in which the existence of anything beyond
+shallow lagoons of salt-water is yet problematical, would be maintained
+as a permanent lake. Therefore, if the waters flowing from so large a
+tract of country are insufficient to meet the evaporation from the
+surface of Lake Torrens, there is even less probability of the waters of
+the western interior forming an inland lake of any magnitude, even should
+there be so anomalous a feature as a depression of the surface in which
+it could be collected, especially as our knowledge of its limits indicate
+a much drier climate and less favourable conformation of surface than in
+the eastern division of the continent. The undulations of the surface of
+the country are nearly parallel to the meridian, gradually decreasing in
+height from the dividing range between the eastern and western waters
+till, instead of the waters of the rivers being confined to valleys, they
+occupy plains formed by a slight flattening of the curvature of the
+sphere. Thus the sides of the plain through which the river ran before it
+turned west to Cooper's Creek were 150 feet below the tangential level of
+the centre channels, and even the summit of the sandstone tableland which
+rose beyond was below the visible horizon. It is this peculiar
+conformation which causes the stream-beds to spread so widely when
+following the course of the valleys from north to south, and it is only
+where they break through the intervening ridges that the water is
+confined sufficiently to form well-defined channels. The existence of
+these extensive valleys trending north and south over so large a tract of
+country render it by no means unlikely that they continue far beyond the
+limits of present explorations, and it is not unreasonable to infer that
+the great depression which has been traced nearly five hundred miles
+north from Spencer's Gulf through Lake Torrens to the stony desert of
+Sturt (or rather the mud plains contiguous to its western limit) may be
+continuous for an equal distance beyond to the low land at the head of
+the Gulf of Carpentaria; a theory also supported by the fact that the
+rivers flowing into the Gulf either come from the east or west,
+apparently from higher land in those directions, while there is not a
+single watercourse from the south, or any indication of elevated country
+in that direction. Captain Wickham having named an important river
+discovered by him in H.M.S. Beagle, on the north-west coast, the
+Victoria, several years prior to Sir T. Mitchell having attached that
+name to the upper portion of Cooper's Creek, which had also been
+previously discovered and named by Captain Sturt, I would suggest that
+the term River Cooper be adopted for the whole of the main channel from
+its sources, discovered by Sir T. Mitchell, to its termination in Lake
+Torrens; as, while it does not interfere with the rule that the name
+given by the first discoverer should be retained, will prevent the
+recurrence of the misapprehension and inconvenience of having two
+important rivers with the same designation on the maps of Australia. With
+regard to the numbers and habits of the aborigines, I could collect
+little information, as only a collective number of about 100 men, a few
+women and children, were seen, in small scattered parties; but, judging
+from the number of encampments seen, at least a thousand must visit the
+banks of the river; and it is probable that the whole of the inhabitants
+for at least 100 miles on each side are dependent on it for water during
+the dry season. Neither sex wear any clothing. Their weapons and utensils
+are similar to those used on the eastern coast; nor was there any
+characteristic by which they could be observed to differ from the
+aborigines of other portions of Australia. Fish, rats, grass seeds, and a
+few roots, constitute their chief food. On the upper part of the river
+they bury their dead, piling wood on the grave; near the junction of the
+Thompson they suspend the bodies in nets, and afterwards remove the
+bones; while on Cooper's Creek the graves are mounds of earth three to
+four feet high, apparently without any excavation, and surmounted by a
+pile of dead wood. In the last-named locality the number of burial mounds
+which had been constructed about two years ago greatly exceed the
+proportion of deaths which could have possibly occurred in any ordinary
+season of mortality, even assuming the densest population known in any
+other part of Australia; and it is not improbable that the seasons of
+drought which proved so destructive to the tree vegetation higher up the
+river may have been equally disastrous in its effects on the aboriginal
+inhabitants of this portion of the interior.
+
+A.C. GREGORY.
+
+Sydney, 27 August, 1858.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals of Australian Explorations
+by A C and F T Gregory
+
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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals of Australian Explorations
+by A C and F T Gregory
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
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+
+
+Title: Journals of Australian Explorations
+
+Author: A C and F T Gregory
+
+Release Date: December 15, 2003 [EBook #10461]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Sue Asscher
+
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+<a name="home"></a>
+
+
+<h3>JOURNALS OF AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS</h3>
+
+<h4>BY</h4>
+
+<h3>AUGUSTUS CHARLES GREGORY,</h3>
+<h4>C.M.G., F.R.G.S., ETC.,<br>
+<i>Gold Medalist, Royal Geographical Society,</i></h4>
+
+<h4>AND</h4>
+
+<h3>FRANCIS THOMAS GREGORY,</h3>
+<h4>F.R.G.S., ETC., ETC.,<br>
+<i>Gold Medalist, Royal Geographical Society.</i></h4>
+
+<h5>BRISBANE:<br>
+JAMES C. BEAL, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, WILLIAM STREET.<br>
+1884.</h5>
+
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+
+<h3>PREFACE.</h3>
+
+<p>Numerous inquiries having been made for copies of the Journals of the
+Explorations by the Messrs. Gregory in the Western, Northern, and Central
+portions of Australia, and as these journals have hitherto only been
+partially published in a fragmentary form, and are now out of print, it
+has been deemed desirable to collect the material into one volume, for
+convenience of reference, and to place on permanent record some of the
+earlier attempts to penetrate the terra incognita which then constituted
+so vast a portion of the Australian Continent.
+
+<p>Although, during the twenty-two years which have elapsed since the last
+of these expeditions was undertaken, the geographical knowledge of
+Australia has so far advanced as to fill in most of the details of its
+physical features and set at rest the speculative opinions and theories
+of early explorers, it has not been deemed desirable to alter or amend
+the impressions or views recorded at the time, but simply reproduce the
+journals as originally compiled.
+
+
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+
+<h3>[TABLE OF CONTENTS.]</h3>
+
+<p align="center">
+<a href="#one">1. MESSRS. GREGORY'S EXPEDITION TO THE EAST AND NORTH OF SWAN RIVER. 1846.</a><br>
+<a href="#two">2. THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY. 1848.</a><br>
+<a href="#three">3. HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR CHARLES FITZGERALD'S EXPEDITION TO THE GERALDINE
+LEAD MINE. 1848.</a><br>
+<a href="#four">4. THE MURCHISON RIVER. 1857.</a><br>
+<a href="#five">5. GASCOYNE RIVER. 1858.</a><br>
+<a href="#six">6. NORTH-WEST COAST. 1861.</a><br>
+<a href="#seven">7. NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. 1855 TO 1856.</a><br>
+
+<p align="center"><img alt=""  src="cfgregory.jpg"><br>
+C F Gregory</p>
+<p align="center"><img alt=""  src="ftgregory.jpg"><br>
+F T Gregory</p>
+<p align="center"><img alt=""  src="hcgregory.jpg"><br>
+H C Gregory</p>
+<p align="center"><img alt=""  src="tbaines.jpg"><br>
+T Baines</p>
+<p align="center">[The page containing A C Gregory's image had been removed from the book used to create this ebook]
+</p>
+
+<h2>AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS.</h2>
+
+
+<a name="one"></a>
+<h3>MESSRS. GREGORY'S EXPEDITION TO THE EAST AND NORTH OF SWAN RIVER.</h3>
+
+<h4>1846.</h4>
+
+<h4>EARLY CONDITION OF WEST AUSTRALIA.</h4>
+
+<p>The colony of Western Australia was established in 1829; but its
+isolation from the older settlement of New South Wales rendered it
+necessary to import all the horses, cattle, and sheep by sailing vessels
+from Tasmania, or other remote sources, while the heavy losses and
+difficulties attending long sea voyages prevented any large importations
+of stock--so that, though there was a fair rate of increase, the flocks
+and herds of the settlers had found sufficient pasturage for the first
+ten years on the banks of the Swan River and its upper valley, the Avon,
+together with the coast district southward to the Vasse Inlet; but after
+1840 the stock-owners began to feel that all prospect of material
+increase must be relinquished unless additional pastures could be
+discovered.
+
+<p>Several public as well as private expeditions were undertaken for the
+purpose of ascertaining whether in the interior or along the coast on
+either side of the settlement there existed any available country, but
+they had only encountered dense scrubs of acacia and eucalyptus, with
+salt marshes and scarcity of fresh water in the interior. The coast to
+the east had been traversed from Adelaide to King George's Sound by Mr.
+Eyre, and found to be altogether unfit for settlement, while to the north
+the coast presented a series of sandy plains for more than 200 miles.
+
+<p>It may now appear extraordinary that the earlier explorers in Australia
+were so frequently unsuccessful in their endeavours to penetrate the
+interior; but the scarcity of suitable horses, the unsuitable character
+of the saddlery, cumbersome camp equipment, and deficiency of knowledge
+regarding the seasons in the interior, all combined to defeat the first
+explorers in districts which have since been traversed with comparative
+facility.
+
+<p>In 1846 the known country had become so nearly stocked to the full extent
+of its capability that the leading question of interest with the settlers
+was, where new runs could be discovered; and, among many others, the
+Messrs. Gregory proposed to attempt the further exploration of the
+interior.
+
+<p>Messrs. A.C. and F.T. Gregory, who were attached to the department of the
+Surveyor-General, applied for three months' leave of absence for the
+purpose; but it was eventually arranged that the expedition should be
+under the auspices of the Government, which provided four horses, and
+voted 5 pounds for the purchase of equipment, the remainder being
+supplied at private expense.
+
+<p>The party consisted of A.C. Gregory, F.T. Gregory, and H.C. Gregory,
+provided with four horses and seven weeks' provisions, the equipment
+being reduced to the least possible weight. The starting point was Mr.
+T.N. Yule's station, in the Toodyay district, sixty miles north-east from
+Perth.
+
+<p>The following is a transcript of the journal:--
+
+<h4>DIARY.</h4>
+
+<p>EXPLORATION TO EAST OF SWAN RIVER, 1846.
+
+<p>7th August, 1846.
+
+<p>Leaving Mr. Yule's farm at Boyeen Spring, passed Captain Scully's station
+at Bolgart Spring at 10.15 a.m.; thence steered north 70 degrees east
+over sandy downs, thinly timbered with eucalyptus; at 12.50 p.m. crossed
+a small watercourse trending in the direction of our course till 2 p.m.,
+when it turned south; at 3.50 p.m. halted for the night on a small stream
+flowing to the south-west.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 31 degrees 12 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 116
+degrees 50 minutes.
+
+<p>8th August.
+
+<p>At 7.5 a.m. commenced a course 70 degrees; at 8.0 crossed a granite hill
+with some grass, after which the country was scrubby till 9.30, when we
+entered a grassy flat timbered with casuarina; at 10.25 the country was
+more open, but scrubby; at 12.45 p.m. observed a small lake bearing 10
+degrees; steered on that course, and reached it at 2.10 p.m.; halted till
+3.15, and then resumed our former course through a swampy country, and at
+4.50 camped on the bank of another small shallow lake.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 31 degrees 4 minutes 24 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 4 minutes.
+
+<p>9th August.
+
+<p>At 7.35 a.m. steered on a course of 95 degrees through a scrubby country
+with small wooded valleys; at noon observed several large shallow lakes
+five to ten miles to the north-east; at 3 p.m. altered the course to 45
+degrees, and at 3.30 to north; at 4 p.m. reached a large open flat
+covered with salicornia and other salt plants, and with shallow lakes of
+salt water. At the edge of the flat found a native well with good water
+and a patch of grass around it, and bivouacked.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 31 degrees 2 minutes 22 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 23 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+<p>10th August.
+
+<p>At 7.35 a.m. left the bivouac and steered 95 degrees, passed several
+small salt lagoons in a thick swampy country; at 9.15 entered a gum
+forest with close underwood, which rendered travelling slow and
+difficult, but it gradually became more open; at 1 p.m. observed several
+lakes to the north and east, six to seven miles distant; we then passed a
+succession of dense thickets and patches of gum forest till 4.25, when we
+turned north, and at 5.30 halted in an open patch of grass surrounded by
+swampy thickets.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 31 degrees 1 minute 44 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 45 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+<p>11th August.
+
+<p>At 7.25 a.m. steered north-east through gum forest; at 8.30 passed a dry
+lagoon; at 9.10 changed the course to 95 degrees; the country became more
+open; at 11.35 ascended an elevated ridge, and saw several bare granite
+hills to the eastward; steered 75 degrees to the nearest; reached its
+summit at 1.40 p.m., and halted for the remainder of the day to refresh
+the horses, there being abundance of water in the hollows of the rock and
+some grass around the base of the hill.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 30 degrees 58 minutes 47 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 59 minutes 47 seconds.
+
+<p>DRY COUNTRY. GRANITE HILLS.
+
+<p>12th August.
+
+<p>Leaving the bivouac at 7.30 a.m., steered 122 degrees through alternate
+patches of gum forest, underwood, and grass; at 11.50 reached the summit
+of a bare granite hill, from which we could see Lake Brown, bearing 93
+degrees to 103 degrees, Eaglestone Hill, 100 degrees, also many other
+remarkable hills and peaks. Leaving this hill at 12.15 p.m., steered 58
+degrees over undulating wooded country with several small watercourses
+trending to the south; at 4.30 bivouacked at a scrubby hill, near a small
+pool of rainwater, on a granite rock.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 30 degrees 59 minutes 54 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 17 minutes.
+
+<p>13th August.
+
+<p>Resumed our course 58 degrees through level gum forest, then a spearwood
+thicket, then dense underwood and patches of gum forest till 1.25 p.m.,
+when we came to a native well among granite rocks; having watered the
+horses, continued the course through the same description of country till
+4.40, when we halted at the foot of a granite hill with plenty of
+rainwater in the hollows and grass on a narrow strip between the scrub
+and base of the bare rock.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 30 degrees 48 minutes 34 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 40 minutes.
+
+<p>14th August.
+
+<p>Started at 10.35 a.m., and steered 41 degrees through a level country,
+with thickets of underwood, cypress, and gum, with some grassy patches;
+at 2.20 p.m. reached a bare granite hill, at the foot of which we
+bivouacked.
+
+<p>15th August.
+
+<p>Leaving the bivouac at 7.15 a.m., steered 50 degrees; at 8.50 crossed a
+steep ridge of white sandy rocks resting on granite; after this the
+country was grassy, with little timber, 10.30, when we entered a thick
+scrub; at 11.0 observed a high granite hill bearing 50 degrees, steered
+for it, and reached the summit at 12.55 p.m., descending into thick scrub
+on the other side. Having climbed a tree to get a view, observed a very
+remarkable peak and range of rugged hills distant about forty miles, the
+highest point bearing 57 degrees; at 2.30 came to scrubby country with
+only a few trees, and at 4.15 camped at a small waterhole in a granite
+rock.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 30 degrees 31 minutes 43 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 52 minutes.
+
+<p>16th August.
+
+<p>At 7.15 a.m. resumed our march on a bearing 68 degrees, through
+well-wooded country till 9.35, when we ascended a fine grassy hill of
+trap-rock. From this hill several of a similar character were visible to
+the southward, while to the north numerous large dry salt lakes or
+marshes occupied the valley along the south-eastern declivity of which we
+had travelled for the last two days; the course was then 56 degrees,
+through scattered forest, with much underwood and a little grass. At noon
+struck the shore of one of the lakes, the bank being composed of gypsum
+and red sand, in some parts twenty feet high; following the shore of the
+lake to the east till 1.15 p.m., again resumed a course 56 degrees
+through dense thickets of wattle (acacia), with patches of gum forest and
+cypress, the soil a red sandy loam devoid of smaller vegetation; at 5.0
+halted for the night.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 30 degrees 21 minutes 40 seconds; longitude 119
+degrees 11 minutes.
+
+<p>WHIRLWINDS. RED SAND.
+
+<p>17th August.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. recommenced our journey 50 degrees; at 6.55 crossed a narrow
+swampy patch of salicornia trending east and west; altered the course to
+63 degrees, and at 7.35 crossed a deep watercourse trending to the south;
+at 8.15 ascended a trap hill with a few granite rocks at the foot, among
+which we found a small pool of rainwater, at which we halted for three
+hours to refresh our horses, and then proceeded 40 degrees till 2.20
+p.m., when we arrived at the foot of the highest hill in the range for
+which we had been steering. Leaving our horses, we ascended the hill,
+which was composed of trap-rock, and did not exceed 300 feet in height
+above the general level of the country. From the summit several similar
+ranges of trap hills were visible, extending from north to
+east-south-east; to the south-east the country appeared to be a level
+sandy desert without the least appearance of vegetation, while to the
+west and north the smokes of many native fires were visible in the
+distance. The extremely level character of the country between the ranges
+to the east and north, and the immense columns of red sand or dust which
+were raised by whirlwinds to a height of 200 to 500 feet, gave but little
+hope of finding water in that direction. Returning to our horses at 4.20,
+steered 350 degrees about three and a half miles to a small patch of
+grass which had been observed from the hill, which was named Mount
+Jackson. There was a small watercourse through the patch of grass, but no
+water, and the country was suffering from prolonged drought.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation 30 degrees 12 minutes 28 seconds; longitude 119
+degrees 16 minutes.
+
+<p>18th August.
+
+<p>After six hours' ineffectual search for water, we were compelled to
+return to the water passed early on the previous day.
+
+<p>19th August.
+
+<p>Left the bivouac at 7.20 a.m. and steered 275 degrees through a scattered
+gum forest with much underwood; at 9.55 came on a dry salt lagoon of
+irregular form, which was crossed at 10.20; passing a native well among
+flat granite rocks, the country rose gradually till 11.50, when we
+arrived at a hill crowned by steep white sandstone cliffs twenty to
+thirty feet high. The course was then changed to north, through dense
+thickets, till 12.20 p.m., when we again turned west through a
+well-wooded country, and at 3.0 camped on a high granite hill with some
+patches of grass and abundance of rainwater in the hollows of the rocks.
+
+<p>Latitude 30 degrees 19 minutes 33 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 55
+minutes.
+
+<p>20th August.
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. resumed a westerly course through dense thickets of acacia
+and melaleuca, and at 5.15 p.m. bivouacked in a small patch of grass and
+a small pool of rainwater on a granite rock.
+
+<p>Latitude 30 degrees 17 minutes 40 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 35
+minutes.
+
+<p>21st August.
+
+<p>At 7.45 a.m. started on a course 320 degrees over an undulating country
+with dense thickets and patches of cypress and gum forest; at 4.30 p.m.
+bivouacked near a small hole in a rock with about two gallons of
+rainwater remaining in it.
+
+<p>Latitude 30 degrees 5 minutes 43 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 22
+seconds.
+
+<p>22nd August.
+
+<p>At 7.35 a.m. resumed a west course through a succession of thickets, gum
+forest, and scrub; at 12.30 p.m. observed a granite hill bearing 315
+degrees; made for the hill, and finding some excellent grass around a
+native well, at 2.15 camped.
+
+<p>Latitude 30 degrees 3 minutes 36 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 8
+minutes.
+
+<p>23rd August.
+
+<p>Started at 7.40 a.m. in a direction 320 degrees, over thinly-timbered
+scrubby country, which gradually improved and became grassy; at 10.5
+altered the course to 336 degrees, and at 1.15 p.m. reached the summit of
+a granite hill from which a series of dry lakes, or salt marshes, were
+visible in a wide valley trending to the north-east. A very remarkable
+hill bore 316 degrees, about 35 miles distant. Steering in the direction
+of this hill, found the country covered with almost impenetrable scrub of
+acacia. At 4.20 halted at the foot of a high sandstone cliff, where some
+deep holes in the rock retained a small quantity of rainwater.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 51 minutes; longitude 119 degrees 55 minutes.
+
+<p>24th August.
+
+<p>Left the bivouac at 7.35 a.m. steering 312 degrees; passed over a nearly
+level country timbered with cypress and eucalyptus, with patches of
+acacia thicket; at 2.45 p.m. halted at a deep waterhole in a flat granite
+rock.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 42 minutes 31 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 41
+minutes.
+
+<p>EXTENSIVE SALT MARSHES.
+
+<p>25th August.
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. resumed our journey on the same course as yesterday, and at
+9.15 came on an extensive flat covered with salicornia, which formed the
+margin of an immense salt marsh or dry lake, extending to the north-east
+and south-west to the horizon, but narrowing to about three miles at the
+point we came to it. It was decided to attempt crossing at this place,
+and, after travelling for an hour across the salicornia flat, reached the
+bare salt marsh. This at first seemed firm; but, after half-a-mile, the
+hard crust of salt and gypsum, which formed the surface, gave way and
+three of the horses were bogged almost at the same time. After a long
+ineffectual struggle to extricate themselves they were quite exhausted,
+and we waded through the mud to the opposite shore, a distance of
+half-a-mile, and cut some small trees, and with them, combined with
+tether ropes and saddle-bags, formed two hurdles or platforms twelve feet
+long and two feet wide. These with much difficulty were taken to the
+horses, and by placing them alternately in front of each animal, worked
+them over the soft mud, and after six hours of severe exertion succeeded
+in reaching the firm ground. The hard salt crust, though apparently
+strong, having once been broken, its edges gave way like thin ice. After
+reaching the ground, which was dry enough to bear the weight of the
+horses, we had to travel about three miles through soft dust of white
+gypsum, in which we sank from one to two feet, but at length reached a
+large granite rock, at the foot of which there was a little grass and on
+the rock some small pools of rainwater.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 37 minutes 30 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 38
+minutes.
+
+<p>26th August.
+
+<p>From the summit of the rock we had an extensive view, the lake extending
+twelve miles east, fifteen miles to the south and west, eight miles to
+the north and to the north-east, only bounded by the horizon. Shallow
+pools of brine, varying from one to three miles in diameter, with
+low-wooded and high bare granite islets, were scattered over this vast
+area of white mud gypsum and salt. At 8.35 a.m. started in a southerly
+direction along the shore of the lake in the hope of turning its west
+side; at 10.40 altered the course to 221 degrees; and at 12.30 p.m.
+camped on a grassy granite hill, about a mile from the lake.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 47 minutes 13 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 36
+minutes.
+
+<p>27th August.
+
+<p>Steering a general course 200 degrees from 7.40 a.m. to 8.40, again
+reached the shore of the lake, followed it south-east till 9.45, then 80
+degrees till 12.15 p.m., when we halted for one and a half hours under a
+very remarkable solitary gum-tree; we then steered 173 degrees till 2.20;
+then 204 degrees till 3.30, when we left the lake, which trended to the
+west, and, steering 250 degrees till 5.5, camped at a native well in a
+small grassy valley. Some good open grassy flats were passed during the
+day and a large number of wild turkeys were seen.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 59 minutes 4 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 39
+minutes.
+
+<p>28th August.
+
+<p>Starting at 7.35 a.m. in a west-north-west course, at 8.45 passed several
+small dry salt lagoons; at 9.0 ascended a granite hill, from the summit
+of which it was discovered that further progress in this direction was
+impracticable, and that we were on a peninsula, as the lake still trended
+south to the horizon. We therefore turned east, and at 11.35 came on the
+southern extension of the eastern branch of the lake; followed it nearly
+east till noon, then north-east and north-north-east till 1.0 p.m.; then
+17 degrees, leaving the lake and crossing extensive open downs till 2.5,
+when a small dry salt lake was passed, and we entered thickets of acacia,
+which changed to gum and cypress forest; at 3.0 came to a rich grassy
+hill, then thickets and grassy patches, and at 4.0 reached the summit of
+a lofty granite hill and had an extensive view over the country. On the
+north side of the hill found a native well and some good grass, where we
+camped.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 45 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 46
+minutes.
+
+<p>GRANITE HILLS AND GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+<p>29th August.
+
+<p>At 7.35 a.m. left the bivouac and steered 30 degrees through thickets; at
+8.30 crossed our track of the 24th, and at 9.15 passed a salt marsh
+trending north-west and south-east; at 12.25 p.m. altered the course to
+north till 1.0; then, 37 degrees, ascended a granite hill, on which we
+found a few shallow pools of rainwater; then north till 4.0 p.m., and
+bivouacked in a grassy patch with a small hollow containing a little
+muddy water.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 30 minutes 46 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 51
+minutes.
+
+<p>30th August.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 7.35 a.m., steering north over a level country
+with patches of brushwood and grass; at 10.35 ascended a steep grassy
+ridge, and found ourselves at the north-east extremity of the immense
+salt lake which for five days had baffled our attempts to proceed north.
+The lake, which was named Lake Moore, was at this part about five miles
+wide, and extended to the horizon to the south-west; to the north and
+west there were many bare granite hills; changing the course to 328
+degrees, at 12.55 p.m. camped at a grassy granite hill.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 17 minutes 56 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 47
+minutes.
+
+<p>31st August.
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. steered 328 degrees for two hours through thickets of
+acacia, cypress, and gum; then entered a grassy country with jam-wattle;
+at 10.35 passed a granite hill and altered the course to 357 degrees, and
+at 11.30 ascended a high granite hill, from which many similar hills were
+visible to the north and east, and a remarkable range of trap hills about
+thirty miles to the north-north-east; also some smaller trap ranges to
+the north-west, from ten to thirty miles distant. At noon steered 302
+degrees towards the nearest of these ranges, traversing a level plain
+with brushwood and grass; at 4.45 crossed a small dry watercourse
+trending west, and at 5.5 bivouacked on a granite hill, with some grass
+and a fine pool of rainwater in a hollow of the rock.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 3 minutes 14 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 31
+minutes.
+
+<p>1st September.
+
+<p>Resumed our route at 7.45 a.m.; at 8.45 reached the hills we had been
+steering for; from the summit there was an extensive view: to the north
+and west were many trap hills and several dry salt lakes; to the north
+the country was level for several miles, and then rose into a low range
+of granite hills, covered with brushwood and grass; at 9.20 steered 230
+degrees over level country with dense thickets of acacia; at noon the
+country became more open; at 1.0 passed some small dry salt lagoons, the
+country more open and with some grass, and at 3.0 camped at the foot of a
+granite hill, with good grass and some water oozing out of a cleft in the
+rock.
+
+<p>Latitude 28 degrees 50 minutes 44 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 20
+minutes.
+
+<p>2nd September.
+
+<p>Leaving the bivouac at 7.40 a.m., steered 330 degrees over a succession
+of grassy granite hills, with small watercourse trending to the west; at
+12.40 p.m. came on a party of four aboriginals, who hastily decamped,
+leaving their spears and shields behind in the hurry of retreat; they
+appeared to be of rather small stature, and somewhat darker in colour
+than the blacks near the Swan River. Observing a remarkable hill bearing
+312 degrees about twenty miles distant, steered for it; the country
+became more level, with grass and brushwood; at 3.5 turned north to a
+steep granite hill, crossing a dry watercourse thirty yards wide and
+sixteen feet deep trending north-west; at 4.40 halted in a gully in the
+granite range, and obtained water by digging among the rocks.
+
+<p>Latitude 28 degrees 34 minutes 9 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 2
+minutes.
+
+<p>3rd September.
+
+<p>Started at 8.0 a.m., steering towards the hill seen yesterday, and which
+now bore 307 degrees. The country was nearly a dead level, with a few
+small dry watercourses trending south-west; the soil a red loam,
+producing some grass and small acacias; at 10.50 came on an extensive
+flat covered with salicornia, which extended to the base of the hill, the
+summit of which was reached at 12.25 p.m.; from this position the flat or
+marsh appeared to extend fifteen miles to the north-east, a branch also
+to the north-west, in which direction the water seemed to trend, though
+the dip of the country, if any, was so slight as to render it uncertain.
+To the north a range of trap hills, five to ten miles distant,
+intercepted the view. Having completed observations at 2.10, steered 300
+degrees along the foot of a range of trap hills; at 3.50 passed a dry
+salt lake on our right, and at 5.15 bivouacked on the side of a trap
+hill, among some fine oat-grass growing on calcareous tufa. From the
+summit of the hill we could see salt marshes continuing in a north-west
+direction for many miles; all the hills within twenty miles were of a
+trap formation, and therefore gave no prospect of obtaining water, the
+soil being loose and the rock full of fissures; hitherto we seldom had
+found water except on or near granite rocks, which serve to collect the
+rainwater of even slight showers.
+
+<p>Latitude 28 degrees 24 minutes 20 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 42
+minutes.
+
+<p>SCARCITY OF WATER. TURN TO THE WEST.
+
+<p>4th September.
+
+<p>As the horses had been twenty-four hours without water, and there was no
+prospect of obtaining any to the north or west, no rain having fallen for
+the past month, it was deemed advisable to return to the last bivouac,
+and then, by a westerly course, attempt to make the sources of the Hutt
+or Arrowsmith rivers, the mouths of which had been discovered by Captain
+Grey on the coast opposite our position. Accordingly, after six hours'
+ride, we got back to the well at the bivouac of the 2nd.
+
+<p>5th September.
+
+<p>At 7.50 a.m. left the bivouac, and, steering 240 degrees, at 8.15 crossed
+the dry watercourse trending west; at 11.0 ascended the ridge bounding
+the valley; at noon found a small pool of water in a gully descending to
+the westward; after this traversed a continuous thicket of acacia with
+narrow strips of cypress forest, and bivouacked at 5.50 without water.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 47 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 41
+minutes.
+
+<p>6th September.
+
+<p>At 6.45 a.m., proceeding west, ascended a granite hill, near the top of
+which we found a native well, where we halted at 7.30. Having watered the
+horses and breakfasted, at 9.30 resumed our journey over granite hills,
+covered with brushwood and cypress with a few grassy patches; at 11.10
+passed a native well; altered the course to west-south-west, crossing
+three small watercourses trending north-west; and at 1.15 p.m. halted at
+the foot of a bare granite hill, on the top of which there was a fine
+pool of rainwater in a shallow basin of the rock.
+
+<p>Latitude 28 degrees 50 minutes 51 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 29
+minutes.
+
+<p>7th September.
+
+<p>Started at 7.15 a.m. on a course 255 degrees through acacia thickets; at
+10.5 crossed a narrow strip of salt marsh, which spread out into dry salt
+lakes to the south; after this the country was grassy till 11.30, when we
+entered a dense thicket of acacia, melaleuca, cypress, and eucalypti, the
+ground gradually rising till 4.0 p.m., and then descending till 5.25,
+when we crossed a small dry watercourse trending south; at 6.10
+bivouacked in a gum forest without water or grass, though a large flight
+of white cockatoos which roosted near seemed to indicate that water was
+not far distant.
+
+<p>Latitude 28 degrees 58 minutes 14 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 6
+minutes.
+
+<p>8th September.
+
+<p>Leaving the bivouac at 7.0 am steered west; at 7.20 came to a grassy
+granite hill, then west-north-west to another hill, where we halted for
+half an hour to look for water, but being unsuccessful, again resumed a
+westerly course through acacia thickets, alternating with grassy gum
+forest, till noon, when the soil changed from a red loam to ironstone
+gravel; grass disappeared and was replaced by scrub; the country was much
+broken and continued to rise till 4.0 p.m., when it began to descend
+rapidly till 4.30, when we came to a small watercourse trending south;
+following it down for half a mile, found a small pool of water and some
+grass, and halted for the night, this being the only water seen for
+nearly fifty miles.
+
+<p>Latitude 28 degrees 58 minutes 50 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 45
+minutes.
+
+<p>DISCOVER TWO SEAMS OF COAL.
+
+<p>9th September.
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. resumed a westerly course through grassy gum forest; at 8.0
+a.m. crossed a large watercourse trending south, with many shallow pools
+of water; the country then became scrubby; at 9.10 crossed a granite
+ridge and entered a rich grassy valley timbered with eucalypti and
+raspberry-jam wattle, a small watercourse trending north. The ridge on
+the west side of the valley was destitute of timber, but covered with
+dense wattle brush; at 10.0 a.m. altered the course to 305 degrees, and
+at 10.35 came on the head of a small stream-bed with pools of water;
+following it west-north-west, at 11.30 it was joined by a running stream
+four yards wide, the water being brackish, and trended to the south-west;
+left it and steered west over an open scrubby country; at 12.30 p.m.
+entered a dense thicket of eucalypti and acacia, the soil being formed of
+fragments of granite and trap; at 1.0 p.m. entered a deep valley by an
+abrupt descent, and found ourselves once more on the banks of the
+brackish stream, which was much enlarged, and running through a narrow
+grassy flat backed by high sandstone cliffs from 80 to 100 feet high.
+Continuing our course along the river west till 1.55 p.m., when it turned
+north, and at 2.20 p.m. north-west; at 3.0 p.m. the banks of the stream
+became very high, and stratified in a remarkable manner, the lower rocks
+in thin beds dipping to the east, while the superincumbent rocks of red
+sandstone were horizontal. We therefore entered the bed of the river to
+examine it, and found two seams of coal--one five feet thick and the
+other about six feet thick--between beds of sandstone and shale. Having
+pitched the tent and tethered the horses, we commenced to collect
+specimens of the various strata, and succeeded in cutting out five or six
+hundredweight of coal with the tomahawk, and in a short time had the
+satisfaction of seeing the first fire of Western Australian coal burning
+cheerfully in front of the camp, this being the first discovery of coal
+in the western part of the Continent.
+
+<p>Latitude 28 degrees 57 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 30
+minutes.
+
+<p>10th September.
+
+<p>At 7.20 a.m. left the camp and followed the river downwards on a general
+course 250 degrees; at 7.40 crossed to the left bank, the valley opening
+out and the soil improving, being formed by the decomposition of soft
+shales, which contain much gypsum in fine crystals. Oat and rye grasses
+were abundant, with plenty of saltbush; at 9.10 crossed to the right
+bank, and steered 220 degrees to an abrupt headland on the north side of
+the valley, which was here about two miles wide; the soil a stiff brown
+loam, with rounded fragments of granite, flinty trap, and quartz,
+resembling in appearance the French millstone burr; the grass improved,
+being chiefly of perennial species. After a halt of twenty minutes to
+take bearings from the hill, at 9.40 steered 200 degrees, and again
+crossed the river at 11.15, and altered the course to 235 degrees; the
+grassy country having a breadth of two miles. At noon ascended a sandy
+ridge with a few gum-trees on the top; there the valley closed in, the
+grassy flats below being only half a mile wide and backed by extensive
+elevated sandy downs, covered with heath and short scrub. The course of
+the river was about 230 degrees. At 1.35 p.m. ascended a remarkable red
+sandstone hill, with a table summit and steep rocks on all sides nearly
+blocking up the valley; at 2.15 p.m. resumed a general course of 242
+degrees along the bank of the river, and at 4.5 bivouacked in a rich
+grassy flat thinly timbered with white-barked eucalyptus.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 10 minutes 42 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 15
+minutes.
+
+<p>REACH THE SEA-COAST.
+
+<p>11th September.
+
+<p>Started at 7.40 a.m., and, steering 240 degrees, crossed the river, left
+the grassy flats, and entered the sandy downs; at 8.45 ascended a steep
+sandstone cliff, and from the top had a distant view of the sea; the
+river about one and a half miles to the south, where a large branch
+joined it from the east about two miles below the bivouac. At 9.35
+steered 267 degrees over open sandy downs, and at 10.35 struck the river,
+running north through beautiful grassy flats timbered with York and
+white-gums and wattles; there were many fine pools of water, which
+appeared to be permanent. After an unsuccessful attempt to cross the
+river, followed it northerly till 11.0; then west-north-west till 11.20,
+and then west-south-west till 11.45, when we found a practicable crossing
+to the left bank, and, steering west by south, ascended a sandy limestone
+ridge; then on a west-south-west course followed the valley of the river
+down to its mouth, which was reached at 3.40 p.m. The entrance of the
+river was choked up with sand and rocks, and not passable for even small
+boats. This river appears to be the Irwin River of Captain Grey, as this
+spot is only one and a half miles to the south of the position assigned
+to it on Arrowsmith's map of this part of the coast. At 4.30 left the
+beach and retraced our steps to where we crossed the river at 1.30, and
+bivouacked at 5.50.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 15 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 114 degrees 59
+minutes.
+
+<p>12th September.
+
+<p>At 7.50 a.m. resumed our journey up the river, steering north-east till
+8.25; then east along the north bank, through rich grassy flats timbered
+with York gum. At 10.20 left the river and entered the sandy downs; at
+10.30 crossed a small stream with some fine springs; at 11.0 changed the
+course to east by south; at noon altered the course to 83 degrees,
+crossing the river at 12.50 p.m., where it is joined by the east branch,
+which is of equal size with the northern one; followed the east branch up
+through wide grassy flats till 2.0, and camped.
+
+<p>The country consists of elevated sandy downs covered with heathy bushes
+and a few small banksia trees, it being only on the alluvial flats of the
+river that there is any grass or good soil. Large flocks of
+cockatoos--white, black with white tails, and black with red tails--came
+to water near the camp; some were shot, also a turkey, the flesh of which
+was extremely bitter and scarcely eatable. Several kangaroos were seen on
+the sandy downs.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 11 minutes 20 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 18
+minutes.
+
+<p>13th September.
+
+<p>At 7.55 a.m. left the Irwin River and steered a course 160 degrees, over
+open sandy downs of considerable elevation; at 11.45 halted for half an
+hour and shot a kangaroo, which proved a welcome addition to the
+commissariat; at 1.30 p.m. changed the course to 142 degrees, and at 2.30
+came to a running stream three yards wide. This we assumed to be the
+Arrowsmith River of Captain Grey, and as there was little prospect of
+finding water farther on, we bivouacked, though there was only a little
+grass close to the bank of the stream and the rest of the country covered
+with short scrub.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 27 minutes 9 seconds.
+
+<p>14th September.
+
+<p>Left the bivouac at 8.35 a.m., and steered 160 degrees over sandy downs
+with ridges of red sandstone till 3.0 p.m., when the course was altered
+to 220 degrees, following down a shallow valley; at 4.0 turned
+west-south-west, and at 5.15 bivouacked in a swampy spot with some grass;
+obtaining water by digging in the sand.
+
+<p>Latitude 29 degrees 48 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 32
+minutes.
+
+<p>15th September.
+
+<p>Leaving the bivouac at 8.0 a.m., steered 214 degrees over scrubby country
+with patches of gum forest; at 9.0 turned to 160 degrees, crossed a
+country of sand and ironstone of considerable elevation; at 3.30 p.m.
+altered the course to 170 degrees, and followed down a scrubby valley
+till 5.0; then 115 degrees for half an hour, and came to a native well in
+a patch of York gum-trees, where we camped. The last three hours our
+progress was scarcely six miles, as one of the horses knocked up.
+
+<p>Latitude 30 degrees 10 minutes; longitude 115 degrees 39 minutes.
+
+<p>STEER SOUTH OVER SANDY DOWNS.
+
+<p>16th September.
+
+<p>As there was no grass for the horses, we were compelled to push on our
+journey, and at 7.20 a.m. steered 160 degrees; the country was more
+broken up by valleys, the soil sand and ironstone, with heathy scrub,
+banksia, and grass trees (xanthorrhoea) with a few patches of white-gum
+forest; at 10.30 steered 138 degrees towards a high summit, distant
+twelve miles. The horse again knocked up, but by relieving him of his
+load, which was transferred to the other horses, succeeded in driving him
+a few miles further. At 2.20 p.m. changed the course to 180 degrees, and
+entered a level sandy piece of country, bounded on all sides by hills; at
+3.40 altered the course to south-west; at 5.0 had to abandon the weak
+horse and continue our route in search of water; at 5.30 passed a small
+salt lake with a little grass on the margin; at 6.0, finding the country
+getting worse, returned to the salt lake and camped on the western side.
+
+<p>Latitude 30 degrees 27 minutes 19 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 47
+minutes.
+
+<p>17th September.
+
+<p>After digging in about twenty different places around the lake, at length
+found fresh water, and then went back for the knocked-up horse, and with
+some difficulty got him to the well, where we decided to rest the horses
+this and the following day, before encountering the inhospitable sandy
+region to the southwards.
+
+<p>18th September.
+
+<p>One of the party made a short excursion to the west of the plain, and in
+about three miles reached the hills, which appeared very barren and
+scrubby; but after crossing the first ridge, the country was timbered
+with York and red gum and a large species of acacia, producing abundance
+of gum; the soil a red loam, producing some grass and abundance of the
+everlasting flowers and warran, or native yam. After penetrating this
+good country four miles returned to the camp, having shot a kangaroo and
+ten cockatoos.
+
+<p>19th September.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 8.5 a.m., steered 160 degrees, and soon ascended the
+sandy downs, which were destitute of trees, except a few banksia and
+floribunda; at 11.45 crossed a valley trending to the west; at 1.15 p.m.
+observed a range of wooded hills to the east and south; altered the
+course towards a remarkable gorge which bore 129 degrees; at 3.30 entered
+a gum forest, and at 3.50 came to a large stream-bed with many pools of
+water; followed it down south, and camped at 4.20.
+
+<p>Latitude 30 degrees 42 minutes 39 seconds; longitude 116 degrees.
+
+<p>REACH THE MOORE RIVER.
+
+<p>20th September.
+
+<p>Crossed the watercourse, which seemed to be a branch of the Moore River,
+and steered 163 degrees from 7.30 a.m. till 8.20, when the country
+improved, with grassy hills and brown loam, with fragments of granite and
+trap rock; the timber York-gum and jam-wattle. This description of
+country continued till 12.15 p.m., when scrub again prevailed on
+ironstone hills timbered with white-gum; at 2.20 entered a valley of
+better character, with quartz and granite rocks. After crossing several
+rocky ridges, at 3.20 reached the main branch of the Moore River, which
+we crossed, and camped. This was the first place where the poisonous
+gastrolobium was observed.
+
+<p>Latitude 31 degrees 39 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 13 minutes.
+
+<p>21st September.
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. followed the river upwards on a bearing of 130 degrees; at
+8.0 passed a deserted sheep-station, the river coming from the north;
+continued our course over broken ironstone ridges, timbered with
+white-gum; at 10.0 the country became more level and sandy, and at 11.45
+struck the road from Toodyay to Victoria Plains; followed the road
+southerly till 4.5 p.m., and camped at a small spring.
+
+<p>Latitude 31 degrees 14 minutes 19 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 34
+minutes.
+
+<p>CAPTAIN GREY'S REPORT OF GOOD COUNTRY CONFIRMED.
+
+<p>22nd September.
+
+<p>This morning an hour's ride brought us to Bolgart Spring, after an
+absence of forty-seven days, during which we had travelled 953 miles,
+traversing three degrees of latitude and nearly four and a half of
+longitude.
+
+<p>The discovery of coal and country available for settlement on the coast
+to the north of Swan River was deemed to be of such importance that the
+Government dispatched Lieutenant Helpman in the colonial schooner
+Champion to procure a sufficient quantity of the coal to admit of its
+being practically tested as to quality, and also to ascertain what
+facilities existed for its conveyance to a port for shipment. A volunteer
+party, consisting of Lieutenant Irby, Dr. Meekleham, Messrs. Gregory and
+Hazlewood, accompanied Lieutenant Helpman to Champion Bay, now the site
+of Geraldton, and thence by land to the coal-seam on the Irwin River, a
+distance of ninety miles, and brought down about half a ton of coal to
+the vessel. This coal, though of fair quality and suitable for steam
+purposes, proved, however, to be so remote from any suitable port for
+shipment that it has hitherto not been available for commercial purposes.
+
+<p>The primary object of the voyage having been attained, it was considered
+desirable to avail of the opportunity to examine the country to the
+northward and ascertain its capabilities for settlement; for though
+Captain, now Sir George Grey, had seen some good country on his journey
+along the coast from Gantheaume Bay to Swan River, in 1839, Captain
+Stokes, who landed from the Beagle subsequently and ascended Wizard Peak
+about twelve miles inland, had distinctly negatived the existence of any
+country capable of occupation, though, as an illustration of the
+difficulty of ascertaining the real capabilities of country by partial
+and hurried inspection, it may be observed that this has since become one
+of the most prosperous districts of Western Australia in regard to its
+pastoral, agricultural, and mining industries.
+
+<p>For the purpose of making this examination of the country, Messrs. A.C.
+Gregory, H.C. Gregory, and Lieutenant Irby, taking three horses and three
+days' provisions, left Champion Bay on the 20th December, the following
+being a copy of the journal:--
+
+<p>20th December, 1846.
+
+<p>At 6.20 a.m. left the bivouac and followed the shore of Champion Bay
+about a mile northerly; then steered 87 degrees over a scrubby country;
+at 7.20 crossed the Chapman River; and at 8.0, being a quarter of a mile
+north from Mount Fairfax, altered the course to 66 degrees, the country
+being thinly covered with wattle scrub and some grass; at 8.45 crossed a
+large branch of the Chapman with several small pools of water in the bed;
+the country beyond was more scrubby and the soil gravelly; at 9.0 changed
+the course to 18 degrees, and at 9.20 again crossed the Chapman River
+just below a pool of apparently permanent water; at 9.50 crossed a
+granite ridge, beyond which the country improved, with many large patches
+of grass to the eastward; at 10.20 ascended a high flat-topped hill of
+red sandstone resting on granite, which proved to be the eastern point of
+Moresby's Flat-topped Range. From this hill Mount Fairfax and Wizard Hill
+were visible to the east; grassy hills rose gradually from the Chapman
+River for seven or eight miles; steering 10 degrees over grassy country,
+the soil was composed of detritus of granite and trap rocks; at 11.0 came
+on a large party of natives, some of whom accompanied us for about a
+mile, pointing out places where we should find water. At noon turned to
+the north-east and entered an extensive valley with some patches of
+grass, but not generally of a good character; at 12.30 p.m. crossed a
+small watercourse trending west; followed it about half a mile, and then
+steered north-west over scrubby flats till 1.0, when we struck a small
+stream-bed with small pools of water, and halted till 1.20, and then
+followed up the stream to the north till 3.0, when we bivouacked.
+
+<p>21st December.
+
+<p>At 6.35 a.m. steered north over a hilly country with scrub, grass,
+York-gum, and wattle--the prevailing rocks red sandstone, quartz, and
+granite; at 8.30 crossed a stream-bed with pools of brackish water
+trending east, and at 8.50 entered a good grassy country which appeared
+to extend ten to twelve miles to the east and north--clumps of York-gum,
+jam-wattle, and sandalwood were observed on some of the hills. After
+crossing several small watercourses, at 9.45 ascended an elevated sandy
+tableland covered with coarse scrub; and at 10.35, not seeing any
+prospect of better country, changed the course to west, and following
+down a deep gully, at 11.7 came to a small pool of salt water; following
+the watercourse south-south-west, at 11.25 came to a small hole dug by
+the natives, in which the water was fresh, though the pools above and
+below were salt. Halting till nearly 1.0 p.m., resumed a westerly course,
+crossing several deep grassy valleys trending south; at 1.35 steered 211
+degrees over a hilly, quartz, and granite country with very good grass;
+at 2.30 again came on the stream-bed, the country improved and
+well-grassed, with scattered jam and black wattle trees as far as the
+country was visible; at 3.50 the stream was joined by a branch from the
+east, and following it to the west-north-west till 5.0, bivouacked in the
+bed of the stream, water being obtained by digging in the sand.
+
+<p>22nd December.
+
+<p>At 6.35 a.m. steered 220 degrees over a fine grassy country; at 7.0
+ascended a small ironstone hill, from which we observed a deep valley
+trending to the south-west; to the north and west the country was open
+and grassy for twelve miles, presenting at one view fifty or sixty
+thousand acres of fine sheep pasture. Continuing a south-west course over
+granite country with some good grass, but not equal to that seen the
+previous day, at 8.0 crossed a small stream-bed, which we assumed to be
+the Bowes River of Captain Grey; we ascended steep limestone hills on the
+west bank, and from the summit observed the large white sand patch on
+Point Moore bearing 170 degrees; turning south three-quarters of a mile,
+crossed the Bowes River at its mouth, which was choked up with sand; we
+then steered south-east with the intention of following Captain Grey's
+route to Champion Bay; but, after traversing sandy downs with limestone
+rocks for four miles, one of the horses became so footsore that we
+descended a deep ravine to the sea-beach, which was followed southerly,
+and after crossing the dry mouth of the Buller and Chapman Rivers,
+reached the landing place in Champion Bay at 1.10 p.m.
+
+<p>On the 23rd the party and horses were shipped on board the Champion and
+reached Fremantle on the 28th.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="50%">
+
+<a name="two"></a>
+
+<h3>THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY.</h3>
+
+<h4>1848.</h4>
+
+<p>As the stock belonging to the settlers on the Swan River had increased to
+the full extent of the pastoral capabilities of the known available
+country, it became of pressing importance to push forward the exploration
+of the Colony of West Australia, and accordingly, in 1848 the
+Surveyor-General, Captain Roe, conducted an expedition to the south-east
+of Swan River, while the settlers organised one to proceed to the north,
+and made application to the Government to grant the services of Mr.
+Assistant-Surveyor A.C. Gregory as the leader of the party.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="20%">
+
+<p><i>THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY.</i></p>
+
+<p>We could not do justice to the enterprise and exertions of the gentlemen
+who discovered the new tract of good land to the northward in any other
+way than by giving Mr. Augustus Gregory's Journal entire:--
+
+<p>INSTRUCTIONS TO LEADER OF THE EXPEDITION AND ITS OBJECTS.
+
+<p>Colonial Secretary's Office,
+
+<p>Perth, August 28, 1848.
+
+<p>SIR,
+
+<p>I am directed by the Governor to inform you that you have been appointed
+to direct the exploring expedition about to proceed northwards on account
+of the zeal, energy, and enterprising spirit that have been exhibited by
+you on other occasions, and called into action with credit to yourself
+and advantage to the public interests. The party under your direction, it
+is intended, should proceed northward as high as the Gascoyne River. (The
+Gascoyne River flows into Shark Bay, in latitude 24 degrees 52 minutes
+South.) It is advisable to approach that river from the eastward, about
+100 miles from the coast, after proceeding in a north-easterly and
+northerly direction from the country abreast of Champion Bay, it being
+desirable that part of your route which lies farthest in the interior
+country should be first accomplished, in order to avail yourself of the
+best chance of finding water.
+
+<p>You will examine that river as far as it may be practicable to do, with
+the view of tracing its course; of ascertaining, if possible, the nature
+of the bar at the mouth of it, and the question of its being practicable
+for boats, to what distance from the bar, and the nature of the soil in
+the vicinity of either bank.
+
+<p>After having examined thus the Gascoyne River you will proceed in a
+southerly direction and examine the river, as yet unnamed, about forty
+miles farther south, that flows into Shark's Bay, the mouth of which was
+seen by Captain Grey, and is placed by him at Point Long.
+
+<p>Should you proceed along the sea-shore for any distance you will pay as
+much attention as your limited means will allow you to do to the
+peculiarities of the coast, and of any estuaries, creeks, or roadsteads
+that may present themselves.
+
+<p>You will bear in mind that the primary object of this expedition is the
+examination of a new tract of unknown country for practical purposes, by
+practical men--that, in fact, the discovery of new land of an available
+kind for pasture has become a thing to be desired, of paramount
+importance, and an object in the attainment of which the interests and
+perhaps the fate of this colony depend.
+
+<p>You will thus conduct your expedition with the view of promoting this
+principal object to the best of your ability. But it is hardly needful to
+observe to you that this chief object may be promoted and attained
+without neglecting to observe the geographical, geological, and
+mineralogical features of the country you pass through; its
+productions--animal and vegetable; and the character, dialects, and
+customs, to some extent, of the aboriginal tribes you may fall in with.
+You have been so frequently employed in exploring expeditions, though of
+minor importance perhaps to the present, that you must be well aware it
+is no less impolitic than cruel to come into actual collision, wantonly,
+unadvisedly, and maliciously, with the natives; and, on the contrary,
+that it is no less humane than politic to leave no angry recollections of
+white people, where the footsteps of travellers, however few and far
+between, must be expected to follow yours.
+
+<p>Should your route, either in proceeding on the expedition or returning,
+be in the direction of that part of the Irwin River where for the
+discovery of coal the colony is indebted to yourself and brothers, it
+would be desirable that you should devote a short time to the examination
+of the locality where it was first found; to excavation, to some moderate
+extent, in the vicinity of the veins of coal of most promise; and, above
+all, to the ascertainment of the fact if coal crops out, or if there be
+in the soil any indications of it between the place where the mine was
+discovered by you in 1846 and the seashore, in that intervening space of
+about thirty-eight or forty miles, or to the northward of it in the
+direction of Shark's Bay, where Dr. von Somner thought the coal-seam of
+the Irwin might again make its appearance.
+
+<p>In the event of accident, occasioning loss of provisions and beasts of
+burden, and a necessity arising for a prompt return to the settled
+districts, you will bear in mind the causes of impediment on the march
+which proved so disastrous to Captain Grey's party on its return from
+Gantheaume Bay; the want of vigilance at night manifested in another
+expedition in the murder of Lieutenant Eyre's European companion; and the
+want of caution, forgetfulness of the nature of barbarians, and the
+facilities for ambush afforded by a wilderness of trees and jungle, that
+have led to injuries fatal to life, as in the case of Mr. Cunningham in
+Sir Thomas Mitchell's expedition, and of two of his companions at another
+time; and in some instances, as in those of Captain Stokes and Captain
+Grey, that have led to results all but fatal to the explorers and their
+expeditions; injuries suddenly and unexpectedly inflicted on individuals
+straggling from the main body of their party, or venturing considerable
+distances in advance of it.
+
+<p>You are to bear in mind that it might be of some advantage throughout
+your expedition to keep a register of the depths at which water has been
+found by you, and of those depths to which you have penetrated in vain
+for it.
+
+<p>It will be requisite that you should ascertain the course of rivers of
+any magnitude, and direction of chains of high land, that you may meet
+with, and follow the same to some extent--at least wherever appearances
+may lead you to expect improvement of soil, a richer country, or one
+indicating mineral productions.
+
+<p>In the event of occurrences of unexpected disasters, impediments, and
+unavoidable accidents, arising from loss of provisions or of horses, or
+of any injury to the health or strength of the party, rendering it
+utterly impracticable for the expedition to proceed as high northward as
+Gascoyne River, your discretion then supplying whatever you may be
+unprovided for in your instructions, you will explore as far as it is
+possible for you to do, on your return, the country north of the settled
+districts of York and Toodyay; so that something of utility may be
+accomplished, and the great object for which this expedition was prepared
+may not be wholly frustrated.
+
+<p>I am further to add that His Excellency's best wishes accompany your
+party, and that the success of the expedition, and the return of all
+engaged in it in health and safety, will be hailed by him with very
+lively satisfaction.
+
+<p>I have the honour to be, Sir,
+
+<p>Your obedient servant,
+
+<p>R.R. MADDEN,
+
+<p>Colonial Secretary.
+
+To A.C. Gregory, Esquire, Perth.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="20%">
+
+GENERAL REPORT OF JOURNEY.
+
+<p>Perth, November 20, 1848.
+
+<p>SIR,
+
+<p>I have the honour to transmit, for the information of His Excellency the
+Governor, the following outline of the proceedings of the exploring party
+to the northward which His Excellency has been pleased to place under my
+direction. I regret that we have not succeeded in reaching the Gascoyne
+River, which your instructions for my guidance pointed out as the
+ultimate object of the expedition; but I trust that our attempts to
+render the expedition serviceable to the colony have not proved
+unsuccessful, especially as the result has been the discovery of several
+fine portions of good grassy land near Champion Bay, which, with the more
+minute examination of the country in the vicinity which had been
+previously discovered, will render available a tract of pasturage
+sufficiently extensive to relieve the present overstocked districts; the
+estimated quantity of land suitable for depasturing sheep being about
+225,000 acres, exclusive of 100,000 acres on the Irwin, the greater
+portion of which, however, is better suited to agricultural purposes. The
+observations I have had the opportunity of making during this journey
+have confirmed my previous opinion, that, could the party have started in
+July instead of September, the chief obstacle to our progress--the want
+of water--might have been avoided; and although there would have been
+many minor difficulties to encounter, I feel assured that the same zeal
+and energy which enabled my party to contend so long with the obstacles
+which opposed their advance to the Gascoyne River, would have ensured
+their success in a more favourable season. The gentlemen who formed my
+party have my sincere thanks for their prompt and energetic co-operation
+on all occasions; nor can I omit to mention the cheerful and trustworthy
+conduct of private W. King of the 96th regiment. For minute details I beg
+to refer my journal and the plans of my route, which I am plotting.
+
+<p>I have the honour to be, Sir,
+
+<p>Your obedient servant,
+
+<p>A.C. Gregory,
+
+<p>Assistant-Surveyor.
+
+<p>The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, etc.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="20%">
+
+<h4>JOURNAL.</h4>
+
+<p>LEAVE THE SETTLED DISTRICTS. STAMPEDE OF HORSES.
+
+<p>2nd September, 1848.
+
+<p>Started for Toodyay, with Mr. C.F. Gregory and five horses for the
+expedition to Shark's Bay; bivouacked at Worrilloo.
+
+<p>3rd September.
+
+<p>Proceeded to Toodyay, where Messrs. L. Burges, J. Walcott, and A. Bedart
+joined on the 4th, bringing six horses with them. Having had the horses
+shod at Ferguson's, we continued our journey to Mr. Lefroy's station,
+near Bebano, which we reached on the 7th. The following day the cart,
+with our provisions, etc., arrived, accompanied by private W. King.
+Having obtained another horse from Mr. Lefroy, on the 9th we left
+Welbing, with ten pack and two riding horses, carrying three months'
+provisions, etc. Steering north by west for the first twenty miles,
+generally grassy, we entered the extensive sandy plains which occupy
+almost the whole country between the Moore and Irwin rivers. The rainy
+season having scarcely ended, we found both water and grass for our
+horses every night; and, not meeting with any serious impediments, we
+reached the upper part of the Arrowsmith Brook on the 13th. Here the
+country improved, and the valleys, in which the stream takes its rise,
+were estimated to contain about 10,000 acres of tolerable sheep pasture.
+Early the ensuing day we entered the Irwin Plains; crossing the eastern
+branches of the river, we encamped, on the 15th, on the northern branch,
+three-quarters of a mile below the spot where the coal was first
+discovered. The Irwin Plains presented a beautiful aspect, being covered
+with rich grass and vegetation; the soil is generally good; but most of
+the grasses being of the annual species, would not afford good pasturage
+in the summer, and in consequence they are better suited for agriculture,
+while the open character of the country would render clearing for the
+plough a matter of little expense. While dinner was preparing, the
+horses, being herded, suddenly started off at full speed, in consequence
+of a large stone rolled down by one of the party in ascending the hill.
+Two of the remaining horses were immediately saddled, and Mr. Burges and
+myself started to catch them; in about a mile we came up with them at the
+foot of an almost perpendicular cliff; on seeing us they started off, and
+scrambling up the rocks like goats, left us far behind; we did not
+overtake them for several miles, when with some difficulty we captured
+one, but had the mortification of losing one of the saddled horses in
+exchange. Leaving the captured horse in charge of Mr. Burges, I followed
+the rest; caught another after a smart ride of three miles, but it was
+not till I reached the East Irwin that I could again overtake the rest,
+when, favoured by the steep bank of the stream, I succeeded in securing
+our truant steeds. It was now dark, and being unable to manage nine
+horses by myself, I tethered several of the wildest, and started with two
+of the best for the encampment ten miles distant, which, owing to the
+nature of the country, I did not reach till midnight. Mr. Burges had
+arrived about an hour previous with the horse first caught. Light showers
+in the morning.
+
+<p>16th September.
+
+<p>Messrs. Bedart, C. Gregory, and J. Walcott started to bring in the
+horses; the rest of the party was employed in repairing damages of the
+harness, and at 3.0 p.m. the party returned with the horses. Slight
+showers in the morning.
+
+<p>17th September (Sunday).
+
+<p>Light clouds from the south-west; thunder; rain in the evening. Read
+prayers.
+
+<p>18th September.
+
+<p>Left the bivouac at 8.15 a.m., and followed upwards the main branch of
+the Irwin to the north-north-east, through a steep and rocky valley, the
+sandstone hills in some parts approaching the river, so as to render it
+necessary to cross frequently with the pack-horses. The very level
+character of the summits of these hills gives the country the appearance
+of having been once a plain, through which the valley of the stream has
+since been worn by the action of water; the upper stratum is a hard red
+sandstone, resting on a softer rock of a sandy or clayey character,
+beneath which the shales and rocks belonging to the coal formation show
+themselves, lying in unconformable beds, and often at a very high angle.
+At 9.25 the stream divided into two branches, that to the east being the
+most considerable; at this spot the sandstone ceased, and we commenced
+ascending the granite range, the direction of which was about
+north-north-west. The soil was poor and stony, producing a little feed
+for stock; but it could scarcely be made available, as the country is
+completely covered with thickets of acacia of small growth. At 4 p.m.
+bivouacked on a small watercourse running through a level grassy flat,
+bounded on both sides by thickets of wattle.
+
+<p>SCRUBBY COUNTRY NORTH FROM THE IRWIN RIVER.
+
+<p>19th September.
+
+<p>At 8.15 a.m. steered a nearly north course, through a country of the same
+description as yesterday; crossed several small gullies trending west, in
+some of which a little water still remained; at 4.20 p.m. halted for the
+night at a brackish pool in a small gully trending west.
+
+<p>20th September.
+
+<p>Started at 8.0 a.m., continuing a northerly course, over a similar
+description of country as during the past two days, crossing three large
+gullies coming from the eastward, but apparently near their source. At
+3.45 halted on a large stream-bed, with a few brackish or rather salt
+pools in its sandy channel, which was in some places nearly 100 yards
+wide; from our encampment we observed a very remarkable peaked hill,
+distant about twenty miles, and from its outline conjectured it to be
+composed of the same vein of trap-rock as that which forms similar ranges
+further to the eastward.
+
+<p>21st September.
+
+<p>The scarcity of water and the very level appearance of the country to the
+northward of our bivouac, added to the general denseness of the thicket
+of acacia and cypress, rendering a continuance of a north course
+unadvisable, we steered north-west from 8.30 a.m. till noon, when we
+ascended a scrubby sand ridge, from which we had an extensive view;
+neither hill nor valley could be discovered to the north, east, or
+west--nothing but one immense sea of dense thicket of acacia and cypress
+was visible in these directions; the course was therefore changed to
+west, and continuing it without much alteration over a succession of low
+ridges of drifted sand, the valleys being filled with dense thickets,
+until 6.20 p.m., when the approach of night compelled us to bivouac in a
+small patch of gum forest, which also afforded a few scattered tufts of
+grass for our horses. Although this was the lowest spot passed in a
+distance of more than ten miles, it was so completely dried up and
+parched that a search for water was fruitless, even by digging; the
+scanty allowance of very brackish water in our kegs was therefore much
+relished by the party.
+
+<p>22nd September.
+
+<p>The night having been cloudy, and a strong breeze preventing any dew, our
+horses were not much refreshed; we, however, started at 7.45 a.m., and
+steering nearly west till 3.15 p.m. through a succession of dense
+thickets, high scrubs, and thorny bushes, we entered open sandy downs,
+and changed the course to south-west, with the intention of making the
+Hutt River, should we not find any water nearer, when, almost hopeless of
+procuring this essential element before the next day, we unexpectedly
+came to a native well in the centre of the sandy plain; here we
+bivouacked at 5.40, but, from the loose sandy soil in which the well was
+dug, we could not obtain more than about two and a half gallons of water
+for each horse, the sides of the well continually falling in. Strong
+breeze from the north-west, and several light showers in the evening and
+night.
+
+<p>23rd September.
+
+<p>Having completed watering the horses, we left the well at 9.30 a.m., and
+steering about north-west over undulating sandy downs, covered with
+coarse scrub and patches of dense thickets, at 2.15 p.m. entered a small
+gully trending north-west. The country improved, but was so thickly
+clothed with wattles as to render travelling difficult; a few patches of
+grass were seen in some small watercourses, in which a little water
+remained. At 4.40 bivouacked on a large gully trending northwards, with
+several small pools of water in a rocky bed of gneiss, containing
+numerous small garnets. Strong breeze from the north-west and slight
+showers.
+
+<p>24th September (Sunday).
+
+<p>Although the feed for the horses was not very abundant, yet the long
+marches they had encountered the last few days made it expedient to give
+them a day's rest to recruit their weary limbs. Read prayers. Strong
+breeze from the north-west and slight showers during the day.
+
+<p>ENTER THE VALLEY OF THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+<p>25th September.
+
+<p>Started at 8.27 a.m.; passed over poor stony hills of granite formation
+and producing a little grass in tufts--the wattles growing so close
+together as to render travelling difficult and tedious. At 10.45 came on
+a large stream-bed, which had scarcely ceased to run; the channel was
+fifty yards wide, the bed steep and rocky, and, where crossed, ran over a
+dyke of trap-rock, the water slightly brackish and in long shallow pools,
+with samphire on the banks. This stream must be the Murchison River, as
+no other was passed for 30 miles to the northward; the effects of violent
+floods were visible, but it did not bear the character of a stream rising
+at any great distance inland, nor did the nature of the gravel and sand
+brought down by it indicate a rich soil on its upper portion, as I did
+not see anything besides fragments of siliceous rock and garnet sand. The
+valley through which it ran appeared to be five or six miles wide,
+extending twenty miles to the eastward, backed by sandy plains on both
+sides; a few patches of grass appeared in the lower parts of the valley;
+westward it seemed to contract and turn to the south-west, flanked by
+steep flat-topped hills of sandstone, resting on granite rock. Continuing
+north-north-east up a small valley, we passed through wattle thickets
+till 1.40 p.m., when we again ascended the level sandy tableland or
+plains, and changed the course to the north; the scrub increased in
+density as we proceeded. At 4.25 halted for the night in a patch of good
+grass, where the thicket had been burnt off by the native fires; the
+sandy nature of the soil rendered the search for water unsuccessful; we
+therefore contended ourselves with the allowance of one pint each.
+
+<p>26th September.
+
+<p>Left the bivouac at 7.15 a.m.; course north; the country more open; 9.25
+came on a large native well of good water in a slight hollow trending
+westward; having watered the horses and filled the kegs, continued our
+journey over sandy plains, covered with short coarse scrub; many hummocks
+of loose sand, covered partially with scrub, lay on each side of our
+track. At noon passed the last sandy ridge; before us lay an immense
+plain, covered with thickets, and not a hill or valley could be
+observed--the country seemed to settle into one vast level of dense and
+almost impenetrable scrub or thicket. At 1 p.m. entered it, and continued
+our route through it; although the bush-fires, which had burnt some large
+patches, greatly assisted us; 4.15 not finding any grass, we steered
+west, but at 5.15 were compelled to halt for the night in a dense
+thicket, without a single blade of grass or even scrub of any kind which
+could afford food for the horses; water it was hopeless to look for; and
+after a supper of raw bacon, damper, and a pint of water each, we retired
+to rest.
+
+<p>WATERLESS COUNTRY AND DENSE SCRUB NORTH OF MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+<p>27th September.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. set out on a north course; at 8.5, finding the thicket almost
+impassable, I ascended a cypress-tree, where a most cheerless view met my
+sight to the north, east, and west; not a break was visible--nothing but
+thicket in all directions, with scarcely an undulation of any kind; the
+view to the north-west was most extensive--nearly twenty miles of thicket
+could be seen, with a surface as level as the sea. Not considering it
+prudent to proceed onwards, the thicket being too dense to advance
+without the greatest difficulty, the saddle-bags being almost torn to
+pieces, and the horses quite worn out with continual exertions in
+dragging their packs through the thickets, we were compelled to return to
+the well passed yesterday morning. The country seen to the northwards was
+of too flat and sandy a character to give any hope of finding water or
+grass--and without these requisites, it would be incurring great risk of
+losing the horses, and of course defeating the object of the expedition;
+therefore, taking advantage of the partially cleared tracts of yesterday,
+we reached the watering place at 4.30 p.m.
+
+<p>28th September.
+
+<p>This day we employed ourselves in repairing our pack-saddles, which it
+was found necessary to restuff, as they had been padded with coarse
+rushes; the saddle-bags had been torn to pieces, and the repairs of these
+required more time than could be afforded in an evening's bivouac.
+
+<p>29th September.
+
+<p>Started at 8.35 a.m.; pursued a general course of 310 degrees, gradually
+ascending the sandy downs on the north side of the valley for three
+miles; it then turned to the north of west, and we again descended, and
+found the bottom occupied by a narrow samphire flat, 50 to 100 yards
+wide, over which the water runs during heavy rains, but it was now dry,
+and in some parts covered with a thin crust of salt; 11.26 passed a
+native well of slightly brackish water, amongst loose blocks of red
+sandstone; a small well was passed at 11.50; the samphire flat then
+changed to a small sandy channel, among large blocks of sandstone
+belonging to the coal-formation: in one place the slate also cropped out.
+Abundance of brackish water lay in small pools along the course of the
+stream-bed, which at 1.0 p.m. changed its direction nearly west; we
+followed it through a scrubby valley, with high hills on both sides, till
+4.45, when we bivouacked just below the junction of a small gully from
+the northwards, with a very remarkable sandstone hill about
+three-quarters of a mile south; below this spot the valley trended to the
+south-west, and was bounded on the north-west by flat-tapped sandstone
+hills.
+
+<p>30th September.
+
+<p>Not being more than ten to fifteen miles from the sea, I steered north
+330 degrees east magnetic. Starting at 8.5, and having ascended the high
+land, passed through a thick line of wattles and dwarf gum, growing on
+the eastern face of the limestone range, which forms the high barren
+range along this part of the coast. The country was covered with thick
+scrub, and some patches of gum and wattle thicket; about noon it was more
+open, and ascending an elevated sandy ridge, saw apparently a high range
+of hills extending north-north-west as far as Shark Bay, and terminated
+by a very abrupt and detached hill; but the excessive refraction caused
+by the heated and nearly level plain which intervened more than doubled
+their real height. We descended gradually over a succession of sandy
+hills or ridges till 2.0 p.m., when the lowest part of the plain was
+reached; we found it occupied by a small patch of spear-wood; the soil
+was hard dry clay, but on proceeding a little farther we found a patch of
+moist ground, encircled by a ridge of sand; at one foot deep we found
+water, but in such small quantity that we could only obtain sufficient
+for ourselves, and should have had to wait at least two hours to have
+given each horse only one gallon. Proceeding onwards, in hope of finding
+a more plentiful supply, we found the country became drier and full of
+circular hollows, filled with fine clumps of green wattle and a little
+grass; in one of these we bivouacked at 5.0, and dug six feet for water
+in red sand, but without any appearance of obtaining it even at double
+that depth.
+
+<p>REPULSED FOR WANT OF WATER.
+
+<p>1st October.
+
+<p>This morning started at 7.55 a.m., and steering north-west, in hope of
+finding water, at 8.40 came on dense thickets of wattle, which extended
+at least seven or eight miles farther north; we therefore turned west to
+avoid them; at 9.30 changed the course to 300 degrees magnetic, and with
+great difficulty forced our way for two miles to a narrow strip of open
+ground; 12.40 p.m. arrived at the foot of the range of hills seen
+yesterday; found them to consist of limestone and sand, covered with
+thick scrub; between the hills were many nearly circular hollows filled
+with thickets of wattles; although the bottoms of the hollows were at
+least fifty feet below the lowest part of the ridges around them, they
+were quite dry, and afforded no hope of water even by digging; the
+country northward appeared even less likely to afford a supply, so much
+required, as it seemed to consist wholly of limestone and loose sand,
+without swamps or watercourses; the nearest spot at which we could hope
+to find it in this direction was the south part of Freycinet Harbour,
+distant, according to the charts, about thirty miles, and great doubt
+existed of the accuracy of it in this position (error having been found
+in some other parts of the coast-line); nor was it certain that we could
+find water on the coast, in which case the loss of our horses would be
+almost a necessary consequence, several of them showing extreme fatigue.
+The circumstances of the case required a prompt decision; I therefore
+ordered an immediate return towards the last spot where we had seen
+water. The whole party felt convinced of the necessity of returning,
+though with the greatest reluctance to do so, as it seemed to put an end
+to almost every hope of reaching the Gascoyne River. We followed our
+route back, and halted at 5.30 in a wattle thicket.
+
+<p>A HORSE FINDS WATER.
+
+<p>2nd October.
+
+<p>Left our uncomfortable bivouac at 7.30 a.m.; steered south-east. Finding
+the horses scarcely able to travel from want of water, I took the
+strongest and rode over to the spot where we had obtained a little on the
+30th September, to dig wells and have a supply ready, if it could be
+obtained in sufficient quantity; at 11.0 arrived, and found the wells we
+had dug nearly dry; by opening several trenches down to the rocks which
+lay about one and a half feet below the surface, the water oozed in, and
+when the party came up, at 12.0, there was about a gallon for each horse;
+taking off the packs, we commenced watering: four horses had received
+their small allowance, when it came to my horse Bob's turn; after
+drinking his share he marched off at a smart pace, which somewhat
+surprised us, as he started in the direction of what we had supposed to
+be nothing but a tea-tree scrub; on following him, we found the horse
+drinking at a small shallow pool of water in a hollow in the clay. This
+was a very fortunate discovery, as the trenches filled with water so
+slowly that a full supply could not have been obtained that night, and
+the horses had been sixty-five hours without water.
+
+<p>SAND PLAINS AND SCRUB. RETURN TO THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+<p>3rd October.
+
+<p>This morning Mr. Burges and myself started at 7.30 a.m. in a
+north-easterly course, to ascertain the practicability of proceeding in
+that direction, taking two of the strongest horses. After riding four
+hours over an open, scrubby sand-plain, with circular valleys, we again
+fell in with thickets of wattles so dense that, although burnt by the
+native fires about four years previous, they would have been impassable
+for the pack-horses; but, favoured by this circumstance, we penetrated
+the thicket in a north-north-west direction for about twelve miles. From
+one small sandy ridge we had an extensive view, but of a most
+discouraging nature; the whole country was one vast plain, covered with
+dense thickets and scrub as far as the eye could reach, except to the
+west-north-west, where rose a high and barren ridge, which would not have
+been visible but for excessive refraction, as it must have been more than
+twenty-five miles distant. The plain was still dotted over with the
+remarkable circular hollows or valleys which, by their extreme dryness,
+indicated a great depth of sandy soil, incapable of retaining water on
+the surface even for a short time, or any probability of our obtaining it
+by digging. We turned in disappointment towards the encampment, scarcely
+extricating ourselves from the thickets before it became dark. Having
+gained the sand-plain, we continued our return for several hours,
+steering by the stars, hoping by a night march to avoid the scorching
+effects of the sun, which at this season renders travelling over an
+extensive sandy plain very fatiguing. Having been more than eleven hours
+in the saddle, we halted for the night.
+
+<p>4th October.
+
+<p>Started with the dawn, and pushing our tired and hungry horses over the
+plain as fast as circumstances would admit, arrived at the encampment
+before the heat of the day became excessive. During our absence two more
+waterholes had been excavated, and sufficient water obtained for the
+horses; but, from the great evaporation, it did not seem likely to last
+longer than three or four days: the hardness of the sandstone precluded
+our sinking the wells more than one and a half feet. The extreme aridity
+of the country--the absence of water in consequence of the sandy nature
+of the soil, which renders it impossible that watercourses should
+exist--the dense and almost impassable nature of the thickets of acacia
+and melaleuca of small growth, and the heat of the climate--all tend to
+prove the fallacy of attempting to explore this part of the colony,
+excepting during the wettest of the winter months. Under the existing
+circumstances, I considered it my duty not to lead the party into a
+position from which it would most probably be impracticable to extricate
+ourselves without at least losing some of our horses; and even
+difficulties of a more serious nature might arise, which would prevent
+the more complete examination of the imperfectly known country to the
+southward of our present position, more especially as a successful
+advance to the northward seemed impossible.
+
+<p>5th October.
+
+<p>Left the encampment at 8.10 a.m.; steered north 135 degrees east magnetic
+over sandy country, covered with coarse scrub; at noon passed a narrow
+strip of wooded grassy land, the soil being limestone and red loam. The
+country again became scrubby, and, descending an open valley, came on a
+small watercourse at 1.5 p.m., trending south; followed it
+south-south-west. At 2.15 passed our bivouac of the 29th September, and
+turning south-west along the stream-bed, at 4.0 came on the right bank of
+the Murchison River, running through wide grassy flats, the stream
+forming large pools, some of them more than a mile in length; but, with
+the exception of the flats on each side of the bank, the country is poor
+and scrubby, destitute of trees, and the hills high and rocky, consisting
+of red sandstone, those to the west capped with limestone.
+
+<p>6th October.
+
+<p>The horses being much fatigued and nearly starved, having subsisted
+chiefly on scrub for the last two days, we determined to rest them for a
+few days, while we examined the river towards its mouth. I started with
+Mr. Bedart, and tracing the stream downwards to the south-west, reached
+the sea after a ride of six hours. Excepting the flats and a narrow strip
+of land on each side, the country was very indifferent, the hills being
+composed of sandstone and sand, covered with coarse scrub and a gigantic
+species of grass, the leaves of which, instead of affording food for
+stock, were a source of great annoyance to our horses, being armed with
+sharp thorny points, and was somewhat appropriately called bayonet grass
+by the party. The tide flows about five miles up the river, when it is
+obstructed by some slight rapids; although it seems shallow, and full of
+rocks and islands, I think it is navigable for small boats. Above the
+rapids the river is a succession of long reaches of water about 100 yards
+wide, and wide flats covered with reeds, the roots of which seem to form
+an important article of food with the natives. Many springs were seen on
+the left bank, but few on the right, the water of which was of excellent
+quality. After making observations of the bar, which appeared to be
+practicable for whaleboats in moderate weather if the wind be south of
+west, we returned along the south shore of the estuary, which is about
+one and a half mile long and half a mile wide; it does not appear to be
+of any great depth. My horse being quite knocked up, it was dark before
+we could reach a spot where we could obtain water and grass; having come
+to a convenient place, we bivouacked under a large overhanging rock, as
+it promised to be a wet night.
+
+<p>7th October.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. we were in our saddles, but owing to the rocky nature of the
+country did not arrive at the encampment till 12.30 p.m. During our
+absence the party had been successful in fishing and shooting; a savoury
+mess of cockatoos, swans, and ducks, with fried fish, proved a welcome
+change to us, after living so many weeks on salt meat and damper.
+
+<p>8th October (Sunday).
+
+<p>9th October.
+
+<p>The valley of the river being rocky and impassable above the camp, we
+crossed to the left bank and ascended the sandy tableland; steered about
+south-east from 7.45 a.m. to 11.0, when we came on the stream in a deep
+valley formed by almost perpendicular red sandstone cliffs from 50 to 200
+feet in height, broken at short intervals by enormous fissures (their
+general direction west-north-west and nearly at right angles with the
+river), which time, with the action of water, had worn into impassable
+ravines, frequently extending more than half a mile back from the river,
+and rendered travelling very tedious and unsafe, as it was requisite to
+avoid the thick scrubs covering the higher land. The course of the river
+now changed to nearly south, and preserved the same rocky and
+unapproachable character till 5.0 p.m., when a break in the cliffs
+enabled us to descend into the valley, although with some difficulty and
+danger to the horses, which had to slide down the steep rocks at the risk
+of breaking their necks, which would have been the almost certain result
+of a single false step; but the descent being accomplished, they were
+rewarded by an abundant supply of grass and water, the latter from a
+large spring at the foot of the cliffs.
+
+<p>10th October.
+
+<p>While breakfast was preparing, Mr. Burges and myself examined the right
+bank of the river, and after a short search, found a practicable ascent
+to the top of the cliffs, and having cleared a way through the thicket of
+melaleuca on the bank of the river, returned to breakfast. At 7.50 a.m.
+commenced ascending, and at 8.30 reached the summit of the rocky hills,
+and steering about south-east through a succession of thickets, rocks,
+yawning chasms, sand-hills, and scrub, we attained to a fine grassy flat
+at 12.30 p.m. The bed of the river here quite changed its character, the
+sandstones giving place to granite gneiss, with dark trap dykes
+intersecting it in a northerly and southerly direction, the dip of the
+strata being to the west at a very high angle, at times almost
+perpendicular.
+
+<p>A DEPOT CAMP. EXPLORE THE UPPER MURCHISON.
+
+<p>11th October.
+
+<p>As this appeared to be a good spot for the formation of a depot, while we
+examined the upper portion of the Murchison, I proceeded up the river in
+company with Mr. Burges, leaving the rest of the party to guard the camp
+and attend to the horses. After one hour's ride we came on our track
+where we crossed the river on the 25th September, the general course of
+the stream-bed being east-north-east, its channel averaging 100 yards in
+width, full of rocks, small trees, and sandbanks, with many shallow
+brackish pools of water, with the exception of one, which was both wide
+and deep, where we halted for two hours to rest the horses; few of the
+pools seemed likely to last through the heat of summer. At 1.0 p.m. we
+came on a party of natives, five of whom came up to us, following us for
+some distance. As they seemed to prefer mimicking our attempts to speak
+the York dialect to using their own, we could not obtain much
+information; they carried kylies and dowaks, but had left their spears
+and shields with the rest of their party, who did not make their
+appearance. At 3.0 passed several ridges of red sandstone rocks, the
+strata dipping to the east-north-east at an angle of from 20 to 60
+degrees. The granite rock entirely disappearing, the country became quite
+level, and covered with one universal thicket of acacia and cypress,
+except the very slight depression which formed a shallow valley about
+three miles wide, through which the river runs in a deep channel from 80
+to 100 yards wide in ordinary seasons, but when in flood must exceed 300
+yards, and the rise of the water, judging from the rubbish drifted up in
+former years, must exceed thirty feet. The valleys did not seem to be
+more than 100 feet below the general surface of the country (which was
+quite level), filled with a dense thicket of wattles; a narrow strip of
+large gum-trees, growing in grassy flats close to the river, marked the
+course of the stream. At 5.0 we halted for the night by a small pool of
+fresh water in one of the back channels of the river, the pools in the
+main bed being all brackish.
+
+<p>12th October.
+
+<p>Started at 6.35 a.m., following the river, the general course being
+north-north-east; no change was observed in its character. At 11.20
+halted to rest the horses, and again started at 1.40 p.m. At 3.40 came on
+a large party of natives at a fresh water pool; five followed us some
+miles, and were not to be satisfied until we had made an exchange of part
+of a handkerchief for a quantity of noolban, some dowaks, and dabbas,
+some of which we accepted as a token of our friendly intentions. The
+stream-bed turned east, and we followed it until 6.0, when we were halted
+for the night, having the good fortune to find a little fresh water by
+digging in the sand in the bed of the river, the pools being all
+brackish.
+
+<p>RETURN TO DEPOT CAMP.
+
+<p>13th October.
+
+<p>At 6.15 a.m., we were again in our saddles, and continued journey up the
+river--the general course north-north-east. In vain we looked for some
+rising ground or hill from which we might obtain a view of the country,
+but the same sandy level, covered with dense thickets of wattles, still
+met the eye till 11.0, when we observed a low sandstone cliff forming the
+eastern side of the valley. In this direction we steered, and after
+pushing through thickets of wattle growing on stony ground, with small
+patches of salsolaceous plants, we arrived at the foot of the cliff,
+which was about sixty feet in height, of white sandstone, full of rounded
+quartz pebbles. The top was nearly on a level with the general plane of
+the country, which was of a most cheerless aspect. The valley of the
+river trended to the north-north-east for eight or ten miles, then to the
+east; the width appeared about five miles, and one dense thicket of
+wattles seemed to fill the entire space. The rest of the country was,
+without the slightest exception, level in the extreme, covered with one
+universal thicket of acacia and cypress, the latter indicating the sandy
+nature of the soil. As no appearance of change in the character of the
+country within twenty or thirty miles was visible, and we had only two
+days' provisions left (not having expected the stream to extend so far),
+and the camp at sixty miles distant, we were obliged to leave the farther
+examination of the river to some future explorers; but we regretted it
+the less as, from the nature of the gravel and sand brought down by the
+stream, there seemed great probability that it takes its rise in large
+salt marshes similar to those known to exist 100 miles east of the Irwin,
+if it does not actually drain them, as the general trend of the most
+northerly marshes seen was in the direction of the upper part of the
+Murchison. Under these circumstances, we returned to our bivouac of last
+night, reaching it at 5.40 p.m.
+
+<p>14th October.
+
+<p>Started at 6.25 a.m., and retracing our route down the river, came to our
+bivouac of the 11th at 5.5 p.m. without any incident worthy of notice,
+but surprising three or four natives asleep in the bed of the stream;
+they were of the party seen on our route up the river.
+
+<p>15th October (Sunday).
+
+<p>Resumed our journey; passed two parties of natives; a few of them
+followed us some distance, and having overcome their first surprise,
+commenced talking in their own language, which, as far as we could
+understand it, had great affinity to that spoken by the natives in the
+York and Toodyay districts. After a smart ride of seven hours we arrived
+at the encampment, found the rest of the party all well, and the horses
+much improved by their few days' rest.
+
+<p>THE GERALDINE LEAD MINE DISCOVERED. THE HUTT RIVER.
+
+<p>16th October.
+
+<p>The two horses we had ridden up the river requiring a day's rest, which
+was also acceptable to Mr. Burges and myself, we remained at the camp and
+made preparations to move on to the Hutt River the next day. Mr. Walcott
+brought in some specimens of galena, which, on farther observation,
+proved to be abundant.
+
+<p>17th October.
+
+<p>Leaving our encampment at 9.10 a.m., we steered a southerly course,
+passing over a succession of low granite hills, thickly covered with
+acacia, to the exclusion of almost every other kind of vegetation, save a
+few scattered tufts of grass. At noon entered the sand-plains which
+occupy the high lands in this district; observed a patch of grassy land
+bearing south-west; proceeding in that direction, at 1.0 p.m. came on it,
+but found it to be a very small spot of grassy granite country, encircled
+by sand-plains and scrub. Continuing our course, at 2.5 struck a small
+stream-bed trending west-south-west; the valley in which it runs is
+bounded on both sides by sandy hills, covered with scrub; some patches of
+grass and wattles occupied the lower ground wherever the granite rock
+showed itself; tracing the stream-bed downwards, we found many brackish
+pools. At 3.45 crossed the left bank--found it running, but brackish; and
+at 4.20 we bivouacked at its junction with the Hutt River, which was here
+about ten yards wide, with narrow grassy flats on both banks. The hills
+are of sandstone and sand, producing little besides scrub.
+
+<p>18th October.
+
+<p>Started at 7.50 a.m., steering north 140 degrees east magnetic up the
+valley of the Hutt, which gradually widened and improved, the hills being
+grassy for an average distance of two miles back from the stream, of
+granite formation, and thinly sprinkled with wattles; behind the grassy
+land the country rose into sandy plains, covered with short scrub. At
+9.20 crossed to the left bank; the river trended to the eastward. At
+11.10 sighted King's Table Hill, bearing south magnetic. We then
+descended into the rich and grassy valley of the Bowes River; this we
+traversed till 4.0 p.m., when we bivouacked in a small stream tributary
+to the Bowes. As the country passed over this day had not been previously
+examined, we were much pleased to find it equal to the best land on the
+southern branch of the Bowes, visited by the Surveyor-General and myself
+on former occasions.
+
+<p>FINE PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+<p>19th October.
+
+<p>Messrs. Burges, Bedart, and myself rode down the Bowes to examine the
+country, and found it generally of good grassy character, suitable for
+sheep; the bed of the streams being filled with broad-leaved reeds, seems
+to indicate an abundant supply of water in the dry season; but the pools
+were very small, and the water all brackish, not even excepting the
+running streams. The hills are of gneiss, with garnets and trap-rock, the
+latter producing excellent grass of various kinds, the most conspicuous
+of which is a species of kangaroo-grass, but of a less woody character of
+seed-stalk than that found in other parts of the colony. The extent of
+land fit for sheep-feeding on this stream (it can scarcely be called a
+river) I should estimate at 100,000 acres, and Mr. Burges considered it
+capable of feeding about 17,000 sheep. The existence of garnets, iron
+pyrites, and a mineral resembling in many of its properties plumbago,
+specimens of which were found in the gneiss of this district, seems to
+indicate a metalliferous formation, and I have little doubt a further
+search might develop many of the present hidden sources of wealth. Near
+the coast we fell in with some natives (four men and five women), who
+were very friendly, but from their peculiar nature we were unable to
+accept of their civilities.
+
+<p>20th October.
+
+<p>Started with Messrs. Burges and Walcott to examine the upper part of the
+Buller river; after passing over the country examined by Lieutenant Irby
+and myself in December, 1846, we crossed the granite ridge which divides
+the valley of the Buller into two nearly equal portions. We found the
+land on the left bank of the eastern branch of very good and grassy
+description, consisting of a range of granite hills about ten miles north
+and south, and two miles in width; to the east of which the high sandy
+and level plains commence in an abrupt line of sandstone slopes and
+hills. Halted for the night in the east branch of the Buller, with water
+in small pools and abundance of grass for our horses.
+
+<p>21st October.
+
+<p>Continued the examination of the Buller Valley down to the spot where I
+bivouacked on the river in December, 1846; then followed up the stream
+for seven miles, where we dined, and then steering west-north-west,
+arrived at the camp at 6.30 p.m. We estimated the valley of the Buller to
+contain about 10,000 acres of good grassy land, and 30,000 acres of
+inferior feeding country; the good land is much broken into patches by
+that which is of indifferent quality. Timber is here, and also on the
+Bowes, very scarce, and the little that exists is very indifferent and
+small.
+
+<p>22nd October (Sunday).
+
+<p>Messrs. Bedart and C.F. Gregory walked to the hill which lies
+three-quarters of a mile west of King's Table Hill. The rock of which it
+is formed appeared to belong to the coal formation, as thin seams of
+black shale were seen in the rocks of which the lower strata of the hill
+are composed; but the natives making their appearance, it was not
+considered prudent to remain geologizing among the cliffs. Returning
+towards the camp, the natives followed for some distance, and on
+descending a cliff the women commenced pelting the party with stones,
+apparently in revenge for the refusal of certain courteous invitations,
+which perhaps are the greatest marks of politeness which they think it
+possible to offer to strangers.
+
+<p>CHAPMAN RIVER.
+
+<p>23rd October.
+
+<p>Left our encampment at 8.5 a.m., and steered 150 degrees magnetic over
+granite hills producing wattles and good grass. At 9.40 crossed the south
+branch of the Bowes, after which the country was not so well grassed,
+except in the valleys. The lower hills were of granite; the higher red
+sandstone of tabular form. At 11.0 the country became more sandy and
+covered with short scrub, gradually rising to the south. At noon we
+attained the high tableland; crossed two scrubby valleys bounded by
+sandstone hills, in the first of which the black shale peculiar to the
+coal formation showed itself, with a slight dip to the south. At 1.50
+p.m. crossed the Buller in a rocky channel with reedy pools, apparently
+of permanent character. The land improved and became grassy, and
+ascending the hills on the left bank, passed Peak Hill at 2.50: this is
+the highest part of the range between the Buller and Chapman. From this
+we steered south down a small grassy valley; the hills with granite bases
+and sandstone table summits, with excellent grass, and thinly wooded with
+acacia and a few York gums. At 3.15 bivouacked in a patch of excellent
+grass with water in small quantities.
+
+<p>24th October.
+
+<p>A violent thunderstorm during the night was followed by a rainy and misty
+morning; the weather clearing up, we walked down to the Chapman River,
+which was running in a sandy channel with small shallow pools. The land
+on the bank of the stream was very indifferent and sandy for about a
+mile, when it rose into granite and sandstone hills, covered with
+excellent grass.
+
+<p>EFFECT OF REFRACTION. GREENOUGH RIVER.
+
+<p>25th October.
+
+<p>Accompanied by Messrs. Burges and Walcott, I proceeded to examine the
+country to the eastward of our camp. Starting at 7.20 a.m., steered east
+over grassy hills, with granite bases and table summits of red sandstone,
+the latter rock forming but a poor soil with scanty feed and scrub;
+crossed several small gullies running into the Chapman. At 10.0 passed a
+large sandy hill, covered with short scrub, and halted at 11.0 in a
+grassy gully in the bottom of a wide scrubby valley; at 12.45 p.m. again
+resumed our journey, and ascending the sandy downs, at 1.15 gained the
+highest ridge. Before us lay the valley of the Greenough River; the white
+and red sandstone cliffs, which bound the valley on the south-east, were
+distorted by excessive refractions, which, as we crossed each sandy
+ridge, changed their appearance, sometimes assuming the appearance of
+islands with high rocky shores, then like reefs with heavy breakers,
+followed by high cliffs and grassy hills; but as we approached they
+assumed their true character of low rocky hills and cliffs, scarce
+exceeding 200 feet in height, and generally covered with dense thickets
+of acacia growing on an otherwise barren stony soil. At 3.30 came on the
+right bank of the Greenough River; the bed was quite dry, and had no
+appearance of having run since the winter of 1847. Following up the
+stream-bed to the north-east, passed some shallow pools of salt water;
+and at 4.45 observed the black coal shales at the bottom of a deep cliff,
+which formed the left bank of the river. At 5.0 halted for the night,
+obtaining fresh water by scraping in the sand by the side of a pool of
+salt water; we also found sufficient grass for our horses on the bank of
+the river.
+
+<p>26th October.
+
+<p>At 7.10 a.m. left our bivouac, steering north 120 degrees east magnetic
+towards a high sandstone cliff, which, after a ride of three-quarters of
+an hour through thickets of acacia, we ascended; but the view was not
+satisfactory, as thickets and scrubs extended over the whole of the
+country. We therefore returned to the river, and followed it downwards to
+the south-west by south. At 11.30 found some fresh water in a small
+waterhole in the bed of the river; halted till 1.50 p.m. to refresh the
+horses. The river turned south, and at 2.27 was joined by a small gully
+from the west, and coming from a grassy valley. As it had run during the
+last winter, it quite altered the character of the river for quarter of a
+mile, filling the pools with water, and giving the grass and trees a
+freshness which formed a most striking contrast with the brown and
+parched appearance of the rest of the valley. At 3.55 altered the course
+to 210 degrees magnetic; the country improved, many patches of grassy
+land appearing in the valley, and the country became more rocky. At 5.30
+crossed to the left bank, and found the river running with many large
+pools of water, some more than a half a mile long and 80 to 100 yards
+wide. The water was slightly brackish, being this year supplied
+principally by springs, taking their rise in the new red sandstone
+formation. We then followed the winding course of the river south-west
+amongst high hills of sandstone, many of which were covered with
+excellent grass, though the country was not generally good. At 6.20
+halted for the night on the right bank of the stream, in a narrow but
+rich grassy flat; heavy rain in the night.
+
+<p>WIZARD PEAK. CHAMPION BAY. MOUNT FAIRFAX.
+
+<p>27th October.
+
+<p>Started at 7.0 a.m. and steering an average course of west by north,
+ascended the high land on the north bank of the Greenough. For the first
+hour the hills were of red sandstone, very steep and rocky, producing
+little but coarse scrub; some of the valleys and lower hills were well
+grassed; the country then improved, the hills being of the coal
+formation, and the limestones forming very rich and grassy hills. At 9.40
+the granite and gneiss formed a basis of the high sandstone-topped hills,
+which rose about 500 feet on each side of the valley. At 10.15 crossed to
+the left bank of the river, and re-crossed to the right at 11.10. The
+lower parts of the valley were not so rich or well grassed as the hills,
+but would afford excellent summer feed for sheep. Having dined, and given
+our horses an hour's feed on the rich grass which grew in the bed of the
+river (which here turned to the south), we continued our route. After an
+hour's ride over rich grassy hills, reached the foot of Wizard's Peak.
+Here we left our horses and ascended the hill; arrived at the summit, to
+our great surprise, instead of the scrubby and sterile country described
+by Captain Stokes of the Beagle, beautiful grassy hills, stretching from
+north to south-east, met our view to the extent of about 20,000 acres;
+had it not been certain, from bearings to Mount Fairfax and other hills,
+that we were on Wizard Peak, I should have suspected its identity.
+Leaving Wizard Peak at 2.30 p.m., steered north along the western foot of
+the grassy range. The country to the east consists of grassy hills of
+limestone, rich in fossil remains of wood and shells, with an occasional
+granite hill producing coarse grass or short scrub; to the west the
+country was more level, but less grassy, and in many parts scrubby. We
+fell in with some of the natives, who appeared friendly disposed. Crossed
+the Chapman at 6.5, and arrived at the camp at 7.15.
+
+<p>28th October.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 7.40 a.m., steering north-west. Made the stream
+previously called the Buller at 9.0; followed it downwards to the
+south-south-west till 11.0, when it became evident that, instead of being
+the Buller, it was the north branch of the Chapman. The land on its banks
+was not generally good, although some fine patches of grass were seen.
+Leaving the stream, we ascended Moresby's Range; the valleys and sides of
+the hills were covered with fine grass, and the sandstone rocks were rich
+with fossil remains of shells and wood. With some difficulty we descended
+the western face of the hills; after which, an hour's ride over a scrubby
+plain brought us to the mouth of the Chapman River, running strongly over
+a ledge of limestone rock into the sea. We crossed the river, and over to
+the usual landing-place in Champion Bay; we then returned to the Chapman,
+and halted for the night.
+
+<p>29th October.
+
+<p>Two of the horses having broken from their tether during the night, we
+were obliged to put the three saddles on the remaining horse, and proceed
+to track the stray horses; after tracking them about two miles, we found
+them on their way back to the camp. We then rode along the western foot
+of Moresby's Range, and ascended Mount Fairfax; after taking sketches and
+bearings, we steered for the encampment, and reached it about 2.0 p.m.
+
+<p>30th October.
+
+<p>Messrs. Burges, Walcott, and Bedart rode out this morning to examine the
+grassy hills on the south side of the Chapman River, and on their return
+reported the country to be of a generally good grassy character.
+
+<p>NATIVES STEAL FRYING-PAN.
+
+<p>31st October.
+
+<p>Left the encampment at 8.0 a.m. and steering 200 degrees magnetic over
+alternately grassy and scrubby hills of granite sandstone, crossed the
+Chapman at 9.40. Our course then lay nearly parallel to the river till
+noon; the land on the river was indifferent and thinly grassed, but rose
+into good grassy hills about a mile from the river. We then entered a
+level scrubby plain, extending from the Victoria Range to the sea. At
+12.30 p.m. altered the course to 175 degrees magnetic, and at 1.5 to 139
+degrees magnetic. At 1.15 the plain became grassy, and the soil good
+(with the exception of a few patches of York gum, the only trees were
+wattles), and by a rough estimate contained about 8,000 acres of good
+grassy land; on the north bank of the Greenough River, which we reached
+at 3.15, the channel was about seventy yards wide, but dry and sandy; nor
+did we observe any sign of its having run during the past winter. A
+little below where we struck the river it turned to the south-east;
+following it in that direction till 3.45 we bivouacked, obtaining a
+scanty supply of water by digging in the sand. Shortly after halting, a
+party of about thirty natives came up, and appeared friendly; they told
+us that there was a fine spring at some distance to the westward, but we
+could not obtain any other useful information, as their dialect differs
+considerably from that spoken in the settled districts, although some few
+words are the same. They encamped a short distance from us, and in the
+night stole our frying-pan, to dig a well, but returned it next morning
+before the theft was discovered.
+
+<p>THE IRWIN RIVER.
+
+<p>1st November.
+
+<p>At 7.10 a.m. resumed our course south-east, along the eastern side of the
+grassy plain. The scrubby hills gradually approached on each side; at
+9.30 the good land terminated, the estimate being 2,000 acres on the
+south bank of the Greenough River. The country then became sandy,
+producing little besides scrub and a few banksia trees. At 10.0 passed
+about one mile west of Mount Hill; passed a small pool of water in a
+watercourse trending south-west. At 12.50 p.m. altered the course to 170
+degrees magnetic; at 3.0 entered a thick forest of York gum; at 3.25
+changed the course to 130 degrees magnetic and entered a grassy flat
+extending to the Irwin River, which we reached at 3.55, and following it
+upwards till 4.15, bivouacked on the left bank in a large flat. Shortly
+before reaching the river a large party of natives came up with us, after
+tracking the horses for some distance. Seventy or eighty men came to the
+bivouac, and, with the exception of one man who shipped a spear, making a
+demonstration of throwing it at us, they evinced a desire for the more
+peaceable amusement of eating damper and fat bacon. A few of the natives
+spoke a little English, having been for a short time in the settled
+districts. At sunset they retired to the other side of the river, and all
+appeared quiet when my watch commenced at 10.30; but at midnight I
+detected a native crawling up amongst the thick grass about ten yards
+from the back of the tents. He lay quiet till I almost turned him out of
+his hiding-place with the muzzle of my gun, when he took to his heels,
+but I did not consider it prudent either to fire at or capture him.
+
+<p>2nd November.
+
+<p>The natives being too numerous to allow any of the party leaving the camp
+to examine the country around without incurring greater risk than seemed
+prudent, we left our bivouac at 7.45 a.m. and steered north 170 degrees
+east magnetic over sandy hills, covered with short scrub. After two hours
+the country became nearly level, with small patches of swampy ground,
+which would be very wet in the rainy season, but was at present quite
+dry; the rising grounds were sand, covered with short scrub with a few
+scattered banksia trees. At 5.40 p.m. struck the left bank of the stream
+which has been considered to be the Arrowsmith River of Captain Grey,
+though I have now some reason to doubt its identity. The banks of the
+stream are sandstone and sand, and the channel scarcely three yards wide,
+with a strip of grassy thicket twenty yards in width along the stream,
+which is the only feed near the river, as the plain through which it runs
+produces nothing but scrub and banksia with a few grass-trees. We
+bivouacked a short distance below the spot where we first struck the
+stream, which was still running.
+
+<p>3rd November.
+
+<p>Our horses having but a very scanty feed at this place, we moved down the
+stream to obtain better grass for them before crossing the sand-plains
+which lay to the south. After following the stream west for two hours,
+encamped in a small grassy flat, below which the stream ceased to run,
+the water being wholly absorbed by the sandy soil, which has a substratum
+of limestone of recent formation.
+
+<p>SEVENTY MILES OF SAND PLAIN.
+
+<p>4th November.
+
+<p>Accompanied by Mr. Bedart, rode to the westward; passing over sandy
+plains and ridges for four hours, came to the beach, which we followed
+northwards for three hours, hoping to meet with the mouth of the stream
+on which our camp was placed. Not perceiving any signs of it, we turned
+to the east, and after an hour's struggle through a thick jungle, we came
+on a wet grassy flat, on which the stream seemed to be lost. Steering a
+general course of south-south-east, we arrived at 9.10 p.m. at the camp,
+after a ride of thirteen and a quarter hours, and the country traversed
+almost wholly worthless sand and scrub.
+
+<p>5th November (Sunday).
+
+<p>Remained at our encampment to rest the horses. Read prayers.
+
+<p>6th November.
+
+<p>Leaving our encampment at 7.10 a.m., we steered north 170 degrees east
+magnetic, along the limits of the low scrubby limestone hills which
+extend along this part of the coast. To the east the level sandy plain
+extended from eight to ten miles, and then rose into high sandstone
+hills, covered with scrub and destitute of trees; but at the junction of
+the limestone and sandstone formation, along which lay our route, were
+several small lagoons and swamps of fresh water, with grassy margins. At
+10.0 altered the course to southward; the line of swamps trending to
+south-south-west, we entered the level sandy plain. At noon passed a
+shallow pool of rainwater in a slight depression of the plain, and
+shortly after crossed two small watercourses trending west; a little
+brackish water remained in the deeper portions of their channels. The
+effect of refraction on this level country, when heated by the midday
+sun, was so great as to cause many of the low sandy ridges to appear like
+large lakes and inlets of the sea, as in some instances the more distant
+hills were obscured by its effects. At 2.45 p.m. we reached the sandstone
+range, and at 3.5 halted in a small patch of grass around a native well
+of good water, which had the appearance of retaining water throughout the
+summer. While here we obtained several additions to our small collection
+of birds.
+
+<p>MOUNTS PERON AND LESUEUR.
+
+<p>7th November.
+
+<p>At 7.20 a.m. resumed our journey southwards, over a high and somewhat
+rugged range of sandstone hills; passed a short distance to the east of
+Mounts Peron and Lesueur. The valleys were wooded with red and white-gum
+of large growth, but the hills produced little besides coarse scrub. At
+2.20 p.m. passed a large mound spring; at 2.45 crossed the Hill River of
+Captain Grey; the land on its banks, with the exception of a few grassy
+hills on the northern side, was very scrubby and indifferent. Ascending
+the high sandstone country on the south side of the river, we halted at
+5.35 in a sandy valley trending north-west, in which we found a small
+patch of grass around a native well; but we were not much in want of
+water, being completely drenched by a heavy shower of rain just after we
+halted.
+
+<p>8th November.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 8.0 a.m., steering north 105 degrees east magnetic
+over a range of high scrubby sandstone hills. At 1.15 p.m. crossed a
+small stream-bed trending westwards in a wide scrubby valley. At 3.5,
+having ascended the hills to the south of the valley, observed a
+remarkable sandstone hill which I passed on a previous excursion from Mr.
+Lefroy's station at Welbing. Altering the course to 170 degrees magnetic,
+we passed the hill; at 5.45 halted in a fine grassy flat on the banks of
+a small brook-course trending west, in which we found abundance of water
+in small pools. As we were only forty miles west of Mr. Lefroy's station
+at Welbing, and the country in that direction already examined, I
+instructed Mr. C.F. Gregory to proceed with the party and pack-horses to
+Welbing and thence by the road to Perth, while, accompanied by Mr.
+Bedart, I pursued a more direct but less eligible course for pack-horses.
+
+<p>THE MOORE RIVER.
+
+<p>9th November.
+
+<p>Leaving the rest of the party at the bivouac, at 9.50 a.m., in company
+with Mr. Bedart, we steered a general course of south by east magnetic
+over hills of sandy loam, producing a little grass and thickly timbered
+with red-gum. Passed several extensive grassy valleys, with many fine
+patches of rich limestone land on their slopes. At 2.0 p.m. the grass was
+replaced by scrub, and at 3.30 entered the wide scrubby valley of the
+Moore River, which we reached at 4.20. After some delay in crossing the
+river, in consequence of one of the horses falling down in the mud, from
+which we had some trouble to extricate him, we bivouacked about one mile
+below the spot where we first made the river.
+
+<p>10th November.
+
+<p>Leaving the Moore River we steered south by west, and after traversing a
+nearly level sandy plain, producing banksia and scrub, with many lagoons
+and swamps, in eight hours' riding reached the Norcott or Gingin Brook.
+The banks were low and swampy; after a short search found a suitable
+place for crossing, and having swam the horses across, we halted for the
+night on the left bank.
+
+<p>11th November.
+
+<p>Started at 7.0 a.m., steering east by south magnetic; ascended the
+western Wilbinga Hill at 9.0, and traversing a rough limestone country,
+with several reedy swamps, reached Lake Nowergup at 2.50 p.m., and at 4.0
+halted on the western side of the Wanaginup Swamp.
+
+<p>12th November (Sunday).
+
+<p>Once more in the saddle, and following the road past Wonneroo, arrived in
+Perth at 2.30 p.m.
+
+<p>Mr. C.F. Gregory having accompanied the party to the Victoria Plains,
+proceeded with Private W. King by the Bindoon road to Perth, where he
+arrived on the 17th.
+
+<p>The total distance travelled in this expedition was, in round numbers,
+1,500 miles, and the extreme point reached in latitude 27 degrees south,
+350 miles from Perth in a direct line; and the period we were engaged in
+the expedition was ten weeks.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="50%">
+
+<a name="three"></a>
+
+<h3>HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR CHARLES FITZGERALD'S EXPEDITION TO THE GERALDINE
+LEAD MINE.</h3>
+
+<h4>1848.</h4>
+
+<p>CHAMPION BAY TO MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+1st December.
+
+<p>Sailed from Fremantle in the Champion for Champion Bay, where we arrived
+on the 3rd, swam the ponies on shore, and encamped at the mouth of the
+Chapman River.
+
+<p>4th December.
+
+<p>His Excellency the Governor came on shore, when the party, consisting of
+the Governor, Mr. Bland, and myself, with three soldiers of the 96th
+regiment, and the Governor's servant, started at 7.15 a.m., steering
+north-east, crossed Moresby's flat-topped range at 9.0, made the North
+Chapman at 10.0, followed the stream upward till 11.50, the general
+course north-east by north. One native man and two women came up, and
+then retired to the other side of the river, watching our proceedings.
+Having dined, we started again at 2.25 p.m., steering a general north
+course over an indifferent scrubby country till 4.40, when we halted for
+twenty minutes to examine the black shale-like soil which was seen on a
+former occasion, but on digging it proved to be only alluvial soil
+resting on sand; from this spot we steered north 330 degrees magnetic
+over high sandy hills covered with scrub; the country gradually improved,
+and at 7.0 we halted for the night in a small grassy gully trending
+north-west, obtaining water in a native well.
+
+<p>5th December.
+
+<p>Started at 6.40 a.m., continuing the same course as yesterday evening
+over a succession of grassy hills of granitic formation till 11.10, when
+we halted on the eastern branch of the Bowes River; several natives
+shortly came to the encampment, and having eaten some biscuit and pork
+which we offered to them, retired in the evening to the opposite side of
+the stream-bed, keeping a close watch on us from behind some large rocks;
+a strict watch was therefore maintained by us during the night.
+
+<p>6th December.
+
+<p>This morning the natives commenced by throwing stones at the men who went
+down for the water, but we did not see any method of resenting it, except
+by expressing our disapprobation in words, and at 5.35 a.m. we started on
+a north-north-west course, the natives followed for about a mile, and
+continued throwing stones at the party. The country passed over was
+generally grassy granite hills till 9.0, when we ascended the high
+tableland between the valley of the Bowes and Hutt rivers, which last we
+reached at 10.25, and halted during the heat of the day on a pool of
+brackish water; at 3.20 p.m., again started, and following the river
+downwards, in a general course 310 degrees magnetic, at 6.10 bivouacked
+at the spot where we had before halted on the 17th October; the water in
+the pools brackish, but by digging near a moist bank obtained abundance
+of fresh water.
+
+<p>THE GERALDINE LEAD MINE.
+
+<p>7th December.
+
+<p>Left our bivouac at 5.50 a.m., and steered north-east over high sandy
+downs, covered with coarse scrub; at 10.30 entered the valley of the
+Murchison River; at noon halted at our bivouac of the 24th September,
+obtained some brackish water by digging in the sand of the small
+stream-bed. Having dined, we resumed our journey at 2.30 p.m., and
+bivouacked about 5.0 on the left bank of the Murchison, 500 yards below
+the large lead vein, obtaining good water in the sandy bed of the river
+by digging a few inches, the pools being all salt. While the men were
+preparing the tents, etc., the Governor proceeded to examine the vein of
+lead, which we traced to a greater distance than on the former occasion
+of its discovery, the water having sunk two feet, exposing many portions
+of the vein which were before covered.
+
+<p>8th December.
+
+<p>Examined the lead vein, tracing it 320 yards in a direction north 30
+degrees east magnetic, along the bed of the Murchison River, which was
+nearly dry; clearing the sand and loose stones from the surface, found it
+to vary from eight to twenty-four inches in width, the general average
+being twelve inches, the dip to the west-north-west at an angle of about
+80 degrees from the horizon. Throughout the whole length the lead vein
+appeared to be one solid mass of galena; the northern end either
+terminates or alters its direction close to a vein of schistose rock,
+which intersects the adjacent rocks; to the south the lode was covered by
+several feet of sand, which prevented its being traced further, as we had
+not time to remove it; the whole of the vein which was traced was
+included within the banks of the river, and the greater portion was
+covered by shallow water. One specimen of galena showed traces of copper.
+The rock which prevails on each side of the vein is a hard compact
+gneiss, abounding with garnets, some of which are of good colour, but
+mostly full of flaws; the stratification of the gneiss is somewhat
+confused, but it generally dips at a high angle (sometimes nearly
+perpendicular) to the westward, the strike being north and south. The
+facilities which the position of the lode offers for mining are not very
+great, as it occupies the lowest part of the valley, and steam power
+would be requisite to free the mine from water, and at the same time,
+unless the small boat-harbour near the mouth of the Hutt River, or
+Gantheaume Bay (both within thirty miles), be found suitable for the
+purpose, Champion Bay, distant sixty-two miles in a direct line to the
+south, is the nearest port where the ore could be shipped. In the evening
+the Governor examined the spot where Mr. Walcott had discovered the small
+pieces of lead ore about two and a half miles below the lode, but as most
+of the pieces had been picked up on that occasion, we could only find a
+few fragments of it.
+
+<p>9th December.
+
+<p>Left the encampment at 4.40 a.m., and steering about south-west, made our
+former bivouac on the Hutt River about 1.0 p.m., and halted for the rest
+of the day.
+
+<p>10th December.
+
+<p>Started at 4.50 a.m., steering 160 degrees magnetic over sandy country;
+passed a small grassy valley at 8.0; halted on the north branch of the
+Bowes at 10.10 on a small pool of brackish water; dined and resumed our
+route at 2.40 p.m.; steered south over a grassy country till 6.10, when
+we halted for the night on a tributary stream to the Bowes; obtained
+fresh water by digging, the pools being very small and brackish.
+
+<p>CONFLICT WITH NATIVES. GOVERNOR SPEARED.
+
+<p>11th December.
+
+<p>Left the bivouac at 5.15 a.m., steering 175 degrees magnetic over an
+indifferent country till 6.40, when we crossed the south branch of the
+Bowes, the country improving. Here we saw several natives, who at first
+hid themselves, but finding that we saw them, came after us. At first
+they did not exceed eight or ten in number, but, being joined by several
+other parties, gradually increased till they exceeded fifty, when they
+altogether changed their friendly manner, and began to bring up their
+spears. At 6.15 we passed to the west of King's Table Hill, and as the
+country was covered with dense wattle thickets, the natives took
+advantage of the ground, and having completely surrounded the party,
+commenced first to threaten to throw their spears, then to throw stones,
+and finally one man caught hold of Mr. Bland by the arm, threatening to
+strike him with a dowak; another native threw a spear at myself, though
+without effect; but before I could fire at him, the Governor, perceiving
+that unless some severe example was made the whole party would be cut
+off, fired at one of the most forward of our assailants, and killed him;
+two other shots were fired by the soldiers, but the thickness of the
+bushes prevented our seeing with what effect. A shower of spears, stones,
+kylies, and dowaks followed, and although we moved to a more open spot,
+the natives were only kept off by firing at any that exposed themselves.
+At this moment a spear struck the Governor in the leg just above the
+knee, with such force as to cause it to protrude two feet on the other
+side, which was so far fortunate, as it enabled me to break off the barb
+and withdraw the shaft. The Governor, notwithstanding his wound,
+continued to direct the party, and although the natives made many
+attempts to approach close enough to reach us with their spears, we were
+enabled, by keeping on the most open ground, and checking them by an
+occasional shot, to avoid their attacks in crossing the gullies. They
+followed us closely for seven miles, after which they were only seen
+occasionally, following in our track. Having reached the beach, we were
+enabled to travel more rapidly, and although one of the ponies knocked
+up, we reached Champion Bay at 3.30 p.m., and got the party and horses on
+board the Champion by 5.0, where we were gladly welcomed by Lieutenant
+Helpman. About sunset the natives came down to the beach, concealing
+themselves behind the bushes, whilst a single unarmed native stood on the
+beach, and called to us to come on shore, no doubt in the hope of making
+a sudden attack on the boat should we venture to do so.
+
+<p>A.C. Gregory,
+
+<p>Assistant Surveyor.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="20%">
+
+<a name="four"></a>
+
+<h3>THE MURCHISON RIVER.</h3>
+
+<h4>1857.</h4>
+
+<p>THE UPPER MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+<p>In the month of March, 1857, Mr. Surveyor F.T. Gregory, while engaged on
+the survey of the lower part of the Murchison, observed that the river
+came down in flood, though there had been no rain for several months near
+the coast, and taking advantage of such a favourable opportunity of
+extending the exploration of the country beyond the point at which
+previous explorers had been driven back for want of water and grass, he
+proceeded up the Murchison, accompanied by his assistant, Mr. S. Trigg,
+following the course of the river for 180 miles. For the last fifty miles
+the condition of the vegetation showed that there had been heavy rains
+which had caused the floods in the lower part of the river.
+
+<p>The following is an abstract of Mr. Gregory's report to the
+Surveyor-General, as published at the time in the Perth Gazette:--
+
+<p>We last week intimated that an exploratory trip had lately been made into
+the interior eastward of the Geraldine Mine. We have now the pleasure and
+satisfaction of laying before our readers some details of one of the most
+unassuming explorations, yet important in its results, which has ever
+been undertaken in this colony. In the latter end of March last, Mr.
+Assistant Surveyor F. Gregory and Mr. S. Trigg started from the Geraldine
+Mine with two horses and sixteen pounds of flour, to trace the Murchison
+to its source, and returned after thirteen days' absence. Mr. Gregory has
+made a short report of his journey to the Surveyor-General, from which we
+have been kindly furnished with the following extract:--
+
+<p>While at the Geraldine Mine I availed myself of the circumstance of the
+Murchison being in flood to ascend that river and complete the sketch of
+the unexamined portions, as also to gain any additional information that
+might facilitate the exploration of the country between this and the
+Gascoyne River. The fact that the natives describe a considerable tract
+of grassy country extending northward from the head of the Murchison,
+plentifully supplied with water, was an additional incentive to ascertain
+from whence the inundation came.
+
+<p>TROPICAL RAINY SEASON. GOOD PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+<p>Accompanied by Mr. S. Trigg, I proceeded up the river about 180 miles, at
+which point it ceased to run; we then ascended a hill in the vicinity of
+600 or 700 feet elevation above the plain, which I have since found to
+be, beyond a doubt, Mount Murchison of Austin; unfortunately I was unable
+to procure a copy of his map or journal, and was thus prevented from
+laying out my route to the greatest advantage by pushing more to the
+northward and going over more new ground. As it is, the only information
+I have been able to gain, beyond completing the plan of the river, is
+that the principal fall of rain had been eastward of the 116th degree of
+longitude, and that the tract of country between the great South Bend and
+Mount Murchison, which proved barely capable of supporting Mr. Austin's
+small party of horses in November, 1854, is now yielding a pasture nearly
+equal to the average of the Champion Bay district, and in some parts most
+luxuriant, the grass having scarcely arrived at maturity was perfectly
+green; this remarkable change in the character of the country is, I am
+inclined to think, not entirely confined to this year in particular, but
+that from meteorological causes this district has not unfrequently the
+benefit of tropical rains falling during the months of January and
+February, although not always in sufficient quantity to cause the river
+to flow as low as the settled districts.
+
+<p>It has already been observed by many persons that during the summer
+months the prevailing sea breezes divide the northerly currents of vapour
+about 100 miles inland from the west coast, preventing the rain from
+falling throughout the same parallel of latitude.
+
+<p>As near the eastern limits of my route the Murchison throws off two
+branches nearly equal in magnitude to the main stream, I am induced to
+imagine that its extreme source does not lie more than sixty or seventy
+miles beyond that point, and had it not been that I did not feel
+justified in abstracting so large a portion of time from the regular
+surveys of this district, there is no doubt but that I could with every
+facility have completed the exploration of the country as far as the
+Gascoyne in two or three weeks.
+
+<p>On comparing the tracing of the Murchison, which I now enclose, with Mr.
+Austin's route, it will be observed that there is a difference of
+seventeen miles in latitude, and something more in longitude throughout
+the eastern portion, a discrepancy which I am at a loss to account for,
+as my dead-reckoning to both the outward and inward track agree well with
+my cross-bearings; my latitudes were, however, taken only with a pocket
+sextant with a treacle horizon, and might therefore not be implicitly
+relied on. I have, however, preferred plotting my route exactly as booked
+in the field, leaving the existing error to be cleared up at some future
+period.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="20%">
+
+<p>From Mr. Trigg, who arrived on Wednesday by the Preston from Champion
+Bay, we have gathered the following additional particulars:--
+
+<p>The outward route was on the south bank of the river Murchison; the first
+sixty miles was but indifferent, but there were many spots of grass,
+sufficient to maintain travelling herds or flocks; afterwards the soil on
+the banks of the river improved and were continuously grassy, the general
+width being about half a mile. About latitude 26 degrees 50 minutes,
+longitude 116 degrees east, two large branches, almost if not quite equal
+to the main stream, join the Murchison from the eastward. About Mr.
+Austin's Mount Welcome the grass was found very luxuriant--from two to
+three feet high, and between there and Mount Murchison the country is
+described by Mr. Trigg to be very beautiful, and the soil superior to any
+he had previously seen in the colony, and equal to the best land in
+Victoria. Mount Murchison itself is an immense mass of quartz with
+granite round the base; this differs from Mr. Austin's description, but
+that gentleman does not appear to have ascended the hill. From the summit
+three high lands were observable, one an isolated peak fifty miles east,
+the others to the north and north-east apparently more distant; so far as
+could be seen, the country to the east and north-east appeared scrubby
+and indifferent. The return was on the north side of the Murchison; and
+here a large extent of good grassy land was found, not on the bank, but a
+mile and a half from the river, and reaching four or five miles in width
+to the base of some hills, and reaching westward to the large northerly
+bend of the river in longitude 115 degrees 30 minutes about forty miles
+from the Geraldine Mine; the good land in all cases was very flat, the
+soil a red loam, which when dry was very open; the whole country is
+singularly infested with white ants, of which every tree living or dead
+appeared to have its colony. Mr. Trigg regards the country around Mount
+Murchison as auriferous.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="50%">
+
+<p>The striking difference there is between this account of the country on
+the Murchison and that given by Mr. Austin may be accounted for in
+several ways: first, Mr. Austin does not appear to have crossed, but
+skirted the country intervening between Mount Welcome and Mount
+Murchison, but he describes the land about the latter as improving, and
+found water; while it was the feed and water at Mount Welcome which, in
+all probability, saved his party from perishing. The land on the north
+side, spoken of so favourably by Mr. Trigg, was not seen by Mr. Austin,
+and also his party was so exhausted that it was out of his power to
+diverge from a direct line in order to examine the nature of the country
+on either side; whereas Messrs. Gregory and Trigg made such an
+examination whenever any favourable appearance presented itself, and thus
+determined the quantity of valuable land for a distance of six or seven
+miles on each side of the river, and have thus been the means of
+conferring on the Colony one of the greatest benefits it has received
+since the northern district was first opened by Mr. A. Gregory.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="50%">
+
+<a name="five"></a>
+
+<h3>GASCOYNE RIVER.</h3>
+
+<h4>1858.</h4>
+
+<p>PERTH TO CHAMPION BAY.
+
+<p>In consequence of the very satisfactory results of the exploration of the
+Upper Murchison River by Messrs. Gregory and Trigg in 1857, a number of
+settlers in the northern districts subscribed horses and equipment for an
+exploring party to examine the country still further to the east and
+north, and with the sanction of the Government, the Expedition was placed
+under the command of Mr. F.T. Gregory, the result being the discovery of
+a considerable area of available country on the Gascoyne and Lyons
+Rivers, as described in Mr. Gregory's journal, of which the following is
+a copy:--
+
+<p>MR. F. GREGORY'S REPORT.
+
+<p>Western Australia,
+
+<p>Perth, July 26, 1858.
+
+<p>SIR,
+
+<p>In accordance with the instructions conveyed in your letter of the 15th
+March, authorising me to take command of the Expedition to Shark's Bay,
+in course of organisation by the northern settlers, I have the honour to
+furnish the following report of our proceedings while in that service,
+for the information of His Excellency the Governor.
+
+<p>The preliminary arrangements having been completed, and the heavy portion
+of the stores forwarded by sea to Champion Bay, I left Perth on the 26th
+March, accompanied by Mr. James Roe as second in command, chainer
+Fairburn having started the previous day with the team and light
+equipment of the Expedition.
+
+<p>Proceeding by way of Toodyay to the Irwin River, the party were joined by
+Mr. W. Moore with three horses; passing on by way of Champion Bay, we
+arrived a Koobijawanna, the point of general rendezvous, by the 10th of
+April. On the 12th the remainder of the stores arrived from Champion Bay,
+the party being augmented to six persons by the addition of Mr. C. Nairn
+and Dugel, an aboriginal policeman. This day and the following were
+occupied in weighing and packing stores, shoeing horses, etc.
+
+<p>14th April.
+
+<p>The equipment of the Expedition being completed (with the exception of
+one horse to be procured at the Geraldine Mine), we moved on to
+Yanganooka, passing the Geraldine Mine on the 16th, and bivouacked on the
+Murchison River, six miles above the mine, having obtained the additional
+horse, making in all six saddle and six pack horses; our supplies
+consisting of sixty days' rations, on a scale of one and a half pounds of
+flour, eight ounces of pork, four ounces of sugar, and half an ounce of
+tea per diem, the party being all well armed and furnished with
+ammunition.
+
+<p>The mean of our observations with the Aneroid barometer gives 575 feet
+for the elevation of this part of the river above the sea.
+
+<p>ASCEND THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+<p>17th April to the 25th April.
+
+<p>Was occupied in ascending the Murchison River by easy stages to the
+junction of the Impey, the highest point attained by me last year. The
+only observations worthy of remark were that the inundation had not been
+so great as that which occurred the previous summer, the grass up to this
+point not being by any means so abundant as I had found it on my former
+visit; the volume of water now running in the bed of the river being,
+however, at this time about the same, although none of the tributaries,
+including the Roderick and Impey, had been in flood, little or no rain
+having fallen to the west of the 117th degree of longitude, except to the
+north of latitude 26 degrees.
+
+<p>I availed myself of the opportunity afforded to make several additions
+and corrections to the map of this part of the country, verifying the
+correction made by me last year in the latitude of Mount Murchison and
+adjacent hills. By an improved series of triangulation and a carefully
+observed set of lunar distances, I am inclined to place Mount Murchison
+in about longitude 116 degrees 30 minutes east, which makes it more
+nearly approximate to the longitude formerly given by Mr. Austin.
+
+<p>The variation of the compass I found by several amplitudes to be 2
+degrees 30 minutes west. The bed of the Murchison River is here about
+1,077 feet above the sea. In addition to the fish and game formerly
+observed on this part of the river, we met with large flocks of the
+gallinule, which have for so many years excited the curiosity of the
+colonists as to their habitat; from subsequent observations it is evident
+they come from much further to the north-eastward. But one party of
+natives had as yet been seen, consisting of eight or ten, who chased our
+native Dugel to the camp while out shooting, but it was difficult to
+ascertain whether with hostile intentions. From this time to our return
+we regularly mounted sentry during the night, and no one was allowed to
+quit the party any distance alone--a precautionary measure the necessity
+of which was fully borne out by the sequel.
+
+<p>26th April.
+
+<p>From our camp, which was situated about eight miles west of Mount
+Murchison, we fairly commenced the exploration of unknown country.
+Following the river nearly north-north-east for fourteen miles it turned
+abruptly to the east; we, however, held our course, which at four miles
+further brought us to the foot of Mount Narryer, which we ascended, and
+procured a valuable round of angles from its summit. This hill has an
+altitude of 1,688 feet above the sea, and is formed by the eruption of a
+coarse dark-coloured crystalline trap through a base of amorphous
+sandstone, the direction of the range of which it forms a part being
+nearly north and south. Skirting round the north end of this range, we
+struck east over a stony plain, thinly grassed amongst open wattles, and
+at five miles again came upon the Murchison some time after dark. The
+pools here were somewhat larger than for many miles below, being from
+sixty to eighty yards wide and half a mile in length, the water in them
+becoming decidedly brackish; samphire, atriplex, and other salsolaceous
+plants being abundant on the banks.
+
+<p>27th April.
+
+<p>We only advanced nine miles, owing to Mr. Moore and Dugel having to
+return for one of the water-beakers, which had been torn off the
+pack-saddle the previous night in a thicket. Towards our bivouac, which
+was in latitude 26 degrees 23 minutes 38 seconds, the country near the
+river improved much, the channel of the river becoming very shallow; the
+water had spread over the flats for more than half a mile on either side,
+large flooded-gum trees growing abundantly with a fine sward of grass
+beneath, the soil being a rich brown clay loam. Gallinule and cockatoos
+were in large flocks feeding on the grass seeds, which were now nearly
+ripe.
+
+<p>28th April.
+
+<p>To latitude 28 degrees 7 minutes the river continued to come from north
+by east through an extensive plain, bounded on the west by a low range of
+trap and granite hills, at an average distance of six or seven miles,
+while to the eastward only a few distant peaks were visible, flooded-gum
+growing plentifully for more than a mile back from the river, on flats of
+tolerably good pasture. Receding somewhat further from the river, the
+country opens out into extensive plains yielding but little grass;
+atriplex bush and thinly scattered stunted acacia and melaleuca trees
+forming almost the entire vegetation.
+
+<p>29th April.
+
+<p>A few miles nearly north brought us to where a considerable tributary
+joins the Murchison from the north, the river trending first north-east,
+then east, and finally towards the afternoon it came from the southward
+of east, our bivouac being only seven miles north of the previous night,
+while we had made nearly eighteen miles of easting. The bed of the river
+had gradually become more rocky as we ascended, gneiss with quartz dykes
+passing through it and yielding a large quantity of salt, rendered the
+running water of the river scarcely drinkable; the only fresh water was
+found in the back channels filled by the late inundations. The ranges
+which ran parallel to the river to the westward terminated some miles to
+the north of the bend. Another range, apparently granitic and broken up
+into detached peaks, commencing a little to the eastward of its
+termination, runs east for about twenty miles at the distance of six or
+seven miles from the north bank of the river.
+
+<p>To the eastward an elevated range with two conspicuous summits, which
+were respectively named Mount Matthew and Mount Hale, terminated the view
+in that direction, while to the south only a few detached peaks were
+visible.
+
+<p>To-day we first observed a very beautiful convolvulus, which we
+afterwards found to bear roots like a sweet potato, some of them more
+than a pound weight and well flavoured, forming a very important article
+of food to the natives. The flowers are numerous, and measure from two to
+three inches in diameter, their outer edges of a dark lilac, deepening to
+a rich purple at the centre, with a pale green convolute ribbing on the
+outside, the stem and leaf of the plant resembling the kennedya. Mr.
+Drummond, to whom I have described it, considers it an important
+discovery, as by cultivation it might become a valuable addition to our
+Australian esculents.
+
+<p>A small species of rock-melon was also found in great abundance about the
+size of a pigeon's egg, somewhat bitter to the taste, but they were not
+ripe; in other respects it much resembles the cultivated varieties.
+
+<p>The bed of the river at this night's bivouac had attained an elevation of
+1,240 feet above the sea.
+
+<p>LEAVE THE MURCHISON FOR THE GASCOYNE RIVER.
+
+<p>30th April.
+
+<p>Finding that the Murchison was leading us too much to the eastward, the
+object of the expedition being to reach the Gascoyne with as little delay
+as possible, we quitted the river on a north-north-east course for about
+eight miles over a tolerably grassy plain, in some parts open, with
+atriplex and samphire, and in others rather thickly studded with acacia
+and melaleuca. Ascending a granite hill of 150 feet elevation, the plain
+was observed to the eastward to extend to the horizon, only broken by one
+remarkable bold trap hill at the distance of twenty miles, which was
+eventually named Mount Gould, the main Murchison flowing round its
+southern base, while a considerable tributary from the north-east passed
+close under it to the north-west. To the north of our position the
+country rose into a succession of stony ridges thinly grassed and nearly
+destitute of trees; in the valleys the kangaroo grass was tolerably
+plentiful and quite green--a sufficient evidence that we had now arrived
+within the influence of the rains that had produced the recent
+inundation, which gave us every hope of being able to push across the
+country intervening between this and the Gascoyne. We accordingly altered
+our course to north-west for the remainder of this and the following day,
+crossing several tributaries to the Murchison, in which we found plenty
+of water, and on their banks an abundant supply of grass for our horses,
+the streams being generally divided from each other by low stony ridges
+or plains of red sandy loam, yielding a rather scanty supply of grass.
+
+<p>3rd May.
+
+<p>Having rested the party the previous day, it being Sunday, in latitude 25
+degrees 33 minutes 48 seconds, at a fine pool of fresh water in a stream
+running south, and apparently tributary to the Murchison, we resumed our
+course for three or four miles up a branch of the stream upon which we
+had been encamped, which terminated at a gentle stony ascent; another
+mile brought us to its summit, which proved to be the watershed between
+the Gascoyne and Murchison; its elevation was found to be 1,500 feet
+above the sea. From this ridge a short descent northward led us to the
+head of a watercourse, which we followed in the same direction for
+seventeen miles, augmented by several small tributaries; turning to the
+westward, it formed a junction with another river coming from the
+eastward, in latitude 25 degrees 14 minutes 23 seconds, at an elevation
+of 1,144 feet above the sea.
+
+<p>STONY PLAINS.
+
+<p>The country through which we had passed was a nearly level and barren
+plain, evenly and closely paved with small stones, amongst which a few
+stunted acacia found a precarious existence; to this portion of country
+we gave the characteristic name of Macadam Plains.
+
+<p>GASCOYNE RIVER.
+
+<p>4th May.
+
+<p>The river we had encamped upon the preceding night had a level sandy
+channel thirty-five yards wide, with several shallow pools in its bed; a
+narrow belt of flooded-gum lined either bank, which also produced
+abundance of excellent feed; several of the grasses were new to us,
+yielding a large quantity of seed; further back the pasture was more
+scanty, and of an inferior variety of grass, the trees consisting almost
+entirely of small hakea or acacia.
+
+<p>The features of the country are generally very tame, with the exception
+of a prominent hill of considerable altitude, nearly twenty miles to the
+northward, to which we gave the name of Mount Gascoyne. The summit of
+another range, of less elevation, a little to the northward of west,
+distant fifteen miles, was called Mount Puckford.
+
+<p>Having decided upon following the left bank of the river, with the view
+of ascertaining what tributaries might joint from the southward, we this
+morning took our course for Mount Puckford, touching frequently upon the
+bends of the river, which soon found a junction with a large channel
+coming from the eastward, which ultimately proved to be the main
+Gascoyne; it was still running in a small stream in the bottom of a sandy
+bed, eighty yards wide, traces of recent heavy floods being plentiful. At
+ten miles the river has broken through a ridge of opaline rocks, in
+irregular masses, resembling flints, lying north-east and south-west, and
+a few miles further coming in contact with the south-east foot of Mount
+Puckford, it doubles back round its north-east base, and there takes a
+general north-west course to latitude 24 degrees 36 minutes, and
+longitude 116 degrees east, which we reached by noon of the 7th, a
+considerable tributary joining at this point from the northward. A
+compact sandstone range, resting on a granite base (which was named the
+Lockier Range, after Mr. Lockier Burgess, one of the principal promoters
+of the expedition), here diverts the course of the river to the left,
+which, by sundown, we found was running nearly south. The country for the
+last fifty miles varies but little in character, extensive open plains
+alternating with low granite ridges; the banks of the river, which here
+has acquired a width of 100 yards, with a depth of forty-six feet, being
+in many places stony and cut down by deep muddy creeks, rendering
+travelling both slow and laborious. Several tributaries join from the
+north and south, all of which had very recently ceased to run.
+
+<p>To the north and east were several prominent peaks and ranges of trap
+hills clothed with short herbage; to the highest of the former, a single
+conical peak, with deeply serrated sides, was given the name of Mount
+James, after my friend and fellow-traveller, Mr. James Roe; while two
+lofty summits, far to the northward, were called Mount Samuel and Mount
+Phillips.
+
+<p>The principal feed was found near the banks of the rivers, the back
+country still yielding only a scanty supply of a red-coloured silky grass
+of little value except when quite fresh. A tree resembling the sycamore
+of the Murchison, but with the leaves arranged in triplets, and the seed
+pods in the form of a large bean, grows near the river and attains to two
+feet in diameter, with a height of forty feet; the wood is light and
+spongy, something resembling the Nuytsia floribunda, but not gummy. It is
+formed by the natives into shields, and near the coast into canoes. We
+also found on some of the rocky hills a tree with fruit and flowers
+resembling a small fig, the leaves like a lemon, but yielding an acrid
+milky juice.
+
+<p>Several new species of crested quail and dark-brown pigeons were first
+observed here; the beautiful small doves, common in the northern
+districts, were also seen by thousands; gallinule and the elegant
+Ochaphaps plumafera (crested pigeon of the marshes) were also very
+numerous.
+
+<p>SURPRISE A NATIVE CAMP.
+
+<p>8th May.
+
+<p>Pursuing our course down the left bank, we crossed several stream-beds
+which drain the large tract of country between this and the Murchison.
+The Gascoyne here divides into several broad sandy channels, sometimes as
+much as a mile apart. Towards evening we came upon a native encampment;
+few of the men appeared to have returned from their day's hunting, but we
+observed upwards of thirty women and children, who ran into the bed of
+the river to hide, some of the women immersing their children completely
+under water occasionally to prevent their cry of alarm attracting our
+attention. Although we had before met with and spoken to several natives,
+this was the first opportunity we had of examining into their domestic
+economy. Around their fires, of which there were many, were ranged a
+number of wooden scoops capable of holding from two to four quarts; these
+contained a variety of seed and roots; the most plentiful was a species
+of grain like small plump drake, gathered from a grass much resembling
+wheat, which is very abundant on the alluvial flats, and a root
+resembling an onion not larger than a pistol bullet, a few rats, which
+are very numerous in the grassy flats, and a small variety of samphire
+like a Hottentot fig, formed the principal portion of their evening's
+repast.
+
+<p>The few weapons left by the men consisted of heavy spears, with from
+three to eighteen barbs cut out of the solid wood, the shaft from ten to
+twelve feet in length, large shields resembling those in use by the
+natives at Champion Bay, made from the sycamore, and few skins of the red
+kangaroo, formed their entire camp equipment.
+
+<p>A NIGHT ATTACK.
+
+<p>Leaving everything as we found it, we passed on about two miles and
+encamped for the night on a low sandy island in the bed of the river,
+which was here full of flooded-gums of large growth, there being just
+sufficient grass for our horses immediately around our fire. By 9 o'clock
+our supper had been disposed of, and I had just completed my observations
+for latitude, when we heard the shouts of a large party of natives
+approaching from the direction of their camp; leaving Mr. Roe with two
+others to guard the camp, I advanced with Mr. Moore and Dugel to
+ascertain the object of their visit, which we soon found to be evidently
+hostile, as they came on rapidly, all well armed to the number of sixty
+or seventy, the women and children retiring to some rocky ground, while
+the men advanced lighting the large stacks of drift which were abundant
+in this part of the river. When within about forty yards they halted a
+moment, as we had damped our fire and they could not exactly make out our
+position. Mr. Moore was in the act of removing his horse from the front
+when a fresh fire enabled them to see us, upon which ten or twelve of the
+leading men shipped their spears. Being still desirous, if possible, of
+avoiding a collision, I hesitated to fire upon them; but observing a
+large body of them advancing with the evident intention of attacking Mr.
+Roe and his little party in charge of the camp, I advanced a few steps
+and fired a charge of small shot at the leading men as they were in the
+act of throwing at us. The effect was instantaneous and most salutary, as
+they fled with some precipitation, some of them being evidently wounded.
+We mounted extra guard for the remainder of the night, but they did not
+again venture to attack us.
+
+<p>9th May.
+
+<p>Being Sunday, we only moved a few miles lower down the river for more
+grass, and again found ourselves in close proximity to the natives. In
+the course of the day several of them made their appearance at the top of
+the hill overlooking the camp, but appeared afraid to molest us; they had
+with them several large white dogs which were evidently of Australian
+breed.
+
+<p>10th May.
+
+<p>The river took a south-west course, receiving two large tributaries from
+the south-east, one of ninety and the other of fifty yards in width. The
+flats were wider and large trees more abundant; the recent floods had,
+however, been very destructive to the pasture, and removed much of the
+soil for a considerable distance back from the river. The trap hills here
+ceased to appear; the last remarkable one lay about ten miles south-east
+of our morning's camp, and had been named Mount Dalgetty. Our evening's
+bivouac was found to be in latitude 25 degrees 14 minutes, longitude 115
+degrees 30 minutes east by account, and its elevation 700 feet above the
+sea.
+
+<p>11th May.
+
+<p>Until noon our course along the river was nearly north-west, sandstones
+beginning to crop out on the banks, and the country generally was poor
+and scrubby; from our noon halt to sunset our course was nearly west, our
+bivouac being in latitude 25 degrees 2 minutes. The bed of the river had
+here widened out to 300 yards with an average depth of thirty feet, a
+small stream running through the sand in the bottom. In addition to the
+flooded-gum which grows here abundantly, we observed in the bed of the
+river a melaleuca of large size, like a paper-bark tree, but having broad
+leaves resembling the eucalyptus. During the night the natives were very
+noisy in the vicinity, some of them approaching so close as to startle
+our horses, keeping us well on the alert; the horses on this as on
+several other occasions appear to have been our principal safeguard
+against sudden attack.
+
+<p>FRIENDLY INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES.
+
+<p>12th May.
+
+<p>By the time we had commenced loading our horses, a large body of natives
+had collected and approached to reconnoitre our camp; I advanced towards
+them to keep them in check until the loads were completed. On observing
+that I came alone three natives advanced to meet me, throwing three or
+four spears at me in a friendly way, which I picked up and stuck in the
+ground by my side; this token at once established a good understanding,
+and after an exchange of presents they followed us for many miles down
+the river before quitting us. Towards nightfall several of our friends of
+the morning again made their appearance with a number of strange natives,
+dodging us among the deep muddy ravines which abound at this part of the
+river; their manoeuvres being equivocal and unsatisfactory, we kept well
+on our guard; they, however, ran off at night, on my facing about on
+horseback to drive them away.
+
+<p>Our course during the day had been nearly west twenty-two miles, one
+large tributary having joined the river from the northward, which was
+afterwards named the Lyons, in honour of the gallant admiral of that
+name; this accession had increased the breadth of the channel to 400
+yards. As we drew towards our evening's bivouac the river entered a gorge
+formed by the river cutting through the south end of a flat-topped
+sandstone range of about 1,200 feet elevation above the sea, presenting
+many bold and picturesque outlines and detached summits, terminating in
+abrupt and almost precipitous faces; to this we gave the name of the
+Kennedy Range, in honour of our present Governor.
+
+<p>To the south a detached mass of broken sandstone hills gradually falls
+away in the distance, apparently into a barren scrub similar to those on
+the banks of the lower Murchison, while to the west lay before us an
+extensive plain, unbroken by a single object save a few long ridges of
+red drift sand, clothed with a stunted scrub of melaleuca and acacia. The
+bottom of the gorge we found to be 480 feet above the sea.
+
+<p>13th May.
+
+<p>From this morning to noon of the 15th the country passed over was similar
+to that first described, the sand ridges running north-west and
+south-east at about a quarter of a mile apart; the river keeping a
+general course of west-north-west, its channel deepening to sixty feet,
+and maintaining an average width of 400 yards. Grass was only to be found
+in small patches along the margin of the river; the accumulated waters of
+the late inundations having been confined to one channel, had risen to
+the height of forty-eight feet, carrying away many of the largest timber
+trees, as also much of the soil from the banks, leaving a scene of
+devastation exceeding anything of the kind I had hitherto witnessed.
+
+<p>A small description of Spanish reed was here first observed to grow on
+the margin of the pools. Deep muddy creeks, having only short courses,
+were very numerous, rendering travelling both tedious and intricate.
+
+<p>From noon of the 15th the country gradually opened out to a
+thinly-grassed plain of light alluvial soil, atriplex bushes and acacia
+widely scattered forming almost the entire vegetation; the ground, with
+the exception of the bed of the river, being parched and dry, no rain
+having fallen during the summer to the west of the Lyons River, in
+longitude 115 degrees 30 minutes east.
+
+<p>16th May.
+
+<p>Being Sunday, we only moved four miles lower down the river for better
+feed, the channel widening out to 600 yards.
+
+<p>17th May.
+
+<p>Early to-day the river began to throw off numerous channels to the north
+and south, shedding, when in a flood, a considerable amount of water over
+the adjoining plains, clothing the country in the garb of spring, the
+grass growing luxuriantly along the numerous channels, atriplex and other
+low bushes generally covering the plain, the lowest levels of which were
+extensively covered with fields of mud from one to fourteen inches thick,
+the deposit of a single inundation, yet scarcely hardened by the summer
+sun.
+
+<p>REACH THE COAST AT SHARK'S BAY.
+
+<p>At twenty miles we ascended a sandy ridge of about sixty feet in height,
+from which we had our first view of Shark's Bay, Babbage Island, and the
+mouths of the Gascoyne, now only four miles distant.
+
+<p>Behind the ridge upon which we stood, and for many miles to the
+south-east, the country was still under water from the recent floods,
+while between us and the sea lay a low flat, on which were many patches
+of acacia thicket, alternating with open grassy glades, or fields of
+atriplex and samphire, terminating to the westward in a broad irregular
+belt of mangroves, resting on the shallow margin of the bay.
+
+<p>Descending to the flat, we encamped in a rank patch of grass on the bank
+of the river, about a mile above Babbage Island, the north end of which I
+found to be in latitude 24 degrees 52 minutes, which is four miles north
+of the position as given by Sir G. Grey.
+
+<p>KOLAINA PLAINS.
+
+<p>18th May.
+
+<p>We found no difficulty in crossing the southern mouth on to Babbage
+Island; the tide being low, it was quite dry at the junction. Having,
+with Mr. Roe, walked over the greater part of the island, making a rough
+sketch of its outlines, and completing the requisite observations, while
+the rest of the party were occupied in an unsuccessful attempt to catch
+fish, we retraced our steps and crossed the main channel opposite our
+last night's bivouac, where it is not more than 250 yards wide.
+Continuing our course north-east for nearly a mile, we crossed several
+back channels, some trending towards the Kolaina flat of Sir G. Grey,
+while others were lost in the deep sandy ravines that extend for some
+distance to the north of the river.
+
+<p>While on Babbage Island several natives had waded across the northern
+mouth of the river to meet us, and had returned after a friendly
+interview, in which they apparently described the recent landing of two
+boats with Europeans. We now again fell in with the same natives on the
+north bank, near a large encampment of women and children; the latter
+quickly hid themselves on our approach, but the men assumed a threatening
+attitude, following us for some distance with much clamour. As their
+numbers quickly augmented, and they appeared determined to commence a
+fight, we led them out on to an open plain, where, leaving the
+pack-horses in charge of two of the party, four of us suddenly faced
+about and charged them at a gallop. This harmless manoeuvre had the
+desired effect, several of them having narrowly escaped being trodden
+under foot by the horses. They were very quickly dispersed, and made no
+further attempt to molest us. We encamped this night about six miles
+above Babbage Island.
+
+<p>19th May.
+
+<p>As our object was to explore as far to the northward as circumstances
+would allow, we left the river on a north-east course; but two hours'
+ride across an open plain, through which several channels ran to the
+north-west, brought us to dry barren scrubs, in which it appeared
+hopeless we should find either feed or water; we accordingly altered our
+course to south-east, and made the river again about sundown.
+
+<p>RETURN UP THE RIVER.
+
+<p>20th to 23rd May.
+
+<p>Was occupied in tracing up the north bank of the river in the hope of
+finding a tributary coming in from the northward; but, with the exception
+of one small stream which drains the western face of the Kennedy Range,
+not a single tributary was met with until we arrived at the Lyons River,
+a distance of more than ninety miles from Babbage Island. The country on
+the north bank differs but little from that on the south, except that
+travelling was somewhat easier.
+
+<p>THE LYONS RIVER. ALMA RIVER.
+
+<p>24th May.
+
+<p>Our horses having had a rest, the previous day being Sunday, we made an
+early start, and by noon halted on the Lyons River, a short distance
+above its confluence with the Gascoyne; its channel here was equal in
+magnitude and similar in appearance to the main river; a small stream was
+still flowing through the wide sandy bed, and gradually increased in
+volume for nearly eighty miles up the river. Three miles to the north of
+our midday halt Mr. Roe and myself ascended a deep sandstone peak, from
+which we had a fine view of the Kennedy Range, the nearest part of which
+lay about six miles to the west, extending for nearly thirty miles to the
+northward; the eastern face presents an almost unbroken line of nearly
+perpendicular sandstone, of probably 500 or 600 feet elevation. To the
+north a few remarkable peaks served as valuable points to carry on our
+triangulation, which had been continued almost uninterruptedly from Mount
+Hope, on the Murchison.
+
+<p>To the east were several ranges of flat-topped hills, filling in the
+space between the Lyons and the great southern bend of the Gascoyne;
+while to the south, with the exception of a few very distant peaks, it
+appeared, as far as the eye could reach, to be an uniform plain of open
+but almost grassless scrub.
+
+<p>Having completed our round of angles, we struck south-east to a patch of
+forest on the banks of the river, which we did not reach until sometime
+after dark.
+
+<p>25th May.
+
+<p>From this point to latitude 23 degrees 56 minutes the Lyons maintains a
+general course of north-north-east. The country passed over during to-day
+had evidently been tolerably grassy, but the floods had been quite as
+destructive here as on the Gascoyne, the bed of the river and flats for
+half a mile on each side being mostly choked up or buried under fields of
+fine white sand, which had been brought down by the inundations. In
+several places we observed beds of gypsum and fossil shells with other
+strong indications of the existence of coal in the vicinity. Bivouac in
+latitude 24 degrees 41 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+<p>26th May.
+
+<p>A few miles along the river brought us to a gorge in the eastern edge of
+the sandstones, to the east of which it opened out into extensive plains
+in some parts well grassed, and in others much washed by the river.
+Several trap and granite hills were visible at some distance to the
+northward and eastward. Our bivouac was in latitude 24 degrees 31 minutes
+0.5 seconds, about three miles south of a bold trap-range, the summit of
+which was named Mount Sandiman.
+
+<p>27th May.
+
+<p>The country still maintained its variable character, travelling near the
+river being exceedingly heavy on account of the sand. The morning had
+been calm and sultry, but towards noon a strong breeze set in from the
+north, bringing with it a dense cloud of fine red dust, against which it
+was no easy matter to make head with our horses. Towards evening the
+flats began to improve, and we halted for the night amongst fine grass;
+melons and tobacco growing very luxuriantly. To-night it rained for about
+two hours, clearing the atmosphere of its load of dust.
+
+<p>28th May.
+
+<p>Resuming our course up the river, at four miles we crossed a stream-bed
+forty yards wide, coming in from the north-north-west, and in the course
+of the day passed over several thin beds of opaque opalline rock resting
+upon the sandstone. At our camp, which was in latitude 24 degrees 0.3
+minutes 0.8 seconds, granite began to make its appearance in the bed of
+the river.
+
+<p>29th May.
+
+<p>Our pack-horses having now been much lightened of their loads, we were
+to-day for the first time able to trot for several hours; and as the
+country still improved, several fine grassy valleys coming in from the
+eastward, we made considerable progress.
+
+<p>ALMA RIVER.
+
+<p>At our noon halt Mr. Moore and myself ascended a hill of red schist of
+300 or 400 feet elevation, in latitude 23 degrees 57 minutes 15 seconds,
+which had been named Mount Thompson. From this hill we had an extensive
+view of the surrounding country; close to the northern foot the river
+divided into two nearly equal parts--one coming from the north-north-east
+we named the Alma. To the north, just resting on the edge of the tropic,
+lay a compact range through which there was apparently but one break, and
+that was on the line of the Alma; from the southern face of this range,
+which extends nearly forty miles to the eastward, numerous streams take
+their rise and flow southward into the Lyons, which had altered its
+course and was now coming from the east-south-east. Our intention had
+been to keep our course until we had touched upon the tropic; but as the
+Alma was not running, we decided upon following the main course of the
+stream, and accordingly adopted an easterly course for the remainder of
+the day, encamping about six miles to the east of Mount Thompson. The
+river here was much narrower, with a rocky bed containing many pools of
+permanent character, overshadowed by flooded-gums of large growth, much
+resembling the Eucalyptus piperita of the flats of the Swan, but not
+possessing the same pungent leaf.
+
+<p>30th May (Sunday).
+
+<p>Found our latitude to be 23 degrees 58 minutes 32 seconds, and longitude
+111 degrees east by account.
+
+<p>31st May.
+
+<p>NATIVE TOBACCO.
+
+<p>We started off at a quick pace, clearing sixteen miles by noon, over some
+fine open grassy flats, timbered for nearly a mile back from the river;
+one tributary 100 yards wide having joined from the north, and a smaller
+one from the south. Leaving the party busily occupied catching fish,
+which were abundant in this part of the river and much resembling those
+found in the Murchison, but larger, some of them being upwards of a pound
+in weight, I walked with Mr. Nairn to the summit of a granite hill two
+miles to the northward, from which I had a number of cross-bearings to
+hills already observed from Mount Thompson. One of considerable elevation
+bearing north 121 degrees 30 minutes east, distance fifty miles, lay
+directly up the valley of the river, and was ultimately named Mount
+Augustus, after my brother, now conducting the expedition in quest of the
+remains of Dr. Leichhardt. Pushing on twelve miles further, we halted for
+the night in latitude 23 degrees 59 minutes 39 seconds. Tobacco here grew
+to sufficient size for manufacture, occupying many hundred acres of the
+best land; a plant much resembling stramonium was also abundant on the
+moist land, yielding a strongly offensive odour from its leaves.
+
+<p>1st June.
+
+<p>For the first twelve miles along the river the flats much improved, and
+were only occasionally broken up by stony ridges; good country was seen
+to extend up the tributaries, several of which came in from the north. To
+the south, at two or three miles distant, and running parallel to the
+river for many miles, was an even grassy range of moderate elevation
+nearly destitute of trees or bushes; the acacia and melaleuca, which had
+hitherto generally covered the plains, was evidently fast giving way to
+an open undulating and thinly-grassed country, the back lands being
+however still too stony to yield much pasture, the summer grass being
+already parched and dry, the flats alone continuing moist and verdant.
+
+<p>At our noon halt the main river had ceased to flow, but a tributary
+coming from the north-east had a small stream still running in the bottom
+of a muddy channel down which the recent floods had brought flags and
+portions of bulrush, the only instance throughout the district in which
+we had observed them.
+
+<p>The next ten miles passed over between this and sunset was chiefly an
+alluvial flat, much resembling the fertile lands near the mouth of the
+Greenough; the acacias and several varieties of melaleuca, amongst which
+was the Callistemon phoeniceus, with its beautiful scarlet flowers, were
+growing with tropical luxuriance, the soil in many places being still
+saturated with moisture. A water-melon was here first observed, the fruit
+not attaining to more than two inches in length, but not otherwise
+differing from the cultivated kinds; we also found a fruit in shape like
+a pear, three inches in length, growing on a small creeper, the interior
+of the fruit consisting of a number of small flat seeds, to which were
+attached a bundle of long silky fibres resembling cotton. Our bivouac was
+in latitude 24 degrees 7 minutes 52 seconds, near a fine pool of fresh
+water, with limestone cropping out in a thin bed on the banks; we had
+frequently met with it distributed in small nodules scattered over a
+large portion of the country on the Upper Murchison.
+
+<p>Since quitting the mouth of the Gascoyne we had seen natives almost
+daily; to-night we again found ourselves in close proximity to a large
+encampment of them.
+
+<p>2nd June.
+
+<p>Our neighbours paid us an early visit this morning, some of them
+evidently bent on mischief, but were restrained by others more
+prudent--not, however, before it had nearly cost one of them his life;
+having pointed a spear at Mr. Moore, Dugel, whose natural instincts are
+very destructive, hastily took aim at him, but fortunately pulled the
+wrong trigger, which just gave his adversary time to lower his weapon; on
+our mounting our horses they hastily fell back and joined their other
+companions at their camp, which was just in our line of march; about
+thirty of them awaited our approach with some tokens of defiance, but
+most of them decamped on our coming within spear's throw.
+
+<p>MOUNT AUGUSTUS 3,480 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
+
+<p>Directing our course for Mount Augustus, we pushed on at a rapid pace
+with the object of ascending it if possible before sundown; but after
+riding twenty miles, we found it to be farther off than we anticipated,
+and accordingly altered our course and encamped at a pool in the river
+about three miles north-east of the mount, in latitude 24 degrees 20
+minutes, and at an elevation of 1500 feet above the sea.
+
+<p>We here met with strong evidences of the cannibalism of the natives; at a
+recently occupied encampment we found several of the bones of a
+full-grown native that had been cooked, the teeth marks on the edges of a
+bladebone bearing conclusive evidence as to the purpose to which it had
+been applied; some of the ribs were lying by the huts with a portion of
+the meat still on them.
+
+<p>Nearly the whole of the country passed over this day was an alluvial flat
+extending on the south-west to the grassy range already described, while
+to the north and east it extended for many miles, branching out into the
+numerous valleys that drain the different ranges in that direction; the
+grass and vegetation on these flats is not so rank as on that traversed
+the previous day, but more even, and the soil better adapted for
+agriculture; the amount of good land on this part of the Lyons River was
+estimated at 150 square miles, while on the tributaries between Mount
+Thompson and Mount Augustus I have no doubt that there is as much more.
+Water at this time was plentiful in the numerous channels that intersect
+the plain, their permanency being the only matter of doubt--our limited
+acquaintance with the nature of the seasons in these latitudes does not
+enable us to decide with any degree of certainty; the pools lower down
+the river are unquestionably of a permanent character, but many of them
+were already becoming brackish.
+
+<p>The quantity of game seen in this part of the country was also a
+favourable indication. Turkeys, and a new variety of pigeon, having a
+brown back and slate-coloured breast, on the wing resembling a tame
+pigeon, congregate in flights sometimes of a thousand together; emus,
+cockatoos, quail, and parakeets are also very numerous, particularly the
+latter.
+
+<p>3rd June.
+
+<p>A gentle ascent of two and a half miles brought us to the foot of Mount
+Augustus, where, leaving our horses in charge of Fairburn and Dugel, we
+commenced the ascent up the only accessible point on this side of the
+hill; it required two hours' heavy toil to bring us to the summit, the
+barometer gradually falling until it only registered 26.10, which,
+compared with the simultaneous observations kept at Champion Bay by Mr.
+H. Gray, gives an elevation of 3,480 feet above the level of the sea; the
+last 500 feet of the summit being clothed in thickets of melaleuca,
+amongst which grew a nondescript variety of red gum-tree, the only new
+thing observed in this locality. The air was fortunately very clear,
+enabling us to take bearings to almost every remarkable summit within
+eighty miles, and in two instances to hills more than a hundred miles
+distant.
+
+<p>From this commanding position I was enabled to sketch in the courses of
+the rivers for more than twenty miles, some of them probably taking their
+rise from 60 to 100 miles still further to the eastward. To the
+north-east the country continued to improve in appearance until the view
+was intercepted by bold ranges of trap and granite--one of which bearing
+north 32 degrees east magnetic, distant nearly 100 miles, having a sharp
+volcanic outline, reared its summit above all the rest. To the south-east
+the country was not quite so promising, the ridges presenting naked stony
+outlines, upon which was only a little scanty grass or a few bushes; to
+the south it was almost an uninterrupted plain, extending nearly as far
+as the Murchison River, over which lay our homeward course. Descending
+the mount, we encamped at a spring in some fine feed close at its foot.
+
+<p>RETURN TOWARDS SETTLEMENTS.
+
+<p>4th June.
+
+<p>As we had now been out fifty-one days, and our provisions were only
+calculated to last twenty-four days longer, although we had reduced our
+allowance shortly after quitting the Geraldine Mine, we were reluctantly
+compelled to turn our steps homewards, being still 360 miles from the
+settled districts; passing, therefore, over the eastern foot of Mount
+Augustus, we pursued a south-south-east course for twenty miles over
+alternating grassy plains and stony ridges, and encamped on the river
+with a sandy bed, in which were a few shallow pools, its trend bearing
+north-north-west, and probably joins the Gascoyne near the Lockier Range.
+The feed on this river, as well as on those between this and the
+Murchison, was principally kangaroo-grass of strong growth; the course of
+the streams being easily traceable from a distance by the flooded-gum
+trees that invariably lined their margins.
+
+<p>5th June.
+
+<p>A south course of ten miles over a poor stony country brought us to the
+head of a stream, which, following in the same direction to latitude 24
+degrees 51 minutes 52 seconds, we found plenty of feed on its banks and
+pools of water in its bed, which was here thirty yards wide; the
+principal features of the adjacent country being low granite ridges,
+intersected by occasional quartz dykes, alternating with chlorite schist.
+
+<p>6th June (Sunday).
+
+<p>7th June.
+
+<p>Following a south-south-east course, at six miles the stream turned to
+the south-west. Passing over several miles of stony country, in latitude
+24 degrees 59 minutes 32 seconds, we crossed another stream-bed forty
+yards wide, running to the westward, and forming a junction with the last
+at some miles distant. Towards sundown we came upon a recently inundated
+plain, and a mile further struck a grassy channel thirty yards wide,
+which had barely ceased running, the soil for some distance on either
+bank being a strong red loam, yielding a fair supply of pasture. This
+channel we afterward found to be only one of several which formed the
+main branch of the Gascoyne. The observed latitude was 25 degrees 6
+minutes 30 seconds, and elevation 1,740 feet above the sea.
+
+<p>8th June.
+
+<p>A mile farther we came upon the main channel of the river, with a wide
+shallow bed, down which a small stream was still running; the flats were
+well grassed, and the flooded-gums growing for more than a mile back from
+the river. To the eastward the country continued level and grassy as far
+as the eye could reach; our time was, however, too limited to admit of
+our making any further examination of this promising tract. A party of
+twenty or thirty natives were encamped here, and were apparently living
+upon the roots of the convolvulus, which grows in the vicinity in great
+abundance.
+
+<p>For fifteen miles to the south-east it continued a level plain of red
+loam, tolerably well grassed and covered with an open wood of acacia; the
+next eight miles was over a poor stony ridge of moderate elevation,
+terminating at a large dry stream-bed, in latitude 25 degrees 24 minutes
+16 seconds, with some fine kangaroo-grass on its banks.
+
+<p>9th June.
+
+<p>Ten miles south, over a granite country, we struck the head of a
+watercourse, which, after winding about for sixteen miles, ran close to
+the western foot of Mount Gould, where we encamped at its junction with
+another small stream coming from the northward. The country passed over
+to-day was generally very stony until we came within a few miles of Mount
+Gould.
+
+<p>10th June.
+
+<p>Taking our course direct for Mount Hale, the pasture rapidly improved; at
+ten miles the watercourse we had been following formed a junction with
+the main Murchison, coming in from the eastward. From the appearance of
+the river at this point, it is probable that it takes its rise nearly
+another 100 miles farther to the north-east. The next thirteen miles down
+the river was fair average cattle pasture, extending for several miles to
+the right and left; open flats of atriplex and samphire occurring at
+intervals.
+
+<p>11th June.
+
+<p>The river soon divided into several channels, shedding its waters over a
+fine alluvial flat, of considerable extent, yielding a rich sward of
+grass, under flooded-gums of large growth. A little after noon we came
+upon our outward track, and encamped at night near the north-west bend of
+the Murchison.
+
+<p>DOWN THE MURCHISON.
+
+<p>12th to 22nd June.
+
+<p>Was occupied in descending the river to the Geraldine Mine, cutting off
+several bends of the river, and making such additions to our sketch of
+the outward route as circumstances would admit.
+
+<p>RETURN TO PERTH.
+
+<p>23rd June.
+
+<p>We all arrived safe at the hospitable residence of Mr. W. Burges, on the
+Irwin; the following day being occupied in making up the accounts
+connected with the expedition, which, including the whole of the cash
+expenditure, did not exceed 40 pounds, which sum had already been
+subscribed by a few settlers interested in the undertaking.
+
+<p>Quitting the Irwin on the 1st of July, and proceeding by way of
+Dandaragan and Toodyay, I arrived, with Mr. Roe and chainer Fairburn, in
+Perth on the 10th instant, having accomplished a journey of nearly 2000
+miles in 107 days.
+
+<p>On reviewing the foregoing report, I find it necessary to add a few
+observations on subjects that could not well be introduced into the body
+of the narrative.
+
+<p>GEOLOGY OF COUNTRY.
+
+<p>In the first place, viewing the geographical and geological features in
+combination, the tract of country contained within the 114th and 118th
+parallels of longitude, and the 24th and 27th degrees of south latitude,
+may be considered as an inclined plane, the eastern edge of which has an
+elevation of about 1700 feet above the level of the sea. Commencing from
+the coast, the first 100 miles is almost exclusively of tertiary
+sandstone formation, which the process of denudation has, in many
+instances, converted into either stony or sandy tracts, rarely fertile,
+except when subject to the influence of frequent inundation. This region
+seldom gives rise to rivers or watercourses; the flat-topped ranges,
+which are often found towards the eastern limits of this formation, do
+not generally exceed 500 or 600 feet in altitude, and are only those
+portions of country that have not as yet yielded to the waste of time, or
+the constant action of rivers, which, rising in the higher lands more to
+the eastward, rapidly abrade, and in their onward course remove the soft
+and porous sandstone from their bases.
+
+<p>In the deeper valleys, towards the eastern edge of these sandstones thin
+beds of oolitic limestone, containing numerous fossil shells,
+occasionally occur; also gypsum and clayey shales, with other indications
+of the probable existence of coal in the vicinity; following the series
+appears a compact, fine-grained amorphous sandstone, having an almost
+flinty fracture; this rock, in a few miles, gives place to granite and
+gneiss, frequently broken up by the upheaval of whinstone and porphyritic
+trap hills, having an elevation of from 100 to 500 feet above the plain.
+
+<p>As we proceeded eastward, the eruptive rocks became more numerous;
+chlorite slate, veins of quartz, chert, and variegated jasper, frequently
+forming the summits of the most elevated hills, while, on the general
+level of the plain, are occasionally found thin beds of ancient lava.
+
+<p>The rivers, unlike most others in Western Australia, have nearly an even
+fall throughout their entire length, amounting on an average to six feet
+per mile; this, in a country subject to the sudden fall of almost
+tropical rains, is what gives rise to the destructive inundations already
+described.
+
+<p>CLIMATE.
+
+<p>Of the climate and seasons so little is at present known that, allowing
+all other difficulties to have been overcome, it would be very hazardous
+to risk flocks and herds beyond the head of the Murchison until the
+country has again been visited at a different period of the year, as it
+is probably that it has as yet only been seen under the most favourable
+conditions.
+
+<p>The fluctuations of the temperature are occasionally considerable; in the
+middle of June it some days amounted to 46 degrees in six
+hours--registering, at 7 a.m., 36 degrees, and at 1 p.m., 82 degrees; ice
+having been seen as far north as latitude 24 degrees 30 minutes.
+
+<p>The prevailing winds during the period of inundation appear to have been
+from the south-east, as most of the trees blown down while the soil was
+in a state of saturation lay with their tops to the north-west. In May
+and June the winds ranged between north-east and south-east.
+
+<p>Of the regularity of the return of the summer rains it is at present
+difficult to form a decided opinion; but, as far as observation would
+admit, I am inclined to think they cannot be relied on with any degree of
+certainty, to the southward of the 25th degree of latitude. The period at
+which they fall being about January and February, it is a significant
+fact that the grasses found buried beneath the mud during these months
+had generally attained only to nearly half their growth.
+
+<p>AREA OF AVAILABLE COUNTRY.
+
+<p>With regard to the quantity and distribution of the available lands, it
+will only be necessary to observe that, with the exception of 30,000 or
+40,000 acres at the mouth of the Gascoyne, there is no land worth
+occupying for many years to come to the west of the Lyons River; the
+amount of land on this river has already been estimated at nearly 300
+square miles, while on the Upper Gascoyne and its tributaries there is
+probably double that quantity; this, with the lands on the Murchison near
+Mount Hale, would make a total of about a million of acres.
+
+<p>A very important circumstance in connection with this district is the
+total absence, so far as we were able to observe, of any of the varieties
+of gastrolobium or euphorbia, which constitute the poisonous plants so
+fatal to cattle and sheep in other parts of the colony.
+
+<p>The means of access to the Upper Gascoyne and Lyons is another important
+matter for consideration. I am inclined to think that this district
+cannot be advantageously settled until the tract of country between it
+and the north coast has been explored, and a port established somewhere
+between Exmouth Gulf and Depuch Island, as, should the country in that
+direction fulfil its promise, the intervening space would very quickly be
+filled up, and the lands on the Gascoyne become available, its distance
+from the north coast being about 200 miles, while from Port Gregory or
+Champion Bay would not be less than from 340 to 360 miles--a difference
+of some moment in the transport of stores or produce.
+
+<p>From the lay of the country to the northward of the Lyons River there
+does not appear to be any reason to suppose that a river of any magnitude
+falls into Exmouth Gulf, as there would be hardly room for it between the
+sources of the Alma and the rivers flowing to the north coast.
+
+<p>I cannot bring my report to a conclusion without recording my
+acknowledgments to Mr. James Roe for the able and effective assistance he
+has rendered me throughout the expedition, the barometrical observations
+and management of the provision department having been especially under
+his charge.
+
+<p>My best thanks are also due to Mr. W.D. Moore and Mr. C. Nairn, who on
+every occasion endeavoured to relieve me as much as possible from some of
+the many arduous duties that usually devolve on the leader of an
+exploring party. Chainer Fairburn and the native Dugel also gave general
+satisfaction in the performance of their respective duties.
+
+<p>I may add that to the ready cooperation and unanimity that prevailed
+throughout the party may in no small degree be ascribed the successful
+issue of the undertaking.
+
+<p>I have the honour to be, Sir, etc.,
+
+<p>F.T. GREGORY,
+
+<p>Assistant Surveyor.
+
+<p>To the Honourable the Surveyor-General, etc.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="50%">
+
+<a name="six"></a>
+
+<h3>NORTH-WEST COAST.</h3>
+
+<h4>1861.</h4>
+
+<p>ORIGIN OF EXPEDITION TO NORTH-WEST AUSTRALIA.
+
+<p>The important additions to geographical discovery, and the large extent
+of valuable pastoral country that had been found on the Gascoyne River
+and its tributaries, attracted the attention of a number of English
+capitalists interested in cotton manufactures, which were then in a very
+depressed condition in consequence of the civil war in America, it was
+proposed to establish a new colony on the north-west coast of Australia,
+having for its special object the cultivation of cotton.
+
+<p>Advantage was taken of the presence of Mr. F. Gregory in London to urge
+on the Home Government and the Royal Geographical Society the
+desirability of fitting out an expedition to proceed direct to the
+north-west coast of Australia, accompanied by a large body of Asiatic
+labourers, and all the necessary appliances for the establishment of a
+colony.
+
+<p>Under the advice of Captain Roe, Surveyor-General of Western Australia,
+and other gentlemen well acquainted with the subject, the scheme was
+modified so as to have the country explored as a preliminary to actual
+settlement, and for this purpose a grant of 2000 pounds was obtained from
+the Imperial Government, to be supplemented by an equal subsidy by the
+Colonial Treasury.
+
+<p>Accordingly Mr. Gregory obtained a suitable outfit for the party in
+London, and early in 1861 proceeded to Western Australia to confer with
+the Governor as to the requisite details; but owing to the delays caused
+by a part of the funds having to be provided by a vote of the local
+Legislature, the expedition did not finally leave Fremantle until 23rd
+April, 1861--nearly two months later in the season than it should have
+done, as the rainy season in North-west Australia terminates about the
+beginning of March.
+
+<p>The following is an abstract of the journal and report of Mr. Gregory to
+the Governor of Western Australia:--
+
+<p>JOURNAL OF THE NORTH-WEST AUSTRALIAN EXPLORING EXPEDITION.
+
+<p>20th April, 1861.
+
+<p>All the preliminary arrangements in Perth having been completed, and the
+stores and equipment of the expedition already sent on board the barque
+Dolphin, I proceeded to Fremantle and shipped the ten horses that had
+been furnished by the settlers in this part of the colony; the remainder
+of the hay and water being also completed by 2 p.m., we were prepared to
+sail, when the agent for the vessel raised objections to our departure,
+on the plea that the arrangements for the payments on account of the
+charter were not satisfactory. Wrote accordingly by express to the
+Private Secretary for an acknowledgment that the requisite documents were
+complete.
+
+<p>21st April.
+
+<p>Received reply from the Private Secretary to the effect that everything
+necessary had been approved of already by the Governor; the agent would
+not, however, allow the vessel to leave until he had actually received
+the first instalment on account of the charter from the Colonial
+Treasurer.
+
+<p>22nd April.
+
+<p>Accompanied Mr. Manning and Captain Dixon to Perth, when they were
+informed by the Colonial Treasurer that the money would be forthcoming on
+the presentation of the accounts. Returned to Fremantle, where we were
+detained for the remainder of the day to enable the agent to close his
+accounts.
+
+<p>23rd April.
+
+<p>Went on board the Dolphin at 7 a.m., and by 11 a.m. got underweigh, with
+a fresh breeze from the east-north-east, and stood to the
+north-north-west. The portion of the exploring party embarked at
+Fremantle comprised the following persons: F.T. Gregory, commander; J.
+Turner, assistant and storekeeper; E. Brockman, W.S. Hall, and J.
+McCourt, assistants; and A. James, farrier. Supplies of flour, salt pork,
+dried beef, preserved meat, bacon, sugar, tea, etc., sufficient for eight
+months, were provided for a party of nine; three more volunteers and ten
+horses having yet to be taken on board at Champion Bay.
+
+<p>24th April.
+
+<p>Light winds from the north; at noon sighted land, in latitude 31 degrees
+28 minutes 12 seconds south; all hands attending to horses.
+
+<p>25th April.
+
+<p>Experienced variable and contrary winds; made but little progress.
+
+<p>26th April.
+
+<p>Weather cloudy, winds unfavourable; had a distant view of Mount Lesueur.
+
+<p>CHAMPION BAY.
+
+<p>27th April.
+
+<p>Sighted Mount Hill soon after daylight, rain and squalls rendering it
+difficult to distinguish the coast; the weather clearing up, ran into
+Champion Bay, and came to anchor by noon, half a mile north of the jetty,
+in four fathoms; landed and procured a horse from the Government
+Resident, and rode out to Mr. K. Brown's station.
+
+<p>28th April.
+
+<p>Procured a horse for the expedition from Mr. W. Moore, on account of
+Hamersley and Company, and returned with it to the Bay.
+
+<p>29th April.
+
+<p>Sent round to the rest of the subscribers of horses to the expedition;
+party employed filling up ship's water-tanks.
+
+<p>30th April.
+
+<p>Mr. J. Harding arrived, as a volunteer, with two horses from Mr. W.
+Burges; also Mr. M. Brown, as a volunteer, with one horse. The following
+gentlemen also sent horses: Messrs. J.S. Davis, 2; F. DuBoulay, 1; C. von
+Bibra, 1; H. Gray, 1; M. Morrissey, 1; and J. Drummond, 12 sheep. Mr. P.
+Walcott joined as a volunteer for the collection of specimens of natural
+history and botany. Ship's crew employed discharging the remainder of the
+cargo from England, consigned to Champion Bay.
+
+<p>1st May.
+
+<p>With the assistance of a number of gentlemen who kindly volunteered their
+aid, the ten additional horses were safely swum off to the Dolphin;
+Captain Dixon and his crew being employed landing a steam-engine. Wrote
+to His excellency the Governor, reporting intention to sail to-morrow.
+
+<p>CHAMPION BAY TO NICKOL BAY.
+
+<p>2nd May.
+
+<p>Wrote to the Secretary of the Royal Geographical Society, reporting
+progress of the expedition. Transferred order for twenty sheep,
+subscribed by J. Williams, to Mr. T. Burges. Took on board twelve sheep
+sent by Mr. Drummond, and closed accounts at the bay. Party fitting up
+mangers, etc. At 5.30 p.m. got underweigh and stood to the north-west,
+the soundings for five miles varying from three and three-quarters to
+seven fathoms; the sea breaking heavily for about a mile in a northerly
+direction from the end of the sheltering reef, showing a much greater
+extent of shoalwater than is noted on the charts. Established a routine
+of watches of two hours each, for the members of the expedition to attend
+upon the horses.
+
+<p>3rd May.
+
+<p>By observations at noon, found the latitude to be 26 degrees 53 minutes
+south; longitude 112 degrees 33 minutes east. Party preparing equipment,
+drying horse-slings, etc. Wind light from south-east.
+
+<p>4th May.
+
+<p>Putting pack-saddles together, covering water-belts, etc.; light wind
+from south, ship making from one to four knots; course north by east.
+Increased allowance of water to horses from four or five gallons each, on
+account of the heat of the hold. Killed a sheep.
+
+<p>Latitude at noon, 25 degrees 40 minutes south; longitude 112 degrees 1
+minute east.
+
+<p>5th May (Sunday).
+
+<p>Held Divine service; passed through several drifts of seaweed at noon, in
+latitude 25 degrees 43 minutes 34 seconds south, longitude 112 degrees 5
+minutes east, showing a southerly current of nearly two miles per hour;
+cloudy, with light winds from south-east and south.
+
+<p>6th May.
+
+<p>At noon sighted Cape Cuvier, bearing east twenty miles; latitude 23
+degrees 52 minutes; longitude 112 degrees 53 minutes east; current of
+nineteen miles south in twenty-four hours.
+
+<p>7th May.
+
+<p>North-west Cape was visible at noon, bearing east three-quarters north,
+distant twenty-five miles; our latitude being 22 degrees south; and
+longitude 113 degrees 18 minutes east. The Cape appears to have an
+elevation of 500 or 600 feet, and to be of a sandstone formation; the
+soil back of the hills appearing good, and clothed at this period of the
+year with an abundance of grass, wattles of large growth and flooded-gum
+trees growing on the slopes; the character of some of the lower hills and
+valleys is that of a mineral district.
+
+<p>8th May.
+
+<p>Passed through many patches of drifting seaweed coming from the eastward.
+Light south-east winds and cloudy weather.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 24 minutes south; longitude 114 degrees 37 minutes
+east, at noon.
+
+<p>9th May.
+
+<p>Richie's Reef cannot be in the position shown on the charts, as we sailed
+over it, and saw no broken water. At noon found our latitude to be 19
+degrees 58 minutes south; longitude 115 degrees 23 minutes east; light
+winds from the south-east, and a current of half a mile per hour setting
+to the west or north-west.
+
+<p>10th May.
+
+<p>At daylight sighted Legendre Island to the south-east, distant ten miles.
+Ran east-north-east till 10 a.m., with fresh breeze; tacked to south-west
+with wind at east; by noon it fell calm, having fetched to within ten
+miles of the north end of Delambre Island. At 5 p.m. a light wind from
+the north-west enabled us to run in and drop anchor at 6.0 in thirteen
+fathoms, the south end of Delambre bearing east about three miles; at
+11.0 a strong breeze sprung up from the south-east, freshening to a gale
+by 2 a.m. of the 11th. Tide setting to south-west at four miles per hour,
+with a rise of sixteen feet.
+
+<p>STRONG TIDES PREVENT LANDING.
+
+<p>11th May.
+
+<p>The gale continued to 11 a.m., when it moderated; the tide being full at
+about noon. Got underweigh at 1 p.m., and stood to the south-west, under
+topsails, stemming a strong ebb tide to 3.30, when we came to anchor in
+five fathoms (sand and shells), about three miles from the western shore
+of the bay, Sloping Head bearing north by east five miles. The water of
+the bay is much discoloured, being of a deep reddish-brown. In passing
+down the shore we observed that the whole of what is shown on the chart
+as a promontory, extending to the north of Sloping Head, is an island,
+with a channel nearly half a mile wide, separating it from the main; to
+the outer portion was given the name of Dolphin Island. At 4 p.m. left
+the ship in the life boat, accompanied by Captain Dixon, Mr. Hall, and
+four men, and took soundings for six miles to the south-west down the
+centre of the bay, finding five and six fathoms all the way; the water
+then shoaled to three fathoms, when, being within a mile of the head of
+the bay, it became dark. Pulling about two miles to the south-east, it
+gradually shoaled to one foot, when we grounded, and remained there till
+11 p.m., when the tide being at full we pulled for the ship, but not
+seeing her lights by 1 a.m. on the 12th, and the men being much fatigued,
+we lay on our oars for an hour, and then took a stretch for two miles to
+the south-south-east, to get under the shelter of the south-east shore of
+the bay, when, having no anchor, we lay-to till daylight, by which time
+the boat had drifted into heavy rollers under the high rocky land at the
+south-west head of the bay; the wind having risen so much that the boat
+was only kept afloat by keeping her head to the sea. As we could not
+observe any spot at which we could land without the risk of swamping the
+boat and wetting our firearms, we continued pulling towards the ship, the
+ebb tide assisting us until 2 p.m., when just as all hands were becoming
+thoroughly tired out, a boat was sent from the Dolphin to our relief,
+with a timely supply of biscuit and brandy, which, with the assistance of
+a tow-line, enabled us to reach the ship by 3 p.m., very thankful that we
+had escaped what at one time appeared likely to have proved a serious
+disaster.
+
+<p>LANDING EFFECTED.
+
+<p>13th May.
+
+<p>In the morning it blew so fresh from the eastward that Captain Dixon did
+not like to move the vessel until 2 p.m., when we stood to the south for
+about four miles, and came to anchor in four fathoms. Taking the
+life-boat and cutter, both well-manned, we pulled south to the shore
+about three miles, the water gradually shoaling until at half a mile from
+the shore the boats grounded on a sandbank, from which we walked, through
+mud, shells, and coral, to a belt of mangroves about fifty yards through,
+behind which rose a sandbank about thirty feet high, covered with flowers
+and coarse grass; from this to the foot of a range of rugged metamorphic
+sandstone, a distance of half a mile, was an open, undulating, loamy
+plain, covered with grass just arriving at maturity, a few small wattles,
+hakea, and white-gum trees. As the sun had now set, we had only just time
+to ascend a few hundred feet up the rocky ridge, from which elevation
+could be discerned a sheet of water about a mile to the eastward, which
+we attempted to reach, but it became so dark that it was found better to
+return to the boats, which were now high and dry. By 8 p.m. the tide had
+risen sufficiently to admit of Captain Dixon's return to the Dolphin,
+while I remained with a portion of my own party to make further
+examination in the morning; the leaky state of the cutter keeping one of
+us bailing through the night.
+
+<p>14th May.
+
+<p>With Messrs. Turner, Brown, Harding, and Brockman, landed at 7 a.m., and
+walked to the sheet of water observed last night, but found it only a
+tidal inlet, terminating in a salt marsh. Continuing on our course for
+five miles to the south-east, across a grassy plain, the soil being a
+light brown loam, with occasional patches of quartz and gneiss pebbles,
+and beds of limestone in irregular nodules, in an hour and a half arrived
+at a deep stony watercourse, containing some small pools of brackish
+water. This stream was followed up to the southward about a mile, but
+found to be dry, and did not appear to come from a greater distance than
+twenty miles. This river was named the Nickol. The country to the south
+not being very promising, we turned to the westward, recrossing the plain
+more to the south, passing several hollows, in which the rainwater had
+very recently rested, leaving a rich alluvial deposit from which had
+sprung up a splendid sward of grass, which was still quite green. Not
+meeting with water in this direction, and the party not being yet in full
+training, we were glad to return to the boat, which was reached by 2
+p.m.; the tide being now in, enabled her to come in close to the beach,
+the rise being found to be about sixteen feet. By 5.0 we had returned to
+the ship, all tolerably well fatigued with our first day's march on
+shore.
+
+<p>INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES.
+
+<p>15th May.
+
+<p>Not being satisfied to land the horses on a shore devoid of water, I
+determined to attempt a landing in a small sandy cove in the high rocky
+shore on the west of the bay, which we had been afraid to enter during
+the gale on the 12th. Leaving the ship with two boats and provisions for
+the day, we pulled for the little cove about four miles distant, bearing
+west by north. For the first three miles the soundings did not show less
+than three fathoms, with an even sandy bottom, the last mile shoaling
+gradually to the beach; the landing being easily effected, as there now
+was but little surf. The shore was found to be generally very sandy, a
+low flat valley extending from the head of the cove across the isthmus
+about two miles to Mermaid Strait, where it terminated in a muddy
+mangrove creek. In about half an hour several wells were found, some
+containing rather brackish water, but one, about eight feet deep, in a
+hollow under a steep range of bare volcanic and granite hills, not more
+than 200 yards from the beach, was found to contain an abundant supply of
+good water; grass being plentiful and of fine quality in the valleys
+under the hills. Our principal requirements being now satisfied, it only
+remained to bring the ship in near enough to land the horses. On our
+return to the Dolphin we found that she had been visited by two natives,
+who had paddled off on logs of wood, shaped like canoes, not hollow, but
+very bouyant, about seven feet long and one foot thick, which they
+propelled with their hands only, their legs resting on a little rail made
+of small sticks driven in on each side. At first they were afraid to come
+on board, but on friendly signs being made, they ascended the ladder that
+had been put down for them. They were both fine-looking men, of about
+forty years of age, above the middle stature, one measuring six feet four
+inches, and the other five feet eight inches; their hair straight and
+black, teeth regular, and general features characteristic of the tribes
+on the west coast; their bodies were rather more spare, and had not on
+them a vestige of clothing. The Champion Bay dialect was quite
+incomprehensible to them; they, however, knew the use of both biscuit and
+tobacco, some of which was given them. After remaining several hours on
+board, they took their departure for the eastern shore of the bay,
+distant at least six miles, promising by signs to repeat their visit the
+next day. It is worthy of remark that neither of these natives were
+circumcised, or had lost the front teeth, as is common on this coast
+further to the eastward. Their fearlessness and confidence in the good
+faith of Europeans would lead to the impression that this was not their
+first acquaintance with vessels on the coast. It was not far from this
+place that Captain P.P. King had a visit from natives similarly equipped
+more than forty years ago. While on shore to-day several new and very
+beautiful plants and flowers were observed, amongst them one in
+particular, which, without exception, is the handsomest shrub I have ever
+seen in Australia; in form the plant resembles a large chandelier, with a
+series of branches springing from a centre stem in sets of five each; on
+these are short erect stems a few inches apart, carrying five beautiful
+deep crimson dragon flowers, nearly three inches in length, grouped like
+lustres, producing a very gorgeous effect; the leaves of the plant are
+elegantly formed, like those of the mountain ash, and are of a rich
+green. A purple flowering bean, the seeds of which are the size of the
+English horse-bean, is here found in abundance, and are eaten by the
+natives. Melons similar to those formerly seen by me on the Gascoyne,
+several varieties of brachychiton, a small variety of the adansonia,
+three or four different kinds of convolvulus (one of which runs along the
+sands near the beach with arms sometimes as much as forty yards in
+length), acacias, sterculia, and a variety of eucalyptus resembling a
+stunted red-gum, are also found growing among the hills in small
+quantities.
+
+<p>ACCIDENT FROM CARELESS USE OF FIREARMS.
+
+<p>16th May.
+
+<p>Early this morning the Dolphin was moved to within three miles of the
+cove visited yesterday, and anchored in two and a half fathoms at the
+lowest water, the landing place bearing west by north. By 11.0 a.m. the
+first pair of horses were hoisted out and placed in the water under the
+counter of the cutter, two other boats assisted in towing us to the
+shore, which occupied about an hour; the horses, on landing, being
+scarcely able to stand, from the length of time they were in the water.
+On reaching the beach, a serious accident occurred to Mr. Hearson, the
+second mate of the vessel, resulting from the negligence of James the
+farrier, who, notwithstanding my repeated cautions to all the members of
+the Expedition to keep snappers on the locks of the guns, had omitted to
+do so, in consequence of which, on its being handed out, the hammer
+caught on the gunwale of the boat and discharged a ball through both the
+hips of the mate, causing him to fall in the water, which circumstance
+fortunately tended materially to stop the haemorrhage; he was immediately
+carried to a sheltered spot, and a tent pitched over him. On examining
+the wound, I found the ball had entered the right posterior, passing
+close below the joint, and taking an oblique direction through the lower
+edge of the pelvis, made its exit in front of the left thigh, between the
+femoral artery and the principal tendon, without injuring either. This
+mishap and the freshening of the breeze prevented our landing any more
+horses to-day, the remainder of it being spent in making a camp and
+attending to the comfort of our wounded companion, who occasioned me some
+anxiety, as the treatment must entirely devolve upon myself, who
+possessed but a very limited amount of experience in matters of this
+nature.
+
+<p>17th May.
+
+<p>Four more horses were safely landed this morning, and we were returning
+to the vessel for another pair when a party of fourteen natives made
+their appearance at the camp. At first they came boldly up, but on a gun
+being discharged as a signal for my recall, they appeared much alarmed,
+although they would not go away. Our numbers being small, I determined
+not to allow them to enter the camp, on account of their propensity to
+thieving, and the few that could now be spared to guard the stores was
+insufficient to keep a constant watch on their stealthy movements; I
+therefore tried at first to make them understand that we had taken
+possession for the present, and did not want their company; they were,
+however, very indignant at our endeavours to drive them away, and very
+plainly ordered us off to the ship. It was very evident that our
+forbearance was mistaken for weakness, and that mischief was preparing. I
+accordingly took hold of one of the most refractory, and compelled him to
+march off at double-quick time, when they all retired to some rocky hills
+overlooking our camp, from which it was necessary to dislodge them.
+Taking Mr. Brown with me, we climbed the first hill, which made them
+retreat to the next. Resting ourselves for a few minutes, and taking a
+view of the surrounding country, we were just on the point of returning
+to the camp, when we observed three armed natives stealing down a ravine
+to the horses, evidently with hostile intentions, as they shipped their
+spears on getting close enough to throw; we did not, however, give them
+time to accomplish their object, as we ran down the hill in time to
+confront them, on which they took to the rocks. Seeing that it was now
+time to convince them we were not to be trifled with, and to put a stop
+at once to what I saw would otherwise terminate in bloodshed, we both
+took deliberate aim and fired a couple of bullets so close to the
+principal offender, that he could hardly escape feeling the effects of
+the fragments of lead, as they split upon the rocks within a few feet of
+his body. After dark, it set in to rain heavily for an hour, when lights
+were observed moving in the direction of our horses, but the sentries
+being on the alert, no further attempt was made to molest us.
+
+<p>18th May.
+
+<p>Two more horses were landed this morning; but rain setting in from the
+north-west with a strong easterly wind below, a stop was put to landing
+any more to-day.
+
+<p>19th May (Sunday).
+
+<p>It had rained both heavily and continuously during the night; but as our
+tents were good, we did not experience much inconvenience from it, and it
+gave a fair prospect of finding a good supply of water on our
+contemplated trip into the interior. Mr. Hearson's wound was progressing
+favourably, and I was in consequence enabled to go off to the ship and
+procure a few additional comforts. On our return two more horses were
+brought ashore, reducing the number on board to one-half.
+
+<p>20th May.
+
+<p>We succeeded in landing six more horses during the day; the great
+distance they had to be swam ashore made the process very slow and
+fatiguing, some of the horses being scarcely able to stand for some time
+after landing. This morning I made a rough survey of the cove and
+surrounding hills, and while so employed observed seventeen natives pass
+across the shoals at low water, carrying nets but no weapons; they did
+not appear to fear us, or inclined to come up to the camp; nor did we
+offer them any encouragement, as in the present exposed state of our camp
+they would have been very troublesome.
+
+<p>In the evening Mr. Brown and myself rode across the isthmus to Mermaid
+Strait, and found it to form a very fine and romantic-looking little
+harbour, surrounded by a bold rocky coast, giving it much more the
+appearance of an inland lake than an open strait. I have no doubt but
+that it would afford an excellent harbour; there is, however, reason to
+think it is equally difficult of access from the main with the cove upon
+which our camp is, as a wide expanse of marsh land appears to extend all
+round behind the hills that bound it to the southward.
+
+<p>21st May.
+
+<p>The last four horses were landed this morning, as also the instruments
+and remainder of the stores required for our first journey. The farrier,
+with two assistants, was kept busily employed all day shoeing horses.
+
+<p>PREPARATIONS FOR JOURNEY INLAND.
+
+<p>22nd May.
+
+<p>The forge was in full employ during the day, and great progress made with
+the shoeing and preparations for our departure. Accompanied by Mr. Brown,
+I rode out to-day to reconnoitre, and seek for a pass through the hills
+that encompassed our camp; the only practical outlet we found to be
+through some very rocky ravines to the south-west, where at about five
+miles we found--what I had for some time suspected to be the case--that
+the whole of the isthmus upon which we had landed was cut off from the
+mainland by an extensive salt-water marsh, commencing at the bottom of
+Nickol Bay and running parallel to the general line of coast, at least as
+far as Enderby Island. Skirting the northern edge of the marsh for
+several miles to the westward, we found it gradually getting wider and
+deeper; we accordingly returned to the narrowest part, and rode into it
+for about half a mile, the water being very shallow, and the bottom
+sufficiently firm to carry us, although with considerable labour to the
+horses. Finding it was getting late, we determined to try and return to
+the camp round by the head of Nickol Bay, and succeeded in climbing over
+the rocks and boulders that encumber this portion of the coast, until we
+were within a quarter of a mile of the camp, when the tide came in upon
+us so quickly that, after having been repeatedly thrown down by the surf,
+we were compelled to leave the horses jammed up in the rocks just above
+high-water mark, and proceeded on foot to the camp.
+
+<p>23rd May.
+
+<p>At 3.0 a.m., the tide having fallen sufficiently, Messrs. Brown and
+Harding were enabled to bring in the horses left imprisoned last night.
+During the day, all the arrangements for our departure were completed,
+and in the afternoon Mr. Hearson was removed to the Dolphin, having been
+kept on shore since the accident, to be constantly under my own
+attendance; he was now rapidly recovering, although much reduced. Wrote
+instructions for the guidance of Captain Dixon and Mr. Walcott during the
+absence of the expedition, the latter gentleman being left in charge of
+the stores, and to make such observations as the means at his disposal
+should admit of.
+
+<p>24th May.
+
+<p>Landed at daylight, intending to make a start, as it was the Queen's
+birthday; but owing to some of the horses having rambled, we did not
+succeed in getting them all in and saddled up before 2.0 p.m., when three
+or four of the horses that had not been accustomed to carrying packs
+commenced playing up and scattering their loads in all directions,
+straining and otherwise injuring several of the pack-saddles, which
+detained us until so late in the day that I deemed it best to return to
+camp, and as the forge had not been removed to the ship, to shorten some
+of the saddle-irons, to render them less liable to injury, which was
+otherwise a great improvement.
+
+<p>25th May.
+
+<p>The re-adjustments having been satisfactorily accomplished, we made a
+fair start this morning by 9.0 a.m., and arrived on the edge of the marsh
+by 11.30, where, having first taken a survey of the several channels from
+the summit of a high granite hill, we entered the waste of mud at a point
+where it did not appear to be more than two miles wide; an hour's
+struggle carried us fairly through on to terra firma, only one horse
+having to be assisted by the removal of his load. After resting an hour
+and a half for dinner, we resumed our route in a south direction, across
+an extensive low grassy plain of red clayey loam, passing over a few
+rocky ridges at sunset, and at 6 p.m. encamped on a dry creek twenty
+yards wide, water being found in some clay-pans in the adjoining plain.
+Camp 2.
+
+<p>MAITLAND RIVER.
+
+<p>26th May.
+
+<p>Being Sunday, the camp was only moved a mile further to a fine pool of
+water in a river eighty yards wide, with beautiful grassy banks, which I
+named the Maitland; it comes from the south-east, and may probably have a
+course of sixty miles, coming through a plain five or six miles wide, the
+greater part of which is occasionally inundated by floods from the
+interior. Cockatoos and other game were plentiful, sixteen of the former
+being killed by Mr. Brockman at one shot; they were white, with
+orange-tinted feathers in the crest, similar to those on the Murchison
+and Gascoyne Rivers. It may be as well here to observe that upon first
+starting a regular routine of duty had been established in the party, the
+care and loading of five horses being told off to each two of the party,
+as they could lift on opposite packs simultaneously, and their being all
+numbered, everyone could at once know the loads under his charge. The
+night was also divided into eight watches, commencing at 8 p.m. and
+ending at 6 a.m.; the duty of the first watch being to cook the bread for
+the following day, and the last to have breakfast ready in the morning by
+the time it was light enough to see. By this arrangement no time was
+lost, and everyone knew what was under his particular charge. Camp 3.
+
+<p>SUDDEN FLOOD.
+
+<p>27th May.
+
+<p>Having determined in the first instance to strike to the westward, with a
+view to cutting any large rivers coming from the interior that might
+serve to lead us through the rocky hills that hemmed us in in that
+quarter, we this morning took a south-south-west by south course to 11.40
+a.m. when we crossed a dry stream-bed sixty yards wide, coming out of the
+granite ranges to the southward, the country becoming more barren as we
+edged upon the spurs of the rocky hills. At 2.0 p.m. we halted on the
+banks of another stream-bed of the same size as the last, when it came on
+to rain; resuming our march at 4.10, steering west to 6.0, when we
+encamped on a dry gully, with a little feed near it. Having pitched the
+tents, it continued to rain until 11.0 p.m., when a sudden rush of water
+swept down the valley, filling the watercourse and carrying away our
+fire, and before we had time to remove the baggage to higher ground, we
+had a foot of water in the camp. Fortunately nothing was lost or injured,
+and it only served as a useful lesson for the future. Camp 4.
+
+<p>28th May.
+
+<p>The early part of the day was employed drying the stores, so that we did
+not make a start until late. Four and a half hours' travelling over stony
+country, principally covered with triodia, but containing several patches
+of good grass, brought us to another river fifty yards wide, in which
+were a few pools. This stream was followed up to 5 p.m., when we left it,
+and halted on an open plain close to some shallow clay-pans containing
+rainwater; our course for the day having been about south-west eleven
+miles. Camp 5.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 7 minutes.
+
+<p>29th May.
+
+<p>By an azimuth of the sun's centre taken this morning, the magnetic
+variation was observed to be about 20 minutes west. Steering north 230
+degrees east magnetic, soon brought us out of the hills into a plain
+extending as far as the eye could reach to the north-west, with a few
+patches of good grass upon it, but mostly covered with triodia, which was
+now just ripe, yielding fine heads of seed, which the horses are very
+fond of. At thirteen miles struck the channel of a considerable river
+coming from the south. As this offered us a fair prospect of working
+inland, and we had already attained nearly to longitude 116 degrees, or
+about the meridian of the mouth of the Alma, the stream was followed up
+for an hour, its average breadth being over 200 yards. At 4.40 encamped
+at a fine spring on the bank of a deep pool, under a cliff of metamorphic
+sandstone nearly 300 feet high; a cane, much resembling a Spanish red,
+growing in considerable quantities near the water. Camp 6.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 18 minutes; longitude 116 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+<p>SURPRISE A CAMP OF NATIVES.
+
+<p>30th May.
+
+<p>Soon after starting this morning, we came upon a camp of fifteen or
+twenty natives, on the bank of a deep reach of water, hemmed in by steep
+rocky hills, up which they hastily scrambled on our approach, and on
+reaching the summit, tried by various gestures to express their
+disapproval of our visit, but would not hold any parley with us. At five
+miles the river turned abruptly to the north-east, through a precipitous
+rocky defile, which induced us to make an attempt to cut across and
+strike the river some miles higher up; but after being for some time
+involved in impracticable ravines, we were again obliged to have recourse
+to the bed of the river, although encumbered with beds of large stones,
+over which the horses had great difficulty in travelling; so that by
+sunset we had not accomplished more than six miles in a direct east by
+south line from last night's camp. Camp 7.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 19 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+<p>31st May.
+
+<p>The general course of the river during the day was very little to the
+south of east, its banks still maintaining the same rocky and precipitous
+character, marks of inundation being frequently observed at the height of
+thirty feet above the present stream, which now was only running gently
+in a channel not more than thirty yards wide, but when in flood occupying
+the whole of the valley, which averages a quarter of a mile in width. The
+larger pools are lined with flags and reeds, and contain numbers of small
+fish resembling trout, similar to those found in the Lyons and Gascoyne
+Rivers. A very handsome tree, resembling an ash, grew on the margin,
+bearing a beautiful white flower, four to five inches across, having on
+the inside a delicate tinge of yellow, and yielding a sweet scent like
+violets. Several natives were met in the course of the day, but would not
+come near us; in one instance, however, we came upon one so suddenly that
+he had only time to jump into a pool to escape being surrounded by the
+party. After calling for some time most lustily for his friends, he
+gradually crept away amongst the canes and disappeared. Only one
+tributary of any size was observed to join the river in the course of the
+day's march, and that came in from the southward. At 5.20 p.m. halted on
+the banks of a deep pool, surrounded by fine cajeput-trees and
+flooded-gum, grass being plentiful for our horses. Camp 8.
+
+<p>ENCOUNTER DIFFICULT COUNTRY.
+
+<p>1st June.
+
+<p>There was a decided improvement in the appearance of the valley as we
+continued to ascend the river, the deep pools were more continuous, and
+grass more abundant; the high lands on either bank still, however,
+retained their rugged outlines, and were clothed with little else but
+triodia. Travelling along the bed of the river was nevertheless difficult
+and dangerous for the horses, on account of the immense quantity of
+rounded boulders of water-worn rocks that occupied a large portion of the
+channel, and frequently jammed the horses into narrow passes, where they
+could not be extricated without meeting with very severe falls, which
+very soon crippled more than one of them; their shoes also began to be
+wrenched off by being caught in the deep clefts of the rocks, very soon
+expending all the extra sets brought with us. Just before coming to our
+night's halt a large stream-bed, forty yards wide, was observed to come
+in from the southward. Camp 9.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 28 minutes 18 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 31
+minutes by account.
+
+<p>2nd June (Sunday).
+
+<p>Having abundance of feed and water, we gladly availed ourselves of it to
+make it a day of rest; it also afforded me an opportunity to ascertain
+the rate of the chronometer, which, as I had reason to expect, had gone
+very irregularly since landing.
+
+<p>3rd June.
+
+<p>Made an early start, and as the valley of the river was not quite so
+rugged as that we had passed over during the last two or three days, by
+noon we had accomplished about eight miles, the course of the river still
+being very little from the southward of east; we had not, therefore, made
+much progress towards the Lyons River (our more immediate destination),
+and to quit the valley was out of the question, as there is no feed or
+water out of it within a reasonable distance. Both the valley and
+surrounding country are destitute of trees, and bold hills of metamorphic
+sandstone frequently jut out into the valley, and terminate in
+perpendicular cliffs 200 or 300 feet high. Towards the evening the river
+had been coming from the northward of east. Camp 10.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 27 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+<p>4th June.
+
+<p>During the forenoon the river became much hemmed in by steep rocky hills,
+the bed being a succession of rapids, over a bare, rocky channel; but
+after the noon halt the stream came more from the south-east, with wide
+grassy flats on either side, in many parts very boggy, and producing
+Melaleuca leucodendron, with tall, straight stems, and a variety of
+eucalyptus, resembling Eucalyptus piperita. White sandstone and shales
+began to make their appearance on the banks, and the water in the river
+had a saline taste. Several of the horses began to show signs of being
+much distressed, by falling and sticking fast in the mud, from which they
+had not strength to extricate themselves, even after being relieved of
+their loads. Ducks were plentiful, and tolerably tame. Camp 11.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 33 minutes 55 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 2
+minutes by account.
+
+<p>SANDSTONE CLIFFS.
+
+<p>5th June.
+
+<p>Having marked a large double-stemmed gum-tree with NAE and the date, we
+made a start up the river, but at about a mile found the valley narrow in
+until the channel of the river, which was here full of water, was walled
+in on both banks by perpendicular cliffs, from which we were compelled to
+turn back nearly to our last night's camp. During the last two days we
+had caught an occasional glimpse of an elevated range of hills extending
+for many miles parallel to the river and about ten miles to the
+southward, which rendered it probable that some change would now be found
+in the character of the back country, enabling us to travel without being
+so frequently retarded by the rocks and bends of the river. A suitable
+spot was accordingly selected for ascending out of the valley, which was
+accomplished with some difficulty, when the country was observed to be
+intersected for many miles by deep ravines, terminating, however, to the
+south in a level plain, extending to the base of the range already
+referred to. After four hours' heavy toiling, we at length reached the
+summit of the plain, water having been found in one of the rocky gullies
+by the way. For the first half-mile, on entering the plain or tableland,
+the ground was stony and covered with stunted acacia, but it very quickly
+changed into a rich clayey loam, yielding a splendid crop of kangaroo and
+other grasses, melons, and small white convolvulus, yielding a round
+black seed the size of a pea, which we found scattered over nearly the
+whole surface of the plain for miles together. In the lower parts of the
+flat rainwater appeared to have remained in shallow clay-pans until very
+recently, killing much of the grass, which was replaced by atriplex
+bushes. As we approached the foot of the range the ground became stony
+and covered with triodia; good grass was still, however, to be found in
+the ravines leading out of the hills, and as our object was now to shape
+a course to the southward, we followed up one of the most promising
+valleys, in the hope that it might lead us through the range; we were,
+however, disappointed in finding that, after pushing some distance up
+very steep and rocky passes, they all terminated in cliffs of horizontal
+sandstone, running in parallel bands one above another to the height of
+500 or 600 feet, and frequently extending without a break for ten or
+fifteen miles along the face of the range. The horses being much fatigued
+by the climb from the valley of the river, we encamped at 3.10 p.m.,
+within the hills, and without water. Camp 12.
+
+<p>FINE GRASSY PLAIN. FORTESCUE RIVER.
+
+<p>6th June.
+
+<p>A light drizzling rain came on early in the morning, but not enough to
+supply the horses, who rambled so far during the night in search of it
+that it was noon before they were all collected. Quitting the range,
+which had been named after one of the most liberal promoters of the
+expedition, Hamersley Range, we took a north-east course, crossing over
+twelve or fourteen miles of beautiful open grassy plain, in many parts
+the kangaroo-grass reaching above the horses' backs; the soil being of
+the richest clay-loam, occasionally containing beds of singular fragments
+of opaline rocks, resembling ancient lava. By 5.30 p.m. we reached the
+river again, several miles above the deep glen that had checked our
+course on the 5th. The valley having again opened out, gave us easy
+access to its banks, which were here a rich black peat soil, containing
+numerous springs. Here was first observed a very handsome fan-palm,
+growing in topes, some of them attaining to the height of forty feet and
+twenty inches diameter, the leaves measuring eight to ten feet in length.
+The river had again opened into deep reaches of water, and contained
+abundance of fish resembling cobblers, weighing four and five pounds
+each. The whole character of the country was evidently changing for the
+better; and as I have no doubt that at no distant period it will become a
+rich and thriving settlement, I named the river the Fortescue, after the
+Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, under whose auspices the
+expedition took its origin, and the large expanse of fertile plain that
+lies between the river and the Hamersley Range, Chichester Downs.
+
+<p>7th June.
+
+<p>A quarter of a mile up the river brought us to a fine tributary from the
+south, running strong enough to supply a large mill. This had to be
+traced up for two miles before we could find a ford; it was found to take
+its rise in several deep pools, fed by springs issuing out of the plains
+crossed yesterday. Some powerful springs were also observed to flow into
+the river from the northward, through a dense forest of melaleuca, with a
+rank undergrowth of canes, flags, etc. At five miles the river again
+presented a wide reach of water several miles in length, after which it
+all at once broke up into numerous channels, wandering through a forest
+of white-gum, well grassed, the soil being highly fertile. Owing to my
+having been accidentally trodden upon by one of the horses, we were
+obliged to encamp early, having only made about twelve miles. Camp 14.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 40 minutes 42 seconds; longitude by account 117
+degrees 17 minutes east.
+
+<p>8th June.
+
+<p>Following up the channel upon which we had encamped, in about an hour it
+was lost in open grassy plains, which we continued to traverse until
+noon, when we struck on a well-defined stream-bed, which had branched off
+a mile or two south of last night's camp. Grass and water being abundant,
+we halted till 2, when we resumed an easterly route to 5.30, over rather
+stony plains, yielding triodia. Encamped after dark without water or
+feed, tying the horses up short to prevent their rambling, having
+accomplished about twenty miles in an east-south-east direction during
+the day. Camp 12.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 49 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+<p>9th June (Sunday).
+
+<p>Less than a mile this morning brought us to a grassy channel containing
+water, which was followed up for a short distance, when we halted for the
+remainder of the day to refresh our tired and famished horses. Camp 16.
+
+<p>A NATIVE CHILD.
+
+<p>10th June.
+
+<p>The channel of the river was still followed for several miles to the
+eastward, when it again disappeared in open plains extending to the base
+of the Hamersley Range, which still continued to run parallel to the
+river at about seven miles distance to the southward. Pools of water were
+occasionally found in channels scooped out of the alluvial soil of which
+the plains were composed--the waters of the Fortescue, during the period
+of the summer rains, spreading over the country for miles and leaving a
+rich deposit of alluvial mud, adding greatly to its fertility. In the
+course of the afternoon we came suddenly on a party of natives, digging
+roots. One woman, with a child of about five years of age, hid close to
+our line of march, and did not move until she was afraid of being run
+over by the pack-horses, when she ran away, leaving the child gazing upon
+the monster intruders with a look of passive wonder. It was a poor,
+ill-conditioned-looking object, suffering from a cutaneous disorder. On
+giving it a piece of damper, it quickly began to devour it, tearing it to
+fragments with its sharp and attenuated fingers, with all the keenness of
+a hawk. We left it standing with a lump of bread in each hand, where its
+mother would no doubt find it when she came to see what had been left of
+it by the large dogs, as the aborigines of this part of Australia call
+our horses. Travelling on till late, we encamped in an open grassy plain,
+without water. Camp 17.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 55 minutes 57 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 3
+minutes.
+
+<p>ROCKY RANGES.
+
+<p>11th June.
+
+<p>Four miles to the south-east we came upon a pool of brackish water,
+surrounded with bulrushes, in a channel coming from the south of the
+Hamersley Range, again apparently offering us a chance of getting to the
+southward. We accordingly struck for the gorge out of which this stream
+came, and succeeded in penetrating for three miles up a very rocky gully,
+filled with some of the harshest triodia we had yet encountered, and had
+to halt for the night in a narrow pass, where there was scarcely room to
+tie up our horses. Camp 18.
+
+<p>Latitude 22 degrees 12 minutes 52 seconds.
+
+<p>ASCEND THE RANGES.
+
+<p>12th June.
+
+<p>One of the horses having slipped his halter during the night, Messrs.
+Brown and Brockman returned down the gully to track it up, while we made
+an attempt to follow up the deep defile in which we were hemmed, but a
+quarter of a mile brought us to an impassable barrier of cliffs.
+Retracing our steps about a mile, we again made an attempt more to the
+eastward, and this time succeeded in reaching a considerable stream-bed,
+which ultimately proved to be the main channel of the Fortescue, and led
+us through the range. Resting till noon, Messrs. Brown and Brockman
+overtook us with the missing horse, when we resumed our route up the bed
+of the river to the southward, until again brought to a dead stand by the
+whole bed of the stream being occupied by deep pools of water, fed by
+numerous strong springs. As it was getting late in the day, I left the
+party to form a camp, while I climbed the hills to get a view of the
+country in advance. A laborious ascent of nearly an hour brought me to
+one of the highest summits of the range, at an elevation of about 2700
+feet above the sea, and 700 above the bed of the river. From this hill I
+had a fine view to the southward, and observed that by following up a
+small dry ravine to the south-east there would be a fair prospect of
+reaching a large extent of open level plain that came within two or three
+miles of the camp in that direction. To the east and south-east the range
+was lofty and mountainous, while to the south and south-west stretched
+open grassy plains, occasionally interrupted by bold detached hills,
+apparently of the same formation as the Hamersley Range. On descending to
+the camp, I started a fragment of rock of a few tons weight, which rushed
+with fearful velocity towards the deep gorge in which the horses were
+feeding. After carrying all before it for a quarter of a mile, it made a
+clear spring over a cliff 200 feet in depth, and plunged into the waters
+below with a sound like thunder, inducing a belief at the camp that a
+large portion of cliff had fallen. Fortunately it did not produce an
+estampede, which I had known to have been caused on another occasion by a
+similar occurrence. Camp 19.
+
+<p>Latitude 22 degrees 15 minutes; longitude 118 degrees 4 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+<p>13th June.
+
+<p>Availing ourselves of the observations made yesterday, we succeeded,
+after a hard scramble of two hours, in getting through the remaining
+portion of the range, our horses having learned to climb like goats, or
+they never would have accomplished the passage. The plain appears to have
+a considerable elevation above those to the northward, and is drained by
+several deep breaks through the Hamersley Range. Resuming a
+south-south-west course to latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes 32 seconds, we
+passed at first over some very stony land, yielding little else besides
+triodia and stunted acacia; but for the last six or seven miles was a
+rich alluvial clay, covered with very fair pasture, and water was found
+in abundance in pools in the bed of a watercourse coming from the
+south-east. Camp 20.
+
+<p>Latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes 58 seconds.
+
+<p>14th June.
+
+<p>On our first landing at Nickol Bay the nights had been very mild, but we
+now began to feel them cold and bracing. This was partly owing to the
+increased elevation of the country we were now travelling over; the
+south-east wind coming off the mountainous country was very keen, and
+almost frosty early in the morning. Our course this day was at first over
+tolerably good country, which gradually became more and more rocky, the
+ridges increasing in elevation until the aneroid barometer fell to 27.33,
+giving an altitude of 2400 feet above the sea. Night overtook us in a
+deep rocky ravine, where we had much difficulty in keeping the
+pack-horses together, and were at last compelled to unload them amongst
+rocks in the bed of a dry watercourse trending to the westward; a little
+grass being procurable in the vicinity. Fortunately water had been met
+with at noon, so that we were not pressed for want of it. Camp 21.
+
+<p>Latitude 22 degrees 41 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+<p>15th June.
+
+<p>Following the gully upon which we had encamped, it led us to the
+westward, over a rocky line of country, until 1 p.m., when not meeting
+with any water, and the horses showing great weakness and symptoms of
+distress from the loss of their shoes, it was found desirable to quit the
+main gully and try and find feed and water up a promising tributary
+coming from the north with the view of ultimately falling back on the
+plains under the Hamersley Range, should we fail to meet with water
+sooner; fortunately, however, in an hour we came upon a small supply
+amongst rocks, surrounded by some tolerable feed. Had we failed to find
+this timely relief, it is probable that not more than half the horses
+would have been able to carry their loads to the nearest known waterhole.
+Camp 22.
+
+<p>16th June (Sunday).
+
+<p>This day of rest was alike acceptable to man and horse, and afforded me
+an opportunity, after reading prayers to the party, to clear a set of
+lunar distances, by which I found that the chronometer would have placed
+us forty miles to the west of our true position. I had long since
+observed that it could not be trusted under even ordinary variations of
+temperature, but could procure no other, the Acting Surveyor-General
+having declined to supply me with either of the two chronometers
+belonging to his department that could be relied on, and in consequence I
+now found I should be compelled to have recourse entirely to lunar
+observations and triangulation for the compilation of the maps, which
+would add very much to the amount of labour and liability to error.
+Several crested pigeons, white cockatoos, and crested quail or
+partridges, were shot as they came to drink at the waterhole.
+
+<p>METAMORPHIC ROCKS.
+
+<p>17th June.
+
+<p>The horses had so far recovered after the day's rest that we were enabled
+to resume a south-west course, following down the bed of the stream to
+latitude 22 degrees 51 minutes, the country slightly improving towards
+evening; but we again had to encamp without water, having, however,
+obtained a small quantity in some gravel at noon. The hills to the east
+of our track rose about 1000 feet above the bed of the watercourse, and
+consisted of metamorphic sandstones and shales, intersected by whinstone
+dykes, their summits being capped with red conglomerate. In one place the
+river had cut through a ridge of altered rocks, and exhibited a very
+singular contortion of the strata, the laminae being crippled up into an
+arch of 100 feet high, showing a dip on each flank of 45 degrees, forming
+a cave beneath running for some distance into the hill. Camp 23.
+
+<p>18th June.
+
+<p>Continuing to follow the stream-bed south-west for eight or nine miles,
+we came upon a patch of very green grass, on which we halted, to allow
+the horses the benefit, on account of their not having had any water
+since noon yesterday. In the meanwhile, accompanied by Mr. Brown, I
+started off and walked to a prominent hill six miles to the south, to get
+a view of the surrounding country. From the summit of this hill, which we
+found to have an elevation of 700 or 800 feet, we procured a valuable
+round of bearings, and had a distant view of the country to the
+southward. Level plains and detached ranges of moderate elevation
+appeared to be the general character of the country towards the Lyons
+River. We returned to the party by 3.0 p.m., and were glad to find that
+during our absence water had been found in shallow clay-pans a mile to
+the westward, to which we moved over and encamped. Camp 24.
+
+<p>Latitude 22 degrees 56 minutes 23 seconds; longitude by account 117
+degrees 21 minutes.
+
+<p>19th June.
+
+<p>We were unable to proceed this day, owing to my having eaten some of the
+dwarf mesembryanthemum, which I had formerly observed to be used as food
+by the natives on the Gascoyne, but which had produced with me violent
+headache and vomiting. The horses were, however, enjoying excellent feed;
+and I contrived to work up my map and clear a lunar.
+
+<p>20th June.
+
+<p>Started at 7.25 a.m. with nineteen horses, having been obliged to leave
+behind a horse belonging to Mr. Lennard, so lame that he could not move.
+Following the stream-bed nearly west for ten miles, came upon a pool of
+permanent water containing flags--the first we had met with since
+quitting the Hamersley Range. This was of great value, as there was no
+water that could be depended upon on our return, in the last sixty miles.
+Pushing on quickly for twelve miles further, the river entered a wide
+plain, in which was some tolerable feed; we had again, however, to halt
+for the night without water.
+
+<p>DEPOT CAMP ON THE HARDEY RIVER.
+
+<p>21st June.
+
+<p>Although the size of the channel of the river we had been following down
+for the last sixty miles had considerably increased both in width and
+depth, yet very little water had been found in it, and as it took a
+decided turn in its course this morning to north-west, after two hours'
+ride, without observing any change, and there being every appearance of
+its keeping the same course for the next twenty miles, I was convinced
+that it could not be a tributary to either the Edmund or Lyons, which I
+had at first hoped it might prove. The barometer also ranged too high for
+it to be at a sufficient elevation to admit of it flowing into either of
+those rivers, as the elevation of the Lyons at the confluence of the Alma
+is at least of the same altitude above the sea. Having named the river
+the Hardey, we fell back upon the pools passed yesterday, where I had
+decided upon forming a depot camp at which to rest the weakest horses,
+while with a lightly equipped party I proposed to complete the expedition
+of the country intervening between this and the Lyons River. Camp 26.
+
+<p>Latitude 22 degrees 58 minutes 28 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 10
+minutes.
+
+<p>22nd June.
+
+<p>In accordance with the plan decided upon yesterday, I started this day
+accompanied by Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Brockman, with three
+pack-horses, conveying eight days' provisions and fourteen gallons of
+water. Twelve miles on the south-south-west course, over a very stony
+country, brought us to a deep stream-bed trending in the same direction,
+which we pursued for thirteen miles, the country gradually improving
+until the channel was lost in an open plain of rich soil, covered with
+fine green grass. Several pools of rainwater of a deep red colour, but
+fresh and sweet, gave us a good camp for the night; a set of Stellar
+observations giving the latitude 23 degrees 19 minutes 16 seconds. To the
+south, at about six miles distance, lay a bold range of hills, running
+nearly east and west with many sharp summits, having an average elevation
+of from 600 to 1000 feet above the plain, and extending for twelve or
+fifteen miles to the eastward, while to the west it was lost in numerous
+broken hills of lesser elevation. Camp 27.
+
+<p>ASHBURTON RIVER. CAPRICORN RANGE.
+
+<p>23rd June.
+
+<p>As to pass the eastern end of the range appeared likely to take us too
+much off our course, we struck for what appeared to be a break in the
+hills about seven miles to the south-west. The first five miles was
+across an open grassy plain, at times subject to inundation, which
+brought us to the bank of a fine river, containing permanent reaches of
+fresh water, lined with canes, the channel generally being from 100 to
+200 yards wide, with a depth of forty feet; it was now barely running,
+but it was quite evident that it was too large for either the Alma or
+Edmund, and its bed must be at least 200 feet below the level of those
+rivers. We, however, determined to follow it so long as it ran to the
+south of west, which it did until it came in contact with the range
+observed yesterday, when it altered its course to west-north-west, and
+appeared to continue that direction for many miles, probably until joined
+by the Hardey, when, in all likelihood, it continues its course direct to
+Exmouth Gulf. Anxious, as I naturally was, to continue the examination of
+this promising river, time and the condition of our horses' feet did not
+permit us to do so with advantage. Naming it the Ashburton, after the
+noble President of the Royal Geographical Society, we quitted its verdant
+banks, and took a south course up a stony ravine, which led us into the
+heart of the range, where we soon became involved amongst steep rocky
+ridges of sharp slaty schist, which very quickly deprived the horses of
+many of their remaining shoes, and retarded our progress so much that by
+nightfall we found ourselves to be in only latitude 23 degrees 28 minutes
+15 seconds, hemmed in on all sides by rugged country yielding little else
+but small acacia-trees and triodia. A little water and grass was,
+however, obtained in the bed of a stream tributary to the Ashburton. The
+summits of the hills passed over during the day had been seen from the
+Lyons River in 1858, and were now named the Capricorn Range. Camp 28.
+
+<p>24th June.
+
+<p>A rather rough ride of four hours to the south-east brought us to a
+watercourse sixty yards wide, trending to the north-north-east, in which
+we found pools of water lined with reeds and flags. This was traced up to
+the southward till 3.0 p.m., when we entered a deep gorge in a sandstone
+range, the bed of the stream becoming very stony and full of
+melaleuca-trees; it, however, contained many fine pools and strong
+running springs, with a small supply of grass. There was now a fair
+prospect of our reaching the Lyons, as the range we were now entering
+must contain the sources of the Edmund, which river has a much more
+restricted course than was originally supposed. Camp 29.
+
+<p>Latitude 23 degrees 42 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+<p>25th June.
+
+<p>The country continued hilly for about ten miles, when we arrived at the
+summit of a granite and sandstone tableland, at the extreme sources of
+the watercourse we had been following up. From this point we had at last
+the satisfaction of observing the bold outlines of Mount Augustus,
+bearing south-south-east about thirty miles, while more to the westward
+could be discerned the summits of Mounts Phillips and Samuel, and yet
+more to the right the southern face of the Barlee Range. Descending to
+the south across an open plain, we struck for a remarkable gorge in a
+granite range (the only one now between us and the Lyons), at which we
+arrived by sundown. On examining this singular gorge, it was found to be
+an almost perpendicular cut through a narrow ridge nearly 300 feet in
+depth, the length of the pass not exceeding 200 yards, the plain on each
+side being nearly on the same level. From the summit of this pass the
+course of the stream could be traced across the fertile flats of the
+Lyons until it was lost in the numerous channels of that river, and I was
+able to obtain bearings to many well-remembered objects noticed on my
+former visit to this part of the country. Camp 30.
+
+<p>Latitude 23 degrees 56 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>RETURN TO DEPOT.
+
+<p>26th June.
+
+<p>As we had only four days' rations left, and no further object could be
+attained by advancing further south, unless there had been time to
+examine the present condition of the pasture in the vicinity of Mount
+Augustus, we marked several trees on the north side of the gorge close to
+a pool, and retraced our steps to within a mile of our camp of the 24th,
+having improved upon our outward track by keeping rather more to the
+eastward. Camp 31.
+
+<p>27th June.
+
+<p>Instead of returning by the rough route by which we came through the
+Capricorn Range, we followed the stream to the north-north-east, through
+a good country all the way to the Ashburton, which river it joined in
+latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes, passing through the end of the range one
+mile south of the junction. In this pass we encamped on a fine deep pool,
+in which we caught a small quantity of fish, showing the water to be
+permanent. Camp 32.
+
+<p>28th June.
+
+<p>Making an early start, we soon crossed the Ashburton, and rode twelve
+miles across open plains, thinly timbered and yielding a large quantity
+of good pasture, principally of kangaroo-grass, which here grew to the
+height of six feet. Resting for several hours at the waterholes of the
+22nd, at 4.30 p.m. we resumed our route, having filled our water-kegs,
+and pushed on to within sixteen or seventeen miles of the depot,
+encamping amongst some good grass on our outward route, but without any
+water except what we carried with us. Camp 33.
+
+<p>29th June.
+
+<p>Giving our horses rather more than a gallon of water each, we made an
+early start just as it came on to rain, which was the first shower we had
+experienced since the 27th May; it continued until noon, but not heavy
+enough to leave any surface-water on the parched and thirsty loam.
+Keeping more to the westward than our outward track, we escaped much of
+the stony ground then passed over, and arrived at the depot camp by 2
+p.m.
+
+<p>30th June (Sunday).
+
+<p>Remained in camp and read prayers to the party.
+
+<p>1st July.
+
+<p>The horses left at the depot were much improved by their nine days' rest,
+and had we been provided with more shoes for them, I should have at once
+returned to the Ashburton, and traced that river up to the eastward, as
+it offered a fine opportunity of penetrating to the south-east probably
+at least another 100 miles; and our provisions on a reduced allowance
+would admit of our remaining out forty days longer; but the lameness of
+many of the horses and lacerated condition of their fetlocks convinced me
+that, should we meet with any more difficulties or rough country before
+obtaining a fresh supply of shoes, much valuable time would be lost, and
+we should probably fail to get many of the horses back. I therefore
+deemed it more prudent to return at once by a shorter route more to the
+eastward so soon as we had repassed the Hamersley Range, and, obtaining a
+refit at the bay, to throw all our remaining time into the second trip.
+We accordingly to-day returned to camp 24, where we found the horses left
+there on the 20th June sufficiently recovered to accompany the party,
+although incapable of carrying a load. The remainder of the day was
+devoted to obtaining bearings and adding to the triangulation of the many
+remarkable summits visible from this part of the country.
+
+<p>2nd July.
+
+<p>The country generally being very rough, except on the banks of the
+Hardey, on our outward track, we found it desirable to return along it,
+more particularly as there was a better prospect of procuring water by so
+doing. At about twenty miles we found a little water under a cliff in the
+bed of the stream, and halted for the night. Camp 34.
+
+<p>Latitude 22 degrees 32 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+<p>MOUNT BRUCE.
+
+<p>3rd July.
+
+<p>Still returning on our old track, at five miles I stopped to ascend a
+very remarkable hill which had formed an important point in the
+triangulation of this part of the country, to which had been given the
+name of Mount Samson. Sending the party onward to wait for me at camp 22,
+I commenced the ascent of the mount, which proved something more than I
+had calculated upon, as it occupied more than an hour's sharp toil to
+arrive at its summit; when gained, however, it amply repaid the trouble,
+as from it I could discern almost every prominent hill or peak within
+sixty or seventy miles, and amongst them the mountain which on a former
+occasion I had procured a bearing to from Mount Augustus, at a distance
+of 124 geographical miles, and which I now named Mount Bruce, after the
+gallant commander of the troops, who has always warmly supported me in
+carrying out explorations. This part of the country I believe to be the
+most elevated in north-west Australia--Mount Samson having an altitude of
+not less than 1000 feet above the valley of the Hardey, while Mount Bruce
+and the mountainous country to the eastward rose to a considerable height
+above its summit, which, by comparisons from the aneroid barometer, would
+give not less than 4000 feet for the elevation of those ranges. Having
+completed my observations, I descended the hill with somewhat greater
+speed than it took to climb it, and was met at the foot by Messrs. Brown
+and Harding, who had waited for me with a horse. In less than an hour we
+overtook the rest of the party at Camp 22, when the additional horses at
+once drank up all the remaining water left in the rocks; resting,
+therefore, less than an hour, we moved on, taking a north course, over a
+very rocky but highly fertile country of trap formation, the grass just
+now being much dried up. At sundown we halted in an open grassy flat, on
+which no water could be found, although it is probable there is plenty in
+the vicinity, as emus and cockatoos were numerous; one of the former
+walked boldly up to the horses, and was fired at, but without effect.
+Camp 35.
+
+<p>OPEN GRASSY PLAINS. PASS HAMERSLEY RANGE.
+
+<p>4th July.
+
+<p>Travelling at a rapid pace on an average north-east course for upwards of
+twenty miles, over plains mostly of rich loam, well grassed, and
+extending to the southern foot of the Hamersley Range, we came upon a low
+range of sandstone hills, covered with acacia bushes and triodia,
+extending for three or four miles, when we again emerged on open plains,
+in which was found a deep channel, thirty yards wide, containing pools of
+rainwater retained in the clay. The amount of fine pasture country passed
+over during the day could not be less than 200,000 acres; and although we
+had not time to go in search for it, I have no doubt that abundance of
+water will be found in the deep gorges of the range skirting the plain.
+This tract of country is, I imagine, well suited for the growth of either
+cotton or sugar, as it is apparently well-irrigated during the summer
+months, and the soil is remarkably rich and strong, while its limits to
+the westward are at present unknown, and most probably continues to skirt
+the hills for at least thirty or forty miles. Halted at the waterholes
+about four miles to the west of the pass through the Hamersley Range.
+Camp 36.
+
+<p>5th July.
+
+<p>Two hours brought us to the head of the pass, which we entered by a
+ravine a little more to the northward than on our outward route, and by
+so doing saved a preliminary ascent of nearly 200 feet, and a similar
+amount of descent, making a very successful passage through the range
+without experiencing the same difficulties we had formerly met with, and
+by 3 p.m. found ourselves once more in the open grassy country that forms
+the Chichester Downs. At 6 p.m. encamped in an open flat without water.
+Camp 37.
+
+<p>PROCEED TOWARDS THE COAST.
+
+<p>6th July.
+
+<p>Started at 7.30 a.m., and in an hour came upon a pool of water in one of
+the numerous channels into which the Fortescue is here divided, and at
+seven miles struck the bulrush spring passed on the 11th June. From this
+the river was followed down for thirteen miles, through grassy clay
+plains, thinly timbered with white-gum. Encamped on a pool, in latitude
+21 degrees 53 minutes 4 seconds, about five miles north of a very
+remarkable bold projection of the Hamersley Range. Camp 38.
+
+<p>7th July (Sunday) was kept as a day of rest.
+
+<p>8th July.
+
+<p>The horses strayed so far back on our tracks during Sunday night that by
+the time they were brought in it was too late to make a start with
+advantage, as we were now about to enter a new tract of country, by
+striking for the coast somewhere between Breaker Inlet and Depuch Island.
+As a knowledge of this part of the country would greatly assist us in
+starting on the second division of our exploration, I availed myself of
+the delay here to fix by triangulation many of the summits and prominent
+spurs of the Hamersley Range, and take observations for the variation of
+the needle, which I found to be about 1 degree east by the prismatic
+compass I had in use.
+
+<p>9th July.
+
+<p>Our horses again gave us some trouble to find them, so that we did not
+start until 10.30 a.m. Two hours' sharp travelling across the plain
+brought us to the foot of low hills of trap and sandstone, covered with
+triodia; good feed being, however, plentiful in the valleys, although now
+rather dry. Tracing up a small tributary to the Fortescue, at sunset we
+halted on a small rocky pool near its source, in latitude 21 degrees 41
+minutes 40 seconds. Several pools, supplied by springs coming from under
+the superstratum of sandstone, were passed during the day. Camp 39.
+
+<p>Longitude 117 degrees 47 minutes.
+
+<p>10th July.
+
+<p>For seven miles the country continued gently to ascend, the sandstone
+giving place to trap boulders, yielding a very rich soil, clothed with
+short green grass and melons, the soil being too stony for agricultural
+purposes, although I have seen country of a similar appearance in the
+island of Mauritius producing fine crops of sugar. Some of the melons
+weighed as much as five or six ounces, and were passably good eating,
+although rather bitter. At noon the country dropped suddenly to the
+northward, and we descended a deep rocky ravine, in which we soon found
+water and grass. Travelling now became difficult and sometimes dangerous
+to the horses; rugged and semi-columnar metamorphic sandstone cliffs
+hemmed in the ravines on either side, while large rounded boulders of
+trap-rock filled the bed of the stream, which in several places was
+running. We had a rather indifferent camp in latitude 21 degrees 29
+minutes 10 seconds, the camp at Nickol Bay bearing west-north-west,
+distant seventy-five miles by account. Camp 40.
+
+<p>SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+<p>11th July.
+
+<p>The stream we were upon continued to take a northerly course for eight or
+ten miles down a valley from 200 to 300 feet in depth, where it is
+diverted to the eastward for about the same distance by a cross range of
+black volcanic hills of loose ragged rocks, totally devoid of vegetation.
+The channel receiving several tributaries, here becomes a succession of
+fine open pools of water from eighty to 150 yards in width. We halted for
+the night on a wide bed of bare sand and rocks, the only feed being in
+the channel of the river, to which was now given the name of Sherlock.
+Camp 41.
+
+<p>12th July.
+
+<p>This morning the river resumed a north-north-west course, and very soon
+led us into an open plain, rather sandy in character, the channel
+dividing into several branches separating miles apart, the stream of
+water issuing from the hills soon being absorbed in the sandy bed; but a
+well-defined line of verdant trees served well to mark the course of the
+channels through the plain for many miles. Selecting the one that
+appeared the most promising, it was traced down to latitude 21 degrees 6
+minutes 43 seconds, where we encamped on a shallow pool of brackish
+water--the only one seen during the day. Several natives were found here,
+employed capturing partridges by means of nets constructed out of the
+leaf of the triodia neatly twisted and netted in the same way as done by
+ourselves, the mesh varying from one to five inches, according to the
+purpose to which it is applied. It was very singular to observe the mode
+in which they induced the birds to enter the nets, or rather cages,
+prepared for them. In the first instance they place ragged bushes all
+round the small pools, with the exception of a few spaces five or six
+feet wide, from which openings they stick in a double row of twigs,
+arching so as to meet overhead in the centre one or two feet from the
+ground; these little avenues lead away for several yards, and then
+terminate with a net thrown over a few light sticks at the end. The birds
+first alight on the margin of the pool, but after drinking, do not take
+flight at once, but run up the only opening, which leads them first under
+the arch of twigs and finally into the net, which is then drawn to by the
+hunter lying in wait under a few bushes. In this way they must capture a
+large amount of game, judging by the quantity of feathers around some of
+the waterholes. Camp 42.
+
+<p>13th July.
+
+<p>Two miles north the river turned west, and kept that course for seven or
+eight miles, through a poor sandy and stony tract of country, and was
+then joined by a fine channel coming from the south. Near the junction
+are two reaches of water, half a mile long each and a rifle-shot across,
+containing a quantity of ducks and other water-fowl, amongst which our
+sportsmen were very successful, along with other game bagging the only
+two swans we had seen since landing; a number of fine fish, like
+cobblers, were also caught, weighing from 1 to 5 pounds a-piece. As it
+was Saturday, and our horses were showing unmistakable signs of knocking
+up, we halted for the rest of the day. Camp 43.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 6 minutes 5 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 32 minutes
+30 seconds.
+
+<p>VOLCANIC HILLS.
+
+<p>14th July (Sunday).
+
+<p>After reading prayers, Messrs. Brown, Harding, and myself walked to the
+summit of the range of black volcanic hills that skirted the western bank
+of the river at about a mile distant. These hills consist of ragged
+scoria, elevated 300 to 400 feet above the plain, and are nearly
+destitute of vegetation. At their summits are deep fissures, the heat of
+the eruptive rocks from beneath having been sufficient to convert the
+trap and sandstone rocks into a deep bluish-grey scoria, having a
+specific gravity of nearly four; but we did not observe any instance of
+the actual overflow of lava, and consequently there was a want of the
+fertilising properties in the soil resulting from it that usually
+accompanies volcanic formations. A native dog had left a litter of pups
+under a heap of stones not eighteen inches beneath our feet, but such was
+the sharpness and ponderability of the fragments of rock that it fairly
+baffled our attempts to unhouse them. A valuable round of bearings was
+procured from this spot, Depuch Island being seen bearing north 14
+degrees east, distant about twenty-eight miles.
+
+<p>EXTENSIVE GRASSY PLAINS.
+
+<p>15th July.
+
+<p>We resumed our course down the Sherlock, the stony nature of the country
+telling severely upon our horses' feet, who in other respects were in
+very tolerable condition. We had not proceeded more than three or four
+miles when Mr. Brockman's horse, Rocket, gave in, and could not move
+another step, the hoof being fairly worn through; leaving him close to a
+pool of water amongst plenty of feed, I hoped he might possibly recover
+by the time we returned from the bay. Below this the channel became sandy
+and dry, and we only procured a little water at night in a clay-hole.
+Plains extended from the river to the north and eastward as far as the
+eye could reach, only interrupted by occasional detached hills of granite
+or volcanic trap, the feed being generally coarse and the soil poor. Camp
+44.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 54 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>NATIVES FISHING WITH NETS.
+
+<p>16th July.
+
+<p>Leaving the valley of the river on a north-west course, in half an hour
+we came upon an open plain of rich clayey loam, covered with a fine even
+sward of good grass, on which were feeding large flocks of pigeons and
+white cockatoos; this change in the character of the soil being
+ascribable to the occasional overflow of the river, leaving a deposit of
+rich mud. This plain extends as far as we could see to the north and
+east, a few widely-scattered topes of trees being the only objects
+breaking the monotony of the sea of grass. To the north-west was a strong
+line of large timber, for which we steered. At three miles we entered the
+wood, and found it to contain the main channel of the Sherlock, in which
+were a few small pools of rainwater. Crossing the bed of the river on the
+same course, we soon came upon another branch coming from the south-west,
+which was named the George. Immediately below the junction of the two
+streams the river opened out into reaches of brackish water, evidently
+under the influence of the spring tides. From this point the left bank
+was followed down to within three or four miles of the sea, when, the
+country becoming low and flat, the grass coarse, and no fresh water
+procurable, we quitted the Sherlock and struck to the west for six or
+seven miles, crossing several salt-water creeks, until we were compelled
+to turn to the southward to avoid a channel much larger and deeper than
+the rest, at which a party of natives were engaged drawing their nets,
+but ran away on our approach. A little further on the plain became more
+fertile, and we found a small pool of rainwater in the clay, at which we
+encamped. There is no doubt but that the Sherlock and the creek we were
+upon discharged their waters, by the numerous creeks shown on Captain
+King's charts, fifteen or sixteen miles to the west of Depuch Island.
+Camp 45.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 52 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 15
+minutes.
+
+<p>RETURN TO NICKOL BAY.
+
+<p>17th July.
+
+<p>By observation of the sun at rising, the variation of the needle was
+found to be 1 degree 10 minutes east. We were now about forty miles from
+Nickol Bay; and as it was very doubtful whether water would be procurable
+in that distance, I became very anxious on account of the horses, as,
+should the country prove stony, I was quite certain they could not
+perform the journey in less than three days; I therefore determined upon
+following up a leading valley towards the Maitland River, with the
+intention, in the event of not finding water or a pass through the heavy
+mass of hills that back Cape Lambert, of pushing through the upper
+branches of that river, and by a round of sixty or seventy miles to
+approach the bay by our outward track; fortunately, however, in the
+course of the day we fell in with some small pools of rainwater, which
+enabled us to advance about eighteen miles over tolerably even plains,
+well grassed, our night halt being without water. Camp 46.
+
+<p>18th July.
+
+<p>From our position, and the observations I had made of the country on the
+eastern shores of Nickol Bay, I was satisfied that the breadth of stony
+ranges lying between us and our destination did not exceed eight or ten
+miles, which we therefore now determined to venture upon, although at
+great risk to the horses, some of which now walked upon stones as they
+would over red-hot coals. Entering the range by a small ravine, three
+hours' scramble over sharp rocks brought us out on the head of a small
+tributary to the Nickol River, the sufferings of the horses in crossing
+the range being quite painful to witness; they all, however, succeeded in
+getting through, and as a little water was found in the bed of the
+stream, we were enabled to push on late, and cross the marsh at the head
+of the bay before it was quite dark, the departing rays of the setting
+sun having first favoured us with a glimpse of the Dolphin, riding at
+anchor on the deep-blue waters of the bay--a sight which was welcomed
+with no small satisfaction by the little band of weary travellers. Camp
+47.
+
+<p>19th July.
+
+<p>The camp was easily aroused by the morning watch, as there was now only
+six miles between us and the landing-place in Hearson cove, the horses
+appearing to partake of the general activity; so that it was only 10.0
+a.m. when we arrived on our old camping ground, which we found occupied
+by ten or a dozen natives, engaged mending their nets. Coming upon them
+suddenly, they would not stop to carry off their gear, although not half
+an hour before they had been employed assisting a boat's crew from the
+Dolphin, in loading with wood and water. A rifle-shot soon recalled the
+boat, which was not a mile from the shore, when we were glad to learn
+that Mr. Hearson was fast recovering from his wound, and that all had
+been going on well since our departure. From Mr. Walcott I ascertained
+that he had been able to establish a friendly understanding with the
+natives who frequented the western side of the bay, and that they had
+been made useful in filling up the ship's water and wood, for which
+service they had been rewarded by a suitable distribution of biscuit. In
+one instance the natives on the eastern shore of the bay had shown a
+hostile tendency on the occasion of a boat landing on the reef to gather
+shells. One of the seaman, who had wandered from the rest, was chased
+into the sea, and menaced with spears and clubs until he was up to his
+neck in water, when the boat came to his rescue, the officer in charge of
+her firing a shot over their heads to drive them off. Mr. Walcott had
+also been successful in obtaining a very useful vocabulary of native
+words and other interesting particulars from the aborigines, as also many
+botanical specimens, shells, etc.--amongst the latter some very fine
+pearl-oysters, from which several pearls of good colour had been
+obtained, but appeared to be principally valuable on account of the size
+and beauty of the mother-of-pearl, which averaged six inches diameter,
+with more than half an inch in thickness of solid shell.
+
+<p>PARTY REFIT FOR JOURNEY TO EASTWARD.
+
+<p>20th July.
+
+<p>The forge, stores, and other additional supplies having been landed, and
+the party set to work shoeing horses, repairing saddle-bags, etc., I
+proceeded with Mr. Walcott and Mr. Angel in the boat to make a rough
+survey of the coves on the western side of the bay, with a view to
+selecting a suitable spot from which to re-embark the horses on our
+return from the next trip, as it would be too late in the season by that
+time to venture the trip overland to Champion Bay. I found that a good
+anchorage existed, with three fathoms at low water, one mile off the
+little cove from which the ship had been watered, and is approachable at
+all times, except in strong east or south-east gales, when a heavy swell
+sets in across the bay, rendering a landing unsafe. The fresh water runs
+down a rocky gully at the north-west corner of the cove, at the north end
+of a small patch of sandy beach, and the supply appears tolerably
+abundant; it is, however, rather difficult of access towards the end of
+the dry season, as the water has then to be carried over the rocks in
+small baracas fifty or sixty yards to the boats, but from the setting in
+of the rains to the end of August it runs down strongly at high-water
+mark. I walked back overland to the camp with Mr. Walcott, the distance
+being about four miles, heading by the way another deep cove, the margin
+of which was lined with a broad belt of mangroves.
+
+<p>21st to 28th July.
+
+<p>Was fully taken up in shoeing horses, making spare shoes, refitting and
+packing stores, etc., ready for our trip to the eastward, my own time
+being principally taken up in roughly plotting the country already
+explored, so as to secure all the information obtained, in the event of
+any accident occurring to my field-books.
+
+<p>29th July.
+
+<p>Everything being in readiness for our departure, I gave Captain Dixon
+instructions to wait for us in the bay to the 10th December, and in the
+event of our not then returning, Mr. Walcott would land one of the ship's
+iron tanks, and bury in it a quantity of stores, at a spot already agreed
+upon; the Dolphin would then proceed to Fremantle. It blew so fresh all
+the morning that I could not land until 3 p.m., when we quickly saddled
+up and proceeded three miles to a waterhole up in the volcanic hills, as
+it was probable we should have a very long day's march tomorrow without
+water. As we had now only nineteen horses, and one of these so low in
+condition as not to be able to carry a load, we could only take with us
+eighty-seven days' rations, at the rate of one pound of flour, seven
+ounces of meat, and four ounces of sugar per man per diem; we were,
+however, well provided with ammunition, and thirty spare sets of
+horse-shoes, with nails sufficient for at least two removes, the horses
+themselves being shod at starting with extra strong shoes tipped with
+steel. We had now only seven saddle-horses, so that one of the party was
+always on foot by turns of an hour each. It had been originally intended
+that the Dolphin should proceed to Roebuck Bay and meet us there; but it
+was now so late in the season that I did not deem it prudent to run the
+risk of removing her to an unknown anchorage, where it was possible we
+might not be able to reach, and thus lay ourselves open to the
+probability of a very embarrassing uncertainty. The result proved we had
+adopted the right course. Bivouac.
+
+<p>DIFFICULTY IN CROSSING MUD FLATS.
+
+<p>30th July.
+
+<p>This morning we crossed the marsh with some difficulty, as all the
+pack-horses but three fell and stuck in the mud, until we transferred
+their loads to our own backs and carried them through half a mile of the
+softest part. The operation detained us so long that we did not make more
+than eighteen miles, when we found a little water left in the pool seen
+on the 18th. Camp 48.
+
+<p>31st July.
+
+<p>Started at 8 a.m., following our old tracks to 3.30 p.m., when we turned
+to the south up a stream-bed crossed on the 17th. At the gorge where it
+issued from the granite ranges we found a fine pool of permanent water
+and abundance of beautiful green grass. This stream was now named the
+Harding, and, as the packs were heavy, we remained here the rest of the
+afternoon. Camp 49.
+
+<p>A FERTILE PLAIN.
+
+<p>1st August.
+
+<p>Passing under the northern foot of the granite ranges on an easterly
+course for sixteen miles, we came upon a fine reach of open water in a
+branch of the creek on which we had encamped on the 16th July. This pool
+was a valuable discovery, as it would not only form a useful halting
+place on our return, but, from being in the middle of a fertile plain
+containing at least from 15,000 to 20,000 acres of arable land equal in
+quality to the Greenough Flats, the whole could, if necessary, be easily
+irrigated from this large natural reservoir, the highest part of the
+plain not being thirty feet above the water-level at the driest period of
+the year. This fine tract of country, in connection with the lands
+already seen almost adjoining on the eastern bank of the Sherlock, would
+in itself support a larger population than is at present contained in the
+whole of the colony of Western Australia. We had seen more kangaroos on
+these plains than on any other portion of our route; one that was shot
+resembled the Osphranter, and was in very good order, the fur much
+thicker and softer than the common kangaroo of the western coast, and of
+a pale mouse colour. It weighed about forty-five pounds. Camp 50.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+<p>2nd August.
+
+<p>Proceeding eastward over grassy plains and stony ridges, at thirteen
+miles we struck the Sherlock only two miles below the pool at which we
+had left the horse Rocket, and hoped to find him improved by the rest;
+but, on approaching the spot, the presence of crows and a wild dog gave
+indications of a different fate; we found him partly devoured within a
+few yards of where we left him, inflammation of the feet having most
+probably produced mortification. Pushing on till sunset, we arrived at
+our old camping ground (Camp 43) at the bend of the Sherlock. Camp 51.
+
+<p>ASCEND THE SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+<p>3rd August.
+
+<p>Followed up the left bank of the Sherlock to Camp 42, and found a little
+water still remaining in the bird-cage pools, where we halted for two
+hours. At 1.30 p.m. resumed an easterly route across a sandy plain,
+yielding little but hakea and triodia. Five miles brought us to a large
+branch of the Sherlock coming from the south-east, in which were several
+small permanent pools, surrounded by flags, at which we halted. Camp 52.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 7 minutes.
+
+<p>4th August (Sunday).
+
+<p>Although the feed here was very indifferent, yet, as we had again entered
+unexplored country, I was glad to make it a day of rest before entering
+upon the rather unpromising tract of country that lay in the outward
+route.
+
+<p>5th August.
+
+<p>Making a rather late start, on account of the horses having strayed very
+far in search of feed, we steered for a bold range bearing
+east-south-east, distant about twenty miles. At four miles crossed a dry
+channel coming from the south-south-east, and continued our course over a
+poor tract of country, covered with triodia and a few acacia, large bare
+red granite rocks cropping out here and there. At one of these was a
+small waterhole, near which a native was hunting mice. Although at first
+alarmed, he soon told us, in answer to our inquiries, that we should find
+no water to the east, but plenty to the south, which we found to be
+correct, as we had to halt, after a very long day's march, in a dry
+ravine in the ranges for which we had been making. Camp 53.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 10 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+<p>RECONNOITRE THE COUNTRY AHEAD.
+
+<p>6th August.
+
+<p>Having reconnoitred the country for some miles ahead overnight without
+finding water, it was no use leading our horses further into the rugged
+defiles, where we might get entangled for many hours; we accordingly
+struck to the south-west for four miles, when we came on a rocky pool of
+permanent water in the south-east branch of the Sherlock, just at the
+point where it emerges from the hills. Having watered the horses and
+given them an hour's rest, we followed up the stream to the south-east
+for seven miles, when it divided into numerous small dry ravines in the
+heart of an elevated range of granite, capped with metamorphic sandstone;
+water having only been met with within the first mile from where we
+struck it. Camp 54.
+
+<p>7th August.
+
+<p>The horses requiring water, we fell back upon the pool passed yesterday,
+where I decided upon leaving the bulk of the party for the day or two,
+while I explored the country for a pass to the eastward. Camp 55.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 14 minutes 28 seconds.
+
+<p>8th August.
+
+<p>Taking with me Mr. Brown and Mr. Harding mounted, and one pack-horse
+carrying water, we struck through the hills to the eastward, and at six
+miles came upon a stream-bed that led us to the north-east fifteen or
+sixteen miles, when, finding it contained no water, we resumed an
+easterly course over an open sandy and stony plain, covered with triodia,
+for twelve miles, and encamped in poor feed without water. Camp 56.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+<p>THE YULE RIVER.
+
+<p>9th August.
+
+<p>A heavy dew having fallen during the night, our horses were much
+refreshed, and we were enabled to proceed with the scanty supply of water
+carried with us. In an hour we struck upon the channel of a river with a
+sandy bed, 300 yards wide, in which were a few pools of water, under a
+bold sandstone bluff, rising abruptly 300 feet from the plain. From the
+summit of this hill the river was observed to trend to the
+north-north-west for eight or ten miles, and to come upon a gap in a
+granite range four miles to the south-south-east, towards which we now
+turned our steps, across extensive beds of soft drift-sand brought down
+by the river. Cajeput and acacia trees occupied a large portion of the
+channel, and it was not until reaching the gorge in the range that grass
+was met with in sufficient quantities to supply our wants. Several large
+pools, teeming with water-fowl, occupied the whole of the valley, which
+here was fully a quarter of a mile wide. The remainder of the day I
+devoted to sketching and triangulating the country, while the horses were
+enjoying the benefit of the fine feed. Camp 57.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 6 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+<p>10th August.
+
+<p>As this river, from its magnitude, afforded a fair chance of working to
+the south-east, I determined to bring forward the rest of the party.
+Having named this river the Yule, we returned to the depot party by a
+somewhat shorter cut, making it in about thirty miles, which we
+accomplished by sundown.
+
+<p>11th August (Sunday).
+
+<p>Party resting. Observed a set of lunars, which placed us in longitude 118
+degrees 3 minutes east, the rate of the chronometer being still so
+irregular as to be almost useless.
+
+<p>12th August.
+
+<p>To-day the whole party proceeded twenty-four miles towards the Yule,
+finding a small pool of water in a rocky ravine by the way which we had
+missed on our former trip. Bivouacked in an open grassy plain six miles
+short of the river.
+
+<p>13th August.
+
+<p>Moved on to our camp of the 9th, and halted there for the remainder of
+the day. The latitude by meridian altitude of the sun I found to be 21
+degrees 6 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+<p>14th August.
+
+<p>As travelling near the river was found to be very laborious, on account
+of the vast beds of loose drift-sand thrown up by the summer floods, we
+steered to the south-south-east for a pass in the ranges about twenty
+miles distant, through which the river was supposed to come, but on
+reaching the hills, the river was observed to the westward; we
+accordingly altered our course to south-west, and struck it at about six
+miles; the character of the river being still the same, the aggregate
+width of the several channels amounting to nearly half a mile; water
+being procured in them by digging a few inches in the sand. The country
+passed over during the day was an open plain of light sandy loam,
+interspersed with bare granite rocks, cropping out at intervals of a few
+miles. Giant ant-hills of from ten to sixteen feet in height, and thirty
+to forty feet in circumference (a few of which had already been met with
+on our first trip), were here remarkably conspicuous, on account of their
+size and bright brick-red colour. An emu was shot during the day, while
+running at full speed, at the range of over 200 yards. Camp 58.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 23 minutes 23 seconds.
+
+<p>15th August.
+
+<p>One of the horses was missing this morning, so we did not start until 10
+a.m., when the river was followed up to the south-east through country
+the same as yesterday; halting for the night in latitude 21 degrees 32
+minutes 13 seconds. Camp 59.
+
+<p>16th August.
+
+<p>Our average course to-day was nearly east, occasionally crossing channels
+coming from the south-east. Towards evening we found that the main
+channel, which it had been our intention to have followed, had escaped
+our observation to the southward, and we were only on a comparatively
+small tributary coming from a rugged range of hills to the eastward. Our
+object for the present not being to push too far into the interior, this
+tributary was followed until it broke up into numerous small valleys, in
+one of which water was obtained by digging three feet in the sand,
+amongst tolerable feed, the country having much improved in the course of
+the day. Camp 60.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 34 minutes.
+
+<p>ROCKY RANGES.
+
+<p>17th August.
+
+<p>Soon after starting this morning we came upon a camp of natives, but we
+could not prevail upon any of them to stop and hold parley with us. Four
+hours' travelling over rather rocky ground led us well into the range,
+which we found to consist of granite, capped with metamorphic sandstones
+and broken up by dykes of variegated jasper. In a deep ravine at the foot
+of a cliff we found a small pool of beautiful clear spring water, which
+was very acceptable, as the sun had now acquired considerable power, and
+the grasses were beginning to get very dry food for our horses. During
+the halt at this spring Mr. Harding and myself ascended the highest part
+of the range, which was found to be 500 or 600 feet above the plain. From
+this elevation I was enabled to select our onward route, and obtain
+bearings to several useful summits for triangulation--a few hills to the
+south-south-east being visible at the distance of sixty or seventy miles,
+which no doubt form part of the continuation of the Hamersley Range.
+Resuming an east course, the culminating point of the range was soon
+passed, when we descended to the eastward down some deep and remarkably
+picturesque rocky glens, in which were found several springs and pools of
+water, leading down to a fine grassy flat, in which were growing some
+fine large flooded-gum trees. Camp 61.
+
+<p>18th August (Sunday).
+
+<p>Found our latitude 21 degrees 36 minutes 8 seconds; longitude 119 degrees
+13 minutes east by account.
+
+<p>THE STRELLEY RIVER.
+
+<p>19th August.
+
+<p>The country being very hilly, it was found best to follow down the stream
+upon which we had encamped, although it trended to the north of east. In
+a few miles the valley opened out with fine pools of permanent water,
+covered with numerous flights of ducks, and at eight miles it joined a
+wide valley from the south, down which flowed a river, divided into
+several channels, containing many fine pools from 50 to 200 yards wide,
+which were still running gently from one to another. The banks, although
+well grassed, were very rocky, rendering travelling excessively fatiguing
+to our heavily-loaded pack-horses, several of them being bruised and
+strained while jumping from rock to rock, the clefts being too deep and
+narrow for them to walk between, and the ranges bordering the valley were
+too steep to admit of our leaving the river, which we were compelled to
+follow down to latitude 21 degrees 26 minutes 52 seconds. Camp 62.
+
+<p>20th August.
+
+<p>The river, which had been named the Strelley, continued to hold a
+northerly course; we therefore availed ourselves of a smoother valley
+coming in from the east to resume our old course. At nine miles we met
+with a stream 100 yards wide coming from the south-east, evidently
+tributary to the Strelley, and taking its rise in elevated granite ranges
+with black volcanic ridges protruding through them, but not to any
+considerable height above the general level of the country. After a few
+hours' scramble over these ridges we came upon a small stream trending
+east, containing several springs, surrounded by high grass and flags,
+gradually leading us by sunset into a deep pass, walled in by cliffs and
+bluffs from 100 to 300 feet high; the stream, having joined several
+larger ones from the southward, now occupying nearly the whole width of
+the valley. We encamped in one of the wildest and most romantic-looking
+spots to be found in this part of Australia, to which we gave the name of
+Glen Herring, from a fish bearing a resemblance to a herring being found
+in the stream. Camp 63.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+<p>THE SHAW RIVER. NORTON PLAINS.
+
+<p>21st August.
+
+<p>With some difficulty we wended our way down the intricate windings of the
+glen for six miles in a north-east direction, when it opened out into
+grassy flats, turning to the northward. Leaving it at this point, a mile
+east brought us to the bank of a fine open river-bed 200 yards wide, down
+which a little water was still flowing, the country on its banks becoming
+much more promising and grass plentiful. This river I named the Shaw, and
+some beautiful grassy plains through which it came for twenty or thirty
+miles to the southward Norton Plains, after the talented Secretary of the
+Royal Geographical Society. In the afternoon a large tributary from the
+south-east was followed up for some miles, when, turning to the south, we
+quitted it to follow an open valley leading east towards a bold granite
+and schistose range, under which we encamped late without finding water.
+Camp 64.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes.
+
+<p>22nd August.
+
+<p>As we did not find water for some distance to the eastward under the foot
+of the hills, we turned to the south-east, quickly emerging from the
+hills upon the Norton Plains, and at two miles came upon the stream
+quitted last evening, to which the name of Emu Creek had been given. It
+had altered its course, and was again coming from the east, and contained
+several fine springs. This creek was followed up for the rest of the day
+through a rather indifferent country, and, towards nightfall, led us into
+a deep rocky ravine, in which we encamped, a small supply of water being
+obtained from holes in the rocks. Camp 65.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 28 minutes.
+
+<p>23rd August.
+
+<p>As we advanced, the ravine divided into many branches coming from an
+elevated tableland to the southward; we therefore again resumed an
+easterly course for five or six miles, over rugged hills, and descended
+by a gully trending north-east, which led us in a few miles into open
+plains. Skirting the northern foot of the range until after dark, we
+encamped on a small watercourse, in which we obtained water by digging
+under some granite rocks. Camp 66.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 23 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>24th August.
+
+<p>The horses having suffered much amongst the rocks during the last few
+days, I determined to follow the southern edge of the plain until a
+stream could be met with to lead us to the south-east. A few miles
+brought us to a small watercourse running gently from some springs in the
+plain, which, contrary to our expectations, ran into the ranges to the
+south-east instead of coming out of them. As here there was plenty of
+green grass and water, and the horses were not looking well, we encamped
+early in the entrance of the gorge. Camp 67.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+<p>25th August (Sunday).
+
+<p>Longitude by observation 120 degrees 17 minutes; variation 30 minutes
+east.
+
+<p>26th August.
+
+<p>The stream we were upon led us about five miles south-east through the
+hills, and then joined a river coming from the southward, 100 yards wide,
+which was followed down on an average course of east-north-east to
+latitude 21 degrees 18 minutes; reeds and rank grass lining its banks in
+many parts, while in others granite boulders and banks of drift-sand
+offered considerable impediments to travelling. Camp 68.
+
+<p>DEGREY RIVER.
+
+<p>27th August.
+
+<p>The river took us on a northerly course nine or ten miles, receiving many
+large tributaries, several of them still running slightly, forming
+altogether a stream of some importance, which, on account of the large
+extent of pastoral and agricultural lands afterwards found on its banks
+lower down, and its many fine tributaries, I named the DeGrey, in honour
+of the noble lord who took a lively interest in promoting the objects of
+the expedition. As the object at present in view was to push to the
+south-east, we left this promising river and resumed an east-south-east
+course for five or six miles into a hilly country, and encamped in a
+gully with rather scanty feed, a little water being obtained by digging.
+Camp 69.
+
+<p>28th August.
+
+<p>We soon became involved in deep ravines, which led up into high
+tableland, the summit of which was no sooner attained than we had again
+to descend equally precipitous gullies to the eastward, the horses
+sliding down amongst the loose rocks and stones with a velocity that
+threatened immediate destruction; they all, however, arrived safe at the
+bottom, although in so exhausted a state that two of them had very
+shortly after to be left behind, while we pushed on with the rest in
+search of water and feed, which was not met with until late in the day.
+After a short rest I sent Messrs. Brown and Brockman back for the two
+beaten horses, while I moved the party on a mile further to a fine spring
+in a grassy flat, where we encamped. Camp 70.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 9 minutes 3 seconds.
+
+<p>EXTENSIVE GRASSY PLAINS.
+
+<p>29th August.
+
+<p>The two horses left yesterday were brought into camp early in the day,
+and as they were too weak to carry their loads, they were placed on our
+saddle-horses, one of the party by turns having to walk. As the season
+was rapidly advancing, we could not venture to incur any delay, much as
+the horses required rest, and accordingly resumed an east course late in
+the day. At five miles came upon a sandy stream-bed fifty yards wide,
+trending to the north-east, beyond which the country opened out into an
+extensive plain of white waving grass--to the north uninterrupted by a
+single elevation, while to the east and south, at eight or ten miles
+distant, rose ranges of granite hills, capped with horizontal sandstones.
+It was not until some time after dark that we arrived near the opposite
+edge of the plain, when we came upon a river 200 yards wide, running to
+the northward. The long drought had reduced it to a few shallow pools,
+running from one to the other through the deep sand in the bed;
+magnificent cajeput-trees lined the banks, and grass was in abundance.
+Camp 71.
+
+<p>OAKOVER RIVER.
+
+<p>30th August.
+
+<p>We did not start till late, as Mr. Brown had to go back some little
+distance for his horse, which had been again left behind overnight,
+knocked up. As it would have been useless, in the present condition of
+our horses, to attempt at once to enter the ranges to the east, we
+determined to follow up the river for a few days to the south-south-east
+and by so doing secure feed and water, and give the poor animals a chance
+of recovering their strength; we therefore followed the river up for
+seven or eight miles, through fine open forest country, and encamped near
+a deep pool, in which were caught ten or twelve dozen of small trout,
+which, with cockatoos and ducks, afforded an important addition to our
+ration of only seven ounces of meat. This river was named the Oakover.
+Camp 72.
+
+<p>31st August.
+
+<p>For nearly ten miles the river continued to lead us to the eastward of
+south; it then divided, the main channel coming from the south-west; we,
+however, followed the eastern branch until quite satisfied that it
+contained no water, and then fell back to the westward, striking the
+river near some cliffs, at the foot of which water was plentiful.
+Although only 1 p.m., I determined to halt for the remainder of the day,
+as it was too late to make an attempt to enter the hills without giving
+the horses the advantage of some hours' feed and rest. It also afforded
+me leisure to make astronomical observations and work up the plans of our
+route. A set of lunar distances, very carefully taken, placed the camp in
+longitude 121 degrees 3 minutes 30 seconds east, while that by account,
+carried on by triangulation and dead-reckoning from the Sherlock, placed
+us four and a half miles more to the westward; the latitude being 21
+degrees 23 minutes 43 seconds. Camp 73.
+
+<p>1st September (Sunday).
+
+<p>Read prayers.
+
+<p>2nd September.
+
+<p>A march of three hours across the plains to the eastward brought us to
+the foot of the range, which we entered by a tolerably easy pass, and
+soon came upon a pool of water in a tributary to the Oakover, the mouth
+of which had been passed on our ascent of that river. Here we halted for
+two hours, and then resumed our route through steep and rocky hills,
+containing numerous fine springs. It was not until 7 p.m. that we finally
+got through the ranges, and emerged upon open sandy plains of vast
+extent, no object being observable from north-north-east round to
+south-south-east except low ridges of red drift-sand, in many parts
+nearly bare of vegetation. A large party of natives were encamped upon
+the watercourse down which we descended to the plain. Not wishing to
+alarm them, we passed the waterholes from which they were supplied, and
+proceeded a mile farther, but had in consequence to camp without water,
+although amongst abundance of grass. Camp 74.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 21 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>NATIVE HEAD-DRESS. ENTER THE SANDY DESERT.
+
+<p>3rd September.
+
+<p>This morning we returned to the native encampment for water, and found
+that they had already deserted it, leaving many of their things
+behind--amongst others, a very singular head-dress, shaped like a helmet.
+It consisted of a circular band, made of twisted grass, the size of the
+head, into which were stuck ten or twelve upright twigs, brought together
+into a point two feet high, which was woven like an open basket, with
+yarn made of opossum fur; the whole no doubt being considered highly
+ornamental by the wearers, but of not the least service as an article of
+protection for the head, either from the sun or in war. Having watered
+the horses, we entered the sand-plain, travelling between the ridges,
+which ran in straight lines parallel to each other at the distance of
+several hundred yards apart, the sand being thrown by the south-east
+gales into acute ridges thirty to sixty feet high, their direction being
+almost invariably north 109 degrees east. Travelling to 2.15 p.m., we got
+over about eighteen miles, the valleys yielding little else but triodia,
+with occasional patches of stunted gum forest, in which was found a
+little good grass, on which were feeding flights of pigeons and a variety
+of parrot new to us, but which I believe to be the golden-backed parakeet
+(Psephotus chrysopterygius) of Gould. As no water could be found, and
+many of the horses gave signs of being greatly distressed, no change
+being observable in the country for many miles ahead, a few very distant
+ranges being the only objects visible, we were obliged to have recourse
+to the only safe expedient of falling back and forming a depot. Resting
+to 5.10, we commenced a retreat until 7.20, having been obliged to
+abandon a horse of Mr. Brown's, quite exhausted. Camp 75.
+
+<p>4th September.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. resumed our retreat, and by noon arrived at the waterhole of
+the 2nd, having left two more horses behind, which, however, Mr. Brown
+and myself carried out water to in the course of the evening and drove
+them in during the night.
+
+<p>5th September.
+
+<p>Leaving the party to rest, I walked ten or twelve miles round to the
+south-south-eastward, along the foot of the range, in search of water,
+and to ascertain if a better line of country could be found in that
+direction, but it continued to maintain the same arid appearance, and I
+only came on one pool in a gully four miles from the camp. Depot.
+
+<p>6th September.
+
+<p>Leaving Mr. Turner and four of the party in depot, with instructions to
+remain there three days, and then fall back upon the Oakover, where there
+was much better feed, I started with Messrs. Brown and Harding, taking
+six of the strongest horses, sixteen days' rations and six gallons of
+water, and steered south-south-east along the ranges for six or eight
+miles, looking for some stream-bed that might lead us through the plains,
+but was disappointed to find that they were all lost in the first mile
+after leaving the hills, and as crossing the numerous ridges of sand
+proved very fatiguing to the horses, we determined once more to attempt
+to strike to the eastward between the ridges, which we did for fifteen
+miles, when our horses again showed signs of failing us, which left us
+the only alternative of either pushing on at all hazards to a distant
+range that was now just visible to the eastward, where, from the numerous
+native fires and general depression of the country, there was every
+reason to think a large river would be found to exist, or to make for
+some deep rocky gorges in the granite hills ten miles to the south, in
+which there was every prospect of finding water. In the former case the
+travelling would be smoothest, but the distance so great that, in the
+event of our failing to obtain water, we probably should not succeed in
+bringing back one of our horses; while, in the latter, we should have to
+climb over the sand ridges, which we had already found so fatiguing; this
+course, however, involved the least amount of risk, and we accordingly
+struck south four miles, and halted for the night. Camp 76.
+
+<p>REPULSED FOR WANT OF WATER. INTENSE HEAT.
+
+<p>7th September.
+
+<p>The horses did not look much refreshed by the night's rest; we, however,
+divided three gallons of water amongst them, and started off early, in
+the hope of reaching the ranges by noon; but we had not gone three miles
+when one of the pack-horses, that was carrying less than forty pounds
+weight, began to fail, and the load was placed upon my saddle-horse; it
+did not, however, enable him to get on more than a couple of miles
+further, when we were compelled to abandon him, leaving him under the
+shade of the only tree we could find, in the hope that we might bring
+back water to his relief. Finding that it would be many hours before the
+horses could be got on to the hills, I started ahead on foot, leaving
+Messrs. Brown and Harding to come on gently, while I was to make a signal
+by fires if successful in finding water. Two hours' heavy toil through
+the sand, under a broiling sun, brought me to the ranges, where I
+continued to hunt up one ravine after another until 5.0 p.m. without
+success. Twelve hours' almost incessant walking, on a scanty breakfast,
+and without water, with the thermometer over 100 degrees of Fahrenheit,
+began to tell upon me rather severely; so much so that, by the time I had
+tracked up my companions (who had reached the hills by 1.0 p.m., and were
+anxiously waiting for me), it was as much as I could do to carry my rifle
+and accoutrements. The horses were looking truly wretched, and I was
+convinced that the only chance of saving them, if water was not found,
+would be by abandoning our pack-saddles, provisions, and everything we
+could possibly spare, and try and recover them afterwards if practicable;
+we therefore encamped for the night on the last plot of grass we could
+find, and proceeded to make arrangements for an early start in the
+morning. There was still remaining a few pints of water in the kegs,
+having been very sparing in the use of it; this enabled us to have a
+little tea and make a small quantity of damper, of which we all stood in
+much need. Camp 77.
+
+<p>8th September.
+
+<p>At 4.0 a.m. we were again up. Having disposed of our equipment and
+provisions, except our riding-saddles, instruments, and firearms, by
+suspending them in the branches of a large tree, we divided a pint of
+water for our breakfast, and by the first peep of dawn were driving our
+famished horses before us at their best speed toward the depot, which was
+now thirty-two miles distant. For the first eight miles they went on
+pretty well, but the moment the sun began to have power they flagged
+greatly, and it was not long before we were obliged to relinquish another
+horse quite unable to proceed. By 9.0 a.m. I found that my previous day's
+march, and the small allowance of food I had taken, was beginning to have
+its effects upon me, and that it was probable I could not reach the depot
+until next morning, by which time the party left there were to fall back
+to the Oakover; I therefore directed Mr. Brown, who was somewhat fresher
+than myself, to push on for the camp and to bring out fresh horses with
+water, while Mr. Harding and myself would do our best to bring on any
+straggling horses that could not keep up with him. By dark we had
+succeeded in reaching to within nine miles of the depot, finding
+unmistakable evidence towards evening of the condition to which the
+horses taken on by Mr. Brown were reduced, by the saddles, guns, hobbles,
+and even bridles, scattered along the line of march, which had been taken
+off to enable them to go on a few miles further.
+
+<p>EFFECTS OF WANT OF WATER.
+
+<p>9th September.
+
+<p>At dawn Mr. Harding and myself got up from our beds of sand stiff and
+giddy, but much refreshed by the cold night air. In four or five miles we
+met Mr. Brown with fresh horses and a supply of water, having succeeded
+in reaching the depot at 8 p.m. the night before, with only one horse. We
+were now enabled to proceed with the tracking up of the horses left
+overnight, which, after resting some hours, had commenced to ramble in
+search of water; Mr. Brown returning on our route and recovering the
+saddles and firearms left the previous evening, the stores abandoned the
+day before being too far off to attempt their recovery. By 8.30 p.m. we
+had all returned to the depot, having tracked up the three missing
+horses, the two left at the furthest point being too distant to carry
+relief to without incurring the risk of further loss. I cannot omit to
+remark the singular effects of excessive thirst upon the eyes of the
+horses; they absolutely sunk into their heads until there was a hollow of
+sufficient depth to entirely bury the thumb in, and there was an
+appearance as though the whole of the head had shrunk with them,
+producing a very unpleasant and ghastly expression. Depot camp.
+
+<p>10th September.
+
+<p>We were only able to move the camp a mile to another waterhole, for the
+sake of a little better feed. Bivouac.
+
+<p>COMMENCE RETURN JOURNEY.
+
+<p>11th September.
+
+<p>On taking into consideration the reduced number and strength of our
+horses, it was quite evident that we had but little prospect of being
+able to cross the tract of dry sandy country that had already occasioned
+us so much loss and trouble; yet there were many reasons to stimulate us
+to make the attempt. Not only had we now attained to within a very few
+miles of the longitude in which, from various geographical data, there
+are just grounds for believing that a large river may be found to exist,
+draining Central Australia, but the character of the country appeared
+strongly to indicate the vicinity of such a feature; added to which, the
+gradual decline in the elevation of the country, notwithstanding our
+increasing distance from the coast, tended towards the same conclusion.
+Nor should we omit the strong evidences that the remarkable ridges of
+drift-sand which encumbered the plains must in the first instance, have
+been brought from the interior by water, and then have been blown by the
+strong prevailing south-east winds across the country in a direction at
+least 50 degrees from that which they originally came from; this, with
+the clean water-worn appearance of the sand, the bold outlines of the
+hills seen to the far east, and the number of native fires observed in
+the same direction, must all tend to support the hypothesis that the
+western half of Australia is probably drained by a large river in about
+this meridian. I could not, therefore, help regretting more than ever
+that we should be driven back at such an interesting spot; but mature
+reflection convinced me that any further attempt with our present means,
+at this period of the year, was almost certain to be attended with the
+most disastrous results; I therefore decided upon adopting the only other
+useful course open to us--that of examining down to the sea the rivers
+already discovered. With this in view, we to-day fell back five or six
+miles across the ranges to a tributary to the Oakover, called the Davis,
+when one of the horses became so crippled by a strain in the loins that
+we were obliged to halt to give him a chance of recovery, affording me
+leisure to verify our position by observing another set of lunar
+distances, which I found to agree well with those formerly taken ten
+miles to the westward. Camp 78.
+
+<p>DOWN THE OAKOVER RIVER.
+
+<p>12th September.
+
+<p>We commenced the descent of the Davis, having much difficulty in getting
+along the sick horse, as it required the united strength of the party to
+lift him on his legs every time he fell, which he at last did so
+frequently that I ordered him to be shot, as it was hopeless to attempt
+to bring him on, and if left, he must have died of starvation. By 2.0
+p.m. we reached the junction of the stream we were upon with the Oakover,
+and halted two miles south of Camp 72; most of the party being now
+dismounted, shoe-leather was beginning to get very scarce with us. Camp
+79.
+
+<p>13th September.
+
+<p>This day we only travelled eight miles down the Oakover, and encamped
+near a deep creek, in which was caught a good haul of fish. Camp 80.
+
+<p>14th September.
+
+<p>The feed was so good on this river that we were able to proceed to-day to
+latitude 20 degrees 59 minutes 33 seconds; the country improving much,
+grassy flats extending for some miles to the northward, the channel of
+the river being augmented by the junction of the large tributary crossed
+on our eastward track on the afternoon of the 29th August. Camp 81.
+
+<p>15th September (Sunday).
+
+<p>Remained in camp to rest the horses. A few natives were seen near the
+camp during the day.
+
+<p>16th September.
+
+<p>After running four or five miles further north, the Oakover turned to the
+north-west for fourteen miles, having a clear sandy or stony bed from 150
+to 200 yards wide, water and grass being plentiful, and the country
+generally being open forest, with a pleasing appearance. Camp 82.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 46 minutes.
+
+<p>17th September.
+
+<p>The course of the river was followed for about seventeen miles in a
+westerly direction, the bed widening out to 300 or 400 yards, the water
+being now confined to a sandy channel not above 150 yards in width, the
+depth of the valley through which it runs being about forty feet; timber
+of white-gum and cajeput is tolerably plentiful on the banks, the soil of
+which is a red loam of considerable depth. Many of the pools are lined
+with tall reeds. Camp 83.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 41 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+<p>REACH THE DEGREY RIVER.	ABUNDANCE OF FISH.
+
+<p>18th September.
+
+<p>Started at 6.40 a.m. and in two and a half hours entered a deep and
+wild-looking gorge, at which point it formed a junction with the DeGrey,
+coming from the south-south-east, through a beautiful level tract of open
+grassy country, a broad belt of flooded-gum trees growing for some
+distance back on either side. Passing through the gorge, which was a
+quarter of a mile wide and about a mile long, we came upon a camp of
+natives, who, as usual, quickly dispersed without giving us an
+opportunity of showing them that we intended them no harm. The river here
+contains a fine reach of deep water, upon which was a large quantity of
+whistling ducks and other water-fowl. Two miles lower down we halted on
+the banks of a deep creek coming in from the northward; the rest of the
+day being employed re-stuffing pack-saddles, etc., while some of the
+party caught a quantity of fine fish--amongst them an eel, which,
+however, was allowed to escape, being taken for a water-snake by one of
+the party who had never seen one before. A large kind of bat, or vampire,
+was first observed here, measuring about two feet across the wings. Camp
+84.
+
+<p>19th September.
+
+<p>We continued to follow down the DeGrey for about eighteen miles in a
+west-north-west direction, through open grassy plains extending for many
+miles on either bank, the channel of the river still maintaining the same
+sandy character, and with abundance of water in its bed. Camp 85.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 36 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>20th September.
+
+<p>There was little or no change in the appearance of the country for the
+eighteen or twenty miles that the river was traced down during to-day. We
+encamped on the bank of a wide and deep reach of water more than a mile
+long, surrounded by tall reeds. Fish were caught here in great abundance.
+Camp 86.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 31 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+<p>NATIVE CAMP.
+
+<p>21st September.
+
+<p>Shortly after starting we crossed the bed of a tributary coming in from
+the southward, with a shallow sandy channel 200 yards wide, which must
+drain the high ranges between the DeGrey and Shaw Rivers, which we passed
+over on our outward track. In many places we began to observe patches of
+triodia in the midst of the alluvial plains through which the river
+continued to run, and distant ranges were observed both to the north and
+south. Towards sundown we surprised a large party of natives encamped in
+a dry channel of the river, and approached so near before we were
+discovered that we had separated a young child from the rest of the
+party, which was observed by the mother, who remained while the rest of
+the natives made a hasty retreat; it was not long, however, before an
+aged warrior returned to her aid, with his spear shipped, and came
+forward in a very menacing attitude to recover the child, who stood by us
+with a look of the most perfect unconcern. Finding we took no notice of
+his threats, he threw down his weapon, and, walking up to the boy, caught
+him up in his arms and bore him off, with a look of triumph, to his
+companions. No attempt was made to carry away their supper, which was
+ready prepared in a number of wooden scoops, and consisted of fish, rats,
+beans, grass-seed cakes, and a beverage made with some oily seed pounded.
+Leaving everything undisturbed, we pushed on for another mile, so as to
+prevent their being afraid of returning to their evening repast. Camp 87.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 25 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+<p>ATTEMPT TO SPEAR HORSES.
+
+<p>22nd September.
+
+<p>Being Sunday, we only moved a mile lower down the river to a fine reach
+of water, on the banks of which was a rich sward of green grass for our
+horses. Shortly after we had made ourselves comfortable for the day we
+were startled by six of the horses coming into camp at a gallop in their
+hobbles, followed by eighteen armed natives. Everyone sprang to their
+arms in a moment, which caused the intruders to fall back. I tried to
+make them comprehend that we did not approve of the horses being hunted;
+but as they would not go away, and they had a strong party concealed in
+the brushwood, I fired at a tree to show them the use of our arms. The
+moment they heard the report of the rifle and saw the splinters fly, they
+took to their heels and did not again trouble us. We afterwards found a
+spear sticking in the ground in the track of the horses, having evidently
+be thrown while in pursuit. Camp 88.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 25 minutes; longitude 119 degrees 21 minutes.
+
+<p>23rd September.
+
+<p>The river soon passed round the southern foot of a range of hills of 400
+or 500 feet elevation, the country to the south again becoming very
+fertile, and clothed with a rich sward of kangaroo-grass; at ten miles we
+struck the Shaw River, coming from the south-east, with a broad, deep,
+and well-defined channel, in which were many fine pools of water. Below
+the confluence of the rivers the DeGrey widened out considerably, turning
+rather more to the northward, and seven miles further was joined by the
+Strelley, in latitude 20 degrees 16 minutes, and longitude 119 degrees 5
+minutes east; the river being diverted to the northward by a rugged range
+of volcanic hills; its course being now direct for Breaker Inlet, which
+was distant about eighteen miles. Camp 89.
+
+<p>MAGNETIC ROCKS RENDER THE COMPASS USELESS.
+
+<p>24th September.
+
+<p>As it was very important that I should obtain a round of bearings before
+proceeding any further, the country having for some days past been too
+flat to afford many opportunities for triangulation. I to-day started
+with Messrs. Harding and Brown to ascend the ranges that lie to the west
+of the river. A scramble of three miles over very rugged rocks brought us
+to the highest point, which was found to be not more than 500 feet above
+the sea; our journey, however, turned out to be fruitless, the magnetic
+attraction of the volcanic rocks of which the hills are composed being so
+great as to reverse the needle, which varied so much that I could not
+even make use of the compass to take angles, and I had omitted to bring a
+sextant. Kangaroos were numerous among these hills, but we did not
+succeed in shooting any; they appear to be similar to those seen on the
+plains near the Sherlock. The view we had of the country was very
+extensive. To the south is a vast gently-undulating plain, only
+occasionally interrupted by detached granite and sandstone peaks; while
+narrow green lines of trees intersecting the plain in various directions
+indicate the watercourses coming from the distant ranges, and wander in
+wide sandy channels towards the sea; the course of the Strelley being
+easily distinguished for many miles. To the north the eye could trace the
+broad sandy bed of the DeGrey, trending towards Breaker Inlet, the
+position of which was only distinguishable by the margin of deep-blue
+mangroves that line it, and the whole of the extremity of the delta
+formed by the alluvial deposits brought down by the river. To the east
+and west of this is a wide expanse of alluvial flats, covered in most
+parts with rich, waving grass, the sameness of the scenery being relieved
+by detached patches of open park-like forest of flooded-gum. Returning to
+the camp by noon, the remainder of the day was devoted by me to bringing
+up the arrears of mapping, etc., and by the party generally in providing
+a supply of fish and ducks, which here were found to be very plentiful.
+
+<p>25th September.
+
+<p>By 7 a.m. we were once more tracing down the DeGrey through the flats
+seen yesterday. At eight miles the river divided into two channels of
+nearly equal width, the eastern one being followed to latitude 20 degrees
+5 minutes 16 seconds, travelling being very heavy, on account of the
+numerous rat-holes that completely undermine the banks of the river for
+more than a quarter of a mile back on either side. For the last few miles
+the water in the river was decidedly brackish, and at our camp was
+evidently influenced by the tides; we, however, procured some tolerably
+good water by sinking a well in a sandbank in the dry portion of the
+channel, which here was about 300 yards wide. Camp 90.
+
+<p>SUDDEN RISE OF TIDE.
+
+<p>26th September.
+
+<p>This morning we found the water in the well quite salt, in consequence of
+the tide having risen during the night; and as our horses required water,
+it was found desirable to fall back upon some of the fresh pools to form
+a camp, while a day or two could be devoted to the examination of this
+fertile and interesting tract of country. We accordingly crossed the
+channel and proceeded westward for nearly three miles, when we came upon
+the other branch, which proved eventually to join again several miles
+below, forming an island containing some 8000 or 9000 acres of alluvial
+flat soil, covered with a quantity of mixed grasses. To this was given
+the name of Ripon Island. The western channel was found to be over 300
+yards wide, and to contain several fine reaches of open water, some fresh
+and others slightly brackish; they were all teeming with ducks and a
+great variety of water-fowl. Having selected a suitable spot for a camp,
+I started with Messrs. Brown and Harding to examine the country towards
+the inlet. At a little more than two miles we crossed the river between
+two pools of salt water, subject to the influence of the tides, and
+proceeded northward over an open grassy flat for two miles further, when
+the grass gave place to samphire and small mangrove bushes, which
+gradually thickened to dense mangroves, cut up by deep muddy creeks,
+which put a stop to proceeding further in that direction. Here we
+observed several remarkable stacks of dead mangroves, evidently piled
+together by the natives, but for what purpose we could not ascertain,
+unless to escape upon from the tide when fishing. Having gained firm
+ground, we made a detour more to the eastward, and at last succeeded in
+reaching the bank of the river close to the head of the inlet. The tide
+being at the ebb, I was able to walk over the mud and sand to the mouth
+of the river, and obtain bearings to Points Larrey and Poissonier, and
+observe the character of the entrance, from which I formed the opinion
+that the breakers seen by Captain Stokes when surveying this portion of
+the coast, and which deterred him from entering the inlet, were nothing
+more than the sea-rollers meeting a strong ebb tide setting out of the
+DeGrey, possibly backed up by freshes from the interior which would, from
+a river of this size, occasion a considerable commotion where the tide
+amounts to twenty feet; at any rate, I could not observe any rocks, and
+there appeared to be a channel with at least five or six feet of water in
+it at low tide. For the first mile the river has a breadth of from 400 to
+800 yards, and would admit with the tide vessels of twelve or fourteen
+feet draft of water with perfect safety up as far as Ripon Island, where
+they could lie completely sheltered in all weathers quite close to the
+shore, which here has steep banks twenty to thirty feet high; they would
+however, be left aground at low water, as we did not observe any pools in
+this part of the river. I had only just time to complete my observations
+when the roaring of the incoming tide warned me that no time was to be
+lost in returning to the horses, which were nearly a mile higher up the
+river. Although I ran part of the way, the mud creeks filled up so
+rapidly, there was some risk of my being cut off from the shore and
+having to take up a roost on the top of the mangroves until the tide
+fell; I had time, however, to observe that the head of the tide carried
+with it thousands of fish of great variety, amongst them a very
+remarkable one from three to six inches in length, in form resembling a
+mullet, but with fins like a flying-fish; it is amphibious, landing on
+the mud and running with the speed of a lizard, and when frightened can
+jump five or six feet at a bound; I did not, however, succeed in
+capturing one for a specimen. Swarms of beautiful bright-crimson crabs,
+about two inches diameter, were to be seen issuing from their holes to
+welcome the coming flood, on which was borne a great number of sea-fowl,
+who, it was evident, came in for an abundant feast in the general
+turmoil. Mounting our horses, that had stood for the last two hours
+without touching a mouthful of the rank grass around them for want of
+water, we returned to the camp by a different route, through open grass
+flats bordering the deep reaches of water that encompass the north-west
+side of Ripon Island.
+
+<p>SCARCITY OF WATER NEAR THE WEST.
+
+<p>27th September.
+
+<p>Accompanied by the same party, but with three fresh horses, we again
+started to explore the plains eastwards towards Mount Blaze. For several
+miles after leaving the island the country continued of the same fertile
+character as that passed over yesterday, and is at times subject to
+inundation from the river; but as we receded from the influence of the
+floods the soil became lighter and the grass thinner, with patches of
+triodia and samphire. At twelve miles we entered a patch of open grassy
+forest, extending for some miles; but as there was no promise of
+obtaining water, and the day was calm and sultry, we turned to the
+northward in the hope that water might be procurable under the low
+sand-hills that line this portion of the coast. In this we were, however,
+disappointed, as the fall of the country terminated in mangroves and
+salt-water creeks, between which and the sea is a narrow ridge of low
+sand-hills. Amongst them we observed many tracks of natives; but did not
+discover any water. The sea here is apparently very shallow for many
+miles off shore, more than half a mile of mud and sandbank being left dry
+at low water. Resting the horses for two hours, we returned to camp by a
+more direct route, passing for several miles over a plain of rich black
+mould, covered with a short sward of bright-green grass, the native fires
+having swept off the dry grass a few weeks previously; and although there
+had been no rain since, the heavy dews that fell during the night in
+these latitudes had been sufficient to produce a rapid growth.
+
+<p>28th September.
+
+<p>As I expected to meet with some difficulties for want of water between
+this and the Yule River, I thought it best to give the horses the benefit
+of a little rest before resuming our homeward route. Some of the party
+were also deriving much benefit from the abundance of fresh game, as they
+had been suffering from debility, brought on most probably by
+over-exertion while traversing the heavy country of the interior. While
+here we obtained several additions to our small collection of
+birds--amongst them a beautiful wader, the size of a large snipe, the
+head being covered by a remarkable membranous hood or sheath of a rich
+gamboge-yellow, resembling the leaf of a flower falling back from the
+beak, and lying close over the feathers, protecting them when the beak is
+plunged into the sand after food; they had also a remarkable sharp horn
+or claw projecting forward from the last joint of the wing, with which
+they can fight when attacked by birds of prey. A very handsome bird was
+also shot resembling a flamingo, the body being about the size, and in
+plumage like a pelican; the head and neck of a deep rich purple, and
+formed like the flamingo; the legs bright red, long and slender; it flies
+extended to its greatest length, measuring six feet two inches, and
+across the wings seven feet two inches; its weight being only 11 pounds.
+A white heron, with bird-of-paradise feathers on its back, was
+occasionally seen, but only one specimen procured.
+
+<p>29th September (Sunday).
+
+<p>DELTA OF THE DEGREY RIVER.
+
+<p>30th September.
+
+<p>We made an early start up the river, and at three miles struck out into
+the plains to the westward, where we found a large extent of open flat,
+yielding grass and atriplex, and timbered in many parts with
+flooded-gums. At ten miles we came upon a deep reach of water flowing to
+the north-west, which must empty itself into the sea four or five miles
+to the south-west of Spit Point, forming an island of a portion of the
+delta of the DeGrey, containing between 90,000 and 100,000 acres of
+alluvial land. This channel was followed up, and found to come from the
+river, close to the junction of the Strelley, and must be a very
+considerable outlet for the water during the summer rains. I regretted
+much not having time to trace this branch of the DeGrey to its mouth, as
+it might be found to be navigable, and afford a fine site for a seaport
+town. Fresh water is abundant, and building stone procurable in any
+quantity being found in the immediate vicinity on land superior to
+inundation. We remained at the junction the rest of the day. Camp 92.
+
+<p>THE STRELLEY RIVER.
+
+<p>1st October.
+
+<p>As the plains were now dry and parched, we determined to follow up the
+Strelley to the ranges before striking west to the Yule. At first the
+river spread out into so many wide grassy channels that it was difficult
+to trace it; but at four or five miles collected into one bed, about 100
+yards wide, in which were a few small pools. Up to this point the country
+had been fertile, the soil being an alluvial clay, resulting from
+volcanic rocks; but after getting clear of the line of hills, the soil
+became poor and hungry, yielding little else but triodia and acacia
+bushes; water was procured in several places in the course of the day's
+march; our course having been nearly due south. Camp 93.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 32 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>2nd October.
+
+<p>The river led us this morning a little to the eastward of south, through
+a country very similar to yesterday. Late in the day we crossed a
+considerable tributary coming from the south-east, which was now quite
+dry, and takes its rise in a bold range of granite hills now visible to
+the southward, at the distance of ten or twelve miles, and forms a part
+of the main tableland of this part of the coast; the plain we had been
+passing over being only a sea-flat, with a few detached ranges widely
+scattered over its surface. The river now began to trend to the westward,
+granite rocks showing themselves on the surface in large masses. Water
+was occasionally procurable, which was very important, as the horses
+could not travel many hours without it, although the heaviest packs were
+reduced below 100 pounds. We had now only six saddle-horses, so that two
+of the party had to walk by turns for an hour at a time. We halted late
+in latitude 20 degrees 45 minutes 17 seconds. Camp 94.
+
+<p>3rd October.
+
+<p>Started at 6.30 a.m., and in an hour came upon a fine pool in the
+granite, which was very acceptable, as we had encamped overnight without
+any water. The channel of the river here deepened considerably, was full
+of rocks, and contained plenty of water. Skirting the ranges for some
+distance, several tributaries joined from the southward. The country,
+although rocky, improved much in general appearance; grass was abundant,
+and game frequently met with. At night we encamped on a small pool in the
+bed of the river about five miles from the foot of the range. Cockatoos
+and pigeons came in great numbers to drink at the pool about sundown.
+Camp 95.
+
+<p>Latitude 20 degrees 56 minutes 33 seconds, longitude 119 degrees 10
+minutes by account.
+
+<p>4th October.
+
+<p>Made an early start, and travelled four miles on a south-west course,
+when the river divided into two channels, the main one coming from a deep
+gorge to the south-south-east, exactly in the direction in which we had
+left the Strelley on our outward route, at a distance of about thirty
+miles; identifying the stream with some degree of certainty. Taking the
+western branch, which would lead us towards the Yule, we followed it up
+until long past noon into a hilly country, without meeting with water;
+we, however, saw a large extent of fine grazing land which would make an
+excellent summer station when the flats were inundated. Having rested
+during the heat of the day, which had lately become rather oppressive, we
+resumed a westerly course, having run out the head watercourses of the
+western branch of the Strelley. A few miles brought us to a considerable
+stream-bed trending to the north-west, which was followed down till some
+time after dark, having procured a few gallons of water from a native
+well in the bed of a creek. To-day we had travelled for nine hours, and
+accomplished a distance of twenty-two miles, the longest day's march we
+had made for many weeks past. Early in the day we had noticed what we
+took for a great number of native fires springing up in all directions,
+and quickly to die away again; we, however, found it to be a number of
+whirlwinds, carrying with them huge columns of charcoal and dust, which
+traversed the plains sometimes for miles before they broke. Camp 96.
+
+<p>Latitude 21 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+<p>REACH THE YULE RIVER.
+
+<p>5th October.
+
+<p>Our computed distance from the Yule was now only twenty-one miles, and
+the country promised well for travelling; but the long march yesterday,
+and the short allowance of water, rendered it very doubtful whether some
+of the horses would hold out long enough to reach it; we therefore had
+our breakfast before daylight, and as soon as we could see resumed our
+route to the westward. At five miles we crossed a sandy channel, 200
+yards wide, full of cajeput and gum trees, but as we did not soon find
+any water in it, pushed on at a rapid pace, and in two miles more crossed
+a similar channel, 100 yards wide, trending north-west and running
+parallel to the first; beyond this the ground became rocky for a few
+miles, and by the time we had gone rather more than twelve miles, Mr.
+Burges' mare, Lucy, could go no further; giving her half a-gallon of
+water out of the little stock carried with us, I left Messrs. Brown and
+Harding to bring her on when rested, and with the rest of the party
+continued our route. A mile or two further, and another horse, Bob, was
+knocked up and left behind, having also had some water given him. With
+considerable difficulty we succeeded in getting the rest of the horses on
+to the Yule by 1.30 p.m., making it close to our camp of 13th August. Had
+the distance been ten miles further, probably not more than three or four
+of the horses would have ever reached it, so much were they reduced in
+strength. On reaching the pool, several of the horses, notwithstanding
+our efforts to prevent them, rushed headlong into the water with their
+packs on, and drank so much of it that it was with great difficulty we
+could drag them out again. In the course of the afternoon Messrs. Brown
+and Harding came in with the horse Bob, but had not been able to get the
+mare on more than two or three miles; being anxious, however, not to lose
+her, I sent McCourt and James with two of the strongest horses, carrying
+four gallons of water for her, after which they succeeded in getting her
+into camp by midnight. Camp 97.
+
+<p>6th October (Sunday).
+
+<p>Moved a short distance down the river to camp 57 for better feed.
+
+<p>CROSS DRY COUNTRY TO SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+<p>7th October.
+
+<p>As the distance from the Yule to the last known permanent water on the
+eastern branch of the Sherlock is over twenty-five miles, and our means
+of carrying water very limited since abandoning our largest pair of kegs
+in the retreat on the 8th September, I to-day set to work and soldered up
+a number of preserved-meat tins that had been carefully opened and kept
+for this purpose, putting a small spout to each; eight of these (4-pound
+tins) we found to contain something over four gallons, which, added to
+our water belts and the two remaining kegs, would provide for the
+conveyance of twelve gallons of water, which I hoped would prove
+sufficient to enable us to pass the dry tract of country in safety, as it
+would allow half a gallon to each horse and an ample supply for the party
+for two days. I also succeeded in repairing the aneroid barometer, which
+had been crushed nearly flat by the fall of a horse; fortunately,
+however, without injury to the vacuum vase.
+
+<p>8th October.
+
+<p>Having rearranged the loads and lightened them by leaving hid amongst the
+rocks a pack-saddle and sixty pounds weight of horse-shoes and nails, at
+3.45 p.m. we commenced a retreat on our outward tracks of the 13th
+August, travelling to 7.15 p.m., when we encamped on a patch of tolerably
+good grass in the plain at the foot of a volcanic range, without any
+signs of water near us. Camp 98.
+
+<p>9th October.
+
+<p>We were up before daylight, and by 6 a.m. had our breakfast, and were
+again on our march, visiting a waterhole seen on our outward route, but
+now found to be quite dry. We pushed on at the best speed of our horses,
+which was now not much over two miles an hour, to 10.0, when the heat of
+the day began to tell on the jaded animals; we therefore halted for an
+hour to give the horses half a gallon of water each, after which they
+travelled on much more briskly, so that by a little past noon we
+succeeded in reaching the large pool in the eastern Sherlock, near Camp
+55; some of the horses were, however, so much exhausted that we had some
+difficulty in getting them to move for the last mile, although entirely
+relieved of their loads. Camp 55a.
+
+<p>10th October.
+
+<p>Although the horses were by no means in a fit state to continue the
+march, yet grass was so scarce, on account of the native fires having
+here swept it off, that we found it best to push on for the springs at
+Camp 52.
+
+<p>Following down the banks of the stream, we found several pools not yet
+dried up, which proved a great help to our horses; before noon, however,
+the mare Lucy again gave in, and was finally abandoned, as there was but
+little chance of her ever reaching the bay; it is possible she may live
+to be picked up by some future travellers, although too old to last many
+years. By 1.0 p.m. we reached the springs at Camp 52, and found an ample
+supply of water, but the grass was here also much parched up; we,
+however, remained for the rest of the day.
+
+<p>NATIVE DEPREDATIONS.
+
+<p>11th October.
+
+<p>This morning our route was resumed down the eastern Sherlock, tracing a
+portion that had not been before examined, and which was now found to be
+well supplied with water and grass; cockatoos and pigeons being seen in
+large numbers feeding on the banks. As we approached the junction of the
+two branches of the river we met a party of ten or twelve natives, who
+came boldly up to us, which was the only time we had known them to do so
+since quitting Nickol Bay. Hoping to gain some useful information from
+them, they were allowed to follow us to our old camp of 2nd August, where
+there are the large fish-pools, of which they gave us the native names.
+We were not quite so successful in procuring game here as on the former
+visit, although as much fish was caught as could be consumed while it was
+good. The natives kept rather aloof while we were shooting on the river,
+but after dusk eight or ten came to the camp, unarmed, evidently on a
+thieving excursion, and although narrowly watched, managed to carry off a
+portion of Mr. Hall's kit, which, however, he recovered next morning, on
+paying them an early visit, finding the articles buried under some rushes
+in their camp.
+
+<p>THEY SET THE GRASS ON FIRE.
+
+<p>12th October.
+
+<p>We were now getting so near our destination that, although provisions
+were getting low, we could afford to give the party a whole day's rest,
+while I was enabled roughly to plot out some more of my work and write up
+the journal, which, from having my time constantly taken up with more
+pressing duties, had fallen sadly into arrears. The natives again came to
+see what they could steal, but this time were made to sit outside a line
+drawn on the sand, some twenty paces from the camp--an arrangement they
+appeared highly to disapprove of, giving expression to their
+dissatisfaction in a manner anything but polite; finding, however, that
+we were inattentive to their impertinence so long as they confined it to
+harmless display, they watched their opportunity, and suddenly set fire
+to the grass in several places at once around the camp, and ran off as
+hard as they could. As this was an open act of hostility that it was
+necessary they should be chastised for, although I did not wish seriously
+to hurt them, they were allowed to run to a suitable distance, when a
+charge of small shot was fired after them, a few of which taking effect
+in the rear of the principal offender, induced him, on meeting some of
+the party out shooting, to make an apology, and try to lay the blame of
+the theft of the previous day on the dogs.
+
+<p>13th October (Sunday).
+
+<p>As the distances between the several watering places on the homeward
+route were too much to perform without intermediate halts, and the heat
+of the noon-day sun rather oppressive, it was found better to start from
+the pools late in the day, so as to make the halts without water during
+the cool of the night, travelling only very late in the evening and early
+in the morning. We accordingly did not start this afternoon until 4 p.m.,
+and travelled on to 8.45, encamping in an open grassy plain under Black
+Hill--a volcanic eminence, the position of which is shown on the
+Admiralty charts. Camp 99.
+
+<p>14th October.
+
+<p>By 6 a.m. we were again on the move, and in an hour gained the banks of
+the George, which takes its rise in the volcanic hills to the southward.
+In its channel was an abundant supply of water, with many fine healthy
+trees overshadowing the pools. By 9.0 we arrived at our old camp (50),
+where we rested to 4.15 p.m., when we resumed and travelled on till
+nearly 8.0, encamping on the open grassy plains near the Harding River.
+Camp 100.
+
+<p>REACH THE HARDING RIVER. FLYING FOXES.
+
+<p>15th October.
+
+<p>An early start enabled us to accomplish the remaining six miles to the
+Harding by 8.30, where we halted for the remainder of the day, as it was
+not unlikely that we might have to travel the remaining thirty miles into
+the bay without finding any more water. As we had now only four days'
+rations left, and it was uncertain, in the present low condition of our
+horses, how long it might take us to reach the ship, the sportsmen of the
+party made the best use of the halt to procure game, while I proceeded to
+convert some more of the empty meat-tins into water-canisters, increasing
+our means for the transport of water to eighteen gallons, with which we
+had a fair prospect of getting in all the horses, even though no more
+should be found on the route. Our camp was enlivened this evening by the
+continued screeching of a number of large bats, which kept up a vigorous
+fight in the trees overhead the greater part of the night,
+notwithstanding our shooting ten or twelve of them. They were very fat,
+but emitted such an intolerable odour that it would require even an
+explorer to be hard pressed before he could make a supper of them, either
+roasted or boiled.
+
+<p>16th October.
+
+<p>This morning set in intensely hot, by noon the thermometer standing at
+107 degrees in the shade, and at 3 p.m., when placed on a sandbank in the
+sun, rose to 178 of Fahrenheit; on the setting in of the westerly breeze
+it, however, fell at once to 96 degrees, and by 4.30 p.m. we were enabled
+to resume our route without feeling in any way inconvenienced by the
+temperature. We did not now attempt to pass through the rocky ranges so
+far to the eastward as on our outward route, but kept more to the
+westward along the open grassy valley, until opposite the narrowest part
+of the range, when, turning sharp to the north, we very quickly passed
+over the rocky portion of the hills, only encountering a few miles of
+extra rampant triodia, which was anything but pleasant to walk through,
+especially leading the party after dark. Following down a small
+watercourse for several miles, it at length joined the Nickol River, in
+which we shortly after found a small quantity of water in the bottom of
+what had been a pool, but which towards the close of the dry season
+sometimes goes dry; here we halted for a few hours to rest. Camp 101.
+
+<p>LAST DAY'S JOURNEY.
+
+<p>17th October.
+
+<p>Without waiting for daylight, by 2.10 a.m. we were again on the move, as
+there was now a fair chance of getting all the remaining horses into the
+bay, if we did but avoid travelling during the heat of the day. In an
+hour the hills were cleared, and it was now all open plain as far as the
+marsh at the head of Nickol Bay. By the time the morning broke we were in
+full view of the bay and several islands of the Archipelago, the long
+black hull of our ocean-home riding at anchor on the now placid waters
+forming by no means the least pleasing feature of the scene to those who
+had not seen a vestige of civilisation for many months. After halting for
+nearly two hours for breakfast, and to distribute the water amongst the
+horses, we again moved rapidly on, crossing the marsh with some
+difficulty, owing to the spring-tide having been recently over it, and at
+1 p.m. arrived on our old ground at Hearson Cove, where we found a boat
+and party from the ship waiting for us, James having been despatched by a
+shorter route to signalize our return. Everything had gone on
+satisfactorily during our absence. The vessel's water-tanks had been kept
+filled up, ensuring a supply for our horses on the homeward voyage, as it
+would be utterly impossible at this season of the year, with the animals
+in such low condition, to attempt the overland route to Champion Bay.
+Amongst other discoveries during our absence was a bed of pearl-oysters
+at the head of the bay, from which the crew of the Dolphin had procured
+several tons of very fine mother-of-pearl, besides a small number of
+pearls varying in size from one to four carats.
+
+<p>18th October.
+
+<p>The party was fully occupied in clearing out the well and packing up
+saddles and outfit for shipment. It was also found that deepening the
+well had caused the water to become brackish, so much so that we had to
+bring water by boat from the spring at which the ship had been filled up;
+the horses however still managed to drink the well-water, although it
+produced great thirst. I have no doubt but that, had we had time to sink
+a fresh well closer to the foot of the hills, we should have obtained
+fresh water, as several ravines terminate there in a beautiful grassy
+flat, where a large proportion of the rainwater brought down from the
+hills sinks into the soil, from whence it gradually drains down and
+supplies the wells in the salt strata. I was disappointed to find that
+the cotton plants, that had thriven so well on first being sown, had been
+burnt in consequence of some of the sailors having thoughtlessly set fire
+to the adjoining grass; had they not been killed, by this time they would
+probably have been in flower, as their growth was very rapid.
+
+<p>EASTERN PART OF NICKOL BAY.
+
+<p>19th October.
+
+<p>As it was necessary to give the horses a few days' rest previous to
+swimming them off to the ship, I started this morning in the life-boat,
+accompanied by Captain Dixon and Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Walcott, to
+examine the eastern shores of the bay, for the purpose of ascertaining
+whether a more suitable spot for a landing place and site for a future
+town could be found in that quarter. Leaving the Dolphin at 5.30 a.m., we
+ran to the eastward with a light south wind, passing, at six miles, two
+small islands in the mouth of the small bay into which the Nickol River
+discharges itself. These islands had been visited already by Mr. Walcott,
+and I gave them the name of Pemberton and Walcott Islands. Continuing to
+run along the shore towards Cape Lambert, the soundings gave from two to
+three fathoms, with a good bottom of mud and sand, but the landing was
+generally indifferent and rocky until we came to within about nine miles
+of the cape, when a deep opening was passed, affording good shelter and
+landing for small craft. Two miles further we landed in a small rocky
+cove for breakfast, which gave me an opportunity of climbing a hill and
+examining the surrounding country, which proved very dry and rocky. A
+little further we passed a bold headland, against the extremity of which
+rested a singular flying buttress, forming half an arch of fifty or sixty
+feet span, and from thirty to forty feet in height. Turning this
+headland, another opening was observed, which we entered with the tide,
+and soon found that it communicated with the first one, forming an island
+of some extent and elevation, to which was given the name of Dixon
+Island. We continued to beat down the channel, which had an average width
+of over half a mile, until late in the evening, when we came to anchor in
+eleven feet of water.
+
+<p>20th October.
+
+<p>At daylight we found ourselves high and dry, only a narrow channel a few
+yards wide being left. Having walked over the mud to Dixon Island to
+breakfast, the vicinity was examined for water, but without success. At 6
+a.m. the tide came in again so rapidly that it was not without some
+little difficulty that we gained our boat, when the wind set in so
+strongly from the south-west that, after several hours' almost
+ineffectual attempts to work to windward, we again landed not two miles
+from our last night's anchorage, the character of the country being
+equally unfavourable for landing, as it was cut up by deep mangrove
+creeks running far up the valleys into the steep rocky hills, forming a
+difficult and unpromising country. The breeze having moderated and
+shifted a point more to the westward, we again attempted to beat out into
+the bay, but by 9 p.m. had not made more than three miles, when we landed
+for the night, leaving two of the party in charge of the boat to keep her
+off the rocks when the tide fell.
+
+<p>21st October.
+
+<p>The wind and tide being now in our favour, by 3.30 a.m. we took to our
+boat, and arrived on board the Dolphin by 10, when she was very soon got
+underweigh for the purpose of taking her closer in to ship the horses;
+light and variable winds, however, prevented our working more than a mile
+nearer the landing cove by sundown, when we dropped anchor for the night.
+
+<p>22nd October.
+
+<p>With a light west wind the Dolphin was worked into eleven feet water, one
+and a quarter miles off the point near the cove; the vessel drawing over
+ten feet, brought the mud up to the surface in our wake. Eight horses
+were soon swam off without much difficulty, as we all had now some little
+experience in this sort of work.
+
+<p>EMBARK FOR FREMANTLE.
+
+<p>23rd October.
+
+<p>By 2 p.m. the remaining six horses and equipment of the Expedition were
+all safely shipped, and a conspicuous intimation of our sojourn on the
+coast having been painted in large white letters on a pile of granite
+rocks near the south corner of the cove, we took our final departure,
+getting the Dolphin underweigh by 4, with a light westerly wind, which
+carried us through the passage between Hauy and Delambre Islands by 7,
+when we hauled up and stood to north-north-west.
+
+<p>24th October.
+
+<p>The wind still holding to the west, we made but little progress, the
+Dolphin being only a good sailer in smooth water, or running before the
+wind.
+
+<p>Latitude 19 degrees 12 minutes south at noon.
+
+<p>25th October.
+
+<p>By noon observations we were only in latitude 18 degrees 42 minutes;
+longitude 113 degrees 32 minutes.
+
+<p>26th October.
+
+<p>The wind veering slightly to the south, we were able to make by noon to
+latitude 18 degrees 46 minutes 30 seconds; longitude 111 degrees 47
+minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>27th October.
+
+<p>From this time to the 3rd November the winds continued to blow almost
+uninterruptedly from the south and eastward, which carried us as far west
+as longitude 101 degrees east, and latitude 31 degrees south, where we
+met with westerly winds, which enabled us to run up to within sight of
+Cape Naturaliste by the 8th.
+
+<p>9th November.
+
+<p>By 10 a.m. we were off Rottnest Island, when the pilot came on board and
+took us to the anchorage in Gage's Roads by noon. Having given
+instructions to Mr. Turner for the landing of the horses, etc., I landed
+with Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Hall, all of whom were, at their desire,
+at once released from the duties of the Expedition. Proceeded by steamer
+to Perth.
+
+<p>10th November.
+
+<p>Had an interview with His Excellency the Governor, and reported the safe
+return of the party and general results of the Expedition.
+
+<p>F.T. GREGORY,
+
+<p>Commander North-West Australian Expedition.
+
+<p>Perth, 6th February, 1862.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="50%">
+
+<h3>APPENDIX.</h3>
+
+<p>Adopting the course which I have found most convenient on similar
+occasions, I now proceed to offer a few remarks on the general features,
+productions, and natural capabilities, etc., of the country traversed by
+the Expedition, which could not, without disadvantage, have been
+introduced into the foregoing narrative. These remarks have already
+appeared at the conclusion of my report published on the 18th November,
+1861, but are equally applicable to the present publication.
+
+<p>Commencing with its geographical and geological peculiarities, that
+portion of the country that came under our observation consists of a
+succession of terraces, rising inland for nearly 200 miles, more or less
+broken up by volcanic hills towards the coast. The first belt averages
+from ten to forty miles in width from the sea, and is a nearly level
+plain, slightly ascending to the southward, with an elevation of from 40
+to 100 feet, the soil being generally either light loam or strong clays,
+according as it is the result of the disintegration of the granite rocks
+that occasionally protrude above its surface, or of volcanic rocks of
+black scoria that frequently interrupt the general level; hills of this
+nature also constitute the greater portion of the more elevated islands
+off the coast, Cape Lambert, and the promontory that shelters the western
+side of Nickol Bay. The generality of these rocks do not, however, yield
+so rich a soil as might be expected from their origin. This is owing to
+the absence of actual lava, the eruptive heat having nearly been
+sufficient to convert the superincumbent primary and tertiary rocks into
+a vitreous scoria, having a specific gravity of 3.2, and is highly
+indestructible in its texture.
+
+<p>Proceeding inland for the next fifty or sixty miles is a granite country
+that has been originally capped with horizontal sandstones, and has an
+elevation of about 1000 feet. This range terminates to the southward in
+level plains of good soil, the produce of the next series of more
+elevated country, while towards the northern edges the granite and
+sandstones have undergone great changes through the action of numerous
+trap dykes, that have greatly disturbed its surface, producing
+metamorphic rocks, some resembling jasper, and others highly cellular and
+scoriaceous.
+
+<p>In about latitude 22 degrees, on the meridian of Nickol Bay, we came upon
+another and more elevated range trending away to the south-east, having
+an altitude of 2500 feet above the sea. This, unlike the last section,
+has a southern escarpment of 500 or 600 feet, and consists of horizontal
+sandstones and conglomerates, which have comparatively undergone little
+change, and has an average breadth of eight or ten miles, the southern
+flank being bordered by fertile valleys of strong loamy clays, merging
+gradually to the southward into stony ridges and hills, some having an
+elevation of nearly 4000 feet, the culminating point being attained at
+Mount Bruce, in latitude 22 degrees 30 minutes.
+
+<p>From this point the country gradually falls to the Ashburton, the bed of
+which river, in the same meridian as the bay, is about 1600 feet above
+the sea, and the adjoining ranges not above 2200 feet, or about the same
+as the country on the Gascoyne, Lyons, and Upper Murchison.
+
+<p>Of minerals I was unable to discover any traces, except iron. Quartz
+reefs occasionally traversed the country in a north-north-east and
+south-south-west direction, or nearly the same as the mineral lodes at
+Champion Bay; but I could not find any instance in which this rock
+offered much to indicate the probable existence of gold, it being far
+surpassed in this respect by the rocks on the Upper Murchison. Coal does
+not appear likely to be found within the limits of the country passed
+over, unless towards the easternmost point attained by the Expedition.
+
+<p>With respect to the harbours on the coast, I can only speak of Nickol Bay
+and the anchorage under Rosemary and the adjacent islands. The former I
+consider only second to King George's Sound, as it can be entered in all
+weathers, either from the north or north-east, and there is reason to
+believe that a safe passage exists between Legendre and Dolphin Islands,
+leading into Mermaid Straits, where there appears to be an excellent
+harbour at all seasons of the year.
+
+<p>The soundings towards the eastern and western shores of Nickol Bay, taken
+at low water, show sufficient depth for vessels of considerable tonnage
+to lie within a cable's length of the shore, the bottom being fine sand
+and soft mud. Towards the head of the bay the water is much shallower,
+not carrying more than two fathoms two miles from the shore. No reefs are
+known to exist in this bay, except quite close into land.
+
+<p>In making the running survey of the western promontory I found that all
+to the north of Sloping Head was an island, having a boat channel between
+from half a mile to a mile wide. To the outer portion I therefore gave
+the name of Dolphin Island.
+
+<p>The tides are tolerably regular, and average sixteen feet, but at the
+spring they rise twenty-one feet, on which occasions the whole of the
+western promontory, including the high lands for several miles to the
+westward, are entirely cut off by the sea, the other opening being under
+Enderby Island--a circumstance that greatly detracts from the value of
+these otherwise fine harbours, as it would require two miles of causeway
+to connect the best landing place, where water is to be found, with the
+mainland.
+
+<p>The average declination of the needle throughout this district I found to
+be 1 degree east, the result of many amplitudes and azimuths; there is,
+however, in the vicinity of many of the volcanic hills great local
+attraction.
+
+<p>Of the climate I can only say that during the five months we remained on
+the coast we never experienced the same inconvenience from it that we
+frequently have done within the limits of the settled districts of the
+colony; the weather was, however, principally fine, and the sky clear
+during our stay, only two showers having occurred--one at the latter end
+of May and the other in June. The meteorological register kept at Nickol
+Bay shows the following results, from observations taken at all hours of
+the day and night:--
+
+<pre>
+Thermometer     Max.   Min
+May             80     65
+June            76     63
+July            78     56
+August          80     54
+September       83     65
+October         92     70
+</pre>
+
+<p>Under the peculiar circumstance of the thermometer being placed on a
+sandbank in the sun during the hot days in October, it rose to 178
+degrees of Fahrenheit, whilst the lowest it ever fell to was up in the
+hills, in July, when it was 2 degrees below freezing just before sunrise.
+
+<p>The winds continued to blow almost uninterruptedly from the east and
+south-east during the first four months, veering to the south-south-east
+and south and occasionally to the north-east. Latterly the wind was
+alternately south-east in the morning, and north-west or westerly in the
+afternoon; the sky becoming frequently overcast, and every appearance of
+the near approach of the rainy season, which it has been observed by
+navigators and explorers to do about the beginning of November, and
+continue to March.
+
+<p>Amongst the natural productions I would first briefly refer to the beds
+of the pearl oysters, as they are likely to become of immediate
+commercial importance, considerable numbers having been gathered by the
+crew of the Dolphin at their leisure time, the aggregate value of which,
+I am told, is between 500 and 600 pounds; besides pearls, one of which
+has been valued by competent persons at 25 pounds. The limits of the bed
+are as yet undefined, but there is good reason to believe, from the
+position of it, that with proper apparatus ships could soon be loaded
+with them.
+
+<p>Sandalwood was found in small quantities, very highly scented, but too
+widely scattered to become of much importance as an article of export.
+
+<p>Of indigenous fruits, etc., we observed the adansonia, or gouty-stemmed
+tree of Sir G. Grey (nearly allied to the baobab or monkey bread-fruit of
+Southern Africa), sweet and water melons similar to those formerly seen
+by me on the Lyons River, but of much larger size; a small gourd; a wild
+fig, well-tasted; and a sweet plum, very palatable, were found in
+tolerable abundance.
+
+<p>I have already spoken of the palms which grow on the bank of the
+Fortescue; they are very handsome and grow to the height of forty feet,
+but not having brought in any specimens, they have not yet been
+identified as to their variety.
+
+<p>Tobacco does not grow so luxuriantly here as on the Lyons River, but the
+natives collect it, and after preparation, chew it; but we did not on any
+occasion observe them to smoke.
+
+<p>Many beautiful flowers were also collected, which will be forwarded to
+some of the most eminent botanists, to be described and classified.
+
+<p>It now only remains for me to give an opinion on the capabilities of the
+country for colonisation. It would be almost impossible to particularise
+the positions or define the limits of country adapted for grazing
+purposes beyond the reference already made to them. The total amount of
+land available for this purpose within the limit of our route I should
+estimate at not less than two or three millions of acres, and of this I
+may safely say 200,000 are suitable for agricultural purposes, the
+greater portion of which lies on the two flanks of the Hamersley Range,
+on the banks of the DeGrey and its tributaries, and on the Lower
+Sherlock.
+
+<p>Of the fitness of this district for the growth of wool, which, on account
+of its being an intertropical country, it is generally supposed it would
+be unsuitable, I would remark that its elevation above the sea appears
+likely to obviate the objection, and render it probable that sheep may
+not degenerate in the same way they are found to do in other tropical
+countries; at any rate, flocks are now being pushed over on to the same
+latitude in Queensland, and we do not hear of the wool-grower complaining
+that such is the case there.
+
+<p>As to its fitness for the growth of cereals, it is quite possible that
+wheat and barley may not come to the same degree of perfection they do in
+the more temperate latitudes of Australia, but there is no reason to
+doubt its capability of growing sufficient grain for the support of a
+numerous population.
+
+<p>What it appears more highly qualified for than anything else is the
+growth of cotton--a question which at the present juncture cannot be lost
+sight of. From my personal observation of the cultivation of this plant
+in Egypt, and the attention I have recently paid to this subject while in
+Europe, I feel confident that a very considerable portion of the arable
+lands on the DeGrey and Sherlock are precisely the soils adapted for the
+production of this valuable commodity. As, however, I purpose to make
+this the subject of a more lengthy paper at a future period, I will not
+now venture to enlarge upon it.
+
+<p>As the number and disposition of the aborigines is likely to have some
+effect on the first settlement of a district, I would give it as my
+opinion that these people will not prove particularly troublesome to the
+settlers, if properly and fairly treated. They are not numerous, and
+appear very willing to take employ under Europeans, and will no doubt
+soon be made as useful as in the other districts. In stature they rather
+exceed the usual standard, some of them measuring two or three inches
+over six feet.
+
+<p>In bringing my report to a close, I would wish to observe, that although
+the results of the Expedition have fallen short of my sanguine hopes with
+regard to Geographical discovery, and will, I am afraid, in some degree
+disappoint the anticipations of the eminent Geographers who have lent
+their valuable aid in promoting the undertaking, yet I cannot but hope
+that the large amount of additional fertile country it has brought to our
+knowledge will compensate in some degree for the deficiency. I am,
+however, unable to refrain from again expressing my opinion, that had not
+so many concurrent circumstances combined to retard the departure of the
+Expedition until so late in the season, and it had arrived on the coast
+at the time originally recommended by the Geographical Society, it would,
+in all probability, have resulted in the full accomplishment of the
+object they had in view.
+
+<p>It now devolves upon me to perform the pleasing duty of recording my
+entire satisfaction with the manner in which the whole of the members of
+the Expedition put forward their best energies in the performance of
+their respective functions. To Mr. Turner I am indebted for the care
+bestowed on the management of the store department, which came under his
+immediate charge. To Messrs. Brockman and Hall, J. McCourt, and James,
+are due my acknowledgments for the cheerful alacrity with which they
+performed the duties allotted to them.
+
+<p>Of Messrs. Maitland, Brown and J. Harding I cannot speak too highly.
+Accompanying me on all the extra services upon which I was engaged, they
+had to endure privations of no ordinary description, which they met with
+a spirit of steady fortitude deserving of the highest praise. Of the
+valuable services rendered to the Expedition and to science by Mr. P.
+Walcott I have already had occasion to refer, and I sincerely hope that
+his talents and zeal in the pursuits of Botany and Natural History may
+meet a more substantial reward than the thanks which are justly due to
+him and those gentlemen who have given their time and talents
+gratuitously in the service of their fellow-colonists.
+
+<p>To Captain Dixon and the officers and crew of the Dolphin every praise is
+due for the assistance which on all occasions they promptly afforded in
+aiding the Expedition, and for which I gladly avail myself of the present
+opportunity to return them my best thanks.
+
+<p>In conclusion, permit me to tender Your Excellency my acknowledgments for
+the readiness with which you have acceded to my various suggestions in
+carrying out the arrangements of the Expedition since the passing of the
+vote of money in aid by the local legislature.
+
+<p>F.T.G.
+
+<hr width="50%" align="center">
+
+<p>VOCABULARY OF THE ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE AT NICKOL BAY.
+
+<p>BY MR. PWALCOTT.
+
+<pre>
+ENGLISH : ABORIGINAL.
+
+Emu : Galiberie.
+Kangaroo : Peckoora.
+Kangaroo (Rock) : Noordee.
+Barbed spear : Bilara.
+Common spear : Wera Wera.
+Foot : Jinna.
+Sleep : Gnaree.
+Water : Baba.
+Sit down : Barnee Boongoo.
+Come here : Gokie.
+Eastern tribes : Kakardi.
+Hair of head : Knuggnura.
+Twine : Bingooro.
+Nose : Moola.
+Tongue : Talee.
+Cockle (unio) : Yoondo.
+Ears : Kulka.
+Scars on the arms, etc. : Waarbungabo.
+Red ochre or wilgee : Marder.
+Sand : Narnoo.
+Bean (scarlet runner) : Koordala.
+Toe nail : Mindee.
+Oyster (rock) : Jibboor.
+Oyster (pearl) : Weerdee.
+Grass : Warabo.
+Fishing net : Takaroo.
+Fetch or bring : Takora.
+Acacia : Baragoon.
+Breadfruit tree : Tangoola.
+Gourd or calabash : Guabooraam.
+Firewood : Tamara.
+Granite rock : Caragnoo.
+Come : Gokee.
+Go : Wakkie.
+Cowrie or Cypraea : Weelungooroo.
+Sun : Yanda.
+Biscuit : Mardomurrie.
+Sea shag : Toorna.
+Native dog : Wanga.
+Vomit : Kalkalubata.
+Knife : Chumberrie.
+Horse : Gnoormiee.
+Sponge : Banga.
+Axe : Carama.
+Black wattle : Eringgna.
+Snake : Walee.
+Tobacco : Gaanaree.
+Scarlet trefoil : Beeban.
+Hungry : Kamoongoo.
+Knee : Manboor.
+Shin : Kojaee.
+Thigh : Woolagallu.
+Eyelash : Gneearee.
+Forehead : Wara.
+Lip : Walee.
+Knuckles : Munjee.
+Elbow : Yarna Mangoola.
+Big toe : Guangnaree.
+Seaweed : Binda.
+Iron : Tanga Tanga.
+Boat : Kajuree.
+Sneeze : Kanjeerneo.
+Sugar : Kungknara.
+</pre>
+
+<hr width="50%" align="center">
+
+<a name="seven"></a>
+
+<h3>NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION.</h3>
+
+<h4>1855 TO 1856.</h4>
+
+<p>The circumstances which led to the organisation of the Expedition for
+exploring Northern Australia, and the special objects of the Imperial
+Government in undertaking it, are best detailed in the following Despatch
+from His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, Secretary of State for the
+Colonies, to Captain Fitzgerald, Governor of Western Australia:--
+
+<p>The Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, to the Governor
+of Western Australia.
+
+<p>Downing Street,
+
+<p>31st August, 1854.
+
+<p>SIR,
+
+<p>You will probably have been rendered aware by the reports of the
+Parliamentary Debates of last session, and from other sources, that Her
+Majesty's Government have been long considering the project of
+despatching an exploring expedition to lay open, if favoured with
+success, more of the interior of the great Australian Continent than the
+many energetic but partial attempts hitherto made have succeeded in
+developing.
+
+<p>This scheme originated with the Council of the Royal Geographical
+Society, who corresponded with the Colonial Department on the subject of
+it during last winter. But it was ultimately considered by Her Majesty's
+Government that the importance of the subject rendered it more advisable
+that the expedition should be undertaken under their own
+superintendence, and as a matter of public concern; and Parliament has
+now placed at their disposal a sum of 5000 pounds for the purpose, and
+will undoubtedly give further assistance should it be requisite.
+
+<p>Great difficulties have, however, presented themselves as to the
+necessary arrangements. The hostilities in which the country is involved
+have necessarily directed the time and thoughts, not of Her Majesty's
+Government only, but also of many of those whose professional knowledge
+and experience might have been of the greatest assistance, in another
+direction. Of the distinguished Australian explorers now in this country
+some are incapacitated by reason of health, and others by the
+circumstance of their services being required in other directions, from
+taking the command.
+
+<p>It would, however, be a matter of regret if, now that the money has been
+voted and the preparations partially made, the Expedition was not able to
+start at the best period for commencing operations next year, which on
+the northern coast of Australia seems generally thought to be from
+February to April.
+
+<p>I enclose copies of certain portions of the correspondence which took
+place early in the present year between the Colonial Department and
+Captain Stokes and Mr. Sturt, who were consulted in order to obtain the
+benefit of their advice, and the former of whom I had at one time the
+hope to secure for the command of the Expedition.
+
+<p>You will collect from these documents that the general view of those who
+have considered the subject appears to be that Moreton Bay would be a
+convenient rendezvous for the land portion of the Expedition; that they
+might be conveyed by sea to the mouth of the Victoria River, on the
+north-west coast; that it would be advantageous, if possible, that they
+should act in concert with a Government vessel, which might be employed
+in surveying operations in the Gulf of Carpentaria and neighbourhood,
+while the land explorers were engaged in the interior.
+
+<p>SELECTION OF COMMANDER.
+
+<p>Her Majesty's Government are, however, fully aware that such projects,
+especially where they involve so much combination, can only be submitted
+generally to the leader of such an expedition, to whom great latitude
+must be left as to the mode of carrying his instructions into execution.
+
+<p>They have now come to the determination of offering the command of the
+land expedition to Mr. A.C. Gregory, Assistant Surveyor, in Western
+Australia. They have been induced to take this course both by the very
+high testimonials which have been given to the abilities and fitness of
+this gentleman for the purpose by such authorities as they have been able
+to consult in England, and also by your own reports concerning him,
+particularly that contained in your despatch of the 6th January, 1852.
+
+<p>Should Mr. Gregory accept the charge, which I trust, notwithstanding its
+arduous and responsible nature, you will find him ready to do, it is the
+wish of Her Majesty's Government that without waiting for further
+instructions he should proceed immediately to Sydney, where he will find
+such instructions awaiting him, and where his party will be organised.
+
+<p>You are authorised to supply Mr. Gregory with the necessary funds for
+this purpose, which will be repaid to the Local Government, from the
+Commissariat chest.
+
+<p>If you are aware of any persons in your Government well qualified and
+willing to serve under Mr. Gregory in subordinate capacities, or if he
+has himself any assistants whom he would be anxious to engage, you are at
+liberty to place them at his disposal; but it must be understood that
+this permission does not apply to persons who are to take charge of
+scientific departments of the Expedition, as there are already gentlemen
+of this class with whom her Majesty's Government have been in
+correspondence; any such person who may wish to join the Expedition can
+do so only as a volunteer.
+
+<p>Copy of this despatch has been transmitted by the same mail to Sir
+Charles Fitzroy, and likewise to the other Australian Governors. Sir
+Charles Fitzroy will therefore be fully prepared to receive Mr. Gregory,
+and to render him all assistance in his power; and I have every reason to
+hope for the zealous co-operation of the several local Legislatures and
+Governments in a scheme intended for the development of the vast and
+unknown resources of their common Continent.
+
+<p>You will, on receiving this despatch, immediately communicate with Mr.
+Gregory, and if he should accept the command of the Expedition, inform
+both the Secretary of State for the Colonies and Sir Charles Fitzroy, and
+the other Australian Governments, immediately of his having done so, and
+of his intended movements.
+
+<p>I have, etc.,
+
+<p>(Signed) NEWCASTLE.
+
+<hr width="20%" align="center">
+
+<h5>JOURNAL OF THE NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPLORING EXPEDITION, BY A.C. GREGORY.</h5>
+
+<p>The preliminary arrangements for the North Australian Exploring
+Expedition being complete, the stores, equipment, and a portion of the
+party were embarked at Sydney in the barque Monarch and schooner Tom
+Tough, and sailed for Moreton Bay on the 18th July, 1855, and on the 22nd
+anchored at the bar of the Brisbane River. The next day the Monarch
+attempted to enter the river, but being taken by the Government Pilot
+half a mile to the east of the channel over the bar, grounded, and was
+not got off till the 26th, when she entered the river. The steamer
+Ballarat was engaged to tow the Monarch up to the town of Brisbane; but
+having struck on a rock near Ipswich, sank, and the steamer Hawk was
+engaged to tow up the river. The Hawk, however, proved to be of
+insufficient power, and it was then decided to embark the horses and
+sheep, which had been collected by Mr. H.C. Gregory, at Eagle Farm.
+
+<p>HORSES EMBARKED AT MORETON BAY.
+
+<p>The horses having been got on board the Monarch on the 31st July, and the
+sheep the next day, the steamer Bremer was employed to tow her over the
+Bar. It was evident, however, that the Bremer did not intend to do this,
+for she slacked the tow-line, and then steamed ahead full speed and
+snapped the hawser, and went off without any explanation.
+
+<p>Having removed a quantity of stores from the Monarch to the Tom Tough, so
+as to reduce the draft of the former, on the 8th August warped over the
+bar and went over to Moreton Island, where about three tons of water were
+taken in from the fresh-water creeks near the Pilot Station.
+
+<p>On the 12 August weighed and left Moreton Bay; and this being the last
+point of communication with the civilised world, the Expedition might be
+considered to commence on this date.
+
+<p>The party consisted of eighteen persons, as follows: commander A.C.
+Gregory; assistant commander, H.C. Gregory; geologist, J.S. Wilson;
+artist and storekeeper, J. Baines; surgeon and naturalist, J.R. Elsey;
+botanist, F. Mueller; collector and preserver, J. Flood; overseer, G.
+Phibbs; stockmen, etc., C. Humphries, R. Bowman, C. Dean, J. Melville, W.
+Dawson, W. Shewell, W. Selby, S. Macdonald, H. Richards, J. Fahey. The
+livestock comprised fifty horses and 200 sheep.
+
+<p>The provisions consisted of flour, salt pork, preserved beef, rice, peas,
+preserved potatoes, sago, sugar, tea, coffee, vinegar, limejuice, etc.,
+calculated to supply the party on full rations for eighteen months.
+
+<p>On 13th August passed Breaksea Spit, and Port Curtis next morning, the
+weather being fine with south-east winds; reached Port Albany on 26th.
+Landed on Albany Island, which is principally of sandstone formation
+rising into hills of moderate elevation, the soil generally poor and
+sandy covered with bush and small trees, with a few open grassy patches.
+Fresh water was found in a small cove 100 yards north from the
+landing-place on the sandy beach; the supply was so small as to be of
+little use, and the position inconvenient of access.
+
+<p>The mainland appeared to be covered with much dense bush, and the rocky
+sandstone hills did not indicate that the country was of any great value
+either for agricultural or pastoral purposes.
+
+<p>Port Albany is a narrow, but deep channel between Albany Island and the
+mainland of Cape York. It is easy of ingress and egress; but is neither
+safe or convenient, owing to the great rapidity of the current which sets
+through with the tide.
+
+<p>Some canoes with natives came to the vessels. They evidently have
+frequent communication with vessels passing through the Straits, and are
+well acquainted with the use and name of tobacco, which they smoke in
+large bamboo pipes. Their arms consisted of spears, bows, and arrows. The
+canoes, formed of a single tree, rudely hollowed out, and fitted with
+outriggers.
+
+<p>27th August.
+
+<p>Left Port Albany, and, passing through Endeavour Strait, were favoured
+with a light easterly wind as far as Port Essington, which was sighted on
+September 1st, and after passing through Dundas Strait anchored for the
+night.
+
+<p>The following morning passed Vernon Island with a light breeze. At 9.50
+p.m. the Monarch grounded on a rocky reef off the entrance of Port
+Patterson, the master of the vessel not having made due allowance for the
+indraught of the tide. Unfortunately this occurred at the top of the
+spring tide, and the result was that, though every exertion was made to
+warp the vessel off, the tide did not rise sufficiently to float her
+until the 10th September, when, by cutting off the false keel and
+levelling the surface of the rock, we succeeded in hauling her off, with
+comparatively little damage, as the weather continued calm during the
+whole of this anxious period.
+
+<p>As the vessel lay on her side at low tide, the position of the horses was
+extremely inconvenient, and they suffered a greater amount of injury
+during these eight days than on the whole of the preceding voyage, and it
+is to this that the subsequent loss of so large a number of the horses is
+to be attributed; for though only two died on board the vessel, the
+others became so excessively weak that some had not the strength to go
+through the fatigue of landing and the journey from Point Pearce to the
+Victoria River, and at the same time the supply of forage was so reduced
+that it became necessary to land the horses immediately on reaching Point
+Pearce, and before the place could be examined for the best landing.
+
+<p>LAND AT THE ENTRANCE OF VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+<p>After getting off the reef, light winds and calms delayed the voyage to
+the Victoria River; but as the Tom Tough worked along the coast better
+than the Monarch, I went on with the schooner to examine the entrance of
+the river. Ascending the Victoria to Blunder Bay, found that the locality
+was not suited for landing horses, and therefore returned to Treachery
+Bay, near which Mr. H.C. Gregory had discovered abundance of grass and
+water under Providence Hill of Captain Stokes; commenced landing the
+horses on the 18th; but, in consequence of the strong tides and extensive
+mangrove flats, great difficulties were encountered, the horses having to
+swim more than two miles from the vessel to the shore, and were so
+exhausted that three were drowned, one lost in the mud and mangroves, and
+one went mad and rushed into the bush and was lost. Having transferred
+the stores to the Tom Tough, on the 24th the Monarch sailed for
+Singapore. Mr. Wilson was instructed to proceed in the schooner up the
+Victoria River, and to establish a camp at the highest convenient
+position on the bank of the river, while I proceeded overland with Mr. H.
+Gregory, Dr. Mueller, and seven of the men, hoping, by easy journeys of
+eight to ten miles per day, to give the horses time to partially recover
+the effects of the voyage.
+
+<p>MACADAM RANGE. RUNNING STREAM OF FRESH WATER.
+
+<p>1st October, 1855.
+
+<p>Accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, I left the camp to search for a
+practicable route by which we could cross the MacAdam range; but, after
+proceeding about a mile, shot an emu, with which we returned to camp, and
+again started at 7.10 a.m., pursuing a south-east course, crossed a stony
+ridge, and at 8.0 a.m. came on a creek about twenty yards wide, with good
+pools of water and a grassy margin, but the country generally barren and
+stony. After several ineffectual attempts, we ascended the hills to the
+south-east of the creek, and traversed a very broken country of sandstone
+formation till 11.0 a.m., when we reached the head of a creek trending to
+the southward; this was followed down till 1.0 p.m. when we halted an
+hour, and again proceeded till 4.30 p.m., the country being very poor and
+rising into rocky hills on both banks of the creek; we then entered a
+wide grassy flat destitute of trees, extending six miles north to south,
+and fifteen miles east to west; on the south side there appeared to be a
+creek or river, which we supposed to be the Fitzmaurice River. This plain
+was bounded on all sides by steep rocky hills of sandstone of barren
+aspect. Returned up the creek till 6.0 p.m. and halted for the night. The
+day was hot and sultry, though a heavy thundershower somewhat cooled the
+air. The MacAdam Range is of sandstone, the strata of which dip about 30
+degrees to the south, in which direction, as we advanced, the rock was
+more slaty, and broke into rhomboidal fragments. Water is abundant in the
+creeks, but the grass is scanty, and the rough surface of the sandstone
+and rocky ravines renders the country difficult to traverse. Timber is
+scarce, chiefly small-sized eucalypti; the cotton-tree was observed in a
+few of the valleys.
+
+<p>2nd October.
+
+<p>Returning to the camp we attempted to follow one of the creeks down to
+the plain on the north-west side of the range, but found the ravine too
+steep and rocky for the horses to pass, and were compelled to retrace our
+steps and cross several steep and rocky hills, reaching the camp at 2.0
+p.m., at which time the thermometer stood at 94 degrees in the shade and
+114 degrees in the sun.
+
+<p>3rd October.
+
+<p>Three of the horses had strayed, and this detained us till 11.0 a.m.,
+when I started with the party, leaving Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman to look
+for the missing animals. Proceeding in a south-east direction to the
+crossing of the first creek, ascended the MacAdam Range, and steered
+east-south-east to the second creek; the course was then north-east and
+east to the head of the creek tributary to the Fitzmaurice River, and
+then encamped at 3.45 p.m. At the highest point on this day's route the
+aneroid stood at 29.40, and at the camp 29.55; thermometer, 88 degrees.
+The higher points of the range did not exceed 100 before the highest
+ridge crossed.
+
+<p>By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude 14 degrees 33 minutes 26
+seconds.
+
+<p>4th October.
+
+<p>At 10.0 a.m. Messrs. H. Gregory and Bowen reached the camp with one of
+the missing horses, and, having obtained some provisions, returned to
+search for the other two horses. At noon started with the party, and
+followed down the creek in a south-south-east direction till 4 p.m., and
+encamped at the termination of the hilly country. One of the horses,
+Madman, showed symptoms of illness a short time before we started, and in
+crossing the creek half a mile above where we encamped he fell down and
+in less than three minutes died. This was a serious loss, as this animal
+was one of the most serviceable of our horses, having stood the voyage
+without losing his condition. The cause of death we were unable to
+ascertain; but the probability is that some poisonous plants existed at
+the place where we encamped last night.
+
+<p>By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude of the camp was 14
+degrees 39 minutes 26 seconds. Thermometer: Sunrise, 80 degrees; at 11
+a.m., 93 degrees; wet bulb, 80 degrees.
+
+<p>5th October.
+
+<p>This morning I started with C. Dean to examine the country to the east;
+after traversing the plain for two hours, came to a running stream ten
+yards wide, but the current very slow. The vegetation on its banks was
+very luxuriant, presenting a striking contrast to the surrounding
+country. Followed the creek to the east and south for one and a half
+miles, when it changed to a salt creek, joining the Fitzmaurice River. We
+then steered south-east to a detached conical hill, which consisted of
+the same hard fine-grained sandstone as the ranges near the camp.
+Steering north-east and east for three miles along a salt creek, came to
+the termination of the salt water, where we saw four natives digging
+roots; on observing us they decamped. Our course was now south-east to a
+range of rocky hills, which we could not ascend with our horses from
+their steep and rocky character. We therefore steered north-west to a
+green patch of bushes in the plain, and at two miles came to a small
+lagoon 200 yards long and 30 yards wide, on which were numerous ducks and
+other water-fowl. Here we halted for one and a half hours, and then by a
+north-west and west course, passing through grassy plains and patches of
+forest, reached the camp at 8.30 p.m. Thermometer, 78 degrees to 104
+degrees.
+
+<p>6th October.
+
+<p>Started at 8.10 a.m. with the whole party, and, steering east to the
+running creek, crossed it at the head of the salt water, and proceeding
+up the stream three-quarters of a mile, encamped. Near the creek we saw a
+native man and two women, who were much alarmed at the sudden appearance
+of the party, and retreated across the plain.
+
+<p>By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude was 14 degrees 40 minutes
+4 seconds at this camp.
+
+<p>7th October.
+
+<p>At 8.0 a.m. steered an easterly course, crossing the grassy plain, beyond
+which we passed a low stony ridge thinly wooded with small trees; at 9.40
+crossed a deep watercourse, with waterholes and grassy flats, and at
+10.15 p.m. came to a second creek, which was followed up to the
+east-north-east till 11.20, when we halted at a small patch of grass; at
+1 p.m. I rode to the north and east to seek a more suitable spot for an
+encampment, and having found a grassy flat and pool of good water one and
+a half miles higher up the creek, the party moved on to it at 4 p.m.
+
+<p>8th October.
+
+<p>Taking Dean with me, I proceeded to the south of the camp to ascertain
+the most convenient ascent of the rocky hills which bounded the plain.
+Following a small valley into the hills, after two hours' ride came to a
+creek trending to the south, the valley of which afforded a practicable
+line of route. We therefore returned to the camp at noon. At 3.0 p.m.
+started with the party, and moved the camp to the creek found in the
+morning. Thermometer, 114 degrees at 1 p.m.
+
+<p>9th October.
+
+<p>Started at 8.0 a.m., accompanied by Dean, and followed the creek through
+a rocky valley between sandstone ranges, the strata of which dip to the
+west at a high angle--30 degrees to 40 degrees; at 10.15 a.m. came to the
+tide waters of the creek, and after crossing several stony ridges which
+came close to the bank of the creek, at 11.30 a.m. reached a small
+running stream with a patch of good grass; here we halted for two hours,
+and then returned to camp; which we reached at 5.0 p.m., and found that
+Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman had arrived with the two stray horses, having
+found them about ten miles to the north-west of the camp, at the reedy
+swamp from which they strayed. Thermometer, 6 a.m., 77 degrees; noon, 114
+degrees; 6 p.m., 92 degrees.
+
+<p>ENCOUNTER STEEP ROCKY RANGES.
+
+<p>10th October.
+
+<p>At 7.50 a.m. started with the whole party, and proceeded down the creek
+to the head of the salt water, and then by a detour among the rocky hills
+reached the running creek visited yesterday, and encamped at 11.0 a.m.; I
+then started with Mr. H. Gregory in a southerly direction, and after an
+hour's ride came to the Fitzmaurice River, which varied from 100 to 300
+yards in width, the general course nearly east and west; the channel was
+full of rocks and banks which were dry at low water, the rise of the tide
+nearly twenty feet. The hills which bounded the valley of the creek we
+had descended terminated in an abrupt rocky ridge which left no passage
+between it and the river; we therefore returned about half a mile to the
+north, and, after a toilsome ascent of nearly an hour, crossed the ridge
+and halted at a small spring on its eastern side till 2.0 p.m., when we
+proceeded up the river, crossing two small dry creeks; after a fruitless
+search for a suitable spot to which the camp could be moved, there being
+no fresh water in the creeks, we turned towards the camp, but could not
+cross the range, as we everywhere encountered steep rocks and ravines,
+and were glad to extricate ourselves from the hills at 9.0 p.m., when we
+bivouacked in a grassy flat.
+
+<p>11th October.
+
+<p>At 4.30 a.m. resumed the attempt to cross the range, and at length found
+a practicable route for the pack-horses, passing a small spring of water
+at 7.0 a.m., and reached the camp at 8 a.m.; during our absence one of
+our best pack animals had died, apparently from poison. At 2.0 p.m. the
+party started to cross the range; but the horse Drummer was so weak that
+he fell several times, and we were at length compelled to abandon him.
+Having crossed the hills to the Fitzmaurice River, we proceeded up the
+valley and halted at a salt creek seven or eight yards wide, there being
+a little green grass on its banks.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation b Pegasi and a Andromedae 14 degrees 47 minutes
+18 seconds.
+
+<p>HORSES BITTEN BY ALLIGATORS. CROSS THE FITZMAURICE RIVER.
+
+<p>12th October.
+
+<p>During the night the horses were several times disturbed, but it was not
+till morning that the cause was ascertained, when we found that they had
+been attacked by the alligators, and three were severely bitten and
+scratched. At 8.0 a.m. started to follow up the river; but the rocky
+hills approached so close to its banks as to leave no passage, and we had
+to ascend the range, which was not an easy task; after three hours of
+severe toil under a scorching sun we reached a more practicable country,
+and at 3.30 p.m. encamped on the bank of the river, above the influence
+of the tide, fifty yards wide. Two of the horses had been left about a
+mile from the camp quite exhausted, but at sunset they were brought in to
+the camp.
+
+<p>Latitude by observation a Cygni 14 degrees 51 minutes 37 seconds.
+
+<p>13th October.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. crossed to the left bank of the river at a stony bar where
+the water formed a rapid twenty yards wide and two feet deep; we then
+followed the river up for half an hour and altered the course to
+south-south-east, along a running creek ten to twenty yards wide; at 8.5
+a.m. crossed a running stream from the west; at 10.30 a.m. two of the
+horses were completely exhausted, but having rested them at a pool of
+water, one revived, but were compelled to leave the other. We then
+proceeded, but were obliged to return to the creek about a mile higher
+up, as several of the horses began to fail, and though we rested till 3.0
+p.m., the second horse was unable to proceed, and was therefore
+abandoned. Since these horses were landed they have not had strength to
+rise without assistance, and it has been necessary to even watch them
+while feeding to lift them up when they fall down from exhaustion.
+Continuing our route, the valley was about two miles wide, with
+flat-topped hills bounding it on the east and west; there were a few
+pools of water in the creek, but the country was poor and stony with a
+few patches of grass; at 5.0 p.m. encamped.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of a Cygni 15 degrees 1 minute 10 seconds.
+
+<p>14th October.
+
+<p>Started at 6.30 a.m. and pursued a south course till 8.0 a.m., when we
+crossed the ridge at the source of the creek and ascended some stony
+gullies to the south-west; at 10.40 a.m. halted at a small waterhole in a
+small creek. Re-commenced our journey at 3.0 p.m., and followed a valley
+to the south-east; but finding the country in that direction unsuited for
+our object, turned to the west and reached the creek again at 5.15 p.m.;
+followed it till 6.0 p.m. to the south-west, and encamped. There was
+abundance of water in the creek, and the rank growth of the grass on its
+immediate banks proved a great impediment to the horses. The back
+country, however, was very rough and stony, thinly timbered with
+white-gum eucalyptus of small size, and nearly destitute of leaves; and
+though the whole country was grassy, it was so much parched by the
+intense heat that it presented a very sterile aspect; at 4.30 p.m. there
+was a heavy thundershower.
+
+<p>15th October.
+
+<p>As the creek below the camp trended to the west and entered a deep rocky
+gorge in the sandstone range, we steered south at 7.0 a.m., crossing
+several stony ridges with small gullies and creeks trending west; at
+10.20 a.m. crossed the highest ridge, and observed a succession of low
+stony ridges occupying the space between us and the Sea Range.
+Descending, we reached a creek, on the bank of which we halted at 11.30
+a.m. Here we caught several small fish in a deep pool in the creek.
+
+<p>15th October.
+
+<p>Resuming our route down the creek at 2.30 pm, the average course was
+south-west till 5.30, when we were encamped at a large deep pool or reach
+of water three-quarters of a mile long and fifty yards wide, supplied by
+a small stream. Great numbers of large bats were seen hanging in the
+trees on the margin of the creek, some of which we shot; the flesh was
+white and was eaten, but it had an unpleasant flavour. The country during
+this day's journey has not been so hilly as yesterday, and near the camp
+the trees have retained a few leaves. The soil, however, shows no
+improvement, being universally stony, and though well-grassed, the
+country is useless for any purpose than feeding stock. The gouty-stemmed
+tree (adansonia) is more frequent on the banks of the creeks; pandanus
+and fig trees prevail near the water, and eucalypti on the hills.
+
+<p align="center"><img alt=""  src="tree.jpg"><br>
+<b>THE GOUTY STEM TREE, NEAR THE "DOME", ON THE RIVER VICTORIA, N. W. AUSTRALIA</b></p>
+
+<p>Latitude 15 degrees 17 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+<p>THE VALLEY OF THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+<p>16th October.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey down the creek at 7.0 a.m., the general course
+south-south-west; the country became so steep and rocky that at 8.0 we
+left the valley and steered south, crossing several stony hills with
+rocky ravines, which were so rugged that they were scarcely passable. At
+11.0 sighted the Victoria River, about six miles below Kangaroo Point;
+but, on attempting to descend the range, was intercepted by a deep valley
+bounded by sandstone cliffs 50 to 100 feet high; following the valley to
+the east and north-east in search of a break by which we could descend,
+but without success. At 3.0 p.m. one of the horses was so completely
+exhausted that he could proceed no farther; I therefore halted the party,
+and was examining the cliff to ascertain the best place for lowering one
+of the party by a rope into the valley for the purpose of procuring water
+from the pool which was visible 300 feet below us, when I found a small
+spring on the top of the cliff, at which we encamped. As soon as the
+horses were unsaddled, Mr. H. Gregory and myself proceeded to examine the
+valley to the east, but had not gone more than a mile when we observed a
+column of smoke rise from the camp, followed by a sheet of flame, which
+extended in a few seconds to the side of the adjacent hill. We therefore
+returned to the camp to subdue the fire, and, if possible, save some of
+the grass for the horses, which, with great difficulty, we succeeded in
+doing; but though checked, the fire had extended many miles over the
+country, and kept us busy all night. This fire originated for want of due
+precaution in clearing the grass around the fire at the camp, though the
+cook had been cautioned on the subject.
+
+<p>17th October.
+
+<p>At 5.0 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory, and recommenced the search
+for a practicable descent into the valley, and about two miles from the
+camp found a break in the cliff. The hill was, however, so steep and
+rocky that it was necessary to form a path for the horses, and while Mr.
+H. Gregory returned, and was bringing up the party from the camp, I
+employed myself in filling up chasms with stones and removing rocks from
+the path, the steepness of the declivity greatly facilitating their
+removal, as it required but little force to hurl rocks of several tons
+weight into the valley below. Fortunately, we accomplished the descent
+without any accident, and reached the base of the hill at 11.30 a.m.
+Descending the creek, which occupied the lower part of the valley, for
+about two miles, encamped at a small pool of water. I then rode down the
+bank of the Victoria River, and ascertained that we were about six miles
+below Kangaroo Point. Returning to the camp, procured fresh horses, and,
+accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, proceeded to Kangaroo Point, reaching the
+spot appointed for leaving a notice of the movements of the party in the
+schooner just as it fell dark, and though we found a small tree notched
+with an axe, there was nothing to guide us in any further search, and we
+therefore bivouacked.
+
+<p>18th October.
+
+<p>At daylight recommenced our search for some memorandum for our guidance
+to the camp or vessel, but only found five or six small trees cut with an
+iron axe, and the remains of a large fire; but if any memorandum had been
+left, there was no mark left for our guidance in the search for it, and I
+felt disappointed that my instructions had been so inefficiently carried
+into effect. As it was doubtful whether the vessel had proceeded up the
+river, I decided on continuing our route to some convenient spot for a
+camp near Steep Head, and accordingly returned to the party. The southern
+face of Sea Range is very abrupt and surmounted by a cliff of red
+sandstone 50 to 100 feet high, the whole height of the hills about 500
+feet, the range being the edge of an elevated tableland, the upper strata
+being hard sandstone in horizontal beds which rest on soft shales which
+appear to be somewhat inclined; but its surface was so covered by
+fragments of the upper rocks that no satisfactory data was obtained. The
+soil of the level land between the Victoria and the Sea Range is very
+poor, and either sandy or covered with fragments of rock; there is no
+water, and the grass is very coarse and blady. Many flights of cockatoos
+came to drink at the pools near the camp, and about fifty were shot
+during the day.
+
+<p>ASCEND THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+<p>19th October.
+
+<p>Started at 7.0 a.m. and followed the river up to Kangaroo Point, and then
+by an easterly course ascended the salt-water creek which joins the
+Victoria at this point; at 4.0 p.m. we reached the termination of the
+salt water, beyond which it divided into several small dry channels, in
+one of which we found a small pool of fresh water, at which we encamped
+at 4.15. The result of our shooting this day was one turkey, one hawk,
+and thirty-nine cockatoos. The country near the creek is brown loam; but
+as the hills are approached the soil is very stony, but well covered with
+grass, and very thinly wooded with small eucalypti, which were nearly
+destitute of foliage. To the south of the creek the country appeared to
+be of somewhat better character.
+
+<p>THE TOM TOUGH WRECKED.
+
+<p>20th October.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. steered north 160 degrees east till 10.0, over a level grassy
+plain wooded with small eucalypti and melaleuca, etc., the soil varying
+from a brown loam to a strong clay; altering the course to 190 degrees,
+we passed some low stony ridges, and at 11.30 halted in a dry gully to
+rest the horses during the heat of the day; at 3.0 p.m. again started and
+steered to the south-west for half an hour, when we camped at a sandy
+creek in which there was a shallow waterhole. At 4.0 I left the camp with
+Mr. H. Gregory and proceeded west-south-west to the river, which we
+reached at 5.45, and then followed it up for half an hour, when we
+observed a tent and boat on the opposite side of the river. Having
+hobbled the horses, we crossed over to the camp, which was established at
+a small spring, and found Mr. Elsey and two of the men in charge. Mr.
+Elsey informed me that the schooner had grounded on the bank below
+Mosquito Flat, and had received considerable damage. Fourteen of the
+sheep had been brought up to the camp, and the boat was expected up that
+evening with another lot of sheep. I now ascertained that a bottle had
+been buried near the marked trees at Kangaroo Point, and a pencil-mark
+made on one of the trees indicating its position, but this mark had
+escaped our observation. In the evening Messrs. Baines and Flood and one
+of the men arrived at the camp in the long-boat, bringing twelve sheep,
+having lost several on the passage up the river in consequence of
+detention on the shoals near the Dome. The whole stock of provisions at
+the camp consisting of ten pounds flour, ten pounds pork, six pounds
+sugar, and twelve pounds beef, I was unable to send the required supplies
+to the party in charge of the horses, and the sheep were too poor to be
+fit for food. The Tom Tough reached Entrance Island on the 25th
+September, and the next day anchored off Rugged Ridge; on the 27th was
+proceeding up the river, and grounded on a ledge of rocks on the south
+side of the river, about six miles below Mosquito Flats; and from that
+date was never sufficiently afloat to be under control, but gradually
+drifted up to about two and a half miles below Curiosity Peak. From the
+time of getting on the rocks she had leaked considerably, and a large
+quantity of stores had been destroyed or damaged, there being at one time
+four feet of water in the hold; but by nailing battens and tarred
+blankets over the open seams the leaks had been greatly reduced. The
+stock of water on board the schooner having been exhausted during her
+detention, Mr. Wilson had sent the boat up to Palm Island to bring down a
+supply; but having greatly miscalculated the time requisite for this
+expedition up the river, the distance being sixty miles, the sheep had
+been kept several days without a sufficient supply of water, and a great
+number had died.
+
+<p>21st October.
+
+<p>Proceeding down the river with Messrs. Baines and Flood in the long-boat,
+the tide being unfavourable, we only reached Kangaroo Point.
+
+<p>22nd October.
+
+<p>Started at 2.0 a.m., and reached the schooner at 11.0 a.m., having been
+delayed by the flood tide. The vessel had not moved during the last four
+tides, and the leaks had in some degree stopped. She was so deeply bedded
+in the sand that, though the bank was dry at three-quarter ebb, I could
+not examine her bottom. The deck beams, however, were strained and
+broken, and it was evident that the vessel had been much damaged by
+resting on her centre, when the current had worked deep holes at the head
+and stern. Only fifty-five sheep remained on board, and those in a
+miserable condition. At 5.0 p.m. despatched Mr. Flood in the gig with one
+month's provisions for the party at the camp; 8.0 p.m. the tide rose to
+five feet on the bank, but the vessel only just floated in the hollow in
+which she lay.
+
+<p>23rd October.
+
+<p>At 8.0 a.m. the tide rose to six feet on the bank, and the schooner was
+moved her own length towards the channel in shore; at 10.0 a.m. the tide
+ebbed, and she settled on an even keel. Mr. Baines having informed me
+that Overseer Humphries had refused to assist in pumping the schooner on
+the 9th, he had, therefore, put him off duty till Mr. Wilson returned, on
+the 14th, when he was put on duty again. I therefore fined him one week's
+pay. The night tide did not rise so high as in the morning. Landed to
+search for fresh water, and found a small spring on the bank of the river
+at the upper end of the stony beach, three and a half miles below
+Curiosity Peak; this spring is below high-water mark, but at half tide
+boats can approach close to it, there being deep water close to the bank.
+
+<p>24th October.
+
+<p>Landed at 2 a.m. to procure water, having opened a well at the spring;
+filled two casks and returned to the vessel at 7. At 9.30 the schooner
+floated, and we moved her to about a mile above Curiosity Peak, where she
+again grounded on a bank; while afloat the pumps had to be kept
+constantly at work. With the night tide we floated over the bank; but the
+breeze failing, she was swept against the shore two and a half miles
+above Curiosity Peak, and before the kedge could be laid out the tide
+fell.
+
+<p>25th October.
+
+<p>The morning tide did not rise sufficiently to allow us to cross the
+banks; but the schooner was warped into a better position in the channel,
+about one mile higher up the river. Landed the sheep and drove such as
+could walk to the waterhole at our camping place, one mile north of the
+Dome, and left a party in charge, consisting of Dr. Mueller, Mr. Wilson,
+Overseer Humphries, and W. Selby. Fifty sheep were landed, but only
+forty-four reached the waterhole, and of these one died during the night.
+The night tide rose eight feet, and we moved the schooner to the right
+bank of the river off Broken Hill and anchored in the channel. Before the
+full moon the tides have been higher during the day, but as the time of
+full moon approaches the higher tide is at night.
+
+<p>26th October.
+
+<p>At 10.0 a.m. weighed and ran up the river with the flood to the
+commencement of the reach below Kangaroo Point, when the schooner
+grounded on a bank. Proceeded with Mr. Baines in the gig to the sheep
+camp with the intention of moving the sheep across the river and then
+driving them to the upper camp, but found them so weak that this
+arrangement was not practicable. Returned to the vessel.
+
+<p>27th October.
+
+<p>At 3 a.m. the vessel floated, and she was moved about a mile above
+Kangaroo Point, when we anchored in three and a half fathoms. At noon
+weighed, and with a light breeze from the west and north till a
+thunder-squall from the south-east compelled us to come to anchor one
+mile below Sandy Island; a change of wind enabled us to move on to Sandy
+Island.
+
+<p>28th October.
+
+<p>At 2 a.m. weighed, and towed the schooner to the upper end of the spit
+off Sandy Island, when she grounded, but was warped off at 4; the wind
+and tide were now adverse, and we therefore anchored in two fathoms.
+There is two fathoms in the channel past Sandy Island, but a reef of
+rocks extend from the left bank of the river, which renders it necessary
+to keep close to the edge of the shoal off the island.
+
+<p>TOM TOUGH REACHES DEPOT CAMP.
+
+<p>29th October.
+
+<p>At 2 a.m. weighed with the flood, and towed the schooner up the river
+about four miles; at 6.30 a light northerly breeze enabled us to stem the
+ebb tide, and at 9.40 the schooner was moored at the camp, in two
+fathoms, close to the bank. Having obtained a supply of water, I
+despatched Mr. Baines, with Phibbs, Shewell, and Dawson, in the gig to
+bring up the sheep, the long-boat also going down the river with a crew
+from the vessel to bring up the kedge anchor and warp from Alligator
+Island, and also to assist in bringing up the sheep. In the evening there
+was a fine breeze from the east, and the thermometer fell to 65 degrees
+during the night. A few days before our arrival one of the kangaroo dogs
+had been seized by an alligator, and instantly drowned. The horses had
+been brought to the camp by the ford at Steep Head, and were looking
+well.
+
+<p>30th October.
+
+<p>Commenced the erection of a shed to protect the stores, as it is
+necessary to land the cargo of the schooner to effect repairs. The
+keelson is broken seven feet before the mainmast, three of the deck beams
+are broken in the centre, and the knees are strained, and the bolts
+drawn; there is also reason to think that the floor timbers are
+fractured, and some of the timbers broken in her bends.
+
+<p>31st October.
+
+<p>Messrs. Wilson, Baines, and Mueller, with the party in charge of the
+sheep, arrived at 7 a.m., bringing the remainder of the sheep, twenty-six
+in number, eleven having been drowned from want of proper care in bailing
+the boat, which consequently sunk during the night. Such of the party as
+are not otherwise engaged are employed in the erection of the store shed.
+Being desirous to examine the river above Steep Head, commenced fitting
+the portable boat, but found that the heat of the climate had destroyed
+the seams of three of the air cells, and the boat is therefore
+unserviceable. The general character of the materials of which inflated
+boats are constructed precludes any effectual repairs, as the intense
+heat of the sun decomposes the varnish with which the canvas is covered;
+it first becomes soft and adhesive, and then changes to a substance like
+tar, which does not consolidate with a lower temperature. Adjusted the
+aneroid barometer.
+
+<p>1st November.
+
+<p>S. Macdonald was reported for being asleep on his watch during last
+night; reprimanded him for this neglect of duty. Several of the sheep
+escaped from the fold last night; some have been found, but eight are
+missing. Commenced thatching the store; landed maize, bran, and other
+stores from the schooner. Though the thermometer stood at 100 degrees in
+the shade, yet a westerly breeze renders it cool enough to work. Mr.
+Baines employed repairing the portable boat; Richards clearing a plot of
+ground near the spring for a garden.
+
+<p>DAMAGE TO PROVISIONS.
+
+<p>2nd November.
+
+<p>Continued to discharge the cargo of the schooner; at the request of the
+master of the Tom Tough, examined sixteen small and four large casks of
+bread, which had been damaged by salt-water; the whole of this bread was
+found to be quite destroyed and unfit for use. Although the large casks
+had been carefully coopered in Sydney, yet the hot climate had opened the
+joints, and as there were three to five feet of water in the vessel when
+aground in the lower part of the river, the bread was completely
+saturated. The leakage of the schooner has been much reduced, and now
+only requires pumping every six hours. The dryness of the air has
+increased from 10 to 20 degrees of evaporation, and the heat is not so
+oppressive, though the mean temperature exceeds 85 degrees. Heavy
+thunder-clouds are visible on the horizon, and the lightning is frequent
+in the early part of the night, especially to the east. Since the spring
+tides the river has gradually fallen, and is now four feet lower than low
+water at the full and change, and it does not vary more than one and a
+half feet in the twenty-four hours. A small spring of water has been
+found below high-water mark close to the landing place.
+
+<p>3rd November.
+
+<p>Completed thatching the store; continued landing stores from the
+schooner; coopering the flour-barrels. Towards evening there was a strong
+breeze from the north, which suddenly veered to the west, with thunder
+and a little rain. The sheep are visibly gaining flesh, and the horses
+have improved, but they are still unfit for work, as the grass is very
+dry and not in a state to fatten animals.
+
+<p>4th November (Sunday).
+
+<p>The sky was overcast in the afternoon with a strong north-west breeze,
+and every indication of approaching rain.
+
+<p>5th November.
+
+<p>Landing stores from the schooner; general duties; light shower at 3 p.m.;
+evening cloudy. By observed altitudes on the meridian, the latitude of
+the camp 15 degrees 34 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>6th November.
+
+<p>Messrs. H. Gregory, Elsey, and Mueller, with two men and the master of
+the schooner, proceeded up the river in the gig to ascertain the most
+convenient spot for procuring timber for the repair of the vessel; the
+men variously employed coopering casks, fencing garden, etc. Towards
+evening the sky was overcast, and a slight shower fell at 4 p.m., the
+thermometer varying from 85 degrees, 100 degrees, 90 degrees. Mosquitoes
+are very numerous in the evenings. Received from Mr. Wilson a copy of his
+diary while in charge of the party on board the schooner ascending the
+Victoria River. In going down to the well Richards fell down among the
+reeds, and a splinter entered his wrist, passing under the skin for one
+and a half inches; but no material injury has occurred, though the wound
+will disable him for a few days.
+
+<p>7th November.
+
+<p>Men employed coopering the flour-casks, fencing the garden, completing
+the store, and general camp duties. The party which went up the river
+yesterday in search of timber for the repair of the vessel returned in
+the evening, having found some suitable melaleuca-trees on the bank of
+the creek below Steep Head. The afternoon was again cloudy, with much
+lightning in the evening.
+
+<p>8th November.
+
+<p>Men employed clearing away the grass and bushes around the camp, landing
+cargo from the schooner, plotting map of route from Point Pearce to the
+Victoria River.
+
+<p>9th November.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>10th November.
+
+<p>Party employed as before. On unpacking the rice and peas, found that 720
+pounds of rice and half a bushel of peas were destroyed by salt-water,
+and much more damaged; much of the sugar is damaged; but as it is not
+prudent to open casks, the quantity lost cannot be ascertained. Wrote to
+the master of the Tom Tough, requesting information with reference to a
+complaint by Mr. Wilson, that on the 30th September his signals for a
+boat to bring him to the schooner had been disregarded.
+
+<p>11th November (Sunday).
+
+<p>TIMBER FOR REPAIRS OF VESSEL.
+
+<p>12th November.
+
+<p>Mr. H. Gregory, with Shewell and Dawson, accompanied Captain Gourlay to
+Steep Head to cut timber for the repair of the schooner. Erected a forge
+and continued the preparation of the garden, etc. Last night one of the
+sheep was strangled by getting entangled in the net which formed the
+sheep-pen. Received from the master of the Tom Tough a letter replying to
+my queries of the 10th instant. It appears that on the 30th September,
+while the schooner was aground in the lower part of the Victoria, Mr.
+Wilson landed to search for fresh water at Mosquito Flat; having made
+some indefinite arrangements with Mr. Elsey to signalize for a boat,
+should he require it, to return to the vessel; but he omitted to acquaint
+either the master of the schooner, or Mr. Baines, who was next in command
+to Mr. Wilson. The result was that when the signals were made there was
+some uncertainty whether they were fires lighted by Mr. Wilson as signals
+for a boat, and some delay ensued in preparing the boat, when it was
+found that the tide had fallen so much that there was not sufficient
+water to float the boat over the intervening sand-banks, and at low water
+Mr. Wilson waded across the deeper channels and walked over the dry banks
+to the vessel. As the affair appeared to be complicated with some private
+misunderstanding between the parties, and Mr. Wilson had neglected to
+make proper arrangements with the master of the vessel, I deemed it
+desirable that the investigation should not proceed any farther.
+
+<p>13th November.
+
+<p>Mr. Baines having succeeded in repairing the portable boat, I made
+preparation for an excursion up the river, as the horses were still unfit
+for the work of exploration, and I hoped to be able to cross the shallows
+which had obstructed Captain Stokes. Richards' arm does not progress in a
+favourable manner, and it is therefore necessary that Mr. Elsey should
+remain at the camp to attend to his case. The party proceeding with the
+boats will therefore consist of Mr. Wilson, Mr. Baines, Mr. Flood, and
+myself. Men employed as before, and the general duties of the camp.
+
+<p>14th November.
+
+<p>Party employed as before. At 3.30 p.m. I left the camp and proceeded to
+the creek, where the timber party were at work, reaching their bivouac at
+7.30; six logs had been cut twenty to twenty-five feet long and twelve to
+fourteen inches square; the timber is a melaleuca with a broad leaf
+(Melaleuca leucodendron). The gum timber is generally unsound and
+worthless.
+
+<p>15th November.
+
+<p>Returned to the principal camp with Mr. H. Gregory at 11.0 a.m., and at 2
+p.m. started in the indiarubber boat with Messrs. Wilson, Baines, and
+Flood; at 8.0 p.m. reached the creek near Steep Head, and remained at the
+camp of the timber party for the night.
+
+<p>16th November.
+
+<p>Started at 6.30 a.m. and crossed the shallows at Steep Head without much
+difficulty--as the tide was high, the water was six to eight inches deep.
+Three miles above Steep Head we observed three natives watching us, but
+they did not approach. At 10.0 a.m. reached Palm Island, which is only a
+bank of shingle with a few pandanus and melaleuca trees growing on it
+without a single palm-tree of any kind. One of the boats having been
+injured, hauled her up for repairs. Mr. Baines shot three whistling ducks
+on the island; they were very good eating. While at our dinner a native
+approached the bank of the river and came to us, and a parley commenced
+which was rather unintelligible, and when he found that he could not make
+himself understood by words, resorted to the language of signs, and
+expressed his contempt of us in an unmistakable manner. Having repaired
+the leak in the boat, we again moved up the river, but at one and a half
+miles came to a dry bar of rock, over which the boats were carried, and
+we passed a shallow pool of brackish water half a mile long to a second
+bar of greater breadth, and then entered a deep reach; but the day was so
+far advanced that we took advantage of a level rocky ledge and
+bivouacked.
+
+<p>INDIARUBBER BOATS FAIL.
+
+<p>17th November.
+
+<p>Proceeded up the river about a mile and came to a dry bank of shingle and
+rocks, which extended for at least a mile, and over which it was not
+practicable to carry the boats, which had been much injured in crossing
+the rocky bars yesterday, the heat having destroyed the texture of the
+waterproof canvas. I therefore decided not to expend any more time on
+this excursion, but return to the camp. We observed some blacks watching
+us from some thick scrub; but they did not approach near enough to hold
+any communication. At 2.0 p.m. commenced the return down the river and
+reached Palm Island after dark and bivouacked.
+
+<p>18th November.
+
+<p>At 3.0 a.m. there was a slight shower, and at 6.0 a.m. proceeded down the
+river, having dragged the boats over the shingle bank at Steep Head,
+where there was scarcely one inch of water; halted at the creek where the
+timber had been cut, to procure water for breakfast, and then sailed down
+the river and encountered a heavy squall, with thunder and lightning,
+just as we approached the camp; the rain continued nearly throughout the
+night. Captain Gourlay informed me that on the 16th three blacks had
+visited his party while cutting timber, and that in the evening some
+noise was heard, and being taken for the voices of the blacks, they had
+taken to the boat with great precipitation and returned to the schooner;
+the mosquitoes have nearly disappeared.
+
+<p>19th November.
+
+<p>Sent a party, consisting of Phibbs, Humphries, Shewell, Selby, and
+Dawson, to assist the master of the schooner in bringing the timber down
+the river; Richards' arm is somewhat better, but not progressing
+favourably; Fahey is on the sick list; the rain having moistened the
+grass, the horses did not come in for water to-day; the weather continues
+very hot, generally 90 degrees at sunrise and 105 degrees at noon in the
+shade.
+
+<p>20th November.
+
+<p>Commenced shoeing the horses and made preparations for a journey up the
+Victoria, to reconnoitre the country previous to starting for the
+interior.
+
+<p>21st November.
+
+<p>Fahey, being convalescent, was employed as cook; Mr. H. Gregory, Mr.
+Flood, Bowman, and Melville, shoeing horses; Dean making charcoal for the
+forge; in the afternoon there was a heavy thundershower; the flies are
+very troublesome and annoy the horses so much that they will not stand
+quiet to be shod, and some of the horses are nearly blind in consequence
+of the flies crawling into their eyes.
+
+<p>22nd November.
+
+<p>Shoeing horses, fitting saddles, etc.; the schooner leaks about seven
+inches per hour, and as the master is absent with the greater part of the
+crew, procuring timber, I have afforded assistance from the party at the
+camp, to assist in keeping the vessel dry.
+
+<p>EXPLORE THE UPPER VICTORIA.
+
+<p>23rd November.
+
+<p>Preparing equipment for the party proceeding to explore the Victoria
+River, towards the upper part of its course; the grass has become quite
+green and fresh water is also abundant, which has caused some of the
+horses to stray beyond the usual feeding ground on the Whirlwind Plains.
+
+<p>24th November.
+
+<p>Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Flood brought in the stray horses, having found
+them beyond Sandy Island. The timber party returned to the camp with four
+logs of timber, which are intended to strengthen the keelson. While at
+work at the creek where the timber was procured the party had been twice
+visited by the blacks; these intrusions were neither decidedly friendly
+or hostile, but they stole some small articles which had been imprudently
+left lying near one of the logs of timber while the party was employed
+elsewhere; about 10.0 a.m. the blacks set fire to the grass about 200
+yards from the camp, and then retired. At 2.0 p.m., left the camp,
+accompanied by Messrs. H. Gregory, Wilson, and Mueller, with seven horses
+and twenty days' provisions, the object being to examine the country
+through which the exploring party will have to travel on the route to the
+interior; at 6 a.m. bivouacked at Timber Creek; in the principal channel
+of the creek there were many small pools of water, and the grass was
+fresh and green on the flats. Except on the banks of the river and
+creeks, the country is very poor and stony; the geological structure of
+the country is the same as at Sea Range--the same bands of sandstone
+cliff resting on soft shales, the strata being horizontal; but beneath
+the shales chert and coarse siliceous limestone were exposed, and
+fragments of jasper are frequent. The principal timber is white-gum of
+small size, and the cotton-tree (cochlospermum), which sometimes attains
+the thickness of nine to twelve inches. Though grass is abundant on every
+description of soil, yet the greater part is of inferior descriptions and
+dries up completely at this season.
+
+<p>Latitude by altitude of Achernar, 15 degrees 39 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+<p>25th November.
+
+<p>Started at 5.45 a.m., and followed the creek to the south-south-east; it
+rapidly decreased in size, branching into small gullies, so that we had
+some difficulty in finding water for a midday halt. The flats on the bank
+of the creek are in some parts nearly a mile wide, well grassed and
+openly timbered; the hills are of sandstone, but chert and coarse
+limestone were frequently seen on the lower ridges. At noon halted at a
+small pool of rainwater. The day was cloudy and cool, the thermometer
+only 90 degrees at 2 p.m. At 3.0 resumed our route up the creek, which
+soon terminated in small gullies rising in stony ridges; as there was no
+appearance of water to the south, the course was changed to south-east
+and east, in which direction we followed down a gully, and at 7.20 halted
+at a small waterhole.
+
+<p>26th November.
+
+<p>Starting at 6.15 a.m., steered first north 70 degrees east and then 60
+degrees till 3 p.m., traversing a level grassy box-flat extending along
+the northern side of a rocky sandstone range. At 3.0 p.m. reached the
+south-west end of the Fitzroy Range, which is a narrow ridge of sandstone
+hills ten miles long and one to two miles broad; at the north end of the
+range we found a small pool of rainwater, and, having watered the horses,
+pushed on towards the Victoria River, at the base of Bynoe Range; but
+although the country was level, we were so much retarded by the soft
+nature of the soil that the river was not reached till sunset, and the
+banks of the river were so steep that the water was not accessible for
+the horses, and we therefore encamped at a small hole of muddy rainwater.
+Our camp was about four miles above the furthest point attained by
+Captain Stokes, and consequently in Beagle Valley which we had traversed
+for more than thirty miles, the greater part of which was well grassed
+and openly wooded with box, bauhinia, and acacia. The Fitzroy Range is
+almost isolated, and there is a level plain five or six miles wide to the
+south-east, beyond which there is a high sandstone range surmounted by an
+almost unbroken cliff of sandstone near the summit, and which appeared to
+be quite impassable.
+
+<p>27th November.
+
+<p>Steering east-south-east through grassy flats for one hour and a half,
+found that the river had turned to the northward round a steep hill, but
+continuing our course, crossed a low stony ridge and again approached the
+river, the banks of which were so steep that the horses could not get to
+the water, and therefore followed it two miles and encamped on a stony
+bar where the water was easy of access. The valley of the river is much
+contracted by the steep sandstone hills, which come close on both banks.
+In the bed of the river several fragments of jasper and black shale were
+found, the latter appearing to belong to the coal formation. A slight
+shower in the afternoon cooled the air, and the temperature was only 92
+degrees at sunset, and the wet bulb 79 degrees.
+
+<p>Latitude by Achernar 15 degrees 36 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+<p>DEEP GORGE IN TABLELAND.
+
+<p>28th November.
+
+<p>Started at 6.15 a.m. and followed the river, which first came from the
+east, then south-east and south-west till 10.40, when we crossed to the
+right bank and halted. The valley of the river is much narrower, and does
+not exceed half a mile, and is bounded by cliffs of sandstone varying
+from 50 to 300 feet high. The waters of the river occasionally rise 100
+feet, as the marks of the floods extended to the base of the cliffs; the
+regular channel of the river is about 200 feet wide, the water forming
+deep reaches often more than a mile long and separated by dry stony bars
+of shingle and rock. The sandstone is thicker here than towards Steep
+Head, but there is no change in the geological character, except that the
+chert-beds are not exposed. The tracks of several natives were observed,
+but they were not seen by us; at 2.0 p.m. resumed the journey up the
+river in a generally south direction, and at 4.30 encamped, but had great
+difficulty in forcing our way through the reeds to procure water.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of a Persei 15 degrees 41 minutes 54
+seconds.
+
+<p>29th November.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 6 a.m. and continued the route up the river to the south
+till 10.10, when we halted till 2.15 p.m., and then proceeded on till
+4.45, and encamped at a small pool of rainwater, the bank of the river
+being so steep and covered with high reeds that the water is scarcely
+accessible. The valley of the river is still bounded by sandstone cliffs;
+but as the strata are horizontal, and the bed of the river rises, the
+shales are not much exposed, and the alluvial banks reach to the base of
+the cliffs, which are so continuous that I have not yet seen a spot where
+we could have ascended the tableland in which the valley is excavated.
+Several tributary gullies having passed, but none worthy of special
+notice. Fragments of trap-rock are frequent in the bed of the river, and
+one specimen contained traces of carbonate of copper; at 6.0 thermometer
+92 degrees, aneroid 29.80, at the camp--sixty feet above the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 15 degrees 50 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+<p>VALLEY SUDDENLY WIDENS.
+
+<p>30th November.
+
+<p>Resumed our route up the river at 5.40 a.m., the general course south;
+there being no change in the character of the country till 10.0, when the
+hills receded and the cliffs ceased; at 10.30 halted at a small pool in a
+back channel of the river. At noon the thermometer stood at 100 degrees
+in the shade, and the aneroid 29.75--forty feet above the river. Starting
+again at 2.0 p.m., soon entered an extensive plain extending to the east,
+south, and west; followed a large creek to the south-west till 6.15, and
+encamped.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 2 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+<p>1st December.
+
+<p>At 5.40 a.m. crossed the creek and steered east to the foot of a rocky
+hill, but not seeing the principal branch of the Victoria, returned to
+the creek and then steered south-south-west till 10.0 a.m., when we
+crossed two small creeks, in the second of which we found a pool of water
+surrounded by reeds (typha), and halted during the heat of the day. The
+country traversed was first a stony ridge, on which several small stone
+huts had been erected, but scarcely of sufficient size for a man to
+enter, and the roofs were only formed by a few pieces of wood and a
+little grass; they consist of a wall three feet high, in the form of a
+horseshoe, about three feet in diameter inside; the entrances of some had
+been closed with stones and afterwards partially opened, and I can only
+conjecture that, as the practice of carrying the bones of their deceased
+relatives prevails in this part of Australia, it is probable that these
+erections are used as temporary sepulchres. After crossing this stony
+ridge entered a level plain of clay, much fissured by the sun, and in
+some parts covered with fragments of jasper and sandstones; as the creek
+was approached limestone prevailed, but the exposed portion seemed to be
+formed by a rearrangement of the broken fragments of older rocks, which
+were visible in the gullies. The water at which we halted appeared to be
+supplied by a spring, and not to be the retention of rainwater. At 3.15
+p.m. proceeded in a westerly direction in search of the principal branch
+of the creek, which we reached at 4.0 p.m., but found it much reduced in
+size, not exceeding fifteen yards in width; followed it up for an hour,
+and camped at a small but deep pool of water, which is evidently supplied
+by a spring in the limestone rocks, which form the banks of the creek.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 10 minutes.
+
+<p>JASPER RANGE.
+
+<p>2nd December.
+
+<p>Having filled our water-bags, we left the camp at 6.40 a.m., and steered
+a course of north 200 degrees east towards a range of hills composed of
+jasper rock, the highest point of which we reached at 10.0. The aneroid
+stood at 29.15; thermometer 94 degrees. Three miles to the south-west of
+this range the country rose into an elevated tableland higher than the
+Jasper Range; towards this we continued our route, following a small
+watercourse which gradually turned to the east. Finding the country very
+dry and rocky, and no prospect of finding a spot where the tableland
+could be ascended, we returned to the waterhole at which we camped last
+night.
+
+<p>3rd December.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. were again in the saddle, and steering north till 7.20,
+ascended an isolated hill of trap-rock rising abruptly in the centre of
+the open plain about 200 feet. Having taken bearings of the surrounding
+ranges, steered north 30 degrees east till 10.30, across a level grassy
+plain to the creek, which, though much larger than at the camp, was
+destitute of water; but following its course downwards, at 10.50 halted
+at a small pool. Judging from the height that drift-wood was lodged in
+the branches of the trees, the floods rise about fifty feet; the regular
+channel is thirty yards wide; on the banks red, green, and white shales
+are exposed, but the bed of the creek is generally sandy. A large
+tributary appears to join this creek from the west, in which direction a
+large valley extends fifteen miles. At 3 p.m. steered east, and passed to
+the south of a remarkable sandstone hill, which we named Mount Sandiman,
+and at 5.30 reached the bank of the Victoria coming from the
+south-south-east; followed it up for one mile and encamped where a ledge
+of rock gave easy access to the water. In the evening there was a slight
+shower, and a heavy thunderstorm passed to the north.
+
+<p>4th December.
+
+<p>About 5.45 resumed our journey up the river, passing through wide grassy
+flats and over a sandstone ridge which was covered with triodia; from
+this ridge there was an extensive view of the country to the south and
+east, but no hills of greater elevation than the sandstone tableland were
+visible, and for twenty miles the valley of the river expanded into a
+wide plain thinly timbered with box-trees. Continuing a south-south-east
+course through a fine grassy country till 10.0, halted in a patch of
+green grass. The elevation of this part of the valley of the Victoria is
+not great, as the barometer stood at 29.77 forty feet above the river;
+thermometer, 101 degrees. The soil on the bank of the river is good and
+well-grassed, but the inundations during the rainy season extend on each
+side of the river several miles. The strata of the sandstone, where
+exposed, dip to the north, but there is no alteration in the character of
+the rocks. Abundance of portulaca grew near our halting place, and
+furnished us with an agreeable vegetable; this plant was afterwards found
+over the whole of Northern Australia, and proved a very valuable article
+of food. At 3.20 continued our route, and at 5.30 bivouacked at a small
+pool of rainwater in one of the back channels of the river, the banks of
+which were inconveniently covered with high reeds. During the night there
+was continuous light rain till 4.0 a.m.
+
+<p>ABUNDANCE OF FISH.
+
+<p>5th December.
+
+<p>Continued our route up the river to the south-south-west from 5.45 a.m.
+till 10.45, passing through open grassy box flats; a low grassy range
+approached the right bank and again receded; to the west a range of
+broken hills rose to 500 feet parallel to our course and five miles
+distant. Halted in the bed of the river, which formed fine reaches of
+water, with dry sand-bars between; caught several catfish and perch;
+mussels were abundant, the form of the shell much longer than I have
+before seen in the other parts of the river. At noon: Barometer, 29.80;
+thermometer, 104 degrees; at 3.0 p.m.: Barometer, 29.65; thermometer, 93
+degrees. At 3.30 steered south from the right bank of the river, which
+turned to the westward; crossed some fine grassy country thinly timbered
+with box, and at 4.50 came to the southern branch of the river. This
+branch trended to the north-east, and consequently joins at a point lower
+down than where we crossed, the junction not having been observed. These
+two branches of the Victoria are so nearly equal in apparent size that it
+will remain for future examination to determine which is to be considered
+the tributary. Crossing to the right bank, we followed it upwards along
+the foot of the high land for half an hour, and encamped in the bed of
+the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 26 minutes.
+
+<p>RETURN DOWN THE VICTORIA.
+
+<p>6th December.
+
+<p>The day commenced with a heavy thundershower, which continued for several
+hours; but the rain not being quite so heavy at 6 a.m., we started and
+proceeded along the bank of the river to a hill about one and a half
+miles south-west of the bivouac. On ascending the hill, we found that
+though the elevation and position accommodated a fine view in fine
+weather, yet the rain at the present time obscured all distant objects,
+but the country to the south and west consisted of flat-topped sandstone
+hills with large open valleys between; to the east the view was
+obstructed by rising ground, while to the north lay the vast grassy plain
+which we had traversed during the last two days. The western branch of
+the river turned to the west-south-west along the foot of the sandstone
+ranges, its course being marked by a line of green trees, which
+contrasted strongly with the white grass on the open plains on its banks.
+The south branch of the river appeared to come from a valley trending
+south-south-east, but the thick mist obscured that part of the country.
+As we had now examined the country sufficiently to enable the main party
+to advance a whole degree of latitude without any great impediment, and
+ascertained the general character of the country and the nature of the
+obstacles to be encountered, and on which the equipment of the party
+would in some measure depend, we turned our steps towards the principal
+camp, crossing the western branch of the river at 9.50, and reached our
+camp of the 4th at 3.20 p.m. The rain this morning cooled the air to 74
+degrees at 9 a.m. and 85 degrees at sunset.
+
+<p>7th December.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey down the river, following the outward track from 5.40
+a.m. till 11.0, when we halted till 3.25 p.m. Thermometer at noon 102
+degrees, with a cool southerly breeze; wet bulb, 78 degrees. Resuming our
+route, crossed to the right bank of the river, and bivouacked at the
+termination of the plains.
+
+<p>8th December.
+
+<p>At 5.45 a.m. proceeded down the right bank of the river, which was very
+rocky and steep; we therefore crossed to the left bank, and at 11.0
+halted one mile above the bivouac of the 29 ultimo. Between 2.0 and 3.0
+p.m. there was a heavy thunderstorm, when half an inch of rain fell; at
+3.45 resumed our journey, and encamped about four miles lower down the
+river.
+
+<p>9th December.
+
+<p>Followed the left bank of the river from 6.0 to 11.0 a.m.; found the
+travelling less stony and intersected by gullies than the right bank; at
+3.50 p.m. resumed our route, and at 6.30 encamped.
+
+<p>10th December.
+
+<p>Travelled down the river from 5.45 till 10.0 a.m.; when we halted a
+quarter of a mile above the camp of the 27th November. At 2.0 p.m. a
+heavy thundershower cooled the atmosphere from 100 degrees to 77 degrees.
+Resumed our journey at 3.0 and at 6.30 camped in the level plain at the
+foot of the Fitzroy Range, on the east side, water being abundant in
+every hollow, and since we passed up the river there has been heavy rain
+in this part of the country, and several of the gullies have been running
+eight feet deep. Shot a turkey and three black ibis. The Fitzroy Range
+extends about two miles north of a line from the gorge of the river to
+Bynoe Range, the Victoria winding round the north end of the range, and
+some tributary creeks appear to join from the north, as a valley extends
+several miles in that direction. The rain does not appear to have been
+general over the country, as it often occurs that after travelling over
+two or three miles of green grass where the gullies show signs of recent
+flood, that this beautiful verdure suddenly ceases, and we again
+encounter a dry and parched country which exhibits all the signs of an
+Australian summer.
+
+<p>11th December.
+
+<p>Left our camp at 5.45 a.m., and, steering west, crossed the low ridge of
+the Fitzroy Range, and having taken bearings of the features of the
+country, steered north 260 degrees east through the level plain which
+occupies the space between Wickham Heights and the Fitzroy Range, and
+which was named Beagle Valley by Captain Stokes. The soil of this plain
+is a brown clay, which in the dry weather crumbles into small pieces, so
+that the horses sink deeply into it; but in the wet season the whole is
+deep mud; it, however, appears to be very fertile, and produces an
+abundance of grass; the trees consist of bauhinia, acacia, and some
+eucalypti. Halting from 10.0 a.m. till 4.0 p.m. changed course to north
+245 degrees east, and after traversing a grassy box flat for two hours,
+camped at a small watercourse with pools of rainwater in a rocky
+limestone channel.
+
+<p>BEAGLE VALLEY.
+
+<p>12th December.
+
+<p>Started at 5.30 a.m., and steered north 245 degrees east for one and a
+half hours, when we passed the high bluff of the range and changed the
+course north 330 degrees east, keeping three-quarters of a mile east of
+the remarkable hill called the Tower, by Captain Stokes, from a
+remarkable rock on the summit. The country was very rough and stony,
+though the ridge we passed over was not more than 200 or 300 feet above
+the river. Continuing a north-north-west course, at 9.45 reached the bank
+of the Victoria, which was followed on a course of 200 degrees till
+10.10, when a large creek joined the river; this creek drains nearly the
+whole of Beagle Valley, and takes its rise in the north-west slope of
+Stokes' Range. The course was then westerly till 12.15 p.m., when we
+encamped in a grassy flat one-third of a mile from the river. Marked a
+large adansonia tree 12 on its south side.
+
+<p>13th December.
+
+<p>Leaving our bivouac at 5.30 a.m., followed the valley of the river,
+passing the ridge at back of Steep Head at 10.0., and halted at Timber
+Creek at 11.0. The heavy rains which occurred in Beagle Valley do not
+appear to have extended to this part of the country, and the grass is
+still dry and withered. At 2.30 p.m. resumed our route and reached the
+principal camp at 6.30, and found the party all well, except Richards,
+who was still suffering severely from the injury to his wrist. Mr. Baines
+was absent, having started on Wednesday in search of two horses which had
+strayed to the westward.
+
+<p>BAINES' RIVER.
+
+<p>14th December.
+
+<p>Messrs. Baines and Bowman returned with the stray horses, having found
+them on the bank of a small river fifteen miles to the west of the camp.
+This river, which I named the Baines River, has considerable pools of
+fresh water in its bed, which comes from the south-west, and flows into
+the large salt-water creek above Curiosity Peak. On one occasion Messrs.
+Baines and Bowman had halted to rest during the heat of the day, when
+they observed some blacks creeping towards them in the high grass; but,
+on finding they were observed, retired and soon returned openly with
+augmented numbers and approached with their spears shipped; but Mr.
+Baines and his companion having mounted their horses, galloped sharply
+towards them, and the blacks retreated with great precipitation. Mr. H.
+Gregory brought in the greater part of the horses; but as they had
+scattered very much in search of green grass, many of the horses were ten
+miles from the camp. Men employed cutting and carrying timber for the
+repair of the schooner, which work is progressing satisfactorily;
+computing astronomical observations.
+
+<p>15th December.
+
+<p>Party employed as before. One of the mares is reported to have foaled a
+fine filly. Thundershowers are frequent, and the country near the camp is
+clothed with verdure. Rode out with Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Baines to
+bring in some horses which had strayed, and which, after several hours'
+tracking, we found and brought to the camp. The horses are now much
+improved, and, with the exception of three which are still very weak, are
+now in a serviceable condition, though few are capable of carrying heavy
+loads or performing long journeys; but as grass and water are now
+abundant for the first 100 miles of the route towards the interior, I
+hope that by travelling easy stages the horses will improve, and
+preparations are being made for commencing the journey early in January.
+The country being impracticable for drays, and as the sheep cannot be
+driven with advantage, owing to the high grass and reeds, it is necessary
+to constitute the party so that the whole equipment can be conveyed by
+pack-horses, to accomplish which the party proceeding to the interior
+must not exceed nine in number, for which the horses are capable of
+conveying five months' provisions and equipment. The remaining half of
+the party will have full employment in the repair of the schooner and
+care of the stores--points of vital importance to the Expedition. It is
+therefore proposed to make the following division of the party, which,
+under existing circumstances, appears to me the most eligible.
+
+<p>PREPARATIONS FOR EXPEDITION.
+
+<p>16th December.
+
+<p>The exploring party to consist of the following: Commander, A. Gregory;
+assistant commander, H. Gregory; artist, T. Baines; botanist, F. Mueller;
+collector, J. Flood; overseer, G. Phibbs; farrier, R. Bowman;
+harness-maker, C. Dean; stockman, J. Fahey.
+
+<p>The party remaining in charge of the principal camp: Geologist, J.S.
+Wilson; surgeon, J.R. Elsey; overseer, C. Humphries; stockmen, Dawson,
+Shewell, Selby, Macdonald, Richards, Melville.
+
+<p>17th December.
+
+<p>Preparing a map of the late journey up the Victoria, shoeing horses, and
+other preparations for the expedition into the interior.
+
+<p>18th December.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>19th December.
+
+<p>Removing the bones from the salt pork which is to form part of the
+provisions of the exploring party; the reduction in weight is 17 per
+cent. Packing flour in double canvas bags, containing forty or fifty
+pounds each. In the centre of each bag of flour one pound of gunpowder is
+placed as the most secure from accidents. Shoeing horses, etc., as
+before. At 10 o'clock last night it commenced raining, and continued till
+daybreak; the day has been cool and cloudy.
+
+<p>20th December.
+
+<p>Party employed as before; killed one of the sheep, which weighed
+thirty-eight pounds. During last night it rained for four hours, and
+there have been showers to-day.
+
+<p>21st December.
+
+<p>Preparing for explorations as before. The river commenced running, but is
+still brackish. The weather is cloudy, with frequent showers; the country
+is becoming very soft and boggy.
+
+<p>22nd December.
+
+<p>Frequent heavy showers, especially at night. Mr. Wilson, Dr. Mueller, and
+Selby went down the river to examine Sea Range and procure specimens of
+rocks and plants. The repairs of the schooner requiring some broad iron,
+I had the ironwork of one of the drays appropriated to the purpose, as
+there was no iron of a suitable size on board the vessel. Party employed
+shoeing horses, fitting saddles, and general preparations of equipment
+for the exploring party.
+
+<p>23rd December.
+
+<p>Two of the horses have again strayed to the westward, and Mr. H. Gregory
+and Bowman were employed nearly the whole day in tracking them, and
+succeeded in bringing them in at night. The river is quite fresh, and
+running with a current from one to two miles per hour. Since the
+commencement of the rainy weather the general health of the party has
+improved; but this, perhaps, is due to the reduction of temperature,
+combined with greater regularity of habits and diet. Richards' arm is,
+however, in a very unsatisfactory state, though this is more the result
+of general ill-health than the original extent of actual injury.
+
+<p>24th December.
+
+<p>Preparing equipment, etc., as before. Dr. Mueller and Mr. Wilson returned
+in the boat from Sea Range. They report the river to be fresh at Sandy
+Island. Frequent heavy showers, which rendered the ground so soft that
+the horses cannot be hobbled without danger of their getting bogged, and
+it is scarcely possible to ride after them to herd them.
+
+<p>25th December.
+
+<p>Christmas day. Frequent heavy showers throughout the day and night.
+Killed a sheep; the weight, 38 1/2 pounds.
+
+<p>26th December.
+
+<p>Preparing equipment; fitting spare shoes for the horses, etc. Frequent
+showers.
+
+<p>27th December.
+
+<p>Packing stores, fitting saddles, etc. This has been the first fine day
+during the past week, having had only a single shower during the
+twenty-four hours.
+
+<p>FLOOD IN THE RIVER.
+
+<p>28th December.
+
+<p>Party employed as before. The schooner was moved into the stream, as the
+drift-wood collected in large quantities, and could not be easily cleared
+away from the bows when moored near the bank. The water of the river is
+very muddy, and has risen about six feet above the ordinary high-water
+mark. The current is about two miles per hour. In winding chronometer
+2139, the chain, which was much corroded, broke, and the force of the
+recoil of the spring snapped it in so many places that I had to splice
+six of the links.
+
+<p>29th December.
+
+<p>As before--preparing equipment, etc.
+
+<p>30th December (Sunday).
+
+<p>31st December.
+
+<p>Preparing tracings of maps, etc., completed the preparations for the
+exploration of the interior.
+
+<p>A STAMPEDE.
+
+<p>1st January, 1856.
+
+<p>Wrote to Mr. Wilson, enclosing instructions for the guidance of the
+officer in charge of the camp on the Victoria. Wrote to the master of the
+Tom Tough instructions relative to the movements and repair of the Tom
+Tough, etc. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter requesting to be informed
+why he had been selected to take charge of the party at the principal
+camp. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply to his letter of this day's date.
+Having completed the preparations for the journey into the interior, the
+horses were saddled, and the party was on the point of starting, when a
+gun was fired on board the schooner, and the horses took fright and
+rushed wildly into the bush; and it was only after a hard gallop of two
+miles that they could be turned and driven back to the camp. Many of the
+saddles and loads were torn off by the horses having run against trees,
+and, as they had scattered very much, it took some time to collect the
+bags which had fallen from the horses, and four bags of provisions could
+not be found. A few of the straps of the colonial-made pack-saddles had
+given way, but there was no other damage done to them; but the
+English-made saddle was shaken to pieces. The party were occupied in the
+evening repairing damages.
+
+<p>2nd January.
+
+<p>Completed the repair of the saddlery, etc. broken yesterday; two of the
+missing bags were found, but a heavy shower having obliterated the tracks
+of the horses, two bags of sugar and sago were lost.
+
+<p>3rd January.
+
+<p>All arrangements being complete, the party commenced their journey at 11
+a.m., and, proceeding up the river to Timber Creek, encamped there at 3.0
+p.m.
+
+<p>The following is a memorandum of the arrangements and equipment of the
+party:
+
+<p>The Party: Commander, A.C. Gregory; assistant-commander, H.C. Gregory;
+artist, T. Baines; botanist, F. Mueller, collector, J. Flood; overseer,
+G. Phibbs; farrier, R. Bowman; harness-maker, C. Dean; stockman, J.
+Fahey.
+
+<p>Horses: 27 pack-horses with pack-saddles; 3 pack-horses with
+riding-saddles; 6 riding-horses.
+
+<p>Provisions for five months: Flour, 1,470 pounds; pork, 1200 pounds; rice,
+200 pounds; sago, 44 pounds; sugar, 280 pounds; tea, 36 pounds; coffee,
+28 pounds; tobacco, 21 pounds; soap, 51 pounds. Total, 3,330 pounds.
+
+<p>Equipment: Instruments, clothing, tents, ammunition, horseshoes, tools,
+etc., 800 pounds; saddle-bags and packages, 400 pounds; saddles, bridles,
+hobbles, etc., 900 pounds. Total, 5,430 pounds.
+
+<p>SENTRIES AT NIGHT.
+
+<p>The total weight was thus about two and a half tons, which, distributed
+on thirty horses, gave a load of 180 pounds each horse. Each person had a
+stated number of horses in his special charge, and was responsible for
+the proper care of the loads and equipment, the saddles and loads being
+all marked with numbers. A watch was constantly kept through the night,
+each person being on sentry for two hours in regular rotation, except
+myself, as I had to make astronomical observations at uncertain hours.
+The cook was on watch from 2.0 till 4.0 a.m., and having prepared
+breakfast, the party concluded this meal at daybreak, and thus the most
+valuable part of the day was not lost.
+
+<p>4th January.
+
+<p>Started at 7 a.m. and followed up the creek; but Dr. Mueller having
+wandered away into the rocky hills and lost himself, I halted at the
+first convenient spot, having despatched several of the party to search
+for him, but it was not till 4 p.m. that the Doctor reached the camp. At
+noon there was a shower of rain, which reduced the temperature to 92
+degrees.
+
+<p>ASCEND TABLELAND.
+
+<p>5th January.
+
+<p>The day broke with a heavy shower, which continued till 7.30 a.m., when
+it was followed by a cool breeze from the west; at 8.30 steered north 150
+degrees east magnetic up the valley of the creek till 11.0, when,
+crossing a low rocky ridge, we descended into Beagle Valley, and,
+steering 160 degrees till 2.10 p.m., halted at a small creek. The country
+is now covered with fine grass, and water is abundant, though the smaller
+watercourses have ceased to flow. In the evening walked to a hill about a
+mile from the camp; it was only 150 feet high, but gave a fine view of
+the distant ranges.
+
+<p>6th January.
+
+<p>It rained continuously during the night, with thunder and lightning. At
+8.0 a.m. steered 160 degrees and soon came on a small creek with
+water-pandanus on its banks; followed it to the south-south-east; at 11.0
+crossed it and changed the course to south-east, and at 11.30 encamped in
+a small gully; I then went with Mr. H. Gregory to look for a practicable
+ascent of Stokes' Range; having been successful in the search, we
+returned to the camp at 6 p.m. There are few spots where this range can
+be ascended, as a line of cliffs run along the brow of the hills varying
+from 10 to 100 feet in height. While on the hill we saw a few blacks, but
+they did not approach; the day was cloudy and cool, clearing after
+sunset.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Capella 15 degrees 59 minutes 57 seconds.
+
+<p>7th January.
+
+<p>The day again commenced with heavy showers, which lasted till 7 a.m. At
+7.30 started on a course of 120 degrees; reached the foot of the
+sandstone range at 8.50, and the summit at 9.30, the tableland on the top
+of the range being intersected by deep ravines trending to the
+south-west; we steered east till 11.40, when we came to a deep valley
+trending east-south-east; having made the necessary observations for
+elevation, commenced the descent of the hills, which was practicable in
+few places, as the valley was walled-in by steep hills crowned by
+sandstone cliffs 20 to 100 feet in height, with only an occasional break.
+At 1.0 p.m. reached the base of the hill, and encamped at a small gully.
+The summit of the range is nearly a level tableland, the undulations not
+exceeding 100 feet, but is intersected by deep ravines with perpendicular
+sides, which vary from 100 to 600 feet in depth. The upper rock is
+sandstone, and the soil on it very poor and sandy, producing small
+eucalypti, hakea, grevillia, and a sharp spiny grass (triodia); this is
+the spinifex of Captain Sturt and other Australian explorers. The
+character of the country is similar to that of the interior of some parts
+of the western coast.
+
+<p>Latitude by Capella 15 degrees 59 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+<p>JASPER CREEK. GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+<p>8th January.
+
+<p>Heavy rain till 7.0 a.m.; at 7.15 started and followed down the valley of
+the creek to south-south-east and south till 9.0, when it joined a larger
+valley trending east, in which a large creek in high flood obstructed our
+course. As the water was too deep to ford, we fixed a rope to a branch of
+a tree and passed the packs over the stream. This was accomplished at 3.0
+p.m., and the water having also sunk a foot, the horses crossed over, and
+we encamped on the south side of the creek. The valleys are well grassed,
+and vary from a quarter to three-quarters of a mile in width, the hills
+rising steeply from the base to near the summit, where they are crowned
+by a sandstone cliff 20 to 150 feet high; the summits are level, or
+nearly so, as the valleys are only deep ravines excavated in the
+tableland. The valley of the larger creek appears to expand about five
+miles to the west of the camp, and the hills all rounded in their
+outline.
+
+<p>9th January.
+
+<p>A light shower at night was followed by a cool cloudy morning. At 6.50
+a.m. followed down the creek to the east, and crossed to the left bank to
+avoid a rocky hill. On attempting to cross lower down, one of the
+pack-horses was carried down the stream some distance by the force of the
+current, and the saddle-bags were recovered a quarter of a mile below.
+The valley contracted as we proceeded, and at length the steep cliff left
+no passage on the left bank, and we had to return one and a half miles up
+the creek and cross to the right bank, when our course was again
+obstructed by a large tributary, which was crossed with some difficulty,
+and we passed through the rough rocky gorge of the creek, where the cliff
+approached the bank of the stream so closely that there was scarcely
+space for a horse to pass. At 12.10 p.m. camped on the bank of the creek
+at the termination of the hilly country, and, ascending a rocky
+elevation, obtained a view of the valley of the Victoria, and ascertained
+that we were on one of the branches of Jasper Creek. The afternoon and
+night were showery.
+
+<p>10th January.
+
+<p>Started at 6.30 a.m. and steered south-east, leaving the creek to the
+north; the country soon changed to a level plain well-grassed, but, owing
+to the late rain, very soft and muddy; at 10.20 passed to the north end
+of Jasper Range, and came to a creek fifteen yards wide trending
+north-east. Having forded the creek, camped on the right bank. The soil
+of the country traversed this day is a good brown loam on the plains, but
+rough and stony on the hills. The trees are of a small size, principally
+box and bauhinia. Sandstone is the prevailing rock, sometimes passing
+into jasper, and also into chert and coarse limestone. Small veins of
+quartz intersected the jasper, and contained small crystals of sulphuret
+of copper and iron.
+
+<p>Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella, 116 degrees 6 minutes 54 seconds;
+variation of compass, 3 degrees 6 minutes east.
+
+<p>11th January.
+
+<p>One of the mares having foaled in the night, she was not fit for a day's
+journey; we therefore remained at the camp, and employed the day in
+repairing and adjusting the saddles, and other works of indispensable
+nature; marked a large gum-tree NAE, 11 Jan., 1856.
+
+<p>12th January.
+
+<p>The night was fine, with a heavy dew and a light breeze from the south.
+At 6.15 a.m. steered north 150 degrees east over the level country which
+extends along the east side of Jasper Range; the soil is stony, but well
+grassed, and the fine weather had allowed the surface to become firm, so
+that the horses were not often bogged. At 12.25 p.m. camped on a small
+creek between the Fitzgerald and Jasper Ranges; marked a gum-tree at camp
+Number 9. The general character of this part of the country is good and
+well suited for stock, though not equal to the basaltic country to the
+eastward on the Victoria. Hard sandstone, jasper, and coarse limestone
+are the prevailing rocks.
+
+<p>Latitude by Aldebaran, Saturn, and a Orionis 16 degrees 16 minutes 22
+seconds.
+
+<p>FINE PLAINS.
+
+<p>13th January.
+
+<p>The night cool and clear; thermometer 62 degrees at sunrise with heavy
+dew; steering an average south course from 6.40 a.m. till 11.25, reached
+the western branch of the Victoria River and encamped. The country
+traversed was nearly level and well grassed and thinly wooded with
+eucalypti and bauhinia; the soil is brown loam with small fragments of
+limestone; the river was running strong, but not in flood; the greatest
+rise this season had been only ten feet, and the usual flood-marks were
+twenty feet higher.
+
+<p>Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella 16 degrees 25 minutes 12 seconds.
+
+<p>14th January.
+
+<p>Followed the river to the west-south-west, crossing two large tributary
+creeks from the north-west, approaching the sandstone ranges on the
+western side of the plain; the soil did not improve, but became very
+sandy; the country is thinly wooded with box-trees and bauhinia of small
+size; grass is abundant and good. At noon one of the pack-horses, Sam,
+knocked up, and his load being transferred to one of the riding-horses,
+he was left to rest while we sought a suitable spot for a camp, and at
+12.15 p.m. halted at a small gully, as the bank of the river was unsafe
+for the horses, being very boggy. Sent back for the horse Sam, and
+brought him to camp; ascended the hill to the north-west of the camp to
+take bearings, but no important features of the country were visible; in
+ascending the hill the aneroid (B) fell from 29.62 to 28.55 degrees, and
+on descending only rose to 28.80 degrees, the estimated height being 300
+feet; as this indicated a change in form of the metal of the instrument,
+I re-adjusted it to the aneroid (A), 29.45 degrees. The continuance of
+fine weather and forward state of the grass led to the supposition that
+the wet season had already terminated, though only two months have
+elapsed since the first rains. It is probable that the wet season is much
+shorter in the interior than on the coast, and at no great distance
+inland the tropical wet season will cease altogether, as Captain Sturt,
+in latitude 26 degrees, only observed a fall of rain in the month of
+August; but this might be exceptional, as in the case of Dr. Leichhardt,
+who never encountered a rainy season during the journey to Port
+Essington.
+
+<p>Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella 16 degrees 27 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+<p>15th January.
+
+<p>Started at 6.45 a.m. and followed the river to the west-south-west; the
+hills coming close to the bank for some miles, caused the journey to be
+slow and difficult; crossed two large creeks coming from the
+west-north-west, the second seventy yards wide; at 10.35 encamped in a
+fine grassy flat. The course of the river was now more from the south,
+and the valley expanded into a plain several miles wide.
+
+<p>16th January.
+
+<p>As several of the horses required a day's rest, at 6.0 a.m. I started
+with Mr. H. Gregory to examine the country to the southward, and followed
+the river through a fine grassy plain till 10.0, when it entered the
+sandstone ranges, and the valley contracted to half a mile; the hills
+were steep, but the level ground in the valley, except where intersected
+by gullies, was good travelling and well grassed. The river is much
+reduced in size and the water is confined to the smaller channels of the
+principal bed; the water is clear, and had not that muddy appearance
+which characterises it lower down. The geological character of the rocks
+is unchanged; but the bed of the river being less deeply excavated, the
+lower beds of limestone and jasper are not so largely developed, the
+summit of the hills are not quite as level, and large blocks of
+sandstone, the remains of an upper stratum, gives the country a very
+rugged appearance. Returned to the camp at 6.30 p.m. In the evening there
+was a heavy thunder-squall from the north, but the weather cleared at
+midnight.
+
+<p>LOSE A HORSE.
+
+<p>17th January.
+
+<p>Started at 7.5 a.m. and steered a south-west course till 10.30 a.m.,
+passing over a level grassy flat the whole distance; but the soil became
+more sandy as we proceeded up the river; there is very little wood of any
+description; the few trees that exist are white-stem eucalypti and a few
+acacia with pinnate leaves; the horse Sam is very weak, and two other
+horses are lame and can scarcely travel; since the 3rd of January the
+distance travelled has not exceeded ten miles per diem; water and grass
+everywhere abundant, and the loads not heavy, yet the greater part of the
+horses appear to be unable to perform a greater amount of work.
+
+<p>Latitude by Aldebaran 16 degrees 36 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+<p>18th January.
+
+<p>Some of the horses having strayed towards our last camp, we were detained
+till 8.10 a.m. and then steered south for three miles; the sandstone
+hills here closed in on each side of the river, scarcely leaving a
+passage at the base of the steep rocks; here the horse Sam fell into a
+pool of water, and when extricated could not stand; this having caused
+considerable delay, we encamped in a grassy flat half a mile farther on;
+in the evening sent Bowman and Dean to bring the horse to the camp, but
+they found him dead; marked a tree near camp 14.
+
+<p>19th January.
+
+<p>The night was fine, with heavy dew, the temperature 73 degrees at
+sunrise; having collected the horses and saddled at 6.45 a.m., left the
+camp and followed the valley of the river on an average south-west
+course, crossing a large creek from the north-west; the valley of the
+river expanded to three miles and then narrowed to one mile, and the
+course of the river was nearly west till 10.50 a.m., when we encamped;
+the soil of the valley is a brown loam, producing abundance of grass; but
+the hills, though less rocky, are more barren than lower down the river;
+the character of the channel of the river has altered, and has the
+appearance of a stream which continues to run late into the dry season,
+as the channels are narrow and fringed with pandanus, melaleuca, and
+other trees which grow near permanent water; the banks are of less height
+and the timber on them grows to a greater size than lower down the
+valley; at 1.0 p.m. the thermometer 100 degrees, and the wet bulb 76
+degrees, indicating 24 degrees of evaporation.
+
+<p>CROSS THE WICKHAM RIVER.
+
+<p>20th January.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 6.55 a.m. and followed the river in a west-north-west
+direction till 8.5, when we crossed at a ledge of rocks which caused a
+fall of about one foot, the water being twenty yards wide and one to two
+feet deep; but above and below the rapid the river formed fine reaches
+seventy yards wide; the course was now west-south-west till 9.0 a.m.,
+when the river turned west, and at 10.50 came to a large stony creek from
+the south-west, at which we encamped; the country on the banks of the
+river rises gradually as it recedes, and, except within the influence of
+the floods, is poor and stony, producing little besides a sharp grass
+(triodia)--this is the spinifex of some Australian explorers--a few small
+gum-trees and bushes. As we progress towards the interior the wet season
+appears to have been of less duration and the fall of rain less, yet the
+great heat has forced the vegetation towards maturity, and many of the
+grasses have already ripened their seeds, while there are many other
+indications of the dry season having fairly set in; the wind is steadily
+from the south and south-east, and is very dry; the sky is clear and
+bright, and the creeks have ceased to run; the almost total absence of
+birds or animals shows that we are approaching the limits of the dry
+summer season of the southern interior; in the afternoon rode out with
+Mr. H. Gregory to examine the country, and found that the river came
+through a gorge in the sandstone range; this gorge is two miles long, a
+quarter of a mile wide, and 400 feet deep, with nearly perpendicular
+sides, the winter channel of the river occupying nearly the whole
+breadth, and intersecting the otherwise flat bottom of the valley with
+dry sandy channels and long pools of water; beyond the gorge the valley
+opened, but the view was intercepted by hills.
+
+<p>A HORSE KILLED.
+
+<p>21st January.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 7.10 a.m., and, following the right bank of the
+river nearly west through the gorge, at 9.0 entered an open valley,
+through which the river came from the south-west; but at 10.0 we entered
+a second defile, which, from the inclined strata of sandstone, was almost
+impassable for the horses. In crossing some soft ground between the rocks
+one of the horses fell on a sharp stump, and was deeply wounded in the
+belly. The wound was sewn up; but the injury was so severe that the horse
+died in the night. Having extricated ourselves from this ravine, we
+encamped at the foot of a sandstone hill, the strata of which dipped 60
+degrees to the south-west. Ascending the hill, which was about 300 feet
+high, the country appeared more level to the south, rising into sandstone
+ranges at ten miles distance. The course of the river was from
+west-south-west, the channel being bounded by sandstone cliffs 100 to 200
+feet high. The general aspect of the country was wretched in the extreme,
+as little besides a few small gum-trees and triodia clothed the rugged
+surface of the red sandstone. The weather continues fine, with only an
+occasional cloud or flash of lightning in the early part of the night.
+The temperature is increasing, being 104 degrees at 1.0 p.m. Some catfish
+and a small tortoise were caught in the river.
+
+<p>22nd January.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. continued our route up the river; but, to avoid the deep
+ravines on its banks, made a sweep to the south, and at noon encamped in
+a grassy flat on the bank of the river. The country traversed was very
+barren and rocky, and the horses had great difficulty in crossing the
+deep ravines; many of their shoes were torn from their feet during the
+day's journey. The highest ridge crossed was 500 feet above the bed of
+the river, the height of which is approximately 500 feet above the
+sea-level, and thus the general level of the tableland may be considered
+to be 1000 feet above the sea. The general course of the river being from
+the west, it appears advisable to reconnoitre the country to the south.
+
+<p>Latitude by Capella 16 degrees 47 minutes 58 seconds.
+
+<p>RECONNOITRE TO THE SOUTH.
+
+<p>23rd January.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp in charge of Dr. Mueller, at 6.30 a.m. started in a
+southerly direction, accompanied by Messrs. H. Gregory and Baines, taking
+with us four horses and six days' rations, etc.; after clearing the deep
+rocky gullies near the river, we passed over a more level country with
+some fine open plains covered with fine grass, but the intervening ridges
+were very stony; at 9.45 a.m. reached the highest part of the range, and
+the country declined to the south-east, and intersected by deep rocky
+ravines trending towards a large valley, which is probably drained by the
+southern branch of the Victoria; the course was now south-east,
+descending to the valley of a creek, through a very barren and rugged
+sandstone country, producing little besides stunted eucalypti, acacia,
+and triodia. At 11.15 a.m. halted at the creek, and resumed our route at
+3.0 p.m., and followed the valley to the south-east till 4.40 p.m., when
+it turned east through a rocky gorge between cliffs 150 feet high; but
+notwithstanding the dense bush of pandanus, fallen rocks and deep muddy
+channel of the creek, we succeeded in forcing our way through the gorge
+of the creek, and bivouacked in the open valley below at 5.30 p.m., there
+being a fine patch of grass in the flat, though the surrounding country
+is rocky and barren. The sandstone rocks show a great disturbance and dip
+at all angles and directions, so that no general angle or strike could be
+determined; the upper rocks, however, show a new feature in a coarse
+conglomerate of fragments of the lower sandstones and a few fragments of
+basalt; some of the enclosed pieces of rock are nearly a foot in
+diameter, and are mostly angular, though occasionally round; this rock
+forms a horizontal bed of 100 feet in thickness. Towards evening the sky
+was clouded, with lightning to the east, but no rain.
+
+<p>BASALTIC PLAINS.
+
+<p>24th January.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. crossed the creek, and steered south-east over broken
+sandstone ridges till 8.0, when we entered a plain of basaltic formation
+covered with good grass, and where the ground was not entirely composed
+of fragments of rock the soil was a rich black loam; crossing the large
+creeks trending north, at 10.0 a.m. halted on the second. These creeks
+appear to rise in a steep range of sandstone hills which bound the
+basaltic plains to the west, about two miles from our track. At 3.0 p.m.
+resumed our route and traversed the trap plain for one and a half hours,
+and bivouacked in a small gully; the country on both sides of our track
+seems to be of trap formation for several miles, and then rises into
+sandstone hills with flat tops. The basaltic rock of this plain is not of
+great thickness, as the sandstone rose in a few spots above its surface
+and formed small islands covered with coarse vegetation, surrounded by
+the open grassy plain. The basalt seems to have been poured out into the
+valley after it had been excavated in the sandstone, and not to have been
+much disturbed subsequently. The surface of the plain is very stony, and
+the horses' feet were much injured by the roughness of the rock.
+
+<p>STONE SPEAR HEADS.
+
+<p>25th January.
+
+<p>The night was cloudy, and it was not till after daybreak that I could get
+observations for latitude by altitudes of Venus and b Centauri. At 6.5
+a.m. were again in the saddle, and steered south-east to a rocky hill,
+which we reached at 7.0; the hill was sandstone, rising about 150 feet
+above the trap plain; from the summit the view was extensive, but from
+the broken nature of the country to the east nothing could be traced of
+either the courses of creeks or rivers; to the south the trap plain rose
+to a greater elevation than the summit of the hill we were on, and was
+surmounted by table hills of sandstone at ten miles distance to the east
+and north-east; the country appeared to consist of plains of basaltic
+formation, well grassed, and very thinly wooded. Leaving this hill at
+8.0, followed a dry rocky creek to the east and north-east, through
+basaltic plains with sandstone hills and ridges, till 10.30, and halted
+during the heat of the day. At this place the bed of the creek had been
+cut through the basalt into the sandstone, exposing a fine section of the
+junction of the two rocks; the sandstone was much altered at the line of
+contact, and, having been deeply cracked, the basalt had filled the
+fissures of the older rock. This altered sandstone and also a white
+quartz-like rock are much used by the natives for the heads of their
+spears; and during this day's journey great quantities of broken stones
+and imperfect spear heads were noticed on the banks of the creek. At 3.45
+p.m. recommenced our journey, and proceeded down the creek to the
+north-east till 6.30, and bivouacked.
+
+<p>Latitude by Capella, Saturn, and Canopus 17 degrees 24 seconds.
+
+<p>ROE'S DOWNS.
+
+<p>26th January.
+
+<p>Having ascertained that the party could be moved across the range to the
+basalt plains with advantage, commenced our return to the camp by a
+westerly route across the plain, which rose gently for ten miles, and was
+well grassed, but thinly wooded; the soil was stony, with fragments of
+altered sandstone and basalt. On the higher part of the plain there were
+several hills of trap-rock, forming flat-topped ridges trending north and
+south; the highest of these we named Mount Sanford, and the plains Roe's
+Downs. The country now generally sloped to the bank of the creek near the
+western limit of the plain, at which, after six hours' ride, we halted at
+11.35. The banks of the creek are of trap-rock; but the sandstone is
+exposed in the bed; the pools of water are deep and apparently permanent.
+At 4.0 resumed our route and passed over about one mile of sandstone, and
+then two miles of basalt, and bivouacked at a small gully at the western
+limit of the valley.
+
+<p>27th January.
+
+<p>At 5.30 a.m. steered north-north-west, over several ridges of sandstone,
+till we struck our outward track, which we followed with some deviations
+to the camp, which was reached at 2.0 p.m. The evening was cloudy with a
+smart thunder-shower. Dr. Mueller informed me that he had traced the
+river about six miles to the west-south-west, but that beyond that point
+it appeared to come from the north-west, in which direction there was a
+low range of hills.
+
+<p>28th January.
+
+<p>Having collected the horses, at 7.15 a.m. steered south to the rocky
+creek, and followed it down to the rocky gorge and encamped. As the
+valley was completely walled in by steep rocks, it appeared to be a
+suitable spot for a depot camp, as it would prevent the horses from
+straying; and, from the rapidity with which the water in the creeks was
+drying up, it became desirable that no time should be lost in pushing to
+the head of the Victoria while it was practicable to cross the ranges in
+which it was supposed to rise; but as many of the horses were quite unfit
+for the journey, it became necessary to leave them in some convenient
+spot while a small party pushed on with a light equipment.
+
+<p>FORM A DEPOT CAMP.
+
+<p>29th January.
+
+<p>Preparing equipment for the party proceeding to the interior and making
+arrangements for the formation of the depot camp; the party to consist of
+myself, Mr. H. Gregory, Dr. Mueller, and C. Dean, Mr. Baines remaining at
+the depot in charge. Selected eleven of the strongest horses and had them
+re-shod; fitted four with riding and seven with pack saddles. The
+following provisions were packed for the journey: 150 pounds pork, 300
+pounds flour, 50 pounds rice, 10 pounds sago, 8 pounds tea, 6 pounds
+coffee, 48 pounds sugar.
+
+<p>30th January.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 7.30 a.m. and steered an average course south-south-east
+till 10.20, over stony ground, at the junction of the sandstone and trap
+formation, and camped at a fine running creek which came from a rocky
+gorge in the sandstone range to the west of our course. Messrs. Baines
+and Bowman, who had accompanied us thus far, returned to the camp, which
+I had instructed him to move to this creek as better for the horses, as
+one of them had shown symptoms of poison, and I feared to leave them in
+that locality. A severe attack of the fever, from which I had been
+suffering since the beginning of the month, precluded our proceeding
+farther this day, as I had at first intended. At 5 p.m. it commenced
+raining, and continued till midnight with incessant thunder and
+lightning.
+
+<p>31st January.
+
+<p>Being able to mount my horse, at 8 a.m. left the camp and steered a
+course south-east by south, along the foot of the sandstone range--the
+basalt plain extending to the north-east. At 12.45 p.m. camped on a
+shallow watercourse trending to the south-south-west. The whole of the
+country to the east of our track, except some isolated hills, appear to
+be covered with excellent grass. The evening was raining, with continuous
+thunder.
+
+<p>1st February.
+
+<p>Steered north 160 degrees east from 6.25 a.m. till 7.0 across the
+basaltic plain, then crossed a large creek trending east, in which there
+were some large pools of water. We then entered the sandstone country,
+and crossed several rocky ridges; at 9.10 we had a good view from one of
+the ridges to the north and east. Fine grassy plains extended almost to
+the horizon, to the south the country consisted of sandstone ranges, and
+to the south-east large grassy plains and rocky ridges appeared to
+alternate with each other. Changing the course to south-east, traversed a
+fine plain covered with grass, beyond which was a rocky ridge, and then a
+second plain, in which we halted at 11.10, as I was unable to keep on my
+horse, owing to an attack of fever. At 2 p.m. again proceeded, and after
+crossing some rugged country with deep rocky ravines, at length reached a
+large creek, at which we encamped, though there was nothing but reeds and
+triodia for the horses to eat.
+
+<p>2nd February.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 6 a.m. and followed the creek up for three-quarters of
+an hour before we could find a crossing place; the course was then
+south-south-east over very broken sandstone country; at 9.50 halted in a
+grassy valley to feed the horses, and at 2.30 p.m. resumed our route
+south-east, crossed a sandstone ridge, and descended into a wide valley,
+the centre of which was occupied by a basaltic plain, at the edge of
+which we encamped at 3.55 p.m.
+
+<p>CRESTED PIGEON.
+
+<p>3rd February.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. ascended the trap plain and steered north 190 degrees east;
+at 6.45 a.m. came to a large creek from the west, which joined the
+Victoria three-quarters of a mile to the east; but the deep and rocky
+character of the valley, or rather ravine, in which it ran precluded our
+approaching it, and we had to turn to the west, and descend from the
+basalt to the sandstone before the creek could be passed. Continuing an
+average south course, at 10.10 a.m. came to the Victoria River; the whole
+channel did not exceed 150 yards in breadth, of which only twenty to
+fifty were now occupied by water, and the rest by dry rocks and gravel,
+overgrown by bushes. With great difficulty we followed the river upwards,
+and were compelled to follow up a tributary creek for about a mile, and
+then encamped. Near this camp I saw the crested pigeon of Western
+Australia for the first time in this part of Australia.
+
+<p>Latitude by Leonis 17 degrees 41 minutes.
+
+<p>4th February.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 5.55 a.m. and steered nearly south for six hours, and
+then encamped on the bank of the Victoria River, at the end of a fine
+deep pool seventy yards wide, but at the lower end the water was
+contracted into a shallow rapid ten yards wide. The country traversed is
+of basaltic formation in the valley, but the hills are of sandstone, and
+rise on each side from 200 to 300 feet, and the whole appearance of the
+country shows that there has been little change in the form of the
+surface since the basalt was poured into the valley. On the banks of a
+small creek we saw a flock of tribonyx--a bird which has created some
+speculation as to its proper habitat, as it often makes its appearance in
+large numbers at the Swan River, on the western coast.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus 17 degrees 52 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+<p>THUNDERSTORM AND SQUALL.
+
+<p>5th February.
+
+<p>Started at 5.55 a.m., and steered south-west, keeping parallel to the
+river at about a mile from it, as the creeks cut so deeply into the rock
+near the river that they are impassable; at 9.20 a.m. crossed to the
+right bank of the river, and continued a south-west course, but found the
+country exceedingly rough and rocky, and therefore turned to the
+north-west to the river, and at 11.30 a.m. camped at a fine pool of
+water. In the afternoon we were visited by a sudden thunder-squall;
+fortunately the tents had not been set up, or they must have been blown
+to pieces. The valley of the river has contracted to about fifteen miles,
+and turns to the west, but a branch seems to come from the south, and a
+second from the north-west. The country is, however, nearly level, and it
+is difficult to ascertain the limits of the valley, as many portions of
+the original tableland exist as detached hills and ridges. Though the
+horses are well shod, they are becoming lame and footsore from
+continually travelling over rough and stony country, as more than half of
+the last 100 miles has been so completely covered with fragments of rock
+that the soil, if any exists, has been wholly concealed.
+
+<p>6th February.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 6.20 a.m., steered south up the valley of a large
+creek. At first the ground was very rough and rocky, but as we proceeded
+it became more level and sandy--the bed of the creek being worn in the
+basalt, and the hills of sandstone conglomerate rising 100 to 200 feet.
+Except on the bank of the creek, there was no grass, the hills being
+covered with triodia. Encamped in a grassy flat at 11.30 a.m.
+
+<p>Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 48 seconds.
+
+<p>CROSS WATERSHED TO INTERIOR. HOOKER'S CREEK.
+
+<p>7th February.
+
+<p>At 6.30 resumed our journey to the south-south-west, and reached the head
+of the creek at 8.0 a.m. Ascending the tableland by an abrupt slope of
+100 feet, our course was south one mile, when the southern slope was
+reached, and a large shallow valley extended across our course, beyond
+which a vast and slightly undulating plain extended to the horizon with
+scarcely a rising ground to relieve its extreme monotony. Descending by a
+very gentle slope into the valley, at 9.40 a.m. crossed a small
+watercourse trending south-east, and then passed through a plain densely
+covered with kangaroo-grass seven to nine feet high, and at 10.40 a.m.
+encountered the level sandy country beyond, which was covered with
+triodia and small acacia and gum trees, or rather bushes. Seeing little
+prospects of either water or grass to the southward, turned east to the
+creek, at which we encamped at 12.30 p.m. The bed of the creek was dry,
+except a few shallow pools of rainwater, and there had been so little
+rain this season that no water had flowed down the channel. A level
+grassy flat extended nearly a mile on each side of the creek, which
+indicated the extent of occasional inundations, beyond which the country
+was very sandy and covered with small gum-trees, acacia, and triodia.
+
+<p>Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 3 seconds.
+
+<p>8th February.
+
+<p>The country to the south being so level and barren that we could not
+expect to find either water or grass in that direction, at 6.0 a.m.
+steered north 110 degrees east along the course of the creek, which
+turned somewhat to the north of our track for a few miles; but at 8.0
+again came on its banks. The country was very barren and sandy, with
+small trees of silver-leafed ironbark and triodia, except on the
+inundated flats of the creek, which were well grassed and thinly wooded
+with box-trees. The course of the creek was now nearly south-east, but
+the channel decreased in size, and was quite dry till 10.0 a.m., when we
+reached a fine pool which had been filled by a tributary gully. Here we
+halted and shot several ducks. At 2.45 p.m. resumed our route, and at
+3.20 came to a level grassy flat, on which the channel of the creek was
+completely lost. Crossing the flat to the east, the country was quite
+level and sandy; therefore turned to the north, where there seemed to be
+a slight depression, and at 4.50 came to a shallow pool of rainwater, at
+which we encamped. Frequent showers during the night.
+
+<p>THE DESERT INTERIOR.
+
+<p>9th February.
+
+<p>On winding the chronometers this morning, found the chain of 2139, by
+Arnold, was broken. Taking advantage of the cool cloudy morning, we
+steered south at 6.5 a.m. to ascertain if the water of the creek, after
+spreading on the grassy flat, collected again and found an outlet to the
+southward, but found the ground rise in that direction; observed a slight
+hollow to the west, for which we steered, but found it terminate on the
+sandy plain, and the country became a perfect desert of red sand, with
+scattered tufts of triodia and a few bushes of eucalypti and acacia. At
+noon, finding it hopeless to proceed further into the desert, we turned
+our steps to the north-north-east, and returned to our camp of last
+night. In returning to the camp we ascended a slight elevation, from
+which there was an uninterrupted view of the desert from east to
+south-west. The horizon was unbroken; all appeared one slightly
+undulating plain, with just sufficient triodia and bushes growing on it
+to hide the red sand when viewed at a distance. The day was remarkably
+cool and cloudy; the temperature at noon 86 degrees. Though the rain at
+the camp had been abundant during the previous night, it had not extended
+more than five miles into the desert, which is more remarkable, as the
+clouds were moving to the south.
+
+<p>TURN TO THE WEST.
+
+<p>10th February.
+
+<p>As the horses required a day's rest, we remained at our camp, which
+enabled us to repair our saddles and perform other necessary work.
+Repaired the chronometer and one of the aneroid barometers, which had
+been broken by the motion of one of the pack-horses. As there was no
+practicable route to the south, and the sandstone hills to the north
+seemed to diminish in elevation to the east, I decided on following the
+northern limit of the desert to the west till some line of practicable
+country was found by which to penetrate the country to the south. In
+selecting a westerly route I was also influenced by the greater elevation
+of the country on the western side of the Victoria, and the fact that all
+the larger tributaries join from that side of the valley. It is also
+probable that, should the waters of the interior not be lost in the sandy
+desert, they will follow the southern limit of the elevated tract of
+sandstone which occupies north-west Australia from Roebuck Bay to the
+Gulf of Carpentaria, both of which points are nearly in the same latitude
+as our present position, from which it may be assumed that the line of
+greatest elevation is between the 17th and 18th parallels. None of the
+rivers crossed by Leichhardt are of sufficient magnitude to drain the
+country beyond the coast range, and therefore any streams descending from
+the tableland to the south will either be absorbed in the sandy desert or
+follow the southern limit of the sandstone and flow into the sea to the
+south-west of Roebuck Bay. There is, however, reason to expect that, as
+the interior of north-west Australia is partly within the influence of
+the tropical and partly the extra-tropical climates, it does not enjoy a
+regular rainy season; and though heavy rain doubtless falls at times, it
+is neither sufficiently general or regular to form rivers of sufficient
+magnitude to force their way through the flat sandy country to the coast.
+
+<p>Latitude by Capella 18 degrees 20 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+<p>11th February.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. proceeded up the creek, and at 12.30 p.m. camped at a
+shallow pool of rainwater on the flat, the channel of the creek being
+dry. On the northern bank of the creek we passed a small lagoon with a
+great number of duck and other water-fowl on it. The afternoon was
+cloudy, with a fresh breeze from south-east.
+
+<p>Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 15 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+<p>12th February.
+
+<p>Three of the horses having strayed some distance, we did not start till
+7.0 a.m., when we steered an average course of north 300 degrees east
+till 11.45 a.m., when we camped at a small pool of water in the bed of
+the creek, which was reduced to a small gully; for the first four miles
+we traversed the grassy flats of the creek, after which we passed over a
+level sandy country producing nothing but triodia, stunted eucalypti, and
+acacia till we again approached the creek, where the grassy flat was
+nearly half a mile wide, but of inferior character.
+
+<p>Latitude by b Tauri 18 degrees 9 minutes 44 seconds.
+
+<p>13th February.
+
+<p>At 6.50 a.m. followed the valley of the creek to the west, passing some
+fine flats with high grass, but the country generally very poor and
+thinly wooded with white-gum and silver-leafed ironbark; at 10.40 halted
+at a small waterhole at the foot of a low granite ridge; at 3.0 p.m.
+ascended the granite hills, which rose abruptly 100 to 150 feet above the
+plain, and extended about five miles to the south and east; to the west
+the sandstone covered the granite and formed a level tableland or plain;
+to the north a valley trended to the west, on the northern side of which
+the hills appeared to be granitic. Returning to the camp, examined a deep
+rocky ravine and found some small pools of water which might last for
+nearly another month.
+
+<p>Latitude by Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 11 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+<p>PIGEONS AND SEA-GULLS.
+
+<p>14th February.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 6.0 a.m., steered an average course of north 300
+degrees east; crossing the granite ridge, we entered a level sandy
+country with much scrub, which was traversed till 8.40, when we entered a
+wide grassy plain extending to the north-west, in which direction we
+steered till 2.10 p.m., when we halted at a small muddy puddle two inches
+deep and three yards wide. Then rode on with Mr. H. Gregory to search for
+a larger supply of water, and found a shallow pool about a mile distant,
+to which the party moved and encamped. Although this pool was not 100
+yards long and six inches deep, a large flock of ducks, snipe, and small
+gulls, were congregated at it, several thousand pigeons of species new to
+us came to drink. These pigeons keep in flocks of from ten to more than a
+thousand, feeding on the seeds of the grass on the open plains, as they
+never alight on trees. They are somewhat larger than the common
+bronze-wing; the head is black, with a little white at the base of the
+beak and behind the eye; back pale brown; breast, blue; throat marked
+with white; wings with white tips to the feathers and a small patch of
+bronze; tail short, tip white; feet, dull red. The evening and night were
+cloudy.
+
+<p>WILD RICE.
+
+<p>15th February.
+
+<p>At 6.5 a.m. followed a line of small trees and bushes which grew on the
+lower part of the grassy plain and indicated the course of the water in
+the wet season, and at 9.0 came to the head of a small creek trending
+north-west. Water was now abundant and formed large pools, and at 11.15
+camped on the right bank of the creek at a pool a quarter of a mile long
+and fifty yards wide. This spot seemed to be much frequented by the
+natives, and large quantities of mussel-shells lay around their fires.
+The plain traversed this morning was well grassed; the soil a stiff clay
+loam; this plain extended three to six miles on each side of the track,
+and was bounded by a low-wooded country, which, in some parts, rose
+nearly 100 feet above the plain. In the lower part of the plain we
+observed the salt-bush (atriplex) and a species of rice; but as it was
+only just in ear, we could not judge of the quality of the grain. In the
+afternoon there was a fine breeze from the east which lasted till 8.0
+p.m., the sky being cloudy.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 17 degrees 53 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+<p>16th February.
+
+<p>At 6.25 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, which turned first west
+and then south-west, and at 12.20 p.m. encamped at a small pool; on the
+right bank of the creek wide grassy plains extended from three to five
+miles back towards a low-wooded ridge, but on the left bank the scrubby
+country came close to the creek.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Orionis, Canopus and Pollux 17 degrees 59 minutes 40
+seconds.
+
+<p>17th February (Sunday).
+
+<p>As the water and grass were abundant on this camp, we were not compelled
+to move on in search of these requisites, and were enabled to observe it
+as a day of rest.
+
+<p>18th February.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 6.30 a.m., and steered an average south-west
+course till 11.10, and then south till 12.25 p.m., and again camped on
+the creek. The country consisted of wide grassy plains on the bank of the
+creek, without trees and well grassed; beyond the plains, at one to six
+miles distance, low-wooded ridges were visible; but the general aspect of
+the whole was extremely level. A great number of ducks and a few geese
+were seen on some of the pools in the creek.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus 18 degrees 4 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+<p>STURT'S CREEK.
+
+<p>19th February.
+
+<p>Commenced our day's journey at 6.0 a.m., followed the bank of the creek
+till 8.15, thence south-south-west till noon, when the course was altered
+to south-south-east to close in with the creek, but found that the
+channel was completely lost on the level grassy plain, and at 1.40 p.m.
+encamped at a small puddle of muddy water as thick as cream. Before the
+creek was lost in the level plain it spread into some large, though
+shallow pools, which swarmed with ducks of several species, but
+principally the whistling duck. The grassy plain gradually extended to a
+greater breadth, and the back country was so nearly level that it
+scarcely rose above the grassy horizon, while to the south the country
+was so level that the clumps of bushes appeared like islands, and the
+grassy plain extended to the horizon. Near one of the waterholes in the
+creek we surprised a native, who was sitting at his fire with a couple of
+women, who decamped with all possible despatch. Several smokes have been
+observed to the south and south-west, which shows that water must exist
+in that direction, though it may not be in sufficient quantity to supply
+our horses. The morning was cloudy, and at midnight there was a heavy
+shower of rain. Judging from the general appearance of the country, the
+waters of the creek, after spreading over the plain, must escape to the
+westward, as the grass has been bent in that direction by the current
+last year, but there has been so little rain this season that the channel
+of the creek has not been filled.
+
+<p>20th February.
+
+<p>As it appeared that the waters of the creek trended to the west in the
+wet season, at 6.5 a.m. we steered north 250 degrees east, through a
+level forest of box-trees, with abundance of good grass; the soil brown
+loam with fragments of limestone; the shower last night had left many
+shallow pools of water on the surface. At 8.40 a.m. passed a small swampy
+salt flat covered with salicornia; at 9.10 came on the grassy plain which
+we skirted on a west course, but as it turned to the north-west, again
+changed the course to 320 degrees; the plain was now reduced to about a
+mile in width, and we therefore crossed it in search of a definite
+channel, but without success, though there were some slight indications
+that during inundation the water flowed to the north-west. At 11.50 we
+camped at a shallow puddle of rainwater, on the north side of the plain.
+From the camp, till 8.0 a.m., the grass, though very backward, showed
+that there had been sufficient rain to cause it to spring; but as we
+proceeded it was perfectly dry and parched up, as at the end of the dry
+season, showing that little or no rain had fallen for many months in this
+part of the country. The day was cloudy, with thunder, and was followed
+by a heavy shower at night, which prevented my ascertaining the latitude
+by observation.
+
+<p>ENTER WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
+
+<p>21st February.
+
+<p>As we were now three days' journey from the last water which could be
+depended on for more than a few days, and the channel of the creek had
+been so completely lost on the plain that it was uncertain whether the
+marks of inundations near this camp had been caused by the creek flowing
+to the west, or by some tributary flowing to the east, I determined to
+attempt a south-west course, in the hope that, should the country prove
+rocky, the heavy showers might have collected a sufficient quantity of
+water to enable us to continue a southerly route, and accordingly
+selected the most prominent point of the rising ground to the south of
+our position, and at 6.5 a.m. started north 235 degrees east. After
+leaving the open plains we entered a grassy box forest, which continued
+to the foot of the hills, which we reached at 8.0. The slope of the hills
+proved very scrubby, with small eucalypti and acacia, the soil red sand
+and ironstone gravel; at 9.0 reached the highest part of the hills for
+many miles round. To the south the country was slightly depressed for ten
+or fifteen miles, and then rose into an even ridge or plain, the whole
+country appearing to be covered with acacia and eucalyptus scrub. To the
+west and north the view was more extended; the low ridge of sandstone
+hills extended to the west-north-west, on the northern side of the grassy
+flats for thirty miles, and only broken by a large valley from the north.
+Throughout its whole extent this range appeared to rise to 150 or 200
+feet above the plain, and had the appearance of being the edge of a level
+tableland. South of the grassy plain, the western limit of which was not
+seen, the country rose gradually to eighty or 100 feet, and presented an
+extremely level and unvaried appearance. It was evident that our only
+chance of farther progress was to follow the grassy plain to the west
+till some change in the country rendered a southerly course practicable,
+it being probable that some creek from the north might join the grassy
+plain, and that the channel which had been lost might be reformed. At
+9.30 steered north-west, and at 12.30 p.m. cleared the acacia scrub, and
+at 1.30 reached the bank of the creek, which had formed a channel twenty
+yards wide, with pools of water, which was brackish; but we were too glad
+to find any water which we could use without detriment to object to it
+because it was not agreeable in taste, and therefore encamped. We have
+thus been a second time compelled to make a retrograde movement to the
+north after reaching the same latitude as in the first attempt to
+penetrate the desert; but I did not feel justified in incurring the
+extreme risk which would have attended any other course, though following
+the creek is by no means free from danger, as very few of the waterholes
+which have supplied us on the outward track will retain any water till
+the time of our return. The weather was calm and hot in the early part of
+the day, and in the afternoon it clouded over, and there was a slight
+shower of rain. According to our longitude, by account, we have this day
+passed the boundary of Western Australia, which is in the 129th meridian.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Procyon 18 degrees 26 minutes.
+
+<p>STURT'S CREEK.
+
+<p>22nd February.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 5.40 a.m., followed the creek to the west-south-west
+and crossed a small gully from the south; at 11.30 a.m. camped at a fine
+pool of water in a small creek from the south, close to its junction with
+the principal creek, which we named after Captain Sturt, whose researches
+in Australia are too well known to need comment; the grassy plains
+extended from three to ten miles on each side of the creek, which has a
+more definite channel than higher up, there being some pools of
+sufficient size to retain water throughout the year; the plain is bounded
+on the north by sandstone hills 100 to 200 feet high, and there is also a
+mass of hilly country to the south, the highest point of which was named
+Mount Wittenoon; about noon a thunder-shower passed to the east and up
+the creek on which we were encamped, and though the channel was then dry
+between the pools, at 4.0 p.m. it was running two feet deep; the grass is
+much greener near this camp, and there has evidently been more rain here
+than in any part of the country south of Victoria yet visited; a fresh
+southerly breeze in the morning, thunderstorms at noon, night cloudy with
+heavy dew.
+
+<p>23rd February.
+
+<p>At 5.50 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, the general course first
+south-west and changing to the south-south-west; the channel was
+gradually lost on the broad swampy flat, which was overgrown with
+polygonum and atriplex, etc., and had a breadth of half a mile to a mile,
+being depressed about ten feet below the grassy plain; the grassy plain
+also extended to about fifteen miles wide, the hills decrease in height,
+and the whole country is so level that little is to be seen but the
+distant horizon, scarcely in any part rising above the vast expanse of
+waving grass. At 10.50 a.m. camped at a shallow puddle of muddy water,
+just sufficient to supply the horses; I walked about a mile into the
+polygonum flat, but could not find any water, though the ground was soft
+and muddy in a few spots. Mr. H.C. Gregory, when rounding up the horses
+in the evening, saw eight blacks watching us; we therefore went out to
+communicate with them; but they hid themselves in the high bushes and
+grass. The night was clear, and I took a set of lunar distances, which
+the cloudy weather had prevented for more than a week, though I had been
+able to get altitudes for latitude.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 39 minutes 54 seconds.
+
+<p>EFFECT OF SEASONS ON APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY.
+
+<p>24th February.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, which spread into a broad
+swampy flat about a mile wide, and covered with atriplex, polygonum, and
+grass, the general trend south-west; at 7.30 crossed a large watercourse
+from the south-east, with a dry sandy channel, no water having flowed
+down it this season; at 9.0 a.m. crossed to the right bank of the creek;
+there were many shallow muddy channels and one with running water four
+yards wide and one foot deep; the largest channel was near the right
+bank, but, except a large shallow pool, it was dry. As we advanced the
+country showed effects of long-continued drought, and though the creek
+contained some large shallow pools, the channel was dry between, the dry
+soil absorbing the whole of the water which was running in the channel
+above; at 11.50 camped at what appeared to be the termination of the
+pools of water, as the channel was again lost in a perfectly level flat.
+Great numbers of ducks, cockatoos, cranes, and crows frequented the banks
+of the creek above the camp, and appeared to feed on the wild rice which
+was growing in considerable quantities in the moist hollows, as also a
+species of panicum; to the south-east of the creek there is a level
+box-flat which extends two to three miles back to the foot of some low
+sandy ridges covered with triodia and a few small eucalypti; to the
+north-west and west the grassy plain extended to the horizon, with
+scarcely even a bush to intercept the even surface of the waving grass.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 18 degrees 45 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>25th February.
+
+<p>The small number of water-fowl which passed up or down the creek during
+the night indicated that water was not abundant below our present
+position, and we were therefore prepared for a dry country, in which we
+were not disappointed, for leaving the camp at 6.15 a.m. we traversed a
+level box-flat covered with long dry grass; at 9.10 a.m. again entered
+the usual channel of the creek, which was now a wide flat of deeply
+cracked mud with a great quantity of atriplex growing on it, but which
+had lost all the leaves from the long continuance of the dry weather. The
+flat was traversed by numerous small channels from one to two feet deep,
+but they were all perfectly dry and had not contained water for more than
+a year; there were, however, marks of inundations in previous years, when
+the country must have exhibited a very different appearance, and had it
+been then visited by an explorer, the account of a fine river nearly a
+mile wide flowing through splendid plains of high grass, could be
+scarcely reconciled with the facts I have to record of a mud flat deeply
+fissured by the scorching rays of a tropical sun, the absence of water,
+and even scarcity of grass. The creek now turned to the south, and we
+followed the shallow channels till 12.30 p.m., when we fortunately came
+to a small pool which had been filled by a passing thunder-shower, and
+here we encamped during the day; a fresh breeze at times blew from the
+south-east and south, and the air was exceedingly warm; thermometer 106
+degrees at noon, but being very dry, was not very oppressive.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 55 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>LEVEL COUNTRY.
+
+<p>26th February.
+
+<p>As the course of the creek was uncertain, we steered south at 5.45 a.m.
+across the atriplex plain, and at 6.35 reached the ordinary right bank of
+the creek, which was low and gravelly, covered with triodia and small
+bushes; we then passed a patch of white-gum forest, and at 8 entered a
+grassy plain which had been favoured by a passing shower; green grass was
+abundant, and even some small puddles of water still remained in the
+hollows of the clay soil. At 10.50 came on the creek, which had collected
+into a single channel and formed pools, some of which appeared to be
+permanent, as they contained small fish. At one of these pools we
+encamped at 11.10. The channel of the creek is about fifteen feet below
+the level of the plain, and is marked by a line of small flooded-gum
+trees, the atriplex flat has ceased, and the soil is a hard white clay,
+producing salsola and a little grass; the morning clear with a moderate
+easterly breeze, afternoon cloudy with a few drops of rain at night.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 7 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>27th February.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey down the creek at 6.5 a.m., when it turned to the
+west and formed a fine lake-like reach 200 yards wide, with rocky banks
+and sandstone ridges on both sides of the creek; at 11.0 camped at the
+lower end of a fine reach trending south: the general character of these
+reaches of water is that they are very shallow and are separated by wide
+spans of dry channel, the water being ten feet below the running level.
+The country is very inferior, and the grassy flats are reduced to very
+narrow limits, and the hills are red sandstone, producing nothing but
+small trees and triodia.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 12 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+<p>28th February.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. we were again in the saddle, following a creek which had an
+average west-south-west course, but the channel was soon lost in a wide
+grassy flat, with polygonum and atriplex, in this flat were some large
+detached pools of water, 50 to 100 yards wide and a quarter to half a
+mile long, although the dry season had reduced them to much narrower
+limits than usual, as they were now eight to ten feet below the level of
+the plain; at 11.45 camped at a large sheet of water, just above a
+remarkable ridge of sandstone rocks on the right bank of the creek.
+Ducks, pelicans, spoonbills, etc., were very numerous, but so wild that
+they could scarcely be approached within range of our guns; until the
+present time it has been doubtful whether the creek turned towards
+Cambridge Gulf, the interior, or to the coast westward of the Fitzroy,
+but the first point being now 220 nautic miles to the north, and the
+general course of Sturt's Creek south-west, such a course is not
+probable, and it therefore only remains to determine whether it is lost
+in the level plains of the interior, or finds an outlet on the north-west
+coast. The careful and minute surveys of the coast from the Victoria
+River to Roebuck Bay show that no rivers exist of such magnitude as the
+Sturt would attain in passing through the ranges to the coast, nor does
+the general abrupt character of the coast-line favour the supposition
+that any interior waters would find an outlet in this space. That the
+elevation of this part of the creek is sufficient to enable it to form a
+channel to the north-west coast is shown by the barometric measurement:
+the dividing ridge between the head of the Victoria and Hooker's Creek is
+about 1200 feet, at the head of Sturt's Creek 1,370 feet, and our present
+camp 1100 feet; thus the average fall of Sturt's Creek has been 270 feet
+in 180 miles, or one and a half feet per mile. Now the distance to
+Desault Bay (which appears the most probable outlet) is 370 miles, and
+allowing an increase of 500 for deviations, there would be more than two
+feet descent per mile, which would be sufficient for the maintenance of a
+channel. Should the creek turn to the south and enter the sandy desert
+country, the water would soon be absorbed, especially as the wet season
+at the upper part of the creek occurs when the dry season is prevailing
+in the lower part of its course. That it does lose itself in a barren
+sandy country is, I fear, the most probable termination of the creek, and
+that a level country exists for many miles on each side of our route is
+shown by the small number and size of the tributary watercourses.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 19 degrees 18 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+<p>29th February.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 5.40 a.m., traced the creek to the south-west for
+about three miles. It formed fine reaches of water fifty to 100 yards
+wide; but the channel terminated suddenly in a level flat, covered with
+polygonum, atriplex, and grass. In this flat we passed some large shallow
+pools of water; at 7.30 the creek turned to the west round the north end
+of a rocky sandstone hill, and was joined by a tributary gully from the
+north, below which point the channel was a well-defined sandy bed, with
+long parallel waterholes on each side, but very little water remained at
+this time; at 9.15 the course of the creek changed to south by west, and
+passed through a level flat timbered with flooded-gum trees; it was about
+one mile wide and well grassed, but completely dried up for want of rain.
+The back country was thinly wooded with white-gum, and gently rising as
+it receded, forming sandstone hills about 100 feet high of extremely
+barren appearance; at 11.45 camped at a small muddy pool which would last
+only for a few days. A strong breeze from the west commenced early in the
+day, and gradually changed to the south. Thermometer, 109 degrees in the
+coolest shade that could be found.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and e Argus 19 degrees 28 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+<p>DESERT OF RED SAND.
+
+<p>1st March.
+
+<p>Our horses having strayed farther than usual in search of better grass,
+we were delayed till 6.20 a.m., when we steered a south by west course
+down the valley of the creek. Immediately below the camp the country
+beyond the effect of inundation changed to a nearly level plain of red
+sand, producing nothing but triodia and stunted bushes. The level of this
+desert country was only broken by low ridges of drifted sand. They were
+parallel and perfectly straight, with a direction nearly east and west.
+At 11.50 camped at a fine pool of water three to five feet deep and
+twenty yards wide. That we had actually entered the desert was apparent,
+and the increase of temperature during the past three days was easily
+explained; but whether this desert is part of that visited by Captain
+Sturt, or an isolated patch, has yet to be ascertained, and the only hope
+is that the creek will enable us to continue our course, as the nature of
+the country renders an advance quite impracticable unless by following
+watercourses.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 19 degrees 40 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>2nd March.
+
+<p>Left our camp at 6.30 a.m., and steered south-west by west, which soon
+took us into the sandy desert on the left bank of the creek. Crossing one
+of the sand ridges, got a sight of a range of low sandstone hills to the
+south-east, the highest of which I named Mount Mueller, as the doctor had
+seen them the previous evening while collecting plants on one of the
+sandy ridges near the camp. At 10.15 again made the creek, which had
+scarcely any channel to mark its course; the wide clay flat bearing marks
+of former inundations was the only indication visible. At 12.35 p.m.
+camped at a small muddy pool, the grass very scanty and dry. Traces of
+natives are frequent. Large flights of pigeons feed on the plains on the
+seeds of grass. A flock of cockatoos was also seen.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 51 seconds 12 minutes.
+
+<p>3rd March.
+
+<p>At 5.30 a.m. started and followed the creek on a general course
+south-west. There was a very irregular channel sometimes ten yards wide
+and very shallow, and then expanding into pools fifty yards wide. The
+sandy plain encroached much on the grassy flats, and reduced the winter
+course of the creek to half a mile in breadth. At 8.0 the course was
+changed to south, and at 10.15 camped at a swamp, which was nearly dry,
+and covered with beautiful grass. The country differed in character from
+that seen yesterday, there being a few scattered white-gum trees and
+patches of tall acacia. Salsola and salicornia are also very abundant,
+and show the saline nature of the soil.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 20 degrees 2 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+<p>SALT LAKES.
+
+<p>4th March.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 5.50 a.m., and steered south-west over a very level
+country, with shallow hollows filled with a dense growth of acacia, and
+at 7.30 struck the creek with a sandy channel and narrow flats, covered
+with salsola and salicornia. The pools were very shallow, and gradually
+became salt, and at 10.15 it spread into the dry bed of a salt lake more
+than a mile in diameter. This was connected by a broad channel with a
+pool of salt-water in it, with a second dry salt lake eight miles in
+diameter. As there was little prospect of water ahead and the day far
+advanced, we returned to one of the brackish pools and encamped. The
+country passed was of a worthless character, and so much impregnated with
+salt that the surface of the ground is often covered with a thin crust of
+salt.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Argus 20 degrees 10 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+<p>5th March.
+
+<p>Started from the camp at 5.45 a.m., and steered south-south-east through
+the acacia wood to the lake, and then south by east across the dry bed of
+the lake towards a break in the trees on the southern side. Here we found
+a creek joining the lake from the south-west, in which there were some
+shallow pools. We then steered east, to intersect any channel by which
+the waters of the lake might flow to the south or south-east, and passing
+through a wood of acacia entered the sandy desert. As some low rocky
+hills were visible to the east we steered for them. At 2.10 halted half a
+mile from the hills, and then ascended them on foot. They were very
+barren and rocky, scarcely eighty feet above the plain, formed of
+sandstone, the strata horizontal. From the summit of the hill nothing was
+visible but one unbounded waste of sandy ridges and low rocky hillocks,
+which lay to the south-east of the hill. All was one impenetrable desert,
+as the flat and sandy surface, which could absorb the waters of the
+creek, was not likely to originate watercourses. Descending the hill,
+which I named Mount Wilson, after the geologist attached to the
+expedition, we returned towards the creek at the south end of the lake,
+reaching it at 9.30.
+
+<p>6th March.
+
+<p>As the day was extremely hot and the horses required rest and food, we
+remained at the camp. Ducks were numerous in some of the pools, but so
+wild that only two were shot. The early part of the day was clear, with a
+hot strong breeze varying from west to south-east. At 1 p.m. there was a
+heavy thunder-squall from the south-east, which swept a cloud of salt and
+sand from the dry surface of the lake. The squall was followed by a
+slight shower.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus 20 degrees 16 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+<p>DRY BEDS OF SALT LAKES.
+
+<p>7th March.
+
+<p>As I had frequently observed that in the dry channels of creeks
+traversing very level country a heavy shower in the lower part of its
+course often causes a strong current of water to rush up the stream-bed
+and leave flood marks, which would mislead a person examining them in the
+dry season, it seemed probable that this must be the case with the creek
+entering the salt lake at its south-west angle, as it might be the outlet
+of the lake when filled by Sturt's Creek flowing into it, though in
+ordinary seasons the flow of water would be into the lake; accordingly I
+decided on following the creek and ascertain its actual course. Leaving
+the camp at 5.50 a.m., steered nearly south-west along the general course
+of the creek till 7.30, when it turned to the north and entered the dry
+bed of a lake. As the beds of the two lakes were lower than the channel
+between them, the water during the last heavy rains had flooded both ways
+from the central part of the channel. Having skirted the lake on the west
+to intercept any watercourses which might enter or leave the lake on that
+side, we came to a large shallow channel with pools of water--some fresh
+and others salt--with broad margin of salicornia growing on the banks; at
+11.0 camped at a small pool of fresh water. The soil of the country on
+the bank of the creek is loose white sand with concretions of lime,
+covered with a dense growth of tall acacia, with salsola and a little
+grass in the open spaces.
+
+<p>TERMINATION OF STURT'S CREEK.
+
+<p>8th March.
+
+<p>Started at 6.5 a.m. and traced the creek into a salt lake to the west,
+but this was also dry. After some search we found a creek joining on the
+northern side and communicating with a large mud plain, partly overgrown
+with salicornia, and with large shallow pools of muddy water two to three
+inches deep. On the northern side the plain narrowed into a sandy creek
+with shallow pools, the flow of the water being decidedly from the
+northward. At 12.15 p.m. camped at a shallow pool, near which there was a
+little grass, the country generally being sandy and only producing
+triodia and acacia. Thus, after having followed Sturt's Creek for nearly
+300 miles, we have been disappointed in our hope that it would lead to
+some important outlet to the waters of the Australian interior; it has,
+however, enabled us to penetrate far into the level tract of country
+which may be termed the Great Australian Desert.
+
+<p>Latitude by Pollux and e Argus 20 degrees 4 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+<p>9th March.
+
+<p>Left our camp at 6.35 a.m., and followed the creek up for half an hour,
+and then steered east to Sturt's Creek, which we reached at 9.5, the
+country being level, sandy, and covered with triodia and acacia in small
+patches; we then steered a southerly course down the creek till 11.0, and
+camped at the large brackish pool.
+
+<p>COMMENCE RETURN TO DEPOT. HOT WINDS.
+
+<p>10th March.
+
+<p>We had observed that a creek appeared to join the salt lake to the
+north-east angle. There yet remained a possibility that the waters of the
+lake might find an outlet to the east and pass north of Mount Wilson; we
+therefore steered east from the camp at 6.45 a.m. and passed close to the
+south of a small salt lake (dry) three-quarters of a mile in diameter,
+and then traversed a level sandy country thickly wooded with acacia and a
+few white-gum trees. At 8.15 struck a small grassy watercourse with broad
+shallow pools; this we followed down to the south-south-west to the large
+salt lake, close to which it was joined by a small sandy creek coming
+from the east. Having reached the bank of the lake at 10.0, steered south
+along its shore till 11.15, when its shore trended to the
+west-south-west, and there was a small well-defined bank without any
+break to the point which had been the limit of our examination from the
+southern part of the lake, and thus determined that there was no outlet
+for the water to the eastward. As the whole country to the south was one
+vast sandy desert, destitute of any indications of the existence of
+water, it was clear that no useful results could arise from any attempt
+to penetrate this inhospitable region, especially as the loss of any of
+the horses might deprive the expedition of the means for carrying out the
+explorations towards the Gulf of Carpentaria. I therefore determined on
+commencing our retreat to the Victoria River while it was practicable, as
+the rapid evaporation and increasing saltness of the water in this arid
+and inhospitable region warned us that each day we delayed increased the
+difficulty of the return, and it was possible that we were cut off from
+any communication with the party at the depot by an impassable tract of
+dry country, and might be compelled to maintain ourselves on the lower
+part of the creek till the ensuing rainy season. Returned to the creek at
+the north-east angle of the lake and encamped. The morning was cloudy
+with a strong hot wind from the east and south-east; the night calm and
+misty.
+
+<p>11th March.
+
+<p>At 6.10 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek to the
+north-north-east, but it soon spread into a number of small gullies,
+which drained a patch of clay land. At 7.0 steered north through a wood
+of acacia growing on loose sandy soil. Entering the open sandy plain at
+8.15, a few small white-gum trees were scattered over this part of the
+plain, which was quite level, the loose sand being covered with triodia,
+which partially concealed the glaring red colour of the ground. Observing
+a low abrupt hill a little to the east of our course, deviated towards
+it, and ascended it at 10.0. It was less than 100 feet above the plains,
+and composed of the same sandstone which prevails over the whole of the
+country south of the Victoria. The view was cheerless in the extreme.
+From north 26 degrees east to north 166 degrees east, the country was a
+level plain with small isolated or grouped hills of red sandstone, but
+not forming any definite ranges; the even height and peculiar table
+summits appear to indicate that they are only small remaining portions of
+a sandstone tableland or plain nearly the whole of which has been
+removed, the strata, however, had a dip to the east of one or two
+degrees. The vegetation on this part of the country was reduced to a few
+stunted gum-trees, hakea bushes, and triodia, the whole extremely barren
+in appearance. The remaining portion of the horizon was one even straight
+line; not a hill or break of any kind was visible, and, except the narrow
+line of the creek, was barren and worthless in the extreme, the red soil
+of the level portions of the surface being partially clothed with triodia
+and a few small trees, or rather bushes, rendered the long straight
+ridges of fiery-red drifting sand more conspicuous. The wind being
+strong, we observed the smoke of several fires along the course of
+Sturt's Creek, and also one near Mount Mueller, to the north-east,
+indicating the existence of natives in that direction, and doubtless of
+water in that locality, as it was a day's journey from the creek. Our
+course was now north 340 degrees east, and on approaching the creek
+passed through a patch of casuarina forest, which was remarkable, as they
+are the only trees of this genus we had seen on the coast since landing
+at the Victoria, though abundant in all other parts of Australia. At 1.35
+p.m. reached Sturt's Creek and halted at our camp of the 2nd March; there
+was a strong hot wind from the east during the day.
+
+<p>12th March.
+
+<p>Resumed our route at 5.50 a.m. and steered north 20 degrees east till
+8.0, then 40 degrees and 60 degrees till 1.0 p.m., when we encamped at a
+shallow pool of water near the creek, and about three miles above camp
+48, as the route only traversed the level flats near the creek. Nothing
+worthy of further notice was seen, the channel being split into small
+hollows, some of which retained a little water. The grass was much dried
+up and limited to the flat near the creek, the more remote portions being
+covered with triodia. The day was hot and nearly calm, but at noon we
+were benefited by a few passing clouds, and at 6.0 p.m. a dry
+thunderstorm cooled the air from 100 degrees to 93 degrees, but the
+temperature rose at 8.0 to 96 degrees.
+
+<p>13th March.
+
+<p>At 5.50 steered north 10 degrees east, crossing the creek several times,
+and at 10.0 turned to the north-north-east and north-east, crossing the
+sandstone hills, round which the creek turns at a right angle, and at
+12.10 p.m. camped on the creek near our track of the 29th February.
+Nearly all the pools of water had dried up, and the water at the camp had
+become brackish; some of the pools, however, must be permanent, as there
+were small fish in them. A great party of natives appeared to be
+travelling up the creek, as fresh fires are constantly seen to the
+north-east along its course. A cool breeze from the west to north-east
+moderated the heat, the temperature at 2 p.m. 103 degrees; passing clouds
+from the east in the afternoon.
+
+<p>FOLLOW UP STURT'S CREEK.
+
+<p>14th March.
+
+<p>Resumed our route and followed the creek upwards from 5.50 a.m. till 1.50
+p.m., when we camped about three miles south-west of camp 45 at the first
+pool before the atriplex flat. A short distance above the camp we crossed
+a large sandy creek, which proved to be the cause of the change in the
+character of Sturt's Creek below that point. As our route was at a
+greater distance from the creek than in tracing it down, it gave a better
+opportunity of ascertaining the nature of the country beyond the
+influence of inundation; to the north-west a vast plain traversed by low
+ridges of gravel and drift sand, clothed with a scanty growth of triodia
+and a few hakea bushes, rose gradually from the creek, but on the
+south-east a more abrupt sandstone slope terminated in a similar plain of
+somewhat greater elevation, and showed that we were still within the
+bounds of the desert. Moderate breeze from the north-west changing to
+north-east; passing clouds; a slight shower at 11.0 p.m.
+
+<p>15th March.
+
+<p>Resumed our route at 5.50 a.m., steering north 40 degrees east, one hour
+into the triodia plain, then north 60 degrees east till 9.20 a.m., when
+we reached the first large pool in the creek, and rounding the bend
+camped at one of the narrow pools above the sandstone ridges. The water
+in the larger pools had sunk from six inches to a foot since we had
+passed downwards, and almost all the pools were now dry. The morning
+clear and cool, with clouds and light showers in the afternoon
+accompanied by thunder.
+
+<p>16th March.
+
+<p>As there was no water in the creek for the next thirty-three miles, we
+filled the water-bags and prepared for an early start; but unfortunately
+the horses had strayed farther than usual, which delayed us till 7.0
+a.m., when following nearly the outward route, passed close to camp 43,
+the waterhole at which was dry, and at 1.0 p.m. halted under the shade of
+a few acacia-trees during the heat of the day, and resumed our journey at
+3.0 p.m., following the south-east side of the plain through which the
+creek flows. The ground was stony and bad travelling, but as the moon was
+clear and bright we succeeded in reaching the first pool of water at 8.30
+p.m.; this was one mile above Camp 42, the water at which had dried up,
+though four feet deep on the 24th February. The pool at which we now
+camped appears to be permanent; it is 100 yards wide and 300 long, the
+water three feet deep close to the bank. Ducks were numerous, and I shot
+four in the morning. An easterly breeze continued through the day, and as
+usual there were a few clouds towards sunset. Unfortunately, the dry
+weather had warped the scale of the thermometer to such an extent that it
+broke the tube.
+
+<p>DENISON PLAINS. WATER DRYING UP.
+
+<p>17th March.
+
+<p>We were again delayed by trifling circumstances, and did not leave the
+camp until 7.40 a.m., but having nearly cleared the desert the weather
+was comparatively cool. Steering an average course north-east, traversed
+the wide grassy plains on the right bank of Sturt's Creek, to which the
+name of Denison's Plains was given. At 2.0 p.m. camped at a small pool in
+the polygonum flat, which was all that remained of the water which had
+covered the flat to the extent of three-quarters of a mile in breadth,
+and was running when we passed down last month. Our course this day
+showed the great extent of the grassy plains to the north-west, as we did
+not see the limit at any point in that direction. Cool breeze from east
+with thin clouds all day.
+
+<p>18th March.
+
+<p>Left the camp at daylight and proceeded to Camp 40 on the outward route,
+and halted for the remainder of the day to rest the horses, as a heavy
+stage lay before us across the dry country. Large flocks of cockatoos
+came to the pool at this camp, and we shot thirty-three, which was a very
+welcome addition to our provisions. Strong easterly wind; passing clouds.
+
+<p>19th March.
+
+<p>Steered north 60 degrees east at 6.35 a.m., and followed up the course of
+the creek, crossing the right bank at 9.0, when there was nothing but the
+polygonum flat to mark its course; at 10.30 altered the course to nearly
+east, passing a large sheet of brackish water, which appeared deep and
+permanent at the lower end, but shallow at the upper part; at 11.20
+encamped at a small pool of fresh water in a back channel, the creek
+being brackish, and we were anxious to procure a supply of good water
+before proceeding further, as the next three stages of the outward track
+were now destitute of water. Strong easterly breeze; light clouds.
+
+<p>20th March.
+
+<p>At 5.55 am steered 110 degrees; at 6.20 struck a small creek with steep
+banks; altered the course to 90 degrees, crossing two small watercourses
+from the north with a little water in the deeper portions of their beds,
+the general character of the country box flats and open grassy plains
+near the creek. At 7.25 entered a large grassy plain extending north and
+east for ten miles, and at 9.15 halted at a small watercourse which
+retained a little water in a grassy hollow, our object in halting thus
+early being to enable us to start fresh in the afternoon, and, should the
+country continue open, to push on through the night, by which the water
+could be reached before the heat of the sun was too great for travelling.
+At 3.5 resumed our march and traversed level grassy plains extending one
+to five miles on each side of our route; at 7.0 observed a native fire
+about two miles to the north, from which we concluded that water existed
+at no great distance, and at 7.15 were fortunate in finding a pool of
+rainwater in a slight depression of the plain, and encamped. We could not
+find sufficient wood near the camp to boil our tea, but were satisfied
+with the discovery of a sufficient supply of water.
+
+<p>21st March.
+
+<p>We were again in the saddle at 5.15 a.m., and continuing our course north
+73 degrees east, reached the limit of the open plain, which turned to the
+south-east and extended to the horizon; at 6.40 entered the wooded
+country which bounded the plain, and the soil changed from a rich
+clay-loam to sandy and gravelly soil with fragments of sandstone, the
+vegetation consisting of small white-gum trees, shrubby acacia, and
+triodia, with a few patches of grass. The country gradually rose till
+9.25, when we came to an abrupt descent into the valley of Sturt's Creek,
+but the country did not improve in character till 10.20, when we came to
+the grassy flats; at 10.50 camped at a large open pool of water in the
+bed of the creek. On the pools there were large flights of whistling
+ducks, but so wild that they could not be approached within range of our
+guns. Moderate breeze from east with light clouds from south-east during
+the day. The weather has for the past ten days been so misty that I have
+not been able to get a good set of lunar distances, and it is useless to
+observe unless under circumstances favourable for accuracy.
+
+<p>22nd March.
+
+<p>5.35 a.m. found us again travelling up the creek on a northerly course;
+at 7.20 changed the course north-east by north, and at 11.30 camped about
+a mile below Camp 35. The hill at the bend of the creek proved to be
+basaltic, with a stratum of ironstone conglomerate resting on it. The
+pools of water in the bed of the creek were much reduced and all the
+smaller ones dried up.
+
+<p>23rd March (Sunday).
+
+<p>The feed and water not being in sufficient quantity to permit of our
+resting at this camp, we followed up the creek nearly on the outward
+course. A few miles above the creek a party of blacks came out of the
+creek and commenced a distant parley, but on one of the party approaching
+them they picked up their spears they had secreted in the grass and ran
+away into the bed of the creek. After six and a half hours' journey
+camped at the lower end of the pool, where we had halted on the 15th
+February; near the northern bend of the creek we passed a fine deep pool,
+which appears to retain water through the dry season. All the smaller
+pools had dried up, and the larger ones had sunk two feet since we were
+here in February.
+
+<p>24th March.
+
+<p>As the horses had not had a day's rest for some time past, we remained at
+the camp to refresh them before attempting to cross the dry country which
+divides the southern waters from those flowing to the north-west coast.
+As the nearest water which we knew to exist was now fifty miles to the
+east, and the country in that direction very bad travelling, we were now,
+however, eighty miles in a direct line from the depot camp, and as that
+course would take us over new and unexplored country I determined to
+attempt a direct route.
+
+<p>1700 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
+
+<p>25th March.
+
+<p>At 6.20 a.m. steered north 40 degrees east, and, leaving Sturt's Creek,
+traversed open grassy plains till 9.5, when we entered a wooded country,
+with white-gum trees and underwood, acacia, triodia, and patches of
+grass; the soil a poor sandy red loam. At 11.0 passed to the south of an
+extensive grassy plain trending to the north-west; at 12.30 p.m. halted
+to ease the horses' backs from their loads, and resumed our route at
+1.40, and at 2.0 crossed a ridge of stony country which the aneroid
+showed to be about 1700 feet above the sea level, and was the highest
+spot yet visited by the Expedition. At 2.20 altered the course to east,
+and followed a slight depression till 4.0, when we came to a dry
+watercourse trending north-west; this was traced down in search of water
+till 6.30, when we halted for the night, without finding any water. The
+day being very calm and hot, the horses were very much distressed for
+want of water; but as there was a little green grass on the bank of the
+creek, they were able to feed for a few hours during the night.
+
+<p>Latitude by Leonis 17 degrees 35 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+<p>26th March.
+
+<p>Proceeded down the creek, and at 7.20 a.m. came to a small pool of water,
+which the horses consumed in the space of a few minutes, but farther on
+came to a more abundant supply, and some of the pools appeared to be
+permanent, having a belt of water-pandanus and reeds round them; below
+this the channel was perfectly dry and sandy, but was much enlarged by
+numerous tributary gullies. At 12.50 p.m. came to a shallow pool, at
+which we camped. The country through which this creek passes is poor and
+stony, low hills of sandstone schist and limestone rising immediately
+behind the narrow strip of grassy land, which is fertilised by the
+overflow of the creek in the rainy season. The vegetable productions of
+the country seemed to be limited to a few small gum-trees, shrubby
+acacia, and triodia, with an occasional patch of grass. At the camp the
+bed of the creek was about forty yards wide, with banks fifteen feet
+high; the general course appeared to be north-west, a direction which
+renders it probable that it flows into Cambridge Gulf.
+
+<p>Latitude by Pollux 17 degrees 25 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+<p>SIXTY MILES WITHOUT WATER.
+
+<p>27th March.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. left the camp and steered a course north 60 degrees east,
+gradually ascending among hills of schist and sandstone till 8.20, when
+we reached the level tableland. The principal trees were white-gum and
+silver-leafed ironbark, the soil a red loam of varying character, well
+grassed, but with patches of triodia, which affects a poor gravelly soil
+or deep sand. The country was now so nearly level that scarcely any rise
+or fall was discoverable, though the aneroid showed some slight
+undulations; at 1.15 p.m. halted for an hour, and at 6.0 camped in a
+patch of green grass, which enabled the horses to feed though they had no
+water. The weather was clear and hot during the day with a light easterly
+breeze, the night cloudy and very warm.
+
+<p>DEPOT CAMP.
+
+<p>28th March.
+
+<p>At 5.10 a.m. resumed our course north 60 degrees east through a grassy
+forest of ironbark and bloodwood, with patches of small acacia and
+triodia. At 7.45 entered a series of open plains covered with high grass.
+The plains continued till 10.0, when we passed through an open gum
+forest, and the country declined to the east, and at 11.15 came on a
+small watercourse, which was dry and sandy. This we followed down to the
+north-east till 11.40, when it passed through a rocky gorge in a
+sandstone ridge, which rose at an angle of 30 degrees to the south-west
+and 40 degrees to the north-east, the latter being the dip of the strata.
+In this rocky gorge we could see some pools of water, but they were quite
+inaccessible from that side of the ridge, and we had to make a
+considerable detour to the south before we could descend to the plain
+below, and found a fine pool of water at the termination of the gorge, at
+which we halted and watered our thirsty horses. As we were now only two
+hours' ride from the depot camp, we after a short rest started again at
+3.10 p.m., and at 5.15 reached the depot camp, where we were welcomed by
+Mr. Baines and his party, and I was glad to find them all enjoying good
+health, and that the horses were in excellent condition. They had been,
+however, somewhat annoyed by the blacks, who had made frequent attempts
+to burn the camp, and also the horses, by setting fire to the grass, and
+on some occasions had come to actual hostilities, though by judicious
+management none of the party had been injured; nor was it certain that
+any of the blacks had been wounded, though it had been necessary to
+resort to the use of firearms in self-defence and for the protection of
+the horses.
+
+<p>29th March.
+
+<p>Returned our surplus provisions into store, when we found that the pieces
+of pork, originally four pounds weight each, were reduced to one-fifth of
+the original weight, as the long continuance of heat had melted the whole
+of the fat. Our ration had therefore been one pound flour, one-fifth
+pound salt pork, and two ounces sugar per diem. Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman
+rode out to round in the horses.
+
+<p>Latitude by Regulus and e Argus 17 degrees 2 minutes.
+
+<p>30th March (Sunday).
+
+<p>Read prayers to those of the party who were in camp, some of the men
+having been sent out to attend to the horses. Mr. Baines having handed me
+his journal, I regret to find that he has been compelled to make an entry
+regarding Mr. Flood, who had refused to attend to his order to carry arms
+while on watch at night on the 18th March. I therefore called on Mr.
+Flood for any statement he had to make in extenuation of his conduct. His
+replies were, however, extremely unsatisfactory, and only attempted to
+excuse the act on account of some private misunderstanding with Mr.
+Baines some months previous, and that the order to wear his pistol was
+given before he had time to put on his clothes. There had, however, been
+a distinct refusal to obey the orders of the officer in charge of the
+party, and those orders were neither vexatious or unreasonable, as they
+were simply in enforcement of well-established regulations. I therefore
+cautioned Mr. Flood that unless his future conduct was more satisfactory
+than it had hitherto been I should remove his name from the list of
+officers taking command in the Expedition, according to the general
+orders of the 27th August, 1855. The weather continues cloudy and calm,
+and, though the temperature is not extreme, it is very oppressive.
+
+<p>31st March.
+
+<p>Examining and packing stores in readiness for the exploration of the
+valley of the Victoria to the east of the depot. Found the stores in good
+condition, though the bags had been much injured by the rats and white
+ants. Although in some respects it would be more convenient to move the
+party at once to the bank of the Victoria before examining the country
+beyond, yet as the horses were now accustomed to the run near the depot,
+and the huts and stockyard rendered the station a more safe and
+convenient spot than any we could elsewhere select, I therefore decided
+on leaving the party here until I had explored the country to the east,
+and then move the whole party down the right bank of the river, by which
+the number and magnitude of the tributaries from the east would be
+ascertained, as this was an important point with reference to the
+contemplated journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
+
+<p>1st April.
+
+<p>Preparing equipment for a light party to explore the country to the east
+of the camp; shod six horses, and packed eighteen days' provisions for
+four persons. The weather continues cloudy, with light variable winds.
+
+<p>EXPLORE EAST OF THE DEPOT.
+
+<p>2nd April.
+
+<p>At 6.45 am started from the depot with Messrs. H. Gregory, Baines, and
+John Fahey, taking four riding and two pack horses, carrying eighteen
+days' rations, etc. Steered east over an undulating grassy country of
+basaltic formation with occasional sandstone ridges; the soil was
+generally good, but very stony. I had already traversed this country, and
+as the day was very misty with much rain, nothing worthy of further
+record was observed. At 1.30 p.m. altered the course to east-south-east,
+and at 3.15 camped on a large creek trending north-east, in the bed of
+which were large pools of a permanent character. The hills were basaltic,
+but the creeks having cut through the rocks and excavated the sandstone,
+the valleys were not of such a fertile character as the plains and
+ridges. Timber was wholly absent, and only a few small trees were seen at
+intervals on the hills. The morning was cloudy with light rain, but it
+cleared towards sunset.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Argus 17 degrees 4 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+<p>3rd April.
+
+<p>Resumed our route at 6.30, and steered east-south-east to a basaltic
+hill, which we reached at 7.40; from the summit a great extent of country
+was visible, but there were no marked features, as the broken ranges and
+isolated hills were nearly similar to each other. The whole country
+appeared to be a nearly level basaltic plain, with masses of sandstone
+rising 100 to 200 feet above its surface, while the valleys of the creek
+were excavated to the depth of 100 feet. The country was well grassed,
+but very stony; but this, though very inconvenient to the traveller, does
+not render it less valuable for pasture, as stony land always stands
+feeding better than any other. At 8.20 altered the course to nearly east
+towards a low ridge of hills. The plain was well grassed till 12.50 p.m.,
+when the sandstone prevailed on the surface and triodia prevailed in the
+valleys. At 1.50 followed down a rocky ravine, and at 2.15 encamped.
+
+<p>THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+<p>4th April.
+
+<p>At 6.5 a.m. left the camp and followed the gully to the east-south-east;
+at 7.0 crossed a sandstone ridge, and beyond it a large creek from the
+south-west, in the bed of which there were some fine pools of water. We
+then ascended to a basaltic plain, and altered the course to south-east;
+at 8.0 the country gradually declined to the east, and sandstone was the
+prevailing rock, but grass was abundant. At 9.40 reached the Victoria,
+the course from south-south-west to north-north-east; the river had
+ceased to run and was now only in large pools; crossed to the right bank
+and steered south half an hour, and camped on the bank of a creek from
+south-south-east; at noon the sky was overcast, and at 2 p.m. it
+commenced raining and continued till 4.30, with thunder; heavy dew at
+night. After it commenced raining the aneroid fell 0.10, but rose again
+before it ceased. In this part of Australia neither wind nor rain appear
+to affect the atmospheric pressure to any great extent.
+
+<p>ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.
+
+<p>5th April.
+
+<p>The result of the rain yesterday was a thick fog this morning, and when
+we left the camp at 5.50 a.m. we could not see 100 yards, and we
+traversed the basaltic plain in an east course till 7.0, when the fog
+cleared away and we found ourselves at the foot of some low rocky hills
+of basalt, over which we travelled north 70 degrees east. These hills
+were very rough and stony, but covered with excellent grass. We then
+entered a basaltic plain, richly grassed and less stony than usual. At
+9.30 crossed a basaltic ridge and entered a large valley trending to the
+north and east; at 10.10 ascended a rocky hill about 150 feet high, and
+got bearings of the ranges, etc. The country appeared to consist of
+grassy hills and plains, extending twenty to thirty miles to the north
+and east. To the south a range of basalt and sandstone hills intercepted
+the view. Steered east from the hill, and traversed an undulating
+country, the rocks being basalt, sandstone schist, and jasper; the basalt
+forming the higher ground, though on the banks of the creek the jasper
+rested on the basalt. At 2.10 p.m. encamped on a large creek with a
+gravelly channel twenty yards wide. Fahey obtained a large quantity of
+mussels from the pools in the creek; they proved an excellent addition to
+our supper, though rather deficient in flavour. The weather was cloudy,
+and, though there was an occasional sight of the sun, we could observe
+neither the commencement or end of the solar eclipse. I was therefore
+unable to avail myself of it for correcting the longitude.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Argus 17 degrees 9 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+<p>6th April.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 6.10 a.m. and steered east over a grassy plain; at 7.25
+crossed some wide channels from the south-east, forming a large creek; at
+8.15 turned south-east and followed the creek till noon. It then turned
+south, and at 12.15 p.m. we camped at a shallow pool of muddy water. The
+creek was here divided into several small channels, in which only a few
+pools of water remained. The whole of the country traversed this day was
+nearly level, well grassed, and very open. Basalt and jasper are the
+prevailing rocks.
+
+<p>Latitude by Regulus and Argus 17 degrees 15 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>7th April.
+
+<p>As the creek appeared to come from the south and not to have a long
+course, but to rise in the low sandstone ranges which were visible in
+that direction, it was useless to follow it farther; we therefore steered
+northwards to intercept any streams which might join the Victoria River
+lower down its course, and, after travelling over open grassy ridges of
+basalt for six hours, at 12.25 p.m. camped at a small gully, in which
+there were some small pools, which appeared to be supplied by springs.
+The country for five to ten miles to the east of our track appeared open
+and grassy, basalt being the prevailing rock.
+
+<p>RUNNING WATER. FINE PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+<p>8th April.
+
+<p>At 6.0 a.m. left the camp, and steered an average west-north-west course
+over an undulating grassy country of basaltic formation; at 11.45 reached
+the bank of the creek, which formed fine pools fifty yards wide, with
+fine open grassy country on both sides, well suited for stock. Followed
+the creek west till 1.5 p.m., when we crossed to the left bank and
+encamped.
+
+<p>Latitude by Regulus and Argus 16 degrees 59 minutes.
+
+<p>9th April.
+
+<p>Continued our route down the creek in a northerly direction, leaving the
+camp at 6.15 a.m., and at 7.55 reached its junction with the Victoria.
+The river had high banks and formed deep reaches of water, with a dense
+growth of pandanus, melaleuca, flooded-gum, and other trees in the dry
+portions of the channel; the country on both banks was basaltic, and rose
+gradually into fine grassy downs; the soil very stony, but a good dark
+loam; sandstone showed where the river had cut through the basalt, which
+is not of any great thickness. At 2.35 p.m. camped on a back channel of
+the river, as the principal channel was difficult of access from the
+steep bank and dense growth of reeds. Although the upper part of the
+Victoria had long ceased to run, this part of the river was flowing with
+a strong stream ten yards wide and six feet deep.
+
+<p>Latitude by Regulus and Argus 16 degrees 45 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>10th April.
+
+<p>Continued our route at 6.5 a.m., and followed the river northward till
+8.10, when it turned to the north-west; the country consisted of nearly
+level grassy plains of various elevations, separated by low rocky ridges
+of sandstone and basalt, the whole well grassed, except some small
+patches where triodia prevailed; at 11.0 altered the course to average
+north-west by west, and at 1.30 p.m. camped at a small gully with a
+little water remaining from a recent shower. The horses suffered much
+from the heat, as the air was very moist; at 1.40 there was a shower of
+rain, and the temperature was reduced from 95 degrees to 84 degrees.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 35 minutes 8 seconds.
+
+<p>11th April.
+
+<p>Started from the camp at 6.30 a.m., steering west-south-west; at first
+sandstone prevailed, and triodia replaced the grass, but at two miles
+again entered the basaltic country, which was well grassed but very
+stony, and forming flat-topped hills of small elevation; the basalt
+appeared to be interstratified with sandstone, the latter much altered at
+the line of contact. At 9.15 came on the bank of the river, which was
+running in a deep channel with a dense line of pandanus, fig-trees,
+terminalia, flooded-gum, and melaleuca; followed the valley of the river
+to the north-west till noon, and camped at the foot of the hill which we
+had ascended, at the most southern point attained in December, 1855;
+ascended the hill and took the bearings, as on the former occasion the
+rain had obscured the features of the country.
+
+<p>Latitude by Leonis and Argus 16 degrees 27 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>12th April.
+
+<p>Having connected this part of our route with that of December last, at
+6.20 a.m. commenced our return up the river, crossing to the left bank at
+7.15; the water was running strong twenty yards, and one to two feet
+deep; in examining the ford my horse trod on the back of a large
+alligator, which seemed to be equally astonished as the horse at this
+unexpected meeting; I then proceeded up the river a mile and a half and
+halted, as Mr. H. Gregory, who I had sent to examine the river in another
+part, had not come up with the party, but he shortly after overtook us,
+having found a good ford lower down the river; at 4.0 p.m. resumed our
+journey, and at dusk encamped in the bed of a large creek, which joined
+the Victoria from the south-south-west; at 7.0 it commenced raining, and
+there were frequent showers till midnight, with thunder and lightning.
+
+<p>HUTT PLAINS.
+
+<p>13th April.
+
+<p>As the creek in which we bivouacked seemed to come from the south-west,
+we followed the valley in that direction; at 6.40 a.m. the hills
+receding, the grassy flats appeared to extend to the Wickham River and
+form a continuation of Hutt Plains; the creek now came from the
+south-south-west and had some fine pools of water in the channel; at 2.10
+p.m. camped at a shallow pool in the grassy flat, as the water in the
+creek was not very easy of access owing to the dense masses of reeds and
+grass. The hills which bound the valley of the creek are basalt,
+sandstone, and schist. In the level ground near the creek the grass was
+five to nine feet high, and greatly impeded our horses. The day was cool
+and cloudy with some light showers at night. The aneroid barometer was
+completely put out of adjustment by the principal lever having been moved
+from its position by a violent shake in crossing one of the deep gullies.
+
+<p>NATIVE PAINTINGS.
+
+<p>14th April.
+
+<p>At 6.10 a.m. resumed our journey up the creek in a southerly direction,
+the valley gradually narrowing, and in one part of the sandstone rocks
+came close to the banks of the creek, leaving scarcely space to pass
+between them and the deep pools of water; at 12.30 p.m. camped on the
+right bank. The basaltic hills appeared to turn to the south-east, and we
+now entered the sandstone country. The valley of this creek appears to
+offer the best line of access to the upper part of the valley of the
+Victoria, as it is nearly level from Hutt Plains to 10.40 in this day's
+journey, beyond which point drays would have to ascend the hills and turn
+to the south-east to reach Roe's Downs, which is the finest part of the
+country yet examined. A short distance below our camp we saw several
+native paintings on the sandstone rocks; they consisted of rude outlines
+of fish and snakes, some in red ochre and others in white clay. Mr.
+Baines sketched some of the most remarkable.
+
+<p>Latitude by Argus 16 degrees 55 minutes.
+
+<p>15th April.
+
+<p>At 6.25 a.m. recommenced our journey and followed the creek, which turned
+to the west, and the country became extremely rugged, and at length, as
+the valley became impassable, we ascended the hills and steered
+south-west across a very rocky sandstone country to the basaltic plains.
+Changing the course to west-north-west, crossed two tributary creeks, and
+at 3.40 p.m. camped on the bank of the creek, which was now much reduced
+in size. The country to the north of the creek consisted of very rough
+and rocky hills of red sandstone, extremely barren in appearance, while
+to the south it rose into the basaltic plain which forms Roe's Downs.
+
+<p>Latitude by Argus 17 degrees 6 seconds.
+
+<p>16th April.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 6.45 a.m. and travelled in a west by north course
+towards a remarkable basaltic hill, which I called Mount Sanford,
+traversing a fine open grassy country till 1.0 p.m., when we camped on a
+creek with permanent pools of water. The rough stony country has rendered
+the horses quite footsore, and their legs are much cut and bruised by
+constantly falling over the large rocks in crossing the deep ravines and
+rocky ridges.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 59 minutes 38 seconds.
+
+<p>RETURN TO DEPOT CAMP.
+
+<p>17th April.
+
+<p>Started at 6.25 a.m. and reached Mount Sanford at 7.30, the country
+passed being sandstone producing triodia and a little grass. The hill is
+of basalt with a flat top, but is based on sandstone; its form is nearly
+a truncated cone 150 feet high and 300 feet in diameter at the top.
+Having taken angles to the surrounding hills, we descended and steered
+south-west and west to the depot camp at 1.0 p.m. During our absence Dr.
+Mueller had found full employment in collecting the plants in the
+vicinity of the camp, and the rest of the party had been fully occupied
+in the care of the horses and duties of the camp. I was glad to find that
+they had not been again molested by the blacks.
+
+<p>18th April.
+
+<p>Preparing maps of the late excursion to the east of the depot; party
+preparing for the return to principal camp.
+
+<p>19th April.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>20th April (Sunday).
+
+<p>A fine cool breeze from the south, with thin clouds.
+
+<p>21st April.
+
+<p>Several of the horses had strayed some distance from the camp, and we did
+not start till 12.30 p.m., when we steered north by west till 5.15 p.m.
+and camped at a small creek in a deep rocky valley; the country after
+leaving the basaltic plain was very rocky, the hills composed of schist
+with a superstratum of red sandstone; grass was abundant in the valley,
+but the hills produced little but triodia and small gum-trees.
+
+<p>START FOR MAIN CAMP.
+
+<p>22nd April.
+
+<p>At 6.45 a.m. steered east down the creek one mile to its junction with
+Depot Creek, which was followed north and north-north-east till 8.40. The
+back country rose into sandstone hills covered with triodia; but there
+were good grassy flats on the bank of the creek. The creek then entered a
+rocky gorge about 100 yards wide, with cliffs upward of 100 feet high on
+each side. With some difficulty we forced our way through the dense
+growth of reeds and brush, among huge masses of rock and deep pools of
+water, till 10.10, when we reached a more open part of the valley. The
+creek now turned to east-north-east, and the wide valley was bounded by
+low schist hills to the north and the sandstone range we had just passed
+to the south; except in the lower part of the valley and a few small
+patches on the hills the country was very poor and stony, triodia taking
+the place of the grass; water was abundant in the bed of the creek, where
+it formed large permanent pools, between which there was a small stream
+of running water in the upper part of the creek, but lower down the
+channel was dry between the pools; at 1.0 p.m. camped on the right bank
+of the creek; crossed to the left bank of the creek at 6.20 p.m. and
+followed it north-east one hour, when the creek turned east and our
+course was over stony ridges; it was now found that one of the horses was
+missing, having been lost in one of the dense thickets on the bed of the
+creek. Mr. H. Gregory therefore returned to search for the lost animal,
+and we halted till 9.20, and then went on with the party, leaving Mr.
+Baines to wait on the track till Mr. Gregory came up; at 10.20 p.m.
+reached the Wickham River and followed it down to the junction of Depot
+Creek, which we crossed at noon, and camped in a grassy flat about a mile
+lower down; at 2.0 am Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Baines came into the camp,
+but had not been able to find the missing horse; at 3.0 a.m. Mr. H.
+Gregory and Bowman started to look for the horse.
+
+<p>24th April.
+
+<p>At 10.30 Mr. H. Gregory brought in the pack-horse lost yesterday.
+Fortunately, this horse was not carrying a load, and though the saddle
+got under the horse's belly nothing was injured.
+
+<p>25th April.
+
+<p>Followed the river down from 7.40 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. and encamped at
+9.10 p.m.; crossed a large tributary creek from the south; the country
+was grassy near the river, but rose into rocky hills with flat tops at a
+short distance from it; light rain from 4.0 a.m. till 1.0 p.m., with
+light easterly breeze.
+
+<p>CROSS THE VICTORIA RANGE. STOKES' RANGE.
+
+<p>26th April.
+
+<p>Continued the route along the right bank of the Wickham from 7.45 a.m.
+till 3.15 p.m., the general course east-north-east, and camped; after
+passing the gorge in the sandstone range, which was very narrow and
+rocky, the country opened into level plains. The best line of route to
+the upper part of the Wickham is near Mount Warburton, as the sandstone
+hills which form the rocky gorge are detached; the day was cool and
+cloudy, with a strong easterly breeze in the morning, and it commenced
+raining at sunset.
+
+<p>27th April.
+
+<p>At 7.25 a.m. left the camp and steered east to the Victoria River, but as
+we could not find a fording place, turned north to the Wickham, and
+encamped on its banks at 12.25. The bank of the Victoria being so densely
+covered with reeds that the water was not accessible; at noon I rode out
+with Mr. H. Gregory to search for a ford, as I wished to keep on the
+right bank of the river to ascertain what tributary streams joined from
+the east; after three hours' search found a practicable ford and returned
+to the camp after dark. In the afternoon the blacks were heard calling on
+the left bank of the Wickham, near the camp, but were not seen, owing to
+the thick brush and reeds which filled the bed of the river.
+
+<p>28th April.
+
+<p>At 7.25 a.m. steered south to the Victoria and reached the ford at 8.35,
+and at 9.0 a.m., having accomplished the passage of the river with only a
+few slight accidents, followed the right bank of the Victoria downwards
+till 1.15 p.m., and encamped on the eastern side of the Victoria; the
+country was level and well grassed for several miles back, and then rose
+into the sandstone range to the south and basaltic hills to the east.
+
+<p>29th April.
+
+<p>At 7.10 a.m. steered north-east over a nearly level grassy basaltic
+country with low hills to the east of our route; at 8.0 a.m. altered the
+course to north and traversed a fine grassy country with table hills of
+basalt resting on chert and sandstone; crossed one creek from the
+south-east with a muddy channel fifteen yards wide; at 2.0 p.m. changed
+the course to north 300 degrees east, and at 4.15 p.m. reached the bank
+of the Victoria; but it was so steep that the horses could not approach
+the water, and therefore followed it to the rocky ford east-south-east
+from Mount Sandiman and encamped.
+
+<p>30th April.
+
+<p>Crossed the left bank of the river at 7.0 a.m., but one of the horses
+injured his leg among the rocks, and the wound had to be sewn up, which
+delayed us till 8.20 a.m., when we steered north-west to Jasper Creek,
+which, after much labour in forcing a passage through the reeds, we
+crossed at 11.25 a.m., and at 12.55 p.m. encamped on the bank of the
+Victoria, at the commencement of the rocky gorge through Stokes' Range.
+
+<p>1st May.
+
+<p>Proceeded down the river, leaving the camp at 6.50 a.m., and at 2.15 p.m.
+encamped a short distance above our camp of the 8th December, 1855.
+
+<p>2nd May.
+
+<p>Continued route from 6.45 a.m. till 1.0 p.m., and encamped one mile above
+our bivouac of the 28th December.
+
+<p>3rd May.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 6.45 a.m. and followed the left bank of the river
+till 10.10 a.m., when we encamped at the spot where we crossed the
+Victoria on the 28th November, 1855; at 2.0 p.m. crossed the river with
+Mr. H. Gregory, and rode to the east to examine a large creek which
+joined the Victoria two miles below the camp. The creek was thirty to
+forty yards wide, with high muddy banks covered with reeds, and the marks
+of floods were fifty feet above its present level; the general appearance
+was that of a stream having a course of forty to fifty miles. The wide
+flat on the left bank of the creek was well grassed; but the valley was
+bounded by steep sandstone hills covered with triodia and scrub; returned
+to the camp at 5.0 p.m.
+
+<p>6th May.
+
+<p>As we should have to pass this camp on our route to the Gulf of
+Carpentaria, I deposited 100 pounds of flour and a quantity of shot and
+lead, horse-shoes, etc., in a cleft in the rocks, and covered them with
+large stones, and then set the grass on fire to deface our tracks; at
+8.15 a.m. left the camp and proceeded along our former track till noon,
+and camped on a small creek two miles east-south-east from Bynoe Range.
+
+<p>7th May.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 8.10 a.m. and steered north 240 degrees east over a
+level grassy country, wooded with bauhinia, acacia, and eucalypti--the
+latter being more abundant as we advanced; at 1.0 p.m. the country
+changed to low rocky ridges of chert and limestone, and at 2.0 p.m.
+encamped at a small creek trending north-west, and in which a few small
+muddy pools of water remained. At noon we passed a party of five or six
+blacks, who shouted to us from a distance, but would not approach within
+200 yards. They were armed with spears, and seemed to be on their return
+from hunting, as the grass was on fire to the south.
+
+<p>8th May.
+
+<p>At 7.20 resumed our journey, and steering west crossed a fine creek with
+fine pools and water-pandanus growing on the banks. We then traversed a
+very rocky country, at the southern base of the sandstone range, till
+11.0, when we came to a more level and grassy country, consisting of
+chert ridges. At noon steered north 300 degrees east down the valley of a
+small creek, and soon entered a deep valley bounded on both sides by
+steep sandstone hills. At 1.0 p.m. turned north 320 degrees east, and at
+2.20 camped at a shallow pool in the bed of the creek, which was now in
+the limestone rock.
+
+<p>REACH THE MAIN CAMP.
+
+<p>9th May.
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. resumed our journey down the valley to the junction of the
+creek with the Victoria River, which we followed down, crossing the ridge
+at Steep Head at 10.20, and reached the principal camp at 5.30 p.m.,
+where we were welcomed by Mr. Elsey, who was in charge, Mr. Wilson being
+absent down the river at the schooner, which had been laid on the shingle
+bank near the Dome to complete repairs. I was glad to learn that all the
+men belonging to the Expedition were in good health, except Richards,
+whose hand was still in a very unsatisfactory state, though better than
+when we left in January. The crew of the schooner had not been so
+fortunate, as the carpenter, John Finlay, had died, and three of the men
+were so ill that they had been left at the camp to be under the immediate
+care of the medical officer. This great amount of sickness is owing to
+the combined effects of previous disease and the inferior quality of the
+provisions with which the vessel is supplied. It appears that through
+damage by salt water and want of good management the provisions, which
+should have been sufficient for two years, are now reduced to salt beef
+of inferior quality and tea, the Expedition having had to furnish flour,
+rice, sugar, peas, and pork, as also medical stores, for the sick men. In
+consequence of the reduced number of the crew of the Tom Tough, Mr.
+Wilson had found it necessary to furnish men to assist in working the
+schooner, as well as to effect repairs.
+
+<p>10th May.
+
+<p>Much of the grass near the camp having been burnt, I sent the horses to
+the creek, three miles above the camp. Party employed in general duties
+of the camp. Twenty-nine sheep remained; they are now in fair condition;
+the average weight forty to forty-five pounds. They would probably have
+been much fatter had they been judiciously shepherded, but they had been
+kept close to the camp, where the feed had been eaten off closely. The
+natives have been frequently at the camp in small parties, and on these
+occasions were very quiet in their demeanour, but had made hostile
+demonstrations when met by small detached parties of the Expedition; and
+on one occasion Mr. Wilson had deemed it necessary to fire at them; but
+only one of the blacks appears to have been wounded, with small shot, in
+the arm, as he was afterwards seen at the camp.
+
+<p>11th May (Sunday).
+
+<p>12th May.
+
+<p>Preparing maps, arranging stores, etc.
+
+<p>13th May.
+
+<p>Drawing maps of the late journey and preparing for the Expedition to the
+Albert River.
+
+<p>THE TOM TOUGH REFITTED.
+
+<p>14th May.
+
+<p>Preparing maps, sifting flour, packing specimens, burning charcoal for
+the forge, preparing horse-shoes. At 6 p.m. Mr. Wilson returned in the
+boat from the Tom Tough. One of the boys belonging to the schooner was
+brought to the camp for medical treatment, as he was suffering from
+scurvy. The Tom Tough had been moored below the shoals, and was now
+moored in a secure position below Curiosity Peak. All the leaks had been
+secured, and she now only made about half an inch of water per hour. The
+crew of the vessel have been so much reduced by sickness that it will be
+necessary to send men on board to assist in refitting the vessel and
+procure a supply of wood and water. As it is necessary to replace the
+stores destroyed or damaged by salt-water, it appears desirable that the
+Tom Tough should proceed to the Gulf of Carpentaria via Coupang, in the
+island of Timor, where a supply of rice and sugar can be procured for the
+Expedition, and the vessel will be enabled to complete her stores. It
+appears desirable that the land party should refit with all possible
+despatch for the journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria, in order to take
+advantage of the cool season, and there is reason to expect that the
+horses will be sufficiently recruited in strength towards the end of
+June. I am, therefore, in hope that the party will be able to leave the
+Victoria before the expiration of the ensuing month. A small party of
+natives came to the camp in the morning and bartered a few trifles, and
+then retired.
+
+<p>15th May.
+
+<p>Continued preparation of maps; party employed in preparations for the
+journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria, camp duties, and preparing oakum for
+the schooner. Having found that the pork had been so much reduced in
+weight during the late journey, I made some experiments in the
+preparation of meat biscuits by mixing the preserved fresh beef with
+flour in equal proportions, with satisfactory results, as the reduction
+in weight by baking was 33 per cent.
+
+<p>16th May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>17th May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>18th May (Sunday).
+
+<p>19th May.
+
+<p>Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller being desirous of proceeding up the
+Baines River to collect specimens, etc., made the necessary arrangements
+for the same, and they therefore proceeded in the boat with Phibbs,
+Humphries, and Shewell to the schooner; the men were then to return to
+the camp with a cargo of stores; and Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller
+were to proceed up Baines' River in the small boat which they were to
+obtain from the schooner. Richards is in charge of the sheep; Macdonald
+cook during the week; Bowman and Melville in charge of horses; Dean
+preparing saddle-bags and harness; Fahey and Selby burning charcoal and
+general camp duties.
+
+<p>20th May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before. The weather continues fine, with southerly
+winds.
+
+<p>21st May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>22nd May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before. At noon the boat returned from the schooner
+with stores; Captain Gourlay also came up in the gig to the camp; he
+informed me that the schooner now only made ten inches of water per day,
+and that she would be ready for sea so soon as the upper seams were
+caulked, and that he considered her perfectly seaworthy for the purpose
+of the expedition.
+
+<p>23rd May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>24th May.
+
+<p>Despatched the boat to the schooner with three cases containing
+sationery, tobacco, clothing, etc. Captain Gourlay returned to the Tom
+Tough.
+
+<p>25th May (Sunday).
+
+<p>PREPARATIONS FOR JOURNEY EASTWARD.
+
+<p>26th May.
+
+<p>Party employed preparing equipment for the journey to the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+<p>27th May.
+
+<p>As before.
+
+<p>29th May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before. Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller returned
+with the long-boat and gig from the schooner, having been about thirty
+miles up Baines' River to the south-west of Curiosity Hill. Mr. Wilson
+brought a native in the boat from Stony Spit.
+
+<p>30th May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before, and packing stores to be put on board the
+schooner.
+
+<p>31st May.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>1st June (Sunday).
+
+<p>2nd June.
+
+<p>Party employed preparing saddlery and equipment for the journey to the
+Gulf of Carpentaria.
+
+<p>3rd June.
+
+<p>Mr. Baines proceeded in the boat to the schooner (which was now anchored
+below the shoals), conveying a quantity of stores. Boat's crew: Phibbs,
+Humphries, Dean, and Selby; remainder of party at the camp employed as
+before. Preparing map of route up the Victoria River, etc.
+
+<p>4th June.
+
+<p>Party employed as before, namely, shoeing horses, restuffing saddles, and
+other preparations for journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Received from
+Mr. Wilson a journal of his proceedings from 31st January to 3rd March,
+and 1st April to 14th May.
+
+<p>5th June.
+
+<p>Party at camp employed as before. Mr. Baines returned with the gig.
+Boat's crew: Phibbs, Humphries, Dean, Selby, and Dawson, also one of the
+seaman belonging to the schooner; received a note from the master of the
+Tom Tough, complaining that Dawson had used abusive language to Mr.
+Gourlay; but as it appeared that considerable provocation had been given,
+I only reprimanded Dawson for his conduct. Mr. Baines informed me that on
+the 4th instant he had landed early in the day from the schooner, in
+company with Captain Gourlay, Dawson, and one of the seamen (Adams), for
+the purpose of bartering with a party of natives, about twenty in number.
+The blacks having been allowed to come close to the boat, stole a
+tomahawk, and on Adams making a demonstration of detaining one of their
+number until the stolen article was returned, one of the blacks seized
+his gun and tried to wrest it from him; but, Captain Gourlay approaching,
+he ran into the bush, and the rest of the blacks retired; the party then
+returned to the schooner. The tomahawk was afterwards found in the water
+near where the boat had landed.
+
+<p>6th June.
+
+<p>Party employed as before; the shoeing of the horses progresses rapidly,
+Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman shoeing five horses each day, although some of
+them are very restive.
+
+<p>7th June.
+
+<p>Mr. Elsey proceeded in the gig with Phibbs, Humphries, Selby, and Adams,
+conveying the two sick men and boy belonging to the schooner crew to the
+Tom Tough. Mr. Wilson requested me to hold an investigation into the
+circumstances attending the landing of a party from the Tom Tough on the
+4th instant, to traffic with the blacks, as he deemed it very imprudent,
+when so large a number of natives were assembled on the shore, to land
+with only four persons, though they were all armed; and adverted to the
+possible results of such a proceeding, which he said might have
+terminated the hitherto undisturbed harmony which had been maintained by
+the parties in his charge during my absence in their intercourse with the
+aborigines, and stated that he considered the evidence of men who were
+not present, but on board the schooner at the time of the party landing,
+was more to be relied on than Mr. Baines' statement, which had been made
+before the officers generally. As Mr. Baines had minutely detailed the
+whole transaction to me, and nothing farther was alleged by Mr. Wilson,
+who appeared to be actuated by no friendly feelings towards Mr. Baines,
+and my investigation would have only been an expression of a want of
+confidence in the veracity of Mr. Baines, which I could not entertain, I
+informed Mr. Wilson that I did not see any necessity for the
+investigation suggested. Party employed preparing equipment, shoeing
+horses, baking meat biscuits, etc. Rain at night.
+
+<p>8th June (Sunday).
+
+<p>MAKE MEAT BISCUITS.
+
+<p>9th June.
+
+<p>Completed shoeing the horses; party employed making small tents and
+saddle-bags, fitting pack-saddles, baking biscuits; Dr. Mueller
+collecting and arranging botanical specimens.
+
+<p>ARRANGEMENT OF PARTY.
+
+<p>10th June.
+
+<p>Party employed as before, and preparing extra shoes for the horses, etc.
+Mr. Elsey returned with the gig from the schooner; boat's crew: Phibbs,
+Humphries, and Selby; the sick men had reached the vessel without any
+serious difficulty, although the boat grounded on the banks, and was
+thereby detained till next tide, and thus kept them several hours exposed
+to the rain.
+
+<p>11th June.
+
+<p>Party employed as before.
+
+<p>12th June.
+
+<p>Completed baking 300 pounds of preserved beef and 300 pounds of flour
+into biscuits, which weighed 480 pounds when dry. A 6-pound tin of beef,
+with the soup and fat, was added to 6 pounds of flour, 1 ounce of salt
+(no water being used), and the whole made up into dough and baked in the
+ordinary form of sea biscuits; the result was 8 pounds, and thus 1 1/4
+pounds contained 1 pound of flour and 1 pound of meat.
+
+<p>13th June.
+
+<p>Mr. Baines proceeded with Phibbs, Humphries, and Selby in the gig to the
+Tom Tough, with stores not required at the camp, and for the purpose of
+returning with soap and other stores required for the outfit of the land
+expedition. Party employed as before. Mr. Wilson completed and furnished
+to me a sketch of the Western branch of the Victoria River, which had
+been discovered by Mr. Baines in December, 1855, while searching for
+stray horses, and which I had then named after him. Preparing maps, etc.,
+for transmission to the Governor-General of Australia.
+
+<p>14th June.
+
+<p>Wrote to Governor-General, reporting progress of the North Australian
+Expedition. Party employed as before; set of spare horse-shoes completed.
+
+<p>15th June (Sunday).
+
+<p>The weather has been remarkably cool and clear for several days, the
+temperature at sunrise 48 to 52 degrees.
+
+<p>16th June.
+
+<p>Mr. Baines returned from the schooner with the gig and long-boat (boat's
+crew as before) bringing the stores required for the land party. Party at
+the camp preparing equipment for expedition to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
+Mr. Wilson requested to be informed whether I had decided to attach him
+to the party which was to be organised at the Gulf of Carpentaria for the
+exploration of the country towards Moreton Bay, and in reply I informed
+him that so many unforeseen circumstances might occur before reaching the
+Albert River to require me to modify any arrangements made at the present
+time, that I should not select the individuals to form that party till we
+reached the Albert River. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter stating that
+unless I would now decide that he was to form one of the party proceeding
+from the Albert River overland to Moreton Bay, he was desirous of
+resigning his appointment of geologist to the North Australian
+Expedition. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply, stating that I could not comply
+with his request.
+
+<p>17th June.
+
+<p>Preparing copies of letters to Governor-General of Australia for
+transmission to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Party preparing
+for journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter
+stating that he declined to perform any further duties as an officer of
+the North Australian Expedition unless I complied with certain conditions
+therein named. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply, and informed him that he was
+henceforth suspended from any command in the Expedition. As I could not
+now include Mr. Wilson in the party proceeding to the Albert River by
+land, I requested Dr. Mueller to prepare to take Mr. Wilson's place in
+the party.
+
+<p>18th June.
+
+<p>Issued a general order, Number 4, suspending Mr. Wilson from any further
+command in the exploring party till further orders. Party employed as
+before--preparing equipment. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter relative
+to his being suspended from any further command in the party.
+
+<p>19th June.
+
+<p>Wrote to Mr. Baines instructing him to take charge of the portion of the
+North Australian Expedition proceeding in the Tom Tough to the Albert
+River. Preparing equipment for explorations towards the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+<p>20th June.
+
+<p>Wrote to the Governor-General of Australia, forwarding copies of
+correspondence with Mr. Wilson. Wrote to Secretary of State for the
+Colonies forwarding copies of despatches to the Governor-General. Wrote
+to master of Tom Tough schooner, instructing him to proceed to Coepang
+for supplies, and thence to Albert River. Wrote to Mr. Baines two letters
+of instructions; inspected equipment, and fitted the saddles of the party
+proceeding overland to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Wrote to Mr. Wilson a
+letter in reply to his communication of the 18th.
+
+<p>START FOR GULF OF CARPENTARIA.
+
+<p>21st June.
+
+<p>At 10.0 a.m. left the principal camp on the Victoria with a party
+consisting of Messrs. H. Gregory, Elsey, and Dr. Mueller, Robert Bowman,
+Charles Dean, and J. Melville, seven saddle and twenty-seven pack horses,
+conveying five months' provisions of salt pork and meat biscuits, and six
+months' supply of flour, tea, sugar, coffee, etc., twenty-six pounds of
+gunpowder, sixty pounds bullets, 1 hundredweight shot, 5000 caps, etc.
+Proceeding up the left bank of the Victoria, crossed the ridge at back of
+Steep Head, and at 3.15 p.m. camped about three-quarters of a mile above
+it on the bank of the river.
+
+<p>22nd June (Sunday).
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the river up for ten miles, and
+then along a small creek four miles south-south-east; but the country
+proving very steep and rocky, returned one mile and camped at 3 p.m.
+
+<p>23rd June.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 7.0 a.m., and returned down the valley of the creek to
+the river, and kept along the bank of the Victoria to the junction of
+Beagle Creek. We ascended for five miles, and camped at 11.0, as there
+was no water between this point and the Victoria at Bynoe Range on the
+Beagle Valley route, and the distance was too great to be commenced at
+this late hour of the day.
+
+<p>24th June.
+
+<p>Started at 7.0 a.m., and steered east through an open box forest nearly
+level and well grassed. The grass had been burnt off by the blacks, but
+had shot up to a foot in height. Passed to the south of the Fitzroy
+Range; the valley between it and Stokes' Range similar to Beagle Valley,
+and about four miles wide. Keeping close to Stokes' Range, passed behind
+some of the detached hills at 4.20 p.m. Reached our old camp of the 5th
+May, and found the stores we had left secreted in the rocks undisturbed.
+
+<p>25th June.
+
+<p>Having distributed the stores which had been left here in May among the
+several pack-horses, at 7.15 a.m. resumed our route up the river, and
+crossed to the right bank two miles above the creek we intended to
+ascend, and camped at 11.0. Marked a large gum-tree Delta V.
+
+<p>Latitude by b and a2 Centauri 15 degrees 39 minutes 17 seconds.
+
+<p>LEAVE THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+<p>26th June.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 7.0 a.m., and followed the creek upwards to the
+east-south-east for five miles. The valley was about one mile wide, with
+fine grassy flats, bounded by sandstone cliffs 50 to 200 feet high, and
+forming tableland with deep ravines. The valley now turned to the east
+and east-north-east; some small tributaries joined the creek from the
+south-east, the sandstone cliffs disappeared, and the outline of the
+hills became rounded and rose about 300 feet above the creek. Shallow
+pools of water with dry shingle between, and an occasional deep
+waterhole, characterised the channel of the watercourse. At 1.30 p.m.
+camped on the left bank of the creek in an open grassy flat; the higher
+land very stony and indifferent.
+
+<p>Latitude by Canopus 15 degrees 40 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+<p>27th June.
+
+<p>The temperature was lower at sunrise this morning than on any other day
+since landing in North Australia, being only 41 degrees. A little dew on
+the grass, and a light air from the east. At 6.50 a.m. started and
+followed up the creek to the east-north-east till 1.0 p.m., when we
+camped at a deep pool of water 20 yards wide and 200 yards long. Our
+attempts to procure fish were unsuccessful. The country consisted of low
+stony hills, thinly wooded, and the flats of the creek from a quarter to
+three quarters of a mile wide continued to be well grassed. On the north
+side of the creek a few miles back the hills rose to a greater elevation,
+and formed table-topped hills; some with cliffs of sandstone near the
+summits, and others smooth grassy slopes. The latter, from the colour of
+the grass, appeared to be of trap formation, and fragments of this rock
+were found in the bed of the creek. Soft shales were exposed in the
+gullies and on the sides of the hills, and were overlaid compact gray
+sandstones.
+
+<p>Latitude by b Centauri, a2 Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 37 minutes 15
+seconds.
+
+<p>28th June.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 7.15 a.m., and followed up the creek to the
+east-north-east till noon, when we reached the last water in its channel
+near a steep range of sandstone hills, or rather tablelands; the country
+traversed was an undulating plain of trap formation resting on gray
+sandstone; it is thinly wooded, and well grassed; water was abundant in
+the creek below the camp; above the channel was dry, and soon divided
+into small gullies; in the afternoon ascended a hill three-quarters of a
+mile north-west of the camp; the lower portion was a dark compact trap or
+basalt, and the summit a horizontal bed of sandstone about 200 feet above
+the camp; the country to the north was very level, and only occasionally
+interrupted by flat-topped sandstone hills, the view extending at least
+thirty miles; to the south and south-west a country of trap formation
+extended for twenty miles, and to the east the tableland rose about 300
+feet above the camp, and was composed of the same strata as the hill
+ascended, but surmounted by the ferruginous conglomerate, which is the
+highest rock of the new red sandstone series.
+
+<p>Latitude by b Centauri, a Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 33 minutes 13
+seconds.
+
+<p>ARNHEIM LAND. DALY RIVER.
+
+<p>29th June.
+
+<p>At 6.45 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory to reconnoitre the country
+to the east; ascending the tableland, steered east till 10.0 through a
+level forest of stringybark and other eucalypti; the soil a light
+gravelly loam, but well grassed; we then turned north-north-east for one
+hour, along a shallow watercourse, and then east through level forest
+country till 3.20 p.m., when we reached a small stream-bed trending
+north-north-east, tracing it through wide grassy flats, which were on
+fire; at 4.40 found a small pool of water, where we halted for the night.
+
+<p>30th June.
+
+<p>As this appeared to be a spot to which the party could be advanced with
+safety, we left our bivouac at 6.50 a.m.; returning across the tableland,
+reached the camp at 4.30 p.m.
+
+<p>1st July.
+
+<p>At 6.40 a.m. started an average course of 80 degrees magnetic, and
+reached the waterholes in the small creek at 3.30 p.m. with the whole
+party, and camped at our bivouac of the 29th June.
+
+<p>Latitude by b Centauri 15 degrees 30 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+<p>2nd July.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek down to the
+east-north-east till 11.0 a.m.; it then turned more to the northward, and
+was nearly lost in wide level flats covered with high grass; the back
+country level stringybark forest, with good grass; at 2.25 p.m. the
+channel of the creek again collected, and we found a small waterhole
+twenty yards long and four feet deep, at which we camped; here we
+observed the fires of a party of blacks who had camped at the waterhole
+the previous day; small heaps of mussel-shells lay at intervals along the
+banks of the creek, though the channel was perfectly dry; but it appears
+that during the last wet season less rain has fallen than usual, and the
+soil has not been fully saturated, and consequently the waterholes have
+dried up sooner than in average years; although from the level character
+and geological features of the country, we are now on the tableland which
+divides the waters flowing to the north-west coast from those which fall
+into the Gulf of Carpentaria, the elevation of the country does not
+exceed 800 feet above the sea.
+
+<p>Latitude by Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 18 minutes 33 seconds.
+
+<p>3rd July.
+
+<p>Starting at 7.30 a.m., followed the creek to the north-east by east till
+8.25, when it was joined by a small creek from the south; thus increased
+water was abundant in the bed of the creek, but the pools were shallow
+and not permanent. Grassy flats extended for a mile on each bank of the
+creek, beyond which the level forest of stringybark, bloodwood, and box
+was well grassed; the soil a good red loam. In a few spots fragments of
+limestone and agate were strewed over the surface, and an occasional
+ridge of ironstone conglomerate was crossed on which the grass was
+indifferent. At 12.45 p.m. camped in a wide grassy flat, where the grass,
+having been burnt early in the season, had sprung up again quite fresh
+and green.
+
+<p>Latitude by a2 Centauri 15 degrees 11 minutes 24 seconds; variation of
+compass 2 degrees 10 minutes east.
+
+<p>4th July.
+
+<p>We were again in the saddle at 7.10 a.m., and, steering 70 degrees
+magnetic, diverged from the creek, traversing a level grassy forest of
+stringybark with abundance of green grass; at 8.0 turned north-east; the
+forest became more open, and the stringybark was replaced by bloodwood
+and box; limestone rock was frequent, and rendered the surface of the
+country very rough; and frequent depressions of the surface appeared to
+result from the falling-in of the roofs of caverns beneath which were
+farther indicated by deep clefts and holes in the rock, into which the
+surface waters flow during the rains. At 11.0 a.m. turned north, and at
+noon again struck the creek, which gradually turned to the
+north-north-east; limestone formed the banks, and only one small pool was
+seen till 4.50 p.m., when we found a little water in the sandy bed of a
+tributary creek from the south-south-east, at which we encamped. On the
+bank of the creek we this day first observed the casuarina, which is so
+frequent on the banks of the creeks trending towards the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+<p>Latitude by Arcturus and a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 54 minutes 2
+seconds.
+
+<p>5th July.
+
+<p>As the course of the creek was to the north-west, and we had already been
+driven further north than was desirable, we left the creek and followed
+up the tributary to the east-south-east, leaving the camp at 7.5 a.m. The
+channel was soon lost on the wide grassy flats, in one of which was a
+fine waterhole covered with nymphae, near which a party of blacks were
+encamped. On our approach most of the women decamped with their bags and
+nets containing their valuables, while the men stood spear in hand gazing
+on the strange sight, as we passed them. Continuing up the creek, the
+course of which was only marked for some distance by the nature of the
+vegetation, which indicated occasional inundations, it again formed a
+shallow irregular channel in the centre of an open box flat, and at 1.30
+p.m. camped at a small waterhole in the channel.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 14 degrees 55 minutes 15
+seconds.
+
+<p>TABLELAND.
+
+<p>6th July.
+
+<p>The small size of the creek affording little prospect of water nearer to
+its source, and as Mr. H. Gregory was suffering from a severe attack of
+fever, which rendered travelling unadvisable, I proceeded with Charles
+Dean to examine the country to the east-south-east. Leaving the camp at
+7.0 a.m., steered 120 degrees magnetic; at eight crossed a sandstone
+ridge covered with acacia scrub, and again descended into the valley of
+the creek, passing some fine grassy plains, and at 11.0 ascended the
+level tableland, the edge of which was covered with acacia scrub, beyond
+which we passed a level flat acacia scrub and small trees, and at noon
+entered a stringybark forest with occasional patches of bloodwood,
+leguminous ironbark, and sterculia. The soil varied from a brown loam to
+ironstone gravel, and in a few spots ferruginous conglomerate was
+visible. On the loamy soil the grass was good and abundant, but the
+gravel was covered with spiny treraphis. This tableland was so level that
+no declivity could be detected during the continuance of our day's
+journey, which lasted till 5.30, when we bivouacked without water; by
+taking the precaution of letting the horses feed on the outward track,
+and secreting ourselves after dark in the high grass, we passed the night
+without the necessity of keeping watch after midnight.
+
+<p>7th July.
+
+<p>Our horses having strayed back on the track, we carried our saddles and
+tracked them about two miles, and then mounting our horses steered north
+for some miles; but all was level forest without any sign of the
+existence of water, except a few cockatoos. I then turned to the
+south-west; crossing the outward track, and at length came on a shallow
+watercourse trending west, a ridge of rocks having confined the channel
+to a narrow space; three small waterholes were discovered in which a
+little water remained; below this the creek turned south-south-east, and
+I again turned towards the camp; but night overtaking us in the
+stringybark forest, we passed to the south of the camp without observing
+its position.
+
+<p>8th July.
+
+<p>Having ascertained that we had passed the position of the camp, turned to
+the north-east and reached the camp at 11.20. Mr. H. Gregory was somewhat
+recovered, but very weak from a violent attack of fever. During my
+absence a small party of blacks had visited the camp and had bivouacked a
+short distance up the creek.
+
+<p>9th July.
+
+<p>Moved the camp to the waterholes twelve miles south-east, and in the
+afternoon rode down the creek with Mr. Elsey; the creek turned to the
+south-south-east for a mile and a half, and was lost on a level flat,
+from which a channel trended to the west, which was again lost in a level
+flat extending to the west several miles. Heavy showers at night.
+
+<p>CIRCUMCISION PRACTISED.
+
+<p>10th July.
+
+<p>Accompanied by Mr. Elsey, I proceeded to reconnoitre the country to the
+south-east, and at 7.45 a.m. steered 130 degrees, gradually ascending the
+tableland, and which was openly wooded with bloodwood, box, and
+white-gum; acacia and sterculia occasionally appearing. The soil was
+brown sandy loam with a few ridges of sandstone rock of white colour;
+grass had been abundant, but was now burnt off. The small white-ant nests
+from two to five feet high were very numerous; at 12.40 p.m. a slight
+depression in the country was observed, and limestone appeared, and deep
+hollows were frequent. One of these hollows which I examined was thirty
+yards in diameter and fifteen feet deep; in the centre was a deep cleft
+of fifteen feet more, which extended to the east and west under the
+surface with a width of three feet; at 3.0 struck a small creek trending
+east-north-east with a few small pools of water in the channel; in
+following down the creek in search of a sufficient supply of water for
+the horses, we passed some blacks sitting at a fire near the creek; at
+3.30 came to a pool sufficient for the supply of the whole party, below
+which the channel was dry; returning to the pool we met the blacks
+following our tracks, but, observing us, they ran away, and on being
+followed hid themselves; having unsaddled, we commenced our dinner and
+soon saw the blacks watching us from their hiding places, and after some
+time spent in making signs, they were induced to approach, the oldest of
+the party feigning to weep bitterly till they got close to us, when we
+commenced an attempt at conversation, and they appeared to recognise some
+few words of the language of the Victoria River. Their spears were formed
+of reeds with large heads of white sandstone, and also with three wooden
+points for fishing. They were circumcised and had their front teeth
+remaining; at 5.0 steered to the west-north-west for one hour, and
+bivouacked to secure ourselves from an attack during the night.
+
+<p>11th July.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m., resumed our route towards the camp, and reached it about
+1.0 p.m., without observing anything of farther remark.
+
+<p>Latitude by a2 Centauri 15 degrees 2 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+<p>ABSENCE OF WATERCOURSES.
+
+<p>12th July.
+
+<p>The grass near the camp having been burnt off, the horses had scattered
+very much, and could not be collected and saddled before 10.0 a.m., when
+we followed our track of yesterday and reached the pool of water at
+sunset. The country was so level, although we were crossing the watershed
+between the north-west coast and the Gulf of Carpentaria, that the
+aneroid only varied from 29.55 to 29.62, and even of this change the
+greater part was caused by alteration of the temperature. The geological
+character of this portion of the country differs slightly from that of
+the Victoria River. The upper stratum is a bed of ironstone conglomerate
+about twenty feet thick, this rests on sandstone, the upper part of which
+is highly ferruginous, then passes away into a variegated sandstone
+imperfectly stratified, changing into a hard siliceous sandstone which is
+white and breaks with a conchoidal fracture; this rests on a hard cherty
+sandstone similar to that of the Victoria River. In this rock many
+depressions occur, which is apparently caused by the roofs of caverns
+falling in and there are usually deep fissures in the rock at the bottom
+of these hollows, in which all the water that drains into them is
+absorbed; in some places the sandstone resting on the limestone has sunk
+many feet below the general level, with areas varying from one to ten
+acres, sometimes sloping towards a centre ten to thirty feet below the
+plain, and in other spots with abrupt rocky banks five to eight feet high
+and a perfectly level bottom. The level character of the country is
+unfavourable for investigations of this nature, and the thickness of the
+several strata not easily determined; but I think that the collective
+thickness of the several strata above the limestone does not exceed 100
+feet. The porous nature of the lower rocks preclude the existence of
+permanent surface water by draining the whole of the upper part of the
+tableland, while it forms strong springs in the lower ground towards the
+banks of the Roper River, where the limestone is exposed on the surface.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 14 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+<p>WHITE MAN'S CAMP.
+
+<p>13th July (Sunday).
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 8.30 a.m., proceeding down the creek, mistook a
+tributary for the main creek; following it south for two hours, when it
+spread into small gullies, and we had to return to the creek, which had
+now a northerly course, and at 4.25 camped about three miles from our
+starting point in the morning. The country passed over was of a very poor
+character, stiff clay flats, with melaleuca scrub in the valley, while
+low but steep ridges of sandstone rose to the east, and were timbered
+with stringybark and bloodwood, etc.; to the south the country seemed to
+rise slightly, but was very poor and sandy. The smoke of bush fires were
+visible to the south, east, and north, and several trees cut with iron
+axes were noticed near the camp. There was also the remains of a hut and
+the ashes of a large fire, indicating that there had been a party
+encamped there for several weeks; several trees from six to eight inches
+diameter had been cut down with iron axes in fair condition, and the hut
+built by cutting notches in standing trees and resting a large pole
+therein for a ridge; this hut had been burnt apparently by the subsequent
+bush fires, and only some pieces of the thickest timber remained
+unconsumed. Search was made for marked trees, but none found, nor were
+there any fragments of iron, leather, or other material of the equipment
+of an exploring party, or of any bones of animals other than those common
+to Australia. Had an exploring party been destroyed here, there would
+most likely have been some indications, and it may therefore be inferred
+that the party had proceeded on its journey. It could not have been a
+camp of Leichhardt's in 1845, as it is 100 miles south-west of his route
+to Port Essington, and it was only six or seven years old, judging by the
+growth of the trees; having subsequently seen some of Leichhardt's camps
+on the Burdekin, Mackenzie, and Barcoo Rivers, a great similarity was
+observed in regard to the mode of building the hut, and its relative
+position in regard to the fire and water supply, and the position in
+regard to the great features of the country was exactly where a party
+going westward would first receive a check from the waterless tableland
+between the Roper and Victoria Rivers, and would probably camp and
+reconnoitre ahead before attempting to cross to the north-west coast.
+This creek is named Elsey Creek on the map.
+
+<p>ELSEY CREEK.
+
+<p>14th July.
+
+<p>Resuming our journey at 8.10 a.m., steered north-east down the valley of
+the creek, which I named Elsey Creek, after the surgeon of the
+expedition. Its course was generally to the north-east, but spreading
+into lagoons and swampy flats, became very tortuous and irregular. It
+then changed to a very winding reach of water fifty to sixty yards wide,
+with low banks covered with reeds and tall melaleuca-trees, beyond which
+was a belt of pandanus growing on the drier ground. Many small springs
+rose in the limestone rock and ran into the creek, on the banks of which
+large quantities of mussel-shells showed the frequent camps of the
+blacks. The banks of the creek and springs were so soft and boggy that
+our horses could not approach the water, and we followed its banks in
+search of a spot where they could drink in safety, till 4.0, without
+success, and having camped, had to water the horses with our leather
+buckets.
+
+<p>Latitude by a2 Centauri and a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 5 minutes 35
+seconds.
+
+<p>ROPER RIVER.
+
+<p>15th July.
+
+<p>Leaving our camp at 7.10 a.m., steered north-east till 9.0, over level
+country, which appeared to be very swampy in the rainy season; altered
+the course to 10 degrees magnetic, and crossed a small dry watercourse
+which proved to be a continuation of Elsey Creek. At 11.0 turned 60
+degrees magnetic, and shortly came on the bank of a fine river with banks
+thirty to forty feet high, and fine reaches of water fifty to eighty
+yards wide; at 11.45 camped at the junction of Elsey Creek and the river,
+which appears to be the Roper of Dr. Leichhardt. The fan-palm was
+frequently seen on the banks of Elsey Creek, where it obtained a height
+of fifty to eighty feet, and had a thicker stem and produced a more
+palatable vegetable than the species growing on the banks of the Victoria
+River.
+
+<p>KILL AN EMU.
+
+<p>16th July.
+
+<p>At 7.5 a.m. recommenced our journey, following down the Roper River east
+and north-east; about a mile below the camp the limestone rocks formed a
+bar, over which the river ran with a rapid current ten yards wide and two
+feet deep; the banks became lower and the surface of the country
+extremely level. The overflows of the river had formed shallow lagoons,
+in which the nelumbium or gigantic water-lily was first seen. A ridge of
+low sandstone hills came close to the left bank, and on the right a vast
+level plain, covered with high grass and reeds, extending two or three
+miles back. This plain is evidently inundated during the wet season,
+though the soil was now dry and full of deep cracks. The river divided
+into several small shallow channels full of reeds, and each with a small
+stream of water, the deep green of the vegetation along the course of the
+running water contrasting strongly with the parched vegetation of the
+other portions of the plain. Clumps of melaleuca occurred at intervals,
+and at a distance appeared like low hills. At 2.0 p.m. camped at the end
+of a low basaltic ridge, which approached the bank of the river from the
+south. A range of flat-topped hills extended to the north-east from the
+river, about eight miles distant, to the north-west of the camp; they
+appeared wooded, and 200 to 300 feet high. Bowman rode down a young emu,
+which supplied us with a meal of fresh meat.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 50 minutes 56 seconds.
+
+<p>17th July.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. steered east-south-east, following the bank of the river for
+a mile, when, to avoid the high grass and reeds, altered the course to
+south-east till 8.10; then steering 100 degrees magnetic till 9.25, when
+we camped on a small waterhole, there being abundance of water. The river
+appears to turn to the north and enter a range of hills, which trends
+north and south a few miles to the east of our camp. The country
+traversed this day is all well grassed and thinly timbered with
+terminalia, box, and silver-leafed ironbark; trap-rock visible in several
+places, and the soil was a good red loam. The metallic barometer has a
+second time suddenly deviated from the aneroid barometer, and the form of
+the vacuum vessel has visibly altered, the construction being too slight
+to bear the motion of the pack-horse, though one of the steadiest animals
+had been selected to carry the instruments, and they are always
+surrounded with blankets.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 14 degrees 53 minutes 16
+seconds.
+
+<p>18th July.
+
+<p>As this was a suitable camp for resting the party, and grass was
+abundant, I rode to the south-east with Mr. H. Gregory to look for a
+route towards the head of the Wickham River; our course was along a
+valley between the trap hills to the west and a sandstone range to the
+east. About eight miles reached a creek trending north-east; its channel
+was dry and sandy, but after some search found a small pool of water in a
+side channel; casuarina and flooded-gum trees grew on the banks of the
+creek, and there was some good grass on the flats, which were limited by
+sandstone hills densely wooded with acacia of the same species as that
+seen on the lower part of Sturt's Creek. After an hour's halt at the pool
+of water we returned to camp.
+
+<p>SILENT NATIVES.
+
+<p>19th July.
+
+<p>The horses having scattered much during the night, it was 8 a.m. before
+they were collected and saddled; we then followed our track of yesterday
+to the pool in the creek, eight miles south-east, reaching it at 11.45.
+The sandstones here showed a decided dip to the west, at angles varying
+from 5 degrees to 30 degrees, and the trap-rocks only extended five miles
+from the previous camp. In the afternoon five natives were observed
+watching the camp, and finding they were observed by us came up to the
+party, but could not be induced to speak a single word; they soon after
+retired. They had no spears, and were followed by a small dog. Their
+teeth were entire, but they were all circumcised. At 8.0 p.m. the blacks
+were detected stealing into the camp, and, though we called upon them to
+retire, only hid themselves in the grass; but as it was absolutely
+necessary for our own safety to dislodge them from their position, I
+caused a gun to be fired in the air, hoping that they would retire, but
+they commenced to ship their spears, and I therefore ordered a charge of
+shot to be fired at them, which had the desired effect of compelling them
+to retreat. What their object was in thus approaching the camp at night,
+unless for hostile purposes, we had no means of ascertaining; but the
+aboriginal Australian considers it an act of positive hostility to
+approach a camp in silence at night.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 59 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+<p>20th July.
+
+<p>Starting at 7.30 a.m., steered south-east over an undulating sandstone
+country, well grassed, but very stony and thinly wooded; a low range of
+rocky hills, nearly parallel to our route, lay to the south-west, and at
+11.20 a.m. we camped at a fine running stream in a rocky ravine in this
+range; the grass was, however, very dry and inferior near the range.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 4 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+<p>21st July.
+
+<p>The horses had shown an unusual desire to stray during the night, and as
+we had reason to apprehend a visit from the blacks, they were kept close
+to the camp; at 6.20 a.m. steered south-east, crossing a tableland about
+250 feet above the camp, and at 8.0 a.m. descended by a rocky gully, in
+which was a fine spring, into a grassy valley, which varied from a few
+yards to a mile in breadth, bounded by sandstone hills, the strata of
+which were not well defined, but appeared to have a considerable dip to
+the west-south-west; in the upper part of the valley the creek was well
+supplied with water, but as we advanced into the lower ground the channel
+was dry, though increased to twenty yards wide and ten to fifteen feet
+deep; at 11.15 a.m. one of the horses, Prince, was observed to be unwell,
+and at 1.20 p.m. a second horse, Bob, was noticed to be suffering from
+illness, having bled them, we proceeded down the creek in search of water
+at which the party could halt, and found a small waterhole at 2.20 p.m.,
+but the two sick horses dropped dead about 150 yards before reaching it;
+their loads had been previously removed to the saddle-horses; as soon as
+the camp had been formed Mr. Elsey and Dr. Mueller examined the dead
+horses to ascertain the cause of death, and it appeared from the state of
+extreme inflammation of the stomachs that they had eaten some poisonous
+plant; but the food was too much comminuted to admit of the plants eaten
+being recognised.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 12 minutes 46 seconds.
+
+<p>22nd July.
+
+<p>At 7.10 a.m. resumed our journey down the valley of the creek to the east
+and east-north-east, passing a fine lagoon with nelumbium and a number of
+pelicans; at 8.30 a.m. crossed two large creeks and passed a second
+lagoon, 70 yards by 300 yards. The principal creek now turned to the
+north, and our course was along the foot of a sandstone range 200 feet
+high, till 12.40 p.m., when, altering the course to south-east, we
+ascended the range and crossed the level sandy tableland covered with
+scrub; descending to the south, found a small dry watercourse in an open
+valley, and followed it in search of water to the north-west till 4.0
+p.m., when we found a small pool of rainwater, at which we camped.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 13 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+<p>23rd July.
+
+<p>The horses had strayed so far in search of green grass that we did not
+start till 10.30 a.m., when we steered south-east, crossing a spur of the
+tableland which lay to the south-west; then crossing several valleys and
+small watercourses trending to the north-east, camped at a shallow
+waterhole at 3.20 p.m. The country was of sandstone formation and the
+soil very poor, melaleuca scrubs prevailing on the lower ground, and
+eucalypti, acacia, and grevillia on the hills; to the south-west the
+hills were rocky, with a rounded outline, but to the north-east they were
+flat-topped and of less height. The sandstones are often at a
+considerable angle, but in no general direction, a thin bed of
+ferruginous conglomerate rests on hard gray sandstone, imperfectly
+stratified, beneath which shales of various colours exist; on the exposed
+surface of the shales observed an efflorescence of sulphate of magnesia.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 18
+minutes 48 seconds.
+
+<p>SCARCITY OF GRASS.
+
+<p>24th July.
+
+<p>Resuming our route at 7.20 a.m., steered south-east and ascended a
+sandstone range with horizontal strata and very abrupt on the south-east
+side. Entering a wide valley, crossed two small watercourses, the second
+of which was running apparently from springs, as several clumps of the
+melaleuca grew on the slope of the sandstone hills from which they came.
+Crossing a second spur of the tableland, descended to a small creek with
+waterholes and narrow grassy flats, the general character of the country
+being very poor and scrubby.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 38
+minutes 56 seconds.
+
+<p>25th July.
+
+<p>At 7.40 a.m. left the camp, and steered south-east through a succession
+of miserable scrubs of eucalypti, grevillia, acacia, and jacksonia, with
+patches of melaleuca. At 1.30 p.m. crossed a ridge of steep sandstone
+rocks, and gradually descended till 2.55, when we camped on a small gully
+coming from the south, and in which a little water remained, and on the
+bank some dry grass of very inferior kind. Since leaving the Roper River
+the general character of the country has been worthless; the small size
+of the watercourses indicating an arid country to the south-west of our
+route. Few traces of blacks have been seen, though vast columns of smoke
+rise to the east and south-east; animals or birds are rarely seen. The
+rocky nature of the country has caused the horses' shoes to wear out
+rapidly, and the day seldom passes without having to replace the shoes of
+several of the horses.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 40
+minutes 19 seconds.
+
+<p>26th July.
+
+<p>At 8.0 a.m. steered south-east, soon entering a scrub of acacia,
+melaleuca, and grevillia, with a few eucalypti; the soil sandy, with a
+few blocks of gray sandstone; some small dry watercourses trended to the
+north. At noon crossed a large creek trending to the south-south-east
+through a very rocky valley, and the whole country was very barren and
+rocky. At 2.35 p.m. recrossed the creek, which here turned to the east
+and north-east. After following it down for an hour, found a small patch
+of grass, and encamped. The bed of the creek was very rocky and well
+supplied with water in shallow pools.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 50
+minutes 2 seconds.
+
+<p>BARREN COUNTRY.
+
+<p>27th July (Sunday).
+
+<p>Resumed our route at 7.0 a.m., crossing a very rocky ridge of hills, in
+descending which one of the horses wedged his foot into a cleft of the
+rock, and falling down, was only released by beating the rock away with
+an axe. Fortunately, though much cut and bruised, there was no serious
+injury. With some difficulty we extricated ourselves from these rocky
+ridges, and, crossing a large creek, entered a level plain covered with
+melaleuca scrub. Crossing two sandy creeks fifteen and twenty yards wide
+with shallow pools, at noon reached a barren range of white sandstone
+hills, rising about 250 feet. Beyond this entered an open grassy plain,
+with clumps of melaleuca-trees, indicating the existence of springs of
+water, one of which we reached at 1.25 p.m., and encamped. The country
+passed is of a worthless description, there being very little grass, and
+the soil very poor and stony. The sandstones are of gray colour, and not
+regularly stratified; but where it could be ascertained the bedding was
+horizontal, and the lamina dipping 20 degrees to 30 degrees to the north,
+but often in the opposite direction. These sandstones are at least 200
+feet thick, and rest on soft shales of white-brown and green colour.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 55 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+<p>28th July.
+
+<p>The indifferent character of the country having caused the horses to
+stray in search of better food, we were delayed till 8.30 a.m., when we
+steered south-east over several low ridges of sandstone, wooded with
+white and paper-bark gum, with triodia in the hollows. Small dry
+watercourses trended to the north-east and north. At 10.20 crossed a
+creek ten yards wide, with pools of water, and at 1.5 p.m. a second of
+the same size, which trended to the east, was followed till 1.50, when a
+small pool of water and a little grass enabled us to camp. The country
+continues to be of a bad description, and covered with scrub, though of a
+more open nature than before, the soil more gravelly, melaleuca less
+frequent, and eucalypti and triodia more abundant. The rock is a coarse
+gray sandstone, thick bedded with horizontal strata, the lamina dipping
+30 degrees to north-east generally; but varying much, the peculiar
+marking on the surface of the rock resembling the rippling of water, is
+frequent, forming grooves two to four inches wide and half an inch deep.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 59 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>29th July.
+
+<p>A dense fog was the unusual cause of delay in collecting our horses, as
+they could not be seen more than a few yards distant. At 8.45 a.m.
+steered south-east through scrubs of melaleuca, acacia, grevillia, and
+eucalypti; at 11.0 the country became more open, and entering a grassy
+plain extending five to eight miles to the east, where it was bounded by
+a low range of hills; to the south-west a level forest of white-gum ran
+parallel to our route. The soil was a brown clay-loam with pebbles of
+sandstone; a few box and bauhinia trees grew on the plain; the grass had
+been burnt off and sprung up again very green. At 1.20 p.m. came on a
+large dry creek trending north-east; it had several channels twenty yards
+wide with loose sandy beds, and was bordered by casuarina, melaleuca, and
+flooded-gum trees; following down the creek, at 1.15 camped at a shallow
+pool in one of the side channels. About three miles before we reached the
+camp Dr. Mueller had fallen some distance behind the party; but as this
+was a frequent occurrence in collecting botanical specimens, it was not
+observed till we reached the creek, when he was out of sight; after
+unsaddling the pack-horses I was preparing to send in search of him, when
+he came up to the camp, the cause of delay having been that his horse had
+knocked up. This was unfortunate, as the load of one of the pack-horses
+had to be distributed among the others, in order to remount the doctor,
+who requires stronger horses than any other person in the party, having
+knocked up four since January, while not one of the other riding-horses
+had failed, though carrying heavier weights.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 7 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+<p>30th July.
+
+<p>There being abundance of good grass at this camp, we remained this day to
+shoe some of the horses and repair harness, etc., and rest the horses;
+nor was I sorry to get a day of comparative rest, as I had been in the
+saddle every day since leaving the Victoria on the 21st June. Eleven of
+the horses were re-shod.
+
+<p>A SPRING OF GOOD WATER.
+
+<p>31st July.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 7.40 a.m., pursued a south-east course, soon leaving
+the grassy flats of the creek and entering a melaleuca scrub; at 8.20
+ascended the tableland by a gentle slope; the country was now sandy with
+much bush of acacia, grevillia, and bossiaca, with triodia in the more
+open part of the forest, which consisted of paper-bark gums. The
+prevailing rock was ironstone conglomerate, and hard white sandstone
+sometimes appeared; after 10.0 the country declined to the south, and we
+passed through a belt of cypress scrub; at 1.15 p.m. altered the course
+to east-south-east; crossed a rough sandstone ridge and came on a deep
+valley with sandstone cliffs on each side; with some difficulty descended
+the rocks and reached a small watercourse which was quite dry; but
+observing some very green trees about a mile to the north-west at the
+foot of the rocks, turned towards them and found a fine spring of water
+flowing from the face of the cliff; selecting a suitable spot, encamped
+at 2.30. Near this spring were several huts constructed in the rudest
+manner by heaping branches together. From the summit of the hill the view
+extended thirty miles to the north-east, but no marked features were
+visible, the country only undulating slightly. The country too became
+more open and travelling easier, but no other improvement has been
+observed.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 17 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+<p>1st August.
+
+<p>At 7.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the valley to the south till
+9.15, when a break in the sandstone cliffs which bounded the valley
+enabled us to ascend the hills and pursue our course to the south-east,
+crossing several ridges of sandstone, the strata dipping to the west, and
+becoming more shaly as we proceeded. Descending into a valley with a dry
+creek fifteen yards wide, the rocks on the south-east slope cherty
+limestone alternating with thin beds of shale, the strata dipping 20
+degrees to 30 degrees west. The summit had a thin horizontal bed of
+ironstone conglomerate through which masses of white sandstone protruded.
+This limestone country was well grassed, and thinly timbered with
+eucalypti of small growth; at 1.20 p.m. altered the course to north-east
+and followed down a gully in search of water; but though it gradually
+enlarged to a considerable creek and we continued our search till 7.0, we
+were compelled to encamp without water. I then walked down the creek two
+miles, but only found one moist spot in which, by digging, a few pints of
+water were obtained.
+
+<p>2nd August.
+
+<p>At 6.5 a.m. resumed our search for water, and following the creek
+north-east for two hours reached a small muddy pool of rainwater, at
+which we encamped. The country near the creek was very level, and
+thinly-wooded low hills were visible in the distance to the south-east
+and north.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 16 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+<p>3rd August.
+
+<p>The water at this pool near our camp being nearly consumed, and nothing
+but thick mud remaining, we proceeded down the creek in search of a
+better supply; but it was not until we had followed its dry sandy bed for
+three hours that we attained our object, and encamped at a small pool in
+one of the back channels, the principal bed of the creek being perfectly
+dry. The country near the creek continues very level, and well grassed,
+but distant rocky hills are visible in almost every direction. In
+approaching the Gulf of Carpentaria heavy dews and fogs have become more
+frequent in the mornings, when it is usually calm. About 10.0 a.m. a
+breeze usually sets in from the eastward, varying from north to
+south-east; at sunset it falls calm, but commences again at 8.0 p.m. and
+blows moderately from the eastward for one or two hours; very thin misty
+clouds are frequent, and render the heat oppressive when they prevail.
+According to my reckoning, we are now only fifty miles from the
+sea-coast, and therefore much nearer Dr. Leichhardt's track than I could
+wish to traverse the country; but, however desirable a more inland route
+might be, it is evident, from the small size of the watercourses hitherto
+crossed, that we have been skirting a tableland which is doubtless a
+continuation of the desert into which we followed Sturt's Creek, and the
+small altitude of the country in which the watercourses trending towards
+the Gulf take their rise precludes the existence of any considerable
+drainage towards the interior.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 14 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>THE MCARTHUR RIVER.
+
+<p>4th August.
+
+<p>The general course of the creek being northerly, and our distance from
+the McArthur about 20 miles on the chart, steered south-east from 6.35
+a.m., crossing many rocky sandstone ridges and hills, the strata of which
+dipped 20 degrees to 40 degrees to the west. At noon from one of the
+higher ridges saw the valley of the McArthur River to the south-east;
+continuing our course, descended a small dry watercourse till 4.0 p.m.,
+when we reached a large creek with a belt of casuarina, melaleuca and
+eucalypti along its banks. The channel was dry and sandy, about twenty
+yards wide, but showed the marks of high floods. Following the creek down
+for three-quarters of an hour found a small pool just sufficient for the
+supply of the party. Just below our camp a creek fifteen yards wide
+joined the principal one from the south, and, from the general lay of the
+country, it was evident that we were now on the McArthur River of
+Leichhardt; but though from the steepness of the banks the floods
+frequently rise thirty to forty feet, the creek did not bear the
+character of one which would take its rise at any great distance inland
+of our track. The country passed over was very thinly wooded with
+eucalypti of small growth, seldom more than one and a half feet in
+diameter and fifty feet high; a few leguminous ironbark, and sterculia
+were scattered on the hills, with much triodia and little grass. After
+crossing the highest ridge at 11.0 a.m. the sandstone strata were
+variously inclined, but generally to the west or north-east at high
+angles, except on the immediate bank of the McArthur, where the
+sandstones were horizontal. To the south-west of our route the country
+rose into stony hills of very barren aspect, but to the north the country
+appeared to be wooded.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 25 minutes 11 seconds.
+
+<p>5th August.
+
+<p>The country to the south-east being very rocky and broken, we followed
+down the river, leaving the camp at 7.20 a.m., the general course
+north-east; the sandstone hills rose abruptly from the bank of the river,
+the sandstone rock being frequently worn away in a partial manner, so as
+to leave isolated columns sometimes three feet in diameter and thirty
+feet high; a few miles below the camp a few pools of water were seen, but
+there was no grass near them, and we continued our route for four hours,
+and camped at a shallow pool with a small patch of grass on the bank of
+the river; the principal channel of the river was only twenty-three yards
+wide, but in times of flood the side channels carry off the greater
+portion of the water, which rises nearly forty feet; considerable
+quantities of mussel-shells lay at the old camps of the blacks along the
+bank of the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 16 degrees 18 minutes 41
+seconds; longitude by lunar distances 136 degrees 21 minutes.
+
+<p>6th August.
+
+<p>At 7.25 a.m. resumed our journey on a south-east course, over a miserable
+sandy country, with stunted eucalypti, grevillia, and triodia; at 11.0
+reached a range of broken sandstone hills, which, with great difficulty
+and risk to the horses, we crossed in an east-south-east direction; but
+though the direct distance was only three miles, the deep ravines and
+rocks delayed us for three hours, and we were glad to emerge into an open
+valley, in which we camped at 2.30 p.m.; in the deep ravines of the
+sandstone hills water was abundant, but inaccessible for our horses, from
+the steep and rocky character of the country; a few small white-gum trees
+and triodia formed almost the entire vegetation; the rock is gray
+sandstone in horizontal beds with cleavage lamina, which varied so much
+in angle and direction that no general direction could be assigned, the
+cleavage of the upper beds often being the reverse of those immediately
+below them; the beds were from one to four feet thick, and the lamina
+half an inch to two inches, the grain very even and moderately fine.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 24 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+<p>7th August.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 7.10 a.m. on an average east-south-east course,
+along the foot of a rocky range of sandstone hills; at 8.30 came on a
+deep rocky creek, with long pools of water trending to the north; as our
+horses required rest, and the country ahead appeared very barren and
+rocky, we encamped.
+
+<p>8th August.
+
+<p>Steering a south-east course from 6.50 a.m., crossed a sandy tableland,
+with paper-bark and melaleuca with broad leaves; passed a small creek
+with pools trending north-east, and at 10.0 a low rocky ridge; then
+descended into a wide valley, with melaleuca and a few box-trees. At 1.25
+camped on a large sandy creek with two channels ten yards wide, with low
+sandy banks; one channel was dry, but the other had a few small pools in
+it; a line of melaleuca and flooded-gum trees marked its course along the
+valley. When in flood the waters of the creek are 100 yards wide and ten
+to fifteen feet deep. The grass was inferior, but from having been burnt
+had grown up fresh and green.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 34 minutes 44 seconds.
+
+<p>IRON TOOLS USED BY NATIVES.
+
+<p>9th August.
+
+<p>Starting at 6.40 a.m., traversed an undulating sandstone country on a
+south-east course till 1.15 p.m., when we came on a large dry sandy
+creek, which we followed to the north-north-east till 1.50, when we found
+a shallow pool, at which we encamped. This creek had a sandy channel ten
+yards wide, with low banks, subject to flood to the breadth of fifty to
+eighty yards. Pandanus, melaleuca, and flooded-gum grow on its banks. The
+country generally is poor and stony, with paper-bark, gum, bloodwood, and
+narrow-leafed melaleuca. Shortly after reaching the creek the horse
+Monkey knocked up, though only carrying a pack-saddle since the 30th
+July; I therefore left the saddle, having removed all such portion of the
+fittings which might hereafter be useful. A few yards from our camp we
+found some spears and water vessels, which had been hidden under some
+sheets of bark by the blacks, who evidently were out hunting, as we heard
+them calling to each other in the afternoon, though they were not seen.
+These water vessels were formed by hollowing out a block of wood in the
+shape of a canoe, and had a capacity of three gallons, and it was evident
+that they possess tools of iron as also of stone.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 42 minutes 50 seconds;
+longitude by lunar distances 136 degrees 28 minutes.
+
+<p>10th August.
+
+<p>As there was a sufficient supply of grass and water, remained at the camp
+to rest the party. The morning was cloudy, but cleared up about 9 a.m.,
+and I observed a set of lunar distances. Dean brought in some jasper from
+a hill one mile north-west of the camp. He also reported that the creek
+appeared to trend to the north for eight or ten miles.
+
+<p>11th August.
+
+<p>We continued a south-east route at 7.40 a.m., ascending hills of
+limestone and sandstone, with an upper bed of basalt, which on the higher
+land to the south-west was again covered by sandstone. The trap or basalt
+was much decomposed, and contained fragments of lower rocks. At 1.40 p.m.
+camped on a fine but small creek, with permanent pools of water in a
+rocky channel from five to thirty yards wide. The country was well
+grassed and openly wooded with box, sterculia, leguminous ironbark, and
+terminalia.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 51 minutes 55 seconds.
+
+<p>12th August.
+
+<p>At 6.50 a.m. resumed a south-east course, traversing a broken country
+with limestone, chert, sandstone, and trap hills, deeply cut by dry
+watercourses. The grass was abundant and good, though triodia appeared on
+the higher ridges; at 7.0 crossed a small river, with fine permanent
+pools of water in a rocky bed ten to thirty yards wide. The floods rise
+twenty feet, and extend over a breadth of 70 to 100 yards. It is the
+largest stream-bed crossed since leaving the river, and may possibly
+drain the country to a distance of sixty miles to the southward. At 1.25
+camped on a small creek trending to the north-north-east, in which were
+pools twenty yards long and five feet deep.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 17 degrees 1 minute 31 seconds.
+
+<p>NATIVE FISHING NETS.
+
+<p>13th August.
+
+<p>Left the camp at 7.0 a.m. and continued a south-easterly course, crossing
+a succession of sandy valleys and broken sandstone hills; the strata
+horizontal, and lamina dipping to the north and east generally, but
+sometimes in the opposite direction; the soil poor and sandy, producing
+little besides white-gum and triodia. At noon ascended a high ridge, from
+which we saw a broad valley to the south-east, beyond which was a range
+of flat-topped hills terminating abruptly at the northern end, which bore
+east by north. Descending by a rocky ravine, at 1.30 p.m. reached a fine
+creek, on which we camped. This creek had deep pools of water fifty yards
+wide; but the steep rocky character of its banks caused the channel to
+appear larger than if it had been in a more level country. Under some
+large rocks Dean found a fishing-net made neatly of twisted bark, the
+mesh one and a half inch, the length perhaps thirty feet; some fishing
+spears showed the marks of iron tools. The rocks in this part of the
+country often contain angular fragments of the lower strata; thus the
+limestone includes fragments of chert and jasper, and the sandstone
+pieces of limestone, but I could not detect either granite, quartz, or
+slate.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 17 degrees 11 minutes 1 second.
+
+<p>14th August.
+
+<p>At 6.20 a.m. we were again in the saddle, and steered south-east across
+very rocky hills till 8.0, when we entered a fine valley with low hills
+of limestone and trap, well grassed and thinly wooded with box-trees and
+acacia; at 10.0 ascended a rough sandstone range with white-gum, acacia,
+and triodia; at 11.0 again descended into a valley bounded by sandstone
+cliffs on the northern side, and camped at a fine pool of water in a
+small creek at 12.5. Several trees near this pool of water had been
+marked by the blacks, the bark having been removed, the wood was painted
+yellow with brown spots at regular intervals, and vertical waved lines in
+black. It is evident from the outline of the hills that we are travelling
+on the edge of the tableland of Northern Australia, and this accounts for
+the small size of the watercourses, while the abrupt and broken nature of
+the hills has caused the rocks to form channels of sufficient size to
+retain water throughout the year, while the same disruption of the strata
+has exposed the limestone and trap-rock, has caused fertile patches of
+country, and thus enabled us to traverse a country which is otherwise
+barren and inhospitable in the extreme, our chief difficulty being the
+rocky character of the country, which can only be traversed with
+well-shod horses. It is possible that some small tracts of available
+country may exist between our track and the shores of the Gulf of
+Carpentaria, but to the south there is little to expect besides a barren
+sandy desert, as on every occasion that the tableland has been ascended,
+nothing but sandy worthless country has been encountered.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 17 minutes 56 seconds.
+
+<p>KANGAROO ABUNDANT.
+
+<p>15th August.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 6.35 a.m., and followed a large creek up to the
+south-east, and at 7.45 crossed it below a fine pool of water, above
+which the creek came from the south-west, in which direction the country
+consisted of low sandstone hills of barren aspect. We then crossed a few
+miles of sandy tableland and descended at 10.20 into a deep valley
+trending east. This brought us to a small creek with good water, on which
+we encamped at 11.30. The country is very poor and rocky, thinly wooded
+with box-trees in valleys and white-gum on the hills, where the grass is
+replaced by triodia. Kangaroos are more numerous than in any other part
+of Australia yet visited by the Expedition, and as many as twelve or
+fifteen have been seen each day. Early in the morning a light breeze from
+west; at 7.0 a fresh breeze from south-east which lasted till 4 p.m., and
+at sunset a light air from west.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 23 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+<p>16th August.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. steered south-east and followed the valley of the creek till
+8.0, when it turned to the north-east; continuing our course along the
+valley south-east, though there was now no watercourse in it, at 11.20
+came on a creek in a trap valley trending north-east, across the larger
+valley, and crossing a ridge of sandstone and basalt, came on a large
+creek trending north, in which were long pools of water fifteen to twenty
+yards wide. Following this creek upwards to the south-south-east, as the
+valley widened the water ceased for some distance, but at 12.40 p.m. came
+on a pool supplied by a spring at the upper end. Here we encamped, as
+there was some good grass. The rock which formed the hills on this day's
+journey is a hard red-brown sandstone, the lower part thin-bedded,
+beneath which trap or basalt has been forced between the strata, and was
+exposed in the deep valleys excavated by the creeks. The view at times
+extended twenty miles to the north-east over a level depressed country,
+beyond which were low ridges of hills. The country generally was poor and
+stony, thinly wooded with eucalypti and acacia, except when the basalt
+was exposed, and by its decomposition formed a richer soil, well covered
+with grass and very open in character.
+
+<p>17th August (Sunday).
+
+<p>Grass and water being sufficient, remained at the camp to rest the
+horses, though, as several had to be shod, it was not altogether a day of
+rest to the party. A fresh breeze from south-east cooled the air at noon,
+but died away towards sunset.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 32 minutes 11 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 135 degrees 51 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+<p>18th August.
+
+<p>Collected the horses early, but two of them appeared to be much griped
+from eating the coarse grass, and I therefore delayed starting till 7.40
+a.m., and then ascended the stony range to the south-east and reached the
+tableland. The soil was sandy with acacia scrub, paper-bark gum,
+stringybark, and bloodwood; at 10.0 the country became stony, with
+white-gum, tall acacia, and triodia, and we gradually ascended till the
+aneroid indicated an elevation of 1100 feet, and we appeared to be on a
+ridge parallel to the tableland of the interior and at a greater
+elevation; at 1.20 p.m. observed a clump of melaleuca in a deep rocky
+ravine, and steered south to it. Here we found a spring with a few acres
+of grass around it, and encamped.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 40 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+<p>BASALTIC RANGE. 1300 FEET ABOVE SEA.
+
+<p>19th August.
+
+<p>At 6.45 a.m. steered south-east and soon ascended a rocky range of
+altered sandstone and trap or basalt, thinly wooded with white-gum, tall
+acacia, and grevillia, triodia, and treraphis superseding the grass; at
+7.30 the aneroid indicated the greatest altitude (1300 feet) which we had
+attained since leaving the Victoria River. From this point the view was
+extensive to the north and south. Towards the interior the surface of the
+tableland, not being so elevated as our position, appeared like a vast
+level plain without any marked feature whatsoever. To the north the
+country appeared to consist of low ridges of wooded hills gradually
+decreasing in height as they receded. Southward our view was intercepted
+by broken wooded hills of equal elevation with our position, while deep
+ravines trending to the south intercepted our route. I therefore altered
+the course to 200 degrees magnetic, and descended a rocky valley in which
+was a small watercourse which enlarged into a considerable creek with
+large rocky waterholes. The hills consisted of basalt and altered
+sandstone, which dipped 20 degrees to 60 degrees to the north-west, and
+by their outcrop formed parallel ridges which we passed with difficulty
+and great risk to our horses; at 12.30 p.m. we extricated ourselves from
+these ridges and entered a level valley extending thirty miles to the
+north-east and south-west. Here granite rock was exposed on the bank of
+the creek, which now trended across the valley to the south-east, with a
+broad sandy bed from a quarter to half a mile in width, but quite dry and
+overgrown with bushes; at 4.5 reached the hills which bounded the valley
+to the south-east, and the creek entering a deep gorge which, by
+concentrating its waters, had formed a fine pool, at which we encamped.
+The country after leaving the basalt hills, where the valleys were well
+grassed, was barren and useless sand, gravel, and rock.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 53 minutes 42 seconds.
+
+<p>20th August.
+
+<p>We left our camp at 7.0 a.m., and finding the valley of the creek
+impassable, crossed the hills in an east-south-east direction, the
+country consisting of steep sandstone ridges covered with triodia and a
+few stunted eucalypti; at 3.0 p.m. we again attained the bank of the
+creek and camped in a small patch of coarse rushes, as there was no grass
+for the horses.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 58 minutes 7 seconds.
+
+<p>21st August.
+
+<p>Leaving this miserable spot with our starving horses, followed the creek,
+which had now increased to a small river, to the east-south-east, and
+after two hours' travelling reached a small patch of grass and camped at
+8.20 a.m.; the bed of the river is nearly dry, only a few shallow pools
+remaining in the sandy channel, which is ten to fifty yards wide, with
+smaller side channels, altogether occupying a breadth of nearly 200
+yards, dense clumps of melaleuca-trees growing in the intervening banks
+of sand; large quantities of unio-shell, some five and six inches in
+length, are found on the banks of the river near the camps of the blacks;
+Bowman complains of an attack of scurvy, which causes pains in his legs
+and swelling of the gums.
+
+<p>22nd August.
+
+<p>Although our yesterday's journey was only of two hours' duration, the
+horses appeared very weak and fatigued when we started at 6.45 am, and it
+was with great difficulty that Boco and Monkey could keep up with the
+rest of the horses; we were frequently compelled to leave the bank of the
+river and cross steep rocky ridges of sandstone rock; the country was
+very rugged and barren, producing little besides triodia and a few
+stunted gum-trees. The bed of the river increased to 400 yards in width,
+consisting of sandy channels with narrow banks of sand covered with large
+melaleuca-trees between them. At 1.5 p.m. camped in a small patch of dry
+wiry grass; procuring water from a small pool in the bed of the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 59 minutes 2 seconds.
+
+<p>THE NICHOLSON RIVER.
+
+<p>23rd August.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 7.15 a.m., following the right bank of the river
+to the east-north-east; it soon passed between two steep rocky hills and
+turned to the north. Continuing our course a short distance, rocky hills
+compelled us to turn north-north-east to regain the banks of the river,
+following an ana-branch till 11.0 a.m., when it joined the main channel,
+which then trended north-east; at 11.30 came to a small grassy flat,
+along the banks of the river, and camped. The valley of the river is now
+more open, but the country of very barren character, with stunted
+eucalypti and triodia on the hills, and melaleuca and flooded-gum trees,
+with a little grass, on the bank of the river. The hills have decreased
+in height, the upper strata thick-bedded coarse sandstone with sandstone
+shale beneath; hard white sandstone exists in some of the lower ridges.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 56 minutes 37 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 138 degrees 22 minutes 7 seconds.
+
+<p>24th August (Sunday).
+
+<p>Although this was not a good spot for a day's halt, yet it was requisite
+the horses should have a day's rest, and, as it was Sunday, remained at
+the camp. While collecting the horses a native woman and child were seen
+at a distance, in the bed of the river; but on being approached hid
+themselves in the reeds, and though the grass was set on fire in several
+places by the blacks, they were not seen again.
+
+<p>25th August.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey down the river at 8.5 a.m., the general course being
+east; at 2.35 p.m. camped at a nymphae pool in one of the side channels
+of the river. The country was now more level and open, with grassy flats
+along the river, but the back country rose into low rocky sandstone
+hills, thinly clothed with white-gum and triodia. At noon we crossed a
+sandstone ridge, from which the view was extensive, but, except on a
+range of hills fifteen miles north of our position and terminating
+abruptly on a north-east bearing, there was nothing visible but low and
+flat wooded country. The bed of the river is a quarter of a mile wide,
+consisting of broad sandy channels with low sandy ridges between covered
+with melaleuca and acacia trees. Some of the party walked down the river
+and came to the camp of some blacks; but only one lame old man remained,
+who made a great noise to frighten away the invaders of his country.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+<p>26th August.
+
+<p>Followed down the river from 6.45 a.m. till 1.40 p.m., the general course
+being east. The country is now more level, and ironstone conglomerate
+forms low steep banks to the river, the bed of which is unchanged, being
+broad dry sandy channels. The back country shows no improvement, and is
+covered with triodia. Some blacks were seen on the left bank of the
+river, but though within hearing of our horses' bells, did not appear to
+notice us.
+
+<p>Latitude by z and a Aquilae 17 degrees 54 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+<p>27th August.
+
+<p>The course of the river continued nearly east, and we followed its right
+bank from 7.30 a.m. till 1.5 p.m., when we camped at a fine pool of water
+in one of the side channels, the main channel continuing dry and sandy.
+The country on the immediate bank of the river was openly wooded with
+box, flooded-gum, leguminous ironbark, and melia, and was scantily
+grassed; the soil a brown sandy loam. Beyond the influence of the floods
+the ground was quite level; small terminalia, broad-leafed melaleuca, and
+silver-leafed ironbark, with dry triodia, formed the entire vegetation of
+this worthless plain. Ironstone conglomerate and sandstone boulders are
+the only rocks visible.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 56 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+<p>A FINE STREAM OF RUNNING WATER.
+
+<p>28th August.
+
+<p>Our day's journey commenced at 7.0 a.m., and following the right bank of
+the river to the east-south-east till 12.45 p.m., encamped in the bed of
+the river, which was nearly half a mile wide from bank to bank, the
+principal channel, eighty yards wide, was shallow and sandy, with a few
+small pools of water at intervals. The side channels of similar
+character, but smaller and without water. Beyond the bed the banks rose
+abruptly about thirty feet, and then appeared to decline as it receded,
+and no higher ground was visible. The soil was a sandy loam, thinly
+timbered with small box-trees and scanty grass.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega and b Cygni 18 degrees 1 minute 3 seconds.
+
+<p>29th August.
+
+<p>At 7.20 a.m. steered east through level box flats, the country gradually
+becoming more open and better grassed, though very scantily; at noon
+crossed some open grassy plains, and altered the course to north-east,
+north-north-east, and north, and at 3.20 p.m. again came on the bank of
+the river and encamped at a small pool of water; the rest of the channel,
+which exceeded a quarter of a mile in width, being dry and overgrown with
+large melaleuca and flooded-gum trees. The general character of the
+country is a level plain about forty feet above the level of the river,
+thinly wooded with box and a few bloodwood, acacia, and bauhinia trees;
+the soil a brown loam, and the grass, though scanty, of good quality, but
+at this season very dry.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 55 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+<p>30th August.
+
+<p>At 6.50 a.m. steered east-north-east through box flats and open grassy
+flats, the course of the river nearly parallel to our route; at 10.10
+came to a large tributary creek from the south. Its principal channel was
+30 yards wide, with pools separated by dry banks, but two small side
+channels existed with small running stream. After half an hour's delay,
+we succeeded in crossing without further accident than resulted from some
+of the pack-horses falling down the bank into the water and wetting their
+packs, and getting a ducking myself, which wetted the chronometers.
+Water-pandanus, fan-palm, and casuarina formed a belt of trees along the
+bank of the stream, which bore quite a different character to that of the
+dry sandy bed of the river above the junction. Continuing our route, at
+12.5 p.m. came to a second running creek, but of smaller size. This we
+crossed and followed down to the east till 1.5, when we encamped. Here we
+observed that, though the water was fresh, yet it was affected by the
+tide, which was now at the highest spring.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 52 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+<p>THE ALBERT RIVER. A MARKED TREE.
+
+<p>31st August (Sunday).
+
+<p>Rode down the creek with Mr. H. Gregory. At two miles from the camp came
+to the junction of a smaller creek from the south, the two forming a fine
+reach of water, which we recognised as the Albert River of Captain
+Stokes. This spot between the two creeks was the rendezvous appointed for
+the two sections of the Expedition, and though, from the short period
+which had elapsed since leaving the Victoria, the Tom Tough could
+scarcely be expected to have arrived before us, on approaching the spot
+we saw several marked trees:
+
+<p>CHUMLUT + arrow pointing up ORE RCH TO 1856,
+
+<p>but were disappointed in our hope that the vessel had reached the Albert,
+as these marks consisted of several names of seamen, who appeared to have
+formed the crew of a boat sent up the river by H.M. steamer Torch. Search
+was made for directions for finding any memorandum which might have been
+concealed, as I first thought it probable that the object of the visit
+might have been to communicate with the Expedition; but the nature of the
+inscriptions and the absence of anything which led to even a surmise of
+what was the object of the visit caused us to come to the conclusion that
+it had no reference to the North Australian Expedition. From the state of
+the ashes of the fire and branches of the trees which had been cut and
+broken, it appeared that several weeks had elapsed, and consequently the
+Torch was not likely to still be in or near the river. In accordance with
+arrangements made with Mr. Baines, I marked a tree thus:
+
+<p>NAE AUG 30 DIG1YD TO E.
+
+<p>in order to apprise him of our having reached the Albert, and of our
+prospective movements. Returning to the camp, wrote a memorandum of the
+visit of the Expedition and a note to Mr. Baines, informing him that we
+intended leaving other marks and memoranda at the junction of the
+salt-water arm of the river, and then continue without delay our route
+towards Moreton Bay. These memoranda were enclosed in a powder-canister,
+and Messrs. Elsey and Bowman took them down to the marked tree and buried
+them. In the afternoon rode over with Mr. H. Gregory towards the
+Nicholson River, crossing Beame's Brook. Steered north-north-east four
+and a half miles over a level grassy plain with stripes of box-trees. As
+we could see four or five miles farther, and no indication of the river,
+returned to the camp, having ascertained that the Nicholson River does
+not join the Albert, unless many miles below the junction of Beame's
+Brook with the South Creek, which together form the Albert River.
+
+<p>1st September.
+
+<p>At 7.40 a.m. steered east to the South Creek, which we found at the
+distance of two miles, and followed it up for an hour in search of a
+crossing place, as the channel was very muddy. A suitable spot having
+been found, we filled up the channel, which was two yards wide, with
+pandanus stems, and crossed the horses over without accident. Steering
+east-north-east two miles across wide level plains, with patches of
+box-trees, turned north at noon and struck the Albert just below the
+junction of the South Creek and Beame's Brook. Finding the water
+brackish, we did not proceed farther down the river, and encamped. The
+existence of a narrow belt of mangrove along the bank of the river
+indicates that the water is often salt to the head of the Albert.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 51 minutes 55 seconds.
+
+<p>2nd September.
+
+<p>The water in the river being very brackish, it became evident that we
+should be unable to procure fresh water if we followed it towards the
+sea, and therefore I decided on leaving the letters I had written to Mr.
+Baines at this spot, and accordingly marked a tree thus:
+
+<p>NAEXPDN AUG 30 1856 DIG2YDN
+
+<p>and buried a tin canister with letters, stating that the exploring party
+was to start the following morning for Moreton Bay, and instructing Mr.
+Baines to remain at the Albert till the 29th September, 1856, in case any
+unforeseen circumstance should compel the party to return to the Albert
+within that period. Five months' flour, tea, sugar, etc., and three
+months' supply of meat at full ration still remained; and as our horses
+would supply the deficiency of meat, if required, we have sufficient
+quantity of provisions to enable the party to reach the settled part of
+New South Wales, unless extraordinary difficulties should be encountered;
+under the circumstances it did not appear prudent to delay at the Albert
+River, as the arrival of the Tom Tough might be deferred for an
+indefinite period.
+
+<p>3rd September.
+
+<p>Left our camp at 6.45 a.m., and steered east over level box-flats and
+open grassy plains; at 10.0 came on a small creek, which we followed half
+an hour to the north-east, when we came to salt-water, which had been
+left in pools at high tides. I therefore steered south-east till 5.0 p.m.
+and camped at a shallow pool in a large creek trending north. The country
+consists of vast open level plains, separated by narrow belts of box and
+terminalia trees; the soil a brown clay loam, producing rather short and
+dry grass. On approaching the waterhole at which we encamped, a black and
+three or four women were found camped on the opposite side of the creek;
+they climbed the trees and remained among the branches till dusk, when
+they descended to their fires and made a great noise till 9.0, when they
+decamped. This creek is probably the head of the salt-water arm of the
+Albert River or of the Disaster River.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 2 minutes 5 seconds; variation of compass 4
+degrees east.
+
+<p>THE "PLAINS OF PROMISE," LEICHHARDT RIVER.
+
+<p>4th September.
+
+<p>Continued a south-east course through large open plains thinly grassed;
+passed a dry watercourse with a small waterhole in one of the back
+channels, but insufficient for our horses, and at noon camped at a
+shallow waterhole in a grassy flat. Mr. Elsey walked half a mile to the
+eastward; came to a river eighty yards wide, but observing some blacks,
+returned to the camp. In the evening nine blacks came towards us, and
+appeared inclined to hostilities; but, after a short interview, retired
+up the creek. These blacks were not circumcised, and their teeth were
+perfect; they had neither ornaments or any description of clothing, and
+were slightly scarred on the back and chest. Their spears were large and
+heavy, made of a single piece of wood, and thrown by hand; they had also
+smaller ones of reed, with wooden points, which were thrown with the
+throwing board, which were flattened vertically; clubs two and a half
+feet long and two and a half inches in diameter, and shields formed of a
+single piece of wood two and a half feet long and three inches wide. The
+river proved to be fresh, and in pools separated by rock flats, and is
+evidently the same that Dr. Leichhardt supposed to be the Albert--a
+mistake which has caused considerable error in the maps of his route; as
+it was not named, I called it the Leichhardt. The character of the
+country is inferior, as the grass which covers the plains is principally
+aristidia and andropogon; anthisteria or kangaroo grass only in small
+patches. The soil is a good brown loam.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 11 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+<p>ATTACK BY THE NATIVES.
+
+<p>5th September.
+
+<p>At daybreak we heard the blacks making a great noise up the river, and
+while the horses were being brought in nineteen blacks came to the camp,
+all armed with clubs and spears. They did not make any hostile
+demonstration, and the approach of the horses appeared to keep them in
+check; and a person unacquainted with the treacherous character of the
+Australian might have thought them friendly. When we started at 6.50 a.m.
+they followed the party to the bank of the river, and began to ship their
+spears, and when we were crossing a deep ravine made a rush on us with
+their spears poised ready to throw them at us, hoping to take advantage
+of our position; but just as their leader was in the act of throwing his
+spear he received a charge of small shot. This checked them, and we
+charged them on horseback, and with a few shots from our revolvers put
+them to flight, except one man, who climbed a tree, where we left him, as
+our object was only to procure our own safety, and that with as little
+injury to the blacks as possible. We did not pursue our advantage; by
+following the fugitives. Proceeding down the river a short distance, at
+7.40 crossed to the right bank on a ledge of flat rocks. It was here
+about 100 yards wide, with shallow reaches of water, the banks rising
+steep--thirty to forty feet. Very little vegetation grew on the banks,
+which appeared to result from salt water occasionally reaching this part
+at very high tides. We now steered east over level grassy plains, with
+patches of box and terminalia. Passed a small but deep waterhole, near
+which were two black gins, who did not appear to notice us. At 10.0 the
+country was covered with an open scrub of terminalia, with silvery
+leaves, and triodia replaced the grass. At noon passed a small rocky
+gully with a waterhole, which our horses quite emptied of its contents.
+Altering the course to north-east, the country was covered with melaleuca
+scrub, with silver-leafed ironbark, triodia, and a little grass; but we
+soon re-entered the open plains which extended to the north, and,
+following a watercourse at 3.5 p.m. camped at a small muddy waterhole, on
+the banks of which the blacks had often encamped, as shown by the heaps
+of mussel-shells round their fireplaces. Our route has been along the
+southern limit of the open grassy plains, and to the south the country
+rises into low ridges and stony plains, covered with scrub and triodia.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 7 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>6th September.
+
+<p>Starting at 6.25 a.m. our route was average east over a level country of
+very bad quality; the soil ironstone gravel, producing terminalia,
+triodia, and silk cotton-trees (Cochospermum gregoranum). Towards the
+latter part of the stage the country improved, becoming more open and
+grassy. At 12.15 camped on a large creek with a shallow pool of muddy
+water.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 9 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>7th September (Sunday).
+
+<p>Remained at the camp to rest the party. A strong south-east wind blew
+during the night, and the day was cool and clear; the air very dry.
+Repaired our saddle-bags, which, from frequent contact with rocks and
+dead trees, were much dilapidated.
+
+<p>8th September.
+
+<p>Steered east-south-east from 6.40 am to 11.40, crossing low ironstone
+ridges and wide grassy plains, with belts of box, terminalia, white-gum,
+and silver-leafed ironbark of small size; the grass very inferior, with
+patches of triodia on the ridges; then traversed a level country covered
+with small trees and dry grass for two hours, after which we followed a
+dry watercourse, with large hollows in its bed, to the north-north-west
+for one hour; the shells of large unios abundant, but no water; altered
+the course to the east; passed two lines of box-trees crossing the plain
+from the south to the north, and at 5.50 p.m. camped in the plain without
+water; a strong breeze from the south-east during the day had rendered
+the heat less oppressive than usual.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 12 minutes 40 seconds; variation of compass 5
+degrees east.
+
+<p>THE FLINDERS RIVER.
+
+<p>9th September.
+
+<p>Left our waterless camp at 6.10 a.m., steering north 50 degrees east
+magnetic over a level grassy plain; at 9.40 reached a fine river of fresh
+water 100 yards wide, but very shallow; pelicans, ducks, and other
+water-fowl were numerous, but very shy and wild; here we camped, although
+the grass was very inferior on the immediate banks of the river, the
+surface of the soil being very much furrowed by the rain; small fragments
+of limestone and a few quartz pebbles have been observed on the surface
+of the plain for the past twenty miles, and a dark limestone rock is
+exposed in the bed of the river, where it has horizontal stratification;
+fragments of flinty slate and trap exist in the gravel of the bed of the
+river, which, from its position, must be the Flinders River of the
+charts.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 18 degrees 8 minutes 41 seconds; variation of
+compass 4 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+<p>10th September.
+
+<p>6.10 a.m. again found us in the saddle, and crossing the right bank
+followed it to the south-south-east till 7.20, when it turned to the
+south-south-west, and changing our course to the east, passed through a
+fine grassy plain for two miles, and entered a level open box-flat, well
+grassed, the soil a brown loam; this continued till 2.30 p.m., when we
+entered a belt of terminalia, and at 1.0 reached a small watercourse, and
+camped at a fine waterhole fifty yards wide and 100 yards long,
+apparently deep and permanent water, with open grassy banks; this
+waterhole would render a great extent of the fine grassy country around
+available for pasturage; in passing through the box forest we observed
+several sleeping places which had been constructed by the blacks during
+the wet season; they consisted of four stakes two feet high, supporting a
+platform of small sticks five feet long and two and a half feet wide;
+three to twenty of these frames would be grouped together, and were
+frequent till we reached the Gilbert River.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 10 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>11th September.
+
+<p>At 6.20 a.m. steered east for one hour through level box and terminalia
+flats, with good grass and brown loam; came to a fine lagoon eighty yards
+wide and nearly one mile long; beyond this was a creek with small pools
+of water; as it appeared to come from the south-east, we steered in that
+direction, but soon receded from it, as its course changed to
+south-south-east, and altering our course more to the southward, at noon
+came again on the creek, much reduced in size; melaleuca scrub and
+triodia growing close to its banks, and only a few shallow pools of
+water, nearly dried up, and very little grass; at 12.25 p.m. camped at a
+small pool. On the banks of the lagoon passed in the morning large heaps
+of mussel-shells showed the spots where, from the vast accumulation, the
+blacks had for many centuries camped successively on the same spots, and
+a well-beaten footpath along the bank showed that it was a favourite
+resort of the aboriginals. The common flies are very troublesome; very
+few birds, and no kangaroos have been seen during the last few days'
+journey.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 18 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+<p>12th September.
+
+<p>The course of the creek being from the south and water very scarce in its
+bed, it does not appear that we have yet reached the streams rising in
+the high land at the head of the Burdekin and Lynd rivers; it therefore
+appeared expedient to steer an east-north-east course till some
+stream-bed of sufficient size to retain water at this season can be
+found, and then to follow it up to the ranges where alone water can be
+expected to be found to enable us to steer to the south-east. At an
+earlier season of the year, when water is abundant, it would be more
+desirable to ascend the Flinders, and cross from its upper branches to
+the head of the Clark; but under present circumstances this course would
+be highly imprudent, and no experimental deviations from the most direct
+course would be justifiable. The grass being scanty, the horses had
+scattered much, and we did not leave the camp till 10.20 a.m., when we
+steered east-north-east. A short mile from our camp passed four blacks at
+a pool of water; they did not observe us till we had passed, though only
+100 yards distant, and the country very open. Our route was through a
+level country, wooded with box, bloodwood, terminalia, grevillia, and
+broad-leafed melaleuca, triodia, and patches of grass. The soil is a hard
+ironstone gravel and clay. Passing several dry beds of shallow lagoons,
+came to a small dry watercourse coming from the east; at 12.20 p.m.
+camped at a shallow pool of water scarcely four inches deep. Near the
+camp were some fine grassy flats, but limited in extent, and the grass
+very dry. The cool southerly breezes have ceased, and the north-east and
+westerly winds are light and very warm.
+
+<p>Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 14 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+<p>13th September.
+
+<p>At 8.5 a.m. steered east-north-east through box-flats with broad-leafed
+melaleuca, with a little grass. The country gradually became more scrubby
+with grevillia, terminalia, bloodwood, and triodia; the soil very poor,
+and in some parts sand and gravel. At 2.0 p.m. altered the course to
+north, and at 5.50 came to a dry creek in a rocky channel trending west,
+which we followed down till 6.15, and camped without water.
+
+<p>14th September (Sunday).
+
+<p>At 5.50 proceeded down the creek on a nearly west course, searching the
+channel in its winding course for water, but without success, till 10.0,
+when we found a pool of good water fifty yards long and two feet deep, at
+which we encamped. Some blacks had been camped at this pool, and their
+fires were still burning. The country on the creek is very poor, with
+patches of open melaleuca scrub, box, bloodwood, leguminous ironbark,
+terminalia, white-gum, and a few pandanus, triodia, and a little very dry
+grass. The soil sandstone, with ironstone gravel. The native bee appears
+to be very numerous, and great numbers of trees have been cut by the
+blacks to obtain the honey.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 59 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+<p>LEVEL COUNTRY. SCARCITY OF WATER.
+
+<p>15th September.
+
+<p>At 8.15 a.m. resumed our journey north 10 degrees magnetic, over a very
+level country thinly wooded with box, bloodwood, melaleuca, terminalia,
+grevillia, and cotton-trees, also a small tree which we recognised as
+Leichhardt's little bread-tree, the fruit of which, when ripe, is mealy
+and acid, but made some of the party, who ate it, sick. Several dry
+watercourses trending west were crossed, and at 2.5 p.m. camped at a
+small waterhole in a sandy creek, fifteen yards wide. By enlarging the
+hole we obtained, though with difficulty, a sufficient supply of water
+for our horses. On the flats near the creek the grass was good, but very
+dry.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 46 minutes 11 seconds.
+
+<p>16th September.
+
+<p>Although our horses required a day's rest, none of our camps for some
+days had afforded a sufficient supply of water and grass for a second
+night; we therefore continued a north 20 degrees east course at 6.25
+a.m.; at 7.30 a.m. came to a creek which we followed east an hour and a
+half, when it was reduced to a small gully, and again steered
+north-north-east, passing over much poor country with patches of
+melaleuca scrub, the country perfectly level; at 2.0 p.m. came to a sandy
+creek which we followed to the west till 6.5 p.m. without any water;
+camped in an open grassy box flat; I then walked down the creek, and was
+fortunate in finding a pool of water half a mile distant, and as soon as
+the moon rose we drove the horses to the water and filled our
+saddle-bags. Few parts of our journey have been through country so
+destitute of animal life as the level plain we have traversed since
+leaving the Flinders River--no kangaroo or even their track; emu tracks
+very rare, and very few birds were at the waterholes. Many of the
+sleeping-frames of the blacks have been observed, and thousands of deep
+impressions of their feet in the now dry and sun-baked clay show that
+during the rainy season the extremely level nature of the country causes
+it to be extensively inundated.
+
+<p>17th September.
+
+<p>The supply of water and grass being sufficient, we remained at this camp
+to refresh the horses, which had suffered much from the long stages.
+
+<p>Latitude by Capella 17 degrees 34 minutes 5 seconds; variation of compass
+4 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+<p>DRIED HORSE-FLESH.
+
+<p>18th September.
+
+<p>Starting at 7.0 a.m., steered north 10 degrees east magnetic till 12.30
+p.m., crossing a level country with frequent hollows which form lagoons
+in the wet season, reaching a sandy creek with several channels, which we
+searched in vain for water; but found a fine lagoon about a quarter of a
+mile from it, in a grassy flat, in which we encamped. The country
+generally was more open, with grassy box-flats; melaleuca scrubs less
+frequent. As this camp appeared suitable for a halt of a few days, I
+decided on availing ourselves of the opportunity, and to kill one of the
+unserviceable horses and replenish our stock of meat and supply the party
+with fresh provisions. Old Boco, who had not carried a pack since leaving
+the Albert, and whose wandering and kicking propensities had rendered him
+a troublesome animal, was therefore shot, skinned and quartered.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 21 minutes 20 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees 15 minutes east.
+
+<p>19th September.
+
+<p>The horse was cut into thin slices and hung on ropes to dry by 10.0 a.m.,
+the liver and heart furnishing the party with an excellent dinner.
+
+<p>20th September.
+
+<p>The night had been cloudy, but the meat dried well, and promised to be
+fit to pack the following day, the weather being very hot with little
+wind. Reduced the ration of flour to three-quarters of a pound per diem
+while fresh meat is abundant.
+
+<p>21st September.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 8.15 a.m. and traversed on a course north 40
+degrees east a level plain grassy country thinly wooded with box,
+bloodwood, and terminalia, etc. The soil a dark loam of good quality, but
+very wet in the rainy season. At 11.30 a.m. came on a large creek or
+river with many sandy channels in which only a few small pools of water
+remained; followed it up to the east-south-east through fine open grassy
+flats till 2.35 p.m. and camped in the bed of the river. The banks of the
+river (which is probably the Gilbert of Leichhardt) are well grassed, and
+a dense line of melaleuca, leucodendron, flooded-gum, and morinda, mark
+its course through the plain; but being divided into many channels its
+size is difficult to ascertain. Considerable quantities of mica are mixed
+with the soil on its banks, which indicates that it rises in country of
+primary formation. Two kangaroos, some wallabies, and pink and
+sulphur-crested white cockatoos were seen near the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 18 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+<p>THE GILBERT RIVER.
+
+<p>22nd September.
+
+<p>Leaving our camp at 7.25 a.m., steered north 120 degrees east across the
+plains on the left bank of the river, and at 1.30 p.m. camped at a small
+pool in the sandy bed of the Gilbert, which is broad, sandy, and retains
+very little water. Fragments of porphyry, quartz, and black slate are
+abundant in the drift, and mica, iserine, and minute garnets exist.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 25 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+<p>23rd September.
+
+<p>At 7.5 a.m. continued our journey up the river's left bank, the average
+course south-east by east; at 2.50 p.m., camped at a small pool in the
+bed of the river; the principal channel is 200 yards wide, and the
+smaller ones occupy a breadth of half a mile; the banks are low, and the
+country quite level, thinly wooded with box-trees; the grass good, but
+not thick; water very scarce, except by digging in the sand of the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Cygni 17 degrees 36 minutes; variation of compass 5 degrees
+east.
+
+<p>24th September.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. steered south-east, and at 8.0 crossed to the right bank of
+the river, the channel 300 yards wide, with banks fifteen feet high,
+beyond which the ground gradually declined, so that when the river
+overflows a great extent of country must be inundated. Continuing our
+course, the river turned more to the south, and we passed through some
+poor stunted forest of eucalypti, alternating with grassy box-flats. At
+noon altered the course south-south-east, and at 12.30 p.m. camped at a
+chain of small lagoons in the shade of some fine nonda-trees.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 45 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+<p>25th September.
+
+<p>At 6.35 a.m. steered south-east through an open melaleuca scrub, the soil
+sandy loam, thinly grassed; acacia, bloodwood, silver-leafed ironbark,
+and grevillia forming open patches of wood at intervals. At noon turned
+south, and at 1.35 p.m. camped at a small lagoon nearly dry and half a
+mile from the bank of the river; a few hills rose close to the south-west
+of the river opposite our camp, the lower ridges grassy, the higher hills
+wooded, but not exceeding 500 feet above the plain. The bed of the river
+is broad, dry, and sandy, and the box-flats much reduced in width, seldom
+exceeding a mile. At 5.0 p.m. there was a heavy squall with rain and
+lightning, followed by a cloudy night and moderate breeze from the south.
+
+<p>26th September.
+
+<p>At 6.45 a.m. resumed our route, and, following up the right bank of the
+river in a south-east direction till 2.0 p.m., when we camped in the
+sandy bed of the river, procuring water from a small hole in the sand.
+The country on the banks of the river consisted of box flats, some parts
+well grassed, but usually very poor; this extended about half a mile, and
+then changed gradually to a poor country with little grass and small
+eucalypti and melaleuca, the soil gravel and sand. The bed of the river
+continues to be about 300 yards wide, dry, and sandy; a line of
+melaleuca, morinda, flooded-gum and fig trees, grow along it and mark its
+course.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Aquilae 18 degrees 10 minutes 10 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+<p>27th September.
+
+<p>Steered an average south-east course up the river from 6.40 a.m. till 1.0
+p.m., when we camped at some pools of water in a side channel of the
+river, where it was divided by a hillock of slate-rock. The country is
+inferior in quality, the flats narrowing to an average of half a mile
+with very dry and thinly scattered tufts of grass. The bed of the river
+is better defined, and formed at times a single channel 250 yards wide,
+dry and sandy, as water was only once seen during the day. Low rocky
+ridges of sandstone gradually approached its banks, and near the camp
+porphyry, slate, and coarse granite formed detached hills 50 to 100 feet
+high, seeming to indicate an approach to the ranges in which the stream
+takes its rise.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 15 minutes 21 seconds.
+
+<p>GRANITE, PORPHYRY, AND SLATE.
+
+<p>28th September (Sunday).
+
+<p>Walked out from the camp to a low hill about one mile south-south-east.
+It was composed of granite at the base and capped with horizontal strata
+of sandstone, some of the beds containing large water-worn pebbles, and
+the superstratum highly ferruginous. To the south-west of this hill the
+rock was slate, the strata nearly vertical; the strike north and south,
+but much contorted, and large pebbles of porphyry, quartz, slate,
+granite, sandstone, and agate formed banks in the bed of the river. The
+country, as seen from the hill, was generally level in appearance, but
+consisted of numerous low ridges and detached hills of granite, with
+sandstone on the summits. The valley of the river extended to the east
+and south, and a large branch appeared to join from the south about ten
+miles lower down, as a valley and some ranges of hills trended in that
+direction. The whole face of the country had an arid and desolate aspect,
+as there were no large trees except along the principal watercourses, and
+many of the hills appeared destitute of any other vegetation besides
+small acacias and scrub trees, the bare rock showing through its scanty
+covering.
+
+<p>29th September.
+
+<p>At 7.15 a.m. again steered east up the river, the country level and
+timbered with stringybark, box, bloodwood, leguminous ironbark, and rusty
+gum; the soil a red sandy loam, thinly grassed; at 10.30 a.m. came to low
+hills and ridges of granite and porphyry, timbered with box, leguminous
+ironbark, terminalia, and the grass somewhat improved. Altered the course
+at 11.0 a.m. to the south to close in with the river; but after crossing
+a great number of dry watercourses, and even steering west, only reached
+the bank of the river at sunset. The channel was dry, and all the
+vegetation had disappeared, only a barren waste of coarse sand and gravel
+180 yards wide, with bare rocky banks, showed that it had once been a
+running stream. A few small hollows in the rocks retained water from the
+late rain, but not sufficient for our horses, and though we found a small
+pool in the sand, it was insufficient for the supply of the party.
+Encamped at 6.0 p.m. The geological structure of this portion of the
+country is wholly dissimilar to any other part of North Australia we have
+yet traversed. Granite, porphyry, and slate are the prevailing rocks. The
+whole appear to have been subjected to considerable disturbance, as the
+slate is much broken and contorted, and in several parts altered by
+contact with the porphyry, and no definite strike or dip appeared to
+exist. The porphyry is of a red-brown colour, consisting of grey paste
+with crystal of felspar and angular fragments of slate and granite
+sometimes one foot in length. The granite contains little mica, and the
+quartz frequently is arranged in rhomboidal crystals nearly parallel to
+each other; it readily decomposes, and from the predominance of quartz
+forms a coarse gritty soil. Quartz-rock forms large beds and veins in the
+granite, and has a general trend north and south. It often contains
+crystals of mica, and therefore not likely to contain metals. In washing
+the sand of the river near Camp 83, only a small quantity of titaniferous
+iron remained after the removal of the quartz and mica. It was in this
+locality that the Gilbert Gold Field was afterwards discovered.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 25 minutes 33 seconds.
+
+<p>30th September.
+
+<p>Moved the camp about one mile higher up the river to some small pools of
+water, and then with Mr. H. Gregory ascended the hills to the south of
+the camp. From the highest ridge the course of the river was visible for
+nearly twenty miles, trending first seven miles south-south-west and then
+south-south-east; at the bend a branch appeared to join from
+west-south-west, in which direction the country appeared very flat for
+fifteen or twenty miles, as only a few distant hills were visible; from
+north round to south-east the country was very broken and hilly, rising
+highest to the north-east, but the view was limited to eight or ten
+miles; south-east a valley opened through hills, and more distant ranges
+were indistinctly seen beyond. The whole aspect of the country was
+barren, rock forming the principal feature. Returning to the camp,
+collected a quantity of the clustered figs on the bank of the creek; this
+fruit is rather insipid.
+
+<p>1st October.
+
+<p>Steering an average south-south-east course from 7.40 a.m. till 2.40
+p.m., camped on the right bank of the river, which first came from
+south-west and then from south-east, throwing off two branches to the
+south-west, and was thereby diminished to 100 yards wide at our camp;
+only one creek and some gullies joined from the east, although the
+country in that direction was hilly; the bed of the river was still dry
+and sandy; water very scarce. Slate, quartz, schist, granite, and trap
+are the principal rocks, and by their decomposition do not produce a soil
+favourable to vegetation, the country becoming more desolate as we
+advanced. The only trees which retain their verdure are those which grow
+on the banks of the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 40 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+<p>RECONNOITRE TO THE EASTWARD.
+
+<p>2nd October.
+
+<p>The river above the camp coming from the south-south-west, it appeared
+desirable to pursue a more eastern course, and I therefore started from
+the camp at 6.30 a.m., accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, to reconnoitre the
+country, steering east three miles over low slate hills (the strata
+dipping 60 degrees to 80 degrees to south by west); ascended a hill from
+which a range of hills were seen eight to ten miles to the east of a
+creek rising in them and joining the river near the camp to the
+east-south-east; at the head of the creek a gap in the hills showed a
+more distant range of hills; steering in this direction, came to the
+creek with a sandy and rocky bed ten yards wide and perfectly dry;
+ascending the range of hills, found them to consist of gneiss, schist,
+and slate, trap existing on the lower ridges. A large valley extended
+across our course to the east, beyond which a range of flat-topped hills
+or tableland bounded the horizon. Descending to the east the country
+improved and granite constituted the principal rock, ironbark and a few
+box-trees forming an open forest which on some of the ridges was well
+grassed; the soil a red loam. At 2.0 p.m. came on a small river with a
+dry sandy bed eighty yards wide; following it down to the south found a
+small pool of water in a hollow in the sand; here we halted till 3.30,
+and then followed the river south-west, south-east, south-west, west, and
+south; at 6.10 ascended a hill on the left hand, from which we saw that
+the river turned west and north-west, breaking through the hills and
+joining the Gilbert River. Having ascertained that we were still on a
+western watercourse, we bivouacked near the river without water.
+
+<p>3rd October.
+
+<p>At daybreak steered north-west, crossing several rocky ridges of hills,
+and at 2.0 p.m. reached the camp. Nothing of importance had occurred
+during our absence; the horses had improved by the two days' rest.
+
+<p>4th October.
+
+<p>At 7.15 a.m. left the camp, and, following an average east-south-east
+course for seven hours, reached the pools found on the 2nd, in the upper
+branch of the Gilbert River, and encamped. As this route nearly coincided
+with that on the 2nd, nothing was seen worthy of farther notice.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 47 minutes 54 seconds.
+
+<p>5th October.
+
+<p>At 6.45 a.m. left the camp and followed up the river in an
+east-north-east direction for three miles; water was abundant in the
+gullies owing to a heavy shower some days previous. Beyond three miles
+the water ceased and the country was dry and parched. Low hills of schist
+trap and granite formed a country near the river, and farther back high
+ranges bounded the valley; they appeared to be flat-topped and with
+horizontal strata of sandstone on the summits. At noon the river had
+divided into several small branches, and the character of the country did
+not promise the existence of water within the space of a day's journey;
+we returned down the river to the last water we had seen, and camped
+about three miles north-east of our last camp. As there was little
+prospect of finding water again till the range to the east of our present
+position was crossed, I decided on reconnoitring the country before
+moving the party farther, and as the weather promised to continue fine,
+the horse Monkey was shot and skinned preparatory to drying the meat
+during my absence.
+
+<p>6th October.
+
+<p>At 6.5 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory, steering nearly east,
+crossed the south branch of the river, and reached the base of the higher
+range at 9.30; here we found a small spring a quarter of a mile south of
+a remarkable hill formed of a single mass of bare rock completely
+honeycombed by the action of the atmosphere; ascended the range, which
+consisted of porphyry with horizontal sandstone on the summit; we
+continued our east course over rocky hills with dry watercourses trending
+north; the grass was very thin and dry; and the country was openly wooded
+with acacia, eucalypti, cypress, etc., none of which attained a large
+size; at 1.30 p.m. halted to rest the horses, and searching among the
+rocks in the gullies obtained about three quarts of water by digging; at
+2.45 resumed our route, traversing a hilly country, and at 4.15 ascended
+a granite hill with sandstone summit, from which the view was very
+extensive. Large valleys seemed to join and trend from south to north,
+and were bounded by ranges, except to the east, where a level plain or
+wide valley extended to the horizon. In the valley a line of green trees
+five miles distant marked the course of a creek. Descending the range we
+encountered a very rocky country with deep gullies, in one of which we
+found a few gallons of water, which our horses consumed. As there was no
+grass here, we pushed on till dusk, and bivouacked in a small patch of
+grass by the side of a dry gully. The country east of the range is
+entirely granitic; grass very scanty, and very thinly wooded with
+ironbark.
+
+<p>CROSS A GRANITE RANGE.
+
+<p>7th October.
+
+<p>Continued an east course at 5.50 a.m., and at 7.50 reached the large
+creek, which was 100 yards wide with shallow sandy bed; the banks low and
+thinly timbered with ironbark and a few box trees; the soil poor and
+sandy, producing little grass. Large casuarina and flooded-gum trees grew
+in the channel of the creek, which we followed three miles to the
+north-east without finding any water, and only two spots where it could
+be procured by digging; we therefore returned up the creek, and dug a
+well at the most eligible spot, procuring an abundance of good water; at
+2.20 p.m. commenced our return route towards the camp, and following up
+the spurs of the range found a practicable route for the pack-horses;
+passed the highest point of the range at 6.0, and bivouacked at a small
+dry watercourse at 7.15 p.m.
+
+<p>8th October.
+
+<p>Resumed our route at 6.0 a.m., and deviating to the north of the outward
+route, found a small pool of water in a rocky gully, and following it
+down a mile came to a pool of sufficient size to supply the whole party.
+At 10.30 reached Bowman's Spring at the foot of the range, and by digging
+in the moist soil obtained a little water. As we approached the spring a
+small party of blacks shouted to us from the summit of one of the hills,
+but did not descend to us, though we halted till 12.30 p.m., and then
+resumed our route, reaching the camp at 4.0, and found the party all
+well; the horse-meat quite dry and fit for carriage. Bowman had also
+replaced the shoes on all the horses. The geological character gradually
+changes, in consequence of the larger development of the older rocks, as
+we proceed to the eastward. At the camp gneiss, porphyry, and trap have
+superseded the slates, and proceeding east, granite is visible at the
+western base of the range. This is covered by a thick mass of porphyry,
+containing large fragments of slate, gneiss and granite in its lower
+part, and in its upper portion it has a fine grain and light colour.
+Being deeply cracked by vertical fissures, it forms vertical columns of
+rhomboidal form, resembling basalt. The summits of the higher hills are
+formed by horizontal beds of white sandstone, containing water-worn
+pebbles of quartz. Granite supersedes the other rocks as the east slope
+of the range is approached, and is there occasionally intercepted by
+veins of dark trap.
+
+<p>9th October.
+
+<p>Proposed to start from the camp at the usual time, but four of the horses
+could not be found, and owing to the rocky nature of the country the
+tracks were not found till late in the evening, when tracing them some
+miles I found them at sunset in a secluded valley.
+
+<p>10th October.
+
+<p>This morning we were more successful in collecting the horses, and
+started from the camp at 6.35 a.m., and steering an easterly course
+reached the fate of the range at 10.20 and the summit at noon. Following
+our previous track, reached the pool of water at 1.0 p.m. and camped.
+Near the camp the xanthorrhoea first made its appearance.
+
+<p>CROSS THE MAIN DIVIDING RANGE.
+
+<p>11th October.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 7.0 a.m., steered an easterly course over somewhat
+barren granite country, timbered with cypress and ironbark; passed close
+to a hill on the highest point of the range, the summit of which, by
+approximate measurement, rose to 2500 feet above the sea. Then following
+a spur of the range we reached the well in the sandy creek at 1.5 p.m.
+Having cleared out the sand and banked it up with stakes and brushwood, a
+plentiful supply of water was obtained at about five feet below the
+surface of the dry channel.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 45 minutes 53 seconds.
+
+<p>12th October.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. steered north 60 degrees east over undulating granite
+country, timbered with ironbark and box, the grass scanty and very dry;
+at 8.45 crossed a large creek coming from the south. Its channel was 100
+yards wide, dry, sandy, and a few pools of shallow water; the banks ten
+to twenty feet high. Crossing several gullies trending northward, at noon
+came on a dry sandy creek, also trending to the north. On its right bank
+was a level flat of cellular lava or basalt. Following the course of the
+creek, at 1.50 p.m. camped at a fine lagoon a quarter of a mile long and
+seventy yards wide, the water appearing to be about ten feet deep,
+although unusually low at the present time. A high range of hills exist
+to the north of this creek, and the watercourses all trend to the
+north-west; and, as our latitude is the same as the Reedy Brook of
+Leichhardt on the south-west side of the Valley of Lagoons, it is evident
+that these streams do not join the Burdekin, but are tributary to the
+Lynd, joining it probably at the southern bend.
+
+<p>Latitude by b Aurigae 18 degrees 38 minutes 12 seconds.
+
+<p>13th October.
+
+<p>At 6.25 a.m. steered east and traversed a slightly undulating granite
+country, with small watercourses trending west-south-west. Ironbark and
+box formed an open forest, the soil poor and gritty, with a few patches
+of black soil, with blocks of lava on the surface. At 11.15 ascended a
+small hill of lava, from which the country appeared very level to the
+east. To the north-east large hills rose about twelve miles distant;
+ranges also bounded the plain to the south, and some distant summits were
+visible to the south-east. Continuing an east course, lava became more
+frequent, and at length covered the whole surface. At 2.30 p.m. came on
+several streams of lava, forming ridges of rugged rocks, which were
+crossed with difficulty. These streams of lava appeared to have run from
+north to south, the thickness twenty to thirty feet, and breadth very
+variable. The level ground was lightly timbered with ironbark and box. At
+5.25 turned to the south-east, following a small gully. Passed a small
+native well; but very little water in it, and the rock prevented it being
+enlarged. At 6.15 camped near some large rocks, in which five or six
+gallons of rainwater had collected. Walking down the creek one and a half
+miles in search of water, found two small pools of rainwater; but the
+darkness of the night and broken nature of the ground prevented the party
+moving to them.
+
+<p>14th October.
+
+<p>Moved the camp to the waterholes found last night, one and a half miles
+down the gully. The country is here granite formation, undulating and
+moderately grassed, and wooded with box and ironbark. The day was cloudy,
+but cleared at night, and I took sights for time, latitude, and lunar
+distance. Chronometer 2287 would not wind up in the morning, and stopped
+during the day, but, having run down, wound again without difficulty.
+
+<p>Longitude by lunar distances 144 degrees 33 minutes 15 seconds; latitude
+by e Pegasi 18 degrees 41 minutes 38 seconds; variation of compass 5
+degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+<p>15th October.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 7.0 a.m., and followed the course of the creek to
+the south-east. The north-east side was a plain of lava, and the
+south-west consisted of granite ridges with sandstone on the summits.
+Several small creeks joined from the south-west, and increased the
+principal channel considerably. At 10.0 the country was more level and
+openly timbered with box and bloodwood; grass was abundant and green,
+owing to heavy rains, which appear to have been accompanied with hail, as
+the west-north-west sides of the trees were much bruised and the soil
+indented, and a great portion of the leaves torn from the trees. At 1.15
+p.m. camped on a small tributary creek. The country appears to be chiefly
+granite and mica schist, with thin beds or streams of lava, which have
+come from the ranges to the north and advanced to various distances into
+the more level land. The surface of the lava is more thinly wooded and
+better grassed than the granite; but the roughness of the surface and
+scarcity of water rendered it less convenient travelling. From one of the
+higher ridges we had a wide but imperfect view of the country. The air
+being hazy, only a few of the marked features of the ranges to the north
+were visible; to the east a high hill twenty-five miles distant rose
+beyond an undulating wooded country. At 6.0 a heavy thunderstorm caused
+the creek to run for several hours.
+
+<p>Latitude by Capella 18 degrees 49 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+<p>THE BURDEKIN RIVER. A CAMP OF LEICHHARDT'S.
+
+<p>16th October.
+
+<p>The rain having passed away, the morning was clear and cool, and at 6.35
+a.m. resumed our journey, steering average south-east, crossing the creek
+several times, and at 11.0 reached the bank of the Burdekin River, which
+had a strong stream of water flowing in its channel, which is here about
+100 yards wide, but full of casuarina and melaleuca trees; the banks
+steep and cut with deep gullies. Following the river to the south-east,
+at 2.0 p.m. camped in a large open grassy flat a mile from the river,
+obtaining water from a small pool filled by the rain last night.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 57 minutes 48 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees east.
+
+<p>17th October.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. resumed our journey, steering east and south for two hours
+over level flats; then turning east crossed a steep range of sandstone
+hills, the strata nearly vertical; the strike north and south; thin veins
+of quartz intersected the rock in every direction, forming a complete
+network. The steepness of the country compelled us to turn north-east to
+the bank of the river, which we followed to the south-east; the banks
+were high and cut by deep gullies. At 12.30 p.m. the hills receded, and
+we entered some fine flats. Here I picked up a fragment of the
+shoulder-bone of a bullock, and observed several trees that had been cut
+with iron axes; and as the latitude corresponds with that of Dr.
+Leichhardt's camp of the 26th April, 1845, the bone doubtless belonged to
+the bullock he killed at this place. At 1.5 camped on the bank of the
+river. The Moreton-Bay ash, poplar gum, and a rough-barked gum-tree with
+very green leaves, were added to the ironbark, bloodwood, and other
+eucalypti which constituted the forest, while casuarina and Melaleuca
+leucodendron grow in the beds of the larger watercourses. The channel of
+the river is about 150 yards, with a small stream winding along the sandy
+bed; much of the running water is due to the late rain, but it is evident
+from the character of the vegetation that it continues to run throughout
+the dry season.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Cygni 19 degrees 37 seconds.
+
+<p>18th October.
+
+<p>Continued our route at 6.25 a.m., steering nearly east till 8.30, when
+the river turned to the north round a range of sandstone hills, crossing
+which, reached the river again at 10.5 flowing south, with fine
+openly-timbered flats on the banks; steering south till 1.0 p.m., camped
+on the bank of the river just below a ridge of slate rock which crossed
+the channel. From the hills, at 9.0, we saw a fine valley joining that of
+the Burdekin from the east; it was bounded by a steep range to the south,
+which terminated two miles from the river. South-west of our position
+were several flat-topped hills, which appeared to be a continuation of
+the range crossed yesterday. To the south only a few distant hills were
+visible, the view being obstructed by trees. The flats on the banks of
+the river are well grassed and openly timbered with ironbark, Moreton-Bay
+ash, bloodwood, and poplar gum; the soil varying from a soft brown loam
+into which our horses sank deeply, to a firm black or brown clay loam;
+the ranges were stony and thinly grassed; the timber box and ironbark.
+The geological features consist of a fine-grained sandstone
+interstratified with slate and coarse conglomerates. The sandstone is
+intersected in every direction with veins of quartz, which do not appear
+to enter the slate. The dip of the strata is nearly vertical, the strike
+north and south. The whole appear to have been much disturbed and
+altered; neither granite nor trap has been observed since yesterday
+morning. Consumed the last of the dried horse-meat, and increased the
+ration of flour to one pound per diem.
+
+<p>19th October (Sunday).
+
+<p>Remained at the camp to rest the party; the day was cloudy, with variable
+breeze from the south-east to north-east and north; no observations for
+latitude could be taken till early on Monday morning, and even then the
+altitudes were imperfect; the stream of running water in the bed of the
+river has increased, but is still quite clear.
+
+<p>Latitude by Saturn 19 degrees 7 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+<p>CROSS THE CLARK RIVER.
+
+<p>20th October.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 6.40 a.m., steering south-east through fine grassy
+flats till 10.0, when we crossed the Clark River, and altered the course
+to east over well-grassed flats, to the foot of a rocky range of
+sandstone hills, which we reached at noon, and ascending by a steep spur,
+at 2.30 p.m. attained the highest ridge; here sandstone was the
+prevailing rock; xanthorrhoea, silver-leafed ironbark, and triodia
+constituted the principal vegetation; descending gradually, at 3.30
+reached a small creek with a patch of good green grass on its banks, and
+at 3.45 halted at some small waterholes, which appeared to be permanent;
+except near the creek, the country was poor and stony, with a forest of
+ironbark and box trees; the country between the Clark and the Burdekin
+appears to be of excellent quality, consisting of well-grassed flats,
+timbered with ironbark, Moreton-Bay ash, poplar, gum, and box trees. The
+Clark is about 100 yards wide, with a sandy bed crossed by ridges of
+slate rock; the banks are sixty to eighty feet high, and the marks of
+last year's flood thirty to thirty-five feet, the trees being bent and
+broken by the force of the current; more water appears to come down the
+Clark during floods, but the Burdekin has a more constant stream, the
+Clark containing only shallow pools of water, separated by dry sand and
+rock; after leaving the immediate flats of the river the country was very
+poor and stony; the late rains had not extended so far, and the grass had
+the dry and parched appearance which characterised the country on the
+banks of the Gilbert.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 14 minutes 2 seconds.
+
+<p>FRIENDLY NATIVES.
+
+<p>21st October.
+
+<p>6.15 a.m., resumed our journey and traversed an inferior country of
+sandstone and porphyry; box, silver-leafed ironbark, and triodia
+characterized the vegetation; in crossing one of these gullies, in which
+were some pools of water, Bowman's horse fell over the bank into the
+pool, and he got some severe bruises; at 10.15 came on the river, where
+it ran over a ledge of rocks forming a succession of rapids, below which
+it spread out into a broad sheet of sand a quarter of a mile wide, and
+turned to the south. As Bowman had fallen some distance in the rear, I
+selected the first suitable spot, and at 11.0 encamped, and shortly after
+Mr. H. Gregory came in with Bowman to camp. On the bank of the river we
+saw two black gins, who climbed a tree on our approach, and in the
+afternoon came to the camp with an old man, and after some unintelligible
+conversation departed; they had neither clothes or weapons, except a
+throwing-stick of the same form as those used by the blacks of the
+southern shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria. The geological character of
+the country has been sandstone, much altered by contact with porphyry
+which has been forced through it; both dip and strike are confused, and
+could not be ascertained to have any general angle or direction, except
+in the bed of the river, where the strata dipped 10 degrees to the north,
+but in the hills, on the left bank below the camp, the strata was
+horizontal; the river is now 150 yards wide at the narrowest parts, a
+small stream of water, one foot deep and ten to twenty yards wide,
+running in a winding course through the sand, and sometimes expanding
+into sheets of water occupying the whole breadth of the channel.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 16 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+<p>22nd October.
+
+<p>At 6.15 a.m. steered south and followed the right bank of the river; for
+the first hour the country was hilly on both banks, with deep gullies; it
+then became more level, and opened into flats, well grassed; the timber
+box, ironbark, and Moreton-Bay ash; the soil a light brown loam in some
+parts, sandy and very soft from the numerous excavations of the funnel
+ant. These flats extended one to two miles back and then rose into low
+ridges of poor land, timbered with box and ironbark; crossed a sandy
+creek coming from the west, and at 1.30 p.m. camped on the right bank of
+the river. A short distance from the camp surprised a black and his gin
+and a child; the man climbed a tree and the woman ran off with the child,
+leaving a small water vessel, hollowed out of a piece of wood, and a
+calabash full of water. The rocks near the last camp were sandstone or
+porphyry; in the only exposed section the sandstone dipped to the north 5
+degrees to 15 degrees. We also crossed a hill of porphyry which was
+remarkable for the regularity of cleavage into thick lamina, which were
+vertical, with a north and south strike; but though it had the appearance
+of a stratified rock, its structure was perfectly crystalline. About
+noon, granite, containing large plates of mica, was observed in some of
+the gullies.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Pegasi 19 degrees 29 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+<p>23rd October.
+
+<p>At 7.0 a.m. steered south-south-east and south-east over ridges of
+sandstone, timbered with ironbark and thinly grassed, for an hour and a
+half; again struck the river and passed at the foot of some limestone
+hills and ridges; this limestone contained fragments of shells and coral.
+Altering the course to south, traversed fine open flats half a mile to a
+mile wide, beyond which the country rose into low ridges of limestone. At
+noon basalt appeared covering the limestone and sandstone. The steep
+slope which formed the boundary of this rock was very rugged; but the
+level surface was covered with black soil and well grassed. At 12.55 p.m.
+camped in a fine grassy flat, walled in by steep rocks of basalt. We
+experienced some difficulty in watering the horses, as the bank of the
+river was so steep that they frequently fell back into the river in
+ascending it. The limestone rocks seen on this day's journey appear to
+rise from beneath the sandstones, some of which are very hard and
+close-grained; it dips about 10 degrees to the west and some of the
+adjacent sandstones 20 degrees west, in well-defined strata. The basalt
+covers all the other rocks, filling up the former inequalities of the
+surface and forming a perfectly level plain; where the softer sandstones
+were in contact, they were only baked into a coarse brick-like mass,
+which had had much the appearance of having been formed from the alluvial
+banks of the river.
+
+<p>Latitude by e Pegasi and a Gruis 19 degrees 42 minutes 10 seconds;
+variation of compass 6 degrees 15 minutes east.
+
+<p>DUCKS, GEESE, AND PELICANS.
+
+<p>24th October.
+
+<p>Leaving our camp at 6.0 a.m., steered south-south-east over well-grassed
+basaltic flats, timbered thinly with ironbark, etc.; the soil a red loam.
+At 9.0 a.m. came on a large reedy lagoon or swamp with considerable
+patches of shallow open water, on which were great numbers of ducks,
+geese, pelicans, etc. A broad and deep stream flowed from it to the
+south-east, varying from thirty to eighty yards in width, with a thick
+belt of reeds along the margin, beyond which the ground rose about fifty
+feet to the level surface of the basaltic plain. Following the winding of
+the stream till 10.35 a.m., crossed it at a ledge of basaltic rocks, when
+it formed a fine rapid with vertical fall of eight to ten feet. Beyond
+the running channel a dry sandy creek ran parallel at a distance of 80 to
+100 yards from it. Our course was now between the creek and the steep
+rocky edge of the basaltic plain, which was too rugged for the horses to
+ascend till 11.20 a.m., when, crossing the basalt, we passed to the south
+of a shallow lake about half a mile in diameter. The country now became
+scrubby, with patches of grass. Altering the course more to the east, we
+again entered an open ironbark forest; at 2.0 p.m. crossed a large dry
+sandy creek, beyond which the country was poor and sandy, with pandanus
+growing on the ridges. On the bank of the creek we observed the marks of
+a recent camp of a large party of blacks, and a patch of ground twenty
+yards by thirty yards cleared of grass, and the surface scraped up into
+ridges, the whole covered with footprints, which showed that some dance
+or ceremony had been performed by a large number of men. At 3.30 p.m.
+entered a dense scrub of small crooked eucalypti and acacia, with a few
+sterculia. After losing an hour in attempting to penetrate the scrub, we
+turned north to the dry creek and followed it down till 7.0 p.m., when we
+camped near a pool of water; but the night was so dark that the horses
+could not be watered with safety, the banks being very steep and rendered
+slippery by a slight shower.
+
+<p>25th October.
+
+<p>The grass having been burnt near the camp, the horses had strayed
+considerably, and we did not start till 7.30 a.m., when, turning east, we
+soon came on the Burdekin, which now trended to the south-south-west and
+south-east; the basalt coming close to the river, we were compelled to
+cross a very rough ridge and came on a deep pool of water eighty yards
+wide and half a mile long; it terminated in a dry stony channel which
+joined a sandy creek, and entered the river. Crossing a granite ridge, we
+camped in a fine grassy flat on the bank of the Burdekin, the banks being
+high and steep, but the water easy of access.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 58 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+<p>26th October (Sunday).
+
+<p>Remained at the camp. During the day there was a succession of showers
+without thunder, the clouds and wind from the east. At 10.0 p.m. the rain
+ceased, but the night continued cloudy.
+
+<p>GOOD GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+<p>27th October.
+
+<p>The morning was cloudy, with light rain till 7.0 a.m.; at 7.30 steered
+east-south-east and east over fine grassy ridges of granite and trap
+formation, timbered with ironbark, box, Moreton-Bay ash, and bloodwood;
+the river taking a sweep to the north of the track, but at 10.40 came
+again on its banks. The course was now south till 2.15 p.m., when we
+crossed a large stream-bed from the south-west, with a sandy and rocky
+bed forty yards wide, which contained a few shallow pools of water. Below
+the junction of this tributary the river turned to the east and
+east-north-east, and we crossed low ridges of granite porphyry and trap,
+which came down from the high land to the bank of the river; at 3.30
+encamped. The whole of the country traversed this day was well grassed,
+except about a mile of bauhinia scrub, which did not appear of any
+considerable extent. Ironbark, box, bloodwood, and Moreton-Bay ash formed
+the principal trees with which the country was openly timbered. The
+prevailing rock granite, traversed by numerous veins of dark trap, and in
+the latter part of the day porphyry and schist appeared; concretions of
+limestone were frequent near the trap veins. The soil was somewhat light
+and gritty loam, except on the trap-rocks, where it was rich black soil.
+The available country here appears more extensive than higher up the
+river; more rain has fallen in the early part of the season, and the
+grass is rich and green, especially where it had been previously burnt
+off.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 20 degrees 7 minutes 23 seconds; variation of
+compass 6 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+<p>28th October.
+
+<p>We resumed our journey at 6.25 a.m., steering an east-south-east course,
+but after crossing some fine grassy ironbark ridges, entered a dense
+scrub of acacia, sterculia, bauhinia, and thorny shrubs. Turning north,
+with some difficulty extricated the party from the scrub, which we then
+skirted to the east along the bank of the river till 9.10, when the scrub
+receded, and fine openly-timbered ironbark ridges replaced the scrub.
+These ridges were well-grassed, the rocks granite, trap, and porphyry.
+The country generally appeared well suited for stock; on both sides of
+the river no high ranges were visible. At 2.45 p.m. camped on a fine
+grassy flat, part of which having been burnt, was now covered with
+excellent green grass. The day was cool, with light showers from the
+east. The character of the granite was fine-grained, and intersected by
+veins and masses of trap, and in the latter part of the day's journey
+porphyry was superincumbent. In the scrubs sandstone existed; it was
+coarse-grained, and contained worn boulders of trap, quartz, granite,
+slate, and hard sandstone.
+
+<p>29th October.
+
+<p>As the river below turned to the east of its general course, at 6.20 a.m.
+steered east-south-east and south-east till 9.30, when we again came on
+the river trending south. The country consisted of openly-timbered and
+grassy ironbark ridges, but not equally good with that passed during the
+last two days. The river at 10.0 turned to the south-east, along the foot
+of some steep rocky hills of porphyry resting on granite, and at 11.45
+was joined by a dry creek twenty yards wide, coming from the south-west;
+our course was now east-south-east, passing with difficulty between the
+river and a steep granite hill, beyond which the country became more
+sandy, and rose to the south in long gentle slopes scantily grassed, and
+timbered with bloodwood, ironbark, Moreton-Bay ash, and poplar gum, with
+a few pandanus; an immense number of deep gullies intersected the ground,
+cutting deeply into the granite rock beneath the soil, and rendering it
+difficult to traverse. A fine range of openly-wooded and grassy hills
+rose about two to three miles from the left bank of the river, attaining
+an elevation of 500 to 800 feet above the valley; these hills are
+probably porphyritic; they are the Porter Range of Leichhardt. At 2.45
+p.m. camped on the bank of the Burdekin River.
+
+<p>THE SUTTOR RIVER. MOUNT MCCONNELL.
+
+<p>30th October.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. steered north 120 degrees east, but at 7.0 a.m. came on the
+river trending south, the country gradually became more rugged, and rocky
+hills closed in on both banks forming a deep gorge through which the
+river forced its way. By keeping at the back of some hills we avoided
+much of the rocky ground, crossing at noon a high ridge, from which the
+view extended to the junction of the Burdekin and Suttor Rivers, Mount
+MccOnnell bearing 159 degrees magnetic, and the west end of Porter Range
+334 degrees magnetic. A long range seemed to extend south from Robey
+Range, and bound the valley of the Upper Burdekin, while a high range
+appeared to trend north-east from the eastern side of the Suttor Valley,
+and to turn the Burdekin to the north of east. Continuing our route
+nearly south-east over steep rocky ridges, we encamped in a fine grassy
+flat, a quarter of a mile from the Suttor River, at 1.50 p.m., Mount
+MccOnnell bearing north 172 degrees east magnetic. About 10.0 a.m. we
+heard some blacks calling in our rear, and soon after came in sight, but
+would not allow any of the party to approach them, till one of the
+horsemen cantering up quickly, some of the blacks climbed into trees,
+where, after making signs to them that it was desirable that they should
+pursue an opposite route to ours, we left them to descend at leisure. The
+country passed this day was of a broken character, with deep gullies and
+rocky hills near the river, but was generally well grassed and openly
+timbered with ironbark and Moreton-Bay ash. Granite rock forms the base
+of the hills, and was covered by masses of porphyry, forming hills with
+rocky summits of columnar structure, as at the head of the Gilbert River
+a dark-coloured trap changing into porphyry formed some of the lower
+ridges, and was largely developed on the bank of the Suttor. Thin veins
+of calcareous spar and quartz intersected the granite. The bed of the
+Burdekin where we last saw it, one mile above the junction of the Suttor,
+was about half a mile wide with a stream of water varying from twenty
+yards wide to the whole breadth of the channel, which was very level and
+sandy. The Suttor is but a small river compared with the Burdekin. Near
+the camp it formed some fine reaches of water 180 yards wide, but of no
+great depth. The trees on its banks were much broken and bent by a
+violent flood which had occurred within the year. Considering the number
+of miles we have travelled along the banks of the Burdekin, few
+impediments have been encountered, while the extent of country suited for
+squatting purposes is very considerable--water forming a never-failing
+stream throughout the whole distance.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Gruis and a Pegasi 20 degrees 36 minutes 20 seconds;
+variation of compass 70 degrees east.
+
+<p>THE FIRST BRIGALOW SCRUB.
+
+<p>31st October.
+
+<p>A rainy night was followed by a thick fog in the morning, so that when we
+started at 6.30 a.m. it was with difficulty the deep gullies on the banks
+of the Suttor were avoided; steering south-west for one hour, crossed to
+the right bank of the Suttor, and then by an average south course passed
+to the west of Mount McConnell, which, by its isolated character and
+height (about 600 feet above the river) forms a very conspicuous
+landmark. It is wooded to the summit, and has fine patches of grass on
+the slopes, with cliffs of porphyry near the upper part, this being the
+prevailing rock; on the right bank white shaly rocks and dark trap, with
+veins of calcareous spar and limestone, prevailed on the left bank of the
+Suttor; the country on both sides well grassed and openly timbered with
+ironbark. The bed of the river was very irregular and sandy, with small
+shallow pools of water at intervals; at 11.0 the river came from the
+south-west, but continuing a south course we crossed some fine basaltic
+plains, covered with fine grass and separated by open box forest; at noon
+crossed a sandstone hill, the base of which was porphyry; traversing
+ironbark ridges for an hour, we crossed a sandy creek coming from the
+east, and at 1.0 p.m. encountered the first brigalow scrub; through this
+scrub we steered south-west till 3.40, and camped on a small dry creek
+with a narrow grassy flat; water was obtained from a small gully where it
+had lodged during a shower on the previous night. The country till we
+reached the brigalow scrub was well adapted for pastoral purposes; the
+rock trap, slate, and porphyry, with veins of limestone. The brigalow
+scrub grows on the detritus of a coarse conglomerate, the larger boulders
+of which lay scattered over the surface of the ground; these boulders
+consist of trap, porphyry, sandstone, and quartz, and show marks of being
+water-worn. A range of hills, apparently sandstone, bounds the valley to
+the east from three to seven miles from the river. They have no great
+elevation, and we did not obtain a good view of them from any point.
+
+<p>Latitude by Capella 20 degrees 52 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+<p>1st November.
+
+<p>The horses had strayed so far into the scrub in search of grass that it
+was 9.40 a.m. before they were collected and saddled; we then steered
+south-west through the scrub, which gradually became more open, and at
+11.15 we again reached the river coming from the south-south-east; it
+gradually turned to south and south-south-west; two creeks joined the
+river from the east, but neither of any importance; the brigalow scrub
+came close to the bank of the river, only leaving a narrow flat open; the
+west side of the river we could see but little, except that it consisted
+of wooded ridges and scrub to the east at a distance of one to three
+miles; rocky hills of moderate height existed, and from their flat tops
+and red cliffs near the summit, evidently consisted of sandstone in
+horizontal strata; sandstone was also exposed near the river with a dip
+of 30 degrees to the south; at 3.30 camped on the right bank of the
+Suttor, where a fine grassy plain extended about a mile back, and was
+covered with beautiful green grass; water was abundant, as the river had
+been running during the past week and had filled the hollows in the
+channel, though it had now ceased to flow; the bed is very irregular, and
+consists of three to six channels, which separate and rejoin so as to
+form a complete network, with occasional isolated hollows. Being free
+from scrub, the bed of the river was good travelling ground, large
+flooded-gum trees and melaleuca-trees affording an agreeable shade.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 4 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+<p>2nd November (Sunday).
+
+<p>Grass and water being abundant, we enjoyed a day's rest. Several
+cockatoos were shot; they are similar in colour and form to the
+sulphur-crested cockatoos of the Victoria and Gulf of Carpentaria, but
+much larger in size.
+
+<p>IRON TOMAHAWKS USED BY THE NATIVES.
+
+<p>3rd November.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 6.35 a.m., followed the river in a southerly
+direction till 11.0, when it turned to the east, and we ascended a
+sandstone hill; from the summit there was a fine view of the surrounding
+country. To the east several distant peaks and hills were visible, the
+most remarkable north 86 degrees east magnetic; to the south a low range
+about thirty miles distant, with one large peaked hill, bounded the
+horizon, the intervening country being very level and apparently covered
+with scrub. To the west the valley was bounded by low hills of sandstone.
+Although ironbark ridges are frequent, the general character of the
+country is very scrubby, and this combined with the scarcity of water
+will render it unsuitable for pastoral purposes. Descending the hill,
+steered south-east, crossed a fine basaltic plain, and entered open
+brigalow scrub, and at 2.0 p.m. again came on the Suttor River, which had
+completely altered its character, now consisting of level grassy flats
+with uncertain limits and intersected by long waterholes, which were
+mostly dry; the general course from south-south-west; at 3.30 camped at a
+fine waterhole. Two miles below the camp we surprised some blacks, who
+decamped into the scrub. The country along the river consists of open
+flats, thinly grassed and interspersed with patches of saltbush
+(atriplex), and openly timbered with box and flooded-gum, while ironbark,
+box and brigalow prevail over the rest of the country. The marks of iron
+tomahawks are frequent where the blacks have been cutting honey or
+opposums out of the hollow branches of the trees.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 22 minutes 43 seconds; variation of
+compass 6 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+<p>4th November.
+
+<p>Steering south-west from 7.40 a.m. till 8.5, the river turned suddenly to
+the south-east, and, changing our course to 170 degrees, traversed an
+open brigalow scrub with several shallow channels winding through it in
+an irregular manner. At 10.30 again came on the principal channel of the
+river, which was running, and very muddy from the effect of recent rains
+in the upper part of its course. The banks are very low, and the country
+so level that the floods must frequently extend more than a mile back
+into the scrub, which comes close to the bank on both sides. Box and
+flooded-gum trees grow along the larger channels, and sometimes box flats
+extend into the scrub. We now followed the river south-south-west,
+through a level country covered with dense brigalow scrub, passing only
+one low rocky hill, on the left bank, at 11.20. At 2.15 p.m. the river
+diverged to the eastward, and the course was altered to south. The
+country was more open, and at 3.0 encamped on one of the side channels of
+the river in a fine grassy box flat.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 38 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+<p>5th November.
+
+<p>Steering south-east for one mile, reached the main channel of the river,
+which was followed south. Crossing to the right bank at 7.20 a.m., at
+9.15 a dense brigalow scrub forced us south-west, and again came to the
+river at 10.30. A south course was then followed till 1.0 p.m.; then
+south-east till 4.0; then followed the river south-south-east till 4.50,
+and camped on a large grassy flat. The whole of the country is very level
+and covered with dense brigalow scrubs, except one sandy plain, on which
+triodia was more abundant than grass. Having now passed the latitude of
+Sir T. Mitchell's last camp on the Belyando, and thus connected his route
+with that of Dr. Leichhardt, I considered it unnecessary to follow the
+river further, and decided on taking a south-easterly route to Peak Downs
+and the Mackenzie River.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 57 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+<p>6th November.
+
+<p>At 6.30 a.m. crossed the Belyando, and steered south through brigalow
+scrubs till 9.0; then entered a box and Moreton-Bay ash flat, in which
+was a small gully with rainwater, near which a camp of blacks was
+observed; but they ran into the scrub on our approach. At 9.30 changed
+the course to south-east towards some rocky hills, which were reached at
+11.0. From this we saw several distant ranges to the westward; but the
+intervening twenty to forty miles was very flat. The route was now over
+scrubby sandstone hills for three hours, and then descended into an open
+flat, with box, bloodwood, and Moreton-Bay ash, triodia, and grass
+growing on a sandy loam. At 3.30 p.m. camped at a pool of rainwater in a
+small creek. In crossing the sandstone range we had a view of some high
+peaks twenty to thirty miles distant to the south-south-east; but to the
+east the country was quite level.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 13 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+<p>7th November.
+
+<p>Started at 6.5 a.m., steering south-east; the whole country appeared
+perfectly level with brigalow scrub and patches of open sandy country,
+producing triodia and a little grass; the timber Moreton-Bay ash and box.
+Towards noon the country was more open. At 1.30 p.m. passed a shallow
+pool of rainwater at the edge of a scrub. About a mile further on
+Melville's horse fell, and so bruised his rider that we had to return to
+the water and camp.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 23 minutes 36 seconds.
+
+<p>HORSE-SKIN SOUP.
+
+<p>8th November.
+
+<p>The water being exhausted, the party had to move on in search of a
+further supply where we could halt until Melville had recovered from his
+injuries. Steering south-east for one hour, came to a fine creek with
+grassy flats and a stream of muddy water, indicating that there had been
+heavy rain in the ranges to the south. Having camped, we shot the filly,
+which was now eleven months old, cut the flesh into slices and hung it up
+to dry in the sun during the day and over a charcoal fire at night. The
+skin was cleared of hair, and was thus made into a species of gelatine,
+from which excellent soup was subsequently prepared. The saddlery had
+become much worn by passing through the scrubs, and the party was fully
+employed in repairs and shoeing the horses, many of which were very lame
+from injury among the fallen timber.
+
+<p>9th November (Sunday).
+
+<p>Melville somewhat better, but scarcely able to walk. The meat drying
+well.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 26 minutes 16 seconds.
+
+<p>10th November.
+
+<p>At 7.40 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek up for an hour
+south-south-east; then steered south-east through brigalow scrub, which
+gradually changed to open ironbark and box flats well grassed. At 2.0
+p.m. came to broken country covered with a dense scrub of acacia and
+ironbark, deep gullies intersecting the country in every direction; at
+3.30 ascended a ridge of mica schist, from which a high range was seen
+twenty miles to the south-east, but the scrub was so dense that the view
+was imperfect. Followed a gully, which changed from south round to
+north-west till 5.15, when we camped at a small pool of rainwater. There
+were good grassy flats along the watercourse, but the hills were covered
+with scrub. It is evident that we are now approaching the watershed of
+the Fitzroy River, and hope soon to emerge from the vast tract of scrub
+which occupies the valley of the Suttor River. On the plain we observed
+that more than half the box-trees had died within the last three years,
+and that they had not been killed by bush fires, as the old timber which
+lay on the ground was not scorched.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Andromedae 22 degrees 42 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+<p>PEAK RANGE.
+
+<p>11th November.
+
+<p>Leaving the camp at 6.30 a.m., steered south-east over ironbark ridges of
+very scrubby character with open grassy valleys; the ridges increased in
+height, and at 11.0, having reached the most elevated summit, got a view
+of Peak Range about thirty miles to the north-east; to the north-west the
+view was obscured by wooded ranges, but from north to east-south-east the
+country consisted of low-wooded ridges for ten miles, beyond which fine
+open grassy plains extended from east-north-east to east, along the foot
+of Peak Range. Descending from the range, followed a small watercourse
+east-south-east for two hours, and then north-east, and at 2.30 p.m.
+encamped in a fine grassy flat with a small pool of rainwater in a gully,
+the larger creek being dry. The country generally consists of low ridges
+of schist, which, by decomposition, forms a gravelly loam, the gravel
+being derived from the quartz veins which intersect the schist in all
+directions. The forest consists of ironbark and acacia; grass everywhere
+abundant. Many of the horses are very lame from the splinters of dead
+wood in the scrub, and some have to be relieved entirely of their loads.
+
+<p>Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 48 minutes 17 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 147 degrees 30 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+<p>12th November.
+
+<p>At 7.25 a.m. steered north 110 degrees east, over grassy ironbark ridges,
+with small watercourses trending north; at 11.0 entered a dense brigalow
+scrub with a few Moreton-Bay ash-trees, the soil very poor and derived
+from the decomposition of a coarse conglomerate; small watercourses
+trending to the south. At 12.45 p.m. emerged from the scrub into open box
+forest, with limestone and quartz gravel, and a soft black soil producing
+rather dry scanty grass. At 1.45 entered a well-grassed plain with
+limestone ridges covered with bottle-tree scrub; the grass was good at
+this season, green but much mixed with salsola; the summits of Peak Range
+showed well above the ridges, and from the cliff around the tops seem to
+be capped with sandstone or more probably porphyry. There being little
+prospect of finding water in an easterly direction, at 4.0 altered the
+course to south-east; a heavy squall and thunderstorm brought some rain,
+but it was all immediately absorbed by the hot dry soil, at 5.0 came to a
+watercourse trending south, followed it till 6.30, and camped without
+water; about a mile north from the camp saw a small box-tree marked AB,
+and near it a large sheet of bark which had been cut about two years
+before.
+
+<p>Latitude by Saturn 23 degrees 18 seconds.
+
+<p>13th November.
+
+<p>Resumed the journey at 6.20 a.m., steering south down the watercourse; at
+7.0 saw some blacks, who, when asked by signs where water could be found,
+pointed down the creek and into the scrub; at 9.20 came to a pool of
+rainwater and camped. This part of the country is very poor and scrubby,
+with large Moreton-Bay ash trees, the soil formed by the decomposition of
+sandstone and conglomerate, with intervals of schist and trap-rock.
+
+<p>CROSS THE PEAK DOWNS.
+
+<p>14th November.
+
+<p>At 6.50 a.m. steered south-east; we soon entered a grassy plain with
+ironbark ridges and belts of acacia scrub, trap, and limestone on the
+plains, and sandstone on the ridges; at noon passed a belt of cypress and
+entered extensive open downs covered with beautiful green grass.
+Following a shallow watercourse, passed some blacks at a distance, and at
+4.20 p.m. came to a small pool of rainwater, and camped. The country to
+the north-east appeared level, and the grassy downs apparently extend to
+the foot of Peak Range. To the south-west it appeared to be a fine open
+country for three to eight miles, and then rose into wooded hills of
+moderate elevation, at the base of which a creek appeared to run to the
+south-east. If this part of the country were well supplied with water it
+would form splendid stations for the squatter; but from its level
+character and geological structure, permanent surface-water is very
+scarce, and where it does exist it is surrounded by scrubby
+country, which renders it almost unavailable.
+
+<p>THE MACKENZIE RIVER.
+
+<p>15th November.
+
+<p>At 6.40 steered east-south-east and soon entered an open acacia scrub
+with some grassy patches; the soil a fine black loam; limestone, trap,
+and quartz-pebbles occurring on the surface in the open plain; at 9.0
+entered a fine box flat, and passed some pools of water; the flat
+extending east three miles; then entered a scrubby tract of country, the
+soil a black mould with much salsola growing even in the thick scrub; at
+11.0 came on a fine creek from the north with pools of permanent water
+(Crinum Creek), but the banks covered with scrub. Changing the course to
+south-east, at 12.20 p.m. came to a fine river with high grassy banks and
+several deep channels which were now full of water and running in
+consequence of the late rains. It had been slightly flooded this season,
+and the previous year had risen twenty-five feet above the present level.
+This river is the Mackenzie of Leichhardt. The course of the river is to
+the east-south-east, and we crossed to the right bank without much
+difficulty, the bottom being firm and the bank sandy; followed the river
+till 2.40, and camped. The country on the banks of the Mackenzie is
+scrubby, with occasional open flats; the timber box, with good grass. The
+little lemon-tree was in full bearing, and though the fruit is only half
+an inch in diameter, was excellent eating when boiled with sugar. The day
+was cool and cloudy, and it rained lightly for some hours during the
+night.
+
+<p>Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 28 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+<p>16th November (Sunday).
+
+<p>Remained at the camp. The morning was cool and cloudy, but cleared
+towards noon, and at night got sights for latitude.
+
+<p>LEICHHARDT'S CAMP.
+
+<p>17th November.
+
+<p>Resumed our journey at 6.40 a.m. Followed the Mackenzie south-east
+through level country with much scrub till 9.25 a.m., when we crossed a
+large creek from the south, which proved to be the Comet River of Dr.
+Leichhardt. The whole bed of the Comet did not exceed seventy yards, and
+the smaller channel only five to six yards wide, and even below its
+junction the Mackenzie only had a channel ten to thirty yards wide in the
+bottom of a bed 150 yards wide from bank to bank. Just below the junction
+of the Comet we found the remains of a camp of Dr. Leichhardt's party on
+its second journey. The ashes of the fire were still visible, and a
+quantity of bones of goats were scattered around. A large tree was marked
+thus:
+
+<p>DIG arrow pointing down L
+
+<p>but a hollow in the ground at the foot of the tree showed that whatever
+had been deposited had long since been removed. We, however, cleared out
+the loose earth, but found nothing. The river now turned east-north-east,
+and our course being east, we receded from it, and at noon we ascended a
+rocky hill of sandstone covered with scrub; we therefore steered north
+for an hour and came to the Mackenzie, and encamped in a fine grassy
+flat, but beyond the immediate flats of the river the country was covered
+with scrub. Near the camp a large flooded-gum tree had been marked:
+
+<p>Solid square [symbol ??]
+
+<p>some years before. The day was cloudy with easterly breeze. Marked a
+tree:
+
+<p>120 solid Delta
+
+<p>this being the 120th camp since starting from the Victoria River.
+
+<p>18th November.
+
+<p>Rain commenced at 7.0 a.m. and continued till noon; at 6.25 steered east
+and soon entered a dense scrub of acacia, box, sterculia, and Moreton-Bay
+ash. Ascending to the level tableland by a steep sandstone slope, at
+11.25 passed a gully with deep waterholes which appeared permanent, and
+at 1.40 p.m. encamped at a deep creek with a small pool of water. To the
+south-east of the camp about five miles distant a range of hills rose
+abruptly from the level country to a height of 800 to 1000 feet. The
+summits were flat and surrounded by high cliffs of red sandstone
+(Expedition Range).
+
+<p>Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 33 minutes 40 seconds; variation of
+compass 7 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+<p>19th November.
+
+<p>Resumed our route at 6.30 a.m.; steered east through dense scrubs with
+open patches of grassy forest, the soil a light loam, very sandy in the
+open forest. Small watercourses trended north; at 10.0 turned to
+south-east to avoid a large scrubby hill which lay detached from the
+principal range; at 11.0 again steered east, ascending a steep sandstone
+hill from which the country to the north and east appeared extremely
+level, we then crossed a series of ironbark ridges with scrub at
+intervals, and fine flooded-gum and box flats in the valleys; casuarina
+and cypress grew on some of the ridges, but the country generally was
+well grassed; at 3.30 p.m. encamped at a small pool of water in a shallow
+watercourse trending north-east.
+
+<p>Latitude by Saturn 23 degrees 37 minutes 23 seconds.
+
+<p>20th November.
+
+<p>At 7.40 a.m. steered east over open country, thinly timbered with box and
+ironbark; at 10.0 crossed a dry creek, on the banks of which were recent
+tracks of horses and cattle; at noon there was a heavy thunderstorm, and
+at the same time entered a dense scrub of brigalow and casuarina; at 2.0
+p.m. the country was more open, and at 4.10 camped near a small gully
+with pools of rainwater; heavy rain during the night.
+
+<p>21st November.
+
+<p>Continued an east course; at 6.50 a.m. crossed some wooded ridges, from
+which ranges of hills were imperfectly seen about twelve miles to the
+east; descending the ridges, entered a brigalow scrub, and at 11.40 came
+to the Dawson River, about eighty yards wide, with long shallow pools of
+water, the scrub coming close to the bank on both sides, leaving a narrow
+grassy flat; followed the river upwards to the southward till 2.50 p.m.,
+and camped on the left bank of the river. The flats on the bank of the
+river are here much wider and well grassed, and we observed the tracks of
+horses.
+
+<p>REACH THE FIRST STATION ON THE DAWSON RIVER.
+
+<p>22nd November.
+
+<p>At 6.15 a.m. resumed our route up the river south-east, and at 8.0 came
+to a dray-track, which was followed east-north-east two miles to Messrs.
+Connor and Fitz' station, where we met with a most hospitable reception.
+
+<p>Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 51 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+<P>The party having thus reached the occupied country travelled by the
+dray-tracks past Mr. Hay's station Rannes, on the 25th November, and
+thence by Rawbelle, Boondooma, Tabinga, Nanango, Collinton, Kilkoy,
+Durandur, and Cabulture stations, reached Brisbane on the 16th December,
+1856.
+
+<hr width="50%" align="center">
+
+<h4>1857. NEW SOUTH WALES LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.</h4>
+
+<h3>DR. LEICHHARDT, PROPOSED EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF.</h3>
+
+<p><i>Ordered by the Legislative Assembly to be Printed, 28th October, 1857.</i></p>
+
+<h4>PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON THE 14TH SEPTEMBER, 1857, WITH
+RESPECT TO AN EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT.</h4>
+
+<h4>MINUTE NUMBER 57-44.</h4>
+
+<p>His Excellency the Governor-General, at the instance of the Honourable
+the Colonial Secretary, brings under the consideration of the Council a
+proposal which has been made to organise another Expedition to ascertain,
+if possible, beyond doubt, the fate of Dr. Leichhardt, who left Sydney
+some nine years ago with the intention of exploring the north-western
+interior of Australia. This proposal has its origin in a public meeting,
+held in Sydney on the 11th instant, at which resolutions were passed
+invoking the assistance of the Government, and it is recommended to
+favourable consideration at the present moment by the circumstance that
+Mr. Gregory, who recently returned from a successful exploration in the
+same direction, has intimated his willingness to undertake the conduct of
+the proposed Expedition.
+
+<p>2. The Council express themselves desirous of seizing so favourable an
+opportunity of pursuing this inquiry, and they therefore advise that Mr.
+Gregory should be at once invited to submit, for approval, a definite
+proposal having for its object: 1st, to ascertain the fate of the late
+Dr. Leichhardt; and, 2nd, to connect the exploring surveys of Mitchell
+and Kennedy with his own; such proposal to be accompanied by an estimate
+of the probable expense which it will be necessary to incur.
+
+<p>EDWARD C. MEREWETHER,
+
+<p>Clerk of the Council.
+
+<p>Executive Council Office,
+
+<p>Sydney, 22 September, 1857.
+
+<hr width="20%" align="center">
+
+<p>A.C. GREGORY, ESQUIRE, TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
+
+<p>Sydney, 15 September, 1857.
+
+<p>SIR,
+
+<p>Adverting to your verbal communication of yesterday, with reference to
+the proposed Expedition in search of traces of Dr. Leichhardt, I have the
+honour to furnish a memorandum of the arrangements I would suggest for
+the  organisation and conduct of a party calculated to effect the objects
+in view, together with an estimate of the probable cost.
+
+<p>These documents I have submitted to such of the gentlemen composing the
+Committee of the Leichhardt Association as I have had the opportunity of
+consulting, and I have availed myself of their experience of the District
+in which the Expedition would be organised.
+
+<p>Although I have allowed extreme rates for many of the items of
+expenditure, yet, as in all undertakings of this description unavoidable
+and unforeseen contingencies are certain to arise, I should scarcely feel
+justified in naming the gross amount which should be available, though
+not necessarily expended, at a less sum than 4,500 pounds.
+
+<p>I have, etc.,
+
+<p>A.C. GREGORY.
+
+<p>The Honourable the Colonial Secretary.
+
+<hr width="50%" align="center">
+
+<H4>MEMORANDUM FOR THE ORGANISATION OF AN EXPLORING EXPEDITION FOR THE
+PURPOSE OF SEARCHING FOR TRACES OF DR. LEICHHARDT'S PARTY.</H4>
+
+<p>The objects of the proposed Expedition would be primarily to search for
+traces of Dr. Leichhardt and his party, who started from the settled
+districts of New South Wales in April, 1848, with the intention of
+proceeding to Western Australia, and, if possible, to ascertain the fate
+of that unfortunate explorer. Secondly, the examination of the country
+both in the intervening spaces between the tracks of previous explorers,
+and also beyond the limits of that hitherto explored, with a view of
+developing its resources, especially with reference to its capabilities
+for settlement.
+
+<p>The party despatched by the Colonial Government, under Mr. Hely, in
+1851-2, traced Dr. Leichhardt to a spot near the head of the Warrego
+River.
+
+<p>Beyond this spot Dr. Leichhardt had expressed his intention of proceeding
+down the Victoria River to its northern bend, and then shape his course
+along the interior slope of the ranges which he supposed existed at the
+sources of the streams flowing to the northern coast.
+
+<p>The proposed route of the searching Expedition would therefore be to
+reach Leichhardt's last known camp, and then to examine the banks of the
+Victoria River to the junction of the Alice River, at the northern bend,
+where especial search would be made, as Dr. Leichhardt intended to leave
+letters there, and would probably encamp for several days to recruit
+before finally entering the unknown country; and the non-existence of
+marks at this point would be almost conclusive evidence that the party
+had perished nearer to the settlements.
+
+<p>In the search for traces of the missing party beyond this point (as it
+could only be at the camping places that any traces would remain after so
+long an interval), it would be necessary to follow such natural features
+as would probably have influenced the party in the selection of its
+route, assuming that the general course would be north-west.
+
+<p>The investigation having been carried to the fullest extent that time and
+circumstances would admit, the searching party would adopt such a route
+on its return as would intersect the greatest extent of unexamined
+country. To effect these objects it is proposed to organise a party at
+one of the outer stations, say at Surat, on the Lower Condamine River,
+from which Leichhardt's last known camp is 230 miles, and the junction of
+the Alice with the Victoria River, 370 miles, not allowing for
+deviations.
+
+<p>The party to consist of two sections, which may be termed the Exploring
+and the Auxiliary parties.
+
+<p>The first would comprise eight persons, equipped and provisioned for 5
+months, and for the conveyance of which 32 horses would be required, as
+follows:
+
+<p>Commander.
+
+<p>Assistant.
+
+<p>Overseer, etc.
+
+<p>4 Stockmen.
+
+<p>1 Aboriginal Stockman.
+
+<p>The second section would be composed of six persons, provisioned etc.,
+for 2 months, and for the conveyance of which 13 horses would be
+required, as follows:
+
+<p>1 Leader.
+
+<p>4 Stockmen.
+
+<p>1 Aboriginal Black.
+
+<p>These two sections would proceed together to the junction of the Alice
+and Victoria Rivers, and would be sufficiently strong to detach parties
+to examine points out of the more direct line of route which the main
+body would follow.
+
+<P>On reaching the spot above referred to, the Exploring Party would be
+fitted out in the most efficient manner for continuing its operations, by
+selecting the strongest and most serviceable portion of the horses,
+equipment, etc., while the Auxiliary Party would return with the
+remainder to the settlements; thus affording nearly all the advantages of
+a depot, without incurring the greater expense or inconvenience attending
+the otherwise necessary return of the Exploring Party by the same route.
+
+<P>It is scarcely necessary to advert to the many advantages which would be
+derived from this arrangement, for enabling the Exploring Party to reach
+the extreme known point of country, with its strength impaired in the
+least possible degree, while it would afford an opportunity of testing
+the capabilities of the party to be finally selected.
+
+<hr width="20%" align="center">
+
+<H4>ESTIMATE OF THE COST (IN POUNDS/SHILLINGS/PENCE) OF THE EQUIPMENT, ETC.,
+OF THE EXPLORING PARTY.</H4>
+
+<pre>
+PROVISIONS.
+
+1400 pounds Flour : 17/10/0.
+500 pounds Bacon : 25/0/0.
+400 pounds Sugar : 10/0/0.
+70 pounds Tea : 7/0/0.
+750 pounds Meat Biscuit : 37/0/0.
+70 pounds Tobacco : 8/15/0.
+20 pounds Sago : 0/13/4.
+6 pounds Pepper : 0/6/0.
+50 pounds Salt : 0/5/0.
+50 pounds Soap : 0/18/8.
+6 pounds Sperm Candles : 0/9/0.
+150 pounds Dried Beef--800 pounds fresh meat : 10/0/0.
+1000 pounds Fresh Meat : 12/0/0.
+subtotal : 130/7/0.
+
+TRANSPORT.
+
+45 Horses, at 40 pounds : 1800/0/0.
+14 Riding Saddles, at 60 shillings : 42/0/0.
+31 Pack Saddles, at 77 shillings 6 pence : 120/2/6.
+45 Bridles and Headstalls, at 9 shillings : 20/5/0.
+45 Horse Blankets, at 8 shillings : 18/0/0.
+100 Hobbles, at 4 shillings : 20/0/0.
+20 Pairs Girths, at 4 shillings : 4/0/0.
+31 Canvas Saddle-bags, at 25 shillings : 38/17/0.
+100 Provision Bags, at 60 shillings : 15/0/0.
+40 Yards Canvas, at 1 shilling 6 pence : 3/0/0.
+10 Horse-bells, at 6 shillings 6 pence : 3/5/0.
+Materials for repairs, etc. : 20/0/0.
+90 Horse-straps and Nails : 10/0/0.
+100 Saddle-straps, at 1 shilling : 5/0/0.
+subtotal : 2119/9/6.
+
+ARMS AND AMMUNITION.
+
+13 Double guns, at 5 pounds : 65/0/0.
+13 Revolvers, at 5 pounds : 65/0/0.
+30 pounds Gunpowder : 6/0/0.
+150 pounds Shot and Lead : 3/0/0.
+5000 Percussion Caps : 1/10/0.
+14 Belts and Pouches : 3/10/0.
+14 Gun-buckets : 4/18/0.
+Sundries : 10/0/0.
+subtotal : 158/18/0.
+
+CAMP EQUIPAGE.
+14 Calico Sheets for Tents, at 1 shillings : 8/8/0.
+50 yards Calico, at 6 pence : 1/5/0.
+6 Camp Kettles, at 5 shillings : 1/10/0.
+40 Pannikins, at 8 pence : 1/6/8.
+3 Leather Buckets, at 17 shillings 6 pence : 2/12/6.
+20 Tin Dishes, at 9 pence : 0/15/0.
+2 Frying-Pans, at 4 shillings 6 pence : 0/9/0.
+2 Water Bags, at 30 shillings : 3/0/0.
+14 Water Holders, India-Rubber, at 10 shillings 6 pence : 7/7/0.
+2 Socket Shovels, at 2 shillings 6 pence : 0/5/0.
+2 spring Balances, at 7 shillings : 0/14/0.
+Materials for repairs, etc. : 20/0/0.
+subtotal : 27/12/2.
+
+INSTRUMENTS, ETC.
+
+1 Sextant : 10/0/0.
+1 Prismatic Compass : 3/0/0.
+1 Artificial Horizon : 4/0/0.
+2 Aneroid Barometers : 7/0/0.
+3 Thermometers : 1/1/0.
+1 Lever Watch : 9/0/0.
+Stationery : 5/0/0.
+subtotal : 40/1/0.
+
+CLOTHING.
+
+20 Trousers, at 7 shillings : 7/0/0.
+20 Serge Shirts, at 6 shillings : 6/0/0.
+20 Cotton Shirts, at 3 shillings : 3/0/0.
+20 Pairs of Boots, at 15 shillings : 15/0/0.
+14 Blankets, at 10 shillings : 7/0/0.
+14 Oiled Capes, at 10 shillings : 7/0/0.
+subtotal : 45/0/0.
+
+total equipment : 2521/7/8.
+
+CONTINGENCIES.
+
+Medical Stores and Drugs : 20/0/0.
+Petty Contingencies : 50/0/0.
+Collection and Forage for Horses prior to starting : 100/0/0.
+Freights and Passages from Sydney to moreton Bay : 50/0/0.
+Conveyance of Stores from Brisbane to Surat : 200/0/0.
+Contingent Expenses in the Collection of the Party at Surat : 100/0/0.
+Total Contingencies : 520/0/0.
+
+SALARIES.
+
+Commander, 9 months, 600 pounds per annum : 450/0/0.
+Assistant, 7 months, 300 pounds per annum : 175/0/0.
+Overseer, 6 months, at 150 pounds per annum : 75/0/0.
+4 Stock men, 6 months, at 2 pounds per week : 208/0/0.
+1 Aboriginal Stock man, 6 months : 20/0/0.
+Leader of the Auxiliary Party, 3 months : 104/0/0.
+4 Stock men, 3 months : 208/0/0.
+1 Aboriginal Stock man, 3 months : 10/0/0.
+Total salaries : 1117/0/0.
+
+RECAPITULATION.
+
+equipment : 2521/7/8.
+Contingent Expenses : 520/0/0.
+salaries : 1117/0/0.
+total : 4158/7/8.
+
+</pre>
+
+<p>A.C. Gregory.
+
+<p>Sydney, 16th September, 1857.
+
+<hr width="50%" align="center">
+
+<h4>1858. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, NEW SOUTH WALES.</h4>
+
+<hr width="20%" align="center">
+
+<h3>EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT.--REPORT ON PROCEEDINGS.</h3>
+
+<hr width="20%" align="center">
+
+<p><i>Ordered by the Legislative Assembly to be Printed, 1 September, 1858.</i>
+
+<hr width="20%" align="center">
+
+<h4>REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT
+AND PARTY.</h4>
+
+<p>8TH DECEMBER, 1857, TO 11TH JANUARY, 1858.
+
+<p>Having received instructions from the Honourable the Secretary for Lands
+and Public Works to organise an expedition for the purpose of searching
+for traces of Dr. Leichhardt and party, who left New South Wales in 1848
+with the intention of proceeding overland to Western Australia, I
+proceeded to Moreton Bay with such portions of the equipment as had been
+prepared in Sydney. On reaching Ipswich forty horses were purchased, and
+having despatched the stores to Mr. Royd's station, on the Dawson River,
+by drays, the party were collected at that place; but, owing to
+unforeseen delays in the transport of the stores, the equipment and
+organisation of the expedition was not complete till the latter part of
+March.
+
+<p>The following list of the party, horses, stores, etc., will show the
+principal arrangements.
+
+<p>The party consisted of nine persons, namely: Commander A.C. Gregory;
+assistant commander, C.F. Gregory; assistant, S. Burgoyne; overseer, G.
+Phibbs; stockmen, etc., R. Bowman, W. Selby, T. Dunn, W. von Wedel, and
+D. Worrell. The stock consisted of horses alone, comprising thirty-one
+pack and nine saddle horses, completely equipped. Provisions comprised
+the dried meat of two bullocks and four sheep, weighing, as butcher's
+meat, 16 hundredweight; but when dried and the bones removed, reduced to
+300 pounds. In addition to this 500 pounds bacon, 1600 pounds flour, 100
+pounds rice, 350 pounds sugar, 60 pounds tea, 40 pounds tobacco, and some
+minor articles. The arms and ammunition were: one minie rifle, eight
+double-barrel guns, nine revolver pistols, 25 pounds gunpowder, 150
+pounds shot and balls, percussion caps, etc. For the conveyance of water
+two leather water-bags were provided, each holding five gallons, besides
+which each of the party was furnished with a water-bag of India-rubber
+holding three pints. The tents were made of calico, each suited for the
+accommodation of two persons, and the several articles of camp equipage
+were of the lightest construction consistent with the service required.
+The instruments employed were an eight-inch sextant, box-sextant,
+prismatic compasses, pocket compasses, double axis compass, aneroid
+barometers, thermometers, and artificial horizon, etc. Including forty
+sets of horse-shoes, farrier's and carpenter's tools, together with
+sundry material for repairs, etc., the total weight of the equipment was
+about 4,600 pounds, exclusive of the saddles and harness, which gave an
+average load of 150 pounds as the net load carried by each pack-horse.
+
+<p>THE PARTY START FROM JUANDA STATION.
+
+<p>24th March to 27th March.
+
+<p>These arrangements being complete, the expedition left Juanda, and
+proceeded by the road to Mr. Cardew's station at Euroomba, from which,
+under the guidance of Mr. Bolton--whose local knowledge was of material
+service--we made our way through the dense scrubs and broken country to
+the west for about thirty miles, to the head of Scott's Creek, a small
+tributary of the Dawson River.
+
+<p>29th March.
+
+<p>The general course was now west-north-west through a country with rich
+grassy valleys and dense scrubs of brigalow acacia on the higher ground.
+Green grass was abundant at this time; but I fear that in seasons of
+drought few of the waterholes are permanent; the timber consists of
+ironbark, box, and a few other species of eucalyptus--the brigalow acacia
+attaining the height of thirty feet; soft brown sandstones of the coal
+measures are the prevailing rock, forming hills with table summits.
+
+<p>2nd April.
+
+<p>With some difficulty, owing to the dense scrubs, we crossed the basaltic
+ridge which divides the eastern waters flowing to the Dawson River from
+those trending to the west into the basin of the Maranoa River, a
+tributary of which--probably the Merivale River--was followed westward.
+The country became more sandy, timbered with ironbark, cypress, etc. The
+whole was, however, well grassed, and suited for grazing, if not too
+heavily stocked.
+
+<p>5th April.
+
+<p>Reaching the Maranoa River in about latitude 25 degrees 45 minutes, water
+was scarcely procurable in the sandy bed, and we had to dig wells to
+obtain a supply.
+
+<p>7th April to 12th April.
+
+<p>Warned by the fact that Messrs. H. Gregory and Haly had been unable to
+penetrate the country to the west from scarcity of water, even three
+months earlier in the season, we followed up the Maranoa to Mount Owen,
+and having found a sufficient supply of water and grass for a few days'
+halt, I proceeded to reconnoitre the country to the west, and at length
+found a practicable route to the tributaries of the Warrego River, to
+which the party was advanced. A heavy shower of rain had filled the
+gullies in this locality, and green grass clothed the country, forming a
+striking contrast to the dry and waterless valley of the Maranoa.
+
+<p>15th to 16th April.
+
+<p>Fine openly timbered valleys, well suited for pasture, alternated with
+ridges of scrub of brigalow acacia till we reached Mount Playfair, a
+basaltic hill on the sandstone ridge which separates the Warrego Valley
+from that of the Nive, a small branch of which was followed down to its
+junction with the main channel in latitude 25 degrees 6 minutes. The soil
+in the valley of the Nive is sandy, thinly grassed, and openly timbered
+with ironbark spotted gum, etc.; the back country rising into low
+sandstone ridges, covered with dense scrub of brigalow acacia. Some pools
+of permanent water containing small fish were passed, on the bank of
+which the remains of numerous native camps were seen.
+
+<p>17th April.
+
+<p>From the Nive River a north-north-west course was pursued through a
+nearly level sandy country, covered with a scrub of acacia, eucalypti,
+bottle-tree, etc., which offered great impediments to our progress, till
+within six miles of the Victoria River, when we suddenly emerged from the
+scrub on to open downs of rich clay soil; but the drought had been of
+such a long continuance that the whole of the vegetation had been
+destroyed and swept away by the wind, leaving the country to all
+appearance an absolute desert. The bed of the Victoria was scarcely ten
+yards wide, and perfectly dry, so that it was only after a prolonged
+search along its course that a small puddle of water was found in a
+hollow of the clay flat, and near it, fortunately for our horses, a
+little grass growing in widely scattered tufts.
+
+<p>THE BARCOO RIVER.
+
+<p>19th April.
+
+<p>Being now on the line of route which Dr. Leichhardt had stated his
+intention of following, the party was divided, so that both sides of the
+river were examined in all probable positions in which his camps might
+have been situated; but as the high floods appeared to have inundated the
+country for nearly a mile on each bank last year, all tracks of previous
+explorers were necessarily obliterated, and it was only by marked trees,
+or the bones of cattle, that we could hope to discover any trace. During
+the first two days' journey down the river only a few small pools of
+water were seen, and these not of a permanent character, while the rich
+vegetation on the open downs, which had excited the admiration of Sir T.
+Mitchell on his discovery of the country in a favourable season, had
+wholly passed away, leaving little but a bare surface of clay, the deep
+fissures in its surface giving evidence of long-continued drought.
+
+<p>20th April.
+
+<p>In latitude 24 degrees 37 minutes, longitude 146 degrees 13 minutes, a
+small sandy creek, of equal size with the Victoria, joined from the east,
+and just below the first permanent pool of water was found. There was a
+slight improvement in the grass, but dense scrubs prevailed in the back
+country, and even approached the river at intervals.
+
+<p>LEICHHARDT'S MARKED TREE.
+
+<p>21st April.
+
+<p>While collecting the horses near this pool of water I detected a party of
+armed natives watching one of the stockmen, evidently, from their
+position in the scrub and general movements, inclined to hostilities, and
+I imagine that it was a knowledge that we were aware of their intentions
+which prevented my being able to establish any communication with them. I
+may here remark that this party, which numbered about eight, were the
+first natives seen during the journey. Continuing our route along the
+river (latitude 24 degrees 35 minutes; longitude 36 degrees 6 minutes),
+we discovered a Moreton-Bay ash (Eucalyptus sp.), about two feet in
+diameter, marked with the letter L on the east side, cut through the
+bark, about four feet from the ground, and near it the stumps of some
+small trees which had been cut with a sharp axe, also a deep notch cut in
+the side of a sloping tree, apparently to support the ridge pole of a
+tent, or some similar purposes; all indicating that a camp had been
+established here by Leichhardt's party. The tree was near the bank of a
+small reach of water, which is noted on Sir T. Mitchell's map. This,
+together with its actual and relative position as regards other features
+of the country, prove it not to have been either one of Sir T. Mitchell's
+or Mr. Kennedy's camps, as neither encamped within several miles of the
+spot, besides which, the letter could not have been marked by either of
+them to designate the number of the camp, as the former had long passed
+his fiftieth camp, and the latter had not reached that number on the
+outward route, and numbered his camp from the farthest point attained on
+his return journey. Notwithstanding a careful search, no traces of stock
+could be found. This is, however, easily accounted for, as the country
+had been inundated last season, though the current had not been
+sufficiently strong to remove some emu bones and mussel shells which lay
+round a native camping place within a few yards of the spot. No other
+indications having been found, we continued the search down the river,
+examining every likely spot for marked trees, but without success. The
+general aspect of the country was extremely level, and even the few
+distant ridges which were visible had but small elevation above the
+plain, the highest apparently not exceeding 200 or 300 feet. Timber was
+wholly confined to the bank of the river, and though open plains existed,
+acacia scrubs were the principal feature. Water became very scarce in the
+channels of the river, and we were principally dependent on small puddles
+of rainwater from a recent thunder-shower; but as we approached the
+northern bend some fine reaches of water were passed.
+
+<p>THE ALICE RIVER.
+
+<p>6th April to 28th April.
+
+<p>In latitude 26 degrees 2 minutes we observed a small dry creek joining
+from the north-east. This I traced upwards for a few miles; but as its
+relative position with regard to the adjacent country, as well as the
+latitude, did not correspond with that of the Alice River on the chart,
+we continued our route. Finding, however, that the general course of the
+river changed to south-west, I left the party at a small lagoon and rode
+up the river again, making a second search, more especially at the
+junction of the small dry creek, which proved to be identical with the
+Alice River, though more than five miles to the south, as the Victoria
+River never reaches the parallel of 24 degrees. Our position was now
+becoming very critical, as a long continuance of drought had not only
+dried up all the water, except in the deepest hollows in the channel of
+the main river, but the smaller vegetation, and even the trees on the
+back country were annihilated, rendering the country almost impracticable
+from the quantity of fallen dead branches, and even in the bed of the
+river, where the inundation derived from heavy rain near the sources of
+the river last year had somewhat refreshed the grass, it was scarcely
+possible to find subsistence for the horses. Under existing
+circumstances, it would have been certain destruction to attempt a
+north-west route from this point; and the only course that appeared
+opened to us was to follow down the main river to the junction of the
+Thompson River, and ascend that watercourse so as to intersect
+Leichhardt's probable line of route, had he penetrated in that direction,
+favoured by a better season. At the same time, it was probable that, like
+ourselves, he had been repulsed, and would then follow down the river,
+and search for a more favourable point from which to commence his
+north-west course, in order to round the desert interior on its northern
+side; and we therefore continued our search down towards the Thompson
+River.
+
+<p>29th April to 2nd May.
+
+<p>The country was perfectly flat on both sides of the river, and showed
+traces of tremendous floods. The soil near the river was often
+deeply-cracked mud, water very scarce, and grass seldom seen. The back
+country was covered with scrubs of dead acacia, the soil a red sand or
+gravel; and such was the unpromising appearance that I began to fear that
+our horses would soon fail for want of food and water; but having camped
+at a waterhole during Sunday to rest the party, heavy rain commenced, and
+though the greater portion of the water was absorbed by the dry soil,
+some of the channels of the river filled and commenced to flow. This
+relieved us from much difficulty as regarded the want of water, and
+enabled us to seek for grass in positions which were otherwise
+inaccessible.
+
+<p>3rd May.
+
+<p>Just as we were leaving our camp a party of seven natives made their
+appearance; but though they came up to us, and talked much, I could get
+no useful information from them. As the party moved on they followed us,
+and thinking they were not observed, made an attempt to throw a spear at
+one of the men; but Mr. C. Gregory, wheeling his horse quickly and
+presenting a revolver at the intending aggressors, they ran away, and
+left us to pursue our journey in peace.
+
+<p>THE THOMPSON RIVER.
+
+<p>4th May to 6th May.
+
+<p>The abundance of water was not without its inconveniences, and had the
+rain continued the party would have been annihilated, as our camp was
+between the deep channels which intersected the plain; and in attempting
+to extricate ourselves from the plains subject to inundation, found
+ourselves so completely entangled among the numerous deep channels and
+boggy gullies, in some of which the horses narrowly escaped suffocation
+in the soft mud, that after having forded one branch of the river,
+carrying the whole equipment across on our own backs, constructing a
+bridge over a second for the transport of the stores, and dragging the
+horses through as we best could with ropes, after three days of severe
+toil we had scarcely accomplished a direct distance of five miles. The
+dry weather which followed rapidly hardened the surface of the clay
+plains, and I attempted to steer due west to the Thompson, but found the
+country so destitute of feed, and covered with dense acacia scrub, that
+we were compelled to return to the plains on the bank of the river.
+
+<p>8th May.
+
+<p>The valley of the river trending west was somewhat contracted, and did
+not exceed five or six miles in breadth; the plains were firmer,
+salt-bush and grass more abundant, and the horses recovered slightly from
+the effects of the barren country. Keeping back from the right bank of
+the main channel, we passed some ridges of drift sand, and came on a fine
+lagoon nearly a mile in length. Here we surprised a party of natives, who
+decamped on our approach, leaving a net, fish, etc., which we of course
+left untouched, and camped at a spot lower down the lagoon.
+
+<p>9th May.
+
+<p>The next day being Sunday, we remained at our camp, and the party of
+natives, consisting of seven or eight men, three or four women, and some
+children, approached us, and remained the greater part of the day near
+the tents. They were very anxious to enter the camp, but this was not
+permitted. By signs they expressed that they had observed we had not
+taken away any of their property the evening before, when they ran away
+and left their nets, and were therefore satisfied our intentions were
+friendly; but we could not procure any information relative to the
+objects of our journey or the character of the country before us. At 4
+p.m. they informed us they were going to sleep at the most distant part
+of the lagoon, and would return next morning at sunrise, and then
+departed. After dark, however, the natives were detected attempting to
+crawl into the camp through the bushes, and though we called to them in
+an unmistakable tone to retire, they would not withdraw. As the position
+they had taken up was such as to command our camp, and render it unsafe
+in the event of an attack, it was necessary to dislodge them. I therefore
+fired a pistol over them, but was answered by a shout of derision, which
+no doubt would have been soon followed by a shower of spears had we not
+compelled them to retreat by a discharge of small shot directed into the
+scrub, after which we were not further molested.
+
+<p>10th May.
+
+<p>We were now approaching the junction of the Thompson River, but the
+country became worse as we advanced, and the last five miles of the plain
+were absolutely devoid of vegetation. Our hopes were, however, raised on
+finding that the late rain had caused the Thompson to flow, though the
+current was not strong; we had, however, to travel upwards of twelve
+miles up its course before any grass could be found for the horses.
+
+<p>11th May.
+
+<p>Continuing our route up the Thompson, nothing could be more desolate than
+the aspect of the country; except the few trees which grew on the
+immediate bank of the river there was scarcely a tree left alive, while
+the plains were quite bare of vegetation, except a few salsolaceous
+bushes. At the distance of five miles low ridges of red drift sand showed
+the desert character of all around; even the lower surfaces of the clouds
+assumed a lurid tinge from the reflection of the bare surface of red
+sand.
+
+<p>12th to 15th May.
+
+<p>In latitude 24 degrees 40 minutes low sandstone hills, or rather
+tableland, approached both banks of the river, and the gullies which
+intersected them had supplied the water lower down, as the channel was
+dry above. We, however, succeeded in reaching latitude 23 degrees 47
+minutes, when the absence of water and grass--the rain not having
+extended so far north, and the channels of the river separating into
+small gullies and spreading on the wide plains--precluded our progressing
+further to the north or west; and the only prospect of saving our horses
+was to return south as quickly as possible. This was a most severe
+disappointment, as we had just reached the part of the country through
+which Leichhardt most probably travelled, if the season was sufficiently
+wet to render it practicable. Thus compelled to abandon the principal
+object of the expedition, only two courses remained open--either to
+return to the head of the Victoria River and attempt a northern course by
+the valley of the Belyando, or to follow down the river and ascertain
+whether it flowed into Cooper's Creek or the Darling. The latter course
+appeared most desirable, as it was just possible that Leichhardt, under
+similar circumstances, had been driven to the south-west. In order to
+ascertain whether any large watercourses came from the west, the return
+route was along the right bank of the Thompson, but only one small creek
+and some inconsiderable gullies joined on that side; nor was the country
+of a better character than on the left bank--consisting of barren plains,
+subject to inundation, low rocky ridges covered with dense scrub, and
+sandy ridges producing triodia.
+
+<p>22nd to 23rd May.
+
+<p>We had nearly reached the Victoria River, when, in crossing a gully,
+Worrell's horse fell and hurt him so severely that we had to halt for
+some time before he could be placed on his horse again, and it was
+therefore fortunate that a small patch of dry grass was found on the bank
+of the river, which enabled us to halt the next day, which was Sunday.
+Travelling down the right bank of the river, the principal channels were
+full of water, but the clay plains between were quite dry, the rain which
+had caused the river to flow not having extended so far south; nothing
+could well be more desolate than the unbounded level of these vast
+plains, which, destitute of vegetation, extended to the horizon. Our
+horses were reduced to feeding on the decayed weeds, and even these were
+so scarce that they eagerly devoured the thatch of some old native huts.
+
+<p>27th May.
+
+<p>We had nearly reached the furthest point attained by Mr. Kennedy when the
+horses showed signs of failing strength, and the channels on the east
+side of the plain being dry, I conceived it prudent to cross to the
+western side again. The dry mud was so deeply cracked that the horses
+were continually falling, and one horse was so completely exhausted that
+we had to abandon him.
+
+<p>KENNEDY'S MARKED TREE.
+
+<p>28th May.
+
+<p>Steering a westerly, and then a north course, we reached the small
+waterhole at Mr. Kennedy's second camp on the return route; there was
+just sufficient water to supply the party for one night, and a few
+scattered tufts of grass near it, but quite insufficient for the supply
+of so large a number of horses. Close to the waterhole we found Mr.
+Kennedy's marked tree; it was a large box-tree, marked on the north side
+thus:
+
+<p>K II.
+
+<p>The cuts of the axe and chisel were still quite clear, though twelve
+years had elapsed; but the slow growth and decay of trees in the interior
+may be attributed to the dryness of the climate.
+
+<p>29th May.
+
+<p>Steering north-west, after toiling nearly thirty miles across this
+fearful waste of dry mud, we at length reached a small patch of grass on
+a sandy hummock, but only just in time to save the horses, as many could
+scarcely keep on their legs, and we had to remove their loads to those
+which were less exhausted.
+
+<p>30th May.
+
+<p>Long before the next morning our hungry animals had consumed every blade
+of grass, and the small patch round the camp was reduced to the same
+barren appearance as the surrounding plain. We therefore started in
+search of food for them, and were fortunate in finding a second patch of
+grass, about three miles to the south, and halted for the remainder of
+the day, which was Sunday, thankful that Providence had enabled us to
+make it a day of rest.
+
+<p>PLAINS OF DRY MUD.
+
+<p>31st May.
+
+<p>The running channel of the river being still to the west of our position,
+we steered south-west, over barren clay plains, to some low ridges of
+drift sand, beyond which we found the channel full of water, with a
+slight current; but it terminated in a large reach of water which had not
+yet filled, and the channel lower down was dry. Low ridges of red drift
+sand were now frequent on the plain, and appeared to be the higher points
+of the former sandy desert, the clay plains resulting from the deposition
+of mud in the hollows between which had in course of time filled it to
+one uniform level.
+
+<p>Latitude 26 degrees 2 minutes.
+
+<p>1st June.
+
+<p>The channels on the western side of the plain were very irregular,
+sometimes completely lost on the level surface, and again collecting into
+large hollows, with box-trees on the banks, in which fine sheets of water
+still remained, some 100 yards wide and more than a mile in length. We
+therefore did not experience so much inconvenience with regard to the
+supply of this necessary element as from the absence of sufficient grass,
+and the all but impracticable nature of the mud plains.
+
+<p>4th June.
+
+<p>In latitude 27 degrees, low sandstone tableland approached the west side
+of the river, and we attempted to travel along the slope between it and
+the mud plains, but found it so stony that the horses' hoofs were soon
+worn to the quick, as we had been compelled to remove their shoes to
+enable them to traverse the mud plains. Had it not been for green bushes
+of salsolae, and some similar plants which had sprung up since the rain,
+this tract of country exactly resembled the stony desert described by
+Captain Sturt as existing 200 miles to the westward. These remarkable
+features forming the declivities of the sandstone tableland through which
+Cooper's Creek forces its way, and by confining the waters to a narrower
+space during floods, causes the fine deep reaches of water which
+characterize it.
+
+<p>8th June.
+
+<p>By following the western limits of the plains we reached latitude 27
+degrees 30 minutes, when the sandstone tableland receded, and a boundless
+expanse of mud plain was before us; the lines of box-trees which had
+hitherto marked the channels nearly ceased, polygonum and atriplex
+constituting the main feature of the vegetation.
+
+<p>COOPER'S CREEK.
+
+<p>9th June.
+
+<p>After toiling south-west a day and a half over this level surface to
+latitude 27 degrees 50 minutes, we approached some low ridges, at the
+foot of which there was a lagoon 100 yards wide, exhibiting signs of a
+current during flood to the north-west; and as there was an evident
+westerly trend in all the smaller channels previously crossed, it was
+evident they would soon merge in Cooper's Creek. Steering
+west-north-west, the several channels collected together, and soon formed
+a deep watercourse, with fine reaches of water. The sandstone tableland
+closed in on both sides; the soil of the intervening plain was much
+firmer, but showed by the vegetation that saline nature which so often
+attends the development of the upper sandstones in Australia. Grass was
+abundant, and it was surprising with what rapidity the horses recovered
+their strength.
+
+<p>BOUNDARY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
+
+<p>12th June.
+
+<p>Approaching the 141st meridian, which is the boundary of the province of
+South Australia, stony ridges closed in on both banks of Cooper's Creek,
+forming almost a natural division, across which we followed a well-beaten
+native path; and here I observed the only instance which has come under
+my observation where the aborigines have taken the trouble to remove
+natural obstacles from their paths. The loose stones had been cleared
+from the track, and in some places piled in large heaps.
+
+<p>14th June.
+
+<p>After passing the stony ridge the valley became wider, the hills receding
+suddenly, in longitude 140 degrees 30 minutes, both to the north and
+south; and the whole of the country to the west seemed to consist of a
+succession of low ridges of red sand and level plains of dry mud, subject
+to inundation. Shortly before reaching the branch of Cooper's Creek named
+by Captain Sturt Streletzki Creek, we observed the tracks of two horses,
+one apparently a cart-horse, and the other a well-bred animal, but as
+none of their tracks were within the last month, the rain had obliterated
+them to such an extent that they could not be traced up, as they had left
+the bank of the creek on the first fall of rain, as is the usual habit of
+horses whose wanderings are uncontrolled. There can be little doubt that
+these horses belonged to Captain Sturt, who left one in an exhausted
+state near this locality, and also lost a second horse, whose tracks were
+followed many miles in the direction of this part of Cooper's Creek.
+
+<p>16th June.
+
+<p>Streletzki Creek, which separates nearly at a right angle from the main
+channel, appears to convey about one-third of the waters of Cooper's
+Creek nearly south, and, as we afterwards ascertained, connects it with
+Lake Torrens. We, however, continued to follow the channels which trended
+west for thirty miles, but large branches continually broke off to the
+south and west, and at length the whole was lost on the wide plains of
+dry mud between the sand ridges; and, as there was no prospect of either
+water or grass to the west, I steered south and south-east for fifty
+miles over a succession of ridges of red drift sand, ten to fifty feet
+high, running parallel to each other, and in a nearly north and south
+direction. Between these ridges we occasionally found shallow puddles of
+rainwater, or rather mud, as it was so thick with clay as to be scarcely
+fluid. Fortunately a great quantity of green weeds had grown up since the
+rain, and the horses improved in condition, and did not require much
+water.
+
+<p>21st June to 25th June.
+
+<p>In latitude 28 degrees 24 minutes we again came on Streletzki Creek, and
+then followed it nearly south-south-west between sandy ridges to latitude
+29 degrees 25 minutes, when it turned to the west and entered Lake
+Torrens. No permanent water was seen in the bed of the creek, though
+there were many deep hollows which, when once filled, retain water for
+several months, and this, combined with the existence of a fine reach of
+water in Cooper's Creek immediately above the point where Streletzki
+Creek branches off, renders it far the best line of route into the
+interior which has yet been discovered. Passing between the eastern point
+of Lake Torrens and what has hitherto been considered the eastern arm,
+but now ascertained to be an independent lake, the space between (about
+half a mile) was level sandy ground, covered with salicornia, without any
+apparent connecting channel. The course was continued south-south-west
+towards Mount Hopeless, at the northern extreme of the high ranges of
+South Australia, which had been visible across the level country at a
+distance of sixty miles.
+
+<p>26th June.
+
+<p>As we approached the range of hills tracks of cattle and horses were
+observed, and eight miles beyond Mount Hopeless came to a cattle station
+which had been lately established by Mr. Baker. As the nature of the
+country we had traversed was such as not to admit of any useful
+deviations from it if we returned to New South Wales by land, I deemed it
+advisable to proceed forthwith to Adelaide, and, disposing of the horses
+and equipment, return with the party by sea to Sydney.
+
+<p>ARRIVE IN ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
+
+<p>31st July.
+
+<p>We therefore proceeded by easy stages towards Adelaide, experiencing the
+greatest hospitality at the stations on our route, while our reception in
+the city was of the most flattering nature. His Excellency Sir Richard
+Macdonald kindly gave me the use of an extensive paddock for the horses,
+and provided quarters for the men during the period which necessarily
+elapsed before the sale of the equipment of the expedition was effected.
+I have also to express my acknowledgments of the kind assistance rendered
+by the Honourable the Commissioner of Crown Lands, to the
+Surveyor-General, and the Superintendent of Telegraphs, for valuable data
+connected with the construction of the map of the route, as well as to
+many other gentlemen whose cordial co-operation greatly facilitated my
+arrangements. It is extremely gratifying to record my appreciation of the
+untiring zeal and energy which distinguished every individual composing
+the expedition; and it is to the unvarying and cheerful alacrity with
+which each and all performed their respective duties, that, under
+Providence, the rapidity and success of the journey is to be mainly
+attributed. With reference to the probable fate of Dr. Leichhardt, it is
+evident, from the existence of the marked camp, nearly eighty miles
+beyond those seen by Mr. Hely, that the account given to that gentleman
+by the natives of the murder of the party was untrue; and I am inclined
+to think only a revival of the report current during Leichhardt's first
+journey to Port Essington. Nor is it probable that they were destroyed
+until they had left the Victoria, as, if killed by the natives, the
+scattered bones of the horses and cattle would have been observed during
+our search. I am therefore of opinion that they left the river at the
+junction of the Alice, and, favoured by thunder-showers, penetrated the
+level desert country to the north-west; in which case, on the cessation
+of the rain, the party would not only be deprived of a supply of water
+for the onward journey, but unable to retreat, as the shallow deposits of
+rainwater would evaporate in a few days, and it is not likely that they
+would commence a retrograde movement until the strength of the party had
+been severely taxed in the attempt to advance. The character of the
+country traversed, from the out-stations on the Dawson River to the head
+of the Warrego River, was generally that of a grassy forest, with ridges
+of dense brigalow scrub. A great portion is available for pastoral
+purposes, but not well watered; and the soil being sandy, the grass would
+soon be destroyed if too heavily stocked. As we advanced into the
+interior it became more barren, and, except along the banks of the larger
+watercourses, destitute of timber, and the character of the vegetation
+indicated excessive droughts. North of latitude 26 degrees dense scrubs
+of acacia prevailed on the level country beyond the influence of the
+inundations, but to the southward sandy and stony deserts, with low
+shrubby vegetation, were the characteristic feature. West of longitude
+147 degrees, nearly to the boundary of South Australia, in 141 degrees,
+the country is unfit for occupation, for, though in favourable seasons
+there might in some few localities be abundance of feed for stock, the
+uncertainty of rain and frequent recurrence of drought renders it
+untenable, the grasses and herbage being principally annuals, which not
+only die but are swept away by the hot summer winds, leaving the surface
+of the soil completely bare. On Cooper's Creek, near the boundary, there
+is a small tract of second-rate country, which, being abundantly supplied
+with water, may eventually be occupied. The best part is, however, within
+the province of South Australia. Between Cooper's Creek and Lake Torrens
+about 120 miles of sandy country intervenes. This tract is destitute of
+surface water, but as it is probable that it could be obtained by sinking
+wells of moderate depth, I think it might be occupied to advantage during
+the cool season, and thus relieve the stations which are now established
+within Lake Torrens, though I fear that the summer heat would be too
+great to admit of permanent occupation. The geological character of the
+country is remarkably uniform. Carboniferous sandstones and shales,
+containing occasional beds of coal, with superincumbent hills and ridges
+of basalt, extend from Darling Downs to the 146th meridian, where these
+rocks are covered by horizontal sandstones with beds of chert and
+water-worn quartz pebbles. This latter formation extends as far as Mount
+Hopeless, where the slate ranges of South Australia rise abruptly from
+the plain. The sandy deserts and mud plains are only superficial
+deposits, as the sandstones are often exposed where the upper formation
+is intersected by gullies. The direction of the parallel ridges of drift
+sand appear to be the result of the prevailing winds, and not the action
+of water, it being sufficient to visit them on a windy day to be
+convinced that it is unnecessary to seek for a more remote and obscure
+cause than that which is in present operation. It is, perhaps, with
+reference to the physical geography of Australia that the results of the
+Expedition are most important; as by connecting successively the
+explorations of Sir T. Mitchell, Mr. Kennedy, Captain Sturt, and Mr.
+Eyre, the waters of the tropical interior of the eastern portion of the
+Continent are proved to flow towards Spencer's Gulf, if not actually into
+it, the barometrical observations showing that Lake Torrens, the lowest
+part of the interior, is decidedly above the sea-level. Although only
+about one-third of the waters of Cooper's Creek flow into Lake Torrens by
+the channel of Streletzki Creek, there is strong evidence that the
+remaining channels, after spreading their waters on the vast plains which
+occupy the country between them and Sturt's Stony Desert, finally drain
+to the south, augmented probably by the waters of Eyre's Creek, the Stony
+Desert, and perhaps some other watercourses of a similar character coming
+from the westward. This peculiar structure of the interior renders it
+improbable that any considerable inland lakes should exist in connection
+with the known system of waters; for, as Lake Torrens is decidedly only
+an expanded continuation of Cooper's Creek, and therefore the culminating
+point of this vast system of drainage, if there was sufficient average
+fall of rain in the interior to balance the effects of evaporation from
+the surface of an extensive sheet of water, the Torrens Basin, instead of
+being occupied by salt marshes, in which the existence of anything beyond
+shallow lagoons of salt-water is yet problematical, would be maintained
+as a permanent lake. Therefore, if the waters flowing from so large a
+tract of country are insufficient to meet the evaporation from the
+surface of Lake Torrens, there is even less probability of the waters of
+the western interior forming an inland lake of any magnitude, even should
+there be so anomalous a feature as a depression of the surface in which
+it could be collected, especially as our knowledge of its limits indicate
+a much drier climate and less favourable conformation of surface than in
+the eastern division of the continent. The undulations of the surface of
+the country are nearly parallel to the meridian, gradually decreasing in
+height from the dividing range between the eastern and western waters
+till, instead of the waters of the rivers being confined to valleys, they
+occupy plains formed by a slight flattening of the curvature of the
+sphere. Thus the sides of the plain through which the river ran before it
+turned west to Cooper's Creek were 150 feet below the tangential level of
+the centre channels, and even the summit of the sandstone tableland which
+rose beyond was below the visible horizon. It is this peculiar
+conformation which causes the stream-beds to spread so widely when
+following the course of the valleys from north to south, and it is only
+where they break through the intervening ridges that the water is
+confined sufficiently to form well-defined channels. The existence of
+these extensive valleys trending north and south over so large a tract of
+country render it by no means unlikely that they continue far beyond the
+limits of present explorations, and it is not unreasonable to infer that
+the great depression which has been traced nearly five hundred miles
+north from Spencer's Gulf through Lake Torrens to the stony desert of
+Sturt (or rather the mud plains contiguous to its western limit) may be
+continuous for an equal distance beyond to the low land at the head of
+the Gulf of Carpentaria; a theory also supported by the fact that the
+rivers flowing into the Gulf either come from the east or west,
+apparently from higher land in those directions, while there is not a
+single watercourse from the south, or any indication of elevated country
+in that direction. Captain Wickham having named an important river
+discovered by him in H.M.S. Beagle, on the north-west coast, the
+Victoria, several years prior to Sir T. Mitchell having attached that
+name to the upper portion of Cooper's Creek, which had also been
+previously discovered and named by Captain Sturt, I would suggest that
+the term River Cooper be adopted for the whole of the main channel from
+its sources, discovered by Sir T. Mitchell, to its termination in Lake
+Torrens; as, while it does not interfere with the rule that the name
+given by the first discoverer should be retained, will prevent the
+recurrence of the misapprehension and inconvenience of having two
+important rivers with the same designation on the maps of Australia. With
+regard to the numbers and habits of the aborigines, I could collect
+little information, as only a collective number of about 100 men, a few
+women and children, were seen, in small scattered parties; but, judging
+from the number of encampments seen, at least a thousand must visit the
+banks of the river; and it is probable that the whole of the inhabitants
+for at least 100 miles on each side are dependent on it for water during
+the dry season. Neither sex wear any clothing. Their weapons and utensils
+are similar to those used on the eastern coast; nor was there any
+characteristic by which they could be observed to differ from the
+aborigines of other portions of Australia. Fish, rats, grass seeds, and a
+few roots, constitute their chief food. On the upper part of the river
+they bury their dead, piling wood on the grave; near the junction of the
+Thompson they suspend the bodies in nets, and afterwards remove the
+bones; while on Cooper's Creek the graves are mounds of earth three to
+four feet high, apparently without any excavation, and surmounted by a
+pile of dead wood. In the last-named locality the number of burial mounds
+which had been constructed about two years ago greatly exceed the
+proportion of deaths which could have possibly occurred in any ordinary
+season of mortality, even assuming the densest population known in any
+other part of Australia; and it is not improbable that the seasons of
+drought which proved so destructive to the tree vegetation higher up the
+river may have been equally disastrous in its effects on the aboriginal
+inhabitants of this portion of the interior.
+
+<p>A.C. GREGORY.
+
+<p>Sydney, 27 August, 1858.
+
+<hr align="center"  width="50%">
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals of Australian Explorations
+by A C and F T Gregory
+
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diff --git a/old/10461-h/CFGregory.jpg b/old/10461-h/CFGregory.jpg
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@@ -0,0 +1,15380 @@
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals of Australian Explorations
+by A C and F T Gregory
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Journals of Australian Explorations
+
+Author: A C and F T Gregory
+
+Release Date: December 15, 2003 [EBook #10461]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Sue Asscher
+
+
+
+
+JOURNALS
+
+OF
+
+AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS
+
+BY
+
+AUGUSTUS CHARLES GREGORY,
+C.M.G., F.R.G.S., ETC.,
+Gold Medalist, Royal Geographical Society,
+
+AND
+
+FRANCIS THOMAS GREGORY,
+F.R.G.S., ETC., ETC.,
+Gold Medalist, Royal Geographical Society.
+
+
+BRISBANE:
+JAMES C. BEAL, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, WILLIAM STREET.
+
+1884.
+
+
+
+PREFACE.
+
+Numerous inquiries having been made for copies of the Journals of the
+Explorations by the Messrs. Gregory in the Western, Northern, and Central
+portions of Australia, and as these journals have hitherto only been
+partially published in a fragmentary form, and are now out of print, it
+has been deemed desirable to collect the material into one volume, for
+convenience of reference, and to place on permanent record some of the
+earlier attempts to penetrate the terra incognita which then constituted
+so vast a portion of the Australian Continent.
+
+Although, during the twenty-two years which have elapsed since the last
+of these expeditions was undertaken, the geographical knowledge of
+Australia has so far advanced as to fill in most of the details of its
+physical features and set at rest the speculative opinions and theories
+of early explorers, it has not been deemed desirable to alter or amend
+the impressions or views recorded at the time, but simply reproduce the
+journals as originally compiled.
+
+
+[TABLE OF CONTENTS.
+
+MESSRS. GREGORY'S EXPEDITION TO THE EAST AND NORTH OF SWAN RIVER. 1846.
+
+THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY. 1848.
+
+HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR CHARLES FITZGERALD'S EXPEDITION TO THE GERALDINE
+LEAD MINE. 1848.
+
+THE MURCHISON RIVER. 1857.
+
+GASCOYNE RIVER. 1858.
+
+NORTH-WEST COAST. 1861.
+
+NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. 1855 TO 1856.
+
+EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT. 1857 TO 1858.
+
+
+LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
+
+[missing frontispiece (ripped out), probably photo of A.C. Gregory.]
+
+F.T. GREGORY.
+
+H.C. GREGORY.
+
+THE GOUTY-STEM TREE, NEAR THE DOME, ON THE RIVER VICTORIA, NORTH-WEST
+AUSTRALIA.
+
+T. BAINES.
+
+C.F. GREGORY.]
+
+
+
+AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS.
+
+
+MESSRS. GREGORY'S EXPEDITION TO THE EAST AND NORTH OF SWAN RIVER.
+
+1846.
+
+EARLY CONDITION OF WEST AUSTRALIA.
+
+The colony of Western Australia was established in 1829; but its
+isolation from the older settlement of New South Wales rendered it
+necessary to import all the horses, cattle, and sheep by sailing vessels
+from Tasmania, or other remote sources, while the heavy losses and
+difficulties attending long sea voyages prevented any large importations
+of stock--so that, though there was a fair rate of increase, the flocks
+and herds of the settlers had found sufficient pasturage for the first
+ten years on the banks of the Swan River and its upper valley, the Avon,
+together with the coast district southward to the Vasse Inlet; but after
+1840 the stock-owners began to feel that all prospect of material
+increase must be relinquished unless additional pastures could be
+discovered.
+
+Several public as well as private expeditions were undertaken for the
+purpose of ascertaining whether in the interior or along the coast on
+either side of the settlement there existed any available country, but
+they had only encountered dense scrubs of acacia and eucalyptus, with
+salt marshes and scarcity of fresh water in the interior. The coast to
+the east had been traversed from Adelaide to King George's Sound by Mr.
+Eyre, and found to be altogether unfit for settlement, while to the north
+the coast presented a series of sandy plains for more than 200 miles.
+
+It may now appear extraordinary that the earlier explorers in Australia
+were so frequently unsuccessful in their endeavours to penetrate the
+interior; but the scarcity of suitable horses, the unsuitable character
+of the saddlery, cumbersome camp equipment, and deficiency of knowledge
+regarding the seasons in the interior, all combined to defeat the first
+explorers in districts which have since been traversed with comparative
+facility.
+
+In 1846 the known country had become so nearly stocked to the full extent
+of its capability that the leading question of interest with the settlers
+was, where new runs could be discovered; and, among many others, the
+Messrs. Gregory proposed to attempt the further exploration of the
+interior.
+
+Messrs. A.C. and F.T. Gregory, who were attached to the department of the
+Surveyor-General, applied for three months' leave of absence for the
+purpose; but it was eventually arranged that the expedition should be
+under the auspices of the Government, which provided four horses, and
+voted 5 pounds for the purchase of equipment, the remainder being
+supplied at private expense.
+
+The party consisted of A.C. Gregory, F.T. Gregory, and H.C. Gregory,
+provided with four horses and seven weeks' provisions, the equipment
+being reduced to the least possible weight. The starting point was Mr.
+T.N. Yule's station, in the Toodyay district, sixty miles north-east from
+Perth.
+
+The following is a transcript of the journal:--
+
+EXPLORATION TO EAST OF SWAN RIVER, 1846.
+
+DIARY.
+
+7th August, 1846.
+
+Leaving Mr. Yule's farm at Boyeen Spring, passed Captain Scully's station
+at Bolgart Spring at 10.15 a.m.; thence steered north 70 degrees east
+over sandy downs, thinly timbered with eucalyptus; at 12.50 p.m. crossed
+a small watercourse trending in the direction of our course till 2 p.m.,
+when it turned south; at 3.50 p.m. halted for the night on a small stream
+flowing to the south-west.
+
+Latitude by observation 31 degrees 12 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 116
+degrees 50 minutes.
+
+8th August.
+
+At 7.5 a.m. commenced a course 70 degrees; at 8.0 crossed a granite hill
+with some grass, after which the country was scrubby till 9.30, when we
+entered a grassy flat timbered with casuarina; at 10.25 the country was
+more open, but scrubby; at 12.45 p.m. observed a small lake bearing 10
+degrees; steered on that course, and reached it at 2.10 p.m.; halted till
+3.15, and then resumed our former course through a swampy country, and at
+4.50 camped on the bank of another small shallow lake.
+
+Latitude by observation 31 degrees 4 minutes 24 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 4 minutes.
+
+9th August.
+
+At 7.35 a.m. steered on a course of 95 degrees through a scrubby country
+with small wooded valleys; at noon observed several large shallow lakes
+five to ten miles to the north-east; at 3 p.m. altered the course to 45
+degrees, and at 3.30 to north; at 4 p.m. reached a large open flat
+covered with salicornia and other salt plants, and with shallow lakes of
+salt water. At the edge of the flat found a native well with good water
+and a patch of grass around it, and bivouacked.
+
+Latitude by observation 31 degrees 2 minutes 22 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 23 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+10th August.
+
+At 7.35 a.m. left the bivouac and steered 95 degrees, passed several
+small salt lagoons in a thick swampy country; at 9.15 entered a gum
+forest with close underwood, which rendered travelling slow and
+difficult, but it gradually became more open; at 1 p.m. observed several
+lakes to the north and east, six to seven miles distant; we then passed a
+succession of dense thickets and patches of gum forest till 4.25, when we
+turned north, and at 5.30 halted in an open patch of grass surrounded by
+swampy thickets.
+
+Latitude by observation 31 degrees 1 minute 44 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 45 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+11th August.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. steered north-east through gum forest; at 8.30 passed a dry
+lagoon; at 9.10 changed the course to 95 degrees; the country became more
+open; at 11.35 ascended an elevated ridge, and saw several bare granite
+hills to the eastward; steered 75 degrees to the nearest; reached its
+summit at 1.40 p.m., and halted for the remainder of the day to refresh
+the horses, there being abundance of water in the hollows of the rock and
+some grass around the base of the hill.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 58 minutes 47 seconds; longitude 117
+degrees 59 minutes 47 seconds.
+
+DRY COUNTRY. GRANITE HILLS.
+
+12th August.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 7.30 a.m., steered 122 degrees through alternate
+patches of gum forest, underwood, and grass; at 11.50 reached the summit
+of a bare granite hill, from which we could see Lake Brown, bearing 93
+degrees to 103 degrees, Eaglestone Hill, 100 degrees, also many other
+remarkable hills and peaks. Leaving this hill at 12.15 p.m., steered 58
+degrees over undulating wooded country with several small watercourses
+trending to the south; at 4.30 bivouacked at a scrubby hill, near a small
+pool of rainwater, on a granite rock.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 59 minutes 54 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 17 minutes.
+
+13th August.
+
+Resumed our course 58 degrees through level gum forest, then a spearwood
+thicket, then dense underwood and patches of gum forest till 1.25 p.m.,
+when we came to a native well among granite rocks; having watered the
+horses, continued the course through the same description of country till
+4.40, when we halted at the foot of a granite hill with plenty of
+rainwater in the hollows and grass on a narrow strip between the scrub
+and base of the bare rock.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 48 minutes 34 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 40 minutes.
+
+14th August.
+
+Started at 10.35 a.m., and steered 41 degrees through a level country,
+with thickets of underwood, cypress, and gum, with some grassy patches;
+at 2.20 p.m. reached a bare granite hill, at the foot of which we
+bivouacked.
+
+15th August.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 7.15 a.m., steered 50 degrees; at 8.50 crossed a
+steep ridge of white sandy rocks resting on granite; after this the
+country was grassy, with little timber, 10.30, when we entered a thick
+scrub; at 11.0 observed a high granite hill bearing 50 degrees, steered
+for it, and reached the summit at 12.55 p.m., descending into thick scrub
+on the other side. Having climbed a tree to get a view, observed a very
+remarkable peak and range of rugged hills distant about forty miles, the
+highest point bearing 57 degrees; at 2.30 came to scrubby country with
+only a few trees, and at 4.15 camped at a small waterhole in a granite
+rock.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 31 minutes 43 seconds; longitude 118
+degrees 52 minutes.
+
+16th August.
+
+At 7.15 a.m. resumed our march on a bearing 68 degrees, through
+well-wooded country till 9.35, when we ascended a fine grassy hill of
+trap-rock. From this hill several of a similar character were visible to
+the southward, while to the north numerous large dry salt lakes or
+marshes occupied the valley along the south-eastern declivity of which we
+had travelled for the last two days; the course was then 56 degrees,
+through scattered forest, with much underwood and a little grass. At noon
+struck the shore of one of the lakes, the bank being composed of gypsum
+and red sand, in some parts twenty feet high; following the shore of the
+lake to the east till 1.15 p.m., again resumed a course 56 degrees
+through dense thickets of wattle (acacia), with patches of gum forest and
+cypress, the soil a red sandy loam devoid of smaller vegetation; at 5.0
+halted for the night.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 21 minutes 40 seconds; longitude 119
+degrees 11 minutes.
+
+WHIRLWINDS. RED SAND.
+
+17th August.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. recommenced our journey 50 degrees; at 6.55 crossed a narrow
+swampy patch of salicornia trending east and west; altered the course to
+63 degrees, and at 7.35 crossed a deep watercourse trending to the south;
+at 8.15 ascended a trap hill with a few granite rocks at the foot, among
+which we found a small pool of rainwater, at which we halted for three
+hours to refresh our horses, and then proceeded 40 degrees till 2.20
+p.m., when we arrived at the foot of the highest hill in the range for
+which we had been steering. Leaving our horses, we ascended the hill,
+which was composed of trap-rock, and did not exceed 300 feet in height
+above the general level of the country. From the summit several similar
+ranges of trap hills were visible, extending from north to
+east-south-east; to the south-east the country appeared to be a level
+sandy desert without the least appearance of vegetation, while to the
+west and north the smokes of many native fires were visible in the
+distance. The extremely level character of the country between the ranges
+to the east and north, and the immense columns of red sand or dust which
+were raised by whirlwinds to a height of 200 to 500 feet, gave but little
+hope of finding water in that direction. Returning to our horses at 4.20,
+steered 350 degrees about three and a half miles to a small patch of
+grass which had been observed from the hill, which was named Mount
+Jackson. There was a small watercourse through the patch of grass, but no
+water, and the country was suffering from prolonged drought.
+
+Latitude by observation 30 degrees 12 minutes 28 seconds; longitude 119
+degrees 16 minutes.
+
+18th August.
+
+After six hours' ineffectual search for water, we were compelled to
+return to the water passed early on the previous day.
+
+19th August.
+
+Left the bivouac at 7.20 a.m. and steered 275 degrees through a scattered
+gum forest with much underwood; at 9.55 came on a dry salt lagoon of
+irregular form, which was crossed at 10.20; passing a native well among
+flat granite rocks, the country rose gradually till 11.50, when we
+arrived at a hill crowned by steep white sandstone cliffs twenty to
+thirty feet high. The course was then changed to north, through dense
+thickets, till 12.20 p.m., when we again turned west through a
+well-wooded country, and at 3.0 camped on a high granite hill with some
+patches of grass and abundance of rainwater in the hollows of the rocks.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 19 minutes 33 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 55
+minutes.
+
+20th August.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. resumed a westerly course through dense thickets of acacia
+and melaleuca, and at 5.15 p.m. bivouacked in a small patch of grass and
+a small pool of rainwater on a granite rock.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 17 minutes 40 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 35
+minutes.
+
+21st August.
+
+At 7.45 a.m. started on a course 320 degrees over an undulating country
+with dense thickets and patches of cypress and gum forest; at 4.30 p.m.
+bivouacked near a small hole in a rock with about two gallons of
+rainwater remaining in it.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 5 minutes 43 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 22
+seconds.
+
+22nd August.
+
+At 7.35 a.m. resumed a west course through a succession of thickets, gum
+forest, and scrub; at 12.30 p.m. observed a granite hill bearing 315
+degrees; made for the hill, and finding some excellent grass around a
+native well, at 2.15 camped.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 3 minutes 36 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 8
+minutes.
+
+23rd August.
+
+Started at 7.40 a.m. in a direction 320 degrees, over thinly-timbered
+scrubby country, which gradually improved and became grassy; at 10.5
+altered the course to 336 degrees, and at 1.15 p.m. reached the summit of
+a granite hill from which a series of dry lakes, or salt marshes, were
+visible in a wide valley trending to the north-east. A very remarkable
+hill bore 316 degrees, about 35 miles distant. Steering in the direction
+of this hill, found the country covered with almost impenetrable scrub of
+acacia. At 4.20 halted at the foot of a high sandstone cliff, where some
+deep holes in the rock retained a small quantity of rainwater.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 51 minutes; longitude 119 degrees 55 minutes.
+
+24th August.
+
+Left the bivouac at 7.35 a.m. steering 312 degrees; passed over a nearly
+level country timbered with cypress and eucalyptus, with patches of
+acacia thicket; at 2.45 p.m. halted at a deep waterhole in a flat granite
+rock.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 42 minutes 31 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 41
+minutes.
+
+EXTENSIVE SALT MARSHES.
+
+25th August.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. resumed our journey on the same course as yesterday, and at
+9.15 came on an extensive flat covered with salicornia, which formed the
+margin of an immense salt marsh or dry lake, extending to the north-east
+and south-west to the horizon, but narrowing to about three miles at the
+point we came to it. It was decided to attempt crossing at this place,
+and, after travelling for an hour across the salicornia flat, reached the
+bare salt marsh. This at first seemed firm; but, after half-a-mile, the
+hard crust of salt and gypsum, which formed the surface, gave way and
+three of the horses were bogged almost at the same time. After a long
+ineffectual struggle to extricate themselves they were quite exhausted,
+and we waded through the mud to the opposite shore, a distance of
+half-a-mile, and cut some small trees, and with them, combined with
+tether ropes and saddle-bags, formed two hurdles or platforms twelve feet
+long and two feet wide. These with much difficulty were taken to the
+horses, and by placing them alternately in front of each animal, worked
+them over the soft mud, and after six hours of severe exertion succeeded
+in reaching the firm ground. The hard salt crust, though apparently
+strong, having once been broken, its edges gave way like thin ice. After
+reaching the ground, which was dry enough to bear the weight of the
+horses, we had to travel about three miles through soft dust of white
+gypsum, in which we sank from one to two feet, but at length reached a
+large granite rock, at the foot of which there was a little grass and on
+the rock some small pools of rainwater.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 37 minutes 30 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 38
+minutes.
+
+26th August.
+
+From the summit of the rock we had an extensive view, the lake extending
+twelve miles east, fifteen miles to the south and west, eight miles to
+the north and to the north-east, only bounded by the horizon. Shallow
+pools of brine, varying from one to three miles in diameter, with
+low-wooded and high bare granite islets, were scattered over this vast
+area of white mud gypsum and salt. At 8.35 a.m. started in a southerly
+direction along the shore of the lake in the hope of turning its west
+side; at 10.40 altered the course to 221 degrees; and at 12.30 p.m.
+camped on a grassy granite hill, about a mile from the lake.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 47 minutes 13 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 36
+minutes.
+
+27th August.
+
+Steering a general course 200 degrees from 7.40 a.m. to 8.40, again
+reached the shore of the lake, followed it south-east till 9.45, then 80
+degrees till 12.15 p.m., when we halted for one and a half hours under a
+very remarkable solitary gum-tree; we then steered 173 degrees till 2.20;
+then 204 degrees till 3.30, when we left the lake, which trended to the
+west, and, steering 250 degrees till 5.5, camped at a native well in a
+small grassy valley. Some good open grassy flats were passed during the
+day and a large number of wild turkeys were seen.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 59 minutes 4 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 39
+minutes.
+
+28th August.
+
+Starting at 7.35 a.m. in a west-north-west course, at 8.45 passed several
+small dry salt lagoons; at 9.0 ascended a granite hill, from the summit
+of which it was discovered that further progress in this direction was
+impracticable, and that we were on a peninsula, as the lake still trended
+south to the horizon. We therefore turned east, and at 11.35 came on the
+southern extension of the eastern branch of the lake; followed it nearly
+east till noon, then north-east and north-north-east till 1.0 p.m.; then
+17 degrees, leaving the lake and crossing extensive open downs till 2.5,
+when a small dry salt lake was passed, and we entered thickets of acacia,
+which changed to gum and cypress forest; at 3.0 came to a rich grassy
+hill, then thickets and grassy patches, and at 4.0 reached the summit of
+a lofty granite hill and had an extensive view over the country. On the
+north side of the hill found a native well and some good grass, where we
+camped.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 45 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 46
+minutes.
+
+GRANITE HILLS AND GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+29th August.
+
+At 7.35 a.m. left the bivouac and steered 30 degrees through thickets; at
+8.30 crossed our track of the 24th, and at 9.15 passed a salt marsh
+trending north-west and south-east; at 12.25 p.m. altered the course to
+north till 1.0; then, 37 degrees, ascended a granite hill, on which we
+found a few shallow pools of rainwater; then north till 4.0 p.m., and
+bivouacked in a grassy patch with a small hollow containing a little
+muddy water.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 30 minutes 46 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 51
+minutes.
+
+30th August.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.35 a.m., steering north over a level country
+with patches of brushwood and grass; at 10.35 ascended a steep grassy
+ridge, and found ourselves at the north-east extremity of the immense
+salt lake which for five days had baffled our attempts to proceed north.
+The lake, which was named Lake Moore, was at this part about five miles
+wide, and extended to the horizon to the south-west; to the north and
+west there were many bare granite hills; changing the course to 328
+degrees, at 12.55 p.m. camped at a grassy granite hill.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 17 minutes 56 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 47
+minutes.
+
+31st August.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. steered 328 degrees for two hours through thickets of
+acacia, cypress, and gum; then entered a grassy country with jam-wattle;
+at 10.35 passed a granite hill and altered the course to 357 degrees, and
+at 11.30 ascended a high granite hill, from which many similar hills were
+visible to the north and east, and a remarkable range of trap hills about
+thirty miles to the north-north-east; also some smaller trap ranges to
+the north-west, from ten to thirty miles distant. At noon steered 302
+degrees towards the nearest of these ranges, traversing a level plain
+with brushwood and grass; at 4.45 crossed a small dry watercourse
+trending west, and at 5.5 bivouacked on a granite hill, with some grass
+and a fine pool of rainwater in a hollow of the rock.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 3 minutes 14 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 31
+minutes.
+
+1st September.
+
+Resumed our route at 7.45 a.m.; at 8.45 reached the hills we had been
+steering for; from the summit there was an extensive view: to the north
+and west were many trap hills and several dry salt lakes; to the north
+the country was level for several miles, and then rose into a low range
+of granite hills, covered with brushwood and grass; at 9.20 steered 230
+degrees over level country with dense thickets of acacia; at noon the
+country became more open; at 1.0 passed some small dry salt lagoons, the
+country more open and with some grass, and at 3.0 camped at the foot of a
+granite hill, with good grass and some water oozing out of a cleft in the
+rock.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 50 minutes 44 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 20
+minutes.
+
+2nd September.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 7.40 a.m., steered 330 degrees over a succession
+of grassy granite hills, with small watercourse trending to the west; at
+12.40 p.m. came on a party of four aboriginals, who hastily decamped,
+leaving their spears and shields behind in the hurry of retreat; they
+appeared to be of rather small stature, and somewhat darker in colour
+than the blacks near the Swan River. Observing a remarkable hill bearing
+312 degrees about twenty miles distant, steered for it; the country
+became more level, with grass and brushwood; at 3.5 turned north to a
+steep granite hill, crossing a dry watercourse thirty yards wide and
+sixteen feet deep trending north-west; at 4.40 halted in a gully in the
+granite range, and obtained water by digging among the rocks.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 34 minutes 9 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 2
+minutes.
+
+3rd September.
+
+Started at 8.0 a.m., steering towards the hill seen yesterday, and which
+now bore 307 degrees. The country was nearly a dead level, with a few
+small dry watercourses trending south-west; the soil a red loam,
+producing some grass and small acacias; at 10.50 came on an extensive
+flat covered with salicornia, which extended to the base of the hill, the
+summit of which was reached at 12.25 p.m.; from this position the flat or
+marsh appeared to extend fifteen miles to the north-east, a branch also
+to the north-west, in which direction the water seemed to trend, though
+the dip of the country, if any, was so slight as to render it uncertain.
+To the north a range of trap hills, five to ten miles distant,
+intercepted the view. Having completed observations at 2.10, steered 300
+degrees along the foot of a range of trap hills; at 3.50 passed a dry
+salt lake on our right, and at 5.15 bivouacked on the side of a trap
+hill, among some fine oat-grass growing on calcareous tufa. From the
+summit of the hill we could see salt marshes continuing in a north-west
+direction for many miles; all the hills within twenty miles were of a
+trap formation, and therefore gave no prospect of obtaining water, the
+soil being loose and the rock full of fissures; hitherto we seldom had
+found water except on or near granite rocks, which serve to collect the
+rainwater of even slight showers.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 24 minutes 20 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 42
+minutes.
+
+SCARCITY OF WATER. TURN TO THE WEST.
+
+4th September.
+
+As the horses had been twenty-four hours without water, and there was no
+prospect of obtaining any to the north or west, no rain having fallen for
+the past month, it was deemed advisable to return to the last bivouac,
+and then, by a westerly course, attempt to make the sources of the Hutt
+or Arrowsmith rivers, the mouths of which had been discovered by Captain
+Grey on the coast opposite our position. Accordingly, after six hours'
+ride, we got back to the well at the bivouac of the 2nd.
+
+5th September.
+
+At 7.50 a.m. left the bivouac, and, steering 240 degrees, at 8.15 crossed
+the dry watercourse trending west; at 11.0 ascended the ridge bounding
+the valley; at noon found a small pool of water in a gully descending to
+the westward; after this traversed a continuous thicket of acacia with
+narrow strips of cypress forest, and bivouacked at 5.50 without water.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 47 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 41
+minutes.
+
+6th September.
+
+At 6.45 a.m., proceeding west, ascended a granite hill, near the top of
+which we found a native well, where we halted at 7.30. Having watered the
+horses and breakfasted, at 9.30 resumed our journey over granite hills,
+covered with brushwood and cypress with a few grassy patches; at 11.10
+passed a native well; altered the course to west-south-west, crossing
+three small watercourses trending north-west; and at 1.15 p.m. halted at
+the foot of a bare granite hill, on the top of which there was a fine
+pool of rainwater in a shallow basin of the rock.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 50 minutes 51 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 29
+minutes.
+
+7th September.
+
+Started at 7.15 a.m. on a course 255 degrees through acacia thickets; at
+10.5 crossed a narrow strip of salt marsh, which spread out into dry salt
+lakes to the south; after this the country was grassy till 11.30, when we
+entered a dense thicket of acacia, melaleuca, cypress, and eucalypti, the
+ground gradually rising till 4.0 p.m., and then descending till 5.25,
+when we crossed a small dry watercourse trending south; at 6.10
+bivouacked in a gum forest without water or grass, though a large flight
+of white cockatoos which roosted near seemed to indicate that water was
+not far distant.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 58 minutes 14 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 6
+minutes.
+
+8th September.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 7.0 am steered west; at 7.20 came to a grassy
+granite hill, then west-north-west to another hill, where we halted for
+half an hour to look for water, but being unsuccessful, again resumed a
+westerly course through acacia thickets, alternating with grassy gum
+forest, till noon, when the soil changed from a red loam to ironstone
+gravel; grass disappeared and was replaced by scrub; the country was much
+broken and continued to rise till 4.0 p.m., when it began to descend
+rapidly till 4.30, when we came to a small watercourse trending south;
+following it down for half a mile, found a small pool of water and some
+grass, and halted for the night, this being the only water seen for
+nearly fifty miles.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 58 minutes 50 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 45
+minutes.
+
+DISCOVER TWO SEAMS OF COAL.
+
+9th September.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. resumed a westerly course through grassy gum forest; at 8.0
+a.m. crossed a large watercourse trending south, with many shallow pools
+of water; the country then became scrubby; at 9.10 crossed a granite
+ridge and entered a rich grassy valley timbered with eucalypti and
+raspberry-jam wattle, a small watercourse trending north. The ridge on
+the west side of the valley was destitute of timber, but covered with
+dense wattle brush; at 10.0 a.m. altered the course to 305 degrees, and
+at 10.35 came on the head of a small stream-bed with pools of water;
+following it west-north-west, at 11.30 it was joined by a running stream
+four yards wide, the water being brackish, and trended to the south-west;
+left it and steered west over an open scrubby country; at 12.30 p.m.
+entered a dense thicket of eucalypti and acacia, the soil being formed of
+fragments of granite and trap; at 1.0 p.m. entered a deep valley by an
+abrupt descent, and found ourselves once more on the banks of the
+brackish stream, which was much enlarged, and running through a narrow
+grassy flat backed by high sandstone cliffs from 80 to 100 feet high.
+Continuing our course along the river west till 1.55 p.m., when it turned
+north, and at 2.20 p.m. north-west; at 3.0 p.m. the banks of the stream
+became very high, and stratified in a remarkable manner, the lower rocks
+in thin beds dipping to the east, while the superincumbent rocks of red
+sandstone were horizontal. We therefore entered the bed of the river to
+examine it, and found two seams of coal--one five feet thick and the
+other about six feet thick--between beds of sandstone and shale. Having
+pitched the tent and tethered the horses, we commenced to collect
+specimens of the various strata, and succeeded in cutting out five or six
+hundredweight of coal with the tomahawk, and in a short time had the
+satisfaction of seeing the first fire of Western Australian coal burning
+cheerfully in front of the camp, this being the first discovery of coal
+in the western part of the Continent.
+
+Latitude 28 degrees 57 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 30
+minutes.
+
+10th September.
+
+At 7.20 a.m. left the camp and followed the river downwards on a general
+course 250 degrees; at 7.40 crossed to the left bank, the valley opening
+out and the soil improving, being formed by the decomposition of soft
+shales, which contain much gypsum in fine crystals. Oat and rye grasses
+were abundant, with plenty of saltbush; at 9.10 crossed to the right
+bank, and steered 220 degrees to an abrupt headland on the north side of
+the valley, which was here about two miles wide; the soil a stiff brown
+loam, with rounded fragments of granite, flinty trap, and quartz,
+resembling in appearance the French millstone burr; the grass improved,
+being chiefly of perennial species. After a halt of twenty minutes to
+take bearings from the hill, at 9.40 steered 200 degrees, and again
+crossed the river at 11.15, and altered the course to 235 degrees; the
+grassy country having a breadth of two miles. At noon ascended a sandy
+ridge with a few gum-trees on the top; there the valley closed in, the
+grassy flats below being only half a mile wide and backed by extensive
+elevated sandy downs, covered with heath and short scrub. The course of
+the river was about 230 degrees. At 1.35 p.m. ascended a remarkable red
+sandstone hill, with a table summit and steep rocks on all sides nearly
+blocking up the valley; at 2.15 p.m. resumed a general course of 242
+degrees along the bank of the river, and at 4.5 bivouacked in a rich
+grassy flat thinly timbered with white-barked eucalyptus.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 10 minutes 42 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 15
+minutes.
+
+REACH THE SEA-COAST.
+
+11th September.
+
+Started at 7.40 a.m., and, steering 240 degrees, crossed the river, left
+the grassy flats, and entered the sandy downs; at 8.45 ascended a steep
+sandstone cliff, and from the top had a distant view of the sea; the
+river about one and a half miles to the south, where a large branch
+joined it from the east about two miles below the bivouac. At 9.35
+steered 267 degrees over open sandy downs, and at 10.35 struck the river,
+running north through beautiful grassy flats timbered with York and
+white-gums and wattles; there were many fine pools of water, which
+appeared to be permanent. After an unsuccessful attempt to cross the
+river, followed it northerly till 11.0; then west-north-west till 11.20,
+and then west-south-west till 11.45, when we found a practicable crossing
+to the left bank, and, steering west by south, ascended a sandy limestone
+ridge; then on a west-south-west course followed the valley of the river
+down to its mouth, which was reached at 3.40 p.m. The entrance of the
+river was choked up with sand and rocks, and not passable for even small
+boats. This river appears to be the Irwin River of Captain Grey, as this
+spot is only one and a half miles to the south of the position assigned
+to it on Arrowsmith's map of this part of the coast. At 4.30 left the
+beach and retraced our steps to where we crossed the river at 1.30, and
+bivouacked at 5.50.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 15 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 114 degrees 59
+minutes.
+
+12th September.
+
+At 7.50 a.m. resumed our journey up the river, steering north-east till
+8.25; then east along the north bank, through rich grassy flats timbered
+with York gum. At 10.20 left the river and entered the sandy downs; at
+10.30 crossed a small stream with some fine springs; at 11.0 changed the
+course to east by south; at noon altered the course to 83 degrees,
+crossing the river at 12.50 p.m., where it is joined by the east branch,
+which is of equal size with the northern one; followed the east branch up
+through wide grassy flats till 2.0, and camped.
+
+The country consists of elevated sandy downs covered with heathy bushes
+and a few small banksia trees, it being only on the alluvial flats of the
+river that there is any grass or good soil. Large flocks of
+cockatoos--white, black with white tails, and black with red tails--came
+to water near the camp; some were shot, also a turkey, the flesh of which
+was extremely bitter and scarcely eatable. Several kangaroos were seen on
+the sandy downs.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 11 minutes 20 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 18
+minutes.
+
+13th September.
+
+At 7.55 a.m. left the Irwin River and steered a course 160 degrees, over
+open sandy downs of considerable elevation; at 11.45 halted for half an
+hour and shot a kangaroo, which proved a welcome addition to the
+commissariat; at 1.30 p.m. changed the course to 142 degrees, and at 2.30
+came to a running stream three yards wide. This we assumed to be the
+Arrowsmith River of Captain Grey, and as there was little prospect of
+finding water farther on, we bivouacked, though there was only a little
+grass close to the bank of the stream and the rest of the country covered
+with short scrub.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 27 minutes 9 seconds.
+
+14th September.
+
+Left the bivouac at 8.35 a.m., and steered 160 degrees over sandy downs
+with ridges of red sandstone till 3.0 p.m., when the course was altered
+to 220 degrees, following down a shallow valley; at 4.0 turned
+west-south-west, and at 5.15 bivouacked in a swampy spot with some grass;
+obtaining water by digging in the sand.
+
+Latitude 29 degrees 48 minutes 10 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 32
+minutes.
+
+15th September.
+
+Leaving the bivouac at 8.0 a.m., steered 214 degrees over scrubby country
+with patches of gum forest; at 9.0 turned to 160 degrees, crossed a
+country of sand and ironstone of considerable elevation; at 3.30 p.m.
+altered the course to 170 degrees, and followed down a scrubby valley
+till 5.0; then 115 degrees for half an hour, and came to a native well in
+a patch of York gum-trees, where we camped. The last three hours our
+progress was scarcely six miles, as one of the horses knocked up.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 10 minutes; longitude 115 degrees 39 minutes.
+
+STEER SOUTH OVER SANDY DOWNS.
+
+16th September.
+
+As there was no grass for the horses, we were compelled to push on our
+journey, and at 7.20 a.m. steered 160 degrees; the country was more
+broken up by valleys, the soil sand and ironstone, with heathy scrub,
+banksia, and grass trees (xanthorrhoea) with a few patches of white-gum
+forest; at 10.30 steered 138 degrees towards a high summit, distant
+twelve miles. The horse again knocked up, but by relieving him of his
+load, which was transferred to the other horses, succeeded in driving him
+a few miles further. At 2.20 p.m. changed the course to 180 degrees, and
+entered a level sandy piece of country, bounded on all sides by hills; at
+3.40 altered the course to south-west; at 5.0 had to abandon the weak
+horse and continue our route in search of water; at 5.30 passed a small
+salt lake with a little grass on the margin; at 6.0, finding the country
+getting worse, returned to the salt lake and camped on the western side.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 27 minutes 19 seconds; longitude 115 degrees 47
+minutes.
+
+17th September.
+
+After digging in about twenty different places around the lake, at length
+found fresh water, and then went back for the knocked-up horse, and with
+some difficulty got him to the well, where we decided to rest the horses
+this and the following day, before encountering the inhospitable sandy
+region to the southwards.
+
+18th September.
+
+One of the party made a short excursion to the west of the plain, and in
+about three miles reached the hills, which appeared very barren and
+scrubby; but after crossing the first ridge, the country was timbered
+with York and red gum and a large species of acacia, producing abundance
+of gum; the soil a red loam, producing some grass and abundance of the
+everlasting flowers and warran, or native yam. After penetrating this
+good country four miles returned to the camp, having shot a kangaroo and
+ten cockatoos.
+
+19th September.
+
+Leaving the camp at 8.5 a.m., steered 160 degrees, and soon ascended the
+sandy downs, which were destitute of trees, except a few banksia and
+floribunda; at 11.45 crossed a valley trending to the west; at 1.15 p.m.
+observed a range of wooded hills to the east and south; altered the
+course towards a remarkable gorge which bore 129 degrees; at 3.30 entered
+a gum forest, and at 3.50 came to a large stream-bed with many pools of
+water; followed it down south, and camped at 4.20.
+
+Latitude 30 degrees 42 minutes 39 seconds; longitude 116 degrees.
+
+REACH THE MOORE RIVER.
+
+20th September.
+
+Crossed the watercourse, which seemed to be a branch of the Moore River,
+and steered 163 degrees from 7.30 a.m. till 8.20, when the country
+improved, with grassy hills and brown loam, with fragments of granite and
+trap rock; the timber York-gum and jam-wattle. This description of
+country continued till 12.15 p.m., when scrub again prevailed on
+ironstone hills timbered with white-gum; at 2.20 entered a valley of
+better character, with quartz and granite rocks. After crossing several
+rocky ridges, at 3.20 reached the main branch of the Moore River, which
+we crossed, and camped. This was the first place where the poisonous
+gastrolobium was observed.
+
+Latitude 31 degrees 39 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 13 minutes.
+
+21st September.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. followed the river upwards on a bearing of 130 degrees; at
+8.0 passed a deserted sheep-station, the river coming from the north;
+continued our course over broken ironstone ridges, timbered with
+white-gum; at 10.0 the country became more level and sandy, and at 11.45
+struck the road from Toodyay to Victoria Plains; followed the road
+southerly till 4.5 p.m., and camped at a small spring.
+
+Latitude 31 degrees 14 minutes 19 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 34
+minutes.
+
+CAPTAIN GREY'S REPORT OF GOOD COUNTRY CONFIRMED.
+
+22nd September.
+
+This morning an hour's ride brought us to Bolgart Spring, after an
+absence of forty-seven days, during which we had travelled 953 miles,
+traversing three degrees of latitude and nearly four and a half of
+longitude.
+
+The discovery of coal and country available for settlement on the coast
+to the north of Swan River was deemed to be of such importance that the
+Government dispatched Lieutenant Helpman in the colonial schooner
+Champion to procure a sufficient quantity of the coal to admit of its
+being practically tested as to quality, and also to ascertain what
+facilities existed for its conveyance to a port for shipment. A volunteer
+party, consisting of Lieutenant Irby, Dr. Meekleham, Messrs. Gregory and
+Hazlewood, accompanied Lieutenant Helpman to Champion Bay, now the site
+of Geraldton, and thence by land to the coal-seam on the Irwin River, a
+distance of ninety miles, and brought down about half a ton of coal to
+the vessel. This coal, though of fair quality and suitable for steam
+purposes, proved, however, to be so remote from any suitable port for
+shipment that it has hitherto not been available for commercial purposes.
+
+The primary object of the voyage having been attained, it was considered
+desirable to avail of the opportunity to examine the country to the
+northward and ascertain its capabilities for settlement; for though
+Captain, now Sir George Grey, had seen some good country on his journey
+along the coast from Gantheaume Bay to Swan River, in 1839, Captain
+Stokes, who landed from the Beagle subsequently and ascended Wizard Peak
+about twelve miles inland, had distinctly negatived the existence of any
+country capable of occupation, though, as an illustration of the
+difficulty of ascertaining the real capabilities of country by partial
+and hurried inspection, it may be observed that this has since become one
+of the most prosperous districts of Western Australia in regard to its
+pastoral, agricultural, and mining industries.
+
+For the purpose of making this examination of the country, Messrs. A.C.
+Gregory, H.C. Gregory, and Lieutenant Irby, taking three horses and three
+days' provisions, left Champion Bay on the 20th December, the following
+being a copy of the journal:--
+
+20th December, 1846.
+
+At 6.20 a.m. left the bivouac and followed the shore of Champion Bay
+about a mile northerly; then steered 87 degrees over a scrubby country;
+at 7.20 crossed the Chapman River; and at 8.0, being a quarter of a mile
+north from Mount Fairfax, altered the course to 66 degrees, the country
+being thinly covered with wattle scrub and some grass; at 8.45 crossed a
+large branch of the Chapman with several small pools of water in the bed;
+the country beyond was more scrubby and the soil gravelly; at 9.0 changed
+the course to 18 degrees, and at 9.20 again crossed the Chapman River
+just below a pool of apparently permanent water; at 9.50 crossed a
+granite ridge, beyond which the country improved, with many large patches
+of grass to the eastward; at 10.20 ascended a high flat-topped hill of
+red sandstone resting on granite, which proved to be the eastern point of
+Moresby's Flat-topped Range. From this hill Mount Fairfax and Wizard Hill
+were visible to the east; grassy hills rose gradually from the Chapman
+River for seven or eight miles; steering 10 degrees over grassy country,
+the soil was composed of detritus of granite and trap rocks; at 11.0 came
+on a large party of natives, some of whom accompanied us for about a
+mile, pointing out places where we should find water. At noon turned to
+the north-east and entered an extensive valley with some patches of
+grass, but not generally of a good character; at 12.30 p.m. crossed a
+small watercourse trending west; followed it about half a mile, and then
+steered north-west over scrubby flats till 1.0, when we struck a small
+stream-bed with small pools of water, and halted till 1.20, and then
+followed up the stream to the north till 3.0, when we bivouacked.
+
+21st December.
+
+At 6.35 a.m. steered north over a hilly country with scrub, grass,
+York-gum, and wattle--the prevailing rocks red sandstone, quartz, and
+granite; at 8.30 crossed a stream-bed with pools of brackish water
+trending east, and at 8.50 entered a good grassy country which appeared
+to extend ten to twelve miles to the east and north--clumps of York-gum,
+jam-wattle, and sandalwood were observed on some of the hills. After
+crossing several small watercourses, at 9.45 ascended an elevated sandy
+tableland covered with coarse scrub; and at 10.35, not seeing any
+prospect of better country, changed the course to west, and following
+down a deep gully, at 11.7 came to a small pool of salt water; following
+the watercourse south-south-west, at 11.25 came to a small hole dug by
+the natives, in which the water was fresh, though the pools above and
+below were salt. Halting till nearly 1.0 p.m., resumed a westerly course,
+crossing several deep grassy valleys trending south; at 1.35 steered 211
+degrees over a hilly, quartz, and granite country with very good grass;
+at 2.30 again came on the stream-bed, the country improved and
+well-grassed, with scattered jam and black wattle trees as far as the
+country was visible; at 3.50 the stream was joined by a branch from the
+east, and following it to the west-north-west till 5.0, bivouacked in the
+bed of the stream, water being obtained by digging in the sand.
+
+22nd December.
+
+At 6.35 a.m. steered 220 degrees over a fine grassy country; at 7.0
+ascended a small ironstone hill, from which we observed a deep valley
+trending to the south-west; to the north and west the country was open
+and grassy for twelve miles, presenting at one view fifty or sixty
+thousand acres of fine sheep pasture. Continuing a south-west course over
+granite country with some good grass, but not equal to that seen the
+previous day, at 8.0 crossed a small stream-bed, which we assumed to be
+the Bowes River of Captain Grey; we ascended steep limestone hills on the
+west bank, and from the summit observed the large white sand patch on
+Point Moore bearing 170 degrees; turning south three-quarters of a mile,
+crossed the Bowes River at its mouth, which was choked up with sand; we
+then steered south-east with the intention of following Captain Grey's
+route to Champion Bay; but, after traversing sandy downs with limestone
+rocks for four miles, one of the horses became so footsore that we
+descended a deep ravine to the sea-beach, which was followed southerly,
+and after crossing the dry mouth of the Buller and Chapman Rivers,
+reached the landing place in Champion Bay at 1.10 p.m.
+
+On the 23rd the party and horses were shipped on board the Champion and
+reached Fremantle on the 28th.
+
+***
+
+
+THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY.
+
+1848.
+
+As the stock belonging to the settlers on the Swan River had increased to
+the full extent of the pastoral capabilities of the known available
+country, it became of pressing importance to push forward the exploration
+of the Colony of West Australia, and accordingly, in 1848 the
+Surveyor-General, Captain Roe, conducted an expedition to the south-east
+of Swan River, while the settlers organised one to proceed to the north,
+and made application to the Government to grant the services of Mr.
+Assistant-Surveyor A.C. Gregory as the leader of the party.
+
+THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR.
+ASSISTANT-SURVEYOR A.C. GREGORY.
+
+We could not do justice to the enterprise and exertions of the gentlemen
+who discovered the new tract of good land to the northward in any other
+way than by giving Mr. Augustus Gregory's Journal entire:--
+
+INSTRUCTIONS TO LEADER OF THE EXPEDITION AND ITS OBJECTS.
+
+Colonial Secretary's Office,
+
+Perth, August 28, 1848.
+
+SIR,
+
+I am directed by the Governor to inform you that you have been appointed
+to direct the exploring expedition about to proceed northwards on account
+of the zeal, energy, and enterprising spirit that have been exhibited by
+you on other occasions, and called into action with credit to yourself
+and advantage to the public interests. The party under your direction, it
+is intended, should proceed northward as high as the Gascoyne River. (The
+Gascoyne River flows into Shark Bay, in latitude 24 degrees 52 minutes
+South.) It is advisable to approach that river from the eastward, about
+100 miles from the coast, after proceeding in a north-easterly and
+northerly direction from the country abreast of Champion Bay, it being
+desirable that part of your route which lies farthest in the interior
+country should be first accomplished, in order to avail yourself of the
+best chance of finding water.
+
+You will examine that river as far as it may be practicable to do, with
+the view of tracing its course; of ascertaining, if possible, the nature
+of the bar at the mouth of it, and the question of its being practicable
+for boats, to what distance from the bar, and the nature of the soil in
+the vicinity of either bank.
+
+After having examined thus the Gascoyne River you will proceed in a
+southerly direction and examine the river, as yet unnamed, about forty
+miles farther south, that flows into Shark's Bay, the mouth of which was
+seen by Captain Grey, and is placed by him at Point Long.
+
+Should you proceed along the sea-shore for any distance you will pay as
+much attention as your limited means will allow you to do to the
+peculiarities of the coast, and of any estuaries, creeks, or roadsteads
+that may present themselves.
+
+You will bear in mind that the primary object of this expedition is the
+examination of a new tract of unknown country for practical purposes, by
+practical men--that, in fact, the discovery of new land of an available
+kind for pasture has become a thing to be desired, of paramount
+importance, and an object in the attainment of which the interests and
+perhaps the fate of this colony depend.
+
+You will thus conduct your expedition with the view of promoting this
+principal object to the best of your ability. But it is hardly needful to
+observe to you that this chief object may be promoted and attained
+without neglecting to observe the geographical, geological, and
+mineralogical features of the country you pass through; its
+productions--animal and vegetable; and the character, dialects, and
+customs, to some extent, of the aboriginal tribes you may fall in with.
+You have been so frequently employed in exploring expeditions, though of
+minor importance perhaps to the present, that you must be well aware it
+is no less impolitic than cruel to come into actual collision, wantonly,
+unadvisedly, and maliciously, with the natives; and, on the contrary,
+that it is no less humane than politic to leave no angry recollections of
+white people, where the footsteps of travellers, however few and far
+between, must be expected to follow yours.
+
+Should your route, either in proceeding on the expedition or returning,
+be in the direction of that part of the Irwin River where for the
+discovery of coal the colony is indebted to yourself and brothers, it
+would be desirable that you should devote a short time to the examination
+of the locality where it was first found; to excavation, to some moderate
+extent, in the vicinity of the veins of coal of most promise; and, above
+all, to the ascertainment of the fact if coal crops out, or if there be
+in the soil any indications of it between the place where the mine was
+discovered by you in 1846 and the seashore, in that intervening space of
+about thirty-eight or forty miles, or to the northward of it in the
+direction of Shark's Bay, where Dr. von Somner thought the coal-seam of
+the Irwin might again make its appearance.
+
+In the event of accident, occasioning loss of provisions and beasts of
+burden, and a necessity arising for a prompt return to the settled
+districts, you will bear in mind the causes of impediment on the march
+which proved so disastrous to Captain Grey's party on its return from
+Gantheaume Bay; the want of vigilance at night manifested in another
+expedition in the murder of Lieutenant Eyre's European companion; and the
+want of caution, forgetfulness of the nature of barbarians, and the
+facilities for ambush afforded by a wilderness of trees and jungle, that
+have led to injuries fatal to life, as in the case of Mr. Cunningham in
+Sir Thomas Mitchell's expedition, and of two of his companions at another
+time; and in some instances, as in those of Captain Stokes and Captain
+Grey, that have led to results all but fatal to the explorers and their
+expeditions; injuries suddenly and unexpectedly inflicted on individuals
+straggling from the main body of their party, or venturing considerable
+distances in advance of it.
+
+You are to bear in mind that it might be of some advantage throughout
+your expedition to keep a register of the depths at which water has been
+found by you, and of those depths to which you have penetrated in vain
+for it.
+
+It will be requisite that you should ascertain the course of rivers of
+any magnitude, and direction of chains of high land, that you may meet
+with, and follow the same to some extent--at least wherever appearances
+may lead you to expect improvement of soil, a richer country, or one
+indicating mineral productions.
+
+In the event of occurrences of unexpected disasters, impediments, and
+unavoidable accidents, arising from loss of provisions or of horses, or
+of any injury to the health or strength of the party, rendering it
+utterly impracticable for the expedition to proceed as high northward as
+Gascoyne River, your discretion then supplying whatever you may be
+unprovided for in your instructions, you will explore as far as it is
+possible for you to do, on your return, the country north of the settled
+districts of York and Toodyay; so that something of utility may be
+accomplished, and the great object for which this expedition was prepared
+may not be wholly frustrated.
+
+I am further to add that His Excellency's best wishes accompany your
+party, and that the success of the expedition, and the return of all
+engaged in it in health and safety, will be hailed by him with very
+lively satisfaction.
+
+I have the honour to be, Sir,
+
+Your obedient servant,
+
+R.R. MADDEN,
+
+Colonial Secretary.
+
+To A.C. Gregory, Esquire, Perth.
+
+...
+
+GENERAL REPORT OF JOURNEY.
+
+Perth, November 20, 1848.
+
+SIR,
+
+I have the honour to transmit, for the information of His Excellency the
+Governor, the following outline of the proceedings of the exploring party
+to the northward which His Excellency has been pleased to place under my
+direction. I regret that we have not succeeded in reaching the Gascoyne
+River, which your instructions for my guidance pointed out as the
+ultimate object of the expedition; but I trust that our attempts to
+render the expedition serviceable to the colony have not proved
+unsuccessful, especially as the result has been the discovery of several
+fine portions of good grassy land near Champion Bay, which, with the more
+minute examination of the country in the vicinity which had been
+previously discovered, will render available a tract of pasturage
+sufficiently extensive to relieve the present overstocked districts; the
+estimated quantity of land suitable for depasturing sheep being about
+225,000 acres, exclusive of 100,000 acres on the Irwin, the greater
+portion of which, however, is better suited to agricultural purposes. The
+observations I have had the opportunity of making during this journey
+have confirmed my previous opinion, that, could the party have started in
+July instead of September, the chief obstacle to our progress--the want
+of water--might have been avoided; and although there would have been
+many minor difficulties to encounter, I feel assured that the same zeal
+and energy which enabled my party to contend so long with the obstacles
+which opposed their advance to the Gascoyne River, would have ensured
+their success in a more favourable season. The gentlemen who formed my
+party have my sincere thanks for their prompt and energetic co-operation
+on all occasions; nor can I omit to mention the cheerful and trustworthy
+conduct of private W. King of the 96th regiment. For minute details I beg
+to refer my journal and the plans of my route, which I am plotting.
+
+I have the honour to be, Sir,
+
+Your obedient servant,
+
+A.C. Gregory,
+
+Assistant-Surveyor.
+
+The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, etc.
+
+...
+
+JOURNAL.
+
+LEAVE THE SETTLED DISTRICTS. STAMPEDE OF HORSES.
+
+2nd September, 1848.
+
+Started for Toodyay, with Mr. C.F. Gregory and five horses for the
+expedition to Shark's Bay; bivouacked at Worrilloo.
+
+3rd September.
+
+Proceeded to Toodyay, where Messrs. L. Burges, J. Walcott, and A. Bedart
+joined on the 4th, bringing six horses with them. Having had the horses
+shod at Ferguson's, we continued our journey to Mr. Lefroy's station,
+near Bebano, which we reached on the 7th. The following day the cart,
+with our provisions, etc., arrived, accompanied by private W. King.
+Having obtained another horse from Mr. Lefroy, on the 9th we left
+Welbing, with ten pack and two riding horses, carrying three months'
+provisions, etc. Steering north by west for the first twenty miles,
+generally grassy, we entered the extensive sandy plains which occupy
+almost the whole country between the Moore and Irwin rivers. The rainy
+season having scarcely ended, we found both water and grass for our
+horses every night; and, not meeting with any serious impediments, we
+reached the upper part of the Arrowsmith Brook on the 13th. Here the
+country improved, and the valleys, in which the stream takes its rise,
+were estimated to contain about 10,000 acres of tolerable sheep pasture.
+Early the ensuing day we entered the Irwin Plains; crossing the eastern
+branches of the river, we encamped, on the 15th, on the northern branch,
+three-quarters of a mile below the spot where the coal was first
+discovered. The Irwin Plains presented a beautiful aspect, being covered
+with rich grass and vegetation; the soil is generally good; but most of
+the grasses being of the annual species, would not afford good pasturage
+in the summer, and in consequence they are better suited for agriculture,
+while the open character of the country would render clearing for the
+plough a matter of little expense. While dinner was preparing, the
+horses, being herded, suddenly started off at full speed, in consequence
+of a large stone rolled down by one of the party in ascending the hill.
+Two of the remaining horses were immediately saddled, and Mr. Burges and
+myself started to catch them; in about a mile we came up with them at the
+foot of an almost perpendicular cliff; on seeing us they started off, and
+scrambling up the rocks like goats, left us far behind; we did not
+overtake them for several miles, when with some difficulty we captured
+one, but had the mortification of losing one of the saddled horses in
+exchange. Leaving the captured horse in charge of Mr. Burges, I followed
+the rest; caught another after a smart ride of three miles, but it was
+not till I reached the East Irwin that I could again overtake the rest,
+when, favoured by the steep bank of the stream, I succeeded in securing
+our truant steeds. It was now dark, and being unable to manage nine
+horses by myself, I tethered several of the wildest, and started with two
+of the best for the encampment ten miles distant, which, owing to the
+nature of the country, I did not reach till midnight. Mr. Burges had
+arrived about an hour previous with the horse first caught. Light showers
+in the morning.
+
+16th September.
+
+Messrs. Bedart, C. Gregory, and J. Walcott started to bring in the
+horses; the rest of the party was employed in repairing damages of the
+harness, and at 3.0 p.m. the party returned with the horses. Slight
+showers in the morning.
+
+17th September (Sunday).
+
+Light clouds from the south-west; thunder; rain in the evening. Read
+prayers.
+
+18th September.
+
+Left the bivouac at 8.15 a.m., and followed upwards the main branch of
+the Irwin to the north-north-east, through a steep and rocky valley, the
+sandstone hills in some parts approaching the river, so as to render it
+necessary to cross frequently with the pack-horses. The very level
+character of the summits of these hills gives the country the appearance
+of having been once a plain, through which the valley of the stream has
+since been worn by the action of water; the upper stratum is a hard red
+sandstone, resting on a softer rock of a sandy or clayey character,
+beneath which the shales and rocks belonging to the coal formation show
+themselves, lying in unconformable beds, and often at a very high angle.
+At 9.25 the stream divided into two branches, that to the east being the
+most considerable; at this spot the sandstone ceased, and we commenced
+ascending the granite range, the direction of which was about
+north-north-west. The soil was poor and stony, producing a little feed
+for stock; but it could scarcely be made available, as the country is
+completely covered with thickets of acacia of small growth. At 4 p.m.
+bivouacked on a small watercourse running through a level grassy flat,
+bounded on both sides by thickets of wattle.
+
+SCRUBBY COUNTRY NORTH FROM THE IRWIN RIVER.
+
+19th September.
+
+At 8.15 a.m. steered a nearly north course, through a country of the same
+description as yesterday; crossed several small gullies trending west, in
+some of which a little water still remained; at 4.20 p.m. halted for the
+night at a brackish pool in a small gully trending west.
+
+20th September.
+
+Started at 8.0 a.m., continuing a northerly course, over a similar
+description of country as during the past two days, crossing three large
+gullies coming from the eastward, but apparently near their source. At
+3.45 halted on a large stream-bed, with a few brackish or rather salt
+pools in its sandy channel, which was in some places nearly 100 yards
+wide; from our encampment we observed a very remarkable peaked hill,
+distant about twenty miles, and from its outline conjectured it to be
+composed of the same vein of trap-rock as that which forms similar ranges
+further to the eastward.
+
+21st September.
+
+The scarcity of water and the very level appearance of the country to the
+northward of our bivouac, added to the general denseness of the thicket
+of acacia and cypress, rendering a continuance of a north course
+unadvisable, we steered north-west from 8.30 a.m. till noon, when we
+ascended a scrubby sand ridge, from which we had an extensive view;
+neither hill nor valley could be discovered to the north, east, or
+west--nothing but one immense sea of dense thicket of acacia and cypress
+was visible in these directions; the course was therefore changed to
+west, and continuing it without much alteration over a succession of low
+ridges of drifted sand, the valleys being filled with dense thickets,
+until 6.20 p.m., when the approach of night compelled us to bivouac in a
+small patch of gum forest, which also afforded a few scattered tufts of
+grass for our horses. Although this was the lowest spot passed in a
+distance of more than ten miles, it was so completely dried up and
+parched that a search for water was fruitless, even by digging; the
+scanty allowance of very brackish water in our kegs was therefore much
+relished by the party.
+
+22nd September.
+
+The night having been cloudy, and a strong breeze preventing any dew, our
+horses were not much refreshed; we, however, started at 7.45 a.m., and
+steering nearly west till 3.15 p.m. through a succession of dense
+thickets, high scrubs, and thorny bushes, we entered open sandy downs,
+and changed the course to south-west, with the intention of making the
+Hutt River, should we not find any water nearer, when, almost hopeless of
+procuring this essential element before the next day, we unexpectedly
+came to a native well in the centre of the sandy plain; here we
+bivouacked at 5.40, but, from the loose sandy soil in which the well was
+dug, we could not obtain more than about two and a half gallons of water
+for each horse, the sides of the well continually falling in. Strong
+breeze from the north-west, and several light showers in the evening and
+night.
+
+23rd September.
+
+Having completed watering the horses, we left the well at 9.30 a.m., and
+steering about north-west over undulating sandy downs, covered with
+coarse scrub and patches of dense thickets, at 2.15 p.m. entered a small
+gully trending north-west. The country improved, but was so thickly
+clothed with wattles as to render travelling difficult; a few patches of
+grass were seen in some small watercourses, in which a little water
+remained. At 4.40 bivouacked on a large gully trending northwards, with
+several small pools of water in a rocky bed of gneiss, containing
+numerous small garnets. Strong breeze from the north-west and slight
+showers.
+
+24th September (Sunday).
+
+Although the feed for the horses was not very abundant, yet the long
+marches they had encountered the last few days made it expedient to give
+them a day's rest to recruit their weary limbs. Read prayers. Strong
+breeze from the north-west and slight showers during the day.
+
+ENTER THE VALLEY OF THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+25th September.
+
+Started at 8.27 a.m.; passed over poor stony hills of granite formation
+and producing a little grass in tufts--the wattles growing so close
+together as to render travelling difficult and tedious. At 10.45 came on
+a large stream-bed, which had scarcely ceased to run; the channel was
+fifty yards wide, the bed steep and rocky, and, where crossed, ran over a
+dyke of trap-rock, the water slightly brackish and in long shallow pools,
+with samphire on the banks. This stream must be the Murchison River, as
+no other was passed for 30 miles to the northward; the effects of violent
+floods were visible, but it did not bear the character of a stream rising
+at any great distance inland, nor did the nature of the gravel and sand
+brought down by it indicate a rich soil on its upper portion, as I did
+not see anything besides fragments of siliceous rock and garnet sand. The
+valley through which it ran appeared to be five or six miles wide,
+extending twenty miles to the eastward, backed by sandy plains on both
+sides; a few patches of grass appeared in the lower parts of the valley;
+westward it seemed to contract and turn to the south-west, flanked by
+steep flat-topped hills of sandstone, resting on granite rock. Continuing
+north-north-east up a small valley, we passed through wattle thickets
+till 1.40 p.m., when we again ascended the level sandy tableland or
+plains, and changed the course to the north; the scrub increased in
+density as we proceeded. At 4.25 halted for the night in a patch of good
+grass, where the thicket had been burnt off by the native fires; the
+sandy nature of the soil rendered the search for water unsuccessful; we
+therefore contended ourselves with the allowance of one pint each.
+
+26th September.
+
+Left the bivouac at 7.15 a.m.; course north; the country more open; 9.25
+came on a large native well of good water in a slight hollow trending
+westward; having watered the horses and filled the kegs, continued our
+journey over sandy plains, covered with short coarse scrub; many hummocks
+of loose sand, covered partially with scrub, lay on each side of our
+track. At noon passed the last sandy ridge; before us lay an immense
+plain, covered with thickets, and not a hill or valley could be
+observed--the country seemed to settle into one vast level of dense and
+almost impenetrable scrub or thicket. At 1 p.m. entered it, and continued
+our route through it; although the bush-fires, which had burnt some large
+patches, greatly assisted us; 4.15 not finding any grass, we steered
+west, but at 5.15 were compelled to halt for the night in a dense
+thicket, without a single blade of grass or even scrub of any kind which
+could afford food for the horses; water it was hopeless to look for; and
+after a supper of raw bacon, damper, and a pint of water each, we retired
+to rest.
+
+WATERLESS COUNTRY AND DENSE SCRUB NORTH OF MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+27th September.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. set out on a north course; at 8.5, finding the thicket almost
+impassable, I ascended a cypress-tree, where a most cheerless view met my
+sight to the north, east, and west; not a break was visible--nothing but
+thicket in all directions, with scarcely an undulation of any kind; the
+view to the north-west was most extensive--nearly twenty miles of thicket
+could be seen, with a surface as level as the sea. Not considering it
+prudent to proceed onwards, the thicket being too dense to advance
+without the greatest difficulty, the saddle-bags being almost torn to
+pieces, and the horses quite worn out with continual exertions in
+dragging their packs through the thickets, we were compelled to return to
+the well passed yesterday morning. The country seen to the northwards was
+of too flat and sandy a character to give any hope of finding water or
+grass--and without these requisites, it would be incurring great risk of
+losing the horses, and of course defeating the object of the expedition;
+therefore, taking advantage of the partially cleared tracts of yesterday,
+we reached the watering place at 4.30 p.m.
+
+28th September.
+
+This day we employed ourselves in repairing our pack-saddles, which it
+was found necessary to restuff, as they had been padded with coarse
+rushes; the saddle-bags had been torn to pieces, and the repairs of these
+required more time than could be afforded in an evening's bivouac.
+
+29th September.
+
+Started at 8.35 a.m.; pursued a general course of 310 degrees, gradually
+ascending the sandy downs on the north side of the valley for three
+miles; it then turned to the north of west, and we again descended, and
+found the bottom occupied by a narrow samphire flat, 50 to 100 yards
+wide, over which the water runs during heavy rains, but it was now dry,
+and in some parts covered with a thin crust of salt; 11.26 passed a
+native well of slightly brackish water, amongst loose blocks of red
+sandstone; a small well was passed at 11.50; the samphire flat then
+changed to a small sandy channel, among large blocks of sandstone
+belonging to the coal-formation: in one place the slate also cropped out.
+Abundance of brackish water lay in small pools along the course of the
+stream-bed, which at 1.0 p.m. changed its direction nearly west; we
+followed it through a scrubby valley, with high hills on both sides, till
+4.45, when we bivouacked just below the junction of a small gully from
+the northwards, with a very remarkable sandstone hill about
+three-quarters of a mile south; below this spot the valley trended to the
+south-west, and was bounded on the north-west by flat-tapped sandstone
+hills.
+
+30th September.
+
+Not being more than ten to fifteen miles from the sea, I steered north
+330 degrees east magnetic. Starting at 8.5, and having ascended the high
+land, passed through a thick line of wattles and dwarf gum, growing on
+the eastern face of the limestone range, which forms the high barren
+range along this part of the coast. The country was covered with thick
+scrub, and some patches of gum and wattle thicket; about noon it was more
+open, and ascending an elevated sandy ridge, saw apparently a high range
+of hills extending north-north-west as far as Shark Bay, and terminated
+by a very abrupt and detached hill; but the excessive refraction caused
+by the heated and nearly level plain which intervened more than doubled
+their real height. We descended gradually over a succession of sandy
+hills or ridges till 2.0 p.m., when the lowest part of the plain was
+reached; we found it occupied by a small patch of spear-wood; the soil
+was hard dry clay, but on proceeding a little farther we found a patch of
+moist ground, encircled by a ridge of sand; at one foot deep we found
+water, but in such small quantity that we could only obtain sufficient
+for ourselves, and should have had to wait at least two hours to have
+given each horse only one gallon. Proceeding onwards, in hope of finding
+a more plentiful supply, we found the country became drier and full of
+circular hollows, filled with fine clumps of green wattle and a little
+grass; in one of these we bivouacked at 5.0, and dug six feet for water
+in red sand, but without any appearance of obtaining it even at double
+that depth.
+
+REPULSED FOR WANT OF WATER.
+
+1st October.
+
+This morning started at 7.55 a.m., and steering north-west, in hope of
+finding water, at 8.40 came on dense thickets of wattle, which extended
+at least seven or eight miles farther north; we therefore turned west to
+avoid them; at 9.30 changed the course to 300 degrees magnetic, and with
+great difficulty forced our way for two miles to a narrow strip of open
+ground; 12.40 p.m. arrived at the foot of the range of hills seen
+yesterday; found them to consist of limestone and sand, covered with
+thick scrub; between the hills were many nearly circular hollows filled
+with thickets of wattles; although the bottoms of the hollows were at
+least fifty feet below the lowest part of the ridges around them, they
+were quite dry, and afforded no hope of water even by digging; the
+country northward appeared even less likely to afford a supply, so much
+required, as it seemed to consist wholly of limestone and loose sand,
+without swamps or watercourses; the nearest spot at which we could hope
+to find it in this direction was the south part of Freycinet Harbour,
+distant, according to the charts, about thirty miles, and great doubt
+existed of the accuracy of it in this position (error having been found
+in some other parts of the coast-line); nor was it certain that we could
+find water on the coast, in which case the loss of our horses would be
+almost a necessary consequence, several of them showing extreme fatigue.
+The circumstances of the case required a prompt decision; I therefore
+ordered an immediate return towards the last spot where we had seen
+water. The whole party felt convinced of the necessity of returning,
+though with the greatest reluctance to do so, as it seemed to put an end
+to almost every hope of reaching the Gascoyne River. We followed our
+route back, and halted at 5.30 in a wattle thicket.
+
+A HORSE FINDS WATER.
+
+2nd October.
+
+Left our uncomfortable bivouac at 7.30 a.m.; steered south-east. Finding
+the horses scarcely able to travel from want of water, I took the
+strongest and rode over to the spot where we had obtained a little on the
+30th September, to dig wells and have a supply ready, if it could be
+obtained in sufficient quantity; at 11.0 arrived, and found the wells we
+had dug nearly dry; by opening several trenches down to the rocks which
+lay about one and a half feet below the surface, the water oozed in, and
+when the party came up, at 12.0, there was about a gallon for each horse;
+taking off the packs, we commenced watering: four horses had received
+their small allowance, when it came to my horse Bob's turn; after
+drinking his share he marched off at a smart pace, which somewhat
+surprised us, as he started in the direction of what we had supposed to
+be nothing but a tea-tree scrub; on following him, we found the horse
+drinking at a small shallow pool of water in a hollow in the clay. This
+was a very fortunate discovery, as the trenches filled with water so
+slowly that a full supply could not have been obtained that night, and
+the horses had been sixty-five hours without water.
+
+SAND PLAINS AND SCRUB. RETURN TO THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+3rd October.
+
+This morning Mr. Burges and myself started at 7.30 a.m. in a
+north-easterly course, to ascertain the practicability of proceeding in
+that direction, taking two of the strongest horses. After riding four
+hours over an open, scrubby sand-plain, with circular valleys, we again
+fell in with thickets of wattles so dense that, although burnt by the
+native fires about four years previous, they would have been impassable
+for the pack-horses; but, favoured by this circumstance, we penetrated
+the thicket in a north-north-west direction for about twelve miles. From
+one small sandy ridge we had an extensive view, but of a most
+discouraging nature; the whole country was one vast plain, covered with
+dense thickets and scrub as far as the eye could reach, except to the
+west-north-west, where rose a high and barren ridge, which would not have
+been visible but for excessive refraction, as it must have been more than
+twenty-five miles distant. The plain was still dotted over with the
+remarkable circular hollows or valleys which, by their extreme dryness,
+indicated a great depth of sandy soil, incapable of retaining water on
+the surface even for a short time, or any probability of our obtaining it
+by digging. We turned in disappointment towards the encampment, scarcely
+extricating ourselves from the thickets before it became dark. Having
+gained the sand-plain, we continued our return for several hours,
+steering by the stars, hoping by a night march to avoid the scorching
+effects of the sun, which at this season renders travelling over an
+extensive sandy plain very fatiguing. Having been more than eleven hours
+in the saddle, we halted for the night.
+
+4th October.
+
+Started with the dawn, and pushing our tired and hungry horses over the
+plain as fast as circumstances would admit, arrived at the encampment
+before the heat of the day became excessive. During our absence two more
+waterholes had been excavated, and sufficient water obtained for the
+horses; but, from the great evaporation, it did not seem likely to last
+longer than three or four days: the hardness of the sandstone precluded
+our sinking the wells more than one and a half feet. The extreme aridity
+of the country--the absence of water in consequence of the sandy nature
+of the soil, which renders it impossible that watercourses should
+exist--the dense and almost impassable nature of the thickets of acacia
+and melaleuca of small growth, and the heat of the climate--all tend to
+prove the fallacy of attempting to explore this part of the colony,
+excepting during the wettest of the winter months. Under the existing
+circumstances, I considered it my duty not to lead the party into a
+position from which it would most probably be impracticable to extricate
+ourselves without at least losing some of our horses; and even
+difficulties of a more serious nature might arise, which would prevent
+the more complete examination of the imperfectly known country to the
+southward of our present position, more especially as a successful
+advance to the northward seemed impossible.
+
+5th October.
+
+Left the encampment at 8.10 a.m.; steered north 135 degrees east magnetic
+over sandy country, covered with coarse scrub; at noon passed a narrow
+strip of wooded grassy land, the soil being limestone and red loam. The
+country again became scrubby, and, descending an open valley, came on a
+small watercourse at 1.5 p.m., trending south; followed it
+south-south-west. At 2.15 passed our bivouac of the 29th September, and
+turning south-west along the stream-bed, at 4.0 came on the right bank of
+the Murchison River, running through wide grassy flats, the stream
+forming large pools, some of them more than a mile in length; but, with
+the exception of the flats on each side of the bank, the country is poor
+and scrubby, destitute of trees, and the hills high and rocky, consisting
+of red sandstone, those to the west capped with limestone.
+
+6th October.
+
+The horses being much fatigued and nearly starved, having subsisted
+chiefly on scrub for the last two days, we determined to rest them for a
+few days, while we examined the river towards its mouth. I started with
+Mr. Bedart, and tracing the stream downwards to the south-west, reached
+the sea after a ride of six hours. Excepting the flats and a narrow strip
+of land on each side, the country was very indifferent, the hills being
+composed of sandstone and sand, covered with coarse scrub and a gigantic
+species of grass, the leaves of which, instead of affording food for
+stock, were a source of great annoyance to our horses, being armed with
+sharp thorny points, and was somewhat appropriately called bayonet grass
+by the party. The tide flows about five miles up the river, when it is
+obstructed by some slight rapids; although it seems shallow, and full of
+rocks and islands, I think it is navigable for small boats. Above the
+rapids the river is a succession of long reaches of water about 100 yards
+wide, and wide flats covered with reeds, the roots of which seem to form
+an important article of food with the natives. Many springs were seen on
+the left bank, but few on the right, the water of which was of excellent
+quality. After making observations of the bar, which appeared to be
+practicable for whaleboats in moderate weather if the wind be south of
+west, we returned along the south shore of the estuary, which is about
+one and a half mile long and half a mile wide; it does not appear to be
+of any great depth. My horse being quite knocked up, it was dark before
+we could reach a spot where we could obtain water and grass; having come
+to a convenient place, we bivouacked under a large overhanging rock, as
+it promised to be a wet night.
+
+7th October.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. we were in our saddles, but owing to the rocky nature of the
+country did not arrive at the encampment till 12.30 p.m. During our
+absence the party had been successful in fishing and shooting; a savoury
+mess of cockatoos, swans, and ducks, with fried fish, proved a welcome
+change to us, after living so many weeks on salt meat and damper.
+
+8th October (Sunday).
+
+9th October.
+
+The valley of the river being rocky and impassable above the camp, we
+crossed to the left bank and ascended the sandy tableland; steered about
+south-east from 7.45 a.m. to 11.0, when we came on the stream in a deep
+valley formed by almost perpendicular red sandstone cliffs from 50 to 200
+feet in height, broken at short intervals by enormous fissures (their
+general direction west-north-west and nearly at right angles with the
+river), which time, with the action of water, had worn into impassable
+ravines, frequently extending more than half a mile back from the river,
+and rendered travelling very tedious and unsafe, as it was requisite to
+avoid the thick scrubs covering the higher land. The course of the river
+now changed to nearly south, and preserved the same rocky and
+unapproachable character till 5.0 p.m., when a break in the cliffs
+enabled us to descend into the valley, although with some difficulty and
+danger to the horses, which had to slide down the steep rocks at the risk
+of breaking their necks, which would have been the almost certain result
+of a single false step; but the descent being accomplished, they were
+rewarded by an abundant supply of grass and water, the latter from a
+large spring at the foot of the cliffs.
+
+10th October.
+
+While breakfast was preparing, Mr. Burges and myself examined the right
+bank of the river, and after a short search, found a practicable ascent
+to the top of the cliffs, and having cleared a way through the thicket of
+melaleuca on the bank of the river, returned to breakfast. At 7.50 a.m.
+commenced ascending, and at 8.30 reached the summit of the rocky hills,
+and steering about south-east through a succession of thickets, rocks,
+yawning chasms, sand-hills, and scrub, we attained to a fine grassy flat
+at 12.30 p.m. The bed of the river here quite changed its character, the
+sandstones giving place to granite gneiss, with dark trap dykes
+intersecting it in a northerly and southerly direction, the dip of the
+strata being to the west at a very high angle, at times almost
+perpendicular.
+
+A DEPOT CAMP. EXPLORE THE UPPER MURCHISON.
+
+11th October.
+
+As this appeared to be a good spot for the formation of a depot, while we
+examined the upper portion of the Murchison, I proceeded up the river in
+company with Mr. Burges, leaving the rest of the party to guard the camp
+and attend to the horses. After one hour's ride we came on our track
+where we crossed the river on the 25th September, the general course of
+the stream-bed being east-north-east, its channel averaging 100 yards in
+width, full of rocks, small trees, and sandbanks, with many shallow
+brackish pools of water, with the exception of one, which was both wide
+and deep, where we halted for two hours to rest the horses; few of the
+pools seemed likely to last through the heat of summer. At 1.0 p.m. we
+came on a party of natives, five of whom came up to us, following us for
+some distance. As they seemed to prefer mimicking our attempts to speak
+the York dialect to using their own, we could not obtain much
+information; they carried kylies and dowaks, but had left their spears
+and shields with the rest of their party, who did not make their
+appearance. At 3.0 passed several ridges of red sandstone rocks, the
+strata dipping to the east-north-east at an angle of from 20 to 60
+degrees. The granite rock entirely disappearing, the country became quite
+level, and covered with one universal thicket of acacia and cypress,
+except the very slight depression which formed a shallow valley about
+three miles wide, through which the river runs in a deep channel from 80
+to 100 yards wide in ordinary seasons, but when in flood must exceed 300
+yards, and the rise of the water, judging from the rubbish drifted up in
+former years, must exceed thirty feet. The valleys did not seem to be
+more than 100 feet below the general surface of the country (which was
+quite level), filled with a dense thicket of wattles; a narrow strip of
+large gum-trees, growing in grassy flats close to the river, marked the
+course of the stream. At 5.0 we halted for the night by a small pool of
+fresh water in one of the back channels of the river, the pools in the
+main bed being all brackish.
+
+12th October.
+
+Started at 6.35 a.m., following the river, the general course being
+north-north-east; no change was observed in its character. At 11.20
+halted to rest the horses, and again started at 1.40 p.m. At 3.40 came on
+a large party of natives at a fresh water pool; five followed us some
+miles, and were not to be satisfied until we had made an exchange of part
+of a handkerchief for a quantity of noolban, some dowaks, and dabbas,
+some of which we accepted as a token of our friendly intentions. The
+stream-bed turned east, and we followed it until 6.0, when we were halted
+for the night, having the good fortune to find a little fresh water by
+digging in the sand in the bed of the river, the pools being all
+brackish.
+
+RETURN TO DEPOT CAMP.
+
+13th October.
+
+At 6.15 a.m., we were again in our saddles, and continued journey up the
+river--the general course north-north-east. In vain we looked for some
+rising ground or hill from which we might obtain a view of the country,
+but the same sandy level, covered with dense thickets of wattles, still
+met the eye till 11.0, when we observed a low sandstone cliff forming the
+eastern side of the valley. In this direction we steered, and after
+pushing through thickets of wattle growing on stony ground, with small
+patches of salsolaceous plants, we arrived at the foot of the cliff,
+which was about sixty feet in height, of white sandstone, full of rounded
+quartz pebbles. The top was nearly on a level with the general plane of
+the country, which was of a most cheerless aspect. The valley of the
+river trended to the north-north-east for eight or ten miles, then to the
+east; the width appeared about five miles, and one dense thicket of
+wattles seemed to fill the entire space. The rest of the country was,
+without the slightest exception, level in the extreme, covered with one
+universal thicket of acacia and cypress, the latter indicating the sandy
+nature of the soil. As no appearance of change in the character of the
+country within twenty or thirty miles was visible, and we had only two
+days' provisions left (not having expected the stream to extend so far),
+and the camp at sixty miles distant, we were obliged to leave the farther
+examination of the river to some future explorers; but we regretted it
+the less as, from the nature of the gravel and sand brought down by the
+stream, there seemed great probability that it takes its rise in large
+salt marshes similar to those known to exist 100 miles east of the Irwin,
+if it does not actually drain them, as the general trend of the most
+northerly marshes seen was in the direction of the upper part of the
+Murchison. Under these circumstances, we returned to our bivouac of last
+night, reaching it at 5.40 p.m.
+
+14th October.
+
+Started at 6.25 a.m., and retracing our route down the river, came to our
+bivouac of the 11th at 5.5 p.m. without any incident worthy of notice,
+but surprising three or four natives asleep in the bed of the stream;
+they were of the party seen on our route up the river.
+
+15th October (Sunday).
+
+Resumed our journey; passed two parties of natives; a few of them
+followed us some distance, and having overcome their first surprise,
+commenced talking in their own language, which, as far as we could
+understand it, had great affinity to that spoken by the natives in the
+York and Toodyay districts. After a smart ride of seven hours we arrived
+at the encampment, found the rest of the party all well, and the horses
+much improved by their few days' rest.
+
+THE GERALDINE LEAD MINE DISCOVERED. THE HUTT RIVER.
+
+16th October.
+
+The two horses we had ridden up the river requiring a day's rest, which
+was also acceptable to Mr. Burges and myself, we remained at the camp and
+made preparations to move on to the Hutt River the next day. Mr. Walcott
+brought in some specimens of galena, which, on farther observation,
+proved to be abundant.
+
+17th October.
+
+Leaving our encampment at 9.10 a.m., we steered a southerly course,
+passing over a succession of low granite hills, thickly covered with
+acacia, to the exclusion of almost every other kind of vegetation, save a
+few scattered tufts of grass. At noon entered the sand-plains which
+occupy the high lands in this district; observed a patch of grassy land
+bearing south-west; proceeding in that direction, at 1.0 p.m. came on it,
+but found it to be a very small spot of grassy granite country, encircled
+by sand-plains and scrub. Continuing our course, at 2.5 struck a small
+stream-bed trending west-south-west; the valley in which it runs is
+bounded on both sides by sandy hills, covered with scrub; some patches of
+grass and wattles occupied the lower ground wherever the granite rock
+showed itself; tracing the stream-bed downwards, we found many brackish
+pools. At 3.45 crossed the left bank--found it running, but brackish; and
+at 4.20 we bivouacked at its junction with the Hutt River, which was here
+about ten yards wide, with narrow grassy flats on both banks. The hills
+are of sandstone and sand, producing little besides scrub.
+
+18th October.
+
+Started at 7.50 a.m., steering north 140 degrees east magnetic up the
+valley of the Hutt, which gradually widened and improved, the hills being
+grassy for an average distance of two miles back from the stream, of
+granite formation, and thinly sprinkled with wattles; behind the grassy
+land the country rose into sandy plains, covered with short scrub. At
+9.20 crossed to the left bank; the river trended to the eastward. At
+11.10 sighted King's Table Hill, bearing south magnetic. We then
+descended into the rich and grassy valley of the Bowes River; this we
+traversed till 4.0 p.m., when we bivouacked in a small stream tributary
+to the Bowes. As the country passed over this day had not been previously
+examined, we were much pleased to find it equal to the best land on the
+southern branch of the Bowes, visited by the Surveyor-General and myself
+on former occasions.
+
+FINE PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+19th October.
+
+Messrs. Burges, Bedart, and myself rode down the Bowes to examine the
+country, and found it generally of good grassy character, suitable for
+sheep; the bed of the streams being filled with broad-leaved reeds, seems
+to indicate an abundant supply of water in the dry season; but the pools
+were very small, and the water all brackish, not even excepting the
+running streams. The hills are of gneiss, with garnets and trap-rock, the
+latter producing excellent grass of various kinds, the most conspicuous
+of which is a species of kangaroo-grass, but of a less woody character of
+seed-stalk than that found in other parts of the colony. The extent of
+land fit for sheep-feeding on this stream (it can scarcely be called a
+river) I should estimate at 100,000 acres, and Mr. Burges considered it
+capable of feeding about 17,000 sheep. The existence of garnets, iron
+pyrites, and a mineral resembling in many of its properties plumbago,
+specimens of which were found in the gneiss of this district, seems to
+indicate a metalliferous formation, and I have little doubt a further
+search might develop many of the present hidden sources of wealth. Near
+the coast we fell in with some natives (four men and five women), who
+were very friendly, but from their peculiar nature we were unable to
+accept of their civilities.
+
+20th October.
+
+Started with Messrs. Burges and Walcott to examine the upper part of the
+Buller river; after passing over the country examined by Lieutenant Irby
+and myself in December, 1846, we crossed the granite ridge which divides
+the valley of the Buller into two nearly equal portions. We found the
+land on the left bank of the eastern branch of very good and grassy
+description, consisting of a range of granite hills about ten miles north
+and south, and two miles in width; to the east of which the high sandy
+and level plains commence in an abrupt line of sandstone slopes and
+hills. Halted for the night in the east branch of the Buller, with water
+in small pools and abundance of grass for our horses.
+
+21st October.
+
+Continued the examination of the Buller Valley down to the spot where I
+bivouacked on the river in December, 1846; then followed up the stream
+for seven miles, where we dined, and then steering west-north-west,
+arrived at the camp at 6.30 p.m. We estimated the valley of the Buller to
+contain about 10,000 acres of good grassy land, and 30,000 acres of
+inferior feeding country; the good land is much broken into patches by
+that which is of indifferent quality. Timber is here, and also on the
+Bowes, very scarce, and the little that exists is very indifferent and
+small.
+
+22nd October (Sunday).
+
+Messrs. Bedart and C.F. Gregory walked to the hill which lies
+three-quarters of a mile west of King's Table Hill. The rock of which it
+is formed appeared to belong to the coal formation, as thin seams of
+black shale were seen in the rocks of which the lower strata of the hill
+are composed; but the natives making their appearance, it was not
+considered prudent to remain geologizing among the cliffs. Returning
+towards the camp, the natives followed for some distance, and on
+descending a cliff the women commenced pelting the party with stones,
+apparently in revenge for the refusal of certain courteous invitations,
+which perhaps are the greatest marks of politeness which they think it
+possible to offer to strangers.
+
+CHAPMAN RIVER.
+
+23rd October.
+
+Left our encampment at 8.5 a.m., and steered 150 degrees magnetic over
+granite hills producing wattles and good grass. At 9.40 crossed the south
+branch of the Bowes, after which the country was not so well grassed,
+except in the valleys. The lower hills were of granite; the higher red
+sandstone of tabular form. At 11.0 the country became more sandy and
+covered with short scrub, gradually rising to the south. At noon we
+attained the high tableland; crossed two scrubby valleys bounded by
+sandstone hills, in the first of which the black shale peculiar to the
+coal formation showed itself, with a slight dip to the south. At 1.50
+p.m. crossed the Buller in a rocky channel with reedy pools, apparently
+of permanent character. The land improved and became grassy, and
+ascending the hills on the left bank, passed Peak Hill at 2.50: this is
+the highest part of the range between the Buller and Chapman. From this
+we steered south down a small grassy valley; the hills with granite bases
+and sandstone table summits, with excellent grass, and thinly wooded with
+acacia and a few York gums. At 3.15 bivouacked in a patch of excellent
+grass with water in small quantities.
+
+24th October.
+
+A violent thunderstorm during the night was followed by a rainy and misty
+morning; the weather clearing up, we walked down to the Chapman River,
+which was running in a sandy channel with small shallow pools. The land
+on the bank of the stream was very indifferent and sandy for about a
+mile, when it rose into granite and sandstone hills, covered with
+excellent grass.
+
+EFFECT OF REFRACTION. GREENOUGH RIVER.
+
+25th October.
+
+Accompanied by Messrs. Burges and Walcott, I proceeded to examine the
+country to the eastward of our camp. Starting at 7.20 a.m., steered east
+over grassy hills, with granite bases and table summits of red sandstone,
+the latter rock forming but a poor soil with scanty feed and scrub;
+crossed several small gullies running into the Chapman. At 10.0 passed a
+large sandy hill, covered with short scrub, and halted at 11.0 in a
+grassy gully in the bottom of a wide scrubby valley; at 12.45 p.m. again
+resumed our journey, and ascending the sandy downs, at 1.15 gained the
+highest ridge. Before us lay the valley of the Greenough River; the white
+and red sandstone cliffs, which bound the valley on the south-east, were
+distorted by excessive refractions, which, as we crossed each sandy
+ridge, changed their appearance, sometimes assuming the appearance of
+islands with high rocky shores, then like reefs with heavy breakers,
+followed by high cliffs and grassy hills; but as we approached they
+assumed their true character of low rocky hills and cliffs, scarce
+exceeding 200 feet in height, and generally covered with dense thickets
+of acacia growing on an otherwise barren stony soil. At 3.30 came on the
+right bank of the Greenough River; the bed was quite dry, and had no
+appearance of having run since the winter of 1847. Following up the
+stream-bed to the north-east, passed some shallow pools of salt water;
+and at 4.45 observed the black coal shales at the bottom of a deep cliff,
+which formed the left bank of the river. At 5.0 halted for the night,
+obtaining fresh water by scraping in the sand by the side of a pool of
+salt water; we also found sufficient grass for our horses on the bank of
+the river.
+
+26th October.
+
+At 7.10 a.m. left our bivouac, steering north 120 degrees east magnetic
+towards a high sandstone cliff, which, after a ride of three-quarters of
+an hour through thickets of acacia, we ascended; but the view was not
+satisfactory, as thickets and scrubs extended over the whole of the
+country. We therefore returned to the river, and followed it downwards to
+the south-west by south. At 11.30 found some fresh water in a small
+waterhole in the bed of the river; halted till 1.50 p.m. to refresh the
+horses. The river turned south, and at 2.27 was joined by a small gully
+from the west, and coming from a grassy valley. As it had run during the
+last winter, it quite altered the character of the river for quarter of a
+mile, filling the pools with water, and giving the grass and trees a
+freshness which formed a most striking contrast with the brown and
+parched appearance of the rest of the valley. At 3.55 altered the course
+to 210 degrees magnetic; the country improved, many patches of grassy
+land appearing in the valley, and the country became more rocky. At 5.30
+crossed to the left bank, and found the river running with many large
+pools of water, some more than a half a mile long and 80 to 100 yards
+wide. The water was slightly brackish, being this year supplied
+principally by springs, taking their rise in the new red sandstone
+formation. We then followed the winding course of the river south-west
+amongst high hills of sandstone, many of which were covered with
+excellent grass, though the country was not generally good. At 6.20
+halted for the night on the right bank of the stream, in a narrow but
+rich grassy flat; heavy rain in the night.
+
+WIZARD PEAK. CHAMPION BAY. MOUNT FAIRFAX.
+
+27th October.
+
+Started at 7.0 a.m. and steering an average course of west by north,
+ascended the high land on the north bank of the Greenough. For the first
+hour the hills were of red sandstone, very steep and rocky, producing
+little but coarse scrub; some of the valleys and lower hills were well
+grassed; the country then improved, the hills being of the coal
+formation, and the limestones forming very rich and grassy hills. At 9.40
+the granite and gneiss formed a basis of the high sandstone-topped hills,
+which rose about 500 feet on each side of the valley. At 10.15 crossed to
+the left bank of the river, and re-crossed to the right at 11.10. The
+lower parts of the valley were not so rich or well grassed as the hills,
+but would afford excellent summer feed for sheep. Having dined, and given
+our horses an hour's feed on the rich grass which grew in the bed of the
+river (which here turned to the south), we continued our route. After an
+hour's ride over rich grassy hills, reached the foot of Wizard's Peak.
+Here we left our horses and ascended the hill; arrived at the summit, to
+our great surprise, instead of the scrubby and sterile country described
+by Captain Stokes of the Beagle, beautiful grassy hills, stretching from
+north to south-east, met our view to the extent of about 20,000 acres;
+had it not been certain, from bearings to Mount Fairfax and other hills,
+that we were on Wizard Peak, I should have suspected its identity.
+Leaving Wizard Peak at 2.30 p.m., steered north along the western foot of
+the grassy range. The country to the east consists of grassy hills of
+limestone, rich in fossil remains of wood and shells, with an occasional
+granite hill producing coarse grass or short scrub; to the west the
+country was more level, but less grassy, and in many parts scrubby. We
+fell in with some of the natives, who appeared friendly disposed. Crossed
+the Chapman at 6.5, and arrived at the camp at 7.15.
+
+28th October.
+
+Left the camp at 7.40 a.m., steering north-west. Made the stream
+previously called the Buller at 9.0; followed it downwards to the
+south-south-west till 11.0, when it became evident that, instead of being
+the Buller, it was the north branch of the Chapman. The land on its banks
+was not generally good, although some fine patches of grass were seen.
+Leaving the stream, we ascended Moresby's Range; the valleys and sides of
+the hills were covered with fine grass, and the sandstone rocks were rich
+with fossil remains of shells and wood. With some difficulty we descended
+the western face of the hills; after which, an hour's ride over a scrubby
+plain brought us to the mouth of the Chapman River, running strongly over
+a ledge of limestone rock into the sea. We crossed the river, and over to
+the usual landing-place in Champion Bay; we then returned to the Chapman,
+and halted for the night.
+
+29th October.
+
+Two of the horses having broken from their tether during the night, we
+were obliged to put the three saddles on the remaining horse, and proceed
+to track the stray horses; after tracking them about two miles, we found
+them on their way back to the camp. We then rode along the western foot
+of Moresby's Range, and ascended Mount Fairfax; after taking sketches and
+bearings, we steered for the encampment, and reached it about 2.0 p.m.
+
+30th October.
+
+Messrs. Burges, Walcott, and Bedart rode out this morning to examine the
+grassy hills on the south side of the Chapman River, and on their return
+reported the country to be of a generally good grassy character.
+
+NATIVES STEAL FRYING-PAN.
+
+31st October.
+
+Left the encampment at 8.0 a.m. and steering 200 degrees magnetic over
+alternately grassy and scrubby hills of granite sandstone, crossed the
+Chapman at 9.40. Our course then lay nearly parallel to the river till
+noon; the land on the river was indifferent and thinly grassed, but rose
+into good grassy hills about a mile from the river. We then entered a
+level scrubby plain, extending from the Victoria Range to the sea. At
+12.30 p.m. altered the course to 175 degrees magnetic, and at 1.5 to 139
+degrees magnetic. At 1.15 the plain became grassy, and the soil good
+(with the exception of a few patches of York gum, the only trees were
+wattles), and by a rough estimate contained about 8,000 acres of good
+grassy land; on the north bank of the Greenough River, which we reached
+at 3.15, the channel was about seventy yards wide, but dry and sandy; nor
+did we observe any sign of its having run during the past winter. A
+little below where we struck the river it turned to the south-east;
+following it in that direction till 3.45 we bivouacked, obtaining a
+scanty supply of water by digging in the sand. Shortly after halting, a
+party of about thirty natives came up, and appeared friendly; they told
+us that there was a fine spring at some distance to the westward, but we
+could not obtain any other useful information, as their dialect differs
+considerably from that spoken in the settled districts, although some few
+words are the same. They encamped a short distance from us, and in the
+night stole our frying-pan, to dig a well, but returned it next morning
+before the theft was discovered.
+
+THE IRWIN RIVER.
+
+1st November.
+
+At 7.10 a.m. resumed our course south-east, along the eastern side of the
+grassy plain. The scrubby hills gradually approached on each side; at
+9.30 the good land terminated, the estimate being 2,000 acres on the
+south bank of the Greenough River. The country then became sandy,
+producing little besides scrub and a few banksia trees. At 10.0 passed
+about one mile west of Mount Hill; passed a small pool of water in a
+watercourse trending south-west. At 12.50 p.m. altered the course to 170
+degrees magnetic; at 3.0 entered a thick forest of York gum; at 3.25
+changed the course to 130 degrees magnetic and entered a grassy flat
+extending to the Irwin River, which we reached at 3.55, and following it
+upwards till 4.15, bivouacked on the left bank in a large flat. Shortly
+before reaching the river a large party of natives came up with us, after
+tracking the horses for some distance. Seventy or eighty men came to the
+bivouac, and, with the exception of one man who shipped a spear, making a
+demonstration of throwing it at us, they evinced a desire for the more
+peaceable amusement of eating damper and fat bacon. A few of the natives
+spoke a little English, having been for a short time in the settled
+districts. At sunset they retired to the other side of the river, and all
+appeared quiet when my watch commenced at 10.30; but at midnight I
+detected a native crawling up amongst the thick grass about ten yards
+from the back of the tents. He lay quiet till I almost turned him out of
+his hiding-place with the muzzle of my gun, when he took to his heels,
+but I did not consider it prudent either to fire at or capture him.
+
+2nd November.
+
+The natives being too numerous to allow any of the party leaving the camp
+to examine the country around without incurring greater risk than seemed
+prudent, we left our bivouac at 7.45 a.m. and steered north 170 degrees
+east magnetic over sandy hills, covered with short scrub. After two hours
+the country became nearly level, with small patches of swampy ground,
+which would be very wet in the rainy season, but was at present quite
+dry; the rising grounds were sand, covered with short scrub with a few
+scattered banksia trees. At 5.40 p.m. struck the left bank of the stream
+which has been considered to be the Arrowsmith River of Captain Grey,
+though I have now some reason to doubt its identity. The banks of the
+stream are sandstone and sand, and the channel scarcely three yards wide,
+with a strip of grassy thicket twenty yards in width along the stream,
+which is the only feed near the river, as the plain through which it runs
+produces nothing but scrub and banksia with a few grass-trees. We
+bivouacked a short distance below the spot where we first struck the
+stream, which was still running.
+
+3rd November.
+
+Our horses having but a very scanty feed at this place, we moved down the
+stream to obtain better grass for them before crossing the sand-plains
+which lay to the south. After following the stream west for two hours,
+encamped in a small grassy flat, below which the stream ceased to run,
+the water being wholly absorbed by the sandy soil, which has a substratum
+of limestone of recent formation.
+
+SEVENTY MILES OF SAND PLAIN.
+
+4th November.
+
+Accompanied by Mr. Bedart, rode to the westward; passing over sandy
+plains and ridges for four hours, came to the beach, which we followed
+northwards for three hours, hoping to meet with the mouth of the stream
+on which our camp was placed. Not perceiving any signs of it, we turned
+to the east, and after an hour's struggle through a thick jungle, we came
+on a wet grassy flat, on which the stream seemed to be lost. Steering a
+general course of south-south-east, we arrived at 9.10 p.m. at the camp,
+after a ride of thirteen and a quarter hours, and the country traversed
+almost wholly worthless sand and scrub.
+
+5th November (Sunday).
+
+Remained at our encampment to rest the horses. Read prayers.
+
+6th November.
+
+Leaving our encampment at 7.10 a.m., we steered north 170 degrees east
+magnetic, along the limits of the low scrubby limestone hills which
+extend along this part of the coast. To the east the level sandy plain
+extended from eight to ten miles, and then rose into high sandstone
+hills, covered with scrub and destitute of trees; but at the junction of
+the limestone and sandstone formation, along which lay our route, were
+several small lagoons and swamps of fresh water, with grassy margins. At
+10.0 altered the course to southward; the line of swamps trending to
+south-south-west, we entered the level sandy plain. At noon passed a
+shallow pool of rainwater in a slight depression of the plain, and
+shortly after crossed two small watercourses trending west; a little
+brackish water remained in the deeper portions of their channels. The
+effect of refraction on this level country, when heated by the midday
+sun, was so great as to cause many of the low sandy ridges to appear like
+large lakes and inlets of the sea, as in some instances the more distant
+hills were obscured by its effects. At 2.45 p.m. we reached the sandstone
+range, and at 3.5 halted in a small patch of grass around a native well
+of good water, which had the appearance of retaining water throughout the
+summer. While here we obtained several additions to our small collection
+of birds.
+
+MOUNTS PERON AND LESUEUR.
+
+7th November.
+
+At 7.20 a.m. resumed our journey southwards, over a high and somewhat
+rugged range of sandstone hills; passed a short distance to the east of
+Mounts Peron and Lesueur. The valleys were wooded with red and white-gum
+of large growth, but the hills produced little besides coarse scrub. At
+2.20 p.m. passed a large mound spring; at 2.45 crossed the Hill River of
+Captain Grey; the land on its banks, with the exception of a few grassy
+hills on the northern side, was very scrubby and indifferent. Ascending
+the high sandstone country on the south side of the river, we halted at
+5.35 in a sandy valley trending north-west, in which we found a small
+patch of grass around a native well; but we were not much in want of
+water, being completely drenched by a heavy shower of rain just after we
+halted.
+
+8th November.
+
+Resumed our journey at 8.0 a.m., steering north 105 degrees east magnetic
+over a range of high scrubby sandstone hills. At 1.15 p.m. crossed a
+small stream-bed trending westwards in a wide scrubby valley. At 3.5,
+having ascended the hills to the south of the valley, observed a
+remarkable sandstone hill which I passed on a previous excursion from Mr.
+Lefroy's station at Welbing. Altering the course to 170 degrees magnetic,
+we passed the hill; at 5.45 halted in a fine grassy flat on the banks of
+a small brook-course trending west, in which we found abundance of water
+in small pools. As we were only forty miles west of Mr. Lefroy's station
+at Welbing, and the country in that direction already examined, I
+instructed Mr. C.F. Gregory to proceed with the party and pack-horses to
+Welbing and thence by the road to Perth, while, accompanied by Mr.
+Bedart, I pursued a more direct but less eligible course for pack-horses.
+
+THE MOORE RIVER.
+
+9th November.
+
+Leaving the rest of the party at the bivouac, at 9.50 a.m., in company
+with Mr. Bedart, we steered a general course of south by east magnetic
+over hills of sandy loam, producing a little grass and thickly timbered
+with red-gum. Passed several extensive grassy valleys, with many fine
+patches of rich limestone land on their slopes. At 2.0 p.m. the grass was
+replaced by scrub, and at 3.30 entered the wide scrubby valley of the
+Moore River, which we reached at 4.20. After some delay in crossing the
+river, in consequence of one of the horses falling down in the mud, from
+which we had some trouble to extricate him, we bivouacked about one mile
+below the spot where we first made the river.
+
+10th November.
+
+Leaving the Moore River we steered south by west, and after traversing a
+nearly level sandy plain, producing banksia and scrub, with many lagoons
+and swamps, in eight hours' riding reached the Norcott or Gingin Brook.
+The banks were low and swampy; after a short search found a suitable
+place for crossing, and having swam the horses across, we halted for the
+night on the left bank.
+
+11th November.
+
+Started at 7.0 a.m., steering east by south magnetic; ascended the
+western Wilbinga Hill at 9.0, and traversing a rough limestone country,
+with several reedy swamps, reached Lake Nowergup at 2.50 p.m., and at 4.0
+halted on the western side of the Wanaginup Swamp.
+
+12th November (Sunday).
+
+Once more in the saddle, and following the road past Wonneroo, arrived in
+Perth at 2.30 p.m.
+
+Mr. C.F. Gregory having accompanied the party to the Victoria Plains,
+proceeded with Private W. King by the Bindoon road to Perth, where he
+arrived on the 17th.
+
+The total distance travelled in this expedition was, in round numbers,
+1,500 miles, and the extreme point reached in latitude 27 degrees south,
+350 miles from Perth in a direct line; and the period we were engaged in
+the expedition was ten weeks.
+
+***
+
+
+HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR CHARLES FITZGERALD'S EXPEDITION TO THE GERALDINE
+LEAD MINE.
+
+1848.
+
+CHAMPION BAY TO MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+1st December.
+
+Sailed from Fremantle in the Champion for Champion Bay, where we arrived
+on the 3rd, swam the ponies on shore, and encamped at the mouth of the
+Chapman River.
+
+4th December.
+
+His Excellency the Governor came on shore, when the party, consisting of
+the Governor, Mr. Bland, and myself, with three soldiers of the 96th
+regiment, and the Governor's servant, started at 7.15 a.m., steering
+north-east, crossed Moresby's flat-topped range at 9.0, made the North
+Chapman at 10.0, followed the stream upward till 11.50, the general
+course north-east by north. One native man and two women came up, and
+then retired to the other side of the river, watching our proceedings.
+Having dined, we started again at 2.25 p.m., steering a general north
+course over an indifferent scrubby country till 4.40, when we halted for
+twenty minutes to examine the black shale-like soil which was seen on a
+former occasion, but on digging it proved to be only alluvial soil
+resting on sand; from this spot we steered north 330 degrees magnetic
+over high sandy hills covered with scrub; the country gradually improved,
+and at 7.0 we halted for the night in a small grassy gully trending
+north-west, obtaining water in a native well.
+
+5th December.
+
+Started at 6.40 a.m., continuing the same course as yesterday evening
+over a succession of grassy hills of granitic formation till 11.10, when
+we halted on the eastern branch of the Bowes River; several natives
+shortly came to the encampment, and having eaten some biscuit and pork
+which we offered to them, retired in the evening to the opposite side of
+the stream-bed, keeping a close watch on us from behind some large rocks;
+a strict watch was therefore maintained by us during the night.
+
+6th December.
+
+This morning the natives commenced by throwing stones at the men who went
+down for the water, but we did not see any method of resenting it, except
+by expressing our disapprobation in words, and at 5.35 a.m. we started on
+a north-north-west course, the natives followed for about a mile, and
+continued throwing stones at the party. The country passed over was
+generally grassy granite hills till 9.0, when we ascended the high
+tableland between the valley of the Bowes and Hutt rivers, which last we
+reached at 10.25, and halted during the heat of the day on a pool of
+brackish water; at 3.20 p.m., again started, and following the river
+downwards, in a general course 310 degrees magnetic, at 6.10 bivouacked
+at the spot where we had before halted on the 17th October; the water in
+the pools brackish, but by digging near a moist bank obtained abundance
+of fresh water.
+
+THE GERALDINE LEAD MINE.
+
+7th December.
+
+Left our bivouac at 5.50 a.m., and steered north-east over high sandy
+downs, covered with coarse scrub; at 10.30 entered the valley of the
+Murchison River; at noon halted at our bivouac of the 24th September,
+obtained some brackish water by digging in the sand of the small
+stream-bed. Having dined, we resumed our journey at 2.30 p.m., and
+bivouacked about 5.0 on the left bank of the Murchison, 500 yards below
+the large lead vein, obtaining good water in the sandy bed of the river
+by digging a few inches, the pools being all salt. While the men were
+preparing the tents, etc., the Governor proceeded to examine the vein of
+lead, which we traced to a greater distance than on the former occasion
+of its discovery, the water having sunk two feet, exposing many portions
+of the vein which were before covered.
+
+8th December.
+
+Examined the lead vein, tracing it 320 yards in a direction north 30
+degrees east magnetic, along the bed of the Murchison River, which was
+nearly dry; clearing the sand and loose stones from the surface, found it
+to vary from eight to twenty-four inches in width, the general average
+being twelve inches, the dip to the west-north-west at an angle of about
+80 degrees from the horizon. Throughout the whole length the lead vein
+appeared to be one solid mass of galena; the northern end either
+terminates or alters its direction close to a vein of schistose rock,
+which intersects the adjacent rocks; to the south the lode was covered by
+several feet of sand, which prevented its being traced further, as we had
+not time to remove it; the whole of the vein which was traced was
+included within the banks of the river, and the greater portion was
+covered by shallow water. One specimen of galena showed traces of copper.
+The rock which prevails on each side of the vein is a hard compact
+gneiss, abounding with garnets, some of which are of good colour, but
+mostly full of flaws; the stratification of the gneiss is somewhat
+confused, but it generally dips at a high angle (sometimes nearly
+perpendicular) to the westward, the strike being north and south. The
+facilities which the position of the lode offers for mining are not very
+great, as it occupies the lowest part of the valley, and steam power
+would be requisite to free the mine from water, and at the same time,
+unless the small boat-harbour near the mouth of the Hutt River, or
+Gantheaume Bay (both within thirty miles), be found suitable for the
+purpose, Champion Bay, distant sixty-two miles in a direct line to the
+south, is the nearest port where the ore could be shipped. In the evening
+the Governor examined the spot where Mr. Walcott had discovered the small
+pieces of lead ore about two and a half miles below the lode, but as most
+of the pieces had been picked up on that occasion, we could only find a
+few fragments of it.
+
+9th December.
+
+Left the encampment at 4.40 a.m., and steering about south-west, made our
+former bivouac on the Hutt River about 1.0 p.m., and halted for the rest
+of the day.
+
+10th December.
+
+Started at 4.50 a.m., steering 160 degrees magnetic over sandy country;
+passed a small grassy valley at 8.0; halted on the north branch of the
+Bowes at 10.10 on a small pool of brackish water; dined and resumed our
+route at 2.40 p.m.; steered south over a grassy country till 6.10, when
+we halted for the night on a tributary stream to the Bowes; obtained
+fresh water by digging, the pools being very small and brackish.
+
+CONFLICT WITH NATIVES. GOVERNOR SPEARED.
+
+11th December.
+
+Left the bivouac at 5.15 a.m., steering 175 degrees magnetic over an
+indifferent country till 6.40, when we crossed the south branch of the
+Bowes, the country improving. Here we saw several natives, who at first
+hid themselves, but finding that we saw them, came after us. At first
+they did not exceed eight or ten in number, but, being joined by several
+other parties, gradually increased till they exceeded fifty, when they
+altogether changed their friendly manner, and began to bring up their
+spears. At 6.15 we passed to the west of King's Table Hill, and as the
+country was covered with dense wattle thickets, the natives took
+advantage of the ground, and having completely surrounded the party,
+commenced first to threaten to throw their spears, then to throw stones,
+and finally one man caught hold of Mr. Bland by the arm, threatening to
+strike him with a dowak; another native threw a spear at myself, though
+without effect; but before I could fire at him, the Governor, perceiving
+that unless some severe example was made the whole party would be cut
+off, fired at one of the most forward of our assailants, and killed him;
+two other shots were fired by the soldiers, but the thickness of the
+bushes prevented our seeing with what effect. A shower of spears, stones,
+kylies, and dowaks followed, and although we moved to a more open spot,
+the natives were only kept off by firing at any that exposed themselves.
+At this moment a spear struck the Governor in the leg just above the
+knee, with such force as to cause it to protrude two feet on the other
+side, which was so far fortunate, as it enabled me to break off the barb
+and withdraw the shaft. The Governor, notwithstanding his wound,
+continued to direct the party, and although the natives made many
+attempts to approach close enough to reach us with their spears, we were
+enabled, by keeping on the most open ground, and checking them by an
+occasional shot, to avoid their attacks in crossing the gullies. They
+followed us closely for seven miles, after which they were only seen
+occasionally, following in our track. Having reached the beach, we were
+enabled to travel more rapidly, and although one of the ponies knocked
+up, we reached Champion Bay at 3.30 p.m., and got the party and horses on
+board the Champion by 5.0, where we were gladly welcomed by Lieutenant
+Helpman. About sunset the natives came down to the beach, concealing
+themselves behind the bushes, whilst a single unarmed native stood on the
+beach, and called to us to come on shore, no doubt in the hope of making
+a sudden attack on the boat should we venture to do so.
+
+A.C. Gregory,
+
+Assistant Surveyor.
+
+***
+
+
+THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+1857.
+
+THE UPPER MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+In the month of March, 1857, Mr. Surveyor F.T. Gregory, while engaged on
+the survey of the lower part of the Murchison, observed that the river
+came down in flood, though there had been no rain for several months near
+the coast, and taking advantage of such a favourable opportunity of
+extending the exploration of the country beyond the point at which
+previous explorers had been driven back for want of water and grass, he
+proceeded up the Murchison, accompanied by his assistant, Mr. S. Trigg,
+following the course of the river for 180 miles. For the last fifty miles
+the condition of the vegetation showed that there had been heavy rains
+which had caused the floods in the lower part of the river.
+
+The following is an abstract of Mr. Gregory's report to the
+Surveyor-General, as published at the time in the Perth Gazette:--
+
+We last week intimated that an exploratory trip had lately been made into
+the interior eastward of the Geraldine Mine. We have now the pleasure and
+satisfaction of laying before our readers some details of one of the most
+unassuming explorations, yet important in its results, which has ever
+been undertaken in this colony. In the latter end of March last, Mr.
+Assistant Surveyor F. Gregory and Mr. S. Trigg started from the Geraldine
+Mine with two horses and sixteen pounds of flour, to trace the Murchison
+to its source, and returned after thirteen days' absence. Mr. Gregory has
+made a short report of his journey to the Surveyor-General, from which we
+have been kindly furnished with the following extract:--
+
+While at the Geraldine Mine I availed myself of the circumstance of the
+Murchison being in flood to ascend that river and complete the sketch of
+the unexamined portions, as also to gain any additional information that
+might facilitate the exploration of the country between this and the
+Gascoyne River. The fact that the natives describe a considerable tract
+of grassy country extending northward from the head of the Murchison,
+plentifully supplied with water, was an additional incentive to ascertain
+from whence the inundation came.
+
+TROPICAL RAINY SEASON. GOOD PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+Accompanied by Mr. S. Trigg, I proceeded up the river about 180 miles, at
+which point it ceased to run; we then ascended a hill in the vicinity of
+600 or 700 feet elevation above the plain, which I have since found to
+be, beyond a doubt, Mount Murchison of Austin; unfortunately I was unable
+to procure a copy of his map or journal, and was thus prevented from
+laying out my route to the greatest advantage by pushing more to the
+northward and going over more new ground. As it is, the only information
+I have been able to gain, beyond completing the plan of the river, is
+that the principal fall of rain had been eastward of the 116th degree of
+longitude, and that the tract of country between the great South Bend and
+Mount Murchison, which proved barely capable of supporting Mr. Austin's
+small party of horses in November, 1854, is now yielding a pasture nearly
+equal to the average of the Champion Bay district, and in some parts most
+luxuriant, the grass having scarcely arrived at maturity was perfectly
+green; this remarkable change in the character of the country is, I am
+inclined to think, not entirely confined to this year in particular, but
+that from meteorological causes this district has not unfrequently the
+benefit of tropical rains falling during the months of January and
+February, although not always in sufficient quantity to cause the river
+to flow as low as the settled districts.
+
+It has already been observed by many persons that during the summer
+months the prevailing sea breezes divide the northerly currents of vapour
+about 100 miles inland from the west coast, preventing the rain from
+falling throughout the same parallel of latitude.
+
+As near the eastern limits of my route the Murchison throws off two
+branches nearly equal in magnitude to the main stream, I am induced to
+imagine that its extreme source does not lie more than sixty or seventy
+miles beyond that point, and had it not been that I did not feel
+justified in abstracting so large a portion of time from the regular
+surveys of this district, there is no doubt but that I could with every
+facility have completed the exploration of the country as far as the
+Gascoyne in two or three weeks.
+
+On comparing the tracing of the Murchison, which I now enclose, with Mr.
+Austin's route, it will be observed that there is a difference of
+seventeen miles in latitude, and something more in longitude throughout
+the eastern portion, a discrepancy which I am at a loss to account for,
+as my dead-reckoning to both the outward and inward track agree well with
+my cross-bearings; my latitudes were, however, taken only with a pocket
+sextant with a treacle horizon, and might therefore not be implicitly
+relied on. I have, however, preferred plotting my route exactly as booked
+in the field, leaving the existing error to be cleared up at some future
+period.
+
+...
+
+From Mr. Trigg, who arrived on Wednesday by the Preston from Champion
+Bay, we have gathered the following additional particulars:--
+
+The outward route was on the south bank of the river Murchison; the first
+sixty miles was but indifferent, but there were many spots of grass,
+sufficient to maintain travelling herds or flocks; afterwards the soil on
+the banks of the river improved and were continuously grassy, the general
+width being about half a mile. About latitude 26 degrees 50 minutes,
+longitude 116 degrees east, two large branches, almost if not quite equal
+to the main stream, join the Murchison from the eastward. About Mr.
+Austin's Mount Welcome the grass was found very luxuriant--from two to
+three feet high, and between there and Mount Murchison the country is
+described by Mr. Trigg to be very beautiful, and the soil superior to any
+he had previously seen in the colony, and equal to the best land in
+Victoria. Mount Murchison itself is an immense mass of quartz with
+granite round the base; this differs from Mr. Austin's description, but
+that gentleman does not appear to have ascended the hill. From the summit
+three high lands were observable, one an isolated peak fifty miles east,
+the others to the north and north-east apparently more distant; so far as
+could be seen, the country to the east and north-east appeared scrubby
+and indifferent. The return was on the north side of the Murchison; and
+here a large extent of good grassy land was found, not on the bank, but a
+mile and a half from the river, and reaching four or five miles in width
+to the base of some hills, and reaching westward to the large northerly
+bend of the river in longitude 115 degrees 30 minutes about forty miles
+from the Geraldine Mine; the good land in all cases was very flat, the
+soil a red loam, which when dry was very open; the whole country is
+singularly infested with white ants, of which every tree living or dead
+appeared to have its colony. Mr. Trigg regards the country around Mount
+Murchison as auriferous.
+
+...
+
+The striking difference there is between this account of the country on
+the Murchison and that given by Mr. Austin may be accounted for in
+several ways: first, Mr. Austin does not appear to have crossed, but
+skirted the country intervening between Mount Welcome and Mount
+Murchison, but he describes the land about the latter as improving, and
+found water; while it was the feed and water at Mount Welcome which, in
+all probability, saved his party from perishing. The land on the north
+side, spoken of so favourably by Mr. Trigg, was not seen by Mr. Austin,
+and also his party was so exhausted that it was out of his power to
+diverge from a direct line in order to examine the nature of the country
+on either side; whereas Messrs. Gregory and Trigg made such an
+examination whenever any favourable appearance presented itself, and thus
+determined the quantity of valuable land for a distance of six or seven
+miles on each side of the river, and have thus been the means of
+conferring on the Colony one of the greatest benefits it has received
+since the northern district was first opened by Mr. A. Gregory.
+
+***
+
+
+GASCOYNE RIVER.
+
+1858.
+
+PERTH TO CHAMPION BAY.
+
+In consequence of the very satisfactory results of the exploration of the
+Upper Murchison River by Messrs. Gregory and Trigg in 1857, a number of
+settlers in the northern districts subscribed horses and equipment for an
+exploring party to examine the country still further to the east and
+north, and with the sanction of the Government, the Expedition was placed
+under the command of Mr. F.T. Gregory, the result being the discovery of
+a considerable area of available country on the Gascoyne and Lyons
+Rivers, as described in Mr. Gregory's journal, of which the following is
+a copy:--
+
+MR. F. GREGORY'S REPORT.
+
+Western Australia,
+
+Perth, July 26, 1858.
+
+SIR,
+
+In accordance with the instructions conveyed in your letter of the 15th
+March, authorising me to take command of the Expedition to Shark's Bay,
+in course of organisation by the northern settlers, I have the honour to
+furnish the following report of our proceedings while in that service,
+for the information of His Excellency the Governor.
+
+The preliminary arrangements having been completed, and the heavy portion
+of the stores forwarded by sea to Champion Bay, I left Perth on the 26th
+March, accompanied by Mr. James Roe as second in command, chainer
+Fairburn having started the previous day with the team and light
+equipment of the Expedition.
+
+Proceeding by way of Toodyay to the Irwin River, the party were joined by
+Mr. W. Moore with three horses; passing on by way of Champion Bay, we
+arrived a Koobijawanna, the point of general rendezvous, by the 10th of
+April. On the 12th the remainder of the stores arrived from Champion Bay,
+the party being augmented to six persons by the addition of Mr. C. Nairn
+and Dugel, an aboriginal policeman. This day and the following were
+occupied in weighing and packing stores, shoeing horses, etc.
+
+14th April.
+
+The equipment of the Expedition being completed (with the exception of
+one horse to be procured at the Geraldine Mine), we moved on to
+Yanganooka, passing the Geraldine Mine on the 16th, and bivouacked on the
+Murchison River, six miles above the mine, having obtained the additional
+horse, making in all six saddle and six pack horses; our supplies
+consisting of sixty days' rations, on a scale of one and a half pounds of
+flour, eight ounces of pork, four ounces of sugar, and half an ounce of
+tea per diem, the party being all well armed and furnished with
+ammunition.
+
+The mean of our observations with the Aneroid barometer gives 575 feet
+for the elevation of this part of the river above the sea.
+
+ASCEND THE MURCHISON RIVER.
+
+17th April to the 25th April.
+
+Was occupied in ascending the Murchison River by easy stages to the
+junction of the Impey, the highest point attained by me last year. The
+only observations worthy of remark were that the inundation had not been
+so great as that which occurred the previous summer, the grass up to this
+point not being by any means so abundant as I had found it on my former
+visit; the volume of water now running in the bed of the river being,
+however, at this time about the same, although none of the tributaries,
+including the Roderick and Impey, had been in flood, little or no rain
+having fallen to the west of the 117th degree of longitude, except to the
+north of latitude 26 degrees.
+
+I availed myself of the opportunity afforded to make several additions
+and corrections to the map of this part of the country, verifying the
+correction made by me last year in the latitude of Mount Murchison and
+adjacent hills. By an improved series of triangulation and a carefully
+observed set of lunar distances, I am inclined to place Mount Murchison
+in about longitude 116 degrees 30 minutes east, which makes it more
+nearly approximate to the longitude formerly given by Mr. Austin.
+
+The variation of the compass I found by several amplitudes to be 2
+degrees 30 minutes west. The bed of the Murchison River is here about
+1,077 feet above the sea. In addition to the fish and game formerly
+observed on this part of the river, we met with large flocks of the
+gallinule, which have for so many years excited the curiosity of the
+colonists as to their habitat; from subsequent observations it is evident
+they come from much further to the north-eastward. But one party of
+natives had as yet been seen, consisting of eight or ten, who chased our
+native Dugel to the camp while out shooting, but it was difficult to
+ascertain whether with hostile intentions. From this time to our return
+we regularly mounted sentry during the night, and no one was allowed to
+quit the party any distance alone--a precautionary measure the necessity
+of which was fully borne out by the sequel.
+
+26th April.
+
+From our camp, which was situated about eight miles west of Mount
+Murchison, we fairly commenced the exploration of unknown country.
+Following the river nearly north-north-east for fourteen miles it turned
+abruptly to the east; we, however, held our course, which at four miles
+further brought us to the foot of Mount Narryer, which we ascended, and
+procured a valuable round of angles from its summit. This hill has an
+altitude of 1,688 feet above the sea, and is formed by the eruption of a
+coarse dark-coloured crystalline trap through a base of amorphous
+sandstone, the direction of the range of which it forms a part being
+nearly north and south. Skirting round the north end of this range, we
+struck east over a stony plain, thinly grassed amongst open wattles, and
+at five miles again came upon the Murchison some time after dark. The
+pools here were somewhat larger than for many miles below, being from
+sixty to eighty yards wide and half a mile in length, the water in them
+becoming decidedly brackish; samphire, atriplex, and other salsolaceous
+plants being abundant on the banks.
+
+27th April.
+
+We only advanced nine miles, owing to Mr. Moore and Dugel having to
+return for one of the water-beakers, which had been torn off the
+pack-saddle the previous night in a thicket. Towards our bivouac, which
+was in latitude 26 degrees 23 minutes 38 seconds, the country near the
+river improved much, the channel of the river becoming very shallow; the
+water had spread over the flats for more than half a mile on either side,
+large flooded-gum trees growing abundantly with a fine sward of grass
+beneath, the soil being a rich brown clay loam. Gallinule and cockatoos
+were in large flocks feeding on the grass seeds, which were now nearly
+ripe.
+
+28th April.
+
+To latitude 28 degrees 7 minutes the river continued to come from north
+by east through an extensive plain, bounded on the west by a low range of
+trap and granite hills, at an average distance of six or seven miles,
+while to the eastward only a few distant peaks were visible, flooded-gum
+growing plentifully for more than a mile back from the river, on flats of
+tolerably good pasture. Receding somewhat further from the river, the
+country opens out into extensive plains yielding but little grass;
+atriplex bush and thinly scattered stunted acacia and melaleuca trees
+forming almost the entire vegetation.
+
+29th April.
+
+A few miles nearly north brought us to where a considerable tributary
+joins the Murchison from the north, the river trending first north-east,
+then east, and finally towards the afternoon it came from the southward
+of east, our bivouac being only seven miles north of the previous night,
+while we had made nearly eighteen miles of easting. The bed of the river
+had gradually become more rocky as we ascended, gneiss with quartz dykes
+passing through it and yielding a large quantity of salt, rendered the
+running water of the river scarcely drinkable; the only fresh water was
+found in the back channels filled by the late inundations. The ranges
+which ran parallel to the river to the westward terminated some miles to
+the north of the bend. Another range, apparently granitic and broken up
+into detached peaks, commencing a little to the eastward of its
+termination, runs east for about twenty miles at the distance of six or
+seven miles from the north bank of the river.
+
+To the eastward an elevated range with two conspicuous summits, which
+were respectively named Mount Matthew and Mount Hale, terminated the view
+in that direction, while to the south only a few detached peaks were
+visible.
+
+To-day we first observed a very beautiful convolvulus, which we
+afterwards found to bear roots like a sweet potato, some of them more
+than a pound weight and well flavoured, forming a very important article
+of food to the natives. The flowers are numerous, and measure from two to
+three inches in diameter, their outer edges of a dark lilac, deepening to
+a rich purple at the centre, with a pale green convolute ribbing on the
+outside, the stem and leaf of the plant resembling the kennedya. Mr.
+Drummond, to whom I have described it, considers it an important
+discovery, as by cultivation it might become a valuable addition to our
+Australian esculents.
+
+A small species of rock-melon was also found in great abundance about the
+size of a pigeon's egg, somewhat bitter to the taste, but they were not
+ripe; in other respects it much resembles the cultivated varieties.
+
+The bed of the river at this night's bivouac had attained an elevation of
+1,240 feet above the sea.
+
+LEAVE THE MURCHISON FOR THE GASCOYNE RIVER.
+
+30th April.
+
+Finding that the Murchison was leading us too much to the eastward, the
+object of the expedition being to reach the Gascoyne with as little delay
+as possible, we quitted the river on a north-north-east course for about
+eight miles over a tolerably grassy plain, in some parts open, with
+atriplex and samphire, and in others rather thickly studded with acacia
+and melaleuca. Ascending a granite hill of 150 feet elevation, the plain
+was observed to the eastward to extend to the horizon, only broken by one
+remarkable bold trap hill at the distance of twenty miles, which was
+eventually named Mount Gould, the main Murchison flowing round its
+southern base, while a considerable tributary from the north-east passed
+close under it to the north-west. To the north of our position the
+country rose into a succession of stony ridges thinly grassed and nearly
+destitute of trees; in the valleys the kangaroo grass was tolerably
+plentiful and quite green--a sufficient evidence that we had now arrived
+within the influence of the rains that had produced the recent
+inundation, which gave us every hope of being able to push across the
+country intervening between this and the Gascoyne. We accordingly altered
+our course to north-west for the remainder of this and the following day,
+crossing several tributaries to the Murchison, in which we found plenty
+of water, and on their banks an abundant supply of grass for our horses,
+the streams being generally divided from each other by low stony ridges
+or plains of red sandy loam, yielding a rather scanty supply of grass.
+
+3rd May.
+
+Having rested the party the previous day, it being Sunday, in latitude 25
+degrees 33 minutes 48 seconds, at a fine pool of fresh water in a stream
+running south, and apparently tributary to the Murchison, we resumed our
+course for three or four miles up a branch of the stream upon which we
+had been encamped, which terminated at a gentle stony ascent; another
+mile brought us to its summit, which proved to be the watershed between
+the Gascoyne and Murchison; its elevation was found to be 1,500 feet
+above the sea. From this ridge a short descent northward led us to the
+head of a watercourse, which we followed in the same direction for
+seventeen miles, augmented by several small tributaries; turning to the
+westward, it formed a junction with another river coming from the
+eastward, in latitude 25 degrees 14 minutes 23 seconds, at an elevation
+of 1,144 feet above the sea.
+
+STONY PLAINS.
+
+The country through which we had passed was a nearly level and barren
+plain, evenly and closely paved with small stones, amongst which a few
+stunted acacia found a precarious existence; to this portion of country
+we gave the characteristic name of Macadam Plains.
+
+GASCOYNE RIVER.
+
+4th May.
+
+The river we had encamped upon the preceding night had a level sandy
+channel thirty-five yards wide, with several shallow pools in its bed; a
+narrow belt of flooded-gum lined either bank, which also produced
+abundance of excellent feed; several of the grasses were new to us,
+yielding a large quantity of seed; further back the pasture was more
+scanty, and of an inferior variety of grass, the trees consisting almost
+entirely of small hakea or acacia.
+
+The features of the country are generally very tame, with the exception
+of a prominent hill of considerable altitude, nearly twenty miles to the
+northward, to which we gave the name of Mount Gascoyne. The summit of
+another range, of less elevation, a little to the northward of west,
+distant fifteen miles, was called Mount Puckford.
+
+Having decided upon following the left bank of the river, with the view
+of ascertaining what tributaries might joint from the southward, we this
+morning took our course for Mount Puckford, touching frequently upon the
+bends of the river, which soon found a junction with a large channel
+coming from the eastward, which ultimately proved to be the main
+Gascoyne; it was still running in a small stream in the bottom of a sandy
+bed, eighty yards wide, traces of recent heavy floods being plentiful. At
+ten miles the river has broken through a ridge of opaline rocks, in
+irregular masses, resembling flints, lying north-east and south-west, and
+a few miles further coming in contact with the south-east foot of Mount
+Puckford, it doubles back round its north-east base, and there takes a
+general north-west course to latitude 24 degrees 36 minutes, and
+longitude 116 degrees east, which we reached by noon of the 7th, a
+considerable tributary joining at this point from the northward. A
+compact sandstone range, resting on a granite base (which was named the
+Lockier Range, after Mr. Lockier Burgess, one of the principal promoters
+of the expedition), here diverts the course of the river to the left,
+which, by sundown, we found was running nearly south. The country for the
+last fifty miles varies but little in character, extensive open plains
+alternating with low granite ridges; the banks of the river, which here
+has acquired a width of 100 yards, with a depth of forty-six feet, being
+in many places stony and cut down by deep muddy creeks, rendering
+travelling both slow and laborious. Several tributaries join from the
+north and south, all of which had very recently ceased to run.
+
+To the north and east were several prominent peaks and ranges of trap
+hills clothed with short herbage; to the highest of the former, a single
+conical peak, with deeply serrated sides, was given the name of Mount
+James, after my friend and fellow-traveller, Mr. James Roe; while two
+lofty summits, far to the northward, were called Mount Samuel and Mount
+Phillips.
+
+The principal feed was found near the banks of the rivers, the back
+country still yielding only a scanty supply of a red-coloured silky grass
+of little value except when quite fresh. A tree resembling the sycamore
+of the Murchison, but with the leaves arranged in triplets, and the seed
+pods in the form of a large bean, grows near the river and attains to two
+feet in diameter, with a height of forty feet; the wood is light and
+spongy, something resembling the Nuytsia floribunda, but not gummy. It is
+formed by the natives into shields, and near the coast into canoes. We
+also found on some of the rocky hills a tree with fruit and flowers
+resembling a small fig, the leaves like a lemon, but yielding an acrid
+milky juice.
+
+Several new species of crested quail and dark-brown pigeons were first
+observed here; the beautiful small doves, common in the northern
+districts, were also seen by thousands; gallinule and the elegant
+Ochaphaps plumafera (crested pigeon of the marshes) were also very
+numerous.
+
+SURPRISE A NATIVE CAMP.
+
+8th May.
+
+Pursuing our course down the left bank, we crossed several stream-beds
+which drain the large tract of country between this and the Murchison.
+The Gascoyne here divides into several broad sandy channels, sometimes as
+much as a mile apart. Towards evening we came upon a native encampment;
+few of the men appeared to have returned from their day's hunting, but we
+observed upwards of thirty women and children, who ran into the bed of
+the river to hide, some of the women immersing their children completely
+under water occasionally to prevent their cry of alarm attracting our
+attention. Although we had before met with and spoken to several natives,
+this was the first opportunity we had of examining into their domestic
+economy. Around their fires, of which there were many, were ranged a
+number of wooden scoops capable of holding from two to four quarts; these
+contained a variety of seed and roots; the most plentiful was a species
+of grain like small plump drake, gathered from a grass much resembling
+wheat, which is very abundant on the alluvial flats, and a root
+resembling an onion not larger than a pistol bullet, a few rats, which
+are very numerous in the grassy flats, and a small variety of samphire
+like a Hottentot fig, formed the principal portion of their evening's
+repast.
+
+The few weapons left by the men consisted of heavy spears, with from
+three to eighteen barbs cut out of the solid wood, the shaft from ten to
+twelve feet in length, large shields resembling those in use by the
+natives at Champion Bay, made from the sycamore, and few skins of the red
+kangaroo, formed their entire camp equipment.
+
+A NIGHT ATTACK.
+
+Leaving everything as we found it, we passed on about two miles and
+encamped for the night on a low sandy island in the bed of the river,
+which was here full of flooded-gums of large growth, there being just
+sufficient grass for our horses immediately around our fire. By 9 o'clock
+our supper had been disposed of, and I had just completed my observations
+for latitude, when we heard the shouts of a large party of natives
+approaching from the direction of their camp; leaving Mr. Roe with two
+others to guard the camp, I advanced with Mr. Moore and Dugel to
+ascertain the object of their visit, which we soon found to be evidently
+hostile, as they came on rapidly, all well armed to the number of sixty
+or seventy, the women and children retiring to some rocky ground, while
+the men advanced lighting the large stacks of drift which were abundant
+in this part of the river. When within about forty yards they halted a
+moment, as we had damped our fire and they could not exactly make out our
+position. Mr. Moore was in the act of removing his horse from the front
+when a fresh fire enabled them to see us, upon which ten or twelve of the
+leading men shipped their spears. Being still desirous, if possible, of
+avoiding a collision, I hesitated to fire upon them; but observing a
+large body of them advancing with the evident intention of attacking Mr.
+Roe and his little party in charge of the camp, I advanced a few steps
+and fired a charge of small shot at the leading men as they were in the
+act of throwing at us. The effect was instantaneous and most salutary, as
+they fled with some precipitation, some of them being evidently wounded.
+We mounted extra guard for the remainder of the night, but they did not
+again venture to attack us.
+
+9th May.
+
+Being Sunday, we only moved a few miles lower down the river for more
+grass, and again found ourselves in close proximity to the natives. In
+the course of the day several of them made their appearance at the top of
+the hill overlooking the camp, but appeared afraid to molest us; they had
+with them several large white dogs which were evidently of Australian
+breed.
+
+10th May.
+
+The river took a south-west course, receiving two large tributaries from
+the south-east, one of ninety and the other of fifty yards in width. The
+flats were wider and large trees more abundant; the recent floods had,
+however, been very destructive to the pasture, and removed much of the
+soil for a considerable distance back from the river. The trap hills here
+ceased to appear; the last remarkable one lay about ten miles south-east
+of our morning's camp, and had been named Mount Dalgetty. Our evening's
+bivouac was found to be in latitude 25 degrees 14 minutes, longitude 115
+degrees 30 minutes east by account, and its elevation 700 feet above the
+sea.
+
+11th May.
+
+Until noon our course along the river was nearly north-west, sandstones
+beginning to crop out on the banks, and the country generally was poor
+and scrubby; from our noon halt to sunset our course was nearly west, our
+bivouac being in latitude 25 degrees 2 minutes. The bed of the river had
+here widened out to 300 yards with an average depth of thirty feet, a
+small stream running through the sand in the bottom. In addition to the
+flooded-gum which grows here abundantly, we observed in the bed of the
+river a melaleuca of large size, like a paper-bark tree, but having broad
+leaves resembling the eucalyptus. During the night the natives were very
+noisy in the vicinity, some of them approaching so close as to startle
+our horses, keeping us well on the alert; the horses on this as on
+several other occasions appear to have been our principal safeguard
+against sudden attack.
+
+FRIENDLY INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES.
+
+12th May.
+
+By the time we had commenced loading our horses, a large body of natives
+had collected and approached to reconnoitre our camp; I advanced towards
+them to keep them in check until the loads were completed. On observing
+that I came alone three natives advanced to meet me, throwing three or
+four spears at me in a friendly way, which I picked up and stuck in the
+ground by my side; this token at once established a good understanding,
+and after an exchange of presents they followed us for many miles down
+the river before quitting us. Towards nightfall several of our friends of
+the morning again made their appearance with a number of strange natives,
+dodging us among the deep muddy ravines which abound at this part of the
+river; their manoeuvres being equivocal and unsatisfactory, we kept well
+on our guard; they, however, ran off at night, on my facing about on
+horseback to drive them away.
+
+Our course during the day had been nearly west twenty-two miles, one
+large tributary having joined the river from the northward, which was
+afterwards named the Lyons, in honour of the gallant admiral of that
+name; this accession had increased the breadth of the channel to 400
+yards. As we drew towards our evening's bivouac the river entered a gorge
+formed by the river cutting through the south end of a flat-topped
+sandstone range of about 1,200 feet elevation above the sea, presenting
+many bold and picturesque outlines and detached summits, terminating in
+abrupt and almost precipitous faces; to this we gave the name of the
+Kennedy Range, in honour of our present Governor.
+
+To the south a detached mass of broken sandstone hills gradually falls
+away in the distance, apparently into a barren scrub similar to those on
+the banks of the lower Murchison, while to the west lay before us an
+extensive plain, unbroken by a single object save a few long ridges of
+red drift sand, clothed with a stunted scrub of melaleuca and acacia. The
+bottom of the gorge we found to be 480 feet above the sea.
+
+13th May.
+
+From this morning to noon of the 15th the country passed over was similar
+to that first described, the sand ridges running north-west and
+south-east at about a quarter of a mile apart; the river keeping a
+general course of west-north-west, its channel deepening to sixty feet,
+and maintaining an average width of 400 yards. Grass was only to be found
+in small patches along the margin of the river; the accumulated waters of
+the late inundations having been confined to one channel, had risen to
+the height of forty-eight feet, carrying away many of the largest timber
+trees, as also much of the soil from the banks, leaving a scene of
+devastation exceeding anything of the kind I had hitherto witnessed.
+
+A small description of Spanish reed was here first observed to grow on
+the margin of the pools. Deep muddy creeks, having only short courses,
+were very numerous, rendering travelling both tedious and intricate.
+
+From noon of the 15th the country gradually opened out to a
+thinly-grassed plain of light alluvial soil, atriplex bushes and acacia
+widely scattered forming almost the entire vegetation; the ground, with
+the exception of the bed of the river, being parched and dry, no rain
+having fallen during the summer to the west of the Lyons River, in
+longitude 115 degrees 30 minutes east.
+
+16th May.
+
+Being Sunday, we only moved four miles lower down the river for better
+feed, the channel widening out to 600 yards.
+
+17th May.
+
+Early to-day the river began to throw off numerous channels to the north
+and south, shedding, when in a flood, a considerable amount of water over
+the adjoining plains, clothing the country in the garb of spring, the
+grass growing luxuriantly along the numerous channels, atriplex and other
+low bushes generally covering the plain, the lowest levels of which were
+extensively covered with fields of mud from one to fourteen inches thick,
+the deposit of a single inundation, yet scarcely hardened by the summer
+sun.
+
+REACH THE COAST AT SHARK'S BAY.
+
+At twenty miles we ascended a sandy ridge of about sixty feet in height,
+from which we had our first view of Shark's Bay, Babbage Island, and the
+mouths of the Gascoyne, now only four miles distant.
+
+Behind the ridge upon which we stood, and for many miles to the
+south-east, the country was still under water from the recent floods,
+while between us and the sea lay a low flat, on which were many patches
+of acacia thicket, alternating with open grassy glades, or fields of
+atriplex and samphire, terminating to the westward in a broad irregular
+belt of mangroves, resting on the shallow margin of the bay.
+
+Descending to the flat, we encamped in a rank patch of grass on the bank
+of the river, about a mile above Babbage Island, the north end of which I
+found to be in latitude 24 degrees 52 minutes, which is four miles north
+of the position as given by Sir G. Grey.
+
+KOLAINA PLAINS.
+
+18th May.
+
+We found no difficulty in crossing the southern mouth on to Babbage
+Island; the tide being low, it was quite dry at the junction. Having,
+with Mr. Roe, walked over the greater part of the island, making a rough
+sketch of its outlines, and completing the requisite observations, while
+the rest of the party were occupied in an unsuccessful attempt to catch
+fish, we retraced our steps and crossed the main channel opposite our
+last night's bivouac, where it is not more than 250 yards wide.
+Continuing our course north-east for nearly a mile, we crossed several
+back channels, some trending towards the Kolaina flat of Sir G. Grey,
+while others were lost in the deep sandy ravines that extend for some
+distance to the north of the river.
+
+While on Babbage Island several natives had waded across the northern
+mouth of the river to meet us, and had returned after a friendly
+interview, in which they apparently described the recent landing of two
+boats with Europeans. We now again fell in with the same natives on the
+north bank, near a large encampment of women and children; the latter
+quickly hid themselves on our approach, but the men assumed a threatening
+attitude, following us for some distance with much clamour. As their
+numbers quickly augmented, and they appeared determined to commence a
+fight, we led them out on to an open plain, where, leaving the
+pack-horses in charge of two of the party, four of us suddenly faced
+about and charged them at a gallop. This harmless manoeuvre had the
+desired effect, several of them having narrowly escaped being trodden
+under foot by the horses. They were very quickly dispersed, and made no
+further attempt to molest us. We encamped this night about six miles
+above Babbage Island.
+
+19th May.
+
+As our object was to explore as far to the northward as circumstances
+would allow, we left the river on a north-east course; but two hours'
+ride across an open plain, through which several channels ran to the
+north-west, brought us to dry barren scrubs, in which it appeared
+hopeless we should find either feed or water; we accordingly altered our
+course to south-east, and made the river again about sundown.
+
+RETURN UP THE RIVER.
+
+20th to 23rd May.
+
+Was occupied in tracing up the north bank of the river in the hope of
+finding a tributary coming in from the northward; but, with the exception
+of one small stream which drains the western face of the Kennedy Range,
+not a single tributary was met with until we arrived at the Lyons River,
+a distance of more than ninety miles from Babbage Island. The country on
+the north bank differs but little from that on the south, except that
+travelling was somewhat easier.
+
+THE LYONS RIVER. ALMA RIVER.
+
+24th May.
+
+Our horses having had a rest, the previous day being Sunday, we made an
+early start, and by noon halted on the Lyons River, a short distance
+above its confluence with the Gascoyne; its channel here was equal in
+magnitude and similar in appearance to the main river; a small stream was
+still flowing through the wide sandy bed, and gradually increased in
+volume for nearly eighty miles up the river. Three miles to the north of
+our midday halt Mr. Roe and myself ascended a deep sandstone peak, from
+which we had a fine view of the Kennedy Range, the nearest part of which
+lay about six miles to the west, extending for nearly thirty miles to the
+northward; the eastern face presents an almost unbroken line of nearly
+perpendicular sandstone, of probably 500 or 600 feet elevation. To the
+north a few remarkable peaks served as valuable points to carry on our
+triangulation, which had been continued almost uninterruptedly from Mount
+Hope, on the Murchison.
+
+To the east were several ranges of flat-topped hills, filling in the
+space between the Lyons and the great southern bend of the Gascoyne;
+while to the south, with the exception of a few very distant peaks, it
+appeared, as far as the eye could reach, to be an uniform plain of open
+but almost grassless scrub.
+
+Having completed our round of angles, we struck south-east to a patch of
+forest on the banks of the river, which we did not reach until sometime
+after dark.
+
+25th May.
+
+From this point to latitude 23 degrees 56 minutes the Lyons maintains a
+general course of north-north-east. The country passed over during to-day
+had evidently been tolerably grassy, but the floods had been quite as
+destructive here as on the Gascoyne, the bed of the river and flats for
+half a mile on each side being mostly choked up or buried under fields of
+fine white sand, which had been brought down by the inundations. In
+several places we observed beds of gypsum and fossil shells with other
+strong indications of the existence of coal in the vicinity. Bivouac in
+latitude 24 degrees 41 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+26th May.
+
+A few miles along the river brought us to a gorge in the eastern edge of
+the sandstones, to the east of which it opened out into extensive plains
+in some parts well grassed, and in others much washed by the river.
+Several trap and granite hills were visible at some distance to the
+northward and eastward. Our bivouac was in latitude 24 degrees 31 minutes
+0.5 seconds, about three miles south of a bold trap-range, the summit of
+which was named Mount Sandiman.
+
+27th May.
+
+The country still maintained its variable character, travelling near the
+river being exceedingly heavy on account of the sand. The morning had
+been calm and sultry, but towards noon a strong breeze set in from the
+north, bringing with it a dense cloud of fine red dust, against which it
+was no easy matter to make head with our horses. Towards evening the
+flats began to improve, and we halted for the night amongst fine grass;
+melons and tobacco growing very luxuriantly. To-night it rained for about
+two hours, clearing the atmosphere of its load of dust.
+
+28th May.
+
+Resuming our course up the river, at four miles we crossed a stream-bed
+forty yards wide, coming in from the north-north-west, and in the course
+of the day passed over several thin beds of opaque opalline rock resting
+upon the sandstone. At our camp, which was in latitude 24 degrees 0.3
+minutes 0.8 seconds, granite began to make its appearance in the bed of
+the river.
+
+29th May.
+
+Our pack-horses having now been much lightened of their loads, we were
+to-day for the first time able to trot for several hours; and as the
+country still improved, several fine grassy valleys coming in from the
+eastward, we made considerable progress.
+
+ALMA RIVER.
+
+At our noon halt Mr. Moore and myself ascended a hill of red schist of
+300 or 400 feet elevation, in latitude 23 degrees 57 minutes 15 seconds,
+which had been named Mount Thompson. From this hill we had an extensive
+view of the surrounding country; close to the northern foot the river
+divided into two nearly equal parts--one coming from the north-north-east
+we named the Alma. To the north, just resting on the edge of the tropic,
+lay a compact range through which there was apparently but one break, and
+that was on the line of the Alma; from the southern face of this range,
+which extends nearly forty miles to the eastward, numerous streams take
+their rise and flow southward into the Lyons, which had altered its
+course and was now coming from the east-south-east. Our intention had
+been to keep our course until we had touched upon the tropic; but as the
+Alma was not running, we decided upon following the main course of the
+stream, and accordingly adopted an easterly course for the remainder of
+the day, encamping about six miles to the east of Mount Thompson. The
+river here was much narrower, with a rocky bed containing many pools of
+permanent character, overshadowed by flooded-gums of large growth, much
+resembling the Eucalyptus piperita of the flats of the Swan, but not
+possessing the same pungent leaf.
+
+30th May (Sunday).
+
+Found our latitude to be 23 degrees 58 minutes 32 seconds, and longitude
+111 degrees east by account.
+
+31st May.
+
+NATIVE TOBACCO.
+
+We started off at a quick pace, clearing sixteen miles by noon, over some
+fine open grassy flats, timbered for nearly a mile back from the river;
+one tributary 100 yards wide having joined from the north, and a smaller
+one from the south. Leaving the party busily occupied catching fish,
+which were abundant in this part of the river and much resembling those
+found in the Murchison, but larger, some of them being upwards of a pound
+in weight, I walked with Mr. Nairn to the summit of a granite hill two
+miles to the northward, from which I had a number of cross-bearings to
+hills already observed from Mount Thompson. One of considerable elevation
+bearing north 121 degrees 30 minutes east, distance fifty miles, lay
+directly up the valley of the river, and was ultimately named Mount
+Augustus, after my brother, now conducting the expedition in quest of the
+remains of Dr. Leichhardt. Pushing on twelve miles further, we halted for
+the night in latitude 23 degrees 59 minutes 39 seconds. Tobacco here grew
+to sufficient size for manufacture, occupying many hundred acres of the
+best land; a plant much resembling stramonium was also abundant on the
+moist land, yielding a strongly offensive odour from its leaves.
+
+1st June.
+
+For the first twelve miles along the river the flats much improved, and
+were only occasionally broken up by stony ridges; good country was seen
+to extend up the tributaries, several of which came in from the north. To
+the south, at two or three miles distant, and running parallel to the
+river for many miles, was an even grassy range of moderate elevation
+nearly destitute of trees or bushes; the acacia and melaleuca, which had
+hitherto generally covered the plains, was evidently fast giving way to
+an open undulating and thinly-grassed country, the back lands being
+however still too stony to yield much pasture, the summer grass being
+already parched and dry, the flats alone continuing moist and verdant.
+
+At our noon halt the main river had ceased to flow, but a tributary
+coming from the north-east had a small stream still running in the bottom
+of a muddy channel down which the recent floods had brought flags and
+portions of bulrush, the only instance throughout the district in which
+we had observed them.
+
+The next ten miles passed over between this and sunset was chiefly an
+alluvial flat, much resembling the fertile lands near the mouth of the
+Greenough; the acacias and several varieties of melaleuca, amongst which
+was the Callistemon phoeniceus, with its beautiful scarlet flowers, were
+growing with tropical luxuriance, the soil in many places being still
+saturated with moisture. A water-melon was here first observed, the fruit
+not attaining to more than two inches in length, but not otherwise
+differing from the cultivated kinds; we also found a fruit in shape like
+a pear, three inches in length, growing on a small creeper, the interior
+of the fruit consisting of a number of small flat seeds, to which were
+attached a bundle of long silky fibres resembling cotton. Our bivouac was
+in latitude 24 degrees 7 minutes 52 seconds, near a fine pool of fresh
+water, with limestone cropping out in a thin bed on the banks; we had
+frequently met with it distributed in small nodules scattered over a
+large portion of the country on the Upper Murchison.
+
+Since quitting the mouth of the Gascoyne we had seen natives almost
+daily; to-night we again found ourselves in close proximity to a large
+encampment of them.
+
+2nd June.
+
+Our neighbours paid us an early visit this morning, some of them
+evidently bent on mischief, but were restrained by others more
+prudent--not, however, before it had nearly cost one of them his life;
+having pointed a spear at Mr. Moore, Dugel, whose natural instincts are
+very destructive, hastily took aim at him, but fortunately pulled the
+wrong trigger, which just gave his adversary time to lower his weapon; on
+our mounting our horses they hastily fell back and joined their other
+companions at their camp, which was just in our line of march; about
+thirty of them awaited our approach with some tokens of defiance, but
+most of them decamped on our coming within spear's throw.
+
+MOUNT AUGUSTUS 3,480 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
+
+Directing our course for Mount Augustus, we pushed on at a rapid pace
+with the object of ascending it if possible before sundown; but after
+riding twenty miles, we found it to be farther off than we anticipated,
+and accordingly altered our course and encamped at a pool in the river
+about three miles north-east of the mount, in latitude 24 degrees 20
+minutes, and at an elevation of 1500 feet above the sea.
+
+We here met with strong evidences of the cannibalism of the natives; at a
+recently occupied encampment we found several of the bones of a
+full-grown native that had been cooked, the teeth marks on the edges of a
+bladebone bearing conclusive evidence as to the purpose to which it had
+been applied; some of the ribs were lying by the huts with a portion of
+the meat still on them.
+
+Nearly the whole of the country passed over this day was an alluvial flat
+extending on the south-west to the grassy range already described, while
+to the north and east it extended for many miles, branching out into the
+numerous valleys that drain the different ranges in that direction; the
+grass and vegetation on these flats is not so rank as on that traversed
+the previous day, but more even, and the soil better adapted for
+agriculture; the amount of good land on this part of the Lyons River was
+estimated at 150 square miles, while on the tributaries between Mount
+Thompson and Mount Augustus I have no doubt that there is as much more.
+Water at this time was plentiful in the numerous channels that intersect
+the plain, their permanency being the only matter of doubt--our limited
+acquaintance with the nature of the seasons in these latitudes does not
+enable us to decide with any degree of certainty; the pools lower down
+the river are unquestionably of a permanent character, but many of them
+were already becoming brackish.
+
+The quantity of game seen in this part of the country was also a
+favourable indication. Turkeys, and a new variety of pigeon, having a
+brown back and slate-coloured breast, on the wing resembling a tame
+pigeon, congregate in flights sometimes of a thousand together; emus,
+cockatoos, quail, and parakeets are also very numerous, particularly the
+latter.
+
+3rd June.
+
+A gentle ascent of two and a half miles brought us to the foot of Mount
+Augustus, where, leaving our horses in charge of Fairburn and Dugel, we
+commenced the ascent up the only accessible point on this side of the
+hill; it required two hours' heavy toil to bring us to the summit, the
+barometer gradually falling until it only registered 26.10, which,
+compared with the simultaneous observations kept at Champion Bay by Mr.
+H. Gray, gives an elevation of 3,480 feet above the level of the sea; the
+last 500 feet of the summit being clothed in thickets of melaleuca,
+amongst which grew a nondescript variety of red gum-tree, the only new
+thing observed in this locality. The air was fortunately very clear,
+enabling us to take bearings to almost every remarkable summit within
+eighty miles, and in two instances to hills more than a hundred miles
+distant.
+
+From this commanding position I was enabled to sketch in the courses of
+the rivers for more than twenty miles, some of them probably taking their
+rise from 60 to 100 miles still further to the eastward. To the
+north-east the country continued to improve in appearance until the view
+was intercepted by bold ranges of trap and granite--one of which bearing
+north 32 degrees east magnetic, distant nearly 100 miles, having a sharp
+volcanic outline, reared its summit above all the rest. To the south-east
+the country was not quite so promising, the ridges presenting naked stony
+outlines, upon which was only a little scanty grass or a few bushes; to
+the south it was almost an uninterrupted plain, extending nearly as far
+as the Murchison River, over which lay our homeward course. Descending
+the mount, we encamped at a spring in some fine feed close at its foot.
+
+RETURN TOWARDS SETTLEMENTS.
+
+4th June.
+
+As we had now been out fifty-one days, and our provisions were only
+calculated to last twenty-four days longer, although we had reduced our
+allowance shortly after quitting the Geraldine Mine, we were reluctantly
+compelled to turn our steps homewards, being still 360 miles from the
+settled districts; passing, therefore, over the eastern foot of Mount
+Augustus, we pursued a south-south-east course for twenty miles over
+alternating grassy plains and stony ridges, and encamped on the river
+with a sandy bed, in which were a few shallow pools, its trend bearing
+north-north-west, and probably joins the Gascoyne near the Lockier Range.
+The feed on this river, as well as on those between this and the
+Murchison, was principally kangaroo-grass of strong growth; the course of
+the streams being easily traceable from a distance by the flooded-gum
+trees that invariably lined their margins.
+
+5th June.
+
+A south course of ten miles over a poor stony country brought us to the
+head of a stream, which, following in the same direction to latitude 24
+degrees 51 minutes 52 seconds, we found plenty of feed on its banks and
+pools of water in its bed, which was here thirty yards wide; the
+principal features of the adjacent country being low granite ridges,
+intersected by occasional quartz dykes, alternating with chlorite schist.
+
+6th June (Sunday).
+
+7th June.
+
+Following a south-south-east course, at six miles the stream turned to
+the south-west. Passing over several miles of stony country, in latitude
+24 degrees 59 minutes 32 seconds, we crossed another stream-bed forty
+yards wide, running to the westward, and forming a junction with the last
+at some miles distant. Towards sundown we came upon a recently inundated
+plain, and a mile further struck a grassy channel thirty yards wide,
+which had barely ceased running, the soil for some distance on either
+bank being a strong red loam, yielding a fair supply of pasture. This
+channel we afterward found to be only one of several which formed the
+main branch of the Gascoyne. The observed latitude was 25 degrees 6
+minutes 30 seconds, and elevation 1,740 feet above the sea.
+
+8th June.
+
+A mile farther we came upon the main channel of the river, with a wide
+shallow bed, down which a small stream was still running; the flats were
+well grassed, and the flooded-gums growing for more than a mile back from
+the river. To the eastward the country continued level and grassy as far
+as the eye could reach; our time was, however, too limited to admit of
+our making any further examination of this promising tract. A party of
+twenty or thirty natives were encamped here, and were apparently living
+upon the roots of the convolvulus, which grows in the vicinity in great
+abundance.
+
+For fifteen miles to the south-east it continued a level plain of red
+loam, tolerably well grassed and covered with an open wood of acacia; the
+next eight miles was over a poor stony ridge of moderate elevation,
+terminating at a large dry stream-bed, in latitude 25 degrees 24 minutes
+16 seconds, with some fine kangaroo-grass on its banks.
+
+9th June.
+
+Ten miles south, over a granite country, we struck the head of a
+watercourse, which, after winding about for sixteen miles, ran close to
+the western foot of Mount Gould, where we encamped at its junction with
+another small stream coming from the northward. The country passed over
+to-day was generally very stony until we came within a few miles of Mount
+Gould.
+
+10th June.
+
+Taking our course direct for Mount Hale, the pasture rapidly improved; at
+ten miles the watercourse we had been following formed a junction with
+the main Murchison, coming in from the eastward. From the appearance of
+the river at this point, it is probable that it takes its rise nearly
+another 100 miles farther to the north-east. The next thirteen miles down
+the river was fair average cattle pasture, extending for several miles to
+the right and left; open flats of atriplex and samphire occurring at
+intervals.
+
+11th June.
+
+The river soon divided into several channels, shedding its waters over a
+fine alluvial flat, of considerable extent, yielding a rich sward of
+grass, under flooded-gums of large growth. A little after noon we came
+upon our outward track, and encamped at night near the north-west bend of
+the Murchison.
+
+DOWN THE MURCHISON.
+
+12th to 22nd June.
+
+Was occupied in descending the river to the Geraldine Mine, cutting off
+several bends of the river, and making such additions to our sketch of
+the outward route as circumstances would admit.
+
+RETURN TO PERTH.
+
+23rd June.
+
+We all arrived safe at the hospitable residence of Mr. W. Burges, on the
+Irwin; the following day being occupied in making up the accounts
+connected with the expedition, which, including the whole of the cash
+expenditure, did not exceed 40 pounds, which sum had already been
+subscribed by a few settlers interested in the undertaking.
+
+Quitting the Irwin on the 1st of July, and proceeding by way of
+Dandaragan and Toodyay, I arrived, with Mr. Roe and chainer Fairburn, in
+Perth on the 10th instant, having accomplished a journey of nearly 2000
+miles in 107 days.
+
+On reviewing the foregoing report, I find it necessary to add a few
+observations on subjects that could not well be introduced into the body
+of the narrative.
+
+GEOLOGY OF COUNTRY.
+
+In the first place, viewing the geographical and geological features in
+combination, the tract of country contained within the 114th and 118th
+parallels of longitude, and the 24th and 27th degrees of south latitude,
+may be considered as an inclined plane, the eastern edge of which has an
+elevation of about 1700 feet above the level of the sea. Commencing from
+the coast, the first 100 miles is almost exclusively of tertiary
+sandstone formation, which the process of denudation has, in many
+instances, converted into either stony or sandy tracts, rarely fertile,
+except when subject to the influence of frequent inundation. This region
+seldom gives rise to rivers or watercourses; the flat-topped ranges,
+which are often found towards the eastern limits of this formation, do
+not generally exceed 500 or 600 feet in altitude, and are only those
+portions of country that have not as yet yielded to the waste of time, or
+the constant action of rivers, which, rising in the higher lands more to
+the eastward, rapidly abrade, and in their onward course remove the soft
+and porous sandstone from their bases.
+
+In the deeper valleys, towards the eastern edge of these sandstones thin
+beds of oolitic limestone, containing numerous fossil shells,
+occasionally occur; also gypsum and clayey shales, with other indications
+of the probable existence of coal in the vicinity; following the series
+appears a compact, fine-grained amorphous sandstone, having an almost
+flinty fracture; this rock, in a few miles, gives place to granite and
+gneiss, frequently broken up by the upheaval of whinstone and porphyritic
+trap hills, having an elevation of from 100 to 500 feet above the plain.
+
+As we proceeded eastward, the eruptive rocks became more numerous;
+chlorite slate, veins of quartz, chert, and variegated jasper, frequently
+forming the summits of the most elevated hills, while, on the general
+level of the plain, are occasionally found thin beds of ancient lava.
+
+The rivers, unlike most others in Western Australia, have nearly an even
+fall throughout their entire length, amounting on an average to six feet
+per mile; this, in a country subject to the sudden fall of almost
+tropical rains, is what gives rise to the destructive inundations already
+described.
+
+CLIMATE.
+
+Of the climate and seasons so little is at present known that, allowing
+all other difficulties to have been overcome, it would be very hazardous
+to risk flocks and herds beyond the head of the Murchison until the
+country has again been visited at a different period of the year, as it
+is probably that it has as yet only been seen under the most favourable
+conditions.
+
+The fluctuations of the temperature are occasionally considerable; in the
+middle of June it some days amounted to 46 degrees in six
+hours--registering, at 7 a.m., 36 degrees, and at 1 p.m., 82 degrees; ice
+having been seen as far north as latitude 24 degrees 30 minutes.
+
+The prevailing winds during the period of inundation appear to have been
+from the south-east, as most of the trees blown down while the soil was
+in a state of saturation lay with their tops to the north-west. In May
+and June the winds ranged between north-east and south-east.
+
+Of the regularity of the return of the summer rains it is at present
+difficult to form a decided opinion; but, as far as observation would
+admit, I am inclined to think they cannot be relied on with any degree of
+certainty, to the southward of the 25th degree of latitude. The period at
+which they fall being about January and February, it is a significant
+fact that the grasses found buried beneath the mud during these months
+had generally attained only to nearly half their growth.
+
+AREA OF AVAILABLE COUNTRY.
+
+With regard to the quantity and distribution of the available lands, it
+will only be necessary to observe that, with the exception of 30,000 or
+40,000 acres at the mouth of the Gascoyne, there is no land worth
+occupying for many years to come to the west of the Lyons River; the
+amount of land on this river has already been estimated at nearly 300
+square miles, while on the Upper Gascoyne and its tributaries there is
+probably double that quantity; this, with the lands on the Murchison near
+Mount Hale, would make a total of about a million of acres.
+
+A very important circumstance in connection with this district is the
+total absence, so far as we were able to observe, of any of the varieties
+of gastrolobium or euphorbia, which constitute the poisonous plants so
+fatal to cattle and sheep in other parts of the colony.
+
+The means of access to the Upper Gascoyne and Lyons is another important
+matter for consideration. I am inclined to think that this district
+cannot be advantageously settled until the tract of country between it
+and the north coast has been explored, and a port established somewhere
+between Exmouth Gulf and Depuch Island, as, should the country in that
+direction fulfil its promise, the intervening space would very quickly be
+filled up, and the lands on the Gascoyne become available, its distance
+from the north coast being about 200 miles, while from Port Gregory or
+Champion Bay would not be less than from 340 to 360 miles--a difference
+of some moment in the transport of stores or produce.
+
+From the lay of the country to the northward of the Lyons River there
+does not appear to be any reason to suppose that a river of any magnitude
+falls into Exmouth Gulf, as there would be hardly room for it between the
+sources of the Alma and the rivers flowing to the north coast.
+
+I cannot bring my report to a conclusion without recording my
+acknowledgments to Mr. James Roe for the able and effective assistance he
+has rendered me throughout the expedition, the barometrical observations
+and management of the provision department having been especially under
+his charge.
+
+My best thanks are also due to Mr. W.D. Moore and Mr. C. Nairn, who on
+every occasion endeavoured to relieve me as much as possible from some of
+the many arduous duties that usually devolve on the leader of an
+exploring party. Chainer Fairburn and the native Dugel also gave general
+satisfaction in the performance of their respective duties.
+
+I may add that to the ready cooperation and unanimity that prevailed
+throughout the party may in no small degree be ascribed the successful
+issue of the undertaking.
+
+I have the honour to be, Sir, etc.,
+
+F.T. GREGORY,
+
+Assistant Surveyor.
+
+To the Honourable the Surveyor-General, etc.
+
+***
+
+
+NORTH-WEST COAST.
+
+1861.
+
+ORIGIN OF EXPEDITION TO NORTH-WEST AUSTRALIA.
+
+The important additions to geographical discovery, and the large extent
+of valuable pastoral country that had been found on the Gascoyne River
+and its tributaries, attracted the attention of a number of English
+capitalists interested in cotton manufactures, which were then in a very
+depressed condition in consequence of the civil war in America, it was
+proposed to establish a new colony on the north-west coast of Australia,
+having for its special object the cultivation of cotton.
+
+Advantage was taken of the presence of Mr. F. Gregory in London to urge
+on the Home Government and the Royal Geographical Society the
+desirability of fitting out an expedition to proceed direct to the
+north-west coast of Australia, accompanied by a large body of Asiatic
+labourers, and all the necessary appliances for the establishment of a
+colony.
+
+Under the advice of Captain Roe, Surveyor-General of Western Australia,
+and other gentlemen well acquainted with the subject, the scheme was
+modified so as to have the country explored as a preliminary to actual
+settlement, and for this purpose a grant of 2000 pounds was obtained from
+the Imperial Government, to be supplemented by an equal subsidy by the
+Colonial Treasury.
+
+Accordingly Mr. Gregory obtained a suitable outfit for the party in
+London, and early in 1861 proceeded to Western Australia to confer with
+the Governor as to the requisite details; but owing to the delays caused
+by a part of the funds having to be provided by a vote of the local
+Legislature, the expedition did not finally leave Fremantle until 23rd
+April, 1861--nearly two months later in the season than it should have
+done, as the rainy season in North-west Australia terminates about the
+beginning of March.
+
+The following is an abstract of the journal and report of Mr. Gregory to
+the Governor of Western Australia:--
+
+JOURNAL OF THE NORTH-WEST AUSTRALIAN EXPLORING EXPEDITION.
+
+20th April, 1861.
+
+All the preliminary arrangements in Perth having been completed, and the
+stores and equipment of the expedition already sent on board the barque
+Dolphin, I proceeded to Fremantle and shipped the ten horses that had
+been furnished by the settlers in this part of the colony; the remainder
+of the hay and water being also completed by 2 p.m., we were prepared to
+sail, when the agent for the vessel raised objections to our departure,
+on the plea that the arrangements for the payments on account of the
+charter were not satisfactory. Wrote accordingly by express to the
+Private Secretary for an acknowledgment that the requisite documents were
+complete.
+
+21st April.
+
+Received reply from the Private Secretary to the effect that everything
+necessary had been approved of already by the Governor; the agent would
+not, however, allow the vessel to leave until he had actually received
+the first instalment on account of the charter from the Colonial
+Treasurer.
+
+22nd April.
+
+Accompanied Mr. Manning and Captain Dixon to Perth, when they were
+informed by the Colonial Treasurer that the money would be forthcoming on
+the presentation of the accounts. Returned to Fremantle, where we were
+detained for the remainder of the day to enable the agent to close his
+accounts.
+
+23rd April.
+
+Went on board the Dolphin at 7 a.m., and by 11 a.m. got underweigh, with
+a fresh breeze from the east-north-east, and stood to the
+north-north-west. The portion of the exploring party embarked at
+Fremantle comprised the following persons: F.T. Gregory, commander; J.
+Turner, assistant and storekeeper; E. Brockman, W.S. Hall, and J.
+McCourt, assistants; and A. James, farrier. Supplies of flour, salt pork,
+dried beef, preserved meat, bacon, sugar, tea, etc., sufficient for eight
+months, were provided for a party of nine; three more volunteers and ten
+horses having yet to be taken on board at Champion Bay.
+
+24th April.
+
+Light winds from the north; at noon sighted land, in latitude 31 degrees
+28 minutes 12 seconds south; all hands attending to horses.
+
+25th April.
+
+Experienced variable and contrary winds; made but little progress.
+
+26th April.
+
+Weather cloudy, winds unfavourable; had a distant view of Mount Lesueur.
+
+CHAMPION BAY.
+
+27th April.
+
+Sighted Mount Hill soon after daylight, rain and squalls rendering it
+difficult to distinguish the coast; the weather clearing up, ran into
+Champion Bay, and came to anchor by noon, half a mile north of the jetty,
+in four fathoms; landed and procured a horse from the Government
+Resident, and rode out to Mr. K. Brown's station.
+
+28th April.
+
+Procured a horse for the expedition from Mr. W. Moore, on account of
+Hamersley and Company, and returned with it to the Bay.
+
+29th April.
+
+Sent round to the rest of the subscribers of horses to the expedition;
+party employed filling up ship's water-tanks.
+
+30th April.
+
+Mr. J. Harding arrived, as a volunteer, with two horses from Mr. W.
+Burges; also Mr. M. Brown, as a volunteer, with one horse. The following
+gentlemen also sent horses: Messrs. J.S. Davis, 2; F. DuBoulay, 1; C. von
+Bibra, 1; H. Gray, 1; M. Morrissey, 1; and J. Drummond, 12 sheep. Mr. P.
+Walcott joined as a volunteer for the collection of specimens of natural
+history and botany. Ship's crew employed discharging the remainder of the
+cargo from England, consigned to Champion Bay.
+
+1st May.
+
+With the assistance of a number of gentlemen who kindly volunteered their
+aid, the ten additional horses were safely swum off to the Dolphin;
+Captain Dixon and his crew being employed landing a steam-engine. Wrote
+to His excellency the Governor, reporting intention to sail to-morrow.
+
+CHAMPION BAY TO NICKOL BAY.
+
+2nd May.
+
+Wrote to the Secretary of the Royal Geographical Society, reporting
+progress of the expedition. Transferred order for twenty sheep,
+subscribed by J. Williams, to Mr. T. Burges. Took on board twelve sheep
+sent by Mr. Drummond, and closed accounts at the bay. Party fitting up
+mangers, etc. At 5.30 p.m. got underweigh and stood to the north-west,
+the soundings for five miles varying from three and three-quarters to
+seven fathoms; the sea breaking heavily for about a mile in a northerly
+direction from the end of the sheltering reef, showing a much greater
+extent of shoalwater than is noted on the charts. Established a routine
+of watches of two hours each, for the members of the expedition to attend
+upon the horses.
+
+3rd May.
+
+By observations at noon, found the latitude to be 26 degrees 53 minutes
+south; longitude 112 degrees 33 minutes east. Party preparing equipment,
+drying horse-slings, etc. Wind light from south-east.
+
+4th May.
+
+Putting pack-saddles together, covering water-belts, etc.; light wind
+from south, ship making from one to four knots; course north by east.
+Increased allowance of water to horses from four or five gallons each, on
+account of the heat of the hold. Killed a sheep.
+
+Latitude at noon, 25 degrees 40 minutes south; longitude 112 degrees 1
+minute east.
+
+5th May (Sunday).
+
+Held Divine service; passed through several drifts of seaweed at noon, in
+latitude 25 degrees 43 minutes 34 seconds south, longitude 112 degrees 5
+minutes east, showing a southerly current of nearly two miles per hour;
+cloudy, with light winds from south-east and south.
+
+6th May.
+
+At noon sighted Cape Cuvier, bearing east twenty miles; latitude 23
+degrees 52 minutes; longitude 112 degrees 53 minutes east; current of
+nineteen miles south in twenty-four hours.
+
+7th May.
+
+North-west Cape was visible at noon, bearing east three-quarters north,
+distant twenty-five miles; our latitude being 22 degrees south; and
+longitude 113 degrees 18 minutes east. The Cape appears to have an
+elevation of 500 or 600 feet, and to be of a sandstone formation; the
+soil back of the hills appearing good, and clothed at this period of the
+year with an abundance of grass, wattles of large growth and flooded-gum
+trees growing on the slopes; the character of some of the lower hills and
+valleys is that of a mineral district.
+
+8th May.
+
+Passed through many patches of drifting seaweed coming from the eastward.
+Light south-east winds and cloudy weather.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 24 minutes south; longitude 114 degrees 37 minutes
+east, at noon.
+
+9th May.
+
+Richie's Reef cannot be in the position shown on the charts, as we sailed
+over it, and saw no broken water. At noon found our latitude to be 19
+degrees 58 minutes south; longitude 115 degrees 23 minutes east; light
+winds from the south-east, and a current of half a mile per hour setting
+to the west or north-west.
+
+10th May.
+
+At daylight sighted Legendre Island to the south-east, distant ten miles.
+Ran east-north-east till 10 a.m., with fresh breeze; tacked to south-west
+with wind at east; by noon it fell calm, having fetched to within ten
+miles of the north end of Delambre Island. At 5 p.m. a light wind from
+the north-west enabled us to run in and drop anchor at 6.0 in thirteen
+fathoms, the south end of Delambre bearing east about three miles; at
+11.0 a strong breeze sprung up from the south-east, freshening to a gale
+by 2 a.m. of the 11th. Tide setting to south-west at four miles per hour,
+with a rise of sixteen feet.
+
+STRONG TIDES PREVENT LANDING.
+
+11th May.
+
+The gale continued to 11 a.m., when it moderated; the tide being full at
+about noon. Got underweigh at 1 p.m., and stood to the south-west, under
+topsails, stemming a strong ebb tide to 3.30, when we came to anchor in
+five fathoms (sand and shells), about three miles from the western shore
+of the bay, Sloping Head bearing north by east five miles. The water of
+the bay is much discoloured, being of a deep reddish-brown. In passing
+down the shore we observed that the whole of what is shown on the chart
+as a promontory, extending to the north of Sloping Head, is an island,
+with a channel nearly half a mile wide, separating it from the main; to
+the outer portion was given the name of Dolphin Island. At 4 p.m. left
+the ship in the life boat, accompanied by Captain Dixon, Mr. Hall, and
+four men, and took soundings for six miles to the south-west down the
+centre of the bay, finding five and six fathoms all the way; the water
+then shoaled to three fathoms, when, being within a mile of the head of
+the bay, it became dark. Pulling about two miles to the south-east, it
+gradually shoaled to one foot, when we grounded, and remained there till
+11 p.m., when the tide being at full we pulled for the ship, but not
+seeing her lights by 1 a.m. on the 12th, and the men being much fatigued,
+we lay on our oars for an hour, and then took a stretch for two miles to
+the south-south-east, to get under the shelter of the south-east shore of
+the bay, when, having no anchor, we lay-to till daylight, by which time
+the boat had drifted into heavy rollers under the high rocky land at the
+south-west head of the bay; the wind having risen so much that the boat
+was only kept afloat by keeping her head to the sea. As we could not
+observe any spot at which we could land without the risk of swamping the
+boat and wetting our firearms, we continued pulling towards the ship, the
+ebb tide assisting us until 2 p.m., when just as all hands were becoming
+thoroughly tired out, a boat was sent from the Dolphin to our relief,
+with a timely supply of biscuit and brandy, which, with the assistance of
+a tow-line, enabled us to reach the ship by 3 p.m., very thankful that we
+had escaped what at one time appeared likely to have proved a serious
+disaster.
+
+LANDING EFFECTED.
+
+13th May.
+
+In the morning it blew so fresh from the eastward that Captain Dixon did
+not like to move the vessel until 2 p.m., when we stood to the south for
+about four miles, and came to anchor in four fathoms. Taking the
+life-boat and cutter, both well-manned, we pulled south to the shore
+about three miles, the water gradually shoaling until at half a mile from
+the shore the boats grounded on a sandbank, from which we walked, through
+mud, shells, and coral, to a belt of mangroves about fifty yards through,
+behind which rose a sandbank about thirty feet high, covered with flowers
+and coarse grass; from this to the foot of a range of rugged metamorphic
+sandstone, a distance of half a mile, was an open, undulating, loamy
+plain, covered with grass just arriving at maturity, a few small wattles,
+hakea, and white-gum trees. As the sun had now set, we had only just time
+to ascend a few hundred feet up the rocky ridge, from which elevation
+could be discerned a sheet of water about a mile to the eastward, which
+we attempted to reach, but it became so dark that it was found better to
+return to the boats, which were now high and dry. By 8 p.m. the tide had
+risen sufficiently to admit of Captain Dixon's return to the Dolphin,
+while I remained with a portion of my own party to make further
+examination in the morning; the leaky state of the cutter keeping one of
+us bailing through the night.
+
+14th May.
+
+With Messrs. Turner, Brown, Harding, and Brockman, landed at 7 a.m., and
+walked to the sheet of water observed last night, but found it only a
+tidal inlet, terminating in a salt marsh. Continuing on our course for
+five miles to the south-east, across a grassy plain, the soil being a
+light brown loam, with occasional patches of quartz and gneiss pebbles,
+and beds of limestone in irregular nodules, in an hour and a half arrived
+at a deep stony watercourse, containing some small pools of brackish
+water. This stream was followed up to the southward about a mile, but
+found to be dry, and did not appear to come from a greater distance than
+twenty miles. This river was named the Nickol. The country to the south
+not being very promising, we turned to the westward, recrossing the plain
+more to the south, passing several hollows, in which the rainwater had
+very recently rested, leaving a rich alluvial deposit from which had
+sprung up a splendid sward of grass, which was still quite green. Not
+meeting with water in this direction, and the party not being yet in full
+training, we were glad to return to the boat, which was reached by 2
+p.m.; the tide being now in, enabled her to come in close to the beach,
+the rise being found to be about sixteen feet. By 5.0 we had returned to
+the ship, all tolerably well fatigued with our first day's march on
+shore.
+
+INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES.
+
+15th May.
+
+Not being satisfied to land the horses on a shore devoid of water, I
+determined to attempt a landing in a small sandy cove in the high rocky
+shore on the west of the bay, which we had been afraid to enter during
+the gale on the 12th. Leaving the ship with two boats and provisions for
+the day, we pulled for the little cove about four miles distant, bearing
+west by north. For the first three miles the soundings did not show less
+than three fathoms, with an even sandy bottom, the last mile shoaling
+gradually to the beach; the landing being easily effected, as there now
+was but little surf. The shore was found to be generally very sandy, a
+low flat valley extending from the head of the cove across the isthmus
+about two miles to Mermaid Strait, where it terminated in a muddy
+mangrove creek. In about half an hour several wells were found, some
+containing rather brackish water, but one, about eight feet deep, in a
+hollow under a steep range of bare volcanic and granite hills, not more
+than 200 yards from the beach, was found to contain an abundant supply of
+good water; grass being plentiful and of fine quality in the valleys
+under the hills. Our principal requirements being now satisfied, it only
+remained to bring the ship in near enough to land the horses. On our
+return to the Dolphin we found that she had been visited by two natives,
+who had paddled off on logs of wood, shaped like canoes, not hollow, but
+very bouyant, about seven feet long and one foot thick, which they
+propelled with their hands only, their legs resting on a little rail made
+of small sticks driven in on each side. At first they were afraid to come
+on board, but on friendly signs being made, they ascended the ladder that
+had been put down for them. They were both fine-looking men, of about
+forty years of age, above the middle stature, one measuring six feet four
+inches, and the other five feet eight inches; their hair straight and
+black, teeth regular, and general features characteristic of the tribes
+on the west coast; their bodies were rather more spare, and had not on
+them a vestige of clothing. The Champion Bay dialect was quite
+incomprehensible to them; they, however, knew the use of both biscuit and
+tobacco, some of which was given them. After remaining several hours on
+board, they took their departure for the eastern shore of the bay,
+distant at least six miles, promising by signs to repeat their visit the
+next day. It is worthy of remark that neither of these natives were
+circumcised, or had lost the front teeth, as is common on this coast
+further to the eastward. Their fearlessness and confidence in the good
+faith of Europeans would lead to the impression that this was not their
+first acquaintance with vessels on the coast. It was not far from this
+place that Captain P.P. King had a visit from natives similarly equipped
+more than forty years ago. While on shore to-day several new and very
+beautiful plants and flowers were observed, amongst them one in
+particular, which, without exception, is the handsomest shrub I have ever
+seen in Australia; in form the plant resembles a large chandelier, with a
+series of branches springing from a centre stem in sets of five each; on
+these are short erect stems a few inches apart, carrying five beautiful
+deep crimson dragon flowers, nearly three inches in length, grouped like
+lustres, producing a very gorgeous effect; the leaves of the plant are
+elegantly formed, like those of the mountain ash, and are of a rich
+green. A purple flowering bean, the seeds of which are the size of the
+English horse-bean, is here found in abundance, and are eaten by the
+natives. Melons similar to those formerly seen by me on the Gascoyne,
+several varieties of brachychiton, a small variety of the adansonia,
+three or four different kinds of convolvulus (one of which runs along the
+sands near the beach with arms sometimes as much as forty yards in
+length), acacias, sterculia, and a variety of eucalyptus resembling a
+stunted red-gum, are also found growing among the hills in small
+quantities.
+
+ACCIDENT FROM CARELESS USE OF FIREARMS.
+
+16th May.
+
+Early this morning the Dolphin was moved to within three miles of the
+cove visited yesterday, and anchored in two and a half fathoms at the
+lowest water, the landing place bearing west by north. By 11.0 a.m. the
+first pair of horses were hoisted out and placed in the water under the
+counter of the cutter, two other boats assisted in towing us to the
+shore, which occupied about an hour; the horses, on landing, being
+scarcely able to stand, from the length of time they were in the water.
+On reaching the beach, a serious accident occurred to Mr. Hearson, the
+second mate of the vessel, resulting from the negligence of James the
+farrier, who, notwithstanding my repeated cautions to all the members of
+the Expedition to keep snappers on the locks of the guns, had omitted to
+do so, in consequence of which, on its being handed out, the hammer
+caught on the gunwale of the boat and discharged a ball through both the
+hips of the mate, causing him to fall in the water, which circumstance
+fortunately tended materially to stop the haemorrhage; he was immediately
+carried to a sheltered spot, and a tent pitched over him. On examining
+the wound, I found the ball had entered the right posterior, passing
+close below the joint, and taking an oblique direction through the lower
+edge of the pelvis, made its exit in front of the left thigh, between the
+femoral artery and the principal tendon, without injuring either. This
+mishap and the freshening of the breeze prevented our landing any more
+horses to-day, the remainder of it being spent in making a camp and
+attending to the comfort of our wounded companion, who occasioned me some
+anxiety, as the treatment must entirely devolve upon myself, who
+possessed but a very limited amount of experience in matters of this
+nature.
+
+17th May.
+
+Four more horses were safely landed this morning, and we were returning
+to the vessel for another pair when a party of fourteen natives made
+their appearance at the camp. At first they came boldly up, but on a gun
+being discharged as a signal for my recall, they appeared much alarmed,
+although they would not go away. Our numbers being small, I determined
+not to allow them to enter the camp, on account of their propensity to
+thieving, and the few that could now be spared to guard the stores was
+insufficient to keep a constant watch on their stealthy movements; I
+therefore tried at first to make them understand that we had taken
+possession for the present, and did not want their company; they were,
+however, very indignant at our endeavours to drive them away, and very
+plainly ordered us off to the ship. It was very evident that our
+forbearance was mistaken for weakness, and that mischief was preparing. I
+accordingly took hold of one of the most refractory, and compelled him to
+march off at double-quick time, when they all retired to some rocky hills
+overlooking our camp, from which it was necessary to dislodge them.
+Taking Mr. Brown with me, we climbed the first hill, which made them
+retreat to the next. Resting ourselves for a few minutes, and taking a
+view of the surrounding country, we were just on the point of returning
+to the camp, when we observed three armed natives stealing down a ravine
+to the horses, evidently with hostile intentions, as they shipped their
+spears on getting close enough to throw; we did not, however, give them
+time to accomplish their object, as we ran down the hill in time to
+confront them, on which they took to the rocks. Seeing that it was now
+time to convince them we were not to be trifled with, and to put a stop
+at once to what I saw would otherwise terminate in bloodshed, we both
+took deliberate aim and fired a couple of bullets so close to the
+principal offender, that he could hardly escape feeling the effects of
+the fragments of lead, as they split upon the rocks within a few feet of
+his body. After dark, it set in to rain heavily for an hour, when lights
+were observed moving in the direction of our horses, but the sentries
+being on the alert, no further attempt was made to molest us.
+
+18th May.
+
+Two more horses were landed this morning; but rain setting in from the
+north-west with a strong easterly wind below, a stop was put to landing
+any more to-day.
+
+19th May (Sunday).
+
+It had rained both heavily and continuously during the night; but as our
+tents were good, we did not experience much inconvenience from it, and it
+gave a fair prospect of finding a good supply of water on our
+contemplated trip into the interior. Mr. Hearson's wound was progressing
+favourably, and I was in consequence enabled to go off to the ship and
+procure a few additional comforts. On our return two more horses were
+brought ashore, reducing the number on board to one-half.
+
+20th May.
+
+We succeeded in landing six more horses during the day; the great
+distance they had to be swam ashore made the process very slow and
+fatiguing, some of the horses being scarcely able to stand for some time
+after landing. This morning I made a rough survey of the cove and
+surrounding hills, and while so employed observed seventeen natives pass
+across the shoals at low water, carrying nets but no weapons; they did
+not appear to fear us, or inclined to come up to the camp; nor did we
+offer them any encouragement, as in the present exposed state of our camp
+they would have been very troublesome.
+
+In the evening Mr. Brown and myself rode across the isthmus to Mermaid
+Strait, and found it to form a very fine and romantic-looking little
+harbour, surrounded by a bold rocky coast, giving it much more the
+appearance of an inland lake than an open strait. I have no doubt but
+that it would afford an excellent harbour; there is, however, reason to
+think it is equally difficult of access from the main with the cove upon
+which our camp is, as a wide expanse of marsh land appears to extend all
+round behind the hills that bound it to the southward.
+
+21st May.
+
+The last four horses were landed this morning, as also the instruments
+and remainder of the stores required for our first journey. The farrier,
+with two assistants, was kept busily employed all day shoeing horses.
+
+PREPARATIONS FOR JOURNEY INLAND.
+
+22nd May.
+
+The forge was in full employ during the day, and great progress made with
+the shoeing and preparations for our departure. Accompanied by Mr. Brown,
+I rode out to-day to reconnoitre, and seek for a pass through the hills
+that encompassed our camp; the only practical outlet we found to be
+through some very rocky ravines to the south-west, where at about five
+miles we found--what I had for some time suspected to be the case--that
+the whole of the isthmus upon which we had landed was cut off from the
+mainland by an extensive salt-water marsh, commencing at the bottom of
+Nickol Bay and running parallel to the general line of coast, at least as
+far as Enderby Island. Skirting the northern edge of the marsh for
+several miles to the westward, we found it gradually getting wider and
+deeper; we accordingly returned to the narrowest part, and rode into it
+for about half a mile, the water being very shallow, and the bottom
+sufficiently firm to carry us, although with considerable labour to the
+horses. Finding it was getting late, we determined to try and return to
+the camp round by the head of Nickol Bay, and succeeded in climbing over
+the rocks and boulders that encumber this portion of the coast, until we
+were within a quarter of a mile of the camp, when the tide came in upon
+us so quickly that, after having been repeatedly thrown down by the surf,
+we were compelled to leave the horses jammed up in the rocks just above
+high-water mark, and proceeded on foot to the camp.
+
+23rd May.
+
+At 3.0 a.m., the tide having fallen sufficiently, Messrs. Brown and
+Harding were enabled to bring in the horses left imprisoned last night.
+During the day, all the arrangements for our departure were completed,
+and in the afternoon Mr. Hearson was removed to the Dolphin, having been
+kept on shore since the accident, to be constantly under my own
+attendance; he was now rapidly recovering, although much reduced. Wrote
+instructions for the guidance of Captain Dixon and Mr. Walcott during the
+absence of the expedition, the latter gentleman being left in charge of
+the stores, and to make such observations as the means at his disposal
+should admit of.
+
+24th May.
+
+Landed at daylight, intending to make a start, as it was the Queen's
+birthday; but owing to some of the horses having rambled, we did not
+succeed in getting them all in and saddled up before 2.0 p.m., when three
+or four of the horses that had not been accustomed to carrying packs
+commenced playing up and scattering their loads in all directions,
+straining and otherwise injuring several of the pack-saddles, which
+detained us until so late in the day that I deemed it best to return to
+camp, and as the forge had not been removed to the ship, to shorten some
+of the saddle-irons, to render them less liable to injury, which was
+otherwise a great improvement.
+
+25th May.
+
+The re-adjustments having been satisfactorily accomplished, we made a
+fair start this morning by 9.0 a.m., and arrived on the edge of the marsh
+by 11.30, where, having first taken a survey of the several channels from
+the summit of a high granite hill, we entered the waste of mud at a point
+where it did not appear to be more than two miles wide; an hour's
+struggle carried us fairly through on to terra firma, only one horse
+having to be assisted by the removal of his load. After resting an hour
+and a half for dinner, we resumed our route in a south direction, across
+an extensive low grassy plain of red clayey loam, passing over a few
+rocky ridges at sunset, and at 6 p.m. encamped on a dry creek twenty
+yards wide, water being found in some clay-pans in the adjoining plain.
+Camp 2.
+
+MAITLAND RIVER.
+
+26th May.
+
+Being Sunday, the camp was only moved a mile further to a fine pool of
+water in a river eighty yards wide, with beautiful grassy banks, which I
+named the Maitland; it comes from the south-east, and may probably have a
+course of sixty miles, coming through a plain five or six miles wide, the
+greater part of which is occasionally inundated by floods from the
+interior. Cockatoos and other game were plentiful, sixteen of the former
+being killed by Mr. Brockman at one shot; they were white, with
+orange-tinted feathers in the crest, similar to those on the Murchison
+and Gascoyne Rivers. It may be as well here to observe that upon first
+starting a regular routine of duty had been established in the party, the
+care and loading of five horses being told off to each two of the party,
+as they could lift on opposite packs simultaneously, and their being all
+numbered, everyone could at once know the loads under his charge. The
+night was also divided into eight watches, commencing at 8 p.m. and
+ending at 6 a.m.; the duty of the first watch being to cook the bread for
+the following day, and the last to have breakfast ready in the morning by
+the time it was light enough to see. By this arrangement no time was
+lost, and everyone knew what was under his particular charge. Camp 3.
+
+SUDDEN FLOOD.
+
+27th May.
+
+Having determined in the first instance to strike to the westward, with a
+view to cutting any large rivers coming from the interior that might
+serve to lead us through the rocky hills that hemmed us in in that
+quarter, we this morning took a south-south-west by south course to 11.40
+a.m. when we crossed a dry stream-bed sixty yards wide, coming out of the
+granite ranges to the southward, the country becoming more barren as we
+edged upon the spurs of the rocky hills. At 2.0 p.m. we halted on the
+banks of another stream-bed of the same size as the last, when it came on
+to rain; resuming our march at 4.10, steering west to 6.0, when we
+encamped on a dry gully, with a little feed near it. Having pitched the
+tents, it continued to rain until 11.0 p.m., when a sudden rush of water
+swept down the valley, filling the watercourse and carrying away our
+fire, and before we had time to remove the baggage to higher ground, we
+had a foot of water in the camp. Fortunately nothing was lost or injured,
+and it only served as a useful lesson for the future. Camp 4.
+
+28th May.
+
+The early part of the day was employed drying the stores, so that we did
+not make a start until late. Four and a half hours' travelling over stony
+country, principally covered with triodia, but containing several patches
+of good grass, brought us to another river fifty yards wide, in which
+were a few pools. This stream was followed up to 5 p.m., when we left it,
+and halted on an open plain close to some shallow clay-pans containing
+rainwater; our course for the day having been about south-west eleven
+miles. Camp 5.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 7 minutes.
+
+29th May.
+
+By an azimuth of the sun's centre taken this morning, the magnetic
+variation was observed to be about 20 minutes west. Steering north 230
+degrees east magnetic, soon brought us out of the hills into a plain
+extending as far as the eye could reach to the north-west, with a few
+patches of good grass upon it, but mostly covered with triodia, which was
+now just ripe, yielding fine heads of seed, which the horses are very
+fond of. At thirteen miles struck the channel of a considerable river
+coming from the south. As this offered us a fair prospect of working
+inland, and we had already attained nearly to longitude 116 degrees, or
+about the meridian of the mouth of the Alma, the stream was followed up
+for an hour, its average breadth being over 200 yards. At 4.40 encamped
+at a fine spring on the bank of a deep pool, under a cliff of metamorphic
+sandstone nearly 300 feet high; a cane, much resembling a Spanish red,
+growing in considerable quantities near the water. Camp 6.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 18 minutes; longitude 116 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+SURPRISE A CAMP OF NATIVES.
+
+30th May.
+
+Soon after starting this morning, we came upon a camp of fifteen or
+twenty natives, on the bank of a deep reach of water, hemmed in by steep
+rocky hills, up which they hastily scrambled on our approach, and on
+reaching the summit, tried by various gestures to express their
+disapproval of our visit, but would not hold any parley with us. At five
+miles the river turned abruptly to the north-east, through a precipitous
+rocky defile, which induced us to make an attempt to cut across and
+strike the river some miles higher up; but after being for some time
+involved in impracticable ravines, we were again obliged to have recourse
+to the bed of the river, although encumbered with beds of large stones,
+over which the horses had great difficulty in travelling; so that by
+sunset we had not accomplished more than six miles in a direct east by
+south line from last night's camp. Camp 7.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 19 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+31st May.
+
+The general course of the river during the day was very little to the
+south of east, its banks still maintaining the same rocky and precipitous
+character, marks of inundation being frequently observed at the height of
+thirty feet above the present stream, which now was only running gently
+in a channel not more than thirty yards wide, but when in flood occupying
+the whole of the valley, which averages a quarter of a mile in width. The
+larger pools are lined with flags and reeds, and contain numbers of small
+fish resembling trout, similar to those found in the Lyons and Gascoyne
+Rivers. A very handsome tree, resembling an ash, grew on the margin,
+bearing a beautiful white flower, four to five inches across, having on
+the inside a delicate tinge of yellow, and yielding a sweet scent like
+violets. Several natives were met in the course of the day, but would not
+come near us; in one instance, however, we came upon one so suddenly that
+he had only time to jump into a pool to escape being surrounded by the
+party. After calling for some time most lustily for his friends, he
+gradually crept away amongst the canes and disappeared. Only one
+tributary of any size was observed to join the river in the course of the
+day's march, and that came in from the southward. At 5.20 p.m. halted on
+the banks of a deep pool, surrounded by fine cajeput-trees and
+flooded-gum, grass being plentiful for our horses. Camp 8.
+
+ENCOUNTER DIFFICULT COUNTRY.
+
+1st June.
+
+There was a decided improvement in the appearance of the valley as we
+continued to ascend the river, the deep pools were more continuous, and
+grass more abundant; the high lands on either bank still, however,
+retained their rugged outlines, and were clothed with little else but
+triodia. Travelling along the bed of the river was nevertheless difficult
+and dangerous for the horses, on account of the immense quantity of
+rounded boulders of water-worn rocks that occupied a large portion of the
+channel, and frequently jammed the horses into narrow passes, where they
+could not be extricated without meeting with very severe falls, which
+very soon crippled more than one of them; their shoes also began to be
+wrenched off by being caught in the deep clefts of the rocks, very soon
+expending all the extra sets brought with us. Just before coming to our
+night's halt a large stream-bed, forty yards wide, was observed to come
+in from the southward. Camp 9.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 28 minutes 18 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 31
+minutes by account.
+
+2nd June (Sunday).
+
+Having abundance of feed and water, we gladly availed ourselves of it to
+make it a day of rest; it also afforded me an opportunity to ascertain
+the rate of the chronometer, which, as I had reason to expect, had gone
+very irregularly since landing.
+
+3rd June.
+
+Made an early start, and as the valley of the river was not quite so
+rugged as that we had passed over during the last two or three days, by
+noon we had accomplished about eight miles, the course of the river still
+being very little from the southward of east; we had not, therefore, made
+much progress towards the Lyons River (our more immediate destination),
+and to quit the valley was out of the question, as there is no feed or
+water out of it within a reasonable distance. Both the valley and
+surrounding country are destitute of trees, and bold hills of metamorphic
+sandstone frequently jut out into the valley, and terminate in
+perpendicular cliffs 200 or 300 feet high. Towards the evening the river
+had been coming from the northward of east. Camp 10.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 27 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+4th June.
+
+During the forenoon the river became much hemmed in by steep rocky hills,
+the bed being a succession of rapids, over a bare, rocky channel; but
+after the noon halt the stream came more from the south-east, with wide
+grassy flats on either side, in many parts very boggy, and producing
+Melaleuca leucodendron, with tall, straight stems, and a variety of
+eucalyptus, resembling Eucalyptus piperita. White sandstone and shales
+began to make their appearance on the banks, and the water in the river
+had a saline taste. Several of the horses began to show signs of being
+much distressed, by falling and sticking fast in the mud, from which they
+had not strength to extricate themselves, even after being relieved of
+their loads. Ducks were plentiful, and tolerably tame. Camp 11.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 33 minutes 55 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 2
+minutes by account.
+
+SANDSTONE CLIFFS.
+
+5th June.
+
+Having marked a large double-stemmed gum-tree with NAE and the date, we
+made a start up the river, but at about a mile found the valley narrow in
+until the channel of the river, which was here full of water, was walled
+in on both banks by perpendicular cliffs, from which we were compelled to
+turn back nearly to our last night's camp. During the last two days we
+had caught an occasional glimpse of an elevated range of hills extending
+for many miles parallel to the river and about ten miles to the
+southward, which rendered it probable that some change would now be found
+in the character of the back country, enabling us to travel without being
+so frequently retarded by the rocks and bends of the river. A suitable
+spot was accordingly selected for ascending out of the valley, which was
+accomplished with some difficulty, when the country was observed to be
+intersected for many miles by deep ravines, terminating, however, to the
+south in a level plain, extending to the base of the range already
+referred to. After four hours' heavy toiling, we at length reached the
+summit of the plain, water having been found in one of the rocky gullies
+by the way. For the first half-mile, on entering the plain or tableland,
+the ground was stony and covered with stunted acacia, but it very quickly
+changed into a rich clayey loam, yielding a splendid crop of kangaroo and
+other grasses, melons, and small white convolvulus, yielding a round
+black seed the size of a pea, which we found scattered over nearly the
+whole surface of the plain for miles together. In the lower parts of the
+flat rainwater appeared to have remained in shallow clay-pans until very
+recently, killing much of the grass, which was replaced by atriplex
+bushes. As we approached the foot of the range the ground became stony
+and covered with triodia; good grass was still, however, to be found in
+the ravines leading out of the hills, and as our object was now to shape
+a course to the southward, we followed up one of the most promising
+valleys, in the hope that it might lead us through the range; we were,
+however, disappointed in finding that, after pushing some distance up
+very steep and rocky passes, they all terminated in cliffs of horizontal
+sandstone, running in parallel bands one above another to the height of
+500 or 600 feet, and frequently extending without a break for ten or
+fifteen miles along the face of the range. The horses being much fatigued
+by the climb from the valley of the river, we encamped at 3.10 p.m.,
+within the hills, and without water. Camp 12.
+
+FINE GRASSY PLAIN. FORTESCUE RIVER.
+
+6th June.
+
+A light drizzling rain came on early in the morning, but not enough to
+supply the horses, who rambled so far during the night in search of it
+that it was noon before they were all collected. Quitting the range,
+which had been named after one of the most liberal promoters of the
+expedition, Hamersley Range, we took a north-east course, crossing over
+twelve or fourteen miles of beautiful open grassy plain, in many parts
+the kangaroo-grass reaching above the horses' backs; the soil being of
+the richest clay-loam, occasionally containing beds of singular fragments
+of opaline rocks, resembling ancient lava. By 5.30 p.m. we reached the
+river again, several miles above the deep glen that had checked our
+course on the 5th. The valley having again opened out, gave us easy
+access to its banks, which were here a rich black peat soil, containing
+numerous springs. Here was first observed a very handsome fan-palm,
+growing in topes, some of them attaining to the height of forty feet and
+twenty inches diameter, the leaves measuring eight to ten feet in length.
+The river had again opened into deep reaches of water, and contained
+abundance of fish resembling cobblers, weighing four and five pounds
+each. The whole character of the country was evidently changing for the
+better; and as I have no doubt that at no distant period it will become a
+rich and thriving settlement, I named the river the Fortescue, after the
+Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, under whose auspices the
+expedition took its origin, and the large expanse of fertile plain that
+lies between the river and the Hamersley Range, Chichester Downs.
+
+7th June.
+
+A quarter of a mile up the river brought us to a fine tributary from the
+south, running strong enough to supply a large mill. This had to be
+traced up for two miles before we could find a ford; it was found to take
+its rise in several deep pools, fed by springs issuing out of the plains
+crossed yesterday. Some powerful springs were also observed to flow into
+the river from the northward, through a dense forest of melaleuca, with a
+rank undergrowth of canes, flags, etc. At five miles the river again
+presented a wide reach of water several miles in length, after which it
+all at once broke up into numerous channels, wandering through a forest
+of white-gum, well grassed, the soil being highly fertile. Owing to my
+having been accidentally trodden upon by one of the horses, we were
+obliged to encamp early, having only made about twelve miles. Camp 14.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 40 minutes 42 seconds; longitude by account 117
+degrees 17 minutes east.
+
+8th June.
+
+Following up the channel upon which we had encamped, in about an hour it
+was lost in open grassy plains, which we continued to traverse until
+noon, when we struck on a well-defined stream-bed, which had branched off
+a mile or two south of last night's camp. Grass and water being abundant,
+we halted till 2, when we resumed an easterly route to 5.30, over rather
+stony plains, yielding triodia. Encamped after dark without water or
+feed, tying the horses up short to prevent their rambling, having
+accomplished about twenty miles in an east-south-east direction during
+the day. Camp 12.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 49 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+9th June (Sunday).
+
+Less than a mile this morning brought us to a grassy channel containing
+water, which was followed up for a short distance, when we halted for the
+remainder of the day to refresh our tired and famished horses. Camp 16.
+
+A NATIVE CHILD.
+
+10th June.
+
+The channel of the river was still followed for several miles to the
+eastward, when it again disappeared in open plains extending to the base
+of the Hamersley Range, which still continued to run parallel to the
+river at about seven miles distance to the southward. Pools of water were
+occasionally found in channels scooped out of the alluvial soil of which
+the plains were composed--the waters of the Fortescue, during the period
+of the summer rains, spreading over the country for miles and leaving a
+rich deposit of alluvial mud, adding greatly to its fertility. In the
+course of the afternoon we came suddenly on a party of natives, digging
+roots. One woman, with a child of about five years of age, hid close to
+our line of march, and did not move until she was afraid of being run
+over by the pack-horses, when she ran away, leaving the child gazing upon
+the monster intruders with a look of passive wonder. It was a poor,
+ill-conditioned-looking object, suffering from a cutaneous disorder. On
+giving it a piece of damper, it quickly began to devour it, tearing it to
+fragments with its sharp and attenuated fingers, with all the keenness of
+a hawk. We left it standing with a lump of bread in each hand, where its
+mother would no doubt find it when she came to see what had been left of
+it by the large dogs, as the aborigines of this part of Australia call
+our horses. Travelling on till late, we encamped in an open grassy plain,
+without water. Camp 17.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 55 minutes 57 seconds; longitude 118 degrees 3
+minutes.
+
+ROCKY RANGES.
+
+11th June.
+
+Four miles to the south-east we came upon a pool of brackish water,
+surrounded with bulrushes, in a channel coming from the south of the
+Hamersley Range, again apparently offering us a chance of getting to the
+southward. We accordingly struck for the gorge out of which this stream
+came, and succeeded in penetrating for three miles up a very rocky gully,
+filled with some of the harshest triodia we had yet encountered, and had
+to halt for the night in a narrow pass, where there was scarcely room to
+tie up our horses. Camp 18.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 12 minutes 52 seconds.
+
+ASCEND THE RANGES.
+
+12th June.
+
+One of the horses having slipped his halter during the night, Messrs.
+Brown and Brockman returned down the gully to track it up, while we made
+an attempt to follow up the deep defile in which we were hemmed, but a
+quarter of a mile brought us to an impassable barrier of cliffs.
+Retracing our steps about a mile, we again made an attempt more to the
+eastward, and this time succeeded in reaching a considerable stream-bed,
+which ultimately proved to be the main channel of the Fortescue, and led
+us through the range. Resting till noon, Messrs. Brown and Brockman
+overtook us with the missing horse, when we resumed our route up the bed
+of the river to the southward, until again brought to a dead stand by the
+whole bed of the stream being occupied by deep pools of water, fed by
+numerous strong springs. As it was getting late in the day, I left the
+party to form a camp, while I climbed the hills to get a view of the
+country in advance. A laborious ascent of nearly an hour brought me to
+one of the highest summits of the range, at an elevation of about 2700
+feet above the sea, and 700 above the bed of the river. From this hill I
+had a fine view to the southward, and observed that by following up a
+small dry ravine to the south-east there would be a fair prospect of
+reaching a large extent of open level plain that came within two or three
+miles of the camp in that direction. To the east and south-east the range
+was lofty and mountainous, while to the south and south-west stretched
+open grassy plains, occasionally interrupted by bold detached hills,
+apparently of the same formation as the Hamersley Range. On descending to
+the camp, I started a fragment of rock of a few tons weight, which rushed
+with fearful velocity towards the deep gorge in which the horses were
+feeding. After carrying all before it for a quarter of a mile, it made a
+clear spring over a cliff 200 feet in depth, and plunged into the waters
+below with a sound like thunder, inducing a belief at the camp that a
+large portion of cliff had fallen. Fortunately it did not produce an
+estampede, which I had known to have been caused on another occasion by a
+similar occurrence. Camp 19.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 15 minutes; longitude 118 degrees 4 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+13th June.
+
+Availing ourselves of the observations made yesterday, we succeeded,
+after a hard scramble of two hours, in getting through the remaining
+portion of the range, our horses having learned to climb like goats, or
+they never would have accomplished the passage. The plain appears to have
+a considerable elevation above those to the northward, and is drained by
+several deep breaks through the Hamersley Range. Resuming a
+south-south-west course to latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes 32 seconds, we
+passed at first over some very stony land, yielding little else besides
+triodia and stunted acacia; but for the last six or seven miles was a
+rich alluvial clay, covered with very fair pasture, and water was found
+in abundance in pools in the bed of a watercourse coming from the
+south-east. Camp 20.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes 58 seconds.
+
+14th June.
+
+On our first landing at Nickol Bay the nights had been very mild, but we
+now began to feel them cold and bracing. This was partly owing to the
+increased elevation of the country we were now travelling over; the
+south-east wind coming off the mountainous country was very keen, and
+almost frosty early in the morning. Our course this day was at first over
+tolerably good country, which gradually became more and more rocky, the
+ridges increasing in elevation until the aneroid barometer fell to 27.33,
+giving an altitude of 2400 feet above the sea. Night overtook us in a
+deep rocky ravine, where we had much difficulty in keeping the
+pack-horses together, and were at last compelled to unload them amongst
+rocks in the bed of a dry watercourse trending to the westward; a little
+grass being procurable in the vicinity. Fortunately water had been met
+with at noon, so that we were not pressed for want of it. Camp 21.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 41 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+15th June.
+
+Following the gully upon which we had encamped, it led us to the
+westward, over a rocky line of country, until 1 p.m., when not meeting
+with any water, and the horses showing great weakness and symptoms of
+distress from the loss of their shoes, it was found desirable to quit the
+main gully and try and find feed and water up a promising tributary
+coming from the north with the view of ultimately falling back on the
+plains under the Hamersley Range, should we fail to meet with water
+sooner; fortunately, however, in an hour we came upon a small supply
+amongst rocks, surrounded by some tolerable feed. Had we failed to find
+this timely relief, it is probable that not more than half the horses
+would have been able to carry their loads to the nearest known waterhole.
+Camp 22.
+
+16th June (Sunday).
+
+This day of rest was alike acceptable to man and horse, and afforded me
+an opportunity, after reading prayers to the party, to clear a set of
+lunar distances, by which I found that the chronometer would have placed
+us forty miles to the west of our true position. I had long since
+observed that it could not be trusted under even ordinary variations of
+temperature, but could procure no other, the Acting Surveyor-General
+having declined to supply me with either of the two chronometers
+belonging to his department that could be relied on, and in consequence I
+now found I should be compelled to have recourse entirely to lunar
+observations and triangulation for the compilation of the maps, which
+would add very much to the amount of labour and liability to error.
+Several crested pigeons, white cockatoos, and crested quail or
+partridges, were shot as they came to drink at the waterhole.
+
+METAMORPHIC ROCKS.
+
+17th June.
+
+The horses had so far recovered after the day's rest that we were enabled
+to resume a south-west course, following down the bed of the stream to
+latitude 22 degrees 51 minutes, the country slightly improving towards
+evening; but we again had to encamp without water, having, however,
+obtained a small quantity in some gravel at noon. The hills to the east
+of our track rose about 1000 feet above the bed of the watercourse, and
+consisted of metamorphic sandstones and shales, intersected by whinstone
+dykes, their summits being capped with red conglomerate. In one place the
+river had cut through a ridge of altered rocks, and exhibited a very
+singular contortion of the strata, the laminae being crippled up into an
+arch of 100 feet high, showing a dip on each flank of 45 degrees, forming
+a cave beneath running for some distance into the hill. Camp 23.
+
+18th June.
+
+Continuing to follow the stream-bed south-west for eight or nine miles,
+we came upon a patch of very green grass, on which we halted, to allow
+the horses the benefit, on account of their not having had any water
+since noon yesterday. In the meanwhile, accompanied by Mr. Brown, I
+started off and walked to a prominent hill six miles to the south, to get
+a view of the surrounding country. From the summit of this hill, which we
+found to have an elevation of 700 or 800 feet, we procured a valuable
+round of bearings, and had a distant view of the country to the
+southward. Level plains and detached ranges of moderate elevation
+appeared to be the general character of the country towards the Lyons
+River. We returned to the party by 3.0 p.m., and were glad to find that
+during our absence water had been found in shallow clay-pans a mile to
+the westward, to which we moved over and encamped. Camp 24.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 56 minutes 23 seconds; longitude by account 117
+degrees 21 minutes.
+
+19th June.
+
+We were unable to proceed this day, owing to my having eaten some of the
+dwarf mesembryanthemum, which I had formerly observed to be used as food
+by the natives on the Gascoyne, but which had produced with me violent
+headache and vomiting. The horses were, however, enjoying excellent feed;
+and I contrived to work up my map and clear a lunar.
+
+20th June.
+
+Started at 7.25 a.m. with nineteen horses, having been obliged to leave
+behind a horse belonging to Mr. Lennard, so lame that he could not move.
+Following the stream-bed nearly west for ten miles, came upon a pool of
+permanent water containing flags--the first we had met with since
+quitting the Hamersley Range. This was of great value, as there was no
+water that could be depended upon on our return, in the last sixty miles.
+Pushing on quickly for twelve miles further, the river entered a wide
+plain, in which was some tolerable feed; we had again, however, to halt
+for the night without water.
+
+DEPOT CAMP ON THE HARDEY RIVER.
+
+21st June.
+
+Although the size of the channel of the river we had been following down
+for the last sixty miles had considerably increased both in width and
+depth, yet very little water had been found in it, and as it took a
+decided turn in its course this morning to north-west, after two hours'
+ride, without observing any change, and there being every appearance of
+its keeping the same course for the next twenty miles, I was convinced
+that it could not be a tributary to either the Edmund or Lyons, which I
+had at first hoped it might prove. The barometer also ranged too high for
+it to be at a sufficient elevation to admit of it flowing into either of
+those rivers, as the elevation of the Lyons at the confluence of the Alma
+is at least of the same altitude above the sea. Having named the river
+the Hardey, we fell back upon the pools passed yesterday, where I had
+decided upon forming a depot camp at which to rest the weakest horses,
+while with a lightly equipped party I proposed to complete the expedition
+of the country intervening between this and the Lyons River. Camp 26.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 58 minutes 28 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 10
+minutes.
+
+22nd June.
+
+In accordance with the plan decided upon yesterday, I started this day
+accompanied by Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Brockman, with three
+pack-horses, conveying eight days' provisions and fourteen gallons of
+water. Twelve miles on the south-south-west course, over a very stony
+country, brought us to a deep stream-bed trending in the same direction,
+which we pursued for thirteen miles, the country gradually improving
+until the channel was lost in an open plain of rich soil, covered with
+fine green grass. Several pools of rainwater of a deep red colour, but
+fresh and sweet, gave us a good camp for the night; a set of Stellar
+observations giving the latitude 23 degrees 19 minutes 16 seconds. To the
+south, at about six miles distance, lay a bold range of hills, running
+nearly east and west with many sharp summits, having an average elevation
+of from 600 to 1000 feet above the plain, and extending for twelve or
+fifteen miles to the eastward, while to the west it was lost in numerous
+broken hills of lesser elevation. Camp 27.
+
+ASHBURTON RIVER. CAPRICORN RANGE.
+
+23rd June.
+
+As to pass the eastern end of the range appeared likely to take us too
+much off our course, we struck for what appeared to be a break in the
+hills about seven miles to the south-west. The first five miles was
+across an open grassy plain, at times subject to inundation, which
+brought us to the bank of a fine river, containing permanent reaches of
+fresh water, lined with canes, the channel generally being from 100 to
+200 yards wide, with a depth of forty feet; it was now barely running,
+but it was quite evident that it was too large for either the Alma or
+Edmund, and its bed must be at least 200 feet below the level of those
+rivers. We, however, determined to follow it so long as it ran to the
+south of west, which it did until it came in contact with the range
+observed yesterday, when it altered its course to west-north-west, and
+appeared to continue that direction for many miles, probably until joined
+by the Hardey, when, in all likelihood, it continues its course direct to
+Exmouth Gulf. Anxious, as I naturally was, to continue the examination of
+this promising river, time and the condition of our horses' feet did not
+permit us to do so with advantage. Naming it the Ashburton, after the
+noble President of the Royal Geographical Society, we quitted its verdant
+banks, and took a south course up a stony ravine, which led us into the
+heart of the range, where we soon became involved amongst steep rocky
+ridges of sharp slaty schist, which very quickly deprived the horses of
+many of their remaining shoes, and retarded our progress so much that by
+nightfall we found ourselves to be in only latitude 23 degrees 28 minutes
+15 seconds, hemmed in on all sides by rugged country yielding little else
+but small acacia-trees and triodia. A little water and grass was,
+however, obtained in the bed of a stream tributary to the Ashburton. The
+summits of the hills passed over during the day had been seen from the
+Lyons River in 1858, and were now named the Capricorn Range. Camp 28.
+
+24th June.
+
+A rather rough ride of four hours to the south-east brought us to a
+watercourse sixty yards wide, trending to the north-north-east, in which
+we found pools of water lined with reeds and flags. This was traced up to
+the southward till 3.0 p.m., when we entered a deep gorge in a sandstone
+range, the bed of the stream becoming very stony and full of
+melaleuca-trees; it, however, contained many fine pools and strong
+running springs, with a small supply of grass. There was now a fair
+prospect of our reaching the Lyons, as the range we were now entering
+must contain the sources of the Edmund, which river has a much more
+restricted course than was originally supposed. Camp 29.
+
+Latitude 23 degrees 42 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+25th June.
+
+The country continued hilly for about ten miles, when we arrived at the
+summit of a granite and sandstone tableland, at the extreme sources of
+the watercourse we had been following up. From this point we had at last
+the satisfaction of observing the bold outlines of Mount Augustus,
+bearing south-south-east about thirty miles, while more to the westward
+could be discerned the summits of Mounts Phillips and Samuel, and yet
+more to the right the southern face of the Barlee Range. Descending to
+the south across an open plain, we struck for a remarkable gorge in a
+granite range (the only one now between us and the Lyons), at which we
+arrived by sundown. On examining this singular gorge, it was found to be
+an almost perpendicular cut through a narrow ridge nearly 300 feet in
+depth, the length of the pass not exceeding 200 yards, the plain on each
+side being nearly on the same level. From the summit of this pass the
+course of the stream could be traced across the fertile flats of the
+Lyons until it was lost in the numerous channels of that river, and I was
+able to obtain bearings to many well-remembered objects noticed on my
+former visit to this part of the country. Camp 30.
+
+Latitude 23 degrees 56 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+RETURN TO DEPOT.
+
+26th June.
+
+As we had only four days' rations left, and no further object could be
+attained by advancing further south, unless there had been time to
+examine the present condition of the pasture in the vicinity of Mount
+Augustus, we marked several trees on the north side of the gorge close to
+a pool, and retraced our steps to within a mile of our camp of the 24th,
+having improved upon our outward track by keeping rather more to the
+eastward. Camp 31.
+
+27th June.
+
+Instead of returning by the rough route by which we came through the
+Capricorn Range, we followed the stream to the north-north-east, through
+a good country all the way to the Ashburton, which river it joined in
+latitude 22 degrees 26 minutes, passing through the end of the range one
+mile south of the junction. In this pass we encamped on a fine deep pool,
+in which we caught a small quantity of fish, showing the water to be
+permanent. Camp 32.
+
+28th June.
+
+Making an early start, we soon crossed the Ashburton, and rode twelve
+miles across open plains, thinly timbered and yielding a large quantity
+of good pasture, principally of kangaroo-grass, which here grew to the
+height of six feet. Resting for several hours at the waterholes of the
+22nd, at 4.30 p.m. we resumed our route, having filled our water-kegs,
+and pushed on to within sixteen or seventeen miles of the depot,
+encamping amongst some good grass on our outward route, but without any
+water except what we carried with us. Camp 33.
+
+29th June.
+
+Giving our horses rather more than a gallon of water each, we made an
+early start just as it came on to rain, which was the first shower we had
+experienced since the 27th May; it continued until noon, but not heavy
+enough to leave any surface-water on the parched and thirsty loam.
+Keeping more to the westward than our outward track, we escaped much of
+the stony ground then passed over, and arrived at the depot camp by 2
+p.m.
+
+30th June (Sunday).
+
+Remained in camp and read prayers to the party.
+
+1st July.
+
+The horses left at the depot were much improved by their nine days' rest,
+and had we been provided with more shoes for them, I should have at once
+returned to the Ashburton, and traced that river up to the eastward, as
+it offered a fine opportunity of penetrating to the south-east probably
+at least another 100 miles; and our provisions on a reduced allowance
+would admit of our remaining out forty days longer; but the lameness of
+many of the horses and lacerated condition of their fetlocks convinced me
+that, should we meet with any more difficulties or rough country before
+obtaining a fresh supply of shoes, much valuable time would be lost, and
+we should probably fail to get many of the horses back. I therefore
+deemed it more prudent to return at once by a shorter route more to the
+eastward so soon as we had repassed the Hamersley Range, and, obtaining a
+refit at the bay, to throw all our remaining time into the second trip.
+We accordingly to-day returned to camp 24, where we found the horses left
+there on the 20th June sufficiently recovered to accompany the party,
+although incapable of carrying a load. The remainder of the day was
+devoted to obtaining bearings and adding to the triangulation of the many
+remarkable summits visible from this part of the country.
+
+2nd July.
+
+The country generally being very rough, except on the banks of the
+Hardey, on our outward track, we found it desirable to return along it,
+more particularly as there was a better prospect of procuring water by so
+doing. At about twenty miles we found a little water under a cliff in the
+bed of the stream, and halted for the night. Camp 34.
+
+Latitude 22 degrees 32 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+MOUNT BRUCE.
+
+3rd July.
+
+Still returning on our old track, at five miles I stopped to ascend a
+very remarkable hill which had formed an important point in the
+triangulation of this part of the country, to which had been given the
+name of Mount Samson. Sending the party onward to wait for me at camp 22,
+I commenced the ascent of the mount, which proved something more than I
+had calculated upon, as it occupied more than an hour's sharp toil to
+arrive at its summit; when gained, however, it amply repaid the trouble,
+as from it I could discern almost every prominent hill or peak within
+sixty or seventy miles, and amongst them the mountain which on a former
+occasion I had procured a bearing to from Mount Augustus, at a distance
+of 124 geographical miles, and which I now named Mount Bruce, after the
+gallant commander of the troops, who has always warmly supported me in
+carrying out explorations. This part of the country I believe to be the
+most elevated in north-west Australia--Mount Samson having an altitude of
+not less than 1000 feet above the valley of the Hardey, while Mount Bruce
+and the mountainous country to the eastward rose to a considerable height
+above its summit, which, by comparisons from the aneroid barometer, would
+give not less than 4000 feet for the elevation of those ranges. Having
+completed my observations, I descended the hill with somewhat greater
+speed than it took to climb it, and was met at the foot by Messrs. Brown
+and Harding, who had waited for me with a horse. In less than an hour we
+overtook the rest of the party at Camp 22, when the additional horses at
+once drank up all the remaining water left in the rocks; resting,
+therefore, less than an hour, we moved on, taking a north course, over a
+very rocky but highly fertile country of trap formation, the grass just
+now being much dried up. At sundown we halted in an open grassy flat, on
+which no water could be found, although it is probable there is plenty in
+the vicinity, as emus and cockatoos were numerous; one of the former
+walked boldly up to the horses, and was fired at, but without effect.
+Camp 35.
+
+OPEN GRASSY PLAINS. PASS HAMERSLEY RANGE.
+
+4th July.
+
+Travelling at a rapid pace on an average north-east course for upwards of
+twenty miles, over plains mostly of rich loam, well grassed, and
+extending to the southern foot of the Hamersley Range, we came upon a low
+range of sandstone hills, covered with acacia bushes and triodia,
+extending for three or four miles, when we again emerged on open plains,
+in which was found a deep channel, thirty yards wide, containing pools of
+rainwater retained in the clay. The amount of fine pasture country passed
+over during the day could not be less than 200,000 acres; and although we
+had not time to go in search for it, I have no doubt that abundance of
+water will be found in the deep gorges of the range skirting the plain.
+This tract of country is, I imagine, well suited for the growth of either
+cotton or sugar, as it is apparently well-irrigated during the summer
+months, and the soil is remarkably rich and strong, while its limits to
+the westward are at present unknown, and most probably continues to skirt
+the hills for at least thirty or forty miles. Halted at the waterholes
+about four miles to the west of the pass through the Hamersley Range.
+Camp 36.
+
+5th July.
+
+Two hours brought us to the head of the pass, which we entered by a
+ravine a little more to the northward than on our outward route, and by
+so doing saved a preliminary ascent of nearly 200 feet, and a similar
+amount of descent, making a very successful passage through the range
+without experiencing the same difficulties we had formerly met with, and
+by 3 p.m. found ourselves once more in the open grassy country that forms
+the Chichester Downs. At 6 p.m. encamped in an open flat without water.
+Camp 37.
+
+PROCEED TOWARDS THE COAST.
+
+6th July.
+
+Started at 7.30 a.m., and in an hour came upon a pool of water in one of
+the numerous channels into which the Fortescue is here divided, and at
+seven miles struck the bulrush spring passed on the 11th June. From this
+the river was followed down for thirteen miles, through grassy clay
+plains, thinly timbered with white-gum. Encamped on a pool, in latitude
+21 degrees 53 minutes 4 seconds, about five miles north of a very
+remarkable bold projection of the Hamersley Range. Camp 38.
+
+7th July (Sunday) was kept as a day of rest.
+
+8th July.
+
+The horses strayed so far back on our tracks during Sunday night that by
+the time they were brought in it was too late to make a start with
+advantage, as we were now about to enter a new tract of country, by
+striking for the coast somewhere between Breaker Inlet and Depuch Island.
+As a knowledge of this part of the country would greatly assist us in
+starting on the second division of our exploration, I availed myself of
+the delay here to fix by triangulation many of the summits and prominent
+spurs of the Hamersley Range, and take observations for the variation of
+the needle, which I found to be about 1 degree east by the prismatic
+compass I had in use.
+
+9th July.
+
+Our horses again gave us some trouble to find them, so that we did not
+start until 10.30 a.m. Two hours' sharp travelling across the plain
+brought us to the foot of low hills of trap and sandstone, covered with
+triodia; good feed being, however, plentiful in the valleys, although now
+rather dry. Tracing up a small tributary to the Fortescue, at sunset we
+halted on a small rocky pool near its source, in latitude 21 degrees 41
+minutes 40 seconds. Several pools, supplied by springs coming from under
+the superstratum of sandstone, were passed during the day. Camp 39.
+
+Longitude 117 degrees 47 minutes.
+
+10th July.
+
+For seven miles the country continued gently to ascend, the sandstone
+giving place to trap boulders, yielding a very rich soil, clothed with
+short green grass and melons, the soil being too stony for agricultural
+purposes, although I have seen country of a similar appearance in the
+island of Mauritius producing fine crops of sugar. Some of the melons
+weighed as much as five or six ounces, and were passably good eating,
+although rather bitter. At noon the country dropped suddenly to the
+northward, and we descended a deep rocky ravine, in which we soon found
+water and grass. Travelling now became difficult and sometimes dangerous
+to the horses; rugged and semi-columnar metamorphic sandstone cliffs
+hemmed in the ravines on either side, while large rounded boulders of
+trap-rock filled the bed of the stream, which in several places was
+running. We had a rather indifferent camp in latitude 21 degrees 29
+minutes 10 seconds, the camp at Nickol Bay bearing west-north-west,
+distant seventy-five miles by account. Camp 40.
+
+SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+11th July.
+
+The stream we were upon continued to take a northerly course for eight or
+ten miles down a valley from 200 to 300 feet in depth, where it is
+diverted to the eastward for about the same distance by a cross range of
+black volcanic hills of loose ragged rocks, totally devoid of vegetation.
+The channel receiving several tributaries, here becomes a succession of
+fine open pools of water from eighty to 150 yards in width. We halted for
+the night on a wide bed of bare sand and rocks, the only feed being in
+the channel of the river, to which was now given the name of Sherlock.
+Camp 41.
+
+12th July.
+
+This morning the river resumed a north-north-west course, and very soon
+led us into an open plain, rather sandy in character, the channel
+dividing into several branches separating miles apart, the stream of
+water issuing from the hills soon being absorbed in the sandy bed; but a
+well-defined line of verdant trees served well to mark the course of the
+channels through the plain for many miles. Selecting the one that
+appeared the most promising, it was traced down to latitude 21 degrees 6
+minutes 43 seconds, where we encamped on a shallow pool of brackish
+water--the only one seen during the day. Several natives were found here,
+employed capturing partridges by means of nets constructed out of the
+leaf of the triodia neatly twisted and netted in the same way as done by
+ourselves, the mesh varying from one to five inches, according to the
+purpose to which it is applied. It was very singular to observe the mode
+in which they induced the birds to enter the nets, or rather cages,
+prepared for them. In the first instance they place ragged bushes all
+round the small pools, with the exception of a few spaces five or six
+feet wide, from which openings they stick in a double row of twigs,
+arching so as to meet overhead in the centre one or two feet from the
+ground; these little avenues lead away for several yards, and then
+terminate with a net thrown over a few light sticks at the end. The birds
+first alight on the margin of the pool, but after drinking, do not take
+flight at once, but run up the only opening, which leads them first under
+the arch of twigs and finally into the net, which is then drawn to by the
+hunter lying in wait under a few bushes. In this way they must capture a
+large amount of game, judging by the quantity of feathers around some of
+the waterholes. Camp 42.
+
+13th July.
+
+Two miles north the river turned west, and kept that course for seven or
+eight miles, through a poor sandy and stony tract of country, and was
+then joined by a fine channel coming from the south. Near the junction
+are two reaches of water, half a mile long each and a rifle-shot across,
+containing a quantity of ducks and other water-fowl, amongst which our
+sportsmen were very successful, along with other game bagging the only
+two swans we had seen since landing; a number of fine fish, like
+cobblers, were also caught, weighing from 1 to 5 pounds a-piece. As it
+was Saturday, and our horses were showing unmistakable signs of knocking
+up, we halted for the rest of the day. Camp 43.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 6 minutes 5 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 32 minutes
+30 seconds.
+
+VOLCANIC HILLS.
+
+14th July (Sunday).
+
+After reading prayers, Messrs. Brown, Harding, and myself walked to the
+summit of the range of black volcanic hills that skirted the western bank
+of the river at about a mile distant. These hills consist of ragged
+scoria, elevated 300 to 400 feet above the plain, and are nearly
+destitute of vegetation. At their summits are deep fissures, the heat of
+the eruptive rocks from beneath having been sufficient to convert the
+trap and sandstone rocks into a deep bluish-grey scoria, having a
+specific gravity of nearly four; but we did not observe any instance of
+the actual overflow of lava, and consequently there was a want of the
+fertilising properties in the soil resulting from it that usually
+accompanies volcanic formations. A native dog had left a litter of pups
+under a heap of stones not eighteen inches beneath our feet, but such was
+the sharpness and ponderability of the fragments of rock that it fairly
+baffled our attempts to unhouse them. A valuable round of bearings was
+procured from this spot, Depuch Island being seen bearing north 14
+degrees east, distant about twenty-eight miles.
+
+EXTENSIVE GRASSY PLAINS.
+
+15th July.
+
+We resumed our course down the Sherlock, the stony nature of the country
+telling severely upon our horses' feet, who in other respects were in
+very tolerable condition. We had not proceeded more than three or four
+miles when Mr. Brockman's horse, Rocket, gave in, and could not move
+another step, the hoof being fairly worn through; leaving him close to a
+pool of water amongst plenty of feed, I hoped he might possibly recover
+by the time we returned from the bay. Below this the channel became sandy
+and dry, and we only procured a little water at night in a clay-hole.
+Plains extended from the river to the north and eastward as far as the
+eye could reach, only interrupted by occasional detached hills of granite
+or volcanic trap, the feed being generally coarse and the soil poor. Camp
+44.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 54 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+NATIVES FISHING WITH NETS.
+
+16th July.
+
+Leaving the valley of the river on a north-west course, in half an hour
+we came upon an open plain of rich clayey loam, covered with a fine even
+sward of good grass, on which were feeding large flocks of pigeons and
+white cockatoos; this change in the character of the soil being
+ascribable to the occasional overflow of the river, leaving a deposit of
+rich mud. This plain extends as far as we could see to the north and
+east, a few widely-scattered topes of trees being the only objects
+breaking the monotony of the sea of grass. To the north-west was a strong
+line of large timber, for which we steered. At three miles we entered the
+wood, and found it to contain the main channel of the Sherlock, in which
+were a few small pools of rainwater. Crossing the bed of the river on the
+same course, we soon came upon another branch coming from the south-west,
+which was named the George. Immediately below the junction of the two
+streams the river opened out into reaches of brackish water, evidently
+under the influence of the spring tides. From this point the left bank
+was followed down to within three or four miles of the sea, when, the
+country becoming low and flat, the grass coarse, and no fresh water
+procurable, we quitted the Sherlock and struck to the west for six or
+seven miles, crossing several salt-water creeks, until we were compelled
+to turn to the southward to avoid a channel much larger and deeper than
+the rest, at which a party of natives were engaged drawing their nets,
+but ran away on our approach. A little further on the plain became more
+fertile, and we found a small pool of rainwater in the clay, at which we
+encamped. There is no doubt but that the Sherlock and the creek we were
+upon discharged their waters, by the numerous creeks shown on Captain
+King's charts, fifteen or sixteen miles to the west of Depuch Island.
+Camp 45.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 52 minutes 15 seconds; longitude 117 degrees 15
+minutes.
+
+RETURN TO NICKOL BAY.
+
+17th July.
+
+By observation of the sun at rising, the variation of the needle was
+found to be 1 degree 10 minutes east. We were now about forty miles from
+Nickol Bay; and as it was very doubtful whether water would be procurable
+in that distance, I became very anxious on account of the horses, as,
+should the country prove stony, I was quite certain they could not
+perform the journey in less than three days; I therefore determined upon
+following up a leading valley towards the Maitland River, with the
+intention, in the event of not finding water or a pass through the heavy
+mass of hills that back Cape Lambert, of pushing through the upper
+branches of that river, and by a round of sixty or seventy miles to
+approach the bay by our outward track; fortunately, however, in the
+course of the day we fell in with some small pools of rainwater, which
+enabled us to advance about eighteen miles over tolerably even plains,
+well grassed, our night halt being without water. Camp 46.
+
+18th July.
+
+From our position, and the observations I had made of the country on the
+eastern shores of Nickol Bay, I was satisfied that the breadth of stony
+ranges lying between us and our destination did not exceed eight or ten
+miles, which we therefore now determined to venture upon, although at
+great risk to the horses, some of which now walked upon stones as they
+would over red-hot coals. Entering the range by a small ravine, three
+hours' scramble over sharp rocks brought us out on the head of a small
+tributary to the Nickol River, the sufferings of the horses in crossing
+the range being quite painful to witness; they all, however, succeeded in
+getting through, and as a little water was found in the bed of the
+stream, we were enabled to push on late, and cross the marsh at the head
+of the bay before it was quite dark, the departing rays of the setting
+sun having first favoured us with a glimpse of the Dolphin, riding at
+anchor on the deep-blue waters of the bay--a sight which was welcomed
+with no small satisfaction by the little band of weary travellers. Camp
+47.
+
+19th July.
+
+The camp was easily aroused by the morning watch, as there was now only
+six miles between us and the landing-place in Hearson cove, the horses
+appearing to partake of the general activity; so that it was only 10.0
+a.m. when we arrived on our old camping ground, which we found occupied
+by ten or a dozen natives, engaged mending their nets. Coming upon them
+suddenly, they would not stop to carry off their gear, although not half
+an hour before they had been employed assisting a boat's crew from the
+Dolphin, in loading with wood and water. A rifle-shot soon recalled the
+boat, which was not a mile from the shore, when we were glad to learn
+that Mr. Hearson was fast recovering from his wound, and that all had
+been going on well since our departure. From Mr. Walcott I ascertained
+that he had been able to establish a friendly understanding with the
+natives who frequented the western side of the bay, and that they had
+been made useful in filling up the ship's water and wood, for which
+service they had been rewarded by a suitable distribution of biscuit. In
+one instance the natives on the eastern shore of the bay had shown a
+hostile tendency on the occasion of a boat landing on the reef to gather
+shells. One of the seaman, who had wandered from the rest, was chased
+into the sea, and menaced with spears and clubs until he was up to his
+neck in water, when the boat came to his rescue, the officer in charge of
+her firing a shot over their heads to drive them off. Mr. Walcott had
+also been successful in obtaining a very useful vocabulary of native
+words and other interesting particulars from the aborigines, as also many
+botanical specimens, shells, etc.--amongst the latter some very fine
+pearl-oysters, from which several pearls of good colour had been
+obtained, but appeared to be principally valuable on account of the size
+and beauty of the mother-of-pearl, which averaged six inches diameter,
+with more than half an inch in thickness of solid shell.
+
+PARTY REFIT FOR JOURNEY TO EASTWARD.
+
+20th July.
+
+The forge, stores, and other additional supplies having been landed, and
+the party set to work shoeing horses, repairing saddle-bags, etc., I
+proceeded with Mr. Walcott and Mr. Angel in the boat to make a rough
+survey of the coves on the western side of the bay, with a view to
+selecting a suitable spot from which to re-embark the horses on our
+return from the next trip, as it would be too late in the season by that
+time to venture the trip overland to Champion Bay. I found that a good
+anchorage existed, with three fathoms at low water, one mile off the
+little cove from which the ship had been watered, and is approachable at
+all times, except in strong east or south-east gales, when a heavy swell
+sets in across the bay, rendering a landing unsafe. The fresh water runs
+down a rocky gully at the north-west corner of the cove, at the north end
+of a small patch of sandy beach, and the supply appears tolerably
+abundant; it is, however, rather difficult of access towards the end of
+the dry season, as the water has then to be carried over the rocks in
+small baracas fifty or sixty yards to the boats, but from the setting in
+of the rains to the end of August it runs down strongly at high-water
+mark. I walked back overland to the camp with Mr. Walcott, the distance
+being about four miles, heading by the way another deep cove, the margin
+of which was lined with a broad belt of mangroves.
+
+21st to 28th July.
+
+Was fully taken up in shoeing horses, making spare shoes, refitting and
+packing stores, etc., ready for our trip to the eastward, my own time
+being principally taken up in roughly plotting the country already
+explored, so as to secure all the information obtained, in the event of
+any accident occurring to my field-books.
+
+29th July.
+
+Everything being in readiness for our departure, I gave Captain Dixon
+instructions to wait for us in the bay to the 10th December, and in the
+event of our not then returning, Mr. Walcott would land one of the ship's
+iron tanks, and bury in it a quantity of stores, at a spot already agreed
+upon; the Dolphin would then proceed to Fremantle. It blew so fresh all
+the morning that I could not land until 3 p.m., when we quickly saddled
+up and proceeded three miles to a waterhole up in the volcanic hills, as
+it was probable we should have a very long day's march tomorrow without
+water. As we had now only nineteen horses, and one of these so low in
+condition as not to be able to carry a load, we could only take with us
+eighty-seven days' rations, at the rate of one pound of flour, seven
+ounces of meat, and four ounces of sugar per man per diem; we were,
+however, well provided with ammunition, and thirty spare sets of
+horse-shoes, with nails sufficient for at least two removes, the horses
+themselves being shod at starting with extra strong shoes tipped with
+steel. We had now only seven saddle-horses, so that one of the party was
+always on foot by turns of an hour each. It had been originally intended
+that the Dolphin should proceed to Roebuck Bay and meet us there; but it
+was now so late in the season that I did not deem it prudent to run the
+risk of removing her to an unknown anchorage, where it was possible we
+might not be able to reach, and thus lay ourselves open to the
+probability of a very embarrassing uncertainty. The result proved we had
+adopted the right course. Bivouac.
+
+DIFFICULTY IN CROSSING MUD FLATS.
+
+30th July.
+
+This morning we crossed the marsh with some difficulty, as all the
+pack-horses but three fell and stuck in the mud, until we transferred
+their loads to our own backs and carried them through half a mile of the
+softest part. The operation detained us so long that we did not make more
+than eighteen miles, when we found a little water left in the pool seen
+on the 18th. Camp 48.
+
+31st July.
+
+Started at 8 a.m., following our old tracks to 3.30 p.m., when we turned
+to the south up a stream-bed crossed on the 17th. At the gorge where it
+issued from the granite ranges we found a fine pool of permanent water
+and abundance of beautiful green grass. This stream was now named the
+Harding, and, as the packs were heavy, we remained here the rest of the
+afternoon. Camp 49.
+
+A FERTILE PLAIN.
+
+1st August.
+
+Passing under the northern foot of the granite ranges on an easterly
+course for sixteen miles, we came upon a fine reach of open water in a
+branch of the creek on which we had encamped on the 16th July. This pool
+was a valuable discovery, as it would not only form a useful halting
+place on our return, but, from being in the middle of a fertile plain
+containing at least from 15,000 to 20,000 acres of arable land equal in
+quality to the Greenough Flats, the whole could, if necessary, be easily
+irrigated from this large natural reservoir, the highest part of the
+plain not being thirty feet above the water-level at the driest period of
+the year. This fine tract of country, in connection with the lands
+already seen almost adjoining on the eastern bank of the Sherlock, would
+in itself support a larger population than is at present contained in the
+whole of the colony of Western Australia. We had seen more kangaroos on
+these plains than on any other portion of our route; one that was shot
+resembled the Osphranter, and was in very good order, the fur much
+thicker and softer than the common kangaroo of the western coast, and of
+a pale mouse colour. It weighed about forty-five pounds. Camp 50.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+2nd August.
+
+Proceeding eastward over grassy plains and stony ridges, at thirteen
+miles we struck the Sherlock only two miles below the pool at which we
+had left the horse Rocket, and hoped to find him improved by the rest;
+but, on approaching the spot, the presence of crows and a wild dog gave
+indications of a different fate; we found him partly devoured within a
+few yards of where we left him, inflammation of the feet having most
+probably produced mortification. Pushing on till sunset, we arrived at
+our old camping ground (Camp 43) at the bend of the Sherlock. Camp 51.
+
+ASCEND THE SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+3rd August.
+
+Followed up the left bank of the Sherlock to Camp 42, and found a little
+water still remaining in the bird-cage pools, where we halted for two
+hours. At 1.30 p.m. resumed an easterly route across a sandy plain,
+yielding little but hakea and triodia. Five miles brought us to a large
+branch of the Sherlock coming from the south-east, in which were several
+small permanent pools, surrounded by flags, at which we halted. Camp 52.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 7 minutes.
+
+4th August (Sunday).
+
+Although the feed here was very indifferent, yet, as we had again entered
+unexplored country, I was glad to make it a day of rest before entering
+upon the rather unpromising tract of country that lay in the outward
+route.
+
+5th August.
+
+Making a rather late start, on account of the horses having strayed very
+far in search of feed, we steered for a bold range bearing
+east-south-east, distant about twenty miles. At four miles crossed a dry
+channel coming from the south-south-east, and continued our course over a
+poor tract of country, covered with triodia and a few acacia, large bare
+red granite rocks cropping out here and there. At one of these was a
+small waterhole, near which a native was hunting mice. Although at first
+alarmed, he soon told us, in answer to our inquiries, that we should find
+no water to the east, but plenty to the south, which we found to be
+correct, as we had to halt, after a very long day's march, in a dry
+ravine in the ranges for which we had been making. Camp 53.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 10 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+RECONNOITRE THE COUNTRY AHEAD.
+
+6th August.
+
+Having reconnoitred the country for some miles ahead overnight without
+finding water, it was no use leading our horses further into the rugged
+defiles, where we might get entangled for many hours; we accordingly
+struck to the south-west for four miles, when we came on a rocky pool of
+permanent water in the south-east branch of the Sherlock, just at the
+point where it emerges from the hills. Having watered the horses and
+given them an hour's rest, we followed up the stream to the south-east
+for seven miles, when it divided into numerous small dry ravines in the
+heart of an elevated range of granite, capped with metamorphic sandstone;
+water having only been met with within the first mile from where we
+struck it. Camp 54.
+
+7th August.
+
+The horses requiring water, we fell back upon the pool passed yesterday,
+where I decided upon leaving the bulk of the party for the day or two,
+while I explored the country for a pass to the eastward. Camp 55.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 14 minutes 28 seconds.
+
+8th August.
+
+Taking with me Mr. Brown and Mr. Harding mounted, and one pack-horse
+carrying water, we struck through the hills to the eastward, and at six
+miles came upon a stream-bed that led us to the north-east fifteen or
+sixteen miles, when, finding it contained no water, we resumed an
+easterly course over an open sandy and stony plain, covered with triodia,
+for twelve miles, and encamped in poor feed without water. Camp 56.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+THE YULE RIVER.
+
+9th August.
+
+A heavy dew having fallen during the night, our horses were much
+refreshed, and we were enabled to proceed with the scanty supply of water
+carried with us. In an hour we struck upon the channel of a river with a
+sandy bed, 300 yards wide, in which were a few pools of water, under a
+bold sandstone bluff, rising abruptly 300 feet from the plain. From the
+summit of this hill the river was observed to trend to the
+north-north-west for eight or ten miles, and to come upon a gap in a
+granite range four miles to the south-south-east, towards which we now
+turned our steps, across extensive beds of soft drift-sand brought down
+by the river. Cajeput and acacia trees occupied a large portion of the
+channel, and it was not until reaching the gorge in the range that grass
+was met with in sufficient quantities to supply our wants. Several large
+pools, teeming with water-fowl, occupied the whole of the valley, which
+here was fully a quarter of a mile wide. The remainder of the day I
+devoted to sketching and triangulating the country, while the horses were
+enjoying the benefit of the fine feed. Camp 57.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 6 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+10th August.
+
+As this river, from its magnitude, afforded a fair chance of working to
+the south-east, I determined to bring forward the rest of the party.
+Having named this river the Yule, we returned to the depot party by a
+somewhat shorter cut, making it in about thirty miles, which we
+accomplished by sundown.
+
+11th August (Sunday).
+
+Party resting. Observed a set of lunars, which placed us in longitude 118
+degrees 3 minutes east, the rate of the chronometer being still so
+irregular as to be almost useless.
+
+12th August.
+
+To-day the whole party proceeded twenty-four miles towards the Yule,
+finding a small pool of water in a rocky ravine by the way which we had
+missed on our former trip. Bivouacked in an open grassy plain six miles
+short of the river.
+
+13th August.
+
+Moved on to our camp of the 9th, and halted there for the remainder of
+the day. The latitude by meridian altitude of the sun I found to be 21
+degrees 6 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+14th August.
+
+As travelling near the river was found to be very laborious, on account
+of the vast beds of loose drift-sand thrown up by the summer floods, we
+steered to the south-south-east for a pass in the ranges about twenty
+miles distant, through which the river was supposed to come, but on
+reaching the hills, the river was observed to the westward; we
+accordingly altered our course to south-west, and struck it at about six
+miles; the character of the river being still the same, the aggregate
+width of the several channels amounting to nearly half a mile; water
+being procured in them by digging a few inches in the sand. The country
+passed over during the day was an open plain of light sandy loam,
+interspersed with bare granite rocks, cropping out at intervals of a few
+miles. Giant ant-hills of from ten to sixteen feet in height, and thirty
+to forty feet in circumference (a few of which had already been met with
+on our first trip), were here remarkably conspicuous, on account of their
+size and bright brick-red colour. An emu was shot during the day, while
+running at full speed, at the range of over 200 yards. Camp 58.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 23 minutes 23 seconds.
+
+15th August.
+
+One of the horses was missing this morning, so we did not start until 10
+a.m., when the river was followed up to the south-east through country
+the same as yesterday; halting for the night in latitude 21 degrees 32
+minutes 13 seconds. Camp 59.
+
+16th August.
+
+Our average course to-day was nearly east, occasionally crossing channels
+coming from the south-east. Towards evening we found that the main
+channel, which it had been our intention to have followed, had escaped
+our observation to the southward, and we were only on a comparatively
+small tributary coming from a rugged range of hills to the eastward. Our
+object for the present not being to push too far into the interior, this
+tributary was followed until it broke up into numerous small valleys, in
+one of which water was obtained by digging three feet in the sand,
+amongst tolerable feed, the country having much improved in the course of
+the day. Camp 60.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 34 minutes.
+
+ROCKY RANGES.
+
+17th August.
+
+Soon after starting this morning we came upon a camp of natives, but we
+could not prevail upon any of them to stop and hold parley with us. Four
+hours' travelling over rather rocky ground led us well into the range,
+which we found to consist of granite, capped with metamorphic sandstones
+and broken up by dykes of variegated jasper. In a deep ravine at the foot
+of a cliff we found a small pool of beautiful clear spring water, which
+was very acceptable, as the sun had now acquired considerable power, and
+the grasses were beginning to get very dry food for our horses. During
+the halt at this spring Mr. Harding and myself ascended the highest part
+of the range, which was found to be 500 or 600 feet above the plain. From
+this elevation I was enabled to select our onward route, and obtain
+bearings to several useful summits for triangulation--a few hills to the
+south-south-east being visible at the distance of sixty or seventy miles,
+which no doubt form part of the continuation of the Hamersley Range.
+Resuming an east course, the culminating point of the range was soon
+passed, when we descended to the eastward down some deep and remarkably
+picturesque rocky glens, in which were found several springs and pools of
+water, leading down to a fine grassy flat, in which were growing some
+fine large flooded-gum trees. Camp 61.
+
+18th August (Sunday).
+
+Found our latitude 21 degrees 36 minutes 8 seconds; longitude 119 degrees
+13 minutes east by account.
+
+THE STRELLEY RIVER.
+
+19th August.
+
+The country being very hilly, it was found best to follow down the stream
+upon which we had encamped, although it trended to the north of east. In
+a few miles the valley opened out with fine pools of permanent water,
+covered with numerous flights of ducks, and at eight miles it joined a
+wide valley from the south, down which flowed a river, divided into
+several channels, containing many fine pools from 50 to 200 yards wide,
+which were still running gently from one to another. The banks, although
+well grassed, were very rocky, rendering travelling excessively fatiguing
+to our heavily-loaded pack-horses, several of them being bruised and
+strained while jumping from rock to rock, the clefts being too deep and
+narrow for them to walk between, and the ranges bordering the valley were
+too steep to admit of our leaving the river, which we were compelled to
+follow down to latitude 21 degrees 26 minutes 52 seconds. Camp 62.
+
+20th August.
+
+The river, which had been named the Strelley, continued to hold a
+northerly course; we therefore availed ourselves of a smoother valley
+coming in from the east to resume our old course. At nine miles we met
+with a stream 100 yards wide coming from the south-east, evidently
+tributary to the Strelley, and taking its rise in elevated granite ranges
+with black volcanic ridges protruding through them, but not to any
+considerable height above the general level of the country. After a few
+hours' scramble over these ridges we came upon a small stream trending
+east, containing several springs, surrounded by high grass and flags,
+gradually leading us by sunset into a deep pass, walled in by cliffs and
+bluffs from 100 to 300 feet high; the stream, having joined several
+larger ones from the southward, now occupying nearly the whole width of
+the valley. We encamped in one of the wildest and most romantic-looking
+spots to be found in this part of Australia, to which we gave the name of
+Glen Herring, from a fish bearing a resemblance to a herring being found
+in the stream. Camp 63.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+THE SHAW RIVER. NORTON PLAINS.
+
+21st August.
+
+With some difficulty we wended our way down the intricate windings of the
+glen for six miles in a north-east direction, when it opened out into
+grassy flats, turning to the northward. Leaving it at this point, a mile
+east brought us to the bank of a fine open river-bed 200 yards wide, down
+which a little water was still flowing, the country on its banks becoming
+much more promising and grass plentiful. This river I named the Shaw, and
+some beautiful grassy plains through which it came for twenty or thirty
+miles to the southward Norton Plains, after the talented Secretary of the
+Royal Geographical Society. In the afternoon a large tributary from the
+south-east was followed up for some miles, when, turning to the south, we
+quitted it to follow an open valley leading east towards a bold granite
+and schistose range, under which we encamped late without finding water.
+Camp 64.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes.
+
+22nd August.
+
+As we did not find water for some distance to the eastward under the foot
+of the hills, we turned to the south-east, quickly emerging from the
+hills upon the Norton Plains, and at two miles came upon the stream
+quitted last evening, to which the name of Emu Creek had been given. It
+had altered its course, and was again coming from the east, and contained
+several fine springs. This creek was followed up for the rest of the day
+through a rather indifferent country, and, towards nightfall, led us into
+a deep rocky ravine, in which we encamped, a small supply of water being
+obtained from holes in the rocks. Camp 65.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 28 minutes.
+
+23rd August.
+
+As we advanced, the ravine divided into many branches coming from an
+elevated tableland to the southward; we therefore again resumed an
+easterly course for five or six miles, over rugged hills, and descended
+by a gully trending north-east, which led us in a few miles into open
+plains. Skirting the northern foot of the range until after dark, we
+encamped on a small watercourse, in which we obtained water by digging
+under some granite rocks. Camp 66.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 23 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+24th August.
+
+The horses having suffered much amongst the rocks during the last few
+days, I determined to follow the southern edge of the plain until a
+stream could be met with to lead us to the south-east. A few miles
+brought us to a small watercourse running gently from some springs in the
+plain, which, contrary to our expectations, ran into the ranges to the
+south-east instead of coming out of them. As here there was plenty of
+green grass and water, and the horses were not looking well, we encamped
+early in the entrance of the gorge. Camp 67.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+25th August (Sunday).
+
+Longitude by observation 120 degrees 17 minutes; variation 30 minutes
+east.
+
+26th August.
+
+The stream we were upon led us about five miles south-east through the
+hills, and then joined a river coming from the southward, 100 yards wide,
+which was followed down on an average course of east-north-east to
+latitude 21 degrees 18 minutes; reeds and rank grass lining its banks in
+many parts, while in others granite boulders and banks of drift-sand
+offered considerable impediments to travelling. Camp 68.
+
+DEGREY RIVER.
+
+27th August.
+
+The river took us on a northerly course nine or ten miles, receiving many
+large tributaries, several of them still running slightly, forming
+altogether a stream of some importance, which, on account of the large
+extent of pastoral and agricultural lands afterwards found on its banks
+lower down, and its many fine tributaries, I named the DeGrey, in honour
+of the noble lord who took a lively interest in promoting the objects of
+the expedition. As the object at present in view was to push to the
+south-east, we left this promising river and resumed an east-south-east
+course for five or six miles into a hilly country, and encamped in a
+gully with rather scanty feed, a little water being obtained by digging.
+Camp 69.
+
+28th August.
+
+We soon became involved in deep ravines, which led up into high
+tableland, the summit of which was no sooner attained than we had again
+to descend equally precipitous gullies to the eastward, the horses
+sliding down amongst the loose rocks and stones with a velocity that
+threatened immediate destruction; they all, however, arrived safe at the
+bottom, although in so exhausted a state that two of them had very
+shortly after to be left behind, while we pushed on with the rest in
+search of water and feed, which was not met with until late in the day.
+After a short rest I sent Messrs. Brown and Brockman back for the two
+beaten horses, while I moved the party on a mile further to a fine spring
+in a grassy flat, where we encamped. Camp 70.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 9 minutes 3 seconds.
+
+EXTENSIVE GRASSY PLAINS.
+
+29th August.
+
+The two horses left yesterday were brought into camp early in the day,
+and as they were too weak to carry their loads, they were placed on our
+saddle-horses, one of the party by turns having to walk. As the season
+was rapidly advancing, we could not venture to incur any delay, much as
+the horses required rest, and accordingly resumed an east course late in
+the day. At five miles came upon a sandy stream-bed fifty yards wide,
+trending to the north-east, beyond which the country opened out into an
+extensive plain of white waving grass--to the north uninterrupted by a
+single elevation, while to the east and south, at eight or ten miles
+distant, rose ranges of granite hills, capped with horizontal sandstones.
+It was not until some time after dark that we arrived near the opposite
+edge of the plain, when we came upon a river 200 yards wide, running to
+the northward. The long drought had reduced it to a few shallow pools,
+running from one to the other through the deep sand in the bed;
+magnificent cajeput-trees lined the banks, and grass was in abundance.
+Camp 71.
+
+OAKOVER RIVER.
+
+30th August.
+
+We did not start till late, as Mr. Brown had to go back some little
+distance for his horse, which had been again left behind overnight,
+knocked up. As it would have been useless, in the present condition of
+our horses, to attempt at once to enter the ranges to the east, we
+determined to follow up the river for a few days to the south-south-east
+and by so doing secure feed and water, and give the poor animals a chance
+of recovering their strength; we therefore followed the river up for
+seven or eight miles, through fine open forest country, and encamped near
+a deep pool, in which were caught ten or twelve dozen of small trout,
+which, with cockatoos and ducks, afforded an important addition to our
+ration of only seven ounces of meat. This river was named the Oakover.
+Camp 72.
+
+31st August.
+
+For nearly ten miles the river continued to lead us to the eastward of
+south; it then divided, the main channel coming from the south-west; we,
+however, followed the eastern branch until quite satisfied that it
+contained no water, and then fell back to the westward, striking the
+river near some cliffs, at the foot of which water was plentiful.
+Although only 1 p.m., I determined to halt for the remainder of the day,
+as it was too late to make an attempt to enter the hills without giving
+the horses the advantage of some hours' feed and rest. It also afforded
+me leisure to make astronomical observations and work up the plans of our
+route. A set of lunar distances, very carefully taken, placed the camp in
+longitude 121 degrees 3 minutes 30 seconds east, while that by account,
+carried on by triangulation and dead-reckoning from the Sherlock, placed
+us four and a half miles more to the westward; the latitude being 21
+degrees 23 minutes 43 seconds. Camp 73.
+
+1st September (Sunday).
+
+Read prayers.
+
+2nd September.
+
+A march of three hours across the plains to the eastward brought us to
+the foot of the range, which we entered by a tolerably easy pass, and
+soon came upon a pool of water in a tributary to the Oakover, the mouth
+of which had been passed on our ascent of that river. Here we halted for
+two hours, and then resumed our route through steep and rocky hills,
+containing numerous fine springs. It was not until 7 p.m. that we finally
+got through the ranges, and emerged upon open sandy plains of vast
+extent, no object being observable from north-north-east round to
+south-south-east except low ridges of red drift-sand, in many parts
+nearly bare of vegetation. A large party of natives were encamped upon
+the watercourse down which we descended to the plain. Not wishing to
+alarm them, we passed the waterholes from which they were supplied, and
+proceeded a mile farther, but had in consequence to camp without water,
+although amongst abundance of grass. Camp 74.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 21 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+NATIVE HEAD-DRESS. ENTER THE SANDY DESERT.
+
+3rd September.
+
+This morning we returned to the native encampment for water, and found
+that they had already deserted it, leaving many of their things
+behind--amongst others, a very singular head-dress, shaped like a helmet.
+It consisted of a circular band, made of twisted grass, the size of the
+head, into which were stuck ten or twelve upright twigs, brought together
+into a point two feet high, which was woven like an open basket, with
+yarn made of opossum fur; the whole no doubt being considered highly
+ornamental by the wearers, but of not the least service as an article of
+protection for the head, either from the sun or in war. Having watered
+the horses, we entered the sand-plain, travelling between the ridges,
+which ran in straight lines parallel to each other at the distance of
+several hundred yards apart, the sand being thrown by the south-east
+gales into acute ridges thirty to sixty feet high, their direction being
+almost invariably north 109 degrees east. Travelling to 2.15 p.m., we got
+over about eighteen miles, the valleys yielding little else but triodia,
+with occasional patches of stunted gum forest, in which was found a
+little good grass, on which were feeding flights of pigeons and a variety
+of parrot new to us, but which I believe to be the golden-backed parakeet
+(Psephotus chrysopterygius) of Gould. As no water could be found, and
+many of the horses gave signs of being greatly distressed, no change
+being observable in the country for many miles ahead, a few very distant
+ranges being the only objects visible, we were obliged to have recourse
+to the only safe expedient of falling back and forming a depot. Resting
+to 5.10, we commenced a retreat until 7.20, having been obliged to
+abandon a horse of Mr. Brown's, quite exhausted. Camp 75.
+
+4th September.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. resumed our retreat, and by noon arrived at the waterhole of
+the 2nd, having left two more horses behind, which, however, Mr. Brown
+and myself carried out water to in the course of the evening and drove
+them in during the night.
+
+5th September.
+
+Leaving the party to rest, I walked ten or twelve miles round to the
+south-south-eastward, along the foot of the range, in search of water,
+and to ascertain if a better line of country could be found in that
+direction, but it continued to maintain the same arid appearance, and I
+only came on one pool in a gully four miles from the camp. Depot.
+
+6th September.
+
+Leaving Mr. Turner and four of the party in depot, with instructions to
+remain there three days, and then fall back upon the Oakover, where there
+was much better feed, I started with Messrs. Brown and Harding, taking
+six of the strongest horses, sixteen days' rations and six gallons of
+water, and steered south-south-east along the ranges for six or eight
+miles, looking for some stream-bed that might lead us through the plains,
+but was disappointed to find that they were all lost in the first mile
+after leaving the hills, and as crossing the numerous ridges of sand
+proved very fatiguing to the horses, we determined once more to attempt
+to strike to the eastward between the ridges, which we did for fifteen
+miles, when our horses again showed signs of failing us, which left us
+the only alternative of either pushing on at all hazards to a distant
+range that was now just visible to the eastward, where, from the numerous
+native fires and general depression of the country, there was every
+reason to think a large river would be found to exist, or to make for
+some deep rocky gorges in the granite hills ten miles to the south, in
+which there was every prospect of finding water. In the former case the
+travelling would be smoothest, but the distance so great that, in the
+event of our failing to obtain water, we probably should not succeed in
+bringing back one of our horses; while, in the latter, we should have to
+climb over the sand ridges, which we had already found so fatiguing; this
+course, however, involved the least amount of risk, and we accordingly
+struck south four miles, and halted for the night. Camp 76.
+
+REPULSED FOR WANT OF WATER. INTENSE HEAT.
+
+7th September.
+
+The horses did not look much refreshed by the night's rest; we, however,
+divided three gallons of water amongst them, and started off early, in
+the hope of reaching the ranges by noon; but we had not gone three miles
+when one of the pack-horses, that was carrying less than forty pounds
+weight, began to fail, and the load was placed upon my saddle-horse; it
+did not, however, enable him to get on more than a couple of miles
+further, when we were compelled to abandon him, leaving him under the
+shade of the only tree we could find, in the hope that we might bring
+back water to his relief. Finding that it would be many hours before the
+horses could be got on to the hills, I started ahead on foot, leaving
+Messrs. Brown and Harding to come on gently, while I was to make a signal
+by fires if successful in finding water. Two hours' heavy toil through
+the sand, under a broiling sun, brought me to the ranges, where I
+continued to hunt up one ravine after another until 5.0 p.m. without
+success. Twelve hours' almost incessant walking, on a scanty breakfast,
+and without water, with the thermometer over 100 degrees of Fahrenheit,
+began to tell upon me rather severely; so much so that, by the time I had
+tracked up my companions (who had reached the hills by 1.0 p.m., and were
+anxiously waiting for me), it was as much as I could do to carry my rifle
+and accoutrements. The horses were looking truly wretched, and I was
+convinced that the only chance of saving them, if water was not found,
+would be by abandoning our pack-saddles, provisions, and everything we
+could possibly spare, and try and recover them afterwards if practicable;
+we therefore encamped for the night on the last plot of grass we could
+find, and proceeded to make arrangements for an early start in the
+morning. There was still remaining a few pints of water in the kegs,
+having been very sparing in the use of it; this enabled us to have a
+little tea and make a small quantity of damper, of which we all stood in
+much need. Camp 77.
+
+8th September.
+
+At 4.0 a.m. we were again up. Having disposed of our equipment and
+provisions, except our riding-saddles, instruments, and firearms, by
+suspending them in the branches of a large tree, we divided a pint of
+water for our breakfast, and by the first peep of dawn were driving our
+famished horses before us at their best speed toward the depot, which was
+now thirty-two miles distant. For the first eight miles they went on
+pretty well, but the moment the sun began to have power they flagged
+greatly, and it was not long before we were obliged to relinquish another
+horse quite unable to proceed. By 9.0 a.m. I found that my previous day's
+march, and the small allowance of food I had taken, was beginning to have
+its effects upon me, and that it was probable I could not reach the depot
+until next morning, by which time the party left there were to fall back
+to the Oakover; I therefore directed Mr. Brown, who was somewhat fresher
+than myself, to push on for the camp and to bring out fresh horses with
+water, while Mr. Harding and myself would do our best to bring on any
+straggling horses that could not keep up with him. By dark we had
+succeeded in reaching to within nine miles of the depot, finding
+unmistakable evidence towards evening of the condition to which the
+horses taken on by Mr. Brown were reduced, by the saddles, guns, hobbles,
+and even bridles, scattered along the line of march, which had been taken
+off to enable them to go on a few miles further.
+
+EFFECTS OF WANT OF WATER.
+
+9th September.
+
+At dawn Mr. Harding and myself got up from our beds of sand stiff and
+giddy, but much refreshed by the cold night air. In four or five miles we
+met Mr. Brown with fresh horses and a supply of water, having succeeded
+in reaching the depot at 8 p.m. the night before, with only one horse. We
+were now enabled to proceed with the tracking up of the horses left
+overnight, which, after resting some hours, had commenced to ramble in
+search of water; Mr. Brown returning on our route and recovering the
+saddles and firearms left the previous evening, the stores abandoned the
+day before being too far off to attempt their recovery. By 8.30 p.m. we
+had all returned to the depot, having tracked up the three missing
+horses, the two left at the furthest point being too distant to carry
+relief to without incurring the risk of further loss. I cannot omit to
+remark the singular effects of excessive thirst upon the eyes of the
+horses; they absolutely sunk into their heads until there was a hollow of
+sufficient depth to entirely bury the thumb in, and there was an
+appearance as though the whole of the head had shrunk with them,
+producing a very unpleasant and ghastly expression. Depot camp.
+
+10th September.
+
+We were only able to move the camp a mile to another waterhole, for the
+sake of a little better feed. Bivouac.
+
+COMMENCE RETURN JOURNEY.
+
+11th September.
+
+On taking into consideration the reduced number and strength of our
+horses, it was quite evident that we had but little prospect of being
+able to cross the tract of dry sandy country that had already occasioned
+us so much loss and trouble; yet there were many reasons to stimulate us
+to make the attempt. Not only had we now attained to within a very few
+miles of the longitude in which, from various geographical data, there
+are just grounds for believing that a large river may be found to exist,
+draining Central Australia, but the character of the country appeared
+strongly to indicate the vicinity of such a feature; added to which, the
+gradual decline in the elevation of the country, notwithstanding our
+increasing distance from the coast, tended towards the same conclusion.
+Nor should we omit the strong evidences that the remarkable ridges of
+drift-sand which encumbered the plains must in the first instance, have
+been brought from the interior by water, and then have been blown by the
+strong prevailing south-east winds across the country in a direction at
+least 50 degrees from that which they originally came from; this, with
+the clean water-worn appearance of the sand, the bold outlines of the
+hills seen to the far east, and the number of native fires observed in
+the same direction, must all tend to support the hypothesis that the
+western half of Australia is probably drained by a large river in about
+this meridian. I could not, therefore, help regretting more than ever
+that we should be driven back at such an interesting spot; but mature
+reflection convinced me that any further attempt with our present means,
+at this period of the year, was almost certain to be attended with the
+most disastrous results; I therefore decided upon adopting the only other
+useful course open to us--that of examining down to the sea the rivers
+already discovered. With this in view, we to-day fell back five or six
+miles across the ranges to a tributary to the Oakover, called the Davis,
+when one of the horses became so crippled by a strain in the loins that
+we were obliged to halt to give him a chance of recovery, affording me
+leisure to verify our position by observing another set of lunar
+distances, which I found to agree well with those formerly taken ten
+miles to the westward. Camp 78.
+
+DOWN THE OAKOVER RIVER.
+
+12th September.
+
+We commenced the descent of the Davis, having much difficulty in getting
+along the sick horse, as it required the united strength of the party to
+lift him on his legs every time he fell, which he at last did so
+frequently that I ordered him to be shot, as it was hopeless to attempt
+to bring him on, and if left, he must have died of starvation. By 2.0
+p.m. we reached the junction of the stream we were upon with the Oakover,
+and halted two miles south of Camp 72; most of the party being now
+dismounted, shoe-leather was beginning to get very scarce with us. Camp
+79.
+
+13th September.
+
+This day we only travelled eight miles down the Oakover, and encamped
+near a deep creek, in which was caught a good haul of fish. Camp 80.
+
+14th September.
+
+The feed was so good on this river that we were able to proceed to-day to
+latitude 20 degrees 59 minutes 33 seconds; the country improving much,
+grassy flats extending for some miles to the northward, the channel of
+the river being augmented by the junction of the large tributary crossed
+on our eastward track on the afternoon of the 29th August. Camp 81.
+
+15th September (Sunday).
+
+Remained in camp to rest the horses. A few natives were seen near the
+camp during the day.
+
+16th September.
+
+After running four or five miles further north, the Oakover turned to the
+north-west for fourteen miles, having a clear sandy or stony bed from 150
+to 200 yards wide, water and grass being plentiful, and the country
+generally being open forest, with a pleasing appearance. Camp 82.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 46 minutes.
+
+17th September.
+
+The course of the river was followed for about seventeen miles in a
+westerly direction, the bed widening out to 300 or 400 yards, the water
+being now confined to a sandy channel not above 150 yards in width, the
+depth of the valley through which it runs being about forty feet; timber
+of white-gum and cajeput is tolerably plentiful on the banks, the soil of
+which is a red loam of considerable depth. Many of the pools are lined
+with tall reeds. Camp 83.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 41 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+REACH THE DEGREY RIVER.	ABUNDANCE OF FISH.
+
+18th September.
+
+Started at 6.40 a.m. and in two and a half hours entered a deep and
+wild-looking gorge, at which point it formed a junction with the DeGrey,
+coming from the south-south-east, through a beautiful level tract of open
+grassy country, a broad belt of flooded-gum trees growing for some
+distance back on either side. Passing through the gorge, which was a
+quarter of a mile wide and about a mile long, we came upon a camp of
+natives, who, as usual, quickly dispersed without giving us an
+opportunity of showing them that we intended them no harm. The river here
+contains a fine reach of deep water, upon which was a large quantity of
+whistling ducks and other water-fowl. Two miles lower down we halted on
+the banks of a deep creek coming in from the northward; the rest of the
+day being employed re-stuffing pack-saddles, etc., while some of the
+party caught a quantity of fine fish--amongst them an eel, which,
+however, was allowed to escape, being taken for a water-snake by one of
+the party who had never seen one before. A large kind of bat, or vampire,
+was first observed here, measuring about two feet across the wings. Camp
+84.
+
+19th September.
+
+We continued to follow down the DeGrey for about eighteen miles in a
+west-north-west direction, through open grassy plains extending for many
+miles on either bank, the channel of the river still maintaining the same
+sandy character, and with abundance of water in its bed. Camp 85.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 36 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+20th September.
+
+There was little or no change in the appearance of the country for the
+eighteen or twenty miles that the river was traced down during to-day. We
+encamped on the bank of a wide and deep reach of water more than a mile
+long, surrounded by tall reeds. Fish were caught here in great abundance.
+Camp 86.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 31 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+NATIVE CAMP.
+
+21st September.
+
+Shortly after starting we crossed the bed of a tributary coming in from
+the southward, with a shallow sandy channel 200 yards wide, which must
+drain the high ranges between the DeGrey and Shaw Rivers, which we passed
+over on our outward track. In many places we began to observe patches of
+triodia in the midst of the alluvial plains through which the river
+continued to run, and distant ranges were observed both to the north and
+south. Towards sundown we surprised a large party of natives encamped in
+a dry channel of the river, and approached so near before we were
+discovered that we had separated a young child from the rest of the
+party, which was observed by the mother, who remained while the rest of
+the natives made a hasty retreat; it was not long, however, before an
+aged warrior returned to her aid, with his spear shipped, and came
+forward in a very menacing attitude to recover the child, who stood by us
+with a look of the most perfect unconcern. Finding we took no notice of
+his threats, he threw down his weapon, and, walking up to the boy, caught
+him up in his arms and bore him off, with a look of triumph, to his
+companions. No attempt was made to carry away their supper, which was
+ready prepared in a number of wooden scoops, and consisted of fish, rats,
+beans, grass-seed cakes, and a beverage made with some oily seed pounded.
+Leaving everything undisturbed, we pushed on for another mile, so as to
+prevent their being afraid of returning to their evening repast. Camp 87.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 25 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+ATTEMPT TO SPEAR HORSES.
+
+22nd September.
+
+Being Sunday, we only moved a mile lower down the river to a fine reach
+of water, on the banks of which was a rich sward of green grass for our
+horses. Shortly after we had made ourselves comfortable for the day we
+were startled by six of the horses coming into camp at a gallop in their
+hobbles, followed by eighteen armed natives. Everyone sprang to their
+arms in a moment, which caused the intruders to fall back. I tried to
+make them comprehend that we did not approve of the horses being hunted;
+but as they would not go away, and they had a strong party concealed in
+the brushwood, I fired at a tree to show them the use of our arms. The
+moment they heard the report of the rifle and saw the splinters fly, they
+took to their heels and did not again trouble us. We afterwards found a
+spear sticking in the ground in the track of the horses, having evidently
+be thrown while in pursuit. Camp 88.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 25 minutes; longitude 119 degrees 21 minutes.
+
+23rd September.
+
+The river soon passed round the southern foot of a range of hills of 400
+or 500 feet elevation, the country to the south again becoming very
+fertile, and clothed with a rich sward of kangaroo-grass; at ten miles we
+struck the Shaw River, coming from the south-east, with a broad, deep,
+and well-defined channel, in which were many fine pools of water. Below
+the confluence of the rivers the DeGrey widened out considerably, turning
+rather more to the northward, and seven miles further was joined by the
+Strelley, in latitude 20 degrees 16 minutes, and longitude 119 degrees 5
+minutes east; the river being diverted to the northward by a rugged range
+of volcanic hills; its course being now direct for Breaker Inlet, which
+was distant about eighteen miles. Camp 89.
+
+MAGNETIC ROCKS RENDER THE COMPASS USELESS.
+
+24th September.
+
+As it was very important that I should obtain a round of bearings before
+proceeding any further, the country having for some days past been too
+flat to afford many opportunities for triangulation. I to-day started
+with Messrs. Harding and Brown to ascend the ranges that lie to the west
+of the river. A scramble of three miles over very rugged rocks brought us
+to the highest point, which was found to be not more than 500 feet above
+the sea; our journey, however, turned out to be fruitless, the magnetic
+attraction of the volcanic rocks of which the hills are composed being so
+great as to reverse the needle, which varied so much that I could not
+even make use of the compass to take angles, and I had omitted to bring a
+sextant. Kangaroos were numerous among these hills, but we did not
+succeed in shooting any; they appear to be similar to those seen on the
+plains near the Sherlock. The view we had of the country was very
+extensive. To the south is a vast gently-undulating plain, only
+occasionally interrupted by detached granite and sandstone peaks; while
+narrow green lines of trees intersecting the plain in various directions
+indicate the watercourses coming from the distant ranges, and wander in
+wide sandy channels towards the sea; the course of the Strelley being
+easily distinguished for many miles. To the north the eye could trace the
+broad sandy bed of the DeGrey, trending towards Breaker Inlet, the
+position of which was only distinguishable by the margin of deep-blue
+mangroves that line it, and the whole of the extremity of the delta
+formed by the alluvial deposits brought down by the river. To the east
+and west of this is a wide expanse of alluvial flats, covered in most
+parts with rich, waving grass, the sameness of the scenery being relieved
+by detached patches of open park-like forest of flooded-gum. Returning to
+the camp by noon, the remainder of the day was devoted by me to bringing
+up the arrears of mapping, etc., and by the party generally in providing
+a supply of fish and ducks, which here were found to be very plentiful.
+
+25th September.
+
+By 7 a.m. we were once more tracing down the DeGrey through the flats
+seen yesterday. At eight miles the river divided into two channels of
+nearly equal width, the eastern one being followed to latitude 20 degrees
+5 minutes 16 seconds, travelling being very heavy, on account of the
+numerous rat-holes that completely undermine the banks of the river for
+more than a quarter of a mile back on either side. For the last few miles
+the water in the river was decidedly brackish, and at our camp was
+evidently influenced by the tides; we, however, procured some tolerably
+good water by sinking a well in a sandbank in the dry portion of the
+channel, which here was about 300 yards wide. Camp 90.
+
+SUDDEN RISE OF TIDE.
+
+26th September.
+
+This morning we found the water in the well quite salt, in consequence of
+the tide having risen during the night; and as our horses required water,
+it was found desirable to fall back upon some of the fresh pools to form
+a camp, while a day or two could be devoted to the examination of this
+fertile and interesting tract of country. We accordingly crossed the
+channel and proceeded westward for nearly three miles, when we came upon
+the other branch, which proved eventually to join again several miles
+below, forming an island containing some 8000 or 9000 acres of alluvial
+flat soil, covered with a quantity of mixed grasses. To this was given
+the name of Ripon Island. The western channel was found to be over 300
+yards wide, and to contain several fine reaches of open water, some fresh
+and others slightly brackish; they were all teeming with ducks and a
+great variety of water-fowl. Having selected a suitable spot for a camp,
+I started with Messrs. Brown and Harding to examine the country towards
+the inlet. At a little more than two miles we crossed the river between
+two pools of salt water, subject to the influence of the tides, and
+proceeded northward over an open grassy flat for two miles further, when
+the grass gave place to samphire and small mangrove bushes, which
+gradually thickened to dense mangroves, cut up by deep muddy creeks,
+which put a stop to proceeding further in that direction. Here we
+observed several remarkable stacks of dead mangroves, evidently piled
+together by the natives, but for what purpose we could not ascertain,
+unless to escape upon from the tide when fishing. Having gained firm
+ground, we made a detour more to the eastward, and at last succeeded in
+reaching the bank of the river close to the head of the inlet. The tide
+being at the ebb, I was able to walk over the mud and sand to the mouth
+of the river, and obtain bearings to Points Larrey and Poissonier, and
+observe the character of the entrance, from which I formed the opinion
+that the breakers seen by Captain Stokes when surveying this portion of
+the coast, and which deterred him from entering the inlet, were nothing
+more than the sea-rollers meeting a strong ebb tide setting out of the
+DeGrey, possibly backed up by freshes from the interior which would, from
+a river of this size, occasion a considerable commotion where the tide
+amounts to twenty feet; at any rate, I could not observe any rocks, and
+there appeared to be a channel with at least five or six feet of water in
+it at low tide. For the first mile the river has a breadth of from 400 to
+800 yards, and would admit with the tide vessels of twelve or fourteen
+feet draft of water with perfect safety up as far as Ripon Island, where
+they could lie completely sheltered in all weathers quite close to the
+shore, which here has steep banks twenty to thirty feet high; they would
+however, be left aground at low water, as we did not observe any pools in
+this part of the river. I had only just time to complete my observations
+when the roaring of the incoming tide warned me that no time was to be
+lost in returning to the horses, which were nearly a mile higher up the
+river. Although I ran part of the way, the mud creeks filled up so
+rapidly, there was some risk of my being cut off from the shore and
+having to take up a roost on the top of the mangroves until the tide
+fell; I had time, however, to observe that the head of the tide carried
+with it thousands of fish of great variety, amongst them a very
+remarkable one from three to six inches in length, in form resembling a
+mullet, but with fins like a flying-fish; it is amphibious, landing on
+the mud and running with the speed of a lizard, and when frightened can
+jump five or six feet at a bound; I did not, however, succeed in
+capturing one for a specimen. Swarms of beautiful bright-crimson crabs,
+about two inches diameter, were to be seen issuing from their holes to
+welcome the coming flood, on which was borne a great number of sea-fowl,
+who, it was evident, came in for an abundant feast in the general
+turmoil. Mounting our horses, that had stood for the last two hours
+without touching a mouthful of the rank grass around them for want of
+water, we returned to the camp by a different route, through open grass
+flats bordering the deep reaches of water that encompass the north-west
+side of Ripon Island.
+
+SCARCITY OF WATER NEAR THE WEST.
+
+27th September.
+
+Accompanied by the same party, but with three fresh horses, we again
+started to explore the plains eastwards towards Mount Blaze. For several
+miles after leaving the island the country continued of the same fertile
+character as that passed over yesterday, and is at times subject to
+inundation from the river; but as we receded from the influence of the
+floods the soil became lighter and the grass thinner, with patches of
+triodia and samphire. At twelve miles we entered a patch of open grassy
+forest, extending for some miles; but as there was no promise of
+obtaining water, and the day was calm and sultry, we turned to the
+northward in the hope that water might be procurable under the low
+sand-hills that line this portion of the coast. In this we were, however,
+disappointed, as the fall of the country terminated in mangroves and
+salt-water creeks, between which and the sea is a narrow ridge of low
+sand-hills. Amongst them we observed many tracks of natives; but did not
+discover any water. The sea here is apparently very shallow for many
+miles off shore, more than half a mile of mud and sandbank being left dry
+at low water. Resting the horses for two hours, we returned to camp by a
+more direct route, passing for several miles over a plain of rich black
+mould, covered with a short sward of bright-green grass, the native fires
+having swept off the dry grass a few weeks previously; and although there
+had been no rain since, the heavy dews that fell during the night in
+these latitudes had been sufficient to produce a rapid growth.
+
+28th September.
+
+As I expected to meet with some difficulties for want of water between
+this and the Yule River, I thought it best to give the horses the benefit
+of a little rest before resuming our homeward route. Some of the party
+were also deriving much benefit from the abundance of fresh game, as they
+had been suffering from debility, brought on most probably by
+over-exertion while traversing the heavy country of the interior. While
+here we obtained several additions to our small collection of
+birds--amongst them a beautiful wader, the size of a large snipe, the
+head being covered by a remarkable membranous hood or sheath of a rich
+gamboge-yellow, resembling the leaf of a flower falling back from the
+beak, and lying close over the feathers, protecting them when the beak is
+plunged into the sand after food; they had also a remarkable sharp horn
+or claw projecting forward from the last joint of the wing, with which
+they can fight when attacked by birds of prey. A very handsome bird was
+also shot resembling a flamingo, the body being about the size, and in
+plumage like a pelican; the head and neck of a deep rich purple, and
+formed like the flamingo; the legs bright red, long and slender; it flies
+extended to its greatest length, measuring six feet two inches, and
+across the wings seven feet two inches; its weight being only 11 pounds.
+A white heron, with bird-of-paradise feathers on its back, was
+occasionally seen, but only one specimen procured.
+
+29th September (Sunday).
+
+DELTA OF THE DEGREY RIVER.
+
+30th September.
+
+We made an early start up the river, and at three miles struck out into
+the plains to the westward, where we found a large extent of open flat,
+yielding grass and atriplex, and timbered in many parts with
+flooded-gums. At ten miles we came upon a deep reach of water flowing to
+the north-west, which must empty itself into the sea four or five miles
+to the south-west of Spit Point, forming an island of a portion of the
+delta of the DeGrey, containing between 90,000 and 100,000 acres of
+alluvial land. This channel was followed up, and found to come from the
+river, close to the junction of the Strelley, and must be a very
+considerable outlet for the water during the summer rains. I regretted
+much not having time to trace this branch of the DeGrey to its mouth, as
+it might be found to be navigable, and afford a fine site for a seaport
+town. Fresh water is abundant, and building stone procurable in any
+quantity being found in the immediate vicinity on land superior to
+inundation. We remained at the junction the rest of the day. Camp 92.
+
+THE STRELLEY RIVER.
+
+1st October.
+
+As the plains were now dry and parched, we determined to follow up the
+Strelley to the ranges before striking west to the Yule. At first the
+river spread out into so many wide grassy channels that it was difficult
+to trace it; but at four or five miles collected into one bed, about 100
+yards wide, in which were a few small pools. Up to this point the country
+had been fertile, the soil being an alluvial clay, resulting from
+volcanic rocks; but after getting clear of the line of hills, the soil
+became poor and hungry, yielding little else but triodia and acacia
+bushes; water was procured in several places in the course of the day's
+march; our course having been nearly due south. Camp 93.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 32 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+2nd October.
+
+The river led us this morning a little to the eastward of south, through
+a country very similar to yesterday. Late in the day we crossed a
+considerable tributary coming from the south-east, which was now quite
+dry, and takes its rise in a bold range of granite hills now visible to
+the southward, at the distance of ten or twelve miles, and forms a part
+of the main tableland of this part of the coast; the plain we had been
+passing over being only a sea-flat, with a few detached ranges widely
+scattered over its surface. The river now began to trend to the westward,
+granite rocks showing themselves on the surface in large masses. Water
+was occasionally procurable, which was very important, as the horses
+could not travel many hours without it, although the heaviest packs were
+reduced below 100 pounds. We had now only six saddle-horses, so that two
+of the party had to walk by turns for an hour at a time. We halted late
+in latitude 20 degrees 45 minutes 17 seconds. Camp 94.
+
+3rd October.
+
+Started at 6.30 a.m., and in an hour came upon a fine pool in the
+granite, which was very acceptable, as we had encamped overnight without
+any water. The channel of the river here deepened considerably, was full
+of rocks, and contained plenty of water. Skirting the ranges for some
+distance, several tributaries joined from the southward. The country,
+although rocky, improved much in general appearance; grass was abundant,
+and game frequently met with. At night we encamped on a small pool in the
+bed of the river about five miles from the foot of the range. Cockatoos
+and pigeons came in great numbers to drink at the pool about sundown.
+Camp 95.
+
+Latitude 20 degrees 56 minutes 33 seconds, longitude 119 degrees 10
+minutes by account.
+
+4th October.
+
+Made an early start, and travelled four miles on a south-west course,
+when the river divided into two channels, the main one coming from a deep
+gorge to the south-south-east, exactly in the direction in which we had
+left the Strelley on our outward route, at a distance of about thirty
+miles; identifying the stream with some degree of certainty. Taking the
+western branch, which would lead us towards the Yule, we followed it up
+until long past noon into a hilly country, without meeting with water;
+we, however, saw a large extent of fine grazing land which would make an
+excellent summer station when the flats were inundated. Having rested
+during the heat of the day, which had lately become rather oppressive, we
+resumed a westerly course, having run out the head watercourses of the
+western branch of the Strelley. A few miles brought us to a considerable
+stream-bed trending to the north-west, which was followed down till some
+time after dark, having procured a few gallons of water from a native
+well in the bed of a creek. To-day we had travelled for nine hours, and
+accomplished a distance of twenty-two miles, the longest day's march we
+had made for many weeks past. Early in the day we had noticed what we
+took for a great number of native fires springing up in all directions,
+and quickly to die away again; we, however, found it to be a number of
+whirlwinds, carrying with them huge columns of charcoal and dust, which
+traversed the plains sometimes for miles before they broke. Camp 96.
+
+Latitude 21 degrees 4 minutes.
+
+REACH THE YULE RIVER.
+
+5th October.
+
+Our computed distance from the Yule was now only twenty-one miles, and
+the country promised well for travelling; but the long march yesterday,
+and the short allowance of water, rendered it very doubtful whether some
+of the horses would hold out long enough to reach it; we therefore had
+our breakfast before daylight, and as soon as we could see resumed our
+route to the westward. At five miles we crossed a sandy channel, 200
+yards wide, full of cajeput and gum trees, but as we did not soon find
+any water in it, pushed on at a rapid pace, and in two miles more crossed
+a similar channel, 100 yards wide, trending north-west and running
+parallel to the first; beyond this the ground became rocky for a few
+miles, and by the time we had gone rather more than twelve miles, Mr.
+Burges' mare, Lucy, could go no further; giving her half a-gallon of
+water out of the little stock carried with us, I left Messrs. Brown and
+Harding to bring her on when rested, and with the rest of the party
+continued our route. A mile or two further, and another horse, Bob, was
+knocked up and left behind, having also had some water given him. With
+considerable difficulty we succeeded in getting the rest of the horses on
+to the Yule by 1.30 p.m., making it close to our camp of 13th August. Had
+the distance been ten miles further, probably not more than three or four
+of the horses would have ever reached it, so much were they reduced in
+strength. On reaching the pool, several of the horses, notwithstanding
+our efforts to prevent them, rushed headlong into the water with their
+packs on, and drank so much of it that it was with great difficulty we
+could drag them out again. In the course of the afternoon Messrs. Brown
+and Harding came in with the horse Bob, but had not been able to get the
+mare on more than two or three miles; being anxious, however, not to lose
+her, I sent McCourt and James with two of the strongest horses, carrying
+four gallons of water for her, after which they succeeded in getting her
+into camp by midnight. Camp 97.
+
+6th October (Sunday).
+
+Moved a short distance down the river to camp 57 for better feed.
+
+CROSS DRY COUNTRY TO SHERLOCK RIVER.
+
+7th October.
+
+As the distance from the Yule to the last known permanent water on the
+eastern branch of the Sherlock is over twenty-five miles, and our means
+of carrying water very limited since abandoning our largest pair of kegs
+in the retreat on the 8th September, I to-day set to work and soldered up
+a number of preserved-meat tins that had been carefully opened and kept
+for this purpose, putting a small spout to each; eight of these (4-pound
+tins) we found to contain something over four gallons, which, added to
+our water belts and the two remaining kegs, would provide for the
+conveyance of twelve gallons of water, which I hoped would prove
+sufficient to enable us to pass the dry tract of country in safety, as it
+would allow half a gallon to each horse and an ample supply for the party
+for two days. I also succeeded in repairing the aneroid barometer, which
+had been crushed nearly flat by the fall of a horse; fortunately,
+however, without injury to the vacuum vase.
+
+8th October.
+
+Having rearranged the loads and lightened them by leaving hid amongst the
+rocks a pack-saddle and sixty pounds weight of horse-shoes and nails, at
+3.45 p.m. we commenced a retreat on our outward tracks of the 13th
+August, travelling to 7.15 p.m., when we encamped on a patch of tolerably
+good grass in the plain at the foot of a volcanic range, without any
+signs of water near us. Camp 98.
+
+9th October.
+
+We were up before daylight, and by 6 a.m. had our breakfast, and were
+again on our march, visiting a waterhole seen on our outward route, but
+now found to be quite dry. We pushed on at the best speed of our horses,
+which was now not much over two miles an hour, to 10.0, when the heat of
+the day began to tell on the jaded animals; we therefore halted for an
+hour to give the horses half a gallon of water each, after which they
+travelled on much more briskly, so that by a little past noon we
+succeeded in reaching the large pool in the eastern Sherlock, near Camp
+55; some of the horses were, however, so much exhausted that we had some
+difficulty in getting them to move for the last mile, although entirely
+relieved of their loads. Camp 55a.
+
+10th October.
+
+Although the horses were by no means in a fit state to continue the
+march, yet grass was so scarce, on account of the native fires having
+here swept it off, that we found it best to push on for the springs at
+Camp 52.
+
+Following down the banks of the stream, we found several pools not yet
+dried up, which proved a great help to our horses; before noon, however,
+the mare Lucy again gave in, and was finally abandoned, as there was but
+little chance of her ever reaching the bay; it is possible she may live
+to be picked up by some future travellers, although too old to last many
+years. By 1.0 p.m. we reached the springs at Camp 52, and found an ample
+supply of water, but the grass was here also much parched up; we,
+however, remained for the rest of the day.
+
+NATIVE DEPREDATIONS.
+
+11th October.
+
+This morning our route was resumed down the eastern Sherlock, tracing a
+portion that had not been before examined, and which was now found to be
+well supplied with water and grass; cockatoos and pigeons being seen in
+large numbers feeding on the banks. As we approached the junction of the
+two branches of the river we met a party of ten or twelve natives, who
+came boldly up to us, which was the only time we had known them to do so
+since quitting Nickol Bay. Hoping to gain some useful information from
+them, they were allowed to follow us to our old camp of 2nd August, where
+there are the large fish-pools, of which they gave us the native names.
+We were not quite so successful in procuring game here as on the former
+visit, although as much fish was caught as could be consumed while it was
+good. The natives kept rather aloof while we were shooting on the river,
+but after dusk eight or ten came to the camp, unarmed, evidently on a
+thieving excursion, and although narrowly watched, managed to carry off a
+portion of Mr. Hall's kit, which, however, he recovered next morning, on
+paying them an early visit, finding the articles buried under some rushes
+in their camp.
+
+THEY SET THE GRASS ON FIRE.
+
+12th October.
+
+We were now getting so near our destination that, although provisions
+were getting low, we could afford to give the party a whole day's rest,
+while I was enabled roughly to plot out some more of my work and write up
+the journal, which, from having my time constantly taken up with more
+pressing duties, had fallen sadly into arrears. The natives again came to
+see what they could steal, but this time were made to sit outside a line
+drawn on the sand, some twenty paces from the camp--an arrangement they
+appeared highly to disapprove of, giving expression to their
+dissatisfaction in a manner anything but polite; finding, however, that
+we were inattentive to their impertinence so long as they confined it to
+harmless display, they watched their opportunity, and suddenly set fire
+to the grass in several places at once around the camp, and ran off as
+hard as they could. As this was an open act of hostility that it was
+necessary they should be chastised for, although I did not wish seriously
+to hurt them, they were allowed to run to a suitable distance, when a
+charge of small shot was fired after them, a few of which taking effect
+in the rear of the principal offender, induced him, on meeting some of
+the party out shooting, to make an apology, and try to lay the blame of
+the theft of the previous day on the dogs.
+
+13th October (Sunday).
+
+As the distances between the several watering places on the homeward
+route were too much to perform without intermediate halts, and the heat
+of the noon-day sun rather oppressive, it was found better to start from
+the pools late in the day, so as to make the halts without water during
+the cool of the night, travelling only very late in the evening and early
+in the morning. We accordingly did not start this afternoon until 4 p.m.,
+and travelled on to 8.45, encamping in an open grassy plain under Black
+Hill--a volcanic eminence, the position of which is shown on the
+Admiralty charts. Camp 99.
+
+14th October.
+
+By 6 a.m. we were again on the move, and in an hour gained the banks of
+the George, which takes its rise in the volcanic hills to the southward.
+In its channel was an abundant supply of water, with many fine healthy
+trees overshadowing the pools. By 9.0 we arrived at our old camp (50),
+where we rested to 4.15 p.m., when we resumed and travelled on till
+nearly 8.0, encamping on the open grassy plains near the Harding River.
+Camp 100.
+
+REACH THE HARDING RIVER. FLYING FOXES.
+
+15th October.
+
+An early start enabled us to accomplish the remaining six miles to the
+Harding by 8.30, where we halted for the remainder of the day, as it was
+not unlikely that we might have to travel the remaining thirty miles into
+the bay without finding any more water. As we had now only four days'
+rations left, and it was uncertain, in the present low condition of our
+horses, how long it might take us to reach the ship, the sportsmen of the
+party made the best use of the halt to procure game, while I proceeded to
+convert some more of the empty meat-tins into water-canisters, increasing
+our means for the transport of water to eighteen gallons, with which we
+had a fair prospect of getting in all the horses, even though no more
+should be found on the route. Our camp was enlivened this evening by the
+continued screeching of a number of large bats, which kept up a vigorous
+fight in the trees overhead the greater part of the night,
+notwithstanding our shooting ten or twelve of them. They were very fat,
+but emitted such an intolerable odour that it would require even an
+explorer to be hard pressed before he could make a supper of them, either
+roasted or boiled.
+
+16th October.
+
+This morning set in intensely hot, by noon the thermometer standing at
+107 degrees in the shade, and at 3 p.m., when placed on a sandbank in the
+sun, rose to 178 of Fahrenheit; on the setting in of the westerly breeze
+it, however, fell at once to 96 degrees, and by 4.30 p.m. we were enabled
+to resume our route without feeling in any way inconvenienced by the
+temperature. We did not now attempt to pass through the rocky ranges so
+far to the eastward as on our outward route, but kept more to the
+westward along the open grassy valley, until opposite the narrowest part
+of the range, when, turning sharp to the north, we very quickly passed
+over the rocky portion of the hills, only encountering a few miles of
+extra rampant triodia, which was anything but pleasant to walk through,
+especially leading the party after dark. Following down a small
+watercourse for several miles, it at length joined the Nickol River, in
+which we shortly after found a small quantity of water in the bottom of
+what had been a pool, but which towards the close of the dry season
+sometimes goes dry; here we halted for a few hours to rest. Camp 101.
+
+LAST DAY'S JOURNEY.
+
+17th October.
+
+Without waiting for daylight, by 2.10 a.m. we were again on the move, as
+there was now a fair chance of getting all the remaining horses into the
+bay, if we did but avoid travelling during the heat of the day. In an
+hour the hills were cleared, and it was now all open plain as far as the
+marsh at the head of Nickol Bay. By the time the morning broke we were in
+full view of the bay and several islands of the Archipelago, the long
+black hull of our ocean-home riding at anchor on the now placid waters
+forming by no means the least pleasing feature of the scene to those who
+had not seen a vestige of civilisation for many months. After halting for
+nearly two hours for breakfast, and to distribute the water amongst the
+horses, we again moved rapidly on, crossing the marsh with some
+difficulty, owing to the spring-tide having been recently over it, and at
+1 p.m. arrived on our old ground at Hearson Cove, where we found a boat
+and party from the ship waiting for us, James having been despatched by a
+shorter route to signalize our return. Everything had gone on
+satisfactorily during our absence. The vessel's water-tanks had been kept
+filled up, ensuring a supply for our horses on the homeward voyage, as it
+would be utterly impossible at this season of the year, with the animals
+in such low condition, to attempt the overland route to Champion Bay.
+Amongst other discoveries during our absence was a bed of pearl-oysters
+at the head of the bay, from which the crew of the Dolphin had procured
+several tons of very fine mother-of-pearl, besides a small number of
+pearls varying in size from one to four carats.
+
+18th October.
+
+The party was fully occupied in clearing out the well and packing up
+saddles and outfit for shipment. It was also found that deepening the
+well had caused the water to become brackish, so much so that we had to
+bring water by boat from the spring at which the ship had been filled up;
+the horses however still managed to drink the well-water, although it
+produced great thirst. I have no doubt but that, had we had time to sink
+a fresh well closer to the foot of the hills, we should have obtained
+fresh water, as several ravines terminate there in a beautiful grassy
+flat, where a large proportion of the rainwater brought down from the
+hills sinks into the soil, from whence it gradually drains down and
+supplies the wells in the salt strata. I was disappointed to find that
+the cotton plants, that had thriven so well on first being sown, had been
+burnt in consequence of some of the sailors having thoughtlessly set fire
+to the adjoining grass; had they not been killed, by this time they would
+probably have been in flower, as their growth was very rapid.
+
+EASTERN PART OF NICKOL BAY.
+
+19th October.
+
+As it was necessary to give the horses a few days' rest previous to
+swimming them off to the ship, I started this morning in the life-boat,
+accompanied by Captain Dixon and Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Walcott, to
+examine the eastern shores of the bay, for the purpose of ascertaining
+whether a more suitable spot for a landing place and site for a future
+town could be found in that quarter. Leaving the Dolphin at 5.30 a.m., we
+ran to the eastward with a light south wind, passing, at six miles, two
+small islands in the mouth of the small bay into which the Nickol River
+discharges itself. These islands had been visited already by Mr. Walcott,
+and I gave them the name of Pemberton and Walcott Islands. Continuing to
+run along the shore towards Cape Lambert, the soundings gave from two to
+three fathoms, with a good bottom of mud and sand, but the landing was
+generally indifferent and rocky until we came to within about nine miles
+of the cape, when a deep opening was passed, affording good shelter and
+landing for small craft. Two miles further we landed in a small rocky
+cove for breakfast, which gave me an opportunity of climbing a hill and
+examining the surrounding country, which proved very dry and rocky. A
+little further we passed a bold headland, against the extremity of which
+rested a singular flying buttress, forming half an arch of fifty or sixty
+feet span, and from thirty to forty feet in height. Turning this
+headland, another opening was observed, which we entered with the tide,
+and soon found that it communicated with the first one, forming an island
+of some extent and elevation, to which was given the name of Dixon
+Island. We continued to beat down the channel, which had an average width
+of over half a mile, until late in the evening, when we came to anchor in
+eleven feet of water.
+
+20th October.
+
+At daylight we found ourselves high and dry, only a narrow channel a few
+yards wide being left. Having walked over the mud to Dixon Island to
+breakfast, the vicinity was examined for water, but without success. At 6
+a.m. the tide came in again so rapidly that it was not without some
+little difficulty that we gained our boat, when the wind set in so
+strongly from the south-west that, after several hours' almost
+ineffectual attempts to work to windward, we again landed not two miles
+from our last night's anchorage, the character of the country being
+equally unfavourable for landing, as it was cut up by deep mangrove
+creeks running far up the valleys into the steep rocky hills, forming a
+difficult and unpromising country. The breeze having moderated and
+shifted a point more to the westward, we again attempted to beat out into
+the bay, but by 9 p.m. had not made more than three miles, when we landed
+for the night, leaving two of the party in charge of the boat to keep her
+off the rocks when the tide fell.
+
+21st October.
+
+The wind and tide being now in our favour, by 3.30 a.m. we took to our
+boat, and arrived on board the Dolphin by 10, when she was very soon got
+underweigh for the purpose of taking her closer in to ship the horses;
+light and variable winds, however, prevented our working more than a mile
+nearer the landing cove by sundown, when we dropped anchor for the night.
+
+22nd October.
+
+With a light west wind the Dolphin was worked into eleven feet water, one
+and a quarter miles off the point near the cove; the vessel drawing over
+ten feet, brought the mud up to the surface in our wake. Eight horses
+were soon swam off without much difficulty, as we all had now some little
+experience in this sort of work.
+
+EMBARK FOR FREMANTLE.
+
+23rd October.
+
+By 2 p.m. the remaining six horses and equipment of the Expedition were
+all safely shipped, and a conspicuous intimation of our sojourn on the
+coast having been painted in large white letters on a pile of granite
+rocks near the south corner of the cove, we took our final departure,
+getting the Dolphin underweigh by 4, with a light westerly wind, which
+carried us through the passage between Hauy and Delambre Islands by 7,
+when we hauled up and stood to north-north-west.
+
+24th October.
+
+The wind still holding to the west, we made but little progress, the
+Dolphin being only a good sailer in smooth water, or running before the
+wind.
+
+Latitude 19 degrees 12 minutes south at noon.
+
+25th October.
+
+By noon observations we were only in latitude 18 degrees 42 minutes;
+longitude 113 degrees 32 minutes.
+
+26th October.
+
+The wind veering slightly to the south, we were able to make by noon to
+latitude 18 degrees 46 minutes 30 seconds; longitude 111 degrees 47
+minutes 30 seconds.
+
+27th October.
+
+From this time to the 3rd November the winds continued to blow almost
+uninterruptedly from the south and eastward, which carried us as far west
+as longitude 101 degrees east, and latitude 31 degrees south, where we
+met with westerly winds, which enabled us to run up to within sight of
+Cape Naturaliste by the 8th.
+
+9th November.
+
+By 10 a.m. we were off Rottnest Island, when the pilot came on board and
+took us to the anchorage in Gage's Roads by noon. Having given
+instructions to Mr. Turner for the landing of the horses, etc., I landed
+with Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Hall, all of whom were, at their desire,
+at once released from the duties of the Expedition. Proceeded by steamer
+to Perth.
+
+10th November.
+
+Had an interview with His Excellency the Governor, and reported the safe
+return of the party and general results of the Expedition.
+
+F.T. GREGORY,
+
+Commander North-West Australian Expedition.
+
+Perth, 6th February, 1862.
+
+...
+
+APPENDIX.
+
+Adopting the course which I have found most convenient on similar
+occasions, I now proceed to offer a few remarks on the general features,
+productions, and natural capabilities, etc., of the country traversed by
+the Expedition, which could not, without disadvantage, have been
+introduced into the foregoing narrative. These remarks have already
+appeared at the conclusion of my report published on the 18th November,
+1861, but are equally applicable to the present publication.
+
+Commencing with its geographical and geological peculiarities, that
+portion of the country that came under our observation consists of a
+succession of terraces, rising inland for nearly 200 miles, more or less
+broken up by volcanic hills towards the coast. The first belt averages
+from ten to forty miles in width from the sea, and is a nearly level
+plain, slightly ascending to the southward, with an elevation of from 40
+to 100 feet, the soil being generally either light loam or strong clays,
+according as it is the result of the disintegration of the granite rocks
+that occasionally protrude above its surface, or of volcanic rocks of
+black scoria that frequently interrupt the general level; hills of this
+nature also constitute the greater portion of the more elevated islands
+off the coast, Cape Lambert, and the promontory that shelters the western
+side of Nickol Bay. The generality of these rocks do not, however, yield
+so rich a soil as might be expected from their origin. This is owing to
+the absence of actual lava, the eruptive heat having nearly been
+sufficient to convert the superincumbent primary and tertiary rocks into
+a vitreous scoria, having a specific gravity of 3.2, and is highly
+indestructible in its texture.
+
+Proceeding inland for the next fifty or sixty miles is a granite country
+that has been originally capped with horizontal sandstones, and has an
+elevation of about 1000 feet. This range terminates to the southward in
+level plains of good soil, the produce of the next series of more
+elevated country, while towards the northern edges the granite and
+sandstones have undergone great changes through the action of numerous
+trap dykes, that have greatly disturbed its surface, producing
+metamorphic rocks, some resembling jasper, and others highly cellular and
+scoriaceous.
+
+In about latitude 22 degrees, on the meridian of Nickol Bay, we came upon
+another and more elevated range trending away to the south-east, having
+an altitude of 2500 feet above the sea. This, unlike the last section,
+has a southern escarpment of 500 or 600 feet, and consists of horizontal
+sandstones and conglomerates, which have comparatively undergone little
+change, and has an average breadth of eight or ten miles, the southern
+flank being bordered by fertile valleys of strong loamy clays, merging
+gradually to the southward into stony ridges and hills, some having an
+elevation of nearly 4000 feet, the culminating point being attained at
+Mount Bruce, in latitude 22 degrees 30 minutes.
+
+From this point the country gradually falls to the Ashburton, the bed of
+which river, in the same meridian as the bay, is about 1600 feet above
+the sea, and the adjoining ranges not above 2200 feet, or about the same
+as the country on the Gascoyne, Lyons, and Upper Murchison.
+
+Of minerals I was unable to discover any traces, except iron. Quartz
+reefs occasionally traversed the country in a north-north-east and
+south-south-west direction, or nearly the same as the mineral lodes at
+Champion Bay; but I could not find any instance in which this rock
+offered much to indicate the probable existence of gold, it being far
+surpassed in this respect by the rocks on the Upper Murchison. Coal does
+not appear likely to be found within the limits of the country passed
+over, unless towards the easternmost point attained by the Expedition.
+
+With respect to the harbours on the coast, I can only speak of Nickol Bay
+and the anchorage under Rosemary and the adjacent islands. The former I
+consider only second to King George's Sound, as it can be entered in all
+weathers, either from the north or north-east, and there is reason to
+believe that a safe passage exists between Legendre and Dolphin Islands,
+leading into Mermaid Straits, where there appears to be an excellent
+harbour at all seasons of the year.
+
+The soundings towards the eastern and western shores of Nickol Bay, taken
+at low water, show sufficient depth for vessels of considerable tonnage
+to lie within a cable's length of the shore, the bottom being fine sand
+and soft mud. Towards the head of the bay the water is much shallower,
+not carrying more than two fathoms two miles from the shore. No reefs are
+known to exist in this bay, except quite close into land.
+
+In making the running survey of the western promontory I found that all
+to the north of Sloping Head was an island, having a boat channel between
+from half a mile to a mile wide. To the outer portion I therefore gave
+the name of Dolphin Island.
+
+The tides are tolerably regular, and average sixteen feet, but at the
+spring they rise twenty-one feet, on which occasions the whole of the
+western promontory, including the high lands for several miles to the
+westward, are entirely cut off by the sea, the other opening being under
+Enderby Island--a circumstance that greatly detracts from the value of
+these otherwise fine harbours, as it would require two miles of causeway
+to connect the best landing place, where water is to be found, with the
+mainland.
+
+The average declination of the needle throughout this district I found to
+be 1 degree east, the result of many amplitudes and azimuths; there is,
+however, in the vicinity of many of the volcanic hills great local
+attraction.
+
+Of the climate I can only say that during the five months we remained on
+the coast we never experienced the same inconvenience from it that we
+frequently have done within the limits of the settled districts of the
+colony; the weather was, however, principally fine, and the sky clear
+during our stay, only two showers having occurred--one at the latter end
+of May and the other in June. The meteorological register kept at Nickol
+Bay shows the following results, from observations taken at all hours of
+the day and night:--
+
+COLUMN 1: MONTH IN WHICH THERMOMETER READING WAS RECORDED.
+COLUMN 2: MAXIMUM.
+COLUMN 3: MINIMUM.
+
+May : 80 : 65.
+June : 76 : 63.
+July : 78 : 56.
+August : 80 : 54.
+September : 83 : 65.
+October : 92 : 70.
+
+Under the peculiar circumstance of the thermometer being placed on a
+sandbank in the sun during the hot days in October, it rose to 178
+degrees of Fahrenheit, whilst the lowest it ever fell to was up in the
+hills, in July, when it was 2 degrees below freezing just before sunrise.
+
+The winds continued to blow almost uninterruptedly from the east and
+south-east during the first four months, veering to the south-south-east
+and south and occasionally to the north-east. Latterly the wind was
+alternately south-east in the morning, and north-west or westerly in the
+afternoon; the sky becoming frequently overcast, and every appearance of
+the near approach of the rainy season, which it has been observed by
+navigators and explorers to do about the beginning of November, and
+continue to March.
+
+Amongst the natural productions I would first briefly refer to the beds
+of the pearl oysters, as they are likely to become of immediate
+commercial importance, considerable numbers having been gathered by the
+crew of the Dolphin at their leisure time, the aggregate value of which,
+I am told, is between 500 and 600 pounds; besides pearls, one of which
+has been valued by competent persons at 25 pounds. The limits of the bed
+are as yet undefined, but there is good reason to believe, from the
+position of it, that with proper apparatus ships could soon be loaded
+with them.
+
+Sandalwood was found in small quantities, very highly scented, but too
+widely scattered to become of much importance as an article of export.
+
+Of indigenous fruits, etc., we observed the adansonia, or gouty-stemmed
+tree of Sir G. Grey (nearly allied to the baobab or monkey bread-fruit of
+Southern Africa), sweet and water melons similar to those formerly seen
+by me on the Lyons River, but of much larger size; a small gourd; a wild
+fig, well-tasted; and a sweet plum, very palatable, were found in
+tolerable abundance.
+
+I have already spoken of the palms which grow on the bank of the
+Fortescue; they are very handsome and grow to the height of forty feet,
+but not having brought in any specimens, they have not yet been
+identified as to their variety.
+
+Tobacco does not grow so luxuriantly here as on the Lyons River, but the
+natives collect it, and after preparation, chew it; but we did not on any
+occasion observe them to smoke.
+
+Many beautiful flowers were also collected, which will be forwarded to
+some of the most eminent botanists, to be described and classified.
+
+It now only remains for me to give an opinion on the capabilities of the
+country for colonisation. It would be almost impossible to particularise
+the positions or define the limits of country adapted for grazing
+purposes beyond the reference already made to them. The total amount of
+land available for this purpose within the limit of our route I should
+estimate at not less than two or three millions of acres, and of this I
+may safely say 200,000 are suitable for agricultural purposes, the
+greater portion of which lies on the two flanks of the Hamersley Range,
+on the banks of the DeGrey and its tributaries, and on the Lower
+Sherlock.
+
+Of the fitness of this district for the growth of wool, which, on account
+of its being an intertropical country, it is generally supposed it would
+be unsuitable, I would remark that its elevation above the sea appears
+likely to obviate the objection, and render it probable that sheep may
+not degenerate in the same way they are found to do in other tropical
+countries; at any rate, flocks are now being pushed over on to the same
+latitude in Queensland, and we do not hear of the wool-grower complaining
+that such is the case there.
+
+As to its fitness for the growth of cereals, it is quite possible that
+wheat and barley may not come to the same degree of perfection they do in
+the more temperate latitudes of Australia, but there is no reason to
+doubt its capability of growing sufficient grain for the support of a
+numerous population.
+
+What it appears more highly qualified for than anything else is the
+growth of cotton--a question which at the present juncture cannot be lost
+sight of. From my personal observation of the cultivation of this plant
+in Egypt, and the attention I have recently paid to this subject while in
+Europe, I feel confident that a very considerable portion of the arable
+lands on the DeGrey and Sherlock are precisely the soils adapted for the
+production of this valuable commodity. As, however, I purpose to make
+this the subject of a more lengthy paper at a future period, I will not
+now venture to enlarge upon it.
+
+As the number and disposition of the aborigines is likely to have some
+effect on the first settlement of a district, I would give it as my
+opinion that these people will not prove particularly troublesome to the
+settlers, if properly and fairly treated. They are not numerous, and
+appear very willing to take employ under Europeans, and will no doubt
+soon be made as useful as in the other districts. In stature they rather
+exceed the usual standard, some of them measuring two or three inches
+over six feet.
+
+In bringing my report to a close, I would wish to observe, that although
+the results of the Expedition have fallen short of my sanguine hopes with
+regard to Geographical discovery, and will, I am afraid, in some degree
+disappoint the anticipations of the eminent Geographers who have lent
+their valuable aid in promoting the undertaking, yet I cannot but hope
+that the large amount of additional fertile country it has brought to our
+knowledge will compensate in some degree for the deficiency. I am,
+however, unable to refrain from again expressing my opinion, that had not
+so many concurrent circumstances combined to retard the departure of the
+Expedition until so late in the season, and it had arrived on the coast
+at the time originally recommended by the Geographical Society, it would,
+in all probability, have resulted in the full accomplishment of the
+object they had in view.
+
+It now devolves upon me to perform the pleasing duty of recording my
+entire satisfaction with the manner in which the whole of the members of
+the Expedition put forward their best energies in the performance of
+their respective functions. To Mr. Turner I am indebted for the care
+bestowed on the management of the store department, which came under his
+immediate charge. To Messrs. Brockman and Hall, J. McCourt, and James,
+are due my acknowledgments for the cheerful alacrity with which they
+performed the duties allotted to them.
+
+Of Messrs. Maitland, Brown and J. Harding I cannot speak too highly.
+Accompanying me on all the extra services upon which I was engaged, they
+had to endure privations of no ordinary description, which they met with
+a spirit of steady fortitude deserving of the highest praise. Of the
+valuable services rendered to the Expedition and to science by Mr. P.
+Walcott I have already had occasion to refer, and I sincerely hope that
+his talents and zeal in the pursuits of Botany and Natural History may
+meet a more substantial reward than the thanks which are justly due to
+him and those gentlemen who have given their time and talents
+gratuitously in the service of their fellow-colonists.
+
+To Captain Dixon and the officers and crew of the Dolphin every praise is
+due for the assistance which on all occasions they promptly afforded in
+aiding the Expedition, and for which I gladly avail myself of the present
+opportunity to return them my best thanks.
+
+In conclusion, permit me to tender Your Excellency my acknowledgments for
+the readiness with which you have acceded to my various suggestions in
+carrying out the arrangements of the Expedition since the passing of the
+vote of money in aid by the local legislature.
+
+F.T.G.
+
+...
+
+VOCABULARY OF THE ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE AT NICKOL BAY.
+
+BY MR. P. WALCOTT.
+
+COLUMN 1: ENGLISH.
+COLUMN 2: ABORIGINAL.
+
+Emu : Galiberie.
+Kangaroo : Peckoora.
+Kangaroo (Rock) : Noordee.
+Barbed spear : Bilara.
+Common spear : Wera Wera.
+Foot : Jinna.
+Sleep : Gnaree.
+Water : Baba.
+Sit down : Barnee Boongoo.
+Come here : Gokie.
+Eastern tribes : Kakardi.
+Hair of head : Knuggnura.
+Twine : Bingooro.
+Nose : Moola.
+Tongue : Talee.
+Cockle (unio) : Yoondo.
+Ears : Kulka.
+Scars on the arms, etc. : Waarbungabo.
+Red ochre or wilgee : Marder.
+Sand : Narnoo.
+Bean (scarlet runner) : Koordala.
+Toe nail : Mindee.
+Oyster (rock) : Jibboor.
+Oyster (pearl) : Weerdee.
+Grass : Warabo.
+Fishing net : Takaroo.
+Fetch or bring : Takora.
+Acacia : Baragoon.
+Breadfruit tree : Tangoola.
+Gourd or calabash : Guabooraam.
+Firewood : Tamara.
+Granite rock : Caragnoo.
+Come : Gokee.
+Go : Wakkie.
+Cowrie or Cypraea : Weelungooroo.
+Sun : Yanda.
+Biscuit : Mardomurrie.
+Sea shag : Toorna.
+Native dog : Wanga.
+Vomit : Kalkalubata.
+Knife : Chumberrie.
+Horse : Gnoormiee.
+Sponge : Banga.
+Axe : Carama.
+Black wattle : Eringgna.
+Snake : Walee.
+Tobacco : Gaanaree.
+Convolvulus : Yaabin.
+Scarlet trefoil : Beeban.
+Hungry : Kamoongoo.
+Knee : Manboor.
+Shin : Kojaee.
+Thigh : Woolagallu.
+Eyelash : Gneearee.
+Forehead : Wara.
+Lip : Walee.
+Knuckles : Munjee.
+Elbow : Yarna Mangoola.
+Big toe : Guangnaree.
+Seaweed : Binda.
+Smoke : Choochoo.
+Ribs : Boonggna.
+Fly :  Boroo.
+Clouds : Yoonggnoo.
+Rain : Bandaroo.
+Scoop shell : Bera.
+Iron : Tanga Tanga.
+Boat : Kajuree.
+Sneeze : Kanjeerneo.
+Sugar : Kungknara.
+
+***
+
+
+NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION.
+
+1855 TO 1856.
+
+ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION.
+
+The circumstances which led to the organisation of the Expedition for
+exploring Northern Australia, and the special objects of the Imperial
+Government in undertaking it, are best detailed in the following Despatch
+from His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, Secretary of State for the
+Colonies, to Captain Fitzgerald, Governor of Western Australia:--
+
+The Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, to the Governor
+of Western Australia.
+
+Downing Street,
+
+31st August, 1854.
+
+SIR,
+
+You will probably have been rendered aware by the reports of the
+Parliamentary Debates of last session, and from other sources, that Her
+Majesty's Government have been long considering the project of
+despatching an exploring expedition to lay open, if favoured with
+success, more of the interior of the great Australian Continent than the
+many energetic but partial attempts hitherto made have succeeded in
+developing.
+
+This scheme originated with the Council of the Royal Geographical
+Society, who corresponded with the Colonial Department on the subject of
+it during last winter. But it was ultimately considered by Her Majesty's
+Government that the importance of the subject rendered it more advisable
+that the expedition should be undertaken under their own
+superintendence, and as a matter of public concern; and Parliament has
+now placed at their disposal a sum of 5000 pounds for the purpose, and
+will undoubtedly give further assistance should it be requisite.
+
+Great difficulties have, however, presented themselves as to the
+necessary arrangements. The hostilities in which the country is involved
+have necessarily directed the time and thoughts, not of Her Majesty's
+Government only, but also of many of those whose professional knowledge
+and experience might have been of the greatest assistance, in another
+direction. Of the distinguished Australian explorers now in this country
+some are incapacitated by reason of health, and others by the
+circumstance of their services being required in other directions, from
+taking the command.
+
+It would, however, be a matter of regret if, now that the money has been
+voted and the preparations partially made, the Expedition was not able to
+start at the best period for commencing operations next year, which on
+the northern coast of Australia seems generally thought to be from
+February to April.
+
+I enclose copies of certain portions of the correspondence which took
+place early in the present year between the Colonial Department and
+Captain Stokes and Mr. Sturt, who were consulted in order to obtain the
+benefit of their advice, and the former of whom I had at one time the
+hope to secure for the command of the Expedition.
+
+You will collect from these documents that the general view of those who
+have considered the subject appears to be that Moreton Bay would be a
+convenient rendezvous for the land portion of the Expedition; that they
+might be conveyed by sea to the mouth of the Victoria River, on the
+north-west coast; that it would be advantageous, if possible, that they
+should act in concert with a Government vessel, which might be employed
+in surveying operations in the Gulf of Carpentaria and neighbourhood,
+while the land explorers were engaged in the interior.
+
+SELECTION OF COMMANDER.
+
+Her Majesty's Government are, however, fully aware that such projects,
+especially where they involve so much combination, can only be submitted
+generally to the leader of such an expedition, to whom great latitude
+must be left as to the mode of carrying his instructions into execution.
+
+They have now come to the determination of offering the command of the
+land expedition to Mr. A.C. Gregory, Assistant Surveyor, in Western
+Australia. They have been induced to take this course both by the very
+high testimonials which have been given to the abilities and fitness of
+this gentleman for the purpose by such authorities as they have been able
+to consult in England, and also by your own reports concerning him,
+particularly that contained in your despatch of the 6th January, 1852.
+
+Should Mr. Gregory accept the charge, which I trust, notwithstanding its
+arduous and responsible nature, you will find him ready to do, it is the
+wish of Her Majesty's Government that without waiting for further
+instructions he should proceed immediately to Sydney, where he will find
+such instructions awaiting him, and where his party will be organised.
+
+You are authorised to supply Mr. Gregory with the necessary funds for
+this purpose, which will be repaid to the Local Government, from the
+Commissariat chest.
+
+If you are aware of any persons in your Government well qualified and
+willing to serve under Mr. Gregory in subordinate capacities, or if he
+has himself any assistants whom he would be anxious to engage, you are at
+liberty to place them at his disposal; but it must be understood that
+this permission does not apply to persons who are to take charge of
+scientific departments of the Expedition, as there are already gentlemen
+of this class with whom her Majesty's Government have been in
+correspondence; any such person who may wish to join the Expedition can
+do so only as a volunteer.
+
+Copy of this despatch has been transmitted by the same mail to Sir
+Charles Fitzroy, and likewise to the other Australian Governors. Sir
+Charles Fitzroy will therefore be fully prepared to receive Mr. Gregory,
+and to render him all assistance in his power; and I have every reason to
+hope for the zealous co-operation of the several local Legislatures and
+Governments in a scheme intended for the development of the vast and
+unknown resources of their common Continent.
+
+You will, on receiving this despatch, immediately communicate with Mr.
+Gregory, and if he should accept the command of the Expedition, inform
+both the Secretary of State for the Colonies and Sir Charles Fitzroy, and
+the other Australian Governments, immediately of his having done so, and
+of his intended movements.
+
+I have, etc.,
+
+(Signed) NEWCASTLE.
+
+...
+
+JOURNAL OF THE NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPLORING EXPEDITION, BY A.C. GREGORY.
+
+The preliminary arrangements for the North Australian Exploring
+Expedition being complete, the stores, equipment, and a portion of the
+party were embarked at Sydney in the barque Monarch and schooner Tom
+Tough, and sailed for Moreton Bay on the 18th July, 1855, and on the 22nd
+anchored at the bar of the Brisbane River. The next day the Monarch
+attempted to enter the river, but being taken by the Government Pilot
+half a mile to the east of the channel over the bar, grounded, and was
+not got off till the 26th, when she entered the river. The steamer
+Ballarat was engaged to tow the Monarch up to the town of Brisbane; but
+having struck on a rock near Ipswich, sank, and the steamer Hawk was
+engaged to tow up the river. The Hawk, however, proved to be of
+insufficient power, and it was then decided to embark the horses and
+sheep, which had been collected by Mr. H.C. Gregory, at Eagle Farm.
+
+HORSES EMBARKED AT MORETON BAY.
+
+The horses having been got on board the Monarch on the 31st July, and the
+sheep the next day, the steamer Bremer was employed to tow her over the
+Bar. It was evident, however, that the Bremer did not intend to do this,
+for she slacked the tow-line, and then steamed ahead full speed and
+snapped the hawser, and went off without any explanation.
+
+Having removed a quantity of stores from the Monarch to the Tom Tough, so
+as to reduce the draft of the former, on the 8th August warped over the
+bar and went over to Moreton Island, where about three tons of water were
+taken in from the fresh-water creeks near the Pilot Station.
+
+On the 12 August weighed and left Moreton Bay; and this being the last
+point of communication with the civilised world, the Expedition might be
+considered to commence on this date.
+
+The party consisted of eighteen persons, as follows: commander A.C.
+Gregory; assistant commander, H.C. Gregory; geologist, J.S. Wilson;
+artist and storekeeper, J. Baines; surgeon and naturalist, J.R. Elsey;
+botanist, F. Mueller; collector and preserver, J. Flood; overseer, G.
+Phibbs; stockmen, etc., C. Humphries, R. Bowman, C. Dean, J. Melville, W.
+Dawson, W. Shewell, W. Selby, S. Macdonald, H. Richards, J. Fahey. The
+livestock comprised fifty horses and 200 sheep.
+
+The provisions consisted of flour, salt pork, preserved beef, rice, peas,
+preserved potatoes, sago, sugar, tea, coffee, vinegar, limejuice, etc.,
+calculated to supply the party on full rations for eighteen months.
+
+On 13th August passed Breaksea Spit, and Port Curtis next morning, the
+weather being fine with south-east winds; reached Port Albany on 26th.
+Landed on Albany Island, which is principally of sandstone formation
+rising into hills of moderate elevation, the soil generally poor and
+sandy covered with bush and small trees, with a few open grassy patches.
+Fresh water was found in a small cove 100 yards north from the
+landing-place on the sandy beach; the supply was so small as to be of
+little use, and the position inconvenient of access.
+
+The mainland appeared to be covered with much dense bush, and the rocky
+sandstone hills did not indicate that the country was of any great value
+either for agricultural or pastoral purposes.
+
+Port Albany is a narrow, but deep channel between Albany Island and the
+mainland of Cape York. It is easy of ingress and egress; but is neither
+safe or convenient, owing to the great rapidity of the current which sets
+through with the tide.
+
+Some canoes with natives came to the vessels. They evidently have
+frequent communication with vessels passing through the Straits, and are
+well acquainted with the use and name of tobacco, which they smoke in
+large bamboo pipes. Their arms consisted of spears, bows, and arrows. The
+canoes, formed of a single tree, rudely hollowed out, and fitted with
+outriggers.
+
+27th August.
+
+Left Port Albany, and, passing through Endeavour Strait, were favoured
+with a light easterly wind as far as Port Essington, which was sighted on
+September 1st, and after passing through Dundas Strait anchored for the
+night.
+
+The following morning passed Vernon Island with a light breeze. At 9.50
+p.m. the Monarch grounded on a rocky reef off the entrance of Port
+Patterson, the master of the vessel not having made due allowance for the
+indraught of the tide. Unfortunately this occurred at the top of the
+spring tide, and the result was that, though every exertion was made to
+warp the vessel off, the tide did not rise sufficiently to float her
+until the 10th September, when, by cutting off the false keel and
+levelling the surface of the rock, we succeeded in hauling her off, with
+comparatively little damage, as the weather continued calm during the
+whole of this anxious period.
+
+As the vessel lay on her side at low tide, the position of the horses was
+extremely inconvenient, and they suffered a greater amount of injury
+during these eight days than on the whole of the preceding voyage, and it
+is to this that the subsequent loss of so large a number of the horses is
+to be attributed; for though only two died on board the vessel, the
+others became so excessively weak that some had not the strength to go
+through the fatigue of landing and the journey from Point Pearce to the
+Victoria River, and at the same time the supply of forage was so reduced
+that it became necessary to land the horses immediately on reaching Point
+Pearce, and before the place could be examined for the best landing.
+
+LAND AT THE ENTRANCE OF VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+After getting off the reef, light winds and calms delayed the voyage to
+the Victoria River; but as the Tom Tough worked along the coast better
+than the Monarch, I went on with the schooner to examine the entrance of
+the river. Ascending the Victoria to Blunder Bay, found that the locality
+was not suited for landing horses, and therefore returned to Treachery
+Bay, near which Mr. H.C. Gregory had discovered abundance of grass and
+water under Providence Hill of Captain Stokes; commenced landing the
+horses on the 18th; but, in consequence of the strong tides and extensive
+mangrove flats, great difficulties were encountered, the horses having to
+swim more than two miles from the vessel to the shore, and were so
+exhausted that three were drowned, one lost in the mud and mangroves, and
+one went mad and rushed into the bush and was lost. Having transferred
+the stores to the Tom Tough, on the 24th the Monarch sailed for
+Singapore. Mr. Wilson was instructed to proceed in the schooner up the
+Victoria River, and to establish a camp at the highest convenient
+position on the bank of the river, while I proceeded overland with Mr. H.
+Gregory, Dr. Mueller, and seven of the men, hoping, by easy journeys of
+eight to ten miles per day, to give the horses time to partially recover
+the effects of the voyage.
+
+MACADAM RANGE. RUNNING STREAM OF FRESH WATER.
+
+1st October, 1855.
+
+Accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, I left the camp to search for a
+practicable route by which we could cross the MacAdam range; but, after
+proceeding about a mile, shot an emu, with which we returned to camp, and
+again started at 7.10 a.m., pursuing a south-east course, crossed a stony
+ridge, and at 8.0 a.m. came on a creek about twenty yards wide, with good
+pools of water and a grassy margin, but the country generally barren and
+stony. After several ineffectual attempts, we ascended the hills to the
+south-east of the creek, and traversed a very broken country of sandstone
+formation till 11.0 a.m., when we reached the head of a creek trending to
+the southward; this was followed down till 1.0 p.m. when we halted an
+hour, and again proceeded till 4.30 p.m., the country being very poor and
+rising into rocky hills on both banks of the creek; we then entered a
+wide grassy flat destitute of trees, extending six miles north to south,
+and fifteen miles east to west; on the south side there appeared to be a
+creek or river, which we supposed to be the Fitzmaurice River. This plain
+was bounded on all sides by steep rocky hills of sandstone of barren
+aspect. Returned up the creek till 6.0 p.m. and halted for the night. The
+day was hot and sultry, though a heavy thundershower somewhat cooled the
+air. The MacAdam Range is of sandstone, the strata of which dip about 30
+degrees to the south, in which direction, as we advanced, the rock was
+more slaty, and broke into rhomboidal fragments. Water is abundant in the
+creeks, but the grass is scanty, and the rough surface of the sandstone
+and rocky ravines renders the country difficult to traverse. Timber is
+scarce, chiefly small-sized eucalypti; the cotton-tree was observed in a
+few of the valleys.
+
+2nd October.
+
+Returning to the camp we attempted to follow one of the creeks down to
+the plain on the north-west side of the range, but found the ravine too
+steep and rocky for the horses to pass, and were compelled to retrace our
+steps and cross several steep and rocky hills, reaching the camp at 2.0
+p.m., at which time the thermometer stood at 94 degrees in the shade and
+114 degrees in the sun.
+
+3rd October.
+
+Three of the horses had strayed, and this detained us till 11.0 a.m.,
+when I started with the party, leaving Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman to look
+for the missing animals. Proceeding in a south-east direction to the
+crossing of the first creek, ascended the MacAdam Range, and steered
+east-south-east to the second creek; the course was then north-east and
+east to the head of the creek tributary to the Fitzmaurice River, and
+then encamped at 3.45 p.m. At the highest point on this day's route the
+aneroid stood at 29.40, and at the camp 29.55; thermometer, 88 degrees.
+The higher points of the range did not exceed 100 before the highest
+ridge crossed.
+
+By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude 14 degrees 33 minutes 26
+seconds.
+
+4th October.
+
+At 10.0 a.m. Messrs. H. Gregory and Bowen reached the camp with one of
+the missing horses, and, having obtained some provisions, returned to
+search for the other two horses. At noon started with the party, and
+followed down the creek in a south-south-east direction till 4 p.m., and
+encamped at the termination of the hilly country. One of the horses,
+Madman, showed symptoms of illness a short time before we started, and in
+crossing the creek half a mile above where we encamped he fell down and
+in less than three minutes died. This was a serious loss, as this animal
+was one of the most serviceable of our horses, having stood the voyage
+without losing his condition. The cause of death we were unable to
+ascertain; but the probability is that some poisonous plants existed at
+the place where we encamped last night.
+
+By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude of the camp was 14
+degrees 39 minutes 26 seconds. Thermometer: Sunrise, 80 degrees; at 11
+a.m., 93 degrees; wet bulb, 80 degrees.
+
+5th October.
+
+This morning I started with C. Dean to examine the country to the east;
+after traversing the plain for two hours, came to a running stream ten
+yards wide, but the current very slow. The vegetation on its banks was
+very luxuriant, presenting a striking contrast to the surrounding
+country. Followed the creek to the east and south for one and a half
+miles, when it changed to a salt creek, joining the Fitzmaurice River. We
+then steered south-east to a detached conical hill, which consisted of
+the same hard fine-grained sandstone as the ranges near the camp.
+Steering north-east and east for three miles along a salt creek, came to
+the termination of the salt water, where we saw four natives digging
+roots; on observing us they decamped. Our course was now south-east to a
+range of rocky hills, which we could not ascend with our horses from
+their steep and rocky character. We therefore steered north-west to a
+green patch of bushes in the plain, and at two miles came to a small
+lagoon 200 yards long and 30 yards wide, on which were numerous ducks and
+other water-fowl. Here we halted for one and a half hours, and then by a
+north-west and west course, passing through grassy plains and patches of
+forest, reached the camp at 8.30 p.m. Thermometer, 78 degrees to 104
+degrees.
+
+6th October.
+
+Started at 8.10 a.m. with the whole party, and, steering east to the
+running creek, crossed it at the head of the salt water, and proceeding
+up the stream three-quarters of a mile, encamped. Near the creek we saw a
+native man and two women, who were much alarmed at the sudden appearance
+of the party, and retreated across the plain.
+
+By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude was 14 degrees 40 minutes
+4 seconds at this camp.
+
+7th October.
+
+At 8.0 a.m. steered an easterly course, crossing the grassy plain, beyond
+which we passed a low stony ridge thinly wooded with small trees; at 9.40
+crossed a deep watercourse, with waterholes and grassy flats, and at
+10.15 p.m. came to a second creek, which was followed up to the
+east-north-east till 11.20, when we halted at a small patch of grass; at
+1 p.m. I rode to the north and east to seek a more suitable spot for an
+encampment, and having found a grassy flat and pool of good water one and
+a half miles higher up the creek, the party moved on to it at 4 p.m.
+
+8th October.
+
+Taking Dean with me, I proceeded to the south of the camp to ascertain
+the most convenient ascent of the rocky hills which bounded the plain.
+Following a small valley into the hills, after two hours' ride came to a
+creek trending to the south, the valley of which afforded a practicable
+line of route. We therefore returned to the camp at noon. At 3.0 p.m.
+started with the party, and moved the camp to the creek found in the
+morning. Thermometer, 114 degrees at 1 p.m.
+
+9th October.
+
+Started at 8.0 a.m., accompanied by Dean, and followed the creek through
+a rocky valley between sandstone ranges, the strata of which dip to the
+west at a high angle--30 degrees to 40 degrees; at 10.15 a.m. came to the
+tide waters of the creek, and after crossing several stony ridges which
+came close to the bank of the creek, at 11.30 a.m. reached a small
+running stream with a patch of good grass; here we halted for two hours,
+and then returned to camp; which we reached at 5.0 p.m., and found that
+Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman had arrived with the two stray horses, having
+found them about ten miles to the north-west of the camp, at the reedy
+swamp from which they strayed. Thermometer, 6 a.m., 77 degrees; noon, 114
+degrees; 6 p.m., 92 degrees.
+
+ENCOUNTER STEEP ROCKY RANGES.
+
+10th October.
+
+At 7.50 a.m. started with the whole party, and proceeded down the creek
+to the head of the salt water, and then by a detour among the rocky hills
+reached the running creek visited yesterday, and encamped at 11.0 a.m.; I
+then started with Mr. H. Gregory in a southerly direction, and after an
+hour's ride came to the Fitzmaurice River, which varied from 100 to 300
+yards in width, the general course nearly east and west; the channel was
+full of rocks and banks which were dry at low water, the rise of the tide
+nearly twenty feet. The hills which bounded the valley of the creek we
+had descended terminated in an abrupt rocky ridge which left no passage
+between it and the river; we therefore returned about half a mile to the
+north, and, after a toilsome ascent of nearly an hour, crossed the ridge
+and halted at a small spring on its eastern side till 2.0 p.m., when we
+proceeded up the river, crossing two small dry creeks; after a fruitless
+search for a suitable spot to which the camp could be moved, there being
+no fresh water in the creeks, we turned towards the camp, but could not
+cross the range, as we everywhere encountered steep rocks and ravines,
+and were glad to extricate ourselves from the hills at 9.0 p.m., when we
+bivouacked in a grassy flat.
+
+11th October.
+
+At 4.30 a.m. resumed the attempt to cross the range, and at length found
+a practicable route for the pack-horses, passing a small spring of water
+at 7.0 a.m., and reached the camp at 8 a.m.; during our absence one of
+our best pack animals had died, apparently from poison. At 2.0 p.m. the
+party started to cross the range; but the horse Drummer was so weak that
+he fell several times, and we were at length compelled to abandon him.
+Having crossed the hills to the Fitzmaurice River, we proceeded up the
+valley and halted at a salt creek seven or eight yards wide, there being
+a little green grass on its banks.
+
+Latitude by observation b Pegasi and a Andromedae 14 degrees 47 minutes
+18 seconds.
+
+HORSES BITTEN BY ALLIGATORS. CROSS THE FITZMAURICE RIVER.
+
+12th October.
+
+During the night the horses were several times disturbed, but it was not
+till morning that the cause was ascertained, when we found that they had
+been attacked by the alligators, and three were severely bitten and
+scratched. At 8.0 a.m. started to follow up the river; but the rocky
+hills approached so close to its banks as to leave no passage, and we had
+to ascend the range, which was not an easy task; after three hours of
+severe toil under a scorching sun we reached a more practicable country,
+and at 3.30 p.m. encamped on the bank of the river, above the influence
+of the tide, fifty yards wide. Two of the horses had been left about a
+mile from the camp quite exhausted, but at sunset they were brought in to
+the camp.
+
+Latitude by observation a Cygni 14 degrees 51 minutes 37 seconds.
+
+13th October.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. crossed to the left bank of the river at a stony bar where
+the water formed a rapid twenty yards wide and two feet deep; we then
+followed the river up for half an hour and altered the course to
+south-south-east, along a running creek ten to twenty yards wide; at 8.5
+a.m. crossed a running stream from the west; at 10.30 a.m. two of the
+horses were completely exhausted, but having rested them at a pool of
+water, one revived, but were compelled to leave the other. We then
+proceeded, but were obliged to return to the creek about a mile higher
+up, as several of the horses began to fail, and though we rested till 3.0
+p.m., the second horse was unable to proceed, and was therefore
+abandoned. Since these horses were landed they have not had strength to
+rise without assistance, and it has been necessary to even watch them
+while feeding to lift them up when they fall down from exhaustion.
+Continuing our route, the valley was about two miles wide, with
+flat-topped hills bounding it on the east and west; there were a few
+pools of water in the creek, but the country was poor and stony with a
+few patches of grass; at 5.0 p.m. encamped.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of a Cygni 15 degrees 1 minute 10 seconds.
+
+14th October.
+
+Started at 6.30 a.m. and pursued a south course till 8.0 a.m., when we
+crossed the ridge at the source of the creek and ascended some stony
+gullies to the south-west; at 10.40 a.m. halted at a small waterhole in a
+small creek. Re-commenced our journey at 3.0 p.m., and followed a valley
+to the south-east; but finding the country in that direction unsuited for
+our object, turned to the west and reached the creek again at 5.15 p.m.;
+followed it till 6.0 p.m. to the south-west, and encamped. There was
+abundance of water in the creek, and the rank growth of the grass on its
+immediate banks proved a great impediment to the horses. The back
+country, however, was very rough and stony, thinly timbered with
+white-gum eucalyptus of small size, and nearly destitute of leaves; and
+though the whole country was grassy, it was so much parched by the
+intense heat that it presented a very sterile aspect; at 4.30 p.m. there
+was a heavy thundershower.
+
+15th October.
+
+As the creek below the camp trended to the west and entered a deep rocky
+gorge in the sandstone range, we steered south at 7.0 a.m., crossing
+several stony ridges with small gullies and creeks trending west; at
+10.20 a.m. crossed the highest ridge, and observed a succession of low
+stony ridges occupying the space between us and the Sea Range.
+Descending, we reached a creek, on the bank of which we halted at 11.30
+a.m. Here we caught several small fish in a deep pool in the creek.
+
+15th October.
+
+Resuming our route down the creek at 2.30 pm, the average course was
+south-west till 5.30, when we were encamped at a large deep pool or reach
+of water three-quarters of a mile long and fifty yards wide, supplied by
+a small stream. Great numbers of large bats were seen hanging in the
+trees on the margin of the creek, some of which we shot; the flesh was
+white and was eaten, but it had an unpleasant flavour. The country during
+this day's journey has not been so hilly as yesterday, and near the camp
+the trees have retained a few leaves. The soil, however, shows no
+improvement, being universally stony, and though well-grassed, the
+country is useless for any purpose than feeding stock. The gouty-stemmed
+tree (adansonia) is more frequent on the banks of the creeks; pandanus
+and fig trees prevail near the water, and eucalypti on the hills.
+
+Latitude 15 degrees 17 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+THE VALLEY OF THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+16th October.
+
+Resumed our journey down the creek at 7.0 a.m., the general course
+south-south-west; the country became so steep and rocky that at 8.0 we
+left the valley and steered south, crossing several stony hills with
+rocky ravines, which were so rugged that they were scarcely passable. At
+11.0 sighted the Victoria River, about six miles below Kangaroo Point;
+but, on attempting to descend the range, was intercepted by a deep valley
+bounded by sandstone cliffs 50 to 100 feet high; following the valley to
+the east and north-east in search of a break by which we could descend,
+but without success. At 3.0 p.m. one of the horses was so completely
+exhausted that he could proceed no farther; I therefore halted the party,
+and was examining the cliff to ascertain the best place for lowering one
+of the party by a rope into the valley for the purpose of procuring water
+from the pool which was visible 300 feet below us, when I found a small
+spring on the top of the cliff, at which we encamped. As soon as the
+horses were unsaddled, Mr. H. Gregory and myself proceeded to examine the
+valley to the east, but had not gone more than a mile when we observed a
+column of smoke rise from the camp, followed by a sheet of flame, which
+extended in a few seconds to the side of the adjacent hill. We therefore
+returned to the camp to subdue the fire, and, if possible, save some of
+the grass for the horses, which, with great difficulty, we succeeded in
+doing; but though checked, the fire had extended many miles over the
+country, and kept us busy all night. This fire originated for want of due
+precaution in clearing the grass around the fire at the camp, though the
+cook had been cautioned on the subject.
+
+17th October.
+
+At 5.0 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory, and recommenced the search
+for a practicable descent into the valley, and about two miles from the
+camp found a break in the cliff. The hill was, however, so steep and
+rocky that it was necessary to form a path for the horses, and while Mr.
+H. Gregory returned, and was bringing up the party from the camp, I
+employed myself in filling up chasms with stones and removing rocks from
+the path, the steepness of the declivity greatly facilitating their
+removal, as it required but little force to hurl rocks of several tons
+weight into the valley below. Fortunately, we accomplished the descent
+without any accident, and reached the base of the hill at 11.30 a.m.
+Descending the creek, which occupied the lower part of the valley, for
+about two miles, encamped at a small pool of water. I then rode down the
+bank of the Victoria River, and ascertained that we were about six miles
+below Kangaroo Point. Returning to the camp, procured fresh horses, and,
+accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, proceeded to Kangaroo Point, reaching the
+spot appointed for leaving a notice of the movements of the party in the
+schooner just as it fell dark, and though we found a small tree notched
+with an axe, there was nothing to guide us in any further search, and we
+therefore bivouacked.
+
+18th October.
+
+At daylight recommenced our search for some memorandum for our guidance
+to the camp or vessel, but only found five or six small trees cut with an
+iron axe, and the remains of a large fire; but if any memorandum had been
+left, there was no mark left for our guidance in the search for it, and I
+felt disappointed that my instructions had been so inefficiently carried
+into effect. As it was doubtful whether the vessel had proceeded up the
+river, I decided on continuing our route to some convenient spot for a
+camp near Steep Head, and accordingly returned to the party. The southern
+face of Sea Range is very abrupt and surmounted by a cliff of red
+sandstone 50 to 100 feet high, the whole height of the hills about 500
+feet, the range being the edge of an elevated tableland, the upper strata
+being hard sandstone in horizontal beds which rest on soft shales which
+appear to be somewhat inclined; but its surface was so covered by
+fragments of the upper rocks that no satisfactory data was obtained. The
+soil of the level land between the Victoria and the Sea Range is very
+poor, and either sandy or covered with fragments of rock; there is no
+water, and the grass is very coarse and blady. Many flights of cockatoos
+came to drink at the pools near the camp, and about fifty were shot
+during the day.
+
+ASCEND THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+19th October.
+
+Started at 7.0 a.m. and followed the river up to Kangaroo Point, and then
+by an easterly course ascended the salt-water creek which joins the
+Victoria at this point; at 4.0 p.m. we reached the termination of the
+salt water, beyond which it divided into several small dry channels, in
+one of which we found a small pool of fresh water, at which we encamped
+at 4.15. The result of our shooting this day was one turkey, one hawk,
+and thirty-nine cockatoos. The country near the creek is brown loam; but
+as the hills are approached the soil is very stony, but well covered with
+grass, and very thinly wooded with small eucalypti, which were nearly
+destitute of foliage. To the south of the creek the country appeared to
+be of somewhat better character.
+
+THE TOM TOUGH WRECKED.
+
+20th October.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered north 160 degrees east till 10.0, over a level grassy
+plain wooded with small eucalypti and melaleuca, etc., the soil varying
+from a brown loam to a strong clay; altering the course to 190 degrees,
+we passed some low stony ridges, and at 11.30 halted in a dry gully to
+rest the horses during the heat of the day; at 3.0 p.m. again started and
+steered to the south-west for half an hour, when we camped at a sandy
+creek in which there was a shallow waterhole. At 4.0 I left the camp with
+Mr. H. Gregory and proceeded west-south-west to the river, which we
+reached at 5.45, and then followed it up for half an hour, when we
+observed a tent and boat on the opposite side of the river. Having
+hobbled the horses, we crossed over to the camp, which was established at
+a small spring, and found Mr. Elsey and two of the men in charge. Mr.
+Elsey informed me that the schooner had grounded on the bank below
+Mosquito Flat, and had received considerable damage. Fourteen of the
+sheep had been brought up to the camp, and the boat was expected up that
+evening with another lot of sheep. I now ascertained that a bottle had
+been buried near the marked trees at Kangaroo Point, and a pencil-mark
+made on one of the trees indicating its position, but this mark had
+escaped our observation. In the evening Messrs. Baines and Flood and one
+of the men arrived at the camp in the long-boat, bringing twelve sheep,
+having lost several on the passage up the river in consequence of
+detention on the shoals near the Dome. The whole stock of provisions at
+the camp consisting of ten pounds flour, ten pounds pork, six pounds
+sugar, and twelve pounds beef, I was unable to send the required supplies
+to the party in charge of the horses, and the sheep were too poor to be
+fit for food. The Tom Tough reached Entrance Island on the 25th
+September, and the next day anchored off Rugged Ridge; on the 27th was
+proceeding up the river, and grounded on a ledge of rocks on the south
+side of the river, about six miles below Mosquito Flats; and from that
+date was never sufficiently afloat to be under control, but gradually
+drifted up to about two and a half miles below Curiosity Peak. From the
+time of getting on the rocks she had leaked considerably, and a large
+quantity of stores had been destroyed or damaged, there being at one time
+four feet of water in the hold; but by nailing battens and tarred
+blankets over the open seams the leaks had been greatly reduced. The
+stock of water on board the schooner having been exhausted during her
+detention, Mr. Wilson had sent the boat up to Palm Island to bring down a
+supply; but having greatly miscalculated the time requisite for this
+expedition up the river, the distance being sixty miles, the sheep had
+been kept several days without a sufficient supply of water, and a great
+number had died.
+
+21st October.
+
+Proceeding down the river with Messrs. Baines and Flood in the long-boat,
+the tide being unfavourable, we only reached Kangaroo Point.
+
+22nd October.
+
+Started at 2.0 a.m., and reached the schooner at 11.0 a.m., having been
+delayed by the flood tide. The vessel had not moved during the last four
+tides, and the leaks had in some degree stopped. She was so deeply bedded
+in the sand that, though the bank was dry at three-quarter ebb, I could
+not examine her bottom. The deck beams, however, were strained and
+broken, and it was evident that the vessel had been much damaged by
+resting on her centre, when the current had worked deep holes at the head
+and stern. Only fifty-five sheep remained on board, and those in a
+miserable condition. At 5.0 p.m. despatched Mr. Flood in the gig with one
+month's provisions for the party at the camp; 8.0 p.m. the tide rose to
+five feet on the bank, but the vessel only just floated in the hollow in
+which she lay.
+
+23rd October.
+
+At 8.0 a.m. the tide rose to six feet on the bank, and the schooner was
+moved her own length towards the channel in shore; at 10.0 a.m. the tide
+ebbed, and she settled on an even keel. Mr. Baines having informed me
+that Overseer Humphries had refused to assist in pumping the schooner on
+the 9th, he had, therefore, put him off duty till Mr. Wilson returned, on
+the 14th, when he was put on duty again. I therefore fined him one week's
+pay. The night tide did not rise so high as in the morning. Landed to
+search for fresh water, and found a small spring on the bank of the river
+at the upper end of the stony beach, three and a half miles below
+Curiosity Peak; this spring is below high-water mark, but at half tide
+boats can approach close to it, there being deep water close to the bank.
+
+24th October.
+
+Landed at 2 a.m. to procure water, having opened a well at the spring;
+filled two casks and returned to the vessel at 7. At 9.30 the schooner
+floated, and we moved her to about a mile above Curiosity Peak, where she
+again grounded on a bank; while afloat the pumps had to be kept
+constantly at work. With the night tide we floated over the bank; but the
+breeze failing, she was swept against the shore two and a half miles
+above Curiosity Peak, and before the kedge could be laid out the tide
+fell.
+
+25th October.
+
+The morning tide did not rise sufficiently to allow us to cross the
+banks; but the schooner was warped into a better position in the channel,
+about one mile higher up the river. Landed the sheep and drove such as
+could walk to the waterhole at our camping place, one mile north of the
+Dome, and left a party in charge, consisting of Dr. Mueller, Mr. Wilson,
+Overseer Humphries, and W. Selby. Fifty sheep were landed, but only
+forty-four reached the waterhole, and of these one died during the night.
+The night tide rose eight feet, and we moved the schooner to the right
+bank of the river off Broken Hill and anchored in the channel. Before the
+full moon the tides have been higher during the day, but as the time of
+full moon approaches the higher tide is at night.
+
+26th October.
+
+At 10.0 a.m. weighed and ran up the river with the flood to the
+commencement of the reach below Kangaroo Point, when the schooner
+grounded on a bank. Proceeded with Mr. Baines in the gig to the sheep
+camp with the intention of moving the sheep across the river and then
+driving them to the upper camp, but found them so weak that this
+arrangement was not practicable. Returned to the vessel.
+
+27th October.
+
+At 3 a.m. the vessel floated, and she was moved about a mile above
+Kangaroo Point, when we anchored in three and a half fathoms. At noon
+weighed, and with a light breeze from the west and north till a
+thunder-squall from the south-east compelled us to come to anchor one
+mile below Sandy Island; a change of wind enabled us to move on to Sandy
+Island.
+
+28th October.
+
+At 2 a.m. weighed, and towed the schooner to the upper end of the spit
+off Sandy Island, when she grounded, but was warped off at 4; the wind
+and tide were now adverse, and we therefore anchored in two fathoms.
+There is two fathoms in the channel past Sandy Island, but a reef of
+rocks extend from the left bank of the river, which renders it necessary
+to keep close to the edge of the shoal off the island.
+
+TOM TOUGH REACHES DEPOT CAMP.
+
+29th October.
+
+At 2 a.m. weighed with the flood, and towed the schooner up the river
+about four miles; at 6.30 a light northerly breeze enabled us to stem the
+ebb tide, and at 9.40 the schooner was moored at the camp, in two
+fathoms, close to the bank. Having obtained a supply of water, I
+despatched Mr. Baines, with Phibbs, Shewell, and Dawson, in the gig to
+bring up the sheep, the long-boat also going down the river with a crew
+from the vessel to bring up the kedge anchor and warp from Alligator
+Island, and also to assist in bringing up the sheep. In the evening there
+was a fine breeze from the east, and the thermometer fell to 65 degrees
+during the night. A few days before our arrival one of the kangaroo dogs
+had been seized by an alligator, and instantly drowned. The horses had
+been brought to the camp by the ford at Steep Head, and were looking
+well.
+
+30th October.
+
+Commenced the erection of a shed to protect the stores, as it is
+necessary to land the cargo of the schooner to effect repairs. The
+keelson is broken seven feet before the mainmast, three of the deck beams
+are broken in the centre, and the knees are strained, and the bolts
+drawn; there is also reason to think that the floor timbers are
+fractured, and some of the timbers broken in her bends.
+
+31st October.
+
+Messrs. Wilson, Baines, and Mueller, with the party in charge of the
+sheep, arrived at 7 a.m., bringing the remainder of the sheep, twenty-six
+in number, eleven having been drowned from want of proper care in bailing
+the boat, which consequently sunk during the night. Such of the party as
+are not otherwise engaged are employed in the erection of the store shed.
+Being desirous to examine the river above Steep Head, commenced fitting
+the portable boat, but found that the heat of the climate had destroyed
+the seams of three of the air cells, and the boat is therefore
+unserviceable. The general character of the materials of which inflated
+boats are constructed precludes any effectual repairs, as the intense
+heat of the sun decomposes the varnish with which the canvas is covered;
+it first becomes soft and adhesive, and then changes to a substance like
+tar, which does not consolidate with a lower temperature. Adjusted the
+aneroid barometer.
+
+1st November.
+
+S. Macdonald was reported for being asleep on his watch during last
+night; reprimanded him for this neglect of duty. Several of the sheep
+escaped from the fold last night; some have been found, but eight are
+missing. Commenced thatching the store; landed maize, bran, and other
+stores from the schooner. Though the thermometer stood at 100 degrees in
+the shade, yet a westerly breeze renders it cool enough to work. Mr.
+Baines employed repairing the portable boat; Richards clearing a plot of
+ground near the spring for a garden.
+
+DAMAGE TO PROVISIONS.
+
+2nd November.
+
+Continued to discharge the cargo of the schooner; at the request of the
+master of the Tom Tough, examined sixteen small and four large casks of
+bread, which had been damaged by salt-water; the whole of this bread was
+found to be quite destroyed and unfit for use. Although the large casks
+had been carefully coopered in Sydney, yet the hot climate had opened the
+joints, and as there were three to five feet of water in the vessel when
+aground in the lower part of the river, the bread was completely
+saturated. The leakage of the schooner has been much reduced, and now
+only requires pumping every six hours. The dryness of the air has
+increased from 10 to 20 degrees of evaporation, and the heat is not so
+oppressive, though the mean temperature exceeds 85 degrees. Heavy
+thunder-clouds are visible on the horizon, and the lightning is frequent
+in the early part of the night, especially to the east. Since the spring
+tides the river has gradually fallen, and is now four feet lower than low
+water at the full and change, and it does not vary more than one and a
+half feet in the twenty-four hours. A small spring of water has been
+found below high-water mark close to the landing place.
+
+3rd November.
+
+Completed thatching the store; continued landing stores from the
+schooner; coopering the flour-barrels. Towards evening there was a strong
+breeze from the north, which suddenly veered to the west, with thunder
+and a little rain. The sheep are visibly gaining flesh, and the horses
+have improved, but they are still unfit for work, as the grass is very
+dry and not in a state to fatten animals.
+
+4th November (Sunday).
+
+The sky was overcast in the afternoon with a strong north-west breeze,
+and every indication of approaching rain.
+
+5th November.
+
+Landing stores from the schooner; general duties; light shower at 3 p.m.;
+evening cloudy. By observed altitudes on the meridian, the latitude of
+the camp 15 degrees 34 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+6th November.
+
+Messrs. H. Gregory, Elsey, and Mueller, with two men and the master of
+the schooner, proceeded up the river in the gig to ascertain the most
+convenient spot for procuring timber for the repair of the vessel; the
+men variously employed coopering casks, fencing garden, etc. Towards
+evening the sky was overcast, and a slight shower fell at 4 p.m., the
+thermometer varying from 85 degrees, 100 degrees, 90 degrees. Mosquitoes
+are very numerous in the evenings. Received from Mr. Wilson a copy of his
+diary while in charge of the party on board the schooner ascending the
+Victoria River. In going down to the well Richards fell down among the
+reeds, and a splinter entered his wrist, passing under the skin for one
+and a half inches; but no material injury has occurred, though the wound
+will disable him for a few days.
+
+7th November.
+
+Men employed coopering the flour-casks, fencing the garden, completing
+the store, and general camp duties. The party which went up the river
+yesterday in search of timber for the repair of the vessel returned in
+the evening, having found some suitable melaleuca-trees on the bank of
+the creek below Steep Head. The afternoon was again cloudy, with much
+lightning in the evening.
+
+8th November.
+
+Men employed clearing away the grass and bushes around the camp, landing
+cargo from the schooner, plotting map of route from Point Pearce to the
+Victoria River.
+
+9th November.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+10th November.
+
+Party employed as before. On unpacking the rice and peas, found that 720
+pounds of rice and half a bushel of peas were destroyed by salt-water,
+and much more damaged; much of the sugar is damaged; but as it is not
+prudent to open casks, the quantity lost cannot be ascertained. Wrote to
+the master of the Tom Tough, requesting information with reference to a
+complaint by Mr. Wilson, that on the 30th September his signals for a
+boat to bring him to the schooner had been disregarded.
+
+11th November (Sunday).
+
+TIMBER FOR REPAIRS OF VESSEL.
+
+12th November.
+
+Mr. H. Gregory, with Shewell and Dawson, accompanied Captain Gourlay to
+Steep Head to cut timber for the repair of the schooner. Erected a forge
+and continued the preparation of the garden, etc. Last night one of the
+sheep was strangled by getting entangled in the net which formed the
+sheep-pen. Received from the master of the Tom Tough a letter replying to
+my queries of the 10th instant. It appears that on the 30th September,
+while the schooner was aground in the lower part of the Victoria, Mr.
+Wilson landed to search for fresh water at Mosquito Flat; having made
+some indefinite arrangements with Mr. Elsey to signalize for a boat,
+should he require it, to return to the vessel; but he omitted to acquaint
+either the master of the schooner, or Mr. Baines, who was next in command
+to Mr. Wilson. The result was that when the signals were made there was
+some uncertainty whether they were fires lighted by Mr. Wilson as signals
+for a boat, and some delay ensued in preparing the boat, when it was
+found that the tide had fallen so much that there was not sufficient
+water to float the boat over the intervening sand-banks, and at low water
+Mr. Wilson waded across the deeper channels and walked over the dry banks
+to the vessel. As the affair appeared to be complicated with some private
+misunderstanding between the parties, and Mr. Wilson had neglected to
+make proper arrangements with the master of the vessel, I deemed it
+desirable that the investigation should not proceed any farther.
+
+13th November.
+
+Mr. Baines having succeeded in repairing the portable boat, I made
+preparation for an excursion up the river, as the horses were still unfit
+for the work of exploration, and I hoped to be able to cross the shallows
+which had obstructed Captain Stokes. Richards' arm does not progress in a
+favourable manner, and it is therefore necessary that Mr. Elsey should
+remain at the camp to attend to his case. The party proceeding with the
+boats will therefore consist of Mr. Wilson, Mr. Baines, Mr. Flood, and
+myself. Men employed as before, and the general duties of the camp.
+
+14th November.
+
+Party employed as before. At 3.30 p.m. I left the camp and proceeded to
+the creek, where the timber party were at work, reaching their bivouac at
+7.30; six logs had been cut twenty to twenty-five feet long and twelve to
+fourteen inches square; the timber is a melaleuca with a broad leaf
+(Melaleuca leucodendron). The gum timber is generally unsound and
+worthless.
+
+15th November.
+
+Returned to the principal camp with Mr. H. Gregory at 11.0 a.m., and at 2
+p.m. started in the indiarubber boat with Messrs. Wilson, Baines, and
+Flood; at 8.0 p.m. reached the creek near Steep Head, and remained at the
+camp of the timber party for the night.
+
+16th November.
+
+Started at 6.30 a.m. and crossed the shallows at Steep Head without much
+difficulty--as the tide was high, the water was six to eight inches deep.
+Three miles above Steep Head we observed three natives watching us, but
+they did not approach. At 10.0 a.m. reached Palm Island, which is only a
+bank of shingle with a few pandanus and melaleuca trees growing on it
+without a single palm-tree of any kind. One of the boats having been
+injured, hauled her up for repairs. Mr. Baines shot three whistling ducks
+on the island; they were very good eating. While at our dinner a native
+approached the bank of the river and came to us, and a parley commenced
+which was rather unintelligible, and when he found that he could not make
+himself understood by words, resorted to the language of signs, and
+expressed his contempt of us in an unmistakable manner. Having repaired
+the leak in the boat, we again moved up the river, but at one and a half
+miles came to a dry bar of rock, over which the boats were carried, and
+we passed a shallow pool of brackish water half a mile long to a second
+bar of greater breadth, and then entered a deep reach; but the day was so
+far advanced that we took advantage of a level rocky ledge and
+bivouacked.
+
+INDIARUBBER BOATS FAIL.
+
+17th November.
+
+Proceeded up the river about a mile and came to a dry bank of shingle and
+rocks, which extended for at least a mile, and over which it was not
+practicable to carry the boats, which had been much injured in crossing
+the rocky bars yesterday, the heat having destroyed the texture of the
+waterproof canvas. I therefore decided not to expend any more time on
+this excursion, but return to the camp. We observed some blacks watching
+us from some thick scrub; but they did not approach near enough to hold
+any communication. At 2.0 p.m. commenced the return down the river and
+reached Palm Island after dark and bivouacked.
+
+18th November.
+
+At 3.0 a.m. there was a slight shower, and at 6.0 a.m. proceeded down the
+river, having dragged the boats over the shingle bank at Steep Head,
+where there was scarcely one inch of water; halted at the creek where the
+timber had been cut, to procure water for breakfast, and then sailed down
+the river and encountered a heavy squall, with thunder and lightning,
+just as we approached the camp; the rain continued nearly throughout the
+night. Captain Gourlay informed me that on the 16th three blacks had
+visited his party while cutting timber, and that in the evening some
+noise was heard, and being taken for the voices of the blacks, they had
+taken to the boat with great precipitation and returned to the schooner;
+the mosquitoes have nearly disappeared.
+
+19th November.
+
+Sent a party, consisting of Phibbs, Humphries, Shewell, Selby, and
+Dawson, to assist the master of the schooner in bringing the timber down
+the river; Richards' arm is somewhat better, but not progressing
+favourably; Fahey is on the sick list; the rain having moistened the
+grass, the horses did not come in for water to-day; the weather continues
+very hot, generally 90 degrees at sunrise and 105 degrees at noon in the
+shade.
+
+20th November.
+
+Commenced shoeing the horses and made preparations for a journey up the
+Victoria, to reconnoitre the country previous to starting for the
+interior.
+
+21st November.
+
+Fahey, being convalescent, was employed as cook; Mr. H. Gregory, Mr.
+Flood, Bowman, and Melville, shoeing horses; Dean making charcoal for the
+forge; in the afternoon there was a heavy thundershower; the flies are
+very troublesome and annoy the horses so much that they will not stand
+quiet to be shod, and some of the horses are nearly blind in consequence
+of the flies crawling into their eyes.
+
+22nd November.
+
+Shoeing horses, fitting saddles, etc.; the schooner leaks about seven
+inches per hour, and as the master is absent with the greater part of the
+crew, procuring timber, I have afforded assistance from the party at the
+camp, to assist in keeping the vessel dry.
+
+EXPLORE THE UPPER VICTORIA.
+
+23rd November.
+
+Preparing equipment for the party proceeding to explore the Victoria
+River, towards the upper part of its course; the grass has become quite
+green and fresh water is also abundant, which has caused some of the
+horses to stray beyond the usual feeding ground on the Whirlwind Plains.
+
+24th November.
+
+Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Flood brought in the stray horses, having found
+them beyond Sandy Island. The timber party returned to the camp with four
+logs of timber, which are intended to strengthen the keelson. While at
+work at the creek where the timber was procured the party had been twice
+visited by the blacks; these intrusions were neither decidedly friendly
+or hostile, but they stole some small articles which had been imprudently
+left lying near one of the logs of timber while the party was employed
+elsewhere; about 10.0 a.m. the blacks set fire to the grass about 200
+yards from the camp, and then retired. At 2.0 p.m., left the camp,
+accompanied by Messrs. H. Gregory, Wilson, and Mueller, with seven horses
+and twenty days' provisions, the object being to examine the country
+through which the exploring party will have to travel on the route to the
+interior; at 6 a.m. bivouacked at Timber Creek; in the principal channel
+of the creek there were many small pools of water, and the grass was
+fresh and green on the flats. Except on the banks of the river and
+creeks, the country is very poor and stony; the geological structure of
+the country is the same as at Sea Range--the same bands of sandstone
+cliff resting on soft shales, the strata being horizontal; but beneath
+the shales chert and coarse siliceous limestone were exposed, and
+fragments of jasper are frequent. The principal timber is white-gum of
+small size, and the cotton-tree (cochlospermum), which sometimes attains
+the thickness of nine to twelve inches. Though grass is abundant on every
+description of soil, yet the greater part is of inferior descriptions and
+dries up completely at this season.
+
+Latitude by altitude of Achernar, 15 degrees 39 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+25th November.
+
+Started at 5.45 a.m., and followed the creek to the south-south-east; it
+rapidly decreased in size, branching into small gullies, so that we had
+some difficulty in finding water for a midday halt. The flats on the bank
+of the creek are in some parts nearly a mile wide, well grassed and
+openly timbered; the hills are of sandstone, but chert and coarse
+limestone were frequently seen on the lower ridges. At noon halted at a
+small pool of rainwater. The day was cloudy and cool, the thermometer
+only 90 degrees at 2 p.m. At 3.0 resumed our route up the creek, which
+soon terminated in small gullies rising in stony ridges; as there was no
+appearance of water to the south, the course was changed to south-east
+and east, in which direction we followed down a gully, and at 7.20 halted
+at a small waterhole.
+
+26th November.
+
+Starting at 6.15 a.m., steered first north 70 degrees east and then 60
+degrees till 3 p.m., traversing a level grassy box-flat extending along
+the northern side of a rocky sandstone range. At 3.0 p.m. reached the
+south-west end of the Fitzroy Range, which is a narrow ridge of sandstone
+hills ten miles long and one to two miles broad; at the north end of the
+range we found a small pool of rainwater, and, having watered the horses,
+pushed on towards the Victoria River, at the base of Bynoe Range; but
+although the country was level, we were so much retarded by the soft
+nature of the soil that the river was not reached till sunset, and the
+banks of the river were so steep that the water was not accessible for
+the horses, and we therefore encamped at a small hole of muddy rainwater.
+Our camp was about four miles above the furthest point attained by
+Captain Stokes, and consequently in Beagle Valley which we had traversed
+for more than thirty miles, the greater part of which was well grassed
+and openly wooded with box, bauhinia, and acacia. The Fitzroy Range is
+almost isolated, and there is a level plain five or six miles wide to the
+south-east, beyond which there is a high sandstone range surmounted by an
+almost unbroken cliff of sandstone near the summit, and which appeared to
+be quite impassable.
+
+27th November.
+
+Steering east-south-east through grassy flats for one hour and a half,
+found that the river had turned to the northward round a steep hill, but
+continuing our course, crossed a low stony ridge and again approached the
+river, the banks of which were so steep that the horses could not get to
+the water, and therefore followed it two miles and encamped on a stony
+bar where the water was easy of access. The valley of the river is much
+contracted by the steep sandstone hills, which come close on both banks.
+In the bed of the river several fragments of jasper and black shale were
+found, the latter appearing to belong to the coal formation. A slight
+shower in the afternoon cooled the air, and the temperature was only 92
+degrees at sunset, and the wet bulb 79 degrees.
+
+Latitude by Achernar 15 degrees 36 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+DEEP GORGE IN TABLELAND.
+
+28th November.
+
+Started at 6.15 a.m. and followed the river, which first came from the
+east, then south-east and south-west till 10.40, when we crossed to the
+right bank and halted. The valley of the river is much narrower, and does
+not exceed half a mile, and is bounded by cliffs of sandstone varying
+from 50 to 300 feet high. The waters of the river occasionally rise 100
+feet, as the marks of the floods extended to the base of the cliffs; the
+regular channel of the river is about 200 feet wide, the water forming
+deep reaches often more than a mile long and separated by dry stony bars
+of shingle and rock. The sandstone is thicker here than towards Steep
+Head, but there is no change in the geological character, except that the
+chert-beds are not exposed. The tracks of several natives were observed,
+but they were not seen by us; at 2.0 p.m. resumed the journey up the
+river in a generally south direction, and at 4.30 encamped, but had great
+difficulty in forcing our way through the reeds to procure water.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of a Persei 15 degrees 41 minutes 54
+seconds.
+
+29th November.
+
+Left the camp at 6 a.m. and continued the route up the river to the south
+till 10.10, when we halted till 2.15 p.m., and then proceeded on till
+4.45, and encamped at a small pool of rainwater, the bank of the river
+being so steep and covered with high reeds that the water is scarcely
+accessible. The valley of the river is still bounded by sandstone cliffs;
+but as the strata are horizontal, and the bed of the river rises, the
+shales are not much exposed, and the alluvial banks reach to the base of
+the cliffs, which are so continuous that I have not yet seen a spot where
+we could have ascended the tableland in which the valley is excavated.
+Several tributary gullies having passed, but none worthy of special
+notice. Fragments of trap-rock are frequent in the bed of the river, and
+one specimen contained traces of carbonate of copper; at 6.0 thermometer
+92 degrees, aneroid 29.80, at the camp--sixty feet above the river.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 15 degrees 50 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+VALLEY SUDDENLY WIDENS.
+
+30th November.
+
+Resumed our route up the river at 5.40 a.m., the general course south;
+there being no change in the character of the country till 10.0, when the
+hills receded and the cliffs ceased; at 10.30 halted at a small pool in a
+back channel of the river. At noon the thermometer stood at 100 degrees
+in the shade, and the aneroid 29.75--forty feet above the river. Starting
+again at 2.0 p.m., soon entered an extensive plain extending to the east,
+south, and west; followed a large creek to the south-west till 6.15, and
+encamped.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 2 minutes 30
+seconds.
+
+1st December.
+
+At 5.40 a.m. crossed the creek and steered east to the foot of a rocky
+hill, but not seeing the principal branch of the Victoria, returned to
+the creek and then steered south-south-west till 10.0 a.m., when we
+crossed two small creeks, in the second of which we found a pool of water
+surrounded by reeds (typha), and halted during the heat of the day. The
+country traversed was first a stony ridge, on which several small stone
+huts had been erected, but scarcely of sufficient size for a man to
+enter, and the roofs were only formed by a few pieces of wood and a
+little grass; they consist of a wall three feet high, in the form of a
+horseshoe, about three feet in diameter inside; the entrances of some had
+been closed with stones and afterwards partially opened, and I can only
+conjecture that, as the practice of carrying the bones of their deceased
+relatives prevails in this part of Australia, it is probable that these
+erections are used as temporary sepulchres. After crossing this stony
+ridge entered a level plain of clay, much fissured by the sun, and in
+some parts covered with fragments of jasper and sandstones; as the creek
+was approached limestone prevailed, but the exposed portion seemed to be
+formed by a rearrangement of the broken fragments of older rocks, which
+were visible in the gullies. The water at which we halted appeared to be
+supplied by a spring, and not to be the retention of rainwater. At 3.15
+p.m. proceeded in a westerly direction in search of the principal branch
+of the creek, which we reached at 4.0 p.m., but found it much reduced in
+size, not exceeding fifteen yards in width; followed it up for an hour,
+and camped at a small but deep pool of water, which is evidently supplied
+by a spring in the limestone rocks, which form the banks of the creek.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 10 minutes.
+
+JASPER RANGE.
+
+2nd December.
+
+Having filled our water-bags, we left the camp at 6.40 a.m., and steered
+a course of north 200 degrees east towards a range of hills composed of
+jasper rock, the highest point of which we reached at 10.0. The aneroid
+stood at 29.15; thermometer 94 degrees. Three miles to the south-west of
+this range the country rose into an elevated tableland higher than the
+Jasper Range; towards this we continued our route, following a small
+watercourse which gradually turned to the east. Finding the country very
+dry and rocky, and no prospect of finding a spot where the tableland
+could be ascended, we returned to the waterhole at which we camped last
+night.
+
+3rd December.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. were again in the saddle, and steering north till 7.20,
+ascended an isolated hill of trap-rock rising abruptly in the centre of
+the open plain about 200 feet. Having taken bearings of the surrounding
+ranges, steered north 30 degrees east till 10.30, across a level grassy
+plain to the creek, which, though much larger than at the camp, was
+destitute of water; but following its course downwards, at 10.50 halted
+at a small pool. Judging from the height that drift-wood was lodged in
+the branches of the trees, the floods rise about fifty feet; the regular
+channel is thirty yards wide; on the banks red, green, and white shales
+are exposed, but the bed of the creek is generally sandy. A large
+tributary appears to join this creek from the west, in which direction a
+large valley extends fifteen miles. At 3 p.m. steered east, and passed to
+the south of a remarkable sandstone hill, which we named Mount Sandiman,
+and at 5.30 reached the bank of the Victoria coming from the
+south-south-east; followed it up for one mile and encamped where a ledge
+of rock gave easy access to the water. In the evening there was a slight
+shower, and a heavy thunderstorm passed to the north.
+
+4th December.
+
+About 5.45 resumed our journey up the river, passing through wide grassy
+flats and over a sandstone ridge which was covered with triodia; from
+this ridge there was an extensive view of the country to the south and
+east, but no hills of greater elevation than the sandstone tableland were
+visible, and for twenty miles the valley of the river expanded into a
+wide plain thinly timbered with box-trees. Continuing a south-south-east
+course through a fine grassy country till 10.0, halted in a patch of
+green grass. The elevation of this part of the valley of the Victoria is
+not great, as the barometer stood at 29.77 forty feet above the river;
+thermometer, 101 degrees. The soil on the bank of the river is good and
+well-grassed, but the inundations during the rainy season extend on each
+side of the river several miles. The strata of the sandstone, where
+exposed, dip to the north, but there is no alteration in the character of
+the rocks. Abundance of portulaca grew near our halting place, and
+furnished us with an agreeable vegetable; this plant was afterwards found
+over the whole of Northern Australia, and proved a very valuable article
+of food. At 3.20 continued our route, and at 5.30 bivouacked at a small
+pool of rainwater in one of the back channels of the river, the banks of
+which were inconveniently covered with high reeds. During the night there
+was continuous light rain till 4.0 a.m.
+
+ABUNDANCE OF FISH.
+
+5th December.
+
+Continued our route up the river to the south-south-west from 5.45 a.m.
+till 10.45, passing through open grassy box flats; a low grassy range
+approached the right bank and again receded; to the west a range of
+broken hills rose to 500 feet parallel to our course and five miles
+distant. Halted in the bed of the river, which formed fine reaches of
+water, with dry sand-bars between; caught several catfish and perch;
+mussels were abundant, the form of the shell much longer than I have
+before seen in the other parts of the river. At noon: Barometer, 29.80;
+thermometer, 104 degrees; at 3.0 p.m.: Barometer, 29.65; thermometer, 93
+degrees. At 3.30 steered south from the right bank of the river, which
+turned to the westward; crossed some fine grassy country thinly timbered
+with box, and at 4.50 came to the southern branch of the river. This
+branch trended to the north-east, and consequently joins at a point lower
+down than where we crossed, the junction not having been observed. These
+two branches of the Victoria are so nearly equal in apparent size that it
+will remain for future examination to determine which is to be considered
+the tributary. Crossing to the right bank, we followed it upwards along
+the foot of the high land for half an hour, and encamped in the bed of
+the river.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of Achernar 16 degrees 26 minutes.
+
+RETURN DOWN THE VICTORIA.
+
+6th December.
+
+The day commenced with a heavy thundershower, which continued for several
+hours; but the rain not being quite so heavy at 6 a.m., we started and
+proceeded along the bank of the river to a hill about one and a half
+miles south-west of the bivouac. On ascending the hill, we found that
+though the elevation and position accommodated a fine view in fine
+weather, yet the rain at the present time obscured all distant objects,
+but the country to the south and west consisted of flat-topped sandstone
+hills with large open valleys between; to the east the view was
+obstructed by rising ground, while to the north lay the vast grassy plain
+which we had traversed during the last two days. The western branch of
+the river turned to the west-south-west along the foot of the sandstone
+ranges, its course being marked by a line of green trees, which
+contrasted strongly with the white grass on the open plains on its banks.
+The south branch of the river appeared to come from a valley trending
+south-south-east, but the thick mist obscured that part of the country.
+As we had now examined the country sufficiently to enable the main party
+to advance a whole degree of latitude without any great impediment, and
+ascertained the general character of the country and the nature of the
+obstacles to be encountered, and on which the equipment of the party
+would in some measure depend, we turned our steps towards the principal
+camp, crossing the western branch of the river at 9.50, and reached our
+camp of the 4th at 3.20 p.m. The rain this morning cooled the air to 74
+degrees at 9 a.m. and 85 degrees at sunset.
+
+7th December.
+
+Resumed our journey down the river, following the outward track from 5.40
+a.m. till 11.0, when we halted till 3.25 p.m. Thermometer at noon 102
+degrees, with a cool southerly breeze; wet bulb, 78 degrees. Resuming our
+route, crossed to the right bank of the river, and bivouacked at the
+termination of the plains.
+
+8th December.
+
+At 5.45 a.m. proceeded down the right bank of the river, which was very
+rocky and steep; we therefore crossed to the left bank, and at 11.0
+halted one mile above the bivouac of the 29 ultimo. Between 2.0 and 3.0
+p.m. there was a heavy thunderstorm, when half an inch of rain fell; at
+3.45 resumed our journey, and encamped about four miles lower down the
+river.
+
+9th December.
+
+Followed the left bank of the river from 6.0 to 11.0 a.m.; found the
+travelling less stony and intersected by gullies than the right bank; at
+3.50 p.m. resumed our route, and at 6.30 encamped.
+
+10th December.
+
+Travelled down the river from 5.45 till 10.0 a.m.; when we halted a
+quarter of a mile above the camp of the 27th November. At 2.0 p.m. a
+heavy thundershower cooled the atmosphere from 100 degrees to 77 degrees.
+Resumed our journey at 3.0 and at 6.30 camped in the level plain at the
+foot of the Fitzroy Range, on the east side, water being abundant in
+every hollow, and since we passed up the river there has been heavy rain
+in this part of the country, and several of the gullies have been running
+eight feet deep. Shot a turkey and three black ibis. The Fitzroy Range
+extends about two miles north of a line from the gorge of the river to
+Bynoe Range, the Victoria winding round the north end of the range, and
+some tributary creeks appear to join from the north, as a valley extends
+several miles in that direction. The rain does not appear to have been
+general over the country, as it often occurs that after travelling over
+two or three miles of green grass where the gullies show signs of recent
+flood, that this beautiful verdure suddenly ceases, and we again
+encounter a dry and parched country which exhibits all the signs of an
+Australian summer.
+
+11th December.
+
+Left our camp at 5.45 a.m., and, steering west, crossed the low ridge of
+the Fitzroy Range, and having taken bearings of the features of the
+country, steered north 260 degrees east through the level plain which
+occupies the space between Wickham Heights and the Fitzroy Range, and
+which was named Beagle Valley by Captain Stokes. The soil of this plain
+is a brown clay, which in the dry weather crumbles into small pieces, so
+that the horses sink deeply into it; but in the wet season the whole is
+deep mud; it, however, appears to be very fertile, and produces an
+abundance of grass; the trees consist of bauhinia, acacia, and some
+eucalypti. Halting from 10.0 a.m. till 4.0 p.m. changed course to north
+245 degrees east, and after traversing a grassy box flat for two hours,
+camped at a small watercourse with pools of rainwater in a rocky
+limestone channel.
+
+BEAGLE VALLEY.
+
+12th December.
+
+Started at 5.30 a.m., and steered north 245 degrees east for one and a
+half hours, when we passed the high bluff of the range and changed the
+course north 330 degrees east, keeping three-quarters of a mile east of
+the remarkable hill called the Tower, by Captain Stokes, from a
+remarkable rock on the summit. The country was very rough and stony,
+though the ridge we passed over was not more than 200 or 300 feet above
+the river. Continuing a north-north-west course, at 9.45 reached the bank
+of the Victoria, which was followed on a course of 200 degrees till
+10.10, when a large creek joined the river; this creek drains nearly the
+whole of Beagle Valley, and takes its rise in the north-west slope of
+Stokes' Range. The course was then westerly till 12.15 p.m., when we
+encamped in a grassy flat one-third of a mile from the river. Marked a
+large adansonia tree 12 on its south side.
+
+13th December.
+
+Leaving our bivouac at 5.30 a.m., followed the valley of the river,
+passing the ridge at back of Steep Head at 10.0., and halted at Timber
+Creek at 11.0. The heavy rains which occurred in Beagle Valley do not
+appear to have extended to this part of the country, and the grass is
+still dry and withered. At 2.30 p.m. resumed our route and reached the
+principal camp at 6.30, and found the party all well, except Richards,
+who was still suffering severely from the injury to his wrist. Mr. Baines
+was absent, having started on Wednesday in search of two horses which had
+strayed to the westward.
+
+BAINES' RIVER.
+
+14th December.
+
+Messrs. Baines and Bowman returned with the stray horses, having found
+them on the bank of a small river fifteen miles to the west of the camp.
+This river, which I named the Baines River, has considerable pools of
+fresh water in its bed, which comes from the south-west, and flows into
+the large salt-water creek above Curiosity Peak. On one occasion Messrs.
+Baines and Bowman had halted to rest during the heat of the day, when
+they observed some blacks creeping towards them in the high grass; but,
+on finding they were observed, retired and soon returned openly with
+augmented numbers and approached with their spears shipped; but Mr.
+Baines and his companion having mounted their horses, galloped sharply
+towards them, and the blacks retreated with great precipitation. Mr. H.
+Gregory brought in the greater part of the horses; but as they had
+scattered very much in search of green grass, many of the horses were ten
+miles from the camp. Men employed cutting and carrying timber for the
+repair of the schooner, which work is progressing satisfactorily;
+computing astronomical observations.
+
+15th December.
+
+Party employed as before. One of the mares is reported to have foaled a
+fine filly. Thundershowers are frequent, and the country near the camp is
+clothed with verdure. Rode out with Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Baines to
+bring in some horses which had strayed, and which, after several hours'
+tracking, we found and brought to the camp. The horses are now much
+improved, and, with the exception of three which are still very weak, are
+now in a serviceable condition, though few are capable of carrying heavy
+loads or performing long journeys; but as grass and water are now
+abundant for the first 100 miles of the route towards the interior, I
+hope that by travelling easy stages the horses will improve, and
+preparations are being made for commencing the journey early in January.
+The country being impracticable for drays, and as the sheep cannot be
+driven with advantage, owing to the high grass and reeds, it is necessary
+to constitute the party so that the whole equipment can be conveyed by
+pack-horses, to accomplish which the party proceeding to the interior
+must not exceed nine in number, for which the horses are capable of
+conveying five months' provisions and equipment. The remaining half of
+the party will have full employment in the repair of the schooner and
+care of the stores--points of vital importance to the Expedition. It is
+therefore proposed to make the following division of the party, which,
+under existing circumstances, appears to me the most eligible.
+
+PREPARATIONS FOR EXPEDITION.
+
+16th December.
+
+The exploring party to consist of the following: Commander, A. Gregory;
+assistant commander, H. Gregory; artist, T. Baines; botanist, F. Mueller;
+collector, J. Flood; overseer, G. Phibbs; farrier, R. Bowman;
+harness-maker, C. Dean; stockman, J. Fahey.
+
+The party remaining in charge of the principal camp: Geologist, J.S.
+Wilson; surgeon, J.R. Elsey; overseer, C. Humphries; stockmen, Dawson,
+Shewell, Selby, Macdonald, Richards, Melville.
+
+17th December.
+
+Preparing a map of the late journey up the Victoria, shoeing horses, and
+other preparations for the expedition into the interior.
+
+18th December.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+19th December.
+
+Removing the bones from the salt pork which is to form part of the
+provisions of the exploring party; the reduction in weight is 17 per
+cent. Packing flour in double canvas bags, containing forty or fifty
+pounds each. In the centre of each bag of flour one pound of gunpowder is
+placed as the most secure from accidents. Shoeing horses, etc., as
+before. At 10 o'clock last night it commenced raining, and continued till
+daybreak; the day has been cool and cloudy.
+
+20th December.
+
+Party employed as before; killed one of the sheep, which weighed
+thirty-eight pounds. During last night it rained for four hours, and
+there have been showers to-day.
+
+21st December.
+
+Preparing for explorations as before. The river commenced running, but is
+still brackish. The weather is cloudy, with frequent showers; the country
+is becoming very soft and boggy.
+
+22nd December.
+
+Frequent heavy showers, especially at night. Mr. Wilson, Dr. Mueller, and
+Selby went down the river to examine Sea Range and procure specimens of
+rocks and plants. The repairs of the schooner requiring some broad iron,
+I had the ironwork of one of the drays appropriated to the purpose, as
+there was no iron of a suitable size on board the vessel. Party employed
+shoeing horses, fitting saddles, and general preparations of equipment
+for the exploring party.
+
+23rd December.
+
+Two of the horses have again strayed to the westward, and Mr. H. Gregory
+and Bowman were employed nearly the whole day in tracking them, and
+succeeded in bringing them in at night. The river is quite fresh, and
+running with a current from one to two miles per hour. Since the
+commencement of the rainy weather the general health of the party has
+improved; but this, perhaps, is due to the reduction of temperature,
+combined with greater regularity of habits and diet. Richards' arm is,
+however, in a very unsatisfactory state, though this is more the result
+of general ill-health than the original extent of actual injury.
+
+24th December.
+
+Preparing equipment, etc., as before. Dr. Mueller and Mr. Wilson returned
+in the boat from Sea Range. They report the river to be fresh at Sandy
+Island. Frequent heavy showers, which rendered the ground so soft that
+the horses cannot be hobbled without danger of their getting bogged, and
+it is scarcely possible to ride after them to herd them.
+
+25th December.
+
+Christmas day. Frequent heavy showers throughout the day and night.
+Killed a sheep; the weight, 38 1/2 pounds.
+
+26th December.
+
+Preparing equipment; fitting spare shoes for the horses, etc. Frequent
+showers.
+
+27th December.
+
+Packing stores, fitting saddles, etc. This has been the first fine day
+during the past week, having had only a single shower during the
+twenty-four hours.
+
+FLOOD IN THE RIVER.
+
+28th December.
+
+Party employed as before. The schooner was moved into the stream, as the
+drift-wood collected in large quantities, and could not be easily cleared
+away from the bows when moored near the bank. The water of the river is
+very muddy, and has risen about six feet above the ordinary high-water
+mark. The current is about two miles per hour. In winding chronometer
+2139, the chain, which was much corroded, broke, and the force of the
+recoil of the spring snapped it in so many places that I had to splice
+six of the links.
+
+29th December.
+
+As before--preparing equipment, etc.
+
+30th December (Sunday).
+
+31st December.
+
+Preparing tracings of maps, etc., completed the preparations for the
+exploration of the interior.
+
+A STAMPEDE.
+
+1st January, 1856.
+
+Wrote to Mr. Wilson, enclosing instructions for the guidance of the
+officer in charge of the camp on the Victoria. Wrote to the master of the
+Tom Tough instructions relative to the movements and repair of the Tom
+Tough, etc. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter requesting to be informed
+why he had been selected to take charge of the party at the principal
+camp. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply to his letter of this day's date.
+Having completed the preparations for the journey into the interior, the
+horses were saddled, and the party was on the point of starting, when a
+gun was fired on board the schooner, and the horses took fright and
+rushed wildly into the bush; and it was only after a hard gallop of two
+miles that they could be turned and driven back to the camp. Many of the
+saddles and loads were torn off by the horses having run against trees,
+and, as they had scattered very much, it took some time to collect the
+bags which had fallen from the horses, and four bags of provisions could
+not be found. A few of the straps of the colonial-made pack-saddles had
+given way, but there was no other damage done to them; but the
+English-made saddle was shaken to pieces. The party were occupied in the
+evening repairing damages.
+
+2nd January.
+
+Completed the repair of the saddlery, etc. broken yesterday; two of the
+missing bags were found, but a heavy shower having obliterated the tracks
+of the horses, two bags of sugar and sago were lost.
+
+3rd January.
+
+All arrangements being complete, the party commenced their journey at 11
+a.m., and, proceeding up the river to Timber Creek, encamped there at 3.0
+p.m.
+
+The following is a memorandum of the arrangements and equipment of the
+party:
+
+The Party: Commander, A.C. Gregory; assistant-commander, H.C. Gregory;
+artist, T. Baines; botanist, F. Mueller, collector, J. Flood; overseer,
+G. Phibbs; farrier, R. Bowman; harness-maker, C. Dean; stockman, J.
+Fahey.
+
+Horses: 27 pack-horses with pack-saddles; 3 pack-horses with
+riding-saddles; 6 riding-horses.
+
+Provisions for five months: Flour, 1,470 pounds; pork, 1200 pounds; rice,
+200 pounds; sago, 44 pounds; sugar, 280 pounds; tea, 36 pounds; coffee,
+28 pounds; tobacco, 21 pounds; soap, 51 pounds. Total, 3,330 pounds.
+
+Equipment: Instruments, clothing, tents, ammunition, horseshoes, tools,
+etc., 800 pounds; saddle-bags and packages, 400 pounds; saddles, bridles,
+hobbles, etc., 900 pounds. Total, 5,430 pounds.
+
+SENTRIES AT NIGHT.
+
+The total weight was thus about two and a half tons, which, distributed
+on thirty horses, gave a load of 180 pounds each horse. Each person had a
+stated number of horses in his special charge, and was responsible for
+the proper care of the loads and equipment, the saddles and loads being
+all marked with numbers. A watch was constantly kept through the night,
+each person being on sentry for two hours in regular rotation, except
+myself, as I had to make astronomical observations at uncertain hours.
+The cook was on watch from 2.0 till 4.0 a.m., and having prepared
+breakfast, the party concluded this meal at daybreak, and thus the most
+valuable part of the day was not lost.
+
+4th January.
+
+Started at 7 a.m. and followed up the creek; but Dr. Mueller having
+wandered away into the rocky hills and lost himself, I halted at the
+first convenient spot, having despatched several of the party to search
+for him, but it was not till 4 p.m. that the Doctor reached the camp. At
+noon there was a shower of rain, which reduced the temperature to 92
+degrees.
+
+ASCEND TABLELAND.
+
+5th January.
+
+The day broke with a heavy shower, which continued till 7.30 a.m., when
+it was followed by a cool breeze from the west; at 8.30 steered north 150
+degrees east magnetic up the valley of the creek till 11.0, when,
+crossing a low rocky ridge, we descended into Beagle Valley, and,
+steering 160 degrees till 2.10 p.m., halted at a small creek. The country
+is now covered with fine grass, and water is abundant, though the smaller
+watercourses have ceased to flow. In the evening walked to a hill about a
+mile from the camp; it was only 150 feet high, but gave a fine view of
+the distant ranges.
+
+6th January.
+
+It rained continuously during the night, with thunder and lightning. At
+8.0 a.m. steered 160 degrees and soon came on a small creek with
+water-pandanus on its banks; followed it to the south-south-east; at 11.0
+crossed it and changed the course to south-east, and at 11.30 encamped in
+a small gully; I then went with Mr. H. Gregory to look for a practicable
+ascent of Stokes' Range; having been successful in the search, we
+returned to the camp at 6 p.m. There are few spots where this range can
+be ascended, as a line of cliffs run along the brow of the hills varying
+from 10 to 100 feet in height. While on the hill we saw a few blacks, but
+they did not approach; the day was cloudy and cool, clearing after
+sunset.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Capella 15 degrees 59 minutes 57 seconds.
+
+7th January.
+
+The day again commenced with heavy showers, which lasted till 7 a.m. At
+7.30 started on a course of 120 degrees; reached the foot of the
+sandstone range at 8.50, and the summit at 9.30, the tableland on the top
+of the range being intersected by deep ravines trending to the
+south-west; we steered east till 11.40, when we came to a deep valley
+trending east-south-east; having made the necessary observations for
+elevation, commenced the descent of the hills, which was practicable in
+few places, as the valley was walled-in by steep hills crowned by
+sandstone cliffs 20 to 100 feet in height, with only an occasional break.
+At 1.0 p.m. reached the base of the hill, and encamped at a small gully.
+The summit of the range is nearly a level tableland, the undulations not
+exceeding 100 feet, but is intersected by deep ravines with perpendicular
+sides, which vary from 100 to 600 feet in depth. The upper rock is
+sandstone, and the soil on it very poor and sandy, producing small
+eucalypti, hakea, grevillia, and a sharp spiny grass (triodia); this is
+the spinifex of Captain Sturt and other Australian explorers. The
+character of the country is similar to that of the interior of some parts
+of the western coast.
+
+Latitude by Capella 15 degrees 59 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+JASPER CREEK. GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+8th January.
+
+Heavy rain till 7.0 a.m.; at 7.15 started and followed down the valley of
+the creek to south-south-east and south till 9.0, when it joined a larger
+valley trending east, in which a large creek in high flood obstructed our
+course. As the water was too deep to ford, we fixed a rope to a branch of
+a tree and passed the packs over the stream. This was accomplished at 3.0
+p.m., and the water having also sunk a foot, the horses crossed over, and
+we encamped on the south side of the creek. The valleys are well grassed,
+and vary from a quarter to three-quarters of a mile in width, the hills
+rising steeply from the base to near the summit, where they are crowned
+by a sandstone cliff 20 to 150 feet high; the summits are level, or
+nearly so, as the valleys are only deep ravines excavated in the
+tableland. The valley of the larger creek appears to expand about five
+miles to the west of the camp, and the hills all rounded in their
+outline.
+
+9th January.
+
+A light shower at night was followed by a cool cloudy morning. At 6.50
+a.m. followed down the creek to the east, and crossed to the left bank to
+avoid a rocky hill. On attempting to cross lower down, one of the
+pack-horses was carried down the stream some distance by the force of the
+current, and the saddle-bags were recovered a quarter of a mile below.
+The valley contracted as we proceeded, and at length the steep cliff left
+no passage on the left bank, and we had to return one and a half miles up
+the creek and cross to the right bank, when our course was again
+obstructed by a large tributary, which was crossed with some difficulty,
+and we passed through the rough rocky gorge of the creek, where the cliff
+approached the bank of the stream so closely that there was scarcely
+space for a horse to pass. At 12.10 p.m. camped on the bank of the creek
+at the termination of the hilly country, and, ascending a rocky
+elevation, obtained a view of the valley of the Victoria, and ascertained
+that we were on one of the branches of Jasper Creek. The afternoon and
+night were showery.
+
+10th January.
+
+Started at 6.30 a.m. and steered south-east, leaving the creek to the
+north; the country soon changed to a level plain well-grassed, but, owing
+to the late rain, very soft and muddy; at 10.20 passed to the north end
+of Jasper Range, and came to a creek fifteen yards wide trending
+north-east. Having forded the creek, camped on the right bank. The soil
+of the country traversed this day is a good brown loam on the plains, but
+rough and stony on the hills. The trees are of a small size, principally
+box and bauhinia. Sandstone is the prevailing rock, sometimes passing
+into jasper, and also into chert and coarse limestone. Small veins of
+quartz intersected the jasper, and contained small crystals of sulphuret
+of copper and iron.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella, 116 degrees 6 minutes 54 seconds;
+variation of compass, 3 degrees 6 minutes east.
+
+11th January.
+
+One of the mares having foaled in the night, she was not fit for a day's
+journey; we therefore remained at the camp, and employed the day in
+repairing and adjusting the saddles, and other works of indispensable
+nature; marked a large gum-tree NAE, 11 Jan., 1856.
+
+12th January.
+
+The night was fine, with a heavy dew and a light breeze from the south.
+At 6.15 a.m. steered north 150 degrees east over the level country which
+extends along the east side of Jasper Range; the soil is stony, but well
+grassed, and the fine weather had allowed the surface to become firm, so
+that the horses were not often bogged. At 12.25 p.m. camped on a small
+creek between the Fitzgerald and Jasper Ranges; marked a gum-tree at camp
+Number 9. The general character of this part of the country is good and
+well suited for stock, though not equal to the basaltic country to the
+eastward on the Victoria. Hard sandstone, jasper, and coarse limestone
+are the prevailing rocks.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran, Saturn, and a Orionis 16 degrees 16 minutes 22
+seconds.
+
+FINE PLAINS.
+
+13th January.
+
+The night cool and clear; thermometer 62 degrees at sunrise with heavy
+dew; steering an average south course from 6.40 a.m. till 11.25, reached
+the western branch of the Victoria River and encamped. The country
+traversed was nearly level and well grassed and thinly wooded with
+eucalypti and bauhinia; the soil is brown loam with small fragments of
+limestone; the river was running strong, but not in flood; the greatest
+rise this season had been only ten feet, and the usual flood-marks were
+twenty feet higher.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella 16 degrees 25 minutes 12 seconds.
+
+14th January.
+
+Followed the river to the west-south-west, crossing two large tributary
+creeks from the north-west, approaching the sandstone ranges on the
+western side of the plain; the soil did not improve, but became very
+sandy; the country is thinly wooded with box-trees and bauhinia of small
+size; grass is abundant and good. At noon one of the pack-horses, Sam,
+knocked up, and his load being transferred to one of the riding-horses,
+he was left to rest while we sought a suitable spot for a camp, and at
+12.15 p.m. halted at a small gully, as the bank of the river was unsafe
+for the horses, being very boggy. Sent back for the horse Sam, and
+brought him to camp; ascended the hill to the north-west of the camp to
+take bearings, but no important features of the country were visible; in
+ascending the hill the aneroid (B) fell from 29.62 to 28.55 degrees, and
+on descending only rose to 28.80 degrees, the estimated height being 300
+feet; as this indicated a change in form of the metal of the instrument,
+I re-adjusted it to the aneroid (A), 29.45 degrees. The continuance of
+fine weather and forward state of the grass led to the supposition that
+the wet season had already terminated, though only two months have
+elapsed since the first rains. It is probable that the wet season is much
+shorter in the interior than on the coast, and at no great distance
+inland the tropical wet season will cease altogether, as Captain Sturt,
+in latitude 26 degrees, only observed a fall of rain in the month of
+August; but this might be exceptional, as in the case of Dr. Leichhardt,
+who never encountered a rainy season during the journey to Port
+Essington.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran and Capella 16 degrees 27 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+15th January.
+
+Started at 6.45 a.m. and followed the river to the west-south-west; the
+hills coming close to the bank for some miles, caused the journey to be
+slow and difficult; crossed two large creeks coming from the
+west-north-west, the second seventy yards wide; at 10.35 encamped in a
+fine grassy flat. The course of the river was now more from the south,
+and the valley expanded into a plain several miles wide.
+
+16th January.
+
+As several of the horses required a day's rest, at 6.0 a.m. I started
+with Mr. H. Gregory to examine the country to the southward, and followed
+the river through a fine grassy plain till 10.0, when it entered the
+sandstone ranges, and the valley contracted to half a mile; the hills
+were steep, but the level ground in the valley, except where intersected
+by gullies, was good travelling and well grassed. The river is much
+reduced in size and the water is confined to the smaller channels of the
+principal bed; the water is clear, and had not that muddy appearance
+which characterises it lower down. The geological character of the rocks
+is unchanged; but the bed of the river being less deeply excavated, the
+lower beds of limestone and jasper are not so largely developed, the
+summit of the hills are not quite as level, and large blocks of
+sandstone, the remains of an upper stratum, gives the country a very
+rugged appearance. Returned to the camp at 6.30 p.m. In the evening there
+was a heavy thunder-squall from the north, but the weather cleared at
+midnight.
+
+LOSE A HORSE.
+
+17th January.
+
+Started at 7.5 a.m. and steered a south-west course till 10.30 a.m.,
+passing over a level grassy flat the whole distance; but the soil became
+more sandy as we proceeded up the river; there is very little wood of any
+description; the few trees that exist are white-stem eucalypti and a few
+acacia with pinnate leaves; the horse Sam is very weak, and two other
+horses are lame and can scarcely travel; since the 3rd of January the
+distance travelled has not exceeded ten miles per diem; water and grass
+everywhere abundant, and the loads not heavy, yet the greater part of the
+horses appear to be unable to perform a greater amount of work.
+
+Latitude by Aldebaran 16 degrees 36 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+18th January.
+
+Some of the horses having strayed towards our last camp, we were detained
+till 8.10 a.m. and then steered south for three miles; the sandstone
+hills here closed in on each side of the river, scarcely leaving a
+passage at the base of the steep rocks; here the horse Sam fell into a
+pool of water, and when extricated could not stand; this having caused
+considerable delay, we encamped in a grassy flat half a mile farther on;
+in the evening sent Bowman and Dean to bring the horse to the camp, but
+they found him dead; marked a tree near camp 14.
+
+19th January.
+
+The night was fine, with heavy dew, the temperature 73 degrees at
+sunrise; having collected the horses and saddled at 6.45 a.m., left the
+camp and followed the valley of the river on an average south-west
+course, crossing a large creek from the north-west; the valley of the
+river expanded to three miles and then narrowed to one mile, and the
+course of the river was nearly west till 10.50 a.m., when we encamped;
+the soil of the valley is a brown loam, producing abundance of grass; but
+the hills, though less rocky, are more barren than lower down the river;
+the character of the channel of the river has altered, and has the
+appearance of a stream which continues to run late into the dry season,
+as the channels are narrow and fringed with pandanus, melaleuca, and
+other trees which grow near permanent water; the banks are of less height
+and the timber on them grows to a greater size than lower down the
+valley; at 1.0 p.m. the thermometer 100 degrees, and the wet bulb 76
+degrees, indicating 24 degrees of evaporation.
+
+CROSS THE WICKHAM RIVER.
+
+20th January.
+
+Left the camp at 6.55 a.m. and followed the river in a west-north-west
+direction till 8.5, when we crossed at a ledge of rocks which caused a
+fall of about one foot, the water being twenty yards wide and one to two
+feet deep; but above and below the rapid the river formed fine reaches
+seventy yards wide; the course was now west-south-west till 9.0 a.m.,
+when the river turned west, and at 10.50 came to a large stony creek from
+the south-west, at which we encamped; the country on the banks of the
+river rises gradually as it recedes, and, except within the influence of
+the floods, is poor and stony, producing little besides a sharp grass
+(triodia)--this is the spinifex of some Australian explorers--a few small
+gum-trees and bushes. As we progress towards the interior the wet season
+appears to have been of less duration and the fall of rain less, yet the
+great heat has forced the vegetation towards maturity, and many of the
+grasses have already ripened their seeds, while there are many other
+indications of the dry season having fairly set in; the wind is steadily
+from the south and south-east, and is very dry; the sky is clear and
+bright, and the creeks have ceased to run; the almost total absence of
+birds or animals shows that we are approaching the limits of the dry
+summer season of the southern interior; in the afternoon rode out with
+Mr. H. Gregory to examine the country, and found that the river came
+through a gorge in the sandstone range; this gorge is two miles long, a
+quarter of a mile wide, and 400 feet deep, with nearly perpendicular
+sides, the winter channel of the river occupying nearly the whole
+breadth, and intersecting the otherwise flat bottom of the valley with
+dry sandy channels and long pools of water; beyond the gorge the valley
+opened, but the view was intercepted by hills.
+
+A HORSE KILLED.
+
+21st January.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.10 a.m., and, following the right bank of the
+river nearly west through the gorge, at 9.0 entered an open valley,
+through which the river came from the south-west; but at 10.0 we entered
+a second defile, which, from the inclined strata of sandstone, was almost
+impassable for the horses. In crossing some soft ground between the rocks
+one of the horses fell on a sharp stump, and was deeply wounded in the
+belly. The wound was sewn up; but the injury was so severe that the horse
+died in the night. Having extricated ourselves from this ravine, we
+encamped at the foot of a sandstone hill, the strata of which dipped 60
+degrees to the south-west. Ascending the hill, which was about 300 feet
+high, the country appeared more level to the south, rising into sandstone
+ranges at ten miles distance. The course of the river was from
+west-south-west, the channel being bounded by sandstone cliffs 100 to 200
+feet high. The general aspect of the country was wretched in the extreme,
+as little besides a few small gum-trees and triodia clothed the rugged
+surface of the red sandstone. The weather continues fine, with only an
+occasional cloud or flash of lightning in the early part of the night.
+The temperature is increasing, being 104 degrees at 1.0 p.m. Some catfish
+and a small tortoise were caught in the river.
+
+22nd January.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. continued our route up the river; but, to avoid the deep
+ravines on its banks, made a sweep to the south, and at noon encamped in
+a grassy flat on the bank of the river. The country traversed was very
+barren and rocky, and the horses had great difficulty in crossing the
+deep ravines; many of their shoes were torn from their feet during the
+day's journey. The highest ridge crossed was 500 feet above the bed of
+the river, the height of which is approximately 500 feet above the
+sea-level, and thus the general level of the tableland may be considered
+to be 1000 feet above the sea. The general course of the river being from
+the west, it appears advisable to reconnoitre the country to the south.
+
+Latitude by Capella 16 degrees 47 minutes 58 seconds.
+
+RECONNOITRE TO THE SOUTH.
+
+23rd January.
+
+Leaving the camp in charge of Dr. Mueller, at 6.30 a.m. started in a
+southerly direction, accompanied by Messrs. H. Gregory and Baines, taking
+with us four horses and six days' rations, etc.; after clearing the deep
+rocky gullies near the river, we passed over a more level country with
+some fine open plains covered with fine grass, but the intervening ridges
+were very stony; at 9.45 a.m. reached the highest part of the range, and
+the country declined to the south-east, and intersected by deep rocky
+ravines trending towards a large valley, which is probably drained by the
+southern branch of the Victoria; the course was now south-east,
+descending to the valley of a creek, through a very barren and rugged
+sandstone country, producing little besides stunted eucalypti, acacia,
+and triodia. At 11.15 a.m. halted at the creek, and resumed our route at
+3.0 p.m., and followed the valley to the south-east till 4.40 p.m., when
+it turned east through a rocky gorge between cliffs 150 feet high; but
+notwithstanding the dense bush of pandanus, fallen rocks and deep muddy
+channel of the creek, we succeeded in forcing our way through the gorge
+of the creek, and bivouacked in the open valley below at 5.30 p.m., there
+being a fine patch of grass in the flat, though the surrounding country
+is rocky and barren. The sandstone rocks show a great disturbance and dip
+at all angles and directions, so that no general angle or strike could be
+determined; the upper rocks, however, show a new feature in a coarse
+conglomerate of fragments of the lower sandstones and a few fragments of
+basalt; some of the enclosed pieces of rock are nearly a foot in
+diameter, and are mostly angular, though occasionally round; this rock
+forms a horizontal bed of 100 feet in thickness. Towards evening the sky
+was clouded, with lightning to the east, but no rain.
+
+BASALTIC PLAINS.
+
+24th January.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. crossed the creek, and steered south-east over broken
+sandstone ridges till 8.0, when we entered a plain of basaltic formation
+covered with good grass, and where the ground was not entirely composed
+of fragments of rock the soil was a rich black loam; crossing the large
+creeks trending north, at 10.0 a.m. halted on the second. These creeks
+appear to rise in a steep range of sandstone hills which bound the
+basaltic plains to the west, about two miles from our track. At 3.0 p.m.
+resumed our route and traversed the trap plain for one and a half hours,
+and bivouacked in a small gully; the country on both sides of our track
+seems to be of trap formation for several miles, and then rises into
+sandstone hills with flat tops. The basaltic rock of this plain is not of
+great thickness, as the sandstone rose in a few spots above its surface
+and formed small islands covered with coarse vegetation, surrounded by
+the open grassy plain. The basalt seems to have been poured out into the
+valley after it had been excavated in the sandstone, and not to have been
+much disturbed subsequently. The surface of the plain is very stony, and
+the horses' feet were much injured by the roughness of the rock.
+
+STONE SPEAR HEADS.
+
+25th January.
+
+The night was cloudy, and it was not till after daybreak that I could get
+observations for latitude by altitudes of Venus and b Centauri. At 6.5
+a.m. were again in the saddle, and steered south-east to a rocky hill,
+which we reached at 7.0; the hill was sandstone, rising about 150 feet
+above the trap plain; from the summit the view was extensive, but from
+the broken nature of the country to the east nothing could be traced of
+either the courses of creeks or rivers; to the south the trap plain rose
+to a greater elevation than the summit of the hill we were on, and was
+surmounted by table hills of sandstone at ten miles distance to the east
+and north-east; the country appeared to consist of plains of basaltic
+formation, well grassed, and very thinly wooded. Leaving this hill at
+8.0, followed a dry rocky creek to the east and north-east, through
+basaltic plains with sandstone hills and ridges, till 10.30, and halted
+during the heat of the day. At this place the bed of the creek had been
+cut through the basalt into the sandstone, exposing a fine section of the
+junction of the two rocks; the sandstone was much altered at the line of
+contact, and, having been deeply cracked, the basalt had filled the
+fissures of the older rock. This altered sandstone and also a white
+quartz-like rock are much used by the natives for the heads of their
+spears; and during this day's journey great quantities of broken stones
+and imperfect spear heads were noticed on the banks of the creek. At 3.45
+p.m. recommenced our journey, and proceeded down the creek to the
+north-east till 6.30, and bivouacked.
+
+Latitude by Capella, Saturn, and Canopus 17 degrees 24 seconds.
+
+ROE'S DOWNS.
+
+26th January.
+
+Having ascertained that the party could be moved across the range to the
+basalt plains with advantage, commenced our return to the camp by a
+westerly route across the plain, which rose gently for ten miles, and was
+well grassed, but thinly wooded; the soil was stony, with fragments of
+altered sandstone and basalt. On the higher part of the plain there were
+several hills of trap-rock, forming flat-topped ridges trending north and
+south; the highest of these we named Mount Sanford, and the plains Roe's
+Downs. The country now generally sloped to the bank of the creek near the
+western limit of the plain, at which, after six hours' ride, we halted at
+11.35. The banks of the creek are of trap-rock; but the sandstone is
+exposed in the bed; the pools of water are deep and apparently permanent.
+At 4.0 resumed our route and passed over about one mile of sandstone, and
+then two miles of basalt, and bivouacked at a small gully at the western
+limit of the valley.
+
+27th January.
+
+At 5.30 a.m. steered north-north-west, over several ridges of sandstone,
+till we struck our outward track, which we followed with some deviations
+to the camp, which was reached at 2.0 p.m. The evening was cloudy with a
+smart thunder-shower. Dr. Mueller informed me that he had traced the
+river about six miles to the west-south-west, but that beyond that point
+it appeared to come from the north-west, in which direction there was a
+low range of hills.
+
+28th January.
+
+Having collected the horses, at 7.15 a.m. steered south to the rocky
+creek, and followed it down to the rocky gorge and encamped. As the
+valley was completely walled in by steep rocks, it appeared to be a
+suitable spot for a depot camp, as it would prevent the horses from
+straying; and, from the rapidity with which the water in the creeks was
+drying up, it became desirable that no time should be lost in pushing to
+the head of the Victoria while it was practicable to cross the ranges in
+which it was supposed to rise; but as many of the horses were quite unfit
+for the journey, it became necessary to leave them in some convenient
+spot while a small party pushed on with a light equipment.
+
+FORM A DEPOT CAMP.
+
+29th January.
+
+Preparing equipment for the party proceeding to the interior and making
+arrangements for the formation of the depot camp; the party to consist of
+myself, Mr. H. Gregory, Dr. Mueller, and C. Dean, Mr. Baines remaining at
+the depot in charge. Selected eleven of the strongest horses and had them
+re-shod; fitted four with riding and seven with pack saddles. The
+following provisions were packed for the journey: 150 pounds pork, 300
+pounds flour, 50 pounds rice, 10 pounds sago, 8 pounds tea, 6 pounds
+coffee, 48 pounds sugar.
+
+30th January.
+
+Left the camp at 7.30 a.m. and steered an average course south-south-east
+till 10.20, over stony ground, at the junction of the sandstone and trap
+formation, and camped at a fine running creek which came from a rocky
+gorge in the sandstone range to the west of our course. Messrs. Baines
+and Bowman, who had accompanied us thus far, returned to the camp, which
+I had instructed him to move to this creek as better for the horses, as
+one of them had shown symptoms of poison, and I feared to leave them in
+that locality. A severe attack of the fever, from which I had been
+suffering since the beginning of the month, precluded our proceeding
+farther this day, as I had at first intended. At 5 p.m. it commenced
+raining, and continued till midnight with incessant thunder and
+lightning.
+
+31st January.
+
+Being able to mount my horse, at 8 a.m. left the camp and steered a
+course south-east by south, along the foot of the sandstone range--the
+basalt plain extending to the north-east. At 12.45 p.m. camped on a
+shallow watercourse trending to the south-south-west. The whole of the
+country to the east of our track, except some isolated hills, appear to
+be covered with excellent grass. The evening was raining, with continuous
+thunder.
+
+1st February.
+
+Steered north 160 degrees east from 6.25 a.m. till 7.0 across the
+basaltic plain, then crossed a large creek trending east, in which there
+were some large pools of water. We then entered the sandstone country,
+and crossed several rocky ridges; at 9.10 we had a good view from one of
+the ridges to the north and east. Fine grassy plains extended almost to
+the horizon, to the south the country consisted of sandstone ranges, and
+to the south-east large grassy plains and rocky ridges appeared to
+alternate with each other. Changing the course to south-east, traversed a
+fine plain covered with grass, beyond which was a rocky ridge, and then a
+second plain, in which we halted at 11.10, as I was unable to keep on my
+horse, owing to an attack of fever. At 2 p.m. again proceeded, and after
+crossing some rugged country with deep rocky ravines, at length reached a
+large creek, at which we encamped, though there was nothing but reeds and
+triodia for the horses to eat.
+
+2nd February.
+
+Left the camp at 6 a.m. and followed the creek up for three-quarters of
+an hour before we could find a crossing place; the course was then
+south-south-east over very broken sandstone country; at 9.50 halted in a
+grassy valley to feed the horses, and at 2.30 p.m. resumed our route
+south-east, crossed a sandstone ridge, and descended into a wide valley,
+the centre of which was occupied by a basaltic plain, at the edge of
+which we encamped at 3.55 p.m.
+
+CRESTED PIGEON.
+
+3rd February.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. ascended the trap plain and steered north 190 degrees east;
+at 6.45 a.m. came to a large creek from the west, which joined the
+Victoria three-quarters of a mile to the east; but the deep and rocky
+character of the valley, or rather ravine, in which it ran precluded our
+approaching it, and we had to turn to the west, and descend from the
+basalt to the sandstone before the creek could be passed. Continuing an
+average south course, at 10.10 a.m. came to the Victoria River; the whole
+channel did not exceed 150 yards in breadth, of which only twenty to
+fifty were now occupied by water, and the rest by dry rocks and gravel,
+overgrown by bushes. With great difficulty we followed the river upwards,
+and were compelled to follow up a tributary creek for about a mile, and
+then encamped. Near this camp I saw the crested pigeon of Western
+Australia for the first time in this part of Australia.
+
+Latitude by Leonis 17 degrees 41 minutes.
+
+4th February.
+
+Left the camp at 5.55 a.m. and steered nearly south for six hours, and
+then encamped on the bank of the Victoria River, at the end of a fine
+deep pool seventy yards wide, but at the lower end the water was
+contracted into a shallow rapid ten yards wide. The country traversed is
+of basaltic formation in the valley, but the hills are of sandstone, and
+rise on each side from 200 to 300 feet, and the whole appearance of the
+country shows that there has been little change in the form of the
+surface since the basalt was poured into the valley. On the banks of a
+small creek we saw a flock of tribonyx--a bird which has created some
+speculation as to its proper habitat, as it often makes its appearance in
+large numbers at the Swan River, on the western coast.
+
+Latitude by Canopus 17 degrees 52 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+THUNDERSTORM AND SQUALL.
+
+5th February.
+
+Started at 5.55 a.m., and steered south-west, keeping parallel to the
+river at about a mile from it, as the creeks cut so deeply into the rock
+near the river that they are impassable; at 9.20 a.m. crossed to the
+right bank of the river, and continued a south-west course, but found the
+country exceedingly rough and rocky, and therefore turned to the
+north-west to the river, and at 11.30 a.m. camped at a fine pool of
+water. In the afternoon we were visited by a sudden thunder-squall;
+fortunately the tents had not been set up, or they must have been blown
+to pieces. The valley of the river has contracted to about fifteen miles,
+and turns to the west, but a branch seems to come from the south, and a
+second from the north-west. The country is, however, nearly level, and it
+is difficult to ascertain the limits of the valley, as many portions of
+the original tableland exist as detached hills and ridges. Though the
+horses are well shod, they are becoming lame and footsore from
+continually travelling over rough and stony country, as more than half of
+the last 100 miles has been so completely covered with fragments of rock
+that the soil, if any exists, has been wholly concealed.
+
+6th February.
+
+Leaving the camp at 6.20 a.m., steered south up the valley of a large
+creek. At first the ground was very rough and rocky, but as we proceeded
+it became more level and sandy--the bed of the creek being worn in the
+basalt, and the hills of sandstone conglomerate rising 100 to 200 feet.
+Except on the bank of the creek, there was no grass, the hills being
+covered with triodia. Encamped in a grassy flat at 11.30 a.m.
+
+Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 48 seconds.
+
+CROSS WATERSHED TO INTERIOR. HOOKER'S CREEK.
+
+7th February.
+
+At 6.30 resumed our journey to the south-south-west, and reached the head
+of the creek at 8.0 a.m. Ascending the tableland by an abrupt slope of
+100 feet, our course was south one mile, when the southern slope was
+reached, and a large shallow valley extended across our course, beyond
+which a vast and slightly undulating plain extended to the horizon with
+scarcely a rising ground to relieve its extreme monotony. Descending by a
+very gentle slope into the valley, at 9.40 a.m. crossed a small
+watercourse trending south-east, and then passed through a plain densely
+covered with kangaroo-grass seven to nine feet high, and at 10.40 a.m.
+encountered the level sandy country beyond, which was covered with
+triodia and small acacia and gum trees, or rather bushes. Seeing little
+prospects of either water or grass to the southward, turned east to the
+creek, at which we encamped at 12.30 p.m. The bed of the creek was dry,
+except a few shallow pools of rainwater, and there had been so little
+rain this season that no water had flowed down the channel. A level
+grassy flat extended nearly a mile on each side of the creek, which
+indicated the extent of occasional inundations, beyond which the country
+was very sandy and covered with small gum-trees, acacia, and triodia.
+
+Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 3 seconds.
+
+8th February.
+
+The country to the south being so level and barren that we could not
+expect to find either water or grass in that direction, at 6.0 a.m.
+steered north 110 degrees east along the course of the creek, which
+turned somewhat to the north of our track for a few miles; but at 8.0
+again came on its banks. The country was very barren and sandy, with
+small trees of silver-leafed ironbark and triodia, except on the
+inundated flats of the creek, which were well grassed and thinly wooded
+with box-trees. The course of the creek was now nearly south-east, but
+the channel decreased in size, and was quite dry till 10.0 a.m., when we
+reached a fine pool which had been filled by a tributary gully. Here we
+halted and shot several ducks. At 2.45 p.m. resumed our route, and at
+3.20 came to a level grassy flat, on which the channel of the creek was
+completely lost. Crossing the flat to the east, the country was quite
+level and sandy; therefore turned to the north, where there seemed to be
+a slight depression, and at 4.50 came to a shallow pool of rainwater, at
+which we encamped. Frequent showers during the night.
+
+THE DESERT INTERIOR.
+
+9th February.
+
+On winding the chronometers this morning, found the chain of 2139, by
+Arnold, was broken. Taking advantage of the cool cloudy morning, we
+steered south at 6.5 a.m. to ascertain if the water of the creek, after
+spreading on the grassy flat, collected again and found an outlet to the
+southward, but found the ground rise in that direction; observed a slight
+hollow to the west, for which we steered, but found it terminate on the
+sandy plain, and the country became a perfect desert of red sand, with
+scattered tufts of triodia and a few bushes of eucalypti and acacia. At
+noon, finding it hopeless to proceed further into the desert, we turned
+our steps to the north-north-east, and returned to our camp of last
+night. In returning to the camp we ascended a slight elevation, from
+which there was an uninterrupted view of the desert from east to
+south-west. The horizon was unbroken; all appeared one slightly
+undulating plain, with just sufficient triodia and bushes growing on it
+to hide the red sand when viewed at a distance. The day was remarkably
+cool and cloudy; the temperature at noon 86 degrees. Though the rain at
+the camp had been abundant during the previous night, it had not extended
+more than five miles into the desert, which is more remarkable, as the
+clouds were moving to the south.
+
+TURN TO THE WEST.
+
+10th February.
+
+As the horses required a day's rest, we remained at our camp, which
+enabled us to repair our saddles and perform other necessary work.
+Repaired the chronometer and one of the aneroid barometers, which had
+been broken by the motion of one of the pack-horses. As there was no
+practicable route to the south, and the sandstone hills to the north
+seemed to diminish in elevation to the east, I decided on following the
+northern limit of the desert to the west till some line of practicable
+country was found by which to penetrate the country to the south. In
+selecting a westerly route I was also influenced by the greater elevation
+of the country on the western side of the Victoria, and the fact that all
+the larger tributaries join from that side of the valley. It is also
+probable that, should the waters of the interior not be lost in the sandy
+desert, they will follow the southern limit of the elevated tract of
+sandstone which occupies north-west Australia from Roebuck Bay to the
+Gulf of Carpentaria, both of which points are nearly in the same latitude
+as our present position, from which it may be assumed that the line of
+greatest elevation is between the 17th and 18th parallels. None of the
+rivers crossed by Leichhardt are of sufficient magnitude to drain the
+country beyond the coast range, and therefore any streams descending from
+the tableland to the south will either be absorbed in the sandy desert or
+follow the southern limit of the sandstone and flow into the sea to the
+south-west of Roebuck Bay. There is, however, reason to expect that, as
+the interior of north-west Australia is partly within the influence of
+the tropical and partly the extra-tropical climates, it does not enjoy a
+regular rainy season; and though heavy rain doubtless falls at times, it
+is neither sufficiently general or regular to form rivers of sufficient
+magnitude to force their way through the flat sandy country to the coast.
+
+Latitude by Capella 18 degrees 20 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+11th February.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. proceeded up the creek, and at 12.30 p.m. camped at a
+shallow pool of rainwater on the flat, the channel of the creek being
+dry. On the northern bank of the creek we passed a small lagoon with a
+great number of duck and other water-fowl on it. The afternoon was
+cloudy, with a fresh breeze from south-east.
+
+Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 15 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+12th February.
+
+Three of the horses having strayed some distance, we did not start till
+7.0 a.m., when we steered an average course of north 300 degrees east
+till 11.45 a.m., when we camped at a small pool of water in the bed of
+the creek, which was reduced to a small gully; for the first four miles
+we traversed the grassy flats of the creek, after which we passed over a
+level sandy country producing nothing but triodia, stunted eucalypti, and
+acacia till we again approached the creek, where the grassy flat was
+nearly half a mile wide, but of inferior character.
+
+Latitude by b Tauri 18 degrees 9 minutes 44 seconds.
+
+13th February.
+
+At 6.50 a.m. followed the valley of the creek to the west, passing some
+fine flats with high grass, but the country generally very poor and
+thinly wooded with white-gum and silver-leafed ironbark; at 10.40 halted
+at a small waterhole at the foot of a low granite ridge; at 3.0 p.m.
+ascended the granite hills, which rose abruptly 100 to 150 feet above the
+plain, and extended about five miles to the south and east; to the west
+the sandstone covered the granite and formed a level tableland or plain;
+to the north a valley trended to the west, on the northern side of which
+the hills appeared to be granitic. Returning to the camp, examined a deep
+rocky ravine and found some small pools of water which might last for
+nearly another month.
+
+Latitude by Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 11 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+PIGEONS AND SEA-GULLS.
+
+14th February.
+
+Leaving the camp at 6.0 a.m., steered an average course of north 300
+degrees east; crossing the granite ridge, we entered a level sandy
+country with much scrub, which was traversed till 8.40, when we entered a
+wide grassy plain extending to the north-west, in which direction we
+steered till 2.10 p.m., when we halted at a small muddy puddle two inches
+deep and three yards wide. Then rode on with Mr. H. Gregory to search for
+a larger supply of water, and found a shallow pool about a mile distant,
+to which the party moved and encamped. Although this pool was not 100
+yards long and six inches deep, a large flock of ducks, snipe, and small
+gulls, were congregated at it, several thousand pigeons of species new to
+us came to drink. These pigeons keep in flocks of from ten to more than a
+thousand, feeding on the seeds of the grass on the open plains, as they
+never alight on trees. They are somewhat larger than the common
+bronze-wing; the head is black, with a little white at the base of the
+beak and behind the eye; back pale brown; breast, blue; throat marked
+with white; wings with white tips to the feathers and a small patch of
+bronze; tail short, tip white; feet, dull red. The evening and night were
+cloudy.
+
+WILD RICE.
+
+15th February.
+
+At 6.5 a.m. followed a line of small trees and bushes which grew on the
+lower part of the grassy plain and indicated the course of the water in
+the wet season, and at 9.0 came to the head of a small creek trending
+north-west. Water was now abundant and formed large pools, and at 11.15
+camped on the right bank of the creek at a pool a quarter of a mile long
+and fifty yards wide. This spot seemed to be much frequented by the
+natives, and large quantities of mussel-shells lay around their fires.
+The plain traversed this morning was well grassed; the soil a stiff clay
+loam; this plain extended three to six miles on each side of the track,
+and was bounded by a low-wooded country, which, in some parts, rose
+nearly 100 feet above the plain. In the lower part of the plain we
+observed the salt-bush (atriplex) and a species of rice; but as it was
+only just in ear, we could not judge of the quality of the grain. In the
+afternoon there was a fine breeze from the east which lasted till 8.0
+p.m., the sky being cloudy.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 17 degrees 53 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+16th February.
+
+At 6.25 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, which turned first west
+and then south-west, and at 12.20 p.m. encamped at a small pool; on the
+right bank of the creek wide grassy plains extended from three to five
+miles back towards a low-wooded ridge, but on the left bank the scrubby
+country came close to the creek.
+
+Latitude by a Orionis, Canopus and Pollux 17 degrees 59 minutes 40
+seconds.
+
+17th February (Sunday).
+
+As the water and grass were abundant on this camp, we were not compelled
+to move on in search of these requisites, and were enabled to observe it
+as a day of rest.
+
+18th February.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.30 a.m., and steered an average south-west
+course till 11.10, and then south till 12.25 p.m., and again camped on
+the creek. The country consisted of wide grassy plains on the bank of the
+creek, without trees and well grassed; beyond the plains, at one to six
+miles distance, low-wooded ridges were visible; but the general aspect of
+the whole was extremely level. A great number of ducks and a few geese
+were seen on some of the pools in the creek.
+
+Latitude by Canopus 18 degrees 4 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+STURT'S CREEK.
+
+19th February.
+
+Commenced our day's journey at 6.0 a.m., followed the bank of the creek
+till 8.15, thence south-south-west till noon, when the course was altered
+to south-south-east to close in with the creek, but found that the
+channel was completely lost on the level grassy plain, and at 1.40 p.m.
+encamped at a small puddle of muddy water as thick as cream. Before the
+creek was lost in the level plain it spread into some large, though
+shallow pools, which swarmed with ducks of several species, but
+principally the whistling duck. The grassy plain gradually extended to a
+greater breadth, and the back country was so nearly level that it
+scarcely rose above the grassy horizon, while to the south the country
+was so level that the clumps of bushes appeared like islands, and the
+grassy plain extended to the horizon. Near one of the waterholes in the
+creek we surprised a native, who was sitting at his fire with a couple of
+women, who decamped with all possible despatch. Several smokes have been
+observed to the south and south-west, which shows that water must exist
+in that direction, though it may not be in sufficient quantity to supply
+our horses. The morning was cloudy, and at midnight there was a heavy
+shower of rain. Judging from the general appearance of the country, the
+waters of the creek, after spreading over the plain, must escape to the
+westward, as the grass has been bent in that direction by the current
+last year, but there has been so little rain this season that the channel
+of the creek has not been filled.
+
+20th February.
+
+As it appeared that the waters of the creek trended to the west in the
+wet season, at 6.5 a.m. we steered north 250 degrees east, through a
+level forest of box-trees, with abundance of good grass; the soil brown
+loam with fragments of limestone; the shower last night had left many
+shallow pools of water on the surface. At 8.40 a.m. passed a small swampy
+salt flat covered with salicornia; at 9.10 came on the grassy plain which
+we skirted on a west course, but as it turned to the north-west, again
+changed the course to 320 degrees; the plain was now reduced to about a
+mile in width, and we therefore crossed it in search of a definite
+channel, but without success, though there were some slight indications
+that during inundation the water flowed to the north-west. At 11.50 we
+camped at a shallow puddle of rainwater, on the north side of the plain.
+From the camp, till 8.0 a.m., the grass, though very backward, showed
+that there had been sufficient rain to cause it to spring; but as we
+proceeded it was perfectly dry and parched up, as at the end of the dry
+season, showing that little or no rain had fallen for many months in this
+part of the country. The day was cloudy, with thunder, and was followed
+by a heavy shower at night, which prevented my ascertaining the latitude
+by observation.
+
+ENTER WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
+
+21st February.
+
+As we were now three days' journey from the last water which could be
+depended on for more than a few days, and the channel of the creek had
+been so completely lost on the plain that it was uncertain whether the
+marks of inundations near this camp had been caused by the creek flowing
+to the west, or by some tributary flowing to the east, I determined to
+attempt a south-west course, in the hope that, should the country prove
+rocky, the heavy showers might have collected a sufficient quantity of
+water to enable us to continue a southerly route, and accordingly
+selected the most prominent point of the rising ground to the south of
+our position, and at 6.5 a.m. started north 235 degrees east. After
+leaving the open plains we entered a grassy box forest, which continued
+to the foot of the hills, which we reached at 8.0. The slope of the hills
+proved very scrubby, with small eucalypti and acacia, the soil red sand
+and ironstone gravel; at 9.0 reached the highest part of the hills for
+many miles round. To the south the country was slightly depressed for ten
+or fifteen miles, and then rose into an even ridge or plain, the whole
+country appearing to be covered with acacia and eucalyptus scrub. To the
+west and north the view was more extended; the low ridge of sandstone
+hills extended to the west-north-west, on the northern side of the grassy
+flats for thirty miles, and only broken by a large valley from the north.
+Throughout its whole extent this range appeared to rise to 150 or 200
+feet above the plain, and had the appearance of being the edge of a level
+tableland. South of the grassy plain, the western limit of which was not
+seen, the country rose gradually to eighty or 100 feet, and presented an
+extremely level and unvaried appearance. It was evident that our only
+chance of farther progress was to follow the grassy plain to the west
+till some change in the country rendered a southerly course practicable,
+it being probable that some creek from the north might join the grassy
+plain, and that the channel which had been lost might be reformed. At
+9.30 steered north-west, and at 12.30 p.m. cleared the acacia scrub, and
+at 1.30 reached the bank of the creek, which had formed a channel twenty
+yards wide, with pools of water, which was brackish; but we were too glad
+to find any water which we could use without detriment to object to it
+because it was not agreeable in taste, and therefore encamped. We have
+thus been a second time compelled to make a retrograde movement to the
+north after reaching the same latitude as in the first attempt to
+penetrate the desert; but I did not feel justified in incurring the
+extreme risk which would have attended any other course, though following
+the creek is by no means free from danger, as very few of the waterholes
+which have supplied us on the outward track will retain any water till
+the time of our return. The weather was calm and hot in the early part of
+the day, and in the afternoon it clouded over, and there was a slight
+shower of rain. According to our longitude, by account, we have this day
+passed the boundary of Western Australia, which is in the 129th meridian.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Procyon 18 degrees 26 minutes.
+
+STURT'S CREEK.
+
+22nd February.
+
+Leaving the camp at 5.40 a.m., followed the creek to the west-south-west
+and crossed a small gully from the south; at 11.30 a.m. camped at a fine
+pool of water in a small creek from the south, close to its junction with
+the principal creek, which we named after Captain Sturt, whose researches
+in Australia are too well known to need comment; the grassy plains
+extended from three to ten miles on each side of the creek, which has a
+more definite channel than higher up, there being some pools of
+sufficient size to retain water throughout the year; the plain is bounded
+on the north by sandstone hills 100 to 200 feet high, and there is also a
+mass of hilly country to the south, the highest point of which was named
+Mount Wittenoon; about noon a thunder-shower passed to the east and up
+the creek on which we were encamped, and though the channel was then dry
+between the pools, at 4.0 p.m. it was running two feet deep; the grass is
+much greener near this camp, and there has evidently been more rain here
+than in any part of the country south of Victoria yet visited; a fresh
+southerly breeze in the morning, thunderstorms at noon, night cloudy with
+heavy dew.
+
+23rd February.
+
+At 5.50 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, the general course first
+south-west and changing to the south-south-west; the channel was
+gradually lost on the broad swampy flat, which was overgrown with
+polygonum and atriplex, etc., and had a breadth of half a mile to a mile,
+being depressed about ten feet below the grassy plain; the grassy plain
+also extended to about fifteen miles wide, the hills decrease in height,
+and the whole country is so level that little is to be seen but the
+distant horizon, scarcely in any part rising above the vast expanse of
+waving grass. At 10.50 a.m. camped at a shallow puddle of muddy water,
+just sufficient to supply the horses; I walked about a mile into the
+polygonum flat, but could not find any water, though the ground was soft
+and muddy in a few spots. Mr. H.C. Gregory, when rounding up the horses
+in the evening, saw eight blacks watching us; we therefore went out to
+communicate with them; but they hid themselves in the high bushes and
+grass. The night was clear, and I took a set of lunar distances, which
+the cloudy weather had prevented for more than a week, though I had been
+able to get altitudes for latitude.
+
+Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 39 minutes 54 seconds.
+
+EFFECT OF SEASONS ON APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY.
+
+24th February.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. resumed our journey down the creek, which spread into a broad
+swampy flat about a mile wide, and covered with atriplex, polygonum, and
+grass, the general trend south-west; at 7.30 crossed a large watercourse
+from the south-east, with a dry sandy channel, no water having flowed
+down it this season; at 9.0 a.m. crossed to the right bank of the creek;
+there were many shallow muddy channels and one with running water four
+yards wide and one foot deep; the largest channel was near the right
+bank, but, except a large shallow pool, it was dry. As we advanced the
+country showed effects of long-continued drought, and though the creek
+contained some large shallow pools, the channel was dry between, the dry
+soil absorbing the whole of the water which was running in the channel
+above; at 11.50 camped at what appeared to be the termination of the
+pools of water, as the channel was again lost in a perfectly level flat.
+Great numbers of ducks, cockatoos, cranes, and crows frequented the banks
+of the creek above the camp, and appeared to feed on the wild rice which
+was growing in considerable quantities in the moist hollows, as also a
+species of panicum; to the south-east of the creek there is a level
+box-flat which extends two to three miles back to the foot of some low
+sandy ridges covered with triodia and a few small eucalypti; to the
+north-west and west the grassy plain extended to the horizon, with
+scarcely even a bush to intercept the even surface of the waving grass.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 18 degrees 45 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+25th February.
+
+The small number of water-fowl which passed up or down the creek during
+the night indicated that water was not abundant below our present
+position, and we were therefore prepared for a dry country, in which we
+were not disappointed, for leaving the camp at 6.15 a.m. we traversed a
+level box-flat covered with long dry grass; at 9.10 a.m. again entered
+the usual channel of the creek, which was now a wide flat of deeply
+cracked mud with a great quantity of atriplex growing on it, but which
+had lost all the leaves from the long continuance of the dry weather. The
+flat was traversed by numerous small channels from one to two feet deep,
+but they were all perfectly dry and had not contained water for more than
+a year; there were, however, marks of inundations in previous years, when
+the country must have exhibited a very different appearance, and had it
+been then visited by an explorer, the account of a fine river nearly a
+mile wide flowing through splendid plains of high grass, could be
+scarcely reconciled with the facts I have to record of a mud flat deeply
+fissured by the scorching rays of a tropical sun, the absence of water,
+and even scarcity of grass. The creek now turned to the south, and we
+followed the shallow channels till 12.30 p.m., when we fortunately came
+to a small pool which had been filled by a passing thunder-shower, and
+here we encamped during the day; a fresh breeze at times blew from the
+south-east and south, and the air was exceedingly warm; thermometer 106
+degrees at noon, but being very dry, was not very oppressive.
+
+Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 55 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+LEVEL COUNTRY.
+
+26th February.
+
+As the course of the creek was uncertain, we steered south at 5.45 a.m.
+across the atriplex plain, and at 6.35 reached the ordinary right bank of
+the creek, which was low and gravelly, covered with triodia and small
+bushes; we then passed a patch of white-gum forest, and at 8 entered a
+grassy plain which had been favoured by a passing shower; green grass was
+abundant, and even some small puddles of water still remained in the
+hollows of the clay soil. At 10.50 came on the creek, which had collected
+into a single channel and formed pools, some of which appeared to be
+permanent, as they contained small fish. At one of these pools we
+encamped at 11.10. The channel of the creek is about fifteen feet below
+the level of the plain, and is marked by a line of small flooded-gum
+trees, the atriplex flat has ceased, and the soil is a hard white clay,
+producing salsola and a little grass; the morning clear with a moderate
+easterly breeze, afternoon cloudy with a few drops of rain at night.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 7 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+27th February.
+
+Resumed our journey down the creek at 6.5 a.m., when it turned to the
+west and formed a fine lake-like reach 200 yards wide, with rocky banks
+and sandstone ridges on both sides of the creek; at 11.0 camped at the
+lower end of a fine reach trending south: the general character of these
+reaches of water is that they are very shallow and are separated by wide
+spans of dry channel, the water being ten feet below the running level.
+The country is very inferior, and the grassy flats are reduced to very
+narrow limits, and the hills are red sandstone, producing nothing but
+small trees and triodia.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 12 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+28th February.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. we were again in the saddle, following a creek which had an
+average west-south-west course, but the channel was soon lost in a wide
+grassy flat, with polygonum and atriplex, in this flat were some large
+detached pools of water, 50 to 100 yards wide and a quarter to half a
+mile long, although the dry season had reduced them to much narrower
+limits than usual, as they were now eight to ten feet below the level of
+the plain; at 11.45 camped at a large sheet of water, just above a
+remarkable ridge of sandstone rocks on the right bank of the creek.
+Ducks, pelicans, spoonbills, etc., were very numerous, but so wild that
+they could scarcely be approached within range of our guns; until the
+present time it has been doubtful whether the creek turned towards
+Cambridge Gulf, the interior, or to the coast westward of the Fitzroy,
+but the first point being now 220 nautic miles to the north, and the
+general course of Sturt's Creek south-west, such a course is not
+probable, and it therefore only remains to determine whether it is lost
+in the level plains of the interior, or finds an outlet on the north-west
+coast. The careful and minute surveys of the coast from the Victoria
+River to Roebuck Bay show that no rivers exist of such magnitude as the
+Sturt would attain in passing through the ranges to the coast, nor does
+the general abrupt character of the coast-line favour the supposition
+that any interior waters would find an outlet in this space. That the
+elevation of this part of the creek is sufficient to enable it to form a
+channel to the north-west coast is shown by the barometric measurement:
+the dividing ridge between the head of the Victoria and Hooker's Creek is
+about 1200 feet, at the head of Sturt's Creek 1,370 feet, and our present
+camp 1100 feet; thus the average fall of Sturt's Creek has been 270 feet
+in 180 miles, or one and a half feet per mile. Now the distance to
+Desault Bay (which appears the most probable outlet) is 370 miles, and
+allowing an increase of 500 for deviations, there would be more than two
+feet descent per mile, which would be sufficient for the maintenance of a
+channel. Should the creek turn to the south and enter the sandy desert
+country, the water would soon be absorbed, especially as the wet season
+at the upper part of the creek occurs when the dry season is prevailing
+in the lower part of its course. That it does lose itself in a barren
+sandy country is, I fear, the most probable termination of the creek, and
+that a level country exists for many miles on each side of our route is
+shown by the small number and size of the tributary watercourses.
+
+Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 19 degrees 18 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+29th February.
+
+Leaving the camp at 5.40 a.m., traced the creek to the south-west for
+about three miles. It formed fine reaches of water fifty to 100 yards
+wide; but the channel terminated suddenly in a level flat, covered with
+polygonum, atriplex, and grass. In this flat we passed some large shallow
+pools of water; at 7.30 the creek turned to the west round the north end
+of a rocky sandstone hill, and was joined by a tributary gully from the
+north, below which point the channel was a well-defined sandy bed, with
+long parallel waterholes on each side, but very little water remained at
+this time; at 9.15 the course of the creek changed to south by west, and
+passed through a level flat timbered with flooded-gum trees; it was about
+one mile wide and well grassed, but completely dried up for want of rain.
+The back country was thinly wooded with white-gum, and gently rising as
+it receded, forming sandstone hills about 100 feet high of extremely
+barren appearance; at 11.45 camped at a small muddy pool which would last
+only for a few days. A strong breeze from the west commenced early in the
+day, and gradually changed to the south. Thermometer, 109 degrees in the
+coolest shade that could be found.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and e Argus 19 degrees 28 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+DESERT OF RED SAND.
+
+1st March.
+
+Our horses having strayed farther than usual in search of better grass,
+we were delayed till 6.20 a.m., when we steered a south by west course
+down the valley of the creek. Immediately below the camp the country
+beyond the effect of inundation changed to a nearly level plain of red
+sand, producing nothing but triodia and stunted bushes. The level of this
+desert country was only broken by low ridges of drifted sand. They were
+parallel and perfectly straight, with a direction nearly east and west.
+At 11.50 camped at a fine pool of water three to five feet deep and
+twenty yards wide. That we had actually entered the desert was apparent,
+and the increase of temperature during the past three days was easily
+explained; but whether this desert is part of that visited by Captain
+Sturt, or an isolated patch, has yet to be ascertained, and the only hope
+is that the creek will enable us to continue our course, as the nature of
+the country renders an advance quite impracticable unless by following
+watercourses.
+
+Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 19 degrees 40 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+2nd March.
+
+Left our camp at 6.30 a.m., and steered south-west by west, which soon
+took us into the sandy desert on the left bank of the creek. Crossing one
+of the sand ridges, got a sight of a range of low sandstone hills to the
+south-east, the highest of which I named Mount Mueller, as the doctor had
+seen them the previous evening while collecting plants on one of the
+sandy ridges near the camp. At 10.15 again made the creek, which had
+scarcely any channel to mark its course; the wide clay flat bearing marks
+of former inundations was the only indication visible. At 12.35 p.m.
+camped at a small muddy pool, the grass very scanty and dry. Traces of
+natives are frequent. Large flights of pigeons feed on the plains on the
+seeds of grass. A flock of cockatoos was also seen.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 51 seconds 12 minutes.
+
+3rd March.
+
+At 5.30 a.m. started and followed the creek on a general course
+south-west. There was a very irregular channel sometimes ten yards wide
+and very shallow, and then expanding into pools fifty yards wide. The
+sandy plain encroached much on the grassy flats, and reduced the winter
+course of the creek to half a mile in breadth. At 8.0 the course was
+changed to south, and at 10.15 camped at a swamp, which was nearly dry,
+and covered with beautiful grass. The country differed in character from
+that seen yesterday, there being a few scattered white-gum trees and
+patches of tall acacia. Salsola and salicornia are also very abundant,
+and show the saline nature of the soil.
+
+Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 20 degrees 2 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+SALT LAKES.
+
+4th March.
+
+Left the camp at 5.50 a.m., and steered south-west over a very level
+country, with shallow hollows filled with a dense growth of acacia, and
+at 7.30 struck the creek with a sandy channel and narrow flats, covered
+with salsola and salicornia. The pools were very shallow, and gradually
+became salt, and at 10.15 it spread into the dry bed of a salt lake more
+than a mile in diameter. This was connected by a broad channel with a
+pool of salt-water in it, with a second dry salt lake eight miles in
+diameter. As there was little prospect of water ahead and the day far
+advanced, we returned to one of the brackish pools and encamped. The
+country passed was of a worthless character, and so much impregnated with
+salt that the surface of the ground is often covered with a thin crust of
+salt.
+
+Latitude by e Argus 20 degrees 10 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+5th March.
+
+Started from the camp at 5.45 a.m., and steered south-south-east through
+the acacia wood to the lake, and then south by east across the dry bed of
+the lake towards a break in the trees on the southern side. Here we found
+a creek joining the lake from the south-west, in which there were some
+shallow pools. We then steered east, to intersect any channel by which
+the waters of the lake might flow to the south or south-east, and passing
+through a wood of acacia entered the sandy desert. As some low rocky
+hills were visible to the east we steered for them. At 2.10 halted half a
+mile from the hills, and then ascended them on foot. They were very
+barren and rocky, scarcely eighty feet above the plain, formed of
+sandstone, the strata horizontal. From the summit of the hill nothing was
+visible but one unbounded waste of sandy ridges and low rocky hillocks,
+which lay to the south-east of the hill. All was one impenetrable desert,
+as the flat and sandy surface, which could absorb the waters of the
+creek, was not likely to originate watercourses. Descending the hill,
+which I named Mount Wilson, after the geologist attached to the
+expedition, we returned towards the creek at the south end of the lake,
+reaching it at 9.30.
+
+6th March.
+
+As the day was extremely hot and the horses required rest and food, we
+remained at the camp. Ducks were numerous in some of the pools, but so
+wild that only two were shot. The early part of the day was clear, with a
+hot strong breeze varying from west to south-east. At 1 p.m. there was a
+heavy thunder-squall from the south-east, which swept a cloud of salt and
+sand from the dry surface of the lake. The squall was followed by a
+slight shower.
+
+Latitude by Canopus 20 degrees 16 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+DRY BEDS OF SALT LAKES.
+
+7th March.
+
+As I had frequently observed that in the dry channels of creeks
+traversing very level country a heavy shower in the lower part of its
+course often causes a strong current of water to rush up the stream-bed
+and leave flood marks, which would mislead a person examining them in the
+dry season, it seemed probable that this must be the case with the creek
+entering the salt lake at its south-west angle, as it might be the outlet
+of the lake when filled by Sturt's Creek flowing into it, though in
+ordinary seasons the flow of water would be into the lake; accordingly I
+decided on following the creek and ascertain its actual course. Leaving
+the camp at 5.50 a.m., steered nearly south-west along the general course
+of the creek till 7.30, when it turned to the north and entered the dry
+bed of a lake. As the beds of the two lakes were lower than the channel
+between them, the water during the last heavy rains had flooded both ways
+from the central part of the channel. Having skirted the lake on the west
+to intercept any watercourses which might enter or leave the lake on that
+side, we came to a large shallow channel with pools of water--some fresh
+and others salt--with broad margin of salicornia growing on the banks; at
+11.0 camped at a small pool of fresh water. The soil of the country on
+the bank of the creek is loose white sand with concretions of lime,
+covered with a dense growth of tall acacia, with salsola and a little
+grass in the open spaces.
+
+TERMINATION OF STURT'S CREEK.
+
+8th March.
+
+Started at 6.5 a.m. and traced the creek into a salt lake to the west,
+but this was also dry. After some search we found a creek joining on the
+northern side and communicating with a large mud plain, partly overgrown
+with salicornia, and with large shallow pools of muddy water two to three
+inches deep. On the northern side the plain narrowed into a sandy creek
+with shallow pools, the flow of the water being decidedly from the
+northward. At 12.15 p.m. camped at a shallow pool, near which there was a
+little grass, the country generally being sandy and only producing
+triodia and acacia. Thus, after having followed Sturt's Creek for nearly
+300 miles, we have been disappointed in our hope that it would lead to
+some important outlet to the waters of the Australian interior; it has,
+however, enabled us to penetrate far into the level tract of country
+which may be termed the Great Australian Desert.
+
+Latitude by Pollux and e Argus 20 degrees 4 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+9th March.
+
+Left our camp at 6.35 a.m., and followed the creek up for half an hour,
+and then steered east to Sturt's Creek, which we reached at 9.5, the
+country being level, sandy, and covered with triodia and acacia in small
+patches; we then steered a southerly course down the creek till 11.0, and
+camped at the large brackish pool.
+
+COMMENCE RETURN TO DEPOT. HOT WINDS.
+
+10th March.
+
+We had observed that a creek appeared to join the salt lake to the
+north-east angle. There yet remained a possibility that the waters of the
+lake might find an outlet to the east and pass north of Mount Wilson; we
+therefore steered east from the camp at 6.45 a.m. and passed close to the
+south of a small salt lake (dry) three-quarters of a mile in diameter,
+and then traversed a level sandy country thickly wooded with acacia and a
+few white-gum trees. At 8.15 struck a small grassy watercourse with broad
+shallow pools; this we followed down to the south-south-west to the large
+salt lake, close to which it was joined by a small sandy creek coming
+from the east. Having reached the bank of the lake at 10.0, steered south
+along its shore till 11.15, when its shore trended to the
+west-south-west, and there was a small well-defined bank without any
+break to the point which had been the limit of our examination from the
+southern part of the lake, and thus determined that there was no outlet
+for the water to the eastward. As the whole country to the south was one
+vast sandy desert, destitute of any indications of the existence of
+water, it was clear that no useful results could arise from any attempt
+to penetrate this inhospitable region, especially as the loss of any of
+the horses might deprive the expedition of the means for carrying out the
+explorations towards the Gulf of Carpentaria. I therefore determined on
+commencing our retreat to the Victoria River while it was practicable, as
+the rapid evaporation and increasing saltness of the water in this arid
+and inhospitable region warned us that each day we delayed increased the
+difficulty of the return, and it was possible that we were cut off from
+any communication with the party at the depot by an impassable tract of
+dry country, and might be compelled to maintain ourselves on the lower
+part of the creek till the ensuing rainy season. Returned to the creek at
+the north-east angle of the lake and encamped. The morning was cloudy
+with a strong hot wind from the east and south-east; the night calm and
+misty.
+
+11th March.
+
+At 6.10 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek to the
+north-north-east, but it soon spread into a number of small gullies,
+which drained a patch of clay land. At 7.0 steered north through a wood
+of acacia growing on loose sandy soil. Entering the open sandy plain at
+8.15, a few small white-gum trees were scattered over this part of the
+plain, which was quite level, the loose sand being covered with triodia,
+which partially concealed the glaring red colour of the ground. Observing
+a low abrupt hill a little to the east of our course, deviated towards
+it, and ascended it at 10.0. It was less than 100 feet above the plains,
+and composed of the same sandstone which prevails over the whole of the
+country south of the Victoria. The view was cheerless in the extreme.
+From north 26 degrees east to north 166 degrees east, the country was a
+level plain with small isolated or grouped hills of red sandstone, but
+not forming any definite ranges; the even height and peculiar table
+summits appear to indicate that they are only small remaining portions of
+a sandstone tableland or plain nearly the whole of which has been
+removed, the strata, however, had a dip to the east of one or two
+degrees. The vegetation on this part of the country was reduced to a few
+stunted gum-trees, hakea bushes, and triodia, the whole extremely barren
+in appearance. The remaining portion of the horizon was one even straight
+line; not a hill or break of any kind was visible, and, except the narrow
+line of the creek, was barren and worthless in the extreme, the red soil
+of the level portions of the surface being partially clothed with triodia
+and a few small trees, or rather bushes, rendered the long straight
+ridges of fiery-red drifting sand more conspicuous. The wind being
+strong, we observed the smoke of several fires along the course of
+Sturt's Creek, and also one near Mount Mueller, to the north-east,
+indicating the existence of natives in that direction, and doubtless of
+water in that locality, as it was a day's journey from the creek. Our
+course was now north 340 degrees east, and on approaching the creek
+passed through a patch of casuarina forest, which was remarkable, as they
+are the only trees of this genus we had seen on the coast since landing
+at the Victoria, though abundant in all other parts of Australia. At 1.35
+p.m. reached Sturt's Creek and halted at our camp of the 2nd March; there
+was a strong hot wind from the east during the day.
+
+12th March.
+
+Resumed our route at 5.50 a.m. and steered north 20 degrees east till
+8.0, then 40 degrees and 60 degrees till 1.0 p.m., when we encamped at a
+shallow pool of water near the creek, and about three miles above camp
+48, as the route only traversed the level flats near the creek. Nothing
+worthy of further notice was seen, the channel being split into small
+hollows, some of which retained a little water. The grass was much dried
+up and limited to the flat near the creek, the more remote portions being
+covered with triodia. The day was hot and nearly calm, but at noon we
+were benefited by a few passing clouds, and at 6.0 p.m. a dry
+thunderstorm cooled the air from 100 degrees to 93 degrees, but the
+temperature rose at 8.0 to 96 degrees.
+
+13th March.
+
+At 5.50 steered north 10 degrees east, crossing the creek several times,
+and at 10.0 turned to the north-north-east and north-east, crossing the
+sandstone hills, round which the creek turns at a right angle, and at
+12.10 p.m. camped on the creek near our track of the 29th February.
+Nearly all the pools of water had dried up, and the water at the camp had
+become brackish; some of the pools, however, must be permanent, as there
+were small fish in them. A great party of natives appeared to be
+travelling up the creek, as fresh fires are constantly seen to the
+north-east along its course. A cool breeze from the west to north-east
+moderated the heat, the temperature at 2 p.m. 103 degrees; passing clouds
+from the east in the afternoon.
+
+FOLLOW UP STURT'S CREEK.
+
+14th March.
+
+Resumed our route and followed the creek upwards from 5.50 a.m. till 1.50
+p.m., when we camped about three miles south-west of camp 45 at the first
+pool before the atriplex flat. A short distance above the camp we crossed
+a large sandy creek, which proved to be the cause of the change in the
+character of Sturt's Creek below that point. As our route was at a
+greater distance from the creek than in tracing it down, it gave a better
+opportunity of ascertaining the nature of the country beyond the
+influence of inundation; to the north-west a vast plain traversed by low
+ridges of gravel and drift sand, clothed with a scanty growth of triodia
+and a few hakea bushes, rose gradually from the creek, but on the
+south-east a more abrupt sandstone slope terminated in a similar plain of
+somewhat greater elevation, and showed that we were still within the
+bounds of the desert. Moderate breeze from the north-west changing to
+north-east; passing clouds; a slight shower at 11.0 p.m.
+
+15th March.
+
+Resumed our route at 5.50 a.m., steering north 40 degrees east, one hour
+into the triodia plain, then north 60 degrees east till 9.20 a.m., when
+we reached the first large pool in the creek, and rounding the bend
+camped at one of the narrow pools above the sandstone ridges. The water
+in the larger pools had sunk from six inches to a foot since we had
+passed downwards, and almost all the pools were now dry. The morning
+clear and cool, with clouds and light showers in the afternoon
+accompanied by thunder.
+
+16th March.
+
+As there was no water in the creek for the next thirty-three miles, we
+filled the water-bags and prepared for an early start; but unfortunately
+the horses had strayed farther than usual, which delayed us till 7.0
+a.m., when following nearly the outward route, passed close to camp 43,
+the waterhole at which was dry, and at 1.0 p.m. halted under the shade of
+a few acacia-trees during the heat of the day, and resumed our journey at
+3.0 p.m., following the south-east side of the plain through which the
+creek flows. The ground was stony and bad travelling, but as the moon was
+clear and bright we succeeded in reaching the first pool of water at 8.30
+p.m.; this was one mile above Camp 42, the water at which had dried up,
+though four feet deep on the 24th February. The pool at which we now
+camped appears to be permanent; it is 100 yards wide and 300 long, the
+water three feet deep close to the bank. Ducks were numerous, and I shot
+four in the morning. An easterly breeze continued through the day, and as
+usual there were a few clouds towards sunset. Unfortunately, the dry
+weather had warped the scale of the thermometer to such an extent that it
+broke the tube.
+
+DENISON PLAINS. WATER DRYING UP.
+
+17th March.
+
+We were again delayed by trifling circumstances, and did not leave the
+camp until 7.40 a.m., but having nearly cleared the desert the weather
+was comparatively cool. Steering an average course north-east, traversed
+the wide grassy plains on the right bank of Sturt's Creek, to which the
+name of Denison's Plains was given. At 2.0 p.m. camped at a small pool in
+the polygonum flat, which was all that remained of the water which had
+covered the flat to the extent of three-quarters of a mile in breadth,
+and was running when we passed down last month. Our course this day
+showed the great extent of the grassy plains to the north-west, as we did
+not see the limit at any point in that direction. Cool breeze from east
+with thin clouds all day.
+
+18th March.
+
+Left the camp at daylight and proceeded to Camp 40 on the outward route,
+and halted for the remainder of the day to rest the horses, as a heavy
+stage lay before us across the dry country. Large flocks of cockatoos
+came to the pool at this camp, and we shot thirty-three, which was a very
+welcome addition to our provisions. Strong easterly wind; passing clouds.
+
+19th March.
+
+Steered north 60 degrees east at 6.35 a.m., and followed up the course of
+the creek, crossing the right bank at 9.0, when there was nothing but the
+polygonum flat to mark its course; at 10.30 altered the course to nearly
+east, passing a large sheet of brackish water, which appeared deep and
+permanent at the lower end, but shallow at the upper part; at 11.20
+encamped at a small pool of fresh water in a back channel, the creek
+being brackish, and we were anxious to procure a supply of good water
+before proceeding further, as the next three stages of the outward track
+were now destitute of water. Strong easterly breeze; light clouds.
+
+20th March.
+
+At 5.55 am steered 110 degrees; at 6.20 struck a small creek with steep
+banks; altered the course to 90 degrees, crossing two small watercourses
+from the north with a little water in the deeper portions of their beds,
+the general character of the country box flats and open grassy plains
+near the creek. At 7.25 entered a large grassy plain extending north and
+east for ten miles, and at 9.15 halted at a small watercourse which
+retained a little water in a grassy hollow, our object in halting thus
+early being to enable us to start fresh in the afternoon, and, should the
+country continue open, to push on through the night, by which the water
+could be reached before the heat of the sun was too great for travelling.
+At 3.5 resumed our march and traversed level grassy plains extending one
+to five miles on each side of our route; at 7.0 observed a native fire
+about two miles to the north, from which we concluded that water existed
+at no great distance, and at 7.15 were fortunate in finding a pool of
+rainwater in a slight depression of the plain, and encamped. We could not
+find sufficient wood near the camp to boil our tea, but were satisfied
+with the discovery of a sufficient supply of water.
+
+21st March.
+
+We were again in the saddle at 5.15 a.m., and continuing our course north
+73 degrees east, reached the limit of the open plain, which turned to the
+south-east and extended to the horizon; at 6.40 entered the wooded
+country which bounded the plain, and the soil changed from a rich
+clay-loam to sandy and gravelly soil with fragments of sandstone, the
+vegetation consisting of small white-gum trees, shrubby acacia, and
+triodia, with a few patches of grass. The country gradually rose till
+9.25, when we came to an abrupt descent into the valley of Sturt's Creek,
+but the country did not improve in character till 10.20, when we came to
+the grassy flats; at 10.50 camped at a large open pool of water in the
+bed of the creek. On the pools there were large flights of whistling
+ducks, but so wild that they could not be approached within range of our
+guns. Moderate breeze from east with light clouds from south-east during
+the day. The weather has for the past ten days been so misty that I have
+not been able to get a good set of lunar distances, and it is useless to
+observe unless under circumstances favourable for accuracy.
+
+22nd March.
+
+5.35 a.m. found us again travelling up the creek on a northerly course;
+at 7.20 changed the course north-east by north, and at 11.30 camped about
+a mile below Camp 35. The hill at the bend of the creek proved to be
+basaltic, with a stratum of ironstone conglomerate resting on it. The
+pools of water in the bed of the creek were much reduced and all the
+smaller ones dried up.
+
+23rd March (Sunday).
+
+The feed and water not being in sufficient quantity to permit of our
+resting at this camp, we followed up the creek nearly on the outward
+course. A few miles above the creek a party of blacks came out of the
+creek and commenced a distant parley, but on one of the party approaching
+them they picked up their spears they had secreted in the grass and ran
+away into the bed of the creek. After six and a half hours' journey
+camped at the lower end of the pool, where we had halted on the 15th
+February; near the northern bend of the creek we passed a fine deep pool,
+which appears to retain water through the dry season. All the smaller
+pools had dried up, and the larger ones had sunk two feet since we were
+here in February.
+
+24th March.
+
+As the horses had not had a day's rest for some time past, we remained at
+the camp to refresh them before attempting to cross the dry country which
+divides the southern waters from those flowing to the north-west coast.
+As the nearest water which we knew to exist was now fifty miles to the
+east, and the country in that direction very bad travelling, we were now,
+however, eighty miles in a direct line from the depot camp, and as that
+course would take us over new and unexplored country I determined to
+attempt a direct route.
+
+1700 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
+
+25th March.
+
+At 6.20 a.m. steered north 40 degrees east, and, leaving Sturt's Creek,
+traversed open grassy plains till 9.5, when we entered a wooded country,
+with white-gum trees and underwood, acacia, triodia, and patches of
+grass; the soil a poor sandy red loam. At 11.0 passed to the south of an
+extensive grassy plain trending to the north-west; at 12.30 p.m. halted
+to ease the horses' backs from their loads, and resumed our route at
+1.40, and at 2.0 crossed a ridge of stony country which the aneroid
+showed to be about 1700 feet above the sea level, and was the highest
+spot yet visited by the Expedition. At 2.20 altered the course to east,
+and followed a slight depression till 4.0, when we came to a dry
+watercourse trending north-west; this was traced down in search of water
+till 6.30, when we halted for the night, without finding any water. The
+day being very calm and hot, the horses were very much distressed for
+want of water; but as there was a little green grass on the bank of the
+creek, they were able to feed for a few hours during the night.
+
+Latitude by Leonis 17 degrees 35 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+26th March.
+
+Proceeded down the creek, and at 7.20 a.m. came to a small pool of water,
+which the horses consumed in the space of a few minutes, but farther on
+came to a more abundant supply, and some of the pools appeared to be
+permanent, having a belt of water-pandanus and reeds round them; below
+this the channel was perfectly dry and sandy, but was much enlarged by
+numerous tributary gullies. At 12.50 p.m. came to a shallow pool, at
+which we camped. The country through which this creek passes is poor and
+stony, low hills of sandstone schist and limestone rising immediately
+behind the narrow strip of grassy land, which is fertilised by the
+overflow of the creek in the rainy season. The vegetable productions of
+the country seemed to be limited to a few small gum-trees, shrubby
+acacia, and triodia, with an occasional patch of grass. At the camp the
+bed of the creek was about forty yards wide, with banks fifteen feet
+high; the general course appeared to be north-west, a direction which
+renders it probable that it flows into Cambridge Gulf.
+
+Latitude by Pollux 17 degrees 25 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+SIXTY MILES WITHOUT WATER.
+
+27th March.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. left the camp and steered a course north 60 degrees east,
+gradually ascending among hills of schist and sandstone till 8.20, when
+we reached the level tableland. The principal trees were white-gum and
+silver-leafed ironbark, the soil a red loam of varying character, well
+grassed, but with patches of triodia, which affects a poor gravelly soil
+or deep sand. The country was now so nearly level that scarcely any rise
+or fall was discoverable, though the aneroid showed some slight
+undulations; at 1.15 p.m. halted for an hour, and at 6.0 camped in a
+patch of green grass, which enabled the horses to feed though they had no
+water. The weather was clear and hot during the day with a light easterly
+breeze, the night cloudy and very warm.
+
+DEPOT CAMP.
+
+28th March.
+
+At 5.10 a.m. resumed our course north 60 degrees east through a grassy
+forest of ironbark and bloodwood, with patches of small acacia and
+triodia. At 7.45 entered a series of open plains covered with high grass.
+The plains continued till 10.0, when we passed through an open gum
+forest, and the country declined to the east, and at 11.15 came on a
+small watercourse, which was dry and sandy. This we followed down to the
+north-east till 11.40, when it passed through a rocky gorge in a
+sandstone ridge, which rose at an angle of 30 degrees to the south-west
+and 40 degrees to the north-east, the latter being the dip of the strata.
+In this rocky gorge we could see some pools of water, but they were quite
+inaccessible from that side of the ridge, and we had to make a
+considerable detour to the south before we could descend to the plain
+below, and found a fine pool of water at the termination of the gorge, at
+which we halted and watered our thirsty horses. As we were now only two
+hours' ride from the depot camp, we after a short rest started again at
+3.10 p.m., and at 5.15 reached the depot camp, where we were welcomed by
+Mr. Baines and his party, and I was glad to find them all enjoying good
+health, and that the horses were in excellent condition. They had been,
+however, somewhat annoyed by the blacks, who had made frequent attempts
+to burn the camp, and also the horses, by setting fire to the grass, and
+on some occasions had come to actual hostilities, though by judicious
+management none of the party had been injured; nor was it certain that
+any of the blacks had been wounded, though it had been necessary to
+resort to the use of firearms in self-defence and for the protection of
+the horses.
+
+29th March.
+
+Returned our surplus provisions into store, when we found that the pieces
+of pork, originally four pounds weight each, were reduced to one-fifth of
+the original weight, as the long continuance of heat had melted the whole
+of the fat. Our ration had therefore been one pound flour, one-fifth
+pound salt pork, and two ounces sugar per diem. Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman
+rode out to round in the horses.
+
+Latitude by Regulus and e Argus 17 degrees 2 minutes.
+
+30th March (Sunday).
+
+Read prayers to those of the party who were in camp, some of the men
+having been sent out to attend to the horses. Mr. Baines having handed me
+his journal, I regret to find that he has been compelled to make an entry
+regarding Mr. Flood, who had refused to attend to his order to carry arms
+while on watch at night on the 18th March. I therefore called on Mr.
+Flood for any statement he had to make in extenuation of his conduct. His
+replies were, however, extremely unsatisfactory, and only attempted to
+excuse the act on account of some private misunderstanding with Mr.
+Baines some months previous, and that the order to wear his pistol was
+given before he had time to put on his clothes. There had, however, been
+a distinct refusal to obey the orders of the officer in charge of the
+party, and those orders were neither vexatious or unreasonable, as they
+were simply in enforcement of well-established regulations. I therefore
+cautioned Mr. Flood that unless his future conduct was more satisfactory
+than it had hitherto been I should remove his name from the list of
+officers taking command in the Expedition, according to the general
+orders of the 27th August, 1855. The weather continues cloudy and calm,
+and, though the temperature is not extreme, it is very oppressive.
+
+31st March.
+
+Examining and packing stores in readiness for the exploration of the
+valley of the Victoria to the east of the depot. Found the stores in good
+condition, though the bags had been much injured by the rats and white
+ants. Although in some respects it would be more convenient to move the
+party at once to the bank of the Victoria before examining the country
+beyond, yet as the horses were now accustomed to the run near the depot,
+and the huts and stockyard rendered the station a more safe and
+convenient spot than any we could elsewhere select, I therefore decided
+on leaving the party here until I had explored the country to the east,
+and then move the whole party down the right bank of the river, by which
+the number and magnitude of the tributaries from the east would be
+ascertained, as this was an important point with reference to the
+contemplated journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
+
+1st April.
+
+Preparing equipment for a light party to explore the country to the east
+of the camp; shod six horses, and packed eighteen days' provisions for
+four persons. The weather continues cloudy, with light variable winds.
+
+EXPLORE EAST OF THE DEPOT.
+
+2nd April.
+
+At 6.45 am started from the depot with Messrs. H. Gregory, Baines, and
+John Fahey, taking four riding and two pack horses, carrying eighteen
+days' rations, etc. Steered east over an undulating grassy country of
+basaltic formation with occasional sandstone ridges; the soil was
+generally good, but very stony. I had already traversed this country, and
+as the day was very misty with much rain, nothing worthy of further
+record was observed. At 1.30 p.m. altered the course to east-south-east,
+and at 3.15 camped on a large creek trending north-east, in the bed of
+which were large pools of a permanent character. The hills were basaltic,
+but the creeks having cut through the rocks and excavated the sandstone,
+the valleys were not of such a fertile character as the plains and
+ridges. Timber was wholly absent, and only a few small trees were seen at
+intervals on the hills. The morning was cloudy with light rain, but it
+cleared towards sunset.
+
+Latitude by e Argus 17 degrees 4 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+3rd April.
+
+Resumed our route at 6.30, and steered east-south-east to a basaltic
+hill, which we reached at 7.40; from the summit a great extent of country
+was visible, but there were no marked features, as the broken ranges and
+isolated hills were nearly similar to each other. The whole country
+appeared to be a nearly level basaltic plain, with masses of sandstone
+rising 100 to 200 feet above its surface, while the valleys of the creek
+were excavated to the depth of 100 feet. The country was well grassed,
+but very stony; but this, though very inconvenient to the traveller, does
+not render it less valuable for pasture, as stony land always stands
+feeding better than any other. At 8.20 altered the course to nearly east
+towards a low ridge of hills. The plain was well grassed till 12.50 p.m.,
+when the sandstone prevailed on the surface and triodia prevailed in the
+valleys. At 1.50 followed down a rocky ravine, and at 2.15 encamped.
+
+THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+4th April.
+
+At 6.5 a.m. left the camp and followed the gully to the east-south-east;
+at 7.0 crossed a sandstone ridge, and beyond it a large creek from the
+south-west, in the bed of which there were some fine pools of water. We
+then ascended to a basaltic plain, and altered the course to south-east;
+at 8.0 the country gradually declined to the east, and sandstone was the
+prevailing rock, but grass was abundant. At 9.40 reached the Victoria,
+the course from south-south-west to north-north-east; the river had
+ceased to run and was now only in large pools; crossed to the right bank
+and steered south half an hour, and camped on the bank of a creek from
+south-south-east; at noon the sky was overcast, and at 2 p.m. it
+commenced raining and continued till 4.30, with thunder; heavy dew at
+night. After it commenced raining the aneroid fell 0.10, but rose again
+before it ceased. In this part of Australia neither wind nor rain appear
+to affect the atmospheric pressure to any great extent.
+
+ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.
+
+5th April.
+
+The result of the rain yesterday was a thick fog this morning, and when
+we left the camp at 5.50 a.m. we could not see 100 yards, and we
+traversed the basaltic plain in an east course till 7.0, when the fog
+cleared away and we found ourselves at the foot of some low rocky hills
+of basalt, over which we travelled north 70 degrees east. These hills
+were very rough and stony, but covered with excellent grass. We then
+entered a basaltic plain, richly grassed and less stony than usual. At
+9.30 crossed a basaltic ridge and entered a large valley trending to the
+north and east; at 10.10 ascended a rocky hill about 150 feet high, and
+got bearings of the ranges, etc. The country appeared to consist of
+grassy hills and plains, extending twenty to thirty miles to the north
+and east. To the south a range of basalt and sandstone hills intercepted
+the view. Steered east from the hill, and traversed an undulating
+country, the rocks being basalt, sandstone schist, and jasper; the basalt
+forming the higher ground, though on the banks of the creek the jasper
+rested on the basalt. At 2.10 p.m. encamped on a large creek with a
+gravelly channel twenty yards wide. Fahey obtained a large quantity of
+mussels from the pools in the creek; they proved an excellent addition to
+our supper, though rather deficient in flavour. The weather was cloudy,
+and, though there was an occasional sight of the sun, we could observe
+neither the commencement or end of the solar eclipse. I was therefore
+unable to avail myself of it for correcting the longitude.
+
+Latitude by e Argus 17 degrees 9 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+6th April.
+
+Left the camp at 6.10 a.m. and steered east over a grassy plain; at 7.25
+crossed some wide channels from the south-east, forming a large creek; at
+8.15 turned south-east and followed the creek till noon. It then turned
+south, and at 12.15 p.m. we camped at a shallow pool of muddy water. The
+creek was here divided into several small channels, in which only a few
+pools of water remained. The whole of the country traversed this day was
+nearly level, well grassed, and very open. Basalt and jasper are the
+prevailing rocks.
+
+Latitude by Regulus and Argus 17 degrees 15 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+7th April.
+
+As the creek appeared to come from the south and not to have a long
+course, but to rise in the low sandstone ranges which were visible in
+that direction, it was useless to follow it farther; we therefore steered
+northwards to intercept any streams which might join the Victoria River
+lower down its course, and, after travelling over open grassy ridges of
+basalt for six hours, at 12.25 p.m. camped at a small gully, in which
+there were some small pools, which appeared to be supplied by springs.
+The country for five to ten miles to the east of our track appeared open
+and grassy, basalt being the prevailing rock.
+
+RUNNING WATER. FINE PASTORAL COUNTRY.
+
+8th April.
+
+At 6.0 a.m. left the camp, and steered an average west-north-west course
+over an undulating grassy country of basaltic formation; at 11.45 reached
+the bank of the creek, which formed fine pools fifty yards wide, with
+fine open grassy country on both sides, well suited for stock. Followed
+the creek west till 1.5 p.m., when we crossed to the left bank and
+encamped.
+
+Latitude by Regulus and Argus 16 degrees 59 minutes.
+
+9th April.
+
+Continued our route down the creek in a northerly direction, leaving the
+camp at 6.15 a.m., and at 7.55 reached its junction with the Victoria.
+The river had high banks and formed deep reaches of water, with a dense
+growth of pandanus, melaleuca, flooded-gum, and other trees in the dry
+portions of the channel; the country on both banks was basaltic, and rose
+gradually into fine grassy downs; the soil very stony, but a good dark
+loam; sandstone showed where the river had cut through the basalt, which
+is not of any great thickness. At 2.35 p.m. camped on a back channel of
+the river, as the principal channel was difficult of access from the
+steep bank and dense growth of reeds. Although the upper part of the
+Victoria had long ceased to run, this part of the river was flowing with
+a strong stream ten yards wide and six feet deep.
+
+Latitude by Regulus and Argus 16 degrees 45 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+10th April.
+
+Continued our route at 6.5 a.m., and followed the river northward till
+8.10, when it turned to the north-west; the country consisted of nearly
+level grassy plains of various elevations, separated by low rocky ridges
+of sandstone and basalt, the whole well grassed, except some small
+patches where triodia prevailed; at 11.0 altered the course to average
+north-west by west, and at 1.30 p.m. camped at a small gully with a
+little water remaining from a recent shower. The horses suffered much
+from the heat, as the air was very moist; at 1.40 there was a shower of
+rain, and the temperature was reduced from 95 degrees to 84 degrees.
+
+Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 35 minutes 8 seconds.
+
+11th April.
+
+Started from the camp at 6.30 a.m., steering west-south-west; at first
+sandstone prevailed, and triodia replaced the grass, but at two miles
+again entered the basaltic country, which was well grassed but very
+stony, and forming flat-topped hills of small elevation; the basalt
+appeared to be interstratified with sandstone, the latter much altered at
+the line of contact. At 9.15 came on the bank of the river, which was
+running in a deep channel with a dense line of pandanus, fig-trees,
+terminalia, flooded-gum, and melaleuca; followed the valley of the river
+to the north-west till noon, and camped at the foot of the hill which we
+had ascended, at the most southern point attained in December, 1855;
+ascended the hill and took the bearings, as on the former occasion the
+rain had obscured the features of the country.
+
+Latitude by Leonis and Argus 16 degrees 27 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+12th April.
+
+Having connected this part of our route with that of December last, at
+6.20 a.m. commenced our return up the river, crossing to the left bank at
+7.15; the water was running strong twenty yards, and one to two feet
+deep; in examining the ford my horse trod on the back of a large
+alligator, which seemed to be equally astonished as the horse at this
+unexpected meeting; I then proceeded up the river a mile and a half and
+halted, as Mr. H. Gregory, who I had sent to examine the river in another
+part, had not come up with the party, but he shortly after overtook us,
+having found a good ford lower down the river; at 4.0 p.m. resumed our
+journey, and at dusk encamped in the bed of a large creek, which joined
+the Victoria from the south-south-west; at 7.0 it commenced raining, and
+there were frequent showers till midnight, with thunder and lightning.
+
+HUTT PLAINS.
+
+13th April.
+
+As the creek in which we bivouacked seemed to come from the south-west,
+we followed the valley in that direction; at 6.40 a.m. the hills
+receding, the grassy flats appeared to extend to the Wickham River and
+form a continuation of Hutt Plains; the creek now came from the
+south-south-west and had some fine pools of water in the channel; at 2.10
+p.m. camped at a shallow pool in the grassy flat, as the water in the
+creek was not very easy of access owing to the dense masses of reeds and
+grass. The hills which bound the valley of the creek are basalt,
+sandstone, and schist. In the level ground near the creek the grass was
+five to nine feet high, and greatly impeded our horses. The day was cool
+and cloudy with some light showers at night. The aneroid barometer was
+completely put out of adjustment by the principal lever having been moved
+from its position by a violent shake in crossing one of the deep gullies.
+
+NATIVE PAINTINGS.
+
+14th April.
+
+At 6.10 a.m. resumed our journey up the creek in a southerly direction,
+the valley gradually narrowing, and in one part of the sandstone rocks
+came close to the banks of the creek, leaving scarcely space to pass
+between them and the deep pools of water; at 12.30 p.m. camped on the
+right bank. The basaltic hills appeared to turn to the south-east, and we
+now entered the sandstone country. The valley of this creek appears to
+offer the best line of access to the upper part of the valley of the
+Victoria, as it is nearly level from Hutt Plains to 10.40 in this day's
+journey, beyond which point drays would have to ascend the hills and turn
+to the south-east to reach Roe's Downs, which is the finest part of the
+country yet examined. A short distance below our camp we saw several
+native paintings on the sandstone rocks; they consisted of rude outlines
+of fish and snakes, some in red ochre and others in white clay. Mr.
+Baines sketched some of the most remarkable.
+
+Latitude by Argus 16 degrees 55 minutes.
+
+15th April.
+
+At 6.25 a.m. recommenced our journey and followed the creek, which turned
+to the west, and the country became extremely rugged, and at length, as
+the valley became impassable, we ascended the hills and steered
+south-west across a very rocky sandstone country to the basaltic plains.
+Changing the course to west-north-west, crossed two tributary creeks, and
+at 3.40 p.m. camped on the bank of the creek, which was now much reduced
+in size. The country to the north of the creek consisted of very rough
+and rocky hills of red sandstone, extremely barren in appearance, while
+to the south it rose into the basaltic plain which forms Roe's Downs.
+
+Latitude by Argus 17 degrees 6 seconds.
+
+16th April.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.45 a.m. and travelled in a west by north course
+towards a remarkable basaltic hill, which I called Mount Sanford,
+traversing a fine open grassy country till 1.0 p.m., when we camped on a
+creek with permanent pools of water. The rough stony country has rendered
+the horses quite footsore, and their legs are much cut and bruised by
+constantly falling over the large rocks in crossing the deep ravines and
+rocky ridges.
+
+Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 59 minutes 38 seconds.
+
+RETURN TO DEPOT CAMP.
+
+17th April.
+
+Started at 6.25 a.m. and reached Mount Sanford at 7.30, the country
+passed being sandstone producing triodia and a little grass. The hill is
+of basalt with a flat top, but is based on sandstone; its form is nearly
+a truncated cone 150 feet high and 300 feet in diameter at the top.
+Having taken angles to the surrounding hills, we descended and steered
+south-west and west to the depot camp at 1.0 p.m. During our absence Dr.
+Mueller had found full employment in collecting the plants in the
+vicinity of the camp, and the rest of the party had been fully occupied
+in the care of the horses and duties of the camp. I was glad to find that
+they had not been again molested by the blacks.
+
+18th April.
+
+Preparing maps of the late excursion to the east of the depot; party
+preparing for the return to principal camp.
+
+19th April.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+20th April (Sunday).
+
+A fine cool breeze from the south, with thin clouds.
+
+21st April.
+
+Several of the horses had strayed some distance from the camp, and we did
+not start till 12.30 p.m., when we steered north by west till 5.15 p.m.
+and camped at a small creek in a deep rocky valley; the country after
+leaving the basaltic plain was very rocky, the hills composed of schist
+with a superstratum of red sandstone; grass was abundant in the valley,
+but the hills produced little but triodia and small gum-trees.
+
+START FOR MAIN CAMP.
+
+22nd April.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. steered east down the creek one mile to its junction with
+Depot Creek, which was followed north and north-north-east till 8.40. The
+back country rose into sandstone hills covered with triodia; but there
+were good grassy flats on the bank of the creek. The creek then entered a
+rocky gorge about 100 yards wide, with cliffs upward of 100 feet high on
+each side. With some difficulty we forced our way through the dense
+growth of reeds and brush, among huge masses of rock and deep pools of
+water, till 10.10, when we reached a more open part of the valley. The
+creek now turned to east-north-east, and the wide valley was bounded by
+low schist hills to the north and the sandstone range we had just passed
+to the south; except in the lower part of the valley and a few small
+patches on the hills the country was very poor and stony, triodia taking
+the place of the grass; water was abundant in the bed of the creek, where
+it formed large permanent pools, between which there was a small stream
+of running water in the upper part of the creek, but lower down the
+channel was dry between the pools; at 1.0 p.m. camped on the right bank
+of the creek; crossed to the left bank of the creek at 6.20 p.m. and
+followed it north-east one hour, when the creek turned east and our
+course was over stony ridges; it was now found that one of the horses was
+missing, having been lost in one of the dense thickets on the bed of the
+creek. Mr. H. Gregory therefore returned to search for the lost animal,
+and we halted till 9.20, and then went on with the party, leaving Mr.
+Baines to wait on the track till Mr. Gregory came up; at 10.20 p.m.
+reached the Wickham River and followed it down to the junction of Depot
+Creek, which we crossed at noon, and camped in a grassy flat about a mile
+lower down; at 2.0 am Mr. H. Gregory and Mr. Baines came into the camp,
+but had not been able to find the missing horse; at 3.0 a.m. Mr. H.
+Gregory and Bowman started to look for the horse.
+
+24th April.
+
+At 10.30 Mr. H. Gregory brought in the pack-horse lost yesterday.
+Fortunately, this horse was not carrying a load, and though the saddle
+got under the horse's belly nothing was injured.
+
+25th April.
+
+Followed the river down from 7.40 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. and encamped at
+9.10 p.m.; crossed a large tributary creek from the south; the country
+was grassy near the river, but rose into rocky hills with flat tops at a
+short distance from it; light rain from 4.0 a.m. till 1.0 p.m., with
+light easterly breeze.
+
+CROSS THE VICTORIA RANGE. STOKES' RANGE.
+
+26th April.
+
+Continued the route along the right bank of the Wickham from 7.45 a.m.
+till 3.15 p.m., the general course east-north-east, and camped; after
+passing the gorge in the sandstone range, which was very narrow and
+rocky, the country opened into level plains. The best line of route to
+the upper part of the Wickham is near Mount Warburton, as the sandstone
+hills which form the rocky gorge are detached; the day was cool and
+cloudy, with a strong easterly breeze in the morning, and it commenced
+raining at sunset.
+
+27th April.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. left the camp and steered east to the Victoria River, but as
+we could not find a fording place, turned north to the Wickham, and
+encamped on its banks at 12.25. The bank of the Victoria being so densely
+covered with reeds that the water was not accessible; at noon I rode out
+with Mr. H. Gregory to search for a ford, as I wished to keep on the
+right bank of the river to ascertain what tributary streams joined from
+the east; after three hours' search found a practicable ford and returned
+to the camp after dark. In the afternoon the blacks were heard calling on
+the left bank of the Wickham, near the camp, but were not seen, owing to
+the thick brush and reeds which filled the bed of the river.
+
+28th April.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. steered south to the Victoria and reached the ford at 8.35,
+and at 9.0 a.m., having accomplished the passage of the river with only a
+few slight accidents, followed the right bank of the Victoria downwards
+till 1.15 p.m., and encamped on the eastern side of the Victoria; the
+country was level and well grassed for several miles back, and then rose
+into the sandstone range to the south and basaltic hills to the east.
+
+29th April.
+
+At 7.10 a.m. steered north-east over a nearly level grassy basaltic
+country with low hills to the east of our route; at 8.0 a.m. altered the
+course to north and traversed a fine grassy country with table hills of
+basalt resting on chert and sandstone; crossed one creek from the
+south-east with a muddy channel fifteen yards wide; at 2.0 p.m. changed
+the course to north 300 degrees east, and at 4.15 p.m. reached the bank
+of the Victoria; but it was so steep that the horses could not approach
+the water, and therefore followed it to the rocky ford east-south-east
+from Mount Sandiman and encamped.
+
+30th April.
+
+Crossed the left bank of the river at 7.0 a.m., but one of the horses
+injured his leg among the rocks, and the wound had to be sewn up, which
+delayed us till 8.20 a.m., when we steered north-west to Jasper Creek,
+which, after much labour in forcing a passage through the reeds, we
+crossed at 11.25 a.m., and at 12.55 p.m. encamped on the bank of the
+Victoria, at the commencement of the rocky gorge through Stokes' Range.
+
+1st May.
+
+Proceeded down the river, leaving the camp at 6.50 a.m., and at 2.15 p.m.
+encamped a short distance above our camp of the 8th December, 1855.
+
+2nd May.
+
+Continued route from 6.45 a.m. till 1.0 p.m., and encamped one mile above
+our bivouac of the 28th December.
+
+3rd May.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.45 a.m. and followed the left bank of the river
+till 10.10 a.m., when we encamped at the spot where we crossed the
+Victoria on the 28th November, 1855; at 2.0 p.m. crossed the river with
+Mr. H. Gregory, and rode to the east to examine a large creek which
+joined the Victoria two miles below the camp. The creek was thirty to
+forty yards wide, with high muddy banks covered with reeds, and the marks
+of floods were fifty feet above its present level; the general appearance
+was that of a stream having a course of forty to fifty miles. The wide
+flat on the left bank of the creek was well grassed; but the valley was
+bounded by steep sandstone hills covered with triodia and scrub; returned
+to the camp at 5.0 p.m.
+
+6th May.
+
+As we should have to pass this camp on our route to the Gulf of
+Carpentaria, I deposited 100 pounds of flour and a quantity of shot and
+lead, horse-shoes, etc., in a cleft in the rocks, and covered them with
+large stones, and then set the grass on fire to deface our tracks; at
+8.15 a.m. left the camp and proceeded along our former track till noon,
+and camped on a small creek two miles east-south-east from Bynoe Range.
+
+7th May.
+
+Left the camp at 8.10 a.m. and steered north 240 degrees east over a
+level grassy country, wooded with bauhinia, acacia, and eucalypti--the
+latter being more abundant as we advanced; at 1.0 p.m. the country
+changed to low rocky ridges of chert and limestone, and at 2.0 p.m.
+encamped at a small creek trending north-west, and in which a few small
+muddy pools of water remained. At noon we passed a party of five or six
+blacks, who shouted to us from a distance, but would not approach within
+200 yards. They were armed with spears, and seemed to be on their return
+from hunting, as the grass was on fire to the south.
+
+8th May.
+
+At 7.20 resumed our journey, and steering west crossed a fine creek with
+fine pools and water-pandanus growing on the banks. We then traversed a
+very rocky country, at the southern base of the sandstone range, till
+11.0, when we came to a more level and grassy country, consisting of
+chert ridges. At noon steered north 300 degrees east down the valley of a
+small creek, and soon entered a deep valley bounded on both sides by
+steep sandstone hills. At 1.0 p.m. turned north 320 degrees east, and at
+2.20 camped at a shallow pool in the bed of the creek, which was now in
+the limestone rock.
+
+REACH THE MAIN CAMP.
+
+9th May.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. resumed our journey down the valley to the junction of the
+creek with the Victoria River, which we followed down, crossing the ridge
+at Steep Head at 10.20, and reached the principal camp at 5.30 p.m.,
+where we were welcomed by Mr. Elsey, who was in charge, Mr. Wilson being
+absent down the river at the schooner, which had been laid on the shingle
+bank near the Dome to complete repairs. I was glad to learn that all the
+men belonging to the Expedition were in good health, except Richards,
+whose hand was still in a very unsatisfactory state, though better than
+when we left in January. The crew of the schooner had not been so
+fortunate, as the carpenter, John Finlay, had died, and three of the men
+were so ill that they had been left at the camp to be under the immediate
+care of the medical officer. This great amount of sickness is owing to
+the combined effects of previous disease and the inferior quality of the
+provisions with which the vessel is supplied. It appears that through
+damage by salt water and want of good management the provisions, which
+should have been sufficient for two years, are now reduced to salt beef
+of inferior quality and tea, the Expedition having had to furnish flour,
+rice, sugar, peas, and pork, as also medical stores, for the sick men. In
+consequence of the reduced number of the crew of the Tom Tough, Mr.
+Wilson had found it necessary to furnish men to assist in working the
+schooner, as well as to effect repairs.
+
+10th May.
+
+Much of the grass near the camp having been burnt, I sent the horses to
+the creek, three miles above the camp. Party employed in general duties
+of the camp. Twenty-nine sheep remained; they are now in fair condition;
+the average weight forty to forty-five pounds. They would probably have
+been much fatter had they been judiciously shepherded, but they had been
+kept close to the camp, where the feed had been eaten off closely. The
+natives have been frequently at the camp in small parties, and on these
+occasions were very quiet in their demeanour, but had made hostile
+demonstrations when met by small detached parties of the Expedition; and
+on one occasion Mr. Wilson had deemed it necessary to fire at them; but
+only one of the blacks appears to have been wounded, with small shot, in
+the arm, as he was afterwards seen at the camp.
+
+11th May (Sunday).
+
+12th May.
+
+Preparing maps, arranging stores, etc.
+
+13th May.
+
+Drawing maps of the late journey and preparing for the Expedition to the
+Albert River.
+
+THE TOM TOUGH REFITTED.
+
+14th May.
+
+Preparing maps, sifting flour, packing specimens, burning charcoal for
+the forge, preparing horse-shoes. At 6 p.m. Mr. Wilson returned in the
+boat from the Tom Tough. One of the boys belonging to the schooner was
+brought to the camp for medical treatment, as he was suffering from
+scurvy. The Tom Tough had been moored below the shoals, and was now
+moored in a secure position below Curiosity Peak. All the leaks had been
+secured, and she now only made about half an inch of water per hour. The
+crew of the vessel have been so much reduced by sickness that it will be
+necessary to send men on board to assist in refitting the vessel and
+procure a supply of wood and water. As it is necessary to replace the
+stores destroyed or damaged by salt-water, it appears desirable that the
+Tom Tough should proceed to the Gulf of Carpentaria via Coupang, in the
+island of Timor, where a supply of rice and sugar can be procured for the
+Expedition, and the vessel will be enabled to complete her stores. It
+appears desirable that the land party should refit with all possible
+despatch for the journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria, in order to take
+advantage of the cool season, and there is reason to expect that the
+horses will be sufficiently recruited in strength towards the end of
+June. I am, therefore, in hope that the party will be able to leave the
+Victoria before the expiration of the ensuing month. A small party of
+natives came to the camp in the morning and bartered a few trifles, and
+then retired.
+
+15th May.
+
+Continued preparation of maps; party employed in preparations for the
+journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria, camp duties, and preparing oakum for
+the schooner. Having found that the pork had been so much reduced in
+weight during the late journey, I made some experiments in the
+preparation of meat biscuits by mixing the preserved fresh beef with
+flour in equal proportions, with satisfactory results, as the reduction
+in weight by baking was 33 per cent.
+
+16th May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+17th May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+18th May (Sunday).
+
+19th May.
+
+Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller being desirous of proceeding up the
+Baines River to collect specimens, etc., made the necessary arrangements
+for the same, and they therefore proceeded in the boat with Phibbs,
+Humphries, and Shewell to the schooner; the men were then to return to
+the camp with a cargo of stores; and Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller
+were to proceed up Baines' River in the small boat which they were to
+obtain from the schooner. Richards is in charge of the sheep; Macdonald
+cook during the week; Bowman and Melville in charge of horses; Dean
+preparing saddle-bags and harness; Fahey and Selby burning charcoal and
+general camp duties.
+
+20th May.
+
+Party employed as before. The weather continues fine, with southerly
+winds.
+
+21st May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+22nd May.
+
+Party employed as before. At noon the boat returned from the schooner
+with stores; Captain Gourlay also came up in the gig to the camp; he
+informed me that the schooner now only made ten inches of water per day,
+and that she would be ready for sea so soon as the upper seams were
+caulked, and that he considered her perfectly seaworthy for the purpose
+of the expedition.
+
+23rd May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+24th May.
+
+Despatched the boat to the schooner with three cases containing
+sationery, tobacco, clothing, etc. Captain Gourlay returned to the Tom
+Tough.
+
+25th May (Sunday).
+
+PREPARATIONS FOR JOURNEY EASTWARD.
+
+26th May.
+
+Party employed preparing equipment for the journey to the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+27th May.
+
+As before.
+
+29th May.
+
+Party employed as before. Messrs. Wilson, Elsey, and Mueller returned
+with the long-boat and gig from the schooner, having been about thirty
+miles up Baines' River to the south-west of Curiosity Hill. Mr. Wilson
+brought a native in the boat from Stony Spit.
+
+30th May.
+
+Party employed as before, and packing stores to be put on board the
+schooner.
+
+31st May.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+1st June (Sunday).
+
+2nd June.
+
+Party employed preparing saddlery and equipment for the journey to the
+Gulf of Carpentaria.
+
+3rd June.
+
+Mr. Baines proceeded in the boat to the schooner (which was now anchored
+below the shoals), conveying a quantity of stores. Boat's crew: Phibbs,
+Humphries, Dean, and Selby; remainder of party at the camp employed as
+before. Preparing map of route up the Victoria River, etc.
+
+4th June.
+
+Party employed as before, namely, shoeing horses, restuffing saddles, and
+other preparations for journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Received from
+Mr. Wilson a journal of his proceedings from 31st January to 3rd March,
+and 1st April to 14th May.
+
+5th June.
+
+Party at camp employed as before. Mr. Baines returned with the gig.
+Boat's crew: Phibbs, Humphries, Dean, Selby, and Dawson, also one of the
+seaman belonging to the schooner; received a note from the master of the
+Tom Tough, complaining that Dawson had used abusive language to Mr.
+Gourlay; but as it appeared that considerable provocation had been given,
+I only reprimanded Dawson for his conduct. Mr. Baines informed me that on
+the 4th instant he had landed early in the day from the schooner, in
+company with Captain Gourlay, Dawson, and one of the seamen (Adams), for
+the purpose of bartering with a party of natives, about twenty in number.
+The blacks having been allowed to come close to the boat, stole a
+tomahawk, and on Adams making a demonstration of detaining one of their
+number until the stolen article was returned, one of the blacks seized
+his gun and tried to wrest it from him; but, Captain Gourlay approaching,
+he ran into the bush, and the rest of the blacks retired; the party then
+returned to the schooner. The tomahawk was afterwards found in the water
+near where the boat had landed.
+
+6th June.
+
+Party employed as before; the shoeing of the horses progresses rapidly,
+Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman shoeing five horses each day, although some of
+them are very restive.
+
+7th June.
+
+Mr. Elsey proceeded in the gig with Phibbs, Humphries, Selby, and Adams,
+conveying the two sick men and boy belonging to the schooner crew to the
+Tom Tough. Mr. Wilson requested me to hold an investigation into the
+circumstances attending the landing of a party from the Tom Tough on the
+4th instant, to traffic with the blacks, as he deemed it very imprudent,
+when so large a number of natives were assembled on the shore, to land
+with only four persons, though they were all armed; and adverted to the
+possible results of such a proceeding, which he said might have
+terminated the hitherto undisturbed harmony which had been maintained by
+the parties in his charge during my absence in their intercourse with the
+aborigines, and stated that he considered the evidence of men who were
+not present, but on board the schooner at the time of the party landing,
+was more to be relied on than Mr. Baines' statement, which had been made
+before the officers generally. As Mr. Baines had minutely detailed the
+whole transaction to me, and nothing farther was alleged by Mr. Wilson,
+who appeared to be actuated by no friendly feelings towards Mr. Baines,
+and my investigation would have only been an expression of a want of
+confidence in the veracity of Mr. Baines, which I could not entertain, I
+informed Mr. Wilson that I did not see any necessity for the
+investigation suggested. Party employed preparing equipment, shoeing
+horses, baking meat biscuits, etc. Rain at night.
+
+8th June (Sunday).
+
+MAKE MEAT BISCUITS.
+
+9th June.
+
+Completed shoeing the horses; party employed making small tents and
+saddle-bags, fitting pack-saddles, baking biscuits; Dr. Mueller
+collecting and arranging botanical specimens.
+
+ARRANGEMENT OF PARTY.
+
+10th June.
+
+Party employed as before, and preparing extra shoes for the horses, etc.
+Mr. Elsey returned with the gig from the schooner; boat's crew: Phibbs,
+Humphries, and Selby; the sick men had reached the vessel without any
+serious difficulty, although the boat grounded on the banks, and was
+thereby detained till next tide, and thus kept them several hours exposed
+to the rain.
+
+11th June.
+
+Party employed as before.
+
+12th June.
+
+Completed baking 300 pounds of preserved beef and 300 pounds of flour
+into biscuits, which weighed 480 pounds when dry. A 6-pound tin of beef,
+with the soup and fat, was added to 6 pounds of flour, 1 ounce of salt
+(no water being used), and the whole made up into dough and baked in the
+ordinary form of sea biscuits; the result was 8 pounds, and thus 1 1/4
+pounds contained 1 pound of flour and 1 pound of meat.
+
+13th June.
+
+Mr. Baines proceeded with Phibbs, Humphries, and Selby in the gig to the
+Tom Tough, with stores not required at the camp, and for the purpose of
+returning with soap and other stores required for the outfit of the land
+expedition. Party employed as before. Mr. Wilson completed and furnished
+to me a sketch of the Western branch of the Victoria River, which had
+been discovered by Mr. Baines in December, 1855, while searching for
+stray horses, and which I had then named after him. Preparing maps, etc.,
+for transmission to the Governor-General of Australia.
+
+14th June.
+
+Wrote to Governor-General, reporting progress of the North Australian
+Expedition. Party employed as before; set of spare horse-shoes completed.
+
+15th June (Sunday).
+
+The weather has been remarkably cool and clear for several days, the
+temperature at sunrise 48 to 52 degrees.
+
+16th June.
+
+Mr. Baines returned from the schooner with the gig and long-boat (boat's
+crew as before) bringing the stores required for the land party. Party at
+the camp preparing equipment for expedition to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
+Mr. Wilson requested to be informed whether I had decided to attach him
+to the party which was to be organised at the Gulf of Carpentaria for the
+exploration of the country towards Moreton Bay, and in reply I informed
+him that so many unforeseen circumstances might occur before reaching the
+Albert River to require me to modify any arrangements made at the present
+time, that I should not select the individuals to form that party till we
+reached the Albert River. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter stating that
+unless I would now decide that he was to form one of the party proceeding
+from the Albert River overland to Moreton Bay, he was desirous of
+resigning his appointment of geologist to the North Australian
+Expedition. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply, stating that I could not comply
+with his request.
+
+17th June.
+
+Preparing copies of letters to Governor-General of Australia for
+transmission to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Party preparing
+for journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter
+stating that he declined to perform any further duties as an officer of
+the North Australian Expedition unless I complied with certain conditions
+therein named. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply, and informed him that he was
+henceforth suspended from any command in the Expedition. As I could not
+now include Mr. Wilson in the party proceeding to the Albert River by
+land, I requested Dr. Mueller to prepare to take Mr. Wilson's place in
+the party.
+
+18th June.
+
+Issued a general order, Number 4, suspending Mr. Wilson from any further
+command in the exploring party till further orders. Party employed as
+before--preparing equipment. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter relative
+to his being suspended from any further command in the party.
+
+19th June.
+
+Wrote to Mr. Baines instructing him to take charge of the portion of the
+North Australian Expedition proceeding in the Tom Tough to the Albert
+River. Preparing equipment for explorations towards the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+20th June.
+
+Wrote to the Governor-General of Australia, forwarding copies of
+correspondence with Mr. Wilson. Wrote to Secretary of State for the
+Colonies forwarding copies of despatches to the Governor-General. Wrote
+to master of Tom Tough schooner, instructing him to proceed to Coepang
+for supplies, and thence to Albert River. Wrote to Mr. Baines two letters
+of instructions; inspected equipment, and fitted the saddles of the party
+proceeding overland to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Wrote to Mr. Wilson a
+letter in reply to his communication of the 18th.
+
+START FOR GULF OF CARPENTARIA.
+
+21st June.
+
+At 10.0 a.m. left the principal camp on the Victoria with a party
+consisting of Messrs. H. Gregory, Elsey, and Dr. Mueller, Robert Bowman,
+Charles Dean, and J. Melville, seven saddle and twenty-seven pack horses,
+conveying five months' provisions of salt pork and meat biscuits, and six
+months' supply of flour, tea, sugar, coffee, etc., twenty-six pounds of
+gunpowder, sixty pounds bullets, 1 hundredweight shot, 5000 caps, etc.
+Proceeding up the left bank of the Victoria, crossed the ridge at back of
+Steep Head, and at 3.15 p.m. camped about three-quarters of a mile above
+it on the bank of the river.
+
+22nd June (Sunday).
+
+At 7.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the river up for ten miles, and
+then along a small creek four miles south-south-east; but the country
+proving very steep and rocky, returned one mile and camped at 3 p.m.
+
+23rd June.
+
+Left the camp at 7.0 a.m., and returned down the valley of the creek to
+the river, and kept along the bank of the Victoria to the junction of
+Beagle Creek. We ascended for five miles, and camped at 11.0, as there
+was no water between this point and the Victoria at Bynoe Range on the
+Beagle Valley route, and the distance was too great to be commenced at
+this late hour of the day.
+
+24th June.
+
+Started at 7.0 a.m., and steered east through an open box forest nearly
+level and well grassed. The grass had been burnt off by the blacks, but
+had shot up to a foot in height. Passed to the south of the Fitzroy
+Range; the valley between it and Stokes' Range similar to Beagle Valley,
+and about four miles wide. Keeping close to Stokes' Range, passed behind
+some of the detached hills at 4.20 p.m. Reached our old camp of the 5th
+May, and found the stores we had left secreted in the rocks undisturbed.
+
+25th June.
+
+Having distributed the stores which had been left here in May among the
+several pack-horses, at 7.15 a.m. resumed our route up the river, and
+crossed to the right bank two miles above the creek we intended to
+ascend, and camped at 11.0. Marked a large gum-tree Delta V.
+
+Latitude by b and a2 Centauri 15 degrees 39 minutes 17 seconds.
+
+LEAVE THE VICTORIA RIVER.
+
+26th June.
+
+Left the camp at 7.0 a.m., and followed the creek upwards to the
+east-south-east for five miles. The valley was about one mile wide, with
+fine grassy flats, bounded by sandstone cliffs 50 to 200 feet high, and
+forming tableland with deep ravines. The valley now turned to the east
+and east-north-east; some small tributaries joined the creek from the
+south-east, the sandstone cliffs disappeared, and the outline of the
+hills became rounded and rose about 300 feet above the creek. Shallow
+pools of water with dry shingle between, and an occasional deep
+waterhole, characterised the channel of the watercourse. At 1.30 p.m.
+camped on the left bank of the creek in an open grassy flat; the higher
+land very stony and indifferent.
+
+Latitude by Canopus 15 degrees 40 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+27th June.
+
+The temperature was lower at sunrise this morning than on any other day
+since landing in North Australia, being only 41 degrees. A little dew on
+the grass, and a light air from the east. At 6.50 a.m. started and
+followed up the creek to the east-north-east till 1.0 p.m., when we
+camped at a deep pool of water 20 yards wide and 200 yards long. Our
+attempts to procure fish were unsuccessful. The country consisted of low
+stony hills, thinly wooded, and the flats of the creek from a quarter to
+three quarters of a mile wide continued to be well grassed. On the north
+side of the creek a few miles back the hills rose to a greater elevation,
+and formed table-topped hills; some with cliffs of sandstone near the
+summits, and others smooth grassy slopes. The latter, from the colour of
+the grass, appeared to be of trap formation, and fragments of this rock
+were found in the bed of the creek. Soft shales were exposed in the
+gullies and on the sides of the hills, and were overlaid compact gray
+sandstones.
+
+Latitude by b Centauri, a2 Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 37 minutes 15
+seconds.
+
+28th June.
+
+Left the camp at 7.15 a.m., and followed up the creek to the
+east-north-east till noon, when we reached the last water in its channel
+near a steep range of sandstone hills, or rather tablelands; the country
+traversed was an undulating plain of trap formation resting on gray
+sandstone; it is thinly wooded, and well grassed; water was abundant in
+the creek below the camp; above the channel was dry, and soon divided
+into small gullies; in the afternoon ascended a hill three-quarters of a
+mile north-west of the camp; the lower portion was a dark compact trap or
+basalt, and the summit a horizontal bed of sandstone about 200 feet above
+the camp; the country to the north was very level, and only occasionally
+interrupted by flat-topped sandstone hills, the view extending at least
+thirty miles; to the south and south-west a country of trap formation
+extended for twenty miles, and to the east the tableland rose about 300
+feet above the camp, and was composed of the same strata as the hill
+ascended, but surmounted by the ferruginous conglomerate, which is the
+highest rock of the new red sandstone series.
+
+Latitude by b Centauri, a Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 33 minutes 13
+seconds.
+
+ARNHEIM LAND. DALY RIVER.
+
+29th June.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory to reconnoitre the country
+to the east; ascending the tableland, steered east till 10.0 through a
+level forest of stringybark and other eucalypti; the soil a light
+gravelly loam, but well grassed; we then turned north-north-east for one
+hour, along a shallow watercourse, and then east through level forest
+country till 3.20 p.m., when we reached a small stream-bed trending
+north-north-east, tracing it through wide grassy flats, which were on
+fire; at 4.40 found a small pool of water, where we halted for the night.
+
+30th June.
+
+As this appeared to be a spot to which the party could be advanced with
+safety, we left our bivouac at 6.50 a.m.; returning across the tableland,
+reached the camp at 4.30 p.m.
+
+1st July.
+
+At 6.40 a.m. started an average course of 80 degrees magnetic, and
+reached the waterholes in the small creek at 3.30 p.m. with the whole
+party, and camped at our bivouac of the 29th June.
+
+Latitude by b Centauri 15 degrees 30 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+2nd July.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek down to the
+east-north-east till 11.0 a.m.; it then turned more to the northward, and
+was nearly lost in wide level flats covered with high grass; the back
+country level stringybark forest, with good grass; at 2.25 p.m. the
+channel of the creek again collected, and we found a small waterhole
+twenty yards long and four feet deep, at which we camped; here we
+observed the fires of a party of blacks who had camped at the waterhole
+the previous day; small heaps of mussel-shells lay at intervals along the
+banks of the creek, though the channel was perfectly dry; but it appears
+that during the last wet season less rain has fallen than usual, and the
+soil has not been fully saturated, and consequently the waterholes have
+dried up sooner than in average years; although from the level character
+and geological features of the country, we are now on the tableland which
+divides the waters flowing to the north-west coast from those which fall
+into the Gulf of Carpentaria, the elevation of the country does not
+exceed 800 feet above the sea.
+
+Latitude by Centauri and Arcturus 15 degrees 18 minutes 33 seconds.
+
+3rd July.
+
+Starting at 7.30 a.m., followed the creek to the north-east by east till
+8.25, when it was joined by a small creek from the south; thus increased
+water was abundant in the bed of the creek, but the pools were shallow
+and not permanent. Grassy flats extended for a mile on each bank of the
+creek, beyond which the level forest of stringybark, bloodwood, and box
+was well grassed; the soil a good red loam. In a few spots fragments of
+limestone and agate were strewed over the surface, and an occasional
+ridge of ironstone conglomerate was crossed on which the grass was
+indifferent. At 12.45 p.m. camped in a wide grassy flat, where the grass,
+having been burnt early in the season, had sprung up again quite fresh
+and green.
+
+Latitude by a2 Centauri 15 degrees 11 minutes 24 seconds; variation of
+compass 2 degrees 10 minutes east.
+
+4th July.
+
+We were again in the saddle at 7.10 a.m., and, steering 70 degrees
+magnetic, diverged from the creek, traversing a level grassy forest of
+stringybark with abundance of green grass; at 8.0 turned north-east; the
+forest became more open, and the stringybark was replaced by bloodwood
+and box; limestone rock was frequent, and rendered the surface of the
+country very rough; and frequent depressions of the surface appeared to
+result from the falling-in of the roofs of caverns beneath which were
+farther indicated by deep clefts and holes in the rock, into which the
+surface waters flow during the rains. At 11.0 a.m. turned north, and at
+noon again struck the creek, which gradually turned to the
+north-north-east; limestone formed the banks, and only one small pool was
+seen till 4.50 p.m., when we found a little water in the sandy bed of a
+tributary creek from the south-south-east, at which we encamped. On the
+bank of the creek we this day first observed the casuarina, which is so
+frequent on the banks of the creeks trending towards the Gulf of
+Carpentaria.
+
+Latitude by Arcturus and a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 54 minutes 2
+seconds.
+
+5th July.
+
+As the course of the creek was to the north-west, and we had already been
+driven further north than was desirable, we left the creek and followed
+up the tributary to the east-south-east, leaving the camp at 7.5 a.m. The
+channel was soon lost on the wide grassy flats, in one of which was a
+fine waterhole covered with nymphae, near which a party of blacks were
+encamped. On our approach most of the women decamped with their bags and
+nets containing their valuables, while the men stood spear in hand gazing
+on the strange sight, as we passed them. Continuing up the creek, the
+course of which was only marked for some distance by the nature of the
+vegetation, which indicated occasional inundations, it again formed a
+shallow irregular channel in the centre of an open box flat, and at 1.30
+p.m. camped at a small waterhole in the channel.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 14 degrees 55 minutes 15
+seconds.
+
+TABLELAND.
+
+6th July.
+
+The small size of the creek affording little prospect of water nearer to
+its source, and as Mr. H. Gregory was suffering from a severe attack of
+fever, which rendered travelling unadvisable, I proceeded with Charles
+Dean to examine the country to the east-south-east. Leaving the camp at
+7.0 a.m., steered 120 degrees magnetic; at eight crossed a sandstone
+ridge covered with acacia scrub, and again descended into the valley of
+the creek, passing some fine grassy plains, and at 11.0 ascended the
+level tableland, the edge of which was covered with acacia scrub, beyond
+which we passed a level flat acacia scrub and small trees, and at noon
+entered a stringybark forest with occasional patches of bloodwood,
+leguminous ironbark, and sterculia. The soil varied from a brown loam to
+ironstone gravel, and in a few spots ferruginous conglomerate was
+visible. On the loamy soil the grass was good and abundant, but the
+gravel was covered with spiny treraphis. This tableland was so level that
+no declivity could be detected during the continuance of our day's
+journey, which lasted till 5.30, when we bivouacked without water; by
+taking the precaution of letting the horses feed on the outward track,
+and secreting ourselves after dark in the high grass, we passed the night
+without the necessity of keeping watch after midnight.
+
+7th July.
+
+Our horses having strayed back on the track, we carried our saddles and
+tracked them about two miles, and then mounting our horses steered north
+for some miles; but all was level forest without any sign of the
+existence of water, except a few cockatoos. I then turned to the
+south-west; crossing the outward track, and at length came on a shallow
+watercourse trending west, a ridge of rocks having confined the channel
+to a narrow space; three small waterholes were discovered in which a
+little water remained; below this the creek turned south-south-east, and
+I again turned towards the camp; but night overtaking us in the
+stringybark forest, we passed to the south of the camp without observing
+its position.
+
+8th July.
+
+Having ascertained that we had passed the position of the camp, turned to
+the north-east and reached the camp at 11.20. Mr. H. Gregory was somewhat
+recovered, but very weak from a violent attack of fever. During my
+absence a small party of blacks had visited the camp and had bivouacked a
+short distance up the creek.
+
+9th July.
+
+Moved the camp to the waterholes twelve miles south-east, and in the
+afternoon rode down the creek with Mr. Elsey; the creek turned to the
+south-south-east for a mile and a half, and was lost on a level flat,
+from which a channel trended to the west, which was again lost in a level
+flat extending to the west several miles. Heavy showers at night.
+
+CIRCUMCISION PRACTISED.
+
+10th July.
+
+Accompanied by Mr. Elsey, I proceeded to reconnoitre the country to the
+south-east, and at 7.45 a.m. steered 130 degrees, gradually ascending the
+tableland, and which was openly wooded with bloodwood, box, and
+white-gum; acacia and sterculia occasionally appearing. The soil was
+brown sandy loam with a few ridges of sandstone rock of white colour;
+grass had been abundant, but was now burnt off. The small white-ant nests
+from two to five feet high were very numerous; at 12.40 p.m. a slight
+depression in the country was observed, and limestone appeared, and deep
+hollows were frequent. One of these hollows which I examined was thirty
+yards in diameter and fifteen feet deep; in the centre was a deep cleft
+of fifteen feet more, which extended to the east and west under the
+surface with a width of three feet; at 3.0 struck a small creek trending
+east-north-east with a few small pools of water in the channel; in
+following down the creek in search of a sufficient supply of water for
+the horses, we passed some blacks sitting at a fire near the creek; at
+3.30 came to a pool sufficient for the supply of the whole party, below
+which the channel was dry; returning to the pool we met the blacks
+following our tracks, but, observing us, they ran away, and on being
+followed hid themselves; having unsaddled, we commenced our dinner and
+soon saw the blacks watching us from their hiding places, and after some
+time spent in making signs, they were induced to approach, the oldest of
+the party feigning to weep bitterly till they got close to us, when we
+commenced an attempt at conversation, and they appeared to recognise some
+few words of the language of the Victoria River. Their spears were formed
+of reeds with large heads of white sandstone, and also with three wooden
+points for fishing. They were circumcised and had their front teeth
+remaining; at 5.0 steered to the west-north-west for one hour, and
+bivouacked to secure ourselves from an attack during the night.
+
+11th July.
+
+At 6.30 a.m., resumed our route towards the camp, and reached it about
+1.0 p.m., without observing anything of farther remark.
+
+Latitude by a2 Centauri 15 degrees 2 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+ABSENCE OF WATERCOURSES.
+
+12th July.
+
+The grass near the camp having been burnt off, the horses had scattered
+very much, and could not be collected and saddled before 10.0 a.m., when
+we followed our track of yesterday and reached the pool of water at
+sunset. The country was so level, although we were crossing the watershed
+between the north-west coast and the Gulf of Carpentaria, that the
+aneroid only varied from 29.55 to 29.62, and even of this change the
+greater part was caused by alteration of the temperature. The geological
+character of this portion of the country differs slightly from that of
+the Victoria River. The upper stratum is a bed of ironstone conglomerate
+about twenty feet thick, this rests on sandstone, the upper part of which
+is highly ferruginous, then passes away into a variegated sandstone
+imperfectly stratified, changing into a hard siliceous sandstone which is
+white and breaks with a conchoidal fracture; this rests on a hard cherty
+sandstone similar to that of the Victoria River. In this rock many
+depressions occur, which is apparently caused by the roofs of caverns
+falling in and there are usually deep fissures in the rock at the bottom
+of these hollows, in which all the water that drains into them is
+absorbed; in some places the sandstone resting on the limestone has sunk
+many feet below the general level, with areas varying from one to ten
+acres, sometimes sloping towards a centre ten to thirty feet below the
+plain, and in other spots with abrupt rocky banks five to eight feet high
+and a perfectly level bottom. The level character of the country is
+unfavourable for investigations of this nature, and the thickness of the
+several strata not easily determined; but I think that the collective
+thickness of the several strata above the limestone does not exceed 100
+feet. The porous nature of the lower rocks preclude the existence of
+permanent surface water by draining the whole of the upper part of the
+tableland, while it forms strong springs in the lower ground towards the
+banks of the Roper River, where the limestone is exposed on the surface.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 14 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+WHITE MAN'S CAMP.
+
+13th July (Sunday).
+
+Leaving the camp at 8.30 a.m., proceeding down the creek, mistook a
+tributary for the main creek; following it south for two hours, when it
+spread into small gullies, and we had to return to the creek, which had
+now a northerly course, and at 4.25 camped about three miles from our
+starting point in the morning. The country passed over was of a very poor
+character, stiff clay flats, with melaleuca scrub in the valley, while
+low but steep ridges of sandstone rose to the east, and were timbered
+with stringybark and bloodwood, etc.; to the south the country seemed to
+rise slightly, but was very poor and sandy. The smoke of bush fires were
+visible to the south, east, and north, and several trees cut with iron
+axes were noticed near the camp. There was also the remains of a hut and
+the ashes of a large fire, indicating that there had been a party
+encamped there for several weeks; several trees from six to eight inches
+diameter had been cut down with iron axes in fair condition, and the hut
+built by cutting notches in standing trees and resting a large pole
+therein for a ridge; this hut had been burnt apparently by the subsequent
+bush fires, and only some pieces of the thickest timber remained
+unconsumed. Search was made for marked trees, but none found, nor were
+there any fragments of iron, leather, or other material of the equipment
+of an exploring party, or of any bones of animals other than those common
+to Australia. Had an exploring party been destroyed here, there would
+most likely have been some indications, and it may therefore be inferred
+that the party had proceeded on its journey. It could not have been a
+camp of Leichhardt's in 1845, as it is 100 miles south-west of his route
+to Port Essington, and it was only six or seven years old, judging by the
+growth of the trees; having subsequently seen some of Leichhardt's camps
+on the Burdekin, Mackenzie, and Barcoo Rivers, a great similarity was
+observed in regard to the mode of building the hut, and its relative
+position in regard to the fire and water supply, and the position in
+regard to the great features of the country was exactly where a party
+going westward would first receive a check from the waterless tableland
+between the Roper and Victoria Rivers, and would probably camp and
+reconnoitre ahead before attempting to cross to the north-west coast.
+This creek is named Elsey Creek on the map.
+
+ELSEY CREEK.
+
+14th July.
+
+Resuming our journey at 8.10 a.m., steered north-east down the valley of
+the creek, which I named Elsey Creek, after the surgeon of the
+expedition. Its course was generally to the north-east, but spreading
+into lagoons and swampy flats, became very tortuous and irregular. It
+then changed to a very winding reach of water fifty to sixty yards wide,
+with low banks covered with reeds and tall melaleuca-trees, beyond which
+was a belt of pandanus growing on the drier ground. Many small springs
+rose in the limestone rock and ran into the creek, on the banks of which
+large quantities of mussel-shells showed the frequent camps of the
+blacks. The banks of the creek and springs were so soft and boggy that
+our horses could not approach the water, and we followed its banks in
+search of a spot where they could drink in safety, till 4.0, without
+success, and having camped, had to water the horses with our leather
+buckets.
+
+Latitude by a2 Centauri and a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 5 minutes 35
+seconds.
+
+ROPER RIVER.
+
+15th July.
+
+Leaving our camp at 7.10 a.m., steered north-east till 9.0, over level
+country, which appeared to be very swampy in the rainy season; altered
+the course to 10 degrees magnetic, and crossed a small dry watercourse
+which proved to be a continuation of Elsey Creek. At 11.0 turned 60
+degrees magnetic, and shortly came on the bank of a fine river with banks
+thirty to forty feet high, and fine reaches of water fifty to eighty
+yards wide; at 11.45 camped at the junction of Elsey Creek and the river,
+which appears to be the Roper of Dr. Leichhardt. The fan-palm was
+frequently seen on the banks of Elsey Creek, where it obtained a height
+of fifty to eighty feet, and had a thicker stem and produced a more
+palatable vegetable than the species growing on the banks of the Victoria
+River.
+
+KILL AN EMU.
+
+16th July.
+
+At 7.5 a.m. recommenced our journey, following down the Roper River east
+and north-east; about a mile below the camp the limestone rocks formed a
+bar, over which the river ran with a rapid current ten yards wide and two
+feet deep; the banks became lower and the surface of the country
+extremely level. The overflows of the river had formed shallow lagoons,
+in which the nelumbium or gigantic water-lily was first seen. A ridge of
+low sandstone hills came close to the left bank, and on the right a vast
+level plain, covered with high grass and reeds, extending two or three
+miles back. This plain is evidently inundated during the wet season,
+though the soil was now dry and full of deep cracks. The river divided
+into several small shallow channels full of reeds, and each with a small
+stream of water, the deep green of the vegetation along the course of the
+running water contrasting strongly with the parched vegetation of the
+other portions of the plain. Clumps of melaleuca occurred at intervals,
+and at a distance appeared like low hills. At 2.0 p.m. camped at the end
+of a low basaltic ridge, which approached the bank of the river from the
+south. A range of flat-topped hills extended to the north-east from the
+river, about eight miles distant, to the north-west of the camp; they
+appeared wooded, and 200 to 300 feet high. Bowman rode down a young emu,
+which supplied us with a meal of fresh meat.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 50 minutes 56 seconds.
+
+17th July.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered east-south-east, following the bank of the river for
+a mile, when, to avoid the high grass and reeds, altered the course to
+south-east till 8.10; then steering 100 degrees magnetic till 9.25, when
+we camped on a small waterhole, there being abundance of water. The river
+appears to turn to the north and enter a range of hills, which trends
+north and south a few miles to the east of our camp. The country
+traversed this day is all well grassed and thinly timbered with
+terminalia, box, and silver-leafed ironbark; trap-rock visible in several
+places, and the soil was a good red loam. The metallic barometer has a
+second time suddenly deviated from the aneroid barometer, and the form of
+the vacuum vessel has visibly altered, the construction being too slight
+to bear the motion of the pack-horse, though one of the steadiest animals
+had been selected to carry the instruments, and they are always
+surrounded with blankets.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 14 degrees 53 minutes 16
+seconds.
+
+18th July.
+
+As this was a suitable camp for resting the party, and grass was
+abundant, I rode to the south-east with Mr. H. Gregory to look for a
+route towards the head of the Wickham River; our course was along a
+valley between the trap hills to the west and a sandstone range to the
+east. About eight miles reached a creek trending north-east; its channel
+was dry and sandy, but after some search found a small pool of water in a
+side channel; casuarina and flooded-gum trees grew on the banks of the
+creek, and there was some good grass on the flats, which were limited by
+sandstone hills densely wooded with acacia of the same species as that
+seen on the lower part of Sturt's Creek. After an hour's halt at the pool
+of water we returned to camp.
+
+SILENT NATIVES.
+
+19th July.
+
+The horses having scattered much during the night, it was 8 a.m. before
+they were collected and saddled; we then followed our track of yesterday
+to the pool in the creek, eight miles south-east, reaching it at 11.45.
+The sandstones here showed a decided dip to the west, at angles varying
+from 5 degrees to 30 degrees, and the trap-rocks only extended five miles
+from the previous camp. In the afternoon five natives were observed
+watching the camp, and finding they were observed by us came up to the
+party, but could not be induced to speak a single word; they soon after
+retired. They had no spears, and were followed by a small dog. Their
+teeth were entire, but they were all circumcised. At 8.0 p.m. the blacks
+were detected stealing into the camp, and, though we called upon them to
+retire, only hid themselves in the grass; but as it was absolutely
+necessary for our own safety to dislodge them from their position, I
+caused a gun to be fired in the air, hoping that they would retire, but
+they commenced to ship their spears, and I therefore ordered a charge of
+shot to be fired at them, which had the desired effect of compelling them
+to retreat. What their object was in thus approaching the camp at night,
+unless for hostile purposes, we had no means of ascertaining; but the
+aboriginal Australian considers it an act of positive hostility to
+approach a camp in silence at night.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 14 degrees 59 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+20th July.
+
+Starting at 7.30 a.m., steered south-east over an undulating sandstone
+country, well grassed, but very stony and thinly wooded; a low range of
+rocky hills, nearly parallel to our route, lay to the south-west, and at
+11.20 a.m. we camped at a fine running stream in a rocky ravine in this
+range; the grass was, however, very dry and inferior near the range.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 4 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+21st July.
+
+The horses had shown an unusual desire to stray during the night, and as
+we had reason to apprehend a visit from the blacks, they were kept close
+to the camp; at 6.20 a.m. steered south-east, crossing a tableland about
+250 feet above the camp, and at 8.0 a.m. descended by a rocky gully, in
+which was a fine spring, into a grassy valley, which varied from a few
+yards to a mile in breadth, bounded by sandstone hills, the strata of
+which were not well defined, but appeared to have a considerable dip to
+the west-south-west; in the upper part of the valley the creek was well
+supplied with water, but as we advanced into the lower ground the channel
+was dry, though increased to twenty yards wide and ten to fifteen feet
+deep; at 11.15 a.m. one of the horses, Prince, was observed to be unwell,
+and at 1.20 p.m. a second horse, Bob, was noticed to be suffering from
+illness, having bled them, we proceeded down the creek in search of water
+at which the party could halt, and found a small waterhole at 2.20 p.m.,
+but the two sick horses dropped dead about 150 yards before reaching it;
+their loads had been previously removed to the saddle-horses; as soon as
+the camp had been formed Mr. Elsey and Dr. Mueller examined the dead
+horses to ascertain the cause of death, and it appeared from the state of
+extreme inflammation of the stomachs that they had eaten some poisonous
+plant; but the food was too much comminuted to admit of the plants eaten
+being recognised.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis 15 degrees 12 minutes 46 seconds.
+
+22nd July.
+
+At 7.10 a.m. resumed our journey down the valley of the creek to the east
+and east-north-east, passing a fine lagoon with nelumbium and a number of
+pelicans; at 8.30 a.m. crossed two large creeks and passed a second
+lagoon, 70 yards by 300 yards. The principal creek now turned to the
+north, and our course was along the foot of a sandstone range 200 feet
+high, till 12.40 p.m., when, altering the course to south-east, we
+ascended the range and crossed the level sandy tableland covered with
+scrub; descending to the south, found a small dry watercourse in an open
+valley, and followed it in search of water to the north-west till 4.0
+p.m., when we found a small pool of rainwater, at which we camped.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 13 minutes 6 seconds.
+
+23rd July.
+
+The horses had strayed so far in search of green grass that we did not
+start till 10.30 a.m., when we steered south-east, crossing a spur of the
+tableland which lay to the south-west; then crossing several valleys and
+small watercourses trending to the north-east, camped at a shallow
+waterhole at 3.20 p.m. The country was of sandstone formation and the
+soil very poor, melaleuca scrubs prevailing on the lower ground, and
+eucalypti, acacia, and grevillia on the hills; to the south-west the
+hills were rocky, with a rounded outline, but to the north-east they were
+flat-topped and of less height. The sandstones are often at a
+considerable angle, but in no general direction, a thin bed of
+ferruginous conglomerate rests on hard gray sandstone, imperfectly
+stratified, beneath which shales of various colours exist; on the exposed
+surface of the shales observed an efflorescence of sulphate of magnesia.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 18
+minutes 48 seconds.
+
+SCARCITY OF GRASS.
+
+24th July.
+
+Resuming our route at 7.20 a.m., steered south-east and ascended a
+sandstone range with horizontal strata and very abrupt on the south-east
+side. Entering a wide valley, crossed two small watercourses, the second
+of which was running apparently from springs, as several clumps of the
+melaleuca grew on the slope of the sandstone hills from which they came.
+Crossing a second spur of the tableland, descended to a small creek with
+waterholes and narrow grassy flats, the general character of the country
+being very poor and scrubby.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 38
+minutes 56 seconds.
+
+25th July.
+
+At 7.40 a.m. left the camp, and steered south-east through a succession
+of miserable scrubs of eucalypti, grevillia, acacia, and jacksonia, with
+patches of melaleuca. At 1.30 p.m. crossed a ridge of steep sandstone
+rocks, and gradually descended till 2.55, when we camped on a small gully
+coming from the south, and in which a little water remained, and on the
+bank some dry grass of very inferior kind. Since leaving the Roper River
+the general character of the country has been worthless; the small size
+of the watercourses indicating an arid country to the south-west of our
+route. Few traces of blacks have been seen, though vast columns of smoke
+rise to the east and south-east; animals or birds are rarely seen. The
+rocky nature of the country has caused the horses' shoes to wear out
+rapidly, and the day seldom passes without having to replace the shoes of
+several of the horses.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 40
+minutes 19 seconds.
+
+26th July.
+
+At 8.0 a.m. steered south-east, soon entering a scrub of acacia,
+melaleuca, and grevillia, with a few eucalypti; the soil sandy, with a
+few blocks of gray sandstone; some small dry watercourses trended to the
+north. At noon crossed a large creek trending to the south-south-east
+through a very rocky valley, and the whole country was very barren and
+rocky. At 2.35 p.m. recrossed the creek, which here turned to the east
+and north-east. After following it down for an hour, found a small patch
+of grass, and encamped. The bed of the creek was very rocky and well
+supplied with water in shallow pools.
+
+Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 50
+minutes 2 seconds.
+
+BARREN COUNTRY.
+
+27th July (Sunday).
+
+Resumed our route at 7.0 a.m., crossing a very rocky ridge of hills, in
+descending which one of the horses wedged his foot into a cleft of the
+rock, and falling down, was only released by beating the rock away with
+an axe. Fortunately, though much cut and bruised, there was no serious
+injury. With some difficulty we extricated ourselves from these rocky
+ridges, and, crossing a large creek, entered a level plain covered with
+melaleuca scrub. Crossing two sandy creeks fifteen and twenty yards wide
+with shallow pools, at noon reached a barren range of white sandstone
+hills, rising about 250 feet. Beyond this entered an open grassy plain,
+with clumps of melaleuca-trees, indicating the existence of springs of
+water, one of which we reached at 1.25 p.m., and encamped. The country
+passed is of a worthless description, there being very little grass, and
+the soil very poor and stony. The sandstones are of gray colour, and not
+regularly stratified; but where it could be ascertained the bedding was
+horizontal, and the lamina dipping 20 degrees to 30 degrees to the north,
+but often in the opposite direction. These sandstones are at least 200
+feet thick, and rest on soft shales of white-brown and green colour.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 55 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+28th July.
+
+The indifferent character of the country having caused the horses to
+stray in search of better food, we were delayed till 8.30 a.m., when we
+steered south-east over several low ridges of sandstone, wooded with
+white and paper-bark gum, with triodia in the hollows. Small dry
+watercourses trended to the north-east and north. At 10.20 crossed a
+creek ten yards wide, with pools of water, and at 1.5 p.m. a second of
+the same size, which trended to the east, was followed till 1.50, when a
+small pool of water and a little grass enabled us to camp. The country
+continues to be of a bad description, and covered with scrub, though of a
+more open nature than before, the soil more gravelly, melaleuca less
+frequent, and eucalypti and triodia more abundant. The rock is a coarse
+gray sandstone, thick bedded with horizontal strata, the lamina dipping
+30 degrees to north-east generally; but varying much, the peculiar
+marking on the surface of the rock resembling the rippling of water, is
+frequent, forming grooves two to four inches wide and half an inch deep.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 59 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+29th July.
+
+A dense fog was the unusual cause of delay in collecting our horses, as
+they could not be seen more than a few yards distant. At 8.45 a.m.
+steered south-east through scrubs of melaleuca, acacia, grevillia, and
+eucalypti; at 11.0 the country became more open, and entering a grassy
+plain extending five to eight miles to the east, where it was bounded by
+a low range of hills; to the south-west a level forest of white-gum ran
+parallel to our route. The soil was a brown clay-loam with pebbles of
+sandstone; a few box and bauhinia trees grew on the plain; the grass had
+been burnt off and sprung up again very green. At 1.20 p.m. came on a
+large dry creek trending north-east; it had several channels twenty yards
+wide with loose sandy beds, and was bordered by casuarina, melaleuca, and
+flooded-gum trees; following down the creek, at 1.15 camped at a shallow
+pool in one of the side channels. About three miles before we reached the
+camp Dr. Mueller had fallen some distance behind the party; but as this
+was a frequent occurrence in collecting botanical specimens, it was not
+observed till we reached the creek, when he was out of sight; after
+unsaddling the pack-horses I was preparing to send in search of him, when
+he came up to the camp, the cause of delay having been that his horse had
+knocked up. This was unfortunate, as the load of one of the pack-horses
+had to be distributed among the others, in order to remount the doctor,
+who requires stronger horses than any other person in the party, having
+knocked up four since January, while not one of the other riding-horses
+had failed, though carrying heavier weights.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 7 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+30th July.
+
+There being abundance of good grass at this camp, we remained this day to
+shoe some of the horses and repair harness, etc., and rest the horses;
+nor was I sorry to get a day of comparative rest, as I had been in the
+saddle every day since leaving the Victoria on the 21st June. Eleven of
+the horses were re-shod.
+
+A SPRING OF GOOD WATER.
+
+31st July.
+
+Leaving the camp at 7.40 a.m., pursued a south-east course, soon leaving
+the grassy flats of the creek and entering a melaleuca scrub; at 8.20
+ascended the tableland by a gentle slope; the country was now sandy with
+much bush of acacia, grevillia, and bossiaca, with triodia in the more
+open part of the forest, which consisted of paper-bark gums. The
+prevailing rock was ironstone conglomerate, and hard white sandstone
+sometimes appeared; after 10.0 the country declined to the south, and we
+passed through a belt of cypress scrub; at 1.15 p.m. altered the course
+to east-south-east; crossed a rough sandstone ridge and came on a deep
+valley with sandstone cliffs on each side; with some difficulty descended
+the rocks and reached a small watercourse which was quite dry; but
+observing some very green trees about a mile to the north-west at the
+foot of the rocks, turned towards them and found a fine spring of water
+flowing from the face of the cliff; selecting a suitable spot, encamped
+at 2.30. Near this spring were several huts constructed in the rudest
+manner by heaping branches together. From the summit of the hill the view
+extended thirty miles to the north-east, but no marked features were
+visible, the country only undulating slightly. The country too became
+more open and travelling easier, but no other improvement has been
+observed.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 17 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+1st August.
+
+At 7.30 a.m. left the camp and followed the valley to the south till
+9.15, when a break in the sandstone cliffs which bounded the valley
+enabled us to ascend the hills and pursue our course to the south-east,
+crossing several ridges of sandstone, the strata dipping to the west, and
+becoming more shaly as we proceeded. Descending into a valley with a dry
+creek fifteen yards wide, the rocks on the south-east slope cherty
+limestone alternating with thin beds of shale, the strata dipping 20
+degrees to 30 degrees west. The summit had a thin horizontal bed of
+ironstone conglomerate through which masses of white sandstone protruded.
+This limestone country was well grassed, and thinly timbered with
+eucalypti of small growth; at 1.20 p.m. altered the course to north-east
+and followed down a gully in search of water; but though it gradually
+enlarged to a considerable creek and we continued our search till 7.0, we
+were compelled to encamp without water. I then walked down the creek two
+miles, but only found one moist spot in which, by digging, a few pints of
+water were obtained.
+
+2nd August.
+
+At 6.5 a.m. resumed our search for water, and following the creek
+north-east for two hours reached a small muddy pool of rainwater, at
+which we encamped. The country near the creek was very level, and
+thinly-wooded low hills were visible in the distance to the south-east
+and north.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 16 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+3rd August.
+
+The water at this pool near our camp being nearly consumed, and nothing
+but thick mud remaining, we proceeded down the creek in search of a
+better supply; but it was not until we had followed its dry sandy bed for
+three hours that we attained our object, and encamped at a small pool in
+one of the back channels, the principal bed of the creek being perfectly
+dry. The country near the creek continues very level, and well grassed,
+but distant rocky hills are visible in almost every direction. In
+approaching the Gulf of Carpentaria heavy dews and fogs have become more
+frequent in the mornings, when it is usually calm. About 10.0 a.m. a
+breeze usually sets in from the eastward, varying from north to
+south-east; at sunset it falls calm, but commences again at 8.0 p.m. and
+blows moderately from the eastward for one or two hours; very thin misty
+clouds are frequent, and render the heat oppressive when they prevail.
+According to my reckoning, we are now only fifty miles from the
+sea-coast, and therefore much nearer Dr. Leichhardt's track than I could
+wish to traverse the country; but, however desirable a more inland route
+might be, it is evident, from the small size of the watercourses hitherto
+crossed, that we have been skirting a tableland which is doubtless a
+continuation of the desert into which we followed Sturt's Creek, and the
+small altitude of the country in which the watercourses trending towards
+the Gulf take their rise precludes the existence of any considerable
+drainage towards the interior.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 14 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+THE MCARTHUR RIVER.
+
+4th August.
+
+The general course of the creek being northerly, and our distance from
+the McArthur about 20 miles on the chart, steered south-east from 6.35
+a.m., crossing many rocky sandstone ridges and hills, the strata of which
+dipped 20 degrees to 40 degrees to the west. At noon from one of the
+higher ridges saw the valley of the McArthur River to the south-east;
+continuing our course, descended a small dry watercourse till 4.0 p.m.,
+when we reached a large creek with a belt of casuarina, melaleuca and
+eucalypti along its banks. The channel was dry and sandy, about twenty
+yards wide, but showed the marks of high floods. Following the creek down
+for three-quarters of an hour found a small pool just sufficient for the
+supply of the party. Just below our camp a creek fifteen yards wide
+joined the principal one from the south, and, from the general lay of the
+country, it was evident that we were now on the McArthur River of
+Leichhardt; but though from the steepness of the banks the floods
+frequently rise thirty to forty feet, the creek did not bear the
+character of one which would take its rise at any great distance inland
+of our track. The country passed over was very thinly wooded with
+eucalypti of small growth, seldom more than one and a half feet in
+diameter and fifty feet high; a few leguminous ironbark, and sterculia
+were scattered on the hills, with much triodia and little grass. After
+crossing the highest ridge at 11.0 a.m. the sandstone strata were
+variously inclined, but generally to the west or north-east at high
+angles, except on the immediate bank of the McArthur, where the
+sandstones were horizontal. To the south-west of our route the country
+rose into stony hills of very barren aspect, but to the north the country
+appeared to be wooded.
+
+Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 25 minutes 11 seconds.
+
+5th August.
+
+The country to the south-east being very rocky and broken, we followed
+down the river, leaving the camp at 7.20 a.m., the general course
+north-east; the sandstone hills rose abruptly from the bank of the river,
+the sandstone rock being frequently worn away in a partial manner, so as
+to leave isolated columns sometimes three feet in diameter and thirty
+feet high; a few miles below the camp a few pools of water were seen, but
+there was no grass near them, and we continued our route for four hours,
+and camped at a shallow pool with a small patch of grass on the bank of
+the river; the principal channel of the river was only twenty-three yards
+wide, but in times of flood the side channels carry off the greater
+portion of the water, which rises nearly forty feet; considerable
+quantities of mussel-shells lay at the old camps of the blacks along the
+bank of the river.
+
+Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 16 degrees 18 minutes 41
+seconds; longitude by lunar distances 136 degrees 21 minutes.
+
+6th August.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. resumed our journey on a south-east course, over a miserable
+sandy country, with stunted eucalypti, grevillia, and triodia; at 11.0
+reached a range of broken sandstone hills, which, with great difficulty
+and risk to the horses, we crossed in an east-south-east direction; but
+though the direct distance was only three miles, the deep ravines and
+rocks delayed us for three hours, and we were glad to emerge into an open
+valley, in which we camped at 2.30 p.m.; in the deep ravines of the
+sandstone hills water was abundant, but inaccessible for our horses, from
+the steep and rocky character of the country; a few small white-gum trees
+and triodia formed almost the entire vegetation; the rock is gray
+sandstone in horizontal beds with cleavage lamina, which varied so much
+in angle and direction that no general direction could be assigned, the
+cleavage of the upper beds often being the reverse of those immediately
+below them; the beds were from one to four feet thick, and the lamina
+half an inch to two inches, the grain very even and moderately fine.
+
+Latitude by Vega 16 degrees 24 minutes 20 seconds.
+
+7th August.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.10 a.m. on an average east-south-east course,
+along the foot of a rocky range of sandstone hills; at 8.30 came on a
+deep rocky creek, with long pools of water trending to the north; as our
+horses required rest, and the country ahead appeared very barren and
+rocky, we encamped.
+
+8th August.
+
+Steering a south-east course from 6.50 a.m., crossed a sandy tableland,
+with paper-bark and melaleuca with broad leaves; passed a small creek
+with pools trending north-east, and at 10.0 a low rocky ridge; then
+descended into a wide valley, with melaleuca and a few box-trees. At 1.25
+camped on a large sandy creek with two channels ten yards wide, with low
+sandy banks; one channel was dry, but the other had a few small pools in
+it; a line of melaleuca and flooded-gum trees marked its course along the
+valley. When in flood the waters of the creek are 100 yards wide and ten
+to fifteen feet deep. The grass was inferior, but from having been burnt
+had grown up fresh and green.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 34 minutes 44 seconds.
+
+IRON TOOLS USED BY NATIVES.
+
+9th August.
+
+Starting at 6.40 a.m., traversed an undulating sandstone country on a
+south-east course till 1.15 p.m., when we came on a large dry sandy
+creek, which we followed to the north-north-east till 1.50, when we found
+a shallow pool, at which we encamped. This creek had a sandy channel ten
+yards wide, with low banks, subject to flood to the breadth of fifty to
+eighty yards. Pandanus, melaleuca, and flooded-gum grow on its banks. The
+country generally is poor and stony, with paper-bark, gum, bloodwood, and
+narrow-leafed melaleuca. Shortly after reaching the creek the horse
+Monkey knocked up, though only carrying a pack-saddle since the 30th
+July; I therefore left the saddle, having removed all such portion of the
+fittings which might hereafter be useful. A few yards from our camp we
+found some spears and water vessels, which had been hidden under some
+sheets of bark by the blacks, who evidently were out hunting, as we heard
+them calling to each other in the afternoon, though they were not seen.
+These water vessels were formed by hollowing out a block of wood in the
+shape of a canoe, and had a capacity of three gallons, and it was evident
+that they possess tools of iron as also of stone.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 42 minutes 50 seconds;
+longitude by lunar distances 136 degrees 28 minutes.
+
+10th August.
+
+As there was a sufficient supply of grass and water, remained at the camp
+to rest the party. The morning was cloudy, but cleared up about 9 a.m.,
+and I observed a set of lunar distances. Dean brought in some jasper from
+a hill one mile north-west of the camp. He also reported that the creek
+appeared to trend to the north for eight or ten miles.
+
+11th August.
+
+We continued a south-east route at 7.40 a.m., ascending hills of
+limestone and sandstone, with an upper bed of basalt, which on the higher
+land to the south-west was again covered by sandstone. The trap or basalt
+was much decomposed, and contained fragments of lower rocks. At 1.40 p.m.
+camped on a fine but small creek, with permanent pools of water in a
+rocky channel from five to thirty yards wide. The country was well
+grassed and openly wooded with box, sterculia, leguminous ironbark, and
+terminalia.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 16 degrees 51 minutes 55 seconds.
+
+12th August.
+
+At 6.50 a.m. resumed a south-east course, traversing a broken country
+with limestone, chert, sandstone, and trap hills, deeply cut by dry
+watercourses. The grass was abundant and good, though triodia appeared on
+the higher ridges; at 7.0 crossed a small river, with fine permanent
+pools of water in a rocky bed ten to thirty yards wide. The floods rise
+twenty feet, and extend over a breadth of 70 to 100 yards. It is the
+largest stream-bed crossed since leaving the river, and may possibly
+drain the country to a distance of sixty miles to the southward. At 1.25
+camped on a small creek trending to the north-north-east, in which were
+pools twenty yards long and five feet deep.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 17 degrees 1 minute 31 seconds.
+
+NATIVE FISHING NETS.
+
+13th August.
+
+Left the camp at 7.0 a.m. and continued a south-easterly course, crossing
+a succession of sandy valleys and broken sandstone hills; the strata
+horizontal, and lamina dipping to the north and east generally, but
+sometimes in the opposite direction; the soil poor and sandy, producing
+little besides white-gum and triodia. At noon ascended a high ridge, from
+which we saw a broad valley to the south-east, beyond which was a range
+of flat-topped hills terminating abruptly at the northern end, which bore
+east by north. Descending by a rocky ravine, at 1.30 p.m. reached a fine
+creek, on which we camped. This creek had deep pools of water fifty yards
+wide; but the steep rocky character of its banks caused the channel to
+appear larger than if it had been in a more level country. Under some
+large rocks Dean found a fishing-net made neatly of twisted bark, the
+mesh one and a half inch, the length perhaps thirty feet; some fishing
+spears showed the marks of iron tools. The rocks in this part of the
+country often contain angular fragments of the lower strata; thus the
+limestone includes fragments of chert and jasper, and the sandstone
+pieces of limestone, but I could not detect either granite, quartz, or
+slate.
+
+Latitude by a Trianguli Australis 17 degrees 11 minutes 1 second.
+
+14th August.
+
+At 6.20 a.m. we were again in the saddle, and steered south-east across
+very rocky hills till 8.0, when we entered a fine valley with low hills
+of limestone and trap, well grassed and thinly wooded with box-trees and
+acacia; at 10.0 ascended a rough sandstone range with white-gum, acacia,
+and triodia; at 11.0 again descended into a valley bounded by sandstone
+cliffs on the northern side, and camped at a fine pool of water in a
+small creek at 12.5. Several trees near this pool of water had been
+marked by the blacks, the bark having been removed, the wood was painted
+yellow with brown spots at regular intervals, and vertical waved lines in
+black. It is evident from the outline of the hills that we are travelling
+on the edge of the tableland of Northern Australia, and this accounts for
+the small size of the watercourses, while the abrupt and broken nature of
+the hills has caused the rocks to form channels of sufficient size to
+retain water throughout the year, while the same disruption of the strata
+has exposed the limestone and trap-rock, has caused fertile patches of
+country, and thus enabled us to traverse a country which is otherwise
+barren and inhospitable in the extreme, our chief difficulty being the
+rocky character of the country, which can only be traversed with
+well-shod horses. It is possible that some small tracts of available
+country may exist between our track and the shores of the Gulf of
+Carpentaria, but to the south there is little to expect besides a barren
+sandy desert, as on every occasion that the tableland has been ascended,
+nothing but sandy worthless country has been encountered.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 17 minutes 56 seconds.
+
+KANGAROO ABUNDANT.
+
+15th August.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.35 a.m., and followed a large creek up to the
+south-east, and at 7.45 crossed it below a fine pool of water, above
+which the creek came from the south-west, in which direction the country
+consisted of low sandstone hills of barren aspect. We then crossed a few
+miles of sandy tableland and descended at 10.20 into a deep valley
+trending east. This brought us to a small creek with good water, on which
+we encamped at 11.30. The country is very poor and rocky, thinly wooded
+with box-trees in valleys and white-gum on the hills, where the grass is
+replaced by triodia. Kangaroos are more numerous than in any other part
+of Australia yet visited by the Expedition, and as many as twelve or
+fifteen have been seen each day. Early in the morning a light breeze from
+west; at 7.0 a fresh breeze from south-east which lasted till 4 p.m., and
+at sunset a light air from west.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 23 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+16th August.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. steered south-east and followed the valley of the creek till
+8.0, when it turned to the north-east; continuing our course along the
+valley south-east, though there was now no watercourse in it, at 11.20
+came on a creek in a trap valley trending north-east, across the larger
+valley, and crossing a ridge of sandstone and basalt, came on a large
+creek trending north, in which were long pools of water fifteen to twenty
+yards wide. Following this creek upwards to the south-south-east, as the
+valley widened the water ceased for some distance, but at 12.40 p.m. came
+on a pool supplied by a spring at the upper end. Here we encamped, as
+there was some good grass. The rock which formed the hills on this day's
+journey is a hard red-brown sandstone, the lower part thin-bedded,
+beneath which trap or basalt has been forced between the strata, and was
+exposed in the deep valleys excavated by the creeks. The view at times
+extended twenty miles to the north-east over a level depressed country,
+beyond which were low ridges of hills. The country generally was poor and
+stony, thinly wooded with eucalypti and acacia, except when the basalt
+was exposed, and by its decomposition formed a richer soil, well covered
+with grass and very open in character.
+
+17th August (Sunday).
+
+Grass and water being sufficient, remained at the camp to rest the
+horses, though, as several had to be shod, it was not altogether a day of
+rest to the party. A fresh breeze from south-east cooled the air at noon,
+but died away towards sunset.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 32 minutes 11 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 135 degrees 51 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+18th August.
+
+Collected the horses early, but two of them appeared to be much griped
+from eating the coarse grass, and I therefore delayed starting till 7.40
+a.m., and then ascended the stony range to the south-east and reached the
+tableland. The soil was sandy with acacia scrub, paper-bark gum,
+stringybark, and bloodwood; at 10.0 the country became stony, with
+white-gum, tall acacia, and triodia, and we gradually ascended till the
+aneroid indicated an elevation of 1100 feet, and we appeared to be on a
+ridge parallel to the tableland of the interior and at a greater
+elevation; at 1.20 p.m. observed a clump of melaleuca in a deep rocky
+ravine, and steered south to it. Here we found a spring with a few acres
+of grass around it, and encamped.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 40 minutes 31 seconds.
+
+BASALTIC RANGE. 1300 FEET ABOVE SEA.
+
+19th August.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. steered south-east and soon ascended a rocky range of
+altered sandstone and trap or basalt, thinly wooded with white-gum, tall
+acacia, and grevillia, triodia, and treraphis superseding the grass; at
+7.30 the aneroid indicated the greatest altitude (1300 feet) which we had
+attained since leaving the Victoria River. From this point the view was
+extensive to the north and south. Towards the interior the surface of the
+tableland, not being so elevated as our position, appeared like a vast
+level plain without any marked feature whatsoever. To the north the
+country appeared to consist of low ridges of wooded hills gradually
+decreasing in height as they receded. Southward our view was intercepted
+by broken wooded hills of equal elevation with our position, while deep
+ravines trending to the south intercepted our route. I therefore altered
+the course to 200 degrees magnetic, and descended a rocky valley in which
+was a small watercourse which enlarged into a considerable creek with
+large rocky waterholes. The hills consisted of basalt and altered
+sandstone, which dipped 20 degrees to 60 degrees to the north-west, and
+by their outcrop formed parallel ridges which we passed with difficulty
+and great risk to our horses; at 12.30 p.m. we extricated ourselves from
+these ridges and entered a level valley extending thirty miles to the
+north-east and south-west. Here granite rock was exposed on the bank of
+the creek, which now trended across the valley to the south-east, with a
+broad sandy bed from a quarter to half a mile in width, but quite dry and
+overgrown with bushes; at 4.5 reached the hills which bounded the valley
+to the south-east, and the creek entering a deep gorge which, by
+concentrating its waters, had formed a fine pool, at which we encamped.
+The country after leaving the basalt hills, where the valleys were well
+grassed, was barren and useless sand, gravel, and rock.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 53 minutes 42 seconds.
+
+20th August.
+
+We left our camp at 7.0 a.m., and finding the valley of the creek
+impassable, crossed the hills in an east-south-east direction, the
+country consisting of steep sandstone ridges covered with triodia and a
+few stunted eucalypti; at 3.0 p.m. we again attained the bank of the
+creek and camped in a small patch of coarse rushes, as there was no grass
+for the horses.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 58 minutes 7 seconds.
+
+21st August.
+
+Leaving this miserable spot with our starving horses, followed the creek,
+which had now increased to a small river, to the east-south-east, and
+after two hours' travelling reached a small patch of grass and camped at
+8.20 a.m.; the bed of the river is nearly dry, only a few shallow pools
+remaining in the sandy channel, which is ten to fifty yards wide, with
+smaller side channels, altogether occupying a breadth of nearly 200
+yards, dense clumps of melaleuca-trees growing in the intervening banks
+of sand; large quantities of unio-shell, some five and six inches in
+length, are found on the banks of the river near the camps of the blacks;
+Bowman complains of an attack of scurvy, which causes pains in his legs
+and swelling of the gums.
+
+22nd August.
+
+Although our yesterday's journey was only of two hours' duration, the
+horses appeared very weak and fatigued when we started at 6.45 am, and it
+was with great difficulty that Boco and Monkey could keep up with the
+rest of the horses; we were frequently compelled to leave the bank of the
+river and cross steep rocky ridges of sandstone rock; the country was
+very rugged and barren, producing little besides triodia and a few
+stunted gum-trees. The bed of the river increased to 400 yards in width,
+consisting of sandy channels with narrow banks of sand covered with large
+melaleuca-trees between them. At 1.5 p.m. camped in a small patch of dry
+wiry grass; procuring water from a small pool in the bed of the river.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 59 minutes 2 seconds.
+
+THE NICHOLSON RIVER.
+
+23rd August.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.15 a.m., following the right bank of the river
+to the east-north-east; it soon passed between two steep rocky hills and
+turned to the north. Continuing our course a short distance, rocky hills
+compelled us to turn north-north-east to regain the banks of the river,
+following an ana-branch till 11.0 a.m., when it joined the main channel,
+which then trended north-east; at 11.30 came to a small grassy flat,
+along the banks of the river, and camped. The valley of the river is now
+more open, but the country of very barren character, with stunted
+eucalypti and triodia on the hills, and melaleuca and flooded-gum trees,
+with a little grass, on the bank of the river. The hills have decreased
+in height, the upper strata thick-bedded coarse sandstone with sandstone
+shale beneath; hard white sandstone exists in some of the lower ridges.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 56 minutes 37 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 138 degrees 22 minutes 7 seconds.
+
+24th August (Sunday).
+
+Although this was not a good spot for a day's halt, yet it was requisite
+the horses should have a day's rest, and, as it was Sunday, remained at
+the camp. While collecting the horses a native woman and child were seen
+at a distance, in the bed of the river; but on being approached hid
+themselves in the reeds, and though the grass was set on fire in several
+places by the blacks, they were not seen again.
+
+25th August.
+
+Resumed our journey down the river at 8.5 a.m., the general course being
+east; at 2.35 p.m. camped at a nymphae pool in one of the side channels
+of the river. The country was now more level and open, with grassy flats
+along the river, but the back country rose into low rocky sandstone
+hills, thinly clothed with white-gum and triodia. At noon we crossed a
+sandstone ridge, from which the view was extensive, but, except on a
+range of hills fifteen miles north of our position and terminating
+abruptly on a north-east bearing, there was nothing visible but low and
+flat wooded country. The bed of the river is a quarter of a mile wide,
+consisting of broad sandy channels with low sandy ridges between covered
+with melaleuca and acacia trees. Some of the party walked down the river
+and came to the camp of some blacks; but only one lame old man remained,
+who made a great noise to frighten away the invaders of his country.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds.
+
+26th August.
+
+Followed down the river from 6.45 a.m. till 1.40 p.m., the general course
+being east. The country is now more level, and ironstone conglomerate
+forms low steep banks to the river, the bed of which is unchanged, being
+broad dry sandy channels. The back country shows no improvement, and is
+covered with triodia. Some blacks were seen on the left bank of the
+river, but though within hearing of our horses' bells, did not appear to
+notice us.
+
+Latitude by z and a Aquilae 17 degrees 54 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+27th August.
+
+The course of the river continued nearly east, and we followed its right
+bank from 7.30 a.m. till 1.5 p.m., when we camped at a fine pool of water
+in one of the side channels, the main channel continuing dry and sandy.
+The country on the immediate bank of the river was openly wooded with
+box, flooded-gum, leguminous ironbark, and melia, and was scantily
+grassed; the soil a brown sandy loam. Beyond the influence of the floods
+the ground was quite level; small terminalia, broad-leafed melaleuca, and
+silver-leafed ironbark, with dry triodia, formed the entire vegetation of
+this worthless plain. Ironstone conglomerate and sandstone boulders are
+the only rocks visible.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 56 minutes 32 seconds.
+
+A FINE STREAM OF RUNNING WATER.
+
+28th August.
+
+Our day's journey commenced at 7.0 a.m., and following the right bank of
+the river to the east-south-east till 12.45 p.m., encamped in the bed of
+the river, which was nearly half a mile wide from bank to bank, the
+principal channel, eighty yards wide, was shallow and sandy, with a few
+small pools of water at intervals. The side channels of similar
+character, but smaller and without water. Beyond the bed the banks rose
+abruptly about thirty feet, and then appeared to decline as it receded,
+and no higher ground was visible. The soil was a sandy loam, thinly
+timbered with small box-trees and scanty grass.
+
+Latitude by Vega and b Cygni 18 degrees 1 minute 3 seconds.
+
+29th August.
+
+At 7.20 a.m. steered east through level box flats, the country gradually
+becoming more open and better grassed, though very scantily; at noon
+crossed some open grassy plains, and altered the course to north-east,
+north-north-east, and north, and at 3.20 p.m. again came on the bank of
+the river and encamped at a small pool of water; the rest of the channel,
+which exceeded a quarter of a mile in width, being dry and overgrown with
+large melaleuca and flooded-gum trees. The general character of the
+country is a level plain about forty feet above the level of the river,
+thinly wooded with box and a few bloodwood, acacia, and bauhinia trees;
+the soil a brown loam, and the grass, though scanty, of good quality, but
+at this season very dry.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 55 minutes 40 seconds.
+
+30th August.
+
+At 6.50 a.m. steered east-north-east through box flats and open grassy
+flats, the course of the river nearly parallel to our route; at 10.10
+came to a large tributary creek from the south. Its principal channel was
+30 yards wide, with pools separated by dry banks, but two small side
+channels existed with small running stream. After half an hour's delay,
+we succeeded in crossing without further accident than resulted from some
+of the pack-horses falling down the bank into the water and wetting their
+packs, and getting a ducking myself, which wetted the chronometers.
+Water-pandanus, fan-palm, and casuarina formed a belt of trees along the
+bank of the stream, which bore quite a different character to that of the
+dry sandy bed of the river above the junction. Continuing our route, at
+12.5 p.m. came to a second running creek, but of smaller size. This we
+crossed and followed down to the east till 1.5, when we encamped. Here we
+observed that, though the water was fresh, yet it was affected by the
+tide, which was now at the highest spring.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 52 minutes 35 seconds.
+
+THE ALBERT RIVER. A MARKED TREE.
+
+31st August (Sunday).
+
+Rode down the creek with Mr. H. Gregory. At two miles from the camp came
+to the junction of a smaller creek from the south, the two forming a fine
+reach of water, which we recognised as the Albert River of Captain
+Stokes. This spot between the two creeks was the rendezvous appointed for
+the two sections of the Expedition, and though, from the short period
+which had elapsed since leaving the Victoria, the Tom Tough could
+scarcely be expected to have arrived before us, on approaching the spot
+we saw several marked trees:
+
+CHUMLUT + arrow pointing up ORE RCH TO 1856,
+
+but were disappointed in our hope that the vessel had reached the Albert,
+as these marks consisted of several names of seamen, who appeared to have
+formed the crew of a boat sent up the river by H.M. steamer Torch. Search
+was made for directions for finding any memorandum which might have been
+concealed, as I first thought it probable that the object of the visit
+might have been to communicate with the Expedition; but the nature of the
+inscriptions and the absence of anything which led to even a surmise of
+what was the object of the visit caused us to come to the conclusion that
+it had no reference to the North Australian Expedition. From the state of
+the ashes of the fire and branches of the trees which had been cut and
+broken, it appeared that several weeks had elapsed, and consequently the
+Torch was not likely to still be in or near the river. In accordance with
+arrangements made with Mr. Baines, I marked a tree thus:
+
+NAE AUG 30 DIG1YD TO E.
+
+in order to apprise him of our having reached the Albert, and of our
+prospective movements. Returning to the camp, wrote a memorandum of the
+visit of the Expedition and a note to Mr. Baines, informing him that we
+intended leaving other marks and memoranda at the junction of the
+salt-water arm of the river, and then continue without delay our route
+towards Moreton Bay. These memoranda were enclosed in a powder-canister,
+and Messrs. Elsey and Bowman took them down to the marked tree and buried
+them. In the afternoon rode over with Mr. H. Gregory towards the
+Nicholson River, crossing Beame's Brook. Steered north-north-east four
+and a half miles over a level grassy plain with stripes of box-trees. As
+we could see four or five miles farther, and no indication of the river,
+returned to the camp, having ascertained that the Nicholson River does
+not join the Albert, unless many miles below the junction of Beame's
+Brook with the South Creek, which together form the Albert River.
+
+1st September.
+
+At 7.40 a.m. steered east to the South Creek, which we found at the
+distance of two miles, and followed it up for an hour in search of a
+crossing place, as the channel was very muddy. A suitable spot having
+been found, we filled up the channel, which was two yards wide, with
+pandanus stems, and crossed the horses over without accident. Steering
+east-north-east two miles across wide level plains, with patches of
+box-trees, turned north at noon and struck the Albert just below the
+junction of the South Creek and Beame's Brook. Finding the water
+brackish, we did not proceed farther down the river, and encamped. The
+existence of a narrow belt of mangrove along the bank of the river
+indicates that the water is often salt to the head of the Albert.
+
+Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 51 minutes 55 seconds.
+
+2nd September.
+
+The water in the river being very brackish, it became evident that we
+should be unable to procure fresh water if we followed it towards the
+sea, and therefore I decided on leaving the letters I had written to Mr.
+Baines at this spot, and accordingly marked a tree thus:
+
+NAEXPDN AUG 30 1856 DIG2YDN
+
+and buried a tin canister with letters, stating that the exploring party
+was to start the following morning for Moreton Bay, and instructing Mr.
+Baines to remain at the Albert till the 29th September, 1856, in case any
+unforeseen circumstance should compel the party to return to the Albert
+within that period. Five months' flour, tea, sugar, etc., and three
+months' supply of meat at full ration still remained; and as our horses
+would supply the deficiency of meat, if required, we have sufficient
+quantity of provisions to enable the party to reach the settled part of
+New South Wales, unless extraordinary difficulties should be encountered;
+under the circumstances it did not appear prudent to delay at the Albert
+River, as the arrival of the Tom Tough might be deferred for an
+indefinite period.
+
+3rd September.
+
+Left our camp at 6.45 a.m., and steered east over level box-flats and
+open grassy plains; at 10.0 came on a small creek, which we followed half
+an hour to the north-east, when we came to salt-water, which had been
+left in pools at high tides. I therefore steered south-east till 5.0 p.m.
+and camped at a shallow pool in a large creek trending north. The country
+consists of vast open level plains, separated by narrow belts of box and
+terminalia trees; the soil a brown clay loam, producing rather short and
+dry grass. On approaching the waterhole at which we encamped, a black and
+three or four women were found camped on the opposite side of the creek;
+they climbed the trees and remained among the branches till dusk, when
+they descended to their fires and made a great noise till 9.0, when they
+decamped. This creek is probably the head of the salt-water arm of the
+Albert River or of the Disaster River.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 2 minutes 5 seconds; variation of compass 4
+degrees east.
+
+THE "PLAINS OF PROMISE," LEICHHARDT RIVER.
+
+4th September.
+
+Continued a south-east course through large open plains thinly grassed;
+passed a dry watercourse with a small waterhole in one of the back
+channels, but insufficient for our horses, and at noon camped at a
+shallow waterhole in a grassy flat. Mr. Elsey walked half a mile to the
+eastward; came to a river eighty yards wide, but observing some blacks,
+returned to the camp. In the evening nine blacks came towards us, and
+appeared inclined to hostilities; but, after a short interview, retired
+up the creek. These blacks were not circumcised, and their teeth were
+perfect; they had neither ornaments or any description of clothing, and
+were slightly scarred on the back and chest. Their spears were large and
+heavy, made of a single piece of wood, and thrown by hand; they had also
+smaller ones of reed, with wooden points, which were thrown with the
+throwing board, which were flattened vertically; clubs two and a half
+feet long and two and a half inches in diameter, and shields formed of a
+single piece of wood two and a half feet long and three inches wide. The
+river proved to be fresh, and in pools separated by rock flats, and is
+evidently the same that Dr. Leichhardt supposed to be the Albert--a
+mistake which has caused considerable error in the maps of his route; as
+it was not named, I called it the Leichhardt. The character of the
+country is inferior, as the grass which covers the plains is principally
+aristidia and andropogon; anthisteria or kangaroo grass only in small
+patches. The soil is a good brown loam.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 11 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+ATTACK BY THE NATIVES.
+
+5th September.
+
+At daybreak we heard the blacks making a great noise up the river, and
+while the horses were being brought in nineteen blacks came to the camp,
+all armed with clubs and spears. They did not make any hostile
+demonstration, and the approach of the horses appeared to keep them in
+check; and a person unacquainted with the treacherous character of the
+Australian might have thought them friendly. When we started at 6.50 a.m.
+they followed the party to the bank of the river, and began to ship their
+spears, and when we were crossing a deep ravine made a rush on us with
+their spears poised ready to throw them at us, hoping to take advantage
+of our position; but just as their leader was in the act of throwing his
+spear he received a charge of small shot. This checked them, and we
+charged them on horseback, and with a few shots from our revolvers put
+them to flight, except one man, who climbed a tree, where we left him, as
+our object was only to procure our own safety, and that with as little
+injury to the blacks as possible. We did not pursue our advantage; by
+following the fugitives. Proceeding down the river a short distance, at
+7.40 crossed to the right bank on a ledge of flat rocks. It was here
+about 100 yards wide, with shallow reaches of water, the banks rising
+steep--thirty to forty feet. Very little vegetation grew on the banks,
+which appeared to result from salt water occasionally reaching this part
+at very high tides. We now steered east over level grassy plains, with
+patches of box and terminalia. Passed a small but deep waterhole, near
+which were two black gins, who did not appear to notice us. At 10.0 the
+country was covered with an open scrub of terminalia, with silvery
+leaves, and triodia replaced the grass. At noon passed a small rocky
+gully with a waterhole, which our horses quite emptied of its contents.
+Altering the course to north-east, the country was covered with melaleuca
+scrub, with silver-leafed ironbark, triodia, and a little grass; but we
+soon re-entered the open plains which extended to the north, and,
+following a watercourse at 3.5 p.m. camped at a small muddy waterhole, on
+the banks of which the blacks had often encamped, as shown by the heaps
+of mussel-shells round their fireplaces. Our route has been along the
+southern limit of the open grassy plains, and to the south the country
+rises into low ridges and stony plains, covered with scrub and triodia.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 7 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+6th September.
+
+Starting at 6.25 a.m. our route was average east over a level country of
+very bad quality; the soil ironstone gravel, producing terminalia,
+triodia, and silk cotton-trees (Cochospermum gregoranum). Towards the
+latter part of the stage the country improved, becoming more open and
+grassy. At 12.15 camped on a large creek with a shallow pool of muddy
+water.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 9 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+7th September (Sunday).
+
+Remained at the camp to rest the party. A strong south-east wind blew
+during the night, and the day was cool and clear; the air very dry.
+Repaired our saddle-bags, which, from frequent contact with rocks and
+dead trees, were much dilapidated.
+
+8th September.
+
+Steered east-south-east from 6.40 am to 11.40, crossing low ironstone
+ridges and wide grassy plains, with belts of box, terminalia, white-gum,
+and silver-leafed ironbark of small size; the grass very inferior, with
+patches of triodia on the ridges; then traversed a level country covered
+with small trees and dry grass for two hours, after which we followed a
+dry watercourse, with large hollows in its bed, to the north-north-west
+for one hour; the shells of large unios abundant, but no water; altered
+the course to the east; passed two lines of box-trees crossing the plain
+from the south to the north, and at 5.50 p.m. camped in the plain without
+water; a strong breeze from the south-east during the day had rendered
+the heat less oppressive than usual.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 12 minutes 40 seconds; variation of compass 5
+degrees east.
+
+THE FLINDERS RIVER.
+
+9th September.
+
+Left our waterless camp at 6.10 a.m., steering north 50 degrees east
+magnetic over a level grassy plain; at 9.40 reached a fine river of fresh
+water 100 yards wide, but very shallow; pelicans, ducks, and other
+water-fowl were numerous, but very shy and wild; here we camped, although
+the grass was very inferior on the immediate banks of the river, the
+surface of the soil being very much furrowed by the rain; small fragments
+of limestone and a few quartz pebbles have been observed on the surface
+of the plain for the past twenty miles, and a dark limestone rock is
+exposed in the bed of the river, where it has horizontal stratification;
+fragments of flinty slate and trap exist in the gravel of the bed of the
+river, which, from its position, must be the Flinders River of the
+charts.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 18 degrees 8 minutes 41 seconds; variation of
+compass 4 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+10th September.
+
+6.10 a.m. again found us in the saddle, and crossing the right bank
+followed it to the south-south-east till 7.20, when it turned to the
+south-south-west, and changing our course to the east, passed through a
+fine grassy plain for two miles, and entered a level open box-flat, well
+grassed, the soil a brown loam; this continued till 2.30 p.m., when we
+entered a belt of terminalia, and at 1.0 reached a small watercourse, and
+camped at a fine waterhole fifty yards wide and 100 yards long,
+apparently deep and permanent water, with open grassy banks; this
+waterhole would render a great extent of the fine grassy country around
+available for pasturage; in passing through the box forest we observed
+several sleeping places which had been constructed by the blacks during
+the wet season; they consisted of four stakes two feet high, supporting a
+platform of small sticks five feet long and two and a half feet wide;
+three to twenty of these frames would be grouped together, and were
+frequent till we reached the Gilbert River.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 10 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+11th September.
+
+At 6.20 a.m. steered east for one hour through level box and terminalia
+flats, with good grass and brown loam; came to a fine lagoon eighty yards
+wide and nearly one mile long; beyond this was a creek with small pools
+of water; as it appeared to come from the south-east, we steered in that
+direction, but soon receded from it, as its course changed to
+south-south-east, and altering our course more to the southward, at noon
+came again on the creek, much reduced in size; melaleuca scrub and
+triodia growing close to its banks, and only a few shallow pools of
+water, nearly dried up, and very little grass; at 12.25 p.m. camped at a
+small pool. On the banks of the lagoon passed in the morning large heaps
+of mussel-shells showed the spots where, from the vast accumulation, the
+blacks had for many centuries camped successively on the same spots, and
+a well-beaten footpath along the bank showed that it was a favourite
+resort of the aboriginals. The common flies are very troublesome; very
+few birds, and no kangaroos have been seen during the last few days'
+journey.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 18 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+12th September.
+
+The course of the creek being from the south and water very scarce in its
+bed, it does not appear that we have yet reached the streams rising in
+the high land at the head of the Burdekin and Lynd rivers; it therefore
+appeared expedient to steer an east-north-east course till some
+stream-bed of sufficient size to retain water at this season can be
+found, and then to follow it up to the ranges where alone water can be
+expected to be found to enable us to steer to the south-east. At an
+earlier season of the year, when water is abundant, it would be more
+desirable to ascend the Flinders, and cross from its upper branches to
+the head of the Clark; but under present circumstances this course would
+be highly imprudent, and no experimental deviations from the most direct
+course would be justifiable. The grass being scanty, the horses had
+scattered much, and we did not leave the camp till 10.20 a.m., when we
+steered east-north-east. A short mile from our camp passed four blacks at
+a pool of water; they did not observe us till we had passed, though only
+100 yards distant, and the country very open. Our route was through a
+level country, wooded with box, bloodwood, terminalia, grevillia, and
+broad-leafed melaleuca, triodia, and patches of grass. The soil is a hard
+ironstone gravel and clay. Passing several dry beds of shallow lagoons,
+came to a small dry watercourse coming from the east; at 12.20 p.m.
+camped at a shallow pool of water scarcely four inches deep. Near the
+camp were some fine grassy flats, but limited in extent, and the grass
+very dry. The cool southerly breezes have ceased, and the north-east and
+westerly winds are light and very warm.
+
+Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 14 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+13th September.
+
+At 8.5 a.m. steered east-north-east through box-flats with broad-leafed
+melaleuca, with a little grass. The country gradually became more scrubby
+with grevillia, terminalia, bloodwood, and triodia; the soil very poor,
+and in some parts sand and gravel. At 2.0 p.m. altered the course to
+north, and at 5.50 came to a dry creek in a rocky channel trending west,
+which we followed down till 6.15, and camped without water.
+
+14th September (Sunday).
+
+At 5.50 proceeded down the creek on a nearly west course, searching the
+channel in its winding course for water, but without success, till 10.0,
+when we found a pool of good water fifty yards long and two feet deep, at
+which we encamped. Some blacks had been camped at this pool, and their
+fires were still burning. The country on the creek is very poor, with
+patches of open melaleuca scrub, box, bloodwood, leguminous ironbark,
+terminalia, white-gum, and a few pandanus, triodia, and a little very dry
+grass. The soil sandstone, with ironstone gravel. The native bee appears
+to be very numerous, and great numbers of trees have been cut by the
+blacks to obtain the honey.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 59 minutes 26 seconds.
+
+LEVEL COUNTRY. SCARCITY OF WATER.
+
+15th September.
+
+At 8.15 a.m. resumed our journey north 10 degrees magnetic, over a very
+level country thinly wooded with box, bloodwood, melaleuca, terminalia,
+grevillia, and cotton-trees, also a small tree which we recognised as
+Leichhardt's little bread-tree, the fruit of which, when ripe, is mealy
+and acid, but made some of the party, who ate it, sick. Several dry
+watercourses trending west were crossed, and at 2.5 p.m. camped at a
+small waterhole in a sandy creek, fifteen yards wide. By enlarging the
+hole we obtained, though with difficulty, a sufficient supply of water
+for our horses. On the flats near the creek the grass was good, but very
+dry.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 46 minutes 11 seconds.
+
+16th September.
+
+Although our horses required a day's rest, none of our camps for some
+days had afforded a sufficient supply of water and grass for a second
+night; we therefore continued a north 20 degrees east course at 6.25
+a.m.; at 7.30 a.m. came to a creek which we followed east an hour and a
+half, when it was reduced to a small gully, and again steered
+north-north-east, passing over much poor country with patches of
+melaleuca scrub, the country perfectly level; at 2.0 p.m. came to a sandy
+creek which we followed to the west till 6.5 p.m. without any water;
+camped in an open grassy box flat; I then walked down the creek, and was
+fortunate in finding a pool of water half a mile distant, and as soon as
+the moon rose we drove the horses to the water and filled our
+saddle-bags. Few parts of our journey have been through country so
+destitute of animal life as the level plain we have traversed since
+leaving the Flinders River--no kangaroo or even their track; emu tracks
+very rare, and very few birds were at the waterholes. Many of the
+sleeping-frames of the blacks have been observed, and thousands of deep
+impressions of their feet in the now dry and sun-baked clay show that
+during the rainy season the extremely level nature of the country causes
+it to be extensively inundated.
+
+17th September.
+
+The supply of water and grass being sufficient, we remained at this camp
+to refresh the horses, which had suffered much from the long stages.
+
+Latitude by Capella 17 degrees 34 minutes 5 seconds; variation of compass
+4 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+DRIED HORSE-FLESH.
+
+18th September.
+
+Starting at 7.0 a.m., steered north 10 degrees east magnetic till 12.30
+p.m., crossing a level country with frequent hollows which form lagoons
+in the wet season, reaching a sandy creek with several channels, which we
+searched in vain for water; but found a fine lagoon about a quarter of a
+mile from it, in a grassy flat, in which we encamped. The country
+generally was more open, with grassy box-flats; melaleuca scrubs less
+frequent. As this camp appeared suitable for a halt of a few days, I
+decided on availing ourselves of the opportunity, and to kill one of the
+unserviceable horses and replenish our stock of meat and supply the party
+with fresh provisions. Old Boco, who had not carried a pack since leaving
+the Albert, and whose wandering and kicking propensities had rendered him
+a troublesome animal, was therefore shot, skinned and quartered.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 21 minutes 20 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees 15 minutes east.
+
+19th September.
+
+The horse was cut into thin slices and hung on ropes to dry by 10.0 a.m.,
+the liver and heart furnishing the party with an excellent dinner.
+
+20th September.
+
+The night had been cloudy, but the meat dried well, and promised to be
+fit to pack the following day, the weather being very hot with little
+wind. Reduced the ration of flour to three-quarters of a pound per diem
+while fresh meat is abundant.
+
+21st September.
+
+Resumed our journey at 8.15 a.m. and traversed on a course north 40
+degrees east a level plain grassy country thinly wooded with box,
+bloodwood, and terminalia, etc. The soil a dark loam of good quality, but
+very wet in the rainy season. At 11.30 a.m. came on a large creek or
+river with many sandy channels in which only a few small pools of water
+remained; followed it up to the east-south-east through fine open grassy
+flats till 2.35 p.m. and camped in the bed of the river. The banks of the
+river (which is probably the Gilbert of Leichhardt) are well grassed, and
+a dense line of melaleuca, leucodendron, flooded-gum, and morinda, mark
+its course through the plain; but being divided into many channels its
+size is difficult to ascertain. Considerable quantities of mica are mixed
+with the soil on its banks, which indicates that it rises in country of
+primary formation. Two kangaroos, some wallabies, and pink and
+sulphur-crested white cockatoos were seen near the river.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 18 minutes 5 seconds.
+
+THE GILBERT RIVER.
+
+22nd September.
+
+Leaving our camp at 7.25 a.m., steered north 120 degrees east across the
+plains on the left bank of the river, and at 1.30 p.m. camped at a small
+pool in the sandy bed of the Gilbert, which is broad, sandy, and retains
+very little water. Fragments of porphyry, quartz, and black slate are
+abundant in the drift, and mica, iserine, and minute garnets exist.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 25 minutes 50 seconds.
+
+23rd September.
+
+At 7.5 a.m. continued our journey up the river's left bank, the average
+course south-east by east; at 2.50 p.m., camped at a small pool in the
+bed of the river; the principal channel is 200 yards wide, and the
+smaller ones occupy a breadth of half a mile; the banks are low, and the
+country quite level, thinly wooded with box-trees; the grass good, but
+not thick; water very scarce, except by digging in the sand of the river.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 17 degrees 36 minutes; variation of compass 5 degrees
+east.
+
+24th September.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered south-east, and at 8.0 crossed to the right bank of
+the river, the channel 300 yards wide, with banks fifteen feet high,
+beyond which the ground gradually declined, so that when the river
+overflows a great extent of country must be inundated. Continuing our
+course, the river turned more to the south, and we passed through some
+poor stunted forest of eucalypti, alternating with grassy box-flats. At
+noon altered the course south-south-east, and at 12.30 p.m. camped at a
+chain of small lagoons in the shade of some fine nonda-trees.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 17 degrees 45 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+25th September.
+
+At 6.35 a.m. steered south-east through an open melaleuca scrub, the soil
+sandy loam, thinly grassed; acacia, bloodwood, silver-leafed ironbark,
+and grevillia forming open patches of wood at intervals. At noon turned
+south, and at 1.35 p.m. camped at a small lagoon nearly dry and half a
+mile from the bank of the river; a few hills rose close to the south-west
+of the river opposite our camp, the lower ridges grassy, the higher hills
+wooded, but not exceeding 500 feet above the plain. The bed of the river
+is broad, dry, and sandy, and the box-flats much reduced in width, seldom
+exceeding a mile. At 5.0 p.m. there was a heavy squall with rain and
+lightning, followed by a cloudy night and moderate breeze from the south.
+
+26th September.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. resumed our route, and, following up the right bank of the
+river in a south-east direction till 2.0 p.m., when we camped in the
+sandy bed of the river, procuring water from a small hole in the sand.
+The country on the banks of the river consisted of box flats, some parts
+well grassed, but usually very poor; this extended about half a mile, and
+then changed gradually to a poor country with little grass and small
+eucalypti and melaleuca, the soil gravel and sand. The bed of the river
+continues to be about 300 yards wide, dry, and sandy; a line of
+melaleuca, morinda, flooded-gum and fig trees, grow along it and mark its
+course.
+
+Latitude by a Aquilae 18 degrees 10 minutes 10 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+27th September.
+
+Steered an average south-east course up the river from 6.40 a.m. till 1.0
+p.m., when we camped at some pools of water in a side channel of the
+river, where it was divided by a hillock of slate-rock. The country is
+inferior in quality, the flats narrowing to an average of half a mile
+with very dry and thinly scattered tufts of grass. The bed of the river
+is better defined, and formed at times a single channel 250 yards wide,
+dry and sandy, as water was only once seen during the day. Low rocky
+ridges of sandstone gradually approached its banks, and near the camp
+porphyry, slate, and coarse granite formed detached hills 50 to 100 feet
+high, seeming to indicate an approach to the ranges in which the stream
+takes its rise.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 15 minutes 21 seconds.
+
+GRANITE, PORPHYRY, AND SLATE.
+
+28th September (Sunday).
+
+Walked out from the camp to a low hill about one mile south-south-east.
+It was composed of granite at the base and capped with horizontal strata
+of sandstone, some of the beds containing large water-worn pebbles, and
+the superstratum highly ferruginous. To the south-west of this hill the
+rock was slate, the strata nearly vertical; the strike north and south,
+but much contorted, and large pebbles of porphyry, quartz, slate,
+granite, sandstone, and agate formed banks in the bed of the river. The
+country, as seen from the hill, was generally level in appearance, but
+consisted of numerous low ridges and detached hills of granite, with
+sandstone on the summits. The valley of the river extended to the east
+and south, and a large branch appeared to join from the south about ten
+miles lower down, as a valley and some ranges of hills trended in that
+direction. The whole face of the country had an arid and desolate aspect,
+as there were no large trees except along the principal watercourses, and
+many of the hills appeared destitute of any other vegetation besides
+small acacias and scrub trees, the bare rock showing through its scanty
+covering.
+
+29th September.
+
+At 7.15 a.m. again steered east up the river, the country level and
+timbered with stringybark, box, bloodwood, leguminous ironbark, and rusty
+gum; the soil a red sandy loam, thinly grassed; at 10.30 a.m. came to low
+hills and ridges of granite and porphyry, timbered with box, leguminous
+ironbark, terminalia, and the grass somewhat improved. Altered the course
+at 11.0 a.m. to the south to close in with the river; but after crossing
+a great number of dry watercourses, and even steering west, only reached
+the bank of the river at sunset. The channel was dry, and all the
+vegetation had disappeared, only a barren waste of coarse sand and gravel
+180 yards wide, with bare rocky banks, showed that it had once been a
+running stream. A few small hollows in the rocks retained water from the
+late rain, but not sufficient for our horses, and though we found a small
+pool in the sand, it was insufficient for the supply of the party.
+Encamped at 6.0 p.m. The geological structure of this portion of the
+country is wholly dissimilar to any other part of North Australia we have
+yet traversed. Granite, porphyry, and slate are the prevailing rocks. The
+whole appear to have been subjected to considerable disturbance, as the
+slate is much broken and contorted, and in several parts altered by
+contact with the porphyry, and no definite strike or dip appeared to
+exist. The porphyry is of a red-brown colour, consisting of grey paste
+with crystal of felspar and angular fragments of slate and granite
+sometimes one foot in length. The granite contains little mica, and the
+quartz frequently is arranged in rhomboidal crystals nearly parallel to
+each other; it readily decomposes, and from the predominance of quartz
+forms a coarse gritty soil. Quartz-rock forms large beds and veins in the
+granite, and has a general trend north and south. It often contains
+crystals of mica, and therefore not likely to contain metals. In washing
+the sand of the river near Camp 83, only a small quantity of titaniferous
+iron remained after the removal of the quartz and mica. It was in this
+locality that the Gilbert Gold Field was afterwards discovered.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 25 minutes 33 seconds.
+
+30th September.
+
+Moved the camp about one mile higher up the river to some small pools of
+water, and then with Mr. H. Gregory ascended the hills to the south of
+the camp. From the highest ridge the course of the river was visible for
+nearly twenty miles, trending first seven miles south-south-west and then
+south-south-east; at the bend a branch appeared to join from
+west-south-west, in which direction the country appeared very flat for
+fifteen or twenty miles, as only a few distant hills were visible; from
+north round to south-east the country was very broken and hilly, rising
+highest to the north-east, but the view was limited to eight or ten
+miles; south-east a valley opened through hills, and more distant ranges
+were indistinctly seen beyond. The whole aspect of the country was
+barren, rock forming the principal feature. Returning to the camp,
+collected a quantity of the clustered figs on the bank of the creek; this
+fruit is rather insipid.
+
+1st October.
+
+Steering an average south-south-east course from 7.40 a.m. till 2.40
+p.m., camped on the right bank of the river, which first came from
+south-west and then from south-east, throwing off two branches to the
+south-west, and was thereby diminished to 100 yards wide at our camp;
+only one creek and some gullies joined from the east, although the
+country in that direction was hilly; the bed of the river was still dry
+and sandy; water very scarce. Slate, quartz, schist, granite, and trap
+are the principal rocks, and by their decomposition do not produce a soil
+favourable to vegetation, the country becoming more desolate as we
+advanced. The only trees which retain their verdure are those which grow
+on the banks of the river.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 40 minutes 29 seconds.
+
+RECONNOITRE TO THE EASTWARD.
+
+2nd October.
+
+The river above the camp coming from the south-south-west, it appeared
+desirable to pursue a more eastern course, and I therefore started from
+the camp at 6.30 a.m., accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, to reconnoitre the
+country, steering east three miles over low slate hills (the strata
+dipping 60 degrees to 80 degrees to south by west); ascended a hill from
+which a range of hills were seen eight to ten miles to the east of a
+creek rising in them and joining the river near the camp to the
+east-south-east; at the head of the creek a gap in the hills showed a
+more distant range of hills; steering in this direction, came to the
+creek with a sandy and rocky bed ten yards wide and perfectly dry;
+ascending the range of hills, found them to consist of gneiss, schist,
+and slate, trap existing on the lower ridges. A large valley extended
+across our course to the east, beyond which a range of flat-topped hills
+or tableland bounded the horizon. Descending to the east the country
+improved and granite constituted the principal rock, ironbark and a few
+box-trees forming an open forest which on some of the ridges was well
+grassed; the soil a red loam. At 2.0 p.m. came on a small river with a
+dry sandy bed eighty yards wide; following it down to the south found a
+small pool of water in a hollow in the sand; here we halted till 3.30,
+and then followed the river south-west, south-east, south-west, west, and
+south; at 6.10 ascended a hill on the left hand, from which we saw that
+the river turned west and north-west, breaking through the hills and
+joining the Gilbert River. Having ascertained that we were still on a
+western watercourse, we bivouacked near the river without water.
+
+3rd October.
+
+At daybreak steered north-west, crossing several rocky ridges of hills,
+and at 2.0 p.m. reached the camp. Nothing of importance had occurred
+during our absence; the horses had improved by the two days' rest.
+
+4th October.
+
+At 7.15 a.m. left the camp, and, following an average east-south-east
+course for seven hours, reached the pools found on the 2nd, in the upper
+branch of the Gilbert River, and encamped. As this route nearly coincided
+with that on the 2nd, nothing was seen worthy of farther notice.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 47 minutes 54 seconds.
+
+5th October.
+
+At 6.45 a.m. left the camp and followed up the river in an
+east-north-east direction for three miles; water was abundant in the
+gullies owing to a heavy shower some days previous. Beyond three miles
+the water ceased and the country was dry and parched. Low hills of schist
+trap and granite formed a country near the river, and farther back high
+ranges bounded the valley; they appeared to be flat-topped and with
+horizontal strata of sandstone on the summits. At noon the river had
+divided into several small branches, and the character of the country did
+not promise the existence of water within the space of a day's journey;
+we returned down the river to the last water we had seen, and camped
+about three miles north-east of our last camp. As there was little
+prospect of finding water again till the range to the east of our present
+position was crossed, I decided on reconnoitring the country before
+moving the party farther, and as the weather promised to continue fine,
+the horse Monkey was shot and skinned preparatory to drying the meat
+during my absence.
+
+6th October.
+
+At 6.5 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory, steering nearly east,
+crossed the south branch of the river, and reached the base of the higher
+range at 9.30; here we found a small spring a quarter of a mile south of
+a remarkable hill formed of a single mass of bare rock completely
+honeycombed by the action of the atmosphere; ascended the range, which
+consisted of porphyry with horizontal sandstone on the summit; we
+continued our east course over rocky hills with dry watercourses trending
+north; the grass was very thin and dry; and the country was openly wooded
+with acacia, eucalypti, cypress, etc., none of which attained a large
+size; at 1.30 p.m. halted to rest the horses, and searching among the
+rocks in the gullies obtained about three quarts of water by digging; at
+2.45 resumed our route, traversing a hilly country, and at 4.15 ascended
+a granite hill with sandstone summit, from which the view was very
+extensive. Large valleys seemed to join and trend from south to north,
+and were bounded by ranges, except to the east, where a level plain or
+wide valley extended to the horizon. In the valley a line of green trees
+five miles distant marked the course of a creek. Descending the range we
+encountered a very rocky country with deep gullies, in one of which we
+found a few gallons of water, which our horses consumed. As there was no
+grass here, we pushed on till dusk, and bivouacked in a small patch of
+grass by the side of a dry gully. The country east of the range is
+entirely granitic; grass very scanty, and very thinly wooded with
+ironbark.
+
+CROSS A GRANITE RANGE.
+
+7th October.
+
+Continued an east course at 5.50 a.m., and at 7.50 reached the large
+creek, which was 100 yards wide with shallow sandy bed; the banks low and
+thinly timbered with ironbark and a few box trees; the soil poor and
+sandy, producing little grass. Large casuarina and flooded-gum trees grew
+in the channel of the creek, which we followed three miles to the
+north-east without finding any water, and only two spots where it could
+be procured by digging; we therefore returned up the creek, and dug a
+well at the most eligible spot, procuring an abundance of good water; at
+2.20 p.m. commenced our return route towards the camp, and following up
+the spurs of the range found a practicable route for the pack-horses;
+passed the highest point of the range at 6.0, and bivouacked at a small
+dry watercourse at 7.15 p.m.
+
+8th October.
+
+Resumed our route at 6.0 a.m., and deviating to the north of the outward
+route, found a small pool of water in a rocky gully, and following it
+down a mile came to a pool of sufficient size to supply the whole party.
+At 10.30 reached Bowman's Spring at the foot of the range, and by digging
+in the moist soil obtained a little water. As we approached the spring a
+small party of blacks shouted to us from the summit of one of the hills,
+but did not descend to us, though we halted till 12.30 p.m., and then
+resumed our route, reaching the camp at 4.0, and found the party all
+well; the horse-meat quite dry and fit for carriage. Bowman had also
+replaced the shoes on all the horses. The geological character gradually
+changes, in consequence of the larger development of the older rocks, as
+we proceed to the eastward. At the camp gneiss, porphyry, and trap have
+superseded the slates, and proceeding east, granite is visible at the
+western base of the range. This is covered by a thick mass of porphyry,
+containing large fragments of slate, gneiss and granite in its lower
+part, and in its upper portion it has a fine grain and light colour.
+Being deeply cracked by vertical fissures, it forms vertical columns of
+rhomboidal form, resembling basalt. The summits of the higher hills are
+formed by horizontal beds of white sandstone, containing water-worn
+pebbles of quartz. Granite supersedes the other rocks as the east slope
+of the range is approached, and is there occasionally intercepted by
+veins of dark trap.
+
+9th October.
+
+Proposed to start from the camp at the usual time, but four of the horses
+could not be found, and owing to the rocky nature of the country the
+tracks were not found till late in the evening, when tracing them some
+miles I found them at sunset in a secluded valley.
+
+10th October.
+
+This morning we were more successful in collecting the horses, and
+started from the camp at 6.35 a.m., and steering an easterly course
+reached the fate of the range at 10.20 and the summit at noon. Following
+our previous track, reached the pool of water at 1.0 p.m. and camped.
+Near the camp the xanthorrhoea first made its appearance.
+
+CROSS THE MAIN DIVIDING RANGE.
+
+11th October.
+
+Leaving the camp at 7.0 a.m., steered an easterly course over somewhat
+barren granite country, timbered with cypress and ironbark; passed close
+to a hill on the highest point of the range, the summit of which, by
+approximate measurement, rose to 2500 feet above the sea. Then following
+a spur of the range we reached the well in the sandy creek at 1.5 p.m.
+Having cleared out the sand and banked it up with stakes and brushwood, a
+plentiful supply of water was obtained at about five feet below the
+surface of the dry channel.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 45 minutes 53 seconds.
+
+12th October.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered north 60 degrees east over undulating granite
+country, timbered with ironbark and box, the grass scanty and very dry;
+at 8.45 crossed a large creek coming from the south. Its channel was 100
+yards wide, dry, sandy, and a few pools of shallow water; the banks ten
+to twenty feet high. Crossing several gullies trending northward, at noon
+came on a dry sandy creek, also trending to the north. On its right bank
+was a level flat of cellular lava or basalt. Following the course of the
+creek, at 1.50 p.m. camped at a fine lagoon a quarter of a mile long and
+seventy yards wide, the water appearing to be about ten feet deep,
+although unusually low at the present time. A high range of hills exist
+to the north of this creek, and the watercourses all trend to the
+north-west; and, as our latitude is the same as the Reedy Brook of
+Leichhardt on the south-west side of the Valley of Lagoons, it is evident
+that these streams do not join the Burdekin, but are tributary to the
+Lynd, joining it probably at the southern bend.
+
+Latitude by b Aurigae 18 degrees 38 minutes 12 seconds.
+
+13th October.
+
+At 6.25 a.m. steered east and traversed a slightly undulating granite
+country, with small watercourses trending west-south-west. Ironbark and
+box formed an open forest, the soil poor and gritty, with a few patches
+of black soil, with blocks of lava on the surface. At 11.15 ascended a
+small hill of lava, from which the country appeared very level to the
+east. To the north-east large hills rose about twelve miles distant;
+ranges also bounded the plain to the south, and some distant summits were
+visible to the south-east. Continuing an east course, lava became more
+frequent, and at length covered the whole surface. At 2.30 p.m. came on
+several streams of lava, forming ridges of rugged rocks, which were
+crossed with difficulty. These streams of lava appeared to have run from
+north to south, the thickness twenty to thirty feet, and breadth very
+variable. The level ground was lightly timbered with ironbark and box. At
+5.25 turned to the south-east, following a small gully. Passed a small
+native well; but very little water in it, and the rock prevented it being
+enlarged. At 6.15 camped near some large rocks, in which five or six
+gallons of rainwater had collected. Walking down the creek one and a half
+miles in search of water, found two small pools of rainwater; but the
+darkness of the night and broken nature of the ground prevented the party
+moving to them.
+
+14th October.
+
+Moved the camp to the waterholes found last night, one and a half miles
+down the gully. The country is here granite formation, undulating and
+moderately grassed, and wooded with box and ironbark. The day was cloudy,
+but cleared at night, and I took sights for time, latitude, and lunar
+distance. Chronometer 2287 would not wind up in the morning, and stopped
+during the day, but, having run down, wound again without difficulty.
+
+Longitude by lunar distances 144 degrees 33 minutes 15 seconds; latitude
+by e Pegasi 18 degrees 41 minutes 38 seconds; variation of compass 5
+degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+15th October.
+
+Resumed our journey at 7.0 a.m., and followed the course of the creek to
+the south-east. The north-east side was a plain of lava, and the
+south-west consisted of granite ridges with sandstone on the summits.
+Several small creeks joined from the south-west, and increased the
+principal channel considerably. At 10.0 the country was more level and
+openly timbered with box and bloodwood; grass was abundant and green,
+owing to heavy rains, which appear to have been accompanied with hail, as
+the west-north-west sides of the trees were much bruised and the soil
+indented, and a great portion of the leaves torn from the trees. At 1.15
+p.m. camped on a small tributary creek. The country appears to be chiefly
+granite and mica schist, with thin beds or streams of lava, which have
+come from the ranges to the north and advanced to various distances into
+the more level land. The surface of the lava is more thinly wooded and
+better grassed than the granite; but the roughness of the surface and
+scarcity of water rendered it less convenient travelling. From one of the
+higher ridges we had a wide but imperfect view of the country. The air
+being hazy, only a few of the marked features of the ranges to the north
+were visible; to the east a high hill twenty-five miles distant rose
+beyond an undulating wooded country. At 6.0 a heavy thunderstorm caused
+the creek to run for several hours.
+
+Latitude by Capella 18 degrees 49 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+THE BURDEKIN RIVER. A CAMP OF LEICHHARDT'S.
+
+16th October.
+
+The rain having passed away, the morning was clear and cool, and at 6.35
+a.m. resumed our journey, steering average south-east, crossing the creek
+several times, and at 11.0 reached the bank of the Burdekin River, which
+had a strong stream of water flowing in its channel, which is here about
+100 yards wide, but full of casuarina and melaleuca trees; the banks
+steep and cut with deep gullies. Following the river to the south-east,
+at 2.0 p.m. camped in a large open grassy flat a mile from the river,
+obtaining water from a small pool filled by the rain last night.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 57 minutes 48 seconds; variation of
+compass 5 degrees east.
+
+17th October.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. resumed our journey, steering east and south for two hours
+over level flats; then turning east crossed a steep range of sandstone
+hills, the strata nearly vertical; the strike north and south; thin veins
+of quartz intersected the rock in every direction, forming a complete
+network. The steepness of the country compelled us to turn north-east to
+the bank of the river, which we followed to the south-east; the banks
+were high and cut by deep gullies. At 12.30 p.m. the hills receded, and
+we entered some fine flats. Here I picked up a fragment of the
+shoulder-bone of a bullock, and observed several trees that had been cut
+with iron axes; and as the latitude corresponds with that of Dr.
+Leichhardt's camp of the 26th April, 1845, the bone doubtless belonged to
+the bullock he killed at this place. At 1.5 camped on the bank of the
+river. The Moreton-Bay ash, poplar gum, and a rough-barked gum-tree with
+very green leaves, were added to the ironbark, bloodwood, and other
+eucalypti which constituted the forest, while casuarina and Melaleuca
+leucodendron grow in the beds of the larger watercourses. The channel of
+the river is about 150 yards, with a small stream winding along the sandy
+bed; much of the running water is due to the late rain, but it is evident
+from the character of the vegetation that it continues to run throughout
+the dry season.
+
+Latitude by a Cygni 19 degrees 37 seconds.
+
+18th October.
+
+Continued our route at 6.25 a.m., steering nearly east till 8.30, when
+the river turned to the north round a range of sandstone hills, crossing
+which, reached the river again at 10.5 flowing south, with fine
+openly-timbered flats on the banks; steering south till 1.0 p.m., camped
+on the bank of the river just below a ridge of slate rock which crossed
+the channel. From the hills, at 9.0, we saw a fine valley joining that of
+the Burdekin from the east; it was bounded by a steep range to the south,
+which terminated two miles from the river. South-west of our position
+were several flat-topped hills, which appeared to be a continuation of
+the range crossed yesterday. To the south only a few distant hills were
+visible, the view being obstructed by trees. The flats on the banks of
+the river are well grassed and openly timbered with ironbark, Moreton-Bay
+ash, bloodwood, and poplar gum; the soil varying from a soft brown loam
+into which our horses sank deeply, to a firm black or brown clay loam;
+the ranges were stony and thinly grassed; the timber box and ironbark.
+The geological features consist of a fine-grained sandstone
+interstratified with slate and coarse conglomerates. The sandstone is
+intersected in every direction with veins of quartz, which do not appear
+to enter the slate. The dip of the strata is nearly vertical, the strike
+north and south. The whole appear to have been much disturbed and
+altered; neither granite nor trap has been observed since yesterday
+morning. Consumed the last of the dried horse-meat, and increased the
+ration of flour to one pound per diem.
+
+19th October (Sunday).
+
+Remained at the camp to rest the party; the day was cloudy, with variable
+breeze from the south-east to north-east and north; no observations for
+latitude could be taken till early on Monday morning, and even then the
+altitudes were imperfect; the stream of running water in the bed of the
+river has increased, but is still quite clear.
+
+Latitude by Saturn 19 degrees 7 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+CROSS THE CLARK RIVER.
+
+20th October.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.40 a.m., steering south-east through fine grassy
+flats till 10.0, when we crossed the Clark River, and altered the course
+to east over well-grassed flats, to the foot of a rocky range of
+sandstone hills, which we reached at noon, and ascending by a steep spur,
+at 2.30 p.m. attained the highest ridge; here sandstone was the
+prevailing rock; xanthorrhoea, silver-leafed ironbark, and triodia
+constituted the principal vegetation; descending gradually, at 3.30
+reached a small creek with a patch of good green grass on its banks, and
+at 3.45 halted at some small waterholes, which appeared to be permanent;
+except near the creek, the country was poor and stony, with a forest of
+ironbark and box trees; the country between the Clark and the Burdekin
+appears to be of excellent quality, consisting of well-grassed flats,
+timbered with ironbark, Moreton-Bay ash, poplar, gum, and box trees. The
+Clark is about 100 yards wide, with a sandy bed crossed by ridges of
+slate rock; the banks are sixty to eighty feet high, and the marks of
+last year's flood thirty to thirty-five feet, the trees being bent and
+broken by the force of the current; more water appears to come down the
+Clark during floods, but the Burdekin has a more constant stream, the
+Clark containing only shallow pools of water, separated by dry sand and
+rock; after leaving the immediate flats of the river the country was very
+poor and stony; the late rains had not extended so far, and the grass had
+the dry and parched appearance which characterised the country on the
+banks of the Gilbert.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 14 minutes 2 seconds.
+
+FRIENDLY NATIVES.
+
+21st October.
+
+6.15 a.m., resumed our journey and traversed an inferior country of
+sandstone and porphyry; box, silver-leafed ironbark, and triodia
+characterized the vegetation; in crossing one of these gullies, in which
+were some pools of water, Bowman's horse fell over the bank into the
+pool, and he got some severe bruises; at 10.15 came on the river, where
+it ran over a ledge of rocks forming a succession of rapids, below which
+it spread out into a broad sheet of sand a quarter of a mile wide, and
+turned to the south. As Bowman had fallen some distance in the rear, I
+selected the first suitable spot, and at 11.0 encamped, and shortly after
+Mr. H. Gregory came in with Bowman to camp. On the bank of the river we
+saw two black gins, who climbed a tree on our approach, and in the
+afternoon came to the camp with an old man, and after some unintelligible
+conversation departed; they had neither clothes or weapons, except a
+throwing-stick of the same form as those used by the blacks of the
+southern shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria. The geological character of
+the country has been sandstone, much altered by contact with porphyry
+which has been forced through it; both dip and strike are confused, and
+could not be ascertained to have any general angle or direction, except
+in the bed of the river, where the strata dipped 10 degrees to the north,
+but in the hills, on the left bank below the camp, the strata was
+horizontal; the river is now 150 yards wide at the narrowest parts, a
+small stream of water, one foot deep and ten to twenty yards wide,
+running in a winding course through the sand, and sometimes expanding
+into sheets of water occupying the whole breadth of the channel.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 16 minutes 22 seconds.
+
+22nd October.
+
+At 6.15 a.m. steered south and followed the right bank of the river; for
+the first hour the country was hilly on both banks, with deep gullies; it
+then became more level, and opened into flats, well grassed; the timber
+box, ironbark, and Moreton-Bay ash; the soil a light brown loam in some
+parts, sandy and very soft from the numerous excavations of the funnel
+ant. These flats extended one to two miles back and then rose into low
+ridges of poor land, timbered with box and ironbark; crossed a sandy
+creek coming from the west, and at 1.30 p.m. camped on the right bank of
+the river. A short distance from the camp surprised a black and his gin
+and a child; the man climbed a tree and the woman ran off with the child,
+leaving a small water vessel, hollowed out of a piece of wood, and a
+calabash full of water. The rocks near the last camp were sandstone or
+porphyry; in the only exposed section the sandstone dipped to the north 5
+degrees to 15 degrees. We also crossed a hill of porphyry which was
+remarkable for the regularity of cleavage into thick lamina, which were
+vertical, with a north and south strike; but though it had the appearance
+of a stratified rock, its structure was perfectly crystalline. About
+noon, granite, containing large plates of mica, was observed in some of
+the gullies.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi 19 degrees 29 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+23rd October.
+
+At 7.0 a.m. steered south-south-east and south-east over ridges of
+sandstone, timbered with ironbark and thinly grassed, for an hour and a
+half; again struck the river and passed at the foot of some limestone
+hills and ridges; this limestone contained fragments of shells and coral.
+Altering the course to south, traversed fine open flats half a mile to a
+mile wide, beyond which the country rose into low ridges of limestone. At
+noon basalt appeared covering the limestone and sandstone. The steep
+slope which formed the boundary of this rock was very rugged; but the
+level surface was covered with black soil and well grassed. At 12.55 p.m.
+camped in a fine grassy flat, walled in by steep rocks of basalt. We
+experienced some difficulty in watering the horses, as the bank of the
+river was so steep that they frequently fell back into the river in
+ascending it. The limestone rocks seen on this day's journey appear to
+rise from beneath the sandstones, some of which are very hard and
+close-grained; it dips about 10 degrees to the west and some of the
+adjacent sandstones 20 degrees west, in well-defined strata. The basalt
+covers all the other rocks, filling up the former inequalities of the
+surface and forming a perfectly level plain; where the softer sandstones
+were in contact, they were only baked into a coarse brick-like mass,
+which had had much the appearance of having been formed from the alluvial
+banks of the river.
+
+Latitude by e Pegasi and a Gruis 19 degrees 42 minutes 10 seconds;
+variation of compass 6 degrees 15 minutes east.
+
+DUCKS, GEESE, AND PELICANS.
+
+24th October.
+
+Leaving our camp at 6.0 a.m., steered south-south-east over well-grassed
+basaltic flats, timbered thinly with ironbark, etc.; the soil a red loam.
+At 9.0 a.m. came on a large reedy lagoon or swamp with considerable
+patches of shallow open water, on which were great numbers of ducks,
+geese, pelicans, etc. A broad and deep stream flowed from it to the
+south-east, varying from thirty to eighty yards in width, with a thick
+belt of reeds along the margin, beyond which the ground rose about fifty
+feet to the level surface of the basaltic plain. Following the winding of
+the stream till 10.35 a.m., crossed it at a ledge of basaltic rocks, when
+it formed a fine rapid with vertical fall of eight to ten feet. Beyond
+the running channel a dry sandy creek ran parallel at a distance of 80 to
+100 yards from it. Our course was now between the creek and the steep
+rocky edge of the basaltic plain, which was too rugged for the horses to
+ascend till 11.20 a.m., when, crossing the basalt, we passed to the south
+of a shallow lake about half a mile in diameter. The country now became
+scrubby, with patches of grass. Altering the course more to the east, we
+again entered an open ironbark forest; at 2.0 p.m. crossed a large dry
+sandy creek, beyond which the country was poor and sandy, with pandanus
+growing on the ridges. On the bank of the creek we observed the marks of
+a recent camp of a large party of blacks, and a patch of ground twenty
+yards by thirty yards cleared of grass, and the surface scraped up into
+ridges, the whole covered with footprints, which showed that some dance
+or ceremony had been performed by a large number of men. At 3.30 p.m.
+entered a dense scrub of small crooked eucalypti and acacia, with a few
+sterculia. After losing an hour in attempting to penetrate the scrub, we
+turned north to the dry creek and followed it down till 7.0 p.m., when we
+camped near a pool of water; but the night was so dark that the horses
+could not be watered with safety, the banks being very steep and rendered
+slippery by a slight shower.
+
+25th October.
+
+The grass having been burnt near the camp, the horses had strayed
+considerably, and we did not start till 7.30 a.m., when, turning east, we
+soon came on the Burdekin, which now trended to the south-south-west and
+south-east; the basalt coming close to the river, we were compelled to
+cross a very rough ridge and came on a deep pool of water eighty yards
+wide and half a mile long; it terminated in a dry stony channel which
+joined a sandy creek, and entered the river. Crossing a granite ridge, we
+camped in a fine grassy flat on the bank of the Burdekin, the banks being
+high and steep, but the water easy of access.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 19 degrees 58 minutes 48 seconds.
+
+26th October (Sunday).
+
+Remained at the camp. During the day there was a succession of showers
+without thunder, the clouds and wind from the east. At 10.0 p.m. the rain
+ceased, but the night continued cloudy.
+
+GOOD GRASSY COUNTRY.
+
+27th October.
+
+The morning was cloudy, with light rain till 7.0 a.m.; at 7.30 steered
+east-south-east and east over fine grassy ridges of granite and trap
+formation, timbered with ironbark, box, Moreton-Bay ash, and bloodwood;
+the river taking a sweep to the north of the track, but at 10.40 came
+again on its banks. The course was now south till 2.15 p.m., when we
+crossed a large stream-bed from the south-west, with a sandy and rocky
+bed forty yards wide, which contained a few shallow pools of water. Below
+the junction of this tributary the river turned to the east and
+east-north-east, and we crossed low ridges of granite porphyry and trap,
+which came down from the high land to the bank of the river; at 3.30
+encamped. The whole of the country traversed this day was well grassed,
+except about a mile of bauhinia scrub, which did not appear of any
+considerable extent. Ironbark, box, bloodwood, and Moreton-Bay ash formed
+the principal trees with which the country was openly timbered. The
+prevailing rock granite, traversed by numerous veins of dark trap, and in
+the latter part of the day porphyry and schist appeared; concretions of
+limestone were frequent near the trap veins. The soil was somewhat light
+and gritty loam, except on the trap-rocks, where it was rich black soil.
+The available country here appears more extensive than higher up the
+river; more rain has fallen in the early part of the season, and the
+grass is rich and green, especially where it had been previously burnt
+off.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 20 degrees 7 minutes 23 seconds; variation of
+compass 6 degrees 20 minutes east.
+
+28th October.
+
+We resumed our journey at 6.25 a.m., steering an east-south-east course,
+but after crossing some fine grassy ironbark ridges, entered a dense
+scrub of acacia, sterculia, bauhinia, and thorny shrubs. Turning north,
+with some difficulty extricated the party from the scrub, which we then
+skirted to the east along the bank of the river till 9.10, when the scrub
+receded, and fine openly-timbered ironbark ridges replaced the scrub.
+These ridges were well-grassed, the rocks granite, trap, and porphyry.
+The country generally appeared well suited for stock; on both sides of
+the river no high ranges were visible. At 2.45 p.m. camped on a fine
+grassy flat, part of which having been burnt, was now covered with
+excellent green grass. The day was cool, with light showers from the
+east. The character of the granite was fine-grained, and intersected by
+veins and masses of trap, and in the latter part of the day's journey
+porphyry was superincumbent. In the scrubs sandstone existed; it was
+coarse-grained, and contained worn boulders of trap, quartz, granite,
+slate, and hard sandstone.
+
+29th October.
+
+As the river below turned to the east of its general course, at 6.20 a.m.
+steered east-south-east and south-east till 9.30, when we again came on
+the river trending south. The country consisted of openly-timbered and
+grassy ironbark ridges, but not equally good with that passed during the
+last two days. The river at 10.0 turned to the south-east, along the foot
+of some steep rocky hills of porphyry resting on granite, and at 11.45
+was joined by a dry creek twenty yards wide, coming from the south-west;
+our course was now east-south-east, passing with difficulty between the
+river and a steep granite hill, beyond which the country became more
+sandy, and rose to the south in long gentle slopes scantily grassed, and
+timbered with bloodwood, ironbark, Moreton-Bay ash, and poplar gum, with
+a few pandanus; an immense number of deep gullies intersected the ground,
+cutting deeply into the granite rock beneath the soil, and rendering it
+difficult to traverse. A fine range of openly-wooded and grassy hills
+rose about two to three miles from the left bank of the river, attaining
+an elevation of 500 to 800 feet above the valley; these hills are
+probably porphyritic; they are the Porter Range of Leichhardt. At 2.45
+p.m. camped on the bank of the Burdekin River.
+
+THE SUTTOR RIVER. MOUNT MCCONNELL.
+
+30th October.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. steered north 120 degrees east, but at 7.0 a.m. came on the
+river trending south, the country gradually became more rugged, and rocky
+hills closed in on both banks forming a deep gorge through which the
+river forced its way. By keeping at the back of some hills we avoided
+much of the rocky ground, crossing at noon a high ridge, from which the
+view extended to the junction of the Burdekin and Suttor Rivers, Mount
+McConnell bearing 159 degrees magnetic, and the west end of Porter Range
+334 degrees magnetic. A long range seemed to extend south from Robey
+Range, and bound the valley of the Upper Burdekin, while a high range
+appeared to trend north-east from the eastern side of the Suttor Valley,
+and to turn the Burdekin to the north of east. Continuing our route
+nearly south-east over steep rocky ridges, we encamped in a fine grassy
+flat, a quarter of a mile from the Suttor River, at 1.50 p.m., Mount
+McConnell bearing north 172 degrees east magnetic. About 10.0 a.m. we
+heard some blacks calling in our rear, and soon after came in sight, but
+would not allow any of the party to approach them, till one of the
+horsemen cantering up quickly, some of the blacks climbed into trees,
+where, after making signs to them that it was desirable that they should
+pursue an opposite route to ours, we left them to descend at leisure. The
+country passed this day was of a broken character, with deep gullies and
+rocky hills near the river, but was generally well grassed and openly
+timbered with ironbark and Moreton-Bay ash. Granite rock forms the base
+of the hills, and was covered by masses of porphyry, forming hills with
+rocky summits of columnar structure, as at the head of the Gilbert River
+a dark-coloured trap changing into porphyry formed some of the lower
+ridges, and was largely developed on the bank of the Suttor. Thin veins
+of calcareous spar and quartz intersected the granite. The bed of the
+Burdekin where we last saw it, one mile above the junction of the Suttor,
+was about half a mile wide with a stream of water varying from twenty
+yards wide to the whole breadth of the channel, which was very level and
+sandy. The Suttor is but a small river compared with the Burdekin. Near
+the camp it formed some fine reaches of water 180 yards wide, but of no
+great depth. The trees on its banks were much broken and bent by a
+violent flood which had occurred within the year. Considering the number
+of miles we have travelled along the banks of the Burdekin, few
+impediments have been encountered, while the extent of country suited for
+squatting purposes is very considerable--water forming a never-failing
+stream throughout the whole distance.
+
+Latitude by a Gruis and a Pegasi 20 degrees 36 minutes 20 seconds;
+variation of compass 70 degrees east.
+
+THE FIRST BRIGALOW SCRUB.
+
+31st October.
+
+A rainy night was followed by a thick fog in the morning, so that when we
+started at 6.30 a.m. it was with difficulty the deep gullies on the banks
+of the Suttor were avoided; steering south-west for one hour, crossed to
+the right bank of the Suttor, and then by an average south course passed
+to the west of Mount McConnell, which, by its isolated character and
+height (about 600 feet above the river) forms a very conspicuous
+landmark. It is wooded to the summit, and has fine patches of grass on
+the slopes, with cliffs of porphyry near the upper part, this being the
+prevailing rock; on the right bank white shaly rocks and dark trap, with
+veins of calcareous spar and limestone, prevailed on the left bank of the
+Suttor; the country on both sides well grassed and openly timbered with
+ironbark. The bed of the river was very irregular and sandy, with small
+shallow pools of water at intervals; at 11.0 the river came from the
+south-west, but continuing a south course we crossed some fine basaltic
+plains, covered with fine grass and separated by open box forest; at noon
+crossed a sandstone hill, the base of which was porphyry; traversing
+ironbark ridges for an hour, we crossed a sandy creek coming from the
+east, and at 1.0 p.m. encountered the first brigalow scrub; through this
+scrub we steered south-west till 3.40, and camped on a small dry creek
+with a narrow grassy flat; water was obtained from a small gully where it
+had lodged during a shower on the previous night. The country till we
+reached the brigalow scrub was well adapted for pastoral purposes; the
+rock trap, slate, and porphyry, with veins of limestone. The brigalow
+scrub grows on the detritus of a coarse conglomerate, the larger boulders
+of which lay scattered over the surface of the ground; these boulders
+consist of trap, porphyry, sandstone, and quartz, and show marks of being
+water-worn. A range of hills, apparently sandstone, bounds the valley to
+the east from three to seven miles from the river. They have no great
+elevation, and we did not obtain a good view of them from any point.
+
+Latitude by Capella 20 degrees 52 minutes 25 seconds.
+
+1st November.
+
+The horses had strayed so far into the scrub in search of grass that it
+was 9.40 a.m. before they were collected and saddled; we then steered
+south-west through the scrub, which gradually became more open, and at
+11.15 we again reached the river coming from the south-south-east; it
+gradually turned to south and south-south-west; two creeks joined the
+river from the east, but neither of any importance; the brigalow scrub
+came close to the bank of the river, only leaving a narrow flat open; the
+west side of the river we could see but little, except that it consisted
+of wooded ridges and scrub to the east at a distance of one to three
+miles; rocky hills of moderate height existed, and from their flat tops
+and red cliffs near the summit, evidently consisted of sandstone in
+horizontal strata; sandstone was also exposed near the river with a dip
+of 30 degrees to the south; at 3.30 camped on the right bank of the
+Suttor, where a fine grassy plain extended about a mile back, and was
+covered with beautiful green grass; water was abundant, as the river had
+been running during the past week and had filled the hollows in the
+channel, though it had now ceased to flow; the bed is very irregular, and
+consists of three to six channels, which separate and rejoin so as to
+form a complete network, with occasional isolated hollows. Being free
+from scrub, the bed of the river was good travelling ground, large
+flooded-gum trees and melaleuca-trees affording an agreeable shade.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 4 minutes 43 seconds.
+
+2nd November (Sunday).
+
+Grass and water being abundant, we enjoyed a day's rest. Several
+cockatoos were shot; they are similar in colour and form to the
+sulphur-crested cockatoos of the Victoria and Gulf of Carpentaria, but
+much larger in size.
+
+IRON TOMAHAWKS USED BY THE NATIVES.
+
+3rd November.
+
+Leaving the camp at 6.35 a.m., followed the river in a southerly
+direction till 11.0, when it turned to the east, and we ascended a
+sandstone hill; from the summit there was a fine view of the surrounding
+country. To the east several distant peaks and hills were visible, the
+most remarkable north 86 degrees east magnetic; to the south a low range
+about thirty miles distant, with one large peaked hill, bounded the
+horizon, the intervening country being very level and apparently covered
+with scrub. To the west the valley was bounded by low hills of sandstone.
+Although ironbark ridges are frequent, the general character of the
+country is very scrubby, and this combined with the scarcity of water
+will render it unsuitable for pastoral purposes. Descending the hill,
+steered south-east, crossed a fine basaltic plain, and entered open
+brigalow scrub, and at 2.0 p.m. again came on the Suttor River, which had
+completely altered its character, now consisting of level grassy flats
+with uncertain limits and intersected by long waterholes, which were
+mostly dry; the general course from south-south-west; at 3.30 camped at a
+fine waterhole. Two miles below the camp we surprised some blacks, who
+decamped into the scrub. The country along the river consists of open
+flats, thinly grassed and interspersed with patches of saltbush
+(atriplex), and openly timbered with box and flooded-gum, while ironbark,
+box and brigalow prevail over the rest of the country. The marks of iron
+tomahawks are frequent where the blacks have been cutting honey or
+opposums out of the hollow branches of the trees.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 22 minutes 43 seconds; variation of
+compass 6 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+4th November.
+
+Steering south-west from 7.40 a.m. till 8.5, the river turned suddenly to
+the south-east, and, changing our course to 170 degrees, traversed an
+open brigalow scrub with several shallow channels winding through it in
+an irregular manner. At 10.30 again came on the principal channel of the
+river, which was running, and very muddy from the effect of recent rains
+in the upper part of its course. The banks are very low, and the country
+so level that the floods must frequently extend more than a mile back
+into the scrub, which comes close to the bank on both sides. Box and
+flooded-gum trees grow along the larger channels, and sometimes box flats
+extend into the scrub. We now followed the river south-south-west,
+through a level country covered with dense brigalow scrub, passing only
+one low rocky hill, on the left bank, at 11.20. At 2.15 p.m. the river
+diverged to the eastward, and the course was altered to south. The
+country was more open, and at 3.0 encamped on one of the side channels of
+the river in a fine grassy box flat.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 38 minutes 49 seconds.
+
+5th November.
+
+Steering south-east for one mile, reached the main channel of the river,
+which was followed south. Crossing to the right bank at 7.20 a.m., at
+9.15 a dense brigalow scrub forced us south-west, and again came to the
+river at 10.30. A south course was then followed till 1.0 p.m.; then
+south-east till 4.0; then followed the river south-south-east till 4.50,
+and camped on a large grassy flat. The whole of the country is very level
+and covered with dense brigalow scrubs, except one sandy plain, on which
+triodia was more abundant than grass. Having now passed the latitude of
+Sir T. Mitchell's last camp on the Belyando, and thus connected his route
+with that of Dr. Leichhardt, I considered it unnecessary to follow the
+river further, and decided on taking a south-easterly route to Peak Downs
+and the Mackenzie River.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 57 minutes 45 seconds.
+
+6th November.
+
+At 6.30 a.m. crossed the Belyando, and steered south through brigalow
+scrubs till 9.0; then entered a box and Moreton-Bay ash flat, in which
+was a small gully with rainwater, near which a camp of blacks was
+observed; but they ran into the scrub on our approach. At 9.30 changed
+the course to south-east towards some rocky hills, which were reached at
+11.0. From this we saw several distant ranges to the westward; but the
+intervening twenty to forty miles was very flat. The route was now over
+scrubby sandstone hills for three hours, and then descended into an open
+flat, with box, bloodwood, and Moreton-Bay ash, triodia, and grass
+growing on a sandy loam. At 3.30 p.m. camped at a pool of rainwater in a
+small creek. In crossing the sandstone range we had a view of some high
+peaks twenty to thirty miles distant to the south-south-east; but to the
+east the country was quite level.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 13 minutes 10 seconds.
+
+7th November.
+
+Started at 6.5 a.m., steering south-east; the whole country appeared
+perfectly level with brigalow scrub and patches of open sandy country,
+producing triodia and a little grass; the timber Moreton-Bay ash and box.
+Towards noon the country was more open. At 1.30 p.m. passed a shallow
+pool of rainwater at the edge of a scrub. About a mile further on
+Melville's horse fell, and so bruised his rider that we had to return to
+the water and camp.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 23 minutes 36 seconds.
+
+HORSE-SKIN SOUP.
+
+8th November.
+
+The water being exhausted, the party had to move on in search of a
+further supply where we could halt until Melville had recovered from his
+injuries. Steering south-east for one hour, came to a fine creek with
+grassy flats and a stream of muddy water, indicating that there had been
+heavy rain in the ranges to the south. Having camped, we shot the filly,
+which was now eleven months old, cut the flesh into slices and hung it up
+to dry in the sun during the day and over a charcoal fire at night. The
+skin was cleared of hair, and was thus made into a species of gelatine,
+from which excellent soup was subsequently prepared. The saddlery had
+become much worn by passing through the scrubs, and the party was fully
+employed in repairs and shoeing the horses, many of which were very lame
+from injury among the fallen timber.
+
+9th November (Sunday).
+
+Melville somewhat better, but scarcely able to walk. The meat drying
+well.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 26 minutes 16 seconds.
+
+10th November.
+
+At 7.40 a.m. left the camp and followed the creek up for an hour
+south-south-east; then steered south-east through brigalow scrub, which
+gradually changed to open ironbark and box flats well grassed. At 2.0
+p.m. came to broken country covered with a dense scrub of acacia and
+ironbark, deep gullies intersecting the country in every direction; at
+3.30 ascended a ridge of mica schist, from which a high range was seen
+twenty miles to the south-east, but the scrub was so dense that the view
+was imperfect. Followed a gully, which changed from south round to
+north-west till 5.15, when we camped at a small pool of rainwater. There
+were good grassy flats along the watercourse, but the hills were covered
+with scrub. It is evident that we are now approaching the watershed of
+the Fitzroy River, and hope soon to emerge from the vast tract of scrub
+which occupies the valley of the Suttor River. On the plain we observed
+that more than half the box-trees had died within the last three years,
+and that they had not been killed by bush fires, as the old timber which
+lay on the ground was not scorched.
+
+Latitude by a Andromedae 22 degrees 42 minutes 13 seconds.
+
+PEAK RANGE.
+
+11th November.
+
+Leaving the camp at 6.30 a.m., steered south-east over ironbark ridges of
+very scrubby character with open grassy valleys; the ridges increased in
+height, and at 11.0, having reached the most elevated summit, got a view
+of Peak Range about thirty miles to the north-east; to the north-west the
+view was obscured by wooded ranges, but from north to east-south-east the
+country consisted of low-wooded ridges for ten miles, beyond which fine
+open grassy plains extended from east-north-east to east, along the foot
+of Peak Range. Descending from the range, followed a small watercourse
+east-south-east for two hours, and then north-east, and at 2.30 p.m.
+encamped in a fine grassy flat with a small pool of rainwater in a gully,
+the larger creek being dry. The country generally consists of low ridges
+of schist, which, by decomposition, forms a gravelly loam, the gravel
+being derived from the quartz veins which intersect the schist in all
+directions. The forest consists of ironbark and acacia; grass everywhere
+abundant. Many of the horses are very lame from the splinters of dead
+wood in the scrub, and some have to be relieved entirely of their loads.
+
+Latitude by a Pegasi 22 degrees 48 minutes 17 seconds; longitude by lunar
+distances 147 degrees 30 minutes 30 seconds.
+
+12th November.
+
+At 7.25 a.m. steered north 110 degrees east, over grassy ironbark ridges,
+with small watercourses trending north; at 11.0 entered a dense brigalow
+scrub with a few Moreton-Bay ash-trees, the soil very poor and derived
+from the decomposition of a coarse conglomerate; small watercourses
+trending to the south. At 12.45 p.m. emerged from the scrub into open box
+forest, with limestone and quartz gravel, and a soft black soil producing
+rather dry scanty grass. At 1.45 entered a well-grassed plain with
+limestone ridges covered with bottle-tree scrub; the grass was good at
+this season, green but much mixed with salsola; the summits of Peak Range
+showed well above the ridges, and from the cliff around the tops seem to
+be capped with sandstone or more probably porphyry. There being little
+prospect of finding water in an easterly direction, at 4.0 altered the
+course to south-east; a heavy squall and thunderstorm brought some rain,
+but it was all immediately absorbed by the hot dry soil, at 5.0 came to a
+watercourse trending south, followed it till 6.30, and camped without
+water; about a mile north from the camp saw a small box-tree marked AB,
+and near it a large sheet of bark which had been cut about two years
+before.
+
+Latitude by Saturn 23 degrees 18 seconds.
+
+13th November.
+
+Resumed the journey at 6.20 a.m., steering south down the watercourse; at
+7.0 saw some blacks, who, when asked by signs where water could be found,
+pointed down the creek and into the scrub; at 9.20 came to a pool of
+rainwater and camped. This part of the country is very poor and scrubby,
+with large Moreton-Bay ash trees, the soil formed by the decomposition of
+sandstone and conglomerate, with intervals of schist and trap-rock.
+
+CROSS THE PEAK DOWNS.
+
+14th November.
+
+At 6.50 a.m. steered south-east; we soon entered a grassy plain with
+ironbark ridges and belts of acacia scrub, trap, and limestone on the
+plains, and sandstone on the ridges; at noon passed a belt of cypress and
+entered extensive open downs covered with beautiful green grass.
+Following a shallow watercourse, passed some blacks at a distance, and at
+4.20 p.m. came to a small pool of rainwater, and camped. The country to
+the north-east appeared level, and the grassy downs apparently extend to
+the foot of Peak Range. To the south-west it appeared to be a fine open
+country for three to eight miles, and then rose into wooded hills of
+moderate elevation, at the base of which a creek appeared to run to the
+south-east. If this part of the country were well supplied with water it
+would form splendid stations for the squatter; but from its level
+character and geological structure, permanent surface-water is very
+scarce, and where it does exist it is surrounded by scrubby
+country, which renders it almost unavailable.
+
+THE MACKENZIE RIVER.
+
+15th November.
+
+At 6.40 steered east-south-east and soon entered an open acacia scrub
+with some grassy patches; the soil a fine black loam; limestone, trap,
+and quartz-pebbles occurring on the surface in the open plain; at 9.0
+entered a fine box flat, and passed some pools of water; the flat
+extending east three miles; then entered a scrubby tract of country, the
+soil a black mould with much salsola growing even in the thick scrub; at
+11.0 came on a fine creek from the north with pools of permanent water
+(Crinum Creek), but the banks covered with scrub. Changing the course to
+south-east, at 12.20 p.m. came to a fine river with high grassy banks and
+several deep channels which were now full of water and running in
+consequence of the late rains. It had been slightly flooded this season,
+and the previous year had risen twenty-five feet above the present level.
+This river is the Mackenzie of Leichhardt. The course of the river is to
+the east-south-east, and we crossed to the right bank without much
+difficulty, the bottom being firm and the bank sandy; followed the river
+till 2.40, and camped. The country on the banks of the Mackenzie is
+scrubby, with occasional open flats; the timber box, with good grass. The
+little lemon-tree was in full bearing, and though the fruit is only half
+an inch in diameter, was excellent eating when boiled with sugar. The day
+was cool and cloudy, and it rained lightly for some hours during the
+night.
+
+Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 28 minutes 19 seconds.
+
+16th November (Sunday).
+
+Remained at the camp. The morning was cool and cloudy, but cleared
+towards noon, and at night got sights for latitude.
+
+LEICHHARDT'S CAMP.
+
+17th November.
+
+Resumed our journey at 6.40 a.m. Followed the Mackenzie south-east
+through level country with much scrub till 9.25 a.m., when we crossed a
+large creek from the south, which proved to be the Comet River of Dr.
+Leichhardt. The whole bed of the Comet did not exceed seventy yards, and
+the smaller channel only five to six yards wide, and even below its
+junction the Mackenzie only had a channel ten to thirty yards wide in the
+bottom of a bed 150 yards wide from bank to bank. Just below the junction
+of the Comet we found the remains of a camp of Dr. Leichhardt's party on
+its second journey. The ashes of the fire were still visible, and a
+quantity of bones of goats were scattered around. A large tree was marked
+thus:
+
+DIG arrow pointing down L
+
+but a hollow in the ground at the foot of the tree showed that whatever
+had been deposited had long since been removed. We, however, cleared out
+the loose earth, but found nothing. The river now turned east-north-east,
+and our course being east, we receded from it, and at noon we ascended a
+rocky hill of sandstone covered with scrub; we therefore steered north
+for an hour and came to the Mackenzie, and encamped in a fine grassy
+flat, but beyond the immediate flats of the river the country was covered
+with scrub. Near the camp a large flooded-gum tree had been marked:
+
+Solid square [symbol ??]
+
+some years before. The day was cloudy with easterly breeze. Marked a
+tree:
+
+120 solid Delta
+
+this being the 120th camp since starting from the Victoria River.
+
+18th November.
+
+Rain commenced at 7.0 a.m. and continued till noon; at 6.25 steered east
+and soon entered a dense scrub of acacia, box, sterculia, and Moreton-Bay
+ash. Ascending to the level tableland by a steep sandstone slope, at
+11.25 passed a gully with deep waterholes which appeared permanent, and
+at 1.40 p.m. encamped at a deep creek with a small pool of water. To the
+south-east of the camp about five miles distant a range of hills rose
+abruptly from the level country to a height of 800 to 1000 feet. The
+summits were flat and surrounded by high cliffs of red sandstone
+(Expedition Range).
+
+Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 33 minutes 40 seconds; variation of
+compass 7 degrees 50 minutes east.
+
+19th November.
+
+Resumed our route at 6.30 a.m.; steered east through dense scrubs with
+open patches of grassy forest, the soil a light loam, very sandy in the
+open forest. Small watercourses trended north; at 10.0 turned to
+south-east to avoid a large scrubby hill which lay detached from the
+principal range; at 11.0 again steered east, ascending a steep sandstone
+hill from which the country to the north and east appeared extremely
+level, we then crossed a series of ironbark ridges with scrub at
+intervals, and fine flooded-gum and box flats in the valleys; casuarina
+and cypress grew on some of the ridges, but the country generally was
+well grassed; at 3.30 p.m. encamped at a small pool of water in a shallow
+watercourse trending north-east.
+
+Latitude by Saturn 23 degrees 37 minutes 23 seconds.
+
+20th November.
+
+At 7.40 a.m. steered east over open country, thinly timbered with box and
+ironbark; at 10.0 crossed a dry creek, on the banks of which were recent
+tracks of horses and cattle; at noon there was a heavy thunderstorm, and
+at the same time entered a dense scrub of brigalow and casuarina; at 2.0
+p.m. the country was more open, and at 4.10 camped near a small gully
+with pools of rainwater; heavy rain during the night.
+
+21st November.
+
+Continued an east course; at 6.50 a.m. crossed some wooded ridges, from
+which ranges of hills were imperfectly seen about twelve miles to the
+east; descending the ridges, entered a brigalow scrub, and at 11.40 came
+to the Dawson River, about eighty yards wide, with long shallow pools of
+water, the scrub coming close to the bank on both sides, leaving a narrow
+grassy flat; followed the river upwards to the southward till 2.50 p.m.,
+and camped on the left bank of the river. The flats on the bank of the
+river are here much wider and well grassed, and we observed the tracks of
+horses.
+
+REACH THE FIRST STATION ON THE DAWSON RIVER.
+
+22nd November.
+
+At 6.15 a.m. resumed our route up the river south-east, and at 8.0 came
+to a dray-track, which was followed east-north-east two miles to Messrs.
+Connor and Fitz' station, where we met with a most hospitable reception.
+
+Latitude by Procyon 23 degrees 51 minutes 15 seconds.
+
+The party having thus reached the occupied country travelled by the
+dray-tracks past Mr. Hay's station Rannes, on the 25th November, and
+thence by Rawbelle, Boondooma, Tabinga, Nanango, Collinton, Kilkoy,
+Durandur, and Cabulture stations, reached Brisbane on the 16th December,
+1856.
+
+***
+
+
+1857. NEW SOUTH WALES LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.
+
+DR. LEICHHARDT, PROPOSED EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF.
+
+ORDERED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY TO BE PRINTED, 28TH OCTOBER, 1857.
+
+PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON THE 14TH SEPTEMBER, 1857, WITH
+RESPECT TO AN EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT.
+
+MINUTE NUMBER 57-44.
+
+His Excellency the Governor-General, at the instance of the Honourable
+the Colonial Secretary, brings under the consideration of the Council a
+proposal which has been made to organise another Expedition to ascertain,
+if possible, beyond doubt, the fate of Dr. Leichhardt, who left Sydney
+some nine years ago with the intention of exploring the north-western
+interior of Australia. This proposal has its origin in a public meeting,
+held in Sydney on the 11th instant, at which resolutions were passed
+invoking the assistance of the Government, and it is recommended to
+favourable consideration at the present moment by the circumstance that
+Mr. Gregory, who recently returned from a successful exploration in the
+same direction, has intimated his willingness to undertake the conduct of
+the proposed Expedition.
+
+2. The Council express themselves desirous of seizing so favourable an
+opportunity of pursuing this inquiry, and they therefore advise that Mr.
+Gregory should be at once invited to submit, for approval, a definite
+proposal having for its object: 1st, to ascertain the fate of the late
+Dr. Leichhardt; and, 2nd, to connect the exploring surveys of Mitchell
+and Kennedy with his own; such proposal to be accompanied by an estimate
+of the probable expense which it will be necessary to incur.
+
+EDWARD C. MEREWETHER,
+
+Clerk of the Council.
+
+Executive Council Office,
+
+Sydney, 22 September, 1857.
+
+...
+
+A.C. GREGORY, ESQUIRE, TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
+
+Sydney, 15 September, 1857.
+
+SIR,
+
+Adverting to your verbal communication of yesterday, with reference to
+the proposed Expedition in search of traces of Dr. Leichhardt, I have the
+honour to furnish a memorandum of the arrangements I would suggest for
+the  organisation and conduct of a party calculated to effect the objects
+in view, together with an estimate of the probable cost.
+
+These documents I have submitted to such of the gentlemen composing the
+Committee of the Leichhardt Association as I have had the opportunity of
+consulting, and I have availed myself of their experience of the District
+in which the Expedition would be organised.
+
+Although I have allowed extreme rates for many of the items of
+expenditure, yet, as in all undertakings of this description unavoidable
+and unforeseen contingencies are certain to arise, I should scarcely feel
+justified in naming the gross amount which should be available, though
+not necessarily expended, at a less sum than 4,500 pounds.
+
+I have, etc.,
+
+A.C. GREGORY.
+
+The Honourable the Colonial Secretary.
+
+...
+
+MEMORANDUM FOR THE ORGANISATION OF AN EXPLORING EXPEDITION FOR THE
+PURPOSE OF SEARCHING FOR TRACES OF DR. LEICHHARDT'S PARTY.
+
+The objects of the proposed Expedition would be primarily to search for
+traces of Dr. Leichhardt and his party, who started from the settled
+districts of New South Wales in April, 1848, with the intention of
+proceeding to Western Australia, and, if possible, to ascertain the fate
+of that unfortunate explorer. Secondly, the examination of the country
+both in the intervening spaces between the tracks of previous explorers,
+and also beyond the limits of that hitherto explored, with a view of
+developing its resources, especially with reference to its capabilities
+for settlement.
+
+The party despatched by the Colonial Government, under Mr. Hely, in
+1851-2, traced Dr. Leichhardt to a spot near the head of the Warrego
+River.
+
+Beyond this spot Dr. Leichhardt had expressed his intention of proceeding
+down the Victoria River to its northern bend, and then shape his course
+along the interior slope of the ranges which he supposed existed at the
+sources of the streams flowing to the northern coast.
+
+The proposed route of the searching Expedition would therefore be to
+reach Leichhardt's last known camp, and then to examine the banks of the
+Victoria River to the junction of the Alice River, at the northern bend,
+where especial search would be made, as Dr. Leichhardt intended to leave
+letters there, and would probably encamp for several days to recruit
+before finally entering the unknown country; and the non-existence of
+marks at this point would be almost conclusive evidence that the party
+had perished nearer to the settlements.
+
+In the search for traces of the missing party beyond this point (as it
+could only be at the camping places that any traces would remain after so
+long an interval), it would be necessary to follow such natural features
+as would probably have influenced the party in the selection of its
+route, assuming that the general course would be north-west.
+
+The investigation having been carried to the fullest extent that time and
+circumstances would admit, the searching party would adopt such a route
+on its return as would intersect the greatest extent of unexamined
+country. To effect these objects it is proposed to organise a party at
+one of the outer stations, say at Surat, on the Lower Condamine River,
+from which Leichhardt's last known camp is 230 miles, and the junction of
+the Alice with the Victoria River, 370 miles, not allowing for
+deviations.
+
+The party to consist of two sections, which may be termed the Exploring
+and the Auxiliary parties.
+
+The first would comprise eight persons, equipped and provisioned for 5
+months, and for the conveyance of which 32 horses would be required, as
+follows:
+
+Commander.
+
+Assistant.
+
+Overseer, etc.
+
+4 Stockmen.
+
+1 Aboriginal Stockman.
+
+The second section would be composed of six persons, provisioned etc.,
+for 2 months, and for the conveyance of which 13 horses would be
+required, as follows:
+
+1 Leader.
+
+4 Stockmen.
+
+1 Aboriginal Black.
+
+These two sections would proceed together to the junction of the Alice
+and Victoria Rivers, and would be sufficiently strong to detach parties
+to examine points out of the more direct line of route which the main
+body would follow.
+
+On reaching the spot above referred to, the Exploring Party would be
+fitted out in the most efficient manner for continuing its operations, by
+selecting the strongest and most serviceable portion of the horses,
+equipment, etc., while the Auxiliary Party would return with the
+remainder to the settlements; thus affording nearly all the advantages of
+a depot, without incurring the greater expense or inconvenience attending
+the otherwise necessary return of the Exploring Party by the same route.
+
+It is scarcely necessary to advert to the many advantages which would be
+derived from this arrangement, for enabling the Exploring Party to reach
+the extreme known point of country, with its strength impaired in the
+least possible degree, while it would afford an opportunity of testing
+the capabilities of the party to be finally selected.
+
+ESTIMATE OF THE COST (IN POUNDS/SHILLINGS/PENCE) OF THE EQUIPMENT, ETC.,
+OF THE EXPLORING PARTY.
+
+PROVISIONS.
+1400 pounds Flour : 17/10/0.
+500 pounds Bacon : 25/0/0.
+400 pounds Sugar : 10/0/0.
+70 pounds Tea : 7/0/0.
+750 pounds Meat Biscuit : 37/10/0.
+70 pounds Tobacco : 8/15/0.
+20 pounds Sago : 0/13/4.
+6 pounds Pepper : 0/6/0.
+50 pounds Salt : 0/5/0.
+50 pounds Soap : 0/18/8.
+6 pounds Sperm Candles : 0/9/0.
+150 pounds Dried Beef--800 pounds fresh meat : 10/0/0.
+1000 pounds Fresh Meat : 12/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 130/7/0.
+
+TRANSPORT.
+45 Horses, at 40 pounds : 1800/0/0.
+14 Riding Saddles, at 60 shillings : 42/0/0.
+31 Pack Saddles, at 77 shillings 6 pence : 120/2/6.
+45 Bridles and Headstalls, at 9 shillings : 20/5/0.
+45 Horse Blankets, at 8 shillings : 18/0/0.
+100 Hobbles, at 4 shillings : 20/0/0.
+20 Pairs Girths, at 4 shillings : 4/0/0.
+31 Canvas Saddle-bags, at 25 shillings : 38/17/0.
+100 Provision Bags, at 3 shillings : 15/0/0.
+40 Yards Canvas, at 1 shilling 6 pence : 3/0/0.
+10 Horse-bells, at 6 shillings 6 pence : 3/5/0.
+Materials for repairs, etc. : 20/0/0.
+90 Sets Horse-straps and Nails : 10/0/0.
+100 Saddle-straps, at 1 shilling : 5/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 2119/9/6.
+
+ARMS AND AMMUNITION.
+13 Double guns, at 5 pounds : 65/0/0.
+13 Revolvers, at 5 pounds : 65/0/0.
+30 pounds Gunpowder : 6/0/0.
+150 pounds Shot and Lead : 3/0/0.
+5000 Percussion Caps : 1/10/0.
+14 Belts and Pouches : 3/10/0.
+14 Gun-buckets : 4/18/0.
+Sundries : 10/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 158/18/0.
+
+CAMP EQUIPAGE.
+14 Calico Sheets for Tents, at 12 shillings : 8/8/0.
+50 yards Calico, at 6 pence : 1/5/0.
+6 Camp Kettles, at 5 shillings : 1/10/0.
+40 Pannikins, at 8 pence : 1/6/8.
+3 Leather Buckets, at 17 shillings 6 pence : 2/12/6.
+20 Tin Dishes, at 9 pence : 0/15/0.
+2 Frying-Pans, at 4 shillings 6 pence : 0/9/0.
+2 Water Bags, at 30 shillings : 3/0/0.
+14 Water Holders, India-Rubber, at 10 shillings 6 pence : 7/7/0.
+2 Socket Shovels, at 2 shillings 6 pence : 0/5/0.
+2 spring Balances, at 7 shillings : 0/14/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 27/12/2.
+
+INSTRUMENTS, ETC.
+1 Sextant : 10/0/0.
+1 Prismatic Compass : 3/0/0.
+1 Artificial Horizon : 4/0/0.
+4 Pocket Compasses : 1/0/0.
+2 Aneroid Barometers : 7/0/0.
+3 Thermometers : 1/1/0.
+1 Lever Watch : 9/0/0.
+Stationery : 5/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 40/1/0.
+
+CLOTHING.
+20 Trousers, at 7 shillings : 7/0/0.
+20 Serge Shirts, at 6 shillings : 6/0/0.
+20 Cotton Shirts, at 3 shillings : 3/0/0.
+20 Pairs of Boots, at 15 shillings : 15/0/0.
+14 Blankets, at 10 shillings : 7/0/0.
+14 Oiled Capes, at 10 shillings : 7/0/0.
+SUBTOTAL : 45/0/0.
+
+TOTAL EQUIPMENT : 2521/7/8.
+
+CONTINGENCIES.
+Medical Stores and Drugs : 20/0/0.
+Petty Contingencies : 50/0/0.
+Collection and Forage for Horses prior to starting : 100/0/0.
+Freights and Passages from Sydney to Moreton Bay : 50/0/0.
+Conveyance of Stores from Brisbane to Surat : 200/0/0.
+Contingent Expenses in the Collection of the Party at Surat : 100/0/0.
+TOTAL CONTINGENCIES : 520/0/0.
+
+SALARIES.
+Commander, 9 months, 600 pounds per annum : 450/0/0.
+Assistant, 7 months, 300 pounds per annum : 175/0/0.
+Overseer, 6 months, at 150 pounds per annum : 75/0/0.
+4 Stockmen, 6 months, at 2 pounds per week : 208/0/0.
+1 Aboriginal Stockman, 6 months : 20/0/0.
+Leader of the Auxiliary Party, 3 months : 75/0/0.
+4 Stockmen, 3 months : 104/0/0.
+1 Aboriginal Stockman, 3 months : 10/0/0.
+TOTAL SALARIES : 1117/0/0.
+
+RECAPITULATION.
+EQUIPMENT : 2521/7/8.
+CONTINGENT EXPENSES : 520/0/0.
+SALARIES : 1117/0/0.
+TOTAL : 4158/7/8.
+
+A.C. GREGORY.
+
+Sydney, 16th September, 1857.
+
+***
+
+
+1858. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, NEW SOUTH WALES.
+
+EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT.
+
+REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS.
+
+ORDERED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY TO BE PRINTED, 1 SEPTEMBER, 1858.
+
+REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT
+AND PARTY.
+
+8TH DECEMBER, 1857, TO 11TH JANUARY, 1858.
+
+Having received instructions from the Honourable the Secretary for Lands
+and Public Works to organise an expedition for the purpose of searching
+for traces of Dr. Leichhardt and party, who left New South Wales in 1848
+with the intention of proceeding overland to Western Australia, I
+proceeded to Moreton Bay with such portions of the equipment as had been
+prepared in Sydney. On reaching Ipswich forty horses were purchased, and
+having despatched the stores to Mr. Royd's station, on the Dawson River,
+by drays, the party were collected at that place; but, owing to
+unforeseen delays in the transport of the stores, the equipment and
+organisation of the expedition was not complete till the latter part of
+March.
+
+The following list of the party, horses, stores, etc., will show the
+principal arrangements.
+
+The party consisted of nine persons, namely: Commander A.C. Gregory;
+assistant commander, C.F. Gregory; assistant, S. Burgoyne; overseer, G.
+Phibbs; stockmen, etc., R. Bowman, W. Selby, T. Dunn, W. von Wedel, and
+D. Worrell. The stock consisted of horses alone, comprising thirty-one
+pack and nine saddle horses, completely equipped. Provisions comprised
+the dried meat of two bullocks and four sheep, weighing, as butcher's
+meat, 16 hundredweight; but when dried and the bones removed, reduced to
+300 pounds. In addition to this 500 pounds bacon, 1600 pounds flour, 100
+pounds rice, 350 pounds sugar, 60 pounds tea, 40 pounds tobacco, and some
+minor articles. The arms and ammunition were: one minie rifle, eight
+double-barrel guns, nine revolver pistols, 25 pounds gunpowder, 150
+pounds shot and balls, percussion caps, etc. For the conveyance of water
+two leather water-bags were provided, each holding five gallons, besides
+which each of the party was furnished with a water-bag of India-rubber
+holding three pints. The tents were made of calico, each suited for the
+accommodation of two persons, and the several articles of camp equipage
+were of the lightest construction consistent with the service required.
+The instruments employed were an eight-inch sextant, box-sextant,
+prismatic compasses, pocket compasses, double axis compass, aneroid
+barometers, thermometers, and artificial horizon, etc. Including forty
+sets of horse-shoes, farrier's and carpenter's tools, together with
+sundry material for repairs, etc., the total weight of the equipment was
+about 4,600 pounds, exclusive of the saddles and harness, which gave an
+average load of 150 pounds as the net load carried by each pack-horse.
+
+THE PARTY START FROM JUANDA STATION.
+
+24th March to 27th March.
+
+These arrangements being complete, the expedition left Juanda, and
+proceeded by the road to Mr. Cardew's station at Euroomba, from which,
+under the guidance of Mr. Bolton--whose local knowledge was of material
+service--we made our way through the dense scrubs and broken country to
+the west for about thirty miles, to the head of Scott's Creek, a small
+tributary of the Dawson River.
+
+29th March.
+
+The general course was now west-north-west through a country with rich
+grassy valleys and dense scrubs of brigalow acacia on the higher ground.
+Green grass was abundant at this time; but I fear that in seasons of
+drought few of the waterholes are permanent; the timber consists of
+ironbark, box, and a few other species of eucalyptus--the brigalow acacia
+attaining the height of thirty feet; soft brown sandstones of the coal
+measures are the prevailing rock, forming hills with table summits.
+
+2nd April.
+
+With some difficulty, owing to the dense scrubs, we crossed the basaltic
+ridge which divides the eastern waters flowing to the Dawson River from
+those trending to the west into the basin of the Maranoa River, a
+tributary of which--probably the Merivale River--was followed westward.
+The country became more sandy, timbered with ironbark, cypress, etc. The
+whole was, however, well grassed, and suited for grazing, if not too
+heavily stocked.
+
+5th April.
+
+Reaching the Maranoa River in about latitude 25 degrees 45 minutes, water
+was scarcely procurable in the sandy bed, and we had to dig wells to
+obtain a supply.
+
+7th April to 12th April.
+
+Warned by the fact that Messrs. H. Gregory and Haly had been unable to
+penetrate the country to the west from scarcity of water, even three
+months earlier in the season, we followed up the Maranoa to Mount Owen,
+and having found a sufficient supply of water and grass for a few days'
+halt, I proceeded to reconnoitre the country to the west, and at length
+found a practicable route to the tributaries of the Warrego River, to
+which the party was advanced. A heavy shower of rain had filled the
+gullies in this locality, and green grass clothed the country, forming a
+striking contrast to the dry and waterless valley of the Maranoa.
+
+15th to 16th April.
+
+Fine openly timbered valleys, well suited for pasture, alternated with
+ridges of scrub of brigalow acacia till we reached Mount Playfair, a
+basaltic hill on the sandstone ridge which separates the Warrego Valley
+from that of the Nive, a small branch of which was followed down to its
+junction with the main channel in latitude 25 degrees 6 minutes. The soil
+in the valley of the Nive is sandy, thinly grassed, and openly timbered
+with ironbark spotted gum, etc.; the back country rising into low
+sandstone ridges, covered with dense scrub of brigalow acacia. Some pools
+of permanent water containing small fish were passed, on the bank of
+which the remains of numerous native camps were seen.
+
+17th April.
+
+From the Nive River a north-north-west course was pursued through a
+nearly level sandy country, covered with a scrub of acacia, eucalypti,
+bottle-tree, etc., which offered great impediments to our progress, till
+within six miles of the Victoria River, when we suddenly emerged from the
+scrub on to open downs of rich clay soil; but the drought had been of
+such a long continuance that the whole of the vegetation had been
+destroyed and swept away by the wind, leaving the country to all
+appearance an absolute desert. The bed of the Victoria was scarcely ten
+yards wide, and perfectly dry, so that it was only after a prolonged
+search along its course that a small puddle of water was found in a
+hollow of the clay flat, and near it, fortunately for our horses, a
+little grass growing in widely scattered tufts.
+
+THE BARCOO RIVER.
+
+19th April.
+
+Being now on the line of route which Dr. Leichhardt had stated his
+intention of following, the party was divided, so that both sides of the
+river were examined in all probable positions in which his camps might
+have been situated; but as the high floods appeared to have inundated the
+country for nearly a mile on each bank last year, all tracks of previous
+explorers were necessarily obliterated, and it was only by marked trees,
+or the bones of cattle, that we could hope to discover any trace. During
+the first two days' journey down the river only a few small pools of
+water were seen, and these not of a permanent character, while the rich
+vegetation on the open downs, which had excited the admiration of Sir T.
+Mitchell on his discovery of the country in a favourable season, had
+wholly passed away, leaving little but a bare surface of clay, the deep
+fissures in its surface giving evidence of long-continued drought.
+
+20th April.
+
+In latitude 24 degrees 37 minutes, longitude 146 degrees 13 minutes, a
+small sandy creek, of equal size with the Victoria, joined from the east,
+and just below the first permanent pool of water was found. There was a
+slight improvement in the grass, but dense scrubs prevailed in the back
+country, and even approached the river at intervals.
+
+LEICHHARDT'S MARKED TREE.
+
+21st April.
+
+While collecting the horses near this pool of water I detected a party of
+armed natives watching one of the stockmen, evidently, from their
+position in the scrub and general movements, inclined to hostilities, and
+I imagine that it was a knowledge that we were aware of their intentions
+which prevented my being able to establish any communication with them. I
+may here remark that this party, which numbered about eight, were the
+first natives seen during the journey. Continuing our route along the
+river (latitude 24 degrees 35 minutes; longitude 36 degrees 6 minutes),
+we discovered a Moreton-Bay ash (Eucalyptus sp.), about two feet in
+diameter, marked with the letter L on the east side, cut through the
+bark, about four feet from the ground, and near it the stumps of some
+small trees which had been cut with a sharp axe, also a deep notch cut in
+the side of a sloping tree, apparently to support the ridge pole of a
+tent, or some similar purposes; all indicating that a camp had been
+established here by Leichhardt's party. The tree was near the bank of a
+small reach of water, which is noted on Sir T. Mitchell's map. This,
+together with its actual and relative position as regards other features
+of the country, prove it not to have been either one of Sir T. Mitchell's
+or Mr. Kennedy's camps, as neither encamped within several miles of the
+spot, besides which, the letter could not have been marked by either of
+them to designate the number of the camp, as the former had long passed
+his fiftieth camp, and the latter had not reached that number on the
+outward route, and numbered his camp from the farthest point attained on
+his return journey. Notwithstanding a careful search, no traces of stock
+could be found. This is, however, easily accounted for, as the country
+had been inundated last season, though the current had not been
+sufficiently strong to remove some emu bones and mussel shells which lay
+round a native camping place within a few yards of the spot. No other
+indications having been found, we continued the search down the river,
+examining every likely spot for marked trees, but without success. The
+general aspect of the country was extremely level, and even the few
+distant ridges which were visible had but small elevation above the
+plain, the highest apparently not exceeding 200 or 300 feet. Timber was
+wholly confined to the bank of the river, and though open plains existed,
+acacia scrubs were the principal feature. Water became very scarce in the
+channels of the river, and we were principally dependent on small puddles
+of rainwater from a recent thunder-shower; but as we approached the
+northern bend some fine reaches of water were passed.
+
+THE ALICE RIVER.
+
+6th April to 28th April.
+
+In latitude 26 degrees 2 minutes we observed a small dry creek joining
+from the north-east. This I traced upwards for a few miles; but as its
+relative position with regard to the adjacent country, as well as the
+latitude, did not correspond with that of the Alice River on the chart,
+we continued our route. Finding, however, that the general course of the
+river changed to south-west, I left the party at a small lagoon and rode
+up the river again, making a second search, more especially at the
+junction of the small dry creek, which proved to be identical with the
+Alice River, though more than five miles to the south, as the Victoria
+River never reaches the parallel of 24 degrees. Our position was now
+becoming very critical, as a long continuance of drought had not only
+dried up all the water, except in the deepest hollows in the channel of
+the main river, but the smaller vegetation, and even the trees on the
+back country were annihilated, rendering the country almost impracticable
+from the quantity of fallen dead branches, and even in the bed of the
+river, where the inundation derived from heavy rain near the sources of
+the river last year had somewhat refreshed the grass, it was scarcely
+possible to find subsistence for the horses. Under existing
+circumstances, it would have been certain destruction to attempt a
+north-west route from this point; and the only course that appeared
+opened to us was to follow down the main river to the junction of the
+Thompson River, and ascend that watercourse so as to intersect
+Leichhardt's probable line of route, had he penetrated in that direction,
+favoured by a better season. At the same time, it was probable that, like
+ourselves, he had been repulsed, and would then follow down the river,
+and search for a more favourable point from which to commence his
+north-west course, in order to round the desert interior on its northern
+side; and we therefore continued our search down towards the Thompson
+River.
+
+29th April to 2nd May.
+
+The country was perfectly flat on both sides of the river, and showed
+traces of tremendous floods. The soil near the river was often
+deeply-cracked mud, water very scarce, and grass seldom seen. The back
+country was covered with scrubs of dead acacia, the soil a red sand or
+gravel; and such was the unpromising appearance that I began to fear that
+our horses would soon fail for want of food and water; but having camped
+at a waterhole during Sunday to rest the party, heavy rain commenced, and
+though the greater portion of the water was absorbed by the dry soil,
+some of the channels of the river filled and commenced to flow. This
+relieved us from much difficulty as regarded the want of water, and
+enabled us to seek for grass in positions which were otherwise
+inaccessible.
+
+3rd May.
+
+Just as we were leaving our camp a party of seven natives made their
+appearance; but though they came up to us, and talked much, I could get
+no useful information from them. As the party moved on they followed us,
+and thinking they were not observed, made an attempt to throw a spear at
+one of the men; but Mr. C. Gregory, wheeling his horse quickly and
+presenting a revolver at the intending aggressors, they ran away, and
+left us to pursue our journey in peace.
+
+THE THOMPSON RIVER.
+
+4th May to 6th May.
+
+The abundance of water was not without its inconveniences, and had the
+rain continued the party would have been annihilated, as our camp was
+between the deep channels which intersected the plain; and in attempting
+to extricate ourselves from the plains subject to inundation, found
+ourselves so completely entangled among the numerous deep channels and
+boggy gullies, in some of which the horses narrowly escaped suffocation
+in the soft mud, that after having forded one branch of the river,
+carrying the whole equipment across on our own backs, constructing a
+bridge over a second for the transport of the stores, and dragging the
+horses through as we best could with ropes, after three days of severe
+toil we had scarcely accomplished a direct distance of five miles. The
+dry weather which followed rapidly hardened the surface of the clay
+plains, and I attempted to steer due west to the Thompson, but found the
+country so destitute of feed, and covered with dense acacia scrub, that
+we were compelled to return to the plains on the bank of the river.
+
+8th May.
+
+The valley of the river trending west was somewhat contracted, and did
+not exceed five or six miles in breadth; the plains were firmer,
+salt-bush and grass more abundant, and the horses recovered slightly from
+the effects of the barren country. Keeping back from the right bank of
+the main channel, we passed some ridges of drift sand, and came on a fine
+lagoon nearly a mile in length. Here we surprised a party of natives, who
+decamped on our approach, leaving a net, fish, etc., which we of course
+left untouched, and camped at a spot lower down the lagoon.
+
+9th May.
+
+The next day being Sunday, we remained at our camp, and the party of
+natives, consisting of seven or eight men, three or four women, and some
+children, approached us, and remained the greater part of the day near
+the tents. They were very anxious to enter the camp, but this was not
+permitted. By signs they expressed that they had observed we had not
+taken away any of their property the evening before, when they ran away
+and left their nets, and were therefore satisfied our intentions were
+friendly; but we could not procure any information relative to the
+objects of our journey or the character of the country before us. At 4
+p.m. they informed us they were going to sleep at the most distant part
+of the lagoon, and would return next morning at sunrise, and then
+departed. After dark, however, the natives were detected attempting to
+crawl into the camp through the bushes, and though we called to them in
+an unmistakable tone to retire, they would not withdraw. As the position
+they had taken up was such as to command our camp, and render it unsafe
+in the event of an attack, it was necessary to dislodge them. I therefore
+fired a pistol over them, but was answered by a shout of derision, which
+no doubt would have been soon followed by a shower of spears had we not
+compelled them to retreat by a discharge of small shot directed into the
+scrub, after which we were not further molested.
+
+10th May.
+
+We were now approaching the junction of the Thompson River, but the
+country became worse as we advanced, and the last five miles of the plain
+were absolutely devoid of vegetation. Our hopes were, however, raised on
+finding that the late rain had caused the Thompson to flow, though the
+current was not strong; we had, however, to travel upwards of twelve
+miles up its course before any grass could be found for the horses.
+
+11th May.
+
+Continuing our route up the Thompson, nothing could be more desolate than
+the aspect of the country; except the few trees which grew on the
+immediate bank of the river there was scarcely a tree left alive, while
+the plains were quite bare of vegetation, except a few salsolaceous
+bushes. At the distance of five miles low ridges of red drift sand showed
+the desert character of all around; even the lower surfaces of the clouds
+assumed a lurid tinge from the reflection of the bare surface of red
+sand.
+
+12th to 15th May.
+
+In latitude 24 degrees 40 minutes low sandstone hills, or rather
+tableland, approached both banks of the river, and the gullies which
+intersected them had supplied the water lower down, as the channel was
+dry above. We, however, succeeded in reaching latitude 23 degrees 47
+minutes, when the absence of water and grass--the rain not having
+extended so far north, and the channels of the river separating into
+small gullies and spreading on the wide plains--precluded our progressing
+further to the north or west; and the only prospect of saving our horses
+was to return south as quickly as possible. This was a most severe
+disappointment, as we had just reached the part of the country through
+which Leichhardt most probably travelled, if the season was sufficiently
+wet to render it practicable. Thus compelled to abandon the principal
+object of the expedition, only two courses remained open--either to
+return to the head of the Victoria River and attempt a northern course by
+the valley of the Belyando, or to follow down the river and ascertain
+whether it flowed into Cooper's Creek or the Darling. The latter course
+appeared most desirable, as it was just possible that Leichhardt, under
+similar circumstances, had been driven to the south-west. In order to
+ascertain whether any large watercourses came from the west, the return
+route was along the right bank of the Thompson, but only one small creek
+and some inconsiderable gullies joined on that side; nor was the country
+of a better character than on the left bank--consisting of barren plains,
+subject to inundation, low rocky ridges covered with dense scrub, and
+sandy ridges producing triodia.
+
+22nd to 23rd May.
+
+We had nearly reached the Victoria River, when, in crossing a gully,
+Worrell's horse fell and hurt him so severely that we had to halt for
+some time before he could be placed on his horse again, and it was
+therefore fortunate that a small patch of dry grass was found on the bank
+of the river, which enabled us to halt the next day, which was Sunday.
+Travelling down the right bank of the river, the principal channels were
+full of water, but the clay plains between were quite dry, the rain which
+had caused the river to flow not having extended so far south; nothing
+could well be more desolate than the unbounded level of these vast
+plains, which, destitute of vegetation, extended to the horizon. Our
+horses were reduced to feeding on the decayed weeds, and even these were
+so scarce that they eagerly devoured the thatch of some old native huts.
+
+27th May.
+
+We had nearly reached the furthest point attained by Mr. Kennedy when the
+horses showed signs of failing strength, and the channels on the east
+side of the plain being dry, I conceived it prudent to cross to the
+western side again. The dry mud was so deeply cracked that the horses
+were continually falling, and one horse was so completely exhausted that
+we had to abandon him.
+
+KENNEDY'S MARKED TREE.
+
+28th May.
+
+Steering a westerly, and then a north course, we reached the small
+waterhole at Mr. Kennedy's second camp on the return route; there was
+just sufficient water to supply the party for one night, and a few
+scattered tufts of grass near it, but quite insufficient for the supply
+of so large a number of horses. Close to the waterhole we found Mr.
+Kennedy's marked tree; it was a large box-tree, marked on the north side
+thus:
+
+K II.
+
+The cuts of the axe and chisel were still quite clear, though twelve
+years had elapsed; but the slow growth and decay of trees in the interior
+may be attributed to the dryness of the climate.
+
+29th May.
+
+Steering north-west, after toiling nearly thirty miles across this
+fearful waste of dry mud, we at length reached a small patch of grass on
+a sandy hummock, but only just in time to save the horses, as many could
+scarcely keep on their legs, and we had to remove their loads to those
+which were less exhausted.
+
+30th May.
+
+Long before the next morning our hungry animals had consumed every blade
+of grass, and the small patch round the camp was reduced to the same
+barren appearance as the surrounding plain. We therefore started in
+search of food for them, and were fortunate in finding a second patch of
+grass, about three miles to the south, and halted for the remainder of
+the day, which was Sunday, thankful that Providence had enabled us to
+make it a day of rest.
+
+PLAINS OF DRY MUD.
+
+31st May.
+
+The running channel of the river being still to the west of our position,
+we steered south-west, over barren clay plains, to some low ridges of
+drift sand, beyond which we found the channel full of water, with a
+slight current; but it terminated in a large reach of water which had not
+yet filled, and the channel lower down was dry. Low ridges of red drift
+sand were now frequent on the plain, and appeared to be the higher points
+of the former sandy desert, the clay plains resulting from the deposition
+of mud in the hollows between which had in course of time filled it to
+one uniform level.
+
+Latitude 26 degrees 2 minutes.
+
+1st June.
+
+The channels on the western side of the plain were very irregular,
+sometimes completely lost on the level surface, and again collecting into
+large hollows, with box-trees on the banks, in which fine sheets of water
+still remained, some 100 yards wide and more than a mile in length. We
+therefore did not experience so much inconvenience with regard to the
+supply of this necessary element as from the absence of sufficient grass,
+and the all but impracticable nature of the mud plains.
+
+4th June.
+
+In latitude 27 degrees, low sandstone tableland approached the west side
+of the river, and we attempted to travel along the slope between it and
+the mud plains, but found it so stony that the horses' hoofs were soon
+worn to the quick, as we had been compelled to remove their shoes to
+enable them to traverse the mud plains. Had it not been for green bushes
+of salsolae, and some similar plants which had sprung up since the rain,
+this tract of country exactly resembled the stony desert described by
+Captain Sturt as existing 200 miles to the westward. These remarkable
+features forming the declivities of the sandstone tableland through which
+Cooper's Creek forces its way, and by confining the waters to a narrower
+space during floods, causes the fine deep reaches of water which
+characterize it.
+
+8th June.
+
+By following the western limits of the plains we reached latitude 27
+degrees 30 minutes, when the sandstone tableland receded, and a boundless
+expanse of mud plain was before us; the lines of box-trees which had
+hitherto marked the channels nearly ceased, polygonum and atriplex
+constituting the main feature of the vegetation.
+
+COOPER'S CREEK.
+
+9th June.
+
+After toiling south-west a day and a half over this level surface to
+latitude 27 degrees 50 minutes, we approached some low ridges, at the
+foot of which there was a lagoon 100 yards wide, exhibiting signs of a
+current during flood to the north-west; and as there was an evident
+westerly trend in all the smaller channels previously crossed, it was
+evident they would soon merge in Cooper's Creek. Steering
+west-north-west, the several channels collected together, and soon formed
+a deep watercourse, with fine reaches of water. The sandstone tableland
+closed in on both sides; the soil of the intervening plain was much
+firmer, but showed by the vegetation that saline nature which so often
+attends the development of the upper sandstones in Australia. Grass was
+abundant, and it was surprising with what rapidity the horses recovered
+their strength.
+
+BOUNDARY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
+
+12th June.
+
+Approaching the 141st meridian, which is the boundary of the province of
+South Australia, stony ridges closed in on both banks of Cooper's Creek,
+forming almost a natural division, across which we followed a well-beaten
+native path; and here I observed the only instance which has come under
+my observation where the aborigines have taken the trouble to remove
+natural obstacles from their paths. The loose stones had been cleared
+from the track, and in some places piled in large heaps.
+
+14th June.
+
+After passing the stony ridge the valley became wider, the hills receding
+suddenly, in longitude 140 degrees 30 minutes, both to the north and
+south; and the whole of the country to the west seemed to consist of a
+succession of low ridges of red sand and level plains of dry mud, subject
+to inundation. Shortly before reaching the branch of Cooper's Creek named
+by Captain Sturt Streletzki Creek, we observed the tracks of two horses,
+one apparently a cart-horse, and the other a well-bred animal, but as
+none of their tracks were within the last month, the rain had obliterated
+them to such an extent that they could not be traced up, as they had left
+the bank of the creek on the first fall of rain, as is the usual habit of
+horses whose wanderings are uncontrolled. There can be little doubt that
+these horses belonged to Captain Sturt, who left one in an exhausted
+state near this locality, and also lost a second horse, whose tracks were
+followed many miles in the direction of this part of Cooper's Creek.
+
+16th June.
+
+Streletzki Creek, which separates nearly at a right angle from the main
+channel, appears to convey about one-third of the waters of Cooper's
+Creek nearly south, and, as we afterwards ascertained, connects it with
+Lake Torrens. We, however, continued to follow the channels which trended
+west for thirty miles, but large branches continually broke off to the
+south and west, and at length the whole was lost on the wide plains of
+dry mud between the sand ridges; and, as there was no prospect of either
+water or grass to the west, I steered south and south-east for fifty
+miles over a succession of ridges of red drift sand, ten to fifty feet
+high, running parallel to each other, and in a nearly north and south
+direction. Between these ridges we occasionally found shallow puddles of
+rainwater, or rather mud, as it was so thick with clay as to be scarcely
+fluid. Fortunately a great quantity of green weeds had grown up since the
+rain, and the horses improved in condition, and did not require much
+water.
+
+21st June to 25th June.
+
+In latitude 28 degrees 24 minutes we again came on Streletzki Creek, and
+then followed it nearly south-south-west between sandy ridges to latitude
+29 degrees 25 minutes, when it turned to the west and entered Lake
+Torrens. No permanent water was seen in the bed of the creek, though
+there were many deep hollows which, when once filled, retain water for
+several months, and this, combined with the existence of a fine reach of
+water in Cooper's Creek immediately above the point where Streletzki
+Creek branches off, renders it far the best line of route into the
+interior which has yet been discovered. Passing between the eastern point
+of Lake Torrens and what has hitherto been considered the eastern arm,
+but now ascertained to be an independent lake, the space between (about
+half a mile) was level sandy ground, covered with salicornia, without any
+apparent connecting channel. The course was continued south-south-west
+towards Mount Hopeless, at the northern extreme of the high ranges of
+South Australia, which had been visible across the level country at a
+distance of sixty miles.
+
+26th June.
+
+As we approached the range of hills tracks of cattle and horses were
+observed, and eight miles beyond Mount Hopeless came to a cattle station
+which had been lately established by Mr. Baker. As the nature of the
+country we had traversed was such as not to admit of any useful
+deviations from it if we returned to New South Wales by land, I deemed it
+advisable to proceed forthwith to Adelaide, and, disposing of the horses
+and equipment, return with the party by sea to Sydney.
+
+ARRIVE IN ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
+
+31st July.
+
+We therefore proceeded by easy stages towards Adelaide, experiencing the
+greatest hospitality at the stations on our route, while our reception in
+the city was of the most flattering nature. His Excellency Sir Richard
+Macdonald kindly gave me the use of an extensive paddock for the horses,
+and provided quarters for the men during the period which necessarily
+elapsed before the sale of the equipment of the expedition was effected.
+I have also to express my acknowledgments of the kind assistance rendered
+by the Honourable the Commissioner of Crown Lands, to the
+Surveyor-General, and the Superintendent of Telegraphs, for valuable data
+connected with the construction of the map of the route, as well as to
+many other gentlemen whose cordial co-operation greatly facilitated my
+arrangements. It is extremely gratifying to record my appreciation of the
+untiring zeal and energy which distinguished every individual composing
+the expedition; and it is to the unvarying and cheerful alacrity with
+which each and all performed their respective duties, that, under
+Providence, the rapidity and success of the journey is to be mainly
+attributed. With reference to the probable fate of Dr. Leichhardt, it is
+evident, from the existence of the marked camp, nearly eighty miles
+beyond those seen by Mr. Hely, that the account given to that gentleman
+by the natives of the murder of the party was untrue; and I am inclined
+to think only a revival of the report current during Leichhardt's first
+journey to Port Essington. Nor is it probable that they were destroyed
+until they had left the Victoria, as, if killed by the natives, the
+scattered bones of the horses and cattle would have been observed during
+our search. I am therefore of opinion that they left the river at the
+junction of the Alice, and, favoured by thunder-showers, penetrated the
+level desert country to the north-west; in which case, on the cessation
+of the rain, the party would not only be deprived of a supply of water
+for the onward journey, but unable to retreat, as the shallow deposits of
+rainwater would evaporate in a few days, and it is not likely that they
+would commence a retrograde movement until the strength of the party had
+been severely taxed in the attempt to advance. The character of the
+country traversed, from the out-stations on the Dawson River to the head
+of the Warrego River, was generally that of a grassy forest, with ridges
+of dense brigalow scrub. A great portion is available for pastoral
+purposes, but not well watered; and the soil being sandy, the grass would
+soon be destroyed if too heavily stocked. As we advanced into the
+interior it became more barren, and, except along the banks of the larger
+watercourses, destitute of timber, and the character of the vegetation
+indicated excessive droughts. North of latitude 26 degrees dense scrubs
+of acacia prevailed on the level country beyond the influence of the
+inundations, but to the southward sandy and stony deserts, with low
+shrubby vegetation, were the characteristic feature. West of longitude
+147 degrees, nearly to the boundary of South Australia, in 141 degrees,
+the country is unfit for occupation, for, though in favourable seasons
+there might in some few localities be abundance of feed for stock, the
+uncertainty of rain and frequent recurrence of drought renders it
+untenable, the grasses and herbage being principally annuals, which not
+only die but are swept away by the hot summer winds, leaving the surface
+of the soil completely bare. On Cooper's Creek, near the boundary, there
+is a small tract of second-rate country, which, being abundantly supplied
+with water, may eventually be occupied. The best part is, however, within
+the province of South Australia. Between Cooper's Creek and Lake Torrens
+about 120 miles of sandy country intervenes. This tract is destitute of
+surface water, but as it is probable that it could be obtained by sinking
+wells of moderate depth, I think it might be occupied to advantage during
+the cool season, and thus relieve the stations which are now established
+within Lake Torrens, though I fear that the summer heat would be too
+great to admit of permanent occupation. The geological character of the
+country is remarkably uniform. Carboniferous sandstones and shales,
+containing occasional beds of coal, with superincumbent hills and ridges
+of basalt, extend from Darling Downs to the 146th meridian, where these
+rocks are covered by horizontal sandstones with beds of chert and
+water-worn quartz pebbles. This latter formation extends as far as Mount
+Hopeless, where the slate ranges of South Australia rise abruptly from
+the plain. The sandy deserts and mud plains are only superficial
+deposits, as the sandstones are often exposed where the upper formation
+is intersected by gullies. The direction of the parallel ridges of drift
+sand appear to be the result of the prevailing winds, and not the action
+of water, it being sufficient to visit them on a windy day to be
+convinced that it is unnecessary to seek for a more remote and obscure
+cause than that which is in present operation. It is, perhaps, with
+reference to the physical geography of Australia that the results of the
+Expedition are most important; as by connecting successively the
+explorations of Sir T. Mitchell, Mr. Kennedy, Captain Sturt, and Mr.
+Eyre, the waters of the tropical interior of the eastern portion of the
+Continent are proved to flow towards Spencer's Gulf, if not actually into
+it, the barometrical observations showing that Lake Torrens, the lowest
+part of the interior, is decidedly above the sea-level. Although only
+about one-third of the waters of Cooper's Creek flow into Lake Torrens by
+the channel of Streletzki Creek, there is strong evidence that the
+remaining channels, after spreading their waters on the vast plains which
+occupy the country between them and Sturt's Stony Desert, finally drain
+to the south, augmented probably by the waters of Eyre's Creek, the Stony
+Desert, and perhaps some other watercourses of a similar character coming
+from the westward. This peculiar structure of the interior renders it
+improbable that any considerable inland lakes should exist in connection
+with the known system of waters; for, as Lake Torrens is decidedly only
+an expanded continuation of Cooper's Creek, and therefore the culminating
+point of this vast system of drainage, if there was sufficient average
+fall of rain in the interior to balance the effects of evaporation from
+the surface of an extensive sheet of water, the Torrens Basin, instead of
+being occupied by salt marshes, in which the existence of anything beyond
+shallow lagoons of salt-water is yet problematical, would be maintained
+as a permanent lake. Therefore, if the waters flowing from so large a
+tract of country are insufficient to meet the evaporation from the
+surface of Lake Torrens, there is even less probability of the waters of
+the western interior forming an inland lake of any magnitude, even should
+there be so anomalous a feature as a depression of the surface in which
+it could be collected, especially as our knowledge of its limits indicate
+a much drier climate and less favourable conformation of surface than in
+the eastern division of the continent. The undulations of the surface of
+the country are nearly parallel to the meridian, gradually decreasing in
+height from the dividing range between the eastern and western waters
+till, instead of the waters of the rivers being confined to valleys, they
+occupy plains formed by a slight flattening of the curvature of the
+sphere. Thus the sides of the plain through which the river ran before it
+turned west to Cooper's Creek were 150 feet below the tangential level of
+the centre channels, and even the summit of the sandstone tableland which
+rose beyond was below the visible horizon. It is this peculiar
+conformation which causes the stream-beds to spread so widely when
+following the course of the valleys from north to south, and it is only
+where they break through the intervening ridges that the water is
+confined sufficiently to form well-defined channels. The existence of
+these extensive valleys trending north and south over so large a tract of
+country render it by no means unlikely that they continue far beyond the
+limits of present explorations, and it is not unreasonable to infer that
+the great depression which has been traced nearly five hundred miles
+north from Spencer's Gulf through Lake Torrens to the stony desert of
+Sturt (or rather the mud plains contiguous to its western limit) may be
+continuous for an equal distance beyond to the low land at the head of
+the Gulf of Carpentaria; a theory also supported by the fact that the
+rivers flowing into the Gulf either come from the east or west,
+apparently from higher land in those directions, while there is not a
+single watercourse from the south, or any indication of elevated country
+in that direction. Captain Wickham having named an important river
+discovered by him in H.M.S. Beagle, on the north-west coast, the
+Victoria, several years prior to Sir T. Mitchell having attached that
+name to the upper portion of Cooper's Creek, which had also been
+previously discovered and named by Captain Sturt, I would suggest that
+the term River Cooper be adopted for the whole of the main channel from
+its sources, discovered by Sir T. Mitchell, to its termination in Lake
+Torrens; as, while it does not interfere with the rule that the name
+given by the first discoverer should be retained, will prevent the
+recurrence of the misapprehension and inconvenience of having two
+important rivers with the same designation on the maps of Australia. With
+regard to the numbers and habits of the aborigines, I could collect
+little information, as only a collective number of about 100 men, a few
+women and children, were seen, in small scattered parties; but, judging
+from the number of encampments seen, at least a thousand must visit the
+banks of the river; and it is probable that the whole of the inhabitants
+for at least 100 miles on each side are dependent on it for water during
+the dry season. Neither sex wear any clothing. Their weapons and utensils
+are similar to those used on the eastern coast; nor was there any
+characteristic by which they could be observed to differ from the
+aborigines of other portions of Australia. Fish, rats, grass seeds, and a
+few roots, constitute their chief food. On the upper part of the river
+they bury their dead, piling wood on the grave; near the junction of the
+Thompson they suspend the bodies in nets, and afterwards remove the
+bones; while on Cooper's Creek the graves are mounds of earth three to
+four feet high, apparently without any excavation, and surmounted by a
+pile of dead wood. In the last-named locality the number of burial mounds
+which had been constructed about two years ago greatly exceed the
+proportion of deaths which could have possibly occurred in any ordinary
+season of mortality, even assuming the densest population known in any
+other part of Australia; and it is not improbable that the seasons of
+drought which proved so destructive to the tree vegetation higher up the
+river may have been equally disastrous in its effects on the aboriginal
+inhabitants of this portion of the interior.
+
+A.C. GREGORY.
+
+Sydney, 27 August, 1858.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals of Australian Explorations
+by A C and F T Gregory
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