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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/16243-h.zip b/16243-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9e1c4f9 --- /dev/null +++ b/16243-h.zip diff --git a/16243-h/16243-h.htm b/16243-h/16243-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2fe3726 --- /dev/null +++ b/16243-h/16243-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7524 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Journal of Landsborough's Expedition</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= +"text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +body {background: #ffffcc; margin:10%; text-align:justify} +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {color:green; text-align:center} +blockquote {font-size: .9em} +p.poem {text-align:center} +p.external {font-weight: bold} +--> +</style> +</head> +<body> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Journal of Landsborough's Expedition from +Carpentaria, by William Landsborough + +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: Journal of Landsborough's Expedition from Carpentaria + In search of Burke and Wills + +Author: William Landsborough + +Release Date: July 8, 2005 [EBook #16243] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF LANDSBOROUGH'S *** + +Produced by Sue Asscher + +</pre> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> +<h1>JOURNAL OF LANDSBOROUGH'S EXPEDITION</h1> + +<h2>FROM CARPENTARIA,</h2> + +<h3>IN SEARCH OF BURKE AND WILLS.</h3> + +<h4>WITH A MAP SHOWING HIS ROUTE.</h4> + +<h4>MELBOURNE:<br> +F.F. BAILLIERE, PUBLISHER, 85 COLLINS STREET EAST.<br> +LONDON: H. BAILLIERE. PARIS: J.B. BAILLIERE. NEW YORK AND +MADRID.<br> +AND ALL BOOKSELLERS.</h4> + +<h4>1862.</h4> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<center> +<p><a name="landsborough-01"></a><img alt="" src="images/landsborough-01.jpg"></p> +<p><b>Untitled. <i>(Frontispiece)</i></b></p> +</center> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> +<h2>LANDSBOROUGH'S EXPEDITION.</h2> + +<p>The readers of this pamphlet are no doubt aware that the +anxiety entertained for the fate of Burke and Wills led to the +formation of several expeditions in their search. The first of +these was formed in Melbourne and entrusted to the command of Mr. +Howitt. The second in Adelaide, under Mr. McKinlay. The third +from Rockhampton, under Mr. Walker; and the fourth from Brisbane, +under Mr. Landsborough. These several expeditions were organised +and started within a short period of each other. The steamship +Victoria, Commander Norman, was despatched by the Victorian +Government to the Gulf of Carpentaria to assist the explorers in +carrying out their objects.</p> + +<p>Mr. Howitt, as is well-known, early succeeded in ascertaining +the melancholy fate of Burke and Wills: but before his letter +announcing it reached Melbourne the other expeditions referred to +had set out.</p> + +<p>The brig Firefly was chartered in Melbourne to take from +Brisbane to Carpentaria Mr. Landsborough's party and equipments, +and also some stores for Mr. Walker's party, the latter having +been instructed to proceed from Rockhampton overland, by the +shortest route, to a rendezvous at the Gulf. The Firefly, having +reached Moreton Bay and shipped the horses, set sail for +Carpentaria on the 24th August with Mr. Landsborough and his +party.</p> + +<p>As it is the object of this pamphlet to give details, +especially of his expedition, the journal, letters, etc., which +follow, are now presented.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> + +<p>(NUMBER 1.)</p> + +<p>BRISBANE PARTY, W. LANDSBOROUGH, ESQUIRE, LEADER, REPORT TO +30TH SEPTEMBER 1861.</p> + +<p>(COPY.)</p> + +<p>Sweer's Island, Gulf of Carpentaria, 30th September 1861.</p> + +<p>To Captain Norman of Her Majesty's Colonial War Steamer +Victoria, and Commander-in-chief of Northern Expedition +Parties.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>I have the honour to inform you that the greatest attention +was paid by my parties to the horses for the expedition on board +the Firefly, and they ought, during the eight days after leaving +Moreton Bay, while we had the finest weather, to have done well, +if their allowance of five gallons of water each a day had been +sufficient for them; but with that allowance they were so thirsty +that they did not thrive well. That quantity of water may do well +for horses intended for the Indian market, where they can be +fattened afterwards; but for our expedition horses, which were +intended for immediate service on landing, to be kept in a close +hold, confined by the cargo of the vessel, and fed with dry +forage (they did not eat the carrots at first, until they had +acquired a taste for them) eight gallons of water each per day at +least should have been allowed to them.</p> + +<p>On Sunday the 1st instant, when Captain Kirby expected to get +through the Raine Island passage on the following day, where he +hoped to get such calm weather that it would admit of your giving +him a fresh supply of water, he allowed our party to give the +horses a good drink. On that occasion they drank each, on an +average, nine gallons. Towards evening of the same day the breeze +freshened into a gale, and about ten at night, when the Firefly +was head-reaching under close-reefed sails, we had the misfortune +to lose sight of H.M.C.S. Victoria, under your command.</p> + +<p>On Monday the 2nd instant the gale continued, and during the +night the ship was hove to with her head to the eastward.</p> + +<p>On Tuesday the 3rd instant the gale still continued, but +Captain Kirby, having got observations of the sun, he boldly made +sail in for the reefs, and between eleven and twelve a.m. he +sighted the Raine Island beacon, and early in the afternoon he +went through the passage, and got into smooth water, where we +congratulated ourselves, and were thankful, I hope, to God, for +the comparative safety of ourselves, and also of the horses under +our charge.</p> + +<p>All the horses were alive except one, which, from the sand +being pumped from under its feet, had not been able to stand +during the gale, and in consequence had been trampled underfoot +by the other horses and so much injured that we were compelled to +destroy it. About an hour before dark we reached, with a fresh +and favourable breeze, a point between the two largest of the Sir +Charles Hardy's Islands, where one of the anchors was let go and, +upon its dragging, another was let go, which dragged also, until +we were close to the lee shore, when it held, fortunately, till +after daylight of the morning of Wednesday the 4th instant when, +the cable parting, the brig went ashore broadside onto the reef +which extends for about half a mile from the base of the bold +rocky island. The waves breaking over the ship, the masts were +cut away and fell over the side. The smallest boat was then +launched and immediately broke in pieces. While the wreck of a +masts was being cleared away by a good swimmer called Muller, a +Dutchman, in order to get a clear sea to launch the ship's large +boat, our party took the opportunity of feeding and watering the +horses, and in the meantime the tide had fallen so much that +Muller found footing. The boat was launched safely and, on being +asked by Captain Kirby, I went ashore with Mr. Martin, the +supercargo, and a part of the crew. We found we could wade on +shore; and, on the previous evening having seen the masts of a +ship on the other side of the island, Mr. Martin and I went +across and found it was a vessel which had sunk within half a +mile of the shore in deep water.</p> + +<p>At the abandoned camp of the shipwrecked crew we found a copy +of The Argus newspaper of the 14th June, a barrel of peas, +fragments of paper bearing the names of the Lady Kinnaird and +Captain Chorley on them, a part of a child's dress, etc.</p> + +<p>On our return to the wreck of a Firefly, we found the crew +very busily engaged in carrying stores on shore on their backs, +as Captain Kirby did not like using the boat for that service, +being afraid of having it injured. In the evening we fed and +watered the horses, and Mr. Campbell offered to remain on board +if he got someone to assist him to attend to the horses during +the night; but as there were drunken sailors on board, and I +thought the breaking up of the old Firefly not improbable, I did +not like remaining or asking anyone else to do so. After the ship +struck, the officers and crew considered themselves under no +discipline, taking from the stores whatever they wanted, and, I +am sorry to say, much of the Expedition spiced beef and other +things were stolen, and many things destroyed from recklessness; +but I am pleased to add that, after your arrival, when order and +sobriety became prevalent, from the prompt and wise measures +adopted by you, a considerable quantity of the slops were +recovered by a diligent search through the effects brought on +shore by the crew of the Firefly.</p> + +<p>Shortly after the ship struck I overheard one of the officers +say that we were all alike; and now that the vessel was a wreck +the cargo belonged to no one in particular; and one of our party +overheard another officer say to the crew: "There are twenty-two +pairs of (Expedition) boots; help yourselves. There are a pair +each for all hands, and a pair to spare."</p> + +<p>On the afternoon of Wednesday 4th instant (the day on which we +were wrecked) with Captain Kirby's approval I offered the +carpenter five pounds to cut the vessel close down to the water's +edge to get the horses out. (This, under the circumstances, I +hope will meet also your approval.) This he agreed to, and on the +following morning when it was almost high-water, he (the +carpenter) and Muller swam off to the wreck to do so, and shortly +afterwards, when I had found a good place on the island for +watering the horses, I accompanied Messrs. Campbell and Martin +and three of my aboriginals to the wreck to assist the carpenter +in making a breach in the side of the Firefly. To do this work +the only tools the carpenter and his assistants had were two +adzes and two small tomahawks. My aboriginals, Jamie, Fisherman, +and Jackie, worked hard with the tomahawks, and were most able +assistants in cutting the vessel down.</p> + +<p>On Friday (the 6th instant) we landed safely twenty-five of +the horses. We were obliged to land them chiefly at low-water, +and then we had to use every precaution to prevent them swimming +off to sea; for some of them in the first instance, when we were +not watching them, swam off and did not drift ashore until they +were exhausted, and one, after swimming for about an hour in +different directions, reached the southern island, about a mile +distant, with a strong wind and considerable waves against +him.</p> + +<p>On Saturday the 7th instant, while we were attending to the +surviving horse of four which had been trampled down by the +stronger horses among the floating empty water tanks, we had the +great pleasure of seeing H.M.C.S. Victoria coming to our relief; +and I can assure you we were very thankful, and our spirits much +cheered by your telling us, after Captain Kirby had intimated to +us that he had abandoned the Firefly as a total wreck, and in our +presence told his crew that as shipwrecked mariners he had placed +them under your charge, that you would do your best under the +circumstances to enable us yet to start on our expedition from +the Albert River in search of Mr. Burke and his companions, and +with that view you would endeavour to get the Firefly afloat +again, and have her refitted as a transport hulk for the +conveyance of our party, horses, and stores; and if you did not +succeed in that undertaking (which I hope you will pardon us all +for having thought a most hopeless affair) you would in several +trips transport our party, horses, and stores in H.M.C.S. +Victoria.</p> + +<p>Now that the great exertions made by you and your officers and +crew in getting the Firefly afloat again, in refitting her, in +embarking twenty-five of the horses, with our party and stores, +and in transporting them safely to the Gulf of Carpentaria, has +been crowned with success, allow me to congratulate you on those +events, and to assure you that, these difficulties being +overcome, I have now great hopes of carrying out at least +satisfactorily, with the assistance of my brave, trusty, and +zealous companions, the instructions of the Victorian and +Queensland Governments, with those which I may receive from +yourself.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, Sir,</p> + +<p>Your obedient servant,</p> + +<p>(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH,</p> + +<p>Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land +Expedition.*</p> + +<blockquote>(*Footnote. Captain Kirby of the Firefly has since published a +pamphlet in which he states that my party were at times in a +great state of alarm, but in fairness to them I may mention that +although they had frequently much reason to be so, I never saw +them exhibit any traces of fear. He further states that from what +he saw of them they showed great ineptitude for camping out. This +is surely very unlikely as we were all old travellers, three of +my party and myself had at one time been gold-diggers, a mode of +life well calculated to give the necessary experience in this +way. And as for Captain Alison, who had never been a gold-digger, +I observed on the island that his tent was particularly well +pitched.)</blockquote> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>(NUMBER 2.)</p> + +<p>(COPY.)</p> + +<p>Sweer's Island, 8th October, 1861.</p> + +<p>To Captain Norman, of H.M.C.S. Victoria, and +Commander-in-chief of the Northern Expedition Parties.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>I have the honour to inform you of the following particulars +with regard to the Albert River:</p> + +<p>On Tuesday morning (the 1st instant) at 8 o'clock we reached +the mouth of the Albert River, on the sandy beach of Kangaroo +Point.* There were about a dozen blacks, who appeared friendly +and kept speaking to us as long as we were within hearing; but +none in the barge (not even the native troopers) understood them. +With the exception of Kangaroo Point, on the east bank, the river +has an unbroken fringe of mangrove to a point two miles in a +straight line from its mouth, and an unbroken fringe to a point +three miles in a straight line from the mouth on the other side +of the river. Above these points the lower part of the river has +(where the edges have no mangrove) fine hard sandy sloping banks +which are well adapted for landing horses or goods. A short time +before we reached the point, above thirteen miles in a straight +line from the mouth of the river where we anchored for the night, +we saw about six blacks, who were very friendly and followed us +for some time. We found that the water was fresh when we reached +Alligator Point, about twenty miles in a straight line from the +mouth of the river; above this point the fringes of mangrove are +scarce on the edges of the river, and back from the river there +is rising ground, consisting of fine, well-grassed, and slightly +timbered downs. On passing up the river, on the left bank, we +observed a blackfellow asleep. At sunset we anchored at a point +about twenty-six miles in a straight line from the mouth of the +river, where a river from the southward, which Mr. Woods called +the Barkly, joins the Albert River.</p> + +<blockquote>(*Footnote. Kangaroo Point would in my opinion be a healthy +site for a township. The ground is sufficiently high along the +shore at that place, and without mangroves. We did not find water +there, but, as there were a few blacks almost always in that +neighbourhood, I have no doubt that there is some surface water, +or that it is easily procured by digging.)</blockquote> + +<p>On going on shore on the western bank of the Albert River I +found within a hundred yards of it a waterhole at which it would +be more convenient to water stock than the river, as the banks of +it are at this place too steep. Above the junction of the Barkly +the Albert River is not navigable for even boats, from its being +too full of snags. On the following morning we went up the Barkly +on the barge for about two miles, to where it was too full of +snags to proceed further up the river by water. We then took a +walk over the Plains of Promise and crossed at a point about +three miles from where we had left the barge. In doing so we +started a black man and woman; they were both old and naked; the +former went out of sight by running down the bank and plunging +into the river, and the latter climbed up a tree, where, while we +remained, she continued speechless. Where we crossed the Barkly +it had a narrow muddy bed, the water in which was cool from its +being shaded with pandanus, palms, and Leichhardt-trees. A short +distance lower we recrossed by a tree which the carpenter felled +for that purpose, at a point where the deep water in it is caused +in some measure by the rise of the tide; afterwards we followed +down the river to the barge. At different places we marked the +trees, but did not see any that had been marked previously, nor +indeed any traces of any European parties. After walking over the +Plains of Promise we went down the river and anchored opposite +the point where the cliffs are mentioned in the charts as thirty +feet high. In the morning, accompanied by the native troopers +Jemmy and Jackie, I went north-westerly over slightly timbered +grassy plains, and reached in about a mile a waterhole, and in +about another mile a narrow mere, which I called Woods Lake, +extending northerly and southerly at least for a mile or so in an +unbroken sheet of water. I went southward along the edge of Woods +Lake to a clump of box and tea-trees, and while I was marking a +tree Jackie shot (chiefly with one discharge of his gun) about +half a dozen of whistling-ducks and a large grey crane. As I +never saw so many aquatic fowls assembled as were at this place +it is to be hoped that, when we reach the Albert River again, we +will be able to shoot great quantities of them for fresh +food.</p> + +<p>The bank on which I marked the tree will, probably at no very +distant time, be chosen as the site of a homestead for a sheep +establishment, as it is surrounded by fine dry plains which are +covered with good grasses, among which I observed sufficient +saline herbage to make me feel satisfied that they are well +adapted for sheep runs. As the wind was unfavourable during the +afternoon the crew had to row down the river. On passing near +where we saw the blacks on our way up we found about twenty, +counting men, women, and children, waiting to see us as we +passed. On the following morning we went ashore and got water in +a waterhole near the bank, and also firewood off an old fallen +tree, which, I think, is probably the real ebony. Late in the +evening we reached a point on the eastern bank about three miles +above Kangaroo Point.</p> + +<p>We went ashore and in the course of a walk started on the wing +two large bustards, and also, within shot of us, two or three +wallabies.</p> + +<p>In our way up and down the river the temperature ranged on the +bar from 74 to 94 degrees. The nights were agreeable, and we were +fortunately not troubled with mosquitoes or sandflies.</p> + +<p>On the upper part of the river we saw altogether three +crocodiles, but they were so shy that they remained in sight only +a few seconds.</p> + +<p>The slightly timbered downs and plains on the banks of the +Albert River are, as I hoped they would be from their western +position, of a similar character to good inland settled sheep +country of New South Wales and Queensland; the trees that we saw +are all small; but as sheep do best in Australia where the +temperature is dry, the soil rich, and slightly timbered, and as +this is the general description, I believe, of the country and +climate of the Albert River, the sheep farmer should be willing +to put up with the inconvenience caused from the want of good +timber for building purposes.</p> + +<p>We saw large quantities of the small white cockatoos, and the +rose-coloured ones, which are to be found only in the inland +settled country of New South Wales and Queensland. The Albert +River being navigable will make the country on its banks very +valuable, as I believe sheep will do well on it, more especially +as they do well on inferior-looking country within the tropics to +the north-west of Rockhampton.</p> + +<p>Allow me to recommend for the depot which you propose forming +with the Firefly hulk on the Albert River some place as +convenient as possible to Woods Lake, or the waterhole that I +mentioned that I had found near the head of the navigation, and +as there is very little forage on board the Firefly it would be +advisable to land, as soon as possible, the horses on the west +bank of the river above the second inlet, that is, if there is +any chance of the Firefly being delayed in proceeding up the +river.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, etc.,</p> + +<p>(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH,</p> + +<p>Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>(NUMBER 3.)</p> + +<p>BRISBANE PARTY, W. LANDSBOROUGH, ESQUIRE, LEADER.</p> + +<p>CONTINUATION OF REPORT ON THE ALBERT RIVER, ETC.</p> + +<p>OCTOBER 15TH 1861.</p> + +<p>(COPY.)</p> + +<p>Albert River, Gulf of Carpentaria, October 15 1861.</p> + +<p>To Captain Norman of H.M.C.S. Victoria, and Commander-in-chief +of the Northern Expedition Parties.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>I have the honour to inform you that the senior lieutenant of +H.M.C.S. Victoria, having been commissioned by you to take the +Firefly hulk to the head of the navigation of the Albert River to +form a depot there, shortly after midnight of the 14th October, +at the flood of the tide, which occurs here only once in +twenty-four hours, we stood in for the mouth of the river and, as +the channel is of a winding character, and the ship almost +unmanageable, we had to take her right over the bar. From thence +we proceeded some time after daylight with a fair wind, several +miles up the river to where we took grass on board, which some of +my party, having preceded us, had in readiness. On the 16th, from +the time of the tide, the wind being unfavourable, we had reached +no further than Norman's Group of Islands, which are about ten +miles in a straight line from the mouth of the river. At that +place, from the small quantity of water on board it became +necessary to decide on what bank the horses should be landed; +consequently three parties started in search of water--a boat and +two land parties. The former, under the command of Mr. Frost, +found a good pond of water near the lowest water we had found +when we first explored the Albert River. In the same +neighbourhood Mr. Campbell's party, who went up the west bank of +the river, found another waterhole, which was distant from the +ship, by the road they went, about four miles, and passable for +the horses, although partly over mudflats which during high tides +are covered with water; and on that account I thought, having +observed the country to be very low from the masthead, it would +be impassable.</p> + +<p>I accompanied Mr. Bourne, Mr. Hennie the botanist, and two +native police-troopers to the eastward in search of water. In +that direction we went about six miles, which was further than +was necessary as we found water within that distance. The first +three miles we went was chiefly over hard flats which at high +tides are covered with water; the next was over such good country +that Mr. Bourne, although I had given him my account of the +Plains of Promise, said he did not expect to have seen such fine +country on the Albert River. The character of the country is +plains with the best grasses on them. Mr. Bourne and I agreed in +thinking that the lowest of them (with the exception of there +being on them no cotton and cabbage saltbush) resembled in +appearance, and from their having salty herbage in abundance, +some parts of the Murrumbidgee plains. The higher parts are more +thickly grassed and are slightly wooded with stunted timber, +consisting of box, apple, white-gum, cotton, and other trees. The +cotton-trees I had never seen before; but Mr. Hennie told me they +had been found by Dr. Mueller when in Mr. Gregory's party in the +expedition to Northern Australia.</p> + +<p>On this country we found abundance of waterholes, some of +which were divided from each other by sandstone dykes and +contained fresh, and others brackish, water. Near the waterholes, +at the most conspicuous points of timber on our route, we marked +trees. The north-easterly waterhole I called Mueller Lake. It is +a fine long sheet of water which is brackish but not to an extent +to render it undrinkable.</p> + +<p>Before we reached any water on our way from the ship, we +observed, at some distance from us, several blacks, of whom three +gins and three children we overtook in their camps. These we +tried to persuade by signs to lead us to the nearest water, but +they were so extremely terrified that they clung to each other +and would not move, except to point in the direction in which by +our proceeding a short distance we found it ourselves.</p> + +<p>On the 17th October the ship was taken alongside of the +western bank of the river, and, a landing stage having been made, +twenty-three of the horses were walked on shore and driven up to +Frost's Ponds; the remaining two from their being too weak were +kept on board. A few of the horses after their voyage were in +good order, and the most of the others, which were in such low +condition from their insufficient allowance of water from Moreton +Bay to Torres Strait, now showed, from their having plenty of +water since their reshipment at Hardy's Islands, that they were +in a thriving state.</p> + +<p>On the 20th Messrs. Bourne, Moore, Frost, and two troopers +started up the river on a shooting and land excursion. I +accompanied them to near Frost's Ponds where the horses were +running, and I was glad to find the horses were doing well, as I +expected they would do, from the herbage of the plains in that +neighbourhood being of the most fattening character. Late in the +evening our sportsmen returned and gave a most glowing +description of about eight miles of the plains they had crossed +in going to and returning from some waterholes they had found, +one of which was within half a mile of the river. As they made +their excursion an exploring rather than a sporting expedition +they shot very little, although they saw several wallabies on the +plains, and crowds of duck and other aquatic fowl at the +waterholes they passed in the course of their walk.</p> + +<p>On the 22nd, having made circulars to the effect that the +Firefly hulk and the horses (broad arrow before L) were on their +way up the river, the latter on the west bank, some of our party +landed on the east bank and stuck them up in places where Mr. +Walker's party would probably find them in the event of their +passing us and following down that side of the river. In doing so +we went over a fine grassed plain, and in that distance found two +waterholes. On the 24th the blacks paid us a visit and we gave +them presents; but afterwards, as they stole some clothes that +were out to dry, we determined to give them no further +encouragement unless they returned the stolen things. This Mr. +Woods, on the following day, tried to explain to a few of them +who swam across the river to the bank that we were alongside +of.</p> + +<p>When I see naked blacks I am very much tempted to give them +clothes and tomahawks; but this should not be indulged for I have +found from having done so that the more they have got the more +they have wanted; and on the other hand I have found that when +they got nothing from us they gave us very little of their +company and thus rarely gave us any occasion for quarrelling with +them.</p> + +<p>On the 27th of October Mr. Campbell and the troopers went on +shore and collected the horses and took them up as far as Moore's +Ponds.</p> + +<p>From twenty-two observations, chiefly taken during the day, +the temperature has ranged from 69 to 89 degrees and averaged a +fraction over 80 degrees. On the 29th we had a few drops of rain +which reminded us that we had hardly had any since we started +from Brisbane, upwards of a couple of months ago.</p> + +<p>My party went in search of the horses yesterday and returned +with them today to the place where the ship was aground, a point +about fifteen miles in a straight line from the mouth of the +river. The horses were so fresh that to hobble them two of the +quietest had to be caught to round with them the others up. In +the ten days that they had been ashore they had improved more in +condition than any horses I have seen do in other parts of +Australia in a similar period. To collect the horses they had to +go as far as ten miles in a north-west direction, to a saltwater +creek which, from Mr. Campbell's report, I believe is the River +Nicholson. On the following day I accompanied Mr. Campbell and +the troopers to the Nicholson River. The water in it we found not +so brackish as that part of the Albert River where we left the +ship. I was surprised to find it was not so broad as the river I +have just mentioned. We encamped all night on the bank of the +river, and near our camp marked a tree (broad arrow before L). On +the 30th we returned to the ship after getting the troopers to +collect the horses and shoot a quantity of ducks. By counting my +steps I made the distance seven miles to a bend of the Albert +River near which Moore's Ponds are situated, and two miles and +three-quarters further brought us to the point near which the +ship had reached. It is a grassy plain between the two rivers, +with a few stunted trees upon it; that nearest the Nicholson +River is the poorest soil, and the grass at present upon it is +very much parched up. A fine large enclosure for stock might be +formed by running a fence across from the Albert to the Nicholson +River.</p> + +<p>On the 1st November we commenced making a yard for the horses +and, having got the assistance of two of the carpenters, we +commenced to shoe the horses. On the 4th I got a passage in the +barge to H.M.C.S. Victoria, which was stationed at the distance +of seven miles from the mouth of this river, to consult with +yourself respecting the plan to be pursued in the search for Mr. +Burke and his companions, and to express my earnest desire to +have rations at the Albert River depot to make a second +expedition by the route which Mr. Gregory and I agreed to as the +most likely way to find traces to follow Mr. Burke and his +companions--namely by skirting the desert, and passing, as near +as the country would admit of my doing, to their starting-point, +and also to go to a place on the Bowen Downs (a well-watered +country) to seek for a continuation of tracks seen by Messrs. +Cornish and Buchanan, which they thought were made by a South +Australian party, at a point rather less than 300 miles towards +the Gulf of Carpentaria from Burke's depot on Cooper's Creek.</p> + +<p>On the 6th instant we left the Victoria together (as you are +aware) for the depot on the Albert River, and that evening after +nine hours boating reached our destination.</p> + +<p>On the following morning, having proceeded up the river on the +previous day, reached the junction of the Barkly with the Albert +River, near which we found the tree marked by Mr. Gregory and +Captain Chimmo, the former on the left and the latter on the +right bank; afterwards having marked lines of trees, and marked +on trees directions to lead the exploring parties to the depot, +we returned to it.</p> + +<p>On the 15th, intending to start tomorrow on the inland +expedition, I had all the horses, in number twenty-three, brought +up, the two weak ones having died since our arrival at the Albert +River, besides the five I mentioned as having died on the voyage. +We saddled and packed a few of the wildest of the horses* to make +them more tractable tomorrow, when I hope, as I have mentioned, +to start on our journey.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, Sir,</p> + +<p>Your obedient servant,</p> + +<p>(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH,</p> + +<p>Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition.</p> + +<blockquote>(*Footnote. The freshness of the horses was surprising: +because so soon after the hardships of their voyage, and the +destruction of their forage on board the Firefly by seawater, +they were chiefly sustained, from Hardy's Island till landing at +Carpentaria, by grass cut by our party: this was a task of some +difficulty, as we had no implements for doing so excepting our +knives.)</blockquote> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>(NUMBER 4.)</p> + +<p>(COPY.)</p> + +<p>NUMBER 1.</p> + +<p>Albert River, October 18 1861.</p> + +<p>To Captain Norman, H.M.C.S. Victoria.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>I have the honour to inform you that I have much pleasure, +after the conversation that we had with regard to Lieutenant +Woods, in applying to you for that gentleman to accompany me in +the expedition, of which I have the command, in search of Mr. +Burke and his companions; and I feel that for the unsurveyed +western country in the route which I am instructed to take, I +have much more necessity for the services of that officer in an +astronomical point of view than Mr. Walker can have.</p> + +<p>I have got a sextant for taking the latitude, but I have not a +chronometer, as Mr. Gregory thought the jolting it would get +should render it useless.</p> + +<p>I hope, therefore, for the cause of science, etc., you will +reconsider the conversation I have had with you on the +subject.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, Sir,</p> + +<p>Your obedient servant,</p> + +<p>(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH,</p> + +<p>Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>(COPY.)</p> + +<p>(NUMBER 1.)</p> + +<p>Victoria, off the Albert River, October 19 1861.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>In reply to your letter of yesterday, containing an +application for Lieutenant Woods to be allowed to accompany you +on the expedition which you command, in order to fix your +position in a correct and proper manner:</p> + +<p>I have the honour to inform you that it was the desire of the +Exploration Committee I should furnish that assistance to Mr. +Walker, and, having only one officer that I can spare for that +duty, I must withhold my consent until I see Mr. Walker and you +are nearer your departure. And further, as I understood from Mr. +Gregory that Captain Alison was engaged for the purpose of +carrying out that important part of the duty, you will be so good +as to explain your reasons for want of confidence in him.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, Sir,</p> + +<p>Your obedient servant,</p> + +<p>(Signed) W.H. Norman, Commander.*</p> + +<p>W. Landsborough, Esquire.</p> + +<blockquote>(*Footnote. I answered this letter; but, having sent a copy of +it with other papers from Carpentaria to Brisbane, I cannot at +present present it for publication.)</blockquote> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>(COPY.)</p> + +<p>(NUMBER 2.)</p> + +<p>Norman's Group, Albert River, October 18 1861.</p> + +<p>My dear Captain Norman,</p> + +<p>I have much pleasure in informing you that we have landed +safely twenty-three horses, and have sent them to a waterhole +which we have called Frost's Ponds, where they had a great roll +in the mud, which will, I hope, protect their tender skins in +some measure from the sun and sandflies; two of the weak ones we +have kept on board.</p> + +<p>The wind and the time of high-water (at night) was very +unfavourable for going up the river, and, as we were short of +water, I need not tell you how glad I was to know of waterholes +to which I could drive the horses. Three parties went in search +of water the day before yesterday, and were all successful in +finding it. Mr. Campbell went with one party and found water on +the west bank up the river. I went on the east bank, and in an +easterly direction got onto a finely grassed, openly timbered +country, within three miles, and at the edge of the timber, in +less than three miles further, found a fine waterhole, besides +shallow ones, nearly all along the last-mentioned distance. Mr. +Frost found a fine waterhole within five miles of here, to which +we have driven the horses, as it was on the route which we had +previously determined upon as the best to take if +practicable.</p> + +<p>I have not time at present to write you an official letter, +except the one I sent respecting Mr. Woods. The horses, from our +having had from you a liberal supply of water, are in much better +condition than when they left Hardy's Island.</p> + +<p>I remain yours very truly,</p> + +<p>(Signed) W. Landsborough.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>(MEMO.)</p> + +<p>(NUMBER 2.)</p> + +<p>Being at the depot to start Landsborough on the South-West +Expedition from November 5th to 16th, and Walker not having +arrived, I offered the services of Lieutenant Woods, which +Landsborough declined to accept of, stating he considered they +could do very well without any assistance.</p> + +<p>(Initialled) W.H.N.*</p> + +<blockquote>(*Footnote. At Brisbane, where I met Captain Norman before I +had started on the expedition, he led me to expect that +Lieutenant Woods would accompany me to make astronomical +observations whilst on my search for Burke, provided I made +application for his assistance. At Carpentaria, having +ascertained that Lieutenant Woods was himself anxious to +accompany me, I wrote the foregoing letter (Number 1) applying +for that officer. Captain Norman's reply to this letter I +considered tantamount to a refusal, and accordingly arranged to +take Captain Alison. Having done so, I may have stated to Captain +Norman that I considered I could do very well on this occasion +without any assistance from him.)</blockquote> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>(COPY.)</p> + +<p>NUMBER 3.</p> + +<p>Albert River, 15th November 1861.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>After the unexpected delay of this expedition, from +circumstances and accidents over which we had no control, on the +4th instant, in consultation on board the Victoria, I informed +you that my stock of provisions for the crew of that vessel would +only permit my remaining in the Gulf for 115 days, and that in +accordance with the spirit of my instructions you ought to start +so soon as possible for Central Mount Stuart, or as near thereto +as the nature of the country will admit of your approaching it, +and returning to this depot within ninety days from this +date.</p> + +<p>You having reported yourself ready for starting tomorrow, and +that you have ninety days provisions at full allowance, with all +the other stores complete for the same time, it therefore only +remains for me to fulfil the wishes of the committee, and to +inform you that they expect, on your return to Queensland, to be +furnished with a copy of your journal and surveys; and that, as +Mr. Walker has not arrived so as to enable me to make +arrangements for meeting him at the Limmon Bight River, you are +to consider that no such arrangement will be made, and that I +shall look for your return to this depot within the time +specified. And as you have full instructions for your guidance, +the same as myself, I feel well assured you will do all in your +power to fulfil them, and will make such deviations as the +country will admit of in order to find any track of the missing +explorers, as well as to meet the wishes of the Exploration +Committee.</p> + +<p>With reference to your suggestion of starting on a +south-easterly exploration after you return to this depot, rest +assured I will do all in my power to assist you in anything that +may be likely to lead to the discovery of the tracks of the +missing explorers.</p> + +<p>In conclusion, if any unforeseen accident should delay your +return here before my departure, I will bury one of the iron +tanks and mark on the large tree at the smithy where you will +find it.</p> + +<p>I will also take other precautions to ensure your getting the +same information by marking other trees, and sinking bottles with +letters in the ground. In the tank I will secure all the best +stores, and if necessary sink two to hold them.</p> + +<p>With every good wish for your safe conduct, and speedy return +before I am compelled to depart,</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, Sir,</p> + +<p>Your obedient servant,</p> + +<p>(Signed) W.H. NORMAN,</p> + +<p>Commander, and Commander-in-Chief of Northern Exploring +Parties.</p> + +<p>W. Landsborough, Esquire.*</p> + +<blockquote>(*Footnote. It will be seen by this letter that Captain Norman +approved of my searching to the south-east when I returned from +the south-west. I may mention that, when bidding Captain Norman +goodbye, before starting, he told me that he would be very glad +to see me return to the depot at the end of two months.)</blockquote> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>(Number 3.)</p> + +<p>Albert River Depot, November 15 1861.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of +this day, and to state that I hope to start on the journey +recommended by you in accordance with the instruction of the +Exploration Committee.</p> + +<p>I shall do my utmost to find traces of Mr. Burke and his +companions between here and Central Mount Stuart, and will, D.V., +return within the time (ninety days) which you have given me for +that purpose, if I am not delayed from sickness, or from the +country being rather too dry or too wet. I am very much pleased +to learn from you that you are willing, as well as lies in your +power, to assist me in making a second journey in search of Mr. +Burke and his companions, between here and his depot on Cooper's +Creek; because I believe the traces seen of an exploring party by +Messrs. Cornish and Buchanan, nearly three hundred miles this +side of it, were of the parties we want to find, especially as +that is a route which the Victorian and South Australian parties +may not be able to explore, and one upon which my knowledge of +the country will, I hope, be of service to me.</p> + +<p>With many thanks for the able assistance you have at all times +given in carrying out the views intended by this expedition, +etc.,</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, Sir, with best wishes for your own +health and welfare,</p> + +<p>Your obedient servant,</p> + +<p>(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH,</p> + +<p>Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition.</p> + +<p>Captain Norman of H.M.C.S. Victoria.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>(COPY.)</p> + +<p>Depot, Albert River, December 20 1861.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>Mr. Walker's party having arrived here for supplies on the 7th +instant, and left again this day, to return to the Flinders River +for the purpose of following up the tracks they have found of Mr. +Burke to wherever they may be led by them, I deem it my duty to +inform you that for the relief of Mr. Burke I consider it is not +necessary you should return by the overland route, as Mr. +Walker's party will, no doubt, do all that is possible, and not +give up the following of the missing party by their tracks to +wherever they may lead to.</p> + +<p>And notwithstanding my sanction to the contrary I deem it my +duty to inform you that for the relief of the missing explorers +it is not necessary for you return overland with your party, and +that you ought to return by the Victoria to Queensland in +accordance with the instructions of the Royal Society.</p> + +<p>But as much will depend on the time you return here, and +condition of your horses and party for immediate service, to +overtake and render assistance in pursuing the tracks found, I +must leave it to your own decision to determine whether you do so +or abandon your horses and return by water.</p> + +<p>As all the stores are at the depot that can be spared from the +Victoria (ammunition included) and I have left instruction for +their being packed in 50-pound packages ready for immediate use, +should you arrive here in time to overtake Mr. Walker your party +might render some service towards the main object of the +expedition by joining in the following up of the tracks +found.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, etc.,</p> + +<p>(Signed) W.H. NORMAN,</p> + +<p>Commander, and Commander-in-Chief of Northern Expedition +Parties.</p> + +<p>W. Landsborough, Esquire,</p> + +<p>Leader of Brisbane Party for relief of Burke, etc.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>(COPY.)</p> + +<p>H.M.C.S. Victoria, off the Albert River, February 7 1862.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>I do myself the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your +letter of 22nd ultimo reporting your return, and containing an +outline of your proceedings, and the nature of the country you +passed through going towards and returning from the direction of +Central Mount Stuart; also a tracing of your route for the Royal +Society of Victoria.</p> + +<p>In reply to your requisition in the same for a further supply +of stores for use on going on the south-east route, I regret to +inform you that, from not having them, I shall be unable to +supply you with tea, sugar, and rum; but such other articles as +we have and can spare you will be furnished with; but should you +consider it will in any way endanger your party going overland +without the stores you have asked for, or from the smallness of +the number for which you can carry stores, or for protection, I +do not consider that it is imperative you should do so, having +every reason to believe that Mr. Walker's party will do +everything that is possible and necessary to continue following +up of Mr. Burke's tracks, and you can all return by Victoria; +but, as you have stated, there is a possibility of Walker losing +the tracks, and you will have the same chance of finding and +following them up as he will by going on the south-eastern route, +you have my sanction to proceed if you consider you can with +safety do so, taking with you as many of your party and whom you +think proper, and the remainder will be taken round by this +vessel.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, Sir,</p> + +<p>Your obedient servant,</p> + +<p>(Signed) W.H. NORMAN,</p> + +<p>Commander, and Commander-in-Chief of Northern Exploring +Expedition to Gulf of Carpentaria.</p> + +<p>W. Landsborough Esquire, Leader of Brisbane party, etc.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>(COPY.)</p> + +<p>H.M.C.S. Victoria, off Albert River, Gulf of Carpentaria, +February 6 1862.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>In reply to your letter of the 20th December 1861, in which +you tell me you do not deem it necessary for me to go on the +second expedition I proposed, namely, to the south-east, as Mr. +Walker will no doubt do all that is possible and not give up +following the missing party, I beg to disagree with you. I think, +now that the tracks have been found, that it is an additional +reason for my going on the expedition, and that I will have a +much better chance of being successful in the main object of the +expedition than I had on my last one.</p> + +<p>Mr. Walker will not be able probably to follow the tracks of +Mr. Burke and his companions, as too long a time has elapsed +since these tracks were made.</p> + +<p>In conclusion I thank you for the sanction you have given me +to proceed on this expedition, especially as I never would have +had anything to do with it had I imagined that I would have been +checked in going the way I now propose; for all along I thought +it would be the way where Burke's tracks were most likely to be +found, and more particularly after I learned from Messrs. Cornish +and Buchanan that they had seen what they believed to be the +tracks of Burke's party, about 200 miles to the westward of Mount +Narien.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, Sir,</p> + +<p>Your obedient servant,</p> + +<p>(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH,</p> + +<p>Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition.</p> + +<p>Captain Norman, H.M.C.S. Victoria, Commander-in-Chief of +Northern Expedition Parties.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>(COPY.)</p> + +<p>(NUMBER 5.)</p> + +<p>Depot, Albert River, January 22.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>I have the honour to inform you that our party arrived here +all safe and in good health on the morning of the 19th instant, +when we were informed of the successful overland journey, +through, in a great measure, an unknown country, of Walker's +party, and of the glorious news of their having found the tracks +at the Flinders River of Burke's party returning from the Gulf of +Carpentaria; and also of your having found tracks lower down the +river, which were probably older than those found by Mr. Walker's +party, as the latter were the return tracks.</p> + +<p>Mr. Walker's party, as you observe in your letter of the 20th +ultimo, will no doubt do all that is possible and not give up (if +he can follow the tracks) following the missing party, in +whatever direction they may go. This however they will find +difficult and tedious, if not altogether impossible.</p> + +<p>I have brought back all the horses with the exception of two +that were drowned. I shall therefore, as I have your sanction, so +soon as I have recruited the horses and rested till there is a +probability of my party being able to travel, which we cannot do +at present, as the country is, I think, too boggy, start again, +with a better hope of success in the main object of the +expedition than I had on my last journey, when, in accordance +with my instructions, I went as far as the dry state of the +country and my time would admit in the direction of Central Mount +Stuart.</p> + +<p>For our next expedition we have, as you are aware, no tea nor +sugar. When you are leaving, I am sure, if you can spare us any +of these necessary articles, you will do so; also some +lime-juice, rum, quinine, caster oil, and laudanum, which are so +useful for the prevention or cure of diseases to which we will be +liable during or after wet weather.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, Sir,</p> + +<p>Your obedient servant,</p> + +<p>W. LANDSBOROUGH,</p> + +<p>Commander of Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition.</p> + +<p>Captain Norman, of H.M.C.S. Victoria,</p> + +<p>Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Expedition Parties.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>COPY OF JOURNAL.</p> + +<p>W. LANDSBOROUGH, ESQUIRE, LEADER OF BRISBANE PARTY.</p> + +<p>Albert River, November 18 1861.</p> + +<p>Camp Number 2. Situated near the junction of Beames Brook.</p> + +<p>Monday November 18.</p> + +<p>From the Post-office Lagoon we went one and a half miles west, +thence over fine downs, chiefly wooded with acacia, two and a +half miles south-west, and reached a pond on the left bank of +Beames Brook, near which we had a dinner of young wood from a +cabbage-palm-tree which Fisherman felled near the steep bank of +the running stream, at which place we marked a tree (broad arrow +before L) and likewise marked in the same way a more conspicuous +tree which stands a little further out from the brook; thence +eight miles south-west, over fine rich plains with a good variety +of grass upon them, and a few plants of saline herbs. It was then +time to encamp, as we had been travelling for five hours; we +therefore changed our course to north-west for three-quarters of +a mile, and reached a branch of the Nicholson River consisting of +at least four channels, one full of fine clear running water, on +the right bank of which we formed our Number 3 Camp.</p> + +<p>Tuesday November 19. Camp Number 3.</p> + +<p>The channels are shaded by drooping tea-trees, swamp-oaks, +etc. As it was unnamed on the charts I gave it the name of +Gregory River. Some blacks came up and watched the camp while we +were packing. We started up the river at 8.45 a.m.; we followed +the right bank of the watercourse in a south-south-west +direction. At 9.50 we reached a fine point for a station for +stock, about two and a quarter miles by the river from camp, the +first mile and a half of which was in a south-south-west, and the +last three-quarters of a mile in a south by east direction. We +could not cross the river easily, so we kept on the right bank. +At 10.20 we reached a point on the riverbank half a mile +south-west from the last. At 10.35 we made half a mile south. At +10.45, steering south-west by south half a mile we came to what +seemed to be the junction of the creek. The course of the river +was then from south-west to north-east, so we followed it up for +three miles, where we unpacked the horses, as we wanted to water +them. The approach to the river was boggy. We stopped here and +had some dinner. On the bank marked a tree (broad arrow before +L). In the afternoon we travelled from 4.4 to 6.13, in the +following courses:</p> + +<p>At 4.20 half a mile south-west by south where we passed a fine +waterhole.</p> + +<p>At 4.40, one mile south-west by south.</p> + +<p>At 5.5 one mile south-west.</p> + +<p>At 5.30 one mile south-west by south.</p> + +<p>At 5.55 one mile south-west to where we passed a broad reach +of water.</p> + +<p>At 6.10, three-quarters of a mile south-east to a point above +junction of a dry watercourse where we made our Number 4 camp. +The edges of the plain which we saw today in following up the +river are of the richest soil, and only sufficiently timbered to +afford firewood for a pastoral population. The grasses are of the +best description. This is the character of the whole of the +country we have seen since we left our first camp. There is no +appearance on the country we have crossed of its having had rain +for a long time; but from the strong stream of water in the river +I think there must have been plenty of rain on the country higher +up. I saw today, on several low places, saltbush which the horses +ate, of a kind I have often seen in the western country from +Rockhampton, but never before so near to the coast. By following +the river it has taken us nearly right on our course towards +Mount Stuart.</p> + +<p>Wednesday November 20. Camp Number 4.</p> + +<p>Situated on right bank of the Gregory River. Started at 8.13 +a.m. and steered south for about three miles, until 9.25; then I +had to change our course to south-south-east for about half a +mile to where we tried to cross the river, but could not find a +suitable place for doing so. Started again at 10.15 and reached +at 11.15, by a south course, two and a quarter miles to where we +crossed a dry creek near its junction with the river. We +continued steering on the same course south for about one mile, +when we reached the bank of the river, and a further continuation +of the same course for one mile brought us to a place on the +river where we watered the horses. The watering-place was boggy +but we could find no better. Started again at 2.4 p.m., and at +3.30 made one and a half miles south-south and by east; at 4 made +one and a half miles in a south-east direction, to where I went +in search of a crossing-place, and in doing so followed the river +in a south-east direction for two and a half miles without +finding a place where the horses could approach even near enough +to the river to get a drink without a risk of their falling into +the deep water. We followed up the Gregory River thirteen miles +by the courses I have mentioned. We found the branding-irons did +not answer for branding trees, as it took a much longer time to +do so than to mark them with a tomahawk, so we buried them at a +tree marked Dig, at the camp we left this morning. Last night we +had a potful of the young wood of the cabbage palm, which tasted +like asparagus. All the country we have seen today is of a +similar character to that described in yesterday's journal. This +afternoon we reached country on which rain had fallen recently +and it was in consequence covered with herbage so green that we +did not think the horses on it would require water during the +night, so their not having been able to approach it earlier in +the day was not of any consequence. We encamped but the night was +so short and the mosquitoes so troublesome that, what with +watching and getting up at 3.45, we had hardly sufficient sleep. +I found at this time that the duties of exploring gave very +little time for fishing or shooting. At this period of our +journey the sextant was too much out of order for making +sufficiently accurate observations of the stars.</p> + +<p>Thursday November 21. Camp Number 5.</p> + +<p>On right bank of the Gregory River. Started at 8.30 a.m., and +at 8.55 had made along the same bank three-quarters of a mile in +a south-south-east direction; at 9.25 we made a mile further in +the same direction; at 10.13 also in the same direction +(south-south-east) two miles; at 10.30 changed our course and +made three-quarters of a mile south-east; at 10.45 by following +up the river we made half a mile south-east by south to a point +where I marked a tree with a broad arrow before LC+, where the +river assumed a new character. It has a broad hard bed with only +a boggy spot at the western bank. The crossing of the horses over +this place was more difficult than I expected, and had to be +accomplished by strewing the ground with grass. We started from +the left bank of the river at 3.13 p.m., and at 3.40 made one +mile and a quarter south and by east; at 4.18 two miles in the +same direction; at 4.40 one mile south-east; at 4.54 half a mile +further in the same direction; at 5.12 three-quarters of a mile +south in a fruitless search for water. Returned to the same bank +by an east-north-east line of one mile and a quarter in length, +where we encamped. The country we have seen on this side, +although fine fattening plains, is more thinly grassed and not +nearly so rich as that on the plains we saw lower down the river. +At the camp we found marjoram, which makes a pleasant drink. On +this side of the river also we observed a white stunted gum with +leaves like that of the apple tree. I may mention a few common +trees which I have observed today--first, on the edges of the +river fine large tea-trees, with foliage (melaleuca) like the +drooping willow; beautiful Leichhardt-trees, pandanus, and +cabbage-palm-trees: on the banks and scattered over the plain, +stunted box, bauhinia, white cedar, and bloodwood; with the +pandanus I got too intimately acquainted for, while with merely a +shirt upon me, leading a restive horse across the river, I fell +back and, rolling, got its thorns into all parts of my body.</p> + +<p>Friday November 22. Camp Number 6.</p> + +<p>Situated on the left bank of the Gregory River. At 9.44 a.m. +steered south and by east for two miles, and by doing so went +across a bend of the river; at 9.58 made half a mile in a south +by west direction; at 10.20 made a quarter of a mile in the same +direction, to the left bank of a watercourse, which was evidently +a new one, and which I called the Macadam, after the Secretary of +the Royal Society. Stopped to fill water-bottles and water the +horses as I was afraid of the creek being dry further up. Started +again at 11.40 a.m. at a quicker pace, and at 12.10 p.m. made one +mile and a half south; at 12.40 p.m. halted to adjust the pack of +a packhorse after having made one mile and a quarter further in +the same direction. Started again and at 1 p.m. made south and by +west (by following up the Macadam Creek) half a mile; at 1.20 one +mile south-west by south to where we stopped, and started again +at 1.26; at 1.55 one mile south-west by south made a point near +which there was water in the Macadam Creek, and encamped.</p> + +<p>With respect to the Macadam Creek, it is badly watered and has +a dry shallow aspect, and appears from the scarcity of +flood-marks to have seldom a stream of water in it, and I am of +opinion flows chiefly through flat country. This character of a +river has in the settled parts of Victoria, New South Wales, and +Queensland, the best sheep country on its banks; but here, where +all the country is dry enough for sheep, this will not be a +qualification. Following it will be an unpleasant exchange to the +Gregory River with its beautiful stream of water, which I daresay +comes from well-watered highlands. At present the plains are dry +and parched.</p> + +<p>The water at our encampment was very bad, in a great measure +from its being warm, shallow, and frequented by ducks and other +birds. This is the hottest day we have had. At first we thought +we were going to have a miserable camp, from the badness of the +water; but in the afternoon a fine cool breeze sprang up and at +the water, or near it, we shot several ducks, a large waterfowl, +and some rose cockatoos; we had also as many nice little figs as +we liked to eat from a large shady clump of bushes near the +camp.</p> + +<p>Saturday November 23. Camp Number 7, situated on Macadam +Creek.</p> + +<p>We started at 8.48 a.m. and at 9.23 had made two and a quarter +miles in a south-west by south direction. At 9.40 we made one +mile further in the same direction; from thence we went in a +south line for one mile and a quarter, and reached, at 10.10, at +the end of that distance, a very fine waterhole, 300 yards long +and forty yards wide, very deep, with basaltic dykes at both +ends. I thought they were like white limestone. Here we watered +the horses. Started again at 10.55. At 11.55 made south along the +bed of the creek three-quarters of a mile. At 11.40 made a mile +south-west by south, where we stopped to adjust a pack, and +started again at 11.45. At 11.58 we reached in half a mile +south-west by south a waterhole in the Macadam Creek, near which +there are a great many rocks like white limestone. At this water +we made another stop, and started at 12.20 p.m. At 1.3 made one +mile and three-quarters south-south-west, where we sighted the +first hills we have seen since leaving the depot. We went on the +plain a quarter of a mile south-west by south to get observations +of the hills. They appeared to be twenty or thirty miles distant. +Started again at 1.37, with Fisherman, following the rest of the +party, who had gone on; and at 1.58 made three-quarters of a mile +south-west by west. At 2.6 a quarter of a mile south to a dry +creek, which we crossed. 2.40 we reached Macadam Creek in one +mile and a half in a south by east direction, where we overtook +our companions. At 3 we went in search of water up Macadam Creek +three-quarters of a mile south. We stopped to have a drink, and +although the water from the leather bottles was full of +impurities we found it agreeable to our parched palates. We +started again at 3.20, and made south-west one mile to Gregory's +River, where we formed our seventh camp. The river is here a +quarter of a mile wide, running strong in two channels. It is +uncrossable for horses, and the intervening parts are crowded +with fine large weeping tea-trees, large Leichhardt-trees, tall +cabbage-palm, pandanus, and other trees. It is the finest and +greenest-looking inland river I have seen in Australia, and the +country it runs through consists of rich-soiled plains, just +sufficiently wooded for pastoral purposes. Since we left the +depot we have not seen any country on which sheep would not do +well, excepting during the wettest and driest seasons. In country +such as this it is a singular fact that sheep do better, on the +whole, in a wet season than on ridgy country. With one exception, +where the soil was clayey, the country we have seen on this river +is of the very richest description. At present it is parched up, +with the exception of a few patches of young grass near the +river. In many places the old grass is three feet high. +Notwithstanding the parched state of the grass, the horses have +done well upon it, indeed they could not look better if they had +been corn-fed.</p> + +<p>Sunday November 24. Camp Number 8.</p> + +<p>We rested ourselves and the horses. Mr. Alison made a traverse +table of our course and found that we had made 55 miles south and +25 miles west from Post Office Camp, near the junction of the +Barkly with the Albert River, and the latitude 18 degrees 45 +minutes. The sun is too vertical for taking it with my sextant +and artificial horizon. We were rather late in making +observations of the sun, and we only got one sight of it, which +was made by myself. I brought it to a point within 180 yards of +me on the level bank of the river, which altitude made our +latitude 18 degrees 57 minutes. Thermometer showed 90 degrees at +7 a.m. and 103 degrees at noon. We got a fine potful of +cabbage-tree sprouts, which eat like asparagus.</p> + +<p>Monday November 25. Camp Number 8. Situated on the Gregory +River.</p> + +<p>From this camp we started at 8 a.m., but had almost +immediately to halt for ten minutes to adjust a pack on a +riding-saddle. The other packsaddles were constructed on +Gregory's principle, and required less adjusting. At 8.45 made +one mile and a quarter south by west along the bank of the river. +At 9 made one mile and a half south-west by south. At 9.16 made +half a mile further along the river in the same direction to +outlet of creek, which is probably what I have been calling +Macadam Creek (or River). At 9.23 made a quarter of a mile still +further along the bank of the river in the same direction, at +which place hills were in sight a short distance from our course. +Fisherman and I started for the hills, bearing 231 1/2 degrees, +and in two miles we reached the hill, and from the top of it we +saw ranges from 67 to 328 degrees; but none of them were +remarkable. The hill we ascended was rocky and barren. Having +taken observations of these hills, Fisherman and I started to +rejoin our companions. The country was so parched up that +Fisherman said, "Suppose you leave him river, you won't find +other fellow water." At 11.49 we made one mile and a quarter +south; at 12.10 we steered south-south-west for about +three-quarters of a mile, and reached the river, where, at a +blacks' camp, we overtook our companions. There were three gins +and six children, who were trembling with fear in and at the edge +of the water. In a short time they recovered courage, and one of +the gins, to whom I gave a red woollen neck comforter, wanted to +get up behind one of my companions, and although her advances +were rejected she followed us until Jemmy, the trooper, made +signs to her to return to camp. We started again at 12.30, and at +12.42 made half a mile south-west by west. At 12.56, by following +up the river, we made half a mile in a south-west direction. At +1.17 p.m. made three-quarters of a mile south by west along the +bank of the river. At 1.27 quarter of a mile south-west, where on +the bank of the river we had dinner, and had for salad +cabbage-tree sprouts. The holes in the river are here deep and +long. Hills confine the river on both sides, just above where we +had dinner. The one on the right bank of the river I have named +Heales Ranges, and the one on the left Mount Macadam. Started +again at 4.53 p.m. At 5.20 followed up the river, one mile in a +westerly direction, over fine ridges of rich soil. At 5.27 +quarter of a mile south-west by west. At 6.25 made two and a half +miles west-south-west to left bank of the river, where we formed +our ninth camp--the worst camp the horses have had as the grass +was completely burned up.</p> + +<p>Tuesday November 26. Camp Number 9, situated on the Gregory +River.</p> + +<p>From this camp there are three hills on this side--the +left--of the river, visible from the camp; ranges bearing from +north by east to north by west I call the Hull Ranges; a hill +west half south I call Mount Moore. Fisherman and I set off when +Campbell, Allison, and the horses were all but ready to start, to +go along the ranges to have a view of the country. We went along +the ranges which confine the river on the left bank for +forty-eight minutes, when we reached a point about two miles west +by south from camp. At 9.20 we started to overtake our +companions. At 10.12 made two miles and a quarter west by north, +partly over ridges of good soil, and partly over barren ridges, +all of which were as dry as a chip, to the track of our main +party on the way up the river. At 10.40 made one mile southerly, +and reached in that direction and distance the bank of the river, +where it washes the base of a steep hill on the opposite side. At +11 we made three-quarters of a mile along the bank of the river +in a south-west and by west direction. At 11.12 made half a mile +west-south-west to a point on the bank where a hill on the left +bank is about quarter of a mile distant to the north-west. At +11.25 made half a mile west-south-west to old channel of river. +At 11.37 made half a mile west along the river to a point where +an isolated hill bore west-south-west and by south. At 11.43 made +quarter of a mile west and watered our horses at the river. +Started again at 12 noon. At 12.20 steered one mile west, +overtook our companions, and halted to water the horses of the +main party. Started at 1 p.m., and at 1.50 made two miles +south-west by following up the river. At 2.24 made a mile and a +quarter south-west by west through a pass confined by hills on +the right and the river on the left. As soon as we got out of it +we observed similar ones on the opposite side of the river. At +2.45 made three-quarters of a mile south-west by south to a point +where we made our Number 10 camp. Today we went up the river +twelve miles and a half. During that space it is confined more or +less by ranges, which the river on either one side or the other +washes the base of when it is flooded. The troopers agree with me +in thinking that the river has the appearance of having a +constant stream of water. A small log of wood on the edge of the +water I observed was covered over with a stony substance formed +by sediment from the water. At one place in the river where we +bathed the current was so strong that it took our feet from under +us in wading across. It is so deep that it is not fordable except +at the bars between the waterholes, where it runs rapid. Its bed +is full of large trees, among which I observed gum, Leichhardt, +tea, and cabbage-palm-trees. Along the edge of the water it has a +fringe of pandanus. Among the trees in the second bed by the +river there is coarse grass and other herbs. If we had seen the +country under more favourable circumstances, a short time after +rain had fallen instead of now, when the grass is dry and +withered, I should have called it most beautiful country; for, +with the exception of a few barren ranges the soil is very rich +and clothed with the best of grasses. The trees upon it are +chiefly bauhinia, and stunted box and gumtrees, without +ironbark.</p> + +<p>Wednesday November 27. Camp Number 10, situated on the banks +of the Gregory River.</p> + +<p>Ginger, the old black horse, was missing until eleven o'clock, +when the troopers reported that they had found him in the river +drowned, and floating down with the stream. I had the horses +brought down on the previous evening to the only watering-place +which was safe, but as they were watered a few hours before they +did not all of them drink so soon again. From camp we crossed a +bad gully and from it made a fair start at 11.52, having made at +that place half a mile south-west by south. The river is at this +place closely confined on both sides by stony ranges; a few drops +of rain fell on us in that pass. At 12.40 p.m. made two miles +west to a small dry watercourse from the north, which is full of +pandanus at its mouth. The ranges on the left bank had on them +dykes like artificial ones, which run at different places across +the hills. At 1 p.m. we made three-quarters of a mile in the same +direction south to another dry small creek from the north. At +1.14 we made half a mile west by south to rapids with a fall of +at least three feet, where the river was still closely confined +on both sides. At 1.45 made a mile south-west to a small basaltic +hill, opposite what appeared the junction of a larger river from +the west-south-west. As the crossing-place was bad in this river +the troopers and I crossed to look at the large watercourse; it +was running and so full of pandanus that we could not see it +well. It might be only another channel of the Gregory River. It +has the broadest bed but has not so much running water in it. The +basaltic hill rose too close to the river to let us pass so we +had to go round it, and as soon as we had done so we reached the +junction of a creek from the north. The country about here +consists of stony barren hills and ridges, with the exception of +a few spots which have rich soil and excellent grass. There is +slate in abundance, and the country is like that of some +goldfields I have seen. At 3.40 made half a mile north-west up +the creek, which has a slaty bed, where we crossed. A little +higher it has reeds and water in it. I have called it the Stawell +Creek. At 3.48 quarter of a mile south-west to the river; we +observed in crossing this point patches of triodia, or more +commonly called spinifex. The country near this part of the river +is wooded with stunted bloodwood. At 4.30 made one mile +south-west up the river. At 4.43 half a mile south-south-west to +a point between river and small basaltic hill with two little +cones on the top of it, like the cairns Mr. Stuart draws of those +he made on Central Mount Stuart. (Direction omitted, probably +about south.) At 4.10 one mile and a quarter to where we made our +Number 11 camp, at which place I observed some first-rate +grasses, and for the first time on the Gregory River a few tufts +of kangaroo-grass. The country we have seen today is fine +fattening healthy sheep country; but it will not carry much stock +as the grass is thin. The horse drowned had been an unfortunate +brute from the time of our leaving Brisbane. On board ship he was +nearly kicked to death by other horses, having been trampled down +during the wreck.</p> + +<p>Thursday November 28. Camp Number 11, situated on the Gregory +River.</p> + +<p>Mr. Allison and I made from time to time observations of the +sun and stars; but as the sextant, which had been injured at the +wreck of a brig, was out of order, we had no confidence in those +observations, and have not preserved them. From Camp Mount Kay, a +hill confining the river closely on the left bank, about one mile +and a half distant (looks about three miles) bore 119 degrees; +another hill about two miles distant bore 28 degrees; and +another, two miles, bore 312 degrees; also a hill forming the +south end of the gorge of the river, about one mile distant up +the river 249 degrees. There is marjoram in abundance at the +camp; but that is hardly worthy of remark as it is very common +all up the river from the commencement of the high grounds. We +were detained this morning as I had a shoe to put on one of the +horses and other things to do. At 9.20 a.m. Messrs. Campbell, +Allison, and Jemmy started up the river, and Fisherman and I +started to look for a river from the southward. At 10.5, after +having crossed the river, we made one mile and three-quarters +south-south-west over rising ground, of the richest soil with +hardly a tree upon it, to the foot of the ranges, at which place +Mount Kay bore 56 degrees; the hill, probably, with the cairn on +the top, 53 degrees; the ranges bearing 68 to 71 degrees, which I +think are on the right bank of a watercourse we found soon +afterwards, which I named the O'Shanassy River, just above its +junction with the Gregory River. A table hill, about a mile +distant 92 degrees. At 10.50 we made half a mile south-south-west +to the top of a range which has a basaltic stony character. From +it we observed that we were 327 degrees from a distant +long-topped table hill. Having got into broken country I depended +too much on Fisherman to take me out of it into the next valley, +but he took me on to the river at a point a considerable distance +up its course. At 1 p.m. we returned to the point, which is one +mile and three-quarters south-south-west from the camp we left in +the morning. At 1.30 we made east-south-east, past the little +table hill to a beautiful valley of the richest soil, but now +without water, and all the grass parched up, at which point Mount +Kay bore north-north-west, about one mile distant. We then +searched for the river we expected to find coming from the +southward, and found it by following down the river north-east +for one mile and a half below Mount Kay, where we marked a +tree--broad arrow before L. We then followed the river up for +half a mile and observed that it was running. It does not join at +the place which we the previous day thought was the junction of a +river. Just above the junction there is a scrub of large +fig-trees, on which there were a great number of flying foxes. +There is a hill on the right bank of the river, just above its +junction with the Gregory, which I named Smith's Range. In +returning I observed at a point one mile and three-quarters +south-south-west from the camp remarkable hills on both sides of +the Gregory River, about half a mile above the junction with the +O'Shanassy, which I have named the Prior Ranges. At 4.48 we +returned to a point opposite Mount Kay. At 5.26 made two miles up +the river to where there are remarkable bluff hills on both sides +of the river (the lower hills of the gorge). At 5.50 we observed +that we had passed the camp and, as the river is difficult to +cross even at its best fords, we went to the camp ford, which the +horses knew, as we had crossed there in the morning. Having made +camp at 6.35, at dark we made one mile and three-quarters west, +slightly southerly to the hill at the gorge, on the track of the +main party. Further than that Fisherman would not follow this +track in the dark, as it went over a basaltic rocky range. This +was a bad camp for us, the grass so parched up that the horses +could not get any worth eating, and we had nothing to eat +ourselves. I was stung by a reptile, probably a scorpion. The +pain it gave was sufficient to make me very uncomfortable during +the night.</p> + +<p>Friday November 29.</p> + +<p>At 5.40 a.m. Fisherman and I started on the track of the main +party. At 6.55 we made two and a half miles south-south-west by +following the river up a gorge to opposite junction of a +watercourse from the south, which I have named the Verdon Creek. +At 7.18 made three-quarters of a mile south-west by south up +gorge of the river. At 7.35 made half a mile south-west and by +west to junction of a little creek from the north. At 8 made +three-quarters of a mile west to a basaltic hill on left bank. At +8.25 three-quarters of a mile in the same direction, to a point +opposite a large creek from the south, which I have named Balfour +Creek. (Respecting it see Campbell's report.) At the lower end of +a gap in the basaltic wall, on the left side, there is a +round-topped hill, just above the junction of the creek. At 8.35 +we made half a mile west-north-west to the junction of a small +creek from the north. At 9.4 made a mile west and by north. At +9.13 a quarter of a mile to junction of a watercourse from the +north, which I have named Haines Creek. At 9.24 a quarter of a +mile north-west up this creek to Number 12 Camp. During the +remainder of the day we all remained in encampment except Mr. +Campbell and Jemmy who went and examined Balfour Creek, having +been asked by me to do so. Mr. Campbell gave me afterwards the +following report of his survey;</p> + +<p>I proceeded, accompanied by Jemmy to the Gregory River, and +though I endeavoured at several points to effect a crossing, we +had to follow the stream about four miles before an eligible +place could be found. Here the bottom is hard and stony, with +about three feet of water running at a rapid rate. Opposite this +point I marked a gumtree with + before broad arrow before L. I +then proceeded up the opposite bank, and crossed two dry +watercourses, and at about two and a half miles came upon the +branch (I presume you to have meant) and found it going in a +westerly direction. There was but little water in it so far as I +went; and, as it was not running, I do not think water could be +traced up any distance. I tried to cross the Gregory at the +junction of this creek, but the banks are so boggy I had to +return by the way I went.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>Saturday November 30. Camp Number 12, situated on Haines +Creek.</p> + +<p>At 8.35 a.m. left the camp, and at 8.50 made half a mile +south-east and reached the river. At 8.57 made a quarter of a +mile west. At 9.30 made one mile and a quarter west-south-west +along the river. At 9.37 made a quarter of a mile south-west. At +9.55 made three-quarters of a mile south to where there is a +crossing-place at rapids, with at least six feet of a fall. Made +a delay of twenty minutes from having to go through pandanus and +tea-tree scrub, and then over rocks, etc. Made a fair start at +10.20. At 10.35 made half a mile south-west. At 10.45 made half a +mile south. At 11.10 made one mile and a half west-south-west. +(About here kangaroos are numerous.) At 11.23 made half a mile +south-west by west. At 11.40 made three-quarters of a mile west +to a single column and wall, which I have called Campbell's +Tower. Mr. Campbell and I got into the tower, which we found a +delightful shelter from the heat of the sun, while the troopers +were getting cabbage-tree sprouts. Started again at 12.54 p.m. At +3.45 made what I supposed to be a branch of the river, as it was +hardly running. Having stopped the horses, Jemmy and I went in +search of the running water, and also to look for grass for the +horses, as we did not remember having seen any on the course we +had come for some distance back, except very coarse grass in the +bed of the river, and old grass on the bank, which was too dry to +be of service. At a quarter of a mile further we found the +junction, on the right side of the river, of a well-watered creek +which I have named after Sir Francis Murphy. We could not, from +its bogginess, cross. We therefore returned, and recrossed at the +old place. There we went down the river and crossed between the +creek I mentioned. We then followed the same down on the right +side about two miles without finding the junction of the running +stream; and as it was late we returned to where we had left the +main party, and near there formed our thirteenth camp on the left +bank of the river.</p> + +<p>Sunday December 1. Camp 13, situated on the Gregory River.</p> + +<p>On a particular examination of the grass about the camp I had +a better opinion of it, and thought it advisable to remain here +until I had made a search for the running water. At this camp we +had a potful of cabbage-tree sprouts, and we ate a large quantity +of it with lime juice which made it resemble rhubarb in taste. It +agreed well with us, except with Mr. Campbell, who was slightly +sick from eating it.</p> + +<p>Monday December 2. Camp 13.</p> + +<p>Before starting to look for the running stream Mr. Allison and +I clinched and fastened with other nails the shoes on the horses +that Jemmy and I were going to ride. We left camp at 7.52 a.m. At +8.30 made one mile and a half east. At 8.53 made one mile further +east. At 9.6 half a mile east-north-east to junction of a creek +on the right side of the river, which I have named the Wilson +Creek. In the fork made by it and the river marked a tree with +broad arrow between E. L. At 9.27 we crossed the creek and +followed down the river. At 10.4 we made one mile and a quarter +north-east (chiefly at some distance from the river, on the top +of the high basaltic bank, which, from the want of soil, has +nothing on it except triodia and stunted bloodwood-trees) to a +point half a mile south of Campbell's Tower and west-south-west +from a point about two miles down the river. We started again at +10.13 and reached the rapids in the river, which are about three +miles above Number 12 camp; in doing so we kept chiefly at some +distance from the river on the barren basaltic rocky ridges, and +only crossed two dry watercourses. With some difficulty we +crossed at the top of the rapids. A few yards lower the stream is +three feet deep and several yards wide. Having now gone round the +running water, as the country is very dry on both sides of the +river, it follows that this fine stream proceeds from springs in +the immediate neighbourhood. We left the rapids to return to camp +at 3.22 p.m. at a smart walk. At 4.10 we made two miles and a +half to a tree in a narrow pass, which we marked with a broad +arrow between E. L. At 4.20 started again, and at 4.40 made one +mile to Campbell's Tower; then at 5.9 two miles and a half to a +pillar 40 feet high. At 6.14 two miles and three-quarters to +camp.</p> + +<p>Tuesday December 3. Camp 13.</p> + +<p>At 8.15 a.m. we left this camp; crossed the river with the +intention of following it on that side when practicable. At 8.26 +made a quarter of a mile north-west. At 8.35 made half a mile +west-north-west. At 8.50 made half a mile south-west and by west. +At 9.4 made half a mile west-north-west. At 9.16 made half a mile +west-south-west to junction of another creek from the south, +named by me Haughton Creek. At 9.45 made one mile west-south-west +to junction of another creek from the south, named by me Dodwell +Creek. At 10.12 made one mile west by north. At 10.20 made a +quarter of a mile west to junction of another creek from south. +At 10.27 made a quarter of a mile north by west. At 10.52 made +three-quarters of a mile north-west. At 11.7 made half a mile +north-west. At 11.20 made half a mile west and by south. At 11.40 +made three-quarters of a mile north-west. At noon made +three-quarters of a mile west. At 12.26 made one mile west and by +south. At 1 made one mile west by south. At 1.7 made a quarter of +a mile south to a point on the right bank, where we formed our +fourteenth camp, as we found there water in the river from a +recent thunderstorm. The bed of the river we had found perfectly +dry for some distance back. The river is badly watered along the +course we have come. Below our last camp it has quite a different +character. There are now only gumtrees in the bed of it, whereas +lower down it was crowded with green trees, consisting chiefly of +fig, Leichhardt, drooping tea-tree, cabbage-palm, pandanus, etc. +All the country above Camp 11 on the banks of the river is +composed of barren, rocky, basaltic ridges, which are slightly +timbered with stunted bloodwood trees and overrun with triodia, +with the exception of narrow strips of flooded country on each +side of the river, on the lowest parts of which there is coarse +grass, and on the higher parts there are tufts of the best +description of grasses.</p> + +<p>Tuesday December 4. Camp Number 14, situated on the Gregory +River.</p> + +<p>At 7.58 a.m. left camp and at 8.20 made three-quarters of a +mile south to opposite junction of creek from south, which I have +named Fullarton Creek. At 8.35 a.m. made three-quarters of a mile +south-west to the junction of another creek from south. At 8.53 +made a quarter of a mile west-south-west. At 9 made +three-quarters of a mile west. At 9.20 made three-quarters of a +mile west-south-west. At 9.27 made a quarter of a mile +west-south-west to junction of creek from west. At 10 made one +mile south-west. At 10.35 made one mile south-west to junction of +creek from north named by me Dixon Creek. At 10.45 made a quarter +of a mile south-west. At 11.20 left main party to go in search of +water, with orders to party to return to old camp if not back in +an hour. At 11.40 made three-quarters of a mile west to junction +of small creek from south. At 11.45 made a quarter of a mile +west. At 12.10 p.m. made half a mile north-west. At 12.40 made +one mile north-west to junction of creek from south-west which I +have named Abbot Creek. At 12.48 made a quarter of a mile +south-west up the creek, and marked a tree in its bed. Fisherman +got some honey from a tree. At 2.30 made a quarter of a mile +south-west, proceeded up the creek. At 2.40 made a quarter of a +mile south-west, passed the junction of two small creeks. At 2.58 +made three-quarters of a mile south-west by west. At 3.20 made +three-quarters of a mile south. At 3.30 made a quarter of a mile +south-west to junction of small creek on south side. At 3.53 made +three-quarters of a mile south. At 3.58 made a quarter of a mile +south-east. At 4.8 made a quarter of a mile south-south-west, at +which point, having marked a tree with broad arrow over L and not +having found either water or grass since leaving Number 14 camp, +we started to return at 5.5. We reached our honey delay tree in +about two miles and three-quarters. At dark we reached in about +three miles to where we had left our party, when we went in +search of water, and in a distance of fully five miles and a +quarter to Camp 15, situated about one mile higher up the river +than Camp 14. From our companions we learned that Jemmy had been +up the river, and although he had been away all day, had returned +without finding any water. He observed however a smoke to the +southward, where water very probably may be found, as these fires +are generally kindled by the natives near water.</p> + +<p>Thursday December 5. Camp Number 15.</p> + +<p>Mr. Campbell having gone today in search of water, made the +following report:</p> + +<p>Left camp at 8.15 a.m., accompanied by Jemmy. On reaching the +rise above the camp I steered in a south-west direction which we +followed for six miles over a barren country intersected in many +places by deep gullies or watercourses; one of these we followed +to its junction with a very wide channel, larger, in my opinion, +than the Gregory at the point where we left that stream. From its +appearance I imagine it has not been visited by a flood for a +considerable period, as in many places it is overgrown with rank +grass and young timber.</p> + +<p>We followed this channel up for some distance in the +expectation of finding water in the deep holes along its bed, in +one of which we discovered a native well, but which was quite +dry.</p> + +<p>Seeing after a time there was no prospect of procuring water +by following this course, I left the channel and proceeded in a +south to south-east direction, and (being advised by Jemmy) and +having neither water nor provisions with us, determined on +returning back, seeing no probability of obtaining water in the +character of country through with we were travelling. On our +return we made the channel before mentioned several miles to the +north, which we followed down, and it brought us into the +Gregory, about four miles above our camp. Distance travelled +about thirty miles.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>Friday December 6. Camp Number 15.</p> + +<p>Fisherman and I left camp this morning to go in search of +water. At 9.50 a.m. made three-quarters of a mile south to +Fullarton Creek. At 10.15 made one mile south up the creek. At +10.43 made one mile south up the creek. At 10.50 made a quarter +of a mile south-east. At 11.8 made a quarter of a mile north. At +11.15 made a quarter of a mile east. At 11.35 made a quarter of a +mile east, general course of creek. At 11.40 made a quarter of a +mile south-east. At 11.50 made half a mile south. At 12.7 p.m. +made three-quarters of a mile south. At 12.52 made two miles +south. At 1.18 made one mile south by east, to a plain with +tableland of the richest soil, and with grasses of the most +fattening nature, but which at this time are old and dry. This +tableland I have named Barkly Plains, after His Excellency Sir +Henry Barkly. At 1.26 made a quarter of a mile south by east +three miles and three-quarters south to plains, to reach which we +crossed barren ridges with gullies, having an easterly course. To +the south-west not a tree was to be seen. At 3.37 made two miles +and a quarter south, with which course we skirt the left edge of +Barkly Plains. Stopped here and had some dinner. Started again at +4.15. At 4.30 p.m. made one mile south where Fisherman shot and +dressed an emu. At 5.23 we started again. At 5.40 made +three-quarters of a mile south-south-east to a watercourse which +I have named Pratt Creek. At 5.45 made a quarter of a mile +south-east down the creek to water. Proceeded about one mile +further, and then returned about halfway to where we encamped +(compare with 7th December). The grass in this neighbourhood is +good, excepting of course on the ridges, which are barren and +covered with triodia. The creek has been recently flooded, and +has remaining in it, I hope, sufficient water to last us until we +find more permanent water to which we can proceed. I think that +watercourses do exist, both to the right and left of the plain, +from the general appearance of the country running parallel to +the plains.</p> + +<p>Saturday 7th December.</p> + +<p>Started to return to camp at 8.25 a.m. At 9 a.m. made one mile +north-west, and having tracked the emu there it was then packed +upon the packhorse; we started again at 9.20. At 10.10 made two +miles and a half north. At 11.8 made one mile and a quarter north +to the barren ridges. At 11.42 made one mile and a half north +over the ridges. At 12.56 p.m. made two miles and three-quarters +north. At 1.20 made one mile north-west where we had dinner and +started again at 1.55. At 2.5 made a quarter of a mile north-west +by north. At 2.15 made half a mile north-north-east to outward +tracks upon Fullarton Creek. At 5.35 made seven miles and a half +to the junction of creek with river; upon the point formed by +junction marked tree (broad arrow over L). At 6 made half a mile +and reached Camp Number 15.</p> + +<p>Sunday 8th December. Camp Number 15.</p> + +<p>Being anxious to benefit by the water in Pratt Creek, on +Barkly Tableland, we left camp at 11.7 to go to it. At 11.20 a.m. +made half a mile to marked tree at junction of Fullarton Creek. +At 11.25 made two miles and three-quarters to a cross log. Soon +after Mr. Campbell was taken unwell. At 2.20 p.m. made four miles +to where we left the creek when upon its right bank. At 3.20 made +three miles and a half south over barren ridges to Barkly +Tableland, where we delayed until 4.10. At 5.17 made three miles +south. At 5.45 made one mile and a quarter south by east. At 6.56 +made three miles and a quarter south by east. At 7.13 made +three-quarters of a mile south. At dark made one mile +east-south-east and encamped at Pratt Creek.</p> + +<p>Monday 9th December. Camp Number 16.</p> + +<p>Mr. Campbell has been for some days somewhat unwell. Jemmy and +I started down the creek in search of more permanent water. At +12.6 p.m. made one mile and three-quarters east-north-east on +right bank to the junction of small creek. At 12.20 made +three-quarters of a mile east-north-east over barren stony +basaltic ridges, overrun by triodia and slightly timbered with +stunted bloodwood and bauhinia trees, to a plain of rich soil +covered with fattening grasses. At 12.30 made half a mile +east-north-east over a plain to where we observed smoke half a +point northerly of the course we had just come. Kept towards it, +thinking water might be found near it. At 1.32 made two miles and +a half east-north-east, chiefly over ridges of a character like +those I have previously described, to a watercourse which I have +named Burrows Creek; its course is easterly. At 1.52 made +three-quarters of a mile east-north-east to a tree from which +Jemmy got some honey. Started again at 2.30. At 4.50 made three +miles and a half east-north-east to a small creek from the north. +At 5 made three miles and a quarter east-north-east to another +creek from the north. At 6.23 made three miles to a little creek +from the south. At 7.20 made two miles and three-quarters +easterly down the creek from the south. At 8.15 made two miles +north-east. Made down the creek in search of water but had to +camp without succeeding. The latter part of the day's journey has +been along a stony barren ridge, as I have described, which told +severely on the feet of the horses.</p> + +<p>Tuesday December 10th.</p> + +<p>Not being able to proceed further with our lame and thirsty +horses I deemed it advisable to return campwards at 6.30 a.m. At +7.30 a.m. made two miles and three-quarters west-south-west to +where I told Jemmy to lead the way over the range and follow down +one of the southerly creeks in search of water. At 8.35 made +three miles south-west by west to the head of the creek. At 9.20 +made four miles and three-quarters south-east down the creek, +where we left it, as its course was contrary to the direction of +the camp. At 9.50 made one mile and a quarter west-south-west to +another small creek, which we also resolved to follow down a +short distance in search of water. At 10.12 made one mile south +down the creek. Crossed our old tracks. At 10.27 made half a mile +south-east. Left the creek. At 10.53 made one mile +west-south-west. At 11.3 made half a mile south-west to creek, +which we also searched. At 11.35 made one mile south-south-east +down creek, and then left it; no appearance of water, which we +very much wanted. At 1 p.m. made two miles south by west. At 2 +made two miles and three-quarters west half north where we gave +our horses each two quarts of water from our leathern bottles, +and changed saddles so that Jemmy could ride the packhorse, as +the one that he had been riding was not able to carry him any +further. At 3.15 made two miles and three-quarters west by north +to our outward tracks, and also a great number of emu tracks, +from which we concluded that water existed in the neighbouring +creeks. At 3.50 made one mile and a half west-south-west to +Burrows Creek. At 4.5 made half a mile north-east where we had to +proceed without our packhorse down the creek a considerable +distance without noting the distance, as I was too thirsty. As +the birds were very numerous here, we were convinced that we were +near water. The continual noise they made was more tantalising +than can well be conceived: it sounded to us like, "We know where +there is water, but you foolish fellows cannot find it." About +one mile further down the creek we came upon a hole very recently +dry, in the bottom of which we dug with a pointed stick, clearing +away with our hands to the depth of two feet. We found muddy +water, with which we quenched our thirsts and gave the horses a +few quarts of it. Having hobbled our tired horses we started upon +foot to look for water. We went up the creek a mile to where it +is joined by another branch; this we followed up for about two +miles, and found a hole with a few gallons of water in it. In +about a mile we crossed over to where we had left the packhorse, +which we found after a prolonged search. At 12.10 a.m. made half +a mile north-east down Burrows Creek to the junction of Pratt +Creek. At 1 one mile and three-quarters north to our well. At +1.25 started to take the horses to the water. At 3 two miles and +a quarter south by west to the water previously found; and +unsaddled our horses. We were twenty-two consecutive hours, more +or less, engaged, during which time Jemmy never showed any signs +of fatigue, or unwillingness to proceed.</p> + +<p>Wednesday December 11th.</p> + +<p>Jemmy and I started to follow up the creek to camp. At 10.20 +made four miles up the creek to where we found just sufficient +water to quench the thirst of the horses, and after delaying for +that purpose we started again at 10.50 a.m. At 11.20 made one +mile to the best pond of water that we have seen either up or +down the creek. One of the horses was so fagged that we delayed +in consequence till 12.35. At 12.50 made half a mile up the creek +to opposite junction (or main) one-eighth of a mile to opposite +junction of another creek. At 2.27 made three miles up the creek +to Camp 17, where we were glad to find from Mr. Campbell that he +had quite recovered from his illness.</p> + +<p>Thursday December 12th. Camp Number 16. Situated on Pratt +Creek.</p> + +<p>At 8.50 made one mile south-west by south up the creek from +Number 16 Camp to a waterhole where Fisherman and Jemmy were +filling the water-bottles to carry on the packhorse, so as to +supply us whilst in search of more water. At 10.4 made one mile +and a quarter, about south to a waterhole up the creek. At 12 +made five miles and three-quarters south-west to one of the +branches of the Gregory River, which I have named Elliott Creek, +over rich well-grassed plain country. At 12.10 made one mile +south to where Jemmy left us to return to Camp 16. At 1.24 made +two miles south, where we left following up Elliott Creek, +despairing of finding water in it. At 1.35 made half a mile +south-west to a tree which Fisherman climbed to look across the +plains. At 6.24 made thirteen miles south-west, which distance on +that course took us across the plain near to a large clump of +timber. The grass on the plain is good, with a considerable +quantity of saltbush among it, but we were afraid we would not +find water in the watercourse we were approaching, we had seen so +few birds on the plain. At 6.43 made one mile south to a clump of +trees resembling myall, which I have seen before to the west of +Rockhampton. At 8 made two miles and three-quarters about south +down the watercourse in search of water, having stopped for our +supper and started again. At 12 made two miles and a quarter +south by west down the watercourse to some young grass, where we +camped for the remainder of the night.</p> + +<p>Friday December 13th.</p> + +<p>In the morning we heard a great number of birds and expected +to find water. At 6.5 a.m. made three-quarters of a mile west in +search of water, hearing birds in that direction. At 6.44 made +one mile about south-east back to the creek. At 8.45 made six +miles about south-west down the creek in search of water to the +junction of watercourse from the north which I have named Pring +Creek. On the point between the two creeks we marked a tree with +a broad arrow before L. At this place we stopped until nine +o'clock and in the meantime gave the horses each two quarts of +water from the supply we had with us. At 9.25 made one mile +north-north-west up Pring Creek to the junction of a creek from +north. At 9.35 made one mile north-north-west up the latter creek +to where we started for Number 16 Camp without having found +water. At 10.47 made three miles and three-quarters west by north +over rich thinly timbered plains, the grass old and dry. At 11.22 +made one mile and a half north-east to our outer track below camp +on creek. At 11.38 made three-quarters of a mile about +north-north-east up the creek. At 11.55 made three-quarters of a +mile north to last night's camp. At 12.26 p.m. made one mile and +a quarter north-east up the creek. At 1.3 made one mile and a +half north to where we supped last night. At 1.30 made one mile +and a quarter north-east at where we stopped and started again at +2 p.m. At 2.20 made one mile north-east to the plain. At 3.10 +made two miles and a half north. At 7.15 made ten miles and a +half north-east to lookout-tree, which we made steering by +compass. At this place I gave the horses almost all that was left +of the water, as I thought that Fisherman would be able easily to +lead the way to Camp 16, and I being so confident of this paid no +attention to the course that he was leading me. At 11.30 I found +that Fisherman did not know where he was, so I gave my horse his +head, thinking he would go to water near Number 16 Camp; but he +searched along the bed of a watercourse for water and found a +fine waterhole, where we saw a fire on the banks, at which we +thought there were probably blacks, as boughs and a net had been +recently placed around the water to ensnare large birds. After we +had got a supply of water we watered the horses and went +west-north-west about one mile and a half to a point on the plain +about half a mile distant from the watercourse, where we hobbled +out the horses and stopped till morning.</p> + +<p>Saturday December 14.</p> + +<p>The watercourse I named Clifton Creek. At 6.30 a.m. Fisherman +and I left our camp. At 7 made one mile east-south-east down +Clifton Creek to where we passed from left to right bank, which +we then followed up a few yards to the junction of a larger creek +on the right side, where there is a fine waterhole. At 7.45 made +one mile east-south-east down the Clifton Creek to where we +stopped for breakfast, and started again at 9.35. At 9.42 went +quarter mile south-east across a range to a creek with deep empty +holes. At 9.49 went quarter mile south-east to plain. At 10.40 +went two and a half miles south-east to a large river, with large +waterholes recently empty, surrounded by tall cabbage, pandanus, +and large drooping tea-trees. I ascertained afterwards that it +was the O'Shanassy. One of the cabbage-trees we cut down to get +its centre sprout to eat. Started again at 11.40. At 12.13 made +three-quarters of a mile south-south-east, passed the junction of +two creeks, one from the east and one from the west. At 12.45 +made one mile north-west across a range to dry creek. From the +range we saw the river had a north-north-east course. At 1.9 made +one mile north-west up a barren, rocky, basaltic range to rich +well-grassed plains. At 1.33 made one mile north-west to a creek +with empty deep holes. At 2.10 made two miles north-west to +Clifton Creek, where we had breakfast, and started again at 3 up +the Clifton Creek. At 3.15 made three-quarters of a mile +north-west up the creek to where we crossed to left bank and left +it. At 3.50 made one mile and three-quarters north-west over a +fine downs ridge covered with green grass. At 4.15 made one mile +north-north-west to outward track on right bank on the Pratt +Creek. At 4.45 made one and a quarter mile north-east and at 5 +made three-quarters of a mile north-east in the direction of +Number 16 Camp. At 5.9 made quarter of a mile north by east to +creek. At 5.17 made quarter of a mile north over a barren desert +grass ridge. At 5.30 made one mile and a half to Number 16 Camp. +At 5.40 we left Number 16 Camp to go two and a half miles +south-west by south to where our companions had formed Number 17 +Camp in our absence.</p> + +<p>Monday December 16. Camp Number 17. Situated on Pratt +Creek.</p> + +<p>At 8.15 left camp to go to the fine waterhole at the junction +of a creek from the west, which I have named Campbell's Creek, +with Clifton Creek. At 8.48 made one mile and a half south-west +by south. At 9 made half a mile south-south-west to tracks made, +when Fisherman and I returned to Number 17 Camp. At 9.45 made two +miles south-east down to Clifton Creek. At 10.10 made one mile +south-east down the creek to where we formed our 18th camp. At +the camp we had a severe thunderstorm which lasted for about four +hours. At the two previous camps Mr. Allison made observations of +the sun with the plains for a horizon, which were very +satisfactory, as the latitude obtained was nearly the same as +that of my dead reckoning, also nearly the same as the latitude +made with the observations of the stars Aldebaran and Castor with +an artificial horizon at Number 16 Camp. Observations taken at +Camp 16: Aldebaran 19 degrees 14 minutes 21 seconds; ditto Castor +19 degrees 24 minutes 30 seconds; ditto Sun 19 degrees 24 minutes +30 seconds; ditto dead reckoning 19 degrees 24 minutes. At Camp +Number 17 about two miles southward from Camp 16: Sun 19 degrees +26 minutes 47 seconds. At Camp Number 20: Sun dead reckoning +nearly the same 19 degrees 37 minutes.</p> + +<p>Tuesday December 17. Camp Number 18. Situated on Clifton +Creek.</p> + +<p>Left camp at 7.32. At 8.15 made two miles south to dry creek +from south-west, where we were delayed till 8.32; at 8.50 made +three-quarters of a mile south to the plain; at 10.45 made five +miles and a half south to a watercourse which I have named +Darvall Creek: at 11.10 made three-quarters of a mile west by +south up the creek; at 11.32 made one mile south-west by south; +at 11.48 made three-quarters of a mile south-west by south; at +12.8 made three-quarters of a mile south-west where we crossed +the creek; at 12.13 made quarter of a mile south-west to junction +of creek; at 12.35 made one mile west-south-west to left bank of +the creek; at 1.10 made about one mile south-west up the creek; +at 1.27 made three-quarters of a mile south-west up the creek; at +1.34 made quarter of a mile west-south-west to where we stopped, +as some of our party were looking for water, at 3.35 made three +miles and a quarter south-east to where, having found a little +water in a watercourse with an easterly course, which I have +named Wilkie Creek, we formed our 19th camp.</p> + +<p>Wednesday December 18. Camp Number 19. Situated on Wilkie +Creek.</p> + +<p>At 7.10 a.m. Fisherman and I left camp to search for water; at +7.20 made half a mile south-east; at 7.50 made one mile and a +half east by north half north over well-grassed plains to poor +soil ridges slightly timbered with bauhinia, stunted box, and +bloodwood trees; at 8.6 made three-quarters of a mile east by +north to a little creek; at 8.20 made three-quarters of a mile +east by north to a watercourse which I have named Allison's +Creek; it has narrow channels and flats, timbered with gum trees, +and thickly covered with what is called on Darling Downs oaten +grass: At 8.30 made quarter of a mile south by east up the creek: +at 8.50 made three-quarters of a mile south-south-east to a small +rocky hole with a little water in it: at 9.45 made one and a half +miles east-south-east up the creek to where we left it: at 10.6 +made three-quarters of a mile south-west by west to a little +creek from east; at 10.15 made quarter of a mile south-west to +plains; at 10.45 made one mile and a half south-west across the +plains; at 11.17 made one mile and a half west-south-west to +where we stopped to have dinner under a solitary tree which cast +a deep shadow. Started again at 1 p.m. At 2.10 made three miles +and two-thirds west-south-west across the plain, without finding +the track of Campbell and party; at 4.30 made six miles and +three-quarters north-west over unbroken rich plains, timbered +slightly with bushes; at 6.16 made four miles and a half +north-east to where some of our party on a previous day went in +search of water; at 6.45 made one mile and a quarter east a short +distance back from right bank of creek; at 7.15 made one mile and +three-quarters north-east by north to where he went down right +bank of creek to search for water; at 7.22 made quarter of a mile +north-north-east searching down the creek in vain for water; at +8.5 made two miles along yesterday's outward track to waterhole +in Darvall Creek, where the horses were watered yesterday, near +which on the left bank of the creek we found Messrs. Campbell and +Allison had encamped.</p> + +<p>Thursday December 19. Camp Number 20. Situated on Darvall +Creek.</p> + +<p>Accompanied by Mr. Allison I went out on the plain to a point +about three-quarters of a mile south-west by south from camp, +where Mr. Allison made the noon altitude of sun 85 degrees 57 +minutes, which gave the latitude 19 degrees 37 minutes, which was +nearly the same as my dead reckoning. Mr. Campbell and Fisherman +returned to camp, having been out in search of water. He brought +back a turkey which he had shot, and the good news that he had +found water up the creek. At 6.30 p.m. we left Number 20 Camp; at +7.45 made three miles west-south-west up the creek to the +waterhole which Mr. Campbell had found, near which on the right +bank we formed our 21st camp. The banks of the creek at this camp +descend in gentle slopes, and consequently have a continuation of +rich soil from the plains; and as the grass was not too old it +proved one of the best camps for horses we have hitherto had.</p> + +<p>Friday December 20. Camp 21. Situated on the Darvall +Creek.</p> + +<p>The troopers and I left this camp at 10.4 to go in search of +water; at 10.45 made two miles west-south-west to the junction of +a watercourse from south-west which I have named Turner Creek; at +11.14 made one mile and a quarter up Darvall Creek; at 11.37 made +one mile west by north further up the creek. All the country we +have seen since we started resembles the rich country about the +camp. At 12.4 made one mile west by south to where there are +trees, which I have named Western Wood; at 12.27 made one mile +south through Western Wood scrub, it is full of salt herbs, of +which the horses were fond of eating as they went along; at this +place we saw cockatoos and pigeons. From seeing them we searched +for water but did not find any; at 1.20 one mile and a half +south-south-west across rich well-grassed plains to a belt of +acacia, overlooking a plain to the westward, but beyond it a line +of trees stretching north and south which I have named Manning +Plain. At 2.40 went three miles and three-quarters west to a belt +of Western Wood scrub; at 2.57 went three-quarters of a mile west +to where we stopped to have dinner; we started again at 4.25; at +4.53 made one mile and a quarter west by south to a watercourse +from the north-west; at 5.30 made one mile and three-quarters +about south-east down the creek to our old track of the 12th +instant; at 6.35 made one mile and a quarter to our old camp; +here we again encamped.</p> + +<p>Saturday December 21.</p> + +<p>Having used the water up on the additional packhorse that we +had brought on this occasion with us, Fisherman left us, taking +back the packhorse to the camp; at 6.5 Jemmy and I started down +the watercourse which I have named Herbert Creek, in search of +water; at 8.4 made six miles south-west across rich fine plain +country to Pring Creek from north-north-east; at 8.14 made half a +mile north by east down Pring Creek to a point at the junction +with Herbert Creek where we had on the previous occasion marked a +tree broad arrow before L; at 8.30 made three-quarters of a mile +south-south-west down Herbert Creek to where we saw a flock of +pigeons, and immediately after found a little water, where we +halted, but again started at 8.47; at 9 made half a mile +south-west down the river; at 9.20 made three-quarters of a mile +south-east down the river; at 9.40 made one mile east by south +down the river, at 10.10 made one mile about south-east down the +river; at 10.30 made three-quarters of a mile south-east down the +river to where we found a little water out of small holes in the +rock, which seemed like a robbery from the flocks of little birds +which surrounded them; from here we started again at 11.5; at +11.15 made a quarter of a mile south to junction of large creek +from south-west, which I named Hervey Creek, near which we +observed several flocks of pigeons; at 11.50 made half a mile +east-south-east to where the channels are confined, and where +there is on the left side a strange deep rocky pit; at 12.12 made +three-quarters of a mile south-south-west down the river; at +12.21 made quarter of a mile south-east down the river; at 12.35 +made three-quarters of a mile south-south-east to the junction of +creek from north-east which I have named Chester Creek; at 12.58 +made one mile south-east by east down the river; at 1.6 made +quarter of a mile south-south-west to a very fine waterhole which +I have named Mary Lake. This place seems to be a favourite resort +for blacks; the banks are covered with mussels, and all the +firewood burned. We turned the horses out for some time; it is +surrounded with bushes of polygonum; at 4.32 started to return to +Number 21 Camp; at 4.50 made one mile north to Chester Creek; at +6.15 made five miles north across high stony rich plain country, +where we encamped, as there was a patch of young grass for the +horses.</p> + +<p>Sunday December 22. Camp.</p> + +<p>From camp on left bank of little dry creek we left at 6.20 to +return to Camp 21; at 8 a.m. made six miles north to left bank of +Herbert Creek; at 8.20 made one mile and a quarter north up the +creek to old camp, where we delayed to give the horses water from +the bottles, and started again at 8.38; at 10 made three miles +and a half in different directions to the Western Wood tree, +where we had dinner on Friday last; at 11.20 made three miles and +three-quarters to east side of Manning Plain, where we lost the +tracks and delayed looking for them till 11.40; at 12.20 made +three miles, where we met Fisherman with a horse loaded with +water. Started again at 12.50; at 1.44 made two miles and +three-quarters east; at 2.8 made one mile east; at 3.2 made two +miles and three-quarters east by north to 21 Camp.</p> + +<p>Monday December 23. Camp Number 21. Situated on Darvall +Creek.</p> + +<p>We left this camp at 9.3 a.m. on a south-west course. On that +course from camp we crossed and recrossed the creek. At 10.3 made +two miles and three-quarters south-west over rich well-grassed +tableland plains, slightly timbered with bushes. We observed the +small saline herbs which I have mentioned the horses to be so +fond of, also more of the Queensland saltbush than we have seen +previously; at 12.3 made four miles and a quarter south-west by +west to Manning Plain, where we delayed, and started again at +12.14; at 1.20 made two miles and a quarter south-west by west +where we delayed and started again at 1.35; at 2.20 made two +miles and a quarter south-west by west, where we having halted +started again at 2.48; at 3.10 made one mile south-west by west +to where we found yesterday's tracks; at 4.35 made four miles +south by east to Saturday night's camp; at 4.45 made half a mile +south to where Mr. Campbell's horse knocked up; at 6.19 made +three miles and three-quarters south; at 6.27 made a quarter of a +mile south half east to Chester Creek; at 6.52 made one mile and +a quarter south half east to Mary Lake, where we formed our +twenty-second camp.</p> + +<p>Tuesday December 24. Mary Lake.</p> + +<p>Rested ourselves and horses, and put shoes on Mr. Campbell's +horse with screw nails. We found the punching and fitting of the +shoes difficult and tedious, although Mr. Gregory, who is himself +a first-rate hand at that sort of work, assured me that it would +not be a troublesome operation.</p> + +<p>Christmas Day. Mary Lake.</p> + +<p>As ducks were abundant and the grass good this was a fine +place for spending Christmas. In the afternoon Jemmy and I went +down the river in a south-south-east direction to a fine +waterhole, which I have named Lake Frances; between Mary Lake and +it, we only found shallow pools of water from the last +thunderstorm. We saw a fat old white-headed blackfellow and his +gin near the waterhole. The gin was very anxious about the safety +of her four dogs and carried one of them in her arms; but on our +approach she abandoned it and fled into the water; but afterwards +seeing the old blackfellow had gone up a tree she followed his +example. Jemmy not understanding their language we could not get +any information from them.</p> + +<p>Thursday December 26. Camp Number 22, situated on Mary Lake on +Herbert River.</p> + +<p>We left this camp at 7.37 a.m. At 7.42 made a quarter of a +mile south-west by south to end of Mary Lake; at 7.52 made half a +mile south on left side of the river, to plains, which are +slightly timbered; at 8 made half a mile south-south-east, +skirting the river to Lake Frances; at 9 made three miles; at +9.19 made three-quarters of a mile south to where we crossed a +watercourse from the east which I have named the Don Creek: at +9.30 made half a mile south-south-west on left side of river over +plains; at 9.41 made half a mile south by west to where I waited +for the party, who came up at 9.45; at 10.5 made one mile south +by west to where we crossed a creek from north-east; at 10.24 +made three-quarters of a mile south by west; at 10.45 made one +mile south to the left side of the river; at 11 made +three-quarters of a mile south-east by south along the dry bed of +the river, from which we started successive flights of pigeons. +At this place Mr. Campbell and party halted with the horses while +Mr. Allison and I went about a mile westward onto the plain, +where he made the altitude 86 degrees 30 minutes, which makes the +latitude 20 degrees 6 minutes, agreeing with the latitude of my +dead reckoning and with an observation I made of a star last +night; at 3 Jemmy, who had gone down the river, returned without +finding any water, except what was left by the last thunderstorm; +and as he told me I was following up a river, and not down, I too +hurriedly believed him, and made up my mind to return to a +waterhole that Fisherman had found to the right of our course in +the bed of the river. At the waterhole I found blacks, but, as I +always avoid them when I can, after I had a short interview with +them we started down the river to the water Jemmy had found, +following along the right bank as we had the left before; at 4.40 +made two miles and three-quarters down the river to where we +crossed, near its junction, a river or a branch of one from +north-west; at 5.8 made one mile and a half back to where Mr. +Allison went on the plain to get an observation; at 5.20 made +half a mile south; at 5.40 made one mile south to where the river +has two channels; the one trending to the west of south we +crossed, between the two channels of the river; at 5.53 made half +a mile south to where the left channel of the river was full of +water and fine grass on its banks, on the right bank of which we +formed our twenty-third camp, at the place where Mr. Allison made +an observation of the sun. The country is very level and the +watercourses are unconfined, and in times of floods the water +overflows the low banks of the different channels. The blacks we +saw today appear to be circumcised; three of them approached us, +one of whom was the old blackfellow we had seen yesterday. Their +name for water we thought from what they said was oto. We +presented them with a tin pot and two empty glass bottles with +which they were very much pleased.</p> + +<p>Friday December 27. Camp Number 23, situated on the Herbert +River.</p> + +<p>Left camp at 8.24 a.m. to go down the river; at 8.35 made half +a mile south-south-west to where we crossed, near its junction, a +western channel of the river; at this place there are flats +covered with bushes like saltbush, which the horses eat. These +bushes I have observed on the western plains from Rockhampton and +on most of the low situations along our route on this expedition; +at 8.43 made half a mile south; at 8.48 made a quarter of a mile +south-west where we crossed, near its junction, a more western +channel of the river; at 9.10 made one mile south-west by south +to where we crossed, near its junction, a river from west, with a +shallow and broad channel; the banks of the river at this place +are very little below the level of the plain on each side of it; +at 10.10 made three miles south-south-west with level plains on +each side of us, without trees or bushes, except along the +watercourses; at 10.30 made one mile south to the right bank of +the river, where there are twelve box-trees growing in its bed; +before crossing to its left bank we got enough water to satisfy +the horses; at 11.4 made one mile and a half south to a junction +of a watercourse with extensive flood-marks from the east. This +river has a deeper channel, with trees on its banks, than the +river we have been following down had. At 11.15 made half a mile +south, when Mr. Allison and I went back to the westward, on the +plains, and got the following altitude of the sun: 86 degrees 37 +minutes, which makes the latitude 20 degrees 11 minutes 15 +seconds; at 1.35 made three-quarters of a mile south down the +river; at 1.47 made a quarter of a mile south-east down the +river; at 2.20 made one mile and a quarter south, following the +course of the river in search of water; at 3.10 made one mile and +three-quarters about south-south-west, following the course of +the river in search of water; at 3.44 made half a mile about +south-west, following the course of the river in search of water; +at 4.10 made one mile and a quarter about south, where, +accompanied by the troopers, I left Campbell and Allison to go in +search of water; at 5.20 made three miles about south-west down +the river in an unsuccessful search for water; at 6 made two +miles north-east by east; returning, we steered over plains, the +grass of which was completely parched up. Near the creek I +observed more owls than I have ever seen anywhere before; at 6.27 +made one mile and a quarter north-east by east back to our party; +then went, at 6.56, one mile and a quarter north by east, towards +where we had seen the last water; at 7.15 made one mile north by +east; at 7.35 made three-quarters of a mile north-east; at 8 made +three-quarters of a mile about north-east by north and +encamped.</p> + +<p>Saturday December 28. Camp Number 24, situated on the Herbert +River.</p> + +<p>We started back up the river being unable to pursue our course +to the westward from want of water. I sent Mr. Campbell and Jemmy +on with the horses, while Mr. Allison and I went out on the plain +to take an observation of the sun, which was not satisfactory +from the sun being over-shadowed; we made the latitude 20 degrees +12 minutes 35 seconds; at 1.21 p.m. made three miles north by +east from where we took the sun's altitude; at 1.53 made one mile +north to where we crossed a channel of the river; at 2.35 made +two miles and a quarter north by east partly on the tracks of +Campbell and party; at 2.50 made three-quarters of a mile +north-north-east to where we recrossed left bank of the river and +overtook Campbell and party. Here we delayed till 3.22 in +consequence of one of the horses being knocked up; at 3.40 made +one mile north by east to where we recrossed the right bank of +the river; at 3.55 made three-quarters of a mile and encamped. +Here the grass was very abundant and the holes full of water. +This camp is about half a mile from Number 23 Camp.</p> + +<p>Sunday December 29th. Camp 25. Situated on the Herbert +River.</p> + +<p>It was our intention to remain here for several days as the +grass was good and the horses required a rest, but I deemed it +advisable to return at once up the river because there were about +one hundred blacks in the neighbourhood of the camp, some of whom +were so bold that I feared it might be necessary to shoot some of +them, or give them possession of the ground. Two of them had +passed our camp on the previous evening, and the troopers, with +my consent, presented them with glass bottles, after receiving +which they soon returned with a large mob, who remained with us +till dark. In the morning they returned and surrounded the camp. +Mr. Campbell went up to one mob and tried to make them understand +by signs that we had peaceable intentions towards them, but they +from his account seemed fully bent on having us off the ground. +When he was returning to the camp Jemmy saw one of the blacks +hold his boomerang as if he intended throwing it at Mr. Campbell, +but he was probably advised by others not to do so. I am not +surprised that they were vexed, as we would not allow them to +come up to the camp, although they showed a bunch of hawk +feathers and two bottles we had given them, which they wanted us +to believe were the signs of their good intention; and it is not +to be wondered at on the other hand that we would not trust a mob +of blacks, all warriors, heavily armed with spears, boomerangs, +clubs, and little thorny sticks, to approach the camp. From my +previous knowledge of the blacks I fancied we would easily have +driven them away on horseback, but this I did not think +necessary. The mere fact of seeing the horses brought towards the +camp made them retire to a more respectful distance from us; at +10.5 a.m. left Number 25 Camp; at 10.18 made half a mile +north-east half north to Number 23 Camp, where I stopped with +Fisherman and observed that we were not followed: at 10.45 made +half a mile north-north-east up the river; at 11.23 made one mile +and three-quarters north to the place where I accompanied Mr. +Allison on a previous occasion westward on the plain to take an +observation of the sun, at which place we overtook Campbell and +party; at 11.48 made one mile north to where we observed rising +ground. I left the party, accompanied by Fisherman, to ascend the +rising ground; at 12.2 made half a mile north-east by east to a +tree on the rise which Fisherman climbed, and from it observed +plain country to the south and west and wooded country to the +east and north. Here we observed stunted box and bloodwood trees, +and a variety of grasses, among which I observed barley, oaten, +kangaroo, and triodia; at 12.23 made one mile north by east; at +12.53 made one mile and a half north by east to the waterhole I +named Kenellan, where there were the same blacks I had seen +before. On this occasion they remained on the right, while we had +dinner on the opposite side, during which time others to whom +they cooeyed arrived at their camp, several of whom were loaded +with game. These, heedless of their own camp or of us, bathed the +first thing on their arrival. We shot ducks, and before leaving +Kenellan presented to the blacks glass bottles of which they were +very proud; at 5 made one mile and a quarter north-north-east to +Lake Frances, where I bathed, and some of our party shot ducks. +Started again at 5.33; at 6.40 made three miles about north-west +by north (see outward route). At 6.56 made three-quarters of a +mile north by west; at 7.15 made three-quarters of a mile +north-north-east to Mary Lake, on the lower end of which on the +left bank we formed our twenty-sixth camp.</p> + +<p>December 30th. Mary Lake. Situated on the Herbert River.</p> + +<p>As some of our horses were not able to travel as far as Camp +21, or to any water we knew of to the northward, in one stage, +without overworking them, Jemmy and I started to try and find +water in the intermediate distance. Started at 5.55. At 6.5 made +half a mile north-east to where we stopped till 6.20; at 6.47 +made one mile and a quarter north by east; at 7.10 made one mile +north by west half west to Chester Creek; at 7.28 made +three-quarters of a mile about north-north-east; at 7.52 made one +mile and a half north-east up the creek; at 8 made a quarter of a +mile east up the creek; at 8.10 made half a mile east by south up +the creek; at 8.38 made one mile north-east to where we left the +creek, because the grass in the bed of it was parched up, and as +we saw no deep holes. It has however high and extensive +flood-marks; at 9.20 made two miles west-north-west; at 10.26 +made three miles west by south to bank of Herbert River; at 10.37 +made half a mile north-north-west up the river to where we left +it to follow up the Hervey Creek; at 10.50 made half a mile about +north-west up the creek; at 11.17 made one mile about west by +north up the creek. At 11.30 made half a mile south up the creek, +where I went on to the plain and took the noon altitude of the +sun, which was not very satisfactory as I did not give myself +sufficient time to go far enough out on the plains. Latitude from +observation 19 degrees 53 minutes 39 seconds. Started back +without having found water at 12.27; at 12.50 made one mile +south-east back to Hervey's Creek; at 1.30 made two miles east by +north to Herbert River; at 1.40 made half a mile east-south-east +down the river: at 1.45 made a quarter of a mile about south-east +to the strange pit on the left side of the river; at 2.45 made +three miles to camp. Cantered the last half mile or so and forgot +to look at the watch until a short time after our arrival.</p> + +<p>December 31st. Mary Lake.</p> + +<p>We left Number 26 Camp bound for Number 21 camp; at 7.32 made +one mile and a half along an old track to where we crossed +Chester Creek; at 9.10 made four miles and a half to First Return +Camp; at 10.45 made four miles and a half along outward track to +Western Wood Scrub, where, accompanied by Fisherman, I went three +miles north-east by east and got an observation of the sun which +made our latitude 19 degrees 47 minutes 35 seconds; at 12.50 +started again; at 1.20 made one mile and a half north by west to +tracks of Campbell and party; at 1.35 made three-quarters of a +mile east-north-east along the track; at 1.58 made one mile about +north-east to where we lost the tracks, and was delayed a short +time in consequence; at 4.5 made half a mile, chiefly along the +track; at 5.8 made three miles, where Campbell and party had +formed our twenty-seventh camp at our Outward Camp 21. During +this day's journey we have crossed no watercourse that I deem +worthy of notice, except Chester Creek.</p> + +<p>Wednesday January 1st 1862.</p> + +<p>At 21 Outwards and 27 Inwards Camp we rested the horses, some +of which were very sore-footed and tired. We also observed New +Year's Day by dividing a bottle of rum, sundry pots of jam, and +an extra allowance of meat amongst us. The waterhole was nearly +dry.</p> + +<p>Thursday January 2nd. Number 27 camp.</p> + +<p>At 6 a.m. we left 27 Inward and 21 Outward Camp, situated both +on the right bank of the creek; at 7.35 made two miles about east +by north half north down the creek; at 7.53 made three-quarters +of a mile north-east to Number 20 Camp; at 8.7 made half a mile +east-north-east down the creek, where we left it to go on the +tableland on its left bank; at 9.5 made two miles and +three-quarters north to where we crossed a small creek, which is +from the west; at 10.45 made four miles and a half due north, and +there, having instructed Campbell and Allison to proceed to +Clifton Creek and encamp, accompanied by Fisherman, I went two +miles and a half west, and made our latitude by observation of +the sun 19 degrees 31 minutes 35 seconds. Jemmy I had sent back +for my rifle, which was left behind. At 12.45 started to camp; at +1.47 made two miles and a half east-north-east to Camp 18 Outward +and 28 Inward on Clifton Creek.</p> + +<p>Friday January 3rd. Camp 28.</p> + +<p>From old stubs out of cast-off shoes Mr. Allison shod a horse +for Fisherman to accompany me to the O'Shanassy River. We started +for it at 11.50. At 1.25 reached it, in about four miles and a +half, at a point a short distance below, where we had been on it +a few days ago. We found it had been flooded since we last +visited it, and the holes along its bed were in consequence full +of water. Judging from this that rain had fallen from the +southward, I felt disposed to proceed in that direction, but +considering the short time at my disposal and the condition of +the horses and their want of shoes, and knowing that the time was +fast approaching when the Victoria would, from want of +provisions, be obliged to leave the depot at the Gulf of +Carpentaria, I considered it expedient to continue my return +journey.</p> + +<p>Saturday January 4th. Camp 28.</p> + +<p>We left Inward Camp 28 and Outward Camp 18 at 9.2. This camp +is situated on Clifton Creek; at 9.38 one mile and a quarter east +down the creek to the broad arrow L tree; at 10 made +three-quarters of a mile north to where we left the creek; at +10.20 made three-quarters of a mile east-south-east to rich +tableland; at 10.38 made half a mile south-east by south to track +where Mr. Allison stayed behind to get the latitude; at 10.50 +made three-quarters of a mile east; at 11.18 made three-quarters +of a mile east to O'Shanassy River; at 11.52 made one mile and a +half north-east by north to the junction of Clifton Creek, on +which we had our last night's camp; at 12.16 made one mile +north-east by north down the river; at 12.45 made one mile and a +quarter east by north down the river; at 12.55 made half a mile +east by north to junction of little creek from the south. Ridges +on both sides, long straight race covered with blady grass, near +deep reach of water, which has apparently a permanent stream; at +1.30 made half a mile east by north to where we crossed a small +creek from the south; at 1.40 made half a mile east-north-east to +where we crossed, near its junction with the O'Shanassy River, a +watercourse from the south named by me the Douglas River; at 2.50 +made one mile and a quarter north down the river to where we +crossed a small creek from the south-east. The O'Shanassy has a +good stream of water. On these ridges I observed marjoram. They +are nearly barren and confine the river closely on both sides. At +3.15 made three-quarters of a mile north-east along a confined +part of the river where it has very high flood-marks; at 3.40 +made half a mile east-north-east to where we crossed a little +creek from the south, near its junction. At 4.3 made quarter of a +mile east down the river; at 4.15 made quarter of a mile +east-south-east down the river; at 4.30 made quarter of a mile +east up a gully from right side of the river; at 4.40 made +quarter of a mile north-east down a gully to the river; at 4.50 +made quarter of a mile east down the river to where we formed our +29th camp. Here we were joined by Mr. Allison and Jemmy. The +former, near where they left us, made the latitude 19 degrees 31 +minutes 49 seconds, which is nearly the same as I made it a few +miles to the westward.</p> + +<p>Sunday January 5. Camp 29.</p> + +<p>Started at 8 a.m. and went along the edge of the river which +was very confined; so much so that the horses had at one place to +be led. Accompanied by Fisherman I left the party and went a few +hundred yards ahead to a creek full of water to widen with a pick +a path up the creek. While I was doing so Mr. Campbell reported +that some of the horses had gone into the river of their own +accord, and one of them was drowned although Jemmy and he had +swum to its assistance. On hearing of this misfortune I came down +to the river, got the two troopers to go and dive where the mare +had disappeared, and they managed to get its saddle and pack on +shore. Fisherman, while the things were being dried, marked the +tree on the point at the junction of the watercourse with the +river. The former I have named Harris Creek. At 11.56 started +again at point where the tree is marked, say half a mile from +camp; at 12.2 made half a mile south-south-east from river up the +creek, where we crossed after a delay of eight minutes; at 12.33 +made three-quarters of a mile north to where we crossed the +river; at 1.2 made one mile north down the river; at 1.27 made +three-quarters of a mile north-east by north to where we formed +our Number 30 Camp, where the river is apparently often badly +watered. At this part of the river even now it is without a +running stream although recently flooded, and there is an absence +of the pandanus, cabbage, and tall drooping tea-trees which +crowded the bed of the river higher up and are fine signs of the +permanence of the water.</p> + +<p>Monday January 6. Camp 30.</p> + +<p>Started from camp which is situated on left bank of O'Shanassy +River at 6.52. At 7.8 made half a mile north-north-east down the +left bank of the river; at 7.40 made one mile and a quarter +north-east to where we crossed a creek near its junction, and +also crossed to the right bank of the river; at 7.57 made half a +mile north-east to where we recrossed to left bank of the river; +at 8.15 made half a mile east-north-east to where we crossed a +little creek near its junction. The river is still confined by +barren and stony ranges and has flood-marks from thirty to forty +feet high. Kangaroos are numerous on this part of the country. At +8.43 made three-quarters of a mile east to where we crossed, near +its junction, a small creek from the north; at 9.12 made one mile +and a quarter east by north to where there are flooded box and +drooping tea-trees in the bed of the river; at 9.25 made half a +mile east to where there are cabbage-trees in the river; at 9.40 +made half a mile east to where there are Leichhardt and +cabbage-palm-trees; at 10.5 made three-quarters of a mile +north-east down the river (we have been following it when +practicable on the left side) at 10.45 made one mile and a +quarter east down the river where it is very confined and well +watered; at 11.20 made half a mile east-north-east to opposite +junction of river from south, where I, accompanied by Fisherman, +left the party and crossed the river on a log to see it. We found +it rather smaller than the O'Shanassy and I have named it the +Thornton River. We marked a tree broad arrow before L on the +point between the two rivers and started after the party at 12; +at 12.25 made one mile north-north-east along the track down the +river; at 12.43 made three-quarters of a mile east-north-east +along track down the river; at 1.7 made one mile north to where +we overtook Campbell and party, having dinner on the bed of the +river. Started again after marking a tree broad arrow before L E, +at 3.33; at 3.45 made half a mile north to where the confined bed +of the river is at places boggy and on the edge of the waterhole +the tea-trees are very tall; at 4.20 made three-quarters of a +mile north-north-west and camped.</p> + +<p>Tuesday January 7. Camp 31 is situated on the left bank of the +O'Shanassy River.</p> + +<p>We started from there at 9.10; at 9.45 made a mile and a +quarter north by east down the left bank of the O'Shanassy River; +at 9.55 made a mile and a quarter north-north-west to opposite +junction of a watercourse which I have named the Seymour River; +at 10.12 made three-quarters of a mile north-west to where we +crossed a small creek with reeds in its bed at a point near its +junction with the river; at 10.37 made one mile north-west by +north along the left bank of the river, where we had a good road. +The river is still confined by ranges which sometimes terminate +with cliffs; at 10.48 made half a mile north-east to opposite +junction of the creek; at 10.54 made a quarter of a mile +north-east to where we crossed a small creek near its junction +with the river; at 11.27 made one mile and a quarter north by +east along the left bank of the river; at 11.42 made half a mile +north; at 12 made three-quarters of a mile north-north-east to +where we watered the horses and waited for Mr. Campbell. Started +again at 12.30. At 12.53 made half a mile north-north-east. Made +quarter mile north to where we waited to mount Mr. Campbell who +was tired of walking. Started again at 1.3 p.m.; at 1.35 made a +mile and a quarter north to opposite junction of creek from the +east; at 2 made one mile west-north-west to where we formed our +32nd camp, on the left bank of the river and right bank of a +gully just above the junction of a small creek with the river. If +this had been a good season a fine place for the horses would +have been up this gully, as the soil is good with right kind of +grasses and surrounded by basaltic cliffs.</p> + +<p>Wednesday January 8. Camp 32. Situated (as before) on the left +bank of the O'Shanassy River.</p> + +<p>Left here at 7.7; at 7.18 went half a mile north-north-west to +a cleft hill on the left bank of the river; at 7.35 went +three-quarters of a mile north; at 7.52 went half a mile +north-east; at 8 went quarter of a mile east-north-east to where +we got any quantity of figs from trees like the Moreton Bay fig +but another variety. At 8.20 made half a mile north-east. This +scrub is composed of Leichhardt, tea, fig, and +cabbage-palm-trees, where we were delayed till 8.42 from having +to pull one of the horses that had got into a boggy place out. +Pandanus along the edge of the reaches of water. At 9.10 made +half a mile north-north-east through the scrub; at 9.50 made one +mile north by east through the scrub; at 10.5 made half a mile +north-north-west which took us out of the scrub and to a fine +reach of water; at 10.20 made half a mile north-north-east to +where we crossed a small reedy creek near its junction with the +river; at 10.35 made three-quarters of a mile north-north-east +along the left side of the reach of water mentioned. I, +accompanied by Fisherman, here made a deviation from the river. +While Campbell and party proceeded down the river we went up a +gully of the richest soil, but all the vegetation was withered +from the dryness of the season. It, like the other gullies we saw +afterwards, was surrounded by basaltic hills, which were again +surrounded by basaltic columns composed of rocks of a more +grotesque form than the columns which are common in a granite +formation. The rocks were so rough that it was unpleasant to lean +against them; and were very severe on the feet of the horses. +These columns, with the bottle-trees in the foreground and the +open flats and basaltic hills in the distance, had a picturesque +appearance. When we had got three-quarters of a mile about +north-west we started again to overtake our party. At 12.15 made +one mile and a quarter north down a gully; at 12.23 made quarter +of a mile north-east to where Fisherman and I thought we were on +a flat of the Gregory River near its junction with the +O'Shanassy; at 12.52 made one mile and a half east-north-east +across the plains to the right of a range towards Smith's Range, +on the right side of the O'Shanassy River and its junction with +the Gregory River; at 1.9 made three-quarters of a mile north to +the left bank of the O'Shanassy River, where we got the tracks of +Campbell and party; at 1.45 made one mile and a half north-west +to broad arrow before L marked tree, on the point formed by the +junction of the Gregory with the O'Shanassy River, near which we +found our party had formed their 33rd camp on the right bank of +the Gregory River.</p> + +<p>Thursday January 9. Camp Number 33. Situated between the +junction of the Gregory and the O'Shanassy River.</p> + +<p>We left here at 8 a.m.; at 8.15 made half a mile south-east to +where we crossed O'Shanassy River to follow down the Gregory +River; at 8.37 made three-quarters of a mile north. Then from the +right bank of the river we went round a hill which terminated +abruptly at it; at 8.45 made quarter of a mile east-north-east +over stony ridges covered with triodia; at 8.53 made a quarter of +a mile north-north-west over similar country; at 9.9 made half a +mile north-west to the river; at 9.37 made one mile and a quarter +north-east by east to where we crossed a small creek near its +junction with the river; at 9.55 made three-quarters of a mile +north-east by east to where the river is confined on both sides +by ridges; those on the right side are isolated; at 10.45 made +two miles and a quarter east half north and delayed till 10.55; +at 11.15 made three-quarters of a mile east to a hill which rises +abruptly from right side of river; at 11.26 made quarter of a +mile south-east back from the river; at 11.45 made three-quarters +of a mile east-north-east to where we crossed a small creek near +its junction to the right side of the river; at 12.10 made one +mile north-east to a patch of good soil with good grass, but old +and withered. At 1.5 made two miles and three-quarters over flats +and ridges, the former of good soil but the grass burnt up from +the dryness of the season, the latter stony and badly grassed, to +a gap with an isolated hill on the north-west and two on the +north-east side; at 1.22 made three-quarters of a mile north to +where we delayed at the river to water the horses till 1.48; at +2.37 made two miles and a quarter east over fine rich country, +the grass of which was just beginning to show life in consequence +of recent rains; at 3 made one mile north-north-east to the right +bank of the river where we intended to camp, but were obliged to +go further as the horses could not water from the steepness of +the banks. At 3.20 made one mile north-east and encamped where +there is a rapid stream of water about two feet deep below the +reach I have mentioned.</p> + +<p>Friday January 10. Camp Number 34, situated on the right bank +near where there is a good crossing place.</p> + +<p>Mr. Allison at one o'clock this morning made an observation of +Pollux from an artificial horizon, which made its altitude 85 +degrees 36 minutes. At 8.45 made one mile east-north-east over +poor stony ridges and light loamy flats, in which the tombung +fruit-trees were plentiful, also the following trees: bauhinia, +broad-leaved box, broad-leaved Moreton Bay ash, sweet-smelling +jessamine, and bloodwood. The flats have got good grasses and +marjoram. The river has here isolated hills on its banks, with +ranges a mile or so back; at 8.55 made half a mile north-east by +east to river about 150 yards wide with high flood-marks, which I +have named the Ligar after the Surveyor-General of Victoria; at +9.6 made half a mile east-north-east down the Ligar River to +where we crossed it above an isolated hill, where it was dry; at +9.30 made one mile north-east by east to bluff rocky hill where +the flood-marks are about 30 feet high, west-north-west side; at +9.52 made one mile north-east along a range with a bluff +termination; at 10.35 made two miles and a quarter +east-north-east in sight of the high trees of the river; at 11 +made one mile east-north-east to the mount, on the west side of +which, at the Gregory River, we watered our horses and started +again at 11.15; at 12.8 made two miles and a half north-east by +east half east to west side of a range; at 12.35 made one mile +and a half north-east to Heales Creek and gap in Primer Range; at +12.55 made three-quarters of a mile north-east down the creek to +the last hill coming down and the first going up the river (I +have named it Mount Heales after the premier of Victoria). It was +about one mile to the eastward of our course; at 1.5 made half a +mile north-north-east from left bank of Heales Creek; at 1.26 +made three-quarters of a mile north to Gregory River; at 1.30 +made a quarter of a mile north down the river and encamped.</p> + +<p>Saturday January 11. Camp Number 35, situated north-west half +north from Mount Heales, on Premier Range, on the right bank of +the Gregory.</p> + +<p>We left here at 7.3 a.m. At 7.20 made three-quarters of a mile +north, which course keeps the tall trees of the river in sight; +at 7.30 made half a mile north; at 7.42 made half a mile +north-east, which course still keeps the tall trees of the river +in sight; at 7.48 made a quarter of a mile north-east by north to +the edge of a rich plain of the Gregory River; at 8.4 made half a +mile north along the west side of plain; at 8.30 made one mile +and a quarter north by east; at 8.40 made a quarter of a mile +north-north-east; at 9 made three-quarters of a mile north by +east, still keeping in sight of the tall trees on the river; at +9.24 made one mile north by east; at 9.58 made one mile and a +half north; at 10.15 made one mile north-east; at 10.27 made half +a mile north-east by north; over rich country, now beautifully +grassed, slightly timbered along the river and watercourses with +bauhinia, broad-leaved stunted box, broad-leaved Moreton Bay ash, +bloodwood, acacia (which gives a gum like gum arabic, and is +plentiful near the depot) pomegranate, and other trees; at 11 +made one mile and a half north-east to the river, where we +stopped for Mr. Allison to get an observation of the sun. A short +distance to the eastward observed apparent altitude of sun, which +made our latitude 18 degrees 34 minutes 30 seconds. Started again +at 2 p.m. At 2.15 made half a mile north by east; at 3 made two +miles north-east by north; at 3.30 made one mile and a half north +by east; at 3.55 made one mile north-east by north half north; at +4.13 made one mile north; at 4.30 made half a mile +north-north-east; at 5.2 made one mile north by east; at 6.2 made +two miles and a half north-north-east. By these courses we cut +off the bends of the river excepting towards the last when we got +too far away from it and required to make for it again. The +country we went over was from the greenness and length of the +grass the finest-looking country we have seen on the expedition; +but I think the Barkly tableland is superior to it from its +having more salty herbage. The timber is of a similar description +to that I have recently mentioned except that the box was stunted +(narrow-leaved instead of broad). Having reached water in an +eastern channel of the river we formed our thirty-sixth camp on +the right bank of it.</p> + +<p>Monday January 13. Camp Number 36, situated on the right bank +of the eastern channel of Beames Brook.</p> + +<p>From here I sent Fisherman to the south-east in search of +water in that direction; and after Mr. Allison had made an +observation of the sun, placing us in latitude 18 degrees 31 +minutes 37 seconds, got by observed altitude 86.45. I left my +party in camp and accompanied by Jemmy went in the following +directions: At 2.6 went one mile and a half north to where I shot +an emu, and started again at 3.6; at 4.6 went three miles north +over rich plains covered with most fattening grasses; at 4.42 +went two miles north-west half north to east channel of +watercourse; at 5.10 went three-quarters of a mile north half +west along a deep reach; at 5.20 went half a mile +north-north-west over the finest plain country; at 5.40 went half +a mile north; at 6 went half a mile north-west; at 6.30 went +about one mile and a quarter north; at 7.30 went about two miles +and three-quarters north to where we encamped close to the right +bank of watercourse.</p> + +<p>Tuesday January 14.</p> + +<p>Continuation of excursion made by Jemmy and I down the +watercourse from 36 Camp; at 6.50 made one mile and +three-quarters about north to where we crossed an eastern channel +of the main watercourse; at 7.5 made three-quarters of a mile +about north-west; at 7.35 made one mile and a quarter west to a +running stream in a watercourse with banks so low that a rise of +a few feet would flood the adjoining plains; at 8.20 made two +miles about north-north-east over rich thickly-grassed country +intersected by several watercourses and swamps, where I felt +convinced was a watercourse to the eastward of the Gregory River +(I afterwards ascertained this to be so) which I then supposed to +be Beames Brook, as I thought we were on Gregory River when I +started and intended following it down on its right bank only to +the crossing-place on our outward journey. We took no rations +whatever with us and delayed to 8.35; at 8.55 made one mile +south-east; at 9.23 made one mile and a quarter south-east by +south over a rich, well-grassed, and slightly-timbered plain to +the eastern channel of the watercourse, where we made our +breakfast off figs and the young wood of the cabbage-tree: we +found it rather a light one, as we had no supper on the previous +night. Started again at 10.25; at 10.55 made one mile and a half +south-south-east; at 11.20 made one mile south-south-east to +where we crossed an eastern channel of the watercourse; at 11.35 +made three-quarters of a mile south-south-east; at 11.45 made +half mile south by east; at 12.5 made one mile south by east; at +12.15 made half a mile south by west; at 12.35 made one mile +south half west to watercourse where it has deep reaches of water +and banks about twenty-six feet high. I guessed the last entry of +miles as my watch had run down. We had a bath and started at +1.22. At 2.10 made two miles and a quarter about south half east +along the watercourse to an eastern channel where the horses got +water and we delayed until 2.22; at 2.44 made one mile south-east +by south half south over plains; at 3.15 made one mile and a half +south over plains; at 3.32 made three-quarters of a mile +south-south-east over plains; at 4.5 made one mile and a half +south to emu tree, where we stayed to separate the best portions +of the emu I had shot and take them to camp; at 5.10 made one +mile and a half north to Number 36 Camp.</p> + +<p>Wednesday January 15. Camp 36, situated on the right bank of +Beames Brook.</p> + +<p>Fisherman informed me that he had gone on Monday a long +half-day's journey without finding any watercourse except one +trending to the north-west and which, from his description, I +thought might join the one I had seen about six miles distant. +The country he saw in the course of his ride was well-grassed, +lightly timbered plains, the latter stretching to the north-east. +By climbing a tree he observed a range to the south-east. We left +our camp here at 7.25; at 8.48 made three miles and a half north +by west, which took us down rich plains with the river trees in +sight along our course; at 9.45 made two miles and three-quarters +north; at 11.15 made four miles and a half north, which course +took us out of sight of the trees on the river, over a similar +country to that I have described where we stopped for Mr. Allison +to take an observation of the sun, and for Mr. Campbell and +Fisherman, who were behind, to come up. Observations: altitude +86.52, latitude 18 degrees 18 minutes; we started again at 12.34 +p.m.; at 1.17 made two miles north-west to where we crossed to +the left side of eastern channel; at 1.35 made one mile +north-west to watercourse with fine stream of water; at 1.50 made +three-quarters of a mile north, where we watered the horses, and +started again at 4.25; at 4.33 made a quarter of a mile about +north where Jemmy and I encamped last Monday night; at 4.5 made +one mile north-north-east to where we crossed to left side of +eastern watercourse; at 5.24 made one mile and a half +north-north-east over a thickly-grassed slightly-wooded plain +with flood-marks on it; at 6.2 made one mile and three-quarters +north over a similar country, slightly timbered with flooded box; +at 6.13 made half a mile north-north-west; at 6.35 made +three-quarters of a mile north-west by north over similar +country; then crossed during a thunderstorm to left side of +eastern channel of watercourse; at 7.15 made one mile and a half +west by north to the main channel of Beames Brook which has a +fine stream of water only a few feet below the level plains on +each side of it. The water was muddy from the recent shower and +in consequence anything but pleasant. Mosquitoes were very +numerous and allowed some of us but little sleep.</p> + +<p>Thursday January 16. Camp Number 37. Situated on the right +bank of Beames Brook.</p> + +<p>We left here at 7.16; at 8.30 made three-quarters of a mile +north-east by north to where we crossed to right side of an +eastern channel of a watercourse; at 10.5 made four miles and a +half north-north-east over level rich country, slightly timbered +with stunted box and a small tree like the Queensland sandalwood, +called by Mr. Walker the gutta-percha tree, and reached extensive +plains; at 11.15 made three miles and a quarter north-north-east +over fine rich plains with the tall trees of the banks of a +watercourse in sight to the eastward: at 11.32 made +three-quarters of a mile north-north-west where we stopped on the +plain, and Mr. Allison made the following observation of the sun: +altitude 86.45, latitude 18 degrees 0 minutes 50 seconds; started +again at 12.58; at 1.10 made one mile and a half north over fine +slightly timbered downs, but from the want of rain the grass on +them was rather brown, to where we crossed to the right bank of a +watercourse (Barkly River) with high flood-marks, but at present +without water; at 1.20 made half a mile north where we recrossed +it; at 2.25 made three miles north to where we crossed again to +left side without finding water; we passed at this place a number +of blacks perched in the trees; at 3 made a quarter of a mile +north to where we stopped as we could not proceed in consequence +of a heavy thunderstorm and the bogginess of the ground; at 4.35 +made quarter of a mile south, then three-quarters of a mile +northerly to where we formed our thirty-eighth camp on the left +of the main watercourse (Barkly River).</p> + +<p>Friday January 17. Camp Number 38. Situated on the left bank +of Barkly River.</p> + +<p>The morning was wet so I thought that after the rain of +yesterday we could not proceed, but it cleared up between 8 and +9, and at 10.20 we were packed up and started; at 10.45 made one +mile north by east to the tree marked Lieutenant Woods with line +and broad arrow; at 12 made three miles west to Beames Brook over +richly grassed plains slightly wooded with stunted box; at 1.30 +made quarter mile south by east where we crossed Beames Brook. We +found the crossing-place a bad one; when a few of the horses +crossed it became so bad that we had to unpack and unsaddle +several before we could get them onto the firm ground on the left +side of the brook. This is the first stream of water we have +crossed since we left the O'Shanassy River near its junction with +the Gregory. Beames Brook therefore must connect the Gregory with +the Albert River, which accounts for the great size of the +latter. At 1.55 made one mile north by west; at 2.20 made +three-quarters of a mile north-west to Nicholson River, which has +got a broad sandy bed so full of tea-tree that we could not see +its breadth at this place; at 2.35 made half a mile south-east by +east; at 2.55 made three-quarters of a mile east back to Beames +Brook and to our outward track; at 3.4 made half a mile +north-east to tree broad arrow before L, where we had on outward +journey dined off the young wood of a cabbage-tree. We also +observed the tracks of an expedition party trending towards the +depot; at 4.10 made three miles north-east down the brook and +then down the plain; at 4.45 made one mile and a half east to +outward track; at 4.50 made half a mile south-west to our outward +Number 2 Camp (Post Office Lagoon) where we expected to have got +letters but in this we were disappointed.</p> + +<p>Sunday January 19.</p> + +<p>Yesterday we rested ourselves and our horses; at 6.20 a.m. my +party left the Number 2 Camp of outward, and 39 of inward +journey, situated at what I call the Post Office Lagoon, near a +point on the left side of the Albert River, just above the Barkly +and Beames Brook. I stayed behind, attended by Jemmy, until 7.30, +and marked the camp tree as I had done at the other camp with my +brand, the number of the camp, and the date; at 7.30 we made +about half a mile in a north-north-east direction over rich +undulating well-grassed country, slightly timbered with flooded +box; at 7.45 made three-quarters of a mile north-east; at 8 made +three-quarters of a mile north-east by north over similar +country; at 8.18 made one mile north-north-east across similar +country with portions of it without timber; at 8.37 made one mile +north-east by north down well-grassed plains with the timbered +country extending from the Albert River about a mile to the +eastward of our track; at 8.46 made half a mile north-east; at +10.10 made four miles and a quarter north-east down well-grassed +plains to where we stopped to rest the horses for ten minutes, as +the ground was very soft from the recent rain; at 10.35 made +three-quarters of a mile north-east by east to triangle made on +the left bank of the Albert River by Lieutenant Woods; at 10.58 +made one mile north-east by east to where we crossed Moore's +Creek; at 11.10 made half a mile north-east by east; at 11.20 +made half a mile east-south-east to Albert River depot.</p> + +<p>(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH,</p> + +<p>Commander of the Victoria and Queensland Land Expedition. 8th +February 1862.</p> + +<p>I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of Mr. +Landsborough's journal.</p> + +<p>H.W.N. CAMPBELL,</p> + +<p>Second in Command.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>H.M.C.S. Victoria, 7th February 1862.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>You will proceed to the depot on the Albert River and so soon +as possible after arrival render assistance to Mr. Landsborough +to get the horses and stores safely over to the eastern shore: +then collect whatever surplus of provisions may be remaining, +i.e. flour, biscuit, or peas, and have them securely fastened +down in one of the iron water tanks sunk in the ground for that +purpose. It will be as well to place therein some of the +ammunition remaining, and to take a list of whatever is secured +in the tank for the information of the Royal Society.</p> + +<p>When the above is completed and all stores belonging to this +ship collected you will remove the guard and return on board, +bringing with you any of Mr. Landsborough's party that he may not +require to proceed with him overland.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, Sir,</p> + +<p>Your obedient servant,</p> + +<p>(Signed) W.H. NORMAN, Commander.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant C.C. Gascoyne.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>H.M.C.S. Victoria, off Albert River, 9th February 1862.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>In accordance with your instructions of 7th February 1862 I +proceeded up the Albert River with Mr. Landsborough and have the +honour to forward the following report of my proceedings, +namely:</p> + +<p>I left the ship 7th February at 1.10 p.m., the cutter and +whale-boat being placed in my charge to assist in crossing the +horses and stores belonging to the Exploring Expedition, and +bring down to the ship our party from the Albert River depot.</p> + +<p>We had a north-easterly breeze on leaving the ship which +carried us up as far as the saltwater arm, arriving there at 6.10 +p.m., when the boats' crews went to supper; left there at 7 p.m., +perfectly calm; arrived at the Firefly at 1.10 a.m.</p> + +<p>Saturday 8th February.</p> + +<p>At 5 a.m. (the weather looking very threatening) Mr. +Landsborough sent out for the horses, which were brought in at +7.30 a.m.; it was then raining heavily, attended by thunder and +lightning. At 8 o'clock I started with two of the black boys to +drive the horses to the place for crossing, having sent the two +boats round with lines as guess warps for hauling the boats to +and fro. We succeeded in getting all of them, twenty-one in +number, on the eastern shore by about 10 a.m., after which we got +the stores across and pitched Mr. Landsborough's tents for him to +keep them dry, as it had to all appearances set in for a wet day. +I then got the provisions and stores (20 pounds biscuits, 250 +pounds flour, nine half-pound canisters F.G. powder, two boxes +percussion caps) placed in one of the tanks. I then had the tops +of the tanks secured and covered with pitch and afterwards earth. +Buried a bottle containing directions relative to the foregoing, +close to a tree which I had marked thus: DIG 2 feet north, which +tree being on the verge of a waterhole, close to the camp, must +attract attention. At 8.45 p.m. we all left the Firefly. I put +Mr. Landsborough and his party, consisting of Mr. F. Bourne, +William Leeson (groom) and three black boys, onto the opposite +shore, bringing Mr. H.N. Campbell and a black boy down to the +ship, arriving on board at 1.15 p.m. on the 9th February.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be Sir,</p> + +<p>Your most obedient servant,</p> + +<p>(Signed) Charles Cecil Gascoyne, Second Lieutenant.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>Bunnawaunah, Darling River, June 2 1862.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>I have the honour to inform you that the exploring party under +my command arrived here yesterday in safety and in good health. +From the Gulf of Carpentaria we came, in search of Burke's party, +without difficulty, to Gregory's route from Queensland to South +Australia, to a point within 280 miles of the point marked first +depot on Burke's route on the map which shows the routes of +different explorers.</p> + +<p>Our route from the Gulf of Carpentaria, Mr. Gregory's route to +South Australia, and the routes of other explorers demonstrate +the fact that sheep, cattle, and horses can be taken at a small +cost and in the finest condition from South Australia, Victoria, +New South Wales, and the inland districts of Queensland to stock +the country near the Gulf of Carpentaria, or for exportation to +India or elsewhere.</p> + +<p>The road we came was so easy, from the richness of the +pasturage and the abundance of water, that a foal, named Flinders +from his having been foaled on the Flinders River, followed his +mother most bravely from the time he was a few hours old until he +reached here. When we were on Gregory's route to South Australia, +and for some time previously, we took many opportunities of +asking the blacks respecting the explorers they had seen. This we +were enabled to do as Jemmy the native police trooper could speak +their language. We learned from them that they had seen during +the last ten moons explorers to the eastward, but that they had +seen none with larger animals than horses.</p> + +<p>I am sorry to have to inform you that our familiarity at last +led to our having a hostile collision with them on the Barcoo +River, near where the blacks treacherously tried to take Mr. +Gregory's party by surprise during the night. They tried to take +us at night by surprise. If they had succeeded they would no +doubt have overpowered us; but it was during Jemmy's watch and, +as he always kept his watch well, he awoke us when they were +within a few yards of our fire, and we fortunately succeeded in +driving them away. Next morning (very early) two of them came +near our camp. At my request Jemmy warned them to leave us, for +we had now a most hostile feeling towards them. Instead of their +showing the least symptom of leaving us they got their companions +(who were in ambush, heavily armed with clubs and +throwing-sticks) to join them. Under these circumstances we fired +on them. In doing so, and in following them up to where the +horses were feeding, one was shot and another slightly wounded in +the leg.</p> + +<p>I had very little assistance from Walker's previous +discoveries as he had left instructions that while his chart and +journal were in Captain Norman's charge no one should be allowed +to take notes from them. I tried to follow Mr. Walker's tracks to +the Flinders River where he reported he had left the tracks of +Burke's party. After tracing Mr. Walker's tracks for four days +with considerable difficulty we reached plains near the +Leichhardt River where so much rain had fallen on the rich soft +soil that it was impossible to trace them further.</p> + +<p>From the Leichhardt River we travelled over well-watered +country to the Flinders River; then travelled up that river, +through fine rich pastoral country, to about latitude 20 degrees +40 minutes; from there we reached Bowen Downs in a few miles. The +creeks and the river that water that country I knew previously to +a certain point down the river, but beyond this point I did not +know where the river flowed. On this expedition I followed it +down to near its junction with the Barcoo River (formerly known +as the Victoria and as the Cooper) and discovered that it was the +Thomson River. After leaving the well-watered country of Bowen +Downs, with the assistance of one of the blacks of that locality, +we came through a fine rich country to the Barcoo River; then +without following the river further, or searching ahead for +water, we went across to the Warrego River without the horses +being at any time longer than a day and part of a night without +water. The country is therefore, I have no doubt, on the whole +well watered.</p> + +<p>From the Warrego River we tried to go to the south-eastward, +but, from not knowing the country, we had to return, owing to the +want of water. On this occasion, although the weather was cold, +the horses suffered very much. We travelled almost incessantly, +day and night. In going from and returning to water the horses +were without it for seventy-two hours. In returning we found +water in a creek in which we had found no water at the place we +crossed it in our outward route. If I had had plenty of rations I +probably would have searched with one of the aborigines for water +before taking the whole of the horses on a journey of that kind. +Afterwards we followed the river down to near Kennedy's Number 19 +Camp to the station of Messrs. Williams, where we met with a most +hospitable reception and learned for the first time the +melancholy fate of Messrs. Burke and Wills. Sold some expedition +supplies which we thought we would not require any more, and +bought rations to take us here.</p> + +<p>Following the Flinders River up from the Gulf of Carpentaria +took us for a long distance in a more southerly than easterly +direction, then in a more easterly than southerly direction. +About twenty miles below where we left the Flinders River we saw +horse tracks, which were probably made by Mr. Walker's party when +on his route from the Nogoa River to the depot at the Gulf of +Carpentaria. Where we saw the tracks of Walker's party the +channel was about 120 yards wide, with a sandy bed and a shallow +stream flowing along the surface; lower down and higher up the +river we saw the fresh tracks of a steer or cow, and on Bowen +Downs saw similar tracks. We had so little meat that we would +have tried hard to have found the beast to kill it for provisions +if I had not thought, from seeing the tracks of a dray in the +same locality, that we were near a station.</p> + +<p>The point where we reached the Barcoo River, in latitude 24 +degrees 37 minutes, is nearly south from where we left the +Flinders River.</p> + +<p>Several times in the course of our journey from the Gulf of +Carpentaria Gleeson, Jemmy, and Fisherman were unwell. This was +owing, I have no doubt, in a great measure if not altogether, to +the rations I issued being insufficient. Our usual ration was a +pint of flour, in bad condition, and barely half a pound of +spoiled meat per day, without tea or sugar. The annexed list of +rations will show that the quantity obtained on starting would +not admit of my issuing a larger supply. The remainder of us, +namely, Mr. Bourne, Jackey, and myself, did not lose our health +on this meagre fare.</p> + +<p>After reaching the Warrego River Jemmy unfortunately lay so +near the fire on a frosty night that his shirt caught fire and +burned him severely; so much so that he exhibited great pluck in +continuing his journey here.</p> + +<p>Last night I learned from the newspapers that Mr. Howitt had +received instructions to wait for us at the depot at Cooper's +Creek. If I had known that there was to be a depot there I would +have gladly gone to it from the Thomson River. Now I intend +proceeding down the river to Menindie, where I purpose if +necessary to take the most advisable mode to let Mr. Howitt know +of our return from the Gulf of Carpentaria.</p> + +<p>I might have sent a letter off yesterday to the neighbouring +station if I had only known that the postman had been delayed +from starting until this morning. There is a camel on this run +which I will endeavour to get and take to Menindie.</p> + +<p>Mr. Bourne, who is an experienced bushman, has read this +letter and thinks I have not given too favourable an account of +the country along our route from the Gulf of Carpentaria.</p> + +<p>When I reach town I will make a return of the money I received +of Messrs. Williams for the expedition stores, a copy of my +journal, and a sketch showing our route.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be Sir,</p> + +<p>Your obedient servant,</p> + +<p>W. LANDSBOROUGH,</p> + +<p>Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Exploring Expedition +from Brisbane.</p> + +<p>To the Honourable Secretary Exploration Committee of Royal +Society Victoria.</p> + +<pre> + +List of provisions received at the depot, Gulf of Carpentaria, +on the 8th February 1862: + +40 pounds of peas. +96 pounds of salt beef. +40 pounds of rice. +268 pounds of damaged beef, jerked. +27 pounds of damaged bacon. +650 pounds of damaged flour. +10 pounds of broken biscuits. +18 pounds of tobacco. +Left from previous expedition to south-west. +90 pounds of flour. 40 pounds of sugar. + +These provisions were all our party, consisting of six, had up +to the 21st May, the date of our arrival at the station of +Messrs. Williams on the Warrego.* + +</pre> + + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> + +<blockquote>(*Footnote. I may state here that, on the expedition to the +south-west when our party consisted of five, we started with +ninety days' rations of flour, beef, tea, and sugar, and five +gallons of rum. These and the rations, a list of which is given +above, were all that were furnished for the land expedition; and +it was a source of much discouragement that my requisition for +tea, sugar, and rum for the journey across the continent was not +complied with, more especially as the allowance supplied at +Brisbane was very liberal, as the annexed list will show:</blockquote> + +<center> +<p><a name="landsborough-02"></a><img alt="" src="images/landsborough-02.jpg"></p> +</center> + +<blockquote><p>After the wreck of a Firefly at Hardy's Island all her stores +and those intended for the exploring parties were taken +possession of by Captain Norman, and were only supplied by him on +requisition.</p> + +<p>The following are the names of the members of Mr. +Landsborough's party.</p> + +<p>W. Landsborough, commander.<br> +H.N. Campbell.<br> +George Bourne.<br> +W. Allison.<br> +W. Gleeson.<br> +Aboriginals: Charlie, Jemmy, Fisherman and Jackey.</p> + +<p>Of these H.N. Campbell as assistant-commander, W. Allison, +Jemmy, and Fisherman accompanied Mr. Landsborough on his first or +south-west expedition. On his second or journey across the +continent his party consisted of: George Bourne as second in +command; Gleeson as cook; Fisherman, Jemmy, and Jackey. Messrs. +Campbell, Allison, and Charlie returned by the Victoria, Mr. +Landsborough considering his equipment inadequate to the supply +of so large a party.</p> + +<p>The camel found by Mr. Landsborough at the Darling was taken +towards Melbourne but was lost through the carelessness of +Jackey. Jackey, on two occasions on the Darling River, left for +several days without leave, which led Mr. Landsborough to tell +him that he would not take him any farther. This did not appear +to vex him much for, without asking to be taken on or promising +to behave better in future, he immediately went and hired himself +to a settler in the neighbourhood. The rest of the party reached +Melbourne in safety. Jemmy and Fisherman, who had never been in a +city before, evinced no surprise at anything they saw. After a +month's residence in Melbourne they were forwarded by steamer to +Brisbane. Fisherman, before leaving Melbourne, lost his +intelligence and was at times quite insane; but it is to be hoped +that as his bodily health was good the sight of his native place +will restore him to his right mind.)</p></blockquote> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> + +<p>The following letter, received by Captain Cadell from Mr. +Neilson of Neilson and Williams, two young men who have spent +years in exploring the Australian wilderness and who are now +settled on the Warrego, gives some additional information as to +the discoveries of Landsborough's party:</p> + +<p>Kennedy's 19th Camp, River Warrego, May 22 1862.</p> + +<p>I have nothing to communicate but the arrival here yesterday +of Mr. Landsborough and party from the Gulf of Carpentaria, +whence he left on the 10th of February last in search of the +traces of Burke's party. The journey which he has now +accomplished has opened up a practicable route to the Gulf. He +followed the Flinders from the Gulf on an average course of +south-south-east to 20 degrees south to its head, when, in thirty +miles, he picked up the head of the Thomson and followed it down +to Cooper's Creek, making his way into the settled districts by +following up that creek to its head, and then following the +Warrego River to this point, from whence he goes into the Barwon. +He speaks of the country to the head of the Thomson, and from +thence along the whole course of the Flinders to the Gulf, as +magnificent, consisting of rich basaltic plains, very thickly +grassed, one of the most conspicuous grasses being greatly in +appearance to sorghum. Horses are so fond of it that the party +could scarcely drive them along with whips. The party has met no +casualty, and look very well, notwithstanding experiencing a +shortness of rations on the journey. The horses are looking well. +Landsborough was quite surprised at hearing that Burke's remains +had been found. They found no track nor tidings of his party. I +have given Mr. Landsborough an account of our trip in July and +August last towards Cooper's Creek. He considers it a connecting +link in the overland route from the Darling to the Gulf, and one +that will be used in taking stock to that point. I consider that +the route as now found will be the one adopted by the eastern +colonies, South Australia availing itself of Stuart's route.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>The following letter has been addressed to the Colonial +Secretary of Queensland by Mr. Landsborough:</p> + +<p>Mount Murchison, Darling River, July 5 1862.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>Having learned from the Queensland news, in the Sydney Weekly +Mail of the 24th May, that the Honourable the Colonial Treasurer +said that he had no doubt the parties in search of Burke's tracks +were making tracks for themselves, I have now the honour to +inform you that, so far as I am concerned, I have no immediate +intention to apply for country discovered by me while searching +for Burke's tracks; that my previous correspondence with you gave +you a true description of the country I had seen in my expedition +to the south-west from the Albert River depot; that I will send +you, when I reach Melbourne or sooner, a copy of my journal, +which I hope will give a satisfactory description of the country +I have seen in my last expedition; and further that it is +satisfactory to me in the meantime to state that the country I +saw near the Gulf of Carpentaria I consider to be exceedingly +well adapted for sheep runs, and that I am of opinion that the +most valuable country is the Plains of Promise, and second to +them the plains on the Gregory River.</p> + +<p>Of the country I have seen on the last expedition which had +not been previously explored I consider the most valuable, on +which I am sure sheep will thrive, are the plains on the west +bank of the Leichhardt River, and those plains on the Flinders +River. Of the Leichhardt River country I can but speak of a small +portion, as I only followed it up for about eight miles from +where the tide came to a fine basaltic ford, where the water was +fresh. Of the Flinders River country the best I saw on the lower +part of the river is situated between 18 degrees 26 minutes +latitude and 19 degrees 20 minutes latitude; and of the upper +part of the river the best is the last 100 miles I saw.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, sir,</p> + +<p>Your obedient servant,</p> + +<p>W. LANDSBOROUGH,</p> + +<p>Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Expedition.</p> + +<p>The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, Queensland.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>ROYAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA.</p> + +<p>An ordinary meeting of this society was held on the 18th +August and was numerously attended. His Excellency Sir Henry +Barkly (president) occupied the chair.</p> + +<p>PRESENTATION TO JOHN KING.</p> + +<p>The first business was the presentation to John King the +explorer of the gold watch awarded him by the Royal Geographical +Society.</p> + +<p>The Secretary (at the request of His Excellency the President) +read the following extract from a private letter from Sir +Roderick Murchison, the president of the Royal Geographical +Society, dated May 20 1862:</p> + +<p>I told you in my last that I thought it probable we should +grant one of our gold medals to the family of Burke; and I am +happy to announce to you that at the last meeting of council the +award was made as I anticipated, on my own proposition, +strengthened as it was by your favourable opinion.</p> + +<p>We also give to the good and intrepid King a gold watch, with +an inscription.</p> + +<p>The Duke of Newcastle has promised to attend and receive these +donations on the 26th.</p> + +<p>P.S. (June 23): the watch sent to King cost much more than the +gold medal; and I hope the good soldier will like it.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>The Secretary next read the following despatch from his Grace +the Duke of Newcastle to Governor Sir Henry Barkly:</p> + +<p>Downing Street, May 26 1862.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>I have to acquaint you that this morning I attended the annual +meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, and that, at the +request of the president, Lord Ashburton, I undertook to forward +to you the accompanying gold watch, which the president and +council had determined to present to John King, in testimony of +his meritorious conduct during the late Victorian Exploring +Expedition, in which Messrs. Burke and Wills unfortunately lost +their lives.</p> + +<p>I have therefore to request that you will accordingly, on +behalf of the president and council, place this watch in the +hands of John King and that you will at the same time express to +him the satisfaction it has been to me to be the channel of +making known to him that his conduct has been appreciated as it +deserves.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, etc.,</p> + +<p>Newcastle.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>His Excellency (addressing John King) spoke as follows:</p> + +<p>I feel, Mr. King, that it would be almost superfluous on my +part to add much to the encomiums passed upon you by such high +authorities; and to one so modest, as I know you are, I dare say +it would be even painful if I were to enter at any length upon a +recital of the claims which I consider you possess upon the +gratitude and admiration of your fellow colonists. (Hear, hear.) +Gratifying as it must be to you--after the liberal honours and +rewards which the legislature and people of Victoria have +bestowed upon you--to receive this crowning mark of recognition +of your services from your fellow countrymen at home, I can quite +conceive that it would be more congenial to your own feelings if +I had delivered it to you in my own private room. Still I felt it +to be a matter of duty, on an occasion of this kind, to make the +ceremony as public as possible, not only in justice to yourself +but for the sake of the example which your conduct has afforded +to all who may be placed in similarly trying circumstances. I +feel sure that, even if you entertained any idea of surviving, +nothing was further from your thoughts than any considerations of +glory or honour when you knelt by the side of the dying Burke to +receive his latest injunctions, or when you turned back to +perform the last sad offices for your departed comrade, Wills. +You did your duty, I am sure, simply because you felt it was your +duty. A Christian, you knew it was a privilege to minister to +suffering humanity; a soldier, you never dreamt of swerving from +the unalterable fidelity which you knew you owed your leader. +(Applause.) In such a trying position as that in which you were +placed, with the bands of discipline relaxed, the instincts of +self-preservation have often led men to act selfishly. Others in +your position might have thought that, being stronger than the +rest of the party--able perhaps to pursue game, catch fish, or to +pound nardoo--it would have been consistent with duty to escape +to the nearest settlement, perhaps with the vague idea of sending +back assistance to your comrades. I feel satisfied that any +thought of deserting never crossed your mind--that you abandoned +all desire to serve yourself alone, and that they were determined +to share the fate of your companions. The result has proved that +you acted rightly and properly. Your example may serve to teach +us that the path of duty, generally, under Providence, is the +path of safety. And what is about to take place tonight will also +teach us another lesson:</p> + +<p>That duty never did yet want its meed.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>(Applause.) I may just refer to the fortunate circumstance +that our meeting should be graced by the presence of a gentleman +who, partly from motives of humanity, and partly with a view to +share in the glory of the enterprise, volunteered to lead one of +the subsidiary expeditions sent in search of the missing +expedition of which you formed a member. Those subsidiary +expeditions, it is well known, have led to a great increase of +our geographical knowledge of the interior of the continent; and +I believe, among the most brilliant exploits which grace the +history of Australian exploration, there is not one more +brilliant to be found than the passage made by the party under +our friend Mr. Landsborough from the shores of the Gulf of +Carpentaria to the Darling River. (Applause.) I hope Mr. +Landsborough will be kind enough tonight to give us some +information as to his route on the occasion. We all know, without +waiting for that explanation, that his journey has conferred a +most substantial benefit on all these colonies. It has, there can +be no doubt, very much accelerated the formation of a great +settlement in North Australia, which may be expected to become, +some day, a separate and independent colony. In fact it has +formed a fitting addition to the noble efforts which have been +made by this colony in the cause of Australian exploration. Those +efforts, as we all know, are now about to terminate. Instructions +have been despatched to Mr. Howitt to return as speedily as +possible; and when he brings back the remains of the lamented +explorers, Burke and Wills, we shall approach the closing scene +of the great drama--or tragedy, as I believe I may call it. I +trust on that occasion the public funeral promised to those brave +men will be carried out with the enthusiasm which was manifested +a year ago, and that active exertions will be used by all +concerned to raise an appropriate monument to their memory. +(Hear, hear.) I have now great pleasure in handing to King, on +the part of the Royal Geographical Society of London, this watch, +which bears within, as he will find, an inscription setting forth +that it was "Presented by the President and Council of the Royal +Geographical Society of London to John King, for his meritorious +conduct in the expedition under the lamented Burke and Wills." +(Great applause.)</p> + +<p>John King, who seemed overpowered with emotion, replied in the +following terms:</p> + +<p>May it please your Excellency, it affords me much grateful +satisfaction to receive this watch, which the Royal Geographical +Society of London has been pleased to present to me in +recognition of my services during the late Victorian Exploring +Expedition, and particularly to the lamented Mr. Burke in his +last moments. In these particulars, your Excellency, I consider +that I simply did my duty--a duty that I would perform over again +if I were similarly placed. (Applause.) Still it is a source of +grateful satisfaction to me to know that our achievement has been +properly appreciated by the British Government and the great +scientific bodies, and also that my humble services have been +appreciated by the Royal Geographical Society, and by His Grace +the Duke of Newcastle. I beg, through your Excellency, most +respectfully to thank His Grace and the Royal Geographical +Society for their recognition of my services. Such recognition +will always convince me that no man under this or any government +will do his duty without meeting his reward. (Great +applause.)</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>His Excellency then introduced Mr. Landsborough to the +meeting, and intimated that that gentleman would give a narrative +of his expedition. His Excellency also introduced two aboriginals +who had accompanied Mr. Landsborough from Carpentaria.</p> + +<p>Mr. Landsborough said he had much pleasure in meeting the +Royal Society and he was much gratified with the reception that +had been accorded him. His expedition had been the second to +cross the continent of Australia from Carpentaria, and he had +been fortunate in finding a good road. Through the liberality of +the Royal Society he had a first rate outfit at Brisbane. +Unfortunately the transport Firefly, which conveyed himself and +party from Brisbane, was wrecked on Hardy's Island. However, a +few days afterwards, they were relieved by Captain Norman of the +Victoria. Through the exertions of Captain Norman, his officers, +and crew the Firefly was towed off the reef and the horses were +reshipped and taken on to Carpentaria. It had been supposed +hitherto that the Albert River was not a good place for landing +horses; but the Firefly, a vessel of 200 tons, went twenty miles +up that river and the horses were landed without difficulty, in +fact they walked ashore. He was delighted to find so fine a +country. He had had twenty years experience of Australia, and he +had never seen better country for stock than he found on the +shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria. His mission was to search for +Burke and his companions, but he could not shut his eyes to the +fact that there was a fine country before them, and that country +lying idle--a country, which through the exertions of Burke and +his companions, had been opened to the world. (Hear.) The +pastoral interest was a great interest still in Australia; and he +held it to be a great pity that the stock of the country should +be boiled down for tallow when Australia is the finest country in +the world for growing wool. He hoped that the discoveries made +through the instrumentality of the Royal Society would tend to +prevent this. He would now point out the route which he took in +search of Burke and his party. In his first expedition he +proceeded in the direction of Central Mount Stuart, with the view +of trying to discover whether Burke had gone on Stuart's route; +he succeeded in travelling about 210 miles, the first 100 of +which he followed up a running stream, but after leaving its +source he lost much time from the scarcity of water; for this +reason, and the precious loss of time caused by the wreck of the +Firefly, he deemed it prudent to return to the depot; this course +was adopted with much regret, as the wet season had commenced, a +continuance of which for two or three weeks would probably have +enabled him to have pursued the route originally intended in +search of the traces of Burke. His first impression regarding the +stream referred to was that it was created by rain, but as it was +evident that no rain had fallen for months he concluded that this +idea was incorrect. He afterwards discovered that it owed its +source to springs of a kind which he had never before met with, +the stream from which, near its source in the valley of the +Gregory River, was sufficiently powerful to turn a large mill +wheel. On his route back to the depot he found that this stream, +at a point distant from Carpentaria about 80 miles, divided into +two branches, one of which flowed into the Nicholson River, and +the other into the Albert. As an evidence of the superior quality +of the country through which he passed on his expedition to the +south-west he might mention that the horses travelled as well as +if they had been stable fed. He had travelled in Queensland and +New South Wales and had never found horses stand work as well as +those horses did at Carpentaria. On returning to the depot he and +his party rested for three weeks and again started to find the +tracks of Burke and his companions. They had heard that tracks +had been seen by Mr. Walker on the Flinders River, they tried to +follow Walker's tracks to the Flinders, but although he had +preceded them only by about two months, his tracks could not be +followed, owing to the rain which had fallen. They proceeded to +the Flinders, but they could find no traces of Burke. They +followed up the river for about 280 miles through a magnificent +country. When they reached this point they left the Flinders, and +in less than twenty miles further got to the watershed of the +Thomson, one of the main heads of the Cooper River. When they had +proceeded about 100 miles down the valley of the Thomson they +found a tree which had been marked by a companion of +Landsborough's in a former expedition several years before, which +he was glad to be able to show, as a proof of his knowledge of +the country, to the members of his party who knew nothing of him +till about a week or ten days before he started on the +expedition. Having followed down the valley of the Thomson, +through fine country, from the tree referred to to a point within +270 miles of Burke's depot at Cooper's River; they were most +desirous to have gone to that place but their supplies were very +limited, and the blacks had repeatedly told them through Jemmy, +one of the party, who understood their language, that they had +not seen any exploring parties with camels. They therefore deemed +it the better plan to strike across, about 50 miles, to the +Barcoo, the main head of the Cooper River. This they accordingly +did, and then proceeded to the Warrego, which they followed down +till they struck the Darling. On reaching settled country they +were very sorry to hear of the melancholy fate of Burke, Wills, +and Gray. They were hospitably received by the settlers, but the +season was dry and their horses fared much worse in the settled +districts than in crossing from the Gulf of Carpentaria to the +Darling. In conclusion Mr. Landsborough expressed his +acknowledgments for the warm reception which had been accorded to +him and his willingness to answer any questions that might be put +to him.</p> + +<p>In reply to questions:</p> + +<p>Mr. Landsborough said he thought the Flinders River was about +500 miles long. The most elevated land on the Flinders appeared +to be about 1000 to 1500 feet high. The climate of Carpentaria he +believed to be very dry excepting in the months of January, +February, March and April. The bed of the Flinders when he left +it was 120 yards wide, with a shallow stream flowing along its +surface. His party came through the country at a very favourable +season of the year. Thunderstorms and rainy weather might be +expected until the end of April, and sometimes as late as May. On +the heads of the Gregory River the country was of a basaltic +character; and on the Flinders there was abundance of quartz and +ironbark country. He saw about 50 miles of the latter description +of country and believed from his previous knowledge that it +extended to the coast. The range dividing the Flinders from the +Cooper River country he estimated to be from 1000 to 1500 feet +high, while that which he crossed on his expedition to the +south-west, though about the same height, was of quite a +different character, being composed of a basalt different from +any he had seen before. The slopes of the tableland were grassed +with spinifex, which is almost worthless. All basaltic country he +had seen previously in other parts of Australia was exceedingly +well grassed.</p> + +<p>He had no doubt that the rivers on the north side of Barkly's +Tableland were supplied by springs. Barkly's Tableland divides +the northern from the southern waters. He crossed it on his first +expedition. He had never been to the west of the Thomson. +Immediately after leaving the watershed of the Flinders he got +onto that of the Thomson. On returning to the Albert from his +expedition to the south-west he came to a river which he named +O'Shanassy, which has long and deep reaches of water. In the +waterholes on the southern side of Barkly's Tableland, which he +followed down for seventy miles, he found plenty of fish, and his +impression was that these fish came up from rivers farther to the +south-west. It was the dry season when he was there, but he could +see traces of water where it had spread for several miles across +the country in the wet season. He had no doubt that, if he had +been able to go farther down, he should have got to a large +river.</p> + +<p>Dr. Mueller observed that this seemed to augur well for any +expeditions that might be undertaken from the south of the Gulf +of Carpentaria to the south-west. He begged to ask whether, in +following down the tributaries of the Thomson, Mr. Landsborough +met with any traces of Dr. Leichhardt? It would appear from the +information supplied by Mr. Walker that Leichhardt took the +tributaries of the Thomson in order to be able to skirt the +desert of Captain Sturt. Mr. Landsborough said he went from near +Port Denison to the heads of the Thomson River some years ago, +and the probability was, he thought, that Mr. Walker saw his +tracks or those of Cornish and Buchanan, who had also gone from +Rockhampton to the heads of the Thomson. The party of Mr. Peter +McDonald (a Victorian) also went from Rockhampton to the southern +side of the range several years ago. In his (Mr. Landsborough's) +first expedition he endeavoured to find Leichhardt's tracks on +the heads of the Thomson, but unsuccessfully.</p> + +<p>Dr. Iffla asked whether Mr. Landsborough in the course of his +brilliant journey across the country met with many bodies of +natives, and whether they evinced a friendly or hostile +disposition.</p> + +<p>Mr. Landsborough did not admit that it was a brilliant +journey. (Laughter.) He saw very few blacks. The largest number +he saw at a time was about thirty. He saw no tracks of blacks and +he could not imagine that they were numerous. He always avoided +having much intercourse with the blacks. He seldom had any +trouble with them until this expedition. On the Barcoo River a +number of blacks who had previously appeared most friendly +approached the camp in the middle of the night and, but for the +watchfulness of Jemmy, might have knocked them on the head. They +were driven away, but the next morning they appeared disposed to +attack the party. Under those circumstances he was obliged to +fire upon them. One volley and a few shots however were +sufficient to get rid of them. He came upon the Flinders above +the navigable point. The range which he crossed to the south-west +of Carpentaria was a tableland, that between the Flinders and the +Thomson consisted of a series of hills and mountains with passes +between them, as Mr. Walker had described in his journal.</p> + +<p>His Excellency inquired what were Mr. Landsborough's +impressions and ideas of the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria +with reference to the settlement there of Europeans at any future +time?</p> + +<p>Mr. Landsborough replied that, although living in the open air +and not having the best of food, the country agreed admirably +with him. While his party and the crew of the Victoria were at +Carpentaria there was very little sickness among them, nor was +there fever and ague. The shores were very level. There was +nothing that could be called a hill for 60 or 100 miles. Although +a very dry country, there was rain for about three months in the +year, and there were in some seasons large floods. He did not +reach the Flinders River until two or three months after Walker's +party, and he could not then find Burke's tracks. He considered +he could not be expected to find them, since Mr. Walker, a +gentleman whose great perseverance and bush experience were +well-known, who was then two months before with a larger party +than his and twice the equipment, could not follow them up. He +could not even find Walker's tracks. He believed it was +impossible for Burke and Wills to have gone within sight of the +sea, because saltwater creeks spread all over the country for ten +miles from the sea. This was his opinion from what he saw at the +mouth of the Albert, and he had no doubt that the mouth of the +Flinders was of the same character.</p> + +<p>His Excellency said he was sure that they all felt very much +obliged to Mr. Landsborough for the cheerful alacrity with which +he had replied to all questions, and the amount of information +about his journey which he had laid before the meeting. The +remaining business on the paper would be postponed. He was afraid +that a great many of those present were attracted to the meeting +rather by the exploration information than the scientific papers +announced to be brought forward. However this might be he would +call upon them to give three hearty cheers for Mr. King and Mr. +Landsborough.</p> + +<p>The Society then adjourned.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>JOURNAL: LANDSBOROUGH'S EXPEDITION FROM CARPENTARIA TO +VICTORIA.</p> + +<p>In laying before our readers the whole of Mr. Landsborough's +journal, descriptive of the country he passed over in crossing +the continent, some explanatory notes respecting the vegetation, +etc., may be found acceptable and they are therefore given at the +end. We are indebted to Dr. Mueller for some of them.</p> + +<pre> +The party consisted of: + +Mr. W. Landsborough, leader. +Mr. Bourne, second in command. +Gleeson. +Aboriginals: Jemmy, Fisherman, Jackey. +</pre> + +<p>The party left Carpentaria on the 8th of February and arrived +at Messrs. Williams' station on the Warrego River on the 21st of +May--inclusive of both dates, 103 days. The total weight of +provisions with which the party started was 1,279 pounds.</p> + +<p>CONTINUATION OF THE JOURNAL OF W. LANDSBOROUGH, COMMANDER OF +THE PARTY ORGANISED AT BRISBANE, TO SEARCH FROM THE ALBERT RIVER, +GULF OF CARPENTARIA, FOR BURKE'S PARTY.</p> + +<p>February 4 1862.</p> + +<p>Since the 19th ultimo, the date of my arrival at the depot +from the expedition to the south-west, I have been in constant +expectation of a boat from H.M.C.S. Victoria. Late this evening I +was glad to welcome the arrival of Lieutenant Gascoyne. The news +he gave us of the death of Mr. Frost (who he told us had died by +the accidental discharge of a gun) occasioned great regret.</p> + +<p>February 5.</p> + +<p>Having received an invitation from Lieutenant Gascoyne to +accompany him to the Victoria I availed myself of it, and had a +pleasant sail down the river and a short distance out to sea to +where the vessel was stationed. We arrived late in the evening +and had the pleasure of meeting Captain Norman and the +officers.</p> + +<p>February 6.</p> + +<p>Today I had the good fortune to get Lieutenant Woods to assist +me with my work. He made a beautiful tracing from the sketch I +had made to show my route to the south-west. The sketch was made +solely by dead reckoning. I wanted to take notes from Mr. +Walker's journal and chart of his route from Rockhampton, but as +he had told Captain Norman that no one was to be allowed to do +so, I was not permitted to make them. Having agreed with Captain +Norman to return to the depot tomorrow I was, having letters to +write and preparations to make for the next expedition, in a +continual bustle.</p> + +<p>February 7.</p> + +<p>I returned with Lieutenant Gascoyne to the Albert River +depot.</p> + +<p>February 8.</p> + +<p>This was a busy day as we knew we were to abandon the depot in +the evening. By the assistance of Lieutenant Gascoyne and some of +his men, with two boats, we pulled the horses across the river. +In the evening, as soon as Messrs. Campbell and Wilson had +hurriedly finished a copy for Captain Norman of the notes I had +made in my memorandum-book when on the expedition to the +south-west, the Firefly hulk was abandoned. Those of my party I +could not take overland accompanied Lieutenant Gascoyne, Captain +Norman having previously agreed to take them to their respective +destinations, namely: my late assistant commander, H.N. Campbell, +to Hobson's Bay, Victoria; Mr. Allison, and the aboriginal +trooper, Charlie, to Brisbane. Mr. Bourne and I accompanied them +in Lieutenant Gascoyne's boat down the river to our camp, where +we bade farewell.</p> + +<p>February 9.</p> + +<p>Today we were busily employed preparing for our +expedition.</p> + +<p>February 10.</p> + +<p>As there were mangrove mudflats in the neighbourhood of our +camp the mosquitoes were particularly troublesome; we hurriedly +therefore made preparations for leaving it. When we had packed up +as many things as the horses could conveniently carry the blacks +paid us a visit, and we gave them the remainder. 5.10 p.m. we +started and came five and a quarter miles upon well-grassed +plains, and encamped near a fine waterhole. The water was +slightly brackish, but not so much so as to render it +undrinkable. The plains we crossed were slightly wooded. We came +on the following courses: 5.20 p.m. half a mile south-east; 5.35 +p.m. three-quarters of a mile east; 6 p.m. one mile +east-south-east; 8 p.m. three miles south. Distance five and a +quarter miles.</p> + +<p>February 11.</p> + +<p>In consequence of having to repair packs and packsaddles we +could not manage to leave until 1.10 p.m. The three weeks' rest +the horses had on the rich pasture near the depot made a +wonderful improvement in their condition. They were so restive +yesterday that several of them in galloping and plunging did +considerable damage to the packs and packsaddles. As the tracks +of Walker's party were so indistinct that I could only see them +when pointed out to me by the aborigines of our party, I foresaw +that it would be tedious if not impossible to follow them to +where Mr. Walker said he had left the tracks of Mr. Burke's +party. When we had come a short distance over fine well-grassed +plains we reached a saltwater creek, which we followed up a short +distance, then crossed it and encamped in haste, as we saw a +heavy thunder-shower was about to fall. Before leaving last camp +I made an observation of the sun and found its meridian altitude +86 degrees 3 minutes. The latitude is by this observation 17 +degrees 53 minutes. We came here on the following courses: 1.40 +south-east and by east, one and a half miles; 2.22 south one and +a half miles to saltwater creek; 2.25 north-east half a mile up +the creek; 2.50 south-west and by west, half a mile up the creek +to ford. Distance come today four and a half miles.</p> + +<p>February 12.</p> + +<p>Camp 2, which we left this morning at 7.20, is situated about +seven miles south-east from the Albert River depot. In our +journey today, although we often got off the tracks of Walker's +party, we did not altogether lose them. Near where we encamped +tonight Jemmy saw a dead horse. From last camp we came over +well-grassed, lightly wooded plains for five miles, then over +flat country for four and three-quarter miles. The land was +covered with good grasses and wooded with box and excoecaria. +What I take to be excoecaria resembles the tree Mr. Walker +describes as being probably the gutta-percha. The box trees are +similar to those that grow near the Murrumbidgee River. In the +middle of the day I halted to make an observation of the sun. I +made its meridian altitude 85 degrees 32 minutes. The latitude is +by that observation 17 degrees 59 minutes. Afterwards we came out +of the wooded country in one and a half miles, then came over +plains for four and a quarter miles, then crossed a shallow +watercourse and encamped. These plains had a higher elevation +than any we had seen since leaving the depot. The soil was rich +and luxuriantly covered with the best grasses, and slightly +wooded with white-wood. The white-wood I take to be the tree Mr. +Gregory calls the erythrina. We came here on the following +courses: 9.20 five and a quarter miles; 11.33 east-south-east +four and three-quarter miles; 1.30 east-south-east one and a half +miles and crossed a shallow watercourse from the west; 2.40 +east-south-east for four and a quarter miles and crossed another +shallow watercourse; 2.5 east-south-east for three-quarters of a +mile over low lands liable to inundation. Distance today sixteen +and a half miles.</p> + +<p>February 13.</p> + +<p>Number 3, our last camp, was situated on the right bank of a +shallow watercourse. As one of the horses had barely recovered +the effects of travelling on stony country when on the expedition +to the south-west, we had this morning to put a shoe on one of +his feet with screw nails; the screws, in the absence of proper +nails, answer tolerably well. We started at 9.6 and, having +passed over a rich, lightly-wooded plain about eight miles, we +reached the Leichhardt River at a part where the tide reaches. +This river seems to be fully larger than the Albert. The tracks +of Walker's party were so indistinct on the rich plains from so +much rain having fallen that I gave up hope of being able to +follow them. We coursed the river down three-quarters of a mile +and found a shallow rocky ford, but it was not available as the +rocks were too slippery and the opposite bank too steep. Near the +ford we saw some articles belonging to the blacks, and amongst +them a piece of an old blanket that I fancied was a part of one I +had given to them at the Albert River. From the ford we returned +up the river and encamped near some small waterholes. The +direction we came today from last camp south-east by east; +distance eight miles. In the distance I may be a little out of my +calculation, my watch having stopped. This was particularly +vexing as I had bought it expressly for keeping the time while on +this expedition. After dark we heard the horses galloping and, as +Jemmy, Jackey, and Fisherman thought blacks were driving them +away, I sent them to fetch them back; but they did not disturb +them as they were feeding quietly and no blacks were seen.</p> + +<p>February 14.</p> + +<p>We left Number 4 Camp this morning at 7.50. In following the +river up about seven and three-quarter miles to a basaltic ford, +where the water was fresh, we passed over rich well-grassed +country, consisting chiefly of plains, separated from each other +by low wooded country. On the low land we observed salt herbs, +and pigweed, the proper name of which, I believe, is portulac. We +crossed the ford and camped on the opposite side. The scenery +here is picturesque; there is a fall of about thirty feet with +beautiful trees in its neighbourhood. The channel of the river +showed extensive old flood-marks and had plenty of water in it, +but I had to make a minute examination of it before I discovered +the water was running. In a fine deep hole below the fall Mr. +Bourne and I intended bathing, but had to go further, from +hearing something like a large animal plunge into the water. To +the eastward I made an observation of the sun from a short plain +horizon; I made the altitude 84 degrees 45 minutes, latitude 18 +degrees 10 minutes 30 seconds. We came here on the following +courses: 8.35 south-east for two miles; 8.45 south half a mile to +boggy ground; 10.20 south half east three and a quarter miles; +10.35 south half a mile and crossed a shallow watercourse from +the west; 10.50 east one mile and crossed another watercourse; +12.50 east half a mile and crossed the Leichhardt River.</p> + +<p>February 15.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 5 at 7.58. At 8.20, having crossed one mile and a +half over a sandy flat, wooded with gum, fig, cotton, coral, +white cedar, and other trees, we reached the flat rocky bed of a +large watercourse. 8.50 one mile and a quarter up the creek and +crossed it; then one mile and three-quarters over a fine plain +with grass, pigweed, and salt herbs. 10.5 one mile and +three-quarters took us over a barren low ridge, with rusty-gum, +box, bloodwood, severn, and other trees, to a grassy watercourse +with fine little holes of water; from its being boggy we were +delayed in crossing until 10.25. One mile and a half over grassy +flats and across another watercourse coming from the eastward. +12.45, having gone over poor ridges for five miles, we reached a +fine, rich, flat valley, luxuriantly covered with barley and +other grasses; delayed until 1.58 while some of our party tried, +without success, to shoot an emu. 2.30, having come about four +and a quarter miles, we reached a watercourse and encamped; the +water flows from the north-east and shows extensive flood-marks. +The valley I named Neumayer. Direction today east-south-east; +distance sixteen miles.</p> + +<p>February 16. Sunday.</p> + +<p>Rested ourselves and horses.</p> + +<p>February 17.</p> + +<p>Left camp at 6.35. Four and a half miles took us across low +land, wooded chiefly with (what I take it to be) excoecaria; then +a mile over unwooded, gently-undulating ground, which extended up +the valley to little bald hills. The land is well grassed. A site +near those hills would answer well for a lambing-ground for a +sheep establishment. Then a mile over high grassy lands, wooded +with gum, broad-leaved box, white-wood, and other trees; then two +miles further to near the base of a hill that was remarked from +its only being wooded on its summit; then three and a half miles +over undulating well-grassed ground to a small watercourse from +the west; then three miles over flat poor country, thickly wooded +with bloodwood and other trees; then three and a half miles over +poor low ridges, covered with triodia and other grasses, and +wooded with bloodwood, tea, severn, and other trees, to a small +watercourse, where we encamped. Direction today east by south +half south; distance sixteen miles.</p> + +<p>February 18.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 7 (marked by mistake 8) at 8.16 this morning. At +11.45 we had come nine miles and a half over two kinds of +country--the first and largest part consisting of poor low +ridges, covered with inferior grasses and wooded with bloodwood, +tea, and other trees; the second part consisting of flat country, +rich soil, well grassed, and wooded with bauhinia and +western-wood acacia. The acacia I have mentioned is called gidya +in some places of Australia. Then, after crossing, in half a +mile, a strip of unwooded country extending to the right and left +of our course, we halted for thirty-five minutes to try and get +the sun's meridian altitude, but did not succeed as the sun was +obscured. Then, after coming over poor low ridges covered with +triodia and wooded chiefly with tea trees for five and +three-quarter miles, we reached at 2.45 a ravine and encamped. +Direction travelled this day east by south half south.</p> + +<p>February 19. Camp 8, situated in a ravine from an adjoining +tableland.</p> + +<p>In the rocky basin of the ravine I think water will always be +found. We left camp at 6.40 this morning and came in an east by +south half south direction. The country for a short distance was +confined, but on descending the valley it opened out into plains +separated from each other by isolated hills of a conical form. +The tops of the hills were covered by rocks which, from their +appearance, were of a sandstone formation; the lower parts of the +hills were well grassed, the plains of rich soil, and covered +with a luxuriant green herbage. At 9.30, having come over the +plains on our old course for five miles from the isolated hills, +we reached the Flinders River. The river, we were glad to find, +had been recently flooded; in crossing we ascertained it had four +channels, one of which was running. As this was the river on the +banks of which Mr. Walker said he had found the track of Burke's +party I thought it would be a good plan to follow it up, and +resolved to do so. At 10.10 from the opposite bank of the river +we came south two and three-quarter miles, which took us over +country wooded with box and terminalis to plains similar to those +I have described on the left bank of the river, with this +difference that on this side there were more flats and pigweed, +salt herbs, and saltbush. At 12 having halted I got the following +observation: meridian altitude of the sun 82 degrees, latitude 18 +degrees 32 minutes 30 seconds. At 1.20 south-south-east three and +a quarter miles over rich well-grassed plains; at 2.5 south-east +and by south two and a quarter miles; at 13.13 south-west and by +south three miles through wooded, rich, flat country to water, +and encamped. Distance today nineteen and a quarter miles.</p> + +<p>February 20. Camp 9, situated on the right bank of an eastern +channel of the river.</p> + +<p>At this camp one of the mares foaled. Left camp at 7.46; at +8.10, having steered south half east one mile, we reached the +river; then changed our course to south-south-east and at 8.38, +having travelled one and a quarter miles, we got out of the box +and saltbush flats to unwooded plains; delayed then until 9.33, +whilst some of our party tried unsuccessfully to shoot emu. At +10.30 came south-east one and a half miles along a plain. At +11.30 came south-south-east two and a half miles to a point of +timber, then halted till 12.45 to make an observation of the sun; +at 1.20 came south-south-east one and a half miles over thinly +wooded plains. The plains in this neighbourhood are thinly +grassed, which I think is caused by a recent dry season; at 1.45 +made south one and a quarter miles over country that is more +thickly grassed; at 2.20 came one and a quarter miles south half +west through flats wooded with box and encamped. Distance today +eleven and a quarter miles. The foal was so active that it kept +up with the horses on this day's journey.</p> + +<p>February 21. Camp 10, situated on the right bank of Flinders +River.</p> + +<p>Started at 7.30 a.m.; at 7.56, having steered east-south-east +a mile over rich ground with box trees and saltbush, we reached +well grassed land, thinly wooded with white-wood, pomegranate, +bauhinia, and other small trees; 9.15 south-east one and a half +miles over ground so green with herbage that one of my companions +said it resembled the banks of the Murrumbidgee in spring; at +11.20 east-south-east five miles and a quarter across an unwooded +plain, and halted till 12.45 to make the following observation: +meridian altitude of the sun 81 degrees 33 minutes; latitude 18 +degrees 55 minutes 30 seconds; at 1.30 we steered +south-south-east two miles over rich plains, covered in places +with luxuriant young grass having the appearance more of young +barley than any other indigenous verdure that I have seen +elsewhere. At 2.30 came south two and three-quarter miles and +encamped. Distance today twelve and a half miles.</p> + +<p>February 22.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 11, situated on the right bank of the Flinders +River at 7.47 a.m.; at 8.50, having come south-east two and +three-quarter miles through a very rich thinly wooded country +with herbage like that on old folding ground in spring, we +reached unwooded plains; at 9.20 came south-south-east one and a +quarter miles across a plain chiefly covered with barley-grass; +at 11.20 came south-east by south across plains for five and a +quarter miles to the edge of wooded country, and halted till +12.35; at that place I made the meridian altitude of the sun 81 +degrees 1 minute, latitude 19 degrees 6 minutes; at 1.2 came +south-south-east one and a quarter miles along a plain; at 2.17 +thence south-east three miles further along the plain, on which +there was abundance of saltbush and pigweed; at 3.35 came south +half west over thinly wooded plains; at 3.50 came south-west half +a mile and encamped. Distance today seventeen and a quarter +miles.</p> + +<p>February 23.</p> + +<p>This being Sunday we rested ourselves and horses. In this +neighbourhood Jackey and Fisherman caught five possums.</p> + +<p>February 24.</p> + +<p>Left Camp 12 situated on the right bank of Flinders River at +8.52 a.m. During last night and this morning the weather was +showery. In the morning the rain was accompanied by a strong east +wind. Now that I am on the subject of the weather I may mention +that for some time past it was so cool that although we were in +the sun the hottest part of the day I did not find the heat +oppressive; at 10.5, having come south-east and by south three +miles, that course took us along a plain of the richest soil, but +thinly grassed, in consequence, probably, of a recent dry season; +at 10.40, having changed our course to east, we came one and a +half miles and crossed a watercourse with large quantities of +mussel shells on its banks, but with no water in its channel; at +12.15, having changed our course to south, we came over country, +some of which was well grassed and very green from the old grass +having been burnt, for four miles. In this distance we crossed +several watercourses. Having left the party to look at the river, +in my absence a high hill was seen to the left of our course. The +banks of the river I found thickly wooded with western-wood +acacia; at 1.15 came south along the plain for two and +three-quarter miles, and delayed until 1.50 while the most of our +party tried unsuccessfully to shoot emu; at this place I observed +the hill which had been seen previously. It bore south-east by +south from us. The hill I named Fort Bowen; at 2.25 came +south-east and by south over rich ground for two miles. The +vegetation in this neighbourhood seems nearly dead, excepting the +saltbush. To adjust the packs of one of the horses we delayed +here till 2.45; at 3.50 came 2 and three-quarter miles south and +encamped. Distance today sixteen miles.</p> + +<p>February 25.</p> + +<p>Number 13 Camp is situated on the right bank of the Flinders +River at a point about four miles distant from Fort Bowen and +north-west and by west from it. Looking from the camp, the hill +had a long-topped aspect with rather an abrupt western +termination. During the night the weather was showery and this +morning rain fell, accompanied by a strong north-east wind. Left +camp at 8.47 a.m. and reached the base of Fort Bowen in four and +a half miles at 10.25. In coming that distance we crossed plains +which had, near the river, more herbs than grass; and near the +hill more grass than herbs. At the base we found springs +surrounded by reeds and clumps of tea-trees. Accompanied by Jemmy +I ascended Fort Bowen, the rest of the party proceeding up the +river. From the summit I observed two little hills in the +distance bearing 60 degrees east of south. From the density of +the atmosphere no other hills were visible. Plains surround Fort +Bowen on all sides. Those on the west side of the Flinders River +are more thickly wooded than those on the east side. Fort Bowen, +I should say, is about 200 feet high. From its surface +pudding-stone rocks crop out. Almost immediately after descending +we overtook the rest of the party, halting near waterholes in +which there were ducks. Jackey and Fisherman had tried to kill +some but without success; at 12.18 Mr. Bourne and Jackey went to +shoot at a large flock of cockatoos, the rest of us proceeding on +our journey; at 2.55 came south-east and by south over rich +plains with more herbs on them than grass at places, and more +grass than herbs at other places, seven miles, and encamped. +Before we halted Mr. Bourne and Jackey overtook us, loaded with +cockatoos, of which they had shot as many as they wanted as the +flock did not fly away. Distance today eleven and a half +miles.</p> + +<p>February 26.</p> + +<p>Jemmy and Jackey went out early for the horses. Shortly after +noon they returned having only found a portion of them. They +brought back two snakes and ate them for dinner. Jackey was +bitten by one of the reptiles but so slightly that he did not +think anything of it. Snakes are rare in this part of the +country. In my last expedition to the south-west I only remember +having seen one. In the evening Fisherman brought in the +remainder of the horses. The weather was showery, accompanied by +northerly wind for the greater part of the day.</p> + +<p>February 27. Number 14 Camp, situated on the right bank of the +Flinders River at a point about seven miles south-east and by +south from Fort Bowen.</p> + +<p>The weather during the night was showery, accompanied by +northerly wind. Left camp at 8.40. At 10.5, having crossed a +plain in sight of the trees on the banks of the river in an +easterly course for three and three-quarter miles, sighted hills, +named by me Mount Brown and Mount Little. At 11.40 came +south-east and by east towards Mount Little for four and a half +miles, and reached a watercourse full of water from the east. At +12.15, having come one and a half miles further in the same +direction, we halted till 12.30 for Jackey, who had gone to +waterholes surrounded by springs and clumps of tea-trees for the +purpose of shooting ducks. Jemmy and I left the party to ascend +Mount Little, which is nearer to the river than Mount Brown. We +reached Mount Little in about a mile and rode to its rocky +summit. Its elevation is about fifty feet. The rocks looked like +granite, but on a closer inspection I found they were of a +stratified formation. From the mount nothing was observable +except Fort Bowen, Mount Brown, a little rise, and extensive +thinly wooded plains. Fort Bowen bore 58 degrees west of north, +the small rise south and by east. I built here a small cairn and +scratched with a mussel shell which I picked up at a blacks' camp +(having no knife) my initials and a broad arrow. Started again at +1.30 after the rest of the party, who had gone on ahead. At 2.30 +came south and by east half east, partly on the tracks and partly +with the main party, over thinly wooded plains for four miles. At +2.30 came south one and three-quarter miles and encamped. I never +saw finer-looking herbage than that along our path today. If it +always rained when the grass required moisture this would be one +of the best places, if not altogether the best, in Australia.</p> + +<p>February 28. Camp 15, situated on the right bank of the +Flinders River at a point about six miles south and by east from +Mount Little and Mount Brown.</p> + +<p>Near this point the water in the river is deep with tea-trees +growing near, a good sign that the water is permanent. Last night +we had a sudden and heavy shower of rain. Fisherman and Jackey +were not prepared for it, consequently they got all their clothes +and bedding wet; this however was rather a subject of merriment +than otherwise. We left camp at 8.8. At 8.55, having come +east-south-east for two miles up the river, over rich level +ground, thinly wooded with box and (what I take to be) +excoecaria, and green with the following herbage: roley-poley, +pigweed, saltbush, and grass to plains. At 11.15 came five and +three-quarter miles in the same direction across plains +intersected from the east by shallow watercourses, outlets of the +river during floods. At 12, having remained behind the party with +Jemmy, I got the following observation on a plain horizon of +about a mile in length, namely, meridian altitude of the sun 78 +degrees; latitude 19 degrees 51 minutes 7 seconds. Started again +at 7.43 and came east-south-east four miles on the tracks of our +party along an unwooded plain with plenty of old grass on it, now +green from the recent wet weather; and along a low sandy ridge, +green with grass and brushwood. This land evidently retains the +moisture better than that of the country down the river. At 2.40 +came south-east and by east one and three-quarter miles over +level, well-grassed, and thinly-wooded land, with the exception +of a sandhill wooded with bauhinia. At 3.45 came south one and a +half miles over poor sandy land, badly grassed and thickly +wooded. At 4.15 came south-west and by south one and a half miles +over level country covered with roley-poley, pigweed, saltbush, +and young grass, and wooded with box and western-wood acacia to +water, and encamped. Distance eighteen and a quarter miles.</p> + +<p>March 1. Camp 16, situated on the right bank of the Flinders +River.</p> + +<p>Left same this morning at 8.40. At 10.30 travelled five miles +east-south-east on an average course along the right bank of the +river over rich level land covered with roley-poley, pigweed, +grass, and saltbush, and wooded with box, terminalia, and other +trees. At 11.20 came south-east and by east over land such as I +have just described for two and a quarter miles. Halted with +Jemmy and on a short plain horizon made the following +observation, namely, meridian altitude of the sun 77 degrees 27 +minutes; latitude 20 degrees 3 minutes 30 seconds. At 12.23 +started on the tracks of our party. At 12.58 came one and +three-quarter miles over sandy level land on which I observed, +amongst other grasses, tufts of kangaroo-grass. At 1.30, when we +had come south-east one and a half miles over an unwooded plain +and very rich soil covered with roley-poley, pigweed, saltbush, +and luxuriant young grass, we overtook our party. At 2.20 came +south-east and east over an unwooded well-grassed plain to a +watercourse from the east, with long holes of water. Here a black +was observed in the distance. As this was the first whom we had +seen since leaving the depot, and as I never had observed tracks +on either this expedition or the one to the south-west which a +thundershower would not efface, I think there cannot be many +blacks in the country near the Gulf of Carpentaria. At 3 came +east-south-east over rich low plains with large patches of +saltbush for two miles. At 3.35 came south-south-east over +slightly undulating land with abundance of grass, and slightly +wooded with trees and bushes, for two miles to a watercourse from +the east. On the country I have just mentioned grow bushes like +the garden-box, loaded with fruit pleasant to the taste. We broke +branches and ate the berries as we rode along. At 4.23 came up +the watercourse a quarter of a mile and crossed. This was a +matter of difficulty as it was boggy. At 5.20 came over rich +level country with boggy watercourses from the east and encamped. +Distance today twenty and a quarter miles.</p> + +<p>March 2. Camp 17, situated on the right bank of the Flinders +River.</p> + +<p>Tea-trees here fringe the channel which looks permanently +watered. Although this was Sunday we came up the river. I thought +it as well to do so, Mr. Bourne and Jackey, while they were away +from our party shooting, having observed a strong body of blacks. +We started at 9 a.m. At 11 came south-east and by east over rich +level land, grassed with herbage and wooded with box and +bauhinia. At 11.15 came south half a mile and encamped. It rained +heavily so the work of packing up, saddling, packing the horses, +driving them over sloppy, boggy ground, unpacking them, and +making a fire with wet wood was anything but pleasant employment. +Distance today five miles.</p> + +<p>March 3.</p> + +<p>It rained so heavily that we remained here. The ground was so +soft that the horses, much as they are inclined for rambling, did +not go further away than a quarter of a mile.</p> + +<p>March 4.</p> + +<p>We started this morning at 8.20. Came east three-quarters of a +mile over rich level ground with a few trees upon it. The ground +was so soft from the rain that the horses were with difficulty +driven along. From following each other in single file and +sinking at every step to their fetlocks the track they made was +so deep that it will not be easily effaced. At 10.50 came +south-east for five miles and a half across rich plains with the +greenest herbage; the plains separated from each other by wooded +land with shallow streams flowing to the northward. At 11.35 came +south-south-east two and a quarter miles up along a shallow +stream with slightly wooded plains on its banks. Here Jemmy and I +stayed behind the party and got the following observation, +namely, meridian altitude of the sun 76 degrees 3 minutes, +latitude 20 degrees 19 minutes. At 12.45 came across the plain on +the tracks of the party two and a quarter miles. At 2.35 came at +a quicker pace, as the ground was harder, for two and a half +miles south-east and by east, and crossed a shallow watercourse +with box-trees along its margin coming from the south. At 3.30 +travelled over rich plains separated from each other by wooded +land with watercourses from the south for one and a half miles +south-east and by south. At 4 came half a mile south-east and by +south over thickly-wooded land and overtook our party where they +had formed their encampment. Jemmy, Jackey and Fisherman were +very successful in collecting food for their supper. On the +plains they caught a great number of rats, and near here they +caught five possums. Distance today eighteen and a half +miles.</p> + +<p>March 5. Camp 19, situated on the right bank of Flinders +River.</p> + +<p>The horses having rambled a considerable distance out on the +plain Jemmy and Jackey were a long time bringing them to camp, +and we did not manage to start this morning until 9.3. At 10 came +over two kinds of well-grassed country in an east and north +direction for three miles, the first part wooded with box and +bauhinia, the second a plain between belts of timber. At 11 came +east-south-east across a plain to some extent overrun with +roley-poley to a deep stream flowing to the north. Here I swam +across to the opposite bank to a plain which appeared beautifully +level and made on it the meridian altitude of the sun 75 degrees +36 minutes, latitude 20 degrees 23 minutes. Started again at +12.50 and came up along the stream in a south-east direction one +and a half miles over well grassed land wooded with box to the +outlet of a stream from the river and encamped. Distance today +seven and a quarter miles.</p> + +<p>March 6. Camp 20, situated on the left bank of a northern +channel of the Flinders River.</p> + +<p>The water having fallen greatly since yesterday we carried the +saddles and packs over and then led the horses. As the northern +bank was boggy we had to apply the whip severely to some of the +horses to get them to ascend it. At 9.57 a.m., having packed the +horses, we started. At 10.58 came east and by south up along the +left bank of a watercourse with a thin margin of box-trees for +three miles. At 11.12 Jemmy and I left the party and came south +for three-quarters of a mile across a plain to the right bank of +the river where, halting, I made the meridian altitude of the sun +75 degrees 6 minutes, latitude 20 degrees 31 minutes. At 12.40 +came half a mile north-east. At 1.12 come along a plain in a +south-east and by east direction one and a half miles to a deeper +and broader outlet from the river than the one we crossed in the +morning. Overtook our party here and assisted to unsaddle and +unpack. The horses were then driven into the stream and swum +across. Afterwards we pulled the saddles and packs across with a +rope and encamped. We adopted the following plan for taking them +over the river. We attached the articles to the middle of a rope +and passed one end of it over the fork of a tree on the southern +bank; one end of the rope being pulled with sufficient force to +keep the goods clear of the water, and the other end pulled with +much greater force, the goods were safely landed on the southern +bank. This would have been accomplished easily if we had had a +pulley, but as we had none it took hard pulling to make the rope +travel. The country we passed over has the same rich character as +the land I described yesterday. Distance today four and a quarter +miles.</p> + +<p>March 7. Camp 21, situated on right bank of Flinders +River.</p> + +<p>Knowing that plains with just a sufficiency of trees for +firewood and shade has proved better than any other for pastoral +purposes, this country delighted me; but I must say it would +please me more if there were a few high hills in the distance. I +was however charmed with the landscape around the camp this +morning. In the foreground I saw fine box, excoecaria, and other +trees festooned with beautiful cumbering creepers, and beyond +them the horses feeding on a fine grassy plain extending to the +north and eastward to apparently distant blue mountains. As the +day advanced this picture unfortunately lost a portion of its +beauty by the disappearance of anything like mountains in the +distant horizon. We started at 8.14 a.m.; and at 11.40 came east +for ten miles along a plain behind the wooded country near the +river, but further back it is either covered with roley-poley and +pigweed or with young grasses which I am afraid are annuals. Yet +notwithstanding these drawbacks it is a very fine country, and if +care is taken by the future occupiers not to overstock it sheep +and cattle will do remarkably well upon it. When it is occupied +it should be improved by having seeds sown during the beginning +of the wet season to produce plants with deep roots which will +take the place of the annuals. If this was done and tanks and +wells made in the back country the land would probably carry at +least twice the quantity of stock it could now; but to get +improvements of that character made a freehold tenure would +probably be required. At 11.40 Jemmy and I waited behind the main +party on this extensive plain and made an observation of the sun, +namely, meridian altitude 74 degrees 34 minutes; latitude 20 +degrees 37 minutes 30 seconds. Started on the track of our +companions at 12.10; at 2.14 came south-east and by east for six +miles over well-grassed plains and overtook the main party. At a +shallow watercourse surrounded by rushes and polygonum I got off +my horse to get a drink and carelessly let him out of my hands. +In a second he scampered off to the other horses. Jackey however +soon brought him back to me. At 2.50 came south-east for about +three-quarters of a mile and encamped. Distance this day sixteen +and three-quarter miles.</p> + +<p>March 8. Camp 22, situated on the right bank of the Flinders +River.</p> + +<p>The river presents here a fine sheet of water; the channel has +the appearance of draining a large tract of country and is as +large-looking as the Nogoa River at its junction with the Comet +River. Left camp this morning at 8.1; at 8.55 came east and by +south for two and three-quarter miles along a plain behind the +wooded country skirting the river to an eastern channel of the +river and delayed five minutes to get water; at 11.40 came +north-east a mile and a half; then east five and a quarter miles +over gently undulating rich land, green with herbage and wooded +with box; crossed a small creek near its junction with the river; +Jemmy and I here left the party and cantered for two miles in a +north-east direction over high undulating rich ground with fine +grass to a point commanding an extensive view of the surrounding +country. To the eastward I observed about ten miles distant a +line of wooded country which probably fringes a stream flowing +parallel to the Flinders River. Having halted here I got the +following observation, namely: meridian altitude of the sun 74 +degrees 8 minutes; latitude 20 degrees 48 minutes. Jemmy and I +started to overtake the party at 12.10; at 12.35 came south-east +and by east over well-grassed land for one and a quarter mile and +observed the recent tracks of a steer or cow; at 1.23 came +south-east two and a quarter miles to the river over two kinds of +country--the first rich undulating ground with good grass, the +second clay flats covered with grass and salt herbs and wooded +with box. In that short distance we crossed two watercourses from +the east with good holes of water. Not having found the tracks of +our party we steered west-north-west and at 2.3, when we had +ridden about two miles, we found them waiting for us. As there +was water and good grass here we encamped. Distance today sixteen +miles and three-quarters.</p> + +<p>March 9.</p> + +<p>As this was Sunday we rested ourselves and the horses; I make +it a rule to fare better on Sunday than on other days so we had +for breakfast damper, meat, and pigweed; for lunch, pea soup, and +for dinner, cold rice and jam. The country in this neighbourhood +I named Hervey Downs.</p> + +<p>March 10.</p> + +<p>Today Mr. Bourne, Fisherman, and Jackey went in search of the +beast that I had seen traces of on Saturday.</p> + +<p>March 11.</p> + +<p>Mr. Bourne, Fisherman, and Jackey returned. From Mr. Bourne I +got the following report of their expedition:</p> + +<p>After following the tracts of the beast for about two miles +down the river they found it had crossed and travelled out on the +plains in a south-easterly direction; followed tracts for twenty +miles to where they turned nearly east. Up to this point they +found water in several places but, in running the tracks for +fifteen or twenty miles further, found none, and very reluctantly +turned back (feeling satisfied that the beast had got too much +start of them) at 4 p.m. to water and encamped. They had no +rations excepting an iguana and a few mussels. These downs +consist of loose brown loam, thickly covered with ironstone +pebbles, and would be very good country if the roley-poley were +not so prevalent.</p> + +<p>March 12. Camp 23, situated on the left bank of a shallow +creek.</p> + +<p>A carbine with a broken lock, belonging to Jemmy, the +police-trooper, was left behind here. We started this morning at +8.25; at 8.50 came south-east and by east one and a quarter mile +and crossed the river at a place where the water has a fall of +several feet over flags of sandstone; at 11.40 came east over +rich well-wooded downs for eight and a quarter miles. Jemmy and I +having left our party and come about half a mile south, I made +the following observation, namely: meridian altitude 72 degrees +33 seconds; latitude 20 degrees 41 minutes. Started after party +at 12.20. At 1.27 came east half north for two and a half miles +over rich undulating land to a watercourse. These downs are so +sparse of trees that a small belt of brushwood on the top of an +eminence was a remarkable feature. It is situated about a mile +this side of the spot from which I made my observation; at 3.20, +when we had come up the creek on an average south-east and by +east direction for five and a half miles, we encamped. The +country we have seen today has decidedly undulating features and +a rich soil. Some of the flats were covered with roley-poley but +the rest of the country was grassed. Distance today eighteen and +three-quarter miles.</p> + +<p>March 13. Camp 24, situated on the left bank of a broad +shallow watercourse named by me O'Connell Creek.</p> + +<p>Started this morning at 7.35. When we had ridden up the creek +about four miles we found the tracks of the beast that Mr. Bourne +tracked south-easterly from the 23rd camp. After coming backwards +and forwards for some time we crossed O'Connell Creek, then came +about three and a half miles to the left bank of the Flinders +River and abandoned the tracks of the beast as they were going +down the river. We followed up the river for about four and a +half miles. The first part of that distance it was confined by +stony ridges, wooded with acacias and other trees; in the second +part were large box flats with unwooded rising ground behind. +From our path along the rising ground we observed in the distance +a number of blacks near the river; and also observed, ahead of us +to the eastward, a long blue range which I found afterwards +confined the river on its right side. I named it Bramston Range. +Afterwards we came over well-grassed country of a similar +character to that I have described last for about five and +three-quarter miles and encamped. All the country we have seen +today is well grassed with the exception of a few plains overrun +with roley-poley. I may remark also that birds, chiefly +consisting of pigeons, cockatoos, quail, and hawks, were seen in +great abundance. Today we travelled in the following courses: +7.35 south-south-east for four miles up O'Connell's Creek; 1.35 +north and by east for three and a half miles to the river, +east-south-east four and a quarter miles up the river; 3.30 east +half north for five and three-quarter miles; 3.50 north-east one +mile. Distance today eighteen and a half miles.</p> + +<p>March 14. Camp 25 situated on the left bank of a western +channel of the Flinders River.</p> + +<p>We started this morning at 7.37. When we had come seven miles +over rich well-grassed downs we observed a great number of blacks +on a level flat which extended to the southward. Mr. Bourne and I +approached them and they all ran away except some gins and +children who hid themselves in a waterhole. We remained near them +for a short time and were joined by Jemmy and Jackey. The gins +and children soon abandoned their hiding-place and assembled on +the bank, where they had their coolamons filled with rats. The +old gins repeatedly offered the wives of the men who had run away +to us. Amongst the females whom I observed was a girl about ten +years old with a large bone stuck through the cartilage of her +nose. We declined the offer, although I daresay Jackey would have +liked to have taken one of the ratcatchers with him: but Jemmy +said he would not, as he does not approve of wedded life. He has +seen it, I presume, under disadvantageous circumstances. The +young gins had fine eyes, white teeth, and good expression. The +children looked particularly lively and intelligent. Jemmy +understood a few words of their language but not sufficient to +get information from them. Their word for water, cammo, I caught +while we were getting them to fill our pint pots with water. +After bidding them farewell Mr. Bourne and Jackey proceeded after +the packhorses and Jemmy and I went up the flat to a place about +three and a half miles south of Bramston Range and, having +halted, I made the meridian altitude of the sun 71 degrees 45 +minutes; latitude 20 degrees 29 minutes 16 seconds. Started after +the main party at 12.20. We soon found them as they had been +obliged to stop to repair a saddle. Having started again we came +one and a quarter miles over rich downs very much overrun with +roley-poley. As we had been getting too far away from the river +we steered towards it, and having reached water in two and a half +miles we encamped. The country we passed over last consists of +well-grassed downs. In the water we got plenty of mussels which +made an agreeable addition to our rations. Distance today +seventeen and a half miles by the following courses: 11.50 +east-south-east seven miles; 12 south one and a half miles; 1.16 +east-north-east one and a half miles; 2.40 east-south-east four +and a quarter miles; 3.30 east-north-east two and a half miles; +3.45 north-east and by east three-quarters of a mile.</p> + +<p>March 15. Camp 26 situated near a creek named by me Sloane +Creek, at a point about three miles south-east from Bramston +Range.</p> + +<p>Started this morning at 8.15. Having come one mile and a half +we reached a small hill bearing 2 degrees 84 minutes from the +south-west end of Bramston Range and 50 minutes from table ranges +up the river. On this hill Jemmy and I stopped for some time and +then proceeded after the main party. Following their track led us +over rich, high, unwooded downs for five and three-quarter miles +to a creek with a shallow broad channel. This stream evidently +flows towards the river. I named it Walker Creek. After crossing +Walker Creek we came over high downs for about twelve miles, and +having found water we encamped. Towards the river the country is +wooded with a kind of myall, but not the drooping acacia. Amongst +it the horses have gone to feed in preference to the open +country. The ground on this side of Walker's Creek is composed of +a reddish soil with occasionally detached pieces of basalt. It is +covered with the best grasses, the highest portions thinly wooded +with small trees, amongst which I observed white-wood, myall, and +Port Curtis sandalwood. The Port Curtis sandalwood has been +exported, but as far as I have been able to learn was not a +profitable article. However it is first-rate for firewood, giving +a better light than other woods, and the perfume it emits is +disliked by mosquitoes. From our path today we observed that the +right side of the river was confined by wooded ranges extending +without prominent features from Bramston Range to table ranges +near here. We travelled on the following courses: 8.50 east and +by north one and a half miles to a little hill; 10.15 north-east +and by east for three miles; 11.10 east-north-east two and +three-quarter miles to Walker Creek; 3.10 north-east twelve miles +to encampment. Distance today seventeen and three-quarter +miles.</p> + +<p>March 16.</p> + +<p>Today Fisherman and I left the party in camp to ascend the +lowest down of the three table ranges on the right bank of the +Flinders River. We reached the left bank of the river in a +north-north-east direction in about two miles and a half. The +river has a sandy level bed which is about eighty yards wide. +After crossing the river Fisherman marked a gumtree growing at +the bottom of the bank E broad arrow over L. From the river we +reached the base of the range in rather less than a mile. I +expected to find it of a sandstone formation with triodia on its +surface, but on ascending the range I found that, although it had +a sandstone formation, it was covered with a dark perforated +basalt and at other places with rich soil and good grass. From +the summit I observed that the river was joined at a short +distance above this range by a tributary to the south-east, and +that the following hills bore in the directions named: A high +distant table range which I have named after Frederick Walker, +Esquire, my brother explorer, 130 degrees; a table range +three-quarters of a mile distant 90 degrees; a table range about +three miles distant 45 degrees; three conical hills on a range +about seven miles distant respectively 44, 43 and 39 degrees; a +tent-topped hill about seven miles distant 22 1/2 degrees; a hill +with an irregular top about nineteen miles distant 20 degrees; +Bramston Range 245 degrees; encampment 195 degrees. After +descending the range we proceeded to the junction of the creek +and marked trees on both sides of the river just above its +junction. Between the hill and the river we found marjoram, a +plant that we have been searching for since we got our last +supply at the Leichhardt River, to use as a substitute for tea; +and also found--what interested us much more--the old tracks of +an expedition party. The tracks were very indistinct but, as +Fisherman succeeded in following them for a short distance to the +north-west, I suppose that they were the tracks of Walker's party +when on their way from the Nogoa to the Albert River.</p> + +<p>March 17. Camp 27, situated on the left bank of a southern +outlet from the Flinders River at a point about five miles +south-south-west from the table-topped ranges on the opposite +side of the river.</p> + +<p>The horses were so much scattered that almost the whole of the +forenoon was spent in bringing them in. The main party left camp +rather before noon. Jemmy and I stayed behind to get an +observation of the sun. Started on the tracks of our party at +12.20. We came along unwooded, well-grassed land at the back of +country wooded with myall for three and a half miles, then over +country more overrun with roley-poley but otherwise of a similar +character for two miles to the termination of the myall. Here I +observed that we were about four and a half miles west from the +end of a range, which I suppose confines the river on its right +bank, and north-west from Frederick Walker's Table Mountain. +After coming four and a half miles we reached a place where there +was plenty of good water and grass with a high bank and encamped, +as Gleeson was very unwell. The last distance--four and a half +miles--was over unwooded downs covered with barley and other +grasses. Came on the following courses: 1.30 south-east three and +a half miles; east-south-east two miles. 3.40 east-south-east +four and a half miles. Distance come today ten miles.</p> + +<p>March 18. Camp 28, situated near the left side of a +watercourse of the Flinders River at a point bearing 130 degrees +from Frederick Walker's Table Mountain.</p> + +<p>The horses were scattered almost as much as they were +yesterday morning and the most of the forenoon was spent in +mustering them. Started at 10.35. When we had gone towards +Frederick Walker's Table Mountain for three miles Jemmy and I +left our path on the high ground and went down on a flat +extending to the northward for about two miles, where, taking an +observation, I made the meridian altitude of the sun 70 degrees +13 minutes, latitude 20 degrees 40 minutes 30 seconds. Started +after the main party at 12.15. Having ridden seven miles we +reached Frederick Walker's Table Mountain and ascended it. From +its high summit I observed that stretching across part of the +horizon there was nothing to be seen but plains. Along another +part, on the south-eastern side, there was a succession of ranges +from which we bore in the following way: From the end of the +ranges in the distance 151 degrees; a distant range 147 degrees; +a red rocky hill about seven miles distant 140 degrees; a table +range about one and a half miles distant 103 degrees; a high +distant conical hill, the one that I probably saw from the table +range near 27 Camp, 5 degrees; the table ranges 310 degrees. We +were thirsty and as we did not know how far our party would have +to go to get water for the encampment I spent as little time as +possible in making observations. Having started after the main +party we overtook them just as it was getting dark. They had gone +round the mountain and, as they had not found water, they were +proceeding to the north-east in search of it. Continuing the same +course we reached at 8 p.m. water and encamped. The land we +passed over today is good; the soil is a rich reddish loam. The +country consists of downs luxuriantly covered with good grasses +except at places which are overrun with roley-poley. These downs +are thinly wooded in places with myall, white-wood, and Port +Curtis sandalwood. Frederick Walker's Table Mountain is of a +sandstone formation and is covered at places with triodia. On the +southern side of it there is a dry watercourse which rises from +the northward. At many places in coming up this river we have +observed a most interesting vine which produced pods of beautiful +silky cotton. As the pods were pleasant to eat we were on the +continual lookout for it. Distance today about eighteen +miles.</p> + +<p>March 19. Camp 29, situated on flat ground on the left side of +a small watercourse at a point bearing in the following way from +the following ranges: one end of Frederick Walker's Table +Mountain about five miles distant, the other end about four miles +distant, 245 degrees; one end of a table range about one and a +half miles distant from Frederick Walker's Table Mountain 199 +degrees; the other end 192 degrees; the end of a long table range +160 degrees.</p> + +<p>Jemmy was so unwell this morning that we had to delay some +time before he could proceed. Started at 9.52 a.m. Having come +three miles north-east we waited for some time as Gleeson was too +unwell to travel. Afterwards we proceeded about two miles and +encamped. The land we saw today was on the whole well grassed; +the flattest portions of it are wooded with myall, Port Curtis +sandalwood, and western-wood acacia. The country looking from the +unwooded plains is beautiful and with luxuriant herbage; the +surrounding isolated ranges lends an interest to the scenery. The +river has here a sandy channel about 120 paces wide with a +shallow stream meandering along its almost level surface.</p> + +<p>March 20.</p> + +<p>Camp 30, situated on the left bank of the Flinders River at +the north-west base of an isolated range bearing the following +way from the following ranges: one end of Frederick Walker's +Table Mountain about eight miles distant 2 degrees 36 minutes; +the other end 2 degrees 23 minutes; a range about six miles +distant 209 degrees; a little isolated hill 193 degrees; +north-west end of a table range about five miles distant 189 +degrees; north-west end of a table range about two miles distant +174 degrees; south-east end 149 degrees. This morning I was glad +to find that Gleeson and Jemmy had recovered sufficiently to +start on the journey. We started at 10.12. After crossing the +river we followed it up on its opposite bank in an east direction +for one and a half miles and crossed it at the end of the range +on the left bank. We then followed up a creek I named Jardine's +Creek in a north-east and east direction for five miles and +encamped. From camp Fisherman and I went west-north-west for two +miles and a half to the top of a range bearing as described from +the following ranges: a distant conical range (probably the one +observed from near 27 Camp) 3 degrees 48 minutes; the end of +Frederick Walker's Table Mountain 245 degrees; the other end 238 +degrees; the place where Fisherman thought Jardine's Creek joined +the river 255 degrees. The country we saw from our path along the +right bank of the river was not, of course, extensive, but what +we saw was flat, covered with long grass, and wooded with +bloodwood and gum. These trees were the largest I have seen in +this part of the country, and almost the only ones I have seen +since leaving the depot at all well-adapted for building +purposes. The country in the valley of Jardine's Creek is most +beautiful. It is thickly grassed and in some parts without trees; +in others thinly wooded or wooded with clumps of trees. The hills +on both sides of the valley are picturesque. Distance today six +and a half miles.</p> + +<p>March 21.</p> + +<p>Fisherman and I left camp this morning and went south-east for +fourteen miles. The first four miles took us over the range to +the head of a creek, the next five miles down the creek, and the +next five miles to the left of the creek. We then went south-west +to the creek and selected a place for the next encampment. Then, +returning to depot camp, we followed up the creek, and it took us +in a north half west direction for five miles to our outward +tracks. Then, returning by our track to camp, we reached it by +travelling for an hour after dark. In going and returning we +spent nearly twelve hours on horseback. At camp I was sorry to +learn that Gleeson was still very unwell. The country on the +other side of the range is nearly level; back from the creek it +is chiefly overgrown with triodia and wooded with ironbark. The +ironbark-trees are the first I have seen on this expedition. Near +the creek and at some places for a mile back from it the soil is +rich with luxuriant good grass, except at places where it is +thickly wooded with western-wood acacia and Port Curtis +sandalwood where the herbage is not so rank, but the saltbush +amongst it is a good sign of its having the most fattening +qualities. The ranges on the southern side of the valley are not +so good as the ranges on the northern side, the former are more +sandy and are not so well covered with rich basaltic soil.</p> + +<p>March 22. Camp 31, situated on the right bank of Jardine Creek +at a point about five miles above its junction with Flinders +River.</p> + +<p>Started this morning at 10.20; at 3.20 p.m. reached the place +I had chosen yesterday for our encampment and unsaddled. Gleeson +had so much recovered that he did not complain of fatigue during +the day's journey. Distance today fourteen miles.</p> + +<p>March 23.</p> + +<p>As this was Sunday we rested ourselves and horses. Gleeson and +Jemmy still unwell; the former very weak and complaining of want +of appetite and sleep.</p> + +<p>March 24.</p> + +<p>Today we followed the creek down for about fifteen miles and +three-quarters and encamped at a fine waterhole. All along the +creek there are fine deep waterholes. The channel is a kind of +sandstone formation, particularly good for retaining water. About +eight miles above here the creek is joined by another +watercourse, about the same size, from the north-west. I have +named it Coxen Creek. The country is not so level as it is higher +up the creek. The soil is very good with grass, saltbush, and +herbs. Sheep or cattle will do well on it but it will not carry +much stock to its acreage as it is confined at many places by +ridges with triodia and only a small proportion of other grasses. +Triodia is certainly better than nothing, as stock will eat it +when it is young, and at other times will eat it rather than +starve. The best part of the country is thickly wooded with +acacia and other small trees. This would not be objectionable +where blacks were quiet and where it is not necessary at times to +run sheep in large flocks; but in the first occupation of the +country it will be so, as labour will probably be scarce. We +travelled today at our usual pace from 8.27 a.m. to 1.55 p.m. +Gleeson was so much recovered that he did not complain of +fatigue. We came here on the following courses: 9.27 south-east +for two and three-quarter miles; 11.10 south-south-east five +miles to the junction of Coxen Creek; 1.55 south-south-east eight +miles.</p> + +<p>March 25.</p> + +<p>Started at 8.15 this morning. Came down the right bank of the +creek for about fifteen miles and encamped at 2.53. The creek has +fine deep holes of water. The channel generally is confined by +sandstone at places by shelving rocks a few feet high and +inaccessible for horses. Here the channel is broad and sandy; +about seven miles below the last camp it is joined by a smaller +watercourse from the north-west named by me Raff Creek. The +country we saw from our path was mostly good. It consists of +well-grassed, thinly-wooded flats, separated from each other by +belts of Port Curtis sandalwood, bauhinia, and other small trees, +and at other places by low ridges with triodia. The country in +the immediate neighbourhood consists of low ridges of poor soil +with numerous rocky gullies. These ridges are chiefly wooded with +ironbak and grassed with triodia. We traversed down the creek in +the following way: 9.25 south-south-east three and a quarter +miles; 11.4 south two and three-quarter miles to Raff Creek; 1.30 +south five and three-quarter miles; 2.10 south-east and by south +one and a quarter miles to a small creek from the north-west; +3.54 south two miles to here.</p> + +<p>March 26.</p> + +<p>We left camp this morning at 8.45. When we had travelled at +our usual pace till 1.45 we encamped at a small creek from the +north-east. We stopped here as we found dray-tracks near the +creek that I wanted to trace. After unsaddling Fisherman and I +traced them a short distance to the north-east. The tracks were +made probably by the parties who have occupied Bowen Downs. Bowen +Downs is a fine tract of country that Mr. N. Buchanan and I +discovered about two years ago. The country we passed over today +is easily described. It is undulating poor land of a sandstone +formation, grassed with triodia and wooded with ironbark and +bloodwood. Having left the creek on which we encamped last night +our course today took us back onto high ground from which, +descending, we reached this by the following courses: 11.45 +south-south-west eight and three-quarter miles; 1.45 south five +and three-quarter miles. Distance come today fourteen and a half +miles. In a waterhole near camp Mr. Bourne caught a great +quantity of small fish, an agreeable addition to our fare, and +from the same waterhole Fisherman got a quantity of mussels for +our breakfast tomorrow.</p> + +<p>March 27. Camp 35, situated on the right bank of a small +well-watered creek at a point about half a mile above its +junction with a larger creek from the north-west.</p> + +<p>Jackey and I left camp this morning at 9. When we had gone +down the creek in a southerly direction for two and three-quarter +miles we left it and went west, expecting to find the tracks of +our party as I had asked Mr. Bourne to steer south-south-west; +but, not finding the tracks, we returned to camp and reached it +at 1.15. At camp we learned that the horses were only mustered a +few minutes before our arrival. In my ride with Jackey down the +creek I saw the recent tracks of a cow or steer (probably made by +the beast that had been on the Flinders River). I would have +tried to have found the beast with a view of killing it for the +benefit of our party, but from seeing the dray-tracks near the +camp I thought this was unnecessary as I was convinced we were +near a station. Before leaving the subject of the beast I may +mention that it may have been taken from the Darling to one of +the stations on the head of the Burdekin and, having strayed from +there to the Flinders River, was now on its way back. Started +from camp at 1.45 p.m. When we had come a mile we crossed a creek +flowing to the northward. On both sides of the creek there are +stony ranges grassed with triodia and wooded with ironbark. After +leaving the creek we crossed the ridges and came on land with a +good deal of rich soil and wooded with belts of myall, Port +Curtis sandalwood, and western-wood acacia. About these scrubs +the grass is very good and there is a luxuriant undergrowth of +saltbush and salt herbs. When we had come four miles from camp we +sighted to the south-west a small isolated hill and went towards +it. When we had crossed about three and a half miles over country +like what I have just described we reached the isolated hill and +Mr. Bourne and I ascended it. It is surrounded by rich, +well-grassed, high downs, wooded at places with small belts of +myall. The shape of the hill is like an artificial mound with the +ruins of a tower on its summit. It is so like a hill I saw when I +was last on Bowen Downs that I almost fancied it the same. The +hills in this neighbourhood however do not correspond with those +in my chart. About four and a half miles to the north-north-west +we observed two table-topped hills, and in the distance to the +south-south-east a hill which may be the Simon Pure Tower-hill. +From the hill we came east half north two and a half miles and +encamped.</p> + +<p>March 28.</p> + +<p>We started this morning at 8.55. When we had come about +sixteen miles we reached Tower-hill. On its summit I found a +small tree that I remembered Mr. N. Buchanan had marked L when on +my first expedition to this part of the country. Almost half the +way to Tower-hill was wooded with myall and western-wood acacia. +In the middle of that wooded country we crossed a range and +observed unwooded downs to the right of our path. The remainder +of the way was rich undulating ground slightly wooded with trees +and grassed with the best grasses. To the left of our course +there was low ground wooded at places with box, and at other +places with western-wood acacia. From the range in the first part +of the way Tower-hill bore south-east and by south, and a little +range south-south-east (the latter is about one and a half miles +west-south-west from Tower-hill). After descending Tower-hill we +came half a mile and encamped. In a waterhole near camp Mr. +Bourne and I while bathing found mussels in abundance; but as our +caterers, of whom Mr. Bourne was the chief, had shot two turkeys +we did not gather any mussels. We came on the following courses: +10.30 south four miles to a range; 12 south-south-east two and +three-quarter miles to open downs; 2.45 south-east eight and a +quarter miles to Tower-hill; east half a mile to encampment. +Distance today sixteen and a half miles.</p> + +<p>March 29.</p> + +<p>From last camp we reached Landsborough's Creek in twenty-three +and a half miles. I expected today to have reached a station that +Mr. Buchanan when I left Brisbane told me he intended forming on +this creek. I told my party to expect that we would here get +fresh provisions. When we had travelled upwards of ten miles from +last camp, and in that distance only saw the appearance of a +single horse track, I came to the conclusion that Mr. Buchanan +had taken no stock up the creek, and changed our course so as to +strike it lower down. Further on Mr. Bourne, Gleeson, and I felt +confident we were on stocked country; but this impression was +soon changed by Fisherman telling us that he believed the grass +had been eaten off by grasshoppers. The country we crossed today +is a rich soil and is wooded along the watercourses with box, and +at other places with a few bushes. Near the creek the land is +flat and badly grassed, but back from the creek the land is +undulating and well grassed. From our path we saw on both sides +of us table ranges which gave a charm to the landscape. We came +here on the following courses: 11.20 south-west and by south +eight miles; 12.10 west one mile; 12.48 south-south-west one and +three-quarter miles; 1.20 south one and a half miles; 2.35 +south-east three and three-quarter miles; 5.25 south seven and a +half miles.</p> + +<p>March 30.</p> + +<p>This being Sunday we rested ourselves and horses.</p> + +<p>March 31. Camp 38 situated on the left side of Landsborough's +Creek at a place about two miles north of a table range on the +opposite bank.</p> + +<p>We started this morning at 10.25. When we had followed down +the left bank of the creek we crossed Cornish Creek a short +distance above its junction with Landsborough's Creek. It had +been recently flooded, and although the ford was a good one the +stream was still about three feet deep. Below the junction of +this creek the watercourse is called Landsborough's River. (Lower +down we ascertained it was called the Thomson River.) On the left +bank of Cornish Creek there are wooded ranges extending for +several miles down the river. After leaving these ridges our path +down the left bank of the river went over rich undulating ground +with good grass and a few belts of box-trees. On the opposite +side of the river there is a considerable extent of wooded +country. On our journey one of the packs having partly broken +loose so frightened the horse carrying it that he galloped off, +and was not recovered until he had scattered his load, consisting +of medicines and peas, broadcast on the plain. The medicine was +recovered but the bulk of the peas were lost. About ten miles +before I reached camp I made the meridian altitude of the sun +63.18, on a good land horizon; latitude 22 degrees 27 minutes 39 +seconds. We came here on the following courses: 10.20 south-east +and by east two and three-quarter miles; 11.40 south-south-east +four miles; 12.45 south-south-east two miles to ---- Creek; 3.20 +south seven and a quarter miles. Distance today sixteen +miles.</p> + +<p>April 1.</p> + +<p>We started this morning at eight. When we had come down along +the left bank of the river about eight miles Jemmy and I left our +party and went back to the unwooded downs. These downs extend as +far as the eye can reach to the eastward. Before we had gone far +we found the recent tracks of an exploring party, and instead of +rejoining our party we followed the tracks to see where they led, +which appeared to be in the direction of some untimbered hills on +the left bank of the Aramak Creek. After leaving the tracks we +made for the river, and reached it at a point a short distance +above an old camp of mine where there is a tree marked L over +LXIX. At the river we found we had overshot our party, so we had +to follow the river up to find their encampment. Our path today +went fifteen miles over unwooded, undulating, rich ground bearing +abundance of grass; then eleven and a half miles over a country +with higher undulations and good grass, with myall, western-wood +acacia and Port Curtis sandalwood. We went by the following +courses: 11.20 south eight and three-quarter miles; 2.20 south +and by east six and a half miles; 3.24 south-south-west two and a +half miles; 4.45 south-west four miles; 5.7 west one mile to the +river; 5.25 north-north-west three-quarters of a mile to marked +tree; 6.30 north-west and by north three miles to encampment. +Distance travelled by Jemmy and myself today twenty-six and a +half miles.</p> + +<p>April 2.</p> + +<p>We started this morning at 8.15 and travelled down the river +till six in the evening, journeying later than usual to get out +of the neighbourhood of some blacks that we passed about seven +miles back from here. At a place about fourteen and a half miles +back I halted with Jackey and made an observation of the sun; +afterwards, when we had nearly overtaken the party, I observed +the blacks were near them. We galloped towards them to make them +run away; but instead of doing so they remained and received us +in a friendly manner and offered us their spears and boomerangs. +I let Jackey take a spear and two boomerangs; the spear we wanted +for making ramrods; in return for their presents I gave them a +tomahawk. These blacks are fine, tall, powerful fellows. When we +overtook the party Mr. Bourne informed me that the blacks had +followed it for about three miles, and that one of them, a +powerfully built man about six feet high, had been so very bold +that he (Mr. Bourne) had repeatedly fired over his head without +causing him any alarm; and that on one occasion, on looking +round, he saw him apparently in the act of throwing his boomerang +at him. These blacks told Jemmy, who understood their language, +that they had seen nothing of any explorers with camels. When we +were unsaddling I was sorry to find that we had not got out of +the neighbourhood of the blacks as I observed some of them were +watching us from behind some trees close at hand. Jemmy told them +that I was very angry at them for following us. In reply they +said I was mistaken, that they had not followed, they had never +seen us before. Shortly afterwards Jemmy had a long conversation +with them during which they informed him they had seen a party of +explorers to the eastward, but that they had never seen any with +camels or drays. When they left they assured us they would not +return until morning. A place that we passed about nine miles up +the river bears east and by north from a conical hill which is on +the right bank of the river, and west and by south from a table +range near our path on this side of the river. Besides this table +range there are isolated ranges distant from one to three miles +from each other and extending along the left bank of the river +from our last camp. On the opposite bank (the right bank) there +were no hills in sight except the conical hill already mentioned +and a range near our present camp. Rich undulating ground, +covered with good grass and slightly wooded with myall, +western-wood acacia, and Port Curtis sandalwood, extends from the +ranges in many places to the left bank of the river. Near the +junction of Aramak Creek I made the meridian altitude of the sun +62 degrees 2 minutes, the latitude 22 degrees 58 minutes 29 +seconds. We came here on the following courses from last camp: +9.15 a.m. south-east and by south for three miles to old camp; +11.20 a.m. south-south-east for five and a half miles to Aramak +Creek; 1.50 p.m. south-west for two and a half miles; 2.50 p.m. +south-south-east for three miles; 3.20 p.m. south-west for one +and a half miles to creek from south-east; 5.15 p.m. south-west +for five miles to another creek from south-east; 6.15 p.m. south +and by east for two and a half miles. Distance twenty-three +miles.</p> + +<p>April 3. Left Camp 41, situated on the left bank of the river +at a place between two isolated ranges.</p> + +<p>One of the ranges is on the left bank; I have named it +Mackenzie Range. The other, on the opposite bank, I have named +Herbert Range. From camp the south end of Mackenzie Range bears +45 degrees, and the south end of Herbert Range 235 degrees. The +four blacks who left us yesterday evening paid us a visit as soon +as it was light this morning; they were very communicative and +informed us that the river flowed to the southward, that it was +joined about two days' journey from this by a large river from +the north-east; that a long way down the river the country was +sandy and destitute of grass, and that beyond the ranges in sight +there were no hills. They said further, on being asked if they +knew of any country to the westward without grass, that they had +not seen or heard of any country of that description in such +direction. We started this morning at 8.45 and at 3.43 p.m., +having travelled sixteen miles along the left bank of the river, +we camped. The country we saw during the forenoon was of an +undulating character and the soil rich, with myall and +western-wood acacia. The grass was good, but from the absence of +rain not so fresh looking as higher up the river. Our path in the +afternoon lay near the river over low ground, wooded with box, +having an undergrowth of saltbush and polygonum. To the eastward +there was fine undulating open country. Somewhere above here I +think it is probable that the river is joined by a larger stream +from the westward as it is now quite unfordable and about sixty +feet in width. We came in the following courses from last camp: +9.45 south-south-east for three miles; 11 south for three and a +half miles; 1.20 south-south-west for three miles; 3.15 +south-west for five and three-quarter miles; 3.43 +south-south-west for three-quarters of a mile.</p> + +<p>April 4.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 42 at 8.35 a.m. and travelled in the back country +from the river. I steered in the forenoon about two points off +what I considered was the probable course of the river, and +intended returning to it in the afternoon; unfortunately however +I left the main party in the middle of the day and omitted to +tell Mr. Bourne to change the course if necessary to reach the +river. When I overtook the party I altered the course and at 3.20 +p.m. reached a creek that probably drains a great deal of back +country. As there was water in its channel we encamped. The creek +I named Stark Creek. Before we reached here we crossed two other +creeks; the first I named Salton Creek and other Isabella Creek. +The country we passed over from our last camp consists chiefly of +high and wooded downs, and though the soil was rich the grass and +saltbush, from the want of rain, was rather dry. The country near +the watercourses is wooded with myall, western-wood acacia, and +Port Curtis sandalwood. We came here in about the following +courses: 10.27 south-south-west for four and three-quarter miles +to Salton Creek; 11.5 a.m. south-south-west for one and +three-quarter miles to Salton Creek; 11.30 a.m. south-south-east +for one and a half miles to Isabella Creek; 12 a.m. +south-south-east for one and a half miles; 12.35 a.m. east one +mile; 12.50 a.m. south-east for one mile; 1.55 p.m. +west-south-west for three miles; 3.30 a.m. south-south-west for +three and a half miles to Stark Creek. Distance today eighteen +miles.</p> + +<p>April 5.</p> + +<p>We left camp this morning at 8.20 a.m. The Camp 43 is situated +on the right bank of Stark Creek. We travelled in the first +instance slightly to the westward of south with the view of +reaching the river. In a few miles we crossed a large watercourse +at present dry but with extensive flood-marks and heaps of +mussel-shells on its banks. This creek I named Porteous Creek. A +few miles further in the same direction we crossed a small +watercourse which apparently joins Porteous Creek. The banks are +wooded with myall. Behind these belts of myall the country rises +in gentle undulations, the soil is rich, almost without trees, +and from the appearance of the grass it was evident there had +been no rain for a long time. In the afternoon we went +north-westerly and by that course reached the river; then after +following it down for a short distance we encamped. The +appearance of the grass we saw in the afternoon was fresher than +that we had seen earlier in the day; and near the river, where +the low ground had been flooded, the herbage was quite green. +Shortly after we encamped a middle-aged blackfellow, two youths, +and two little boys paid us a visit; they were very friendly but +we did not get any information from them. From last camp we came +here on the following courses: 9.20 south-west for two and a half +miles; 10 south-west by west for one and three-quarter miles to +Porteous Creek; 10.50 west-south-west for two and a quarter miles +to a small creek; 11.30 west for one and three-quarter miles; +11.40 north for half a mile; 12.43 south-west for one and +three-quarter miles; 2.23 west for five miles; 2.43 north-west +for one mile; 3.23 west-north-west for two miles; 4.23 south-west +for two and a half miles. Distance twenty-one miles.</p> + +<p>April 6.</p> + +<p>As this was Sunday and we did not think the blacks numerous or +dangerous in the neighbourhood we rested ourselves and horses. +The elderly blackfellow and one of the others we had seen +yesterday paid us a visit, and in the course of the day he +brought the others of his party and a man about his own age whom +we had not seen before. He made me understand that his elderly +friend wanted to see a gun so I gratified his curiosity. The boys +did not run away as they had done when they saw me fire a shot on +a previous occasion. The blacks examined with great curiosity our +equipment and accepted greedily everything we gave them but did +not steal anything. Mr. Bourne gave our newest acquaintance a +shirt which pleased him very much. They relished some food he +gave them and said "Thank you sir" upon Jackey making them +understand it was proper to say so. The presents which pleased +them most were a broad file, a needle and thread, a broken glass +bottle, and clothes. The file they could make a better tomahawk +of than their stone ones; the broken glass bottle they would use +for knives or wood scrapers. We did not give them many clothes as +cold weather had warned us we had none to spare. Jemmy, on +further acquaintance with the blacks, found they could speak a +language he understood.</p> + +<p>April 7. Bowen Downs.</p> + +<p>We left 44 Camp at 7.20. When we had gone about one and +three-quarter miles south Jackey and I waited behind to take an +observation of the sun. I made its meridian altitude A.H. 118 +degrees 12 minutes (I did not take notice of the index error) the +latitude is by that observation. This morning the blacks told +Jemmy of a well-watered road leading to the southward. On that +river they said the blacks had clothes and it was from them they +got their iron tomahawks. When we had come about one and +three-quarter miles Jackey and I remained behind the others. +Before the party left I told Mr. Bourne to let Jemmy lead in the +direction that the blacks had pointed out to him. After making an +observation of the sun we followed the tracks of our party. When +we had ridden a short distance over undulating country we reached +plains. Further on we crossed a creek which, although now dry, +had evident signs of being well watered in good seasons. The +holes were deep and mussel shells were abundant on its banks. I +named it Bourne Creek. The party, after going up the creek for +some distance, went in a straight course to the south-east; when +Jackey and I overtook them we learned that Jemmy was leading the +way to some smoke they had seen in the distance. After steering +in that course we reached at dark a water channel but, as there +was no water in it, I told Fisherman and Jemmy to guide us back +to our last camp. After travelling a considerable distance, and +when I thought we ought to be near our camp, I ascertained our +guides had not the slightest idea of our situation. As I had been +misled by them, and had paid no attention to the route we had +come, I was rather at a loss which way to go. I judged however +that the horses would take us to the river, so let them go their +own way. At 4 in the morning, when we had travelled for some time +in a north-east direction, we stopped and tied up the horses till +7.10. Yesterday we went in the following courses: 11.35 south for +one and three-quarter mile; 1.49 south for two and a quarter +miles to Bourne's Creek; 2.25 south and by east for one and +three-quarter mile; 2.50 south by west for one and a quarter +mile; 3.40 south-east for two and a half miles; 4.10 south and by +east for one and a half miles; 6.30 south-east for six and a +quarter miles to dry watercourse. Total distance seventeen and a +quarter miles.</p> + +<p>April 8.</p> + +<p>We started for camp this morning and reached it in about eight +and a half miles. The country we saw in this journey in search of +water, in the direction of the river to the southwards, only +wants a few showers to make it look as fine pastoral country as +can be found anywhere. Upon examining my sextant I found the +index error was 39 degrees 1 minute. Before I reached the Gulf of +Carpentaria it was damaged during the wreck of a Firefly, and +Lieutenant Woods kindly repaired it. I now meant to adjust it and +in doing so I was so unsuccessful as to make it useless. We came +this morning on the following course to camp: 8.40 west for four +miles; 9 north-west by west one mile to our outward track; 10.10 +south three and a half miles to camp.</p> + +<p>April 9.</p> + +<p>Jemmy and I left camp this morning, 9.5, in search of water on +the route we wanted to go. We went along the plains on the left +bank of the river in a south and west direction for eight miles. +We expected to find in that distance a well-watered river which +Jemmy understood the blacks to say formed the river a short +distance below the camp. As we had not found it there we went +west and reached the river in about four and a half miles. We +then followed it down for about two miles in a southward +direction where we found the blacks we had seen up the river. +Upon telling them we had not found water back from the river, and +that we now wanted them to show us the road to the next river and +would give them a tomahawk and a shirt for doing so, they +promised if we would bring our party down the river they would do +so. We saw here two old gins and a little girl whom we had not +seen before. One of the gins was a disfigured-looking object; she +had lost her nose and lips. The little girl was about four years +old; she had good features and was fat and plump. To please the +blacks we let one of the little boys ride a horse for a short +distance. After asking them to remain in this neighbourhood we +returned to camp.</p> + +<p>April 10.</p> + +<p>As I imagined, Gregory's party had traced the Thomson River to +its head. I did not suppose this river was it. I determined, as +we had used the most of our stores, to leave the river if +possible and start for the settled districts. It was very +vexatious to come to this resolution as the river was flowing +almost in the direction of Burke's starting point on Cooper's +Creek. We left Camp 44 at 9.50 a.m. and reached the place we had +arranged to meet the blacks in about fourteen miles. It took us, +travelling steadily exclusive of stoppages, five hours to reach +it. The blacks were waiting for us and conducted us about half a +mile further down the river to a good place for our encampment. I +gave a pound of flour to one of the blackfellows. He is going +tomorrow on foot to see if there is water in the waterholes on +the road to Barcoo River. Jemmy made flour into a cake and the +blackfellow and his companions ate it with avidity. I gave the +blacks a comb, and Jackey pleased them very much by combing their +hair.</p> + +<p>April 11.</p> + +<p>Two of the blacks started this morning along the line they +intend taking us if they can find water for the first stage. I +spent a considerable time in repairing my sextant. I got it so +near right that the index error was only four minutes, but after +fastening it with a thread I found the error was increased. This +evening the blacks returned and reported that the waterholes they +had gone to see were empty. They told us of two practicable roads +to the Barcoo River. One by Stark Creek from a place up the +river, the other from a place down the river; the latter we +determined to try.</p> + +<p>April 12.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 45 at 8.30. Two of the blacks accompanied us down +the river to show us the road to the Barcoo River. At first they +walked, but afterwards I gave them a horse to ride alternately. +The oldest of the two liked riding so much better than walking +that he made his young companion walk the most of the way. When +we had come about thirteen miles we encamped. About a mile above +here we passed some blacks whom our guides stopped with. +Afterwards the eldest of the blackfellows came in the evening for +some flour for himself and his companions. The country we have +seen since leaving 44 Camp has undulating features but no hills. +The soil rich, but vegetation dry from want of rain. We came he +today on the following courses: 11 west-south-west six and a +quarter miles; 1.20 south-west two and three-quarter miles; 2.50 +south-south-west four miles to camp.</p> + +<p>April 13. Camp 46.</p> + +<p>46 Camp is situated near the eastern channel of the river. The +marked trees are on the left bank. We are glad to find that one +of our guides, who was named Wittin, had determined to accompany +us. He brought an intelligent-looking white-headed old man to the +camp, and a fine tall well-proportioned young gin with a little +boy, the two latter remaining some distance from the camp. Wittin +showed his friend our guns, water-bottles, and other things as if +he were quite familiar with them. Before starting we went to see +the gin and the little boy. She was very timid and ran away when +we approached near to her. We left camp at 9.30 and followed down +the left bank of the river about nine and a half miles and +encamped. The country we saw today has undulating features with +rich soil, dry grass, and box-tree. Near the river just above +here there are sandstone ridges with western-wood acacia and Port +Curtis sandalwood. Wittin told Jemmy that he had seen to the +eastward of here about ten moons ago a party of travellers +consisting of four white men and four black men. He got a shirt +from them, but they did not give him any bread. Wittin wanted to +return because of the unpleasant effects of the riding, which was +new to him. We came here on the following courses: 11.30 +south-west for five and a quarter miles; 1.15 south-south-west +for one and a half miles; 1.45 south-west for one mile; 2.24 +south-south-west for one and three-quarter miles. Distance nine +and a half miles.</p> + +<p>April 14.</p> + +<p>We started down the river this morning at 9.50. Our last camp +(47) is situated on the left bank of the river. When we had +proceeded a short distance we observed a range right ahead of us. +Wittin called it Trimpie Yawbah. Afterwards we observed other +hills to the westward of Trimpie Camp, the highest of which I +called Mount Pring. On the first unwooded plain we came upon +after leaving camp we saw in the distance objects which appeared +to be cattle, but upon getting nearer to them we found them to be +emus. When we had travelled about fourteen miles down the left +bank of the river we encamped. The ground we crossed was more +level than the land higher up the river, and the grasses at +places were good; but otherwise there was no change in the +character of the country. At a spot about five miles south half +east from the last camp I made the meridian altitude (A.H.) 112 +degrees 50 minutes; latitude 24 degrees 5 minutes 7 seconds. +Anxious to have the guidance of Wittin to Cooper's Creek I made +free with the name of Sir George Bowen, Governor of Queensland, +by telling him that, if he showed us the road, the governor would +send from Brisbane to the first station formed on Bowen Downs a +medal, a tomahawk, and a blanket. This evening Fisherman and +Jackey showed Wittin corroboree dance. For the dance they painted +themselves with white streaks, and with the light of the fire +they looked like skeletons. From last camp we steered in the +following courses: 11.40 south half east for five miles; 1.30 +south half east for three miles; 2.30 south by west for three +miles; 3.40 south-south-west for three miles; distance fourteen +miles.</p> + +<p>April 15.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 48 this morning 9.30. It is situated on the right +side of a long hole of water on the eastern channel of the river +at a place bearing north half west from Mount Pring. We steered +for the eastern side of the Trimpie Range. When we had journeyed +about four miles we reached a creek showing extensive flood-marks +and with heaps of mussel shells on its banks but very little +water in its channel. I named it Dunsmore Creek. Led by Wittin we +followed up the creek for about seven miles and encamped. Several +emus seen today, but they were so wild that none of us succeeded +in shooting them. The ground is of a level character on both +sides of Dunsmore Creek; the soil rich with good grass but rather +dry for want of rain. Box-trees grow near the creek. Back from +the south bank of the creek the country is wooded with myall and +western- wood acacia. From the other bank of the creek there are +very few trees of any description. At the place where we struck +Dunsmore Creek I made the meridian altitude of the sun 111 +degrees 49 minutes, the latitude A.H. 24 degrees 16 minutes 16 +seconds. We steered from our last camp on the river to here on +the following courses: 11.7 south-east half south for four miles +to Dunsmore Creek; 1.40 east-south-east for three and +three-quarter miles; 3.15 south-east by east for two and +three-quarter miles; 3.40 south and by west for one mile. +Distance come today eleven miles.</p> + +<p>April 16.</p> + +<p>Camp 49 is situated at Dunsmore Creek at a place bearing +north-east from a hill about three miles distant and +north-north-west from a distant range named by me Mount +Johnstone. We tried very hard to persuade Wittin to show us all +the way to Barcoo River. He promised to do so, but after Jackey +and Jemmy went for the horses he left the camp as if he were only +going down to the creek but he did not make his appearance again. +Jemmy said his reason for not going to Barcoo River was that the +blacks there would kill him if they found him in their country. +When we had followed the creek up about thirteen miles to near +its source in Johnstone Range we had to return four miles to get +water for our encampment as there was none in the upper part of +the creek. We saw several emus today but as usual we did not +manage to shoot any. The ground we saw from our path is rich, +chiefly wooded with myall; the herbage good but rather dry from +the want of rain. In the middle of the day, when we had gone back +for a considerable distance on the north-east side of the creek, +we got to the edge of rich unwooded downs. We steered on the +following courses: 11.10 south-east for three and three-quarter +miles; at 1 south-east for one and three-quarter miles; 1.22 +south-south-east for one mile; 1.50 south by west for one and a +half miles back to the creek; 4 south-east for five and a quarter +miles up to the creek; 5.49 north-west for three and +three-quarter miles down the creek to camp. Distance seventeen +miles.</p> + +<p>April 17.</p> + +<p>Jemmy and I left our camp on Dunsmore Creek this morning at +8.5 to go to the Barcoo River. When we had ridden three or four +miles we got on the watershed of a creek on the Barcoo side of +the range. About seven miles further on we reached the main +branch of the creek. It had extensive flood-marks and heaps of +mussel-shells on its banks, but the waterholes in its channels +were empty. I named it the Archer Creek. After following Archer +Creek for thirteen miles we reached its junction with the Barcoo +River. I was glad to find that the channel of the river was full +of water; and as there were fresh tracks of blacks near the river +I supposed them to be in the neighbourhood, so to avoid them I +returned up Archer Creek for about four miles to some fine young +grass and encamped. The country we saw today has in many places a +rich soil with grass and saltbush. It is wooded chiefly with +myall and western-wood acacia. Near the channel of the river +there are gumtrees, and on the banks of the river and Archer +Creek there are box-trees. Today we steered to the river on the +following courses: 12.10 east for eleven miles to the left bank +of Archer Creek; 1.20 east for three miles down the creek; 2.28 +south-south-east for three miles; 2.52 east for one mile; 3.10 +east-south-east for three-quarters of a mile; 4.20 south-east and +by south for two and a half miles; 5 south for one and a half +miles; 6 south-east and by south for three-quarters of a mile. +Distance twenty-three and a half miles.</p> + +<p>April 19 1862. Barcoo River, Camp 51.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 50 at 8.35. It is situated on the left bank of +Dunsmore Creek at a place bearing north by west half west from +Johnstone's Range. The main party started direct for Cooper's +River and Fisherman and I went to Johnstone's Range which we +reached in about four miles. We ascended its cliff-topped summit +and observed from it a long range of hills from which we bore 99 +1/2 degrees from one end, and 141 degrees from another part. The +part of the range we were on prevented me from seeing the other +end of Johnstone's Range. I made the meridian altitude of the sun +108 degrees 15 minutes. The latitude of that observation is 24 +degrees 34 minutes west. To reach the river where Mr. Bourne had +moved the encampment, at a place a short distance above the +junction of Archer Creek, we had to hasten the last seven miles +to get to it before dark. By coming on a different course from +our yesterday's one the road was not so good, and the country was +so thickly wooded at places with western-wood acacia that riding +fast was too dangerous to be agreeable. Mr. Bourne observed +several blacks today. They were very timid and ran away. We came +here in about the following courses from the last camp: 10.40 +south and by east half east four miles to Johnstone's Range; +12.30 east, 4.30 east, eleven miles to the tracks; 6.0 +east-south-east quarter south seven miles to this encampment. +Twenty-two miles.</p> + +<p>April 20. Sunday. Barcoo River, Camp 51.</p> + +<p>Today we rested ourselves and the horses. I made the meridian +altitude of the sun A.H. 107degrees 56 minutes. The latitude is +by that observation 24 degrees 37 minutes 43 seconds.</p> + +<p>April 21. Monday. Barcoo River, Camp 52.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 51 at 10.3. It is situated on the left bank of +the river bearing east half south from a small hill about two +miles distant. We followed the river up on its western bank for +about fifteen and a half miles and encamped at 5.10 p.m. We came +first in a north-north-east direction and afterwards for a few +miles in a more easterly one. Our path along the first part was +between ridges thickly wooded with western-wood acacia and low +flat country intersected by boggy branches of the river. In the +latter part our path was not confined. On the flats where the old +grass had been burned good grass had grown up. There was also +good grass on the ground which had been flooded near the channels +of the river. We came here in about the following courses: 11.30 +north-east four miles; 12.15 north-east four miles; 2.10 +north-north-east four miles; 4.10 north and by east five miles; +4.35 east-north-east one mile; 5.10 east one and a half miles. +Total fifteen and a quarter miles. About four miles north-east +from last camp I made the meridian altitude A.H. of the sun 106 +degrees 50 minutes; the latitude by that observation is 24 +degrees 34 minutes.</p> + +<p>April 22. Tuesday. Barcoo River, Camp 53.</p> + +<p>Left Camp 52 at 9.22 and followed up the river on its western +side one and a half miles. Doing so brought us in a +north-easterly direction to here. In the first part we came more +northerly than easterly and in the latter part more easterly than +northerly. The country we saw was like that seen yesterday, +except being scrubby at a few places. In the middle of the day +Jemmy and I waited behind the main party and I made an +observation of the sun to get our latitude. As we were riding to +overtake the main party we passed nets for catching emu and nets +for catching fish. We then passed an elderly gin and a little boy +watching earnestly our main party, and immediately afterwards we +came upon about a dozen blacks. Mr. Bourne informed me that they +had followed him for several miles and had persisted in +approaching nearer than was desirable. Jemmy had a long +conversation with them respecting the explorers they had seen, +and also respecting the route towards the settled districts, +which he learned some of them had visited. They said they did not +remember any explorers who had larger animals than horses and, +strange to say, none who had drays. We presented them with glass +bottles, an empty powder flask, and some hair from the horses' +tales. Jemmy told them we wanted to encamp and that we did not +wish to be too near them. They continued to follow us and on +Jemmy asking them why they did so they replied they wanted a +light. We gave them one and they left; but after we had camped we +found they had encamped very near us. We came here on the +following courses: 11.30 north-north-east seven miles; 12.30 nil; +1.15 north-north-east two miles; 3.15 north-east by east four and +three-quarter miles; 3.35 east-north-east three-quarters of a +mile; 4.45 north-east three miles; 5.25 east one mile. Eighteen +and a half miles.</p> + +<p>April 23. Wednesday. Barcoo River, Camp 54.</p> + +<p>During the second watch last night our lives depended on the +vigilance of our watchmen. The blacks came up and probably would +have overpowered us if they had found all asleep; but Jemmy the +native trooper, who always keeps his watch well, awoke us, and +all of our party except one discharged their guns in the +direction from where we heard the blacks. I reserved my charge to +shoot at them when I caught sight of them, which I did not +succeed in doing until after daylight. We set off two sky-rockets +but they did not go up well because they were bruised or because +the sticks we attached to them were unsuitable. When the first +rocket exploded it made the blacks laugh; at the explosion of the +second we did not hear them do so, as they had probably retired +to some distance. After the conduct of the blacks last night, and +as they approached Gregory's party in a similar way in the same +neighbourhood, I fully intended to shoot at them if we had a +chance; but this morning, although three approached to within one +hundred yards of us while we were eating our breakfast, I did not +fire at them until Jemmy had warned them of our hostile feeling +towards them, and until they, instead of attending to the warning +they had received to be off, got most of their companions, who +were heavily loaded with clubs and throwing-sticks, to approach +within about the same distance of our position. I then gave the +word and we fired at them. The discharge wounded one and made the +rest retire. Some of us followed them up as far as the horses and +again fired, and shot the one who had been wounded previously. +Afterwards Jackey slightly wounded another when Jemmy and he went +for the horses. Perhaps these blacks, as they said they had +visited the settled country, may have had a part in the massacre +of the Wills family. We followed the river up today for about +eighteen miles. About sixteen miles of the distance was along the +western bank. On that side the country is inferior and the place +is thickly wooded with western-wood acacia. Near sunset we +crossed several channels of the river. There was a change in the +character of the country when we left the northern bank; the +ridges were sandy, caused, I judged, by the junction of the Alice +River, which I was afraid of following up in mistake for the +Barcoo River. We were not certainly, according to the chart, so +far to the northward as it; but Mr. Gregory discovered when he +went through the country that the north bend was laid down on the +chart too much to the northward. From where we crossed the +watercourse we steered south-east and, after crossing several dry +watercourses, in about two and a half miles reached one with +water in it and encamped. In following up the river today we saw +several blacks; some of them wished to speak to us but we passed +them without stopping to do so. We came here on the following +courses from 53 Camp: 11.27 north-east half north three miles; +12.20 ---- miles; 1.40 east-north-east three and a half miles; +2.25 east by north three and a half miles; 4.25 north-east six +miles; 5 east one and a half miles to our crossing-place; 5.50 +south-east two and a quarter miles. Total eighteen and a half +miles.</p> + +<p>April 24. Camp 55.</p> + +<p>We left camp this morning 9.25 and travelled up the river for +about seventeen miles. We encamped 4.55 on the bank of a small +creek. The country we have seen from the path we have traversed, +since leaving what I thought was the Alice River, is very good +with the exception of a few patches of land too thickly wooded +with western-wood acacia. The land generally is thinly wooded +with myall and well grassed with the best grasses. We came from +Camp 54 in about the following courses: 11.30 east for five and +three-quarter miles; 12.45, 1.20 south-east and by south for one +and a quarter miles; 4.20 east and by south for eight and a half +miles; 4.55 south for one and a half miles to camp. Distance +seventeen miles.</p> + +<p>April 25. Camp 56.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 55 this morning at 8.23. When we had journeyed +for about twenty miles we reached a creek, which I thought +perhaps was a channel of the Barcoo River, and encamped on the +northern side of the left bank of the creek. We came during the +forenoon in nearly a south-east direction, and during the +afternoon about a point to the eastward of south. By the latter +course we crossed from the left to the right bank of the creek on +which we had our two last camps and left it. The creek was too +small to be the Barcoo River, and the ground on both sides of it +too high to admit of it being an ana-branch. To the southward of +our path we observed a long range of hills, one of which was +remarkable for its tabled summit. The country we saw was more +undulated than that we saw yesterday, but otherwise of a similar +description. We came here in about the following courses: 10.23 +south-east for five and a half miles; 11.43 south-south-east for +three and a half miles; 2.35 south and by east for four and +three-quarter miles; 4.55 south for five and a half miles; 5.15 +west and by south for three-quarter miles. Distance twenty +miles.</p> + +<p>April 26. Camp 57.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 56 this morning 9.30. We steered south, and by +that course left the small creek on which we had encamped, and +reached another creek with here and there water in its channel. +We followed the creek up nearly to its source in the fine range +of hills I mentioned in yesterday's journal. Having left the +creek we came nearly east for three and a half miles to the left +bank of a watercourse with plenty of water in it and encamped. +The country we saw today was very rich with undulating features +and the best grasses; the timber upon it consisting of myall, +western-wood acacia, brigalow, white-wood and box. The brigalows +are few and far between. The box grows along the watercourses. We +came here from last camp in about the following courses: 2.40 +south for ten and three-quarter miles; 3.10 east for one and a +quarter miles; 4 east-south-east two and a quarter miles. +Distance fourteen and a quarter miles.</p> + +<p>April 27. Camp 57.</p> + +<p>This being Sunday we rested ourselves and our horses. +Yesterday I discovered that I had not repaired my sextant in a +satisfactory manner. The index showed it to be easily put out of +adjustment. I made the meridian altitude of the sun today A.H. +102 degrees 26 minutes; latitude 24 degrees 43 minutes.</p> + +<p>April 28, Monday. Camp 58.</p> + +<p>The greater part of the forenoon was spent in collecting the +horses. We left Camp 57 at 12.35 p.m. When we had proceeded up +the western bank of the creek (the side on which we had encamped) +for about three-quarters of a mile we crossed it and left it as +it became evident that its sources were in the hills to the right +of the course we wanted to pursue. After proceeding about six and +a quarter miles from the creek in an easterly course over low +undulating ridges we saw two emus, which remained in our vicinity +for some time but not sufficiently near to induce any of us to +try and shoot them. Half a mile from this brought us in a +south-east direction to a well-watered creek which we followed up +for some distance, but as it took us in a south-west direction we +returned and followed it down. This took us in a north-east +direction. When we had come down the creek about three miles, +reckoning from the place we first struck it, we encamped. The +ground near here is flat and intersected by watercourses, so much +so that it is like a kind of country that is often found in flat +country near a river. The land we saw today is rich and +well-grassed, seemingly as good sheep country as any I have seen. +We came here in the following courses from last camp: 12.53 south +for three-quarters of a mile; 3 east six and a half miles; 3.10 +south-east half a mile; 4.50 north-east one and a half miles down +the creek; 5.15 north-east and by east one mile; 5.20 +north-north-east half a mile. Total ten and a half miles. Near +last camp I made today the meridian altitude of the sun 101 +degrees 46 minutes; the latitude 24 degrees 44 minutes.</p> + +<p>April 29. Camp 59.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 58 at 10 this morning. When we had come a few +miles the grey mare on which I rode suddenly became unwell and, +lying down, in a few minutes died. She was in good condition and +one of the best of the expedition horses, which, I may mention, +have proved themselves well fitted for the service. When we had +come easterly about nine and a quarter miles we reached the best +watered and the largest-looking watercourse we have seen for some +time. When the mare died I made the meridian altitude of the sun +A.H. 101 degrees 18 minutes; the latitude is by that observation +24 degrees 44 minutes. This nearly agrees with the latitude I got +by the observations I made on Sunday and Monday at the 57th camp, +so I suppose the observations must be very nearly correct, +although I thought the first two observations when I made them +were not good ones. After reaching this watercourse we followed +it up for five and a half miles. In coming to it we passed +through several narrow belts of land, thickly wooded with +western-wood acacia. The country we saw between these belts was +like the fine country I described in yesterday's journal, the +additional charm of having trees of another variety of myall. The +drooping acacia grows on it. I love these trees; their foliage is +so beautiful, and the wood when cut has a fine aromatic smell. +The grain of the wood is nearly as hard as ebony; besides it is +characteristic of the best pastoral country as it only grows on +good country. Its leaves are useful and good for stock, which are +fond of eating them. We came here in the following courses: 2.45 +east for nine and a quarter miles to the watercourse; 3.50 south +for three miles up along the west bank; 4.35 south-south-east two +miles; 5.10 south-east half a mile; fourteen and three-quarter +miles.</p> + +<p>May 1. Camp 60.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 59 yesterday morning at 9. When we had come about +nine and a half miles in an easterly direction we crossed a creek +with a northerly course. We intended striking the creek +afterwards and unfortunately did not water the horses, but we got +too far from it and neither found it nor water although we +travelled till 9 p.m. We halted then, thinking the horses would +probably find water which we thought was not far distant from us, +having heard immediately before we encamped the quacking of +ducks. We came today twenty-five miles in nearly an +east-south-east direction. Our path lay over rich undulating +country from which a number of hills were visible. The land was +well grassed and thinly wooded at most places. At others it was +scrubby, thereby detracting from its value for some time to come. +Luckily the country we passed over after dark was thinly wooded. +The last few miles we followed a creek up in search of water to +this encampment, and this morning we fortunately found we were +within a few hundred yards of a hole of water. The horses +requiring rest after their long journey yesterday we remained +here today. I sent Jemmy with one of the freshest of the horses +to see how the country was watered to the east-south-east. On his +return he reported having found water and old dray-marks about +six and three-quarter miles easterly from our last camp. I made +the meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 100 degrees 29 minutes; the +latitude is by that observation 25 degrees 3 minutes. From last +camp we came here in about the following courses: 11.12 a.m. east +for five miles; 11.30 a.m. east-south-east for three-quarters of +a mile; 12.15 p.m. ----; 1.15 p.m. east-south-east half south for +two and three quarter miles to where we crossed a well-watered +creek; 2.10 p.m. east for one and a half miles; 5.30 p.m. +south-south-east for six miles; 9 p.m. south-east for eight +miles: twenty-five miles.</p> + +<p>May 2. Camp 61.</p> + +<p>Jackey and Jemmy spent as usual the greater part of the +forenoon in mustering the horses. We left camp 60 at 10.20 this +morning and came twelve and a half miles in a south-east +direction. The four miles we followed the creek up from our last +camp took us more easterly than southerly. After leaving the +creek we crossed a low scrubby sandstone range and got to the +head of a watercourse in which we found water on following it +down to a short distance. The country we saw today was very +scrubby with the exception of some thinly wooded patches near the +creek we left. The scrub consisted of mulga with a few other +trees. Amongst these I observed broad-leaved ironbark and +broad-leaved box, bloodwood, currajong, and bottle-trees. The +broad-leaved box-trees we had not seen previously on this +expedition. The ironbark-trees are seldom or never found far to +the southward of the main range. The soil consisted chiefly at +several places of stiff clay which retains an impression a long +time when softened by rain. We observed the dray-tracks Jemmy had +seen yesterday about three and a quarter miles on this side of +our last camp. Near to where Jemmy had found the water and the +dray-track I made the meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 98degrees +43 minutes; the latitude is by that observation 25 degrees 7 +minutes. We came here from last camp in about the following +courses: 11.30 east-south-east for three and a quarter miles up +the creek of 60 camp; 12.20, 12.55 east-south-east half a mile; +3.30 south-east seven and a half miles to the head of the +watercourse; 3.50 south three-quarters of a mile down +watercourse; 3.38 east quarter of a mile; total twelve and a half +miles.</p> + +<p>May 3.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 61 this morning at 8.27. This camp is situated on +the western bank at the head of a watercourse which perhaps flows +into the Warrego River. When we had followed this river down for +about twenty-three miles in a southerly direction we encamped. In +following the river down after crossing a short distance below +camp along its eastern bank, and when we had ridden about twelve +and a quarter miles, we crossed a creek from the eastward. Nearly +all the way today we observed deep horse-tracks, and about four +and a quarter miles above here we observed a tree marked FM +(conjoined) with cross underneath. The channel of the river was +of a sandstone formation at some places and had fine holes of +water. Our path today came over six miles of unavailable barren +scrubby ridges. The remainder of the way was chiefly over +well-grassed land confined on the eastern side for the greater +part by sandstone ridges thickly wooded with mulga. We came here +in about the following courses from the last camp: 10.40 +south-south-east for five and three-quarter miles; 12.20 south +half east for five and a half miles; 1.15 south for one mile; +2.40 south-south-west for four and a half miles; 3.25 south for +two and a quarter miles; 4.25 south-south-east for three miles; +4.50 south one and a quarter miles; total twenty-three miles.</p> + +<p>May 4.</p> + +<p>As this was Sunday we rested ourselves and the horses. I made +the latitude 25 degrees 36 minutes 51 seconds.</p> + +<p>May 5.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 62 this morning at 9.15. This camp is situated on +the bank of the river. In the forenoon we proceeded due south. In +the afternoon we had to travel considerably to the westward of +south to keep near the river. When we had ridden about twenty and +a half miles we camped on the western side of a shallow waterhole +in an eastern channel of the river. Near the river the flats were +good. On them the grass was excellent, with a good deal of +cotton-bush and saltbush amongst it. The back country was sandy, +having kangaroo-grass upon it and wooded with broad-leaved box, +broad-leaved ironbark, bloodwood, and mulga. The river was well +watered till we came within a few miles of the camp, where it +divided into a number of shallow channels. About seven and a half +miles south of last camp I made the meridian altitude of the sun +A.H. 95 degrees 39 minutes, the latitude 25 degrees 41 minutes. +We came here from last camp in the following courses: 11.35 south +for seven and a half miles; 2.3 south-south-west for four and a +half miles; 2.33 south-west for one and a half miles; 3.8 +south-west half south for one and a half miles; 3.47 south for +one and a quarter miles; 5.16 south and by west for three and a +half miles; 5.30 west-south-west three-quarters of a mile. +Distance twenty and a half miles.</p> + +<p>May 6.</p> + +<p>We started from Camp 63 this morning at 8.33. We left the +river, and after we had journeyed about twenty-five miles +slightly southward of east we found water and encamped. After +leaving the river flats the country was poor. The soil was of a +reddish colour and although sandy was very hard. It was wooded +with broad-leaved box and mulga scrub. In the first part of the +way in many places it was well covered with kangaroo grass, but +in the last part of the journey it was too scrubby to be well +grassed. When we had gone about eight and a half miles we crossed +a low sandstone range; until we reached it we neither saw water +nor the slightest sign of a watercourse. In this day's journey we +saw more kangaroo and wallaby than on any previous occasion, but +we were so eager to get water that we did not try to shoot them. +We came here in about the following courses: 11.10 +east-south-east eight and a quarter miles to the range; 2.10 +east-south-east eight and a half miles; 4.33 east six and a half +miles; 4.58 south-east three-quarters of a mile; 5.20 east one +mile; total twenty-five miles.</p> + +<p>May 7.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 64 this morning at 9.30. The camp is situated on +the eastern bank of a small creek which has a south-west course. +When we had come in an east-south-east direction for about nine +miles we saw a range of hills ahead of us, and about two miles +further on we crossed a creek with extensive flood-marks and a +south-west course. About three and a quarter miles further we +crossed a small creek and encamped. Our path for the first part +of the way was over poor land thickly wooded with scrubby trees; +the latter part over land generally good with good grasses. The +land near the creek was particularly good and thinly wooded with +box. Having found four emu eggs today Mr. Bourne and I made an +excellent dinner of one of them boiled. We thought it had as +delicate a flavour as a hen's egg; the rest of our party made +emu-egg pancakes, and although they had no salt or sugar they +relished them exceedingly. We came here today in the following +direction: at 1 east-south-east for nine and a quarter miles; +1.40 south-east for one and three-quarter miles on creek; 2.50 +south-east for three miles to small creek; 3 south for quarter +mile to camp; distance fourteen and a quarter miles.</p> + +<p>May 8.</p> + +<p>We left camp this morning at 8.50 and came over scrubby +country for six miles. In the first part of the distance, which +was particularly scrubby, we crossed a high sandstone range. Six +miles further on we crossed a large creek and encamped. The land +we crossed was very good, the soil was loose sand with a +luxuriant growth of good green grass. The trees were of the +following kinds: Broad-leaved box, broad-leaved ironbark, Moreton +Bay ash, bloodwood, and cypress pine. We came here on the +following courses from 65 Camp: 11 east-south-east for two and a +half miles; 11.50 east-north-east for three-quarters of a mile; +11.55 east for one mile; 3 east-south-east for seven and +three-quarter miles. Distance today twelve miles.</p> + +<p>May 9.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 66 this morning at 9.5. When we had come down the +eastern bank of the river for twenty-one miles we encamped. +Following down the river took us nearly two points to the +westward of south. Along our path near the bank of the river the +land was sandy. It was wooded with broad-leaved box, broad-leaved +ironbark, Moreton Bay ash, bloodwood and cypress pine. At a place +about six and three-quarter miles this side of the last camp I +made the meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 92 degrees 33 minutes +30 seconds; the latitude 26 degrees 13 minutes 10 seconds. At a +place about eight and three-quarter miles above here we observed +trees marked 1861, J.A.C.H.U.C.H.B.A.K.C. From last camp we came +here in about the following courses: 10.55 south-west and by +south for two and three-quarter miles; 11.30 south and by east +for four miles; 2.30 south-west and by south for five and a half +miles (to marked trees) 3.20 south-west and west for two and a +quarter miles; 4.23 south and by east for three and a quarter +miles; 5.25 south-west and by south for two and three-quarter +miles. Twenty-one miles.</p> + +<p>May 12.</p> + +<p>Camp 67 is situated on the left bank of the river. Last night +we had severe frost which produced ice in our tin vessels. We +left it at 8.55 in the morning and steered south-south-east. When +we had gone eleven and a half miles we crossed a sandy creek and +followed it down in a west-south-west direction for a short +distance. Finding no water in the creek we left it and continued +on our old course. Near sunset, when we had gone about nine miles +without finding another watercourse, we went in a more easterly +direction. We continued going on after dark until nearly 2 +o'clock on Sunday morning. After waiting for Jackey and Jemmy, +who had stayed behind yesterday, we started at 11.12 without +them. We travelled all day without finding water; but after dark +we found a small watercourse which we followed down for about +four hours, still without finding water. Here we encamped. In the +course of the day Jackey and Jemmy overtook us. Their excuse for +being behind was their having turned back to look for a pistol +Jackey had lost. Jemmy I was sorry to find was severely burnt +from his clothes having caught fire while he was asleep on the +previous night. I determined to return to water from here as the +horses had been two days without any. After travelling almost +incessantly for upwards of seventy-two hours we reached here this +morning at 9. Although there was plenty of water in the creek +here there was more lower down, at the place we crossed on our +outward route when we were eleven and a half miles +south-south-east from Camp 67. The horses looked wretched when +they had been twenty-four hours without water, and as they had +been seventy-two hours without water when they reached here they +certainly looked most pitiable objects. Whilst searching for +water the weather was most favourable, although sometimes +freezingly cold when travelling at night; so much so that to keep +ourselves from getting benumbed Mr. Bourne and I often walked. +Being able only to take a small quantity of water with us Jemmy, +who was suffering very much from his back, injured by the +burning, felt often very thirsty but, poor fellow, we could only +spare him a small quantity. The country we saw on this journey +was so bad that I did not wonder at its not being stocked, and +only a few tracks of cattle are to be found on it. The land very +level with poor sandy soil. Where it is not thickly wooded with +thick mulga scrub, which chiefly prevails, it is grassed with +triodia and wooded with rather broad-leaved ironbark, +broad-leaved box, and apple-trees. The apple-trees we had not +previously seen on this expedition. The obstacles against +steering were numerous. In my outward route I went more to the +southward than I intended. Coming back I came luckily more to the +northern, and got water sooner than I otherwise would have done. +We came from Camp 67 and returned here in about the following +courses: May 10: 12.55 south-south-east for eleven and a half +miles to creek; at 1 west-south-west for quarter of a mile down +the creek. May 11: 1.50 a.m. south-south-east for twenty-five and +a quarter miles. Started again at 12 a.m., 7.30 east for nineteen +miles to creek; 10.5 south-south-east for five miles down the +creek. Length of outward route sixty-one miles. Returning: +started at 8.40 yesterday morning; 5 p.m. north-west and by west +to outward route; 12.8 a.m. north-west for sixteen miles.</p> + +<p>May 13.</p> + +<p>Started at seven this morning north-north-west half north for +five miles to this camp. Length of return route forty-three +miles. I made the meridian altitude of the sun here A.H. 89 +degrees 30 minutes; the latitude 26 degrees 38 minutes.</p> + +<p>May 14.</p> + +<p>We intended proceeding down the creek today, but when we had +got the horses ready to start we found that Jemmy was suffering +so much pain from the sore on his side and back that he could not +proceed. When we were endeavouring to persuade him to try and go +on he asked us to go ourselves and leave him behind. Yesterday +evening I dressed his sores with pomatum and put a bandage round +his body. As he supposed the bandage caused him additional pain +we took it off and dusted his sores with flour.</p> + +<p>May 15.</p> + +<p>Yesterday morning we left Camp 68 at 11.40; it is situated on +the west bank of the creek. When we had followed the creek down +for about twenty miles on its west bank where we encamped. +Following the creek took us in a serpentine course and in +generally a north-westerly direction. When we had travelled +twelve and a quarter miles or thereby we crossed our track from +Camp 67. In the first half of today's journey, to avoid losing +the creek, we had to keep very near to it because of the +sandstone ridges along its banks preventing us seeing the course +of the creek had we kept back from it for the purpose of cutting +off the angles. The latter half was without water, but as we did +not know that we kept near the creek in the hope of getting water +for our encampment. The country we saw, especially on the upper +part of the creek, was poor and of little value. Near the creek +we observed clumps of mimosa, the kind that is commonly called +green-wattle. We followed the creek down in about the following +courses: 12.50 north-west for five and three-quarter miles; 2.18 +north-north-west for three and a quarter miles; 2.35 north for +one and a quarter miles; 3.20 west and by north for two miles; +3.27 west for a quarter of a mile to track; 3.33 west-south-west +for a quarter of a mile; 4 south-west for one and a quarter +miles; 4.25 north-west for one mile; 4.55 south-west for one and +a quarter miles; 5.18 west-south-west for one mile; 5.35 +west-north-west for three-quarters of a mile; 6.18 +north-north-west for one mile; 6.42 west-north-west for one mile +to encampment. Distance today twenty miles.</p> + +<p>May 16.</p> + +<p>As Jemmy was not able to assist Jackey in getting the horses +Fisherman, who has all along marked the trees, had to go in his +stead. When the horses were saddled and packed the main party +proceeded down the creek, and Fisherman and I stayed behind to +mark the trees at our encampment on the west bank of the creek. +Afterwards we proceeded down the creek, and in trying to cut off +the angles we passed the junction of the creek with the Warrego +River and got up the river three miles before we discovered our +mistake. After watering our thirsty horses we followed down on +the eastern bank of the river for sixteen and a half miles to +where Mr. Bourne had made the encampment. I was glad to find +that, in following down the river, Mr. Bourne had shot a large +turkey. The river has fine reaches of water, but the banks are +too thickly wooded with mulga scrub to be of much value for +pastoral purposes. We observed blacks on the opposite banks of +the river to us. One of them was up a hollow tree cutting out a +honeycomb or a possum. Fisherman had a conversation with him, but +as he said the blackfellow did not know where there were any +stations I do not think he understood him. There were barking +curs with them, which made us suppose we were probably not far +from stations. Fisherman and I came here today in the following +courses: 9.40 west-south-west for three-quarters of a mile; 10.30 +north-north-west for three and a quarter miles; 10.40 +west-north-west for half a mile; 11.45 south-south-east for three +miles to the junction of the creek with the river; 12.22 +south-south-west for one and three-quarter miles; 1.28 south-west +for three miles; 2.15 east-south-east for two miles; 3.40 +south-west by south for four miles; 4.40 south for three miles. +Distance twenty-one and a quarter miles.</p> + +<p>May 17.</p> + +<p>We left camp yesterday morning at 9. We followed the river +down all day till it became dark, in the hope of reaching a +station. We were disappointed in our expectations and did not see +many tracks of cattle. Along our path on the east side of the +river, about three-quarters of a mile below camp, we observed a +tree marked A. After passing between a hill and the river, about +six and a quarter miles below camp, we crossed extensive flats +and a low sandhill. The country was thinly wooded in some places +and scrubby at others. The land, although not very rich, had the +best grasses, and cotton, and saltbush upon it; the sandhill was +wooded with cypress pine and other trees. When we had come about +eleven and a quarter miles Mr. Bourne discovered that he had left +his pistol at the last camp. Jackey returned with him to get it. +Before they left I advised them to take rations as there was +little probability of their overtaking us; but they went off +without them as quickly as they could, with the intention of +joining us again some time before morning; but they did not +succeed in doing so, nor have they made their appearance yet. We +came here in about the following courses: 9.20 south-south-west +for three-quarters of a mile to A-tree; 10.8 east-south-east for +two and a quarter miles; 11.20 south and by west for three and a +quarter miles to opposite a hill; 12.50 south and by east for +three and a quarter miles; 3.50 south and by west for seven and a +quarter miles; 3.55 south-west and by south for one mile; 4.35 +west for one and a half miles; 4.55 south-east for a quarter of a +mile; 6.10 south-south-west for three and a half miles. Distance +today twenty-three miles.</p> + +<p>Sunday May 18. Camp 71. River Warrego.</p> + +<p>I would have gone on today if Mr. Bourne and Jackey had been +with us as we have only a few days' rations. Not knowing how far +I may have to go down the river before we reach a station where +we can obtain a fresh supply, and knowing from my last trial of +going to the eastward how much the horses suffered from the want +of water, I determined not to put them to such suffering again if +avoidable. In the middle of the day Fisherman, Jemmy, and I heard +a loud report of what we thought was a gun probably discharged by +Mr. Bourne or Jackey, and expected them to arrive immediately. I +am very anxious about them, especially as it would be +inconvenient to send Fisherman off to see what has become of +them, Jemmy being so ill he cannot look after the horses. +Meridian of the sun A.H. 86 degrees 23 seconds, latitude 27 +degrees 5 minutes.</p> + +<p>Monday May 19. Camp 72. River.</p> + +<p>Fortunately the horses were not all mustered until the +afternoon, as shortly before they were so Mr. Bourne and Jackey +arrived. If we had found the horses as early as usual we would +have been looking up the river for Mr. Bourne and Jackey, where +we should not have found them. They had lost our tracks and +followed down the river. We were exceedingly glad to see them and +to find that they had brought a large portion of an emu with them +which they killed yesterday. Mr. Bourne observed in the course he +had pursued a tree marked EO on one side and on the other side +EWC over C. I washed on the edge of the river near a deep +waterhole in some clay and pebbles in search of gold but did not +find any. This afternoon we left Camp 71 at 3.20. Came down on +the eastern side of the river and encamped as it grew dark, +within about six and a half miles of our last camp. I made the +meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 85 degrees 51 minutes, the +latitude is by that observation 27 degrees 8 minutes. The +observation I yesterday made showed the camp three miles +northward of the latitude from today's observation. We came here +in about the following courses: 4.10 south-east for two miles; +4.30 east-south-east for one mile; 4.50 south-south-east one mile +to Mr. Bourne's camp; 5.27 south-south-west for one and a quarter +miles; 6 west-south-west for one and a quarter miles. Distance +six and a half miles.</p> + +<p>Tuesday May 20 1862. Camp 73.</p> + +<p>We left Camp 72 this morning, 9.20, and made down the river +after sunset. In that time we travelled about twenty-one miles. +We hoped to have reached a station today and would have gone +further if we had not been delayed. We got on to a cattle run, +and when our packhorses saw the cattle moving they took fright +and galloped off. Fisherman and Jackey went after five of them, +the remainder were collected and came on here with them. The +others Jackey and Fisherman collected and brought in a few hours +after dark. This is a fine run, and the country we saw from our +path consisted in a great measure of fine grassed plains. We were +very glad to get to this cattle run as we had used all our flour +excepting what would do us for two days; and if it had not been +for the emu Jackey shot our food would have been done. We had +half doomed one of our horses to the butcher's knife, although +none of us liked the idea of eating a poor old saddle-horse, +consequently we were all exceedingly glad to reach the cattle +run. We came today in about the following courses: 10 south for +two miles; 10.40 south-east and by south for two miles; 12 +south-south-east half south for three and a half miles; at 1 +south and by west for two and three-quarter miles; 2.30 +south-west and by west for four and a quarter miles; 3.15 +south-west for half a mile; 3.40 south-east and by east for one +and a quarter miles; 4.5 south and by west for one mile; 5 +south-west for two and a half miles; 5.30 west for one and a +quarter miles. Distance twenty-one miles.</p> + +<p>Wednesday May 21. Warrego River.</p> + +<p>This morning we followed down the river for about two and +three-quarter miles in a south and by east direction, and reached +the station occupied by Mr. Williams where we received a most +hospitable reception and learnt the unfortunate fate of Burke and +Wills. Here I took sights and made the meridian altitude of the +sun A.H. 83 degrees 85 minutes. The latitude is by that +observation 27 degrees 38 minutes.</p> + +<p>Thursday May 22. Camp 19. Warrego River.</p> + +<p>Today we made preparations for proceeding to the Darling +River. I sold to Mr. Williams the following articles: Carbine 4 +pounds; Enfield rifle 3 pounds; revolver (Colt) small size 4 +pounds 10 shillings; cartridges for revolver 12 shillings; +steelyards 5 shillings; pick and shovel 5 shillings; 2 1/2 pounds +of powder 10 shillings; cartouche box 5 shillings; shoeing tools +15 shillings; four sets horseshoes 8 shillings; spokeshave etc. 4 +shillings; 1 1/4 boxes gun caps 9 shillings; three powder flasks +(one damaged) 3 shillings; cleaning rod for gun etc. 4 shillings; +three boxes gun caps (broken) and pistol cleaning rod 6 +shillings; six yards canvas (damaged) 6 shillings; nine +saddle-girths (partially damaged) 14 shillings; 6 pounds nails +and screws at 1 shilling and 6 pence; medicine 10 shillings; +fryingpan 2 shillings; two packsaddles (broken) 2 pounds; crupper +4 shillings and 6 pence. Total 19 pounds 13 shillings and 6 +pence. And bought the following supplies: 100 pounds of flour 2 +pounds 10 shillings; 24 pounds of sugar 18 shillings; 3 pounds of +tea 12 shillings; one bar of soap 4 shillings. Total 4 pounds 4 +shillings. The money Mr. Williams gave for the stores was a +higher amount than would have been obtained at a township by +public auction. Neither did he purchase them so much because he +wanted them as to oblige me. He also supplied us with as much +beef and butter as we required to take with us, and would not +accept payment for any supplies that were raised by +themselves.</p> + +<p>Tuesday May 23. About ten miles below Mr. Kennedy's Camp 19, +camp on the Warrego River.</p> + +<p>As the road was indistinct Messrs. Williams kindly accompanied +us to the stage, about two and a half miles this side of the +station, where they showed us the tree marked by Mr. Kennedy K +XIX. The horsemanship and bushmanship displayed by these young +Australians were very remarkable. A large portion of my life has +been spent in the bush, yet dray-tracks that I could only follow +at a few places they evidently considered at all places a plain +road.</p> + +<p>May 24. About half a mile below the tree marked by Mr. Kennedy +K XXI.</p> + +<p>This morning we left our last camp at 9.15. When we had +travelled down on the east bank of the river about twenty-eight +miles, at 3.50 in the afternoon, we reached here. On the bank +there is a station occupied by Mr. Con, and on the opposite bank +a station occupied by Mr. Gallagher. The country we passed over +today is as fine, rich and well-grassed as any person could wish +for pastoral purposes. A few weeks ago the hut-keeper, an +inoffensive old man who thought the blacks were harmless, was +killed and shockingly mangled by them, and the hut robbed, in the +absence of the stockman. With the contents of a bottle of rum we +had long preserved, in case it might be wanted for medicinal +purposes, we drank the health and many returns of the birthday of +Her Majesty Queen Victoria.</p> + +<p>Sunday May 25. Warrego River, about half a mile below the tree +marked by Mr. Kennedy K XXI.</p> + +<p>We rested ourselves and the horses. This morning I gave the +manager of stock here twenty rounds of cartridges, a few bullets, +and a few caps for a breach-loading rifle that I had sold him. +The rifle is one I had borrowed from Mr. Bourne for my last +expedition, but as it was injured in the service I promised to +replace it. Its original cost was 15 pounds 10 shillings, but I +sold it for a lower price, namely, 10 pounds. We followed the +road which came down the eastern bank of the river over +well-grassed rich level country and sandy ridges for about twelve +miles.</p> + +<p>May 26. Cunnamulla, Warrego River.</p> + +<p>We followed the road down the river for about thirty-five +miles from the cattle stations, near Mr. Kennedy's 21st camp.</p> + +<p>Tuesday May 27. Wooroorooka, Warrego River.</p> + +<p>We continued following the road down the river till we reached +Wooroorooka. This run is occupied by a herd of horses belonging +to T. Danger, Esquire. Yesterday and today we travelled each day +about seven and a half hours. The distance is called seventy +miles. The country we saw between Cunnamulla and Wooroorooka was +wet thinly-wooded plains intersected by ana-branches of the river +and by sandhills. At Wooroorooka I met a gentleman called Mr. +Birch who at one time very ably assisted Mr. Stutchburgh in +making a geological survey of a great part of Australia. To him +Mr. Bourne and I are greatly indebted for giving us much +intelligence of events that have taken place since we left +Brisbane last August. I learn from him that he had travelled the +distance from the boundary line of New South Wales to +Wooroorooka, and found it was five and three-quarter miles.</p> + +<p>Wednesday May 28. Bananka, Warrego River, New South Wales.</p> + +<p>From Wooroorooka we followed the road down the river for about +twelve miles and reached a station occupied by the sheep of the +Bogan River Company. Our path was over slightly wooded plains, +the soil rich and covered with the best grasses. The grass, from +the dry season, was so parched that it looked in its present +state almost worthless, but the fine condition of the sheep +showed it to be still first-rate pasturage.</p> + +<p>May 29. Eringa, Warrego River, New South Wales, Con's Old +Station.</p> + +<p>Our path today took us down the left bank of the river, a +distance said to be twenty-eight miles, which we travelled in six +and a half hours. The country we saw is similar to all the +country on the river. From the point of the river where it is +unconfined by ridges it flows in several channels.</p> + +<p>Sunday June 2. Bunnawanah, Darling River.</p> + +<p>Last Friday and Saturday were spent in travelling to here from +the Warrego River. The distance from Eringa to here is called +seventy miles. About eight miles before we reached here we passed +the station of Messrs. Collis on Culgoa River. The country we saw +between here and the Warrego River is level, covered with +saltbush and grass. It resembles some country I have seen near +Hay on the Murrumbidgee River. From the newspapers yesterday we +learned that Mr. Walker's party had arrived in April at Port +Denison, and learned that Mr. Howitt had received instructions to +remain on Cooper's Creek for our arrival. Of course if I had +known there was a depot there I should have gone to it from the +Thomson River; and now I think it will be advisable to proceed to +Menindie and there take the most advisable mode of letting Howitt +know of our safe return from the Gulf of Carpentaria.</p> + +<p>Wednesday June 5. Bunnawanah, Darling River.</p> + +<p>Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and today we remained here to recruit +the horses. Mr. Rutherford, one of the proprietors of the +neighbouring station, kindly supplied us with what stores we +required at a lower rate than is charged anywhere; and at the +station of Mr. T. Danger we got as much beef as we required for +the road en route to Menindie.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>NOTES.</p> + +<p>Excoecaria: A good-sized bush or small tree occupying the low +depressions above the saline alluvial ground on the Gulf of +Carpentaria. It is milk-flowing but poisonous.</p> + +<p>Erythrina: or coral tree.</p> + +<p>Pigweed: Portulaca, or the native purslane, a creeping annual +of a reddish-green colour and an excellent vegetable.</p> + +<p>Triodia: Sometimes called spinifex, or porcupine grass, is a +true desert plant, and at the end of each leaf it is so armed +with short prickles that horses dread going through it, and stock +never touch it except when it is very young or they are +starving.</p> + +<p>Gidya: A native name; the botanical name cannot be given +without a specimen.</p> + +<p>Western-wood Acacia: Same as Gidya.</p> + +<p>Roley-poley: An annual salsolaceous plant. It grows in the +form of a large ball, several feet high, on rich soil. It withers +in the dry season, is easily broken off and rolled along by the +winds, hence its name.</p> + +<p>Cotton Vine: A plant, probably the same cynanolium of which +the unripe milky pod is eaten by the natives about Lake +Torrens.</p> + +<p>Polygonum cunninghami: A very wiry shrubby bush, which always +indicates that the ground where it grows is liable to be +occasionally flooded. It is the same as the one from the Murray +and Darling.</p> + +<p>Mulga Scrub (an Acacia): This is frequently mentioned by +Stuart; its botanical name is not known.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>As it is desirable that all the routes from the Darling +towards the Barcoo River should be known the following letter +from Mr. Neilson is appended. The route he describes is almost on +a direct line from Mount Rankine to Carpentaria.</p> + +<p>Kennedy's XIX Camp, River Warrego, May 22 1862.</p> + +<p>Dear Sir,</p> + +<p>Agreeably to your request I beg to furnish you with a few +memoranda of a journey made by Messrs. H. and F. Williams and +myself from Mount Rankine on the Darling towards Cooper's Creek. +We left the Darling on the 22nd of June 1861, and after crossing +the Talywalka Creek at six miles camped on Mulyoh Spring, course +north-west by west distance twenty-five miles. Our next day's +journey was to Wentholey on the Paroo Creek upon the same bearing +and a distance of forty miles. We then followed the Paroo Creek +upward on a general course of north by east half east to the 29th +parallel, when we struck out to the north-west, and on rising the +range saw a large sheet of water. Camped upon it. It proved to be +a lake of about twenty-five miles in circumference and very +shallow. Our distance travelled, twenty-three miles from the +boundary. Next day followed the same course and camped at thirty +miles on a large clay-pan. Followed on the next day, and at ten +miles came on a Boree Creek with water. Followed on bearing to +the northward of north-west about half a point, and camped on a +lateral creek containing pools of water and polygonum flats, and +on examining the bed of the creek found some crayfish-eyes, and +judged to be in the vicinity of a large water. Distance travelled +twenty-six miles. Next day followed the creek on a +north-north-west bearing, and at eleven miles came to a large +creek running rapid and having flooded flats extending two miles +from its bed, and bearing marks of very high floods. We crossed +the creek and extended our journey about fifteen miles to the +west; the country being cut up by creeks not then flooded but +bearing evidences of high floods. Our rations being short we +turned back. From this point I consider our position to be within +about thirty-five miles of Cooper's Creek. We followed the creek +we left, running down for about fifty miles on a south-west by +south course. A larger volume of water comes down this creek than +what comes down the Warrego, and it contains some fine reaches of +water where the creeks meet and form one channel. I believe it to +be identical with the Nive of Mitchell, never traced out, and in +its position with the Paroo forms a line of communication +practicable in all seasons from Mount Rankine on the Darling to +Cooper's Creek, and by Cooper's Creek upwards to the Thomson, +completes, with your discoveries, a perfect and practicable line +of communication to Carpentaria.</p> + +<p>I have doubt to venture an opinion that it is quite +practicable to make a cross-country track from this to the +junction of the Thompson and Cooper from the knowledge I have +formed; but I think the requirements of the case are better met +by striking the Cooper where it takes the turn westward (i.e.. +where Sturt followed it to the east) that point being more +adapted to the wants of the more southern settlers.</p> + +<p>I have forwarded a tracing of my route to Mr. Gregory by my +letter of February 26th last, and just give you the foregoing +crude data to go upon, and of which you may make what use you +think proper.</p> + +<p>I beg to remain,</p> + +<p>Yours faithfully,</p> + +<p>John Neilson.</p> + +<p>Landsborough Esquire.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>The head of the Barcoo River was discovered by Sir Thomas +Mitchell who named it the Victoria River. He described it as +probably having its outlet at Carpentaria. Kennedy was sent to +trace it, but unfortunately he had a dry season to contend with; +so much so that some distance below the junction of the Thomson +he found its channel perfectly dry and had to return. He followed +it however sufficiently far to enable him to make tolerably sure +that it was the head of Cooper's Creek. Gregory afterwards, by +following it down, on his route to South Australia ascertained +this to be the case. Another river, previously discovered by +Captain Wickham, in Northern Australia, had been called by him +the Victoria: because of this, and from Kennedy having learned +the native name of Mitchell's Victoria to be the Barcoo, it is +now generally known by that designation.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>Tintinalagy, Darling River, July 22 1862.</p> + +<p>Sir,</p> + +<p>I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of +the 21st ultimo handed to me on the 14th instant at Mount +Murchison by Mr. Verdon. You will no doubt have received my last +letter informing you that, as I was led to suppose that the grass +was better at Mount Murchison than at Menindie, I remained there +for instructions from you.</p> + +<p>As I had come to the conclusion that, as Mr. Howitt was in +South Australia, it would be unnecessary for me to take any steps +to inform him of my return from the Gulf of Carpentaria in +accordance with the instructions I received from you, we are here +on our way to Melbourne. Having lost some of our horses we have +been delayed here for a few days, and may be delayed longer as +the camel is away. The camel I should have mentioned earlier we +brought with us from Bunnawanah.</p> + +<p>This has been a bad season for coming down the river, so much +so that one of the oldest settlers says he never saw the grass so +scarce as it now is. We have however, I hope, got over the worst +part of the river as the country is getting green from the rain +that has fallen recently.</p> + +<p>On our way to Euston I hope to dispose of the horses and +material of the expedition. From Euston I intend sending Gleeson +and a man I have hired with the camel to Melbourne. To pay their +expenses I will advance Gleeson a sufficient sum. To Gleeson's +assistant I have promised the usual wages from the date of our +arrival at Euston. To drive the camel I will probably give them +two riding-horses and a packhorse. With them I will send an +Expedition horse and the foal that was dropped near the Gulf of +Carpentaria, which I dare say the Royal Society will sell me to +take to Queensland as a relic of my expedition. I hope you will +excuse my engaging an assistant for Gleeson, as Mr. Bourne and +the three aborigines, who have been a long time engaged in this +expedition, are anxious to get to Melbourne to return to +Queensland. When we reach Euston we intend taking the coach.</p> + +<p>From the paper I learn there is an impression abroad that I +did not come by a likely route for finding Burke's party, and +that it appeared by my letter that I had been commissioned to +open up a route for stock to the Gulf.</p> + +<p>With regard to the latter I received the command of my party +from the Colonial Secretary of Queensland, and he certainly gave +me no instructions respecting the route I was to take, but for +which he referred me to your instructions. In these it was +contemplated that I should return by sea. Had it been +contemplated that I was to have come back overland my +instructions would have been, I dare say, to have come back by +Mount Stuart. From having travelled in the end of last year about +halfway to Mount Stuart from the Albert River depot, I consider +that if I had waited a few weeks when I reached the 138th +meridian I would have had the advantage of the wet season, and +might have proceeded by that route, or at all events gone south +from that meridian provided I had sufficient equipment for that +purpose.</p> + +<p>My opinion was, as may be seen in my correspondence with +Captain Norman, that Burke and Wills had gone from their depot by +Bowen Downs towards Carpentaria. I therefore came overland that +way, and as I did not learn anything of their party from the +blacks when I reached there I proceeded to the settled +country.</p> + +<p>For my part I must say that I think, with the information we +had then, we took the most probable route for finding Burke's +party. In all our expeditions we followed the watercourses and +went over more ground than I thought it should have been possible +to do with our small and shipwrecked equipment.</p> + +<p>I never imagined that Burke and Wills would have been able to +walk straight from Cooper's Creek across what I thought was in a +great measure a desert to Carpentaria. It should also be +remembered that when I wrote my letter to you on my arrival at +the Darling River we had learned all about the fate of Burke's +party, and the time was past for saying much about our want of +success with respect to them.</p> + +<p>I have the honour to be, Sir,</p> + +<p>Your obedient servant,</p> + +<p>W. Landsborough.</p> + +<p>Commander of Victorian and Queensland Party Organised at +Brisbane.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>In reply to the above he was instructed to sell his equipment +and proceed to Melbourne.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>About a month after Landsborough's arrival in Melbourne +intelligence was received that McKinlay and his party, who had +gone from South Australia in search of Burke and Wills in August +of last year, had safely reached Port Denison in August of this +year. No tidings of McKinlay had been heard from the time of his +finding poor Gray's grave on Cooper's Creek, where he learned the +fate of Burke and Wills. His future instructions were to proceed +to Stuart's route and search for a goldfield on a part of it +which had been described by Stuart as giving indications of being +auriferous; but in consequence of the flooded state of the +country he was unable to go in that direction. He therefore +proceeded to Carpentaria, exploring the country chiefly in the +middle part of his journey on a track betwixt Burke's and +Landsborough's, and afterwards tracing down the Leichhardt River. +At Carpentaria, where he expected to get supplies of flour, tea, +and sugar, the depot being abandoned, his hopes were +disappointed, and he was obliged to proceed to Port Denison, a +distance of about 700 miles, without either of these articles. On +his arrival at Melbourne with some members of his party the +reception given to Landsborough and them by the public was so +cordial that we consider the following report (taken from the +Argus) of the meeting held to do them honour will be read with +interest.</p> + +<p>DEMONSTRATION IN HONOUR OF MESSRS. LANDSBOROUGH AND +MCKINLAY.</p> + +<p>A public meeting of the citizens of Melbourne was held last +night at the Exhibition Building, in honour of the leaders of the +Queensland and South Australian Contingent Exploration +Expeditions and their parties, and to testify the admiration of +the inhabitants of this colony at the successful and heroic +manner in which those explorers had accomplished their mission. +The doors were advertised to be open at seven o'clock, but it was +not until about twenty minutes past that hour that they were +unlocked. In the meantime a vast crowd which had commenced to +assemble as early as half-past six o'clock had gathered in front +of the building and manifested considerable impatience to be +admitted. Within a very few minutes after the doors were thrown +open the spacious edifice was densely crowded in every part. +There were probably nearly 3000 persons present. On the motion of +Dr. Macadam the Honourable Matthew Hervey, M.L.C., was called +upon to preside. He was surrounded on the platform by several +members of the Exploration Committee and other gentlemen. Mr. +Landsborough and Mr. McKinlay and some members of their +respective exploring parties were present; as was also Mr. King, +the companion of the unfortunate Burke and Wills; and also Mr. C. +Verdon, who was recently the successful bearer of despatches from +the Exploration Committee to Mr. Howitt.</p> + +<p>The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, congratulated the +assembly upon having met together to pay a mark of respect to +their distinguished fellow-countrymen, Messrs. Landsborough and +McKinlay. (Applause.) They were doubtless aware of the +circumstances under which those gentlemen had become conspicuous +amongst the Australian community. Immediately upon the discovery +of any danger attending the Victorian explorers Messrs. Burke and +Wills--upon discovering that there was a possibility of their +being unable to surmount the difficulties which surrounded them +in the desert, it was thought desirable to start contingent +expeditions from the neighbouring colonies, as well as from +Victoria, in search of them. The people of Melbourne had +assembled that evening to congratulate those distinguished +gentlemen, Messrs. Landsborough and McKinlay, upon their safe +return from their expeditions. They most cheerfully volunteered +their services to the respective Governments under which they +lived to proceed in search of Burke and Wills, and everyone was +aware to some extent of the result of their labours. They had +been most successful explorers. They proceeded in cheerfulness to +encounter the dangers of the desert, such as in the eye of every +individual unaccustomed to bush travelling seemed insurmountable. +(Hear, hear.) They had all heard something of Mr. Landsborough's +expedition from the statement which he had made before the Royal +Society, and they knew something also of the expedition +undertaken by Mr. McKinlay. The immense difficulties which each +had experienced placed both gentlemen side by side as great and +successful explorers. (Cheers.) Having briefly directed attention +to the circumstances under which the meeting had assembled, he +would detain them very little longer. He was sure that they had +done their duty as inhabitants of Victoria in meeting to welcome +back again to this colony the gentlemen who had been sent out in +search of those who first crossed the continent of Australia and +brought into conspicuous notice the great enterprise, which was +first initiated by the colony of Victoria, of exploring the whole +of this vast continent. (Applause.)</p> + +<p>The Reverend Dr. Cairns, who was called upon to move the first +resolution, remarked that this was a magnificent meeting, and +that he had seldom been more delighted in the course of a long +life. (Applause.) When Mr. McKinlay was received by the Royal +Society he (Dr. Cairns) made the very natural remark that he +supposed he would receive a welcome from the public of Melbourne +(hear, hear) that, however cordial might be the welcome extended +to him and to Mr. Landsborough by private committees or private +societies, the community at large had a right to express their +feelings, and in the most public manner to give a welcome to +those successful explorers. (Applause.) He thought then, as he +thought now, that in making that remark he not only expressed his +own feelings but the feelings of the community in general. A very +ill-natured notice of his opinion and conduct in the matter +appeared in The Argus of that morning, but for what purpose it +had been written he was unable to say. He rejoiced in the present +meeting, however, as the best of all possible answers to such a +piece of invidiousness. (Hear.) One of the characteristic signs +of the present age was the very great progress of discovery in +opening up regions of the earth which had hitherto been +hermetically sealed even to the eye of intelligence. It was a +very suggestive fact to his mind that the successful exploration +of Central Africa and the great Australian Continent had been +reserved for the present day, that until now these immense +dominions had been unknown lands to the civilised world; and that +not until the latter half of the nineteenth century had the +honour been conferred on the enterprising sons of that wonderful +little island far away in the north sea--peopled by Christian +Britons--of penetrating the mystery, and finding out that, +instead of stony deserts and inhospitable wilds, those countries +contained luxuriant fields, abundant waters, and balmy +woods--inviting homes for millions and millions of human beings, +or rather let him say for flourishing nations. (Applause.) The +present marked a great era in the history of this hemisphere. A +benignant Providence had lifted the cloud of their ignorance, and +they heard a kindly voice calling upon them to arise, to go +forth, to possess, to subdue, to people this goodly land. (Hear, +hear.) The friends whose success they had met to celebrate that +evening would henceforth have their names enrolled with those of +Mitchell, Leichhardt, Sturt, Gregory, and Burke and Wills, who +had sacrificed their lives to their zeal. (Hear, hear.) To the +two latter explorers belonged the praise--which time would never +obscure or diminish--of having been the first to solve the +practicability of traversing this great continent from south to +north. The names which he mentioned constituted a brilliant +catalogue; and he ventured to think that no inferior splendour +would henceforth illustrate the names--now familiar as household +words--of Stuart, Landsborough, and McKinlay. (Cheers and loud +cries of "King.") The name of King ought also most assuredly to +be included. (Cheers.) They were a noble band, and he wished they +had all been present that night. He rejoiced to have the +opportunity of seeing those explorers who were present, of +looking on their faces, speaking to them, shaking hands with +them, and calling them friends. (Applause.) He was proud of these +men, and all whom he was addressing must be proud of them also. +They were worthy of esteem, they were entitled to applause; and +mean, base, ineffably shabby, stupidly mean and base was the +soul--if such a soul there were--that questioned their merit or +grudged them a meet reward. (Applause.) He was delighted to have +the opportunity of looking upon the two great heroes, +Landsborough and McKinlay. They had undertaken and accomplished +great things. Without deliberation they undertook the arduous +task assigned them and faced its hazards. They had to contemplate +hard privations, and it might be disease, accident, or even a +lingering and lonely death. These were the terms--the necessary +terms--on which they engaged in their uncertain and perilous +speculation. They went forth not knowing whither they went; but +their Heavenly Father watched over them and protected them from +dangers, seen and unseen. He was especially struck with the +providence of God in the case of McKinlay. The flood of waters +which troubled him might have been a deluge to sweep him away, +but, by the gracious overruling providence of God his life was +preserved, and he was now in their midst. Both Landsborough and +McKinlay had returned none the worse for wear, but fresh and +blooming, he would say, for the tan which they got from the sun +seemed to him to be the richest of blooms. (Laughter.) They were +the very models of fine, stalwart men. He thanked God for it, who +was the author of all their talents and all their gifts. Their +wonderful success, under God, was attributable to their +foresight, prudence, and for want of a better word he would say +their bush experience. From the energy, sagacity, and unwearied +patience which they had exercised the public had learnt some new +things. From Mr. McKinlay they had learnt that it was possible to +drive a flock of silly sheep all the way to Carpentaria and eat +them up one by one at leisure. (Laughter.) They had further +learnt that old horse was very palatable beef to a hungry man, +and that boiled camel was a savoury morsel in a weary wilderness. +(Renewed laughter.) From Mr. Landsborough they had learnt the +important lesson that it was most wise to rest and refresh both +man and beast upon that seventh day which had been ordained us a +universal blessing. (Hear, hear.) He quite enjoyed hearing of Mr. +Landsborough and his men luxuriating on a breakfast of meat and +pig-weed, followed, after a due interval, by an epicurean dinner +of cold rice and jam. (A laugh.) The result of their explorations +had been immense, for they had probably tripled, or even +quadrupled, the extent of territory in Australia available for +settlement, and added greatly to the resources of the country. +The advantages thus secured for pastoral purposes were beyond all +calculation, though they could not now be appreciated as they +would be hereafter. They deserved well of their country. In all +ages such services as they had rendered had been regarded as +national benefactions. The principle of the state rewarding such +services had been recognised in this colony and had been reduced +to practice. Recompense was decreed by Parliament to the +discoverers of new goldfields, and the admirable constitution of +this colony had provided a most soothing consolation, in the +shape of 1800 pounds per annum, to requite the devotion of those +self-sacrificing spirits who consented to bow their studious +heads and delicate shoulders to the responsibilities of +government for the weary space of two whole years. (Laughter.) If +such were the case, what was the debt which the country owed to +those great national benefactors, the explorers. Their +discoveries had opened the eyes of the people of Australia to the +fact that God had given them a most wealthy inheritance, which +might be compared to the whole world in miniature. It had the +best of every clime under the sun, and the gifts of nature were +scattered with great profusion. As to the precious metals it +might turn out that what had been found was only an earnest of +what was to follow; but there could be no doubt that Australia +was to be the woolgrower of the whole world, and that it would +grow cotton to feed all the mills of England. Dr. Cairns +concluded by moving the following resolution:</p> + +<p>That this meeting begs, in the most cordial manner, to welcome +the explorers, Messrs. Landsborough and McKinlay, on their safe +return, and to express admiration of the many excellent qualities +displayed by them in the prosecution of their arduous enterprise, +and considers that it is a duty to acknowledge the hand of Divine +Providence in preserving them in the midst of danger.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>Mr. King, who was received with great acclamation, said it +afforded him much pleasure to be present on that occasion and +join with so many of his fellow-colonists in congratulating Mr. +Landsborough and Mr. McKinlay on their safe arrival in Melbourne. +(Applause.) He was the more glad to offer his congratulations +because he knew the arduous nature of the journey which Messrs. +Landsborough and McKinlay had accomplished. He was little +accustomed to appear or to speak in public, but he should have +been sorry to miss this opportunity of expressing his thanks to +Mr. Landsborough and Mr. McKinlay for the manner in which they +had endeavoured to come to the relief of the party of which Burke +and Wills were at the head. However successful they might have +been in that expedition they could have been of very little +service to Burke and Wills, for it would have been impossible to +reach them in time to save their lives. He had much pleasure in +seconding the resolution and in congratulating Messrs. +Landsborough and McKinlay upon their safe arrival in Victoria. +(Cheers.)</p> + +<p>The resolution was put and unanimously adopted amidst cheers, +as were also the resolutions subsequently proposed.</p> + +<p>The chairman explained that Mr. Landsborough, having been out +of town, had not yet arrived at the meeting but was expected +shortly. In the meantime he called upon Mr. McKinlay to respond +to the compliment which had just been paid to himself and his +brother explorer. He also requested the meeting to excuse Mr. +McKinlay from making any statement with respect to his journey as +he felt bound in the first place to communicate the particulars +to the Government by whom he had been sent out.</p> + +<p>Mr. McKinlay, who was received with hearty and prolonged +cheering, briefly returned thanks for the kindness which had been +shown him. His journey had certainly been accomplished +successfully, but it had been undertaken under very favourable +circumstances and, had such not been the case, probably the +result might have been very different. He felt himself compelled +to refrain from stating many particulars which the public would +be glad to learn, but they would no doubt be known in due course. +At present he could merely express his sincere thanks for the +great kindness with which he had been received that evening. +(Cheers.)</p> + +<p>Mr. Wyld, Mr. Poole, Mr. Kirby, and Mr. Davis, fellow +travellers with Mr. McKinlay, were severally introduced to the +meeting by the chairman, and each received a cordial welcome +which they duly acknowledged.</p> + +<p>Mr. Landsborough, who had in the meantime arrived, then came +forward to address the meeting and was greeted with cordial and +enthusiastic cheering. He was much gratified, he said, at the +warm reception which he had received, and little expected that +his humble services would have been acknowledged in such a public +way by such an assemblage as he saw around him. He had been +rather hurriedly called upon as he was unaware that the meeting +was to be held that evening until his arrival from Geelong an +hour or so ago. (Hear, hear.) "My friend and brother explorer," +continued Mr. Landsborough, "has just come in from a glorious +trip from South Australia, by Carpentaria and by Port Denison. I +consider his mode of exploring with livestock consisting of +camels, cattle, sheep, and horses, nearly the best. To make it +complete he only wanted some aborigines as trackers. This I am +sure he felt on one occasion when Mr. Kirby and his sheep were +lost for three days. Mr. McKinlay deserves the greatest credit +for being the first to take sheep across the continent. The +camels will yet be found of the greatest value; for it is +probable that other explorers will not find water at such +convenient distances as we have done, and as they can go nearly +three times as far as horses without water they will be of the +greatest value for searching ahead for water, and when water is +once found it is very easy to take the party on, as it is +generally found at distances sufficiently near to be reached by a +party like that which Mr. McKinlay and I had. By Burke, Walker, +McKinlay, and myself six of the Carpentaria rivers have been +traced. These rivers chiefly water country of a character which, +although dry, is the kind that I like best for pastoral purposes. +And now that my friend McKinlay has taken sheep across the +continent I hope flocks and herds will soon follow, so that the +fine pastures of Carpentaria, instead of lying waste, will soon +become profitable not only to Australia but to the whole world." +(Applause.) In conclusion Mr. Landsborough intimated that he +intended to publish the rest of the information which he had to +communicate in the form of a pamphlet. On resuming his seat he +was again warmly applauded.</p> + +<p>Mr. Bourne, the only member of Mr. Landsborough's exploration +party now remaining in Melbourne, was introduced to the meeting, +who likewise honoured him with a round of cheers. He acknowledged +the compliment in a few pertinent remarks. He would rather, he +said, perform another journey through the continent of Australia +than make a speech in public, and he did not seem to be singular +in that opinion. On his own behalf, and that of the rest of the +party to which he was attached, he begged to return thanks, and +et cetera. (Laughter and applause.)</p> + +<p>Mr. Aspinall, M.L.A., proposed the second resolution:</p> + +<p>That this meeting recognises the good services rendered by the +Governments of South Australia and of Queensland in organising +these contingent expeditions with a view to discover and assist +the missing party under the lamented Burke and Wills.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>It would only, he remarked, be a just compliment to the +neighbouring colonies to adopt this resolution most heartily. +(Hear, hear.) Whilst the meeting recognised these gallant +men--Landsborough and McKinlay--men of heroism and enterprise, +men who were an honour to their race and the colonies which they +represented, they ought also to recognise in them a manifestation +on the part of the neighbouring colonies of a hearty sympathy in +a matter concerning the general welfare of Australia. (Applause.) +While doing honour to the men themselves they ought to express +their gratefulness to the Governments and the people who chose +them for the work which they had performed. Those Governments +were willing in a moment to aid the expedition which the +Government of Victoria had sent forth and, as the result proved, +they had put the right men in the right place. (Applause.) The +explorers however must be regarded as the representatives of the +sentiment and the feeling of the colonists who had sent them +forth. In sending them forth those colonies were not influenced +by any ideas of the acquisition of territory; and, whatever +advantages they might have gained, their primary object was to +endeavour to rescue Burke and to assist the expedition of which +those unfortunate explorers were the leaders. While admiring the +heroism of Messrs. Landsborough and McKinlay, let them add their +tribute of admiration to the colonies which had sent them forth +to do the work which they were so admirably fitted to do. +(Applause.)</p> + +<p>Mr. Gillbee heartily seconded the resolution, assured that in +so doing he was but expressing the sentiments of everyone +present. (Applause.)</p> + +<p>The resolution was carried unanimously.</p> + +<p>Dr. Macadam, M.L.A., proposed the third resolution which was +to this effect:</p> + +<p>That this meeting is persuaded that it is incumbent on the +various Australian Governments to mark in some appropriate manner +their sense of the great merits of the leaders of the contingent +exploration parties, and of the important results which must flow +from their discoveries; and that a copy of this resolution be +forwarded for the consideration of the respective +Governments.</p> + +<p>Some difference of opinion, he said, had been manifested in +reference to the manner in which the exertions of the respective +explorers should be recognised. He himself had only had one +opinion upon the subject, namely, that they should be recognised +through the Legislatures of the respective colonies to which the +explorers belonged. Although he and, he believed, the committee +with which he was connected had been blamed for not sympathising +materially with the subscription being raised for Mr. +Landsborough, he had already personally explained to Mr. +Landsborough his own views. It was held as a general principle +that when a national good was conducted it was entitled to a +national reward. (Hear, hear.) He trusted that this would remove +any impression which might exist as to there being any opposition +on his part, or on the part of the Exploration Committee, to the +subscription which was being raised for Mr. Landsborough; but, as +he had already stated to Mr. Landsborough and Mr. McKinlay, they +believed that the legislatures of the different colonies should +recognise that which he thought was a greater benefit than that +for which any amount of money could be spent under any other vote +of the Legislature. (Applause.) He had to make one word of +personal explanation in reference to the meeting. He had been +somewhat blamed in The Argus of that day for having initiated, +with his friend Dr. Cairns, a meeting of that kind. The chairman +of the meeting was also the chairman of the meeting at which it +was resolved to present a testimonial to Mr. Landsborough; and he +was aware that this meeting originated in a spontaneous +suggestion made on Friday by Dr. Cairns, who thought that, while +it might be convenient to the Exploration Committee to meet in an +afternoon, it would be a great pleasure to the community at large +to hold an evening meeting at which, instead of merely having the +opportunity of recognising the explorers by their portraits in +the Saturday prints, they might meet them face to face, and speak +to them. (Applause.) Influenced by this suggestion he (Dr. +Macadam) set about to make arrangements for this meeting, and he +was sorry to say that he met with considerable opposition; but he +had always found that whenever a man threw himself upon the +public sympathy he was never mistaken. (Hear, hear.) If the +Exploration Committee had not called the meeting they would have +been blamed, and he was quite prepared to see that they would +receive a great amount of opposition from certain quarters. +Without further remark upon this subject he would leave the +correction of the error, if error he had committed ("No, no.") to +a gentleman who was present at the Landsborough testimonial +meeting, and who wrote the paragraph in The Argus alluded to--he +would leave it to a gentleman who took a deep interest in his +prospects, and who had the highest admiration of his ability; and +he would refer the meeting to the Yeoman of Saturday for a full, +deliberative, and calm consideration of the whole matter. He +regretted the absence of the Governor from the meeting, but he +would explain the reason. His Excellency instructed him to say +that he had exceedingly regretted to perceive by the newspapers +that that day had been fixed for the grand reception, and stated +that his absence was caused by a prior engagement. Mr. McKinlay +had received permission to decline an invitation which he had +received from the Governor that night in order that he might be +present at the meeting. The fact of the invitation however showed +the appreciation in which McKinlay was held by the Governor. +(Applause.) In moving the resolution he had simply to state that +he trusted the Governments of the respective colonies would +reciprocate in an adequate manner the services which had been +rendered by the explorers; he thought the gratitude of the +Governments of the respective colonies should also be shown by +their doing more to encourage immigration than that hitherto +done. Some two years and a half ago the task of exploring the +continent was commenced in Victoria and, whatever might be said +derogatory to the management of the exploration, the work had +been accomplished, the continent was now marked out, and it only +required private enterprise to establish communication between +every part of it. (Applause.)</p> + +<p>Captain Norman, being loudly called for by the meeting, made a +few remarks indicating the cordial unanimity in which he and Mr. +Landsborough had cooperated together, and mentioned that Monday +was the anniversary of their safe arrival at Carpentaria after +the wreck of the Firefly in Torres Strait.</p> + +<p>Mr. Ramsay, M.L.A., in seconding the resolution, expressed his +full concurrence with the opinion it contained; and stated that +he would do his best in his place in Parliament to support any +motion for carrying it into practical effect. (Applause.)</p> + +<p>The resolution was put and carried.</p> + +<p>On the motion of Dr. Wilkie, seconded by Captain Matthews, a +vote of thanks was given to the chairman.</p> + +<p>The chairman, in acknowledging the compliment, gave an +emphatic contradiction to an opinion which, he said, he +understood had been expressed in some quarters, that Landsborough +and McKinlay had had tracks to guide them in their exploration +journeys.</p> + +<p>The proceedings then terminated, the meeting, in response to +Dr. Macadam, giving three hearty cheers for the explorers.</p> + +<pre> +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journal of Landsborough's Expedition +from Carpentaria, by William Landsborough + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF LANDSBOROUGH'S *** + +***** This file should be named 16243.txt or 16243.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/2/4/16243/ + +Produced by Sue Asscher + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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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: Journal of Landsborough's Expedition from Carpentaria + In search of Burke and Wills + +Author: William Landsborough + +Release Date: July 8, 2005 [EBook #16243] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF LANDSBOROUGH'S *** + + + + +Produced by Sue Asscher + + + + + +JOURNAL OF LANDSBOROUGH'S EXPEDITION + +FROM CARPENTARIA, + +IN SEARCH OF BURKE AND WILLS. + + +WITH A MAP SHOWING HIS ROUTE. + + +MELBOURNE: +F.F. BAILLIERE, PUBLISHER, 85 COLLINS STREET EAST. +LONDON: H. BAILLIERE. PARIS: J.B. BAILLIERE. NEW YORK AND MADRID. +AND ALL BOOKSELLERS. + +1862. + + + +LANDSBOROUGH'S EXPEDITION. + +The readers of this pamphlet are no doubt aware that the anxiety +entertained for the fate of Burke and Wills led to the formation of +several expeditions in their search. The first of these was formed in +Melbourne and entrusted to the command of Mr. Howitt. The second in +Adelaide, under Mr. McKinlay. The third from Rockhampton, under Mr. +Walker; and the fourth from Brisbane, under Mr. Landsborough. These +several expeditions were organised and started within a short period of +each other. The steamship Victoria, Commander Norman, was despatched by +the Victorian Government to the Gulf of Carpentaria to assist the +explorers in carrying out their objects. + +Mr. Howitt, as is well-known, early succeeded in ascertaining the +melancholy fate of Burke and Wills: but before his letter announcing it +reached Melbourne the other expeditions referred to had set out. + +The brig Firefly was chartered in Melbourne to take from Brisbane to +Carpentaria Mr. Landsborough's party and equipments, and also some stores +for Mr. Walker's party, the latter having been instructed to proceed from +Rockhampton overland, by the shortest route, to a rendezvous at the Gulf. +The Firefly, having reached Moreton Bay and shipped the horses, set sail +for Carpentaria on the 24th August with Mr. Landsborough and his party. + +As it is the object of this pamphlet to give details, especially of his +expedition, the journal, letters, etc., which follow, are now presented. + +... + + +(NUMBER 1.) + +BRISBANE PARTY, W. LANDSBOROUGH, ESQUIRE, LEADER, REPORT TO 30TH +SEPTEMBER 1861. + +(COPY.) + +Sweer's Island, Gulf of Carpentaria, 30th September 1861. + +To Captain Norman of Her Majesty's Colonial War Steamer Victoria, and +Commander-in-chief of Northern Expedition Parties. + +Sir, + +I have the honour to inform you that the greatest attention was paid by +my parties to the horses for the expedition on board the Firefly, and +they ought, during the eight days after leaving Moreton Bay, while we had +the finest weather, to have done well, if their allowance of five gallons +of water each a day had been sufficient for them; but with that allowance +they were so thirsty that they did not thrive well. That quantity of +water may do well for horses intended for the Indian market, where they +can be fattened afterwards; but for our expedition horses, which were +intended for immediate service on landing, to be kept in a close hold, +confined by the cargo of the vessel, and fed with dry forage (they did +not eat the carrots at first, until they had acquired a taste for them) +eight gallons of water each per day at least should have been allowed to +them. + +On Sunday the 1st instant, when Captain Kirby expected to get through the +Raine Island passage on the following day, where he hoped to get such +calm weather that it would admit of your giving him a fresh supply of +water, he allowed our party to give the horses a good drink. On that +occasion they drank each, on an average, nine gallons. Towards evening of +the same day the breeze freshened into a gale, and about ten at night, +when the Firefly was head-reaching under close-reefed sails, we had the +misfortune to lose sight of H.M.C.S. Victoria, under your command. + +On Monday the 2nd instant the gale continued, and during the night the +ship was hove to with her head to the eastward. + +On Tuesday the 3rd instant the gale still continued, but Captain Kirby, +having got observations of the sun, he boldly made sail in for the reefs, +and between eleven and twelve a.m. he sighted the Raine Island beacon, +and early in the afternoon he went through the passage, and got into +smooth water, where we congratulated ourselves, and were thankful, I +hope, to God, for the comparative safety of ourselves, and also of the +horses under our charge. + +All the horses were alive except one, which, from the sand being pumped +from under its feet, had not been able to stand during the gale, and in +consequence had been trampled underfoot by the other horses and so much +injured that we were compelled to destroy it. About an hour before dark +we reached, with a fresh and favourable breeze, a point between the two +largest of the Sir Charles Hardy's Islands, where one of the anchors was +let go and, upon its dragging, another was let go, which dragged also, +until we were close to the lee shore, when it held, fortunately, till +after daylight of the morning of Wednesday the 4th instant when, the +cable parting, the brig went ashore broadside onto the reef which extends +for about half a mile from the base of the bold rocky island. The waves +breaking over the ship, the masts were cut away and fell over the side. +The smallest boat was then launched and immediately broke in pieces. +While the wreck of a masts was being cleared away by a good swimmer +called Muller, a Dutchman, in order to get a clear sea to launch the +ship's large boat, our party took the opportunity of feeding and watering +the horses, and in the meantime the tide had fallen so much that Muller +found footing. The boat was launched safely and, on being asked by +Captain Kirby, I went ashore with Mr. Martin, the supercargo, and a part +of the crew. We found we could wade on shore; and, on the previous +evening having seen the masts of a ship on the other side of the island, +Mr. Martin and I went across and found it was a vessel which had sunk +within half a mile of the shore in deep water. + +At the abandoned camp of the shipwrecked crew we found a copy of The +Argus newspaper of the 14th June, a barrel of peas, fragments of paper +bearing the names of the Lady Kinnaird and Captain Chorley on them, a +part of a child's dress, etc. + +On our return to the wreck of a Firefly, we found the crew very busily +engaged in carrying stores on shore on their backs, as Captain Kirby did +not like using the boat for that service, being afraid of having it +injured. In the evening we fed and watered the horses, and Mr. Campbell +offered to remain on board if he got someone to assist him to attend to +the horses during the night; but as there were drunken sailors on board, +and I thought the breaking up of the old Firefly not improbable, I did +not like remaining or asking anyone else to do so. After the ship struck, +the officers and crew considered themselves under no discipline, taking +from the stores whatever they wanted, and, I am sorry to say, much of the +Expedition spiced beef and other things were stolen, and many things +destroyed from recklessness; but I am pleased to add that, after your +arrival, when order and sobriety became prevalent, from the prompt and +wise measures adopted by you, a considerable quantity of the slops were +recovered by a diligent search through the effects brought on shore by +the crew of the Firefly. + +Shortly after the ship struck I overheard one of the officers say that we +were all alike; and now that the vessel was a wreck the cargo belonged to +no one in particular; and one of our party overheard another officer say +to the crew: "There are twenty-two pairs of (Expedition) boots; help +yourselves. There are a pair each for all hands, and a pair to spare." + +On the afternoon of Wednesday 4th instant (the day on which we were +wrecked) with Captain Kirby's approval I offered the carpenter five +pounds to cut the vessel close down to the water's edge to get the horses +out. (This, under the circumstances, I hope will meet also your +approval.) This he agreed to, and on the following morning when it was +almost high-water, he (the carpenter) and Muller swam off to the wreck to +do so, and shortly afterwards, when I had found a good place on the +island for watering the horses, I accompanied Messrs. Campbell and Martin +and three of my aboriginals to the wreck to assist the carpenter in +making a breach in the side of the Firefly. To do this work the only +tools the carpenter and his assistants had were two adzes and two small +tomahawks. My aboriginals, Jamie, Fisherman, and Jackie, worked hard with +the tomahawks, and were most able assistants in cutting the vessel down. + +On Friday (the 6th instant) we landed safely twenty-five of the horses. +We were obliged to land them chiefly at low-water, and then we had to use +every precaution to prevent them swimming off to sea; for some of them in +the first instance, when we were not watching them, swam off and did not +drift ashore until they were exhausted, and one, after swimming for about +an hour in different directions, reached the southern island, about a +mile distant, with a strong wind and considerable waves against him. + +On Saturday the 7th instant, while we were attending to the surviving +horse of four which had been trampled down by the stronger horses among +the floating empty water tanks, we had the great pleasure of seeing +H.M.C.S. Victoria coming to our relief; and I can assure you we were very +thankful, and our spirits much cheered by your telling us, after Captain +Kirby had intimated to us that he had abandoned the Firefly as a total +wreck, and in our presence told his crew that as shipwrecked mariners he +had placed them under your charge, that you would do your best under the +circumstances to enable us yet to start on our expedition from the Albert +River in search of Mr. Burke and his companions, and with that view you +would endeavour to get the Firefly afloat again, and have her refitted as +a transport hulk for the conveyance of our party, horses, and stores; and +if you did not succeed in that undertaking (which I hope you will pardon +us all for having thought a most hopeless affair) you would in several +trips transport our party, horses, and stores in H.M.C.S. Victoria. + +Now that the great exertions made by you and your officers and crew in +getting the Firefly afloat again, in refitting her, in embarking +twenty-five of the horses, with our party and stores, and in transporting +them safely to the Gulf of Carpentaria, has been crowned with success, +allow me to congratulate you on those events, and to assure you that, +these difficulties being overcome, I have now great hopes of carrying out +at least satisfactorily, with the assistance of my brave, trusty, and +zealous companions, the instructions of the Victorian and Queensland +Governments, with those which I may receive from yourself. + +I have the honour to be, Sir, + +Your obedient servant, + +(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH, + +Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition.* + +(*Footnote. Captain Kirby of the Firefly has since published a pamphlet +in which he states that my party were at times in a great state of alarm, +but in fairness to them I may mention that although they had frequently +much reason to be so, I never saw them exhibit any traces of fear. He +further states that from what he saw of them they showed great ineptitude +for camping out. This is surely very unlikely as we were all old +travellers, three of my party and myself had at one time been +gold-diggers, a mode of life well calculated to give the necessary +experience in this way. And as for Captain Alison, who had never been a +gold-digger, I observed on the island that his tent was particularly well +pitched.) + +... + +(NUMBER 2.) + +(COPY.) + +Sweer's Island, 8th October, 1861. + +To Captain Norman, of H.M.C.S. Victoria, and Commander-in-chief of the +Northern Expedition Parties. + +Sir, + +I have the honour to inform you of the following particulars with regard +to the Albert River: + +On Tuesday morning (the 1st instant) at 8 o'clock we reached the mouth of +the Albert River, on the sandy beach of Kangaroo Point.* There were about +a dozen blacks, who appeared friendly and kept speaking to us as long as +we were within hearing; but none in the barge (not even the native +troopers) understood them. With the exception of Kangaroo Point, on the +east bank, the river has an unbroken fringe of mangrove to a point two +miles in a straight line from its mouth, and an unbroken fringe to a +point three miles in a straight line from the mouth on the other side of +the river. Above these points the lower part of the river has (where the +edges have no mangrove) fine hard sandy sloping banks which are well +adapted for landing horses or goods. A short time before we reached the +point, above thirteen miles in a straight line from the mouth of the +river where we anchored for the night, we saw about six blacks, who were +very friendly and followed us for some time. We found that the water was +fresh when we reached Alligator Point, about twenty miles in a straight +line from the mouth of the river; above this point the fringes of +mangrove are scarce on the edges of the river, and back from the river +there is rising ground, consisting of fine, well-grassed, and slightly +timbered downs. On passing up the river, on the left bank, we observed a +blackfellow asleep. At sunset we anchored at a point about twenty-six +miles in a straight line from the mouth of the river, where a river from +the southward, which Mr. Woods called the Barkly, joins the Albert River. + +(*Footnote. Kangaroo Point would in my opinion be a healthy site for a +township. The ground is sufficiently high along the shore at that place, +and without mangroves. We did not find water there, but, as there were a +few blacks almost always in that neighbourhood, I have no doubt that +there is some surface water, or that it is easily procured by digging.) + +On going on shore on the western bank of the Albert River I found within +a hundred yards of it a waterhole at which it would be more convenient to +water stock than the river, as the banks of it are at this place too +steep. Above the junction of the Barkly the Albert River is not navigable +for even boats, from its being too full of snags. On the following +morning we went up the Barkly on the barge for about two miles, to where +it was too full of snags to proceed further up the river by water. We +then took a walk over the Plains of Promise and crossed at a point about +three miles from where we had left the barge. In doing so we started a +black man and woman; they were both old and naked; the former went out of +sight by running down the bank and plunging into the river, and the +latter climbed up a tree, where, while we remained, she continued +speechless. Where we crossed the Barkly it had a narrow muddy bed, the +water in which was cool from its being shaded with pandanus, palms, and +Leichhardt-trees. A short distance lower we recrossed by a tree which the +carpenter felled for that purpose, at a point where the deep water in it +is caused in some measure by the rise of the tide; afterwards we followed +down the river to the barge. At different places we marked the trees, but +did not see any that had been marked previously, nor indeed any traces of +any European parties. After walking over the Plains of Promise we went +down the river and anchored opposite the point where the cliffs are +mentioned in the charts as thirty feet high. In the morning, accompanied +by the native troopers Jemmy and Jackie, I went north-westerly over +slightly timbered grassy plains, and reached in about a mile a waterhole, +and in about another mile a narrow mere, which I called Woods Lake, +extending northerly and southerly at least for a mile or so in an +unbroken sheet of water. I went southward along the edge of Woods Lake to +a clump of box and tea-trees, and while I was marking a tree Jackie shot +(chiefly with one discharge of his gun) about half a dozen of +whistling-ducks and a large grey crane. As I never saw so many aquatic +fowls assembled as were at this place it is to be hoped that, when we +reach the Albert River again, we will be able to shoot great quantities +of them for fresh food. + +The bank on which I marked the tree will, probably at no very distant +time, be chosen as the site of a homestead for a sheep establishment, as +it is surrounded by fine dry plains which are covered with good grasses, +among which I observed sufficient saline herbage to make me feel +satisfied that they are well adapted for sheep runs. As the wind was +unfavourable during the afternoon the crew had to row down the river. On +passing near where we saw the blacks on our way up we found about twenty, +counting men, women, and children, waiting to see us as we passed. On the +following morning we went ashore and got water in a waterhole near the +bank, and also firewood off an old fallen tree, which, I think, is +probably the real ebony. Late in the evening we reached a point on the +eastern bank about three miles above Kangaroo Point. + +We went ashore and in the course of a walk started on the wing two large +bustards, and also, within shot of us, two or three wallabies. + +In our way up and down the river the temperature ranged on the bar from +74 to 94 degrees. The nights were agreeable, and we were fortunately not +troubled with mosquitoes or sandflies. + +On the upper part of the river we saw altogether three crocodiles, but +they were so shy that they remained in sight only a few seconds. + +The slightly timbered downs and plains on the banks of the Albert River +are, as I hoped they would be from their western position, of a similar +character to good inland settled sheep country of New South Wales and +Queensland; the trees that we saw are all small; but as sheep do best in +Australia where the temperature is dry, the soil rich, and slightly +timbered, and as this is the general description, I believe, of the +country and climate of the Albert River, the sheep farmer should be +willing to put up with the inconvenience caused from the want of good +timber for building purposes. + +We saw large quantities of the small white cockatoos, and the +rose-coloured ones, which are to be found only in the inland settled +country of New South Wales and Queensland. The Albert River being +navigable will make the country on its banks very valuable, as I believe +sheep will do well on it, more especially as they do well on +inferior-looking country within the tropics to the north-west of +Rockhampton. + +Allow me to recommend for the depot which you propose forming with the +Firefly hulk on the Albert River some place as convenient as possible to +Woods Lake, or the waterhole that I mentioned that I had found near the +head of the navigation, and as there is very little forage on board the +Firefly it would be advisable to land, as soon as possible, the horses on +the west bank of the river above the second inlet, that is, if there is +any chance of the Firefly being delayed in proceeding up the river. + +I have the honour to be, etc., + +(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH, + +Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition. + +... + +(NUMBER 3.) + +BRISBANE PARTY, W. LANDSBOROUGH, ESQUIRE, LEADER. + +CONTINUATION OF REPORT ON THE ALBERT RIVER, ETC. + +OCTOBER 15TH 1861. + +(COPY.) + +Albert River, Gulf of Carpentaria, October 15 1861. + +To Captain Norman of H.M.C.S. Victoria, and Commander-in-chief of the +Northern Expedition Parties. + +Sir, + +I have the honour to inform you that the senior lieutenant of H.M.C.S. +Victoria, having been commissioned by you to take the Firefly hulk to the +head of the navigation of the Albert River to form a depot there, shortly +after midnight of the 14th October, at the flood of the tide, which +occurs here only once in twenty-four hours, we stood in for the mouth of +the river and, as the channel is of a winding character, and the ship +almost unmanageable, we had to take her right over the bar. From thence +we proceeded some time after daylight with a fair wind, several miles up +the river to where we took grass on board, which some of my party, having +preceded us, had in readiness. On the 16th, from the time of the tide, +the wind being unfavourable, we had reached no further than Norman's +Group of Islands, which are about ten miles in a straight line from the +mouth of the river. At that place, from the small quantity of water on +board it became necessary to decide on what bank the horses should be +landed; consequently three parties started in search of water--a boat and +two land parties. The former, under the command of Mr. Frost, found a +good pond of water near the lowest water we had found when we first +explored the Albert River. In the same neighbourhood Mr. Campbell's +party, who went up the west bank of the river, found another waterhole, +which was distant from the ship, by the road they went, about four miles, +and passable for the horses, although partly over mudflats which during +high tides are covered with water; and on that account I thought, having +observed the country to be very low from the masthead, it would be +impassable. + +I accompanied Mr. Bourne, Mr. Hennie the botanist, and two native +police-troopers to the eastward in search of water. In that direction we +went about six miles, which was further than was necessary as we found +water within that distance. The first three miles we went was chiefly +over hard flats which at high tides are covered with water; the next was +over such good country that Mr. Bourne, although I had given him my +account of the Plains of Promise, said he did not expect to have seen +such fine country on the Albert River. The character of the country is +plains with the best grasses on them. Mr. Bourne and I agreed in thinking +that the lowest of them (with the exception of there being on them no +cotton and cabbage saltbush) resembled in appearance, and from their +having salty herbage in abundance, some parts of the Murrumbidgee plains. +The higher parts are more thickly grassed and are slightly wooded with +stunted timber, consisting of box, apple, white-gum, cotton, and other +trees. The cotton-trees I had never seen before; but Mr. Hennie told me +they had been found by Dr. Mueller when in Mr. Gregory's party in the +expedition to Northern Australia. + +On this country we found abundance of waterholes, some of which were +divided from each other by sandstone dykes and contained fresh, and +others brackish, water. Near the waterholes, at the most conspicuous +points of timber on our route, we marked trees. The north-easterly +waterhole I called Mueller Lake. It is a fine long sheet of water which +is brackish but not to an extent to render it undrinkable. + +Before we reached any water on our way from the ship, we observed, at +some distance from us, several blacks, of whom three gins and three +children we overtook in their camps. These we tried to persuade by signs +to lead us to the nearest water, but they were so extremely terrified +that they clung to each other and would not move, except to point in the +direction in which by our proceeding a short distance we found it +ourselves. + +On the 17th October the ship was taken alongside of the western bank of +the river, and, a landing stage having been made, twenty-three of the +horses were walked on shore and driven up to Frost's Ponds; the remaining +two from their being too weak were kept on board. A few of the horses +after their voyage were in good order, and the most of the others, which +were in such low condition from their insufficient allowance of water +from Moreton Bay to Torres Strait, now showed, from their having plenty +of water since their reshipment at Hardy's Islands, that they were in a +thriving state. + +On the 20th Messrs. Bourne, Moore, Frost, and two troopers started up the +river on a shooting and land excursion. I accompanied them to near +Frost's Ponds where the horses were running, and I was glad to find the +horses were doing well, as I expected they would do, from the herbage of +the plains in that neighbourhood being of the most fattening character. +Late in the evening our sportsmen returned and gave a most glowing +description of about eight miles of the plains they had crossed in going +to and returning from some waterholes they had found, one of which was +within half a mile of the river. As they made their excursion an +exploring rather than a sporting expedition they shot very little, +although they saw several wallabies on the plains, and crowds of duck and +other aquatic fowl at the waterholes they passed in the course of their +walk. + +On the 22nd, having made circulars to the effect that the Firefly hulk +and the horses (broad arrow before L) were on their way up the river, the +latter on the west bank, some of our party landed on the east bank and +stuck them up in places where Mr. Walker's party would probably find them +in the event of their passing us and following down that side of the +river. In doing so we went over a fine grassed plain, and in that +distance found two waterholes. On the 24th the blacks paid us a visit and +we gave them presents; but afterwards, as they stole some clothes that +were out to dry, we determined to give them no further encouragement +unless they returned the stolen things. This Mr. Woods, on the following +day, tried to explain to a few of them who swam across the river to the +bank that we were alongside of. + +When I see naked blacks I am very much tempted to give them clothes and +tomahawks; but this should not be indulged for I have found from having +done so that the more they have got the more they have wanted; and on the +other hand I have found that when they got nothing from us they gave us +very little of their company and thus rarely gave us any occasion for +quarrelling with them. + +On the 27th of October Mr. Campbell and the troopers went on shore and +collected the horses and took them up as far as Moore's Ponds. + +From twenty-two observations, chiefly taken during the day, the +temperature has ranged from 69 to 89 degrees and averaged a fraction over +80 degrees. On the 29th we had a few drops of rain which reminded us that +we had hardly had any since we started from Brisbane, upwards of a couple +of months ago. + +My party went in search of the horses yesterday and returned with them +today to the place where the ship was aground, a point about fifteen +miles in a straight line from the mouth of the river. The horses were so +fresh that to hobble them two of the quietest had to be caught to round +with them the others up. In the ten days that they had been ashore they +had improved more in condition than any horses I have seen do in other +parts of Australia in a similar period. To collect the horses they had to +go as far as ten miles in a north-west direction, to a saltwater creek +which, from Mr. Campbell's report, I believe is the River Nicholson. On +the following day I accompanied Mr. Campbell and the troopers to the +Nicholson River. The water in it we found not so brackish as that part of +the Albert River where we left the ship. I was surprised to find it was +not so broad as the river I have just mentioned. We encamped all night on +the bank of the river, and near our camp marked a tree (broad arrow +before L). On the 30th we returned to the ship after getting the troopers +to collect the horses and shoot a quantity of ducks. By counting my steps +I made the distance seven miles to a bend of the Albert River near which +Moore's Ponds are situated, and two miles and three-quarters further +brought us to the point near which the ship had reached. It is a grassy +plain between the two rivers, with a few stunted trees upon it; that +nearest the Nicholson River is the poorest soil, and the grass at present +upon it is very much parched up. A fine large enclosure for stock might +be formed by running a fence across from the Albert to the Nicholson +River. + +On the 1st November we commenced making a yard for the horses and, having +got the assistance of two of the carpenters, we commenced to shoe the +horses. On the 4th I got a passage in the barge to H.M.C.S. Victoria, +which was stationed at the distance of seven miles from the mouth of this +river, to consult with yourself respecting the plan to be pursued in the +search for Mr. Burke and his companions, and to express my earnest desire +to have rations at the Albert River depot to make a second expedition by +the route which Mr. Gregory and I agreed to as the most likely way to +find traces to follow Mr. Burke and his companions--namely by skirting +the desert, and passing, as near as the country would admit of my doing, +to their starting-point, and also to go to a place on the Bowen Downs (a +well-watered country) to seek for a continuation of tracks seen by +Messrs. Cornish and Buchanan, which they thought were made by a South +Australian party, at a point rather less than 300 miles towards the Gulf +of Carpentaria from Burke's depot on Cooper's Creek. + +On the 6th instant we left the Victoria together (as you are aware) for +the depot on the Albert River, and that evening after nine hours boating +reached our destination. + +On the following morning, having proceeded up the river on the previous +day, reached the junction of the Barkly with the Albert River, near which +we found the tree marked by Mr. Gregory and Captain Chimmo, the former on +the left and the latter on the right bank; afterwards having marked lines +of trees, and marked on trees directions to lead the exploring parties to +the depot, we returned to it. + +On the 15th, intending to start tomorrow on the inland expedition, I had +all the horses, in number twenty-three, brought up, the two weak ones +having died since our arrival at the Albert River, besides the five I +mentioned as having died on the voyage. We saddled and packed a few of +the wildest of the horses* to make them more tractable tomorrow, when I +hope, as I have mentioned, to start on our journey. + +I have the honour to be, Sir, + +Your obedient servant, + +(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH, + +Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition. + +(*Footnote. The freshness of the horses was surprising: because so soon +after the hardships of their voyage, and the destruction of their forage +on board the Firefly by seawater, they were chiefly sustained, from +Hardy's Island till landing at Carpentaria, by grass cut by our party: +this was a task of some difficulty, as we had no implements for doing so +excepting our knives.) + +... + +(NUMBER 4.) + +(COPY.) + +NUMBER 1. + +Albert River, October 18 1861. + +To Captain Norman, H.M.C.S. Victoria. + +Sir, + +I have the honour to inform you that I have much pleasure, after the +conversation that we had with regard to Lieutenant Woods, in applying to +you for that gentleman to accompany me in the expedition, of which I have +the command, in search of Mr. Burke and his companions; and I feel that +for the unsurveyed western country in the route which I am instructed to +take, I have much more necessity for the services of that officer in an +astronomical point of view than Mr. Walker can have. + +I have got a sextant for taking the latitude, but I have not a +chronometer, as Mr. Gregory thought the jolting it would get should +render it useless. + +I hope, therefore, for the cause of science, etc., you will reconsider +the conversation I have had with you on the subject. + +I have the honour to be, Sir, + +Your obedient servant, + +(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH, + +Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition. + +... + +(COPY.) + +(NUMBER 1.) + +Victoria, off the Albert River, October 19 1861. + +Sir, + +In reply to your letter of yesterday, containing an application for +Lieutenant Woods to be allowed to accompany you on the expedition which +you command, in order to fix your position in a correct and proper +manner: + +I have the honour to inform you that it was the desire of the Exploration +Committee I should furnish that assistance to Mr. Walker, and, having +only one officer that I can spare for that duty, I must withhold my +consent until I see Mr. Walker and you are nearer your departure. And +further, as I understood from Mr. Gregory that Captain Alison was engaged +for the purpose of carrying out that important part of the duty, you will +be so good as to explain your reasons for want of confidence in him. + +I have the honour to be, Sir, + +Your obedient servant, + +(Signed) W.H. Norman, Commander.* + +W. Landsborough, Esquire. + +(*Footnote. I answered this letter; but, having sent a copy of it with +other papers from Carpentaria to Brisbane, I cannot at present present it +for publication.) + +... + +(COPY.) + +(NUMBER 2.) + +Norman's Group, Albert River, October 18 1861. + +My dear Captain Norman, + +I have much pleasure in informing you that we have landed safely +twenty-three horses, and have sent them to a waterhole which we have +called Frost's Ponds, where they had a great roll in the mud, which will, +I hope, protect their tender skins in some measure from the sun and +sandflies; two of the weak ones we have kept on board. + +The wind and the time of high-water (at night) was very unfavourable for +going up the river, and, as we were short of water, I need not tell you +how glad I was to know of waterholes to which I could drive the horses. +Three parties went in search of water the day before yesterday, and were +all successful in finding it. Mr. Campbell went with one party and found +water on the west bank up the river. I went on the east bank, and in an +easterly direction got onto a finely grassed, openly timbered country, +within three miles, and at the edge of the timber, in less than three +miles further, found a fine waterhole, besides shallow ones, nearly all +along the last-mentioned distance. Mr. Frost found a fine waterhole +within five miles of here, to which we have driven the horses, as it was +on the route which we had previously determined upon as the best to take +if practicable. + +I have not time at present to write you an official letter, except the +one I sent respecting Mr. Woods. The horses, from our having had from you +a liberal supply of water, are in much better condition than when they +left Hardy's Island. + +I remain yours very truly, + +(Signed) W. Landsborough. + +... + +(MEMO.) + +(NUMBER 2.) + +Being at the depot to start Landsborough on the South-West Expedition +from November 5th to 16th, and Walker not having arrived, I offered the +services of Lieutenant Woods, which Landsborough declined to accept of, +stating he considered they could do very well without any assistance. + +(Initialled) W.H.N.* + +(*Footnote. At Brisbane, where I met Captain Norman before I had started +on the expedition, he led me to expect that Lieutenant Woods would +accompany me to make astronomical observations whilst on my search for +Burke, provided I made application for his assistance. At Carpentaria, +having ascertained that Lieutenant Woods was himself anxious to accompany +me, I wrote the foregoing letter (Number 1) applying for that officer. +Captain Norman's reply to this letter I considered tantamount to a +refusal, and accordingly arranged to take Captain Alison. Having done so, +I may have stated to Captain Norman that I considered I could do very +well on this occasion without any assistance from him.) + +... + +(COPY.) + +NUMBER 3. + +Albert River, 15th November 1861. + +Sir, + +After the unexpected delay of this expedition, from circumstances and +accidents over which we had no control, on the 4th instant, in +consultation on board the Victoria, I informed you that my stock of +provisions for the crew of that vessel would only permit my remaining in +the Gulf for 115 days, and that in accordance with the spirit of my +instructions you ought to start so soon as possible for Central Mount +Stuart, or as near thereto as the nature of the country will admit of +your approaching it, and returning to this depot within ninety days from +this date. + +You having reported yourself ready for starting tomorrow, and that you +have ninety days provisions at full allowance, with all the other stores +complete for the same time, it therefore only remains for me to fulfil +the wishes of the committee, and to inform you that they expect, on your +return to Queensland, to be furnished with a copy of your journal and +surveys; and that, as Mr. Walker has not arrived so as to enable me to +make arrangements for meeting him at the Limmon Bight River, you are to +consider that no such arrangement will be made, and that I shall look for +your return to this depot within the time specified. And as you have full +instructions for your guidance, the same as myself, I feel well assured +you will do all in your power to fulfil them, and will make such +deviations as the country will admit of in order to find any track of the +missing explorers, as well as to meet the wishes of the Exploration +Committee. + +With reference to your suggestion of starting on a south-easterly +exploration after you return to this depot, rest assured I will do all in +my power to assist you in anything that may be likely to lead to the +discovery of the tracks of the missing explorers. + +In conclusion, if any unforeseen accident should delay your return here +before my departure, I will bury one of the iron tanks and mark on the +large tree at the smithy where you will find it. + +I will also take other precautions to ensure your getting the same +information by marking other trees, and sinking bottles with letters in +the ground. In the tank I will secure all the best stores, and if +necessary sink two to hold them. + +With every good wish for your safe conduct, and speedy return before I am +compelled to depart, + +I have the honour to be, Sir, + +Your obedient servant, + +(Signed) W.H. NORMAN, + +Commander, and Commander-in-Chief of Northern Exploring Parties. + +W. Landsborough, Esquire.* + +(*Footnote. It will be seen by this letter that Captain Norman approved +of my searching to the south-east when I returned from the south-west. I +may mention that, when bidding Captain Norman goodbye, before starting, +he told me that he would be very glad to see me return to the depot at +the end of two months.) + +... + +(Number 3.) + +Albert River Depot, November 15 1861. + +Sir, + +I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this day, +and to state that I hope to start on the journey recommended by you in +accordance with the instruction of the Exploration Committee. + +I shall do my utmost to find traces of Mr. Burke and his companions +between here and Central Mount Stuart, and will, D.V., return within the +time (ninety days) which you have given me for that purpose, if I am not +delayed from sickness, or from the country being rather too dry or too +wet. I am very much pleased to learn from you that you are willing, as +well as lies in your power, to assist me in making a second journey in +search of Mr. Burke and his companions, between here and his depot on +Cooper's Creek; because I believe the traces seen of an exploring party +by Messrs. Cornish and Buchanan, nearly three hundred miles this side of +it, were of the parties we want to find, especially as that is a route +which the Victorian and South Australian parties may not be able to +explore, and one upon which my knowledge of the country will, I hope, be +of service to me. + +With many thanks for the able assistance you have at all times given in +carrying out the views intended by this expedition, etc., + +I have the honour to be, Sir, with best wishes for your own health and +welfare, + +Your obedient servant, + +(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH, + +Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition. + +Captain Norman of H.M.C.S. Victoria. + +... + +(COPY.) + +Depot, Albert River, December 20 1861. + +Sir, + +Mr. Walker's party having arrived here for supplies on the 7th instant, +and left again this day, to return to the Flinders River for the purpose +of following up the tracks they have found of Mr. Burke to wherever they +may be led by them, I deem it my duty to inform you that for the relief +of Mr. Burke I consider it is not necessary you should return by the +overland route, as Mr. Walker's party will, no doubt, do all that is +possible, and not give up the following of the missing party by their +tracks to wherever they may lead to. + +And notwithstanding my sanction to the contrary I deem it my duty to +inform you that for the relief of the missing explorers it is not +necessary for you return overland with your party, and that you ought to +return by the Victoria to Queensland in accordance with the instructions +of the Royal Society. + +But as much will depend on the time you return here, and condition of +your horses and party for immediate service, to overtake and render +assistance in pursuing the tracks found, I must leave it to your own +decision to determine whether you do so or abandon your horses and return +by water. + +As all the stores are at the depot that can be spared from the Victoria +(ammunition included) and I have left instruction for their being packed +in 50-pound packages ready for immediate use, should you arrive here in +time to overtake Mr. Walker your party might render some service towards +the main object of the expedition by joining in the following up of the +tracks found. + +I have the honour to be, etc., + +(Signed) W.H. NORMAN, + +Commander, and Commander-in-Chief of Northern Expedition Parties. + +W. Landsborough, Esquire, + +Leader of Brisbane Party for relief of Burke, etc. + +... + +(COPY.) + +H.M.C.S. Victoria, off the Albert River, February 7 1862. + +Sir, + +I do myself the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 22nd +ultimo reporting your return, and containing an outline of your +proceedings, and the nature of the country you passed through going +towards and returning from the direction of Central Mount Stuart; also a +tracing of your route for the Royal Society of Victoria. + +In reply to your requisition in the same for a further supply of stores +for use on going on the south-east route, I regret to inform you that, +from not having them, I shall be unable to supply you with tea, sugar, +and rum; but such other articles as we have and can spare you will be +furnished with; but should you consider it will in any way endanger your +party going overland without the stores you have asked for, or from the +smallness of the number for which you can carry stores, or for +protection, I do not consider that it is imperative you should do so, +having every reason to believe that Mr. Walker's party will do everything +that is possible and necessary to continue following up of Mr. Burke's +tracks, and you can all return by Victoria; but, as you have stated, +there is a possibility of Walker losing the tracks, and you will have the +same chance of finding and following them up as he will by going on the +south-eastern route, you have my sanction to proceed if you consider you +can with safety do so, taking with you as many of your party and whom you +think proper, and the remainder will be taken round by this vessel. + +I have the honour to be, Sir, + +Your obedient servant, + +(Signed) W.H. NORMAN, + +Commander, and Commander-in-Chief of Northern Exploring Expedition to +Gulf of Carpentaria. + +W. Landsborough Esquire, Leader of Brisbane party, etc. + +... + +(COPY.) + +H.M.C.S. Victoria, off Albert River, Gulf of Carpentaria, February 6 +1862. + +Sir, + +In reply to your letter of the 20th December 1861, in which you tell me +you do not deem it necessary for me to go on the second expedition I +proposed, namely, to the south-east, as Mr. Walker will no doubt do all +that is possible and not give up following the missing party, I beg to +disagree with you. I think, now that the tracks have been found, that it +is an additional reason for my going on the expedition, and that I will +have a much better chance of being successful in the main object of the +expedition than I had on my last one. + +Mr. Walker will not be able probably to follow the tracks of Mr. Burke +and his companions, as too long a time has elapsed since these tracks +were made. + +In conclusion I thank you for the sanction you have given me to proceed +on this expedition, especially as I never would have had anything to do +with it had I imagined that I would have been checked in going the way I +now propose; for all along I thought it would be the way where Burke's +tracks were most likely to be found, and more particularly after I +learned from Messrs. Cornish and Buchanan that they had seen what they +believed to be the tracks of Burke's party, about 200 miles to the +westward of Mount Narien. + +I have the honour to be, Sir, + +Your obedient servant, + +(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH, + +Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition. + +Captain Norman, H.M.C.S. Victoria, Commander-in-Chief of Northern +Expedition Parties. + +... + +(COPY.) + +(NUMBER 5.) + +Depot, Albert River, January 22. + +Sir, + +I have the honour to inform you that our party arrived here all safe and +in good health on the morning of the 19th instant, when we were informed +of the successful overland journey, through, in a great measure, an +unknown country, of Walker's party, and of the glorious news of their +having found the tracks at the Flinders River of Burke's party returning +from the Gulf of Carpentaria; and also of your having found tracks lower +down the river, which were probably older than those found by Mr. +Walker's party, as the latter were the return tracks. + +Mr. Walker's party, as you observe in your letter of the 20th ultimo, +will no doubt do all that is possible and not give up (if he can follow +the tracks) following the missing party, in whatever direction they may +go. This however they will find difficult and tedious, if not altogether +impossible. + +I have brought back all the horses with the exception of two that were +drowned. I shall therefore, as I have your sanction, so soon as I have +recruited the horses and rested till there is a probability of my party +being able to travel, which we cannot do at present, as the country is, I +think, too boggy, start again, with a better hope of success in the main +object of the expedition than I had on my last journey, when, in +accordance with my instructions, I went as far as the dry state of the +country and my time would admit in the direction of Central Mount Stuart. + +For our next expedition we have, as you are aware, no tea nor sugar. When +you are leaving, I am sure, if you can spare us any of these necessary +articles, you will do so; also some lime-juice, rum, quinine, caster oil, +and laudanum, which are so useful for the prevention or cure of diseases +to which we will be liable during or after wet weather. + +I have the honour to be, Sir, + +Your obedient servant, + +W. LANDSBOROUGH, + +Commander of Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition. + +Captain Norman, of H.M.C.S. Victoria, + +Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Expedition Parties. + +... + +COPY OF JOURNAL. + +W. LANDSBOROUGH, ESQUIRE, LEADER OF BRISBANE PARTY. + +Albert River, November 18 1861. + +Camp Number 2. Situated near the junction of Beames Brook. + +Monday November 18. + +From the Post-office Lagoon we went one and a half miles west, thence +over fine downs, chiefly wooded with acacia, two and a half miles +south-west, and reached a pond on the left bank of Beames Brook, near +which we had a dinner of young wood from a cabbage-palm-tree which +Fisherman felled near the steep bank of the running stream, at which +place we marked a tree (broad arrow before L) and likewise marked in the +same way a more conspicuous tree which stands a little further out from +the brook; thence eight miles south-west, over fine rich plains with a +good variety of grass upon them, and a few plants of saline herbs. It was +then time to encamp, as we had been travelling for five hours; we +therefore changed our course to north-west for three-quarters of a mile, +and reached a branch of the Nicholson River consisting of at least four +channels, one full of fine clear running water, on the right bank of +which we formed our Number 3 Camp. + +Tuesday November 19. Camp Number 3. + +The channels are shaded by drooping tea-trees, swamp-oaks, etc. As it was +unnamed on the charts I gave it the name of Gregory River. Some blacks +came up and watched the camp while we were packing. We started up the +river at 8.45 a.m.; we followed the right bank of the watercourse in a +south-south-west direction. At 9.50 we reached a fine point for a station +for stock, about two and a quarter miles by the river from camp, the +first mile and a half of which was in a south-south-west, and the last +three-quarters of a mile in a south by east direction. We could not cross +the river easily, so we kept on the right bank. At 10.20 we reached a +point on the riverbank half a mile south-west from the last. At 10.35 we +made half a mile south. At 10.45, steering south-west by south half a +mile we came to what seemed to be the junction of the creek. The course +of the river was then from south-west to north-east, so we followed it up +for three miles, where we unpacked the horses, as we wanted to water +them. The approach to the river was boggy. We stopped here and had some +dinner. On the bank marked a tree (broad arrow before L). In the +afternoon we travelled from 4.4 to 6.13, in the following courses: + +At 4.20 half a mile south-west by south where we passed a fine waterhole. + +At 4.40, one mile south-west by south. + +At 5.5 one mile south-west. + +At 5.30 one mile south-west by south. + +At 5.55 one mile south-west to where we passed a broad reach of water. + +At 6.10, three-quarters of a mile south-east to a point above junction of +a dry watercourse where we made our Number 4 camp. The edges of the plain +which we saw today in following up the river are of the richest soil, and +only sufficiently timbered to afford firewood for a pastoral population. +The grasses are of the best description. This is the character of the +whole of the country we have seen since we left our first camp. There is +no appearance on the country we have crossed of its having had rain for a +long time; but from the strong stream of water in the river I think there +must have been plenty of rain on the country higher up. I saw today, on +several low places, saltbush which the horses ate, of a kind I have often +seen in the western country from Rockhampton, but never before so near to +the coast. By following the river it has taken us nearly right on our +course towards Mount Stuart. + +Wednesday November 20. Camp Number 4. + +Situated on right bank of the Gregory River. Started at 8.13 a.m. and +steered south for about three miles, until 9.25; then I had to change our +course to south-south-east for about half a mile to where we tried to +cross the river, but could not find a suitable place for doing so. +Started again at 10.15 and reached at 11.15, by a south course, two and a +quarter miles to where we crossed a dry creek near its junction with the +river. We continued steering on the same course south for about one mile, +when we reached the bank of the river, and a further continuation of the +same course for one mile brought us to a place on the river where we +watered the horses. The watering-place was boggy but we could find no +better. Started again at 2.4 p.m., and at 3.30 made one and a half miles +south-south and by east; at 4 made one and a half miles in a south-east +direction, to where I went in search of a crossing-place, and in doing so +followed the river in a south-east direction for two and a half miles +without finding a place where the horses could approach even near enough +to the river to get a drink without a risk of their falling into the deep +water. We followed up the Gregory River thirteen miles by the courses I +have mentioned. We found the branding-irons did not answer for branding +trees, as it took a much longer time to do so than to mark them with a +tomahawk, so we buried them at a tree marked Dig, at the camp we left +this morning. Last night we had a potful of the young wood of the cabbage +palm, which tasted like asparagus. All the country we have seen today is +of a similar character to that described in yesterday's journal. This +afternoon we reached country on which rain had fallen recently and it was +in consequence covered with herbage so green that we did not think the +horses on it would require water during the night, so their not having +been able to approach it earlier in the day was not of any consequence. +We encamped but the night was so short and the mosquitoes so troublesome +that, what with watching and getting up at 3.45, we had hardly sufficient +sleep. I found at this time that the duties of exploring gave very little +time for fishing or shooting. At this period of our journey the sextant +was too much out of order for making sufficiently accurate observations +of the stars. + +Thursday November 21. Camp Number 5. + +On right bank of the Gregory River. Started at 8.30 a.m., and at 8.55 had +made along the same bank three-quarters of a mile in a south-south-east +direction; at 9.25 we made a mile further in the same direction; at 10.13 +also in the same direction (south-south-east) two miles; at 10.30 changed +our course and made three-quarters of a mile south-east; at 10.45 by +following up the river we made half a mile south-east by south to a point +where I marked a tree with a broad arrow before LC+, where the river +assumed a new character. It has a broad hard bed with only a boggy spot +at the western bank. The crossing of the horses over this place was more +difficult than I expected, and had to be accomplished by strewing the +ground with grass. We started from the left bank of the river at 3.13 +p.m., and at 3.40 made one mile and a quarter south and by east; at 4.18 +two miles in the same direction; at 4.40 one mile south-east; at 4.54 +half a mile further in the same direction; at 5.12 three-quarters of a +mile south in a fruitless search for water. Returned to the same bank by +an east-north-east line of one mile and a quarter in length, where we +encamped. The country we have seen on this side, although fine fattening +plains, is more thinly grassed and not nearly so rich as that on the +plains we saw lower down the river. At the camp we found marjoram, which +makes a pleasant drink. On this side of the river also we observed a +white stunted gum with leaves like that of the apple tree. I may mention +a few common trees which I have observed today--first, on the edges of +the river fine large tea-trees, with foliage (melaleuca) like the +drooping willow; beautiful Leichhardt-trees, pandanus, and +cabbage-palm-trees: on the banks and scattered over the plain, stunted +box, bauhinia, white cedar, and bloodwood; with the pandanus I got too +intimately acquainted for, while with merely a shirt upon me, leading a +restive horse across the river, I fell back and, rolling, got its thorns +into all parts of my body. + +Friday November 22. Camp Number 6. + +Situated on the left bank of the Gregory River. At 9.44 a.m. steered +south and by east for two miles, and by doing so went across a bend of +the river; at 9.58 made half a mile in a south by west direction; at +10.20 made a quarter of a mile in the same direction, to the left bank of +a watercourse, which was evidently a new one, and which I called the +Macadam, after the Secretary of the Royal Society. Stopped to fill +water-bottles and water the horses as I was afraid of the creek being dry +further up. Started again at 11.40 a.m. at a quicker pace, and at 12.10 +p.m. made one mile and a half south; at 12.40 p.m. halted to adjust the +pack of a packhorse after having made one mile and a quarter further in +the same direction. Started again and at 1 p.m. made south and by west +(by following up the Macadam Creek) half a mile; at 1.20 one mile +south-west by south to where we stopped, and started again at 1.26; at +1.55 one mile south-west by south made a point near which there was water +in the Macadam Creek, and encamped. + +With respect to the Macadam Creek, it is badly watered and has a dry +shallow aspect, and appears from the scarcity of flood-marks to have +seldom a stream of water in it, and I am of opinion flows chiefly through +flat country. This character of a river has in the settled parts of +Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland, the best sheep country on its +banks; but here, where all the country is dry enough for sheep, this will +not be a qualification. Following it will be an unpleasant exchange to +the Gregory River with its beautiful stream of water, which I daresay +comes from well-watered highlands. At present the plains are dry and +parched. + +The water at our encampment was very bad, in a great measure from its +being warm, shallow, and frequented by ducks and other birds. This is the +hottest day we have had. At first we thought we were going to have a +miserable camp, from the badness of the water; but in the afternoon a +fine cool breeze sprang up and at the water, or near it, we shot several +ducks, a large waterfowl, and some rose cockatoos; we had also as many +nice little figs as we liked to eat from a large shady clump of bushes +near the camp. + +Saturday November 23. Camp Number 7, situated on Macadam Creek. + +We started at 8.48 a.m. and at 9.23 had made two and a quarter miles in a +south-west by south direction. At 9.40 we made one mile further in the +same direction; from thence we went in a south line for one mile and a +quarter, and reached, at 10.10, at the end of that distance, a very fine +waterhole, 300 yards long and forty yards wide, very deep, with basaltic +dykes at both ends. I thought they were like white limestone. Here we +watered the horses. Started again at 10.55. At 11.55 made south along the +bed of the creek three-quarters of a mile. At 11.40 made a mile +south-west by south, where we stopped to adjust a pack, and started again +at 11.45. At 11.58 we reached in half a mile south-west by south a +waterhole in the Macadam Creek, near which there are a great many rocks +like white limestone. At this water we made another stop, and started at +12.20 p.m. At 1.3 made one mile and three-quarters south-south-west, +where we sighted the first hills we have seen since leaving the depot. We +went on the plain a quarter of a mile south-west by south to get +observations of the hills. They appeared to be twenty or thirty miles +distant. Started again at 1.37, with Fisherman, following the rest of the +party, who had gone on; and at 1.58 made three-quarters of a mile +south-west by west. At 2.6 a quarter of a mile south to a dry creek, +which we crossed. 2.40 we reached Macadam Creek in one mile and a half in +a south by east direction, where we overtook our companions. At 3 we went +in search of water up Macadam Creek three-quarters of a mile south. We +stopped to have a drink, and although the water from the leather bottles +was full of impurities we found it agreeable to our parched palates. We +started again at 3.20, and made south-west one mile to Gregory's River, +where we formed our seventh camp. The river is here a quarter of a mile +wide, running strong in two channels. It is uncrossable for horses, and +the intervening parts are crowded with fine large weeping tea-trees, +large Leichhardt-trees, tall cabbage-palm, pandanus, and other trees. It +is the finest and greenest-looking inland river I have seen in Australia, +and the country it runs through consists of rich-soiled plains, just +sufficiently wooded for pastoral purposes. Since we left the depot we +have not seen any country on which sheep would not do well, excepting +during the wettest and driest seasons. In country such as this it is a +singular fact that sheep do better, on the whole, in a wet season than on +ridgy country. With one exception, where the soil was clayey, the country +we have seen on this river is of the very richest description. At present +it is parched up, with the exception of a few patches of young grass near +the river. In many places the old grass is three feet high. +Notwithstanding the parched state of the grass, the horses have done well +upon it, indeed they could not look better if they had been corn-fed. + +Sunday November 24. Camp Number 8. + +We rested ourselves and the horses. Mr. Alison made a traverse table of +our course and found that we had made 55 miles south and 25 miles west +from Post Office Camp, near the junction of the Barkly with the Albert +River, and the latitude 18 degrees 45 minutes. The sun is too vertical +for taking it with my sextant and artificial horizon. We were rather late +in making observations of the sun, and we only got one sight of it, which +was made by myself. I brought it to a point within 180 yards of me on the +level bank of the river, which altitude made our latitude 18 degrees 57 +minutes. Thermometer showed 90 degrees at 7 a.m. and 103 degrees at noon. +We got a fine potful of cabbage-tree sprouts, which eat like asparagus. + +Monday November 25. Camp Number 8. Situated on the Gregory River. + +From this camp we started at 8 a.m., but had almost immediately to halt +for ten minutes to adjust a pack on a riding-saddle. The other +packsaddles were constructed on Gregory's principle, and required less +adjusting. At 8.45 made one mile and a quarter south by west along the +bank of the river. At 9 made one mile and a half south-west by south. At +9.16 made half a mile further along the river in the same direction to +outlet of creek, which is probably what I have been calling Macadam Creek +(or River). At 9.23 made a quarter of a mile still further along the bank +of the river in the same direction, at which place hills were in sight a +short distance from our course. Fisherman and I started for the hills, +bearing 231 1/2 degrees, and in two miles we reached the hill, and from +the top of it we saw ranges from 67 to 328 degrees; but none of them were +remarkable. The hill we ascended was rocky and barren. Having taken +observations of these hills, Fisherman and I started to rejoin our +companions. The country was so parched up that Fisherman said, "Suppose +you leave him river, you won't find other fellow water." At 11.49 we made +one mile and a quarter south; at 12.10 we steered south-south-west for +about three-quarters of a mile, and reached the river, where, at a +blacks' camp, we overtook our companions. There were three gins and six +children, who were trembling with fear in and at the edge of the water. +In a short time they recovered courage, and one of the gins, to whom I +gave a red woollen neck comforter, wanted to get up behind one of my +companions, and although her advances were rejected she followed us until +Jemmy, the trooper, made signs to her to return to camp. We started again +at 12.30, and at 12.42 made half a mile south-west by west. At 12.56, by +following up the river, we made half a mile in a south-west direction. At +1.17 p.m. made three-quarters of a mile south by west along the bank of +the river. At 1.27 quarter of a mile south-west, where on the bank of the +river we had dinner, and had for salad cabbage-tree sprouts. The holes in +the river are here deep and long. Hills confine the river on both sides, +just above where we had dinner. The one on the right bank of the river I +have named Heales Ranges, and the one on the left Mount Macadam. Started +again at 4.53 p.m. At 5.20 followed up the river, one mile in a westerly +direction, over fine ridges of rich soil. At 5.27 quarter of a mile +south-west by west. At 6.25 made two and a half miles west-south-west to +left bank of the river, where we formed our ninth camp--the worst camp +the horses have had as the grass was completely burned up. + +Tuesday November 26. Camp Number 9, situated on the Gregory River. + +From this camp there are three hills on this side--the left--of the +river, visible from the camp; ranges bearing from north by east to north +by west I call the Hull Ranges; a hill west half south I call Mount +Moore. Fisherman and I set off when Campbell, Allison, and the horses +were all but ready to start, to go along the ranges to have a view of the +country. We went along the ranges which confine the river on the left +bank for forty-eight minutes, when we reached a point about two miles +west by south from camp. At 9.20 we started to overtake our companions. +At 10.12 made two miles and a quarter west by north, partly over ridges +of good soil, and partly over barren ridges, all of which were as dry as +a chip, to the track of our main party on the way up the river. At 10.40 +made one mile southerly, and reached in that direction and distance the +bank of the river, where it washes the base of a steep hill on the +opposite side. At 11 we made three-quarters of a mile along the bank of +the river in a south-west and by west direction. At 11.12 made half a +mile west-south-west to a point on the bank where a hill on the left bank +is about quarter of a mile distant to the north-west. At 11.25 made half +a mile west-south-west to old channel of river. At 11.37 made half a mile +west along the river to a point where an isolated hill bore +west-south-west and by south. At 11.43 made quarter of a mile west and +watered our horses at the river. Started again at 12 noon. At 12.20 +steered one mile west, overtook our companions, and halted to water the +horses of the main party. Started at 1 p.m., and at 1.50 made two miles +south-west by following up the river. At 2.24 made a mile and a quarter +south-west by west through a pass confined by hills on the right and the +river on the left. As soon as we got out of it we observed similar ones +on the opposite side of the river. At 2.45 made three-quarters of a mile +south-west by south to a point where we made our Number 10 camp. Today we +went up the river twelve miles and a half. During that space it is +confined more or less by ranges, which the river on either one side or +the other washes the base of when it is flooded. The troopers agree with +me in thinking that the river has the appearance of having a constant +stream of water. A small log of wood on the edge of the water I observed +was covered over with a stony substance formed by sediment from the +water. At one place in the river where we bathed the current was so +strong that it took our feet from under us in wading across. It is so +deep that it is not fordable except at the bars between the waterholes, +where it runs rapid. Its bed is full of large trees, among which I +observed gum, Leichhardt, tea, and cabbage-palm-trees. Along the edge of +the water it has a fringe of pandanus. Among the trees in the second bed +by the river there is coarse grass and other herbs. If we had seen the +country under more favourable circumstances, a short time after rain had +fallen instead of now, when the grass is dry and withered, I should have +called it most beautiful country; for, with the exception of a few barren +ranges the soil is very rich and clothed with the best of grasses. The +trees upon it are chiefly bauhinia, and stunted box and gumtrees, without +ironbark. + +Wednesday November 27. Camp Number 10, situated on the banks of the +Gregory River. + +Ginger, the old black horse, was missing until eleven o'clock, when the +troopers reported that they had found him in the river drowned, and +floating down with the stream. I had the horses brought down on the +previous evening to the only watering-place which was safe, but as they +were watered a few hours before they did not all of them drink so soon +again. From camp we crossed a bad gully and from it made a fair start at +11.52, having made at that place half a mile south-west by south. The +river is at this place closely confined on both sides by stony ranges; a +few drops of rain fell on us in that pass. At 12.40 p.m. made two miles +west to a small dry watercourse from the north, which is full of pandanus +at its mouth. The ranges on the left bank had on them dykes like +artificial ones, which run at different places across the hills. At 1 +p.m. we made three-quarters of a mile in the same direction south to +another dry small creek from the north. At 1.14 we made half a mile west +by south to rapids with a fall of at least three feet, where the river +was still closely confined on both sides. At 1.45 made a mile south-west +to a small basaltic hill, opposite what appeared the junction of a larger +river from the west-south-west. As the crossing-place was bad in this +river the troopers and I crossed to look at the large watercourse; it was +running and so full of pandanus that we could not see it well. It might +be only another channel of the Gregory River. It has the broadest bed but +has not so much running water in it. The basaltic hill rose too close to +the river to let us pass so we had to go round it, and as soon as we had +done so we reached the junction of a creek from the north. The country +about here consists of stony barren hills and ridges, with the exception +of a few spots which have rich soil and excellent grass. There is slate +in abundance, and the country is like that of some goldfields I have +seen. At 3.40 made half a mile north-west up the creek, which has a slaty +bed, where we crossed. A little higher it has reeds and water in it. I +have called it the Stawell Creek. At 3.48 quarter of a mile south-west to +the river; we observed in crossing this point patches of triodia, or more +commonly called spinifex. The country near this part of the river is +wooded with stunted bloodwood. At 4.30 made one mile south-west up the +river. At 4.43 half a mile south-south-west to a point between river and +small basaltic hill with two little cones on the top of it, like the +cairns Mr. Stuart draws of those he made on Central Mount Stuart. +(Direction omitted, probably about south.) At 4.10 one mile and a quarter +to where we made our Number 11 camp, at which place I observed some +first-rate grasses, and for the first time on the Gregory River a few +tufts of kangaroo-grass. The country we have seen today is fine fattening +healthy sheep country; but it will not carry much stock as the grass is +thin. The horse drowned had been an unfortunate brute from the time of +our leaving Brisbane. On board ship he was nearly kicked to death by +other horses, having been trampled down during the wreck. + +Thursday November 28. Camp Number 11, situated on the Gregory River. + +Mr. Allison and I made from time to time observations of the sun and +stars; but as the sextant, which had been injured at the wreck of a brig, +was out of order, we had no confidence in those observations, and have +not preserved them. From Camp Mount Kay, a hill confining the river +closely on the left bank, about one mile and a half distant (looks about +three miles) bore 119 degrees; another hill about two miles distant bore +28 degrees; and another, two miles, bore 312 degrees; also a hill forming +the south end of the gorge of the river, about one mile distant up the +river 249 degrees. There is marjoram in abundance at the camp; but that +is hardly worthy of remark as it is very common all up the river from the +commencement of the high grounds. We were detained this morning as I had +a shoe to put on one of the horses and other things to do. At 9.20 a.m. +Messrs. Campbell, Allison, and Jemmy started up the river, and Fisherman +and I started to look for a river from the southward. At 10.5, after +having crossed the river, we made one mile and three-quarters +south-south-west over rising ground, of the richest soil with hardly a +tree upon it, to the foot of the ranges, at which place Mount Kay bore 56 +degrees; the hill, probably, with the cairn on the top, 53 degrees; the +ranges bearing 68 to 71 degrees, which I think are on the right bank of a +watercourse we found soon afterwards, which I named the O'Shanassy River, +just above its junction with the Gregory River. A table hill, about a +mile distant 92 degrees. At 10.50 we made half a mile south-south-west to +the top of a range which has a basaltic stony character. From it we +observed that we were 327 degrees from a distant long-topped table hill. +Having got into broken country I depended too much on Fisherman to take +me out of it into the next valley, but he took me on to the river at a +point a considerable distance up its course. At 1 p.m. we returned to the +point, which is one mile and three-quarters south-south-west from the +camp we left in the morning. At 1.30 we made east-south-east, past the +little table hill to a beautiful valley of the richest soil, but now +without water, and all the grass parched up, at which point Mount Kay +bore north-north-west, about one mile distant. We then searched for the +river we expected to find coming from the southward, and found it by +following down the river north-east for one mile and a half below Mount +Kay, where we marked a tree--broad arrow before L. We then followed the +river up for half a mile and observed that it was running. It does not +join at the place which we the previous day thought was the junction of a +river. Just above the junction there is a scrub of large fig-trees, on +which there were a great number of flying foxes. There is a hill on the +right bank of the river, just above its junction with the Gregory, which +I named Smith's Range. In returning I observed at a point one mile and +three-quarters south-south-west from the camp remarkable hills on both +sides of the Gregory River, about half a mile above the junction with the +O'Shanassy, which I have named the Prior Ranges. At 4.48 we returned to a +point opposite Mount Kay. At 5.26 made two miles up the river to where +there are remarkable bluff hills on both sides of the river (the lower +hills of the gorge). At 5.50 we observed that we had passed the camp and, +as the river is difficult to cross even at its best fords, we went to the +camp ford, which the horses knew, as we had crossed there in the morning. +Having made camp at 6.35, at dark we made one mile and three-quarters +west, slightly southerly to the hill at the gorge, on the track of the +main party. Further than that Fisherman would not follow this track in +the dark, as it went over a basaltic rocky range. This was a bad camp for +us, the grass so parched up that the horses could not get any worth +eating, and we had nothing to eat ourselves. I was stung by a reptile, +probably a scorpion. The pain it gave was sufficient to make me very +uncomfortable during the night. + +Friday November 29. + +At 5.40 a.m. Fisherman and I started on the track of the main party. At +6.55 we made two and a half miles south-south-west by following the river +up a gorge to opposite junction of a watercourse from the south, which I +have named the Verdon Creek. At 7.18 made three-quarters of a mile +south-west by south up gorge of the river. At 7.35 made half a mile +south-west and by west to junction of a little creek from the north. At 8 +made three-quarters of a mile west to a basaltic hill on left bank. At +8.25 three-quarters of a mile in the same direction, to a point opposite +a large creek from the south, which I have named Balfour Creek. +(Respecting it see Campbell's report.) At the lower end of a gap in the +basaltic wall, on the left side, there is a round-topped hill, just above +the junction of the creek. At 8.35 we made half a mile west-north-west to +the junction of a small creek from the north. At 9.4 made a mile west and +by north. At 9.13 a quarter of a mile to junction of a watercourse from +the north, which I have named Haines Creek. At 9.24 a quarter of a mile +north-west up this creek to Number 12 Camp. During the remainder of the +day we all remained in encampment except Mr. Campbell and Jemmy who went +and examined Balfour Creek, having been asked by me to do so. Mr. +Campbell gave me afterwards the following report of his survey; + +I proceeded, accompanied by Jemmy to the Gregory River, and though I +endeavoured at several points to effect a crossing, we had to follow the +stream about four miles before an eligible place could be found. Here the +bottom is hard and stony, with about three feet of water running at a +rapid rate. Opposite this point I marked a gumtree with + before broad +arrow before L. I then proceeded up the opposite bank, and crossed two +dry watercourses, and at about two and a half miles came upon the branch +(I presume you to have meant) and found it going in a westerly direction. +There was but little water in it so far as I went; and, as it was not +running, I do not think water could be traced up any distance. I tried to +cross the Gregory at the junction of this creek, but the banks are so +boggy I had to return by the way I went. + +... + +Saturday November 30. Camp Number 12, situated on Haines Creek. + +At 8.35 a.m. left the camp, and at 8.50 made half a mile south-east and +reached the river. At 8.57 made a quarter of a mile west. At 9.30 made +one mile and a quarter west-south-west along the river. At 9.37 made a +quarter of a mile south-west. At 9.55 made three-quarters of a mile south +to where there is a crossing-place at rapids, with at least six feet of a +fall. Made a delay of twenty minutes from having to go through pandanus +and tea-tree scrub, and then over rocks, etc. Made a fair start at 10.20. +At 10.35 made half a mile south-west. At 10.45 made half a mile south. At +11.10 made one mile and a half west-south-west. (About here kangaroos are +numerous.) At 11.23 made half a mile south-west by west. At 11.40 made +three-quarters of a mile west to a single column and wall, which I have +called Campbell's Tower. Mr. Campbell and I got into the tower, which we +found a delightful shelter from the heat of the sun, while the troopers +were getting cabbage-tree sprouts. Started again at 12.54 p.m. At 3.45 +made what I supposed to be a branch of the river, as it was hardly +running. Having stopped the horses, Jemmy and I went in search of the +running water, and also to look for grass for the horses, as we did not +remember having seen any on the course we had come for some distance +back, except very coarse grass in the bed of the river, and old grass on +the bank, which was too dry to be of service. At a quarter of a mile +further we found the junction, on the right side of the river, of a +well-watered creek which I have named after Sir Francis Murphy. We could +not, from its bogginess, cross. We therefore returned, and recrossed at +the old place. There we went down the river and crossed between the creek +I mentioned. We then followed the same down on the right side about two +miles without finding the junction of the running stream; and as it was +late we returned to where we had left the main party, and near there +formed our thirteenth camp on the left bank of the river. + +Sunday December 1. Camp 13, situated on the Gregory River. + +On a particular examination of the grass about the camp I had a better +opinion of it, and thought it advisable to remain here until I had made a +search for the running water. At this camp we had a potful of +cabbage-tree sprouts, and we ate a large quantity of it with lime juice +which made it resemble rhubarb in taste. It agreed well with us, except +with Mr. Campbell, who was slightly sick from eating it. + +Monday December 2. Camp 13. + +Before starting to look for the running stream Mr. Allison and I clinched +and fastened with other nails the shoes on the horses that Jemmy and I +were going to ride. We left camp at 7.52 a.m. At 8.30 made one mile and a +half east. At 8.53 made one mile further east. At 9.6 half a mile +east-north-east to junction of a creek on the right side of the river, +which I have named the Wilson Creek. In the fork made by it and the river +marked a tree with broad arrow between E. L. At 9.27 we crossed the creek +and followed down the river. At 10.4 we made one mile and a quarter +north-east (chiefly at some distance from the river, on the top of the +high basaltic bank, which, from the want of soil, has nothing on it +except triodia and stunted bloodwood-trees) to a point half a mile south +of Campbell's Tower and west-south-west from a point about two miles down +the river. We started again at 10.13 and reached the rapids in the river, +which are about three miles above Number 12 camp; in doing so we kept +chiefly at some distance from the river on the barren basaltic rocky +ridges, and only crossed two dry watercourses. With some difficulty we +crossed at the top of the rapids. A few yards lower the stream is three +feet deep and several yards wide. Having now gone round the running +water, as the country is very dry on both sides of the river, it follows +that this fine stream proceeds from springs in the immediate +neighbourhood. We left the rapids to return to camp at 3.22 p.m. at a +smart walk. At 4.10 we made two miles and a half to a tree in a narrow +pass, which we marked with a broad arrow between E. L. At 4.20 started +again, and at 4.40 made one mile to Campbell's Tower; then at 5.9 two +miles and a half to a pillar 40 feet high. At 6.14 two miles and +three-quarters to camp. + +Tuesday December 3. Camp 13. + +At 8.15 a.m. we left this camp; crossed the river with the intention of +following it on that side when practicable. At 8.26 made a quarter of a +mile north-west. At 8.35 made half a mile west-north-west. At 8.50 made +half a mile south-west and by west. At 9.4 made half a mile +west-north-west. At 9.16 made half a mile west-south-west to junction of +another creek from the south, named by me Haughton Creek. At 9.45 made +one mile west-south-west to junction of another creek from the south, +named by me Dodwell Creek. At 10.12 made one mile west by north. At 10.20 +made a quarter of a mile west to junction of another creek from south. At +10.27 made a quarter of a mile north by west. At 10.52 made +three-quarters of a mile north-west. At 11.7 made half a mile north-west. +At 11.20 made half a mile west and by south. At 11.40 made three-quarters +of a mile north-west. At noon made three-quarters of a mile west. At +12.26 made one mile west and by south. At 1 made one mile west by south. +At 1.7 made a quarter of a mile south to a point on the right bank, where +we formed our fourteenth camp, as we found there water in the river from +a recent thunderstorm. The bed of the river we had found perfectly dry +for some distance back. The river is badly watered along the course we +have come. Below our last camp it has quite a different character. There +are now only gumtrees in the bed of it, whereas lower down it was crowded +with green trees, consisting chiefly of fig, Leichhardt, drooping +tea-tree, cabbage-palm, pandanus, etc. All the country above Camp 11 on +the banks of the river is composed of barren, rocky, basaltic ridges, +which are slightly timbered with stunted bloodwood trees and overrun with +triodia, with the exception of narrow strips of flooded country on each +side of the river, on the lowest parts of which there is coarse grass, +and on the higher parts there are tufts of the best description of +grasses. + +Tuesday December 4. Camp Number 14, situated on the Gregory River. + +At 7.58 a.m. left camp and at 8.20 made three-quarters of a mile south to +opposite junction of creek from south, which I have named Fullarton +Creek. At 8.35 a.m. made three-quarters of a mile south-west to the +junction of another creek from south. At 8.53 made a quarter of a mile +west-south-west. At 9 made three-quarters of a mile west. At 9.20 made +three-quarters of a mile west-south-west. At 9.27 made a quarter of a +mile west-south-west to junction of creek from west. At 10 made one mile +south-west. At 10.35 made one mile south-west to junction of creek from +north named by me Dixon Creek. At 10.45 made a quarter of a mile +south-west. At 11.20 left main party to go in search of water, with +orders to party to return to old camp if not back in an hour. At 11.40 +made three-quarters of a mile west to junction of small creek from south. +At 11.45 made a quarter of a mile west. At 12.10 p.m. made half a mile +north-west. At 12.40 made one mile north-west to junction of creek from +south-west which I have named Abbot Creek. At 12.48 made a quarter of a +mile south-west up the creek, and marked a tree in its bed. Fisherman got +some honey from a tree. At 2.30 made a quarter of a mile south-west, +proceeded up the creek. At 2.40 made a quarter of a mile south-west, +passed the junction of two small creeks. At 2.58 made three-quarters of a +mile south-west by west. At 3.20 made three-quarters of a mile south. At +3.30 made a quarter of a mile south-west to junction of small creek on +south side. At 3.53 made three-quarters of a mile south. At 3.58 made a +quarter of a mile south-east. At 4.8 made a quarter of a mile +south-south-west, at which point, having marked a tree with broad arrow +over L and not having found either water or grass since leaving Number 14 +camp, we started to return at 5.5. We reached our honey delay tree in +about two miles and three-quarters. At dark we reached in about three +miles to where we had left our party, when we went in search of water, +and in a distance of fully five miles and a quarter to Camp 15, situated +about one mile higher up the river than Camp 14. From our companions we +learned that Jemmy had been up the river, and although he had been away +all day, had returned without finding any water. He observed however a +smoke to the southward, where water very probably may be found, as these +fires are generally kindled by the natives near water. + +Thursday December 5. Camp Number 15. + +Mr. Campbell having gone today in search of water, made the following +report: + +Left camp at 8.15 a.m., accompanied by Jemmy. On reaching the rise above +the camp I steered in a south-west direction which we followed for six +miles over a barren country intersected in many places by deep gullies or +watercourses; one of these we followed to its junction with a very wide +channel, larger, in my opinion, than the Gregory at the point where we +left that stream. From its appearance I imagine it has not been visited +by a flood for a considerable period, as in many places it is overgrown +with rank grass and young timber. + +We followed this channel up for some distance in the expectation of +finding water in the deep holes along its bed, in one of which we +discovered a native well, but which was quite dry. + +Seeing after a time there was no prospect of procuring water by following +this course, I left the channel and proceeded in a south to south-east +direction, and (being advised by Jemmy) and having neither water nor +provisions with us, determined on returning back, seeing no probability +of obtaining water in the character of country through with we were +travelling. On our return we made the channel before mentioned several +miles to the north, which we followed down, and it brought us into the +Gregory, about four miles above our camp. Distance travelled about thirty +miles. + +... + +Friday December 6. Camp Number 15. + +Fisherman and I left camp this morning to go in search of water. At 9.50 +a.m. made three-quarters of a mile south to Fullarton Creek. At 10.15 +made one mile south up the creek. At 10.43 made one mile south up the +creek. At 10.50 made a quarter of a mile south-east. At 11.8 made a +quarter of a mile north. At 11.15 made a quarter of a mile east. At 11.35 +made a quarter of a mile east, general course of creek. At 11.40 made a +quarter of a mile south-east. At 11.50 made half a mile south. At 12.7 +p.m. made three-quarters of a mile south. At 12.52 made two miles south. +At 1.18 made one mile south by east, to a plain with tableland of the +richest soil, and with grasses of the most fattening nature, but which at +this time are old and dry. This tableland I have named Barkly Plains, +after His Excellency Sir Henry Barkly. At 1.26 made a quarter of a mile +south by east three miles and three-quarters south to plains, to reach +which we crossed barren ridges with gullies, having an easterly course. +To the south-west not a tree was to be seen. At 3.37 made two miles and a +quarter south, with which course we skirt the left edge of Barkly Plains. +Stopped here and had some dinner. Started again at 4.15. At 4.30 p.m. +made one mile south where Fisherman shot and dressed an emu. At 5.23 we +started again. At 5.40 made three-quarters of a mile south-south-east to +a watercourse which I have named Pratt Creek. At 5.45 made a quarter of a +mile south-east down the creek to water. Proceeded about one mile +further, and then returned about halfway to where we encamped (compare +with 7th December). The grass in this neighbourhood is good, excepting of +course on the ridges, which are barren and covered with triodia. The +creek has been recently flooded, and has remaining in it, I hope, +sufficient water to last us until we find more permanent water to which +we can proceed. I think that watercourses do exist, both to the right and +left of the plain, from the general appearance of the country running +parallel to the plains. + +Saturday 7th December. + +Started to return to camp at 8.25 a.m. At 9 a.m. made one mile +north-west, and having tracked the emu there it was then packed upon the +packhorse; we started again at 9.20. At 10.10 made two miles and a half +north. At 11.8 made one mile and a quarter north to the barren ridges. At +11.42 made one mile and a half north over the ridges. At 12.56 p.m. made +two miles and three-quarters north. At 1.20 made one mile north-west +where we had dinner and started again at 1.55. At 2.5 made a quarter of a +mile north-west by north. At 2.15 made half a mile north-north-east to +outward tracks upon Fullarton Creek. At 5.35 made seven miles and a half +to the junction of creek with river; upon the point formed by junction +marked tree (broad arrow over L). At 6 made half a mile and reached Camp +Number 15. + +Sunday 8th December. Camp Number 15. + +Being anxious to benefit by the water in Pratt Creek, on Barkly +Tableland, we left camp at 11.7 to go to it. At 11.20 a.m. made half a +mile to marked tree at junction of Fullarton Creek. At 11.25 made two +miles and three-quarters to a cross log. Soon after Mr. Campbell was +taken unwell. At 2.20 p.m. made four miles to where we left the creek +when upon its right bank. At 3.20 made three miles and a half south over +barren ridges to Barkly Tableland, where we delayed until 4.10. At 5.17 +made three miles south. At 5.45 made one mile and a quarter south by +east. At 6.56 made three miles and a quarter south by east. At 7.13 made +three-quarters of a mile south. At dark made one mile east-south-east and +encamped at Pratt Creek. + +Monday 9th December. Camp Number 16. + +Mr. Campbell has been for some days somewhat unwell. Jemmy and I started +down the creek in search of more permanent water. At 12.6 p.m. made one +mile and three-quarters east-north-east on right bank to the junction of +small creek. At 12.20 made three-quarters of a mile east-north-east over +barren stony basaltic ridges, overrun by triodia and slightly timbered +with stunted bloodwood and bauhinia trees, to a plain of rich soil +covered with fattening grasses. At 12.30 made half a mile east-north-east +over a plain to where we observed smoke half a point northerly of the +course we had just come. Kept towards it, thinking water might be found +near it. At 1.32 made two miles and a half east-north-east, chiefly over +ridges of a character like those I have previously described, to a +watercourse which I have named Burrows Creek; its course is easterly. At +1.52 made three-quarters of a mile east-north-east to a tree from which +Jemmy got some honey. Started again at 2.30. At 4.50 made three miles and +a half east-north-east to a small creek from the north. At 5 made three +miles and a quarter east-north-east to another creek from the north. At +6.23 made three miles to a little creek from the south. At 7.20 made two +miles and three-quarters easterly down the creek from the south. At 8.15 +made two miles north-east. Made down the creek in search of water but had +to camp without succeeding. The latter part of the day's journey has been +along a stony barren ridge, as I have described, which told severely on +the feet of the horses. + +Tuesday December 10th. + +Not being able to proceed further with our lame and thirsty horses I +deemed it advisable to return campwards at 6.30 a.m. At 7.30 a.m. made +two miles and three-quarters west-south-west to where I told Jemmy to +lead the way over the range and follow down one of the southerly creeks +in search of water. At 8.35 made three miles south-west by west to the +head of the creek. At 9.20 made four miles and three-quarters south-east +down the creek, where we left it, as its course was contrary to the +direction of the camp. At 9.50 made one mile and a quarter +west-south-west to another small creek, which we also resolved to follow +down a short distance in search of water. At 10.12 made one mile south +down the creek. Crossed our old tracks. At 10.27 made half a mile +south-east. Left the creek. At 10.53 made one mile west-south-west. At +11.3 made half a mile south-west to creek, which we also searched. At +11.35 made one mile south-south-east down creek, and then left it; no +appearance of water, which we very much wanted. At 1 p.m. made two miles +south by west. At 2 made two miles and three-quarters west half north +where we gave our horses each two quarts of water from our leathern +bottles, and changed saddles so that Jemmy could ride the packhorse, as +the one that he had been riding was not able to carry him any further. At +3.15 made two miles and three-quarters west by north to our outward +tracks, and also a great number of emu tracks, from which we concluded +that water existed in the neighbouring creeks. At 3.50 made one mile and +a half west-south-west to Burrows Creek. At 4.5 made half a mile +north-east where we had to proceed without our packhorse down the creek a +considerable distance without noting the distance, as I was too thirsty. +As the birds were very numerous here, we were convinced that we were near +water. The continual noise they made was more tantalising than can well +be conceived: it sounded to us like, "We know where there is water, but +you foolish fellows cannot find it." About one mile further down the +creek we came upon a hole very recently dry, in the bottom of which we +dug with a pointed stick, clearing away with our hands to the depth of +two feet. We found muddy water, with which we quenched our thirsts and +gave the horses a few quarts of it. Having hobbled our tired horses we +started upon foot to look for water. We went up the creek a mile to where +it is joined by another branch; this we followed up for about two miles, +and found a hole with a few gallons of water in it. In about a mile we +crossed over to where we had left the packhorse, which we found after a +prolonged search. At 12.10 a.m. made half a mile north-east down Burrows +Creek to the junction of Pratt Creek. At 1 one mile and three-quarters +north to our well. At 1.25 started to take the horses to the water. At 3 +two miles and a quarter south by west to the water previously found; and +unsaddled our horses. We were twenty-two consecutive hours, more or less, +engaged, during which time Jemmy never showed any signs of fatigue, or +unwillingness to proceed. + +Wednesday December 11th. + +Jemmy and I started to follow up the creek to camp. At 10.20 made four +miles up the creek to where we found just sufficient water to quench the +thirst of the horses, and after delaying for that purpose we started +again at 10.50 a.m. At 11.20 made one mile to the best pond of water that +we have seen either up or down the creek. One of the horses was so fagged +that we delayed in consequence till 12.35. At 12.50 made half a mile up +the creek to opposite junction (or main) one-eighth of a mile to opposite +junction of another creek. At 2.27 made three miles up the creek to Camp +17, where we were glad to find from Mr. Campbell that he had quite +recovered from his illness. + +Thursday December 12th. Camp Number 16. Situated on Pratt Creek. + +At 8.50 made one mile south-west by south up the creek from Number 16 +Camp to a waterhole where Fisherman and Jemmy were filling the +water-bottles to carry on the packhorse, so as to supply us whilst in +search of more water. At 10.4 made one mile and a quarter, about south to +a waterhole up the creek. At 12 made five miles and three-quarters +south-west to one of the branches of the Gregory River, which I have +named Elliott Creek, over rich well-grassed plain country. At 12.10 made +one mile south to where Jemmy left us to return to Camp 16. At 1.24 made +two miles south, where we left following up Elliott Creek, despairing of +finding water in it. At 1.35 made half a mile south-west to a tree which +Fisherman climbed to look across the plains. At 6.24 made thirteen miles +south-west, which distance on that course took us across the plain near +to a large clump of timber. The grass on the plain is good, with a +considerable quantity of saltbush among it, but we were afraid we would +not find water in the watercourse we were approaching, we had seen so few +birds on the plain. At 6.43 made one mile south to a clump of trees +resembling myall, which I have seen before to the west of Rockhampton. At +8 made two miles and three-quarters about south down the watercourse in +search of water, having stopped for our supper and started again. At 12 +made two miles and a quarter south by west down the watercourse to some +young grass, where we camped for the remainder of the night. + +Friday December 13th. + +In the morning we heard a great number of birds and expected to find +water. At 6.5 a.m. made three-quarters of a mile west in search of water, +hearing birds in that direction. At 6.44 made one mile about south-east +back to the creek. At 8.45 made six miles about south-west down the creek +in search of water to the junction of watercourse from the north which I +have named Pring Creek. On the point between the two creeks we marked a +tree with a broad arrow before L. At this place we stopped until nine +o'clock and in the meantime gave the horses each two quarts of water from +the supply we had with us. At 9.25 made one mile north-north-west up +Pring Creek to the junction of a creek from north. At 9.35 made one mile +north-north-west up the latter creek to where we started for Number 16 +Camp without having found water. At 10.47 made three miles and +three-quarters west by north over rich thinly timbered plains, the grass +old and dry. At 11.22 made one mile and a half north-east to our outer +track below camp on creek. At 11.38 made three-quarters of a mile about +north-north-east up the creek. At 11.55 made three-quarters of a mile +north to last night's camp. At 12.26 p.m. made one mile and a quarter +north-east up the creek. At 1.3 made one mile and a half north to where +we supped last night. At 1.30 made one mile and a quarter north-east at +where we stopped and started again at 2 p.m. At 2.20 made one mile +north-east to the plain. At 3.10 made two miles and a half north. At 7.15 +made ten miles and a half north-east to lookout-tree, which we made +steering by compass. At this place I gave the horses almost all that was +left of the water, as I thought that Fisherman would be able easily to +lead the way to Camp 16, and I being so confident of this paid no +attention to the course that he was leading me. At 11.30 I found that +Fisherman did not know where he was, so I gave my horse his head, +thinking he would go to water near Number 16 Camp; but he searched along +the bed of a watercourse for water and found a fine waterhole, where we +saw a fire on the banks, at which we thought there were probably blacks, +as boughs and a net had been recently placed around the water to ensnare +large birds. After we had got a supply of water we watered the horses and +went west-north-west about one mile and a half to a point on the plain +about half a mile distant from the watercourse, where we hobbled out the +horses and stopped till morning. + +Saturday December 14. + +The watercourse I named Clifton Creek. At 6.30 a.m. Fisherman and I left +our camp. At 7 made one mile east-south-east down Clifton Creek to where +we passed from left to right bank, which we then followed up a few yards +to the junction of a larger creek on the right side, where there is a +fine waterhole. At 7.45 made one mile east-south-east down the Clifton +Creek to where we stopped for breakfast, and started again at 9.35. At +9.42 went quarter mile south-east across a range to a creek with deep +empty holes. At 9.49 went quarter mile south-east to plain. At 10.40 went +two and a half miles south-east to a large river, with large waterholes +recently empty, surrounded by tall cabbage, pandanus, and large drooping +tea-trees. I ascertained afterwards that it was the O'Shanassy. One of +the cabbage-trees we cut down to get its centre sprout to eat. Started +again at 11.40. At 12.13 made three-quarters of a mile south-south-east, +passed the junction of two creeks, one from the east and one from the +west. At 12.45 made one mile north-west across a range to dry creek. From +the range we saw the river had a north-north-east course. At 1.9 made one +mile north-west up a barren, rocky, basaltic range to rich well-grassed +plains. At 1.33 made one mile north-west to a creek with empty deep +holes. At 2.10 made two miles north-west to Clifton Creek, where we had +breakfast, and started again at 3 up the Clifton Creek. At 3.15 made +three-quarters of a mile north-west up the creek to where we crossed to +left bank and left it. At 3.50 made one mile and three-quarters +north-west over a fine downs ridge covered with green grass. At 4.15 made +one mile north-north-west to outward track on right bank on the Pratt +Creek. At 4.45 made one and a quarter mile north-east and at 5 made +three-quarters of a mile north-east in the direction of Number 16 Camp. +At 5.9 made quarter of a mile north by east to creek. At 5.17 made +quarter of a mile north over a barren desert grass ridge. At 5.30 made +one mile and a half to Number 16 Camp. At 5.40 we left Number 16 Camp to +go two and a half miles south-west by south to where our companions had +formed Number 17 Camp in our absence. + +Monday December 16. Camp Number 17. Situated on Pratt Creek. + +At 8.15 left camp to go to the fine waterhole at the junction of a creek +from the west, which I have named Campbell's Creek, with Clifton Creek. +At 8.48 made one mile and a half south-west by south. At 9 made half a +mile south-south-west to tracks made, when Fisherman and I returned to +Number 17 Camp. At 9.45 made two miles south-east down to Clifton Creek. +At 10.10 made one mile south-east down the creek to where we formed our +18th camp. At the camp we had a severe thunderstorm which lasted for +about four hours. At the two previous camps Mr. Allison made observations +of the sun with the plains for a horizon, which were very satisfactory, +as the latitude obtained was nearly the same as that of my dead +reckoning, also nearly the same as the latitude made with the +observations of the stars Aldebaran and Castor with an artificial horizon +at Number 16 Camp. Observations taken at Camp 16: Aldebaran 19 degrees 14 +minutes 21 seconds; ditto Castor 19 degrees 24 minutes 30 seconds; ditto +Sun 19 degrees 24 minutes 30 seconds; ditto dead reckoning 19 degrees 24 +minutes. At Camp Number 17 about two miles southward from Camp 16: Sun 19 +degrees 26 minutes 47 seconds. At Camp Number 20: Sun dead reckoning +nearly the same 19 degrees 37 minutes. + +Tuesday December 17. Camp Number 18. Situated on Clifton Creek. + +Left camp at 7.32. At 8.15 made two miles south to dry creek from +south-west, where we were delayed till 8.32; at 8.50 made three-quarters +of a mile south to the plain; at 10.45 made five miles and a half south +to a watercourse which I have named Darvall Creek: at 11.10 made +three-quarters of a mile west by south up the creek; at 11.32 made one +mile south-west by south; at 11.48 made three-quarters of a mile +south-west by south; at 12.8 made three-quarters of a mile south-west +where we crossed the creek; at 12.13 made quarter of a mile south-west to +junction of creek; at 12.35 made one mile west-south-west to left bank of +the creek; at 1.10 made about one mile south-west up the creek; at 1.27 +made three-quarters of a mile south-west up the creek; at 1.34 made +quarter of a mile west-south-west to where we stopped, as some of our +party were looking for water, at 3.35 made three miles and a quarter +south-east to where, having found a little water in a watercourse with an +easterly course, which I have named Wilkie Creek, we formed our 19th +camp. + +Wednesday December 18. Camp Number 19. Situated on Wilkie Creek. + +At 7.10 a.m. Fisherman and I left camp to search for water; at 7.20 made +half a mile south-east; at 7.50 made one mile and a half east by north +half north over well-grassed plains to poor soil ridges slightly timbered +with bauhinia, stunted box, and bloodwood trees; at 8.6 made +three-quarters of a mile east by north to a little creek; at 8.20 made +three-quarters of a mile east by north to a watercourse which I have +named Allison's Creek; it has narrow channels and flats, timbered with +gum trees, and thickly covered with what is called on Darling Downs oaten +grass: At 8.30 made quarter of a mile south by east up the creek: at 8.50 +made three-quarters of a mile south-south-east to a small rocky hole with +a little water in it: at 9.45 made one and a half miles east-south-east +up the creek to where we left it: at 10.6 made three-quarters of a mile +south-west by west to a little creek from east; at 10.15 made quarter of +a mile south-west to plains; at 10.45 made one mile and a half south-west +across the plains; at 11.17 made one mile and a half west-south-west to +where we stopped to have dinner under a solitary tree which cast a deep +shadow. Started again at 1 p.m. At 2.10 made three miles and two-thirds +west-south-west across the plain, without finding the track of Campbell +and party; at 4.30 made six miles and three-quarters north-west over +unbroken rich plains, timbered slightly with bushes; at 6.16 made four +miles and a half north-east to where some of our party on a previous day +went in search of water; at 6.45 made one mile and a quarter east a short +distance back from right bank of creek; at 7.15 made one mile and +three-quarters north-east by north to where he went down right bank of +creek to search for water; at 7.22 made quarter of a mile +north-north-east searching down the creek in vain for water; at 8.5 made +two miles along yesterday's outward track to waterhole in Darvall Creek, +where the horses were watered yesterday, near which on the left bank of +the creek we found Messrs. Campbell and Allison had encamped. + +Thursday December 19. Camp Number 20. Situated on Darvall Creek. + +Accompanied by Mr. Allison I went out on the plain to a point about +three-quarters of a mile south-west by south from camp, where Mr. Allison +made the noon altitude of sun 85 degrees 57 minutes, which gave the +latitude 19 degrees 37 minutes, which was nearly the same as my dead +reckoning. Mr. Campbell and Fisherman returned to camp, having been out +in search of water. He brought back a turkey which he had shot, and the +good news that he had found water up the creek. At 6.30 p.m. we left +Number 20 Camp; at 7.45 made three miles west-south-west up the creek to +the waterhole which Mr. Campbell had found, near which on the right bank +we formed our 21st camp. The banks of the creek at this camp descend in +gentle slopes, and consequently have a continuation of rich soil from the +plains; and as the grass was not too old it proved one of the best camps +for horses we have hitherto had. + +Friday December 20. Camp 21. Situated on the Darvall Creek. + +The troopers and I left this camp at 10.4 to go in search of water; at +10.45 made two miles west-south-west to the junction of a watercourse +from south-west which I have named Turner Creek; at 11.14 made one mile +and a quarter up Darvall Creek; at 11.37 made one mile west by north +further up the creek. All the country we have seen since we started +resembles the rich country about the camp. At 12.4 made one mile west by +south to where there are trees, which I have named Western Wood; at 12.27 +made one mile south through Western Wood scrub, it is full of salt herbs, +of which the horses were fond of eating as they went along; at this place +we saw cockatoos and pigeons. From seeing them we searched for water but +did not find any; at 1.20 one mile and a half south-south-west across +rich well-grassed plains to a belt of acacia, overlooking a plain to the +westward, but beyond it a line of trees stretching north and south which +I have named Manning Plain. At 2.40 went three miles and three-quarters +west to a belt of Western Wood scrub; at 2.57 went three-quarters of a +mile west to where we stopped to have dinner; we started again at 4.25; +at 4.53 made one mile and a quarter west by south to a watercourse from +the north-west; at 5.30 made one mile and three-quarters about south-east +down the creek to our old track of the 12th instant; at 6.35 made one +mile and a quarter to our old camp; here we again encamped. + +Saturday December 21. + +Having used the water up on the additional packhorse that we had brought +on this occasion with us, Fisherman left us, taking back the packhorse to +the camp; at 6.5 Jemmy and I started down the watercourse which I have +named Herbert Creek, in search of water; at 8.4 made six miles south-west +across rich fine plain country to Pring Creek from north-north-east; at +8.14 made half a mile north by east down Pring Creek to a point at the +junction with Herbert Creek where we had on the previous occasion marked +a tree broad arrow before L; at 8.30 made three-quarters of a mile +south-south-west down Herbert Creek to where we saw a flock of pigeons, +and immediately after found a little water, where we halted, but again +started at 8.47; at 9 made half a mile south-west down the river; at 9.20 +made three-quarters of a mile south-east down the river; at 9.40 made one +mile east by south down the river, at 10.10 made one mile about +south-east down the river; at 10.30 made three-quarters of a mile +south-east down the river to where we found a little water out of small +holes in the rock, which seemed like a robbery from the flocks of little +birds which surrounded them; from here we started again at 11.5; at 11.15 +made a quarter of a mile south to junction of large creek from +south-west, which I named Hervey Creek, near which we observed several +flocks of pigeons; at 11.50 made half a mile east-south-east to where the +channels are confined, and where there is on the left side a strange deep +rocky pit; at 12.12 made three-quarters of a mile south-south-west down +the river; at 12.21 made quarter of a mile south-east down the river; at +12.35 made three-quarters of a mile south-south-east to the junction of +creek from north-east which I have named Chester Creek; at 12.58 made one +mile south-east by east down the river; at 1.6 made quarter of a mile +south-south-west to a very fine waterhole which I have named Mary Lake. +This place seems to be a favourite resort for blacks; the banks are +covered with mussels, and all the firewood burned. We turned the horses +out for some time; it is surrounded with bushes of polygonum; at 4.32 +started to return to Number 21 Camp; at 4.50 made one mile north to +Chester Creek; at 6.15 made five miles north across high stony rich plain +country, where we encamped, as there was a patch of young grass for the +horses. + +Sunday December 22. Camp. + +From camp on left bank of little dry creek we left at 6.20 to return to +Camp 21; at 8 a.m. made six miles north to left bank of Herbert Creek; at +8.20 made one mile and a quarter north up the creek to old camp, where we +delayed to give the horses water from the bottles, and started again at +8.38; at 10 made three miles and a half in different directions to the +Western Wood tree, where we had dinner on Friday last; at 11.20 made +three miles and three-quarters to east side of Manning Plain, where we +lost the tracks and delayed looking for them till 11.40; at 12.20 made +three miles, where we met Fisherman with a horse loaded with water. +Started again at 12.50; at 1.44 made two miles and three-quarters east; +at 2.8 made one mile east; at 3.2 made two miles and three-quarters east +by north to 21 Camp. + +Monday December 23. Camp Number 21. Situated on Darvall Creek. + +We left this camp at 9.3 a.m. on a south-west course. On that course from +camp we crossed and recrossed the creek. At 10.3 made two miles and +three-quarters south-west over rich well-grassed tableland plains, +slightly timbered with bushes. We observed the small saline herbs which I +have mentioned the horses to be so fond of, also more of the Queensland +saltbush than we have seen previously; at 12.3 made four miles and a +quarter south-west by west to Manning Plain, where we delayed, and +started again at 12.14; at 1.20 made two miles and a quarter south-west +by west where we delayed and started again at 1.35; at 2.20 made two +miles and a quarter south-west by west, where we having halted started +again at 2.48; at 3.10 made one mile south-west by west to where we found +yesterday's tracks; at 4.35 made four miles south by east to Saturday +night's camp; at 4.45 made half a mile south to where Mr. Campbell's +horse knocked up; at 6.19 made three miles and three-quarters south; at +6.27 made a quarter of a mile south half east to Chester Creek; at 6.52 +made one mile and a quarter south half east to Mary Lake, where we formed +our twenty-second camp. + +Tuesday December 24. Mary Lake. + +Rested ourselves and horses, and put shoes on Mr. Campbell's horse with +screw nails. We found the punching and fitting of the shoes difficult and +tedious, although Mr. Gregory, who is himself a first-rate hand at that +sort of work, assured me that it would not be a troublesome operation. + +Christmas Day. Mary Lake. + +As ducks were abundant and the grass good this was a fine place for +spending Christmas. In the afternoon Jemmy and I went down the river in a +south-south-east direction to a fine waterhole, which I have named Lake +Frances; between Mary Lake and it, we only found shallow pools of water +from the last thunderstorm. We saw a fat old white-headed blackfellow and +his gin near the waterhole. The gin was very anxious about the safety of +her four dogs and carried one of them in her arms; but on our approach +she abandoned it and fled into the water; but afterwards seeing the old +blackfellow had gone up a tree she followed his example. Jemmy not +understanding their language we could not get any information from them. + +Thursday December 26. Camp Number 22, situated on Mary Lake on Herbert +River. + +We left this camp at 7.37 a.m. At 7.42 made a quarter of a mile +south-west by south to end of Mary Lake; at 7.52 made half a mile south +on left side of the river, to plains, which are slightly timbered; at 8 +made half a mile south-south-east, skirting the river to Lake Frances; at +9 made three miles; at 9.19 made three-quarters of a mile south to where +we crossed a watercourse from the east which I have named the Don Creek: +at 9.30 made half a mile south-south-west on left side of river over +plains; at 9.41 made half a mile south by west to where I waited for the +party, who came up at 9.45; at 10.5 made one mile south by west to where +we crossed a creek from north-east; at 10.24 made three-quarters of a +mile south by west; at 10.45 made one mile south to the left side of the +river; at 11 made three-quarters of a mile south-east by south along the +dry bed of the river, from which we started successive flights of +pigeons. At this place Mr. Campbell and party halted with the horses +while Mr. Allison and I went about a mile westward onto the plain, where +he made the altitude 86 degrees 30 minutes, which makes the latitude 20 +degrees 6 minutes, agreeing with the latitude of my dead reckoning and +with an observation I made of a star last night; at 3 Jemmy, who had gone +down the river, returned without finding any water, except what was left +by the last thunderstorm; and as he told me I was following up a river, +and not down, I too hurriedly believed him, and made up my mind to return +to a waterhole that Fisherman had found to the right of our course in the +bed of the river. At the waterhole I found blacks, but, as I always avoid +them when I can, after I had a short interview with them we started down +the river to the water Jemmy had found, following along the right bank as +we had the left before; at 4.40 made two miles and three-quarters down +the river to where we crossed, near its junction, a river or a branch of +one from north-west; at 5.8 made one mile and a half back to where Mr. +Allison went on the plain to get an observation; at 5.20 made half a mile +south; at 5.40 made one mile south to where the river has two channels; +the one trending to the west of south we crossed, between the two +channels of the river; at 5.53 made half a mile south to where the left +channel of the river was full of water and fine grass on its banks, on +the right bank of which we formed our twenty-third camp, at the place +where Mr. Allison made an observation of the sun. The country is very +level and the watercourses are unconfined, and in times of floods the +water overflows the low banks of the different channels. The blacks we +saw today appear to be circumcised; three of them approached us, one of +whom was the old blackfellow we had seen yesterday. Their name for water +we thought from what they said was oto. We presented them with a tin pot +and two empty glass bottles with which they were very much pleased. + +Friday December 27. Camp Number 23, situated on the Herbert River. + +Left camp at 8.24 a.m. to go down the river; at 8.35 made half a mile +south-south-west to where we crossed, near its junction, a western +channel of the river; at this place there are flats covered with bushes +like saltbush, which the horses eat. These bushes I have observed on the +western plains from Rockhampton and on most of the low situations along +our route on this expedition; at 8.43 made half a mile south; at 8.48 +made a quarter of a mile south-west where we crossed, near its junction, +a more western channel of the river; at 9.10 made one mile south-west by +south to where we crossed, near its junction, a river from west, with a +shallow and broad channel; the banks of the river at this place are very +little below the level of the plain on each side of it; at 10.10 made +three miles south-south-west with level plains on each side of us, +without trees or bushes, except along the watercourses; at 10.30 made one +mile south to the right bank of the river, where there are twelve +box-trees growing in its bed; before crossing to its left bank we got +enough water to satisfy the horses; at 11.4 made one mile and a half +south to a junction of a watercourse with extensive flood-marks from the +east. This river has a deeper channel, with trees on its banks, than the +river we have been following down had. At 11.15 made half a mile south, +when Mr. Allison and I went back to the westward, on the plains, and got +the following altitude of the sun: 86 degrees 37 minutes, which makes the +latitude 20 degrees 11 minutes 15 seconds; at 1.35 made three-quarters of +a mile south down the river; at 1.47 made a quarter of a mile south-east +down the river; at 2.20 made one mile and a quarter south, following the +course of the river in search of water; at 3.10 made one mile and +three-quarters about south-south-west, following the course of the river +in search of water; at 3.44 made half a mile about south-west, following +the course of the river in search of water; at 4.10 made one mile and a +quarter about south, where, accompanied by the troopers, I left Campbell +and Allison to go in search of water; at 5.20 made three miles about +south-west down the river in an unsuccessful search for water; at 6 made +two miles north-east by east; returning, we steered over plains, the +grass of which was completely parched up. Near the creek I observed more +owls than I have ever seen anywhere before; at 6.27 made one mile and a +quarter north-east by east back to our party; then went, at 6.56, one +mile and a quarter north by east, towards where we had seen the last +water; at 7.15 made one mile north by east; at 7.35 made three-quarters +of a mile north-east; at 8 made three-quarters of a mile about north-east +by north and encamped. + +Saturday December 28. Camp Number 24, situated on the Herbert River. + +We started back up the river being unable to pursue our course to the +westward from want of water. I sent Mr. Campbell and Jemmy on with the +horses, while Mr. Allison and I went out on the plain to take an +observation of the sun, which was not satisfactory from the sun being +over-shadowed; we made the latitude 20 degrees 12 minutes 35 seconds; at +1.21 p.m. made three miles north by east from where we took the sun's +altitude; at 1.53 made one mile north to where we crossed a channel of +the river; at 2.35 made two miles and a quarter north by east partly on +the tracks of Campbell and party; at 2.50 made three-quarters of a mile +north-north-east to where we recrossed left bank of the river and +overtook Campbell and party. Here we delayed till 3.22 in consequence of +one of the horses being knocked up; at 3.40 made one mile north by east +to where we recrossed the right bank of the river; at 3.55 made +three-quarters of a mile and encamped. Here the grass was very abundant +and the holes full of water. This camp is about half a mile from Number +23 Camp. + +Sunday December 29th. Camp 25. Situated on the Herbert River. + +It was our intention to remain here for several days as the grass was +good and the horses required a rest, but I deemed it advisable to return +at once up the river because there were about one hundred blacks in the +neighbourhood of the camp, some of whom were so bold that I feared it +might be necessary to shoot some of them, or give them possession of the +ground. Two of them had passed our camp on the previous evening, and the +troopers, with my consent, presented them with glass bottles, after +receiving which they soon returned with a large mob, who remained with us +till dark. In the morning they returned and surrounded the camp. Mr. +Campbell went up to one mob and tried to make them understand by signs +that we had peaceable intentions towards them, but they from his account +seemed fully bent on having us off the ground. When he was returning to +the camp Jemmy saw one of the blacks hold his boomerang as if he intended +throwing it at Mr. Campbell, but he was probably advised by others not to +do so. I am not surprised that they were vexed, as we would not allow +them to come up to the camp, although they showed a bunch of hawk +feathers and two bottles we had given them, which they wanted us to +believe were the signs of their good intention; and it is not to be +wondered at on the other hand that we would not trust a mob of blacks, +all warriors, heavily armed with spears, boomerangs, clubs, and little +thorny sticks, to approach the camp. From my previous knowledge of the +blacks I fancied we would easily have driven them away on horseback, but +this I did not think necessary. The mere fact of seeing the horses +brought towards the camp made them retire to a more respectful distance +from us; at 10.5 a.m. left Number 25 Camp; at 10.18 made half a mile +north-east half north to Number 23 Camp, where I stopped with Fisherman +and observed that we were not followed: at 10.45 made half a mile +north-north-east up the river; at 11.23 made one mile and three-quarters +north to the place where I accompanied Mr. Allison on a previous occasion +westward on the plain to take an observation of the sun, at which place +we overtook Campbell and party; at 11.48 made one mile north to where we +observed rising ground. I left the party, accompanied by Fisherman, to +ascend the rising ground; at 12.2 made half a mile north-east by east to +a tree on the rise which Fisherman climbed, and from it observed plain +country to the south and west and wooded country to the east and north. +Here we observed stunted box and bloodwood trees, and a variety of +grasses, among which I observed barley, oaten, kangaroo, and triodia; at +12.23 made one mile north by east; at 12.53 made one mile and a half +north by east to the waterhole I named Kenellan, where there were the +same blacks I had seen before. On this occasion they remained on the +right, while we had dinner on the opposite side, during which time others +to whom they cooeyed arrived at their camp, several of whom were loaded +with game. These, heedless of their own camp or of us, bathed the first +thing on their arrival. We shot ducks, and before leaving Kenellan +presented to the blacks glass bottles of which they were very proud; at 5 +made one mile and a quarter north-north-east to Lake Frances, where I +bathed, and some of our party shot ducks. Started again at 5.33; at 6.40 +made three miles about north-west by north (see outward route). At 6.56 +made three-quarters of a mile north by west; at 7.15 made three-quarters +of a mile north-north-east to Mary Lake, on the lower end of which on the +left bank we formed our twenty-sixth camp. + +December 30th. Mary Lake. Situated on the Herbert River. + +As some of our horses were not able to travel as far as Camp 21, or to +any water we knew of to the northward, in one stage, without overworking +them, Jemmy and I started to try and find water in the intermediate +distance. Started at 5.55. At 6.5 made half a mile north-east to where we +stopped till 6.20; at 6.47 made one mile and a quarter north by east; at +7.10 made one mile north by west half west to Chester Creek; at 7.28 made +three-quarters of a mile about north-north-east; at 7.52 made one mile +and a half north-east up the creek; at 8 made a quarter of a mile east up +the creek; at 8.10 made half a mile east by south up the creek; at 8.38 +made one mile north-east to where we left the creek, because the grass in +the bed of it was parched up, and as we saw no deep holes. It has however +high and extensive flood-marks; at 9.20 made two miles west-north-west; +at 10.26 made three miles west by south to bank of Herbert River; at +10.37 made half a mile north-north-west up the river to where we left it +to follow up the Hervey Creek; at 10.50 made half a mile about north-west +up the creek; at 11.17 made one mile about west by north up the creek. At +11.30 made half a mile south up the creek, where I went on to the plain +and took the noon altitude of the sun, which was not very satisfactory as +I did not give myself sufficient time to go far enough out on the plains. +Latitude from observation 19 degrees 53 minutes 39 seconds. Started back +without having found water at 12.27; at 12.50 made one mile south-east +back to Hervey's Creek; at 1.30 made two miles east by north to Herbert +River; at 1.40 made half a mile east-south-east down the river: at 1.45 +made a quarter of a mile about south-east to the strange pit on the left +side of the river; at 2.45 made three miles to camp. Cantered the last +half mile or so and forgot to look at the watch until a short time after +our arrival. + +December 31st. Mary Lake. + +We left Number 26 Camp bound for Number 21 camp; at 7.32 made one mile +and a half along an old track to where we crossed Chester Creek; at 9.10 +made four miles and a half to First Return Camp; at 10.45 made four miles +and a half along outward track to Western Wood Scrub, where, accompanied +by Fisherman, I went three miles north-east by east and got an +observation of the sun which made our latitude 19 degrees 47 minutes 35 +seconds; at 12.50 started again; at 1.20 made one mile and a half north +by west to tracks of Campbell and party; at 1.35 made three-quarters of a +mile east-north-east along the track; at 1.58 made one mile about +north-east to where we lost the tracks, and was delayed a short time in +consequence; at 4.5 made half a mile, chiefly along the track; at 5.8 +made three miles, where Campbell and party had formed our twenty-seventh +camp at our Outward Camp 21. During this day's journey we have crossed no +watercourse that I deem worthy of notice, except Chester Creek. + +Wednesday January 1st 1862. + +At 21 Outwards and 27 Inwards Camp we rested the horses, some of which +were very sore-footed and tired. We also observed New Year's Day by +dividing a bottle of rum, sundry pots of jam, and an extra allowance of +meat amongst us. The waterhole was nearly dry. + +Thursday January 2nd. Number 27 camp. + +At 6 a.m. we left 27 Inward and 21 Outward Camp, situated both on the +right bank of the creek; at 7.35 made two miles about east by north half +north down the creek; at 7.53 made three-quarters of a mile north-east to +Number 20 Camp; at 8.7 made half a mile east-north-east down the creek, +where we left it to go on the tableland on its left bank; at 9.5 made two +miles and three-quarters north to where we crossed a small creek, which +is from the west; at 10.45 made four miles and a half due north, and +there, having instructed Campbell and Allison to proceed to Clifton Creek +and encamp, accompanied by Fisherman, I went two miles and a half west, +and made our latitude by observation of the sun 19 degrees 31 minutes 35 +seconds. Jemmy I had sent back for my rifle, which was left behind. At +12.45 started to camp; at 1.47 made two miles and a half east-north-east +to Camp 18 Outward and 28 Inward on Clifton Creek. + +Friday January 3rd. Camp 28. + +From old stubs out of cast-off shoes Mr. Allison shod a horse for +Fisherman to accompany me to the O'Shanassy River. We started for it at +11.50. At 1.25 reached it, in about four miles and a half, at a point a +short distance below, where we had been on it a few days ago. We found it +had been flooded since we last visited it, and the holes along its bed +were in consequence full of water. Judging from this that rain had fallen +from the southward, I felt disposed to proceed in that direction, but +considering the short time at my disposal and the condition of the horses +and their want of shoes, and knowing that the time was fast approaching +when the Victoria would, from want of provisions, be obliged to leave the +depot at the Gulf of Carpentaria, I considered it expedient to continue +my return journey. + +Saturday January 4th. Camp 28. + +We left Inward Camp 28 and Outward Camp 18 at 9.2. This camp is situated +on Clifton Creek; at 9.38 one mile and a quarter east down the creek to +the broad arrow L tree; at 10 made three-quarters of a mile north to +where we left the creek; at 10.20 made three-quarters of a mile +east-south-east to rich tableland; at 10.38 made half a mile south-east +by south to track where Mr. Allison stayed behind to get the latitude; at +10.50 made three-quarters of a mile east; at 11.18 made three-quarters of +a mile east to O'Shanassy River; at 11.52 made one mile and a half +north-east by north to the junction of Clifton Creek, on which we had our +last night's camp; at 12.16 made one mile north-east by north down the +river; at 12.45 made one mile and a quarter east by north down the river; +at 12.55 made half a mile east by north to junction of little creek from +the south. Ridges on both sides, long straight race covered with blady +grass, near deep reach of water, which has apparently a permanent stream; +at 1.30 made half a mile east by north to where we crossed a small creek +from the south; at 1.40 made half a mile east-north-east to where we +crossed, near its junction with the O'Shanassy River, a watercourse from +the south named by me the Douglas River; at 2.50 made one mile and a +quarter north down the river to where we crossed a small creek from the +south-east. The O'Shanassy has a good stream of water. On these ridges I +observed marjoram. They are nearly barren and confine the river closely +on both sides. At 3.15 made three-quarters of a mile north-east along a +confined part of the river where it has very high flood-marks; at 3.40 +made half a mile east-north-east to where we crossed a little creek from +the south, near its junction. At 4.3 made quarter of a mile east down the +river; at 4.15 made quarter of a mile east-south-east down the river; at +4.30 made quarter of a mile east up a gully from right side of the river; +at 4.40 made quarter of a mile north-east down a gully to the river; at +4.50 made quarter of a mile east down the river to where we formed our +29th camp. Here we were joined by Mr. Allison and Jemmy. The former, near +where they left us, made the latitude 19 degrees 31 minutes 49 seconds, +which is nearly the same as I made it a few miles to the westward. + +Sunday January 5. Camp 29. + +Started at 8 a.m. and went along the edge of the river which was very +confined; so much so that the horses had at one place to be led. +Accompanied by Fisherman I left the party and went a few hundred yards +ahead to a creek full of water to widen with a pick a path up the creek. +While I was doing so Mr. Campbell reported that some of the horses had +gone into the river of their own accord, and one of them was drowned +although Jemmy and he had swum to its assistance. On hearing of this +misfortune I came down to the river, got the two troopers to go and dive +where the mare had disappeared, and they managed to get its saddle and +pack on shore. Fisherman, while the things were being dried, marked the +tree on the point at the junction of the watercourse with the river. The +former I have named Harris Creek. At 11.56 started again at point where +the tree is marked, say half a mile from camp; at 12.2 made half a mile +south-south-east from river up the creek, where we crossed after a delay +of eight minutes; at 12.33 made three-quarters of a mile north to where +we crossed the river; at 1.2 made one mile north down the river; at 1.27 +made three-quarters of a mile north-east by north to where we formed our +Number 30 Camp, where the river is apparently often badly watered. At +this part of the river even now it is without a running stream although +recently flooded, and there is an absence of the pandanus, cabbage, and +tall drooping tea-trees which crowded the bed of the river higher up and +are fine signs of the permanence of the water. + +Monday January 6. Camp 30. + +Started from camp which is situated on left bank of O'Shanassy River at +6.52. At 7.8 made half a mile north-north-east down the left bank of the +river; at 7.40 made one mile and a quarter north-east to where we crossed +a creek near its junction, and also crossed to the right bank of the +river; at 7.57 made half a mile north-east to where we recrossed to left +bank of the river; at 8.15 made half a mile east-north-east to where we +crossed a little creek near its junction. The river is still confined by +barren and stony ranges and has flood-marks from thirty to forty feet +high. Kangaroos are numerous on this part of the country. At 8.43 made +three-quarters of a mile east to where we crossed, near its junction, a +small creek from the north; at 9.12 made one mile and a quarter east by +north to where there are flooded box and drooping tea-trees in the bed of +the river; at 9.25 made half a mile east to where there are cabbage-trees +in the river; at 9.40 made half a mile east to where there are Leichhardt +and cabbage-palm-trees; at 10.5 made three-quarters of a mile north-east +down the river (we have been following it when practicable on the left +side) at 10.45 made one mile and a quarter east down the river where it +is very confined and well watered; at 11.20 made half a mile +east-north-east to opposite junction of river from south, where I, +accompanied by Fisherman, left the party and crossed the river on a log +to see it. We found it rather smaller than the O'Shanassy and I have +named it the Thornton River. We marked a tree broad arrow before L on the +point between the two rivers and started after the party at 12; at 12.25 +made one mile north-north-east along the track down the river; at 12.43 +made three-quarters of a mile east-north-east along track down the river; +at 1.7 made one mile north to where we overtook Campbell and party, +having dinner on the bed of the river. Started again after marking a tree +broad arrow before L E, at 3.33; at 3.45 made half a mile north to where +the confined bed of the river is at places boggy and on the edge of the +waterhole the tea-trees are very tall; at 4.20 made three-quarters of a +mile north-north-west and camped. + +Tuesday January 7. Camp 31 is situated on the left bank of the O'Shanassy +River. + +We started from there at 9.10; at 9.45 made a mile and a quarter north by +east down the left bank of the O'Shanassy River; at 9.55 made a mile and +a quarter north-north-west to opposite junction of a watercourse which I +have named the Seymour River; at 10.12 made three-quarters of a mile +north-west to where we crossed a small creek with reeds in its bed at a +point near its junction with the river; at 10.37 made one mile north-west +by north along the left bank of the river, where we had a good road. The +river is still confined by ranges which sometimes terminate with cliffs; +at 10.48 made half a mile north-east to opposite junction of the creek; +at 10.54 made a quarter of a mile north-east to where we crossed a small +creek near its junction with the river; at 11.27 made one mile and a +quarter north by east along the left bank of the river; at 11.42 made +half a mile north; at 12 made three-quarters of a mile north-north-east +to where we watered the horses and waited for Mr. Campbell. Started again +at 12.30. At 12.53 made half a mile north-north-east. Made quarter mile +north to where we waited to mount Mr. Campbell who was tired of walking. +Started again at 1.3 p.m.; at 1.35 made a mile and a quarter north to +opposite junction of creek from the east; at 2 made one mile +west-north-west to where we formed our 32nd camp, on the left bank of the +river and right bank of a gully just above the junction of a small creek +with the river. If this had been a good season a fine place for the +horses would have been up this gully, as the soil is good with right kind +of grasses and surrounded by basaltic cliffs. + +Wednesday January 8. Camp 32. Situated (as before) on the left bank of +the O'Shanassy River. + +Left here at 7.7; at 7.18 went half a mile north-north-west to a cleft +hill on the left bank of the river; at 7.35 went three-quarters of a mile +north; at 7.52 went half a mile north-east; at 8 went quarter of a mile +east-north-east to where we got any quantity of figs from trees like the +Moreton Bay fig but another variety. At 8.20 made half a mile north-east. +This scrub is composed of Leichhardt, tea, fig, and cabbage-palm-trees, +where we were delayed till 8.42 from having to pull one of the horses +that had got into a boggy place out. Pandanus along the edge of the +reaches of water. At 9.10 made half a mile north-north-east through the +scrub; at 9.50 made one mile north by east through the scrub; at 10.5 +made half a mile north-north-west which took us out of the scrub and to a +fine reach of water; at 10.20 made half a mile north-north-east to where +we crossed a small reedy creek near its junction with the river; at 10.35 +made three-quarters of a mile north-north-east along the left side of the +reach of water mentioned. I, accompanied by Fisherman, here made a +deviation from the river. While Campbell and party proceeded down the +river we went up a gully of the richest soil, but all the vegetation was +withered from the dryness of the season. It, like the other gullies we +saw afterwards, was surrounded by basaltic hills, which were again +surrounded by basaltic columns composed of rocks of a more grotesque form +than the columns which are common in a granite formation. The rocks were +so rough that it was unpleasant to lean against them; and were very +severe on the feet of the horses. These columns, with the bottle-trees in +the foreground and the open flats and basaltic hills in the distance, had +a picturesque appearance. When we had got three-quarters of a mile about +north-west we started again to overtake our party. At 12.15 made one mile +and a quarter north down a gully; at 12.23 made quarter of a mile +north-east to where Fisherman and I thought we were on a flat of the +Gregory River near its junction with the O'Shanassy; at 12.52 made one +mile and a half east-north-east across the plains to the right of a range +towards Smith's Range, on the right side of the O'Shanassy River and its +junction with the Gregory River; at 1.9 made three-quarters of a mile +north to the left bank of the O'Shanassy River, where we got the tracks +of Campbell and party; at 1.45 made one mile and a half north-west to +broad arrow before L marked tree, on the point formed by the junction of +the Gregory with the O'Shanassy River, near which we found our party had +formed their 33rd camp on the right bank of the Gregory River. + +Thursday January 9. Camp Number 33. Situated between the junction of the +Gregory and the O'Shanassy River. + +We left here at 8 a.m.; at 8.15 made half a mile south-east to where we +crossed O'Shanassy River to follow down the Gregory River; at 8.37 made +three-quarters of a mile north. Then from the right bank of the river we +went round a hill which terminated abruptly at it; at 8.45 made quarter +of a mile east-north-east over stony ridges covered with triodia; at 8.53 +made a quarter of a mile north-north-west over similar country; at 9.9 +made half a mile north-west to the river; at 9.37 made one mile and a +quarter north-east by east to where we crossed a small creek near its +junction with the river; at 9.55 made three-quarters of a mile north-east +by east to where the river is confined on both sides by ridges; those on +the right side are isolated; at 10.45 made two miles and a quarter east +half north and delayed till 10.55; at 11.15 made three-quarters of a mile +east to a hill which rises abruptly from right side of river; at 11.26 +made quarter of a mile south-east back from the river; at 11.45 made +three-quarters of a mile east-north-east to where we crossed a small +creek near its junction to the right side of the river; at 12.10 made one +mile north-east to a patch of good soil with good grass, but old and +withered. At 1.5 made two miles and three-quarters over flats and ridges, +the former of good soil but the grass burnt up from the dryness of the +season, the latter stony and badly grassed, to a gap with an isolated +hill on the north-west and two on the north-east side; at 1.22 made +three-quarters of a mile north to where we delayed at the river to water +the horses till 1.48; at 2.37 made two miles and a quarter east over fine +rich country, the grass of which was just beginning to show life in +consequence of recent rains; at 3 made one mile north-north-east to the +right bank of the river where we intended to camp, but were obliged to go +further as the horses could not water from the steepness of the banks. At +3.20 made one mile north-east and encamped where there is a rapid stream +of water about two feet deep below the reach I have mentioned. + +Friday January 10. Camp Number 34, situated on the right bank near where +there is a good crossing place. + +Mr. Allison at one o'clock this morning made an observation of Pollux +from an artificial horizon, which made its altitude 85 degrees 36 +minutes. At 8.45 made one mile east-north-east over poor stony ridges and +light loamy flats, in which the tombung fruit-trees were plentiful, also +the following trees: bauhinia, broad-leaved box, broad-leaved Moreton Bay +ash, sweet-smelling jessamine, and bloodwood. The flats have got good +grasses and marjoram. The river has here isolated hills on its banks, +with ranges a mile or so back; at 8.55 made half a mile north-east by +east to river about 150 yards wide with high flood-marks, which I have +named the Ligar after the Surveyor-General of Victoria; at 9.6 made half +a mile east-north-east down the Ligar River to where we crossed it above +an isolated hill, where it was dry; at 9.30 made one mile north-east by +east to bluff rocky hill where the flood-marks are about 30 feet high, +west-north-west side; at 9.52 made one mile north-east along a range with +a bluff termination; at 10.35 made two miles and a quarter +east-north-east in sight of the high trees of the river; at 11 made one +mile east-north-east to the mount, on the west side of which, at the +Gregory River, we watered our horses and started again at 11.15; at 12.8 +made two miles and a half north-east by east half east to west side of a +range; at 12.35 made one mile and a half north-east to Heales Creek and +gap in Primer Range; at 12.55 made three-quarters of a mile north-east +down the creek to the last hill coming down and the first going up the +river (I have named it Mount Heales after the premier of Victoria). It +was about one mile to the eastward of our course; at 1.5 made half a mile +north-north-east from left bank of Heales Creek; at 1.26 made +three-quarters of a mile north to Gregory River; at 1.30 made a quarter +of a mile north down the river and encamped. + +Saturday January 11. Camp Number 35, situated north-west half north from +Mount Heales, on Premier Range, on the right bank of the Gregory. + +We left here at 7.3 a.m. At 7.20 made three-quarters of a mile north, +which course keeps the tall trees of the river in sight; at 7.30 made +half a mile north; at 7.42 made half a mile north-east, which course +still keeps the tall trees of the river in sight; at 7.48 made a quarter +of a mile north-east by north to the edge of a rich plain of the Gregory +River; at 8.4 made half a mile north along the west side of plain; at +8.30 made one mile and a quarter north by east; at 8.40 made a quarter of +a mile north-north-east; at 9 made three-quarters of a mile north by +east, still keeping in sight of the tall trees on the river; at 9.24 made +one mile north by east; at 9.58 made one mile and a half north; at 10.15 +made one mile north-east; at 10.27 made half a mile north-east by north; +over rich country, now beautifully grassed, slightly timbered along the +river and watercourses with bauhinia, broad-leaved stunted box, +broad-leaved Moreton Bay ash, bloodwood, acacia (which gives a gum like +gum arabic, and is plentiful near the depot) pomegranate, and other +trees; at 11 made one mile and a half north-east to the river, where we +stopped for Mr. Allison to get an observation of the sun. A short +distance to the eastward observed apparent altitude of sun, which made +our latitude 18 degrees 34 minutes 30 seconds. Started again at 2 p.m. At +2.15 made half a mile north by east; at 3 made two miles north-east by +north; at 3.30 made one mile and a half north by east; at 3.55 made one +mile north-east by north half north; at 4.13 made one mile north; at 4.30 +made half a mile north-north-east; at 5.2 made one mile north by east; at +6.2 made two miles and a half north-north-east. By these courses we cut +off the bends of the river excepting towards the last when we got too far +away from it and required to make for it again. The country we went over +was from the greenness and length of the grass the finest-looking country +we have seen on the expedition; but I think the Barkly tableland is +superior to it from its having more salty herbage. The timber is of a +similar description to that I have recently mentioned except that the box +was stunted (narrow-leaved instead of broad). Having reached water in an +eastern channel of the river we formed our thirty-sixth camp on the right +bank of it. + +Monday January 13. Camp Number 36, situated on the right bank of the +eastern channel of Beames Brook. + +From here I sent Fisherman to the south-east in search of water in that +direction; and after Mr. Allison had made an observation of the sun, +placing us in latitude 18 degrees 31 minutes 37 seconds, got by observed +altitude 86.45. I left my party in camp and accompanied by Jemmy went in +the following directions: At 2.6 went one mile and a half north to where +I shot an emu, and started again at 3.6; at 4.6 went three miles north +over rich plains covered with most fattening grasses; at 4.42 went two +miles north-west half north to east channel of watercourse; at 5.10 went +three-quarters of a mile north half west along a deep reach; at 5.20 went +half a mile north-north-west over the finest plain country; at 5.40 went +half a mile north; at 6 went half a mile north-west; at 6.30 went about +one mile and a quarter north; at 7.30 went about two miles and +three-quarters north to where we encamped close to the right bank of +watercourse. + +Tuesday January 14. + +Continuation of excursion made by Jemmy and I down the watercourse from +36 Camp; at 6.50 made one mile and three-quarters about north to where we +crossed an eastern channel of the main watercourse; at 7.5 made +three-quarters of a mile about north-west; at 7.35 made one mile and a +quarter west to a running stream in a watercourse with banks so low that +a rise of a few feet would flood the adjoining plains; at 8.20 made two +miles about north-north-east over rich thickly-grassed country +intersected by several watercourses and swamps, where I felt convinced +was a watercourse to the eastward of the Gregory River (I afterwards +ascertained this to be so) which I then supposed to be Beames Brook, as I +thought we were on Gregory River when I started and intended following it +down on its right bank only to the crossing-place on our outward journey. +We took no rations whatever with us and delayed to 8.35; at 8.55 made one +mile south-east; at 9.23 made one mile and a quarter south-east by south +over a rich, well-grassed, and slightly-timbered plain to the eastern +channel of the watercourse, where we made our breakfast off figs and the +young wood of the cabbage-tree: we found it rather a light one, as we had +no supper on the previous night. Started again at 10.25; at 10.55 made +one mile and a half south-south-east; at 11.20 made one mile +south-south-east to where we crossed an eastern channel of the +watercourse; at 11.35 made three-quarters of a mile south-south-east; at +11.45 made half mile south by east; at 12.5 made one mile south by east; +at 12.15 made half a mile south by west; at 12.35 made one mile south +half west to watercourse where it has deep reaches of water and banks +about twenty-six feet high. I guessed the last entry of miles as my watch +had run down. We had a bath and started at 1.22. At 2.10 made two miles +and a quarter about south half east along the watercourse to an eastern +channel where the horses got water and we delayed until 2.22; at 2.44 +made one mile south-east by south half south over plains; at 3.15 made +one mile and a half south over plains; at 3.32 made three-quarters of a +mile south-south-east over plains; at 4.5 made one mile and a half south +to emu tree, where we stayed to separate the best portions of the emu I +had shot and take them to camp; at 5.10 made one mile and a half north to +Number 36 Camp. + +Wednesday January 15. Camp 36, situated on the right bank of Beames +Brook. + +Fisherman informed me that he had gone on Monday a long half-day's +journey without finding any watercourse except one trending to the +north-west and which, from his description, I thought might join the one +I had seen about six miles distant. The country he saw in the course of +his ride was well-grassed, lightly timbered plains, the latter stretching +to the north-east. By climbing a tree he observed a range to the +south-east. We left our camp here at 7.25; at 8.48 made three miles and a +half north by west, which took us down rich plains with the river trees +in sight along our course; at 9.45 made two miles and three-quarters +north; at 11.15 made four miles and a half north, which course took us +out of sight of the trees on the river, over a similar country to that I +have described where we stopped for Mr. Allison to take an observation of +the sun, and for Mr. Campbell and Fisherman, who were behind, to come up. +Observations: altitude 86.52, latitude 18 degrees 18 minutes; we started +again at 12.34 p.m.; at 1.17 made two miles north-west to where we +crossed to the left side of eastern channel; at 1.35 made one mile +north-west to watercourse with fine stream of water; at 1.50 made +three-quarters of a mile north, where we watered the horses, and started +again at 4.25; at 4.33 made a quarter of a mile about north where Jemmy +and I encamped last Monday night; at 4.5 made one mile north-north-east +to where we crossed to left side of eastern watercourse; at 5.24 made one +mile and a half north-north-east over a thickly-grassed slightly-wooded +plain with flood-marks on it; at 6.2 made one mile and three-quarters +north over a similar country, slightly timbered with flooded box; at 6.13 +made half a mile north-north-west; at 6.35 made three-quarters of a mile +north-west by north over similar country; then crossed during a +thunderstorm to left side of eastern channel of watercourse; at 7.15 made +one mile and a half west by north to the main channel of Beames Brook +which has a fine stream of water only a few feet below the level plains +on each side of it. The water was muddy from the recent shower and in +consequence anything but pleasant. Mosquitoes were very numerous and +allowed some of us but little sleep. + +Thursday January 16. Camp Number 37. Situated on the right bank of Beames +Brook. + +We left here at 7.16; at 8.30 made three-quarters of a mile north-east by +north to where we crossed to right side of an eastern channel of a +watercourse; at 10.5 made four miles and a half north-north-east over +level rich country, slightly timbered with stunted box and a small tree +like the Queensland sandalwood, called by Mr. Walker the gutta-percha +tree, and reached extensive plains; at 11.15 made three miles and a +quarter north-north-east over fine rich plains with the tall trees of the +banks of a watercourse in sight to the eastward: at 11.32 made +three-quarters of a mile north-north-west where we stopped on the plain, +and Mr. Allison made the following observation of the sun: altitude +86.45, latitude 18 degrees 0 minutes 50 seconds; started again at 12.58; +at 1.10 made one mile and a half north over fine slightly timbered downs, +but from the want of rain the grass on them was rather brown, to where we +crossed to the right bank of a watercourse (Barkly River) with high +flood-marks, but at present without water; at 1.20 made half a mile north +where we recrossed it; at 2.25 made three miles north to where we crossed +again to left side without finding water; we passed at this place a +number of blacks perched in the trees; at 3 made a quarter of a mile +north to where we stopped as we could not proceed in consequence of a +heavy thunderstorm and the bogginess of the ground; at 4.35 made quarter +of a mile south, then three-quarters of a mile northerly to where we +formed our thirty-eighth camp on the left of the main watercourse (Barkly +River). + +Friday January 17. Camp Number 38. Situated on the left bank of Barkly +River. + +The morning was wet so I thought that after the rain of yesterday we +could not proceed, but it cleared up between 8 and 9, and at 10.20 we +were packed up and started; at 10.45 made one mile north by east to the +tree marked Lieutenant Woods with line and broad arrow; at 12 made three +miles west to Beames Brook over richly grassed plains slightly wooded +with stunted box; at 1.30 made quarter mile south by east where we +crossed Beames Brook. We found the crossing-place a bad one; when a few +of the horses crossed it became so bad that we had to unpack and unsaddle +several before we could get them onto the firm ground on the left side of +the brook. This is the first stream of water we have crossed since we +left the O'Shanassy River near its junction with the Gregory. Beames +Brook therefore must connect the Gregory with the Albert River, which +accounts for the great size of the latter. At 1.55 made one mile north by +west; at 2.20 made three-quarters of a mile north-west to Nicholson +River, which has got a broad sandy bed so full of tea-tree that we could +not see its breadth at this place; at 2.35 made half a mile south-east by +east; at 2.55 made three-quarters of a mile east back to Beames Brook and +to our outward track; at 3.4 made half a mile north-east to tree broad +arrow before L, where we had on outward journey dined off the young wood +of a cabbage-tree. We also observed the tracks of an expedition party +trending towards the depot; at 4.10 made three miles north-east down the +brook and then down the plain; at 4.45 made one mile and a half east to +outward track; at 4.50 made half a mile south-west to our outward Number +2 Camp (Post Office Lagoon) where we expected to have got letters but in +this we were disappointed. + +Sunday January 19. + +Yesterday we rested ourselves and our horses; at 6.20 a.m. my party left +the Number 2 Camp of outward, and 39 of inward journey, situated at what +I call the Post Office Lagoon, near a point on the left side of the +Albert River, just above the Barkly and Beames Brook. I stayed behind, +attended by Jemmy, until 7.30, and marked the camp tree as I had done at +the other camp with my brand, the number of the camp, and the date; at +7.30 we made about half a mile in a north-north-east direction over rich +undulating well-grassed country, slightly timbered with flooded box; at +7.45 made three-quarters of a mile north-east; at 8 made three-quarters +of a mile north-east by north over similar country; at 8.18 made one mile +north-north-east across similar country with portions of it without +timber; at 8.37 made one mile north-east by north down well-grassed +plains with the timbered country extending from the Albert River about a +mile to the eastward of our track; at 8.46 made half a mile north-east; +at 10.10 made four miles and a quarter north-east down well-grassed +plains to where we stopped to rest the horses for ten minutes, as the +ground was very soft from the recent rain; at 10.35 made three-quarters +of a mile north-east by east to triangle made on the left bank of the +Albert River by Lieutenant Woods; at 10.58 made one mile north-east by +east to where we crossed Moore's Creek; at 11.10 made half a mile +north-east by east; at 11.20 made half a mile east-south-east to Albert +River depot. + +(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH, + +Commander of the Victoria and Queensland Land Expedition. 8th February +1862. + +I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of Mr. +Landsborough's journal. + +H.W.N. CAMPBELL, + +Second in Command. + +... + +H.M.C.S. Victoria, 7th February 1862. + +Sir, + +You will proceed to the depot on the Albert River and so soon as possible +after arrival render assistance to Mr. Landsborough to get the horses and +stores safely over to the eastern shore: then collect whatever surplus of +provisions may be remaining, i.e. flour, biscuit, or peas, and have them +securely fastened down in one of the iron water tanks sunk in the ground +for that purpose. It will be as well to place therein some of the +ammunition remaining, and to take a list of whatever is secured in the +tank for the information of the Royal Society. + +When the above is completed and all stores belonging to this ship +collected you will remove the guard and return on board, bringing with +you any of Mr. Landsborough's party that he may not require to proceed +with him overland. + +I have the honour to be, Sir, + +Your obedient servant, + +(Signed) W.H. NORMAN, Commander. + +Lieutenant C.C. Gascoyne. + +... + +H.M.C.S. Victoria, off Albert River, 9th February 1862. + +Sir, + +In accordance with your instructions of 7th February 1862 I proceeded up +the Albert River with Mr. Landsborough and have the honour to forward the +following report of my proceedings, namely: + +I left the ship 7th February at 1.10 p.m., the cutter and whale-boat +being placed in my charge to assist in crossing the horses and stores +belonging to the Exploring Expedition, and bring down to the ship our +party from the Albert River depot. + +We had a north-easterly breeze on leaving the ship which carried us up as +far as the saltwater arm, arriving there at 6.10 p.m., when the boats' +crews went to supper; left there at 7 p.m., perfectly calm; arrived at +the Firefly at 1.10 a.m. + +Saturday 8th February. + +At 5 a.m. (the weather looking very threatening) Mr. Landsborough sent +out for the horses, which were brought in at 7.30 a.m.; it was then +raining heavily, attended by thunder and lightning. At 8 o'clock I +started with two of the black boys to drive the horses to the place for +crossing, having sent the two boats round with lines as guess warps for +hauling the boats to and fro. We succeeded in getting all of them, +twenty-one in number, on the eastern shore by about 10 a.m., after which +we got the stores across and pitched Mr. Landsborough's tents for him to +keep them dry, as it had to all appearances set in for a wet day. I then +got the provisions and stores (20 pounds biscuits, 250 pounds flour, nine +half-pound canisters F.G. powder, two boxes percussion caps) placed in +one of the tanks. I then had the tops of the tanks secured and covered +with pitch and afterwards earth. Buried a bottle containing directions +relative to the foregoing, close to a tree which I had marked thus: DIG 2 +feet north, which tree being on the verge of a waterhole, close to the +camp, must attract attention. At 8.45 p.m. we all left the Firefly. I put +Mr. Landsborough and his party, consisting of Mr. F. Bourne, William +Leeson (groom) and three black boys, onto the opposite shore, bringing +Mr. H.N. Campbell and a black boy down to the ship, arriving on board at +1.15 p.m. on the 9th February. + +I have the honour to be Sir, + +Your most obedient servant, + +(Signed) Charles Cecil Gascoyne, Second Lieutenant. + +... + +Bunnawaunah, Darling River, June 2 1862. + +Sir, + +I have the honour to inform you that the exploring party under my command +arrived here yesterday in safety and in good health. From the Gulf of +Carpentaria we came, in search of Burke's party, without difficulty, to +Gregory's route from Queensland to South Australia, to a point within 280 +miles of the point marked first depot on Burke's route on the map which +shows the routes of different explorers. + +Our route from the Gulf of Carpentaria, Mr. Gregory's route to South +Australia, and the routes of other explorers demonstrate the fact that +sheep, cattle, and horses can be taken at a small cost and in the finest +condition from South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and the inland +districts of Queensland to stock the country near the Gulf of +Carpentaria, or for exportation to India or elsewhere. + +The road we came was so easy, from the richness of the pasturage and the +abundance of water, that a foal, named Flinders from his having been +foaled on the Flinders River, followed his mother most bravely from the +time he was a few hours old until he reached here. When we were on +Gregory's route to South Australia, and for some time previously, we took +many opportunities of asking the blacks respecting the explorers they had +seen. This we were enabled to do as Jemmy the native police trooper could +speak their language. We learned from them that they had seen during the +last ten moons explorers to the eastward, but that they had seen none +with larger animals than horses. + +I am sorry to have to inform you that our familiarity at last led to our +having a hostile collision with them on the Barcoo River, near where the +blacks treacherously tried to take Mr. Gregory's party by surprise during +the night. They tried to take us at night by surprise. If they had +succeeded they would no doubt have overpowered us; but it was during +Jemmy's watch and, as he always kept his watch well, he awoke us when +they were within a few yards of our fire, and we fortunately succeeded in +driving them away. Next morning (very early) two of them came near our +camp. At my request Jemmy warned them to leave us, for we had now a most +hostile feeling towards them. Instead of their showing the least symptom +of leaving us they got their companions (who were in ambush, heavily +armed with clubs and throwing-sticks) to join them. Under these +circumstances we fired on them. In doing so, and in following them up to +where the horses were feeding, one was shot and another slightly wounded +in the leg. + +I had very little assistance from Walker's previous discoveries as he had +left instructions that while his chart and journal were in Captain +Norman's charge no one should be allowed to take notes from them. I tried +to follow Mr. Walker's tracks to the Flinders River where he reported he +had left the tracks of Burke's party. After tracing Mr. Walker's tracks +for four days with considerable difficulty we reached plains near the +Leichhardt River where so much rain had fallen on the rich soft soil that +it was impossible to trace them further. + +From the Leichhardt River we travelled over well-watered country to the +Flinders River; then travelled up that river, through fine rich pastoral +country, to about latitude 20 degrees 40 minutes; from there we reached +Bowen Downs in a few miles. The creeks and the river that water that +country I knew previously to a certain point down the river, but beyond +this point I did not know where the river flowed. On this expedition I +followed it down to near its junction with the Barcoo River (formerly +known as the Victoria and as the Cooper) and discovered that it was the +Thomson River. After leaving the well-watered country of Bowen Downs, +with the assistance of one of the blacks of that locality, we came +through a fine rich country to the Barcoo River; then without following +the river further, or searching ahead for water, we went across to the +Warrego River without the horses being at any time longer than a day and +part of a night without water. The country is therefore, I have no doubt, +on the whole well watered. + +From the Warrego River we tried to go to the south-eastward, but, from +not knowing the country, we had to return, owing to the want of water. On +this occasion, although the weather was cold, the horses suffered very +much. We travelled almost incessantly, day and night. In going from and +returning to water the horses were without it for seventy-two hours. In +returning we found water in a creek in which we had found no water at the +place we crossed it in our outward route. If I had had plenty of rations +I probably would have searched with one of the aborigines for water +before taking the whole of the horses on a journey of that kind. +Afterwards we followed the river down to near Kennedy's Number 19 Camp to +the station of Messrs. Williams, where we met with a most hospitable +reception and learned for the first time the melancholy fate of Messrs. +Burke and Wills. Sold some expedition supplies which we thought we would +not require any more, and bought rations to take us here. + +Following the Flinders River up from the Gulf of Carpentaria took us for +a long distance in a more southerly than easterly direction, then in a +more easterly than southerly direction. About twenty miles below where we +left the Flinders River we saw horse tracks, which were probably made by +Mr. Walker's party when on his route from the Nogoa River to the depot at +the Gulf of Carpentaria. Where we saw the tracks of Walker's party the +channel was about 120 yards wide, with a sandy bed and a shallow stream +flowing along the surface; lower down and higher up the river we saw the +fresh tracks of a steer or cow, and on Bowen Downs saw similar tracks. We +had so little meat that we would have tried hard to have found the beast +to kill it for provisions if I had not thought, from seeing the tracks of +a dray in the same locality, that we were near a station. + +The point where we reached the Barcoo River, in latitude 24 degrees 37 +minutes, is nearly south from where we left the Flinders River. + +Several times in the course of our journey from the Gulf of Carpentaria +Gleeson, Jemmy, and Fisherman were unwell. This was owing, I have no +doubt, in a great measure if not altogether, to the rations I issued +being insufficient. Our usual ration was a pint of flour, in bad +condition, and barely half a pound of spoiled meat per day, without tea +or sugar. The annexed list of rations will show that the quantity +obtained on starting would not admit of my issuing a larger supply. The +remainder of us, namely, Mr. Bourne, Jackey, and myself, did not lose our +health on this meagre fare. + +After reaching the Warrego River Jemmy unfortunately lay so near the fire +on a frosty night that his shirt caught fire and burned him severely; so +much so that he exhibited great pluck in continuing his journey here. + +Last night I learned from the newspapers that Mr. Howitt had received +instructions to wait for us at the depot at Cooper's Creek. If I had +known that there was to be a depot there I would have gladly gone to it +from the Thomson River. Now I intend proceeding down the river to +Menindie, where I purpose if necessary to take the most advisable mode to +let Mr. Howitt know of our return from the Gulf of Carpentaria. + +I might have sent a letter off yesterday to the neighbouring station if I +had only known that the postman had been delayed from starting until this +morning. There is a camel on this run which I will endeavour to get and +take to Menindie. + +Mr. Bourne, who is an experienced bushman, has read this letter and +thinks I have not given too favourable an account of the country along +our route from the Gulf of Carpentaria. + +When I reach town I will make a return of the money I received of Messrs. +Williams for the expedition stores, a copy of my journal, and a sketch +showing our route. + +I have the honour to be Sir, + +Your obedient servant, + +W. LANDSBOROUGH, + +Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Exploring Expedition from +Brisbane. + +To the Honourable Secretary Exploration Committee of Royal Society +Victoria. + +List of provisions received at the depot, Gulf of Carpentaria, on the 8th +February 1862: + +40 pounds of peas. +96 pounds of salt beef. +40 pounds of rice. +268 pounds of damaged beef, jerked. +27 pounds of damaged bacon. +650 pounds of damaged flour. +10 pounds of broken biscuits. +18 pounds of tobacco. +Left from previous expedition to south-west. +90 pounds of flour. +40 pounds of sugar. + +These provisions were all our party, consisting of six, had up to the +21st May, the date of our arrival at the station of Messrs. Williams on +the Warrego.* + +... + +(*Footnote. I may state here that, on the expedition to the south-west +when our party consisted of five, we started with ninety days' rations of +flour, beef, tea, and sugar, and five gallons of rum. These and the +rations, a list of which is given above, were all that were furnished for +the land expedition; and it was a source of much discouragement that my +requisition for tea, sugar, and rum for the journey across the continent +was not complied with, more especially as the allowance supplied at +Brisbane was very liberal, as the annexed list will show: + +List of stores sent by the Queensland Government for Landsborough's +Expedition. (Cost in pounds/shillings/pence.) + +August 15 1861. + +12 bags (14 shillings) flour, 200 pounds each at 18/10 per ton (22/4): +22/18. +1 chest and half chest congou, at 7/15, in bond: 11/12. +9 bags Mauritius sugar, gr. tons: 14/0/16. +Tare: 0/1/26. +Nett: 13/2/18 at 50 shillings, in bond: 34/3/0. + +1 package tobacco, nett 250 pounds, at 0/2/6, in bond: 31/5/0. +3 bags rice, 1 hundredweight each, at 24 pounds: 3/12/0. +1 cask oatmeal (224 pounds): 2/14/0. +2 hhds. rum, 112 gallons, at 5 shillings, in bond, shipped on board of +the Victoria: 28/0/0. +7 drums (0/17/6) colza oil, 35 gallons, at 8 shillings (14/0): 14/17/6. +43 bales lucerne hay, nett 6 tons 10 hundredweight 2 qrs. 18 pounds at +10/0: 65/6/7. +45 bales oaten hay, nett 8 tons 11 hundredweight 2 qrs. 1 pound, at 12/0: +102/18/1. +Freight paid captain of the Gem for same: 14/0/0. +15 bags (0/17/6) bran, gross 19/1/15. +Tare: 0/1/17. +Nett: 18/3/26 at 0/1/10 per bushel of 20 pounds: 9/14/11. +60 tons coals, in bulk, at 1/5 per ton: 75/0/0. +106 bags ditto, containing 10 12-20 tons, at 1/5 per ton: 13/5/0. +106 bags, at 0/1/2: 6/3/8. +Total: 436/7/9. + +After the wreck of a Firefly at Hardy's Island all her stores and those +intended for the exploring parties were taken possession of by Captain +Norman, and were only supplied by him on requisition. + +The following are the names of the members of Mr. Landsborough's party. + +W. Landsborough, commander. +H.N. Campbell. +George Bourne. +W. Allison. +W. Gleeson. +Aboriginals: Charlie, Jemmy, Fisherman and Jackey. + +Of these H.N. Campbell as assistant-commander, W. Allison, Jemmy, and +Fisherman accompanied Mr. Landsborough on his first or south-west +expedition. On his second or journey across the continent his party +consisted of: George Bourne as second in command; Gleeson as cook; +Fisherman, Jemmy, and Jackey. Messrs. Campbell, Allison, and Charlie +returned by the Victoria, Mr. Landsborough considering his equipment +inadequate to the supply of so large a party. + +The camel found by Mr. Landsborough at the Darling was taken towards +Melbourne but was lost through the carelessness of Jackey. Jackey, on two +occasions on the Darling River, left for several days without leave, +which led Mr. Landsborough to tell him that he would not take him any +farther. This did not appear to vex him much for, without asking to be +taken on or promising to behave better in future, he immediately went and +hired himself to a settler in the neighbourhood. The rest of the party +reached Melbourne in safety. Jemmy and Fisherman, who had never been in a +city before, evinced no surprise at anything they saw. After a month's +residence in Melbourne they were forwarded by steamer to Brisbane. +Fisherman, before leaving Melbourne, lost his intelligence and was at +times quite insane; but it is to be hoped that as his bodily health was +good the sight of his native place will restore him to his right mind.) + +... + +The following letter, received by Captain Cadell from Mr. Neilson of +Neilson and Williams, two young men who have spent years in exploring the +Australian wilderness and who are now settled on the Warrego, gives some +additional information as to the discoveries of Landsborough's party: + +Kennedy's 19th Camp, River Warrego, May 22 1862. + +I have nothing to communicate but the arrival here yesterday of Mr. +Landsborough and party from the Gulf of Carpentaria, whence he left on +the 10th of February last in search of the traces of Burke's party. The +journey which he has now accomplished has opened up a practicable route +to the Gulf. He followed the Flinders from the Gulf on an average course +of south-south-east to 20 degrees south to its head, when, in thirty +miles, he picked up the head of the Thomson and followed it down to +Cooper's Creek, making his way into the settled districts by following up +that creek to its head, and then following the Warrego River to this +point, from whence he goes into the Barwon. He speaks of the country to +the head of the Thomson, and from thence along the whole course of the +Flinders to the Gulf, as magnificent, consisting of rich basaltic plains, +very thickly grassed, one of the most conspicuous grasses being greatly +in appearance to sorghum. Horses are so fond of it that the party could +scarcely drive them along with whips. The party has met no casualty, and +look very well, notwithstanding experiencing a shortness of rations on +the journey. The horses are looking well. Landsborough was quite +surprised at hearing that Burke's remains had been found. They found no +track nor tidings of his party. I have given Mr. Landsborough an account +of our trip in July and August last towards Cooper's Creek. He considers +it a connecting link in the overland route from the Darling to the Gulf, +and one that will be used in taking stock to that point. I consider that +the route as now found will be the one adopted by the eastern colonies, +South Australia availing itself of Stuart's route. + +... + +The following letter has been addressed to the Colonial Secretary of +Queensland by Mr. Landsborough: + +Mount Murchison, Darling River, July 5 1862. + +Sir, + +Having learned from the Queensland news, in the Sydney Weekly Mail of the +24th May, that the Honourable the Colonial Treasurer said that he had no +doubt the parties in search of Burke's tracks were making tracks for +themselves, I have now the honour to inform you that, so far as I am +concerned, I have no immediate intention to apply for country discovered +by me while searching for Burke's tracks; that my previous correspondence +with you gave you a true description of the country I had seen in my +expedition to the south-west from the Albert River depot; that I will +send you, when I reach Melbourne or sooner, a copy of my journal, which I +hope will give a satisfactory description of the country I have seen in +my last expedition; and further that it is satisfactory to me in the +meantime to state that the country I saw near the Gulf of Carpentaria I +consider to be exceedingly well adapted for sheep runs, and that I am of +opinion that the most valuable country is the Plains of Promise, and +second to them the plains on the Gregory River. + +Of the country I have seen on the last expedition which had not been +previously explored I consider the most valuable, on which I am sure +sheep will thrive, are the plains on the west bank of the Leichhardt +River, and those plains on the Flinders River. Of the Leichhardt River +country I can but speak of a small portion, as I only followed it up for +about eight miles from where the tide came to a fine basaltic ford, where +the water was fresh. Of the Flinders River country the best I saw on the +lower part of the river is situated between 18 degrees 26 minutes +latitude and 19 degrees 20 minutes latitude; and of the upper part of the +river the best is the last 100 miles I saw. + +I have the honour to be, sir, + +Your obedient servant, + +W. LANDSBOROUGH, + +Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Expedition. + +The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, Queensland. + +... + +ROYAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA. + +An ordinary meeting of this society was held on the 18th August and was +numerously attended. His Excellency Sir Henry Barkly (president) occupied +the chair. + +PRESENTATION TO JOHN KING. + +The first business was the presentation to John King the explorer of the +gold watch awarded him by the Royal Geographical Society. + +The Secretary (at the request of His Excellency the President) read the +following extract from a private letter from Sir Roderick Murchison, the +president of the Royal Geographical Society, dated May 20 1862: + +I told you in my last that I thought it probable we should grant one of +our gold medals to the family of Burke; and I am happy to announce to you +that at the last meeting of council the award was made as I anticipated, +on my own proposition, strengthened as it was by your favourable opinion. + +We also give to the good and intrepid King a gold watch, with an +inscription. + +The Duke of Newcastle has promised to attend and receive these donations +on the 26th. + +P.S. (June 23): the watch sent to King cost much more than the gold +medal; and I hope the good soldier will like it. + +... + +The Secretary next read the following despatch from his Grace the Duke of +Newcastle to Governor Sir Henry Barkly: + +Downing Street, May 26 1862. + +Sir, + +I have to acquaint you that this morning I attended the annual meeting of +the Royal Geographical Society, and that, at the request of the +president, Lord Ashburton, I undertook to forward to you the accompanying +gold watch, which the president and council had determined to present to +John King, in testimony of his meritorious conduct during the late +Victorian Exploring Expedition, in which Messrs. Burke and Wills +unfortunately lost their lives. + +I have therefore to request that you will accordingly, on behalf of the +president and council, place this watch in the hands of John King and +that you will at the same time express to him the satisfaction it has +been to me to be the channel of making known to him that his conduct has +been appreciated as it deserves. + +I have the honour to be, etc., + +Newcastle. + +... + +His Excellency (addressing John King) spoke as follows: + +I feel, Mr. King, that it would be almost superfluous on my part to add +much to the encomiums passed upon you by such high authorities; and to +one so modest, as I know you are, I dare say it would be even painful if +I were to enter at any length upon a recital of the claims which I +consider you possess upon the gratitude and admiration of your fellow +colonists. (Hear, hear.) Gratifying as it must be to you--after the +liberal honours and rewards which the legislature and people of Victoria +have bestowed upon you--to receive this crowning mark of recognition of +your services from your fellow countrymen at home, I can quite conceive +that it would be more congenial to your own feelings if I had delivered +it to you in my own private room. Still I felt it to be a matter of duty, +on an occasion of this kind, to make the ceremony as public as possible, +not only in justice to yourself but for the sake of the example which +your conduct has afforded to all who may be placed in similarly trying +circumstances. I feel sure that, even if you entertained any idea of +surviving, nothing was further from your thoughts than any considerations +of glory or honour when you knelt by the side of the dying Burke to +receive his latest injunctions, or when you turned back to perform the +last sad offices for your departed comrade, Wills. You did your duty, I +am sure, simply because you felt it was your duty. A Christian, you knew +it was a privilege to minister to suffering humanity; a soldier, you +never dreamt of swerving from the unalterable fidelity which you knew you +owed your leader. (Applause.) In such a trying position as that in which +you were placed, with the bands of discipline relaxed, the instincts of +self-preservation have often led men to act selfishly. Others in your +position might have thought that, being stronger than the rest of the +party--able perhaps to pursue game, catch fish, or to pound nardoo--it +would have been consistent with duty to escape to the nearest settlement, +perhaps with the vague idea of sending back assistance to your comrades. +I feel satisfied that any thought of deserting never crossed your +mind--that you abandoned all desire to serve yourself alone, and that +they were determined to share the fate of your companions. The result has +proved that you acted rightly and properly. Your example may serve to +teach us that the path of duty, generally, under Providence, is the path +of safety. And what is about to take place tonight will also teach us +another lesson: + +That duty never did yet want its meed. + +... + +(Applause.) I may just refer to the fortunate circumstance that our +meeting should be graced by the presence of a gentleman who, partly from +motives of humanity, and partly with a view to share in the glory of the +enterprise, volunteered to lead one of the subsidiary expeditions sent in +search of the missing expedition of which you formed a member. Those +subsidiary expeditions, it is well known, have led to a great increase of +our geographical knowledge of the interior of the continent; and I +believe, among the most brilliant exploits which grace the history of +Australian exploration, there is not one more brilliant to be found than +the passage made by the party under our friend Mr. Landsborough from the +shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria to the Darling River. (Applause.) I +hope Mr. Landsborough will be kind enough tonight to give us some +information as to his route on the occasion. We all know, without waiting +for that explanation, that his journey has conferred a most substantial +benefit on all these colonies. It has, there can be no doubt, very much +accelerated the formation of a great settlement in North Australia, which +may be expected to become, some day, a separate and independent colony. +In fact it has formed a fitting addition to the noble efforts which have +been made by this colony in the cause of Australian exploration. Those +efforts, as we all know, are now about to terminate. Instructions have +been despatched to Mr. Howitt to return as speedily as possible; and when +he brings back the remains of the lamented explorers, Burke and Wills, we +shall approach the closing scene of the great drama--or tragedy, as I +believe I may call it. I trust on that occasion the public funeral +promised to those brave men will be carried out with the enthusiasm which +was manifested a year ago, and that active exertions will be used by all +concerned to raise an appropriate monument to their memory. (Hear, hear.) +I have now great pleasure in handing to King, on the part of the Royal +Geographical Society of London, this watch, which bears within, as he +will find, an inscription setting forth that it was "Presented by the +President and Council of the Royal Geographical Society of London to John +King, for his meritorious conduct in the expedition under the lamented +Burke and Wills." (Great applause.) + +John King, who seemed overpowered with emotion, replied in the following +terms: + +May it please your Excellency, it affords me much grateful satisfaction +to receive this watch, which the Royal Geographical Society of London has +been pleased to present to me in recognition of my services during the +late Victorian Exploring Expedition, and particularly to the lamented Mr. +Burke in his last moments. In these particulars, your Excellency, I +consider that I simply did my duty--a duty that I would perform over +again if I were similarly placed. (Applause.) Still it is a source of +grateful satisfaction to me to know that our achievement has been +properly appreciated by the British Government and the great scientific +bodies, and also that my humble services have been appreciated by the +Royal Geographical Society, and by His Grace the Duke of Newcastle. I +beg, through your Excellency, most respectfully to thank His Grace and +the Royal Geographical Society for their recognition of my services. Such +recognition will always convince me that no man under this or any +government will do his duty without meeting his reward. (Great applause.) + +... + +His Excellency then introduced Mr. Landsborough to the meeting, and +intimated that that gentleman would give a narrative of his expedition. +His Excellency also introduced two aboriginals who had accompanied Mr. +Landsborough from Carpentaria. + +Mr. Landsborough said he had much pleasure in meeting the Royal Society +and he was much gratified with the reception that had been accorded him. +His expedition had been the second to cross the continent of Australia +from Carpentaria, and he had been fortunate in finding a good road. +Through the liberality of the Royal Society he had a first rate outfit at +Brisbane. Unfortunately the transport Firefly, which conveyed himself and +party from Brisbane, was wrecked on Hardy's Island. However, a few days +afterwards, they were relieved by Captain Norman of the Victoria. Through +the exertions of Captain Norman, his officers, and crew the Firefly was +towed off the reef and the horses were reshipped and taken on to +Carpentaria. It had been supposed hitherto that the Albert River was not +a good place for landing horses; but the Firefly, a vessel of 200 tons, +went twenty miles up that river and the horses were landed without +difficulty, in fact they walked ashore. He was delighted to find so fine +a country. He had had twenty years experience of Australia, and he had +never seen better country for stock than he found on the shores of the +Gulf of Carpentaria. His mission was to search for Burke and his +companions, but he could not shut his eyes to the fact that there was a +fine country before them, and that country lying idle--a country, which +through the exertions of Burke and his companions, had been opened to the +world. (Hear.) The pastoral interest was a great interest still in +Australia; and he held it to be a great pity that the stock of the +country should be boiled down for tallow when Australia is the finest +country in the world for growing wool. He hoped that the discoveries made +through the instrumentality of the Royal Society would tend to prevent +this. He would now point out the route which he took in search of Burke +and his party. In his first expedition he proceeded in the direction of +Central Mount Stuart, with the view of trying to discover whether Burke +had gone on Stuart's route; he succeeded in travelling about 210 miles, +the first 100 of which he followed up a running stream, but after leaving +its source he lost much time from the scarcity of water; for this reason, +and the precious loss of time caused by the wreck of the Firefly, he +deemed it prudent to return to the depot; this course was adopted with +much regret, as the wet season had commenced, a continuance of which for +two or three weeks would probably have enabled him to have pursued the +route originally intended in search of the traces of Burke. His first +impression regarding the stream referred to was that it was created by +rain, but as it was evident that no rain had fallen for months he +concluded that this idea was incorrect. He afterwards discovered that it +owed its source to springs of a kind which he had never before met with, +the stream from which, near its source in the valley of the Gregory +River, was sufficiently powerful to turn a large mill wheel. On his route +back to the depot he found that this stream, at a point distant from +Carpentaria about 80 miles, divided into two branches, one of which +flowed into the Nicholson River, and the other into the Albert. As an +evidence of the superior quality of the country through which he passed +on his expedition to the south-west he might mention that the horses +travelled as well as if they had been stable fed. He had travelled in +Queensland and New South Wales and had never found horses stand work as +well as those horses did at Carpentaria. On returning to the depot he and +his party rested for three weeks and again started to find the tracks of +Burke and his companions. They had heard that tracks had been seen by Mr. +Walker on the Flinders River, they tried to follow Walker's tracks to the +Flinders, but although he had preceded them only by about two months, his +tracks could not be followed, owing to the rain which had fallen. They +proceeded to the Flinders, but they could find no traces of Burke. They +followed up the river for about 280 miles through a magnificent country. +When they reached this point they left the Flinders, and in less than +twenty miles further got to the watershed of the Thomson, one of the main +heads of the Cooper River. When they had proceeded about 100 miles down +the valley of the Thomson they found a tree which had been marked by a +companion of Landsborough's in a former expedition several years before, +which he was glad to be able to show, as a proof of his knowledge of the +country, to the members of his party who knew nothing of him till about a +week or ten days before he started on the expedition. Having followed +down the valley of the Thomson, through fine country, from the tree +referred to to a point within 270 miles of Burke's depot at Cooper's +River; they were most desirous to have gone to that place but their +supplies were very limited, and the blacks had repeatedly told them +through Jemmy, one of the party, who understood their language, that they +had not seen any exploring parties with camels. They therefore deemed it +the better plan to strike across, about 50 miles, to the Barcoo, the main +head of the Cooper River. This they accordingly did, and then proceeded +to the Warrego, which they followed down till they struck the Darling. On +reaching settled country they were very sorry to hear of the melancholy +fate of Burke, Wills, and Gray. They were hospitably received by the +settlers, but the season was dry and their horses fared much worse in the +settled districts than in crossing from the Gulf of Carpentaria to the +Darling. In conclusion Mr. Landsborough expressed his acknowledgments for +the warm reception which had been accorded to him and his willingness to +answer any questions that might be put to him. + +In reply to questions: + +Mr. Landsborough said he thought the Flinders River was about 500 miles +long. The most elevated land on the Flinders appeared to be about 1000 to +1500 feet high. The climate of Carpentaria he believed to be very dry +excepting in the months of January, February, March and April. The bed of +the Flinders when he left it was 120 yards wide, with a shallow stream +flowing along its surface. His party came through the country at a very +favourable season of the year. Thunderstorms and rainy weather might be +expected until the end of April, and sometimes as late as May. On the +heads of the Gregory River the country was of a basaltic character; and +on the Flinders there was abundance of quartz and ironbark country. He +saw about 50 miles of the latter description of country and believed from +his previous knowledge that it extended to the coast. The range dividing +the Flinders from the Cooper River country he estimated to be from 1000 +to 1500 feet high, while that which he crossed on his expedition to the +south-west, though about the same height, was of quite a different +character, being composed of a basalt different from any he had seen +before. The slopes of the tableland were grassed with spinifex, which is +almost worthless. All basaltic country he had seen previously in other +parts of Australia was exceedingly well grassed. + +He had no doubt that the rivers on the north side of Barkly's Tableland +were supplied by springs. Barkly's Tableland divides the northern from +the southern waters. He crossed it on his first expedition. He had never +been to the west of the Thomson. Immediately after leaving the watershed +of the Flinders he got onto that of the Thomson. On returning to the +Albert from his expedition to the south-west he came to a river which he +named O'Shanassy, which has long and deep reaches of water. In the +waterholes on the southern side of Barkly's Tableland, which he followed +down for seventy miles, he found plenty of fish, and his impression was +that these fish came up from rivers farther to the south-west. It was the +dry season when he was there, but he could see traces of water where it +had spread for several miles across the country in the wet season. He had +no doubt that, if he had been able to go farther down, he should have got +to a large river. + +Dr. Mueller observed that this seemed to augur well for any expeditions +that might be undertaken from the south of the Gulf of Carpentaria to the +south-west. He begged to ask whether, in following down the tributaries +of the Thomson, Mr. Landsborough met with any traces of Dr. Leichhardt? +It would appear from the information supplied by Mr. Walker that +Leichhardt took the tributaries of the Thomson in order to be able to +skirt the desert of Captain Sturt. Mr. Landsborough said he went from +near Port Denison to the heads of the Thomson River some years ago, and +the probability was, he thought, that Mr. Walker saw his tracks or those +of Cornish and Buchanan, who had also gone from Rockhampton to the heads +of the Thomson. The party of Mr. Peter McDonald (a Victorian) also went +from Rockhampton to the southern side of the range several years ago. In +his (Mr. Landsborough's) first expedition he endeavoured to find +Leichhardt's tracks on the heads of the Thomson, but unsuccessfully. + +Dr. Iffla asked whether Mr. Landsborough in the course of his brilliant +journey across the country met with many bodies of natives, and whether +they evinced a friendly or hostile disposition. + +Mr. Landsborough did not admit that it was a brilliant journey. +(Laughter.) He saw very few blacks. The largest number he saw at a time +was about thirty. He saw no tracks of blacks and he could not imagine +that they were numerous. He always avoided having much intercourse with +the blacks. He seldom had any trouble with them until this expedition. On +the Barcoo River a number of blacks who had previously appeared most +friendly approached the camp in the middle of the night and, but for the +watchfulness of Jemmy, might have knocked them on the head. They were +driven away, but the next morning they appeared disposed to attack the +party. Under those circumstances he was obliged to fire upon them. One +volley and a few shots however were sufficient to get rid of them. He +came upon the Flinders above the navigable point. The range which he +crossed to the south-west of Carpentaria was a tableland, that between +the Flinders and the Thomson consisted of a series of hills and mountains +with passes between them, as Mr. Walker had described in his journal. + +His Excellency inquired what were Mr. Landsborough's impressions and +ideas of the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria with reference to the +settlement there of Europeans at any future time? + +Mr. Landsborough replied that, although living in the open air and not +having the best of food, the country agreed admirably with him. While his +party and the crew of the Victoria were at Carpentaria there was very +little sickness among them, nor was there fever and ague. The shores were +very level. There was nothing that could be called a hill for 60 or 100 +miles. Although a very dry country, there was rain for about three months +in the year, and there were in some seasons large floods. He did not +reach the Flinders River until two or three months after Walker's party, +and he could not then find Burke's tracks. He considered he could not be +expected to find them, since Mr. Walker, a gentleman whose great +perseverance and bush experience were well-known, who was then two months +before with a larger party than his and twice the equipment, could not +follow them up. He could not even find Walker's tracks. He believed it +was impossible for Burke and Wills to have gone within sight of the sea, +because saltwater creeks spread all over the country for ten miles from +the sea. This was his opinion from what he saw at the mouth of the +Albert, and he had no doubt that the mouth of the Flinders was of the +same character. + +His Excellency said he was sure that they all felt very much obliged to +Mr. Landsborough for the cheerful alacrity with which he had replied to +all questions, and the amount of information about his journey which he +had laid before the meeting. The remaining business on the paper would be +postponed. He was afraid that a great many of those present were +attracted to the meeting rather by the exploration information than the +scientific papers announced to be brought forward. However this might be +he would call upon them to give three hearty cheers for Mr. King and Mr. +Landsborough. + +The Society then adjourned. + +... + + +JOURNAL: LANDSBOROUGH'S EXPEDITION FROM CARPENTARIA TO VICTORIA. + +In laying before our readers the whole of Mr. Landsborough's journal, +descriptive of the country he passed over in crossing the continent, some +explanatory notes respecting the vegetation, etc., may be found +acceptable and they are therefore given at the end. We are indebted to +Dr. Mueller for some of them. + +The party consisted of: + +Mr. W. Landsborough, leader. +Mr. Bourne, second in command. +Gleeson. +Aboriginals: Jemmy, Fisherman, Jackey. + +The party left Carpentaria on the 8th of February and arrived at Messrs. +Williams' station on the Warrego River on the 21st of May--inclusive of +both dates, 103 days. The total weight of provisions with which the party +started was 1,279 pounds. + +CONTINUATION OF THE JOURNAL OF W. LANDSBOROUGH, COMMANDER OF THE PARTY +ORGANISED AT BRISBANE, TO SEARCH FROM THE ALBERT RIVER, GULF OF +CARPENTARIA, FOR BURKE'S PARTY. + +February 4 1862. + +Since the 19th ultimo, the date of my arrival at the depot from the +expedition to the south-west, I have been in constant expectation of a +boat from H.M.C.S. Victoria. Late this evening I was glad to welcome the +arrival of Lieutenant Gascoyne. The news he gave us of the death of Mr. +Frost (who he told us had died by the accidental discharge of a gun) +occasioned great regret. + +February 5. + +Having received an invitation from Lieutenant Gascoyne to accompany him +to the Victoria I availed myself of it, and had a pleasant sail down the +river and a short distance out to sea to where the vessel was stationed. +We arrived late in the evening and had the pleasure of meeting Captain +Norman and the officers. + +February 6. + +Today I had the good fortune to get Lieutenant Woods to assist me with my +work. He made a beautiful tracing from the sketch I had made to show my +route to the south-west. The sketch was made solely by dead reckoning. I +wanted to take notes from Mr. Walker's journal and chart of his route +from Rockhampton, but as he had told Captain Norman that no one was to be +allowed to do so, I was not permitted to make them. Having agreed with +Captain Norman to return to the depot tomorrow I was, having letters to +write and preparations to make for the next expedition, in a continual +bustle. + +February 7. + +I returned with Lieutenant Gascoyne to the Albert River depot. + +February 8. + +This was a busy day as we knew we were to abandon the depot in the +evening. By the assistance of Lieutenant Gascoyne and some of his men, +with two boats, we pulled the horses across the river. In the evening, as +soon as Messrs. Campbell and Wilson had hurriedly finished a copy for +Captain Norman of the notes I had made in my memorandum-book when on the +expedition to the south-west, the Firefly hulk was abandoned. Those of my +party I could not take overland accompanied Lieutenant Gascoyne, Captain +Norman having previously agreed to take them to their respective +destinations, namely: my late assistant commander, H.N. Campbell, to +Hobson's Bay, Victoria; Mr. Allison, and the aboriginal trooper, Charlie, +to Brisbane. Mr. Bourne and I accompanied them in Lieutenant Gascoyne's +boat down the river to our camp, where we bade farewell. + +February 9. + +Today we were busily employed preparing for our expedition. + +February 10. + +As there were mangrove mudflats in the neighbourhood of our camp the +mosquitoes were particularly troublesome; we hurriedly therefore made +preparations for leaving it. When we had packed up as many things as the +horses could conveniently carry the blacks paid us a visit, and we gave +them the remainder. 5.10 p.m. we started and came five and a quarter +miles upon well-grassed plains, and encamped near a fine waterhole. The +water was slightly brackish, but not so much so as to render it +undrinkable. The plains we crossed were slightly wooded. We came on the +following courses: 5.20 p.m. half a mile south-east; 5.35 p.m. +three-quarters of a mile east; 6 p.m. one mile east-south-east; 8 p.m. +three miles south. Distance five and a quarter miles. + +February 11. + +In consequence of having to repair packs and packsaddles we could not +manage to leave until 1.10 p.m. The three weeks' rest the horses had on +the rich pasture near the depot made a wonderful improvement in their +condition. They were so restive yesterday that several of them in +galloping and plunging did considerable damage to the packs and +packsaddles. As the tracks of Walker's party were so indistinct that I +could only see them when pointed out to me by the aborigines of our +party, I foresaw that it would be tedious if not impossible to follow +them to where Mr. Walker said he had left the tracks of Mr. Burke's +party. When we had come a short distance over fine well-grassed plains we +reached a saltwater creek, which we followed up a short distance, then +crossed it and encamped in haste, as we saw a heavy thunder-shower was +about to fall. Before leaving last camp I made an observation of the sun +and found its meridian altitude 86 degrees 3 minutes. The latitude is by +this observation 17 degrees 53 minutes. We came here on the following +courses: 1.40 south-east and by east, one and a half miles; 2.22 south +one and a half miles to saltwater creek; 2.25 north-east half a mile up +the creek; 2.50 south-west and by west, half a mile up the creek to ford. +Distance come today four and a half miles. + +February 12. + +Camp 2, which we left this morning at 7.20, is situated about seven miles +south-east from the Albert River depot. In our journey today, although we +often got off the tracks of Walker's party, we did not altogether lose +them. Near where we encamped tonight Jemmy saw a dead horse. From last +camp we came over well-grassed, lightly wooded plains for five miles, +then over flat country for four and three-quarter miles. The land was +covered with good grasses and wooded with box and excoecaria. What I take +to be excoecaria resembles the tree Mr. Walker describes as being +probably the gutta-percha. The box trees are similar to those that grow +near the Murrumbidgee River. In the middle of the day I halted to make an +observation of the sun. I made its meridian altitude 85 degrees 32 +minutes. The latitude is by that observation 17 degrees 59 minutes. +Afterwards we came out of the wooded country in one and a half miles, +then came over plains for four and a quarter miles, then crossed a +shallow watercourse and encamped. These plains had a higher elevation +than any we had seen since leaving the depot. The soil was rich and +luxuriantly covered with the best grasses, and slightly wooded with +white-wood. The white-wood I take to be the tree Mr. Gregory calls the +erythrina. We came here on the following courses: 9.20 five and a quarter +miles; 11.33 east-south-east four and three-quarter miles; 1.30 +east-south-east one and a half miles and crossed a shallow watercourse +from the west; 2.40 east-south-east for four and a quarter miles and +crossed another shallow watercourse; 2.5 east-south-east for +three-quarters of a mile over low lands liable to inundation. Distance +today sixteen and a half miles. + +February 13. + +Number 3, our last camp, was situated on the right bank of a shallow +watercourse. As one of the horses had barely recovered the effects of +travelling on stony country when on the expedition to the south-west, we +had this morning to put a shoe on one of his feet with screw nails; the +screws, in the absence of proper nails, answer tolerably well. We started +at 9.6 and, having passed over a rich, lightly-wooded plain about eight +miles, we reached the Leichhardt River at a part where the tide reaches. +This river seems to be fully larger than the Albert. The tracks of +Walker's party were so indistinct on the rich plains from so much rain +having fallen that I gave up hope of being able to follow them. We +coursed the river down three-quarters of a mile and found a shallow rocky +ford, but it was not available as the rocks were too slippery and the +opposite bank too steep. Near the ford we saw some articles belonging to +the blacks, and amongst them a piece of an old blanket that I fancied was +a part of one I had given to them at the Albert River. From the ford we +returned up the river and encamped near some small waterholes. The +direction we came today from last camp south-east by east; distance eight +miles. In the distance I may be a little out of my calculation, my watch +having stopped. This was particularly vexing as I had bought it expressly +for keeping the time while on this expedition. After dark we heard the +horses galloping and, as Jemmy, Jackey, and Fisherman thought blacks were +driving them away, I sent them to fetch them back; but they did not +disturb them as they were feeding quietly and no blacks were seen. + +February 14. + +We left Number 4 Camp this morning at 7.50. In following the river up +about seven and three-quarter miles to a basaltic ford, where the water +was fresh, we passed over rich well-grassed country, consisting chiefly +of plains, separated from each other by low wooded country. On the low +land we observed salt herbs, and pigweed, the proper name of which, I +believe, is portulac. We crossed the ford and camped on the opposite +side. The scenery here is picturesque; there is a fall of about thirty +feet with beautiful trees in its neighbourhood. The channel of the river +showed extensive old flood-marks and had plenty of water in it, but I had +to make a minute examination of it before I discovered the water was +running. In a fine deep hole below the fall Mr. Bourne and I intended +bathing, but had to go further, from hearing something like a large +animal plunge into the water. To the eastward I made an observation of +the sun from a short plain horizon; I made the altitude 84 degrees 45 +minutes, latitude 18 degrees 10 minutes 30 seconds. We came here on the +following courses: 8.35 south-east for two miles; 8.45 south half a mile +to boggy ground; 10.20 south half east three and a quarter miles; 10.35 +south half a mile and crossed a shallow watercourse from the west; 10.50 +east one mile and crossed another watercourse; 12.50 east half a mile and +crossed the Leichhardt River. + +February 15. + +We left Camp 5 at 7.58. At 8.20, having crossed one mile and a half over +a sandy flat, wooded with gum, fig, cotton, coral, white cedar, and other +trees, we reached the flat rocky bed of a large watercourse. 8.50 one +mile and a quarter up the creek and crossed it; then one mile and +three-quarters over a fine plain with grass, pigweed, and salt herbs. +10.5 one mile and three-quarters took us over a barren low ridge, with +rusty-gum, box, bloodwood, severn, and other trees, to a grassy +watercourse with fine little holes of water; from its being boggy we were +delayed in crossing until 10.25. One mile and a half over grassy flats +and across another watercourse coming from the eastward. 12.45, having +gone over poor ridges for five miles, we reached a fine, rich, flat +valley, luxuriantly covered with barley and other grasses; delayed until +1.58 while some of our party tried, without success, to shoot an emu. +2.30, having come about four and a quarter miles, we reached a +watercourse and encamped; the water flows from the north-east and shows +extensive flood-marks. The valley I named Neumayer. Direction today +east-south-east; distance sixteen miles. + +February 16. Sunday. + +Rested ourselves and horses. + +February 17. + +Left camp at 6.35. Four and a half miles took us across low land, wooded +chiefly with (what I take it to be) excoecaria; then a mile over +unwooded, gently-undulating ground, which extended up the valley to +little bald hills. The land is well grassed. A site near those hills +would answer well for a lambing-ground for a sheep establishment. Then a +mile over high grassy lands, wooded with gum, broad-leaved box, +white-wood, and other trees; then two miles further to near the base of a +hill that was remarked from its only being wooded on its summit; then +three and a half miles over undulating well-grassed ground to a small +watercourse from the west; then three miles over flat poor country, +thickly wooded with bloodwood and other trees; then three and a half +miles over poor low ridges, covered with triodia and other grasses, and +wooded with bloodwood, tea, severn, and other trees, to a small +watercourse, where we encamped. Direction today east by south half south; +distance sixteen miles. + +February 18. + +We left Camp 7 (marked by mistake 8) at 8.16 this morning. At 11.45 we +had come nine miles and a half over two kinds of country--the first and +largest part consisting of poor low ridges, covered with inferior grasses +and wooded with bloodwood, tea, and other trees; the second part +consisting of flat country, rich soil, well grassed, and wooded with +bauhinia and western-wood acacia. The acacia I have mentioned is called +gidya in some places of Australia. Then, after crossing, in half a mile, +a strip of unwooded country extending to the right and left of our +course, we halted for thirty-five minutes to try and get the sun's +meridian altitude, but did not succeed as the sun was obscured. Then, +after coming over poor low ridges covered with triodia and wooded chiefly +with tea trees for five and three-quarter miles, we reached at 2.45 a +ravine and encamped. Direction travelled this day east by south half +south. + +February 19. Camp 8, situated in a ravine from an adjoining tableland. + +In the rocky basin of the ravine I think water will always be found. We +left camp at 6.40 this morning and came in an east by south half south +direction. The country for a short distance was confined, but on +descending the valley it opened out into plains separated from each other +by isolated hills of a conical form. The tops of the hills were covered +by rocks which, from their appearance, were of a sandstone formation; the +lower parts of the hills were well grassed, the plains of rich soil, and +covered with a luxuriant green herbage. At 9.30, having come over the +plains on our old course for five miles from the isolated hills, we +reached the Flinders River. The river, we were glad to find, had been +recently flooded; in crossing we ascertained it had four channels, one of +which was running. As this was the river on the banks of which Mr. Walker +said he had found the track of Burke's party I thought it would be a good +plan to follow it up, and resolved to do so. At 10.10 from the opposite +bank of the river we came south two and three-quarter miles, which took +us over country wooded with box and terminalis to plains similar to those +I have described on the left bank of the river, with this difference that +on this side there were more flats and pigweed, salt herbs, and saltbush. +At 12 having halted I got the following observation: meridian altitude of +the sun 82 degrees, latitude 18 degrees 32 minutes 30 seconds. At 1.20 +south-south-east three and a quarter miles over rich well-grassed plains; +at 2.5 south-east and by south two and a quarter miles; at 13.13 +south-west and by south three miles through wooded, rich, flat country to +water, and encamped. Distance today nineteen and a quarter miles. + +February 20. Camp 9, situated on the right bank of an eastern channel of +the river. + +At this camp one of the mares foaled. Left camp at 7.46; at 8.10, having +steered south half east one mile, we reached the river; then changed our +course to south-south-east and at 8.38, having travelled one and a +quarter miles, we got out of the box and saltbush flats to unwooded +plains; delayed then until 9.33, whilst some of our party tried +unsuccessfully to shoot emu. At 10.30 came south-east one and a half +miles along a plain. At 11.30 came south-south-east two and a half miles +to a point of timber, then halted till 12.45 to make an observation of +the sun; at 1.20 came south-south-east one and a half miles over thinly +wooded plains. The plains in this neighbourhood are thinly grassed, which +I think is caused by a recent dry season; at 1.45 made south one and a +quarter miles over country that is more thickly grassed; at 2.20 came one +and a quarter miles south half west through flats wooded with box and +encamped. Distance today eleven and a quarter miles. The foal was so +active that it kept up with the horses on this day's journey. + +February 21. Camp 10, situated on the right bank of Flinders River. + +Started at 7.30 a.m.; at 7.56, having steered east-south-east a mile over +rich ground with box trees and saltbush, we reached well grassed land, +thinly wooded with white-wood, pomegranate, bauhinia, and other small +trees; 9.15 south-east one and a half miles over ground so green with +herbage that one of my companions said it resembled the banks of the +Murrumbidgee in spring; at 11.20 east-south-east five miles and a quarter +across an unwooded plain, and halted till 12.45 to make the following +observation: meridian altitude of the sun 81 degrees 33 minutes; latitude +18 degrees 55 minutes 30 seconds; at 1.30 we steered south-south-east two +miles over rich plains, covered in places with luxuriant young grass +having the appearance more of young barley than any other indigenous +verdure that I have seen elsewhere. At 2.30 came south two and +three-quarter miles and encamped. Distance today twelve and a half miles. + +February 22. + +We left Camp 11, situated on the right bank of the Flinders River at 7.47 +a.m.; at 8.50, having come south-east two and three-quarter miles through +a very rich thinly wooded country with herbage like that on old folding +ground in spring, we reached unwooded plains; at 9.20 came +south-south-east one and a quarter miles across a plain chiefly covered +with barley-grass; at 11.20 came south-east by south across plains for +five and a quarter miles to the edge of wooded country, and halted till +12.35; at that place I made the meridian altitude of the sun 81 degrees 1 +minute, latitude 19 degrees 6 minutes; at 1.2 came south-south-east one +and a quarter miles along a plain; at 2.17 thence south-east three miles +further along the plain, on which there was abundance of saltbush and +pigweed; at 3.35 came south half west over thinly wooded plains; at 3.50 +came south-west half a mile and encamped. Distance today seventeen and a +quarter miles. + +February 23. + +This being Sunday we rested ourselves and horses. In this neighbourhood +Jackey and Fisherman caught five possums. + +February 24. + +Left Camp 12 situated on the right bank of Flinders River at 8.52 a.m. +During last night and this morning the weather was showery. In the +morning the rain was accompanied by a strong east wind. Now that I am on +the subject of the weather I may mention that for some time past it was +so cool that although we were in the sun the hottest part of the day I +did not find the heat oppressive; at 10.5, having come south-east and by +south three miles, that course took us along a plain of the richest soil, +but thinly grassed, in consequence, probably, of a recent dry season; at +10.40, having changed our course to east, we came one and a half miles +and crossed a watercourse with large quantities of mussel shells on its +banks, but with no water in its channel; at 12.15, having changed our +course to south, we came over country, some of which was well grassed and +very green from the old grass having been burnt, for four miles. In this +distance we crossed several watercourses. Having left the party to look +at the river, in my absence a high hill was seen to the left of our +course. The banks of the river I found thickly wooded with western-wood +acacia; at 1.15 came south along the plain for two and three-quarter +miles, and delayed until 1.50 while the most of our party tried +unsuccessfully to shoot emu; at this place I observed the hill which had +been seen previously. It bore south-east by south from us. The hill I +named Fort Bowen; at 2.25 came south-east and by south over rich ground +for two miles. The vegetation in this neighbourhood seems nearly dead, +excepting the saltbush. To adjust the packs of one of the horses we +delayed here till 2.45; at 3.50 came 2 and three-quarter miles south and +encamped. Distance today sixteen miles. + +February 25. + +Number 13 Camp is situated on the right bank of the Flinders River at a +point about four miles distant from Fort Bowen and north-west and by west +from it. Looking from the camp, the hill had a long-topped aspect with +rather an abrupt western termination. During the night the weather was +showery and this morning rain fell, accompanied by a strong north-east +wind. Left camp at 8.47 a.m. and reached the base of Fort Bowen in four +and a half miles at 10.25. In coming that distance we crossed plains +which had, near the river, more herbs than grass; and near the hill more +grass than herbs. At the base we found springs surrounded by reeds and +clumps of tea-trees. Accompanied by Jemmy I ascended Fort Bowen, the rest +of the party proceeding up the river. From the summit I observed two +little hills in the distance bearing 60 degrees east of south. From the +density of the atmosphere no other hills were visible. Plains surround +Fort Bowen on all sides. Those on the west side of the Flinders River are +more thickly wooded than those on the east side. Fort Bowen, I should +say, is about 200 feet high. From its surface pudding-stone rocks crop +out. Almost immediately after descending we overtook the rest of the +party, halting near waterholes in which there were ducks. Jackey and +Fisherman had tried to kill some but without success; at 12.18 Mr. Bourne +and Jackey went to shoot at a large flock of cockatoos, the rest of us +proceeding on our journey; at 2.55 came south-east and by south over rich +plains with more herbs on them than grass at places, and more grass than +herbs at other places, seven miles, and encamped. Before we halted Mr. +Bourne and Jackey overtook us, loaded with cockatoos, of which they had +shot as many as they wanted as the flock did not fly away. Distance today +eleven and a half miles. + +February 26. + +Jemmy and Jackey went out early for the horses. Shortly after noon they +returned having only found a portion of them. They brought back two +snakes and ate them for dinner. Jackey was bitten by one of the reptiles +but so slightly that he did not think anything of it. Snakes are rare in +this part of the country. In my last expedition to the south-west I only +remember having seen one. In the evening Fisherman brought in the +remainder of the horses. The weather was showery, accompanied by +northerly wind for the greater part of the day. + +February 27. Number 14 Camp, situated on the right bank of the Flinders +River at a point about seven miles south-east and by south from Fort +Bowen. + +The weather during the night was showery, accompanied by northerly wind. +Left camp at 8.40. At 10.5, having crossed a plain in sight of the trees +on the banks of the river in an easterly course for three and +three-quarter miles, sighted hills, named by me Mount Brown and Mount +Little. At 11.40 came south-east and by east towards Mount Little for +four and a half miles, and reached a watercourse full of water from the +east. At 12.15, having come one and a half miles further in the same +direction, we halted till 12.30 for Jackey, who had gone to waterholes +surrounded by springs and clumps of tea-trees for the purpose of shooting +ducks. Jemmy and I left the party to ascend Mount Little, which is nearer +to the river than Mount Brown. We reached Mount Little in about a mile +and rode to its rocky summit. Its elevation is about fifty feet. The +rocks looked like granite, but on a closer inspection I found they were +of a stratified formation. From the mount nothing was observable except +Fort Bowen, Mount Brown, a little rise, and extensive thinly wooded +plains. Fort Bowen bore 58 degrees west of north, the small rise south +and by east. I built here a small cairn and scratched with a mussel shell +which I picked up at a blacks' camp (having no knife) my initials and a +broad arrow. Started again at 1.30 after the rest of the party, who had +gone on ahead. At 2.30 came south and by east half east, partly on the +tracks and partly with the main party, over thinly wooded plains for four +miles. At 2.30 came south one and three-quarter miles and encamped. I +never saw finer-looking herbage than that along our path today. If it +always rained when the grass required moisture this would be one of the +best places, if not altogether the best, in Australia. + +February 28. Camp 15, situated on the right bank of the Flinders River at +a point about six miles south and by east from Mount Little and Mount +Brown. + +Near this point the water in the river is deep with tea-trees growing +near, a good sign that the water is permanent. Last night we had a sudden +and heavy shower of rain. Fisherman and Jackey were not prepared for it, +consequently they got all their clothes and bedding wet; this however was +rather a subject of merriment than otherwise. We left camp at 8.8. At +8.55, having come east-south-east for two miles up the river, over rich +level ground, thinly wooded with box and (what I take to be) excoecaria, +and green with the following herbage: roley-poley, pigweed, saltbush, and +grass to plains. At 11.15 came five and three-quarter miles in the same +direction across plains intersected from the east by shallow +watercourses, outlets of the river during floods. At 12, having remained +behind the party with Jemmy, I got the following observation on a plain +horizon of about a mile in length, namely, meridian altitude of the sun +78 degrees; latitude 19 degrees 51 minutes 7 seconds. Started again at +7.43 and came east-south-east four miles on the tracks of our party along +an unwooded plain with plenty of old grass on it, now green from the +recent wet weather; and along a low sandy ridge, green with grass and +brushwood. This land evidently retains the moisture better than that of +the country down the river. At 2.40 came south-east and by east one and +three-quarter miles over level, well-grassed, and thinly-wooded land, +with the exception of a sandhill wooded with bauhinia. At 3.45 came south +one and a half miles over poor sandy land, badly grassed and thickly +wooded. At 4.15 came south-west and by south one and a half miles over +level country covered with roley-poley, pigweed, saltbush, and young +grass, and wooded with box and western-wood acacia to water, and +encamped. Distance eighteen and a quarter miles. + +March 1. Camp 16, situated on the right bank of the Flinders River. + +Left same this morning at 8.40. At 10.30 travelled five miles +east-south-east on an average course along the right bank of the river +over rich level land covered with roley-poley, pigweed, grass, and +saltbush, and wooded with box, terminalia, and other trees. At 11.20 came +south-east and by east over land such as I have just described for two +and a quarter miles. Halted with Jemmy and on a short plain horizon made +the following observation, namely, meridian altitude of the sun 77 +degrees 27 minutes; latitude 20 degrees 3 minutes 30 seconds. At 12.23 +started on the tracks of our party. At 12.58 came one and three-quarter +miles over sandy level land on which I observed, amongst other grasses, +tufts of kangaroo-grass. At 1.30, when we had come south-east one and a +half miles over an unwooded plain and very rich soil covered with +roley-poley, pigweed, saltbush, and luxuriant young grass, we overtook +our party. At 2.20 came south-east and east over an unwooded well-grassed +plain to a watercourse from the east, with long holes of water. Here a +black was observed in the distance. As this was the first whom we had +seen since leaving the depot, and as I never had observed tracks on +either this expedition or the one to the south-west which a thundershower +would not efface, I think there cannot be many blacks in the country near +the Gulf of Carpentaria. At 3 came east-south-east over rich low plains +with large patches of saltbush for two miles. At 3.35 came +south-south-east over slightly undulating land with abundance of grass, +and slightly wooded with trees and bushes, for two miles to a watercourse +from the east. On the country I have just mentioned grow bushes like the +garden-box, loaded with fruit pleasant to the taste. We broke branches +and ate the berries as we rode along. At 4.23 came up the watercourse a +quarter of a mile and crossed. This was a matter of difficulty as it was +boggy. At 5.20 came over rich level country with boggy watercourses from +the east and encamped. Distance today twenty and a quarter miles. + +March 2. Camp 17, situated on the right bank of the Flinders River. + +Tea-trees here fringe the channel which looks permanently watered. +Although this was Sunday we came up the river. I thought it as well to do +so, Mr. Bourne and Jackey, while they were away from our party shooting, +having observed a strong body of blacks. We started at 9 a.m. At 11 came +south-east and by east over rich level land, grassed with herbage and +wooded with box and bauhinia. At 11.15 came south half a mile and +encamped. It rained heavily so the work of packing up, saddling, packing +the horses, driving them over sloppy, boggy ground, unpacking them, and +making a fire with wet wood was anything but pleasant employment. +Distance today five miles. + +March 3. + +It rained so heavily that we remained here. The ground was so soft that +the horses, much as they are inclined for rambling, did not go further +away than a quarter of a mile. + +March 4. + +We started this morning at 8.20. Came east three-quarters of a mile over +rich level ground with a few trees upon it. The ground was so soft from +the rain that the horses were with difficulty driven along. From +following each other in single file and sinking at every step to their +fetlocks the track they made was so deep that it will not be easily +effaced. At 10.50 came south-east for five miles and a half across rich +plains with the greenest herbage; the plains separated from each other by +wooded land with shallow streams flowing to the northward. At 11.35 came +south-south-east two and a quarter miles up along a shallow stream with +slightly wooded plains on its banks. Here Jemmy and I stayed behind the +party and got the following observation, namely, meridian altitude of the +sun 76 degrees 3 minutes, latitude 20 degrees 19 minutes. At 12.45 came +across the plain on the tracks of the party two and a quarter miles. At +2.35 came at a quicker pace, as the ground was harder, for two and a half +miles south-east and by east, and crossed a shallow watercourse with +box-trees along its margin coming from the south. At 3.30 travelled over +rich plains separated from each other by wooded land with watercourses +from the south for one and a half miles south-east and by south. At 4 +came half a mile south-east and by south over thickly-wooded land and +overtook our party where they had formed their encampment. Jemmy, Jackey +and Fisherman were very successful in collecting food for their supper. +On the plains they caught a great number of rats, and near here they +caught five possums. Distance today eighteen and a half miles. + +March 5. Camp 19, situated on the right bank of Flinders River. + +The horses having rambled a considerable distance out on the plain Jemmy +and Jackey were a long time bringing them to camp, and we did not manage +to start this morning until 9.3. At 10 came over two kinds of +well-grassed country in an east and north direction for three miles, the +first part wooded with box and bauhinia, the second a plain between belts +of timber. At 11 came east-south-east across a plain to some extent +overrun with roley-poley to a deep stream flowing to the north. Here I +swam across to the opposite bank to a plain which appeared beautifully +level and made on it the meridian altitude of the sun 75 degrees 36 +minutes, latitude 20 degrees 23 minutes. Started again at 12.50 and came +up along the stream in a south-east direction one and a half miles over +well grassed land wooded with box to the outlet of a stream from the +river and encamped. Distance today seven and a quarter miles. + +March 6. Camp 20, situated on the left bank of a northern channel of the +Flinders River. + +The water having fallen greatly since yesterday we carried the saddles +and packs over and then led the horses. As the northern bank was boggy we +had to apply the whip severely to some of the horses to get them to +ascend it. At 9.57 a.m., having packed the horses, we started. At 10.58 +came east and by south up along the left bank of a watercourse with a +thin margin of box-trees for three miles. At 11.12 Jemmy and I left the +party and came south for three-quarters of a mile across a plain to the +right bank of the river where, halting, I made the meridian altitude of +the sun 75 degrees 6 minutes, latitude 20 degrees 31 minutes. At 12.40 +came half a mile north-east. At 1.12 come along a plain in a south-east +and by east direction one and a half miles to a deeper and broader outlet +from the river than the one we crossed in the morning. Overtook our party +here and assisted to unsaddle and unpack. The horses were then driven +into the stream and swum across. Afterwards we pulled the saddles and +packs across with a rope and encamped. We adopted the following plan for +taking them over the river. We attached the articles to the middle of a +rope and passed one end of it over the fork of a tree on the southern +bank; one end of the rope being pulled with sufficient force to keep the +goods clear of the water, and the other end pulled with much greater +force, the goods were safely landed on the southern bank. This would have +been accomplished easily if we had had a pulley, but as we had none it +took hard pulling to make the rope travel. The country we passed over has +the same rich character as the land I described yesterday. Distance today +four and a quarter miles. + +March 7. Camp 21, situated on right bank of Flinders River. + +Knowing that plains with just a sufficiency of trees for firewood and +shade has proved better than any other for pastoral purposes, this +country delighted me; but I must say it would please me more if there +were a few high hills in the distance. I was however charmed with the +landscape around the camp this morning. In the foreground I saw fine box, +excoecaria, and other trees festooned with beautiful cumbering creepers, +and beyond them the horses feeding on a fine grassy plain extending to +the north and eastward to apparently distant blue mountains. As the day +advanced this picture unfortunately lost a portion of its beauty by the +disappearance of anything like mountains in the distant horizon. We +started at 8.14 a.m.; and at 11.40 came east for ten miles along a plain +behind the wooded country near the river, but further back it is either +covered with roley-poley and pigweed or with young grasses which I am +afraid are annuals. Yet notwithstanding these drawbacks it is a very fine +country, and if care is taken by the future occupiers not to overstock it +sheep and cattle will do remarkably well upon it. When it is occupied it +should be improved by having seeds sown during the beginning of the wet +season to produce plants with deep roots which will take the place of the +annuals. If this was done and tanks and wells made in the back country +the land would probably carry at least twice the quantity of stock it +could now; but to get improvements of that character made a freehold +tenure would probably be required. At 11.40 Jemmy and I waited behind the +main party on this extensive plain and made an observation of the sun, +namely, meridian altitude 74 degrees 34 minutes; latitude 20 degrees 37 +minutes 30 seconds. Started on the track of our companions at 12.10; at +2.14 came south-east and by east for six miles over well-grassed plains +and overtook the main party. At a shallow watercourse surrounded by +rushes and polygonum I got off my horse to get a drink and carelessly let +him out of my hands. In a second he scampered off to the other horses. +Jackey however soon brought him back to me. At 2.50 came south-east for +about three-quarters of a mile and encamped. Distance this day sixteen +and three-quarter miles. + +March 8. Camp 22, situated on the right bank of the Flinders River. + +The river presents here a fine sheet of water; the channel has the +appearance of draining a large tract of country and is as large-looking +as the Nogoa River at its junction with the Comet River. Left camp this +morning at 8.1; at 8.55 came east and by south for two and three-quarter +miles along a plain behind the wooded country skirting the river to an +eastern channel of the river and delayed five minutes to get water; at +11.40 came north-east a mile and a half; then east five and a quarter +miles over gently undulating rich land, green with herbage and wooded +with box; crossed a small creek near its junction with the river; Jemmy +and I here left the party and cantered for two miles in a north-east +direction over high undulating rich ground with fine grass to a point +commanding an extensive view of the surrounding country. To the eastward +I observed about ten miles distant a line of wooded country which +probably fringes a stream flowing parallel to the Flinders River. Having +halted here I got the following observation, namely: meridian altitude of +the sun 74 degrees 8 minutes; latitude 20 degrees 48 minutes. Jemmy and I +started to overtake the party at 12.10; at 12.35 came south-east and by +east over well-grassed land for one and a quarter mile and observed the +recent tracks of a steer or cow; at 1.23 came south-east two and a +quarter miles to the river over two kinds of country--the first rich +undulating ground with good grass, the second clay flats covered with +grass and salt herbs and wooded with box. In that short distance we +crossed two watercourses from the east with good holes of water. Not +having found the tracks of our party we steered west-north-west and at +2.3, when we had ridden about two miles, we found them waiting for us. As +there was water and good grass here we encamped. Distance today sixteen +miles and three-quarters. + +March 9. + +As this was Sunday we rested ourselves and the horses; I make it a rule +to fare better on Sunday than on other days so we had for breakfast +damper, meat, and pigweed; for lunch, pea soup, and for dinner, cold rice +and jam. The country in this neighbourhood I named Hervey Downs. + +March 10. + +Today Mr. Bourne, Fisherman, and Jackey went in search of the beast that +I had seen traces of on Saturday. + +March 11. + +Mr. Bourne, Fisherman, and Jackey returned. From Mr. Bourne I got the +following report of their expedition: + +After following the tracts of the beast for about two miles down the +river they found it had crossed and travelled out on the plains in a +south-easterly direction; followed tracts for twenty miles to where they +turned nearly east. Up to this point they found water in several places +but, in running the tracks for fifteen or twenty miles further, found +none, and very reluctantly turned back (feeling satisfied that the beast +had got too much start of them) at 4 p.m. to water and encamped. They had +no rations excepting an iguana and a few mussels. These downs consist of +loose brown loam, thickly covered with ironstone pebbles, and would be +very good country if the roley-poley were not so prevalent. + +March 12. Camp 23, situated on the left bank of a shallow creek. + +A carbine with a broken lock, belonging to Jemmy, the police-trooper, was +left behind here. We started this morning at 8.25; at 8.50 came +south-east and by east one and a quarter mile and crossed the river at a +place where the water has a fall of several feet over flags of sandstone; +at 11.40 came east over rich well-wooded downs for eight and a quarter +miles. Jemmy and I having left our party and come about half a mile +south, I made the following observation, namely: meridian altitude 72 +degrees 33 seconds; latitude 20 degrees 41 minutes. Started after party +at 12.20. At 1.27 came east half north for two and a half miles over rich +undulating land to a watercourse. These downs are so sparse of trees that +a small belt of brushwood on the top of an eminence was a remarkable +feature. It is situated about a mile this side of the spot from which I +made my observation; at 3.20, when we had come up the creek on an average +south-east and by east direction for five and a half miles, we encamped. +The country we have seen today has decidedly undulating features and a +rich soil. Some of the flats were covered with roley-poley but the rest +of the country was grassed. Distance today eighteen and three-quarter +miles. + +March 13. Camp 24, situated on the left bank of a broad shallow +watercourse named by me O'Connell Creek. + +Started this morning at 7.35. When we had ridden up the creek about four +miles we found the tracks of the beast that Mr. Bourne tracked +south-easterly from the 23rd camp. After coming backwards and forwards +for some time we crossed O'Connell Creek, then came about three and a +half miles to the left bank of the Flinders River and abandoned the +tracks of the beast as they were going down the river. We followed up the +river for about four and a half miles. The first part of that distance it +was confined by stony ridges, wooded with acacias and other trees; in the +second part were large box flats with unwooded rising ground behind. From +our path along the rising ground we observed in the distance a number of +blacks near the river; and also observed, ahead of us to the eastward, a +long blue range which I found afterwards confined the river on its right +side. I named it Bramston Range. Afterwards we came over well-grassed +country of a similar character to that I have described last for about +five and three-quarter miles and encamped. All the country we have seen +today is well grassed with the exception of a few plains overrun with +roley-poley. I may remark also that birds, chiefly consisting of pigeons, +cockatoos, quail, and hawks, were seen in great abundance. Today we +travelled in the following courses: 7.35 south-south-east for four miles +up O'Connell's Creek; 1.35 north and by east for three and a half miles +to the river, east-south-east four and a quarter miles up the river; 3.30 +east half north for five and three-quarter miles; 3.50 north-east one +mile. Distance today eighteen and a half miles. + +March 14. Camp 25 situated on the left bank of a western channel of the +Flinders River. + +We started this morning at 7.37. When we had come seven miles over rich +well-grassed downs we observed a great number of blacks on a level flat +which extended to the southward. Mr. Bourne and I approached them and +they all ran away except some gins and children who hid themselves in a +waterhole. We remained near them for a short time and were joined by +Jemmy and Jackey. The gins and children soon abandoned their hiding-place +and assembled on the bank, where they had their coolamons filled with +rats. The old gins repeatedly offered the wives of the men who had run +away to us. Amongst the females whom I observed was a girl about ten +years old with a large bone stuck through the cartilage of her nose. We +declined the offer, although I daresay Jackey would have liked to have +taken one of the ratcatchers with him: but Jemmy said he would not, as he +does not approve of wedded life. He has seen it, I presume, under +disadvantageous circumstances. The young gins had fine eyes, white teeth, +and good expression. The children looked particularly lively and +intelligent. Jemmy understood a few words of their language but not +sufficient to get information from them. Their word for water, cammo, I +caught while we were getting them to fill our pint pots with water. After +bidding them farewell Mr. Bourne and Jackey proceeded after the +packhorses and Jemmy and I went up the flat to a place about three and a +half miles south of Bramston Range and, having halted, I made the +meridian altitude of the sun 71 degrees 45 minutes; latitude 20 degrees +29 minutes 16 seconds. Started after the main party at 12.20. We soon +found them as they had been obliged to stop to repair a saddle. Having +started again we came one and a quarter miles over rich downs very much +overrun with roley-poley. As we had been getting too far away from the +river we steered towards it, and having reached water in two and a half +miles we encamped. The country we passed over last consists of +well-grassed downs. In the water we got plenty of mussels which made an +agreeable addition to our rations. Distance today seventeen and a half +miles by the following courses: 11.50 east-south-east seven miles; 12 +south one and a half miles; 1.16 east-north-east one and a half miles; +2.40 east-south-east four and a quarter miles; 3.30 east-north-east two +and a half miles; 3.45 north-east and by east three-quarters of a mile. + +March 15. Camp 26 situated near a creek named by me Sloane Creek, at a +point about three miles south-east from Bramston Range. + +Started this morning at 8.15. Having come one mile and a half we reached +a small hill bearing 2 degrees 84 minutes from the south-west end of +Bramston Range and 50 minutes from table ranges up the river. On this +hill Jemmy and I stopped for some time and then proceeded after the main +party. Following their track led us over rich, high, unwooded downs for +five and three-quarter miles to a creek with a shallow broad channel. +This stream evidently flows towards the river. I named it Walker Creek. +After crossing Walker Creek we came over high downs for about twelve +miles, and having found water we encamped. Towards the river the country +is wooded with a kind of myall, but not the drooping acacia. Amongst it +the horses have gone to feed in preference to the open country. The +ground on this side of Walker's Creek is composed of a reddish soil with +occasionally detached pieces of basalt. It is covered with the best +grasses, the highest portions thinly wooded with small trees, amongst +which I observed white-wood, myall, and Port Curtis sandalwood. The Port +Curtis sandalwood has been exported, but as far as I have been able to +learn was not a profitable article. However it is first-rate for +firewood, giving a better light than other woods, and the perfume it +emits is disliked by mosquitoes. From our path today we observed that the +right side of the river was confined by wooded ranges extending without +prominent features from Bramston Range to table ranges near here. We +travelled on the following courses: 8.50 east and by north one and a half +miles to a little hill; 10.15 north-east and by east for three miles; +11.10 east-north-east two and three-quarter miles to Walker Creek; 3.10 +north-east twelve miles to encampment. Distance today seventeen and +three-quarter miles. + +March 16. + +Today Fisherman and I left the party in camp to ascend the lowest down of +the three table ranges on the right bank of the Flinders River. We +reached the left bank of the river in a north-north-east direction in +about two miles and a half. The river has a sandy level bed which is +about eighty yards wide. After crossing the river Fisherman marked a +gumtree growing at the bottom of the bank E broad arrow over L. From the +river we reached the base of the range in rather less than a mile. I +expected to find it of a sandstone formation with triodia on its surface, +but on ascending the range I found that, although it had a sandstone +formation, it was covered with a dark perforated basalt and at other +places with rich soil and good grass. From the summit I observed that the +river was joined at a short distance above this range by a tributary to +the south-east, and that the following hills bore in the directions +named: A high distant table range which I have named after Frederick +Walker, Esquire, my brother explorer, 130 degrees; a table range +three-quarters of a mile distant 90 degrees; a table range about three +miles distant 45 degrees; three conical hills on a range about seven +miles distant respectively 44, 43 and 39 degrees; a tent-topped hill +about seven miles distant 22 1/2 degrees; a hill with an irregular top +about nineteen miles distant 20 degrees; Bramston Range 245 degrees; +encampment 195 degrees. After descending the range we proceeded to the +junction of the creek and marked trees on both sides of the river just +above its junction. Between the hill and the river we found marjoram, a +plant that we have been searching for since we got our last supply at the +Leichhardt River, to use as a substitute for tea; and also found--what +interested us much more--the old tracks of an expedition party. The +tracks were very indistinct but, as Fisherman succeeded in following them +for a short distance to the north-west, I suppose that they were the +tracks of Walker's party when on their way from the Nogoa to the Albert +River. + +March 17. Camp 27, situated on the left bank of a southern outlet from +the Flinders River at a point about five miles south-south-west from the +table-topped ranges on the opposite side of the river. + +The horses were so much scattered that almost the whole of the forenoon +was spent in bringing them in. The main party left camp rather before +noon. Jemmy and I stayed behind to get an observation of the sun. Started +on the tracks of our party at 12.20. We came along unwooded, well-grassed +land at the back of country wooded with myall for three and a half miles, +then over country more overrun with roley-poley but otherwise of a +similar character for two miles to the termination of the myall. Here I +observed that we were about four and a half miles west from the end of a +range, which I suppose confines the river on its right bank, and +north-west from Frederick Walker's Table Mountain. After coming four and +a half miles we reached a place where there was plenty of good water and +grass with a high bank and encamped, as Gleeson was very unwell. The last +distance--four and a half miles--was over unwooded downs covered with +barley and other grasses. Came on the following courses: 1.30 south-east +three and a half miles; east-south-east two miles. 3.40 east-south-east +four and a half miles. Distance come today ten miles. + +March 18. Camp 28, situated near the left side of a watercourse of the +Flinders River at a point bearing 130 degrees from Frederick Walker's +Table Mountain. + +The horses were scattered almost as much as they were yesterday morning +and the most of the forenoon was spent in mustering them. Started at +10.35. When we had gone towards Frederick Walker's Table Mountain for +three miles Jemmy and I left our path on the high ground and went down on +a flat extending to the northward for about two miles, where, taking an +observation, I made the meridian altitude of the sun 70 degrees 13 +minutes, latitude 20 degrees 40 minutes 30 seconds. Started after the +main party at 12.15. Having ridden seven miles we reached Frederick +Walker's Table Mountain and ascended it. From its high summit I observed +that stretching across part of the horizon there was nothing to be seen +but plains. Along another part, on the south-eastern side, there was a +succession of ranges from which we bore in the following way: From the +end of the ranges in the distance 151 degrees; a distant range 147 +degrees; a red rocky hill about seven miles distant 140 degrees; a table +range about one and a half miles distant 103 degrees; a high distant +conical hill, the one that I probably saw from the table range near 27 +Camp, 5 degrees; the table ranges 310 degrees. We were thirsty and as we +did not know how far our party would have to go to get water for the +encampment I spent as little time as possible in making observations. +Having started after the main party we overtook them just as it was +getting dark. They had gone round the mountain and, as they had not found +water, they were proceeding to the north-east in search of it. Continuing +the same course we reached at 8 p.m. water and encamped. The land we +passed over today is good; the soil is a rich reddish loam. The country +consists of downs luxuriantly covered with good grasses except at places +which are overrun with roley-poley. These downs are thinly wooded in +places with myall, white-wood, and Port Curtis sandalwood. Frederick +Walker's Table Mountain is of a sandstone formation and is covered at +places with triodia. On the southern side of it there is a dry +watercourse which rises from the northward. At many places in coming up +this river we have observed a most interesting vine which produced pods +of beautiful silky cotton. As the pods were pleasant to eat we were on +the continual lookout for it. Distance today about eighteen miles. + +March 19. Camp 29, situated on flat ground on the left side of a small +watercourse at a point bearing in the following way from the following +ranges: one end of Frederick Walker's Table Mountain about five miles +distant, the other end about four miles distant, 245 degrees; one end of +a table range about one and a half miles distant from Frederick Walker's +Table Mountain 199 degrees; the other end 192 degrees; the end of a long +table range 160 degrees. + +Jemmy was so unwell this morning that we had to delay some time before he +could proceed. Started at 9.52 a.m. Having come three miles north-east we +waited for some time as Gleeson was too unwell to travel. Afterwards we +proceeded about two miles and encamped. The land we saw today was on the +whole well grassed; the flattest portions of it are wooded with myall, +Port Curtis sandalwood, and western-wood acacia. The country looking from +the unwooded plains is beautiful and with luxuriant herbage; the +surrounding isolated ranges lends an interest to the scenery. The river +has here a sandy channel about 120 paces wide with a shallow stream +meandering along its almost level surface. + +March 20. + +Camp 30, situated on the left bank of the Flinders River at the +north-west base of an isolated range bearing the following way from the +following ranges: one end of Frederick Walker's Table Mountain about +eight miles distant 2 degrees 36 minutes; the other end 2 degrees 23 +minutes; a range about six miles distant 209 degrees; a little isolated +hill 193 degrees; north-west end of a table range about five miles +distant 189 degrees; north-west end of a table range about two miles +distant 174 degrees; south-east end 149 degrees. This morning I was glad +to find that Gleeson and Jemmy had recovered sufficiently to start on the +journey. We started at 10.12. After crossing the river we followed it up +on its opposite bank in an east direction for one and a half miles and +crossed it at the end of the range on the left bank. We then followed up +a creek I named Jardine's Creek in a north-east and east direction for +five miles and encamped. From camp Fisherman and I went west-north-west +for two miles and a half to the top of a range bearing as described from +the following ranges: a distant conical range (probably the one observed +from near 27 Camp) 3 degrees 48 minutes; the end of Frederick Walker's +Table Mountain 245 degrees; the other end 238 degrees; the place where +Fisherman thought Jardine's Creek joined the river 255 degrees. The +country we saw from our path along the right bank of the river was not, +of course, extensive, but what we saw was flat, covered with long grass, +and wooded with bloodwood and gum. These trees were the largest I have +seen in this part of the country, and almost the only ones I have seen +since leaving the depot at all well-adapted for building purposes. The +country in the valley of Jardine's Creek is most beautiful. It is thickly +grassed and in some parts without trees; in others thinly wooded or +wooded with clumps of trees. The hills on both sides of the valley are +picturesque. Distance today six and a half miles. + +March 21. + +Fisherman and I left camp this morning and went south-east for fourteen +miles. The first four miles took us over the range to the head of a +creek, the next five miles down the creek, and the next five miles to the +left of the creek. We then went south-west to the creek and selected a +place for the next encampment. Then, returning to depot camp, we followed +up the creek, and it took us in a north half west direction for five +miles to our outward tracks. Then, returning by our track to camp, we +reached it by travelling for an hour after dark. In going and returning +we spent nearly twelve hours on horseback. At camp I was sorry to learn +that Gleeson was still very unwell. The country on the other side of the +range is nearly level; back from the creek it is chiefly overgrown with +triodia and wooded with ironbark. The ironbark-trees are the first I have +seen on this expedition. Near the creek and at some places for a mile +back from it the soil is rich with luxuriant good grass, except at places +where it is thickly wooded with western-wood acacia and Port Curtis +sandalwood where the herbage is not so rank, but the saltbush amongst it +is a good sign of its having the most fattening qualities. The ranges on +the southern side of the valley are not so good as the ranges on the +northern side, the former are more sandy and are not so well covered with +rich basaltic soil. + +March 22. Camp 31, situated on the right bank of Jardine Creek at a point +about five miles above its junction with Flinders River. + +Started this morning at 10.20; at 3.20 p.m. reached the place I had +chosen yesterday for our encampment and unsaddled. Gleeson had so much +recovered that he did not complain of fatigue during the day's journey. +Distance today fourteen miles. + +March 23. + +As this was Sunday we rested ourselves and horses. Gleeson and Jemmy +still unwell; the former very weak and complaining of want of appetite +and sleep. + +March 24. + +Today we followed the creek down for about fifteen miles and +three-quarters and encamped at a fine waterhole. All along the creek +there are fine deep waterholes. The channel is a kind of sandstone +formation, particularly good for retaining water. About eight miles above +here the creek is joined by another watercourse, about the same size, +from the north-west. I have named it Coxen Creek. The country is not so +level as it is higher up the creek. The soil is very good with grass, +saltbush, and herbs. Sheep or cattle will do well on it but it will not +carry much stock to its acreage as it is confined at many places by +ridges with triodia and only a small proportion of other grasses. Triodia +is certainly better than nothing, as stock will eat it when it is young, +and at other times will eat it rather than starve. The best part of the +country is thickly wooded with acacia and other small trees. This would +not be objectionable where blacks were quiet and where it is not +necessary at times to run sheep in large flocks; but in the first +occupation of the country it will be so, as labour will probably be +scarce. We travelled today at our usual pace from 8.27 a.m. to 1.55 p.m. +Gleeson was so much recovered that he did not complain of fatigue. We +came here on the following courses: 9.27 south-east for two and +three-quarter miles; 11.10 south-south-east five miles to the junction of +Coxen Creek; 1.55 south-south-east eight miles. + +March 25. + +Started at 8.15 this morning. Came down the right bank of the creek for +about fifteen miles and encamped at 2.53. The creek has fine deep holes +of water. The channel generally is confined by sandstone at places by +shelving rocks a few feet high and inaccessible for horses. Here the +channel is broad and sandy; about seven miles below the last camp it is +joined by a smaller watercourse from the north-west named by me Raff +Creek. The country we saw from our path was mostly good. It consists of +well-grassed, thinly-wooded flats, separated from each other by belts of +Port Curtis sandalwood, bauhinia, and other small trees, and at other +places by low ridges with triodia. The country in the immediate +neighbourhood consists of low ridges of poor soil with numerous rocky +gullies. These ridges are chiefly wooded with ironbak and grassed with +triodia. We traversed down the creek in the following way: 9.25 +south-south-east three and a quarter miles; 11.4 south two and +three-quarter miles to Raff Creek; 1.30 south five and three-quarter +miles; 2.10 south-east and by south one and a quarter miles to a small +creek from the north-west; 3.54 south two miles to here. + +March 26. + +We left camp this morning at 8.45. When we had travelled at our usual +pace till 1.45 we encamped at a small creek from the north-east. We +stopped here as we found dray-tracks near the creek that I wanted to +trace. After unsaddling Fisherman and I traced them a short distance to +the north-east. The tracks were made probably by the parties who have +occupied Bowen Downs. Bowen Downs is a fine tract of country that Mr. N. +Buchanan and I discovered about two years ago. The country we passed over +today is easily described. It is undulating poor land of a sandstone +formation, grassed with triodia and wooded with ironbark and bloodwood. +Having left the creek on which we encamped last night our course today +took us back onto high ground from which, descending, we reached this by +the following courses: 11.45 south-south-west eight and three-quarter +miles; 1.45 south five and three-quarter miles. Distance come today +fourteen and a half miles. In a waterhole near camp Mr. Bourne caught a +great quantity of small fish, an agreeable addition to our fare, and from +the same waterhole Fisherman got a quantity of mussels for our breakfast +tomorrow. + +March 27. Camp 35, situated on the right bank of a small well-watered +creek at a point about half a mile above its junction with a larger creek +from the north-west. + +Jackey and I left camp this morning at 9. When we had gone down the creek +in a southerly direction for two and three-quarter miles we left it and +went west, expecting to find the tracks of our party as I had asked Mr. +Bourne to steer south-south-west; but, not finding the tracks, we +returned to camp and reached it at 1.15. At camp we learned that the +horses were only mustered a few minutes before our arrival. In my ride +with Jackey down the creek I saw the recent tracks of a cow or steer +(probably made by the beast that had been on the Flinders River). I would +have tried to have found the beast with a view of killing it for the +benefit of our party, but from seeing the dray-tracks near the camp I +thought this was unnecessary as I was convinced we were near a station. +Before leaving the subject of the beast I may mention that it may have +been taken from the Darling to one of the stations on the head of the +Burdekin and, having strayed from there to the Flinders River, was now on +its way back. Started from camp at 1.45 p.m. When we had come a mile we +crossed a creek flowing to the northward. On both sides of the creek +there are stony ranges grassed with triodia and wooded with ironbark. +After leaving the creek we crossed the ridges and came on land with a +good deal of rich soil and wooded with belts of myall, Port Curtis +sandalwood, and western-wood acacia. About these scrubs the grass is very +good and there is a luxuriant undergrowth of saltbush and salt herbs. +When we had come four miles from camp we sighted to the south-west a +small isolated hill and went towards it. When we had crossed about three +and a half miles over country like what I have just described we reached +the isolated hill and Mr. Bourne and I ascended it. It is surrounded by +rich, well-grassed, high downs, wooded at places with small belts of +myall. The shape of the hill is like an artificial mound with the ruins +of a tower on its summit. It is so like a hill I saw when I was last on +Bowen Downs that I almost fancied it the same. The hills in this +neighbourhood however do not correspond with those in my chart. About +four and a half miles to the north-north-west we observed two +table-topped hills, and in the distance to the south-south-east a hill +which may be the Simon Pure Tower-hill. From the hill we came east half +north two and a half miles and encamped. + +March 28. + +We started this morning at 8.55. When we had come about sixteen miles we +reached Tower-hill. On its summit I found a small tree that I remembered +Mr. N. Buchanan had marked L when on my first expedition to this part of +the country. Almost half the way to Tower-hill was wooded with myall and +western-wood acacia. In the middle of that wooded country we crossed a +range and observed unwooded downs to the right of our path. The remainder +of the way was rich undulating ground slightly wooded with trees and +grassed with the best grasses. To the left of our course there was low +ground wooded at places with box, and at other places with western-wood +acacia. From the range in the first part of the way Tower-hill bore +south-east and by south, and a little range south-south-east (the latter +is about one and a half miles west-south-west from Tower-hill). After +descending Tower-hill we came half a mile and encamped. In a waterhole +near camp Mr. Bourne and I while bathing found mussels in abundance; but +as our caterers, of whom Mr. Bourne was the chief, had shot two turkeys +we did not gather any mussels. We came on the following courses: 10.30 +south four miles to a range; 12 south-south-east two and three-quarter +miles to open downs; 2.45 south-east eight and a quarter miles to +Tower-hill; east half a mile to encampment. Distance today sixteen and a +half miles. + +March 29. + +From last camp we reached Landsborough's Creek in twenty-three and a half +miles. I expected today to have reached a station that Mr. Buchanan when +I left Brisbane told me he intended forming on this creek. I told my +party to expect that we would here get fresh provisions. When we had +travelled upwards of ten miles from last camp, and in that distance only +saw the appearance of a single horse track, I came to the conclusion that +Mr. Buchanan had taken no stock up the creek, and changed our course so +as to strike it lower down. Further on Mr. Bourne, Gleeson, and I felt +confident we were on stocked country; but this impression was soon +changed by Fisherman telling us that he believed the grass had been eaten +off by grasshoppers. The country we crossed today is a rich soil and is +wooded along the watercourses with box, and at other places with a few +bushes. Near the creek the land is flat and badly grassed, but back from +the creek the land is undulating and well grassed. From our path we saw +on both sides of us table ranges which gave a charm to the landscape. We +came here on the following courses: 11.20 south-west and by south eight +miles; 12.10 west one mile; 12.48 south-south-west one and three-quarter +miles; 1.20 south one and a half miles; 2.35 south-east three and +three-quarter miles; 5.25 south seven and a half miles. + +March 30. + +This being Sunday we rested ourselves and horses. + +March 31. Camp 38 situated on the left side of Landsborough's Creek at a +place about two miles north of a table range on the opposite bank. + +We started this morning at 10.25. When we had followed down the left bank +of the creek we crossed Cornish Creek a short distance above its junction +with Landsborough's Creek. It had been recently flooded, and although the +ford was a good one the stream was still about three feet deep. Below the +junction of this creek the watercourse is called Landsborough's River. +(Lower down we ascertained it was called the Thomson River.) On the left +bank of Cornish Creek there are wooded ranges extending for several miles +down the river. After leaving these ridges our path down the left bank of +the river went over rich undulating ground with good grass and a few +belts of box-trees. On the opposite side of the river there is a +considerable extent of wooded country. On our journey one of the packs +having partly broken loose so frightened the horse carrying it that he +galloped off, and was not recovered until he had scattered his load, +consisting of medicines and peas, broadcast on the plain. The medicine +was recovered but the bulk of the peas were lost. About ten miles before +I reached camp I made the meridian altitude of the sun 63.18, on a good +land horizon; latitude 22 degrees 27 minutes 39 seconds. We came here on +the following courses: 10.20 south-east and by east two and three-quarter +miles; 11.40 south-south-east four miles; 12.45 south-south-east two +miles to ---- Creek; 3.20 south seven and a quarter miles. Distance today +sixteen miles. + +April 1. + +We started this morning at eight. When we had come down along the left +bank of the river about eight miles Jemmy and I left our party and went +back to the unwooded downs. These downs extend as far as the eye can +reach to the eastward. Before we had gone far we found the recent tracks +of an exploring party, and instead of rejoining our party we followed the +tracks to see where they led, which appeared to be in the direction of +some untimbered hills on the left bank of the Aramak Creek. After leaving +the tracks we made for the river, and reached it at a point a short +distance above an old camp of mine where there is a tree marked L over +LXIX. At the river we found we had overshot our party, so we had to +follow the river up to find their encampment. Our path today went fifteen +miles over unwooded, undulating, rich ground bearing abundance of grass; +then eleven and a half miles over a country with higher undulations and +good grass, with myall, western-wood acacia and Port Curtis sandalwood. +We went by the following courses: 11.20 south eight and three-quarter +miles; 2.20 south and by east six and a half miles; 3.24 south-south-west +two and a half miles; 4.45 south-west four miles; 5.7 west one mile to +the river; 5.25 north-north-west three-quarters of a mile to marked tree; +6.30 north-west and by north three miles to encampment. Distance +travelled by Jemmy and myself today twenty-six and a half miles. + +April 2. + +We started this morning at 8.15 and travelled down the river till six in +the evening, journeying later than usual to get out of the neighbourhood +of some blacks that we passed about seven miles back from here. At a +place about fourteen and a half miles back I halted with Jackey and made +an observation of the sun; afterwards, when we had nearly overtaken the +party, I observed the blacks were near them. We galloped towards them to +make them run away; but instead of doing so they remained and received us +in a friendly manner and offered us their spears and boomerangs. I let +Jackey take a spear and two boomerangs; the spear we wanted for making +ramrods; in return for their presents I gave them a tomahawk. These +blacks are fine, tall, powerful fellows. When we overtook the party Mr. +Bourne informed me that the blacks had followed it for about three miles, +and that one of them, a powerfully built man about six feet high, had +been so very bold that he (Mr. Bourne) had repeatedly fired over his head +without causing him any alarm; and that on one occasion, on looking +round, he saw him apparently in the act of throwing his boomerang at him. +These blacks told Jemmy, who understood their language, that they had +seen nothing of any explorers with camels. When we were unsaddling I was +sorry to find that we had not got out of the neighbourhood of the blacks +as I observed some of them were watching us from behind some trees close +at hand. Jemmy told them that I was very angry at them for following us. +In reply they said I was mistaken, that they had not followed, they had +never seen us before. Shortly afterwards Jemmy had a long conversation +with them during which they informed him they had seen a party of +explorers to the eastward, but that they had never seen any with camels +or drays. When they left they assured us they would not return until +morning. A place that we passed about nine miles up the river bears east +and by north from a conical hill which is on the right bank of the river, +and west and by south from a table range near our path on this side of +the river. Besides this table range there are isolated ranges distant +from one to three miles from each other and extending along the left bank +of the river from our last camp. On the opposite bank (the right bank) +there were no hills in sight except the conical hill already mentioned +and a range near our present camp. Rich undulating ground, covered with +good grass and slightly wooded with myall, western-wood acacia, and Port +Curtis sandalwood, extends from the ranges in many places to the left +bank of the river. Near the junction of Aramak Creek I made the meridian +altitude of the sun 62 degrees 2 minutes, the latitude 22 degrees 58 +minutes 29 seconds. We came here on the following courses from last camp: +9.15 a.m. south-east and by south for three miles to old camp; 11.20 a.m. +south-south-east for five and a half miles to Aramak Creek; 1.50 p.m. +south-west for two and a half miles; 2.50 p.m. south-south-east for three +miles; 3.20 p.m. south-west for one and a half miles to creek from +south-east; 5.15 p.m. south-west for five miles to another creek from +south-east; 6.15 p.m. south and by east for two and a half miles. +Distance twenty-three miles. + +April 3. Left Camp 41, situated on the left bank of the river at a place +between two isolated ranges. + +One of the ranges is on the left bank; I have named it Mackenzie Range. +The other, on the opposite bank, I have named Herbert Range. From camp +the south end of Mackenzie Range bears 45 degrees, and the south end of +Herbert Range 235 degrees. The four blacks who left us yesterday evening +paid us a visit as soon as it was light this morning; they were very +communicative and informed us that the river flowed to the southward, +that it was joined about two days' journey from this by a large river +from the north-east; that a long way down the river the country was sandy +and destitute of grass, and that beyond the ranges in sight there were no +hills. They said further, on being asked if they knew of any country to +the westward without grass, that they had not seen or heard of any +country of that description in such direction. We started this morning at +8.45 and at 3.43 p.m., having travelled sixteen miles along the left bank +of the river, we camped. The country we saw during the forenoon was of an +undulating character and the soil rich, with myall and western-wood +acacia. The grass was good, but from the absence of rain not so fresh +looking as higher up the river. Our path in the afternoon lay near the +river over low ground, wooded with box, having an undergrowth of saltbush +and polygonum. To the eastward there was fine undulating open country. +Somewhere above here I think it is probable that the river is joined by a +larger stream from the westward as it is now quite unfordable and about +sixty feet in width. We came in the following courses from last camp: +9.45 south-south-east for three miles; 11 south for three and a half +miles; 1.20 south-south-west for three miles; 3.15 south-west for five +and three-quarter miles; 3.43 south-south-west for three-quarters of a +mile. + +April 4. + +We left Camp 42 at 8.35 a.m. and travelled in the back country from the +river. I steered in the forenoon about two points off what I considered +was the probable course of the river, and intended returning to it in the +afternoon; unfortunately however I left the main party in the middle of +the day and omitted to tell Mr. Bourne to change the course if necessary +to reach the river. When I overtook the party I altered the course and at +3.20 p.m. reached a creek that probably drains a great deal of back +country. As there was water in its channel we encamped. The creek I named +Stark Creek. Before we reached here we crossed two other creeks; the +first I named Salton Creek and other Isabella Creek. The country we +passed over from our last camp consists chiefly of high and wooded downs, +and though the soil was rich the grass and saltbush, from the want of +rain, was rather dry. The country near the watercourses is wooded with +myall, western-wood acacia, and Port Curtis sandalwood. We came here in +about the following courses: 10.27 south-south-west for four and +three-quarter miles to Salton Creek; 11.5 a.m. south-south-west for one +and three-quarter miles to Salton Creek; 11.30 a.m. south-south-east for +one and a half miles to Isabella Creek; 12 a.m. south-south-east for one +and a half miles; 12.35 a.m. east one mile; 12.50 a.m. south-east for one +mile; 1.55 p.m. west-south-west for three miles; 3.30 a.m. +south-south-west for three and a half miles to Stark Creek. Distance +today eighteen miles. + +April 5. + +We left camp this morning at 8.20 a.m. The Camp 43 is situated on the +right bank of Stark Creek. We travelled in the first instance slightly to +the westward of south with the view of reaching the river. In a few miles +we crossed a large watercourse at present dry but with extensive +flood-marks and heaps of mussel-shells on its banks. This creek I named +Porteous Creek. A few miles further in the same direction we crossed a +small watercourse which apparently joins Porteous Creek. The banks are +wooded with myall. Behind these belts of myall the country rises in +gentle undulations, the soil is rich, almost without trees, and from the +appearance of the grass it was evident there had been no rain for a long +time. In the afternoon we went north-westerly and by that course reached +the river; then after following it down for a short distance we encamped. +The appearance of the grass we saw in the afternoon was fresher than that +we had seen earlier in the day; and near the river, where the low ground +had been flooded, the herbage was quite green. Shortly after we encamped +a middle-aged blackfellow, two youths, and two little boys paid us a +visit; they were very friendly but we did not get any information from +them. From last camp we came here on the following courses: 9.20 +south-west for two and a half miles; 10 south-west by west for one and +three-quarter miles to Porteous Creek; 10.50 west-south-west for two and +a quarter miles to a small creek; 11.30 west for one and three-quarter +miles; 11.40 north for half a mile; 12.43 south-west for one and +three-quarter miles; 2.23 west for five miles; 2.43 north-west for one +mile; 3.23 west-north-west for two miles; 4.23 south-west for two and a +half miles. Distance twenty-one miles. + +April 6. + +As this was Sunday and we did not think the blacks numerous or dangerous +in the neighbourhood we rested ourselves and horses. The elderly +blackfellow and one of the others we had seen yesterday paid us a visit, +and in the course of the day he brought the others of his party and a man +about his own age whom we had not seen before. He made me understand that +his elderly friend wanted to see a gun so I gratified his curiosity. The +boys did not run away as they had done when they saw me fire a shot on a +previous occasion. The blacks examined with great curiosity our equipment +and accepted greedily everything we gave them but did not steal anything. +Mr. Bourne gave our newest acquaintance a shirt which pleased him very +much. They relished some food he gave them and said "Thank you sir" upon +Jackey making them understand it was proper to say so. The presents which +pleased them most were a broad file, a needle and thread, a broken glass +bottle, and clothes. The file they could make a better tomahawk of than +their stone ones; the broken glass bottle they would use for knives or +wood scrapers. We did not give them many clothes as cold weather had +warned us we had none to spare. Jemmy, on further acquaintance with the +blacks, found they could speak a language he understood. + +April 7. Bowen Downs. + +We left 44 Camp at 7.20. When we had gone about one and three-quarter +miles south Jackey and I waited behind to take an observation of the sun. +I made its meridian altitude A.H. 118 degrees 12 minutes (I did not take +notice of the index error) the latitude is by that observation. This +morning the blacks told Jemmy of a well-watered road leading to the +southward. On that river they said the blacks had clothes and it was from +them they got their iron tomahawks. When we had come about one and +three-quarter miles Jackey and I remained behind the others. Before the +party left I told Mr. Bourne to let Jemmy lead in the direction that the +blacks had pointed out to him. After making an observation of the sun we +followed the tracks of our party. When we had ridden a short distance +over undulating country we reached plains. Further on we crossed a creek +which, although now dry, had evident signs of being well watered in good +seasons. The holes were deep and mussel shells were abundant on its +banks. I named it Bourne Creek. The party, after going up the creek for +some distance, went in a straight course to the south-east; when Jackey +and I overtook them we learned that Jemmy was leading the way to some +smoke they had seen in the distance. After steering in that course we +reached at dark a water channel but, as there was no water in it, I told +Fisherman and Jemmy to guide us back to our last camp. After travelling a +considerable distance, and when I thought we ought to be near our camp, I +ascertained our guides had not the slightest idea of our situation. As I +had been misled by them, and had paid no attention to the route we had +come, I was rather at a loss which way to go. I judged however that the +horses would take us to the river, so let them go their own way. At 4 in +the morning, when we had travelled for some time in a north-east +direction, we stopped and tied up the horses till 7.10. Yesterday we went +in the following courses: 11.35 south for one and three-quarter mile; +1.49 south for two and a quarter miles to Bourne's Creek; 2.25 south and +by east for one and three-quarter mile; 2.50 south by west for one and a +quarter mile; 3.40 south-east for two and a half miles; 4.10 south and by +east for one and a half miles; 6.30 south-east for six and a quarter +miles to dry watercourse. Total distance seventeen and a quarter miles. + +April 8. + +We started for camp this morning and reached it in about eight and a half +miles. The country we saw in this journey in search of water, in the +direction of the river to the southwards, only wants a few showers to +make it look as fine pastoral country as can be found anywhere. Upon +examining my sextant I found the index error was 39 degrees 1 minute. +Before I reached the Gulf of Carpentaria it was damaged during the wreck +of a Firefly, and Lieutenant Woods kindly repaired it. I now meant to +adjust it and in doing so I was so unsuccessful as to make it useless. We +came this morning on the following course to camp: 8.40 west for four +miles; 9 north-west by west one mile to our outward track; 10.10 south +three and a half miles to camp. + +April 9. + +Jemmy and I left camp this morning, 9.5, in search of water on the route +we wanted to go. We went along the plains on the left bank of the river +in a south and west direction for eight miles. We expected to find in +that distance a well-watered river which Jemmy understood the blacks to +say formed the river a short distance below the camp. As we had not found +it there we went west and reached the river in about four and a half +miles. We then followed it down for about two miles in a southward +direction where we found the blacks we had seen up the river. Upon +telling them we had not found water back from the river, and that we now +wanted them to show us the road to the next river and would give them a +tomahawk and a shirt for doing so, they promised if we would bring our +party down the river they would do so. We saw here two old gins and a +little girl whom we had not seen before. One of the gins was a +disfigured-looking object; she had lost her nose and lips. The little +girl was about four years old; she had good features and was fat and +plump. To please the blacks we let one of the little boys ride a horse +for a short distance. After asking them to remain in this neighbourhood +we returned to camp. + +April 10. + +As I imagined, Gregory's party had traced the Thomson River to its head. +I did not suppose this river was it. I determined, as we had used the +most of our stores, to leave the river if possible and start for the +settled districts. It was very vexatious to come to this resolution as +the river was flowing almost in the direction of Burke's starting point +on Cooper's Creek. We left Camp 44 at 9.50 a.m. and reached the place we +had arranged to meet the blacks in about fourteen miles. It took us, +travelling steadily exclusive of stoppages, five hours to reach it. The +blacks were waiting for us and conducted us about half a mile further +down the river to a good place for our encampment. I gave a pound of +flour to one of the blackfellows. He is going tomorrow on foot to see if +there is water in the waterholes on the road to Barcoo River. Jemmy made +flour into a cake and the blackfellow and his companions ate it with +avidity. I gave the blacks a comb, and Jackey pleased them very much by +combing their hair. + +April 11. + +Two of the blacks started this morning along the line they intend taking +us if they can find water for the first stage. I spent a considerable +time in repairing my sextant. I got it so near right that the index error +was only four minutes, but after fastening it with a thread I found the +error was increased. This evening the blacks returned and reported that +the waterholes they had gone to see were empty. They told us of two +practicable roads to the Barcoo River. One by Stark Creek from a place up +the river, the other from a place down the river; the latter we +determined to try. + +April 12. + +We left Camp 45 at 8.30. Two of the blacks accompanied us down the river +to show us the road to the Barcoo River. At first they walked, but +afterwards I gave them a horse to ride alternately. The oldest of the two +liked riding so much better than walking that he made his young companion +walk the most of the way. When we had come about thirteen miles we +encamped. About a mile above here we passed some blacks whom our guides +stopped with. Afterwards the eldest of the blackfellows came in the +evening for some flour for himself and his companions. The country we +have seen since leaving 44 Camp has undulating features but no hills. The +soil rich, but vegetation dry from want of rain. We came he today on the +following courses: 11 west-south-west six and a quarter miles; 1.20 +south-west two and three-quarter miles; 2.50 south-south-west four miles +to camp. + +April 13. Camp 46. + +46 Camp is situated near the eastern channel of the river. The marked +trees are on the left bank. We are glad to find that one of our guides, +who was named Wittin, had determined to accompany us. He brought an +intelligent-looking white-headed old man to the camp, and a fine tall +well-proportioned young gin with a little boy, the two latter remaining +some distance from the camp. Wittin showed his friend our guns, +water-bottles, and other things as if he were quite familiar with them. +Before starting we went to see the gin and the little boy. She was very +timid and ran away when we approached near to her. We left camp at 9.30 +and followed down the left bank of the river about nine and a half miles +and encamped. The country we saw today has undulating features with rich +soil, dry grass, and box-tree. Near the river just above here there are +sandstone ridges with western-wood acacia and Port Curtis sandalwood. +Wittin told Jemmy that he had seen to the eastward of here about ten +moons ago a party of travellers consisting of four white men and four +black men. He got a shirt from them, but they did not give him any bread. +Wittin wanted to return because of the unpleasant effects of the riding, +which was new to him. We came here on the following courses: 11.30 +south-west for five and a quarter miles; 1.15 south-south-west for one +and a half miles; 1.45 south-west for one mile; 2.24 south-south-west for +one and three-quarter miles. Distance nine and a half miles. + +April 14. + +We started down the river this morning at 9.50. Our last camp (47) is +situated on the left bank of the river. When we had proceeded a short +distance we observed a range right ahead of us. Wittin called it Trimpie +Yawbah. Afterwards we observed other hills to the westward of Trimpie +Camp, the highest of which I called Mount Pring. On the first unwooded +plain we came upon after leaving camp we saw in the distance objects +which appeared to be cattle, but upon getting nearer to them we found +them to be emus. When we had travelled about fourteen miles down the left +bank of the river we encamped. The ground we crossed was more level than +the land higher up the river, and the grasses at places were good; but +otherwise there was no change in the character of the country. At a spot +about five miles south half east from the last camp I made the meridian +altitude (A.H.) 112 degrees 50 minutes; latitude 24 degrees 5 minutes 7 +seconds. Anxious to have the guidance of Wittin to Cooper's Creek I made +free with the name of Sir George Bowen, Governor of Queensland, by +telling him that, if he showed us the road, the governor would send from +Brisbane to the first station formed on Bowen Downs a medal, a tomahawk, +and a blanket. This evening Fisherman and Jackey showed Wittin corroboree +dance. For the dance they painted themselves with white streaks, and with +the light of the fire they looked like skeletons. From last camp we +steered in the following courses: 11.40 south half east for five miles; +1.30 south half east for three miles; 2.30 south by west for three miles; +3.40 south-south-west for three miles; distance fourteen miles. + +April 15. + +We left Camp 48 this morning 9.30. It is situated on the right side of a +long hole of water on the eastern channel of the river at a place bearing +north half west from Mount Pring. We steered for the eastern side of the +Trimpie Range. When we had journeyed about four miles we reached a creek +showing extensive flood-marks and with heaps of mussel shells on its +banks but very little water in its channel. I named it Dunsmore Creek. +Led by Wittin we followed up the creek for about seven miles and +encamped. Several emus seen today, but they were so wild that none of us +succeeded in shooting them. The ground is of a level character on both +sides of Dunsmore Creek; the soil rich with good grass but rather dry for +want of rain. Box-trees grow near the creek. Back from the south bank of +the creek the country is wooded with myall and western- wood acacia. From +the other bank of the creek there are very few trees of any description. +At the place where we struck Dunsmore Creek I made the meridian altitude +of the sun 111 degrees 49 minutes, the latitude A.H. 24 degrees 16 +minutes 16 seconds. We steered from our last camp on the river to here on +the following courses: 11.7 south-east half south for four miles to +Dunsmore Creek; 1.40 east-south-east for three and three-quarter miles; +3.15 south-east by east for two and three-quarter miles; 3.40 south and +by west for one mile. Distance come today eleven miles. + +April 16. + +Camp 49 is situated at Dunsmore Creek at a place bearing north-east from +a hill about three miles distant and north-north-west from a distant +range named by me Mount Johnstone. We tried very hard to persuade Wittin +to show us all the way to Barcoo River. He promised to do so, but after +Jackey and Jemmy went for the horses he left the camp as if he were only +going down to the creek but he did not make his appearance again. Jemmy +said his reason for not going to Barcoo River was that the blacks there +would kill him if they found him in their country. When we had followed +the creek up about thirteen miles to near its source in Johnstone Range +we had to return four miles to get water for our encampment as there was +none in the upper part of the creek. We saw several emus today but as +usual we did not manage to shoot any. The ground we saw from our path is +rich, chiefly wooded with myall; the herbage good but rather dry from the +want of rain. In the middle of the day, when we had gone back for a +considerable distance on the north-east side of the creek, we got to the +edge of rich unwooded downs. We steered on the following courses: 11.10 +south-east for three and three-quarter miles; at 1 south-east for one and +three-quarter miles; 1.22 south-south-east for one mile; 1.50 south by +west for one and a half miles back to the creek; 4 south-east for five +and a quarter miles up to the creek; 5.49 north-west for three and +three-quarter miles down the creek to camp. Distance seventeen miles. + +April 17. + +Jemmy and I left our camp on Dunsmore Creek this morning at 8.5 to go to +the Barcoo River. When we had ridden three or four miles we got on the +watershed of a creek on the Barcoo side of the range. About seven miles +further on we reached the main branch of the creek. It had extensive +flood-marks and heaps of mussel-shells on its banks, but the waterholes +in its channels were empty. I named it the Archer Creek. After following +Archer Creek for thirteen miles we reached its junction with the Barcoo +River. I was glad to find that the channel of the river was full of +water; and as there were fresh tracks of blacks near the river I supposed +them to be in the neighbourhood, so to avoid them I returned up Archer +Creek for about four miles to some fine young grass and encamped. The +country we saw today has in many places a rich soil with grass and +saltbush. It is wooded chiefly with myall and western-wood acacia. Near +the channel of the river there are gumtrees, and on the banks of the +river and Archer Creek there are box-trees. Today we steered to the river +on the following courses: 12.10 east for eleven miles to the left bank of +Archer Creek; 1.20 east for three miles down the creek; 2.28 +south-south-east for three miles; 2.52 east for one mile; 3.10 +east-south-east for three-quarters of a mile; 4.20 south-east and by +south for two and a half miles; 5 south for one and a half miles; 6 +south-east and by south for three-quarters of a mile. Distance +twenty-three and a half miles. + +April 19 1862. Barcoo River, Camp 51. + +We left Camp 50 at 8.35. It is situated on the left bank of Dunsmore +Creek at a place bearing north by west half west from Johnstone's Range. +The main party started direct for Cooper's River and Fisherman and I went +to Johnstone's Range which we reached in about four miles. We ascended +its cliff-topped summit and observed from it a long range of hills from +which we bore 99 1/2 degrees from one end, and 141 degrees from another +part. The part of the range we were on prevented me from seeing the other +end of Johnstone's Range. I made the meridian altitude of the sun 108 +degrees 15 minutes. The latitude of that observation is 24 degrees 34 +minutes west. To reach the river where Mr. Bourne had moved the +encampment, at a place a short distance above the junction of Archer +Creek, we had to hasten the last seven miles to get to it before dark. By +coming on a different course from our yesterday's one the road was not so +good, and the country was so thickly wooded at places with western-wood +acacia that riding fast was too dangerous to be agreeable. Mr. Bourne +observed several blacks today. They were very timid and ran away. We came +here in about the following courses from the last camp: 10.40 south and +by east half east four miles to Johnstone's Range; 12.30 east, 4.30 east, +eleven miles to the tracks; 6.0 east-south-east quarter south seven miles +to this encampment. Twenty-two miles. + +April 20. Sunday. Barcoo River, Camp 51. + +Today we rested ourselves and the horses. I made the meridian altitude of +the sun A.H. 107degrees 56 minutes. The latitude is by that observation +24 degrees 37 minutes 43 seconds. + +April 21. Monday. Barcoo River, Camp 52. + +We left Camp 51 at 10.3. It is situated on the left bank of the river +bearing east half south from a small hill about two miles distant. We +followed the river up on its western bank for about fifteen and a half +miles and encamped at 5.10 p.m. We came first in a north-north-east +direction and afterwards for a few miles in a more easterly one. Our path +along the first part was between ridges thickly wooded with western-wood +acacia and low flat country intersected by boggy branches of the river. +In the latter part our path was not confined. On the flats where the old +grass had been burned good grass had grown up. There was also good grass +on the ground which had been flooded near the channels of the river. We +came here in about the following courses: 11.30 north-east four miles; +12.15 north-east four miles; 2.10 north-north-east four miles; 4.10 north +and by east five miles; 4.35 east-north-east one mile; 5.10 east one and +a half miles. Total fifteen and a quarter miles. About four miles +north-east from last camp I made the meridian altitude A.H. of the sun +106 degrees 50 minutes; the latitude by that observation is 24 degrees 34 +minutes. + +April 22. Tuesday. Barcoo River, Camp 53. + +Left Camp 52 at 9.22 and followed up the river on its western side one +and a half miles. Doing so brought us in a north-easterly direction to +here. In the first part we came more northerly than easterly and in the +latter part more easterly than northerly. The country we saw was like +that seen yesterday, except being scrubby at a few places. In the middle +of the day Jemmy and I waited behind the main party and I made an +observation of the sun to get our latitude. As we were riding to overtake +the main party we passed nets for catching emu and nets for catching +fish. We then passed an elderly gin and a little boy watching earnestly +our main party, and immediately afterwards we came upon about a dozen +blacks. Mr. Bourne informed me that they had followed him for several +miles and had persisted in approaching nearer than was desirable. Jemmy +had a long conversation with them respecting the explorers they had seen, +and also respecting the route towards the settled districts, which he +learned some of them had visited. They said they did not remember any +explorers who had larger animals than horses and, strange to say, none +who had drays. We presented them with glass bottles, an empty powder +flask, and some hair from the horses' tales. Jemmy told them we wanted to +encamp and that we did not wish to be too near them. They continued to +follow us and on Jemmy asking them why they did so they replied they +wanted a light. We gave them one and they left; but after we had camped +we found they had encamped very near us. We came here on the following +courses: 11.30 north-north-east seven miles; 12.30 nil; 1.15 +north-north-east two miles; 3.15 north-east by east four and +three-quarter miles; 3.35 east-north-east three-quarters of a mile; 4.45 +north-east three miles; 5.25 east one mile. Eighteen and a half miles. + +April 23. Wednesday. Barcoo River, Camp 54. + +During the second watch last night our lives depended on the vigilance of +our watchmen. The blacks came up and probably would have overpowered us +if they had found all asleep; but Jemmy the native trooper, who always +keeps his watch well, awoke us, and all of our party except one +discharged their guns in the direction from where we heard the blacks. I +reserved my charge to shoot at them when I caught sight of them, which I +did not succeed in doing until after daylight. We set off two sky-rockets +but they did not go up well because they were bruised or because the +sticks we attached to them were unsuitable. When the first rocket +exploded it made the blacks laugh; at the explosion of the second we did +not hear them do so, as they had probably retired to some distance. After +the conduct of the blacks last night, and as they approached Gregory's +party in a similar way in the same neighbourhood, I fully intended to +shoot at them if we had a chance; but this morning, although three +approached to within one hundred yards of us while we were eating our +breakfast, I did not fire at them until Jemmy had warned them of our +hostile feeling towards them, and until they, instead of attending to the +warning they had received to be off, got most of their companions, who +were heavily loaded with clubs and throwing-sticks, to approach within +about the same distance of our position. I then gave the word and we +fired at them. The discharge wounded one and made the rest retire. Some +of us followed them up as far as the horses and again fired, and shot the +one who had been wounded previously. Afterwards Jackey slightly wounded +another when Jemmy and he went for the horses. Perhaps these blacks, as +they said they had visited the settled country, may have had a part in +the massacre of the Wills family. We followed the river up today for +about eighteen miles. About sixteen miles of the distance was along the +western bank. On that side the country is inferior and the place is +thickly wooded with western-wood acacia. Near sunset we crossed several +channels of the river. There was a change in the character of the country +when we left the northern bank; the ridges were sandy, caused, I judged, +by the junction of the Alice River, which I was afraid of following up in +mistake for the Barcoo River. We were not certainly, according to the +chart, so far to the northward as it; but Mr. Gregory discovered when he +went through the country that the north bend was laid down on the chart +too much to the northward. From where we crossed the watercourse we +steered south-east and, after crossing several dry watercourses, in about +two and a half miles reached one with water in it and encamped. In +following up the river today we saw several blacks; some of them wished +to speak to us but we passed them without stopping to do so. We came here +on the following courses from 53 Camp: 11.27 north-east half north three +miles; 12.20 ---- miles; 1.40 east-north-east three and a half miles; +2.25 east by north three and a half miles; 4.25 north-east six miles; 5 +east one and a half miles to our crossing-place; 5.50 south-east two and +a quarter miles. Total eighteen and a half miles. + +April 24. Camp 55. + +We left camp this morning 9.25 and travelled up the river for about +seventeen miles. We encamped 4.55 on the bank of a small creek. The +country we have seen from the path we have traversed, since leaving what +I thought was the Alice River, is very good with the exception of a few +patches of land too thickly wooded with western-wood acacia. The land +generally is thinly wooded with myall and well grassed with the best +grasses. We came from Camp 54 in about the following courses: 11.30 east +for five and three-quarter miles; 12.45, 1.20 south-east and by south for +one and a quarter miles; 4.20 east and by south for eight and a half +miles; 4.55 south for one and a half miles to camp. Distance seventeen +miles. + +April 25. Camp 56. + +We left Camp 55 this morning at 8.23. When we had journeyed for about +twenty miles we reached a creek, which I thought perhaps was a channel of +the Barcoo River, and encamped on the northern side of the left bank of +the creek. We came during the forenoon in nearly a south-east direction, +and during the afternoon about a point to the eastward of south. By the +latter course we crossed from the left to the right bank of the creek on +which we had our two last camps and left it. The creek was too small to +be the Barcoo River, and the ground on both sides of it too high to admit +of it being an ana-branch. To the southward of our path we observed a +long range of hills, one of which was remarkable for its tabled summit. +The country we saw was more undulated than that we saw yesterday, but +otherwise of a similar description. We came here in about the following +courses: 10.23 south-east for five and a half miles; 11.43 +south-south-east for three and a half miles; 2.35 south and by east for +four and three-quarter miles; 4.55 south for five and a half miles; 5.15 +west and by south for three-quarter miles. Distance twenty miles. + +April 26. Camp 57. + +We left Camp 56 this morning 9.30. We steered south, and by that course +left the small creek on which we had encamped, and reached another creek +with here and there water in its channel. We followed the creek up nearly +to its source in the fine range of hills I mentioned in yesterday's +journal. Having left the creek we came nearly east for three and a half +miles to the left bank of a watercourse with plenty of water in it and +encamped. The country we saw today was very rich with undulating features +and the best grasses; the timber upon it consisting of myall, +western-wood acacia, brigalow, white-wood and box. The brigalows are few +and far between. The box grows along the watercourses. We came here from +last camp in about the following courses: 2.40 south for ten and +three-quarter miles; 3.10 east for one and a quarter miles; 4 +east-south-east two and a quarter miles. Distance fourteen and a quarter +miles. + +April 27. Camp 57. + +This being Sunday we rested ourselves and our horses. Yesterday I +discovered that I had not repaired my sextant in a satisfactory manner. +The index showed it to be easily put out of adjustment. I made the +meridian altitude of the sun today A.H. 102 degrees 26 minutes; latitude +24 degrees 43 minutes. + +April 28, Monday. Camp 58. + +The greater part of the forenoon was spent in collecting the horses. We +left Camp 57 at 12.35 p.m. When we had proceeded up the western bank of +the creek (the side on which we had encamped) for about three-quarters of +a mile we crossed it and left it as it became evident that its sources +were in the hills to the right of the course we wanted to pursue. After +proceeding about six and a quarter miles from the creek in an easterly +course over low undulating ridges we saw two emus, which remained in our +vicinity for some time but not sufficiently near to induce any of us to +try and shoot them. Half a mile from this brought us in a south-east +direction to a well-watered creek which we followed up for some distance, +but as it took us in a south-west direction we returned and followed it +down. This took us in a north-east direction. When we had come down the +creek about three miles, reckoning from the place we first struck it, we +encamped. The ground near here is flat and intersected by watercourses, +so much so that it is like a kind of country that is often found in flat +country near a river. The land we saw today is rich and well-grassed, +seemingly as good sheep country as any I have seen. We came here in the +following courses from last camp: 12.53 south for three-quarters of a +mile; 3 east six and a half miles; 3.10 south-east half a mile; 4.50 +north-east one and a half miles down the creek; 5.15 north-east and by +east one mile; 5.20 north-north-east half a mile. Total ten and a half +miles. Near last camp I made today the meridian altitude of the sun 101 +degrees 46 minutes; the latitude 24 degrees 44 minutes. + +April 29. Camp 59. + +We left Camp 58 at 10 this morning. When we had come a few miles the grey +mare on which I rode suddenly became unwell and, lying down, in a few +minutes died. She was in good condition and one of the best of the +expedition horses, which, I may mention, have proved themselves well +fitted for the service. When we had come easterly about nine and a +quarter miles we reached the best watered and the largest-looking +watercourse we have seen for some time. When the mare died I made the +meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 101 degrees 18 minutes; the latitude is +by that observation 24 degrees 44 minutes. This nearly agrees with the +latitude I got by the observations I made on Sunday and Monday at the +57th camp, so I suppose the observations must be very nearly correct, +although I thought the first two observations when I made them were not +good ones. After reaching this watercourse we followed it up for five and +a half miles. In coming to it we passed through several narrow belts of +land, thickly wooded with western-wood acacia. The country we saw between +these belts was like the fine country I described in yesterday's journal, +the additional charm of having trees of another variety of myall. The +drooping acacia grows on it. I love these trees; their foliage is so +beautiful, and the wood when cut has a fine aromatic smell. The grain of +the wood is nearly as hard as ebony; besides it is characteristic of the +best pastoral country as it only grows on good country. Its leaves are +useful and good for stock, which are fond of eating them. We came here in +the following courses: 2.45 east for nine and a quarter miles to the +watercourse; 3.50 south for three miles up along the west bank; 4.35 +south-south-east two miles; 5.10 south-east half a mile; fourteen and +three-quarter miles. + +May 1. Camp 60. + +We left Camp 59 yesterday morning at 9. When we had come about nine and a +half miles in an easterly direction we crossed a creek with a northerly +course. We intended striking the creek afterwards and unfortunately did +not water the horses, but we got too far from it and neither found it nor +water although we travelled till 9 p.m. We halted then, thinking the +horses would probably find water which we thought was not far distant +from us, having heard immediately before we encamped the quacking of +ducks. We came today twenty-five miles in nearly an east-south-east +direction. Our path lay over rich undulating country from which a number +of hills were visible. The land was well grassed and thinly wooded at +most places. At others it was scrubby, thereby detracting from its value +for some time to come. Luckily the country we passed over after dark was +thinly wooded. The last few miles we followed a creek up in search of +water to this encampment, and this morning we fortunately found we were +within a few hundred yards of a hole of water. The horses requiring rest +after their long journey yesterday we remained here today. I sent Jemmy +with one of the freshest of the horses to see how the country was watered +to the east-south-east. On his return he reported having found water and +old dray-marks about six and three-quarter miles easterly from our last +camp. I made the meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 100 degrees 29 +minutes; the latitude is by that observation 25 degrees 3 minutes. From +last camp we came here in about the following courses: 11.12 a.m. east +for five miles; 11.30 a.m. east-south-east for three-quarters of a mile; +12.15 p.m. ----; 1.15 p.m. east-south-east half south for two and three +quarter miles to where we crossed a well-watered creek; 2.10 p.m. east +for one and a half miles; 5.30 p.m. south-south-east for six miles; 9 +p.m. south-east for eight miles: twenty-five miles. + +May 2. Camp 61. + +Jackey and Jemmy spent as usual the greater part of the forenoon in +mustering the horses. We left camp 60 at 10.20 this morning and came +twelve and a half miles in a south-east direction. The four miles we +followed the creek up from our last camp took us more easterly than +southerly. After leaving the creek we crossed a low scrubby sandstone +range and got to the head of a watercourse in which we found water on +following it down to a short distance. The country we saw today was very +scrubby with the exception of some thinly wooded patches near the creek +we left. The scrub consisted of mulga with a few other trees. Amongst +these I observed broad-leaved ironbark and broad-leaved box, bloodwood, +currajong, and bottle-trees. The broad-leaved box-trees we had not seen +previously on this expedition. The ironbark-trees are seldom or never +found far to the southward of the main range. The soil consisted chiefly +at several places of stiff clay which retains an impression a long time +when softened by rain. We observed the dray-tracks Jemmy had seen +yesterday about three and a quarter miles on this side of our last camp. +Near to where Jemmy had found the water and the dray-track I made the +meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 98degrees 43 minutes; the latitude is +by that observation 25 degrees 7 minutes. We came here from last camp in +about the following courses: 11.30 east-south-east for three and a +quarter miles up the creek of 60 camp; 12.20, 12.55 east-south-east half +a mile; 3.30 south-east seven and a half miles to the head of the +watercourse; 3.50 south three-quarters of a mile down watercourse; 3.38 +east quarter of a mile; total twelve and a half miles. + +May 3. + +We left Camp 61 this morning at 8.27. This camp is situated on the +western bank at the head of a watercourse which perhaps flows into the +Warrego River. When we had followed this river down for about +twenty-three miles in a southerly direction we encamped. In following the +river down after crossing a short distance below camp along its eastern +bank, and when we had ridden about twelve and a quarter miles, we crossed +a creek from the eastward. Nearly all the way today we observed deep +horse-tracks, and about four and a quarter miles above here we observed a +tree marked FM (conjoined) with cross underneath. The channel of the +river was of a sandstone formation at some places and had fine holes of +water. Our path today came over six miles of unavailable barren scrubby +ridges. The remainder of the way was chiefly over well-grassed land +confined on the eastern side for the greater part by sandstone ridges +thickly wooded with mulga. We came here in about the following courses +from the last camp: 10.40 south-south-east for five and three-quarter +miles; 12.20 south half east for five and a half miles; 1.15 south for +one mile; 2.40 south-south-west for four and a half miles; 3.25 south for +two and a quarter miles; 4.25 south-south-east for three miles; 4.50 +south one and a quarter miles; total twenty-three miles. + +May 4. + +As this was Sunday we rested ourselves and the horses. I made the +latitude 25 degrees 36 minutes 51 seconds. + +May 5. + +We left Camp 62 this morning at 9.15. This camp is situated on the bank +of the river. In the forenoon we proceeded due south. In the afternoon we +had to travel considerably to the westward of south to keep near the +river. When we had ridden about twenty and a half miles we camped on the +western side of a shallow waterhole in an eastern channel of the river. +Near the river the flats were good. On them the grass was excellent, with +a good deal of cotton-bush and saltbush amongst it. The back country was +sandy, having kangaroo-grass upon it and wooded with broad-leaved box, +broad-leaved ironbark, bloodwood, and mulga. The river was well watered +till we came within a few miles of the camp, where it divided into a +number of shallow channels. About seven and a half miles south of last +camp I made the meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 95 degrees 39 minutes, +the latitude 25 degrees 41 minutes. We came here from last camp in the +following courses: 11.35 south for seven and a half miles; 2.3 +south-south-west for four and a half miles; 2.33 south-west for one and a +half miles; 3.8 south-west half south for one and a half miles; 3.47 +south for one and a quarter miles; 5.16 south and by west for three and a +half miles; 5.30 west-south-west three-quarters of a mile. Distance +twenty and a half miles. + +May 6. + +We started from Camp 63 this morning at 8.33. We left the river, and +after we had journeyed about twenty-five miles slightly southward of east +we found water and encamped. After leaving the river flats the country +was poor. The soil was of a reddish colour and although sandy was very +hard. It was wooded with broad-leaved box and mulga scrub. In the first +part of the way in many places it was well covered with kangaroo grass, +but in the last part of the journey it was too scrubby to be well +grassed. When we had gone about eight and a half miles we crossed a low +sandstone range; until we reached it we neither saw water nor the +slightest sign of a watercourse. In this day's journey we saw more +kangaroo and wallaby than on any previous occasion, but we were so eager +to get water that we did not try to shoot them. We came here in about the +following courses: 11.10 east-south-east eight and a quarter miles to the +range; 2.10 east-south-east eight and a half miles; 4.33 east six and a +half miles; 4.58 south-east three-quarters of a mile; 5.20 east one mile; +total twenty-five miles. + +May 7. + +We left Camp 64 this morning at 9.30. The camp is situated on the eastern +bank of a small creek which has a south-west course. When we had come in +an east-south-east direction for about nine miles we saw a range of hills +ahead of us, and about two miles further on we crossed a creek with +extensive flood-marks and a south-west course. About three and a quarter +miles further we crossed a small creek and encamped. Our path for the +first part of the way was over poor land thickly wooded with scrubby +trees; the latter part over land generally good with good grasses. The +land near the creek was particularly good and thinly wooded with box. +Having found four emu eggs today Mr. Bourne and I made an excellent +dinner of one of them boiled. We thought it had as delicate a flavour as +a hen's egg; the rest of our party made emu-egg pancakes, and although +they had no salt or sugar they relished them exceedingly. We came here +today in the following direction: at 1 east-south-east for nine and a +quarter miles; 1.40 south-east for one and three-quarter miles on creek; +2.50 south-east for three miles to small creek; 3 south for quarter mile +to camp; distance fourteen and a quarter miles. + +May 8. + +We left camp this morning at 8.50 and came over scrubby country for six +miles. In the first part of the distance, which was particularly scrubby, +we crossed a high sandstone range. Six miles further on we crossed a +large creek and encamped. The land we crossed was very good, the soil was +loose sand with a luxuriant growth of good green grass. The trees were of +the following kinds: Broad-leaved box, broad-leaved ironbark, Moreton Bay +ash, bloodwood, and cypress pine. We came here on the following courses +from 65 Camp: 11 east-south-east for two and a half miles; 11.50 +east-north-east for three-quarters of a mile; 11.55 east for one mile; 3 +east-south-east for seven and three-quarter miles. Distance today twelve +miles. + +May 9. + +We left Camp 66 this morning at 9.5. When we had come down the eastern +bank of the river for twenty-one miles we encamped. Following down the +river took us nearly two points to the westward of south. Along our path +near the bank of the river the land was sandy. It was wooded with +broad-leaved box, broad-leaved ironbark, Moreton Bay ash, bloodwood and +cypress pine. At a place about six and three-quarter miles this side of +the last camp I made the meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 92 degrees 33 +minutes 30 seconds; the latitude 26 degrees 13 minutes 10 seconds. At a +place about eight and three-quarter miles above here we observed trees +marked 1861, J.A.C.H.U.C.H.B.A.K.C. From last camp we came here in about +the following courses: 10.55 south-west and by south for two and +three-quarter miles; 11.30 south and by east for four miles; 2.30 +south-west and by south for five and a half miles (to marked trees) 3.20 +south-west and west for two and a quarter miles; 4.23 south and by east +for three and a quarter miles; 5.25 south-west and by south for two and +three-quarter miles. Twenty-one miles. + +May 12. + +Camp 67 is situated on the left bank of the river. Last night we had +severe frost which produced ice in our tin vessels. We left it at 8.55 in +the morning and steered south-south-east. When we had gone eleven and a +half miles we crossed a sandy creek and followed it down in a +west-south-west direction for a short distance. Finding no water in the +creek we left it and continued on our old course. Near sunset, when we +had gone about nine miles without finding another watercourse, we went in +a more easterly direction. We continued going on after dark until nearly +2 o'clock on Sunday morning. After waiting for Jackey and Jemmy, who had +stayed behind yesterday, we started at 11.12 without them. We travelled +all day without finding water; but after dark we found a small +watercourse which we followed down for about four hours, still without +finding water. Here we encamped. In the course of the day Jackey and +Jemmy overtook us. Their excuse for being behind was their having turned +back to look for a pistol Jackey had lost. Jemmy I was sorry to find was +severely burnt from his clothes having caught fire while he was asleep on +the previous night. I determined to return to water from here as the +horses had been two days without any. After travelling almost incessantly +for upwards of seventy-two hours we reached here this morning at 9. +Although there was plenty of water in the creek here there was more lower +down, at the place we crossed on our outward route when we were eleven +and a half miles south-south-east from Camp 67. The horses looked +wretched when they had been twenty-four hours without water, and as they +had been seventy-two hours without water when they reached here they +certainly looked most pitiable objects. Whilst searching for water the +weather was most favourable, although sometimes freezingly cold when +travelling at night; so much so that to keep ourselves from getting +benumbed Mr. Bourne and I often walked. Being able only to take a small +quantity of water with us Jemmy, who was suffering very much from his +back, injured by the burning, felt often very thirsty but, poor fellow, +we could only spare him a small quantity. The country we saw on this +journey was so bad that I did not wonder at its not being stocked, and +only a few tracks of cattle are to be found on it. The land very level +with poor sandy soil. Where it is not thickly wooded with thick mulga +scrub, which chiefly prevails, it is grassed with triodia and wooded with +rather broad-leaved ironbark, broad-leaved box, and apple-trees. The +apple-trees we had not previously seen on this expedition. The obstacles +against steering were numerous. In my outward route I went more to the +southward than I intended. Coming back I came luckily more to the +northern, and got water sooner than I otherwise would have done. We came +from Camp 67 and returned here in about the following courses: May 10: +12.55 south-south-east for eleven and a half miles to creek; at 1 +west-south-west for quarter of a mile down the creek. May 11: 1.50 a.m. +south-south-east for twenty-five and a quarter miles. Started again at 12 +a.m., 7.30 east for nineteen miles to creek; 10.5 south-south-east for +five miles down the creek. Length of outward route sixty-one miles. +Returning: started at 8.40 yesterday morning; 5 p.m. north-west and by +west to outward route; 12.8 a.m. north-west for sixteen miles. + +May 13. + +Started at seven this morning north-north-west half north for five miles +to this camp. Length of return route forty-three miles. I made the +meridian altitude of the sun here A.H. 89 degrees 30 minutes; the +latitude 26 degrees 38 minutes. + +May 14. + +We intended proceeding down the creek today, but when we had got the +horses ready to start we found that Jemmy was suffering so much pain from +the sore on his side and back that he could not proceed. When we were +endeavouring to persuade him to try and go on he asked us to go ourselves +and leave him behind. Yesterday evening I dressed his sores with pomatum +and put a bandage round his body. As he supposed the bandage caused him +additional pain we took it off and dusted his sores with flour. + +May 15. + +Yesterday morning we left Camp 68 at 11.40; it is situated on the west +bank of the creek. When we had followed the creek down for about twenty +miles on its west bank where we encamped. Following the creek took us in +a serpentine course and in generally a north-westerly direction. When we +had travelled twelve and a quarter miles or thereby we crossed our track +from Camp 67. In the first half of today's journey, to avoid losing the +creek, we had to keep very near to it because of the sandstone ridges +along its banks preventing us seeing the course of the creek had we kept +back from it for the purpose of cutting off the angles. The latter half +was without water, but as we did not know that we kept near the creek in +the hope of getting water for our encampment. The country we saw, +especially on the upper part of the creek, was poor and of little value. +Near the creek we observed clumps of mimosa, the kind that is commonly +called green-wattle. We followed the creek down in about the following +courses: 12.50 north-west for five and three-quarter miles; 2.18 +north-north-west for three and a quarter miles; 2.35 north for one and a +quarter miles; 3.20 west and by north for two miles; 3.27 west for a +quarter of a mile to track; 3.33 west-south-west for a quarter of a mile; +4 south-west for one and a quarter miles; 4.25 north-west for one mile; +4.55 south-west for one and a quarter miles; 5.18 west-south-west for one +mile; 5.35 west-north-west for three-quarters of a mile; 6.18 +north-north-west for one mile; 6.42 west-north-west for one mile to +encampment. Distance today twenty miles. + +May 16. + +As Jemmy was not able to assist Jackey in getting the horses Fisherman, +who has all along marked the trees, had to go in his stead. When the +horses were saddled and packed the main party proceeded down the creek, +and Fisherman and I stayed behind to mark the trees at our encampment on +the west bank of the creek. Afterwards we proceeded down the creek, and +in trying to cut off the angles we passed the junction of the creek with +the Warrego River and got up the river three miles before we discovered +our mistake. After watering our thirsty horses we followed down on the +eastern bank of the river for sixteen and a half miles to where Mr. +Bourne had made the encampment. I was glad to find that, in following +down the river, Mr. Bourne had shot a large turkey. The river has fine +reaches of water, but the banks are too thickly wooded with mulga scrub +to be of much value for pastoral purposes. We observed blacks on the +opposite banks of the river to us. One of them was up a hollow tree +cutting out a honeycomb or a possum. Fisherman had a conversation with +him, but as he said the blackfellow did not know where there were any +stations I do not think he understood him. There were barking curs with +them, which made us suppose we were probably not far from stations. +Fisherman and I came here today in the following courses: 9.40 +west-south-west for three-quarters of a mile; 10.30 north-north-west for +three and a quarter miles; 10.40 west-north-west for half a mile; 11.45 +south-south-east for three miles to the junction of the creek with the +river; 12.22 south-south-west for one and three-quarter miles; 1.28 +south-west for three miles; 2.15 east-south-east for two miles; 3.40 +south-west by south for four miles; 4.40 south for three miles. Distance +twenty-one and a quarter miles. + +May 17. + +We left camp yesterday morning at 9. We followed the river down all day +till it became dark, in the hope of reaching a station. We were +disappointed in our expectations and did not see many tracks of cattle. +Along our path on the east side of the river, about three-quarters of a +mile below camp, we observed a tree marked A. After passing between a +hill and the river, about six and a quarter miles below camp, we crossed +extensive flats and a low sandhill. The country was thinly wooded in some +places and scrubby at others. The land, although not very rich, had the +best grasses, and cotton, and saltbush upon it; the sandhill was wooded +with cypress pine and other trees. When we had come about eleven and a +quarter miles Mr. Bourne discovered that he had left his pistol at the +last camp. Jackey returned with him to get it. Before they left I advised +them to take rations as there was little probability of their overtaking +us; but they went off without them as quickly as they could, with the +intention of joining us again some time before morning; but they did not +succeed in doing so, nor have they made their appearance yet. We came +here in about the following courses: 9.20 south-south-west for +three-quarters of a mile to A-tree; 10.8 east-south-east for two and a +quarter miles; 11.20 south and by west for three and a quarter miles to +opposite a hill; 12.50 south and by east for three and a quarter miles; +3.50 south and by west for seven and a quarter miles; 3.55 south-west and +by south for one mile; 4.35 west for one and a half miles; 4.55 +south-east for a quarter of a mile; 6.10 south-south-west for three and a +half miles. Distance today twenty-three miles. + +Sunday May 18. Camp 71. River Warrego. + +I would have gone on today if Mr. Bourne and Jackey had been with us as +we have only a few days' rations. Not knowing how far I may have to go +down the river before we reach a station where we can obtain a fresh +supply, and knowing from my last trial of going to the eastward how much +the horses suffered from the want of water, I determined not to put them +to such suffering again if avoidable. In the middle of the day Fisherman, +Jemmy, and I heard a loud report of what we thought was a gun probably +discharged by Mr. Bourne or Jackey, and expected them to arrive +immediately. I am very anxious about them, especially as it would be +inconvenient to send Fisherman off to see what has become of them, Jemmy +being so ill he cannot look after the horses. Meridian of the sun A.H. 86 +degrees 23 seconds, latitude 27 degrees 5 minutes. + +Monday May 19. Camp 72. River. + +Fortunately the horses were not all mustered until the afternoon, as +shortly before they were so Mr. Bourne and Jackey arrived. If we had +found the horses as early as usual we would have been looking up the +river for Mr. Bourne and Jackey, where we should not have found them. +They had lost our tracks and followed down the river. We were exceedingly +glad to see them and to find that they had brought a large portion of an +emu with them which they killed yesterday. Mr. Bourne observed in the +course he had pursued a tree marked EO on one side and on the other side +EWC over C. I washed on the edge of the river near a deep waterhole in +some clay and pebbles in search of gold but did not find any. This +afternoon we left Camp 71 at 3.20. Came down on the eastern side of the +river and encamped as it grew dark, within about six and a half miles of +our last camp. I made the meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 85 degrees 51 +minutes, the latitude is by that observation 27 degrees 8 minutes. The +observation I yesterday made showed the camp three miles northward of the +latitude from today's observation. We came here in about the following +courses: 4.10 south-east for two miles; 4.30 east-south-east for one +mile; 4.50 south-south-east one mile to Mr. Bourne's camp; 5.27 +south-south-west for one and a quarter miles; 6 west-south-west for one +and a quarter miles. Distance six and a half miles. + +Tuesday May 20 1862. Camp 73. + +We left Camp 72 this morning, 9.20, and made down the river after sunset. +In that time we travelled about twenty-one miles. We hoped to have +reached a station today and would have gone further if we had not been +delayed. We got on to a cattle run, and when our packhorses saw the +cattle moving they took fright and galloped off. Fisherman and Jackey +went after five of them, the remainder were collected and came on here +with them. The others Jackey and Fisherman collected and brought in a few +hours after dark. This is a fine run, and the country we saw from our +path consisted in a great measure of fine grassed plains. We were very +glad to get to this cattle run as we had used all our flour excepting +what would do us for two days; and if it had not been for the emu Jackey +shot our food would have been done. We had half doomed one of our horses +to the butcher's knife, although none of us liked the idea of eating a +poor old saddle-horse, consequently we were all exceedingly glad to reach +the cattle run. We came today in about the following courses: 10 south +for two miles; 10.40 south-east and by south for two miles; 12 +south-south-east half south for three and a half miles; at 1 south and by +west for two and three-quarter miles; 2.30 south-west and by west for +four and a quarter miles; 3.15 south-west for half a mile; 3.40 +south-east and by east for one and a quarter miles; 4.5 south and by west +for one mile; 5 south-west for two and a half miles; 5.30 west for one +and a quarter miles. Distance twenty-one miles. + +Wednesday May 21. Warrego River. + +This morning we followed down the river for about two and three-quarter +miles in a south and by east direction, and reached the station occupied +by Mr. Williams where we received a most hospitable reception and learnt +the unfortunate fate of Burke and Wills. Here I took sights and made the +meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 83 degrees 85 minutes. The latitude is +by that observation 27 degrees 38 minutes. + +Thursday May 22. Camp 19. Warrego River. + +Today we made preparations for proceeding to the Darling River. I sold to +Mr. Williams the following articles: Carbine 4 pounds; Enfield rifle 3 +pounds; revolver (Colt) small size 4 pounds 10 shillings; cartridges for +revolver 12 shillings; steelyards 5 shillings; pick and shovel 5 +shillings; 2 1/2 pounds of powder 10 shillings; cartouche box 5 +shillings; shoeing tools 15 shillings; four sets horseshoes 8 shillings; +spokeshave etc. 4 shillings; 1 1/4 boxes gun caps 9 shillings; three +powder flasks (one damaged) 3 shillings; cleaning rod for gun etc. 4 +shillings; three boxes gun caps (broken) and pistol cleaning rod 6 +shillings; six yards canvas (damaged) 6 shillings; nine saddle-girths +(partially damaged) 14 shillings; 6 pounds nails and screws at 1 shilling +and 6 pence; medicine 10 shillings; fryingpan 2 shillings; two +packsaddles (broken) 2 pounds; crupper 4 shillings and 6 pence. Total 19 +pounds 13 shillings and 6 pence. And bought the following supplies: 100 +pounds of flour 2 pounds 10 shillings; 24 pounds of sugar 18 shillings; 3 +pounds of tea 12 shillings; one bar of soap 4 shillings. Total 4 pounds 4 +shillings. The money Mr. Williams gave for the stores was a higher amount +than would have been obtained at a township by public auction. Neither +did he purchase them so much because he wanted them as to oblige me. He +also supplied us with as much beef and butter as we required to take with +us, and would not accept payment for any supplies that were raised by +themselves. + +Tuesday May 23. About ten miles below Mr. Kennedy's Camp 19, camp on the +Warrego River. + +As the road was indistinct Messrs. Williams kindly accompanied us to the +stage, about two and a half miles this side of the station, where they +showed us the tree marked by Mr. Kennedy K XIX. The horsemanship and +bushmanship displayed by these young Australians were very remarkable. A +large portion of my life has been spent in the bush, yet dray-tracks that +I could only follow at a few places they evidently considered at all +places a plain road. + +May 24. About half a mile below the tree marked by Mr. Kennedy K XXI. + +This morning we left our last camp at 9.15. When we had travelled down on +the east bank of the river about twenty-eight miles, at 3.50 in the +afternoon, we reached here. On the bank there is a station occupied by +Mr. Con, and on the opposite bank a station occupied by Mr. Gallagher. +The country we passed over today is as fine, rich and well-grassed as any +person could wish for pastoral purposes. A few weeks ago the hut-keeper, +an inoffensive old man who thought the blacks were harmless, was killed +and shockingly mangled by them, and the hut robbed, in the absence of the +stockman. With the contents of a bottle of rum we had long preserved, in +case it might be wanted for medicinal purposes, we drank the health and +many returns of the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. + +Sunday May 25. Warrego River, about half a mile below the tree marked by +Mr. Kennedy K XXI. + +We rested ourselves and the horses. This morning I gave the manager of +stock here twenty rounds of cartridges, a few bullets, and a few caps for +a breach-loading rifle that I had sold him. The rifle is one I had +borrowed from Mr. Bourne for my last expedition, but as it was injured in +the service I promised to replace it. Its original cost was 15 pounds 10 +shillings, but I sold it for a lower price, namely, 10 pounds. We +followed the road which came down the eastern bank of the river over +well-grassed rich level country and sandy ridges for about twelve miles. + +May 26. Cunnamulla, Warrego River. + +We followed the road down the river for about thirty-five miles from the +cattle stations, near Mr. Kennedy's 21st camp. + +Tuesday May 27. Wooroorooka, Warrego River. + +We continued following the road down the river till we reached +Wooroorooka. This run is occupied by a herd of horses belonging to T. +Danger, Esquire. Yesterday and today we travelled each day about seven +and a half hours. The distance is called seventy miles. The country we +saw between Cunnamulla and Wooroorooka was wet thinly-wooded plains +intersected by ana-branches of the river and by sandhills. At Wooroorooka +I met a gentleman called Mr. Birch who at one time very ably assisted Mr. +Stutchburgh in making a geological survey of a great part of Australia. +To him Mr. Bourne and I are greatly indebted for giving us much +intelligence of events that have taken place since we left Brisbane last +August. I learn from him that he had travelled the distance from the +boundary line of New South Wales to Wooroorooka, and found it was five +and three-quarter miles. + +Wednesday May 28. Bananka, Warrego River, New South Wales. + +From Wooroorooka we followed the road down the river for about twelve +miles and reached a station occupied by the sheep of the Bogan River +Company. Our path was over slightly wooded plains, the soil rich and +covered with the best grasses. The grass, from the dry season, was so +parched that it looked in its present state almost worthless, but the +fine condition of the sheep showed it to be still first-rate pasturage. + +May 29. Eringa, Warrego River, New South Wales, Con's Old Station. + +Our path today took us down the left bank of the river, a distance said +to be twenty-eight miles, which we travelled in six and a half hours. The +country we saw is similar to all the country on the river. From the point +of the river where it is unconfined by ridges it flows in several +channels. + +Sunday June 2. Bunnawanah, Darling River. + +Last Friday and Saturday were spent in travelling to here from the +Warrego River. The distance from Eringa to here is called seventy miles. +About eight miles before we reached here we passed the station of Messrs. +Collis on Culgoa River. The country we saw between here and the Warrego +River is level, covered with saltbush and grass. It resembles some +country I have seen near Hay on the Murrumbidgee River. From the +newspapers yesterday we learned that Mr. Walker's party had arrived in +April at Port Denison, and learned that Mr. Howitt had received +instructions to remain on Cooper's Creek for our arrival. Of course if I +had known there was a depot there I should have gone to it from the +Thomson River; and now I think it will be advisable to proceed to +Menindie and there take the most advisable mode of letting Howitt know of +our safe return from the Gulf of Carpentaria. + +Wednesday June 5. Bunnawanah, Darling River. + +Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and today we remained here to recruit the +horses. Mr. Rutherford, one of the proprietors of the neighbouring +station, kindly supplied us with what stores we required at a lower rate +than is charged anywhere; and at the station of Mr. T. Danger we got as +much beef as we required for the road en route to Menindie. + +... + +NOTES. + +Excoecaria: A good-sized bush or small tree occupying the low depressions +above the saline alluvial ground on the Gulf of Carpentaria. It is +milk-flowing but poisonous. + +Erythrina: or coral tree. + +Pigweed: Portulaca, or the native purslane, a creeping annual of a +reddish-green colour and an excellent vegetable. + +Triodia: Sometimes called spinifex, or porcupine grass, is a true desert +plant, and at the end of each leaf it is so armed with short prickles +that horses dread going through it, and stock never touch it except when +it is very young or they are starving. + +Gidya: A native name; the botanical name cannot be given without a +specimen. + +Western-wood Acacia: Same as Gidya. + +Roley-poley: An annual salsolaceous plant. It grows in the form of a +large ball, several feet high, on rich soil. It withers in the dry +season, is easily broken off and rolled along by the winds, hence its +name. + +Cotton Vine: A plant, probably the same cynanolium of which the unripe +milky pod is eaten by the natives about Lake Torrens. + +Polygonum cunninghami: A very wiry shrubby bush, which always indicates +that the ground where it grows is liable to be occasionally flooded. It +is the same as the one from the Murray and Darling. + +Mulga Scrub (an Acacia): This is frequently mentioned by Stuart; its +botanical name is not known. + +... + +As it is desirable that all the routes from the Darling towards the +Barcoo River should be known the following letter from Mr. Neilson is +appended. The route he describes is almost on a direct line from Mount +Rankine to Carpentaria. + +Kennedy's XIX Camp, River Warrego, May 22 1862. + +Dear Sir, + +Agreeably to your request I beg to furnish you with a few memoranda of a +journey made by Messrs. H. and F. Williams and myself from Mount Rankine +on the Darling towards Cooper's Creek. We left the Darling on the 22nd of +June 1861, and after crossing the Talywalka Creek at six miles camped on +Mulyoh Spring, course north-west by west distance twenty-five miles. Our +next day's journey was to Wentholey on the Paroo Creek upon the same +bearing and a distance of forty miles. We then followed the Paroo Creek +upward on a general course of north by east half east to the 29th +parallel, when we struck out to the north-west, and on rising the range +saw a large sheet of water. Camped upon it. It proved to be a lake of +about twenty-five miles in circumference and very shallow. Our distance +travelled, twenty-three miles from the boundary. Next day followed the +same course and camped at thirty miles on a large clay-pan. Followed on +the next day, and at ten miles came on a Boree Creek with water. Followed +on bearing to the northward of north-west about half a point, and camped +on a lateral creek containing pools of water and polygonum flats, and on +examining the bed of the creek found some crayfish-eyes, and judged to be +in the vicinity of a large water. Distance travelled twenty-six miles. +Next day followed the creek on a north-north-west bearing, and at eleven +miles came to a large creek running rapid and having flooded flats +extending two miles from its bed, and bearing marks of very high floods. +We crossed the creek and extended our journey about fifteen miles to the +west; the country being cut up by creeks not then flooded but bearing +evidences of high floods. Our rations being short we turned back. From +this point I consider our position to be within about thirty-five miles +of Cooper's Creek. We followed the creek we left, running down for about +fifty miles on a south-west by south course. A larger volume of water +comes down this creek than what comes down the Warrego, and it contains +some fine reaches of water where the creeks meet and form one channel. I +believe it to be identical with the Nive of Mitchell, never traced out, +and in its position with the Paroo forms a line of communication +practicable in all seasons from Mount Rankine on the Darling to Cooper's +Creek, and by Cooper's Creek upwards to the Thomson, completes, with your +discoveries, a perfect and practicable line of communication to +Carpentaria. + +I have doubt to venture an opinion that it is quite practicable to make a +cross-country track from this to the junction of the Thompson and Cooper +from the knowledge I have formed; but I think the requirements of the +case are better met by striking the Cooper where it takes the turn +westward (i.e.. where Sturt followed it to the east) that point being +more adapted to the wants of the more southern settlers. + +I have forwarded a tracing of my route to Mr. Gregory by my letter of +February 26th last, and just give you the foregoing crude data to go +upon, and of which you may make what use you think proper. + +I beg to remain, + +Yours faithfully, + +John Neilson. + +Landsborough Esquire. + +... + +The head of the Barcoo River was discovered by Sir Thomas Mitchell who +named it the Victoria River. He described it as probably having its +outlet at Carpentaria. Kennedy was sent to trace it, but unfortunately he +had a dry season to contend with; so much so that some distance below the +junction of the Thomson he found its channel perfectly dry and had to +return. He followed it however sufficiently far to enable him to make +tolerably sure that it was the head of Cooper's Creek. Gregory +afterwards, by following it down, on his route to South Australia +ascertained this to be the case. Another river, previously discovered by +Captain Wickham, in Northern Australia, had been called by him the +Victoria: because of this, and from Kennedy having learned the native +name of Mitchell's Victoria to be the Barcoo, it is now generally known +by that designation. + +... + +Tintinalagy, Darling River, July 22 1862. + +Sir, + +I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21st +ultimo handed to me on the 14th instant at Mount Murchison by Mr. Verdon. +You will no doubt have received my last letter informing you that, as I +was led to suppose that the grass was better at Mount Murchison than at +Menindie, I remained there for instructions from you. + +As I had come to the conclusion that, as Mr. Howitt was in South +Australia, it would be unnecessary for me to take any steps to inform him +of my return from the Gulf of Carpentaria in accordance with the +instructions I received from you, we are here on our way to Melbourne. +Having lost some of our horses we have been delayed here for a few days, +and may be delayed longer as the camel is away. The camel I should have +mentioned earlier we brought with us from Bunnawanah. + +This has been a bad season for coming down the river, so much so that one +of the oldest settlers says he never saw the grass so scarce as it now +is. We have however, I hope, got over the worst part of the river as the +country is getting green from the rain that has fallen recently. + +On our way to Euston I hope to dispose of the horses and material of the +expedition. From Euston I intend sending Gleeson and a man I have hired +with the camel to Melbourne. To pay their expenses I will advance Gleeson +a sufficient sum. To Gleeson's assistant I have promised the usual wages +from the date of our arrival at Euston. To drive the camel I will +probably give them two riding-horses and a packhorse. With them I will +send an Expedition horse and the foal that was dropped near the Gulf of +Carpentaria, which I dare say the Royal Society will sell me to take to +Queensland as a relic of my expedition. I hope you will excuse my +engaging an assistant for Gleeson, as Mr. Bourne and the three +aborigines, who have been a long time engaged in this expedition, are +anxious to get to Melbourne to return to Queensland. When we reach Euston +we intend taking the coach. + +From the paper I learn there is an impression abroad that I did not come +by a likely route for finding Burke's party, and that it appeared by my +letter that I had been commissioned to open up a route for stock to the +Gulf. + +With regard to the latter I received the command of my party from the +Colonial Secretary of Queensland, and he certainly gave me no +instructions respecting the route I was to take, but for which he +referred me to your instructions. In these it was contemplated that I +should return by sea. Had it been contemplated that I was to have come +back overland my instructions would have been, I dare say, to have come +back by Mount Stuart. From having travelled in the end of last year about +halfway to Mount Stuart from the Albert River depot, I consider that if I +had waited a few weeks when I reached the 138th meridian I would have had +the advantage of the wet season, and might have proceeded by that route, +or at all events gone south from that meridian provided I had sufficient +equipment for that purpose. + +My opinion was, as may be seen in my correspondence with Captain Norman, +that Burke and Wills had gone from their depot by Bowen Downs towards +Carpentaria. I therefore came overland that way, and as I did not learn +anything of their party from the blacks when I reached there I proceeded +to the settled country. + +For my part I must say that I think, with the information we had then, we +took the most probable route for finding Burke's party. In all our +expeditions we followed the watercourses and went over more ground than I +thought it should have been possible to do with our small and shipwrecked +equipment. + +I never imagined that Burke and Wills would have been able to walk +straight from Cooper's Creek across what I thought was in a great measure +a desert to Carpentaria. It should also be remembered that when I wrote +my letter to you on my arrival at the Darling River we had learned all +about the fate of Burke's party, and the time was past for saying much +about our want of success with respect to them. + +I have the honour to be, Sir, + +Your obedient servant, + +W. Landsborough. + +Commander of Victorian and Queensland Party Organised at Brisbane. + +... + +In reply to the above he was instructed to sell his equipment and proceed +to Melbourne. + +... + +About a month after Landsborough's arrival in Melbourne intelligence was +received that McKinlay and his party, who had gone from South Australia +in search of Burke and Wills in August of last year, had safely reached +Port Denison in August of this year. No tidings of McKinlay had been +heard from the time of his finding poor Gray's grave on Cooper's Creek, +where he learned the fate of Burke and Wills. His future instructions +were to proceed to Stuart's route and search for a goldfield on a part of +it which had been described by Stuart as giving indications of being +auriferous; but in consequence of the flooded state of the country he was +unable to go in that direction. He therefore proceeded to Carpentaria, +exploring the country chiefly in the middle part of his journey on a +track betwixt Burke's and Landsborough's, and afterwards tracing down the +Leichhardt River. At Carpentaria, where he expected to get supplies of +flour, tea, and sugar, the depot being abandoned, his hopes were +disappointed, and he was obliged to proceed to Port Denison, a distance +of about 700 miles, without either of these articles. On his arrival at +Melbourne with some members of his party the reception given to +Landsborough and them by the public was so cordial that we consider the +following report (taken from the Argus) of the meeting held to do them +honour will be read with interest. + +DEMONSTRATION IN HONOUR OF MESSRS. LANDSBOROUGH AND MCKINLAY. + +A public meeting of the citizens of Melbourne was held last night at the +Exhibition Building, in honour of the leaders of the Queensland and South +Australian Contingent Exploration Expeditions and their parties, and to +testify the admiration of the inhabitants of this colony at the +successful and heroic manner in which those explorers had accomplished +their mission. The doors were advertised to be open at seven o'clock, but +it was not until about twenty minutes past that hour that they were +unlocked. In the meantime a vast crowd which had commenced to assemble as +early as half-past six o'clock had gathered in front of the building and +manifested considerable impatience to be admitted. Within a very few +minutes after the doors were thrown open the spacious edifice was densely +crowded in every part. There were probably nearly 3000 persons present. +On the motion of Dr. Macadam the Honourable Matthew Hervey, M.L.C., was +called upon to preside. He was surrounded on the platform by several +members of the Exploration Committee and other gentlemen. Mr. +Landsborough and Mr. McKinlay and some members of their respective +exploring parties were present; as was also Mr. King, the companion of +the unfortunate Burke and Wills; and also Mr. C. Verdon, who was recently +the successful bearer of despatches from the Exploration Committee to Mr. +Howitt. + +The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, congratulated the assembly upon +having met together to pay a mark of respect to their distinguished +fellow-countrymen, Messrs. Landsborough and McKinlay. (Applause.) They +were doubtless aware of the circumstances under which those gentlemen had +become conspicuous amongst the Australian community. Immediately upon the +discovery of any danger attending the Victorian explorers Messrs. Burke +and Wills--upon discovering that there was a possibility of their being +unable to surmount the difficulties which surrounded them in the desert, +it was thought desirable to start contingent expeditions from the +neighbouring colonies, as well as from Victoria, in search of them. The +people of Melbourne had assembled that evening to congratulate those +distinguished gentlemen, Messrs. Landsborough and McKinlay, upon their +safe return from their expeditions. They most cheerfully volunteered +their services to the respective Governments under which they lived to +proceed in search of Burke and Wills, and everyone was aware to some +extent of the result of their labours. They had been most successful +explorers. They proceeded in cheerfulness to encounter the dangers of the +desert, such as in the eye of every individual unaccustomed to bush +travelling seemed insurmountable. (Hear, hear.) They had all heard +something of Mr. Landsborough's expedition from the statement which he +had made before the Royal Society, and they knew something also of the +expedition undertaken by Mr. McKinlay. The immense difficulties which +each had experienced placed both gentlemen side by side as great and +successful explorers. (Cheers.) Having briefly directed attention to the +circumstances under which the meeting had assembled, he would detain them +very little longer. He was sure that they had done their duty as +inhabitants of Victoria in meeting to welcome back again to this colony +the gentlemen who had been sent out in search of those who first crossed +the continent of Australia and brought into conspicuous notice the great +enterprise, which was first initiated by the colony of Victoria, of +exploring the whole of this vast continent. (Applause.) + +The Reverend Dr. Cairns, who was called upon to move the first +resolution, remarked that this was a magnificent meeting, and that he had +seldom been more delighted in the course of a long life. (Applause.) When +Mr. McKinlay was received by the Royal Society he (Dr. Cairns) made the +very natural remark that he supposed he would receive a welcome from the +public of Melbourne (hear, hear) that, however cordial might be the +welcome extended to him and to Mr. Landsborough by private committees or +private societies, the community at large had a right to express their +feelings, and in the most public manner to give a welcome to those +successful explorers. (Applause.) He thought then, as he thought now, +that in making that remark he not only expressed his own feelings but the +feelings of the community in general. A very ill-natured notice of his +opinion and conduct in the matter appeared in The Argus of that morning, +but for what purpose it had been written he was unable to say. He +rejoiced in the present meeting, however, as the best of all possible +answers to such a piece of invidiousness. (Hear.) One of the +characteristic signs of the present age was the very great progress of +discovery in opening up regions of the earth which had hitherto been +hermetically sealed even to the eye of intelligence. It was a very +suggestive fact to his mind that the successful exploration of Central +Africa and the great Australian Continent had been reserved for the +present day, that until now these immense dominions had been unknown +lands to the civilised world; and that not until the latter half of the +nineteenth century had the honour been conferred on the enterprising sons +of that wonderful little island far away in the north sea--peopled by +Christian Britons--of penetrating the mystery, and finding out that, +instead of stony deserts and inhospitable wilds, those countries +contained luxuriant fields, abundant waters, and balmy woods--inviting +homes for millions and millions of human beings, or rather let him say +for flourishing nations. (Applause.) The present marked a great era in +the history of this hemisphere. A benignant Providence had lifted the +cloud of their ignorance, and they heard a kindly voice calling upon them +to arise, to go forth, to possess, to subdue, to people this goodly land. +(Hear, hear.) The friends whose success they had met to celebrate that +evening would henceforth have their names enrolled with those of +Mitchell, Leichhardt, Sturt, Gregory, and Burke and Wills, who had +sacrificed their lives to their zeal. (Hear, hear.) To the two latter +explorers belonged the praise--which time would never obscure or +diminish--of having been the first to solve the practicability of +traversing this great continent from south to north. The names which he +mentioned constituted a brilliant catalogue; and he ventured to think +that no inferior splendour would henceforth illustrate the names--now +familiar as household words--of Stuart, Landsborough, and McKinlay. +(Cheers and loud cries of "King.") The name of King ought also most +assuredly to be included. (Cheers.) They were a noble band, and he wished +they had all been present that night. He rejoiced to have the opportunity +of seeing those explorers who were present, of looking on their faces, +speaking to them, shaking hands with them, and calling them friends. +(Applause.) He was proud of these men, and all whom he was addressing +must be proud of them also. They were worthy of esteem, they were +entitled to applause; and mean, base, ineffably shabby, stupidly mean and +base was the soul--if such a soul there were--that questioned their merit +or grudged them a meet reward. (Applause.) He was delighted to have the +opportunity of looking upon the two great heroes, Landsborough and +McKinlay. They had undertaken and accomplished great things. Without +deliberation they undertook the arduous task assigned them and faced its +hazards. They had to contemplate hard privations, and it might be +disease, accident, or even a lingering and lonely death. These were the +terms--the necessary terms--on which they engaged in their uncertain and +perilous speculation. They went forth not knowing whither they went; but +their Heavenly Father watched over them and protected them from dangers, +seen and unseen. He was especially struck with the providence of God in +the case of McKinlay. The flood of waters which troubled him might have +been a deluge to sweep him away, but, by the gracious overruling +providence of God his life was preserved, and he was now in their midst. +Both Landsborough and McKinlay had returned none the worse for wear, but +fresh and blooming, he would say, for the tan which they got from the sun +seemed to him to be the richest of blooms. (Laughter.) They were the very +models of fine, stalwart men. He thanked God for it, who was the author +of all their talents and all their gifts. Their wonderful success, under +God, was attributable to their foresight, prudence, and for want of a +better word he would say their bush experience. From the energy, +sagacity, and unwearied patience which they had exercised the public had +learnt some new things. From Mr. McKinlay they had learnt that it was +possible to drive a flock of silly sheep all the way to Carpentaria and +eat them up one by one at leisure. (Laughter.) They had further learnt +that old horse was very palatable beef to a hungry man, and that boiled +camel was a savoury morsel in a weary wilderness. (Renewed laughter.) +From Mr. Landsborough they had learnt the important lesson that it was +most wise to rest and refresh both man and beast upon that seventh day +which had been ordained us a universal blessing. (Hear, hear.) He quite +enjoyed hearing of Mr. Landsborough and his men luxuriating on a +breakfast of meat and pig-weed, followed, after a due interval, by an +epicurean dinner of cold rice and jam. (A laugh.) The result of their +explorations had been immense, for they had probably tripled, or even +quadrupled, the extent of territory in Australia available for +settlement, and added greatly to the resources of the country. The +advantages thus secured for pastoral purposes were beyond all +calculation, though they could not now be appreciated as they would be +hereafter. They deserved well of their country. In all ages such services +as they had rendered had been regarded as national benefactions. The +principle of the state rewarding such services had been recognised in +this colony and had been reduced to practice. Recompense was decreed by +Parliament to the discoverers of new goldfields, and the admirable +constitution of this colony had provided a most soothing consolation, in +the shape of 1800 pounds per annum, to requite the devotion of those +self-sacrificing spirits who consented to bow their studious heads and +delicate shoulders to the responsibilities of government for the weary +space of two whole years. (Laughter.) If such were the case, what was the +debt which the country owed to those great national benefactors, the +explorers. Their discoveries had opened the eyes of the people of +Australia to the fact that God had given them a most wealthy inheritance, +which might be compared to the whole world in miniature. It had the best +of every clime under the sun, and the gifts of nature were scattered with +great profusion. As to the precious metals it might turn out that what +had been found was only an earnest of what was to follow; but there could +be no doubt that Australia was to be the woolgrower of the whole world, +and that it would grow cotton to feed all the mills of England. Dr. +Cairns concluded by moving the following resolution: + +That this meeting begs, in the most cordial manner, to welcome the +explorers, Messrs. Landsborough and McKinlay, on their safe return, and +to express admiration of the many excellent qualities displayed by them +in the prosecution of their arduous enterprise, and considers that it is +a duty to acknowledge the hand of Divine Providence in preserving them in +the midst of danger. + +... + +Mr. King, who was received with great acclamation, said it afforded him +much pleasure to be present on that occasion and join with so many of his +fellow-colonists in congratulating Mr. Landsborough and Mr. McKinlay on +their safe arrival in Melbourne. (Applause.) He was the more glad to +offer his congratulations because he knew the arduous nature of the +journey which Messrs. Landsborough and McKinlay had accomplished. He was +little accustomed to appear or to speak in public, but he should have +been sorry to miss this opportunity of expressing his thanks to Mr. +Landsborough and Mr. McKinlay for the manner in which they had +endeavoured to come to the relief of the party of which Burke and Wills +were at the head. However successful they might have been in that +expedition they could have been of very little service to Burke and +Wills, for it would have been impossible to reach them in time to save +their lives. He had much pleasure in seconding the resolution and in +congratulating Messrs. Landsborough and McKinlay upon their safe arrival +in Victoria. (Cheers.) + +The resolution was put and unanimously adopted amidst cheers, as were +also the resolutions subsequently proposed. + +The chairman explained that Mr. Landsborough, having been out of town, +had not yet arrived at the meeting but was expected shortly. In the +meantime he called upon Mr. McKinlay to respond to the compliment which +had just been paid to himself and his brother explorer. He also requested +the meeting to excuse Mr. McKinlay from making any statement with respect +to his journey as he felt bound in the first place to communicate the +particulars to the Government by whom he had been sent out. + +Mr. McKinlay, who was received with hearty and prolonged cheering, +briefly returned thanks for the kindness which had been shown him. His +journey had certainly been accomplished successfully, but it had been +undertaken under very favourable circumstances and, had such not been the +case, probably the result might have been very different. He felt himself +compelled to refrain from stating many particulars which the public would +be glad to learn, but they would no doubt be known in due course. At +present he could merely express his sincere thanks for the great kindness +with which he had been received that evening. (Cheers.) + +Mr. Wyld, Mr. Poole, Mr. Kirby, and Mr. Davis, fellow travellers with Mr. +McKinlay, were severally introduced to the meeting by the chairman, and +each received a cordial welcome which they duly acknowledged. + +Mr. Landsborough, who had in the meantime arrived, then came forward to +address the meeting and was greeted with cordial and enthusiastic +cheering. He was much gratified, he said, at the warm reception which he +had received, and little expected that his humble services would have +been acknowledged in such a public way by such an assemblage as he saw +around him. He had been rather hurriedly called upon as he was unaware +that the meeting was to be held that evening until his arrival from +Geelong an hour or so ago. (Hear, hear.) "My friend and brother +explorer," continued Mr. Landsborough, "has just come in from a glorious +trip from South Australia, by Carpentaria and by Port Denison. I consider +his mode of exploring with livestock consisting of camels, cattle, sheep, +and horses, nearly the best. To make it complete he only wanted some +aborigines as trackers. This I am sure he felt on one occasion when Mr. +Kirby and his sheep were lost for three days. Mr. McKinlay deserves the +greatest credit for being the first to take sheep across the continent. +The camels will yet be found of the greatest value; for it is probable +that other explorers will not find water at such convenient distances as +we have done, and as they can go nearly three times as far as horses +without water they will be of the greatest value for searching ahead for +water, and when water is once found it is very easy to take the party on, +as it is generally found at distances sufficiently near to be reached by +a party like that which Mr. McKinlay and I had. By Burke, Walker, +McKinlay, and myself six of the Carpentaria rivers have been traced. +These rivers chiefly water country of a character which, although dry, is +the kind that I like best for pastoral purposes. And now that my friend +McKinlay has taken sheep across the continent I hope flocks and herds +will soon follow, so that the fine pastures of Carpentaria, instead of +lying waste, will soon become profitable not only to Australia but to the +whole world." (Applause.) In conclusion Mr. Landsborough intimated that +he intended to publish the rest of the information which he had to +communicate in the form of a pamphlet. On resuming his seat he was again +warmly applauded. + +Mr. Bourne, the only member of Mr. Landsborough's exploration party now +remaining in Melbourne, was introduced to the meeting, who likewise +honoured him with a round of cheers. He acknowledged the compliment in a +few pertinent remarks. He would rather, he said, perform another journey +through the continent of Australia than make a speech in public, and he +did not seem to be singular in that opinion. On his own behalf, and that +of the rest of the party to which he was attached, he begged to return +thanks, and et cetera. (Laughter and applause.) + +Mr. Aspinall, M.L.A., proposed the second resolution: + +That this meeting recognises the good services rendered by the +Governments of South Australia and of Queensland in organising these +contingent expeditions with a view to discover and assist the missing +party under the lamented Burke and Wills. + +... + +It would only, he remarked, be a just compliment to the neighbouring +colonies to adopt this resolution most heartily. (Hear, hear.) Whilst the +meeting recognised these gallant men--Landsborough and McKinlay--men of +heroism and enterprise, men who were an honour to their race and the +colonies which they represented, they ought also to recognise in them a +manifestation on the part of the neighbouring colonies of a hearty +sympathy in a matter concerning the general welfare of Australia. +(Applause.) While doing honour to the men themselves they ought to +express their gratefulness to the Governments and the people who chose +them for the work which they had performed. Those Governments were +willing in a moment to aid the expedition which the Government of +Victoria had sent forth and, as the result proved, they had put the right +men in the right place. (Applause.) The explorers however must be +regarded as the representatives of the sentiment and the feeling of the +colonists who had sent them forth. In sending them forth those colonies +were not influenced by any ideas of the acquisition of territory; and, +whatever advantages they might have gained, their primary object was to +endeavour to rescue Burke and to assist the expedition of which those +unfortunate explorers were the leaders. While admiring the heroism of +Messrs. Landsborough and McKinlay, let them add their tribute of +admiration to the colonies which had sent them forth to do the work which +they were so admirably fitted to do. (Applause.) + +Mr. Gillbee heartily seconded the resolution, assured that in so doing he +was but expressing the sentiments of everyone present. (Applause.) + +The resolution was carried unanimously. + +Dr. Macadam, M.L.A., proposed the third resolution which was to this +effect: + +That this meeting is persuaded that it is incumbent on the various +Australian Governments to mark in some appropriate manner their sense of +the great merits of the leaders of the contingent exploration parties, +and of the important results which must flow from their discoveries; and +that a copy of this resolution be forwarded for the consideration of the +respective Governments. + +Some difference of opinion, he said, had been manifested in reference to +the manner in which the exertions of the respective explorers should be +recognised. He himself had only had one opinion upon the subject, namely, +that they should be recognised through the Legislatures of the respective +colonies to which the explorers belonged. Although he and, he believed, +the committee with which he was connected had been blamed for not +sympathising materially with the subscription being raised for Mr. +Landsborough, he had already personally explained to Mr. Landsborough his +own views. It was held as a general principle that when a national good +was conducted it was entitled to a national reward. (Hear, hear.) He +trusted that this would remove any impression which might exist as to +there being any opposition on his part, or on the part of the Exploration +Committee, to the subscription which was being raised for Mr. +Landsborough; but, as he had already stated to Mr. Landsborough and Mr. +McKinlay, they believed that the legislatures of the different colonies +should recognise that which he thought was a greater benefit than that +for which any amount of money could be spent under any other vote of the +Legislature. (Applause.) He had to make one word of personal explanation +in reference to the meeting. He had been somewhat blamed in The Argus of +that day for having initiated, with his friend Dr. Cairns, a meeting of +that kind. The chairman of the meeting was also the chairman of the +meeting at which it was resolved to present a testimonial to Mr. +Landsborough; and he was aware that this meeting originated in a +spontaneous suggestion made on Friday by Dr. Cairns, who thought that, +while it might be convenient to the Exploration Committee to meet in an +afternoon, it would be a great pleasure to the community at large to hold +an evening meeting at which, instead of merely having the opportunity of +recognising the explorers by their portraits in the Saturday prints, they +might meet them face to face, and speak to them. (Applause.) Influenced +by this suggestion he (Dr. Macadam) set about to make arrangements for +this meeting, and he was sorry to say that he met with considerable +opposition; but he had always found that whenever a man threw himself +upon the public sympathy he was never mistaken. (Hear, hear.) If the +Exploration Committee had not called the meeting they would have been +blamed, and he was quite prepared to see that they would receive a great +amount of opposition from certain quarters. Without further remark upon +this subject he would leave the correction of the error, if error he had +committed ("No, no.") to a gentleman who was present at the Landsborough +testimonial meeting, and who wrote the paragraph in The Argus alluded +to--he would leave it to a gentleman who took a deep interest in his +prospects, and who had the highest admiration of his ability; and he +would refer the meeting to the Yeoman of Saturday for a full, +deliberative, and calm consideration of the whole matter. He regretted +the absence of the Governor from the meeting, but he would explain the +reason. His Excellency instructed him to say that he had exceedingly +regretted to perceive by the newspapers that that day had been fixed for +the grand reception, and stated that his absence was caused by a prior +engagement. Mr. McKinlay had received permission to decline an invitation +which he had received from the Governor that night in order that he might +be present at the meeting. The fact of the invitation however showed the +appreciation in which McKinlay was held by the Governor. (Applause.) In +moving the resolution he had simply to state that he trusted the +Governments of the respective colonies would reciprocate in an adequate +manner the services which had been rendered by the explorers; he thought +the gratitude of the Governments of the respective colonies should also +be shown by their doing more to encourage immigration than that hitherto +done. Some two years and a half ago the task of exploring the continent +was commenced in Victoria and, whatever might be said derogatory to the +management of the exploration, the work had been accomplished, the +continent was now marked out, and it only required private enterprise to +establish communication between every part of it. (Applause.) + +Captain Norman, being loudly called for by the meeting, made a few +remarks indicating the cordial unanimity in which he and Mr. Landsborough +had cooperated together, and mentioned that Monday was the anniversary of +their safe arrival at Carpentaria after the wreck of the Firefly in +Torres Strait. + +Mr. Ramsay, M.L.A., in seconding the resolution, expressed his full +concurrence with the opinion it contained; and stated that he would do +his best in his place in Parliament to support any motion for carrying it +into practical effect. (Applause.) + +The resolution was put and carried. + +On the motion of Dr. Wilkie, seconded by Captain Matthews, a vote of +thanks was given to the chairman. + +The chairman, in acknowledging the compliment, gave an emphatic +contradiction to an opinion which, he said, he understood had been +expressed in some quarters, that Landsborough and McKinlay had had tracks +to guide them in their exploration journeys. + +The proceedings then terminated, the meeting, in response to Dr. Macadam, +giving three hearty cheers for the explorers. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journal of Landsborough's Expedition +from Carpentaria, by William Landsborough + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF LANDSBOROUGH'S *** + +***** This file should be named 16243.txt or 16243.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/2/4/16243/ + +Produced by Sue Asscher + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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