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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/5344-h.zip b/5344-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0ca7c50 --- /dev/null +++ b/5344-h.zip diff --git a/5344-h/5344-h.htm b/5344-h/5344-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..00a63d2 --- /dev/null +++ b/5344-h/5344-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,12328 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery Into Central Australia Volume I</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} +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 Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery Into +Central Australia And Overland From Adelaide To King George's Sound +In The Years 1840-1 by Edward John Eyre + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery Into Central Australia And Overland +From Adelaide To King George's Sound In The Years 1840-1: Sent By The Colonists +Of South Australia, With The Sanction And Support Of The Government: Including +An Account Of The Manners And Customs Of The Aborigines And The State Of Their +Relations With Europeans. Volume I. + +Author: Edward John Eyre + +Release Date: October 2, 2004 [EBook #5344] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EYRE EXPEDITIONS *** + + + + +Produced by Col Choat + + + + + +</pre> + +<pre> + +PRODUCTION NOTES: +--Italics in the book have been changed to to upper case in this eBook. +--Footnotes have been placed in brackets [] within the text. +--A number of tables have been omitted or rendered incomplete. + These are indicated in the eBook at the point at which they occurred in the book. + + + +</pre> + +<p><a name="home"></a></p> + +<center> +<p><a name="eyre1-00"></a><img alt="" src="images/eyre1-00.jpg"></p> +</center> + +<h2>JOURNALS OF EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY INTO CENTRAL AUSTRALIA<br> +AND OVERLAND FROM ADELAIDE TO KING GEORGE'S SOUND<br> +IN THE YEARS 1840-1:<br> +SENT BY THE COLONISTS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA,<br> +WITH THE SANCTION AND SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT:<br> +INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE ABORIGINES<br> +AND THE STATE OF THEIR RELATIONS WITH EUROPEANS.</h2> + +<h4>by</h4> + +<h2>EDWARD JOHN EYRE</h2> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<p align="center"><b>TO LIEUT.-COLONEL GEORGE GAWLER, K.H. M.R.G.S.<br> +UNDER WHOSE AUSPICES, AS GOVERNOR OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA,<br> +THE EXPEDITIONS, DESCRIBED IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES,<br> +WERE UNDERTAKEN, THESE VOLUMES ARE RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED,<br> +AS A TRIBUTE OF GRATITUDE FOR HIS KINDNESS AND RESPECT FOR HIS VIRTUES,<br> +BY THE AUTHOR.</b></p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<h3>PREFACE.</h3> + +<p>In offering to the public an account of Expeditions of Discovery in +Australia, undertaken in the years 1840-1, and completed in July of the +latter year, some apology may be deemed necessary for this narrative not +having sooner appeared, or perhaps even for its being now published at +all. + +<p>With respect to the first, the author would remark that soon after his +return to South Australia upon the close of the Expeditions, and when +contemplating an immediate return to England, he was invited by the +Governor of the Colony to remain, and undertake the task of +re-establishing peace and amicable relations with the numerous native +tribes of the Murray River, and its neighbourhood, whose daring and +successful outrages in 1841, had caused very great losses to, and created +serious apprehensions among the Colonists. + +<p>Hoping that his personal knowledge of and extensive practical experience +among the Aborigines might prove serviceable in an employment of this +nature, the author consented to undertake it; and from the close of +September 1841, until December 1844, was unremittingly occupied with the +duties it entailed. It was consequently not in his power to attend to the +publication of his travels earlier, nor indeed can he regret a delay, +which by the facilities it afforded him of acquiring a more intimate +knowledge of the character and habits of the Aborigines, has enabled him +to render that portion of his work which relates to them more +comprehensive and satisfactory than it otherwise would have been. + +<p>With respect to the second point, or the reasons which have led to this +work being published at all, the author would observe that he has been +led to engage in it rather from a sense of duty, and at the instance of +many of his friends, than from any wish of his own. The greater portion +of the country he explored was of so sterile and worthless a description, +and the circumstances which an attempt to cross such a desert region led +to, were of so distressing a character, that he would not willingly have +revived associations, so unsatisfactory and so painful. + +<p>It has been his fate, however, to cross, during the course of his +explorations, a far greater extent of country than any Australian +traveller had ever done previously, and as a very large portion of this +had never before been trodden by the foot of civilized man, and from its +nature is never likely to be so invaded again, it became a duty to record +the knowledge which was thus obtained, for the information of future +travellers and as a guide to the scientific world in their inquiries into +the character and formation of so singular and interesting a country. + +<p>To enable the reader to judge of the author's capabilities for the task +he undertook, and of the degree of confidence that may be due to his +impressions or opinions, it may not be out of place to state, that the +Expeditions of 1840--1 were not entered upon without a sufficient +previous and practical experience in exploring. + +<p>For eight years the author had been resident in Australia, during which +he had visited many of the located parts of New South Wales, Port +Phillip, South Australia, Western Australia, and Van Diemen's Land. In +the years 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, and 1840 he had conducted expeditions +across from Liverpool Plains in New South Wales to the county of Murray, +from Sydney to Port Phillip, from Port Phillip to Adelaide, and from King +George's Sound to Swan River, besides undertaking several explorations +towards the interior, both from Port Lincoln and from Adelaide. + +<p>To the knowledge and experience which were thus acquired, the author must +ascribe the confidence and good opinion of his fellow-colonists, which +led them in 1840 to place under his command an undertaking of such +importance, interest, and responsibility; and to these advantages he +feels that he is in a great measure indebted, under God's blessing, for +having been enabled successfully to struggle through the difficulties and +dangers which beset him, in crossing from Adelaide to King George's +Sound. + +<p>With this explanation for obtruding upon the public, the author would +also solicit their indulgence, for the manner in which the task has been +performed. The only merit to which he can lay claim, is that of having +faithfully described what he saw, and the impressions which were produced +upon him at the time. In other respects it is feared that a work, which +was entirely (and consequently very hastily) prepared for the press from +the original notes, whilst voyaging from Australia to England, must +necessarily be crude and imperfect. Where the principal object, however, +was rather to record with accuracy than indulge in theory or conjecture, +and where a simple statement of occurrences has been more attended to +than the language in which they are narrated, plainness and fidelity +will, it is hoped, be considered as some compensation for the absence of +the embellishments of a more finished style, or a studied composition, +and especially as the uncertainty attending the duration of the author's +visit to England made it a matter of anxious consideration to hurry these +volumes through the press as rapidly as possible. There is one +circumstance to which he wishes particularly to allude, as accounting for +the very scanty notices he is now able to give of the geology or botany +of the country through which he travelled; it is the loss of all the +specimens that were collected during the earlier part of the Expedition, +which occurred after they had been sent to Adelaide; this loss has been +irreparable, and has not only prevented him from ascertaining points +about which he was dubious, but has entirely precluded him from having +the subjects considered, or the specimens classified and arranged by +gentlemen of scientific acquirements in those departments of knowledge, +in which the author is conscious he is himself defective. In the latter +part of the Expedition, or from Fowler's Bay to King George's Sound, the +dreadful nature of the country, and the difficulties and disasters to +which this led, made it quite impossible either to make collections of +any kind, or to examine the country beyond the immediate line of route; +still it is hoped that the passing notices which are made in the journal, +and the knowledge of the similarity of appearance and uniform character, +prevalent throughout the greater portion of the country passed through, +will be quite sufficient to give a general and correct impression of the +whole. + +<p>To Mr. Gray of the British Museum, the author is particularly indebted +for his valuable contribution on the Natural History of the Southern +coast of Australia, and to Mr. Gould, the celebrated Ornithologist, his +thanks are equally due, for a classified and most interesting list of the +birds belonging to the same portion of the continent. + +<p>To Mr. Adam White, of the British Museum, he is also indebted for an +account of some new insects, and to Dr. Richardson, for a scientific and +classified arrangement of fish caught on the Southern coast, near King +George's Sound. The plates to which the numbers refer in the +last-mentioned paper, are the admirable drawings made from life, by J. +Neill, Esq. of King George's Sound, and now lodged at the British Museum. +They are, however, both too numerous and too large to give in a work of +this description, and will probably be published at some future time by +their talented author. + +<p>For the account given of the Aborigines the author deems it unnecessary +to offer any apology; a long experience among them, and an intimate +knowledge of their character, habits, and position with regard to +Europeans, have induced in him a deep interest on behalf of a people, who +are fast fading away before the progress of a civilization, which ought +only to have added to their improvement and prosperity. Gladly would the +author wish to see attention awakened on their behalf, and an effort at +least made to stay the torrent which is overwhelming them. + +<p>It is most lamentable to think that the progress and prosperity of one +race should conduce to the downfal and decay of another; it is still more +so to observe the apathy and indifference with which this result is +contemplated by mankind in general, and which either leads to no +investigation being made as to the cause of this desolating influence, or +if it is, terminates, to use the language of the Count Strzelecki, "in +the inquiry, like an inquest of the one race upon the corpse of the +other, ending for the most part with the verdict of 'died by the +visitation of God.'" + +<p>In his attempt to delineate the actual circumstances and position of the +natives, and the just claims they have upon public sympathy and +benevolence, he has been necessitated to refer largely to the testimony +of others, but in doing this he has endeavoured as far as practicable, to +support the views he has taken by the writings or opinions of those who +are, or who have been resident in the Colonies, and who might therefore +be supposed from a practical acquaintance with the subject, to be most +competent to arrive at just conclusions. + +<p>In suggesting the only remedy which appears at all calculated to mitigate +the evil complained of, it has studiously been kept in view that there +are the interests of two classes to be provided for, those of the +Settlers, and those of the Aborigines, it is thought that these interests +cannot with advantage be separated, and it is hoped that it may be found +practicable to blend them together. + +<p>The Aborigines of New Holland are not on the whole a numerous people; +they are generally of a very inoffensive and tractable character, and it +is believed that they may, under ordinary circumstances, almost always be +rendered peaceable and well-disposed by kind and consistent treatment. +Should this, in reality, prove to be the case, it may be found perhaps, +that they could be more easily managed, and in the long run at a less +expense, by some such system as is recommended, than by any other +requiring means of a more retaliatory or coercive character. The system +proposed is at least one which by removing in a great measure temptation +from the native, and thereby affording comparative security to the +settlers, will have a powerful effect in inducing the latter to unite +with the Government in any efforts made to ameliorate the condition of +the Aborigines; a union which under present or past systems has not ever +taken place, but one which it is very essential should be effected, if +any permanent good is hoped for. + +<p>To Mr. Moorhouse the author returns his best thanks for his valuable +notes on the Aborigines, to which he is indebted for the opportunity of +giving an account of many of the customs and habits of the Adelaide +tribes. + +<p>To Anthony Forster, Esq. he offers his warmest acknowledgments for his +assistance in overlooking the manuscripts during the voyage from +Australia, and correcting many errors which necessarily resulted from the +hurried manner in which they were prepared; it is to this kind +supervision must be ascribed the merit--negative though it may be--of +there not being more errors than there are.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<center> +<p><a name="eyre1-01"></a><img alt="" src="images/eyre1-01.jpg"></p> +<p><b>Tenberry, with Wife and Child, drawn by G. Hamilton</b></p> +</center> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<h2>CONTENTS OF VOLUME I.</h2> + +<p><a href="#ch-1">CHAPTER I</a></p> + +<p>ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION<br> +CONTEMPLATED EXPLORATION TO THE WESTWARD<br> +MEETING OF THE COLONISTS, AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ENTERED INTO FOR THAT PURPOSE<br> +NOTES ON THE UNFAVOURABLE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY TO THE WESTWARD,<br> +AND PROPOSAL THAT THE NORTHERN INTERIOR SHOULD BE EXAMINED INSTEAD<br> +MAKE AN OFFER TO THE GOVERNOR TO CONDUCT SUCH AN EXPEDITION<br> +CAPTAIN STURT'S LECTURE<br> +INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR<br> +ARRANGEMENT OF PLANS<br> +PREPARATION OF OUTFIT<br> +COST OF EXPEDITION<br> +NAME A DAY FOR DEPARTURE<br> +PUBLIC BREAKFAST AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE UNDERTAKING</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-2">CHAPTER II</a></p> + +<p>FIRST NIGHT'S ENCAMPMENT WITH PARTY<br> +REFLECTIONS<br> +ARRIVAL AT SHEEP STATION<br> +RE-ARRANGEMENTS OF LOADS<br> +METHOD OF CARRYING FIRE-ARMS<br> +COMPLETE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY<br> +THEIR NAMES<br> +MOVE ONWARDS<br> +VALLEY OF THE LIGHT<br> +EXTENSIVE PLAINS<br> +HEAD OF THE GILBERT<br> +SCARCITY OF FIREWOOD<br> +GRASSY WELL-WATERED DISTRICTS<br> +THE HILL AND HUTT RIVERS<br> +INDICATION OF CHANGE GOING ON IN APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY,<br> +TRACEABLE IN THE REMAINS OF TIMBER IN THE PLAINS AND IN THE OPENINGS AMONG SCRUBS<br> +THE BROUGHTON<br> +REEDY WATERCOURSE<br> +CAMPBELL'S RANGE<br> +COURSE OF THE BROUGHTON</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-3">CHAPTER III</a></p> + +<p>SPRING HILL<br> +AN AGED NATIVE DESERTED BY HIS TRIBE<br> +RICH AND EXTENSIVE PLAINS<br> +SURPRISE A PARTY OF NATIVES<br> +ROCKY RIVER<br> +CRYSTAL BROOK<br> +FLINDERS RANGE<br> +THE DEEP SPRING<br> +MYALL PONDS<br> +ROCKY WATER HOLES<br> +DRY WATERCOURSE<br> +REACH THE DEPOT NEAR MOUNT ARDEN<br> +PREPARE FOR LEAVING THE PARTY<br> +BLACK SWANS PASS TO THE NORTH<br> +ARRIVAL OF THE WATERWITCH</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-4">CHAPTER IV</a></p> + +<p>MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR GETTING UP STORES FROM THE WATERWITCH<br> +LEAVE THE PARTY<br> +SALT WATERCOURSE<br> +MOUNT EYRE<br> +ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY<br> +LAKE TORRENS<br> +RETURN TOWARDS THE HILLS<br> +NATIVE FEMALE<br> +SALINE CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY<br> +MOUNT DECEPTION<br> +REACH THE EASTERN HILLS<br> +LARGE WATERCOURSES<br> +WATER HOLE IN A ROCK<br> +GRASSY BUT HILLY COUNTRY<br> +RUNNING STREAM<br> +ASCEND A RANGE<br> +RETURN HOMEWARDS<br> +DECAY OF TREES IN THE WATERCOURSES<br> +SHOOT A KANGAROO<br> +ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT<br> +BURY STORES<br> +MAKE PREPARATIOUS FOR LEAVING<br> +SEND DESPATCHES TO THE VESSEL</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-5">CHAPTER V</a></p> + +<p>BREAK UP THE ENCAMPMENT<br> +ARRIVE AT DEPOT POOL<br> +GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY<br> +BAROMETERS OUT OF ORDER<br> +ADVANCE TO RECONNOITRE<br> +ASCEND TERMINATION HILL<br> +SURPRISE NATIVE WOMEN<br> +THEY ABANDON THEIR CHILDREN<br> +INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER<br> +RETURN TOWARDS MOUNT DECEPTION<br> +BROKEN CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY<br> +FIND WATER<br> +THE SCOTT<br> +REJOIN THE PARTY<br> +WATER ALL USED AT THE DEPOT<br> +EMBARRASSING CIRCUMSTANCES<br> +REMOVE TO THE SCOTT<br> +RECONNOITRE IN ADVANCE<br> +BARREN COUNTRY<br> +TABLE-TOPPED ELEVATIONS<br> +INDICATIONS OF THE VIOLENT ACTION OF WATER<br> +MEET NATIVES<br> +REACH LAKE TORRENS<br> +THE WATER SALT<br> +OBLIGED TO RETURN<br> +ARRIVAL AT DEPOT<br> +HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE NATIVES.</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-6">CHAPTER VI</a></p> + +<p>CAUSE OF HOSTILITY OF THE NATIVES<br> +WELL SUNK UNSUCCESSFULLY<br> +OVERSEER SENT TO THE EAST<br> +THE SCOTT EXAMINED<br> +ROCK WALLABIES<br> +OVERSEER'S RETURN<br> +ANOTHER VISIT TO LAKE TORRENS<br> +BOGGY CHARACTER OF ITS BED<br> +EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF MIRAGE AND REFRACTION<br> +RETURN TO THE CAMP<br> +SUPPLY OF WATER EXHAUSTED<br> +LEAVE THE DEPOT<br> +THE MUNDY<br> +THE BURR<br> +MOUNT SERLE<br> +LAKE TORRENS TO THE EAST<br> +MELANCHOLY PROSPECTS</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-7">CHAPTER VII</a></p> + +<p>EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-EAST<br> +TRACE DOWN THE FROME<br> +WATER BECOMES SALT<br> +PASS BEYOND THE RANGES<br> +COCKATOOS SEEN<br> +HEAVY RAINS<br> +DRY WATERCOURSES<br> +MOUNT DISTANCE<br> +BRINE SPRINGS<br> +MOUNT HOPELESS<br> +TERMINATION OF FLINDERS RANGE<br> +LAKE TORRENS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST<br> +ALL FURTHER ADVANCE HOPELESS<br> +YOUNG EMUS CAUGHT<br> +REJOIN PARTY<br> +MOVE BACK TOWARDS MOUNT ARDEN<br> +LOSS OF A HORSE<br> +ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT<br> +PLANS FOR THE FUTURE<br> +TAKE UP STORES<br> +PREPARE FOR LEAVING</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-8">CHAPTER VIII</a></p> + +<p>PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD<br> +CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LAKE TORRENS AND SPENCER'S GULF<br> +BAXTER'S RANGE<br> +DIVIDE THE PARTY<br> +ROUTE TOWARDS PORT LINCOLN<br> +SCRUB<br> +FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER<br> +SEND DRAY BACK FOR WATER<br> +PLUNDERED BY THE NATIVES<br> +RETURN OF DRAY<br> +DENSE SCRUB<br> +REFUGE ROCKS<br> +DENSE SCRUB<br> +SALT CREEK<br> +MOUNT HILL<br> +DENSE SCRUB<br> +LARGE WATERCOURSE<br> +ARRIVE AT A STATION<br> +RICH AND GRASSY VALLEYS<br> +CHARACTER OF PORT LINCOLN PENINSULA<br> +UNABLE TO PROCURE SUPPLIES<br> +ENGAGE A BOAT TO SEND OVER TO ADELAIDE<br> +BUY SHEEP</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-9">CHAPTER IX</a></p> + +<p>BOY SPEARED BY THE NATIVES<br> +ANOMALOUS STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH THE ABORIGINES<br> +MR. SCOTT SAILS FOR ADELAIDE<br> +DOG BOUGHT<br> +MR. SCOTT'S RETURN<br> +CUTTER WATERWITCH SENT TO CO-OPERATE<br> +SEND HER TO STREAKY BAY<br> +LEAVE PORT LINCOLN WITH THE DRAY<br> +LEVEL SANDY COUNTRY CLOTHED WITH BRUSH AND SHRUBS<br> +SALT LAKES<br> +MOUNT HOPE<br> +LAKE HAMILTON<br> +STONY COUNTRY<br> +LOSE A DOG<br> +BETTER COUNTRY<br> +WEDGE HILL<br> +LAKE NEWLAND<br> +A BOAT HARBOUR<br> +MOUNT HALL<br> +REJOIN PARTY AT STREAKY BAY<br> +SINGULAR SPRING<br> +CHARACTER OF COUNTRY<br> +BEDS OF OYSTERS</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-10">CHAPTER X</a></p> + +<p>COUNTRY BETWEEN STREAKY BAY AND BAXTER'S RANGE<br> +ITS SCRUBBY CHARACTER<br> +GAWLER RANGE<br> +MOUNT STURT<br> +ASCEND A PEAK<br> +SALT LAKES<br> +BEAUTIFUL FLOWER<br> +ASCEND ANOTHER BILL<br> +MOUNT BROWN SEEN<br> +EXTENSIVE VIEW TO THE NORTH<br> +LAKE GILLES<br> +BAXTER'S RANGE</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-11">CHAPTER XI</a></p> + +<p>EMBARK STORES<br> +PARTY LEAVE STREAKY BAY<br> +DENSE SCRUB<br> +POINT BROWN<br> +SINGULAR WELL<br> +PROCESS OF CHANGE IN APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY<br> +DIG FOR WATER<br> +FRIENDLY NATIVES<br> +EXTRAORDINARY RITE<br> +NATIVE GUIDES<br> +LEIPOA'S NEST<br> +DENIAL BAY<br> +BEELIMAH GAIPPE<br> +KANGAROO KILLED<br> +MORE NATIVES<br> +BERINYANA GAIPPE<br> +SALT LAKES<br> +WADEMAR GAIPPE<br> +SANDY AND SCRUBBY COUNTRY<br> +MOBEELA GAIPPE<br> +DIFFICULTY OF GETTING WATER<br> +MORE NATIVES<br> +GENUINE HOSPITALITY<br> +SINGULAR MARKS ON THE ABDOMEN<br> +NATIVES LEAVE THE PARTY<br> +FOWLER'S BAY<br> +EXCELLENT WHALING STATION.</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-12">CHAPTER XII</a></p> + +<p>LAND THE STORES AND SEND THE CUTTER TO DENIAL BAY<br> +PARTY REMOVE TO POINT FOWLER<br> +LEAVE THE PARTY<br> +BEDS OF LAKES<br> +DENSE SCRUB<br> +COAST SAND-DRIFTS<br> +FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER<br> +DISTRESS OF THE HORSES<br> +TURN BACK<br> +LEAVE A HORSE<br> +FIND WATER<br> +REJOIN PARTY<br> +SEND FOR THE HORSE<br> +COUNTRY AROUND DEPOT<br> +TAKE A DRAY TO THE WESTWARD<br> +WRETCHED COUNTRY<br> +FALL IN WITH NATIVES<br> +MISUNDERSTAND THEIR SIGNS<br> +THEY LEAVE US<br> +VAIN SEARCH FOR WATER<br> +TURN BACK<br> +HORSE KNOCKED UP<br> +GO BACK FOR WATER<br> +REJOIN THE DRAY<br> +COMMENCE RETURN<br> +SEARCH FOR WATER<br> +DRAY SURROUNDED BY NATIVES<br> +EMBARRASSING SITUATION<br> +BURY BAGGAGE<br> +THREE HORSES ABANDONED<br> +REACH THE SAND-DRIFTS<br> +UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO SAVE THE HORSES<br> +SEND FOR FRESH HORSES<br> +SEARCH FOR WATER TO NORTH-EAST<br> +RECOVER THE DRAY AND STORES<br> +REJOIN THE PARTY AT DEPOT NEAR POINT FOWLER<br> +RETURN OF THE CUTTER</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-13">CHAPTER XIII</a></p> + +<p>FUTURE PLANS<br> +REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY<br> +SEND THE CUTTER TO ADELAIDE<br> +REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR<br> +MONOTONOUS LIFE AT CAMP<br> +REMOVE TO ANOTHER LOCALITY<br> +GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY<br> +FLINT FOUND AGAIN<br> +ATTEMPT TO REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT<br> +REACH THE SAND-HILLS, AND BURY FLOUR<br> +FRIENDLY NATIVES<br> +EXHAUSTED STATE OF THE HORSES<br> +GET THE DRAY TO THE PLAIN<br> +BURY WATER<br> +SEND BACK DRAY<br> +PROCEED WITH PACK-HORSE<br> +OPPRESSIVE HEAT<br> +SEND BACK PACK-HORSE<br> +REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT<br> +SURPRISE SOME NATIVES<br> +THEIR KIND BEHAVIOUR<br> +YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE<br> +THEIR ACCOUNT OF THE INTERIOR</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-14">CHAPTER XIV</a></p> + +<p>PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD<br> +CLIFF'S OF THE GREAT BIGHT<br> +LEVEL NATURE OF THE INTERIOR<br> +FLINTS ABOUND<br> +RETURN TO YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE<br> +NATIVES COME TO THE CAMP<br> +THEIR GENEROUS CONDUCT<br> +MEET THE OVERSEER<br> +RETURN TO DEPOT<br> +BAD WATER<br> +MOVE BACK TO FOWLER'S BAY<br> +ARRIVAL OF THE CUTTER HERO<br> +JOINED BY THE KING GEORGE'S SOUND NATIVE<br> +INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO THE HERO<br> +DIFFICULTY OF FIXING UPON ANY FUTURE PLAN<br> +BREAK UP THE EXPEDITION AND DIVIDE THE PARTY<br> +MR. SCOTT EMBARKS<br> +FINAL REPORT<br> +THE HERO SAILS<br> +OVERSEER AND NATIVES REMAIN<br> +EXCURSION TO THE NORTH<br> +A NATIVE JOINS US<br> +SUDDEN ILLNESS IN THE PARTY<br> +FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING THE DEPOT</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-15">CHAPTER XV</a></p> + +<p>RETURN OF MR. SCOTT IN THE HERO<br> +MR. SCOTT AGAIN SAILS FOR ADELAIDE<br> +COMMENCE JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD<br> +OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL AT THE SAND-HILLS<br> +LARGE FLIES TAKE ON THE SHEEP<br> +LEAVE THE OVERSEER WITH THE HORSES<br> +REACH YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE<br> +JOINED BY THE OVERSEER<br> +TORMENTING FLIES AGAIN<br> +MOVE ON WITH THE SHEEP<br> +LEAVE OVERSEER TO FOLLOW WITH THE HORSES<br> +CHARACTER OF COUNTRY ALONG THE BIGHT<br> +SCENERY OF THE CLIFFS<br> +LEAVE THE SHEEP<br> +ANXIETY ABOUT WATER<br> +REACH THE TERMINATION OF THE CLIFFS<br> +FIND WATER</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-16">CHAPTER XVI</a></p> + +<p>GO BACK TO MEET THE OVERSEER<br> +PARTY ARRIVE AT THE WATER<br> +LONG ENCAMPMENT<br> +GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF THE CLIFFS<br> +MOVE ON AGAIN<br> +DIG FOR WATER<br> +TRACES OF NATIVES<br> +SEND BACK FOR WATER<br> +PARROTS SEEN<br> +COOL WINDS FROM NORTH-EAST<br> +OVERSEER RETURNS<br> +CONTINUE THE JOURNEY<br> +ABANDON BAGGAGE<br> +DENSE SCRUBS<br> +DRIVEN TO THE BEACH<br> +MEET NATIVES<br> +MODE OF PROCURING WATER FROM ROOTS</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-17">CHAPTER XVII</a></p> + +<p>HORSES BEGIN TO KNOCK UP<br> +COMPELLED TO FOLLOW ROUND THE BEACH<br> +TIMOR PONY<br> +UNABLE TO PROCEED<br> +GLOOMY PROSPECTS<br> +OVERSEER BEGINS TO DESPOND<br> +TWO MORE HORSES LEFT BEHIND<br> +FRAGMENTS OF WRECKS<br> +WATER ALL CONSUMED<br> +COLLECT DEW<br> +CHANGE IN CHARACTER OF COUNTRY<br> +DIG A WELL<br> +PROCURE WATER<br> +NATIVE AND FAMILY VISIT US<br> +OVERSEER GOES BACK FOR BAGGAGE<br> +DISASTROUS TERMINATION OF HIS JOURNEY<br> +SITUATION AND PROSPECTS OF THE PARTY</p> + +<p><a href="#ch-18">CHAPTER XVIII</a></p> + +<p>GO BACK WITH A NATIVE<br> +SPEAR STING-RAYS<br> +RECOVER THE BAGGAGE<br> +COLD WEATHER<br> +OVERSEER RECONNOITRES THE CLIFFS<br> +UNFAVOURABLE REPORT<br> +DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO BEST PLANS FOR THE FUTURE<br> +KILL A HORSE FOR FOOD<br> +INJURIOUS EFFECTS FROM MEAT DIET<br> +NATIVE BOYS BECOME DISAFFECTED<br> +THEY STEAL PROVISIONS<br> +NATIVE BOYS DESERT THE PARTY<br> +THEY RETURN ALMOST STARVED<br> +PARTY PROCEED ONWARDS TO THE WESTWARD<br> +CLIFFS OF THE BIGHT<br> +COUNTRY BEHIND THEM<br> +THREATENING WEATHER<br> +MURDER OF THE OVERSEER</p> + +<p><a href="#appendix">APPENDIX</a></p> + +<p>DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS, BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ. F.R.S.<br> +CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH, FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, BY DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSARY--GENERAL NEILL.<br> +THE REPTILES NAMED AND ARRANGED BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., AND THE FISH BY DR. RICHARDSON.<br> +DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS, BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M.E.S.<br> +DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA, BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ. F.R.S.<br> +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS, BY EDWARD DOUBLEDAY, ESQ. F.R.S. etc.<br> +LIST OF BIRDS KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, BY JOHN GOULD, ESQ. F.R.S.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<h3>LIST OF PLATES--VOLUME I.</h3> + +<p align="center"> +<a href="#eyre1-01">Tenberry, with Wife and Child, drawn by G. Hamilton</a></p> +<p align="center"> +<a href="#eyre1-02">Departure of the Expedition, drawn by J. Neil</a></p> +<p align="center"> +<a href="#eyre1-03">Opossum-hunting near Gawler Plains, drawn by E. Gill</a></p> +<p align="center"> +<a href="#eyre1-04">Native Graves, drawn by G. Hamilton</a></p> +<p align="center"> +<a href="#eyre1-05">Wylie, drawn by J. Neil</a></p> +<p align="center"> +<a href="#eyre1-06">Plate I.--New bat and new frog<br> +1. Rhionolophus Aurantius<br> +2. Cystignathus Dorsalis</a></p> +<p align="center"> +<a href="#eyre1-07">Plate II.--New frogs<br> +1. Phryniscus Australis<br> +2. Discoglosus Ornatus<br> +3. Perialia Eyrei</a></p> +<p align="center"> +<a href="#eyre1-08">Plate III.--New Insects<br> +1. Petasida Ephippigera<br> +2. Chrysopa Maculipennis<br> +3. Eurybrachys Laeta<br> +4. Tettigarcta Tomentosa<br> +5. It's pupa case</a></p> +<p align="center"> +<a href="#eyre1-09">Plate IV.--New Cray-fish<br> +1. Astacus Franklinii<br> +2. Astacus Bicarinatus<br> +3. Astacus Quinquecannatus</a></p> +<p align="center"> +<a href="#eyre1-10">Plate V.--New Shells<br> +1. Avicula Lata<br> +2. Spatangus Elongatus</a></p> +<p align="center"> +<a href="#eyre1-11">Plate VI.--New Butterflies<br> +1. Thyridopteryx Nigrescens<br> +2. Callimorpha Selenaea<br> +3. Chelonia Pallida<br> +4. Chelonia Fuscinula <br> +5. Acontia? Pulchra</a></p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<center> +<p><a name="eyre1-02"></a><img alt="" src="images/eyre1-02.jpg"></p> +<p><b>Departure of the Expedition, drawn by J. Neil</b></p> +</center> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<h2>VOLUME I</h2> + +<h3>JOURNAL OF EXPEDITIONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA IN 1840.</h3> + +<p><a name="ch-1"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter I.</h3> + +<p>ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION<br> +CONTEMPLATED EXPLORATION TO THE WESTWARD<br> +MEETING OF THE COLONISTS, AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ENTERED INTO FOR THAT PURPOSE<br> +NOTES ON THE UNFAVOURABLE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY TO THE WESTWARD,<br> +AND PROPOSAL THAT THE NORTHERN INTERIOR SHOULD BE EXAMINED INSTEAD<br> +MAKE AN OFFER TO THE GOVERNOR TO CONDUCT SUCH AN EXPEDITION<br> +CAPTAIN STURT'S LECTURE<br> +INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR<br> +ARRANGEMENT OF PLANS<br> +PREPARATION OF OUTFIT<br> +COST OF EXPEDITION<br> +NAME A DAY FOR DEPARTURE<br> +PUBLIC BREAKFAST AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE UNDERTAKING</p> + +<p>Before entering upon the account of the expedition sent to explore the +interior of Australia, to which the following pages refer, it may perhaps +be as well to advert briefly to the circumstances which led to the +undertaking itself, that the public being fully in possession of the +motives and inducements which led me, at a very great sacrifice of my +private means, to engage in an exploration so hazardous and arduous, and +informed of the degree of confidence reposed in me by those interested in +the undertaking, and the sanguine hopes and high expectations that were +formed as to the result, may be better able to judge how far that +confidence was well placed, and how far my exertions were commensurate +with the magnitude of the responsibility I had undertaken. + +<p>I have felt it the more necessary to allude to this subject now, because +I was in some measure at the time instrumental in putting a stop to a +contemplated expedition to the westward, and of thus unintentionally +interfering with the employment of a personal friend of my own, than whom +no one could have been more fitted to command an undertaking of the kind, +from his amiable disposition, his extensive experience, and his general +knowledge and acquirements. + +<p>Upon returning, about the middle of May 1840, from a visit to King +George's Sound and Swan River, I found public attention in Adelaide +considerably engrossed with the subject of an overland communication +between Southern and Western Australia. Captain Grey, now the Governor of +South Australia, had called at Adelaide on his way to England from King +George's Sound, and by furnishing a great deal of interesting information +relative to Western Australia, and pointing out the facilities that +existed on its eastern frontier, as far as it was then known, for the +entrance of stock from the Eastward, had called the attention of the +flock-masters of the Colony to the importance of opening a communication +between the two places, with a view to the extension of their pastoral +interests. The notes of Captain Grey, referring to this subject, were +published in the South Australian Register newspaper of the 28th March, +1840. On the 30th of the same month, a number of gentlemen, many of whom +were owners of large flocks and herds, met together, for the purpose of +taking the matter into consideration, and the result of this conference +was the appointment of a Committee, whose duty it was to report upon the +best means of accomplishing the object in view. On the 4th, 7th, and 9th +of April other meetings were held, and the results published in the South +Australian Register, of the 11th April, as follows:-- + +<p>OVERLAND ROUTE TO WESTERN AUSTRALIA. + +<p>At a Meeting of the Committee for making arrangements for an expedition +to explore an overland route to Western Australia, held the 7th of April, +the Hon. the Surveyor-general in the chair, the following resolutions +were agreed to:-- + +<p>That a communication be made to the Government of Western Australia, +detailing the objects contemplated by this Committee, and further stating +that the assistance of the Government of this province has been obtained. + +<p>That a communication be made to the Hon. the Surveyor-general, the Hon. +the Advocate-general the Hon. G. Leake, Esq. of Western Australia, with a +request that they will form a committee in conjunction with such settlers +as may feel interested in the same undertaking, for the purpose of +collecting private subscriptions, and co-operating with this committee. + +<p>Resolved, that similar communications be made to the Government of New +South Wales, and to the following gentlemen who are requested to act as a +committee with the same power as that of Western Australia: Hon. E. Deas +Thomson, Colonial Secretary; William Macarthur, Esq.; Captain Parker; P. +King, R.N.; Stuart Donaldson, Esq.; George Macleay, Esq.; Charles +Campbell, Esq. + +<p>That this Committee would propose, in order to facilitate the progress of +the expedition, that depots be formed at convenient points on the route; +that it is proposed to make Fowler's Bay the first depot on the route +from Adelaide, and to leave it to the Government of Western Australia to +decide upon the sites which their local knowledge may point out as the +most eligible for similar stations, as far to the eastward as may appear +practicable. + +<p>That a subscription list be immediately opened in Adelaide to collect +funds in aid of the undertaking. + +<p>That R. F. Newland, Esq., be requested to act as Treasurer to this +Committee, and that subscriptions be received at the Banks of Australasia +and South Australia. + +<p>E. C. FROME, Chairman.<br> +CHAS. BONNEY, Secretary. + +<p>The Committee again met on the 9th April--the Hon. the Assistant +Commissioner in the chair. It was resolved that the following statement +head the subscription list:-- + +<p> +Several meetings having taken place at Adelaide of persons interested in +the discovery of an overland route to Western Australia, and it being the +general opinion of those meetings that such an enterprise would very +greatly benefit the colonists of Eastern, Southern, and Western +Australia, it was determined to open subscriptions for the furtherance of +this most desirable object under the direction of the following +Committee:</p> + +<pre> +G. A. Anstey, Esq. John Knott, Esq. +Charles Bonney, Esq. Duncan M'Farlane, Esq. +John Brown, Esq. David McLaren, Esq. +Edward Eyre, Esq. John Morphett, Esq. +John Finniss, Esq. Chas. Mann, Esq. +J. H. Fisher, Esq. R. F. Newland, Esq. +Lieutenant Frome, Dr. Rankin. Esq. +Surveyor-general G. Stevenson, Esq. +O. Gilles, Esq. F. Stephens, Esq. +Captain Grey W. Smilie, Esq. +J. B. Hack, Esq. T. B. Strangwaya, Esq. +G. Hamilton, Esq. Capt. Sturt, Ass. Com. +Ephraim Howe, Esq. John Walker, Esq. +</pre> + +<p>The very great importance of the undertaking as leading to results, and +in all probability to discoveries, the benefits of which are at present +unforeseen, but which, like the opening of the Murray to this Province, +may pave the way to a high road from hence to Western Australia, will, it +is hoped meet with that support from the public which undertakings of +great national interest deserve, and which best evince the enterprise and +well-doing of a rising colony. + +<p>That Captain Grey, being about to embark for England, the Committee +cannot allow him to quit these shores without expressing their regret +that his stay has been so short, and the sense they entertain of the +great interest he has evinced in the welfare of the colony, and the +disinterested support he has given an enterprise which is likely to lead +to such generally beneficial results as that under consideration. + +<p>CHAS. STURT, Chairman.<br> +CHAS. BONNEY, Secretary. + +<p>LIST OF SUBSCRIPTIONS RECEIVED YESTERDAY.</p> + +<pre> +The Government of South Australia 200 pounds +His Excellency the Governor +(absent at Port Lincoln) +and the Colonists 349 pounds 10 shillings +</pre> + +<p>Such was the state in which I found the question on my return from +Western Australia. All had been done that was practicable, until answers +were received from the other Colonies, replying to the applications for +assistance and co-operation in the proposed undertaking. + +<p>Having been always greatly interested in the examination of this vast but +comparatively unknown continent, and having already myself been +frequently engaged in long and harassing explorations, it will not be +deemed surprising that I should at once have turned my attention to the +subject so prominently occupying the public mind. I have stated that the +principal object proposed to be attained by the expedition to the +westward, was that of opening a route for the transit of stock from one +colony to the other--nay it was even proposed and agreed to by a majority +of the gentlemen attending the public meeting that the first party of +exploration should be accompanied by cattle. Now, from my previous +examination of the country to the westward of the located parts of South +Australia, I had in 1839 fully satisfied myself, not only of the +difficulty, but of the utter impracticability of opening an overland +route for stock in that direction, and I at once stated my opinion to +that effect, and endeavoured to turn the general attention from the +Westward to the North, as being the more promising opening, either for +the discovery of a good country, or of an available route across the +continent. The following extract, from a paper by me on the subject, was +published in the South Australian Register of the 23rd May, 1840, and +contains my opinion at that time of the little prospect there was of any +useful result accruing from the carrying out of the proposed expedition +to the Westward:-- + +<p>"It may now, therefore, be a question for those who are interested in the +sending an expedition overland to the Swan River to consider what are +likely to be the useful results from such a journey. In a geographical +point of view it will be exceedingly interesting to know the character of +the intervening country between this colony and theirs, and to unfold the +secrets hidden by those lofty, and singular cliffs at the head of the +Great Bight, and so far, it might perhaps be practicable--since it is +possible that a light party might, in a favourable season, force their +way across. As regards the transit of stock, however, my own conviction +is that it is quite impracticable. The vast extent of desert country to +the westward--the scarcity of grass--the denseness of the scrub--and the +all but total absence of water, even in the most favourable seasons, are +in themselves, sufficient bars to the transit of stock, even to a +distance we are already acquainted with. I would rather, therefore, turn +the public attention to the Northward, as being the most probable point +from which discoveries of importance may be made, or such as are likely +to prove beneficial to this and the other colonies, and from which it is +possible the veil may be lifted, from the still unknown and mysterious +interior of this vast continent." + +<p>On the 27th I dined with His Excellency the Governor, and had a long +conversation with him on the subject of the proposed Western Expedition, +and on the exploration of the Northern Interior. With his usual anxiety +to promote any object which he thought likely to benefit the colony, and +advance the cause of science, His Excellency expressed great interest in +the examination of the Northern Interior, and a desire that an attempt +should be made to penetrate its recesses during the ensuing season. + +<p>As I had been the means of diverting public attention from a Western to a +Northern exploration, so was I willing to encounter myself the risks and +toils of the undertaking I had suggested, and I therefore at once +volunteered to His Excellency to take the command of any party that might +be sent out, to find one-third of the number of horses required, and pay +one-third of the expenses. Two days after this a lecture was delivered at +the Mechanics' Institute in Adelaide, by Captain Sturt, upon the +Geography and Geology of Australia, at the close of which that gentleman +acquainted the public with the proposal I had made to the Governor, and +the sanction and support which His Excellency was disposed to give it. +The following extract is from Captain Sturt's address, and shews the +disinterested and generous zeal which that talented and successful +traveller was ever ready to exert on behalf of those who were inclined to +follow the career of enterprise and ambition in which he had with such +distinction led the way. + +<p>"Before I conclude, however, having drawn your attention to the science +of geology, I would for a moment dwell on that of geography, and the +benefit the pursuit and study of it has been to mankind. To geography we +owe all our knowledge of the features of the earth's surface, our +intercourse with distant nations, and our enjoyments of numberless +comforts and luxuries. The sister sciences of geography and hydrography +have enabled us to pursue our way to any quarter of the habitable and +uninhabitable world. With the history of geography, moreover, our +proudest feelings are associated. Where are there names dearer to us than +those of the noble and devoted Columbus, of Sebastian Cabot, of Cook, of +Humboldt, and of Belzoni and La Perouse? Where shall we find the generous +and heroic devotion of the explorers of Africa surpassed? Of Denham, of +Clapperton, of Oudeny, and of the many who have sacrificed their valuable +lives to the pestilence of that climate or to the ferocity of its +inhabitants?--And where shall we look for the patient and persevering +endurance of Parry, of Franklin, and of Back, in the northern regions of +eternal snow? If, ladies and gentlemen, fame were to wreathe a crown to +the memory of such men, there would not be a leaf in it without a name. +The region of discovery was long open to the ambitious, but the energy +and perseverance of man has now left but little to be done in that once +extensive and honourable field. The shores of every continent have been +explored--the centre of every country has been penetrated save that of +Australia--thousands of pounds have been expended in expeditions to the +Poles--but this country, round which a girdle of civilization is forming, +is neglected, and its recesses, whether desert or fertile, are unsought +and unexplored. What is known of the interior is due rather to private +enterprise than to public energy. Here then there is still a field for +the ambitious to tread. Over the centre of this mighty continent there +hangs a veil which the most enterprising might be proud to raise. The +path to it, I would venture to say, is full of difficulty and danger; and +to him who first treads it much will be due. I, who have been as far as +any, have seen danger and difficulty thicken around me as I advanced, and +I cannot but anticipate the same obstacles to the explorer, from whatever +point of these extreme shores he may endeavour to force his way. +Nevertheless, gentlemen, I shall envy that man who shall first plant the +flag of our native country in the centre of our adopted one. There is not +one deed in those days to be compared with it, and to whoever may +undertake so praiseworthy and so devoted a task, I wish that success, +which Heaven sometimes vouchsafes to those who are actuated by the first +of motives--the public good; and the best of principles--a reliance on +Providence. I would I myself could undertake such a task, but fear that +may not be. However, there is a gentleman among us, who is auxious to +undertake such a journey. He has calculated that in taking a party five +hundred miles into the interior, the expense would not be more than 300 +pounds and the price of ten horses. At a meeting held some time ago, on +this very subject, about half that sum was subscribed.--His Excellency +the Governor has kindly promised to give 100 pounds, and two horses--and +I think we may very soon make up the remainder; and thus may set out an +expedition which may explore the as yet unknown interior of this vast +continent, which may be the means, by discovery, of conferring a lasting +benefit on the colony--and hand down to posterity the name of the person +who undertakes it." + +<p>On the same day I received a note from the private secretary, stating +that the Governor wished to see me, and upon calling on His Excellency I +had a long and interesting interview on the subject of the expedition, in +the course of which arrangements were proposed and a plan of operations +entered into. I found in His Excellency every thing that was kind and +obliging. Sincerely desirous to confer a benefit upon the colony over +which he presided, he was most anxious that the expedition should be +fitted out in as complete and efficient a manner as possible, and to +effect this every assistance in his power was most frankly and freely +offered. In addition to the sanction and patronage of the government and +the contribution of 100 pounds, towards defraying the expenses, His +Excellency most kindly offered me the selection of any two horses I +pleased, from among those belonging to the police, and stated, that if I +wished for the services of any of the men in the public employment they +should be permitted to accompany me on the journey. The Colonial cutter, +WATERWITCH, was also most liberally offered, and thankfully accepted, to +convey a part of the heavy stores and equipment to the head of Spencer's +Gulf, that so far, the difficulties of the land journey to that point, at +least, might be lessened. + +<p>I was now fairly pledged to the undertaking, and as the winter was +rapidly advancing, I became most anxious to get all preparations made as +soon as possible to enable me to take advantage of the proper season. On +the first of June I commenced the necessary arrangements for organizing +my party, and getting ready the equipment required. To assist me in these +duties, and to accompany me as a companion in the journey, I engaged Mr. +Edward Bate Scott, an active, intelligent and steady young friend, who +had already been a voyage with me to Western Australia, and had travelled +with me overland from King George's Sound to Swan River. + +<p>Meetings of the colonists interested in the undertaking were again held +on the 2nd and 5th of June, at which subscriptions were entered into for +carrying out the object of the expedition; and a brief outline of my +plans was given by the Chairman, Captain Sturt, in the following extract +from his address. + +<p>"The Chairman went on to state, that Mr. Eyre would first proceed to Lake +Torrens and examine it, and then penetrate as far inland in a northerly +direction as would be found practicable. With regard to an observation +which he (the Chairman) had made on Friday evening, regarding this +continent having been formerly an archipelago, he stated, that he was of +opinion that a considerable space of barren land in all probability +existed between this district and what had formerly been the next island. +This space was likely to be barren, though of course it would be +impossible to say how far it extended. He had every reason to believe, +from what he had seen of the Australian continent, that at some distance +to the northward, a large tract of barren country would be found, or +perhaps a body of water, beyond which, a good country would in all +probability exist. The contemplated expedition, he hoped would set +supposition at rest--and as the season was most favourable, and Mr. Eyre +had had much personal experience in exploring, he had no doubt but the +expedition would be successful. The eyes of all the Australasian +colonies--nay, he might say of Britain--are on the colonists of South +Australia in this matter; and he felt confident that the result would be +most beneficial, not only to this Province, but also to New South Wales +and the Australian colonies generally--for the success of one settlement +is, in a measure, the success of the others." + +<p>An advertisement, published in the Adelaide Journals of 13th June, shewed +the progress that had been made towards collecting subscriptions for the +undertaking, and the spirited and zealous manner in which the colonists +entered into the project. Up to that date the sum of 541 pounds 17 +shillings 5 pence had been collected and paid into the Bank of Australia. + +<p>Having now secured the necessary co-operation and assistance, my +arrangements proceeded rapidly and unremittingly, whilst the kindness of +the Governor, the Committee of colonists, my private friends and the +public generally, relieved me of many difficulties and facilitated my +preparations in a manner such as I could hardly have hoped or expected. +Every one seemed interested in the undertaking, and anxious to promote +its success; zeal and energy and spirit were infused among all connected +with it, and everything went on prosperously. + +<p>In addition to the valuable aid which I received from his Excellency the +Governor, I was particularly indebted to Captain Frome the +Surveyor-general, Captain Sturt the Assistant-commissioner, and Thomas +Gilbert, Esq. the Colonial storekeeper, for unceasing kindness and +attention, and for much important assistance rendered to me by the loan +of books and instruments, the preparation of charts, and the fitting up +of drays, etc. etc. + +<p>Captain Frome, too, now laid me under increased obligations by giving up +his own servant, Corporal Coles of the Royal Sappers and Miners, upon my +expressing a wish to take him with me, and the Governor sanctioning his +going. + +<p>This man had accompanied Captain Grey in all his expeditions on the +North-west coast of New Holland--and had been highly recommended by that +traveller; he was a wheelwright by trade, and being a soldier was likely +to prove a useful and valuable addition to my party; and I afterwards +found him a most obliging, willing and attentive person. + +<p>To the Governor and to the Committee of colonists I owe many thanks, for +the very flattering and gratifying confidence they reposed in me, a +confidence which left me as unrestricted in my detail of outfit and +equipment, as I was unfettered in my plan of operations in the field. +This enabled me to avoid unnecessary delays, and to hasten every thing +forward as rapidly as possible, so that when requested by the Governor to +name a day for my departure I was enabled to fix upon the 18th of June. + +<p>Having already done all in their power to forward and assist the +equipment and arrangement of the expedition, the Governor and Mrs. Gawler +were determined still further to increase the heavy debt of gratitude +which I was already under to them, by inviting myself and party to meet +the friends of the expedition at Government House on the morning of our +departure, that by a public demonstration of interest in our welfare, we +might be encouraged in the undertaking upon which we were about to +enter--and might be stimulated to brave the perils to which we should +shortly be exposed, by a remembrance of the sympathy expressed in our +behalf, and the pledge we should come under to the public upon leaving +the abode of civilised man, for the unknown and trackless region which +lay before us. + +<p>On the 15th of June I attended a meeting of the Committee, and presented +for audit the accounts of the expenditure incurred up to that date. On +the 16th I had a sale of all my private effects, furniture, etc. by +auction, and arranged my affairs in the best way that the very limited +time at my disposal would permit. + +<p>The 17th found me still with plenty of work to do, as there were many +little matters to attend to at the last, which the best exertions could +not sooner set aside. + +<p>Mr. Scott, who ever since the commencement of our preparations, had been +most indefatigable and useful in his exertions, was even still more +severely tasked on this day; at night, however, we were all amply +rewarded, by seeing every thing completely and satisfactorily +arranged--the bustle, confusion, and excitement over, and our drays all +loaded, and ready to commence on the morrow a journey of which the +length, the difficulty, and the result, were all a problem yet to be +solved. + +<p>In the short space of seventeen days from the first commencement of our +preparations, we had completely organized and fully equipped a party for +interior exploration. Every thing had been done in that short time men +hired, horses sought out and selected, drays prepared, saddlery, harness, +and the thousand little things required on such journeys, purchased, +fitted and arranged. In that short time too, the Colonists had subscribed +and collected the sum of five hundred pounds towards defraying the +expenses, exclusive of the Government contribution of 100 pounds. + +<p>Unfortunately, at the time the expedition was undertaken, every thing in +South Australia was excessively dear, and the cost of its outfit was +therefore much greater in 1840, than it would have been any year since +that period; nine horses (including a Timor pony, subsequently procured +at Port Lincoln) cost 682 pounds 10 shillings, whilst all other things +were proportionably expensive. After the expedition had terminated and +the men's wages and other expenses had been paid, the gross outlay +amounted to 1391 pounds 0 shillings 7 pence:--of this</p> + +<pre> +Amount of Donation from Government was 100 00 00 +Amount of Subscriptions of the Colonists 582 04 09 +Sale of the Drays and part of the Equipment 28 00 00 +Amount paid by myself 680 15 10 + ---------- +Total 1391 00 07 +</pre> + +<p>In addition to this expenditure, considerable as it was, there were very +many things obtained from various sources, which though of great value +did not come into the outlay already noted. Among these were two horses +supplied by the Government, and three supplied by myself, making with the +nine bought for 682 pounds 10 shillings, a total of fourteen horses. The +very valuable services of the cutters "HERO" and "WATERWITCH," were +furnished by the Government; who also supplied all our arms and +ammunition, with a variety of other stores. From my many friends I +received donations of books and instruments, and I was myself enabled to +supply from my own resources a portion of the harness, saddlery, tools, +and tarpaulins, together with a light cart and a tent. + +<p>June 18.--Calling my party up early, I ordered the horses to be +harnessed, and yoked to the drays, at half past nine the whole party, +(except the overseer who was at a station up the country) proceeded to +Government House, where the drays were halted for the men to partake of a +breakfast kindly provided for them by His Excellency and Mrs. Gawler, +whilst myself and Mr. Scott joined the very large party invited to meet +us in the drawing room. + +<p>The following account of the proceedings of the morning, taken from the +South Australian Register, of the 20th June, may perhaps be read with +interest; at least it will shew the disinterested spirit and enterprising +character of the colonists of South Australia, even at this early stage +of its history, and especially how much the members of our little party +were indebted to the kindness and good feeling of the Governor and +colonists, who were anxious to cheer and stimulate us under the +difficulties and trails we had to encounter, by their earnest wishes and +prayers for our safety and success. + +<p>EXPLORATORY EXPEDITION TO THE CENTRE OF NEW HOLLAND + +<p>The arrangements for the expedition into the interior, undertaken by Mr. +Eyre, having been completed, His Excellency the Governor and Mrs. Gawler +issued cards to a number of the principal colonists and personal friends +of Mr. Eyre, to meet him at Government House on the morning of his +departure. On Thursday last accordingly (the anniversary of Waterloo, in +which His Excellency and the gallant 52nd bore so conspicuous a part) a +very large party of ladies and gentlemen assembled. After an elegant +DEJEUNER A LA FOURCHETTE, His Excellency the Governor rose and spoke as +nearly as we could collect, as follows:-- + +<p>"We are assembled to promote one of the most important undertakings that +remain to be accomplished on the face of the globe--the discovery of the +interior of Australia. As Captain Sturt in substance remarked in a recent +lecture, of the five great divisions of the earth, Europe is well known; +Asia and America have been generally searched out; the portion that +remains to be known of Africa is generally unfavourable for Europeans, +and probably unfit for colonization; but Australia, our great island +continent, with a most favourable climate, still remains unpenetrated, +mysterious, and unknown. Without doing injustice to the enterprising +attempts of Oxley, Sturt, and Mitchell, I must remark that they were +commenced from a very unfavourable point--from the eastern and almost +south-eastern extremity of the island--and consequently the great +interior still remains untouched by them, the south-eastern corner alone +having been investigated. As Captain Sturt some years since declared, +this Province is the point from which expeditions to the deep interior +should set out. This principle, I know, has been acknowledged by +scientific men in Europe; and it is most gratifying to see the spirit +with which our Colonists on the present occasion have answered to the +claim which their position imposes upon them. Mr. Eyre goes forth this +day, to endeavour to plant the British flag--the flag which in the whole +world has "braved for a thousand years the battle and the breeze"--on the +tropic of Capricorn (as nearly as possible in 135 degrees or 136 degrees +of longitude) in the very centre of our island continent. On this day +twenty-five years since, commencing almost at this very hour, the British +flag braved indeed the battle, and at length floated triumphant in +victory on the field of Waterloo. May a similar glorious success attend +the present undertaking! Mr. Eyre goes forth to brave a battle of a +different kind, but which in the whole, may present dangers equal to +those of Waterloo. May triumph crown his efforts, and may the British +flag, planted by him in the centre of Australia, wave for another +thousand years over the pence and prosperity of the mighty population +which immigration is pouring in upon us! Of the immediate results of his +journey, no one, indeed, can at present form a solid conjecture. Looking +to the dark side, he may traverse a country useless to man; but +contemplating the bright side, and remembering that but a few years since +Sturt, setting off on an equally mysterious course, laid the foundation +for the large community in which we dwell, it is in reason to hope that +Mr. Eyre will discover a country which may derive support from us, and +increase the prosperity of our Province. I must express my gratification +at the manner in which this enterprise, noble, let its results be what +they may, has been supported by our colonists at large. It is a greater +honor to be at the head of the government of a colony of enlightened and +enterprising men, than at that of an empire of enslaved and ignorant +beings in the form of men. I count it so. May the zeal which has been +exhibited in the colony in the promotion of every good and useful work +ever continue. Some ladies of Adelaide have worked a British Union Jack +for Mr. Eyre. Captain Sturt will be their representative to present it to +him. After that we will adjourn to the opposite rooms to invoke a +blessing on the enterprise. All here, and I believe the whole colony, +give to Mr. Eyre their best wishes, but to good wishes right-minded men +always add fervent prayers. There is an Almighty invisible Being in whose +hands are all events--man may propose, but it is for God only to +dispose--let us therefore implore his protection." + +<p>"The Hon. Captain Sturt then received a very handsome Union Jack, neatly +worked in silk; and presenting it to Mr. Eyre, spoke nearly as follows:-- + +<p>"It cannot but be gratifying to me to be selected on such an occasion as +this, to perform so prominent a part in a duty the last a community can +discharge towards one who, like you, is about to risk your life for its +good. I am to deliver to you this flag, in the name of the ladies who +made it, with their best wishes for your success, and their earnest +prayers for your safety. This noble colour, the ensign of our country, +has cheered the brave on many an occasion. It has floated over every +shore of the known world, and upon every island of the deep. But you have +to perform a very different, and a more difficult duty. You have to carry +it to the centre of a mighty continent, there to leave it as a sign to +the savage that the footstep of civilized man has penetrated so far. Go +forth, then, on your journey, with a full confidence in the goodness of +Providence; and may Heaven direct your steps to throw open the fertility +of the interior, not only for the benefit of the Province, but of our +native country; and may the moment when you unfurl this colour for the +purpose for which it was given to you, be as gratifying to you as the +present." + +<p>"Mr. Eyre, visibly and deeply affected, returned his warmest thanks, and +expressed his sense of the kindness he had received on the present +occasion. He hoped to be able to plant the flag he had just received in +the centre of this continent. If he failed, he should, he hoped, have the +cousciousness of having earnestly endeavoured to succeed. To His +Excellency the Governor, his sincere thanks were due for the promptitude +with which so much effectual assistance to the expedition had been +rendered. Mr. Eyre also begged leave to return his thanks to the +Colonists who had so liberally supported the enterprise; and concluded by +expressing his trust that, through the blessing of God, he would be +enabled to return to them with a favourable report of the country into +which he was about to penetrate. + +<p>"The company then returned to the library and drawing-room, where the +Colonial Chaplain, the Rev. C. B. Howard, offered up an affecting and +appropriate prayer, and at twelve precisely, Mr. Eyre, accompanied by a +very large concourse of gentlemen on horseback, left Government House, +under the hearty parting cheers of the assembled party." + +<p>Leaving Government House under the hearty cheers of the very large +concourse assembled to witness our departure outside the grounds; Mr. +Scott, myself, and two native boys (the drays having previously gone on) +proceeded on horseback on our route, accompanied by a large body of +gentlemen on horseback, and ladies in carriages, desirous of paying us +the last kind tribute of friendship by a farewell escort of a few miles. + +<p>At first leaving Government House we had moved on at a gentle canter, but +were scarcely outside the gates, before the cheering of the people, the +waving of hats, and the rush of so many horses, produced an emulation in +the noble steeds that almost took from us the control of their pace, as +we dashed over the bridge and up the hill in North Adelaide--it was a +heart-stirring and inspiriting scene. Carried away by the enthusiasm of +the moment, our thoughts and feelings were wrought to the highest state +of excitement. + +<p>The time passed rapidly away, the first few miles were soon travelled +over,--then came the halt,--the parting,--the last friendly cheer;--and +we were alone in the wilderness. Our hearts were too full for +conversation, and we wended on our way slowly and in silence to overtake +the advance party.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-2"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter II.</h3> + +<p>FIRST NIGHT'S ENCAMPMENT WITH PARTY<br> +REFLECTIONS<br> +ARRIVAL AT SHEEP STATION<br> +RE-ARRANGEMENTS OF LOADS<br> +METHOD OF CARRYING FIRE-ARMS<br> +COMPLETE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY<br> +THEIR NAMES<br> +MOVE ONWARDS<br> +VALLEY OF THE LIGHT<br> +EXTENSIVE PLAINS<br> +HEAD OF THE GILBERT<br> +SCARCITY OF FIREWOOD<br> +GRASSY WELL-WATERED DISTRICTS<br> +THE HILL AND HUTT RIVERS<br> +INDICATION OF CHANGE GOING ON IN APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY,<br> +TRACEABLE IN THE REMAINS OF TIMBER IN THE PLAINS AND IN THE OPENINGS AMONG SCRUBS<br> +THE BROUGHTON<br> +REEDY WATERCOURSE<br> +CAMPBELL'S RANGE<br> +COURSE OF THE BROUGHTON</p> + +<p>June 18.--The party having left Adelaide late in the forenoon, and it +being the first day of working the horses, I did not wish to make a long +stage; having followed the usual road, therefore, as far as the little +Parra, the drays were halted upon that watercourse (after a journey of +about twelve miles), and we then proceeded to bivouac for the first time. +For the first time too since I had engaged to command the expedition, I +had leisure to reflect upon the prospects before me. + +<p>During the hurry and bustle of preparation, and in the enthusiasm of +departure, my mind was kept constantly on the stretch, and I had no time +for calm and cool consideration, but now that all was over and the +journey actually commenced, I was again able to collect my thoughts and +to turn my most serious and anxious attention to the duty I had +undertaken. The last few days had been so fraught with interest and +occupation, and the circumstances of our departure this morning, had been +so exciting, that when left to my own reflections, the whole appeared to +me more like a dream than a reality. The change was so great, the +contrast so striking. From the crowded drawing room of civilized life, I +had in a few hours been transferred to the solitude and silence of the +wilds, and from being but an unit in the mass of a large community, I had +suddenly become isolated with regard to the world, which, so far as I was +concerned, consisted now only of the few brave men who accompanied me, +and who were dependant for their very existence upon the energy and +perseverance and prudence with which I might conduct the task assigned to +me. With this small, but gallant and faithful band, I was to attempt to +penetrate the vast recesses of the interior of Australia, to try to lift +up the veil which has hitherto shrouded its mysteries from the researches +of the traveller, and to endeavour to plant that flag which has floated +proudly in all the known parts of the habitable globe, in the centre of a +region as yet unknown, and unvisited save by the savage or the wild +beast. + +<p>Those only who have been placed in similar circumstances can at all +appreciate the feelings which they call forth. The hopes, fears, and +anxieties of the leader of an exploring party, must be felt to be +understood, when he is about to commence an undertaking which MUST be one +of difficulty and danger, and which MAY be of doubtful and even fatal +result. + +<p>The toil, care, and anxiety devolving upon him are of no ordinary +character; everyday removes him further from the pale of civilization and +from aid or assistance of any kind--whilst each day too diminishes the +strength of his party and the means at his command, and thus renders him +less able to provide against or cope with the difficulties that may beset +him. A single false step, the least error of judgment, or the slightest +act of indiscretion might plunge the expedition into inextricable +difficulty or danger, or might defeat altogether the object in view. +Great indeed was the responsibility I had undertaken--and most fully did +I feel sensible of the many and anxious duties that devolved upon me. The +importance and interest attached to the solution of the geographical +problem connected with the interior of Australia, would, I well knew, +engage the observation of the scientific world. If I were successful, the +accomplishment of what I had undertaken would more than repay me in +gratification for the toil and hazard of the enterprise--but if otherwise +I could not help feeling that, however far the few friends who knew me +might give me credit for exertion or perseverance, the world at large +would be apt to reason from the result, and to make too little allowance +for difficulties and impediments, of the magnitude of which from +circumstances they could be but incompetent judges. + +<p>With such thoughts as these, and revolving in my mind our future plans, +our chances of success or otherwise, it will not be deemed surprising, +that notwithstanding the fatigue and care I had gone through during the +last fortnight of preparation, sleep should long remain a stranger to my +pillow; and when all nature around me was buried in deep repose I alone +was waking and anxious. + +<p>From former experience in a personal examination of the nature of the +country north of the head of Spencer's Gulf, during the months of May and +June, 1839, I had learnt that the farther the advance to the north, the +more dreary and desolate the appearance of the country became, and the +greater was the difficulty, both of finding and of obtaining access to +either water or grass. The interception of the singular basin of Lake +Torrens, which I had discovered formed a barrier to the westward, and +commencing near the head of Spencer's Gulf, was connected with it by a +narrow channel of mud and water. This lake apparently increased in width +as it stretched away to the northward, as far as the eye could reach, +when viewed from the farthest point attained by me in 1839, named by +Colonel Gawler, Mount Eyre. Dreary as had been the view I then obtained, +and cheerless as was the prospect from that elevation, there was one +feature in the landscape, which still gave me hope that something might +be done in that direction, and had in fact been my principal inducement +to select a line nearly north from Spencer's Gulf, for our route on the +present expedition; this feature was the continuation, and the +undiminished elevation of the chain of hills forming Flinders range, +running nearly parallel with the course of Lake Torrens, and when last +seen by me stretching far to the northward and eastward in a broken and +picturesque outline. + +<p>It was to this chain of hills that I now looked forward as the +stepping-stone to the interior. In its continuation were centered all my +hopes of success, because in its recesses alone could I hope to obtain +water and grass for my party. The desert region I had seen around its +base, gave no hope of either, and though the basin of Lake Torrens +appeared to be increasing so much in extent to the northward, I had seen +nothing to indicate its terminating within any practicable distance, in a +deep or navigable water. True the whole of the drainage from Flinders +range, as far as was yet known, emptied into its basin, but such was the +arid and sandy nature of the region through which it passed, that a great +part of the moisture was absorbed, whilst the low level of the basin of +the lake, apparently the same as that of the sea itself, forbade even the +most distant hope of the water being fresh, should any be found in its +bed. + +<p>It was in reflections and speculations such as these, that many hours of +the night of my first encampment with the party passed away. The kindness +of the Governor and our many friends had been so unbounded; their anxiety +for our safety and comfort so great; their good wishes for our success so +earnest, and their confidence in our exertions, so implicit, that I could +not but look forward with apprehension, lest the success of our efforts +might not equal what our gratitude desired, and even now I began to be +fearful that the high expectations raised by the circumstances of our +departure might not be wholly realised. + +<p>We had fairly commenced our arduous undertaking, and though the party +might appear small for the extent of the exploration contemplated, yet no +expedition could have started under more favourable or more cheering +auspices; provided with every requisite which experience pointed out as +desirable, and with every comfort which excess of kindness could suggest, +we left too, with a full sense of the difficulties before us, but with a +firm determination to overcome them, if possible. And I express but the +sentiments of the whole party when I say, that we felt the events of the +day of our departure, and the recollection of the anxiety and interest +with which our friends were anticipating our progress, and hoping for our +success, would be cherished as our watchword in the hour of danger, and +bethe incentive to perseverance and labour, when more than ordinary +trials should call for our exertions. The result we were willing to leave +in the hands of that Almighty Being whose blessing had been implored upon +our undertaking, and to whom we looked for guidance and protection in all +our wanderings. + +<p>June 19.--On mustering the horses this morning it was found, that one or +two had been turned loose without hobbles, and being fresh and high fed +from the stables, they gave us a great deal of trouble before we could +catch them, but at last we succeeded, and the party moved on upon the +road to Gawler town, arriving there (12 miles) about noon; at this place +we halted for half an hour, at the little Inn to lunch, and this being +the last opportunity we should have of entering a house for many months +to come, I was anxious to give my men the indulgence. After lunch I again +moved on the party for five miles, crossing and encamping upon, a branch +of the Parra or Gawler, where we had abundance of good water and grass. + +<p>June 20.--Having a long stage before us to-day, I moved on the party very +early, leaving all roads, and steering across the bush to my sheep +stations upon the Light. We passed through some very fine country, the +verdant and beautiful herbage of which, at this season of the year, +formed a carpet of rich and luxuriant vegetation. Having crossed the +grassy and well wooded ranges which confine the waters of the Light to +the westward, we descended to the plain, and reached my head station +about sunset, after a long and heavy stage of twenty miles--here we were +to remain a couple of days to break up the station, as the sheep were +sold, and the overseer and one of the men were to join the Expedition +party. + +<p>The night set in cold and rainy, but towards morning turned to a severe +frost; one of the native boys who had been sent a short cut to the +station ahead of the drays, lost his road and was out in the cold all +night--an unusual circumstance, as a native will generally keep almost as +straight a direction through the wilds as a compass will point. + +<p>Sunday, June 21.--We remained in camp. The day was cold, the weather +boisterous, with showers of rain at intervals, and the barometer falling; +our delay enabled me to write letters to my various friends, before +finally leaving the occupied parts of the country, I was glad too, to +give the horses and men a little rest after the fatigue they had endured +yesterday in crossing the country. + +<p>June 22.--As we still remained in camp, the day being dark and cloudy +with occasional showers, I took the opportunity of having one of the +drays boarded close up, and of re-arranging the loads, oiling the +fire-arms, and grinding the axes, spades, etc.; we completed our +complement of tools, tents, tarpaulins, etc. from those at the station, +and had everything arranged on the drays in the most convenient manner, +always having in view safety in carriage and facility of access; the best +place for the fire-arms I found to be at the outside of the sides, the +backs, or the fronts, of those drays that were close boarded. + +<p>By nailing half a large sheepskin with the wool on in any of these +positions, a soft cushion was formed for the fire-arms to rest against, +they were then fixed in their places by a loop of leather for the muzzle, +and a strap and buckle for the stock; whilst the other half of the +sheepskin which hung loose, doubled down in front of the weapons, between +them and the wheel, effectually preserving them from both dirt and wet, +and at the same time keeping them in a position, where they could be got +at in a moment, by simply lifting up the skin and unbuckling the strap; +by this means too, all danger or risk was avoided, which usually exists +when the fire-arms are put on or off the drays in a loaded state. I have +myself formerly seen carbines explode more than once from the cocks +catching something, in being pulled out from, or pushed in amidst the +load of a dray, independently of the difficulty of getting access to them +in cases of sudden emergency; a still better plan than the one I adopted, +would probably be to have lockers made for the guns, to hang in similar +places, and in a somewhat similar manner to that I have described, but in +this case it would be necessary for the lockers to be arranged and fitted +at the time the drays or carts were made. + +<p>All the time I could spare from directing or superintending the loading +of the drays, I devoted to writing letters and making arrangements for +the regulation of my private affairs, which from the sudden manner in +which I had engaged in the exploring expedition, and from the busy and +hurried life I had led since the commencement of the preparations, had +fallen into some confusion. I was now, however, obliged to content myself +with such a disposition of them as the time and circumstances enabled me +to make.--I observed the latitude of the station to be 34 degrees 15 +minutes 56 seconds S. + +<p>June 23.--Having got all the party up very early, I broke up the station, +and sent one man on horseback into Adelaide with despatches and letters. +My overseer and another man were now added to the party, making up our +complement in number. Upon re-arranging the loads of the drays yesterday, +I had found it inconvenient to have the instruments and tent equipage +upon the more heavily loaded drays, and I therefore decided upon taking +an extra cart and another horse from the station. This completed our +alterations, and the party and equipment stood thus:--</p> + +<pre> +Mr. Eyre. +Mr. Scott, my assistant and companion. +John Baxter, Overseer. +Corporal Coles, R.S. and M. +John Houston, driving a three horse dray. +R. M'Robert, driving a three horse dray. +Neramberein and Cootachah, Aboriginal boys, to drive the sheep, track, etc. + </pre> + +<p>We had with us 13 horses and 40 sheep, and our other stores were +calculated for about three months; in addition to which we were to have a +further supply forwarded to the head of Spencer's Gulf by sea, in the +WATERWITCH, to await our arrival in that neighbourhood. This would give +us the means of remaining out nearly six months, if we found the country +practicable, and in that time we might, if no obstacles intervened, +easily reach the centre of the Continent and return, or if practicable, +cross to Port Essington on the N. W. coast. + +<p>About eleven I moved on the party up the Light for 8 miles, and then +halted after an easy stage. As the horses were fresh and the men were not +yet accustomed to driving them, I was anxious to move quietly on at +first, that nothing might be done in a hurry, and every one might +gradually settle down to what he had to perform, and that thus by a +little care and moderation at first, those evils, which my former +travelling had taught me were frequently the result of haste or +inexperience, might be avoided. Nothing is more common than to get the +withers of horses wrung, or their shoulders and backs galled at the +commencement of a journey, and nothing more difficult than to effect a +cure of this mischief whilst the animals are in use. By the precaution +which I adopted, I succeeded in preventing this, for the present. + +<p>As we passed up the valley of the Light, we had some rich and picturesque +scenery around us--the fertile vale running nearly north and south, +backed to the westward by well wooded irregular ranges grassed to their +summits, and to the eastward shut in by a dark looking and more heavily +timbered range, beyond which rose two peaks of more distant hills, +through the centre of the valley the Light took its course, but at +present it was only a chain of large ponds unconnected by any stream; and +thus, I believe, it remains the greater part of the year, although +occasionally swollen to a broad and rapid current. + +<p>June 24.--The horses having strayed a little this morning, and given us +some trouble to get them, it was rather late when we started; we, +however, crossed the low ridges at the head of the Light, and entering +upon extensive plains to the north, we descended to a channel, which I +took to be the head of a watercourse called the "Gilbert." + +<p>Finding here some tolerably good water and abundance of grass, I halted +the party for the night, though we were almost wholly without firewood, +an inconvenience that we felt considerably, as the nights now were very +cold and frosty. Our stage had been fourteen miles to-day, running at +first over low barren ridges, and then crossing rich plains of a loose +brown soil, but very heavy for the drays to travel over. + +<p>At our camp, a steep bank of the watercourse presented an extensive +geological section, but there was nothing remarkable in it, the substrata +consisting only of a kind of pipe clay. + +<p>June 25.--Upon starting this morning we traversed a succession of fine +open and very grassy plains, from which we ascended the low ridges +forming the division of the waters to the north and south. In the latter +direction, we had left the heads of the "Gilbert" and "Wakefield" chains +of ponds, whilst in descending in the former we came upon the "Hill," a +fine chain of ponds taking its course through a very extensive and grassy +valley, but with little timber of any kind growing near it. On this +account I crossed it, and passing on a little farther encamped the party +on a branch of the "Hutt," and within a mile and a half of the main +course of that chain of ponds. Our whole route to-day, had been through a +fine and valuable grazing district, with grass of an excellent +description, and of great luxuriance. + +<p>We were now nearly opposite to the most northerly of the out stations, +and after seeing the party encamp, I proceeded, accompanied by Mr. Scott, +to search for the stations for the purpose of saying good bye to a few +more of my friends. We had not long, however, left the encampment when it +began to rain and drove us back to the tents, effectually defeating the +object with which we had commenced our walk. Heavy rain was apparently +falling to the westward of us, and the night set in dark and lowering. + +<p>In some parts of the large plains we had crossed in the morning, I had +observed traces of the remains of timber, of a larger growth than any now +found in the same vicinity, and even in places where none at present +exists. Can these plains of such very great extent, and now so open and +exposed, have been once clothed with timber? and if so, by what cause, or +process, have they been so completely denuded, as not to leave a single +tree within a range of many miles? In my various wanderings in Australia, +I have frequently met with very similar appearances; and somewhat +analogous to these, are the singular little grassy openings, or plains, +which are constantly met with in the midst of the densest Eucalyptus +scrub. + +<p>Every traveller in those dreary regions has appreciated these, (to him) +comparatively speaking, oasises of the desert--for it is in them alone, +that he can hope to obtain any food for his jaded horse; without, +however, their affording under ordinary circumstances, the prospect of +water for himself. Forcing his way through the dense, and apparently +interminable scrub, formed by the Eucalyptus dumosa, (which in some +situations is known to extend for fully 100 miles), the traveller +suddenly emerges into an open plain, sprinkled over with a fine silky +grass, varying from a few acres to many thousands in extent, but +surrounded on all sides by the dreary scrub he has left. + +<p>In these plains I have constantly traced the remains of decayed +scrub--generally of a larger growth than that surrounding them--and +occasionally appearing to have grown very densely together. From this it +would appear that the face of the country in those low level regions, +occupied by the Eucalyptus dumosa, is gradually undergoing a process +which is changing it for the better, and in the course of centuries +perhaps those parts of Australia which are now barren and worthless, may +become rich and fertile districts, for as soon as the scrub is removed +grass appears to spring up spontaneously. The plains found interspersed +among the dense scrubs may probably have been occasioned by fires, +purposely or accidentally lighted by the natives in their wanderings, but +I do not think the same explanation would apply to those richer plains +where the timber has been of a large growth and the trees in all +probability at some distance apart--here fires might burn down a few +trees, but would not totally annihilate them over a whole district, +extending for many miles in every direction. + +<p>June 26.--This morning brought a very heavy fog, through which we +literally could not see 100 yards, when the party moved on to the "Hutt" +chain of ponds, and then followed that watercourse up to the Broughton +river, which was crossed in Lat. 33 degrees 28 minutes S. At this point +the bed of the Broughton is of considerable width, and its channel is +occupied by long, wide and very deep water holes, connected with one +another by a strongly running stream, which seldom or never fails even in +the driest seasons. The soil upon its banks however is not valuable, +being generally stony and barren, and bearing a sort of prickly grass, +(Spinifex). Wild fowl abound on the pools. On a former occasion, when I +first discovered the Broughton, I obtained both ducks and swans from its +waters, but now I had no time for sporting, being anxious to push on to +the "reedy watercourse," a halting place in my former journey, so as to +get over all the rough and hilly ground before nightfall, that we might +have a fair start in the morning. I generally preferred, if practicable, +to lengthen the stage a little in the vicinity of watercourses or hills, +in order to get the worst of the road over whilst the horses worked +together and were warm, rather than leave a difficult country to be +passed over the first thing in the morning, when, for want of exercise, +the teams are chill and stiff, and require to be stimulated before they +will work well in unison. Our journey to-day was about twenty miles, and +the last five being over a rugged hilly road, it was late in the +afternoon when we halted for the night. + +<p>"The reedy watercourse," is a chain of water-holes taking its rise among +some grassy and picturesque ranges to the north of us, and trending +southerly to a junction with the Broughton. Among the gorges of this +range, (which I had previously named Campbell's range,)[Note 1: After +R. Campbell, Esq. M. C. of Sydney.] are many springs of water, +and the scenery is as picturesque as the district is fertile. +Many of the hills are well rounded, very grassy, and moderately well +timbered even to their summits. This is one of the prettiest and most +desirable localities for either sheep or cattle, that I have yet seen in +the unoccupied parts of South Australia, whilst the distance from +Adelaide by land, does not at the most exceed one hundred and twenty +miles. [Note 2: All this country, and for some distance to the +north, is now occupied by stations.] The watercourse near our camp took +its course through an open valley, between bare hills on which there was +neither tree nor shrub for firewood and we were constantly obliged to go +half a mile up a steep hill before we could obtain a few stunted bushes to +cook with. As the watercourse approached the Broughton the country became +much more abrupt and broken, and after its junction with that river, the +stream wound through a succession of barren and precipitous hills, for +about fifteen miles, at a general course of south-west; these hills were +overrun almost everywhere with prickly grass and had patches of the +Eucalyptus dumosa scattered over them at intervals. + +<p>Up to the point where it left the hills, there were ponds of water in the +bed of the Broughton, but upon leaving them the river changed its +direction to the northward, passing through extensive plains and +retaining a deep wide gravelly channel, but without surface water, the +drainage being entirely underground, and the country around comparatively +poor and valueless.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-3"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter III.</h3> + +<p>SPRING HILL<br> +AN AGED NATIVE DESERTED BY HIS TRIBE<br> +RICH AND EXTENSIVE PLAINS<br> +SURPRISE A PARTY OF NATIVES<br> +ROCKY RIVER<br> +CRYSTAL BROOK<br> +FLINDERS RANGE<br> +THE DEEP SPRING<br> +MYALL PONDS<br> +ROCKY WATER HOLES<br> +DRY WATERCOURSE<br> +REACH THE DEPOT NEAR MOUNT ARDEN<br> +PREPARE FOR LEAVING THE PARTY<br> +BLACK SWANS PASS TO THE NORTH<br> +ARRIVAL OF THE WATERWITCH</p> + +<p> +During the night the frost had been so severe, that we were obliged to +wait a little this morning for the sun to thaw the tent and tarpaulins +before they would bend to fold up. After starting, we proceeded across a +high barren open country, for about three miles on a W. N. W. course, +passing close under a peak connected with Campbell's range, which I named +Spring Hill, from the circumstance of a fine spring of water being found +about half way up it. + +<p>Not far from the spring I discovered a poor emaciated native, entirely +alone, without either food or fire, and evidently left by his tribe to +perish there; he was a very aged man, and from hardship and want was +reduced to a mere skeleton, how long he had been on the spot where we +found him I had no means of ascertaining, but probably for some time, as +life appeared to be fast ebbing away; he seemed almost unconscious of our +presence, and stared upon us with a vacant unmeaning gaze. The pleasures +or sorrows of life were for ever over with him: his case was far beyond +the reach of human aid, and the probability is that he died a very few +hours after we left him. + +<p>Such is the fate of the aged and helpless in savage life, nor can we +wonder that it should be so, since self-preservation is the first law of +nature, and the wandering native who has to travel always over a great +extent of ground to seek for his daily food, could not obtain enough to +support his existence, if obliged to remain with the old or the sick, or +if impeded by the incumbrance of carrying them with him; still I felt +grieved for the poor old man we had left behind us, and it was long +before I could drive away his image from my mind, or repress the +melancholy train of thoughts that the circumstance had called forth. + +<p>From the summit of Spring Hill, I observed extensive plains to the N. W. +skirted both on their eastern and western sides, by open hills, whilst to +the N. W. and N. E. the ranges were high, and apparently terminated in +both directions by peaked summits on their eastern extremes; a little +south of west the waters of Spencer's Gulf were distinctly visible, and +the smokes ascending from the fires of the natives, were seen in many +directions among the hills. After passing Spring Hill, we crossed some +rich and extensive plains, stretching far away to the northward, and +taking a nearly north and south direction under Campbell's range; in the +upper part of these plains is the deep bed of a watercourse with water in +it all the year round, and opposite to which, in lat. 33 degrees 14 +minutes S, is a practicable pass for drays through Campbell's range, to +the grassy country to the eastward. + +<p>June 27.--In crossing the southern extremity of these large plains, we +came suddenly upon a small party of natives engaged in digging yams of +which the plains were full; they were so intent upon their occupation +that we were close to them before they were aware of our presence; when +they saw us they appeared to be surprised and alarmed, and endeavoured to +steal off as rapidly as they could without fairly taking to their heels, +for they were evidently either unwilling or afraid to run; finding that +we did not molest them they halted, and informed us by signs that we +should soon come to water, in the direction we were going. This I knew to +be true, and about three o'clock we were in front of a water-course, I +had on a former journey named the "Rocky river," from the ragged +character of its bed where we struck it. + +<p>We had been travelling for some distance upon a high level open country, +and now came to a sudden gorge of several hundred feet below us, through +which the Rocky river wound its course. It was a most singular and wild +looking place, and was not inaptly named by the men, the "Devil's Glen;" +looking down from the table land we were upon, the valley beneath +appeared occupied by a hundred little hills of steep ascent and rounded +summits, whilst through their pretty glens, flowed the winding stream, +shaded by many a tree and shrub--the whole forming a most interesting and +picturesque scene. + +<p>The bed of the watercourse was over an earthy slate, and the water had a +sweetish taste. Like most of the Australian rivers, it consisted only of +ponds connected by a running stream, and even that ceased to flow a +little beyond where we struck it, being lost in the deep sandy channel +which it then assumed, and which exhibited in many places traces of very +high floods. Below our camp the banks were 50 to 60 feet high, and the +width from 60 to 100 yards, its course lay through plains to the +south-west, over which patches of scrub were scattered at intervals, and +the land in its vicinity was of an inferior description, with much +prickly grass growing upon it. + +<p>Upwards, the Rocky river, after emerging from the gorges in which we +found it, descended through very extensive plains from the +north-north-east; there was plenty of water in its bed, and abundance of +grass over the plains, so that in its upper parts it offers fine and +extensive runs for either cattle or sheep, and will, I have no doubt, ere +many years be past, be fully occupied for pastoral purposes. + +<p>From our present encampment a very high and pointed hill was visible far +to the N.N. W. this from the lofty way in which it towered above the +surrounding hills, I named Mount Remarkable. Our latitude at noon was 33 +degrees 25 minutes 26 seconds S. + +<p>A very beautiful shrub was found this afternoon upon the Rocky river, in +full flower: it was a tall slender stalked bush, about six or eight feet +high, growing almost in the bed of the river, with leaves like a +geranium, and fine delicate lilac flowers about an inch and a half in +diameter; here, too, we found the first gum-trees seen upon any of the +watercourses for many miles, as all those we had recently crossed, +traversed open plains which were quite without either trees or shrubs of +any kind. + +<p>June 28.--This morning we passed through a country of an inferior +description, making a short stage to a watercourse, named by me the +"Crystal Brook;" it was a pretty stream emanating from the hills to the +north-east, and marked in its whole course through the plains to the +northward and westward by lines of gum-trees. The pure bright water ran +over a bed of clear pebbles, with a stream nine feet wide, rippling and +murmuring like the rivulets of England--a circumstance so unusual in the +character of Australian watercourses, that it interested and pleased the +whole party far more than a larger river would have done; this +characteristic did not, however, long continue, for like all the streams +we had lately crossed, the water ceased to flow a short distance beyond +our crossing place. + +<p>The country below us, like that through which the Rocky river took its +course, was open and of an inferior description, but I have no doubt that +by tracing the stream upwards, towards its source among the ranges, a +good and well watered country would be found; I ascertained the latitude +by a meridian altitude at Crystal brook to be 33 degrees 18 minutes 7 +seconds S. + +<p>The hills on the opposite side of Spencer's Gulf were now plainly +visible, and one which appeared to be inland, I took to be the middle +Back mountain of Flinders; between our camp and the eastern shores of the +gulf, the land was generally low, with a good deal of scrub upon it, and +nearer the shores appeared to be swampy, and subject to inundation by the +tides. + +<p>June 29.--Upon moving from our camp this morning we commenced following +under Flinders range. From Crystal brook, the hills rise gradually in +elevation as they trend to the northward, still keeping their western +slopes almost precipitous to the plains, out of which they appear to rise +abruptly. Our course was much embarrassed by the gullies and gorges +emanating from the hills, in some of which the crossing place was not +very good, and in all the horses got much shaken, so that when we arrived +at a large watercourse defined by gum trees, and in which was a round +hole of water that had been on a former occasion called by me "The Deep +Spring," I halted the party for the night and found that the horses were +a good deal fatigued. Fortunately there was excellent food for them, and +plenty of water. The place at which we encamped was upon one of the +numerous watercourses, proceeding from the gorges of Flinders range. It +had a wide gravelly bed, divided into two or three separate channels, but +without a drop of water below the base of the hills, excepting where we +bivouacked, at this point, there was a considerable extent of rich black +alluvial soil, and in the midst of it a mound of jet black earth, +surrounded by a few reeds. In the centre of the mound was a circular deep +hole containing water, and apparently a spring: the last time I was here, +in 1839 it was full to overflowing, but now, though in the depth of +winter, I was surprised and chagrined to see the water so much lower than +I had known it before. It was covered up too so carefully with bushes and +boughs, that it was evident the natives sometimes contemplated its being +quite dried up, [Note 3: In October 1842, I again passed this way, in +command of a party of Police sent overland to Port Lincoln, to search for +Mr. C. C. Dutton: the spring was then dried up completely.] and had taken +this means as the best they could adopt for shading and protecting the +water. On the other hand the numerous well beaten tracks leading to this +solitary pool appeared to indicate that there was no other water in the +neighbourhood. We saw kangaroos, pigeons and birds of various +descriptions, going to it in considerable number. At night too after dark +we found that a party of natives were watching also for an opportunity +to participate in so indispensable a necessary, which having secured, +they departed, and we saw nothing more of them. I observed the latitude +at this camp to be 33 degrees 7 minutes 14 seconds S. and the variation +8 degrees 53 minutes E. + +<p>June 30.--Our road to day was much better, and less interrupted by +gullies, though we still kept close under Flinders range. We traversed a +great extent of plain land which was generally stony, but grassy, and +tolerably well adapted for sheep runs. Several watercourses take their +rise from this range, with a westerly direction towards the gulf, these +were all dry when we crossed them, but their course was indicated by gum +trees, and as some of the channels were wide and large, and had strong +traces of occasional high floods, I rode for many miles down one of the +most promising, but without being able to find a drop of water. At noon +our latitude was 32 degrees 59 minutes 8 seconds, S. + +<p>Late in the afternoon we reached a watercourse, which I had previously +named "Myall Ponds," [Note 4: Myall is in some parts of New Holland, the +native name for the Acacia pendula.] from the many and beautiful Acacia +pendula trees that grew upon its banks. There I knew we could get water, +and at once halted the party for the night. Upon going to examine the +supply I was again disappointed at finding it so much less than when I had +been here in 1839. This did not augur well for our future prospects, and +gave me considerable anxiety relative to our future movements. + +<p>For some days past the whole party had fully entered upon their +respective duties, each knew exactly what he had to do, and was beginning +to get accustomed to its performance, so that every thing went on +smoothly and prosperously. My own time, when not personally engaged in +conducting the party, was occupied in keeping the journals and charts, +etc. in taking and working observations--in the daily register of the +barometer, thermometer, winds, and weather, and in collecting specimens +of flowers, or minerals. My young friend, Mr. Scott, was kept equally +busy; for in many of these duties he assisted me, and in some relieved me +altogether; the regular entry of the meteorological observations, and the +collecting of flowers or shrubs generally fell to his share; +independently of which he was the only sportsman in the party, and upon +his gun we were dependant for supplies of wallabies, pigeons, ducks, or +other game, to vary our bill of fare, and make the few sheep we had with +us hold out as long as possible. As a companion I could not have made a +better selection--young, active, and cheerful, I found him ever ready to +render me all the assistance in his power. At our present encampment, +several of a species of wallabie, very much resembling a hare in flavour, +were shot by Mr. Scott, but hitherto we had not succeeded in getting a +kangaroo. + +<p>July 1.--To-day we travelled through a similar country to that we were in +yesterday, consisting of open plains and occasionally low scrub. +Kangaroos abounded in every direction. Our stage was eighteen miles to a +watercourse called by me the "Reedy water holes," from the circumstance +of reeds growing around the margin of the water. Upon arriving at this +place I was surprised to find a strongly running stream, where formerly +there had only been a reedy pond, although the two last watercourses we +had encamped at had been much reduced and dried up. When I had been here +in 1839, they were the running streams, and this only a pool, whilst +singularly enough there did not appear to have been more rain at one +place than the other. + +<p>We were now in full view of Spencer's gulf, but as yet could observe no +signs of the WATERWITCH, which was to meet us at the head of the gulf +with additional stores. At night I observed the latitude by altitude of a +Bootis to be 32 degrees 41 minutes 28 seconds S. + +<p>July 2.--We moved on for 15 miles over extensive plains, covered +principally with Rhagodia, and in some places stony, and halted early in +the afternoon at a large dry watercourse, coming out from Flinders range. +Though there was no water in this channel below the base of the hill, on +sending a party a mile and a half up it with spades and buckets, we got, +by digging in the gravelly bed, as much as sufficed for ourselves and +horses. At this camp I observed the variation to be 7 degrees +24 minutes E. + +<p>July 3.--During the night our horses had rambled a little, so that we +could not get away early, and as we had a long stage before us we were +obliged to push on to a late hour. At dark we arrived at my former depot +near Mount Arden, and took up our old position in the dry bed of the +watercourse, at the base of the hills from which it emanated; but we had +still to send the horses a mile and a half further up the gorge, over a +hilly and stony road, before we could either get water for ourselves or +them; it was therefore very late when the men returned, and the whole +party were a good deal fatigued, having travelled from Adelaide to Mount +Arden in 14 days, (deducting the two days in camp at the Light.) I now +ascertained the latitude of the depot to be 32 degrees 14 minutes S. + +<p>July 4.--Having mustered the horses this morning, I ordered an +arrangement to be entered into for taking them to the water twice a day, +and bringing down the supply required for the use of the party. Each +person undertook this duty in turn, and thus the labour was divided. +After breakfast I went up myself to examine the state of the water and +found great abundance in its bed; there were strong traces of recent and +high flooding, the drift timber being lodged among the bushes several +feet above the ordinary channel. The grass I was sorry to find was rather +old and dry, but still there was a very fair supply of it, a point of +great importance to us at a time when it was necessary to detain the +whole party for two or three weeks in depot, to enable me to examine the +country to the north; my former experience having convinced me that it +would be dangerous to attempt to push on, before ascertaining where grass +and water could be procured. + +<p>We had now travelled upwards of eighty miles under Flinders range, from +Crystal brook to Mount Arden, and hitherto the character of that range +had varied but little. High, rocky, and barren, it rises abruptly from +the plains, and so generally even is the country at its base, that we had +no difficulty in keeping our drays within a mile or two of it. This was +convenient, because we had not far to leave our line of route, when +compelled to send up among the ravines for water. The slopes of Flinders +range are steep and precipitous to the westward, and composed principally +of an argillaceous stone or grey quartz, very hard and ringing like metal +when struck with a hammer. + +<p>There was no vegetation upon these hills, excepting prickly grass, and +many were coated over so completely with loose stones that from the +steepness of the declivity it was unsafe, if not impossible to ascend +them. At one or two points in our routs I climbed up to the top of high +summits, but was not rewarded for my toil, the prospect being generally +cheerless and barren in the extreme, nor did the account given by Mr. +Brown of his ascent of Mount Brown in March 1802, tempt me to delay a day +to enable me to view the uninteresting prospect he had seen from the +summit of that hill--by far the highest peak in this part of Flinders +range. + +<p>Having decided upon ridingon a head of my party to reconnoitre, as soon +as the WATERWITCH should arrive, I at once commenced my preparations, and +made the overseer put new shoes on the horses I intended to take with me. +The very stony character of the country we had been lately traversing and +the singularly hard nature of the stone itself, had caused the shoes to +wear out very rapidly, and there was hardly a horse in the teams that did +not now require new shoes; fortunately we had brought a very large supply +with us, and my overseer was a skilful and expeditious farrier. At dusk a +watch was set upon one of the hills near us, to look out for signals from +the WATERWITCH in the direction of Spencer's gulf, but none were seen. + +<p>July 4.--Whilst writing in my tent this evening, my attention was +attracted by the notes of swans, and upon going out I perceived a flight +of several of the black species coming up from the southward; when they +had got over the tents, they appeared to be alarmed and wheeled to the +eastward, but soon returning, they took a nearly due northerly course. +This was encouraging for us, and augured well for the existence of some +considerable body of water inland, but we hoped and expected that a few +days would perhaps give us a clue to the object of their flight. + +<p>Sunday, July 5.--A day of rest to all. In the afternoon I employed myself +in writing out instructions for the overseer during my absence, as also +for the master of the WATERWITCH, for whose arrival we now kept a +constant and anxious look out. In the evening about eight o'clock the +sentinel on the hill reported a fire on the opposite side of Spencer's +gulf. Upon receiving this intelligence I had blue lights exhibited, and +rockets fired, which in a little time were replied to by rockets from the +gulf and the lighting up of a second fire on shore assuring me at once of +the safe arrival of the cutter.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-4"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter IV.</h3> + +<p>MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR GETTING UP STORES FROM THE WATERWITCH<br> +LEAVE THE PARTY<br> +SALT WATERCOURSE<br> +MOUNT EYRE<br> +ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY<br> +LAKE TORRENS<br> +RETURN TOWARDS THE HILLS<br> +NATIVE FEMALE<br> +SALINE CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY<br> +MOUNT DECEPTION<br> +REACH THE EASTERN HILLS<br> +LARGE WATERCOURSES<br> +WATER HOLE IN A ROCK<br> +GRASSY BUT HILLY COUNTRY<br> +RUNNING STREAM<br> +ASCEND A RANGE<br> +RETURN HOMEWARDS<br> +DECAY OF TREES IN THE WATERCOURSES<br> +SHOOT A KANGAROO<br> +ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT<br> +BURY STORES<br> +MAKE PREPARATIOUS FOR LEAVING<br> +SEND DESPATCHES TO THE VESSEL</p> + +<p>July 6.--BEING anxious to pursue my explorations, and unwilling to lose +another day solely for the purpose of receiving my letters, I sent down +my overseer to arrange about getting our stores up from the vessel, which +was about fourteen miles away, and to request the master to await my +return from the north, and in the interval employ himself in surveying +and sounding some salt water inlets, we had seen on the eastern shores of +the gulf in our route up under Flinders range. + +<p>Having made all necessary arrangements and wished Mr. Scott good bye, I +set off on horseback with the eldest of my native boys, taking a pack +horse to carry our provisions, and some oats for the horses. After +rounding a projecting corner of the range we passed Mount Arden, still +traversing open plains of great extent, and very stony. In some of these +plains we found large puddles of water much discoloured by the soil, so +that it was evident there had been heavy rains in this direction, though +we had none to the southward. + +<p>After travelling twenty-four miles we came to a large watercourse winding +from Flinders range through the plains, with its direction distinctly +marked out by the numerous gum-trees upon its banks. This was the "salt +watercourse" of my former journeys so called from the large reaches of +salt water in its bed a mile or two among the hills. By digging in the +gravelly bed of the channel, where the natives had scooped a small hole, +we got some tolerable water, and were enabled to give as much as they +required to our horses, but it was a slow and tedious operation. We could +get very little out at once, and had to give it to them to drink in the +black boy's duck frock, which answered the purpose of a bucket amazingly +well. + +<p>There was not a blade of grass, or anything that the horses could eat +near this creek, so I was obliged to tie them up for the night, after +giving to each a feed of oats. + +<p>July 7.--Towards morning several showers of rain fell, and I found that I +had got a severe attack of rheumatism, which proved both troublesome and +painful. Pushing on for ten miles we reached the height standing out from +the main range which Colonel Gawler named Mount Eyre, from its having +been the limit of my first journey to the north in May 1839. This little +hill is somewhat detached, of considerable elevation, and with a bold +rocky overhanging summit to the southward. Having clambered to the top of +it, I had an extensive view, and took several bearings. + +<p>The region before us appeared to consist of a low sandy country without +either trees or shrubs, save a few stunted bushes. On the east this was +backed by high rugged ranges, very barren in appearance, and extending +northward as far as the eye could reach, beyond this level country to the +West, and stretching far to the north-west, appeared a broad glittering +stripe, looking like water, and constituting the bed of Lake Torrens. The +lake appeared to be about twenty-five miles off, and of considerable +breadth; but at so great distance, it was impossible to say whether there +was actually any water in it or not. + +<p>Having completed my observations we descended again to the plains +steering north-west for the lake. At two miles from Mount Eyre we found a +puddle of water in the midst of the plains, and halted at it for the +night. Our horses had good grass, but would not touch the water, which +was extremely thick and muddy. Upon trying it ourselves we found it was +not usable, even after it had been strained twice through a handkerchief, +whilst boiling only thickened it; it was a deep red colour, from the +soil, and was certainly an extraordinary and unpalatable mixture. + +<p>July 8.--Our horses having strayed this morning I sent the native boy to +look for them, but as he did not return in a reasonable time, I got +anxious and went after him myself, leaving the saddles and provisions at +our sleeping place. In about four miles I met the boy returning with the +runaways, which had rambled for several miles, though they had abundance +of good feed around the camp; fortunately we found every thing safe when +we got back, but if any natives had accidentally passed that way we +should probably have lost everything, and been left in very awkward +predicament. + +<p>This is a risk I have frequently been obliged to incur, and is one of the +inconveniences resulting from so small a number as two travelling alone; +it it is not always practicable from want of grass to tether the horses, +and frequently when they are tethered the ropes break, and occasion the +necessity of both individuals leaving the encampment to search for them +at the same time. + +<p>Moving on to the N. W. by N. we passed over heavy sandy ridges, with +barren red plains between, and in one of the latter we found a puddle of +rain water, this upon tasting. I found to be rather saline from the +nature of the soil upon which it lay, the horses, however, drank it +readily, and we put some in a small keg for ourselves. The only +vegetation to be seen consisted of a few small stunted trees and shrubs, +and even these as we approached the vicinity of the lake disappeared +altogether, and gave place to Salsolaceous plants, the country being open +and barren in the extreme. + +<p>I found Lake Torrens completely girded by a steep sandy ridge, exactly +like the sandy ridges bounding the sea shore, no rocks or stones were +visible any where, but many saline coasts peeped out in the outer ridge, +and upon descending westerly to its basin, I found the dry bed of the +lake coated completely over with a crust of salt, forming one unbroken +sheet of pure white, and glittering brilliantly in the sun. On stepping +upon this I found that it yielded to the foot, and that below the surface +the bed of the lake consisted of a soft mud, and the further we advanced +to the westward the more boggy it got, so that at last it became quite +impossible to proceed, and I was obliged to return to the outer margin of +the lake without ascertaining whether there was water on the surface of +its bed further west or not. + +<p>The extraordinary deception caused by mirage and refraction, arising from +the state of the atmosphere in these regions, makes it almost impossible +to believe the evidence of one's own eyesight; but as far as I could +judge under these circumstances, it appeared to me that there was water +in the bed of the lake at a distance of four or five miles from where I +was, and at this point Lake Torrens was about fifteen or twenty miles +across, having high land bounding it to the west, seemingly a +continuation of the table land at the head of Spencer's gulf on its +western side. + +<p>Foiled in the hope of reaching the water, I stood gazing on the dismal +prospect before me with feelings of chagrin and gloom. I can hardly say I +felt disappointed, for my expectations in this quarter had never been +sanguine; but I could not view unmoved, a scene which from its character +and extent, I well knew must exercise a great influence over my future +plans and hopes: the vast area of the lake was before me interminable as +far as the eye could see to the northward, and the country upon its +shore, was desolate and forbidding. + +<p>It was evident, that I could never hope to take my party across the lake, +and it was equally evident, that I should not be able to travel around +its shores, from the total absence of all fresh water, grass, or wood, +whilst the very saline nature of the soil in the surrounding country, +made even the rain water salt, after lying for an hour or two upon the +ground. My only chance of success now lay in the non-termination of +Flinders range, and in the prospect it held out to me, that by continuing +our course along it we might be able to procure grass and water in its +recesses, until we were either taken beyond Lake Torrens, or led to some +practicable opening to the north. + +<p>With a heavy heart I turned towards the mountains, and steering N. E. for +ten miles, halted at dark, where there was nothing for our horses to eat +or drink, and we were consequently obliged to tie them up for the night. +We had still a few oats left and gave each horse three pints. A short +time before encamping, I had observed that Lake Torrens was trending more +to the eastward, and that when we halted, it was not at any very great +distance from us. + +<p>July 9.--One of our horses having got loose last night, pulled the cork +out of the keg in which was our small stock of the dirty brackish water +we had found yesterday, and rolling the keg over, destroyed its contents; +we were thus deprived of our breakfasts, and consequently had but little +delay in starting. I intended to push on steadily for the hills, but +after travelling six miles came to a puddle in the plains, with tolerable +grass around, and at this I halted for the day, to rest the horses. Our +latitude was 31 degrees 25 minutes S. by an altitude of Arcturus, Mount +Eyre then bearing S. 7 degrees E. + +<p>July 10.--Our horses being much recruited I altered our course to-day to +N. 5 degrees E. being the bearing of the most distant range to the +northward, (subsequently named Mount Deception). We passed for the first +ten miles through an open barren country, but found a puddle at which we +watered our horses, and refilled the keg; we then entered heavy ridges of +dense red sand lying nearly north and south, and having small barren +plains between. + +<p>There were a few stunted bushes upon the ridges and occasionally some +small straggling pines. Lake Torrens still trended easterly, being +occasionally seen from, and sometimes approaching near to our track. + +<p>Emerging from the sandy ridges we again entered upon vast level plains +covered with rhagodia. In the midst of these we came to the bed of a +large dry watercourse, having good grass about it, but containing no +water. I halted here for the day as our horses were not very thirsty. + +<p>Upon examining the bed of the watercourse, I found traces of a rather +recent and high flood; much drift being still left upon the bushes where +it had been swept by the torrent; I could, however, find no water +anywhere. + +<p>A great many emus were seen during our ride, and I wounded one with my +rifle, but did not get it. We found to-day a description of flower, which +I had not seen before, white, and sweetly scented like the hawthorn, +growing upon a low prickly bush near the watercourse. + +<p>July 11.--To-day I left our course and rambled up the watercourse to +examine its character and search for water, which however I could not +find in its channel anywhere. Traces of natives were numerous and recent +all the way as we went, till at last we came to where they had encamped +the previous night, and where they had left a fire still fresh and +burning. + +<p>Proceeding onwards we came upon a single native, a female, young, but +miserably thin and squalid, fit emblem of the sterility of the country. +We could gain no information from her, she was so much alarmed, but not +long after parting with her we came to a puddle of water in the plains, +and encamped for the night. Our stage had been a tortuous, but not a long +one, and we halted early in the day, the latitude was 30 degrees 58 +minutes S. by an altitude of the sun at noon. + +<p>After taking some refreshment, I walked to a rise about three miles off +at N. 40 degrees E. from which I took several bearings, and among them I +set Mount Deception at N. 25 degrees W., I then examined several of the +gorges between the front hills, where the banks were broken away, and to +my great dismay found in all of them salt mixed with the sand, the clay, +and even the rocks; whilst in the bed of the watercourse, the salt water +tea-tree was making its appearance, a shrub I had never before seen under +Flinders range, and one which never grows where the soil is not of a very +saline nature, and generally only where the water is too brackish for use. + +<p>The beds of the watercourses were in some places quite white and glazed +with encrustations of salt, where the rains had lodged, and the water had +evaporated. Some of the cliffs which I examined presented sections of 40 +and 50 feet perpendicular height, in which layers of salt were embedded +from the very top to the bottom. + +<p>In such a country, what accommodation could I expect, or what hopes could +I entertain for the future, when the very water shed from the clouds +would not be drinkable after remaining a few hours on the ground? +Whichever way I turned myself, to the West, to the East, or the North, +nothing but difficulties met my view. + +<p>In one direction was an impracticable lake, skirted by heavy and scrubby +sand ridges; in another, a desert of bare and barren plains; and in a +third, a range of inhospitable rocks. The very stones lying upon the +hills looked like the scorched and withered scoria of a volcanic region; +and even the natives, judging from the specimen I had seen to-day, +partook of the general misery and wretchedness of the place. + +<p>My heart sank within me when I reflected upon the gradual but too obvious +change that had taken place in the character of the country for the +worse, and when I considered that for some days past we had been entirely +dependent for our supply of water upon the little puddles that had been +left on the plains by the rain, and which two or three more days would +completely dry up. Under circumstances so unpropitious, I had many +misgivings, and the contemplation of our future prospect became a subject +of painful anxiety. + +<p>July 12.--We moved away early, steering for Mount Deception. Near its +base, and emanating from it, we crossed the dry bed of a very large +watercourse, more resembling that of a river in character, its channel +being wide, deep, and well-defined, and lined with the salt-water +tea-tree; whilst its course was marked by very large, green looking +gum-trees, the bed consisted of an earthy, micaceous slate of a reddish +colour, and in very minute particles, almost in some places as fine as +sand, but we could find no water in it anywhere. + +<p>The range in which this watercourse has its source, is of the same slaty +rock, and very rugged; it could not be less than 3,000 feet in elevation, +and its summit was only attainable by winding along the steep and stony +ridges that led round the deep gorges and ravines by which it was +surrounded. + +<p>From the top the view was extensive and unsatisfactory. Lake Torrens +appearing as large and mysterious as ever, and bearing in its most +northerly extreme visible W. 22 degrees N. To the north was a low level +cheerless waste, and to the east Flinders range trending more easterly, +and then sweeping back to N. 28 degrees W. but its appearance seemed to +be changing and its character altering; the ranges struck me as being +more separated by ridges, with barren flats and valleys between, among +which winding to the N. W. were many large and deep watercourses, but +which when traced up, often for many miles, I found to emanate from +gorges of the hills, and to have neither water nor springs in them. + +<p>I had fully calculated upon finding permanent water at this very high +range, and was proportionally disappointed at not succeeding, especially +after having toiled to the summit, and tired both myself and horses in +tracing up its watercourses. There was now no other alternative left me, +than to make back for the hills to the eastward, in the hope of being +more fortunate there. I had only found permanent water once, (at Salt +watercourse) since I left my party, having depended entirely upon puddles +of rain water for subsistence; but it now became imperative on me to turn +my attention exclusively to this subject, not only to enable me to bring +up my men, but to secure the possibility of my own return, as every day +that passed dried up more and more the small puddles I had found in the +plains. + +<p>Descending Mount Deception, we travelled five miles upon a S. E. course, +and encamped upon a small dry watercourse for the night, with good grass +for our horses, but without water. + +<p>July 13.--Bending our steps backwards, to search for water in the eastern +hills, we were lucky enough to fall in with a puddle in the plains, at +which we watered our horses, and again proceeded. + +<p>Selecting one of the larger watercourses running out from the hills, we +traced it up a considerable distance, examining all its minor branches +carefully, and sparing no pains in seeking a permanent spring of water; +the channel, however, gradually diminished in size, as we occasionally +passed the junctions of small branches from the various gorges; the +gum-trees on its course were either dead or dying; the hills, which at a +distance had appeared very rugged and lofty, upon a nearer approach +turned out to be mere detached eminences of moderate elevation, covered +with loose stones, but without the least sign of water. + +<p>About two o'clock, P.M. we passed a little grass, and as the day appeared +likely to become rainy, I halted for the night. Leaving the native boy to +hobble the horses, I took my gun and ascended one of the hills near me +for a view. Lake Torrens was visible to the west, and Mount Deception to +the N.W. but higher hills near me, shut out the view in every other +direction. In descending, I followed a little rocky gully leading to the +main watercourse, and to my surprise and joy, discovered a small but deep +pool of water in a hole of the rock: upon sounding the depth, I found it +would last us some time, and that I might safely bring on my party thus +far, until I could look for some other point for a depot still farther +north; the little channel where the water was, I named Depot Pool. + +<p>Regaining the camp, I immediately set to work with the native boy to +construct a bough hut, as the weather looked very threatening. We had +hardly completed it before the rain came down in torrents, and water was +soon laying every where in the ledges of rock in the bed of the +watercourse. So little do we know what is before us, and so short a time +is necessary to change the aspect of affairs, and frequently too, when we +least expect it! + +<p>July 14.--Our hut not having been quite water-tight before the rain came, +we got very wet during the night, and turned out early this morning to go +and hunt for firewood to warm ourselves. + +<p>As the weather still continued rainy, I determined to give our horses a +day's rest, whilst I walked up the watercourse to examine it farther. I +found the hills open a good deal more as I proceeded, with nice grassy +valleys between; and the hills themselves, though high and steep, were +rounded at the summits, and richly clothed with vegetation: among them +numerous watercourses took their rise in the gorges, and generally these +were well marked by gum-trees. Altogether it was a pretty and fertile +spot, and though very hilly, would do well for stock, if permanent water +could be found near. I was quite unsuccessful, however, in my search for +this, and the native boy, whom I sent in the opposite direction, after my +return, was equally unfortunate. Towards evening, one of the horses +having broken his hobbles, and got alarmed, galloped off, taking the +other with him. Tired and wet as I was, I was obliged to go after them, +and it was some miles from the camp, before I could overtake and turn +them back. Our latitude was 30 degrees 55 minutes S. + +<p>July 15.--This morning was misty and clondy, and dreadfully cold. We set +off early and commenced tracing up and examining as many of the +watercourses as we could; we did not, however, find permanent water. + +<p>Under one low ridge we met with what I took to be a small spring +emanating from a limestone rock; but it was so small as to be quite +useless to a party like mine, though the natives appeared frequently to +have resorted to it. Finding the courses of the main channel become lost +in its many branches, I ascended the dividing ridge, and crossed into the +bed of another large watercourse, in which, after travelling but a short +distance, I found a fine spring of running water among some very broken +and precipitous ranges, which rose almost perpendicularly from the +channel; in the latter, high ledges of a slaty rock stretched +occasionally quite across its bed, making it both difficult and dangerous +to get our horses along. In the vicinity of the water the grass was +tolerably good, but the declivities upon which it principally grew, were +steep and very stony. + +<center> +<p><a name="eyre1-03"></a><img alt="" src="images/eyre1-03.jpg"></p> +<p><b>Opossum-hunting near Gawler Plains, drawn by E. Gill</b></p> +</center> + +<p>Having hobbled the horses, I took my gun, and walked down the +watercourse, to a place where it forms a junction with a larger one, but +in neither could I find any more water. Upon my return, I found that the +native boy had caught an opossum in one of the trees near, which proved a +valuable addition to our scanty and unvaried fare. The latitude to-day +was 30 degrees 51 minutes S. + +<p>July 16.--Tracing down the watercourse we were encamped on, to the +junction before mentioned, I steered a little more to the north, to +ascend a high stony range, from which I hoped to obtain a view to the +eastward; but after considerable toil in climbing, and dragging our +horses over loose rolling stones, which put them constantly in danger of +falling back, I was not rewarded for the trouble I had taken: the view to +the east was quite shut out by high rugged ranges of ironstone and +quartz, whilst to the north, the hills appeared lower and more open. + +<p>It now became a matter of serious consideration, whether I should pursue +my researches any farther at present. I was already about 120 miles away +from my party, with barely provisions enough to last me back; and the +country, in advance, appeared to be getting daily more difficult; added +to this, the "WATERWITCH" was waiting at the head of Spencer's Gulf for +my return. + +<p>After reflecting on my position, I decided to rejoin my party without +delay; and descending the range to the S. E., I steered for a large +watercourse we had crossed in the morning; intending to trace it up, for +the purpose of examining its branches. The bed of this watercourse, at +first, was very wide, and lined with gum-trees; but as I advanced, I +found its channel became contracted, and very rocky, the gum-trees +disappearing, and giving place to the salt-water tea-tree. By nightfall, +I was unable to proceed any further, owing to the large stones and rocks +that interposed themselves. Retracing my steps, therefore, for a mile or +two, to a little grass I had observed as I passed by, I bivouacked for +the night, being, as well as the horses, quite knocked up. The native +boy, who accompanied me, was equally fatigued; and we were both lame from +walking across so rugged a country, over a great portion of which we +found it quite impracticable to ride. Our stage could not have been less +than twenty-five or twenty-six miles during the day, yet we had not met +with a drop of water, even though we had high ranges, large watercourses, +and huge gum-trees on every side of us. As usual, the traces of high +floods were numerous; and the channels of these watercourses, confined as +they are by precipitous ranges, must, at times, be filled by rapid and +overwhelming torrents, which would collect there after heavy rains. + +<p>Some great progressive change appears to be taking place in the climate +and seasons of this part of the country, as, in many of the watercourses, +we found all the gum-trees either dying or dead, without any young trees +growing up to replace them. The moisture which had promoted their growth, +and brought them to maturity, existed no longer; and in many places, only +the wreck of noble trees remained to indicate to the traveller what once +had been the character of this now arid region. In other watercourses the +gum-trees were still green and flourishing, and of giant growth; but we +were equally unable to discover water in these,[Note 5: We had no means +with us of digging--possibly moisture existed below the surface where the +trees were so large and green.] as in those where the trees were decaying +or withered. + +<p>July 17.--To-day we returned to our temporary camp, tracing up various +branches of the water-courses as we went along, but without finding +water. Many of the ranges in our route consisted of masses of ironstone, +apparently containing a very large proportion of metal. In one place, I +found a mineral which I took to be tin ore; the loss, however, of all the +geological specimens I collected, after their arrival in Adelaide, has +unfortunately put it now beyond my power to test any of the rocks or +minerals, about which I was doubtful. As we encamped early, and I was +desirous of recruiting the horses, I employed myself in taking an +observation for latitude, whilst the black boy went out to look for an +opossum. He succeeded in bringing in a fine large one, which formed a +welcome addition to our meagre fare. The nights were still very frosty. + +<p>July 18.--In travelling to "Depot Pool," the native boy caught another +opossum, and we again halted early in the day for the sake of resting the +horses. + +<p>July 19.--Concealing among some rocks every thing we did not absolutely +require, we descended towards the plains, searching as we went, for the +most favourable line of road to them, for the drays, but at best the +country was very rough and stony. + +<p>After clearing the hills, we made a stage of twenty-eight miles along the +plains running under Flinders range, and at night encamped upon a channel +coming out of it, where we obtained water, but very little grass for our +horses. + +<p>July 20.--To-day I kept behind some of the low front hills, passing +through some extensive valleys between them and the main range; and as I +found abundance of water lying in pools upon the plains, I did not make +for the hills at all. + +<p>Before sunset, I got a shot at a kangaroo with my rifle, which, though +severely wounded, gave me a long chase before I could capture it; this +furnished us with a welcome and luxurious repast. We had been so long +living upon nothing but the bush baked bread, called damper (so named, I +imagine, from its heavy, sodden character), with the exception of the one +or two occasions upon which the native boy had added an opossum to our +fare, that we were delighted to obtain a supply of animal food for a +change; and the boy, to shew how he appreciated our good luck, ate +several pounds of it for his supper. Our horses were equally fortunate +with ourselves, for we obtained both good grass and water for them. + +<p>July 21.--Taking with us the best part of what was left of the kangaroo, +we crossed a stony ridge to the S. W., and at four miles struck a +watercourse with a large pool of water in its bed, and well adapted for a +halting place for the party on their route to the north: we had not seen +this in our outward course, having kept further to the westward in the +plains. From the water-hole, Mount Eyre bore W. 30 degrees S. distant +five miles. + +<p>Upon leaving this pool I pushed on as rapidly as I could, being anxious +to rejoin my party; and after a hard and fatiguing ride of forty miles, +arrived at the depot under Mount Arden, late in the day, having been +absent sixteen days. I had been anxiously expected, and was cordially +welcomed by the whole party, who were getting sadly tired of inactivity, +and especially by my young friend Mr. Scott, whose eager and ardent +disposition rendered him quite uneasy under the confinement and restraint +of a depot encampment; he would gladly have shared with me the +difficulties and hazards of exploring the country in advance, but from +the very embarrassing nature of the undertaking, I did not think it right +to take more than a single native with me, as every addition to the +number of a party, on such occasions, only tends to increase the +difficulty and anxiety of the task. + +<p>Having rested a little, and made innumerable inquiries, I was very much +gratified to find that the whole party were in good health, and that +every thing had been conducted in a satisfactory manner during my +absence. No one had been idle, and every thing that I could have wished, +had been properly arranged. The stores had been safely brought up from +the WATERWITCH, including a barometer kindly sent by the Governor, and a +large packet of English letters, at any time a highly valued prize, and +not the less so now that they were received 200 miles in the interior, +amidst the labours and anxieties of an exploring expedition. + +<p>During my absence all the harness, hobbles, tents, tarpaulins, etc. had +been fully repaired; and according to my instructions, a large deep hole +had been dug in the slope of the hill, to bury a portion of the stores +in, that if compelled by circumstances to return from the north, we might +still have supplies to fall back upon. Mr. Scott had employed his time in +collecting botanical and geological specimens, and had already made a +very fair commencement for our collections in both these departments of +science. He had also regularly kept the meteorological journal, +registering the observations three times in each day. + +<p>July 22.--After breakfast I had all the stores reweighed, and examined +the supplies sent us in the WATERWITCH, which consisted chiefly of flour, +biscuit, sugar, tea, salt pork, soap, tobacco, salt, canvas, etc. besides +many little luxuries which the kindness of the Governor, and the +consideration of our many friends had added to the list. + +<p>The men during my absence, having been living entirely upon salt pork, to +economize the sheep, were glad to receive the kangaroo which I brought +home with me. + +<p>Having inspected the stores, the whole party were put upon their +travelling rations, and the first week's allowance was issued to each, +consisting of ten pounds of meat, seven pounds of biscuit or flour, a +quarter of a pound of tea, a pound and a half of sugar, a quarter of a +pound of soap, and the same quantity of tobacco. + +<p>Provisions of different kinds were then weighed out, headed up in casks, +and buried in the hole dug by the men during my absence, to wait our +return, if ever it should be our lot to reach the place again. The +remainder were all properly packed up, and the drays loaded and arranged +for moving on. + +<p>After satisfactorily concluding all the preparations for leaving the +depot, I employed myself busily in writing letters and despatches until a +very late hour of the night, as it was the last opportunity I should have +for a long time, of reporting our prospects and progress, or of thanking +the Governor and our numerous friends, for the many attentions we had +experienced. + +<p>I had hardly retired to rest before I was suddenly seized with a violent +attack of illness, arising probably from cold and over-exertion, now that +a return to my party had removed the stimulus to activity, and permitted +a reaction in the system to take place. + +<p>July 23.--This morning I felt weak, and still very ill, and it was with +great difficulty I could manage to close my letters, and give the +necessary instructions to the overseer, whom I sent down to the head of +Spencer's Gulf, with orders to the master of the cutter to sail for +Adelaide, and to report what he had seen at the salt inlets in the east +side of Spencer's Gulf, which I had directed him to examine in the boats +whilst I was absent exploring to the north. His reply was, that there was +water enough for a ship to lie within one mile of the shore, that there +was a tolerable landing place, but that he had found no fresh water. The +men were employed during the day making a new tarpaulin from the canvas +sent up in the WATERWITCH. The following is a copy of the Report sent to +the Governor, and to the Chairman of the Committee for promoting the +expedition. + +<p> +"Depot, near Mount Arden,<br> +July 22nd, 1840.</p> + +<p>"Sir,--I have the honour to acquaint you for the information of His +Excellency the Governor, and of the colonists interested in the northern +expedition, with the progress made up to the present date. + +<p>"I arrived here with my party all well, on the 3rd July instant, and on +the 6th I proceeded, accompanied by one of my native boys, on horseback, +to reconnoitre Lake Torrens and the country to the north of the depot, +leaving the party in camp to rest the horses and enable the overseer to +get up, from the head of Spencer's Gulf, the supplies kindly sent by His +Excellency the Governor in the WATERWITCH--her arrival having been +signalised the evening previous to my leaving. I arrived on the shores of +Lake Torrens the third day after leaving the depot, and have ascertained +that it is a basin of considerable magnitude, extending certainly over a +space varying in width from 15 to 20 miles, and with a length of from 40 +to 50, from its southern extremity, to the most northerly part of it, +visible from a high summit in Flinders range, (about ninety miles north +of Mount Arden). The lake is girded with an outer ridge of sand, covered +with salsolaceous plants, and with saline crusts, shewing above the +ground at intervals. Its waters appear to extend over a considerable +surface, but they are, seemingly, shallow. I could not approach the +water, from the soft nature of that part of its bed, which is uncovered, +and which appeared to reach from three to four miles from the outer bank +to the water's edge. There can be no doubt, however, of its being very +salt, as that portion of its bed which lay exposed to our view was +thickly coated with pungent particles of salt. There were not any trees +or shrubs of any kind near the lake where we made it, nor could either +grass or fresh water be procured for our horses. Lake Torrens is bounded +on its western side by high lands--apparently a continuation of the table +land to the westward of the head of Spencer's Gulf.--I should think that +it must receive a considerable drainage from that quarter, as well as the +whole of the waters falling from Flinders range to the eastward. + +<p>"From the very inhospitable nature of the country, around the lake, I +could not examine it so carefully or so extensively as I could have +wished. My time, too, being very limited, made me hurry away to the +northward, to search for a place to which I might bring on my party, as +the grass in the neighbourhood of the depot was very old, and much less +abundant than on either of my former visits there. It became, therefore, +imperative on me to remove the horses as speedily as possible. Should +circumstances permit, I shall, however, endeavour to visit Lake Torrens +again, on my return from the northern interior. After leaving the lake I +spent many days in examining the country to the northward of our depot. +Its character seemed to vary but little; barren sandy plains still formed +the lower level, and the hills constituting the continuation of Flinders +range were still composed of quartz and ironstone; they were, however, +gradually becoming less elevated and more detached, with intervals of +stony valleys between, and the whole country was, if possible, assuming a +more barren aspect, while the springs, which had heretofore been numerous +among the hills, were very few in number--difficult to find--and very far +in amongst the ranges. After most anxious and laborious search, I at last +succeeded in finding a place about ninety miles (of latitude) north of +Mount Arden, to which I can remove my depot, and from which I can again +penetrate more to the northward. + +<p>"After an absence of sixteen days I rejoined my party under Mount Arden +on the evening of the 21st July, and found they had safely received all +the supplies sent for our use by the WATERWITCH. The latter has been +detained until my return, for despatches, which I shall send down +to-morrow, and on the 24th I intend to move on with my party to the new +depot. I regret it is not in my power to afford more certain information +as to the future prospects of the expedition, but where so little +alteration has taken place, in the features of the country I have been +examining, conjectures alone can anticipate what may be beyond. From the +very difficult nature of the country we are advancing into, our further +progress must necessarily be very slow for some time, but I still hope +that by patience and perseverance we shall ultimately succeed in +accomplishing the object of the expedition. + +<p>"I have the honour to be, Sir,<br> +"Your most obedient humble Servant,<br> +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE."</p> + +<p>"To the Chairman of the Committee of Colonists for promoting the Northern Expedition."</p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<p>"Depot, near Mount Arden,<br> +July 22nd, 1840.</p> + +<p>"My Dear Sir,--I beg to enclose a copy of the report of our proceedings +up to the present date, for the perusal of his Excellency the Governor. +By it his Excellency will perceive that the very inhospitable nature of +the country around Lake Torrens, added to my anxiety to remove our horses +from the depot near Mount Arden, where there was but very little grass +for them, prevented my devoting so much time to the examination of the +lake and the country around it, as I should have wished; and I therefore +intend, if possible, on my return, to investigate it more fully, being +anxious to ascertain, whether, as I suppose, there is a considerable +drainage into it from the westward. The high land seen on its opposite +side, appears to be a continuation of the table land, lying to the west +of the head of Spencer's Gulf; and though the fall of the country appears +to be to the north, I begin to be of opinion now that it is not in +reality. Lake Torrens is evidently the basin into which all the waters +from Flinders range fall, and its extent is very considerable; in fact, +where I last saw it to the north, it was impossible to say whether it +terminated or not, from the very great distance it was off. The country +lying between Flinders range on the one side, and the table land on the +other, and north of Spencer's Gulf, is of so low and so level a character +that the eye alone is not a sufficient guide as to the direction in which +the fall may be. On my previous visits, I felt convinced it was +northerly, but I am now inclined to think that the drainage from Lake +Torrens in seasons of wet, is to the south, into the head of the Gulf; +and I can only account for there not being a larger connecting +watercourse than the small shallow one found when crossing from Streaky +Bay--and which I did not then imagine extended far above the head of the +Gulf--by supposing that the seasons have so altered of late years that +the overflow of the lake has never been sufficient to cause a run of +water to the Gulf. Should my present supposition be correct, the idea of +a northerly drainage is done away with, and we have yet to come to a +"division of the waters." My uncertainty on this most important point has +made me most anxious to get my party removed to a place where they can +remain until I can decide so interesting a point, and one on which our +future prospects so much depend. The same causes that prevented my +staying a little longer in the neighbourhood of the Lake have also +prevented, as yet, my extending my researches to the north for more than +about forty miles farther than I had been when last in this +neighbourhood. The only change I observed, was the increasing barren +appearance of the country--the decrease in elevation of the ranges--their +becoming more detached, with sterile valleys between--and the general +absence of springs; the rock of the higher ridges, which were very rugged +and abrupt, was still the same, quartz and ironstone, but much more of +the latter than I had before seen, and, in some cases, with a very great +proportion of metal to the stone. The lower ridges and steep banks, when +washed away by the rains, presented great quantities of a very pungent +salt to the eye of the observer, mixed with the clay and sand of which +the banks were formed; and in this neighbourhood the watercourses were +(though dry) all lined with the salt-water tea-tree--a shrub we had never +before seen under Flinders range. My next push to the north will probably +throw some light upon our future prospects, and I only regret it will not +be in my power to communicate the intelligence. I intended to have sent +his Excellency a rough sketch of my last route, but have not been able to +get it ready in time, and I fear I have already detained the little +cutter too long: during their detention, I requested the master to +examine some salt water inlets on the east side of Spencer's Gulf, and he +said he would, but I have not yet heard the result of his researches. +Should he have found, a good landing-place for goods, it would be of much +importance to the northern parts of the colony when they become stocked; +and nearly all the country as far as the head of the Gulf is more or less +adapted for grazing. Pray return my best thanks to his Excellency for the +abundant supply of stores we have received by the WATERWITCH--especially +for the barometer, which has arrived quite safely. I shall take great +care of it, and shall make observations, whenever practicable, three +times a day--8, a.m., noon, and 5, p.m. I only returned late last night, +and have been so busy to-day preparing every thing for leaving the depot, +that I have been obliged to put off my writing until night; and I am now +acribbling in the tent, on my bed, with my young friend, Mr. Scott, fast +asleep, and a cold bleak wind whistling through the place, so that I fear +my writing will be scarcely legible. I send down the letters to the +cutter in the morning, and intend to move on my party on the 24th. With +kind remembrance to his Excellency, Mrs. Gawler, and family--</p> + +<p>"Believe me, etc.<br> +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE.<br> +"G. Hall, Esq."</p> + + +<p><a name="ch-5"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter V.</h3> + +<p>BREAK UP THE ENCAMPMENT<br> +ARRIVE AT DEPOT POOL<br> +GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY<br> +BAROMETERS OUT OF ORDER<br> +ADVANCE TO RECONNOITRE<br> +ASCEND TERMINATION HILL<br> +SURPRISE NATIVE WOMEN<br> +THEY ABANDON THEIR CHILDREN<br> +INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER<br> +RETURN TOWARDS MOUNT DECEPTION<br> +BROKEN CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY<br> +FIND WATER<br> +THE SCOTT<br> +REJOIN THE PARTY<br> +WATER ALL USED AT THE DEPOT<br> +EMBARRASSING CIRCUMSTANCES<br> +REMOVE TO THE SCOTT<br> +RECONNOITRE IN ADVANCE<br> +BARREN COUNTRY<br> +TABLE-TOPPED ELEVATIONS<br> +INDICATIONS OF THE VIOLENT ACTION OF WATER<br> +MEET NATIVES<br> +REACH LAKE TORRENS<br> +THE WATER SALT<br> +OBLIGED TO RETURN<br> +ARRIVAL AT DEPOT<br> +HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE NATIVES.</p> + +<p> +July 25.--To-DAY we broke up the camp, and commenced our labours in +earnest, the men and the horses having had a rest of three weeks; the +latter were in splendid condition and spirits, having eaten twenty-five +bushels of oats, which had been sent up in the WATERWITCH. Every thing +had been well and conveniently arranged, and the whole moved on with an +order and regularity that was very gratifying. + +<p>I was very ill at starting, and remained so for some days after, but as I +had already been twice over the ground, and as my native boy was able to +act as guide to the party, my indisposition was not of so much +consequence as it would have been under other circumstances. At times I +was quite incapable of any exertion, and could not attend to any thing, +being hardly able to sit upon my horse for half an hour together. From +the 25th to the evening of the 30th, we were engaged in travelling from +Mount Arden to Depot Pool, by the same line of route by which myself and +the native boy had returned from our exploration. In our progress we +noticed many traces of natives around us, and saw many native fires among +the hills; the people themselves did not, however, appear. + +<p>By a little trouble in examining the watercourses before encamping, we +were generally able to procure water for our horses, at some distance +among the hills; and we were usually fortunate enough to obtain tolerable +food for them also. The grass, it is true, was generally scanty, or dry; +but we found a succulent plant of the geranium tribe, bearing a small +blue flower, and growing where the channels of the watercourses spread +out in the plains, in the greatest abundance, and in the wildest +luxuriance; of this the horses were extremely fond, and it appeared to +keep them in good condition and spirits. + +<p>July 30.--The geological formation of the country we had passed through, +consisted in the higher ranges of an argillaceous rock, of quartz, or of +ironstone. Upon some of the hills the small loose stones had a vitrified +appearance--in others they looked like the scoria of a furnace, and +appeared to be of volcanic origin, but nowhere did I observe the +appearance of anything like a crater. In the lower or front hills the +rock was argillaceous, of a hard slaty nature, and inclined at an angle +of about 45 degrees from the horizontal. This formation was frequently +traversed by dykes of grey limestone of a very hard texture. + +<p>Upon watering the horses at the hole in the rock, I was much disappointed +to find that they had already sunk it eighteen inches, and now began to +fear that it would not last them so long as I had anticipated, and that I +should still be obliged to cross over the hills to the very rocky channel +where I had found permanent water on the 15th of July. This I was +desirous, if possible, to avoid, both from the difficult nature of the +road by which that water must be reached, and from the circumstance that +it was going so much out of our way into an all but impracticable +country, and that consequently, when we did move on again to the north, +we should be obliged to come all the way back again over the same bad +road to gain the open country under Flinders range, where alone we could +hope to make any progress with the drays. + +<p>July 31.--Having remained all day in camp to rest the party, I found that +the horses had again made a great diminution in the depth of the water in +the rock, I therefore had the drays all prepared in the evening, +intending to move away to the other water-course in the morning; but the +next day the horses had unfortunately strayed, and it was late before +they were brought up, so that we could not get away. Upon watering them +when they arrived, I found that less impression was made upon the water +than on the previous days; and after an anxious consultation with my +overseer, I decided upon leaving the party in camp at Depot Pool until I +could reconnoitre further north and return. + +<p>August 1.--To prevent any difficulties during my absence, in the event of +the water failing in the rocky hole, I sent the native boy to shew the +overseer the place where the permanent water was, and gave him +instructions to move the party thither if he should find it necessary; +but not until their safety absolutely required it, or before he had fully +ascertained that no water was to be procured by digging in the bed of any +of the adjoining watercourses. During his absence, I employed myself +busily in getting ready for another push to the north with the native boy +to search for a new depot, as in a country so difficult and embarrassing, +it was quite impracticable to move on the party until after having +previously ascertained where they could be taken to with safety. Upon +examining the barometers to-day, I was much concerned to find that they +were both out of order and useless; the damp had softened the glue +fastening the bags of leather which hold the quicksilver, and the +leathers that were glued over the joints of the cisterns, and so much of +the mercury had escaped, before I was aware of it, that I found all the +previous observations valueless. I emptied the tubes and attempted to +refill them, but in so doing I unfortunately broke one of them, and the +other I could not get repaired in a satisfactory manner, not being able, +after all my efforts, to get rid of some small air bubbles that would +intrude, in spite of every care I could exercise. + +<p>August 2.--Leaving early, I took with me a native boy, and a man on +horseback, leading a pack-horse, to carry water, as I could not but be +apprehensive, lest we might find none in the country into which we were +advancing. In following down the Depot watercourse to the plains, we +found a fire where the natives had encamped the previous night. This +surprised us, because we were not aware that there were any so +immediately in our vicinity. It however shewed us the necessity of +vigilance and circumspection in our future movements. + +<p>Steering for the most western point of Mount Deception range, until we +opened one still more distant to the north-west, and which I named +Termination Hill, we kept pushing on through barren stony plains, without +grass or shrubs, and arrived late in the afternoon upon a large +watercourse with gum-trees, but could find no water in its bed. Near it, +however, in the plains, we were fortunate enough to discover a puddle of +rain water, and at once halted for the night, though the feed was +indifferent. We had travelled twenty-eight miles, and the pack-horse +carrying twelve gallons of water, was considerably fatigued. At the +puddle, two teal were seen, which indicated the existence of a larger +body of water somewhere in the neighbourhood, but our efforts to find it +were unsuccessful. + +<p>August 3.--Crossing very heavy sandy ridges, we passed at intervals one +or two dry watercourses, and the beds of some small dry lakes among the +sandy ridges, in one of which was a little rain water which appeared to +be rapidly drying up. Watering the horses we moved on for Termination +Hill, but the nature of the country had been so unfavourable, that the +pack-horse was knocked up, and I was obliged to halt four miles short of +our intended destination, and where there was but poor feed for the +animals. After dinner I walked to Termination Hill and ascended it. Like +all the others I had recently examined, it was composed principally of +quartz, ironstone and a kind of slaty rock; the low hills in front +exhibiting the grey limestone, whilst patches of gum scrub were +observable in many places. From the summit of Termination Hill, Lake +Torrens bore W. 20 degrees S. but the view was obstructed by intervening +sand ridges, the elevated land on the opposite shore of the lake still +appeared to continue, and was visibly further north than the lake itself, +which, as I observed, was partially shut out by the ridges. To the north +were low broken hills similar to those around me, but less elevated, and +immediately under these hills to the westward, were heavy red sandy +ridges, such as we had crossed during the day. To the eastward and ten +degrees north of east were seen Flinders range, with which Mount +Deception and Termination Hills were connected, by low long spurs thrown +off to the northward. In the north-east the horizon was one unbroken, +low, flat, level waste, with here and there small table-topped +elevations, appearing white in the distance and seemingly exhibiting +precipitous faces. Wherever I turned, or whatever way I looked, the +prospect was cheerless and disheartening. Our stage had been twenty-two +miles. + +<p>August 4.--After giving five gallons of water each to my own and the +native boy's horse, I sent back the man with the pack-horse and the empty +kegs to the depot. We then steered E. 5 degrees S. across some very +extensive barren stony plains, occasionally broken into irregular +surfaces with steep white banks (of a fine freestone), forming the +termination of the higher levels, fronting the hollows. These hollows or +flats were covered with salsolaceous plants and samphire, and appeared +once to have been salt swamps. + +<p>At twenty miles we came to a small watercourse emanating from the eastern +hills, which we had now reached, and soon after to a larger one which we +traced up for five miles among the front hills, which were composed of +limestone, but were then obliged to encamp without water. Whilst rambling +about after turning out the horses, I met with a party of native women +and children, but could gain no information from them. They would not +permit me to come near them, and at last fairly ran away, leaving at +their fire two young children who could not escape. I then went to their +camp and examined the bags and property which had been left, and amongst +other things found two kangaroo skins full of water, each containing from +six to eight quarts; it was quite muddy, and had evidently been taken +from a puddle in the plains, and carried to the present encampment in the +bed of the watercourse. Having helped ourselves to some of the water, I +tied a red pocket handkerchief round one of the children, as payment for +it and returned to our own camp. + +<p>August 5.--During the night I was taken very ill again, and felt quite +weak when I arose this morning, but circumstances admitted of no delay, +and I was obliged to go on with my exploration: I continued to trace up +the creek, which I found to be large and lined with gum-trees for many +miles among rocky and precipitous hills, but altogether without water, +and as I knew of none of this requisite, of a permanent character, behind +me, I determined to retrace my steps again to Mount Deception range. In +doing so, I had to pass near the place from whence the natives had taken +flight, and from curiosity called to see if the children had been taken +away; to my surprise and regret I found them still remaining, they had +been left by their unnatural or terrified parents without food, and +exposed to the inclemency of a cold winter's night; the fire had gone +out, and the eldest of the children had scraped a hole among the ashes in +which both were lying. They were alarmed when they saw me, and would take +nothing I offered them. The child around whom I had tied the +handkerchief, had managed to get it off and throw it to one side. I now +scarcely knew what to do, as I was fearful if I left them there, and the +parents did not return, the poor little children might perish, and yet I +was so far away from my own party, and in such difficult circumstances, +that I knew not how I could take them with me. Upon due reflection, and +considering that I had not seen a single male native, it struck me that +the women might have gone for the men and would probably return by the +evening to see where their little ones were. + +<p>Under this impression, I put the handkerchief again round the eldest +child, and tying it firmly, I left them; I had hopes too, that some of +the natives were watching our movements from the hills, and in this case +they would at once return, when they saw us fairly depart from the +neighbourhood. + +<p>Keeping a little to the south of west, I still found the country very +much broken into hollows, with high steep banks bounding them, this +singular formation being apparently the result of the violent action of +water; but how long ago and under what circumstances I had no means of +judging. Having found a puddle of water in the plains, I halted for the +night, our stage having been about twenty miles. + +<p>August 6.--We again passed many of those singular hollows fronted by the +high steep banks of the upper levels, and then crossed some low ironstone +ridges to a channel emanating from Mount Deception range. This I traced +through the hills to the westward without finding any water, and then +following down the Mount Deception range in its western slopes, I +examined all the watercourses coming from it; in one, which I named The +Scott, after my young friend and fellow traveller, I found a large hole +of rain water among the rocks, and at this I halted to rest and feed the +horses. The latitude of the water in The Scott was 30 degrees 32 minutes +S. Pushing on again, late in the afternoon, I reached our camp of the 2nd +August, quite tired, and the horses much fatigued, the puddle of water we +had found here on our outward course was now nearly all dried up. + +<p>August 7.--Making an early start I returned to the Depot Pool, and found +the party all well. They were, however, just preparing to move away, as +the water was nearly all gone. The drays were packed and everything ready +when I arrived; they had tried to obtain water by digging, but had +failed, having been stopped by hard rock. + +<p>I was now in a very awkward dilemma. The water where we were, had been +all used, and we must consequently remove at once,--but where to, was the +question? If I went to the permanent water to the eastward, I gained +nothing, as I only harassed my party by travelling through an almost +impracticable country, over which we must return before we could move +further to the north,--and if I went to the N. W. to The Scott, I went to +a mere puddle of water, precarious and uncertain at the best, and at +which, under any circumstances, we could not remain long:--yet move I +must, as soon as the morning dawned. Many and anxious were the hours I +spent in consideration and reflection. + +<p>Little indeed are the public aware of the difficulties and +responsibilities attached to the command of an expedition of +exploration;--the incessant toil, the sleepless hours, the anxious +thoughts that necessarily fall to the share of the leader of a party +under circumstances of difficulty or danger, are but imperfectly +understood and less appreciated by the world at large. Accustomed to +judge of undertakings only by their results, they are frequently as +unjust in their censure as they are excessive in their approval. The +traveller who discovers a rich and well watered district, encounters but +few of the hardships, and still fewer of the anxieties, that fall to the +lot of the explorer in desert regions, yet is the former lauded with +praise, whilst the latter is condemned to obloquy; although the success +perhaps of the one, or the failure of the other, may have arisen from +circumstances over which individually neither had any control. + +<p>August 8.--The horses having rambled a little this morning it was rather +late before we got away, I had, however, made up my mind to advance at +all risks, and we accordingly travelled sixteen miles to the N. W.; +halting without any water upon the large watercourse emanating from Mount +Deception; there was no grass either, and we were consequently obliged to +tie up our horses for the night. + +<p>August 9.--The sheep had broken out of their yard, and could not be found +this morning; so sending the party on with the native boy as a guide, I +remained behind myself with the overseer, to search for them; they were +soon found, and we moved on after the drays. In going up the watercourse +I again found a native fire, where natives had been encamped within a +mile of us during the night, without our being aware of it; so difficult +is it always to know the proximity of these children of the wilds. + +<p>Having overtaken the party, I conducted them to The Scott, at which we +arrived early in the day, though the distance could not be less than 20 +miles. At night a party of natives were seen near, but did not come up to +us. + +<p>August 10.--To day I prepared for another exploration to the N. W. and +had all our casks and kegs new coopered and filled with water, to make +them water tight. I found it necessary also to have our horses new shod, +which was the third set of shoes they had required in less than two +months, in consequence of the hard and stony roads over which we had +travelled. The natives were again encamped near us at night, but did not +come up. + +<p>August 11.--Leaving directions for the overseer to dig for water during +my absence, I took a native boy and one man driving a cart loaded with +water; we had mustered all the casks and kegs in the party, holding +altogether 65 gallons, and to draw this I had our three best draught +horses yoked to the light cart, being determined to push as far as +possible to the N. W. before I returned. At first we passed over a good +road but stony, then over heavy red sand ridges, and at night encamped in +a gorge coming from Termination Hill, where we had excellent feed for the +horses, but no water. The traces of natives were numerous and recent, and +I imagine they must obtain their supply of water at puddles in the +plains, but we could find none at present. The weather was very hot and +the flies excessively annoying, even at this early period of the year. We +gave each of the horses three gallons of water out of the kegs, after +which they fed well; the hills, as we advanced were getting lower, and +the sandy ridges now wound close under them, and in some instances even +among them; still there were many birds around us, amongst which cockatoo +parrots were very numerous. Our stage was about 23 miles. + +<p>August 12.--Steering to the N. W. to a low range (the highest summit of +which I named Mount North-west,) we just kept far enough in the plains to +intercept the watercourses from the hills where they spread into the +level country, and by this means we got excellent feed for our horses; +generally the same rich succulent herbage I have mentioned before, +occasionally mixed with wild oats. It was only in places of this +description that we could expect to find anything for our horses. In the +plains or on the hills there was not a blade of of anything green; at +night we encamped upon a small dry channel with tolerable feed, but no +water, and we again gave each horse three gallons from our kegs. + +<p>The country we were traversing as yet under-went no alteration, the only +difference being, that the hills were getting lower and the watercourses +less numerous, and both apparently without water; the sand ridges came +more in among the hills, and the dry beds of small salt lakes were often +met with; the salsolae were more abundant, but the traces of natives were +now less frequent; whilst those we fell in with seemed for the most part +to have been left during the wet season. The rock formation still +continued the same, quartz, ironstone, slate, and grey limestone, with +saline crusts peeping above the ground in many places in the lower +levels; the sky was cloudy and threatened rain, but none fell: our stage +was 18 miles. + +<p>August 13.--Continuing our course to the N. W. I took on the cart for 13 +miles to a large dry channel, coming from the hills, upon which we halted +for an hour or two to rest and feed the horses, as there were some +sprinklings of grass around. We had now a change in the appearance of the +country; the ironstone ranges seemed to decrease rapidly in elevation to +the north, and the region around appeared more level, with many very +singular looking table-topped elevations from 50 to 300 feet in height +and with steep precipitous sides which were red, with the ironstone +above, and white, with a substance like chalk, below. The country was +covered with salsolae, and we passed the beds of many dried up salt +lakes. Ascending the highest ridge near us, I found Lake Torrens was no +longer visible, being shut out by the sandy ridges to the westward, +whilst the low ironstone hills impeded our view to the north, and to the +east. Having given our horses water, we buried twelve gallons against our +return, and sending back the man with the cart, and extra horses, the +native boy and I still pushed on to the N. W., taking a pack-horse to +carry our provisions and a few quarts of water for ourselves. + +<p>As we proceeded, the country changed to extensive plains and undulations +of stones and gravel, washed perfectly level by water, and with the +stones as even in size and as regularly laid as if they had been picked +out and laid by a paviour. At intervals were interspersed many of the +fragments of table land I have alluded to before, only perhaps a little +less elevated than they had previously been; we passed also the beds of +several small dry watercourses, and encamped upon one of the largest, +long after dark, having travelled twenty-five miles since we left the +cart, and having made in the whole a day's journey of thirty-seven miles. +There was tolerable food in the bed of the watercourse, but the horses +were thirsty and eat but little. Unfortunately, in crossing the stony +ground, one of them cast a shoe, and began to go a little lame. + +<p>August 14.--Moving away very early we travelled sixteen miles due north, +through a very similar country, only that the stones and gravel in the +plains had become much finer and a good deal mixed with sand; the +fragments of table land still continued in every direction at intervals, +and their elevations still varied from 50 to 300 feet. In the upper part +these elevations appeared red from the red sandy soil, gravel, or +iron-stone grit which were generally found upon their summits. They had +all steep precipitous sides, which looked very white in the distance, and +were composed of a chalky substance, traversed by veins of very beautiful +gypsum. There were neither trees nor shrubs, nor grass, nor vegetation of +any kind except salsolaceous plants, and these every where abounded. + +<p>In the midst of these barren miserable plains I met with four natives, as +impoverished and wretched looking as the country they inhabited. As soon +as they saw us they took to their heels, apparently in great alarm, but +as I was anxious to find out from them if there was any water near, I +galloped after two of them, and upon coming up with them was very nearly +speared for my indiscretion; for the eldest of the two men, who had in +his hand a long, rude kind of spear with which he had been digging roots +or grubs out of the ground (although I could not see the least sign of +anything edible) finding that he was rather close pressed, suddenly +halted and faced me, raising his spear to throw. + +<p>The rapid pace at which I had been pursuing prevented my reining in my +horse, but by suddenly spurring him when within but a few yards of the +native, I wheeled on one side before the weapon had time to leave his +grasp, and then pulling up I tried to bring my friend to a parley at a +less dangerous distance. + +<p>Finding that I did not attempt to injure him, the native stood his +ground, though tremblingly, and kept incessantly vociferating, and waving +me away; to all my signs and inquiries, he was provokingly insensible, +and would not hear of anything but my immediate departure. Sometimes he +pointed to the north, motioning me to go in that direction, but the poor +wretch was in such a state of alarm and trepidation that I could make +nothing of him and left him. He remained very quietly until I had gone +nearly a quarter of a mile, and then thinking that he had a fair start, +he again took to his heels, and ran away as fast as he could in the +direction opposite to that I had taken. + +<p>Continuing our course northerly I steered for what appeared to be a small +lake not far away to the N. W. and crossed over some heavy ridges of +white sand; upon reaching the object of my search it proved to be a +winding arm of the main lake (Torrens) at first somewhat narrow, but +gradually enlarging as we traced it downwards. The bed of this arm was +coated over, as had been the dry part of the bed of the main lake, with a +very pungent salt, with mud and sand and water intermixed beneath the +upper crust. + +<p>Following the arm downwards I came to a long reach of water in its +channel, about two feet deep, perfectly clear, and as salt as the sea, +and I even fancied that it had that peculiar green tinge which sea-water +when shallow usually exhibits. + +<p>This water, however, was not continuous; a little further on, the channel +again became dry, as it increased in width in its approach to the main +lake, the bed of which, near its shores, was also dry. From a high bank +which I ascended, I had a full view of the lake stretching away to the +north-east, as far as the eye could reach, apparently about thirty miles +broad, and still seeming to be bounded on its western shores by a low +ridge, or table land, beyond which nothing could be seen. No hills were +visible any where, nor was there the least vegetation of any kind. + +<p>I was now upwards of 100 miles away from my party in a desert, without +grass or water, nor could I expect to obtain either until my return to +the creek, where I had left the twelve gallons, and this was about fifty +miles away. The main basin of Lake Torrens was still four or five miles +distant, and I could not expect to gain any thing by going down to its +shores; as on previous occasions, I had ascertained that to attempt to +cross it, or even to reach the water a few miles from its outer edge, was +quite impossible, from the boggy nature of its bed. From my present +elevation, the lake was seen bending round to the N. E., and I became +aware that it would be a barrier to all efforts to the north. My horses +were suffering, too, from want of water and food; and I had, therefore, +no alternative but to turn back from so inhospitable and impracticable a +country. + +<p>With a heavy heart, and many misgivings as to the future, I retreated +from the dismal scene, and measured back my steps as rapidly as possible +towards the creek where our stock of water was buried. From the state in +which our horses were, I knew, that to save their lives, it was necessary +to get them to water without loss of time, and I therefore continued our +homeward course during the whole night, and arrived early in the morning +at the place where I had parted from the cart. + +<p>August 15.--It was now necessary to use great caution in the management +of our jaded animals. During the last two days we had ridden them fully +100 miles over a heavy country, without food or water; and for the last +twenty-four hours they had never had a moment's rest; and now we had only +twelve gallons of water for three horses and ourselves, and were still +fifty miles away from the depot, without the possibility of getting a +further supply until our arrival there. + +<p>Having hobbled the horses out for an hour, we watched them until they had +rested a little, and got cool. I then gave them half of our supply of +water; and leaving them to feed under the superintendence of the native +boy, took my gun, and walked seven or eight miles up the creek, under a +scorching sun, to look for water, examining every gorge and nook, with an +eagerness and anxiety, which those only can know who have been similarly +circumstanced; but my search was in vain, and I returned to the +encampment tired and disappointed. Out of what was left of our water, the +boy and myself now made each a little tea, and then gave the remainder to +the horses; after which we laid down for an hour whilst they were +feeding. About four in the afternoon, we again saddled them, and moved +homewards, riding, as before, the whole night, with the exception of +about an hour, when we halted to feed the horses, upon meeting with a +rich bed of the succulent geranium, of which they were so fond. + +<p>August 16.--Travelling on steadily, we began early in the afternoon to +draw near to the depot; and when within a mile and half of it, I was +surprised, upon looking back, to see two natives trying to steal upon us +with spears, who, as soon as they perceived they were observed, rose up, +and made violent gestures of defiance, but at once desisted from +following us. A little further on, upon a rise not far from the depot, I +was still more astonished to see at least thirty of these savages; and I +hurried forwards as quickly as possible to ascertain what it could mean, +not without some anxiety for the safety of my party.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-6"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter VI.</h3> + +<p>CAUSE OF HOSTILITY OF THE NATIVES<br> +WELL SUNK UNSUCCESSFULLY<br> +OVERSEER SENT TO THE EAST<br> +THE SCOTT EXAMINED<br> +ROCK WALLABIES<br> +OVERSEER'S RETURN<br> +ANOTHER VISIT TO LAKE TORRENS<br> +BOGGY CHARACTER OF ITS BED<br> +EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF MIRAGE AND REFRACTION<br> +RETURN TO THE CAMP<br> +SUPPLY OF WATER EXHAUSTED<br> +LEAVE THE DEPOT<br> +THE MUNDY<br> +THE BURR<br> +MOUNT SERLE<br> +LAKE TORRENS TO THE EAST<br> +MELANCHOLY PROSPECTS</p> + +<p> +August 16.--UPON reaching the camp the extraordinary behaviour of the +natives was soon explained to me. At the time when I left the depot on +the 11th of August, in giving the overseer general directions for his +guidance, I had among other matters requested him, if he found any +natives in the neighbourhood, to try and get one up to the camp and +induce him to remain until my return, that we might, if possible, gain +some information as to the nature of the country or the direction of the +waters. In endeavouring to carry out my wishes, it seems he had one day +come across two or three natives in the plain, to whom he gave chase when +they ran away. The men escaped, but he came up with one of the females +and took her a prisoner to the camp, where he kept her for a couple of +days, but could gain no information from her; she either could not be +understood, or would not tell where there was water, although when signs +were made to her on the subject, she pointed to the east and to the +north-west. After keeping her for two days, during which, with the +exception of being a prisoner, she had been kindly treated, she was let +go with the present of a shirt and handkerchief. + +<p>It was to revenge this aggression that the natives had now assembled; for +which I could not blame them, nor could I help regretting that the +precipitancy of my overseer should have placed me in a position which +might possibly bring me into collision with the natives, and occasion a +sacrifice of life; an occurrence I should deplore most deeply under any +circumstances, but which would be doubly lamentable when I knew that my +own party had committed the first act of aggression. + +<p>The number of natives said to have been seen altogether, including women +and children, was between fifty and sixty, and though they had yet +actually committed no overt act against us, with the exception of trying +to steal upon myself and the native boy as we returned; yet they had +established themselves in the close vicinity of our encampment, and +repeatedly exhibited signs of defiance, such as throwing dust into the +air, shouting, and threatening with their weapons, and once or twice, the +evening before my arrival, crossing within a very short distance of the +tents, as if for the purpose of reconnoitring our position and strength; +I determined, however, nothing but the last extremity should ever induce +me to act on the defensive. [Note 6: "And they cried out, and cast off +their clothes, and threw dust into the air."--Acts xxii. 23.] + +<p>When on my return to the depot, I had seen the natives creeping after me +with their spears, I and the native boy at once halted, turned round and +went slowly towards them, upon this they retreated. They would see by +this that we did not fear them, and as the party at the camp had been +increased in number by our return, I thought they might probably be more +cautious in their hostile demonstrations, which for the present was the +case, for we saw nothing more of them for some time. + +<p>During my absence, the overseer, according to my instructions, had put a +party of men to dig for water in the bed of the creek, about four miles +from the depot, in a westerly direction and down upon the plains. They +were busy when I arrived at the depot; the soil already dug through had +been a very hard gravel, but as yet no water had been found, they had got +to a depth of about ten feet; but from the indurated character of the +soil were proceeding very slowly. + +<p>I was, however, too much fatigued to go and inspect the work immediately, +the boy and myself as well as the horses being completely worn out. We +had ridden in the last five days and a half, about two hundred miles, and +walked about twenty up and down rocky and precipitous creeks, whilst, for +the last two nights before our arrival we had scarcely been off the +horses' back. + +<p>On the 17th, which was dreadfully hot, I went in the afternoon to see +what progress was being made at the well, and found that only two feet +had been dug in the last twenty-four hours, whilst just as I arrived the +men came to a solid mass of rock, and could sink no further; I at once +ordered them to return to the camp, as I did not think it worth while to +make further attempts in so unkindly a soil, and indeed I was unwilling +to have my little party too much divided in the neighbourhood of so many +natives. The men themselves were very glad to get back to the camp, +having been apprehensive of an attack for the last two or three days. + +<p>August 18.--This morning I sent off the overseer and a native boy to the +eastward, to look for water in the watercourses I had been at on the 5th +of August, the Scott not having then been discovered; they would now be +thirty-six miles nearer water than any I was acquainted with at that +time, and would consequently be less hurried and embarrassed in their +movements than I was. By giving them a pack-horse to carry ten gallons of +water, I hoped they would be able to examine all the watercourses so +effectually as to secure the object of their search, for I felt satisfied +that water was to be found somewhere among the high ranges we had seen in +the direction they were going; I also directed the overseer to visit the +camp where the two native children had been left, and to see what had +been their fate. + +<p>During the day I employed myself in writing; the weather was excessively +close and oppressive, with heavy clouds coming up from the S. W. against +the wind at N. E. At night it blew almost a hurricane, accompanied by a +few drops of rain, after which, the wind then veered round to the north. + +<p>The 19th was another oppressive hot day, with a northerly wind, and +clouds of dust which darkened the air so that we could not see the hills +distinctly, although we were close under them. The flies were also +incessant in their persecuting attacks. What with flies and dust, and +heat and indisposition, I scarcely ever remember to have spent a more +disagreeable day in my life. My eyes were swollen and very sore, and +altogether I was scarcely able to attend to any thing or employ myself in +any profitable way. + +<p>August 20.--Some slight showers during the night made the weather cool +and pleasant, the day too was cloudy, and I was enabled to occupy myself +in charting, working out observations, etc. whilst Mr. Scott, by shooting, +supplied us with some wallabies. This animal is very like a rabbit when +running, and quite as delicate and excellent in eating. + +<p>August 21.--Not having seen the natives for the last two days, I thought +I might venture to explore the watercourse we were encamped upon, and set +off on horseback immediately after breakfast, accompanied by Mr. Scott. + +<p>We traced up its stony and rugged bed for about seven miles among the +hills, to a point where the scenery was peculiarly grand and sublime. The +cliffs rose perpendicularly from the channel of the watercourse to a +height of from six to eight hundred feet, towering above us in awful and +imposing prominencies. At their base was a large pool of clear though +brackish water; and a little beyond a clump of rushes, indicating the +existence of a spring. In the centre of these rushes the natives had dug +a small well, but the water was no better than that in the larger pool. + +<p>The natives generally resort to such places as these when the rain water +is dried up in the plains or among the hills immediately skirting them. +Far among the fastnesses of the interior ranges, these children of the +wilds find resources which always sustain them when their ordinary +supplies are cut off; but they are not of corresponding advantage to the +explorer, because they are difficult of access, not easily found, and +seldom contain any food for his horses, so that he can barely call at +them and pass on. Such was the wretched and impracticable character of +the country in which we were now placed. + +<p>Having tied up our horses, Mr. Scott and I ascended to the top of the +high cliff by winding along the ridges at the back of it. From its summit +we had an extensive view, and I was enabled to take several angles. One +of the high peaks in the Mount Deception range bearing S. 35 degrees W. +about five miles off I named Mount Scott. To the east were seen high +ranges, to which I had sent my overseer. Descending the hill we examined +the course of the watercourse a few miles further, and ascertaining that +there was no more water in it, retraced our steps towards the depot, +somewhat fatigued with clambering up rocky ranges under the oppressive +heat of an almost tropical sun. + +<p>In the course of the morning Mr. Scott shot a rock wallabie of rather a +large species, and many more were seen about the high perpendicular cliff +under which we had found the water. These singular animals appeared to +have a wonderful facility for scaling precipices, for they leapt and +clambered up among the steep sides of the cliffs in a manner quite +incredible, and where it was perfectly impossible for any human being to +follow them. + +<p>In the evening the overseer and native boy returned, they had traced up +the watercourse I turned back from on the 5th of August, and had found +water in it about eight miles beyond where I gave up the search. They had +also visited the native camp where the two little children had been left +deserted, they were now gone, and the whole plain around had been strewed +with green boughs. The handkerchief I had tied round the eldest child had +been taken off and left at the camp, the natives probably dreading to +have anything to do with property belonging to such fearful enchanters as +they doubtless suspected us to be. + +<p>Our party being once more all together, it became necessary to decide +upon our future movements, the water in the hole at the depot being +nearly all used, and what was left being very muddy and unpalatable. +Before I abandoned our present position, however, I was anxious to make a +journey to the shores of Lake Torrens to the westward; I had already +visited its basin at points fully 150 miles apart, viz. in about 29 +degrees 10 minutes S. latitude, and in 31 degrees 30 minutes S. I had +also traced its course from various heights in Flinders range, from which +it was distinctly visible, and in my mind, had not the slightest doubt +that it was one continuous and connected basin. Still, from the hills of +our present depot, it was not visible to the north of west, and I should +not have felt myself justified in going away to the eastward, without +positively ascertaining its connection with the basin I was at to the +north-west; accordingly, as soon as the overseer returned I got ready for +another harassing and uninteresting journey to the westward. + +<p>August 22.--Setting off early this morning, accompanied by a native boy, +I steered W.N.W. For the first four miles, I took my overseer along with +me, to shew him the direction I intended to take, so that if I did not +return in two days, he might send a pack-horse with water to meet me +along the tracks. + +<p>After he had left I pushed steadily on for thirty-five miles, principally +over heavy sandy ridges, which were very fatiguing to the horses, and at +dark reached the outer dunes of the lake, where I was obliged to tie the +horses up to some small bushes, as there was neither water nor grass for +them. The bed of the lake where I struck it, seemed dry for some distance +from the shore, but towards the middle there appeared to be a large body +of water. From our camp Mount Deception bore E. 26 degrees S. and +Termination Hill, E. 35 degrees N. + +<p>August 23.--Starting early, I traced the course of the lake +north-westerly for ten miles, and was then able to satisfy myself that it +was a part of the same vast basin I had seen so much further to the +north, it inclined here considerably to the westward, and this +circumstance added to the high sandy ridges intervening between it and +Flinders range fully explained the cause of our not having observed its +course to the north of west from the hills near our depot. Crossing the +sandy ridge bounding the basin of the lake, I was surprised to see its +bed apparently much contracted, and the opposite shore distinctly +visible, high, rocky and bluff to the edge of the water, seemingly only +seven or eight miles distant, and with several small islands or rocks +scattered over its surface. This was however only deceptive, and caused +by the very refractive state of the atmosphere at the time, for upon +dismounting and leading the horses into the bed of the lake, the opposite +shore appeared to recede, and the rocks or islands turned out to be only +very small lumps of dirt or clay lying in the bed of the lake, and +increased in magnitude by refraction. + +<p>I penetrated into the basin of the lake for about six miles, and found it +so far without surface water. On entering at first, the horses sunk a +little in a stiff mud, after breaking through a white crust of salt, +which everywhere coated the surface and was about one eighth of an inch +in thickness, as we advanced the mud became much softer and greatly mixed +with salt water below the surface, until at last we found it impossible +to advance a step further, as the horses had already sunk up to their +bellies in the bog, and I was afraid we should never be able to extricate +them, and get them safely back to the shore. Could we have gone on for +some distance, I have no doubt that we should have found the bed of the +lake occupied by water, as there was every appearance of a large body of +it at a few miles to the west. As we advanced a great alteration had +taken place, in the aspect of the western shores. The bluff rocky banks +were no longer visible, but a low level country appeared to the view at +seemingly about fifteen or twenty miles distance. From the extraordinary +and deceptive appearances, caused by mirage and refraction, however, it +was impossible to tell what to make of sensible objects, or what to +believe on the evidence of vision, for upon turning back to retrace our +steps to the eastward, a vast sheet of water appeared to intervene +between us and the shore, whilst the Mount Deception ranges, which I knew +to be at least thirty-five miles distant, seemed to rise out of the bed +of the lake itself, the mock waters of which were laving their base, and +reflecting the inverted outline of their rugged summits. The whole scene +partook more of enchantment than reality, and as the eye wandered over +the smooth and unbroken crust of pure white salt which glazed the basin +of the lake, and which was lit up by the dazzling rays of a noonday sun, +the effect was glittering, and brilliant beyond conception. + +<p>[Very similar appearances seem to have been observed by Monsieur Peron, +on the S. W. coast near Geographe Bay. "A cette epoque nous eprouvions les +effets les plus singuliers du mirage; tantot les terres les plus +uniformes et les plus basses nous paroissoient portees au dessus des +eaux, et profondement dechirrees dans toutes leurs parties; tantot leurs +cretes superieures sembloient renversees, et reposer ainsi sur les +vagues; a chaque instant on croyoit voir au large de longues chaines de +recifs, et de brisans qui sembloient se reculer a mesure qu'on s'en +approchoit davantage."--VOYAGE DE DECOUVERTES AUX TERRES AUSTRALES REDIGE +PAR PERON.] + +<p>Upon regaining the eastern shore, I found that all I had been able to +effect was to determine that the lake still continued its course to the +N.W. that it was still guided as before, by a ridge like a sea shore, +that its area was undiminished, that its bed was dry on the surface for +at least six miles from the outer margin, and that from the increasing +softness of the mud, occasioned by its admixture with water, as I +proceeded there was every probability that still further west, water +would be found upon the surface. Beyond these few facts, all was +uncertainty and conjecture in this region of magic. Turning away from the +lake, I retraced my steps towards the depot, and halted at dark after a +stage of nearly forty miles. Here was neither grass nor water, and again +I was obliged to tie up the unfortunate horses, jaded, hungry and +thirsty. + +<p>During the night, I released one of the poor animals for an hour or two, +thinking he would not stray from his companion, and might, perhaps, crop +a few of the little shrubs growing on the sand ridges, but on searching +for him in the morning he was gone, and I had to walk twelve miles over +the heavy sand tracking him, the boy following along our outward track +with the other horse, for fear of missing the man who was to meet us with +water. + +<p>The stray horse had fortunately kept near the line we had followed in +going to the lake, and I came upon him in a very weak and miserable +condition, soon after the arrival of the man who had been sent to meet us +with water. By care and slow travelling, we reached the depot safely in +the afternoon, having crossed in going and returning, upwards of 100 +miles of desert country, during the last three days, in which the horses +had got nothing either to eat or drink. It is painful in the extreme, to +be obliged to subject them to such hardships, but alas, in such a +country, what else can be done. + +<p>In the evening, I directed the overseer to have every thing got ready for +breaking up our encampment on the morrow, as the party had been fifteen +days in depot, and little else than mud remained in the hole which had +supplied them with water. + +<p>August 25.--Slight showers during the night, and the day dark and cloudy, +with rather an oppressive atmosphere. The horses had strayed during the +night, so that it was nine o'clock before we got away. + +<p>We had scarcely left the place of encampment, when shoutings were heard, +and signal fires lit up in every direction by the natives, to give +warning I imagine of our being abroad, and to call stragglers to their +camp. These people had still remained in our immediate vicinity, and were +now assembled in very considerable numbers on the brow of one of the +front ridges, to watch us pass by. They would not approach us, but as the +drays moved on kept running in a line with them, at some distance, and +occasionally shouting and gesticulating in an unintelligible manner. + +<p>In our first and only intercourse with these natives, we had +unfortunately given them just cause of offence, and I was most anxious, +if possible, before leaving, to efface the unfavourable impression which +they had received. Letting the drays therefore move on, I remained behind +with Mr. Scott, leading our horses, and trying to induce some of the +natives to come up to us; for a long time, however, our efforts were in +vain, but at last I succeeded in persuading a fine athletic looking man +to approach within a moderate distance; I then shewed him a tomahawk, +which I laid on the ground, making signs that I intended it for him. When +I had retired a little, he went and took it up, evidently comprehending +its use, and appearing much pleased with the gift; the others soon +congregated around him, and Mr. Scott and I mounting our horses, followed +the party, leaving the sable council to discuss the merits of their new +acquisition, and hoping that the unfavourable opinion with which we had +at first impressed them, would be somewhat modified for the future. + +<p>Steering N. 43 degrees W. for five miles, and then winding through the +range, in the bed of a watercourse to the plains on the other side, we +took a direction of E. 20 degrees N. for fifteen miles, arriving about +dark upon a small channel that I had crossed on the 14th of August. Here +was good feed for the horses, and plenty of water a little way up among +the hills. This watercourse I had not examined when I was here before, +preferring to trace up the larger one beyond instead. Had I followed +this, I should easily have found water, and been relieved from much of +the anxiety which I had then undergone. + +<p>In travelling through a country previously unexplored, no pains should be +spared in examining every spot, even the most unlikely, where it is +possible for water to exist, for after searching in vain, in large deep +rocky and likely looking watercourses, I have frequently found water in +some small branch or gorge, that had appeared too insignificant, or too +uninviting to require to be explored. This I named The Mundy, after my +friend, Alfred Mundy, Esq., now the Colonial Secretary of South +Australia. + +<p>Early this morning, I took Mr. Scott with me, to examine The Mundy, +leaving the overseer to proceed with the party. + +<p>After entering the hills a short distance, we found in the bed of the +Mundy a strongly running stream, connecting several reaches of waters, +upon which many black ducks were sailing about. This appeared to be one +of the finest and best streams we had yet discovered, although the water +was slightly impregnated with alum. After the watercourse left the hills, +the surface water all disappeared, the drainage being then absorbed by +the light sandy soil of the plains, and this had invariably been the case +with all the waters emanating from Flinders range. + +<p>Crossing some stony ridges, we followed the party up the large +watercourse, which I had traced so far on the 5th of August, since named +the Burr, after the Deputy Surveyor-general of the colony, and at +nineteen miles halted early in the afternoon, at some springs rising +among rocks and rushes in its bed. The water was very brackish, though +drinkable, but did not extend far on either side of the spot we were +encamped at, and when after dinner, I took a long walk up the watercourse +to search for more, I was unable to find any either in the main channel +or its branches. The grass was abundant and good. The latitude of the +camp I ascertained to be 30 degrees 27 minutes S. + +<p>August 27.--Having risen and breakfasted very early, I took Mr. Scott and +a native boy with me, and steered for a very high hill with rather a +rounded summit, bearing from our camp E. 17 degrees S. This I named Mount +Serle, in accordance with a request made to me before my departure, by +the Governor, that I would name some remarkable feature in the country +after Mr. Serle. This was the most prominent object we had hitherto met +with; among high ranges it appeared the highest, and from a height above +our present encampment, it had been selected by us as the most likely +point from which to obtain a view to the eastward. + +<p>The elevation of this hill could not be less than three thousand feet +above the level of the sea; but unfortunately, the injury my barometer +had sustained in the escape of some of the mercury, and my being unable +to fill it again properly, quite precluded me from ascertaining the +height with accuracy. + +<p>In our route to Mount Serle, we observed another hill rather more to the +northward, seemingly of as great an altitude as Mount Serle itself; this +was not situate in the Mount Serle range, nor had it been seen by us in +our view from the height above the depot. + +<p>At ten miles from our camp, we came to a large watercourse, emanating +from the Mount Serle range on the south side, and running close under its +western aspect, with an abundance of excellent clear water in it. This I +named the Frome, after the Surveyor-general of the colony, to whose +kindness I was so much indebted in preparing my outfit and for the loan +of instruments for the use of the expedition. + +<p>Having watered our horses we tied them up to some trees, and commenced +the ascent of Mount Serle on foot. The day was exceedingly hot, and we +found our task a much harder one than we had anticipated, being compelled +to wind up and down several steep and rugged ridges before we could reach +the main one. + +<p>At length, however, having overcome all difficulties we stood upon the +summit of the mountain. Our view was then extensive and final. At one +glance I saw the realization of my worst forebodings; and the termination +of the expedition of which I had the command. Lake Torrens now faced us +to the east, whilst on every side we were hemmed in by a barrier which we +could never hope to pass. Our toils and labours and privations, had all +been endured to no purpose; and the only alternative left us would be to +return, disappointed and baffled. + +<p>To the north and north-west the horizon was unbroken to the naked eye, +but with the aid of a powerful telescope I could discover fragments of +table land similar to those I had seen in the neighbourhood of the lake +in that direction. At N. 8 degrees W. a very small haycock-looking hill +might be seen above the level waste, probably the last of the low spurs +of Flinders range to the north. To the north-east, the view was +obstructed by a high range immediately in front of us, but to the east +and as far as E. 13 degrees S. we saw through a break in the hills, a +broad glittering belt in appearance, like the bed of a lake, but +apparently dry. + +<p>The ranges seemed to continue to the eastward of Mount Serle for about +fifteen miles, and then terminated abruptly in a low, level, +scrubby-looking country, also about fifteen miles in extent, between the +hills and the borders of the lake. The latter appearing about twenty-five +miles across, whilst beyond it was a level region without a height or +elevation of any kind. + +<p>Connecting the view before me with the fact that on the 14th August, when +in about lat. 29 degrees S., I had found Lake Torrens turning round to +the north-east, and had observed no continuation of Flinders range to the +eastward of my position, I could now no longer doubt that I had almost +arrived at the termination of that range, and that the glittering belt I +now saw to the east, was in fact only an arm of the lake taking the +drainage from its eastern slopes. + +<p>Sad and painful were the thoughts that occupied my mind in returning to +the camp. Hitherto, even when placed in the most difficult or desperate +circumstances I was cheered by hope, but now I had no longer even that +frail solace to cling to, there was no mistaking the nature of the +country, by which we were surrounded on every side, and no room for +doubting its impracticability.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-7"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter VII.</h3> + +<p>EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-EAST<br> +TRACE DOWN THE FROME<br> +WATER BECOMES SALT<br> +PASS BEYOND THE RANGES<br> +COCKATOOS SEEN<br> +HEAVY RAINS<br> +DRY WATERCOURSES<br> +MOUNT DISTANCE<br> +BRINE SPRINGS<br> +MOUNT HOPELESS<br> +TERMINATION OF FLINDERS RANGE<br> +LAKE TORRENS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST<br> +ALL FURTHER ADVANCE HOPELESS<br> +YOUNG EMUS CAUGHT<br> +REJOIN PARTY<br> +MOVE BACK TOWARDS MOUNT ARDEN<br> +LOSS OF A HORSE<br> +ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT<br> +PLANS FOR THE FUTURE<br> +TAKE UP STORES<br> +PREPARE FOR LEAVING</p> + +<p> +Upon returning to the depot at the Burr, I decided upon making an +excursion to the north-east, to ascertain the actual termination of +Flinders range, and the nature of the prospect beyond it; not to satisfy +myself, for a single glance from the eminence I had recently occupied at +Mount Serle, had for ever set my curiosity at rest on these points, but +in discharge of the duty I owed to the Governor, and the promoters of the +expedition, who could not be expected to be satisfied with a bare +conjecture on a subject which they had sent me practically to +demonstrate, however fairly from circumstances the conclusions might be +deduced at which I had been compelled to arrive. Accordingly, on the +morning of the 29th, I took with me my overseer, one man, a native boy, +and a cart drawn by three horses to carry water; and making an early +start, proceeded to attempt for the last time to penetrate into those +regions of gloom. + +<p>After travelling ten miles, we arrived at the Frome, where we watered and +fed the horses. From this place I sent the overseer on before us, to see +how far the water extended, that we might determine where to fix our +halting-place for the night. After resting awhile we proceeded on with +the cart, tracing down the watercourse over a very rough and stony road +on which the cart was upset, but without any serious damage, and passing +several very large and fine water-holes with many teal and wood-duck upon +them. + +<p>At eight miles from where we lunched, we encamped with abundance of +water, but very little grass. The latitude by meridian altitude of Altair +was 30 degrees 18 minutes 30 seconds S. In the evening the overseer +returned, and stated there was water for nine miles further, but that the +road was very rocky and bad. + +<p>August 30.--Leaving the overseer to bring on the cart, I rode on a-head +down the watercourse to trace the continuance of the water. The road I +found to be very bad, and at twenty-three miles, upon tasting the water I +found it as salt as the sea, and the bed of the creek quite impracticable +for a cart; I therefore hurried back for seven miles, and halted the +party at the last good water-hole, which was about sixteen miles from our +yesterday's camp. + +<p>We had seen many ducks during the day, two of which I shot, and the black +boy found a nest with fresh eggs in it, so that we fared more luxuriously +than usual. The night set in very dark and windy, but no rain fell. + +<p>August 31.--This morning I sent the overseer back to the depot with the +cart and two horses, whilst I and the native boy proceeded on our route +on horseback, taking also a man leading a pack-horse to carry water for +us the first day. Following down the watercourse, we passed through some +imposing scenery, consisting of cliffs from six to eight hundred feet in +height, rising perpendicularly from their bases, below which were +recesses, into which the sun never shone, and whose gloomy grandeur +imparted a melancholy cast to the thoughts and feelings, in unison with +the sublimity of the scene around. + +<p>After travelling twelve miles from the camp, we got clear of the hills, +and found an open country before us to the north; through this we +proceeded for ten miles further, still following the direction of the +watercourse, and halting upon it for the night, after having made a stage +of twenty-two miles. We had tolerable grass for the horses, but were +obliged to give them water from the kegs. + +<p>At this place I was much astonished to see four white cockatoos, flying +about among the gum-trees in the watercourse, and immediately commenced a +narrow search for water, as I knew those birds did not frequently go far +away from it: there was not, however, a drop to be found anywhere, nor +the least sign of there having been any for a long time. What made the +circumstance of finding cockatoos here so surprising and unusual was, +that for the last two hundred miles we had never seen one at all. Where +then had these four birds come from? could it be that they had followed +under Flinders range from the south, and had strayed so far away from all +others of their kind, or had they come from some better country beyond +the desert by which I was surrounded, or how was that country to be +attained, supposing it to exist? Time only may reply to these queries, +but the occasion which prompted them was, to say the least, +extraordinary. + +<p>Towards night the sky became overcast with clouds, and as I saw that we +should have rain, I set to work with the boy and made a house of boughs +for our protection, but the man who accompanied us was too indolent to +take the same precaution, thinking probably that the rain would pass away +as it had often done before. In this, however, he was disappointed, for +the rain came down in torrents [Note 7 at end para.]--in an hour or two +the whole country was inundated, and he was taught a lesson of industry at +the expense of a thorough and unmitigated drenching. + +<p>[Note 7: This will not appear surprising, when the great amount of rain +which falls annually in some parts of Australia, is taken into account. +The Count Strzelecki gives 62.68 inches, as the average annual fall for +upwards of twenty years, at Port Macquarie.--At p. 193, that gentleman +remarks:--"The greatest fall of rain recorded in New South Wales, during +24 hours, amounted to 25 inches. (Port Jackson)."] + +<p>September 1.--This morning I sent the man back to the depot with the +pack-horse, with orders to the overseer to move back the party as rapidly +as possible towards Mount Arden, that by taking advantage of the rain we +might make a short route through the plains, and avoid the necessity of +going up among the rugged and stony watercourses of the hills. + +<p>This retrograde movement was rendered absolutely necessary from our +present position, for since we had wound through the hills to the north, +and come out upon the open plains, I saw that Flinders range had +terminated, and I now only wished to trace its northern termination so +far east as to enable me to see round it to the southward, as well as to +ascertain the character and appearance of the country to the north and to +the east; as soon therefore as the man had left, I proceeded at a course +of E. 35 degrees N. for a low and very distant elevation, apparently the +last of the hills to the eastward, this I named Mount Distance, for it +deceived us greatly as to the distance we were from it. + +<p>In passing through the plains, which were yesterday so arid and dry, I +found immense pools, nay almost large reaches of water lodged in the +hollows, and in which boats might have floated. Such was the result of +only an hour or two's rain, whilst the ground itself, formerly so hard, +was soft and boggy in the extreme, rendering progress much slower and +more fatiguing to the horses than it otherwise would have been. By +steadily persevering we made a stage of thirty-five miles, but were +obliged to encamp at night some miles short of the little height I had +been steering for. + +<p>During our ride we passed several dry watercourses at five, ten, +twenty-five, thirty, and thirty-five miles from our last encampment. The +last we halted upon with good feed for the horses, and rainwater lodged +everywhere. All these watercourses took their course to the north, +emptying and losing themselves in the plains. In the evening heavy +showers again fell, and the night set in very dark. + +<p>September 2.--After travelling seven miles we ascended Mount Distance, +and from it I could see that the hills now bore S. and S.E. and were +getting much lower, so that we were rapidly rounding their northern +extremity. To the north and north-east were seen only broken fragments of +table lands, similar to what I found near the lake to the north-west; the +lake itself, however, was nowhere visible, and I saw that I should have +another day's hard riding before I could satisfactorily determine its +direction. Upon descending I steered for a distant low haycock-like peak +in the midst of one of the table-topped fragments; from this rise I +expected the view would be decisive, and I named it Mount Hopeless.--From +Mount Distance it bore E. 25 degrees N. + +<p>Crossing many little stony ridges, and passing the channel of several +watercourses, I discovered a new and still more disheartening feature in +the country, the existence of brine springs. Hitherto we had found +brackish and occasionally salt water in some of the watercourses, but by +tracing them up among the hills, we had usually found the quality to +improve as we advanced, but now the springs were out in the open plains, +and the water poisoned at its very source. + +<p>Occasionally round the springs were a few coarse rushes, but the soil in +other respects was quite bare, destitute of vegetation, and thickly +coated over with salt, presenting the most miserable and melancholy +aspect imaginable. We were now in nearly the same latitude as that in +which Captain Sturt had discovered brine springs in the bed of the +Darling, and which had rendered even that river so perfectly salt that +his party could not make use of it. + +<p>September 2.--At thirty-five miles we reached the little elevation I had +been steering for, and ascended Mount Hopeless, and cheerless and +hopeless indeed was the prospect before us. As I had anticipated, the +view was both extensive and decisive. We were now past all the ranges; +and for three quarters of the compass, extending from south, round by +east and north, to west, the horizon was one unbroken level, except where +the fragments of table land, or the ridge of the lake, interrupted its +uniformity. + +<p>The lake was now visible to the north and to the east; and I had at last +ascertained, beyond all doubt, that its basin, commencing near the head +of Spencer's Gulf, and following the course of Flinders range (bending +round its northern extreme to the southward), constituted those hills the +termination of the island of South Australia, for such I imagine it once +to have been. This closed all my dreams as to the expedition, and put an +end to an undertaking from which so much was anticipated. I had now a +view before me that would have damped the ardour of the most +enthusiastic, or dissipated the doubts of the most seeptical. To the +showers that fell on the evening of the 31st of August, we were solely +indebted for having been able to travel thus far; had there been much +more rain the country would have been impracticable for horses,--if less +we could not have procured water to have enabled us to make such a push +as we had done. + +<p>The lake where it was visible, appeared, as it had ever done, to be from +twenty-five to thirty miles across, and its distance from Mount Hopeless +was nearly the same. The hills to the S. and S. W. of us, seemed to +terminate on the eastern slopes, as abruptly as on the western; and from +the point where we stood, we could distinctly trace by the gum-trees, the +direction of watercourses emanating from among them, taking northerly, +north-easterly, easterly and south-easterly courses, according to the +point of the range they came from. This had been the case during the +whole of our route under Flinder's range. We had at first found the +watercourses going to the south of west, then west, north-west, north, +and now north-east, east and south-east. I had, at the same time, +observed all around this mountain mass, the appearance of the bed of a +large lake, following the general course of the ranges on every side, and +receiving, apparently, the whole drainage from them. + +<p>On its western, and north-western shores, I had ascertained by actual +examination, that its basin was a very low level, clearly defined, and +effectually inclosed by an elevated continuous sandy ridge, like the +outer boundary of a sea-shore, its area being of immense extent, and its +bed of so soft and yielding a nature, as to make it quite impossible to +cross it. All these points I had decided positively, and finally, as far +as regards that part of Lake Torrens, from near the head of Spencer's +Gulf, to the most north-westerly part of it, which I visited on the 14th +of August, embracing a course of fully 200 miles in its outline. I had +done this, too, under circumstances of great difficulty, toil, and +anxiety, and not without the constant risk of losing my horses, from the +fatigues and privations of the forced labours I was obliged to impose +upon them. + +<p>Having ascertained these particulars, and at so much hazard, relative to +Lake Torrens, for so great a part of its course, what conclusion could I +arrive at with regard to the character of its other half to the +north-east, and east of Flinders ranges, as seen from Mount Hopeless, and +Mount Serle points, nearly ninety miles apart! The appearances from the +ranges were similar; the trend of all the watercourses was to the same +basin, and undoubtedly that basin, if traced far enough, must be of +nearly the same level on the eastern, as on the western side of the +ranges. I had completely ascertained that Flinders range had terminated +to the eastward, the north-east, and the north; that there were no hills +or elevations connected with it beyond, in any of these directions, and +that the horizon every where was one low uninterrupted level. + +<p>With such data, and under such circumstances, what other opinion could I +possibly arrive at, than that the bed of Lake Torrens was nearly similar +in its character, and equally impracticable in its eastern, as its +western arm; and that, considering the difficulties I had encountered, +and the hazards I had subjected myself to, in ascertaining these points +so minutely on the western side, I could not be justified in renewing +those risks to the eastward, where the nature and extent of the +impediments were so self-evidently the same, and where there was not the +slightest hope of any useful result being attained by it. + +<p>I was now more than a hundred miles away from my party; and having sent +them orders to move back towards Mount Arden, I had no time to lose in +following them. With bitter feelings of disappointment I turned from the +dreary and cheerless scene around me, and pushing the horses on as well +as circumstances would allow, succeeded in retracing ten miles of my +course by a little after dark, having completed a stage of fully +forty-five miles during the day. Here there was tolerable good grass, and +plenty of water from the late rains, so that the horses were more +fortunate on this excursion than usual. I observed the variation to be 4 +degrees E. + +<p>September 3.--Travelling early, we made a long stage of about forty +miles, and encamped with good grass and water. During the day we caught +four young emus in the plains, which we roasted for supper, being very +hungry, and upon short allowance, as I had not calculated upon remaining +out so long; the black boy enjoyed them exceedingly, and I managed to get +through one myself. They were about the size of full grown fowls. + +<p>September 4.--Making a very early start, we travelled twenty miles to the +watercourse, where we had encamped on the 31st of August, striking it a +little lower down. As I had left one or two trifles here, that I wished +to take on with me, I sent the black boy for them, telling him to follow +my tracks while I went slowly on. Upon finding that he did not overtake +me so soon as I expected, I halted for some time, but still he did not +come up, and I again proceeded; for as I had left my former track, I +concluded he had taken that line, and thus missed me. Steering, +therefore, across the hills, some of which were very stony and broken, I +made for the Mundy, which I reached very late in the evening, and found +the party safely encamped there. + +<p>I had rode fifty-five miles, and had been on horseback about thirteen +hours, so that both myself and horse were well nigh knocked up. The black +boy had not arrived, nor did he come up during the night. + +<p>The next day, becoming uneasy about his absence, I detained the party in +the camp, and sent Mr. Scott to search for him, who fortunately met him +almost immediately he had left us. The boy's detention had been +occasioned by the fagged condition of his horse, which prevented the +possibility of his overtaking me. As the day was wet, I did not move on, +but gave the party a day's rest, whilst I employed myself in meditating +upon the disappointment I had experienced, and the future steps it might +be most advisable to take to carry out the objects of the expedition. I +was still determined not to give up the undertaking,--but rather to +attempt to penetrate either to the eastward or westward, and to try to +find some other line of route that might afford a practicable opening to +the interior. + +<p>September 6.--Moving on the party early to-day, I pushed steadily towards +the depot near Mount Arden. In doing this, the favourable state of the +weather enabled us to keep more in the open plains, and thus both to +avoid a good deal of rough ground, and to shorten the road considerably. + +<p>Upon mustering the horses on the 9th, the overseer reported to me that +one of them was lying down with a broken leg, and upon going to examine +him, I found that it was one of the police horses kindly lent to the +expedition by the Governor. During the night some other horse had kicked +him and broken the thigh bone of the hind leg. The poor animal was in +great pain and unable to rise at all, I was therefore obliged to order +the overseer to shoot him. By this accident we lost a most useful horse +at a time when we could but ill spare one. + +<p>During our progress to the south we had frequently showers and +occasionally heavy rains, which lodging in puddles on the plains, +supplied us abundantly with water, and we were unusually fortunate enough +to obtain grass also. We were thus enabled to push on upon nearly a +straight course, which, after seven days of hard travelling, brought us +once more, on the afternoon of the 12th, to our old position at the depot +near Mount Arden. I had intended to have halted the party here for a day +or two, to recruit after the severe march we had just terminated; but the +weather was so favourable and the season so far advanced, that I did not +like to lose an hour in following out my prospective plans. + +<p>During the homeward journey from the Mundy, I had reflected much on the +position in which I was placed, and spent many an anxious hour in +deliberating as to the future. I had one of three alternatives to choose, +either to give up the expedition altogether;--to cross to the Murray to +the east and follow up that river to the Darling;--or by crossing over to +Streaky Bay to the westward, to endeavour to find some opening leading +towards the interior in that direction. After weighing well the +advantages and disadvantages of each (and there were many objections to +them all,) I determined upon adopting the last, for reasons which will be +found in my Report sent to the Governor, and to the Chairman of the +Northern Expedition Committee from Port Lincoln. [Note 8: Vide Chapter +IX.] My mind having thus been made up, I knew, from former experience, +that I had no time to lose, now that the weather was showery and +favourable, and that if I delayed at all in putting my plans into +execution I might probably be unable to cross from Mount Arden to +Streaky Bay. The distance between these two points was upwards of +two hundred miles, through a barren and desert region, in which, +though among high ranges, I had on a former occasion been unable to +discover any permanent water, and through which we could only hope +to pass by taking advantage of the puddles left by the late rains; +I therefore decided upon halting at the depot to rest the horses +even for a day; and the party had no sooner reached their encampment, +than, while one portion of the men took the horses up the watercourse to +water, the others were employed in digging up the stores we had buried +here, and in repacking and rearranging all the loads ready to move on +again immediately. By the evening all the arrangements were completed and +the whole party retired to rest much fatigued.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-8"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter VIII.</h3> + +<p>PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD<br> +CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LAKE TORRENS AND SPENCER'S GULF<br> +BAXTER'S RANGE<br> +DIVIDE THE PARTY<br> +ROUTE TOWARDS PORT LINCOLN<br> +SCRUB<br> +FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER<br> +SEND DRAY BACK FOR WATER<br> +PLUNDERED BY THE NATIVES<br> +RETURN OF DRAY<br> +DENSE SCRUB<br> +REFUGE ROCKS<br> +DENSE SCRUB<br> +SALT CREEK<br> +MOUNT HILL<br> +DENSE SCRUB<br> +LARGE WATERCOURSE<br> +ARRIVE AT A STATION<br> +RICH AND GRASSY VALLEYS<br> +CHARACTER OF PORT LINCOLN PENINSULA<br> +UNABLE TO PROCURE SUPPLIES<br> +ENGAGE A BOAT TO SEND OVER TO ADELAIDE<br> +BUY SHEEP</p> + +<p> +September 13.--UPON leaving the depot this morning I was obliged to leave +behind a very large tarpaulin which we did not require, and which from +the extra weight we had last night put upon the drays, we could not +conveniently carry. Steering to the south-west we came at twelve miles to +the head of Spencer's Gulf, and crossed the channel connecting it with +Lake Torrens. At this place it is not very wide, but its bed like that of +the lake is soft and boggy, with salt water mixed with the mud. We had a +good deal of difficulty in getting over it, and one of the drays having +stuck fast, we had to unload it, carrying the things over on men's backs. +A few miles beyond this we halted for the night, where there was good +grass for the horses and plenty of water in the puddles around us. We +crossed principally during the day, a rather heavy sandy country, but +were now encamped in plains of a firmer and better character for the +drays. + +<p>September 14.--Travelling on through open plains with loose gravelly +stones, lying on their surface, we passed to the south of a small +table-topped hill, visible from Mount Arden, and very much resembling the +fragments of table land that I had met with to the north. This however +was somewhat larger than those, and though steep-sided as they were it +did not disclose the same white strata of chalk and gypsum, its formation +being more rocky and of rather a slaty character. + +<p>September 15.--Pushing on rapidly over extensive plains very similar to +those we had already crossed, we arrived, after a long stage, under +Baxter's range, and encamped upon a small channel coming from it, with +abundance of water and good grass. This range is high and rocky, rising +abruptly out of the plains, and distinctly visible from Mount Arden, from +which it is about fifty miles distant. Its formation is entirely +conglomerate of rather a coarse description. Among its rugged overhanging +steeps are many of the large red species of wallabie similar to those we +had seen to the north at the Scott. Two of these we shot. The latitude of +our camp at Baxter's range was 32 degrees 40 minutes S. + +<p>September 16.--Remained in camp to-day to rest the horses and prepare for +dividing the party, as from the great abundance of rain that had fallen, +I no longer apprehended a scarcity of water on the route to Streaky Bay, +and therefore decided upon sending my overseer across with the party, +whilst I myself took a dray down direct to Port Lincoln, on the west side +of Spencer's Gulf, to obtain additional supplies, with the intention of +joining them again at Streaky Bay. + +<p>Having spent some time in taking bearings from the summit of Baxter's +range, I examined all the channels and gorges coming from it, and in most +of these I found water. I am of opinion however that in a very dry +season, the water which I now found will be quite dried up, and +especially in the largest of the watercourses, or the one upon which we +were encamped. [Note 9: In October 1842, this was quite dry, but water was +still found in holes in the rocks in the southernmost gorge, above the +waterfall, at the base of which water was also procured by digging in +the gravel.] + +<p>A little further south, there is a rocky ravine winding through a gorge +and terminating in a waterfall, with a large pool of beautiful water at +the base, and with many large and deep holes of water in the rocks above. +In this ravine I imagine water might be procured at any period of the +year, and I am confirmed in this opinion by the circumstance of three +well beaten native roads, coming from different points of the compass, +and all converging at this place. This is an important position for +parties crossing to the westward, or going overland to Port Lincoln. +Baxter's range is the nearest point at which permanent water can be +procured on the west side of the head of Spencer's Gulf, as the Depot +creek near Mount Arden is on the eastern. Having completed my examination +of the range, and taken all my observations, I spent the remainder of the +day in constructing a chart of my former route from Streaky Bay in 1839, +and in writing out instructions for the overseer during my absence, as a +guide for him in crossing to the westward. + +<p>September 17.--Placing under the charge of the overseer, two drays, seven +of our best horses, all the sheep, one native boy, and two men, I saw him +fairly started this morning, and wished him a speedy and prosperous +journey. I had left with me one dray, five horses, one man, one native +boy, and Mr. Scott; with fourteen days provision and forty gallons of +water. Steering S. 25 degrees W. for sixteen miles, we halted for the +night upon a patch of tolerable grass but without any water; I was +consequently obliged to give a bucket of water to each of the horses out +of the small stock which we had brought with us. The country we travelled +through was low, level, and for the most part covered with salsolae, or +brush, the latter in some places being very dense, and causing great +fatigue to the horses in dragging the dray through it. + +<p>September 18.--Upon taking a view of the country, this morning, previous +to starting, it appeared so low and level, and held out so little +prospect of our finding water, that I was induced to deviate from the +course I had laid down, and steering S. 20 degrees E. made for some hills +before us. After travelling four miles upon this course, I observed a +native fire upon the hills at a bearing of S. 40 degrees E. and +immediately turned towards it, fully hoping that it was at a native camp +and in the immediate vicinity of water. + +<p>At eight miles we were close under the hills, but found the dray could +not cross the front ridges; I therefore left Mr. Scott to keep a course +parallel with the range, whilst I and the native boy rode across to where +we had seen the fire. Upon arriving at the spot I was greatly +disappointed to find, instead of a native camp, only a few burning +bushes, which had either been lit as a signal by the natives, after +noticing us in the plains, or was one of those casual fires so frequently +left by them on their line of march. I found the hills scrubby, barren, +and rocky, with much prickly grass growing upon their slopes. There were +no watercourses upon the west side of the range at all, nor could I by +tracing up some short rocky valleys coming from steep gorges in the face +of the hill find any water. The rock was principally of ironstone +formation. Upon ascending to the summit of the hill, I had an extensive +but unsatisfactory view, a vast level field of scrub stretching every +where around me, interspersed here and there with the beds of small dried +up lakes, but with no signs of water any where. At S. W. by S. I saw the +smoke of a native fire rising in the plains. Hurrying down from the +range, I followed the dray, and as soon as I overtook it, halted for the +night in the midst of a thick scrub of large tea-trees and minor shrubs. +There was a little grass scattered among the trees, on which, by giving +our horses two buckets of water each, they were able to feed tolerably +well. During the day we had travelled over a very heavy sandy country and +through dense brush, and our horses were much jaded. Occasionally we had +passed small dried up salt lakes and the beds of salt water channels; but +even these did not appear to have had any water in them for a long time. + +<p>Upon halting the party, I sent Mr. Scott to explore the range further +south than I had been, whilst I myself went to search among the salt +lakes to the southwest. We, however, both returned equally unsuccessful, +and I now found that I should be compelled to send the dray back for a +supply of water from Baxter's range. The country was so scrubby and +difficult to get a dray through that our progress was necessarily slow; +and in the level waste before us I had no hope of finding water for some +distance further. I thought, therefore, that if the dray could bring a +supply to last us for two days after leaving our present encampment, we +should then be enabled to make a fresh push through a considerable extent +of bad country, and might have a better chance of finding water as we +advanced to the south-west. + +<p>September 19.--This morning I unloaded the dray of every thing except the +water casks, and pitching my tent among the scrub took up my quarters +alone, whilst I sent back the man, the native boy, the dray, and all the +horses with Mr. Scott to Baxter's range. As they made an early start, I +gave them instructions to push on as rapidly as possible, so as to get +the range that night, to rest the horses next day and fill the casks with +water, and on the third day, if possible, to return the whole distance +and rejoin me. + +<p>Having seen them fairly away, I occupied myself in writing and charting +during the day, and at night amused myself in taking stellar observations +for latitude. I had already taken the altitude of Vega, and deduced the +latitude to be 32 degrees 3 minutes 23 seconds S.; leaving my artificial +horizon on the ground outside whilst I remained in the tent waiting until +Altair came to the meridian, I then took my sextant and went out to +observe this star also; but upon putting down my hand to take hold of the +horizon glass in order to wipe the dew off, my fingers went into the +quick-silver--the horizon glass was gone, and also the piece of canvass I +had put on the ground to lie down upon whilst observing so low an +altitude as that of Vega. Searching a little more I missed a spade, a +parcel of horse shoes, an axe, a tin dish, some ropes, a grubbing hoe, +and several smaller things which had been left outside the tent, as not +being likely to take any injury from the damp. + +<p>It was evident I was surrounded by natives, who had stolen all these +things during the short time I had been in my tent, certainly not +exceeding half an hour. The night was very windy and I had heard nothing, +besides I was encamped in the midst of a very dense brush of large +wide-spreading tea-trees and other bushes, any of which would afford a +screen for a considerable number of natives. In daylight it was +impossible to see many yards in distance, and nothing could be discerned +at night. + +<p>The natives must have watched the dray go away in the morning, and waited +until dark for their opportunity to rob me; and most daringly and +effectually had they done it. At the time that I lay on the ground, +taking the star's altitude, they must have been close to me, and after I +went into the tent, they doubtless saw me sitting there by the light of +the candle, since the door was not quite closed, and they had come quite +in front to obtain some of the things they had stolen. The only wonder +with me was that they had not speared me, as they could scarcely have +been intimidated by my individual presence. + +<p>As soon as I missed my horizon glass, and entertained the suspicion of +natives being about, I hurried into the tent and lighting a large blue +light, run with it rapidly through the bushes around me. The effect of +this was very beautiful amidst the darkness and gloom of the woods, and +for a great distance in every direction objects could be seen as well as +by day; the natives, however, were gone, and I could only console myself +by firing a couple of balls after them through the underwood to warn them +of the danger of intruding upon me again; I then put every thing which +had been left outside, into the tent, and kept watch for an hour or two, +but my visitors came no more. The shots, or the blue light, had +effectually frightened them. They had, however, in their turn, produced +as great an effect upon me, and had at least deprived me of one night's +rest. + +<p>September 20.--Rising very early I set to work, with an axe, to clear +away the bushes from around my tent. I now discovered that the natives +had been concealed behind a large tea-tree not twenty yards from the +tent; there were numerous foot-marks there, and the remains of +fire-sticks which they had brought with them, for a native rarely moves +at night without fire. + +<p>By working hard I cleared a large circle with a radius of from thirty to +forty yards, and then piling up all the bushes outside and around the +tent, which was in the centre, I was completely fortified, and my sable +friends could no longer creep upon me to steal without my hearing them. I +spent great part of the day in charting, and took a few angles from the +tent, but did not dare to venture far away. At night, when it was dark, I +mounted guard with my gun for three hours, walking round outside the +tent, and firing off my gun before I lay down, which I did with my +clothes on, ready to get up at a moment's notice. Nothing, however, +disturbed me. + +<p>September 21.--I had been occupied during the greater part of the day in +charting, and in the evening was just shouldering my gun to mount guard +again, when I was delighted to see Mr. Scott returning with the dray, and +the party all safe. They had executed the duty entrusted to them well, +and had lost no time in rejoining me; the horses were, however, somewhat +fatigued, having come all the way from the range in one day. Being now +reinforced, I had no longer occasion to mount guard, and for the first +time since the natives had stolen upon me, enjoyed a sound sleep. + +<p>September 22.--Moving on the party for ten miles at a course of S. 35 +degrees W., we passed through a dreadful country, composed of dense scrub +and heavy sandy ridges, with some salt water channels and beds of small +dry lakes at intervals. In many cases the margins bounding these were +composed of a kind of decomposed lime, very light and loose, which +yielded to the slightest pressure; in this our horses and drays sank +deep, throwing out as they went, clouds of fine white dust on every side +around them. This, added to the very fatiguing and harassing work of +dragging the dray through the thick scrub and over the heavy sand ridges, +almost knocked them up, and we had the sad prospect before us of +encamping at night without a blade of grass for them to eat. Just at this +juncture the native boy who was with me, said he saw rocks in one of the +distant sand hills, but upon examining the place with a telescope I could +not make out distinctly whether they were rocks or only sand. The boy +however persisted that there were rocks, and to settle the point I halted +the dray in camp, whilst I proceeded with him to the spot to look. + +<p>At seven miles W. 10 degrees S. of the drays we reached the ridge, and to +my great delight I found the boy was right; he had seen the bare sheets +of granite peeping out near the summit of a sandy elevation, and in these +we found many holes with water in them. At the base of the hill too, was +an opening with good grass around, and a fine spring of pure water. +Hastening back to the dray, I conducted the party to the hills, which I +named Refuge Rocks, for such they were to us in our difficulties, and +such they may be to many future travellers who may have to cross this +dreary desert. + +<p>From the nature of the road and the exhausted state of our horses, it was +very late when we encamped, but as the position was so favourable a one +to recruit at, I determined to take advantage of it, and remain a couple +of days for that purpose. + +<p>September 23.--Leaving my party to rest, after the fatigue they had +endured in forcing a way through the scrub, I set off after breakfast to +reconnoitre our position at Refuge Rocks, and to take a series of angles. +The granite elevation, under which we were encamped, I found to be one of +three small hills, forming a triangle, about a mile apart from each +other, and having sheets of granite lying exposed upon their summits, +containing deep holes which receive and retain water after rains. The +hill we were encamped under, was the highest of the three, and the only +one under which there was a spring. [Note 10: This was dried up in +October, 1842.] There was also better grass here than around either of the +other two; it appeared, too, to be the favourite halting place of the +natives, many of whose encampments still remained, and some of which +appeared to have been in use not very long ago. The bearings from the hill +we were under, of the other two elevations, which, with it, constitute +the Refuge Rocks, were N. 15 degrees W. and W. 35 degrees N. Baxter's +range was still visible in the distance, appearing low and wedge-shaped, +with the high end towards the east, at a bearing of N. 24 degrees E. +In the western extreme it bore N. 22 degrees E. Many other hills and +peaks were apparent in various directions, to all of which I took +angles, and then returned to the tent to observe the sun's meridian +altitude for latitude. By this observation, I made the latitude +33 degrees 11 minutes 12 seconds S.; but an altitude of Altair +at night only gave 33 degrees 10 minutes 6 seconds S.; probably +the mean of the two, or 33 degrees 10 minutes 39 seconds S., will be very +nearly the true position of the spring. From the summit of the hill I had +been upon, many native fires were visible in the scrub, in almost every +direction around. At one time I counted eleven different fires from the +smokes that were ascending, and some of which were very near us. Judging +from these facts, the natives appeared to be numerous in this part of the +country, and it would be necessary to be very cautious and vigilant after +the instance I had recently met with of their cunning and daring. + +<p>September 24.--I still kept my party in camp to refresh the horses, and +occupied myself during the morning in preparing a sketch of my route to +the north, to send to the Governor from Port Lincoln. In the afternoon, I +searched for a line of road for our drays to pass, on the following day, +through the scrubby and sandy country, which still appeared to continue +in every direction. + +<p>September 25.--Leaving Refuge Rocks, at a course of S. 37 degrees W., we +passed over a wretched country, consisting principally of heavy sandy +ridges, very densely covered with scrub, and giving our horses a severe +and fagging day's work to get the dray along for only twelve miles. I +then halted, as we were fortunate enough to find an opening in the scrub, +with good grass. Searching about our encampment, I found in a small +valley at one end of the little plain, a round hole, dug by the natives, +to catch the drainage from the slope above it. There were two or three +quarts of water in this hole when we discovered it; but by enlarging it, +we managed to fill a bucket once every hour from the water which drained +into it. This enabled us to save, to some extent, the water we had in our +casks, at the same time that all the horses had as much as they could +drink. I took angles from the camp to all the hills in sight, and at +night made the latitude of the tent 33 degrees 18 minutes 34 seconds S. +by an altitude of a Cygnus. + +<p>September 26.--After travelling for thirteen miles at S. 40 degrees W., I +took a set of angles from a low scrubby hill, being the last opportunity +I should have of setting many of the heights, of which I had obtained +bearings from former camps. I then changed our course to S. 27 degrees W. +for five miles, and halted for the night where there was good grass. We +could find no water during the day; I had, consequently, to give the +horses some out of the casks. The country we traversed had altered +greatly in character, and though still heavy and sandy, it was a white +coarse gritty sand, instead of a fine red; and instead of the dense +cucalyptus scrub, we had now low heathy shrubs which did not present much +impediment to the progress of the dray, and many of which bore very +beautiful flowers. Granite was frequently met with during the day, but no +water could be found. Our latitude by an altitude of a Aquilae was 33 +degrees 30 minutes S. + +<p>September 27.--Continuing our last night's course for about seven miles, +we passed through the densest scrub I had yet met with; fortunately, it +was not growing upon a sandy soil, and we got tolerably well through it, +but the horses suffered severely. Upon emerging from the brush, I noticed +a little green looking valley, about a mile off our track, and sent Mr. +Scott to see if there was water there. Upon his return, he reported that +there was, and I at once moved down to it, to rest the horses after the +toil of breaking through the scrub. The day was not far advanced when we +halted, and I was enabled to obtain the sun's altitude at noon, making +the latitude of the camp 33 degrees 34 minutes 25 seconds S. There was +good grass for the horses, and abundance of water left by the rains in +the hollows of a small watercourse, running between two scrubby ridges. + +<p>September 28.--Making an early start, we crossed at four and a half +miles, a low scrubby range, and there found, upon the left of our track, +some very pretty grassy hills, and a valley lightly wooded with +casuarinae. Whilst I went on with the party, I detached Mr. Scott to see +if there was water at this little patch of good country, but he did not +find any. I am still of opinion, however, that if more time for +examination had been allowed, springs would have been discovered not far +away; as every thing looked so green and luxuriant, and formed so strong +a contrast to the country around. + +<p>Pushing on steadify, we crossed over many undulations, coated on the +surface either with sand or breccia, and frequently having a good deal of +the eucalyptus scrub upon them, at eleven miles we passed a long grassy +plain in the scrub, and once or twice crossed small openings with a +little grass. For one of these we directed our course, late in the +evening, to encamp; upon reaching it, however, we were greatly +disappointed to find it covered only by prickly grass. I was therefore +obliged, after watering the horses from the casks, to send them a mile +and half back to some grass we had seen, and where they fared tolerably +well. Our day's journey had been long and fatiguing, through a barren, +heavy country. One mile before encamping, we crossed the bed of a salt +water channel, trending to the westward, which was probably connected +with the Lagoon Harbour of Flinders, as it appeared to receive the flood +tide. Our latitude was 33 degrees 50 minutes S. by observation of a +Aquilae. + +<p>September 29.--Whilst the man was out looking for the horses, which had +strayed a little during the night, I took a set of angles to several +heights, visible from the camp; upon the man's return, he reported that +he had found some fresh water, but upon riding to the place, I. found it +was only a very small hole in a sheet of limestone rock, near the salt +watercourse, which did not contain above a pint or two. The natives, +however, appeared to come to this occasionally for their supply; similar +holes enabling them frequently to remain out in the low countries long +after the rain has fallen. After seeing the party move on, with the +native boy to act as guide through the scrub, I rode in advance to search +for water at the hill marked by Flinders as Bluff Mount, and named by +Colonel Gawler, Mount Hill. This isolated elevation rises abruptly from +the field of scrub, in the midst of which it is situated and is of +granite formation; nearly at its summit is an open grassy plain, which +was visible long before we reached it, and which leads directly over the +lowest or centre part of the range; water was found in the holes of rock +in the granite, and the grass around was very tolerable. Having +ascertained these particulars, I hurried back to the drays to conduct +them to a place of encampment. The road was very long and over a heavy +sandy country, for the most part densely covered with scrub, and it was +late, therefore, when we reached the hill. The horses, however, had good +feed and fair allowance of water, but of the latter they drank every drop +we could find. During our route to-day, I noticed some little distance to +the north-west of our track, a high scrubby range, having clear +grassy-looking openings at intervals. In this direction, it is probable +that a better line of road might be found than the one we had chosen. + +<p>September 30.--After breakfast, I ascended to the summit of Mount Hill, +and took a set of angles; whilst the dray wound up the gap between it and +another low summit, with which it is connected. Upon descending the hill +on the opposite side, I was rejoiced to find two very large pools of +water in some granite rocks, one of them appearing to be of a permanent +character. Here I halted for an hour and a half, to give the horses a +little more water, and fill our casks again before we faced the scrubby +waste that was still seen ahead of us. I had been last night within fifty +yards of the pools that we now found, but had not discovered them, as the +evening was closing in at the time, and I was in great haste to return to +my party before dark. Leaving Mount Hill at the course of S. 27 degrees +W. we passed through a very dense scrub, the strongest, I think, we had +yet experienced; the drays were tearing down the brush with loud crashes, +at every step which the horses took, and I could only compare their +progress to the effect produced by the efforts of a clearing party, the +brush rapidly disappearing before the wheels, and leaving almost as open +a road as if it had been cut away by axes; the unfortunate animals, +however, had to bear the onus of all, and most severely were they +harassed before our short stage was over. At twelve miles we came to a +large rocky watercourse of brackish water, trending to the +east-north-east, through a narrow valley bounded by dense scrub. In this +we found pools of fresh water, and as there was good grass, I called a +halt about three in the afternoon. We were now able, for the first time +for several hundred miles, to enjoy the luxury of a swim, which we all +fully appreciated. In the afternoon Mr. Scott shot six ducks in the +pools, which furnished us with a most welcome addition to our very scanty +fare. For two days previous to this, we had been subsisting solely upon a +very limited allowance of dry bread, having only taken fourteen days +provisions with us from Baxter's range, which was nearly all expended, +whilst we were yet at least two days journey from Port Lincoln. At night +I observed the latitude of our camp, by alpha Aquilae 34 degrees +12 minutes 52 seconds S. by beta Leonis 34 degrees 12 minutes 35 seconds +S. and assumed the mean of the two, or 34 degrees 12 minutes 43 seconds as +the correct one. + +<p>October 1.--Making an early start we passed at three miles the head of +the watercourse we had been encamped upon, and then ascended some scrubby +ranges, for about five miles further, when we entered into a narrow tract +of good grassy country, which at five miles brought us to Mr. Driver's +station; a Mr. Dutton was living at this place as Mr. Driver's manager, +and by him we were very hospitably received, and furnished with such +supplies as we required. + +<p>[Note 11: In 1842, Mr. Dutton attempted to take some cattle overland, from +this station to the head of Spencer's Gulf; both he and his whole party +perished in the desert, (as supposed) from the want of water. In October +of that year, I was sent by Government to search for their remains, but +as it was the dry season, I could not follow up their tracks through the +arid country they had advanced into. The cattle returned.] + +<p>It was a cattle station, and abounded with milk and butter, luxuries +which we all fully enjoyed after our long ramble in the wilds. Having +halted my party for the day, Mr. Scott and myself dined at Mr. Dutton's, +and learnt the most recent news from Adelaide and Port Lincoln. We had +much to hear and much to inquire about, for even in the few months of our +absence, it was to be presumed, that many changes would have taken place +in the fluctuating affairs of a new colony. Nor were our conjectures +wrong. + +<p>That great reaction which was soon to convulse all the Australian +Colonies generally, to annihilate all mercantile credit, and render real +property comparatively valueless, had already commenced in South +Australia; failures, and rumours of failures, were of daily occurrence in +Adelaide, and even the little settlement of Port Lincoln had not escaped +the troubles of the times. I learnt with regret that it was rapidly +falling into decay, and its population diminishing. Many had already +deserted it, and amongst them I was surprised to hear of the departure of +Captain Porter and others, who were once the most enthusiastic admirers +and the staunchest supporters of this embryo town. That which however +affected me more particularly was the fear, that from the low and +impoverished state to which the place was now reduced, I should not be +able to obtain the supplies I required for my party, and should probably +have to delay until I could send over to Adelaide for what I wanted, even +supposing I was lucky enough to find a vessel to go across for me. In +walking round Mr. Dutton's farm I found he was ploughing up some land in +the valley for wheat, which appeared to be an excellent soil, and the +garden he had already commenced was looking promising. At night I +obtained the altitude of a Aquilae, by which I placed Mr. Driver's +station in 34 degrees 21 minutes 20 seconds S. lat., or about 22 miles of +lat. north of Kirton Point. + +<p>October 2.--Before leaving the station I purchased from Mr. Dutton a +little Timor pony for 25 pounds for one of the native boys to ride, to +replace in some measure the services of the animal I had been obliged to +have shot up to the north. The only objection to my new purchase was that +it was a little mare and already forward in foal. At Port Lincoln, +however, I was not likely to meet with any horses for sale, and did not +therefore deem it prudent to lose the only opportunity that might occur +of getting an animal of some kind. After quitting Mr. Dutton's, I +followed a dray road leading towards Port Lincoln. For the most part we +passed through green valleys with rich soil and luxuriant pasturage, but +occasionally intersected by poor sandy or gravelly soil of a saline +nature; the water was abundant from recent heavy rains, and some of the +pools fresh; others, however, were very brackish. The hills adjoining the +valley were grassy, and lightly wooded on their slopes facing the valley; +towards the summits they became scrubby, and beyond, the scrub almost +invariably made its appearance. Altogether we passed this day through a +considerable tract of country, containing much land that is well adapted +for sheep or cattle, and with a fair proportion suitable for agriculture. +It is by far the best portion of the available country in the Port +Lincoln peninsula, and I could not help regretting it should be so +limited in extent. I had now travelled all the three sides of the +triangle, and had obtained extensive views from various heights along +each of these lines of route; I had crossed from Port Lincoln to Streaky +Bay, from Streaky Bay to the head of Spencer's Gulf, and from the head of +Spencer's Gulf down to Port Lincoln again. In the course of these +journeys, I had spared no toil nor exertion, to make my examination as +complete and as useful as possible, though my labours were not rewarded +by commensurate success. The great mass of the peninsula is barren, arid, +and worthless; and although Port Lincoln possesses a beautiful, secure, +and capacious harbour, with a convenient and pretty site for a town, and +immediately contiguous to which there exists some extent of fine and +fertile soil, with several good grassy patches of country beyond; yet it +can never become a large or important place, in consequence of its +complete isolation, except by water, from every other, and the limited +nature of its own resources. + +<p>For one or two large stock-holders, who wish to secure good grazing +ground, and be apart from others, it might answer well, but even they +would ordinarily labour under difficulties and disadvantages which would +make their situation not at all desirable. The uncertainty and expense of +procuring their supplies--of obtaining labour, and of finding a market +for their surplus stock [Note 12 at end of para.], and the almost total +impossibility of their being able to effect sales in the event of their +wishing to leave, would perhaps more than counterbalance the advantages of +having the country to themselves. Purchased in the days of wild and +foolish speculation, and when a rage existed for buying land and laying +out townships, no place has been more misrepresented or misunderstood than +Port Lincoln. Many gross and glaring misstatements have been put forth of +its character and capabilities, by those who were actuated by interested +motives, and many unintentional misrepresentations have been made and +perpetuated by others, whose judgment or information has led them into +error, so that the public generally, and especially the English public, +have had no means of discriminating between the widely conflicting +accounts that have been given. Amongst the persons from whom this small +settlement has suffered disparagement there are none, perhaps, more +blameable than those who have put forth statements which ascribe to it +advantages and qualities that it does not possess; for just in proportion +as the expectation of intending settlers have been raised by exaggeration +or untruths has been their disappointment and disgust, when the facts +themselves have stared them in the face. + +<p>[Note 12: Pastoral settlers have left Port Lincoln in consequence of these +disadvantages--but it is possible that a comparatively large population +may locate there, hereafter, should mineral resources be found out. +Such discoveries are said to have been made, but Iam not aware upon whose +authority the report has become current.] + +<p>The day of hallucination has now passed away, but out of the reaction +which has succeeded it, has arisen a disposition to deprive Port Lincoln +of even the merits to which it really has a legitimate claim, and which +would have been far more highly appreciated, if the previous +misstatements and consequent disappointments had not induced a feeling of +suspicion and distrust not easily effaced. + +<p>Our stage to-day was twenty-five miles, over a pretty good road, which +brought us towards evening under the range contiguous to the township. In +one of the valleys leading from these hills on their west side we found a +small spring of good water, and as the grass around us was very abundant +and of the most luxuriant growth, I at once decided upon making this our +resting place, until I had completed my arrangements for procuring +supplies, and was again ready to move onwards. + +<p>October 3.--Leaving our horses to enjoy the good quarters we had selected +for them, and a respite from their labours, Mr. Scott and I walked across +the range into Port Lincoln, not a little surprising the good people +there, who had not heard of our coming, and who imagined us to be many +hundreds of miles away to the north. Calling upon Dr. Harvey, the only +Government officer then at the settlement, I learnt with regret that it +was quite impossible for me to procure the supplies I required in the +town, whilst there were no vessels in the port, except foreign whalers, +who were neither likely to have, nor be willing to part with the things I +should require. What to do under such circumstances was rather a +difficult question, and my principal hope was that some small coasting +vessel might arrive in the course of a few days, or if not, I might try +to hire a whale boat from one of the whaling vessels, and send her on to +Adelaide. Dr. Harvey had a small open boat of four or five tons, but he +did not seem willing to let her go; and unless I could communicate with +Adelaide, flour was the only article I could procure, and that not from +the stores in the town, but from a small stock belonging to the +Government, which had been sent over to meet any emergency that might +arise in so isolated a place. This was placed under the charge of Dr. +Harvey, who, on behalf of the Government, kindly offered to let me have +what I required, on condition that I would replace the same quantity, by +the first opportunity. + +<p>Having made arrangements for a supply of fresh meat and a few vegetables +during my stay, I walked out to examine the settlement. I found many neat +cottages and other improvements since I had been here in 1839; and there +were also a few gardens commenced, some of which were in a state of +cultivation and appeared to be doing well. The population, however, had +decreased, and many of the cottages were now unoccupied. Those who +remained were principally persons who had lost everything, and who could +not well get away, or who, on the other hand, had invested their property +in the place, and could not leave it except at the sacrifice of almost +everything they possessed. No one seemed to be doing well but the +inn-keeper, and he owed his success chiefly to the custom or traffic of +the foreign whalers who occasionally resorted here for refreshments. The +stockholders, living a few miles from town, who ought to have succeeded +the best, were getting dissatisfied at the many disadvantages which they +laboured under, and the smallness of the community around them, and every +thing wore a gloomy aspect. + +<p>October 4.--After breakfast, accompanied by Mr. Scott, I went to Port +Lincoln to attend divine service; prayers were read by Dr. Harvey. The +congregation was small but respectable, and apparently devout. After +church, we accompanied Dr. Harvey home to dinner, and met the Captain and +Surgeon of one of the French whalers in port; both of whom appeared +intelligent, and superior to the class usually met with in such +employments. After dinner we all walked down to the lagoon, west of Port +Lincoln, where the land is of a rich black alluvial character, and well +adapted for cultivation. Returning by our tents, Dr. Harvey and the +Frenchmen took tea with us, and then returned to the settlement. In the +course of our walk this afternoon, Dr. Harvey offered to put a temporary +hatch over his boat, and send her to Adelaide for me for ten pounds, +which offer I at once accepted, and Mr. Scott volunteered to go in her as +supercargo. + +<p>October 5.--To-day I employed myself in writing letters, whilst the dray +went to Port Lincoln for supplies. The few things I could get there were +very dear, meat 1s. per pound, potatoes 9d. per pound, salt butter 2s. +6d., a small bag, with a few old cabbage stumps, five or six shillings, +and other things in proportion. + +<p>October 6.--Went to town, accompanied by Mr. Scott to inspect the +preparations of the little cutter he was to go to Adelaide in;--ordered +all our horses to be shod, and several spare sets of shoes to be made to +take up to the party at Streaky Bay. On our return we were accompanied by +Mr. Smith, who kindly went with Mr. Scott to the station of a Mr. Brown, +[Note 13: Since murdered by the natives.] about ten miles away, to select +sheep to take with us on our journey. Mr. Scott purchased twelve at +2 pounds each, and brought them to the station; they were not very large, +but were in fine condition.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-9"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter IX.</h3> + +<p>BOY SPEARED BY THE NATIVES<br> +ANOMALOUS STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH THE ABORIGINES<br> +MR. SCOTT SAILS FOR ADELAIDE<br> +DOG BOUGHT<br> +MR. SCOTT'S RETURN<br> +CUTTER WATERWITCH SENT TO CO-OPERATE<br> +SEND HER TO STREAKY BAY<br> +LEAVE PORT LINCOLN WITH THE DRAY<br> +LEVEL SANDY COUNTRY CLOTHED WITH BRUSH AND SHRUBS<br> +SALT LAKES<br> +MOUNT HOPE<br> +LAKE HAMILTON<br> +STONY COUNTRY<br> +LOSE A DOG<br> +BETTER COUNTRY<br> +WEDGE HILL<br> +LAKE NEWLAND<br> +A BOAT HARBOUR<br> +MOUNT HALL<br> +REJOIN PARTY AT STREAKY BAY<br> +SINGULAR SPRING<br> +CHARACTER OF COUNTRY<br> +BEDS OF OYSTERS</p> + +<p>October 6.--In the course of the afternoon I learnt that a little boy +about twelve years old, a son of Mr. Hawson's, had been speared on the +previous day by the natives, at a station about a mile and a half from my +tent. The poor little fellow had, it seems, been left alone at the +station, and the natives had come to the hut and speared him. The wounds +were of that fatal character, being from barbed spears which had remained +in the flesh, that no hopes could be entertained of his surviving their +removal. The following account of the occurrence is extracted from a +report, on the subject, to the Government by Dr. Harvey, the Colonial +Surgeon at Port Lincoln, who attended the boy in his last sufferings. + +<p>"The poor boy has borne this heavy affliction with the greatest +fortitude, assuring us "that he is not afraid to die." He says that on +Monday (5th), he was left in the station hut whilst his brother came into +town, and that about ten or eleven natives surrounded his hut, and wished +for something to eat. He gave them bread and rice--all he had, and as +they endeavoured to force themselves into his hut, he went out and +fastened the door, standing on the outside with his gun by his side and a +sword in his hand, which he held for the purpose of fighting them. He did +not make any signs of using them. One of the children gave him a spear to +throw, and while in the act of throwing it, he received the two spears in +his chest--he did not fall. He took up his gun and shot one of the +natives, who fell, but got up again and ran away; they all fled, but +returned and shewed signs of throwing another spear, when he lifted the +gun a second time, upon which they all made off. + +<p>"He remained with the two spears, seven feet long, sticking in his +breast; he tried to cut and saw them without effect; he also tried to +walk home, but could not; he then sat upon the ground and put the ends of +the spears in the fire to try to burn them off, and in this position he +was found at ten o'clock at night, upon the return of his brother Edward +(having been speared eleven hours.) He immediately sawed the ends of the +spears off, and placed him on horseback, and brought him into town, when +I saw him. + +<p>"Mr. Smith (with the police force) has gone in search of the natives, one +of whom can be identified as having thrown a spear at the boy, he having +a piece of red flannel tied round his beard. + +<p>"This circumstance has thrown the settlement into great distress. The +German missionary, Rev. Mr. Schurman, has gone with Mr. Smith. I am told +that the natives have been fired at from some of the stations. I hope +this is not the case. The Rev. Mr. Schurman says that Mr. Edward Hawson +told him he shot after some a short time ago to frighten them, after they +had stolen something from the same hut where they speared his brother. +This is denied by the family, but I will ascertain the truth upon the +return of the party, Mr. E. Hawson having accompanied them." + +<p> +The natives immediately disappeared from the vicinity of the settlement, +and were not heard of again for a long time. Such is the account of this +melancholy affair as given to Dr. Harvey by the boy, who, I believe, also +made depositions before a magistrate to the same effect. Supposing this +account to be true, and that the natives had not received any previous +provocation either from him or from any other settlers in the +neighbourhood, this would appear to be one of the most wanton, cold +blooded, and treacherous murders upon record, and a murder seemingly as +unprovoked as it was without object. Had the case been one in which the +European had been seen for the first time by the aboriginal inhabitants +of the country, it would have been neither surprising nor at variance +with what more civilised nations would probably have done under +circumstances of a similar nature. Could we imagine an extraordinary +looking being, whose presence and attributes were alike unknown to us, +and of a nature to excite our apprehensions, suddenly appearing in any +part of our own country, what would be the reception he would meet with +among ourselves, and especially if by locating himself in any particular +part of the country he prevented us from approaching those haunts to +which we had been accustomed from our infancy to resort, and which we +looked upon as sacred to ourselves? It is not asserting too much to say +that in such a case the country would be raised in a hue and cry, and the +intruder would meet with the fate that has sometimes befallen the +traveller or the colonist when trespassing upon the dominions of the +savage. + +<p>In the present lamentable instance, however, the natives could not have +acted under the influence of an impulse like this. Here the Europeans had +been long located in the neighbourhood, they were known to, and had been +frequently visited by the Aborigines, and the intercourse between them +had in some instances at least been of a friendly character. What then +could have been the inducement to commit so cold and ruthless an act? or +what was the object to be attained by it? Without pausing to seek for +answers to these questions which, in the present case, it must be +difficult, if not impossible, to solve, it may be worth while to take a +view of the conduct of the Aborigines of Australia, generally, towards +the invaders and usurpers of their rights, setting aside altogether any +acts of violence or injury which they may have committed under the +influence of terror, naturally excited by the first presence of strangers +among them, and which arise from an impulse that is only shared by them +in common with mankind generally. I shall be borne out, I think, by facts +when I state that the Aborigines of this country have seldom been guilty +of wanton or unprovoked outrages, or committed acts of rapine or +bloodshed, without some strongly exciting cause, or under the influence +of feelings that would have weighed in the same degree with Europeans in +similar circumstances. The mere fact of such incentives not being clearly +apparent to us, or of our being unable to account for the sanguinary +feelings of natives in particular cases, by no means argues that +incentives do not exist, or that their feelings may not have been justly +excited. + +<p>If we find the Aborigines of Australia ordinarily acting under the +influence of no worse motives or passions than usually actuate man in a +civilised state, we ought in fairness to suppose that sufficient +provocative for retaliation has been given in those few instances of +revenge, which, our imperfect knowledge of the circumstances attending +them does not enable us satisfactorily to account for. In considering +this question honestly, we must take into account many points that we too +often lose sight of altogether when discussing the conduct of the +natives, and more especially when we are doing so under the excitement +and irritation arising from recent hostilities. We should remember:-- + +<p>First, That our being in their country at all is, so far as their ideas +of right and wrong are concerned, altogether an act of intrusion and +aggression. + +<p>Secondly, That for a very long time they cannot comprehend our motives +for coming amongst them, or our object in remaining, and may very +naturally imagine that it can only be for the purpose of dispossessing +them. + +<p>Thirdly, That our presence and settlement, in any particular locality, +do, in point of fact, actually dispossess the aboriginal inhabitants. +[Note 14: Vide, Notes on the Aborigines, chap. I.] + +<p>Fourthly, That the localities selected by Europeans, as best adapted for +the purposes of cultivation, or of grazing, are those that would usually +be equally valued above others, by the natives themselves, as places of +resort, or districts in which they could most easily procure their food. +This would especially be the case in those parts of the country where +water was scarce, as the European always locates himself close to this +grand necessary of life. The injustice, therefore, of the white man's +intrusion upon the territory of the aboriginal inhabitant, is aggravated +greatly by his always occupying the best and most valuable portion of it. + +<p>Fifthly, That as we ourselves have laws, customs, or prejudices, to which +we attach considerable importance, and the infringement of which we +consider either criminal or offensive, so have the natives theirs, +equally, perhaps, dear to them, but which, from our ignorance or +heedlessness, we may be continually violating, and can we wonder that +they should sometimes exact the penalty of infraction? do not we do the +same? or is ignorance a more valid excuse for civilized man than the +savage? + +<p>Sixthly, What are the relations usually subsisting between the Aborigines +and settlers, locating in the more distant, and less populous parts of +the country: those who have placed themselves upon the outskirts of +civilization, and who, as they are in some measure beyond the protection +of the laws, are also free from their restraints? A settler going to +occupy a new station, removes, perhaps, beyond all other Europeans, +taking with him his flocks, and his herds, and his men, and locates +himself wherever he finds water, and a country adapted for his purposes. +At the first, possibly, he may see none of the inhabitants of the country +that he has thus unceremoniously taken possession of; naturally alarmed +at the inexplicable appearance, and daring intrusion of strangers, they +keep aloof, hoping, perhaps, but vainly, that the intruders may soon +retire. Days, weeks, or months pass away, and they see them still +remaining. Compelled at last, it may be by enemies without, by the want +of water in the remoter districts, by the desire to procure certain kinds +of food, which are peculiar to certain localities, and at particular +seasons of the year, or perhaps by a wish to revisit their country and +their homes, they return once more, cautiously and fearfully approaching +what is their own--the spot perhaps where they were born, the patrimony +that has descended to them through many generations;--and what is the +reception that is given them upon their own lands? often they are met by +repulsion, and sometimes by violence, and are compelled to retire again +to strange and unsuitable localities. Passing over the fearful scenes of +horror and bloodshed, that have but too frequently been perpetrated in +all the Australian colonies upon the natives in the remoter districts, by +the most desperate and abandoned of our countrymen; and overlooking, +also, the recklessness that too generally pervades the shepherds and +stock-keepers of the interior, with regard to the coloured races, a +recklessness that leads them to think as little of firing at a black, as +at a bird, and which makes the number they have killed, or the atrocities +that have attended the deeds, a matter for a tale, a jest or boast at +their pothouse revelries; overlooking these, let us suppose that the +settler is actuated by no bad intentions, and that he is sincerely +anxious to avoid any collision with the natives, or not to do them any +injury, yet under these even comparatively favourable circumstances, what +frequently is the result? The settler finds himself almost alone in the +wilds, with but few men around him, and these, principally occupied in +attending to stock, are dispersed over a considerable extent of country; +he finds himself cut off from assistance, or resources of any kind, +whilst he has heard fearful accounts of the ferocity, or the treachery of +the savage; he therefore comes to the conclusion, that it will be less +trouble, and annoyance, and risk, to keep the natives away from his +station altogether; and as soon as they make their appearance, they are +roughly waved away from their own possessions: should they hesitate, or +appear unwilling to depart, threats are made use of, weapons perhaps +produced, and a show, at least, is made of an offensive character, even +if no stronger measures be resorted to. What must be the natural +impression produced upon the mind of the natives by treatment like this? +Can it engender feelings otherwise than of a hostile and vindictive kind; +or can we wonder that he should take the first opportunity of venting +those feelings upon his aggressor? + +<p>But let us go even a little further, and suppose the case of a settler, +who, actuated by no selfish motives, and blinded by no fears, does not +discourage or repel the natives upon their first approach; suppose that +he treats them with kindness and consideration (and there are happily +many such settlers in Australia), what recompense can he make them for +the injury he has done, by dispossessing them of their lands, by +occupying their waters, and by depriving them of their supply of food? He +neither does nor can replace the loss. They are sometimes allowed, it is +true, to frequent again the localities they once called their own, but +these are now shorn of the attractions which they formerly +possessed--they are no longer of any value to them--and where are they to +procure the food that the wild animals once supplied them with so +abundantly? In the place of the kangaroo, the emu, and the wallabie, they +now see only the flocks and herds of the strangers, and nothing is left +to them but the prospect of dreary banishment, or a life of misery and +privation. Can it then be a matter of wonder, that under such +circumstances as these, and whilst those who dispossessed them, are +revelling in plenty near them, they should sometimes be tempted to +appropriate a portion of the superabundance they see around them, and rob +those who had first robbed them? The only wonder is, that such acts of +reprisal are so seldom committed. Where is the European nation, that thus +situated, and finding themselves, as is often the case with the natives, +numerically and physically stronger than their oppressors, would be +guilty of so little retaliation, of so few excesses? The eye of +compassion, or of philanthropy, will easily discover the anomalous and +unfavourable position of the Aborigines of our colonies, when brought +into contact with the European settlers. They are strangers in their own +land, and possess no longer the usual means of procuring their daily +subsistence; hungry, and famished, they wander about begging among the +scattered stations, where they are treated with a familiarity by the men +living at them, which makes them become familiar in turn, until, at last, +getting impatient and troublesome, they are roughly repulsed, and +feelings of resentment and revenge are kindled. This, I am persuaded, is +the cause and origin of many of the affrays with the natives, which are +apparently inexplicable to us. Nor ought we to wonder, that a slight +insult, or a trifling injury, should sometimes hurry them to an act +apparently not warranted by the provocation. Who can tell how long their +feelings had been rankling in their bosoms; how long, or how much they +had borne; a single drop will make the cup run over, when filled up to +the brim; a single spark will ignite the mine, that, by its explosion, +will scatter destruction around it; and may not one foolish indiscretion, +one thoughtless act of contumely or wrong, arouse to vengeance the +passions that have long been burning, though concealed? With the same +dispositions and tempers as ourselves, they are subject to the same +impulses and infirmities. Little accustomed to restrain their feelings, +it is natural, that when goaded beyond endurance, the effect should be +violent, and fatal to those who roused them;--the smothered fire but +bursts out the stronger from having been pent up; and the rankling +passions are but fanned into wilder fury, from having been repressed. + +<p>Seventhly, There are also other considerations to be taken into the +account, when we form our opinion of the character and conduct of the +natives, to which we do not frequently allow their due weight and +importance, but which will fully account for aggressions having been +committed by natives upon unoffending individuals, and even sometimes +upon those who have treated them kindly. First, that the native considers +it a virtue to revenge an injury. Secondly, if he cannot revenge it upon +the actual individual who injured him, he thinks that the offence is +equally expiated if he can do so upon any other of the same race; he does +not look upon it as the offence of an individual, but as an act of war on +the part of the nation, and he takes the first opportunity of making a +reprisal upon any one of the enemy who may happen to fall in his way; no +matter whether that person injured him or not, or whether he knew of the +offence having been committed, or the war declared. And is not the custom +of civilized powers very similar to this? Admitting that civilization, +and refinement, have modified the horrors of such a system, the principle +is still the same. This is the principle that invariably guides the +native in his relations with other native tribes around him, and it is +generally the same that he acts upon in his intercourse with us. Shall we +then arrogate to ourselves the sole power of acting unjustly, or of +judging of what is expedient? And are we to make no allowance for the +standard of right by which the native is guided in the system of policy +he may adopt? Weighing candidly, then, the points to which reference has +been made, can we wonder, that in the outskirts of the colony, where the +intercourse between the native and the European has been but limited, and +where that intercourse has, perhaps, only generated a mutual distrust; +where the objects, the intentions, or the motives of the white man, can +neither be known nor understood, and where the natural inference from his +acts cannot be favourable, can we wonder, that under such circumstances, +and acting from the impression of some wrong, real or imagined, or goaded +on by hunger, which the white man's presence prevents him from appeasing, +the native should sometimes be tempted to acts of violence or robbery? He +is only doing what his habits and ideas have taught him to think +commendable. He is doing what men in a more civilized state would have +done under the same circumstances, what they daily do under the sanction +of the law of nations--a law that provides not for the safety, +privileges, and protection of the Aborigines, and owners of the soil, but +which merely lays down rules for the direction of the privileged robber +in the distribution of the booty of any newly discovered country. With +reference to the particular case in question, the murder of Master +Hawson, it appears from Dr. Harvey's report (already quoted), that in +addition to any incentives, such as I have described, as likely to arise +in the minds of the natives, there had been the still greater provocation +of their having been fired at, but a short time previously, from the same +station, and by the murdered boy's brother. We may well pause, therefore, +ere we hastily condemn, or unjustly punish, in cases where the +circumstances connected with their occurrence, can only be brought before +us in a partial and imperfect manner. + +<center> +<p><a name="eyre1-04"></a><img alt="" src="images/eyre1-04.jpg"></p> +<p><b>Native Graves, drawn by G. Hamilton</b></p> +</center> + +<p>The 7th was spent in preparing my despatches for Adelaide. On the 8th I +sent in a dray to Port Lincoln, with Mr. Scott's luggage, and those +things that were to be sent to Adelaide, comprising all the specimens of +geology and botany we had collected, a rough chart of our route, and the +despatches and letters which I had written. The boat was not ready at the +time appointed, and Mr. Scott returned to the tents. In the evening, +however, he again went to the settlement, and about ten, P.M., he, and +the man who was to manage the boat, went on board to sail for Adelaide. I +had been taken very ill during the day, and was unable to accompany him +to the place of embarkation. The following is a copy of my despatch to +the Governor, and to the Chairman of the Northern Expedition Committee, +embodying my reasons for going to the westward. + +<p>"Port Lincoln, October, 1840. + +<p>"Sir,--Having fallen back upon Port Lincoln for supplies, an opportunity +has occurred to me of writing a brief and hurried report of our +proceedings. I have, therefore, the honour to acquaint you, for the +information of His Excellency, the Governor, and the colonists interested +in the Northern Expedition, with the result of my examination of the +country north of Spencer's Gulf, and of the further steps I contemplate +taking to endeavour to carry out the wishes of the Committee, and +accomplish the object for which the expedition was fitted out. + +<p>"Upon leaving our depot, near Mount Arden, the low, arid, and sandy +nature of the country between the hills and Lake Torrens, compelled us to +follow close under the continuation of Flinders range. Here our progress +was necessarily very slow, from the rugged nature of the country, the +scarcity of water, and the great difficulty both of finding and obtaining +access to it. As we advanced, the hills inclined considerably to the +eastward, gradually becoming less elevated, until, in latitude 29 degrees +20 minutes S., they ceased altogether, and we found ourselves in a very +low and level country, consisting of large stony plains, varied +occasionally by sand; and the whole having evidently been subject to +recent and extensive inundation. These plains are destitute of water, +grass, and timber, and have only a few salsolaceous plants growing upon +them; whilst their surface, whether stony or sandy, is quite smooth and +even, as if washed so by the action of the water. Throughout this level +tract of country were interspersed, in various directions, many small +flat-topped elevations, varying in height from 50 to 300 feet, and almost +invariably exhibiting precipitous banks. These elevations are composed +almost wholly of a chalky substance, coated over on the upper surface by +stones, or a sandy soil, and present the appearance of having formed a +table land that has been washed to pieces by the violent action of water, +and of which these fragments now only remain. Upon forcing a way through +this dreary region, in three different directions, I found that the whole +of the low country round the termination of Flinders range, was +completely surrounded by Lake Torrens, which, commencing not far from the +head of Spencer's Gulf, takes a circuitous course of fully 400 miles, of +an apparent breadth of from twenty to thirty miles, following the sweep +of Flinders range, and almost encircling it in the form of a horse shoe. + +<p>"The greater part of the vast area contained in the bed of this immense +lake, is certainly dry on the surface, and consists of a mixture of sand +and mud, of so soft and yielding a character, as to render perfectly +ineffective all attempts either to cross it, or reach the edge of the +water, which appears to exist at a distance of some miles from the outer +margin. On one occasion only was I able to taste of its waters; in a +small arm of the lake near the most north-westerly part of it, which I +visited, and here the water was as salt as the sea. The lake on its +eastern and southern sides, is bounded by a high sandy ridge, with +salsolae and some brushwood growing upon it, but without any other +vegetation. The other shores presented, as far as I could judge, a very +similar appearance; and when I ascended several of the heights in +Flinders range--from which the views were very extensive, and the +opposite shores of the lake seemed to be distinctly visible--no rise or +hill of any kind could ever be perceived, either to the west, the north, +on the east; the whole region around appeared to be one vast, low, and +dreary waste. One very high and prominent summit in this range, I have +named Mount Serle; it is situated in 30 degrees 30 minutes south +latitude, and about 139 degrees 10 minutes east longitude, and is the +first point from which I obtained a view of Lake Torrens to the eastward +of Flinders range, and discovered that I was hemmed in on every side by a +barrier it was impossible to pass. I had now no alternative left me, but +to conduct my party back to Mount Arden, and then decide what steps I +should adopt to carry out the objects of the expedition. It was evident, +that to avoid Lake Torrens, and the low desert by which it is surrounded, +I must go very far either to the east or to the west before again +attempting to penetrate to the north. + +<p>"My party had already been upwards of three months absent from Adelaide, +and our provisions were too much reduced to admit of our renewing the +expedition in either direction, without first obtaining additional +supplies. The two following were therefore the only plans which appeared +feasible to me, or likely to promote the intentions of the colonists, and +effect the examination of the northern interior:-- + +<p>"First--To move my party to the southward, to endeavour to procure +supplies from the nearest stations north of Adelaide, and then, by +crossing to the Darling, to trace that river up until I found high land +leading to the north-west. + +<p>"Secondly--To cross over to Streaky Bay, send from thence to Port Lincoln +for supplies, and then follow the line of coast to the westward, until I +met with a tract of country practicable to the north. To the first of +these plans were many objections; amongst the principal ones, were, the +very unfavourable accounts given both by Captain Sturt, and Major +Mitchell, of the country to the west of the Darling River--the fact of +Captain Sturt's having found the waters of that river salt during a +continued ride of many days--the numerous tribes of natives likely to be +met with, and the very small party I should have with me; lastly, the +course of the river itself, which trending so much to the eastward, would +take us from, rather than towards the centre of this Continent. On the +other hand, by crossing to the westward, I should have to encounter a +country which I knew to be all but destitute of water, and to consist, +for a very great distance, of barren sandy ridges and low lands, covered +by an almost impenetrable scrub, at a season, too, when but little rain +could be expected, and the heat would, in all probability, be intense; +still, of the two, the latter appeared to me the least objectionable, as +we should at least be going towards the point we wished to reach, and +through a country as yet quite unknown. + +<p>"After mature and anxious consideration, therefore, I decided upon +adopting it, hoping that my decision may meet with the approbation of the +Committee. + +<p>"Previous to our arrival at Mount Arden, we experienced very showery +weather for some days, (otherwise we could not have attempted a passage +to the westward); and as there were no longer any apprehensions of water +being found on the route to Streaky Bay, I sent two of my teams across +upon our old tracks, in charge of my overseer, whilst I conducted the +third myself, in company with Mr. Scott, direct to Port Lincoln, to +procure the supplies we required. In crossing from Mount Arden, towards +Port Lincoln, we travelled generally through a low barren country, +densely covered by brush, among which were scattered, at considerable +intervals, a few small patches of grass, with here and there some rocky +elevations; in the latter, we were usually able to procure water for +ourselves and horses, until we arrived at the districts already explored, +in traversing which we passed (to the N. E. of Port Lincoln) some rich, +well watered valleys, bounded by a considerable extent of grassy hills, +well adopted for sheep or cattle, arriving at Port Lincoln on the 3rd of +October. As a line of route from Adelaide for the emigration of stock, +the course we followed, though it cannot be called a good one, is +perfectly practicable in the winter season; and I have no doubt, when the +country becomes better known, the present track might be considerably +improved upon, and both grass and water obtained in greater abundance. + +<p>"I regret extremely to acquaint you, that on the morning of the 9th +September, one of the police horses (called "Grey Paddy") kindly lent to +the Expedition by His Excellency the Governor, was found with his leg +broken, apparently from the kick of another horse during the night, and I +was obliged to order him to be shot in consequence. With this exception, +no serious accident has occurred, and the whole of the party are in the +enjoyment of good health and spirits. As the Expedition will still be +absent, in all probability, upwards of five months, I have availed myself +of a kind offer from Dr. Harvey, to send his boat over to Adelaide, and +have sent Mr. Scott to receive any instructions his Excellency the +Governor, or the Committee, may wish to give relative to our future +proceedings; and immediately Mr. S. returns, I shall hurry up to Streaky +Bay with the supplies, and at once move on to the westward, my overseer +being now engaged in preparing for our forcing a passage through the +scrub, to the north-west of Streaky Bay, as soon as we arrive there with +the remainder of the party. + +<p>"I have the honour to be, Sir,<br> +"Your obedient servant,<br> +"EDW. JOHN EYRE."</p> + +<p>"The Chairman of the Committee for promoting the Northern Expedition." + +<p>From the 9th to the 22nd of October, I was occupied a good deal at the +camp, having only one man and a native boy to attend to the tent, the +horses and the sheep, so that I was in a great measure confined at home, +occasionally only making short excursions to the town to superintend the +preparation of a large supply of horse-shoes, or visiting the stations of +some of the nearest country settlers. I had lately bought a kangaroo dog, +from the captain of an American whaler, and in these rambles had frequent +opportunities of trying my new purchase, both after emus and kangaroos, +but he was quite useless for hunting either, and did little credit to the +honesty of the person who sold him to me, and who had asked and received +a high price, in consideration of the animal being, as he assured me, of +a better description than ordinary. Of the natives of the district I saw +nothing whatever; the death of young Hawson, and the subsequent scouring +of the country by police, had driven them away from the occupied parts, +and forced them to the fastnesses of the hills, or to the scrubs; I was, +however, enabled by the kindness of Mr. Schurman, a German Missionary, +stationed at Port Lincoln, to obtain a limited collection of words and +phrases in the dialect of the district, and which I hoped might be of +some use to me hereafter. Mr. Schurman has since published a copious +vocabulary and grammar, of the language in use in this part of Australia. + +<p>On the 22nd, upon going into the settlement, I found the Government +cutter WATERWITCH at anchor in the harbour, having Mr. Scott on board, +and a most abundant supply of stores and provisions, liberally sent us by +his Excellency the Governor, who had also most kindly placed the cutter +at my disposal, to accompany and co-operate with me along the coast to +the westward. + +<p>Mr. Scott had managed every thing confided to him most admirably; and I +felt very greatly indebted to him for the ready and enterprising manner +in which he had volunteered, to undertake a voyage from Port Lincoln to +Adelaide in a small open boat, and the successful manner in which he had +accomplished it. Among other commissions, I had requested him to bring me +another man to accompany the expedition in the place of the one (R. +M'Robert) who had driven the dray to Port Lincoln, and with whom I was +going to part; as also to bring for me a native, named Wylie, an +aborigine, from King George's Sound, whom I had taken with me to Adelaide +on my return in May last, but who had been too ill to accompany me at the +time the expedition started; the latter he had not been able to +accomplish, as the boy was in the country when he reached Adelaide, and +there was not time to get him down before the WATERWITCH sailed. The man, +however, he had procured, and I was glad to recognize in him an old +servant, who had been with me in several of my former expeditions, and +who was a most excellent carter and tent servant. His name was Thomas +Costelow. + +<p>Having received large packets of papers and many letters, both from +relations in England, and from many warm-hearted friends in Adelaide, I +returned with Mr. Scott and Costelow to the tent, to make immediate +preparations for our departure. The delay, occasioned by my having been +obliged to send to Adelaide for our supplies, had so greatly protracted +the period of my absence from the rest of my party, beyond what I had +anticipated, that I became most anxious to rejoin them: the summer +weather too, was rapidly approaching, and I dreaded the task of forcing a +way through the low level scrubby waste, around Streaky and Smoky Bays, +under a tropical sun. + +<p>From the despatches received, I was glad to find that the Governor and +the Colonists had approved of the step I had taken, in moving to the +westward, which was gratifying and satisfactory, notwithstanding the +disappointments I had experienced. In the course of the day, I sent in a +dray to Port Lincoln, with our heavy baggage to put on board the cutter, +with orders to Mr. Germain the master, to sail immediately for Streaky +Bay, and lose no time in communicating with the party there. Before the +cutter sailed, I purchased an excellent little boat to be sent with her +for use in our coast or inland explorations, should it be found +necessary. + +<p>October 23.--The blacksmith not having finished all the shoes, I was +compelled to remain another day in camp; the man too, who had been left +in charge of the sheep had lost them all; whilst the one, therefore, was +finishing his work and the other looking for his sheep, I employed myself +in writing letters for Adelaide, and in arranging my business in Port +Lincoln, etc. + +<p>October 24.--Having struck the tent, and loaded the dray, Mr. Scott and I +rode into town to breakfast with Dr. Harvey, and take leave of our Port +Lincoln friends. After transacting business matters, I settled with the +man who was going to leave me, deducting the price of the sheep which by +his carelessness he had lost, and which had not been recovered; I then +paid Dr. Harvey for the hire of his boat, etc. and in arranging for it, he +generously refused to receive more than 5 pounds as his boat had not been +used in the return voyage from Adelaide. He also most kindly supplied us +with some few small things, which we yet required, and was altogether +most attentive and courteous. + +<p>Upon returning to our camp, I moved on the party, delighted once more +with the prospect of being actively employed. Whilst I conducted the +dray, I sent Mr. Scott round by Mr. Brown's station, to buy eleven more +sheep in the place of those M'Robert had lost, and at night he rejoined +us with them near Mr. White's station, about ten miles from Port Lincoln; +it was late before the sheep came, and the yard to put them in was made, +and as there were so few of them, they were a good deal alarmed and would +not go into the yard, rushing about violently, breaking away every time +we drove them near it; at last we got ten safely housed, and were obliged +to put up with the loss of the eleventh, the night being quite dark. + +<p>Mr. White and Mr. Poole visited us from their station, and I tried to +purchase from the former a noble dog that he possessed, of the mastiff +breed, but could not prevail upon him to part with it. + +<p>On the 25th I detained the party in camp, that I might get our sheep +shorn, and send to Port Lincoln to inquire if there were any more letters +for me by Dr. Harvey's little boat, which was expected to arrive to-day. +Mr. Scott, who rode into the settlement, returned in the afternoon. + +<p>October 26.--Sending the dray on under the guidance of the native boy, I +rode with Mr. Scott up to Mr. White's station to wish him good bye, and +to make another effort to secure an additional dog or two; finding that +he would not sell the noble mastiff I so much wished to have, I bought +from him two good kangaroo dogs, at rather a high price, with which I +hastened on after the drays, and soon overtook them, but not before my +new dogs had secured two fine kangaroos. For the first few miles we +crossed a low flat country, which afterwards became undulating and +covered with dwarf scrub, after this we passed over barren ridges for +about three miles, with quartz lying exposed on the surface and timbered +by the bastard gum or forest casuarinae. We then descended to a level +sandy region, clothed with small brush, and having very many salt lakes +scattered over its surface; around the hollows in which these waters were +collected, and occasionally around basins that were now dry, we found +large trees of the gum, together with a few casuarinae. A very similar +kind of low country appeared to extend far to the eastward and +north-west. + +<p>Kangaroos were very numerous, especially near those hollows, that were +surrounded by gum-trees, to which they retired for shelter during the +heat of the day. We encamped at night in the midst of many of these salt +lakes, without any water, but the grass was good. Our stage had been 25 +miles upon a course of N. 25 degrees W. After watching the horses for a +few hours, we tied them up for the night, not daring to trust them loose +without water. A few natives had been seen during the day, but they ran +away. + +<p>A singular feature attending the salt lakes, or the hollows where water +had formerly lodged, was the existence of innumerable small stones, +resembling biscuits or cakes in shape, perfectly circular and flat, but a +little convexed in the upper surface, they were of various sizes, and +appeared to consist of lime, being formed into their present shape by the +action of water. Very similar ones have since been found in the volcanic +region near Mount Gambier, on the southern coast of New Holland. From our +present camp were seen before us to the north-west some low green looking +ranges, lightly timbered, and promising a better country than we had +hitherto met with. + +<p>October 27.--Having arrived at the hills, in about three miles, we found +them abundantly grassed, but very rugged and rocky, of an oolitic +limestone formation, with occasionally a light reddish soil covering the +rock in the flats and valleys. Between these ranges and the sea, which +was about a mile beyond them, were rather high sand hills, having a few +stunted trees growing upon them, but otherwise destitute of vegetation. +No water could be found, nor were there any watercourses from the hills, +where we examined them. + +<p>Keeping under the east side of the ranges for a few miles, we crossed the +main ridge to the westward, and after a stage of about thirteen miles, +halted under a high hill, which I named Mount Hope, in my former journey. +In a gorge of the range where the granite cropped out among the +limestone, we found a spring of beautiful water, and encamped for the +day. Mr. Scott and one of the native boys shot several pigeons, which +came to the spring to drink in the evening in great numbers. In the +meantime I had ascended the hill for a view, and to take angles. At a +bearing of W. S. W. I set Point Drummond only a few miles distant from +the camp, and between it and a bearing of S. W. was a considerable salt +water lagoon on the eastern side of the sand hills of the coast; the +surrounding country was low, level and scrubby. To the westward a great +extent of dense scrub was visible, amid which were one or two elevations; +and a salt lake, at a bearing of S. 60 degrees E. I made the latitude of +this camp 34 degrees 7 minutes 16 seconds S. and the variation of the +compass 4 degrees 10 minutes E. + +<p>October 28.--Travelling onwards for four miles, we passed a fine spring, +situated in a swamp to our left, and at two more we came to a sheet of +water, named Lake Hamilton, [Note 15: After my friend George Hamilton, +Esq.] a large and apparently deep lake, with but a few hundred yards +of a steep high bank, intervening between it and the sea; the +latter was rapidly encroaching upon this barrier, and would probably +in the course of a few years more force a way through, and lay +under water a considerable extent of low country in that vicinity. Around +the margin of the lake was abundance of good grass, but the bank between +it and the sea was high and very rocky. + +<p>After leaving the lake we entered upon a succession of low grassy hills +but most dreadfully stony, and at night encamped upon a swamp, after a +stage of about sixteen miles. Here we procured abundance of good water by +digging through the limestone crust, near the surface. The country around +was still of the same character as before, but amidst the never-ceasing +strata of limestone which everywhere protruded, were innumerable large +wombat holes--yet strange to say not one of these was tenanted. The whole +fraternity of these animals appeared to have been cut off altogether in +some unaccountable manner, or to have migrated simultaneously to some +other part. No emus or kangaroos were to be seen anywhere, and the whole +region around wore a singularly wild and deserted aspect. + +<p>October 29.--Our route was again over low stony hills, but with rather +better valleys between them; this kind of country appeared to extend from +five to twelve miles inland from the coast, and then commenced the low +level waste of barren scrubby land, which we so constantly saw to the +eastward of us. + +<p>I had intended to make a short stage to-day to a spring, situated in the +midst of a swamp, in latitude 33 degrees 46 minutes 35 seconds S., but +having kept rather too far away from the coast, I missed it, and had to +push on for twenty-three miles to a rich and very pretty valley, under a +grassy range, lightly wooded with casuarinae. The soil was somewhat +sandy, but clothed with vegetation; in holes in the rocks we procured +abundance of water from a little valley near our camp, and in a swamp +about a mile and a half north-east was a spring. Our stage was a long +one, and the day being excessively hot, our horses, sheep, and dogs were +nearly all knocked up. Of the latter two were unfortunately missing when +we arrived at our halting ground; one came up afterwards, but the other +could nowhere be found, though both had been seen not two miles away. The +missing dog [Note 16 at end of para.], was the best of the two which I had +purchased of Mr. White, and I felt sorry for a loss which it would be +impossible for me to replace. Many native fires were seen to-day, and +especially in the direction of a high bare-looking detached range to the +north-east, named by me from its shape, Mount Wedge; none of these people +were, however, seen, but a fire still burning was found where we encamped +for the night. + +<p>[Note 16: Upon returning to Adelaide in 1841, I learnt that the dog had +gone back all the way to Mr. White's station, and as Mr. White wished to +keep the animal, he returned the money he had received at his sale.] + +<p>On the 30th we remained stationary to rest the horses, and to try and +recover the lost dog, but after a long and fruitless search, we were +obliged to give up the attempt. + +<p>On the 31st, after crossing a ridge under which we were encamped, we +passed through a very pretty grassy and park-like country, and what was +very unusual, not stony on the surface. There were in places a great many +wombat holes, but these were now all occupied by their tenants, and the +whole aspect of the country was more encouraging and cheerful; the extent +of good country was, however, very limited. Towards the coast was a low +scrubby-looking region with salt lakes, and to the east it was bounded by +a dense brush, beyond which were extensive plains of a barren and scrubby +appearance. In the midst of these plains were large fields of a coarse +wiry-kind of grass, growing in enormous tufts, five or six feet high, and +indicating the places where swamps exist in wet seasons; these were now +quite dry, but we had always found the same coarse-tufted grass growing +around the margins of the salt lakes, and in those places also where we +had found water. This description of country seemed to extend to the base +of Wedge Hill, which I intended to have ascended, but the weather was too +cloudy to obtain a view from it. The character of the country to the +north and north-east was equally low and unpromising, with the exception +of two peaks seen at considerable distances apart. + +<p>Our stage to-day was sixteen miles to Lake Newland, [Note 17: Named after +my friend R. F. Newland, Esq.] a large salt-water lake, with numerous +fine and strong springs of excellent water, bubbling up almost +in the midst of the salt. In one place one of these springs was +surrounded by a narrow strip of soil, and the stream emanating from it +took its winding course through the skirts of the salt-water lake itself, +inclosed by a very narrow bank of earth, on either side; this slight +barrier being the only division between the salt and the fresh water. +From the abundance of fresh water at Lake Newland, and the many patches +of tolerably grassy country around, a very fair station might be formed, +either for sheep or cattle. + +<p>November 1.--Leaving Lake Newland we passed through a scrubby country, +which extended close under the coast hummocks for five miles, and then +ascended a high barren range. The view from this was extensive, but only +over a mass of low and desolate scrub, with the exception of one or two +elevations to the north and north-east. Towards the coast, amidst the +waste around, was a large sheet of salt water, with here and there a few +openings near it, studded with casuarinae, to this we bent our steps, and +at twelve miles from our last night's camp took up our position in lat. +33 degrees 14 minutes 36 seconds S. upon the lagoon seen by Flinders from +the masthead. + +<p>The traces of natives and their beaten pathways were here very numerous +(of the latter of which there could not be less than thirty) all leading +to a large deep hole, sunk about eight feet, principally through a soft +limestone rock. This was carefully blocked up with large stones and mud, +but upon clearing it out the water came bubbling up rapidly, and we got +an abundant supply. The entrance from seawards to the sheet of water, or +lagoon, is between two heads, (one of them being a high bluff) little +more than a mile apart. There appeared to be a reef off the entrance +outside, but our being without a boat prevented us from ascertaining how +far this inlet was adapted for a harbour. Inside, the water is shallow +towards the south, but deeper in the northern half of the inlet. + +<p>November 2.--Tracing round the shores, we passed several other holes dug +by the natives in the sand, to procure water; these, however, did not +appear of so permanent a character as the first, for many had fallen in, +and others contained but very little water. The huts of the natives were +numerous, and of a large and substantial description; but we saw none of +their owners. + +<p>After leaving the inlet we pushed on through the scrub to a high bluff of +granitic formation, distant about sixteen miles N. 35 degrees W., and +named by me Mount Hall. [Note 18: After G. Hall, Esq. the Governor's +Private Secretary.] The road being very heavy, it was late when we arrived +there, and both our horses and sheep were much fatigued. We got a +little water from holes in the sheets of granite, and had very good +grass in an opening under the hill. + +<p>From the summit of Mount Hall the view was extensive, and I obtained many +angles. The surrounding country was low, level, and barren, and densely +covered with scrub, among which, to the north-west were seen many +salt-water lakes. At intervals a few elevations were seen amidst this low +waste, apparently similar to the hill we were upon, among them were one +or two very distant at a little N. of E., and nearer, one at E. 16 +degrees N.; the latter I named Mount Cooper. [Note 19: After Charles +Cooper, Esq. the Judge of the colony.] At a bearing of S. 35 degrees W. +another saltwater inlet was seen apparently communicating with the sea; +but this we could not satisfactorily ascertain from its great +distance. The latitude of Mount Hall, deduced from observations of a +Lyrae and a Aquilae, was 33 degrees 2 minutes 40 seconds S. Several +native fires were seen to the east and south-east in the scrub. + +<p>November 3.--After seeing the party ready tomove on, I left Mr. Scott to +conduct the dray, whilst I rode forward in advance to the depot near +Streaky Bay, where I arrived early in the afternoon, and was delighted to +find the party all well, and everything going on prosperously. They had +expected me some time before and were looking out very anxiously for my +arrival. The WATERWITCH had arrived on the 29th of October, but the +master did not communicate with my party before the 31st; so that until +the last three days they had been quite ignorant of our movements, and +uneasy at our so greatly exceeding the time originally fixed for +rejoining them. Having sent back a man, and two fresh and strong horses +to assist the dray, I reconnoitred once more our depot of 1839. Situated +in the middle of some extensive grassy openings among the scrub, is a +solid sheet of limestone of a very hard texture: in the centre of this +rock is a small oblong opening, a foot deep and only just large enough to +admit of a pint pot being dipped in it. This curious little hole +contained water from five to seven inches in depth, the level of which +was maintained as rapidly as a person could bale it out; this was our +sole supply for ourselves and horses, but it was a never-failing one. + +<p>[Note 20: The water had not a pleasant flavour, as it was of a chalybeate +nature; but in a country where water was scarce, it was invaluable. When I +was here in 1839, it had even then this disagreeable taste, but now it was +much worse, in consequence, probably, of the contaminating substance +being washed off more abundantly than formerly from the rocks enclosing +the reservoir by the rapid flow of water necessary to replace the large +consumption of my party.] + +<p>The spring is situated in latitude 32 degrees 49 minutes 0 seconds S. and +about three miles south-east from the most southerly bight of Streaky +Bay. About one mile and a half to the west is another small hole of +better flavoured water, but not so abundant in its supply. + +<p>I found all the horses in excellent condition, and one, a very fine mare +of my own, had foaled about six weeks before. Around the camp were +immense piles of oyster shells, pretty plainly indicating the feasting my +men had enjoyed during my absence, whilst their strong and healthy +appearance shewed how well such fare had agreed with them. The oysters +were procured from the most southerly bight of Streaky Bay, on some mud +banks about two or three hundred yards below low water mark, where they +are found in immense numbers and of different sizes. The flavour of these +oysters was excellent, and the smaller ones were of great delicacy. The +men were in the habit of taking a cart down to the beach frequently, +where, by wading up to their knees in the sea at low water, they were +enabled to fill it. This supply lasted for two or three days. + +<p>Many drays might easily be loaded, one after the other, from these oyster +beds. The natives of the district do not appear to eat them, for I never +could find a single shell at any of their encampments. It is difficult to +account for the taste or prejudice of the native, which guides him in his +selection or rejection of particular kinds of food. What is eaten readily +by the natives in one part of Australia is left untouched by them in +another, thus the oyster is eaten at Sydney, and I believe King George's +Sound, but not at Streaky Bay. The unio or freshwater muscle is eaten in +great numbers by all the natives of New South Wales and South Australia; +but Captain Grey found that a Perth native, who accompanied him on one of +his expeditions, would not touch this kind of food even when almost +starving. Snakes are eaten by some tribes, but not by others; and so with +many other kinds of food which they make use of. + +<p>About three o'clock, Mr. Scott arrived with the dray, after a long and +harassing stage of twenty miles over a low, stony, and scrubby tract of +country, between Mount Hall and Streaky Bay, and which extended beyond +our track to the coast hummocks to the west. These latter appeared +somewhat high, and under them we had seen many salt-water lakes from the +summit of Mount Hall. + +<p>My party were now once more all assembled together, after having been +separated for nearly seven weeks; during which, neither division knew +what had befallen the other, and both were necessarily anxious to be +reunited again, since, in the event of any mischance occurring to either, +the other would have been placed in circumstances of much difficulty, if +not of danger; and the whole object of the undertaking would have been +frustrated. + +<p>The great delay caused by my having been obliged to send over from Port +Lincoln to Adelaide for supplies, had thrown us very late in the season; +the summer was rapidly advancing, the weather even now, being frequently +intensely hot, whilst the grass was gradually drying up and losing its +nourishment. Our sending to Adelaide had, however, obtained for us the +valuable services of the WATERWITCH to assist us in tracing round the +desert line of coast to the north-west, and had enabled us to procure a +larger and more varied supply of stores, than we could possibly have +brought up from Port Lincoln in a single dray. We were now amply +furnished with conveniences of every kind; and both men and horses were +in good plight and ready to enter upon the task before them.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-10"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter X.</h3> + +<p>COUNTRY BETWEEN STREAKY BAY AND BAXTER'S RANGE<br> +ITS SCRUBBY CHARACTER<br> +GAWLER RANGE<br> +MOUNT STURT<br> +ASCEND A PEAK<br> +SALT LAKES<br> +BEAUTIFUL FLOWER<br> +ASCEND ANOTHER BILL<br> +MOUNT BROWN SEEN<br> +EXTENSIVE VIEW TO THE NORTH<br> +LAKE GILLES<br> +BAXTER'S RANGE</p> + +<p>During the time that I had been occupied in conducting my division of the +party from Baxter's Range to Port Lincoln, the overseer had been engaged +in guiding the other portion across to Streaky Bay, upon my former track +from thence to Mount Arden, in September 1839. The following brief +extracts from my Journal of that period, whilst crossing from Streaky Bay +to Mount Arden, will convey an idea of the character of the country +extending between these two points; and of the great difficulty, indeed +almost the impossibility of forcing a passage, except immediately after +the occurrence of heavy rains. + +<p>1839, Sept. 18.--We left the depot near Streaky Bay, at a course nearly +due east, and passing through alternations of brush and of open grassy +plains, upon the skirts of which grew a few casuarinae; halted after a +stage of eighteen miles, at an opening in the brush, where we had good +grass, but no water; we were consequently obliged to watch the horses +during the night, to prevent their straying. From this camp Mount Hall +bore S. 2 degrees E. and Mount Cooper S. E. the variation of the compass +being 2 degrees 22 minutes E. + +<p>September 19.--Travelling east through the same kind of country for +fifteen miles, we halted upon a high scrubby ridge; having a few grassy +openings at intervals, and with large sheets of granite exposed in some +parts of its surface. In the holes among these rocks we procured a supply +of water that had been deposited by the late rains; but which a few warm +days would have dried up. The latitude of the water was 32 degrees 48 +minutes S. and from it Mount Hall bore S. 38 degrees W., Mount Cooper S. +15 degrees W. Before us to the north-east were visible many peaks of a +range, with a high and broken outline, which I named the Gawler range, +after His Excellency Colonel Gawler, the Governor of South Australia. One +very high peak in this range I named Mount Sturt, after my friend Captain +Sturt; it bore from our present camp E. 10 degrees N. and had been +previously seen from the summit of Mount Hall. + +<p>September 20.--Our route to-day was through a perfect desert, very +scrubby and stony, with much prickly grass growing upon the sand ridges, +which alternated with the hard limestone flats; there were very few clear +intervals of country upon our whole course; and for the last five miles +the heavy sand and dense scrub made it very difficult to get on at all. +After a long stage of twenty-five miles nearly due east, we halted at a +high ridge similar to that upon which we encamped last night, with sheets +of granite exposed on its surface, and rain water lodged in the hollows. +The horses were all completely knocked up with the severe labour of this +day's stage; I ascertained the latitude of the camp to be 32 degrees 47 +minutes 40 seconds S. and the variation of the compass which increased as +we advanced to the eastward, was now 4 degrees 12 minutes E. The Gawler +range was now distinctly visible, extending from N. 15 degrees W. to N. +65 degrees E. and presenting the broken and picturesque outline of a vast +mountain mass rising abruptly out of the low scrubby country around. The +principal elevations in this extensive range, could not be less than two +thousand feet; and they appeared to increase in height as the range +trended to the north-west. To the eastward the ranges decreased somewhat +in elevation, but were still very lofty. + +<p>September 21.--We had another long stage to-day of twenty miles, over, if +possible, a worse road than yesterday, no intermission whatever of the +heavy steep sandy ridges and dense eucalyptus scrub; the horses were +dreadfully jaded, and we were obliged to relieve them by yoking up all +the riding horses that would draw. Even with this aid we did not get the +journey over until an hour and a half after dark. During the day our +course had been more to the northward of east, and brought us close under +the Gawler range. At fourteen miles after starting, we passed a salt lake +on our right, and several salt ponds on our left; but we could find no +permanent fresh water anywhere. In the rocks of the range we had encamped +under, we procured a small quantity left by the rains, but this supply +was rapidly disappearing under the rays of a very hot sun, and had we +been a few days later, we could not have crossed at all. The latitude of +our camp was 32 degrees 41 minutes 40 seconds S. + +<p>September 22.--This morning I ascended one of the heights in the Gawler +range, from which the view is extensive to the southward, over a +generally low level country, with occasional elevations at intervals; to +the north the view is obstructed by the Gawler range, consisting +apparently of a succession of detached ridges high and rocky, and +entirely of a porphoritic granite lying in huge bare masses upon the +surface. The hills [Note 21 at end of para.] were without either timber or +shrubs, and very barren, with their front slopes exceedingly steep, and +covered by small loose stones; several salt lakes were seen in various +directions, but no indications of fresh water or springs. + +<p>[Note 21: Peron's description of the mountains on the South-western coast, +is singularly applicable to the Gawler range--He says, Tom. III. p. 233. +"Sur ces montagnes pelees on ne voit pas un arbre, pas un arbriseau, pas +un arbuste; rien, en un mot, qui puisse faire souponner l'existence de +queque terre vegetale. La durete du roc paroit braver ici tous les +efforts de la nature, et resister a ces memes moyens de decomposition qu' +elle emploie ailleurs avec tant de succes."] + +<p>It was late before the party moved on to-day, but the road was somewhat +better, and there were many intervals of open grassy plains under the +hills along which we travelled, at a course of E. 17 degrees N. for +twenty-five miles. Encamping at night with tolerable grass, but without +water. There had been a considerable pool of rain water here a few days +ago, but it was now nearly dried up by the sun, and I was obliged to +order the horses to be watched during the night. + +<p>To-day I found a most splendid creeping plant in flower, growing in +between the ranges, it was quite new to me, and very beautiful; the leaf +was like that of the vetch but larger, the flower bright scarlet, with a +rich purple centre, shaped like a half globe with the convex side +outwards; it was winged, and something like a sweet pea in shape, the +flowers hung pendent upon long slender stalks, very similar to those of +sweet peas, and in the greatest profusion; altogether it was one of the +prettiest and richest looking flowers I have seen in Australia. + +<p>September 23.--Moving on over a firm road, but with much scrub and +prickly grass, we travelled for fifteen miles under the hills at a course +of E. 20 degrees N., encamping early in the afternoon close under them, +and procuring a little water left in the hollows by the rains. I ascended +another of the heights in the Gawler range to-day, but could obtain no +clear view from it, the weather being hazy. Ridge behind ridge still +appeared to rise to the north, beyond the front one under which we were +travelling; and several salt lakes were seen among the hills at +intervals. The rock of which the hills were composed was now changed from +a porphoritic granite to a reddish quartz, which was scattered all over +the front hills in loose small fragments. The latitude of our camp was 32 +degrees 30 minutes 35 seconds S. + +<p>September 24.--Our road was firmer to-day, over a red gritty soil of +sandy loam and gravel. The hills were still covered with quartz, but +decreasing perceptibly in elevation as we advanced to the east. At about +eight miles we were lucky enough to find a puddle of rain water, and at +once halted for the day to rest and refresh the horses. Having ascended a +high peak near the camp, I found I was surrounded by a mass of hills on +every side; they gradually increased in elevation as they stretched to +the northwest, becoming lower at a bearing of north, and quite detached +to the north-east; resembling so many islands in the level waste around +them. + +<p>September 25.--Moving from our camp early we had an excellent road, and +travelled rapidly for about twenty miles, nearly due east, halting for +the night under a high red hill, where we found some rain water for our +horses; but the grass was very scarce. After dinner I ascended the hill +near the camp and obtained a distant view of Mount Brown, and the range +on the east side of Spencer's Gulf. To the north was one vast sea of +level scrub, and in the midst of it a lake; but seemingly of no very +great size. A few elevations were seen to the south-east, of all of which +I took bearings, and then descended to the camp again. The bearing of +Mount Brown, from this hill, was E. 10 degrees S.; and the latitude of +the camp, under the hill, was 30 degrees 27 minutes 55 seconds S. + +<p>September 26.--Passing up a barren valley between low hills, we had at +first a good road, but afterwards it became very stony. We encamped +early, after a short stage of fifteen miles, having gradually left most +of the hills to the north of us. One that we were encamped under I +ascended, and had a very extensive view, and took many angles. A large +lake (named Lake Gilles) [Note 22: After the first Colonial Treasurer of +the province.] bore nearly due south, and was the same that had been +seen from Baxter's range; the latter was now distinctly visible +at a bearing of E. 20 degrees S. The latitude of our camp was 32 degrees +35 minutes 58 seconds S. There was barely enough rain water found to +supply our horses, but the feed was tolerably good. + +<p>September 27.--We had a very bad stony road to-day, consisting +principally of quartz and iron-stone, of which the ranges had latterly +been entirely composed. Our stage was sixteen miles, passing round the +south end of Baxter's range, and encamping under it, on the eastern +front, upon a gorge, in which was plenty of water and good grass. We had +thus, by taking advantage of the rains that had fallen, been enabled to +force a passage from Streaky Bay to Spencer's Gulf; but we had done so +with much difficulty, and had we been but a few days later, we should +have failed altogether, for though travelling for a great part of the +distance under very high rocky ranges, we never found a drop of permanent +fresh-water nor a single spring near them. There are no watercourses, and +no timber; all is barren rocky and naked in the extreme. The waters that +collected after rains, lodged in the basins of small lakes; but such was +the nature of the soil that these were invariably salt. + +<p>It was through this dreary region I had left my overseer to take his +division of the party when we separated at Baxter's range; but I confided +the task to him with confidence. Rain had at that time fallen very +abundantly; he had already been over the road with me before, and knew +all the places where water or grass was likely to be found; and our +former dray tracks of 1839, which were still distinctly visible, would be +a sufficient guide to prevent his getting off the line of route. The +skill, judgment, and success with which the overseer conducted the task +assigned to him, fully justified the confidence I reposed in him; and +upon my rejoining the party at Streaky Bay, after an absence of seven +weeks, I was much gratified to find that neither the men, animals, or +equipment, were in the least degree the worse for their passage through +the desert.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-11"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter XI.</h3> + +<p>EMBARK STORES<br> +PARTY LEAVE STREAKY BAY<br> +DENSE SCRUB<br> +POINT BROWN<br> +SINGULAR WELL<br> +PROCESS OF CHANGE IN APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY<br> +DIG FOR WATER<br> +FRIENDLY NATIVES<br> +EXTRAORDINARY RITE<br> +NATIVE GUIDES<br> +LEIPOA'S NEST<br> +DENIAL BAY<br> +BEELIMAH GAIPPE<br> +KANGAROO KILLED<br> +MORE NATIVES<br> +BERINYANA GAIPPE<br> +SALT LAKES<br> +WADEMAR GAIPPE<br> +SANDY AND SCRUBBY COUNTRY<br> +MOBEELA GAIPPE<br> +DIFFICULTY OF GETTING WATER<br> +MORE NATIVES<br> +GENUINE HOSPITALITY<br> +SINGULAR MARKS ON THE ABDOMEN<br> +NATIVES LEAVE THE PARTY<br> +FOWLER'S BAY<br> +EXCELLENT WHALING STATION.</p> + +<p>November 4.--To-DAY the party were occupied in sorting and packing +stores, which I intended to send on board the WATERWITCH to Fowler's Bay, +that by lightening the loads upon the drays, we might the more easily +force a passage through the dense scrub which I knew we had to pass +before we reached that point. In the afternoon the men were engaged in +shearing the remainder of our sheep, washing their own clothes and +preparing everything for breaking up the camp, whilst I rode down to +Streaky Bay, and went on board the cutter to give orders relative to the +reception of our stores tomorrow. + +<p>The harbour of Streaky Bay is extensive, but generally open to the +westward. In its most southerly bight, however, is a secure well +sheltered bay, for vessels of moderate draught of water; being protected +by a long sandy shoal which must be rounded before a vessel can enter. + +<p>[Note 23: A plan of this harbour was made by Mr. Cannan, one of the +Government assistant surveyors of South Australia, when sent by the +Government in a cutter to meet my party with provisions in 1839.] + +<p>November 5.--To-day we were engaged in carting down the stores and a +supply of water to the cutter, which we got safely on board, when I gave +written instructions to the master to sail at once, and land a cask of +water, a little higher up the bay, for the use of the horses. In the +evening the drays were loaded and all got ready for our departure +to-morrow. + +<p>November 6.--Having had the horses watched last night we were enabled to +move away early, and about noon arrived at the place I had appointed Mr. +Germain to land the cask of water: it was all ready, and we watered the +horses, took luncheon and moved on again, directing Mr. Germain to +proceed to Smoky Bay, and land water for us again there. The country we +passed through to-day was low, level, and sandy, and covered with prickly +grass, with a few tea-tree swamps, but no fresh water. The shore of +Streaky Bay on its western side was bounded by high steep sandy hummocks, +behind which we travelled, and at night halted on the borders of a dense +scrub, nearly opposite the middle of the bay, after a stage of about +eighteen miles. Our vicinity to the sea enabled Mr. Scott, myself, and +the native boys to enjoy a swim, a luxury highly appreciated by a +traveller after a day's hard work, amidst heat and dust, and one which I +anticipated we should frequently obtain in our course to the westward. + +<p>November 7.--Breakfasted before daylight, and moved on with the earliest +dawn to encounter a scrub which I knew to be of heavier timber, and +growing more closely together than any we had yet attempted. It consisted +of Eucalyptus dumosa and the salt-water tea-tree, (the latter of a very +large growth and very dense,) in a heavy sandy soil. + +<p>By keeping the axes constantly at work in advance of the drays, we +succeeded in slowly forcing a passage through this dreadful country, +emerging in about seventeen miles at an open plain behind Point Brown, +and in the midst of which was a well of water. The entrance to this well +was by a circular opening, through a solid sheet of limestone, about +fifteen inches in diameter, but enlarging a little about a foot below the +surface. The water was at a depth of ten feet, and so choked up with sand +and dirt that we were obliged to clear the hole out effectually before we +could get any for the horses. This was both a difficult and an unpleasant +occupation, as the man engaged in it had to lower himself through the +very narrow aperture at the top and work in a very cramped position +amongst the dirt and wet below, with the mud dripping upon him; it was +drawn up in a bag, for a bucket could not be used in so contracted a +space. As a spade could not be employed a large shell left by the natives +was used for scooping up the dirt, which made the operation both slow and +tiresome. Our horses were dreadfully fagged and very thirsty after the +severe toil they had endured in dragging the drays through so heavy a +scrub, but with all our exertions we could only obtain from the spring +about two buckets of water apiece for them. As this was not nearly enough +to satisfy them, I was obliged to have them watched for the night to +prevent their straying. The men had been kept incessantly at work from +five in the morning until nearly ten at night, and the additional duty of +watching the horses bore very hard upon them; but they knew it to be +necessary, and did it cheerfully. + +<p>We had passed during our route through one or two of the small grassy +openings so constantly met with even in the densest scrubs, and, as +usual, I noticed upon these plains the remains of former scrub, where the +trees were apparently of a larger growth than those now existing around. +The soil too, from a loose sand, had become firmer and more united, and +wherever the scrub had disappeared its place had been supplied by grass. +This strongly confirmed my opinion, long ago formed, that those vast +level wastes in Australia, now covered with low scrub, (and formerly, I +imagine, the bed of the ocean,) are gradually undergoing a process of +amelioration which may one day fit them for the purposes of pasture or +agriculture. The smoke of many native fires was seen during the day +behind and around us, but we did not fall in with any of the natives. + +<p>November 8.--Having given each of the horses a bucket of water from the +well, we moved on again through the same dense scrub we had encountered +yesterday, but, if possible, more harassing, from the increased steepness +of the sandy ridges and the quantity of dead timber lying on the surface, +and causing a great impediment to our progress. We forced our way through +this worse than desert region, for about fourteen miles, and arrived +early in the afternoon, with our horses quite exhausted, upon the shores +of Smoky Bay, at a point where the natives had dug a hole in the sand +hills near the beach to procure water, and from which the south end of +the island of St. Peter bore W. 15 degrees S. + +<p>The WATERWITCH was already here, and supplied us with a cask of water, +until the men had dined and rested a little, before entering upon the +task of digging for water, which proved to be a most arduous undertaking, +and occupied us all the afternoon. We had to sink through a loose sand +for fifteen feet, which from its nature, added to the effect of a strong +wind that was blowing at the time, drifted in almost as fast as it was +thrown out. We were consequently obliged to make a very large opening +before we could get at the water at all; it was then very abundant, but +dreadfully salt, being little better than the sea water itself; the +horses and sheep however drank it greedily, as we had been able to give +them but little of that received from the vessel. + +<p>November 9.--Upon mustering the horses this morning I found they were +looking so exhausted and jaded after the hard toil they had gone through +in the last three days, that I could not venture to put them to work +again to-day. I was consequently obliged to remain in camp, to rest both +them and the men, all of whom were much fatigued. The well in the sand +was even salter to-day than we had found it yesterday, and was quite +unserviceable; the men had sunk the hole rather too deep, that they might +get the water in greater abundance; but when the tide rose it flowed in +under the sand and spoiled the whole. As the water, even at the best, had +been so salt that we could not use it ourselves, and as it was far from +being wholesome for the horses, I did not think it worth while to give +the men the fatigue of digging another hole. I therefore put both horses +and men upon a limited allowance, and got a cask containing sixty gallons +from the cutter for our day's supply. I also took the opportunity of +again lightening our loads by sending on board some more of the baggage +and the light cart. This, by decreasing the number of our teams, would, I +thought, enable me to change the horses occasionally in the others, and +give me an extra man to assist in clearing a road through the scrub, +Having completed my arrangements, I sent on the WATERWITCH to the +north-east part of Denial Bay, to land water there, as I did not expect +to get any until our arrival at Point Peter. Mr. Scott accompanied the +cutter, having expressed a wish to take a trip in her for a few days. + +<p>During the forenoon we were visited by a party of natives, who came to +get water at the hole in the sand. They were not much alarmed, and soon +became very friendly, remaining near us all night; from them I learned +that there was no water inland, and none along the coast for two days' +journey, after which we should come to plenty, at a place called by them +"Beelimah Gaip-pe;." Their language was nearly the same as that of Port +Lincoln, intermixed with a few words in use at King George's Sound, +and I now regretted greatly that I had not the Western Australian native +with me. + +<p>I found a most singular custom prevailing among the natives of this part +of the country, which I had never found to exist anywhere else (except at +Port Lincoln), and the origin of which it would be most difficult to +account for. In various parts of Australia some of the tribes practise +the rite of circumcision, whilst others do not; but in the Port Lincoln +peninsula, and along the coast to the westward, the natives not only are +circumcised, but have in addition another most extraordinary ceremonial. +[Note 24: Finditus usque ad urethram a parte infera penis.] Among the party +of natives at the camp I examined many, and all had been operated upon. +The ceremony with them seemed to have taken place between the ages +of twelve and fourteen years, for several of the boys of that age +had recently undergone the operation, the wounds being still fresh +and inflamed. This extraordinary and inexplicable custom must have a +great tendency to prevent the rapid increase of the population; and its +adoption may perhaps be a wise ordination of Providence, for that +purpose, in a country of so desert and arid a character as that which +these people occupy. + +<p>November 10.--Getting the party away about five o'clock this morning, I +persuaded one of the natives, named "Wilguldy," an intelligent cheerful +old man, to accompany us as a guide, and as an inducement, had him +mounted on a horse, to the great admiration and envy of his fellows, all +of whom followed us on foot, keeping up in a line with the dray through +the scrub, and procuring their food as they went along, which consisted +of snakes, lizards, guanas, bandicoots, rats, wallabies, etc. etc. and it +was surprising to see the apparent ease with which, in merely walking +across the country, they each procured an abundant supply for the day. + +<p>In one place in the scrub we came to a large circular mound of sand, +about two feet high, and several yards in circumference; this they +immediately began to explore, carefully throwing away the sand with their +hands from the centre, until they had worked down to a deep narrow hole, +round the sides of which, and embedded in the sand, were four fine large +eggs of a delicate pink colour, and fully the size of a goose egg. I had +often seen these hills before, but did not know that they were nests, and +that they contained so valuable a prize to a traveller in the desert. The +eggs were presented to me by the natives, and when cooked were of a very +rich and delicate flavour. The nest was that of a wild pheasant, +(Leipoa), a bird of the size of a hen pheasant of England, and greatly +resembling it in appearance and plumage; these birds are very cautious +and shy, and run rapidly through the underwood, rarely flying unless when +closely pursued. The shell of the egg is thin and fragile, and the young +are hatched entirely by the heat of the sun, scratching their way out as +soon as they are born, at which time they are able to shift for +themselves. [Note 25: For a further account of the LEIPOA, vide +CHAPTER III. of Notes on the Aborigines.] + +<p>Our road to-day was through a heavy sandy country, covered for the most +part densely with the eucalyptus and tea-tree. About eleven we struck the +south-east corner of Denial Bay, and proceeded on to the north-east, +where I had appointed the cutter to meet me. To my surprise she was not +to be seen anywhere, and I began to get anxious about our supply of water +for the horses, as we were entirely dependant upon her for it. In the +afternoon I observed the vessel rounding into the south-east bight of the +bay, and was obliged to send my overseer on horseback a long ride round +the bay, to tell the master to send us water to the place of our +encampment. He had been to the island of St. Peter yesterday looking for +birds' eggs, and having neglected to take advantage of a fair wind, was +not now able to get the cutter up to us. The water had consequently to be +brought in the boat a distance of eight miles through a heavy sea, and at +considerable risk. Mr. Scott, who came with the master in the boat, +returned on board again in the evening. Our stage to-day had been +eighteen miles, and the horses were both tired and thirsty. The small +supply of water brought us in the boat being insufficient for them, we +again were obliged to watch them at night. + +<p>November 11.--Guided by our friend "Wilguldy," we cut off all the corners +and bends of the coast, and steering straight for "Beelimah Gaippe," +arrived there about noon, after a stage of twelve miles; the road +was harder and more open, but still in places we had to pass +through a very dense brush. The water to which the native took us was +procured by digging about four feet deep, in a swamp behind the coast +hummocks, which were here high and bare, and composed of white sand. The +water was abundant and good, and the grass tolerable, so that I +determined to remain a day to rest and recruit the horses; it was so +rarely that we had the opportunity of procuring both grass and water. The +dogs killed a kangaroo, which enabled us to give our guide an abundant +feast of food, to which he had been accustomed; but to do the old man +justice, I must say he was not very scrupulous about his diet, for he ate +readily of any thing that we offered him. + +<p>After we had encamped some more natives came up and joined us from the +vicinity of Point Peter, which lay a few miles to the east of us; they +were known to those who had accompanied us, and were very friendly and +well conducted. To many inquiries about water inland, they all assured me +that there was none to be found in that direction; but said that there +was water further along the coast called "Berinyana gaippe," and only one +day's journey from our present encampment. + +<p>November 12.--I sent the overseer this morning to communicate with the +cutter, and to request the master to fill up as much water as he could, +preparatory to our moving onwards to Fowler's Bay. In the evening the +overseer returned, accompanied by Mr. Scott, to acquaint me that the +water near Point Peter was a considerable distance from the vessel; and +that it would be impracticable to fill up all the casks, with no other +means than they had at command. + +<p>I took the sun's altitude, at noon, for latitude; but the day was windy, +and the mercury shook so much that I could not depend upon the +observation within three or four miles. It gave nearly 32 degrees 10 +seconds S. which I thought too much to the northward. The sun set by +compass W. 24 1/2 degrees S. + +<p>November 13.--Guided by the natives, we moved onward through a densely +scrubby country, and were again obliged to keep the men with axes +constantly at work, in advance of the drays to clear the road. Our +progress was necessarily slow, and the work very harassing to the horses; +fortunately the stage was not a very long one, and in fourteen miles we +reached "Berinyana gaippe," a small hole dug by the natives, amongst +the sand hummocks of the coast, a little north of Point Bell. +By enlarging this a little, we procured water in great abundance +and of excellent quality. Our course had been generally west by south; +and from our camp, the eastern extreme of Point Bell, bore S. 28 degrees +W., and the centre of the "Purdies Islands" E. 49 degrees S. + +<p>November 14.--Upon moving on this morning, we were obliged to keep more +to the north to avoid some salt lakes and low swamps near the coast. The +natives still accompanied us through a very sandy and scrubby country to +a watering place among some sand hills, which they called +"Wademar gaippe." Here we encamped early, after a stage of ten miles, +and were enabled to procure abundance of good water, at a depth of about +four feet below the surface. + +<p>There was a large sheet of salt water near our camp which seemed to be an +inlet of the sea, and after a hasty dinner I walked down to examine it. +The water generally appeared shallow, but in some places it was very +deep; after tracing it for five miles, and going round one end of it, I +found no junction with the sea, though the fragments of shells and other +marine remains, clearly shewed that there must have been a junction at no +very remote period. The sand hummocks between the lake and the sea being +very high, I ascended them to take bearings, and then returning to the +lake halted, with the black boy who had accompanied me, to bathe, and +rest ourselves. The weather was most intensely hot, and our walk had been +long and fatiguing, amongst sand hills under a noonday sun. We fully +appreciated the luxury of a swim, and especially as we were lucky enough +to find a hole of fresh water on the edge of the lake, to slake our +parching thirst. Ducks, teal, and pigeons were numerous, and the recent +traces of natives apparent everywhere. It was after sunset when we +returned, tired and weary, to our camp. + +<p>November 15.--In the morning we started as early as possible to get the +stage over before the great heat of the day came on, still accompanied +and guided by the friendly natives, who took us through the best and most +open line of country. At six miles we entered a very dense scrub, leaving +to the north of us, several patches of open plains; to the north-east +were seen the smokes of several fires. The natives had told us that there +was water out in that direction, at a short day's journey; but, as they +did not wish us to go to it, I inferred that they thought there was not +enough to satisfy our party, having now frequently seen how great was the +supply we required at each encampment. I was myself of the opinion that a +hole probably existed to the north-east similar to the one we had found +in the plains behind Point Brown, where the access is difficult, and the +quantity procurable at any one time not very great. The scrub we had +traversed to-day was principally of salt-water tea-tree, growing upon a +succession of steep sandy ridges, which presented a formidable barrier to +the progress of the drays; the distance to be accomplished was not above +fourteen miles; but so difficult was the nature of the country, and so +oppressive the heat, that, notwithstanding our very early start, it was +four o'clock in the afternoon before we arrived at the place of +destination, which was called by the natives, "Mobeela gaippe." +The horses and men were greatly fatigued, but for the latter, +the labours of the day were far from being over, for, upon arriving +at the place where the water was to be procured, I found that +the holes, sunk by the natives, were through ridges of a loose sand to a +depth of fourteen or fifteen feet, at the bottom of which, water was +obtained in very small quantities. There were several of these holes +still open, and the traces of many others in every direction around, +which had either fallen in or been filled up by the drifting of the sand. +These singular wells, although sunk through a loose sand to a depth of +fourteen or fifteen feet, were only about two feet in diameter at the +bore, quite circular, carried straight down, and the work beautifully +executed. To get at the water, the natives placed a long pole against one +side of the well, ascending and descending by it to avoid friction +against the sides, which would have inevitably sent the sand tumbling in +upon them. We, however, who were so much clumsier in all our movements, +could not make use of the same expedient, nor indeed, would the size of +the wells, made by the natives, have enabled us even with their +assistance, to get out a moderate supply for the horses. It became +necessary, therefore, to open a new well, of much larger dimensions, a +task of no easy kind in so loose a sand. + +<p>Having put the overseer and men to their arduous employment, I ascended +the highest of the sand hills, and took a set of angles, among which +Point Fowler bore W. 16 degrees S. and Point Bell, E. 40 degrees S. + +<p>A small lake was visible at W. 40 degrees N. The country still looked +very cheerless in every direction, and no signs of improvement appeared +to relieve the dreary scene around, or to lead me to hope for better +country beyond. + +<p>Upon rejoining the well diggers, I found after great exertions they had +thrown out an immense quantity of sand, and made a large and commodious +well, and were just going to commence watering the horses; at this +juncture and before a single bucket of water could be taken out, the sand +slipped, and the sides of the well tumbled in, nearly burving alive the +man who was at the bottom. The labour of two hours was lost, and tired as +they were, the men had to begin their work afresh. It was eight at night +before the well was cleared out again sufficiently to enable us to water +the horses, for almost as fast as the sand was thrown out other sand fell +in; by nine the whole of them had received two buckets of water each, +when the sides of the well again shot in, and we were obliged to give up +our digging operations altogether, as the men were completely exhausted; +to relieve them Mr. Scott and I watched the horses during the night. + +<p>November 16.--Intending to remain in camp to-day, I set the men to clear +out the well once more. It was a tedious and laborious task, in +consequence of the banks of sand falling in so repeatedly, and +frustrating all their efforts, but at last by sinking a large cask bored +full of auger holes we contrived about one o'clock, to get all the horses +and sheep watered; in the evening, however, the whole again fell in, and +we gave up, in despair, the hopeless attempt to procure any further +supply of water, under such discouraging circumstances. + +<p>For some days past, we had been travelling through a country in which the +Mesembryanthemum grows in the greatest abundance, it was in full fruit, +and constituted a favourite and important article of food among the +native population; all our party partook of it freely, and found it both +a wholesome and an agreeable addition to their fare; when ripe, the fruit +is rich, juicy, and sweet, of about the size of a gooseberry. In hot +weather it is most grateful and refreshing. I had often tasted this fruit +before, but never until now liked it; in fact, I never in any other part +of Australia, saw it growing in such abundance, or in so great +perfection, as along the western coast. During our stay in camp a native +had been sent out to call some of the other natives, and towards evening +a good many came up, and were all regularly introduced to us by +'Wilguldy' and the others, who had been with us so long; I gave them a +feast of rice which they appeared to enjoy greatly. Our more immediate +friends and guides had learnt to drink tea, and eat meat and damper, with +which we supplied them liberally, in return for the valuable services +they rendered us. + +<p>November 17.--Moving on early, we were guided by the natives for about +twelve miles, round the head of Fowler's Bay, crossing through a very +sandy, scrubby, and hilly country, and encamping at a water hole, dug +between the sandy ridges, about two o'clock in the day. I had ridden a +little in advance of the party, and arriving at the water first, +surprised some women and children encamped there, and very busily engaged +in roasting snakes and lizards over a fire. They were much afraid and ran +away on seeing me, leaving their food upon the embers, this our friendly +guides unceremoniously seized upon and devoured, as soon as they came up +with the drays. These few women were the first we had seen for some time, +as the men appeared to keep them studiously out of our way, and it struck +me that this might be in consequence of the conduct of the whalers or +sealers with whom they might have come in contact on the coast. Old +Wilguldy, however, appeared to be less scrupulous on this point, and +frequently made very significant offers on the subject. + +<p>Soon after we had encamped several natives came up and joined those with +us. They were exceedingly polite and orderly--indeed the best conducted, +most obliging natives I ever met with--never troubling or importuning for +any thing, and not crowding around in that unmannerly disagreeable +manner, which savages frequently adopt--nor did I ever find any of them +guilty of theft; on the contrary, several times when we had left some +article behind, they called to us, and pointed it out. To them we were +indebted for the facilities we had enjoyed in obtaining water; for +without their guidance, we could never have removed from any encampment +without previously ascertaining where the next water could be procured; +and to have done this would have caused us great delay, and much +additional toil. By having them with us we were enabled to move with +confidence and celerity; and in following their guidance we knew that we +were taking that line of route which was the shortest, and the best +practicable under the circumstances. Upon arriving at any of the watering +places to which they had conducted us, they always pointed out the water, +and gave it up to us entirely, no longer looking upon it as their own, +and literally not taking a drink from it themselves when thirsty, without +first asking permission from us. Surely this true politeness--this +genuine hospitality of the untutored savage, may well put to the blush, +for their exclusiveness and illiberality, his more civilised brethren. In +how strong a light does such simple kindness of the inhabitant of the +wilds to Europeans travelling through his country (when his fears are not +excited or his prejudices violated,) stand contrasted with the treatment +he experiences from them when they occupy his country, and dispossess him +of his all. + +<p>There were now a considerable number of natives with us, all of whom had +been subjected to the singular ceremony before described. Those we had +recently met with, had, in addition, a curious brand, or mark on the +stomach, extending above and below the navel, and produced by the +application of fire. I had previously noticed a similar mark in use among +one or two tribes high up on the Murray River, (South Australia,) and +which is there called "Renditch." At the latter place, however, the brand +was on the breast, here it was on the stomach. I have never been able to +account in any way for the origin or meaning of this mark; but it is +doubtless used as a feature of distinction, or else why should it only be +found in one or two tribes and so far apart, had it been accidental or +arisen from lying near or upon the fires in cold weather, every +individual of certain tribes would not have been affected, and some +individuals of every tribe would: now, the first, as far as my experience +enabled me to judge, is the case; but the latter most assuredly is not. +Both at the Murray, and near Fowler's Bay, the natives always told me, +that the marks were made by fire, though how, or for what purpose, I +could never learn at either place. + +<p>November 18.--Our horses being all knocked up, and many of them having +their shoulders severely galled by the racking motion of the drays +winding up and down the heavy sandy ridges, or in and out of the dense +scrubs, I determined to remain for some time in depot to recover them, +whilst I reconnoitred the country to the west, as far as the head of the +great Australian Bight. To leave my party in the best position I could, I +sent the overseer round Point Fowler to see if there was any better place +for the horses in that direction, and to communicate with the master of +the WATERWITCH on the subject of landing our stores. Upon the overseer's +return, he reported that there was fresh water under Point Fowler, but +very little grass; that he had not been able to communicate with the +cutter, the wind being unfavourable and violent, and the cutter's boat on +board, but they had noticed him, and shewn their colours; he said, +moreover, that the vessel was lying in a very exposed situation, and did +not appear at all protected by Point Fowler, which, as she was not well +found in ground-tackle, might possibly occasion her being driven ashore, +if a gale came on from the south-east. This news was by no means +satisfactory, and I became anxious to get our things all landed that the +cutter might go to a place of greater safety. + +<p>November 19.--The wind still being unfavourable, the day was spent in +removing the drays, tents, etc. to a more elevated situation. Our camp had +been on the low ground, near the water, in the midst of many scrubby +hills, all of which commanded our position. There were now a great many +well armed natives around us, and though they were very kind and +friendly, I did not like the idea of their occupying the acclivities +immediately above us--at all events, not during my contemplated absence +from the party. I therefore had every thing removed to the hill next +above them, and was a good deal amused at the result of this manoeuvre, +for they seemed equally as uneasy as we had been at the heights above +them being occupied. In a very short time they also broke up camp, and +took possession of the next hill beyond us. This defeated the object I +had in view in our former removal, and I now determined not to be +out-manoeuvred any more, but take up our position on the highest hill we +could find. This was a very scrubby one, but by a vigorous application of +the axes for an hour or two, we completely cleared its summit; and then +taking up the drays, tent, baggage, etc. we occupied the best and most +commanding station in the neighbourhood. The result of this movement was, +that during the day the natives all left, and went in the direction of +where the cutter was. I was not sorry for their departure; for although +they had been very friendly and useful to us, yet now that I contemplated +keeping the party for a long time in camp, and should myself probably be +a considerable time absent, I was more satisfied at the idea of the +natives being away, than otherwise; not that I thought there was the +least danger to be apprehended from them if they were properly treated; +but the time of my men would be much occupied in attending to the horses +and sheep; and they were too few in number, to admit of much of that time +being taken up in watching the camp or the natives who might be near it; +for I always deemed it necessary, as a mere matter of prudence, to keep a +strict look out when any natives were near us, however friendly they +might profess to be. + +<p>Upon walking round the shores of Fowler's Bay, I found them literally +strewed in all directions with the bones and carcases of whales, which +had been taken here by the American ship I saw at Port Lincoln, and had +been washed on shore by the waves. To judge from the great number of +these remains, of which very many were easily recognisable as being those +of distinct animals, the American must have had a most fortunate and +successful season. + +<p>It has often surprised me, that the English having so many colonies and +settlements on the shores of Australia, should never think it worth their +while to send whalers to fish off its coasts, where the whales are in +such great numbers, and where the bays and harbours are so numerous and +convenient, for carrying on this lucrative employment. I believe scarcely +a single vessel fishes any where off these coasts, which are entirely +monopolised by the French and Americans, who come in great numbers; there +cannot, I think, be less than three hundred foreign vessels annually +whaling off the coasts, and in the seas contiguous to our possessions in +the Southern Ocean. I have generally met with a great many French and +American vessels in the few ports or bays that I have occasionally been +at on the southern coast of Australia; and I have no doubt that they all +reap a rich harvest. + +<p>Among the many relics strewed around Fowler's Bay, I found the shell of a +very large turtle laying on the beach; it had been taken by the crew of +the vessel that I met at Port Lincoln, and could not have weighed less +than three to four hundred weight. I was not previously aware that turtle +was ever found so far to the southward, and had never seen the least +trace of them before.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-12"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter XII.</h3> + +<p>LAND THE STORES AND SEND THE CUTTER TO DENIAL BAY<br> +PARTY REMOVE TO POINT FOWLER<br> +LEAVE THE PARTY<br> +BEDS OF LAKES<br> +DENSE SCRUB<br> +COAST SAND-DRIFTS<br> +FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER<br> +DISTRESS OF THE HORSES<br> +TURN BACK<br> +LEAVE A HORSE<br> +FIND WATER<br> +REJOIN PARTY<br> +SEND FOR THE HORSE<br> +COUNTRY AROUND DEPOT<br> +TAKE A DRAY TO THE WESTWARD<br> +WRETCHED COUNTRY<br> +FALL IN WITH NATIVES<br> +MISUNDERSTAND THEIR SIGNS<br> +THEY LEAVE US<br> +VAIN SEARCH FOR WATER<br> +TURN BACK<br> +HORSE KNOCKED UP<br> +GO BACK FOR WATER<br> +REJOIN THE DRAY<br> +COMMENCE RETURN<br> +SEARCH FOR WATER<br> +DRAY SURROUNDED BY NATIVES<br> +EMBARRASSING SITUATION<br> +BURY BAGGAGE<br> +THREE HORSES ABANDONED<br> +REACH THE SAND-DRIFTS<br> +UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO SAVE THE HORSES<br> +SEND FOR FRESH HORSES<br> +SEARCH FOR WATER TO NORTH-EAST<br> +RECOVER THE DRAY AND STORES<br> +REJOIN THE PARTY AT DEPOT NEAR POINT FOWLER<br> +RETURN OF THE CUTTER</p> + +<p>November 20.--THE wind being favourable for the boats landing to-day, I +sent the overseer with pack-horses to the west side of Fowler's Bay, to +bring up some flour and other stores for the use of the party; at the +same time I wrote to the master of the cutter, to know whether he +considered his anchorage, at Fowler's Bay, perfectly safe. His reply was, +that the anchorage was good and secure if he had been provided with a +proper cable; but that as he was not, he could not depend upon the vessel +being safe; should a heavy swell set in from the southeast. Upon this +report, I decided upon landing all the stores from the cutter; and +sending her to lay at a secure place on the west side of Denial Bay, +until I returned from exploring the country, near the head of the Great +Bight. On the 22nd, I gave orders to this effect, at the same time +directing the captain to return to Fowler's Bay by the 11th December, at +which time I hoped to have accomplished the journey I contemplated. + +<p>On the same day I gave my overseer instructions for his guidance during +my absence; and after sending the drays on to the water behind Point +Fowler, that they might be nearer to the vessel, I set off on horseback +to the westward, accompanied by a native; and taking with us a pack-horse +to carry provisions. Crossing for about six miles through scrub, at a +west by south course, we entered open grassy plains, among which were +many beds of small dried up salt lakes. This description of country +continued for about six miles, when we again entered a very dense scrub, +and continued in it for eight miles, until we struck the coast. Not +finding any indications of water or grass, I pushed up along the beach +for three miles further, and was then obliged to encamp without either, +as it had become too dark to proceed. + +<p>November 23.--Moving along the coast for ten miles, we came to large high +drifts of pure white sand, from which some red-winged cockatoos and +pigeons flew out, and near which were several native encampments. I now +fully hoped to find water; but after a long and anxious examination, was +obliged to give up the search. I knew that our only hope of finding water +lay in these drifts of sand; but as it was frequently very difficult to +find, and never could be procured without digging, (sometimes to a great +depth,) I began to fear that our attempt to reach the head of the Bight +was almost hopeless. We had no means of digging in the sand to any depth; +whilst, from the constant drift, caused by the winds among these bare +hills, it was exceedingly disagreeable to remain even for a short time to +examine them. The wind was blowing strong, and whirlwinds of sand were +circling around us, with a violence which we could scarcely struggle +against, and during which we could hardly venture either to open our +eyes, or to draw our breath. + +<p>Leaving the sand-drifts we travelled behind the coast ridge through a +more open but still sandy country, making a long stage to some more high +bare sand-drifts, amidst which we again made a long but unsuccessful +search for water; at night we encamped near them, and our unfortunate +horses were again obliged to be tied up for the second time without +either grass or water. + +<p>November 24.--Finding that there was little prospect of procuring water +a-head, and that our horses were scarcely able to move at all, I felt it +necessary to retrace our steps as speedily as possible, to try to save +the lives of the animals we had with us. In order that we might effect +this and be encumbered by no unnecessary articles, I concealed, and left +among some bushes, all our baggage, pack-saddles, etc. After passing about +five miles beyond the sand-drifts where I had seen the cockatoos and +pigeons, one of the horses became completely exhausted and could not +proceed any further; I was necessitated therefore to tie him to a bush +and push on with the other two to save them. + +<p>When I left my party on the 22nd, I had directed them to remove to some +water-holes behind Point Fowler, but, as I had not seen this place +myself, I was obliged to steer in the dark in some measure at random, not +knowing exactly where they were. The greatest part of our route being +through a dense brush, we received many scratches and bruises from the +boughs as we led our horses along, to say nothing of the danger we were +constantly in of having our eyes put out by branches we could not see, +and which frequently brought us to a stand still by painful blows across +the face. At last we arrived at the open plains I had crossed on my +outward track, and following them down came to two deep holes in the +limestone rock, similar to the one behind Point Brown. By descending into +these holes we found a little water, and were enabled to give each of the +horses three pints; we then pushed on again, hoping to reach the camp, +but getting entangled among the scrub, were obliged at midnight to halt +until daylight appeared, being almost as much exhausted as the horses, +and quite as much in want of water, for we had not tasted the little that +had been procured from the hole found in the plains. + +<p>November 25.--At the first streak of daylight we moved on, and in one +mile and a half reached the camp near Point Fowler, before any of the +party were up. We had guessed our course well in the dark last night, and +could not have gone more direct had it been daylight. Having called up +the party and made them get a hasty breakfast, I hurried off a dray +loaded with water, and accompanied by the overseer, one man, and the +black boy, to follow up our tracks to where the tired horse had been +tied. During my absence I found that every thing but the cart had been +landed from the cutter, and safely brought up to the camp, and that as +soon as that was on shore she would be ready to go and lie at anchor at +Denial Bay. + +<p>About noon I was greatly surprised and vexed to see my overseer return +driving the loose horses before him. It seemed that whilst feeding around +the camp they had observed the dray and other horses going away and had +followed upon the tracks, so that the overseer had no alternative but to +drive them back to the camp. This was very unfortunate, as it would +occasion great delay in reaching the one we had left tied in the scrub. I +directed the overseer to hurry back as rapidly as possible, and by +travelling all night to endeavour to make up for lost time, for I greatly +feared that if not relieved before another day passed away, it would be +quite impossible to save the animal alive. + +<p>After resting myself a little I walked about to reconnoitre the +neighbourhood of our camp, not having seen it before. The situation was +at the west side of the upper extreme of Point Fowler, immediately behind +the sand-drifts of the coast, which there were high, bare, and of white +sand. The water was on the inland side, immediately under the sand-hills, +and procured in the greatest abundance and of good quality, by sinking +from one to three feet. It was found in a bed of white pipe-clay. To the +north-west of us were some open grassy plains, among which our horses and +sheep obtained their food, whilst here and there were scattered a few +salt swamps or beds of lakes, generally, however, dry. The whole country +was of fossil formation, and the borders of the lakes and swamps +exhibited indurated masses of marine shells, apparently but a very recent +deposit. Further inland the country was crusted on the surface with an +oolitic limestone, and for the most part covered by brush; a few open +plains being interspersed here and there among the scrubs, as is +generally the case in that description of country. + +<p>The natives still appeared to be in our neighbourhood, but none had been +near us since they first left on the 19th. I would now gladly have got +one of them to accompany me to look for water, but none could be found. +On the 26th and 27th I was occupied in getting up the cart, some casks, +etc. from the cutter, and preparing for another attempt to round the head +of the Great Bight. The vessel then sailed for Denial Bay, where she +could lie in greater safety, until I required her again. + +<p>Early on the 27th the man and black boy returned with the dray from the +westward, they had found the horse very weak and much exhausted, but by +care and attention he was got a little round, and the overseer had +remained to bring him slowly on: he had been four entire days and nights +without food or water, and for the first two days and a half of this time +had been severely worked. In the evening the overseer came up, driving +the jaded animal, somewhat recovered indeed--but miserably reduced in +condition. + +<p>The party with the dray had taken spades with them to dig for water at +the sand hills, where I had seen the pigeons and cockatoos on the 23rd, +and at ten feet they had been lucky enough to procure abundance, which +although of a brackish quality was usable; from the great depth, however, +at which it was obtained, and the precarious nature of the soil, it was +very troublesome to get at it. + +<p>November 28.--This morning I sent away a dray with three horses, carrying +seventy gallons of water to assist me in again endeavouring to get round +the Bight. As the road was very scrubby, and much impeded by fallen +timber, I had previously sent on a man to clear it a little; and about +ten o'clock I followed with the native boy. We got tolerably well through +the scrub, and encamped in a plain about sixteen miles from the depot, +where there was good grass. The weather being cool and showery, our +horses would not drink more than a bucket each from the casks. + +<p>November 29.--Having moved on the dray early over rather a heavy road, we +took up our quarters under the white sand-drifts, after a stage of nine +miles. I then left the boy in charge of the camp, and proceeded myself +with the two men, and provided with spades and buckets, to where the +overseer had obtained water by digging; the place was about two miles +from our camp, between the sand-drifts and the sea, and immediately +behind the front ridges of the coast. By enlarging the hole, and sinking +a tub bored full of holes, we managed to water the horses, and get a +supply for ourselves. In the afternoon an attempt was made to dig a well +nearer the camp, but a stratum of rock put an end to our labours. + +<p>November 30.--Sending back one of the men to the depot, I left the native +boy to guide the dray, whilst I diverged towards the coast to look for +water among the sand-drifts, that were seen occasionally in that +direction; in none of them, however, could I obtain a drop. The country +travelled over consisted of very heavy sand ridges, covered for the most +part with low scrub, and as the stage was a long one (twenty-two miles), +I found upon overtaking the dray that the horses were knocked up, and a +party of fourteen natives surrounding it, who were making vehement +gesticulations to the man not to proceed, and he being only accompanied +by a single black boy was greatly alarmed, and did not know what to do; +indeed, had I not arrived opportunely, I have no doubt that he would have +turned the horses round, and driven back again. Upon coming up with the +natives, I saw at once that none of them had been with us before, but at +the same time they appeared friendly and well-behaved, making signs for +us not to proceed, and pointing to some sand-drifts at the coast which we +had passed, implying, as I understood them, that there was water there. +We were now in an opening among the scrub, consisting of small grassy +undulating plains, and at these I determined to halt for the night, +hoping the natives would remain near us, and guide us to water to-morrow. +To induce them to do this, after giving the horses each two buckets of +water, I gave two gallons among them also, besides some bread. They at +once took possession of an elevation a little above our position, and +formed their camp for the night. As we were so few in number compared to +the natives, we were obliged to keep a watch upon them during the whole +night, and they did the same upon us--but at a much less individual +inconvenience from their number; they appeared to take the duty in +turn--two always being upon guard at once. + +<p>December 1.--After giving the natives some water, and taking breakfast +ourselves, we moved on in the direction they wished us to go, followed by +the whole party; at two miles they brought us to the sea over a dreadful +heavy road, but upon then asking them where the water was, they now told +us to our horror, that there was "mukka gaip-pe," or, no water. +The truth was now evident, we had mutually misunderstood one +another; they seeing strangers suddenly appear, had taken it for granted +they came from the sea, and pointed there, whilst we, intent only upon +procuring water, had fancied they had told us we should find it where +they pointed; upon reaching the coast both were disappointed--they at not +seeing a ship, and we at not finding water. + +<p>It was now a difficult matter to decide what to do: our horses were +greatly jaded, owing to the hilly and sandy character of the country; our +water was reduced to a low ebb in the casks, for relying upon the natives +guiding us to more, we had used it improvidently; whilst the very least +distance we could be away from the water, at the sand-drifts, was +twenty-five miles; if we went back we lost all our previous labour, and +could not do so without leaving the dray behind, and if we went forward, +it was very problematical whether water could be procured within any +distance attainable by our tired horses. + +<p>The natives now asserted there was water to the north-west, but that it +was a long way off. As they still seemed willing to accompany us, I +determined to proceed, and pushed on parallel with the coast behind the +front ridges; at nine miles the horses were quite exhausted, and could +get no further, so that I was obliged to halt for the night, where a few +tufts of withered grass were found under the hummocks. + +<p>Our sable friends had gradually dropped off, one or two at a time, until +only three remained. These I endeavoured to make friends with, by giving +them plenty of water and bread, and after taking a hasty meal, I got them +to go with me and the native boy along the coast, to search for water. +After going about a mile, they would proceed no further, making signs +that they should be very thirsty, and enabling me clearly to comprehend, +that there was no water until the head of the Great Bight was rounded. As +I did not know exactly, what the actual distance might be, I still hoped +I should be able to reach it, and leaving the natives to return, I and +the boy pushed on beyond all the sandy hills and cliffs, to the low sandy +tract bordering upon the head of the Bight, from which we were about +twelve miles distant. The day was hazy, or the cliffs of the Great Bight +would have been distinctly visible. + +<p>We lost a good deal of time in tracking the foot-steps of a party of +native women and children, among some bare sand-drifts, hoping the track +would lead to water; but the party seemed to have been rambling about +without any fixed object, and all our efforts to find water were in vain; +the whole surface of the country, (except where it was hidden by the +sand-drifts) was one sheet of limestone crust, and wherever we attempted +to dig among the sand-drifts, the rock invariably stopped us. + +<p>As it was getting on towards evening, I returned to where I had left the +dray, and giving each of the horses one bucket of water and five pints of +oats, was obliged to have them tied for the night, myself and the man +being too much fatigued to watch them. + +<p>December 2.--We had not moved far upon our return, when one of our most +valuable dray-horses became completely overdone with fatigue, and I was +obliged to take it out of the team and put in a riding horse, to try, if +possible, to reach the plains where the grass was. We just got to the +borders of this open patch of country, when the poor animal (a mare) +could not be got a yard farther, and we were compelled to halt and decide +upon what was best to be done. The water in the cask was nearly all +consumed, the mare could not stir, and the other horses were very weak, +so that no time was to be lost; I immediately decided upon leaving the +man to take care of the mare and the dray, whilst I and the native boy +took the other horses back for more water; having measured out to the +man, water amounting to a quart per day, during our contemplated absence, +I gave all that was left, consisting of about half a bucket full, to the +mare, and then accompanied by the boy, pushed steadily back towards the +water at the sand hills, distant about twenty-five miles. At dark we +arrived there, but the sand had fallen in, and we had to labour hard to +clear out the hole again; it was eleven o'clock at night before we could +get the horses watered, and we then had to take them a mile and a half +before we could get any grass for them. Returning from this duty, we had +to collect and carry on our backs for more than a mile, a few bundles of +sticks and bushes, to make a little fire for ourselves, near the water, +the night being intensely cold. It was past two o'clock in the morning +before we could lay down, and then, tired and harassed as we were, it was +too cold and damp for us to rest. + +<p>December 3.--The scorching rays of the morning sun awoke us early, weary +and unrefreshed, we had no trees to shade us, and were obliged to get up. +After looking at the well, and congratulating ourselves upon its not +having fallen in, we set off to look for the horses, they had wandered +away in search of food, causing us a long and tiresome walk over the +sand-hills in the sun, before we could find them; having at last got them +and driven them to where the water was, we were chagrined to find that +during our absence the well had again fallen in, and we had the labour of +clearing it out to go through again. + +<p>The day was excessively oppressive, with a hot parching wind, and both we +and the horses drank incessantly. Towards night we took the horses away +to the grass, and remained near them ourselves for the sake of the +firewood, which was there more abundant. + +<p>We had thunder towards evening, and a few dops of rain fell, but not +sufficient to moderate the temperature, the heat continuing as oppressive +as before. + +<p>December 4.--After watering the horses, we took ten gallons upon a +pack-horse, and proceeded on our return to the man we had left; the state +in which our own horses were, having made it absolutely necessary to give +them the day's rest they had yesterday enjoyed. We arrived about five in +the afternoon, at the little plain where we had left the man; he was +anxiously looking out for us, having just finished his last quart of +water. The poor mare looked very weak and wretched, but after giving her +at intervals, eight gallons of water, she fed a little, and I fully hoped +we should succeed in saving her life. No natives had been seen during our +absence. + +<p>The night set in very dark and lowering, and I expected a heavy fall of +rain; to catch which we spread our oilskins and tarpaulin, and placed out +the buckets and pannekins, or whatever else would hold water: a few +drops, however, only fell, and the storm passed away, leaving us as much +under a feeling of disappointment, as we had been previously of hope: one +little shower would have relieved us at once from all our difficulties. + +<p>December 5.--Upon getting up early, I thought the horses looked so much +refreshed, that we might attempt to take back the dray, and had some of +the strongest of them yoked up. We proceeded well for two miles and a +half to our encampment of the 30th November; and as there was then a well +defined track, I left the man to proceed alone, whilst I myself went once +more to the coast to make a last effort to procure water among some of +the sand-drifts. In this I was unsuccessful. There were not the slightest +indications of water existing any where. In returning to rejoin the dray, +I struck into our outward track, about three miles below, where I had +left it, and was surprised to find that the dray had not yet passed, +though I had been three hours absent. Hastily riding up the track, I +found the man not half a mile from where I had left him, and surrounded +by natives. They had come up shortly after my departure; and the man, +getting alarmed, was not able to manage his team properly, but by +harassing them had quite knocked up all the horses; the sun was getting +hot, and I saw at once it would be useless to try and take the dray any +further. + +<p>Having turned out the horses to rest a little, I went to the natives to +try to find out, if possible, where they procured water, but in vain. +They insisted that there was none near us, and pointed in the direction +of the head of the Bight to the north-west, and of the sand hills to the +south-east, as being the only places where it could be procured; when I +considered, however, that I had seen these same natives on the 30th +November, and that I found them within half a mile of the same place, +five days afterwards, I could not help thinking that there must be water +not very far away. It is true, the natives require but little water +generally, but they cannot do without it altogether. If there was a small +hole any where near us, why they should refuse to point it out, I could +not imagine. I had never before found the least unwillingness on their +part to give us information of this kind; but on the contrary, they were +ever anxious and ready to conduct us to the waters that they were +acquainted with. I could only conclude, therefore, that what they stated +was true--that there was no water near us, and that they had probably +come out upon a hunting excursion, and carried their own supplies with +them in skins, occasionally, perhaps, renewing this from the small +quantities found in the hollows of the gum scrub, and which is deposited +there by the rains, or procuring a drink, as they required it, from the +long lateral roots of the same tree. [Note 26: Vide Chapter XVI., towards +the close.] I have myself seen water obtained in both these ways. The +principal inducement to the natives to frequent the small plains +where we were encamped, appeared to be, to get the fruit of the +Mesembryanthemum, which grew there in immense quantities, and was +now just ripe; whilst the scrub, by which these plains were surrounded, +seemed to be alive with wallabie, adding variety to abundance in the +article of food. + +<p>We were now on the horns of a very serious dilemma: our horses were +completely fagged out, and could take the dray no further. We were +surrounded by natives, and could not leave it, and the things upon it, +whilst they were present (for many of these things we could not afford to +lose); and on the other hand, we were twenty-two miles from any water, +and our horses were suffering so much from the want of it, that unless we +got them there shortly, we could not hope to save the lives of any one of +them. + +<p>Had the natives been away, we could have buried the baggage, and left the +dray; but as it was, we had only to wait patiently, hoping they would +soon depart. Such, however, was not their intention; there they sat +coolly and calmly, facing and watching us, as if determined to sit us +out. It was most provoking to see the careless indifference with which +they did this, sheltering themselves under the shade of a few shrubs, or +lounging about the slopes near us, to gather the berries of the +Mesembryanthemum. I was vexed and irritated beyond measure, as hour after +hour passed away, and our unconscious tormentors still remained. Every +moment, as it flew, lessened the chance of saving the lives of our +horses; and yet I could not bring myself to abandon so many things that +we could not do without, and which we could not in any way replace. What +made the circumstances, too, so much worse, was, that we had last night +given to our horses every drop of water, except the small quantity put +apart for our breakfasts. + +<p>We had now none, and were suffering greatly from the heat, and from +thirst, the day being calm and clear, and intolerably hot. When we had +first unyoked the horses, I made the man and native boy lay down in the +shade, to sleep, whilst I attended to the animals, and kept an eye on the +natives. About noon I called them up again, and we all made our dinner +off a little bread, and some of the fruit that grew around us, the +moisture of which alone enabled us to eat at all, our mouths were so +thoroughly dry and parched. + +<p>A movement was now observed among the natives; and gathering up their +spears, they all went off. Having placed the native boy upon an eminence +to watch them, the man and I at once set to work to carry our baggage to +the top of a sand-hill, that it might be buried at some distance from the +dray. We had hardly commenced our labours, however, before the boy called +out that the natives were returning, and in a little time they all +occupied their former position; either they had only gone as a ruse to +see what we intended to do, or they had been noticing us, and had seen us +removing our baggage, or else they had observed the boy watching them, +and wished to disappoint him. Whatever the inducement was, there they +were again, and we had as little prospect of being able to accomplish our +object as ever. If any thing could have palliated aggressive measures +towards the aborigines, it would surely be such circumstances as we were +now in; our own safety, and the lives of our horses, depended entirely +upon our getting rid of them. Yet with the full power to compel them (for +we were all armed), I could not admit the necessity of the case as any +excuse for our acting offensively towards those who had been friendly to +us, and who knew not the embarrassment and danger which their presence +caused us. + +<p>Strongly as our patience had been exercised in the morning, it was still +more severely tested in the afternoon--for eight long hours had those +natives sat opposite to us watching. From eight in the morning until four +in the afternoon, we had been doomed to disappointment. About this time, +however, a general movement again took place; once more they collected +their spears, shouldered their wallets, and moved off rapidly and +steadily towards the south-east. It was evident they had many miles to go +to their encampment, and I now knew we should be troubled with them no +more. Leaving the boy to keep guard again upon the hill, the man and I +dug a large hole, and buried all our provisions, harness, pack-saddles, +water-casks, etc. leaving the dray alone exposed in the plains. After +smoothing the surface of the ground, we made a large fire over the place +where the things were concealed, and no trace remained of the earth +having been disturbed. + +<p>We had now no time to lose, and moving away slowly, drove the horses +before us towards the water. The delay, however, had been fatal; the +strength of the poor animals was too far exhausted, and before we had +gone seven miles, one of them could not proceed, and we were obliged to +leave him; at three miles further two more were unable to go on, and +they, too, were abandoned, though within twelve miles of the water. We +had still two left, just able to crawl along, and these, by dint of great +perseverance and care, we at last got to the water about four o'clock in +the morning of the 6th. They were completely exhausted, and it was quite +impossible they could go back the same day, to take water to those we had +left behind. The man, myself, and the boy were in but little better +plight; the anxiety we had gone through, the great heat of the weather, +and the harassing task of travelling over the heavy sandy hills, covered +with scrub, in the dark, and driving jaded animals before us, added to +the want of water we were suffering under, had made us exceedingly weak, +and rendered us almost incapable of further exertion. In the evening I +sent the man, who had been resting all day, to try and bring the two +horses nearest to us a few miles on the road, whilst I was to meet him +with water in the morning. Native fires were seen to the north-east of us +at night, but the people did not seem to have been at the water at the +sand-hills for their supply, no traces of their having recently visited +it being found. + +<p>December 7.--After giving the horses water we put ten gallons upon one of +them, and hurried off to the animals we had left. The state of those with +us necessarily made our progress slow, and it was four o'clock before we +arrived at the place where they were, about eleven miles from the water. +The man had gone on to the furthest of the three, and had brought them +all nearly together; upon joining him we received the melancholy +intelligence, that our best draught mare had just breathed her +last--another lay rolling on the ground in agony--and the third appeared +but little better. After moistening their mouths with water, we made +gruel for them with flour and water, and gave it to them warm: this they +drank readily, and appeared much revived by it, so that I fully hoped we +should save both of them. After a little time we gave each about four +gallons of water, and fed them with all the bread we had. We then let +them rest and crop the withered grass until nine o'clock, hoping, that in +the cool of the evening, we should succeed in getting them to the water, +now so few miles away. At first moving on, both horses travelled very +well for two miles, but at the end of the third, one of them was unable +to go any further, and I left the man to remain, and bring him on again +when rested; the other I took on myself to within six miles of the water, +when he, too, became worn out, and I had to leave him, and go for a fresh +supply of water. + +<p>About four in the morning of the 8th, I arrived with the boy at the +water, just as day was breaking, and quite exhausted. We managed to water +the two horses with us, but were too tired either to make a fire or get +anything to eat ourselves; and lay down for an hour or two on the sand. +At six we got up, watered the horses again, and had breakfast; after +which, I filled the kegs and proceeded once more with ten gallons of +water to the unfortunate animals we had left behind. The black boy was +too tired to accompany me, and I left him to enjoy his rest, after giving +him my rifle for his protection, in the event of natives coming during my +absence. + +<p>Upon arriving at the place where I had left the horse, I found him in a +sad condition, but still alive. The other, left further away, in charge +of the man, had also been brought up to the same place, but died just as +I got up to him; there was but one left now out of the three, and to save +him, all our care and attention were directed. By making gruel, and +giving it to him constantly, we got him round a little, and moved him on +to a grassy plain, about a mile further; here we gave him a hearty drink +of water, and left him to feed and rest for several hours. Towards +evening we again moved on slowly, and as he appeared to travel well, I +left the man to bring him on quietly for the last five miles, whilst I +took back to the water the two noble animals that had gone through so +much and such severe toil in the attempt made to save the others. In the +evening I reached the camp near the water, and found the native boy quite +safe and recruited. For the first time for many nights, I had the +prospect of an undisturbed rest; but about the middle of the night I was +awoke by the return of the man with the woful news, that the last of the +three horses was also dead, after travelling to within four miles of the +water. All our efforts, all our exertions had been in vain; the dreadful +nature of the country, and our unlucky meeting with the natives, had +defeated the incessant toil and anxiety of seven days' unremitting +endeavours to save them; and the expedition had sustained a loss of three +of its best horses, an injury as severe as it was irreparable. + +<p>December 9.--At day-break, this morning, I sent off the man to the depot +at Fowler's Bay, with orders to the overseer to send five fresh horses, +two men, and a supply of provisions; requesting Mr. Scott to accompany +them, for the purpose of taking back the two tired horses we still had +with us at the sand-hills. Upon the man's departure, we took the two +horses to water, and brought up ten gallons to the camp, where the grass +was; after which, whilst the horses were feeding and resting, we tried to +pass away the day in the same manner; the heat, however, was too great, +and the troubles and anxieties of the last few days had created such an +irritation of mind that I could not rest: my slumbers were broken and +unrefreshing; but the boy managed better, he had no unpleasant +anticipations for the future, and already had forgotten the annoyance of +the past. + +<p>December 10.--After an early breakfast, we took the horses to water and +cleared the hole out thoroughly, as I expected five more horses in the +evening. Upon returning to the plain, fires of the natives were again +seen to the north-east; but they did not approach us. Our provisions were +now quite exhausted, and having already lived for many days upon a very +low diet, we looked out anxiously for the expected relay. About four +o'clock, Mr. Scott, two men, and five horses arrived, bringing us +supplies; so that no time had been lost after the arrival of my +messenger. The hole having been previously enlarged and cleared out, no +difficulty was experienced in watering the horses, and about sunset all +encamped together under the sand-hills at the grassy plain. + +<p>December 11.--Leaving directions with Mr. Scott to take back to the +depot, to-morrow, the two horses we had been working so severely, and +which were now recruiting a little; and giving orders to the two men to +follow the dray track to the north-west tomorrow, with the three fresh +horses, I once more set off with the native boy to revisit the scene of +our late disasters; and recover the dray and other things we had +abandoned. We passed by the three dead horses on our route, now lying +stiff and cold; in our situation a melancholy spectacle, and which +awakened gloomy and cheerless anticipations for the future, by reminding +us of the crippled state of our resources, and of the dreadful character +of the inhospitable region we had to penetrate. At dark we came to the +little plain where the dray was, and found both it and our baggage +undisturbed; nor was it apparent that any natives had visited the place +since we left it. During the evening a few slight showers fell, which, +with a heavy dew, moistened the withered grass, and enabled our horses to +feed tolerably well. + +<p>December 12.--I had proceeded a day in advance of the men and horses +coming to recover the dray, in order that I might satisfy myself whether +there was water or not near the plains to the east or north-east, as +there were some grounds for supposing that such might be the case, from +the fact of so many natives having been twice seen there, and the +probability that they had remained for five days in the neighbourhood. +To-day I devoted to a thorough examination of the country around; and, +accompanied by the boy, proceeded early away to the north-east, returning +southerly, and then crossing back westerly to the camp. We travelled over +a great extent of ground, consisting principally of very dense scrub, +with here and there occasional grassy openings; but no where could we +observe the slightest indications of the existence of water, although the +traces of natives were numerous and recent; and we tracked them for +several miles, often seeing places where they had broken down the shrubs +to get a grub, which is generally found there, out of the root; and +observing the fragments of the long lateral roots of the gum-scrub, which +they had dug up to get water from. And this, I am inclined to think, is +what they depend upon principally in these arid regions for the little +water they require. The general direction taken by these wanderers of the +desert, was to the north-east. About four o'clock the men with the +dray-horses arrived, bringing ten gallons of water, which we divided +among the horses, and then took it in turn to watch them during the +night. + +<p>December 13.--Having buried a few things that I might require when I +should come out here again, (for I determined not to give up the attempt +to round the Great Bight,) I had all the rest of our luggage taken up, +and the horses being harnessed, we returned with the dray to the water at +the sand-hills, arriving there early in the afternoon. We had yoked up +three strong fresh horses, that had done no work for some time +previously; and yet, such was the nature of the country, that with an +almost empty dray, they had hardly been able to reach the water, at the +furthest only twenty-two miles distant, and in accomplishing this, they +had been upwards of ten hours in the collar. How then could we expect to +get through such a region with drays heavily loaded, as ours must be, +when we moved on finally. + +<p>On the 14th we remained in camp to refresh the horses, and early on the +following day proceeded through the scrub, on our return to the depot; +first burying our pack-saddle, and a few other things, in the plain near +the sand-hills. Notwithstanding the care we had taken of the horses, and +the little work we had given them, they got fagged in going through the +scrub, and I was obliged to halt the dray at the rocky well in the +plains, five miles short of the depot. I myself went on with the boy to +the camp at Point Fowler, where I found the party feasting upon emus, +four of which they had shot during my absence. + +<p>December 16.--About ten to-day the dray and men arrived safely at the +depot, being the last detachment of the party engaged in this most +unfortunate expedition, which had occupied so much time and caused such +severe and fatal loss, independently of its not accomplishing the object +for which it was undertaken. In the evening I sent Mr. Scott to see if +the cutter had returned, and upon his coming back he reported that she +had just arrived, but that he had not been able to communicate with her.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-13"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter XIII.</h3> + +<p>FUTURE PLANS<br> +REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY<br> +SEND THE CUTTER TO ADELAIDE<br> +REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR<br> +MONOTONOUS LIFE AT CAMP<br> +REMOVE TO ANOTHER LOCALITY<br> +GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY<br> +FLINT FOUND AGAIN<br> +ATTEMPT TO REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT<br> +REACH THE SAND-HILLS, AND BURY FLOUR<br> +FRIENDLY NATIVES<br> +EXHAUSTED STATE OF THE HORSES<br> +GET THE DRAY TO THE PLAIN<br> +BURY WATER<br> +SEND BACK DRAY<br> +PROCEED WITH PACK-HORSE<br> +OPPRESSIVE HEAT<br> +SEND BACK PACK-HORSE<br> +REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT<br> +SURPRISE SOME NATIVES<br> +THEIR KIND BEHAVIOUR<br> +YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE<br> +THEIR ACCOUNT OF THE INTERIOR</p> + +<p>December 17.--HAVING now maturely considered the serious position I was +in, the difficult nature of the country, the reduced condition and +diminished number of my horses, and the very unfavourable season of the +year, I decided upon taking advantage of a considerate clause in the +Governor's letter, authorizing me "to send back the WATERWITCH to +Adelaide for assistance, if required." + +<p>From the experience I had already had, and from the knowledge I had thus +acquired of the character of the country to the westward and to the +north, it was evident that I could never hope to take my whole party, +small as it was, with me in either direction. I had already lost three +horses in an attempt to get round the head of the Bight, and I had also +found that my three best horses now remaining, when strong and fresh +after a long period of rest at the depot, had with difficulty been able +to move along with an empty dray in the heavy sandy country to the +north-west; how could I expect, then, to take drays when loaded with +provisions and other stores? Hitherto we had enjoyed the assistance of +the cutter in passing up the coast--by putting all our heavy baggage on +board of her, the drays were comparatively empty, and we had got on +tolerably well. We could no longer, however, avail ourselves of this +valuable aid, for we were now past all harbours. Fowler's Bay being the +last place of refuge where a vessel could take shelter for many hundred +miles, whilst the fearful nature of the coast and the strong current +setting into the Bight, made it very dangerous for a vessel to approach +the land at all. Upon leaving Fowler's Bay, therefore, it was evident +that we must be dependent entirely upon our own resources; and it became +necessary for me to weigh well and maturely how I might best arrange my +plans so as to meet the necessity of the case. It appeared to me that if +I sent two of my men back to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, a single dray +would carry every necessary for the reduced party remaining, and that by +obtaining a supply of oats and bran for the horses, and giving them a +long rest, they might so far recover strength and spirits as to afford me +reasonable grounds of hope that we might succeed in forcing a passage +through the country to the westward, bad as it evidently was. Acting upon +the opinion I had arrived at, I sent for the master of the cutter and +requested him to get ready at once for sea, and then communicated my +decision to the two men who were to leave us, Corporal Coles, R.S. and M. +and John Houston, requesting them to get ready to embark to-morrow. They +did not appear to experience much surprise, and were I think on the whole +rather pleased than otherwise at the prospect of a return to Adelaide. +Both these men had conducted themselves remarkably well during the whole +time they were in the party, and one of them, John Houston, had been with +me in my late disastrous expedition, during which his obedience and good +conduct had been beyond all praise. We had, however, now been absent for +six months, had traversed a great extent of country, and undergone many +hardships; the country we had met with had unfortunately always been of +the most barren and disheartening character, and that which was yet +before us appeared to be if possible still worse, so that I could not +wonder that my men should appear gratified in the prospect of a +termination to their labours. With so little to cheer and encourage, they +might well perhaps doubt of our final success. + +<p>December 18.--Having once decided upon my plans, I lost no time in +putting them in execution. A dray, three sets of horses' harness, and +some other things were sent on board the WATERWITCH, together with half a +sheep and sixty pounds of biscuit for the crew, who were now running +short of provisions. Several casks were brought on shore for us to bury +stores in, and the boat I had purchased at Port Lincoln was left, at Mr. +Scott's request, for him to fish in during the absence of the cutter. +After I had settled with the two men for their services, both of whom had +large sums to receive, they took leave of us, and went on board. + +<p>My own time had been fully occupied for the last two days, in writing +letters and preparing despatches; by great exertions I got all ready this +evening, and upon Mr. Germain's coming up at night, I delivered them to +him, and directed him to sail as soon as possible. The following copy of +my despatch to his Excellency the Governor, will convey a brief summary +of the result of the expedition; from the time of our leaving Port +Lincoln up to the sailing of the WATERWITCH from Fowler's Bay, and of the +future plans I intended to adopt, to carry out the object of the +undertaking. + +<p>"POINT FOWLER, 17TH DECEMBER, 1840. + +<p>"SIR,--By the return of the WATERWITCH, I have the honour to furnish you, +for the information of His Excellency the Governor, with a brief account +of our proceedings up to the present date. + +<p>"Upon the return of Mr. Scott from Adelaide to Port Lincoln, I left the +latter place on the 24th October, following my former line of route along +the coast to Streaky Bay, and rejoining my party there on the 3rd +November. + +<p>"The WATERWITCH had already arrived with the stores sent for the use of +the expedition, and I have since detained her to co-operate with my +party, in accordance with the kind permission of his Excellency the +Governor. + +<p>"From previous experience, I was aware, that after leaving Streaky Bay, +we should have obstacles of no ordinary kind to contend with; and as I +advanced, I found the difficulties of the undertaking even greater than I +had anticipated; the heavy sandy nature of the country, its arid +character, the scarcity of grass, and the very dense brushes through +which we had frequently to clear a road with our axes, formed impediments +of no trifling description, and such as, when combined with the very +unfavourable season of the year, we could hardly have overcome without +the assistance of the WATERWITCH. By putting on board the cutter the +greater part of our dead weight, we relieved our jaded horses from loads +they could no longer draw; and by obtaining from her occasional supplies +of water at such points of the coast as we could procure none on shore, +we were enabled to reach Fowler's Bay on the 22nd November. + +<p>"From this point I could no longer avail myself of the valuable services +of the cutter, the wild unprotected character of the coast extending +around the Great Australian Bight, rendering it too dangerous for a +vessel to attempt to approach so fearful a shore, and where there is no +harbour or shelter of any kind to make for in case of need. + +<p>"Under these circumstances, I left my party in camp behind Point Fowler, +whilst I proceeded myself, accompanied by a native boy, to examine the +country a-head, and I now only detained the WATERWITCH, in the hopes that +by penetrating on horseback beyond the head of the Great Bight, I might +be able to give his Excellency some idea of our future prospects. + +<p>"For the last twenty-four days I have been engaged in attempting to round +the head of the Bight; but so difficult is the country, that I have not +as yet been able to accomplish it. In my first essay I was driven back by +the want of water and obliged to abandon one of my horses. This animal I +subsequently recovered. + +<p>"In my second attempt, I went, accompanied by one of my native boys, and +a man driving a dray loaded solely with water and our provisions; but +such was the dreadful nature of the country, that after penetrating to +within twelve miles of the head of the Bight, I was again obliged to +abandon three of our horses, a dray, and our provisions. The poor horses +were so exhausted by previous fatigue and privation, that they could not +return, and I was most reluctantly obliged to leave them to obtain relief +for ourselves, and the two remaining horses we had with us. After +reaching the nearest water, we made every effort to save the unfortunate +animals we had left behind; and for seven days, myself, the man, and a +boy, were incessantly and laboriously engaged almost day and night in +carrying water backwards and forwards to them--feeding them with bread, +gruel, etc. I regret to say that all our efforts were in vain, and that +the expedition has sustained a fatal and irreparable injury in the loss +of three of its best draught horses. The dray and the provisions I +subsequently recovered, and on the evening of the 15th December, I +rejoined my party behind Point Fowler, to prepare despatches for the +WATERWITCH, since the weak and unserviceable condition of nearly the +whole of our remaining horses rendered any further attempt to penetrate +so inhospitable a region quite impracticable for the present. In +traversing the country along the coast from Streaky Bay to the limits of +our present exploration, within twelve miles of the head of the Great +Bight, we have found the country of a very uniform description--low flat +lands, or a succession of sandy ridges, densely covered with a brush of +EUCALYPTUS DUMOSA, salt water tea-tree, and other shrubs--whilst here and +there appear a few isolated patches of open grassy plains, scattered at +intervals among the scrub. The surface rock is invariably an oolitic +limestone, mixed with an imperfect freestone, and in some places exhibits +fossil banks, which bear evident marks of being of a very recent +formation. + +<p>"The whole of this extent of country is totally destitute of surface +water--we have never met with a watercourse, or pool of any description, +and all the water we have obtained since we left Streaky Bay has been by +digging, generally in the large drifts of pure white sand close to the +coast. This is a work frequently of much time and labour, as from the +depth we have had to sink, and the looseness of the sand, the hole has +often filled nearly as fast as we could clear it out; the water too thus +obtained has almost always been brackish, occasionally salt. Latterly +even this resource has failed us; after digging a few feet we have been +impeded by rock, which gradually approaching nearer the surface towards +the head of the Great Bight, at last occupies its whole extent, unless +where partially concealed by sand-drifts, or low sandy ridges covered +with brush. We have seen no trees or timber of any kind of larger growth +than the scrub, nor have we met with the Casuarinae since we left Streaky +Bay. + +<p>"The natives along this coast are not very numerous; those we have met +with have been timid, but friendly, and in some instances have rendered +us important assistance in guiding us through the brush, and shewing us +where to dig for water--their language appears to be a good deal similar +to that at King George's Sound. When questioned about the interior +towards the north, they invariably assert that there is no fresh water +inland; nor could we discover that they are acquainted with the existence +of a large body of water of any kind in that direction. + +<p>"Hitherto the reduced condition of my horses, the nature of the country, +and the season of the year, have effectually prevented my examining the +interior beyond a very few miles from the coast. When we have once +rounded the Bight (and I confidently hope to accomplish this), the +country may perhaps alter its character so far as to enable me to +prosecute the main object of the expedition, that of examining the +Northern Interior. Should such unfortunately not be the case, I shall +endeavour to examine the line of coast as far as practicable towards King +George's Sound, occasionally radiating inland whenever circumstances may +admit of it. + +<p>"The very severe loss the expedition has sustained in the death of four +of its best horses since leaving Adelaide in June last, added to the +unfavourable season of the year, and the embarrassing nature of the +country, have rendered it impossible for me to carry provisions for the +whole party for a length of time sufficient to enable me to prosecute the +undertaking I am engaged in with any prospect of success; whilst the wild +and fearful nature of this breaker-beaten coast wholly precludes me from +making use of the assistance and co-operation of the WATERWITCH. I have +consequently been under the necessity of reducing the strength of my +already small party, and have sent two men back in the cutter; retaining +only my overseer and one man, exclusive of Mr. Scott and two native boys. +Upon leaving the depot at Fowler's Bay, it is my intention to proceed +with only a single dray to carry our provisions, instead of (as formerly) +with two drays and a cart. + +<p>"From the reduced state of our horses, it will be absolutely necessary +for us to remain in depot five or six weeks to rest them. Such, however, +is the dry and withered state of the little grass we have, and so +destitute is it of all nutritive qualities, that I much fear that even at +the expiration of this long respite from their labours, our horses will +not have improved much in strength or condition. I have therefore +unhesitatingly taken advantage of the very kind permission of his +Excellency the Governor, to request that a supply of oats and bran may be +sent to us, should his Excellency not require the services of the +WATERWITCH for more important employment. For ourselves we require no +additional provisions, the most liberal and abundant supply we formerly +received being fully sufficient to last us for six months longer. + +<p>"I have much pleasure in recording the continued steadiness and good +conduct of my men, and I regret extremely the necessity which has +compelled me to dispense with the services of two of them before the +termination of the expedition, and after they have taken so considerable +a share in its labours. + +<p>"I have the honor to be, Sir,<br> +"Your very obedient servant,<br> +"EDW. JOHN EYRE.</p> + +<p>"TO GEO. HALL, ESQ., PRIVATE SECRETARY, ETC." + +<p> +After the departure of the cutter, our mode of life was for some time +very monotonous, and our camp bore a gloomy and melancholy aspect; the +loss of two men from our little band, made a sad alteration in its former +cheerful character. Mr. Scott usually employed himself in shooting or +fishing; one of the native boys was always out shepherding the sheep, and +the only remaining man I had was occupied in attending to the horses, so +that there were generally left only myself, the overseer, and one native +boy at the camp, which was desolate and gloomy, as a deserted village. +The overseer was pretty well employed, in making boots for the party, in +shoeing the horses, repairing the harness, and in doing other little odd +jobs of a similar kind; the black boys took their turns in shepherding +the sheep; but I was without active employment, and felt more strongly +than any of them that relaxation of body and depression of spirits, which +inactivity ever produces. + +<p>For a time indeed, the writing up of my journals, the filling up my +charts, and superintending the arranging, packing, and burying of our +surplus stores, amused and occupied me, but as these were soon over, I +began to repine and fret at the life of indolence and inactivity. I was +doomed to suffer. Frequently required at the camp, to give directions +about, or to assist in the daily routine of duty, I did not like to +absent myself long away at once; there were no objects of interest near +me, within the limits of a day's excursion on foot, and the weak state of +the horses, prevented me from making any examinations of the country at a +greater distance on horseback; I felt like a prisoner condemned to drag +out a dull and useless existence through a given number of days or weeks, +and like him too, I sighed for freedom, and looked forward with +impatience, to the time when I might again enter upon more active and +congenial pursuits. Fatigue, privation, disappointment, disasters, and +all the various vicissitudes, incidental to a life of active exploration +had occasionally, it is true, been the source of great anxiety or +annoyance, but all were preferable to that oppressive feeling of listless +apathy, of discontent and dissatisfaction, which resulted from the life I +was now obliged to lead. + +<p>Christmas day came, and made a slight though temporary break in the daily +monotony of our life. The kindness of our friends had supplied us with +many luxuries; and we were enabled even in the wilds, to participate in +the fare of the season: whilst the season itself, and the circumstances +under which it was ushered in to us, called forth feelings and +associations connected with other scenes and with friends, who were far +away; awakening, for a time at least, a train of happier thoughts and +kindlier feelings than we had for a long time experienced. + +<p>On the 26th, I found that our horses and sheep were falling off so much +in condition, from the scarcity of grass, and its dry and sapless +quality, that it became absolutely necessary for us to remove elsewhere; +I had already had all our surplus stores and baggage headed up in casks, +or packed in cases, and carefully buried (previously covered over with a +tarpaulin and with bushes to keep them from damp), near the sand-hills, +and to-day I moved on the party for five miles to the well in the plains; +the grass here was very abundant, but still dry, and without much +nourishment; the water was plentiful, but brackish and awkward to get at, +being through a hole in a solid sheet of limestone, similar to that +behind Point Brown. Upon cleaning it out and deepening it a little, it +tasted even worse than before, but still we were thankful for it. + +<p>The geological character of the country was exactly similar to that we +had been in so long, entirely of fossil formation, with a calcareous +oolitic limestone forming the upper crusts, and though this was +occasionally concealed by sand on the surface, we always were stopped by +it in digging; it was seemingly a very recent deposit, full of marine +shells, in every stage of petrifaction. Granite we had not seen for some +time, though I have no doubt that it occasionally protrudes; a small +piece, found near an encampment of the natives, and evidently brought +there by them, clearly proved the existence of this rock at no very great +distance, probably small elevations of granite may occasionally be found +among the scrubs, similar to those we had so frequently met with in the +same character of country. Another substance found at one of the native +encampments, and more interesting to us, not having been before met with, +was a piece of pure flint, of exactly the same character as the best gun +flint. This probably had been brought from the neighbourhood of the Great +Bight, in the cliffs of which Captain Flinders imagined he saw chalk, and +where I hoped that some change in the geological formation of the country +would lead to an improvement in its general appearance and character. + +<p>The weather had been (with the exception of one or two hot days) +unusually cold and favourable for the time of year. Our horses had +enjoyed a long rest, and though the dry state of the grass had prevented +them from recovering their condition, I hoped they were stronger and in +better spirits, and determined to make one more effort to get round the +head of the Bight;--if unsuccessful this time, I knew it would be final, +as I should no longer have the means of making any future trial, for I +fully made up my mind to take all our best and strongest animals, and +either succeed in the attempt or lose all. + +<p>On the 29th, I commenced making preparations, and on the following day +left the camp, the sheep, and four horses in charge of Mr. Scott and the +youngest of the native boys, whilst I proceeded myself, accompanied by +the overseer and eldest native boy on horseback, and a man driving a dray +with three horses, to cross once more through the scrub to the westward. +We took with us three bags of flour, a number of empty casks and kegs, +and two pack-saddles, besides spades and buckets, and such other minor +articles as were likely to be required. It was late in the day when we +arrived at the plains under the sand hills; and though we had brought our +six best and strongest horses, they were greatly fagged with their day's +work. We had still to take them some distance to the water, and back +again to the grass. At the water we found traces of a great many natives +who appeared to have left only in the morning, and who could not be very +far away; none were however seen. + +<p>December 31.--We remained in camp to rest the horses, and took the +opportunity of carrying up all the water we could, every time the animals +went backwards and forwards, to a large cask which had been fixed on the +dray. The taste of the water was much worse than when we had been here +before, being both salter and more bitter; this, probably, might arise +from the well having been dug too deep, or from the tide having been +higher than usual, though I did not notice that such had been the case. +In the afternoon we buried the three bags of flour we had brought headed +up in a cask. + +<p>January 1, 1841.--This morning I went down with the men to assist in +watering the horses, and upon returning to the camp, found my black boy +familiarly seated among a party of natives who had come up during our +absence. Two of them were natives I had seen to the north-west, and had +been among the party whose presence at the plains, on the 5th of +December, when I was surrounded by so many difficulties, had proved so +annoying to us at the time, and so fatal in its consequences to our +horses. They recognised me at once, and apparently described to the other +natives, the circumstances under which they had met me, lamenting most +pathetically the death of the horses; the dead bodies of which they had +probably seen in their route to the water. Upon examining their weapons +they shewed us several that were headed with flint, telling us that they +procured it to the north-west, thus confirming my previous conjectures as +to the existence of flint in that direction. To our inquiries about +water, they still persisted that there was none inland, and that it took +them five days, from where we were, to travel to that at the head of the +Bight. No other, they said, existed in any direction near us, except a +small hole to the north-west, among some sand hills, about two miles off; +these they pointed out, and offered to go with me and shew me the place +where the water was. I accepted the offer, and proceeded to the +sand-drifts, accompanied by one of them. On our arrival he shewed me the +remains of a large deep hole that had been dug in one of the sandy flats; +but in which the water was now inaccessible, from the great quantity of +sand that had drifted in and choked it up. By forcing a spear down to a +considerable depth, the native brought it out moist, and shewed it me to +prove that he had not been deceiving me. I now returned to the camp, more +than ever disposed to credit what I had been told relative to the +interior. I had never found the natives attempt to hide from us any +waters that they knew of, on the contrary, they had always been eager and +ready to point them out, frequently accompanying us for miles, through +the heat and amongst scrub, to shew us where they were. I had, therefore, +no reason to doubt the accuracy of their statements when they informed me +that there was none inland! Many different natives, and at considerable +intervals of country apart, had all united in the same statement, and as +far as I had yet been able to examine so arid a country personally, my +own observations tended to confirm the truth of what they had told me. + +<p>In the evening several of the natives went down with the men to water the +horses, and when there drank a quantity of water that was absolutely +incredible, each man taking from three to four quarts, and this in +addition to what they got at the camp during the earlier part of the day. +Strange that a people who appear to do with so little water, when +traversing the deserts, should use it in such excess when the opportunity +of indulgence occurs to them, yet such have I frequently observed to be +the case, and especially on those occasions where they have least food. +It would seem that, accustomed generally to have the stomach distended +after meals, they endeavour to produce this effect with water, when +deprived of the opportunity of doing so with more solid substances. At +night the natives all encamped with us in the plain. + +<p>January 2.--Having watered the horses early, we left the encampment, +accompanied by some of the natives, to push once more to the north-west. +On the dray we had eighty-five gallons of water; but as we had left all +our flour, and some other articles, I hoped we should get on well. The +heavy nature of the road, however, again told severely upon the horses: +twice we had to unload the dray, and at last, after travelling only +fourteen miles, the horses could go no further; I was obliged, therefore, +to come to a halt, and decide what was best to be done. There appeared to +be a disastrous fatality attending all our movements in this wretched +region, which was quite inexplicable. Every time that we had attempted to +force a passage through it, we had been baffled and driven back. Twice I +had been obliged to abandon our horses before; and on the last of these +occasions had incurred a loss of the three best of them; now, after +giving them a long period of rest, and respite from labour, and after +taking every precaution which prudence or experience could suggest, I had +the mortification of finding that we were in the same predicament we had +been in before, and with as little prospect of accomplishing our object. +Having but little time for deliberation, I at once ordered the overseer +and man to take the horses back to the water, and give them two days rest +there, and then to rejoin us again on the third, whilst I and the native +boy would remain with the dray, until their return. The natives also +remained with us for the first night; but finding we still continued in +camp, they left on the following morning, which I was sorry for, as I +hoped one would have been induced to go with us to the Great Bight. + +<p>On the fifth of January, the overseer and man returned with the horses; +but so little had they benefited by their two days rest, that upon being +yoked up, and put to the dray, they would not move it. We were obliged, +therefore, to unload once more, and lighten the load by burying a cask of +water, and giving another to the horses. After this, we succeeded in +getting them along, with the remainder, to the undulating plains; and +here we halted for the night, after a stage of only seven miles, but one, +which, short as it was, had nearly worn out the draught horses. Here we +dug a large hole, and buried twenty-two gallons of water, for my own +horse, and that of the black boy, on our return; and as I determined to +take a man with me, with a pack-horse, nine gallons more were buried +apart from the other, for them, so that when the man got his cask of +water, he might not disturb ours, or leave traces by which the natives +could discover it. + +<p>January 6.--Sending back the dray with the overseer, at the first dawn of +day, I and the native boy proceeded to the north-west, accompanied by the +man leading a pack-horse with twelve gallons of water. The day turned out +hot, and the road was over a very heavy sandy country; but by eleven +o'clock we had accomplished a distance of seventeen miles, and had +reached the furthest point from which I turned back on the 1st December. +I walked alternately with the boy, so as not to oppress the riding +horses, but the man walked all the way. + +<p>The weather was most intensely hot, a strong wind blowing from the +north-east, throwing upon us an oppressive and scorching current of +heated air, like the hot blast of a furnace. There was no +misunderstanding the nature of the country from which such a wind came; +often as I had been annoyed by the heat, I had never experienced any +thing like it before. Had anything been wanting to confirm my previous +opinion of the arid and desert character of the great mass of the +interior of Australia, this wind would have been quite sufficient for +that purpose. From those who differ from me in opinion (and some there +are who do so whose intelligence and judgment entitle their opinion to +great respect), I would ask, could such a wind be be wafted over an +inland sea? or could it have passed over the supposed high, and perhaps +snowcapped mountains of the interior. + +<p>We were all now suffering greatly from the heat; the man who was with me +was quite exhausted: under the annoyances of the moment, his spirits +failed him, and giving way to his feelings of fatigue and thirst, he lay +rolling on the ground, and groaning in despair; all my efforts to rouse +him were for a long time in vain, and I could not even induce him to get +up to boil a little tea for himself. We had halted about eleven in the +midst of a low sandy flat, not far from the sea, thinking, that by a +careful examination, we might find a place where water could be procured +by digging. There were, however, no trees or bushes near us; and the heat +of the sun, and the glare of the sand, were so intolerable, that I was +obliged to get up the horses, and compel the man to go on a little +further to seek for shelter. + +<p>Proceeding one mile towards the sea, we came to a projecting rock upon +its shores; and as there was no hope of a better place being found, I +tied up my horses near it; the rock was not large enough to protect them +entirely from the sun, but by standing close under it, their heads and +necks were tolerably shaded. For ourselves, a recess of the rock afforded +a delightful retreat, whilst the immediate vicinity of the sea enabled us +every now and then to take a run, and plunge amidst its breakers, and +again return to the shelter of the cavern. For two or three hours we +remained in, under the protection of the rock, without clothes, and +occasionally bathing to cool ourselves. The native boy and I derived +great advantage from thus dipping in the sea, but it was a long time +before I could induce the man to follow our example, either by persuasion +or threats; his courage had failed him, and he lay moaning like a child. +At last I succeeded in getting him to strip and bathe, and he at once +found the benefit of it, becoming in a short time comparatively cool and +comfortable. We then each had a little more tea, and afterwards attempted +to dig for water among the sand-hills. The sand, however, was so loose, +that it ran in faster than we could throw it out, and we were obliged to +give up the attempt. + +<p>As the afternoon was far advanced, we saddled the horses, and pushed on +again for five miles, hoping, but in vain, to find a little grass. At +night we halted among the sandy ridges behind the seashore, and after +giving the horses four quarts of oats and a bucket of water a-piece, we +were obliged to tie them up, there not being a blade of grass anywhere +about. The wind at night changed to the south-west, and was very cold, +chilling us almost as much as the previous heat had oppressed us. These +sudden and excessive changes in temperature induce great susceptibility +in the system, and expose the traveller to frequent heats and chills that +cannot be otherwise than injurious to the constitution. + +<p>January 7.--Having concealed some water, provisions, and the pack-saddle +at the camp, I sent the man back with the pack-horse to encamp at the +undulating plains, where nine gallons of water had been left for him and +his horse, and the following day he was to rejoin the overseer at the +sand hills. + +<p>To the latter I sent a note, requesting him to send two fresh horses to +meet me at the plains on the 15th of January, for, from the weak +condition of the animals we had with us, and from the almost total +absence of grass for them, I could not but dread lest we might be obliged +to abandon them too, and in this case, if we did not succeed in finding +water, we should perhaps have great difficulty in returning ourselves. + +<p>As soon as the man was gone, we once more moved on to the north-west, +through the same barren region of heavy sandy ridges, entirely destitute +of grass or timber. After travelling through this for ten miles, we came +upon a native pathway, and following it under the hummocks of the coast +for eight miles, lost it at some bare sand-drifts, close to the head of +the Great Bight, where we had at last arrived, after our many former +ineffectual attempts. + +<p>Following the general direction the native pathway had taken, we ascended +the sand-drifts, and finding the recent tracks of natives, we followed +them from one sand-hill to another, until we suddenly came upon four +persons encamped by a hole dug for water in the sand. We had so +completely taken them by surprise, that they were a good deal alarmed, +and seizing their spears, assumed an offensive attitude. Finding that we +did not wish to injure them, they became friendly in their manner, and +offered us some fruit, of which they had a few quarts on a piece of bark. +This fruit grows upon a low brambly-looking bush, upon the sand-hills or +in the flats, where the soil is of a saline nature. It is found also in +the plains bordering upon the lower parts of the Murrumbidgee, but in +much greater abundance along the whole line of coast to the westward. The +berry is oblong, about the shape and size of an English sloe, is very +pulpy and juicy, and has a small pyramidal stone in the centre, which is +very hard and somewhat indented. When ripe it is a dark purple, a clear +red, or a bright yellow, for there are varieties. The purple is the best +flavoured, but all are somewhat saline in taste. To the natives these +berries are an important article of food at this season of the year, and +to obtain them and the fruit of the mesembryanthemum, they go to a great +distance, and far away from water. In eating the berries, the natives +make use of them whole, never taking the trouble to get rid of the +stones, nor do they seem to experience any ill results from so doing. + +<p>Having unsaddled the horses, we set to work to dig holes to water them; +the sand, however, was very loose, and hindered us greatly. The natives, +who were sitting at no great distance, observed the difficulty under +which we were labouring, and one of them who appeared the most +influential among them, said something to two of the others, upon which +they got up and came towards us, making signs to us to get out of the +hole, and let them in; having done so, one of them jumped in, and dug, in +an incredibly short time, a deep narrow hole with his hands; then sitting +so as to prevent the sand running in, he ladled out the water with a pint +pot, emptying it into our bucket, which was held by the other native. As +our horses drank a great deal, and the position of the man in the hole +was a very cramped one, the two natives kept changing places with each +other, until we had got all the water we required. + +<p>In this instance we were indebted solely to the good nature and kindness +of these children of the wilds for the means of watering our horses: +unsolicited they had offered us their aid, without which we never could +have accomplished our purpose. Having given the principal native a knife +as a reward for the assistance afforded us, we offered the others a +portion of our food, being the only way in which we could shew our +gratitude to them; they seemed pleased with this attention, and though +they could not value the gift, they appeared to appreciate the motives +which induced it. + +<p>Having rested for a time, and enjoyed a little tea, we inquired of the +natives for grass for our horses, as there was none to be seen anywhere. +They told us that there was none at all where we were, but they would +take us to some further along the coast, where we could also procure +water, without difficulty, as the sand was firm and hard, and the water +at no great depth. Guided by our new friends, we crossed the sand-hills +to the beach, and following round the head of the Great Bight for five +miles, we arrived at some more high drifts of white sand; turning in +among these, they took us to a flat where some small holes were dug in +the sand, which was hard and firm; none of them were two feet deep, and +the water was excellent and abundant: the name of the place was +Yeer-kumban-kauwe. + +<p>Whilst I was employed in digging a large square hole, to enable us to dip +the bucket when watering the horses, the native boy went, accompanied by +one of the natives as a guide, to look for grass. Upon his return, he +said he had been taken to a small plain about a mile away, behind the +sand hills, where there was plenty of grass, though of a dry character; +to this we sent the horses for the night. In returning, a few sea fowl +were shot as a present for our friends, with whom we encamped, gratified +that we had at last surmounted the difficulty of rounding the Great +Bight, and that once more we had a point where grass and water could be +procured, and from which we might again make another push still further +to the westward. + +<p>In the evening, we made many inquiries of the natives, as to the nature +of the country inland, the existence of timber, rocks, water, etc. and +though we were far from being able to understand all that they said, or +to acquire half the information that they wished to convey to us, we +still comprehended them sufficiently to gather many useful and important +particulars. In the interior, they assured us, most positively, there was +no water, either fresh or salt, nor anything like a sea or lake of any +description. + +<p>They did not misunderstand us, nor did we misapprehend them upon this +point, for to our repeated inquiries for salt water, they invariably +pointed to a salt lake, some distance behind the sand-hills, as the only +one they knew of, and which at this time we had not seen. + +<p>With respect to hills or timber, they said, that neither existed inland, +but that further along the coast to the westward, we should find trees of +a larger growth, and among the branches of which lived a large animal, +which by their description, I readily recognized as being the Sloth of +New South Wales; an animal whose habits exactly agreed with their +description, and which I knew to be an inhabitant of a barren country, +where the scrub was of a larger growth than ordinary. One of the natives +had a belt round his waist, made of the fur of the animal they described, +and on inspecting it, the colour and length of the hair bore out my +previous impression. + +<p>The next water along the coast we were informed, was ten days journey +from Yeerkumban kauwe, and was situated among sand-drifts, similar to +those we were at, but beyond the termination of the line of cliffs, +extending westward from the head of the Bight, and which were distinctly +visible from the shore near our camp. These cliffs they called, +"Bundah," and at two days' journey from their commencement, they +told us were procured the specimens of flints (Jula) we had seen +upon their weapons, and of which one or two small pieces had been picked +up by us among the sand-drifts, having probably been dropped there by the +natives. + +<p>January 8.--To-day we remained in camp to recruit the horses, and the +natives remained with us; soon after breakfast one of them lit a signal +fire upon a sand-hill, and not long afterwards we were joined by three +more of the tribe, but the women kept out of sight. I now sent the native +boy out with one to shoot birds for them, but he came back with only a +single crow, and I was obliged to go myself, to try whether I could not +succeed better. Being lucky enough to procure four, I gave them to the +natives, and returning to the camp we all dined, and afterwards lay down +to rest for an hour. + +<p>Upon getting up, I missed a knife I had been using, and which had been +lying beside me. One of the strange natives who had come to the camp this +morning, had been sitting near me, and I at once suspected him to be the +thief, but he was now gone, and I had no prospect of recovering the lost +article. In the afternoon, the stranger came up to the camp again, and I +at once taxed him with the theft; this he vehemently denied, telling me +it was lost in the sand, and pretending to look anxiously for it; he +appeared, however, restless and uneasy, and soon after taking up his +spears went away with two others. My own native boy happened to be coming +over the sand-hills at the time, but unobserved by them, and as they +crossed the ridge he saw the man I had accused stop to pick something up, +and immediately called out to me; upon this I took my gun, and ascending +the hill, saw the native throw down the knife, which my own boy then +picked up; the other natives had now come up, and seemed very anxious to +prevent any hostilities, and to the chief of those who had been so +friendly with us, I explained as well as I could the nature of the +misunderstanding, and requested him to order the dishonest native away, +upon which he spoke to them in his own language, and all took up their +spears and went away, except himself and one other. These two men +remained with us until dark, but as the evening appeared likely to be +wet, they left us also, when we lay down for the night. + +<p>January 9.--The morning set in cold, dark and rainy, and as much wet had +fallen during the night, we had been thoroughly drenched through, our +fire had been extinguished, and it was long before we could get it lit +again, and even then we could hardly keep it in; the few bushes among the +sand hills were generally small, and being for the most part green as +well as wet, it required our utmost efforts to prevent the fire from +going out; so far indeed were we from being either cheered or warmed by +the few sparks we were able to keep together, that the chill and +comfortless aspect of its feeble rays, made us only shiver the more, as +the rain fell coldly and heavily upon our already saturated garments. +About noon the weather cleared up a little, and after getting up and +watering the horses, we collected a large quantity of firewood and made +waterproof huts for ourselves. The rain, however, was over, and we no +longer required them.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-14"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter XIV.</h3> + +<p>PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD<br> +CLIFF'S OF THE GREAT BIGHT<br> +LEVEL NATURE OF THE INTERIOR<br> +FLINTS ABOUND<br> +RETURN TO YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE<br> +NATIVES COME TO THE CAMP<br> +THEIR GENEROUS CONDUCT<br> +MEET THE OVERSEER<br> +RETURN TO DEPOT<br> +BAD WATER<br> +MOVE BACK TO FOWLER'S BAY<br> +ARRIVAL OF THE CUTTER HERO<br> +JOINED BY THE KING GEORGE'S SOUND NATIVE<br> +INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO THE HERO<br> +DIFFICULTY OF FIXING UPON ANY FUTURE PLAN<br> +BREAK UP THE EXPEDITION AND DIVIDE THE PARTY<br> +MR. SCOTT EMBARKS<br> +FINAL REPORT<br> +THE HERO SAILS<br> +OVERSEER AND NATIVES REMAIN<br> +EXCURSION TO THE NORTH<br> +A NATIVE JOINS US<br> +SUDDEN ILLNESS IN THE PARTY<br> +FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING THE DEPOT</p> + +<p>January 10.--WE left Yeer-kumban-kauwe early, and proceeding to the +westward, passed through an open level tract of country, of from three to +four hundred feet in elevation, and terminating seawards abruptly, in +bold and overhanging cliffs, which had been remarked by Captain Flinders, +but which upon our nearer approach, presented nothing very remarkable in +appearance, being only the sudden termination of a perfectly level +country, with its outer face washed, steep and precipitous, by the +unceasing lash of the southern ocean. The upper surface of this country, +like that of all we had passed through lately, consisted of a calcareous +oolitic limestone, below which was a hard concrete substance of sand or +of reddish soil, mixed with shells and pebbles; below this again, the +principal portion of the cliff consisted of a very hard and coarse grey +limestone, and under this a narrow belt of a whitish or cream-coloured +substance, lying in horizontal strata; but what this was we could not yet +determine, being unable to get down to it any where. The cliffs were +frightfully undermined in many places, enormous masses lay dissevered +from the main land by deep fissures, and appearing to require but a touch +to plunge them headlong into the abyss below. Back from the sea, the +country was level, tolerably open, and covered with salsolae, or low, +prickly shrubs, with here and there belts of the eucalyptus dumosa. In +places two or three miles back from the coast there was a great deal of +grass, that at a better season of the year would have been valuable; now +it was dry and sapless. No timber was visible any where, nor the +slightest rise of any kind. The whole of this level region, elevated as +it was above the sea, was completely coated over with small fresh water +spiral shells, of two different kinds. + +<p>After travelling about twenty-five miles along the cliffs, we came all at +once to innumerable pieces of beautiful flint, lying on the surface, +about two hundred yards inland. This was the place at which the natives +had told us they procured the flint; but how it attained so elevated a +position, or by what means it became scattered over the surface in such +great quantities in that particular place, could only be a matter of +conjecture. There was no change whatever in the character or appearance +of the country, or of the cliffs, and the latter were as steep and +impracticable as ever. + +<p>Five miles beyond the flint district we turned a little inland and halted +for the night upon a patch of withered grass. During the day we had been +fortunate enough to find a puddle of water in a hollow of the rock left +by yesterday's rain, at which we watered the horses, and then lading out +the remainder into our bucket carefully covered it up with a stone slab +until our return, as I well knew, if exposed to the sun and wind, there +would not be a drop left in a very few hours. Kangaroos had been seen in +great numbers during the day, but we had not been able to get a shot at +one. Our provisions were now nearly exhausted, and for some days we had +been upon very reduced allowances, so that it was not without some degree +of chagrin that we saw so many fine animals bounding unscathed around us. + +<p>January 11.--Having travelled fifteen miles further along the cliffs, I +found them still continue unchanged, with the same level uninteresting +country behind. I had now accomplished all that I expected to do on this +excursion, by ascertaining the character of the country around the Great +Bight; and as our horses were too weak to attempt to push beyond the +cliffs to the next water, and as we ourselves were without provisions, I +turned homewards, and by making a late and forced march, arrived at the +place where we had left the bucket of water, after a day's ride of +forty-five miles. Our precaution as we had gone out proved of inestimable +value to us now. The bucket of water was full and uninjured, and we were +enabled thus to give our horses a gallon and a half each, and allow them +to feed upon the withered grass instead of tying them up to bushes, which +we must have done if we had had no water. + +<p>January 12.--In our route back to "Yeer-kumban-kauwe" we were lucky +enough to add to our fare a rat and a bandicoot, we might also have had a +large brown snake, but neither the boy nor I felt inclined to +experimentalise upon so uninviting an article of food; after all it was +probably mere prejudice, and the animal might have been as good eating as +an eel. We arrived at the water about noon, and the remainder of the day +afforded a grateful rest both to ourselves and to the horses. + +<p>January 13.--Our fire had gone out during the night, and all our matches +being wet, we could not relight it until noon, when the rays of a hot sun +had dried them again. Having eaten our slender dinner, I walked out to +water the horses, leaving the boy in charge of the camp. Upon my return I +found him comfortably seated between two of our friends the natives, who +had just returned from a hunting excursion, bringing with them the half +roasted carcass of a very fine kangaroo. They had already bestowed upon +the boy two very large pieces, and as soon as I made my appearance they +were equally liberal to me, getting up the moment I arrived at the camp, +and bringing it over to me of their own accord. The supply was a most +acceptable one, and we felt very grateful for it. Having received as much +of the kangaroo as would fully last for two days, I gave a knife in +return to the eldest of the men, with which he seemed highly delighted. I +would gladly have given one to the other also, but I had only one left, +and could not spare it. The natives remained in camp with us for the +night, and seemed a good deal surprised when they saw us re-roasting the +kangaroo; frequently intimating to us that it had already been cooked, +and evidently pitying the want of taste which prevented us from +appreciating their skill in the culinary art. + +<p>January 14.--Upon our leaving this morning the natives buried in the sand +the remains of their kangaroo, and accompanied us a mile or two on our +road, then turning in among the sand-hills they returned to renew their +feast. They had been eating almost incessantly ever since they arrived at +the water yesterday, and during the night they had repeatedly got up for +the same purpose. The appetites of these people know no restraint when +they have the means of gratifying them; they have no idea of temperance +or prudence, and are equally regardless of the evil resulting from excess +as they are improvident in preparing for the necessities of the +morrow--"sufficient (literally so to them) for the day is the evil +thereof." + +<p>In our route to-day instead of following round the sea-shore, we struck +across behind the sand-hills, from "Yeerkumban-kauwe" to the water we had +first found on the 7th of January, and in doing so we passed along a +large but shallow salt-water lake, which the natives had pointed to on +the evening of the 7th, when I made inquiries relative to the existence +of salt water inland. The margin of this lake was soft and boggy, and we +were nearly losing one of our horses which sank unexpectedly in the mud. +About noon we arrived at the camp, from which I had sent the man back on +the 6th, and having picked up the water and other things left there, +proceeded to the sand-hills near which we had halted during the intense +heat of that day. We now rested for several hours, and again moved +onwards about eleven at night to avoid the great heat of the day whilst +crossing the sandy country before us. + +<p>January 15.--At sunrise we arrived at the undulating plains, where twenty +gallons of water had been left buried for us. Here I found the overseer +with two fresh horses, according to the instructions I had sent him on +the 6th, by the man who returned. After resting for an hour or two, I set +off with the native boy upon the fresh horses, and rode to the water at +the sand-drifts, leaving the overseer to bring on the tired animals the +next day. It was nearly dark when we arrived at the plain under the +sand-hills, and very late before we had watered the horses and brought +them back to the grass. + +<p>January 16.--After breakfast, in returning from the water, we had a feast +upon some berries, growing on the briary bushes behind the sand-hills; +they were similar to those the natives had offered to us, at the head of +the Bight, on the 7th, were very abundant, and just becoming ripe. About +eight o'clock we set off for the depot, and arrived there at two, glad to +reach our temporary home once more, after eighteen days absence, and +heartily welcomed by Mr. Scott, who complained bitterly of having been +left alone so long. Under the circumstances of the case, however, it had +been quite unavoidable. Upon tasting the water at the well, I found, that +from so much having been taken out, it had now become so very brackish, +that it was scarcely usable, and I decided upon returning again to +Fowler's Bay, where the water was good, as soon as the overseer came +back. + +<p>January 17.--Spent the day in writing, and in meditating upon my future +plans and prospects. I had now been forty-five miles beyond the head of +the Great Bight, that point to which I had looked with interest and hope; +now, I had ascertained that no improvement took place there, in the +appearance or character of the country, but, if any thing, that it became +less inviting, and more arid. The account of the natives fully satisfied +me that there was no possibility of getting inland, and my own experience +told me that I could never hope to take a loaded dray through the +dreadful country I had already traversed on horseback. What then was I to +do? or how proceed for the future? The following brief abstract of the +labours of the party, and the work performed by the horses in the three +attempts made to get round the head of the Great Bight, may perhaps seem +incredible to those who know nothing of the difficulty of forcing a +passage through such a country as we were in, and amidst all the +disadvantages we were under, from the season of the year and other causes. + +<p>ABSTRACT OF LABOURS OF THE PARTY IN ROUNDING THE GREAT BIGHT.</p> + +<pre> +Names. Distances ridden. No. of days employed. +Mr Eyre 643 miles 40 +Mr. Scott 50 miles 4 +The Overseer 230 miles 22 +Costelow 22 +Houston 12 +Corporal Coles 8 +Eldest native boy 270 miles 19 +Youngest native boy 395 miles 23 +</pre> + +<p>A dray loaded with water was drawn backwards and forwards 238 miles; many +of the horses, in addition to the distances they were ridden, or worked +in the dray, were driven loose, in going or returning, for about eighty +miles. Most of the party walked considerable distances in addition to +those ridden. All the party were engaged, more or less, in connection +with the three attempts to round the Bight, as were also all the horses, +and of the latter, three perished from over fatigue and want of water. +Yet, after all, the distance examined did not exceed 135 miles, and might +have been done easily in ten days, and without any loss, had the +situation of the watering places, or the nature of the country, been +previously known. + +<p>None but a person who has been similarly circumstanced, can at all +conceive the incessant toil and harassing anxiety of the explorer; when +baffled and defeated, he has to traverse over and over again the same +dreary wastes, gaining but a few miles of ground at each fresh attempt, +whilst each renewal of the effort but exhausts still more the strength +and condition of his animals, or the energy and spirits of his men. + +<p>Upon maturely considering our circumstances and position, I decided to +attempt to force a passage round the Great Bight, with pack-horses only, +sending, upon the return of the cutter, all our heavy stores and drays in +her to Cape Arid, if I found, upon her arrival, the instructions I might +receive, would justify me in taking her so far beyond the boundaries of +South Australia. This was the only plan that appeared to me at all +feasible, and I determined to adopt it as soon as our horses were +sufficiently recruited to commence their labours again. + +<p>On the 18th, the overseer returned with the two jaded horses we had used +on our last excursion, looking very wretched and weak. The day was +intensely hot, with the wind due north: the thermometer in the shade, in +a well lined tent, being 105 degrees at 11 A.M.--a strong corroboration, +if such were required, of the statement of the natives, that there was no +large body of inland water. At 2, P.M. the wind changed to west, and the +thermometer suddenly fell to 95 degrees; a little afterwards, it veered +to south-west, and again fell to 80 degrees; the afternoon then became +comparatively cool and pleasant. + +<p>The quality of the water at the well, was now beginning to affect the +health of the whole party; and on the 19th and 20th I put into execution +my resolution of removing to Fowler's Bay, where we again enjoyed the +luxury of good water. Upon digging up the things we had left buried, we +found them perfectly dry. On the 21st, I sent Mr. Scott down to the bay, +to see if the cutter had come back, but she had not. On his return, he +brought up a few fish he had caught, which, added to ten pigeons, shot by +himself and the native boys, at the sand-hills, gave a little variety to +our fare; indeed, for several days, after taking up our old position at +Point Fowler, we were well supplied both with fish and pigeons. + +<p>Time passed gradually away until the evening of the 25th, when a party of +natives once more came up, and took up their abode near us--three were of +those who had accompanied us all the way from Denial Bay, and some others +had also been with us before. On the 26th, I went down myself to Fowler's +Bay to look out for the cutter, which we now daily expected. Just as I +arrived at the beach she came rounding into the bay, and Mr. Scott and +myself got into our little boat, and pulled off to her, though with great +difficulty, the wind blowing very fresh and dead against us, with the sea +running high. We had three miles to go, and for a long time it was very +doubtful whether we should succeed in reaching the vessel; our utmost +efforts appearing barely to enable us to keep our ground. I was myself, +at the best, not very skilful in using an oar, and neither of us had had +much practice in pulling in a heavy sea. However, we got on board after a +good deal of fatigue, and were rewarded by receiving many letters, both +English and Colonial. I found that in returning to Adelaide the +Water-witch had proved so leaky as to be deemed unsafe for further +service on so wild a coast, and that the Governor had, in consequence, +with the promptness and consideration which so eminently distinguished +him, chartered the "HERO," a fine cutter, a little larger than the +WATERWITCH, and placing her under the command of Mr. Germain, had sent +him to our assistance. On board the HERO I was pleased to find the native +from King George's Sound, named Wylie, whom I had sent for, and who was +almost wild with delight at meeting us, having been much disappointed at +being out of the way when I sent for him from Port Lincoln. + +<center> +<p><a name="eyre1-05"></a><img alt="" src="images/eyre1-05.jpg"></p> +<p><b>Wylie, drawn by J. Neil</b></p> +</center> + +<p>After receiving our despatches, and taking Wylie with us, we set sail for +the shore, and then walked up in the evening to our depot; my other two +native boys were greatly rejoiced to find their old friend once more with +them; they had much to tell to, and much to hear from each other, and all +sat up to a late hour. For myself, the many letters I had received, gave +me ample enjoyment and occupation for the night, whilst the large pile of +newspapers from Adelaide, Swan River, and Sydney, promised a fund of +interest for some time to come. Nothing could exceed the kindness and +attention of our friends in Adelaide, who had literally inundated us with +presents of every kind, each appearing to vie with the other in their +endeavours to console us under our disappointments, to cheer us in our +future efforts, and if possible, to make us almost forget that we were in +the wilds. Among other presents I received a fine and valuable +kangaroo-dog from my friend, Captain Sturt, and which had fortunately +arrived safely, and in excellent condition. + +<p>The bran and oats which I had applied for had been most liberally +provided, so that by remaining in depot for a few weeks longer, we might +again hope to get our horses into good condition. From his Excellency the +Governor I received a kind and friendly letter, acquainting me that the +HERO was entirely at my disposal within the limits of South Australia, +but that being under charter I could not take her to Cape Arid, or beyond +the boundaries of the province, and requesting, that if I desired further +aid, or to be met any where, at a future time, that I would communicate +with the Government to that effect by the HERO'S return. The whole tenor +of his Excellency's letter evinced a degree of consideration and kindness +that I could hardly have expected amidst the many anxious duties and +onerous responsibilities devolving upon him at this time; and if any +thing could have added to the feelings of gratitude and respect I +entertained towards him, it would be the knowledge, that with the +disinterested generosity of a noble mind, he was giving up a portion of +his valuable time and attention to our plans, our wants, and our safety, +at a time when the circumstances of the colony over which he presided had +beset his own path with many difficulties, and when every day but added +to the annoyances and embarrassments which a sudden reaction in the +progress and prospects of the province necessarily produced. + +<p>In the instructions I received relative to the cutter, I have mentioned +that I was restricted to employing her within the limits of the colony of +South Australia, and thus, the plan I had formed of sending our drays and +heavy stores in her to Cape Arid, whilst we proceeded overland ourselves +with pack-horses, was completely overturned, and it became now a matter +of very serious consideration to decide what I should do under the +circumstances. It was impossible for me to take my whole party and the +drays overland through the dreadful country verging upon the Great Bight; +whilst if I took the party, and left the drays, it was equally hopeless +that I could carry upon pack-horses a sufficiency of provisions to last +us to King George's Sound. There remained, then, but two alternatives, +either to break through the instructions I had received with regard to +the HERO, or to reduce my party still further, and attempt to force a +passage almost alone. The first I did not, for many reasons, think myself +justified in doing--the second, therefore, became my DERNIER RESORT, and +I reluctantly decided upon adopting it. + +<p>It now became my duty to determine without delay who were to be my +companions in the perilous attempt before me. The first and most painful +necessity impressed upon me by the step I contemplated, was that of +parting with my young friend, Mr. Scott, who had been with me from the +commencement of the undertaking, and who had always been zealous and +active in promoting its interests as far as lay in his power. I knew +that, on an occasion like this, the spirit and enterprise of his +character would prompt in him a wish to remain and share the difficulties +and dangers to which I might be exposed: but I felt that I ought not to +allow him to do so; I had no right to lead a young enthusiastic friend +into a peril from which escape seemed to be all but hopeless; and painful +as it would be to us both to separate under such circumstances, there was +now no other alternative; the path of duty was plain and imperative, and +I was bound to follow it. + +<p>On the 28th, I took the opportunity, whilst walking down to the beach +with Mr. Scott, of explaining the circumstances in which I was placed, +and the decision to which I had been forced. He was much affected at the +intelligence, and would fain have remained to share with me the result of +the expedition, whatever that might be; but I dared not consent to it. + +<p>The only man left, belonging to the party, was the one who had +accompanied me towards the head of the Great Bight, and suffered so much +from the heat on the 6th January. His experience on that occasion of the +nature of the country, and the climate we were advancing into, had, in a +great measure, damped his ardour for exploring; so that when told that +the expedition, as far as he was concerned, had terminated, and that he +would have to go back to Adelaide with Mr. Scott, he did not express any +regret. I had ever found him a useful and obedient man, and with the +exception of his losing courage under the heat, upon the occasion alluded +to, he had been a hardy and industrious man, and capable of enduring much +fatigue. + +<p>The native boys I intended to accompany me in my journey, as they would +be better able to put up with the fatigues and privations we should have +to go through, than Europeans; whilst their quickness of sight, habit of +observation, and skill in tracking, might occasionally be of essential +service to me. The native who had lately joined me from Adelaide, and +whose country was around King George's Sound, would, I hoped, be able to +interpret to any tribes we might meet with, as it appeared to me that +some of the words we had heard in use among the natives of this part of +the coast were very similar to some I had heard among the natives of King +George's Sound. Three natives, however, were more than I required, and I +would gladly have sent the youngest of them back to Adelaide, but he had +been with me several years, and I did not like to send him away whilst he +was willing to remain; besides, he was so young and so light in weight, +that if we were able to get on at all, his presence could cause but +little extra difficulty. I therefore decided upon taking him also. + +<p>There remained now only the overseer; a man who had been in my service +for many years, and whose energy, activity, and many useful qualities, +had made him an invaluable servant to me at all times; whilst his +courage, prudence, good conduct, and fidelity, made me very desirous to +have him with me in this last effort to cross to the westward. Having +sent for him, I explained to him most fully the circumstances in which I +was placed, the utter impossibility of taking on the whole party through +so inhospitable a region as that before us, my own firm determination +never to return unsuccessful, but either to accomplish the object I had +in view, or perish in the attempt. I pointed out to him that there were +still eight hundred and fifty miles of an unknown country yet to be +traversed and explored; that, in all probability, this would consist +principally, if not wholly, of an all but impracticable desert. I +reminded him of the fatigues, difficulties, and losses we had already +experienced in attempting to reconnoitre the country only as far as the +head of the Great Bight; and stated to him my own conviction, that from +the knowledge and experience we had already acquired of the nature of the +country; the journey before us must of necessity be a long and harassing +one--one of unceasing toil, privation, and anxiety, whilst, from the +smallness of our party, the probable want of water, and other causes, it +would be one, also, of more than ordinary risk and danger. I then left +him to determine whether he would return to Adelaide, in the cutter, or +remain and accompany me. His reply was, that although he had become tired +of remaining so long away in the wilds, and should be glad when the +expedition had terminated, yet he would willingly remain with me to the +last; and would accompany me to the westward at every hazard. + +<p>Our future movements being now arranged, and the division of the party +decided upon, it remained only for me to put my plans into execution. The +prospect of the approaching separation, had cast a gloom over the whole +party, and now that all was finally determined, I felt that the sooner it +was over the better. I lost no time, therefore, in getting up all the +bran and oats from the cutter, and in putting on board of her our drays, +and such stores as we did not require, directing the master to hold +himself in readiness to return to Adelaide immediately. + +<p>By the 31st January, every thing was ready; my farewell letters were +written to the kind friends in Adelaide, to whom I owed so much; and my +final report to the Chairman of the Committee, for promoting the +expedition--that expedition being now brought to a close, and its members +disbanded. + +<p>In the evening the man and Mr. Scott went on board the cutter, taking +with them our three kangaroo dogs, which the arid nature of the country +rendered it impossible for me to keep. I regretted exceedingly being +compelled to part with the dogs, but it would have been certain +destruction to them to have attempted to take them with me. + +<p>The following is a copy of my final report to the Chairman of the +Northern Expedition Committee:-- + +<p>"Fowler's Bay, 30th Jan., 1841. + +<p>"Sir,--By the return of the HERO from Fowler's Bay, I have the honour to +acquaint you, for the information of his Excellency the Governor, and the +colonists interested, with the unsuccessful termination of the expedition +placed under my command, for the purpose of exploring the northern +interior. Since my last report to his Excellency the Governor, containing +an account of two most disastrous attempts to head the Great Australian +Bight, I have, accompanied by one of my native boys, made a third and +more successful one. On this occasion, I with some difficulty advanced +about fifty miles beyond the head of the Great Bight, along the line of +high cliffs described by Flinders, and which have hitherto been supposed +to be composed principally of chalk. I found the country between the head +of Fowler's Bay and the head of the Great Bight to consist of a +succession of sandy ridges, all of which were more or less covered by a +low scrub, and without either grass or water for the last sixty miles. +This tract is of so uneven and heavy a nature that it would be quite +impossible for me to take a loaded dray across it at this very +unfavourable season of the year, and with horses so spiritless and jaded +as ours have become, from the incessant and laborious work they have gone +through during the last seven months. Upon rounding the head of the +Bight, I met with a few friendly natives, who shewed me where both grass +and water was to be procured, at the same time assuring me that there was +no more along the coast for ten of their days' journeys, (probably 100 +miles) or where the first break takes place in the long and continuous +line of cliffs which extend so far to the westward of the head of the +Great Bight. Upon reaching these cliffs I felt much disappointed, as I +had long looked forward to some considerable and important change in the +character of the country. There was, however, nothing very remarkable in +their appearance, nor did the features of the country around undergo any +material change. The cliffs themselves struck me as merely exhibiting the +precipitous banks of an almost level country of moderate elevation (three +or four hundred feet) which the violent lash of the whole of the Southern +Ocean was always acting upon and undermining. Their rock formation +consisted of various strata, the upper crust or surface being an oolitic +limestone; below this is an indented concrete mixture of sand, soil, +small pebbles, and shells; beneath this appear immense masses of a coarse +greyish limestone, of which by far the greater portion of the cliffs are +composed; and immediately below these again is a narrow stripe of a +whitish, or rather a cream-coloured substance, lying in horizontal +strata, but which the impracticable nature of the cliffs did not permit +me to examine. After riding for forty-five miles along their summits, I +was in no instance able to descend; their brinks were perfectly steep and +overhanging, and in many places enormous masses appeared severed by deep +cracks from the main land, and requiring but a slight touch to plunge +them into the abyss below. As far as I have yet been along these cliffs, +I have seen nothing in their appearance to lead me to suppose that any +portion of them is composed of chalk. Immediately along their summits, +and for a few hundred yards back, very numerous pieces of pure flint are +lying loosely scattered upon the surface of the limestone. How they +obtained so elevated a position, or whence they are from, may admit, +perhaps, of some speculation. Back from the sea, and as far as the eye +could reach, the country was level and generally open, with some low +prickly bushes and salsolaceous plants growing upon it; here and there +patches of the gum scrub shewed themselves, and among which a few small +grassy openings were interspersed. The whole of this tract was thickly +covered by small land shells, about the size of snail shells--and some of +them somewhat resembling those in shape. There were no sudden depressions +or abrupt elevations anywhere; neither hills, trees, or water were to be +observed; nor was there the least indication of improvement or change in +the general character of this desolate and forbidding region. The natives +we met with at the head of the Bight were very friendly, and readily +afforded us every information we required--as far as we could make them +comprehend our wishes. + +<p>"We most distinctly understood from them, that there was no water along +the coast, westerly, for ten of their days' journeys; and that inland, +there was neither fresh nor salt water, hills or timber, as far as they +had ever been; an account which but too well agreed with the opinion I +had myself formed, upon ascertaining that the same dreary, barren region +I had been traversing so long, still continued at a point where I had +ever looked forward to some great and important change taking place in +the features of the country, and from which I had hoped I might +eventually have accomplished the object for which the expedition was +fitted out. Such, however, was not the case; there was not any +improvement in the appearance of the country, or the least indication +that there might be a change for the better, within any practicable +distance. I had already examined the tract of country from the longitude +of Adelaide, to the parallel of almost 130 degrees E. longitude; an +extent comprising nearly 8 1/2 degrees of longitude; without my having +found a single point from which it was possible to penetrate for into the +interior; and I now find myself in circumstances of so embarrassing and +hopeless a character, that I have most reluctantly been compelled to give +up all further idea of contending with obstacles which there is no +reasonable hope of ever overcoming. I have now, therefore, with much +regret completely broken up my small but devoted party. Two of my men +returned to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, five weeks ago. + +<p>"Mr. Scott and another of my men proceed on Monday in the HERO; whilst +myself, my native boys, and the overseer (who has chosen to accompany me) +proceed hence overland to King George's Sound, as soon as our horses are +a little recruited by the abundant supply of forage we received by the +HERO. + +<p>"In this undertaking, my young friend Mr. Scott--with his usual spirit +and perseverance--was most anxious to have joined me; but painful as it +has been to refuse, I have felt it my duty, from the nature of the +service, not to comply with his request. It now only remains for me to +return my most sincere thanks to the many friends to whose kindness I +have been so much indebted during the continuance of this long and +anxious undertaking. To his Excellency the Governor I feel that I can +never be sufficiently grateful for the very kind, prompt, and liberal +support and encouragement which I have invariably experienced, and to +which I have been mainly indebted for the means of accomplishing even the +little I have done. To yourself, as chairman, the committee, and the +colonists, by whom the expedition was fitted out, I return my most +sincere acknowledgments for the very great honour done me in appointing +me to the command of an undertaking at once so interesting and +important--for the liberal and kind way in which I have been supported, +and my wishes complied with; and, above all, for the flattering and +encouraging confidence expressed in my abilities and perseverance. To a +conviction of the existence of this confidence in the minds of those by +whom I was appointed, I feel that I owe much of the stimulus that has +sustained and encouraged me under difficulties and disappointments of no +ordinary kind. Deeply as I lament the unsuccessful and unsatisfactory +result of an undertaking from which so much was expected, I have the +cheering consciousness of having endeavoured faithfully to discharge the +trust confided to me; and although from a concurrence of most unfortunate +circumstances which no human prudence could foresee or guard against, and +which the most untiring perseverance has been unable to surmount, I have +not succeeded in effecting the great objects for which this expedition +was fitted out, I would fain hope that our labours have not been +altogether in vain, but that hereafter, some future and more fortunate +traveller, judging from the considerable extent of country we have +examined, and the features it has developed, may, by knowing where the +interior is not practicable, be directed to where it is. + +<p>"In concluding my report of our endeavours to penetrate the northern +interior, I beg to express to all who have been connected with the +expedition, my sincere thanks for their zeal and good conduct. In my +young friend, Mr. Scott, I have had a cheerful companion and useful +assistant; whilst in my overseer and men, I have met with a most +praiseworthy readiness and steadiness of conduct, under circumstances and +disappointments that have at once been trying and disheartening. + +<p>"I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,<br> +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE. + +<p>"The Chairman of the Committee for promoting the Northern Expedition." + +<p>We were now alone, myself, my overseer, and three native boys, with a +fearful task before us, the bridge was broken down behind us, and we must +succeed in reaching King George's Sound, or perish; no middle course +remained. It was impossible for us to be insensible to the isolated and +hazardous position we were in; but this very feeling only nerved and +stimulated us the more in our exertions, to accomplish the duty we had +engaged in; the result we humbly left to that Almighty Being who had +guided and guarded us hitherto, amidst all our difficulties, and in all +our wanderings, and who, whatever he might ordain, would undoubtedly +order every thing for the best. + +<p>Our time was now entirely taken up, in the daily routine of the camp, +attending to the sheep and horses, and in making preparations for our +journey. We had a large supply of corn and bran sent for our horses, and +as long as any of this remained, I determined to continue in depot. + +<p>In the mean time, the overseer was thoroughly occupied in preparing +pack-saddles, (all of which we had to make) extra bridles, new hobbles, +and in shoeing all the horses. I undertook the duty of new stuffing and +repairing the various saddles, making what extra clothes were required +for myself and the native boys for our journey; weighing out and packing +in small linen bags, all the rations of tea, sugar, etc. which would be +required weekly, preparing strong canvas saddle-bags, making light +oilskins to protect our things from the wet, etc. etc. These many necessary +and important preparations kept us all very busy, and the time passed +rapidly away. On one occasion, I attempted with one of my native boys, to +explore the country due north of Fowler's Bay, but the weather turned out +unfavourable, the wind being from the north-east, and scorchingly hot; I +succeeded, however, in penetrating fully twenty miles in the direction I +had taken, the first ten of which was through a dense heavy scrub, of the +Eucalyptus dumosa, or the tea-tree. Emerging from this, we entered an +open pretty looking country, consisting of grassy plains of great extent, +divided by belts of shrubs and bush; as we advanced the shrubs became +less numerous, the country more open, and salsolaceous plants began to +occupy the place of the grass. Had we been able to continue our +exploration for another day's journey, I have no doubt, from the change +which appeared gradually to be taking place as we advanced north, that +the whole country around would have been one vast level open waste, +without bush or shrub of any kind, and covered by salsolae. I felt +strongly convinced, we were gradually approaching a similar kind of +country to that I had been in between Lake Torrens and Flinders range; +the only difference was that as far as we had yet gone from Fowler's Bay, +the elevation of the country did not appear to have been diminished; its +average height above the level of the sea, I judged to be about 300 feet, +and forming doubtless a continuation of the table land, I had found +existing at the head of the Great Bight. The weather, however, was as +unfavourable as the country, for such researches, at this season of the +year, and the horses I had taken out with me suffered a good deal, even +in the short space of two days, during which I was engaged in this +attempt. + +<p>On some occasions the thermometer was 113 degrees in the shade, and +whenever the wind was from the north-east, it was hot and oppressive +beyond all conception. The natives, though occasionally seen, generally +kept away from us during the time we were in depot. One old man alone +(called Mumma) came up to our camp, and remained with us for +several days; he was one of the few who had accompanied us so far from +the neighbourhood of Denial Bay, and seemed to have taken a great fancy +to us. We now endeavoured to reward him for his former services, by +giving him a red shirt, a blanket, and a tomahawk, and whenever we got +our meals he joined us, eating and drinking readily any thing we gave +him--tea, broth, pease soup, mutton, salt pork, rice, damper, sugar, +dried fruits, were all alike to him, nothing came amiss, and he appeared +to grow better in condition every day. + +<p>At last he too got tired of remaining so long in one place; the novelty +had worn away, and packing up his things he left us. During the time this +man had been with us, I took the opportunity of ascertaining whether the +King George's Sound native, Wylie, could understand him, but I found he +could not. There were one or two words common to both, but the general +character, meaning, and sound of the two languages were so very different +upon comparison, that I could myself understand the old man much better +than Wylie could. + +<p>Whilst remaining in depot, the whole party were one day suddenly seized +with a severe attack of illness, accompanied with vomiting and violent +pain in the stomach, and I began to fear that we had unknowingly taken +some deleterious ingredient in our food, as all were seized in the same +way; this attack continued for several days, without our being able to +discover the cause of it, but at last by changing the sugar we were +using, we again got well. It appeared that a new bag of sugar had been +broached about the time we were first attacked, and upon inspecting it, +we found the bag quite wet--something or other of a deleterious character +having been spilled over it, and which had doubtless caused us the +inconvenience we experienced. Fortunately we had other sugar that had not +been so injured, and the loss of the damaged bag was not of great +consequence to us. + +<p>By the 23rd of February our preparations for entering upon our journey +were nearly all completed, the horses had eaten up all their bran and +corn, and were now in good condition; all our pack-saddles, saddles, and +harness were ready, our provisions were all packed, and every thing in +order for commencing the undertaking; there remained but to bury our +surplus stores, and for this the hole was already dug. On the afternoon +of the 24th I intended finally to evacuate the depot, and on the evening +of the 23rd, to amuse my natives, I had all the rockets and blue-lights +we had, fired off, since we could not take them with us, our pack-horses +being barely able to carry for us the mere necessaries of life.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-15"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter XV.</h3> + +<p>RETURN OF MR. SCOTT IN THE HERO<br> +MR. SCOTT AGAIN SAILS FOR ADELAIDE<br> +COMMENCE JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD<br> +OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL AT THE SAND-HILLS<br> +LARGE FLIES TAKE ON THE SHEEP<br> +LEAVE THE OVERSEER WITH THE HORSES<br> +REACH YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE<br> +JOINED BY THE OVERSEER<br> +TORMENTING FLIES AGAIN<br> +MOVE ON WITH THE SHEEP<br> +LEAVE OVERSEER TO FOLLOW WITH THE HORSES<br> +CHARACTER OF COUNTRY ALONG THE BIGHT<br> +SCENERY OF THE CLIFFS<br> +LEAVE THE SHEEP<br> +ANXIETY ABOUT WATER<br> +REACH THE TERMINATION OF THE CLIFFS<br> +FIND WATER</p> + +<p>February 24.--THIS being the day I had appointed to enter upon the +arduous task before me, I had the party up at a very early hour. Our +loads were all arranged for each of the horses; our blankets and coats +were all packed up, and we were in the act of burying in a hole under +ground the few stores we could not take with us, when to our surprise a +shot was heard in the direction of Fowler's Bay, and shortly after a +second; we then observed two people in the distance following up the dray +tracks leading to the depot. Imagining that some whaler had anchored in +the bay, and being anxious to prevent our underground store from being +noticed, we hastily spread the tarpaulins over the hole, so that what we +were about could not be observed, and then fired shots in reply. + +<p>As the parties we had seen gradually approached nearer I recognised one +of them with the telescope as being Mr. Germain, the master of the HERO; +the other I could not make out at first from his being enveloped in heavy +pilot clothes; a little time however enabled me to distinguish under this +guise my young friend Mr. Scott, and I went anxiously to meet him, and +learn what had brought him back. Our greeting over, he informed me that +the Governor had sent him back with letters to me, and desired me to +return in the HERO to Adelaide. As Mr. Scott had not brought the letters +up, I walked down with him after luncheon, and went on board the cutter, +where I received many friendly letters, all urging me to return and give +up the attempt I meditated to the westward, and which every one appeared +to consider as little less than madness. From the Governor I received a +kind letter to the same effect, offering to assist me in any further +attempts I might wish to make round Lake Torrens, or to explore the +Northern Interior, and placing absolutely at my disposal, within the +colony, the services of the HERO, to enable me either to take my party +back overland, or to follow out any examinations I might wish to make +from the coast northerly. As a further inducement, and with a view to +lessen the feelings of disappointment I might experience at the +unsuccessful termination of an expedition from which such great results +had been expected, the assistant commissioner had been instructed to +write to me officially, communicating the approbation of His Excellency +and of the Colonists of the way in which I had discharged the trust +confided to me, and directing me to relinquish all further attempts to +the westward, and to return in the HERO to Adelaide. + +<p>Added to the numerous letters I received, were many friendly messages to +the same effect, sent to me through Mr. Scott. I felt deeply sensible of +the lively interest expressed in my welfare, and most grateful for the +kind feeling manifested towards me on the part of the Governor and the +Colonists; it was with much pain and regret, therefore, that I found +myself unable to comply with their requests, and felt compelled by duty +to adopt a course at variance with their wishes. When I first broke up my +party and sent Mr. Scott back to Adelaide, on the 31st January, 1841, I +had well and maturely considered the step I felt myself called upon to +adopt; after giving my best and serious attention to the arguments of my +friends, and carefully reconsidering the subject now, I saw nothing to +induce me to change the opinion I had then arrived at. + +<p>It will be remembered, that in stating the origin and commencement of the +Northern expedition, it was remarked, that a previously contemplated +expedition to the Westward, was made to give way to it, and that I had +myself been principally instrumental in changing the direction of public +attention from the one to the other; it will be remembered also, what +publicity had been given to our departure, how great was the interest +felt in the progress of our labours, and how sanguine were the +expectations formed as to the results; alas, how signally had these hopes +been dashed to the ground, after the toils, anxieties, and privations of +eight months, neither useful nor valuable discoveries had been made; +hemmed in by an impracticable desert, or the bed of an impassable lake, I +had been baffled and defeated in every direction, and to have returned +now, would have been, to have rendered of no avail the great expenses +that had been incurred in the outfit of the expedition, to have thrown +away the only opportunity presented to me of making some amends for past +failure, and of endeavouring to justify the confidence that had been +reposed in me, by carrying through the exploration which had been +originally contemplated to the westward, now it was no longer possible to +accomplish that to the north, for which it had given place; I considered +myself in duty and in honour bound, not to turn back from this attempt, +as long as there was the remotest possibility of success, without any +regard to considerations of a personal or private nature. Under these +feelings, therefore, I resolved to remain only another day in depot, to +reply to the letters I had received, and return my best thanks to the +many friends who had expressed such kind interest on my behalf. + +<p>February 25.--Having finished my letters, and buried all the spare +stores, I sent the native boys away early with the sheep, that they might +travel more slowly than we should do with the horses. About two we loaded +the pack animals, and wishing Mr. Scott a final adieu, set off upon our +route. The party consisted of myself, the overseer, three native boys, +nine horses, one Timor pony, one foal, born at Streaky Bay, and six +sheep; our flour which was buried at the sand-hills to the north-west, +was calculated for nine weeks, at an allowance of six pounds of flour +each weekly, with a proportionate quantity of tea and sugar. The long +rest our horses had enjoyed, and the large supply of oats and bran we had +received for them, had brought them round wonderfully, they were now in +good condition, and strong, and could not have commenced the journey +under more favourable circumstances, had it been the winter instead of +the summer season. + +<p>Two of the native boys having gone on early in the morning with the +sheep, there remained only myself, the overseer, and one native, to +manage ten horses, and we were consequently obliged to drive some of the +pack-horses loose; at first they went well and quietly, but something +having unluckily startled one of them, he frightened the others, and four +out of the number set off at full gallop, and never stopped for five +miles, by which time they had got rid of all their loads except the +saddles. Sending the black boy back to the depot with the four horses +that had not got away, I and the overseer went on horseback after the +others, picking up the baggage they had been carrying, scattered about in +every direction; luckily no great damage was done, and at sunset we were +all assembled again at the depot, and the animals reloaded. Leaving a +short note for Mr. Scott, who had gone on board the cutter, we again +recommenced our journey, and, travelling for five miles, halted at the +well in the plains. I intended to have made a long stage, but the night +set in so dark that I did not like to venture amongst the scrub with the +pack-horses now they were so fresh, and where, if they did get frightened +and gallop off, they would cause us much greater trouble and delay than +they had done in the daytime. + +<p>February 26.--Moving on very early, we arrived at the grassy plain under +the sand-hills, a little after three in the afternoon, just in time to +save the gun and clothes of the black boys, which they had imprudently +left there whilst they took the sheep to water, a mile and a half away. +At the very instant of our arrival, a native was prowling about the camp, +and would, doubtless, soon have carried off every thing. Upon examining +the place at which we had buried our flour on the 31st December, and upon +which we were now dependent for our supply, I found that we had only just +arrived in time to save it from the depredations of the natives; it +seems, that having found where the cask containing it was buried, and +being unable, from its weight, to get it out of the ground, they had +broken a square hole in one of the staves (by what means I could not +discover), and though, as yet, every thing was safe and uninjured inside, +I have no doubt, that, had we been one day later in coming, they would +have enlarged the opening in the cask, and scattered or destroyed the +contents, and we should have then had the unpleasant and laborious task +of returning to that we had buried at Fowler's Bay for a fresh supply. A +bucket, which we had also left buried, was broken to pieces, a two gallon +keg carried off, and a twenty-five gallon cask full of water had been dug +up, and the water drank or emptied, so that we were very fortunate in +arriving when we did to prevent further loss. + +<p>The black boys, who had gone a-head with the sheep, returned soon after +our arrival, tired and hungry, having only had one meal since they left +us on the 25th. They had been over the sandhills to fetch water, and were +now coming to try and find the flour which they knew we had left buried +at these plains. After dark, accompanied by the overseer, I took the +horses down to the water, but the sand had slipped in, and we could not +get them watered to-night. + +<p>February 27.--Sending the overseer and two boys down with the horses to +the well this morning, I and the other boy set to work, and dug out the +cask with the flour, which we then weighed out, and subdivided into +packages of fifty pounds each, for the convenience of carrying. The +native I had seen about the camp, on our approach, yesterday, had +returned, and slept near us at night; but upon inquiring from him this +morning, where our two-gallon keg was, he took the very earliest +opportunity of decamping, being probably afraid that we should charge him +with the robbery, or punish him for it. The natives, generally, are a +strange and singular race of people, and their customs and habits are +often quite inexplicable to us. Sometimes, in barely passing through a +country, we have them gathering from all quarters, and surrounding us, +anxious and curious to observe our persons, or actions; at other times, +we may remain in camp for weeks together without seeing a single native, +though many may be in the neighbourhood; when they do come, too, they +usually depart as suddenly as their visit had been unexpected. Among all +who had come under my observation, hitherto, along this coast, I found +that every male had undergone the singular ceremony I have described as +prevailing in the Port Lincoln peninsula; each, too, had the cartilage of +the nose perforated, but none had lost the front teeth, nor did I see any +(with one exception) having scars raised on the back, breast, or arms, as +is frequently the case with many tribes in Australia. + +<p>For the last few days, the weather had been tolerably cool, and we had +not been much troubled with musquitoes; instead, however, we were +persecuted severely by a very large greyish kind of horsefly, with a huge +proboscis for sucking up the blood. These pests were in great numbers, +and proved a sad annoyance, lighting upon us in every direction, and +inflicting very irritating wounds even through clothes of considerable +thickness. + +<p>February 28.--As we had a long distance to travel to the next water, and +the sheep could not keep pace with the horses, I left the overseer and +two natives to bring the latter after us, whilst I and the younger boy +set off with the sheep. At fifteen miles, we passed the place where the +nine-gallon keg of water had been buried on the 5th January. Upon digging +it up, and taking out the bung, the water appeared discoloured and +offensive in smell. It was still clear, however, and the sheep drank +hastily of it, and we did the same ourselves, but the horses would not +touch it. Leaving the cask out in the air with the bung out that it might +sweeten a little against the overseer came up, we went on with the sheep +to the undulating plains, arriving there between ten and eleven at night. +After hobbling the horses, and making a brush-yard for the sheep, we laid +down, tired with the labours of the day. + +<p>March 1.--Travelling through the plains for a mile, we came to our former +encampment, where we had left some stores, and a large cask of water; the +latter had dried up to about two quarts, and was very horrible, both in +smell and flavour; but still we were glad to take it, for, calculating +upon finding an abundance in this cask, we had imprudently brought but +little with us. After breakfast, I dug up some of the provisions buried +here; and leaving a note for the overseer, proceeded onwards with the +boy, and the sheep, for twenty-four miles. The stage was a long one, and +over heavy ground, so that the sheep began to get tired, as we did +ourselves also, one of us being always obliged to walk whilst the other +was riding. We had two horses with us, but required one exclusively to +carry our coats, blankets, and provisions, the other one we rode in turn. + +<p>March 2.--A hot day, with the wind north-east. Between eleven and twelve +we arrived at the first water, at the head of the Bight, and had a long +and arduous task to get the sheep and horses watered, no natives being +here to help us now, and the sand rushing in as fast as we could throw it +out. By great exertion we effected our object, and then getting some tea, +and leaving a note to tell the overseer not to halt at this difficult +watering-place, if he could possibly avoid it, we pushed on again, and +took up our position at Yeerkumban kauwe, in time to dig holes, and water +the sheep, before dark. + +<p>March 3.--Having got up and watered the horses and sheep, I sent the boy +out to tend them at grass, whilst I commenced digging two large holes to +water the pack-horses, that there might be no delay when the overseer +came up with them. I had nothing but a shell to dig with, and, as a very +large excavation was required to enable a bucket to be dipped, my +occupation was neither a light nor a short one. Having completed my work, +I killed a sheep, well knowing the party would be fatigued and hungry, +when they came up. About three they made their appearance, and thus, upon +the whole, we had very successfully got over this our first push, and +were soon very comfortably established at "Yeerkumban kauwe." The holes I +had dug enabled us easily and speedily to water the horses, and the sheep +I had killed afforded a refreshing meal to the overseer and boys, after +their harassing journey. In the afternoon the sand blew about in a most +annoying manner, covering us from head to foot, and filling everything we +put down, if but for an instant. This sand had been our constant torment +for many weeks past; condemned to live among the sand-hills for the sake +of procuring water, we were never free from irritation and inconvenience. +It floated on the surface of the water, penetrated into our clothes, +hair, eyes, and ears, our provisions were covered over with it, and our +blankets half buried when we lay down at nights,--it was a perpetual and +never-ceasing torment, and as if to increase our miseries we were again +afflicted with swarms of large horse-flies, which bit us dreadfully. On +the 4th, we remained in camp to rest the horses, and I walked round to +reconnoitre. Upon the beach I found the fragments of a wreck, consisting +of part of a mast, a tiller wheel, and some copper sheathings, the last +sad records of the fate of some unfortunate vessel on this wild and +breaker-beaten shore. There was nothing to indicate its size, or name, or +the period when the wreck occurred. + +<p>No recent traces of natives having been either at Yeerkumban kauwe, or +the more distant water, were visible anywhere, and I imagined they might +perhaps have made an excursion to the westward. A large flight of +red-winged cockatoos were seen today hovering around the sand-hills, and +appearing quite disconcerted at finding us in possession of the water; we +had not before seen them in the neighbourhood, and I can hardly +conjecture where they go to from this place, for generally they are birds +fond of water. + +<p>Knowing from the accounts of the natives that upon leaving Yeerkumban +kauwe, I should have a task before me of no ordinary difficulty to get +either the sheep or the horses to the next water, I determined to proceed +myself in advance, with the sheep, that by travelling slowly, at the same +time that we kept steadily advancing, every chance might be given to them +of accomplishing the journey in safety. I was anxious too to precede my +party, in order that by finding out where the water was, I might be on +the look out for them, to guide them to it, and that thus when in their +greatest difficulty, no time should be lost in searching for water. +Having given the overseer orders to keep the tracks of my horses, when he +had travelled about seventy miles along the coast, I set off on the 7th +March, with the youngest of the natives to assist me in driving the +sheep, leaving the two elder ones with the overseer, to aid in managing +the pack-horses. As before we took two horses with us, one to carry our +provisions and water, and the other to ride upon in turn, the boy +however, being young, and incapable of much fatigue, the greater portion +of the walking naturally fell to my share. The day was cool and +favourable, and we accomplished a stage of twenty-four miles; the +afternoon became dark and lowering, and I fully expected rain, but +towards sunset two or three drops fell, and the clouds cleared away. Our +horses fed tolerably upon the little withered grass that we found, but +the sheep were too tired to eat, and lay down; we put them therefore into +a yard we had made for them for the night. + +<p>March 8.--Having turned the sheep out of the yard three hours before +daylight, I was in hopes they would have fed a little before we moved on, +but they would not touch such food as we had for them, and at six I was +obliged to proceed onwards; the morning was dark and looked like rain, +but as was the case yesterday, a drop or two only fell. We made a stage +to-day of twenty-six miles, through a level country, generally open, but +near the sea covered with a very low dwarf tea-tree, small prickly +bushes, and salsolae, and having the surface almost every where sprinkled +over with fresh-water shells; further from the coast the plains extending +to the north were very extensive, level, and divided by belts of scrub or +shrubs. There was no perceptible inclination of the country in any +direction, the level land ran to the very borders of the sea, where it +abruptly terminated, forming the steep and precipitous cliffs, observed +by Captain Flinders, and which it was quite impossible to descend +anywhere. The general elevation of this table land, was from three to +four hundred feet. + +<p>The day turned out fine and clear, and the effect produced by refraction +in these vast plains was singular and deceptive: more than once we turned +considerably out of our way to examine some large timber, as we thought +it to be, to the north of us, but which, upon our approach, proved to be +low scrubby bushes. At another time we imagined we saw two natives in the +distance, and went towards them as carefully and cautiously as we could; +instead, however, of our having seen the heads of natives, as we +supposed, above the bushes, it turned out to be only crows. Yet the +native boy, whose quickness and accuracy of vision had often before +surprised me, was equally deceived with myself. Upon halting in the +evening our sheep again were very tired, and refused to eat. The horses +too were now beginning to feel the want of water, and fed but little. I +therefore sat up and watched them until half past eight, after which I +tied them up to some bushes. At one o'clock I again got up and let them +loose, hoping they might feed a little better in the cool of the night. +The scud was rapidly passing the moon, and I watched for hours the clouds +gathering to the south and passing to the north, but no rain fell. + +<p>March 9.--Moving on early we passed through a similar country to that we +had before traversed; but there was more of the tea-tree scrub, which +made our travelling more difficult and fatiguing. This kind of scrub, +which is different from any I had seen before, is a low bush running +along the ground, with very thick and crooked roots and branches, and +forming a close matted and harassing obstacle to the traveller. The sheep +and horses got very tired, from having to lift their legs so high to +clear it every step they took. To the westward we found the country +rising as we advanced, and the cliffs becoming higher; they now answered +fully, where we could obtain a view of any projecting parts, to the +description given by Flinders--"the upper part brown and the lower part +white;" but as yet we could not find any place where we could descend to +examine them. The lower, or white part, appeared soft and crumbling, and +its decay had left the upper, or harder rock, fearfully overhanging the +ocean. Upon the summits we again found flints in the greatest abundance +lying loosely scattered over the surface. + +<p>The day was cloudy and gathering for rain, but none fell. After +travelling twenty-five miles we halted for an hour or two to rest the +sheep and horses, feeding was out of the question, for they were too much +in want of water to attempt to cat the dry and withered grass around us. +We now lay down to rest ourselves, and the boy soon fell asleep; I was +however feverish and restless, and could not close my eyes. In an hour +and a half I arose, got up the horses and saddled them, and then, awaking +my companion, we again pushed on by moonlight. At ten miles we crossed a +well beaten native pathway, plainly discernible even then, and this we +followed down towards the cliffs, fully hoping it would lead to water. +Our hopes however had been excited but to render our disappointment the +greater, for upon tracing it onwards we found it terminate abruptly at a +large circular hole of limestone rock, which would retain a considerable +quantity of water after rains, but was now without a single drop. +Gloomily turning away we again pushed on for eight miles further, and at +three in the morning of the 10th were compelled to halt from downright +exhaustion and fatigue. The horses and sheep were knocked up. The poor +boy was so tired and sleepy that he could scarcely sit upon his horse, +and I found myself actually dosing as I walked: mechanically my legs kept +moving forwards, but my eyes were every now and then closed in +forgetfulness of all around me, until I was suddenly thrown down by +getting entangled amongst the scrub, or aroused by a severe blow across +the face from the recoil of a bough after the passage of the boy's horse. +I now judged we had come about ninety-three miles from Yeerkumban-kauwe, +and hoped that we could not be very far from water. Having tied up the +horses for an hour or two, and without making a fire, or even unrolling +our cloaks to cover us, we stretched ourselves on the ground, and were in +a few moments fast asleep. + +<p>March 10.--At five we were again on our route, every moment expecting to +see a break in the line of cliffs along which we had now travelled so +far. Alas! they still continued stretching as far as the eye could see to +the westward, and as fast as we arrived at one point which had bounded +our vision (and beyond which we hoped a change might occur), it was but +to be met with the view of another beyond. Distressing and fatal as the +continuance of these cliffs might prove to us, there was a grandeur and +sublimity in their appearance that was most imposing, and which struck me +with admiration. Stretching out before us in lofty unbroken outline, they +presented the singular and romantic appearance of massy battlements of +masonry, supported by huge buttresses, and glittering in the morning sun +which had now risen upon them, and made the scene beautiful even amidst +the dangers and anxieties of our situation. It was indeed a rich and +gorgeous view for a painter, and I never felt so much regret at my +inability to sketch as I did at this moment. + +<p>Still we kept moving onwards and still the cliffs continued. Hour after +hour passed away, mile after mile was traversed, and yet no change was +observable. My anxiety for the party who were to follow behind with the +pack-horses became very great; the state of doubt and uncertainty I was +in was almost insupportable, and I began to fear that neither sheep nor +horses would ever reach the water, even should we suceeed in doing so +ourselves, which now appeared to be very doubtful. At noon I considered +we had come one hundred and ten miles from the last water, and still the +country remained the same. The cliffs indeed appeared to be gradually +declining a little in elevation to the westward, but there was nothing to +indicate their speedy termination. Our sheep still travelled, but they +were getting so tired, and their pace was so slow, that I thought it +would be better to leave them behind, and by moving more rapidly with the +horses endeavour at least to save their lives. Foreseeing that such a +contingency as this might occur, I had given the overseer strict orders +to keep the tracks of my horses, that if I should be compelled to abandon +the sheep he might find them and bring them on with his party. + +<p>Having decided upon this plan we set to work and made a strong high yard +of such shrubs as we could find, and in this we shut up the sheep. I then +wrote a note for the overseer, directing him to bury the loads of the +horses, and hastening on with the animals alone endeavour to save their +lives. To attract attention I raised a long stick above the sheep-yard, +and tied to it a red handkerchief, which could be seen a long way off. At +one we again proceeded, and were able to advance more rapidly than we +could whilst the sheep were with us. In a few miles we came to a +well-beaten native road, and again our hopes were raised of speedily +terminating the anxiety and suspense we were in. Following the road for +ten miles it conducted us to where the cliffs receded a little from the +sea, leaving a small barren valley between them and the ocean, of low, +sandy ground; the road ceased here at a deep rocky gorge of the cliffs, +where there was a breach leading down to the valley. There were several +deep holes among the rocks where water would be procurable after rains, +but they were now all dry. The state of mind in which we passed on may be +better imagined than described. We had now been four days without a drop +of water for our horses, and we had no longer any for ourselves, whilst +there appeared as little probability of our shortly procuring it as there +had been two days ago. A break, it is true, had occurred in the line of +the cliffs, but this appeared of a very temporary character, for we could +see beyond them the valley again abutting upon the ocean. + +<p>At dark we were fifteen miles from where we left the sheep, and were +again upon a native pathway, which we twice tried to follow down the +steep and rugged slopes of the table land into the valley below. We were +only, however, fagging our poor horses and bewildering ourselves to no +purpose, for we invariably lost all track at the bottom, and I at last +became convinced that it was useless to try and trace the natives' +roadway further, since it always appeared to stop at rocky holes where +there was no water now. Keeping, therefore, the high ground, we travelled +near the top of the cliffs, bounding the sandy valley, but here again a +new obstacle impeded our progress. The country, which had heretofore been +tolerably open was now become very scrubby, and we found it almost +impossible either to keep a straight course, or to make any progress +through it in the dark. Still we kept perseveringly onwards, leading our +horses and forcing our way through in the best way we could. It was, +however, all in vain; we made so little headway, and were so completely +exhausting the little strength we had left, that I felt compelled to +desist. The poor boy was quite worn out, and could scarcely move. I was +myself but little better, and we were both suffering from a parching +thirst; under such obstacles labour and perseverance were but thrown +away, and I determined to await the day-light. After tying up the horses +the boy lay down, and was soon asleep, happy in his ignorance of the +dangers which threatened him. I lay down, too, but not to sleep; my own +distresses were lost in the apprehensions which I entertained for those +who were behind. We were now about one hundred and twenty-eight miles +from the last water; we had been four whole days and nights without a +drop for our horses, and almost without food also, (for parched as they +were they could not feed upon the dry and withered grass we found.) The +state the poor animals were in was truly pitiable, what then was likely +to be the condition of those that were coming after us, and carrying +heavy packs. It was questionable, even, if they would reach the distance +we had already attained in safety; and it was clear, that unless I +discovered water early in the morning, the whole of our horses must +perish, whilst it would be very doubtful if we could succeed even in +saving our own lives. + +<p>March 11.--Early this morning we moved on, leading slowly our jaded +animals through the scrub. The night had been one of painful suspense and +gloomy forebodings; and the day set in dark and cloudy, as if to +tantalise us with the hope of rain which was not destined to fall. In a +few miles we reached the edge of the cliffs, from which we had a good +view of the sandy valley we had been travelling round, but which the +thick scrub had prevented our scrutinising sooner. I now noticed some +hillocks of bare sand in the midst of it. These I had not seen before, as +the only previous point from which they could have been visible had been +passed by us in the dark. It now struck me, that the water spoken of by +the natives at Yeerkumban-kauwe might be situated among these sand-hills, +and that we were going away from instead of approaching it. The bare idea +of such a possibility was almost maddening, and as the dreadful thought +flashed across my mind I stood for a moment undecided and irresolute as +to what I ought to do. We were now many miles past these hills, and if we +went back to examine them for water, and did not find it, we could never +hope that our horses would be able to return again to search elsewhere; +whilst if there was water there, and we did not return, every step we +took would but carry us further from it, and lead to our certain +destruction. + +<p>For a few minutes I carefully scanned the line of coast before me. In the +distance beyond a projecting point of the cliffs, I fancied I discerned a +low sandy shore, and my mind was made up at once, to advance in the line +we were pursuing. After a little while, we again came to a well beaten +native pathway, and following this along the summit of the cliffs, were +brought by it, in seven miles, to the point where they receded from the +sea-shore; as they inclined inland, leaving a low sandy country between +them and some high bare sand-hills near the sea. The road now led us down +a very rocky steep part of the cliffs, near the angle where they broke +away from the beach, but upon reaching the bottom we lost it altogether +on the sandy shore; following along by the water's edge, we felt cooled +and refreshed by the sea air, and in one mile and a half from where we +had descended the cliffs, we reached the white sand-drifts. Upon turning +into these to search for water, we were fortunate enough to strike the +very place where the natives had dug little wells; and thus on the fifth +day of our sufferings, we were again blessed with abundance of +water,--nor could I help considering it as a special instance of the +goodness of Providence, that we had passed the sandy valley in the dark, +and had thereby been deterred from descending to examine the sand-hills +it contained; had we done so, the extra fatigue to our horses and the +great length of time it would have taken up, would probably have +prevented the horses from ever reaching the water we were now at. It took +us about two hours to water the animals, and get a little tea for +ourselves, after which the boy laid down to sleep, and I walked round to +search for grass. A little grew between the sand-drifts and the cliffs, +and though dry and withered, I was most thankful to find it. I then +returned to the camp and laid down, but could not sleep, for although +relieved myself, my anxiety became but the greater, for the party behind, +and the more so, because at present I could do nothing to aid them; it +was impossible that either the horses, or ourselves, could go back to +meet them without a few hours' rest, and yet the loss of a few hours +might be of the utmost consequence; I determined, however, to return and +meet them as early as possible in the morning, and in the mean time, as I +knew that the overseer and natives would, when they came, be greatly +fatigued, and unable to dig holes to water the horses, I called up the +boy, and with his assistance dug two large holes about five feet deep, +from which the horses could readily and without delay be watered upon +their arrival. As we had only some shells left by the natives to work +with, our wells progressed slowly, and we were occupied to a late hour. +In the evening we watered the horses, and before laying down ourselves, +drove them to the grass I had discovered. For the first time for many +nights, I enjoyed a sound and refreshing sleep.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-16"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter XVI.</h3> + +<p>GO BACK TO MEET THE OVERSEER<br> +PARTY ARRIVE AT THE WATER<br> +LONG ENCAMPMENT<br> +GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF THE CLIFFS<br> +MOVE ON AGAIN<br> +DIG FOR WATER<br> +TRACES OF NATIVES<br> +SEND BACK FOR WATER<br> +PARROTS SEEN<br> +COOL WINDS FROM NORTH-EAST<br> +OVERSEER RETURNS<br> +CONTINUE THE JOURNEY<br> +ABANDON BAGGAGE<br> +DENSE SCRUBS<br> +DRIVEN TO THE BEACH<br> +MEET NATIVES<br> +MODE OF PROCURING WATER FROM ROOTS</p> + +<p>March 12.--THE first streak of daylight found us on our way to meet the +party, carrying with us three gallons of water upon one of the horses, +the other was ridden by the boy. Upon passing the sandy valley, where I +had been in such a state of suspense and doubt at seeing the sand-hills +behind me, I determined to descend and examine them; but before doing so, +I wrote a note for the overseer (in case he should pass whilst I was in +the valley,) and hoisted a red handkerchief to attract his attention to +it. + +<p>I was unsuccessful in my search for water; but whilst among the +sand-hills, I saw the party slowly filing along the cliffs above the +valley, and leaving the boy to look about a little longer, I struck +across to meet them. Both horses and people I found greatly fatigued, but +upon the whole, they had got through the difficulty better than I had +anticipated; after leaving a great part of the loads of the pack-horses +about seventeen miles back, according to the written instructions I had +left. The sheep, it seemed, had broken out of the yard and travelled +backwards, and were picked up by the overseer, twelve miles away from +where we had left them; as they had got very tired and were delaying the +horses, he left one of the natives, this morning, to follow slowly with +them, whilst he pushed on with the pack-horses as rapidly as they could +go. After giving him the pleasing intelligence that his toil was nearly +over for the present, and leaving some few directions, I pushed on again +with the boy, who had not found the least sign of water in the valley, to +meet the native with the sheep. In about three miles we saw him coming on +alone without them, he said they were a mile further back, and so tired +they could not travel. Halting our horses, I sent him to bring them on, +and during his absence, had some tea made and dinner prepared for him. +When the sheep came up they were in sad condition, but by giving them +water and a few hours rest, they recovered sufficiently to travel on in +the evening to the water. + +<p>At night, the whole party were, by God's blessing, once more together, +and in safety, after having passed over one hundred and thirty-five miles +of desert country, without a drop of water in its whole extent, and at a +season of the year the most unfavourable for such an undertaking. In +accomplishing this distance, the sheep had been six and the horses five +days without water, and both had been almost wholly without food for the +greater part of the time. The little grass we found was so dry and +withered, that the parched and thirsty animals could not eat it after the +second day. The day following our arrival at the water was one of intense +heat, and had we experienced such on our journey, neither men nor horses +could ever have accomplished it; most grateful did we feel, therefore, to +that merciful Being who had shrouded us from a semi-tropical sun, at a +time when our exposure to it would have ensured our destruction. + +<p>From the 12th to the 18th we remained at the sand-drifts, during which +time we were engaged in attending to the horses, in sending back to +recover the stores that had been left by the overseer, and in examining +the country around. The natives had told me that there were two watering +places at the termination of the cliffs to the eastward, and that these +were situated in a somewhat similar manner to those at the head of the +Great Bight. We were encamped at one, and I made several ineffectual +attempts to find the other during the time the horses were recruiting. +The traces of natives near us were numerous, and once we saw their fires, +but they did not shew themselves at all. The line of cliffs which had so +suddenly turned away from the sea, receded inland from eight to ten +miles, but still running parallel with the coast; between it and the sea +the country was low and scrubby, with many beds of dried up salt lakes; +but neither timber nor grass, except the little patch we were encamped +at. Above the cliffs the appearance of the country was the same as we had +previously found upon their summits, with, perhaps, rather more scrub; +pigeons were numerous at the sand-hills, and several flocks of +red-crested and red-winged cockatoos were hovering about, watching for an +opportunity to feast upon the red berries I have before spoken of, and +which were here found in very great abundance, and of an excellent +quality. The sand, as usual at our encampments, was a most dreadful +annoyance, and from which we had rarely any respite. The large flies were +also very numerous, troublesome and irritating tormentors. They literally +assailed us by hundreds at a time, biting through our clothes, and +causing us constant employment in endeavouring to keep them off. I have +counted twenty-three of these blood-suckers at one time upon a patch of +my trousers eight inches square. + +<p>Being now at a part of the cliffs where they receded from the sea, and +where they had a last become accessible, I devoted some time to an +examination of their geological character. The part that I selected was +high, steep, and bluff towards the sea, which washed its base; presenting +the appearance described by Captain Flinders, as noted before. By +crawling and scrambling among the crags, I managed, at some risk, to get +at these singular cliffs. The brown or upper portion consisted of an +exceedingly hard, coarse grey limestone, among which some few shells were +embedded, but which, from the hard nature of the rock, I could not break +out; the lower or white part consisted of a gritty chalk, full of broken +shells and marine productions, and having a somewhat saline taste: parts +of it exactly resembled the formation that I had found up to the north, +among the fragments of table-land; the chalk was soft and friable at the +surface, and easily cut out with a tomahawk, it was traversed +horizontally by strata of flint, ranging in depth from six to eighteen +inches, and having varying thicknesses of chalk between the several +strata. The chalk had worn away from beneath the harder rock above, +leaving the latter most frightfully overhanging and threatening instant +annihilation to the intruder. Huge mis-shapen masses were lying with +their rugged pinnacles above the water, in every direction at the foot of +the cliffs, plainly indicated the frequency of a falling crag, and I felt +quite a relief when my examination was completed, and I got away from so +dangerous a post. + +<p>I have remarked that the natives at the head of the Great Bight had +intimated to us, that there were two places where water might be found in +this neighbourhood, not far apart, and as with all our efforts we had +only succeeded in discovering one, I concluded that the other must be a +little further along the coast to the westward; in this supposition I was +strengthened, by observing that all the native tracks we had met with +apparently took this direction. Under this impression I determined to +move slowly along the coast until we came to it, and in order that our +horses might carry no unnecessary loads, to take but a few quarts of +water in our kegs. + +<p>On the 18th we moved on, making a short stage of fourteen miles, through +a heavy, sandy, and scrubby country. At first I tried the beach, but +finding the sand very loose and unsuitable for travelling, I was again +compelled to enter the scrub behind the sea-shore ridge, travelling +through a succession of low scrubby undulations, with here and there the +beds of dried up lakes The traces of natives were now more recent and +numerous, but found principally near the bushes bearing the red berries, +and which grew behind the front ridge of the coast in the greatest +abundance. From this circumstance, and from our having now travelled a +considerable distance beyond the first water, I began to fear that the +second which had been spoken of by the natives must, if it existed at +all, be behind us instead of in advance, and that in reality the fruit we +saw, and not water, was the object for which the natives, whose tracks +were around us, were travelling to the westward. The day was cloudy, and +likely for rain, but after a few drops had fallen, the clouds passed +away. In the afternoon the overseer dug behind the sand-ridge, and at six +feet came to water, but perfectly salt. + +<p>March 19.--To-day we travelled onwards for twenty-six miles, through a +country exactly similar to that we had passed through yesterday. At three +in the afternoon we halted at an opening when there was abundance of +grass, though dry and withered. The indications of natives having +recently passed still continued, and confirmed me in my impression, that +they were on a journey to the westward, and from one distant water to +another, and principally for the purpose of gathering the fruit. We were +now forty miles from the last water, and I became assured that we had +very far to go to the next; I had for some time given over any hope of +finding the second water spoken of by the natives at the head of the +Bight, and considered that we must have passed it if it existed, long +ago, perhaps even in that very valley, or among those very sandhills +where we had searched so unsuccessfully on the 12th. There was now the +prospect of a long journey before us without water, as we had brought +only a little with us for ourselves, and which was nearly exhausted, +whilst our horses had been quite without, and were already suffering from +thirst. Consulting with the overseer, I resolved to leave our baggage +where we were, whilst the horses were sent back to the water (forty +miles) to rest and recruit for three or four days; by this means I +expected they would gather strength, and as they would have but little +weight to carry until they reached our present position, when they +returned we should be better able to force a passage through the waste +before us, at the same time that we should be able to procure a fresh and +larger stock of water for ourselves. At midnight I sent the whole party +back to the last water, but remained myself to take care of the baggage +and sheep. I retained an allowance of a pint of water per day for six +days, this being the contemplated period of the overseer's absence. My +situation was not at all enviable, but circumstances rendered it +unavoidable. + +<p>From the departure of my party, until their return, I spent a miserable +time, being unable to leave the camp at all. Shortly after the party +left, the sheep broke out of the yard, and missing the horses with which +they had been accustomed to travel and to feed, set off as rapidly as +they could after them; I succeeded in getting them back, but they were +exceedingly troublesome and restless, attempting to start off, or to get +down to the sea whenever my eye was off them for an instant, and never +feeding quietly for ten minutes together; finding at last that they would +be quite unmanageable, I made a very strong and high yard, and putting +them in, kept them generally shut up, letting them out only to feed for +two or three hours at once. This gave me a little time to examine my +maps, and to reflect upon my position and prospects, which involved the +welfare of others, as well as my own. We had still 600 miles of country +to traverse, measured in straight lines across the chart; but taking into +account the inequalities of the ground, and the circuit we were +frequently obliged to make, we could not hope to accomplish this in less +than 800 miles of distance. With every thing in our favour we could not +expect to accomplish this in less than eight weeks; but with all the +impediment and embarrassments we were likely to meet with, it would +probably take us twelve. Our sheep were reduced to three in number, and +our sole stock of flour now amounted to 142 pounds, to be shared out +amongst five persons, added to which the aspect of the country before us +was disheartening in the extreme; the places at which there was any +likelihood of finding water were probably few and far apart, and the +strength of our horses was already greatly reduced by the hardships they +had undergone. Ever since we had left Fowler's Bay, the whole party, +excepting the youngest boys, had been obliged chiefly to walk, and yet +every care and precaution we could adopt were unable to counteract the +evil effects of a barren country, and an unfavourable season of the year. +The task before us was indeed a fearful one, but I firmly hoped by +patience and perseverance, safely and successfully to accomplish it at +last. + +<p>During nearly the whole time that my party were away the weather was cool +and cloudy. Occasionally there was a great deal of thunder and lightning, +accompanied by a few drops of rain, but it always cleared away without +heavy showers. The storms came up from seawards, and generally passed +inland to the north-east; which struck me as being somewhat singular, +especially when taken in conjunction with the fact that on one or two +occasions, when the wind was from the north-east, it was comparatively +cool, and so unlike any of those scorching blasts we had experienced from +the same quarter when on the western side of the Great Bight. There was +another thing connected with my present position which equally surprised +me, and was quite as inexplicable: whilst engaged one morning rambling +about the encampment as far as I could venture away, I met with several +flights of a very large description of parrot, quite unknown to me, +coming apparently from the north-east, and settling among the shrubs and +bushes around. They had evidently come to eat the fruit growing behind +the sand-hills, but being scared by my following them about, to try and +shoot one, they took wing and went off again in the direction they had +come from. + +<p>Several days had now elapsed since the departure of the overseer with the +horses, and as the time for their return drew nigh I became anxious and +restless. The little stock of water left me was quite exhausted. It had +originally been very limited, but was reduced still further by the +necessity I was under of keeping it in a wooden keg, where it evaporated, +and once or twice by my spilling some. At last, on the 25th, I was +gratified by seeing my party approach. They had successfully accomplished +their mission, and brought a good supply of water for ourselves, but the +horses looked weary and weak, although they had only travelled fourteen +miles that day. After they had rested a few hours I broke up the +encampment, and travelling for fourteen miles further over a scrubby +country, came to a patch of grass, at which we halted early. From the +nature of the country, and the consequent embarrassment it entailed upon +us, it was impossible for any of the party to have any longer even the +slight advantage formerly enjoyed of occasionally riding for a few miles +in turn; all were now obliged to walk, except the two youngest boys, who +were still permitted to ride at intervals. The weather was cloudy, and +showers were passing to the north-east. + +<p>March 26.--Upon moving on this morning we passed through the same +wretched kind of country for eighteen miles, to an opening in the scrub +where was a little grass, and at which we halted to rest. There was so +much scrub, and the sandy ridges were so heavy and harassing to the +horses, that I began to doubt almost if we should get them along at all. +We were now seventy-two miles from the water, and had, in all +probability, as much further to go before we came to any more, and I saw +that unless something was done to lighten the loads of the pack-animals +(trifling as were the burdens they carried) we never could hope to get +them on. Leaving the natives to enjoy a sleep, the overseer and I opened +and re-sorted all our baggage, throwing away every thing that we could at +all dispense with; our great coats, jackets, and other articles of dress +were thrown away; a single spare shirt and pair of boots and socks being +all that were kept for each, besides our blankets and the things we stood +in, and which consisted only of trowsers, shirt, and shoes. Most of our +pack-saddles, all our horse-shoes, most of our kegs for holding water, +all our buckets but one, our medicines, some of our fire-arms, a quantity +of ammunition, and a variety of other things, were here abandoned. Among +the many things that we were compelled to leave behind there was none +that I regretted parting with more than a copy of Captain Sturt's +Expeditions, which had been sent to me by the author to Fowler's Bay to +amuse and cheer me on the solitary task I had engaged in; it was the last +kind offering of friendship from a highly esteemed friend, and nothing +but necessity would have induced me to part with it. Could the donor, +however, have seen the miserable plight we were reduced to, he would have +pitied and forgiven an act that circumstances alone compelled me to. + +<p>After all our arrangements were made, and every thing rejected that we +could do without, I found that the loads of the horses were reduced in +the aggregate about two hundred pounds; but this being divided among ten, +relieved each only a little. Myself, the overseer, and the King George's +Sound native invariably walked the whole way, but the two younger natives +were still permitted to ride alternately upon one of the strongest +horses. As our allowance of flour was very small, and the fatigue and +exertion we were all obliged to undergo very great, I ordered a sheep to +be killed before we moved on again. We had been upon short allowance for +some time, and were getting weak and hardly able to go through the toils +that devolved upon us. Now, I knew that our safety depended upon that of +our horses, and that their lives again were contingent upon the amount of +fatigue we were ourselves able to endure, and the degree of exertion we +were capable of making to relieve them in extremity. I did not therefore +hesitate to make use of one of our three remaining sheep to strengthen us +for coming trials, instead of retaining them until perhaps they might be +of little use to us. The whole party had a hearty meal, and then, +watching the horses until midnight, we moved on when the moon rose. + +<p>During the morning we had passed along an extensive dried-up salt swamp +behind the coast ridge, which was soft for the horses in some places, but +free from that high brush which fatigued them so much, and which now +appeared to come close in to the sea, forming upon the high sandy ridges +a dense scrub. The level bank of the higher ground, or continuation of +the cliffs of the Bight, which had heretofore been distinctly visible at +a distance of ten or twelve miles inland, could no longer be seen: it had +either merged in the scrubby and sandy elevations around us, or was hid +by them from our view. + +<p>March 27.--During the night we travelled slowly over densely scrubby and +sandy ridges, occasionally crossing large sheets of oolitic limestone, in +which were deep holes that would most likely retain water after rains, +but which were now quite dry. As the daylight dawned the dreadful nature +of the scrub drove us to the sea beach; fortunately it was low water, and +we obtained a firm hard sand to travel over, though occasionally +obstructed by enormous masses of sea-weed, thrown into heaps of very many +feet in thickness and several hundreds of yards in length, looking +exactly like hay cut and pressed ready for packing. + +<p>To-day we overtook the natives, whose tracks we had seen so frequently on +our route. There was a large party of them, all busily engaged in eating +the red berries which grew behind the coast ridge in such vast +quantities; they did not appear so much afraid of us as of our horses, at +which they were dreadfully alarmed, so that all our efforts to +communicate with them were fruitless; they would not come near us, nor +would they give us the opportunity of getting near them, but ran away +whenever I advanced towards them, though alone and unarmed. During the +route I frequently ascended high scrubby ridges to reconnoitre the +country inland, but never could obtain a view of any extent, the whole +region around appeared one mass of dense impenetrable scrub running down +to the very borders of the ocean. + +<p>After travelling twenty miles I found that our horses needed rest, and +halted for an hour or two during the heat of the day, though without +grass, save the coarse wiry vegetation that binds the loose sands +together, and without even bushes to afford them shade from the heat, for +had we gone into the scrub for shelter we should have lost even the +wretched kind of grass we had. + +<p>At half past two we again moved onwards, keeping along the beach, but +frequently forced by the masses of sea-weed to travel above high water +mark in the heavy loose sand. After advancing ten miles the tide became +too high for us to continue on the shore, and the scrub prevented our +travelling to the back, we were compelled therefore to halt for the night +with hardly a blade of grass for our horses. I considered we were now one +hundred and two miles from the last water, and expected we had about +fifty more to go to the next; the poor animals were almost exhausted, but +as the dew was heavy they were disposed to eat had there been grass of +any kind for them. The overseer and I as usual watched them alternately, +each taking the duty for four hours and sleeping the other four; to me +this was the first sleep I had had for the last three nights. + +<p>Whilst in camp, during the heat of the day, the native boys shewed me the +way in which natives procure water for themselves, when wandering among +the scrubs, and by means of which they are enabled to remain out almost +any length of time, in a country quite destitute of surface water. I had +often heard of the natives procuring water from the roots of trees, and +had frequently seen indications of their having so obtained it, but I had +never before seen the process actually gone through. Selecting a large +healthy looking tree out of the gum-scrub, and growing in a hollow, or +flat between two ridges, the native digs round at a few feet from the +trunk, to find the lateral roots; to one unaccustomed to the work, it is +a difficult and laborious thing frequently to find these roots, but to +the practised eye of the native, some slight inequality of the surface, +or some other mark, points out to him their exact position at once, and +he rarely digs in the wrong place. Upon breaking the end next to the +tree, the root is lifted, and run out for twenty or thirty feet; the bark +is then peeled off, and the root broken into pieces, six or eight inches +long, and these again, if thick, are split into thinner pieces; they are +then sucked, or shaken over a piece of bark, or stuck up together in the +bark upon their ends, and water is slowly discharged from them; if +shaken, it comes out like a shower of very fine rain. The roots vary in +diameter from one inch to three; the best are those from one to two and a +half inches, and of great length. The quantity of water contained in a +good root, would probably fill two-thirds of a pint. I saw my own boys +get one-third of a pint out in this way in about a quarter of an hour, +and they were by no means adepts at the practice, having never been +compelled to resort to it from necessity. + +<p>Natives who, from infancy, have been accustomed to travel through arid +regions, can remain any length of time out in a country where there are +no indications of water. The circumstance of natives being seen, in +travelling through an unknown district, is therefore no proof of the +existence of water in their vicinity. I have myself observed, that no +part of the country is so utterly worthless, as not to have attractions +sufficient occasionally to tempt the wandering savage into its recesses. +In the arid, barren, naked plains of the north, with not a shrub to +shelter him from the heat, not a stick to burn for his fire (except what +he carried with him), the native is found, and where, as far as I could +ascertain, the whole country around appeared equally devoid of either +animal or vegetable life. In other cases, the very regions, which, in the +eyes of the European, are most barren and worthless, are to the native +the most valuable and productive. Such are dense brushes, or sandy tracts +of country, covered with shrubs, for here the wallabie, the opossum, the +kangaroo rat, the bandicoot, the leipoa, snakes, lizards, iguanas, and +many other animals, reptiles, birds, etc., abound; whilst the kangaroo, +the emu, and the native dog, are found upon their borders, or in the +vicinity of those small, grassy plains, which are occasionally met with +amidst the closest brushes.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-17"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter XVII.</h3> + +<p>HORSES BEGIN TO KNOCK UP<br> +COMPELLED TO FOLLOW ROUND THE BEACH<br> +TIMOR PONY<br> +UNABLE TO PROCEED<br> +GLOOMY PROSPECTS<br> +OVERSEER BEGINS TO DESPOND<br> +TWO MORE HORSES LEFT BEHIND<br> +FRAGMENTS OF WRECKS<br> +WATER ALL CONSUMED<br> +COLLECT DEW<br> +CHANGE IN CHARACTER OF COUNTRY<br> +DIG A WELL<br> +PROCURE WATER<br> +NATIVE AND FAMILY VISIT US<br> +OVERSEER GOES BACK FOR BAGGAGE<br> +DISASTROUS TERMINATION OF HIS JOURNEY<br> +SITUATION AND PROSPECTS OF THE PARTY</p> + +<p>March 28.--AT daylight we moved on, every one walking, even the youngest +boy could not ride now, as the horses were so weak and jaded. Soon after +leaving the camp, one of them laid down, although the weight upon his +back was very light; we were consequently obliged to distribute the few +things he carried among the others, and let him follow loose. Our route +lay along the beach, as the dense scrub inland prevented us from +following any other course; we had, therefore, to go far out of our way, +tracing round every point, and following along every bay, whilst the +sea-weed frequently obstructed our path, and drove us again to the loose +sands, above high water mark, causing extra fatigue to our unfortunate +horses. At other times we were forced to go between these banks of +sea-weed and the sea, into the sea itself, on which occasions it required +our utmost vigilance to prevent the wretched horses from drinking the +salt water, which would inevitably have destroyed them. In order to +prevent this we were obliged to walk ourselves in the water, on the +sea-side of them, one of the party being in advance, leading one horse, +another being behind to keep up the rear, and the other three being at +intervals along the outside of the line, to keep them from stopping for +an instant until the danger was past. + +<p>We had scarcely advanced six miles from our last night's camp when the +little Timor pony I had purchased at Port Lincoln broke down completely; +for some time it had been weak, and we were obliged to drive it loose, +but it was now unable to proceed further, and we were compelled to +abandon it to a miserable and certain death, that by pushing on, we might +use every exertion in our power to relieve the others, though scarcely +daring to hope that we could save even one of them. It was, indeed, a +fearful and heart-rending scene to behold the noble animals which had +served us so long and so faithfully, suffering the extremity of thirst +and hunger, without having it in our power to relieve them. Five days of +misery had passed over their heads since the last water had been left, +and one hundred and twelve miles of country had been traversed without +the possibility of procuring food for them, other than the dry and +sapless remains of last year's grass, and this but rarely to be met with. +No rains had fallen to refresh them, and they were reduced to a most +pitiable condition, still they travelled onwards, with a spirit and +endurance truly surprising. Whenever we halted, they followed us about +like dogs wherever we went, appearing to look to us only for aid, and +exhibiting that confidence in us which I trust we all reposed in the +Almighty, for most truly did we feel, that in His mercy and protection +alone our safety could now ever be hoped for. + +<p>About ten o'clock the tide became too high for us to keep the beach, and +we were compelled to halt for some hours. Our horses were nearly all +exhausted, and I dreaded that when we next moved on many of them would be +unable to proceed far, and that, one by one, they would all perish, +overcome by sufferings which those, who have not witnessed such scenes, +can have no conception of. We should then have been entirely dependent +upon our own strength and exertions, nearly midway between Adelaide and +King George's Sound, with a fearful country on either side of us, with a +very small supply of provisions, and without water. + +<p>The position we were in, frequently forced sad forebodings with respect +to the future, and though I by no means contemplated with apathy the +probable fate that might await us, yet I was never for a moment undecided +as to the plan it would be necessary to adopt, in such a desperate +extremity--at all hazards, I was determined to proceed onwards. + +<p>The country we had already passed through, precluded all hope of our +recrossing it without the horses to carry water for us, and without +provisions to enable us to endure the dreadful fatigue of forced marches, +across the desert. The country before us was, it is true, quite unknown, +but it could hardly be worse than that we had traversed, and the chance +was that it might be better. We were now pushing on for some sand-hills, +marked down in Captain Flinders' chart at about 126 1/2 degrees of east +longitude; I did not expect to procure water until we reached these, but +I felt sure we should obtain it on our arrival there. After this point +was passed, there appeared to be one more long push without any +likelihood of procuring water, as the cliffs again became the boundary of +the ocean; but beyond Cape Arid, the change in the character and +appearance of the country, as described by Flinders, indicated the +existence of a better and more practicable line of country than we had +yet fallen in with. + +<p>My overseer, however, was now unfortunately beginning to take up an +opposite opinion, and though he still went through the duty devolving +upon him with assiduity and cheerfulness, it was evident that his mind +was ill at ease, and that he had many gloomy anticipations of the future. +He fancied there were no sand-hills ahead, that we should never reach any +water in that direction, and that there was little hope of saving any of +the horses. In this latter idea I rather encouraged him than otherwise, +deeming it advisable to contemplate the darker side of the picture, and +by accustoming ourselves to look forward to being left entirely dependent +upon our own strength and efforts, in some measure to prepare ourselves +for such an event, should it unfortunately befal us. In conversing with +him upon our prospects, and the position we should be in if we lost all +our horses, I regretted extremely to find that his mind was continually +occupied with thoughts of returning, and that he seemed to think the only +chance of saving our lives, would be to push on to the water ourselves, +and then endeavour again to return to Fowler's Bay, where we had buried a +large quantity of provisions. Still it was a gratification to find that +the only European with me, did not altogether give way to despondency, +and could even calmly contemplate the prospect before us, considering and +reasoning upon the plan it might be best to adopt, in the event of our +worst forebodings being realized. In discussing these subjects, I +carefully avoiding irritating or alarming him, by a declaration of my own +opinions and resolutions, rather agreeing with him than otherwise, at the +same time, that I pointed out the certain risk that would attend any +attempt to go back to Fowler's Bay, and the probability there was of much +less danger attending the effort to advance to King George's Sound. With +respect to the native boys, they appeared to think or care but little +about the future; they were not sensible of their danger, and having +something still to eat and drink, they played and laughed and joked with +each other as much as ever. + +<p>Whilst waiting for the tide to fall, to enable us to proceed, the +overseer dug a hole, and we buried nearly every thing we had with us, +saddles, fire-arms, ammunition, provisions; all things were here +abandoned except two guns, the keg with the little water we had left, and +a very little flour, tea and sugar. I determined to relieve our horses +altogether from every weight (trifling as was the weight of all we had), +and by pushing, if possible, on to the water, endeavour to save their +lives; after which we could return for the things we had abandoned. Our +arrangements being completed, we all bathed in the sea, ate a scanty +meal, and again moved onwards at half past two o'clock. + +<p>The poor horses started better than could have been expected, but it was +soon evident that all were fast failing, and many already quite +exhausted. At six miles my favourite mare could no longer keep up with +the rest, and we were obliged to let her drop behind. Her foal, now six +months old, we got away with some difficulty from her, and kept it with +the other horses; at four miles further another of the horses failed, and +I had him tied up, in the hope that if we reached water during the +evening, I might send back and recover him. + +<p>Towards dark we all imagined we saw a long point stretching to the S. W. +and backed by high sandy looking cones. We hoped that these might be the +sand-hills we were pushing for, and our hearts beat high with hope once +more. It, however, soon become too dark to discern anything, and at +fourteen miles from where we had halted in the morning, we were again +obliged by the tide to encamp for the night, as the country behind the +shore was densely scrubby, and quite impracticable as a line of route. It +was nine o'clock when we halted, and we were all very tired, and our feet +somewhat inflamed, from getting so frequently wet with the salt water, +whilst endeavouring to keep the horses from it; there was no grass but +the coarse wiry kind that bound the sand together, of this the poor +animals cropped a little, as a very heavy dew fell, and served to moisten +it. As usual, the overseer and myself kept watch upon the horses at +night, whilst the natives enjoyed their undisturbed repose. Two of the +boys were young, and none of the three had their frame and muscles +sufficiently developed to enable them to undergo the fatigue of walking +during the day if deprived of their rest at night; still the duty became +very hard upon two persons, where it was of constant occurrence, and +superadded to the ordinary day's labour. + +<p>March 29.--After calling up the party, I ascended the highest sand-hill +near me, from which the prospect was cheerless and gloomy, and the point +and sandy cones we imagined we had seen last night had vanished. Indeed, +upon examining the chart, and considering that as yet we had advanced +only one hundred and twenty-six miles from the last water, I felt +convinced that we had still very far to go before we could expect to +reach the sand-drifts. The supply of water we had brought for ourselves +was nearly exhausted, and we could afford none for breakfast to-day; the +night, however, had been cool, and we did not feel the want of it so +much. Upon moving, I sent one of the natives back to the horse I had tied +up, about four miles from our camp to try to bring him on to where we +should halt in the middle of the day. + +<p>For ten miles we continued along the beach until we came to a bluff rocky +ridge, running close into the sea; here we rested until the tide fell, +and to give the native boy an opportunity of rejoining us, which he did +soon after, but without the horse; the poor animal had travelled about +eight miles with him from the place where we had left him, but had then +been unable to come any further, and he abandoned him. + +<p>Whilst the party were in camp, I sent the overseer to a distant point of +land to try and get a view of the coast beyond; but upon his return, +after a long walk, he told me his view to the west was obstructed by a +point similar to the one I had sent him to. During the day, we had passed +a rather recent native encampment, where were left some vessels of bark +for holding water, or for collecting it from the roots of trees, or the +grass. Near where we halted in the middle of the day, the foot-prints of +the natives were quite fresh, and shewed that they were travelling the +same way as ourselves. + +<p>For the last two or three days, we had passed many pieces of wreck upon +the beach, oars, thwarts of boats, fragments of masts, spars, etc. strewed +about in every direction; none of them, however, appeared to have been +recently deposited there, and many of the oars, and lighter spars, were +stuck up on their ends in the sand above high water mark, probably so +placed by the natives, but with what object I know not. One oar was stuck +up upon a high sand ridge, some distance from the shore, and I spent some +time in examining the place, in the vain hope that it might be an +indication of our vicinity to water. + +<p>In the afternoon we all had a little tea; and after a bathe in the sea, +again moved onwards; fortunately the beach was firm and hard, and the +evening cool; the horses advanced slowly and steadily, and in a way that +quite surprised me. After travelling for thirteen miles, we encamped +under the coast ridge late in the evening, all very much exhausted, +having made several ineffectual searches for water, among the sandy +ridges, as we passed along. + +<p>In our route along the shore, we had seen immense numbers of fish in the +shallow waters, and among the reefs lying off the coast; several dead +ones had been picked up, and of these the boys made a feast at night. Our +last drop of water was consumed this evening, and we then all lay down to +rest, after turning the horses behind the first ridge of the coast, as we +could find no grass; and neither the overseer nor I were able to watch +them, being both too much worn out with the labours of the day, and our +exertions, in searching for water. + +<p>March 30.--Getting up as soon as the day dawned, I found that some of the +horses had crossed the sand ridge to the beach, and rambled some distance +backwards. I found, too, that in the dark, we had missed a patch of +tolerable grass among the scrub, not far from our camp. I regretted this +the more, as during the night a very heavy dew had fallen, and the horses +might perhaps have fed a little. + +<p>Leaving the overseer to search for those that had strayed, I took a +sponge, and went to try to collect some of the dew which was hanging in +spangles upon the grass and shrubs; brushing these with the sponge, I +squeezed it, when saturated, into a quart pot, which, in an hour's time, +I filled with water. The native boys were occupied in the same way; and +by using a handful of fine grass, instead of a sponge, they collected +about a quart among them. Having taken the water to the camp, and made it +into tea, we divided it amongst the party, and never was a meal more +truly relished, although we all ate the last morsel of bread we had with +us, and none knew when we might again enjoy either a drink of water, or a +mouthful of bread. We had now demonstrated the practicability of +collecting water from the dew. I had often heard from the natives that +they were in the habit of practising this plan, but had never before +actually witnessed its adoption. It was, however, very cold work, and +completely wet me through from head to foot, a greater quantity of water +by far having been shaken over me, from the bushes, than I was able to +collect with my sponge. The natives make use of a large oblong vessel of +bark, which they hold under the branches, whilst they brush them with a +little grass, as I did with the sponge; the water thus falls into the +trough held for it, and which, in consequence of the surface being so +much larger than the orifice of a quart pot, is proportionably sooner +filled. After the sun once rises, the spangles fall from the boughs, and +no more water can be collected; it is therefore necessary to be at work +very early, if success is an object of importance. + +<p>The morning was very hazy, and at first nothing could be seen of the +country before us; but as the mist gradually cleared away a long point +was seen to the south-west, but so very distant that I felt certain our +horses never would get there if it lay between us and the water. To our +astonishment they kept moving steadily along the beach, which was +tolerably firm near the sea, in which were many reefs and shelves of +rocks, covered with muscles below low water mark. As we progressed, it +was evident that the country was undergoing a considerable change; the +sea shore dunes and the ridges immediately behind them were now of a pure +white sand, and steep, whilst those further back were very high and +covered with low bushes. Upon ascending one of the latter I had a good +view around, and to my inexpressible pleasure and relief saw the high +drifts of sand we were looking for so anxiously, in the corner between us +and the more distant point of land first seen. The height of the +intervening ridges and the sand-drifts being in the angle prevented us +from noticing them sooner. + +<p>We had now travelled ten miles, and the sand-hills were about five miles +further. The horses were, however, becoming exhausted, and the day was so +hot that I was compelled to halt, and even now, in sight of our +long-expected goal, I feared we might be too late to save them. Leaving +the boys to attend to the animals, I took the overseer up one of the +ridges to reconnoitre the country for the purpose of ascertaining whether +there was no place near us where water might be procured by digging. +After a careful examination a hollow was selected between the two front +ridges of white sand, where the overseer thought it likely we might be +successful. The boys were called up to assist in digging, and the work +was anxiously commenced; our suspense increasing every moment as the well +was deepened. At about five feet the sand was observed to be quite moist, +and upon its being tasted was pronounced quite free from any saline +qualities. This was joyous news, but too good to be implicitly believed, +and though we all tasted it over and over again, we could scarcely +believe that such really was the case. By sinking another foot the +question was put beyond all doubt, and to our great relief fresh water +was obtained at a depth of six feet from the surface, on the seventh day +of our distress, and after we had travelled one hundred and sixty miles +since we had left the last water. Words would be inadequate to express +the joy and thankfulness of my little party at once more finding +ourselves in safety, and with abundance of water near us. A few hours +before hope itself seemed almost extinguished, and those only who have +been subjeet to a similar extremity of distress can have any just idea of +the relief we experienced. The mind seemed to have been weighed down by +intense anxiety and over-wrought feelings. At first the gloomy +restlessness of disappointment or the feverish impatience of hope had +operated upon our minds alternately, but these had long since given way +to that calm settled determination of purpose, and cool steady vigour of +action which desperate circumstances can alone inspire. Day by day our +prospects of success had gradually diminished; our horses had become +reduced to so dreadful a state that many had died, and all were likely to +do so soon; we ourselves were weak and exhausted by fatigue, and it +appeared impossible that either could have gone many miles further. In +this last extremity we had been relieved. That gracious God, without +whose assistance all hope of safety had been in vain, had heard our +earnest prayers for his aid, and I trust that in our deliverance we +recognized and acknowledged with sincerity and thankfulness his guiding +and protecting hand. It is in circumstances only such as we had lately +been placed in that the utter hopelessness of all human efforts is truly +felt, and it is when relieved from such a situation that the hand of a +directing and beneficent Being appears most plainly discernible, +fulfilling those gracious promises which he has made, to hear them that +call upon him in the day of trouble. + +<p>[Note 27: "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and +their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of +Israel will not forsake them." + +<p>"I will open rivers in high places, and fountains +in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, +and the dry land springs of water."--Isa. xli. 17, 18. + +<p>"I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the +desert."--Isa. xliii. 19.] + +<p>As soon as each had satisfied his thirst the pots were filled and boiled +for tea, and some bread was baked, whilst the overseer and natives were +still increasing the size of the well to enable us to water the horses. +We then got a hasty meal that we might the better go through the fatigue +of attending to the suffering animals. Our utmost caution now became +necessary in their management; they had been seven days without a drop of +water, and almost without food also, and had suffered so much that with +abundance of water near us, and whilst they were suffering agonies from +the want of it, we dared not give it to them freely. Having tied them up +to some low bushes, we gave each in turn about four gallons, and then +driving them away for half a mile to where there was a little withered +grass, we watched them until the evening, and again gave each about four +gallons more of water. + +<p>Whilst thus engaged, a very fine looking native with his wife and family, +passed us and halted for a few moments to observe us, and procure a drink +from the well we had made. This man did not seem at all alarmed, and made +signs that he was going to sleep, a little further along the coast, where +there was also water, pointing to the white sandhills about five miles +from us. The language he spoke seemed to be the same as that of the other +natives we had met with along the Great Bight, nor did the King George's +Sound native understand him a bit better than he had done the others. + +<p>At night one of our two remaining sheep was killed, and the overseer and +myself proceeded to watch the horses for the night. The poor creatures +were scarcely able to crawl, yet were restless and uneasy, and fed but +little, they had tasted water and they were almost mad for it, so that it +was a severe task to both myself and the overseer to keep them from +returning to the well. The single sheep now left had also given us a good +deal of trouble, it was frightened at being alone, and frustrated all our +efforts to yard it, preferring to accompany and remain with the +horses,--an arrangement we were obliged to acquiesce in. + +<p>March 31.--The morning broke wild and lowering, and the sand blew +fearfully about from the drifts among which the water was. Our well had +tumbled in during the night, and we had to undergo considerable labour +before we could water the horses. After clearing it out, we gave each of +them seven gallons, and again sent them away to the grass, letting the +native boys watch them during the day, whilst we rested for a few hours, +shifted our camp to a more sheltered place, weighed out a week's +allowance of flour at half a pound each per day, and made sundry other +necessary arrangements. + +<p>Fearful of losing our only remaining sheep, if left to wander about, we +made a strong yard to put it into at nights, for a long time, however, we +could not get it to go near the yard, and only succeeded at last by +leading in a horse first, behind which it walked quite orderly. + +<p>April 1.--The last night had been bitterly cold and frosty, and as we +were badly clad, and without the means of making a large or permanent +fire, we all felt acutely the severity of the weather. After breakfast, I +left the overseer and natives to clear out the well, which had again +fallen in, and water the horses, whilst I walked five miles along the +beach to the westward, and then turned inland to examine the sand-drifts +there and search for grass. Behind the drifts I found some open sandy +plains, with a coarse kind of dry grass upon them, and as they were not +far from where the natives had dug wells for water, I thought the place +might suit us to encamp at for a time when we left our present position. +In returning to the camp, through the scrub behind the coast, I shot a +fine wallabie, and saw several others; but having only cartridges with +me, I did not like to cut up the balls for ammunition. + +<p>April 2.--Another severe cold frosty night made us fully sensible that +the winter was rapidly closing in upon us, notwithstanding the +ill-provided and unprotected state we were in to encounter its +inclemencies. Our well had again tumbled in, and gave us a good deal of +trouble, besides, each successive clearing out deepened it considerably, +and this took us to a level where the brackish water mixed with the +fresh; from this cause the water was now too brackish to be palatable, +and we sunk another well apart from that used for the horses, at which to +procure any water we required for our own use. During the afternoon I +shot a wallabie behind the camp, but the place being densely scrubby, and +the animal not quite dead, I did not get it. + +<p>On the 3rd, I sent the overseer out in one direction and I went myself +out in another, to examine the country and try to procure wallabies for +food. We both returned late, greatly fatigued with walking through dense +scrubs and over steep heavy sand ridges, but without having fired a shot. + +<p>Our mutton (excepting the last sheep) being all used on the 4th, we were +reduced to our daily allowance of half a pound of flour each, without any +meat. + +<p>On the 5th, the overseer and one of the native boys got ready to go back +for some of the stores and other things we had abandoned, forty-seven +miles away. As they were likely to have severe exercise, and to be away +for four days, I gave them five pounds extra of flour above their daily +allowance, together with the wallabie which I had shot, and which had not +yet been used; they drove before them three horses to carry their supply +of water, and bring back the things sent for. + +<p>As soon as they were gone, with the assistance of the two native boys who +were left, I removed the camp to the white sand-drifts, five miles +further west. Being anxious to keep as near to the grass as I could, I +commenced digging at some distance away from where the natives procured +their water, but at a place where there were a great many rushes. After +sinking to about seven feet, I found the soil as dry as ever, and +removing to the native wells, with some little trouble opened a hole +large enough to water all the horses. The single sheep gave us a great +deal of trouble and kept us running about from one sand hill to another, +until we were tired out, before we could capture it; at last we +succeeded, and I tied him up for the night, resolved never to let him +loose again. + +<p>In the evening I noticed the native boys looking more woe-begone and +hungry than usual. Heretofore, since our mutton was consumed, they had +helped out their daily half-pound of flour, with the roasted roots of the +gum-scrub, but to-day they had been too busy to get any, and I was +obliged to give to each a piece of bread beyond the regular allowance. It +was pitiable to see them craving for food, and not to have the power of +satisfying them; they were young and had large appetites, and never +having been accustomed to any restraint of this nature, scarcity of food +was the more sensibly felt, especially as they could not comprehend the +necessity that compelled us to hoard with greater care than a miser does +his gold, the little stock of provisions which we yet had left. + +<p>April 6.--The severe frost and intense cold of last night entirely +deprived me of sleep, and I was glad when the daylight broke, though +still weary and unrefreshed. After clearing out the well, and watering +the horses, I sent one of the boys out to watch them, and gave the other +the gun to try and shoot a wallabie, but after expending the only two +charges of slugs I had left, he returned unsuccessful. At night we all +made up our supper with the bark of the young roots of the gum-scrub. It +appears to be extensively used for food by the natives in this district, +judging from the remnants left at their encamping places. The bark is +peeled off the young roots of the eucalyptus dumosa, put into hot ashes +until nearly crisp, and then the dust being shaken off, it is pounded +between two stones and ready for use. Upon being chewed, a farinaceous +powder is imbibed from between the fibres of the bark, by no means +unpleasant in flavour, but rather sweet, and resembling the taste of +malt; how far a person could live upon this diet alone, I have no means +of judging, but it certainly appeases the appetite, and is, I should +suppose, nutritious. + +<p>April 7.--Another sleepless night from the intense cold. Upon getting up +I put a mark upon the beach to guide the overseer to our camp on his +return, then weighed out flour and baked bread for the party, as I found +it lasted much better when used stale than fresh. I tried to shoot some +pigeons with small gravel, having plenty of powder but no shot. My +efforts were, however, in vain, for though I several times knocked them +over, and tore feathers out, I killed none. The day being very clear, I +ascended the highest sand-hill to obtain a view of what had appeared to +us to be a long point of land, stretching to the south-west. It was now +clearly recognisable as the high level line of cliffs forming the western +boundary of the Great Bight, and I at once knew, that when we left our +present position, we could hope for no water for at least 140 or 150 +miles beyond. + +<p>The weather on the 8th and 9th suddenly became mild and soft, with the +appearance of rain, but none fell. I was becoming anxious about the +return of my overseer and native boy, who had been absent nine tides, +when they ought to have returned in eight, and I could not help fearing +some mischance had befallen them, and frequently went back wards and +forwards to the beach, to look for them. The tenth tide found me +anxiously at my post on the look out, and after watching for a long time +I thought I discerned some dark objects in the distance, slowly +advancing; gradually I made out a single horse, driven by two people, and +at once descended to meet them. Their dismal tale was soon told. After +leaving us on the 5th, they reached their destination on the 7th; but in +returning one of the horses became blind, and was too weak to advance +further, when they had barely advanced thirteen miles; they were +consequently obliged to abandon him, and leave behind the things he had +been carrying. With the other two horses they got to within five miles of +the place we first procured water at on the 30th March. Here a second +horse had become unable to proceed, and the things he had carried were +also obliged to be left behind. They then got both horses to the first +well at the sand-hills and watered them, and after resting a couple of +hours came on to join me. Short as this distance was, the jaded horse +could not travel it, and was left behind a mile and a half back. Having +shewn the overseer and boy the camp, I sent the other two natives to +fetch up the tired horse, whilst I attended to the other, and put the +solitary sheep in for the night. By a little after dark all was arranged, +and the horse that had been left behind once more with the others. + +<p>From the overseer I learnt, that during the fifty miles he had retraced +our route to obtain the provisions we had left, he had five times dug for +water: four times he had found salt water, and once he had been stopped +by rock. The last effort of this kind he had made not far from where we +found water on the 30th of March, and I could not but be struck with the +singular and providential circumstance of our first halting and +attempting to dig for water on that day in all our distress, at the very +first place, and at the only place, within the 160 miles we had +traversed, where water could have been procured. It will be remembered, +that in our advance, we had travelled a great part of the latter portion +of this distance by night, and that thus there was a probability of our +having passed unknowingly some place where water might have been +procured. The overseer had now travelled over the same ground in +daylight, with renovated strength, and in a condition comparatively +strong, and fresh for exertion. He had dug wherever he thought there was +a chance of procuring water, but without success in any one single +instance. + +<p>After learning all the particulars of the late unlucky journey, I found +that a great part of the things I had sent for were still thirty-eight +miles back, having only been brought twelve miles from where they had +originally been left; the rest of the things were ten miles away, and as +nearly all our provisions, and many other indispensable articles were +among them, it became absolutely necessary that they should be recovered +in some way or other, but how that was to be accomplished was a question +which we could not so easily determine. Our horses were quite unfit for +service of any kind, and the late unfortunate attempt had but added to +the difficulties by which we were surrounded, and inflicted upon us the +additional loss of another valuable animal. Many and anxious were the +hours I spent in contemplating the circumstances we were in, and in +revolving in my mind the best means at our command to extricate ourselves +from so perilous a situation. We were still 650 miles from King George's +Sound, with an entirely unknown country before us. Our provisions, when +again recovered, would be barely sufficient to last us for three weeks +and a half, at a very reduced rate of allowance. Our horses were jaded +and miserable beyond all conception; they could literally scarcely crawl, +and it was evident they would be unable to move on again at all without +many days' rest where we were. On the other hand we had still the +prospect of another of those fearful pushes without water to encounter, +as soon as we left our present encampment, and had first to recover the +provisions and other things yet so far away. Nothing could be more +disheartening than our situation, and it was also one in which it was +difficult to decide what was best to be done. Aware that a single false +step would now be fatal to us all, I saw that our circumstances required +promptness and decision. With every thing depending upon my sole +judgment, and the determination I arrived at, I felt deeply and anxiously +the over-whelming responsibility that devolved upon me. + +<p>We were now about half way between Fowler's Bay and King George's Sound, +located among barren sand-drifts, and without a drop of water beyond us +on either side, within a less distance than 150 miles. Our provisions +were rapidly decreasing, whilst we were lying idle and inactive in camp; +and yet it would be absolutely necessary for us thus to remain for some +time longer, or at once abandon the horses, and endeavour to make our way +without them. To the latter, however, there were many objections, one of +which was, that I well knew from the experience we had already had, that +if we abandoned the horses, and had those fearful long distances to +travel without water, we never could accomplish them on foot, if +compelled at the same time to live upon a very low diet, to carry our +arms, ammunition, and provisions, and in addition to these, a stock of +water, sufficient to last six or seven days. The only thing that had +enabled us to get through so far on our journey in safety, had been the +having the horses with us, for though weak and jaded, they had yet +carried the few things, which were indispensable to us, and which we +never could have carried ourselves under the circumstances. + +<p>There was another inducement to continue with the horses, which had +considerable weight with me, and however revolting the idea might be at +first, it was a resource which I foresaw the desperate circumstances we +were in must soon compel us to adopt. It was certainly horrible to +contemplate the destruction of the noble animals that had accompanied us +so far, but ere long I well knew that such would be the only chance of +saving our own lives, and I hoped that by accustoming the mind to dwell +upon the subject beforehand, when the evil hour did arrive, the horror +and disgust would be in some degree lessened. Upon consulting the +overseer, I was glad to find that he agreed with me fully in the +expediency of not abandoning the horses until it became unavoidable, and +that he had himself already contemplated the probability of our being +very shortly reduced to the alternative of using them for food. + +<p>It remained now only to decide, which way we would go when we agan moved +on, whether to prosecute our journey to the Sound, or try to retrace our +steps to Fowler's Bay. On this point my own opinion never wavered for an +instant. My conviction of the utter impossibility of our ever being able +to recross the fearful country we had passed through with such +difficulty, under circumstances so much more favourable than we were now +in, was so strong that I never for a moment entertained the idea myself. +I knew the many and frightful pushes without water we should have to make +in any such attempt, and though the country before us was unknown, it +could not well be worse than that we had passed through, whilst the +probability was, that after the first long stage was accomplished, and +which would take us beyond the western boundary of the Great Bight, we +should experience a change in the character of the country, and be able +to advance with comparative ease and facility. Unhappily my overseer +differed from me in opinion upon this point. + +<p>The last desperate march we had made, had produced so strong an +impression upon his mind, that he could not divest himself of the idea +that the further we went to the westward the more arid the country would +be found, and that eventually we should all perish from want of water; on +the other hand, the very reduced allowance of food we were compelled to +limit ourselves to, made his thoughts always turn to the depot at +Fowler's Bay, where we had buried a large supply of provisions of all +kinds. In vain I pointed out to him the certain difficulties we must +encounter in any attempt to return, the little probability there was of a +single horse surviving even the first of those dreadful stages we should +have to make, and the utter impossibility of our getting successfully +through without the horses; and, on the other hand, the very cheering +prospect there was of all our most serious difficulties being terminated +as soon as we had turned the western extremity of the Bight (to +accomplish which, would not occupy more than six or seven days at the +furthest when we moved on,) and the strong hopes that we might then +reasonably entertain of falling in with some vessel, sealing or whaling +upon the coast, and from which we might obtain a fresh supply of +provisions. All my arguments were fruitless. With the characteristic +obedience and fidelity with which he had ever served me, he readily +acquiesced in any plan I might decide upon adopting; but I perceived, +with pain, that I could not convince him that the view I took was the +proper one, and that the plan I intended to follow was the only one which +held out to us even the remotest hopes of eventual safety and success. + +<p>Finding that I made little progress in removing his doubts on the +question of our advance, I resolved to pursue the subject no further, +until the time for decision came, hoping that in the interim, his +opinions and feelings might in some degree be modified, and that he might +then accompany me cheerfully. The important and pressing duty of +recovering at once the stores we had left behind, now claimed my +attention. The overseer, with his usual anxiety to save me from any extra +labour, kindly offered to attempt this object again; but as he had just +returned from a severe, though unfortunately unsuccessful journey for the +same purpose, I decided upon doing it myself, and at once made my +preparations for leaving the camp.</p> + +<p><a name="ch-18"></a></p> +<h3>Chapter XVIII.</h3> + +<p>GO BACK WITH A NATIVE<br> +SPEAR STING-RAYS<br> +RECOVER THE BAGGAGE<br> +COLD WEATHER<br> +OVERSEER RECONNOITRES THE CLIFFS<br> +UNFAVOURABLE REPORT<br> +DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO BEST PLANS FOR THE FUTURE<br> +KILL A HORSE FOR FOOD<br> +INJURIOUS EFFECTS FROM MEAT DIET<br> +NATIVE BOYS BECOME DISAFFECTED<br> +THEY STEAL PROVISIONS<br> +NATIVE BOYS DESERT THE PARTY<br> +THEY RETURN ALMOST STARVED<br> +PARTY PROCEED ONWARDS TO THE WESTWARD<br> +CLIFFS OF THE BIGHT<br> +COUNTRY BEHIND THEM<br> +THREATENING WEATHER<br> +MURDER OF THE OVERSEER</p> + +<p>April 10.--FOUR days' provisions having been given to each of the party, +I took the King George's Sound native with me to retrace, on foot, our +route to the eastward. For the first ten miles I was accompanied by one +of the other native boys, leading a horse to carry a little water for us, +and take back the stores the overseer had buried at that point, when the +second horse knocked up with him on the morning of the 9th. Having found +the things, and put them on the horse, I sent the boy with them back to +the camp, together with a large sting-ray fish which he had speared in +the surf near the shore. It was a large, coarse, ugly-looking thing, but +as it seemed to be of the same family as the skate, I did not imagine we +should run any risk in eating it. In other respects, circumstances had +broken through many scruples and prejudices, and we were by no means +particular as to what the fish might be, if it were eatable. + +<p>Having buried our little keg of water until our return, the King George's +Sound native and myself pushed on for five miles further, and then halted +for the night, after a day's journey of fifteen miles. We now cooked some +sting-ray fish (for the native with me had speared a second one,) and +though it was coarse and dry, our appetites had been sharpened by our +walk, and we thought it far from being unpalatable. + +<p>April 11.--Moving away long before daylight, we pushed steadily on, and +about dusk arrived, after a stage of twenty-three miles, at the place +where our stores were. I found a much greater weight here than I +expected, and feared it would be quite impossible for us to carry the +whole away. By the light of the fire, I threw out saddles, clothes, +oil-skins, etc. that we did not absolutely require, and packing up the +remainder, weighed a bundle of thirty-two pounds for myself to carry, and +one of twenty-two for the native, who also had a gun to take. Our +arrangements being completed for the morrow, we enjoyed our supper of +sting-ray, and lay down for the night. + +<p>April 12.--To-day the weather was cloudy and sultry, and we found it very +oppressive carrying the weight we had with us, especially as we had no +water. By steady perseverance, we gained the place where our little keg +had been buried; and having refreshed ourselves with a little tea, again +pushed on for a few miles to a place where I had appointed the overseer +to send a native to meet us with water. He was already there, and we all +encamped together for the night, soon forgetting, in refreshing sleep, +the fatigues and labours of the day. + +<p>The 13th was a dark cloudy day, with light rains in the morning. About +noon we arrived at the camp, after having walked seventy-six miles in the +last three days and a half, during great part of which, we had carried +heavy weights. We had, however, successfully accomplished the object for +which we had gone, and had now anxieties only for our future progress, +the provisions and other stores being all safely recovered. + +<p>During my absence, I had requested the overseer to bake some bread, in +order that it might be tolerably stale before we used it. To my regret +and annoyance, I found that he had baked one third of our whole supply, +so that it would be necessary to use more than our stated allowance, or +else to let it spoil. It was the more vexing, to think that in this case +the provisions had been so improvidently expended, from the fact of our +having plenty of the sting-ray fish, and not requiring so much bread. + +<p>April 14.--Early this morning I sent the overseer, and one of the native +boys, with three days' provision to the commencement of the cliffs to the +westward, visible from the sand-hills near our camp, in order that they +might ascertain the exact distance they were from us, and whether any +grass or water could be procured nearer to their base than where we were. +After their departure, I attended to the horses, and then amused myself +preparing some fishing lines to set off the shore, with a large stone as +an anchor, and a small keg for a buoy. The day was, however, wild and +boisterous; and in my attempts to get through the surf, to set the lines, +I was thrown down, together with the large stone I was carrying, and my +leg severely cut and bruised. The weather was extremely cold, too, and +being without coat or jacket of any kind, I suffered severely from it. + +<p>The 15th was another cold day, with the wind at south-west, and we could +neither set the lines, nor spear sting-ray, whilst the supply we had +before obtained was now nearly exhausted. One of the horses was taken +ill, and unable to rise, from the effects of the cold; his limbs were +cramped and stiff, and apparently unable to sustain the weight of his +body. After plucking dry grass, and making a bed for him, placing a +breakwind of boughs round, and making a fire near him, we left him for +the night. + +<p>Late in the evening, the overseer and boy returned from the westward, and +reported, that the cliffs were sixteen miles away; that they had dug for +water, but that none could be found, and that there was hardly a blade of +grass any where, whilst the whole region around was becoming densely +scrubby; through much of which we should have to pass before we reached +the cliffs. Altogether, the overseer seemed quite discouraged by the +appearance of the country, and to dread the idea of moving on in that +direction, often saying, that he wished he was back, and that he thought +he could retrace his steps to Fowler's Bay, where a supply of provisions +had been buried. I was vexed at these remarks, because I felt that I +could not coincide in them, and because I knew that when the moment for +decision came, my past experience, and the strong reasons which had +produced in my own mind quite a different conviction, would compel me to +act in opposition to the wishes of the only European with me, and he a +person, too, whom I sincerely respected for the fidelity and devotion +with which he had followed me through all my wanderings. I was afraid, +too, that the native boys, hearing his remarks, and perceiving that he +had no confidence in our future movements, would catch up the same idea, +and that, in addition to the other difficulties and anxieties I had to +cope with, would be the still more frightful one of disaffection and +discontent. Another subject of uneasiness arose from the nature of our +diet;--for some few days we had all been using a good deal of the +sting-ray fish, and though at first we had found it palatable, either +from confining ourselves too exclusively to it, or from eating too much, +it had latterly disagreed with us. The overseer declared it made him ill +and weak, and that he could do nothing whilst living upon it. The boys +said the same; and yet we had nothing else to supply its place, and the +small quantity of flour left would not admit of our using more than was +barely necessary to sustain life. At this time we had hardly any fish +left, and the whole party were ravenously hungry. In this dilemma, I +determined to have the sick horse killed for food. It was impossible he +could ever recover, and by depriving him of life a few hours sooner than +the natural course of events would have done, we should be enabled to get +a supply of food to last us over a few days more, by which time I hoped +we might again be able to venture on, and attempt another push to the +westward. + +<p>Early on the morning of the 16th, I sent the overseer to kill the +unfortunate horse, which was still alive, but unable to rise from the +ground, having never moved from the place where he had first been found +lying yesterday morning. The miserable animal was in the most wretched +state possible, thin and emaciated by dreadful and long continued +sufferings, and labouring under some complaint, that in a very few hours +at the farthest, must have terminated its life. + +<p>After a great portion of the meat had been cut off from the carcase, in +thin slices, they were dipped in salt water and hung up upon strings to +dry in the sun. I could not bring myself to eat any to-day, so horrible +and revolting did it appear to me, but the overseer made a hearty dinner, +and the native boys gorged themselves to excess, remaining the whole +afternoon by the carcase, where they made a fire, cutting off and +roasting such portions as had been left. They looked like ravenous wolves +about their prey, and when they returned to the camp at night, they were +loaded with as much cooked meat as they could carry, and which they were +continually eating during the night; I made a meal upon some of the +sting-ray that was still left, but it made me dreadfully sick, and I was +obliged to lie down, seriously ill. + +<p>April 17.--Being rather better to-day, I was obliged to overcome my +repugnance to the disagreeable food we were compelled to resort to, and +the ice once broken, I found that although it was far from being +palatable, I could gradually reconcile myself to it. The boys after +breakfast again went down to the carcase, and spent the whole day +roasting and eating, and at night they again returned to the camp loaded. +We turned all the meat upon the strings and redipped it in sea water +again to-day, but the weather was unfavourable for drying it, being cold +and damp. Both yesterday and to-day light showers fell sufficient to +moisten the grass. + +<p>April 18.--The day being much warmer, many large flies were about, and I +was obliged to have a fire kept constantly around the meat, to keep them +away by the smoke. I now put the natives upon an allowance of five pounds +of flesh each per day, myself and the overseer using about half that +quantity. + +<p>On the 19th, I sent out one of the boys to try and get a sting-ray to +vary our diet, but he returned unsuccessful. During the forenoon I was +seized with a violent attack of dysentery, accompanied with diabetes, +from which I suffered extremely. The overseer was affected also, but in a +less violent degree. The origin of this complaint was plainly traceable +to the food we had used for the last day or two; it rendered us both +incapable of the least exertion of any kind, whilst the disorder +continued, and afterwards left us very languid and weak. In the evening +upon examining the meat, a great deal of it was found to be getting +putrid, or fly-blown, and we were obliged to pick it over, and throw what +was tainted away. + +<p>April 20.--To-day I had all the meat boiled, as I thought it would keep +better cooked than raw, we had only a small tin saucepan without a +handle, to effect our cooking operations with, and the preparation of the +meat therefore occupied the whole of the day. The overseer was again +attacked with dysentery. At night the clouds gathered heavily around, and +the weather being mild and soft, I fully expected rain; after dark, +however, the wind rose high and the threatened storm passed away. + +<p>On the 21st, I was seized again with illness. The overseer continued to +be affected also, and we were quite unable to make the necessary +preparations for our journey to the westward, which I fully intended to +have commenced to-morrow. For several hours we were in the greatest +agony, and could neither lie down, sit up, nor stand, except with extreme +pain. Towards the afternoon the violence of the symptoms abated a little, +but we were exceedingly weak. + +<p>April 22.--Upon weighing the meat this morning, which as usual was left +out upon the strings at night, I discovered that four pounds had been +stolen by some of the boys, whilst we were sleeping. I had suspected that +our stock was diminishing rapidly for a day or two past, and had weighed +it overnight that I might ascertain this point, and if it were so, take +some means to prevent it for the future. With so little food to depend +upon, and where it was so completely in the power of any one of the +party, to gratify his own appetite at the expense of the others, during +their absence, or when they slept, it became highly necessary to enforce +strict honesty towards each other; I was much grieved to find that the +meat had been taken by the natives, more particularly as their daily +allowance had been so great. We had, moreover, only two days' supply of +the meat left for the party, and being about to commence the long journey +before us, it was important to economise our provisions to support us +under the fatigue and labours we should then have to undergo. + +<p>Having deducted the four pounds stolen during the night, from the daily +rations of the three boys, I gave them the remainder, (eight pounds) +telling them the reason why their quantity was less to-day than usual, +and asking them to point out the thief, who alone should be punished and +the others would receive their usual rations. The youngest of the three +boys, and the King George's Sound native, resolutely denied being +concerned in the robbery; but the other native doggedly refused to answer +any questions about it, only telling me that he and the native from King +George's Sound would leave me and make their way by themselves. I pointed +out to them the folly, in fact the impossibility almost, of their +succeeding in any attempt of the kind; advised them to remain quietly +where they were, and behave well for the future, but concluded by telling +them that if they were bent upon going they might do so, as I would not +attempt to stop them. + +<p>For some time past the two eldest of the boys, both of whom were now +nearly grown up to manhood, had been far from obedient in their general +conduct. Ever since we had been reduced to a low scale of diet they had +been sulky and discontented, never assisting in the routine of the day, +or doing what they were requested to do with that cheerfulness and +alacrity that they had previously exhibited. Unaccustomed to impose the +least restraint upon their appetites or passions, they considered it a +hardship to be obliged to walk as long as any horses were left alive, +though they saw those horses falling behind and perishing from fatigue; +they considered it a hardship, too, to be curtailed in their allowance of +food, as long as a mouthful was left unconsumed; and in addition to this, +they had imbibed the overseer's idea that we never should succeed in our +attempt to get to the westward, and got daily more dissatisfied at +remaining idle in camp, whilst the horses were recruiting. + +<p>The excess of animal food they had had at their command for some few days +after the horse was killed, made them forget their former scarcity, and +in their folly they imagined that they could supply their own wants, and +get on better and more rapidly than we did, and they determined to +attempt it. Vexed as I had been at finding out they had not scrupled to +plunder the small stock of provisions we had left, I was loth to let them +leave me foolishly without making an effort to prevent it. One of them +had been with me a great length of time, and the other I had brought from +his country and his friends, and to both I felt bound by ties of humanity +to prevent if possible their taking the rash step they meditated; my +remonstrances and expostulations were however in vain, and after getting +their breakfasts, they took up some spears they had been carefully +preparing for the last two days, and walked sulkily from the camp in a +westerly direction. The youngest boy had, it seemed, also been enticed to +join them, for he was getting up with the intention of following, when I +called him back and detained him in the camp, as he was too young to know +what he was doing, and had only been led astray by the others. I had +intended to have moved on myself to-day, but the departure of the natives +made me change my intention, for I deemed it desirable that they should +have at least three or four days start of us. Finding that the single +sheep we had left would now be the cause of a good deal of trouble, I had +it killed this afternoon, that we might have the full advantage of it +whilst we had plenty of water, and might be enabled to hoard our bread a +little. We had still a little of the horse-flesh left, and made a point +of using it all up before the mutton was allowed to be touched. + +<p>The morning of the 23rd broke cool and cloudy, with showers gathering +from seawards; the wind was south-west, and the sky wild and lowering in +that direction. During the forenoon light rain fell, but scarcely more +than sufficient to moisten the grass; it would, however, probably afford +our deserters a drink upon the cliffs. Towards evening the sky cleared, +and the weather became frosty. + +<p>On the following day we still remained in camp, hoping for rain;--a +single heavy shower would so completely have freed us from the danger of +attempting to force a passage through the great extent of arid country +before us, that I was unwilling to move on until the very last moment. +Our rations were however rapidly disappearing whilst we were idling in +camp, the horse-flesh was all consumed, and to-day we had commenced upon +the mutton, so that soon we should be compelled to go, whether it rained +or not. Month after month however had passed away without any fall of +rain, and the season had now arrived when, under ordinary circumstances, +much wet might be expected; and though each day, as it passed without +gratifying our hopes, but added to our disappointment, yet did every hour +we lingered give us a better chance of being relieved by showers in our +route round the last cliffs of the Bight. The evening set in mild but +close, with the wind at north-east, and I had great hopes that showers +would fall. + +<p>April 25.--During the night dense clouds, accompanied by gusts of wind +and forked lightning, passed rapidly to the south-west, and this morning +the wind changed to that quarter. Heavy storms gathered to seawards with +much thunder and lightning, but no rain fell near us; the sea appearing +to attract all the showers. The overseer shot a very large eagle to-day +and made a stew of it, which was excellent. I sent the boy out to try and +shoot a wallabie, but he returned without one. + +<p>In the evening, a little before dark, and just as we had finished our +tea, to my great astonishment our two runaway natives made their +appearance, the King George's Sound native being first. He came frankly +up, and said that they were both sorry for what they had done, and were +anxious to be received again, as they found they could get nothing to eat +for themselves. The other boy sat silently and sullenly at the fire, +apparently more chagrined at being compelled by necessity to come back to +us than sorry for having gone away. Having given them a lecture, for they +both now admitted having stolen meat, not only on the night they were +detected but previously, I gave each some tea and some bread and meat, +and told them if they behaved well they would be treated in every respect +as before, and share with us our little stock of provisions as long as it +lasted. + +<p>I now learnt that they had fared in the bush but little better than I +should have done myself. They had been absent four days, and had come +home nearly starved. For the first two days they got only two small +bandicoots and found no water; they then turned back, and obtaining a +little water in a hollow of the cliffs, left by the shower which had +passed over, they halted under them to fish, and speared a sting-ray; +this they had feasted on yesterday, and to-day came from the cliffs to +look for us without any thing to eat at all. + +<p>During the night some heavy clouds passed over our heads, and once a drop +or two of rain fell. The 26th broke wild and stormy to the east and west, +and I determined to remain one day longer in camp, in the hope of rain +falling, but principally to rest the two natives a little after the long +walk from which they had returned. Breakfast being over, I sent the +overseer and one native to the beach, to try to get a sting-ray, and to +the other I gave my gun to shoot wallabie: no fish was procured, but one +wallabie was got, half of which I gave to the native who killed it, for +his dinner. + +<p>Being determined to break up camp on the 27th, I sent the King George's +Sound native on a-head, as soon as he had breakfasted, that, by preceding +the party, he might have time to spear a sting-ray against we overtook +him. The day was dull, cloudy, and warm, and still looking likely for +rain, with the wind at north-east. At eleven we were ready, and moved +away from a place where we had experienced so much relief in our +extremity, and at which our necessities had compelled us to remain so +long. For twenty-eight days we had been encamped at the sand-drifts, or +at the first water we had found, five miles from them. Daily, almost +hourly, had the sky threatened rain, and yet none fell. We had now +entered upon the last fearful push, which was to decide our fate. This +one stretch of bad country crossed, I felt a conviction we should be +safe. That we had at least 150 miles to go to the next water I was fully +assured of; I was equally satisfied that our horses were by no means in a +condition to encounter the hardships and privations they must meet with +in such a journey; for though they had had a long rest, and in some +degree recovered from their former tired-out condition, they had not +picked up in flesh or regained their spirits; the sapless, withered state +of the grass and the severe cold of the nights had prevented them from +deriving the advantage that they ought to have done from so long a +respite from labour. Still I hoped we might be successful. We had +lingered day by day, until it would have been folly to have waited +longer; the rubicon was, however, now passed, and we had nothing to rely +upon but our own exertions and perseverance, humbly trusting that the +great and merciful God who had hitherto guarded and guidedus in safety +would not desert us now. + +<p>Upon leaving the camp we left behind one carbine, a spade, some horse +hobbles, and a few small articles, to diminish as much as possible the +weight we had to carry. For eight miles we traced round the beach to the +most north-westerly angle of the Bight, and for two miles down its +south-west shore, but were then compelled by the rocks to travel to the +back, through heavy scrubby ridges for four miles; after which we again +got in to the beach, and at one mile along its shore, or fifteen miles +from our camp, we halted for the night, at a patch of old grass. The +afternoon had been hot, but the night set in cold and clear, and all +appearance of rain was gone. The native I had sent on before had not +succeeded in getting a fish, though he had broken one or two spears in +his attempts. + +<p>April 28.--After travelling along the beach for two miles we ascended +behind the cliffs, which now came in bluff to the sea, and then keeping +along their summits, nearly parallel with the coast, and passing through +much scrub, low brushwood, and dwarf tea-tree growing upon the rocky +surface, we made a stage of twenty miles; both ourselves and the horses +greatly tired with walking through the matted scrub of tea-tree every +where covering the ground. The cliffs did not appear so high as those we +had formerly passed along, and probably did not exceed from two to three +hundred feet in elevation. They appeared to be of the same geological +formation; the upper crust an oolitic limestone, with many shells +embedded, below that a coarse, hard, grey limestone, and then alternate +streaks of white and yellow in horizontal strata, but which the steepness +of the cliffs prevented my going down to examine. + +<p>Back from the sea, the country was rugged and stony, and every where +covered with scrub or dwarf tea-tree. There was very little grass for the +horses, and that old and withered. In the morning one of the natives shot +a large wallabie, and this evening the three had it amongst them for +supper; after which they took charge of the horses for the night, this +being the first time they had ever watched them on the journey, myself +and the overseer having exclusively performed this duty heretofore; but, +as I was now expecting a longer and almost more arduous push than any we +had yet made, and in order that we might be able to discharge efficiently +the duties devolving upon us, and make those exertions which our +exigences might require, I deemed it only right that we should sometimes +be assisted by the two elder boys, in a task which we had before always +found to be the most disagreeable and fagging of any, that of watching +the horses at night, after a long and tiring day's journey. + +<p>On the morning of the 29th we moved away very early, passing over a rocky +level country, covered with low brush, and very fatiguing to both +ourselves and our horses. The morning was gloomy and close, and the day +turned out intensely hot. After travelling only fifteen miles we were +compelled to halt until the greatest heat was passed. Our stock of water +and provisions only admitted of our making two meals in the day, +breakfast and supper; but as I intended this evening to travel great part +of the night, we each made our meal now instead of later in the day, that +we might not be delayed when the cool of the evening set in. We had been +travelling along the summit of the cliffs parallel with the coast line, +and had found the country level and uniform in its character; the cliffs +still being from two to three hundred feet in elevation, and of the same +formation as I noticed before. There were patches of grass scattered +among the scrub at intervals, but all were old and withered. + +<p>At four in the afternoon we again proceeded on our journey, but had not +gone far before the sky unexpectedly became overcast with clouds, and the +whole heavens assumed a menacing and threatening appearance. To the east +and to the west, thunderclouds gathered heavily around, every indication +of sudden and violent rain was present to cheer us as we advanced, and +all were rejoicing in the prospects of a speedy termination to our +difficulties. The wind had in the morning been north-east, gradually +veering round to north and north-west, at which point it was stationary +when the clouds began to gather. Towards sunset a heavy storm passed over +our heads, with the rapidity almost of lightning; the wind suddenly +shifted from north-west to south-west, blowing a perfect hurricane, and +rendering it almost impossible for us to advance against it. A few +moments before we had confidently expected a heavy fall of rain; the dark +and lowering sky had gradually gathered and concentrated above and around +us, until the very heavens seemed overweighted and ready every instant to +burst. A briefer interval of time, accompanied by the sudden and violent +change of wind, had dashed our hopes to the ground, and the prospect of +rain was now over, although a few heavy clouds still hung around us. + +<p>Three miles from where we had halted during the heat of the day, we +passed some tolerable grass, though dry, scattered at intervals among the +scrub, which grew here in dense belts, but with occasional openings +between. The character of the ground was very rocky, of an oolitic +limestone, and having many hollows on its surface. Although we had only +travelled eighteen miles during the day, the overseer requested I would +stop here, as he said he thought the clouds would again gather, and that +rain might fall to-night; that here we had large sheets of rock, and many +hollows in which the rain-water could be collected; but that if we +proceeded onwards we might again advance into a sandy country, and be +unable to derive any advantage from the rain, even should it fall. I +intended to have travelled nearly the whole of this night to make up for +the time we had lost in the heat of the day, and I was the more inclined +to do this, now that the violence of the storm had in some measure +abated, and the appearance of rain had almost disappeared. The overseer +was so earnest, however, and so anxious for me to stop for the night, +that greatly against my own wishes, and in opposition to my better +judgment, I gave way to him and yielded. The native boys too had made the +same request, seconding the overseer's application, and stating, that the +violence of the wind made it difficult for them to walk against it. + +<p>The horses having been all hobbled and turned out to feed, the whole +party proceeded to make break-winds of boughs to form a shelter from the +wind, preparatory to laying down for the night. We had taken a meal in +the middle of the day, which ought to have been deferred until night, and +our circumstances did not admit of our having another now, so that there +remained only to arrange the watching of the horses, before going to +sleep. The native boys had watched them last night, and this duty of +course fell to myself and the overseer this evening. The first watch was +from six o'clock P. M. to eleven, the second from eleven until four A. +M., at which hour the whole party usually arose and made preparations for +moving on with the first streak of daylight. + +<p>To-night the overseer asked me which of the watches I would keep, and as +I was not sleepy, though tired, I chose the first. At a quarter before +six, I went to take charge of the horses, having previously seen the +overseer and the natives lay down to sleep, at their respective +break-winds, ten or twelve yards apart from one another. The arms and +provisions, as was our custom, were piled up under an oilskin, between my +break-wind and that of the overseer, with the exception of one gun, which +I always kept at my own sleeping place. I have been thus minute in +detailing the position and arrangement of our encampment this evening, +because of the fearful consequences that followed, and to shew the very +slight circumstances upon which the destinies of life sometimes hinge. +Trifling as the arrangement of the watches might seem, and unimportant as +I thought it at the time, whether I undertook the first or the second, +yet was my choice, in this respect, the means under God's providence of +my life being saved, and the cause of the loss of that of my overseer. + +<p>The night was cold, and the wind blowing hard from the south-west, whilst +scud and nimbus were passing very rapidly by the moon. The horses fed +tolerably well, but rambled a good deal, threading in and out among the +many belts of scrub which intersected the grassy openings, until at last +I hardly knew exactly where our camp was, the fires having apparently +expired some time ago. It was now half past ten, and I headed the horses +back, in the direction in which I thought the camp lay, that I might be +ready to call the overseer to relieve me at eleven. Whilst thus engaged, +and looking steadfastly around among the scrub, to see if I could +anywhere detect the embers of our fires, I was startled by a sudden +flash, followed by the report of a gun, not a quarter of a mile away from +me. Imagining that the overseer had mistaken the hour of the night, and +not being able to find me or the horses, had taken that method to attract +my attention, I immediately called out, but as no answer was returned, I +got alarmed, and leaving the horses, hurried up towards the camp as +rapidly as I could. About a hundred yards from it, I met the King +George's Sound native (Wylie), running towards me, and in great alarm, +crying out, "Oh Massa, oh Massa, come here,"--but could gain no +information from him, as to what had occurred. Upon reaching the +encampment, which I did in about five minutes after the shot was fired, I +was horror-struck to find my poor overseer lying on the ground, weltering +in his blood, and in the last agonies of death.</p> + +<p><a name="appendix"></a></p> +<h3>APPENDIX.</h3> + +<p>DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS, BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ. F.R.S.<br> +CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH, FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, BY DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSARY--GENERAL NEILL.<br> +THE REPTILES NAMED AND ARRANGED BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., AND THE FISH BY DR. RICHARDSON.<br> +DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS, BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M.E.S.<br> +DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA, BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ. F.R.S.<br> +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS, BY EDWARD DOUBLEDAY, ESQ. F.R.S. etc.<br> +LIST OF BIRDS KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, BY JOHN GOULD, ESQ. F.R.S.</p> + +<p><b>DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS.<br> +BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S.</b></p> + +<center> +<p><a name="eyre1-06"></a><img alt="" src="images/eyre1-06.jpg"></p> +<p><b>Plate I.--New bat and new frog<br> +1. Rhionolophus Aurantius<br> +2. Cystignathus Dorsalis</b></p> +</center> + +<p>I. It was formerly believed, that all the Mammalia inhabiting the +Australian continent, but the wild dog, were marsupial; but as the +natural history of the country is better known, we are becoming +acquainted with nearly as many native non-marsupial beasts as there are +marsupial; but they are certainly, generally, of a small size, such as +bats, mice, etc., as compared to the kangaroos and other marsupial genera. + +<p>Some years ago, in the Proceedings of the Geological Society, (iii. 52.) +I described a species of RHINOLOPHUS, from Moreton Bay, which was +peculiar for the large size of its ears, hence named R. MEGAPHYLLUS; the +one now about to be described, which was found flying near the hospital +at Port Essington, by Dr. Sibbald, R.N., is as peculiar for the +brightness and beauty of its colour, the male being nearly as bright an +orange as the Cock of the rock (RUPICOLA) of South America. + +<p>THE ORANGE HORSE-SHOE BAT, (RHINOLOPHUS AURANTIUS.) t. 1. f. 1.--Ears +moderate, naked, rather pointed at the end; nose-leaf large, central +process small, scarcely lobed, blunt at the top; fur elongate, soft, +bright orange, the hairs of the back with short brown tips, of the under +side rather paler, of the face rather darker; female pale yellow, with +brown tips to the hair of the upper parts. + +<p>Inhab. Port Essington, near the Hospital, Dr. Sibbald, R.N. + +<p>The membranes are brown, nakedish; the tail is rather produced beyond the +membrane at the tip; the feet are small, and quite free from the wings.</p> + +<pre> + Male. Female. +The length of the body and head 1.10 1.10 +The length of the fore-arm bone 1.11 1.10 +The length of the shin-bone 8 8 +The length of the ankle and foot 4 4 +</pre> + +<center> +<p><a name="eyre1-07"></a><img alt="" src="images/eyre1-07.jpg"></p> +<p><b>Plate II.--New frogs<br> +1. Phryniscus Australis<br> +2. Discoglosus Ornatus<br> +3. Perialia Eyrei</b></p> +</center> + +<p>II. In Captain Grey's Travels in Western Australia I gave a list of the +different species of Reptiles and Amphibia found in Australia. Since that +period the British Museum has received from the different travellers +various other species from that country. The lizards have been described +in the catalogue of the Museum collection, recently published, and are +being figured in the zoology of H.M.S. Erebus and Terror. Two of the most +interesting specimens lately received, belong to a new genus of frogs +which appear to be peculiar to Australia, which I shall now proceed to +describe:-- + +<p>GENUS PERIALIA. FAM. RANIDAE.--Tongue nearly circular, entire; palate +concave, with two groups of palatine teeth between the orifices of the +internal nostrils; jaw toothed; head smooth, high on the side; mouth +large; eyes convex, swollen above, tympanum scarcely visible; back rather +convex, high on the sides; skin smooth, not porous; limbs rather short; +toes 4.5, tapering to a point, nearly free, the palms with roundish +tubercles beneath; the fourth hind toe elongate, the rest rather short; +the ankle with an oblong, compressed, horny, sharp-edged tubercle on the +inner side at the base of the inner toe; the male with an internal vocal +sac under the throat. + +<p>This genus agrees with SCIAPHOS, PYXICEPHALUS, and PELOLATES, in having a +large, sharp-edged tubercle on the inner edge of the ankle, but it +differs from them at first sight, by the head and body being compressed +and high, the mouth very large, and the eyes convex on the side of the +forehead. + +<p>PERIALIA EYREI, t. 2. f. 3.--Olive, sides of the face, and body blackish +brown; face varies with white streak; the sides of body marbled with +unequal white spots; limbs brown and white marbled; under side of the +body whitish. + +<p>Inhab. Australia, on the banks of the river Murray. + +<p>PERIALIA? ORNATA, t. 2. f. 2.--Pale grey, back and sides, marbled with +symmetrical dark-edged spots, those of the middle of the back being +generally confluent, of the face elongate, band-like; the legs +dark-banded, beneath white. + +<p>Inhab. Port Essington. + +<p>Somewhat like DISCOGLOSUS PICTUS in appearance. The internal nostrils are +far apart, with an elongate group of palatine teeth level with their +hinder edges. + +<p>Taking advantage of the space of the plate, figures of the following +species from the same country, which have not hitherto been illustrated +have been added. They were described or noticed in the list before +referred to. + +<p>1. Cystignathus dorsalis, t. 1. f. 2. GRAY, ANN. NAT. HIST. 1841. + +<p>2. Phryniscus Australis, t. 2. f. 1. DUM. AND BIB. E. GEN. viii. 725. +Bombinator Australis, GRAY, PROC. ZOOL. SOC. 1838. 57. + +<center> +<p><a name="eyre1-09"></a><img alt="" src="images/eyre1-09.jpg"></p> +<p><b>Plate IV.--New Cray-fish<br> +1. Astacus Franklinii<br> +2. Astacus Bicarinatus<br> +3. Astacus Quinquecannatus</b></p> +</center> + +<p>III. Mr. Eyre having brought home with him the drawing of a species of +cray-fish found near the river Murray, which is called by the natives +UKODKO, I have been induced to examine the different species of Astaci in +the British Museum collection, which have been received at various times +from Australia, for the purpose of attempting to identify it. + +<p>As we have three very distinct species which have not yet been described +or figured in any of the works which have passed under my inspection, I +shall proceed to detail their peculiar characters and give figures of +their more characteristic features. + +<p>The drawing of "the UKODKO or smaller Murray cray-fish" most nearly +resembles ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, but it is three or four times larger +than any of the specimens of that species which we possess, and the +figure does not shew any indications of the five keels on the front of +the head. In wanting the keel on the thorax it agrees with an Australian +species described by Mr. Milne Edwards under the name of ASTACUS +AUSTRALASIENSIS, said to come from New Holland, and to be about two +inches long, while Mr. Eyre's figure is more than six inches, and is said +not to be taken from a large specimen. It differs from Mr. Milne Edwards' +figures, in having only one spine on the wrist, so that probably there +are still two more species of the genus to be found in Australia. + +<p>Mr. Eyre in his notes states--"The Fresh water cray-fish, of the smaller +variety; native names, cu-kod-ko, or koon-go-la, is found in the alluvial +flats of the river Murray, in South Australia, which are subject +to a periodical flooding by the river; it burrows deep below the +surface of the ground as the floods recede and are dried up, and +remains dormant, until the next flooding recals it to the surface; +at first it is in a thin and weakly state, but soon recovers and gets +plump and fat, at which time it is most excellent eating. Thousands +are procured from a small space of ground with ease, and hundreds +of natives are supported in abundance and luxury by them for many +weeks together. It sometimes happens that the flood does not recur +every year, and in this case the eu-kod-ko lie dormant until the next, +and a year and a half would thus be passed below the surface. I have +often seen them dug out of my garden, or in my wheat field, by the men +engaged in digging ditches for irrigation. The floods usually overflow +the river flats in August or September, and recede again in February or +March. For further particulars respecting the modes of catching the +eu-kod-kos, vide vol. ii. pages 252 and 267." + +<p>"I have spoken of this cray-fish as the SMALLER variety as respects the +Murray. It is LARGER than the one found in the ponds of the river Torrens +at Adelaide; but in the river Murray one is procured of a size ranging to +4 1/2 lbs., and which is QUITE EQUAL in flavour to the FINEST lobster." + +<p>These latter have not yet been received in any of our collections, so +that we are unable to state how it differs from those now described: they +must be the giants of the genus. + +<p>1. The Van Diemen's Land Cray-fish. ASTACUS FRANKLINII, t. 3. f. +1.--Carapace convex on the sides, rather rugose on the sides behind, the +front only slightly produced and edged with a toothed raised margin not +reaching beyond the front edge of the lower orbit, and with a very short +ridge at the middle of each orbit behind; the hands compressed, rather +rugose, edge thick and toothed: wrist with four or five conical spines on +the inner side, the front the largest: the central caudal lobe, broad, +continuous, calcareous to the tip, lateral lobes, with a very slight +central keel; the sides of the second abdominal rings spinose. + +<p>Inhab. Van Diemen's Land. + +<p>Mr. Milne Edwards, (Archives du Museum, ii. 35. t. 3.) has recently +described a species of this genus from Madagascar, under the name of A. +MADAGASCARIENSIS, which is nearly allied to the Van Diemen's Land +species, in the shortness of the frontal process, the spines on the sides +of the second abdominal segment, and in the lobes of the tail; but it +differs from it in the length of the claws, and other particulars. +Madagascar appears to be the tropical confines of the genus. + +<p>2. The Western Australia Cray-fish. ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, t. 3. f. +3.--Carapace smooth, rather convex, and with three keels above; the beak, +longly produced, ending in a spine, simple on the side and produced into +a keel on each side behind; the central caudal lobe rather narrow, +indistinctly divided in half, and like the other lobes flexile at the +end, the lateral lobes with a central keel ending a slight spine; the +hands elongated, compressed, smooth, with a thickened, toothed, inner +margin, which is ciliated above; wrist with two conical spines on the +inner side. + +<p>Inhab. Western Australia, near Swan River. + +<p>3. The Port Essington Cray-fish. ASTACUS BICARINATUS, t. 3.f. +2.--Carapace smooth, rather flattened, with a keel on each side above in +front; the beak longly produced, flattened, three toothed at the top; +hands rather compressed, smooth, thinner and slightly toothed on the +inner edge; the wrist triangular, angularly produced in front; the +central caudal lobes with two slightly diverging keels continued, and +like the others thin and flexible at the end, the inner lateral lobes +with two keels, each ending with a spine. + +<p>Inhab. Port Essington, Mr. Gilbert. + +<p>The A. AUSTRALASIENSIS, Milne Edwards, Crust ii. 332. t. 24. f. 1--5. +agrees with this species in the form of the beak, but the keels on the +thorax are not noticed either in the description or in the figure; and +the caudal lobes in the figure appear most to resemble A. FRANKLINII. + +<p>As the genus ASTACUS is now becoming more numerous in species, it may be +divided, with advantage, into three sections, according to the form of +the caudal lobes; thus:-- + +<p>A. The central caudal lobes divided by a transverse suture into two +parts, both being hard and calcareous, and with a small spine at the +outer angle of the suture (PATAMOBIUS, LEACH) as A. FLUVIATILIS of +Europe, and A. AFFINIS of North America, with an elongated rostrum, and +A. BARTONII of North America, with a short rostrum. + +<p>B. The central caudal lobe continued hard and calcareous to the end, as +ASTACUS FRANKLINII of Van Diemen's Land, and A. MADAGASCARIENSIS of +Madagascar; both have a very short beak, and the second abdominal ring +spinose. + +<p>C. The central caudal lobe continued or only slightly divided on the +middle of each side; but it and all the lateral lobes are thin and +flexible at the hinder parts, as ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, and A. +BICARINATUS of Australia, and A. CHILIENSIS of Chili. + +<p><b>CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH, FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND,<br> +BY DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSARY-GENERAL NEILL,<br> +IN A LETTER TO J. E. GRAY, ESQ. BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON.</b></p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<p>"Sir,--Although in the course of my life, I have had little opportunity +to pay attention to the study of Ichthyology, it occurred to me, as now +and then a leisure moment was afforded from official duties, that it +would perhaps be useful, as well as amusing, to collect and make drawings +of the fish about King George's Sound; and I have been in a great degree +stimulated to do so, from an accidental visit of my friend, His +Excellency Captain Grey, Governor of South Australia, who advised me to +forward the drawings to you for the purpose of being placed with others +of a similar kind in the British Museum, where ultimately sufficient +material may be collected to give some account of the New Holland fish. + +<p>"Nothing is assumed as to the execution of the drawings; in fact it often +occurred when I set off in my little skiff, (especially in the outset) +that seven or eight species were procured in the course of the excursion, +which compelled me to make drawings of all when I came home tired in the +evening; forwarding them to ensure, as far as possible, their colours +before they became extinct--a sort of forced effort in respect to the +execution has, therefore, only been effected. The outline of nearly every +specimen was taken from ACTUAL PROFILE, by laying the fish upon the +paper--in this way I defied error in outline--of course, afterwards +carefully drawing and correcting various parts which required it, in a +free or rough manner, time not admitting of much pains. + +<p>"In naming the fish, I have merely attempted to give the aboriginal and +popular names known to the sealers and settlers. In obtaining the former, +no little difficulty has been experienced. The younger natives generally +giving different names to those of the elder; but finding the fish named +by the latter more descriptive, I have, of course, in most instances, +adopted them. + +<p>"For instance, No. 1, KOJETUCK means the fish with the bones; which is +very descriptive, from Koje the bones, [Note 28: This was noticed by +Governor Grey.] having very singular bones placed vertically in the neck, +connecting the dorsal spines to the back, resembling small tobacco pipes. + +<p>"Also the KYNARNOCH, No 13, the bearded, etc. In many other instances the +savages of this province are equally clear in naming their animals; and +it is curious, even this applies to their children, who commonly receive +their name from some extraordinary circumstance at, or about the time of +their birth. I find, also, the old men are more minute in SPECIES; the +younger often call very different fish by the same name, as the MEMON, +Nos. 17, and 43, etc. but as this is curious, merely for the sake of fact, +it is otherwise of little importance to the naturalist,--the native name +being only useful to enable the collector to obtain any particular +species hereafter. As regards the fidelity of the drawings, it may be +worth while to mention a singular mistake made by my friend +TOOLEGETWALEE; one of the oldest and most friendly savages we have of the +King George tribe; who, in looking over my collection to assist me in +naming them, observed that the drawings were a little raised off the +paper; and like a monkey, began to touch them with his long talons; of +course I flew to their rescue, and asked what he meant? + +<p>"'INIKEN how make em? me twank skin put him on!' which literally +means--'Ah! I now see how you do it, you put the skin on!!' From want of +paper of uniform size, I was obliged to use any paper which came to hand, +cut the figures out, and afterwards paste them on clean paper; which +circumstance gave rise to the poor savage's mistake, and it was not until +I actually cut one out before him, that he could be convinced that he was +in error--a compliment I could hardly help smiling at. I have only to add +in conclusion, that no attempt has been made at ARRANGEMENT, having drawn +and numbered the fish as they were caught. Most have been taken by my own +hook; some by the native's spear, and some by the seine net. + +<p>"The natural SCALE of each has been pasted on to the drawing, and when +remarkable, both from the back and sides of the fish, which I considered +a more desirable plan than giving imitations, that could hardly, in +objects so minute, without the aid of a powerful magnifier, be depended +on. + +<p>"A descriptive account of each specimen, with the corresponding number to +that on the drawing, is also added. + +<p>"The effort has afforded me much amusement, and it will be still more +agreeable, if they will in any way contribute to a better knowledge of +the subject. + +<p>"I remain, Sir,<br> +"Your most obedient servant,<br> +"J. NEILL.<br> +"Albany, King George's Sound,<br> +"Western Australia."</p> + +<p>On receiving this most valuable and interesting collection, I referred +the part relative to the Fish to my excellent friend, Dr. Richardson of +Haslar, one of the first Ichthyologists now living, who has kindly +arranged the notes in systematic order, and added to them, as far as he +was able, the modern scientific names. I have done the same to the +Reptiles myself. I have retained the original numbers as they refer to +the drawings which are preserved in the zoological department of the +British Museum.--J. E. GRAY.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<p>REPTILES. + +<p>FAM. LIALISIDAE. + +<p>LIALIS BURTONII. Native name KERRY-GURA. Considered by the natives as +harmless; the scales of the back are very minute; the tail when broken is +sometimes terminated by three horny blunt ends; tongue divided and +rounded. + +<p>LIALIS BICATENATA. Native name WILLIAM LUNGER. Tongue not forked, broad, +and rounded off at the point. Not poisonous or at all dreaded by the +natives; finely striped down the back, and spotted with deep brown equal +marks; has a lappel on each side of the vent. + +<p>Killed 10th of October, 1841. + +<p>FAM. COLUBRIDAE. + +<p>NAJA,--? Native name TORN-OCK or TOOKYTE. Colour dirty olive over the +whole body; belly dirty olive; white, faintly dotted from the throat down +to the vent, with reddish dirty orange spots; the whole colour appears as +if faded; the scales are more closely united to the skin than those of +the NOON; fangs placed on each side of the upper jaw, short and rather +blunt; scuta, 223. + +<p>Although the natives assert, if a person is bitten by this make, and +"gets down," i.e. lays in bed three days, he will recover, yet I am very +doubtful of this account, more particularly from the women differing from +the men, as well as the whole subject being hidden in superstition. +Another ground of doubt rests upon the fact of having lost in Van +Diemen's Land, a favourite dog, by the bite of a snake very similar to +this; the poor animal expired fourteen minutes after the bite, although +the piece was almost instantaneously cut out. + +<p>The women of King George's Sound declare the bite of the Torn-ock mortal; +but the men laugh at that, and maintain the three days' "couple," (sleep) +will restore the patients. + +<p>The specimen was 4 ft. 9 in. long, but they have been seen 6 or 7 feet +long. This is a favourite food of the natives of King George's Sound. + +<p>COLUBER? Native name BARDICK. Dirty olive green over the whole back; +belly dirty white; scuta 130. + +<p>The natives state that the bite produces great swelling of the part for a +day or two, and goes off. + +<p>Never grows above 14 or 15 inches long. Caught October 1841. + +<p>COLUBER. Native name TORKITE or TORKYTE. Back, from the point of the tail +to the point of the nose, dark sepia brown; under the head yellow; and +towards the middle of the belly orange; scales minute; scuta 140; tongue +forked; teeth very minute; no fangs observable. Caught August 30th, 1844. + +<p>Not at all dreaded by the natives; venomous, but not deadly, the bite +merely producing a bad ulcer for a day or two. + +<p>ELAPS MELANOCEPHALUS. Native name WERR. Dirty olive green on the back, +from the neck to the tail; scuta 147, dirty reddish orange; head black +from the nose to neck; sides of the head white; tongue forked. + +<p>Doubtful if poisonous; little dreaded by the natives. Killed October +12th, 1845. + +<p>ELAPS. Native name NORN or NORNE. Whole body covered with spear shaped +scales; head shining black; the ground colours of the back rich umber, +almost black; scuta 161, of a dirty red orange; fangs two on each side of +the upper jaw near the lios, small, and bent inwards; tongue forked. + +<p>This is the most fatal of the New Holland snakes; the animal bitten +seldom recovers. The Aborigines have a great dread of this reptile; they +however eat of it if they kill it themselves, but there is a superstition +amongst them about snakes, which prevents their eating them if killed by +a European. + +<p>The specimen I figured was a small one, 3 ft. 9 in. long; they are often +seen by the natives much larger. I have endeavoured to represent it as it +generally sleeps or lies in wait for its prey, small birds, frogs, +lizards, etc. It delights in swamps and marshes. + +<p>Killed October, 1844. + +<p>FAM. BOIDAE + +<p>PYTHON. Native name WAKEL or WA-A-KEL. This snake is considered by the +natives a great delicacy, and by their account resembles mutton in +flavour, being also remarkably fat. I requested them to let me taste the +specimen from which the drawing was made; but they devoured every atom +themselves, pretending they did not understand me. The WAKEL differs from +the NORN in its habits; although both ascend trees in pursuit of small +birds and the young of the opossums. The WAKEL delights in rocky, dry +places, near salt water; they are very sluggish, and easily caught by the +women, who seize them behind the head and wring their necks. They are +described to have been seen 9 or 10 feet long. My specimen, a young male, +was exactly 5 feet long. The scales of this species are firmly fixed to +the skin, in plates all over the back and belly. The colour is beautiful, +dark greenish brown, finely variegated with yellowish white spots. + +<p>It was killed by Paddy, a native constable, near Albany, October, 1841.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<p>FISHES. + +<p>GOBIIDAE. + +<p>No. 58.--PATOECUS FRONTO. Rich. Ann. Nat. Hist. Oct. 1844, vol. xiv.p. +280, Ichth. Ereb. and Terr. p. 20, pl. 13, f. 1, 2. + +<p>Native name KARRACK. Colour, a rich dragon's blood, or mahogany; found by +a Danish boatman, named Byornsan, 80 miles off the east coast from King +George's Sound, December 11th, 1841. Anal rays imperfectly counted, and +there is a typographical error in the Zool. of Ereb. and Terr. The true +numbers of the rays follow: B. 6; D. 24-16; A. 11-5; C. 10; P. 8. + +<p>TRIGLIDAE. + +<p>No. 53.--SCORPOENA, or SEBASTES.--Native name, TYLYUCK, or TELUCK +(BIG-HEAD). "Rays, D. 12, 1-8; A. 3-5; P. 21; V. 1-5." + +<p>Uncommon. Inhabits rocky shores. Flesh firm and well-flavoured. Caught by +hook, 16th Aug. 1841. + +<p>No. 34.--SEBASTES?--Native name, CUMBEUK. + +<p>A common inhabitant of rocky shores. Good eating. The specimen was +speared by Munglewert, 17th May, 1841. "Rays, D. 14-17; A. 3-8; P. 14; V. +1-5." + +<p>No. 14.--APISTES. Apparently scaleless, and without free pectoral rays. +Does not correspond well with A. MARMORATUS. "Rays, D. 12," etc. Caught by +Seine, 18th March, 1841. + +<p>The fishermen dread wounds made by the species of this fish, as they +always fester. + +<p>Native name BOORA-POKEY, or POKY. SERGEANT of the settlers. + +<p>No. 36.--PLATYCEPHALUS.--Native name CUMBEL. Common Flat-head of the +settlers. Seems to differ from described species in the two dark bars of +the tail, being directly transverse, and followed by five large dark +purple round spots. + +<p>Inhabits sandy shores very commonly, all round the coast of New Holland. +A variety occurs at Maria Island, Van Diemen's Land. Caught by hook, 15th +May, 1841. Good eating. + +<p>MULLIDAE. + +<p>No. 13.--UPENEUS.--Native name, MINAME, or KGNARNUCK (the bearded); "Red +mullet" of the settlers. + +<p>PERCIDAE. + +<p>No. 46.--ENOPLOSUS ARMATUS. Cuv. et Val. 2, p. 133, pl. 20.--Native name, +KARLOCK. Speared by a native, June 1841. Inhabits rocky shores. + +<p>BERYCIDAE. + +<p>No. 2.--BERYX LINEATUS, C. and V. 3, p. 226.--Native name, CHETONG. Red +Snapper, or Tide-fisher of the sealers. Very common in the bays of rocky +shores. "Rays, D. 5-14; A. 4-13; P. 12; V. 1-7." + +<p>SPHYRAENIDAE. + +<p>No. 59.--SPHYROENA.--Native name, KORDONG. "Rays, D. 5, 1-9; A. 11; P. +13; V. 1-5." + +<p>The "Common Baracoota" is found off the whole coast of New Holland, but +the KORDONG seems to be peculiar to Western Australia. It comes into the +shallow bays in summer; and being a sluggish fish, is easily speared by +the natives, who esteem it to be excellent food. It will lay for a minute +looking with indifference at its enemy, while he poises the fatal and +unerring spear. Specimen caught in a net, December, 1841. + +<p>SILLAGINIDAE. + +<p>No. 25.--SILLAGO.--Native name, MURDAR. "Rock whiting" of the settlers. +"Rays, D. 10-23; A. 18; P. 13; A. 5." + +<p>Inhabits rocky shores and deep water. Caught by the seine, 3rd April, +1841. Good eating. + +<p>No. 11.--SILLAGO PUNCTATA, C. et V 3, P. 413.--Native name MURDAR. +"Common whiting" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 12, 1-26; A. 22; P. 11; V. +5." + +<p>Inhabits shallow sandy bays abundantly, and is much admired for the +delicacy of its flesh, but it is dryer eating than the whiting of Europe. + +<p>SCIAENIDAE. + +<p>No. 55.--CORVINA?--Native name T'CHARK or T'CHYARK. King-fish of the +sealers. "Rays, D. 9--1-27; A. 1-7; P. 15; V. 1-5." + +<p>Teeth strong and sharp. Grows to a great size; as I am informed by the +natives, that they often spear individuals weighing sixty or seventy +pounds. This fish enters the fresh-water periodically, like the Salmon of +Europe, to spawn, and it is the only fish in this country which I have +distinctly made out to do so. It is tolerably good eating. The specimen +was caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour by a hook, on the 30th August, +1841. (This may be the adult of the CORVINA KUHLII of the HISTOIRE DES +POISSONS, 5. p. 121.) + +<p>SERRANIDAE. + +<p>No. 19.--CENTROPRISTES TRUTTA. SCIAENA TRUTTA, G. Foster, Icon. 210. +(vide Ichth. of Ereb. and Terror, p. 30.)--Native name KING-NURRIE, or +IINAGUR. "Salmon" of the sealers. Pectorals yellow or orange coloured, +with dark bases; scales faintly fan-streaked; last rays of dorsal and +anal elongated. Faint oblong, orange-coloured spots on the sides, not in +vertical rows. "Rays, D. 9-16; A. 2-10; P. 16." Eye remarkably brilliant. +Good eating in the summer time, but far inferior to the SALMO SALAR. It +congregates in vast shoals, and pursues the fry of other fishes in +shallow bays, but never enters fresh-water. It is often taken of from +seven to ten pounds weight. It affords excellent sport to the angler. The +specimen was caught by the hook from my own door on the 4th May, 1841. + +<p>No. 3.--CENTROPRISTES (CIRRIPIS) GEORGIANUS. C. et V. 7. p. 451. Jenyn's +Zool. of Beagle, p. 13.--Native name WARRAGUIT. "Herring" of the +settlers. Rays, D. 9-14; A. 3-10; etc. + +<p>Inhabits rocky shores, and is taken in the summer, by net on sandy +beaches. Specimen caught by the hook, on the 27th March, 1841. + +<p>No. 23.--SERRANUS? vel CAPRODON (Schlegel.) aut PLECTROPOMA.--Native name +TANG or TAA (It bites.) The "Perch" of the Sealers. "Rays, D. 10-24; A. +2-9; P. 14; V. 1-5." + +<p>Eye fine crimson: pupil deep blue-black. Tail slightly rounded. +Remarkably strong canines, from which peculiarity it has obtained its +native name of TAA, as it bites severely when taken, if the fisher be not +on the alert. It is good to eat, but is not common. Caught by the hook on +9th of April, 1841. + +<p>No. 4.--PLECTROPOMA NIGRO-RUBRUM. C. et V. 2. p. 403.--Native name +BUNDEL. "Crab-eyed soldier" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 10-17; A. 3-9." + +<p>Inhabits rocky shores, and is not common. Specimen caught by the hook, on +the 4th April, 1841. Good eating. + +<p>No. 21.--HELOTES?--Native names, BOORA, BOWRU, also CHARLUP. The "Pokey," +or "small Trumpeter" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 11--1-11; A. 2-11; etc." + +<p>Inhabits rocky places. Good to eat. Caught by the seine, on the 3rd +March, 1841. + +<p>CIRRHITIDAE. + +<p>No. 24.--CHEILODACTYLUS GIBBOSUS. Solander. Icon. Ined. Banks. No. +23.--Richardson Zool. Trans. 3, p. 102.--Native name KNELOCK (not +certain). + +<p>Inhabits sandy beaches; is little known to the sealers. Caught in a net, +3rd March, 1841. + +<p>No. 39. CHEILODACTYLUS CARPONEMUS.--C. et V. 5. p. 362.--Native name +CHETTANG. "Jew-fish" of the sealers (the name "Jew-fish" is applied +otherwise by the colonists). + +<p>Inhabits rocky shores. Some specimens weigh upwards of sixteen pounds. +Caught by hook, 17th May, 1841. + +<p>No. 42.--CHEILODACTYLUS. Native name TOORJENONG. "Black Jew-fish" of the +sealers. "Rays, D. 16-26; A. 2-10; P. 13; V. 5." + +<p>Inhabits rocky points of sandy bays, where they love to run in and root +up the sand with their fleshy mouths. They are sluggish, and easily +speared by the Aborigines, whose chief food it constitutes at certain +seasons. The specimen was speared in my presence by Wallup, on the 8th of +June, 1841. The TOORJENONG grows to a large size, exceeding twenty pounds +in weight. It is a gross feeder, and its flesh is hard and dry, but the +head and sides are much prized by the natives, and the head of a large +one makes tolerable soup. + +<p>No. 45.--LATRIS? (vix. GERRES?)--Native name QUIKE or QUIK, (horned). +"Rays, 9-16; A. 3-16; P. 14; V. 1-5." + +<p>Caught by the hook, off Rocky Point, on the 17th of August, 1844. Good to +eat. (A spine before each nostril, probably springing from the heads of +the maxillaries). + +<p>SPARIDAE. + +<p>No. 1.--PAGRUS GUTTULATUS. C. et V. 6, p. 160.--Native name KOJETUCK. +"Common Snapper" of the sealers, "Rays, D. 12-9; A. 3-8; P. 1-5." + +<p>The Snapper grows to a large size, attaining from thirty to forty pounds +weight, and is very voracious. It devours crabs and shell fish, crushing +them with its strong teeth. It is common on all the rocky inlets of the +coast of New Holland, extending down the eastern shores to Sidney. + +<p>CHAETODONTIDAE. + +<p>No. 41.--CHAETODON SEXFASCIUTUS. Richardson Ann. of Nat. Hist.--Native +name KNELOCK. + +<p>Inhabits rocky places. Not common. + +<p>No. 40.--CHAETODON.--Native name MITCHEBULLER or METYEBULLAR. Teeth very +minute. + +<p>Inhabits rocky places. Speared by Warrawar, on the 27th of May, 1841. + +<p>No. 27.2.--CHAETODON.--Native name WAMEL or WAMLE. "Rays, D. 10-20; A. +3-17." + +<p>No. 6.--PLATAX?--Native names, TEUTUEK or KARLOCK, from the shape of the +fins, also MUDEUR. "Striped sweep" of the sealers, and Pomfret of the +settlers. D. 10; A. 2. Teeth small. Very common on rocky shores. Is a +gross feeder; but good to eat. Caught by a hook on the 12th of March, +1841. + +<p>No. 8--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS?--Native names, KGNMMUL or KARRAWAY. +The striped zebra fish of the settlers. "Rays, D. 14-12; A. 3 11; V. +1-5." Mouth, small; tail rather concave. + +<p>Inhabits rocky shores, is a gross feeder, bad eating, and is not common. +Caught by the hook on the 6th of April 1841. + +<p>No. 10.--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS? Schlegel.--Native names, KOWELANY, +KARRAWAY, or MEMON. Tail a little forked. "Rays, D. 14-13; A.3-11; P. 17; +V. 1-5." Eye, grey. + +<p>Inhabits rocky shores, and is not very common. Caught by a hook, on the +6th of April, 1841. + +<p>No. 17.--MELANICHTHYS.--Native name MEMON or MUDDIER. "Rays, D. 14-13; A. +3-11; P. 17; V. 1-5." + +<p>Eye greyish yellow; teeth in a trenchant series on the edge of the upper +and lower jaw, and also on the maxillaries. Is a gross feeder, and its +flesh has a strong disagreeable smell, but is much relished by the +Aborigines. + +<p>Inhabits rocky shores, and is rare. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +<p>No. 33. Genus unknown.--Native name, TOOBETOET or TOOBITOO-IT. Rays, D. +17-11; A. 11; P. 11; V. 4. + +<p>Is a rare inhabitant of rocky places. Speared by Mooriane, 14th of May, +1841. This seems to be a new generic form, nearly allied to HOPLEGNATHUS, +Richardson; or SCARODON, Schlegel. + +<p>No. 43.--SCORPIS?--Native name, MEMON or MEEMON. "Sweep" of the sealers. +"Rays, D.; A. 1." Teeth minute. It is a gross feeder and poor eating. +Very common on rocky shores. Being a bold voracious fish, it is easily +speared or taken with a hook. The Aborigines generally select a rock +which jutts out into the sea, and sitting on their hams, beat crabs into +fragments with a little stone, and throw them into the sea to attract +this fish. The instant a fish comes to feed on the bait, the native, +whose spear is ready, suddenly darts it, and rarely fails in bringing up +the fish on its barbed point. Specimen caught by the hook, 15th of June, +1841. + +<p>No. 44.--KURTUS?--Native name, TELYUA, or TELLYA, "Rays, D. 13; A. 2-19; +V.5." + +<p>Thrown up on Albany beach, 14th of August, 1841. + +<p>PLATESSIDEAE. + +<p>No. 50.--PLATESSA? vel. HIPPOGLOSSUS? CHUNDELA.--Native name, CHONDELAR, +or CHUNDELA. The "Spotted sole" of the settlers. Very common in all the +shallow bays in the summer time, where it may be taken by the seine. The +natives detect it when its body is buried in the sand, by the glistening +of its eyes, and spear it. When fishing with the torch, in the night +time, the natives feel for this fish with their naked feet. Specimen +caught by seine, August, 1841. This fish is delicate eating. + +<p>SCOMBERIDAE. + +<p>No. 32.--CARANX MICANS, Solander, Icon. Parkinson, Bib. Banks, No. +89.--Native name, MADAWICK, "Skip-jack" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 8-28; +A. 2-23; P. 15." Very common in shallow sandy bays, and forming the +staple food of the natives, who assemble in fine calm days, and drive +shoals of this fish into weirs that they have constructed of shrubs and +branches of trees. Specimen caught by hook on the 12th of May, 1841. + +<p>No. 16.--TRACHURUS LUTESCENS. Solander (SCOMBER) Pisees Austr. p. 38. +Richard. Ann. Nat. Hist. x. p. 14.--Native name, WARAWITE and +MADIWICK. "Yellow tail" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 6; A. 2." Eye very +large. + +<p>Inhabits the edges of sandy banks. Good eating. Caught by hook 5th of +March, 1841. + +<p>MUGILIDAE. + +<p>No. 29. MUGIL vel. DAJAUS DIEMENSIS. Richardson, Ichth. of the Erebus and +Terror, p. 37, pl. 26, f. 1.--Native name, KNAMLER or KNAMALER. "Common +mullet" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 4-9; A. 1-13." + +<p>Frequents shores with sandy beaches, and forms a principal article of +food to the native youths, who are continually practising throwing their +spears at this fish. It is very common, and is good eating. Caught by the +seine, 12th April, 1841. + +<p>No. 57.--MUGIL.--Native name, MERRONG, or MIRRONG. "The flut-nosed mullet" +of the settlers. + +<p>This is the finest fish of New Holland that I am acquainted with. In +Wilson's Inlet, about forty miles west of King George's Sound, it abounds +in the winter months; and the different tribes, from all parts of the +coast, assemble there, by invitation of the proprietors of the ground, +(the MURRYMIN,) who make great feasts on the occasion. The fish attains a +weight of three and a-half pounds, and a fat one yields about three +quarters of a pound of oil, which the natives use for greasing their +heads and persons. This fish runs up the rivers during the floods, and so +becomes very fat. In summer it retires to the ocean. Caught in September, +1841. + +<p>LABRIDAE. + +<p>No. 47.--LABRUS LATICLAVIUS. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. p. 139.--Native +name, KANUP, or PARILL, (Green-fish.) + +<p>Is a rare inhabitant of rocky shores. Caught by hook, 17th August, 1841. +Poor eating. + +<p>No. 20.--LABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICK, KIELMICK, or KIELNMICK. +"Rock-cod" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 22; A. 14." + +<p>Tail square. Very common on rocky coasts. Soft, indifferent eating. +Caught by the hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +<p>No. 9.--LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL. "Common rock-fish of the sealers. +"Rays, D. 9-11; A. 2-11, etc." + +<p>Mouth furnished with small sharp teeth. Caught by hook, 12th March, 1841. + +<p>No. 37.--LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL, KUHOUL, or BOMBURN. "Black +rock-fish" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 9-11; A. 3-10 seconds, etc." + +<p>Inhabits rocky shores, and grows to the size of fifteen or twenty pounds +weight. Poor, soft eating. Speared by Warrawar, 12th May, 1841. + +<p>No. 7.--LABRUS?--Native name, POKONG. "Brown rock-fish" of the sealers. +"Rays, D. 9-12; A. 3-10," etc. + +<p>Flesh soft and poor. Inhabitants rocky shores; very common. Caught by +hook, 12th March, 1841. + +<p>No. 18.--CRENILABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICH, MINAME, or MINAMEN. Common +"rock-fish" or "Parrot" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 8-11; A. 2-10," etc. + +<p>Poor and soft. Inhabits bold rocky shores, where it is troublesome to the +fisher by carrying off his bait. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +<p>No. 12.--LABRUS?--Native name IANON'T, WOROGUT, or CUMBEAK. "Rays, D. 30; +A. 12." Tail rounded, teeth very small. + +<p>Inhabits weedy places in deep water, and along sandy bays. Sometimes +taken by the natives on the edge of banks. Excellent eating. Caught by +hook, 18th March, 1841. + +<p>No. 30.--COSSYPHUS? CRENILABRUS?--Native name MOOLET or CHETON. +"Red rock-fish" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 11-10; A. 3-11; P. 15." +etc.--Teeth very strong; tail rounded; its rays oblong. + +<p>Inhabits rocky shores. Bites eagerly, and is a gross feeder. Indifferent +eating. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841. + +<p>No. 35.------? Genus not ascertained.--Native name KOOGENUCK, QUEJUIMUCK, +or KNOWL. Little known to the sealers. "Rays, 11-12; A. 2 or 3; P. 16 or +18." Dorsal spines remarkable; scales large; grows to a large size; the +flank scales of one weighing twenty-eight pounds, measure an inch and a +half in length, and an inch and a quarter in breadth. (They are +cycloid.--J. R.) + +<p>Inhabits rocky shores. The specimen was speared by Warrawar, 12th May, +1841. + +<p>CYPRINIDAE. + +<p>No. 5.--RYNCHANA GREYI. Richardson, Ichth. of Voy. of Erebus and Terror, +p. 44 pl. 29. f. 1. 6.--Native name, PINING or WAUNUGUR, not certain. Not +known to the sealers. Pupil like that of the shark elliptical, with the +long axis vertical. + +<p>When the skin was removed the flesh was very fat, resembling that of the +eel, had an unpleasant smell, and could not be eaten. The natives also +were averse to eating it, and only one man acknowledged to have seen it +before. Caught by seine, by Corporal Emms of the 51st regiment, 7th +April, 1841. (This fish is also an inhabitant of Queen Charlotte's Sound, +New Zealand.--J. R.) + +<p>SALMONIDAE. + +<p>No. 48.--AULOPUS PURPURISSATUS. Richardson, Icones Piscium, p. 6, pl. 2, +f. 3.--Native name, KARDAR. "Rays, D. 19; A. 14; V. 9; P. 10." + +<p>Very rare. Caught by hook, on a rocky shore, by Mr. Sholl of Albany, 14th +July, 1841. (Mr. Niell's figure differs slightly from that of Lieutenant +Emery, published in the ICONES PISCIUM above quoted, and chiefly in the +dorsal occupying rather more space, by commencing before the ventrals, +and extending back to opposite the beginning of the anal. The anus is +under the fourteenth dorsal ray. Mr. Niell's drawing also shews a series +of six large roseate spots on the sides below the lateral line, and a +more depressed head, with a prominent arch at the orbit.--J. R.) + +<p>ESOCIDAE. + +<p>No. 22.--HEMIRAMPHUS.--Native name, IIMEN. "Guardfish" of the settlers. +"Rays, D. 16, delicate black rays; A. 15, do; P. 12; V. 6." Lower jaw +equal to the head in length. Caught by the seine, 3rd March, 1841. + +<p>Inhabits sandy bays, but approaches the shore only in summer. It is very +delicate eating. + +<p>MURAENIDAE. + +<p>No. 52.--MURAENA? vel SPHAGEBRANCHUS.--Native name KALET. The eel figure, +nat. size. Dorsal fin continuous for about three and a half inches behind +the snout to the point of the tail: its rays very delicate; anal like the +dorsal, but commencing behind the vent. One small lobe in the gills, +about the size of a pin's head; no other perceptible opening. + +<p>Caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour, 16th August, 1841. + +<p>LOPHOBRANCHI. + +<p>No. 56.--OSTRACIAN FLAVIGASTER, Gray. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. p. 164, +p. 11, f. 1.--Native name, CONDE or KOODE. "Rays, D. 10; A. 9; P. 11, +etc." + +<p>This fish is not eaten by the natives, who abhor it. It is seen only in +the summer, and in shallow sandy bays, Caught in a net in October, 1841. + +<p>No 51.--MONACANTHUS.--Native name, TABADUCK. Rays, D. 28; A. 26; P. 12; +C. 12. + +<p>Very rare, scarcely ever seen by the Aborigines. Caught by hook, August, +1841. + +<p>No. 49.--MONACANTHUS.--Not known to the Aborigines. Rays, D. 32; A. 30; +C. 12; P. 11. Eye yellow; dorsal spine short. + +<p>Taken in deep water by Mr. Johnson, off the Commissariat stores, near a +sunken rock, in deep water. + +<p>No. 15.--MONACANTHUS.--Native name, CAUDIEY. "Small leather-jacket" of +the sealers. + +<p>Inhabits deep water, with a rocky bottom; is good to eat. Caught by a +net, 18th March, 1841. Dorsal spine toothed behind. + +<p>No. 31.--MONACANTHUS, or (ALEUTERES, no spinous point of the pelvis +visible in figure.--J. R.)--Native name, TABEDUCK. The "yellow +leather-jacket" of the sealers. Dorsal spine toothed. D. 33; A. 32; P. +13. Caudal rounded, its rays very strong. + +<p>Inhabits deep water in rocky places, and is very common. It is esteemed +for food by the Aborigines; is much infested by an Isopode named NETTONG, +or TOORT, by the natives. This insect inserts its whole body into a +pocket by the side of the anus, separated from the gut by a thin +membrane. The fish to which the insect adheres are yellow; those which +are free from it are of a beautiful purple colour. Caught by hook, 12th +May, 1841. + +<p>CARCHARIDAE. + +<p>No. 54.--CARCHARIAS (PRIONODON) MELANOPTERUS, Muller and Henle.--Native +name, MATCHET. "Common blue shark" of the settlers. Specimen four feet +and a half long; have been seen longer. A female had four young alive +when taken. Spiracles behind the eyes. Caught by hook, 16th August, 1841. + +<p>No. 26--CESTRACION PHILIPPI, Mull. and Henle.--Native names, MATCHET, +KORLUCK, or QUORLUCK. "Bull-dog-shark" of the sealers. Specimen two feet +and a half long. + +<p>Inhabits rocky shores, and is very sluggish; it does not grow to a very +large size. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841. + +<p>TRYGONES. + +<p>No. 38.--UROLOPHUS.--Native name, KEGETUCK or BEBIL. "Young sting-ray" of +the sealers. Caught by seine, 4th May, 1841. + +<p>No. 28.--Near PLATYRHINA.--Native name, PARETT. "Fiddler" of the sealers; +Green skate of the settlers. Eye dullish yellow; pupil sea-green, glaring +in some lights; teeth transverse, like a file; spiracles two, large, +behind the eye, in the same cavity; belly white, terminating at the +caudal fin. + +<p>Very common in the sheltered bays, close in shore among the weeds. Not +eaten by the Aborigines, who greatly abhor them, as they do also the +sting-ray. Specimen two feet nine inches and a half long.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<p><b>(D.) DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS.<br> +BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M.E.S.</b></p> + +<center> +<p><a name="eyre1-08"></a><img alt="" src="images/eyre1-08.jpg"></p> +<p><b>Plate III.--New Insects<br> +1. Petasida Ephippigera<br> +2. Chrysopa Maculipennis<br> +3. Eurybrachys Laeta<br> +4. Tettigarcta Tomentosa<br> +5. It's pupa case</b></p> +</center> + +<p>The four insects here figured and described are, as far as I am aware, +new. Petasida, and Tettigarcta are interesting in the shape of the +Thorax, differing widely from that in any of the allied genera, while the +new species of Eurybrachys and Chrysopa are striking from their colouring +and marks. + +<p>PETASIDA EPHIPPIGERA, pl. 4. fig. 1. + +<p>Thorax much dilated behind, depressed and rounded at the end; the side +deeply sinuated behind; head pointed, antennae long; of a yellowish +orange; antennae with a few greenish rings, cheek below the eye with a +greenish line, head above with a longitudinal greenish line. Thorax with +a slight keel down the middle, wrinkled behind of a dusky blueish green, +a large patch of an orange colour on each side in front, and a small spot +of the same colour on each edge of the produced part at base; elytra +orange with numerous black spots, and black at the tip, lower wings pale +orange at the base, clouded with black at the tip; abdomen orange, +slightly ringed with green; legs orange, with three greenish spots on the +outside of the femora of hind legs. + +<p>Length 1 inch 9 lines. + +<p>Hab. Australia. + +<p>CHRYSOPA MACULIPENNIS, pl. 4. fig. 2. + +<p>Head red, with a black spot on the crown; antennae short brownish black; +thorax hairy; thorax, abdomen, and legs, brownish black. Wings brown, +with iridescent hues, the upper with transverse yellowish lines and spots +at the base; a long yellowish line parallel to the outer edge at the end, +and emitting a whitish spot which reaches the edge, three spots on the +apical portion, the two on the outer edge large; basal half lower wings +pale, some of the areolets yellowish; a few clouded with brown, tip of +the wing yellowish. + +<p>Expanse of wings 1 inch 4 1/2 lines. + +<p>Hab. Australia. + +<p>EURYBRACHYS LAETA, pl. 4, fig. 3. + +<p>Head thorax and upper wings of a rich brown colour, the outer edge of the +last is deep black, with a transverse yellowish spot just before the +middle, the remainder of the edge slightly spotted with black, upper side +covered with short blackish hairs; lower wings deep black; abdomen of a +bright red, with a round white tuft on the upper side near the end; first +two pairs of legs of a deep brown, with some reddish lines; hind legs +ferruginous with blackish spines. + +<p>Expanse of wings 7 lines. + +<p>Hab. Australia. + +<p>TETTIGARCTA, n. genus, WHITE. Fam. CICADIDAE. + +<p>Head very small in front, blunt; lateral ocelli close to the eyes, space +between them with long hairs. + +<p>Prothorax very large, extending back in a rounded form beyond the base of +hind wings, the sides sharp pointed, the back very convex and wrinkled. + +<p>Body and under parts densely clothed with hair. + +<p>This very singular genus differs from all the Stridulantes in the size +and shape of the prothorax; in the neuration of the elytra it is allied +to PLATYPLEURA (Amyst and Serville) in the size of head and hairiness of +body it approaches CARINETA of the same authors. The Pupa, (fig. 5.) +differs in the form of fore legs from those of the other Cicada. + +<p>TETTIGARCTA TOMENTOSA, pl. 4, fig. 4, and 5 its pupa. + +<p>Of a brownish ash colour, the hairs on upper part of body short and deep +brown, on the sides and under parts long and grey; prothorax varied with +black, in front, two large patches covered with grey hairs, mixed with +longer; elytra spotted and varied with brown, wings clear, somewhat +ferruginous at the base. + +<p>Expanse of wings 3 inches 4 lines. + +<p>Hab. Australia.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<p><b>DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA,<br> +BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S.</b> + +<center> +<p><a name="eyre1-10"></a><img alt="" src="images/eyre1-10.jpg"></p> +<p><b>Plate V.--New Shells<br> +1. Avicula Lata<br> +2. Spatangus Elongatus</b></p> +</center> + +<p>Lamarck separated the mother-of-pearls shell (MARGARITA) from the +swallow-tail muscles (AVICULA) on account of its more orbicular shape. +Other Conchologists have been inclined to unite them, as some of the +species of AVICULA approach to the shape of the other genus. The new one +just received from Australia, which I am now about to describe, in this +respect more resembles the Margarita than any before noticed; yet I am +inclined to think that the pearl-shells deserved to be kept separate, as +the cardinal teeth are quite obliterated in the adult shells, which is +not the case with any AVICULAE I am acquainted with; and the young +pearl-shells are furnished with a broad serrated distant leafy fringe, +while the AVICULAE are only covered with very closely applied short +concentric slightly raised minutely denticulated lamina, forming an +epidermal coat on the surface. + +<p>1. AVICULA LATA, pl. 6. f. 1. + +<p>Shell dark brown; half ovate; broad obliquely truncated, and scarcely +notched behind; covered with close regular very thin denticulated +concentric lamina, forming a paler external coat. The front ear rather +produced, with a distant inferior notch; internally pearly, with a broad +brown margin on the lower-edge. + +<p>Inhab. North and West coasts of Australia. + +<p>2. SPATANGUS ELONGATUS, pl. 6. f. 2. + +<p>Body elongate, cordate, with a deep anterior grove and notch; covered +above with minute hair-like spines, with scattered very elongated tubular +minutely striated spines on the sides; the anterior groves and +circumference of the vent with larger equal hair-like spines on each +side; the under surface with a triangular disk of similar spines beneath +the vent, and with elongated larger tubular spines. + +<p>Inhab. Western Australia. + +<p>Having only a single specimen completely covered with spines, it is +impossible to describe the form of the ambulacra or the disposition of +the tubercles. The lower figures represent the mouth and vent of the +animal in detail.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<p><b>DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS<br> +BY EDWARD DOUBLEDAY, ESQ., F.L.S., etc.</b> + +<center> +<p><a name="eyre1-11"></a><img alt="" src="images/eyre1-11.jpg"></p> +<p><b>Plate VI.--New Butterflies<br> +1. Thyridopteryx Nigrescens<br> +2. Callimorpha Selenaea<br> +3. Chelonia Pallida<br> +4. Chelonia Fuscinula <br> +5. Acontia? Pulchra</b></p> +</center> + +<p>THYRIDOPTERYX NIGRESCENS, pl. 5. f. 1. + +<p>Head densely clothed with long whitish hairs; thorax and abdomen with +black hairs; wings hyaline, the nervures and nervules brown, with a few +black scales: base of the anterior and abdominal fold of the posterior +more or less covered with black hairs; antennae and legs fuscous brown. + +<p>Exp. 10--12 lines. + +<p>The larva of this species forms a dwelling for itself, similar in form +and structure to that of its American congener, the EPHEMERAEFORMIS, +Steph. + +<p>CALLIMORPHA SELENAEA, pl. 5. f. 2. + +<p>Wings of a brilliant silvery white; the anterior traversed by a fulvous +band commencing at the base on the costa, which it follows for about +one-third of its length, then crossing the wings directly to the anal +angle, where it unites with a vitta of the same colour, extending from +the angle nearly to the base along the inner margin; this vitta is +bordered interiorly with thickly placed black dots; the transverse +portion of the fulvous band is bordered on both sides with black, and has +a sinus about the middle; cilia fulvous; posterior wing with a black spot +near the outer angle: below, the wings are white, except the cilia of the +anterior, and a large blotch, red anteriorly, black posteriorly, near the +outer angle; head rufous; antennae fuscous; thorax and abdomen white, the +former with the shoulders rufous. + +<p>Exp. 2 1/2 inches. + +<p>CHELONIA PALLIDA, pl. 5. f. 3. + +<p>Anterior wings pale brown, with white nervures and nervules, and marked +with several whitish spots, of which four are on the costa, two +longitudinal before, two transverse beyond the middle of the wing, and on +the inner margin are three irregular patches, sometimes confluent, beyond +which is a band parallel with the outer margin, commencing above the +upper median nervule, and terminating on the inner margin; posterior +wings white, with a discoidal spot, a macular band near the outer margin, +and a less distinct marginal one, all brownish; head white; thorax white, +with three black vittae; abdomen above rufous, with six transverse black +spots, the sides varied with black and white; antennae black; femora red; +tibiae and tarsi black. + +<p>Exp. 2 1/4 inches. + +<p>CHELONIA FUSCINULA, pl. 5. f. 4. + +<p>Anterior wings fuscous, with a pale vitta commencing near the base on the +subcostal nervure, reaching the costa before the middle, and extending +along it to the apex, where it joins a flexuous submarginal band, +connected with a vitta occupying the whole inner margin; beyond the cell +is an abbreviated flexuous striga; followed by a subquadrate dot; +posterior wings pale dull red, with a broad submarginal fuscous band, and +a discoidal spot of the same colour; head and anterior part of thorax +pale, posterior black; abdomen above red, with a black dorsal line; +antennae fuscous; femora red; tibiae and tarsi fuscous. + +<p>Exp. 1 1/4 inch. + +<p>ACONTIA? PULCHRA, pl. 5. f. 5. + +<p>Wings of a somewhat chalky white, the anterior with three rufous dots on +the costa before the middle, of which the third is the largest, and near +the apex a large brown spot, fulvous towards the costa, clouded with +bluish white, connected with the inner margin by four indistinct yellow +dots; forehead red; head, thorax, and abdomen, white; palpi red at the +apex; feet white first and second pairs spotted with red. + +<p>Exp. 2 inches.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> + +<p><b>LIST OF BIRDS, KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, BY JOHN GOULD, ESQ. F.R.S.</b> + +<p>ORDER RAPTORES.</p> + +<pre> +Aquila fucosa, CUV. +Ichthyiaetus leucogaster, GOULD. +Pandion leucocephalus, GOULD. +Haliastur sphenurus. +Falco melanogenys, GOULD. +----- sub-niger, G. R. GRAY. +----- frontatus, GOULD. +Ieracidea Occidentalis, GOULD. +--------- Berigora. +Tinnunculus Cencroides. +Astur approximans, VIG. and HORSF. +----- Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.? +Accipiter torquatus, VIG. and HORSF. +Buteo melanosternon, GOULD. +Milvus isurus, GOULD. +------ affinis, GOULD. +Elanus axillaris. +------ scripta, GOULD. +Circus assimilis, JARD. +------ Jardinii, GOULD. +Strix personata, VIG. +----- delicatulis, GOULD. +Athene connivens. +------ Boobook + +ORDER INSESSORES. + +Hirundo neoxena, GOULD. +Cotyle pyrrhonota. +Acanthylis caudacuta. +Eurostopodus guttatus. +Podargus humeralis, VIG. and HORSF. +Aegotheles Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.? +Merops ornatus, LATH. +Dacelo gigas, BODD. +Halcyon sanctus, VIG. and HORSF. +------- pyrrhopygia, GOULD. +Alcyone azurea. +Falcunculus frontatus, VIG. and HORSF. +Oreoica gutturalis. +Xerophila leucopsis, GOULD. +Colluricincla cinerea, VIG. and HORSF.? +Pachycephala gutturalis, VIG. and HORSF. +------------ inornata, GOULD.? +------------ pectoralis, VIG. and HORSF. +------------ rufogularis, GOULD. +Artamus sordidus. +------- personatus, GOULD. +Cracticus destructor, TEMM. +Gymnorhina leuconota, GOULD. +Grallina melanoleuca, VIEILL. +Strepera ----------? +Campephaga humeralis, GOULD.? +Graucalus melanops, VIG. and HORSF. +Cinclosoma punctatum, VIG. and HORSF. +---------- castanotus, GOULD. +Malurus cyaneus, VIEILL. +------- melanotus, GOULD. +------- leucopterus, QUOY AND GAIM. +------- Lamberti, VIG. and HORSF. +Stipiturus malachurus, LESS. +Cysticola exilis? +Hylacola pyrrhopygia. +-------- cauta, GOULD. +Acanthiza pusilla, VIG. and HORSF. +--------- uropygialis, GOULD. +--------- inornata, GOULD. +--------- lineata, GOULD. +--------- chrysorrhoea. +Epthianura aurifrons, GOULD. +---------- tricolor, GOULD. +Sericornis frontalis. +Pyrrholaemus brunneus, GOULD. +Calamanthus campestris. +Anthus pallescens, VIG. and HORSF. +Cincloramphus cantillans, GOULD. +Petroica multicolor, SWAINS. +-------- phoenicea, GOULD. +-------- Goodenovii, JARD. AND SELB. +-------- rosea, GOULD. +-------- bicolor, SWAINS. +Drymodes brunneopygia, GOULD. +Zosterops dorsalis, VIG. and HORSF. +Pardalotus punctatus, TEMM. +---------- striatus, TEMM. +Dicaeum hirundinaceum +Estrelda bella. +-------- temporalis. +Amadina Lathami. +------- castanotus, GOULD. +Rhipidura albiscapa, GOULD. +--------- Motacilloides. +Seisura volitans, VIG. and HORSF. +Microeca macroptera, GOULD. +Smicrornis brevirostris, GOULD. +Corvus Coronoides, VIG. and HORSF. +Chlamydera maculata, GOULD. +Corcorax leucopterus, LESS. +Pomatorhinus trivirgatus, Temm. +------------ temporalis, VIG. and HORSF. +Cacatua galerita, Vieill. +------- Leadbeateri. +Licmetis nasicus, Wagl. +Calyptorhynchus Banksii, VIG. and HORSF. +--------------- Leachii +--------------- xanthonotus, GOULD. +Polytelis melanura. +Platycercus Baueri, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- Barnardi, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- Adelaidiae, GOULD. +----------- flaveolus, GOULD. +Psephotus multicolor. +--------- haematonotus, GOULD. +Melopsittacus undulatus. +Euphema aurantia, GOULD. +------- elegans, GOULD. +Pezoporus formosus. +Trichoglossus Swainsonii, JARD. and SELB. +Trichoglossus concinnus, VIG. and HORSF. +------------- pusillus, VIG. and HORSF. +------------- porphyrocephalus. +Climacteris scandens, TEMM. +----------- picumnus, TEMM. +Sittella melanocephala, GOULD. +Cuculus inornatus, VIG. and HORSF. +------- cineraceus, VIG. and HORSF. +Chalcites lucidus, VIG. and HORSF. +Meliphaga Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF. +--------- Australasiana, VIG. and HORSF. +Glyciphila fulvifrons, SWAINS. +---------- albifrons, GOULD. +---------- ocularis, GOULD. +Ptilotis sonora, GOULD. +-------- cratitia, GOULD. +-------- ornata, GOULD. +-------- penicillata, GOULD. +Zanthomyza Phrygia, SWAINS. +Melicophila picata, GOULD. +Acanthogenys rufogularis, GOULD. +Anthochaera carunculata, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- mellivora, VIG. and HORSF. +Acanthorynchus tenuirostris. +Melithreptus gularis, GOULD. +------------ lunulata, VIEILL. +Myzantha garrula, VIG. and HORSF. + +ORDER RASORES. + +Phaps chalcoptera. +----- elegans. +Ocyphaps Lophotes. +Geopelia cuneata. +Dromeceius Novae-Hollandiae, VIEILL. +Otis Australasianus, GOULD. +OEdicnemus longipes, VIEILL. +Haematopus fuliginosus, GOULD. +---------- longirostris, VIEILL. +Eudromias Australis, GOULD. +Lobivanellus lobatus. +Sarciophorus pectoralis. +Charadrius Virginianus? +Hiaticula monacha. +--------- nigrifrons. +--------- ruficapilla. +Erythrogonys cinctus, GOULD. +Leipoa ocellata, GOULD. +Pedionomus torquatus, GOULD. +Turnix varius. +------ velox, GOULD. +Coturnix pectoralis, GOULD. +Synoicus Australis. +-------- Sinensis. + +ORDER GRALLATORES. + +Grus Antigone? +Platalea regia, GOULD. +-------- flavipes, GOULD. +Ardea cinerea? +----- pacifica, LATH. +----- Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +Nycticorax Caledonicus, LESS. +Botaurus Australis, GOULD. +Ibis Falcinellus, LINN. +Numenius Australasianus. +Numenius uropygialis, GOULD. +Recurvirostra rubricollis, TEMM. +Chladorhynchus pectoralis. +Himantopus leucocephalus, GOULD. +Limosa ----------? +Glottis Glottoides. +Pelidna ----------? like P. MINUTA. +Scolopax Australis, LATH. +Rhynchaea Australis, GOULD. +Porphyrio melanotus, TEMM. +Tribonyx ventralis, GOULD. +Gallinula immaculata. +Rallus Philipensis? LINN. + +ORDER NATATORES. + +Cygnus atratus. +Anseranas melanoleuca. +Leptotarsis Eytoni, GOULD. +Cereopsis Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +Casarka Tadornoides. +Biziura lobata, SHAW. +Bernicla jubata. +Anas Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +---- naevosa, GOULD. +---- castanea. +Nyroca Australis, Eyton. +Rhynchapsis Rhynchotis, STEPH. +Malacorhynchus membranaceus, SWAINS. +Podiceps Australis, GOULD. +-------- poliocephalus, JARD. and SELB. +-------- gularis, GOULD. +Phalacrocorax pica. +------------- leucogaster, GOULD. +Phalacrocorax sulcirostris. +------------- melanoleucus. +Plotus Le Vaillantii? +Pelecanus spectabilis, TEMM. +Sula Australis, GOULD. +Spheniscus minor. +Lestris catarrhactes. +Laras leucomelas. +Xema Jamesonii, WILS. +Sterna poliocerca, GOULD. +------ velox, GOULD. +Sternella nereis, GOULD. +Hydrochelidon fluviatilis. +Diomedea exulans, LINN. +-------- cauta, GOULD. +-------- melanophrys, TEMM. +-------- chlororhyncha, LATH. +-------- fuliginosa. +Procellaria gigantea, GMEL. +----------- perspicillata, GOULD. +----------- hasitata, FORST. +----------- leucocephala. +----------- Solandri, GOULD. +Daption Capensis, STEPH. +Prion vittata, CUV. +----- Banksii. +----- Turtur. +----- Ariel, GOULD. +Puffinus brevicaudus, GOULD. +Puffinuria urinatrix, LESS. +Thalassidroma Wilsoni. +------------- nereis, GOULD. +------------- melanogaster, GOULD.</pre> + +<p>The preceding list comprises the birds inhabiting the settled districts +of South Australia: viz. the Murray, from the great bend to the sea, the +fertile districts sixty miles northward and southward of Adelaide, +Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln, etc. When the remote parts of the colony +have been explored, it will doubtless become necessary to add to it many +other species common to New South Wales and Western Australia.--J. 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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: Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery Into Central Australia And +Overland From Adelaide To King George's Sound In The Years 1840-1: +Sent By The Colonists Of South Australia, With The Sanction And Support +Of The Government: Including An Account Of The Manners And Customs Of +The Aborigines And The State Of Their Relations With Europeans. Volume I. + +Author: Edward John Eyre + +Release Date: October 2, 2004 [EBook #5344] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EYRE EXPEDITIONS *** + + + + +Produced by Col Choat + + + + + +PRODUCTION NOTES: +--Italics in the book have been changed to to upper case in this eBook. +--Footnotes have been placed in brackets [] within the text. +--A number of tables have been omitted or rendered incomplete. These are + indicated in the eBook at the point at which they occurred in the book. +--Plates and maps in the book have not been reproduced. A list of plates + forms part of the Table of Contents. There were 2 maps included in the + book. These indicated the extent of Eyre's journeys. + + +*********************************************************** + + + +JOURNALS OF EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY INTO CENTRAL AUSTRALIA AND OVERLAND +FROM ADELAIDE TO KING GEORGE'S SOUND IN THE YEARS 1840-1: SENT BY THE +COLONISTS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, WITH THE SANCTION AND SUPPORT OF THE +GOVERNMENT: INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE +ABORIGINES AND THE STATE OF THEIR RELATIONS WITH EUROPEANS. + +by EYRE, EDWARD JOHN (1815-1901) + + + +TO LIEUT.-COLONEL GEORGE GAWLER, K.H. M.R.G.S. +UNDER WHOSE AUSPICES, AS GOVERNOR OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, +THE EXPEDITIONS, DESCRIBED IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES, +WERE UNDERTAKEN, THESE VOLUMES ARE RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, +AS A TRIBUTE OF GRATITUDE FOR HIS KINDNESS AND RESPECT FOR HIS VIRTUES, +BY THE AUTHOR. + + + + + +PREFACE. + + + +In offering to the public an account of Expeditions of Discovery in +Australia, undertaken in the years 1840-1, and completed in July of the +latter year, some apology may be deemed necessary for this narrative not +having sooner appeared, or perhaps even for its being now published at +all. + +With respect to the first, the author would remark that soon after his +return to South Australia upon the close of the Expeditions, and when +contemplating an immediate return to England, he was invited by the +Governor of the Colony to remain, and undertake the task of +re-establishing peace and amicable relations with the numerous native +tribes of the Murray River, and its neighbourhood, whose daring and +successful outrages in 1841, had caused very great losses to, and created +serious apprehensions among the Colonists. + +Hoping that his personal knowledge of and extensive practical experience +among the Aborigines might prove serviceable in an employment of this +nature, the author consented to undertake it; and from the close of +September 1841, until December 1844, was unremittingly occupied with the +duties it entailed. It was consequently not in his power to attend to the +publication of his travels earlier, nor indeed can he regret a delay, +which by the facilities it afforded him of acquiring a more intimate +knowledge of the character and habits of the Aborigines, has enabled him +to render that portion of his work which relates to them more +comprehensive and satisfactory than it otherwise would have been. + +With respect to the second point, or the reasons which have led to this +work being published at all, the author would observe that he has been +led to engage in it rather from a sense of duty, and at the instance of +many of his friends, than from any wish of his own. The greater portion +of the country he explored was of so sterile and worthless a description, +and the circumstances which an attempt to cross such a desert region led +to, were of so distressing a character, that he would not willingly have +revived associations, so unsatisfactory and so painful. + +It has been his fate, however, to cross, during the course of his +explorations, a far greater extent of country than any Australian +traveller had ever done previously, and as a very large portion of this +had never before been trodden by the foot of civilized man, and from its +nature is never likely to be so invaded again, it became a duty to record +the knowledge which was thus obtained, for the information of future +travellers and as a guide to the scientific world in their inquiries into +the character and formation of so singular and interesting a country. + +To enable the reader to judge of the author's capabilities for the task +he undertook, and of the degree of confidence that may be due to his +impressions or opinions, it may not be out of place to state, that the +Expeditions of 1840--1 were not entered upon without a sufficient +previous and practical experience in exploring. + +For eight years the author had been resident in Australia, during which +he had visited many of the located parts of New South Wales, Port +Phillip, South Australia, Western Australia, and Van Diemen's Land. In +the years 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, and 1840 he had conducted expeditions +across from Liverpool Plains in New South Wales to the county of Murray, +from Sydney to Port Phillip, from Port Phillip to Adelaide, and from King +George's Sound to Swan River, besides undertaking several explorations +towards the interior, both from Port Lincoln and from Adelaide. + +To the knowledge and experience which were thus acquired, the author must +ascribe the confidence and good opinion of his fellow-colonists, which +led them in 1840 to place under his command an undertaking of such +importance, interest, and responsibility; and to these advantages he +feels that he is in a great measure indebted, under God's blessing, for +having been enabled successfully to struggle through the difficulties and +dangers which beset him, in crossing from Adelaide to King George's +Sound. + +With this explanation for obtruding upon the public, the author would +also solicit their indulgence, for the manner in which the task has been +performed. The only merit to which he can lay claim, is that of having +faithfully described what he saw, and the impressions which were produced +upon him at the time. In other respects it is feared that a work, which +was entirely (and consequently very hastily) prepared for the press from +the original notes, whilst voyaging from Australia to England, must +necessarily be crude and imperfect. Where the principal object, however, +was rather to record with accuracy than indulge in theory or conjecture, +and where a simple statement of occurrences has been more attended to +than the language in which they are narrated, plainness and fidelity +will, it is hoped, be considered as some compensation for the absence of +the embellishments of a more finished style, or a studied composition, +and especially as the uncertainty attending the duration of the author's +visit to England made it a matter of anxious consideration to hurry these +volumes through the press as rapidly as possible. There is one +circumstance to which he wishes particularly to allude, as accounting for +the very scanty notices he is now able to give of the geology or botany +of the country through which he travelled; it is the loss of all the +specimens that were collected during the earlier part of the Expedition, +which occurred after they had been sent to Adelaide; this loss has been +irreparable, and has not only prevented him from ascertaining points +about which he was dubious, but has entirely precluded him from having +the subjects considered, or the specimens classified and arranged by +gentlemen of scientific acquirements in those departments of knowledge, +in which the author is conscious he is himself defective. In the latter +part of the Expedition, or from Fowler's Bay to King George's Sound, the +dreadful nature of the country, and the difficulties and disasters to +which this led, made it quite impossible either to make collections of +any kind, or to examine the country beyond the immediate line of route; +still it is hoped that the passing notices which are made in the journal, +and the knowledge of the similarity of appearance and uniform character, +prevalent throughout the greater portion of the country passed through, +will be quite sufficient to give a general and correct impression of the +whole. + +To Mr. Gray of the British Museum, the author is particularly indebted +for his valuable contribution on the Natural History of the Southern +coast of Australia, and to Mr. Gould, the celebrated Ornithologist, his +thanks are equally due, for a classified and most interesting list of the +birds belonging to the same portion of the continent. + +To Mr. Adam White, of the British Museum, he is also indebted for an +account of some new insects, and to Dr. Richardson, for a scientific and +classified arrangement of fish caught on the Southern coast, near King +George's Sound. The plates to which the numbers refer in the +last-mentioned paper, are the admirable drawings made from life, by J. +Neill, Esq. of King George's Sound, and now lodged at the British Museum. +They are, however, both too numerous and too large to give in a work of +this description, and will probably be published at some future time by +their talented author. + +For the account given of the Aborigines the author deems it unnecessary +to offer any apology; a long experience among them, and an intimate +knowledge of their character, habits, and position with regard to +Europeans, have induced in him a deep interest on behalf of a people, who +are fast fading away before the progress of a civilization, which ought +only to have added to their improvement and prosperity. Gladly would the +author wish to see attention awakened on their behalf, and an effort at +least made to stay the torrent which is overwhelming them. + +It is most lamentable to think that the progress and prosperity of one +race should conduce to the downfal and decay of another; it is still more +so to observe the apathy and indifference with which this result is +contemplated by mankind in general, and which either leads to no +investigation being made as to the cause of this desolating influence, or +if it is, terminates, to use the language of the Count Strzelecki, "in +the inquiry, like an inquest of the one race upon the corpse of the +other, ending for the most part with the verdict of 'died by the +visitation of God.'" + +In his attempt to delineate the actual circumstances and position of the +natives, and the just claims they have upon public sympathy and +benevolence, he has been necessitated to refer largely to the testimony +of others, but in doing this he has endeavoured as far as practicable, to +support the views he has taken by the writings or opinions of those who +are, or who have been resident in the Colonies, and who might therefore +be supposed from a practical acquaintance with the subject, to be most +competent to arrive at just conclusions. + +In suggesting the only remedy which appears at all calculated to mitigate +the evil complained of, it has studiously been kept in view that there +are the interests of two classes to be provided for, those of the +Settlers, and those of the Aborigines, it is thought that these interests +cannot with advantage be separated, and it is hoped that it may be found +practicable to blend them together. + +The Aborigines of New Holland are not on the whole a numerous people; +they are generally of a very inoffensive and tractable character, and it +is believed that they may, under ordinary circumstances, almost always be +rendered peaceable and well-disposed by kind and consistent treatment. +Should this, in reality, prove to be the case, it may be found perhaps, +that they could be more easily managed, and in the long run at a less +expense, by some such system as is recommended, than by any other +requiring means of a more retaliatory or coercive character. The system +proposed is at least one which by removing in a great measure temptation +from the native, and thereby affording comparative security to the +settlers, will have a powerful effect in inducing the latter to unite +with the Government in any efforts made to ameliorate the condition of +the Aborigines; a union which under present or past systems has not ever +taken place, but one which it is very essential should be effected, if +any permanent good is hoped for. + +To Mr. Moorhouse the author returns his best thanks for his valuable +notes on the Aborigines, to which he is indebted for the opportunity of +giving an account of many of the customs and habits of the Adelaide +tribes. + +To Anthony Forster, Esq. he offers his warmest acknowledgments for his +assistance in overlooking the manuscripts during the voyage from +Australia, and correcting many errors which necessarily resulted from the +hurried manner in which they were prepared; it is to this kind +supervision must be ascribed the merit--negative though it may be--of +there not being more errors than there are. + + + + +CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. + + + +CHAPTER I. + +ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION--CONTEMPLATED EXPLORATION TO THE +WESTWARD--MEETING OF THE COLONISTS, AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ENTERED INTO FOR +THAT PURPOSE--NOTES ON THE UNFAVOURABLE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY TO THE +WESTWARD, AND PROPOSAL THAT THE NORTHERN INTERIOR SHOULD BE EXAMINED +INSTEAD--MAKE AN OFFER TO THE GOVERNOR TO CONDUCT SUCH AN +EXPEDITION--CAPTAIN STURT'S LECTURE--INTERVIEW WITH THE +GOVERNOR--ARRANGEMENT OF PLANS--PREPARATION OF OUTFIT--COST OF +EXPEDITION--NAME A DAY FOR DEPARTURE--PUBLIC BREAKFAST AND COMMENCEMENT +OF THE UNDERTAKING + +CHAPTER II. + +FIRST NIGHT'S ENCAMPMENT WITH PARTY--REFLECTIONS--ARRIVAL AT SHEEP +STATION--RE-ARRANGEMENTS OF LOADS--METHOD OF CARRYING FIRE-ARMS--COMPLETE +THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--THEIR NAMES--MOVE ONWARDS--VALLEY OF THE +LIGHT--EXTENSIVE PLAINS--HEAD OF THE GILBERT--SCARCITY OF +FIREWOOD--GRASSY WELL-WATERED DISTRICTS--THE HILL AND HUTT +RIVERS--INDICATION OF CHANGE GOING ON IN APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY, TRACEABLE IN THE REMAINS OF TIMBER IN THE PLAINS AND IN THE +OPENINGS AMONG SCRUBS--THE BROUGHTON--REEDY WATERCOURSE--CAMPBELL'S +RANGE--COURSE OF THE BROUGHTON + +CHAPTER III. +SPRING HILL--AN AGED NATIVE DESERTED BY HIS TRIBE--RICH AND EXTENSIVE +PLAINS--SURPRISE A PARTY OF NATIVES--ROCKY RIVER--CRYSTAL BROOK--FLINDERS +RANGE--THE DEEP SPRING--MYALL PONDS--ROCKY WATER HOLES--DRY +WATERCOURSE--REACH THE DEPOT NEAR MOUNT ARDEN--PREPARE FOR LEAVING THE +PARTY--BLACK SWANS PASS TO THE NORTH--ARRIVAL OF THE WATERWITCH + +CHAPTER IV. +MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR GETTING UP STORES FROM THE WATERWITCH--LEAVE THE +PARTY--SALT WATERCOURSE--MOUNT EYRE--ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY--LAKE +TORRENS--RETURN TOWARDS THE HILLS--NATIVE FEMALE--SALINE CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY--MOUNT DECEPTION--REACH THE EASTERN HILLS--LARGE +WATERCOURSES--WATER HOLE IN A ROCK--GRASSY BUT HILLY COUNTRY--RUNNING +STREAM--ASCEND A RANGE--RETURN HOMEWARDS--DECAY OF TREES IN THE +WATERCOURSES--SHOOT A KANGAROO--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--BURY STORES--MAKE +PREPARATIOUS FOR LEAVING--SEUD DESPATCHES TO THE VESSEL + +CHAPTER V. +BREAK UP THE ENCAMPMENT--ARRIVE AT DEPOT POOL--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF +THE COUNTRY--BAROMETERS OUT OF ORDER--ADVANCE TO RECONNOITRE--ASCEND +TERMINATION HILL--SURPRISE NATIVE WOMEN--THEY ABANDON THEIR +CHILDREN--INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER--RETURN TOWARDS MOUNT +DECEPTION--BROKEN CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FIND WATER--THE SCOTT--REJOIN +THE PARTY--WATER ALL USED AT THE DEPOT--EMBARRASSING +CIRCUMSTANCES--REMOVE TO THE SCOTT--RECONNOITRE IN ADVANCE--BARREN +COUNTRY--TABLE-TOPPED ELEVATIONS--INDICATIONS OF THE VIOLENT ACTION OF +WATER--MEET NATIVES--REACH LAKE TORRENS--THE WATER SALT--OBLIGED TO +RETURN--ARRIVAL AT DEPOT--HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE NATIVES. + +CHAPTER VI. +CAUSE OF HOSTILITY OF THE NATIVES--WELL SUNK UNSUCCESSFULLY--OVERSEER +SENT TO THE EAST--THE SCOTT EXAMINED--ROCK WALLUBIES--OVERSEER'S +RETURN--ANOTHER VISIT TO LAKE TORRENS--BOGGY CHARACTER OF ITS +BED--EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF MIRAGE AND REFRACTION--RETURN TO THE +CAMP--SUPPLY OF WATER EXHAUSTED--LEAVE THE DEPOT--THE MUNDY--THE +BURR--MOUNT SERLE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE EAST--MELANCHOLY PROSPECTS + +CHAPTER VII. +EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-EAST--TRACE DOWN THE FROME--WATER BECOMES +SALT--PASS BEYOND THE RANGES--COCKATOOS SEEN--HEAVY RAINS--DRY +WATERCOURSES--MOUNT DISTANCE--BRINE SPRINGS--MOUNT HOPELESS--TERMINATION +OF FLINDERS RANGE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST--ALL FURTHER +ADVANCE HOPELESS--YOUNG EMUS CAUGHT--REJOIN PARTY--MOVE BACK TOWARDS +MOUNT ARDEN--LOSS OF A HORSE--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--PLANS FOR THE +FUTURE--TAKE UP STORES--PREPARE FOR LEAVING + +CHAPTER VIII. +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LAKE TORRENS +AND SPENCER'S GULF--BAXTER'S RANGE--DIVIDE THE PARTY--ROUTE TOWARDS PORT +LINCOLN--SCRUB--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--SEND DRAY BACK FOR +WATER--PLUNDERED BY THE NATIVES--RETURN OF DRAY--DENSE SCRUB--REFUGE +ROCKS--DENSE SCRUB--SALT CREEK--MOUNT HILL--DENSE SCRUB--LARGE +WATERCOURSE--ARRIVE AT A STATION--RICH AND GRASSY VALLEYS--CHARACTER OF +PORT LINCOLN PENINSULA--UNABLE TO PROCURE SUPPLIES--ENGAGE A BOAT TO SEND +OVER TO ADELAIDE--BUY SHEEP + +CHAPTER IX. +BOY SPEARED BY THE NATIVES--ANOMALOUS STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH THE +ABORIGINES--MR. SCOTT SAILS FOR ADELAIDE--DOG BOUGHT--MR. SCOTT'S +RETURN--CUTTER WATERWITCH SENT TO CO-OPERATE--SEND HER TO STREAKY +BAY--LEAVE PORT LINCOLN WITH THE DRAY--LEVEL SANDY COUNTRY CLOTHED WITH +BRUSH AND SHRUBS--SALT LAKES--MOUNT HOPE--LAKE HAMILTON--STONY +COUNTRY--LOSE A DOG--BETTER COUNTRY--WEDGE HILL--LAKE NEWLAND--A BOAT +HARBOUR--MOUNT HALL--REJOIN PARTY AT STREAKY BAY--SINGULAR +SPRING--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--BEDS OF OYSTERS + +CHAPTER X. +COUNTRY BETWEEN STREAKY BAY AND BAXTER'S RANGE--ITS SCRUBBY +CHARACTER--GAWLER RANGE--MOUNT STURT--ASCEND A PEAK--SALT +LAKES--BEAUTIFUL FLOWER--ASCEND ANOTHER BILL--MOUNT BROWN SEEN--EXTENSIVE +VIEW TO THE NORTH--LAKE GILLES--BAXTER'S RANGE + +CHAPTER XI. +EMBARK STORES--PARTY LEAVE STREAKY BAY--DENSE SCRUB--POINT +BROWN--SINGULAR WELL--PROCESS OF CHANGE IN APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY--DIG FOR +WATER--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXTRAORDINARY RITE--NATIVE GUIDES--LEIPOA'S +NEST--DENIAL BAY--BEELIMAH GAIPPE--KANGAROO KILLED--MORE +NATIVES--BERINYANA GAIPPE--SALT LAKES--WADEMAR GAIPPE--SANDY AND SCRUBBY +COUNTRY--MOBEELA GAIPPE--DIFFICULTY OF GETTING WATER--MORE +NATIVES--GENUINE HOSPITALITY--SINGULAR MARKS ON THE ABDOMEN--NATIVES +LEAVE THE PARTY--FOWLER'S BAY--EXCELLENT WHALING STATION. + +CHAPTER XII. +LAND THE STORES AND SEND THE CUTTER TO DENIAL BAY--PARTY REMOVE TO POINT +FOWLER--LEAVE THE PARTY--BEDS OF LAKES--DENSE SCRUB--COAST +SAND-DRIFTS--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--DISTRESS OF THE HORSES--TURN +BACK--LEAVE A HORSE--FIND WATER--REJOIN PARTY--SEND FOR THE +HORSE--COUNTRY AROUND DEPOT--TAKE A DRAY TO THE WESTWARD--WRETCHED +COUNTRY--FALL IN WITH NATIVES--MISUNDERSTAND THEIR SIGNS--THEY LEAVE +US--VAIN SEARCH FOR WATER--TURN BACK--HORSE KNOCKED UP--GO BACK FOR +WATER--REJOIN THE DRAY--COMMENCE RETURN--SEARCH FOR WATER--DRAY +SURROUNDED BY NATIVES--EMBARRASSING SITUATION--BURY BAGGAGE--THREE HORSES +ABANDONED--REACH THE SAND-DRIFTS--UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO SAVE THE +HORSES--SEND FOR FRESH HORSES--SEARCH FOR WATER TO NORTH-EAST--RECOVER +THE DRAY AND STORES--REJOIN THE PARTY AT DEPOT NEAR POINT FOWLER--RETURN +OF THE CUTTER + +CHAPTER XIII. +FUTURE PLANS--REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--SEND THE CUTTER TO +ADELAIDE--REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR--MONOTONOUS LIFE AT CAMP--REMOVE TO +ANOTHER LOCALITY--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FLINT FOUND--AGAIN +ATTEMPT TO REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT--REACH THE SAND-HILLS, AND BURY +FLOUR--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXHAUSTED STATE OF THE HORSES--GET THE DRAY TO +THE PLAIN--BURY WATER--SEND BACK DRAY--PROCEED WITH +PACK-HORSE--OPPRESSIVE HEAT--SEND BACK PACK-HORSE--REACH THE HEAD OF THE +BIGHT--SURPRISE SOME NATIVES--THEIR KIND +BEHAVIOUR--YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--THEIR ACCOUNT OF THE INTERIOR + +CHAPTER XIV. +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFF'S OF THE GREAT BIGHT--LEVEL NATURE OF THE +INTERIOR--FLINTS ABOUND--RETURN TO YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--NATIVES COME TO THE +CAMP--THEIR GENEROUS CONDUCT--MEET THE OVERSEER--RETURN TO DEPOT--BAD +WATER--MOVE BACK TO FOWLER'S BAY--ARRIVAL OF THE CUTTER HERO--JOINED BY +THE KING GEORGE'S SOUND NATIVE--INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO THE +HERO--DIFFICULTY OF FIXING UPON ANY FUTURE PLAN--BREAK UP THE EXPEDITION +AND DIVIDE THE PARTY--MR. SCOTT EMBARKS--FINAL REPORT--THE HERO +SAILS--OVERSEER AND NATIVES REMAIN--EXCURSION TO THE NORTH--A NATIVE +JOINS US--SUDDEN ILLNESS IN THE PARTY--FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING THE +DEPOT + +CHAPTER XV. +RETURN OF MR. SCOTT IN THE HERO--MR. SCOTT AGAIN SAILS FOR +ADELAIDE--COMMENCE JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL AT THE +SAND-HILLS--LARGE FLIES--TAKE ON THE SHEEP--LEAVE THE OVERSEER WITH THE +HORSES--REACH YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--JOINED BY THE OVERSEER--TORMENTING FLIES +AGAIN--MOVE ON WITH THE SHEEP--LEAVE OVERSEER TO FOLLOW WITH THE +HORSES--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY ALONG THE BIGHT--SCENERY OF THE +CLIFFS--LEAVE THE SHEEP--ANXIETY ABOUT WATER--REACH THE TERMINATION OF +THE CLIFFS--FIND WATER + +CHAPTER XVI. +GO BACK TO MEET THE OVERSEER--PARTY ARRIVE AT THE WATER--LONG +ENCAMPMENT--GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF THE CLIFFS--MOVE ON AGAIN--DIG FOR +WATER--TRACES OF NATIVES--SEND BACK FOR WATER--PARROTS SEEN--COOL WINDS +FROM NORTH-EAST--OVERSEER RETURNS--CONTINUE THE JOURNEY--ABANDON +BAGGAGE--DENSE SCRUBS--DRIVEN TO THE BEACH--MEET NATIVES--MODE OF +PROCURING WATER FROM ROOTS + +CHAPTER XVII. +HORSES BEGIN TO KNOCK UP--COMPELLED TO FOLLOW ROUND THE BEACH--TIMOR PONY +UNABLE TO PROCEED--GLOOMY PROSPECTS--OVERSEER BEGINS TO DESPOND--TWO MORE +HORSES LEFT BEHIND--FRAGMENTS OF WRECKS--WATER ALL CONSUMED--COLLECT +DEW--CHANGE IN CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--DIG A WELL--PROCURE WATER--NATIVE +AND FAMILY VISIT US--OVERSEER GOES BACK FOR BAGGAGE--DISASTROUS +TERMINATION OF HIS JOURNEY--SITUATION AND PROSPECTS OF THE PARTY + +CHAPTER XVIII. +GO BACK WITH A NATIVE--SPEAR STING-RAYS--RECOVER THE BAGGAGE--COLD +WEATHER--OVERSEER RECONNOITRES THE CLIFFS--UNFAVOURABLE +REPORT--DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO BEST PLANS FOR THE FUTURE--KILL A +HORSE FOR FOOD--INJURIOUS EFFECTS FROM MEAT DIET--NATIVE BOYS BECOME +DISAFFECTED--THEY STEAL PROVISIONS--NATIVE BOYS DESERT THE PARTY--THEY +RETURN ALMOST STARVED--PARTY PROCEED ONWARDS TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF +THE BIGHT--COUNTRY BEHIND THEM--THREATENING WEATHER--MURDER OF THE +OVERSEER + +APPENDIX. + +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS, BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ. F.R.S. +CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH, FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, BY DEPUTY + ASSISTANT COMMISSARY--GENERAL NEILL. THE REPTILES NAMED AND ARRANGED BY + J. E. GRAY, ESQ., AND THE FISH BY DR. RICHARDSON DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES + OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS, BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M.E.S. +DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA, BY J. E. + GRAY, ESQ. F.R.S. +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS, BY EDWARD + DOUBLEDAY, ESQ. F.R.S. etc. +LIST OF BIRDS KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, BY JOHN GOULD, + ESQ. F.R.S. + + +LIST OF PLATES--VOLUME I. + +Tenberry, with Wife and Child, drawn by G. Hamilton +Departure of the Expedition drawn by G. Hamilton +Opossum-hunting at Gawler Plains +Native Graves +Wylie (J. Neil) +Plate I.--New Toads and Frogs +Plate II.--New Frogs and new Bat +Plate III.--New Insects +Plate IV.--New Cray-fish +Plate V.--New Shells +Plate VI.--New Butterflies + + + + +VOLUME I + + + + +JOURNAL OF EXPEDITIONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA IN 1840. + + + +Chapter I. + + +ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION--CONTEMPLATED EXPLORATION TO THE +WESTWARD--MEETING OF THE COLONISTS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ENTERED INTO FOR +THAT PURPOSE--NOTES ON THE UNFAVOURABLE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY TO THE +WESTWARD, AND PROPOSAL THAT THE NORTHERN INTERIOR SHOULD BE EXAMINED +INSTEAD--MAKE AN OFFER TO THE GOVERNOR TO CONDUCT SUCH AN +EXPEDITION--CAPTAIN STURT'S LECTURE--INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR, +ARRANGEMENT OF PLANS--PREPARATION OF OUTFIT--COST OF EXPEDITION--NAME A +DAY FOR DEPARTURE--PUBLIC BREAKFAST AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE UNDERTAKING. + +Before entering upon the account of the expedition sent to explore the +interior of Australia, to which the following pages refer, it may perhaps +be as well to advert briefly to the circumstances which led to the +undertaking itself, that the public being fully in possession of the +motives and inducements which led me, at a very great sacrifice of my +private means, to engage in an exploration so hazardous and arduous, and +informed of the degree of confidence reposed in me by those interested in +the undertaking, and the sanguine hopes and high expectations that were +formed as to the result, may be better able to judge how far that +confidence was well placed, and how far my exertions were commensurate +with the magnitude of the responsibility I had undertaken. + +I have felt it the more necessary to allude to this subject now, because +I was in some measure at the time instrumental in putting a stop to a +contemplated expedition to the westward, and of thus unintentionally +interfering with the employment of a personal friend of my own, than whom +no one could have been more fitted to command an undertaking of the kind, +from his amiable disposition, his extensive experience, and his general +knowledge and acquirements. + +Upon returning, about the middle of May 1840, from a visit to King +George's Sound and Swan River, I found public attention in Adelaide +considerably engrossed with the subject of an overland communication +between Southern and Western Australia. Captain Grey, now the Governor of +South Australia, had called at Adelaide on his way to England from King +George's Sound, and by furnishing a great deal of interesting information +relative to Western Australia, and pointing out the facilities that +existed on its eastern frontier, as far as it was then known, for the +entrance of stock from the Eastward, had called the attention of the +flock-masters of the Colony to the importance of opening a communication +between the two places, with a view to the extension of their pastoral +interests. The notes of Captain Grey, referring to this subject, were +published in the South Australian Register newspaper of the 28th March, +1840. On the 30th of the same month, a number of gentlemen, many of whom +were owners of large flocks and herds, met together, for the purpose of +taking the matter into consideration, and the result of this conference +was the appointment of a Committee, whose duty it was to report upon the +best means of accomplishing the object in view. On the 4th, 7th, and 9th +of April other meetings were held, and the results published in the South +Australian Register, of the 11th April, as follows:-- + + +OVERLAND ROUTE TO WESTERN AUSTRALIA. + +At a Meeting of the Committee for making arrangements for an expedition +to explore an overland route to Western Australia, held the 7th of April, +the Hon. the Surveyor-general in the chair, the following resolutions +were agreed to:-- + +That a communication be made to the Government of Western Australia, +detailing the objects contemplated by this Committee, and further stating +that the assistance of the Government of this province has been obtained. + +That a communication be made to the Hon. the Surveyor-general, the Hon. +the Advocate-general the Hon. G. Leake, Esq. of Western Australia, with a +request that they will form a committee in conjunction with such settlers +as may feel interested in the same undertaking, for the purpose of +collecting private subscriptions, and co-operating with this committee. + +Resolved, that similar communications be made to the Government of New +South Wales, and to the following gentlemen who are requested to act as a +committee with the same power as that of Western Australia: Hon. E. Deas +Thomson, Colonial Secretary; William Macarthur, Esq.; Captain Parker; P. +King, R.N.; Stuart Donaldson, Esq.; George Macleay, Esq.; Charles +Campbell, Esq. + +That this Committee would propose, in order to facilitate the progress of +the expedition, that depots be formed at convenient points on the route; +that it is proposed to make Fowler's Bay the first depot on the route +from Adelaide, and to leave it to the Government of Western Australia to +decide upon the sites which their local knowledge may point out as the +most eligible for similar stations, as far to the eastward as may appear +practicable. + +That a subscription list be immediately opened in Adelaide to collect +funds in aid of the undertaking. + +That R. F. Newland, Esq., be requested to act as Treasurer to this +Committee, and that subscriptions be received at the Banks of Australasia +and South Australia. + +E. C. FROME, Chairman. +CHAS. BONNEY, Secretary. + + +The Committee again met on the 9th April--the Hon. the Assistant +Commissioner in the chair. It was resolved that the following statement +head the subscription list:-- + + +Several meetings having taken place at Adelaide of persons interested in +the discovery of an overland route to Western Australia, and it being the +general opinion of those meetings that such an enterprise would very +greatly benefit the colonists of Eastern, Southern, and Western +Australia, it was determined to open subscriptions for the furtherance of +this most desirable object under the direction of the following +Committee: + +G. A. Anstey, Esq. John Knott, Esq. +Charles Bonney, Esq. Duncan M'Farlane, Esq. +John Brown, Esq. David McLaren, Esq. +Edward Eyre, Esq. John Morphett, Esq. +John Finniss, Esq. Chas. Mann, Esq. +J. H. Fisher, Esq. R. F. Newland, Esq. +Lieutenant Frome, Dr. Rankin. Esq. +Surveyor-general G. Stevenson, Esq. +O. Gilles, Esq. F. Stephens, Esq. +Captain Grey W. Smilie, Esq. +J. B. Hack, Esq. T. B. Strangwaya, Esq. +G. Hamilton, Esq. Capt. Sturt, Ass. Com. +Ephraim Howe, Esq. John Walker, Esq. + +The very great importance of the undertaking as leading to results, and +in all probability to discoveries, the benefits of which are at present +unforeseen, but which, like the opening of the Murray to this Province, +may pave the way to a high road from hence to Western Australia, will, it +is hoped meet with that support from the public which undertakings of +great national interest deserve, and which best evince the enterprise and +well-doing of a rising colony. + +That Captain Grey, being about to embark for England, the Committee +cannot allow him to quit these shores without expressing their regret +that his stay has been so short, and the sense they entertain of the +great interest he has evinced in the welfare of the colony, and the +disinterested support he has given an enterprise which is likely to lead +to such generally beneficial results as that under consideration. + +CHAS. STURT, Chairman. +CHAS. BONNEY, Secretary. + + +LIST OF SUBSCRIPTIONS RECEIVED YESTERDAY. + + +The Government of South Australia 200 pounds +His Excellency the Governor +(absent at Port Lincoln) +and the Colonists 349 pounds 10 shillings + + +Such was the state in which I found the question on my return from +Western Australia. All had been done that was practicable, until answers +were received from the other Colonies, replying to the applications for +assistance and co-operation in the proposed undertaking. + +Having been always greatly interested in the examination of this vast but +comparatively unknown continent, and having already myself been +frequently engaged in long and harassing explorations, it will not be +deemed surprising that I should at once have turned my attention to the +subject so prominently occupying the public mind. I have stated that the +principal object proposed to be attained by the expedition to the +westward, was that of opening a route for the transit of stock from one +colony to the other--nay it was even proposed and agreed to by a majority +of the gentlemen attending the public meeting that the first party of +exploration should be accompanied by cattle. Now, from my previous +examination of the country to the westward of the located parts of South +Australia, I had in 1839 fully satisfied myself, not only of the +difficulty, but of the utter impracticability of opening an overland +route for stock in that direction, and I at once stated my opinion to +that effect, and endeavoured to turn the general attention from the +Westward to the North, as being the more promising opening, either for +the discovery of a good country, or of an available route across the +continent. The following extract, from a paper by me on the subject, was +published in the South Australian Register of the 23rd May, 1840, and +contains my opinion at that time of the little prospect there was of any +useful result accruing from the carrying out of the proposed expedition +to the Westward:-- + + +"It may now, therefore, be a question for those who are interested in the +sending an expedition overland to the Swan River to consider what are +likely to be the useful results from such a journey. In a geographical +point of view it will be exceedingly interesting to know the character of +the intervening country between this colony and theirs, and to unfold the +secrets hidden by those lofty, and singular cliffs at the head of the +Great Bight, and so far, it might perhaps be practicable--since it is +possible that a light party might, in a favourable season, force their +way across. As regards the transit of stock, however, my own conviction +is that it is quite impracticable. The vast extent of desert country to +the westward--the scarcity of grass--the denseness of the scrub--and the +all but total absence of water, even in the most favourable seasons, are +in themselves, sufficient bars to the transit of stock, even to a +distance we are already acquainted with. I would rather, therefore, turn +the public attention to the Northward, as being the most probable point +from which discoveries of importance may be made, or such as are likely +to prove beneficial to this and the other colonies, and from which it is +possible the veil may be lifted, from the still unknown and mysterious +interior of this vast continent." + + +On the 27th I dined with His Excellency the Governor, and had a long +conversation with him on the subject of the proposed Western Expedition, +and on the exploration of the Northern Interior. With his usual anxiety +to promote any object which he thought likely to benefit the colony, and +advance the cause of science, His Excellency expressed great interest in +the examination of the Northern Interior, and a desire that an attempt +should be made to penetrate its recesses during the ensuing season. + +As I had been the means of diverting public attention from a Western to a +Northern exploration, so was I willing to encounter myself the risks and +toils of the undertaking I had suggested, and I therefore at once +volunteered to His Excellency to take the command of any party that might +be sent out, to find one-third of the number of horses required, and pay +one-third of the expenses. Two days after this a lecture was delivered at +the Mechanics' Institute in Adelaide, by Captain Sturt, upon the +Geography and Geology of Australia, at the close of which that gentleman +acquainted the public with the proposal I had made to the Governor, and +the sanction and support which His Excellency was disposed to give it. +The following extract is from Captain Sturt's address, and shews the +disinterested and generous zeal which that talented and successful +traveller was ever ready to exert on behalf of those who were inclined to +follow the career of enterprise and ambition in which he had with such +distinction led the way. + + +"Before I conclude, however, having drawn your attention to the science +of geology, I would for a moment dwell on that of geography, and the +benefit the pursuit and study of it has been to mankind. To geography we +owe all our knowledge of the features of the earth's surface, our +intercourse with distant nations, and our enjoyments of numberless +comforts and luxuries. The sister sciences of geography and hydrography +have enabled us to pursue our way to any quarter of the habitable and +uninhabitable world. With the history of geography, moreover, our +proudest feelings are associated. Where are there names dearer to us than +those of the noble and devoted Columbus, of Sebastian Cabot, of Cook, of +Humboldt, and of Belzoni and La Perouse? Where shall we find the generous +and heroic devotion of the explorers of Africa surpassed? Of Denham, of +Clapperton, of Oudeny, and of the many who have sacrificed their valuable +lives to the pestilence of that climate or to the ferocity of its +inhabitants?--And where shall we look for the patient and persevering +endurance of Parry, of Franklin, and of Back, in the northern regions of +eternal snow? If, ladies and gentlemen, fame were to wreathe a crown to +the memory of such men, there would not be a leaf in it without a name. +The region of discovery was long open to the ambitious, but the energy +and perseverance of man has now left but little to be done in that once +extensive and honourable field. The shores of every continent have been +explored--the centre of every country has been penetrated save that of +Australia--thousands of pounds have been expended in expeditions to the +Poles--but this country, round which a girdle of civilization is forming, +is neglected, and its recesses, whether desert or fertile, are unsought +and unexplored. What is known of the interior is due rather to private +enterprise than to public energy. Here then there is still a field for +the ambitious to tread. Over the centre of this mighty continent there +hangs a veil which the most enterprising might be proud to raise. The +path to it, I would venture to say, is full of difficulty and danger; and +to him who first treads it much will be due. I, who have been as far as +any, have seen danger and difficulty thicken around me as I advanced, and +I cannot but anticipate the same obstacles to the explorer, from whatever +point of these extreme shores he may endeavour to force his way. +Nevertheless, gentlemen, I shall envy that man who shall first plant the +flag of our native country in the centre of our adopted one. There is not +one deed in those days to be compared with it, and to whoever may +undertake so praiseworthy and so devoted a task, I wish that success, +which Heaven sometimes vouchsafes to those who are actuated by the first +of motives--the public good; and the best of principles--a reliance on +Providence. I would I myself could undertake such a task, but fear that +may not be. However, there is a gentleman among us, who is auxious to +undertake such a journey. He has calculated that in taking a party five +hundred miles into the interior, the expense would not be more than 300 +pounds and the price of ten horses. At a meeting held some time ago, on +this very subject, about half that sum was subscribed.--His Excellency +the Governor has kindly promised to give 100 pounds, and two horses--and +I think we may very soon make up the remainder; and thus may set out an +expedition which may explore the as yet unknown interior of this vast +continent, which may be the means, by discovery, of conferring a lasting +benefit on the colony--and hand down to posterity the name of the person +who undertakes it." + + +On the same day I received a note from the private secretary, stating +that the Governor wished to see me, and upon calling on His Excellency I +had a long and interesting interview on the subject of the expedition, in +the course of which arrangements were proposed and a plan of operations +entered into. I found in His Excellency every thing that was kind and +obliging. Sincerely desirous to confer a benefit upon the colony over +which he presided, he was most anxious that the expedition should be +fitted out in as complete and efficient a manner as possible, and to +effect this every assistance in his power was most frankly and freely +offered. In addition to the sanction and patronage of the government and +the contribution of 100 pounds, towards defraying the expenses, His +Excellency most kindly offered me the selection of any two horses I +pleased, from among those belonging to the police, and stated, that if I +wished for the services of any of the men in the public employment they +should be permitted to accompany me on the journey. The Colonial cutter, +WATERWITCH, was also most liberally offered, and thankfully accepted, to +convey a part of the heavy stores and equipment to the head of Spencer's +Gulf, that so far, the difficulties of the land journey to that point, at +least, might be lessened. + +I was now fairly pledged to the undertaking, and as the winter was +rapidly advancing, I became most anxious to get all preparations made as +soon as possible to enable me to take advantage of the proper season. On +the first of June I commenced the necessary arrangements for organizing +my party, and getting ready the equipment required. To assist me in these +duties, and to accompany me as a companion in the journey, I engaged Mr. +Edward Bate Scott, an active, intelligent and steady young friend, who +had already been a voyage with me to Western Australia, and had travelled +with me overland from King George's Sound to Swan River. + +Meetings of the colonists interested in the undertaking were again held +on the 2nd and 5th of June, at which subscriptions were entered into for +carrying out the object of the expedition; and a brief outline of my +plans was given by the Chairman, Captain Sturt, in the following extract +from his address. + + +"The Chairman went on to state, that Mr. Eyre would first proceed to Lake +Torrens and examine it, and then penetrate as far inland in a northerly +direction as would be found practicable. With regard to an observation +which he (the Chairman) had made on Friday evening, regarding this +continent having been formerly an archipelago, he stated, that he was of +opinion that a considerable space of barren land in all probability +existed between this district and what had formerly been the next island. +This space was likely to be barren, though of course it would be +impossible to say how far it extended. He had every reason to believe, +from what he had seen of the Australian continent, that at some distance +to the northward, a large tract of barren country would be found, or +perhaps a body of water, beyond which, a good country would in all +probability exist. The contemplated expedition, he hoped would set +supposition at rest--and as the season was most favourable, and Mr. Eyre +had had much personal experience in exploring, he had no doubt but the +expedition would be successful. The eyes of all the Australasian +colonies--nay, he might say of Britain--are on the colonists of South +Australia in this matter; and he felt confident that the result would be +most beneficial, not only to this Province, but also to New South Wales +and the Australian colonies generally--for the success of one settlement +is, in a measure, the success of the others." + + +An advertisement, published in the Adelaide Journals of 13th June, shewed +the progress that had been made towards collecting subscriptions for the +undertaking, and the spirited and zealous manner in which the colonists +entered into the project. Up to that date the sum of 541 pounds 17 +shillings 5 pence had been collected and paid into the Bank of Australia. + +Having now secured the necessary co-operation and assistance, my +arrangements proceeded rapidly and unremittingly, whilst the kindness of +the Governor, the Committee of colonists, my private friends and the +public generally, relieved me of many difficulties and facilitated my +preparations in a manner such as I could hardly have hoped or expected. +Every one seemed interested in the undertaking, and anxious to promote +its success; zeal and energy and spirit were infused among all connected +with it, and everything went on prosperously. + +In addition to the valuable aid which I received from his Excellency the +Governor, I was particularly indebted to Captain Frome the +Surveyor-general, Captain Sturt the Assistant-commissioner, and Thomas +Gilbert, Esq. the Colonial storekeeper, for unceasing kindness and +attention, and for much important assistance rendered to me by the loan +of books and instruments, the preparation of charts, and the fitting up +of drays, etc. etc. + +Captain Frome, too, now laid me under increased obligations by giving up +his own servant, Corporal Coles of the Royal Sappers and Miners, upon my +expressing a wish to take him with me, and the Governor sanctioning his +going. + +This man had accompanied Captain Grey in all his expeditions on the +North-west coast of New Holland--and had been highly recommended by that +traveller; he was a wheelwright by trade, and being a soldier was likely +to prove a useful and valuable addition to my party; and I afterwards +found him a most obliging, willing and attentive person. + +To the Governor and to the Committee of colonists I owe many thanks, for +the very flattering and gratifying confidence they reposed in me, a +confidence which left me as unrestricted in my detail of outfit and +equipment, as I was unfettered in my plan of operations in the field. +This enabled me to avoid unnecessary delays, and to hasten every thing +forward as rapidly as possible, so that when requested by the Governor to +name a day for my departure I was enabled to fix upon the 18th of June. + +Having already done all in their power to forward and assist the +equipment and arrangement of the expedition, the Governor and Mrs. Gawler +were determined still further to increase the heavy debt of gratitude +which I was already under to them, by inviting myself and party to meet +the friends of the expedition at Government House on the morning of our +departure, that by a public demonstration of interest in our welfare, we +might be encouraged in the undertaking upon which we were about to +enter--and might be stimulated to brave the perils to which we should +shortly be exposed, by a remembrance of the sympathy expressed in our +behalf, and the pledge we should come under to the public upon leaving +the abode of civilised man, for the unknown and trackless region which +lay before us. + +On the 15th of June I attended a meeting of the Committee, and presented +for audit the accounts of the expenditure incurred up to that date. On +the 16th I had a sale of all my private effects, furniture, etc. by +auction, and arranged my affairs in the best way that the very limited +time at my disposal would permit. + +The 17th found me still with plenty of work to do, as there were many +little matters to attend to at the last, which the best exertions could +not sooner set aside. + +Mr. Scott, who ever since the commencement of our preparations, had been +most indefatigable and useful in his exertions, was even still more +severely tasked on this day; at night, however, we were all amply +rewarded, by seeing every thing completely and satisfactorily +arranged--the bustle, confusion, and excitement over, and our drays all +loaded, and ready to commence on the morrow a journey of which the +length, the difficulty, and the result, were all a problem yet to be +solved. + +In the short space of seventeen days from the first commencement of our +preparations, we had completely organized and fully equipped a party for +interior exploration. Every thing had been done in that short time men +hired, horses sought out and selected, drays prepared, saddlery, harness, +and the thousand little things required on such journeys, purchased, +fitted and arranged. In that short time too, the Colonists had subscribed +and collected the sum of five hundred pounds towards defraying the +expenses, exclusive of the Government contribution of 100 pounds. + +Unfortunately, at the time the expedition was undertaken, every thing in +South Australia was excessively dear, and the cost of its outfit was +therefore much greater in 1840, than it would have been any year since +that period; nine horses (including a Timor pony, subsequently procured +at Port Lincoln) cost 682 pounds 10 shillings, whilst all other things +were proportionably expensive. After the expedition had terminated and +the men's wages and other expenses had been paid, the gross outlay +amounted to 1391 pounds 0 shillings 7 pence:--of this + +Amount of Donation from Government was 100 00 00 +Amount of Subscriptions of the Colonists 582 04 09 +Sale of the Drays and part of the Equipment 28 00 00 +Amount paid by myself 680 15 10 + ---------- +Total 1391 00 07 + + +In addition to this expenditure, considerable as it was, there were very +many things obtained from various sources, which though of great value +did not come into the outlay already noted. Among these were two horses +supplied by the Government, and three supplied by myself, making with the +nine bought for 682 pounds 10 shillings, a total of fourteen horses. The +very valuable services of the cutters "HERO" and "WATERWITCH," were +furnished by the Government; who also supplied all our arms and +ammunition, with a variety of other stores. From my many friends I +received donations of books and instruments, and I was myself enabled to +supply from my own resources a portion of the harness, saddlery, tools, +and tarpaulins, together with a light cart and a tent. + +June 18.--Calling my party up early, I ordered the horses to be +harnessed, and yoked to the drays, at half past nine the whole party, +(except the overseer who was at a station up the country) proceeded to +Government House, where the drays were halted for the men to partake of a +breakfast kindly provided for them by His Excellency and Mrs. Gawler, +whilst myself and Mr. Scott joined the very large party invited to meet +us in the drawing room. + +The following account of the proceedings of the morning, taken from the +South Australian Register, of the 20th June, may perhaps be read with +interest; at least it will shew the disinterested spirit and enterprising +character of the colonists of South Australia, even at this early stage +of its history, and especially how much the members of our little party +were indebted to the kindness and good feeling of the Governor and +colonists, who were anxious to cheer and stimulate us under the +difficulties and trails we had to encounter, by their earnest wishes and +prayers for our safety and success. + + +EXPLORATORY EXPEDITION TO THE CENTRE OF NEW HOLLAND + +The arrangements for the expedition into the interior, undertaken by Mr. +Eyre, having been completed, His Excellency the Governor and Mrs. Gawler +issued cards to a number of the principal colonists and personal friends +of Mr. Eyre, to meet him at Government House on the morning of his +departure. On Thursday last accordingly (the anniversary of Waterloo, in +which His Excellency and the gallant 52nd bore so conspicuous a part) a +very large party of ladies and gentlemen assembled. After an elegant +DEJEUNER A LA FOURCHETTE, His Excellency the Governor rose and spoke as +nearly as we could collect, as follows:-- + +"We are assembled to promote one of the most important undertakings that +remain to be accomplished on the face of the globe--the discovery of the +interior of Australia. As Captain Sturt in substance remarked in a recent +lecture, of the five great divisions of the earth, Europe is well known; +Asia and America have been generally searched out; the portion that +remains to be known of Africa is generally unfavourable for Europeans, +and probably unfit for colonization; but Australia, our great island +continent, with a most favourable climate, still remains unpenetrated, +mysterious, and unknown. Without doing injustice to the enterprising +attempts of Oxley, Sturt, and Mitchell, I must remark that they were +commenced from a very unfavourable point--from the eastern and almost +south-eastern extremity of the island--and consequently the great +interior still remains untouched by them, the south-eastern corner alone +having been investigated. As Captain Sturt some years since declared, +this Province is the point from which expeditions to the deep interior +should set out. This principle, I know, has been acknowledged by +scientific men in Europe; and it is most gratifying to see the spirit +with which our Colonists on the present occasion have answered to the +claim which their position imposes upon them. Mr. Eyre goes forth this +day, to endeavour to plant the British flag--the flag which in the whole +world has "braved for a thousand years the battle and the breeze"--on the +tropic of Capricorn (as nearly as possible in 135 degrees or 136 degrees +of longitude) in the very centre of our island continent. On this day +twenty-five years since, commencing almost at this very hour, the British +flag braved indeed the battle, and at length floated triumphant in +victory on the field of Waterloo. May a similar glorious success attend +the present undertaking! Mr. Eyre goes forth to brave a battle of a +different kind, but which in the whole, may present dangers equal to +those of Waterloo. May triumph crown his efforts, and may the British +flag, planted by him in the centre of Australia, wave for another +thousand years over the pence and prosperity of the mighty population +which immigration is pouring in upon us! Of the immediate results of his +journey, no one, indeed, can at present form a solid conjecture. Looking +to the dark side, he may traverse a country useless to man; but +contemplating the bright side, and remembering that but a few years since +Sturt, setting off on an equally mysterious course, laid the foundation +for the large community in which we dwell, it is in reason to hope that +Mr. Eyre will discover a country which may derive support from us, and +increase the prosperity of our Province. I must express my gratification +at the manner in which this enterprise, noble, let its results be what +they may, has been supported by our colonists at large. It is a greater +honor to be at the head of the government of a colony of enlightened and +enterprising men, than at that of an empire of enslaved and ignorant +beings in the form of men. I count it so. May the zeal which has been +exhibited in the colony in the promotion of every good and useful work +ever continue. Some ladies of Adelaide have worked a British Union Jack +for Mr. Eyre. Captain Sturt will be their representative to present it to +him. After that we will adjourn to the opposite rooms to invoke a +blessing on the enterprise. All here, and I believe the whole colony, +give to Mr. Eyre their best wishes, but to good wishes right-minded men +always add fervent prayers. There is an Almighty invisible Being in whose +hands are all events--man may propose, but it is for God only to +dispose--let us therefore implore his protection." + +"The Hon. Captain Sturt then received a very handsome Union Jack, neatly +worked in silk; and presenting it to Mr. Eyre, spoke nearly as follows:-- + +"It cannot but be gratifying to me to be selected on such an occasion as +this, to perform so prominent a part in a duty the last a community can +discharge towards one who, like you, is about to risk your life for its +good. I am to deliver to you this flag, in the name of the ladies who +made it, with their best wishes for your success, and their earnest +prayers for your safety. This noble colour, the ensign of our country, +has cheered the brave on many an occasion. It has floated over every +shore of the known world, and upon every island of the deep. But you have +to perform a very different, and a more difficult duty. You have to carry +it to the centre of a mighty continent, there to leave it as a sign to +the savage that the footstep of civilized man has penetrated so far. Go +forth, then, on your journey, with a full confidence in the goodness of +Providence; and may Heaven direct your steps to throw open the fertility +of the interior, not only for the benefit of the Province, but of our +native country; and may the moment when you unfurl this colour for the +purpose for which it was given to you, be as gratifying to you as the +present." + +"Mr. Eyre, visibly and deeply affected, returned his warmest thanks, and +expressed his sense of the kindness he had received on the present +occasion. He hoped to be able to plant the flag he had just received in +the centre of this continent. If he failed, he should, he hoped, have the +cousciousness of having earnestly endeavoured to succeed. To His +Excellency the Governor, his sincere thanks were due for the promptitude +with which so much effectual assistance to the expedition had been +rendered. Mr. Eyre also begged leave to return his thanks to the +Colonists who had so liberally supported the enterprise; and concluded by +expressing his trust that, through the blessing of God, he would be +enabled to return to them with a favourable report of the country into +which he was about to penetrate. + +"The company then returned to the library and drawing-room, where the +Colonial Chaplain, the Rev. C. B. Howard, offered up an affecting and +appropriate prayer, and at twelve precisely, Mr. Eyre, accompanied by a +very large concourse of gentlemen on horseback, left Government House, +under the hearty parting cheers of the assembled party." + +Leaving Government House under the hearty cheers of the very large +concourse assembled to witness our departure outside the grounds; Mr. +Scott, myself, and two native boys (the drays having previously gone on) +proceeded on horseback on our route, accompanied by a large body of +gentlemen on horseback, and ladies in carriages, desirous of paying us +the last kind tribute of friendship by a farewell escort of a few miles. + +At first leaving Government House we had moved on at a gentle canter, but +were scarcely outside the gates, before the cheering of the people, the +waving of hats, and the rush of so many horses, produced an emulation in +the noble steeds that almost took from us the control of their pace, as +we dashed over the bridge and up the hill in North Adelaide--it was a +heart-stirring and inspiriting scene. Carried away by the enthusiasm of +the moment, our thoughts and feelings were wrought to the highest state +of excitement. + +The time passed rapidly away, the first few miles were soon travelled +over,--then came the halt,--the parting,--the last friendly cheer;--and +we were alone in the wilderness. Our hearts were too full for +conversation, and we wended on our way slowly and in silence to overtake +the advance party. + + + + +Chapter II. + + + +FIRST NIGHT'S ENCAMPMENT WITH PARTY--REFLECTIONS--ARRIVAL AT SHEEP +STATION--RE-ARRANGEMENT OF LOADS--METHOD OF CARRYING FIRE-ARMS--COMPLETE +THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--THEIR NAMES--MOVE ONWARDS--VALLEY OF THE +LIGHT--EXTENSIVE PLAINS--HEAD OF THE GILBERT--SCARCITY OF +FIREWOOD--GRASSY WELL-WATERED DISTRICTS--THE HILL AND HUTT +RIVERS--INDICATIONS OF CHANGE GOING ON IN APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY, TRACEABLE IN THE REMAINS OF TIMBER IN THE PLAINS AND IN THE +OPENINGS AMONG SCRUBS--THE BROUGHTON--REEDY WATERCOURSE--CAMPBELL'S +RANGE--COURSE OF THE BROUGHTON. + + +June 18.--The party having left Adelaide late in the forenoon, and it +being the first day of working the horses, I did not wish to make a long +stage; having followed the usual road, therefore, as far as the little +Parra, the drays were halted upon that watercourse (after a journey of +about twelve miles), and we then proceeded to bivouac for the first time. +For the first time too since I had engaged to command the expedition, I +had leisure to reflect upon the prospects before me. + +During the hurry and bustle of preparation, and in the enthusiasm of +departure, my mind was kept constantly on the stretch, and I had no time +for calm and cool consideration, but now that all was over and the +journey actually commenced, I was again able to collect my thoughts and +to turn my most serious and anxious attention to the duty I had +undertaken. The last few days had been so fraught with interest and +occupation, and the circumstances of our departure this morning, had been +so exciting, that when left to my own reflections, the whole appeared to +me more like a dream than a reality. The change was so great, the +contrast so striking. From the crowded drawing room of civilized life, I +had in a few hours been transferred to the solitude and silence of the +wilds, and from being but an unit in the mass of a large community, I had +suddenly become isolated with regard to the world, which, so far as I was +concerned, consisted now only of the few brave men who accompanied me, +and who were dependant for their very existence upon the energy and +perseverance and prudence with which I might conduct the task assigned to +me. With this small, but gallant and faithful band, I was to attempt to +penetrate the vast recesses of the interior of Australia, to try to lift +up the veil which has hitherto shrouded its mysteries from the researches +of the traveller, and to endeavour to plant that flag which has floated +proudly in all the known parts of the habitable globe, in the centre of a +region as yet unknown, and unvisited save by the savage or the wild +beast. + +Those only who have been placed in similar circumstances can at all +appreciate the feelings which they call forth. The hopes, fears, and +anxieties of the leader of an exploring party, must be felt to be +understood, when he is about to commence an undertaking which MUST be one +of difficulty and danger, and which MAY be of doubtful and even fatal +result. + +The toil, care, and anxiety devolving upon him are of no ordinary +character; everyday removes him further from the pale of civilization and +from aid or assistance of any kind--whilst each day too diminishes the +strength of his party and the means at his command, and thus renders him +less able to provide against or cope with the difficulties that may beset +him. A single false step, the least error of judgment, or the slightest +act of indiscretion might plunge the expedition into inextricable +difficulty or danger, or might defeat altogether the object in view. +Great indeed was the responsibility I had undertaken--and most fully did +I feel sensible of the many and anxious duties that devolved upon me. The +importance and interest attached to the solution of the geographical +problem connected with the interior of Australia, would, I well knew, +engage the observation of the scientific world. If I were successful, the +accomplishment of what I had undertaken would more than repay me in +gratification for the toil and hazard of the enterprise--but if otherwise +I could not help feeling that, however far the few friends who knew me +might give me credit for exertion or perseverance, the world at large +would be apt to reason from the result, and to make too little allowance +for difficulties and impediments, of the magnitude of which from +circumstances they could be but incompetent judges. + +With such thoughts as these, and revolving in my mind our future plans, +our chances of success or otherwise, it will not be deemed surprising, +that notwithstanding the fatigue and care I had gone through during the +last fortnight of preparation, sleep should long remain a stranger to my +pillow; and when all nature around me was buried in deep repose I alone +was waking and anxious. + +From former experience in a personal examination of the nature of the +country north of the head of Spencer's Gulf, during the months of May and +June, 1839, I had learnt that the farther the advance to the north, the +more dreary and desolate the appearance of the country became, and the +greater was the difficulty, both of finding and of obtaining access to +either water or grass. The interception of the singular basin of Lake +Torrens, which I had discovered formed a barrier to the westward, and +commencing near the head of Spencer's Gulf, was connected with it by a +narrow channel of mud and water. This lake apparently increased in width +as it stretched away to the northward, as far as the eye could reach, +when viewed from the farthest point attained by me in 1839, named by +Colonel Gawler, Mount Eyre. Dreary as had been the view I then obtained, +and cheerless as was the prospect from that elevation, there was one +feature in the landscape, which still gave me hope that something might +be done in that direction, and had in fact been my principal inducement +to select a line nearly north from Spencer's Gulf, for our route on the +present expedition; this feature was the continuation, and the +undiminished elevation of the chain of hills forming Flinders range, +running nearly parallel with the course of Lake Torrens, and when last +seen by me stretching far to the northward and eastward in a broken and +picturesque outline. + +It was to this chain of hills that I now looked forward as the +stepping-stone to the interior. In its continuation were centered all my +hopes of success, because in its recesses alone could I hope to obtain +water and grass for my party. The desert region I had seen around its +base, gave no hope of either, and though the basin of Lake Torrens +appeared to be increasing so much in extent to the northward, I had seen +nothing to indicate its terminating within any practicable distance, in a +deep or navigable water. True the whole of the drainage from Flinders +range, as far as was yet known, emptied into its basin, but such was the +arid and sandy nature of the region through which it passed, that a great +part of the moisture was absorbed, whilst the low level of the basin of +the lake, apparently the same as that of the sea itself, forbade even the +most distant hope of the water being fresh, should any be found in its +bed. + +It was in reflections and speculations such as these, that many hours of +the night of my first encampment with the party passed away. The kindness +of the Governor and our many friends had been so unbounded; their anxiety +for our safety and comfort so great; their good wishes for our success so +earnest, and their confidence in our exertions, so implicit, that I could +not but look forward with apprehension, lest the success of our efforts +might not equal what our gratitude desired, and even now I began to be +fearful that the high expectations raised by the circumstances of our +departure might not be wholly realised. + +We had fairly commenced our arduous undertaking, and though the party +might appear small for the extent of the exploration contemplated, yet no +expedition could have started under more favourable or more cheering +auspices; provided with every requisite which experience pointed out as +desirable, and with every comfort which excess of kindness could suggest, +we left too, with a full sense of the difficulties before us, but with a +firm determination to overcome them, if possible. And I express but the +sentiments of the whole party when I say, that we felt the events of the +day of our departure, and the recollection of the anxiety and interest +with which our friends were anticipating our progress, and hoping for our +success, would be cherished as our watchword in the hour of danger, and +bethe incentive to perseverance and labour, when more than ordinary +trials should call for our exertions. The result we were willing to leave +in the hands of that Almighty Being whose blessing had been implored upon +our undertaking, and to whom we looked for guidance and protection in all +our wanderings. + +June 19.--On mustering the horses this morning it was found, that one or +two had been turned loose without hobbles, and being fresh and high fed +from the stables, they gave us a great deal of trouble before we could +catch them, but at last we succeeded, and the party moved on upon the +road to Gawler town, arriving there (12 miles) about noon; at this place +we halted for half an hour, at the little Inn to lunch, and this being +the last opportunity we should have of entering a house for many months +to come, I was anxious to give my men the indulgence. After lunch I again +moved on the party for five miles, crossing and encamping upon, a branch +of the Parra or Gawler, where we had abundance of good water and grass. + +June 20.--Having a long stage before us to-day, I moved on the party very +early, leaving all roads, and steering across the bush to my sheep +stations upon the Light. We passed through some very fine country, the +verdant and beautiful herbage of which, at this season of the year, +formed a carpet of rich and luxuriant vegetation. Having crossed the +grassy and well wooded ranges which confine the waters of the Light to +the westward, we descended to the plain, and reached my head station +about sunset, after a long and heavy stage of twenty miles--here we were +to remain a couple of days to break up the station, as the sheep were +sold, and the overseer and one of the men were to join the Expedition +party. + +The night set in cold and rainy, but towards morning turned to a severe +frost; one of the native boys who had been sent a short cut to the +station ahead of the drays, lost his road and was out in the cold all +night--an unusual circumstance, as a native will generally keep almost as +straight a direction through the wilds as a compass will point. + +Sunday, June 21.--We remained in camp. The day was cold, the weather +boisterous, with showers of rain at intervals, and the barometer falling; +our delay enabled me to write letters to my various friends, before +finally leaving the occupied parts of the country, I was glad too, to +give the horses and men a little rest after the fatigue they had endured +yesterday in crossing the country. + +June 22.--As we still remained in camp, the day being dark and cloudy +with occasional showers, I took the opportunity of having one of the +drays boarded close up, and of re-arranging the loads, oiling the +fire-arms, and grinding the axes, spades, etc.; we completed our +complement of tools, tents, tarpaulins, etc. from those at the station, +and had everything arranged on the drays in the most convenient manner, +always having in view safety in carriage and facility of access; the best +place for the fire-arms I found to be at the outside of the sides, the +backs, or the fronts, of those drays that were close boarded. + +By nailing half a large sheepskin with the wool on in any of these +positions, a soft cushion was formed for the fire-arms to rest against, +they were then fixed in their places by a loop of leather for the muzzle, +and a strap and buckle for the stock; whilst the other half of the +sheepskin which hung loose, doubled down in front of the weapons, between +them and the wheel, effectually preserving them from both dirt and wet, +and at the same time keeping them in a position, where they could be got +at in a moment, by simply lifting up the skin and unbuckling the strap; +by this means too, all danger or risk was avoided, which usually exists +when the fire-arms are put on or off the drays in a loaded state. I have +myself formerly seen carbines explode more than once from the cocks +catching something, in being pulled out from, or pushed in amidst the +load of a dray, independently of the difficulty of getting access to them +in cases of sudden emergency; a still better plan than the one I adopted, +would probably be to have lockers made for the guns, to hang in similar +places, and in a somewhat similar manner to that I have described, but in +this case it would be necessary for the lockers to be arranged and fitted +at the time the drays or carts were made. + +All the time I could spare from directing or superintending the loading +of the drays, I devoted to writing letters and making arrangements for +the regulation of my private affairs, which from the sudden manner in +which I had engaged in the exploring expedition, and from the busy and +hurried life I had led since the commencement of the preparations, had +fallen into some confusion. I was now, however, obliged to content myself +with such a disposition of them as the time and circumstances enabled me +to make.--I observed the latitude of the station to be 34 degrees 15 +minutes 56 seconds S. + +June 23.--Having got all the party up very early, I broke up the station, +and sent one man on horseback into Adelaide with despatches and letters. +My overseer and another man were now added to the party, making up our +complement in number. Upon re-arranging the loads of the drays yesterday, +I had found it inconvenient to have the instruments and tent equipage +upon the more heavily loaded drays, and I therefore decided upon taking +an extra cart and another horse from the station. This completed our +alterations, and the party and equipment stood thus:-- + +Mr. Eyre. +Mr. Scott, my assistant and companion. +John Baxter, Overseer. +Corporal Coles, R.S. and M. +John Houston, driving a three horse dray. +R. M'Robert, driving a three horse dray. +Neramberein and Cootachah, + Aboriginal boys, to drive the sheep, track, etc. + +We had with us 13 horses and 40 sheep, and our other stores were +calculated for about three months; in addition to which we were to have a +further supply forwarded to the head of Spencer's Gulf by sea, in the +WATERWITCH, to await our arrival in that neighbourhood. This would give +us the means of remaining out nearly six months, if we found the country +practicable, and in that time we might, if no obstacles intervened, +easily reach the centre of the Continent and return, or if practicable, +cross to Port Essington on the N. W. coast. + +About eleven I moved on the party up the Light for 8 miles, and then +halted after an easy stage. As the horses were fresh and the men were not +yet accustomed to driving them, I was anxious to move quietly on at +first, that nothing might be done in a hurry, and every one might +gradually settle down to what he had to perform, and that thus by a +little care and moderation at first, those evils, which my former +travelling had taught me were frequently the result of haste or +inexperience, might be avoided. Nothing is more common than to get the +withers of horses wrung, or their shoulders and backs galled at the +commencement of a journey, and nothing more difficult than to effect a +cure of this mischief whilst the animals are in use. By the precaution +which I adopted, I succeeded in preventing this, for the present. + +As we passed up the valley of the Light, we had some rich and picturesque +scenery around us--the fertile vale running nearly north and south, +backed to the westward by well wooded irregular ranges grassed to their +summits, and to the eastward shut in by a dark looking and more heavily +timbered range, beyond which rose two peaks of more distant hills, +through the centre of the valley the Light took its course, but at +present it was only a chain of large ponds unconnected by any stream; and +thus, I believe, it remains the greater part of the year, although +occasionally swollen to a broad and rapid current. + +June 24.--The horses having strayed a little this morning, and given us +some trouble to get them, it was rather late when we started; we, +however, crossed the low ridges at the head of the Light, and entering +upon extensive plains to the north, we descended to a channel, which I +took to be the head of a watercourse called the "Gilbert." + +Finding here some tolerably good water and abundance of grass, I halted +the party for the night, though we were almost wholly without firewood, +an inconvenience that we felt considerably, as the nights now were very +cold and frosty. Our stage had been fourteen miles to-day, running at +first over low barren ridges, and then crossing rich plains of a loose +brown soil, but very heavy for the drays to travel over. + +At our camp, a steep bank of the watercourse presented an extensive +geological section, but there was nothing remarkable in it, the substrata +consisting only of a kind of pipe clay. + +June 25.--Upon starting this morning we traversed a succession of fine +open and very grassy plains, from which we ascended the low ridges +forming the division of the waters to the north and south. In the latter +direction, we had left the heads of the "Gilbert" and "Wakefield" chains +of ponds, whilst in descending in the former we came upon the "Hill," a +fine chain of ponds taking its course through a very extensive and grassy +valley, but with little timber of any kind growing near it. On this +account I crossed it, and passing on a little farther encamped the party +on a branch of the "Hutt," and within a mile and a half of the main +course of that chain of ponds. Our whole route to-day, had been through a +fine and valuable grazing district, with grass of an excellent +description, and of great luxuriance. + +We were now nearly opposite to the most northerly of the out stations, +and after seeing the party encamp, I proceeded, accompanied by Mr. Scott, +to search for the stations for the purpose of saying good bye to a few +more of my friends. We had not long, however, left the encampment when it +began to rain and drove us back to the tents, effectually defeating the +object with which we had commenced our walk. Heavy rain was apparently +falling to the westward of us, and the night set in dark and lowering. + +In some parts of the large plains we had crossed in the morning, I had +observed traces of the remains of timber, of a larger growth than any now +found in the same vicinity, and even in places where none at present +exists. Can these plains of such very great extent, and now so open and +exposed, have been once clothed with timber? and if so, by what cause, or +process, have they been so completely denuded, as not to leave a single +tree within a range of many miles? In my various wanderings in Australia, +I have frequently met with very similar appearances; and somewhat +analogous to these, are the singular little grassy openings, or plains, +which are constantly met with in the midst of the densest Eucalyptus +scrub. + +Every traveller in those dreary regions has appreciated these, (to him) +comparatively speaking, oasises of the desert--for it is in them alone, +that he can hope to obtain any food for his jaded horse; without, +however, their affording under ordinary circumstances, the prospect of +water for himself. Forcing his way through the dense, and apparently +interminable scrub, formed by the Eucalyptus dumosa, (which in some +situations is known to extend for fully 100 miles), the traveller +suddenly emerges into an open plain, sprinkled over with a fine silky +grass, varying from a few acres to many thousands in extent, but +surrounded on all sides by the dreary scrub he has left. + +In these plains I have constantly traced the remains of decayed +scrub--generally of a larger growth than that surrounding them--and +occasionally appearing to have grown very densely together. From this it +would appear that the face of the country in those low level regions, +occupied by the Eucalyptus dumosa, is gradually undergoing a process +which is changing it for the better, and in the course of centuries +perhaps those parts of Australia which are now barren and worthless, may +become rich and fertile districts, for as soon as the scrub is removed +grass appears to spring up spontaneously. The plains found interspersed +among the dense scrubs may probably have been occasioned by fires, +purposely or accidentally lighted by the natives in their wanderings, but +I do not think the same explanation would apply to those richer plains +where the timber has been of a large growth and the trees in all +probability at some distance apart--here fires might burn down a few +trees, but would not totally annihilate them over a whole district, +extending for many miles in every direction. + +June 26.--This morning brought a very heavy fog, through which we +literally could not see 100 yards, when the party moved on to the "Hutt" +chain of ponds, and then followed that watercourse up to the Broughton +river, which was crossed in Lat. 33 degrees 28 minutes S. At this point +the bed of the Broughton is of considerable width, and its channel is +occupied by long, wide and very deep water holes, connected with one +another by a strongly running stream, which seldom or never fails even in +the driest seasons. The soil upon its banks however is not valuable, +being generally stony and barren, and bearing a sort of prickly grass, +(Spinifex). Wild fowl abound on the pools. On a former occasion, when I +first discovered the Broughton, I obtained both ducks and swans from its +waters, but now I had no time for sporting, being anxious to push on to +the "reedy watercourse," a halting place in my former journey, so as to +get over all the rough and hilly ground before nightfall, that we might +have a fair start in the morning. I generally preferred, if practicable, +to lengthen the stage a little in the vicinity of watercourses or hills, +in order to get the worst of the road over whilst the horses worked +together and were warm, rather than leave a difficult country to be +passed over the first thing in the morning, when, for want of exercise, +the teams are chill and stiff, and require to be stimulated before they +will work well in unison. Our journey to-day was about twenty miles, and +the last five being over a rugged hilly road, it was late in the +afternoon when we halted for the night. + +"The reedy watercourse," is a chain of water-holes taking its rise among +some grassy and picturesque ranges to the north of us, and trending +southerly to a junction with the Broughton. Among the gorges of this +range, (which I had previously named Campbell's range,)[Note 1: After +R. Campbell, Esq. M. C. of Sydney.] are many springs of water, +and the scenery is as picturesque as the district is fertile. +Many of the hills are well rounded, very grassy, and moderately well +timbered even to their summits. This is one of the prettiest and most +desirable localities for either sheep or cattle, that I have yet seen in +the unoccupied parts of South Australia, whilst the distance from +Adelaide by land, does not at the most exceed one hundred and twenty +miles. [Note 2: All this country, and for some distance to the +north, is now occupied by stations.] The watercourse near our camp took +its course through an open valley, between bare hills on which there was +neither tree nor shrub for firewood and we were constantly obliged to go +half a mile up a steep hill before we could obtain a few stunted bushes to +cook with. As the watercourse approached the Broughton the country became +much more abrupt and broken, and after its junction with that river, the +stream wound through a succession of barren and precipitous hills, for +about fifteen miles, at a general course of south-west; these hills were +overrun almost everywhere with prickly grass and had patches of the +Eucalyptus dumosa scattered over them at intervals. + +Up to the point where it left the hills, there were ponds of water in the +bed of the Broughton, but upon leaving them the river changed its +direction to the northward, passing through extensive plains and +retaining a deep wide gravelly channel, but without surface water, the +drainage being entirely underground, and the country around comparatively +poor and valueless. + + + + +Chapter III. + + + +SPRING HILL--AN AGED NATIVE DESERTED BY HIS TRIBE--RICH AND EXTENSIVE +PLAINS--SURPRISE A PARTY OF NATIVES--ROCKY RIVER--CRYSTAL BROOK--FLINDERS +RANGE--THE DEEP SPRING--MYALL PONDS--ROCKY WATER HOLES--DRY +WATERCOURSE--REACH THE DEPOT NEAR MOUNT ARDEN--PREPARE FOR LEAVING THE +PARTY--BLACK SWANS PASS TO THE NORTH--ARRIVAL OF THE WATERWITCH. + + +During the night the frost had been so severe, that we were obliged to +wait a little this morning for the sun to thaw the tent and tarpaulins +before they would bend to fold up. After starting, we proceeded across a +high barren open country, for about three miles on a W. N. W. course, +passing close under a peak connected with Campbell's range, which I named +Spring Hill, from the circumstance of a fine spring of water being found +about half way up it. + +Not far from the spring I discovered a poor emaciated native, entirely +alone, without either food or fire, and evidently left by his tribe to +perish there; he was a very aged man, and from hardship and want was +reduced to a mere skeleton, how long he had been on the spot where we +found him I had no means of ascertaining, but probably for some time, as +life appeared to be fast ebbing away; he seemed almost unconscious of our +presence, and stared upon us with a vacant unmeaning gaze. The pleasures +or sorrows of life were for ever over with him: his case was far beyond +the reach of human aid, and the probability is that he died a very few +hours after we left him. + +Such is the fate of the aged and helpless in savage life, nor can we +wonder that it should be so, since self-preservation is the first law of +nature, and the wandering native who has to travel always over a great +extent of ground to seek for his daily food, could not obtain enough to +support his existence, if obliged to remain with the old or the sick, or +if impeded by the incumbrance of carrying them with him; still I felt +grieved for the poor old man we had left behind us, and it was long +before I could drive away his image from my mind, or repress the +melancholy train of thoughts that the circumstance had called forth. + +From the summit of Spring Hill, I observed extensive plains to the N. W. +skirted both on their eastern and western sides, by open hills, whilst to +the N. W. and N. E. the ranges were high, and apparently terminated in +both directions by peaked summits on their eastern extremes; a little +south of west the waters of Spencer's Gulf were distinctly visible, and +the smokes ascending from the fires of the natives, were seen in many +directions among the hills. After passing Spring Hill, we crossed some +rich and extensive plains, stretching far away to the northward, and +taking a nearly north and south direction under Campbell's range; in the +upper part of these plains is the deep bed of a watercourse with water in +it all the year round, and opposite to which, in lat. 33 degrees 14 +minutes S, is a practicable pass for drays through Campbell's range, to +the grassy country to the eastward. + +June 27.--In crossing the southern extremity of these large plains, we +came suddenly upon a small party of natives engaged in digging yams of +which the plains were full; they were so intent upon their occupation +that we were close to them before they were aware of our presence; when +they saw us they appeared to be surprised and alarmed, and endeavoured to +steal off as rapidly as they could without fairly taking to their heels, +for they were evidently either unwilling or afraid to run; finding that +we did not molest them they halted, and informed us by signs that we +should soon come to water, in the direction we were going. This I knew to +be true, and about three o'clock we were in front of a water-course, I +had on a former journey named the "Rocky river," from the ragged +character of its bed where we struck it. + +We had been travelling for some distance upon a high level open country, +and now came to a sudden gorge of several hundred feet below us, through +which the Rocky river wound its course. It was a most singular and wild +looking place, and was not inaptly named by the men, the "Devil's Glen;" +looking down from the table land we were upon, the valley beneath +appeared occupied by a hundred little hills of steep ascent and rounded +summits, whilst through their pretty glens, flowed the winding stream, +shaded by many a tree and shrub--the whole forming a most interesting and +picturesque scene. + +The bed of the watercourse was over an earthy slate, and the water had a +sweetish taste. Like most of the Australian rivers, it consisted only of +ponds connected by a running stream, and even that ceased to flow a +little beyond where we struck it, being lost in the deep sandy channel +which it then assumed, and which exhibited in many places traces of very +high floods. Below our camp the banks were 50 to 60 feet high, and the +width from 60 to 100 yards, its course lay through plains to the +south-west, over which patches of scrub were scattered at intervals, and +the land in its vicinity was of an inferior description, with much +prickly grass growing upon it. + +Upwards, the Rocky river, after emerging from the gorges in which we +found it, descended through very extensive plains from the +north-north-east; there was plenty of water in its bed, and abundance of +grass over the plains, so that in its upper parts it offers fine and +extensive runs for either cattle or sheep, and will, I have no doubt, ere +many years be past, be fully occupied for pastoral purposes. + +From our present encampment a very high and pointed hill was visible far +to the N.N. W. this from the lofty way in which it towered above the +surrounding hills, I named Mount Remarkable. Our latitude at noon was 33 +degrees 25 minutes 26 seconds S. + +A very beautiful shrub was found this afternoon upon the Rocky river, in +full flower: it was a tall slender stalked bush, about six or eight feet +high, growing almost in the bed of the river, with leaves like a +geranium, and fine delicate lilac flowers about an inch and a half in +diameter; here, too, we found the first gum-trees seen upon any of the +watercourses for many miles, as all those we had recently crossed, +traversed open plains which were quite without either trees or shrubs of +any kind. + +June 28.--This morning we passed through a country of an inferior +description, making a short stage to a watercourse, named by me the +"Crystal Brook;" it was a pretty stream emanating from the hills to the +north-east, and marked in its whole course through the plains to the +northward and westward by lines of gum-trees. The pure bright water ran +over a bed of clear pebbles, with a stream nine feet wide, rippling and +murmuring like the rivulets of England--a circumstance so unusual in the +character of Australian watercourses, that it interested and pleased the +whole party far more than a larger river would have done; this +characteristic did not, however, long continue, for like all the streams +we had lately crossed, the water ceased to flow a short distance beyond +our crossing place. + +The country below us, like that through which the Rocky river took its +course, was open and of an inferior description, but I have no doubt that +by tracing the stream upwards, towards its source among the ranges, a +good and well watered country would be found; I ascertained the latitude +by a meridian altitude at Crystal brook to be 33 degrees 18 minutes 7 +seconds S. + +The hills on the opposite side of Spencer's Gulf were now plainly +visible, and one which appeared to be inland, I took to be the middle +Back mountain of Flinders; between our camp and the eastern shores of the +gulf, the land was generally low, with a good deal of scrub upon it, and +nearer the shores appeared to be swampy, and subject to inundation by the +tides. + +June 29.--Upon moving from our camp this morning we commenced following +under Flinders range. From Crystal brook, the hills rise gradually in +elevation as they trend to the northward, still keeping their western +slopes almost precipitous to the plains, out of which they appear to rise +abruptly. Our course was much embarrassed by the gullies and gorges +emanating from the hills, in some of which the crossing place was not +very good, and in all the horses got much shaken, so that when we arrived +at a large watercourse defined by gum trees, and in which was a round +hole of water that had been on a former occasion called by me "The Deep +Spring," I halted the party for the night and found that the horses were +a good deal fatigued. Fortunately there was excellent food for them, and +plenty of water. The place at which we encamped was upon one of the +numerous watercourses, proceeding from the gorges of Flinders range. It +had a wide gravelly bed, divided into two or three separate channels, but +without a drop of water below the base of the hills, excepting where we +bivouacked, at this point, there was a considerable extent of rich black +alluvial soil, and in the midst of it a mound of jet black earth, +surrounded by a few reeds. In the centre of the mound was a circular deep +hole containing water, and apparently a spring: the last time I was here, +in 1839 it was full to overflowing, but now, though in the depth of +winter, I was surprised and chagrined to see the water so much lower than +I had known it before. It was covered up too so carefully with bushes and +boughs, that it was evident the natives sometimes contemplated its being +quite dried up, [Note 3: In October 1842, I again passed this way, in +command of a party of Police sent overland to Port Lincoln, to search for +Mr. C. C. Dutton: the spring was then dried up completely.] and had taken +this means as the best they could adopt for shading and protecting the +water. On the other hand the numerous well beaten tracks leading to this +solitary pool appeared to indicate that there was no other water in the +neighbourhood. We saw kangaroos, pigeons and birds of various +descriptions, going to it in considerable number. At night too after dark +we found that a party of natives were watching also for an opportunity +to participate in so indispensable a necessary, which having secured, +they departed, and we saw nothing more of them. I observed the latitude +at this camp to be 33 degrees 7 minutes 14 seconds S. and the variation +8 degrees 53 minutes E. + +June 30.--Our road to day was much better, and less interrupted by +gullies, though we still kept close under Flinders range. We traversed a +great extent of plain land which was generally stony, but grassy, and +tolerably well adapted for sheep runs. Several watercourses take their +rise from this range, with a westerly direction towards the gulf, these +were all dry when we crossed them, but their course was indicated by gum +trees, and as some of the channels were wide and large, and had strong +traces of occasional high floods, I rode for many miles down one of the +most promising, but without being able to find a drop of water. At noon +our latitude was 32 degrees 59 minutes 8 seconds, S. + +Late in the afternoon we reached a watercourse, which I had previously +named "Myall Ponds," [Note 4: Myall is in some parts of New Holland, the +native name for the Acacia pendula.] from the many and beautiful Acacia +pendula trees that grew upon its banks. There I knew we could get water, +and at once halted the party for the night. Upon going to examine the +supply I was again disappointed at finding it so much less than when I had +been here in 1839. This did not augur well for our future prospects, and +gave me considerable anxiety relative to our future movements. + +For some days past the whole party had fully entered upon their +respective duties, each knew exactly what he had to do, and was beginning +to get accustomed to its performance, so that every thing went on +smoothly and prosperously. My own time, when not personally engaged in +conducting the party, was occupied in keeping the journals and charts, +etc. in taking and working observations--in the daily register of the +barometer, thermometer, winds, and weather, and in collecting specimens +of flowers, or minerals. My young friend, Mr. Scott, was kept equally +busy; for in many of these duties he assisted me, and in some relieved me +altogether; the regular entry of the meteorological observations, and the +collecting of flowers or shrubs generally fell to his share; +independently of which he was the only sportsman in the party, and upon +his gun we were dependant for supplies of wallabies, pigeons, ducks, or +other game, to vary our bill of fare, and make the few sheep we had with +us hold out as long as possible. As a companion I could not have made a +better selection--young, active, and cheerful, I found him ever ready to +render me all the assistance in his power. At our present encampment, +several of a species of wallabie, very much resembling a hare in flavour, +were shot by Mr. Scott, but hitherto we had not succeeded in getting a +kangaroo. + +July 1.--To-day we travelled through a similar country to that we were in +yesterday, consisting of open plains and occasionally low scrub. +Kangaroos abounded in every direction. Our stage was eighteen miles to a +watercourse called by me the "Reedy water holes," from the circumstance +of reeds growing around the margin of the water. Upon arriving at this +place I was surprised to find a strongly running stream, where formerly +there had only been a reedy pond, although the two last watercourses we +had encamped at had been much reduced and dried up. When I had been here +in 1839, they were the running streams, and this only a pool, whilst +singularly enough there did not appear to have been more rain at one +place than the other. + +We were now in full view of Spencer's gulf, but as yet could observe no +signs of the WATERWITCH, which was to meet us at the head of the gulf +with additional stores. At night I observed the latitude by altitude of a +Bootis to be 32 degrees 41 minutes 28 seconds S. + +July 2.--We moved on for 15 miles over extensive plains, covered +principally with Rhagodia, and in some places stony, and halted early in +the afternoon at a large dry watercourse, coming out from Flinders range. +Though there was no water in this channel below the base of the hill, on +sending a party a mile and a half up it with spades and buckets, we got, +by digging in the gravelly bed, as much as sufficed for ourselves and +horses. At this camp I observed the variation to be 7 degrees +24 minutes E. + +July 3.--During the night our horses had rambled a little, so that we +could not get away early, and as we had a long stage before us we were +obliged to push on to a late hour. At dark we arrived at my former depot +near Mount Arden, and took up our old position in the dry bed of the +watercourse, at the base of the hills from which it emanated; but we had +still to send the horses a mile and a half further up the gorge, over a +hilly and stony road, before we could either get water for ourselves or +them; it was therefore very late when the men returned, and the whole +party were a good deal fatigued, having travelled from Adelaide to Mount +Arden in 14 days, (deducting the two days in camp at the Light.) I now +ascertained the latitude of the depot to be 32 degrees 14 minutes S. + +July 4.--Having mustered the horses this morning, I ordered an +arrangement to be entered into for taking them to the water twice a day, +and bringing down the supply required for the use of the party. Each +person undertook this duty in turn, and thus the labour was divided. +After breakfast I went up myself to examine the state of the water and +found great abundance in its bed; there were strong traces of recent and +high flooding, the drift timber being lodged among the bushes several +feet above the ordinary channel. The grass I was sorry to find was rather +old and dry, but still there was a very fair supply of it, a point of +great importance to us at a time when it was necessary to detain the +whole party for two or three weeks in depot, to enable me to examine the +country to the north; my former experience having convinced me that it +would be dangerous to attempt to push on, before ascertaining where grass +and water could be procured. + +We had now travelled upwards of eighty miles under Flinders range, from +Crystal brook to Mount Arden, and hitherto the character of that range +had varied but little. High, rocky, and barren, it rises abruptly from +the plains, and so generally even is the country at its base, that we had +no difficulty in keeping our drays within a mile or two of it. This was +convenient, because we had not far to leave our line of route, when +compelled to send up among the ravines for water. The slopes of Flinders +range are steep and precipitous to the westward, and composed principally +of an argillaceous stone or grey quartz, very hard and ringing like metal +when struck with a hammer. + +There was no vegetation upon these hills, excepting prickly grass, and +many were coated over so completely with loose stones that from the +steepness of the declivity it was unsafe, if not impossible to ascend +them. At one or two points in our routs I climbed up to the top of high +summits, but was not rewarded for my toil, the prospect being generally +cheerless and barren in the extreme, nor did the account given by Mr. +Brown of his ascent of Mount Brown in March 1802, tempt me to delay a day +to enable me to view the uninteresting prospect he had seen from the +summit of that hill--by far the highest peak in this part of Flinders +range. + +Having decided upon ridingon a head of my party to reconnoitre, as soon +as the WATERWITCH should arrive, I at once commenced my preparations, and +made the overseer put new shoes on the horses I intended to take with me. +The very stony character of the country we had been lately traversing and +the singularly hard nature of the stone itself, had caused the shoes to +wear out very rapidly, and there was hardly a horse in the teams that did +not now require new shoes; fortunately we had brought a very large supply +with us, and my overseer was a skilful and expeditious farrier. At dusk a +watch was set upon one of the hills near us, to look out for signals from +the WATERWITCH in the direction of Spencer's gulf, but none were seen. + +July 4.--Whilst writing in my tent this evening, my attention was +attracted by the notes of swans, and upon going out I perceived a flight +of several of the black species coming up from the southward; when they +had got over the tents, they appeared to be alarmed and wheeled to the +eastward, but soon returning, they took a nearly due northerly course. +This was encouraging for us, and augured well for the existence of some +considerable body of water inland, but we hoped and expected that a few +days would perhaps give us a clue to the object of their flight. + +Sunday, July 5.--A day of rest to all. In the afternoon I employed myself +in writing out instructions for the overseer during my absence, as also +for the master of the WATERWITCH, for whose arrival we now kept a +constant and anxious look out. In the evening about eight o'clock the +sentinel on the hill reported a fire on the opposite side of Spencer's +gulf. Upon receiving this intelligence I had blue lights exhibited, and +rockets fired, which in a little time were replied to by rockets from the +gulf and the lighting up of a second fire on shore assuring me at once of +the safe arrival of the cutter. + + + + +Chapter IV. + + + +MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR GETTING UP STORES FROM THE WATERWITCH--LEAVE THE +PARTY--SALT WATERCOURSE--MOUNT EYRE--ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY--LAKE +TORRENS--RETURN TOWARDS THE HILLS--NATIVE FEMALE--SALINE CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY--MOUNT DECEPTION--REACH THE EASTERN HILLS--LARGE +WATERCOURSES--WATER HOLE IN A ROCK--GRASSY BUT HILLY COUNTRY--RUNNING +STREAM--ASCEND A RANGE--RETURN HOMEWARDS--DECAY OF TREES IN THE +WATERCOURSES--SHOOT A KANGAROO--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--BURY STORES--MAKE +PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING--SEND DESPATCHES TO THE VESSEL. + + +July 6.--BEING anxious to pursue my explorations, and unwilling to lose +another day solely for the purpose of receiving my letters, I sent down +my overseer to arrange about getting our stores up from the vessel, which +was about fourteen miles away, and to request the master to await my +return from the north, and in the interval employ himself in surveying +and sounding some salt water inlets, we had seen on the eastern shores of +the gulf in our route up under Flinders range. + +Having made all necessary arrangements and wished Mr. Scott good bye, I +set off on horseback with the eldest of my native boys, taking a pack +horse to carry our provisions, and some oats for the horses. After +rounding a projecting corner of the range we passed Mount Arden, still +traversing open plains of great extent, and very stony. In some of these +plains we found large puddles of water much discoloured by the soil, so +that it was evident there had been heavy rains in this direction, though +we had none to the southward. + +After travelling twenty-four miles we came to a large watercourse winding +from Flinders range through the plains, with its direction distinctly +marked out by the numerous gum-trees upon its banks. This was the "salt +watercourse" of my former journeys so called from the large reaches of +salt water in its bed a mile or two among the hills. By digging in the +gravelly bed of the channel, where the natives had scooped a small hole, +we got some tolerable water, and were enabled to give as much as they +required to our horses, but it was a slow and tedious operation. We could +get very little out at once, and had to give it to them to drink in the +black boy's duck frock, which answered the purpose of a bucket amazingly +well. + +There was not a blade of grass, or anything that the horses could eat +near this creek, so I was obliged to tie them up for the night, after +giving to each a feed of oats. + +July 7.--Towards morning several showers of rain fell, and I found that I +had got a severe attack of rheumatism, which proved both troublesome and +painful. Pushing on for ten miles we reached the height standing out from +the main range which Colonel Gawler named Mount Eyre, from its having +been the limit of my first journey to the north in May 1839. This little +hill is somewhat detached, of considerable elevation, and with a bold +rocky overhanging summit to the southward. Having clambered to the top of +it, I had an extensive view, and took several bearings. + +The region before us appeared to consist of a low sandy country without +either trees or shrubs, save a few stunted bushes. On the east this was +backed by high rugged ranges, very barren in appearance, and extending +northward as far as the eye could reach, beyond this level country to the +West, and stretching far to the north-west, appeared a broad glittering +stripe, looking like water, and constituting the bed of Lake Torrens. The +lake appeared to be about twenty-five miles off, and of considerable +breadth; but at so great distance, it was impossible to say whether there +was actually any water in it or not. + +Having completed my observations we descended again to the plains +steering north-west for the lake. At two miles from Mount Eyre we found a +puddle of water in the midst of the plains, and halted at it for the +night. Our horses had good grass, but would not touch the water, which +was extremely thick and muddy. Upon trying it ourselves we found it was +not usable, even after it had been strained twice through a handkerchief, +whilst boiling only thickened it; it was a deep red colour, from the +soil, and was certainly an extraordinary and unpalatable mixture. + +July 8.--Our horses having strayed this morning I sent the native boy to +look for them, but as he did not return in a reasonable time, I got +anxious and went after him myself, leaving the saddles and provisions at +our sleeping place. In about four miles I met the boy returning with the +runaways, which had rambled for several miles, though they had abundance +of good feed around the camp; fortunately we found every thing safe when +we got back, but if any natives had accidentally passed that way we +should probably have lost everything, and been left in very awkward +predicament. + +This is a risk I have frequently been obliged to incur, and is one of the +inconveniences resulting from so small a number as two travelling alone; +it it is not always practicable from want of grass to tether the horses, +and frequently when they are tethered the ropes break, and occasion the +necessity of both individuals leaving the encampment to search for them +at the same time. + +Moving on to the N. W. by N. we passed over heavy sandy ridges, with +barren red plains between, and in one of the latter we found a puddle of +rain water, this upon tasting. I found to be rather saline from the +nature of the soil upon which it lay, the horses, however, drank it +readily, and we put some in a small keg for ourselves. The only +vegetation to be seen consisted of a few small stunted trees and shrubs, +and even these as we approached the vicinity of the lake disappeared +altogether, and gave place to Salsolaceous plants, the country being open +and barren in the extreme. + +I found Lake Torrens completely girded by a steep sandy ridge, exactly +like the sandy ridges bounding the sea shore, no rocks or stones were +visible any where, but many saline coasts peeped out in the outer ridge, +and upon descending westerly to its basin, I found the dry bed of the +lake coated completely over with a crust of salt, forming one unbroken +sheet of pure white, and glittering brilliantly in the sun. On stepping +upon this I found that it yielded to the foot, and that below the surface +the bed of the lake consisted of a soft mud, and the further we advanced +to the westward the more boggy it got, so that at last it became quite +impossible to proceed, and I was obliged to return to the outer margin of +the lake without ascertaining whether there was water on the surface of +its bed further west or not. + +The extraordinary deception caused by mirage and refraction, arising from +the state of the atmosphere in these regions, makes it almost impossible +to believe the evidence of one's own eyesight; but as far as I could +judge under these circumstances, it appeared to me that there was water +in the bed of the lake at a distance of four or five miles from where I +was, and at this point Lake Torrens was about fifteen or twenty miles +across, having high land bounding it to the west, seemingly a +continuation of the table land at the head of Spencer's gulf on its +western side. + +Foiled in the hope of reaching the water, I stood gazing on the dismal +prospect before me with feelings of chagrin and gloom. I can hardly say I +felt disappointed, for my expectations in this quarter had never been +sanguine; but I could not view unmoved, a scene which from its character +and extent, I well knew must exercise a great influence over my future +plans and hopes: the vast area of the lake was before me interminable as +far as the eye could see to the northward, and the country upon its +shore, was desolate and forbidding. + +It was evident, that I could never hope to take my party across the lake, +and it was equally evident, that I should not be able to travel around +its shores, from the total absence of all fresh water, grass, or wood, +whilst the very saline nature of the soil in the surrounding country, +made even the rain water salt, after lying for an hour or two upon the +ground. My only chance of success now lay in the non-termination of +Flinders range, and in the prospect it held out to me, that by continuing +our course along it we might be able to procure grass and water in its +recesses, until we were either taken beyond Lake Torrens, or led to some +practicable opening to the north. + +With a heavy heart I turned towards the mountains, and steering N. E. for +ten miles, halted at dark, where there was nothing for our horses to eat +or drink, and we were consequently obliged to tie them up for the night. +We had still a few oats left and gave each horse three pints. A short +time before encamping, I had observed that Lake Torrens was trending more +to the eastward, and that when we halted, it was not at any very great +distance from us. + +July 9.--One of our horses having got loose last night, pulled the cork +out of the keg in which was our small stock of the dirty brackish water +we had found yesterday, and rolling the keg over, destroyed its contents; +we were thus deprived of our breakfasts, and consequently had but little +delay in starting. I intended to push on steadily for the hills, but +after travelling six miles came to a puddle in the plains, with tolerable +grass around, and at this I halted for the day, to rest the horses. Our +latitude was 31 degrees 25 minutes S. by an altitude of Arcturus, Mount +Eyre then bearing S. 7 degrees E. + +July 10.--Our horses being much recruited I altered our course to-day to +N. 5 degrees E. being the bearing of the most distant range to the +northward, (subsequently named Mount Deception). We passed for the first +ten miles through an open barren country, but found a puddle at which we +watered our horses, and refilled the keg; we then entered heavy ridges of +dense red sand lying nearly north and south, and having small barren +plains between. + +There were a few stunted bushes upon the ridges and occasionally some +small straggling pines. Lake Torrens still trended easterly, being +occasionally seen from, and sometimes approaching near to our track. + +Emerging from the sandy ridges we again entered upon vast level plains +covered with rhagodia. In the midst of these we came to the bed of a +large dry watercourse, having good grass about it, but containing no +water. I halted here for the day as our horses were not very thirsty. + +Upon examining the bed of the watercourse, I found traces of a rather +recent and high flood; much drift being still left upon the bushes where +it had been swept by the torrent; I could, however, find no water +anywhere. + +A great many emus were seen during our ride, and I wounded one with my +rifle, but did not get it. We found to-day a description of flower, which +I had not seen before, white, and sweetly scented like the hawthorn, +growing upon a low prickly bush near the watercourse. + +July 11.--To-day I left our course and rambled up the watercourse to +examine its character and search for water, which however I could not +find in its channel anywhere. Traces of natives were numerous and recent +all the way as we went, till at last we came to where they had encamped +the previous night, and where they had left a fire still fresh and +burning. + +Proceeding onwards we came upon a single native, a female, young, but +miserably thin and squalid, fit emblem of the sterility of the country. +We could gain no information from her, she was so much alarmed, but not +long after parting with her we came to a puddle of water in the plains, +and encamped for the night. Our stage had been a tortuous, but not a long +one, and we halted early in the day, the latitude was 30 degrees 58 +minutes S. by an altitude of the sun at noon. + +After taking some refreshment, I walked to a rise about three miles off +at N. 40 degrees E. from which I took several bearings, and among them I +set Mount Deception at N. 25 degrees W., I then examined several of the +gorges between the front hills, where the banks were broken away, and to +my great dismay found in all of them salt mixed with the sand, the clay, +and even the rocks; whilst in the bed of the watercourse, the salt water +tea-tree was making its appearance, a shrub I had never before seen under +Flinders range, and one which never grows where the soil is not of a very +saline nature, and generally only where the water is too brackish for use. + +The beds of the watercourses were in some places quite white and glazed +with encrustations of salt, where the rains had lodged, and the water had +evaporated. Some of the cliffs which I examined presented sections of 40 +and 50 feet perpendicular height, in which layers of salt were embedded +from the very top to the bottom. + +In such a country, what accommodation could I expect, or what hopes could +I entertain for the future, when the very water shed from the clouds +would not be drinkable after remaining a few hours on the ground? +Whichever way I turned myself, to the West, to the East, or the North, +nothing but difficulties met my view. + +In one direction was an impracticable lake, skirted by heavy and scrubby +sand ridges; in another, a desert of bare and barren plains; and in a +third, a range of inhospitable rocks. The very stones lying upon the +hills looked like the scorched and withered scoria of a volcanic region; +and even the natives, judging from the specimen I had seen to-day, +partook of the general misery and wretchedness of the place. + +My heart sank within me when I reflected upon the gradual but too obvious +change that had taken place in the character of the country for the +worse, and when I considered that for some days past we had been entirely +dependent for our supply of water upon the little puddles that had been +left on the plains by the rain, and which two or three more days would +completely dry up. Under circumstances so unpropitious, I had many +misgivings, and the contemplation of our future prospect became a subject +of painful anxiety. + +July 12.--We moved away early, steering for Mount Deception. Near its +base, and emanating from it, we crossed the dry bed of a very large +watercourse, more resembling that of a river in character, its channel +being wide, deep, and well-defined, and lined with the salt-water +tea-tree; whilst its course was marked by very large, green looking +gum-trees, the bed consisted of an earthy, micaceous slate of a reddish +colour, and in very minute particles, almost in some places as fine as +sand, but we could find no water in it anywhere. + +The range in which this watercourse has its source, is of the same slaty +rock, and very rugged; it could not be less than 3,000 feet in elevation, +and its summit was only attainable by winding along the steep and stony +ridges that led round the deep gorges and ravines by which it was +surrounded. + +From the top the view was extensive and unsatisfactory. Lake Torrens +appearing as large and mysterious as ever, and bearing in its most +northerly extreme visible W. 22 degrees N. To the north was a low level +cheerless waste, and to the east Flinders range trending more easterly, +and then sweeping back to N. 28 degrees W. but its appearance seemed to +be changing and its character altering; the ranges struck me as being +more separated by ridges, with barren flats and valleys between, among +which winding to the N. W. were many large and deep watercourses, but +which when traced up, often for many miles, I found to emanate from +gorges of the hills, and to have neither water nor springs in them. + +I had fully calculated upon finding permanent water at this very high +range, and was proportionally disappointed at not succeeding, especially +after having toiled to the summit, and tired both myself and horses in +tracing up its watercourses. There was now no other alternative left me, +than to make back for the hills to the eastward, in the hope of being +more fortunate there. I had only found permanent water once, (at Salt +watercourse) since I left my party, having depended entirely upon puddles +of rain water for subsistence; but it now became imperative on me to turn +my attention exclusively to this subject, not only to enable me to bring +up my men, but to secure the possibility of my own return, as every day +that passed dried up more and more the small puddles I had found in the +plains. + +Descending Mount Deception, we travelled five miles upon a S. E. course, +and encamped upon a small dry watercourse for the night, with good grass +for our horses, but without water. + +July 13.--Bending our steps backwards, to search for water in the eastern +hills, we were lucky enough to fall in with a puddle in the plains, at +which we watered our horses, and again proceeded. + +Selecting one of the larger watercourses running out from the hills, we +traced it up a considerable distance, examining all its minor branches +carefully, and sparing no pains in seeking a permanent spring of water; +the channel, however, gradually diminished in size, as we occasionally +passed the junctions of small branches from the various gorges; the +gum-trees on its course were either dead or dying; the hills, which at a +distance had appeared very rugged and lofty, upon a nearer approach +turned out to be mere detached eminences of moderate elevation, covered +with loose stones, but without the least sign of water. + +About two o'clock, P.M. we passed a little grass, and as the day appeared +likely to become rainy, I halted for the night. Leaving the native boy to +hobble the horses, I took my gun and ascended one of the hills near me +for a view. Lake Torrens was visible to the west, and Mount Deception to +the N.W. but higher hills near me, shut out the view in every other +direction. In descending, I followed a little rocky gully leading to the +main watercourse, and to my surprise and joy, discovered a small but deep +pool of water in a hole of the rock: upon sounding the depth, I found it +would last us some time, and that I might safely bring on my party thus +far, until I could look for some other point for a depot still farther +north; the little channel where the water was, I named Depot Pool. + +Regaining the camp, I immediately set to work with the native boy to +construct a bough hut, as the weather looked very threatening. We had +hardly completed it before the rain came down in torrents, and water was +soon laying every where in the ledges of rock in the bed of the +watercourse. So little do we know what is before us, and so short a time +is necessary to change the aspect of affairs, and frequently too, when we +least expect it! + +July 14.--Our hut not having been quite water-tight before the rain came, +we got very wet during the night, and turned out early this morning to go +and hunt for firewood to warm ourselves. + +As the weather still continued rainy, I determined to give our horses a +day's rest, whilst I walked up the watercourse to examine it farther. I +found the hills open a good deal more as I proceeded, with nice grassy +valleys between; and the hills themselves, though high and steep, were +rounded at the summits, and richly clothed with vegetation: among them +numerous watercourses took their rise in the gorges, and generally these +were well marked by gum-trees. Altogether it was a pretty and fertile +spot, and though very hilly, would do well for stock, if permanent water +could be found near. I was quite unsuccessful, however, in my search for +this, and the native boy, whom I sent in the opposite direction, after my +return, was equally unfortunate. Towards evening, one of the horses +having broken his hobbles, and got alarmed, galloped off, taking the +other with him. Tired and wet as I was, I was obliged to go after them, +and it was some miles from the camp, before I could overtake and turn +them back. Our latitude was 30 degrees 55 minutes S. + +July 15.--This morning was misty and clondy, and dreadfully cold. We set +off early and commenced tracing up and examining as many of the +watercourses as we could; we did not, however, find permanent water. + +Under one low ridge we met with what I took to be a small spring +emanating from a limestone rock; but it was so small as to be quite +useless to a party like mine, though the natives appeared frequently to +have resorted to it. Finding the courses of the main channel become lost +in its many branches, I ascended the dividing ridge, and crossed into the +bed of another large watercourse, in which, after travelling but a short +distance, I found a fine spring of running water among some very broken +and precipitous ranges, which rose almost perpendicularly from the +channel; in the latter, high ledges of a slaty rock stretched +occasionally quite across its bed, making it both difficult and dangerous +to get our horses along. In the vicinity of the water the grass was +tolerably good, but the declivities upon which it principally grew, were +steep and very stony. + +Having hobbled the horses, I took my gun, and walked down the +watercourse, to a place where it forms a junction with a larger one, but +in neither could I find any more water. Upon my return, I found that the +native boy had caught an opossum in one of the trees near, which proved a +valuable addition to our scanty and unvaried fare. The latitude to-day +was 30 degrees 51 minutes S. + +July 16.--Tracing down the watercourse we were encamped on, to the +junction before mentioned, I steered a little more to the north, to +ascend a high stony range, from which I hoped to obtain a view to the +eastward; but after considerable toil in climbing, and dragging our +horses over loose rolling stones, which put them constantly in danger of +falling back, I was not rewarded for the trouble I had taken: the view to +the east was quite shut out by high rugged ranges of ironstone and +quartz, whilst to the north, the hills appeared lower and more open. + +It now became a matter of serious consideration, whether I should pursue +my researches any farther at present. I was already about 120 miles away +from my party, with barely provisions enough to last me back; and the +country, in advance, appeared to be getting daily more difficult; added +to this, the "WATERWITCH" was waiting at the head of Spencer's Gulf for +my return. + +After reflecting on my position, I decided to rejoin my party without +delay; and descending the range to the S. E., I steered for a large +watercourse we had crossed in the morning; intending to trace it up, for +the purpose of examining its branches. The bed of this watercourse, at +first, was very wide, and lined with gum-trees; but as I advanced, I +found its channel became contracted, and very rocky, the gum-trees +disappearing, and giving place to the salt-water tea-tree. By nightfall, +I was unable to proceed any further, owing to the large stones and rocks +that interposed themselves. Retracing my steps, therefore, for a mile or +two, to a little grass I had observed as I passed by, I bivouacked for +the night, being, as well as the horses, quite knocked up. The native +boy, who accompanied me, was equally fatigued; and we were both lame from +walking across so rugged a country, over a great portion of which we +found it quite impracticable to ride. Our stage could not have been less +than twenty-five or twenty-six miles during the day, yet we had not met +with a drop of water, even though we had high ranges, large watercourses, +and huge gum-trees on every side of us. As usual, the traces of high +floods were numerous; and the channels of these watercourses, confined as +they are by precipitous ranges, must, at times, be filled by rapid and +overwhelming torrents, which would collect there after heavy rains. + +Some great progressive change appears to be taking place in the climate +and seasons of this part of the country, as, in many of the watercourses, +we found all the gum-trees either dying or dead, without any young trees +growing up to replace them. The moisture which had promoted their growth, +and brought them to maturity, existed no longer; and in many places, only +the wreck of noble trees remained to indicate to the traveller what once +had been the character of this now arid region. In other watercourses the +gum-trees were still green and flourishing, and of giant growth; but we +were equally unable to discover water in these,[Note 5: We had no means +with us of digging--possibly moisture existed below the surface where the +trees were so large and green.] as in those where the trees were decaying +or withered. + +July 17.--To-day we returned to our temporary camp, tracing up various +branches of the water-courses as we went along, but without finding +water. Many of the ranges in our route consisted of masses of ironstone, +apparently containing a very large proportion of metal. In one place, I +found a mineral which I took to be tin ore; the loss, however, of all the +geological specimens I collected, after their arrival in Adelaide, has +unfortunately put it now beyond my power to test any of the rocks or +minerals, about which I was doubtful. As we encamped early, and I was +desirous of recruiting the horses, I employed myself in taking an +observation for latitude, whilst the black boy went out to look for an +opossum. He succeeded in bringing in a fine large one, which formed a +welcome addition to our meagre fare. The nights were still very frosty. + +July 18.--In travelling to "Depot Pool," the native boy caught another +opossum, and we again halted early in the day for the sake of resting the +horses. + +July 19.--Concealing among some rocks every thing we did not absolutely +require, we descended towards the plains, searching as we went, for the +most favourable line of road to them, for the drays, but at best the +country was very rough and stony. + +After clearing the hills, we made a stage of twenty-eight miles along the +plains running under Flinders range, and at night encamped upon a channel +coming out of it, where we obtained water, but very little grass for our +horses. + +July 20.--To-day I kept behind some of the low front hills, passing +through some extensive valleys between them and the main range; and as I +found abundance of water lying in pools upon the plains, I did not make +for the hills at all. + +Before sunset, I got a shot at a kangaroo with my rifle, which, though +severely wounded, gave me a long chase before I could capture it; this +furnished us with a welcome and luxurious repast. We had been so long +living upon nothing but the bush baked bread, called damper (so named, I +imagine, from its heavy, sodden character), with the exception of the one +or two occasions upon which the native boy had added an opossum to our +fare, that we were delighted to obtain a supply of animal food for a +change; and the boy, to shew how he appreciated our good luck, ate +several pounds of it for his supper. Our horses were equally fortunate +with ourselves, for we obtained both good grass and water for them. + +July 21.--Taking with us the best part of what was left of the kangaroo, +we crossed a stony ridge to the S. W., and at four miles struck a +watercourse with a large pool of water in its bed, and well adapted for a +halting place for the party on their route to the north: we had not seen +this in our outward course, having kept further to the westward in the +plains. From the water-hole, Mount Eyre bore W. 30 degrees S. distant +five miles. + +Upon leaving this pool I pushed on as rapidly as I could, being anxious +to rejoin my party; and after a hard and fatiguing ride of forty miles, +arrived at the depot under Mount Arden, late in the day, having been +absent sixteen days. I had been anxiously expected, and was cordially +welcomed by the whole party, who were getting sadly tired of inactivity, +and especially by my young friend Mr. Scott, whose eager and ardent +disposition rendered him quite uneasy under the confinement and restraint +of a depot encampment; he would gladly have shared with me the +difficulties and hazards of exploring the country in advance, but from +the very embarrassing nature of the undertaking, I did not think it right +to take more than a single native with me, as every addition to the +number of a party, on such occasions, only tends to increase the +difficulty and anxiety of the task. + +Having rested a little, and made innumerable inquiries, I was very much +gratified to find that the whole party were in good health, and that +every thing had been conducted in a satisfactory manner during my +absence. No one had been idle, and every thing that I could have wished, +had been properly arranged. The stores had been safely brought up from +the WATERWITCH, including a barometer kindly sent by the Governor, and a +large packet of English letters, at any time a highly valued prize, and +not the less so now that they were received 200 miles in the interior, +amidst the labours and anxieties of an exploring expedition. + +During my absence all the harness, hobbles, tents, tarpaulins, etc. had +been fully repaired; and according to my instructions, a large deep hole +had been dug in the slope of the hill, to bury a portion of the stores +in, that if compelled by circumstances to return from the north, we might +still have supplies to fall back upon. Mr. Scott had employed his time in +collecting botanical and geological specimens, and had already made a +very fair commencement for our collections in both these departments of +science. He had also regularly kept the meteorological journal, +registering the observations three times in each day. + +July 22.--After breakfast I had all the stores reweighed, and examined +the supplies sent us in the WATERWITCH, which consisted chiefly of flour, +biscuit, sugar, tea, salt pork, soap, tobacco, salt, canvas, etc. besides +many little luxuries which the kindness of the Governor, and the +consideration of our many friends had added to the list. + +The men during my absence, having been living entirely upon salt pork, to +economize the sheep, were glad to receive the kangaroo which I brought +home with me. + +Having inspected the stores, the whole party were put upon their +travelling rations, and the first week's allowance was issued to each, +consisting of ten pounds of meat, seven pounds of biscuit or flour, a +quarter of a pound of tea, a pound and a half of sugar, a quarter of a +pound of soap, and the same quantity of tobacco. + +Provisions of different kinds were then weighed out, headed up in casks, +and buried in the hole dug by the men during my absence, to wait our +return, if ever it should be our lot to reach the place again. The +remainder were all properly packed up, and the drays loaded and arranged +for moving on. + +After satisfactorily concluding all the preparations for leaving the +depot, I employed myself busily in writing letters and despatches until a +very late hour of the night, as it was the last opportunity I should have +for a long time, of reporting our prospects and progress, or of thanking +the Governor and our numerous friends, for the many attentions we had +experienced. + +I had hardly retired to rest before I was suddenly seized with a violent +attack of illness, arising probably from cold and over-exertion, now that +a return to my party had removed the stimulus to activity, and permitted +a reaction in the system to take place. + +July 23.--This morning I felt weak, and still very ill, and it was with +great difficulty I could manage to close my letters, and give the +necessary instructions to the overseer, whom I sent down to the head of +Spencer's Gulf, with orders to the master of the cutter to sail for +Adelaide, and to report what he had seen at the salt inlets in the east +side of Spencer's Gulf, which I had directed him to examine in the boats +whilst I was absent exploring to the north. His reply was, that there was +water enough for a ship to lie within one mile of the shore, that there +was a tolerable landing place, but that he had found no fresh water. The +men were employed during the day making a new tarpaulin from the canvas +sent up in the WATERWITCH. The following is a copy of the Report sent to +the Governor, and to the Chairman of the Committee for promoting the +expedition. + + +"Depot, near Mount Arden, +July 22nd, 1840. + +"Sir,--I have the honour to acquaint you for the information of His +Excellency the Governor, and of the colonists interested in the northern +expedition, with the progress made up to the present date. + +"I arrived here with my party all well, on the 3rd July instant, and on +the 6th I proceeded, accompanied by one of my native boys, on horseback, +to reconnoitre Lake Torrens and the country to the north of the depot, +leaving the party in camp to rest the horses and enable the overseer to +get up, from the head of Spencer's Gulf, the supplies kindly sent by His +Excellency the Governor in the WATERWITCH--her arrival having been +signalised the evening previous to my leaving. I arrived on the shores of +Lake Torrens the third day after leaving the depot, and have ascertained +that it is a basin of considerable magnitude, extending certainly over a +space varying in width from 15 to 20 miles, and with a length of from 40 +to 50, from its southern extremity, to the most northerly part of it, +visible from a high summit in Flinders range, (about ninety miles north +of Mount Arden). The lake is girded with an outer ridge of sand, covered +with salsolaceous plants, and with saline crusts, shewing above the +ground at intervals. Its waters appear to extend over a considerable +surface, but they are, seemingly, shallow. I could not approach the +water, from the soft nature of that part of its bed, which is uncovered, +and which appeared to reach from three to four miles from the outer bank +to the water's edge. There can be no doubt, however, of its being very +salt, as that portion of its bed which lay exposed to our view was +thickly coated with pungent particles of salt. There were not any trees +or shrubs of any kind near the lake where we made it, nor could either +grass or fresh water be procured for our horses. Lake Torrens is bounded +on its western side by high lands--apparently a continuation of the table +land to the westward of the head of Spencer's Gulf.--I should think that +it must receive a considerable drainage from that quarter, as well as the +whole of the waters falling from Flinders range to the eastward. + +"From the very inhospitable nature of the country, around the lake, I +could not examine it so carefully or so extensively as I could have +wished. My time, too, being very limited, made me hurry away to the +northward, to search for a place to which I might bring on my party, as +the grass in the neighbourhood of the depot was very old, and much less +abundant than on either of my former visits there. It became, therefore, +imperative on me to remove the horses as speedily as possible. Should +circumstances permit, I shall, however, endeavour to visit Lake Torrens +again, on my return from the northern interior. After leaving the lake I +spent many days in examining the country to the northward of our depot. +Its character seemed to vary but little; barren sandy plains still formed +the lower level, and the hills constituting the continuation of Flinders +range were still composed of quartz and ironstone; they were, however, +gradually becoming less elevated and more detached, with intervals of +stony valleys between, and the whole country was, if possible, assuming a +more barren aspect, while the springs, which had heretofore been numerous +among the hills, were very few in number--difficult to find--and very far +in amongst the ranges. After most anxious and laborious search, I at last +succeeded in finding a place about ninety miles (of latitude) north of +Mount Arden, to which I can remove my depot, and from which I can again +penetrate more to the northward. + +"After an absence of sixteen days I rejoined my party under Mount Arden +on the evening of the 21st July, and found they had safely received all +the supplies sent for our use by the WATERWITCH. The latter has been +detained until my return, for despatches, which I shall send down +to-morrow, and on the 24th I intend to move on with my party to the new +depot. I regret it is not in my power to afford more certain information +as to the future prospects of the expedition, but where so little +alteration has taken place, in the features of the country I have been +examining, conjectures alone can anticipate what may be beyond. From the +very difficult nature of the country we are advancing into, our further +progress must necessarily be very slow for some time, but I still hope +that by patience and perseverance we shall ultimately succeed in +accomplishing the object of the expedition. + +"I have the honour to be, Sir, +"Your most obedient humble Servant, +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE." + +"To the Chairman of the Committee of Colonists for promoting the Northern +Expedition." + +* * * + +"Depot, near Mount Arden, +July 22nd, 1840. + +"My Dear Sir,--I beg to enclose a copy of the report of our proceedings +up to the present date, for the perusal of his Excellency the Governor. +By it his Excellency will perceive that the very inhospitable nature of +the country around Lake Torrens, added to my anxiety to remove our horses +from the depot near Mount Arden, where there was but very little grass +for them, prevented my devoting so much time to the examination of the +lake and the country around it, as I should have wished; and I therefore +intend, if possible, on my return, to investigate it more fully, being +anxious to ascertain, whether, as I suppose, there is a considerable +drainage into it from the westward. The high land seen on its opposite +side, appears to be a continuation of the table land, lying to the west +of the head of Spencer's Gulf; and though the fall of the country appears +to be to the north, I begin to be of opinion now that it is not in +reality. Lake Torrens is evidently the basin into which all the waters +from Flinders range fall, and its extent is very considerable; in fact, +where I last saw it to the north, it was impossible to say whether it +terminated or not, from the very great distance it was off. The country +lying between Flinders range on the one side, and the table land on the +other, and north of Spencer's Gulf, is of so low and so level a character +that the eye alone is not a sufficient guide as to the direction in which +the fall may be. On my previous visits, I felt convinced it was +northerly, but I am now inclined to think that the drainage from Lake +Torrens in seasons of wet, is to the south, into the head of the Gulf; +and I can only account for there not being a larger connecting +watercourse than the small shallow one found when crossing from Streaky +Bay--and which I did not then imagine extended far above the head of the +Gulf--by supposing that the seasons have so altered of late years that +the overflow of the lake has never been sufficient to cause a run of +water to the Gulf. Should my present supposition be correct, the idea of +a northerly drainage is done away with, and we have yet to come to a +"division of the waters." My uncertainty on this most important point has +made me most anxious to get my party removed to a place where they can +remain until I can decide so interesting a point, and one on which our +future prospects so much depend. The same causes that prevented my +staying a little longer in the neighbourhood of the Lake have also +prevented, as yet, my extending my researches to the north for more than +about forty miles farther than I had been when last in this +neighbourhood. The only change I observed, was the increasing barren +appearance of the country--the decrease in elevation of the ranges--their +becoming more detached, with sterile valleys between--and the general +absence of springs; the rock of the higher ridges, which were very rugged +and abrupt, was still the same, quartz and ironstone, but much more of +the latter than I had before seen, and, in some cases, with a very great +proportion of metal to the stone. The lower ridges and steep banks, when +washed away by the rains, presented great quantities of a very pungent +salt to the eye of the observer, mixed with the clay and sand of which +the banks were formed; and in this neighbourhood the watercourses were +(though dry) all lined with the salt-water tea-tree--a shrub we had never +before seen under Flinders range. My next push to the north will probably +throw some light upon our future prospects, and I only regret it will not +be in my power to communicate the intelligence. I intended to have sent +his Excellency a rough sketch of my last route, but have not been able to +get it ready in time, and I fear I have already detained the little +cutter too long: during their detention, I requested the master to +examine some salt water inlets on the east side of Spencer's Gulf, and he +said he would, but I have not yet heard the result of his researches. +Should he have found, a good landing-place for goods, it would be of much +importance to the northern parts of the colony when they become stocked; +and nearly all the country as far as the head of the Gulf is more or less +adapted for grazing. Pray return my best thanks to his Excellency for the +abundant supply of stores we have received by the WATERWITCH--especially +for the barometer, which has arrived quite safely. I shall take great +care of it, and shall make observations, whenever practicable, three +times a day--8, a.m., noon, and 5, p.m. I only returned late last night, +and have been so busy to-day preparing every thing for leaving the depot, +that I have been obliged to put off my writing until night; and I am now +acribbling in the tent, on my bed, with my young friend, Mr. Scott, fast +asleep, and a cold bleak wind whistling through the place, so that I fear +my writing will be scarcely legible. I send down the letters to the +cutter in the morning, and intend to move on my party on the 24th. With +kind remembrance to his Excellency, Mrs. Gawler, and family-- + +"Believe me, etc. +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE. +"G. Hall, Esq." + + + + +Chapter V. + + + +BREAK UP THE ENCAMPMENT--ARRIVE AT DEPOT POOL--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF +THE COUNTRY--BAROMETERS OUT OF ORDER--ADVANCE TO RECONNOITRE--ASCEND +TERMINATION HILL--SURPRISE NATIVE WOMEN--THEY ABANDON THEIR +CHILDREN--INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER--RETURN TOWARDS MOUNT +DECEPTION--BROKEN CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FIND WATER--THE SCOTT--REJOIN +THE PARTY--WATER ALL USED AT DEPOT--EMBARRASSING CIRCUMSTANCES--REMOVE TO +THE SCOTT--RECONNOITRE IN ADVANCE--BARREN COUNTRY--TABLE TOPPED +ELEVATIONS--INDICATIONS OF THE VIOLENT ACTION OF WATER--MEET +NATIVES--REACH LAKE TORRENS--THE WATER SALT--OBLIGED TO RETURN--ARRIVAL +AT DEPOT--HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE NATIVES. + + +July 25.--To-DAY we broke up the camp, and commenced our labours in +earnest, the men and the horses having had a rest of three weeks; the +latter were in splendid condition and spirits, having eaten twenty-five +bushels of oats, which had been sent up in the WATERWITCH. Every thing +had been well and conveniently arranged, and the whole moved on with an +order and regularity that was very gratifying. + +I was very ill at starting, and remained so for some days after, but as I +had already been twice over the ground, and as my native boy was able to +act as guide to the party, my indisposition was not of so much +consequence as it would have been under other circumstances. At times I +was quite incapable of any exertion, and could not attend to any thing, +being hardly able to sit upon my horse for half an hour together. From +the 25th to the evening of the 30th, we were engaged in travelling from +Mount Arden to Depot Pool, by the same line of route by which myself and +the native boy had returned from our exploration. In our progress we +noticed many traces of natives around us, and saw many native fires among +the hills; the people themselves did not, however, appear. + +By a little trouble in examining the watercourses before encamping, we +were generally able to procure water for our horses, at some distance +among the hills; and we were usually fortunate enough to obtain tolerable +food for them also. The grass, it is true, was generally scanty, or dry; +but we found a succulent plant of the geranium tribe, bearing a small +blue flower, and growing where the channels of the watercourses spread +out in the plains, in the greatest abundance, and in the wildest +luxuriance; of this the horses were extremely fond, and it appeared to +keep them in good condition and spirits. + +July 30.--The geological formation of the country we had passed through, +consisted in the higher ranges of an argillaceous rock, of quartz, or of +ironstone. Upon some of the hills the small loose stones had a vitrified +appearance--in others they looked like the scoria of a furnace, and +appeared to be of volcanic origin, but nowhere did I observe the +appearance of anything like a crater. In the lower or front hills the +rock was argillaceous, of a hard slaty nature, and inclined at an angle +of about 45 degrees from the horizontal. This formation was frequently +traversed by dykes of grey limestone of a very hard texture. + +Upon watering the horses at the hole in the rock, I was much disappointed +to find that they had already sunk it eighteen inches, and now began to +fear that it would not last them so long as I had anticipated, and that I +should still be obliged to cross over the hills to the very rocky channel +where I had found permanent water on the 15th of July. This I was +desirous, if possible, to avoid, both from the difficult nature of the +road by which that water must be reached, and from the circumstance that +it was going so much out of our way into an all but impracticable +country, and that consequently, when we did move on again to the north, +we should be obliged to come all the way back again over the same bad +road to gain the open country under Flinders range, where alone we could +hope to make any progress with the drays. + +July 31.--Having remained all day in camp to rest the party, I found that +the horses had again made a great diminution in the depth of the water in +the rock, I therefore had the drays all prepared in the evening, +intending to move away to the other water-course in the morning; but the +next day the horses had unfortunately strayed, and it was late before +they were brought up, so that we could not get away. Upon watering them +when they arrived, I found that less impression was made upon the water +than on the previous days; and after an anxious consultation with my +overseer, I decided upon leaving the party in camp at Depot Pool until I +could reconnoitre further north and return. + +August 1.--To prevent any difficulties during my absence, in the event of +the water failing in the rocky hole, I sent the native boy to shew the +overseer the place where the permanent water was, and gave him +instructions to move the party thither if he should find it necessary; +but not until their safety absolutely required it, or before he had fully +ascertained that no water was to be procured by digging in the bed of any +of the adjoining watercourses. During his absence, I employed myself +busily in getting ready for another push to the north with the native boy +to search for a new depot, as in a country so difficult and embarrassing, +it was quite impracticable to move on the party until after having +previously ascertained where they could be taken to with safety. Upon +examining the barometers to-day, I was much concerned to find that they +were both out of order and useless; the damp had softened the glue +fastening the bags of leather which hold the quicksilver, and the +leathers that were glued over the joints of the cisterns, and so much of +the mercury had escaped, before I was aware of it, that I found all the +previous observations valueless. I emptied the tubes and attempted to +refill them, but in so doing I unfortunately broke one of them, and the +other I could not get repaired in a satisfactory manner, not being able, +after all my efforts, to get rid of some small air bubbles that would +intrude, in spite of every care I could exercise. + +August 2.--Leaving early, I took with me a native boy, and a man on +horseback, leading a pack-horse, to carry water, as I could not but be +apprehensive, lest we might find none in the country into which we were +advancing. In following down the Depot watercourse to the plains, we +found a fire where the natives had encamped the previous night. This +surprised us, because we were not aware that there were any so +immediately in our vicinity. It however shewed us the necessity of +vigilance and circumspection in our future movements. + +Steering for the most western point of Mount Deception range, until we +opened one still more distant to the north-west, and which I named +Termination Hill, we kept pushing on through barren stony plains, without +grass or shrubs, and arrived late in the afternoon upon a large +watercourse with gum-trees, but could find no water in its bed. Near it, +however, in the plains, we were fortunate enough to discover a puddle of +rain water, and at once halted for the night, though the feed was +indifferent. We had travelled twenty-eight miles, and the pack-horse +carrying twelve gallons of water, was considerably fatigued. At the +puddle, two teal were seen, which indicated the existence of a larger +body of water somewhere in the neighbourhood, but our efforts to find it +were unsuccessful. + +August 3.--Crossing very heavy sandy ridges, we passed at intervals one +or two dry watercourses, and the beds of some small dry lakes among the +sandy ridges, in one of which was a little rain water which appeared to +be rapidly drying up. Watering the horses we moved on for Termination +Hill, but the nature of the country had been so unfavourable, that the +pack-horse was knocked up, and I was obliged to halt four miles short of +our intended destination, and where there was but poor feed for the +animals. After dinner I walked to Termination Hill and ascended it. Like +all the others I had recently examined, it was composed principally of +quartz, ironstone and a kind of slaty rock; the low hills in front +exhibiting the grey limestone, whilst patches of gum scrub were +observable in many places. From the summit of Termination Hill, Lake +Torrens bore W. 20 degrees S. but the view was obstructed by intervening +sand ridges, the elevated land on the opposite shore of the lake still +appeared to continue, and was visibly further north than the lake itself, +which, as I observed, was partially shut out by the ridges. To the north +were low broken hills similar to those around me, but less elevated, and +immediately under these hills to the westward, were heavy red sandy +ridges, such as we had crossed during the day. To the eastward and ten +degrees north of east were seen Flinders range, with which Mount +Deception and Termination Hills were connected, by low long spurs thrown +off to the northward. In the north-east the horizon was one unbroken, +low, flat, level waste, with here and there small table-topped +elevations, appearing white in the distance and seemingly exhibiting +precipitous faces. Wherever I turned, or whatever way I looked, the +prospect was cheerless and disheartening. Our stage had been twenty-two +miles. + +August 4.--After giving five gallons of water each to my own and the +native boy's horse, I sent back the man with the pack-horse and the empty +kegs to the depot. We then steered E. 5 degrees S. across some very +extensive barren stony plains, occasionally broken into irregular +surfaces with steep white banks (of a fine freestone), forming the +termination of the higher levels, fronting the hollows. These hollows or +flats were covered with salsolaceous plants and samphire, and appeared +once to have been salt swamps. + +At twenty miles we came to a small watercourse emanating from the eastern +hills, which we had now reached, and soon after to a larger one which we +traced up for five miles among the front hills, which were composed of +limestone, but were then obliged to encamp without water. Whilst rambling +about after turning out the horses, I met with a party of native women +and children, but could gain no information from them. They would not +permit me to come near them, and at last fairly ran away, leaving at +their fire two young children who could not escape. I then went to their +camp and examined the bags and property which had been left, and amongst +other things found two kangaroo skins full of water, each containing from +six to eight quarts; it was quite muddy, and had evidently been taken +from a puddle in the plains, and carried to the present encampment in the +bed of the watercourse. Having helped ourselves to some of the water, I +tied a red pocket handkerchief round one of the children, as payment for +it and returned to our own camp. + +August 5.--During the night I was taken very ill again, and felt quite +weak when I arose this morning, but circumstances admitted of no delay, +and I was obliged to go on with my exploration: I continued to trace up +the creek, which I found to be large and lined with gum-trees for many +miles among rocky and precipitous hills, but altogether without water, +and as I knew of none of this requisite, of a permanent character, behind +me, I determined to retrace my steps again to Mount Deception range. In +doing so, I had to pass near the place from whence the natives had taken +flight, and from curiosity called to see if the children had been taken +away; to my surprise and regret I found them still remaining, they had +been left by their unnatural or terrified parents without food, and +exposed to the inclemency of a cold winter's night; the fire had gone +out, and the eldest of the children had scraped a hole among the ashes in +which both were lying. They were alarmed when they saw me, and would take +nothing I offered them. The child around whom I had tied the +handkerchief, had managed to get it off and throw it to one side. I now +scarcely knew what to do, as I was fearful if I left them there, and the +parents did not return, the poor little children might perish, and yet I +was so far away from my own party, and in such difficult circumstances, +that I knew not how I could take them with me. Upon due reflection, and +considering that I had not seen a single male native, it struck me that +the women might have gone for the men and would probably return by the +evening to see where their little ones were. + +Under this impression, I put the handkerchief again round the eldest +child, and tying it firmly, I left them; I had hopes too, that some of +the natives were watching our movements from the hills, and in this case +they would at once return, when they saw us fairly depart from the +neighbourhood. + +Keeping a little to the south of west, I still found the country very +much broken into hollows, with high steep banks bounding them, this +singular formation being apparently the result of the violent action of +water; but how long ago and under what circumstances I had no means of +judging. Having found a puddle of water in the plains, I halted for the +night, our stage having been about twenty miles. + +August 6.--We again passed many of those singular hollows fronted by the +high steep banks of the upper levels, and then crossed some low ironstone +ridges to a channel emanating from Mount Deception range. This I traced +through the hills to the westward without finding any water, and then +following down the Mount Deception range in its western slopes, I +examined all the watercourses coming from it; in one, which I named The +Scott, after my young friend and fellow traveller, I found a large hole +of rain water among the rocks, and at this I halted to rest and feed the +horses. The latitude of the water in The Scott was 30 degrees 32 minutes +S. Pushing on again, late in the afternoon, I reached our camp of the 2nd +August, quite tired, and the horses much fatigued, the puddle of water we +had found here on our outward course was now nearly all dried up. + +August 7.--Making an early start I returned to the Depot Pool, and found +the party all well. They were, however, just preparing to move away, as +the water was nearly all gone. The drays were packed and everything ready +when I arrived; they had tried to obtain water by digging, but had +failed, having been stopped by hard rock. + +I was now in a very awkward dilemma. The water where we were, had been +all used, and we must consequently remove at once,--but where to, was the +question? If I went to the permanent water to the eastward, I gained +nothing, as I only harassed my party by travelling through an almost +impracticable country, over which we must return before we could move +further to the north,--and if I went to the N. W. to The Scott, I went to +a mere puddle of water, precarious and uncertain at the best, and at +which, under any circumstances, we could not remain long:--yet move I +must, as soon as the morning dawned. Many and anxious were the hours I +spent in consideration and reflection. + +Little indeed are the public aware of the difficulties and +responsibilities attached to the command of an expedition of +exploration;--the incessant toil, the sleepless hours, the anxious +thoughts that necessarily fall to the share of the leader of a party +under circumstances of difficulty or danger, are but imperfectly +understood and less appreciated by the world at large. Accustomed to +judge of undertakings only by their results, they are frequently as +unjust in their censure as they are excessive in their approval. The +traveller who discovers a rich and well watered district, encounters but +few of the hardships, and still fewer of the anxieties, that fall to the +lot of the explorer in desert regions, yet is the former lauded with +praise, whilst the latter is condemned to obloquy; although the success +perhaps of the one, or the failure of the other, may have arisen from +circumstances over which individually neither had any control. + +August 8.--The horses having rambled a little this morning it was rather +late before we got away, I had, however, made up my mind to advance at +all risks, and we accordingly travelled sixteen miles to the N. W.; +halting without any water upon the large watercourse emanating from Mount +Deception; there was no grass either, and we were consequently obliged to +tie up our horses for the night. + +August 9.--The sheep had broken out of their yard, and could not be found +this morning; so sending the party on with the native boy as a guide, I +remained behind myself with the overseer, to search for them; they were +soon found, and we moved on after the drays. In going up the watercourse +I again found a native fire, where natives had been encamped within a +mile of us during the night, without our being aware of it; so difficult +is it always to know the proximity of these children of the wilds. + +Having overtaken the party, I conducted them to The Scott, at which we +arrived early in the day, though the distance could not be less than 20 +miles. At night a party of natives were seen near, but did not come up to +us. + +August 10.--To day I prepared for another exploration to the N. W. and +had all our casks and kegs new coopered and filled with water, to make +them water tight. I found it necessary also to have our horses new shod, +which was the third set of shoes they had required in less than two +months, in consequence of the hard and stony roads over which we had +travelled. The natives were again encamped near us at night, but did not +come up. + +August 11.--Leaving directions for the overseer to dig for water during +my absence, I took a native boy and one man driving a cart loaded with +water; we had mustered all the casks and kegs in the party, holding +altogether 65 gallons, and to draw this I had our three best draught +horses yoked to the light cart, being determined to push as far as +possible to the N. W. before I returned. At first we passed over a good +road but stony, then over heavy red sand ridges, and at night encamped in +a gorge coming from Termination Hill, where we had excellent feed for the +horses, but no water. The traces of natives were numerous and recent, and +I imagine they must obtain their supply of water at puddles in the +plains, but we could find none at present. The weather was very hot and +the flies excessively annoying, even at this early period of the year. We +gave each of the horses three gallons of water out of the kegs, after +which they fed well; the hills, as we advanced were getting lower, and +the sandy ridges now wound close under them, and in some instances even +among them; still there were many birds around us, amongst which cockatoo +parrots were very numerous. Our stage was about 23 miles. + +August 12.--Steering to the N. W. to a low range (the highest summit of +which I named Mount North-west,) we just kept far enough in the plains to +intercept the watercourses from the hills where they spread into the +level country, and by this means we got excellent feed for our horses; +generally the same rich succulent herbage I have mentioned before, +occasionally mixed with wild oats. It was only in places of this +description that we could expect to find anything for our horses. In the +plains or on the hills there was not a blade of of anything green; at +night we encamped upon a small dry channel with tolerable feed, but no +water, and we again gave each horse three gallons from our kegs. + +The country we were traversing as yet under-went no alteration, the only +difference being, that the hills were getting lower and the watercourses +less numerous, and both apparently without water; the sand ridges came +more in among the hills, and the dry beds of small salt lakes were often +met with; the salsolae were more abundant, but the traces of natives were +now less frequent; whilst those we fell in with seemed for the most part +to have been left during the wet season. The rock formation still +continued the same, quartz, ironstone, slate, and grey limestone, with +saline crusts peeping above the ground in many places in the lower +levels; the sky was cloudy and threatened rain, but none fell: our stage +was 18 miles. + +August 13.--Continuing our course to the N. W. I took on the cart for 13 +miles to a large dry channel, coming from the hills, upon which we halted +for an hour or two to rest and feed the horses, as there were some +sprinklings of grass around. We had now a change in the appearance of the +country; the ironstone ranges seemed to decrease rapidly in elevation to +the north, and the region around appeared more level, with many very +singular looking table-topped elevations from 50 to 300 feet in height +and with steep precipitous sides which were red, with the ironstone +above, and white, with a substance like chalk, below. The country was +covered with salsolae, and we passed the beds of many dried up salt +lakes. Ascending the highest ridge near us, I found Lake Torrens was no +longer visible, being shut out by the sandy ridges to the westward, +whilst the low ironstone hills impeded our view to the north, and to the +east. Having given our horses water, we buried twelve gallons against our +return, and sending back the man with the cart, and extra horses, the +native boy and I still pushed on to the N. W., taking a pack-horse to +carry our provisions and a few quarts of water for ourselves. + +As we proceeded, the country changed to extensive plains and undulations +of stones and gravel, washed perfectly level by water, and with the +stones as even in size and as regularly laid as if they had been picked +out and laid by a paviour. At intervals were interspersed many of the +fragments of table land I have alluded to before, only perhaps a little +less elevated than they had previously been; we passed also the beds of +several small dry watercourses, and encamped upon one of the largest, +long after dark, having travelled twenty-five miles since we left the +cart, and having made in the whole a day's journey of thirty-seven miles. +There was tolerable food in the bed of the watercourse, but the horses +were thirsty and eat but little. Unfortunately, in crossing the stony +ground, one of them cast a shoe, and began to go a little lame. + +August 14.--Moving away very early we travelled sixteen miles due north, +through a very similar country, only that the stones and gravel in the +plains had become much finer and a good deal mixed with sand; the +fragments of table land still continued in every direction at intervals, +and their elevations still varied from 50 to 300 feet. In the upper part +these elevations appeared red from the red sandy soil, gravel, or +iron-stone grit which were generally found upon their summits. They had +all steep precipitous sides, which looked very white in the distance, and +were composed of a chalky substance, traversed by veins of very beautiful +gypsum. There were neither trees nor shrubs, nor grass, nor vegetation of +any kind except salsolaceous plants, and these every where abounded. + +In the midst of these barren miserable plains I met with four natives, as +impoverished and wretched looking as the country they inhabited. As soon +as they saw us they took to their heels, apparently in great alarm, but +as I was anxious to find out from them if there was any water near, I +galloped after two of them, and upon coming up with them was very nearly +speared for my indiscretion; for the eldest of the two men, who had in +his hand a long, rude kind of spear with which he had been digging roots +or grubs out of the ground (although I could not see the least sign of +anything edible) finding that he was rather close pressed, suddenly +halted and faced me, raising his spear to throw. + +The rapid pace at which I had been pursuing prevented my reining in my +horse, but by suddenly spurring him when within but a few yards of the +native, I wheeled on one side before the weapon had time to leave his +grasp, and then pulling up I tried to bring my friend to a parley at a +less dangerous distance. + +Finding that I did not attempt to injure him, the native stood his +ground, though tremblingly, and kept incessantly vociferating, and waving +me away; to all my signs and inquiries, he was provokingly insensible, +and would not hear of anything but my immediate departure. Sometimes he +pointed to the north, motioning me to go in that direction, but the poor +wretch was in such a state of alarm and trepidation that I could make +nothing of him and left him. He remained very quietly until I had gone +nearly a quarter of a mile, and then thinking that he had a fair start, +he again took to his heels, and ran away as fast as he could in the +direction opposite to that I had taken. + +Continuing our course northerly I steered for what appeared to be a small +lake not far away to the N. W. and crossed over some heavy ridges of +white sand; upon reaching the object of my search it proved to be a +winding arm of the main lake (Torrens) at first somewhat narrow, but +gradually enlarging as we traced it downwards. The bed of this arm was +coated over, as had been the dry part of the bed of the main lake, with a +very pungent salt, with mud and sand and water intermixed beneath the +upper crust. + +Following the arm downwards I came to a long reach of water in its +channel, about two feet deep, perfectly clear, and as salt as the sea, +and I even fancied that it had that peculiar green tinge which sea-water +when shallow usually exhibits. + +This water, however, was not continuous; a little further on, the channel +again became dry, as it increased in width in its approach to the main +lake, the bed of which, near its shores, was also dry. From a high bank +which I ascended, I had a full view of the lake stretching away to the +north-east, as far as the eye could reach, apparently about thirty miles +broad, and still seeming to be bounded on its western shores by a low +ridge, or table land, beyond which nothing could be seen. No hills were +visible any where, nor was there the least vegetation of any kind. + +I was now upwards of 100 miles away from my party in a desert, without +grass or water, nor could I expect to obtain either until my return to +the creek, where I had left the twelve gallons, and this was about fifty +miles away. The main basin of Lake Torrens was still four or five miles +distant, and I could not expect to gain any thing by going down to its +shores; as on previous occasions, I had ascertained that to attempt to +cross it, or even to reach the water a few miles from its outer edge, was +quite impossible, from the boggy nature of its bed. From my present +elevation, the lake was seen bending round to the N. E., and I became +aware that it would be a barrier to all efforts to the north. My horses +were suffering, too, from want of water and food; and I had, therefore, +no alternative but to turn back from so inhospitable and impracticable a +country. + +With a heavy heart, and many misgivings as to the future, I retreated +from the dismal scene, and measured back my steps as rapidly as possible +towards the creek where our stock of water was buried. From the state in +which our horses were, I knew, that to save their lives, it was necessary +to get them to water without loss of time, and I therefore continued our +homeward course during the whole night, and arrived early in the morning +at the place where I had parted from the cart. + +August 15.--It was now necessary to use great caution in the management +of our jaded animals. During the last two days we had ridden them fully +100 miles over a heavy country, without food or water; and for the last +twenty-four hours they had never had a moment's rest; and now we had only +twelve gallons of water for three horses and ourselves, and were still +fifty miles away from the depot, without the possibility of getting a +further supply until our arrival there. + +Having hobbled the horses out for an hour, we watched them until they had +rested a little, and got cool. I then gave them half of our supply of +water; and leaving them to feed under the superintendence of the native +boy, took my gun, and walked seven or eight miles up the creek, under a +scorching sun, to look for water, examining every gorge and nook, with an +eagerness and anxiety, which those only can know who have been similarly +circumstanced; but my search was in vain, and I returned to the +encampment tired and disappointed. Out of what was left of our water, the +boy and myself now made each a little tea, and then gave the remainder to +the horses; after which we laid down for an hour whilst they were +feeding. About four in the afternoon, we again saddled them, and moved +homewards, riding, as before, the whole night, with the exception of +about an hour, when we halted to feed the horses, upon meeting with a +rich bed of the succulent geranium, of which they were so fond. + +August 16.--Travelling on steadily, we began early in the afternoon to +draw near to the depot; and when within a mile and half of it, I was +surprised, upon looking back, to see two natives trying to steal upon us +with spears, who, as soon as they perceived they were observed, rose up, +and made violent gestures of defiance, but at once desisted from +following us. A little further on, upon a rise not far from the depot, I +was still more astonished to see at least thirty of these savages; and I +hurried forwards as quickly as possible to ascertain what it could mean, +not without some anxiety for the safety of my party. + + + + +Chapter VI. + + + +GAUSE OF HOSTILITY OF THE NATIVES--WELL SUNK UNSUCCESSFULLY--OVERSEER +SENT TO THE EAST--THE SCOTT EXAMINED--ROCK WALLABIE--OVERSEER'S +RETURN--ANOTHER VISIT TO LAKE TORRENS--BOGGY CHARACTER OF ITS +BED--EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF MIRAGE AND REFRACTION--RETURN TO THE +CAMP--SUPPLY OF WATER EXHAUSTED--LEAVE THE DEPOT--THE MUNDY--THE +BURR--MOUNT SERLE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE EAST--MELANCHOLY PROSPECTS. + + +August 16.--UPON reaching the camp the extraordinary behaviour of the +natives was soon explained to me. At the time when I left the depot on +the 11th of August, in giving the overseer general directions for his +guidance, I had among other matters requested him, if he found any +natives in the neighbourhood, to try and get one up to the camp and +induce him to remain until my return, that we might, if possible, gain +some information as to the nature of the country or the direction of the +waters. In endeavouring to carry out my wishes, it seems he had one day +come across two or three natives in the plain, to whom he gave chase when +they ran away. The men escaped, but he came up with one of the females +and took her a prisoner to the camp, where he kept her for a couple of +days, but could gain no information from her; she either could not be +understood, or would not tell where there was water, although when signs +were made to her on the subject, she pointed to the east and to the +north-west. After keeping her for two days, during which, with the +exception of being a prisoner, she had been kindly treated, she was let +go with the present of a shirt and handkerchief. + +It was to revenge this aggression that the natives had now assembled; for +which I could not blame them, nor could I help regretting that the +precipitancy of my overseer should have placed me in a position which +might possibly bring me into collision with the natives, and occasion a +sacrifice of life; an occurrence I should deplore most deeply under any +circumstances, but which would be doubly lamentable when I knew that my +own party had committed the first act of aggression. + +The number of natives said to have been seen altogether, including women +and children, was between fifty and sixty, and though they had yet +actually committed no overt act against us, with the exception of trying +to steal upon myself and the native boy as we returned; yet they had +established themselves in the close vicinity of our encampment, and +repeatedly exhibited signs of defiance, such as throwing dust into the +air, shouting, and threatening with their weapons, and once or twice, the +evening before my arrival, crossing within a very short distance of the +tents, as if for the purpose of reconnoitring our position and strength; +I determined, however, nothing but the last extremity should ever induce +me to act on the defensive. [Note 6: "And they cried out, and cast off +their clothes, and threw dust into the air."--Acts xxii. 23.] + +When on my return to the depot, I had seen the natives creeping after me +with their spears, I and the native boy at once halted, turned round and +went slowly towards them, upon this they retreated. They would see by +this that we did not fear them, and as the party at the camp had been +increased in number by our return, I thought they might probably be more +cautious in their hostile demonstrations, which for the present was the +case, for we saw nothing more of them for some time. + +During my absence, the overseer, according to my instructions, had put a +party of men to dig for water in the bed of the creek, about four miles +from the depot, in a westerly direction and down upon the plains. They +were busy when I arrived at the depot; the soil already dug through had +been a very hard gravel, but as yet no water had been found, they had got +to a depth of about ten feet; but from the indurated character of the +soil were proceeding very slowly. + +I was, however, too much fatigued to go and inspect the work immediately, +the boy and myself as well as the horses being completely worn out. We +had ridden in the last five days and a half, about two hundred miles, and +walked about twenty up and down rocky and precipitous creeks, whilst, for +the last two nights before our arrival we had scarcely been off the +horses' back. + +On the 17th, which was dreadfully hot, I went in the afternoon to see +what progress was being made at the well, and found that only two feet +had been dug in the last twenty-four hours, whilst just as I arrived the +men came to a solid mass of rock, and could sink no further; I at once +ordered them to return to the camp, as I did not think it worth while to +make further attempts in so unkindly a soil, and indeed I was unwilling +to have my little party too much divided in the neighbourhood of so many +natives. The men themselves were very glad to get back to the camp, +having been apprehensive of an attack for the last two or three days. + +August 18.--This morning I sent off the overseer and a native boy to the +eastward, to look for water in the watercourses I had been at on the 5th +of August, the Scott not having then been discovered; they would now be +thirty-six miles nearer water than any I was acquainted with at that +time, and would consequently be less hurried and embarrassed in their +movements than I was. By giving them a pack-horse to carry ten gallons of +water, I hoped they would be able to examine all the watercourses so +effectually as to secure the object of their search, for I felt satisfied +that water was to be found somewhere among the high ranges we had seen in +the direction they were going; I also directed the overseer to visit the +camp where the two native children had been left, and to see what had +been their fate. + +During the day I employed myself in writing; the weather was excessively +close and oppressive, with heavy clouds coming up from the S. W. against +the wind at N. E. At night it blew almost a hurricane, accompanied by a +few drops of rain, after which, the wind then veered round to the north. + +The 19th was another oppressive hot day, with a northerly wind, and +clouds of dust which darkened the air so that we could not see the hills +distinctly, although we were close under them. The flies were also +incessant in their persecuting attacks. What with flies and dust, and +heat and indisposition, I scarcely ever remember to have spent a more +disagreeable day in my life. My eyes were swollen and very sore, and +altogether I was scarcely able to attend to any thing or employ myself in +any profitable way. + +August 20.--Some slight showers during the night made the weather cool +and pleasant, the day too was cloudy, and I was enabled to occupy myself +in charting, working out observations, etc. whilst Mr. Scott, by shooting, +supplied us with some wallabies. This animal is very like a rabbit when +running, and quite as delicate and excellent in eating. + +August 21.--Not having seen the natives for the last two days, I thought +I might venture to explore the watercourse we were encamped upon, and set +off on horseback immediately after breakfast, accompanied by Mr. Scott. + +We traced up its stony and rugged bed for about seven miles among the +hills, to a point where the scenery was peculiarly grand and sublime. The +cliffs rose perpendicularly from the channel of the watercourse to a +height of from six to eight hundred feet, towering above us in awful and +imposing prominencies. At their base was a large pool of clear though +brackish water; and a little beyond a clump of rushes, indicating the +existence of a spring. In the centre of these rushes the natives had dug +a small well, but the water was no better than that in the larger pool. + +The natives generally resort to such places as these when the rain water +is dried up in the plains or among the hills immediately skirting them. +Far among the fastnesses of the interior ranges, these children of the +wilds find resources which always sustain them when their ordinary +supplies are cut off; but they are not of corresponding advantage to the +explorer, because they are difficult of access, not easily found, and +seldom contain any food for his horses, so that he can barely call at +them and pass on. Such was the wretched and impracticable character of +the country in which we were now placed. + +Having tied up our horses, Mr. Scott and I ascended to the top of the +high cliff by winding along the ridges at the back of it. From its summit +we had an extensive view, and I was enabled to take several angles. One +of the high peaks in the Mount Deception range bearing S. 35 degrees W. +about five miles off I named Mount Scott. To the east were seen high +ranges, to which I had sent my overseer. Descending the hill we examined +the course of the watercourse a few miles further, and ascertaining that +there was no more water in it, retraced our steps towards the depot, +somewhat fatigued with clambering up rocky ranges under the oppressive +heat of an almost tropical sun. + +In the course of the morning Mr. Scott shot a rock wallabie of rather a +large species, and many more were seen about the high perpendicular cliff +under which we had found the water. These singular animals appeared to +have a wonderful facility for scaling precipices, for they leapt and +clambered up among the steep sides of the cliffs in a manner quite +incredible, and where it was perfectly impossible for any human being to +follow them. + +In the evening the overseer and native boy returned, they had traced up +the watercourse I turned back from on the 5th of August, and had found +water in it about eight miles beyond where I gave up the search. They had +also visited the native camp where the two little children had been left +deserted, they were now gone, and the whole plain around had been strewed +with green boughs. The handkerchief I had tied round the eldest child had +been taken off and left at the camp, the natives probably dreading to +have anything to do with property belonging to such fearful enchanters as +they doubtless suspected us to be. + +Our party being once more all together, it became necessary to decide +upon our future movements, the water in the hole at the depot being +nearly all used, and what was left being very muddy and unpalatable. +Before I abandoned our present position, however, I was anxious to make a +journey to the shores of Lake Torrens to the westward; I had already +visited its basin at points fully 150 miles apart, viz. in about 29 +degrees 10 minutes S. latitude, and in 31 degrees 30 minutes S. I had +also traced its course from various heights in Flinders range, from which +it was distinctly visible, and in my mind, had not the slightest doubt +that it was one continuous and connected basin. Still, from the hills of +our present depot, it was not visible to the north of west, and I should +not have felt myself justified in going away to the eastward, without +positively ascertaining its connection with the basin I was at to the +north-west; accordingly, as soon as the overseer returned I got ready for +another harassing and uninteresting journey to the westward. + +August 22.--Setting off early this morning, accompanied by a native boy, +I steered W.N.W. For the first four miles, I took my overseer along with +me, to shew him the direction I intended to take, so that if I did not +return in two days, he might send a pack-horse with water to meet me +along the tracks. + +After he had left I pushed steadily on for thirty-five miles, principally +over heavy sandy ridges, which were very fatiguing to the horses, and at +dark reached the outer dunes of the lake, where I was obliged to tie the +horses up to some small bushes, as there was neither water nor grass for +them. The bed of the lake where I struck it, seemed dry for some distance +from the shore, but towards the middle there appeared to be a large body +of water. From our camp Mount Deception bore E. 26 degrees S. and +Termination Hill, E. 35 degrees N. + +August 23.--Starting early, I traced the course of the lake +north-westerly for ten miles, and was then able to satisfy myself that it +was a part of the same vast basin I had seen so much further to the +north, it inclined here considerably to the westward, and this +circumstance added to the high sandy ridges intervening between it and +Flinders range fully explained the cause of our not having observed its +course to the north of west from the hills near our depot. Crossing the +sandy ridge bounding the basin of the lake, I was surprised to see its +bed apparently much contracted, and the opposite shore distinctly +visible, high, rocky and bluff to the edge of the water, seemingly only +seven or eight miles distant, and with several small islands or rocks +scattered over its surface. This was however only deceptive, and caused +by the very refractive state of the atmosphere at the time, for upon +dismounting and leading the horses into the bed of the lake, the opposite +shore appeared to recede, and the rocks or islands turned out to be only +very small lumps of dirt or clay lying in the bed of the lake, and +increased in magnitude by refraction. + +I penetrated into the basin of the lake for about six miles, and found it +so far without surface water. On entering at first, the horses sunk a +little in a stiff mud, after breaking through a white crust of salt, +which everywhere coated the surface and was about one eighth of an inch +in thickness, as we advanced the mud became much softer and greatly mixed +with salt water below the surface, until at last we found it impossible +to advance a step further, as the horses had already sunk up to their +bellies in the bog, and I was afraid we should never be able to extricate +them, and get them safely back to the shore. Could we have gone on for +some distance, I have no doubt that we should have found the bed of the +lake occupied by water, as there was every appearance of a large body of +it at a few miles to the west. As we advanced a great alteration had +taken place, in the aspect of the western shores. The bluff rocky banks +were no longer visible, but a low level country appeared to the view at +seemingly about fifteen or twenty miles distance. From the extraordinary +and deceptive appearances, caused by mirage and refraction, however, it +was impossible to tell what to make of sensible objects, or what to +believe on the evidence of vision, for upon turning back to retrace our +steps to the eastward, a vast sheet of water appeared to intervene +between us and the shore, whilst the Mount Deception ranges, which I knew +to be at least thirty-five miles distant, seemed to rise out of the bed +of the lake itself, the mock waters of which were laving their base, and +reflecting the inverted outline of their rugged summits. The whole scene +partook more of enchantment than reality, and as the eye wandered over +the smooth and unbroken crust of pure white salt which glazed the basin +of the lake, and which was lit up by the dazzling rays of a noonday sun, +the effect was glittering, and brilliant beyond conception. + +[Very similar appearances seem to have been observed by Monsieur Peron, +on the S. W. coast near Geographe Bay. "A cette epoque nous eprouvions les +effets les plus singuliers du mirage; tantot les terres les plus +uniformes et les plus basses nous paroissoient portees au dessus des +eaux, et profondement dechirrees dans toutes leurs parties; tantot leurs +cretes superieures sembloient renversees, et reposer ainsi sur les +vagues; a chaque instant on croyoit voir au large de longues chaines de +recifs, et de brisans qui sembloient se reculer a mesure qu'on s'en +approchoit davantage."--VOYAGE DE DECOUVERTES AUX TERRES AUSTRALES REDIGE +PAR PERON.] + +Upon regaining the eastern shore, I found that all I had been able to +effect was to determine that the lake still continued its course to the +N.W. that it was still guided as before, by a ridge like a sea shore, +that its area was undiminished, that its bed was dry on the surface for +at least six miles from the outer margin, and that from the increasing +softness of the mud, occasioned by its admixture with water, as I +proceeded there was every probability that still further west, water +would be found upon the surface. Beyond these few facts, all was +uncertainty and conjecture in this region of magic. Turning away from the +lake, I retraced my steps towards the depot, and halted at dark after a +stage of nearly forty miles. Here was neither grass nor water, and again +I was obliged to tie up the unfortunate horses, jaded, hungry and +thirsty. + +During the night, I released one of the poor animals for an hour or two, +thinking he would not stray from his companion, and might, perhaps, crop +a few of the little shrubs growing on the sand ridges, but on searching +for him in the morning he was gone, and I had to walk twelve miles over +the heavy sand tracking him, the boy following along our outward track +with the other horse, for fear of missing the man who was to meet us with +water. + +The stray horse had fortunately kept near the line we had followed in +going to the lake, and I came upon him in a very weak and miserable +condition, soon after the arrival of the man who had been sent to meet us +with water. By care and slow travelling, we reached the depot safely in +the afternoon, having crossed in going and returning, upwards of 100 +miles of desert country, during the last three days, in which the horses +had got nothing either to eat or drink. It is painful in the extreme, to +be obliged to subject them to such hardships, but alas, in such a +country, what else can be done. + +In the evening, I directed the overseer to have every thing got ready for +breaking up our encampment on the morrow, as the party had been fifteen +days in depot, and little else than mud remained in the hole which had +supplied them with water. + +August 25.--Slight showers during the night, and the day dark and cloudy, +with rather an oppressive atmosphere. The horses had strayed during the +night, so that it was nine o'clock before we got away. + +We had scarcely left the place of encampment, when shoutings were heard, +and signal fires lit up in every direction by the natives, to give +warning I imagine of our being abroad, and to call stragglers to their +camp. These people had still remained in our immediate vicinity, and were +now assembled in very considerable numbers on the brow of one of the +front ridges, to watch us pass by. They would not approach us, but as the +drays moved on kept running in a line with them, at some distance, and +occasionally shouting and gesticulating in an unintelligible manner. + +In our first and only intercourse with these natives, we had +unfortunately given them just cause of offence, and I was most anxious, +if possible, before leaving, to efface the unfavourable impression which +they had received. Letting the drays therefore move on, I remained behind +with Mr. Scott, leading our horses, and trying to induce some of the +natives to come up to us; for a long time, however, our efforts were in +vain, but at last I succeeded in persuading a fine athletic looking man +to approach within a moderate distance; I then shewed him a tomahawk, +which I laid on the ground, making signs that I intended it for him. When +I had retired a little, he went and took it up, evidently comprehending +its use, and appearing much pleased with the gift; the others soon +congregated around him, and Mr. Scott and I mounting our horses, followed +the party, leaving the sable council to discuss the merits of their new +acquisition, and hoping that the unfavourable opinion with which we had +at first impressed them, would be somewhat modified for the future. + +Steering N. 43 degrees W. for five miles, and then winding through the +range, in the bed of a watercourse to the plains on the other side, we +took a direction of E. 20 degrees N. for fifteen miles, arriving about +dark upon a small channel that I had crossed on the 14th of August. Here +was good feed for the horses, and plenty of water a little way up among +the hills. This watercourse I had not examined when I was here before, +preferring to trace up the larger one beyond instead. Had I followed +this, I should easily have found water, and been relieved from much of +the anxiety which I had then undergone. + +In travelling through a country previously unexplored, no pains should be +spared in examining every spot, even the most unlikely, where it is +possible for water to exist, for after searching in vain, in large deep +rocky and likely looking watercourses, I have frequently found water in +some small branch or gorge, that had appeared too insignificant, or too +uninviting to require to be explored. This I named The Mundy, after my +friend, Alfred Mundy, Esq., now the Colonial Secretary of South +Australia. + +Early this morning, I took Mr. Scott with me, to examine The Mundy, +leaving the overseer to proceed with the party. + +After entering the hills a short distance, we found in the bed of the +Mundy a strongly running stream, connecting several reaches of waters, +upon which many black ducks were sailing about. This appeared to be one +of the finest and best streams we had yet discovered, although the water +was slightly impregnated with alum. After the watercourse left the hills, +the surface water all disappeared, the drainage being then absorbed by +the light sandy soil of the plains, and this had invariably been the case +with all the waters emanating from Flinders range. + +Crossing some stony ridges, we followed the party up the large +watercourse, which I had traced so far on the 5th of August, since named +the Burr, after the Deputy Surveyor-general of the colony, and at +nineteen miles halted early in the afternoon, at some springs rising +among rocks and rushes in its bed. The water was very brackish, though +drinkable, but did not extend far on either side of the spot we were +encamped at, and when after dinner, I took a long walk up the watercourse +to search for more, I was unable to find any either in the main channel +or its branches. The grass was abundant and good. The latitude of the +camp I ascertained to be 30 degrees 27 minutes S. + +August 27.--Having risen and breakfasted very early, I took Mr. Scott and +a native boy with me, and steered for a very high hill with rather a +rounded summit, bearing from our camp E. 17 degrees S. This I named Mount +Serle, in accordance with a request made to me before my departure, by +the Governor, that I would name some remarkable feature in the country +after Mr. Serle. This was the most prominent object we had hitherto met +with; among high ranges it appeared the highest, and from a height above +our present encampment, it had been selected by us as the most likely +point from which to obtain a view to the eastward. + +The elevation of this hill could not be less than three thousand feet +above the level of the sea; but unfortunately, the injury my barometer +had sustained in the escape of some of the mercury, and my being unable +to fill it again properly, quite precluded me from ascertaining the +height with accuracy. + +In our route to Mount Serle, we observed another hill rather more to the +northward, seemingly of as great an altitude as Mount Serle itself; this +was not situate in the Mount Serle range, nor had it been seen by us in +our view from the height above the depot. + +At ten miles from our camp, we came to a large watercourse, emanating +from the Mount Serle range on the south side, and running close under its +western aspect, with an abundance of excellent clear water in it. This I +named the Frome, after the Surveyor-general of the colony, to whose +kindness I was so much indebted in preparing my outfit and for the loan +of instruments for the use of the expedition. + +Having watered our horses we tied them up to some trees, and commenced +the ascent of Mount Serle on foot. The day was exceedingly hot, and we +found our task a much harder one than we had anticipated, being compelled +to wind up and down several steep and rugged ridges before we could reach +the main one. + +At length, however, having overcome all difficulties we stood upon the +summit of the mountain. Our view was then extensive and final. At one +glance I saw the realization of my worst forebodings; and the termination +of the expedition of which I had the command. Lake Torrens now faced us +to the east, whilst on every side we were hemmed in by a barrier which we +could never hope to pass. Our toils and labours and privations, had all +been endured to no purpose; and the only alternative left us would be to +return, disappointed and baffled. + +To the north and north-west the horizon was unbroken to the naked eye, +but with the aid of a powerful telescope I could discover fragments of +table land similar to those I had seen in the neighbourhood of the lake +in that direction. At N. 8 degrees W. a very small haycock-looking hill +might be seen above the level waste, probably the last of the low spurs +of Flinders range to the north. To the north-east, the view was +obstructed by a high range immediately in front of us, but to the east +and as far as E. 13 degrees S. we saw through a break in the hills, a +broad glittering belt in appearance, like the bed of a lake, but +apparently dry. + +The ranges seemed to continue to the eastward of Mount Serle for about +fifteen miles, and then terminated abruptly in a low, level, +scrubby-looking country, also about fifteen miles in extent, between the +hills and the borders of the lake. The latter appearing about twenty-five +miles across, whilst beyond it was a level region without a height or +elevation of any kind. + +Connecting the view before me with the fact that on the 14th August, when +in about lat. 29 degrees S., I had found Lake Torrens turning round to +the north-east, and had observed no continuation of Flinders range to the +eastward of my position, I could now no longer doubt that I had almost +arrived at the termination of that range, and that the glittering belt I +now saw to the east, was in fact only an arm of the lake taking the +drainage from its eastern slopes. + +Sad and painful were the thoughts that occupied my mind in returning to +the camp. Hitherto, even when placed in the most difficult or desperate +circumstances I was cheered by hope, but now I had no longer even that +frail solace to cling to, there was no mistaking the nature of the +country, by which we were surrounded on every side, and no room for +doubting its impracticability. + + + + +Chapter VII. + + + +EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-EAST--TRACE DOWN THE FROME--WATER BECOMES +SALT--PASS BEYOND THE RANGES--COCKATOOS SEEN--HEAVY RAINS--DRY +WATER-COURSES--MOUNT DISTANCE--BRINE SPRINGS--MOUNT HOPELESS--TERMINATION +OF FLINDERS RANGE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST--ALL FURTHER +ADVANCE HOPELESS--YOUNG EMUS CAUGHT--REJOIN PARTY--MOVE BACK TOWARDS +MOUNT ARDEN--LOSS OF A HORSE--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--PLANS FOR THE +FUTURE--TAKE UP STORES--PREPARE FOR LEAVING. + + +Upon returning to the depot at the Burr, I decided upon making an +excursion to the north-east, to ascertain the actual termination of +Flinders range, and the nature of the prospect beyond it; not to satisfy +myself, for a single glance from the eminence I had recently occupied at +Mount Serle, had for ever set my curiosity at rest on these points, but +in discharge of the duty I owed to the Governor, and the promoters of the +expedition, who could not be expected to be satisfied with a bare +conjecture on a subject which they had sent me practically to +demonstrate, however fairly from circumstances the conclusions might be +deduced at which I had been compelled to arrive. Accordingly, on the +morning of the 29th, I took with me my overseer, one man, a native boy, +and a cart drawn by three horses to carry water; and making an early +start, proceeded to attempt for the last time to penetrate into those +regions of gloom. + +After travelling ten miles, we arrived at the Frome, where we watered and +fed the horses. From this place I sent the overseer on before us, to see +how far the water extended, that we might determine where to fix our +halting-place for the night. After resting awhile we proceeded on with +the cart, tracing down the watercourse over a very rough and stony road +on which the cart was upset, but without any serious damage, and passing +several very large and fine water-holes with many teal and wood-duck upon +them. + +At eight miles from where we lunched, we encamped with abundance of +water, but very little grass. The latitude by meridian altitude of Altair +was 30 degrees 18 minutes 30 seconds S. In the evening the overseer +returned, and stated there was water for nine miles further, but that the +road was very rocky and bad. + +August 30.--Leaving the overseer to bring on the cart, I rode on a-head +down the watercourse to trace the continuance of the water. The road I +found to be very bad, and at twenty-three miles, upon tasting the water I +found it as salt as the sea, and the bed of the creek quite impracticable +for a cart; I therefore hurried back for seven miles, and halted the +party at the last good water-hole, which was about sixteen miles from our +yesterday's camp. + +We had seen many ducks during the day, two of which I shot, and the black +boy found a nest with fresh eggs in it, so that we fared more luxuriously +than usual. The night set in very dark and windy, but no rain fell. + +August 31.--This morning I sent the overseer back to the depot with the +cart and two horses, whilst I and the native boy proceeded on our route +on horseback, taking also a man leading a pack-horse to carry water for +us the first day. Following down the watercourse, we passed through some +imposing scenery, consisting of cliffs from six to eight hundred feet in +height, rising perpendicularly from their bases, below which were +recesses, into which the sun never shone, and whose gloomy grandeur +imparted a melancholy cast to the thoughts and feelings, in unison with +the sublimity of the scene around. + +After travelling twelve miles from the camp, we got clear of the hills, +and found an open country before us to the north; through this we +proceeded for ten miles further, still following the direction of the +watercourse, and halting upon it for the night, after having made a stage +of twenty-two miles. We had tolerable grass for the horses, but were +obliged to give them water from the kegs. + +At this place I was much astonished to see four white cockatoos, flying +about among the gum-trees in the watercourse, and immediately commenced a +narrow search for water, as I knew those birds did not frequently go far +away from it: there was not, however, a drop to be found anywhere, nor +the least sign of there having been any for a long time. What made the +circumstance of finding cockatoos here so surprising and unusual was, +that for the last two hundred miles we had never seen one at all. Where +then had these four birds come from? could it be that they had followed +under Flinders range from the south, and had strayed so far away from all +others of their kind, or had they come from some better country beyond +the desert by which I was surrounded, or how was that country to be +attained, supposing it to exist? Time only may reply to these queries, +but the occasion which prompted them was, to say the least, +extraordinary. + +Towards night the sky became overcast with clouds, and as I saw that we +should have rain, I set to work with the boy and made a house of boughs +for our protection, but the man who accompanied us was too indolent to +take the same precaution, thinking probably that the rain would pass away +as it had often done before. In this, however, he was disappointed, for +the rain came down in torrents [Note 7 at end para.]--in an hour or two +the whole country was inundated, and he was taught a lesson of industry at +the expense of a thorough and unmitigated drenching. + +[Note 7: This will not appear surprising, when the great amount of rain +which falls annually in some parts of Australia, is taken into account. +The Count Strzelecki gives 62.68 inches, as the average annual fall for +upwards of twenty years, at Port Macquarie.--At p. 193, that gentleman +remarks:--"The greatest fall of rain recorded in New South Wales, during +24 hours, amounted to 25 inches. (Port Jackson)."] + +September 1.--This morning I sent the man back to the depot with the +pack-horse, with orders to the overseer to move back the party as rapidly +as possible towards Mount Arden, that by taking advantage of the rain we +might make a short route through the plains, and avoid the necessity of +going up among the rugged and stony watercourses of the hills. + +This retrograde movement was rendered absolutely necessary from our +present position, for since we had wound through the hills to the north, +and come out upon the open plains, I saw that Flinders range had +terminated, and I now only wished to trace its northern termination so +far east as to enable me to see round it to the southward, as well as to +ascertain the character and appearance of the country to the north and to +the east; as soon therefore as the man had left, I proceeded at a course +of E. 35 degrees N. for a low and very distant elevation, apparently the +last of the hills to the eastward, this I named Mount Distance, for it +deceived us greatly as to the distance we were from it. + +In passing through the plains, which were yesterday so arid and dry, I +found immense pools, nay almost large reaches of water lodged in the +hollows, and in which boats might have floated. Such was the result of +only an hour or two's rain, whilst the ground itself, formerly so hard, +was soft and boggy in the extreme, rendering progress much slower and +more fatiguing to the horses than it otherwise would have been. By +steadily persevering we made a stage of thirty-five miles, but were +obliged to encamp at night some miles short of the little height I had +been steering for. + +During our ride we passed several dry watercourses at five, ten, +twenty-five, thirty, and thirty-five miles from our last encampment. The +last we halted upon with good feed for the horses, and rainwater lodged +everywhere. All these watercourses took their course to the north, +emptying and losing themselves in the plains. In the evening heavy +showers again fell, and the night set in very dark. + +September 2.--After travelling seven miles we ascended Mount Distance, +and from it I could see that the hills now bore S. and S.E. and were +getting much lower, so that we were rapidly rounding their northern +extremity. To the north and north-east were seen only broken fragments of +table lands, similar to what I found near the lake to the north-west; the +lake itself, however, was nowhere visible, and I saw that I should have +another day's hard riding before I could satisfactorily determine its +direction. Upon descending I steered for a distant low haycock-like peak +in the midst of one of the table-topped fragments; from this rise I +expected the view would be decisive, and I named it Mount Hopeless.--From +Mount Distance it bore E. 25 degrees N. + +Crossing many little stony ridges, and passing the channel of several +watercourses, I discovered a new and still more disheartening feature in +the country, the existence of brine springs. Hitherto we had found +brackish and occasionally salt water in some of the watercourses, but by +tracing them up among the hills, we had usually found the quality to +improve as we advanced, but now the springs were out in the open plains, +and the water poisoned at its very source. + +Occasionally round the springs were a few coarse rushes, but the soil in +other respects was quite bare, destitute of vegetation, and thickly +coated over with salt, presenting the most miserable and melancholy +aspect imaginable. We were now in nearly the same latitude as that in +which Captain Sturt had discovered brine springs in the bed of the +Darling, and which had rendered even that river so perfectly salt that +his party could not make use of it. + +September 2.--At thirty-five miles we reached the little elevation I had +been steering for, and ascended Mount Hopeless, and cheerless and +hopeless indeed was the prospect before us. As I had anticipated, the +view was both extensive and decisive. We were now past all the ranges; +and for three quarters of the compass, extending from south, round by +east and north, to west, the horizon was one unbroken level, except where +the fragments of table land, or the ridge of the lake, interrupted its +uniformity. + +The lake was now visible to the north and to the east; and I had at last +ascertained, beyond all doubt, that its basin, commencing near the head +of Spencer's Gulf, and following the course of Flinders range (bending +round its northern extreme to the southward), constituted those hills the +termination of the island of South Australia, for such I imagine it once +to have been. This closed all my dreams as to the expedition, and put an +end to an undertaking from which so much was anticipated. I had now a +view before me that would have damped the ardour of the most +enthusiastic, or dissipated the doubts of the most seeptical. To the +showers that fell on the evening of the 31st of August, we were solely +indebted for having been able to travel thus far; had there been much +more rain the country would have been impracticable for horses,--if less +we could not have procured water to have enabled us to make such a push +as we had done. + +The lake where it was visible, appeared, as it had ever done, to be from +twenty-five to thirty miles across, and its distance from Mount Hopeless +was nearly the same. The hills to the S. and S. W. of us, seemed to +terminate on the eastern slopes, as abruptly as on the western; and from +the point where we stood, we could distinctly trace by the gum-trees, the +direction of watercourses emanating from among them, taking northerly, +north-easterly, easterly and south-easterly courses, according to the +point of the range they came from. This had been the case during the +whole of our route under Flinder's range. We had at first found the +watercourses going to the south of west, then west, north-west, north, +and now north-east, east and south-east. I had, at the same time, +observed all around this mountain mass, the appearance of the bed of a +large lake, following the general course of the ranges on every side, and +receiving, apparently, the whole drainage from them. + +On its western, and north-western shores, I had ascertained by actual +examination, that its basin was a very low level, clearly defined, and +effectually inclosed by an elevated continuous sandy ridge, like the +outer boundary of a sea-shore, its area being of immense extent, and its +bed of so soft and yielding a nature, as to make it quite impossible to +cross it. All these points I had decided positively, and finally, as far +as regards that part of Lake Torrens, from near the head of Spencer's +Gulf, to the most north-westerly part of it, which I visited on the 14th +of August, embracing a course of fully 200 miles in its outline. I had +done this, too, under circumstances of great difficulty, toil, and +anxiety, and not without the constant risk of losing my horses, from the +fatigues and privations of the forced labours I was obliged to impose +upon them. + +Having ascertained these particulars, and at so much hazard, relative to +Lake Torrens, for so great a part of its course, what conclusion could I +arrive at with regard to the character of its other half to the +north-east, and east of Flinders ranges, as seen from Mount Hopeless, and +Mount Serle points, nearly ninety miles apart! The appearances from the +ranges were similar; the trend of all the watercourses was to the same +basin, and undoubtedly that basin, if traced far enough, must be of +nearly the same level on the eastern, as on the western side of the +ranges. I had completely ascertained that Flinders range had terminated +to the eastward, the north-east, and the north; that there were no hills +or elevations connected with it beyond, in any of these directions, and +that the horizon every where was one low uninterrupted level. + +With such data, and under such circumstances, what other opinion could I +possibly arrive at, than that the bed of Lake Torrens was nearly similar +in its character, and equally impracticable in its eastern, as its +western arm; and that, considering the difficulties I had encountered, +and the hazards I had subjected myself to, in ascertaining these points +so minutely on the western side, I could not be justified in renewing +those risks to the eastward, where the nature and extent of the +impediments were so self-evidently the same, and where there was not the +slightest hope of any useful result being attained by it. + +I was now more than a hundred miles away from my party; and having sent +them orders to move back towards Mount Arden, I had no time to lose in +following them. With bitter feelings of disappointment I turned from the +dreary and cheerless scene around me, and pushing the horses on as well +as circumstances would allow, succeeded in retracing ten miles of my +course by a little after dark, having completed a stage of fully +forty-five miles during the day. Here there was tolerable good grass, and +plenty of water from the late rains, so that the horses were more +fortunate on this excursion than usual. I observed the variation to be 4 +degrees E. + +September 3.--Travelling early, we made a long stage of about forty +miles, and encamped with good grass and water. During the day we caught +four young emus in the plains, which we roasted for supper, being very +hungry, and upon short allowance, as I had not calculated upon remaining +out so long; the black boy enjoyed them exceedingly, and I managed to get +through one myself. They were about the size of full grown fowls. + +September 4.--Making a very early start, we travelled twenty miles to the +watercourse, where we had encamped on the 31st of August, striking it a +little lower down. As I had left one or two trifles here, that I wished +to take on with me, I sent the black boy for them, telling him to follow +my tracks while I went slowly on. Upon finding that he did not overtake +me so soon as I expected, I halted for some time, but still he did not +come up, and I again proceeded; for as I had left my former track, I +concluded he had taken that line, and thus missed me. Steering, +therefore, across the hills, some of which were very stony and broken, I +made for the Mundy, which I reached very late in the evening, and found +the party safely encamped there. + +I had rode fifty-five miles, and had been on horseback about thirteen +hours, so that both myself and horse were well nigh knocked up. The black +boy had not arrived, nor did he come up during the night. + +The next day, becoming uneasy about his absence, I detained the party in +the camp, and sent Mr. Scott to search for him, who fortunately met him +almost immediately he had left us. The boy's detention had been +occasioned by the fagged condition of his horse, which prevented the +possibility of his overtaking me. As the day was wet, I did not move on, +but gave the party a day's rest, whilst I employed myself in meditating +upon the disappointment I had experienced, and the future steps it might +be most advisable to take to carry out the objects of the expedition. I +was still determined not to give up the undertaking,--but rather to +attempt to penetrate either to the eastward or westward, and to try to +find some other line of route that might afford a practicable opening to +the interior. + +September 6.--Moving on the party early to-day, I pushed steadily towards +the depot near Mount Arden. In doing this, the favourable state of the +weather enabled us to keep more in the open plains, and thus both to +avoid a good deal of rough ground, and to shorten the road considerably. + +Upon mustering the horses on the 9th, the overseer reported to me that +one of them was lying down with a broken leg, and upon going to examine +him, I found that it was one of the police horses kindly lent to the +expedition by the Governor. During the night some other horse had kicked +him and broken the thigh bone of the hind leg. The poor animal was in +great pain and unable to rise at all, I was therefore obliged to order +the overseer to shoot him. By this accident we lost a most useful horse +at a time when we could but ill spare one. + +During our progress to the south we had frequently showers and +occasionally heavy rains, which lodging in puddles on the plains, +supplied us abundantly with water, and we were unusually fortunate enough +to obtain grass also. We were thus enabled to push on upon nearly a +straight course, which, after seven days of hard travelling, brought us +once more, on the afternoon of the 12th, to our old position at the depot +near Mount Arden. I had intended to have halted the party here for a day +or two, to recruit after the severe march we had just terminated; but the +weather was so favourable and the season so far advanced, that I did not +like to lose an hour in following out my prospective plans. + +During the homeward journey from the Mundy, I had reflected much on the +position in which I was placed, and spent many an anxious hour in +deliberating as to the future. I had one of three alternatives to choose, +either to give up the expedition altogether;--to cross to the Murray to +the east and follow up that river to the Darling;--or by crossing over to +Streaky Bay to the westward, to endeavour to find some opening leading +towards the interior in that direction. After weighing well the +advantages and disadvantages of each (and there were many objections to +them all,) I determined upon adopting the last, for reasons which will be +found in my Report sent to the Governor, and to the Chairman of the +Northern Expedition Committee from Port Lincoln. [Note 8: Vide Chapter +IX.] My mind having thus been made up, I knew, from former experience, +that I had no time to lose, now that the weather was showery and +favourable, and that if I delayed at all in putting my plans into +execution I might probably be unable to cross from Mount Arden to +Streaky Bay. The distance between these two points was upwards of +two hundred miles, through a barren and desert region, in which, +though among high ranges, I had on a former occasion been unable to +discover any permanent water, and through which we could only hope +to pass by taking advantage of the puddles left by the late rains; +I therefore decided upon halting at the depot to rest the horses +even for a day; and the party had no sooner reached their encampment, +than, while one portion of the men took the horses up the watercourse to +water, the others were employed in digging up the stores we had buried +here, and in repacking and rearranging all the loads ready to move on +again immediately. By the evening all the arrangements were completed and +the whole party retired to rest much fatigued. + + + + +Chapter VIII. + + + +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LAKE TORRENS +AND SPENCER'S GULF--BAXTER'S RANGE--DIVIDE THE PARTY--ROUTE TOWARDS PORT +LINCOLN--SCRUB--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--SEND DRAY BACK FOR +WATER--PLUNDERED BY THE NATIVES--RETURN OF DRAY--DENSE SCRUB--REFUGE +ROCKS--DENSE SCRUB--SALT CREEK--MOUNT HILL--DENSE SCRUB--LARGE +WATERCOURSE--ARRIVE AT A STATION--RICH AND GRASSY VALLEYS--CHARACTER OF +PORT LINCOLN PENINSULA--UNABLE TO PROCURE SUPPLIES--ENGAGE A BOAT TO SEND +OVER TO ADELAIDE--BUY SHEEP. + + +September 13.--UPON leaving the depot this morning I was obliged to leave +behind a very large tarpaulin which we did not require, and which from +the extra weight we had last night put upon the drays, we could not +conveniently carry. Steering to the south-west we came at twelve miles to +the head of Spencer's Gulf, and crossed the channel connecting it with +Lake Torrens. At this place it is not very wide, but its bed like that of +the lake is soft and boggy, with salt water mixed with the mud. We had a +good deal of difficulty in getting over it, and one of the drays having +stuck fast, we had to unload it, carrying the things over on men's backs. +A few miles beyond this we halted for the night, where there was good +grass for the horses and plenty of water in the puddles around us. We +crossed principally during the day, a rather heavy sandy country, but +were now encamped in plains of a firmer and better character for the +drays. + +September 14.--Travelling on through open plains with loose gravelly +stones, lying on their surface, we passed to the south of a small +table-topped hill, visible from Mount Arden, and very much resembling the +fragments of table land that I had met with to the north. This however +was somewhat larger than those, and though steep-sided as they were it +did not disclose the same white strata of chalk and gypsum, its formation +being more rocky and of rather a slaty character. + +September 15.--Pushing on rapidly over extensive plains very similar to +those we had already crossed, we arrived, after a long stage, under +Baxter's range, and encamped upon a small channel coming from it, with +abundance of water and good grass. This range is high and rocky, rising +abruptly out of the plains, and distinctly visible from Mount Arden, from +which it is about fifty miles distant. Its formation is entirely +conglomerate of rather a coarse description. Among its rugged overhanging +steeps are many of the large red species of wallabie similar to those we +had seen to the north at the Scott. Two of these we shot. The latitude of +our camp at Baxter's range was 32 degrees 40 minutes S. + +September 16.--Remained in camp to-day to rest the horses and prepare for +dividing the party, as from the great abundance of rain that had fallen, +I no longer apprehended a scarcity of water on the route to Streaky Bay, +and therefore decided upon sending my overseer across with the party, +whilst I myself took a dray down direct to Port Lincoln, on the west side +of Spencer's Gulf, to obtain additional supplies, with the intention of +joining them again at Streaky Bay. + +Having spent some time in taking bearings from the summit of Baxter's +range, I examined all the channels and gorges coming from it, and in most +of these I found water. I am of opinion however that in a very dry +season, the water which I now found will be quite dried up, and +especially in the largest of the watercourses, or the one upon which we +were encamped. [Note 9: In October 1842, this was quite dry, but water was +still found in holes in the rocks in the southernmost gorge, above the +waterfall, at the base of which water was also procured by digging in +the gravel.] + +A little further south, there is a rocky ravine winding through a gorge +and terminating in a waterfall, with a large pool of beautiful water at +the base, and with many large and deep holes of water in the rocks above. +In this ravine I imagine water might be procured at any period of the +year, and I am confirmed in this opinion by the circumstance of three +well beaten native roads, coming from different points of the compass, +and all converging at this place. This is an important position for +parties crossing to the westward, or going overland to Port Lincoln. +Baxter's range is the nearest point at which permanent water can be +procured on the west side of the head of Spencer's Gulf, as the Depot +creek near Mount Arden is on the eastern. Having completed my examination +of the range, and taken all my observations, I spent the remainder of the +day in constructing a chart of my former route from Streaky Bay in 1839, +and in writing out instructions for the overseer during my absence, as a +guide for him in crossing to the westward. + +September 17.--Placing under the charge of the overseer, two drays, seven +of our best horses, all the sheep, one native boy, and two men, I saw him +fairly started this morning, and wished him a speedy and prosperous +journey. I had left with me one dray, five horses, one man, one native +boy, and Mr. Scott; with fourteen days provision and forty gallons of +water. Steering S. 25 degrees W. for sixteen miles, we halted for the +night upon a patch of tolerable grass but without any water; I was +consequently obliged to give a bucket of water to each of the horses out +of the small stock which we had brought with us. The country we travelled +through was low, level, and for the most part covered with salsolae, or +brush, the latter in some places being very dense, and causing great +fatigue to the horses in dragging the dray through it. + +September 18.--Upon taking a view of the country, this morning, previous +to starting, it appeared so low and level, and held out so little +prospect of our finding water, that I was induced to deviate from the +course I had laid down, and steering S. 20 degrees E. made for some hills +before us. After travelling four miles upon this course, I observed a +native fire upon the hills at a bearing of S. 40 degrees E. and +immediately turned towards it, fully hoping that it was at a native camp +and in the immediate vicinity of water. + +At eight miles we were close under the hills, but found the dray could +not cross the front ridges; I therefore left Mr. Scott to keep a course +parallel with the range, whilst I and the native boy rode across to where +we had seen the fire. Upon arriving at the spot I was greatly +disappointed to find, instead of a native camp, only a few burning +bushes, which had either been lit as a signal by the natives, after +noticing us in the plains, or was one of those casual fires so frequently +left by them on their line of march. I found the hills scrubby, barren, +and rocky, with much prickly grass growing upon their slopes. There were +no watercourses upon the west side of the range at all, nor could I by +tracing up some short rocky valleys coming from steep gorges in the face +of the hill find any water. The rock was principally of ironstone +formation. Upon ascending to the summit of the hill, I had an extensive +but unsatisfactory view, a vast level field of scrub stretching every +where around me, interspersed here and there with the beds of small dried +up lakes, but with no signs of water any where. At S. W. by S. I saw the +smoke of a native fire rising in the plains. Hurrying down from the +range, I followed the dray, and as soon as I overtook it, halted for the +night in the midst of a thick scrub of large tea-trees and minor shrubs. +There was a little grass scattered among the trees, on which, by giving +our horses two buckets of water each, they were able to feed tolerably +well. During the day we had travelled over a very heavy sandy country and +through dense brush, and our horses were much jaded. Occasionally we had +passed small dried up salt lakes and the beds of salt water channels; but +even these did not appear to have had any water in them for a long time. + +Upon halting the party, I sent Mr. Scott to explore the range further +south than I had been, whilst I myself went to search among the salt +lakes to the southwest. We, however, both returned equally unsuccessful, +and I now found that I should be compelled to send the dray back for a +supply of water from Baxter's range. The country was so scrubby and +difficult to get a dray through that our progress was necessarily slow; +and in the level waste before us I had no hope of finding water for some +distance further. I thought, therefore, that if the dray could bring a +supply to last us for two days after leaving our present encampment, we +should then be enabled to make a fresh push through a considerable extent +of bad country, and might have a better chance of finding water as we +advanced to the south-west. + +September 19.--This morning I unloaded the dray of every thing except the +water casks, and pitching my tent among the scrub took up my quarters +alone, whilst I sent back the man, the native boy, the dray, and all the +horses with Mr. Scott to Baxter's range. As they made an early start, I +gave them instructions to push on as rapidly as possible, so as to get +the range that night, to rest the horses next day and fill the casks with +water, and on the third day, if possible, to return the whole distance +and rejoin me. + +Having seen them fairly away, I occupied myself in writing and charting +during the day, and at night amused myself in taking stellar observations +for latitude. I had already taken the altitude of Vega, and deduced the +latitude to be 32 degrees 3 minutes 23 seconds S.; leaving my artificial +horizon on the ground outside whilst I remained in the tent waiting until +Altair came to the meridian, I then took my sextant and went out to +observe this star also; but upon putting down my hand to take hold of the +horizon glass in order to wipe the dew off, my fingers went into the +quick-silver--the horizon glass was gone, and also the piece of canvass I +had put on the ground to lie down upon whilst observing so low an +altitude as that of Vega. Searching a little more I missed a spade, a +parcel of horse shoes, an axe, a tin dish, some ropes, a grubbing hoe, +and several smaller things which had been left outside the tent, as not +being likely to take any injury from the damp. + +It was evident I was surrounded by natives, who had stolen all these +things during the short time I had been in my tent, certainly not +exceeding half an hour. The night was very windy and I had heard nothing, +besides I was encamped in the midst of a very dense brush of large +wide-spreading tea-trees and other bushes, any of which would afford a +screen for a considerable number of natives. In daylight it was +impossible to see many yards in distance, and nothing could be discerned +at night. + +The natives must have watched the dray go away in the morning, and waited +until dark for their opportunity to rob me; and most daringly and +effectually had they done it. At the time that I lay on the ground, +taking the star's altitude, they must have been close to me, and after I +went into the tent, they doubtless saw me sitting there by the light of +the candle, since the door was not quite closed, and they had come quite +in front to obtain some of the things they had stolen. The only wonder +with me was that they had not speared me, as they could scarcely have +been intimidated by my individual presence. + +As soon as I missed my horizon glass, and entertained the suspicion of +natives being about, I hurried into the tent and lighting a large blue +light, run with it rapidly through the bushes around me. The effect of +this was very beautiful amidst the darkness and gloom of the woods, and +for a great distance in every direction objects could be seen as well as +by day; the natives, however, were gone, and I could only console myself +by firing a couple of balls after them through the underwood to warn them +of the danger of intruding upon me again; I then put every thing which +had been left outside, into the tent, and kept watch for an hour or two, +but my visitors came no more. The shots, or the blue light, had +effectually frightened them. They had, however, in their turn, produced +as great an effect upon me, and had at least deprived me of one night's +rest. + +September 20.--Rising very early I set to work, with an axe, to clear +away the bushes from around my tent. I now discovered that the natives +had been concealed behind a large tea-tree not twenty yards from the +tent; there were numerous foot-marks there, and the remains of +fire-sticks which they had brought with them, for a native rarely moves +at night without fire. + +By working hard I cleared a large circle with a radius of from thirty to +forty yards, and then piling up all the bushes outside and around the +tent, which was in the centre, I was completely fortified, and my sable +friends could no longer creep upon me to steal without my hearing them. I +spent great part of the day in charting, and took a few angles from the +tent, but did not dare to venture far away. At night, when it was dark, I +mounted guard with my gun for three hours, walking round outside the +tent, and firing off my gun before I lay down, which I did with my +clothes on, ready to get up at a moment's notice. Nothing, however, +disturbed me. + +September 21.--I had been occupied during the greater part of the day in +charting, and in the evening was just shouldering my gun to mount guard +again, when I was delighted to see Mr. Scott returning with the dray, and +the party all safe. They had executed the duty entrusted to them well, +and had lost no time in rejoining me; the horses were, however, somewhat +fatigued, having come all the way from the range in one day. Being now +reinforced, I had no longer occasion to mount guard, and for the first +time since the natives had stolen upon me, enjoyed a sound sleep. + +September 22.--Moving on the party for ten miles at a course of S. 35 +degrees W., we passed through a dreadful country, composed of dense scrub +and heavy sandy ridges, with some salt water channels and beds of small +dry lakes at intervals. In many cases the margins bounding these were +composed of a kind of decomposed lime, very light and loose, which +yielded to the slightest pressure; in this our horses and drays sank +deep, throwing out as they went, clouds of fine white dust on every side +around them. This, added to the very fatiguing and harassing work of +dragging the dray through the thick scrub and over the heavy sand ridges, +almost knocked them up, and we had the sad prospect before us of +encamping at night without a blade of grass for them to eat. Just at this +juncture the native boy who was with me, said he saw rocks in one of the +distant sand hills, but upon examining the place with a telescope I could +not make out distinctly whether they were rocks or only sand. The boy +however persisted that there were rocks, and to settle the point I halted +the dray in camp, whilst I proceeded with him to the spot to look. + +At seven miles W. 10 degrees S. of the drays we reached the ridge, and to +my great delight I found the boy was right; he had seen the bare sheets +of granite peeping out near the summit of a sandy elevation, and in these +we found many holes with water in them. At the base of the hill too, was +an opening with good grass around, and a fine spring of pure water. +Hastening back to the dray, I conducted the party to the hills, which I +named Refuge Rocks, for such they were to us in our difficulties, and +such they may be to many future travellers who may have to cross this +dreary desert. + +From the nature of the road and the exhausted state of our horses, it was +very late when we encamped, but as the position was so favourable a one +to recruit at, I determined to take advantage of it, and remain a couple +of days for that purpose. + +September 23.--Leaving my party to rest, after the fatigue they had +endured in forcing a way through the scrub, I set off after breakfast to +reconnoitre our position at Refuge Rocks, and to take a series of angles. +The granite elevation, under which we were encamped, I found to be one of +three small hills, forming a triangle, about a mile apart from each +other, and having sheets of granite lying exposed upon their summits, +containing deep holes which receive and retain water after rains. The +hill we were encamped under, was the highest of the three, and the only +one under which there was a spring. [Note 10: This was dried up in +October, 1842.] There was also better grass here than around either of the +other two; it appeared, too, to be the favourite halting place of the +natives, many of whose encampments still remained, and some of which +appeared to have been in use not very long ago. The bearings from the hill +we were under, of the other two elevations, which, with it, constitute +the Refuge Rocks, were N. 15 degrees W. and W. 35 degrees N. Baxter's +range was still visible in the distance, appearing low and wedge-shaped, +with the high end towards the east, at a bearing of N. 24 degrees E. +In the western extreme it bore N. 22 degrees E. Many other hills and +peaks were apparent in various directions, to all of which I took +angles, and then returned to the tent to observe the sun's meridian +altitude for latitude. By this observation, I made the latitude +33 degrees 11 minutes 12 seconds S.; but an altitude of Altair +at night only gave 33 degrees 10 minutes 6 seconds S.; probably +the mean of the two, or 33 degrees 10 minutes 39 seconds S., will be very +nearly the true position of the spring. From the summit of the hill I had +been upon, many native fires were visible in the scrub, in almost every +direction around. At one time I counted eleven different fires from the +smokes that were ascending, and some of which were very near us. Judging +from these facts, the natives appeared to be numerous in this part of the +country, and it would be necessary to be very cautious and vigilant after +the instance I had recently met with of their cunning and daring. + +September 24.--I still kept my party in camp to refresh the horses, and +occupied myself during the morning in preparing a sketch of my route to +the north, to send to the Governor from Port Lincoln. In the afternoon, I +searched for a line of road for our drays to pass, on the following day, +through the scrubby and sandy country, which still appeared to continue +in every direction. + +September 25.--Leaving Refuge Rocks, at a course of S. 37 degrees W., we +passed over a wretched country, consisting principally of heavy sandy +ridges, very densely covered with scrub, and giving our horses a severe +and fagging day's work to get the dray along for only twelve miles. I +then halted, as we were fortunate enough to find an opening in the scrub, +with good grass. Searching about our encampment, I found in a small +valley at one end of the little plain, a round hole, dug by the natives, +to catch the drainage from the slope above it. There were two or three +quarts of water in this hole when we discovered it; but by enlarging it, +we managed to fill a bucket once every hour from the water which drained +into it. This enabled us to save, to some extent, the water we had in our +casks, at the same time that all the horses had as much as they could +drink. I took angles from the camp to all the hills in sight, and at +night made the latitude of the tent 33 degrees 18 minutes 34 seconds S. +by an altitude of a Cygnus. + +September 26.--After travelling for thirteen miles at S. 40 degrees W., I +took a set of angles from a low scrubby hill, being the last opportunity +I should have of setting many of the heights, of which I had obtained +bearings from former camps. I then changed our course to S. 27 degrees W. +for five miles, and halted for the night where there was good grass. We +could find no water during the day; I had, consequently, to give the +horses some out of the casks. The country we traversed had altered +greatly in character, and though still heavy and sandy, it was a white +coarse gritty sand, instead of a fine red; and instead of the dense +cucalyptus scrub, we had now low heathy shrubs which did not present much +impediment to the progress of the dray, and many of which bore very +beautiful flowers. Granite was frequently met with during the day, but no +water could be found. Our latitude by an altitude of a Aquilae was 33 +degrees 30 minutes S. + +September 27.--Continuing our last night's course for about seven miles, +we passed through the densest scrub I had yet met with; fortunately, it +was not growing upon a sandy soil, and we got tolerably well through it, +but the horses suffered severely. Upon emerging from the brush, I noticed +a little green looking valley, about a mile off our track, and sent Mr. +Scott to see if there was water there. Upon his return, he reported that +there was, and I at once moved down to it, to rest the horses after the +toil of breaking through the scrub. The day was not far advanced when we +halted, and I was enabled to obtain the sun's altitude at noon, making +the latitude of the camp 33 degrees 34 minutes 25 seconds S. There was +good grass for the horses, and abundance of water left by the rains in +the hollows of a small watercourse, running between two scrubby ridges. + +September 28.--Making an early start, we crossed at four and a half +miles, a low scrubby range, and there found, upon the left of our track, +some very pretty grassy hills, and a valley lightly wooded with +casuarinae. Whilst I went on with the party, I detached Mr. Scott to see +if there was water at this little patch of good country, but he did not +find any. I am still of opinion, however, that if more time for +examination had been allowed, springs would have been discovered not far +away; as every thing looked so green and luxuriant, and formed so strong +a contrast to the country around. + +Pushing on steadify, we crossed over many undulations, coated on the +surface either with sand or breccia, and frequently having a good deal of +the eucalyptus scrub upon them, at eleven miles we passed a long grassy +plain in the scrub, and once or twice crossed small openings with a +little grass. For one of these we directed our course, late in the +evening, to encamp; upon reaching it, however, we were greatly +disappointed to find it covered only by prickly grass. I was therefore +obliged, after watering the horses from the casks, to send them a mile +and half back to some grass we had seen, and where they fared tolerably +well. Our day's journey had been long and fatiguing, through a barren, +heavy country. One mile before encamping, we crossed the bed of a salt +water channel, trending to the westward, which was probably connected +with the Lagoon Harbour of Flinders, as it appeared to receive the flood +tide. Our latitude was 33 degrees 50 minutes S. by observation of a +Aquilae. + +September 29.--Whilst the man was out looking for the horses, which had +strayed a little during the night, I took a set of angles to several +heights, visible from the camp; upon the man's return, he reported that +he had found some fresh water, but upon riding to the place, I. found it +was only a very small hole in a sheet of limestone rock, near the salt +watercourse, which did not contain above a pint or two. The natives, +however, appeared to come to this occasionally for their supply; similar +holes enabling them frequently to remain out in the low countries long +after the rain has fallen. After seeing the party move on, with the +native boy to act as guide through the scrub, I rode in advance to search +for water at the hill marked by Flinders as Bluff Mount, and named by +Colonel Gawler, Mount Hill. This isolated elevation rises abruptly from +the field of scrub, in the midst of which it is situated and is of +granite formation; nearly at its summit is an open grassy plain, which +was visible long before we reached it, and which leads directly over the +lowest or centre part of the range; water was found in the holes of rock +in the granite, and the grass around was very tolerable. Having +ascertained these particulars, I hurried back to the drays to conduct +them to a place of encampment. The road was very long and over a heavy +sandy country, for the most part densely covered with scrub, and it was +late, therefore, when we reached the hill. The horses, however, had good +feed and fair allowance of water, but of the latter they drank every drop +we could find. During our route to-day, I noticed some little distance to +the north-west of our track, a high scrubby range, having clear +grassy-looking openings at intervals. In this direction, it is probable +that a better line of road might be found than the one we had chosen. + +September 30.--After breakfast, I ascended to the summit of Mount Hill, +and took a set of angles; whilst the dray wound up the gap between it and +another low summit, with which it is connected. Upon descending the hill +on the opposite side, I was rejoiced to find two very large pools of +water in some granite rocks, one of them appearing to be of a permanent +character. Here I halted for an hour and a half, to give the horses a +little more water, and fill our casks again before we faced the scrubby +waste that was still seen ahead of us. I had been last night within fifty +yards of the pools that we now found, but had not discovered them, as the +evening was closing in at the time, and I was in great haste to return to +my party before dark. Leaving Mount Hill at the course of S. 27 degrees +W. we passed through a very dense scrub, the strongest, I think, we had +yet experienced; the drays were tearing down the brush with loud crashes, +at every step which the horses took, and I could only compare their +progress to the effect produced by the efforts of a clearing party, the +brush rapidly disappearing before the wheels, and leaving almost as open +a road as if it had been cut away by axes; the unfortunate animals, +however, had to bear the onus of all, and most severely were they +harassed before our short stage was over. At twelve miles we came to a +large rocky watercourse of brackish water, trending to the +east-north-east, through a narrow valley bounded by dense scrub. In this +we found pools of fresh water, and as there was good grass, I called a +halt about three in the afternoon. We were now able, for the first time +for several hundred miles, to enjoy the luxury of a swim, which we all +fully appreciated. In the afternoon Mr. Scott shot six ducks in the +pools, which furnished us with a most welcome addition to our very scanty +fare. For two days previous to this, we had been subsisting solely upon a +very limited allowance of dry bread, having only taken fourteen days +provisions with us from Baxter's range, which was nearly all expended, +whilst we were yet at least two days journey from Port Lincoln. At night +I observed the latitude of our camp, by alpha Aquilae 34 degrees +12 minutes 52 seconds S. by beta Leonis 34 degrees 12 minutes 35 seconds +S. and assumed the mean of the two, or 34 degrees 12 minutes 43 seconds as +the correct one. + +October 1.--Making an early start we passed at three miles the head of +the watercourse we had been encamped upon, and then ascended some scrubby +ranges, for about five miles further, when we entered into a narrow tract +of good grassy country, which at five miles brought us to Mr. Driver's +station; a Mr. Dutton was living at this place as Mr. Driver's manager, +and by him we were very hospitably received, and furnished with such +supplies as we required. + +[Note 11: In 1842, Mr. Dutton attempted to take some cattle overland, from +this station to the head of Spencer's Gulf; both he and his whole party +perished in the desert, (as supposed) from the want of water. In October +of that year, I was sent by Government to search for their remains, but +as it was the dry season, I could not follow up their tracks through the +arid country they had advanced into. The cattle returned.] + +It was a cattle station, and abounded with milk and butter, luxuries +which we all fully enjoyed after our long ramble in the wilds. Having +halted my party for the day, Mr. Scott and myself dined at Mr. Dutton's, +and learnt the most recent news from Adelaide and Port Lincoln. We had +much to hear and much to inquire about, for even in the few months of our +absence, it was to be presumed, that many changes would have taken place +in the fluctuating affairs of a new colony. Nor were our conjectures +wrong. + +That great reaction which was soon to convulse all the Australian +Colonies generally, to annihilate all mercantile credit, and render real +property comparatively valueless, had already commenced in South +Australia; failures, and rumours of failures, were of daily occurrence in +Adelaide, and even the little settlement of Port Lincoln had not escaped +the troubles of the times. I learnt with regret that it was rapidly +falling into decay, and its population diminishing. Many had already +deserted it, and amongst them I was surprised to hear of the departure of +Captain Porter and others, who were once the most enthusiastic admirers +and the staunchest supporters of this embryo town. That which however +affected me more particularly was the fear, that from the low and +impoverished state to which the place was now reduced, I should not be +able to obtain the supplies I required for my party, and should probably +have to delay until I could send over to Adelaide for what I wanted, even +supposing I was lucky enough to find a vessel to go across for me. In +walking round Mr. Dutton's farm I found he was ploughing up some land in +the valley for wheat, which appeared to be an excellent soil, and the +garden he had already commenced was looking promising. At night I +obtained the altitude of a Aquilae, by which I placed Mr. Driver's +station in 34 degrees 21 minutes 20 seconds S. lat., or about 22 miles of +lat. north of Kirton Point. + +October 2.--Before leaving the station I purchased from Mr. Dutton a +little Timor pony for 25 pounds for one of the native boys to ride, to +replace in some measure the services of the animal I had been obliged to +have shot up to the north. The only objection to my new purchase was that +it was a little mare and already forward in foal. At Port Lincoln, +however, I was not likely to meet with any horses for sale, and did not +therefore deem it prudent to lose the only opportunity that might occur +of getting an animal of some kind. After quitting Mr. Dutton's, I +followed a dray road leading towards Port Lincoln. For the most part we +passed through green valleys with rich soil and luxuriant pasturage, but +occasionally intersected by poor sandy or gravelly soil of a saline +nature; the water was abundant from recent heavy rains, and some of the +pools fresh; others, however, were very brackish. The hills adjoining the +valley were grassy, and lightly wooded on their slopes facing the valley; +towards the summits they became scrubby, and beyond, the scrub almost +invariably made its appearance. Altogether we passed this day through a +considerable tract of country, containing much land that is well adapted +for sheep or cattle, and with a fair proportion suitable for agriculture. +It is by far the best portion of the available country in the Port +Lincoln peninsula, and I could not help regretting it should be so +limited in extent. I had now travelled all the three sides of the +triangle, and had obtained extensive views from various heights along +each of these lines of route; I had crossed from Port Lincoln to Streaky +Bay, from Streaky Bay to the head of Spencer's Gulf, and from the head of +Spencer's Gulf down to Port Lincoln again. In the course of these +journeys, I had spared no toil nor exertion, to make my examination as +complete and as useful as possible, though my labours were not rewarded +by commensurate success. The great mass of the peninsula is barren, arid, +and worthless; and although Port Lincoln possesses a beautiful, secure, +and capacious harbour, with a convenient and pretty site for a town, and +immediately contiguous to which there exists some extent of fine and +fertile soil, with several good grassy patches of country beyond; yet it +can never become a large or important place, in consequence of its +complete isolation, except by water, from every other, and the limited +nature of its own resources. + +For one or two large stock-holders, who wish to secure good grazing +ground, and be apart from others, it might answer well, but even they +would ordinarily labour under difficulties and disadvantages which would +make their situation not at all desirable. The uncertainty and expense of +procuring their supplies--of obtaining labour, and of finding a market +for their surplus stock [Note 12 at end of para.], and the almost total +impossibility of their being able to effect sales in the event of their +wishing to leave, would perhaps more than counterbalance the advantages of +having the country to themselves. Purchased in the days of wild and +foolish speculation, and when a rage existed for buying land and laying +out townships, no place has been more misrepresented or misunderstood than +Port Lincoln. Many gross and glaring misstatements have been put forth of +its character and capabilities, by those who were actuated by interested +motives, and many unintentional misrepresentations have been made and +perpetuated by others, whose judgment or information has led them into +error, so that the public generally, and especially the English public, +have had no means of discriminating between the widely conflicting +accounts that have been given. Amongst the persons from whom this small +settlement has suffered disparagement there are none, perhaps, more +blameable than those who have put forth statements which ascribe to it +advantages and qualities that it does not possess; for just in proportion +as the expectation of intending settlers have been raised by exaggeration +or untruths has been their disappointment and disgust, when the facts +themselves have stared them in the face. + +[Note 12: Pastoral settlers have left Port Lincoln in consequence of these +disadvantages--but it is possible that a comparatively large population +may locate there, hereafter, should mineral resources be found out. +Such discoveries are said to have been made, but Iam not aware upon whose +authority the report has become current.] + +The day of hallucination has now passed away, but out of the reaction +which has succeeded it, has arisen a disposition to deprive Port Lincoln +of even the merits to which it really has a legitimate claim, and which +would have been far more highly appreciated, if the previous +misstatements and consequent disappointments had not induced a feeling of +suspicion and distrust not easily effaced. + +Our stage to-day was twenty-five miles, over a pretty good road, which +brought us towards evening under the range contiguous to the township. In +one of the valleys leading from these hills on their west side we found a +small spring of good water, and as the grass around us was very abundant +and of the most luxuriant growth, I at once decided upon making this our +resting place, until I had completed my arrangements for procuring +supplies, and was again ready to move onwards. + +October 3.--Leaving our horses to enjoy the good quarters we had selected +for them, and a respite from their labours, Mr. Scott and I walked across +the range into Port Lincoln, not a little surprising the good people +there, who had not heard of our coming, and who imagined us to be many +hundreds of miles away to the north. Calling upon Dr. Harvey, the only +Government officer then at the settlement, I learnt with regret that it +was quite impossible for me to procure the supplies I required in the +town, whilst there were no vessels in the port, except foreign whalers, +who were neither likely to have, nor be willing to part with the things I +should require. What to do under such circumstances was rather a +difficult question, and my principal hope was that some small coasting +vessel might arrive in the course of a few days, or if not, I might try +to hire a whale boat from one of the whaling vessels, and send her on to +Adelaide. Dr. Harvey had a small open boat of four or five tons, but he +did not seem willing to let her go; and unless I could communicate with +Adelaide, flour was the only article I could procure, and that not from +the stores in the town, but from a small stock belonging to the +Government, which had been sent over to meet any emergency that might +arise in so isolated a place. This was placed under the charge of Dr. +Harvey, who, on behalf of the Government, kindly offered to let me have +what I required, on condition that I would replace the same quantity, by +the first opportunity. + +Having made arrangements for a supply of fresh meat and a few vegetables +during my stay, I walked out to examine the settlement. I found many neat +cottages and other improvements since I had been here in 1839; and there +were also a few gardens commenced, some of which were in a state of +cultivation and appeared to be doing well. The population, however, had +decreased, and many of the cottages were now unoccupied. Those who +remained were principally persons who had lost everything, and who could +not well get away, or who, on the other hand, had invested their property +in the place, and could not leave it except at the sacrifice of almost +everything they possessed. No one seemed to be doing well but the +inn-keeper, and he owed his success chiefly to the custom or traffic of +the foreign whalers who occasionally resorted here for refreshments. The +stockholders, living a few miles from town, who ought to have succeeded +the best, were getting dissatisfied at the many disadvantages which they +laboured under, and the smallness of the community around them, and every +thing wore a gloomy aspect. + +October 4.--After breakfast, accompanied by Mr. Scott, I went to Port +Lincoln to attend divine service; prayers were read by Dr. Harvey. The +congregation was small but respectable, and apparently devout. After +church, we accompanied Dr. Harvey home to dinner, and met the Captain and +Surgeon of one of the French whalers in port; both of whom appeared +intelligent, and superior to the class usually met with in such +employments. After dinner we all walked down to the lagoon, west of Port +Lincoln, where the land is of a rich black alluvial character, and well +adapted for cultivation. Returning by our tents, Dr. Harvey and the +Frenchmen took tea with us, and then returned to the settlement. In the +course of our walk this afternoon, Dr. Harvey offered to put a temporary +hatch over his boat, and send her to Adelaide for me for ten pounds, +which offer I at once accepted, and Mr. Scott volunteered to go in her as +supercargo. + +October 5.--To-day I employed myself in writing letters, whilst the dray +went to Port Lincoln for supplies. The few things I could get there were +very dear, meat 1s. per pound, potatoes 9d. per pound, salt butter 2s. +6d., a small bag, with a few old cabbage stumps, five or six shillings, +and other things in proportion. + +October 6.--Went to town, accompanied by Mr. Scott to inspect the +preparations of the little cutter he was to go to Adelaide in;--ordered +all our horses to be shod, and several spare sets of shoes to be made to +take up to the party at Streaky Bay. On our return we were accompanied by +Mr. Smith, who kindly went with Mr. Scott to the station of a Mr. Brown, +[Note 13: Since murdered by the natives.] about ten miles away, to select +sheep to take with us on our journey. Mr. Scott purchased twelve at +2 pounds each, and brought them to the station; they were not very large, +but were in fine condition. + + + + +Chapter IX. + + + +BOY SPEARED BY THE NATIVES--ANOMALOUS STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH THE +ABORIGINES--MR. SCOTT SAILS FOR ADELAIDE--DOG BOUGHT--MR. SCOTT'S +RETURN--CUTTER WATERWITCH SENT TO CO-OPERATE--SEND HER TO STREAKY +BAY--LEAVE PORT LINCOLN WITH THE DRAY--LEVEL SANDY COUNTRY CLOTHED WITH +BRUSH AND SHRUBS--SALT LAKES--MOUNT HOPE--LAKE HAMILTON--STONY +COUNTRY--LOSE A DOG--BETTER COUNTRY--WEDGE-HILL--LAKE NEWLAND--A BOAT +HARBOUR--MOUNT HALL--REJOIN PARTY AT STREAKY BAY--SINGULAR +SPRING--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--BEDS OF OYSTERS. + + +October 6.--In the course of the afternoon I learnt that a little boy +about twelve years old, a son of Mr. Hawson's, had been speared on the +previous day by the natives, at a station about a mile and a half from my +tent. The poor little fellow had, it seems, been left alone at the +station, and the natives had come to the hut and speared him. The wounds +were of that fatal character, being from barbed spears which had remained +in the flesh, that no hopes could be entertained of his surviving their +removal. The following account of the occurrence is extracted from a +report, on the subject, to the Government by Dr. Harvey, the Colonial +Surgeon at Port Lincoln, who attended the boy in his last sufferings. + + +"The poor boy has borne this heavy affliction with the greatest +fortitude, assuring us "that he is not afraid to die." He says that on +Monday (5th), he was left in the station hut whilst his brother came into +town, and that about ten or eleven natives surrounded his hut, and wished +for something to eat. He gave them bread and rice--all he had, and as +they endeavoured to force themselves into his hut, he went out and +fastened the door, standing on the outside with his gun by his side and a +sword in his hand, which he held for the purpose of fighting them. He did +not make any signs of using them. One of the children gave him a spear to +throw, and while in the act of throwing it, he received the two spears in +his chest--he did not fall. He took up his gun and shot one of the +natives, who fell, but got up again and ran away; they all fled, but +returned and shewed signs of throwing another spear, when he lifted the +gun a second time, upon which they all made off. + +"He remained with the two spears, seven feet long, sticking in his +breast; he tried to cut and saw them without effect; he also tried to +walk home, but could not; he then sat upon the ground and put the ends of +the spears in the fire to try to burn them off, and in this position he +was found at ten o'clock at night, upon the return of his brother Edward +(having been speared eleven hours.) He immediately sawed the ends of the +spears off, and placed him on horseback, and brought him into town, when +I saw him. + +"Mr. Smith (with the police force) has gone in search of the natives, one +of whom can be identified as having thrown a spear at the boy, he having +a piece of red flannel tied round his beard. + +"This circumstance has thrown the settlement into great distress. The +German missionary, Rev. Mr. Schurman, has gone with Mr. Smith. I am told +that the natives have been fired at from some of the stations. I hope +this is not the case. The Rev. Mr. Schurman says that Mr. Edward Hawson +told him he shot after some a short time ago to frighten them, after they +had stolen something from the same hut where they speared his brother. +This is denied by the family, but I will ascertain the truth upon the +return of the party, Mr. E. Hawson having accompanied them." + + +The natives immediately disappeared from the vicinity of the settlement, +and were not heard of again for a long time. Such is the account of this +melancholy affair as given to Dr. Harvey by the boy, who, I believe, also +made depositions before a magistrate to the same effect. Supposing this +account to be true, and that the natives had not received any previous +provocation either from him or from any other settlers in the +neighbourhood, this would appear to be one of the most wanton, cold +blooded, and treacherous murders upon record, and a murder seemingly as +unprovoked as it was without object. Had the case been one in which the +European had been seen for the first time by the aboriginal inhabitants +of the country, it would have been neither surprising nor at variance +with what more civilised nations would probably have done under +circumstances of a similar nature. Could we imagine an extraordinary +looking being, whose presence and attributes were alike unknown to us, +and of a nature to excite our apprehensions, suddenly appearing in any +part of our own country, what would be the reception he would meet with +among ourselves, and especially if by locating himself in any particular +part of the country he prevented us from approaching those haunts to +which we had been accustomed from our infancy to resort, and which we +looked upon as sacred to ourselves? It is not asserting too much to say +that in such a case the country would be raised in a hue and cry, and the +intruder would meet with the fate that has sometimes befallen the +traveller or the colonist when trespassing upon the dominions of the +savage. + +In the present lamentable instance, however, the natives could not have +acted under the influence of an impulse like this. Here the Europeans had +been long located in the neighbourhood, they were known to, and had been +frequently visited by the Aborigines, and the intercourse between them +had in some instances at least been of a friendly character. What then +could have been the inducement to commit so cold and ruthless an act? or +what was the object to be attained by it? Without pausing to seek for +answers to these questions which, in the present case, it must be +difficult, if not impossible, to solve, it may be worth while to take a +view of the conduct of the Aborigines of Australia, generally, towards +the invaders and usurpers of their rights, setting aside altogether any +acts of violence or injury which they may have committed under the +influence of terror, naturally excited by the first presence of strangers +among them, and which arise from an impulse that is only shared by them +in common with mankind generally. I shall be borne out, I think, by facts +when I state that the Aborigines of this country have seldom been guilty +of wanton or unprovoked outrages, or committed acts of rapine or +bloodshed, without some strongly exciting cause, or under the influence +of feelings that would have weighed in the same degree with Europeans in +similar circumstances. The mere fact of such incentives not being clearly +apparent to us, or of our being unable to account for the sanguinary +feelings of natives in particular cases, by no means argues that +incentives do not exist, or that their feelings may not have been justly +excited. + +If we find the Aborigines of Australia ordinarily acting under the +influence of no worse motives or passions than usually actuate man in a +civilised state, we ought in fairness to suppose that sufficient +provocative for retaliation has been given in those few instances of +revenge, which, our imperfect knowledge of the circumstances attending +them does not enable us satisfactorily to account for. In considering +this question honestly, we must take into account many points that we too +often lose sight of altogether when discussing the conduct of the +natives, and more especially when we are doing so under the excitement +and irritation arising from recent hostilities. We should remember:-- + +First, That our being in their country at all is, so far as their ideas +of right and wrong are concerned, altogether an act of intrusion and +aggression. + +Secondly, That for a very long time they cannot comprehend our motives +for coming amongst them, or our object in remaining, and may very +naturally imagine that it can only be for the purpose of dispossessing +them. + +Thirdly, That our presence and settlement, in any particular locality, +do, in point of fact, actually dispossess the aboriginal inhabitants. +[Note 14: Vide, Notes on the Aborigines, chap. I.] + +Fourthly, That the localities selected by Europeans, as best adapted for +the purposes of cultivation, or of grazing, are those that would usually +be equally valued above others, by the natives themselves, as places of +resort, or districts in which they could most easily procure their food. +This would especially be the case in those parts of the country where +water was scarce, as the European always locates himself close to this +grand necessary of life. The injustice, therefore, of the white man's +intrusion upon the territory of the aboriginal inhabitant, is aggravated +greatly by his always occupying the best and most valuable portion of it. + +Fifthly, That as we ourselves have laws, customs, or prejudices, to which +we attach considerable importance, and the infringement of which we +consider either criminal or offensive, so have the natives theirs, +equally, perhaps, dear to them, but which, from our ignorance or +heedlessness, we may be continually violating, and can we wonder that +they should sometimes exact the penalty of infraction? do not we do the +same? or is ignorance a more valid excuse for civilized man than the +savage? + +Sixthly, What are the relations usually subsisting between the Aborigines +and settlers, locating in the more distant, and less populous parts of +the country: those who have placed themselves upon the outskirts of +civilization, and who, as they are in some measure beyond the protection +of the laws, are also free from their restraints? A settler going to +occupy a new station, removes, perhaps, beyond all other Europeans, +taking with him his flocks, and his herds, and his men, and locates +himself wherever he finds water, and a country adapted for his purposes. +At the first, possibly, he may see none of the inhabitants of the country +that he has thus unceremoniously taken possession of; naturally alarmed +at the inexplicable appearance, and daring intrusion of strangers, they +keep aloof, hoping, perhaps, but vainly, that the intruders may soon +retire. Days, weeks, or months pass away, and they see them still +remaining. Compelled at last, it may be by enemies without, by the want +of water in the remoter districts, by the desire to procure certain kinds +of food, which are peculiar to certain localities, and at particular +seasons of the year, or perhaps by a wish to revisit their country and +their homes, they return once more, cautiously and fearfully approaching +what is their own--the spot perhaps where they were born, the patrimony +that has descended to them through many generations;--and what is the +reception that is given them upon their own lands? often they are met by +repulsion, and sometimes by violence, and are compelled to retire again +to strange and unsuitable localities. Passing over the fearful scenes of +horror and bloodshed, that have but too frequently been perpetrated in +all the Australian colonies upon the natives in the remoter districts, by +the most desperate and abandoned of our countrymen; and overlooking, +also, the recklessness that too generally pervades the shepherds and +stock-keepers of the interior, with regard to the coloured races, a +recklessness that leads them to think as little of firing at a black, as +at a bird, and which makes the number they have killed, or the atrocities +that have attended the deeds, a matter for a tale, a jest or boast at +their pothouse revelries; overlooking these, let us suppose that the +settler is actuated by no bad intentions, and that he is sincerely +anxious to avoid any collision with the natives, or not to do them any +injury, yet under these even comparatively favourable circumstances, what +frequently is the result? The settler finds himself almost alone in the +wilds, with but few men around him, and these, principally occupied in +attending to stock, are dispersed over a considerable extent of country; +he finds himself cut off from assistance, or resources of any kind, +whilst he has heard fearful accounts of the ferocity, or the treachery of +the savage; he therefore comes to the conclusion, that it will be less +trouble, and annoyance, and risk, to keep the natives away from his +station altogether; and as soon as they make their appearance, they are +roughly waved away from their own possessions: should they hesitate, or +appear unwilling to depart, threats are made use of, weapons perhaps +produced, and a show, at least, is made of an offensive character, even +if no stronger measures be resorted to. What must be the natural +impression produced upon the mind of the natives by treatment like this? +Can it engender feelings otherwise than of a hostile and vindictive kind; +or can we wonder that he should take the first opportunity of venting +those feelings upon his aggressor? + +But let us go even a little further, and suppose the case of a settler, +who, actuated by no selfish motives, and blinded by no fears, does not +discourage or repel the natives upon their first approach; suppose that +he treats them with kindness and consideration (and there are happily +many such settlers in Australia), what recompense can he make them for +the injury he has done, by dispossessing them of their lands, by +occupying their waters, and by depriving them of their supply of food? He +neither does nor can replace the loss. They are sometimes allowed, it is +true, to frequent again the localities they once called their own, but +these are now shorn of the attractions which they formerly +possessed--they are no longer of any value to them--and where are they to +procure the food that the wild animals once supplied them with so +abundantly? In the place of the kangaroo, the emu, and the wallabie, they +now see only the flocks and herds of the strangers, and nothing is left +to them but the prospect of dreary banishment, or a life of misery and +privation. Can it then be a matter of wonder, that under such +circumstances as these, and whilst those who dispossessed them, are +revelling in plenty near them, they should sometimes be tempted to +appropriate a portion of the superabundance they see around them, and rob +those who had first robbed them? The only wonder is, that such acts of +reprisal are so seldom committed. Where is the European nation, that thus +situated, and finding themselves, as is often the case with the natives, +numerically and physically stronger than their oppressors, would be +guilty of so little retaliation, of so few excesses? The eye of +compassion, or of philanthropy, will easily discover the anomalous and +unfavourable position of the Aborigines of our colonies, when brought +into contact with the European settlers. They are strangers in their own +land, and possess no longer the usual means of procuring their daily +subsistence; hungry, and famished, they wander about begging among the +scattered stations, where they are treated with a familiarity by the men +living at them, which makes them become familiar in turn, until, at last, +getting impatient and troublesome, they are roughly repulsed, and +feelings of resentment and revenge are kindled. This, I am persuaded, is +the cause and origin of many of the affrays with the natives, which are +apparently inexplicable to us. Nor ought we to wonder, that a slight +insult, or a trifling injury, should sometimes hurry them to an act +apparently not warranted by the provocation. Who can tell how long their +feelings had been rankling in their bosoms; how long, or how much they +had borne; a single drop will make the cup run over, when filled up to +the brim; a single spark will ignite the mine, that, by its explosion, +will scatter destruction around it; and may not one foolish indiscretion, +one thoughtless act of contumely or wrong, arouse to vengeance the +passions that have long been burning, though concealed? With the same +dispositions and tempers as ourselves, they are subject to the same +impulses and infirmities. Little accustomed to restrain their feelings, +it is natural, that when goaded beyond endurance, the effect should be +violent, and fatal to those who roused them;--the smothered fire but +bursts out the stronger from having been pent up; and the rankling +passions are but fanned into wilder fury, from having been repressed. + +Seventhly, There are also other considerations to be taken into the +account, when we form our opinion of the character and conduct of the +natives, to which we do not frequently allow their due weight and +importance, but which will fully account for aggressions having been +committed by natives upon unoffending individuals, and even sometimes +upon those who have treated them kindly. First, that the native considers +it a virtue to revenge an injury. Secondly, if he cannot revenge it upon +the actual individual who injured him, he thinks that the offence is +equally expiated if he can do so upon any other of the same race; he does +not look upon it as the offence of an individual, but as an act of war on +the part of the nation, and he takes the first opportunity of making a +reprisal upon any one of the enemy who may happen to fall in his way; no +matter whether that person injured him or not, or whether he knew of the +offence having been committed, or the war declared. And is not the custom +of civilized powers very similar to this? Admitting that civilization, +and refinement, have modified the horrors of such a system, the principle +is still the same. This is the principle that invariably guides the +native in his relations with other native tribes around him, and it is +generally the same that he acts upon in his intercourse with us. Shall we +then arrogate to ourselves the sole power of acting unjustly, or of +judging of what is expedient? And are we to make no allowance for the +standard of right by which the native is guided in the system of policy +he may adopt? Weighing candidly, then, the points to which reference has +been made, can we wonder, that in the outskirts of the colony, where the +intercourse between the native and the European has been but limited, and +where that intercourse has, perhaps, only generated a mutual distrust; +where the objects, the intentions, or the motives of the white man, can +neither be known nor understood, and where the natural inference from his +acts cannot be favourable, can we wonder, that under such circumstances, +and acting from the impression of some wrong, real or imagined, or goaded +on by hunger, which the white man's presence prevents him from appeasing, +the native should sometimes be tempted to acts of violence or robbery? He +is only doing what his habits and ideas have taught him to think +commendable. He is doing what men in a more civilized state would have +done under the same circumstances, what they daily do under the sanction +of the law of nations--a law that provides not for the safety, +privileges, and protection of the Aborigines, and owners of the soil, but +which merely lays down rules for the direction of the privileged robber +in the distribution of the booty of any newly discovered country. With +reference to the particular case in question, the murder of Master +Hawson, it appears from Dr. Harvey's report (already quoted), that in +addition to any incentives, such as I have described, as likely to arise +in the minds of the natives, there had been the still greater provocation +of their having been fired at, but a short time previously, from the same +station, and by the murdered boy's brother. We may well pause, therefore, +ere we hastily condemn, or unjustly punish, in cases where the +circumstances connected with their occurrence, can only be brought before +us in a partial and imperfect manner. + +The 7th was spent in preparing my despatches for Adelaide. On the 8th I +sent in a dray to Port Lincoln, with Mr. Scott's luggage, and those +things that were to be sent to Adelaide, comprising all the specimens of +geology and botany we had collected, a rough chart of our route, and the +despatches and letters which I had written. The boat was not ready at the +time appointed, and Mr. Scott returned to the tents. In the evening, +however, he again went to the settlement, and about ten, P.M., he, and +the man who was to manage the boat, went on board to sail for Adelaide. I +had been taken very ill during the day, and was unable to accompany him +to the place of embarkation. The following is a copy of my despatch to +the Governor, and to the Chairman of the Northern Expedition Committee, +embodying my reasons for going to the westward. + + +"Port Lincoln, October, 1840. + +"Sir,--Having fallen back upon Port Lincoln for supplies, an opportunity +has occurred to me of writing a brief and hurried report of our +proceedings. I have, therefore, the honour to acquaint you, for the +information of His Excellency, the Governor, and the colonists interested +in the Northern Expedition, with the result of my examination of the +country north of Spencer's Gulf, and of the further steps I contemplate +taking to endeavour to carry out the wishes of the Committee, and +accomplish the object for which the expedition was fitted out. + +"Upon leaving our depot, near Mount Arden, the low, arid, and sandy +nature of the country between the hills and Lake Torrens, compelled us to +follow close under the continuation of Flinders range. Here our progress +was necessarily very slow, from the rugged nature of the country, the +scarcity of water, and the great difficulty both of finding and obtaining +access to it. As we advanced, the hills inclined considerably to the +eastward, gradually becoming less elevated, until, in latitude 29 degrees +20 minutes S., they ceased altogether, and we found ourselves in a very +low and level country, consisting of large stony plains, varied +occasionally by sand; and the whole having evidently been subject to +recent and extensive inundation. These plains are destitute of water, +grass, and timber, and have only a few salsolaceous plants growing upon +them; whilst their surface, whether stony or sandy, is quite smooth and +even, as if washed so by the action of the water. Throughout this level +tract of country were interspersed, in various directions, many small +flat-topped elevations, varying in height from 50 to 300 feet, and almost +invariably exhibiting precipitous banks. These elevations are composed +almost wholly of a chalky substance, coated over on the upper surface by +stones, or a sandy soil, and present the appearance of having formed a +table land that has been washed to pieces by the violent action of water, +and of which these fragments now only remain. Upon forcing a way through +this dreary region, in three different directions, I found that the whole +of the low country round the termination of Flinders range, was +completely surrounded by Lake Torrens, which, commencing not far from the +head of Spencer's Gulf, takes a circuitous course of fully 400 miles, of +an apparent breadth of from twenty to thirty miles, following the sweep +of Flinders range, and almost encircling it in the form of a horse shoe. + +"The greater part of the vast area contained in the bed of this immense +lake, is certainly dry on the surface, and consists of a mixture of sand +and mud, of so soft and yielding a character, as to render perfectly +ineffective all attempts either to cross it, or reach the edge of the +water, which appears to exist at a distance of some miles from the outer +margin. On one occasion only was I able to taste of its waters; in a +small arm of the lake near the most north-westerly part of it, which I +visited, and here the water was as salt as the sea. The lake on its +eastern and southern sides, is bounded by a high sandy ridge, with +salsolae and some brushwood growing upon it, but without any other +vegetation. The other shores presented, as far as I could judge, a very +similar appearance; and when I ascended several of the heights in +Flinders range--from which the views were very extensive, and the +opposite shores of the lake seemed to be distinctly visible--no rise or +hill of any kind could ever be perceived, either to the west, the north, +on the east; the whole region around appeared to be one vast, low, and +dreary waste. One very high and prominent summit in this range, I have +named Mount Serle; it is situated in 30 degrees 30 minutes south +latitude, and about 139 degrees 10 minutes east longitude, and is the +first point from which I obtained a view of Lake Torrens to the eastward +of Flinders range, and discovered that I was hemmed in on every side by a +barrier it was impossible to pass. I had now no alternative left me, but +to conduct my party back to Mount Arden, and then decide what steps I +should adopt to carry out the objects of the expedition. It was evident, +that to avoid Lake Torrens, and the low desert by which it is surrounded, +I must go very far either to the east or to the west before again +attempting to penetrate to the north. + +"My party had already been upwards of three months absent from Adelaide, +and our provisions were too much reduced to admit of our renewing the +expedition in either direction, without first obtaining additional +supplies. The two following were therefore the only plans which appeared +feasible to me, or likely to promote the intentions of the colonists, and +effect the examination of the northern interior:-- + +"First--To move my party to the southward, to endeavour to procure +supplies from the nearest stations north of Adelaide, and then, by +crossing to the Darling, to trace that river up until I found high land +leading to the north-west. + +"Secondly--To cross over to Streaky Bay, send from thence to Port Lincoln +for supplies, and then follow the line of coast to the westward, until I +met with a tract of country practicable to the north. To the first of +these plans were many objections; amongst the principal ones, were, the +very unfavourable accounts given both by Captain Sturt, and Major +Mitchell, of the country to the west of the Darling River--the fact of +Captain Sturt's having found the waters of that river salt during a +continued ride of many days--the numerous tribes of natives likely to be +met with, and the very small party I should have with me; lastly, the +course of the river itself, which trending so much to the eastward, would +take us from, rather than towards the centre of this Continent. On the +other hand, by crossing to the westward, I should have to encounter a +country which I knew to be all but destitute of water, and to consist, +for a very great distance, of barren sandy ridges and low lands, covered +by an almost impenetrable scrub, at a season, too, when but little rain +could be expected, and the heat would, in all probability, be intense; +still, of the two, the latter appeared to me the least objectionable, as +we should at least be going towards the point we wished to reach, and +through a country as yet quite unknown. + +"After mature and anxious consideration, therefore, I decided upon +adopting it, hoping that my decision may meet with the approbation of the +Committee. + +"Previous to our arrival at Mount Arden, we experienced very showery +weather for some days, (otherwise we could not have attempted a passage +to the westward); and as there were no longer any apprehensions of water +being found on the route to Streaky Bay, I sent two of my teams across +upon our old tracks, in charge of my overseer, whilst I conducted the +third myself, in company with Mr. Scott, direct to Port Lincoln, to +procure the supplies we required. In crossing from Mount Arden, towards +Port Lincoln, we travelled generally through a low barren country, +densely covered by brush, among which were scattered, at considerable +intervals, a few small patches of grass, with here and there some rocky +elevations; in the latter, we were usually able to procure water for +ourselves and horses, until we arrived at the districts already explored, +in traversing which we passed (to the N. E. of Port Lincoln) some rich, +well watered valleys, bounded by a considerable extent of grassy hills, +well adopted for sheep or cattle, arriving at Port Lincoln on the 3rd of +October. As a line of route from Adelaide for the emigration of stock, +the course we followed, though it cannot be called a good one, is +perfectly practicable in the winter season; and I have no doubt, when the +country becomes better known, the present track might be considerably +improved upon, and both grass and water obtained in greater abundance. + +"I regret extremely to acquaint you, that on the morning of the 9th +September, one of the police horses (called "Grey Paddy") kindly lent to +the Expedition by His Excellency the Governor, was found with his leg +broken, apparently from the kick of another horse during the night, and I +was obliged to order him to be shot in consequence. With this exception, +no serious accident has occurred, and the whole of the party are in the +enjoyment of good health and spirits. As the Expedition will still be +absent, in all probability, upwards of five months, I have availed myself +of a kind offer from Dr. Harvey, to send his boat over to Adelaide, and +have sent Mr. Scott to receive any instructions his Excellency the +Governor, or the Committee, may wish to give relative to our future +proceedings; and immediately Mr. S. returns, I shall hurry up to Streaky +Bay with the supplies, and at once move on to the westward, my overseer +being now engaged in preparing for our forcing a passage through the +scrub, to the north-west of Streaky Bay, as soon as we arrive there with +the remainder of the party. + +"I have the honour to be, Sir, +"Your obedient servant, +"EDW. JOHN EYRE." + +"The Chairman of the Committee for promoting the Northern Expedition." + + +From the 9th to the 22nd of October, I was occupied a good deal at the +camp, having only one man and a native boy to attend to the tent, the +horses and the sheep, so that I was in a great measure confined at home, +occasionally only making short excursions to the town to superintend the +preparation of a large supply of horse-shoes, or visiting the stations of +some of the nearest country settlers. I had lately bought a kangaroo dog, +from the captain of an American whaler, and in these rambles had frequent +opportunities of trying my new purchase, both after emus and kangaroos, +but he was quite useless for hunting either, and did little credit to the +honesty of the person who sold him to me, and who had asked and received +a high price, in consideration of the animal being, as he assured me, of +a better description than ordinary. Of the natives of the district I saw +nothing whatever; the death of young Hawson, and the subsequent scouring +of the country by police, had driven them away from the occupied parts, +and forced them to the fastnesses of the hills, or to the scrubs; I was, +however, enabled by the kindness of Mr. Schurman, a German Missionary, +stationed at Port Lincoln, to obtain a limited collection of words and +phrases in the dialect of the district, and which I hoped might be of +some use to me hereafter. Mr. Schurman has since published a copious +vocabulary and grammar, of the language in use in this part of Australia. + +On the 22nd, upon going into the settlement, I found the Government +cutter WATERWITCH at anchor in the harbour, having Mr. Scott on board, +and a most abundant supply of stores and provisions, liberally sent us by +his Excellency the Governor, who had also most kindly placed the cutter +at my disposal, to accompany and co-operate with me along the coast to +the westward. + +Mr. Scott had managed every thing confided to him most admirably; and I +felt very greatly indebted to him for the ready and enterprising manner +in which he had volunteered, to undertake a voyage from Port Lincoln to +Adelaide in a small open boat, and the successful manner in which he had +accomplished it. Among other commissions, I had requested him to bring me +another man to accompany the expedition in the place of the one (R. +M'Robert) who had driven the dray to Port Lincoln, and with whom I was +going to part; as also to bring for me a native, named Wylie, an +aborigine, from King George's Sound, whom I had taken with me to Adelaide +on my return in May last, but who had been too ill to accompany me at the +time the expedition started; the latter he had not been able to +accomplish, as the boy was in the country when he reached Adelaide, and +there was not time to get him down before the WATERWITCH sailed. The man, +however, he had procured, and I was glad to recognize in him an old +servant, who had been with me in several of my former expeditions, and +who was a most excellent carter and tent servant. His name was Thomas +Costelow. + +Having received large packets of papers and many letters, both from +relations in England, and from many warm-hearted friends in Adelaide, I +returned with Mr. Scott and Costelow to the tent, to make immediate +preparations for our departure. The delay, occasioned by my having been +obliged to send to Adelaide for our supplies, had so greatly protracted +the period of my absence from the rest of my party, beyond what I had +anticipated, that I became most anxious to rejoin them: the summer +weather too, was rapidly approaching, and I dreaded the task of forcing a +way through the low level scrubby waste, around Streaky and Smoky Bays, +under a tropical sun. + +From the despatches received, I was glad to find that the Governor and +the Colonists had approved of the step I had taken, in moving to the +westward, which was gratifying and satisfactory, notwithstanding the +disappointments I had experienced. In the course of the day, I sent in a +dray to Port Lincoln, with our heavy baggage to put on board the cutter, +with orders to Mr. Germain the master, to sail immediately for Streaky +Bay, and lose no time in communicating with the party there. Before the +cutter sailed, I purchased an excellent little boat to be sent with her +for use in our coast or inland explorations, should it be found +necessary. + +October 23.--The blacksmith not having finished all the shoes, I was +compelled to remain another day in camp; the man too, who had been left +in charge of the sheep had lost them all; whilst the one, therefore, was +finishing his work and the other looking for his sheep, I employed myself +in writing letters for Adelaide, and in arranging my business in Port +Lincoln, etc. + +October 24.--Having struck the tent, and loaded the dray, Mr. Scott and I +rode into town to breakfast with Dr. Harvey, and take leave of our Port +Lincoln friends. After transacting business matters, I settled with the +man who was going to leave me, deducting the price of the sheep which by +his carelessness he had lost, and which had not been recovered; I then +paid Dr. Harvey for the hire of his boat, etc. and in arranging for it, he +generously refused to receive more than 5 pounds as his boat had not been +used in the return voyage from Adelaide. He also most kindly supplied us +with some few small things, which we yet required, and was altogether +most attentive and courteous. + +Upon returning to our camp, I moved on the party, delighted once more +with the prospect of being actively employed. Whilst I conducted the +dray, I sent Mr. Scott round by Mr. Brown's station, to buy eleven more +sheep in the place of those M'Robert had lost, and at night he rejoined +us with them near Mr. White's station, about ten miles from Port Lincoln; +it was late before the sheep came, and the yard to put them in was made, +and as there were so few of them, they were a good deal alarmed and would +not go into the yard, rushing about violently, breaking away every time +we drove them near it; at last we got ten safely housed, and were obliged +to put up with the loss of the eleventh, the night being quite dark. + +Mr. White and Mr. Poole visited us from their station, and I tried to +purchase from the former a noble dog that he possessed, of the mastiff +breed, but could not prevail upon him to part with it. + +On the 25th I detained the party in camp, that I might get our sheep +shorn, and send to Port Lincoln to inquire if there were any more letters +for me by Dr. Harvey's little boat, which was expected to arrive to-day. +Mr. Scott, who rode into the settlement, returned in the afternoon. + +October 26.--Sending the dray on under the guidance of the native boy, I +rode with Mr. Scott up to Mr. White's station to wish him good bye, and +to make another effort to secure an additional dog or two; finding that +he would not sell the noble mastiff I so much wished to have, I bought +from him two good kangaroo dogs, at rather a high price, with which I +hastened on after the drays, and soon overtook them, but not before my +new dogs had secured two fine kangaroos. For the first few miles we +crossed a low flat country, which afterwards became undulating and +covered with dwarf scrub, after this we passed over barren ridges for +about three miles, with quartz lying exposed on the surface and timbered +by the bastard gum or forest casuarinae. We then descended to a level +sandy region, clothed with small brush, and having very many salt lakes +scattered over its surface; around the hollows in which these waters were +collected, and occasionally around basins that were now dry, we found +large trees of the gum, together with a few casuarinae. A very similar +kind of low country appeared to extend far to the eastward and +north-west. + +Kangaroos were very numerous, especially near those hollows, that were +surrounded by gum-trees, to which they retired for shelter during the +heat of the day. We encamped at night in the midst of many of these salt +lakes, without any water, but the grass was good. Our stage had been 25 +miles upon a course of N. 25 degrees W. After watching the horses for a +few hours, we tied them up for the night, not daring to trust them loose +without water. A few natives had been seen during the day, but they ran +away. + +A singular feature attending the salt lakes, or the hollows where water +had formerly lodged, was the existence of innumerable small stones, +resembling biscuits or cakes in shape, perfectly circular and flat, but a +little convexed in the upper surface, they were of various sizes, and +appeared to consist of lime, being formed into their present shape by the +action of water. Very similar ones have since been found in the volcanic +region near Mount Gambier, on the southern coast of New Holland. From our +present camp were seen before us to the north-west some low green looking +ranges, lightly timbered, and promising a better country than we had +hitherto met with. + +October 27.--Having arrived at the hills, in about three miles, we found +them abundantly grassed, but very rugged and rocky, of an oolitic +limestone formation, with occasionally a light reddish soil covering the +rock in the flats and valleys. Between these ranges and the sea, which +was about a mile beyond them, were rather high sand hills, having a few +stunted trees growing upon them, but otherwise destitute of vegetation. +No water could be found, nor were there any watercourses from the hills, +where we examined them. + +Keeping under the east side of the ranges for a few miles, we crossed the +main ridge to the westward, and after a stage of about thirteen miles, +halted under a high hill, which I named Mount Hope, in my former journey. +In a gorge of the range where the granite cropped out among the +limestone, we found a spring of beautiful water, and encamped for the +day. Mr. Scott and one of the native boys shot several pigeons, which +came to the spring to drink in the evening in great numbers. In the +meantime I had ascended the hill for a view, and to take angles. At a +bearing of W. S. W. I set Point Drummond only a few miles distant from +the camp, and between it and a bearing of S. W. was a considerable salt +water lagoon on the eastern side of the sand hills of the coast; the +surrounding country was low, level and scrubby. To the westward a great +extent of dense scrub was visible, amid which were one or two elevations; +and a salt lake, at a bearing of S. 60 degrees E. I made the latitude of +this camp 34 degrees 7 minutes 16 seconds S. and the variation of the +compass 4 degrees 10 minutes E. + +October 28.--Travelling onwards for four miles, we passed a fine spring, +situated in a swamp to our left, and at two more we came to a sheet of +water, named Lake Hamilton, [Note 15: After my friend George Hamilton, +Esq.] a large and apparently deep lake, with but a few hundred yards +of a steep high bank, intervening between it and the sea; the +latter was rapidly encroaching upon this barrier, and would probably +in the course of a few years more force a way through, and lay +under water a considerable extent of low country in that vicinity. Around +the margin of the lake was abundance of good grass, but the bank between +it and the sea was high and very rocky. + +After leaving the lake we entered upon a succession of low grassy hills +but most dreadfully stony, and at night encamped upon a swamp, after a +stage of about sixteen miles. Here we procured abundance of good water by +digging through the limestone crust, near the surface. The country around +was still of the same character as before, but amidst the never-ceasing +strata of limestone which everywhere protruded, were innumerable large +wombat holes--yet strange to say not one of these was tenanted. The whole +fraternity of these animals appeared to have been cut off altogether in +some unaccountable manner, or to have migrated simultaneously to some +other part. No emus or kangaroos were to be seen anywhere, and the whole +region around wore a singularly wild and deserted aspect. + +October 29.--Our route was again over low stony hills, but with rather +better valleys between them; this kind of country appeared to extend from +five to twelve miles inland from the coast, and then commenced the low +level waste of barren scrubby land, which we so constantly saw to the +eastward of us. + +I had intended to make a short stage to-day to a spring, situated in the +midst of a swamp, in latitude 33 degrees 46 minutes 35 seconds S., but +having kept rather too far away from the coast, I missed it, and had to +push on for twenty-three miles to a rich and very pretty valley, under a +grassy range, lightly wooded with casuarinae. The soil was somewhat +sandy, but clothed with vegetation; in holes in the rocks we procured +abundance of water from a little valley near our camp, and in a swamp +about a mile and a half north-east was a spring. Our stage was a long +one, and the day being excessively hot, our horses, sheep, and dogs were +nearly all knocked up. Of the latter two were unfortunately missing when +we arrived at our halting ground; one came up afterwards, but the other +could nowhere be found, though both had been seen not two miles away. The +missing dog [Note 16 at end of para.], was the best of the two which I had +purchased of Mr. White, and I felt sorry for a loss which it would be +impossible for me to replace. Many native fires were seen to-day, and +especially in the direction of a high bare-looking detached range to the +north-east, named by me from its shape, Mount Wedge; none of these people +were, however, seen, but a fire still burning was found where we encamped +for the night. + +[Note 16: Upon returning to Adelaide in 1841, I learnt that the dog had +gone back all the way to Mr. White's station, and as Mr. White wished to +keep the animal, he returned the money he had received at his sale.] + +On the 30th we remained stationary to rest the horses, and to try and +recover the lost dog, but after a long and fruitless search, we were +obliged to give up the attempt. + +On the 31st, after crossing a ridge under which we were encamped, we +passed through a very pretty grassy and park-like country, and what was +very unusual, not stony on the surface. There were in places a great many +wombat holes, but these were now all occupied by their tenants, and the +whole aspect of the country was more encouraging and cheerful; the extent +of good country was, however, very limited. Towards the coast was a low +scrubby-looking region with salt lakes, and to the east it was bounded by +a dense brush, beyond which were extensive plains of a barren and scrubby +appearance. In the midst of these plains were large fields of a coarse +wiry-kind of grass, growing in enormous tufts, five or six feet high, and +indicating the places where swamps exist in wet seasons; these were now +quite dry, but we had always found the same coarse-tufted grass growing +around the margins of the salt lakes, and in those places also where we +had found water. This description of country seemed to extend to the base +of Wedge Hill, which I intended to have ascended, but the weather was too +cloudy to obtain a view from it. The character of the country to the +north and north-east was equally low and unpromising, with the exception +of two peaks seen at considerable distances apart. + +Our stage to-day was sixteen miles to Lake Newland, [Note 17: Named after +my friend R. F. Newland, Esq.] a large salt-water lake, with numerous +fine and strong springs of excellent water, bubbling up almost +in the midst of the salt. In one place one of these springs was +surrounded by a narrow strip of soil, and the stream emanating from it +took its winding course through the skirts of the salt-water lake itself, +inclosed by a very narrow bank of earth, on either side; this slight +barrier being the only division between the salt and the fresh water. +From the abundance of fresh water at Lake Newland, and the many patches +of tolerably grassy country around, a very fair station might be formed, +either for sheep or cattle. + +November 1.--Leaving Lake Newland we passed through a scrubby country, +which extended close under the coast hummocks for five miles, and then +ascended a high barren range. The view from this was extensive, but only +over a mass of low and desolate scrub, with the exception of one or two +elevations to the north and north-east. Towards the coast, amidst the +waste around, was a large sheet of salt water, with here and there a few +openings near it, studded with casuarinae, to this we bent our steps, and +at twelve miles from our last night's camp took up our position in lat. +33 degrees 14 minutes 36 seconds S. upon the lagoon seen by Flinders from +the masthead. + +The traces of natives and their beaten pathways were here very numerous +(of the latter of which there could not be less than thirty) all leading +to a large deep hole, sunk about eight feet, principally through a soft +limestone rock. This was carefully blocked up with large stones and mud, +but upon clearing it out the water came bubbling up rapidly, and we got +an abundant supply. The entrance from seawards to the sheet of water, or +lagoon, is between two heads, (one of them being a high bluff) little +more than a mile apart. There appeared to be a reef off the entrance +outside, but our being without a boat prevented us from ascertaining how +far this inlet was adapted for a harbour. Inside, the water is shallow +towards the south, but deeper in the northern half of the inlet. + +November 2.--Tracing round the shores, we passed several other holes dug +by the natives in the sand, to procure water; these, however, did not +appear of so permanent a character as the first, for many had fallen in, +and others contained but very little water. The huts of the natives were +numerous, and of a large and substantial description; but we saw none of +their owners. + +After leaving the inlet we pushed on through the scrub to a high bluff of +granitic formation, distant about sixteen miles N. 35 degrees W., and +named by me Mount Hall. [Note 18: After G. Hall, Esq. the Governor's +Private Secretary.] The road being very heavy, it was late when we arrived +there, and both our horses and sheep were much fatigued. We got a +little water from holes in the sheets of granite, and had very good +grass in an opening under the hill. + +From the summit of Mount Hall the view was extensive, and I obtained many +angles. The surrounding country was low, level, and barren, and densely +covered with scrub, among which, to the north-west were seen many +salt-water lakes. At intervals a few elevations were seen amidst this low +waste, apparently similar to the hill we were upon, among them were one +or two very distant at a little N. of E., and nearer, one at E. 16 +degrees N.; the latter I named Mount Cooper. [Note 19: After Charles +Cooper, Esq. the Judge of the colony.] At a bearing of S. 35 degrees W. +another saltwater inlet was seen apparently communicating with the sea; +but this we could not satisfactorily ascertain from its great +distance. The latitude of Mount Hall, deduced from observations of a +Lyrae and a Aquilae, was 33 degrees 2 minutes 40 seconds S. Several +native fires were seen to the east and south-east in the scrub. + +November 3.--After seeing the party ready tomove on, I left Mr. Scott to +conduct the dray, whilst I rode forward in advance to the depot near +Streaky Bay, where I arrived early in the afternoon, and was delighted to +find the party all well, and everything going on prosperously. They had +expected me some time before and were looking out very anxiously for my +arrival. The WATERWITCH had arrived on the 29th of October, but the +master did not communicate with my party before the 31st; so that until +the last three days they had been quite ignorant of our movements, and +uneasy at our so greatly exceeding the time originally fixed for +rejoining them. Having sent back a man, and two fresh and strong horses +to assist the dray, I reconnoitred once more our depot of 1839. Situated +in the middle of some extensive grassy openings among the scrub, is a +solid sheet of limestone of a very hard texture: in the centre of this +rock is a small oblong opening, a foot deep and only just large enough to +admit of a pint pot being dipped in it. This curious little hole +contained water from five to seven inches in depth, the level of which +was maintained as rapidly as a person could bale it out; this was our +sole supply for ourselves and horses, but it was a never-failing one. + +[Note 20: The water had not a pleasant flavour, as it was of a chalybeate +nature; but in a country where water was scarce, it was invaluable. When I +was here in 1839, it had even then this disagreeable taste, but now it was +much worse, in consequence, probably, of the contaminating substance +being washed off more abundantly than formerly from the rocks enclosing +the reservoir by the rapid flow of water necessary to replace the large +consumption of my party.] + +The spring is situated in latitude 32 degrees 49 minutes 0 seconds S. and +about three miles south-east from the most southerly bight of Streaky +Bay. About one mile and a half to the west is another small hole of +better flavoured water, but not so abundant in its supply. + +I found all the horses in excellent condition, and one, a very fine mare +of my own, had foaled about six weeks before. Around the camp were +immense piles of oyster shells, pretty plainly indicating the feasting my +men had enjoyed during my absence, whilst their strong and healthy +appearance shewed how well such fare had agreed with them. The oysters +were procured from the most southerly bight of Streaky Bay, on some mud +banks about two or three hundred yards below low water mark, where they +are found in immense numbers and of different sizes. The flavour of these +oysters was excellent, and the smaller ones were of great delicacy. The +men were in the habit of taking a cart down to the beach frequently, +where, by wading up to their knees in the sea at low water, they were +enabled to fill it. This supply lasted for two or three days. + +Many drays might easily be loaded, one after the other, from these oyster +beds. The natives of the district do not appear to eat them, for I never +could find a single shell at any of their encampments. It is difficult to +account for the taste or prejudice of the native, which guides him in his +selection or rejection of particular kinds of food. What is eaten readily +by the natives in one part of Australia is left untouched by them in +another, thus the oyster is eaten at Sydney, and I believe King George's +Sound, but not at Streaky Bay. The unio or freshwater muscle is eaten in +great numbers by all the natives of New South Wales and South Australia; +but Captain Grey found that a Perth native, who accompanied him on one of +his expeditions, would not touch this kind of food even when almost +starving. Snakes are eaten by some tribes, but not by others; and so with +many other kinds of food which they make use of. + +About three o'clock, Mr. Scott arrived with the dray, after a long and +harassing stage of twenty miles over a low, stony, and scrubby tract of +country, between Mount Hall and Streaky Bay, and which extended beyond +our track to the coast hummocks to the west. These latter appeared +somewhat high, and under them we had seen many salt-water lakes from the +summit of Mount Hall. + +My party were now once more all assembled together, after having been +separated for nearly seven weeks; during which, neither division knew +what had befallen the other, and both were necessarily anxious to be +reunited again, since, in the event of any mischance occurring to either, +the other would have been placed in circumstances of much difficulty, if +not of danger; and the whole object of the undertaking would have been +frustrated. + +The great delay caused by my having been obliged to send over from Port +Lincoln to Adelaide for supplies, had thrown us very late in the season; +the summer was rapidly advancing, the weather even now, being frequently +intensely hot, whilst the grass was gradually drying up and losing its +nourishment. Our sending to Adelaide had, however, obtained for us the +valuable services of the WATERWITCH to assist us in tracing round the +desert line of coast to the north-west, and had enabled us to procure a +larger and more varied supply of stores, than we could possibly have +brought up from Port Lincoln in a single dray. We were now amply +furnished with conveniences of every kind; and both men and horses were +in good plight and ready to enter upon the task before them. + + + + +Chapter X. + + + +COUNTRY BETWEEN STREAKY BAY AND BAXTER'S RANGE--ITS SCRUBBY +CHARACTER--GAWLER RANGE--MOUNT STURT--ASCEND A PEAK--SALT +LAKES--BEAUTIFUL FLOWER--ASCEND ANOTHER HILL--MOUNT BROWN SEEN--EXTENSIVE +VIEW TO THE NORTH--LAKE GILLES--BAXTER'S RANGE. + + +During the time that I had been occupied in conducting my division of the +party from Baxter's Range to Port Lincoln, the overseer had been engaged +in guiding the other portion across to Streaky Bay, upon my former track +from thence to Mount Arden, in September 1839. The following brief +extracts from my Journal of that period, whilst crossing from Streaky Bay +to Mount Arden, will convey an idea of the character of the country +extending between these two points; and of the great difficulty, indeed +almost the impossibility of forcing a passage, except immediately after +the occurrence of heavy rains. + +1839, Sept. 18.--We left the depot near Streaky Bay, at a course nearly +due east, and passing through alternations of brush and of open grassy +plains, upon the skirts of which grew a few casuarinae; halted after a +stage of eighteen miles, at an opening in the brush, where we had good +grass, but no water; we were consequently obliged to watch the horses +during the night, to prevent their straying. From this camp Mount Hall +bore S. 2 degrees E. and Mount Cooper S. E. the variation of the compass +being 2 degrees 22 minutes E. + +September 19.--Travelling east through the same kind of country for +fifteen miles, we halted upon a high scrubby ridge; having a few grassy +openings at intervals, and with large sheets of granite exposed in some +parts of its surface. In the holes among these rocks we procured a supply +of water that had been deposited by the late rains; but which a few warm +days would have dried up. The latitude of the water was 32 degrees 48 +minutes S. and from it Mount Hall bore S. 38 degrees W., Mount Cooper S. +15 degrees W. Before us to the north-east were visible many peaks of a +range, with a high and broken outline, which I named the Gawler range, +after His Excellency Colonel Gawler, the Governor of South Australia. One +very high peak in this range I named Mount Sturt, after my friend Captain +Sturt; it bore from our present camp E. 10 degrees N. and had been +previously seen from the summit of Mount Hall. + +September 20.--Our route to-day was through a perfect desert, very +scrubby and stony, with much prickly grass growing upon the sand ridges, +which alternated with the hard limestone flats; there were very few clear +intervals of country upon our whole course; and for the last five miles +the heavy sand and dense scrub made it very difficult to get on at all. +After a long stage of twenty-five miles nearly due east, we halted at a +high ridge similar to that upon which we encamped last night, with sheets +of granite exposed on its surface, and rain water lodged in the hollows. +The horses were all completely knocked up with the severe labour of this +day's stage; I ascertained the latitude of the camp to be 32 degrees 47 +minutes 40 seconds S. and the variation of the compass which increased as +we advanced to the eastward, was now 4 degrees 12 minutes E. The Gawler +range was now distinctly visible, extending from N. 15 degrees W. to N. +65 degrees E. and presenting the broken and picturesque outline of a vast +mountain mass rising abruptly out of the low scrubby country around. The +principal elevations in this extensive range, could not be less than two +thousand feet; and they appeared to increase in height as the range +trended to the north-west. To the eastward the ranges decreased somewhat +in elevation, but were still very lofty. + +September 21.--We had another long stage to-day of twenty miles, over, if +possible, a worse road than yesterday, no intermission whatever of the +heavy steep sandy ridges and dense eucalyptus scrub; the horses were +dreadfully jaded, and we were obliged to relieve them by yoking up all +the riding horses that would draw. Even with this aid we did not get the +journey over until an hour and a half after dark. During the day our +course had been more to the northward of east, and brought us close under +the Gawler range. At fourteen miles after starting, we passed a salt lake +on our right, and several salt ponds on our left; but we could find no +permanent fresh water anywhere. In the rocks of the range we had encamped +under, we procured a small quantity left by the rains, but this supply +was rapidly disappearing under the rays of a very hot sun, and had we +been a few days later, we could not have crossed at all. The latitude of +our camp was 32 degrees 41 minutes 40 seconds S. + +September 22.--This morning I ascended one of the heights in the Gawler +range, from which the view is extensive to the southward, over a +generally low level country, with occasional elevations at intervals; to +the north the view is obstructed by the Gawler range, consisting +apparently of a succession of detached ridges high and rocky, and +entirely of a porphoritic granite lying in huge bare masses upon the +surface. The hills [Note 21 at end of para.] were without either timber or +shrubs, and very barren, with their front slopes exceedingly steep, and +covered by small loose stones; several salt lakes were seen in various +directions, but no indications of fresh water or springs. + +[Note 21: Peron's description of the mountains on the South-western coast, +is singularly applicable to the Gawler range--He says, Tom. III. p. 233. +"Sur ces montagnes pelees on ne voit pas un arbre, pas un arbriseau, pas +un arbuste; rien, en un mot, qui puisse faire souponner l'existence de +queque terre vegetale. La durete du roc paroit braver ici tous les +efforts de la nature, et resister a ces memes moyens de decomposition qu' +elle emploie ailleurs avec tant de succes."] + +It was late before the party moved on to-day, but the road was somewhat +better, and there were many intervals of open grassy plains under the +hills along which we travelled, at a course of E. 17 degrees N. for +twenty-five miles. Encamping at night with tolerable grass, but without +water. There had been a considerable pool of rain water here a few days +ago, but it was now nearly dried up by the sun, and I was obliged to +order the horses to be watched during the night. + +To-day I found a most splendid creeping plant in flower, growing in +between the ranges, it was quite new to me, and very beautiful; the leaf +was like that of the vetch but larger, the flower bright scarlet, with a +rich purple centre, shaped like a half globe with the convex side +outwards; it was winged, and something like a sweet pea in shape, the +flowers hung pendent upon long slender stalks, very similar to those of +sweet peas, and in the greatest profusion; altogether it was one of the +prettiest and richest looking flowers I have seen in Australia. + +September 23.--Moving on over a firm road, but with much scrub and +prickly grass, we travelled for fifteen miles under the hills at a course +of E. 20 degrees N., encamping early in the afternoon close under them, +and procuring a little water left in the hollows by the rains. I ascended +another of the heights in the Gawler range to-day, but could obtain no +clear view from it, the weather being hazy. Ridge behind ridge still +appeared to rise to the north, beyond the front one under which we were +travelling; and several salt lakes were seen among the hills at +intervals. The rock of which the hills were composed was now changed from +a porphoritic granite to a reddish quartz, which was scattered all over +the front hills in loose small fragments. The latitude of our camp was 32 +degrees 30 minutes 35 seconds S. + +September 24.--Our road was firmer to-day, over a red gritty soil of +sandy loam and gravel. The hills were still covered with quartz, but +decreasing perceptibly in elevation as we advanced to the east. At about +eight miles we were lucky enough to find a puddle of rain water, and at +once halted for the day to rest and refresh the horses. Having ascended a +high peak near the camp, I found I was surrounded by a mass of hills on +every side; they gradually increased in elevation as they stretched to +the northwest, becoming lower at a bearing of north, and quite detached +to the north-east; resembling so many islands in the level waste around +them. + +September 25.--Moving from our camp early we had an excellent road, and +travelled rapidly for about twenty miles, nearly due east, halting for +the night under a high red hill, where we found some rain water for our +horses; but the grass was very scarce. After dinner I ascended the hill +near the camp and obtained a distant view of Mount Brown, and the range +on the east side of Spencer's Gulf. To the north was one vast sea of +level scrub, and in the midst of it a lake; but seemingly of no very +great size. A few elevations were seen to the south-east, of all of which +I took bearings, and then descended to the camp again. The bearing of +Mount Brown, from this hill, was E. 10 degrees S.; and the latitude of +the camp, under the hill, was 30 degrees 27 minutes 55 seconds S. + +September 26.--Passing up a barren valley between low hills, we had at +first a good road, but afterwards it became very stony. We encamped +early, after a short stage of fifteen miles, having gradually left most +of the hills to the north of us. One that we were encamped under I +ascended, and had a very extensive view, and took many angles. A large +lake (named Lake Gilles) [Note 22: After the first Colonial Treasurer of +the province.] bore nearly due south, and was the same that had been +seen from Baxter's range; the latter was now distinctly visible +at a bearing of E. 20 degrees S. The latitude of our camp was 32 degrees +35 minutes 58 seconds S. There was barely enough rain water found to +supply our horses, but the feed was tolerably good. + +September 27.--We had a very bad stony road to-day, consisting +principally of quartz and iron-stone, of which the ranges had latterly +been entirely composed. Our stage was sixteen miles, passing round the +south end of Baxter's range, and encamping under it, on the eastern +front, upon a gorge, in which was plenty of water and good grass. We had +thus, by taking advantage of the rains that had fallen, been enabled to +force a passage from Streaky Bay to Spencer's Gulf; but we had done so +with much difficulty, and had we been but a few days later, we should +have failed altogether, for though travelling for a great part of the +distance under very high rocky ranges, we never found a drop of permanent +fresh-water nor a single spring near them. There are no watercourses, and +no timber; all is barren rocky and naked in the extreme. The waters that +collected after rains, lodged in the basins of small lakes; but such was +the nature of the soil that these were invariably salt. + +It was through this dreary region I had left my overseer to take his +division of the party when we separated at Baxter's range; but I confided +the task to him with confidence. Rain had at that time fallen very +abundantly; he had already been over the road with me before, and knew +all the places where water or grass was likely to be found; and our +former dray tracks of 1839, which were still distinctly visible, would be +a sufficient guide to prevent his getting off the line of route. The +skill, judgment, and success with which the overseer conducted the task +assigned to him, fully justified the confidence I reposed in him; and +upon my rejoining the party at Streaky Bay, after an absence of seven +weeks, I was much gratified to find that neither the men, animals, or +equipment, were in the least degree the worse for their passage through +the desert. + + + + +Chapter XI. + + + +EMBARK STORES--PARTY LEAVE STREAKY BAY--DENSE SCRUE--POINT +BROWN--SINGULAR WELL--PROCESS OF CHANGE IN APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY--DIG FOR +WATER--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXTRAORDINARY RITE--NATIVE GUIDES--LEIPOA'S +NEST--DENIAL BAY--BEELIMAH GAIPPE--KANGAROO KILLED--MORE +NATIVES--BERINYANA GAIPPE--SALT LAKES--WADEMAR GAIPPE--SANDY AND SCRUBBY +COUNTRY--MOBEELA GAIPPE--DIFFICULTY OF GETTING WATER--MORE +NATIVES--GENUINE HOSPITALITY--SINGULAR MARKS ON THE ABDOMEN--NATIVES +LEAVE THE PARTY--FOWLER'S BAY--EXCELLENT WHALING STATION. + + +November 4.--To-DAY the party were occupied in sorting and packing +stores, which I intended to send on board the WATERWITCH to Fowler's Bay, +that by lightening the loads upon the drays, we might the more easily +force a passage through the dense scrub which I knew we had to pass +before we reached that point. In the afternoon the men were engaged in +shearing the remainder of our sheep, washing their own clothes and +preparing everything for breaking up the camp, whilst I rode down to +Streaky Bay, and went on board the cutter to give orders relative to the +reception of our stores tomorrow. + +The harbour of Streaky Bay is extensive, but generally open to the +westward. In its most southerly bight, however, is a secure well +sheltered bay, for vessels of moderate draught of water; being protected +by a long sandy shoal which must be rounded before a vessel can enter. + +[Note 23: A plan of this harbour was made by Mr. Cannan, one of the +Government assistant surveyors of South Australia, when sent by the +Government in a cutter to meet my party with provisions in 1839.] + +November 5.--To-day we were engaged in carting down the stores and a +supply of water to the cutter, which we got safely on board, when I gave +written instructions to the master to sail at once, and land a cask of +water, a little higher up the bay, for the use of the horses. In the +evening the drays were loaded and all got ready for our departure +to-morrow. + +November 6.--Having had the horses watched last night we were enabled to +move away early, and about noon arrived at the place I had appointed Mr. +Germain to land the cask of water: it was all ready, and we watered the +horses, took luncheon and moved on again, directing Mr. Germain to +proceed to Smoky Bay, and land water for us again there. The country we +passed through to-day was low, level, and sandy, and covered with prickly +grass, with a few tea-tree swamps, but no fresh water. The shore of +Streaky Bay on its western side was bounded by high steep sandy hummocks, +behind which we travelled, and at night halted on the borders of a dense +scrub, nearly opposite the middle of the bay, after a stage of about +eighteen miles. Our vicinity to the sea enabled Mr. Scott, myself, and +the native boys to enjoy a swim, a luxury highly appreciated by a +traveller after a day's hard work, amidst heat and dust, and one which I +anticipated we should frequently obtain in our course to the westward. + +November 7.--Breakfasted before daylight, and moved on with the earliest +dawn to encounter a scrub which I knew to be of heavier timber, and +growing more closely together than any we had yet attempted. It consisted +of Eucalyptus dumosa and the salt-water tea-tree, (the latter of a very +large growth and very dense,) in a heavy sandy soil. + +By keeping the axes constantly at work in advance of the drays, we +succeeded in slowly forcing a passage through this dreadful country, +emerging in about seventeen miles at an open plain behind Point Brown, +and in the midst of which was a well of water. The entrance to this well +was by a circular opening, through a solid sheet of limestone, about +fifteen inches in diameter, but enlarging a little about a foot below the +surface. The water was at a depth of ten feet, and so choked up with sand +and dirt that we were obliged to clear the hole out effectually before we +could get any for the horses. This was both a difficult and an unpleasant +occupation, as the man engaged in it had to lower himself through the +very narrow aperture at the top and work in a very cramped position +amongst the dirt and wet below, with the mud dripping upon him; it was +drawn up in a bag, for a bucket could not be used in so contracted a +space. As a spade could not be employed a large shell left by the natives +was used for scooping up the dirt, which made the operation both slow and +tiresome. Our horses were dreadfully fagged and very thirsty after the +severe toil they had endured in dragging the drays through so heavy a +scrub, but with all our exertions we could only obtain from the spring +about two buckets of water apiece for them. As this was not nearly enough +to satisfy them, I was obliged to have them watched for the night to +prevent their straying. The men had been kept incessantly at work from +five in the morning until nearly ten at night, and the additional duty of +watching the horses bore very hard upon them; but they knew it to be +necessary, and did it cheerfully. + +We had passed during our route through one or two of the small grassy +openings so constantly met with even in the densest scrubs, and, as +usual, I noticed upon these plains the remains of former scrub, where the +trees were apparently of a larger growth than those now existing around. +The soil too, from a loose sand, had become firmer and more united, and +wherever the scrub had disappeared its place had been supplied by grass. +This strongly confirmed my opinion, long ago formed, that those vast +level wastes in Australia, now covered with low scrub, (and formerly, I +imagine, the bed of the ocean,) are gradually undergoing a process of +amelioration which may one day fit them for the purposes of pasture or +agriculture. The smoke of many native fires was seen during the day +behind and around us, but we did not fall in with any of the natives. + +November 8.--Having given each of the horses a bucket of water from the +well, we moved on again through the same dense scrub we had encountered +yesterday, but, if possible, more harassing, from the increased steepness +of the sandy ridges and the quantity of dead timber lying on the surface, +and causing a great impediment to our progress. We forced our way through +this worse than desert region, for about fourteen miles, and arrived +early in the afternoon, with our horses quite exhausted, upon the shores +of Smoky Bay, at a point where the natives had dug a hole in the sand +hills near the beach to procure water, and from which the south end of +the island of St. Peter bore W. 15 degrees S. + +The WATERWITCH was already here, and supplied us with a cask of water, +until the men had dined and rested a little, before entering upon the +task of digging for water, which proved to be a most arduous undertaking, +and occupied us all the afternoon. We had to sink through a loose sand +for fifteen feet, which from its nature, added to the effect of a strong +wind that was blowing at the time, drifted in almost as fast as it was +thrown out. We were consequently obliged to make a very large opening +before we could get at the water at all; it was then very abundant, but +dreadfully salt, being little better than the sea water itself; the +horses and sheep however drank it greedily, as we had been able to give +them but little of that received from the vessel. + +November 9.--Upon mustering the horses this morning I found they were +looking so exhausted and jaded after the hard toil they had gone through +in the last three days, that I could not venture to put them to work +again to-day. I was consequently obliged to remain in camp, to rest both +them and the men, all of whom were much fatigued. The well in the sand +was even salter to-day than we had found it yesterday, and was quite +unserviceable; the men had sunk the hole rather too deep, that they might +get the water in greater abundance; but when the tide rose it flowed in +under the sand and spoiled the whole. As the water, even at the best, had +been so salt that we could not use it ourselves, and as it was far from +being wholesome for the horses, I did not think it worth while to give +the men the fatigue of digging another hole. I therefore put both horses +and men upon a limited allowance, and got a cask containing sixty gallons +from the cutter for our day's supply. I also took the opportunity of +again lightening our loads by sending on board some more of the baggage +and the light cart. This, by decreasing the number of our teams, would, I +thought, enable me to change the horses occasionally in the others, and +give me an extra man to assist in clearing a road through the scrub, +Having completed my arrangements, I sent on the WATERWITCH to the +north-east part of Denial Bay, to land water there, as I did not expect +to get any until our arrival at Point Peter. Mr. Scott accompanied the +cutter, having expressed a wish to take a trip in her for a few days. + +During the forenoon we were visited by a party of natives, who came to +get water at the hole in the sand. They were not much alarmed, and soon +became very friendly, remaining near us all night; from them I learned +that there was no water inland, and none along the coast for two days' +journey, after which we should come to plenty, at a place called by them +"Beelimah Gaip-pe;." Their language was nearly the same as that of Port +Lincoln, intermixed with a few words in use at King George's Sound, +and I now regretted greatly that I had not the Western Australian native +with me. + +I found a most singular custom prevailing among the natives of this part +of the country, which I had never found to exist anywhere else (except at +Port Lincoln), and the origin of which it would be most difficult to +account for. In various parts of Australia some of the tribes practise +the rite of circumcision, whilst others do not; but in the Port Lincoln +peninsula, and along the coast to the westward, the natives not only are +circumcised, but have in addition another most extraordinary ceremonial. +[Note 24: Finditus usque ad urethram a parte infera penis.] Among the party +of natives at the camp I examined many, and all had been operated upon. +The ceremony with them seemed to have taken place between the ages +of twelve and fourteen years, for several of the boys of that age +had recently undergone the operation, the wounds being still fresh +and inflamed. This extraordinary and inexplicable custom must have a +great tendency to prevent the rapid increase of the population; and its +adoption may perhaps be a wise ordination of Providence, for that +purpose, in a country of so desert and arid a character as that which +these people occupy. + +November 10.--Getting the party away about five o'clock this morning, I +persuaded one of the natives, named "Wilguldy," an intelligent cheerful +old man, to accompany us as a guide, and as an inducement, had him +mounted on a horse, to the great admiration and envy of his fellows, all +of whom followed us on foot, keeping up in a line with the dray through +the scrub, and procuring their food as they went along, which consisted +of snakes, lizards, guanas, bandicoots, rats, wallabies, etc. etc. and it +was surprising to see the apparent ease with which, in merely walking +across the country, they each procured an abundant supply for the day. + +In one place in the scrub we came to a large circular mound of sand, +about two feet high, and several yards in circumference; this they +immediately began to explore, carefully throwing away the sand with their +hands from the centre, until they had worked down to a deep narrow hole, +round the sides of which, and embedded in the sand, were four fine large +eggs of a delicate pink colour, and fully the size of a goose egg. I had +often seen these hills before, but did not know that they were nests, and +that they contained so valuable a prize to a traveller in the desert. The +eggs were presented to me by the natives, and when cooked were of a very +rich and delicate flavour. The nest was that of a wild pheasant, +(Leipoa), a bird of the size of a hen pheasant of England, and greatly +resembling it in appearance and plumage; these birds are very cautious +and shy, and run rapidly through the underwood, rarely flying unless when +closely pursued. The shell of the egg is thin and fragile, and the young +are hatched entirely by the heat of the sun, scratching their way out as +soon as they are born, at which time they are able to shift for +themselves. [Note 25: For a further account of the LEIPOA, vide +CHAPTER III. of Notes on the Aborigines.] + +Our road to-day was through a heavy sandy country, covered for the most +part densely with the eucalyptus and tea-tree. About eleven we struck the +south-east corner of Denial Bay, and proceeded on to the north-east, +where I had appointed the cutter to meet me. To my surprise she was not +to be seen anywhere, and I began to get anxious about our supply of water +for the horses, as we were entirely dependant upon her for it. In the +afternoon I observed the vessel rounding into the south-east bight of the +bay, and was obliged to send my overseer on horseback a long ride round +the bay, to tell the master to send us water to the place of our +encampment. He had been to the island of St. Peter yesterday looking for +birds' eggs, and having neglected to take advantage of a fair wind, was +not now able to get the cutter up to us. The water had consequently to be +brought in the boat a distance of eight miles through a heavy sea, and at +considerable risk. Mr. Scott, who came with the master in the boat, +returned on board again in the evening. Our stage to-day had been +eighteen miles, and the horses were both tired and thirsty. The small +supply of water brought us in the boat being insufficient for them, we +again were obliged to watch them at night. + +November 11.--Guided by our friend "Wilguldy," we cut off all the corners +and bends of the coast, and steering straight for "Beelimah Gaippe," +arrived there about noon, after a stage of twelve miles; the road +was harder and more open, but still in places we had to pass +through a very dense brush. The water to which the native took us was +procured by digging about four feet deep, in a swamp behind the coast +hummocks, which were here high and bare, and composed of white sand. The +water was abundant and good, and the grass tolerable, so that I +determined to remain a day to rest and recruit the horses; it was so +rarely that we had the opportunity of procuring both grass and water. The +dogs killed a kangaroo, which enabled us to give our guide an abundant +feast of food, to which he had been accustomed; but to do the old man +justice, I must say he was not very scrupulous about his diet, for he ate +readily of any thing that we offered him. + +After we had encamped some more natives came up and joined us from the +vicinity of Point Peter, which lay a few miles to the east of us; they +were known to those who had accompanied us, and were very friendly and +well conducted. To many inquiries about water inland, they all assured me +that there was none to be found in that direction; but said that there +was water further along the coast called "Berinyana gaippe," and only one +day's journey from our present encampment. + +November 12.--I sent the overseer this morning to communicate with the +cutter, and to request the master to fill up as much water as he could, +preparatory to our moving onwards to Fowler's Bay. In the evening the +overseer returned, accompanied by Mr. Scott, to acquaint me that the +water near Point Peter was a considerable distance from the vessel; and +that it would be impracticable to fill up all the casks, with no other +means than they had at command. + +I took the sun's altitude, at noon, for latitude; but the day was windy, +and the mercury shook so much that I could not depend upon the +observation within three or four miles. It gave nearly 32 degrees 10 +seconds S. which I thought too much to the northward. The sun set by +compass W. 24 1/2 degrees S. + +November 13.--Guided by the natives, we moved onward through a densely +scrubby country, and were again obliged to keep the men with axes +constantly at work, in advance of the drays to clear the road. Our +progress was necessarily slow, and the work very harassing to the horses; +fortunately the stage was not a very long one, and in fourteen miles we +reached "Berinyana gaippe," a small hole dug by the natives, amongst +the sand hummocks of the coast, a little north of Point Bell. +By enlarging this a little, we procured water in great abundance +and of excellent quality. Our course had been generally west by south; +and from our camp, the eastern extreme of Point Bell, bore S. 28 degrees +W., and the centre of the "Purdies Islands" E. 49 degrees S. + +November 14.--Upon moving on this morning, we were obliged to keep more +to the north to avoid some salt lakes and low swamps near the coast. The +natives still accompanied us through a very sandy and scrubby country to +a watering place among some sand hills, which they called +"Wademar gaippe." Here we encamped early, after a stage of ten miles, +and were enabled to procure abundance of good water, at a depth of about +four feet below the surface. + +There was a large sheet of salt water near our camp which seemed to be an +inlet of the sea, and after a hasty dinner I walked down to examine it. +The water generally appeared shallow, but in some places it was very +deep; after tracing it for five miles, and going round one end of it, I +found no junction with the sea, though the fragments of shells and other +marine remains, clearly shewed that there must have been a junction at no +very remote period. The sand hummocks between the lake and the sea being +very high, I ascended them to take bearings, and then returning to the +lake halted, with the black boy who had accompanied me, to bathe, and +rest ourselves. The weather was most intensely hot, and our walk had been +long and fatiguing, amongst sand hills under a noonday sun. We fully +appreciated the luxury of a swim, and especially as we were lucky enough +to find a hole of fresh water on the edge of the lake, to slake our +parching thirst. Ducks, teal, and pigeons were numerous, and the recent +traces of natives apparent everywhere. It was after sunset when we +returned, tired and weary, to our camp. + +November 15.--In the morning we started as early as possible to get the +stage over before the great heat of the day came on, still accompanied +and guided by the friendly natives, who took us through the best and most +open line of country. At six miles we entered a very dense scrub, leaving +to the north of us, several patches of open plains; to the north-east +were seen the smokes of several fires. The natives had told us that there +was water out in that direction, at a short day's journey; but, as they +did not wish us to go to it, I inferred that they thought there was not +enough to satisfy our party, having now frequently seen how great was the +supply we required at each encampment. I was myself of the opinion that a +hole probably existed to the north-east similar to the one we had found +in the plains behind Point Brown, where the access is difficult, and the +quantity procurable at any one time not very great. The scrub we had +traversed to-day was principally of salt-water tea-tree, growing upon a +succession of steep sandy ridges, which presented a formidable barrier to +the progress of the drays; the distance to be accomplished was not above +fourteen miles; but so difficult was the nature of the country, and so +oppressive the heat, that, notwithstanding our very early start, it was +four o'clock in the afternoon before we arrived at the place of +destination, which was called by the natives, "Mobeela gaippe." +The horses and men were greatly fatigued, but for the latter, +the labours of the day were far from being over, for, upon arriving +at the place where the water was to be procured, I found that +the holes, sunk by the natives, were through ridges of a loose sand to a +depth of fourteen or fifteen feet, at the bottom of which, water was +obtained in very small quantities. There were several of these holes +still open, and the traces of many others in every direction around, +which had either fallen in or been filled up by the drifting of the sand. +These singular wells, although sunk through a loose sand to a depth of +fourteen or fifteen feet, were only about two feet in diameter at the +bore, quite circular, carried straight down, and the work beautifully +executed. To get at the water, the natives placed a long pole against one +side of the well, ascending and descending by it to avoid friction +against the sides, which would have inevitably sent the sand tumbling in +upon them. We, however, who were so much clumsier in all our movements, +could not make use of the same expedient, nor indeed, would the size of +the wells, made by the natives, have enabled us even with their +assistance, to get out a moderate supply for the horses. It became +necessary, therefore, to open a new well, of much larger dimensions, a +task of no easy kind in so loose a sand. + +Having put the overseer and men to their arduous employment, I ascended +the highest of the sand hills, and took a set of angles, among which +Point Fowler bore W. 16 degrees S. and Point Bell, E. 40 degrees S. + +A small lake was visible at W. 40 degrees N. The country still looked +very cheerless in every direction, and no signs of improvement appeared +to relieve the dreary scene around, or to lead me to hope for better +country beyond. + +Upon rejoining the well diggers, I found after great exertions they had +thrown out an immense quantity of sand, and made a large and commodious +well, and were just going to commence watering the horses; at this +juncture and before a single bucket of water could be taken out, the sand +slipped, and the sides of the well tumbled in, nearly burving alive the +man who was at the bottom. The labour of two hours was lost, and tired as +they were, the men had to begin their work afresh. It was eight at night +before the well was cleared out again sufficiently to enable us to water +the horses, for almost as fast as the sand was thrown out other sand fell +in; by nine the whole of them had received two buckets of water each, +when the sides of the well again shot in, and we were obliged to give up +our digging operations altogether, as the men were completely exhausted; +to relieve them Mr. Scott and I watched the horses during the night. + +November 16.--Intending to remain in camp to-day, I set the men to clear +out the well once more. It was a tedious and laborious task, in +consequence of the banks of sand falling in so repeatedly, and +frustrating all their efforts, but at last by sinking a large cask bored +full of auger holes we contrived about one o'clock, to get all the horses +and sheep watered; in the evening, however, the whole again fell in, and +we gave up, in despair, the hopeless attempt to procure any further +supply of water, under such discouraging circumstances. + +For some days past, we had been travelling through a country in which the +Mesembryanthemum grows in the greatest abundance, it was in full fruit, +and constituted a favourite and important article of food among the +native population; all our party partook of it freely, and found it both +a wholesome and an agreeable addition to their fare; when ripe, the fruit +is rich, juicy, and sweet, of about the size of a gooseberry. In hot +weather it is most grateful and refreshing. I had often tasted this fruit +before, but never until now liked it; in fact, I never in any other part +of Australia, saw it growing in such abundance, or in so great +perfection, as along the western coast. During our stay in camp a native +had been sent out to call some of the other natives, and towards evening +a good many came up, and were all regularly introduced to us by +'Wilguldy' and the others, who had been with us so long; I gave them a +feast of rice which they appeared to enjoy greatly. Our more immediate +friends and guides had learnt to drink tea, and eat meat and damper, with +which we supplied them liberally, in return for the valuable services +they rendered us. + +November 17.--Moving on early, we were guided by the natives for about +twelve miles, round the head of Fowler's Bay, crossing through a very +sandy, scrubby, and hilly country, and encamping at a water hole, dug +between the sandy ridges, about two o'clock in the day. I had ridden a +little in advance of the party, and arriving at the water first, +surprised some women and children encamped there, and very busily engaged +in roasting snakes and lizards over a fire. They were much afraid and ran +away on seeing me, leaving their food upon the embers, this our friendly +guides unceremoniously seized upon and devoured, as soon as they came up +with the drays. These few women were the first we had seen for some time, +as the men appeared to keep them studiously out of our way, and it struck +me that this might be in consequence of the conduct of the whalers or +sealers with whom they might have come in contact on the coast. Old +Wilguldy, however, appeared to be less scrupulous on this point, and +frequently made very significant offers on the subject. + +Soon after we had encamped several natives came up and joined those with +us. They were exceedingly polite and orderly--indeed the best conducted, +most obliging natives I ever met with--never troubling or importuning for +any thing, and not crowding around in that unmannerly disagreeable +manner, which savages frequently adopt--nor did I ever find any of them +guilty of theft; on the contrary, several times when we had left some +article behind, they called to us, and pointed it out. To them we were +indebted for the facilities we had enjoyed in obtaining water; for +without their guidance, we could never have removed from any encampment +without previously ascertaining where the next water could be procured; +and to have done this would have caused us great delay, and much +additional toil. By having them with us we were enabled to move with +confidence and celerity; and in following their guidance we knew that we +were taking that line of route which was the shortest, and the best +practicable under the circumstances. Upon arriving at any of the watering +places to which they had conducted us, they always pointed out the water, +and gave it up to us entirely, no longer looking upon it as their own, +and literally not taking a drink from it themselves when thirsty, without +first asking permission from us. Surely this true politeness--this +genuine hospitality of the untutored savage, may well put to the blush, +for their exclusiveness and illiberality, his more civilised brethren. In +how strong a light does such simple kindness of the inhabitant of the +wilds to Europeans travelling through his country (when his fears are not +excited or his prejudices violated,) stand contrasted with the treatment +he experiences from them when they occupy his country, and dispossess him +of his all. + +There were now a considerable number of natives with us, all of whom had +been subjected to the singular ceremony before described. Those we had +recently met with, had, in addition, a curious brand, or mark on the +stomach, extending above and below the navel, and produced by the +application of fire. I had previously noticed a similar mark in use among +one or two tribes high up on the Murray River, (South Australia,) and +which is there called "Renditch." At the latter place, however, the brand +was on the breast, here it was on the stomach. I have never been able to +account in any way for the origin or meaning of this mark; but it is +doubtless used as a feature of distinction, or else why should it only be +found in one or two tribes and so far apart, had it been accidental or +arisen from lying near or upon the fires in cold weather, every +individual of certain tribes would not have been affected, and some +individuals of every tribe would: now, the first, as far as my experience +enabled me to judge, is the case; but the latter most assuredly is not. +Both at the Murray, and near Fowler's Bay, the natives always told me, +that the marks were made by fire, though how, or for what purpose, I +could never learn at either place. + +November 18.--Our horses being all knocked up, and many of them having +their shoulders severely galled by the racking motion of the drays +winding up and down the heavy sandy ridges, or in and out of the dense +scrubs, I determined to remain for some time in depot to recover them, +whilst I reconnoitred the country to the west, as far as the head of the +great Australian Bight. To leave my party in the best position I could, I +sent the overseer round Point Fowler to see if there was any better place +for the horses in that direction, and to communicate with the master of +the WATERWITCH on the subject of landing our stores. Upon the overseer's +return, he reported that there was fresh water under Point Fowler, but +very little grass; that he had not been able to communicate with the +cutter, the wind being unfavourable and violent, and the cutter's boat on +board, but they had noticed him, and shewn their colours; he said, +moreover, that the vessel was lying in a very exposed situation, and did +not appear at all protected by Point Fowler, which, as she was not well +found in ground-tackle, might possibly occasion her being driven ashore, +if a gale came on from the south-east. This news was by no means +satisfactory, and I became anxious to get our things all landed that the +cutter might go to a place of greater safety. + +November 19.--The wind still being unfavourable, the day was spent in +removing the drays, tents, etc. to a more elevated situation. Our camp had +been on the low ground, near the water, in the midst of many scrubby +hills, all of which commanded our position. There were now a great many +well armed natives around us, and though they were very kind and +friendly, I did not like the idea of their occupying the acclivities +immediately above us--at all events, not during my contemplated absence +from the party. I therefore had every thing removed to the hill next +above them, and was a good deal amused at the result of this manoeuvre, +for they seemed equally as uneasy as we had been at the heights above +them being occupied. In a very short time they also broke up camp, and +took possession of the next hill beyond us. This defeated the object I +had in view in our former removal, and I now determined not to be +out-manoeuvred any more, but take up our position on the highest hill we +could find. This was a very scrubby one, but by a vigorous application of +the axes for an hour or two, we completely cleared its summit; and then +taking up the drays, tent, baggage, etc. we occupied the best and most +commanding station in the neighbourhood. The result of this movement was, +that during the day the natives all left, and went in the direction of +where the cutter was. I was not sorry for their departure; for although +they had been very friendly and useful to us, yet now that I contemplated +keeping the party for a long time in camp, and should myself probably be +a considerable time absent, I was more satisfied at the idea of the +natives being away, than otherwise; not that I thought there was the +least danger to be apprehended from them if they were properly treated; +but the time of my men would be much occupied in attending to the horses +and sheep; and they were too few in number, to admit of much of that time +being taken up in watching the camp or the natives who might be near it; +for I always deemed it necessary, as a mere matter of prudence, to keep a +strict look out when any natives were near us, however friendly they +might profess to be. + +Upon walking round the shores of Fowler's Bay, I found them literally +strewed in all directions with the bones and carcases of whales, which +had been taken here by the American ship I saw at Port Lincoln, and had +been washed on shore by the waves. To judge from the great number of +these remains, of which very many were easily recognisable as being those +of distinct animals, the American must have had a most fortunate and +successful season. + +It has often surprised me, that the English having so many colonies and +settlements on the shores of Australia, should never think it worth their +while to send whalers to fish off its coasts, where the whales are in +such great numbers, and where the bays and harbours are so numerous and +convenient, for carrying on this lucrative employment. I believe scarcely +a single vessel fishes any where off these coasts, which are entirely +monopolised by the French and Americans, who come in great numbers; there +cannot, I think, be less than three hundred foreign vessels annually +whaling off the coasts, and in the seas contiguous to our possessions in +the Southern Ocean. I have generally met with a great many French and +American vessels in the few ports or bays that I have occasionally been +at on the southern coast of Australia; and I have no doubt that they all +reap a rich harvest. + +Among the many relics strewed around Fowler's Bay, I found the shell of a +very large turtle laying on the beach; it had been taken by the crew of +the vessel that I met at Port Lincoln, and could not have weighed less +than three to four hundred weight. I was not previously aware that turtle +was ever found so far to the southward, and had never seen the least +trace of them before. + + + + +Chapter XII. + + + +LAND THE STORES AND SEND THE CUTTER TO DENIAL BAY--PARTY REMOVE TO POINT +FOWLER--LEAVE THE PARTY--BEDS OF LAKES--DENSE SCRUB--COAST SAND +DRIFTS--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--DISTRESS OF THE HORSES--TURN +BACK--LEAVE A HORSE--FIND WATER--REJOIN PARTY--SEND FOR THE +HORSE--COUNTRY AROUND DEPOT--TAKE A DRAY TO THE WESTWARD--WRETCHED +COUNTRY--EALL IN WITH NATIVES--MISUNDERSTAND THEIR SIGNS--THEY LEAVE +US--VAIN SEARCH FOR WATER--TURN BACK--HORSE KNOCKED UP--GO BACK FOR +WATER--REJOIN THE DRAY--COMMENCE RETURN--SEARCH FOR WATER--DRAY +SURROUNDED BY NATIVES--EMBARRASSING SITUATION--BURY BAGGAGE--THREE HORSES +ABANDONED--REACH THE SAND DRIFTS--UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO SAVE THE +HORSES--SEND FOR FRESH HORSES--SEARCH FOR WATER TO N. E.--RECOVER THE +DRAY AND STORES--REJOIN THE PARTY AT DEPOT NEAR POINT FOWLER--RETURN OF +THE CUTTER. + + +November 20.--THE wind being favourable for the boats landing to-day, I +sent the overseer with pack-horses to the west side of Fowler's Bay, to +bring up some flour and other stores for the use of the party; at the +same time I wrote to the master of the cutter, to know whether he +considered his anchorage, at Fowler's Bay, perfectly safe. His reply was, +that the anchorage was good and secure if he had been provided with a +proper cable; but that as he was not, he could not depend upon the vessel +being safe; should a heavy swell set in from the southeast. Upon this +report, I decided upon landing all the stores from the cutter; and +sending her to lay at a secure place on the west side of Denial Bay, +until I returned from exploring the country, near the head of the Great +Bight. On the 22nd, I gave orders to this effect, at the same time +directing the captain to return to Fowler's Bay by the 11th December, at +which time I hoped to have accomplished the journey I contemplated. + +On the same day I gave my overseer instructions for his guidance during +my absence; and after sending the drays on to the water behind Point +Fowler, that they might be nearer to the vessel, I set off on horseback +to the westward, accompanied by a native; and taking with us a pack-horse +to carry provisions. Crossing for about six miles through scrub, at a +west by south course, we entered open grassy plains, among which were +many beds of small dried up salt lakes. This description of country +continued for about six miles, when we again entered a very dense scrub, +and continued in it for eight miles, until we struck the coast. Not +finding any indications of water or grass, I pushed up along the beach +for three miles further, and was then obliged to encamp without either, +as it had become too dark to proceed. + +November 23.--Moving along the coast for ten miles, we came to large high +drifts of pure white sand, from which some red-winged cockatoos and +pigeons flew out, and near which were several native encampments. I now +fully hoped to find water; but after a long and anxious examination, was +obliged to give up the search. I knew that our only hope of finding water +lay in these drifts of sand; but as it was frequently very difficult to +find, and never could be procured without digging, (sometimes to a great +depth,) I began to fear that our attempt to reach the head of the Bight +was almost hopeless. We had no means of digging in the sand to any depth; +whilst, from the constant drift, caused by the winds among these bare +hills, it was exceedingly disagreeable to remain even for a short time to +examine them. The wind was blowing strong, and whirlwinds of sand were +circling around us, with a violence which we could scarcely struggle +against, and during which we could hardly venture either to open our +eyes, or to draw our breath. + +Leaving the sand-drifts we travelled behind the coast ridge through a +more open but still sandy country, making a long stage to some more high +bare sand-drifts, amidst which we again made a long but unsuccessful +search for water; at night we encamped near them, and our unfortunate +horses were again obliged to be tied up for the second time without +either grass or water. + +November 24.--Finding that there was little prospect of procuring water +a-head, and that our horses were scarcely able to move at all, I felt it +necessary to retrace our steps as speedily as possible, to try to save +the lives of the animals we had with us. In order that we might effect +this and be encumbered by no unnecessary articles, I concealed, and left +among some bushes, all our baggage, pack-saddles, etc. After passing about +five miles beyond the sand-drifts where I had seen the cockatoos and +pigeons, one of the horses became completely exhausted and could not +proceed any further; I was necessitated therefore to tie him to a bush +and push on with the other two to save them. + +When I left my party on the 22nd, I had directed them to remove to some +water-holes behind Point Fowler, but, as I had not seen this place +myself, I was obliged to steer in the dark in some measure at random, not +knowing exactly where they were. The greatest part of our route being +through a dense brush, we received many scratches and bruises from the +boughs as we led our horses along, to say nothing of the danger we were +constantly in of having our eyes put out by branches we could not see, +and which frequently brought us to a stand still by painful blows across +the face. At last we arrived at the open plains I had crossed on my +outward track, and following them down came to two deep holes in the +limestone rock, similar to the one behind Point Brown. By descending into +these holes we found a little water, and were enabled to give each of the +horses three pints; we then pushed on again, hoping to reach the camp, +but getting entangled among the scrub, were obliged at midnight to halt +until daylight appeared, being almost as much exhausted as the horses, +and quite as much in want of water, for we had not tasted the little that +had been procured from the hole found in the plains. + +November 25.--At the first streak of daylight we moved on, and in one +mile and a half reached the camp near Point Fowler, before any of the +party were up. We had guessed our course well in the dark last night, and +could not have gone more direct had it been daylight. Having called up +the party and made them get a hasty breakfast, I hurried off a dray +loaded with water, and accompanied by the overseer, one man, and the +black boy, to follow up our tracks to where the tired horse had been +tied. During my absence I found that every thing but the cart had been +landed from the cutter, and safely brought up to the camp, and that as +soon as that was on shore she would be ready to go and lie at anchor at +Denial Bay. + +About noon I was greatly surprised and vexed to see my overseer return +driving the loose horses before him. It seemed that whilst feeding around +the camp they had observed the dray and other horses going away and had +followed upon the tracks, so that the overseer had no alternative but to +drive them back to the camp. This was very unfortunate, as it would +occasion great delay in reaching the one we had left tied in the scrub. I +directed the overseer to hurry back as rapidly as possible, and by +travelling all night to endeavour to make up for lost time, for I greatly +feared that if not relieved before another day passed away, it would be +quite impossible to save the animal alive. + +After resting myself a little I walked about to reconnoitre the +neighbourhood of our camp, not having seen it before. The situation was +at the west side of the upper extreme of Point Fowler, immediately behind +the sand-drifts of the coast, which there were high, bare, and of white +sand. The water was on the inland side, immediately under the sand-hills, +and procured in the greatest abundance and of good quality, by sinking +from one to three feet. It was found in a bed of white pipe-clay. To the +north-west of us were some open grassy plains, among which our horses and +sheep obtained their food, whilst here and there were scattered a few +salt swamps or beds of lakes, generally, however, dry. The whole country +was of fossil formation, and the borders of the lakes and swamps +exhibited indurated masses of marine shells, apparently but a very recent +deposit. Further inland the country was crusted on the surface with an +oolitic limestone, and for the most part covered by brush; a few open +plains being interspersed here and there among the scrubs, as is +generally the case in that description of country. + +The natives still appeared to be in our neighbourhood, but none had been +near us since they first left on the 19th. I would now gladly have got +one of them to accompany me to look for water, but none could be found. +On the 26th and 27th I was occupied in getting up the cart, some casks, +etc. from the cutter, and preparing for another attempt to round the head +of the Great Bight. The vessel then sailed for Denial Bay, where she +could lie in greater safety, until I required her again. + +Early on the 27th the man and black boy returned with the dray from the +westward, they had found the horse very weak and much exhausted, but by +care and attention he was got a little round, and the overseer had +remained to bring him slowly on: he had been four entire days and nights +without food or water, and for the first two days and a half of this time +had been severely worked. In the evening the overseer came up, driving +the jaded animal, somewhat recovered indeed--but miserably reduced in +condition. + +The party with the dray had taken spades with them to dig for water at +the sand hills, where I had seen the pigeons and cockatoos on the 23rd, +and at ten feet they had been lucky enough to procure abundance, which +although of a brackish quality was usable; from the great depth, however, +at which it was obtained, and the precarious nature of the soil, it was +very troublesome to get at it. + +November 28.--This morning I sent away a dray with three horses, carrying +seventy gallons of water to assist me in again endeavouring to get round +the Bight. As the road was very scrubby, and much impeded by fallen +timber, I had previously sent on a man to clear it a little; and about +ten o'clock I followed with the native boy. We got tolerably well through +the scrub, and encamped in a plain about sixteen miles from the depot, +where there was good grass. The weather being cool and showery, our +horses would not drink more than a bucket each from the casks. + +November 29.--Having moved on the dray early over rather a heavy road, we +took up our quarters under the white sand-drifts, after a stage of nine +miles. I then left the boy in charge of the camp, and proceeded myself +with the two men, and provided with spades and buckets, to where the +overseer had obtained water by digging; the place was about two miles +from our camp, between the sand-drifts and the sea, and immediately +behind the front ridges of the coast. By enlarging the hole, and sinking +a tub bored full of holes, we managed to water the horses, and get a +supply for ourselves. In the afternoon an attempt was made to dig a well +nearer the camp, but a stratum of rock put an end to our labours. + +November 30.--Sending back one of the men to the depot, I left the native +boy to guide the dray, whilst I diverged towards the coast to look for +water among the sand-drifts, that were seen occasionally in that +direction; in none of them, however, could I obtain a drop. The country +travelled over consisted of very heavy sand ridges, covered for the most +part with low scrub, and as the stage was a long one (twenty-two miles), +I found upon overtaking the dray that the horses were knocked up, and a +party of fourteen natives surrounding it, who were making vehement +gesticulations to the man not to proceed, and he being only accompanied +by a single black boy was greatly alarmed, and did not know what to do; +indeed, had I not arrived opportunely, I have no doubt that he would have +turned the horses round, and driven back again. Upon coming up with the +natives, I saw at once that none of them had been with us before, but at +the same time they appeared friendly and well-behaved, making signs for +us not to proceed, and pointing to some sand-drifts at the coast which we +had passed, implying, as I understood them, that there was water there. +We were now in an opening among the scrub, consisting of small grassy +undulating plains, and at these I determined to halt for the night, +hoping the natives would remain near us, and guide us to water to-morrow. +To induce them to do this, after giving the horses each two buckets of +water, I gave two gallons among them also, besides some bread. They at +once took possession of an elevation a little above our position, and +formed their camp for the night. As we were so few in number compared to +the natives, we were obliged to keep a watch upon them during the whole +night, and they did the same upon us--but at a much less individual +inconvenience from their number; they appeared to take the duty in +turn--two always being upon guard at once. + +December 1.--After giving the natives some water, and taking breakfast +ourselves, we moved on in the direction they wished us to go, followed by +the whole party; at two miles they brought us to the sea over a dreadful +heavy road, but upon then asking them where the water was, they now told +us to our horror, that there was "mukka gaip-pe," or, no water. +The truth was now evident, we had mutually misunderstood one +another; they seeing strangers suddenly appear, had taken it for granted +they came from the sea, and pointed there, whilst we, intent only upon +procuring water, had fancied they had told us we should find it where +they pointed; upon reaching the coast both were disappointed--they at not +seeing a ship, and we at not finding water. + +It was now a difficult matter to decide what to do: our horses were +greatly jaded, owing to the hilly and sandy character of the country; our +water was reduced to a low ebb in the casks, for relying upon the natives +guiding us to more, we had used it improvidently; whilst the very least +distance we could be away from the water, at the sand-drifts, was +twenty-five miles; if we went back we lost all our previous labour, and +could not do so without leaving the dray behind, and if we went forward, +it was very problematical whether water could be procured within any +distance attainable by our tired horses. + +The natives now asserted there was water to the north-west, but that it +was a long way off. As they still seemed willing to accompany us, I +determined to proceed, and pushed on parallel with the coast behind the +front ridges; at nine miles the horses were quite exhausted, and could +get no further, so that I was obliged to halt for the night, where a few +tufts of withered grass were found under the hummocks. + +Our sable friends had gradually dropped off, one or two at a time, until +only three remained. These I endeavoured to make friends with, by giving +them plenty of water and bread, and after taking a hasty meal, I got them +to go with me and the native boy along the coast, to search for water. +After going about a mile, they would proceed no further, making signs +that they should be very thirsty, and enabling me clearly to comprehend, +that there was no water until the head of the Great Bight was rounded. As +I did not know exactly, what the actual distance might be, I still hoped +I should be able to reach it, and leaving the natives to return, I and +the boy pushed on beyond all the sandy hills and cliffs, to the low sandy +tract bordering upon the head of the Bight, from which we were about +twelve miles distant. The day was hazy, or the cliffs of the Great Bight +would have been distinctly visible. + +We lost a good deal of time in tracking the foot-steps of a party of +native women and children, among some bare sand-drifts, hoping the track +would lead to water; but the party seemed to have been rambling about +without any fixed object, and all our efforts to find water were in vain; +the whole surface of the country, (except where it was hidden by the +sand-drifts) was one sheet of limestone crust, and wherever we attempted +to dig among the sand-drifts, the rock invariably stopped us. + +As it was getting on towards evening, I returned to where I had left the +dray, and giving each of the horses one bucket of water and five pints of +oats, was obliged to have them tied for the night, myself and the man +being too much fatigued to watch them. + +December 2.--We had not moved far upon our return, when one of our most +valuable dray-horses became completely overdone with fatigue, and I was +obliged to take it out of the team and put in a riding horse, to try, if +possible, to reach the plains where the grass was. We just got to the +borders of this open patch of country, when the poor animal (a mare) +could not be got a yard farther, and we were compelled to halt and decide +upon what was best to be done. The water in the cask was nearly all +consumed, the mare could not stir, and the other horses were very weak, +so that no time was to be lost; I immediately decided upon leaving the +man to take care of the mare and the dray, whilst I and the native boy +took the other horses back for more water; having measured out to the +man, water amounting to a quart per day, during our contemplated absence, +I gave all that was left, consisting of about half a bucket full, to the +mare, and then accompanied by the boy, pushed steadily back towards the +water at the sand hills, distant about twenty-five miles. At dark we +arrived there, but the sand had fallen in, and we had to labour hard to +clear out the hole again; it was eleven o'clock at night before we could +get the horses watered, and we then had to take them a mile and a half +before we could get any grass for them. Returning from this duty, we had +to collect and carry on our backs for more than a mile, a few bundles of +sticks and bushes, to make a little fire for ourselves, near the water, +the night being intensely cold. It was past two o'clock in the morning +before we could lay down, and then, tired and harassed as we were, it was +too cold and damp for us to rest. + +December 3.--The scorching rays of the morning sun awoke us early, weary +and unrefreshed, we had no trees to shade us, and were obliged to get up. +After looking at the well, and congratulating ourselves upon its not +having fallen in, we set off to look for the horses, they had wandered +away in search of food, causing us a long and tiresome walk over the +sand-hills in the sun, before we could find them; having at last got them +and driven them to where the water was, we were chagrined to find that +during our absence the well had again fallen in, and we had the labour of +clearing it out to go through again. + +The day was excessively oppressive, with a hot parching wind, and both we +and the horses drank incessantly. Towards night we took the horses away +to the grass, and remained near them ourselves for the sake of the +firewood, which was there more abundant. + +We had thunder towards evening, and a few dops of rain fell, but not +sufficient to moderate the temperature, the heat continuing as oppressive +as before. + +December 4.--After watering the horses, we took ten gallons upon a +pack-horse, and proceeded on our return to the man we had left; the state +in which our own horses were, having made it absolutely necessary to give +them the day's rest they had yesterday enjoyed. We arrived about five in +the afternoon, at the little plain where we had left the man; he was +anxiously looking out for us, having just finished his last quart of +water. The poor mare looked very weak and wretched, but after giving her +at intervals, eight gallons of water, she fed a little, and I fully hoped +we should succeed in saving her life. No natives had been seen during our +absence. + +The night set in very dark and lowering, and I expected a heavy fall of +rain; to catch which we spread our oilskins and tarpaulin, and placed out +the buckets and pannekins, or whatever else would hold water: a few +drops, however, only fell, and the storm passed away, leaving us as much +under a feeling of disappointment, as we had been previously of hope: one +little shower would have relieved us at once from all our difficulties. + +December 5.--Upon getting up early, I thought the horses looked so much +refreshed, that we might attempt to take back the dray, and had some of +the strongest of them yoked up. We proceeded well for two miles and a +half to our encampment of the 30th November; and as there was then a well +defined track, I left the man to proceed alone, whilst I myself went once +more to the coast to make a last effort to procure water among some of +the sand-drifts. In this I was unsuccessful. There were not the slightest +indications of water existing any where. In returning to rejoin the dray, +I struck into our outward track, about three miles below, where I had +left it, and was surprised to find that the dray had not yet passed, +though I had been three hours absent. Hastily riding up the track, I +found the man not half a mile from where I had left him, and surrounded +by natives. They had come up shortly after my departure; and the man, +getting alarmed, was not able to manage his team properly, but by +harassing them had quite knocked up all the horses; the sun was getting +hot, and I saw at once it would be useless to try and take the dray any +further. + +Having turned out the horses to rest a little, I went to the natives to +try to find out, if possible, where they procured water, but in vain. +They insisted that there was none near us, and pointed in the direction +of the head of the Bight to the north-west, and of the sand hills to the +south-east, as being the only places where it could be procured; when I +considered, however, that I had seen these same natives on the 30th +November, and that I found them within half a mile of the same place, +five days afterwards, I could not help thinking that there must be water +not very far away. It is true, the natives require but little water +generally, but they cannot do without it altogether. If there was a small +hole any where near us, why they should refuse to point it out, I could +not imagine. I had never before found the least unwillingness on their +part to give us information of this kind; but on the contrary, they were +ever anxious and ready to conduct us to the waters that they were +acquainted with. I could only conclude, therefore, that what they stated +was true--that there was no water near us, and that they had probably +come out upon a hunting excursion, and carried their own supplies with +them in skins, occasionally, perhaps, renewing this from the small +quantities found in the hollows of the gum scrub, and which is deposited +there by the rains, or procuring a drink, as they required it, from the +long lateral roots of the same tree. [Note 26: Vide Chapter XVI., towards +the close.] I have myself seen water obtained in both these ways. The +principal inducement to the natives to frequent the small plains +where we were encamped, appeared to be, to get the fruit of the +Mesembryanthemum, which grew there in immense quantities, and was +now just ripe; whilst the scrub, by which these plains were surrounded, +seemed to be alive with wallabie, adding variety to abundance in the +article of food. + +We were now on the horns of a very serious dilemma: our horses were +completely fagged out, and could take the dray no further. We were +surrounded by natives, and could not leave it, and the things upon it, +whilst they were present (for many of these things we could not afford to +lose); and on the other hand, we were twenty-two miles from any water, +and our horses were suffering so much from the want of it, that unless we +got them there shortly, we could not hope to save the lives of any one of +them. + +Had the natives been away, we could have buried the baggage, and left the +dray; but as it was, we had only to wait patiently, hoping they would +soon depart. Such, however, was not their intention; there they sat +coolly and calmly, facing and watching us, as if determined to sit us +out. It was most provoking to see the careless indifference with which +they did this, sheltering themselves under the shade of a few shrubs, or +lounging about the slopes near us, to gather the berries of the +Mesembryanthemum. I was vexed and irritated beyond measure, as hour after +hour passed away, and our unconscious tormentors still remained. Every +moment, as it flew, lessened the chance of saving the lives of our +horses; and yet I could not bring myself to abandon so many things that +we could not do without, and which we could not in any way replace. What +made the circumstances, too, so much worse, was, that we had last night +given to our horses every drop of water, except the small quantity put +apart for our breakfasts. + +We had now none, and were suffering greatly from the heat, and from +thirst, the day being calm and clear, and intolerably hot. When we had +first unyoked the horses, I made the man and native boy lay down in the +shade, to sleep, whilst I attended to the animals, and kept an eye on the +natives. About noon I called them up again, and we all made our dinner +off a little bread, and some of the fruit that grew around us, the +moisture of which alone enabled us to eat at all, our mouths were so +thoroughly dry and parched. + +A movement was now observed among the natives; and gathering up their +spears, they all went off. Having placed the native boy upon an eminence +to watch them, the man and I at once set to work to carry our baggage to +the top of a sand-hill, that it might be buried at some distance from the +dray. We had hardly commenced our labours, however, before the boy called +out that the natives were returning, and in a little time they all +occupied their former position; either they had only gone as a ruse to +see what we intended to do, or they had been noticing us, and had seen us +removing our baggage, or else they had observed the boy watching them, +and wished to disappoint him. Whatever the inducement was, there they +were again, and we had as little prospect of being able to accomplish our +object as ever. If any thing could have palliated aggressive measures +towards the aborigines, it would surely be such circumstances as we were +now in; our own safety, and the lives of our horses, depended entirely +upon our getting rid of them. Yet with the full power to compel them (for +we were all armed), I could not admit the necessity of the case as any +excuse for our acting offensively towards those who had been friendly to +us, and who knew not the embarrassment and danger which their presence +caused us. + +Strongly as our patience had been exercised in the morning, it was still +more severely tested in the afternoon--for eight long hours had those +natives sat opposite to us watching. From eight in the morning until four +in the afternoon, we had been doomed to disappointment. About this time, +however, a general movement again took place; once more they collected +their spears, shouldered their wallets, and moved off rapidly and +steadily towards the south-east. It was evident they had many miles to go +to their encampment, and I now knew we should be troubled with them no +more. Leaving the boy to keep guard again upon the hill, the man and I +dug a large hole, and buried all our provisions, harness, pack-saddles, +water-casks, etc. leaving the dray alone exposed in the plains. After +smoothing the surface of the ground, we made a large fire over the place +where the things were concealed, and no trace remained of the earth +having been disturbed. + +We had now no time to lose, and moving away slowly, drove the horses +before us towards the water. The delay, however, had been fatal; the +strength of the poor animals was too far exhausted, and before we had +gone seven miles, one of them could not proceed, and we were obliged to +leave him; at three miles further two more were unable to go on, and +they, too, were abandoned, though within twelve miles of the water. We +had still two left, just able to crawl along, and these, by dint of great +perseverance and care, we at last got to the water about four o'clock in +the morning of the 6th. They were completely exhausted, and it was quite +impossible they could go back the same day, to take water to those we had +left behind. The man, myself, and the boy were in but little better +plight; the anxiety we had gone through, the great heat of the weather, +and the harassing task of travelling over the heavy sandy hills, covered +with scrub, in the dark, and driving jaded animals before us, added to +the want of water we were suffering under, had made us exceedingly weak, +and rendered us almost incapable of further exertion. In the evening I +sent the man, who had been resting all day, to try and bring the two +horses nearest to us a few miles on the road, whilst I was to meet him +with water in the morning. Native fires were seen to the north-east of us +at night, but the people did not seem to have been at the water at the +sand-hills for their supply, no traces of their having recently visited +it being found. + +December 7.--After giving the horses water we put ten gallons upon one of +them, and hurried off to the animals we had left. The state of those with +us necessarily made our progress slow, and it was four o'clock before we +arrived at the place where they were, about eleven miles from the water. +The man had gone on to the furthest of the three, and had brought them +all nearly together; upon joining him we received the melancholy +intelligence, that our best draught mare had just breathed her +last--another lay rolling on the ground in agony--and the third appeared +but little better. After moistening their mouths with water, we made +gruel for them with flour and water, and gave it to them warm: this they +drank readily, and appeared much revived by it, so that I fully hoped we +should save both of them. After a little time we gave each about four +gallons of water, and fed them with all the bread we had. We then let +them rest and crop the withered grass until nine o'clock, hoping, that in +the cool of the evening, we should succeed in getting them to the water, +now so few miles away. At first moving on, both horses travelled very +well for two miles, but at the end of the third, one of them was unable +to go any further, and I left the man to remain, and bring him on again +when rested; the other I took on myself to within six miles of the water, +when he, too, became worn out, and I had to leave him, and go for a fresh +supply of water. + +About four in the morning of the 8th, I arrived with the boy at the +water, just as day was breaking, and quite exhausted. We managed to water +the two horses with us, but were too tired either to make a fire or get +anything to eat ourselves; and lay down for an hour or two on the sand. +At six we got up, watered the horses again, and had breakfast; after +which, I filled the kegs and proceeded once more with ten gallons of +water to the unfortunate animals we had left behind. The black boy was +too tired to accompany me, and I left him to enjoy his rest, after giving +him my rifle for his protection, in the event of natives coming during my +absence. + +Upon arriving at the place where I had left the horse, I found him in a +sad condition, but still alive. The other, left further away, in charge +of the man, had also been brought up to the same place, but died just as +I got up to him; there was but one left now out of the three, and to save +him, all our care and attention were directed. By making gruel, and +giving it to him constantly, we got him round a little, and moved him on +to a grassy plain, about a mile further; here we gave him a hearty drink +of water, and left him to feed and rest for several hours. Towards +evening we again moved on slowly, and as he appeared to travel well, I +left the man to bring him on quietly for the last five miles, whilst I +took back to the water the two noble animals that had gone through so +much and such severe toil in the attempt made to save the others. In the +evening I reached the camp near the water, and found the native boy quite +safe and recruited. For the first time for many nights, I had the +prospect of an undisturbed rest; but about the middle of the night I was +awoke by the return of the man with the woful news, that the last of the +three horses was also dead, after travelling to within four miles of the +water. All our efforts, all our exertions had been in vain; the dreadful +nature of the country, and our unlucky meeting with the natives, had +defeated the incessant toil and anxiety of seven days' unremitting +endeavours to save them; and the expedition had sustained a loss of three +of its best horses, an injury as severe as it was irreparable. + +December 9.--At day-break, this morning, I sent off the man to the depot +at Fowler's Bay, with orders to the overseer to send five fresh horses, +two men, and a supply of provisions; requesting Mr. Scott to accompany +them, for the purpose of taking back the two tired horses we still had +with us at the sand-hills. Upon the man's departure, we took the two +horses to water, and brought up ten gallons to the camp, where the grass +was; after which, whilst the horses were feeding and resting, we tried to +pass away the day in the same manner; the heat, however, was too great, +and the troubles and anxieties of the last few days had created such an +irritation of mind that I could not rest: my slumbers were broken and +unrefreshing; but the boy managed better, he had no unpleasant +anticipations for the future, and already had forgotten the annoyance of +the past. + +December 10.--After an early breakfast, we took the horses to water and +cleared the hole out thoroughly, as I expected five more horses in the +evening. Upon returning to the plain, fires of the natives were again +seen to the north-east; but they did not approach us. Our provisions were +now quite exhausted, and having already lived for many days upon a very +low diet, we looked out anxiously for the expected relay. About four +o'clock, Mr. Scott, two men, and five horses arrived, bringing us +supplies; so that no time had been lost after the arrival of my +messenger. The hole having been previously enlarged and cleared out, no +difficulty was experienced in watering the horses, and about sunset all +encamped together under the sand-hills at the grassy plain. + +December 11.--Leaving directions with Mr. Scott to take back to the +depot, to-morrow, the two horses we had been working so severely, and +which were now recruiting a little; and giving orders to the two men to +follow the dray track to the north-west tomorrow, with the three fresh +horses, I once more set off with the native boy to revisit the scene of +our late disasters; and recover the dray and other things we had +abandoned. We passed by the three dead horses on our route, now lying +stiff and cold; in our situation a melancholy spectacle, and which +awakened gloomy and cheerless anticipations for the future, by reminding +us of the crippled state of our resources, and of the dreadful character +of the inhospitable region we had to penetrate. At dark we came to the +little plain where the dray was, and found both it and our baggage +undisturbed; nor was it apparent that any natives had visited the place +since we left it. During the evening a few slight showers fell, which, +with a heavy dew, moistened the withered grass, and enabled our horses to +feed tolerably well. + +December 12.--I had proceeded a day in advance of the men and horses +coming to recover the dray, in order that I might satisfy myself whether +there was water or not near the plains to the east or north-east, as +there were some grounds for supposing that such might be the case, from +the fact of so many natives having been twice seen there, and the +probability that they had remained for five days in the neighbourhood. +To-day I devoted to a thorough examination of the country around; and, +accompanied by the boy, proceeded early away to the north-east, returning +southerly, and then crossing back westerly to the camp. We travelled over +a great extent of ground, consisting principally of very dense scrub, +with here and there occasional grassy openings; but no where could we +observe the slightest indications of the existence of water, although the +traces of natives were numerous and recent; and we tracked them for +several miles, often seeing places where they had broken down the shrubs +to get a grub, which is generally found there, out of the root; and +observing the fragments of the long lateral roots of the gum-scrub, which +they had dug up to get water from. And this, I am inclined to think, is +what they depend upon principally in these arid regions for the little +water they require. The general direction taken by these wanderers of the +desert, was to the north-east. About four o'clock the men with the +dray-horses arrived, bringing ten gallons of water, which we divided +among the horses, and then took it in turn to watch them during the +night. + +December 13.--Having buried a few things that I might require when I +should come out here again, (for I determined not to give up the attempt +to round the Great Bight,) I had all the rest of our luggage taken up, +and the horses being harnessed, we returned with the dray to the water at +the sand-hills, arriving there early in the afternoon. We had yoked up +three strong fresh horses, that had done no work for some time +previously; and yet, such was the nature of the country, that with an +almost empty dray, they had hardly been able to reach the water, at the +furthest only twenty-two miles distant, and in accomplishing this, they +had been upwards of ten hours in the collar. How then could we expect to +get through such a region with drays heavily loaded, as ours must be, +when we moved on finally. + +On the 14th we remained in camp to refresh the horses, and early on the +following day proceeded through the scrub, on our return to the depot; +first burying our pack-saddle, and a few other things, in the plain near +the sand-hills. Notwithstanding the care we had taken of the horses, and +the little work we had given them, they got fagged in going through the +scrub, and I was obliged to halt the dray at the rocky well in the +plains, five miles short of the depot. I myself went on with the boy to +the camp at Point Fowler, where I found the party feasting upon emus, +four of which they had shot during my absence. + +December 16.--About ten to-day the dray and men arrived safely at the +depot, being the last detachment of the party engaged in this most +unfortunate expedition, which had occupied so much time and caused such +severe and fatal loss, independently of its not accomplishing the object +for which it was undertaken. In the evening I sent Mr. Scott to see if +the cutter had returned, and upon his coming back he reported that she +had just arrived, but that he had not been able to communicate with her. + + + + +Chapter XIII. + + + +FUTURE PLANS--REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--SEND THE CUTTER TO +ADELAIDE--REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR--MONOTONOUS LIFE AT CAMP--REMOVE TO +ANOTHER LOCALITY--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FLINT FOUND--AGAIN +ATTEMPT TO REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT--REACH THE SAND HILLS, AND BURY +FLOUR--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXHAUSTED STATE OF THE HORSES--GET THE DRAY TO +THE PLAIN--BURY WATER--SEND BACK DRAY--PROCEED WITH +PACK-HORSE--OPPRESSIVE HEAT--SEND BACK PACK-HORSE--REACH THE HEAD OF THE +BIGHT--SURPRISE SOME NATIVES--THEIR KIND BEHAVIOUR--YEER-KUMBAN +KAUEE--THEIR ACCOUNT OF THE INTERIOR. + + +December 17.--HAVING now maturely considered the serious position I was +in, the difficult nature of the country, the reduced condition and +diminished number of my horses, and the very unfavourable season of the +year, I decided upon taking advantage of a considerate clause in the +Governor's letter, authorizing me "to send back the WATERWITCH to +Adelaide for assistance, if required." + +From the experience I had already had, and from the knowledge I had thus +acquired of the character of the country to the westward and to the +north, it was evident that I could never hope to take my whole party, +small as it was, with me in either direction. I had already lost three +horses in an attempt to get round the head of the Bight, and I had also +found that my three best horses now remaining, when strong and fresh +after a long period of rest at the depot, had with difficulty been able +to move along with an empty dray in the heavy sandy country to the +north-west; how could I expect, then, to take drays when loaded with +provisions and other stores? Hitherto we had enjoyed the assistance of +the cutter in passing up the coast--by putting all our heavy baggage on +board of her, the drays were comparatively empty, and we had got on +tolerably well. We could no longer, however, avail ourselves of this +valuable aid, for we were now past all harbours. Fowler's Bay being the +last place of refuge where a vessel could take shelter for many hundred +miles, whilst the fearful nature of the coast and the strong current +setting into the Bight, made it very dangerous for a vessel to approach +the land at all. Upon leaving Fowler's Bay, therefore, it was evident +that we must be dependent entirely upon our own resources; and it became +necessary for me to weigh well and maturely how I might best arrange my +plans so as to meet the necessity of the case. It appeared to me that if +I sent two of my men back to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, a single dray +would carry every necessary for the reduced party remaining, and that by +obtaining a supply of oats and bran for the horses, and giving them a +long rest, they might so far recover strength and spirits as to afford me +reasonable grounds of hope that we might succeed in forcing a passage +through the country to the westward, bad as it evidently was. Acting upon +the opinion I had arrived at, I sent for the master of the cutter and +requested him to get ready at once for sea, and then communicated my +decision to the two men who were to leave us, Corporal Coles, R.S. and M. +and John Houston, requesting them to get ready to embark to-morrow. They +did not appear to experience much surprise, and were I think on the whole +rather pleased than otherwise at the prospect of a return to Adelaide. +Both these men had conducted themselves remarkably well during the whole +time they were in the party, and one of them, John Houston, had been with +me in my late disastrous expedition, during which his obedience and good +conduct had been beyond all praise. We had, however, now been absent for +six months, had traversed a great extent of country, and undergone many +hardships; the country we had met with had unfortunately always been of +the most barren and disheartening character, and that which was yet +before us appeared to be if possible still worse, so that I could not +wonder that my men should appear gratified in the prospect of a +termination to their labours. With so little to cheer and encourage, they +might well perhaps doubt of our final success. + +December 18.--Having once decided upon my plans, I lost no time in +putting them in execution. A dray, three sets of horses' harness, and +some other things were sent on board the WATERWITCH, together with half a +sheep and sixty pounds of biscuit for the crew, who were now running +short of provisions. Several casks were brought on shore for us to bury +stores in, and the boat I had purchased at Port Lincoln was left, at Mr. +Scott's request, for him to fish in during the absence of the cutter. +After I had settled with the two men for their services, both of whom had +large sums to receive, they took leave of us, and went on board. + +My own time had been fully occupied for the last two days, in writing +letters and preparing despatches; by great exertions I got all ready this +evening, and upon Mr. Germain's coming up at night, I delivered them to +him, and directed him to sail as soon as possible. The following copy of +my despatch to his Excellency the Governor, will convey a brief summary +of the result of the expedition; from the time of our leaving Port +Lincoln up to the sailing of the WATERWITCH from Fowler's Bay, and of the +future plans I intended to adopt, to carry out the object of the +undertaking. + + +"POINT FOWLER, 17TH DECEMBER, 1840. + +"SIR,--By the return of the WATERWITCH, I have the honour to furnish you, +for the information of His Excellency the Governor, with a brief account +of our proceedings up to the present date. + +"Upon the return of Mr. Scott from Adelaide to Port Lincoln, I left the +latter place on the 24th October, following my former line of route along +the coast to Streaky Bay, and rejoining my party there on the 3rd +November. + +"The WATERWITCH had already arrived with the stores sent for the use of +the expedition, and I have since detained her to co-operate with my +party, in accordance with the kind permission of his Excellency the +Governor. + +"From previous experience, I was aware, that after leaving Streaky Bay, +we should have obstacles of no ordinary kind to contend with; and as I +advanced, I found the difficulties of the undertaking even greater than I +had anticipated; the heavy sandy nature of the country, its arid +character, the scarcity of grass, and the very dense brushes through +which we had frequently to clear a road with our axes, formed impediments +of no trifling description, and such as, when combined with the very +unfavourable season of the year, we could hardly have overcome without +the assistance of the WATERWITCH. By putting on board the cutter the +greater part of our dead weight, we relieved our jaded horses from loads +they could no longer draw; and by obtaining from her occasional supplies +of water at such points of the coast as we could procure none on shore, +we were enabled to reach Fowler's Bay on the 22nd November. + +"From this point I could no longer avail myself of the valuable services +of the cutter, the wild unprotected character of the coast extending +around the Great Australian Bight, rendering it too dangerous for a +vessel to attempt to approach so fearful a shore, and where there is no +harbour or shelter of any kind to make for in case of need. + +"Under these circumstances, I left my party in camp behind Point Fowler, +whilst I proceeded myself, accompanied by a native boy, to examine the +country a-head, and I now only detained the WATERWITCH, in the hopes that +by penetrating on horseback beyond the head of the Great Bight, I might +be able to give his Excellency some idea of our future prospects. + +"For the last twenty-four days I have been engaged in attempting to round +the head of the Bight; but so difficult is the country, that I have not +as yet been able to accomplish it. In my first essay I was driven back by +the want of water and obliged to abandon one of my horses. This animal I +subsequently recovered. + +"In my second attempt, I went, accompanied by one of my native boys, and +a man driving a dray loaded solely with water and our provisions; but +such was the dreadful nature of the country, that after penetrating to +within twelve miles of the head of the Bight, I was again obliged to +abandon three of our horses, a dray, and our provisions. The poor horses +were so exhausted by previous fatigue and privation, that they could not +return, and I was most reluctantly obliged to leave them to obtain relief +for ourselves, and the two remaining horses we had with us. After +reaching the nearest water, we made every effort to save the unfortunate +animals we had left behind; and for seven days, myself, the man, and a +boy, were incessantly and laboriously engaged almost day and night in +carrying water backwards and forwards to them--feeding them with bread, +gruel, etc. I regret to say that all our efforts were in vain, and that +the expedition has sustained a fatal and irreparable injury in the loss +of three of its best draught horses. The dray and the provisions I +subsequently recovered, and on the evening of the 15th December, I +rejoined my party behind Point Fowler, to prepare despatches for the +WATERWITCH, since the weak and unserviceable condition of nearly the +whole of our remaining horses rendered any further attempt to penetrate +so inhospitable a region quite impracticable for the present. In +traversing the country along the coast from Streaky Bay to the limits of +our present exploration, within twelve miles of the head of the Great +Bight, we have found the country of a very uniform description--low flat +lands, or a succession of sandy ridges, densely covered with a brush of +EUCALYPTUS DUMOSA, salt water tea-tree, and other shrubs--whilst here and +there appear a few isolated patches of open grassy plains, scattered at +intervals among the scrub. The surface rock is invariably an oolitic +limestone, mixed with an imperfect freestone, and in some places exhibits +fossil banks, which bear evident marks of being of a very recent +formation. + +"The whole of this extent of country is totally destitute of surface +water--we have never met with a watercourse, or pool of any description, +and all the water we have obtained since we left Streaky Bay has been by +digging, generally in the large drifts of pure white sand close to the +coast. This is a work frequently of much time and labour, as from the +depth we have had to sink, and the looseness of the sand, the hole has +often filled nearly as fast as we could clear it out; the water too thus +obtained has almost always been brackish, occasionally salt. Latterly +even this resource has failed us; after digging a few feet we have been +impeded by rock, which gradually approaching nearer the surface towards +the head of the Great Bight, at last occupies its whole extent, unless +where partially concealed by sand-drifts, or low sandy ridges covered +with brush. We have seen no trees or timber of any kind of larger growth +than the scrub, nor have we met with the Casuarinae since we left Streaky +Bay. + +"The natives along this coast are not very numerous; those we have met +with have been timid, but friendly, and in some instances have rendered +us important assistance in guiding us through the brush, and shewing us +where to dig for water--their language appears to be a good deal similar +to that at King George's Sound. When questioned about the interior +towards the north, they invariably assert that there is no fresh water +inland; nor could we discover that they are acquainted with the existence +of a large body of water of any kind in that direction. + +"Hitherto the reduced condition of my horses, the nature of the country, +and the season of the year, have effectually prevented my examining the +interior beyond a very few miles from the coast. When we have once +rounded the Bight (and I confidently hope to accomplish this), the +country may perhaps alter its character so far as to enable me to +prosecute the main object of the expedition, that of examining the +Northern Interior. Should such unfortunately not be the case, I shall +endeavour to examine the line of coast as far as practicable towards King +George's Sound, occasionally radiating inland whenever circumstances may +admit of it. + +"The very severe loss the expedition has sustained in the death of four +of its best horses since leaving Adelaide in June last, added to the +unfavourable season of the year, and the embarrassing nature of the +country, have rendered it impossible for me to carry provisions for the +whole party for a length of time sufficient to enable me to prosecute the +undertaking I am engaged in with any prospect of success; whilst the wild +and fearful nature of this breaker-beaten coast wholly precludes me from +making use of the assistance and co-operation of the WATERWITCH. I have +consequently been under the necessity of reducing the strength of my +already small party, and have sent two men back in the cutter; retaining +only my overseer and one man, exclusive of Mr. Scott and two native boys. +Upon leaving the depot at Fowler's Bay, it is my intention to proceed +with only a single dray to carry our provisions, instead of (as formerly) +with two drays and a cart. + +"From the reduced state of our horses, it will be absolutely necessary +for us to remain in depot five or six weeks to rest them. Such, however, +is the dry and withered state of the little grass we have, and so +destitute is it of all nutritive qualities, that I much fear that even at +the expiration of this long respite from their labours, our horses will +not have improved much in strength or condition. I have therefore +unhesitatingly taken advantage of the very kind permission of his +Excellency the Governor, to request that a supply of oats and bran may be +sent to us, should his Excellency not require the services of the +WATERWITCH for more important employment. For ourselves we require no +additional provisions, the most liberal and abundant supply we formerly +received being fully sufficient to last us for six months longer. + +"I have much pleasure in recording the continued steadiness and good +conduct of my men, and I regret extremely the necessity which has +compelled me to dispense with the services of two of them before the +termination of the expedition, and after they have taken so considerable +a share in its labours. + +"I have the honor to be, Sir, +"Your very obedient servant, +"EDW. JOHN EYRE. + +"TO GEO. HALL, ESQ., PRIVATE SECRETARY, ETC." + + +After the departure of the cutter, our mode of life was for some time +very monotonous, and our camp bore a gloomy and melancholy aspect; the +loss of two men from our little band, made a sad alteration in its former +cheerful character. Mr. Scott usually employed himself in shooting or +fishing; one of the native boys was always out shepherding the sheep, and +the only remaining man I had was occupied in attending to the horses, so +that there were generally left only myself, the overseer, and one native +boy at the camp, which was desolate and gloomy, as a deserted village. +The overseer was pretty well employed, in making boots for the party, in +shoeing the horses, repairing the harness, and in doing other little odd +jobs of a similar kind; the black boys took their turns in shepherding +the sheep; but I was without active employment, and felt more strongly +than any of them that relaxation of body and depression of spirits, which +inactivity ever produces. + +For a time indeed, the writing up of my journals, the filling up my +charts, and superintending the arranging, packing, and burying of our +surplus stores, amused and occupied me, but as these were soon over, I +began to repine and fret at the life of indolence and inactivity. I was +doomed to suffer. Frequently required at the camp, to give directions +about, or to assist in the daily routine of duty, I did not like to +absent myself long away at once; there were no objects of interest near +me, within the limits of a day's excursion on foot, and the weak state of +the horses, prevented me from making any examinations of the country at a +greater distance on horseback; I felt like a prisoner condemned to drag +out a dull and useless existence through a given number of days or weeks, +and like him too, I sighed for freedom, and looked forward with +impatience, to the time when I might again enter upon more active and +congenial pursuits. Fatigue, privation, disappointment, disasters, and +all the various vicissitudes, incidental to a life of active exploration +had occasionally, it is true, been the source of great anxiety or +annoyance, but all were preferable to that oppressive feeling of listless +apathy, of discontent and dissatisfaction, which resulted from the life I +was now obliged to lead. + +Christmas day came, and made a slight though temporary break in the daily +monotony of our life. The kindness of our friends had supplied us with +many luxuries; and we were enabled even in the wilds, to participate in +the fare of the season: whilst the season itself, and the circumstances +under which it was ushered in to us, called forth feelings and +associations connected with other scenes and with friends, who were far +away; awakening, for a time at least, a train of happier thoughts and +kindlier feelings than we had for a long time experienced. + +On the 26th, I found that our horses and sheep were falling off so much +in condition, from the scarcity of grass, and its dry and sapless +quality, that it became absolutely necessary for us to remove elsewhere; +I had already had all our surplus stores and baggage headed up in casks, +or packed in cases, and carefully buried (previously covered over with a +tarpaulin and with bushes to keep them from damp), near the sand-hills, +and to-day I moved on the party for five miles to the well in the plains; +the grass here was very abundant, but still dry, and without much +nourishment; the water was plentiful, but brackish and awkward to get at, +being through a hole in a solid sheet of limestone, similar to that +behind Point Brown. Upon cleaning it out and deepening it a little, it +tasted even worse than before, but still we were thankful for it. + +The geological character of the country was exactly similar to that we +had been in so long, entirely of fossil formation, with a calcareous +oolitic limestone forming the upper crusts, and though this was +occasionally concealed by sand on the surface, we always were stopped by +it in digging; it was seemingly a very recent deposit, full of marine +shells, in every stage of petrifaction. Granite we had not seen for some +time, though I have no doubt that it occasionally protrudes; a small +piece, found near an encampment of the natives, and evidently brought +there by them, clearly proved the existence of this rock at no very great +distance, probably small elevations of granite may occasionally be found +among the scrubs, similar to those we had so frequently met with in the +same character of country. Another substance found at one of the native +encampments, and more interesting to us, not having been before met with, +was a piece of pure flint, of exactly the same character as the best gun +flint. This probably had been brought from the neighbourhood of the Great +Bight, in the cliffs of which Captain Flinders imagined he saw chalk, and +where I hoped that some change in the geological formation of the country +would lead to an improvement in its general appearance and character. + +The weather had been (with the exception of one or two hot days) +unusually cold and favourable for the time of year. Our horses had +enjoyed a long rest, and though the dry state of the grass had prevented +them from recovering their condition, I hoped they were stronger and in +better spirits, and determined to make one more effort to get round the +head of the Bight;--if unsuccessful this time, I knew it would be final, +as I should no longer have the means of making any future trial, for I +fully made up my mind to take all our best and strongest animals, and +either succeed in the attempt or lose all. + +On the 29th, I commenced making preparations, and on the following day +left the camp, the sheep, and four horses in charge of Mr. Scott and the +youngest of the native boys, whilst I proceeded myself, accompanied by +the overseer and eldest native boy on horseback, and a man driving a dray +with three horses, to cross once more through the scrub to the westward. +We took with us three bags of flour, a number of empty casks and kegs, +and two pack-saddles, besides spades and buckets, and such other minor +articles as were likely to be required. It was late in the day when we +arrived at the plains under the sand hills; and though we had brought our +six best and strongest horses, they were greatly fagged with their day's +work. We had still to take them some distance to the water, and back +again to the grass. At the water we found traces of a great many natives +who appeared to have left only in the morning, and who could not be very +far away; none were however seen. + +December 31.--We remained in camp to rest the horses, and took the +opportunity of carrying up all the water we could, every time the animals +went backwards and forwards, to a large cask which had been fixed on the +dray. The taste of the water was much worse than when we had been here +before, being both salter and more bitter; this, probably, might arise +from the well having been dug too deep, or from the tide having been +higher than usual, though I did not notice that such had been the case. +In the afternoon we buried the three bags of flour we had brought headed +up in a cask. + +January 1, 1841.--This morning I went down with the men to assist in +watering the horses, and upon returning to the camp, found my black boy +familiarly seated among a party of natives who had come up during our +absence. Two of them were natives I had seen to the north-west, and had +been among the party whose presence at the plains, on the 5th of +December, when I was surrounded by so many difficulties, had proved so +annoying to us at the time, and so fatal in its consequences to our +horses. They recognised me at once, and apparently described to the other +natives, the circumstances under which they had met me, lamenting most +pathetically the death of the horses; the dead bodies of which they had +probably seen in their route to the water. Upon examining their weapons +they shewed us several that were headed with flint, telling us that they +procured it to the north-west, thus confirming my previous conjectures as +to the existence of flint in that direction. To our inquiries about +water, they still persisted that there was none inland, and that it took +them five days, from where we were, to travel to that at the head of the +Bight. No other, they said, existed in any direction near us, except a +small hole to the north-west, among some sand hills, about two miles off; +these they pointed out, and offered to go with me and shew me the place +where the water was. I accepted the offer, and proceeded to the +sand-drifts, accompanied by one of them. On our arrival he shewed me the +remains of a large deep hole that had been dug in one of the sandy flats; +but in which the water was now inaccessible, from the great quantity of +sand that had drifted in and choked it up. By forcing a spear down to a +considerable depth, the native brought it out moist, and shewed it me to +prove that he had not been deceiving me. I now returned to the camp, more +than ever disposed to credit what I had been told relative to the +interior. I had never found the natives attempt to hide from us any +waters that they knew of, on the contrary, they had always been eager and +ready to point them out, frequently accompanying us for miles, through +the heat and amongst scrub, to shew us where they were. I had, therefore, +no reason to doubt the accuracy of their statements when they informed me +that there was none inland! Many different natives, and at considerable +intervals of country apart, had all united in the same statement, and as +far as I had yet been able to examine so arid a country personally, my +own observations tended to confirm the truth of what they had told me. + +In the evening several of the natives went down with the men to water the +horses, and when there drank a quantity of water that was absolutely +incredible, each man taking from three to four quarts, and this in +addition to what they got at the camp during the earlier part of the day. +Strange that a people who appear to do with so little water, when +traversing the deserts, should use it in such excess when the opportunity +of indulgence occurs to them, yet such have I frequently observed to be +the case, and especially on those occasions where they have least food. +It would seem that, accustomed generally to have the stomach distended +after meals, they endeavour to produce this effect with water, when +deprived of the opportunity of doing so with more solid substances. At +night the natives all encamped with us in the plain. + +January 2.--Having watered the horses early, we left the encampment, +accompanied by some of the natives, to push once more to the north-west. +On the dray we had eighty-five gallons of water; but as we had left all +our flour, and some other articles, I hoped we should get on well. The +heavy nature of the road, however, again told severely upon the horses: +twice we had to unload the dray, and at last, after travelling only +fourteen miles, the horses could go no further; I was obliged, therefore, +to come to a halt, and decide what was best to be done. There appeared to +be a disastrous fatality attending all our movements in this wretched +region, which was quite inexplicable. Every time that we had attempted to +force a passage through it, we had been baffled and driven back. Twice I +had been obliged to abandon our horses before; and on the last of these +occasions had incurred a loss of the three best of them; now, after +giving them a long period of rest, and respite from labour, and after +taking every precaution which prudence or experience could suggest, I had +the mortification of finding that we were in the same predicament we had +been in before, and with as little prospect of accomplishing our object. +Having but little time for deliberation, I at once ordered the overseer +and man to take the horses back to the water, and give them two days rest +there, and then to rejoin us again on the third, whilst I and the native +boy would remain with the dray, until their return. The natives also +remained with us for the first night; but finding we still continued in +camp, they left on the following morning, which I was sorry for, as I +hoped one would have been induced to go with us to the Great Bight. + +On the fifth of January, the overseer and man returned with the horses; +but so little had they benefited by their two days rest, that upon being +yoked up, and put to the dray, they would not move it. We were obliged, +therefore, to unload once more, and lighten the load by burying a cask of +water, and giving another to the horses. After this, we succeeded in +getting them along, with the remainder, to the undulating plains; and +here we halted for the night, after a stage of only seven miles, but one, +which, short as it was, had nearly worn out the draught horses. Here we +dug a large hole, and buried twenty-two gallons of water, for my own +horse, and that of the black boy, on our return; and as I determined to +take a man with me, with a pack-horse, nine gallons more were buried +apart from the other, for them, so that when the man got his cask of +water, he might not disturb ours, or leave traces by which the natives +could discover it. + +January 6.--Sending back the dray with the overseer, at the first dawn of +day, I and the native boy proceeded to the north-west, accompanied by the +man leading a pack-horse with twelve gallons of water. The day turned out +hot, and the road was over a very heavy sandy country; but by eleven +o'clock we had accomplished a distance of seventeen miles, and had +reached the furthest point from which I turned back on the 1st December. +I walked alternately with the boy, so as not to oppress the riding +horses, but the man walked all the way. + +The weather was most intensely hot, a strong wind blowing from the +north-east, throwing upon us an oppressive and scorching current of +heated air, like the hot blast of a furnace. There was no +misunderstanding the nature of the country from which such a wind came; +often as I had been annoyed by the heat, I had never experienced any +thing like it before. Had anything been wanting to confirm my previous +opinion of the arid and desert character of the great mass of the +interior of Australia, this wind would have been quite sufficient for +that purpose. From those who differ from me in opinion (and some there +are who do so whose intelligence and judgment entitle their opinion to +great respect), I would ask, could such a wind be be wafted over an +inland sea? or could it have passed over the supposed high, and perhaps +snowcapped mountains of the interior. + +We were all now suffering greatly from the heat; the man who was with me +was quite exhausted: under the annoyances of the moment, his spirits +failed him, and giving way to his feelings of fatigue and thirst, he lay +rolling on the ground, and groaning in despair; all my efforts to rouse +him were for a long time in vain, and I could not even induce him to get +up to boil a little tea for himself. We had halted about eleven in the +midst of a low sandy flat, not far from the sea, thinking, that by a +careful examination, we might find a place where water could be procured +by digging. There were, however, no trees or bushes near us; and the heat +of the sun, and the glare of the sand, were so intolerable, that I was +obliged to get up the horses, and compel the man to go on a little +further to seek for shelter. + +Proceeding one mile towards the sea, we came to a projecting rock upon +its shores; and as there was no hope of a better place being found, I +tied up my horses near it; the rock was not large enough to protect them +entirely from the sun, but by standing close under it, their heads and +necks were tolerably shaded. For ourselves, a recess of the rock afforded +a delightful retreat, whilst the immediate vicinity of the sea enabled us +every now and then to take a run, and plunge amidst its breakers, and +again return to the shelter of the cavern. For two or three hours we +remained in, under the protection of the rock, without clothes, and +occasionally bathing to cool ourselves. The native boy and I derived +great advantage from thus dipping in the sea, but it was a long time +before I could induce the man to follow our example, either by persuasion +or threats; his courage had failed him, and he lay moaning like a child. +At last I succeeded in getting him to strip and bathe, and he at once +found the benefit of it, becoming in a short time comparatively cool and +comfortable. We then each had a little more tea, and afterwards attempted +to dig for water among the sand-hills. The sand, however, was so loose, +that it ran in faster than we could throw it out, and we were obliged to +give up the attempt. + +As the afternoon was far advanced, we saddled the horses, and pushed on +again for five miles, hoping, but in vain, to find a little grass. At +night we halted among the sandy ridges behind the seashore, and after +giving the horses four quarts of oats and a bucket of water a-piece, we +were obliged to tie them up, there not being a blade of grass anywhere +about. The wind at night changed to the south-west, and was very cold, +chilling us almost as much as the previous heat had oppressed us. These +sudden and excessive changes in temperature induce great susceptibility +in the system, and expose the traveller to frequent heats and chills that +cannot be otherwise than injurious to the constitution. + +January 7.--Having concealed some water, provisions, and the pack-saddle +at the camp, I sent the man back with the pack-horse to encamp at the +undulating plains, where nine gallons of water had been left for him and +his horse, and the following day he was to rejoin the overseer at the +sand hills. + +To the latter I sent a note, requesting him to send two fresh horses to +meet me at the plains on the 15th of January, for, from the weak +condition of the animals we had with us, and from the almost total +absence of grass for them, I could not but dread lest we might be obliged +to abandon them too, and in this case, if we did not succeed in finding +water, we should perhaps have great difficulty in returning ourselves. + +As soon as the man was gone, we once more moved on to the north-west, +through the same barren region of heavy sandy ridges, entirely destitute +of grass or timber. After travelling through this for ten miles, we came +upon a native pathway, and following it under the hummocks of the coast +for eight miles, lost it at some bare sand-drifts, close to the head of +the Great Bight, where we had at last arrived, after our many former +ineffectual attempts. + +Following the general direction the native pathway had taken, we ascended +the sand-drifts, and finding the recent tracks of natives, we followed +them from one sand-hill to another, until we suddenly came upon four +persons encamped by a hole dug for water in the sand. We had so +completely taken them by surprise, that they were a good deal alarmed, +and seizing their spears, assumed an offensive attitude. Finding that we +did not wish to injure them, they became friendly in their manner, and +offered us some fruit, of which they had a few quarts on a piece of bark. +This fruit grows upon a low brambly-looking bush, upon the sand-hills or +in the flats, where the soil is of a saline nature. It is found also in +the plains bordering upon the lower parts of the Murrumbidgee, but in +much greater abundance along the whole line of coast to the westward. The +berry is oblong, about the shape and size of an English sloe, is very +pulpy and juicy, and has a small pyramidal stone in the centre, which is +very hard and somewhat indented. When ripe it is a dark purple, a clear +red, or a bright yellow, for there are varieties. The purple is the best +flavoured, but all are somewhat saline in taste. To the natives these +berries are an important article of food at this season of the year, and +to obtain them and the fruit of the mesembryanthemum, they go to a great +distance, and far away from water. In eating the berries, the natives +make use of them whole, never taking the trouble to get rid of the +stones, nor do they seem to experience any ill results from so doing. + +Having unsaddled the horses, we set to work to dig holes to water them; +the sand, however, was very loose, and hindered us greatly. The natives, +who were sitting at no great distance, observed the difficulty under +which we were labouring, and one of them who appeared the most +influential among them, said something to two of the others, upon which +they got up and came towards us, making signs to us to get out of the +hole, and let them in; having done so, one of them jumped in, and dug, in +an incredibly short time, a deep narrow hole with his hands; then sitting +so as to prevent the sand running in, he ladled out the water with a pint +pot, emptying it into our bucket, which was held by the other native. As +our horses drank a great deal, and the position of the man in the hole +was a very cramped one, the two natives kept changing places with each +other, until we had got all the water we required. + +In this instance we were indebted solely to the good nature and kindness +of these children of the wilds for the means of watering our horses: +unsolicited they had offered us their aid, without which we never could +have accomplished our purpose. Having given the principal native a knife +as a reward for the assistance afforded us, we offered the others a +portion of our food, being the only way in which we could shew our +gratitude to them; they seemed pleased with this attention, and though +they could not value the gift, they appeared to appreciate the motives +which induced it. + +Having rested for a time, and enjoyed a little tea, we inquired of the +natives for grass for our horses, as there was none to be seen anywhere. +They told us that there was none at all where we were, but they would +take us to some further along the coast, where we could also procure +water, without difficulty, as the sand was firm and hard, and the water +at no great depth. Guided by our new friends, we crossed the sand-hills +to the beach, and following round the head of the Great Bight for five +miles, we arrived at some more high drifts of white sand; turning in +among these, they took us to a flat where some small holes were dug in +the sand, which was hard and firm; none of them were two feet deep, and +the water was excellent and abundant: the name of the place was +Yeer-kumban-kauwe. + +Whilst I was employed in digging a large square hole, to enable us to dip +the bucket when watering the horses, the native boy went, accompanied by +one of the natives as a guide, to look for grass. Upon his return, he +said he had been taken to a small plain about a mile away, behind the +sand hills, where there was plenty of grass, though of a dry character; +to this we sent the horses for the night. In returning, a few sea fowl +were shot as a present for our friends, with whom we encamped, gratified +that we had at last surmounted the difficulty of rounding the Great +Bight, and that once more we had a point where grass and water could be +procured, and from which we might again make another push still further +to the westward. + +In the evening, we made many inquiries of the natives, as to the nature +of the country inland, the existence of timber, rocks, water, etc. and +though we were far from being able to understand all that they said, or +to acquire half the information that they wished to convey to us, we +still comprehended them sufficiently to gather many useful and important +particulars. In the interior, they assured us, most positively, there was +no water, either fresh or salt, nor anything like a sea or lake of any +description. + +They did not misunderstand us, nor did we misapprehend them upon this +point, for to our repeated inquiries for salt water, they invariably +pointed to a salt lake, some distance behind the sand-hills, as the only +one they knew of, and which at this time we had not seen. + +With respect to hills or timber, they said, that neither existed inland, +but that further along the coast to the westward, we should find trees of +a larger growth, and among the branches of which lived a large animal, +which by their description, I readily recognized as being the Sloth of +New South Wales; an animal whose habits exactly agreed with their +description, and which I knew to be an inhabitant of a barren country, +where the scrub was of a larger growth than ordinary. One of the natives +had a belt round his waist, made of the fur of the animal they described, +and on inspecting it, the colour and length of the hair bore out my +previous impression. + +The next water along the coast we were informed, was ten days journey +from Yeerkumban kauwe, and was situated among sand-drifts, similar to +those we were at, but beyond the termination of the line of cliffs, +extending westward from the head of the Bight, and which were distinctly +visible from the shore near our camp. These cliffs they called, +"Bundah," and at two days' journey from their commencement, they +told us were procured the specimens of flints (Jula) we had seen +upon their weapons, and of which one or two small pieces had been picked +up by us among the sand-drifts, having probably been dropped there by the +natives. + +January 8.--To-day we remained in camp to recruit the horses, and the +natives remained with us; soon after breakfast one of them lit a signal +fire upon a sand-hill, and not long afterwards we were joined by three +more of the tribe, but the women kept out of sight. I now sent the native +boy out with one to shoot birds for them, but he came back with only a +single crow, and I was obliged to go myself, to try whether I could not +succeed better. Being lucky enough to procure four, I gave them to the +natives, and returning to the camp we all dined, and afterwards lay down +to rest for an hour. + +Upon getting up, I missed a knife I had been using, and which had been +lying beside me. One of the strange natives who had come to the camp this +morning, had been sitting near me, and I at once suspected him to be the +thief, but he was now gone, and I had no prospect of recovering the lost +article. In the afternoon, the stranger came up to the camp again, and I +at once taxed him with the theft; this he vehemently denied, telling me +it was lost in the sand, and pretending to look anxiously for it; he +appeared, however, restless and uneasy, and soon after taking up his +spears went away with two others. My own native boy happened to be coming +over the sand-hills at the time, but unobserved by them, and as they +crossed the ridge he saw the man I had accused stop to pick something up, +and immediately called out to me; upon this I took my gun, and ascending +the hill, saw the native throw down the knife, which my own boy then +picked up; the other natives had now come up, and seemed very anxious to +prevent any hostilities, and to the chief of those who had been so +friendly with us, I explained as well as I could the nature of the +misunderstanding, and requested him to order the dishonest native away, +upon which he spoke to them in his own language, and all took up their +spears and went away, except himself and one other. These two men +remained with us until dark, but as the evening appeared likely to be +wet, they left us also, when we lay down for the night. + +January 9.--The morning set in cold, dark and rainy, and as much wet had +fallen during the night, we had been thoroughly drenched through, our +fire had been extinguished, and it was long before we could get it lit +again, and even then we could hardly keep it in; the few bushes among the +sand hills were generally small, and being for the most part green as +well as wet, it required our utmost efforts to prevent the fire from +going out; so far indeed were we from being either cheered or warmed by +the few sparks we were able to keep together, that the chill and +comfortless aspect of its feeble rays, made us only shiver the more, as +the rain fell coldly and heavily upon our already saturated garments. +About noon the weather cleared up a little, and after getting up and +watering the horses, we collected a large quantity of firewood and made +waterproof huts for ourselves. The rain, however, was over, and we no +longer required them. + + + + +Chapter XIV. + + + +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF THE GREAT BIGHT--LEVEL NATURE OF THE +INTERIOR--FLINTS ABOUND--RETURN TO YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--NATIVES COME +TO THE CAMP--THEIR GENEROUS CONDUCT--MEET THE OVERSEER--RETURN TO +DEPOT--BAD WATER--MOVE BACK TO FOWLER'S BAY--ARRIVAL OF THE GUTTER +HERO--JOINED BY THE KING GEORGE'S SOUND NATIVE--INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO +THE HERO--DIFFICULTY OF FIXING UPON ANY FUTURE PLAN--BREAK UP THE +EXPEDITION AND DIVIDE THE PARTY--MR. SCOTT EMBARKS--FINAL REPORT--THE +HERO SAILS--OVERSEER AND NATIVES REMAIN--EXCURSION TO THE NORTH--A NATIVE +JOINS US--SUDDEN ILLNESS IN THE PARTY--FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING THE +DEPOT. + + +January 10.--WE left Yeer-kumban-kauwe early, and proceeding to the +westward, passed through an open level tract of country, of from three to +four hundred feet in elevation, and terminating seawards abruptly, in +bold and overhanging cliffs, which had been remarked by Captain Flinders, +but which upon our nearer approach, presented nothing very remarkable in +appearance, being only the sudden termination of a perfectly level +country, with its outer face washed, steep and precipitous, by the +unceasing lash of the southern ocean. The upper surface of this country, +like that of all we had passed through lately, consisted of a calcareous +oolitic limestone, below which was a hard concrete substance of sand or +of reddish soil, mixed with shells and pebbles; below this again, the +principal portion of the cliff consisted of a very hard and coarse grey +limestone, and under this a narrow belt of a whitish or cream-coloured +substance, lying in horizontal strata; but what this was we could not yet +determine, being unable to get down to it any where. The cliffs were +frightfully undermined in many places, enormous masses lay dissevered +from the main land by deep fissures, and appearing to require but a touch +to plunge them headlong into the abyss below. Back from the sea, the +country was level, tolerably open, and covered with salsolae, or low, +prickly shrubs, with here and there belts of the eucalyptus dumosa. In +places two or three miles back from the coast there was a great deal of +grass, that at a better season of the year would have been valuable; now +it was dry and sapless. No timber was visible any where, nor the +slightest rise of any kind. The whole of this level region, elevated as +it was above the sea, was completely coated over with small fresh water +spiral shells, of two different kinds. + +After travelling about twenty-five miles along the cliffs, we came all at +once to innumerable pieces of beautiful flint, lying on the surface, +about two hundred yards inland. This was the place at which the natives +had told us they procured the flint; but how it attained so elevated a +position, or by what means it became scattered over the surface in such +great quantities in that particular place, could only be a matter of +conjecture. There was no change whatever in the character or appearance +of the country, or of the cliffs, and the latter were as steep and +impracticable as ever. + +Five miles beyond the flint district we turned a little inland and halted +for the night upon a patch of withered grass. During the day we had been +fortunate enough to find a puddle of water in a hollow of the rock left +by yesterday's rain, at which we watered the horses, and then lading out +the remainder into our bucket carefully covered it up with a stone slab +until our return, as I well knew, if exposed to the sun and wind, there +would not be a drop left in a very few hours. Kangaroos had been seen in +great numbers during the day, but we had not been able to get a shot at +one. Our provisions were now nearly exhausted, and for some days we had +been upon very reduced allowances, so that it was not without some degree +of chagrin that we saw so many fine animals bounding unscathed around us. + +January 11.--Having travelled fifteen miles further along the cliffs, I +found them still continue unchanged, with the same level uninteresting +country behind. I had now accomplished all that I expected to do on this +excursion, by ascertaining the character of the country around the Great +Bight; and as our horses were too weak to attempt to push beyond the +cliffs to the next water, and as we ourselves were without provisions, I +turned homewards, and by making a late and forced march, arrived at the +place where we had left the bucket of water, after a day's ride of +forty-five miles. Our precaution as we had gone out proved of inestimable +value to us now. The bucket of water was full and uninjured, and we were +enabled thus to give our horses a gallon and a half each, and allow them +to feed upon the withered grass instead of tying them up to bushes, which +we must have done if we had had no water. + +January 12.--In our route back to "Yeer-kumban-kauwe" we were lucky +enough to add to our fare a rat and a bandicoot, we might also have had a +large brown snake, but neither the boy nor I felt inclined to +experimentalise upon so uninviting an article of food; after all it was +probably mere prejudice, and the animal might have been as good eating as +an eel. We arrived at the water about noon, and the remainder of the day +afforded a grateful rest both to ourselves and to the horses. + +January 13.--Our fire had gone out during the night, and all our matches +being wet, we could not relight it until noon, when the rays of a hot sun +had dried them again. Having eaten our slender dinner, I walked out to +water the horses, leaving the boy in charge of the camp. Upon my return I +found him comfortably seated between two of our friends the natives, who +had just returned from a hunting excursion, bringing with them the half +roasted carcass of a very fine kangaroo. They had already bestowed upon +the boy two very large pieces, and as soon as I made my appearance they +were equally liberal to me, getting up the moment I arrived at the camp, +and bringing it over to me of their own accord. The supply was a most +acceptable one, and we felt very grateful for it. Having received as much +of the kangaroo as would fully last for two days, I gave a knife in +return to the eldest of the men, with which he seemed highly delighted. I +would gladly have given one to the other also, but I had only one left, +and could not spare it. The natives remained in camp with us for the +night, and seemed a good deal surprised when they saw us re-roasting the +kangaroo; frequently intimating to us that it had already been cooked, +and evidently pitying the want of taste which prevented us from +appreciating their skill in the culinary art. + +January 14.--Upon our leaving this morning the natives buried in the sand +the remains of their kangaroo, and accompanied us a mile or two on our +road, then turning in among the sand-hills they returned to renew their +feast. They had been eating almost incessantly ever since they arrived at +the water yesterday, and during the night they had repeatedly got up for +the same purpose. The appetites of these people know no restraint when +they have the means of gratifying them; they have no idea of temperance +or prudence, and are equally regardless of the evil resulting from excess +as they are improvident in preparing for the necessities of the +morrow--"sufficient (literally so to them) for the day is the evil +thereof." + +In our route to-day instead of following round the sea-shore, we struck +across behind the sand-hills, from "Yeerkumban-kauwe" to the water we had +first found on the 7th of January, and in doing so we passed along a +large but shallow salt-water lake, which the natives had pointed to on +the evening of the 7th, when I made inquiries relative to the existence +of salt water inland. The margin of this lake was soft and boggy, and we +were nearly losing one of our horses which sank unexpectedly in the mud. +About noon we arrived at the camp, from which I had sent the man back on +the 6th, and having picked up the water and other things left there, +proceeded to the sand-hills near which we had halted during the intense +heat of that day. We now rested for several hours, and again moved +onwards about eleven at night to avoid the great heat of the day whilst +crossing the sandy country before us. + +January 15.--At sunrise we arrived at the undulating plains, where twenty +gallons of water had been left buried for us. Here I found the overseer +with two fresh horses, according to the instructions I had sent him on +the 6th, by the man who returned. After resting for an hour or two, I set +off with the native boy upon the fresh horses, and rode to the water at +the sand-drifts, leaving the overseer to bring on the tired animals the +next day. It was nearly dark when we arrived at the plain under the +sand-hills, and very late before we had watered the horses and brought +them back to the grass. + +January 16.--After breakfast, in returning from the water, we had a feast +upon some berries, growing on the briary bushes behind the sand-hills; +they were similar to those the natives had offered to us, at the head of +the Bight, on the 7th, were very abundant, and just becoming ripe. About +eight o'clock we set off for the depot, and arrived there at two, glad to +reach our temporary home once more, after eighteen days absence, and +heartily welcomed by Mr. Scott, who complained bitterly of having been +left alone so long. Under the circumstances of the case, however, it had +been quite unavoidable. Upon tasting the water at the well, I found, that +from so much having been taken out, it had now become so very brackish, +that it was scarcely usable, and I decided upon returning again to +Fowler's Bay, where the water was good, as soon as the overseer came +back. + +January 17.--Spent the day in writing, and in meditating upon my future +plans and prospects. I had now been forty-five miles beyond the head of +the Great Bight, that point to which I had looked with interest and hope; +now, I had ascertained that no improvement took place there, in the +appearance or character of the country, but, if any thing, that it became +less inviting, and more arid. The account of the natives fully satisfied +me that there was no possibility of getting inland, and my own experience +told me that I could never hope to take a loaded dray through the +dreadful country I had already traversed on horseback. What then was I to +do? or how proceed for the future? The following brief abstract of the +labours of the party, and the work performed by the horses in the three +attempts made to get round the head of the Great Bight, may perhaps seem +incredible to those who know nothing of the difficulty of forcing a +passage through such a country as we were in, and amidst all the +disadvantages we were under, from the season of the year and other causes. + + +ABSTRACT OF LABOURS OF THE PARTY IN ROUNDING THE GREAT BIGHT. + +Names. Distances ridden. No. of days employed. +Mr Eyre 643 miles 40 +Mr. Scott 50 miles 4 +The Overseer 230 miles 22 +Costelow 22 +Houston 12 +Corporal Coles 8 +Eldest native boy 270 miles 19 +Youngest native boy 395 miles 23 + + +A dray loaded with water was drawn backwards and forwards 238 miles; many +of the horses, in addition to the distances they were ridden, or worked +in the dray, were driven loose, in going or returning, for about eighty +miles. Most of the party walked considerable distances in addition to +those ridden. All the party were engaged, more or less, in connection +with the three attempts to round the Bight, as were also all the horses, +and of the latter, three perished from over fatigue and want of water. +Yet, after all, the distance examined did not exceed 135 miles, and might +have been done easily in ten days, and without any loss, had the +situation of the watering places, or the nature of the country, been +previously known. + +None but a person who has been similarly circumstanced, can at all +conceive the incessant toil and harassing anxiety of the explorer; when +baffled and defeated, he has to traverse over and over again the same +dreary wastes, gaining but a few miles of ground at each fresh attempt, +whilst each renewal of the effort but exhausts still more the strength +and condition of his animals, or the energy and spirits of his men. + +Upon maturely considering our circumstances and position, I decided to +attempt to force a passage round the Great Bight, with pack-horses only, +sending, upon the return of the cutter, all our heavy stores and drays in +her to Cape Arid, if I found, upon her arrival, the instructions I might +receive, would justify me in taking her so far beyond the boundaries of +South Australia. This was the only plan that appeared to me at all +feasible, and I determined to adopt it as soon as our horses were +sufficiently recruited to commence their labours again. + +On the 18th, the overseer returned with the two jaded horses we had used +on our last excursion, looking very wretched and weak. The day was +intensely hot, with the wind due north: the thermometer in the shade, in +a well lined tent, being 105 degrees at 11 A.M.--a strong corroboration, +if such were required, of the statement of the natives, that there was no +large body of inland water. At 2, P.M. the wind changed to west, and the +thermometer suddenly fell to 95 degrees; a little afterwards, it veered +to south-west, and again fell to 80 degrees; the afternoon then became +comparatively cool and pleasant. + +The quality of the water at the well, was now beginning to affect the +health of the whole party; and on the 19th and 20th I put into execution +my resolution of removing to Fowler's Bay, where we again enjoyed the +luxury of good water. Upon digging up the things we had left buried, we +found them perfectly dry. On the 21st, I sent Mr. Scott down to the bay, +to see if the cutter had come back, but she had not. On his return, he +brought up a few fish he had caught, which, added to ten pigeons, shot by +himself and the native boys, at the sand-hills, gave a little variety to +our fare; indeed, for several days, after taking up our old position at +Point Fowler, we were well supplied both with fish and pigeons. + +Time passed gradually away until the evening of the 25th, when a party of +natives once more came up, and took up their abode near us--three were of +those who had accompanied us all the way from Denial Bay, and some others +had also been with us before. On the 26th, I went down myself to Fowler's +Bay to look out for the cutter, which we now daily expected. Just as I +arrived at the beach she came rounding into the bay, and Mr. Scott and +myself got into our little boat, and pulled off to her, though with great +difficulty, the wind blowing very fresh and dead against us, with the sea +running high. We had three miles to go, and for a long time it was very +doubtful whether we should succeed in reaching the vessel; our utmost +efforts appearing barely to enable us to keep our ground. I was myself, +at the best, not very skilful in using an oar, and neither of us had had +much practice in pulling in a heavy sea. However, we got on board after a +good deal of fatigue, and were rewarded by receiving many letters, both +English and Colonial. I found that in returning to Adelaide the +Water-witch had proved so leaky as to be deemed unsafe for further +service on so wild a coast, and that the Governor had, in consequence, +with the promptness and consideration which so eminently distinguished +him, chartered the "HERO," a fine cutter, a little larger than the +WATERWITCH, and placing her under the command of Mr. Germain, had sent +him to our assistance. On board the HERO I was pleased to find the native +from King George's Sound, named Wylie, whom I had sent for, and who was +almost wild with delight at meeting us, having been much disappointed at +being out of the way when I sent for him from Port Lincoln. + +After receiving our despatches, and taking Wylie with us, we set sail for +the shore, and then walked up in the evening to our depot; my other two +native boys were greatly rejoiced to find their old friend once more with +them; they had much to tell to, and much to hear from each other, and all +sat up to a late hour. For myself, the many letters I had received, gave +me ample enjoyment and occupation for the night, whilst the large pile of +newspapers from Adelaide, Swan River, and Sydney, promised a fund of +interest for some time to come. Nothing could exceed the kindness and +attention of our friends in Adelaide, who had literally inundated us with +presents of every kind, each appearing to vie with the other in their +endeavours to console us under our disappointments, to cheer us in our +future efforts, and if possible, to make us almost forget that we were in +the wilds. Among other presents I received a fine and valuable +kangaroo-dog from my friend, Captain Sturt, and which had fortunately +arrived safely, and in excellent condition. + +The bran and oats which I had applied for had been most liberally +provided, so that by remaining in depot for a few weeks longer, we might +again hope to get our horses into good condition. From his Excellency the +Governor I received a kind and friendly letter, acquainting me that the +HERO was entirely at my disposal within the limits of South Australia, +but that being under charter I could not take her to Cape Arid, or beyond +the boundaries of the province, and requesting, that if I desired further +aid, or to be met any where, at a future time, that I would communicate +with the Government to that effect by the HERO'S return. The whole tenor +of his Excellency's letter evinced a degree of consideration and kindness +that I could hardly have expected amidst the many anxious duties and +onerous responsibilities devolving upon him at this time; and if any +thing could have added to the feelings of gratitude and respect I +entertained towards him, it would be the knowledge, that with the +disinterested generosity of a noble mind, he was giving up a portion of +his valuable time and attention to our plans, our wants, and our safety, +at a time when the circumstances of the colony over which he presided had +beset his own path with many difficulties, and when every day but added +to the annoyances and embarrassments which a sudden reaction in the +progress and prospects of the province necessarily produced. + +In the instructions I received relative to the cutter, I have mentioned +that I was restricted to employing her within the limits of the colony of +South Australia, and thus, the plan I had formed of sending our drays and +heavy stores in her to Cape Arid, whilst we proceeded overland ourselves +with pack-horses, was completely overturned, and it became now a matter +of very serious consideration to decide what I should do under the +circumstances. It was impossible for me to take my whole party and the +drays overland through the dreadful country verging upon the Great Bight; +whilst if I took the party, and left the drays, it was equally hopeless +that I could carry upon pack-horses a sufficiency of provisions to last +us to King George's Sound. There remained, then, but two alternatives, +either to break through the instructions I had received with regard to +the HERO, or to reduce my party still further, and attempt to force a +passage almost alone. The first I did not, for many reasons, think myself +justified in doing--the second, therefore, became my DERNIER RESORT, and +I reluctantly decided upon adopting it. + +It now became my duty to determine without delay who were to be my +companions in the perilous attempt before me. The first and most painful +necessity impressed upon me by the step I contemplated, was that of +parting with my young friend, Mr. Scott, who had been with me from the +commencement of the undertaking, and who had always been zealous and +active in promoting its interests as far as lay in his power. I knew +that, on an occasion like this, the spirit and enterprise of his +character would prompt in him a wish to remain and share the difficulties +and dangers to which I might be exposed: but I felt that I ought not to +allow him to do so; I had no right to lead a young enthusiastic friend +into a peril from which escape seemed to be all but hopeless; and painful +as it would be to us both to separate under such circumstances, there was +now no other alternative; the path of duty was plain and imperative, and +I was bound to follow it. + +On the 28th, I took the opportunity, whilst walking down to the beach +with Mr. Scott, of explaining the circumstances in which I was placed, +and the decision to which I had been forced. He was much affected at the +intelligence, and would fain have remained to share with me the result of +the expedition, whatever that might be; but I dared not consent to it. + +The only man left, belonging to the party, was the one who had +accompanied me towards the head of the Great Bight, and suffered so much +from the heat on the 6th January. His experience on that occasion of the +nature of the country, and the climate we were advancing into, had, in a +great measure, damped his ardour for exploring; so that when told that +the expedition, as far as he was concerned, had terminated, and that he +would have to go back to Adelaide with Mr. Scott, he did not express any +regret. I had ever found him a useful and obedient man, and with the +exception of his losing courage under the heat, upon the occasion alluded +to, he had been a hardy and industrious man, and capable of enduring much +fatigue. + +The native boys I intended to accompany me in my journey, as they would +be better able to put up with the fatigues and privations we should have +to go through, than Europeans; whilst their quickness of sight, habit of +observation, and skill in tracking, might occasionally be of essential +service to me. The native who had lately joined me from Adelaide, and +whose country was around King George's Sound, would, I hoped, be able to +interpret to any tribes we might meet with, as it appeared to me that +some of the words we had heard in use among the natives of this part of +the coast were very similar to some I had heard among the natives of King +George's Sound. Three natives, however, were more than I required, and I +would gladly have sent the youngest of them back to Adelaide, but he had +been with me several years, and I did not like to send him away whilst he +was willing to remain; besides, he was so young and so light in weight, +that if we were able to get on at all, his presence could cause but +little extra difficulty. I therefore decided upon taking him also. + +There remained now only the overseer; a man who had been in my service +for many years, and whose energy, activity, and many useful qualities, +had made him an invaluable servant to me at all times; whilst his +courage, prudence, good conduct, and fidelity, made me very desirous to +have him with me in this last effort to cross to the westward. Having +sent for him, I explained to him most fully the circumstances in which I +was placed, the utter impossibility of taking on the whole party through +so inhospitable a region as that before us, my own firm determination +never to return unsuccessful, but either to accomplish the object I had +in view, or perish in the attempt. I pointed out to him that there were +still eight hundred and fifty miles of an unknown country yet to be +traversed and explored; that, in all probability, this would consist +principally, if not wholly, of an all but impracticable desert. I +reminded him of the fatigues, difficulties, and losses we had already +experienced in attempting to reconnoitre the country only as far as the +head of the Great Bight; and stated to him my own conviction, that from +the knowledge and experience we had already acquired of the nature of the +country; the journey before us must of necessity be a long and harassing +one--one of unceasing toil, privation, and anxiety, whilst, from the +smallness of our party, the probable want of water, and other causes, it +would be one, also, of more than ordinary risk and danger. I then left +him to determine whether he would return to Adelaide, in the cutter, or +remain and accompany me. His reply was, that although he had become tired +of remaining so long away in the wilds, and should be glad when the +expedition had terminated, yet he would willingly remain with me to the +last; and would accompany me to the westward at every hazard. + +Our future movements being now arranged, and the division of the party +decided upon, it remained only for me to put my plans into execution. The +prospect of the approaching separation, had cast a gloom over the whole +party, and now that all was finally determined, I felt that the sooner it +was over the better. I lost no time, therefore, in getting up all the +bran and oats from the cutter, and in putting on board of her our drays, +and such stores as we did not require, directing the master to hold +himself in readiness to return to Adelaide immediately. + +By the 31st January, every thing was ready; my farewell letters were +written to the kind friends in Adelaide, to whom I owed so much; and my +final report to the Chairman of the Committee, for promoting the +expedition--that expedition being now brought to a close, and its members +disbanded. + +In the evening the man and Mr. Scott went on board the cutter, taking +with them our three kangaroo dogs, which the arid nature of the country +rendered it impossible for me to keep. I regretted exceedingly being +compelled to part with the dogs, but it would have been certain +destruction to them to have attempted to take them with me. + +The following is a copy of my final report to the Chairman of the +Northern Expedition Committee:-- + + +"Fowler's Bay, 30th Jan., 1841. + +"Sir,--By the return of the HERO from Fowler's Bay, I have the honour to +acquaint you, for the information of his Excellency the Governor, and the +colonists interested, with the unsuccessful termination of the expedition +placed under my command, for the purpose of exploring the northern +interior. Since my last report to his Excellency the Governor, containing +an account of two most disastrous attempts to head the Great Australian +Bight, I have, accompanied by one of my native boys, made a third and +more successful one. On this occasion, I with some difficulty advanced +about fifty miles beyond the head of the Great Bight, along the line of +high cliffs described by Flinders, and which have hitherto been supposed +to be composed principally of chalk. I found the country between the head +of Fowler's Bay and the head of the Great Bight to consist of a +succession of sandy ridges, all of which were more or less covered by a +low scrub, and without either grass or water for the last sixty miles. +This tract is of so uneven and heavy a nature that it would be quite +impossible for me to take a loaded dray across it at this very +unfavourable season of the year, and with horses so spiritless and jaded +as ours have become, from the incessant and laborious work they have gone +through during the last seven months. Upon rounding the head of the +Bight, I met with a few friendly natives, who shewed me where both grass +and water was to be procured, at the same time assuring me that there was +no more along the coast for ten of their days' journeys, (probably 100 +miles) or where the first break takes place in the long and continuous +line of cliffs which extend so far to the westward of the head of the +Great Bight. Upon reaching these cliffs I felt much disappointed, as I +had long looked forward to some considerable and important change in the +character of the country. There was, however, nothing very remarkable in +their appearance, nor did the features of the country around undergo any +material change. The cliffs themselves struck me as merely exhibiting the +precipitous banks of an almost level country of moderate elevation (three +or four hundred feet) which the violent lash of the whole of the Southern +Ocean was always acting upon and undermining. Their rock formation +consisted of various strata, the upper crust or surface being an oolitic +limestone; below this is an indented concrete mixture of sand, soil, +small pebbles, and shells; beneath this appear immense masses of a coarse +greyish limestone, of which by far the greater portion of the cliffs are +composed; and immediately below these again is a narrow stripe of a +whitish, or rather a cream-coloured substance, lying in horizontal +strata, but which the impracticable nature of the cliffs did not permit +me to examine. After riding for forty-five miles along their summits, I +was in no instance able to descend; their brinks were perfectly steep and +overhanging, and in many places enormous masses appeared severed by deep +cracks from the main land, and requiring but a slight touch to plunge +them into the abyss below. As far as I have yet been along these cliffs, +I have seen nothing in their appearance to lead me to suppose that any +portion of them is composed of chalk. Immediately along their summits, +and for a few hundred yards back, very numerous pieces of pure flint are +lying loosely scattered upon the surface of the limestone. How they +obtained so elevated a position, or whence they are from, may admit, +perhaps, of some speculation. Back from the sea, and as far as the eye +could reach, the country was level and generally open, with some low +prickly bushes and salsolaceous plants growing upon it; here and there +patches of the gum scrub shewed themselves, and among which a few small +grassy openings were interspersed. The whole of this tract was thickly +covered by small land shells, about the size of snail shells--and some of +them somewhat resembling those in shape. There were no sudden depressions +or abrupt elevations anywhere; neither hills, trees, or water were to be +observed; nor was there the least indication of improvement or change in +the general character of this desolate and forbidding region. The natives +we met with at the head of the Bight were very friendly, and readily +afforded us every information we required--as far as we could make them +comprehend our wishes. + +"We most distinctly understood from them, that there was no water along +the coast, westerly, for ten of their days' journeys; and that inland, +there was neither fresh nor salt water, hills or timber, as far as they +had ever been; an account which but too well agreed with the opinion I +had myself formed, upon ascertaining that the same dreary, barren region +I had been traversing so long, still continued at a point where I had +ever looked forward to some great and important change taking place in +the features of the country, and from which I had hoped I might +eventually have accomplished the object for which the expedition was +fitted out. Such, however, was not the case; there was not any +improvement in the appearance of the country, or the least indication +that there might be a change for the better, within any practicable +distance. I had already examined the tract of country from the longitude +of Adelaide, to the parallel of almost 130 degrees E. longitude; an +extent comprising nearly 8 1/2 degrees of longitude; without my having +found a single point from which it was possible to penetrate for into the +interior; and I now find myself in circumstances of so embarrassing and +hopeless a character, that I have most reluctantly been compelled to give +up all further idea of contending with obstacles which there is no +reasonable hope of ever overcoming. I have now, therefore, with much +regret completely broken up my small but devoted party. Two of my men +returned to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, five weeks ago. + +"Mr. Scott and another of my men proceed on Monday in the HERO; whilst +myself, my native boys, and the overseer (who has chosen to accompany me) +proceed hence overland to King George's Sound, as soon as our horses are +a little recruited by the abundant supply of forage we received by the +HERO. + +"In this undertaking, my young friend Mr. Scott--with his usual spirit +and perseverance--was most anxious to have joined me; but painful as it +has been to refuse, I have felt it my duty, from the nature of the +service, not to comply with his request. It now only remains for me to +return my most sincere thanks to the many friends to whose kindness I +have been so much indebted during the continuance of this long and +anxious undertaking. To his Excellency the Governor I feel that I can +never be sufficiently grateful for the very kind, prompt, and liberal +support and encouragement which I have invariably experienced, and to +which I have been mainly indebted for the means of accomplishing even the +little I have done. To yourself, as chairman, the committee, and the +colonists, by whom the expedition was fitted out, I return my most +sincere acknowledgments for the very great honour done me in appointing +me to the command of an undertaking at once so interesting and +important--for the liberal and kind way in which I have been supported, +and my wishes complied with; and, above all, for the flattering and +encouraging confidence expressed in my abilities and perseverance. To a +conviction of the existence of this confidence in the minds of those by +whom I was appointed, I feel that I owe much of the stimulus that has +sustained and encouraged me under difficulties and disappointments of no +ordinary kind. Deeply as I lament the unsuccessful and unsatisfactory +result of an undertaking from which so much was expected, I have the +cheering consciousness of having endeavoured faithfully to discharge the +trust confided to me; and although from a concurrence of most unfortunate +circumstances which no human prudence could foresee or guard against, and +which the most untiring perseverance has been unable to surmount, I have +not succeeded in effecting the great objects for which this expedition +was fitted out, I would fain hope that our labours have not been +altogether in vain, but that hereafter, some future and more fortunate +traveller, judging from the considerable extent of country we have +examined, and the features it has developed, may, by knowing where the +interior is not practicable, be directed to where it is. + +"In concluding my report of our endeavours to penetrate the northern +interior, I beg to express to all who have been connected with the +expedition, my sincere thanks for their zeal and good conduct. In my +young friend, Mr. Scott, I have had a cheerful companion and useful +assistant; whilst in my overseer and men, I have met with a most +praiseworthy readiness and steadiness of conduct, under circumstances and +disappointments that have at once been trying and disheartening. + +"I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, + +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE. + +"The Chairman of the Committee for promoting the Northern Expedition." + + +We were now alone, myself, my overseer, and three native boys, with a +fearful task before us, the bridge was broken down behind us, and we must +succeed in reaching King George's Sound, or perish; no middle course +remained. It was impossible for us to be insensible to the isolated and +hazardous position we were in; but this very feeling only nerved and +stimulated us the more in our exertions, to accomplish the duty we had +engaged in; the result we humbly left to that Almighty Being who had +guided and guarded us hitherto, amidst all our difficulties, and in all +our wanderings, and who, whatever he might ordain, would undoubtedly +order every thing for the best. + +Our time was now entirely taken up, in the daily routine of the camp, +attending to the sheep and horses, and in making preparations for our +journey. We had a large supply of corn and bran sent for our horses, and +as long as any of this remained, I determined to continue in depot. + +In the mean time, the overseer was thoroughly occupied in preparing +pack-saddles, (all of which we had to make) extra bridles, new hobbles, +and in shoeing all the horses. I undertook the duty of new stuffing and +repairing the various saddles, making what extra clothes were required +for myself and the native boys for our journey; weighing out and packing +in small linen bags, all the rations of tea, sugar, etc. which would be +required weekly, preparing strong canvas saddle-bags, making light +oilskins to protect our things from the wet, etc. etc. These many necessary +and important preparations kept us all very busy, and the time passed +rapidly away. On one occasion, I attempted with one of my native boys, to +explore the country due north of Fowler's Bay, but the weather turned out +unfavourable, the wind being from the north-east, and scorchingly hot; I +succeeded, however, in penetrating fully twenty miles in the direction I +had taken, the first ten of which was through a dense heavy scrub, of the +Eucalyptus dumosa, or the tea-tree. Emerging from this, we entered an +open pretty looking country, consisting of grassy plains of great extent, +divided by belts of shrubs and bush; as we advanced the shrubs became +less numerous, the country more open, and salsolaceous plants began to +occupy the place of the grass. Had we been able to continue our +exploration for another day's journey, I have no doubt, from the change +which appeared gradually to be taking place as we advanced north, that +the whole country around would have been one vast level open waste, +without bush or shrub of any kind, and covered by salsolae. I felt +strongly convinced, we were gradually approaching a similar kind of +country to that I had been in between Lake Torrens and Flinders range; +the only difference was that as far as we had yet gone from Fowler's Bay, +the elevation of the country did not appear to have been diminished; its +average height above the level of the sea, I judged to be about 300 feet, +and forming doubtless a continuation of the table land, I had found +existing at the head of the Great Bight. The weather, however, was as +unfavourable as the country, for such researches, at this season of the +year, and the horses I had taken out with me suffered a good deal, even +in the short space of two days, during which I was engaged in this +attempt. + +On some occasions the thermometer was 113 degrees in the shade, and +whenever the wind was from the north-east, it was hot and oppressive +beyond all conception. The natives, though occasionally seen, generally +kept away from us during the time we were in depot. One old man alone +(called Mumma) came up to our camp, and remained with us for +several days; he was one of the few who had accompanied us so far from +the neighbourhood of Denial Bay, and seemed to have taken a great fancy +to us. We now endeavoured to reward him for his former services, by +giving him a red shirt, a blanket, and a tomahawk, and whenever we got +our meals he joined us, eating and drinking readily any thing we gave +him--tea, broth, pease soup, mutton, salt pork, rice, damper, sugar, +dried fruits, were all alike to him, nothing came amiss, and he appeared +to grow better in condition every day. + +At last he too got tired of remaining so long in one place; the novelty +had worn away, and packing up his things he left us. During the time this +man had been with us, I took the opportunity of ascertaining whether the +King George's Sound native, Wylie, could understand him, but I found he +could not. There were one or two words common to both, but the general +character, meaning, and sound of the two languages were so very different +upon comparison, that I could myself understand the old man much better +than Wylie could. + +Whilst remaining in depot, the whole party were one day suddenly seized +with a severe attack of illness, accompanied with vomiting and violent +pain in the stomach, and I began to fear that we had unknowingly taken +some deleterious ingredient in our food, as all were seized in the same +way; this attack continued for several days, without our being able to +discover the cause of it, but at last by changing the sugar we were +using, we again got well. It appeared that a new bag of sugar had been +broached about the time we were first attacked, and upon inspecting it, +we found the bag quite wet--something or other of a deleterious character +having been spilled over it, and which had doubtless caused us the +inconvenience we experienced. Fortunately we had other sugar that had not +been so injured, and the loss of the damaged bag was not of great +consequence to us. + +By the 23rd of February our preparations for entering upon our journey +were nearly all completed, the horses had eaten up all their bran and +corn, and were now in good condition; all our pack-saddles, saddles, and +harness were ready, our provisions were all packed, and every thing in +order for commencing the undertaking; there remained but to bury our +surplus stores, and for this the hole was already dug. On the afternoon +of the 24th I intended finally to evacuate the depot, and on the evening +of the 23rd, to amuse my natives, I had all the rockets and blue-lights +we had, fired off, since we could not take them with us, our pack-horses +being barely able to carry for us the mere necessaries of life. + + + + +Chapter XV. + + + +RETURN OF MR. SCOTT IN THE HERO--MR. SCOTT AGAIN SAILS FOR +ADELAIDE--COMMENCE JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL AT THE +SAND-HILLS--LARGE FLIES--TAKE ON THE SHEEP--LEAVE THE OVERSEER WITH THE +HORSES--REACH YEERKUMBAN KAUWE--JOINED BY THE OVERSEER--TORMENTING FLIES +AGAIN--MOVE ON WITH THE SHEEP--LEAVE OVERSEER TO FOLLOW WITH THE +HORSES--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY ALONG THE BIGHT--SCENERY OF THE +CLIFFS--LEAVE THE SHEEP--ANXIETY ABOUT WATER--REACH THE TERMINATION OF +THE CLIFFS--FIND WATER. + + +February 24.--THIS being the day I had appointed to enter upon the +arduous task before me, I had the party up at a very early hour. Our +loads were all arranged for each of the horses; our blankets and coats +were all packed up, and we were in the act of burying in a hole under +ground the few stores we could not take with us, when to our surprise a +shot was heard in the direction of Fowler's Bay, and shortly after a +second; we then observed two people in the distance following up the dray +tracks leading to the depot. Imagining that some whaler had anchored in +the bay, and being anxious to prevent our underground store from being +noticed, we hastily spread the tarpaulins over the hole, so that what we +were about could not be observed, and then fired shots in reply. + +As the parties we had seen gradually approached nearer I recognised one +of them with the telescope as being Mr. Germain, the master of the HERO; +the other I could not make out at first from his being enveloped in heavy +pilot clothes; a little time however enabled me to distinguish under this +guise my young friend Mr. Scott, and I went anxiously to meet him, and +learn what had brought him back. Our greeting over, he informed me that +the Governor had sent him back with letters to me, and desired me to +return in the HERO to Adelaide. As Mr. Scott had not brought the letters +up, I walked down with him after luncheon, and went on board the cutter, +where I received many friendly letters, all urging me to return and give +up the attempt I meditated to the westward, and which every one appeared +to consider as little less than madness. From the Governor I received a +kind letter to the same effect, offering to assist me in any further +attempts I might wish to make round Lake Torrens, or to explore the +Northern Interior, and placing absolutely at my disposal, within the +colony, the services of the HERO, to enable me either to take my party +back overland, or to follow out any examinations I might wish to make +from the coast northerly. As a further inducement, and with a view to +lessen the feelings of disappointment I might experience at the +unsuccessful termination of an expedition from which such great results +had been expected, the assistant commissioner had been instructed to +write to me officially, communicating the approbation of His Excellency +and of the Colonists of the way in which I had discharged the trust +confided to me, and directing me to relinquish all further attempts to +the westward, and to return in the HERO to Adelaide. + +Added to the numerous letters I received, were many friendly messages to +the same effect, sent to me through Mr. Scott. I felt deeply sensible of +the lively interest expressed in my welfare, and most grateful for the +kind feeling manifested towards me on the part of the Governor and the +Colonists; it was with much pain and regret, therefore, that I found +myself unable to comply with their requests, and felt compelled by duty +to adopt a course at variance with their wishes. When I first broke up my +party and sent Mr. Scott back to Adelaide, on the 31st January, 1841, I +had well and maturely considered the step I felt myself called upon to +adopt; after giving my best and serious attention to the arguments of my +friends, and carefully reconsidering the subject now, I saw nothing to +induce me to change the opinion I had then arrived at. + +It will be remembered, that in stating the origin and commencement of the +Northern expedition, it was remarked, that a previously contemplated +expedition to the Westward, was made to give way to it, and that I had +myself been principally instrumental in changing the direction of public +attention from the one to the other; it will be remembered also, what +publicity had been given to our departure, how great was the interest +felt in the progress of our labours, and how sanguine were the +expectations formed as to the results; alas, how signally had these hopes +been dashed to the ground, after the toils, anxieties, and privations of +eight months, neither useful nor valuable discoveries had been made; +hemmed in by an impracticable desert, or the bed of an impassable lake, I +had been baffled and defeated in every direction, and to have returned +now, would have been, to have rendered of no avail the great expenses +that had been incurred in the outfit of the expedition, to have thrown +away the only opportunity presented to me of making some amends for past +failure, and of endeavouring to justify the confidence that had been +reposed in me, by carrying through the exploration which had been +originally contemplated to the westward, now it was no longer possible to +accomplish that to the north, for which it had given place; I considered +myself in duty and in honour bound, not to turn back from this attempt, +as long as there was the remotest possibility of success, without any +regard to considerations of a personal or private nature. Under these +feelings, therefore, I resolved to remain only another day in depot, to +reply to the letters I had received, and return my best thanks to the +many friends who had expressed such kind interest on my behalf. + +February 25.--Having finished my letters, and buried all the spare +stores, I sent the native boys away early with the sheep, that they might +travel more slowly than we should do with the horses. About two we loaded +the pack animals, and wishing Mr. Scott a final adieu, set off upon our +route. The party consisted of myself, the overseer, three native boys, +nine horses, one Timor pony, one foal, born at Streaky Bay, and six +sheep; our flour which was buried at the sand-hills to the north-west, +was calculated for nine weeks, at an allowance of six pounds of flour +each weekly, with a proportionate quantity of tea and sugar. The long +rest our horses had enjoyed, and the large supply of oats and bran we had +received for them, had brought them round wonderfully, they were now in +good condition, and strong, and could not have commenced the journey +under more favourable circumstances, had it been the winter instead of +the summer season. + +Two of the native boys having gone on early in the morning with the +sheep, there remained only myself, the overseer, and one native, to +manage ten horses, and we were consequently obliged to drive some of the +pack-horses loose; at first they went well and quietly, but something +having unluckily startled one of them, he frightened the others, and four +out of the number set off at full gallop, and never stopped for five +miles, by which time they had got rid of all their loads except the +saddles. Sending the black boy back to the depot with the four horses +that had not got away, I and the overseer went on horseback after the +others, picking up the baggage they had been carrying, scattered about in +every direction; luckily no great damage was done, and at sunset we were +all assembled again at the depot, and the animals reloaded. Leaving a +short note for Mr. Scott, who had gone on board the cutter, we again +recommenced our journey, and, travelling for five miles, halted at the +well in the plains. I intended to have made a long stage, but the night +set in so dark that I did not like to venture amongst the scrub with the +pack-horses now they were so fresh, and where, if they did get frightened +and gallop off, they would cause us much greater trouble and delay than +they had done in the daytime. + +February 26.--Moving on very early, we arrived at the grassy plain under +the sand-hills, a little after three in the afternoon, just in time to +save the gun and clothes of the black boys, which they had imprudently +left there whilst they took the sheep to water, a mile and a half away. +At the very instant of our arrival, a native was prowling about the camp, +and would, doubtless, soon have carried off every thing. Upon examining +the place at which we had buried our flour on the 31st December, and upon +which we were now dependent for our supply, I found that we had only just +arrived in time to save it from the depredations of the natives; it +seems, that having found where the cask containing it was buried, and +being unable, from its weight, to get it out of the ground, they had +broken a square hole in one of the staves (by what means I could not +discover), and though, as yet, every thing was safe and uninjured inside, +I have no doubt, that, had we been one day later in coming, they would +have enlarged the opening in the cask, and scattered or destroyed the +contents, and we should have then had the unpleasant and laborious task +of returning to that we had buried at Fowler's Bay for a fresh supply. A +bucket, which we had also left buried, was broken to pieces, a two gallon +keg carried off, and a twenty-five gallon cask full of water had been dug +up, and the water drank or emptied, so that we were very fortunate in +arriving when we did to prevent further loss. + +The black boys, who had gone a-head with the sheep, returned soon after +our arrival, tired and hungry, having only had one meal since they left +us on the 25th. They had been over the sandhills to fetch water, and were +now coming to try and find the flour which they knew we had left buried +at these plains. After dark, accompanied by the overseer, I took the +horses down to the water, but the sand had slipped in, and we could not +get them watered to-night. + +February 27.--Sending the overseer and two boys down with the horses to +the well this morning, I and the other boy set to work, and dug out the +cask with the flour, which we then weighed out, and subdivided into +packages of fifty pounds each, for the convenience of carrying. The +native I had seen about the camp, on our approach, yesterday, had +returned, and slept near us at night; but upon inquiring from him this +morning, where our two-gallon keg was, he took the very earliest +opportunity of decamping, being probably afraid that we should charge him +with the robbery, or punish him for it. The natives, generally, are a +strange and singular race of people, and their customs and habits are +often quite inexplicable to us. Sometimes, in barely passing through a +country, we have them gathering from all quarters, and surrounding us, +anxious and curious to observe our persons, or actions; at other times, +we may remain in camp for weeks together without seeing a single native, +though many may be in the neighbourhood; when they do come, too, they +usually depart as suddenly as their visit had been unexpected. Among all +who had come under my observation, hitherto, along this coast, I found +that every male had undergone the singular ceremony I have described as +prevailing in the Port Lincoln peninsula; each, too, had the cartilage of +the nose perforated, but none had lost the front teeth, nor did I see any +(with one exception) having scars raised on the back, breast, or arms, as +is frequently the case with many tribes in Australia. + +For the last few days, the weather had been tolerably cool, and we had +not been much troubled with musquitoes; instead, however, we were +persecuted severely by a very large greyish kind of horsefly, with a huge +proboscis for sucking up the blood. These pests were in great numbers, +and proved a sad annoyance, lighting upon us in every direction, and +inflicting very irritating wounds even through clothes of considerable +thickness. + +February 28.--As we had a long distance to travel to the next water, and +the sheep could not keep pace with the horses, I left the overseer and +two natives to bring the latter after us, whilst I and the younger boy +set off with the sheep. At fifteen miles, we passed the place where the +nine-gallon keg of water had been buried on the 5th January. Upon digging +it up, and taking out the bung, the water appeared discoloured and +offensive in smell. It was still clear, however, and the sheep drank +hastily of it, and we did the same ourselves, but the horses would not +touch it. Leaving the cask out in the air with the bung out that it might +sweeten a little against the overseer came up, we went on with the sheep +to the undulating plains, arriving there between ten and eleven at night. +After hobbling the horses, and making a brush-yard for the sheep, we laid +down, tired with the labours of the day. + +March 1.--Travelling through the plains for a mile, we came to our former +encampment, where we had left some stores, and a large cask of water; the +latter had dried up to about two quarts, and was very horrible, both in +smell and flavour; but still we were glad to take it, for, calculating +upon finding an abundance in this cask, we had imprudently brought but +little with us. After breakfast, I dug up some of the provisions buried +here; and leaving a note for the overseer, proceeded onwards with the +boy, and the sheep, for twenty-four miles. The stage was a long one, and +over heavy ground, so that the sheep began to get tired, as we did +ourselves also, one of us being always obliged to walk whilst the other +was riding. We had two horses with us, but required one exclusively to +carry our coats, blankets, and provisions, the other one we rode in turn. + +March 2.--A hot day, with the wind north-east. Between eleven and twelve +we arrived at the first water, at the head of the Bight, and had a long +and arduous task to get the sheep and horses watered, no natives being +here to help us now, and the sand rushing in as fast as we could throw it +out. By great exertion we effected our object, and then getting some tea, +and leaving a note to tell the overseer not to halt at this difficult +watering-place, if he could possibly avoid it, we pushed on again, and +took up our position at Yeerkumban kauwe, in time to dig holes, and water +the sheep, before dark. + +March 3.--Having got up and watered the horses and sheep, I sent the boy +out to tend them at grass, whilst I commenced digging two large holes to +water the pack-horses, that there might be no delay when the overseer +came up with them. I had nothing but a shell to dig with, and, as a very +large excavation was required to enable a bucket to be dipped, my +occupation was neither a light nor a short one. Having completed my work, +I killed a sheep, well knowing the party would be fatigued and hungry, +when they came up. About three they made their appearance, and thus, upon +the whole, we had very successfully got over this our first push, and +were soon very comfortably established at "Yeerkumban kauwe." The holes I +had dug enabled us easily and speedily to water the horses, and the sheep +I had killed afforded a refreshing meal to the overseer and boys, after +their harassing journey. In the afternoon the sand blew about in a most +annoying manner, covering us from head to foot, and filling everything we +put down, if but for an instant. This sand had been our constant torment +for many weeks past; condemned to live among the sand-hills for the sake +of procuring water, we were never free from irritation and inconvenience. +It floated on the surface of the water, penetrated into our clothes, +hair, eyes, and ears, our provisions were covered over with it, and our +blankets half buried when we lay down at nights,--it was a perpetual and +never-ceasing torment, and as if to increase our miseries we were again +afflicted with swarms of large horse-flies, which bit us dreadfully. On +the 4th, we remained in camp to rest the horses, and I walked round to +reconnoitre. Upon the beach I found the fragments of a wreck, consisting +of part of a mast, a tiller wheel, and some copper sheathings, the last +sad records of the fate of some unfortunate vessel on this wild and +breaker-beaten shore. There was nothing to indicate its size, or name, or +the period when the wreck occurred. + +No recent traces of natives having been either at Yeerkumban kauwe, or +the more distant water, were visible anywhere, and I imagined they might +perhaps have made an excursion to the westward. A large flight of +red-winged cockatoos were seen today hovering around the sand-hills, and +appearing quite disconcerted at finding us in possession of the water; we +had not before seen them in the neighbourhood, and I can hardly +conjecture where they go to from this place, for generally they are birds +fond of water. + +Knowing from the accounts of the natives that upon leaving Yeerkumban +kauwe, I should have a task before me of no ordinary difficulty to get +either the sheep or the horses to the next water, I determined to proceed +myself in advance, with the sheep, that by travelling slowly, at the same +time that we kept steadily advancing, every chance might be given to them +of accomplishing the journey in safety. I was anxious too to precede my +party, in order that by finding out where the water was, I might be on +the look out for them, to guide them to it, and that thus when in their +greatest difficulty, no time should be lost in searching for water. +Having given the overseer orders to keep the tracks of my horses, when he +had travelled about seventy miles along the coast, I set off on the 7th +March, with the youngest of the natives to assist me in driving the +sheep, leaving the two elder ones with the overseer, to aid in managing +the pack-horses. As before we took two horses with us, one to carry our +provisions and water, and the other to ride upon in turn, the boy +however, being young, and incapable of much fatigue, the greater portion +of the walking naturally fell to my share. The day was cool and +favourable, and we accomplished a stage of twenty-four miles; the +afternoon became dark and lowering, and I fully expected rain, but +towards sunset two or three drops fell, and the clouds cleared away. Our +horses fed tolerably upon the little withered grass that we found, but +the sheep were too tired to eat, and lay down; we put them therefore into +a yard we had made for them for the night. + +March 8.--Having turned the sheep out of the yard three hours before +daylight, I was in hopes they would have fed a little before we moved on, +but they would not touch such food as we had for them, and at six I was +obliged to proceed onwards; the morning was dark and looked like rain, +but as was the case yesterday, a drop or two only fell. We made a stage +to-day of twenty-six miles, through a level country, generally open, but +near the sea covered with a very low dwarf tea-tree, small prickly +bushes, and salsolae, and having the surface almost every where sprinkled +over with fresh-water shells; further from the coast the plains extending +to the north were very extensive, level, and divided by belts of scrub or +shrubs. There was no perceptible inclination of the country in any +direction, the level land ran to the very borders of the sea, where it +abruptly terminated, forming the steep and precipitous cliffs, observed +by Captain Flinders, and which it was quite impossible to descend +anywhere. The general elevation of this table land, was from three to +four hundred feet. + +The day turned out fine and clear, and the effect produced by refraction +in these vast plains was singular and deceptive: more than once we turned +considerably out of our way to examine some large timber, as we thought +it to be, to the north of us, but which, upon our approach, proved to be +low scrubby bushes. At another time we imagined we saw two natives in the +distance, and went towards them as carefully and cautiously as we could; +instead, however, of our having seen the heads of natives, as we +supposed, above the bushes, it turned out to be only crows. Yet the +native boy, whose quickness and accuracy of vision had often before +surprised me, was equally deceived with myself. Upon halting in the +evening our sheep again were very tired, and refused to eat. The horses +too were now beginning to feel the want of water, and fed but little. I +therefore sat up and watched them until half past eight, after which I +tied them up to some bushes. At one o'clock I again got up and let them +loose, hoping they might feed a little better in the cool of the night. +The scud was rapidly passing the moon, and I watched for hours the clouds +gathering to the south and passing to the north, but no rain fell. + +March 9.--Moving on early we passed through a similar country to that we +had before traversed; but there was more of the tea-tree scrub, which +made our travelling more difficult and fatiguing. This kind of scrub, +which is different from any I had seen before, is a low bush running +along the ground, with very thick and crooked roots and branches, and +forming a close matted and harassing obstacle to the traveller. The sheep +and horses got very tired, from having to lift their legs so high to +clear it every step they took. To the westward we found the country +rising as we advanced, and the cliffs becoming higher; they now answered +fully, where we could obtain a view of any projecting parts, to the +description given by Flinders--"the upper part brown and the lower part +white;" but as yet we could not find any place where we could descend to +examine them. The lower, or white part, appeared soft and crumbling, and +its decay had left the upper, or harder rock, fearfully overhanging the +ocean. Upon the summits we again found flints in the greatest abundance +lying loosely scattered over the surface. + +The day was cloudy and gathering for rain, but none fell. After +travelling twenty-five miles we halted for an hour or two to rest the +sheep and horses, feeding was out of the question, for they were too much +in want of water to attempt to cat the dry and withered grass around us. +We now lay down to rest ourselves, and the boy soon fell asleep; I was +however feverish and restless, and could not close my eyes. In an hour +and a half I arose, got up the horses and saddled them, and then, awaking +my companion, we again pushed on by moonlight. At ten miles we crossed a +well beaten native pathway, plainly discernible even then, and this we +followed down towards the cliffs, fully hoping it would lead to water. +Our hopes however had been excited but to render our disappointment the +greater, for upon tracing it onwards we found it terminate abruptly at a +large circular hole of limestone rock, which would retain a considerable +quantity of water after rains, but was now without a single drop. +Gloomily turning away we again pushed on for eight miles further, and at +three in the morning of the 10th were compelled to halt from downright +exhaustion and fatigue. The horses and sheep were knocked up. The poor +boy was so tired and sleepy that he could scarcely sit upon his horse, +and I found myself actually dosing as I walked: mechanically my legs kept +moving forwards, but my eyes were every now and then closed in +forgetfulness of all around me, until I was suddenly thrown down by +getting entangled amongst the scrub, or aroused by a severe blow across +the face from the recoil of a bough after the passage of the boy's horse. +I now judged we had come about ninety-three miles from Yeerkumban-kauwe, +and hoped that we could not be very far from water. Having tied up the +horses for an hour or two, and without making a fire, or even unrolling +our cloaks to cover us, we stretched ourselves on the ground, and were in +a few moments fast asleep. + +March 10.--At five we were again on our route, every moment expecting to +see a break in the line of cliffs along which we had now travelled so +far. Alas! they still continued stretching as far as the eye could see to +the westward, and as fast as we arrived at one point which had bounded +our vision (and beyond which we hoped a change might occur), it was but +to be met with the view of another beyond. Distressing and fatal as the +continuance of these cliffs might prove to us, there was a grandeur and +sublimity in their appearance that was most imposing, and which struck me +with admiration. Stretching out before us in lofty unbroken outline, they +presented the singular and romantic appearance of massy battlements of +masonry, supported by huge buttresses, and glittering in the morning sun +which had now risen upon them, and made the scene beautiful even amidst +the dangers and anxieties of our situation. It was indeed a rich and +gorgeous view for a painter, and I never felt so much regret at my +inability to sketch as I did at this moment. + +Still we kept moving onwards and still the cliffs continued. Hour after +hour passed away, mile after mile was traversed, and yet no change was +observable. My anxiety for the party who were to follow behind with the +pack-horses became very great; the state of doubt and uncertainty I was +in was almost insupportable, and I began to fear that neither sheep nor +horses would ever reach the water, even should we suceeed in doing so +ourselves, which now appeared to be very doubtful. At noon I considered +we had come one hundred and ten miles from the last water, and still the +country remained the same. The cliffs indeed appeared to be gradually +declining a little in elevation to the westward, but there was nothing to +indicate their speedy termination. Our sheep still travelled, but they +were getting so tired, and their pace was so slow, that I thought it +would be better to leave them behind, and by moving more rapidly with the +horses endeavour at least to save their lives. Foreseeing that such a +contingency as this might occur, I had given the overseer strict orders +to keep the tracks of my horses, that if I should be compelled to abandon +the sheep he might find them and bring them on with his party. + +Having decided upon this plan we set to work and made a strong high yard +of such shrubs as we could find, and in this we shut up the sheep. I then +wrote a note for the overseer, directing him to bury the loads of the +horses, and hastening on with the animals alone endeavour to save their +lives. To attract attention I raised a long stick above the sheep-yard, +and tied to it a red handkerchief, which could be seen a long way off. At +one we again proceeded, and were able to advance more rapidly than we +could whilst the sheep were with us. In a few miles we came to a +well-beaten native road, and again our hopes were raised of speedily +terminating the anxiety and suspense we were in. Following the road for +ten miles it conducted us to where the cliffs receded a little from the +sea, leaving a small barren valley between them and the ocean, of low, +sandy ground; the road ceased here at a deep rocky gorge of the cliffs, +where there was a breach leading down to the valley. There were several +deep holes among the rocks where water would be procurable after rains, +but they were now all dry. The state of mind in which we passed on may be +better imagined than described. We had now been four days without a drop +of water for our horses, and we had no longer any for ourselves, whilst +there appeared as little probability of our shortly procuring it as there +had been two days ago. A break, it is true, had occurred in the line of +the cliffs, but this appeared of a very temporary character, for we could +see beyond them the valley again abutting upon the ocean. + +At dark we were fifteen miles from where we left the sheep, and were +again upon a native pathway, which we twice tried to follow down the +steep and rugged slopes of the table land into the valley below. We were +only, however, fagging our poor horses and bewildering ourselves to no +purpose, for we invariably lost all track at the bottom, and I at last +became convinced that it was useless to try and trace the natives' +roadway further, since it always appeared to stop at rocky holes where +there was no water now. Keeping, therefore, the high ground, we travelled +near the top of the cliffs, bounding the sandy valley, but here again a +new obstacle impeded our progress. The country, which had heretofore been +tolerably open was now become very scrubby, and we found it almost +impossible either to keep a straight course, or to make any progress +through it in the dark. Still we kept perseveringly onwards, leading our +horses and forcing our way through in the best way we could. It was, +however, all in vain; we made so little headway, and were so completely +exhausting the little strength we had left, that I felt compelled to +desist. The poor boy was quite worn out, and could scarcely move. I was +myself but little better, and we were both suffering from a parching +thirst; under such obstacles labour and perseverance were but thrown +away, and I determined to await the day-light. After tying up the horses +the boy lay down, and was soon asleep, happy in his ignorance of the +dangers which threatened him. I lay down, too, but not to sleep; my own +distresses were lost in the apprehensions which I entertained for those +who were behind. We were now about one hundred and twenty-eight miles +from the last water; we had been four whole days and nights without a +drop for our horses, and almost without food also, (for parched as they +were they could not feed upon the dry and withered grass we found.) The +state the poor animals were in was truly pitiable, what then was likely +to be the condition of those that were coming after us, and carrying +heavy packs. It was questionable, even, if they would reach the distance +we had already attained in safety; and it was clear, that unless I +discovered water early in the morning, the whole of our horses must +perish, whilst it would be very doubtful if we could succeed even in +saving our own lives. + +March 11.--Early this morning we moved on, leading slowly our jaded +animals through the scrub. The night had been one of painful suspense and +gloomy forebodings; and the day set in dark and cloudy, as if to +tantalise us with the hope of rain which was not destined to fall. In a +few miles we reached the edge of the cliffs, from which we had a good +view of the sandy valley we had been travelling round, but which the +thick scrub had prevented our scrutinising sooner. I now noticed some +hillocks of bare sand in the midst of it. These I had not seen before, as +the only previous point from which they could have been visible had been +passed by us in the dark. It now struck me, that the water spoken of by +the natives at Yeerkumban-kauwe might be situated among these sand-hills, +and that we were going away from instead of approaching it. The bare idea +of such a possibility was almost maddening, and as the dreadful thought +flashed across my mind I stood for a moment undecided and irresolute as +to what I ought to do. We were now many miles past these hills, and if we +went back to examine them for water, and did not find it, we could never +hope that our horses would be able to return again to search elsewhere; +whilst if there was water there, and we did not return, every step we +took would but carry us further from it, and lead to our certain +destruction. + +For a few minutes I carefully scanned the line of coast before me. In the +distance beyond a projecting point of the cliffs, I fancied I discerned a +low sandy shore, and my mind was made up at once, to advance in the line +we were pursuing. After a little while, we again came to a well beaten +native pathway, and following this along the summit of the cliffs, were +brought by it, in seven miles, to the point where they receded from the +sea-shore; as they inclined inland, leaving a low sandy country between +them and some high bare sand-hills near the sea. The road now led us down +a very rocky steep part of the cliffs, near the angle where they broke +away from the beach, but upon reaching the bottom we lost it altogether +on the sandy shore; following along by the water's edge, we felt cooled +and refreshed by the sea air, and in one mile and a half from where we +had descended the cliffs, we reached the white sand-drifts. Upon turning +into these to search for water, we were fortunate enough to strike the +very place where the natives had dug little wells; and thus on the fifth +day of our sufferings, we were again blessed with abundance of +water,--nor could I help considering it as a special instance of the +goodness of Providence, that we had passed the sandy valley in the dark, +and had thereby been deterred from descending to examine the sand-hills +it contained; had we done so, the extra fatigue to our horses and the +great length of time it would have taken up, would probably have +prevented the horses from ever reaching the water we were now at. It took +us about two hours to water the animals, and get a little tea for +ourselves, after which the boy laid down to sleep, and I walked round to +search for grass. A little grew between the sand-drifts and the cliffs, +and though dry and withered, I was most thankful to find it. I then +returned to the camp and laid down, but could not sleep, for although +relieved myself, my anxiety became but the greater, for the party behind, +and the more so, because at present I could do nothing to aid them; it +was impossible that either the horses, or ourselves, could go back to +meet them without a few hours' rest, and yet the loss of a few hours +might be of the utmost consequence; I determined, however, to return and +meet them as early as possible in the morning, and in the mean time, as I +knew that the overseer and natives would, when they came, be greatly +fatigued, and unable to dig holes to water the horses, I called up the +boy, and with his assistance dug two large holes about five feet deep, +from which the horses could readily and without delay be watered upon +their arrival. As we had only some shells left by the natives to work +with, our wells progressed slowly, and we were occupied to a late hour. +In the evening we watered the horses, and before laying down ourselves, +drove them to the grass I had discovered. For the first time for many +nights, I enjoyed a sound and refreshing sleep. + + + + +Chapter XVI. + + + +GO BACK TO MEET THE OVERSEER--PARTY ARRIVE AT THE WATER--LONG +ENCAMPMENT--GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF THE CLIFFS--MOVE ON AGAIN--DIG FOR +WATER--TRACES OF NATIVES--SEND BACK FOR WATER--PARROTS SEEN--COOL WINDS +FROM NORTH-EAST--OVERSEER RETURNS--CONTINUE THE JOURNEY--ABANDON +BAGGAGE--DENSE SCRUBS--DRIVEN TO THE BEACH--MEET NATIVES--MODE OF +PROCURING WATER FROM ROOTS. + + +March 12.--THE first streak of daylight found us on our way to meet the +party, carrying with us three gallons of water upon one of the horses, +the other was ridden by the boy. Upon passing the sandy valley, where I +had been in such a state of suspense and doubt at seeing the sand-hills +behind me, I determined to descend and examine them; but before doing so, +I wrote a note for the overseer (in case he should pass whilst I was in +the valley,) and hoisted a red handkerchief to attract his attention to +it. + +I was unsuccessful in my search for water; but whilst among the +sand-hills, I saw the party slowly filing along the cliffs above the +valley, and leaving the boy to look about a little longer, I struck +across to meet them. Both horses and people I found greatly fatigued, but +upon the whole, they had got through the difficulty better than I had +anticipated; after leaving a great part of the loads of the pack-horses +about seventeen miles back, according to the written instructions I had +left. The sheep, it seemed, had broken out of the yard and travelled +backwards, and were picked up by the overseer, twelve miles away from +where we had left them; as they had got very tired and were delaying the +horses, he left one of the natives, this morning, to follow slowly with +them, whilst he pushed on with the pack-horses as rapidly as they could +go. After giving him the pleasing intelligence that his toil was nearly +over for the present, and leaving some few directions, I pushed on again +with the boy, who had not found the least sign of water in the valley, to +meet the native with the sheep. In about three miles we saw him coming on +alone without them, he said they were a mile further back, and so tired +they could not travel. Halting our horses, I sent him to bring them on, +and during his absence, had some tea made and dinner prepared for him. +When the sheep came up they were in sad condition, but by giving them +water and a few hours rest, they recovered sufficiently to travel on in +the evening to the water. + +At night, the whole party were, by God's blessing, once more together, +and in safety, after having passed over one hundred and thirty-five miles +of desert country, without a drop of water in its whole extent, and at a +season of the year the most unfavourable for such an undertaking. In +accomplishing this distance, the sheep had been six and the horses five +days without water, and both had been almost wholly without food for the +greater part of the time. The little grass we found was so dry and +withered, that the parched and thirsty animals could not eat it after the +second day. The day following our arrival at the water was one of intense +heat, and had we experienced such on our journey, neither men nor horses +could ever have accomplished it; most grateful did we feel, therefore, to +that merciful Being who had shrouded us from a semi-tropical sun, at a +time when our exposure to it would have ensured our destruction. + +From the 12th to the 18th we remained at the sand-drifts, during which +time we were engaged in attending to the horses, in sending back to +recover the stores that had been left by the overseer, and in examining +the country around. The natives had told me that there were two watering +places at the termination of the cliffs to the eastward, and that these +were situated in a somewhat similar manner to those at the head of the +Great Bight. We were encamped at one, and I made several ineffectual +attempts to find the other during the time the horses were recruiting. +The traces of natives near us were numerous, and once we saw their fires, +but they did not shew themselves at all. The line of cliffs which had so +suddenly turned away from the sea, receded inland from eight to ten +miles, but still running parallel with the coast; between it and the sea +the country was low and scrubby, with many beds of dried up salt lakes; +but neither timber nor grass, except the little patch we were encamped +at. Above the cliffs the appearance of the country was the same as we had +previously found upon their summits, with, perhaps, rather more scrub; +pigeons were numerous at the sand-hills, and several flocks of +red-crested and red-winged cockatoos were hovering about, watching for an +opportunity to feast upon the red berries I have before spoken of, and +which were here found in very great abundance, and of an excellent +quality. The sand, as usual at our encampments, was a most dreadful +annoyance, and from which we had rarely any respite. The large flies were +also very numerous, troublesome and irritating tormentors. They literally +assailed us by hundreds at a time, biting through our clothes, and +causing us constant employment in endeavouring to keep them off. I have +counted twenty-three of these blood-suckers at one time upon a patch of +my trousers eight inches square. + +Being now at a part of the cliffs where they receded from the sea, and +where they had a last become accessible, I devoted some time to an +examination of their geological character. The part that I selected was +high, steep, and bluff towards the sea, which washed its base; presenting +the appearance described by Captain Flinders, as noted before. By +crawling and scrambling among the crags, I managed, at some risk, to get +at these singular cliffs. The brown or upper portion consisted of an +exceedingly hard, coarse grey limestone, among which some few shells were +embedded, but which, from the hard nature of the rock, I could not break +out; the lower or white part consisted of a gritty chalk, full of broken +shells and marine productions, and having a somewhat saline taste: parts +of it exactly resembled the formation that I had found up to the north, +among the fragments of table-land; the chalk was soft and friable at the +surface, and easily cut out with a tomahawk, it was traversed +horizontally by strata of flint, ranging in depth from six to eighteen +inches, and having varying thicknesses of chalk between the several +strata. The chalk had worn away from beneath the harder rock above, +leaving the latter most frightfully overhanging and threatening instant +annihilation to the intruder. Huge mis-shapen masses were lying with +their rugged pinnacles above the water, in every direction at the foot of +the cliffs, plainly indicated the frequency of a falling crag, and I felt +quite a relief when my examination was completed, and I got away from so +dangerous a post. + +I have remarked that the natives at the head of the Great Bight had +intimated to us, that there were two places where water might be found in +this neighbourhood, not far apart, and as with all our efforts we had +only succeeded in discovering one, I concluded that the other must be a +little further along the coast to the westward; in this supposition I was +strengthened, by observing that all the native tracks we had met with +apparently took this direction. Under this impression I determined to +move slowly along the coast until we came to it, and in order that our +horses might carry no unnecessary loads, to take but a few quarts of +water in our kegs. + +On the 18th we moved on, making a short stage of fourteen miles, through +a heavy, sandy, and scrubby country. At first I tried the beach, but +finding the sand very loose and unsuitable for travelling, I was again +compelled to enter the scrub behind the sea-shore ridge, travelling +through a succession of low scrubby undulations, with here and there the +beds of dried up lakes The traces of natives were now more recent and +numerous, but found principally near the bushes bearing the red berries, +and which grew behind the front ridge of the coast in the greatest +abundance. From this circumstance, and from our having now travelled a +considerable distance beyond the first water, I began to fear that the +second which had been spoken of by the natives must, if it existed at +all, be behind us instead of in advance, and that in reality the fruit we +saw, and not water, was the object for which the natives, whose tracks +were around us, were travelling to the westward. The day was cloudy, and +likely for rain, but after a few drops had fallen, the clouds passed +away. In the afternoon the overseer dug behind the sand-ridge, and at six +feet came to water, but perfectly salt. + +March 19.--To-day we travelled onwards for twenty-six miles, through a +country exactly similar to that we had passed through yesterday. At three +in the afternoon we halted at an opening when there was abundance of +grass, though dry and withered. The indications of natives having +recently passed still continued, and confirmed me in my impression, that +they were on a journey to the westward, and from one distant water to +another, and principally for the purpose of gathering the fruit. We were +now forty miles from the last water, and I became assured that we had +very far to go to the next; I had for some time given over any hope of +finding the second water spoken of by the natives at the head of the +Bight, and considered that we must have passed it if it existed, long +ago, perhaps even in that very valley, or among those very sandhills +where we had searched so unsuccessfully on the 12th. There was now the +prospect of a long journey before us without water, as we had brought +only a little with us for ourselves, and which was nearly exhausted, +whilst our horses had been quite without, and were already suffering from +thirst. Consulting with the overseer, I resolved to leave our baggage +where we were, whilst the horses were sent back to the water (forty +miles) to rest and recruit for three or four days; by this means I +expected they would gather strength, and as they would have but little +weight to carry until they reached our present position, when they +returned we should be better able to force a passage through the waste +before us, at the same time that we should be able to procure a fresh and +larger stock of water for ourselves. At midnight I sent the whole party +back to the last water, but remained myself to take care of the baggage +and sheep. I retained an allowance of a pint of water per day for six +days, this being the contemplated period of the overseer's absence. My +situation was not at all enviable, but circumstances rendered it +unavoidable. + +From the departure of my party, until their return, I spent a miserable +time, being unable to leave the camp at all. Shortly after the party +left, the sheep broke out of the yard, and missing the horses with which +they had been accustomed to travel and to feed, set off as rapidly as +they could after them; I succeeded in getting them back, but they were +exceedingly troublesome and restless, attempting to start off, or to get +down to the sea whenever my eye was off them for an instant, and never +feeding quietly for ten minutes together; finding at last that they would +be quite unmanageable, I made a very strong and high yard, and putting +them in, kept them generally shut up, letting them out only to feed for +two or three hours at once. This gave me a little time to examine my +maps, and to reflect upon my position and prospects, which involved the +welfare of others, as well as my own. We had still 600 miles of country +to traverse, measured in straight lines across the chart; but taking into +account the inequalities of the ground, and the circuit we were +frequently obliged to make, we could not hope to accomplish this in less +than 800 miles of distance. With every thing in our favour we could not +expect to accomplish this in less than eight weeks; but with all the +impediment and embarrassments we were likely to meet with, it would +probably take us twelve. Our sheep were reduced to three in number, and +our sole stock of flour now amounted to 142 pounds, to be shared out +amongst five persons, added to which the aspect of the country before us +was disheartening in the extreme; the places at which there was any +likelihood of finding water were probably few and far apart, and the +strength of our horses was already greatly reduced by the hardships they +had undergone. Ever since we had left Fowler's Bay, the whole party, +excepting the youngest boys, had been obliged chiefly to walk, and yet +every care and precaution we could adopt were unable to counteract the +evil effects of a barren country, and an unfavourable season of the year. +The task before us was indeed a fearful one, but I firmly hoped by +patience and perseverance, safely and successfully to accomplish it at +last. + +During nearly the whole time that my party were away the weather was cool +and cloudy. Occasionally there was a great deal of thunder and lightning, +accompanied by a few drops of rain, but it always cleared away without +heavy showers. The storms came up from seawards, and generally passed +inland to the north-east; which struck me as being somewhat singular, +especially when taken in conjunction with the fact that on one or two +occasions, when the wind was from the north-east, it was comparatively +cool, and so unlike any of those scorching blasts we had experienced from +the same quarter when on the western side of the Great Bight. There was +another thing connected with my present position which equally surprised +me, and was quite as inexplicable: whilst engaged one morning rambling +about the encampment as far as I could venture away, I met with several +flights of a very large description of parrot, quite unknown to me, +coming apparently from the north-east, and settling among the shrubs and +bushes around. They had evidently come to eat the fruit growing behind +the sand-hills, but being scared by my following them about, to try and +shoot one, they took wing and went off again in the direction they had +come from. + +Several days had now elapsed since the departure of the overseer with the +horses, and as the time for their return drew nigh I became anxious and +restless. The little stock of water left me was quite exhausted. It had +originally been very limited, but was reduced still further by the +necessity I was under of keeping it in a wooden keg, where it evaporated, +and once or twice by my spilling some. At last, on the 25th, I was +gratified by seeing my party approach. They had successfully accomplished +their mission, and brought a good supply of water for ourselves, but the +horses looked weary and weak, although they had only travelled fourteen +miles that day. After they had rested a few hours I broke up the +encampment, and travelling for fourteen miles further over a scrubby +country, came to a patch of grass, at which we halted early. From the +nature of the country, and the consequent embarrassment it entailed upon +us, it was impossible for any of the party to have any longer even the +slight advantage formerly enjoyed of occasionally riding for a few miles +in turn; all were now obliged to walk, except the two youngest boys, who +were still permitted to ride at intervals. The weather was cloudy, and +showers were passing to the north-east. + +March 26.--Upon moving on this morning we passed through the same +wretched kind of country for eighteen miles, to an opening in the scrub +where was a little grass, and at which we halted to rest. There was so +much scrub, and the sandy ridges were so heavy and harassing to the +horses, that I began to doubt almost if we should get them along at all. +We were now seventy-two miles from the water, and had, in all +probability, as much further to go before we came to any more, and I saw +that unless something was done to lighten the loads of the pack-animals +(trifling as were the burdens they carried) we never could hope to get +them on. Leaving the natives to enjoy a sleep, the overseer and I opened +and re-sorted all our baggage, throwing away every thing that we could at +all dispense with; our great coats, jackets, and other articles of dress +were thrown away; a single spare shirt and pair of boots and socks being +all that were kept for each, besides our blankets and the things we stood +in, and which consisted only of trowsers, shirt, and shoes. Most of our +pack-saddles, all our horse-shoes, most of our kegs for holding water, +all our buckets but one, our medicines, some of our fire-arms, a quantity +of ammunition, and a variety of other things, were here abandoned. Among +the many things that we were compelled to leave behind there was none +that I regretted parting with more than a copy of Captain Sturt's +Expeditions, which had been sent to me by the author to Fowler's Bay to +amuse and cheer me on the solitary task I had engaged in; it was the last +kind offering of friendship from a highly esteemed friend, and nothing +but necessity would have induced me to part with it. Could the donor, +however, have seen the miserable plight we were reduced to, he would have +pitied and forgiven an act that circumstances alone compelled me to. + +After all our arrangements were made, and every thing rejected that we +could do without, I found that the loads of the horses were reduced in +the aggregate about two hundred pounds; but this being divided among ten, +relieved each only a little. Myself, the overseer, and the King George's +Sound native invariably walked the whole way, but the two younger natives +were still permitted to ride alternately upon one of the strongest +horses. As our allowance of flour was very small, and the fatigue and +exertion we were all obliged to undergo very great, I ordered a sheep to +be killed before we moved on again. We had been upon short allowance for +some time, and were getting weak and hardly able to go through the toils +that devolved upon us. Now, I knew that our safety depended upon that of +our horses, and that their lives again were contingent upon the amount of +fatigue we were ourselves able to endure, and the degree of exertion we +were capable of making to relieve them in extremity. I did not therefore +hesitate to make use of one of our three remaining sheep to strengthen us +for coming trials, instead of retaining them until perhaps they might be +of little use to us. The whole party had a hearty meal, and then, +watching the horses until midnight, we moved on when the moon rose. + +During the morning we had passed along an extensive dried-up salt swamp +behind the coast ridge, which was soft for the horses in some places, but +free from that high brush which fatigued them so much, and which now +appeared to come close in to the sea, forming upon the high sandy ridges +a dense scrub. The level bank of the higher ground, or continuation of +the cliffs of the Bight, which had heretofore been distinctly visible at +a distance of ten or twelve miles inland, could no longer be seen: it had +either merged in the scrubby and sandy elevations around us, or was hid +by them from our view. + +March 27.--During the night we travelled slowly over densely scrubby and +sandy ridges, occasionally crossing large sheets of oolitic limestone, in +which were deep holes that would most likely retain water after rains, +but which were now quite dry. As the daylight dawned the dreadful nature +of the scrub drove us to the sea beach; fortunately it was low water, and +we obtained a firm hard sand to travel over, though occasionally +obstructed by enormous masses of sea-weed, thrown into heaps of very many +feet in thickness and several hundreds of yards in length, looking +exactly like hay cut and pressed ready for packing. + +To-day we overtook the natives, whose tracks we had seen so frequently on +our route. There was a large party of them, all busily engaged in eating +the red berries which grew behind the coast ridge in such vast +quantities; they did not appear so much afraid of us as of our horses, at +which they were dreadfully alarmed, so that all our efforts to +communicate with them were fruitless; they would not come near us, nor +would they give us the opportunity of getting near them, but ran away +whenever I advanced towards them, though alone and unarmed. During the +route I frequently ascended high scrubby ridges to reconnoitre the +country inland, but never could obtain a view of any extent, the whole +region around appeared one mass of dense impenetrable scrub running down +to the very borders of the ocean. + +After travelling twenty miles I found that our horses needed rest, and +halted for an hour or two during the heat of the day, though without +grass, save the coarse wiry vegetation that binds the loose sands +together, and without even bushes to afford them shade from the heat, for +had we gone into the scrub for shelter we should have lost even the +wretched kind of grass we had. + +At half past two we again moved onwards, keeping along the beach, but +frequently forced by the masses of sea-weed to travel above high water +mark in the heavy loose sand. After advancing ten miles the tide became +too high for us to continue on the shore, and the scrub prevented our +travelling to the back, we were compelled therefore to halt for the night +with hardly a blade of grass for our horses. I considered we were now one +hundred and two miles from the last water, and expected we had about +fifty more to go to the next; the poor animals were almost exhausted, but +as the dew was heavy they were disposed to eat had there been grass of +any kind for them. The overseer and I as usual watched them alternately, +each taking the duty for four hours and sleeping the other four; to me +this was the first sleep I had had for the last three nights. + +Whilst in camp, during the heat of the day, the native boys shewed me the +way in which natives procure water for themselves, when wandering among +the scrubs, and by means of which they are enabled to remain out almost +any length of time, in a country quite destitute of surface water. I had +often heard of the natives procuring water from the roots of trees, and +had frequently seen indications of their having so obtained it, but I had +never before seen the process actually gone through. Selecting a large +healthy looking tree out of the gum-scrub, and growing in a hollow, or +flat between two ridges, the native digs round at a few feet from the +trunk, to find the lateral roots; to one unaccustomed to the work, it is +a difficult and laborious thing frequently to find these roots, but to +the practised eye of the native, some slight inequality of the surface, +or some other mark, points out to him their exact position at once, and +he rarely digs in the wrong place. Upon breaking the end next to the +tree, the root is lifted, and run out for twenty or thirty feet; the bark +is then peeled off, and the root broken into pieces, six or eight inches +long, and these again, if thick, are split into thinner pieces; they are +then sucked, or shaken over a piece of bark, or stuck up together in the +bark upon their ends, and water is slowly discharged from them; if +shaken, it comes out like a shower of very fine rain. The roots vary in +diameter from one inch to three; the best are those from one to two and a +half inches, and of great length. The quantity of water contained in a +good root, would probably fill two-thirds of a pint. I saw my own boys +get one-third of a pint out in this way in about a quarter of an hour, +and they were by no means adepts at the practice, having never been +compelled to resort to it from necessity. + +Natives who, from infancy, have been accustomed to travel through arid +regions, can remain any length of time out in a country where there are +no indications of water. The circumstance of natives being seen, in +travelling through an unknown district, is therefore no proof of the +existence of water in their vicinity. I have myself observed, that no +part of the country is so utterly worthless, as not to have attractions +sufficient occasionally to tempt the wandering savage into its recesses. +In the arid, barren, naked plains of the north, with not a shrub to +shelter him from the heat, not a stick to burn for his fire (except what +he carried with him), the native is found, and where, as far as I could +ascertain, the whole country around appeared equally devoid of either +animal or vegetable life. In other cases, the very regions, which, in the +eyes of the European, are most barren and worthless, are to the native +the most valuable and productive. Such are dense brushes, or sandy tracts +of country, covered with shrubs, for here the wallabie, the opossum, the +kangaroo rat, the bandicoot, the leipoa, snakes, lizards, iguanas, and +many other animals, reptiles, birds, etc., abound; whilst the kangaroo, +the emu, and the native dog, are found upon their borders, or in the +vicinity of those small, grassy plains, which are occasionally met with +amidst the closest brushes. + + + + +Chapter XVII. + + + +HORSES BEGIN TO KNOCK UP--COMPELLED TO FOLLOW ROUND THE BEACH--TINOR PONY +UNABLE TO PROCEED--GLOOMY PROSPECTS--OVERSEER BEGINS TO DESPOND--TWO MORE +HORSES LEFT BEHIND--FRAGMENTS OF WRECKS--WATER ALL CONSUMED--COLLECT +DEW--CHANGE IN CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--DIG A WELL--PROCURE WATER--NATIVE +AND FAMILY VISIT US--OVERSEER GOES BACK FOR BAGGAGE--DISASTROUS +TERMINATION OF HIS JOURNEY--SITUATION AND PROSPECTS OF THE PARTY. + + +March 28.--AT daylight we moved on, every one walking, even the youngest +boy could not ride now, as the horses were so weak and jaded. Soon after +leaving the camp, one of them laid down, although the weight upon his +back was very light; we were consequently obliged to distribute the few +things he carried among the others, and let him follow loose. Our route +lay along the beach, as the dense scrub inland prevented us from +following any other course; we had, therefore, to go far out of our way, +tracing round every point, and following along every bay, whilst the +sea-weed frequently obstructed our path, and drove us again to the loose +sands, above high water mark, causing extra fatigue to our unfortunate +horses. At other times we were forced to go between these banks of +sea-weed and the sea, into the sea itself, on which occasions it required +our utmost vigilance to prevent the wretched horses from drinking the +salt water, which would inevitably have destroyed them. In order to +prevent this we were obliged to walk ourselves in the water, on the +sea-side of them, one of the party being in advance, leading one horse, +another being behind to keep up the rear, and the other three being at +intervals along the outside of the line, to keep them from stopping for +an instant until the danger was past. + +We had scarcely advanced six miles from our last night's camp when the +little Timor pony I had purchased at Port Lincoln broke down completely; +for some time it had been weak, and we were obliged to drive it loose, +but it was now unable to proceed further, and we were compelled to +abandon it to a miserable and certain death, that by pushing on, we might +use every exertion in our power to relieve the others, though scarcely +daring to hope that we could save even one of them. It was, indeed, a +fearful and heart-rending scene to behold the noble animals which had +served us so long and so faithfully, suffering the extremity of thirst +and hunger, without having it in our power to relieve them. Five days of +misery had passed over their heads since the last water had been left, +and one hundred and twelve miles of country had been traversed without +the possibility of procuring food for them, other than the dry and +sapless remains of last year's grass, and this but rarely to be met with. +No rains had fallen to refresh them, and they were reduced to a most +pitiable condition, still they travelled onwards, with a spirit and +endurance truly surprising. Whenever we halted, they followed us about +like dogs wherever we went, appearing to look to us only for aid, and +exhibiting that confidence in us which I trust we all reposed in the +Almighty, for most truly did we feel, that in His mercy and protection +alone our safety could now ever be hoped for. + +About ten o'clock the tide became too high for us to keep the beach, and +we were compelled to halt for some hours. Our horses were nearly all +exhausted, and I dreaded that when we next moved on many of them would be +unable to proceed far, and that, one by one, they would all perish, +overcome by sufferings which those, who have not witnessed such scenes, +can have no conception of. We should then have been entirely dependent +upon our own strength and exertions, nearly midway between Adelaide and +King George's Sound, with a fearful country on either side of us, with a +very small supply of provisions, and without water. + +The position we were in, frequently forced sad forebodings with respect +to the future, and though I by no means contemplated with apathy the +probable fate that might await us, yet I was never for a moment undecided +as to the plan it would be necessary to adopt, in such a desperate +extremity--at all hazards, I was determined to proceed onwards. + +The country we had already passed through, precluded all hope of our +recrossing it without the horses to carry water for us, and without +provisions to enable us to endure the dreadful fatigue of forced marches, +across the desert. The country before us was, it is true, quite unknown, +but it could hardly be worse than that we had traversed, and the chance +was that it might be better. We were now pushing on for some sand-hills, +marked down in Captain Flinders' chart at about 126 1/2 degrees of east +longitude; I did not expect to procure water until we reached these, but +I felt sure we should obtain it on our arrival there. After this point +was passed, there appeared to be one more long push without any +likelihood of procuring water, as the cliffs again became the boundary of +the ocean; but beyond Cape Arid, the change in the character and +appearance of the country, as described by Flinders, indicated the +existence of a better and more practicable line of country than we had +yet fallen in with. + +My overseer, however, was now unfortunately beginning to take up an +opposite opinion, and though he still went through the duty devolving +upon him with assiduity and cheerfulness, it was evident that his mind +was ill at ease, and that he had many gloomy anticipations of the future. +He fancied there were no sand-hills ahead, that we should never reach any +water in that direction, and that there was little hope of saving any of +the horses. In this latter idea I rather encouraged him than otherwise, +deeming it advisable to contemplate the darker side of the picture, and +by accustoming ourselves to look forward to being left entirely dependent +upon our own strength and efforts, in some measure to prepare ourselves +for such an event, should it unfortunately befal us. In conversing with +him upon our prospects, and the position we should be in if we lost all +our horses, I regretted extremely to find that his mind was continually +occupied with thoughts of returning, and that he seemed to think the only +chance of saving our lives, would be to push on to the water ourselves, +and then endeavour again to return to Fowler's Bay, where we had buried a +large quantity of provisions. Still it was a gratification to find that +the only European with me, did not altogether give way to despondency, +and could even calmly contemplate the prospect before us, considering and +reasoning upon the plan it might be best to adopt, in the event of our +worst forebodings being realized. In discussing these subjects, I +carefully avoiding irritating or alarming him, by a declaration of my own +opinions and resolutions, rather agreeing with him than otherwise, at the +same time, that I pointed out the certain risk that would attend any +attempt to go back to Fowler's Bay, and the probability there was of much +less danger attending the effort to advance to King George's Sound. With +respect to the native boys, they appeared to think or care but little +about the future; they were not sensible of their danger, and having +something still to eat and drink, they played and laughed and joked with +each other as much as ever. + +Whilst waiting for the tide to fall, to enable us to proceed, the +overseer dug a hole, and we buried nearly every thing we had with us, +saddles, fire-arms, ammunition, provisions; all things were here +abandoned except two guns, the keg with the little water we had left, and +a very little flour, tea and sugar. I determined to relieve our horses +altogether from every weight (trifling as was the weight of all we had), +and by pushing, if possible, on to the water, endeavour to save their +lives; after which we could return for the things we had abandoned. Our +arrangements being completed, we all bathed in the sea, ate a scanty +meal, and again moved onwards at half past two o'clock. + +The poor horses started better than could have been expected, but it was +soon evident that all were fast failing, and many already quite +exhausted. At six miles my favourite mare could no longer keep up with +the rest, and we were obliged to let her drop behind. Her foal, now six +months old, we got away with some difficulty from her, and kept it with +the other horses; at four miles further another of the horses failed, and +I had him tied up, in the hope that if we reached water during the +evening, I might send back and recover him. + +Towards dark we all imagined we saw a long point stretching to the S. W. +and backed by high sandy looking cones. We hoped that these might be the +sand-hills we were pushing for, and our hearts beat high with hope once +more. It, however, soon become too dark to discern anything, and at +fourteen miles from where we had halted in the morning, we were again +obliged by the tide to encamp for the night, as the country behind the +shore was densely scrubby, and quite impracticable as a line of route. It +was nine o'clock when we halted, and we were all very tired, and our feet +somewhat inflamed, from getting so frequently wet with the salt water, +whilst endeavouring to keep the horses from it; there was no grass but +the coarse wiry kind that bound the sand together, of this the poor +animals cropped a little, as a very heavy dew fell, and served to moisten +it. As usual, the overseer and myself kept watch upon the horses at +night, whilst the natives enjoyed their undisturbed repose. Two of the +boys were young, and none of the three had their frame and muscles +sufficiently developed to enable them to undergo the fatigue of walking +during the day if deprived of their rest at night; still the duty became +very hard upon two persons, where it was of constant occurrence, and +superadded to the ordinary day's labour. + +March 29.--After calling up the party, I ascended the highest sand-hill +near me, from which the prospect was cheerless and gloomy, and the point +and sandy cones we imagined we had seen last night had vanished. Indeed, +upon examining the chart, and considering that as yet we had advanced +only one hundred and twenty-six miles from the last water, I felt +convinced that we had still very far to go before we could expect to +reach the sand-drifts. The supply of water we had brought for ourselves +was nearly exhausted, and we could afford none for breakfast to-day; the +night, however, had been cool, and we did not feel the want of it so +much. Upon moving, I sent one of the natives back to the horse I had tied +up, about four miles from our camp to try to bring him on to where we +should halt in the middle of the day. + +For ten miles we continued along the beach until we came to a bluff rocky +ridge, running close into the sea; here we rested until the tide fell, +and to give the native boy an opportunity of rejoining us, which he did +soon after, but without the horse; the poor animal had travelled about +eight miles with him from the place where we had left him, but had then +been unable to come any further, and he abandoned him. + +Whilst the party were in camp, I sent the overseer to a distant point of +land to try and get a view of the coast beyond; but upon his return, +after a long walk, he told me his view to the west was obstructed by a +point similar to the one I had sent him to. During the day, we had passed +a rather recent native encampment, where were left some vessels of bark +for holding water, or for collecting it from the roots of trees, or the +grass. Near where we halted in the middle of the day, the foot-prints of +the natives were quite fresh, and shewed that they were travelling the +same way as ourselves. + +For the last two or three days, we had passed many pieces of wreck upon +the beach, oars, thwarts of boats, fragments of masts, spars, etc. strewed +about in every direction; none of them, however, appeared to have been +recently deposited there, and many of the oars, and lighter spars, were +stuck up on their ends in the sand above high water mark, probably so +placed by the natives, but with what object I know not. One oar was stuck +up upon a high sand ridge, some distance from the shore, and I spent some +time in examining the place, in the vain hope that it might be an +indication of our vicinity to water. + +In the afternoon we all had a little tea; and after a bathe in the sea, +again moved onwards; fortunately the beach was firm and hard, and the +evening cool; the horses advanced slowly and steadily, and in a way that +quite surprised me. After travelling for thirteen miles, we encamped +under the coast ridge late in the evening, all very much exhausted, +having made several ineffectual searches for water, among the sandy +ridges, as we passed along. + +In our route along the shore, we had seen immense numbers of fish in the +shallow waters, and among the reefs lying off the coast; several dead +ones had been picked up, and of these the boys made a feast at night. Our +last drop of water was consumed this evening, and we then all lay down to +rest, after turning the horses behind the first ridge of the coast, as we +could find no grass; and neither the overseer nor I were able to watch +them, being both too much worn out with the labours of the day, and our +exertions, in searching for water. + +March 30.--Getting up as soon as the day dawned, I found that some of the +horses had crossed the sand ridge to the beach, and rambled some distance +backwards. I found, too, that in the dark, we had missed a patch of +tolerable grass among the scrub, not far from our camp. I regretted this +the more, as during the night a very heavy dew had fallen, and the horses +might perhaps have fed a little. + +Leaving the overseer to search for those that had strayed, I took a +sponge, and went to try to collect some of the dew which was hanging in +spangles upon the grass and shrubs; brushing these with the sponge, I +squeezed it, when saturated, into a quart pot, which, in an hour's time, +I filled with water. The native boys were occupied in the same way; and +by using a handful of fine grass, instead of a sponge, they collected +about a quart among them. Having taken the water to the camp, and made it +into tea, we divided it amongst the party, and never was a meal more +truly relished, although we all ate the last morsel of bread we had with +us, and none knew when we might again enjoy either a drink of water, or a +mouthful of bread. We had now demonstrated the practicability of +collecting water from the dew. I had often heard from the natives that +they were in the habit of practising this plan, but had never before +actually witnessed its adoption. It was, however, very cold work, and +completely wet me through from head to foot, a greater quantity of water +by far having been shaken over me, from the bushes, than I was able to +collect with my sponge. The natives make use of a large oblong vessel of +bark, which they hold under the branches, whilst they brush them with a +little grass, as I did with the sponge; the water thus falls into the +trough held for it, and which, in consequence of the surface being so +much larger than the orifice of a quart pot, is proportionably sooner +filled. After the sun once rises, the spangles fall from the boughs, and +no more water can be collected; it is therefore necessary to be at work +very early, if success is an object of importance. + +The morning was very hazy, and at first nothing could be seen of the +country before us; but as the mist gradually cleared away a long point +was seen to the south-west, but so very distant that I felt certain our +horses never would get there if it lay between us and the water. To our +astonishment they kept moving steadily along the beach, which was +tolerably firm near the sea, in which were many reefs and shelves of +rocks, covered with muscles below low water mark. As we progressed, it +was evident that the country was undergoing a considerable change; the +sea shore dunes and the ridges immediately behind them were now of a pure +white sand, and steep, whilst those further back were very high and +covered with low bushes. Upon ascending one of the latter I had a good +view around, and to my inexpressible pleasure and relief saw the high +drifts of sand we were looking for so anxiously, in the corner between us +and the more distant point of land first seen. The height of the +intervening ridges and the sand-drifts being in the angle prevented us +from noticing them sooner. + +We had now travelled ten miles, and the sand-hills were about five miles +further. The horses were, however, becoming exhausted, and the day was so +hot that I was compelled to halt, and even now, in sight of our +long-expected goal, I feared we might be too late to save them. Leaving +the boys to attend to the animals, I took the overseer up one of the +ridges to reconnoitre the country for the purpose of ascertaining whether +there was no place near us where water might be procured by digging. +After a careful examination a hollow was selected between the two front +ridges of white sand, where the overseer thought it likely we might be +successful. The boys were called up to assist in digging, and the work +was anxiously commenced; our suspense increasing every moment as the well +was deepened. At about five feet the sand was observed to be quite moist, +and upon its being tasted was pronounced quite free from any saline +qualities. This was joyous news, but too good to be implicitly believed, +and though we all tasted it over and over again, we could scarcely +believe that such really was the case. By sinking another foot the +question was put beyond all doubt, and to our great relief fresh water +was obtained at a depth of six feet from the surface, on the seventh day +of our distress, and after we had travelled one hundred and sixty miles +since we had left the last water. Words would be inadequate to express +the joy and thankfulness of my little party at once more finding +ourselves in safety, and with abundance of water near us. A few hours +before hope itself seemed almost extinguished, and those only who have +been subjeet to a similar extremity of distress can have any just idea of +the relief we experienced. The mind seemed to have been weighed down by +intense anxiety and over-wrought feelings. At first the gloomy +restlessness of disappointment or the feverish impatience of hope had +operated upon our minds alternately, but these had long since given way +to that calm settled determination of purpose, and cool steady vigour of +action which desperate circumstances can alone inspire. Day by day our +prospects of success had gradually diminished; our horses had become +reduced to so dreadful a state that many had died, and all were likely to +do so soon; we ourselves were weak and exhausted by fatigue, and it +appeared impossible that either could have gone many miles further. In +this last extremity we had been relieved. That gracious God, without +whose assistance all hope of safety had been in vain, had heard our +earnest prayers for his aid, and I trust that in our deliverance we +recognized and acknowledged with sincerity and thankfulness his guiding +and protecting hand. It is in circumstances only such as we had lately +been placed in that the utter hopelessness of all human efforts is truly +felt, and it is when relieved from such a situation that the hand of a +directing and beneficent Being appears most plainly discernible, +fulfilling those gracious promises which he has made, to hear them that +call upon him in the day of trouble. + +[Note 27: "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and +their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of +Israel will not forsake them." + +"I will open rivers in high places, and fountains +in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, +and the dry land springs of water."--Isa. xli. 17, 18. + +"I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the +desert."--Isa. xliii. 19.] + +As soon as each had satisfied his thirst the pots were filled and boiled +for tea, and some bread was baked, whilst the overseer and natives were +still increasing the size of the well to enable us to water the horses. +We then got a hasty meal that we might the better go through the fatigue +of attending to the suffering animals. Our utmost caution now became +necessary in their management; they had been seven days without a drop of +water, and almost without food also, and had suffered so much that with +abundance of water near us, and whilst they were suffering agonies from +the want of it, we dared not give it to them freely. Having tied them up +to some low bushes, we gave each in turn about four gallons, and then +driving them away for half a mile to where there was a little withered +grass, we watched them until the evening, and again gave each about four +gallons more of water. + +Whilst thus engaged, a very fine looking native with his wife and family, +passed us and halted for a few moments to observe us, and procure a drink +from the well we had made. This man did not seem at all alarmed, and made +signs that he was going to sleep, a little further along the coast, where +there was also water, pointing to the white sandhills about five miles +from us. The language he spoke seemed to be the same as that of the other +natives we had met with along the Great Bight, nor did the King George's +Sound native understand him a bit better than he had done the others. + +At night one of our two remaining sheep was killed, and the overseer and +myself proceeded to watch the horses for the night. The poor creatures +were scarcely able to crawl, yet were restless and uneasy, and fed but +little, they had tasted water and they were almost mad for it, so that it +was a severe task to both myself and the overseer to keep them from +returning to the well. The single sheep now left had also given us a good +deal of trouble, it was frightened at being alone, and frustrated all our +efforts to yard it, preferring to accompany and remain with the +horses,--an arrangement we were obliged to acquiesce in. + +March 31.--The morning broke wild and lowering, and the sand blew +fearfully about from the drifts among which the water was. Our well had +tumbled in during the night, and we had to undergo considerable labour +before we could water the horses. After clearing it out, we gave each of +them seven gallons, and again sent them away to the grass, letting the +native boys watch them during the day, whilst we rested for a few hours, +shifted our camp to a more sheltered place, weighed out a week's +allowance of flour at half a pound each per day, and made sundry other +necessary arrangements. + +Fearful of losing our only remaining sheep, if left to wander about, we +made a strong yard to put it into at nights, for a long time, however, we +could not get it to go near the yard, and only succeeded at last by +leading in a horse first, behind which it walked quite orderly. + +April 1.--The last night had been bitterly cold and frosty, and as we +were badly clad, and without the means of making a large or permanent +fire, we all felt acutely the severity of the weather. After breakfast, I +left the overseer and natives to clear out the well, which had again +fallen in, and water the horses, whilst I walked five miles along the +beach to the westward, and then turned inland to examine the sand-drifts +there and search for grass. Behind the drifts I found some open sandy +plains, with a coarse kind of dry grass upon them, and as they were not +far from where the natives had dug wells for water, I thought the place +might suit us to encamp at for a time when we left our present position. +In returning to the camp, through the scrub behind the coast, I shot a +fine wallabie, and saw several others; but having only cartridges with +me, I did not like to cut up the balls for ammunition. + +April 2.--Another severe cold frosty night made us fully sensible that +the winter was rapidly closing in upon us, notwithstanding the +ill-provided and unprotected state we were in to encounter its +inclemencies. Our well had again tumbled in, and gave us a good deal of +trouble, besides, each successive clearing out deepened it considerably, +and this took us to a level where the brackish water mixed with the +fresh; from this cause the water was now too brackish to be palatable, +and we sunk another well apart from that used for the horses, at which to +procure any water we required for our own use. During the afternoon I +shot a wallabie behind the camp, but the place being densely scrubby, and +the animal not quite dead, I did not get it. + +On the 3rd, I sent the overseer out in one direction and I went myself +out in another, to examine the country and try to procure wallabies for +food. We both returned late, greatly fatigued with walking through dense +scrubs and over steep heavy sand ridges, but without having fired a shot. + +Our mutton (excepting the last sheep) being all used on the 4th, we were +reduced to our daily allowance of half a pound of flour each, without any +meat. + +On the 5th, the overseer and one of the native boys got ready to go back +for some of the stores and other things we had abandoned, forty-seven +miles away. As they were likely to have severe exercise, and to be away +for four days, I gave them five pounds extra of flour above their daily +allowance, together with the wallabie which I had shot, and which had not +yet been used; they drove before them three horses to carry their supply +of water, and bring back the things sent for. + +As soon as they were gone, with the assistance of the two native boys who +were left, I removed the camp to the white sand-drifts, five miles +further west. Being anxious to keep as near to the grass as I could, I +commenced digging at some distance away from where the natives procured +their water, but at a place where there were a great many rushes. After +sinking to about seven feet, I found the soil as dry as ever, and +removing to the native wells, with some little trouble opened a hole +large enough to water all the horses. The single sheep gave us a great +deal of trouble and kept us running about from one sand hill to another, +until we were tired out, before we could capture it; at last we +succeeded, and I tied him up for the night, resolved never to let him +loose again. + +In the evening I noticed the native boys looking more woe-begone and +hungry than usual. Heretofore, since our mutton was consumed, they had +helped out their daily half-pound of flour, with the roasted roots of the +gum-scrub, but to-day they had been too busy to get any, and I was +obliged to give to each a piece of bread beyond the regular allowance. It +was pitiable to see them craving for food, and not to have the power of +satisfying them; they were young and had large appetites, and never +having been accustomed to any restraint of this nature, scarcity of food +was the more sensibly felt, especially as they could not comprehend the +necessity that compelled us to hoard with greater care than a miser does +his gold, the little stock of provisions which we yet had left. + +April 6.--The severe frost and intense cold of last night entirely +deprived me of sleep, and I was glad when the daylight broke, though +still weary and unrefreshed. After clearing out the well, and watering +the horses, I sent one of the boys out to watch them, and gave the other +the gun to try and shoot a wallabie, but after expending the only two +charges of slugs I had left, he returned unsuccessful. At night we all +made up our supper with the bark of the young roots of the gum-scrub. It +appears to be extensively used for food by the natives in this district, +judging from the remnants left at their encamping places. The bark is +peeled off the young roots of the eucalyptus dumosa, put into hot ashes +until nearly crisp, and then the dust being shaken off, it is pounded +between two stones and ready for use. Upon being chewed, a farinaceous +powder is imbibed from between the fibres of the bark, by no means +unpleasant in flavour, but rather sweet, and resembling the taste of +malt; how far a person could live upon this diet alone, I have no means +of judging, but it certainly appeases the appetite, and is, I should +suppose, nutritious. + +April 7.--Another sleepless night from the intense cold. Upon getting up +I put a mark upon the beach to guide the overseer to our camp on his +return, then weighed out flour and baked bread for the party, as I found +it lasted much better when used stale than fresh. I tried to shoot some +pigeons with small gravel, having plenty of powder but no shot. My +efforts were, however, in vain, for though I several times knocked them +over, and tore feathers out, I killed none. The day being very clear, I +ascended the highest sand-hill to obtain a view of what had appeared to +us to be a long point of land, stretching to the south-west. It was now +clearly recognisable as the high level line of cliffs forming the western +boundary of the Great Bight, and I at once knew, that when we left our +present position, we could hope for no water for at least 140 or 150 +miles beyond. + +The weather on the 8th and 9th suddenly became mild and soft, with the +appearance of rain, but none fell. I was becoming anxious about the +return of my overseer and native boy, who had been absent nine tides, +when they ought to have returned in eight, and I could not help fearing +some mischance had befallen them, and frequently went back wards and +forwards to the beach, to look for them. The tenth tide found me +anxiously at my post on the look out, and after watching for a long time +I thought I discerned some dark objects in the distance, slowly +advancing; gradually I made out a single horse, driven by two people, and +at once descended to meet them. Their dismal tale was soon told. After +leaving us on the 5th, they reached their destination on the 7th; but in +returning one of the horses became blind, and was too weak to advance +further, when they had barely advanced thirteen miles; they were +consequently obliged to abandon him, and leave behind the things he had +been carrying. With the other two horses they got to within five miles of +the place we first procured water at on the 30th March. Here a second +horse had become unable to proceed, and the things he had carried were +also obliged to be left behind. They then got both horses to the first +well at the sand-hills and watered them, and after resting a couple of +hours came on to join me. Short as this distance was, the jaded horse +could not travel it, and was left behind a mile and a half back. Having +shewn the overseer and boy the camp, I sent the other two natives to +fetch up the tired horse, whilst I attended to the other, and put the +solitary sheep in for the night. By a little after dark all was arranged, +and the horse that had been left behind once more with the others. + +From the overseer I learnt, that during the fifty miles he had retraced +our route to obtain the provisions we had left, he had five times dug for +water: four times he had found salt water, and once he had been stopped +by rock. The last effort of this kind he had made not far from where we +found water on the 30th of March, and I could not but be struck with the +singular and providential circumstance of our first halting and +attempting to dig for water on that day in all our distress, at the very +first place, and at the only place, within the 160 miles we had +traversed, where water could have been procured. It will be remembered, +that in our advance, we had travelled a great part of the latter portion +of this distance by night, and that thus there was a probability of our +having passed unknowingly some place where water might have been +procured. The overseer had now travelled over the same ground in +daylight, with renovated strength, and in a condition comparatively +strong, and fresh for exertion. He had dug wherever he thought there was +a chance of procuring water, but without success in any one single +instance. + +After learning all the particulars of the late unlucky journey, I found +that a great part of the things I had sent for were still thirty-eight +miles back, having only been brought twelve miles from where they had +originally been left; the rest of the things were ten miles away, and as +nearly all our provisions, and many other indispensable articles were +among them, it became absolutely necessary that they should be recovered +in some way or other, but how that was to be accomplished was a question +which we could not so easily determine. Our horses were quite unfit for +service of any kind, and the late unfortunate attempt had but added to +the difficulties by which we were surrounded, and inflicted upon us the +additional loss of another valuable animal. Many and anxious were the +hours I spent in contemplating the circumstances we were in, and in +revolving in my mind the best means at our command to extricate ourselves +from so perilous a situation. We were still 650 miles from King George's +Sound, with an entirely unknown country before us. Our provisions, when +again recovered, would be barely sufficient to last us for three weeks +and a half, at a very reduced rate of allowance. Our horses were jaded +and miserable beyond all conception; they could literally scarcely crawl, +and it was evident they would be unable to move on again at all without +many days' rest where we were. On the other hand we had still the +prospect of another of those fearful pushes without water to encounter, +as soon as we left our present encampment, and had first to recover the +provisions and other things yet so far away. Nothing could be more +disheartening than our situation, and it was also one in which it was +difficult to decide what was best to be done. Aware that a single false +step would now be fatal to us all, I saw that our circumstances required +promptness and decision. With every thing depending upon my sole +judgment, and the determination I arrived at, I felt deeply and anxiously +the over-whelming responsibility that devolved upon me. + +We were now about half way between Fowler's Bay and King George's Sound, +located among barren sand-drifts, and without a drop of water beyond us +on either side, within a less distance than 150 miles. Our provisions +were rapidly decreasing, whilst we were lying idle and inactive in camp; +and yet it would be absolutely necessary for us thus to remain for some +time longer, or at once abandon the horses, and endeavour to make our way +without them. To the latter, however, there were many objections, one of +which was, that I well knew from the experience we had already had, that +if we abandoned the horses, and had those fearful long distances to +travel without water, we never could accomplish them on foot, if +compelled at the same time to live upon a very low diet, to carry our +arms, ammunition, and provisions, and in addition to these, a stock of +water, sufficient to last six or seven days. The only thing that had +enabled us to get through so far on our journey in safety, had been the +having the horses with us, for though weak and jaded, they had yet +carried the few things, which were indispensable to us, and which we +never could have carried ourselves under the circumstances. + +There was another inducement to continue with the horses, which had +considerable weight with me, and however revolting the idea might be at +first, it was a resource which I foresaw the desperate circumstances we +were in must soon compel us to adopt. It was certainly horrible to +contemplate the destruction of the noble animals that had accompanied us +so far, but ere long I well knew that such would be the only chance of +saving our own lives, and I hoped that by accustoming the mind to dwell +upon the subject beforehand, when the evil hour did arrive, the horror +and disgust would be in some degree lessened. Upon consulting the +overseer, I was glad to find that he agreed with me fully in the +expediency of not abandoning the horses until it became unavoidable, and +that he had himself already contemplated the probability of our being +very shortly reduced to the alternative of using them for food. + +It remained now only to decide, which way we would go when we agan moved +on, whether to prosecute our journey to the Sound, or try to retrace our +steps to Fowler's Bay. On this point my own opinion never wavered for an +instant. My conviction of the utter impossibility of our ever being able +to recross the fearful country we had passed through with such +difficulty, under circumstances so much more favourable than we were now +in, was so strong that I never for a moment entertained the idea myself. +I knew the many and frightful pushes without water we should have to make +in any such attempt, and though the country before us was unknown, it +could not well be worse than that we had passed through, whilst the +probability was, that after the first long stage was accomplished, and +which would take us beyond the western boundary of the Great Bight, we +should experience a change in the character of the country, and be able +to advance with comparative ease and facility. Unhappily my overseer +differed from me in opinion upon this point. + +The last desperate march we had made, had produced so strong an +impression upon his mind, that he could not divest himself of the idea +that the further we went to the westward the more arid the country would +be found, and that eventually we should all perish from want of water; on +the other hand, the very reduced allowance of food we were compelled to +limit ourselves to, made his thoughts always turn to the depot at +Fowler's Bay, where we had buried a large supply of provisions of all +kinds. In vain I pointed out to him the certain difficulties we must +encounter in any attempt to return, the little probability there was of a +single horse surviving even the first of those dreadful stages we should +have to make, and the utter impossibility of our getting successfully +through without the horses; and, on the other hand, the very cheering +prospect there was of all our most serious difficulties being terminated +as soon as we had turned the western extremity of the Bight (to +accomplish which, would not occupy more than six or seven days at the +furthest when we moved on,) and the strong hopes that we might then +reasonably entertain of falling in with some vessel, sealing or whaling +upon the coast, and from which we might obtain a fresh supply of +provisions. All my arguments were fruitless. With the characteristic +obedience and fidelity with which he had ever served me, he readily +acquiesced in any plan I might decide upon adopting; but I perceived, +with pain, that I could not convince him that the view I took was the +proper one, and that the plan I intended to follow was the only one which +held out to us even the remotest hopes of eventual safety and success. + +Finding that I made little progress in removing his doubts on the +question of our advance, I resolved to pursue the subject no further, +until the time for decision came, hoping that in the interim, his +opinions and feelings might in some degree be modified, and that he might +then accompany me cheerfully. The important and pressing duty of +recovering at once the stores we had left behind, now claimed my +attention. The overseer, with his usual anxiety to save me from any extra +labour, kindly offered to attempt this object again; but as he had just +returned from a severe, though unfortunately unsuccessful journey for the +same purpose, I decided upon doing it myself, and at once made my +preparations for leaving the camp. + + + + +Chapter XVIII. + + + +GO BACK WITH A NATIVE--SPEAR STING-RAYS--RECOVER THE BAGGAGE--COLD +WEATHER--OVERSEER RECONNOITRES THE CLIFFS--UNFAVOURABLE +REPORT--DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO BEST PLANS FOR THE FUTURE--KILL A +HORSE FOR FOOD--INJURIOUS EFFECTS FROM MEAT DIET--NATIVE BOYS BECOME +DISAFFECTED--THEY STEAL PROVISIONS--NATIVE BOYS DESERT THE PARTY--THEY +RETURN ALMOST STARVED--PARTY PROCEED ONWARDS TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF +THE BIGHT--COUNTRY BEHIND THEM--THREATENING WEATHER--MURDER OF THE +OVERSEER. + + +April 10.--FOUR days' provisions having been given to each of the party, +I took the King George's Sound native with me to retrace, on foot, our +route to the eastward. For the first ten miles I was accompanied by one +of the other native boys, leading a horse to carry a little water for us, +and take back the stores the overseer had buried at that point, when the +second horse knocked up with him on the morning of the 9th. Having found +the things, and put them on the horse, I sent the boy with them back to +the camp, together with a large sting-ray fish which he had speared in +the surf near the shore. It was a large, coarse, ugly-looking thing, but +as it seemed to be of the same family as the skate, I did not imagine we +should run any risk in eating it. In other respects, circumstances had +broken through many scruples and prejudices, and we were by no means +particular as to what the fish might be, if it were eatable. + +Having buried our little keg of water until our return, the King George's +Sound native and myself pushed on for five miles further, and then halted +for the night, after a day's journey of fifteen miles. We now cooked some +sting-ray fish (for the native with me had speared a second one,) and +though it was coarse and dry, our appetites had been sharpened by our +walk, and we thought it far from being unpalatable. + +April 11.--Moving away long before daylight, we pushed steadily on, and +about dusk arrived, after a stage of twenty-three miles, at the place +where our stores were. I found a much greater weight here than I +expected, and feared it would be quite impossible for us to carry the +whole away. By the light of the fire, I threw out saddles, clothes, +oil-skins, etc. that we did not absolutely require, and packing up the +remainder, weighed a bundle of thirty-two pounds for myself to carry, and +one of twenty-two for the native, who also had a gun to take. Our +arrangements being completed for the morrow, we enjoyed our supper of +sting-ray, and lay down for the night. + +April 12.--To-day the weather was cloudy and sultry, and we found it very +oppressive carrying the weight we had with us, especially as we had no +water. By steady perseverance, we gained the place where our little keg +had been buried; and having refreshed ourselves with a little tea, again +pushed on for a few miles to a place where I had appointed the overseer +to send a native to meet us with water. He was already there, and we all +encamped together for the night, soon forgetting, in refreshing sleep, +the fatigues and labours of the day. + +The 13th was a dark cloudy day, with light rains in the morning. About +noon we arrived at the camp, after having walked seventy-six miles in the +last three days and a half, during great part of which, we had carried +heavy weights. We had, however, successfully accomplished the object for +which we had gone, and had now anxieties only for our future progress, +the provisions and other stores being all safely recovered. + +During my absence, I had requested the overseer to bake some bread, in +order that it might be tolerably stale before we used it. To my regret +and annoyance, I found that he had baked one third of our whole supply, +so that it would be necessary to use more than our stated allowance, or +else to let it spoil. It was the more vexing, to think that in this case +the provisions had been so improvidently expended, from the fact of our +having plenty of the sting-ray fish, and not requiring so much bread. + +April 14.--Early this morning I sent the overseer, and one of the native +boys, with three days' provision to the commencement of the cliffs to the +westward, visible from the sand-hills near our camp, in order that they +might ascertain the exact distance they were from us, and whether any +grass or water could be procured nearer to their base than where we were. +After their departure, I attended to the horses, and then amused myself +preparing some fishing lines to set off the shore, with a large stone as +an anchor, and a small keg for a buoy. The day was, however, wild and +boisterous; and in my attempts to get through the surf, to set the lines, +I was thrown down, together with the large stone I was carrying, and my +leg severely cut and bruised. The weather was extremely cold, too, and +being without coat or jacket of any kind, I suffered severely from it. + +The 15th was another cold day, with the wind at south-west, and we could +neither set the lines, nor spear sting-ray, whilst the supply we had +before obtained was now nearly exhausted. One of the horses was taken +ill, and unable to rise, from the effects of the cold; his limbs were +cramped and stiff, and apparently unable to sustain the weight of his +body. After plucking dry grass, and making a bed for him, placing a +breakwind of boughs round, and making a fire near him, we left him for +the night. + +Late in the evening, the overseer and boy returned from the westward, and +reported, that the cliffs were sixteen miles away; that they had dug for +water, but that none could be found, and that there was hardly a blade of +grass any where, whilst the whole region around was becoming densely +scrubby; through much of which we should have to pass before we reached +the cliffs. Altogether, the overseer seemed quite discouraged by the +appearance of the country, and to dread the idea of moving on in that +direction, often saying, that he wished he was back, and that he thought +he could retrace his steps to Fowler's Bay, where a supply of provisions +had been buried. I was vexed at these remarks, because I felt that I +could not coincide in them, and because I knew that when the moment for +decision came, my past experience, and the strong reasons which had +produced in my own mind quite a different conviction, would compel me to +act in opposition to the wishes of the only European with me, and he a +person, too, whom I sincerely respected for the fidelity and devotion +with which he had followed me through all my wanderings. I was afraid, +too, that the native boys, hearing his remarks, and perceiving that he +had no confidence in our future movements, would catch up the same idea, +and that, in addition to the other difficulties and anxieties I had to +cope with, would be the still more frightful one of disaffection and +discontent. Another subject of uneasiness arose from the nature of our +diet;--for some few days we had all been using a good deal of the +sting-ray fish, and though at first we had found it palatable, either +from confining ourselves too exclusively to it, or from eating too much, +it had latterly disagreed with us. The overseer declared it made him ill +and weak, and that he could do nothing whilst living upon it. The boys +said the same; and yet we had nothing else to supply its place, and the +small quantity of flour left would not admit of our using more than was +barely necessary to sustain life. At this time we had hardly any fish +left, and the whole party were ravenously hungry. In this dilemma, I +determined to have the sick horse killed for food. It was impossible he +could ever recover, and by depriving him of life a few hours sooner than +the natural course of events would have done, we should be enabled to get +a supply of food to last us over a few days more, by which time I hoped +we might again be able to venture on, and attempt another push to the +westward. + +Early on the morning of the 16th, I sent the overseer to kill the +unfortunate horse, which was still alive, but unable to rise from the +ground, having never moved from the place where he had first been found +lying yesterday morning. The miserable animal was in the most wretched +state possible, thin and emaciated by dreadful and long continued +sufferings, and labouring under some complaint, that in a very few hours +at the farthest, must have terminated its life. + +After a great portion of the meat had been cut off from the carcase, in +thin slices, they were dipped in salt water and hung up upon strings to +dry in the sun. I could not bring myself to eat any to-day, so horrible +and revolting did it appear to me, but the overseer made a hearty dinner, +and the native boys gorged themselves to excess, remaining the whole +afternoon by the carcase, where they made a fire, cutting off and +roasting such portions as had been left. They looked like ravenous wolves +about their prey, and when they returned to the camp at night, they were +loaded with as much cooked meat as they could carry, and which they were +continually eating during the night; I made a meal upon some of the +sting-ray that was still left, but it made me dreadfully sick, and I was +obliged to lie down, seriously ill. + +April 17.--Being rather better to-day, I was obliged to overcome my +repugnance to the disagreeable food we were compelled to resort to, and +the ice once broken, I found that although it was far from being +palatable, I could gradually reconcile myself to it. The boys after +breakfast again went down to the carcase, and spent the whole day +roasting and eating, and at night they again returned to the camp loaded. +We turned all the meat upon the strings and redipped it in sea water +again to-day, but the weather was unfavourable for drying it, being cold +and damp. Both yesterday and to-day light showers fell sufficient to +moisten the grass. + +April 18.--The day being much warmer, many large flies were about, and I +was obliged to have a fire kept constantly around the meat, to keep them +away by the smoke. I now put the natives upon an allowance of five pounds +of flesh each per day, myself and the overseer using about half that +quantity. + +On the 19th, I sent out one of the boys to try and get a sting-ray to +vary our diet, but he returned unsuccessful. During the forenoon I was +seized with a violent attack of dysentery, accompanied with diabetes, +from which I suffered extremely. The overseer was affected also, but in a +less violent degree. The origin of this complaint was plainly traceable +to the food we had used for the last day or two; it rendered us both +incapable of the least exertion of any kind, whilst the disorder +continued, and afterwards left us very languid and weak. In the evening +upon examining the meat, a great deal of it was found to be getting +putrid, or fly-blown, and we were obliged to pick it over, and throw what +was tainted away. + +April 20.--To-day I had all the meat boiled, as I thought it would keep +better cooked than raw, we had only a small tin saucepan without a +handle, to effect our cooking operations with, and the preparation of the +meat therefore occupied the whole of the day. The overseer was again +attacked with dysentery. At night the clouds gathered heavily around, and +the weather being mild and soft, I fully expected rain; after dark, +however, the wind rose high and the threatened storm passed away. + +On the 21st, I was seized again with illness. The overseer continued to +be affected also, and we were quite unable to make the necessary +preparations for our journey to the westward, which I fully intended to +have commenced to-morrow. For several hours we were in the greatest +agony, and could neither lie down, sit up, nor stand, except with extreme +pain. Towards the afternoon the violence of the symptoms abated a little, +but we were exceedingly weak. + +April 22.--Upon weighing the meat this morning, which as usual was left +out upon the strings at night, I discovered that four pounds had been +stolen by some of the boys, whilst we were sleeping. I had suspected that +our stock was diminishing rapidly for a day or two past, and had weighed +it overnight that I might ascertain this point, and if it were so, take +some means to prevent it for the future. With so little food to depend +upon, and where it was so completely in the power of any one of the +party, to gratify his own appetite at the expense of the others, during +their absence, or when they slept, it became highly necessary to enforce +strict honesty towards each other; I was much grieved to find that the +meat had been taken by the natives, more particularly as their daily +allowance had been so great. We had, moreover, only two days' supply of +the meat left for the party, and being about to commence the long journey +before us, it was important to economise our provisions to support us +under the fatigue and labours we should then have to undergo. + +Having deducted the four pounds stolen during the night, from the daily +rations of the three boys, I gave them the remainder, (eight pounds) +telling them the reason why their quantity was less to-day than usual, +and asking them to point out the thief, who alone should be punished and +the others would receive their usual rations. The youngest of the three +boys, and the King George's Sound native, resolutely denied being +concerned in the robbery; but the other native doggedly refused to answer +any questions about it, only telling me that he and the native from King +George's Sound would leave me and make their way by themselves. I pointed +out to them the folly, in fact the impossibility almost, of their +succeeding in any attempt of the kind; advised them to remain quietly +where they were, and behave well for the future, but concluded by telling +them that if they were bent upon going they might do so, as I would not +attempt to stop them. + +For some time past the two eldest of the boys, both of whom were now +nearly grown up to manhood, had been far from obedient in their general +conduct. Ever since we had been reduced to a low scale of diet they had +been sulky and discontented, never assisting in the routine of the day, +or doing what they were requested to do with that cheerfulness and +alacrity that they had previously exhibited. Unaccustomed to impose the +least restraint upon their appetites or passions, they considered it a +hardship to be obliged to walk as long as any horses were left alive, +though they saw those horses falling behind and perishing from fatigue; +they considered it a hardship, too, to be curtailed in their allowance of +food, as long as a mouthful was left unconsumed; and in addition to this, +they had imbibed the overseer's idea that we never should succeed in our +attempt to get to the westward, and got daily more dissatisfied at +remaining idle in camp, whilst the horses were recruiting. + +The excess of animal food they had had at their command for some few days +after the horse was killed, made them forget their former scarcity, and +in their folly they imagined that they could supply their own wants, and +get on better and more rapidly than we did, and they determined to +attempt it. Vexed as I had been at finding out they had not scrupled to +plunder the small stock of provisions we had left, I was loth to let them +leave me foolishly without making an effort to prevent it. One of them +had been with me a great length of time, and the other I had brought from +his country and his friends, and to both I felt bound by ties of humanity +to prevent if possible their taking the rash step they meditated; my +remonstrances and expostulations were however in vain, and after getting +their breakfasts, they took up some spears they had been carefully +preparing for the last two days, and walked sulkily from the camp in a +westerly direction. The youngest boy had, it seemed, also been enticed to +join them, for he was getting up with the intention of following, when I +called him back and detained him in the camp, as he was too young to know +what he was doing, and had only been led astray by the others. I had +intended to have moved on myself to-day, but the departure of the natives +made me change my intention, for I deemed it desirable that they should +have at least three or four days start of us. Finding that the single +sheep we had left would now be the cause of a good deal of trouble, I had +it killed this afternoon, that we might have the full advantage of it +whilst we had plenty of water, and might be enabled to hoard our bread a +little. We had still a little of the horse-flesh left, and made a point +of using it all up before the mutton was allowed to be touched. + +The morning of the 23rd broke cool and cloudy, with showers gathering +from seawards; the wind was south-west, and the sky wild and lowering in +that direction. During the forenoon light rain fell, but scarcely more +than sufficient to moisten the grass; it would, however, probably afford +our deserters a drink upon the cliffs. Towards evening the sky cleared, +and the weather became frosty. + +On the following day we still remained in camp, hoping for rain;--a +single heavy shower would so completely have freed us from the danger of +attempting to force a passage through the great extent of arid country +before us, that I was unwilling to move on until the very last moment. +Our rations were however rapidly disappearing whilst we were idling in +camp, the horse-flesh was all consumed, and to-day we had commenced upon +the mutton, so that soon we should be compelled to go, whether it rained +or not. Month after month however had passed away without any fall of +rain, and the season had now arrived when, under ordinary circumstances, +much wet might be expected; and though each day, as it passed without +gratifying our hopes, but added to our disappointment, yet did every hour +we lingered give us a better chance of being relieved by showers in our +route round the last cliffs of the Bight. The evening set in mild but +close, with the wind at north-east, and I had great hopes that showers +would fall. + +April 25.--During the night dense clouds, accompanied by gusts of wind +and forked lightning, passed rapidly to the south-west, and this morning +the wind changed to that quarter. Heavy storms gathered to seawards with +much thunder and lightning, but no rain fell near us; the sea appearing +to attract all the showers. The overseer shot a very large eagle to-day +and made a stew of it, which was excellent. I sent the boy out to try and +shoot a wallabie, but he returned without one. + +In the evening, a little before dark, and just as we had finished our +tea, to my great astonishment our two runaway natives made their +appearance, the King George's Sound native being first. He came frankly +up, and said that they were both sorry for what they had done, and were +anxious to be received again, as they found they could get nothing to eat +for themselves. The other boy sat silently and sullenly at the fire, +apparently more chagrined at being compelled by necessity to come back to +us than sorry for having gone away. Having given them a lecture, for they +both now admitted having stolen meat, not only on the night they were +detected but previously, I gave each some tea and some bread and meat, +and told them if they behaved well they would be treated in every respect +as before, and share with us our little stock of provisions as long as it +lasted. + +I now learnt that they had fared in the bush but little better than I +should have done myself. They had been absent four days, and had come +home nearly starved. For the first two days they got only two small +bandicoots and found no water; they then turned back, and obtaining a +little water in a hollow of the cliffs, left by the shower which had +passed over, they halted under them to fish, and speared a sting-ray; +this they had feasted on yesterday, and to-day came from the cliffs to +look for us without any thing to eat at all. + +During the night some heavy clouds passed over our heads, and once a drop +or two of rain fell. The 26th broke wild and stormy to the east and west, +and I determined to remain one day longer in camp, in the hope of rain +falling, but principally to rest the two natives a little after the long +walk from which they had returned. Breakfast being over, I sent the +overseer and one native to the beach, to try to get a sting-ray, and to +the other I gave my gun to shoot wallabie: no fish was procured, but one +wallabie was got, half of which I gave to the native who killed it, for +his dinner. + +Being determined to break up camp on the 27th, I sent the King George's +Sound native on a-head, as soon as he had breakfasted, that, by preceding +the party, he might have time to spear a sting-ray against we overtook +him. The day was dull, cloudy, and warm, and still looking likely for +rain, with the wind at north-east. At eleven we were ready, and moved +away from a place where we had experienced so much relief in our +extremity, and at which our necessities had compelled us to remain so +long. For twenty-eight days we had been encamped at the sand-drifts, or +at the first water we had found, five miles from them. Daily, almost +hourly, had the sky threatened rain, and yet none fell. We had now +entered upon the last fearful push, which was to decide our fate. This +one stretch of bad country crossed, I felt a conviction we should be +safe. That we had at least 150 miles to go to the next water I was fully +assured of; I was equally satisfied that our horses were by no means in a +condition to encounter the hardships and privations they must meet with +in such a journey; for though they had had a long rest, and in some +degree recovered from their former tired-out condition, they had not +picked up in flesh or regained their spirits; the sapless, withered state +of the grass and the severe cold of the nights had prevented them from +deriving the advantage that they ought to have done from so long a +respite from labour. Still I hoped we might be successful. We had +lingered day by day, until it would have been folly to have waited +longer; the rubicon was, however, now passed, and we had nothing to rely +upon but our own exertions and perseverance, humbly trusting that the +great and merciful God who had hitherto guarded and guidedus in safety +would not desert us now. + +Upon leaving the camp we left behind one carbine, a spade, some horse +hobbles, and a few small articles, to diminish as much as possible the +weight we had to carry. For eight miles we traced round the beach to the +most north-westerly angle of the Bight, and for two miles down its +south-west shore, but were then compelled by the rocks to travel to the +back, through heavy scrubby ridges for four miles; after which we again +got in to the beach, and at one mile along its shore, or fifteen miles +from our camp, we halted for the night, at a patch of old grass. The +afternoon had been hot, but the night set in cold and clear, and all +appearance of rain was gone. The native I had sent on before had not +succeeded in getting a fish, though he had broken one or two spears in +his attempts. + +April 28.--After travelling along the beach for two miles we ascended +behind the cliffs, which now came in bluff to the sea, and then keeping +along their summits, nearly parallel with the coast, and passing through +much scrub, low brushwood, and dwarf tea-tree growing upon the rocky +surface, we made a stage of twenty miles; both ourselves and the horses +greatly tired with walking through the matted scrub of tea-tree every +where covering the ground. The cliffs did not appear so high as those we +had formerly passed along, and probably did not exceed from two to three +hundred feet in elevation. They appeared to be of the same geological +formation; the upper crust an oolitic limestone, with many shells +embedded, below that a coarse, hard, grey limestone, and then alternate +streaks of white and yellow in horizontal strata, but which the steepness +of the cliffs prevented my going down to examine. + +Back from the sea, the country was rugged and stony, and every where +covered with scrub or dwarf tea-tree. There was very little grass for the +horses, and that old and withered. In the morning one of the natives shot +a large wallabie, and this evening the three had it amongst them for +supper; after which they took charge of the horses for the night, this +being the first time they had ever watched them on the journey, myself +and the overseer having exclusively performed this duty heretofore; but, +as I was now expecting a longer and almost more arduous push than any we +had yet made, and in order that we might be able to discharge efficiently +the duties devolving upon us, and make those exertions which our +exigences might require, I deemed it only right that we should sometimes +be assisted by the two elder boys, in a task which we had before always +found to be the most disagreeable and fagging of any, that of watching +the horses at night, after a long and tiring day's journey. + +On the morning of the 29th we moved away very early, passing over a rocky +level country, covered with low brush, and very fatiguing to both +ourselves and our horses. The morning was gloomy and close, and the day +turned out intensely hot. After travelling only fifteen miles we were +compelled to halt until the greatest heat was passed. Our stock of water +and provisions only admitted of our making two meals in the day, +breakfast and supper; but as I intended this evening to travel great part +of the night, we each made our meal now instead of later in the day, that +we might not be delayed when the cool of the evening set in. We had been +travelling along the summit of the cliffs parallel with the coast line, +and had found the country level and uniform in its character; the cliffs +still being from two to three hundred feet in elevation, and of the same +formation as I noticed before. There were patches of grass scattered +among the scrub at intervals, but all were old and withered. + +At four in the afternoon we again proceeded on our journey, but had not +gone far before the sky unexpectedly became overcast with clouds, and the +whole heavens assumed a menacing and threatening appearance. To the east +and to the west, thunderclouds gathered heavily around, every indication +of sudden and violent rain was present to cheer us as we advanced, and +all were rejoicing in the prospects of a speedy termination to our +difficulties. The wind had in the morning been north-east, gradually +veering round to north and north-west, at which point it was stationary +when the clouds began to gather. Towards sunset a heavy storm passed over +our heads, with the rapidity almost of lightning; the wind suddenly +shifted from north-west to south-west, blowing a perfect hurricane, and +rendering it almost impossible for us to advance against it. A few +moments before we had confidently expected a heavy fall of rain; the dark +and lowering sky had gradually gathered and concentrated above and around +us, until the very heavens seemed overweighted and ready every instant to +burst. A briefer interval of time, accompanied by the sudden and violent +change of wind, had dashed our hopes to the ground, and the prospect of +rain was now over, although a few heavy clouds still hung around us. + +Three miles from where we had halted during the heat of the day, we +passed some tolerable grass, though dry, scattered at intervals among the +scrub, which grew here in dense belts, but with occasional openings +between. The character of the ground was very rocky, of an oolitic +limestone, and having many hollows on its surface. Although we had only +travelled eighteen miles during the day, the overseer requested I would +stop here, as he said he thought the clouds would again gather, and that +rain might fall to-night; that here we had large sheets of rock, and many +hollows in which the rain-water could be collected; but that if we +proceeded onwards we might again advance into a sandy country, and be +unable to derive any advantage from the rain, even should it fall. I +intended to have travelled nearly the whole of this night to make up for +the time we had lost in the heat of the day, and I was the more inclined +to do this, now that the violence of the storm had in some measure +abated, and the appearance of rain had almost disappeared. The overseer +was so earnest, however, and so anxious for me to stop for the night, +that greatly against my own wishes, and in opposition to my better +judgment, I gave way to him and yielded. The native boys too had made the +same request, seconding the overseer's application, and stating, that the +violence of the wind made it difficult for them to walk against it. + +The horses having been all hobbled and turned out to feed, the whole +party proceeded to make break-winds of boughs to form a shelter from the +wind, preparatory to laying down for the night. We had taken a meal in +the middle of the day, which ought to have been deferred until night, and +our circumstances did not admit of our having another now, so that there +remained only to arrange the watching of the horses, before going to +sleep. The native boys had watched them last night, and this duty of +course fell to myself and the overseer this evening. The first watch was +from six o'clock P. M. to eleven, the second from eleven until four A. +M., at which hour the whole party usually arose and made preparations for +moving on with the first streak of daylight. + +To-night the overseer asked me which of the watches I would keep, and as +I was not sleepy, though tired, I chose the first. At a quarter before +six, I went to take charge of the horses, having previously seen the +overseer and the natives lay down to sleep, at their respective +break-winds, ten or twelve yards apart from one another. The arms and +provisions, as was our custom, were piled up under an oilskin, between my +break-wind and that of the overseer, with the exception of one gun, which +I always kept at my own sleeping place. I have been thus minute in +detailing the position and arrangement of our encampment this evening, +because of the fearful consequences that followed, and to shew the very +slight circumstances upon which the destinies of life sometimes hinge. +Trifling as the arrangement of the watches might seem, and unimportant as +I thought it at the time, whether I undertook the first or the second, +yet was my choice, in this respect, the means under God's providence of +my life being saved, and the cause of the loss of that of my overseer. + +The night was cold, and the wind blowing hard from the south-west, whilst +scud and nimbus were passing very rapidly by the moon. The horses fed +tolerably well, but rambled a good deal, threading in and out among the +many belts of scrub which intersected the grassy openings, until at last +I hardly knew exactly where our camp was, the fires having apparently +expired some time ago. It was now half past ten, and I headed the horses +back, in the direction in which I thought the camp lay, that I might be +ready to call the overseer to relieve me at eleven. Whilst thus engaged, +and looking steadfastly around among the scrub, to see if I could +anywhere detect the embers of our fires, I was startled by a sudden +flash, followed by the report of a gun, not a quarter of a mile away from +me. Imagining that the overseer had mistaken the hour of the night, and +not being able to find me or the horses, had taken that method to attract +my attention, I immediately called out, but as no answer was returned, I +got alarmed, and leaving the horses, hurried up towards the camp as +rapidly as I could. About a hundred yards from it, I met the King +George's Sound native (Wylie), running towards me, and in great alarm, +crying out, "Oh Massa, oh Massa, come here,"--but could gain no +information from him, as to what had occurred. Upon reaching the +encampment, which I did in about five minutes after the shot was fired, I +was horror-struck to find my poor overseer lying on the ground, weltering +in his blood, and in the last agonies of death. + + + + +APPENDIX. + + + +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS. +BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S. + + +I. It was formerly believed, that all the Mammalia inhabiting the +Australian continent, but the wild dog, were marsupial; but as the +natural history of the country is better known, we are becoming +acquainted with nearly as many native non-marsupial beasts as there are +marsupial; but they are certainly, generally, of a small size, such as +bats, mice, etc., as compared to the kangaroos and other marsupial genera. + +Some years ago, in the Proceedings of the Geological Society, (iii. 52.) +I described a species of RHINOLOPHUS, from Moreton Bay, which was +peculiar for the large size of its ears, hence named R. MEGAPHYLLUS; the +one now about to be described, which was found flying near the hospital +at Port Essington, by Dr. Sibbald, R.N., is as peculiar for the +brightness and beauty of its colour, the male being nearly as bright an +orange as the Cock of the rock (RUPICOLA) of South America. + +THE ORANGE HORSE-SHOE BAT, (RHINOLOPHUS AURANTIUS.) t. 1. f. 1.--Ears +moderate, naked, rather pointed at the end; nose-leaf large, central +process small, scarcely lobed, blunt at the top; fur elongate, soft, +bright orange, the hairs of the back with short brown tips, of the under +side rather paler, of the face rather darker; female pale yellow, with +brown tips to the hair of the upper parts. + +Inhab. Port Essington, near the Hospital, Dr. Sibbald, R.N. + +The membranes are brown, nakedish; the tail is rather produced beyond the +membrane at the tip; the feet are small, and quite free from the wings. + + + Male. Female. +The length of the body and head 1.10 1.10 +The length of the fore-arm bone 1.11 1.10 +The length of the shin-bone 8 8 +The length of the ankle and foot 4 4 + + +II. In Captain Grey's Travels in Western Australia I gave a list of the +different species of Reptiles and Amphibia found in Australia. Since that +period the British Museum has received from the different travellers +various other species from that country. The lizards have been described +in the catalogue of the Museum collection, recently published, and are +being figured in the zoology of H.M.S. Erebus and Terror. Two of the most +interesting specimens lately received, belong to a new genus of frogs +which appear to be peculiar to Australia, which I shall now proceed to +describe:-- + +GENUS PERIALIA. FAM. RANIDAE.--Tongue nearly circular, entire; palate +concave, with two groups of palatine teeth between the orifices of the +internal nostrils; jaw toothed; head smooth, high on the side; mouth +large; eyes convex, swollen above, tympanum scarcely visible; back rather +convex, high on the sides; skin smooth, not porous; limbs rather short; +toes 4.5, tapering to a point, nearly free, the palms with roundish +tubercles beneath; the fourth hind toe elongate, the rest rather short; +the ankle with an oblong, compressed, horny, sharp-edged tubercle on the +inner side at the base of the inner toe; the male with an internal vocal +sac under the throat. + +This genus agrees with SCIAPHOS, PYXICEPHALUS, and PELOLATES, in having a +large, sharp-edged tubercle on the inner edge of the ankle, but it +differs from them at first sight, by the head and body being compressed +and high, the mouth very large, and the eyes convex on the side of the +forehead. + +PERIALIA EYREI, t. 2. f. 3.--Olive, sides of the face, and body blackish +brown; face varies with white streak; the sides of body marbled with +unequal white spots; limbs brown and white marbled; under side of the +body whitish. + +Inhab. Australia, on the banks of the river Murray. + +PERIALIA? ORNATA, t. 2. f. 2.--Pale grey, back and sides, marbled with +symmetrical dark-edged spots, those of the middle of the back being +generally confluent, of the face elongate, band-like; the legs +dark-banded, beneath white. + +Inhab. Port Essington. + +Somewhat like DISCOGLOSUS PICTUS in appearance. The internal nostrils are +far apart, with an elongate group of palatine teeth level with their +hinder edges. + +Taking advantage of the space of the plate, figures of the following +species from the same country, which have not hitherto been illustrated +have been added. They were described or noticed in the list before +referred to. + +1. Cystignathus dorsalis, t. 1. f. 2. GRAY, ANN. NAT. HIST. 1841. + +2. Phryniscus Australis, t. 2. f. 1. DUM. AND BIB. E. GEN. viii. 725. +Bombinator Australis, GRAY, PROC. ZOOL. SOC. 1838. 57. + +III. Mr. Eyre having brought home with him the drawing of a species of +cray-fish found near the river Murray, which is called by the natives +UKODKO, I have been induced to examine the different species of Astaci in +the British Museum collection, which have been received at various times +from Australia, for the purpose of attempting to identify it. + +As we have three very distinct species which have not yet been described +or figured in any of the works which have passed under my inspection, I +shall proceed to detail their peculiar characters and give figures of +their more characteristic features. + +The drawing of "the UKODKO or smaller Murray cray-fish" most nearly +resembles ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, but it is three or four times larger +than any of the specimens of that species which we possess, and the +figure does not shew any indications of the five keels on the front of +the head. In wanting the keel on the thorax it agrees with an Australian +species described by Mr. Milne Edwards under the name of ASTACUS +AUSTRALASIENSIS, said to come from New Holland, and to be about two +inches long, while Mr. Eyre's figure is more than six inches, and is said +not to be taken from a large specimen. It differs from Mr. Milne Edwards' +figures, in having only one spine on the wrist, so that probably there +are still two more species of the genus to be found in Australia. + +Mr. Eyre in his notes states--"The Fresh water cray-fish, of the smaller +variety; native names, cu-kod-ko, or koon-go-la, is found in the alluvial +flats of the river Murray, in South Australia, which are subject +to a periodical flooding by the river; it burrows deep below the +surface of the ground as the floods recede and are dried up, and +remains dormant, until the next flooding recals it to the surface; +at first it is in a thin and weakly state, but soon recovers and gets +plump and fat, at which time it is most excellent eating. Thousands +are procured from a small space of ground with ease, and hundreds +of natives are supported in abundance and luxury by them for many +weeks together. It sometimes happens that the flood does not recur +every year, and in this case the eu-kod-ko lie dormant until the next, +and a year and a half would thus be passed below the surface. I have +often seen them dug out of my garden, or in my wheat field, by the men +engaged in digging ditches for irrigation. The floods usually overflow +the river flats in August or September, and recede again in February or +March. For further particulars respecting the modes of catching the +eu-kod-kos, vide vol. ii. pages 252 and 267." + +"I have spoken of this cray-fish as the SMALLER variety as respects the +Murray. It is LARGER than the one found in the ponds of the river Torrens +at Adelaide; but in the river Murray one is procured of a size ranging to +4 1/2 lbs., and which is QUITE EQUAL in flavour to the FINEST lobster." + +These latter have not yet been received in any of our collections, so +that we are unable to state how it differs from those now described: they +must be the giants of the genus. + +1. The Van Diemen's Land Cray-fish. ASTACUS FRANKLINII, t. 3. f. +1.--Carapace convex on the sides, rather rugose on the sides behind, the +front only slightly produced and edged with a toothed raised margin not +reaching beyond the front edge of the lower orbit, and with a very short +ridge at the middle of each orbit behind; the hands compressed, rather +rugose, edge thick and toothed: wrist with four or five conical spines on +the inner side, the front the largest: the central caudal lobe, broad, +continuous, calcareous to the tip, lateral lobes, with a very slight +central keel; the sides of the second abdominal rings spinose. + +Inhab. Van Diemen's Land. + +Mr. Milne Edwards, (Archives du Museum, ii. 35. t. 3.) has recently +described a species of this genus from Madagascar, under the name of A. +MADAGASCARIENSIS, which is nearly allied to the Van Diemen's Land +species, in the shortness of the frontal process, the spines on the sides +of the second abdominal segment, and in the lobes of the tail; but it +differs from it in the length of the claws, and other particulars. +Madagascar appears to be the tropical confines of the genus. + +2. The Western Australia Cray-fish. ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, t. 3. f. +3.--Carapace smooth, rather convex, and with three keels above; the beak, +longly produced, ending in a spine, simple on the side and produced into +a keel on each side behind; the central caudal lobe rather narrow, +indistinctly divided in half, and like the other lobes flexile at the +end, the lateral lobes with a central keel ending a slight spine; the +hands elongated, compressed, smooth, with a thickened, toothed, inner +margin, which is ciliated above; wrist with two conical spines on the +inner side. + +Inhab. Western Australia, near Swan River. + +3. The Port Essington Cray-fish. ASTACUS BICARINATUS, t. 3.f. +2.--Carapace smooth, rather flattened, with a keel on each side above in +front; the beak longly produced, flattened, three toothed at the top; +hands rather compressed, smooth, thinner and slightly toothed on the +inner edge; the wrist triangular, angularly produced in front; the +central caudal lobes with two slightly diverging keels continued, and +like the others thin and flexible at the end, the inner lateral lobes +with two keels, each ending with a spine. + +Inhab. Port Essington, Mr. Gilbert. + +The A. AUSTRALASIENSIS, Milne Edwards, Crust ii. 332. t. 24. f. 1--5. +agrees with this species in the form of the beak, but the keels on the +thorax are not noticed either in the description or in the figure; and +the caudal lobes in the figure appear most to resemble A. FRANKLINII. + +As the genus ASTACUS is now becoming more numerous in species, it may be +divided, with advantage, into three sections, according to the form of +the caudal lobes; thus:-- + +A. The central caudal lobes divided by a transverse suture into two +parts, both being hard and calcareous, and with a small spine at the +outer angle of the suture (PATAMOBIUS, LEACH) as A. FLUVIATILIS of +Europe, and A. AFFINIS of North America, with an elongated rostrum, and +A. BARTONII of North America, with a short rostrum. + +B. The central caudal lobe continued hard and calcareous to the end, as +ASTACUS FRANKLINII of Van Diemen's Land, and A. MADAGASCARIENSIS of +Madagascar; both have a very short beak, and the second abdominal ring +spinose. + +C. The central caudal lobe continued or only slightly divided on the +middle of each side; but it and all the lateral lobes are thin and +flexible at the hinder parts, as ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, and A. +BICARINATUS of Australia, and A. CHILIENSIS of Chili. + + + +CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH, +FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, +BY DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSARY-GENERAL NEILL, + +IN A LETTER TO J. E. GRAY, ESQ. BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON. + +* * * * * + +"Sir,--Although in the course of my life, I have had little opportunity +to pay attention to the study of Ichthyology, it occurred to me, as now +and then a leisure moment was afforded from official duties, that it +would perhaps be useful, as well as amusing, to collect and make drawings +of the fish about King George's Sound; and I have been in a great degree +stimulated to do so, from an accidental visit of my friend, His +Excellency Captain Grey, Governor of South Australia, who advised me to +forward the drawings to you for the purpose of being placed with others +of a similar kind in the British Museum, where ultimately sufficient +material may be collected to give some account of the New Holland fish. + +"Nothing is assumed as to the execution of the drawings; in fact it often +occurred when I set off in my little skiff, (especially in the outset) +that seven or eight species were procured in the course of the excursion, +which compelled me to make drawings of all when I came home tired in the +evening; forwarding them to ensure, as far as possible, their colours +before they became extinct--a sort of forced effort in respect to the +execution has, therefore, only been effected. The outline of nearly every +specimen was taken from ACTUAL PROFILE, by laying the fish upon the +paper--in this way I defied error in outline--of course, afterwards +carefully drawing and correcting various parts which required it, in a +free or rough manner, time not admitting of much pains. + +"In naming the fish, I have merely attempted to give the aboriginal and +popular names known to the sealers and settlers. In obtaining the former, +no little difficulty has been experienced. The younger natives generally +giving different names to those of the elder; but finding the fish named +by the latter more descriptive, I have, of course, in most instances, +adopted them. + +"For instance, No. 1, KOJETUCK means the fish with the bones; which is +very descriptive, from Koje the bones, [Note 28: This was noticed by +Governor Grey.] having very singular bones placed vertically in the neck, +connecting the dorsal spines to the back, resembling small tobacco pipes. + +"Also the KYNARNOCH, No 13, the bearded, etc. In many other instances the +savages of this province are equally clear in naming their animals; and +it is curious, even this applies to their children, who commonly receive +their name from some extraordinary circumstance at, or about the time of +their birth. I find, also, the old men are more minute in SPECIES; the +younger often call very different fish by the same name, as the MEMON, +Nos. 17, and 43, etc. but as this is curious, merely for the sake of fact, +it is otherwise of little importance to the naturalist,--the native name +being only useful to enable the collector to obtain any particular +species hereafter. As regards the fidelity of the drawings, it may be +worth while to mention a singular mistake made by my friend +TOOLEGETWALEE; one of the oldest and most friendly savages we have of the +King George tribe; who, in looking over my collection to assist me in +naming them, observed that the drawings were a little raised off the +paper; and like a monkey, began to touch them with his long talons; of +course I flew to their rescue, and asked what he meant? + +"'INIKEN how make em? me twank skin put him on!' which literally +means--'Ah! I now see how you do it, you put the skin on!!' From want of +paper of uniform size, I was obliged to use any paper which came to hand, +cut the figures out, and afterwards paste them on clean paper; which +circumstance gave rise to the poor savage's mistake, and it was not until +I actually cut one out before him, that he could be convinced that he was +in error--a compliment I could hardly help smiling at. I have only to add +in conclusion, that no attempt has been made at ARRANGEMENT, having drawn +and numbered the fish as they were caught. Most have been taken by my own +hook; some by the native's spear, and some by the seine net. + +"The natural SCALE of each has been pasted on to the drawing, and when +remarkable, both from the back and sides of the fish, which I considered +a more desirable plan than giving imitations, that could hardly, in +objects so minute, without the aid of a powerful magnifier, be depended +on. + +"A descriptive account of each specimen, with the corresponding number to +that on the drawing, is also added. + +"The effort has afforded me much amusement, and it will be still more +agreeable, if they will in any way contribute to a better knowledge of +the subject. + +"I remain, Sir, +"Your most obedient servant, +"J. NEILL. +"Albany, King George's Sound, +"Western Australia." + + +On receiving this most valuable and interesting collection, I referred +the part relative to the Fish to my excellent friend, Dr. Richardson of +Haslar, one of the first Ichthyologists now living, who has kindly +arranged the notes in systematic order, and added to them, as far as he +was able, the modern scientific names. I have done the same to the +Reptiles myself. I have retained the original numbers as they refer to +the drawings which are preserved in the zoological department of the +British Museum.--J. E. GRAY. + +* * * * * + +REPTILES. + +Fam. Lialisidae. +LIALIS BURTONII. Native name KERRY-GURA. Considered by the natives as +harmless; the scales of the back are very minute; the tail when broken is +sometimes terminated by three horny blunt ends; tongue divided and +rounded. + +LIALIS BICATENATA. Native name WILLIAM LUNGER. Tongue not forked, broad, +and rounded off at the point. Not poisonous or at all dreaded by the +natives; finely striped down the back, and spotted with deep brown equal +marks; has a lappel on each side of the vent. + +Killed 10th of October, 1841. + + + FAM. COLUBRIDAE. + +NAJA,--? Native name TORN-OCK or TOOKYTE. Colour dirty olive over the +whole body; belly dirty olive; white, faintly dotted from the throat down +to the vent, with reddish dirty orange spots; the whole colour appears as +if faded; the scales are more closely united to the skin than those of +the NOON; fangs placed on each side of the upper jaw, short and rather +blunt; scuta, 223. + +Although the natives assert, if a person is bitten by this make, and +"gets down," i.e. lays in bed three days, he will recover, yet I am very +doubtful of this account, more particularly from the women differing from +the men, as well as the whole subject being hidden in superstition. +Another ground of doubt rests upon the fact of having lost in Van +Diemen's Land, a favourite dog, by the bite of a snake very similar to +this; the poor animal expired fourteen minutes after the bite, although +the piece was almost instantaneously cut out. + +The women of King George's Sound declare the bite of the Torn-ock mortal; +but the men laugh at that, and maintain the three days' "couple," (sleep) +will restore the patients. + +The specimen was 4 ft. 9 in. long, but they have been seen 6 or 7 feet +long. This is a favourite food of the natives of King George's Sound. + +COLUBER? Native name BARDICK. Dirty olive green over the whole back; +belly dirty white; scuta 130. + +The natives state that the bite produces great swelling of the part for a +day or two, and goes off. + +Never grows above 14 or 15 inches long. Caught October 1841. + +COLUBER. Native name TORKITE or TORKYTE. Back, from the point of the tail +to the point of the nose, dark sepia brown; under the head yellow; and +towards the middle of the belly orange; scales minute; scuta 140; tongue +forked; teeth very minute; no fangs observable. Caught August 30th, 1844. + +Not at all dreaded by the natives; venomous, but not deadly, the bite +merely producing a bad ulcer for a day or two. + +ELAPS MELANOCEPHALUS. Native name WERR. Dirty olive green on the back, +from the neck to the tail; scuta 147, dirty reddish orange; head black +from the nose to neck; sides of the head white; tongue forked. + +Doubtful if poisonous; little dreaded by the natives. Killed October +12th, 1845. + +ELAPS. Native name NORN or NORNE. Whole body covered with spear shaped +scales; head shining black; the ground colours of the back rich umber, +almost black; scuta 161, of a dirty red orange; fangs two on each side of +the upper jaw near the lios, small, and bent inwards; tongue forked. + +This is the most fatal of the New Holland snakes; the animal bitten +seldom recovers. The Aborigines have a great dread of this reptile; they +however eat of it if they kill it themselves, but there is a superstition +amongst them about snakes, which prevents their eating them if killed by +a European. + +The specimen I figured was a small one, 3 ft. 9 in. long; they are often +seen by the natives much larger. I have endeavoured to represent it as it +generally sleeps or lies in wait for its prey, small birds, frogs, +lizards, etc. It delights in swamps and marshes. + +Killed October, 1844. + + + FAM. BOIDAE + +PYTHON. Native name WAKEL or WA-A-KEL. This snake is considered by the +natives a great delicacy, and by their account resembles mutton in +flavour, being also remarkably fat. I requested them to let me taste the +specimen from which the drawing was made; but they devoured every atom +themselves, pretending they did not understand me. The WAKEL differs from +the NORN in its habits; although both ascend trees in pursuit of small +birds and the young of the opossums. The WAKEL delights in rocky, dry +places, near salt water; they are very sluggish, and easily caught by the +women, who seize them behind the head and wring their necks. They are +described to have been seen 9 or 10 feet long. My specimen, a young male, +was exactly 5 feet long. The scales of this species are firmly fixed to +the skin, in plates all over the back and belly. The colour is beautiful, +dark greenish brown, finely variegated with yellowish white spots. + +It was killed by Paddy, a native constable, near Albany, October, 1841. + +* * * * * + +FISHES. + + + GOBIIDAE. + +No. 58.--PATOECUS FRONTO. Rich. Ann. Nat. Hist. Oct. 1844, vol. xiv.p. +280, Ichth. Ereb. and Terr. p. 20, pl. 13, f. 1, 2. + +Native name KARRACK. Colour, a rich dragon's blood, or mahogany; found by +a Danish boatman, named Byornsan, 80 miles off the east coast from King +George's Sound, December 11th, 1841. Anal rays imperfectly counted, and +there is a typographical error in the Zool. of Ereb. and Terr. The true +numbers of the rays follow: B. 6; D. 24-16; A. 11-5; C. 10; P. 8. + + + TRIGLIDAE. + +No. 53.--SCORPOENA, or SEBASTES.--Native name, TYLYUCK, or TELUCK +(BIG-HEAD). "Rays, D. 12, 1-8; A. 3-5; P. 21; V. 1-5." + +Uncommon. Inhabits rocky shores. Flesh firm and well-flavoured. Caught by +hook, 16th Aug. 1841. + +No. 34.--SEBASTES?--Native name, CUMBEUK. + +A common inhabitant of rocky shores. Good eating. The specimen was +speared by Munglewert, 17th May, 1841. "Rays, D. 14-17; A. 3-8; P. 14; V. +1-5." + +No. 14.--APISTES. Apparently scaleless, and without free pectoral rays. +Does not correspond well with A. MARMORATUS. "Rays, D. 12," etc. Caught by +Seine, 18th March, 1841. + +The fishermen dread wounds made by the species of this fish, as they +always fester. + +Native name BOORA-POKEY, or POKY. SERGEANT of the settlers. + +No. 36.--PLATYCEPHALUS.--Native name CUMBEL. Common Flat-head of the +settlers. Seems to differ from described species in the two dark bars of +the tail, being directly transverse, and followed by five large dark +purple round spots. + +Inhabits sandy shores very commonly, all round the coast of New Holland. +A variety occurs at Maria Island, Van Diemen's Land. Caught by hook, 15th +May, 1841. Good eating. + + + MULLIDAE. + +No. 13.--UPENEUS.--Native name, MINAME, or KGNARNUCK (the bearded); "Red +mullet" of the settlers. + + + PERCIDAE. + +No. 46.--ENOPLOSUS ARMATUS. Cuv. et Val. 2, p. 133, pl. 20.--Native name, +KARLOCK. Speared by a native, June 1841. Inhabits rocky shores. + + + BERYCIDAE. + +No. 2.--BERYX LINEATUS, C. and V. 3, p. 226.--Native name, CHETONG. Red +Snapper, or Tide-fisher of the sealers. Very common in the bays of rocky +shores. "Rays, D. 5-14; A. 4-13; P. 12; V. 1-7." + + + SPHYRAENIDAE. + +No. 59.--SPHYROENA.--Native name, KORDONG. "Rays, D. 5, 1-9; A. 11; P. +13; V. 1-5." + +The "Common Baracoota" is found off the whole coast of New Holland, but +the KORDONG seems to be peculiar to Western Australia. It comes into the +shallow bays in summer; and being a sluggish fish, is easily speared by +the natives, who esteem it to be excellent food. It will lay for a minute +looking with indifference at its enemy, while he poises the fatal and +unerring spear. Specimen caught in a net, December, 1841. + + + SILLAGINIDAE. + +No. 25.--SILLAGO.--Native name, MURDAR. "Rock whiting" of the settlers. +"Rays, D. 10-23; A. 18; P. 13; A. 5." + +Inhabits rocky shores and deep water. Caught by the seine, 3rd April, +1841. Good eating. + +No. 11.--SILLAGO PUNCTATA, C. et V 3, P. 413.--Native name MURDAR. +"Common whiting" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 12, 1-26; A. 22; P. 11; V. +5." + +Inhabits shallow sandy bays abundantly, and is much admired for the +delicacy of its flesh, but it is dryer eating than the whiting of Europe. + + + SCIAENIDAE. + +No. 55.--CORVINA?--Native name T'CHARK or T'CHYARK. King-fish of the +sealers. "Rays, D. 9--1-27; A. 1-7; P. 15; V. 1-5." + +Teeth strong and sharp. Grows to a great size; as I am informed by the +natives, that they often spear individuals weighing sixty or seventy +pounds. This fish enters the fresh-water periodically, like the Salmon of +Europe, to spawn, and it is the only fish in this country which I have +distinctly made out to do so. It is tolerably good eating. The specimen +was caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour by a hook, on the 30th August, +1841. (This may be the adult of the CORVINA KUHLII of the HISTOIRE DES +POISSONS, 5. p. 121.) + + + SERRANIDAE. + +No. 19.--CENTROPRISTES TRUTTA. SCIAENA TRUTTA, G. Foster, Icon. 210. +(vide Ichth. of Ereb. and Terror, p. 30.)--Native name KING-NURRIE, or +IINAGUR. "Salmon" of the sealers. Pectorals yellow or orange coloured, +with dark bases; scales faintly fan-streaked; last rays of dorsal and +anal elongated. Faint oblong, orange-coloured spots on the sides, not in +vertical rows. "Rays, D. 9-16; A. 2-10; P. 16." Eye remarkably brilliant. +Good eating in the summer time, but far inferior to the SALMO SALAR. It +congregates in vast shoals, and pursues the fry of other fishes in +shallow bays, but never enters fresh-water. It is often taken of from +seven to ten pounds weight. It affords excellent sport to the angler. The +specimen was caught by the hook from my own door on the 4th May, 1841. + +No. 3.--CENTROPRISTES (CIRRIPIS) GEORGIANUS. C. et V. 7. p. 451. Jenyn's +Zool. of Beagle, p. 13.--Native name WARRAGUIT. "Herring" of the +settlers. Rays, D. 9-14; A. 3-10; etc. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is taken in the summer, by net on sandy +beaches. Specimen caught by the hook, on the 27th March, 1841. + +No. 23.--SERRANUS? vel CAPRODON (Schlegel.) aut PLECTROPOMA.--Native name +TANG or TAA (It bites.) The "Perch" of the Sealers. "Rays, D. 10-24; A. +2-9; P. 14; V. 1-5." + +Eye fine crimson: pupil deep blue-black. Tail slightly rounded. +Remarkably strong canines, from which peculiarity it has obtained its +native name of TAA, as it bites severely when taken, if the fisher be not +on the alert. It is good to eat, but is not common. Caught by the hook on +9th of April, 1841. + +No. 4.--PLECTROPOMA NIGRO-RUBRUM. C. et V. 2. p. 403.--Native name +BUNDEL. "Crab-eyed soldier" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 10-17; A. 3-9." + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is not common. Specimen caught by the hook, on +the 4th April, 1841. Good eating. + +No. 21.--HELOTES?--Native names, BOORA, BOWRU, also CHARLUP. The "Pokey," +or "small Trumpeter" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 11--1-11; A. 2-11; etc." + +Inhabits rocky places. Good to eat. Caught by the seine, on the 3rd +March, 1841. + + + CIRRHITIDAE. + +No. 24.--CHEILODACTYLUS GIBBOSUS. Solander. Icon. Ined. Banks. No. +23.--Richardson Zool. Trans. 3, p. 102.--Native name KNELOCK (not +certain). + +Inhabits sandy beaches; is little known to the sealers. Caught in a net, +3rd March, 1841. + +No. 39. CHEILODACTYLUS CARPONEMUS.--C. et V. 5. p. 362.--Native name +CHETTANG. "Jew-fish" of the sealers (the name "Jew-fish" is applied +otherwise by the colonists). + +Inhabits rocky shores. Some specimens weigh upwards of sixteen pounds. +Caught by hook, 17th May, 1841. + +No. 42.--CHEILODACTYLUS. Native name TOORJENONG. "Black Jew-fish" of the +sealers. "Rays, D. 16-26; A. 2-10; P. 13; V. 5." + +Inhabits rocky points of sandy bays, where they love to run in and root +up the sand with their fleshy mouths. They are sluggish, and easily +speared by the Aborigines, whose chief food it constitutes at certain +seasons. The specimen was speared in my presence by Wallup, on the 8th of +June, 1841. The TOORJENONG grows to a large size, exceeding twenty pounds +in weight. It is a gross feeder, and its flesh is hard and dry, but the +head and sides are much prized by the natives, and the head of a large +one makes tolerable soup. + +No. 45.--LATRIS? (vix. GERRES?)--Native name QUIKE or QUIK, (horned). +"Rays, 9-16; A. 3-16; P. 14; V. 1-5." + +Caught by the hook, off Rocky Point, on the 17th of August, 1844. Good to +eat. (A spine before each nostril, probably springing from the heads of +the maxillaries). + + + SPARIDAE. + +No. 1.--PAGRUS GUTTULATUS. C. et V. 6, p. 160.--Native name KOJETUCK. +"Common Snapper" of the sealers, "Rays, D. 12-9; A. 3-8; P. 1-5." + +The Snapper grows to a large size, attaining from thirty to forty pounds +weight, and is very voracious. It devours crabs and shell fish, crushing +them with its strong teeth. It is common on all the rocky inlets of the +coast of New Holland, extending down the eastern shores to Sidney. + + +CHAETODONTIDAE. + +No. 41.--CHAETODON SEXFASCIUTUS. Richardson Ann. of Nat. Hist.--Native +name KNELOCK. + +Inhabits rocky places. Not common. + +No. 40.--CHAETODON.--Native name MITCHEBULLER or METYEBULLAR. Teeth very +minute. + +Inhabits rocky places. Speared by Warrawar, on the 27th of May, 1841. + +No. 27.2.--CHAETODON.--Native name WAMEL or WAMLE. "Rays, D. 10-20; A. +3-17." + +No. 6.--PLATAX?--Native names, TEUTUEK or KARLOCK, from the shape of the +fins, also MUDEUR. "Striped sweep" of the sealers, and Pomfret of the +settlers. D. 10; A. 2. Teeth small. Very common on rocky shores. Is a +gross feeder; but good to eat. Caught by a hook on the 12th of March, +1841. + +No. 8--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS?--Native names, KGNMMUL or KARRAWAY. +The striped zebra fish of the settlers. "Rays, D. 14-12; A. 3 11; V. +1-5." Mouth, small; tail rather concave. + +Inhabits rocky shores, is a gross feeder, bad eating, and is not common. +Caught by the hook on the 6th of April 1841. + +No. 10.--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS? Schlegel.--Native names, KOWELANY, +KARRAWAY, or MEMON. Tail a little forked. "Rays, D. 14-13; A.3-11; P. 17; +V. 1-5." Eye, grey. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is not very common. Caught by a hook, on the +6th of April, 1841. + +No. 17.--MELANICHTHYS.--Native name MEMON or MUDDIER. "Rays, D. 14-13; A. +3-11; P. 17; V. 1-5." + +Eye greyish yellow; teeth in a trenchant series on the edge of the upper +and lower jaw, and also on the maxillaries. Is a gross feeder, and its +flesh has a strong disagreeable smell, but is much relished by the +Aborigines. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is rare. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +No. 33. Genus unknown.--Native name, TOOBETOET or TOOBITOO-IT. Rays, D. +17-11; A. 11; P. 11; V. 4. + +Is a rare inhabitant of rocky places. Speared by Mooriane, 14th of May, +1841. This seems to be a new generic form, nearly allied to HOPLEGNATHUS, +Richardson; or SCARODON, Schlegel. + +No. 43.--SCORPIS?--Native name, MEMON or MEEMON. "Sweep" of the sealers. +"Rays, D.; A. 1." Teeth minute. It is a gross feeder and poor eating. +Very common on rocky shores. Being a bold voracious fish, it is easily +speared or taken with a hook. The Aborigines generally select a rock +which jutts out into the sea, and sitting on their hams, beat crabs into +fragments with a little stone, and throw them into the sea to attract +this fish. The instant a fish comes to feed on the bait, the native, +whose spear is ready, suddenly darts it, and rarely fails in bringing up +the fish on its barbed point. Specimen caught by the hook, 15th of June, +1841. + +No. 44.--KURTUS?--Native name, TELYUA, or TELLYA, "Rays, D. 13; A. 2-19; +V.5." + +Thrown up on Albany beach, 14th of August, 1841. + + + PLATESSIDEAE. + +No. 50.--PLATESSA? vel. HIPPOGLOSSUS? CHUNDELA.--Native name, CHONDELAR, +or CHUNDELA. The "Spotted sole" of the settlers. Very common in all the +shallow bays in the summer time, where it may be taken by the seine. The +natives detect it when its body is buried in the sand, by the glistening +of its eyes, and spear it. When fishing with the torch, in the night +time, the natives feel for this fish with their naked feet. Specimen +caught by seine, August, 1841. This fish is delicate eating. + + + SCOMBERIDAE. + +No. 32.--CARANX MICANS, Solander, Icon. Parkinson, Bib. Banks, No. +89.--Native name, MADAWICK, "Skip-jack" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 8-28; +A. 2-23; P. 15." Very common in shallow sandy bays, and forming the +staple food of the natives, who assemble in fine calm days, and drive +shoals of this fish into weirs that they have constructed of shrubs and +branches of trees. Specimen caught by hook on the 12th of May, 1841. + +No. 16.--TRACHURUS LUTESCENS. Solander (SCOMBER) Pisees Austr. p. 38. +Richard. Ann. Nat. Hist. x. p. 14.--Native name, WARAWITE and +MADIWICK. "Yellow tail" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 6; A. 2." Eye very +large. + +Inhabits the edges of sandy banks. Good eating. Caught by hook 5th of +March, 1841. + + + MUGILIDAE. + +No. 29. MUGIL vel. DAJAUS DIEMENSIS. Richardson, Ichth. of the Erebus and +Terror, p. 37, pl. 26, f. 1.--Native name, KNAMLER or KNAMALER. "Common +mullet" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 4-9; A. 1-13." + +Frequents shores with sandy beaches, and forms a principal article of +food to the native youths, who are continually practising throwing their +spears at this fish. It is very common, and is good eating. Caught by the +seine, 12th April, 1841. + +No. 57.--MUGIL.--Native name, MERRONG, or MIRRONG. "The flut-nosed mullet" +of the settlers. + +This is the finest fish of New Holland that I am acquainted with. In +Wilson's Inlet, about forty miles west of King George's Sound, it abounds +in the winter months; and the different tribes, from all parts of the +coast, assemble there, by invitation of the proprietors of the ground, +(the MURRYMIN,) who make great feasts on the occasion. The fish attains a +weight of three and a-half pounds, and a fat one yields about three +quarters of a pound of oil, which the natives use for greasing their +heads and persons. This fish runs up the rivers during the floods, and so +becomes very fat. In summer it retires to the ocean. Caught in September, +1841. + + + LABRIDAE. + +No. 47.--LABRUS LATICLAVIUS. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. p. 139.--Native +name, KANUP, or PARILL, (Green-fish.) + +Is a rare inhabitant of rocky shores. Caught by hook, 17th August, 1841. +Poor eating. + +No. 20.--LABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICK, KIELMICK, or KIELNMICK. +"Rock-cod" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 22; A. 14." + +Tail square. Very common on rocky coasts. Soft, indifferent eating. +Caught by the hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +No. 9.--LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL. "Common rock-fish of the sealers. +"Rays, D. 9-11; A. 2-11, etc." + +Mouth furnished with small sharp teeth. Caught by hook, 12th March, 1841. + +No. 37.--LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL, KUHOUL, or BOMBURN. "Black +rock-fish" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 9-11; A. 3-10 seconds, etc." + +Inhabits rocky shores, and grows to the size of fifteen or twenty pounds +weight. Poor, soft eating. Speared by Warrawar, 12th May, 1841. + +No. 7.--LABRUS?--Native name, POKONG. "Brown rock-fish" of the sealers. +"Rays, D. 9-12; A. 3-10," etc. + +Flesh soft and poor. Inhabitants rocky shores; very common. Caught by +hook, 12th March, 1841. + +No. 18.--CRENILABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICH, MINAME, or MINAMEN. Common +"rock-fish" or "Parrot" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 8-11; A. 2-10," etc. + +Poor and soft. Inhabits bold rocky shores, where it is troublesome to the +fisher by carrying off his bait. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +No. 12.--LABRUS?--Native name IANON'T, WOROGUT, or CUMBEAK. "Rays, D. 30; +A. 12." Tail rounded, teeth very small. + +Inhabits weedy places in deep water, and along sandy bays. Sometimes +taken by the natives on the edge of banks. Excellent eating. Caught by +hook, 18th March, 1841. + +No. 30.--COSSYPHUS? CRENILABRUS?--Native name MOOLET or CHETON. +"Red rock-fish" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 11-10; A. 3-11; P. 15." +etc.--Teeth very strong; tail rounded; its rays oblong. + +Inhabits rocky shores. Bites eagerly, and is a gross feeder. Indifferent +eating. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841. + +No. 35.------? Genus not ascertained.--Native name KOOGENUCK, QUEJUIMUCK, +or KNOWL. Little known to the sealers. "Rays, 11-12; A. 2 or 3; P. 16 or +18." Dorsal spines remarkable; scales large; grows to a large size; the +flank scales of one weighing twenty-eight pounds, measure an inch and a +half in length, and an inch and a quarter in breadth. (They are +cycloid.--J. R.) + +Inhabits rocky shores. The specimen was speared by Warrawar, 12th May, +1841. + + + CYPRINIDAE. + +No. 5.--RYNCHANA GREYI. Richardson, Ichth. of Voy. of Erebus and Terror, +p. 44 pl. 29. f. 1. 6.--Native name, PINING or WAUNUGUR, not certain. Not +known to the sealers. Pupil like that of the shark elliptical, with the +long axis vertical. + +When the skin was removed the flesh was very fat, resembling that of the +eel, had an unpleasant smell, and could not be eaten. The natives also +were averse to eating it, and only one man acknowledged to have seen it +before. Caught by seine, by Corporal Emms of the 51st regiment, 7th +April, 1841. (This fish is also an inhabitant of Queen Charlotte's Sound, +New Zealand.--J. R.) + + + SALMONIDAE. + +No. 48.--AULOPUS PURPURISSATUS. Richardson, Icones Piscium, p. 6, pl. 2, +f. 3.--Native name, KARDAR. "Rays, D. 19; A. 14; V. 9; P. 10." + +Very rare. Caught by hook, on a rocky shore, by Mr. Sholl of Albany, 14th +July, 1841. (Mr. Niell's figure differs slightly from that of Lieutenant +Emery, published in the ICONES PISCIUM above quoted, and chiefly in the +dorsal occupying rather more space, by commencing before the ventrals, +and extending back to opposite the beginning of the anal. The anus is +under the fourteenth dorsal ray. Mr. Niell's drawing also shews a series +of six large roseate spots on the sides below the lateral line, and a +more depressed head, with a prominent arch at the orbit.--J. R.) + + + ESOCIDAE. + +No. 22.--HEMIRAMPHUS.--Native name, IIMEN. "Guardfish" of the settlers. +"Rays, D. 16, delicate black rays; A. 15, do; P. 12; V. 6." Lower jaw +equal to the head in length. Caught by the seine, 3rd March, 1841. + +Inhabits sandy bays, but approaches the shore only in summer. It is very +delicate eating. + + + MURAENIDAE. + +No. 52.--MURAENA? vel SPHAGEBRANCHUS.--Native name KALET. The eel figure, +nat. size. Dorsal fin continuous for about three and a half inches behind +the snout to the point of the tail: its rays very delicate; anal like the +dorsal, but commencing behind the vent. One small lobe in the gills, +about the size of a pin's head; no other perceptible opening. + +Caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour, 16th August, 1841. + + +LOPHOBRANCHI. + +No. 56.--OSTRACIAN FLAVIGASTER, Gray. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. p. 164, +p. 11, f. 1.--Native name, CONDE or KOODE. "Rays, D. 10; A. 9; P. 11, +etc." + +This fish is not eaten by the natives, who abhor it. It is seen only in +the summer, and in shallow sandy bays, Caught in a net in October, 1841. + +No 51.--MONACANTHUS.--Native name, TABADUCK. Rays, D. 28; A. 26; P. 12; +C. 12. + +Very rare, scarcely ever seen by the Aborigines. Caught by hook, August, +1841. + +No. 49.--MONACANTHUS.--Not known to the Aborigines. Rays, D. 32; A. 30; +C. 12; P. 11. Eye yellow; dorsal spine short. + +Taken in deep water by Mr. Johnson, off the Commissariat stores, near a +sunken rock, in deep water. + +No. 15.--MONACANTHUS.--Native name, CAUDIEY. "Small leather-jacket" of +the sealers. + +Inhabits deep water, with a rocky bottom; is good to eat. Caught by a +net, 18th March, 1841. Dorsal spine toothed behind. + +No. 31.--MONACANTHUS, or (ALEUTERES, no spinous point of the pelvis +visible in figure.--J. R.)--Native name, TABEDUCK. The "yellow +leather-jacket" of the sealers. Dorsal spine toothed. D. 33; A. 32; P. +13. Caudal rounded, its rays very strong. + +Inhabits deep water in rocky places, and is very common. It is esteemed +for food by the Aborigines; is much infested by an Isopode named NETTONG, +or TOORT, by the natives. This insect inserts its whole body into a +pocket by the side of the anus, separated from the gut by a thin +membrane. The fish to which the insect adheres are yellow; those which +are free from it are of a beautiful purple colour. Caught by hook, 12th +May, 1841. + + + CARCHARIDAE. + +No. 54.--CARCHARIAS (PRIONODON) MELANOPTERUS, Muller and Henle.--Native +name, MATCHET. "Common blue shark" of the settlers. Specimen four feet +and a half long; have been seen longer. A female had four young alive +when taken. Spiracles behind the eyes. Caught by hook, 16th August, 1841. + +No. 26--CESTRACION PHILIPPI, Mull. and Henle.--Native names, MATCHET, +KORLUCK, or QUORLUCK. "Bull-dog-shark" of the sealers. Specimen two feet +and a half long. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is very sluggish; it does not grow to a very +large size. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841. + + + TRYGONES. + +No. 38.--UROLOPHUS.--Native name, KEGETUCK or BEBIL. "Young sting-ray" of +the sealers. Caught by seine, 4th May, 1841. + +No. 28.--Near PLATYRHINA.--Native name, PARETT. "Fiddler" of the sealers; +Green skate of the settlers. Eye dullish yellow; pupil sea-green, glaring +in some lights; teeth transverse, like a file; spiracles two, large, +behind the eye, in the same cavity; belly white, terminating at the +caudal fin. + +Very common in the sheltered bays, close in shore among the weeds. Not +eaten by the Aborigines, who greatly abhor them, as they do also the +sting-ray. Specimen two feet nine inches and a half long. + +* * * * * + + + +(D.) DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. +BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M.E.S. + + +The four insects here figured and described are, as far as I am aware, +new. Petasida, and Tettigarcta are interesting in the shape of the +Thorax, differing widely from that in any of the allied genera, while the +new species of Eurybrachys and Chrysopa are striking from their colouring +and marks. + + +PETASIDA EPHIPPIGERA, pl. 4. fig. 1. + +Thorax much dilated behind, depressed and rounded at the end; the side +deeply sinuated behind; head pointed, antennae long; of a yellowish +orange; antennae with a few greenish rings, cheek below the eye with a +greenish line, head above with a longitudinal greenish line. Thorax with +a slight keel down the middle, wrinkled behind of a dusky blueish green, +a large patch of an orange colour on each side in front, and a small spot +of the same colour on each edge of the produced part at base; elytra +orange with numerous black spots, and black at the tip, lower wings pale +orange at the base, clouded with black at the tip; abdomen orange, +slightly ringed with green; legs orange, with three greenish spots on the +outside of the femora of hind legs. + +Length 1 inch 9 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + + +CHRYSOPA MACULIPENNIS, pl. 4. fig. 2. + +Head red, with a black spot on the crown; antennae short brownish black; +thorax hairy; thorax, abdomen, and legs, brownish black. Wings brown, +with iridescent hues, the upper with transverse yellowish lines and spots +at the base; a long yellowish line parallel to the outer edge at the end, +and emitting a whitish spot which reaches the edge, three spots on the +apical portion, the two on the outer edge large; basal half lower wings +pale, some of the areolets yellowish; a few clouded with brown, tip of +the wing yellowish. + +Expanse of wings 1 inch 4 1/2 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + + +EURYBRACHYS LAETA, pl. 4, fig. 3. + +Head thorax and upper wings of a rich brown colour, the outer edge of the +last is deep black, with a transverse yellowish spot just before the +middle, the remainder of the edge slightly spotted with black, upper side +covered with short blackish hairs; lower wings deep black; abdomen of a +bright red, with a round white tuft on the upper side near the end; first +two pairs of legs of a deep brown, with some reddish lines; hind legs +ferruginous with blackish spines. + +Expanse of wings 7 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + + +TETTIGARCTA, n. genus, WHITE. Fam. CICADIDAE. + +Head very small in front, blunt; lateral ocelli close to the eyes, space +between them with long hairs. + +Prothorax very large, extending back in a rounded form beyond the base of +hind wings, the sides sharp pointed, the back very convex and wrinkled. + +Body and under parts densely clothed with hair. + +This very singular genus differs from all the Stridulantes in the size +and shape of the prothorax; in the neuration of the elytra it is allied +to PLATYPLEURA (Amyst and Serville) in the size of head and hairiness of +body it approaches CARINETA of the same authors. The Pupa, (fig. 5.) +differs in the form of fore legs from those of the other Cicada. + + +TETTIGARCTA TOMENTOSA, pl. 4, fig. 4, and 5 its pupa. + +Of a brownish ash colour, the hairs on upper part of body short and deep +brown, on the sides and under parts long and grey; prothorax varied with +black, in front, two large patches covered with grey hairs, mixed with +longer; elytra spotted and varied with brown, wings clear, somewhat +ferruginous at the base. + +Expanse of wings 3 inches 4 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + +* * * * * + + + +DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA, +BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S. + + +Lamarck separated the mother-of-pearls shell (MARGARITA) from the +swallow-tail muscles (AVICULA) on account of its more orbicular shape. +Other Conchologists have been inclined to unite them, as some of the +species of AVICULA approach to the shape of the other genus. The new one +just received from Australia, which I am now about to describe, in this +respect more resembles the Margarita than any before noticed; yet I am +inclined to think that the pearl-shells deserved to be kept separate, as +the cardinal teeth are quite obliterated in the adult shells, which is +not the case with any AVICULAE I am acquainted with; and the young +pearl-shells are furnished with a broad serrated distant leafy fringe, +while the AVICULAE are only covered with very closely applied short +concentric slightly raised minutely denticulated lamina, forming an +epidermal coat on the surface. + + +1. AVICULA LATA, pl. 6. f. 1. + +Shell dark brown; half ovate; broad obliquely truncated, and scarcely +notched behind; covered with close regular very thin denticulated +concentric lamina, forming a paler external coat. The front ear rather +produced, with a distant inferior notch; internally pearly, with a broad +brown margin on the lower-edge. + +Inhab. North and West coasts of Australia. + + +2. SPATANGUS ELONGATUS, pl. 6. f. 2. + +Body elongate, cordate, with a deep anterior grove and notch; covered +above with minute hair-like spines, with scattered very elongated tubular +minutely striated spines on the sides; the anterior groves and +circumference of the vent with larger equal hair-like spines on each +side; the under surface with a triangular disk of similar spines beneath +the vent, and with elongated larger tubular spines. + +Inhab. Western Australia. + +Having only a single specimen completely covered with spines, it is +impossible to describe the form of the ambulacra or the disposition of +the tubercles. The lower figures represent the mouth and vent of the +animal in detail. + +* * * * * + + + +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS +BY EDWARD DOUBLEDAY, ESQ., F.L.S., etc. + + +THYRIDOPTERYX NIGRESCENS, pl. 5. f. 1. + +Head densely clothed with long whitish hairs; thorax and abdomen with +black hairs; wings hyaline, the nervures and nervules brown, with a few +black scales: base of the anterior and abdominal fold of the posterior +more or less covered with black hairs; antennae and legs fuscous brown. + +Exp. 10--12 lines. + +The larva of this species forms a dwelling for itself, similar in form +and structure to that of its American congener, the EPHEMERAEFORMIS, +Steph. + + +CALLIMORPHA SELENAEA, pl. 5. f. 2. + +Wings of a brilliant silvery white; the anterior traversed by a fulvous +band commencing at the base on the costa, which it follows for about +one-third of its length, then crossing the wings directly to the anal +angle, where it unites with a vitta of the same colour, extending from +the angle nearly to the base along the inner margin; this vitta is +bordered interiorly with thickly placed black dots; the transverse +portion of the fulvous band is bordered on both sides with black, and has +a sinus about the middle; cilia fulvous; posterior wing with a black spot +near the outer angle: below, the wings are white, except the cilia of the +anterior, and a large blotch, red anteriorly, black posteriorly, near the +outer angle; head rufous; antennae fuscous; thorax and abdomen white, the +former with the shoulders rufous. + +Exp. 2 1/2 inches. + + +CHELONIA PALLIDA, pl. 5. f. 3. + +Anterior wings pale brown, with white nervures and nervules, and marked +with several whitish spots, of which four are on the costa, two +longitudinal before, two transverse beyond the middle of the wing, and on +the inner margin are three irregular patches, sometimes confluent, beyond +which is a band parallel with the outer margin, commencing above the +upper median nervule, and terminating on the inner margin; posterior +wings white, with a discoidal spot, a macular band near the outer margin, +and a less distinct marginal one, all brownish; head white; thorax white, +with three black vittae; abdomen above rufous, with six transverse black +spots, the sides varied with black and white; antennae black; femora red; +tibiae and tarsi black. + +Exp. 2 1/4 inches. + + +CHELONIA FUSCINULA, pl. 5. f. 4. + +Anterior wings fuscous, with a pale vitta commencing near the base on the +subcostal nervure, reaching the costa before the middle, and extending +along it to the apex, where it joins a flexuous submarginal band, +connected with a vitta occupying the whole inner margin; beyond the cell +is an abbreviated flexuous striga; followed by a subquadrate dot; +posterior wings pale dull red, with a broad submarginal fuscous band, and +a discoidal spot of the same colour; head and anterior part of thorax +pale, posterior black; abdomen above red, with a black dorsal line; +antennae fuscous; femora red; tibiae and tarsi fuscous. + +Exp. 1 1/4 inch. + + +ACONTIA? PULCHRA, pl. 5. f. 5. + +Wings of a somewhat chalky white, the anterior with three rufous dots on +the costa before the middle, of which the third is the largest, and near +the apex a large brown spot, fulvous towards the costa, clouded with +bluish white, connected with the inner margin by four indistinct yellow +dots; forehead red; head, thorax, and abdomen, white; palpi red at the +apex; feet white first and second pairs spotted with red. + +Exp. 2 inches. + +* * * * * + + + +LIST OF BIRDS, KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, +BY JOHN GOULD, ESQ. F.R.S. + + + ORDER RAPTORES. + +Aquila fucosa, CUV. +Ichthyiaetus leucogaster, GOULD. +Pandion leucocephalus, GOULD. +Haliastur sphenurus. +Falco melanogenys, GOULD. +----- sub-niger, G. R. GRAY. +----- frontatus, GOULD. +Ieracidea Occidentalis, GOULD. +--------- Berigora. +Tinnunculus Cencroides. +Astur approximans, VIG. and HORSF. +----- Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.? +Accipiter torquatus, VIG. and HORSF. +Buteo melanosternon, GOULD. +Milvus isurus, GOULD. +------ affinis, GOULD. +Elanus axillaris. +------ scripta, GOULD. +Circus assimilis, JARD. +------ Jardinii, GOULD. +Strix personata, VIG. +----- delicatulis, GOULD. +Athene connivens. +------ Boobook + + + ORDER INSESSORES. + +Hirundo neoxena, GOULD. +Cotyle pyrrhonota. +Acanthylis caudacuta. +Eurostopodus guttatus. +Podargus humeralis, VIG. and HORSF. +Aegotheles Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.? +Merops ornatus, LATH. +Dacelo gigas, BODD. +Halcyon sanctus, VIG. and HORSF. +------- pyrrhopygia, GOULD. +Alcyone azurea. +Falcunculus frontatus, VIG. and HORSF. +Oreoica gutturalis. +Xerophila leucopsis, GOULD. +Colluricincla cinerea, VIG. and HORSF.? +Pachycephala gutturalis, VIG. and HORSF. +------------ inornata, GOULD.? +------------ pectoralis, VIG. and HORSF. +------------ rufogularis, GOULD. +Artamus sordidus. +------- personatus, GOULD. +Cracticus destructor, TEMM. +Gymnorhina leuconota, GOULD. +Grallina melanoleuca, VIEILL. +Strepera ----------? +Campephaga humeralis, GOULD.? +Graucalus melanops, VIG. and HORSF. +Cinclosoma punctatum, VIG. and HORSF. +---------- castanotus, GOULD. +Malurus cyaneus, VIEILL. +------- melanotus, GOULD. +------- leucopterus, QUOY AND GAIM. +------- Lamberti, VIG. and HORSF. +Stipiturus malachurus, LESS. +Cysticola exilis? +Hylacola pyrrhopygia. +-------- cauta, GOULD. +Acanthiza pusilla, VIG. and HORSF. +--------- uropygialis, GOULD. +--------- inornata, GOULD. +--------- lineata, GOULD. +--------- chrysorrhoea. +Epthianura aurifrons, GOULD. +---------- tricolor, GOULD. +Sericornis frontalis. +Pyrrholaemus brunneus, GOULD. +Calamanthus campestris. +Anthus pallescens, VIG. and HORSF. +Cincloramphus cantillans, GOULD. +Petroica multicolor, SWAINS. +-------- phoenicea, GOULD. +-------- Goodenovii, JARD. AND SELB. +-------- rosea, GOULD. +-------- bicolor, SWAINS. +Drymodes brunneopygia, GOULD. +Zosterops dorsalis, VIG. and HORSF. +Pardalotus punctatus, TEMM. +---------- striatus, TEMM. +Dicaeum hirundinaceum +Estrelda bella. +-------- temporalis. +Amadina Lathami. +------- castanotus, GOULD. +Rhipidura albiscapa, GOULD. +--------- Motacilloides. +Seisura volitans, VIG. and HORSF. +Microeca macroptera, GOULD. +Smicrornis brevirostris, GOULD. +Corvus Coronoides, VIG. and HORSF. +Chlamydera maculata, GOULD. +Corcorax leucopterus, LESS. +Pomatorhinus trivirgatus, Temm. +------------ temporalis, VIG. and HORSF. +Cacatua galerita, Vieill. +------- Leadbeateri. +Licmetis nasicus, Wagl. +Calyptorhynchus Banksii, VIG. and HORSF. +--------------- Leachii +--------------- xanthonotus, GOULD. +Polytelis melanura. +Platycercus Baueri, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- Barnardi, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- Adelaidiae, GOULD. +----------- flaveolus, GOULD. +Psephotus multicolor. +--------- haematonotus, GOULD. +Melopsittacus undulatus. +Euphema aurantia, GOULD. +------- elegans, GOULD. +Pezoporus formosus. +Trichoglossus Swainsonii, JARD. and SELB. +Trichoglossus concinnus, VIG. and HORSF. +------------- pusillus, VIG. and HORSF. +------------- porphyrocephalus. +Climacteris scandens, TEMM. +----------- picumnus, TEMM. +Sittella melanocephala, GOULD. +Cuculus inornatus, VIG. and HORSF. +------- cineraceus, VIG. and HORSF. +Chalcites lucidus, VIG. and HORSF. +Meliphaga Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF. +--------- Australasiana, VIG. and HORSF. +Glyciphila fulvifrons, SWAINS. +---------- albifrons, GOULD. +---------- ocularis, GOULD. +Ptilotis sonora, GOULD. +-------- cratitia, GOULD. +-------- ornata, GOULD. +-------- penicillata, GOULD. +Zanthomyza Phrygia, SWAINS. +Melicophila picata, GOULD. +Acanthogenys rufogularis, GOULD. +Anthochaera carunculata, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- mellivora, VIG. and HORSF. +Acanthorynchus tenuirostris. +Melithreptus gularis, GOULD. +------------ lunulata, VIEILL. +Myzantha garrula, VIG. and HORSF. + + +ORDER RASORES. + +Phaps chalcoptera. +----- elegans. +Ocyphaps Lophotes. +Geopelia cuneata. +Dromeceius Novae-Hollandiae, VIEILL. +Otis Australasianus, GOULD. +OEdicnemus longipes, VIEILL. +Haematopus fuliginosus, GOULD. +---------- longirostris, VIEILL. +Eudromias Australis, GOULD. +Lobivanellus lobatus. +Sarciophorus pectoralis. +Charadrius Virginianus? +Hiaticula monacha. +--------- nigrifrons. +--------- ruficapilla. +Erythrogonys cinctus, GOULD. +Leipoa ocellata, GOULD. +Pedionomus torquatus, GOULD. +Turnix varius. +------ velox, GOULD. +Coturnix pectoralis, GOULD. +Synoicus Australis. +-------- Sinensis. + + +ORDER GRALLATORES. + +Grus Antigone? +Platalea regia, GOULD. +-------- flavipes, GOULD. +Ardea cinerea? +----- pacifica, LATH. +----- Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +Nycticorax Caledonicus, LESS. +Botaurus Australis, GOULD. +Ibis Falcinellus, LINN. +Numenius Australasianus. +Numenius uropygialis, GOULD. +Recurvirostra rubricollis, TEMM. +Chladorhynchus pectoralis. +Himantopus leucocephalus, GOULD. +Limosa ----------? +Glottis Glottoides. +Pelidna ----------? like P. MINUTA. +Scolopax Australis, LATH. +Rhynchaea Australis, GOULD. +Porphyrio melanotus, TEMM. +Tribonyx ventralis, GOULD. +Gallinula immaculata. +Rallus Philipensis? LINN. + + +ORDER NATATORES. + +Cygnus atratus. +Anseranas melanoleuca. +Leptotarsis Eytoni, GOULD. +Cereopsis Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +Casarka Tadornoides. +Biziura lobata, SHAW. +Bernicla jubata. +Anas Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +---- naevosa, GOULD. +---- castanea. +Nyroca Australis, Eyton. +Rhynchapsis Rhynchotis, STEPH. +Malacorhynchus membranaceus, SWAINS. +Podiceps Australis, GOULD. +-------- poliocephalus, JARD. and SELB. +-------- gularis, GOULD. +Phalacrocorax pica. +------------- leucogaster, GOULD. +Phalacrocorax sulcirostris. +------------- melanoleucus. +Plotus Le Vaillantii? +Pelecanus spectabilis, TEMM. +Sula Australis, GOULD. +Spheniscus minor. +Lestris catarrhactes. +Laras leucomelas. +Xema Jamesonii, WILS. +Sterna poliocerca, GOULD. +------ velox, GOULD. +Sternella nereis, GOULD. +Hydrochelidon fluviatilis. +Diomedea exulans, LINN. +-------- cauta, GOULD. +-------- melanophrys, TEMM. +-------- chlororhyncha, LATH. +-------- fuliginosa. +Procellaria gigantea, GMEL. +----------- perspicillata, GOULD. +----------- hasitata, FORST. +----------- leucocephala. +----------- Solandri, GOULD. +Daption Capensis, STEPH. +Prion vittata, CUV. +----- Banksii. +----- Turtur. +----- Ariel, GOULD. +Puffinus brevicaudus, GOULD. +Puffinuria urinatrix, LESS. +Thalassidroma Wilsoni. +------------- nereis, GOULD. +------------- melanogaster, GOULD. + + +The preceding list comprises the birds inhabiting the settled districts +of South Australia: viz. the Murray, from the great bend to the sea, the +fertile districts sixty miles northward and southward of Adelaide, +Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln, etc. When the remote parts of the colony +have been explored, it will doubtless become necessary to add to it many +other species common to New South Wales and Western Australia.--J. G. + + +The End + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery +Into Central Australia And Overland From Adelaide To King George's Sound +In The Years 1840-1, Volume I., by Edward John Eyre + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EYRE EXPEDITIONS *** + +***** This file should be named 5344.txt or 5344.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/4/5344/ + +Produced by Col Choat + +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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Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2bd3261 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #5344 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5344) diff --git a/old/xpcs110.txt b/old/xpcs110.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a224e15 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/xpcs110.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11841 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery Into +Central Australia Volume I, by Edward John Eyre + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery Into Central + Australia And Overland From Adelaide To King George's + Sound In The Years 1840-1: Sent By The Colonists Of + South Australia, With The Sanction And Support Of The + Government: Including An Account Of The Manners And + Customs Of The Aborigines And The State Of Their + Relations With Europeans. Volume I. + +Author: Edward John Eyre + +Release Date: March, 2004 [EBook #5344] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on July 2, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNALS OF EXPEDITIONS 1 *** + + + + +Produced by Col Choat colc@gutenberg.net.au + + + + + + + +PRODUCTION NOTES: +--Italics in the book have been changed to to upper case in this eBook. +--Footnotes have been placed in brackets [] within the text. +--A number of tables have been omitted or rendered incomplete. These are + indicated in the eBook at the point at which they occurred in the book. +--Plates and maps in the book have not been reproduced. A list of plates + forms part of the Table of Contents. There were 2 maps included in the + book. These indicated the extent of Eyre's journeys. + + + + + + +JOURNALS OF EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY INTO CENTRAL AUSTRALIA AND OVERLAND +FROM ADELAIDE TO KING GEORGE'S SOUND IN THE YEARS 1840-1: SENT BY THE +COLONISTS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, WITH THE SANCTION AND SUPPORT OF THE +GOVERNMENT: INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE +ABORIGINES AND THE STATE OF THEIR RELATIONS WITH EUROPEANS. + +by EYRE, EDWARD JOHN (1815-1901) + + + +TO LIEUT.-COLONEL GEORGE GAWLER, K.H. M.R.G.S. +UNDER WHOSE AUSPICES, AS GOVERNOR OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, +THE EXPEDITIONS, DESCRIBED IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES, +WERE UNDERTAKEN, THESE VOLUMES ARE RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, +AS A TRIBUTE OF GRATITUDE FOR HIS KINDNESS AND RESPECT FOR HIS VIRTUES, +BY THE AUTHOR. + + + + + +PREFACE. + + + +In offering to the public an account of Expeditions of Discovery in +Australia, undertaken in the years 1840-1, and completed in July of the +latter year, some apology may be deemed necessary for this narrative not +having sooner appeared, or perhaps even for its being now published at +all. + +With respect to the first, the author would remark that soon after his +return to South Australia upon the close of the Expeditions, and when +contemplating an immediate return to England, he was invited by the +Governor of the Colony to remain, and undertake the task of +re-establishing peace and amicable relations with the numerous native +tribes of the Murray River, and its neighbourhood, whose daring and +successful outrages in 1841, had caused very great losses to, and created +serious apprehensions among the Colonists. + +Hoping that his personal knowledge of and extensive practical experience +among the Aborigines might prove serviceable in an employment of this +nature, the author consented to undertake it; and from the close of +September 1841, until December 1844, was unremittingly occupied with the +duties it entailed. It was consequently not in his power to attend to the +publication of his travels earlier, nor indeed can he regret a delay, +which by the facilities it afforded him of acquiring a more intimate +knowledge of the character and habits of the Aborigines, has enabled him +to render that portion of his work which relates to them more +comprehensive and satisfactory than it otherwise would have been. + +With respect to the second point, or the reasons which have led to this +work being published at all, the author would observe that he has been +led to engage in it rather from a sense of duty, and at the instance of +many of his friends, than from any wish of his own. The greater portion +of the country he explored was of so sterile and worthless a description, +and the circumstances which an attempt to cross such a desert region led +to, were of so distressing a character, that he would not willingly have +revived associations, so unsatisfactory and so painful. + +It has been his fate, however, to cross, during the course of his +explorations, a far greater extent of country than any Australian +traveller had ever done previously, and as a very large portion of this +had never before been trodden by the foot of civilized man, and from its +nature is never likely to be so invaded again, it became a duty to record +the knowledge which was thus obtained, for the information of future +travellers and as a guide to the scientific world in their inquiries into +the character and formation of so singular and interesting a country. + +To enable the reader to judge of the author's capabilities for the task +he undertook, and of the degree of confidence that may be due to his +impressions or opinions, it may not be out of place to state, that the +Expeditions of 1840--1 were not entered upon without a sufficient +previous and practical experience in exploring. + +For eight years the author had been resident in Australia, during which +he had visited many of the located parts of New South Wales, Port +Phillip, South Australia, Western Australia, and Van Diemen's Land. In +the years 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, and 1840 he had conducted expeditions +across from Liverpool Plains in New South Wales to the county of Murray, +from Sydney to Port Phillip, from Port Phillip to Adelaide, and from King +George's Sound to Swan River, besides undertaking several explorations +towards the interior, both from Port Lincoln and from Adelaide. + +To the knowledge and experience which were thus acquired, the author must +ascribe the confidence and good opinion of his fellow-colonists, which +led them in 1840 to place under his command an undertaking of such +importance, interest, and responsibility; and to these advantages he +feels that he is in a great measure indebted, under God's blessing, for +having been enabled successfully to struggle through the difficulties and +dangers which beset him, in crossing from Adelaide to King George's +Sound. + +With this explanation for obtruding upon the public, the author would +also solicit their indulgence, for the manner in which the task has been +performed. The only merit to which he can lay claim, is that of having +faithfully described what he saw, and the impressions which were produced +upon him at the time. In other respects it is feared that a work, which +was entirely (and consequently very hastily) prepared for the press from +the original notes, whilst voyaging from Australia to England, must +necessarily be crude and imperfect. Where the principal object, however, +was rather to record with accuracy than indulge in theory or conjecture, +and where a simple statement of occurrences has been more attended to +than the language in which they are narrated, plainness and fidelity +will, it is hoped, be considered as some compensation for the absence of +the embellishments of a more finished style, or a studied composition, +and especially as the uncertainty attending the duration of the author's +visit to England made it a matter of anxious consideration to hurry these +volumes through the press as rapidly as possible. There is one +circumstance to which he wishes particularly to allude, as accounting for +the very scanty notices he is now able to give of the geology or botany +of the country through which he travelled; it is the loss of all the +specimens that were collected during the earlier part of the Expedition, +which occurred after they had been sent to Adelaide; this loss has been +irreparable, and has not only prevented him from ascertaining points +about which he was dubious, but has entirely precluded him from having +the subjects considered, or the specimens classified and arranged by +gentlemen of scientific acquirements in those departments of knowledge, +in which the author is conscious he is himself defective. In the latter +part of the Expedition, or from Fowler's Bay to King George's Sound, the +dreadful nature of the country, and the difficulties and disasters to +which this led, made it quite impossible either to make collections of +any kind, or to examine the country beyond the immediate line of route; +still it is hoped that the passing notices which are made in the journal, +and the knowledge of the similarity of appearance and uniform character, +prevalent throughout the greater portion of the country passed through, +will be quite sufficient to give a general and correct impression of the +whole. + +To Mr. Gray of the British Museum, the author is particularly indebted +for his valuable contribution on the Natural History of the Southern +coast of Australia, and to Mr. Gould, the celebrated Ornithologist, his +thanks are equally due, for a classified and most interesting list of the +birds belonging to the same portion of the continent. + +To Mr. Adam White, of the British Museum, he is also indebted for an +account of some new insects, and to Dr. Richardson, for a scientific and +classified arrangement of fish caught on the Southern coast, near King +George's Sound. The plates to which the numbers refer in the +last-mentioned paper, are the admirable drawings made from life, by J. +Neill, Esq. of King George's Sound, and now lodged at the British Museum. +They are, however, both too numerous and too large to give in a work of +this description, and will probably be published at some future time by +their talented author. + +For the account given of the Aborigines the author deems it unnecessary +to offer any apology; a long experience among them, and an intimate +knowledge of their character, habits, and position with regard to +Europeans, have induced in him a deep interest on behalf of a people, who +are fast fading away before the progress of a civilization, which ought +only to have added to their improvement and prosperity. Gladly would the +author wish to see attention awakened on their behalf, and an effort at +least made to stay the torrent which is overwhelming them. + +It is most lamentable to think that the progress and prosperity of one +race should conduce to the downfal and decay of another; it is still more +so to observe the apathy and indifference with which this result is +contemplated by mankind in general, and which either leads to no +investigation being made as to the cause of this desolating influence, or +if it is, terminates, to use the language of the Count Strzelecki, "in +the inquiry, like an inquest of the one race upon the corpse of the +other, ending for the most part with the verdict of 'died by the +visitation of God.'" + +In his attempt to delineate the actual circumstances and position of the +natives, and the just claims they have upon public sympathy and +benevolence, he has been necessitated to refer largely to the testimony +of others, but in doing this he has endeavoured as far as practicable, to +support the views he has taken by the writings or opinions of those who +are, or who have been resident in the Colonies, and who might therefore +be supposed from a practical acquaintance with the subject, to be most +competent to arrive at just conclusions. + +In suggesting the only remedy which appears at all calculated to mitigate +the evil complained of, it has studiously been kept in view that there +are the interests of two classes to be provided for, those of the +Settlers, and those of the Aborigines, it is thought that these interests +cannot with advantage be separated, and it is hoped that it may be found +practicable to blend them together. + +The Aborigines of New Holland are not on the whole a numerous people; +they are generally of a very inoffensive and tractable character, and it +is believed that they may, under ordinary circumstances, almost always be +rendered peaceable and well-disposed by kind and consistent treatment. +Should this, in reality, prove to be the case, it may be found perhaps, +that they could be more easily managed, and in the long run at a less +expense, by some such system as is recommended, than by any other +requiring means of a more retaliatory or coercive character. The system +proposed is at least one which by removing in a great measure temptation +from the native, and thereby affording comparative security to the +settlers, will have a powerful effect in inducing the latter to unite +with the Government in any efforts made to ameliorate the condition of +the Aborigines; a union which under present or past systems has not ever +taken place, but one which it is very essential should be effected, if +any permanent good is hoped for. + +To Mr. Moorhouse the author returns his best thanks for his valuable +notes on the Aborigines, to which he is indebted for the opportunity of +giving an account of many of the customs and habits of the Adelaide +tribes. + +To Anthony Forster, Esq. he offers his warmest acknowledgments for his +assistance in overlooking the manuscripts during the voyage from +Australia, and correcting many errors which necessarily resulted from the +hurried manner in which they were prepared; it is to this kind +supervision must be ascribed the merit--negative though it may be--of +there not being more errors than there are. + + + + +CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. + + + +CHAPTER I. + +ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION--CONTEMPLATED EXPLORATION TO THE +WESTWARD--MEETING OF THE COLONISTS, AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ENTERED INTO FOR +THAT PURPOSE--NOTES ON THE UNFAVOURABLE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY TO THE +WESTWARD, AND PROPOSAL THAT THE NORTHERN INTERIOR SHOULD BE EXAMINED +INSTEAD--MAKE AN OFFER TO THE GOVERNOR TO CONDUCT SUCH AN +EXPEDITION--CAPTAIN STURT'S LECTURE--INTERVIEW WITH THE +GOVERNOR--ARRANGEMENT OF PLANS--PREPARATION OF OUTFIT--COST OF +EXPEDITION--NAME A DAY FOR DEPARTURE--PUBLIC BREAKFAST AND COMMENCEMENT +OF THE UNDERTAKING + +CHAPTER II. + +FIRST NIGHT'S ENCAMPMENT WITH PARTY--REFLECTIONS--ARRIVAL AT SHEEP +STATION--RE-ARRANGEMENTS OF LOADS--METHOD OF CARRYING FIRE-ARMS--COMPLETE +THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--THEIR NAMES--MOVE ONWARDS--VALLEY OF THE +LIGHT--EXTENSIVE PLAINS--HEAD OF THE GILBERT--SCARCITY OF +FIREWOOD--GRASSY WELL-WATERED DISTRICTS--THE HILL AND HUTT +RIVERS--INDICATION OF CHANGE GOING ON IN APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY, TRACEABLE IN THE REMAINS OF TIMBER IN THE PLAINS AND IN THE +OPENINGS AMONG SCRUBS--THE BROUGHTON--REEDY WATERCOURSE--CAMPBELL'S +RANGE--COURSE OF THE BROUGHTON + +CHAPTER III. +SPRING HILL--AN AGED NATIVE DESERTED BY HIS TRIBE--RICH AND EXTENSIVE +PLAINS--SURPRISE A PARTY OF NATIVES--ROCKY RIVER--CRYSTAL BROOK--FLINDERS +RANGE--THE DEEP SPRING--MYALL PONDS--ROCKY WATER HOLES--DRY +WATERCOURSE--REACH THE DEPOT NEAR MOUNT ARDEN--PREPARE FOR LEAVING THE +PARTY--BLACK SWANS PASS TO THE NORTH--ARRIVAL OF THE WATERWITCH + +CHAPTER IV. +MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR GETTING UP STORES FROM THE WATERWITCH--LEAVE THE +PARTY--SALT WATERCOURSE--MOUNT EYRE--ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY--LAKE +TORRENS--RETURN TOWARDS THE HILLS--NATIVE FEMALE--SALINE CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY--MOUNT DECEPTION--REACH THE EASTERN HILLS--LARGE +WATERCOURSES--WATER HOLE IN A ROCK--GRASSY BUT HILLY COUNTRY--RUNNING +STREAM--ASCEND A RANGE--RETURN HOMEWARDS--DECAY OF TREES IN THE +WATERCOURSES--SHOOT A KANGAROO--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--BURY STORES--MAKE +PREPARATIOUS FOR LEAVING--SEUD DESPATCHES TO THE VESSEL + +CHAPTER V. +BREAK UP THE ENCAMPMENT--ARRIVE AT DEPOT POOL--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF +THE COUNTRY--BAROMETERS OUT OF ORDER--ADVANCE TO RECONNOITRE--ASCEND +TERMINATION HILL--SURPRISE NATIVE WOMEN--THEY ABANDON THEIR +CHILDREN--INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER--RETURN TOWARDS MOUNT +DECEPTION--BROKEN CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FIND WATER--THE SCOTT--REJOIN +THE PARTY--WATER ALL USED AT THE DEPOT--EMBARRASSING +CIRCUMSTANCES--REMOVE TO THE SCOTT--RECONNOITRE IN ADVANCE--BARREN +COUNTRY--TABLE-TOPPED ELEVATIONS--INDICATIONS OF THE VIOLENT ACTION OF +WATER--MEET NATIVES--REACH LAKE TORRENS--THE WATER SALT--OBLIGED TO +RETURN--ARRIVAL AT DEPOT--HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE NATIVES. + +CHAPTER VI. +CAUSE OF HOSTILITY OF THE NATIVES--WELL SUNK UNSUCCESSFULLY--OVERSEER +SENT TO THE EAST--THE SCOTT EXAMINED--ROCK WALLUBIES--OVERSEER'S +RETURN--ANOTHER VISIT TO LAKE TORRENS--BOGGY CHARACTER OF ITS +BED--EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF MIRAGE AND REFRACTION--RETURN TO THE +CAMP--SUPPLY OF WATER EXHAUSTED--LEAVE THE DEPOT--THE MUNDY--THE +BURR--MOUNT SERLE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE EAST--MELANCHOLY PROSPECTS + +CHAPTER VII. +EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-EAST--TRACE DOWN THE FROME--WATER BECOMES +SALT--PASS BEYOND THE RANGES--COCKATOOS SEEN--HEAVY RAINS--DRY +WATERCOURSES--MOUNT DISTANCE--BRINE SPRINGS--MOUNT HOPELESS--TERMINATION +OF FLINDERS RANGE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST--ALL FURTHER +ADVANCE HOPELESS--YOUNG EMUS CAUGHT--REJOIN PARTY--MOVE BACK TOWARDS +MOUNT ARDEN--LOSS OF A HORSE--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--PLANS FOR THE +FUTURE--TAKE UP STORES--PREPARE FOR LEAVING + +CHAPTER VIII. +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LAKE TORRENS +AND SPENCER'S GULF--BAXTER'S RANGE--DIVIDE THE PARTY--ROUTE TOWARDS PORT +LINCOLN--SCRUB--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--SEND DRAY BACK FOR +WATER--PLUNDERED BY THE NATIVES--RETURN OF DRAY--DENSE SCRUB--REFUGE +ROCKS--DENSE SCRUB--SALT CREEK--MOUNT HILL--DENSE SCRUB--LARGE +WATERCOURSE--ARRIVE AT A STATION--RICH AND GRASSY VALLEYS--CHARACTER OF +PORT LINCOLN PENINSULA--UNABLE TO PROCURE SUPPLIES--ENGAGE A BOAT TO SEND +OVER TO ADELAIDE--BUY SHEEP + +CHAPTER IX. +BOY SPEARED BY THE NATIVES--ANOMALOUS STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH THE +ABORIGINES--MR. SCOTT SAILS FOR ADELAIDE--DOG BOUGHT--MR. SCOTT'S +RETURN--CUTTER WATERWITCH SENT TO CO-OPERATE--SEND HER TO STREAKY +BAY--LEAVE PORT LINCOLN WITH THE DRAY--LEVEL SANDY COUNTRY CLOTHED WITH +BRUSH AND SHRUBS--SALT LAKES--MOUNT HOPE--LAKE HAMILTON--STONY +COUNTRY--LOSE A DOG--BETTER COUNTRY--WEDGE HILL--LAKE NEWLAND--A BOAT +HARBOUR--MOUNT HALL--REJOIN PARTY AT STREAKY BAY--SINGULAR +SPRING--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--BEDS OF OYSTERS + +CHAPTER X. +COUNTRY BETWEEN STREAKY BAY AND BAXTER'S RANGE--ITS SCRUBBY +CHARACTER--GAWLER RANGE--MOUNT STURT--ASCEND A PEAK--SALT +LAKES--BEAUTIFUL FLOWER--ASCEND ANOTHER BILL--MOUNT BROWN SEEN--EXTENSIVE +VIEW TO THE NORTH--LAKE GILLES--BAXTER'S RANGE + +CHAPTER XI. +EMBARK STORES--PARTY LEAVE STREAKY BAY--DENSE SCRUB--POINT +BROWN--SINGULAR WELL--PROCESS OF CHANGE IN APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY--DIG FOR +WATER--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXTRAORDINARY RITE--NATIVE GUIDES--LEIPOA'S +NEST--DENIAL BAY--BEELIMAH GAIPPE--KANGAROO KILLED--MORE +NATIVES--BERINYANA GAIPPE--SALT LAKES--WADEMAR GAIPPE--SANDY AND SCRUBBY +COUNTRY--MOBEELA GAIPPE--DIFFICULTY OF GETTING WATER--MORE +NATIVES--GENUINE HOSPITALITY--SINGULAR MARKS ON THE ABDOMEN--NATIVES +LEAVE THE PARTY--FOWLER'S BAY--EXCELLENT WHALING STATION. + +CHAPTER XII. +LAND THE STORES AND SEND THE CUTTER TO DENIAL BAY--PARTY REMOVE TO POINT +FOWLER--LEAVE THE PARTY--BEDS OF LAKES--DENSE SCRUB--COAST +SAND-DRIFTS--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--DISTRESS OF THE HORSES--TURN +BACK--LEAVE A HORSE--FIND WATER--REJOIN PARTY--SEND FOR THE +HORSE--COUNTRY AROUND DEPOT--TAKE A DRAY TO THE WESTWARD--WRETCHED +COUNTRY--FALL IN WITH NATIVES--MISUNDERSTAND THEIR SIGNS--THEY LEAVE +US--VAIN SEARCH FOR WATER--TURN BACK--HORSE KNOCKED UP--GO BACK FOR +WATER--REJOIN THE DRAY--COMMENCE RETURN--SEARCH FOR WATER--DRAY +SURROUNDED BY NATIVES--EMBARRASSING SITUATION--BURY BAGGAGE--THREE HORSES +ABANDONED--REACH THE SAND-DRIFTS--UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO SAVE THE +HORSES--SEND FOR FRESH HORSES--SEARCH FOR WATER TO NORTH-EAST--RECOVER +THE DRAY AND STORES--REJOIN THE PARTY AT DEPOT NEAR POINT FOWLER--RETURN +OF THE CUTTER + +CHAPTER XIII. +FUTURE PLANS--REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--SEND THE CUTTER TO +ADELAIDE--REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR--MONOTONOUS LIFE AT CAMP--REMOVE TO +ANOTHER LOCALITY--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FLINT FOUND--AGAIN +ATTEMPT TO REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT--REACH THE SAND-HILLS, AND BURY +FLOUR--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXHAUSTED STATE OF THE HORSES--GET THE DRAY TO +THE PLAIN--BURY WATER--SEND BACK DRAY--PROCEED WITH +PACK-HORSE--OPPRESSIVE HEAT--SEND BACK PACK-HORSE--REACH THE HEAD OF THE +BIGHT--SURPRISE SOME NATIVES--THEIR KIND +BEHAVIOUR--YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--THEIR ACCOUNT OF THE INTERIOR + +CHAPTER XIV. +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFF'S OF THE GREAT BIGHT--LEVEL NATURE OF THE +INTERIOR--FLINTS ABOUND--RETURN TO YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--NATIVES COME TO THE +CAMP--THEIR GENEROUS CONDUCT--MEET THE OVERSEER--RETURN TO DEPOT--BAD +WATER--MOVE BACK TO FOWLER'S BAY--ARRIVAL OF THE CUTTER HERO--JOINED BY +THE KING GEORGE'S SOUND NATIVE--INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO THE +HERO--DIFFICULTY OF FIXING UPON ANY FUTURE PLAN--BREAK UP THE EXPEDITION +AND DIVIDE THE PARTY--MR. SCOTT EMBARKS--FINAL REPORT--THE HERO +SAILS--OVERSEER AND NATIVES REMAIN--EXCURSION TO THE NORTH--A NATIVE +JOINS US--SUDDEN ILLNESS IN THE PARTY--FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING THE +DEPOT + +CHAPTER XV. +RETURN OF MR. SCOTT IN THE HERO--MR. SCOTT AGAIN SAILS FOR +ADELAIDE--COMMENCE JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL AT THE +SAND-HILLS--LARGE FLIES--TAKE ON THE SHEEP--LEAVE THE OVERSEER WITH THE +HORSES--REACH YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--JOINED BY THE OVERSEER--TORMENTING FLIES +AGAIN--MOVE ON WITH THE SHEEP--LEAVE OVERSEER TO FOLLOW WITH THE +HORSES--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY ALONG THE BIGHT--SCENERY OF THE +CLIFFS--LEAVE THE SHEEP--ANXIETY ABOUT WATER--REACH THE TERMINATION OF +THE CLIFFS--FIND WATER + +CHAPTER XVI. +GO BACK TO MEET THE OVERSEER--PARTY ARRIVE AT THE WATER--LONG +ENCAMPMENT--GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF THE CLIFFS--MOVE ON AGAIN--DIG FOR +WATER--TRACES OF NATIVES--SEND BACK FOR WATER--PARROTS SEEN--COOL WINDS +FROM NORTH-EAST--OVERSEER RETURNS--CONTINUE THE JOURNEY--ABANDON +BAGGAGE--DENSE SCRUBS--DRIVEN TO THE BEACH--MEET NATIVES--MODE OF +PROCURING WATER FROM ROOTS + +CHAPTER XVII. +HORSES BEGIN TO KNOCK UP--COMPELLED TO FOLLOW ROUND THE BEACH--TIMOR PONY +UNABLE TO PROCEED--GLOOMY PROSPECTS--OVERSEER BEGINS TO DESPOND--TWO MORE +HORSES LEFT BEHIND--FRAGMENTS OF WRECKS--WATER ALL CONSUMED--COLLECT +DEW--CHANGE IN CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--DIG A WELL--PROCURE WATER--NATIVE +AND FAMILY VISIT US--OVERSEER GOES BACK FOR BAGGAGE--DISASTROUS +TERMINATION OF HIS JOURNEY--SITUATION AND PROSPECTS OF THE PARTY + +CHAPTER XVIII. +GO BACK WITH A NATIVE--SPEAR STING-RAYS--RECOVER THE BAGGAGE--COLD +WEATHER--OVERSEER RECONNOITRES THE CLIFFS--UNFAVOURABLE +REPORT--DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO BEST PLANS FOR THE FUTURE--KILL A +HORSE FOR FOOD--INJURIOUS EFFECTS FROM MEAT DIET--NATIVE BOYS BECOME +DISAFFECTED--THEY STEAL PROVISIONS--NATIVE BOYS DESERT THE PARTY--THEY +RETURN ALMOST STARVED--PARTY PROCEED ONWARDS TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF +THE BIGHT--COUNTRY BEHIND THEM--THREATENING WEATHER--MURDER OF THE +OVERSEER + +APPENDIX. + +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS, BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ. F.R.S. +CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH, FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, BY DEPUTY + ASSISTANT COMMISSARY--GENERAL NEILL. THE REPTILES NAMED AND ARRANGED BY + J. E. GRAY, ESQ., AND THE FISH BY DR. RICHARDSON DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES + OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS, BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M.E.S. +DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA, BY J. E. + GRAY, ESQ. F.R.S. +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS, BY EDWARD + DOUBLEDAY, ESQ. F.R.S. etc. +LIST OF BIRDS KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, BY JOHN GOULD, + ESQ. F.R.S. + + +LIST OF PLATES--VOLUME I. + +Tenberry, with Wife and Child, drawn by G. Hamilton +Departure of the Expedition drawn by G. Hamilton +Opossum-hunting at Gawler Plains +Native Graves +Wylie (J. Neil) +Plate I.--New Toads and Frogs +Plate II.--New Frogs and new Bat +Plate III.--New Insects +Plate IV.--New Cray-fish +Plate V.--New Shells +Plate VI.--New Butterflies + + + + + + + + +VOLUME I + + + + +JOURNAL OF EXPEDITIONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA IN 1840. + + + +Chapter I. + + +ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION--CONTEMPLATED EXPLORATION TO THE +WESTWARD--MEETING OF THE COLONISTS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ENTERED INTO FOR +THAT PURPOSE--NOTES ON THE UNFAVOURABLE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY TO THE +WESTWARD, AND PROPOSAL THAT THE NORTHERN INTERIOR SHOULD BE EXAMINED +INSTEAD--MAKE AN OFFER TO THE GOVERNOR TO CONDUCT SUCH AN +EXPEDITION--CAPTAIN STURT'S LECTURE--INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR, +ARRANGEMENT OF PLANS--PREPARATION OF OUTFIT--COST OF EXPEDITION--NAME A +DAY FOR DEPARTURE--PUBLIC BREAKFAST AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE UNDERTAKING. + +Before entering upon the account of the expedition sent to explore the +interior of Australia, to which the following pages refer, it may perhaps +be as well to advert briefly to the circumstances which led to the +undertaking itself, that the public being fully in possession of the +motives and inducements which led me, at a very great sacrifice of my +private means, to engage in an exploration so hazardous and arduous, and +informed of the degree of confidence reposed in me by those interested in +the undertaking, and the sanguine hopes and high expectations that were +formed as to the result, may be better able to judge how far that +confidence was well placed, and how far my exertions were commensurate +with the magnitude of the responsibility I had undertaken. + +I have felt it the more necessary to allude to this subject now, because +I was in some measure at the time instrumental in putting a stop to a +contemplated expedition to the westward, and of thus unintentionally +interfering with the employment of a personal friend of my own, than whom +no one could have been more fitted to command an undertaking of the kind, +from his amiable disposition, his extensive experience, and his general +knowledge and acquirements. + +Upon returning, about the middle of May 1840, from a visit to King +George's Sound and Swan River, I found public attention in Adelaide +considerably engrossed with the subject of an overland communication +between Southern and Western Australia. Captain Grey, now the Governor of +South Australia, had called at Adelaide on his way to England from King +George's Sound, and by furnishing a great deal of interesting information +relative to Western Australia, and pointing out the facilities that +existed on its eastern frontier, as far as it was then known, for the +entrance of stock from the Eastward, had called the attention of the +flock-masters of the Colony to the importance of opening a communication +between the two places, with a view to the extension of their pastoral +interests. The notes of Captain Grey, referring to this subject, were +published in the South Australian Register newspaper of the 28th March, +1840. On the 30th of the same month, a number of gentlemen, many of whom +were owners of large flocks and herds, met together, for the purpose of +taking the matter into consideration, and the result of this conference +was the appointment of a Committee, whose duty it was to report upon the +best means of accomplishing the object in view. On the 4th, 7th, and 9th +of April other meetings were held, and the results published in the South +Australian Register, of the 11th April, as follows:-- + + +OVERLAND ROUTE TO WESTERN AUSTRALIA. + +At a Meeting of the Committee for making arrangements for an expedition +to explore an overland route to Western Australia, held the 7th of April, +the Hon. the Surveyor-general in the chair, the following resolutions +were agreed to:-- + +That a communication be made to the Government of Western Australia, +detailing the objects contemplated by this Committee, and further stating +that the assistance of the Government of this province has been obtained. + +That a communication be made to the Hon. the Surveyor-general, the Hon. +the Advocate-general the Hon. G. Leake, Esq. of Western Australia, with a +request that they will form a committee in conjunction with such settlers +as may feel interested in the same undertaking, for the purpose of +collecting private subscriptions, and co-operating with this committee. + +Resolved, that similar communications be made to the Government of New +South Wales, and to the following gentlemen who are requested to act as a +committee with the same power as that of Western Australia: Hon. E. Deas +Thomson, Colonial Secretary; William Macarthur, Esq.; Captain Parker; P. +King, R.N.; Stuart Donaldson, Esq.; George Macleay, Esq.; Charles +Campbell, Esq. + +That this Committee would propose, in order to facilitate the progress of +the expedition, that depots be formed at convenient points on the route; +that it is proposed to make Fowler's Bay the first depot on the route +from Adelaide, and to leave it to the Government of Western Australia to +decide upon the sites which their local knowledge may point out as the +most eligible for similar stations, as far to the eastward as may appear +practicable. + +That a subscription list be immediately opened in Adelaide to collect +funds in aid of the undertaking. + +That R. F. Newland, Esq., be requested to act as Treasurer to this +Committee, and that subscriptions be received at the Banks of Australasia +and South Australia. + +E. C. FROME, Chairman. +CHAS. BONNEY, Secretary. + + +The Committee again met on the 9th April--the Hon. the Assistant +Commissioner in the chair. It was resolved that the following statement +head the subscription list:-- + + +Several meetings having taken place at Adelaide of persons interested in +the discovery of an overland route to Western Australia, and it being the +general opinion of those meetings that such an enterprise would very +greatly benefit the colonists of Eastern, Southern, and Western +Australia, it was determined to open subscriptions for the furtherance of +this most desirable object under the direction of the following +Committee: + +G. A. Anstey, Esq. John Knott, Esq. +Charles Bonney, Esq. Duncan M'Farlane, Esq. +John Brown, Esq. David McLaren, Esq. +Edward Eyre, Esq. John Morphett, Esq. +John Finniss, Esq. Chas. Mann, Esq. +J. H. Fisher, Esq. R. F. Newland, Esq. +Lieutenant Frome, Dr. Rankin. Esq. +Surveyor-general G. Stevenson, Esq. +O. Gilles, Esq. F. Stephens, Esq. +Captain Grey W. Smilie, Esq. +J. B. Hack, Esq. T. B. Strangwaya, Esq. +G. Hamilton, Esq. Capt. Sturt, Ass. Com. +Ephraim Howe, Esq. John Walker, Esq. + +The very great importance of the undertaking as leading to results, and +in all probability to discoveries, the benefits of which are at present +unforeseen, but which, like the opening of the Murray to this Province, +may pave the way to a high road from hence to Western Australia, will, it +is hoped meet with that support from the public which undertakings of +great national interest deserve, and which best evince the enterprise and +well-doing of a rising colony. + +That Captain Grey, being about to embark for England, the Committee +cannot allow him to quit these shores without expressing their regret +that his stay has been so short, and the sense they entertain of the +great interest he has evinced in the welfare of the colony, and the +disinterested support he has given an enterprise which is likely to lead +to such generally beneficial results as that under consideration. + +CHAS. STURT, Chairman. +CHAS. BONNEY, Secretary. + + +LIST OF SUBSCRIPTIONS RECEIVED YESTERDAY. + + +The Government of South Australia 200 pounds +His Excellency the Governor +(absent at Port Lincoln) +and the Colonists 349 pounds 10 shillings + + +Such was the state in which I found the question on my return from +Western Australia. All had been done that was practicable, until answers +were received from the other Colonies, replying to the applications for +assistance and co-operation in the proposed undertaking. + +Having been always greatly interested in the examination of this vast but +comparatively unknown continent, and having already myself been +frequently engaged in long and harassing explorations, it will not be +deemed surprising that I should at once have turned my attention to the +subject so prominently occupying the public mind. I have stated that the +principal object proposed to be attained by the expedition to the +westward, was that of opening a route for the transit of stock from one +colony to the other--nay it was even proposed and agreed to by a majority +of the gentlemen attending the public meeting that the first party of +exploration should be accompanied by cattle. Now, from my previous +examination of the country to the westward of the located parts of South +Australia, I had in 1839 fully satisfied myself, not only of the +difficulty, but of the utter impracticability of opening an overland +route for stock in that direction, and I at once stated my opinion to +that effect, and endeavoured to turn the general attention from the +Westward to the North, as being the more promising opening, either for +the discovery of a good country, or of an available route across the +continent. The following extract, from a paper by me on the subject, was +published in the South Australian Register of the 23rd May, 1840, and +contains my opinion at that time of the little prospect there was of any +useful result accruing from the carrying out of the proposed expedition +to the Westward:-- + + +"It may now, therefore, be a question for those who are interested in the +sending an expedition overland to the Swan River to consider what are +likely to be the useful results from such a journey. In a geographical +point of view it will be exceedingly interesting to know the character of +the intervening country between this colony and theirs, and to unfold the +secrets hidden by those lofty, and singular cliffs at the head of the +Great Bight, and so far, it might perhaps be practicable--since it is +possible that a light party might, in a favourable season, force their +way across. As regards the transit of stock, however, my own conviction +is that it is quite impracticable. The vast extent of desert country to +the westward--the scarcity of grass--the denseness of the scrub--and the +all but total absence of water, even in the most favourable seasons, are +in themselves, sufficient bars to the transit of stock, even to a +distance we are already acquainted with. I would rather, therefore, turn +the public attention to the Northward, as being the most probable point +from which discoveries of importance may be made, or such as are likely +to prove beneficial to this and the other colonies, and from which it is +possible the veil may be lifted, from the still unknown and mysterious +interior of this vast continent." + + +On the 27th I dined with His Excellency the Governor, and had a long +conversation with him on the subject of the proposed Western Expedition, +and on the exploration of the Northern Interior. With his usual anxiety +to promote any object which he thought likely to benefit the colony, and +advance the cause of science, His Excellency expressed great interest in +the examination of the Northern Interior, and a desire that an attempt +should be made to penetrate its recesses during the ensuing season. + +As I had been the means of diverting public attention from a Western to a +Northern exploration, so was I willing to encounter myself the risks and +toils of the undertaking I had suggested, and I therefore at once +volunteered to His Excellency to take the command of any party that might +be sent out, to find one-third of the number of horses required, and pay +one-third of the expenses. Two days after this a lecture was delivered at +the Mechanics' Institute in Adelaide, by Captain Sturt, upon the +Geography and Geology of Australia, at the close of which that gentleman +acquainted the public with the proposal I had made to the Governor, and +the sanction and support which His Excellency was disposed to give it. +The following extract is from Captain Sturt's address, and shews the +disinterested and generous zeal which that talented and successful +traveller was ever ready to exert on behalf of those who were inclined to +follow the career of enterprise and ambition in which he had with such +distinction led the way. + + +"Before I conclude, however, having drawn your attention to the science +of geology, I would for a moment dwell on that of geography, and the +benefit the pursuit and study of it has been to mankind. To geography we +owe all our knowledge of the features of the earth's surface, our +intercourse with distant nations, and our enjoyments of numberless +comforts and luxuries. The sister sciences of geography and hydrography +have enabled us to pursue our way to any quarter of the habitable and +uninhabitable world. With the history of geography, moreover, our +proudest feelings are associated. Where are there names dearer to us than +those of the noble and devoted Columbus, of Sebastian Cabot, of Cook, of +Humboldt, and of Belzoni and La Perouse? Where shall we find the generous +and heroic devotion of the explorers of Africa surpassed? Of Denham, of +Clapperton, of Oudeny, and of the many who have sacrificed their valuable +lives to the pestilence of that climate or to the ferocity of its +inhabitants?--And where shall we look for the patient and persevering +endurance of Parry, of Franklin, and of Back, in the northern regions of +eternal snow? If, ladies and gentlemen, fame were to wreathe a crown to +the memory of such men, there would not be a leaf in it without a name. +The region of discovery was long open to the ambitious, but the energy +and perseverance of man has now left but little to be done in that once +extensive and honourable field. The shores of every continent have been +explored--the centre of every country has been penetrated save that of +Australia--thousands of pounds have been expended in expeditions to the +Poles--but this country, round which a girdle of civilization is forming, +is neglected, and its recesses, whether desert or fertile, are unsought +and unexplored. What is known of the interior is due rather to private +enterprise than to public energy. Here then there is still a field for +the ambitious to tread. Over the centre of this mighty continent there +hangs a veil which the most enterprising might be proud to raise. The +path to it, I would venture to say, is full of difficulty and danger; and +to him who first treads it much will be due. I, who have been as far as +any, have seen danger and difficulty thicken around me as I advanced, and +I cannot but anticipate the same obstacles to the explorer, from whatever +point of these extreme shores he may endeavour to force his way. +Nevertheless, gentlemen, I shall envy that man who shall first plant the +flag of our native country in the centre of our adopted one. There is not +one deed in those days to be compared with it, and to whoever may +undertake so praiseworthy and so devoted a task, I wish that success, +which Heaven sometimes vouchsafes to those who are actuated by the first +of motives--the public good; and the best of principles--a reliance on +Providence. I would I myself could undertake such a task, but fear that +may not be. However, there is a gentleman among us, who is auxious to +undertake such a journey. He has calculated that in taking a party five +hundred miles into the interior, the expense would not be more than 300 +pounds and the price of ten horses. At a meeting held some time ago, on +this very subject, about half that sum was subscribed.--His Excellency +the Governor has kindly promised to give 100 pounds, and two horses--and +I think we may very soon make up the remainder; and thus may set out an +expedition which may explore the as yet unknown interior of this vast +continent, which may be the means, by discovery, of conferring a lasting +benefit on the colony--and hand down to posterity the name of the person +who undertakes it." + + +On the same day I received a note from the private secretary, stating +that the Governor wished to see me, and upon calling on His Excellency I +had a long and interesting interview on the subject of the expedition, in +the course of which arrangements were proposed and a plan of operations +entered into. I found in His Excellency every thing that was kind and +obliging. Sincerely desirous to confer a benefit upon the colony over +which he presided, he was most anxious that the expedition should be +fitted out in as complete and efficient a manner as possible, and to +effect this every assistance in his power was most frankly and freely +offered. In addition to the sanction and patronage of the government and +the contribution of 100 pounds, towards defraying the expenses, His +Excellency most kindly offered me the selection of any two horses I +pleased, from among those belonging to the police, and stated, that if I +wished for the services of any of the men in the public employment they +should be permitted to accompany me on the journey. The Colonial cutter, +WATERWITCH, was also most liberally offered, and thankfully accepted, to +convey a part of the heavy stores and equipment to the head of Spencer's +Gulf, that so far, the difficulties of the land journey to that point, at +least, might be lessened. + +I was now fairly pledged to the undertaking, and as the winter was +rapidly advancing, I became most anxious to get all preparations made as +soon as possible to enable me to take advantage of the proper season. On +the first of June I commenced the necessary arrangements for organizing +my party, and getting ready the equipment required. To assist me in these +duties, and to accompany me as a companion in the journey, I engaged Mr. +Edward Bate Scott, an active, intelligent and steady young friend, who +had already been a voyage with me to Western Australia, and had travelled +with me overland from King George's Sound to Swan River. + +Meetings of the colonists interested in the undertaking were again held +on the 2nd and 5th of June, at which subscriptions were entered into for +carrying out the object of the expedition; and a brief outline of my +plans was given by the Chairman, Captain Sturt, in the following extract +from his address. + + +"The Chairman went on to state, that Mr. Eyre would first proceed to Lake +Torrens and examine it, and then penetrate as far inland in a northerly +direction as would be found practicable. With regard to an observation +which he (the Chairman) had made on Friday evening, regarding this +continent having been formerly an archipelago, he stated, that he was of +opinion that a considerable space of barren land in all probability +existed between this district and what had formerly been the next island. +This space was likely to be barren, though of course it would be +impossible to say how far it extended. He had every reason to believe, +from what he had seen of the Australian continent, that at some distance +to the northward, a large tract of barren country would be found, or +perhaps a body of water, beyond which, a good country would in all +probability exist. The contemplated expedition, he hoped would set +supposition at rest--and as the season was most favourable, and Mr. Eyre +had had much personal experience in exploring, he had no doubt but the +expedition would be successful. The eyes of all the Australasian +colonies--nay, he might say of Britain--are on the colonists of South +Australia in this matter; and he felt confident that the result would be +most beneficial, not only to this Province, but also to New South Wales +and the Australian colonies generally--for the success of one settlement +is, in a measure, the success of the others." + + +An advertisement, published in the Adelaide Journals of 13th June, shewed +the progress that had been made towards collecting subscriptions for the +undertaking, and the spirited and zealous manner in which the colonists +entered into the project. Up to that date the sum of 541 pounds 17 +shillings 5 pence had been collected and paid into the Bank of Australia. + +Having now secured the necessary co-operation and assistance, my +arrangements proceeded rapidly and unremittingly, whilst the kindness of +the Governor, the Committee of colonists, my private friends and the +public generally, relieved me of many difficulties and facilitated my +preparations in a manner such as I could hardly have hoped or expected. +Every one seemed interested in the undertaking, and anxious to promote +its success; zeal and energy and spirit were infused among all connected +with it, and everything went on prosperously. + +In addition to the valuable aid which I received from his Excellency the +Governor, I was particularly indebted to Captain Frome the +Surveyor-general, Captain Sturt the Assistant-commissioner, and Thomas +Gilbert, Esq. the Colonial storekeeper, for unceasing kindness and +attention, and for much important assistance rendered to me by the loan +of books and instruments, the preparation of charts, and the fitting up +of drays, etc. etc. + +Captain Frome, too, now laid me under increased obligations by giving up +his own servant, Corporal Coles of the Royal Sappers and Miners, upon my +expressing a wish to take him with me, and the Governor sanctioning his +going. + +This man had accompanied Captain Grey in all his expeditions on the +North-west coast of New Holland--and had been highly recommended by that +traveller; he was a wheelwright by trade, and being a soldier was likely +to prove a useful and valuable addition to my party; and I afterwards +found him a most obliging, willing and attentive person. + +To the Governor and to the Committee of colonists I owe many thanks, for +the very flattering and gratifying confidence they reposed in me, a +confidence which left me as unrestricted in my detail of outfit and +equipment, as I was unfettered in my plan of operations in the field. +This enabled me to avoid unnecessary delays, and to hasten every thing +forward as rapidly as possible, so that when requested by the Governor to +name a day for my departure I was enabled to fix upon the 18th of June. + +Having already done all in their power to forward and assist the +equipment and arrangement of the expedition, the Governor and Mrs. Gawler +were determined still further to increase the heavy debt of gratitude +which I was already under to them, by inviting myself and party to meet +the friends of the expedition at Government House on the morning of our +departure, that by a public demonstration of interest in our welfare, we +might be encouraged in the undertaking upon which we were about to +enter--and might be stimulated to brave the perils to which we should +shortly be exposed, by a remembrance of the sympathy expressed in our +behalf, and the pledge we should come under to the public upon leaving +the abode of civilised man, for the unknown and trackless region which +lay before us. + +On the 15th of June I attended a meeting of the Committee, and presented +for audit the accounts of the expenditure incurred up to that date. On +the 16th I had a sale of all my private effects, furniture, etc. by +auction, and arranged my affairs in the best way that the very limited +time at my disposal would permit. + +The 17th found me still with plenty of work to do, as there were many +little matters to attend to at the last, which the best exertions could +not sooner set aside. + +Mr. Scott, who ever since the commencement of our preparations, had been +most indefatigable and useful in his exertions, was even still more +severely tasked on this day; at night, however, we were all amply +rewarded, by seeing every thing completely and satisfactorily +arranged--the bustle, confusion, and excitement over, and our drays all +loaded, and ready to commence on the morrow a journey of which the +length, the difficulty, and the result, were all a problem yet to be +solved. + +In the short space of seventeen days from the first commencement of our +preparations, we had completely organized and fully equipped a party for +interior exploration. Every thing had been done in that short time men +hired, horses sought out and selected, drays prepared, saddlery, harness, +and the thousand little things required on such journeys, purchased, +fitted and arranged. In that short time too, the Colonists had subscribed +and collected the sum of five hundred pounds towards defraying the +expenses, exclusive of the Government contribution of 100 pounds. + +Unfortunately, at the time the expedition was undertaken, every thing in +South Australia was excessively dear, and the cost of its outfit was +therefore much greater in 1840, than it would have been any year since +that period; nine horses (including a Timor pony, subsequently procured +at Port Lincoln) cost 682 pounds 10 shillings, whilst all other things +were proportionably expensive. After the expedition had terminated and +the men's wages and other expenses had been paid, the gross outlay +amounted to 1391 pounds 0 shillings 7 pence:--of this + +Amount of Donation from Government was 100 00 00 +Amount of Subscriptions of the Colonists 582 04 09 +Sale of the Drays and part of the Equipment 28 00 00 +Amount paid by myself 680 15 10 + ---------- +Total 1391 00 07 + + +In addition to this expenditure, considerable as it was, there were very +many things obtained from various sources, which though of great value +did not come into the outlay already noted. Among these were two horses +supplied by the Government, and three supplied by myself, making with the +nine bought for 682 pounds 10 shillings, a total of fourteen horses. The +very valuable services of the cutters "HERO" and "WATERWITCH," were +furnished by the Government; who also supplied all our arms and +ammunition, with a variety of other stores. From my many friends I +received donations of books and instruments, and I was myself enabled to +supply from my own resources a portion of the harness, saddlery, tools, +and tarpaulins, together with a light cart and a tent. + +June 18.--Calling my party up early, I ordered the horses to be +harnessed, and yoked to the drays, at half past nine the whole party, +(except the overseer who was at a station up the country) proceeded to +Government House, where the drays were halted for the men to partake of a +breakfast kindly provided for them by His Excellency and Mrs. Gawler, +whilst myself and Mr. Scott joined the very large party invited to meet +us in the drawing room. + +The following account of the proceedings of the morning, taken from the +South Australian Register, of the 20th June, may perhaps be read with +interest; at least it will shew the disinterested spirit and enterprising +character of the colonists of South Australia, even at this early stage +of its history, and especially how much the members of our little party +were indebted to the kindness and good feeling of the Governor and +colonists, who were anxious to cheer and stimulate us under the +difficulties and trails we had to encounter, by their earnest wishes and +prayers for our safety and success. + + +EXPLORATORY EXPEDITION TO THE CENTRE OF NEW HOLLAND + +The arrangements for the expedition into the interior, undertaken by Mr. +Eyre, having been completed, His Excellency the Governor and Mrs. Gawler +issued cards to a number of the principal colonists and personal friends +of Mr. Eyre, to meet him at Government House on the morning of his +departure. On Thursday last accordingly (the anniversary of Waterloo, in +which His Excellency and the gallant 52nd bore so conspicuous a part) a +very large party of ladies and gentlemen assembled. After an elegant +DEJEUNER A LA FOURCHETTE, His Excellency the Governor rose and spoke as +nearly as we could collect, as follows:-- + +"We are assembled to promote one of the most important undertakings that +remain to be accomplished on the face of the globe--the discovery of the +interior of Australia. As Captain Sturt in substance remarked in a recent +lecture, of the five great divisions of the earth, Europe is well known; +Asia and America have been generally searched out; the portion that +remains to be known of Africa is generally unfavourable for Europeans, +and probably unfit for colonization; but Australia, our great island +continent, with a most favourable climate, still remains unpenetrated, +mysterious, and unknown. Without doing injustice to the enterprising +attempts of Oxley, Sturt, and Mitchell, I must remark that they were +commenced from a very unfavourable point--from the eastern and almost +south-eastern extremity of the island--and consequently the great +interior still remains untouched by them, the south-eastern corner alone +having been investigated. As Captain Sturt some years since declared, +this Province is the point from which expeditions to the deep interior +should set out. This principle, I know, has been acknowledged by +scientific men in Europe; and it is most gratifying to see the spirit +with which our Colonists on the present occasion have answered to the +claim which their position imposes upon them. Mr. Eyre goes forth this +day, to endeavour to plant the British flag--the flag which in the whole +world has "braved for a thousand years the battle and the breeze"--on the +tropic of Capricorn (as nearly as possible in 135 degrees or 136 degrees +of longitude) in the very centre of our island continent. On this day +twenty-five years since, commencing almost at this very hour, the British +flag braved indeed the battle, and at length floated triumphant in +victory on the field of Waterloo. May a similar glorious success attend +the present undertaking! Mr. Eyre goes forth to brave a battle of a +different kind, but which in the whole, may present dangers equal to +those of Waterloo. May triumph crown his efforts, and may the British +flag, planted by him in the centre of Australia, wave for another +thousand years over the pence and prosperity of the mighty population +which immigration is pouring in upon us! Of the immediate results of his +journey, no one, indeed, can at present form a solid conjecture. Looking +to the dark side, he may traverse a country useless to man; but +contemplating the bright side, and remembering that but a few years since +Sturt, setting off on an equally mysterious course, laid the foundation +for the large community in which we dwell, it is in reason to hope that +Mr. Eyre will discover a country which may derive support from us, and +increase the prosperity of our Province. I must express my gratification +at the manner in which this enterprise, noble, let its results be what +they may, has been supported by our colonists at large. It is a greater +honor to be at the head of the government of a colony of enlightened and +enterprising men, than at that of an empire of enslaved and ignorant +beings in the form of men. I count it so. May the zeal which has been +exhibited in the colony in the promotion of every good and useful work +ever continue. Some ladies of Adelaide have worked a British Union Jack +for Mr. Eyre. Captain Sturt will be their representative to present it to +him. After that we will adjourn to the opposite rooms to invoke a +blessing on the enterprise. All here, and I believe the whole colony, +give to Mr. Eyre their best wishes, but to good wishes right-minded men +always add fervent prayers. There is an Almighty invisible Being in whose +hands are all events--man may propose, but it is for God only to +dispose--let us therefore implore his protection." + +"The Hon. Captain Sturt then received a very handsome Union Jack, neatly +worked in silk; and presenting it to Mr. Eyre, spoke nearly as follows:-- + +"It cannot but be gratifying to me to be selected on such an occasion as +this, to perform so prominent a part in a duty the last a community can +discharge towards one who, like you, is about to risk your life for its +good. I am to deliver to you this flag, in the name of the ladies who +made it, with their best wishes for your success, and their earnest +prayers for your safety. This noble colour, the ensign of our country, +has cheered the brave on many an occasion. It has floated over every +shore of the known world, and upon every island of the deep. But you have +to perform a very different, and a more difficult duty. You have to carry +it to the centre of a mighty continent, there to leave it as a sign to +the savage that the footstep of civilized man has penetrated so far. Go +forth, then, on your journey, with a full confidence in the goodness of +Providence; and may Heaven direct your steps to throw open the fertility +of the interior, not only for the benefit of the Province, but of our +native country; and may the moment when you unfurl this colour for the +purpose for which it was given to you, be as gratifying to you as the +present." + +"Mr. Eyre, visibly and deeply affected, returned his warmest thanks, and +expressed his sense of the kindness he had received on the present +occasion. He hoped to be able to plant the flag he had just received in +the centre of this continent. If he failed, he should, he hoped, have the +cousciousness of having earnestly endeavoured to succeed. To His +Excellency the Governor, his sincere thanks were due for the promptitude +with which so much effectual assistance to the expedition had been +rendered. Mr. Eyre also begged leave to return his thanks to the +Colonists who had so liberally supported the enterprise; and concluded by +expressing his trust that, through the blessing of God, he would be +enabled to return to them with a favourable report of the country into +which he was about to penetrate. + +"The company then returned to the library and drawing-room, where the +Colonial Chaplain, the Rev. C. B. Howard, offered up an affecting and +appropriate prayer, and at twelve precisely, Mr. Eyre, accompanied by a +very large concourse of gentlemen on horseback, left Government House, +under the hearty parting cheers of the assembled party." + +Leaving Government House under the hearty cheers of the very large +concourse assembled to witness our departure outside the grounds; Mr. +Scott, myself, and two native boys (the drays having previously gone on) +proceeded on horseback on our route, accompanied by a large body of +gentlemen on horseback, and ladies in carriages, desirous of paying us +the last kind tribute of friendship by a farewell escort of a few miles. + +At first leaving Government House we had moved on at a gentle canter, but +were scarcely outside the gates, before the cheering of the people, the +waving of hats, and the rush of so many horses, produced an emulation in +the noble steeds that almost took from us the control of their pace, as +we dashed over the bridge and up the hill in North Adelaide--it was a +heart-stirring and inspiriting scene. Carried away by the enthusiasm of +the moment, our thoughts and feelings were wrought to the highest state +of excitement. + +The time passed rapidly away, the first few miles were soon travelled +over,--then came the halt,--the parting,--the last friendly cheer;--and +we were alone in the wilderness. Our hearts were too full for +conversation, and we wended on our way slowly and in silence to overtake +the advance party. + + + + +Chapter II. + + + +FIRST NIGHT'S ENCAMPMENT WITH PARTY--REFLECTIONS--ARRIVAL AT SHEEP +STATION--RE-ARRANGEMENT OF LOADS--METHOD OF CARRYING FIRE-ARMS--COMPLETE +THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--THEIR NAMES--MOVE ONWARDS--VALLEY OF THE +LIGHT--EXTENSIVE PLAINS--HEAD OF THE GILBERT--SCARCITY OF +FIREWOOD--GRASSY WELL-WATERED DISTRICTS--THE HILL AND HUTT +RIVERS--INDICATIONS OF CHANGE GOING ON IN APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY, TRACEABLE IN THE REMAINS OF TIMBER IN THE PLAINS AND IN THE +OPENINGS AMONG SCRUBS--THE BROUGHTON--REEDY WATERCOURSE--CAMPBELL'S +RANGE--COURSE OF THE BROUGHTON. + + +June 18.--The party having left Adelaide late in the forenoon, and it +being the first day of working the horses, I did not wish to make a long +stage; having followed the usual road, therefore, as far as the little +Parra, the drays were halted upon that watercourse (after a journey of +about twelve miles), and we then proceeded to bivouac for the first time. +For the first time too since I had engaged to command the expedition, I +had leisure to reflect upon the prospects before me. + +During the hurry and bustle of preparation, and in the enthusiasm of +departure, my mind was kept constantly on the stretch, and I had no time +for calm and cool consideration, but now that all was over and the +journey actually commenced, I was again able to collect my thoughts and +to turn my most serious and anxious attention to the duty I had +undertaken. The last few days had been so fraught with interest and +occupation, and the circumstances of our departure this morning, had been +so exciting, that when left to my own reflections, the whole appeared to +me more like a dream than a reality. The change was so great, the +contrast so striking. From the crowded drawing room of civilized life, I +had in a few hours been transferred to the solitude and silence of the +wilds, and from being but an unit in the mass of a large community, I had +suddenly become isolated with regard to the world, which, so far as I was +concerned, consisted now only of the few brave men who accompanied me, +and who were dependant for their very existence upon the energy and +perseverance and prudence with which I might conduct the task assigned to +me. With this small, but gallant and faithful band, I was to attempt to +penetrate the vast recesses of the interior of Australia, to try to lift +up the veil which has hitherto shrouded its mysteries from the researches +of the traveller, and to endeavour to plant that flag which has floated +proudly in all the known parts of the habitable globe, in the centre of a +region as yet unknown, and unvisited save by the savage or the wild +beast. + +Those only who have been placed in similar circumstances can at all +appreciate the feelings which they call forth. The hopes, fears, and +anxieties of the leader of an exploring party, must be felt to be +understood, when he is about to commence an undertaking which MUST be one +of difficulty and danger, and which MAY be of doubtful and even fatal +result. + +The toil, care, and anxiety devolving upon him are of no ordinary +character; everyday removes him further from the pale of civilization and +from aid or assistance of any kind--whilst each day too diminishes the +strength of his party and the means at his command, and thus renders him +less able to provide against or cope with the difficulties that may beset +him. A single false step, the least error of judgment, or the slightest +act of indiscretion might plunge the expedition into inextricable +difficulty or danger, or might defeat altogether the object in view. +Great indeed was the responsibility I had undertaken--and most fully did +I feel sensible of the many and anxious duties that devolved upon me. The +importance and interest attached to the solution of the geographical +problem connected with the interior of Australia, would, I well knew, +engage the observation of the scientific world. If I were successful, the +accomplishment of what I had undertaken would more than repay me in +gratification for the toil and hazard of the enterprise--but if otherwise +I could not help feeling that, however far the few friends who knew me +might give me credit for exertion or perseverance, the world at large +would be apt to reason from the result, and to make too little allowance +for difficulties and impediments, of the magnitude of which from +circumstances they could be but incompetent judges. + +With such thoughts as these, and revolving in my mind our future plans, +our chances of success or otherwise, it will not be deemed surprising, +that notwithstanding the fatigue and care I had gone through during the +last fortnight of preparation, sleep should long remain a stranger to my +pillow; and when all nature around me was buried in deep repose I alone +was waking and anxious. + +From former experience in a personal examination of the nature of the +country north of the head of Spencer's Gulf, during the months of May and +June, 1839, I had learnt that the farther the advance to the north, the +more dreary and desolate the appearance of the country became, and the +greater was the difficulty, both of finding and of obtaining access to +either water or grass. The interception of the singular basin of Lake +Torrens, which I had discovered formed a barrier to the westward, and +commencing near the head of Spencer's Gulf, was connected with it by a +narrow channel of mud and water. This lake apparently increased in width +as it stretched away to the northward, as far as the eye could reach, +when viewed from the farthest point attained by me in 1839, named by +Colonel Gawler, Mount Eyre. Dreary as had been the view I then obtained, +and cheerless as was the prospect from that elevation, there was one +feature in the landscape, which still gave me hope that something might +be done in that direction, and had in fact been my principal inducement +to select a line nearly north from Spencer's Gulf, for our route on the +present expedition; this feature was the continuation, and the +undiminished elevation of the chain of hills forming Flinders range, +running nearly parallel with the course of Lake Torrens, and when last +seen by me stretching far to the northward and eastward in a broken and +picturesque outline. + +It was to this chain of hills that I now looked forward as the +stepping-stone to the interior. In its continuation were centered all my +hopes of success, because in its recesses alone could I hope to obtain +water and grass for my party. The desert region I had seen around its +base, gave no hope of either, and though the basin of Lake Torrens +appeared to be increasing so much in extent to the northward, I had seen +nothing to indicate its terminating within any practicable distance, in a +deep or navigable water. True the whole of the drainage from Flinders +range, as far as was yet known, emptied into its basin, but such was the +arid and sandy nature of the region through which it passed, that a great +part of the moisture was absorbed, whilst the low level of the basin of +the lake, apparently the same as that of the sea itself, forbade even the +most distant hope of the water being fresh, should any be found in its +bed. + +It was in reflections and speculations such as these, that many hours of +the night of my first encampment with the party passed away. The kindness +of the Governor and our many friends had been so unbounded; their anxiety +for our safety and comfort so great; their good wishes for our success so +earnest, and their confidence in our exertions, so implicit, that I could +not but look forward with apprehension, lest the success of our efforts +might not equal what our gratitude desired, and even now I began to be +fearful that the high expectations raised by the circumstances of our +departure might not be wholly realised. + +We had fairly commenced our arduous undertaking, and though the party +might appear small for the extent of the exploration contemplated, yet no +expedition could have started under more favourable or more cheering +auspices; provided with every requisite which experience pointed out as +desirable, and with every comfort which excess of kindness could suggest, +we left too, with a full sense of the difficulties before us, but with a +firm determination to overcome them, if possible. And I express but the +sentiments of the whole party when I say, that we felt the events of the +day of our departure, and the recollection of the anxiety and interest +with which our friends were anticipating our progress, and hoping for our +success, would be cherished as our watchword in the hour of danger, and +bethe incentive to perseverance and labour, when more than ordinary +trials should call for our exertions. The result we were willing to leave +in the hands of that Almighty Being whose blessing had been implored upon +our undertaking, and to whom we looked for guidance and protection in all +our wanderings. + +June 19.--On mustering the horses this morning it was found, that one or +two had been turned loose without hobbles, and being fresh and high fed +from the stables, they gave us a great deal of trouble before we could +catch them, but at last we succeeded, and the party moved on upon the +road to Gawler town, arriving there (12 miles) about noon; at this place +we halted for half an hour, at the little Inn to lunch, and this being +the last opportunity we should have of entering a house for many months +to come, I was anxious to give my men the indulgence. After lunch I again +moved on the party for five miles, crossing and encamping upon, a branch +of the Parra or Gawler, where we had abundance of good water and grass. + +June 20.--Having a long stage before us to-day, I moved on the party very +early, leaving all roads, and steering across the bush to my sheep +stations upon the Light. We passed through some very fine country, the +verdant and beautiful herbage of which, at this season of the year, +formed a carpet of rich and luxuriant vegetation. Having crossed the +grassy and well wooded ranges which confine the waters of the Light to +the westward, we descended to the plain, and reached my head station +about sunset, after a long and heavy stage of twenty miles--here we were +to remain a couple of days to break up the station, as the sheep were +sold, and the overseer and one of the men were to join the Expedition +party. + +The night set in cold and rainy, but towards morning turned to a severe +frost; one of the native boys who had been sent a short cut to the +station ahead of the drays, lost his road and was out in the cold all +night--an unusual circumstance, as a native will generally keep almost as +straight a direction through the wilds as a compass will point. + +Sunday, June 21.--We remained in camp. The day was cold, the weather +boisterous, with showers of rain at intervals, and the barometer falling; +our delay enabled me to write letters to my various friends, before +finally leaving the occupied parts of the country, I was glad too, to +give the horses and men a little rest after the fatigue they had endured +yesterday in crossing the country. + +June 22.--As we still remained in camp, the day being dark and cloudy +with occasional showers, I took the opportunity of having one of the +drays boarded close up, and of re-arranging the loads, oiling the +fire-arms, and grinding the axes, spades, etc.; we completed our +complement of tools, tents, tarpaulins, etc. from those at the station, +and had everything arranged on the drays in the most convenient manner, +always having in view safety in carriage and facility of access; the best +place for the fire-arms I found to be at the outside of the sides, the +backs, or the fronts, of those drays that were close boarded. + +By nailing half a large sheepskin with the wool on in any of these +positions, a soft cushion was formed for the fire-arms to rest against, +they were then fixed in their places by a loop of leather for the muzzle, +and a strap and buckle for the stock; whilst the other half of the +sheepskin which hung loose, doubled down in front of the weapons. between +them and the wheel, effectually preserving them from both dirt and wet, +and at the same time keeping them in a position, where they could be got +at in a moment, by simply lifting up the skin and unbuckling the strap; +by this means too, all danger or risk was avoided, which usually exists +when the fire-arms are put on or off the drays in a loaded state. I have +myself formerly seen carbines explode more than once from the cocks +catching something, in being pulled out from, or pushed in amidst the +load of a dray, independently of the difficulty of getting access to them +in cases of sudden emergency; a still better plan than the one I adopted, +would probably be to have lockers made for the guns, to hang in similar +places, and in a somewhat similar manner to that I have described, but in +this case it would be necessary for the lockers to be arranged and fitted +at the time the drays or carts were made. + +All the time I could spare from directing or superintending the loading +of the drays, I devoted to writing letters and making arrangements for +the regulation of my private affairs, which from the sudden manner in +which I had engaged in the exploring expedition, and from the busy and +hurried life I had led since the commencement of the preparations, had +fallen into some confusion. I was now, however, obliged to content myself +with such a disposition of them as the time and circumstances enabled me +to make.--I observed the latitude of the station to be 34 degrees 15 +minutes 56 seconds S. + +June 23.--Having got all the party up very early, I broke up the station, +and sent one man on horseback into Adelaide with despatches and letters. +My overseer and another man were now added to the party, making up our +complement in number. Upon re-arranging the loads of the drays yesterday, +I had found it inconvenient to have the instruments and tent equipage +upon the more heavily loaded drays, and I therefore decided upon taking +an extra cart and another horse from the station. This completed our +alterations, and the party and equipment stood thus:-- + +Mr. Eyre. +Mr. Scott, my assistant and companion. +John Baxter, Overseer. +Corporal Coles, R.S. and M. +John Houston, driving a three horse dray. +R. M'Robert, driving a three horse dray. +Neramberein and Cootachah, + Aboriginal boys, to drive the sheep, track, etc. + +We had with us 13 horses and 40 sheep, and our other stores were +calculated for about three months; in addition to which we were to have a +further supply forwarded to the head of Spencer's Gulf by sea, in the +WATERWITCH, to await our arrival in that neighbourhood. This would give +us the means of remaining out nearly six months, if we found the country +practicable, and in that time we might, if no obstacles intervened, +easily reach the centre of the Continent and return, or if practicable, +cross to Port Essington on the N. W. coast. + +About eleven I moved on the party up the Light for 8 miles, and then +halted after an easy stage. As the horses were fresh and the men were not +yet accustomed to driving them, I was anxious to move quietly on at +first, that nothing might be done in a hurry, and every one might +gradually settle down to what he had to perform, and that thus by a +little care and moderation at first, those evils, which my former +travelling had taught me were frequently the result of haste or +inexperience, might be avoided. Nothing is more common than to get the +withers of horses wrung, or their shoulders and backs galled at the +commencement of a journey, and nothing more difficult than to effect a +cure of this mischief whilst the animals are in use. By the precaution +which I adopted, I succeeded in preventing this, for the present. + +As we passed up the valley of the Light, we had some rich and picturesque +scenery around us--the fertile vale running nearly north and south, +backed to the westward by well wooded irregular ranges grassed to their +summits, and to the eastward shut in by a dark looking and more heavily +timbered range, beyond which rose two peaks of more distant hills, +through the centre of the valley the Light took its course, but at +present it was only a chain of large ponds unconnected by any stream; and +thus, I believe, it remains the greater part of the year, although +occasionally swollen to a broad and rapid current. + +June 24.--The horses having strayed a little this morning, and given us +some trouble to get them, it was rather late when we started; we, +however, crossed the low ridges at the head of the Light, and entering +upon extensive plains to the north, we descended to a channel, which I +took to be the head of a watercourse called the "Gilbert." + +Finding here some tolerably good water and abundance of grass, I halted +the party for the night, though we were almost wholly without firewood, +an inconvenience that we felt considerably, as the nights now were very +cold and frosty. Our stage had been fourteen miles to-day, running at +first over low barren ridges, and then crossing rich plains of a loose +brown soil, but very heavy for the drays to travel over. + +At our camp, a steep bank of the watercourse presented an extensive +geological section, but there was nothing remarkable in it, the substrata +consisting only of a kind of pipe clay. + +June 25.--Upon starting this morning we traversed a succession of fine +open and very grassy plains, from which we ascended the low ridges +forming the division of the waters to the north and south. In the latter +direction, we had left the heads of the "Gilbert" and "Wakefield" chains +of ponds, whilst in descending in the former we came upon the "Hill," a +fine chain of ponds taking its course through a very extensive and grassy +valley, but with little timber of any kind growing near it. On this +account I crossed it, and passing on a little farther encamped the party +on a branch of the "Hutt," and within a mile and a half of the main +course of that chain of ponds. Our whole route to-day, had been through a +fine and valuable grazing district, with grass of an excellent +description, and of great luxuriance. + +We were now nearly opposite to the most northerly of the out stations, +and after seeing the party encamp, I proceeded, accompanied by Mr. Scott, +to search for the stations for the purpose of saying good bye to a few +more of my friends. We had not long, however, left the encampment when it +began to rain and drove us back to the tents, effectually defeating the +object with which we had commenced our walk. Heavy rain was apparently +falling to the westward of us, and the night set in dark and lowering. + +In some parts of the large plains we had crossed in the morning, I had +observed traces of the remains of timber, of a larger growth than any now +found in the same vicinity, and even in places where none at present +exists. Can these plains of such very great extent, and now so open and +exposed, have been once clothed with timber? and if so, by what cause, or +process, have they been so completely denuded, as not to leave a single +tree within a range of many miles? In my various wanderings in Australia, +I have frequently met with very similar appearances; and somewhat +analogous to these, are the singular little grassy openings, or plains, +which are constantly met with in the midst of the densest Eucalyptus +scrub. + +Every traveller in those dreary regions has appreciated these, (to him) +comparatively speaking, oasises of the desert--for it is in them alone, +that he can hope to obtain any food for his jaded horse; without, +however, their affording under ordinary circumstances, the prospect of +water for himself. Forcing his way through the dense, and apparently +interminable scrub, formed by the Eucalyptus dumosa, (which in some +situations is known to extend for fully 100 miles), the traveller +suddenly emerges into an open plain, sprinkled over with a fine silky +grass, varying from a few acres to many thousands in extent, but +surrounded on all sides by the dreary scrub he has left. + +In these plains I have constantly traced the remains of decayed +scrub--generally of a larger growth than that surrounding them--and +occasionally appearing to have grown very densely together. From this it +would appear that the face of the country in those low level regions, +occupied by the Eucalyptus dumosa, is gradually undergoing a process +which is changing it for the better, and in the course of centuries +perhaps those parts of Australia which are now barren and worthless, may +become rich and fertile districts, for as soon as the scrub is removed +grass appears to spring up spontaneously. The plains found interspersed +among the dense scrubs may probably have been occasioned by fires, +purposely or accidentally lighted by the natives in their wanderings, but +I do not think the same explanation would apply to those richer plains +where the timber has been of a large growth and the trees in all +probability at some distance apart--here fires might burn down a few +trees, but would not totally annihilate them over a whole district, +extending for many miles in every direction. + +June 26.--This morning brought a very heavy fog, through which we +literally could not see 100 yards, when the party moved on to the "Hutt" +chain of ponds, and then followed that watercourse up to the Broughton +river, which was crossed in Lat. 33 degrees 28 minutes S. At this point +the bed of the Broughton is of considerable width, and its channel is +occupied by long, wide and very deep water holes, connected with one +another by a strongly running stream, which seldom or never fails even in +the driest seasons. The soil upon its banks however is not valuable, +being generally stony and barren, and bearing a sort of prickly grass, +(Spinifex). Wild fowl abound on the pools. On a former occasion, when I +first discovered the Broughton, I obtained both ducks and swans from its +waters, but now I had no time for sporting, being anxious to push on to +the "reedy watercourse," a halting place in my former journey, so as to +get over all the rough and hilly ground before nightfall, that we might +have a fair start in the morning. I generally preferred, if practicable, +to lengthen the stage a little in the vicinity of watercourses or hills, +in order to get the worst of the road over whilst the horses worked +together and were warm, rather than leave a difficult country to be +passed over the first thing in the morning, when, for want of exercise, +the teams are chill and stiff, and require to be stimulated before they +will work well in unison. Our journey to-day was about twenty miles, and +the last five being over a rugged hilly road, it was late in the +afternoon when we halted for the night. + +"The reedy watercourse," is a chain of water-holes taking its rise among +some grassy and picturesque ranges to the north of us, and trending +southerly to a junction with the Broughton. Among the gorges of this +range, (which I had previously named Campbell's range,)[Note 1: After +R. Campbell, Esq. M. C. of Sydney.] are many springs of water, +and the scenery is as picturesque as the district is fertile. +Many of the hills are well rounded, very grassy, and moderately well +timbered even to their summits. This is one of the prettiest and most +desirable localities for either sheep or cattle, that I have yet seen in +the unoccupied parts of South Australia, whilst the distance from +Adelaide by land, does not at the most exceed one hundred and twenty +miles. [Note 2: All this country, and for some distance to the +north, is now occupied by stations.] The watercourse near our camp took +its course through an open valley, between bare hills on which there was +neither tree nor shrub for firewood and we were constantly obliged to go +half a mile up a steep hill before we could obtain a few stunted bushes to +cook with. As the watercourse approached the Broughton the country became +much more abrupt and broken, and after its junction with that river, the +stream wound through a succession of barren and precipitous hills, for +about fifteen miles, at a general course of south-west; these hills were +overrun almost everywhere with prickly grass and had patches of the +Eucalyptus dumosa scattered over them at intervals. + +Up to the point where it left the hills, there were ponds of water in the +bed of the Broughton, but upon leaving them the river changed its +direction to the northward, passing through extensive plains and +retaining a deep wide gravelly channel, but without surface water, the +drainage being entirely underground, and the country around comparatively +poor and valueless. + + + + +Chapter III. + + + +SPRING HILL--AN AGED NATIVE DESERTED BY HIS TRIBE--RICH AND EXTENSIVE +PLAINS--SURPRISE A PARTY OF NATIVES--ROCKY RIVER--CRYSTAL BROOK--FLINDERS +RANGE--THE DEEP SPRING--MYALL PONDS--ROCKY WATER HOLES--DRY +WATERCOURSE--REACH THE DEPOT NEAR MOUNT ARDEN--PREPARE FOR LEAVING THE +PARTY--BLACK SWANS PASS TO THE NORTH--ARRIVAL OF THE WATERWITCH. + + +During the night the frost had been so severe, that we were obliged to +wait a little this morning for the sun to thaw the tent and tarpaulins +before they would bend to fold up. After starting, we proceeded across a +high barren open country, for about three miles on a W. N. W. course, +passing close under a peak connected with Campbell's range, which I named +Spring Hill, from the circumstance of a fine spring of water being found +about half way up it. + +Not far from the spring I discovered a poor emaciated native, entirely +alone, without either food or fire, and evidently left by his tribe to +perish there; he was a very aged man, and from hardship and want was +reduced to a mere skeleton, how long he had been on the spot where we +found him I had no means of ascertaining, but probably for some time, as +life appeared to be fast ebbing away; he seemed almost unconscious of our +presence, and stared upon us with a vacant unmeaning gaze. The pleasures +or sorrows of life were for ever over with him: his case was far beyond +the reach of human aid, and the probability is that he died a very few +hours after we left him. + +Such is the fate of the aged and helpless in savage life, nor can we +wonder that it should be so, since self-preservation is the first law of +nature, and the wandering native who has to travel always over a great +extent of ground to seek for his daily food, could not obtain enough to +support his existence, if obliged to remain with the old or the sick, or +if impeded by the incumbrance of carrying them with him; still I felt +grieved for the poor old man we had left behind us, and it was long +before I could drive away his image from my mind, or repress the +melancholy train of thoughts that the circumstance had called forth. + +From the summit of Spring Hill, I observed extensive plains to the N. W. +skirted both on their eastern and western sides, by open hills, whilst to +the N. W. and N. E. the ranges were high, and apparently terminated in +both directions by peaked summits on their eastern extremes; a little +south of west the waters of Spencer's Gulf were distinctly visible, and +the smokes ascending from the fires of the natives, were seen in many +directions among the hills. After passing Spring Hill, we crossed some +rich and extensive plains, stretching far away to the northward, and +taking a nearly north and south direction under Campbell's range; in the +upper part of these plains is the deep bed of a watercourse with water in +it all the year round, and opposite to which, in lat. 33 degrees 14 +minutes S, is a practicable pass for drays through Campbell's range, to +the grassy country to the eastward. + +June 27.--In crossing the southern extremity of these large plains, we +came suddenly upon a small party of natives engaged in digging yams of +which the plains were full; they were so intent upon their occupation +that we were close to them before they were aware of our presence; when +they saw us they appeared to be surprised and alarmed, and endeavoured to +steal off as rapidly as they could without fairly taking to their heels, +for they were evidently either unwilling or afraid to run; finding that +we did not molest them they halted, and informed us by signs that we +should soon come to water, in the direction we were going. This I knew to +be true, and about three o'clock we were in front of a water-course, I +had on a former journey named the "Rocky river," from the ragged +character of its bed where we struck it. + +We had been travelling for some distance upon a high level open country, +and now came to a sudden gorge of several hundred feet below us, through +which the Rocky river wound its course. It was a most singular and wild +looking place, and was not inaptly named by the men, the "Devil's Glen;" +looking down from the table land we were upon, the valley beneath +appeared occupied by a hundred little hills of steep ascent and rounded +summits, whilst through their pretty glens, flowed the winding stream, +shaded by many a tree and shrub--the whole forming a most interesting and +picturesque scene. + +The bed of the watercourse was over an earthy slate, and the water had a +sweetish taste. Like most of the Australian rivers, it consisted only of +ponds connected by a running stream, and even that ceased to flow a +little beyond where we struck it, being lost in the deep sandy channel +which it then assumed, and which exhibited in many places traces of very +high floods. Below our camp the banks were 50 to 60 feet high, and the +width from 60 to 100 yards, its course lay through plains to the +south-west, over which patches of scrub were scattered at intervals, and +the land in its vicinity was of an inferior description, with much +prickly grass growing upon it. + +Upwards, the Rocky river, after emerging from the gorges in which we +found it, descended through very extensive plains from the +north-north-east; there was plenty of water in its bed, and abundance of +grass over the plains, so that in its upper parts it offers fine and +extensive runs for either cattle or sheep, and will, I have no doubt, ere +many years be past, be fully occupied for pastoral purposes. + +From our present encampment a very high and pointed hill was visible far +to the N.N. W. this from the lofty way in which it towered above the +surrounding hills, I named Mount Remarkable. Our latitude at noon was 33 +degrees 25 minutes 26 seconds S. + +A very beautiful shrub was found this afternoon upon the Rocky river, in +full flower: it was a tall slender stalked bush, about six or eight feet +high, growing almost in the bed of the river, with leaves like a +geranium, and fine delicate lilac flowers about an inch and a half in +diameter; here, too, we found the first gum-trees seen upon any of the +watercourses for many miles, as all those we had recently crossed, +traversed open plains which were quite without either trees or shrubs of +any kind. + +June 28.--This morning we passed through a country of an inferior +description, making a short stage to a watercourse, named by me the +"Crystal Brook;" it was a pretty stream emanating from the hills to the +north-east, and marked in its whole course through the plains to the +northward and westward by lines of gum-trees. The pure bright water ran +over a bed of clear pebbles, with a stream nine feet wide, rippling and +murmuring like the rivulets of England--a circumstance so unusual in the +character of Australian watercourses, that it interested and pleased the +whole party far more than a larger river would have done; this +characteristic did not, however, long continue, for like all the streams +we had lately crossed, the water ceased to flow a short distance beyond +our crossing place. + +The country below us, like that through which the Rocky river took its +course, was open and of an inferior description, but I have no doubt that +by tracing the stream upwards, towards its source among the ranges, a +good and well watered country would be found; I ascertained the latitude +by a meridian altitude at Crystal brook to be 33 degrees 18 minutes 7 +seconds S. + +The hills on the opposite side of Spencer's Gulf were now plainly +visible, and one which appeared to be inland, I took to be the middle +Back mountain of Flinders; between our camp and the eastern shores of the +gulf, the land was generally low, with a good deal of scrub upon it, and +nearer the shores appeared to be swampy, and subject to inundation by the +tides. + +June 29.--Upon moving from our camp this morning we commenced following +under Flinders range. From Crystal brook, the hills rise gradually in +elevation as they trend to the northward, still keeping their western +slopes almost precipitous to the plains, out of which they appear to rise +abruptly. Our course was much embarrassed by the gullies and gorges +emanating from the hills, in some of which the crossing place was not +very good, and in all the horses got much shaken, so that when we arrived +at a large watercourse defined by gum trees, and in which was a round +hole of water that had been on a former occasion called by me "The Deep +Spring," I halted the party for the night and found that the horses were +a good deal fatigued. Fortunately there was excellent food for them, and +plenty of water. The place at which we encamped was upon one of the +numerous watercourses, proceeding from the gorges of Flinders range. It +had a wide gravelly bed, divided into two or three separate channels, but +without a drop of water below the base of the hills, excepting where we +bivouacked, at this point, there was a considerable extent of rich black +alluvial soil, and in the midst of it a mound of jet black earth, +surrounded by a few reeds. In the centre of the mound was a circular deep +hole containing water, and apparently a spring: the last time I was here, +in 1839 it was full to overflowing, but now, though in the depth of +winter, I was surprised and chagrined to see the water so much lower than +I had known it before. It was covered up too so carefully with bushes and +boughs, that it was evident the natives sometimes contemplated its being +quite dried up, [Note 3: In October 1842, I again passed this way, in +command of a party of Police sent overland to Port Lincoln, to search for +Mr. C. C. Dutton: the spring was then dried up completely.] and had taken +this means as the best they could adopt for shading and protecting the +water. On the other hand the numerous well beaten tracks leading to this +solitary pool appeared to indicate that there was no other water in the +neighbourhood. We saw kangaroos, pigeons and birds of various +descriptions, going to it in considerable number. At night too after dark +we found that a party of natives were watching also for an opportunity +to participate in so indispensable a necessary, which having secured, +they departed, and we saw nothing more of them. I observed the latitude +at this camp to be 33 degrees 7 minutes 14 seconds S. and the variation +8 degrees 53 minutes E. + +June 30.--Our road to day was much better, and less interrupted by +gullies, though we still kept close under Flinders range. We traversed a +great extent of plain land which was generally stony, but grassy, and +tolerably well adapted for sheep runs. Several watercourses take their +rise from this range, with a westerly direction towards the gulf, these +were all dry when we crossed them, but their course was indicated by gum +trees, and as some of the channels were wide and large, and had strong +traces of occasional high floods, I rode for many miles down one of the +most promising, but without being able to find a drop of water. At noon +our latitude was 32 degrees 59 minutes 8 seconds, S. + +Late in the afternoon we reached a watercourse, which I had previously +named "Myall Ponds," [Note 4: Myall is in some parts of New Holland, the +native name for the Acacia pendula.] from the many and beautiful Acacia +pendula trees that grew upon its banks. There I knew we could get water, +and at once halted the party for the night. Upon going to examine the +supply I was again disappointed at finding it so much less than when I had +been here in 1839. This did not augur well for our future prospects, and +gave me considerable anxiety relative to our future movements. + +For some days past the whole party had fully entered upon their +respective duties, each knew exactly what he had to do, and was beginning +to get accustomed to its performance, so that every thing went on +smoothly and prosperously. My own time, when not personally engaged in +conducting the party, was occupied in keeping the journals and charts, +etc. in taking and working observations--in the daily register of the +barometer, thermometer, winds, and weather, and in collecting specimens +of flowers, or minerals. My young friend, Mr. Scott, was kept equally +busy; for in many of these duties he assisted me, and in some relieved me +altogether; the regular entry of the meteorological observations, and the +collecting of flowers or shrubs generally fell to his share; +independently of which he was the only sportsman in the party, and upon +his gun we were dependant for supplies of wallabies, pigeons, ducks, or +other game, to vary our bill of fare, and make the few sheep we had with +us hold out as long as possible. As a companion I could not have made a +better selection--young, active, and cheerful, I found him ever ready to +render me all the assistance in his power. At our present encampment, +several of a species of wallabie, very much resembling a hare in flavour, +were shot by Mr. Scott, but hitherto we had not succeeded in getting a +kangaroo. + +July 1.--To-day we travelled through a similar country to that we were in +yesterday, consisting of open plains and occasionally low scrub. +Kangaroos abounded in every direction. Our stage was eighteen miles to a +watercourse called by me the "Reedy water holes," from the circumstance +of reeds growing around the margin of the water. Upon arriving at this +place I was surprised to find a strongly running stream, where formerly +there had only been a reedy pond, although the two last watercourses we +had encamped at had been much reduced and dried up. When I had been here +in 1839, they were the running streams, and this only a pool, whilst +singularly enough there did not appear to have been more rain at one +place than the other. + +We were now in full view of Spencer's gulf, but as yet could observe no +signs of the WATERWITCH, which was to meet us at the head of the gulf +with additional stores. At night I observed the latitude by altitude of a +Bootis to be 32 degrees 41 minutes 28 seconds S. + +July 2.--We moved on for 15 miles over extensive plains, covered +principally with Rhagodia, and in some places stony, and halted early in +the afternoon at a large dry watercourse, coming out from Flinders range. +Though there was no water in this channel below the base of the hill, on +sending a party a mile and a half up it with spades and buckets, we got, +by digging in the gravelly bed, as much as sufficed for ourselves and +horses. At this camp I observed the variation to be 7 degrees +24 minutes E. + +July 3.--During the night our horses had rambled a little, so that we +could not get away early, and as we had a long stage before us we were +obliged to push on to a late hour. At dark we arrived at my former depot +near Mount Arden, and took up our old position in the dry bed of the +watercourse, at the base of the hills from which it emanated; but we had +still to send the horses a mile and a half further up the gorge, over a +hilly and stony road, before we could either get water for ourselves or +them; it was therefore very late when the men returned, and the whole +party were a good deal fatigued, having travelled from Adelaide to Mount +Arden in 14 days, (deducting the two days in camp at the Light.) I now +ascertained the latitude of the depot to be 32 degrees 14 minutes S. + +July 4.--Having mustered the horses this morning, I ordered an +arrangement to be entered into for taking them to the water twice a day, +and bringing down the supply required for the use of the party. Each +person undertook this duty in turn, and thus the labour was divided. +After breakfast I went up myself to examine the state of the water and +found great abundance in its bed; there were strong traces of recent and +high flooding, the drift timber being lodged among the bushes several +feet above the ordinary channel. The grass I was sorry to find was rather +old and dry, but still there was a very fair supply of it, a point of +great importance to us at a time when it was necessary to detain the +whole party for two or three weeks in depot, to enable me to examine the +country to the north; my former experience having convinced me that it +would be dangerous to attempt to push on, before ascertaining where grass +and water could be procured. + +We had now travelled upwards of eighty miles under Flinders range, from +Crystal brook to Mount Arden, and hitherto the character of that range +had varied but little. High, rocky, and barren, it rises abruptly from +the plains, and so generally even is the country at its base, that we had +no difficulty in keeping our drays within a mile or two of it. This was +convenient, because we had not far to leave our line of route, when +compelled to send up among the ravines for water. The slopes of Flinders +range are steep and precipitous to the westward, and composed principally +of an argillaceous stone or grey quartz, very hard and ringing like metal +when struck with a hammer. + +There was no vegetation upon these hills, excepting prickly grass, and +many were coated over so completely with loose stones that from the +steepness of the declivity it was unsafe, if not impossible to ascend +them. At one or two points in our routs I climbed up to the top of high +summits, but was not rewarded for my toil, the prospect being generally +cheerless and barren in the extreme, nor did the account given by Mr. +Brown of his ascent of Mount Brown in March 1802, tempt me to delay a day +to enable me to view the uninteresting prospect he had seen from the +summit of that hill--by far the highest peak in this part of Flinders +range. + +Having decided upon ridingon a head of my party to reconnoitre, as soon +as the WATERWITCH should arrive, I at once commenced my preparations, and +made the overseer put new shoes on the horses I intended to take with me. +The very stony character of the country we had been lately traversing and +the singularly hard nature of the stone itself, had caused the shoes to +wear out very rapidly, and there was hardly a horse in the teams that did +not now require new shoes; fortunately we had brought a very large supply +with us, and my overseer was a skilful and expeditious farrier. At dusk a +watch was set upon one of the hills near us, to look out for signals from +the WATERWITCH in the direction of Spencer's gulf, but none were seen. + +July 4.--Whilst writing in my tent this evening, my attention was +attracted by the notes of swans, and upon going out I perceived a flight +of several of the black species coming up from the southward; when they +had got over the tents, they appeared to be alarmed and wheeled to the +eastward, but soon returning, they took a nearly due northerly course. +This was encouraging for us, and augured well for the existence of some +considerable body of water inland, but we hoped and expected that a few +days would perhaps give us a clue to the object of their flight. + +Sunday, July 5.--A day of rest to all. In the afternoon I employed myself +in writing out instructions for the overseer during my absence, as also +for the master of the WATERWITCH, for whose arrival we now kept a +constant and anxious look out. In the evening about eight o'clock the +sentinel on the hill reported a fire on the opposite side of Spencer's +gulf. Upon receiving this intelligence I had blue lights exhibited, and +rockets fired, which in a little time were replied to by rockets from the +gulf and the lighting up of a second fire on shore assuring me at once of +the safe arrival of the cutter. + + + + +Chapter IV. + + + +MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR GETTING UP STORES FROM THE WATERWITCH--LEAVE THE +PARTY--SALT WATERCOURSE--MOUNT EYRE--ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY--LAKE +TORRENS--RETURN TOWARDS THE HILLS--NATIVE FEMALE--SALINE CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY--MOUNT DECEPTION--REACH THE EASTERN HILLS--LARGE +WATERCOURSES--WATER HOLE IN A ROCK--GRASSY BUT HILLY COUNTRY--RUNNING +STREAM--ASCEND A RANGE--RETURN HOMEWARDS--DECAY OF TREES IN THE +WATERCOURSES--SHOOT A KANGAROO--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--BURY STORES--MAKE +PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING--SEND DESPATCHES TO THE VESSEL. + + +July 6.--BEING anxious to pursue my explorations, and unwilling to lose +another day solely for the purpose of receiving my letters, I sent down +my overseer to arrange about getting our stores up from the vessel, which +was about fourteen miles away, and to request the master to await my +return from the north, and in the interval employ himself in surveying +and sounding some salt water inlets, we had seen on the eastern shores of +the gulf in our route up under Flinders range. + +Having made all necessary arrangements and wished Mr. Scott good bye, I +set off on horseback with the eldest of my native boys, taking a pack +horse to carry our provisions, and some oats for the horses. After +rounding a projecting corner of the range we passed Mount Arden, still +traversing open plains of great extent, and very stony. In some of these +plains we found large puddles of water much discoloured by the soil, so +that it was evident there had been heavy rains in this direction, though +we had none to the southward. + +After travelling twenty-four miles we came to a large watercourse winding +from Flinders range through the plains, with its direction distinctly +marked out by the numerous gum-trees upon its banks. This was the "salt +watercourse" of my former journeys so called from the large reaches of +salt water in its bed a mile or two among the hills. By digging in the +gravelly bed of the channel, where the natives had scooped a small hole, +we got some tolerable water, and were enabled to give as much as they +required to our horses, but it was a slow and tedious operation. We could +get very little out at once, and had to give it to them to drink in the +black boy's duck frock, which answered the purpose of a bucket amazingly +well. + +There was not a blade of grass, or anything that the horses could eat +near this creek, so I was obliged to tie them up for the night, after +giving to each a feed of oats. + +July 7.--Towards morning several showers of rain fell, and I found that I +had got a severe attack of rheumatism, which proved both troublesome and +painful. Pushing on for ten miles we reached the height standing out from +the main range which Colonel Gawler named Mount Eyre, from its having +been the limit of my first journey to the north in May 1839. This little +hill is somewhat detached, of considerable elevation, and with a bold +rocky overhanging summit to the southward. Having clambered to the top of +it, I had an extensive view, and took several bearings. + +The region before us appeared to consist of a low sandy country without +either trees or shrubs, save a few stunted bushes. On the east this was +backed by high rugged ranges, very barren in appearance, and extending +northward as far as the eye could reach, beyond this level country to the +West, and stretching far to the north-west, appeared a broad glittering +stripe, looking like water, and constituting the bed of Lake Torrens. The +lake appeared to be about twenty-five miles off, and of considerable +breadth; but at so great distance, it was impossible to say whether there +was actually any water in it or not. + +Having completed my observations we descended again to the plains +steering north-west for the lake. At two miles from Mount Eyre we found a +puddle of water in the midst of the plains, and halted at it for the +night. Our horses had good grass, but would not touch the water, which +was extremely thick and muddy. Upon trying it ourselves we found it was +not usable, even after it had been strained twice through a handkerchief, +whilst boiling only thickened it; it was a deep red colour, from the +soil, and was certainly an extraordinary and unpalatable mixture. + +July 8.--Our horses having strayed this morning I sent the native boy to +look for them, but as he did not return in a reasonable time, I got +anxious and went after him myself, leaving the saddles and provisions at +our sleeping place. In about four miles I met the boy returning with the +runaways, which had rambled for several miles, though they had abundance +of good feed around the camp; fortunately we found every thing safe when +we got back, but if any natives had accidentally passed that way we +should probably have lost everything, and been left in very awkward +predicament. + +This is a risk I have frequently been obliged to incur, and is one of the +inconveniences resulting from so small a number as two travelling alone; +it it is not always practicable from want of grass to tether the horses, +and frequently when they are tethered the ropes break, and occasion the +necessity of both individuals leaving the encampment to search for them +at the same time. + +Moving on to the N. W. by N. we passed over heavy sandy ridges, with +barren red plains between, and in one of the latter we found a puddle of +rain water, this upon tasting. I found to be rather saline from the +nature of the soil upon which it lay, the horses, however, drank it +readily, and we put some in a small keg for ourselves. The only +vegetation to be seen consisted of a few small stunted trees and shrubs, +and even these as we approached the vicinity of the lake disappeared +altogether, and gave place to Salsolaceous plants, the country being open +and barren in the extreme. + +I found Lake Torrens completely girded by a steep sandy ridge, exactly +like the sandy ridges bounding the sea shore, no rocks or stones were +visible any where, but many saline coasts peeped out in the outer ridge, +and upon descending westerly to its basin, I found the dry bed of the +lake coated completely over with a crust of salt, forming one unbroken +sheet of pure white, and glittering brilliantly in the sun. On stepping +upon this I found that it yielded to the foot, and that below the surface +the bed of the lake consisted of a soft mud, and the further we advanced +to the westward the more boggy it got, so that at last it became quite +impossible to proceed, and I was obliged to return to the outer margin of +the lake without ascertaining whether there was water on the surface of +its bed further west or not. + +The extraordinary deception caused by mirage and refraction, arising from +the state of the atmosphere in these regions, makes it almost impossible +to believe the evidence of one's own eyesight; but as far as I could +judge under these circumstances, it appeared to me that there was water +in the bed of the lake at a distance of four or five miles from where I +was, and at this point Lake Torrens was about fifteen or twenty miles +across, having high land bounding it to the west, seemingly a +continuation of the table land at the head of Spencer's gulf on its +western side. + +Foiled in the hope of reaching the water, I stood gazing on the dismal +prospect before me with feelings of chagrin and gloom. I can hardly say I +felt disappointed, for my expectations in this quarter had never been +sanguine; but I could not view unmoved, a scene which from its character +and extent, I well knew must exercise a great influence over my future +plans and hopes: the vast area of the lake was before me interminable as +far as the eye could see to the northward, and the country upon its +shore, was desolate and forbidding. + +It was evident, that I could never hope to take my party across the lake, +and it was equally evident, that I should not be able to travel around +its shores, from the total absence of all fresh water, grass, or wood, +whilst the very saline nature of the soil in the surrounding country, +made even the rain water salt, after lying for an hour or two upon the +ground. My only chance of success now lay in the non-termination of +Flinders range, and in the prospect it held out to me, that by continuing +our course along it we might be able to procure grass and water in its +recesses, until we were either taken beyond Lake Torrens, or led to some +practicable opening to the north. + +With a heavy heart I turned towards the mountains, and steering N. E. for +ten miles, halted at dark, where there was nothing for our horses to eat +or drink, and we were consequently obliged to tie them up for the night. +We had still a few oats left and gave each horse three pints. A short +time before encamping, I had observed that Lake Torrens was trending more +to the eastward, and that when we halted, it was not at any very great +distance from us. + +July 9.--One of our horses having got loose last night, pulled the cork +out of the keg in which was our small stock of the dirty brackish water +we had found yesterday, and rolling the keg over, destroyed its contents; +we were thus deprived of our breakfasts, and consequently had but little +delay in starting. I intended to push on steadily for the hills, but +after travelling six miles came to a puddle in the plains, with tolerable +grass around, and at this I halted for the day, to rest the horses. Our +latitude was 31 degrees 25 minutes S. by an altitude of Arcturus, Mount +Eyre then bearing S. 7 degrees E. + +July 10.--Our horses being much recruited I altered our course to-day to +N. 5 degrees E. being the bearing of the most distant range to the +northward, (subsequently named Mount Deception). We passed for the first +ten miles through an open barren country, but found a puddle at which we +watered our horses, and refilled the keg; we then entered heavy ridges of +dense red sand lying nearly north and south, and having small barren +plains between. + +There were a few stunted bushes upon the ridges and occasionally some +small straggling pines. Lake Torrens still trended easterly, being +occasionally seen from, and sometimes approaching near to our track. + +Emerging from the sandy ridges we again entered upon vast level plains +covered with rhagodia. In the midst of these we came to the bed of a +large dry watercourse, having good grass about it, but containing no +water. I halted here for the day as our horses were not very thirsty. + +Upon examining the bed of the watercourse, I found traces of a rather +recent and high flood; much drift being still left upon the bushes where +it had been swept by the torrent; I could, however, find no water +anywhere. + +A great many emus were seen during our ride, and I wounded one with my +rifle, but did not get it. We found to-day a description of flower, which +I had not seen before, white, and sweetly scented like the hawthorn, +growing upon a low prickly bush near the watercourse. + +July 11.--To-day I left our course and rambled up the watercourse to +examine its character and search for water, which however I could not +find in its channel anywhere. Traces of natives were numerous and recent +all the way as we went, till at last we came to where they had encamped +the previous night, and where they had left a fire still fresh and +burning. + +Proceeding onwards we came upon a single native, a female, young, but +miserably thin and squalid, fit emblem of the sterility of the country. +We could gain no information from her, she was so much alarmed, but not +long after parting with her we came to a puddle of water in the plains, +and encamped for the night. Our stage had been a tortuous, but not a long +one, and we halted early in the day, the latitude was 30 degrees 58 +minutes S. by an altitude of the sun at noon. + +After taking some refreshment, I walked to a rise about three miles off +at N. 40 degrees E. from which I took several bearings, and among them I +set Mount Deception at N. 25 degrees W., I then examined several of the +gorges between the front hills, where the banks were broken away, and to +my great dismay found in all of them salt mixed with the sand, the clay, +and even the rocks; whilst in the bed of the watercourse, the salt water +tea-tree was making its appearance, a shrub I had never before seen under +Flinders range, and one which never grows where the soil is not of a very +saline nature, and generally only where the water is too brackish for use. + +The beds of the watercourses were in some places quite white and glazed +with encrustations of salt, where the rains had lodged, and the water had +evaporated. Some of the cliffs which I examined presented sections of 40 +and 50 feet perpendicular height, in which layers of salt were embedded +from the very top to the bottom. + +In such a country, what accommodation could I expect, or what hopes could +I entertain for the future, when the very water shed from the clouds +would not be drinkable after remaining a few hours on the ground? +Whichever way I turned myself, to the West, to the East, or the North, +nothing but difficulties met my view. + +In one direction was an impracticable lake, skirted by heavy and scrubby +sand ridges; in another, a desert of bare and barren plains; and in a +third, a range of inhospitable rocks. The very stones lying upon the +hills looked like the scorched and withered scoria of a volcanic region; +and even the natives, judging from the specimen I had seen to-day, +partook of the general misery and wretchedness of the place. + +My heart sank within me when I reflected upon the gradual but too obvious +change that had taken place in the character of the country for the +worse, and when I considered that for some days past we had been entirely +dependent for our supply of water upon the little puddles that had been +left on the plains by the rain, and which two or three more days would +completely dry up. Under circumstances so unpropitious, I had many +misgivings, and the contemplation of our future prospect became a subject +of painful anxiety. + +July 12.--We moved away early, steering for Mount Deception. Near its +base, and emanating from it, we crossed the dry bed of a very large +watercourse, more resembling that of a river in character, its channel +being wide, deep, and well-defined, and lined with the salt-water +tea-tree; whilst its course was marked by very large, green looking +gum-trees, the bed consisted of an earthy, micaceous slate of a reddish +colour, and in very minute particles, almost in some places as fine as +sand, but we could find no water in it anywhere. + +The range in which this watercourse has its source, is of the same slaty +rock, and very rugged; it could not be less than 3,000 feet in elevation, +and its summit was only attainable by winding along the steep and stony +ridges that led round the deep gorges and ravines by which it was +surrounded. + +From the top the view was extensive and unsatisfactory. Lake Torrens +appearing as large and mysterious as ever, and bearing in its most +northerly extreme visible W. 22 degrees N. To the north was a low level +cheerless waste, and to the east Flinders range trending more easterly, +and then sweeping back to N. 28 degrees W. but its appearance seemed to +be changing and its character altering; the ranges struck me as being +more separated by ridges, with barren flats and valleys between, among +which winding to the N. W. were many large and deep watercourses, but +which when traced up, often for many miles, I found to emanate from +gorges of the hills, and to have neither water nor springs in them. + +I had fully calculated upon finding permanent water at this very high +range, and was proportionally disappointed at not succeeding, especially +after having toiled to the summit, and tired both myself and horses in +tracing up its watercourses. There was now no other alternative left me, +than to make back for the hills to the eastward, in the hope of being +more fortunate there. I had only found permanent water once, (at Salt +watercourse) since I left my party, having depended entirely upon puddles +of rain water for subsistence; but it now became imperative on me to turn +my attention exclusively to this subject, not only to enable me to bring +up my men, but to secure the possibility of my own return, as every day +that passed dried up more and more the small puddles I had found in the +plains. + +Descending Mount Deception, we travelled five miles upon a S. E. course, +and encamped upon a small dry watercourse for the night, with good grass +for our horses, but without water. + +July 13.--Bending our steps backwards, to search for water in the eastern +hills, we were lucky enough to fall in with a puddle in the plains, at +which we watered our horses, and again proceeded. + +Selecting one of the larger watercourses running out from the hills, we +traced it up a considerable distance, examining all its minor branches +carefully, and sparing no pains in seeking a permanent spring of water; +the channel, however, gradually diminished in size, as we occasionally +passed the junctions of small branches from the various gorges; the +gum-trees on its course were either dead or dying; the hills, which at a +distance had appeared very rugged and lofty, upon a nearer approach +turned out to be mere detached eminences of moderate elevation, covered +with loose stones, but without the least sign of water. + +About two o'clock, P.M. we passed a little grass, and as the day appeared +likely to become rainy, I halted for the night. Leaving the native boy to +hobble the horses, I took my gun and ascended one of the hills near me +for a view. Lake Torrens was visible to the west, and Mount Deception to +the N.W. but higher hills near me, shut out the view in every other +direction. In descending, I followed a little rocky gully leading to the +main watercourse, and to my surprise and joy, discovered a small but deep +pool of water in a hole of the rock: upon sounding the depth, I found it +would last us some time, and that I might safely bring on my party thus +far, until I could look for some other point for a depot still farther +north; the little channel where the water was, I named Depot Pool. + +Regaining the camp, I immediately set to work with the native boy to +construct a bough hut, as the weather looked very threatening. We had +hardly completed it before the rain came down in torrents, and water was +soon laying every where in the ledges of rock in the bed of the +watercourse. So little do we know what is before us, and so short a time +is necessary to change the aspect of affairs, and frequently too, when we +least expect it! + +July 14.--Our hut not having been quite water-tight before the rain came, +we got very wet during the night, and turned out early this morning to go +and hunt for firewood to warm ourselves. + +As the weather still continued rainy, I determined to give our horses a +day's rest, whilst I walked up the watercourse to examine it farther. I +found the hills open a good deal more as I proceeded, with nice grassy +valleys between; and the hills themselves, though high and steep, were +rounded at the summits, and richly clothed with vegetation: among them +numerous watercourses took their rise in the gorges, and generally these +were well marked by gum-trees. Altogether it was a pretty and fertile +spot, and though very hilly, would do well for stock, if permanent water +could be found near. I was quite unsuccessful, however, in my search for +this, and the native boy, whom I sent in the opposite direction, after my +return, was equally unfortunate. Towards evening, one of the horses +having broken his hobbles, and got alarmed, galloped off, taking the +other with him. Tired and wet as I was, I was obliged to go after them, +and it was some miles from the camp, before I could overtake and turn +them back. Our latitude was 30 degrees 55 minutes S. + +July 15.--This morning was misty and clondy, and dreadfully cold. We set +off early and commenced tracing up and examining as many of the +watercourses as we could; we did not, however, find permanent water. + +Under one low ridge we met with what I took to be a small spring +emanating from a limestone rock; but it was so small as to be quite +useless to a party like mine, though the natives appeared frequently to +have resorted to it. Finding the courses of the main channel become lost +in its many branches, I ascended the dividing ridge, and crossed into the +bed of another large watercourse, in which, after travelling but a short +distance, I found a fine spring of running water among some very broken +and precipitous ranges, which rose almost perpendicularly from the +channel; in the latter, high ledges of a slaty rock stretched +occasionally quite across its bed, making it both difficult and dangerous +to get our horses along. In the vicinity of the water the grass was +tolerably good, but the declivities upon which it principally grew, were +steep and very stony. + +Having hobbled the horses, I took my gun, and walked down the +watercourse, to a place where it forms a junction with a larger one, but +in neither could I find any more water. Upon my return, I found that the +native boy had caught an opossum in one of the trees near, which proved a +valuable addition to our scanty and unvaried fare. The latitude to-day +was 30 degrees 51 minutes S. + +July 16.--Tracing down the watercourse we were encamped on, to the +junction before mentioned, I steered a little more to the north, to +ascend a high stony range, from which I hoped to obtain a view to the +eastward; but after considerable toil in climbing, and dragging our +horses over loose rolling stones, which put them constantly in danger of +falling back, I was not rewarded for the trouble I had taken: the view to +the east was quite shut out by high rugged ranges of ironstone and +quartz, whilst to the north, the hills appeared lower and more open. + +It now became a matter of serious consideration, whether I should pursue +my researches any farther at present. I was already about 120 miles away +from my party, with barely provisions enough to last me back; and the +country, in advance, appeared to be getting daily more difficult; added +to this, the "WATERWITCH" was waiting at the head of Spencer's Gulf for +my return. + +After reflecting on my position, I decided to rejoin my party without +delay; and descending the range to the S. E., I steered for a large +watercourse we had crossed in the morning; intending to trace it up, for +the purpose of examining its branches. The bed of this watercourse, at +first, was very wide, and lined with gum-trees; but as I advanced, I +found its channel became contracted, and very rocky, the gum-trees +disappearing, and giving place to the salt-water tea-tree. By nightfall, +I was unable to proceed any further, owing to the large stones and rocks +that interposed themselves. Retracing my steps, therefore, for a mile or +two, to a little grass I had observed as I passed by, I bivouacked for +the night, being, as well as the horses, quite knocked up. The native +boy, who accompanied me, was equally fatigued; and we were both lame from +walking across so rugged a country, over a great portion of which we +found it quite impracticable to ride. Our stage could not have been less +than twenty-five or twenty-six miles during the day, yet we had not met +with a drop of water, even though we had high ranges, large watercourses, +and huge gum-trees on every side of us. As usual, the traces of high +floods were numerous; and the channels of these watercourses, confined as +they are by precipitous ranges, must, at times, be filled by rapid and +overwhelming torrents, which would collect there after heavy rains. + +Some great progressive change appears to be taking place in the climate +and seasons of this part of the country, as, in many of the watercourses, +we found all the gum-trees either dying or dead, without any young trees +growing up to replace them. The moisture which had promoted their growth, +and brought them to maturity, existed no longer; and in many places, only +the wreck of noble trees remained to indicate to the traveller what once +had been the character of this now arid region. In other watercourses the +gum-trees were still green and flourishing, and of giant growth; but we +were equally unable to discover water in these,[Note 5: We had no means +with us of digging--possibly moisture existed below the surface where the +trees were so large and green.] as in those where the trees were decaying +or withered. + +July 17.--To-day we returned to our temporary camp, tracing up various +branches of the water-courses as we went along, but without finding +water. Many of the ranges in our route consisted of masses of ironstone, +apparently containing a very large proportion of metal. In one place, I +found a mineral which I took to be tin ore; the loss, however, of all the +geological specimens I collected, after their arrival in Adelaide, has +unfortunately put it now beyond my power to test any of the rocks or +minerals, about which I was doubtful. As we encamped early, and I was +desirous of recruiting the horses, I employed myself in taking an +observation for latitude, whilst the black boy went out to look for an +opossum. He succeeded in bringing in a fine large one, which formed a +welcome addition to our meagre fare. The nights were still very frosty. + +July 18.--In travelling to "Depot Pool," the native boy caught another +opossum, and we again halted early in the day for the sake of resting the +horses. + +July 19.--Concealing among some rocks every thing we did not absolutely +require, we descended towards the plains, searching as we went, for the +most favourable line of road to them, for the drays, but at best the +country was very rough and stony. + +After clearing the hills, we made a stage of twenty-eight miles along the +plains running under Flinders range, and at night encamped upon a channel +coming out of it, where we obtained water, but very little grass for our +horses. + +July 20.--To-day I kept behind some of the low front hills, passing +through some extensive valleys between them and the main range; and as I +found abundance of water lying in pools upon the plains, I did not make +for the hills at all. + +Before sunset, I got a shot at a kangaroo with my rifle, which, though +severely wounded, gave me a long chase before I could capture it; this +furnished us with a welcome and luxurious repast. We had been so long +living upon nothing but the bush baked bread, called damper (so named, I +imagine, from its heavy, sodden character), with the exception of the one +or two occasions upon which the native boy had added an opossum to our +fare, that we were delighted to obtain a supply of animal food for a +change; and the boy, to shew how he appreciated our good luck, ate +several pounds of it for his supper. Our horses were equally fortunate +with ourselves, for we obtained both good grass and water for them. + +July 21.--Taking with us the best part of what was left of the kangaroo, +we crossed a stony ridge to the S. W., and at four miles struck a +watercourse with a large pool of water in its bed, and well adapted for a +halting place for the party on their route to the north: we had not seen +this in our outward course, having kept further to the westward in the +plains. From the water-hole, Mount Eyre bore W. 30 degrees S. distant +five miles. + +Upon leaving this pool I pushed on as rapidly as I could, being anxious +to rejoin my party; and after a hard and fatiguing ride of forty miles, +arrived at the depot under Mount Arden, late in the day, having been +absent sixteen days. I had been anxiously expected, and was cordially +welcomed by the whole party, who were getting sadly tired of inactivity, +and especially by my young friend Mr. Scott, whose eager and ardent +disposition rendered him quite uneasy under the confinement and restraint +of a depot encampment; he would gladly have shared with me the +difficulties and hazards of exploring the country in advance, but from +the very embarrassing nature of the undertaking, I did not think it right +to take more than a single native with me, as every addition to the +number of a party, on such occasions, only tends to increase the +difficulty and anxiety of the task. + +Having rested a little, and made innumerable inquiries, I was very much +gratified to find that the whole party were in good health, and that +every thing had been conducted in a satisfactory manner during my +absence. No one had been idle, and every thing that I could have wished, +had been properly arranged. The stores had been safely brought up from +the WATERWITCH, including a barometer kindly sent by the Governor, and a +large packet of English letters, at any time a highly valued prize, and +not the less so now that they were received 200 miles in the interior, +amidst the labours and anxieties of an exploring expedition. + +During my absence all the harness, hobbles, tents, tarpaulins, etc. had +been fully repaired; and according to my instructions, a large deep hole +had been dug in the slope of the hill, to bury a portion of the stores +in, that if compelled by circumstances to return from the north, we might +still have supplies to fall back upon. Mr. Scott had employed his time in +collecting botanical and geological specimens, and had already made a +very fair commencement for our collections in both these departments of +science. He had also regularly kept the meteorological journal, +registering the observations three times in each day. + +July 22.--After breakfast I had all the stores reweighed, and examined +the supplies sent us in the WATERWITCH, which consisted chiefly of flour, +biscuit, sugar, tea, salt pork, soap, tobacco, salt, canvas, etc. besides +many little luxuries which the kindness of the Governor, and the +consideration of our many friends had added to the list. + +The men during my absence, having been living entirely upon salt pork, to +economize the sheep, were glad to receive the kangaroo which I brought +home with me. + +Having inspected the stores, the whole party were put upon their +travelling rations, and the first week's allowance was issued to each, +consisting of ten pounds of meat, seven pounds of biscuit or flour, a +quarter of a pound of tea, a pound and a half of sugar, a quarter of a +pound of soap, and the same quantity of tobacco. + +Provisions of different kinds were then weighed out, headed up in casks, +and buried in the hole dug by the men during my absence, to wait our +return, if ever it should be our lot to reach the place again. The +remainder were all properly packed up, and the drays loaded and arranged +for moving on. + +After satisfactorily concluding all the preparations for leaving the +depot, I employed myself busily in writing letters and despatches until a +very late hour of the night, as it was the last opportunity I should have +for a long time, of reporting our prospects and progress, or of thanking +the Governor and our numerous friends, for the many attentions we had +experienced. + +I had hardly retired to rest before I was suddenly seized with a violent +attack of illness, arising probably from cold and over-exertion, now that +a return to my party had removed the stimulus to activity, and permitted +a reaction in the system to take place. + +July 23.--This morning I felt weak, and still very ill, and it was with +great difficulty I could manage to close my letters, and give the +necessary instructions to the overseer, whom I sent down to the head of +Spencer's Gulf, with orders to the master of the cutter to sail for +Adelaide, and to report what he had seen at the salt inlets in the east +side of Spencer's Gulf, which I had directed him to examine in the boats +whilst I was absent exploring to the north. His reply was, that there was +water enough for a ship to lie within one mile of the shore, that there +was a tolerable landing place, but that he had found no fresh water. The +men were employed during the day making a new tarpaulin from the canvas +sent up in the WATERWITCH. The following is a copy of the Report sent to +the Governor, and to the Chairman of the Committee for promoting the +expedition. + + +"Depot, near Mount Arden, +July 22nd, 1840. + +"Sir,--I have the honour to acquaint you for the information of His +Excellency the Governor, and of the colonists interested in the northern +expedition, with the progress made up to the present date. + +"I arrived here with my party all well, on the 3rd July instant, and on +the 6th I proceeded, accompanied by one of my native boys, on horseback, +to reconnoitre Lake Torrens and the country to the north of the depot, +leaving the party in camp to rest the horses and enable the overseer to +get up, from the head of Spencer's Gulf, the supplies kindly sent by His +Excellency the Governor in the WATERWITCH--her arrival having been +signalised the evening previous to my leaving. I arrived on the shores of +Lake Torrens the third day after leaving the depot, and have ascertained +that it is a basin of considerable magnitude, extending certainly over a +space varying in width from 15 to 20 miles, and with a length of from 40 +to 50, from its southern extremity, to the most northerly part of it, +visible from a high summit in Flinders range, (about ninety miles north +of Mount Arden). The lake is girded with an outer ridge of sand, covered +with salsolaceous plants, and with saline crusts, shewing above the +ground at intervals. Its waters appear to extend over a considerable +surface, but they are, seemingly, shallow. I could not approach the +water, from the soft nature of that part of its bed, which is uncovered, +and which appeared to reach from three to four miles from the outer bank +to the water's edge. There can be no doubt, however, of its being very +salt, as that portion of its bed which lay exposed to our view was +thickly coated with pungent particles of salt. There were not any trees +or shrubs of any kind near the lake where we made it, nor could either +grass or fresh water be procured for our horses. Lake Torrens is bounded +on its western side by high lands--apparently a continuation of the table +land to the westward of the head of Spencer's Gulf.--I should think that +it must receive a considerable drainage from that quarter, as well as the +whole of the waters falling from Flinders range to the eastward. + +"From the very inhospitable nature of the country, around the lake, I +could not examine it so carefully or so extensively as I could have +wished. My time, too, being very limited, made me hurry away to the +northward, to search for a place to which I might bring on my party, as +the grass in the neighbourhood of the depot was very old, and much less +abundant than on either of my former visits there. It became, therefore, +imperative on me to remove the horses as speedily as possible. Should +circumstances permit, I shall, however, endeavour to visit Lake Torrens +again, on my return from the northern interior. After leaving the lake I +spent many days in examining the country to the northward of our depot. +Its character seemed to vary but little; barren sandy plains still formed +the lower level, and the hills constituting the continuation of Flinders +range were still composed of quartz and ironstone; they were, however, +gradually becoming less elevated and more detached, with intervals of +stony valleys between, and the whole country was, if possible, assuming a +more barren aspect, while the springs, which had heretofore been numerous +among the hills, were very few in number--difficult to find--and very far +in amongst the ranges. After most anxious and laborious search, I at last +succeeded in finding a place about ninety miles (of latitude) north of +Mount Arden, to which I can remove my depot, and from which I can again +penetrate more to the northward. + +"After an absence of sixteen days I rejoined my party under Mount Arden +on the evening of the 21st July, and found they had safely received all +the supplies sent for our use by the WATERWITCH. The latter has been +detained until my return, for despatches, which I shall send down +to-morrow, and on the 24th I intend to move on with my party to the new +depot. I regret it is not in my power to afford more certain information +as to the future prospects of the expedition, but where so little +alteration has taken place, in the features of the country I have been +examining, conjectures alone can anticipate what may be beyond. From the +very difficult nature of the country we are advancing into, our further +progress must necessarily be very slow for some time, but I still hope +that by patience and perseverance we shall ultimately succeed in +accomplishing the object of the expedition. + +"I have the honour to be, Sir, +"Your most obedient humble Servant, +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE." + +"To the Chairman of the Committee of Colonists for promoting the Northern +Expedition." + +* * * + +"Depot, near Mount Arden, +July 22nd, 1840. + +"My Dear Sir,--I beg to enclose a copy of the report of our proceedings +up to the present date, for the perusal of his Excellency the Governor. +By it his Excellency will perceive that the very inhospitable nature of +the country around Lake Torrens, added to my anxiety to remove our horses +from the depot near Mount Arden, where there was but very little grass +for them, prevented my devoting so much time to the examination of the +lake and the country around it, as I should have wished; and I therefore +intend, if possible, on my return, to investigate it more fully, being +anxious to ascertain, whether, as I suppose, there is a considerable +drainage into it from the westward. The high land seen on its opposite +side, appears to be a continuation of the table land, lying to the west +of the head of Spencer's Gulf; and though the fall of the country appears +to be to the north, I begin to be of opinion now that it is not in +reality. Lake Torrens is evidently the basin into which all the waters +from Flinders range fall, and its extent is very considerable; in fact, +where I last saw it to the north, it was impossible to say whether it +terminated or not, from the very great distance it was off. The country +lying between Flinders range on the one side, and the table land on the +other, and north of Spencer's Gulf, is of so low and so level a character +that the eye alone is not a sufficient guide as to the direction in which +the fall may be. On my previous visits, I felt convinced it was +northerly, but I am now inclined to think that the drainage from Lake +Torrens in seasons of wet, is to the south, into the head of the Gulf; +and I can only account for there not being a larger connecting +watercourse than the small shallow one found when crossing from Streaky +Bay--and which I did not then imagine extended far above the head of the +Gulf--by supposing that the seasons have so altered of late years that +the overflow of the lake has never been sufficient to cause a run of +water to the Gulf. Should my present supposition be correct, the idea of +a northerly drainage is done away with, and we have yet to come to a +"division of the waters." My uncertainty on this most important point has +made me most anxious to get my party removed to a place where they can +remain until I can decide so interesting a point, and one on which our +future prospects so much depend. The same causes that prevented my +staying a little longer in the neighbourhood of the Lake have also +prevented, as yet, my extending my researches to the north for more than +about forty miles farther than I had been when last in this +neighbourhood. The only change I observed, was the increasing barren +appearance of the country--the decrease in elevation of the ranges--their +becoming more detached, with sterile valleys between--and the general +absence of springs; the rock of the higher ridges, which were very rugged +and abrupt, was still the same, quartz and ironstone, but much more of +the latter than I had before seen, and, in some cases, with a very great +proportion of metal to the stone. The lower ridges and steep banks, when +washed away by the rains, presented great quantities of a very pungent +salt to the eye of the observer, mixed with the clay and sand of which +the banks were formed; and in this neighbourhood the watercourses were +(though dry) all lined with the salt-water tea-tree--a shrub we had never +before seen under Flinders range. My next push to the north will probably +throw some light upon our future prospects, and I only regret it will not +be in my power to communicate the intelligence. I intended to have sent +his Excellency a rough sketch of my last route, but have not been able to +get it ready in time, and I fear I have already detained the little +cutter too long: during their detention, I requested the master to +examine some salt water inlets on the east side of Spencer's Gulf, and he +said he would, but I have not yet heard the result of his researches. +Should he have found, a good landing-place for goods, it would be of much +importance to the northern parts of the colony when they become stocked; +and nearly all the country as far as the head of the Gulf is more or less +adapted for grazing. Pray return my best thanks to his Excellency for the +abundant supply of stores we have received by the WATERWITCH--especially +for the barometer, which has arrived quite safely. I shall take great +care of it, and shall make observations, whenever practicable, three +times a day--8, a.m., noon, and 5, p.m. I only returned late last night, +and have been so busy to-day preparing every thing for leaving the depot, +that I have been obliged to put off my writing until night; and I am now +acribbling in the tent, on my bed, with my young friend, Mr. Scott, fast +asleep, and a cold bleak wind whistling through the place, so that I fear +my writing will be scarcely legible. I send down the letters to the +cutter in the morning, and intend to move on my party on the 24th. With +kind remembrance to his Excellency, Mrs. Gawler, and family-- + +"Believe me, etc. +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE. +"G. Hall, Esq." + + + + +Chapter V. + + + +BREAK UP THE ENCAMPMENT--ARRIVE AT DEPOT POOL--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF +THE COUNTRY--BAROMETERS OUT OF ORDER--ADVANCE TO RECONNOITRE--ASCEND +TERMINATION HILL--SURPRISE NATIVE WOMEN--THEY ABANDON THEIR +CHILDREN--INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER--RETURN TOWARDS MOUNT +DECEPTION--BROKEN CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FIND WATER--THE SCOTT--REJOIN +THE PARTY--WATER ALL USED AT DEPOT--EMBARRASSING CIRCUMSTANCES--REMOVE TO +THE SCOTT--RECONNOITRE IN ADVANCE--BARREN COUNTRY--TABLE TOPPED +ELEVATIONS--INDICATIONS OF THE VIOLENT ACTION OF WATER--MEET +NATIVES--REACH LAKE TORRENS--THE WATER SALT--OBLIGED TO RETURN--ARRIVAL +AT DEPOT--HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE NATIVES. + + +July 25.--To-DAY we broke up the camp, and commenced our labours in +earnest, the men and the horses having had a rest of three weeks; the +latter were in splendid condition and spirits, having eaten twenty-five +bushels of oats, which had been sent up in the WATERWITCH. Every thing +had been well and conveniently arranged, and the whole moved on with an +order and regularity that was very gratifying. + +I was very ill at starting, and remained so for some days after, but as I +had already been twice over the ground, and as my native boy was able to +act as guide to the party, my indisposition was not of so much +consequence as it would have been under other circumstances. At times I +was quite incapable of any exertion, and could not attend to any thing, +being hardly able to sit upon my horse for half an hour together. From +the 25th to the evening of the 30th, we were engaged in travelling from +Mount Arden to Depot Pool, by the same line of route by which myself and +the native boy had returned from our exploration. In our progress we +noticed many traces of natives around us, and saw many native fires among +the hills; the people themselves did not, however, appear. + +By a little trouble in examining the watercourses before encamping, we +were generally able to procure water for our horses, at some distance +among the hills; and we were usually fortunate enough to obtain tolerable +food for them also. The grass, it is true, was generally scanty, or dry; +but we found a succulent plant of the geranium tribe, bearing a small +blue flower, and growing where the channels of the watercourses spread +out in the plains, in the greatest abundance, and in the wildest +luxuriance; of this the horses were extremely fond, and it appeared to +keep them in good condition and spirits. + +July 30.--The geological formation of the country we had passed through, +consisted in the higher ranges of an argillaceous rock, of quartz, or of +ironstone. Upon some of the hills the small loose stones had a vitrified +appearance--in others they looked like the scoria of a furnace, and +appeared to be of volcanic origin, but nowhere did I observe the +appearance of anything like a crater. In the lower or front hills the +rock was argillaceous, of a hard slaty nature, and inclined at an angle +of about 45 degrees from the horizontal. This formation was frequently +traversed by dykes of grey limestone of a very hard texture. + +Upon watering the horses at the hole in the rock, I was much disappointed +to find that they had already sunk it eighteen inches, and now began to +fear that it would not last them so long as I had anticipated, and that I +should still be obliged to cross over the hills to the very rocky channel +where I had found permanent water on the 15th of July. This I was +desirous, if possible, to avoid, both from the difficult nature of the +road by which that water must be reached, and from the circumstance that +it was going so much out of our way into an all but impracticable +country, and that consequently, when we did move on again to the north, +we should be obliged to come all the way back again over the same bad +road to gain the open country under Flinders range, where alone we could +hope to make any progress with the drays. + +July 31.--Having remained all day in camp to rest the party, I found that +the horses had again made a great diminution in the depth of the water in +the rock, I therefore had the drays all prepared in the evening, +intending to move away to the other water-course in the morning; but the +next day the horses had unfortunately strayed, and it was late before +they were brought up, so that we could not get away. Upon watering them +when they arrived, I found that less impression was made upon the water +than on the previous days; and after an anxious consultation with my +overseer, I decided upon leaving the party in camp at Depot Pool until I +could reconnoitre further north and return. + +August 1.--To prevent any difficulties during my absence, in the event of +the water failing in the rocky hole, I sent the native boy to shew the +overseer the place where the permanent water was, and gave him +instructions to move the party thither if he should find it necessary; +but not until their safety absolutely required it, or before he had fully +ascertained that no water was to be procured by digging in the bed of any +of the adjoining watercourses. During his absence, I employed myself +busily in getting ready for another push to the north with the native boy +to search for a new depot, as in a country so difficult and embarrassing, +it was quite impracticable to move on the party until after having +previously ascertained where they could be taken to with safety. Upon +examining the barometers to-day, I was much concerned to find that they +were both out of order and useless; the damp had softened the glue +fastening the bags of leather which hold the quicksilver, and the +leathers that were glued over the joints of the cisterns, and so much of +the mercury had escaped, before I was aware of it, that I found all the +previous observations valueless. I emptied the tubes and attempted to +refill them, but in so doing I unfortunately broke one of them, and the +other I could not get repaired in a satisfactory manner, not being able, +after all my efforts, to get rid of some small air bubbles that would +intrude, in spite of every care I could exercise. + +August 2.--Leaving early, I took with me a native boy, and a man on +horseback, leading a pack-horse, to carry water, as I could not but be +apprehensive, lest we might find none in the country into which we were +advancing. In following down the Depot watercourse to the plains, we +found a fire where the natives had encamped the previous night. This +surprised us, because we were not aware that there were any so +immediately in our vicinity. It however shewed us the necessity of +vigilance and circumspection in our future movements. + +Steering for the most western point of Mount Deception range, until we +opened one still more distant to the north-west, and which I named +Termination Hill, we kept pushing on through barren stony plains, without +grass or shrubs, and arrived late in the afternoon upon a large +watercourse with gum-trees, but could find no water in its bed. Near it, +however, in the plains, we were fortunate enough to discover a puddle of +rain water, and at once halted for the night, though the feed was +indifferent. We had travelled twenty-eight miles, and the pack-horse +carrying twelve gallons of water, was considerably fatigued. At the +puddle, two teal were seen, which indicated the existence of a larger +body of water somewhere in the neighbourhood, but our efforts to find it +were unsuccessful. + +August 3.--Crossing very heavy sandy ridges, we passed at intervals one +or two dry watercourses, and the beds of some small dry lakes among the +sandy ridges, in one of which was a little rain water which appeared to +be rapidly drying up. Watering the horses we moved on for Termination +Hill, but the nature of the country had been so unfavourable, that the +pack-horse was knocked up, and I was obliged to halt four miles short of +our intended destination, and where there was but poor feed for the +animals. After dinner I walked to Termination Hill and ascended it. Like +all the others I had recently examined, it was composed principally of +quartz, ironstone and a kind of slaty rock; the low hills in front +exhibiting the grey limestone, whilst patches of gum scrub were +observable in many places. From the summit of Termination Hill, Lake +Torrens bore W. 20 degrees S. but the view was obstructed by intervening +sand ridges, the elevated land on the opposite shore of the lake still +appeared to continue, and was visibly further north than the lake itself, +which, as I observed, was partially shut out by the ridges. To the north +were low broken hills similar to those around me, but less elevated, and +immediately under these hills to the westward, were heavy red sandy +ridges, such as we had crossed during the day. To the eastward and ten +degrees north of east were seen Flinders range, with which Mount +Deception and Termination Hills were connected, by low long spurs thrown +off to the northward. In the north-east the horizon was one unbroken, +low, flat, level waste, with here and there small table-topped +elevations, appearing white in the distance and seemingly exhibiting +precipitous faces. Wherever I turned, or whatever way I looked, the +prospect was cheerless and disheartening. Our stage had been twenty-two +miles. + +August 4.--After giving five gallons of water each to my own and the +native boy's horse, I sent back the man with the pack-horse and the empty +kegs to the depot. We then steered E. 5 degrees S. across some very +extensive barren stony plains, occasionally broken into irregular +surfaces with steep white banks (of a fine freestone), forming the +termination of the higher levels, fronting the hollows. These hollows or +flats were covered with salsolaceous plants and samphire, and appeared +once to have been salt swamps. + +At twenty miles we came to a small watercourse emanating from the eastern +hills, which we had now reached, and soon after to a larger one which we +traced up for five miles among the front hills, which were composed of +limestone, but were then obliged to encamp without water. Whilst rambling +about after turning out the horses, I met with a party of native women +and children, but could gain no information from them. They would not +permit me to come near them, and at last fairly ran away, leaving at +their fire two young children who could not escape. I then went to their +camp and examined the bags and property which had been left, and amongst +other things found two kangaroo skins full of water, each containing from +six to eight quarts; it was quite muddy, and had evidently been taken +from a puddle in the plains, and carried to the present encampment in the +bed of the watercourse. Having helped ourselves to some of the water, I +tied a red pocket handkerchief round one of the children, as payment for +it and returned to our own camp. + +August 5.--During the night I was taken very ill again, and felt quite +weak when I arose this morning, but circumstances admitted of no delay, +and I was obliged to go on with my exploration: I continued to trace up +the creek, which I found to be large and lined with gum-trees for many +miles among rocky and precipitous hills, but altogether without water, +and as I knew of none of this requisite, of a permanent character, behind +me, I determined to retrace my steps again to Mount Deception range. In +doing so, I had to pass near the place from whence the natives had taken +flight, and from curiosity called to see if the children had been taken +away; to my surprise and regret I found them still remaining, they had +been left by their unnatural or terrified parents without food, and +exposed to the inclemency of a cold winter's night; the fire had gone +out, and the eldest of the children had scraped a hole among the ashes in +which both were lying. They were alarmed when they saw me, and would take +nothing I offered them. The child around whom I had tied the +handkerchief, had managed to get it off and throw it to one side. I now +scarcely knew what to do, as I was fearful if I left them there, and the +parents did not return, the poor little children might perish, and yet I +was so far away from my own party, and in such difficult circumstances, +that I knew not how I could take them with me. Upon due reflection, and +considering that I had not seen a single male native, it struck me that +the women might have gone for the men and would probably return by the +evening to see where their little ones were. + +Under this impression, I put the handkerchief again round the eldest +child, and tying it firmly, I left them; I had hopes too, that some of +the natives were watching our movements from the hills, and in this case +they would at once return, when they saw us fairly depart from the +neighbourhood. + +Keeping a little to the south of west, I still found the country very +much broken into hollows, with high steep banks bounding them, this +singular formation being apparently the result of the violent action of +water; but how long ago and under what circumstances I had no means of +judging. Having found a puddle of water in the plains, I halted for the +night, our stage having been about twenty miles. + +August 6.--We again passed many of those singular hollows fronted by the +high steep banks of the upper levels, and then crossed some low ironstone +ridges to a channel emanating from Mount Deception range. This I traced +through the hills to the westward without finding any water, and then +following down the Mount Deception range in its western slopes, I +examined all the watercourses coming from it; in one, which I named The +Scott, after my young friend and fellow traveller, I found a large hole +of rain water among the rocks, and at this I halted to rest and feed the +horses. The latitude of the water in The Scott was 30 degrees 32 minutes +S. Pushing on again, late in the afternoon, I reached our camp of the 2nd +August, quite tired, and the horses much fatigued, the puddle of water we +had found here on our outward course was now nearly all dried up. + +August 7.--Making an early start I returned to the Depot Pool, and found +the party all well. They were, however, just preparing to move away, as +the water was nearly all gone. The drays were packed and everything ready +when I arrived; they had tried to obtain water by digging, but had +failed, having been stopped by hard rock. + +I was now in a very awkward dilemma. The water where we were, had been +all used, and we must consequently remove at once,--but where to, was the +question? If I went to the permanent water to the eastward, I gained +nothing, as I only harassed my party by travelling through an almost +impracticable country, over which we must return before we could move +further to the north,--and if I went to the N. W. to The Scott, I went to +a mere puddle of water, precarious and uncertain at the best, and at +which, under any circumstances, we could not remain long:--yet move I +must, as soon as the morning dawned. Many and anxious were the hours I +spent in consideration and reflection. + +Little indeed are the public aware of the difficulties and +responsibilities attached to the command of an expedition of +exploration;--the incessant toil, the sleepless hours, the anxious +thoughts that necessarily fall to the share of the leader of a party +under circumstances of difficulty or danger, are but imperfectly +understood and less appreciated by the world at large. Accustomed to +judge of undertakings only by their results, they are frequently as +unjust in their censure as they are excessive in their approval. The +traveller who discovers a rich and well watered district, encounters but +few of the hardships, and still fewer of the anxieties, that fall to the +lot of the explorer in desert regions, yet is the former lauded with +praise, whilst the latter is condemned to obloquy; although the success +perhaps of the one, or the failure of the other, may have arisen from +circumstances over which individually neither had any control. + +August 8.--The horses having rambled a little this morning it was rather +late before we got away, I had, however, made up my mind to advance at +all risks, and we accordingly travelled sixteen miles to the N. W.; +halting without any water upon the large watercourse emanating from Mount +Deception; there was no grass either, and we were consequently obliged to +tie up our horses for the night. + +August 9.--The sheep had broken out of their yard, and could not be found +this morning; so sending the party on with the native boy as a guide, I +remained behind myself with the overseer, to search for them; they were +soon found, and we moved on after the drays. In going up the watercourse +I again found a native fire, where natives had been encamped within a +mile of us during the night, without our being aware of it; so difficult +is it always to know the proximity of these children of the wilds. + +Having overtaken the party, I conducted them to The Scott, at which we +arrived early in the day, though the distance could not be less than 20 +miles. At night a party of natives were seen near, but did not come up to +us. + +August 10.--To day I prepared for another exploration to the N. W. and +had all our casks and kegs new coopered and filled with water, to make +them water tight. I found it necessary also to have our horses new shod, +which was the third set of shoes they had required in less than two +months, in consequence of the hard and stony roads over which we had +travelled. The natives were again encamped near us at night, but did not +come up. + +August 11.--Leaving directions for the overseer to dig for water during +my absence, I took a native boy and one man driving a cart loaded with +water; we had mustered all the casks and kegs in the party, holding +altogether 65 gallons, and to draw this I had our three best draught +horses yoked to the light cart, being determined to push as far as +possible to the N. W. before I returned. At first we passed over a good +road but stony, then over heavy red sand ridges, and at night encamped in +a gorge coming from Termination Hill, where we had excellent feed for the +horses, but no water. The traces of natives were numerous and recent, and +I imagine they must obtain their supply of water at puddles in the +plains, but we could find none at present. The weather was very hot and +the flies excessively annoying, even at this early period of the year. We +gave each of the horses three gallons of water out of the kegs, after +which they fed well; the hills, as we advanced were getting lower, and +the sandy ridges now wound close under them, and in some instances even +among them; still there were many birds around us, amongst which cockatoo +parrots were very numerous. Our stage was about 23 miles. + +August 12.--Steering to the N. W. to a low range (the highest summit of +which I named Mount North-west,) we just kept far enough in the plains to +intercept the watercourses from the hills where they spread into the +level country, and by this means we got excellent feed for our horses; +generally the same rich succulent herbage I have mentioned before, +occasionally mixed with wild oats. It was only in places of this +description that we could expect to find anything for our horses. In the +plains or on the hills there was not a blade of of anything green; at +night we encamped upon a small dry channel with tolerable feed, but no +water, and we again gave each horse three gallons from our kegs. + +The country we were traversing as yet under-went no alteration, the only +difference being, that the hills were getting lower and the watercourses +less numerous, and both apparently without water; the sand ridges came +more in among the hills, and the dry beds of small salt lakes were often +met with; the salsolae were more abundant, but the traces of natives were +now less frequent; whilst those we fell in with seemed for the most part +to have been left during the wet season. The rock formation still +continued the same, quartz, ironstone, slate, and grey limestone, with +saline crusts peeping above the ground in many places in the lower +levels; the sky was cloudy and threatened rain, but none fell: our stage +was 18 miles. + +August 13.--Continuing our course to the N. W. I took on the cart for 13 +miles to a large dry channel, coming from the hills, upon which we halted +for an hour or two to rest and feed the horses, as there were some +sprinklings of grass around. We had now a change in the appearance of the +country; the ironstone ranges seemed to decrease rapidly in elevation to +the north, and the region around appeared more level, with many very +singular looking table-topped elevations from 50 to 300 feet in height +and with steep precipitous sides which were red, with the ironstone +above, and white, with a substance like chalk, below. The country was +covered with salsolae, and we passed the beds of many dried up salt +lakes. Ascending the highest ridge near us, I found Lake Torrens was no +longer visible, being shut out by the sandy ridges to the westward, +whilst the low ironstone hills impeded our view to the north, and to the +east. Having given our horses water, we buried twelve gallons against our +return, and sending back the man with the cart, and extra horses, the +native boy and I still pushed on to the N. W., taking a pack-horse to +carry our provisions and a few quarts of water for ourselves. + +As we proceeded, the country changed to extensive plains and undulations +of stones and gravel, washed perfectly level by water, and with the +stones as even in size and as regularly laid as if they had been picked +out and laid by a paviour. At intervals were interspersed many of the +fragments of table land I have alluded to before, only perhaps a little +less elevated than they had previously been; we passed also the beds of +several small dry watercourses, and encamped upon one of the largest, +long after dark, having travelled twenty-five miles since we left the +cart, and having made in the whole a day's journey of thirty-seven miles. +There was tolerable food in the bed of the watercourse, but the horses +were thirsty and eat but little. Unfortunately, in crossing the stony +ground, one of them cast a shoe, and began to go a little lame. + +August 14.--Moving away very early we travelled sixteen miles due north, +through a very similar country, only that the stones and gravel in the +plains had become much finer and a good deal mixed with sand; the +fragments of table land still continued in every direction at intervals, +and their elevations still varied from 50 to 300 feet. In the upper part +these elevations appeared red from the red sandy soil, gravel, or +iron-stone grit which were generally found upon their summits. They had +all steep precipitous sides, which looked very white in the distance, and +were composed of a chalky substance, traversed by veins of very beautiful +gypsum. There were neither trees nor shrubs, nor grass, nor vegetation of +any kind except salsolaceous plants, and these every where abounded. + +In the midst of these barren miserable plains I met with four natives, as +impoverished and wretched looking as the country they inhabited. As soon +as they saw us they took to their heels, apparently in great alarm, but +as I was anxious to find out from them if there was any water near, I +galloped after two of them, and upon coming up with them was very nearly +speared for my indiscretion; for the eldest of the two men, who had in +his hand a long, rude kind of spear with which he had been digging roots +or grubs out of the ground (although I could not see the least sign of +anything edible) finding that he was rather close pressed, suddenly +halted and faced me, raising his spear to throw. + +The rapid pace at which I had been pursuing prevented my reining in my +horse, but by suddenly spurring him when within but a few yards of the +native, I wheeled on one side before the weapon had time to leave his +grasp, and then pulling up I tried to bring my friend to a parley at a +less dangerous distance. + +Finding that I did not attempt to injure him, the native stood his +ground, though tremblingly, and kept incessantly vociferating, and waving +me away; to all my signs and inquiries, he was provokingly insensible, +and would not hear of anything but my immediate departure. Sometimes he +pointed to the north, motioning me to go in that direction, but the poor +wretch was in such a state of alarm and trepidation that I could make +nothing of him and left him. He remained very quietly until I had gone +nearly a quarter of a mile, and then thinking that he had a fair start, +he again took to his heels, and ran away as fast as he could in the +direction opposite to that I had taken. + +Continuing our course northerly I steered for what appeared to be a small +lake not far away to the N. W. and crossed over some heavy ridges of +white sand; upon reaching the object of my search it proved to be a +winding arm of the main lake (Torrens) at first somewhat narrow, but +gradually enlarging as we traced it downwards. The bed of this arm was +coated over, as had been the dry part of the bed of the main lake, with a +very pungent salt, with mud and sand and water intermixed beneath the +upper crust. + +Following the arm downwards I came to a long reach of water in its +channel, about two feet deep, perfectly clear, and as salt as the sea, +and I even fancied that it had that peculiar green tinge which sea-water +when shallow usually exhibits. + +This water, however, was not continuous; a little further on, the channel +again became dry, as it increased in width in its approach to the main +lake, the bed of which, near its shores, was also dry. From a high bank +which I ascended, I had a full view of the lake stretching away to the +north-east, as far as the eye could reach, apparently about thirty miles +broad, and still seeming to be bounded on its western shores by a low +ridge, or table land, beyond which nothing could be seen. No hills were +visible any where, nor was there the least vegetation of any kind. + +I was now upwards of 100 miles away from my party in a desert, without +grass or water, nor could I expect to obtain either until my return to +the creek, where I had left the twelve gallons, and this was about fifty +miles away. The main basin of Lake Torrens was still four or five miles +distant, and I could not expect to gain any thing by going down to its +shores; as on previous occasions, I had ascertained that to attempt to +cross it, or even to reach the water a few miles from its outer edge, was +quite impossible, from the boggy nature of its bed. From my present +elevation, the lake was seen bending round to the N. E., and I became +aware that it would be a barrier to all efforts to the north. My horses +were suffering, too, from want of water and food; and I had, therefore, +no alternative but to turn back from so inhospitable and impracticable a +country. + +With a heavy heart, and many misgivings as to the future, I retreated +from the dismal scene, and measured back my steps as rapidly as possible +towards the creek where our stock of water was buried. From the state in +which our horses were, I knew, that to save their lives, it was necessary +to get them to water without loss of time, and I therefore continued our +homeward course during the whole night, and arrived early in the morning +at the place where I had parted from the cart. + +August 15.--It was now necessary to use great caution in the management +of our jaded animals. During the last two days we had ridden them fully +100 miles over a heavy country, without food or water; and for the last +twenty-four hours they had never had a moment's rest; and now we had only +twelve gallons of water for three horses and ourselves, and were still +fifty miles away from the depot, without the possibility of getting a +further supply until our arrival there. + +Having hobbled the horses out for an hour, we watched them until they had +rested a little, and got cool. I then gave them half of our supply of +water; and leaving them to feed under the superintendence of the native +boy, took my gun, and walked seven or eight miles up the creek, under a +scorching sun, to look for water, examining every gorge and nook, with an +eagerness and anxiety, which those only can know who have been similarly +circumstanced; but my search was in vain, and I returned to the +encampment tired and disappointed. Out of what was left of our water, the +boy and myself now made each a little tea, and then gave the remainder to +the horses; after which we laid down for an hour whilst they were +feeding. About four in the afternoon, we again saddled them, and moved +homewards, riding, as before, the whole night, with the exception of +about an hour, when we halted to feed the horses, upon meeting with a +rich bed of the succulent geranium, of which they were so fond. + +August 16.--Travelling on steadily, we began early in the afternoon to +draw near to the depot; and when within a mile and half of it, I was +surprised, upon looking back, to see two natives trying to steal upon us +with spears, who, as soon as they perceived they were observed, rose up, +and made violent gestures of defiance, but at once desisted from +following us. A little further on, upon a rise not far from the depot, I +was still more astonished to see at least thirty of these savages; and I +hurried forwards as quickly as possible to ascertain what it could mean, +not without some anxiety for the safety of my party. + + + + +Chapter VI. + + + +GAUSE OF HOSTILITY OF THE NATIVES--WELL SUNK UNSUCCESSFULLY--OVERSEER +SENT TO THE EAST--THE SCOTT EXAMINED--ROCK WALLABIE--OVERSEER'S +RETURN--ANOTHER VISIT TO LAKE TORRENS--BOGGY CHARACTER OF ITS +BED--EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF MIRAGE AND REFRACTION--RETURN TO THE +CAMP--SUPPLY OF WATER EXHAUSTED--LEAVE THE DEPOT--THE MUNDY--THE +BURR--MOUNT SERLE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE EAST--MELANCHOLY PROSPECTS. + + +August 16.--UPON reaching the camp the extraordinary behaviour of the +natives was soon explained to me. At the time when I left the depot on +the 11th of August, in giving the overseer general directions for his +guidance, I had among other matters requested him, if he found any +natives in the neighbourhood, to try and get one up to the camp and +induce him to remain until my return, that we might, if possible, gain +some information as to the nature of the country or the direction of the +waters. In endeavouring to carry out my wishes, it seems he had one day +come across two or three natives in the plain, to whom he gave chase when +they ran away. The men escaped, but he came up with one of the females +and took her a prisoner to the camp, where he kept her for a couple of +days, but could gain no information from her; she either could not be +understood, or would not tell where there was water, although when signs +were made to her on the subject, she pointed to the east and to the +north-west. After keeping her for two days, during which, with the +exception of being a prisoner, she had been kindly treated, she was let +go with the present of a shirt and handkerchief. + +It was to revenge this aggression that the natives had now assembled; for +which I could not blame them, nor could I help regretting that the +precipitancy of my overseer should have placed me in a position which +might possibly bring me into collision with the natives, and occasion a +sacrifice of life; an occurrence I should deplore most deeply under any +circumstances, but which would be doubly lamentable when I knew that my +own party had committed the first act of aggression. + +The number of natives said to have been seen altogether, including women +and children, was between fifty and sixty, and though they had yet +actually committed no overt act against us, with the exception of trying +to steal upon myself and the native boy as we returned; yet they had +established themselves in the close vicinity of our encampment, and +repeatedly exhibited signs of defiance, such as throwing dust into the +air, shouting, and threatening with their weapons, and once or twice, the +evening before my arrival, crossing within a very short distance of the +tents, as if for the purpose of reconnoitring our position and strength; +I determined, however, nothing but the last extremity should ever induce +me to act on the defensive. [Note 6: "And they cried out, and cast off +their clothes, and threw dust into the air."--Acts xxii. 23.] + +When on my return to the depot, I had seen the natives creeping after me +with their spears, I and the native boy at once halted, turned round and +went slowly towards them, upon this they retreated. They would see by +this that we did not fear them, and as the party at the camp had been +increased in number by our return, I thought they might probably be more +cautious in their hostile demonstrations, which for the present was the +case, for we saw nothing more of them for some time. + +During my absence, the overseer, according to my instructions, had put a +party of men to dig for water in the bed of the creek, about four miles +from the depot, in a westerly direction and down upon the plains. They +were busy when I arrived at the depot; the soil already dug through had +been a very hard gravel, but as yet no water had been found, they had got +to a depth of about ten feet; but from the indurated character of the +soil were proceeding very slowly. + +I was, however, too much fatigued to go and inspect the work immediately, +the boy and myself as well as the horses being completely worn out. We +had ridden in the last five days and a half, about two hundred miles, and +walked about twenty up and down rocky and precipitous creeks, whilst, for +the last two nights before our arrival we had scarcely been off the +horses' back. + +On the 17th, which was dreadfully hot, I went in the afternoon to see +what progress was being made at the well, and found that only two feet +had been dug in the last twenty-four hours, whilst just as I arrived the +men came to a solid mass of rock, and could sink no further; I at once +ordered them to return to the camp, as I did not think it worth while to +make further attempts in so unkindly a soil, and indeed I was unwilling +to have my little party too much divided in the neighbourhood of so many +natives. The men themselves were very glad to get back to the camp, +having been apprehensive of an attack for the last two or three days. + +August 18.--This morning I sent off the overseer and a native boy to the +eastward, to look for water in the watercourses I had been at on the 5th +of August, the Scott not having then been discovered; they would now be +thirty-six miles nearer water than any I was acquainted with at that +time, and would consequently be less hurried and embarrassed in their +movements than I was. By giving them a pack-horse to carry ten gallons of +water, I hoped they would be able to examine all the watercourses so +effectually as to secure the object of their search, for I felt satisfied +that water was to be found somewhere among the high ranges we had seen in +the direction they were going; I also directed the overseer to visit the +camp where the two native children had been left, and to see what had +been their fate. + +During the day I employed myself in writing; the weather was excessively +close and oppressive, with heavy clouds coming up from the S. W. against +the wind at N. E. At night it blew almost a hurricane, accompanied by a +few drops of rain, after which, the wind then veered round to the north. + +The 19th was another oppressive hot day, with a northerly wind, and +clouds of dust which darkened the air so that we could not see the hills +distinctly, although we were close under them. The flies were also +incessant in their persecuting attacks. What with flies and dust, and +heat and indisposition, I scarcely ever remember to have spent a more +disagreeable day in my life. My eyes were swollen and very sore, and +altogether I was scarcely able to attend to any thing or employ myself in +any profitable way. + +August 20.--Some slight showers during the night made the weather cool +and pleasant, the day too was cloudy, and I was enabled to occupy myself +in charting, working out observations, etc. whilst Mr. Scott, by shooting, +supplied us with some wallabies. This animal is very like a rabbit when +running, and quite as delicate and excellent in eating. + +August 21.--Not having seen the natives for the last two days, I thought +I might venture to explore the watercourse we were encamped upon, and set +off on horseback immediately after breakfast, accompanied by Mr. Scott. + +We traced up its stony and rugged bed for about seven miles among the +hills, to a point where the scenery was peculiarly grand and sublime. The +cliffs rose perpendicularly from the channel of the watercourse to a +height of from six to eight hundred feet, towering above us in awful and +imposing prominencies. At their base was a large pool of clear though +brackish water; and a little beyond a clump of rushes, indicating the +existence of a spring. In the centre of these rushes the natives had dug +a small well, but the water was no better than that in the larger pool. + +The natives generally resort to such places as these when the rain water +is dried up in the plains or among the hills immediately skirting them. +Far among the fastnesses of the interior ranges, these children of the +wilds find resources which always sustain them when their ordinary +supplies are cut off; but they are not of corresponding advantage to the +explorer, because they are difficult of access, not easily found, and +seldom contain any food for his horses, so that he can barely call at +them and pass on. Such was the wretched and impracticable character of +the country in which we were now placed. + +Having tied up our horses, Mr. Scott and I ascended to the top of the +high cliff by winding along the ridges at the back of it. From its summit +we had an extensive view, and I was enabled to take several angles. One +of the high peaks in the Mount Deception range bearing S. 35 degrees W. +about five miles off I named Mount Scott. To the east were seen high +ranges, to which I had sent my overseer. Descending the hill we examined +the course of the watercourse a few miles further, and ascertaining that +there was no more water in it, retraced our steps towards the depot, +somewhat fatigued with clambering up rocky ranges under the oppressive +heat of an almost tropical sun. + +In the course of the morning Mr. Scott shot a rock wallabie of rather a +large species, and many more were seen about the high perpendicular cliff +under which we had found the water. These singular animals appeared to +have a wonderful facility for scaling precipices, for they leapt and +clambered up among the steep sides of the cliffs in a manner quite +incredible, and where it was perfectly impossible for any human being to +follow them. + +In the evening the overseer and native boy returned, they had traced up +the watercourse I turned back from on the 5th of August, and had found +water in it about eight miles beyond where I gave up the search. They had +also visited the native camp where the two little children had been left +deserted, they were now gone, and the whole plain around had been strewed +with green boughs. The handkerchief I had tied round the eldest child had +been taken off and left at the camp, the natives probably dreading to +have anything to do with property belonging to such fearful enchanters as +they doubtless suspected us to be. + +Our party being once more all together, it became necessary to decide +upon our future movements, the water in the hole at the depot being +nearly all used, and what was left being very muddy and unpalatable. +Before I abandoned our present position, however, I was anxious to make a +journey to the shores of Lake Torrens to the westward; I had already +visited its basin at points fully 150 miles apart, viz. in about 29 +degrees 10 minutes S. latitude, and in 31 degrees 30 minutes S. I had +also traced its course from various heights in Flinders range, from which +it was distinctly visible, and in my mind, had not the slightest doubt +that it was one continuous and connected basin. Still, from the hills of +our present depot, it was not visible to the north of west, and I should +not have felt myself justified in going away to the eastward, without +positively ascertaining its connection with the basin I was at to the +north-west; accordingly, as soon as the overseer returned I got ready for +another harassing and uninteresting journey to the westward. + +August 22.--Setting off early this morning, accompanied by a native boy, +I steered W.N.W. For the first four miles, I took my overseer along with +me, to shew him the direction I intended to take, so that if I did not +return in two days, he might send a pack-horse with water to meet me +along the tracks. + +After he had left I pushed steadily on for thirty-five miles, principally +over heavy sandy ridges, which were very fatiguing to the horses, and at +dark reached the outer dunes of the lake, where I was obliged to tie the +horses up to some small bushes, as there was neither water nor grass for +them. The bed of the lake where I struck it, seemed dry for some distance +from the shore, but towards the middle there appeared to be a large body +of water. From our camp Mount Deception bore E. 26 degrees S. and +Termination Hill, E. 35 degrees N. + +August 23.--Starting early, I traced the course of the lake +north-westerly for ten miles, and was then able to satisfy myself that it +was a part of the same vast basin I had seen so much further to the +north, it inclined here considerably to the westward, and this +circumstance added to the high sandy ridges intervening between it and +Flinders range fully explained the cause of our not having observed its +course to the north of west from the hills near our depot. Crossing the +sandy ridge bounding the basin of the lake, I was surprised to see its +bed apparently much contracted, and the opposite shore distinctly +visible, high, rocky and bluff to the edge of the water, seemingly only +seven or eight miles distant, and with several small islands or rocks +scattered over its surface. This was however only deceptive, and caused +by the very refractive state of the atmosphere at the time, for upon +dismounting and leading the horses into the bed of the lake, the opposite +shore appeared to recede, and the rocks or islands turned out to be only +very small lumps of dirt or clay lying in the bed of the lake, and +increased in magnitude by refraction. + +I penetrated into the basin of the lake for about six miles, and found it +so far without surface water. On entering at first, the horses sunk a +little in a stiff mud, after breaking through a white crust of salt, +which everywhere coated the surface and was about one eighth of an inch +in thickness, as we advanced the mud became much softer and greatly mixed +with salt water below the surface, until at last we found it impossible +to advance a step further, as the horses had already sunk up to their +bellies in the bog, and I was afraid we should never be able to extricate +them, and get them safely back to the shore. Could we have gone on for +some distance, I have no doubt that we should have found the bed of the +lake occupied by water, as there was every appearance of a large body of +it at a few miles to the west. As we advanced a great alteration had +taken place, in the aspect of the western shores. The bluff rocky banks +were no longer visible, but a low level country appeared to the view at +seemingly about fifteen or twenty miles distance. From the extraordinary +and deceptive appearances, caused by mirage and refraction, however, it +was impossible to tell what to make of sensible objects, or what to +believe on the evidence of vision, for upon turning back to retrace our +steps to the eastward, a vast sheet of water appeared to intervene +between us and the shore, whilst the Mount Deception ranges, which I knew +to be at least thirty-five miles distant, seemed to rise out of the bed +of the lake itself, the mock waters of which were laving their base, and +reflecting the inverted outline of their rugged summits. The whole scene +partook more of enchantment than reality, and as the eye wandered over +the smooth and unbroken crust of pure white salt which glazed the basin +of the lake, and which was lit up by the dazzling rays of a noonday sun, +the effect was glittering, and brilliant beyond conception. + +[Very similar appearances seem to have been observed by Monsieur Peron, +on the S. W. coast near Geographe Bay. "A cette epoque nous eprouvions les +effets les plus singuliers du mirage; tantot les terres les plus +uniformes et les plus basses nous paroissoient portees au dessus des +eaux, et profondement dechirrees dans toutes leurs parties; tantot leurs +cretes superieures sembloient renversees, et reposer ainsi sur les +vagues; a chaque instant on croyoit voir au large de longues chaines de +recifs, et de brisans qui sembloient se reculer a mesure qu'on s'en +approchoit davantage."--VOYAGE DE DECOUVERTES AUX TERRES AUSTRALES REDIGE +PAR PERON.] + +Upon regaining the eastern shore, I found that all I had been able to +effect was to determine that the lake still continued its course to the +N.W. that it was still guided as before, by a ridge like a sea shore, +that its area was undiminished, that its bed was dry on the surface for +at least six miles from the outer margin, and that from the increasing +softness of the mud, occasioned by its admixture with water, as I +proceeded there was every probability that still further west, water +would be found upon the surface. Beyond these few facts, all was +uncertainty and conjecture in this region of magic. Turning away from the +lake, I retraced my steps towards the depot, and halted at dark after a +stage of nearly forty miles. Here was neither grass nor water, and again +I was obliged to tie up the unfortunate horses, jaded, hungry and +thirsty. + +During the night, I released one of the poor animals for an hour or two, +thinking he would not stray from his companion, and might, perhaps, crop +a few of the little shrubs growing on the sand ridges, but on searching +for him in the morning he was gone, and I had to walk twelve miles over +the heavy sand tracking him, the boy following along our outward track +with the other horse, for fear of missing the man who was to meet us with +water. + +The stray horse had fortunately kept near the line we had followed in +going to the lake, and I came upon him in a very weak and miserable +condition, soon after the arrival of the man who had been sent to meet us +with water. By care and slow travelling, we reached the depot safely in +the afternoon, having crossed in going and returning, upwards of 100 +miles of desert country, during the last three days, in which the horses +had got nothing either to eat or drink. It is painful in the extreme, to +be obliged to subject them to such hardships, but alas, in such a +country, what else can be done. + +In the evening, I directed the overseer to have every thing got ready for +breaking up our encampment on the morrow, as the party had been fifteen +days in depot, and little else than mud remained in the hole which had +supplied them with water. + +August 25.--Slight showers during the night, and the day dark and cloudy, +with rather an oppressive atmosphere. The horses had strayed during the +night, so that it was nine o'clock before we got away. + +We had scarcely left the place of encampment, when shoutings were heard, +and signal fires lit up in every direction by the natives, to give +warning I imagine of our being abroad, and to call stragglers to their +camp. These people had still remained in our immediate vicinity, and were +now assembled in very considerable numbers on the brow of one of the +front ridges, to watch us pass by. They would not approach us, but as the +drays moved on kept running in a line with them, at some distance, and +occasionally shouting and gesticulating in an unintelligible manner. + +In our first and only intercourse with these natives, we had +unfortunately given them just cause of offence, and I was most anxious, +if possible, before leaving, to efface the unfavourable impression which +they had received. Letting the drays therefore move on, I remained behind +with Mr. Scott, leading our horses, and trying to induce some of the +natives to come up to us; for a long time, however, our efforts were in +vain, but at last I succeeded in persuading a fine athletic looking man +to approach within a moderate distance; I then shewed him a tomahawk, +which I laid on the ground, making signs that I intended it for him. When +I had retired a little, he went and took it up, evidently comprehending +its use, and appearing much pleased with the gift; the others soon +congregated around him, and Mr. Scott and I mounting our horses, followed +the party, leaving the sable council to discuss the merits of their new +acquisition, and hoping that the unfavourable opinion with which we had +at first impressed them, would be somewhat modified for the future. + +Steering N. 43 degrees W. for five miles, and then winding through the +range, in the bed of a watercourse to the plains on the other side, we +took a direction of E. 20 degrees N. for fifteen miles, arriving about +dark upon a small channel that I had crossed on the 14th of August. Here +was good feed for the horses, and plenty of water a little way up among +the hills. This watercourse I had not examined when I was here before, +preferring to trace up the larger one beyond instead. Had I followed +this, I should easily have found water, and been relieved from much of +the anxiety which I had then undergone. + +In travelling through a country previously unexplored, no pains should be +spared in examining every spot, even the most unlikely, where it is +possible for water to exist, for after searching in vain, in large deep +rocky and likely looking watercourses, I have frequently found water in +some small branch or gorge, that had appeared too insignificant, or too +uninviting to require to be explored. This I named The Mundy, after my +friend, Alfred Mundy, Esq., now the Colonial Secretary of South +Australia. + +Early this morning, I took Mr. Scott with me, to examine The Mundy, +leaving the overseer to proceed with the party. + +After entering the hills a short distance, we found in the bed of the +Mundy a strongly running stream, connecting several reaches of waters, +upon which many black ducks were sailing about. This appeared to be one +of the finest and best streams we had yet discovered, although the water +was slightly impregnated with alum. After the watercourse left the hills, +the surface water all disappeared, the drainage being then absorbed by +the light sandy soil of the plains, and this had invariably been the case +with all the waters emanating from Flinders range. + +Crossing some stony ridges, we followed the party up the large +watercourse, which I had traced so far on the 5th of August, since named +the Burr, after the Deputy Surveyor-general of the colony, and at +nineteen miles halted early in the afternoon, at some springs rising +among rocks and rushes in its bed. The water was very brackish, though +drinkable, but did not extend far on either side of the spot we were +encamped at, and when after dinner, I took a long walk up the watercourse +to search for more, I was unable to find any either in the main channel +or its branches. The grass was abundant and good. The latitude of the +camp I ascertained to be 30 degrees 27 minutes S. + +August 27.--Having risen and breakfasted very early, I took Mr. Scott and +a native boy with me, and steered for a very high hill with rather a +rounded summit, bearing from our camp E. 17 degrees S. This I named Mount +Serle, in accordance with a request made to me before my departure, by +the Governor, that I would name some remarkable feature in the country +after Mr. Serle. This was the most prominent object we had hitherto met +with; among high ranges it appeared the highest, and from a height above +our present encampment, it had been selected by us as the most likely +point from which to obtain a view to the eastward. + +The elevation of this hill could not be less than three thousand feet +above the level of the sea; but unfortunately, the injury my barometer +had sustained in the escape of some of the mercury, and my being unable +to fill it again properly, quite precluded me from ascertaining the +height with accuracy. + +In our route to Mount Serle, we observed another hill rather more to the +northward, seemingly of as great an altitude as Mount Serle itself; this +was not situate in the Mount Serle range, nor had it been seen by us in +our view from the height above the depot. + +At ten miles from our camp, we came to a large watercourse, emanating +from the Mount Serle range on the south side, and running close under its +western aspect, with an abundance of excellent clear water in it. This I +named the Frome, after the Surveyor-general of the colony, to whose +kindness I was so much indebted in preparing my outfit and for the loan +of instruments for the use of the expedition. + +Having watered our horses we tied them up to some trees, and commenced +the ascent of Mount Serle on foot. The day was exceedingly hot, and we +found our task a much harder one than we had anticipated, being compelled +to wind up and down several steep and rugged ridges before we could reach +the main one. + +At length, however, having overcome all difficulties we stood upon the +summit of the mountain. Our view was then extensive and final. At one +glance I saw the realization of my worst forebodings; and the termination +of the expedition of which I had the command. Lake Torrens now faced us +to the east, whilst on every side we were hemmed in by a barrier which we +could never hope to pass. Our toils and labours and privations, had all +been endured to no purpose; and the only alternative left us would be to +return, disappointed and baffled. + +To the north and north-west the horizon was unbroken to the naked eye, +but with the aid of a powerful telescope I could discover fragments of +table land similar to those I had seen in the neighbourhood of the lake +in that direction. At N. 8 degrees W. a very small haycock-looking hill +might be seen above the level waste, probably the last of the low spurs +of Flinders range to the north. To the north-east, the view was +obstructed by a high range immediately in front of us, but to the east +and as far as E. 13 degrees S. we saw through a break in the hills, a +broad glittering belt in appearance, like the bed of a lake, but +apparently dry. + +The ranges seemed to continue to the eastward of Mount Serle for about +fifteen miles, and then terminated abruptly in a low, level, +scrubby-looking country, also about fifteen miles in extent, between the +hills and the borders of the lake. The latter appearing about twenty-five +miles across, whilst beyond it was a level region without a height or +elevation of any kind. + +Connecting the view before me with the fact that on the 14th August, when +in about lat. 29 degrees S., I had found Lake Torrens turning round to +the north-east, and had observed no continuation of Flinders range to the +eastward of my position, I could now no longer doubt that I had almost +arrived at the termination of that range, and that the glittering belt I +now saw to the east, was in fact only an arm of the lake taking the +drainage from its eastern slopes. + +Sad and painful were the thoughts that occupied my mind in returning to +the camp. Hitherto, even when placed in the most difficult or desperate +circumstances I was cheered by hope, but now I had no longer even that +frail solace to cling to, there was no mistaking the nature of the +country, by which we were surrounded on every side, and no room for +doubting its impracticability. + + + + +Chapter VII. + + + +EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-EAST--TRACE DOWN THE FROME--WATER BECOMES +SALT--PASS BEYOND THE RANGES--COCKATOOS SEEN--HEAVY RAINS--DRY +WATER-COURSES--MOUNT DISTANCE--BRINE SPRINGS--MOUNT HOPELESS--TERMINATION +OF FLINDERS RANGE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST--ALL FURTHER +ADVANCE HOPELESS--YOUNG EMUS CAUGHT--REJOIN PARTY--MOVE BACK TOWARDS +MOUNT ARDEN--LOSS OF A HORSE--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--PLANS FOR THE +FUTURE--TAKE UP STORES--PREPARE FOR LEAVING. + + +Upon returning to the depot at the Burr, I decided upon making an +excursion to the north-east, to ascertain the actual termination of +Flinders range, and the nature of the prospect beyond it; not to satisfy +myself, for a single glance from the eminence I had recently occupied at +Mount Serle, had for ever set my curiosity at rest on these points, but +in discharge of the duty I owed to the Governor, and the promoters of the +expedition, who could not be expected to be satisfied with a bare +conjecture on a subject which they had sent me practically to +demonstrate, however fairly from circumstances the conclusions might be +deduced at which I had been compelled to arrive. Accordingly, on the +morning of the 29th, I took with me my overseer, one man, a native boy, +and a cart drawn by three horses to carry water; and making an early +start, proceeded to attempt for the last time to penetrate into those +regions of gloom. + +After travelling ten miles, we arrived at the Frome, where we watered and +fed the horses. From this place I sent the overseer on before us, to see +how far the water extended, that we might determine where to fix our +halting-place for the night. After resting awhile we proceeded on with +the cart, tracing down the watercourse over a very rough and stony road +on which the cart was upset, but without any serious damage, and passing +several very large and fine water-holes with many teal and wood-duck upon +them. + +At eight miles from where we lunched, we encamped with abundance of +water, but very little grass. The latitude by meridian altitude of Altair +was 30 degrees 18 minutes 30 seconds S. In the evening the overseer +returned, and stated there was water for nine miles further, but that the +road was very rocky and bad. + +August 30.--Leaving the overseer to bring on the cart, I rode on a-head +down the watercourse to trace the continuance of the water. The road I +found to be very bad, and at twenty-three miles, upon tasting the water I +found it as salt as the sea, and the bed of the creek quite impracticable +for a cart; I therefore hurried back for seven miles, and halted the +party at the last good water-hole, which was about sixteen miles from our +yesterday's camp. + +We had seen many ducks during the day, two of which I shot, and the black +boy found a nest with fresh eggs in it, so that we fared more luxuriously +than usual. The night set in very dark and windy, but no rain fell. + +August 31.--This morning I sent the overseer back to the depot with the +cart and two horses, whilst I and the native boy proceeded on our route +on horseback, taking also a man leading a pack-horse to carry water for +us the first day. Following down the watercourse, we passed through some +imposing scenery, consisting of cliffs from six to eight hundred feet in +height, rising perpendicularly from their bases, below which were +recesses, into which the sun never shone, and whose gloomy grandeur +imparted a melancholy cast to the thoughts and feelings, in unison with +the sublimity of the scene around. + +After travelling twelve miles from the camp, we got clear of the hills, +and found an open country before us to the north; through this we +proceeded for ten miles further, still following the direction of the +watercourse, and halting upon it for the night, after having made a stage +of twenty-two miles. We had tolerable grass for the horses, but were +obliged to give them water from the kegs. + +At this place I was much astonished to see four white cockatoos, flying +about among the gum-trees in the watercourse, and immediately commenced a +narrow search for water, as I knew those birds did not frequently go far +away from it: there was not, however, a drop to be found anywhere, nor +the least sign of there having been any for a long time. What made the +circumstance of finding cockatoos here so surprising and unusual was, +that for the last two hundred miles we had never seen one at all. Where +then had these four birds come from? could it be that they had followed +under Flinders range from the south, and had strayed so far away from all +others of their kind, or had they come from some better country beyond +the desert by which I was surrounded, or how was that country to be +attained, supposing it to exist? Time only may reply to these queries, +but the occasion which prompted them was, to say the least, +extraordinary. + +Towards night the sky became overcast with clouds, and as I saw that we +should have rain, I set to work with the boy and made a house of boughs +for our protection, but the man who accompanied us was too indolent to +take the same precaution, thinking probably that the rain would pass away +as it had often done before. In this, however, he was disappointed, for +the rain came down in torrents [Note 7 at end para.]--in an hour or two +the whole country was inundated, and he was taught a lesson of industry at +the expense of a thorough and unmitigated drenching. + +[Note 7: This will not appear surprising, when the great amount of rain +which falls annually in some parts of Australia, is taken into account. +The Count Strzelecki gives 62.68 inches, as the average annual fall for +upwards of twenty years, at Port Macquarie.--At p. 193, that gentleman +remarks:--"The greatest fall of rain recorded in New South Wales, during +24 hours, amounted to 25 inches. (Port Jackson)."] + +September 1.--This morning I sent the man back to the depot with the +pack-horse, with orders to the overseer to move back the party as rapidly +as possible towards Mount Arden, that by taking advantage of the rain we +might make a short route through the plains, and avoid the necessity of +going up among the rugged and stony watercourses of the hills. + +This retrograde movement was rendered absolutely necessary from our +present position, for since we had wound through the hills to the north, +and come out upon the open plains, I saw that Flinders range had +terminated, and I now only wished to trace its northern termination so +far east as to enable me to see round it to the southward, as well as to +ascertain the character and appearance of the country to the north and to +the east; as soon therefore as the man had left, I proceeded at a course +of E. 35 degrees N. for a low and very distant elevation, apparently the +last of the hills to the eastward, this I named Mount Distance, for it +deceived us greatly as to the distance we were from it. + +In passing through the plains, which were yesterday so arid and dry, I +found immense pools, nay almost large reaches of water lodged in the +hollows, and in which boats might have floated. Such was the result of +only an hour or two's rain, whilst the ground itself, formerly so hard, +was soft and boggy in the extreme, rendering progress much slower and +more fatiguing to the horses than it otherwise would have been. By +steadily persevering we made a stage of thirty-five miles, but were +obliged to encamp at night some miles short of the little height I had +been steering for. + +During our ride we passed several dry watercourses at five, ten, +twenty-five, thirty, and thirty-five miles from our last encampment. The +last we halted upon with good feed for the horses, and rainwater lodged +everywhere. All these watercourses took their course to the north, +emptying and losing themselves in the plains. In the evening heavy +showers again fell, and the night set in very dark. + +September 2.--After travelling seven miles we ascended Mount Distance, +and from it I could see that the hills now bore S. and S.E. and were +getting much lower, so that we were rapidly rounding their northern +extremity. To the north and north-east were seen only broken fragments of +table lands, similar to what I found near the lake to the north-west; the +lake itself, however, was nowhere visible, and I saw that I should have +another day's hard riding before I could satisfactorily determine its +direction. Upon descending I steered for a distant low haycock-like peak +in the midst of one of the table-topped fragments; from this rise I +expected the view would be decisive, and I named it Mount Hopeless.--From +Mount Distance it bore E. 25 degrees N. + +Crossing many little stony ridges, and passing the channel of several +watercourses, I discovered a new and still more disheartening feature in +the country, the existence of brine springs. Hitherto we had found +brackish and occasionally salt water in some of the watercourses, but by +tracing them up among the hills, we had usually found the quality to +improve as we advanced, but now the springs were out in the open plains, +and the water poisoned at its very source. + +Occasionally round the springs were a few coarse rushes, but the soil in +other respects was quite bare, destitute of vegetation, and thickly +coated over with salt, presenting the most miserable and melancholy +aspect imaginable. We were now in nearly the same latitude as that in +which Captain Sturt had discovered brine springs in the bed of the +Darling, and which had rendered even that river so perfectly salt that +his party could not make use of it. + +September 2.--At thirty-five miles we reached the little elevation I had +been steering for, and ascended Mount Hopeless, and cheerless and +hopeless indeed was the prospect before us. As I had anticipated, the +view was both extensive and decisive. We were now past all the ranges; +and for three quarters of the compass, extending from south, round by +east and north, to west, the horizon was one unbroken level, except where +the fragments of table land, or the ridge of the lake, interrupted its +uniformity + +The lake was now visible to the north and to the east; and I had at last +ascertained, beyond all doubt, that its basin, commencing near the head +of Spencer's Gulf, and following the course of Flinders range (bending +round its northern extreme to the southward), constituted those hills the +termination of the island of South Australia, for such I imagine it once +to have been. This closed all my dreams as to the expedition, and put an +end to an undertaking from which so much was anticipated. I had now a +view before me that would have damped the ardour of the most +enthusiastic, or dissipated the doubts of the most seeptical. To the +showers that fell on the evening of the 31st of August, we were solely +indebted for having been able to travel thus far; had there been much +more rain the country would have been impracticable for horses,--if less +we could not have procured water to have enabled us to make such a push +as we had done. + +The lake where it was visible, appeared, as it had ever done, to be from +twenty-five to thirty miles across, and its distance from Mount Hopeless +was nearly the same. The hills to the S. and S. W. of us, seemed to +terminate on the eastern slopes, as abruptly as on the western; and from +the point where we stood, we could distinctly trace by the gum-trees, the +direction of watercourses emanating from among them, taking northerly, +north-easterly, easterly and south-easterly courses, according to the +point of the range they came from. This had been the case during the +whole of our route under Flinder's range. We had at first found the +watercourses going to the south of west, then west, north-west, north, +and now north-east, east and south-east. I had, at the same time, +observed all around this mountain mass, the appearance of the bed of a +large lake, following the general course of the ranges on every side, and +receiving, apparently, the whole drainage from them. + +On its western, and north-western shores, I had ascertained by actual +examination, that its basin was a very low level, clearly defined, and +effectually inclosed by an elevated continuous sandy ridge, like the +outer boundary of a sea-shore, its area being of immense extent, and its +bed of so soft and yielding a nature, as to make it quite impossible to +cross it. All these points I had decided positively, and finally, as far +as regards that part of Lake Torrens, from near the head of Spencer's +Gulf, to the most north-westerly part of it, which I visited on the 14th +of August, embracing a course of fully 200 miles in its outline. I had +done this, too, under circumstances of great difficulty, toil, and +anxiety, and not without the constant risk of losing my horses, from the +fatigues and privations of the forced labours I was obliged to impose +upon them. + +Having ascertained these particulars, and at so much hazard, relative to +Lake Torrens, for so great a part of its course, what conclusion could I +arrive at with regard to the character of its other half to the +north-east, and east of Flinders ranges, as seen from Mount Hopeless, and +Mount Serle points, nearly ninety miles apart! The appearances from the +ranges were similar; the trend of all the watercourses was to the same +basin, and undoubtedly that basin, if traced far enough, must be of +nearly the same level on the eastern, as on the western side of the +ranges. I had completely ascertained that Flinders range had terminated +to the eastward, the north-east, and the north; that there were no hills +or elevations connected with it beyond, in any of these directions, and +that the horizon every where was one low uninterrupted level. + +With such data, and under such circumstances, what other opinion could I +possibly arrive at, than that the bed of Lake Torrens was nearly similar +in its character, and equally impracticable in its eastern, as its +western arm; and that, considering the difficulties I had encountered, +and the hazards I had subjected myself to, in ascertaining these points +so minutely on the western side, I could not be justified in renewing +those risks to the eastward, where the nature and extent of the +impediments were so self-evidently the same, and where there was not the +slightest hope of any useful result being attained by it. + +I was now more than a hundred miles away from my party; and having sent +them orders to move back towards Mount Arden, I had no time to lose in +following them. With bitter feelings of disappointment I turned from the +dreary and cheerless scene around me, and pushing the horses on as well +as circumstances would allow, succeeded in retracing ten miles of my +course by a little after dark, having completed a stage of fully +forty-five miles during the day. Here there was tolerable good grass, and +plenty of water from the late rains, so that the horses were more +fortunate on this excursion than usual. I observed the variation to be 4 +degrees E. + +September 3.--Travelling early, we made a long stage of about forty +miles, and encamped with good grass and water. During the day we caught +four young emus in the plains, which we roasted for supper, being very +hungry, and upon short allowance, as I had not calculated upon remaining +out so long; the black boy enjoyed them exceedingly, and I managed to get +through one myself. They were about the size of full grown fowls. + +September 4.--Making a very early start, we travelled twenty miles to the +watercourse, where we had encamped on the 31st of August, striking it a +little lower down. As I had left one or two trifles here, that I wished +to take on with me, I sent the black boy for them, telling him to follow +my tracks while I went slowly on. Upon finding that he did not overtake +me so soon as I expected, I halted for some time, but still he did not +come up, and I again proceeded; for as I had left my former track, I +concluded he had taken that line, and thus missed me. Steering, +therefore, across the hills, some of which were very stony and broken, I +made for the Mundy, which I reached very late in the evening, and found +the party safely encamped there. + +I had rode fifty-five miles, and had been on horseback about thirteen +hours, so that both myself and horse were well nigh knocked up. The black +boy had not arrived, nor did he come up during the night. + +The next day, becoming uneasy about his absence, I detained the party in +the camp, and sent Mr. Scott to search for him, who fortunately met him +almost immediately he had left us. The boy's detention had been +occasioned by the fagged condition of his horse, which prevented the +possibility of his overtaking me. As the day was wet, I did not move on, +but gave the party a day's rest, whilst I employed myself in meditating +upon the disappointment I had experienced, and the future steps it might +be most advisable to take to carry out the objects of the expedition. I +was still determined not to give up the undertaking,--but rather to +attempt to penetrate either to the eastward or westward, and to try to +find some other line of route that might afford a practicable opening to +the interior. + +September 6.--Moving on the party early to-day, I pushed steadily towards +the depot near Mount Arden. In doing this, the favourable state of the +weather enabled us to keep more in the open plains, and thus both to +avoid a good deal of rough ground, and to shorten the road considerably. + +Upon mustering the horses on the 9th, the overseer reported to me that +one of them was lying down with a broken leg, and upon going to examine +him, I found that it was one of the police horses kindly lent to the +expedition by the Governor. During the night some other horse had kicked +him and broken the thigh bone of the hind leg. The poor animal was in +great pain and unable to rise at all, I was therefore obliged to order +the overseer to shoot him. By this accident we lost a most useful horse +at a time when we could but ill spare one. + +During our progress to the south we had frequently showers and +occasionally heavy rains, which lodging in puddles on the plains, +supplied us abundantly with water, and we were unusually fortunate enough +to obtain grass also. We were thus enabled to push on upon nearly a +straight course, which, after seven days of hard travelling, brought us +once more, on the afternoon of the 12th, to our old position at the depot +near Mount Arden. I had intended to have halted the party here for a day +or two, to recruit after the severe march we had just terminated; but the +weather was so favourable and the season so far advanced, that I did not +like to lose an hour in following out my prospective plans. + +During the homeward journey from the Mundy, I had reflected much on the +position in which I was placed, and spent many an anxious hour in +deliberating as to the future. I had one of three alternatives to choose, +either to give up the expedition altogether;--to cross to the Murray to +the east and follow up that river to the Darling;--or by crossing over to +Streaky Bay to the westward, to endeavour to find some opening leading +towards the interior in that direction. After weighing well the +advantages and disadvantages of each (and there were many objections to +them all,) I determined upon adopting the last, for reasons which will be +found in my Report sent to the Governor, and to the Chairman of the +Northern Expedition Committee from Port Lincoln. [Note 8: Vide Chapter +IX.] My mind having thus been made up, I knew, from former experience, +that I had no time to lose, now that the weather was showery and +favourable, and that if I delayed at all in putting my plans into +execution I might probably be unable to cross from Mount Arden to +Streaky Bay. The distance between these two points was upwards of +two hundred miles, through a barren and desert region, in which, +though among high ranges, I had on a former occasion been unable to +discover any permanent water, and through which we could only hope +to pass by taking advantage of the puddles left by the late rains; +I therefore decided upon halting at the depot to rest the horses +even for a day; and the party had no sooner reached their encampment, +than, while one portion of the men took the horses up the watercourse to +water, the others were employed in digging up the stores we had buried +here, and in repacking and rearranging all the loads ready to move on +again immediately. By the evening all the arrangements were completed and +the whole party retired to rest much fatigued. + + + + +Chapter VIII. + + + +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LAKE TORRENS +AND SPENCER'S GULF--BAXTER'S RANGE--DIVIDE THE PARTY--ROUTE TOWARDS PORT +LINCOLN--SCRUB--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--SEND DRAY BACK FOR +WATER--PLUNDERED BY THE NATIVES--RETURN OF DRAY--DENSE SCRUB--REFUGE +ROCKS--DENSE SCRUB--SALT CREEK--MOUNT HILL--DENSE SCRUB--LARGE +WATERCOURSE--ARRIVE AT A STATION--RICH AND GRASSY VALLEYS--CHARACTER OF +PORT LINCOLN PENINSULA--UNABLE TO PROCURE SUPPLIES--ENGAGE A BOAT TO SEND +OVER TO ADELAIDE--BUY SHEEP. + + +September 13.--UPON leaving the depot this morning I was obliged to leave +behind a very large tarpaulin which we did not require, and which from +the extra weight we had last night put upon the drays, we could not +conveniently carry. Steering to the south-west we came at twelve miles to +the head of Spencer's Gulf, and crossed the channel connecting it with +Lake Torrens. At this place it is not very wide, but its bed like that of +the lake is soft and boggy, with salt water mixed with the mud. We had a +good deal of difficulty in getting over it, and one of the drays having +stuck fast, we had to unload it, carrying the things over on men's backs. +A few miles beyond this we halted for the night, where there was good +grass for the horses and plenty of water in the puddles around us. We +crossed principally during the day, a rather heavy sandy country, but +were now encamped in plains of a firmer and better character for the +drays. + +September 14.--Travelling on through open plains with loose gravelly +stones, lying on their surface, we passed to the south of a small +table-topped hill, visible from Mount Arden, and very much resembling the +fragments of table land that I had met with to the north. This however +was somewhat larger than those, and though steep-sided as they were it +did not disclose the same white strata of chalk and gypsum, its formation +being more rocky and of rather a slaty character. + +September 15.--Pushing on rapidly over extensive plains very similar to +those we had already crossed, we arrived, after a long stage, under +Baxter's range, and encamped upon a small channel coming from it, with +abundance of water and good grass. This range is high and rocky, rising +abruptly out of the plains, and distinctly visible from Mount Arden, from +which it is about fifty miles distant. Its formation is entirely +conglomerate of rather a coarse description. Among its rugged overhanging +steeps are many of the large red species of wallabie similar to those we +had seen to the north at the Scott. Two of these we shot. The latitude of +our camp at Baxter's range was 32 degrees 40 minutes S. + +September 16.--Remained in camp to-day to rest the horses and prepare for +dividing the party, as from the great abundance of rain that had fallen, +I no longer apprehended a scarcity of water on the route to Streaky Bay, +and therefore decided upon sending my overseer across with the party, +whilst I myself took a dray down direct to Port Lincoln, on the west side +of Spencer's Gulf, to obtain additional supplies, with the intention of +joining them again at Streaky Bay. + +Having spent some time in taking bearings from the summit of Baxter's +range, I examined all the channels and gorges coming from it, and in most +of these I found water. I am of opinion however that in a very dry +season, the water which I now found will be quite dried up, and +especially in the largest of the watercourses, or the one upon which we +were encamped. [Note 9: In October 1842, this was quite dry, but water was +still found in holes in the rocks in the southernmost gorge, above the +waterfall, at the base of which water was also procured by digging in +the gravel.] + +A little further south, there is a rocky ravine winding through a gorge +and terminating in a waterfall, with a large pool of beautiful water at +the base, and with many large and deep holes of water in the rocks above. +In this ravine I imagine water might be procured at any period of the +year, and I am confirmed in this opinion by the circumstance of three +well beaten native roads, coming from different points of the compass, +and all converging at this place. This is an important position for +parties crossing to the westward, or going overland to Port Lincoln. +Baxter's range is the nearest point at which permanent water can be +procured on the west side of the head of Spencer's Gulf, as the Depot +creek near Mount Arden is on the eastern. Having completed my examination +of the range, and taken all my observations, I spent the remainder of the +day in constructing a chart of my former route from Streaky Bay in 1839, +and in writing out instructions for the overseer during my absence, as a +guide for him in crossing to the westward. + +September 17.--Placing under the charge of the overseer, two drays, seven +of our best horses, all the sheep, one native boy, and two men, I saw him +fairly started this morning, and wished him a speedy and prosperous +journey. I had left with me one dray, five horses, one man, one native +boy, and Mr. Scott; with fourteen days provision and forty gallons of +water. Steering S. 25 degrees W. for sixteen miles, we halted for the +night upon a patch of tolerable grass but without any water; I was +consequently obliged to give a bucket of water to each of the horses out +of the small stock which we had brought with us. The country we travelled +through was low, level, and for the most part covered with salsolae, or +brush, the latter in some places being very dense, and causing great +fatigue to the horses in dragging the dray through it. + +September 18.--Upon taking a view of the country, this morning, previous +to starting, it appeared so low and level, and held out so little +prospect of our finding water, that I was induced to deviate from the +course I had laid down, and steering S. 20 degrees E. made for some hills +before us. After travelling four miles upon this course, I observed a +native fire upon the hills at a bearing of S. 40 degrees E. and +immediately turned towards it, fully hoping that it was at a native camp +and in the immediate vicinity of water. + +At eight miles we were close under the hills, but found the dray could +not cross the front ridges; I therefore left Mr. Scott to keep a course +parallel with the range, whilst I and the native boy rode across to where +we had seen the fire. Upon arriving at the spot I was greatly +disappointed to find, instead of a native camp, only a few burning +bushes, which had either been lit as a signal by the natives, after +noticing us in the plains, or was one of those casual fires so frequently +left by them on their line of march. I found the hills scrubby, barren, +and rocky, with much prickly grass growing upon their slopes. There were +no watercourses upon the west side of the range at all, nor could I by +tracing up some short rocky valleys coming from steep gorges in the face +of the hill find any water. The rock was principally of ironstone +formation. Upon ascending to the summit of the hill, I had an extensive +but unsatisfactory view, a vast level field of scrub stretching every +where around me, interspersed here and there with the beds of small dried +up lakes, but with no signs of water any where. At S. W. by S. I saw the +smoke of a native fire rising in the plains. Hurrying down from the +range, I followed the dray, and as soon as I overtook it, halted for the +night in the midst of a thick scrub of large tea-trees and minor shrubs. +There was a little grass scattered among the trees, on which, by giving +our horses two buckets of water each, they were able to feed tolerably +well. During the day we had travelled over a very heavy sandy country and +through dense brush, and our horses were much jaded. Occasionally we had +passed small dried up salt lakes and the beds of salt water channels; but +even these did not appear to have had any water in them for a long time. + +Upon halting the party, I sent Mr. Scott to explore the range further +south than I had been, whilst I myself went to search among the salt +lakes to the southwest. We, however, both returned equally unsuccessful, +and I now found that I should be compelled to send the dray back for a +supply of water from Baxter's range. The country was so scrubby and +difficult to get a dray through that our progress was necessarily slow; +and in the level waste before us I had no hope of finding water for some +distance further. I thought, therefore, that if the dray could bring a +supply to last us for two days after leaving our present encampment, we +should then be enabled to make a fresh push through a considerable extent +of bad country, and might have a better chance of finding water as we +advanced to the south-west. + +September 19.--This morning I unloaded the dray of every thing except the +water casks, and pitching my tent among the scrub took up my quarters +alone, whilst I sent back the man, the native boy, the dray, and all the +horses with Mr. Scott to Baxter's range. As they made an early start, I +gave them instructions to push on as rapidly as possible, so as to get +the range that night, to rest the horses next day and fill the casks with +water, and on the third day, if possible, to return the whole distance +and rejoin me. + +Having seen them fairly away, I occupied myself in writing and charting +during the day, and at night amused myself in taking stellar observations +for latitude. I had already taken the altitude of Vega, and deduced the +latitude to be 32 degrees 3 minutes 23 seconds S.; leaving my artificial +horizon on the ground outside whilst I remained in the tent waiting until +Altair came to the meridian, I then took my sextant and went out to +observe this star also; but upon putting down my hand to take hold of the +horizon glass in order to wipe the dew off, my fingers went into the +quick-silver--the horizon glass was gone, and also the piece of canvass I +had put on the ground to lie down upon whilst observing so low an +altitude as that of Vega. Searching a little more I missed a spade, a +parcel of horse shoes, an axe, a tin dish, some ropes, a grubbing hoe, +and several smaller things which had been left outside the tent, as not +being likely to take any injury from the damp. + +It was evident I was surrounded by natives, who had stolen all these +things during the short time I had been in my tent, certainly not +exceeding half an hour. The night was very windy and I had heard nothing, +besides I was encamped in the midst of a very dense brush of large +wide-spreading tea-trees and other bushes, any of which would afford a +screen for a considerable number of natives. In daylight it was +impossible to see many yards in distance, and nothing could be discerned +at night. + +The natives must have watched the dray go away in the morning, and waited +until dark for their opportunity to rob me; and most daringly and +effectually had they done it. At the time that I lay on the ground, +taking the star's altitude, they must have been close to me, and after I +went into the tent, they doubtless saw me sitting there by the light of +the candle, since the door was not quite closed, and they had come quite +in front to obtain some of the things they had stolen. The only wonder +with me was that they had not speared me, as they could scarcely have +been intimidated by my individual presence. + +As soon as I missed my horizon glass, and entertained the suspicion of +natives being about, I hurried into the tent and lighting a large blue +light, run with it rapidly through the bushes around me. The effect of +this was very beautiful amidst the darkness and gloom of the woods, and +for a great distance in every direction objects could be seen as well as +by day; the natives, however, were gone, and I could only console myself +by firing a couple of balls after them through the underwood to warn them +of the danger of intruding upon me again; I then put every thing which +had been left outside, into the tent, and kept watch for an hour or two, +but my visitors came no more. The shots, or the blue light, had +effectually frightened them. They had, however, in their turn, produced +as great an effect upon me, and had at least deprived me of one night's +rest. + +September 20.--Rising very early I set to work, with an axe, to clear +away the bushes from around my tent. I now discovered that the natives +had been concealed behind a large tea-tree not twenty yards from the +tent; there were numerous foot-marks there, and the remains of +fire-sticks which they had brought with them, for a native rarely moves +at night without fire. + +By working hard I cleared a large circle with a radius of from thirty to +forty yards, and then piling up all the bushes outside and around the +tent, which was in the centre, I was completely fortified, and my sable +friends could no longer creep upon me to steal without my hearing them. I +spent great part of the day in charting, and took a few angles from the +tent, but did not dare to venture far away. At night, when it was dark, I +mounted guard with my gun for three hours, walking round outside the +tent, and firing off my gun before I lay down, which I did with my +clothes on, ready to get up at a moment's notice. Nothing, however, +disturbed me. + +September 21.--I had been occupied during the greater part of the day in +charting, and in the evening was just shouldering my gun to mount guard +again, when I was delighted to see Mr. Scott returning with the dray, and +the party all safe. They had executed the duty entrusted to them well, +and had lost no time in rejoining me; the horses were, however, somewhat +fatigued, having come all the way from the range in one day. Being now +reinforced, I had no longer occasion to mount guard, and for the first +time since the natives had stolen upon me, enjoyed a sound sleep. + +September 22.--Moving on the party for ten miles at a course of S. 35 +degrees W., we passed through a dreadful country, composed of dense scrub +and heavy sandy ridges, with some salt water channels and beds of small +dry lakes at intervals. In many cases the margins bounding these were +composed of a kind of decomposed lime, very light and loose, which +yielded to the slightest pressure; in this our horses and drays sank +deep, throwing out as they went, clouds of fine white dust on every side +around them. This, added to the very fatiguing and harassing work of +dragging the dray through the thick scrub and over the heavy sand ridges, +almost knocked them up, and we had the sad prospect before us of +encamping at night without a blade of grass for them to eat. Just at this +juncture the native boy who was with me, said he saw rocks in one of the +distant sand hills, but upon examining the place with a telescope I could +not make out distinctly whether they were rocks or only sand. The boy +however persisted that there were rocks, and to settle the point I halted +the dray in camp, whilst I proceeded with him to the spot to look. + +At seven miles W. 10 degrees S. of the drays we reached the ridge, and to +my great delight I found the boy was right; he had seen the bare sheets +of granite peeping out near the summit of a sandy elevation, and in these +we found many holes with water in them. At the base of the hill too, was +an opening with good grass around, and a fine spring of pure water. +Hastening back to the dray, I conducted the party to the hills, which I +named Refuge Rocks, for such they were to us in our difficulties, and +such they may be to many future travellers who may have to cross this +dreary desert. + +From the nature of the road and the exhausted state of our horses, it was +very late when we encamped, but as the position was so favourable a one +to recruit at, I determined to take advantage of it, and remain a couple +of days for that purpose. + +September 23.--Leaving my party to rest, after the fatigue they had +endured in forcing a way through the scrub, I set off after breakfast to +reconnoitre our position at Refuge Rocks, and to take a series of angles. +The granite elevation, under which we were encamped, I found to be one of +three small hills, forming a triangle, about a mile apart from each +other, and having sheets of granite lying exposed upon their summits, +containing deep holes which receive and retain water after rains. The +hill we were encamped under, was the highest of the three, and the only +one under which there was a spring. [Note 10: This was dried up in +October, 1842.] There was also better grass here than around either of the +other two; it appeared, too, to be the favourite halting place of the +natives, many of whose encampments still remained, and some of which +appeared to have been in use not very long ago. The bearings from the hill +we were under, of the other two elevations, which, with it, constitute +the Refuge Rocks, were N. 15 degrees W. and W. 35 degrees N. Baxter's +range was still visible in the distance, appearing low and wedge-shaped, +with the high end towards the east, at a bearing of N. 24 degrees E. +In the western extreme it bore N. 22 degrees E. Many other hills and +peaks were apparent in various directions, to all of which I took +angles, and then returned to the tent to observe the sun's meridian +altitude for latitude. By this observation, I made the latitude +33 degrees 11 minutes 12 seconds S.; but an altitude of Altair +at night only gave 33 degrees 10 minutes 6 seconds S.; probably +the mean of the two, or 33 degrees 10 minutes 39 seconds S., will be very +nearly the true position of the spring. From the summit of the hill I had +been upon, many native fires were visible in the scrub, in almost every +direction around. At one time I counted eleven different fires from the +smokes that were ascending, and some of which were very near us. Judging +from these facts, the natives appeared to be numerous in this part of the +country, and it would be necessary to be very cautious and vigilant after +the instance I had recently met with of their cunning and daring. + +September 24.--I still kept my party in camp to refresh the horses, and +occupied myself during the morning in preparing a sketch of my route to +the north, to send to the Governor from Port Lincoln. In the afternoon, I +searched for a line of road for our drays to pass, on the following day, +through the scrubby and sandy country, which still appeared to continue +in every direction. + +September 25.--Leaving Refuge Rocks, at a course of S. 37 degrees W., we +passed over a wretched country, consisting principally of heavy sandy +ridges, very densely covered with scrub, and giving our horses a severe +and fagging day's work to get the dray along for only twelve miles. I +then halted, as we were fortunate enough to find an opening in the scrub, +with good grass. Searching about our encampment, I found in a small +valley at one end of the little plain, a round hole, dug by the natives, +to catch the drainage from the slope above it. There were two or three +quarts of water in this hole when we discovered it; but by enlarging it, +we managed to fill a bucket once every hour from the water which drained +into it. This enabled us to save, to some extent, the water we had in our +casks, at the same time that all the horses had as much as they could +drink. I took angles from the camp to all the hills in sight, and at +night made the latitude of the tent 33 degrees 18 minutes 34 seconds S. +by an altitude of a Cygnus. + +September 26.--After travelling for thirteen miles at S. 40 degrees W., I +took a set of angles from a low scrubby hill, being the last opportunity +I should have of setting many of the heights, of which I had obtained +bearings from former camps. I then changed our course to S. 27 degrees W. +for five miles, and halted for the night where there was good grass. We +could find no water during the day; I had, consequently, to give the +horses some out of the casks. The country we traversed had altered +greatly in character, and though still heavy and sandy, it was a white +coarse gritty sand, instead of a fine red; and instead of the dense +cucalyptus scrub, we had now low heathy shrubs which did not present much +impediment to the progress of the dray, and many of which bore very +beautiful flowers. Granite was frequently met with during the day, but no +water could be found. Our latitude by an altitude of a Aquilae was 33 +degrees 30 minutes S. + +September 27.--Continuing our last night's course for about seven miles, +we passed through the densest scrub I had yet met with; fortunately, it +was not growing upon a sandy soil, and we got tolerably well through it, +but the horses suffered severely. Upon emerging from the brush, I noticed +a little green looking valley, about a mile off our track, and sent Mr. +Scott to see if there was water there. Upon his return, he reported that +there was, and I at once moved down to it, to rest the horses after the +toil of breaking through the scrub. The day was not far advanced when we +halted, and I was enabled to obtain the sun's altitude at noon, making +the latitude of the camp 33 degrees 34 minutes 25 seconds S. There was +good grass for the horses, and abundance of water left by the rains in +the hollows of a small watercourse, running between two scrubby ridges. + +September 28.--Making an early start, we crossed at four and a half +miles, a low scrubby range, and there found, upon the left of our track, +some very pretty grassy hills, and a valley lightly wooded with +casuarinae. Whilst I went on with the party, I detached Mr. Scott to see +if there was water at this little patch of good country, but he did not +find any. I am still of opinion, however, that if more time for +examination had been allowed, springs would have been discovered not far +away; as every thing looked so green and luxuriant, and formed so strong +a contrast to the country around. + +Pushing on steadify, we crossed over many undulations, coated on the +surface either with sand or breccia, and frequently having a good deal of +the eucalyptus scrub upon them, at eleven miles we passed a long grassy +plain in the scrub, and once or twice crossed small openings with a +little grass. For one of these we directed our course, late in the +evening, to encamp; upon reaching it, however, we were greatly +disappointed to find it covered only by prickly grass. I was therefore +obliged, after watering the horses from the casks, to send them a mile +and half back to some grass we had seen, and where they fared tolerably +well. Our day's journey had been long and fatiguing, through a barren, +heavy country. One mile before encamping, we crossed the bed of a salt +water channel, trending to the westward, which was probably connected +with the Lagoon Harbour of Flinders, as it appeared to receive the flood +tide. Our latitude was 33 degrees 50 minutes S. by observation of a +Aquilae. + +September 29.--Whilst the man was out looking for the horses, which had +strayed a little during the night, I took a set of angles to several +heights, visible from the camp; upon the man's return, he reported that +he had found some fresh water, but upon riding to the place, I. found it +was only a very small hole in a sheet of limestone rock, near the salt +watercourse, which did not contain above a pint or two. The natives, +however, appeared to come to this occasionally for their supply; similar +holes enabling them frequently to remain out in the low countries long +after the rain has fallen. After seeing the party move on, with the +native boy to act as guide through the scrub, I rode in advance to search +for water at the hill marked by Flinders as Bluff Mount, and named by +Colonel Gawler, Mount Hill. This isolated elevation rises abruptly from +the field of scrub, in the midst of which it is situated and is of +granite formation; nearly at its summit is an open grassy plain, which +was visible long before we reached it, and which leads directly over the +lowest or centre part of the range; water was found in the holes of rock +in the granite, and the grass around was very tolerable. Having +ascertained these particulars, I hurried back to the drays to conduct +them to a place of encampment. The road was very long and over a heavy +sandy country, for the most part densely covered with scrub, and it was +late, therefore, when we reached the hill. The horses, however, had good +feed and fair allowance of water, but of the latter they drank every drop +we could find. During our route to-day, I noticed some little distance to +the north-west of our track, a high scrubby range, having clear +grassy-looking openings at intervals. In this direction, it is probable +that a better line of road might be found than the one we had chosen. + +September 30.--After breakfast, I ascended to the summit of Mount Hill, +and took a set of angles; whilst the dray wound up the gap between it and +another low summit, with which it is connected. Upon descending the hill +on the opposite side, I was rejoiced to find two very large pools of +water in some granite rocks, one of them appearing to be of a permanent +character. Here I halted for an hour and a half, to give the horses a +little more water, and fill our casks again before we faced the scrubby +waste that was still seen ahead of us. I had been last night within fifty +yards of the pools that we now found, but had not discovered them, as the +evening was closing in at the time, and I was in great haste to return to +my party before dark. Leaving Mount Hill at the course of S. 27 degrees +W. we passed through a very dense scrub, the strongest, I think, we had +yet experienced; the drays were tearing down the brush with loud crashes, +at every step which the horses took, and I could only compare their +progress to the effect produced by the efforts of a clearing party, the +brush rapidly disappearing before the wheels, and leaving almost as open +a road as if it had been cut away by axes; the unfortunate animals, +however, had to bear the onus of all, and most severely were they +harassed before our short stage was over. At twelve miles we came to a +large rocky watercourse of brackish water, trending to the +east-north-east, through a narrow valley bounded by dense scrub. In this +we found pools of fresh water, and as there was good grass, I called a +halt about three in the afternoon. We were now able, for the first time +for several hundred miles, to enjoy the luxury of a swim, which we all +fully appreciated. In the afternoon Mr. Scott shot six ducks in the +pools, which furnished us with a most welcome addition to our very scanty +fare. For two days previous to this, we had been subsisting solely upon a +very limited allowance of dry bread, having only taken fourteen days +provisions with us from Baxter's range, which was nearly all expended, +whilst we were yet at least two days journey from Port Lincoln. At night +I observed the latitude of our camp, by alpha Aquilae 34 degrees +12 minutes 52 seconds S. by beta Leonis 34 degrees 12 minutes 35 seconds +S. and assumed the mean of the two, or 34 degrees 12 minutes 43 seconds as +the correct one. + +October 1.--Making an early start we passed at three miles the head of +the watercourse we had been encamped upon, and then ascended some scrubby +ranges, for about five miles further, when we entered into a narrow tract +of good grassy country, which at five miles brought us to Mr. Driver's +station; a Mr. Dutton was living at this place as Mr. Driver's manager, +and by him we were very hospitably received, and furnished with such +supplies as we required. + +[Note 11: In 1842, Mr. Dutton attempted to take some cattle overland, from +this station to the head of Spencer's Gulf; both he and his whole party +perished in the desert, (as supposed) from the want of water. In October +of that year, I was sent by Government to search for their remains, but +as it was the dry season, I could not follow up their tracks through the +arid country they had advanced into. The cattle returned.] + +It was a cattle station, and abounded with milk and butter, luxuries +which we all fully enjoyed after our long ramble in the wilds. Having +halted my party for the day, Mr. Scott and myself dined at Mr. Dutton's, +and learnt the most recent news from Adelaide and Port Lincoln. We had +much to hear and much to inquire about, for even in the few months of our +absence, it was to be presumed, that many changes would have taken place +in the fluctuating affairs of a new colony. Nor were our conjectures +wrong. + +That great reaction which was soon to convulse all the Australian +Colonies generally, to annihilate all mercantile credit, and render real +property comparatively valueless, had already commenced in South +Australia; failures, and rumours of failures, were of daily occurrence in +Adelaide, and even the little settlement of Port Lincoln had not escaped +the troubles of the times. I learnt with regret that it was rapidly +falling into decay, and its population diminishing. Many had already +deserted it, and amongst them I was surprised to hear of the departure of +Captain Porter and others, who were once the most enthusiastic admirers +and the staunchest supporters of this embryo town. That which however +affected me more particularly was the fear, that from the low and +impoverished state to which the place was now reduced, I should not be +able to obtain the supplies I required for my party, and should probably +have to delay until I could send over to Adelaide for what I wanted, even +supposing I was lucky enough to find a vessel to go across for me. In +walking round Mr. Dutton's farm I found he was ploughing up some land in +the valley for wheat, which appeared to be an excellent soil, and the +garden he had already commenced was looking promising. At night I +obtained the altitude of a Aquilae, by which I placed Mr. Driver's +station in 34 degrees 21 minutes 20 seconds S. lat., or about 22 miles of +lat. north of Kirton Point. + +October 2.--Before leaving the station I purchased from Mr. Dutton a +little Timor pony for 25 pounds for one of the native boys to ride, to +replace in some measure the services of the animal I had been obliged to +have shot up to the north. The only objection to my new purchase was that +it was a little mare and already forward in foal. At Port Lincoln, +however, I was not likely to meet with any horses for sale, and did not +therefore deem it prudent to lose the only opportunity that might occur +of getting an animal of some kind. After quitting Mr. Dutton's, I +followed a dray road leading towards Port Lincoln. For the most part we +passed through green valleys with rich soil and luxuriant pasturage, but +occasionally intersected by poor sandy or gravelly soil of a saline +nature; the water was abundant from recent heavy rains, and some of the +pools fresh; others, however, were very brackish. The hills adjoining the +valley were grassy, and lightly wooded on their slopes facing the valley; +towards the summits they became scrubby, and beyond, the scrub almost +invariably made its appearance. Altogether we passed this day through a +considerable tract of country, containing much land that is well adapted +for sheep or cattle, and with a fair proportion suitable for agriculture. +It is by far the best portion of the available country in the Port +Lincoln peninsula, and I could not help regretting it should be so +limited in extent. I had now travelled all the three sides of the +triangle, and had obtained extensive views from various heights along +each of these lines of route; I had crossed from Port Lincoln to Streaky +Bay, from Streaky Bay to the head of Spencer's Gulf, and from the head of +Spencer's Gulf down to Port Lincoln again. In the course of these +journeys, I had spared no toil nor exertion, to make my examination as +complete and as useful as possible, though my labours were not rewarded +by commensurate success. The great mass of the peninsula is barren, arid, +and worthless; and although Port Lincoln possesses a beautiful, secure, +and capacious harbour, with a convenient and pretty site for a town, and +immediately contiguous to which there exists some extent of fine and +fertile soil, with several good grassy patches of country beyond; yet it +can never become a large or important place, in consequence of its +complete isolation, except by water, from every other, and the limited +nature of its own resources. + +For one or two large stock-holders, who wish to secure good grazing +ground, and be apart from others, it might answer well, but even they +would ordinarily labour under difficulties and disadvantages which would +make their situation not at all desirable. The uncertainty and expense of +procuring their supplies--of obtaining labour, and of finding a market +for their surplus stock [Note 12 at end of para.], and the almost total +impossibility of their being able to effect sales in the event of their +wishing to leave, would perhaps more than counterbalance the advantages of +having the country to themselves. Purchased in the days of wild and +foolish speculation, and when a rage existed for buying land and laying +out townships, no place has been more misrepresented or misunderstood than +Port Lincoln. Many gross and glaring misstatements have been put forth of +its character and capabilities, by those who were actuated by interested +motives, and many unintentional misrepresentations have been made and +perpetuated by others, whose judgment or information has led them into +error, so that the public generally, and especially the English public, +have had no means of discriminating between the widely conflicting +accounts that have been given. Amongst the persons from whom this small +settlement has suffered disparagement there are none, perhaps, more +blameable than those who have put forth statements which ascribe to it +advantages and qualities that it does not possess; for just in proportion +as the expectation of intending settlers have been raised by exaggeration +or untruths has been their disappointment and disgust, when the facts +themselves have stared them in the face. + +[Note 12: Pastoral settlers have left Port Lincoln in consequence of these +disadvantages--but it is possible that a comparatively large population +may locate there, hereafter, should mineral resources be found out. +Such discoveries are said to have been made, but Iam not aware upon whose +authority the report has become current.] + +The day of hallucination has now passed away, but out of the reaction +which has succeeded it, has arisen a disposition to deprive Port Lincoln +of even the merits to which it really has a legitimate claim, and which +would have been far more highly appreciated, if the previous +misstatements and consequent disappointments had not induced a feeling of +suspicion and distrust not easily effaced. + +Our stage to-day was twenty-five miles, over a pretty good road, which +brought us towards evening under the range contiguous to the township. In +one of the valleys leading from these hills on their west side we found a +small spring of good water, and as the grass around us was very abundant +and of the most luxuriant growth, I at once decided upon making this our +resting place, until I had completed my arrangements for procuring +supplies, and was again ready to move onwards. + +October 3.--Leaving our horses to enjoy the good quarters we had selected +for them, and a respite from their labours, Mr. Scott and I walked across +the range into Port Lincoln, not a little surprising the good people +there, who had not heard of our coming, and who imagined us to be many +hundreds of miles away to the north. Calling upon Dr. Harvey, the only +Government officer then at the settlement, I learnt with regret that it +was quite impossible for me to procure the supplies I required in the +town, whilst there were no vessels in the port, except foreign whalers, +who were neither likely to have, nor be willing to part with the things I +should require. What to do under such circumstances was rather a +difficult question, and my principal hope was that some small coasting +vessel might arrive in the course of a few days, or if not, I might try +to hire a whale boat from one of the whaling vessels, and send her on to +Adelaide. Dr. Harvey had a small open boat of four or five tons, but he +did not seem willing to let her go; and unless I could communicate with +Adelaide, flour was the only article I could procure, and that not from +the stores in the town, but from a small stock belonging to the +Government, which had been sent over to meet any emergency that might +arise in so isolated a place. This was placed under the charge of Dr. +Harvey, who, on behalf of the Government, kindly offered to let me have +what I required, on condition that I would replace the same quantity, by +the first opportunity. + +Having made arrangements for a supply of fresh meat and a few vegetables +during my stay, I walked out to examine the settlement. I found many neat +cottages and other improvements since I had been here in 1839; and there +were also a few gardens commenced, some of which were in a state of +cultivation and appeared to be doing well. The population, however, had +decreased, and many of the cottages were now unoccupied. Those who +remained were principally persons who had lost everything, and who could +not well get away, or who, on the other hand, had invested their property +in the place, and could not leave it except at the sacrifice of almost +everything they possessed. No one seemed to be doing well but the +inn-keeper, and he owed his success chiefly to the custom or traffic of +the foreign whalers who occasionally resorted here for refreshments. The +stockholders, living a few miles from town, who ought to have succeeded +the best, were getting dissatisfied at the many disadvantages which they +laboured under, and the smallness of the community around them, and every +thing wore a gloomy aspect. + +October 4.--After breakfast, accompanied by Mr. Scott, I went to Port +Lincoln to attend divine service; prayers were read by Dr. Harvey. The +congregation was small but respectable, and apparently devout. After +church, we accompanied Dr. Harvey home to dinner, and met the Captain and +Surgeon of one of the French whalers in port; both of whom appeared +intelligent, and superior to the class usually met with in such +employments. After dinner we all walked down to the lagoon, west of Port +Lincoln, where the land is of a rich black alluvial character, and well +adapted for cultivation. Returning by our tents, Dr. Harvey and the +Frenchmen took tea with us, and then returned to the settlement. In the +course of our walk this afternoon, Dr. Harvey offered to put a temporary +hatch over his boat, and send her to Adelaide for me for ten pounds, +which offer I at once accepted, and Mr. Scott volunteered to go in her as +supercargo. + +October 5.--To-day I employed myself in writing letters, whilst the dray +went to Port Lincoln for supplies. The few things I could get there were +very dear, meat 1s. per pound, potatoes 9d. per pound, salt butter 2s. +6d., a small bag, with a few old cabbage stumps, five or six shillings, +and other things in proportion. + +October 6.--Went to town, accompanied by Mr. Scott to inspect the +preparations of the little cutter he was to go to Adelaide in;--ordered +all our horses to be shod, and several spare sets of shoes to be made to +take up to the party at Streaky Bay. On our return we were accompanied by +Mr. Smith, who kindly went with Mr. Scott to the station of a Mr. Brown, +[Note 13: Since murdered by the natives.] about ten miles away, to select +sheep to take with us on our journey. Mr. Scott purchased twelve at +2 pounds each, and brought them to the station; they were not very large, +but were in fine condition. + + + + +Chapter IX. + + + +BOY SPEARED BY THE NATIVES--ANOMALOUS STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH THE +ABORIGINES--MR. SCOTT SAILS FOR ADELAIDE--DOG BOUGHT--MR. SCOTT'S +RETURN--CUTTER WATERWITCH SENT TO CO-OPERATE--SEND HER TO STREAKY +BAY--LEAVE PORT LINCOLN WITH THE DRAY--LEVEL SANDY COUNTRY CLOTHED WITH +BRUSH AND SHRUBS--SALT LAKES--MOUNT HOPE--LAKE HAMILTON--STONY +COUNTRY--LOSE A DOG--BETTER COUNTRY--WEDGE-HILL--LAKE NEWLAND--A BOAT +HARBOUR--MOUNT HALL--REJOIN PARTY AT STREAKY BAY--SINGULAR +SPRING--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--BEDS OF OYSTERS. + + +October 6.--In the course of the afternoon I learnt that a little boy +about twelve years old, a son of Mr. Hawson's, had been speared on the +previous day by the natives, at a station about a mile and a half from my +tent. The poor little fellow had, it seems, been left alone at the +station, and the natives had come to the hut and speared him. The wounds +were of that fatal character, being from barbed spears which had remained +in the flesh, that no hopes could be entertained of his surviving their +removal. The following account of the occurrence is extracted from a +report, on the subject, to the Government by Dr. Harvey, the Colonial +Surgeon at Port Lincoln, who attended the boy in his last sufferings. + + +"The poor boy has borne this heavy affliction with the greatest +fortitude, assuring us "that he is not afraid to die." He says that on +Monday (5th), he was left in the station hut whilst his brother came into +town, and that about ten or eleven natives surrounded his hut, and wished +for something to eat. He gave them bread and rice--all he had, and as +they endeavoured to force themselves into his hut, he went out and +fastened the door, standing on the outside with his gun by his side and a +sword in his hand, which he held for the purpose of fighting them. He did +not make any signs of using them. One of the children gave him a spear to +throw, and while in the act of throwing it, he received the two spears in +his chest--he did not fall. He took up his gun and shot one of the +natives, who fell, but got up again and ran away; they all fled, but +returned and shewed signs of throwing another spear, when he lifted the +gun a second time, upon which they all made off. + +"He remained with the two spears, seven feet long, sticking in his +breast; he tried to cut and saw them without effect; he also tried to +walk home, but could not; he then sat upon the ground and put the ends of +the spears in the fire to try to burn them off, and in this position he +was found at ten o'clock at night, upon the return of his brother Edward +(having been speared eleven hours.) He immediately sawed the ends of the +spears off, and placed him on horseback, and brought him into town, when +I saw him. + +"Mr. Smith (with the police force) has gone in search of the natives, one +of whom can be identified as having thrown a spear at the boy, he having +a piece of red flannel tied round his beard. + +"This circumstance has thrown the settlement into great distress. The +German missionary, Rev. Mr. Schurman, has gone with Mr. Smith. I am told +that the natives have been fired at from some of the stations. I hope +this is not the case. The Rev. Mr. Schurman says that Mr. Edward Hawson +told him he shot after some a short time ago to frighten them, after they +had stolen something from the same hut where they speared his brother. +This is denied by the family, but I will ascertain the truth upon the +return of the party, Mr. E. Hawson having accompanied them." + + +The natives immediately disappeared from the vicinity of the settlement, +and were not heard of again for a long time. Such is the account of this +melancholy affair as given to Dr. Harvey by the boy, who, I believe, also +made depositions before a magistrate to the same effect. Supposing this +account to be true, and that the natives had not received any previous +provocation either from him or from any other settlers in the +neighbourhood, this would appear to be one of the most wanton, cold +blooded, and treacherous murders upon record, and a murder seemingly as +unprovoked as it was without object. Had the case been one in which the +European had been seen for the first time by the aboriginal inhabitants +of the country, it would have been neither surprising nor at variance +with what more civilised nations would probably have done under +circumstances of a similar nature. Could we imagine an extraordinary +looking being, whose presence and attributes were alike unknown to us, +and of a nature to excite our apprehensions, suddenly appearing in any +part of our own country, what would be the reception he would meet with +among ourselves, and especially if by locating himself in any particular +part of the country he prevented us from approaching those haunts to +which we had been accustomed from our infancy to resort, and which we +looked upon as sacred to ourselves? It is not asserting too much to say +that in such a case the country would be raised in a hue and cry, and the +intruder would meet with the fate that has sometimes befallen the +traveller or the colonist when trespassing upon the dominions of the +savage. + +In the present lamentable instance, however, the natives could not have +acted under the influence of an impulse like this. Here the Europeans had +been long located in the neighbourhood, they were known to, and had been +frequently visited by the Aborigines, and the intercourse between them +had in some instances at least been of a friendly character. What then +could have been the inducement to commit so cold and ruthless an act? or +what was the object to be attained by it? Without pausing to seek for +answers to these questions which, in the present case, it must be +difficult, if not impossible, to solve, it may be worth while to take a +view of the conduct of the Aborigines of Australia, generally, towards +the invaders and usurpers of their rights, setting aside altogether any +acts of violence or injury which they may have committed under the +influence of terror, naturally excited by the first presence of strangers +among them, and which arise from an impulse that is only shared by them +in common with mankind generally. I shall be borne out, I think, by facts +when I state that the Aborigines of this country have seldom been guilty +of wanton or unprovoked outrages, or committed acts of rapine or +bloodshed, without some strongly exciting cause, or under the influence +of feelings that would have weighed in the same degree with Europeans in +similar circumstances. The mere fact of such incentives not being clearly +apparent to us, or of our being unable to account for the sanguinary +feelings of natives in particular cases, by no means argues that +incentives do not exist, or that their feelings may not have been justly +excited. + +If we find the Aborigines of Australia ordinarily acting under the +influence of no worse motives or passions than usually actuate man in a +civilised state, we ought in fairness to suppose that sufficient +provocative for retaliation has been given in those few instances of +revenge, which, our imperfect knowledge of the circumstances attending +them does not enable us satisfactorily to account for. In considering +this question honestly, we must take into account many points that we too +often lose sight of altogether when discussing the conduct of the +natives, and more especially when we are doing so under the excitement +and irritation arising from recent hostilities. We should remember:-- + +First, That our being in their country at all is, so far as their ideas +of right and wrong are concerned, altogether an act of intrusion and +aggression. + +Secondly, That for a very long time they cannot comprehend our motives +for coming amongst them, or our object in remaining, and may very +naturally imagine that it can only be for the purpose of dispossessing +them. + +Thirdly, That our presence and settlement, in any particular locality, +do, in point of fact, actually dispossess the aboriginal inhabitants. +[Note 14: Vide, Notes on the Aborigines, chap. I.] + +Fourthly, That the localities selected by Europeans, as best adapted for +the purposes of cultivation, or of grazing, are those that would usually +be equally valued above others, by the natives themselves, as places of +resort, or districts in which they could most easily procure their food. +This would especially be the case in those parts of the country where +water was scarce, as the European always locates himself close to this +grand necessary of life. The injustice, therefore, of the white man's +intrusion upon the territory of the aboriginal inhabitant, is aggravated +greatly by his always occupying the best and most valuable portion of it. + +Fifthly, That as we ourselves have laws, customs, or prejudices, to which +we attach considerable importance, and the infringement of which we +consider either criminal or offensive, so have the natives theirs, +equally, perhaps, dear to them, but which, from our ignorance or +heedlessness, we may be continually violating, and can we wonder that +they should sometimes exact the penalty of infraction? do not we do the +same? or is ignorance a more valid excuse for civilized man than the +savage? + +Sixthly, What are the relations usually subsisting between the Aborigines +and settlers, locating in the more distant, and less populous parts of +the country: those who have placed themselves upon the outskirts of +civilization, and who, as they are in some measure beyond the protection +of the laws, are also free from their restraints? A settler going to +occupy a new station, removes, perhaps, beyond all other Europeans, +taking with him his flocks, and his herds, and his men, and locates +himself wherever he finds water, and a country adapted for his purposes. +At the first, possibly, he may see none of the inhabitants of the country +that he has thus unceremoniously taken possession of; naturally alarmed +at the inexplicable appearance, and daring intrusion of strangers, they +keep aloof, hoping, perhaps, but vainly, that the intruders may soon +retire. Days, weeks, or months pass away, and they see them still +remaining. Compelled at last, it may be by enemies without, by the want +of water in the remoter districts, by the desire to procure certain kinds +of food, which are peculiar to certain localities, and at particular +seasons of the year, or perhaps by a wish to revisit their country and +their homes, they return once more, cautiously and fearfully approaching +what is their own--the spot perhaps where they were born, the patrimony +that has descended to them through many generations;--and what is the +reception that is given them upon their own lands? often they are met by +repulsion, and sometimes by violence, and are compelled to retire again +to strange aud unsuitable localities. Passing over the fearful scenes of +horror and bloodshed, that have but too frequently been perpetrated in +all the Australian colonies upon the natives in the remoter districts, by +the most desperate and abandoned of our countrymen; and overlooking, +also, the recklessness that too generally pervades the shepherds and +stock-keepers of the interior, with regard to the coloured races, a +recklessness that leads them to think as little of firing at a black, as +at a bird, and which makes the number they have killed, or the atrocities +that have attended the deeds, a matter for a tale, a jest or boast at +their pothouse revelries; overlooking these, let us suppose that the +settler is actuated by no bad intentions, and that he is sincerely +anxious to avoid any collision with the natives, or not to do them any +injury, yet under these even comparatively favourable circumstances, what +frequently is the result? The settler finds himself almost alone in the +wilds, with but few men around him, and these, principally occupied in +attending to stock, are dispersed over a considerable extent of country; +he finds himself cut off from assistance, or resources of any kind, +whilst he has heard fearful accounts of the ferocity, or the treachery of +the savage; he therefore comes to the conclusion, that it will be less +trouble, and annoyance, and risk, to keep the natives away from his +station altogether; and as soon as they make their appearance, they are +roughly waved away from their own possessions: should they hesitate, or +appear unwilling to depart, threats are made use of, weapons perhaps +produced, and a show, at least, is made of an offensive character, even +if no stronger measures be resorted to. What must be the natural +impression produced upon the mind of the natives by treatment like this? +Can it engender feelings otherwise than of a hostile and vindictive kind; +or can we wonder that he should take the first opportunity of venting +those feelings upon his aggressor? + +But let us go even a little further, and suppose the case of a settler, +who, actuated by no selfish motives, and blinded by no fears, does not +discourage or repel the natives upon their first approach; suppose that +he treats them with kindness and consideration (and there are happily +many such settlers in Australia), what recompense can he make them for +the injury he has done, by dispossessing them of their lands, by +occupying their waters, and by depriving them of their supply of food? He +neither does nor can replace the loss. They are sometimes allowed, it is +true, to frequent again the localities they once called their own, but +these are now shorn of the attractions which they formerly +possessed--they are no longer of any value to them--and where are they to +procure the food that the wild animals once supplied them with so +abundantly? In the place of the kangaroo, the emu, and the wallabie, they +now see only the flocks and herds of the strangers, and nothing is left +to them but the prospect of dreary banishment, or a life of misery and +privation. Can it then be a matter of wonder, that under such +circumstances as these, and whilst those who dispossessed them, are +revelling in plenty near them, they should sometimes be tempted to +appropriate a portion of the superabundance they see around them, and rob +those who had first robbed them? The only wonder is, that such acts of +reprisal are so seldom committed. Where is the European nation, that thus +situated, and finding themselves, as is often the case with the natives, +numerically and physically stronger than their oppressors, would be +guilty of so little retaliation, of so few excesses? The eye of +compassion, or of philanthropy, will easily discover the anomalous and +unfavourable position of the Aborigines of our colonies, when brought +into contact with the European settlers. They are strangers in their own +land, and possess no longer the usual means of procuring their daily +subsistence; hungry, and famished, they wander about begging among the +scattered stations, where they are treated with a familiarity by the men +living at them, which makes them become familiar in turn, until, at last, +getting impatient and troublesome, they are roughly repulsed, and +feelings of resentment and revenge are kindled. This, I am persuaded, is +the cause and origin of many of the affrays with the natives, which are +apparently inexplicable to us. Nor ought we to wonder, that a slight +insult, or a trifling injury, should sometimes hurry them to an act +apparently not warranted by the provocation. Who can tell how long their +feelings had been rankling in their bosoms; how long, or how much they +had borne; a single drop will make the cup run over, when filled up to +the brim; a single spark will ignite the mine, that, by its explosion, +will scatter destruction around it; and may not one foolish indiscretion, +one thoughtless act of contumely or wrong, arouse to vengeance the +passions that have long been burning, though concealed? With the same +dispositions and tempers as ourselves, they are subject to the same +impulses and infirmities. Little accustomed to restrain their feelings, +it is natural, that when goaded beyond endurance, the effect should be +violent, and fatal to those who roused them;--the smothered fire but +bursts out the stronger from having been pent up; and the rankling +passions are but fanned into wilder fury, from having been repressed. + +Seventhly, There are also other considerations to be taken into the +account, when we form our opinion of the character and conduct of the +natives, to which we do not frequently allow their due weight and +importance, but which will fully account for aggressions having been +committed by natives upon unoffending individuals, and even sometimes +upon those who have treated them kindly. First, that the native considers +it a virtue to revenge an injury. Secondly, if he cannot revenge it upon +the actual individual who injured him, he thinks that the offence is +equally expiated if he can do so upon any other of the same race; he does +not look upon it as the offence of an individual, but as an act of war on +the part of the nation, and he takes the first opportunity of making a +reprisal upon any one of the enemy who may happen to fall in his way; no +matter whether that person injured him or not, or whether he knew of the +offence having been committed, or the war declared. And is not the custom +of civilized powers very similar to this? Admitting that civilization, +and refinement, have modified the horrors of such a system, the principle +is still the same. This is the principle that invariably guides the +native in his relations with other native tribes around him, and it is +generally the same that he acts upon in his intercourse with us. Shall we +then arrogate to ourselves the sole power of acting unjustly, or of +judging of what is expedient? And are we to make no allowance for the +standard of right by which the native is guided in the system of policy +he may adopt? Weighing candidly, then, the points to which reference has +been made, can we wonder, that in the outskirts of the colony, where the +intercourse between the native and the European has been but limited, and +where that intercourse has, perhaps, only generated a mutual distrust; +where the objects, the intentions, or the motives of the white man, can +neither be known nor understood, and where the natural inference from his +acts cannot be favourable, can we wonder, that under such circumstances, +and acting from the impression of some wrong, real or imagined, or goaded +on by hunger, which the white man's presence prevents him from appeasing, +the native should sometimes be tempted to acts of violence or robbery? He +is only doing what his habits and ideas have taught him to think +commendable. He is doing what men in a more civilized state would have +done under the same circumstances, what they daily do under the sanction +of the law of nations--a law that provides not for the safety, +privileges, and protection of the Aborigines, and owners of the soil, but +which merely lays down rules for the direction of the privileged robber +in the distribution of the booty of any newly discovered country. With +reference to the particular case in question, the murder of Master +Hawson, it appears from Dr. Harvey's report (already quoted), that in +addition to any incentives, such as I have described, as likely to arise +in the minds of the natives, there had been the still greater provocation +of their having been fired at, but a short time previously, from the same +station, and by the murdered boy's brother. We may well pause, therefore, +ere we hastily condemn, or unjustly punish, in cases where the +circumstances connected with their occurrence, can only be brought before +us in a partial and imperfect manner. + +The 7th was spent in preparing my despatches for Adelaide. On the 8th I +sent in a dray to Port Lincoln, with Mr. Scott's luggage, and those +things that were to be sent to Adelaide, comprising all the specimens of +geology and botany we had collected, a rough chart of our route, and the +despatches and letters which I had written. The boat was not ready at the +time appointed, and Mr. Scott returned to the tents. In the evening, +however, he again went to the settlement, and about ten, P.M., he, and +the man who was to manage the boat, went on board to sail for Adelaide. I +had been taken very ill during the day, and was unable to accompany him +to the place of embarkation. The following is a copy of my despatch to +the Governor, and to the Chairman of the Northern Expedition Committee, +embodying my reasons for going to the westward. + + +"Port Lincoln, October, 1840. + +"Sir,--Having fallen back upon Port Lincoln for supplies, an opportunity +has occurred to me of writing a brief and hurried report of our +proceedings. I have, therefore, the honour to acquaint you, for the +information of His Excellency, the Governor, and the colonists interested +in the Northern Expedition, with the result of my examination of the +country north of Spencer's Gulf, and of the further steps I contemplate +taking to endeavour to carry out the wishes of the Committee, and +accomplish the object for which the expedition was fitted out. + +"Upon leaving our depot, near Mount Arden, the low, arid, and sandy +nature of the country between the hills and Lake Torrens, compelled us to +follow close under the continuation of Flinders range. Here our progress +was necessarily very slow, from the rugged nature of the country, the +scarcity of water, and the great difficulty both of finding and obtaining +access to it. As we advanced, the hills inclined considerably to the +eastward, gradually becoming less elevated, until, in latitude 29 degrees +20 minutes S., they ceased altogether, and we found ourselves in a very +low and level country, consisting of large stony plains, varied +occasionally by sand; and the whole having evidently been subject to +recent and extensive inundation. These plains are destitute of water, +grass, and timber, and have only a few salsolaceous plants growing upon +them; whilst their surface, whether stony or sandy, is quite smooth and +even, as if washed so by the action of the water. Throughout this level +tract of country were interspersed, in various directions, many small +flat-topped elevations, varying in height from 50 to 300 feet, and almost +invariably exhibiting precipitous banks. These elevations are composed +almost wholly of a chalky substance, coated over on the upper surface by +stones, or a sandy soil, and present the appearance of having formed a +table land that has been washed to pieces by the violent action of water, +and of which these fragments now only remain. Upon forcing a way through +this dreary region, in three different directions, I found that the whole +of the low country round the termination of Flinders range, was +completely surrounded by Lake Torrens, which, commencing not far from the +head of Spencer's Gulf, takes a circuitous course of fully 400 miles, of +an apparent breadth of from twenty to thirty miles, following the sweep +of Flinders range, and almost encircling it in the form of a horse shoe. + +"The greater part of the vast area contained in the bed of this immense +lake, is certainly dry on the surface, and consists of a mixture of sand +and mud, of so soft and yielding a character, as to render perfectly +ineffective all attempts either to cross it, or reach the edge of the +water, which appears to exist at a distance of some miles from the outer +margin. On one occasion only was I able to taste of its waters; in a +small arm of the lake near the most north-westerly part of it, which I +visited, and here the water was as salt as the sea. The lake on its +eastern and southern sides, is bounded by a high sandy ridge, with +salsolae and some brushwood growing upon it, but without any other +vegetation. The other shores presented, as far as I could judge, a very +similar appearance; and when I ascended several of the heights in +Flinders range--from which the views were very extensive, and the +opposite shores of the lake seemed to be distinctly visible--no rise or +hill of any kind could ever be perceived, either to the west, the north, +on the east; the whole region around appeared to be one vast, low, and +dreary waste. One very high and prominent summit in this range, I have +named Mount Serle; it is situated in 30 degrees 30 minutes south +latitude, and about 139 degrees 10 minutes east longitude, and is the +first point from which I obtained a view of Lake Torrens to the eastward +of Flinders range, and discovered that I was hemmed in on every side by a +barrier it was impossible to pass. I had now no alternative left me, but +to conduct my party back to Mount Arden, and then decide what steps I +should adopt to carry out the objects of the expedition. It was evident, +that to avoid Lake Torrens, and the low desert by which it is surrounded, +I must go very far either to the east or to the west before again +attempting to penetrate to the north. + +"My party had already been upwards of three months absent from Adelaide, +and our provisions were too much reduced to admit of our renewing the +expedition in either direction, without first obtaining additional +supplies. The two following were therefore the only plans which appeared +feasible to me, or likely to promote the intentions of the colonists, and +effect the examination of the northern interior:-- + +"First--To move my party to the southward, to endeavour to procure +supplies from the nearest stations north of Adelaide, and then, by +crossing to the Darling, to trace that river up until I found high land +leading to the north-west. + +"Secondly--To cross over to Streaky Bay, send from thence to Port Lincoln +for supplies, and then follow the line of coast to the westward, until I +met with a tract of country practicable to the north. To the first of +these plans were many objections; amongst the principal ones, were, the +very unfavourable accounts given both by Captain Sturt, and Major +Mitchell, of the country to the west of the Darling River--the fact of +Captain Sturt's having found the waters of that river salt during a +continued ride of many days--the numerous tribes of natives likely to be +met with, and the very small party I should have with me; lastly, the +course of the river itself, which trending so much to the eastward, would +take us from, rather than towards the centre of this Continent. On the +other hand, by crossing to the westward, I should have to encounter a +country which I knew to be all but destitute of water, and to consist, +for a very great distance, of barren sandy ridges and low lands, covered +by an almost impenetrable scrub, at a season, too, when but little rain +could be expected, and the heat would, in all probability, be intense; +still, of the two, the latter appeared to me the least objectionable, as +we should at least be going towards the point we wished to reach, and +through a country as yet quite unknown. + +"After mature and anxious consideration, therefore, I decided upon +adopting it, hoping that my decision may meet with the approbation of the +Committee. + +"Previous to our arrival at Mount Arden, we experienced very showery +weather for some days, (otherwise we could not have attempted a passage +to the westward); and as there were no longer any apprehensions of water +being found on the route to Streaky Bay, I sent two of my teams across +upon our old tracks, in charge of my overseer, whilst I conducted the +third myself, in company with Mr. Scott, direct to Port Lincoln, to +procure the supplies we required. In crossing from Mount Arden, towards +Port Lincoln, we travelled generally through a low barren country, +densely covered by brush, among which were scattered, at considerable +intervals, a few small patches of grass, with here and there some rocky +elevations; in the latter, we were usually able to procure water for +ourselves and horses, until we arrived at the districts already explored, +in traversing which we passed (to the N. E. of Port Lincoln) some rich, +well watered valleys, bounded by a considerable extent of grassy hills, +well adopted for sheep or cattle, arriving at Port Lincoln on the 3rd of +October. As a line of route from Adelaide for the emigration of stock, +the course we followed, though it cannot be called a good one, is +perfectly practicable in the winter season; and I have no doubt, when the +country becomes better known, the present track might be considerably +improved upon, and both grass and water obtained in greater abundance. + +"I regret extremely to acquaint you, that on the morning of the 9th +September, one of the police horses (called "Grey Paddy") kindly lent to +the Expedition by His Excellency the Governor, was found with his leg +broken, apparently from the kick of another horse during the night, and I +was obliged to order him to be shot in consequence. With this exception, +no serious accident has occurred, and the whole of the party are in the +enjoyment of good health and spirits. As the Expedition will still be +absent, in all probability, upwards of five months, I have availed myself +of a kind offer from Dr. Harvey, to send his boat over to Adelaide, and +have sent Mr. Scott to receive any instructions his Excellency the +Governor, or the Committee, may wish to give relative to our future +proceedings; and immediately Mr. S. returns, I shall hurry up to Streaky +Bay with the supplies, and at once move on to the westward, my overseer +being now engaged in preparing for our forcing a passage through the +scrub, to the north-west of Streaky Bay, as soon as we arrive there with +the remainder of the party. + +"I have the honour to be, Sir, +"Your obedient servant, +"EDW. JOHN EYRE." + +"The Chairman of the Committee for promoting the Northern Expedition." + + +From the 9th to the 22nd of October, I was occupied a good deal at the +camp, having only one man and a native boy to attend to the tent, the +horses and the sheep, so that I was in a great measure confined at home, +occasionally only making short excursions to the town to superintend the +preparation of a large supply of horse-shoes, or visiting the stations of +some of the nearest country settlers. I had lately bought a kangaroo dog, +from the captain of an American whaler, and in these rambles had frequent +opportunities of trying my new purchase, both after emus and kangaroos, +but he was quite useless for hunting either, and did little credit to the +honesty of the person who sold him to me, and who had asked and received +a high price, in consideration of the animal being, as he assured me, of +a better description than ordinary. Of the natives of the district I saw +nothing whatever; the death of young Hawson, and the subsequent scouring +of the country by police, had driven them away from the occupied parts, +and forced them to the fastnesses of the hills, or to the scrubs; I was, +however, enabled by the kindness of Mr. Schurman, a German Missionary, +stationed at Port Lincoln, to obtain a limited collection of words and +phrases in the dialect of the district, and which I hoped might be of +some use to me hereafter. Mr. Schurman has since published a copious +vocabulary and grammar, of the language in use in this part of Australia. + +On the 22nd, upon going into the settlement, I found the Government +cutter WATERWITCH at anchor in the harbour, having Mr. Scott on board, +and a most abundant supply of stores and provisions, liberally sent us by +his Excellency the Governor, who had also most kindly placed the cutter +at my disposal, to accompany and co-operate with me along the coast to +the westward. + +Mr. Scott had managed every thing confided to him most admirably; and I +felt very greatly indebted to him for the ready and enterprising manner +in which he had volunteered, to undertake a voyage from Port Lincoln to +Adelaide in a small open boat, and the successful manner in which he had +accomplished it. Among other commissions, I had requested him to bring me +another man to accompany the expedition in the place of the one (R. +M'Robert) who had driven the dray to Port Lincoln, and with whom I was +going to part; as also to bring for me a native, named Wylie, an +aborigine, from King George's Sound, whom I had taken with me to Adelaide +on my return in May last, but who had been too ill to accompany me at the +time the expedition started; the latter he had not been able to +accomplish, as the boy was in the country when he reached Adelaide, and +there was not time to get him down before the WATERWITCH sailed. The man, +however, he had procured, and I was glad to recognize in him an old +servant, who had been with me in several of my former expeditions, and +who was a most excellent carter and tent servant. His name was Thomas +Costelow. + +Having received large packets of papers and many letters, both from +relations in England, and from many warm-hearted friends in Adelaide, I +returned with Mr. Scott and Costelow to the tent, to make immediate +preparations for our departure. The delay, occasioned by my having been +obliged to send to Adelaide for our supplies, had so greatly protracted +the period of my absence from the rest of my party, beyond what I had +anticipated, that I became most anxious to rejoin them: the summer +weather too, was rapidly approaching, and I dreaded the task of forcing a +way through the low level scrubby waste, around Streaky and Smoky Bays, +under a tropical sun. + +From the despatches received, I was glad to find that the Governor and +the Colonists had approved of the step I had taken, in moving to the +westward, which was gratifying and satisfactory, notwithstanding the +disappointments I had experienced. In the course of the day, I sent in a +dray to Port Lincoln, with our heavy baggage to put on board the cutter, +with orders to Mr. Germain the master, to sail immediately for Streaky +Bay, and lose no time in communicating with the party there. Before the +cutter sailed, I purchased an excellent little boat to be sent with her +for use in our coast or inland explorations, should it be found +necessary. + +October 23.--The blacksmith not having finished all the shoes, I was +compelled to remain another day in camp; the man too, who had been left +in charge of the sheep had lost them all; whilst the one, therefore, was +finishing his work and the other looking for his sheep, I employed myself +in writing letters for Adelaide, and in arranging my business in Port +Lincoln, etc. + +October 24.--Having struck the tent, and loaded the dray, Mr. Scott and I +rode into town to breakfast with Dr. Harvey, and take leave of our Port +Lincoln friends. After transacting business matters, I settled with the +man who was going to leave me, deducting the price of the sheep which by +his carelessness he had lost, and which had not been recovered; I then +paid Dr. Harvey for the hire of his boat, etc. and in arranging for it, he +generously refused to receive more than 5 pounds as his boat had not been +used in the return voyage from Adelaide. He also most kindly supplied us +with some few small things, which we yet required, and was altogether +most attentive and courteous. + +Upon returning to our camp, I moved on the party, delighted once more +with the prospect of being actively employed. Whilst I conducted the +dray, I sent Mr. Scott round by Mr. Brown's station, to buy eleven more +sheep in the place of those M'Robert had lost, and at night he rejoined +us with them near Mr. White's station, about ten miles from Port Lincoln; +it was late before the sheep came, and the yard to put them in was made, +and as there were so few of them, they were a good deal alarmed and would +not go into the yard, rushing about violently, breaking away every time +we drove them near it; at last we got ten safely housed, and were obliged +to put up with the loss of the eleventh, the night being quite dark. + +Mr. White and Mr. Poole visited us from their station, and I tried to +purchase from the former a noble dog that he possessed, of the mastiff +breed, but could not prevail upon him to part with it. + +On the 25th I detained the party in camp, that I might get our sheep +shorn, and send to Port Lincoln to inquire if there were any more letters +for me by Dr. Harvey's little boat, which was expected to arrive to-day. +Mr. Scott, who rode into the settlement, returned in the afternoon. + +October 26.--Sending the dray on under the guidance of the native boy, I +rode with Mr. Scott up to Mr. White's station to wish him good bye, and +to make another effort to secure an additional dog or two; finding that +he would not sell the noble mastiff I so much wished to have, I bought +from him two good kangaroo dogs, at rather a high price, with which I +hastened on after the drays, and soon overtook them, but not before my +new dogs had secured two fine kangaroos. For the first few miles we +crossed a low flat country, which afterwards became undulating and +covered with dwarf scrub, after this we passed over barren ridges for +about three miles, with quartz lying exposed on the surface and timbered +by the bastard gum or forest casuarinae. We then descended to a level +sandy region, clothed with small brush, and having very many salt lakes +scattered over its surface; around the hollows in which these waters were +collected, and occasionally around basins that were now dry, we found +large trees of the gum, together with a few casuarinae. A very similar +kind of low country appeared to extend far to the eastward and +north-west. + +Kangaroos were very numerous, especially near those hollows, that were +surrounded by gum-trees, to which they retired for shelter during the +heat of the day. We encamped at night in the midst of many of these salt +lakes, without any water, but the grass was good. Our stage had been 25 +miles upon a course of N. 25 degrees W. After watching the horses for a +few hours, we tied them up for the night, not daring to trust them loose +without water. A few natives had been seen during the day, but they ran +away. + +A singular feature attending the salt lakes, or the hollows where water +had formerly lodged, was the existence of innumerable small stones, +resembling biscuits or cakes in shape, perfectly circular and flat, but a +little convexed in the upper surface, they were of various sizes, and +appeared to consist of lime, being formed into their present shape by the +action of water. Very similar ones have since been found in the volcanic +region near Mount Gambier, on the southern coast of New Holland. From our +present camp were seen before us to the north-west some low green looking +ranges, lightly timbered, and promising a better country than we had +hitherto met with. + +October 27.--Having arrived at the hills, in about three miles, we found +them abundantly grassed, but very rugged and rocky, of an oolitic +limestone formation, with occasionally a light reddish soil covering the +rock in the flats and valleys. Between these ranges and the sea, which +was about a mile beyond them, were rather high sand hills, having a few +stunted trees growing upon them, but otherwise destitute of vegetation. +No water could be found, nor were there any watercourses from the hills, +where we examined them. + +Keeping under the east side of the ranges for a few miles, we crossed the +main ridge to the westward, and after a stage of about thirteen miles, +halted under a high hill, which I named Mount Hope, in my former journey. +In a gorge of the range where the granite cropped out among the +limestone, we found a spring of beautiful water, and encamped for the +day. Mr. Scott and one of the native boys shot several pigeons, which +came to the spring to drink in the evening in great numbers. In the +meantime I had ascended the hill for a view, and to take angles. At a +bearing of W. S. W. I set Point Drummond only a few miles distant from +the camp, and between it and a bearing of S. W. was a considerable salt +water lagoon on the eastern side of the sand hills of the coast; the +surrounding country was low, level and scrubby. To the westward a great +extent of dense scrub was visible, amid which were one or two elevations; +and a salt lake, at a bearing of S. 60 degrees E. I made the latitude of +this camp 34 degrees 7 minutes 16 seconds S. and the variation of the +compass 4 degrees 10 minutes E. + +October 28.--Travelling onwards for four miles, we passed a fine spring, +situated in a swamp to our left, and at two more we came to a sheet of +water, named Lake Hamilton, [Note 15: After my friend George Hamilton, +Esq.] a large and apparently deep lake, with but a few hundred yards +of a steep high bank, intervening between it and the sea; the +latter was rapidly encroaching upon this barrier, and would probably +in the course of a few years more force a way through, and lay +under water a considerable extent of low country in that vicinity. Around +the margin of the lake was abundance of good grass, but the bank between +it and the sea was high and very rocky. + +After leaving the lake we entered upon a succession of low grassy hills +but most dreadfully stony, and at night encamped upon a swamp, after a +stage of about sixteen miles. Here we procured abundance of good water by +digging through the limestone crust, near the surface. The country around +was still of the same character as before, but amidst the never-ceasing +strata of limestone which everywhere protruded, were innumerable large +wombat holes--yet strange to say not one of these was tenanted. The whole +fraternity of these animals appeared to have been cut off altogether in +some unaccountable manner, or to have migrated simultaneously to some +other part. No emus or kangaroos were to be seen anywhere, and the whole +region around wore a singularly wild and deserted aspect. + +October 29.--Our route was again over low stony hills, but with rather +better valleys between them; this kind of country appeared to extend from +five to twelve miles inland from the coast, and then commenced the low +level waste of barren scrubby land, which we so constantly saw to the +eastward of us. + +I had intended to make a short stage to-day to a spring, situated in the +midst of a swamp, in latitude 33 degrees 46 minutes 35 seconds S., but +having kept rather too far away from the coast, I missed it, and had to +push on for twenty-three miles to a rich and very pretty valley, under a +grassy range, lightly wooded with casuarinae. The soil was somewhat +sandy, but clothed with vegetation; in holes in the rocks we procured +abundance of water from a little valley near our camp, and in a swamp +about a mile and a half north-east was a spring. Our stage was a long +one, and the day being excessively hot, our horses, sheep, and dogs were +nearly all knocked up. Of the latter two were unfortunately missing when +we arrived at our halting ground; one came up afterwards, but the other +could nowhere be found, though both had been seen not two miles away. The +missing dog [Note 16 at end of para.], was the best of the two which I had +purchased of Mr. White, and I felt sorry for a loss which it would be +impossible for me to replace. Many native fires were seen to-day, and +especially in the direction of a high bare-looking detached range to the +north-east, named by me from its shape, Mount Wedge; none of these people +were, however, seen, but a fire still burning was found where we encamped +for the night. + +[Note 16: Upon returning to Adelaide in 1841, I learnt that the dog had +gone back all the way to Mr. White's station, and as Mr. White wished to +keep the animal, he returned the money he had received at his sale.] + +On the 30th we remained stationary to rest the horses, and to try and +recover the lost dog, but after a long and fruitless search, we were +obliged to give up the attempt. + +On the 31st, after crossing a ridge under which we were encamped, we +passed through a very pretty grassy and park-like country, and what was +very unusual, not stony on the surface. There were in places a great many +wombat holes, but these were now all occupied by their tenants, and the +whole aspect of the country was more encouraging and cheerful; the extent +of good country was, however, very limited. Towards the coast was a low +scrubby-looking region with salt lakes, and to the east it was bounded by +a dense brush, beyond which were extensive plains of a barren and scrubby +appearance. In the midst of these plains were large fields of a coarse +wiry-kind of grass, growing in enormous tufts, five or six feet high, and +indicating the places where swamps exist in wet seasons; these were now +quite dry, but we had always found the same coarse-tufted grass growing +around the margins of the salt lakes, and in those places also where we +had found water. This description of country seemed to extend to the base +of Wedge Hill, which I intended to have ascended, but the weather was too +cloudy to obtain a view from it. The character of the country to the +north and north-east was equally low and unpromising, with the exception +of two peaks seen at considerable distances apart. + +Our stage to-day was sixteen miles to Lake Newland, [Note 17: Named after +my friend R. F. Newland, Esq.] a large salt-water lake, with numerous +fine and strong springs of excellent water, bubbling up almost +in the midst of the salt. In one place one of these springs was +surrounded by a narrow strip of soil, and the stream emanating from it +took its winding course through the skirts of the salt-water lake itself, +inclosed by a very narrow bank of earth, on either side; this slight +barrier being the only division between the salt and the fresh water. +From the abundance of fresh water at Lake Newland, and the many patches +of tolerably grassy country around, a very fair station might be formed, +either for sheep or cattle. + +November 1.--Leaving Lake Newland we passed through a scrubby country, +which extended close under the coast hummocks for five miles, and then +ascended a high barren range. The view from this was extensive, but only +over a mass of low and desolate scrub, with the exception of one or two +elevations to the north and north-east. Towards the coast, amidst the +waste around, was a large sheet of salt water, with here and there a few +openings near it, studded with casuarinae, to this we bent our steps, and +at twelve miles from our last night's camp took up our position in lat. +33 degrees 14 minutes 36 seconds S. upon the lagoon seen by Flinders from +the masthead. + +The traces of natives and their beaten pathways were here very numerous +(of the latter of which there could not be less than thirty) all leading +to a large deep hole, sunk about eight feet, principally through a soft +limestone rock. This was carefully blocked up with large stones and mud, +but upon clearing it out the water came bubbling up rapidly, and we got +an abundant supply. The entrance from seawards to the sheet of water, or +lagoon, is between two heads, (one of them being a high bluff) little +more than a mile apart. There appeared to be a reef off the entrance +outside, but our being without a boat prevented us from ascertaining how +far this inlet was adapted for a harbour. Inside, the water is shallow +towards the south, but deeper in the northern half of the inlet. + +November 2.--Tracing round the shores, we passed several other holes dug +by the natives in the sand, to procure water; these, however, did not +appear of so permanent a character as the first, for many had fallen in, +and others contained but very little water. The huts of the natives were +numerous, and of a large and substantial description; but we saw none of +their owners. + +After leaving the inlet we pushed on through the scrub to a high bluff of +granitic formation, distant about sixteen miles N. 35 degrees W., and +named by me Mount Hall. [Note 18: After G. Hall, Esq. the Governor's +Private Secretary.] The road being very heavy, it was late when we arrived +there, and both our horses and sheep were much fatigued. We got a +little water from holes in the sheets of granite, and had very good +grass in an opening under the hill. + +From the summit of Mount Hall the view was extensive, and I obtained many +angles. The surrounding country was low, level, and barren, and densely +covered with scrub, among which, to the north-west were seen many +salt-water lakes. At intervals a few elevations were seen amidst this low +waste, apparently similar to the hill we were upon, among them were one +or two very distant at a little N. of E., and nearer, one at E. 16 +degrees N.; the latter I named Mount Cooper. [Note 19: After Charles +Cooper, Esq. the Judge of the colony.] At a bearing of S. 35 degrees W. +another saltwater inlet was seen apparently communicating with the sea; +but this we could not satisfactorily ascertain from its great +distance. The latitude of Mount Hall, deduced from observations of a +Lyrae and a Aquilae, was 33 degrees 2 minutes 40 seconds S. Several +native fires were seen to the east and south-east in the scrub. + +November 3.--After seeing the party ready tomove on, I left Mr. Scott to +conduct the dray, whilst I rode forward in advance to the depot near +Streaky Bay, where I arrived early in the afternoon, and was delighted to +find the party all well, and everything going on prosperously. They had +expected me some time before and were looking out very anxiously for my +arrival. The WATERWITCH had arrived on the 29th of October, but the +master did not communicate with my party before the 31st; so that until +the last three days they had been quite ignorant of our movements, and +uneasy at our so greatly exceeding the time originally fixed for +rejoining them. Having sent back a man, and two fresh and strong horses +to assist the dray, I reconnoitred once more our depot of 1839. Situated +in the middle of some extensive grassy openings among the scrub, is a +solid sheet of limestone of a very hard texture: in the centre of this +rock is a small oblong opening, a foot deep and only just large enough to +admit of a pint pot being dipped in it. This curious little hole +contained water from five to seven inches in depth, the level of which +was maintained as rapidly as a person could bale it out; this was our +sole supply for ourselves and horses, but it was a never-failing one. + +[Note 20: The water had not a pleasant flavour, as it was of a chalybeate +nature; but in a country where water was scarce, it was invaluable. When I +was here in 1839, it had even then this disagreeable taste, but now it was +much worse, in consequence, probably, of the contaminating substance +being washed off more abundantly than formerly from the rocks enclosing +the reservoir by the rapid flow of water necessary to replace the large +consumption of my party.] + +The spring is situated in latitude 32 degrees 49 minutes 0 seconds S. and +about three miles south-east from the most southerly bight of Streaky +Bay. About one mile and a half to the west is another small hole of +better flavoured water, but not so abundant in its supply. + +I found all the horses in excellent condition, and one, a very fine mare +of my own, had foaled about six weeks before. Around the camp were +immense piles of oyster shells, pretty plainly indicating the feasting my +men had enjoyed during my absence, whilst their strong and healthy +appearance shewed how well such fare had agreed with them. The oysters +were procured from the most southerly bight of Streaky Bay, on some mud +banks about two or three hundred yards below low water mark, where they +are found in immense numbers and of different sizes. The flavour of these +oysters was excellent, and the smaller ones were of great delicacy. The +men were in the habit of taking a cart down to the beach frequently, +where, by wading up to their knees in the sea at low water, they were +enabled to fill it. This supply lasted for two or three days. + +Many drays might easily be loaded, one after the other, from these oyster +beds. The natives of the district do not appear to eat them, for I never +could find a single shell at any of their encampments. It is difficult to +account for the taste or prejudice of the native, which guides him in his +selection or rejection of particular kinds of food. What is eaten readily +by the natives in one part of Australia is left untouched by them in +another, thus the oyster is eaten at Sydney, and I believe King George's +Sound, but not at Streaky Bay. The unio or freshwater muscle is eaten in +great numbers by all the natives of New South Wales and South Australia; +but Captain Grey found that a Perth native, who accompanied him on one of +his expeditions, would not touch this kind of food even when almost +starving. Snakes are eaten by some tribes, but not by others; and so with +many other kinds of food which they make use of. + +About three o'clock, Mr. Scott arrived with the dray, after a long and +harassing stage of twenty miles over a low, stony, and scrubby tract of +country, between Mount Hall and Streaky Bay, and which extended beyond +our track to the coast hummocks to the west. These latter appeared +somewhat high, and under them we had seen many salt-water lakes from the +summit of Mount Hall. + +My party were now once more all assembled together, after having been +separated for nearly seven weeks; during which, neither division knew +what had befallen the other, and both were necessarily anxious to be +reunited again, since, in the event of any mischance occurring to either, +the other would have been placed in circumstances of much difficulty, if +not of danger; and the whole object of the undertaking would have been +frustrated. + +The great delay caused by my having been obliged to send over from Port +Lincoln to Adelaide for supplies, had thrown us very late in the season; +the summer was rapidly advancing, the weather even now, being frequently +intensely hot, whilst the grass was gradually drying up and losing its +nourishment. Our sending to Adelaide had, however, obtained for us the +valuable services of the WATERWITCH to assist us in tracing round the +desert line of coast to the north-west, and had enabled us to procure a +larger and more varied supply of stores, than we could possibly have +brought up from Port Lincoln in a single dray. We were now amply +furnished with conveniences of every kind; and both men and horses were +in good plight and ready to enter upon the task before them. + + + + +Chapter X. + + + +COUNTRY BETWEEN STREAKY BAY AND BAXTER'S RANGE--ITS SCRUBBY +CHARACTER--GAWLER RANGE--MOUNT STURT--ASCEND A PEAK--SALT +LAKES--BEAUTIFUL FLOWER--ASCEND ANOTHER HILL--MOUNT BROWN SEEN--EXTENSIVE +VIEW TO THE NORTH--LAKE GILLES--BAXTER'S RANGE. + + +During the time that I had been occupied in conducting my division of the +party from Baxter's Range to Port Lincoln, the overseer had been engaged +in guiding the other portion across to Streaky Bay, upon my former track +from thence to Mount Arden, in September 1839. The following brief +extracts from my Journal of that period, whilst crossing from Streaky Bay +to Mount Arden, will convey an idea of the character of the country +extending between these two points; and of the great difficulty, indeed +almost the impossibility of forcing a passage, except immediately after +the occurrence of heavy rains. + +1839, Sept. 18.--We left the depot near Streaky Bay, at a course nearly +due east, and passing through alternations of brush and of open grassy +plains, upon the skirts of which grew a few casuarinae; halted after a +stage of eighteen miles, at an opening in the brush, where we had good +grass, but no water; we were consequently obliged to watch the horses +during the night, to prevent their straying. From this camp Mount Hall +bore S. 2 degrees E. and Mount Cooper S. E. the variation of the compass +being 2 degrees 22 minutes E. + +September 19.--Travelling east through the same kind of country for +fifteen miles, we halted upon a high scrubby ridge; having a few grassy +openings at intervals, and with large sheets of granite exposed in some +parts of its surface. In the holes among these rocks we procured a supply +of water that had been deposited by the late rains; but which a few warm +days would have dried up. The latitude of the water was 32 degrees 48 +minutes S. and from it Mount Hall bore S. 38 degrees W., Mount Cooper S. +15 degrees W. Before us to the north-east were visible many peaks of a +range, with a high and broken outline, which I named the Gawler range, +after His Excellency Colonel Gawler, the Governor of South Australia. One +very high peak in this range I named Mount Sturt, after my friend Captain +Sturt; it bore from our present camp E. 10 degrees N. and had been +previously seen from the summit of Mount Hall. + +September 20.--Our route to-day was through a perfect desert, very +scrubby and stony, with much prickly grass growing upon the sand ridges, +which alternated with the hard limestone flats; there were very few clear +intervals of country upon our whole course; and for the last five miles +the heavy sand and dense scrub made it very difficult to get on at all. +After a long stage of twenty-five miles nearly due east, we halted at a +high ridge similar to that upon which we encamped last night, with sheets +of granite exposed on its surface, and rain water lodged in the hollows. +The horses were all completely knocked up with the severe labour of this +day's stage; I ascertained the latitude of the camp to be 32 degrees 47 +minutes 40 seconds S. and the variation of the compass which increased as +we advanced to the eastward, was now 4 degrees 12 minutes E. The Gawler +range was now distinctly visible, extending from N. 15 degrees W. to N. +65 degrees E. and presenting the broken and picturesque outline of a vast +mountain mass rising abruptly out of the low scrubby country around. The +principal elevations in this extensive range, could not be less than two +thousand feet; and they appeared to increase in height as the range +trended to the north-west. To the eastward the ranges decreased somewhat +in elevation, but were still very lofty. + +September 21.--We had another long stage to-day of twenty miles, over, if +possible, a worse road than yesterday, no intermission whatever of the +heavy steep sandy ridges and dense eucalyptus scrub; the horses were +dreadfully jaded, and we were obliged to relieve them by yoking up all +the riding horses that would draw. Even with this aid we did not get the +journey over until an hour and a half after dark. During the day our +course had been more to the northward of east, and brought us close under +the Gawler range. At fourteen miles after starting, we passed a salt lake +on our right, and several salt ponds on our left; but we could find no +permanent fresh water anywhere. In the rocks of the range we had encamped +under, we procured a small quantity left by the rains, but this supply +was rapidly disappearing under the rays of a very hot sun, and had we +been a few days later, we could not have crossed at all. The latitude of +our camp was 32 degrees 41 minutes 40 seconds S. + +September 22.--This morning I ascended one of the heights in the Gawler +range, from which the view is extensive to the southward, over a +generally low level country, with occasional elevations at intervals; to +the north the view is obstructed by the Gawler range, consisting +apparently of a succession of detached ridges high and rocky, and +entirely of a porphoritic granite lying in huge bare masses upon the +surface. The hills [Note 21 at end of para.] were without either timber or +shrubs, and very barren, with their front slopes exceedingly steep, and +covered by small loose stones; several salt lakes were seen in various +directions, but no indications of fresh water or springs. + +[Note 21: Peron's description of the mountains on the South-western coast, +is singularly applicable to the Gawler range--He says, Tom. III. p. 233. +"Sur ces montagnes pelees on ne voit pas un arbre, pas un arbriseau, pas +un arbuste; rien, en un mot, qui puisse faire souponner l'existence de +queque terre vegetale. La durete du roc paroit braver ici tous les +efforts de la nature, et resister a ces memes moyens de decomposition qu' +elle emploie ailleurs avec tant de succes."] + +It was late before the party moved on to-day, but the road was somewhat +better, and there were many intervals of open grassy plains under the +hills along which we travelled, at a course of E. 17 degrees N. for +twenty-five miles. Encamping at night with tolerable grass, but without +water. There had been a considerable pool of rain water here a few days +ago, but it was now nearly dried up by the sun, and I was obliged to +order the horses to be watched during the night. + +To-day I found a most splendid creeping plant in flower, growing in +between the ranges, it was quite new to me, and very beautiful; the leaf +was like that of the vetch but larger, the flower bright scarlet, with a +rich purple centre, shaped like a half globe with the convex side +outwards; it was winged, and something like a sweet pea in shape, the +flowers hung pendent upon long slender stalks, very similar to those of +sweet peas, and in the greatest profusion; altogether it was one of the +prettiest and richest looking flowers I have seen in Australia. + +September 23.--Moving on over a firm road, but with much scrub and +prickly grass, we travelled for fifteen miles under the hills at a course +of E. 20 degrees N., encamping early in the afternoon close under them, +and procuring a little water left in the hollows by the rains. I ascended +another of the heights in the Gawler range to-day, but could obtain no +clear view from it, the weather being hazy. Ridge behind ridge still +appeared to rise to the north, beyond the front one under which we were +travelling; and several salt lakes were seen among the hills at +intervals. The rock of which the hills were composed was now changed from +a porphoritic granite to a reddish quartz, which was scattered all over +the front hills in loose small fragments. The latitude of our camp was 32 +degrees 30 minutes 35 seconds S. + +September 24.--Our road was firmer to-day, over a red gritty soil of +sandy loam and gravel. The hills were still covered with quartz, but +decreasing perceptibly in elevation as we advanced to the east. At about +eight miles we were lucky enough to find a puddle of rain water, and at +once halted for the day to rest and refresh the horses. Having ascended a +high peak near the camp, I found I was surrounded by a mass of hills on +every side; they gradually increased in elevation as they stretched to +the northwest, becoming lower at a bearing of north, and quite detached +to the north-east; resembling so many islands in the level waste around +them. + +September 25.--Moving from our camp early we had an excellent road, and +travelled rapidly for about twenty miles, nearly due east, halting for +the night under a high red hill, where we found some rain water for our +horses; but the grass was very scarce. After dinner I ascended the hill +near the camp and obtained a distant view of Mount Brown, and the range +on the east side of Spencer's Gulf. To the north was one vast sea of +level scrub, and in the midst of it a lake; but seemingly of no very +great size. A few elevations were seen to the south-east, of all of which +I took bearings, and then descended to the camp again. The bearing of +Mount Brown, from this hill, was E. 10 degrees S.; and the latitude of +the camp, under the hill, was 30 degrees 27 minutes 55 seconds S. + +September 26.--Passing up a barren valley between low hills, we had at +first a good road, but afterwards it became very stony. We encamped +early, after a short stage of fifteen miles, having gradually left most +of the hills to the north of us. One that we were encamped under I +ascended, and had a very extensive view, and took many angles. A large +lake (named Lake Gilles) [Note 22: After the first Colonial Treasurer of +the province.] bore nearly due south, and was the same that had been +seen from Baxter's range; the latter was now distinctly visible +at a bearing of E. 20 degrees S. The latitude of our camp was 32 degrees +35 minutes 58 seconds S. There was barely enough rain water found to +supply our horses, but the feed was tolerably good. + +September 27.--We had a very bad stony road to-day, consisting +principally of quartz and iron-stone, of which the ranges had latterly +been entirely composed. Our stage was sixteen miles, passing round the +south end of Baxter's range, and encamping under it, on the eastern +front, upon a gorge, in which was plenty of water and good grass. We had +thus, by taking advantage of the rains that had fallen, been enabled to +force a passage from Streaky Bay to Spencer's Gulf; but we had done so +with much difficulty, and had we been but a few days later, we should +have failed altogether, for though travelling for a great part of the +distance under very high rocky ranges, we never found a drop of permanent +fresh-water nor a single spring near them. There are no watercourses, and +no timber; all is barren rocky and naked in the extreme. The waters that +collected after rains, lodged in the basins of small lakes; but such was +the nature of the soil that these were invariably salt. + +It was through this dreary region I had left my overseer to take his +division of the party when we separated at Baxter's range; but I confided +the task to him with confidence. Rain had at that time fallen very +abundantly; he had already been over the road with me before, and knew +all the places where water or grass was likely to be found; and our +former dray tracks of 1839, which were still distinctly visible, would be +a sufficient guide to prevent his getting off the line of route. The +skill, judgment, and success with which the overseer conducted the task +assigned to him, fully justified the confidence I reposed in him; and +upon my rejoining the party at Streaky Bay, after an absence of seven +weeks, I was much gratified to find that neither the men, animals, or +equipment, were in the least degree the worse for their passage through +the desert. + + + + +Chapter XI. + + + +EMBARK STORES--PARTY LEAVE STREAKY BAY--DENSE SCRUE--POINT +BROWN--SINGULAR WELL--PROCESS OF CHANGE IN APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY--DIG FOR +WATER--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXTRAORDINARY RITE--NATIVE GUIDES--LEIPOA'S +NEST--DENIAL BAY--BEELIMAH GAIPPE--KANGAROO KILLED--MORE +NATIVES--BERINYANA GAIPPE--SALT LAKES--WADEMAR GAIPPE--SANDY AND SCRUBBY +COUNTRY--MOBEELA GAIPPE--DIFFICULTY OF GETTING WATER--MORE +NATIVES--GENUINE HOSPITALITY--SINGULAR MARKS ON THE ABDOMEN--NATIVES +LEAVE THE PARTY--FOWLER'S BAY--EXCELLENT WHALING STATION. + + +November 4.--To-DAY the party were occupied in sorting and packing +stores, which I intended to send on board the WATERWITCH to Fowler's Bay, +that by lightening the loads upon the drays, we might the more easily +force a passage through the dense scrub which I knew we had to pass +before we reached that point. In the afternoon the men were engaged in +shearing the remainder of our sheep, washing their own clothes and +preparing everything for breaking up the camp, whilst I rode down to +Streaky Bay, and went on board the cutter to give orders relative to the +reception of our stores tomorrow. + +The harbour of Streaky Bay is extensive, but generally open to the +westward. In its most southerly bight, however, is a secure well +sheltered bay, for vessels of moderate draught of water; being protected +by a long sandy shoal which must be rounded before a vessel can enter. + +[Note 23: A plan of this harbour was made by Mr. Cannan, one of the +Government assistant surveyors of South Australia, when sent by the +Government in a cutter to meet my party with provisions in 1839.] + +November 5.--To-day we were engaged in carting down the stores and a +supply of water to the cutter, which we got safely on board, when I gave +written instructions to the master to sail at once, and land a cask of +water, a little higher up the bay, for the use of the horses. In the +evening the drays were loaded and all got ready for our departure +to-morrow. + +November 6.--Having had the horses watched last night we were enabled to +move away early, and about noon arrived at the place I had appointed Mr. +Germain to land the cask of water: it was all ready, and we watered the +horses, took luncheon and moved on again, directing Mr. Germain to +proceed to Smoky Bay, and land water for us again there. The country we +passed through to-day was low, level, and sandy, and covered with prickly +grass, with a few tea-tree swamps, but no fresh water. The shore of +Streaky Bay on its western side was bounded by high steep sandy hummocks, +behind which we travelled, and at night halted on the borders of a dense +scrub, nearly opposite the middle of the bay, after a stage of about +eighteen miles. Our vicinity to the sea enabled Mr. Scott, myself, and +the native boys to enjoy a swim, a luxury highly appreciated by a +traveller after a day's hard work, amidst heat and dust, and one which I +anticipated we should frequently obtain in our course to the westward. + +November 7.--Breakfasted before daylight, and moved on with the earliest +dawn to encounter a scrub which I knew to be of heavier timber, and +growing more closely together than any we had yet attempted. It consisted +of Eucalyptus dumosa and the salt-water tea-tree, (the latter of a very +large growth and very dense,) in a heavy sandy soil. + +By keeping the axes constantly at work in advance of the drays, we +succeeded in slowly forcing a passage through this dreadful country, +emerging in about seventeen miles at an open plain behind Point Brown, +and in the midst of which was a well of water. The entrance to this well +was by a circular opening, through a solid sheet of limestone, about +fifteen inches in diameter, but enlarging a little about a foot below the +surface. The water was at a depth of ten feet, and so choked up with sand +and dirt that we were obliged to clear the hole out effectually before we +could get any for the horses. This was both a difficult and an unpleasant +occupation, as the man engaged in it had to lower himself through the +very narrow aperture at the top and work in a very cramped position +amongst the dirt and wet below, with the mud dripping upon him; it was +drawn up in a bag, for a bucket could not be used in so contracted a +space. As a spade could not be employed a large shell left by the natives +was used for scooping up the dirt, which made the operation both slow and +tiresome. Our horses were dreadfully fagged and very thirsty after the +severe toil they had endured in dragging the drays through so heavy a +scrub, but with all our exertions we could only obtain from the spring +about two buckets of water apiece for them. As this was not nearly enough +to satisfy them, I was obliged to have them watched for the night to +prevent their straying. The men had been kept incessantly at work from +five in the morning until nearly ten at night, and the additional duty of +watching the horses bore very hard upon them; but they knew it to be +necessary, and did it cheerfully. + +We had passed during our route through one or two of the small grassy +openings so constantly met with even in the densest scrubs, and, as +usual, I noticed upon these plains the remains of former scrub, where the +trees were apparently of a larger growth than those now existing around. +The soil too, from a loose sand, had become firmer and more united, and +wherever the scrub had disappeared its place had been supplied by grass. +This strongly confirmed my opinion, long ago formed, that those vast +level wastes in Australia, now covered with low scrub, (and formerly, I +imagine, the bed of the ocean,) are gradually undergoing a process of +amelioration which may one day fit them for the purposes of pasture or +agriculture. The smoke of many native fires was seen during the day +behind and around us, but we did not fall in with any of the natives. + +November 8.--Having given each of the horses a bucket of water from the +well, we moved on again through the same dense scrub we had encountered +yesterday, but, if possible, more harassing, from the increased steepness +of the sandy ridges and the quantity of dead timber lying on the surface, +and causing a great impediment to our progress. We forced our way through +this worse than desert region, for about fourteen miles, and arrived +early in the afternoon, with our horses quite exhausted, upon the shores +of Smoky Bay, at a point where the natives had dug a hole in the sand +hills near the beach to procure water, and from which the south end of +the island of St. Peter bore W. 15 degrees S. + +The WATERWITCH was already here, and supplied us with a cask of water, +until the men had dined and rested a little, before entering upon the +task of digging for water, which proved to be a most arduous undertaking, +and occupied us all the afternoon. We had to sink through a loose sand +for fifteen feet, which from its nature, added to the effect of a strong +wind that was blowing at the time, drifted in almost as fast as it was +thrown out. We were consequently obliged to make a very large opening +before we could get at the water at all; it was then very abundant, but +dreadfully salt, being little better than the sea water itself; the +horses and sheep however drank it greedily, as we had been able to give +them but little of that received from the vessel. + +November 9.--Upon mustering the horses this morning I found they were +looking so exhausted and jaded after the hard toil they had gone through +in the last three days, that I could not venture to put them to work +again to-day. I was consequently obliged to remain in camp, to rest both +them and the men, all of whom were much fatigued. The well in the sand +was even salter to-day than we had found it yesterday, and was quite +unserviceable; the men had sunk the hole rather too deep, that they might +get the water in greater abundance; but when the tide rose it flowed in +under the sand and spoiled the whole. As the water, even at the best, had +been so salt that we could not use it ourselves, and as it was far from +being wholesome for the horses, I did not think it worth while to give +the men the fatigue of digging another hole. I therefore put both horses +and men upon a limited allowance, and got a cask containing sixty gallons +from the cutter for our day's supply. I also took the opportunity of +again lightening our loads by sending on board some more of the baggage +and the light cart. This, by decreasing the number of our teams, would, I +thought, enable me to change the horses occasionally in the others, and +give me an extra man to assist in clearing a road through the scrub, +Having completed my arrangements, I sent on the WATERWITCH to the +north-east part of Denial Bay, to land water there, as I did not expect +to get any until our arrival at Point Peter. Mr. Scott accompanied the +cutter, having expressed a wish to take a trip in her for a few days. + +During the forenoon we were visited by a party of natives, who came to +get water at the hole in the sand. They were not much alarmed, and soon +became very friendly, remaining near us all night; from them I learned +that there was no water inland, and none along the coast for two days' +journey, after which we should come to plenty, at a place called by them +"Beelimah Gaip-pe;." Their language was nearly the same as that of Port +Lincoln, intermixed with a few words in use at King George's Sound, +and I now regretted greatly that I had not the Western Australian native +with me. + +I found a most singular custom prevailing among the natives of this part +of the country, which I had never found to exist anywhere else (except at +Port Lincoln), and the origin of which it would be most difficult to +account for. In various parts of Australia some of the tribes practise +the rite of circumcision, whilst others do not; but in the Port Lincoln +peninsula, and along the coast to the westward, the natives not only are +circumcised, but have in addition another most extraordinary ceremonial. +[Note 24: Finditus usque ad urethram a parte infera penis.] Among the party +of natives at the camp I examined many, and all had been operated upon. +The ceremony with them seemed to have taken place between the ages +of twelve and fourteen years, for several of the boys of that age +had recently undergone the operation, the wounds being still fresh +and inflamed. This extraordinary and inexplicable custom must have a +great tendency to prevent the rapid increase of the population; and its +adoption may perhaps be a wise ordination of Providence, for that +purpose, in a country of so desert and arid a character as that which +these people occupy. + +November 10.--Getting the party away about five o'clock this morning, I +persuaded one of the natives, named "Wilguldy," an intelligent cheerful +old man, to accompany us as a guide, and as an inducement, had him +mounted on a horse, to the great admiration and envy of his fellows, all +of whom followed us on foot, keeping up in a line with the dray through +the scrub, and procuring their food as they went along, which consisted +of snakes, lizards, guanas, bandicoots, rats, wallabies, etc. etc. and it +was surprising to see the apparent ease with which, in merely walking +across the country, they each procured an abundant supply for the day. + +In one place in the scrub we came to a large circular mound of sand, +about two feet high, and several yards in circumference; this they +immediately began to explore, carefully throwing away the sand with their +hands from the centre, until they had worked down to a deep narrow hole, +round the sides of which, and embedded in the sand, were four fine large +eggs of a delicate pink colour, and fully the size of a goose egg. I had +often seen these hills before, but did not know that they were nests, and +that they contained so valuable a prize to a traveller in the desert. The +eggs were presented to me by the natives, and when cooked were of a very +rich and delicate flavour. The nest was that of a wild pheasant, +(Leipoa), a bird of the size of a hen pheasant of England, and greatly +resembling it in appearance and plumage; these birds are very cautious +and shy, and run rapidly through the underwood, rarely flying unless when +closely pursued. The shell of the egg is thin and fragile, and the young +are hatched entirely by the heat of the sun, scratching their way out as +soon as they are born, at which time they are able to shift for +themselves. [Note 25: For a further account of the LEIPOA, vide +CHAPTER III. of Notes on the Aborigines.] + +Our road to-day was through a heavy sandy country, covered for the most +part densely with the eucalyptus and tea-tree. About eleven we struck the +south-east corner of Denial Bay, and proceeded on to the north-east, +where I had appointed the cutter to meet me. To my surprise she was not +to be seen anywhere, and I began to get anxious about our supply of water +for the horses, as we were entirely dependant upon her for it. In the +afternoon I observed the vessel rounding into the south-east bight of the +bay, and was obliged to send my overseer on horseback a long ride round +the bay, to tell the master to send us water to the place of our +encampment. He had been to the island of St. Peter yesterday looking for +birds' eggs, and having neglected to take advantage of a fair wind, was +not now able to get the cutter up to us. The water had consequently to be +brought in the boat a distance of eight miles through a heavy sea, and at +considerable risk. Mr. Scott, who came with the master in the boat, +returned on board again in the evening. Our stage to-day had been +eighteen miles, and the horses were both tired and thirsty. The small +supply of water brought us in the boat being insufficient for them, we +again were obliged to watch them at night. + +November 11.--Guided by our friend "Wilguldy," we cut off all the corners +and bends of the coast, and steering straight for "Beelimah Gaippe," +arrived there about noon, after a stage of twelve miles; the road +was harder and more open, but still in places we had to pass +through a very dense brush. The water to which the native took us was +procured by digging about four feet deep, in a swamp behind the coast +hummocks, which were here high and bare, and composed of white sand. The +water was abundant and good, and the grass tolerable, so that I +determined to remain a day to rest and recruit the horses; it was so +rarely that we had the opportunity of procuring both grass and water. The +dogs killed a kangaroo, which enabled us to give our guide an abundant +feast of food, to which he had been accustomed; but to do the old man +justice, I must say he was not very scrupulous about his diet, for he ate +readily of any thing that we offered him. + +After we had encamped some more natives came up and joined us from the +vicinity of Point Peter, which lay a few miles to the east of us; they +were known to those who had accompanied us, and were very friendly and +well conducted. To many inquiries about water inland, they all assured me +that there was none to be found in that direction; but said that there +was water further along the coast called "Berinyana gaippe," and only one +day's journey from our present encampment. + +November 12.--I sent the overseer this morning to communicate with the +cutter, and to request the master to fill up as much water as he could, +preparatory to our moving onwards to Fowler's Bay. In the evening the +overseer returned, accompanied by Mr. Scott, to acquaint me that the +water near Point Peter was a considerable distance from the vessel; and +that it would be impracticable to fill up all the casks, with no other +means than they had at command. + +I took the sun's altitude, at noon, for latitude; but the day was windy, +and the mercury shook so much that I could not depend upon the +observation within three or four miles. It gave nearly 32 degrees 10 +seconds S. which I thought too much to the northward. The sun set by +compass W. 24 1/2 degrees S. + +November 13.--Guided by the natives, we moved onward through a densely +scrubby country, and were again obliged to keep the men with axes +constantly at work, in advance of the drays to clear the road. Our +progress was necessarily slow, and the work very harassing to the horses; +fortunately the stage was not a very long one, and in fourteen miles we +reached "Berinyana gaippe," a small hole dug by the natives, amongst +the sand hummocks of the coast, a little north of Point Bell. +By enlarging this a little, we procured water in great abundance +and of excellent quality. Our course had been generally west by south; +and from our camp, the eastern extreme of Point Bell, bore S. 28 degrees +W., and the centre of the "Purdies Islands" E. 49 degrees S. + +November 14.--Upon moving on this morning, we were obliged to keep more +to the north to avoid some salt lakes and low swamps near the coast. The +natives still accompanied us through a very sandy and scrubby country to +a watering place among some sand hills, which they called +"Wademar gaippe." Here we encamped early, after a stage of ten miles, +and were enabled to procure abundance of good water, at a depth of about +four feet below the surface. + +There was a large sheet of salt water near our camp which seemed to be an +inlet of the sea, and after a hasty dinner I walked down to examine it. +The water generally appeared shallow, but in some places it was very +deep; after tracing it for five miles, and going round one end of it, I +found no junction with the sea, though the fragments of shells and other +marine remains, clearly shewed that there must have been a junction at no +very remote period. The sand hummocks between the lake and the sea being +very high, I ascended them to take bearings, and then returning to the +lake halted, with the black boy who had accompanied me, to bathe, and +rest ourselves. The weather was most intensely hot, and our walk had been +long and fatiguing, amongst sand hills under a noonday sun. We fully +appreciated the luxury of a swim, and especially as we were lucky enough +to find a hole of fresh water on the edge of the lake, to slake our +parching thirst. Ducks, teal, and pigeons were numerous, and the recent +traces of natives apparent everywhere. It was after sunset when we +returned, tired and weary, to our camp. + +November 15.--In the morning we started as early as possible to get the +stage over before the great heat of the day came on, still accompanied +and guided by the friendly natives, who took us through the best and most +open line of country. At six miles we entered a very dense scrub, leaving +to the north of us, several patches of open plains; to the north-east +were seen the smokes of several fires. The natives had told us that there +was water out in that direction, at a short day's journey; but, as they +did not wish us to go to it, I inferred that they thought there was not +enough to satisfy our party, having now frequently seen how great was the +supply we required at each encampment. I was myself of the opinion that a +hole probably existed to the north-east similar to the one we had found +in the plains behind Point Brown, where the access is difficult, and the +quantity procurable at any one time not very great. The scrub we had +traversed to-day was principally of salt-water tea-tree, growing upon a +succession of steep sandy ridges, which presented a formidable barrier to +the progress of the drays; the distance to be accomplished was not above +fourteen miles; but so difficult was the nature of the country, and so +oppressive the heat, that, notwithstanding our very early start, it was +four o'clock in the afternoon before we arrived at the place of +destination, which was called by the natives, "Mobeela gaippe." +The horses and men were greatly fatigued, but for the latter, +the labours of the day were far from being over, for, upon arriving +at the place where the water was to be procured, I found that +the holes, sunk by the natives, were through ridges of a loose sand to a +depth of fourteen or fifteen feet, at the bottom of which, water was +obtained in very small quantities. There were several of these holes +still open, and the traces of many others in every direction around, +which had either fallen in or been filled up by the drifting of the sand. +These singular wells, although sunk through a loose sand to a depth of +fourteen or fifteen feet, were only about two feet in diameter at the +bore, quite circular, carried straight down, and the work beautifully +executed. To get at the water, the natives placed a long pole against one +side of the well, ascending and descending by it to avoid friction +against the sides, which would have inevitably sent the sand tumbling in +upon them. We, however, who were so much clumsier in all our movements, +could not make use of the same expedient, nor indeed, would the size of +the wells, made by the natives, have enabled us even with their +assistance, to get out a moderate supply for the horses. It became +necessary, therefore, to open a new well, of much larger dimensions, a +task of no easy kind in so loose a sand. + +Having put the overseer and men to their arduous employment, I ascended +the highest of the sand hills, and took a set of angles, among which +Point Fowler bore W. 16 degrees S. and Point Bell, E. 40 degrees S. + +A small lake was visible at W. 40 degrees N. The country still looked +very cheerless in every direction, and no signs of improvement appeared +to relieve the dreary scene around, or to lead me to hope for better +country beyond. + +Upon rejoining the well diggers, I found after great exertions they had +thrown out an immense quantity of sand, and made a large and commodious +well, and were just going to commence watering the horses; at this +juncture and before a single bucket of water could be taken out, the sand +slipped, and the sides of the well tumbled in, nearly burving alive the +man who was at the bottom. The labour of two hours was lost, and tired as +they were, the men had to begin their work afresh. It was eight at night +before the well was cleared out again sufficiently to enable us to water +the horses, for almost as fast as the sand was thrown out other sand fell +in; by nine the whole of them had received two buckets of water each, +when the sides of the well again shot in, and we were obliged to give up +our digging operations altogether, as the men were completely exhausted; +to relieve them Mr. Scott and I watched the horses during the night. + +November 16.--Intending to remain in camp to-day, I set the men to clear +out the well once more. It was a tedious and laborious task, in +consequence of the banks of sand falling in so repeatedly, and +frustrating all their efforts, but at last by sinking a large cask bored +full of auger holes we contrived about one o'clock, to get all the horses +and sheep watered; in the evening, however, the whole again fell in, and +we gave up, in despair, the hopeless attempt to procure any further +supply of water, under such discouraging circumstances. + +For some days past, we had been travelling through a country in which the +Mesembryanthemum grows in the greatest abundance, it was in full fruit, +and constituted a favourite and important article of food among the +native population; all our party partook of it freely, and found it both +a wholesome and an agreeable addition to their fare; when ripe, the fruit +is rich, juicy, and sweet, of about the size of a gooseberry. In hot +weather it is most grateful and refreshing. I had often tasted this fruit +before, but never until now liked it; in fact, I never in any other part +of Australia, saw it growing in such abundance, or in so great +perfection, as along the western coast. During our stay in camp a native +had been sent out to call some of the other natives, and towards evening +a good many came up, and were all regularly introduced to us by +'Wilguldy' and the others, who had been with us so long; I gave them a +feast of rice which they appeared to enjoy greatly. Our more immediate +friends and guides had learnt to drink tea, and eat meat and damper, with +which we supplied them liberally, in return for the valuable services +they rendered us. + +November 17.--Moving on early, we were guided by the natives for about +twelve miles, round the head of Fowler's Bay, crossing through a very +sandy, scrubby, and hilly country, and encamping at a water hole, dug +between the sandy ridges, about two o'clock in the day. I had ridden a +little in advance of the party, and arriving at the water first, +surprised some women and children encamped there, and very busily engaged +in roasting snakes and lizards over a fire. They were much afraid and ran +away on seeing me, leaving their food upon the embers, this our friendly +guides unceremoniously seized upon and devoured, as soon as they came up +with the drays. These few women were the first we had seen for some time, +as the men appeared to keep them studiously out of our way, and it struck +me that this might be in consequence of the conduct of the whalers or +sealers with whom they might have come in contact on the coast. Old +Wilguldy, however, appeared to be less scrupulous on this point, and +frequently made very significant offers on the subject. + +Soon after we had encamped several natives came up and joined those with +us. They were exceedingly polite and orderly--indeed the best conducted, +most obliging natives I ever met with--never troubling or importuning for +any thing, and not crowding around in that unmannerly disagreeable +manner, which savages frequently adopt--nor did I ever find any of them +guilty of theft; on the contrary, several times when we had left some +article behind, they called to us, and pointed it out. To them we were +indebted for the facilities we had enjoyed in obtaining water; for +without their guidance, we could never have removed from any encampment +without previously ascertaining where the next water could be procured; +and to have done this would have caused us great delay, and much +additional toil. By having them with us we were enabled to move with +confidence and celerity; and in following their guidance we knew that we +were taking that line of route which was the shortest, and the best +practicable under the circumstances. Upon arriving at any of the watering +places to which they had conducted us, they always pointed out the water, +and gave it up to us entirely, no longer looking upon it as their own, +and literally not taking a drink from it themselves when thirsty, without +first asking permission from us. Surely this true politeness--this +genuine hospitality of the untutored savage, may well put to the blush, +for their exclusiveness and illiberality, his more civilised brethren. In +how strong a light does such simple kindness of the inhabitant of the +wilds to Europeans travelling through his country (when his fears are not +excited or his prejudices violated,) stand contrasted with the treatment +he experiences from them when they occupy his country, and dispossess him +of his all. + +There were now a considerable number of natives with us, all of whom had +been subjected to the singular ceremony before described. Those we had +recently met with, had, in addition, a curious brand, or mark on the +stomach, extending above and below the navel, and produced by the +application of fire. I had previously noticed a similar mark in use among +one or two tribes high up on the Murray River, (South Australia,) and +which is there called "Renditch." At the latter place, however, the brand +was on the breast, here it was on the stomach. I have never been able to +account in any way for the origin or meaning of this mark; but it is +doubtless used as a feature of distinction, or else why should it only be +found in one or two tribes and so far apart, had it been accidental or +arisen from lying near or upon the fires in cold weather, every +individual of certain tribes would not have been affected, and some +individuals of every tribe would: now, the first, as far as my experience +enabled me to judge, is the case; but the latter most assuredly is not. +Both at the Murray, and near Fowler's Bay, the natives always told me, +that the marks were made by fire, though how, or for what purpose, I +could never learn at either place. + +November 18.--Our horses being all knocked up, and many of them having +their shoulders severely galled by the racking motion of the drays +winding up and down the heavy sandy ridges, or in and out of the dense +scrubs, I determined to remain for some time in depot to recover them, +whilst I reconnoitred the country to the west, as far as the head of the +great Australian Bight. To leave my party in the best position I could, I +sent the overseer round Point Fowler to see if there was any better place +for the horses in that direction, and to communicate with the master of +the WATERWITCH on the subject of landing our stores. Upon the overseer's +return, he reported that there was fresh water under Point Fowler, but +very little grass; that he had not been able to communicate with the +cutter, the wind being unfavourable and violent, and the cutter's boat on +board, but they had noticed him, and shewn their colours; he said, +moreover, that the vessel was lying in a very exposed situation, and did +not appear at all protected by Point Fowler, which, as she was not well +found in ground-tackle, might possibly occasion her being driven ashore, +if a gale came on from the south-east. This news was by no means +satisfactory, and I became anxious to get our things all landed that the +cutter might go to a place of greater safety. + +November 19.--The wind still being unfavourable, the day was spent in +removing the drays, tents, etc. to a more elevated situation. Our camp had +been on the low ground, near the water, in the midst of many scrubby +hills, all of which commanded our position. There were now a great many +well armed natives around us, and though they were very kind and +friendly, I did not like the idea of their occupying the acclivities +immediately above us--at all events, not during my contemplated absence +from the party. I therefore had every thing removed to the hill next +above them, and was a good deal amused at the result of this manoeuvre, +for they seemed equally as uneasy as we had been at the heights above +them being occupied. In a very short time they also broke up camp, and +took possession of the next hill beyond us. This defeated the object I +had in view in our former removal, and I now determined not to be +out-manoeuvred any more, but take up our position on the highest hill we +could find. This was a very scrubby one, but by a vigorous application of +the axes for an hour or two, we completely cleared its summit; and then +taking up the drays, tent, baggage, etc. we occupied the best and most +commanding station in the neighbourhood. The result of this movement was, +that during the day the natives all left, and went in the direction of +where the cutter was. I was not sorry for their departure; for although +they had been very friendly and useful to us, yet now that I contemplated +keeping the party for a long time in camp, and should myself probably be +a considerable time absent, I was more satisfied at the idea of the +natives being away, than otherwise; not that I thought there was the +least danger to be apprehended from them if they were properly treated; +but the time of my men would be much occupied in attending to the horses +and sheep; and they were too few in number, to admit of much of that time +being taken up in watching the camp or the natives who might be near it; +for I always deemed it necessary, as a mere matter of prudence, to keep a +strict look out when any natives were near us, however friendly they +might profess to be. + +Upon walking round the shores of Fowler's Bay, I found them literally +strewed in all directions with the bones and carcases of whales, which +had been taken here by the American ship I saw at Port Lincoln, and had +been washed on shore by the waves. To judge from the great number of +these remains, of which very many were easily recognisable as being those +of distinct animals, the American must have had a most fortunate and +successful season. + +It has often surprised me, that the English having so many colonies and +settlements on the shores of Australia, should never think it worth their +while to send whalers to fish off its coasts, where the whales are in +such great numbers, and where the bays and harbours are so numerous and +convenient, for carrying on this lucrative employment. I believe scarcely +a single vessel fishes any where off these coasts, which are entirely +monopolised by the French and Americans, who come in great numbers; there +cannot, I think, be less than three hundred foreign vessels annually +whaling off the coasts, and in the seas contiguous to our possessions in +the Southern Ocean. I have generally met with a great many French and +American vessels in the few ports or bays that I have occasionally been +at on the southern coast of Australia; and I have no doubt that they all +reap a rich harvest. + +Among the many relics strewed around Fowler's Bay, I found the shell of a +very large turtle laying on the beach; it had been taken by the crew of +the vessel that I met at Port Lincoln, and could not have weighed less +than three to four hundred weight. I was not previously aware that turtle +was ever found so far to the southward, and had never seen the least +trace of them before. + + + + +Chapter XII. + + + +LAND THE STORES AND SEND THE CUTTER TO DENIAL BAY--PARTY REMOVE TO POINT +FOWLER--LEAVE THE PARTY--BEDS OF LAKES--DENSE SCRUB--COAST SAND +DRIFTS--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--DISTRESS OF THE HORSES--TURN +BACK--LEAVE A HORSE--FIND WATER--REJOIN PARTY--SEND FOR THE +HORSE--COUNTRY AROUND DEPOT--TAKE A DRAY TO THE WESTWARD--WRETCHED +COUNTRY--EALL IN WITH NATIVES--MISUNDERSTAND THEIR SIGNS--THEY LEAVE +US--VAIN SEARCH FOR WATER--TURN BACK--HORSE KNOCKED UP--GO BACK FOR +WATER--REJOIN THE DRAY--COMMENCE RETURN--SEARCH FOR WATER--DRAY +SURROUNDED BY NATIVES--EMBARRASSING SITUATION--BURY BAGGAGE--THREE HORSES +ABANDONED--REACH THE SAND DRIFTS--UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO SAVE THE +HORSES--SEND FOR FRESH HORSES--SEARCH FOR WATER TO N. E.--RECOVER THE +DRAY AND STORES--REJOIN THE PARTY AT DEPOT NEAR POINT FOWLER--RETURN OF +THE CUTTER. + + +November 20.--THE wind being favourable for the boats landing to-day, I +sent the overseer with pack-horses to the west side of Fowler's Bay, to +bring up some flour and other stores for the use of the party; at the +same time I wrote to the master of the cutter, to know whether he +considered his anchorage, at Fowler's Bay, perfectly safe. His reply was, +that the anchorage was good and secure if he had been provided with a +proper cable; but that as he was not, he could not depend upon the vessel +being safe; should a heavy swell set in from the southeast. Upon this +report, I decided upon landing all the stores from the cutter; and +sending her to lay at a secure place on the west side of Denial Bay, +until I returned from exploring the country, near the head of the Great +Bight. On the 22nd, I gave orders to this effect, at the same time +directing the captain to return to Fowler's Bay by the 11th December, at +which time I hoped to have accomplished the journey I contemplated. + +On the same day I gave my overseer instructions for his guidance during +my absence; and after sending the drays on to the water behind Point +Fowler, that they might be nearer to the vessel, I set off on horseback +to the westward, accompanied by a native; and taking with us a pack-horse +to carry provisions. Crossing for about six miles through scrub, at a +west by south course, we entered open grassy plains, among which were +many beds of small dried up salt lakes. This description of country +continued for about six miles, when we again entered a very dense scrub, +and continued in it for eight miles, until we struck the coast. Not +finding any indications of water or grass, I pushed up along the beach +for three miles further, and was then obliged to encamp without either, +as it had become too dark to proceed. + +November 23.--Moving along the coast for ten miles, we came to large high +drifts of pure white sand, from which some red-winged cockatoos and +pigeons flew out, and near which were several native encampments. I now +fully hoped to find water; but after a long and anxious examination, was +obliged to give up the search. I knew that our only hope of finding water +lay in these drifts of sand; but as it was frequently very difficult to +find, and never could be procured without digging, (sometimes to a great +depth,) I began to fear that our attempt to reach the head of the Bight +was almost hopeless. We had no means of digging in the sand to any depth; +whilst, from the constant drift, caused by the winds among these bare +hills, it was exceedingly disagreeable to remain even for a short time to +examine them. The wind was blowing strong, and whirlwinds of sand were +circling around us, with a violence which we could scarcely struggle +against, and during which we could hardly venture either to open our +eyes, or to draw our breath. + +Leaving the sand-drifts we travelled behind the coast ridge through a +more open but still sandy country, making a long stage to some more high +bare sand-drifts, amidst which we again made a long but unsuccessful +search for water; at night we encamped near them, and our unfortunate +horses were again obliged to be tied up for the second time without +either grass or water. + +November 24.--Finding that there was little prospect of procuring water +a-head, and that our horses were scarcely able to move at all, I felt it +necessary to retrace our steps as speedily as possible, to try to save +the lives of the animals we had with us. In order that we might effect +this and be encumbered by no unnecessary articles, I concealed, and left +among some bushes, all our baggage, pack-saddles, etc. After passing about +five miles beyond the sand-drifts where I had seen the cockatoos and +pigeons, one of the horses became completely exhausted and could not +proceed any further; I was necessitated therefore to tie him to a bush +and push on with the other two to save them. + +When I left my party on the 22nd, I had directed them to remove to some +water-holes behind Point Fowler, but, as I had not seen this place +myself, I was obliged to steer in the dark in some measure at random, not +knowing exactly where they were. The greatest part of our route being +through a dense brush, we received many scratches and bruises from the +boughs as we led our horses along, to say nothing of the danger we were +constantly in of having our eyes put out by branches we could not see, +and which frequently brought us to a stand still by painful blows across +the face. At last we arrived at the open plains I had crossed on my +outward track, and following them down came to two deep holes in the +limestone rock, similar to the one behind Point Brown. By descending into +these holes we found a little water, and were enabled to give each of the +horses three pints; we then pushed on again, hoping to reach the camp, +but getting entangled among the scrub, were obliged at midnight to halt +until daylight appeared, being almost as much exhausted as the horses, +and quite as much in want of water, for we had not tasted the little that +had been procured from the hole found in the plains. + +November 25.--At the first streak of daylight we moved on, and in one +mile and a half reached the camp near Point Fowler, before any of the +party were up. We had guessed our course well in the dark last night, and +could not have gone more direct had it been daylight. Having called up +the party and made them get a hasty breakfast, I hurried off a dray +loaded with water, and accompanied by the overseer, one man, and the +black boy, to follow up our tracks to where the tired horse had been +tied. During my absence I found that every thing but the cart had been +landed from the cutter, and safely brought up to the camp, and that as +soon as that was on shore she would be ready to go and lie at anchor at +Denial Bay. + +About noon I was greatly surprised and vexed to see my overseer return +driving the loose horses before him. It seemed that whilst feeding around +the camp they had observed the dray and other horses going away and had +followed upon the tracks, so that the overseer had no alternative but to +drive them back to the camp. This was very unfortunate, as it would +occasion great delay in reaching the one we had left tied in the scrub. I +directed the overseer to hurry back as rapidly as possible, and by +travelling all night to endeavour to make up for lost time, for I greatly +feared that if not relieved before another day passed away, it would be +quite impossible to save the animal alive. + +After resting myself a little I walked about to reconnoitre the +neighbourhood of our camp, not having seen it before. The situation was +at the west side of the upper extreme of Point Fowler, immediately behind +the sand-drifts of the coast, which there were high, bare, and of white +sand. The water was on the inland side, immediately under the sand-hills, +and procured in the greatest abundance and of good quality, by sinking +from one to three feet. It was found in a bed of white pipe-clay. To the +north-west of us were some open grassy plains, among which our horses and +sheep obtained their food, whilst here and there were scattered a few +salt swamps or beds of lakes, generally, however, dry. The whole country +was of fossil formation, and the borders of the lakes and swamps +exhibited indurated masses of marine shells, apparently but a very recent +deposit. Further inland the country was crusted on the surface with an +oolitic limestone, and for the most part covered by brush; a few open +plains being interspersed here and there among the scrubs, as is +generally the case in that description of country. + +The natives still appeared to be in our neighbourhood, but none had been +near us since they first left on the 19th. I would now gladly have got +one of them to accompany me to look for water, but none could be found. +On the 26th and 27th I was occupied in getting up the cart, some casks, +etc. from the cutter, and preparing for another attempt to round the head +of the Great Bight. The vessel then sailed for Denial Bay, where she +could lie in greater safety, until I required her again. + +Early on the 27th the man and black boy returned with the dray from the +westward, they had found the horse very weak and much exhausted, but by +care and attention he was got a little round, and the overseer had +remained to bring him slowly on: he had been four entire days and nights +without food or water, and for the first two days and a half of this time +had been severely worked. In the evening the overseer came up, driving +the jaded animal, somewhat recovered indeed--but miserably reduced in +condition. + +The party with the dray had taken spades with them to dig for water at +the sand hills, where I had seen the pigeons and cockatoos on the 23rd, +and at ten feet they had been lucky enough to procure abundance, which +although of a brackish quality was usable; from the great depth, however, +at which it was obtained, and the precarious nature of the soil, it was +very troublesome to get at it. + +November 28.--This morning I sent away a dray with three horses, carrying +seventy gallons of water to assist me in again endeavouring to get round +the Bight. As the road was very scrubby, and much impeded by fallen +timber, I had previously sent on a man to clear it a little; and about +ten o'clock I followed with the native boy. We got tolerably well through +the scrub, and encamped in a plain about sixteen miles from the depot, +where there was good grass. The weather being cool and showery, our +horses would not drink more than a bucket each from the casks. + +November 29.--Having moved on the dray early over rather a heavy road, we +took up our quarters under the white sand-drifts, after a stage of nine +miles. I then left the boy in charge of the camp, and proceeded myself +with the two men, and provided with spades and buckets, to where the +overseer had obtained water by digging; the place was about two miles +from our camp, between the sand-drifts and the sea, and immediately +behind the front ridges of the coast. By enlarging the hole, and sinking +a tub bored full of holes, we managed to water the horses, and get a +supply for ourselves. In the afternoon an attempt was made to dig a well +nearer the camp, but a stratum of rock put an end to our labours. + +November 30.--Sending back one of the men to the depot, I left the native +boy to guide the dray, whilst I diverged towards the coast to look for +water among the sand-drifts, that were seen occasionally in that +direction; in none of them, however, could I obtain a drop. The country +travelled over consisted of very heavy sand ridges, covered for the most +part with low scrub, and as the stage was a long one (twenty-two miles), +I found upon overtaking the dray that the horses were knocked up, and a +party of fourteen natives surrounding it, who were making vehement +gesticulations to the man not to proceed, and he being only accompanied +by a single black boy was greatly alarmed, and did not know what to do; +indeed, had I not arrived opportunely, I have no doubt that he would have +turned the horses round, and driven back again. Upon coming up with the +natives, I saw at once that none of them had been with us before, but at +the same time they appeared friendly and well-behaved, making signs for +us not to proceed, and pointing to some sand-drifts at the coast which we +had passed, implying, as I understood them, that there was water there. +We were now in an opening among the scrub, consisting of small grassy +undulating plains, and at these I determined to halt for the night, +hoping the natives would remain near us, and guide us to water to-morrow. +To induce them to do this, after giving the horses each two buckets of +water, I gave two gallons among them also, besides some bread. They at +once took possession of an elevation a little above our position, and +formed their camp for the night. As we were so few in number compared to +the natives, we were obliged to keep a watch upon them during the whole +night, and they did the same upon us--but at a much less individual +inconvenience from their number; they appeared to take the duty in +turn--two always being upon guard at once. + +December 1.--After giving the natives some water, and taking breakfast +ourselves, we moved on in the direction they wished us to go, followed by +the whole party; at two miles they brought us to the sea over a dreadful +heavy road, but upon then asking them where the water was, they now told +us to our horror, that there was "mukka gaip-pe," or, no water. +The truth was now evident, we had mutually misunderstood one +another; they seeing strangers suddenly appear, had taken it for granted +they came from the sea, and pointed there, whilst we, intent only upon +procuring water, had fancied they had told us we should find it where +they pointed; upon reaching the coast both were disappointed--they at not +seeing a ship, and we at not finding water. + +It was now a difficult matter to decide what to do: our horses were +greatly jaded, owing to the hilly and sandy character of the country; our +water was reduced to a low ebb in the casks, for relying upon the natives +guiding us to more, we had used it improvidently; whilst the very least +distance we could be away from the water, at the sand-drifts, was +twenty-five miles; if we went back we lost all our previous labour, and +could not do so without leaving the dray behind, and if we went forward, +it was very problematical whether water could be procured within any +distance attainable by our tired horses. + +The natives now asserted there was water to the north-west, but that it +was a long way off. As they still seemed willing to accompany us, I +determined to proceed, and pushed on parallel with the coast behind the +front ridges; at nine miles the horses were quite exhausted, and could +get no further, so that I was obliged to halt for the night, where a few +tufts of withered grass were found under the hummocks. + +Our sable friends had gradually dropped off, one or two at a time, until +only three remained. These I endeavoured to make friends with, by giving +them plenty of water and bread, and after taking a hasty meal, I got them +to go with me and the native boy along the coast, to search for water. +After going about a mile, they would proceed no further, making signs +that they should be very thirsty, and enabling me clearly to comprehend, +that there was no water until the head of the Great Bight was rounded. As +I did not know exactly, what the actual distance might be, I still hoped +I should be able to reach it, and leaving the natives to return, I and +the boy pushed on beyond all the sandy hills and cliffs, to the low sandy +tract bordering upon the head of the Bight, from which we were about +twelve miles distant. The day was hazy, or the cliffs of the Great Bight +would have been distinctly visible. + +We lost a good deal of time in tracking the foot-steps of a party of +native women and children, among some bare sand-drifts, hoping the track +would lead to water; but the party seemed to have been rambling about +without any fixed object, and all our efforts to find water were in vain; +the whole surface of the country, (except where it was hidden by the +sand-drifts) was one sheet of limestone crust, and wherever we attempted +to dig among the sand-drifts, the rock invariably stopped us. + +As it was getting on towards evening, I returned to where I had left the +dray, and giving each of the horses one bucket of water and five pints of +oats, was obliged to have them tied for the night, myself and the man +being too much fatigued to watch them. + +December 2.--We had not moved far upon our return, when one of our most +valuable dray-horses became completely overdone with fatigue, and I was +obliged to take it out of the team and put in a riding horse, to try, if +possible, to reach the plains where the grass was. We just got to the +borders of this open patch of country, when the poor animal (a mare) +could not be got a yard farther, and we were compelled to halt and decide +upon what was best to be done. The water in the cask was nearly all +consumed, the mare could not stir, and the other horses were very weak, +so that no time was to be lost; I immediately decided upon leaving the +man to take care of the mare and the dray, whilst I and the native boy +took the other horses back for more water; having measured out to the +man, water amounting to a quart per day, during our contemplated absence, +I gave all that was left, consisting of about half a bucket full, to the +mare, and then accompanied by the boy, pushed steadily back towards the +water at the sand hills, distant about twenty-five miles. At dark we +arrived there, but the sand had fallen in, and we had to labour hard to +clear out the hole again; it was eleven o'clock at night before we could +get the horses watered, and we then had to take them a mile and a half +before we could get any grass for them. Returning from this duty, we had +to collect and carry on our backs for more than a mile, a few bundles of +sticks and bushes, to make a little fire for ourselves, near the water, +the night being intensely cold. It was past two o'clock in the morning +before we could lay down, and then, tired and harassed as we were, it was +too cold and damp for us to rest. + +December 3.--The scorching rays of the morning sun awoke us early, weary +and unrefreshed, we had no trees to shade us, and were obliged to get up. +After looking at the well, and congratulating ourselves upon its not +having fallen in, we set off to look for the horses, they had wandered +away in search of food, causing us a long and tiresome walk over the +sand-hills in the sun, before we could find them; having at last got them +and driven them to where the water was, we were chagrined to find that +during our absence the well had again fallen in, and we had the labour of +clearing it out to go through again. + +The day was excessively oppressive, with a hot parching wind, and both we +and the horses drank incessantly. Towards night we took the horses away +to the grass, and remained near them ourselves for the sake of the +firewood, which was there more abundant. + +We had thunder towards evening, and a few dops of rain fell, but not +sufficient to moderate the temperature, the heat continuing as oppressive +as before. + +December 4.--After watering the horses, we took ten gallons upon a +pack-horse, and proceeded on our return to the man we had left; the state +in which our own horses were, having made it absolutely necessary to give +them the day's rest they had yesterday enjoyed. We arrived about five in +the afternoon, at the little plain where we had left the man; he was +anxiously looking out for us, having just finished his last quart of +water. The poor mare looked very weak and wretched, but after giving her +at intervals, eight gallons of water, she fed a little, and I fully hoped +we should succeed in saving her life. No natives had been seen during our +absence. + +The night set in very dark and lowering, and I expected a heavy fall of +rain; to catch which we spread our oilskins and tarpaulin, and placed out +the buckets and pannekins, or whatever else would hold water: a few +drops, however, only fell, and the storm passed away, leaving us as much +under a feeling of disappointment, as we had been previously of hope: one +little shower would have relieved us at once from all our difficulties. + +December 5.--Upon getting up early, I thought the horses looked so much +refreshed, that we might attempt to take back the dray, and had some of +the strongest of them yoked up. We proceeded well for two miles and a +half to our encampment of the 30th November; and as there was then a well +defined track, I left the man to proceed alone, whilst I myself went once +more to the coast to make a last effort to procure water among some of +the sand-drifts. In this I was unsuccessful. There were not the slightest +indications of water existing any where. In returning to rejoin the dray, +I struck into our outward track, about three miles below, where I had +left it, and was surprised to find that the dray had not yet passed, +though I had been three hours absent. Hastily riding up the track, I +found the man not half a mile from where I had left him, and surrounded +by natives. They had come up shortly after my departure; and the man, +getting alarmed, was not able to manage his team properly, but by +harassing them had quite knocked up all the horses; the sun was getting +hot, and I saw at once it would be useless to try and take the dray any +further. + +Having turned out the horses to rest a little, I went to the natives to +try to find out, if possible, where they procured water, but in vain. +They insisted that there was none near us, and pointed in the direction +of the head of the Bight to the north-west, and of the sand hills to the +south-east, as being the only places where it could be procured; when I +considered, however, that I had seen these same natives on the 30th +November, and that I found them within half a mile of the same place, +five days afterwards, I could not help thinking that there must be water +not very far away. It is true, the natives require but little water +generally, but they cannot do without it altogether. If there was a small +hole any where near us, why they should refuse to point it out, I could +not imagine. I had never before found the least unwillingness on their +part to give us information of this kind; but on the contrary, they were +ever anxious and ready to conduct us to the waters that they were +acquainted with. I could only conclude, therefore, that what they stated +was true--that there was no water near us, and that they had probably +come out upon a hunting excursion, and carried their own supplies with +them in skins, occasionally, perhaps, renewing this from the small +quantities found in the hollows of the gum scrub, and which is deposited +there by the rains, or procuring a drink, as they required it, from the +long lateral roots of the same tree. [Note 26: Vide Chapter XVI., towards +the close.] I have myself seen water obtained in both these ways. The +principal inducement to the natives to frequent the small plains +where we were encamped, appeared to be, to get the fruit of the +Mesembryanthemum, which grew there in immense quantities, and was +now just ripe; whilst the scrub, by which these plains were surrounded, +seemed to be alive with wallabie, adding variety to abundance in the +article of food. + +We were now on the horns of a very serious dilemma: our horses were +completely fagged out, and could take the dray no further. We were +surrounded by natives, and could not leave it, and the things upon it, +whilst they were present (for many of these things we could not afford to +lose); and on the other hand, we were twenty-two miles from any water, +and our horses were suffering so much from the want of it, that unless we +got them there shortly, we could not hope to save the lives of any one of +them. + +Had the natives been away, we could have buried the baggage, and left the +dray; but as it was, we had only to wait patiently, hoping they would +soon depart. Such, however, was not their intention; there they sat +coolly and calmly, facing and watching us, as if determined to sit us +out. It was most provoking to see the careless indifference with which +they did this, sheltering themselves under the shade of a few shrubs, or +lounging about the slopes near us, to gather the berries of the +Mesembryanthemum. I was vexed and irritated beyond measure, as hour after +hour passed away, and our unconscious tormentors still remained. Every +moment, as it flew, lessened the chance of saving the lives of our +horses; and yet I could not bring myself to abandon so many things that +we could not do without, and which we could not in any way replace. What +made the circumstances, too, so much worse, was, that we had last night +given to our horses every drop of water, except the small quantity put +apart for our breakfasts. + +We had now none, and were suffering greatly from the heat, and from +thirst, the day being calm and clear, and intolerably hot. When we had +first unyoked the horses, I made the man and native boy lay down in the +shade, to sleep, whilst I attended to the animals, and kept an eye on the +natives. About noon I called them up again, and we all made our dinner +off a little bread, and some of the fruit that grew around us, the +moisture of which alone enabled us to eat at all, our mouths were so +thoroughly dry and parched. + +A movement was now observed among the natives; and gathering up their +spears, they all went off. Having placed the native boy upon an eminence +to watch them, the man and I at once set to work to carry our baggage to +the top of a sand-hill, that it might be buried at some distance from the +dray. We had hardly commenced our labours, however, before the boy called +out that the natives were returning, and in a little time they all +occupied their former position; either they had only gone as a ruse to +see what we intended to do, or they had been noticing us, and had seen us +removing our baggage, or else they had observed the boy watching them, +and wished to disappoint him. Whatever the inducement was, there they +were again, and we had as little prospect of being able to accomplish our +object as ever. If any thing could have palliated aggressive measures +towards the aborigines, it would surely be such circumstances as we were +now in; our own safety, and the lives of our horses, depended entirely +upon our getting rid of them. Yet with the full power to compel them (for +we were all armed), I could not admit the necessity of the case as any +excuse for our acting offensively towards those who had been friendly to +us, and who knew not the embarrassment and danger which their presence +caused us. + +Strongly as our patience had been exercised in the morning, it was still +more severely tested in the afternoon--for eight long hours had those +natives sat opposite to us watching. From eight in the morning until four +in the afternoon, we had been doomed to disappointment. About this time, +however, a general movement again took place; once more they collected +their spears, shouldered their wallets, and moved off rapidly and +steadily towards the south-east. It was evident they had many miles to go +to their encampment, and I now knew we should be troubled with them no +more. Leaving the boy to keep guard again upon the hill, the man and I +dug a large hole, and buried all our provisions, harness, pack-saddles, +water-casks, etc. leaving the dray alone exposed in the plains. After +smoothing the surface of the ground, we made a large fire over the place +where the things were concealed, and no trace remained of the earth +having been disturbed. + +We had now no time to lose, and moving away slowly, drove the horses +before us towards the water. The delay, however, had been fatal; the +strength of the poor animals was too far exhausted, and before we had +gone seven miles, one of them could not proceed, and we were obliged to +leave him; at three miles further two more were unable to go on, and +they, too, were abandoned, though within twelve miles of the water. We +had still two left, just able to crawl along, and these, by dint of great +perseverance and care, we at last got to the water about four o'clock in +the morning of the 6th. They were completely exhausted, and it was quite +impossible they could go back the same day, to take water to those we had +left behind. The man, myself, and the boy were in but little better +plight; the anxiety we had gone through, the great heat of the weather, +and the harassing task of travelling over the heavy sandy hills, covered +with scrub, in the dark, and driving jaded animals before us, added to +the want of water we were suffering under, had made us exceedingly weak, +and rendered us almost incapable of further exertion. In the evening I +sent the man, who had been resting all day, to try and bring the two +horses nearest to us a few miles on the road, whilst I was to meet him +with water in the morning. Native fires were seen to the north-east of us +at night, but the people did not seem to have been at the water at the +sand-hills for their supply, no traces of their having recently visited +it being found. + +December 7.--After giving the horses water we put ten gallons upon one of +them, and hurried off to the animals we had left. The state of those with +us necessarily made our progress slow, and it was four o'clock before we +arrived at the place where they were, about eleven miles from the water. +The man had gone on to the furthest of the three, and had brought them +all nearly together; upon joining him we received the melancholy +intelligence, that our best draught mare had just breathed her +last--another lay rolling on the ground in agony--and the third appeared +but little better. After moistening their mouths with water, we made +gruel for them with flour and water, and gave it to them warm: this they +drank readily, and appeared much revived by it, so that I fully hoped we +should save both of them. After a little time we gave each about four +gallons of water, and fed them with all the bread we had. We then let +them rest and crop the withered grass until nine o'clock, hoping, that in +the cool of the evening, we should succeed in getting them to the water, +now so few miles away. At first moving on, both horses travelled very +well for two miles, but at the end of the third, one of them was unable +to go any further, and I left the man to remain, and bring him on again +when rested; the other I took on myself to within six miles of the water, +when he, too, became worn out, and I had to leave him, and go for a fresh +supply of water. + +About four in the morning of the 8th, I arrived with the boy at the +water, just as day was breaking, and quite exhausted. We managed to water +the two horses with us, but were too tired either to make a fire or get +anything to eat ourselves; and lay down for an hour or two on the sand. +At six we got up, watered the horses again, and had breakfast; after +which, I filled the kegs and proceeded once more with ten gallons of +water to the unfortunate animals we had left behind. The black boy was +too tired to accompany me, and I left him to enjoy his rest, after giving +him my rifle for his protection, in the event of natives coming during my +absence. + +Upon arriving at the place where I had left the horse, I found him in a +sad condition, but still alive. The other, left further away, in charge +of the man, had also been brought up to the same place, but died just as +I got up to him; there was but one left now out of the three, and to save +him, all our care and attention were directed. By making gruel, and +giving it to him constantly, we got him round a little, and moved him on +to a grassy plain, about a mile further; here we gave him a hearty drink +of water, and left him to feed and rest for several hours. Towards +evening we again moved on slowly, and as he appeared to travel well, I +left the man to bring him on quietly for the last five miles, whilst I +took back to the water the two noble animals that had gone through so +much and such severe toil in the attempt made to save the others. In the +evening I reached the camp near the water, and found the native boy quite +safe and recruited. For the first time for many nights, I had the +prospect of an undisturbed rest; but about the middle of the night I was +awoke by the return of the man with the woful news, that the last of the +three horses was also dead, after travelling to within four miles of the +water. All our efforts, all our exertions had been in vain; the dreadful +nature of the country, and our unlucky meeting with the natives, had +defeated the incessant toil and anxiety of seven days' unremitting +endeavours to save them; and the expedition had sustained a loss of three +of its best horses, an injury as severe as it was irreparable. + +December 9.--At day-break, this morning, I sent off the man to the depot +at Fowler's Bay, with orders to the overseer to send five fresh horses, +two men, and a supply of provisions; requesting Mr. Scott to accompany +them, for the purpose of taking back the two tired horses we still had +with us at the sand-hills. Upon the man's departure, we took the two +horses to water, and brought up ten gallons to the camp, where the grass +was; after which, whilst the horses were feeding and resting, we tried to +pass away the day in the same manner; the heat, however, was too great, +and the troubles and anxieties of the last few days had created such an +irritation of mind that I could not rest: my slumbers were broken and +unrefreshing; but the boy managed better, he had no unpleasant +anticipations for the future, and already had forgotten the annoyance of +the past. + +December 10.--After an early breakfast, we took the horses to water and +cleared the hole out thoroughly, as I expected five more horses in the +evening. Upon returning to the plain, fires of the natives were again +seen to the north-east; but they did not approach us. Our provisions were +now quite exhausted, and having already lived for many days upon a very +low diet, we looked out anxiously for the expected relay. About four +o'clock, Mr. Scott, two men, and five horses arrived, bringing us +supplies; so that no time had been lost after the arrival of my +messenger. The hole having been previously enlarged and cleared out, no +difficulty was experienced in watering the horses, and about sunset all +encamped together under the sand-hills at the grassy plain. + +December 11.--Leaving directions with Mr. Scott to take back to the +depot, to-morrow, the two horses we had been working so severely, and +which were now recruiting a little; and giving orders to the two men to +follow the dray track to the north-west tomorrow, with the three fresh +horses, I once more set off with the native boy to revisit the scene of +our late disasters; and recover the dray and other things we had +abandoned. We passed by the three dead horses on our route, now lying +stiff and cold; in our situation a melancholy spectacle, and which +awakened gloomy and cheerless anticipations for the future, by reminding +us of the crippled state of our resources, and of the dreadful character +of the inhospitable region we had to penetrate. At dark we came to the +little plain where the dray was, and found both it and our baggage +undisturbed; nor was it apparent that any natives had visited the place +since we left it. During the evening a few slight showers fell, which, +with a heavy dew, moistened the withered grass, and enabled our horses to +feed tolerably well. + +December 12.--I had proceeded a day in advance of the men and horses +coming to recover the dray, in order that I might satisfy myself whether +there was water or not near the plains to the east or north-east, as +there were some grounds for supposing that such might be the case, from +the fact of so many natives having been twice seen there, and the +probability that they had remained for five days in the neighbourhood. +To-day I devoted to a thorough examination of the country around; and, +accompanied by the boy, proceeded early away to the north-east, returning +southerly, and then crossing back westerly to the camp. We travelled over +a great extent of ground, consisting principally of very dense scrub, +with here and there occasional grassy openings; but no where could we +observe the slightest indications of the existence of water, although the +traces of natives were numerous and recent; and we tracked them for +several miles, often seeing places where they had broken down the shrubs +to get a grub, which is generally found there, out of the root; and +observing the fragments of the long lateral roots of the gum-scrub, which +they had dug up to get water from. And this, I am inclined to think, is +what they depend upon principally in these arid regions for the little +water they require. The general direction taken by these wanderers of the +desert, was to the north-east. About four o'clock the men with the +dray-horses arrived, bringing ten gallons of water, which we divided +among the horses, and then took it in turn to watch them during the +night. + +December 13.--Having buried a few things that I might require when I +should come out here again, (for I determined not to give up the attempt +to round the Great Bight,) I had all the rest of our luggage taken up, +and the horses being harnessed, we returned with the dray to the water at +the sand-hills, arriving there early in the afternoon. We had yoked up +three strong fresh horses, that had done no work for some time +previously; and yet, such was the nature of the country, that with an +almost empty dray, they had hardly been able to reach the water, at the +furthest only twenty-two miles distant, and in accomplishing this, they +had been upwards of ten hours in the collar. How then could we expect to +get through such a region with drays heavily loaded, as ours must be, +when we moved on finally. + +On the 14th we remained in camp to refresh the horses, and early on the +following day proceeded through the scrub, on our return to the depot; +first burying our pack-saddle, and a few other things, in the plain near +the sand-hills. Notwithstanding the care we had taken of the horses, and +the little work we had given them, they got fagged in going through the +scrub, and I was obliged to halt the dray at the rocky well in the +plains, five miles short of the depot. I myself went on with the boy to +the camp at Point Fowler, where I found the party feasting upon emus, +four of which they had shot during my absence. + +December 16.--About ten to-day the dray and men arrived safely at the +depot, being the last detachment of the party engaged in this most +unfortunate expedition, which had occupied so much time and caused such +severe and fatal loss, independently of its not accomplishing the object +for which it was undertaken. In the evening I sent Mr. Scott to see if +the cutter had returned, and upon his coming back he reported that she +had just arrived, but that he had not been able to communicate with her. + + + + +Chapter XIII. + + + +FUTURE PLANS--REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--SEND THE CUTTER TO +ADELAIDE--REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR--MONOTONOUS LIFE AT CAMP--REMOVE TO +ANOTHER LOCALITY--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FLINT FOUND--AGAIN +ATTEMPT TO REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT--REACH THE SAND HILLS, AND BURY +FLOUR--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXHAUSTED STATE OF THE HORSES--GET THE DRAY TO +THE PLAIN--BURY WATER--SEND BACK DRAY--PROCEED WITH +PACK-HORSE--OPPRESSIVE HEAT--SEND BACK PACK-HORSE--REACH THE HEAD OF THE +BIGHT--SURPRISE SOME NATIVES--THEIR KIND BEHAVIOUR--YEER-KUMBAN +KAUEE--THEIR ACCOUNT OF THE INTERIOR. + + +December 17.--HAVING now maturely considered the serious position I was +in, the difficult nature of the country, the reduced condition and +diminished number of my horses, and the very unfavourable season of the +year, I decided upon taking advantage of a considerate clause in the +Governor's letter, authorizing me "to send back the WATERWITCH to +Adelaide for assistance, if required." + +From the experience I had already had, and from the knowledge I had thus +acquired of the character of the country to the westward and to the +north, it was evident that I could never hope to take my whole party, +small as it was, with me in either direction. I had already lost three +horses in an attempt to get round the head of the Bight, and I had also +found that my three best horses now remaining, when strong and fresh +after a long period of rest at the depot, had with difficulty been able +to move along with an empty dray in the heavy sandy country to the +north-west; how could I expect, then, to take drays when loaded with +provisions and other stores? Hitherto we had enjoyed the assistance of +the cutter in passing up the coast--by putting all our heavy baggage on +board of her, the drays were comparatively empty, and we had got on +tolerably well. We could no longer, however, avail ourselves of this +valuable aid, for we were now past all harbours. Fowler's Bay being the +last place of refuge where a vessel could take shelter for many hundred +miles, whilst the fearful nature of the coast and the strong current +setting into the Bight, made it very dangerous for a vessel to approach +the land at all. Upon leaving Fowler's Bay, therefore, it was evident +that we must be dependent entirely upon our own resources; and it became +necessary for me to weigh well and maturely how I might best arrange my +plans so as to meet the necessity of the case. It appeared to me that if +I sent two of my men back to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, a single dray +would carry every necessary for the reduced party remaining, and that by +obtaining a supply of oats and bran for the horses, and giving them a +long rest, they might so far recover strength and spirits as to afford me +reasonable grounds of hope that we might succeed in forcing a passage +through the country to the westward, bad as it evidently was. Acting upon +the opinion I had arrived at, I sent for the master of the cutter and +requested him to get ready at once for sea, and then communicated my +decision to the two men who were to leave us, Corporal Coles, R.S. and M. +and John Houston, requesting them to get ready to embark to-morrow. They +did not appear to experience much surprise, and were I think on the whole +rather pleased than otherwise at the prospect of a return to Adelaide. +Both these men had conducted themselves remarkably well during the whole +time they were in the party, and one of them, John Houston, had been with +me in my late disastrous expedition, during which his obedience and good +conduct had been beyond all praise. We had, however, now been absent for +six months, had traversed a great extent of country, and undergone many +hardships; the country we had met with had unfortunately always been of +the most barren and disheartening character, and that which was yet +before us appeared to be if possible still worse, so that I could not +wonder that my men should appear gratified in the prospect of a +termination to their labours. With so little to cheer and encourage, they +might well perhaps doubt of our final success. + +December 18.--Having once decided upon my plans, I lost no time in +putting them in execution. A dray, three sets of horses' harness, and +some other things were sent on board the WATERWITCH, together with half a +sheep and sixty pounds of biscuit for the crew, who were now running +short of provisions. Several casks were brought on shore for us to bury +stores in, and the boat I had purchased at Port Lincoln was left, at Mr. +Scott's request, for him to fish in during the absence of the cutter. +After I had settled with the two men for their services, both of whom had +large sums to receive, they took leave of us, and went on board. + +My own time had been fully occupied for the last two days, in writing +letters and preparing despatches; by great exertions I got all ready this +evening, and upon Mr. Germain's coming up at night, I delivered them to +him, and directed him to sail as soon as possible. The following copy of +my despatch to his Excellency the Governor, will convey a brief summary +of the result of the expedition; from the time of our leaving Port +Lincoln up to the sailing of the WATERWITCH from Fowler's Bay, and of the +future plans I intended to adopt, to carry out the object of the +undertaking. + + +"POINT FOWLER, 17TH DECEMBER, 1840. + +"SIR,--By the return of the WATERWITCH, I have the honour to furnish you, +for the information of His Excellency the Governor, with a brief account +of our proceedings up to the present date. + +"Upon the return of Mr. Scott from Adelaide to Port Lincoln, I left the +latter place on the 24th October, following my former line of route along +the coast to Streaky Bay, and rejoining my party there on the 3rd +November. + +"The WATERWITCH had already arrived with the stores sent for the use of +the expedition, and I have since detained her to co-operate with my +party, in accordance with the kind permission of his Excellency the +Governor. + +"From previous experience, I was aware, that after leaving Streaky Bay, +we should have obstacles of no ordinary kind to contend with; and as I +advanced, I found the difficulties of the undertaking even greater than I +had anticipated; the heavy sandy nature of the country, its arid +character, the scarcity of grass, and the very dense brushes through +which we had frequently to clear a road with our axes, formed impediments +of no trifling description, and such as, when combined with the very +unfavourable season of the year, we could hardly have overcome without +the assistance of the WATERWITCH. By putting on board the cutter the +greater part of our dead weight, we relieved our jaded horses from loads +they could no longer draw; and by obtaining from her occasional supplies +of water at such points of the coast as we could procure none on shore, +we were enabled to reach Fowler's Bay on the 22nd November. + +"From this point I could no longer avail myself of the valuable services +of the cutter, the wild unprotected character of the coast extending +around the Great Australian Bight, rendering it too dangerous for a +vessel to attempt to approach so fearful a shore, and where there is no +harbour or shelter of any kind to make for in case of need. + +"Under these circumstances, I left my party in camp behind Point Fowler, +whilst I proceeded myself, accompanied by a native boy, to examine the +country a-head, and I now only detained the WATERWITCH, in the hopes that +by penetrating on horseback beyond the head of the Great Bight, I might +be able to give his Excellency some idea of our future prospects. + +"For the last twenty-four days I have been engaged in attempting to round +the head of the Bight; but so difficult is the country, that I have not +as yet been able to accomplish it. In my first essay I was driven back by +the want of water and obliged to abandon one of my horses. This animal I +subsequently recovered. + +"In my second attempt, I went, accompanied by one of my native boys, and +a man driving a dray loaded solely with water and our provisions; but +such was the dreadful nature of the country, that after penetrating to +within twelve miles of the head of the Bight, I was again obliged to +abandon three of our horses, a dray, and our provisions. The poor horses +were so exhausted by previous fatigue and privation, that they could not +return, and I was most reluctantly obliged to leave them to obtain relief +for ourselves, and the two remaining horses we had with us. After +reaching the nearest water, we made every effort to save the unfortunate +animals we had left behind; and for seven days, myself, the man, and a +boy, were incessantly and laboriously engaged almost day and night in +carrying water backwards and forwards to them--feeding them with bread, +gruel, etc. I regret to say that all our efforts were in vain, and that +the expedition has sustained a fatal and irreparable injury in the loss +of three of its best draught horses. The dray and the provisions I +subsequently recovered, and on the evening of the 15th December, I +rejoined my party behind Point Fowler, to prepare despatches for the +WATERWITCH, since the weak and unserviceable condition of nearly the +whole of our remaining horses rendered any further attempt to penetrate +so inhospitable a region quite impracticable for the present. In +traversing the country along the coast from Streaky Bay to the limits of +our present exploration, within twelve miles of the head of the Great +Bight, we have found the country of a very uniform description--low flat +lands, or a succession of sandy ridges, densely covered with a brush of +EUCALYPTUS DUMOSA, salt water tea-tree, and other shrubs--whilst here and +there appear a few isolated patches of open grassy plains, scattered at +intervals among the scrub. The surface rock is invariably an oolitic +limestone, mixed with an imperfect freestone, and in some places exhibits +fossil banks, which bear evident marks of being of a very recent +formation. + +"The whole of this extent of country is totally destitute of surface +water--we have never met with a watercourse, or pool of any description, +and all the water we have obtained since we left Streaky Bay has been by +digging, generally in the large drifts of pure white sand close to the +coast. This is a work frequently of much time and labour, as from the +depth we have had to sink, and the looseness of the sand, the hole has +often filled nearly as fast as we could clear it out; the water too thus +obtained has almost always been brackish, occasionally salt. Latterly +even this resource has failed us; after digging a few feet we have been +impeded by rock, which gradually approaching nearer the surface towards +the head of the Great Bight, at last occupies its whole extent, unless +where partially concealed by sand-drifts, or low sandy ridges covered +with brush. We have seen no trees or timber of any kind of larger growth +than the scrub, nor have we met with the Casuarinae since we left Streaky +Bay. + +"The natives along this coast are not very numerous; those we have met +with have been timid, but friendly, and in some instances have rendered +us important assistance in guiding us through the brush, and shewing us +where to dig for water--their language appears to be a good deal similar +to that at King George's Sound. When questioned about the interior +towards the north, they invariably assert that there is no fresh water +inland; nor could we discover that they are acquainted with the existence +of a large body of water of any kind in that direction. + +"Hitherto the reduced condition of my horses, the nature of the country, +and the season of the year, have effectually prevented my examining the +interior beyond a very few miles from the coast. When we have once +rounded the Bight (and I confidently hope to accomplish this), the +country may perhaps alter its character so far as to enable me to +prosecute the main object of the expedition, that of examining the +Northern Interior. Should such unfortunately not be the case, I shall +endeavour to examine the line of coast as far as practicable towards King +George's Sound, occasionally radiating inland whenever circumstances may +admit of it. + +"The very severe loss the expedition has sustained in the death of four +of its best horses since leaving Adelaide in June last, added to the +unfavourable season of the year, and the embarrassing nature of the +country, have rendered it impossible for me to carry provisions for the +whole party for a length of time sufficient to enable me to prosecute the +undertaking I am engaged in with any prospect of success; whilst the wild +and fearful nature of this breaker-beaten coast wholly precludes me from +making use of the assistance and co-operation of the WATERWITCH. I have +consequently been under the necessity of reducing the strength of my +already small party, and have sent two men back in the cutter; retaining +only my overseer and one man, exclusive of Mr. Scott and two native boys. +Upon leaving the depot at Fowler's Bay, it is my intention to proceed +with only a single dray to carry our provisions, instead of (as formerly) +with two drays and a cart. + +"From the reduced state of our horses, it will be absolutely necessary +for us to remain in depot five or six weeks to rest them. Such, however, +is the dry and withered state of the little grass we have, and so +destitute is it of all nutritive qualities, that I much fear that even at +the expiration of this long respite from their labours, our horses will +not have improved much in strength or condition. I have therefore +unhesitatingly taken advantage of the very kind permission of his +Excellency the Governor, to request that a supply of oats and bran may be +sent to us, should his Excellency not require the services of the +WATERWITCH for more important employment. For ourselves we require no +additional provisions, the most liberal and abundant supply we formerly +received being fully sufficient to last us for six months longer. + +"I have much pleasure in recording the continued steadiness and good +conduct of my men, and I regret extremely the necessity which has +compelled me to dispense with the services of two of them before the +termination of the expedition, and after they have taken so considerable +a share in its labours. + +"I have the honor to be, Sir, +"Your very obedient servant, +"EDW. JOHN EYRE. + +"TO GEO. HALL, ESQ., PRIVATE SECRETARY, ETC." + + +After the departure of the cutter, our mode of life was for some time +very monotonous, and our camp bore a gloomy and melancholy aspect; the +loss of two men from our little band, made a sad alteration in its former +cheerful character. Mr. Scott usually employed himself in shooting or +fishing; one of the native boys was always out shepherding the sheep, and +the only remaining man I had was occupied in attending to the horses, so +that there were generally left only myself, the overseer, and one native +boy at the camp, which was desolate and gloomy, as a deserted village. +The overseer was pretty well employed, in making boots for the party, in +shoeing the horses, repairing the harness, and in doing other little odd +jobs of a similar kind; the black boys took their turns in shepherding +the sheep; but I was without active employment, and felt more strongly +than any of them that relaxation of body and depression of spirits, which +inactivity ever produces. + +For a time indeed, the writing up of my journals, the filling up my +charts, and superintending the arranging, packing, and burying of our +surplus stores, amused and occupied me, but as these were soon over, I +began to repine and fret at the life of indolence and inactivity. I was +doomed to suffer. Frequently required at the camp, to give directions +about, or to assist in the daily routine of duty, I did not like to +absent myself long away at once; there were no objects of interest near +me, within the limits of a day's excursion on foot, and the weak state of +the horses, prevented me from making any examinations of the country at a +greater distance on horseback; I felt like a prisoner condemned to drag +out a dull and useless existence through a given number of days or weeks, +and like him too, I sighed for freedom, and looked forward with +impatience, to the time when I might again enter upon more active and +congenial pursuits. Fatigue, privation, disappointment, disasters, and +all the various vicissitudes, incidental to a life of active exploration +had occasionally, it is true, been the source of great anxiety or +annoyance, but all were preferable to that oppressive feeling of listless +apathy, of discontent and dissatisfaction, which resulted from the life I +was now obliged to lead. + +Christmas day came, and made a slight though temporary break in the daily +monotony of our life. The kindness of our friends had supplied us with +many luxuries; and we were enabled even in the wilds, to participate in +the fare of the season: whilst the season itself, and the circumstances +under which it was ushered in to us, called forth feelings and +associations connected with other scenes and with friends, who were far +away; awakening, for a time at least, a train of happier thoughts and +kindlier feelings than we had for a long time experienced. + +On the 26th, I found that our horses and sheep were falling off so much +in condition, from the scarcity of grass, and its dry and sapless +quality, that it became absolutely necessary for us to remove elsewhere; +I had already had all our surplus stores and baggage headed up in casks, +or packed in cases, and carefully buried (previously covered over with a +tarpaulin and with bushes to keep them from damp), near the sand-hills, +and to-day I moved on the party for five miles to the well in the plains; +the grass here was very abundant, but still dry, and without much +nourishment; the water was plentiful, but brackish and awkward to get at, +being through a hole in a solid sheet of limestone, similar to that +behind Point Brown. Upon cleaning it out and deepening it a little, it +tasted even worse than before, but still we were thankful for it. + +The geological character of the country was exactly similar to that we +had been in so long, entirely of fossil formation, with a calcareous +oolitic limestone forming the upper crusts, and though this was +occasionally concealed by sand on the surface, we always were stopped by +it in digging; it was seemingly a very recent deposit, full of marine +shells, in every stage of petrifaction. Granite we had not seen for some +time, though I have no doubt that it occasionally protrudes; a small +piece, found near an encampment of the natives, and evidently brought +there by them, clearly proved the existence of this rock at no very great +distance, probably small elevations of granite may occasionally be found +among the scrubs, similar to those we had so frequently met with in the +same character of country. Another substance found at one of the native +encampments, and more interesting to us, not having been before met with, +was a piece of pure flint, of exactly the same character as the best gun +flint. This probably had been brought from the neighbourhood of the Great +Bight, in the cliffs of which Captain Flinders imagined he saw chalk, and +where I hoped that some change in the geological formation of the country +would lead to an improvement in its general appearance and character. + +The weather had been (with the exception of one or two hot days) +unusually cold and favourable for the time of year. Our horses had +enjoyed a long rest, and though the dry state of the grass had prevented +them from recovering their condition, I hoped they were stronger and in +better spirits, and determined to make one more effort to get round the +head of the Bight;--if unsuccessful this time, I knew it would be final, +as I should no longer have the means of making any future trial, for I +fully made up my mind to take all our best and strongest animals, and +either succeed in the attempt or lose all. + +On the 29th, I commenced making preparations, and on the following day +left the camp, the sheep, and four horses in charge of Mr. Scott and the +youngest of the native boys, whilst I proceeded myself, accompanied by +the overseer and eldest native boy on horseback, and a man driving a dray +with three horses, to cross once more through the scrub to the westward. +We took with us three bags of flour, a number of empty casks and kegs, +and two pack-saddles, besides spades and buckets, and such other minor +articles as were likely to be required. It was late in the day when we +arrived at the plains under the sand hills; and though we had brought our +six best and strongest horses, they were greatly fagged with their day's +work. We had still to take them some distance to the water, and back +again to the grass. At the water we found traces of a great many natives +who appeared to have left only in the morning, and who could not be very +far away; none were however seen. + +December 31.--We remained in camp to rest the horses, and took the +opportunity of carrying up all the water we could, every time the animals +went backwards and forwards, to a large cask which had been fixed on the +dray. The taste of the water was much worse than when we had been here +before, being both salter and more bitter; this, probably, might arise +from the well having been dug too deep, or from the tide having been +higher than usual, though I did not notice that such had been the case. +In the afternoon we buried the three bags of flour we had brought headed +up in a cask. + +January 1, 1841.--This morning I went down with the men to assist in +watering the horses, and upon returning to the camp, found my black boy +familiarly seated among a party of natives who had come up during our +absence. Two of them were natives I had seen to the north-west, and had +been among the party whose presence at the plains, on the 5th of +December, when I was surrounded by so many difficulties, had proved so +annoying to us at the time, and so fatal in its consequences to our +horses. They recognised me at once, and apparently described to the other +natives, the circumstances under which they had met me, lamenting most +pathetically the death of the horses; the dead bodies of which they had +probably seen in their route to the water. Upon examining their weapons +they shewed us several that were headed with flint, telling us that they +procured it to the north-west, thus confirming my previous conjectures as +to the existence of flint in that direction. To our inquiries about +water, they still persisted that there was none inland, and that it took +them five days, from where we were, to travel to that at the head of the +Bight. No other, they said, existed in any direction near us, except a +small hole to the north-west, among some sand hills, about two miles off; +these they pointed out, and offered to go with me and shew me the place +where the water was. I accepted the offer, and proceeded to the +sand-drifts, accompanied by one of them. On our arrival he shewed me the +remains of a large deep hole that had been dug in one of the sandy flats; +but in which the water was now inaccessible, from the great quantity of +sand that had drifted in and choked it up. By forcing a spear down to a +considerable depth, the native brought it out moist, and shewed it me to +prove that he had not been deceiving me. I now returned to the camp, more +than ever disposed to credit what I had been told relative to the +interior. I had never found the natives attempt to hide from us any +waters that they knew of, on the contrary, they had always been eager and +ready to point them out, frequently accompanying us for miles, through +the heat and amongst scrub, to shew us where they were. I had, therefore, +no reason to doubt the accuracy of their statements when they informed me +that there was none inland! Many different natives, and at considerable +intervals of country apart, had all united in the same statement, and as +far as I had yet been able to examine so arid a country personally, my +own observations tended to confirm the truth of what they had told me. + +In the evening several of the natives went down with the men to water the +horses, and when there drank a quantity of water that was absolutely +incredible, each man taking from three to four quarts, and this in +addition to what they got at the camp during the earlier part of the day. +Strange that a people who appear to do with so little water, when +traversing the deserts, should use it in such excess when the opportunity +of indulgence occurs to them, yet such have I frequently observed to be +the case, and especially on those occasions where they have least food. +It would seem that, accustomed generally to have the stomach distended +after meals, they endeavour to produce this effect with water, when +deprived of the opportunity of doing so with more solid substances. At +night the natives all encamped with us in the plain. + +January 2.--Having watered the horses early, we left the encampment, +accompanied by some of the natives, to push once more to the north-west. +On the dray we had eighty-five gallons of water; but as we had left all +our flour, and some other articles, I hoped we should get on well. The +heavy nature of the road, however, again told severely upon the horses: +twice we had to unload the dray, and at last, after travelling only +fourteen miles, the horses could go no further; I was obliged, therefore, +to come to a halt, and decide what was best to be done. There appeared to +be a disastrous fatality attending all our movements in this wretched +region, which was quite inexplicable. Every time that we had attempted to +force a passage through it, we had been baffled and driven back. Twice I +had been obliged to abandon our horses before; and on the last of these +occasions had incurred a loss of the three best of them; now, after +giving them a long period of rest, and respite from labour, and after +taking every precaution which prudence or experience could suggest, I had +the mortification of finding that we were in the same predicament we had +been in before, and with as little prospect of accomplishing our object. +Having but little time for deliberation, I at once ordered the overseer +and man to take the horses back to the water, and give them two days rest +there, and then to rejoin us again on the third, whilst I and the native +boy would remain with the dray, until their return. The natives also +remained with us for the first night; but finding we still continued in +camp, they left on the following morning, which I was sorry for, as I +hoped one would have been induced to go with us to the Great Bight. + +On the fifth of January, the overseer and man returned with the horses; +but so little had they benefited by their two days rest, that upon being +yoked up, and put to the dray, they would not move it. We were obliged, +therefore, to unload once more, and lighten the load by burying a cask of +water, and giving another to the horses. After this, we succeeded in +getting them along, with the remainder, to the undulating plains; and +here we halted for the night, after a stage of only seven miles, but one, +which, short as it was, had nearly worn out the draught horses. Here we +dug a large hole, and buried twenty-two gallons of water, for my own +horse, and that of the black boy, on our return; and as I determined to +take a man with me, with a pack-horse, nine gallons more were buried +apart from the other, for them, so that when the man got his cask of +water, he might not disturb ours, or leave traces by which the natives +could discover it. + +January 6.--Sending back the dray with the overseer, at the first dawn of +day, I and the native boy proceeded to the north-west, accompanied by the +man leading a pack-horse with twelve gallons of water. The day turned out +hot, and the road was over a very heavy sandy country; but by eleven +o'clock we had accomplished a distance of seventeen miles, and had +reached the furthest point from which I turned back on the 1st December. +I walked alternately with the boy, so as not to oppress the riding +horses, but the man walked all the way. + +The weather was most intensely hot, a strong wind blowing from the +north-east, throwing upon us an oppressive and scorching current of +heated air, like the hot blast of a furnace. There was no +misunderstanding the nature of the country from which such a wind came; +often as I had been annoyed by the heat, I had never experienced any +thing like it before. Had anything been wanting to confirm my previous +opinion of the arid and desert character of the great mass of the +interior of Australia, this wind would have been quite sufficient for +that purpose. From those who differ from me in opinion (and some there +are who do so whose intelligence and judgment entitle their opinion to +great respect), I would ask, could such a wind be be wafted over an +inland sea? or could it have passed over the supposed high, and perhaps +snowcapped mountains of the interior. + +We were all now suffering greatly from the heat; the man who was with me +was quite exhausted: under the annoyances of the moment, his spirits +failed him, and giving way to his feelings of fatigue and thirst, he lay +rolling on the ground, and groaning in despair; all my efforts to rouse +him were for a long time in vain, and I could not even induce him to get +up to boil a little tea for himself. We had halted about eleven in the +midst of a low sandy flat, not far from the sea, thinking, that by a +careful examination, we might find a place where water could be procured +by digging. There were, however, no trees or bushes near us; and the heat +of the sun, and the glare of the sand, were so intolerable, that I was +obliged to get up the horses, and compel the man to go on a little +further to seek for shelter. + +Proceeding one mile towards the sea, we came to a projecting rock upon +its shores; and as there was no hope of a better place being found, I +tied up my horses near it; the rock was not large enough to protect them +entirely from the sun, but by standing close under it, their heads and +necks were tolerably shaded. For ourselves, a recess of the rock afforded +a delightful retreat, whilst the immediate vicinity of the sea enabled us +every now and then to take a run, and plunge amidst its breakers, and +again return to the shelter of the cavern. For two or three hours we +remained in, under the protection of the rock, without clothes, and +occasionally bathing to cool ourselves. The native boy and I derived +great advantage from thus dipping in the sea, but it was a long time +before I could induce the man to follow our example, either by persuasion +or threats; his courage had failed him, and he lay moaning like a child. +At last I succeeded in getting him to strip and bathe, and he at once +found the benefit of it, becoming in a short time comparatively cool and +comfortable. We then each had a little more tea, and afterwards attempted +to dig for water among the sand-hills. The sand, however, was so loose, +that it ran in faster than we could throw it out, and we were obliged to +give up the attempt. + +As the afternoon was far advanced, we saddled the horses, and pushed on +again for five miles, hoping, but in vain, to find a little grass. At +night we halted among the sandy ridges behind the seashore, and after +giving the horses four quarts of oats and a bucket of water a-piece, we +were obliged to tie them up, there not being a blade of grass anywhere +about. The wind at night changed to the south-west, and was very cold, +chilling us almost as much as the previous heat had oppressed us. These +sudden and excessive changes in temperature induce great susceptibility +in the system, and expose the traveller to frequent heats and chills that +cannot be otherwise than injurious to the constitution. + +January 7.--Having concealed some water, provisions, and the pack-saddle +at the camp, I sent the man back with the pack-horse to encamp at the +undulating plains, where nine gallons of water had been left for him and +his horse, and the following day he was to rejoin the overseer at the +sand hills. + +To the latter I sent a note, requesting him to send two fresh horses to +meet me at the plains on the 15th of January, for, from the weak +condition of the animals we had with us, and from the almost total +absence of grass for them, I could not but dread lest we might be obliged +to abandon them too, and in this case, if we did not succeed in finding +water, we should perhaps have great difficulty in returning ourselves. + +As soon as the man was gone, we once more moved on to the north-west, +through the same barren region of heavy sandy ridges, entirely destitute +of grass or timber. After travelling through this for ten miles, we came +upon a native pathway, and following it under the hummocks of the coast +for eight miles, lost it at some bare sand-drifts, close to the head of +the Great Bight, where we had at last arrived, after our many former +ineffectual attempts. + +Following the general direction the native pathway had taken, we ascended +the sand-drifts, and finding the recent tracks of natives, we followed +them from one sand-hill to another, until we suddenly came upon four +persons encamped by a hole dug for water in the sand. We had so +completely taken them by surprise, that they were a good deal alarmed, +and seizing their spears, assumed an offensive attitude. Finding that we +did not wish to injure them, they became friendly in their manner, and +offered us some fruit, of which they had a few quarts on a piece of bark. +This fruit grows upon a low brambly-looking bush, upon the sand-hills or +in the flats, where the soil is of a saline nature. It is found also in +the plains bordering upon the lower parts of the Murrumbidgee, but in +much greater abundance along the whole line of coast to the westward. The +berry is oblong, about the shape and size of an English sloe, is very +pulpy and juicy, and has a small pyramidal stone in the centre, which is +very hard and somewhat indented. When ripe it is a dark purple, a clear +red, or a bright yellow, for there are varieties. The purple is the best +flavoured, but all are somewhat saline in taste. To the natives these +berries are an important article of food at this season of the year, and +to obtain them and the fruit of the mesembryanthemum, they go to a great +distance, and far away from water. In eating the berries, the natives +make use of them whole, never taking the trouble to get rid of the +stones, nor do they seem to experience any ill results from so doing. + +Having unsaddled the horses, we set to work to dig holes to water them; +the sand, however, was very loose, and hindered us greatly. The natives, +who were sitting at no great distance, observed the difficulty under +which we were labouring, and one of them who appeared the most +influential among them, said something to two of the others, upon which +they got up and came towards us, making signs to us to get out of the +hole, and let them in; having done so, one of them jumped in, and dug, in +an incredibly short time, a deep narrow hole with his hands; then sitting +so as to prevent the sand running in, he ladled out the water with a pint +pot, emptying it into our bucket, which was held by the other native. As +our horses drank a great deal, and the position of the man in the hole +was a very cramped one, the two natives kept changing places with each +other, until we had got all the water we required. + +In this instance we were indebted solely to the good nature and kindness +of these children of the wilds for the means of watering our horses: +unsolicited they had offered us their aid, without which we never could +have accomplished our purpose. Having given the principal native a knife +as a reward for the assistance afforded us, we offered the others a +portion of our food, being the only way in which we could shew our +gratitude to them; they seemed pleased with this attention, and though +they could not value the gift, they appeared to appreciate the motives +which induced it. + +Having rested for a time, and enjoyed a little tea, we inquired of the +natives for grass for our horses, as there was none to be seen anywhere. +They told us that there was none at all where we were, but they would +take us to some further along the coast, where we could also procure +water, without difficulty, as the sand was firm and hard, and the water +at no great depth. Guided by our new friends, we crossed the sand-hills +to the beach, and following round the head of the Great Bight for five +miles, we arrived at some more high drifts of white sand; turning in +among these, they took us to a flat where some small holes were dug in +the sand, which was hard and firm; none of them were two feet deep, and +the water was excellent and abundant: the name of the place was +Yeer-kumban-kauwe. + +Whilst I was employed in digging a large square hole, to enable us to dip +the bucket when watering the horses, the native boy went, accompanied by +one of the natives as a guide, to look for grass. Upon his return, he +said he had been taken to a small plain about a mile away, behind the +sand hills, where there was plenty of grass, though of a dry character; +to this we sent the horses for the night. In returning, a few sea fowl +were shot as a present for our friends, with whom we encamped, gratified +that we had at last surmounted the difficulty of rounding the Great +Bight, and that once more we had a point where grass and water could be +procured, and from which we might again make another push still further +to the westward. + +In the evening, we made many inquiries of the natives, as to the nature +of the country inland, the existence of timber, rocks, water, etc. and +though we were far from being able to understand all that they said, or +to acquire half the information that they wished to convey to us, we +still comprehended them sufficiently to gather many useful and important +particulars. In the interior, they assured us, most positively, there was +no water, either fresh or salt, nor anything like a sea or lake of any +description. + +They did not misunderstand us, nor did we misapprehend them upon this +point, for to our repeated inquiries for salt water, they invariably +pointed to a salt lake, some distance behind the sand-hills, as the only +one they knew of, and which at this time we had not seen. + +With respect to hills or timber, they said, that neither existed inland, +but that further along the coast to the westward, we should find trees of +a larger growth, and among the branches of which lived a large animal, +which by their description, I readily recognized as being the Sloth of +New South Wales; an animal whose habits exactly agreed with their +description, and which I knew to be an inhabitant of a barren country, +where the scrub was of a larger growth than ordinary. One of the natives +had a belt round his waist, made of the fur of the animal they described, +and on inspecting it, the colour and length of the hair bore out my +previous impression. + +The next water along the coast we were informed, was ten days journey +from Yeerkumban kauwe, and was situated among sand-drifts, similar to +those we were at, but beyond the termination of the line of cliffs, +extending westward from the head of the Bight, and which were distinctly +visible from the shore near our camp. These cliffs they called, +"Bundah," and at two days' journey from their commencement, they +told us were procured the specimens of flints (Jula) we had seen +upon their weapons, and of which one or two small pieces had been picked +up by us among the sand-drifts, having probably been dropped there by the +natives. + +January 8.--To-day we remained in camp to recruit the horses, and the +natives remained with us; soon after breakfast one of them lit a signal +fire upon a sand-hill, and not long afterwards we were joined by three +more of the tribe, but the women kept out of sight. I now sent the native +boy out with one to shoot birds for them, but he came back with only a +single crow, and I was obliged to go myself, to try whether I could not +succeed better. Being lucky enough to procure four, I gave them to the +natives, and returning to the camp we all dined, and afterwards lay down +to rest for an hour. + +Upon getting up, I missed a knife I had been using, and which had been +lying beside me. One of the strange natives who had come to the camp this +morning, had been sitting near me, and I at once suspected him to be the +thief, but he was now gone, and I had no prospect of recovering the lost +article. In the afternoon, the stranger came up to the camp again, and I +at once taxed him with the theft; this he vehemently denied, telling me +it was lost in the sand, and pretending to look anxiously for it; he +appeared, however, restless and uneasy, and soon after taking up his +spears went away with two others. My own native boy happened to be coming +over the sand-hills at the time, but unobserved by them, and as they +crossed the ridge he saw the man I had accused stop to pick something up, +and immediately called out to me; upon this I took my gun, and ascending +the hill, saw the native throw down the knife, which my own boy then +picked up; the other natives had now come up, and seemed very anxious to +prevent any hostilities, and to the chief of those who had been so +friendly with us, I explained as well as I could the nature of the +misunderstanding, and requested him to order the dishonest native away, +upon which he spoke to them in his own language, and all took up their +spears and went away, except himself and one other. These two men +remained with us until dark, but as the evening appeared likely to be +wet, they left us also, when we lay down for the night. + +January 9.--The morning set in cold, dark and rainy, and as much wet had +fallen during the night, we had been thoroughly drenched through, our +fire had been extinguished, and it was long before we could get it lit +again, and even then we could hardly keep it in; the few bushes among the +sand hills were generally small, and being for the most part green as +well as wet, it required our utmost efforts to prevent the fire from +going out; so far indeed were we from being either cheered or warmed by +the few sparks we were able to keep together, that the chill and +comfortless aspect of its feeble rays, made us only shiver the more, as +the rain fell coldly and heavily upon our already saturated garments. +About noon the weather cleared up a little, and after getting up and +watering the horses, we collected a large quantity of firewood and made +waterproof huts for ourselves. The rain, however, was over, and we no +longer required them. + + + + +Chapter XIV. + + + +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF THE GREAT BIGHT--LEVEL NATURE OF THE +INTERIOR--FLINTS ABOUND--RETURN TO YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--NATIVES COME +TO THE CAMP--THEIR GENEROUS CONDUCT--MEET THE OVERSEER--RETURN TO +DEPOT--BAD WATER--MOVE BACK TO FOWLER'S BAY--ARRIVAL OF THE GUTTER +HERO--JOINED BY THE KING GEORGE'S SOUND NATIVE--INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO +THE HERO--DIFFICULTY OF FIXING UPON ANY FUTURE PLAN--BREAK UP THE +EXPEDITION AND DIVIDE THE PARTY--MR. SCOTT EMBARKS--FINAL REPORT--THE +HERO SAILS--OVERSEER AND NATIVES REMAIN--EXCURSION TO THE NORTH--A NATIVE +JOINS US--SUDDEN ILLNESS IN THE PARTY--FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING THE +DEPOT. + + +January 10.--WE left Yeer-kumban-kauwe early, and proceeding to the +westward, passed through an open level tract of country, of from three to +four hundred feet in elevation, and terminating seawards abruptly, in +bold and overhanging cliffs, which had been remarked by Captain Flinders, +but which upon our nearer approach, presented nothing very remarkable in +appearance, being only the sudden termination of a perfectly level +country, with its outer face washed, steep and precipitous, by the +unceasing lash of the southern ocean. The upper surface of this country, +like that of all we had passed through lately, consisted of a calcareous +oolitic limestone, below which was a hard concrete substance of sand or +of reddish soil, mixed with shells and pebbles; below this again, the +principal portion of the cliff consisted of a very hard and coarse grey +limestone, and under this a narrow belt of a whitish or cream-coloured +substance, lying in horizontal strata; but what this was we could not yet +determine, being unable to get down to it any where. The cliffs were +frightfully undermined in many places, enormous masses lay dissevered +from the main land by deep fissures, and appearing to require but a touch +to plunge them headlong into the abyss below. Back from the sea, the +country was level, tolerably open, and covered with salsolae, or low, +prickly shrubs, with here and there belts of the eucalyptus dumosa. In +places two or three miles back from the coast there was a great deal of +grass, that at a better season of the year would have been valuable; now +it was dry and sapless. No timber was visible any where, nor the +slightest rise of any kind. The whole of this level region, elevated as +it was above the sea, was completely coated over with small fresh water +spiral shells, of two different kinds. + +After travelling about twenty-five miles along the cliffs, we came all at +once to innumerable pieces of beautiful flint, lying on the surface, +about two hundred yards inland. This was the place at which the natives +had told us they procured the flint; but how it attained so elevated a +position, or by what means it became scattered over the surface in such +great quantities in that particular place, could only be a matter of +conjecture. There was no change whatever in the character or appearance +of the country, or of the cliffs, and the latter were as steep and +impracticable as ever. + +Five miles beyond the flint district we turned a little inland and halted +for the night upon a patch of withered grass. During the day we had been +fortunate enough to find a puddle of water in a hollow of the rock left +by yesterday's rain, at which we watered the horses, and then lading out +the remainder into our bucket carefully covered it up with a stone slab +until our return, as I well knew, if exposed to the sun and wind, there +would not be a drop left in a very few hours. Kangaroos had been seen in +great numbers during the day, but we had not been able to get a shot at +one. Our provisions were now nearly exhausted, and for some days we had +been upon very reduced allowances, so that it was not without some degree +of chagrin that we saw so many fine animals bounding unscathed around us. + +January 11.--Having travelled fifteen miles further along the cliffs, I +found them still continue unchanged, with the same level uninteresting +country behind. I had now accomplished all that I expected to do on this +excursion, by ascertaining the character of the country around the Great +Bight; and as our horses were too weak to attempt to push beyond the +cliffs to the next water, and as we ourselves were without provisions, I +turned homewards, and by making a late and forced march, arrived at the +place where we had left the bucket of water, after a day's ride of +forty-five miles. Our precaution as we had gone out proved of inestimable +value to us now. The bucket of water was full and uninjured, and we were +enabled thus to give our horses a gallon and a half each, and allow them +to feed upon the withered grass instead of tying them up to bushes, which +we must have done if we had had no water. + +January 12.--In our route back to "Yeer-kumban-kauwe" we were lucky +enough to add to our fare a rat and a bandicoot, we might also have had a +large brown snake, but neither the boy nor I felt inclined to +experimentalise upon so uninviting an article of food; after all it was +probably mere prejudice, and the animal might have been as good eating as +an eel. We arrived at the water about noon, and the remainder of the day +afforded a grateful rest both to ourselves and to the horses. + +January 13.--Our fire had gone out during the night, and all our matches +being wet, we could not relight it until noon, when the rays of a hot sun +had dried them again. Having eaten our slender dinner, I walked out to +water the horses, leaving the boy in charge of the camp. Upon my return I +found him comfortably seated between two of our friends the natives, who +had just returned from a hunting excursion, bringing with them the half +roasted carcass of a very fine kangaroo. They had already bestowed upon +the boy two very large pieces, and as soon as I made my appearance they +were equally liberal to me, getting up the moment I arrived at the camp, +and bringing it over to me of their own accord. The supply was a most +acceptable one, and we felt very grateful for it. Having received as much +of the kangaroo as would fully last for two days, I gave a knife in +return to the eldest of the men, with which he seemed highly delighted. I +would gladly have given one to the other also, but I had only one left, +and could not spare it. The natives remained in camp with us for the +night, and seemed a good deal surprised when they saw us re-roasting the +kangaroo; frequently intimating to us that it had already been cooked, +and evidently pitying the want of taste which prevented us from +appreciating their skill in the culinary art. + +January 14.--Upon our leaving this morning the natives buried in the sand +the remains of their kangaroo, and accompanied us a mile or two on our +road, then turning in among the sand-hills they returned to renew their +feast. They had been eating almost incessantly ever since they arrived at +the water yesterday, and during the night they had repeatedly got up for +the same purpose. The appetites of these people know no restraint when +they have the means of gratifying them; they have no idea of temperance +or prudence, and are equally regardless of the evil resulting from excess +as they are improvident in preparing for the necessities of the +morrow--"sufficient (literally so to them) for the day is the evil +thereof." + +In our route to-day instead of following round the sea-shore, we struck +across behind the sand-hills, from "Yeerkumban-kauwe" to the water we had +first found on the 7th of January, and in doing so we passed along a +large but shallow salt-water lake, which the natives had pointed to on +the evening of the 7th, when I made inquiries relative to the existence +of salt water inland. The margin of this lake was soft and boggy, and we +were nearly losing one of our horses which sank unexpectedly in the mud. +About noon we arrived at the camp, from which I had sent the man back on +the 6th, and having picked up the water and other things left there, +proceeded to the sand-hills near which we had halted during the intense +heat of that day. We now rested for several hours, and again moved +onwards about eleven at night to avoid the great heat of the day whilst +crossing the sandy country before us. + +January 15.--At sunrise we arrived at the undulating plains, where twenty +gallons of water had been left buried for us. Here I found the overseer +with two fresh horses, according to the instructions I had sent him on +the 6th, by the man who returned. After resting for an hour or two, I set +off with the native boy upon the fresh horses, and rode to the water at +the sand-drifts, leaving the overseer to bring on the tired animals the +next day. It was nearly dark when we arrived at the plain under the +sand-hills, and very late before we had watered the horses and brought +them back to the grass. + +January 16.--After breakfast, in returning from the water, we had a feast +upon some berries, growing on the briary bushes behind the sand-hills; +they were similar to those the natives had offered to us, at the head of +the Bight, on the 7th, were very abundant, and just becoming ripe. About +eight o'clock we set off for the depot, and arrived there at two, glad to +reach our temporary home once more, after eighteen days absence, and +heartily welcomed by Mr. Scott, who complained bitterly of having been +left alone so long. Under the circumstances of the case, however, it had +been quite unavoidable. Upon tasting the water at the well, I found, that +from so much having been taken out, it had now become so very brackish, +that it was scarcely usable, and I decided upon returning again to +Fowler's Bay, where the water was good, as soon as the overseer came +back. + +January 17.--Spent the day in writing, and in meditating upon my future +plans and prospects. I had now been forty-five miles beyond the head of +the Great Bight, that point to which I had looked with interest and hope; +now, I had ascertained that no improvement took place there, in the +appearance or character of the country, but, if any thing, that it became +less inviting, and more arid. The account of the natives fully satisfied +me that there was no possibility of getting inland, and my own experience +told me that I could never hope to take a loaded dray through the +dreadful country I had already traversed on horseback. What then was I to +do? or how proceed for the future? The following brief abstract of the +labours of the party, and the work performed by the horses in the three +attempts made to get round the head of the Great Bight, may perhaps seem +incredible to those who know nothing of the difficulty of forcing a +passage through such a country as we were in, and amidst all the +disadvantages we were under, from the season of the year and other causes. + + +ABSTRACT OF LABOURS OF THE PARTY IN ROUNDING THE GREAT BIGHT. + +Names. Distances ridden. No. of days employed. +Mr Eyre 643 miles 40 +Mr. Scott 50 miles 4 +The Overseer 230 miles 22 +Costelow 22 +Houston 12 +Corporal Coles 8 +Eldest native boy 270 miles 19 +Youngest native boy 395 miles 23 + + +A dray loaded with water was drawn backwards and forwards 238 miles; many +of the horses, in addition to the distances they were ridden, or worked +in the dray, were driven loose, in going or returning, for about eighty +miles. Most of the party walked considerable distances in addition to +those ridden. All the party were engaged, more or less, in connection +with the three attempts to round the Bight, as were also all the horses, +and of the latter, three perished from over fatigue and want of water. +Yet, after all, the distance examined did not exceed 135 miles, and might +have been done easily in ten days, and without any loss, had the +situation of the watering places, or the nature of the country, been +previously known. + +None but a person who has been similarly circumstanced, can at all +conceive the incessant toil and harassing anxiety of the explorer; when +baffled and defeated, he has to traverse over and over again the same +dreary wastes, gaining but a few miles of ground at each fresh attempt, +whilst each renewal of the effort but exhausts still more the strength +and condition of his animals, or the energy and spirits of his men. + +Upon maturely considering our circumstances and position, I decided to +attempt to force a passage round the Great Bight, with pack-horses only, +sending, upon the return of the cutter, all our heavy stores and drays in +her to Cape Arid, if I found, upon her arrival, the instructions I might +receive, would justify me in taking her so far beyond the boundaries of +South Australia. This was the only plan that appeared to me at all +feasible, and I determined to adopt it as soon as our horses were +sufficiently recruited to commence their labours again. + +On the 18th, the overseer returned with the two jaded horses we had used +on our last excursion, looking very wretched and weak. The day was +intensely hot, with the wind due north: the thermometer in the shade, in +a well lined tent, being 105 degrees at 11 A.M.--a strong corroboration, +if such were required, of the statement of the natives, that there was no +large body of inland water. At 2, P.M. the wind changed to west, and the +thermometer suddenly fell to 95 degrees; a little afterwards, it veered +to south-west, and again fell to 80 degrees; the afternoon then became +comparatively cool and pleasant. + +The quality of the water at the well, was now beginning to affect the +health of the whole party; and on the 19th and 20th I put into execution +my resolution of removing to Fowler's Bay, where we again enjoyed the +luxury of good water. Upon digging up the things we had left buried, we +found them perfectly dry. On the 21st, I sent Mr. Scott down to the bay, +to see if the cutter had come back, but she had not. On his return, he +brought up a few fish he had caught, which, added to ten pigeons, shot by +himself and the native boys, at the sand-hills, gave a little variety to +our fare; indeed, for several days, after taking up our old position at +Point Fowler, we were well supplied both with fish and pigeons. + +Time passed gradually away until the evening of the 25th, when a party of +natives once more came up, and took up their abode near us--three were of +those who had accompanied us all the way from Denial Bay, and some others +had also been with us before. On the 26th, I went down myself to Fowler's +Bay to look out for the cutter, which we now daily expected. Just as I +arrived at the beach she came rounding into the bay, and Mr. Scott and +myself got into our little boat, and pulled off to her, though with great +difficulty, the wind blowing very fresh and dead against us, with the sea +running high. We had three miles to go, and for a long time it was very +doubtful whether we should succeed in reaching the vessel; our utmost +efforts appearing barely to enable us to keep our ground. I was myself, +at the best, not very skilful in using an oar, and neither of us had had +much practice in pulling in a heavy sea. However, we got on board after a +good deal of fatigue, and were rewarded by receiving many letters, both +English and Colonial. I found that in returning to Adelaide the +Water-witch had proved so leaky as to be deemed unsafe for further +service on so wild a coast, and that the Governor had, in consequence, +with the promptness and consideration which so eminently distinguished +him, chartered the "HERO," a fine cutter, a little larger than the +WATERWITCH, and placing her under the command of Mr. Germain, had sent +him to our assistance. On board the HERO I was pleased to find the native +from King George's Sound, named Wylie, whom I had sent for, and who was +almost wild with delight at meeting us, having been much disappointed at +being out of the way when I sent for him from Port Lincoln. + +After receiving our despatches, and taking Wylie with us, we set sail for +the shore, and then walked up in the evening to our depot; my other two +native boys were greatly rejoiced to find their old friend once more with +them; they had much to tell to, and much to hear from each other, and all +sat up to a late hour. For myself, the many letters I had received, gave +me ample enjoyment and occupation for the night, whilst the large pile of +newspapers from Adelaide, Swan River, and Sydney, promised a fund of +interest for some time to come. Nothing could exceed the kindness and +attention of our friends in Adelaide, who had literally inundated us with +presents of every kind, each appearing to vie with the other in their +endeavours to console us under our disappointments, to cheer us in our +future efforts, and if possible, to make us almost forget that we were in +the wilds. Among other presents I received a fine and valuable +kangaroo-dog from my friend, Captain Sturt, and which had fortunately +arrived safely, and in excellent condition. + +The bran and oats which I had applied for had been most liberally +provided, so that by remaining in depot for a few weeks longer, we might +again hope to get our horses into good condition. From his Excellency the +Governor I received a kind and friendly letter, acquainting me that the +HERO was entirely at my disposal within the limits of South Australia, +but that being under charter I could not take her to Cape Arid, or beyond +the boundaries of the province, and requesting, that if I desired further +aid, or to be met any where, at a future time, that I would communicate +with the Government to that effect by the HERO'S return. The whole tenor +of his Excellency's letter evinced a degree of consideration and kindness +that I could hardly have expected amidst the many anxious duties and +onerous responsibilities devolving upon him at this time; and if any +thing could have added to the feelings of gratitude and respect I +entertained towards him, it would be the knowledge, that with the +disinterested generosity of a noble mind, he was giving up a portion of +his valuable time and attention to our plans, our wants, and our safety, +at a time when the circumstances of the colony over which he presided had +beset his own path with many difficulties, and when every day but added +to the annoyances and embarrassments which a sudden reaction in the +progress and prospects of the province necessarily produced. + +In the instructions I received relative to the cutter, I have mentioned +that I was restricted to employing her within the limits of the colony of +South Australia, and thus, the plan I had formed of sending our drays and +heavy stores in her to Cape Arid, whilst we proceeded overland ourselves +with pack-horses, was completely overturned, and it became now a matter +of very serious consideration to decide what I should do under the +circumstances. It was impossible for me to take my whole party and the +drays overland through the dreadful country verging upon the Great Bight; +whilst if I took the party, and left the drays, it was equally hopeless +that I could carry upon pack-horses a sufficiency of provisions to last +us to King George's Sound. There remained, then, but two alternatives, +either to break through the instructions I had received with regard to +the HERO, or to reduce my party still further, and attempt to force a +passage almost alone. The first I did not, for many reasons, think myself +justified in doing--the second, therefore, became my DERNIER RESORT, and +I reluctantly decided upon adopting it. + +It now became my duty to determine without delay who were to be my +companions in the perilous attempt before me. The first and most painful +necessity impressed upon me by the step I contemplated, was that of +parting with my young friend, Mr. Scott, who had been with me from the +commencement of the undertaking, and who had always been zealous and +active in promoting its interests as far as lay in his power. I knew +that, on an occasion like this, the spirit and enterprise of his +character would prompt in him a wish to remain and share the difficulties +and dangers to which I might be exposed: but I felt that I ought not to +allow him to do so; I had no right to lead a young enthusiastic friend +into a peril from which escape seemed to be all but hopeless; and painful +as it would be to us both to separate under such circumstances, there was +now no other alternative; the path of duty was plain and imperative, and +I was bound to follow it. + +On the 28th, I took the opportunity, whilst walking down to the beach +with Mr. Scott, of explaining the circumstances in which I was placed, +and the decision to which I had been forced. He was much affected at the +intelligence, and would fain have remained to share with me the result of +the expedition, whatever that might be; but I dared not consent to it. + +The only man left, belonging to the party, was the one who had +accompanied me towards the head of the Great Bight, and suffered so much +from the heat on the 6th January. His experience on that occasion of the +nature of the country, and the climate we were advancing into, had, in a +great measure, damped his ardour for exploring; so that when told that +the expedition, as far as he was concerned, had terminated, and that he +would have to go back to Adelaide with Mr. Scott, he did not express any +regret. I had ever found him a useful and obedient man, and with the +exception of his losing courage under the heat, upon the occasion alluded +to, he had been a hardy and industrious man, and capable of enduring much +fatigue. + +The native boys I intended to accompany me in my journey, as they would +be better able to put up with the fatigues and privations we should have +to go through, than Europeans; whilst their quickness of sight, habit of +observation, and skill in tracking, might occasionally be of essential +service to me. The native who had lately joined me from Adelaide, and +whose country was around King George's Sound, would, I hoped, be able to +interpret to any tribes we might meet with, as it appeared to me that +some of the words we had heard in use among the natives of this part of +the coast were very similar to some I had heard among the natives of King +George's Sound. Three natives, however, were more than I required, and I +would gladly have sent the youngest of them back to Adelaide, but he had +been with me several years, and I did not like to send him away whilst he +was willing to remain; besides, he was so young and so light in weight, +that if we were able to get on at all, his presence could cause but +little extra difficulty. I therefore decided upon taking him also. + +There remained now only the overseer; a man who had been in my service +for many years, and whose energy, activity, and many useful qualities, +had made him an invaluable servant to me at all times; whilst his +courage, prudence, good conduct, and fidelity, made me very desirous to +have him with me in this last effort to cross to the westward. Having +sent for him, I explained to him most fully the circumstances in which I +was placed, the utter impossibility of taking on the whole party through +so inhospitable a region as that before us, my own firm determination +never to return unsuccessful, but either to accomplish the object I had +in view, or perish in the attempt. I pointed out to him that there were +still eight hundred and fifty miles of an unknown country yet to be +traversed and explored; that, in all probability, this would consist +principally, if not wholly, of an all but impracticable desert. I +reminded him of the fatigues, difficulties, and losses we had already +experienced in attempting to reconnoitre the country only as far as the +head of the Great Bight; and stated to him my own conviction, that from +the knowledge and experience we had already acquired of the nature of the +country; the journey before us must of necessity be a long and harassing +one--one of unceasing toil, privation, and anxiety, whilst, from the +smallness of our party, the probable want of water, and other causes, it +would be one, also, of more than ordinary risk and danger. I then left +him to determine whether he would return to Adelaide, in the cutter, or +remain and accompany me. His reply was, that although he had become tired +of remaining so long away in the wilds, and should be glad when the +expedition had terminated, yet he would willingly remain with me to the +last; and would accompany me to the westward at every hazard. + +Our future movements being now arranged, and the division of the party +decided upon, it remained only for me to put my plans into execution. The +prospect of the approaching separation, had cast a gloom over the whole +party, and now that all was finally determined, I felt that the sooner it +was over the better. I lost no time, therefore, in getting up all the +bran and oats from the cutter, and in putting on board of her our drays, +and such stores as we did not require, directing the master to hold +himself in readiness to return to Adelaide immediately. + +By the 31st January, every thing was ready; my farewell letters were +written to the kind friends in Adelaide, to whom I owed so much; and my +final report to the Chairman of the Committee, for promoting the +expedition--that expedition being now brought to a close, and its members +disbanded. + +In the evening the man and Mr. Scott went on board the cutter, taking +with them our three kangaroo dogs, which the arid nature of the country +rendered it impossible for me to keep. I regretted exceedingly being +compelled to part with the dogs, but it would have been certain +destruction to them to have attempted to take them with me. + +The following is a copy of my final report to the Chairman of the +Northern Expedition Committee:-- + + +"Fowler's Bay, 30th Jan., 1841. + +"Sir,--By the return of the HERO from Fowler's Bay, I have the honour to +acquaint you, for the information of his Excellency the Governor, and the +colonists interested, with the unsuccessful termination of the expedition +placed under my command, for the purpose of exploring the northern +interior. Since my last report to his Excellency the Governor, containing +an account of two most disastrous attempts to head the Great Australian +Bight, I have, accompanied by one of my native boys, made a third and +more successful one. On this occasion, I with some difficulty advanced +about fifty miles beyond the head of the Great Bight, along the line of +high cliffs described by Flinders, and which have hitherto been supposed +to be composed principally of chalk. I found the country between the head +of Fowler's Bay and the head of the Great Bight to consist of a +succession of sandy ridges, all of which were more or less covered by a +low scrub, and without either grass or water for the last sixty miles. +This tract is of so uneven and heavy a nature that it would be quite +impossible for me to take a loaded dray across it at this very +unfavourable season of the year, and with horses so spiritless and jaded +as ours have become, from the incessant and laborious work they have gone +through during the last seven months. Upon rounding the head of the +Bight, I met with a few friendly natives, who shewed me where both grass +and water was to be procured, at the same time assuring me that there was +no more along the coast for ten of their days' journeys, (probably 100 +miles) or where the first break takes place in the long and continuous +line of cliffs which extend so far to the westward of the head of the +Great Bight. Upon reaching these cliffs I felt much disappointed, as I +had long looked forward to some considerable and important change in the +character of the country. There was, however, nothing very remarkable in +their appearance, nor did the features of the country around undergo any +material change. The cliffs themselves struck me as merely exhibiting the +precipitous banks of an almost level country of moderate elevation (three +or four hundred feet) which the violent lash of the whole of the Southern +Ocean was always acting upon and undermining. Their rock formation +consisted of various strata, the upper crust or surface being an oolitic +limestone; below this is an indented concrete mixture of sand, soil, +small pebbles, and shells; beneath this appear immense masses of a coarse +greyish limestone, of which by far the greater portion of the cliffs are +composed; and immediately below these again is a narrow stripe of a +whitish, or rather a cream-coloured substance, lying in horizontal +strata, but which the impracticable nature of the cliffs did not permit +me to examine. After riding for forty-five miles along their summits, I +was in no instance able to descend; their brinks were perfectly steep and +overhanging, and in many places enormous masses appeared severed by deep +cracks from the main land, and requiring but a slight touch to plunge +them into the abyss below. As far as I have yet been along these cliffs, +I have seen nothing in their appearance to lead me to suppose that any +portion of them is composed of chalk. Immediately along their summits, +and for a few hundred yards back, very numerous pieces of pure flint are +lying loosely scattered upon the surface of the limestone. How they +obtained so elevated a position, or whence they are from, may admit, +perhaps, of some speculation. Back from the sea, and as far as the eye +could reach, the country was level and generally open, with some low +prickly bushes and salsolaceous plants growing upon it; here and there +patches of the gum scrub shewed themselves, and among which a few small +grassy openings were interspersed. The whole of this tract was thickly +covered by small land shells, about the size of snail shells--and some of +them somewhat resembling those in shape. There were no sudden depressions +or abrupt elevations anywhere; neither hills, trees, or water were to be +observed; nor was there the least indication of improvement or change in +the general character of this desolate and forbidding region. The natives +we met with at the head of the Bight were very friendly, and readily +afforded us every information we required--as far as we could make them +comprehend our wishes. + +"We most distinctly understood from them, that there was no water along +the coast, westerly, for ten of their days' journeys; and that inland, +there was neither fresh nor salt water, hills or timber, as far as they +had ever been; an account which but too well agreed with the opinion I +had myself formed, upon ascertaining that the same dreary, barren region +I had been traversing so long, still continued at a point where I had +ever looked forward to some great and important change taking place in +the features of the country, and from which I had hoped I might +eventually have accomplished the object for which the expedition was +fitted out. Such, however, was not the case; there was not any +improvement in the appearance of the country, or the least indication +that there might be a change for the better, within any practicable +distance. I had already examined the tract of country from the longitude +of Adelaide, to the parallel of almost 130 degrees E. longitude; an +extent comprising nearly 8 1/2 degrees of longitude; without my having +found a single point from which it was possible to penetrate for into the +interior; and I now find myself in circumstances of so embarrassing and +hopeless a character, that I have most reluctantly been compelled to give +up all further idea of contending with obstacles which there is no +reasonable hope of ever overcoming. I have now, therefore, with much +regret completely broken up my small but devoted party. Two of my men +returned to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, five weeks ago. + +"Mr. Scott and another of my men proceed on Monday in the HERO; whilst +myself, my native boys, and the overseer (who has chosen to accompany me) +proceed hence overland to King George's Sound, as soon as our horses are +a little recruited by the abundant supply of forage we received by the +HERO. + +"In this undertaking, my young friend Mr. Scott--with his usual spirit +and perseverance--was most anxious to have joined me; but painful as it +has been to refuse, I have felt it my duty, from the nature of the +service, not to comply with his request. It now only remains for me to +return my most sincere thanks to the many friends to whose kindness I +have been so much indebted during the continuance of this long and +anxious undertaking. To his Excellency the Governor I feel that I can +never be sufficiently grateful for the very kind, prompt, and liberal +support and encouragement which I have invariably experienced, and to +which I have been mainly indebted for the means of accomplishing even the +little I have done. To yourself, as chairman, the committee, and the +colonists, by whom the expedition was fitted out, I return my most +sincere acknowledgments for the very great honour done me in appointing +me to the command of an undertaking at once so interesting and +important--for the liberal and kind way in which I have been supported, +and my wishes complied with; and, above all, for the flattering and +encouraging confidence expressed in my abilities and perseverance. To a +conviction of the existence of this confidence in the minds of those by +whom I was appointed, I feel that I owe much of the stimulus that has +sustained and encouraged me under difficulties and disappointments of no +ordinary kind. Deeply as I lament the unsuccessful and unsatisfactory +result of an undertaking from which so much was expected, I have the +cheering consciousness of having endeavoured faithfully to discharge the +trust confided to me; and although from a concurrence of most unfortunate +circumstances which no human prudence could foresee or guard against, and +which the most untiring perseverance has been unable to surmount, I have +not succeeded in effecting the great objects for which this expedition +was fitted out, I would fain hope that our labours have not been +altogether in vain, but that hereafter, some future and more fortunate +traveller, judging from the considerable extent of country we have +examined, and the features it has developed, may, by knowing where the +interior is not practicable, be directed to where it is. + +"In concluding my report of our endeavours to penetrate the northern +interior, I beg to express to all who have been connected with the +expedition, my sincere thanks for their zeal and good conduct. In my +young friend, Mr. Scott, I have had a cheerful companion and useful +assistant; whilst in my overseer and men, I have met with a most +praiseworthy readiness and steadiness of conduct, under circumstances and +disappointments that have at once been trying and disheartening. + +"I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, + +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE. + +"The Chairman of the Committee for promoting the Northern Expedition." + + +We were now alone, myself, my overseer, and three native boys, with a +fearful task before us, the bridge was broken down behind us, and we must +succeed in reaching King George's Sound, or perish; no middle course +remained. It was impossible for us to be insensible to the isolated and +hazardous position we were in; but this very feeling only nerved and +stimulated us the more in our exertions, to accomplish the duty we had +engaged in; the result we humbly left to that Almighty Being who had +guided and guarded us hitherto, amidst all our difficulties, and in all +our wanderings, and who, whatever he might ordain, would undoubtedly +order every thing for the best. + +Our time was now entirely taken up, in the daily routine of the camp, +attending to the sheep and horses, and in making preparations for our +journey. We had a large supply of corn and bran sent for our horses, and +as long as any of this remained, I determined to continue in depot. + +In the mean time, the overseer was thoroughly occupied in preparing +pack-saddles, (all of which we had to make) extra bridles, new hobbles, +and in shoeing all the horses. I undertook the duty of new stuffing and +repairing the various saddles, making what extra clothes were required +for myself and the native boys for our journey; weighing out and packing +in small linen bags, all the rations of tea, sugar, etc. which would be +required weekly, preparing strong canvas saddle-bags, making light +oilskins to protect our things from the wet, etc. etc. These many necessary +and important preparations kept us all very busy, and the time passed +rapidly away. On one occasion, I attempted with one of my native boys, to +explore the country due north of Fowler's Bay, but the weather turned out +unfavourable, the wind being from the north-east, and scorchingly hot; I +succeeded, however, in penetrating fully twenty miles in the direction I +had taken, the first ten of which was through a dense heavy scrub, of the +Eucalyptus dumosa, or the tea-tree. Emerging from this, we entered an +open pretty looking country, consisting of grassy plains of great extent, +divided by belts of shrubs and bush; as we advanced the shrubs became +less numerous, the country more open, and salsolaceous plants began to +occupy the place of the grass. Had we been able to continue our +exploration for another day's journey, I have no doubt, from the change +which appeared gradually to be taking place as we advanced north, that +the whole country around would have been one vast level open waste, +without bush or shrub of any kind, and covered by salsolae. I felt +strongly convinced, we were gradually approaching a similar kind of +country to that I had been in between Lake Torrens and Flinders range; +the only difference was that as far as we had yet gone from Fowler's Bay, +the elevation of the country did not appear to have been diminished; its +average height above the level of the sea, I judged to be about 300 feet, +and forming doubtless a continuation of the table land, I had found +existing at the head of the Great Bight. The weather, however, was as +unfavourable as the country, for such researches, at this season of the +year, and the horses I had taken out with me suffered a good deal, even +in the short space of two days, during which I was engaged in this +attempt. + +On some occasions the thermometer was 113 degrees in the shade, and +whenever the wind was from the north-east, it was hot and oppressive +beyond all conception. The natives, though occasionally seen, generally +kept away from us during the time we were in depot. One old man alone +(called Mumma) came up to our camp, and remained with us for +several days; he was one of the few who had accompanied us so far from +the neighbourhood of Denial Bay, and seemed to have taken a great fancy +to us. We now endeavoured to reward him for his former services, by +giving him a red shirt, a blanket, and a tomahawk, and whenever we got +our meals he joined us, eating and drinking readily any thing we gave +him--tea, broth, pease soup, mutton, salt pork, rice, damper, sugar, +dried fruits, were all alike to him, nothing came amiss, and he appeared +to grow better in condition every day. + +At last he too got tired of remaining so long in one place; the novelty +had worn away, and packing up his things he left us. During the time this +man had been with us, I took the opportunity of ascertaining whether the +King George's Sound native, Wylie, could understand him, but I found he +could not. There were one or two words common to both, but the general +character, meaning, and sound of the two languages were so very different +upon comparison, that I could myself understand the old man much better +than Wylie could. + +Whilst remaining in depot, the whole party were one day suddenly seized +with a severe attack of illness, accompanied with vomiting and violent +pain in the stomach, and I began to fear that we had unknowingly taken +some deleterious ingredient in our food, as all were seized in the same +way; this attack continued for several days, without our being able to +discover the cause of it, but at last by changing the sugar we were +using, we again got well. It appeared that a new bag of sugar had been +broached about the time we were first attacked, and upon inspecting it, +we found the bag quite wet--something or other of a deleterious character +having been spilled over it, and which had doubtless caused us the +inconvenience we experienced. Fortunately we had other sugar that had not +been so injured, and the loss of the damaged bag was not of great +consequence to us. + +By the 23rd of February our preparations for entering upon our journey +were nearly all completed, the horses had eaten up all their bran and +corn, and were now in good condition; all our pack-saddles, saddles, and +harness were ready, our provisions were all packed, and every thing in +order for commencing the undertaking; there remained but to bury our +surplus stores, and for this the hole was already dug. On the afternoon +of the 24th I intended finally to evacuate the depot, and on the evening +of the 23rd, to amuse my natives, I had all the rockets and blue-lights +we had, fired off, since we could not take them with us, our pack-horses +being barely able to carry for us the mere necessaries of life. + + + + +Chapter XV. + + + +RETURN OF MR. SCOTT IN THE HERO--MR. SCOTT AGAIN SAILS FOR +ADELAIDE--COMMENCE JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL AT THE +SAND-HILLS--LARGE FLIES--TAKE ON THE SHEEP--LEAVE THE OVERSEER WITH THE +HORSES--REACH YEERKUMBAN KAUWE--JOINED BY THE OVERSEER--TORMENTING FLIES +AGAIN--MOVE ON WITH THE SHEEP--LEAVE OVERSEER TO FOLLOW WITH THE +HORSES--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY ALONG THE BIGHT--SCENERY OF THE +CLIFFS--LEAVE THE SHEEP--ANXIETY ABOUT WATER--REACH THE TERMINATION OF +THE CLIFFS--FIND WATER. + + +February 24.--THIS being the day I had appointed to enter upon the +arduous task before me, I had the party up at a very early hour. Our +loads were all arranged for each of the horses; our blankets and coats +were all packed up, and we were in the act of burying in a hole under +ground the few stores we could not take with us, when to our surprise a +shot was heard in the direction of Fowler's Bay, and shortly after a +second; we then observed two people in the distance following up the dray +tracks leading to the depot. Imagining that some whaler had anchored in +the bay, and being anxious to prevent our underground store from being +noticed, we hastily spread the tarpaulins over the hole, so that what we +were about could not be observed, and then fired shots in reply. + +As the parties we had seen gradually approached nearer I recognised one +of them with the telescope as being Mr. Germain, the master of the HERO; +the other I could not make out at first from his being enveloped in heavy +pilot clothes; a little time however enabled me to distinguish under this +guise my young friend Mr. Scott, and I went anxiously to meet him, and +learn what had brought him back. Our greeting over, he informed me that +the Governor had sent him back with letters to me, and desired me to +return in the HERO to Adelaide. As Mr. Scott had not brought the letters +up, I walked down with him after luncheon, and went on board the cutter, +where I received many friendly letters, all urging me to return and give +up the attempt I meditated to the westward, and which every one appeared +to consider as little less than madness. From the Governor I received a +kind letter to the same effect, offering to assist me in any further +attempts I might wish to make round Lake Torrens, or to explore the +Northern Interior, and placing absolutely at my disposal, within the +colony, the services of the HERO, to enable me either to take my party +back overland, or to follow out any examinations I might wish to make +from the coast northerly. As a further inducement, and with a view to +lessen the feelings of disappointment I might experience at the +unsuccessful termination of an expedition from which such great results +had been expected, the assistant commissioner had been instructed to +write to me officially, communicating the approbation of His Excellency +and of the Colonists of the way in which I had discharged the trust +confided to me, and directing me to relinquish all further attempts to +the westward, and to return in the HERO to Adelaide. + +Added to the numerous letters I received, were many friendly messages to +the same effect, sent to me through Mr. Scott. I felt deeply sensible of +the lively interest expressed in my welfare, and most grateful for the +kind feeling manifested towards me on the part of the Governor and the +Colonists; it was with much pain and regret, therefore, that I found +myself unable to comply with their requests, and felt compelled by duty +to adopt a course at variance with their wishes. When I first broke up my +party and sent Mr. Scott back to Adelaide, on the 31st January, 1841, I +had well and maturely considered the step I felt myself called upon to +adopt; after giving my best and serious attention to the arguments of my +friends, and carefully reconsidering the subject now, I saw nothing to +induce me to change the opinion I had then arrived at. + +It will be remembered, that in stating the origin and commencement of the +Northern expedition, it was remarked, that a previously contemplated +expedition to the Westward, was made to give way to it, and that I had +myself been principally instrumental in changing the direction of public +attention from the one to the other; it will be remembered also, what +publicity had been given to our departure, how great was the interest +felt in the progress of our labours, and how sanguine were the +expectations formed as to the results; alas, how signally had these hopes +been dashed to the ground, after the toils, anxieties, and privations of +eight months, neither useful nor valuable discoveries had been made; +hemmed in by an impracticable desert, or the bed of an impassable lake, I +had been baffled and defeated in every direction, and to have returned +now, would have been, to have rendered of no avail the great expenses +that had been incurred in the outfit of the expedition, to have thrown +away the only opportunity presented to me of making some amends for past +failure, and of endeavouring to justify the confidence that had been +reposed in me, by carrying through the exploration which had been +originally contemplated to the westward, now it was no longer possible to +accomplish that to the north, for which it had given place; I considered +myself in duty and in honour bound, not to turn back from this attempt, +as long as there was the remotest possibility of success, without any +regard to considerations of a personal or private nature. Under these +feelings, therefore, I resolved to remain only another day in depot, to +reply to the letters I had received, and return my best thanks to the +many friends who had expressed such kind interest on my behalf. + +February 25.--Having finished my letters, and buried all the spare +stores, I sent the native boys away early with the sheep, that they might +travel more slowly than we should do with the horses. About two we loaded +the pack animals, and wishing Mr. Scott a final adieu, set off upon our +route. The party consisted of myself, the overseer, three native boys, +nine horses, one Timor pony, one foal, born at Streaky Bay, and six +sheep; our flour which was buried at the sand-hills to the north-west, +was calculated for nine weeks, at an allowance of six pounds of flour +each weekly, with a proportionate quantity of tea and sugar. The long +rest our horses had enjoyed, and the large supply of oats and bran we had +received for them, had brought them round wonderfully, they were now in +good condition, and strong, and could not have commenced the journey +under more favourable circumstances, had it been the winter instead of +the summer season. + +Two of the native boys having gone on early in the morning with the +sheep, there remained only myself, the overseer, and one native, to +manage ten horses, and we were consequently obliged to drive some of the +pack-horses loose; at first they went well and quietly, but something +having unluckily startled one of them, he frightened the others, and four +out of the number set off at full gallop, and never stopped for five +miles, by which time they had got rid of all their loads except the +saddles. Sending the black boy back to the depot with the four horses +that had not got away, I and the overseer went on horseback after the +others, picking up the baggage they had been carrying, scattered about in +every direction; luckily no great damage was done, and at sunset we were +all assembled again at the depot, and the animals reloaded. Leaving a +short note for Mr. Scott, who had gone on board the cutter, we again +recommenced our journey, and, travelling for five miles, halted at the +well in the plains. I intended to have made a long stage, but the night +set in so dark that I did not like to venture amongst the scrub with the +pack-horses now they were so fresh, and where, if they did get frightened +and gallop off, they would cause us much greater trouble and delay than +they had done in the daytime. + +February 26.--Moving on very early, we arrived at the grassy plain under +the sand-hills, a little after three in the afternoon, just in time to +save the gun and clothes of the black boys, which they had imprudently +left there whilst they took the sheep to water, a mile and a half away. +At the very instant of our arrival, a native was prowling about the camp, +and would, doubtless, soon have carried off every thing. Upon examining +the place at which we had buried our flour on the 31st December, and upon +which we were now dependent for our supply, I found that we had only just +arrived in time to save it from the depredations of the natives; it +seems, that having found where the cask containing it was buried, and +being unable, from its weight, to get it out of the ground, they had +broken a square hole in one of the staves (by what means I could not +discover), and though, as yet, every thing was safe and uninjured inside, +I have no doubt, that, had we been one day later in coming, they would +have enlarged the opening in the cask, and scattered or destroyed the +contents, and we should have then had the unpleasant and laborious task +of returning to that we had buried at Fowler's Bay for a fresh supply. A +bucket, which we had also left buried, was broken to pieces, a two gallon +keg carried off, and a twenty-five gallon cask full of water had been dug +up, and the water drank or emptied, so that we were very fortunate in +arriving when we did to prevent further loss. + +The black boys, who had gone a-head with the sheep, returned soon after +our arrival, tired and hungry, having only had one meal since they left +us on the 25th. They had been over the sandhills to fetch water, and were +now coming to try and find the flour which they knew we had left buried +at these plains. After dark, accompanied by the overseer, I took the +horses down to the water, but the sand had slipped in, and we could not +get them watered to-night. + +February 27.--Sending the overseer and two boys down with the horses to +the well this morning, I and the other boy set to work, and dug out the +cask with the flour, which we then weighed out, and subdivided into +packages of fifty pounds each, for the convenience of carrying. The +native I had seen about the camp, on our approach, yesterday, had +returned, and slept near us at night; but upon inquiring from him this +morning, where our two-gallon keg was, he took the very earliest +opportunity of decamping, being probably afraid that we should charge him +with the robbery, or punish him for it. The natives, generally, are a +strange and singular race of people, and their customs and habits are +often quite inexplicable to us. Sometimes, in barely passing through a +country, we have them gathering from all quarters, and surrounding us, +anxious and curious to observe our persons, or actions; at other times, +we may remain in camp for weeks together without seeing a single native, +though many may be in the neighbourhood; when they do come, too, they +usually depart as suddenly as their visit had been unexpected. Among all +who had come under my observation, hitherto, along this coast, I found +that every male had undergone the singular ceremony I have described as +prevailing in the Port Lincoln peninsula; each, too, had the cartilage of +the nose perforated, but none had lost the front teeth, nor did I see any +(with one exception) having scars raised on the back, breast, or arms, as +is frequently the case with many tribes in Australia. + +For the last few days, the weather had been tolerably cool, and we had +not been much troubled with musquitoes; instead, however, we were +persecuted severely by a very large greyish kind of horsefly, with a huge +proboscis for sucking up the blood. These pests were in great numbers, +and proved a sad annoyance, lighting upon us in every direction, and +inflicting very irritating wounds even through clothes of considerable +thickness. + +February 28.--As we had a long distance to travel to the next water, and +the sheep could not keep pace with the horses, I left the overseer and +two natives to bring the latter after us, whilst I and the younger boy +set off with the sheep. At fifteen miles, we passed the place where the +nine-gallon keg of water had been buried on the 5th January. Upon digging +it up, and taking out the bung, the water appeared discoloured and +offensive in smell. It was still clear, however, and the sheep drank +hastily of it, and we did the same ourselves, but the horses would not +touch it. Leaving the cask out in the air with the bung out that it might +sweeten a little against the overseer came up, we went on with the sheep +to the undulating plains, arriving there between ten and eleven at night. +After hobbling the horses, and making a brush-yard for the sheep, we laid +down, tired with the labours of the day. + +March 1.--Travelling through the plains for a mile, we came to our former +encampment, where we had left some stores, and a large cask of water; the +latter had dried up to about two quarts, and was very horrible, both in +smell and flavour; but still we were glad to take it, for, calculating +upon finding an abundance in this cask, we had imprudently brought but +little with us. After breakfast, I dug up some of the provisions buried +here; and leaving a note for the overseer, proceeded onwards with the +boy, and the sheep, for twenty-four miles. The stage was a long one, and +over heavy ground, so that the sheep began to get tired, as we did +ourselves also, one of us being always obliged to walk whilst the other +was riding. We had two horses with us, but required one exclusively to +carry our coats, blankets, and provisions, the other one we rode in turn. + +March 2.--A hot day, with the wind north-east. Between eleven and twelve +we arrived at the first water, at the head of the Bight, and had a long +and arduous task to get the sheep and horses watered, no natives being +here to help us now, and the sand rushing in as fast as we could throw it +out. By great exertion we effected our object, and then getting some tea, +and leaving a note to tell the overseer not to halt at this difficult +watering-place, if he could possibly avoid it, we pushed on again, and +took up our position at Yeerkumban kauwe, in time to dig holes, and water +the sheep, before dark. + +March 3.--Having got up and watered the horses and sheep, I sent the boy +out to tend them at grass, whilst I commenced digging two large holes to +water the pack-horses, that there might be no delay when the overseer +came up with them. I had nothing but a shell to dig with, and, as a very +large excavation was required to enable a bucket to be dipped, my +occupation was neither a light nor a short one. Having completed my work, +I killed a sheep, well knowing the party would be fatigued and hungry, +when they came up. About three they made their appearance, and thus, upon +the whole, we had very successfully got over this our first push, and +were soon very comfortably established at "Yeerkumban kauwe." The holes I +had dug enabled us easily and speedily to water the horses, and the sheep +I had killed afforded a refreshing meal to the overseer and boys, after +their harassing journey. In the afternoon the sand blew about in a most +annoying manner, covering us from head to foot, and filling everything we +put down, if but for an instant. This sand had been our constant torment +for many weeks past; condemned to live among the sand-hills for the sake +of procuring water, we were never free from irritation and inconvenience. +It floated on the surface of the water, penetrated into our clothes, +hair, eyes, and ears, our provisions were covered over with it, and our +blankets half buried when we lay down at nights,--it was a perpetual and +never-ceasing torment, and as if to increase our miseries we were again +afflicted with swarms of large horse-flies, which bit us dreadfully. On +the 4th, we remained in camp to rest the horses, and I walked round to +reconnoitre. Upon the beach I found the fragments of a wreck, consisting +of part of a mast, a tiller wheel, and some copper sheathings, the last +sad records of the fate of some unfortunate vessel on this wild and +breaker-beaten shore. There was nothing to indicate its size, or name, or +the period when the wreck occurred. + +No recent traces of natives having been either at Yeerkumban kauwe, or +the more distant water, were visible anywhere, and I imagined they might +perhaps have made an excursion to the westward. A large flight of +red-winged cockatoos were seen today hovering around the sand-hills, and +appearing quite disconcerted at finding us in possession of the water; we +had not before seen them in the neighbourhood, and I can hardly +conjecture where they go to from this place, for generally they are birds +fond of water. + +Knowing from the accounts of the natives that upon leaving Yeerkumban +kauwe, I should have a task before me of no ordinary difficulty to get +either the sheep or the horses to the next water, I determined to proceed +myself in advance, with the sheep, that by travelling slowly, at the same +time that we kept steadily advancing, every chance might be given to them +of accomplishing the journey in safety. I was anxious too to precede my +party, in order that by finding out where the water was, I might be on +the look out for them, to guide them to it, and that thus when in their +greatest difficulty, no time should be lost in searching for water. +Having given the overseer orders to keep the tracks of my horses, when he +had travelled about seventy miles along the coast, I set off on the 7th +March, with the youngest of the natives to assist me in driving the +sheep, leaving the two elder ones with the overseer, to aid in managing +the pack-horses. As before we took two horses with us, one to carry our +provisions and water, and the other to ride upon in turn, the boy +however, being young, and incapable of much fatigue, the greater portion +of the walking naturally fell to my share. The day was cool and +favourable, and we accomplished a stage of twenty-four miles; the +afternoon became dark and lowering, and I fully expected rain, but +towards sunset two or three drops fell, and the clouds cleared away. Our +horses fed tolerably upon the little withered grass that we found, but +the sheep were too tired to eat, and lay down; we put them therefore into +a yard we had made for them for the night. + +March 8.--Having turned the sheep out of the yard three hours before +daylight, I was in hopes they would have fed a little before we moved on, +but they would not touch such food as we had for them, and at six I was +obliged to proceed onwards; the morning was dark and looked like rain, +but as was the case yesterday, a drop or two only fell. We made a stage +to-day of twenty-six miles, through a level country, generally open, but +near the sea covered with a very low dwarf tea-tree, small prickly +bushes, and salsolae, and having the surface almost every where sprinkled +over with fresh-water shells; further from the coast the plains extending +to the north were very extensive, level, and divided by belts of scrub or +shrubs. There was no perceptible inclination of the country in any +direction, the level land ran to the very borders of the sea, where it +abruptly terminated, forming the steep and precipitous cliffs, observed +by Captain Flinders, and which it was quite impossible to descend +anywhere. The general elevation of this table land, was from three to +four hundred feet. + +The day turned out fine and clear, and the effect produced by refraction +in these vast plains was singular and deceptive: more than once we turned +considerably out of our way to examine some large timber, as we thought +it to be, to the north of us, but which, upon our approach, proved to be +low scrubby bushes. At another time we imagined we saw two natives in the +distance, and went towards them as carefully and cautiously as we could; +instead, however, of our having seen the heads of natives, as we +supposed, above the bushes, it turned out to be only crows. Yet the +native boy, whose quickness and accuracy of vision had often before +surprised me, was equally deceived with myself. Upon halting in the +evening our sheep again were very tired, and refused to eat. The horses +too were now beginning to feel the want of water, and fed but little. I +therefore sat up and watched them until half past eight, after which I +tied them up to some bushes. At one o'clock I again got up and let them +loose, hoping they might feed a little better in the cool of the night. +The scud was rapidly passing the moon, and I watched for hours the clouds +gathering to the south and passing to the north, but no rain fell. + +March 9.--Moving on early we passed through a similar country to that we +had before traversed; but there was more of the tea-tree scrub, which +made our travelling more difficult and fatiguing. This kind of scrub, +which is different from any I had seen before, is a low bush running +along the ground, with very thick and crooked roots and branches, and +forming a close matted and harassing obstacle to the traveller. The sheep +and horses got very tired, from having to lift their legs so high to +clear it every step they took. To the westward we found the country +rising as we advanced, and the cliffs becoming higher; they now answered +fully, where we could obtain a view of any projecting parts, to the +description given by Flinders--"the upper part brown and the lower part +white;" but as yet we could not find any place where we could descend to +examine them. The lower, or white part, appeared soft and crumbling, and +its decay had left the upper, or harder rock, fearfully overhanging the +ocean. Upon the summits we again found flints in the greatest abundance +lying loosely scattered over the surface. + +The day was cloudy and gathering for rain, but none fell. After +travelling twenty-five miles we halted for an hour or two to rest the +sheep and horses, feeding was out of the question, for they were too much +in want of water to attempt to cat the dry and withered grass around us. +We now lay down to rest ourselves, and the boy soon fell asleep; I was +however feverish and restless, and could not close my eyes. In an hour +and a half I arose, got up the horses and saddled them, and then, awaking +my companion, we again pushed on by moonlight. At ten miles we crossed a +well beaten native pathway, plainly discernible even then, and this we +followed down towards the cliffs, fully hoping it would lead to water. +Our hopes however had been excited but to render our disappointment the +greater, for upon tracing it onwards we found it terminate abruptly at a +large circular hole of limestone rock, which would retain a considerable +quantity of water after rains, but was now without a single drop. +Gloomily turning away we again pushed on for eight miles further, and at +three in the morning of the 10th were compelled to halt from downright +exhaustion and fatigue. The horses and sheep were knocked up. The poor +boy was so tired and sleepy that he could scarcely sit upon his horse, +and I found myself actually dosing as I walked: mechanically my legs kept +moving forwards, but my eyes were every now and then closed in +forgetfulness of all around me, until I was suddenly thrown down by +getting entangled amongst the scrub, or aroused by a severe blow across +the face from the recoil of a bough after the passage of the boy's horse. +I now judged we had come about ninety-three miles from Yeerkumban-kauwe, +and hoped that we could not be very far from water. Having tied up the +horses for an hour or two, and without making a fire, or even unrolling +our cloaks to cover us, we stretched ourselves on the ground, and were in +a few moments fast asleep. + +March 10.--At five we were again on our route, every moment expecting to +see a break in the line of cliffs along which we had now travelled so +far. Alas! they still continued stretching as far as the eye could see to +the westward, and as fast as we arrived at one point which had bounded +our vision (and beyond which we hoped a change might occur), it was but +to be met with the view of another beyond. Distressing and fatal as the +continuance of these cliffs might prove to us, there was a grandeur and +sublimity in their appearance that was most imposing, and which struck me +with admiration. Stretching out before us in lofty unbroken outline, they +presented the singular and romantic appearance of massy battlements of +masonry, supported by huge buttresses, and glittering in the morning sun +which had now risen upon them, and made the scene beautiful even amidst +the dangers and anxieties of our situation. It was indeed a rich and +gorgeous view for a painter, and I never felt so much regret at my +inability to sketch as I did at this moment. + +Still we kept moving onwards and still the cliffs continued. Hour after +hour passed away, mile after mile was traversed, and yet no change was +observable. My anxiety for the party who were to follow behind with the +pack-horses became very great; the state of doubt and uncertainty I was +in was almost insupportable, and I began to fear that neither sheep nor +horses would ever reach the water, even should we suceeed in doing so +ourselves, which now appeared to be very doubtful. At noon I considered +we had come one hundred and ten miles from the last water, and still the +country remained the same. The cliffs indeed appeared to be gradually +declining a little in elevation to the westward, but there was nothing to +indicate their speedy termination. Our sheep still travelled, but they +were getting so tired, and their pace was so slow, that I thought it +would be better to leave them behind, and by moving more rapidly with the +horses endeavour at least to save their lives. Foreseeing that such a +contingency as this might occur, I had given the overseer strict orders +to keep the tracks of my horses, that if I should be compelled to abandon +the sheep he might find them and bring them on with his party. + +Having decided upon this plan we set to work and made a strong high yard +of such shrubs as we could find, and in this we shut up the sheep. I then +wrote a note for the overseer, directing him to bury the loads of the +horses, and hastening on with the animals alone endeavour to save their +lives. To attract attention I raised a long stick above the sheep-yard, +and tied to it a red handkerchief, which could be seen a long way off. At +one we again proceeded, and were able to advance more rapidly than we +could whilst the sheep were with us. In a few miles we came to a +well-beaten native road, and again our hopes were raised of speedily +terminating the anxiety and suspense we were in. Following the road for +ten miles it conducted us to where the cliffs receded a little from the +sea, leaving a small barren valley between them and the ocean, of low, +sandy ground; the road ceased here at a deep rocky gorge of the cliffs, +where there was a breach leading down to the valley. There were several +deep holes among the rocks where water would be procurable after rains, +but they were now all dry. The state of mind in which we passed on may be +better imagined than described. We had now been four days without a drop +of water for our horses, and we had no longer any for ourselves, whilst +there appeared as little probability of our shortly procuring it as there +had been two days ago. A break, it is true, had occurred in the line of +the cliffs, but this appeared of a very temporary character, for we could +see beyond them the valley again abutting upon the ocean. + +At dark we were fifteen miles from where we left the sheep, and were +again upon a native pathway, which we twice tried to follow down the +steep and rugged slopes of the table land into the valley below. We were +only, however, fagging our poor horses and bewildering ourselves to no +purpose, for we invariably lost all track at the bottom, and I at last +became convinced that it was useless to try and trace the natives' +roadway further, since it always appeared to stop at rocky holes where +there was no water now. Keeping, therefore, the high ground, we travelled +near the top of the cliffs, bounding the sandy valley, but here again a +new obstacle impeded our progress. The country, which had heretofore been +tolerably open was now become very scrubby, and we found it almost +impossible either to keep a straight course, or to make any progress +through it in the dark. Still we kept perseveringly onwards, leading our +horses and forcing our way through in the best way we could. It was, +however, all in vain; we made so little headway, and were so completely +exhausting the little strength we had left, that I felt compelled to +desist. The poor boy was quite worn out, and could scarcely move. I was +myself but little better, and we were both suffering from a parching +thirst; under such obstacles labour and perseverance were but thrown +away, and I determined to await the day-light. After tying up the horses +the boy lay down, and was soon asleep, happy in his ignorance of the +dangers which threatened him. I lay down, too, but not to sleep; my own +distresses were lost in the apprehensions which I entertained for those +who were behind. We were now about one hundred and twenty-eight miles +from the last water; we had been four whole days and nights without a +drop for our horses, and almost without food also, (for parched as they +were they could not feed upon the dry and withered grass we found.) The +state the poor animals were in was truly pitiable, what then was likely +to be the condition of those that were coming after us, and carrying +heavy packs. It was questionable, even, if they would reach the distance +we had already attained in safety; and it was clear, that unless I +discovered water early in the morning, the whole of our horses must +perish, whilst it would be very doubtful if we could succeed even in +saving our own lives. + +March 11.--Early this morning we moved on, leading slowly our jaded +animals through the scrub. The night had been one of painful suspense and +gloomy forebodings; and the day set in dark and cloudy, as if to +tantalise us with the hope of rain which was not destined to fall. In a +few miles we reached the edge of the cliffs, from which we had a good +view of the sandy valley we had been travelling round, but which the +thick scrub had prevented our scrutinising sooner. I now noticed some +hillocks of bare sand in the midst of it. These I had not seen before, as +the only previous point from which they could have been visible had been +passed by us in the dark. It now struck me, that the water spoken of by +the natives at Yeerkumban-kauwe might be situated among these sand-hills, +and that we were going away from instead of approaching it. The bare idea +of such a possibility was almost maddening, and as the dreadful thought +flashed across my mind I stood for a moment undecided and irresolute as +to what I ought to do. We were now many miles past these hills, and if we +went back to examine them for water, and did not find it, we could never +hope that our horses would be able to return again to search elsewhere; +whilst if there was water there, and we did not return, every step we +took would but carry us further from it, and lead to our certain +destruction. + +For a few minutes I carefully scanned the line of coast before me. In the +distance beyond a projecting point of the cliffs, I fancied I discerned a +low sandy shore, and my mind was made up at once, to advance in the line +we were pursuing. After a little while, we again came to a well beaten +native pathway, and following this along the summit of the cliffs, were +brought by it, in seven miles, to the point where they receded from the +sea-shore; as they inclined inland, leaving a low sandy country between +them and some high bare sand-hills near the sea. The road now led us down +a very rocky steep part of the cliffs, near the angle where they broke +away from the beach, but upon reaching the bottom we lost it altogether +on the sandy shore; following along by the water's edge, we felt cooled +and refreshed by the sea air, and in one mile and a half from where we +had descended the cliffs, we reached the white sand-drifts. Upon turning +into these to search for water, we were fortunate enough to strike the +very place where the natives had dug little wells; and thus on the fifth +day of our sufferings, we were again blessed with abundance of +water,--nor could I help considering it as a special instance of the +goodness of Providence, that we had passed the sandy valley in the dark, +and had thereby been deterred from descending to examine the sand-hills +it contained; had we done so, the extra fatigue to our horses and the +great length of time it would have taken up, would probably have +prevented the horses from ever reaching the water we were now at. It took +us about two hours to water the animals, and get a little tea for +ourselves, after which the boy laid down to sleep, and I walked round to +search for grass. A little grew between the sand-drifts and the cliffs, +and though dry and withered, I was most thankful to find it. I then +returned to the camp and laid down, but could not sleep, for although +relieved myself, my anxiety became but the greater, for the party behind, +and the more so, because at present I could do nothing to aid them; it +was impossible that either the horses, or ourselves, could go back to +meet them without a few hours' rest, and yet the loss of a few hours +might be of the utmost consequence; I determined, however, to return and +meet them as early as possible in the morning, and in the mean time, as I +knew that the overseer and natives would, when they came, be greatly +fatigued, and unable to dig holes to water the horses, I called up the +boy, and with his assistance dug two large holes about five feet deep, +from which the horses could readily and without delay be watered upon +their arrival. As we had only some shells left by the natives to work +with, our wells progressed slowly, and we were occupied to a late hour. +In the evening we watered the horses, and before laying down ourselves, +drove them to the grass I had discovered. For the first time for many +nights, I enjoyed a sound and refreshing sleep. + + + + +Chapter XVI. + + + +GO BACK TO MEET THE OVERSEER--PARTY ARRIVE AT THE WATER--LONG +ENCAMPMENT--GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF THE CLIFFS--MOVE ON AGAIN--DIG FOR +WATER--TRACES OF NATIVES--SEND BACK FOR WATER--PARROTS SEEN--COOL WINDS +FROM NORTH-EAST--OVERSEER RETURNS--CONTINUE THE JOURNEY--ABANDON +BAGGAGE--DENSE SCRUBS--DRIVEN TO THE BEACH--MEET NATIVES--MODE OF +PROCURING WATER FROM ROOTS. + + +March 12.--THE first streak of daylight found us on our way to meet the +party, carrying with us three gallons of water upon one of the horses, +the other was ridden by the boy. Upon passing the sandy valley, where I +had been in such a state of suspense and doubt at seeing the sand-hills +behind me, I determined to descend and examine them; but before doing so, +I wrote a note for the overseer (in case he should pass whilst I was in +the valley,) and hoisted a red handkerchief to attract his attention to +it. + +I was unsuccessful in my search for water; but whilst among the +sand-hills, I saw the party slowly filing along the cliffs above the +valley, and leaving the boy to look about a little longer, I struck +across to meet them. Both horses and people I found greatly fatigued, but +upon the whole, they had got through the difficulty better than I had +anticipated; after leaving a great part of the loads of the pack-horses +about seventeen miles back, according to the written instructions I had +left. The sheep, it seemed, had broken out of the yard and travelled +backwards, and were picked up by the overseer, twelve miles away from +where we had left them; as they had got very tired and were delaying the +horses, he left one of the natives, this morning, to follow slowly with +them, whilst he pushed on with the pack-horses as rapidly as they could +go. After giving him the pleasing intelligence that his toil was nearly +over for the present, and leaving some few directions, I pushed on again +with the boy, who had not found the least sign of water in the valley, to +meet the native with the sheep. In about three miles we saw him coming on +alone without them, he said they were a mile further back, and so tired +they could not travel. Halting our horses, I sent him to bring them on, +and during his absence, had some tea made and dinner prepared for him. +When the sheep came up they were in sad condition, but by giving them +water and a few hours rest, they recovered sufficiently to travel on in +the evening to the water. + +At night, the whole party were, by God's blessing, once more together, +and in safety, after having passed over one hundred and thirty-five miles +of desert country, without a drop of water in its whole extent, and at a +season of the year the most unfavourable for such an undertaking. In +accomplishing this distance, the sheep had been six and the horses five +days without water, and both had been almost wholly without food for the +greater part of the time. The little grass we found was so dry and +withered, that the parched and thirsty animals could not eat it after the +second day. The day following our arrival at the water was one of intense +heat, and had we experienced such on our journey, neither men nor horses +could ever have accomplished it; most grateful did we feel, therefore, to +that merciful Being who had shrouded us from a semi-tropical sun, at a +time when our exposure to it would have ensured our destruction. + +From the 12th to the 18th we remained at the sand-drifts, during which +time we were engaged in attending to the horses, in sending back to +recover the stores that had been left by the overseer, and in examining +the country around. The natives had told me that there were two watering +places at the termination of the cliffs to the eastward, and that these +were situated in a somewhat similar manner to those at the head of the +Great Bight. We were encamped at one, and I made several ineffectual +attempts to find the other during the time the horses were recruiting. +The traces of natives near us were numerous, and once we saw their fires, +but they did not shew themselves at all. The line of cliffs which had so +suddenly turned away from the sea, receded inland from eight to ten +miles, but still running parallel with the coast; between it and the sea +the country was low and scrubby, with many beds of dried up salt lakes; +but neither timber nor grass, except the little patch we were encamped +at. Above the cliffs the appearance of the country was the same as we had +previously found upon their summits, with, perhaps, rather more scrub; +pigeons were numerous at the sand-hills, and several flocks of +red-crested and red-winged cockatoos were hovering about, watching for an +opportunity to feast upon the red berries I have before spoken of, and +which were here found in very great abundance, and of an excellent +quality. The sand, as usual at our encampments, was a most dreadful +annoyance, and from which we had rarely any respite. The large flies were +also very numerous, troublesome and irritating tormentors. They literally +assailed us by hundreds at a time, biting through our clothes, and +causing us constant employment in endeavouring to keep them off. I have +counted twenty-three of these blood-suckers at one time upon a patch of +my trousers eight inches square. + +Being now at a part of the cliffs where they receded from the sea, and +where they had a last become accessible, I devoted some time to an +examination of their geological character. The part that I selected was +high, steep, and bluff towards the sea, which washed its base; presenting +the appearance described by Captain Flinders, as noted before. By +crawling and scrambling among the crags, I managed, at some risk, to get +at these singular cliffs. The brown or upper portion consisted of an +exceedingly hard, coarse grey limestone, among which some few shells were +embedded, but which, from the hard nature of the rock, I could not break +out; the lower or white part consisted of a gritty chalk, full of broken +shells and marine productions, and having a somewhat saline taste: parts +of it exactly resembled the formation that I had found up to the north, +among the fragments of table-land; the chalk was soft and friable at the +surface, and easily cut out with a tomahawk, it was traversed +horizontally by strata of flint, ranging in depth from six to eighteen +inches, and having varying thicknesses of chalk between the several +strata. The chalk had worn away from beneath the harder rock above, +leaving the latter most frightfully overhanging and threatening instant +annihilation to the intruder. Huge mis-shapen masses were lying with +their rugged pinnacles above the water, in every direction at the foot of +the cliffs, plainly indicated the frequency of a falling crag, and I felt +quite a relief when my examination was completed, and I got away from so +dangerous a post. + +I have remarked that the natives at the head of the Great Bight had +intimated to us, that there were two places where water might be found in +this neighbourhood, not far apart, and as with all our efforts we had +only succeeded in discovering one, I concluded that the other must be a +little further along the coast to the westward; in this supposition I was +strengthened, by observing that all the native tracks we had met with +apparently took this direction. Under this impression I determined to +move slowly along the coast until we came to it, and in order that our +horses might carry no unnecessary loads, to take but a few quarts of +water in our kegs. + +On the 18th we moved on, making a short stage of fourteen miles, through +a heavy, sandy, and scrubby country. At first I tried the beach, but +finding the sand very loose and unsuitable for travelling, I was again +compelled to enter the scrub behind the sea-shore ridge, travelling +through a succession of low scrubby undulations, with here and there the +beds of dried up lakes The traces of natives were now more recent and +numerous, but found principally near the bushes bearing the red berries, +and which grew behind the front ridge of the coast in the greatest +abundance. From this circumstance, and from our having now travelled a +considerable distance beyond the first water, I began to fear that the +second which had been spoken of by the natives must, if it existed at +all, be behind us instead of in advance, and that in reality the fruit we +saw, and not water, was the object for which the natives, whose tracks +were around us, were travelling to the westward. The day was cloudy, and +likely for rain, but after a few drops had fallen, the clouds passed +away. In the afternoon the overseer dug behind the sand-ridge, and at six +feet came to water, but perfectly salt. + +March 19.--To-day we travelled onwards for twenty-six miles, through a +country exactly similar to that we had passed through yesterday. At three +in the afternoon we halted at an opening when there was abundance of +grass, though dry and withered. The indications of natives having +recently passed still continued, and confirmed me in my impression, that +they were on a journey to the westward, and from one distant water to +another, and principally for the purpose of gathering the fruit. We were +now forty miles from the last water, and I became assured that we had +very far to go to the next; I had for some time given over any hope of +finding the second water spoken of by the natives at the head of the +Bight, and considered that we must have passed it if it existed, long +ago, perhaps even in that very valley, or among those very sandhills +where we had searched so unsuccessfully on the 12th. There was now the +prospect of a long journey before us without water, as we had brought +only a little with us for ourselves, and which was nearly exhausted, +whilst our horses had been quite without, and were already suffering from +thirst. Consulting with the overseer, I resolved to leave our baggage +where we were, whilst the horses were sent back to the water (forty +miles) to rest and recruit for three or four days; by this means I +expected they would gather strength, and as they would have but little +weight to carry until they reached our present position, when they +returned we should be better able to force a passage through the waste +before us, at the same time that we should be able to procure a fresh and +larger stock of water for ourselves. At midnight I sent the whole party +back to the last water, but remained myself to take care of the baggage +and sheep. I retained an allowance of a pint of water per day for six +days, this being the contemplated period of the overseer's absence. My +situation was not at all enviable, but circumstances rendered it +unavoidable. + +From the departure of my party, until their return, I spent a miserable +time, being unable to leave the camp at all. Shortly after the party +left, the sheep broke out of the yard, and missing the horses with which +they had been accustomed to travel and to feed, set off as rapidly as +they could after them; I succeeded in getting them back, but they were +exceedingly troublesome and restless, attempting to start off, or to get +down to the sea whenever my eye was off them for an instant, and never +feeding quietly for ten minutes together; finding at last that they would +be quite unmanageable, I made a very strong and high yard, and putting +them in, kept them generally shut up, letting them out only to feed for +two or three hours at once. This gave me a little time to examine my +maps, and to reflect upon my position and prospects, which involved the +welfare of others, as well as my own. We had still 600 miles of country +to traverse, measured in straight lines across the chart; but taking into +account the inequalities of the ground, and the circuit we were +frequently obliged to make, we could not hope to accomplish this in less +than 800 miles of distance. With every thing in our favour we could not +expect to accomplish this in less than eight weeks; but with all the +impediment and embarrassments we were likely to meet with, it would +probably take us twelve. Our sheep were reduced to three in number, and +our sole stock of flour now amounted to 142 pounds, to be shared out +amongst five persons, added to which the aspect of the country before us +was disheartening in the extreme; the places at which there was any +likelihood of finding water were probably few and far apart, and the +strength of our horses was already greatly reduced by the hardships they +had undergone. Ever since we had left Fowler's Bay, the whole party, +excepting the youngest boys, had been obliged chiefly to walk, and yet +every care and precaution we could adopt were unable to counteract the +evil effects of a barren country, and an unfavourable season of the year. +The task before us was indeed a fearful one, but I firmly hoped by +patience and perseverance, safely and successfully to accomplish it at +last. + +During nearly the whole time that my party were away the weather was cool +and cloudy. Occasionally there was a great deal of thunder and lightning, +accompanied by a few drops of rain, but it always cleared away without +heavy showers. The storms came up from seawards, and generally passed +inland to the north-east; which struck me as being somewhat singular, +especially when taken in conjunction with the fact that on one or two +occasions, when the wind was from the north-east, it was comparatively +cool, and so unlike any of those scorching blasts we had experienced from +the same quarter when on the western side of the Great Bight. There was +another thing connected with my present position which equally surprised +me, and was quite as inexplicable: whilst engaged one morning rambling +about the encampment as far as I could venture away, I met with several +flights of a very large description of parrot, quite unknown to me, +coming apparently from the north-east, and settling among the shrubs and +bushes around. They had evidently come to eat the fruit growing behind +the sand-hills, but being scared by my following them about, to try and +shoot one, they took wing and went off again in the direction they had +come from. + +Several days had now elapsed since the departure of the overseer with the +horses, and as the time for their return drew nigh I became anxious and +restless. The little stock of water left me was quite exhausted. It had +originally been very limited, but was reduced still further by the +necessity I was under of keeping it in a wooden keg, where it evaporated, +and once or twice by my spilling some. At last, on the 25th, I was +gratified by seeing my party approach. They had successfully accomplished +their mission, and brought a good supply of water for ourselves, but the +horses looked weary and weak, although they had only travelled fourteen +miles that day. After they had rested a few hours I broke up the +encampment, and travelling for fourteen miles further over a scrubby +country, came to a patch of grass, at which we halted early. From the +nature of the country, and the consequent embarrassment it entailed upon +us, it was impossible for any of the party to have any longer even the +slight advantage formerly enjoyed of occasionally riding for a few miles +in turn; all were now obliged to walk, except the two youngest boys, who +were still permitted to ride at intervals. The weather was cloudy, and +showers were passing to the north-east. + +March 26.--Upon moving on this morning we passed through the same +wretched kind of country for eighteen miles, to an opening in the scrub +where was a little grass, and at which we halted to rest. There was so +much scrub, and the sandy ridges were so heavy and harassing to the +horses, that I began to doubt almost if we should get them along at all. +We were now seventy-two miles from the water, and had, in all +probability, as much further to go before we came to any more, and I saw +that unless something was done to lighten the loads of the pack-animals +(trifling as were the burdens they carried) we never could hope to get +them on. Leaving the natives to enjoy a sleep, the overseer and I opened +and re-sorted all our baggage, throwing away every thing that we could at +all dispense with; our great coats, jackets, and other articles of dress +were thrown away; a single spare shirt and pair of boots and socks being +all that were kept for each, besides our blankets and the things we stood +in, and which consisted only of trowsers, shirt, and shoes. Most of our +pack-saddles, all our horse-shoes, most of our kegs for holding water, +all our buckets but one, our medicines, some of our fire-arms, a quantity +of ammunition, and a variety of other things, were here abandoned. Among +the many things that we were compelled to leave behind there was none +that I regretted parting with more than a copy of Captain Sturt's +Expeditions, which had been sent to me by the author to Fowler's Bay to +amuse and cheer me on the solitary task I had engaged in; it was the last +kind offering of friendship from a highly esteemed friend, and nothing +but necessity would have induced me to part with it. Could the donor, +however, have seen the miserable plight we were reduced to, he would have +pitied and forgiven an act that circumstances alone compelled me to. + +After all our arrangements were made, and every thing rejected that we +could do without, I found that the loads of the horses were reduced in +the aggregate about two hundred pounds; but this being divided among ten, +relieved each only a little. Myself, the overseer, and the King George's +Sound native invariably walked the whole way, but the two younger natives +were still permitted to ride alternately upon one of the strongest +horses. As our allowance of flour was very small, and the fatigue and +exertion we were all obliged to undergo very great, I ordered a sheep to +be killed before we moved on again. We had been upon short allowance for +some time, and were getting weak and hardly able to go through the toils +that devolved upon us. Now, I knew that our safety depended upon that of +our horses, and that their lives again were contingent upon the amount of +fatigue we were ourselves able to endure, and the degree of exertion we +were capable of making to relieve them in extremity. I did not therefore +hesitate to make use of one of our three remaining sheep to strengthen us +for coming trials, instead of retaining them until perhaps they might be +of little use to us. The whole party had a hearty meal, and then, +watching the horses until midnight, we moved on when the moon rose. + +During the morning we had passed along an extensive dried-up salt swamp +behind the coast ridge, which was soft for the horses in some places, but +free from that high brush which fatigued them so much, and which now +appeared to come close in to the sea, forming upon the high sandy ridges +a dense scrub. The level bank of the higher ground, or continuation of +the cliffs of the Bight, which had heretofore been distinctly visible at +a distance of ten or twelve miles inland, could no longer be seen: it had +either merged in the scrubby and sandy elevations around us, or was hid +by them from our view. + +March 27.--During the night we travelled slowly over densely scrubby and +sandy ridges, occasionally crossing large sheets of oolitic limestone, in +which were deep holes that would most likely retain water after rains, +but which were now quite dry. As the daylight dawned the dreadful nature +of the scrub drove us to the sea beach; fortunately it was low water, and +we obtained a firm hard sand to travel over, though occasionally +obstructed by enormous masses of sea-weed, thrown into heaps of very many +feet in thickness and several hundreds of yards in length, looking +exactly like hay cut and pressed ready for packing. + +To-day we overtook the natives, whose tracks we had seen so frequently on +our route. There was a large party of them, all busily engaged in eating +the red berries which grew behind the coast ridge in such vast +quantities; they did not appear so much afraid of us as of our horses, at +which they were dreadfully alarmed, so that all our efforts to +communicate with them were fruitless; they would not come near us, nor +would they give us the opportunity of getting near them, but ran away +whenever I advanced towards them, though alone and unarmed. During the +route I frequently ascended high scrubby ridges to reconnoitre the +country inland, but never could obtain a view of any extent, the whole +region around appeared one mass of dense impenetrable scrub running down +to the very borders of the ocean. + +After travelling twenty miles I found that our horses needed rest, and +halted for an hour or two during the heat of the day, though without +grass, save the coarse wiry vegetation that binds the loose sands +together, and without even bushes to afford them shade from the heat, for +had we gone into the scrub for shelter we should have lost even the +wretched kind of grass we had. + +At half past two we again moved onwards, keeping along the beach, but +frequently forced by the masses of sea-weed to travel above high water +mark in the heavy loose sand. After advancing ten miles the tide became +too high for us to continue on the shore, and the scrub prevented our +travelling to the back, we were compelled therefore to halt for the night +with hardly a blade of grass for our horses. I considered we were now one +hundred and two miles from the last water, and expected we had about +fifty more to go to the next; the poor animals were almost exhausted, but +as the dew was heavy they were disposed to eat had there been grass of +any kind for them. The overseer and I as usual watched them alternately, +each taking the duty for four hours and sleeping the other four; to me +this was the first sleep I had had for the last three nights. + +Whilst in camp, during the heat of the day, the native boys shewed me the +way in which natives procure water for themselves, when wandering among +the scrubs, and by means of which they are enabled to remain out almost +any length of time, in a country quite destitute of surface water. I had +often heard of the natives procuring water from the roots of trees, and +had frequently seen indications of their having so obtained it, but I had +never before seen the process actually gone through. Selecting a large +healthy looking tree out of the gum-scrub, and growing in a hollow, or +flat between two ridges, the native digs round at a few feet from the +trunk, to find the lateral roots; to one unaccustomed to the work, it is +a difficult and laborious thing frequently to find these roots, but to +the practised eye of the native, some slight inequality of the surface, +or some other mark, points out to him their exact position at once, and +he rarely digs in the wrong place. Upon breaking the end next to the +tree, the root is lifted, and run out for twenty or thirty feet; the bark +is then peeled off, and the root broken into pieces, six or eight inches +long, and these again, if thick, are split into thinner pieces; they are +then sucked, or shaken over a piece of bark, or stuck up together in the +bark upon their ends, and water is slowly discharged from them; if +shaken, it comes out like a shower of very fine rain. The roots vary in +diameter from one inch to three; the best are those from one to two and a +half inches, and of great length. The quantity of water contained in a +good root, would probably fill two-thirds of a pint. I saw my own boys +get one-third of a pint out in this way in about a quarter of an hour, +and they were by no means adepts at the practice, having never been +compelled to resort to it from necessity. + +Natives who, from infancy, have been accustomed to travel through arid +regions, can remain any length of time out in a country where there are +no indications of water. The circumstance of natives being seen, in +travelling through an unknown district, is therefore no proof of the +existence of water in their vicinity. I have myself observed, that no +part of the country is so utterly worthless, as not to have attractions +sufficient occasionally to tempt the wandering savage into its recesses. +In the arid, barren, naked plains of the north, with not a shrub to +shelter him from the heat, not a stick to burn for his fire (except what +he carried with him), the native is found, and where, as far as I could +ascertain, the whole country around appeared equally devoid of either +animal or vegetable life. In other cases, the very regions, which, in the +eyes of the European, are most barren and worthless, are to the native +the most valuable and productive. Such are dense brushes, or sandy tracts +of country, covered with shrubs, for here the wallabie, the opossum, the +kangaroo rat, the bandicoot, the leipoa, snakes, lizards, iguanas, and +many other animals, reptiles, birds, etc., abound; whilst the kangaroo, +the emu, and the native dog, are found upon their borders, or in the +vicinity of those small, grassy plains, which are occasionally met with +amidst the closest brushes. + + + + +Chapter XVII. + + + +HORSES BEGIN TO KNOCK UP--COMPELLED TO FOLLOW ROUND THE BEACH--TINOR PONY +UNABLE TO PROCEED--GLOOMY PROSPECTS--OVERSEER BEGINS TO DESPOND--TWO MORE +HORSES LEFT BEHIND--FRAGMENTS OF WRECKS--WATER ALL CONSUMED--COLLECT +DEW--CHANGE IN CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--DIG A WELL--PROCURE WATER--NATIVE +AND FAMILY VISIT US--OVERSEER GOES BACK FOR BAGGAGE--DISASTROUS +TERMINATION OF HIS JOURNEY--SITUATION AND PROSPECTS OF THE PARTY. + + +March 28.--AT daylight we moved on, every one walking, even the youngest +boy could not ride now, as the horses were so weak and jaded. Soon after +leaving the camp, one of them laid down, although the weight upon his +back was very light; we were consequently obliged to distribute the few +things he carried among the others, and let him follow loose. Our route +lay along the beach, as the dense scrub inland prevented us from +following any other course; we had, therefore, to go far out of our way, +tracing round every point, and following along every bay, whilst the +sea-weed frequently obstructed our path, and drove us again to the loose +sands, above high water mark, causing extra fatigue to our unfortunate +horses. At other times we were forced to go between these banks of +sea-weed and the sea, into the sea itself, on which occasions it required +our utmost vigilance to prevent the wretched horses from drinking the +salt water, which would inevitably have destroyed them. In order to +prevent this we were obliged to walk ourselves in the water, on the +sea-side of them, one of the party being in advance, leading one horse, +another being behind to keep up the rear, and the other three being at +intervals along the outside of the line, to keep them from stopping for +an instant until the danger was past. + +We had scarcely advanced six miles from our last night's camp when the +little Timor pony I had purchased at Port Lincoln broke down completely; +for some time it had been weak, and we were obliged to drive it loose, +but it was now unable to proceed further, and we were compelled to +abandon it to a miserable and certain death, that by pushing on, we might +use every exertion in our power to relieve the others, though scarcely +daring to hope that we could save even one of them. It was, indeed, a +fearful and heart-rending scene to behold the noble animals which had +served us so long and so faithfully, suffering the extremity of thirst +and hunger, without having it in our power to relieve them. Five days of +misery had passed over their heads since the last water had been left, +and one hundred and twelve miles of country had been traversed without +the possibility of procuring food for them, other than the dry and +sapless remains of last year's grass, and this but rarely to be met with. +No rains had fallen to refresh them, and they were reduced to a most +pitiable condition, still they travelled onwards, with a spirit and +endurance truly surprising. Whenever we halted, they followed us about +like dogs wherever we went, appearing to look to us only for aid, and +exhibiting that confidence in us which I trust we all reposed in the +Almighty, for most truly did we feel, that in His mercy and protection +alone our safety could now ever be hoped for. + +About ten o'clock the tide became too high for us to keep the beach, and +we were compelled to halt for some hours. Our horses were nearly all +exhausted, and I dreaded that when we next moved on many of them would be +unable to proceed far, and that, one by one, they would all perish, +overcome by sufferings which those, who have not witnessed such scenes, +can have no conception of. We should then have been entirely dependent +upon our own strength and exertions, nearly midway between Adelaide and +King George's Sound, with a fearful country on either side of us, with a +very small supply of provisions, and without water. + +The position we were in, frequently forced sad forebodings with respect +to the future, and though I by no means contemplated with apathy the +probable fate that might await us, yet I was never for a moment undecided +as to the plan it would be necessary to adopt, in such a desperate +extremity--at all hazards, I was determined to proceed onwards. + +The country we had already passed through, precluded all hope of our +recrossing it without the horses to carry water for us, and without +provisions to enable us to endure the dreadful fatigue of forced marches, +across the desert. The country before us was, it is true, quite unknown, +but it could hardly be worse than that we had traversed, and the chance +was that it might be better. We were now pushing on for some sand-hills, +marked down in Captain Flinders' chart at about 126 1/2 degrees of east +longitude; I did not expect to procure water until we reached these, but +I felt sure we should obtain it on our arrival there. After this point +was passed, there appeared to be one more long push without any +likelihood of procuring water, as the cliffs again became the boundary of +the ocean; but beyond Cape Arid, the change in the character and +appearance of the country, as described by Flinders, indicated the +existence of a better and more practicable line of country than we had +yet fallen in with. + +My overseer, however, was now unfortunately beginning to take up an +opposite opinion, and though he still went through the duty devolving +upon him with assiduity and cheerfulness, it was evident that his mind +was ill at ease, and that he had many gloomy anticipations of the future. +He fancied there were no sand-hills ahead, that we should never reach any +water in that direction, and that there was little hope of saving any of +the horses. In this latter idea I rather encouraged him than otherwise, +deeming it advisable to contemplate the darker side of the picture, and +by accustoming ourselves to look forward to being left entirely dependent +upon our own strength and efforts, in some measure to prepare ourselves +for such an event, should it unfortunately befal us. In conversing with +him upon our prospects, and the position we should be in if we lost all +our horses, I regretted extremely to find that his mind was continually +occupied with thoughts of returning, and that he seemed to think the only +chance of saving our lives, would be to push on to the water ourselves, +and then endeavour again to return to Fowler's Bay, where we had buried a +large quantity of provisions. Still it was a gratification to find that +the only European with me, did not altogether give way to despondency, +and could even calmly contemplate the prospect before us, considering and +reasoning upon the plan it might be best to adopt, in the event of our +worst forebodings being realized. In discussing these subjects, I +carefully avoiding irritating or alarming him, by a declaration of my own +opinions and resolutions, rather agreeing with him than otherwise, at the +same time, that I pointed out the certain risk that would attend any +attempt to go back to Fowler's Bay, and the probability there was of much +less danger attending the effort to advance to King George's Sound. With +respect to the native boys, they appeared to think or care but little +about the future; they were not sensible of their danger, and having +something still to eat and drink, they played and laughed and joked with +each other as much as ever. + +Whilst waiting for the tide to fall, to enable us to proceed, the +overseer dug a hole, and we buried nearly every thing we had with us, +saddles, fire-arms, ammunition, provisions; all things were here +abandoned except two guns, the keg with the little water we had left, and +a very little flour, tea and sugar. I determined to relieve our horses +altogether from every weight (trifling as was the weight of all we had), +and by pushing, if possible, on to the water, endeavour to save their +lives; after which we could return for the things we had abandoned. Our +arrangements being completed, we all bathed in the sea, ate a scanty +meal, and again moved onwards at half past two o'clock. + +The poor horses started better than could have been expected, but it was +soon evident that all were fast failing, and many already quite +exhausted. At six miles my favourite mare could no longer keep up with +the rest, and we were obliged to let her drop behind. Her foal, now six +months old, we got away with some difficulty from her, and kept it with +the other horses; at four miles further another of the horses failed, and +I had him tied up, in the hope that if we reached water during the +evening, I might send back and recover him. + +Towards dark we all imagined we saw a long point stretching to the S. W. +and backed by high sandy looking cones. We hoped that these might be the +sand-hills we were pushing for, and our hearts beat high with hope once +more. It, however, soon become too dark to discern anything, and at +fourteen miles from where we had halted in the morning, we were again +obliged by the tide to encamp for the night, as the country behind the +shore was densely scrubby, and quite impracticable as a line of route. It +was nine o'clock when we halted, and we were all very tired, and our feet +somewhat inflamed, from getting so frequently wet with the salt water, +whilst endeavouring to keep the horses from it; there was no grass but +the coarse wiry kind that bound the sand together, of this the poor +animals cropped a little, as a very heavy dew fell, and served to moisten +it. As usual, the overseer and myself kept watch upon the horses at +night, whilst the natives enjoyed their undisturbed repose. Two of the +boys were young, and none of the three had their frame and muscles +sufficiently developed to enable them to undergo the fatigue of walking +during the day if deprived of their rest at night; still the duty became +very hard upon two persons, where it was of constant occurrence, and +superadded to the ordinary day's labour. + +March 29.--After calling up the party, I ascended the highest sand-hill +near me, from which the prospect was cheerless and gloomy, and the point +and sandy cones we imagined we had seen last night had vanished. Indeed, +upon examining the chart, and considering that as yet we had advanced +only one hundred and twenty-six miles from the last water, I felt +convinced that we had still very far to go before we could expect to +reach the sand-drifts. The supply of water we had brought for ourselves +was nearly exhausted, and we could afford none for breakfast to-day; the +night, however, had been cool, and we did not feel the want of it so +much. Upon moving, I sent one of the natives back to the horse I had tied +up, about four miles from our camp to try to bring him on to where we +should halt in the middle of the day. + +For ten miles we continued along the beach until we came to a bluff rocky +ridge, running close into the sea; here we rested until the tide fell, +and to give the native boy an opportunity of rejoining us, which he did +soon after, but without the horse; the poor animal had travelled about +eight miles with him from the place where we had left him, but had then +been unable to come any further, and he abandoned him. + +Whilst the party were in camp, I sent the overseer to a distant point of +land to try and get a view of the coast beyond; but upon his return, +after a long walk, he told me his view to the west was obstructed by a +point similar to the one I had sent him to. During the day, we had passed +a rather recent native encampment, where were left some vessels of bark +for holding water, or for collecting it from the roots of trees, or the +grass. Near where we halted in the middle of the day, the foot-prints of +the natives were quite fresh, and shewed that they were travelling the +same way as ourselves. + +For the last two or three days, we had passed many pieces of wreck upon +the beach, oars, thwarts of boats, fragments of masts, spars, etc. strewed +about in every direction; none of them, however, appeared to have been +recently deposited there, and many of the oars, and lighter spars, were +stuck up on their ends in the sand above high water mark, probably so +placed by the natives, but with what object I know not. One oar was stuck +up upon a high sand ridge, some distance from the shore, and I spent some +time in examining the place, in the vain hope that it might be an +indication of our vicinity to water. + +In the afternoon we all had a little tea; and after a bathe in the sea, +again moved onwards; fortunately the beach was firm and hard, and the +evening cool; the horses advanced slowly and steadily, and in a way that +quite surprised me. After travelling for thirteen miles, we encamped +under the coast ridge late in the evening, all very much exhausted, +having made several ineffectual searches for water, among the sandy +ridges, as we passed along. + +In our route along the shore, we had seen immense numbers of fish in the +shallow waters, and among the reefs lying off the coast; several dead +ones had been picked up, and of these the boys made a feast at night. Our +last drop of water was consumed this evening, and we then all lay down to +rest, after turning the horses behind the first ridge of the coast, as we +could find no grass; and neither the overseer nor I were able to watch +them, being both too much worn out with the labours of the day, and our +exertions, in searching for water. + +March 30.--Getting up as soon as the day dawned, I found that some of the +horses had crossed the sand ridge to the beach, and rambled some distance +backwards. I found, too, that in the dark, we had missed a patch of +tolerable grass among the scrub, not far from our camp. I regretted this +the more, as during the night a very heavy dew had fallen, and the horses +might perhaps have fed a little. + +Leaving the overseer to search for those that had strayed, I took a +sponge, and went to try to collect some of the dew which was hanging in +spangles upon the grass and shrubs; brushing these with the sponge, I +squeezed it, when saturated, into a quart pot, which, in an hour's time, +I filled with water. The native boys were occupied in the same way; and +by using a handful of fine grass, instead of a sponge, they collected +about a quart among them. Having taken the water to the camp, and made it +into tea, we divided it amongst the party, and never was a meal more +truly relished, although we all ate the last morsel of bread we had with +us, and none knew when we might again enjoy either a drink of water, or a +mouthful of bread. We had now demonstrated the practicability of +collecting water from the dew. I had often heard from the natives that +they were in the habit of practising this plan, but had never before +actually witnessed its adoption. It was, however, very cold work, and +completely wet me through from head to foot, a greater quantity of water +by far having been shaken over me, from the bushes, than I was able to +collect with my sponge. The natives make use of a large oblong vessel of +bark, which they hold under the branches, whilst they brush them with a +little grass, as I did with the sponge; the water thus falls into the +trough held for it, and which, in consequence of the surface being so +much larger than the orifice of a quart pot, is proportionably sooner +filled. After the sun once rises, the spangles fall from the boughs, and +no more water can be collected; it is therefore necessary to be at work +very early, if success is an object of importance. + +The morning was very hazy, and at first nothing could be seen of the +country before us; but as the mist gradually cleared away a long point +was seen to the south-west, but so very distant that I felt certain our +horses never would get there if it lay between us and the water. To our +astonishment they kept moving steadily along the beach, which was +tolerably firm near the sea, in which were many reefs and shelves of +rocks, covered with muscles below low water mark. As we progressed, it +was evident that the country was undergoing a considerable change; the +sea shore dunes and the ridges immediately behind them were now of a pure +white sand, and steep, whilst those further back were very high and +covered with low bushes. Upon ascending one of the latter I had a good +view around, and to my inexpressible pleasure and relief saw the high +drifts of sand we were looking for so anxiously, in the corner between us +and the more distant point of land first seen. The height of the +intervening ridges and the sand-drifts being in the angle prevented us +from noticing them sooner. + +We had now travelled ten miles, and the sand-hills were about five miles +further. The horses were, however, becoming exhausted, and the day was so +hot that I was compelled to halt, and even now, in sight of our +long-expected goal, I feared we might be too late to save them. Leaving +the boys to attend to the animals, I took the overseer up one of the +ridges to reconnoitre the country for the purpose of ascertaining whether +there was no place near us where water might be procured by digging. +After a careful examination a hollow was selected between the two front +ridges of white sand, where the overseer thought it likely we might be +successful. The boys were called up to assist in digging, and the work +was anxiously commenced; our suspense increasing every moment as the well +was deepened. At about five feet the sand was observed to be quite moist, +and upon its being tasted was pronounced quite free from any saline +qualities. This was joyous news, but too good to be implicitly believed, +and though we all tasted it over and over again, we could scarcely +believe that such really was the case. By sinking another foot the +question was put beyond all doubt, and to our great relief fresh water +was obtained at a depth of six feet from the surface, on the seventh day +of our distress, and after we had travelled one hundred and sixty miles +since we had left the last water. Words would be inadequate to express +the joy and thankfulness of my little party at once more finding +ourselves in safety, and with abundance of water near us. A few hours +before hope itself seemed almost extinguished, and those only who have +been subjeet to a similar extremity of distress can have any just idea of +the relief we experienced. The mind seemed to have been weighed down by +intense anxiety and over-wrought feelings. At first the gloomy +restlessness of disappointment or the feverish impatience of hope had +operated upon our minds alternately, but these had long since given way +to that calm settled determination of purpose, and cool steady vigour of +action which desperate circumstances can alone inspire. Day by day our +prospects of success had gradually diminished; our horses had become +reduced to so dreadful a state that many had died, and all were likely to +do so soon; we ourselves were weak and exhausted by fatigue, and it +appeared impossible that either could have gone many miles further. In +this last extremity we had been relieved. That gracious God, without +whose assistance all hope of safety had been in vain, had heard our +earnest prayers for his aid, and I trust that in our deliverance we +recognized and acknowledged with sincerity and thankfulness his guiding +and protecting hand. It is in circumstances only such as we had lately +been placed in that the utter hopelessness of all human efforts is truly +felt, and it is when relieved from such a situation that the hand of a +directing and beneficent Being appears most plainly discernible, +fulfilling those gracious promises which he has made, to hear them that +call upon him in the day of trouble. + +[Note 27: "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and +their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of +Israel will not forsake them." + +"I will open rivers in high places, and fountains +in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, +and the dry land springs of water."--Isa. xli. 17, 18. + +"I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the +desert."--Isa. xliii. 19.] + +As soon as each had satisfied his thirst the pots were filled and boiled +for tea, and some bread was baked, whilst the overseer and natives were +still increasing the size of the well to enable us to water the horses. +We then got a hasty meal that we might the better go through the fatigue +of attending to the suffering animals. Our utmost caution now became +necessary in their management; they had been seven days without a drop of +water, and almost without food also, and had suffered so much that with +abundance of water near us, and whilst they were suffering agonies from +the want of it, we dared not give it to them freely. Having tied them up +to some low bushes, we gave each in turn about four gallons, and then +driving them away for half a mile to where there was a little withered +grass, we watched them until the evening, and again gave each about four +gallons more of water. + +Whilst thus engaged, a very fine looking native with his wife and family, +passed us and halted for a few moments to observe us, and procure a drink +from the well we had made. This man did not seem at all alarmed, and made +signs that he was going to sleep, a little further along the coast, where +there was also water, pointing to the white sandhills about five miles +from us. The language he spoke seemed to be the same as that of the other +natives we had met with along the Great Bight, nor did the King George's +Sound native understand him a bit better than he had done the others. + +At night one of our two remaining sheep was killed, and the overseer and +myself proceeded to watch the horses for the night. The poor creatures +were scarcely able to crawl, yet were restless and uneasy, and fed but +little, they had tasted water and they were almost mad for it, so that it +was a severe task to both myself and the overseer to keep them from +returning to the well. The single sheep now left had also given us a good +deal of trouble, it was frightened at being alone, and frustrated all our +efforts to yard it, preferring to accompany and remain with the +horses,--an arrangement we were obliged to acquiesce in. + +March 31.--The morning broke wild and lowering, and the sand blew +fearfully about from the drifts among which the water was. Our well had +tumbled in during the night, and we had to undergo considerable labour +before we could water the horses. After clearing it out, we gave each of +them seven gallons, and again sent them away to the grass, letting the +native boys watch them during the day, whilst we rested for a few hours, +shifted our camp to a more sheltered place, weighed out a week's +allowance of flour at half a pound each per day, and made sundry other +necessary arrangements. + +Fearful of losing our only remaining sheep, if left to wander about, we +made a strong yard to put it into at nights, for a long time, however, we +could not get it to go near the yard, and only succeeded at last by +leading in a horse first, behind which it walked quite orderly. + +April 1.--The last night had been bitterly cold and frosty, and as we +were badly clad, and without the means of making a large or permanent +fire, we all felt acutely the severity of the weather. After breakfast, I +left the overseer and natives to clear out the well, which had again +fallen in, and water the horses, whilst I walked five miles along the +beach to the westward, and then turned inland to examine the sand-drifts +there and search for grass. Behind the drifts I found some open sandy +plains, with a coarse kind of dry grass upon them, and as they were not +far from where the natives had dug wells for water, I thought the place +might suit us to encamp at for a time when we left our present position. +In returning to the camp, through the scrub behind the coast, I shot a +fine wallabie, and saw several others; but having only cartridges with +me, I did not like to cut up the balls for ammunition. + +April 2.--Another severe cold frosty night made us fully sensible that +the winter was rapidly closing in upon us, notwithstanding the +ill-provided and unprotected state we were in to encounter its +inclemencies. Our well had again tumbled in, and gave us a good deal of +trouble, besides, each successive clearing out deepened it considerably, +and this took us to a level where the brackish water mixed with the +fresh; from this cause the water was now too brackish to be palatable, +and we sunk another well apart from that used for the horses, at which to +procure any water we required for our own use. During the afternoon I +shot a wallabie behind the camp, but the place being densely scrubby, and +the animal not quite dead, I did not get it. + +On the 3rd, I sent the overseer out in one direction and I went myself +out in another, to examine the country and try to procure wallabies for +food. We both returned late, greatly fatigued with walking through dense +scrubs and over steep heavy sand ridges, but without having fired a shot. + +Our mutton (excepting the last sheep) being all used on the 4th, we were +reduced to our daily allowance of half a pound of flour each, without any +meat. + +On the 5th, the overseer and one of the native boys got ready to go back +for some of the stores and other things we had abandoned, forty-seven +miles away. As they were likely to have severe exercise, and to be away +for four days, I gave them five pounds extra of flour above their daily +allowance, together with the wallabie which I had shot, and which had not +yet been used; they drove before them three horses to carry their supply +of water, and bring back the things sent for. + +As soon as they were gone, with the assistance of the two native boys who +were left, I removed the camp to the white sand-drifts, five miles +further west. Being anxious to keep as near to the grass as I could, I +commenced digging at some distance away from where the natives procured +their water, but at a place where there were a great many rushes. After +sinking to about seven feet, I found the soil as dry as ever, and +removing to the native wells, with some little trouble opened a hole +large enough to water all the horses. The single sheep gave us a great +deal of trouble and kept us running about from one sand hill to another, +until we were tired out, before we could capture it; at last we +succeeded, and I tied him up for the night, resolved never to let him +loose again. + +In the evening I noticed the native boys looking more woe-begone and +hungry than usual. Heretofore, since our mutton was consumed, they had +helped out their daily half-pound of flour, with the roasted roots of the +gum-scrub, but to-day they had been too busy to get any, and I was +obliged to give to each a piece of bread beyond the regular allowance. It +was pitiable to see them craving for food, and not to have the power of +satisfying them; they were young and had large appetites, and never +having been accustomed to any restraint of this nature, scarcity of food +was the more sensibly felt, especially as they could not comprehend the +necessity that compelled us to hoard with greater care than a miser does +his gold, the little stock of provisions which we yet had left. + +April 6.--The severe frost and intense cold of last night entirely +deprived me of sleep, and I was glad when the daylight broke, though +still weary and unrefreshed. After clearing out the well, and watering +the horses, I sent one of the boys out to watch them, and gave the other +the gun to try and shoot a wallabie, but after expending the only two +charges of slugs I had left, he returned unsuccessful. At night we all +made up our supper with the bark of the young roots of the gum-scrub. It +appears to be extensively used for food by the natives in this district, +judging from the remnants left at their encamping places. The bark is +peeled off the young roots of the eucalyptus dumosa, put into hot ashes +until nearly crisp, and then the dust being shaken off, it is pounded +between two stones and ready for use. Upon being chewed, a farinaceous +powder is imbibed from between the fibres of the bark, by no means +unpleasant in flavour, but rather sweet, and resembling the taste of +malt; how far a person could live upon this diet alone, I have no means +of judging, but it certainly appeases the appetite, and is, I should +suppose, nutritious. + +April 7.--Another sleepless night from the intense cold. Upon getting up +I put a mark upon the beach to guide the overseer to our camp on his +return, then weighed out flour and baked bread for the party, as I found +it lasted much better when used stale than fresh. I tried to shoot some +pigeons with small gravel, having plenty of powder but no shot. My +efforts were, however, in vain, for though I several times knocked them +over, and tore feathers out, I killed none. The day being very clear, I +ascended the highest sand-hill to obtain a view of what had appeared to +us to be a long point of land, stretching to the south-west. It was now +clearly recognisable as the high level line of cliffs forming the western +boundary of the Great Bight, and I at once knew, that when we left our +present position, we could hope for no water for at least 140 or 150 +miles beyond. + +The weather on the 8th and 9th suddenly became mild and soft, with the +appearance of rain, but none fell. I was becoming anxious about the +return of my overseer and native boy, who had been absent nine tides, +when they ought to have returned in eight, and I could not help fearing +some mischance had befallen them, and frequently went back wards and +forwards to the beach, to look for them. The tenth tide found me +anxiously at my post on the look out, and after watching for a long time +I thought I discerned some dark objects in the distance, slowly +advancing; gradually I made out a single horse, driven by two people, and +at once descended to meet them. Their dismal tale was soon told. After +leaving us on the 5th, they reached their destination on the 7th; but in +returning one of the horses became blind, and was too weak to advance +further, when they had barely advanced thirteen miles; they were +consequently obliged to abandon him, and leave behind the things he had +been carrying. With the other two horses they got to within five miles of +the place we first procured water at on the 30th March. Here a second +horse had become unable to proceed, and the things he had carried were +also obliged to be left behind. They then got both horses to the first +well at the sand-hills and watered them, and after resting a couple of +hours came on to join me. Short as this distance was, the jaded horse +could not travel it, and was left behind a mile and a half back. Having +shewn the overseer and boy the camp, I sent the other two natives to +fetch up the tired horse, whilst I attended to the other, and put the +solitary sheep in for the night. By a little after dark all was arranged, +and the horse that had been left behind once more with the others. + +From the overseer I learnt, that during the fifty miles he had retraced +our route to obtain the provisions we had left, he had five times dug for +water: four times he had found salt water, and once he had been stopped +by rock. The last effort of this kind he had made not far from where we +found water on the 30th of March, and I could not but be struck with the +singular and providential circumstance of our first halting and +attempting to dig for water on that day in all our distress, at the very +first place, and at the only place, within the 160 miles we had +traversed, where water could have been procured. It will be remembered, +that in our advance, we had travelled a great part of the latter portion +of this distance by night, and that thus there was a probability of our +having passed unknowingly some place where water might have been +procured. The overseer had now travelled over the same ground in +daylight, with renovated strength, and in a condition comparatively +strong, and fresh for exertion. He had dug wherever he thought there was +a chance of procuring water, but without success in any one single +instance. + +After learning all the particulars of the late unlucky journey, I found +that a great part of the things I had sent for were still thirty-eight +miles back, having only been brought twelve miles from where they had +originally been left; the rest of the things were ten miles away, and as +nearly all our provisions, and many other indispensable articles were +among them, it became absolutely necessary that they should be recovered +in some way or other, but how that was to be accomplished was a question +which we could not so easily determine. Our horses were quite unfit for +service of any kind, and the late unfortunate attempt had but added to +the difficulties by which we were surrounded, and inflicted upon us the +additional loss of another valuable animal. Many and anxious were the +hours I spent in contemplating the circumstances we were in, and in +revolving in my mind the best means at our command to extricate ourselves +from so perilous a situation. We were still 650 miles from King George's +Sound, with an entirely unknown country before us. Our provisions, when +again recovered, would be barely sufficient to last us for three weeks +and a half, at a very reduced rate of allowance. Our horses were jaded +and miserable beyond all conception; they could literally scarcely crawl, +and it was evident they would be unable to move on again at all without +many days' rest where we were. On the other hand we had still the +prospect of another of those fearful pushes without water to encounter, +as soon as we left our present encampment, and had first to recover the +provisions and other things yet so far away. Nothing could be more +disheartening than our situation, and it was also one in which it was +difficult to decide what was best to be done. Aware that a single false +step would now be fatal to us all, I saw that our circumstances required +promptness and decision. With every thing depending upon my sole +judgment, and the determination I arrived at, I felt deeply and anxiously +the over-whelming responsibility that devolved upon me. + +We were now about half way between Fowler's Bay and King George's Sound, +located among barren sand-drifts, and without a drop of water beyond us +on either side, within a less distance than 150 miles. Our provisions +were rapidly decreasing, whilst we were lying idle and inactive in camp; +and yet it would be absolutely necessary for us thus to remain for some +time longer, or at once abandon the horses, and endeavour to make our way +without them. To the latter, however, there were many objections, one of +which was, that I well knew from the experience we had already had, that +if we abandoned the horses, and had those fearful long distances to +travel without water, we never could accomplish them on foot, if +compelled at the same time to live upon a very low diet, to carry our +arms, ammunition, and provisions, and in addition to these, a stock of +water, sufficient to last six or seven days. The only thing that had +enabled us to get through so far on our journey in safety, had been the +having the horses with us, for though weak and jaded, they had yet +carried the few things, which were indispensable to us, and which we +never could have carried ourselves under the circumstances. + +There was another inducement to continue with the horses, which had +considerable weight with me, and however revolting the idea might be at +first, it was a resource which I foresaw the desperate circumstances we +were in must soon compel us to adopt. It was certainly horrible to +contemplate the destruction of the noble animals that had accompanied us +so far, but ere long I well knew that such would be the only chance of +saving our own lives, and I hoped that by accustoming the mind to dwell +upon the subject beforehand, when the evil hour did arrive, the horror +and disgust would be in some degree lessened. Upon consulting the +overseer, I was glad to find that he agreed with me fully in the +expediency of not abandoning the horses until it became unavoidable, and +that he had himself already contemplated the probability of our being +very shortly reduced to the alternative of using them for food. + +It remained now only to decide, which way we would go when we agan moved +on, whether to prosecute our journey to the Sound, or try to retrace our +steps to Fowler's Bay. On this point my own opinion never wavered for an +instant. My conviction of the utter impossibility of our ever being able +to recross the fearful country we had passed through with such +difficulty, under circumstances so much more favourable than we were now +in, was so strong that I never for a moment entertained the idea myself. +I knew the many and frightful pushes without water we should have to make +in any such attempt, and though the country before us was unknown, it +could not well be worse than that we had passed through, whilst the +probability was, that after the first long stage was accomplished, and +which would take us beyond the western boundary of the Great Bight, we +should experience a change in the character of the country, and be able +to advance with comparative ease and facility. Unhappily my overseer +differed from me in opinion upon this point. + +The last desperate march we had made, had produced so strong an +impression upon his mind, that he could not divest himself of the idea +that the further we went to the westward the more arid the country would +be found, and that eventually we should all perish from want of water; on +the other hand, the very reduced allowance of food we were compelled to +limit ourselves to, made his thoughts always turn to the depot at +Fowler's Bay, where we had buried a large supply of provisions of all +kinds. In vain I pointed out to him the certain difficulties we must +encounter in any attempt to return, the little probability there was of a +single horse surviving even the first of those dreadful stages we should +have to make, and the utter impossibility of our getting successfully +through without the horses; and, on the other hand, the very cheering +prospect there was of all our most serious difficulties being terminated +as soon as we had turned the western extremity of the Bight (to +accomplish which, would not occupy more than six or seven days at the +furthest when we moved on,) and the strong hopes that we might then +reasonably entertain of falling in with some vessel, sealing or whaling +upon the coast, and from which we might obtain a fresh supply of +provisions. All my arguments were fruitless. With the characteristic +obedience and fidelity with which he had ever served me, he readily +acquiesced in any plan I might decide upon adopting; but I perceived, +with pain, that I could not convince him that the view I took was the +proper one, and that the plan I intended to follow was the only one which +held out to us even the remotest hopes of eventual safety and success. + +Finding that I made little progress in removing his doubts on the +question of our advance, I resolved to pursue the subject no further, +until the time for decision came, hoping that in the interim, his +opinions and feelings might in some degree be modified, and that he might +then accompany me cheerfully. The important and pressing duty of +recovering at once the stores we had left behind, now claimed my +attention. The overseer, with his usual anxiety to save me from any extra +labour, kindly offered to attempt this object again; but as he had just +returned from a severe, though unfortunately unsuccessful journey for the +same purpose, I decided upon doing it myself, and at once made my +preparations for leaving the camp. + + + + +Chapter XVIII. + + + +GO BACK WITH A NATIVE--SPEAR STING-RAYS--RECOVER THE BAGGAGE--COLD +WEATHER--OVERSEER RECONNOITRES THE CLIFFS--UNFAVOURABLE +REPORT--DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO BEST PLANS FOR THE FUTURE--KILL A +HORSE FOR FOOD--INJURIOUS EFFECTS FROM MEAT DIET--NATIVE BOYS BECOME +DISAFFECTED--THEY STEAL PROVISIONS--NATIVE BOYS DESERT THE PARTY--THEY +RETURN ALMOST STARVED--PARTY PROCEED ONWARDS TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF +THE BIGHT--COUNTRY BEHIND THEM--THREATENING WEATHER--MURDER OF THE +OVERSEER. + + +April 10.--FOUR days' provisions having been given to each of the party, +I took the King George's Sound native with me to retrace, on foot, our +route to the eastward. For the first ten miles I was accompanied by one +of the other native boys, leading a horse to carry a little water for us, +and take back the stores the overseer had buried at that point, when the +second horse knocked up with him on the morning of the 9th. Having found +the things, and put them on the horse, I sent the boy with them back to +the camp, together with a large sting-ray fish which he had speared in +the surf near the shore. It was a large, coarse, ugly-looking thing, but +as it seemed to be of the same family as the skate, I did not imagine we +should run any risk in eating it. In other respects, circumstances had +broken through many scruples and prejudices, and we were by no means +particular as to what the fish might be, if it were eatable. + +Having buried our little keg of water until our return, the King George's +Sound native and myself pushed on for five miles further, and then halted +for the night, after a day's journey of fifteen miles. We now cooked some +sting-ray fish (for the native with me had speared a second one,) and +though it was coarse and dry, our appetites had been sharpened by our +walk, and we thought it far from being unpalatable. + +April 11.--Moving away long before daylight, we pushed steadily on, and +about dusk arrived, after a stage of twenty-three miles, at the place +where our stores were. I found a much greater weight here than I +expected, and feared it would be quite impossible for us to carry the +whole away. By the light of the fire, I threw out saddles, clothes, +oil-skins, etc. that we did not absolutely require, and packing up the +remainder, weighed a bundle of thirty-two pounds for myself to carry, and +one of twenty-two for the native, who also had a gun to take. Our +arrangements being completed for the morrow, we enjoyed our supper of +sting-ray, and lay down for the night. + +April 12.--To-day the weather was cloudy and sultry, and we found it very +oppressive carrying the weight we had with us, especially as we had no +water. By steady perseverance, we gained the place where our little keg +had been buried; and having refreshed ourselves with a little tea, again +pushed on for a few miles to a place where I had appointed the overseer +to send a native to meet us with water. He was already there, and we all +encamped together for the night, soon forgetting, in refreshing sleep, +the fatigues and labours of the day. + +The 13th was a dark cloudy day, with light rains in the morning. About +noon we arrived at the camp, after having walked seventy-six miles in the +last three days and a half, during great part of which, we had carried +heavy weights. We had, however, successfully accomplished the object for +which we had gone, and had now anxieties only for our future progress, +the provisions and other stores being all safely recovered. + +During my absence, I had requested the overseer to bake some bread, in +order that it might be tolerably stale before we used it. To my regret +and annoyance, I found that he had baked one third of our whole supply, +so that it would be necessary to use more than our stated allowance, or +else to let it spoil. It was the more vexing, to think that in this case +the provisions had been so improvidently expended, from the fact of our +having plenty of the sting-ray fish, and not requiring so much bread. + +April 14.--Early this morning I sent the overseer, and one of the native +boys, with three days' provision to the commencement of the cliffs to the +westward, visible from the sand-hills near our camp, in order that they +might ascertain the exact distance they were from us, and whether any +grass or water could be procured nearer to their base than where we were. +After their departure, I attended to the horses, and then amused myself +preparing some fishing lines to set off the shore, with a large stone as +an anchor, and a small keg for a buoy. The day was, however, wild and +boisterous; and in my attempts to get through the surf, to set the lines, +I was thrown down, together with the large stone I was carrying, and my +leg severely cut and bruised. The weather was extremely cold, too, and +being without coat or jacket of any kind, I suffered severely from it. + +The 15th was another cold day, with the wind at south-west, and we could +neither set the lines, nor spear sting-ray, whilst the supply we had +before obtained was now nearly exhausted. One of the horses was taken +ill, and unable to rise, from the effects of the cold; his limbs were +cramped and stiff, and apparently unable to sustain the weight of his +body. After plucking dry grass, and making a bed for him, placing a +breakwind of boughs round, and making a fire near him, we left him for +the night. + +Late in the evening, the overseer and boy returned from the westward, and +reported, that the cliffs were sixteen miles away; that they had dug for +water, but that none could be found, and that there was hardly a blade of +grass any where, whilst the whole region around was becoming densely +scrubby; through much of which we should have to pass before we reached +the cliffs. Altogether, the overseer seemed quite discouraged by the +appearance of the country, and to dread the idea of moving on in that +direction, often saying, that he wished he was back, and that he thought +he could retrace his steps to Fowler's Bay, where a supply of provisions +had been buried. I was vexed at these remarks, because I felt that I +could not coincide in them, and because I knew that when the moment for +decision came, my past experience, and the strong reasons which had +produced in my own mind quite a different conviction, would compel me to +act in opposition to the wishes of the only European with me, and he a +person, too, whom I sincerely respected for the fidelity and devotion +with which he had followed me through all my wanderings. I was afraid, +too, that the native boys, hearing his remarks, and perceiving that he +had no confidence in our future movements, would catch up the same idea, +and that, in addition to the other difficulties and anxieties I had to +cope with, would be the still more frightful one of disaffection and +discontent. Another subject of uneasiness arose from the nature of our +diet;--for some few days we had all been using a good deal of the +sting-ray fish, and though at first we had found it palatable, either +from confining ourselves too exclusively to it, or from eating too much, +it had latterly disagreed with us. The overseer declared it made him ill +and weak, and that he could do nothing whilst living upon it. The boys +said the same; and yet we had nothing else to supply its place, and the +small quantity of flour left would not admit of our using more than was +barely necessary to sustain life. At this time we had hardly any fish +left, and the whole party were ravenously hungry. In this dilemma, I +determined to have the sick horse killed for food. It was impossible he +could ever recover, and by depriving him of life a few hours sooner than +the natural course of events would have done, we should be enabled to get +a supply of food to last us over a few days more, by which time I hoped +we might again be able to venture on, and attempt another push to the +westward. + +Early on the morning of the 16th, I sent the overseer to kill the +unfortunate horse, which was still alive, but unable to rise from the +ground, having never moved from the place where he had first been found +lying yesterday morning. The miserable animal was in the most wretched +state possible, thin and emaciated by dreadful and long continued +sufferings, and labouring under some complaint, that in a very few hours +at the farthest, must have terminated its life. + +After a great portion of the meat had been cut off from the carcase, in +thin slices, they were dipped in salt water and hung up upon strings to +dry in the sun. I could not bring myself to eat any to-day, so horrible +and revolting did it appear to me, but the overseer made a hearty dinner, +and the native boys gorged themselves to excess, remaining the whole +afternoon by the carcase, where they made a fire, cutting off and +roasting such portions as had been left. They looked like ravenous wolves +about their prey, and when they returned to the camp at night, they were +loaded with as much cooked meat as they could carry, and which they were +continually eating during the night; I made a meal upon some of the +sting-ray that was still left, but it made me dreadfully sick, and I was +obliged to lie down, seriously ill. + +April 17.--Being rather better to-day, I was obliged to overcome my +repugnance to the disagreeable food we were compelled to resort to, and +the ice once broken, I found that although it was far from being +palatable, I could gradually reconcile myself to it. The boys after +breakfast again went down to the carcase, and spent the whole day +roasting and eating, and at night they again returned to the camp loaded. +We turned all the meat upon the strings and redipped it in sea water +again to-day, but the weather was unfavourable for drying it, being cold +and damp. Both yesterday and to-day light showers fell sufficient to +moisten the grass. + +April 18.--The day being much warmer, many large flies were about, and I +was obliged to have a fire kept constantly around the meat, to keep them +away by the smoke. I now put the natives upon an allowance of five pounds +of flesh each per day, myself and the overseer using about half that +quantity. + +On the 19th, I sent out one of the boys to try and get a sting-ray to +vary our diet, but he returned unsuccessful. During the forenoon I was +seized with a violent attack of dysentery, accompanied with diabetes, +from which I suffered extremely. The overseer was affected also, but in a +less violent degree. The origin of this complaint was plainly traceable +to the food we had used for the last day or two; it rendered us both +incapable of the least exertion of any kind, whilst the disorder +continued, and afterwards left us very languid and weak. In the evening +upon examining the meat, a great deal of it was found to be getting +putrid, or fly-blown, and we were obliged to pick it over, and throw what +was tainted away. + +April 20.--To-day I had all the meat boiled, as I thought it would keep +better cooked than raw, we had only a small tin saucepan without a +handle, to effect our cooking operations with, and the preparation of the +meat therefore occupied the whole of the day. The overseer was again +attacked with dysentery. At night the clouds gathered heavily around, and +the weather being mild and soft, I fully expected rain; after dark, +however, the wind rose high and the threatened storm passed away. + +On the 21st, I was seized again with illness. The overseer continued to +be affected also, and we were quite unable to make the necessary +preparations for our journey to the westward, which I fully intended to +have commenced to-morrow. For several hours we were in the greatest +agony, and could neither lie down, sit up, nor stand, except with extreme +pain. Towards the afternoon the violence of the symptoms abated a little, +but we were exceedingly weak. + +April 22.--Upon weighing the meat this morning, which as usual was left +out upon the strings at night, I discovered that four pounds had been +stolen by some of the boys, whilst we were sleeping. I had suspected that +our stock was diminishing rapidly for a day or two past, and had weighed +it overnight that I might ascertain this point, and if it were so, take +some means to prevent it for the future. With so little food to depend +upon, and where it was so completely in the power of any one of the +party, to gratify his own appetite at the expense of the others, during +their absence, or when they slept, it became highly necessary to enforce +strict honesty towards each other; I was much grieved to find that the +meat had been taken by the natives, more particularly as their daily +allowance had been so great. We had, moreover, only two days' supply of +the meat left for the party, and being about to commence the long journey +before us, it was important to economise our provisions to support us +under the fatigue and labours we should then have to undergo. + +Having deducted the four pounds stolen during the night, from the daily +rations of the three boys, I gave them the remainder, (eight pounds) +telling them the reason why their quantity was less to-day than usual, +and asking them to point out the thief, who alone should be punished and +the others would receive their usual rations. The youngest of the three +boys, and the King George's Sound native, resolutely denied being +concerned in the robbery; but the other native doggedly refused to answer +any questions about it, only telling me that he and the native from King +George's Sound would leave me and make their way by themselves. I pointed +out to them the folly, in fact the impossibility almost, of their +succeeding in any attempt of the kind; advised them to remain quietly +where they were, and behave well for the future, but concluded by telling +them that if they were bent upon going they might do so, as I would not +attempt to stop them. + +For some time past the two eldest of the boys, both of whom were now +nearly grown up to manhood, had been far from obedient in their general +conduct. Ever since we had been reduced to a low scale of diet they had +been sulky and discontented, never assisting in the routine of the day, +or doing what they were requested to do with that cheerfulness and +alacrity that they had previously exhibited. Unaccustomed to impose the +least restraint upon their appetites or passions, they considered it a +hardship to be obliged to walk as long as any horses were left alive, +though they saw those horses falling behind and perishing from fatigue; +they considered it a hardship, too, to be curtailed in their allowance of +food, as long as a mouthful was left unconsumed; and in addition to this, +they had imbibed the overseer's idea that we never should succeed in our +attempt to get to the westward, and got daily more dissatisfied at +remaining idle in camp, whilst the horses were recruiting. + +The excess of animal food they had had at their command for some few days +after the horse was killed, made them forget their former scarcity, and +in their folly they imagined that they could supply their own wants, and +get on better and more rapidly than we did, and they determined to +attempt it. Vexed as I had been at finding out they had not scrupled to +plunder the small stock of provisions we had left, I was loth to let them +leave me foolishly without making an effort to prevent it. One of them +had been with me a great length of time, and the other I had brought from +his country and his friends, and to both I felt bound by ties of humanity +to prevent if possible their taking the rash step they meditated; my +remonstrances and expostulations were however in vain, and after getting +their breakfasts, they took up some spears they had been carefully +preparing for the last two days, and walked sulkily from the camp in a +westerly direction. The youngest boy had, it seemed, also been enticed to +join them, for he was getting up with the intention of following, when I +called him back and detained him in the camp, as he was too young to know +what he was doing, and had only been led astray by the others. I had +intended to have moved on myself to-day, but the departure of the natives +made me change my intention, for I deemed it desirable that they should +have at least three or four days start of us. Finding that the single +sheep we had left would now be the cause of a good deal of trouble, I had +it killed this afternoon, that we might have the full advantage of it +whilst we had plenty of water, and might be enabled to hoard our bread a +little. We had still a little of the horse-flesh left, and made a point +of using it all up before the mutton was allowed to be touched. + +The morning of the 23rd broke cool and cloudy, with showers gathering +from seawards; the wind was south-west, and the sky wild and lowering in +that direction. During the forenoon light rain fell, but scarcely more +than sufficient to moisten the grass; it would, however, probably afford +our deserters a drink upon the cliffs. Towards evening the sky cleared, +and the weather became frosty. + +On the following day we still remained in camp, hoping for rain;--a +single heavy shower would so completely have freed us from the danger of +attempting to force a passage through the great extent of arid country +before us, that I was unwilling to move on until the very last moment. +Our rations were however rapidly disappearing whilst we were idling in +camp, the horse-flesh was all consumed, and to-day we had commenced upon +the mutton, so that soon we should be compelled to go, whether it rained +or not. Month after month however had passed away without any fall of +rain, and the season had now arrived when, under ordinary circumstances, +much wet might be expected; and though each day, as it passed without +gratifying our hopes, but added to our disappointment, yet did every hour +we lingered give us a better chance of being relieved by showers in our +route round the last cliffs of the Bight. The evening set in mild but +close, with the wind at north-east, and I had great hopes that showers +would fall. + +April 25.--During the night dense clouds, accompanied by gusts of wind +and forked lightning, passed rapidly to the south-west, and this morning +the wind changed to that quarter. Heavy storms gathered to seawards with +much thunder and lightning, but no rain fell near us; the sea appearing +to attract all the showers. The overseer shot a very large eagle to-day +and made a stew of it, which was excellent. I sent the boy out to try and +shoot a wallabie, but he returned without one. + +In the evening, a little before dark, and just as we had finished our +tea, to my great astonishment our two runaway natives made their +appearance, the King George's Sound native being first. He came frankly +up, and said that they were both sorry for what they had done, and were +anxious to be received again, as they found they could get nothing to eat +for themselves. The other boy sat silently and sullenly at the fire, +apparently more chagrined at being compelled by necessity to come back to +us than sorry for having gone away. Having given them a lecture, for they +both now admitted having stolen meat, not only on the night they were +detected but previously, I gave each some tea and some bread and meat, +and told them if they behaved well they would be treated in every respect +as before, and share with us our little stock of provisions as long as it +lasted. + +I now learnt that they had fared in the bush but little better than I +should have done myself. They had been absent four days, and had come +home nearly starved. For the first two days they got only two small +bandicoots and found no water; they then turned back, and obtaining a +little water in a hollow of the cliffs, left by the shower which had +passed over, they halted under them to fish, and speared a sting-ray; +this they had feasted on yesterday, and to-day came from the cliffs to +look for us without any thing to eat at all. + +During the night some heavy clouds passed over our heads, and once a drop +or two of rain fell. The 26th broke wild and stormy to the east and west, +and I determined to remain one day longer in camp, in the hope of rain +falling, but principally to rest the two natives a little after the long +walk from which they had returned. Breakfast being over, I sent the +overseer and one native to the beach, to try to get a sting-ray, and to +the other I gave my gun to shoot wallabie: no fish was procured, but one +wallabie was got, half of which I gave to the native who killed it, for +his dinner. + +Being determined to break up camp on the 27th, I sent the King George's +Sound native on a-head, as soon as he had breakfasted, that, by preceding +the party, he might have time to spear a sting-ray against we overtook +him. The day was dull, cloudy, and warm, and still looking likely for +rain, with the wind at north-east. At eleven we were ready, and moved +away from a place where we had experienced so much relief in our +extremity, and at which our necessities had compelled us to remain so +long. For twenty-eight days we had been encamped at the sand-drifts, or +at the first water we had found, five miles from them. Daily, almost +hourly, had the sky threatened rain, and yet none fell. We had now +entered upon the last fearful push, which was to decide our fate. This +one stretch of bad country crossed, I felt a conviction we should be +safe. That we had at least 150 miles to go to the next water I was fully +assured of; I was equally satisfied that our horses were by no means in a +condition to encounter the hardships and privations they must meet with +in such a journey; for though they had had a long rest, and in some +degree recovered from their former tired-out condition, they had not +picked up in flesh or regained their spirits; the sapless, withered state +of the grass and the severe cold of the nights had prevented them from +deriving the advantage that they ought to have done from so long a +respite from labour. Still I hoped we might be successful. We had +lingered day by day, until it would have been folly to have waited +longer; the rubicon was, however, now passed, and we had nothing to rely +upon but our own exertions and perseverance, humbly trusting that the +great and merciful God who had hitherto guarded and guidedus in safety +would not desert us now. + +Upon leaving the camp we left behind one carbine, a spade, some horse +hobbles, and a few small articles, to diminish as much as possible the +weight we had to carry. For eight miles we traced round the beach to the +most north-westerly angle of the Bight, and for two miles down its +south-west shore, but were then compelled by the rocks to travel to the +back, through heavy scrubby ridges for four miles; after which we again +got in to the beach, and at one mile along its shore, or fifteen miles +from our camp, we halted for the night, at a patch of old grass. The +afternoon had been hot, but the night set in cold and clear, and all +appearance of rain was gone. The native I had sent on before had not +succeeded in getting a fish, though he had broken one or two spears in +his attempts. + +April 28.--After travelling along the beach for two miles we ascended +behind the cliffs, which now came in bluff to the sea, and then keeping +along their summits, nearly parallel with the coast, and passing through +much scrub, low brushwood, and dwarf tea-tree growing upon the rocky +surface, we made a stage of twenty miles; both ourselves and the horses +greatly tired with walking through the matted scrub of tea-tree every +where covering the ground. The cliffs did not appear so high as those we +had formerly passed along, and probably did not exceed from two to three +hundred feet in elevation. They appeared to be of the same geological +formation; the upper crust an oolitic limestone, with many shells +embedded, below that a coarse, hard, grey limestone, and then alternate +streaks of white and yellow in horizontal strata, but which the steepness +of the cliffs prevented my going down to examine. + +Back from the sea, the country was rugged and stony, and every where +covered with scrub or dwarf tea-tree. There was very little grass for the +horses, and that old and withered. In the morning one of the natives shot +a large wallabie, and this evening the three had it amongst them for +supper; after which they took charge of the horses for the night, this +being the first time they had ever watched them on the journey, myself +and the overseer having exclusively performed this duty heretofore; but, +as I was now expecting a longer and almost more arduous push than any we +had yet made, and in order that we might be able to discharge efficiently +the duties devolving upon us, and make those exertions which our +exigences might require, I deemed it only right that we should sometimes +be assisted by the two elder boys, in a task which we had before always +found to be the most disagreeable and fagging of any, that of watching +the horses at night, after a long and tiring day's journey. + +On the morning of the 29th we moved away very early, passing over a rocky +level country, covered with low brush, and very fatiguing to both +ourselves and our horses. The morning was gloomy and close, and the day +turned out intensely hot. After travelling only fifteen miles we were +compelled to halt until the greatest heat was passed. Our stock of water +and provisions only admitted of our making two meals in the day, +breakfast and supper; but as I intended this evening to travel great part +of the night, we each made our meal now instead of later in the day, that +we might not be delayed when the cool of the evening set in. We had been +travelling along the summit of the cliffs parallel with the coast line, +and had found the country level and uniform in its character; the cliffs +still being from two to three hundred feet in elevation, and of the same +formation as I noticed before. There were patches of grass scattered +among the scrub at intervals, but all were old and withered. + +At four in the afternoon we again proceeded on our journey, but had not +gone far before the sky unexpectedly became overcast with clouds, and the +whole heavens assumed a menacing and threatening appearance. To the east +and to the west, thunderclouds gathered heavily around, every indication +of sudden and violent rain was present to cheer us as we advanced, and +all were rejoicing in the prospects of a speedy termination to our +difficulties. The wind had in the morning been north-east, gradually +veering round to north and north-west, at which point it was stationary +when the clouds began to gather. Towards sunset a heavy storm passed over +our heads, with the rapidity almost of lightning; the wind suddenly +shifted from north-west to south-west, blowing a perfect hurricane, and +rendering it almost impossible for us to advance against it. A few +moments before we had confidently expected a heavy fall of rain; the dark +and lowering sky had gradually gathered and concentrated above and around +us, until the very heavens seemed overweighted and ready every instant to +burst. A briefer interval of time, accompanied by the sudden and violent +change of wind, had dashed our hopes to the ground, and the prospect of +rain was now over, although a few heavy clouds still hung around us. + +Three miles from where we had halted during the heat of the day, we +passed some tolerable grass, though dry, scattered at intervals among the +scrub, which grew here in dense belts, but with occasional openings +between. The character of the ground was very rocky, of an oolitic +limestone, and having many hollows on its surface. Although we had only +travelled eighteen miles during the day, the overseer requested I would +stop here, as he said he thought the clouds would again gather, and that +rain might fall to-night; that here we had large sheets of rock, and many +hollows in which the rain-water could be collected; but that if we +proceeded onwards we might again advance into a sandy country, and be +unable to derive any advantage from the rain, even should it fall. I +intended to have travelled nearly the whole of this night to make up for +the time we had lost in the heat of the day, and I was the more inclined +to do this, now that the violence of the storm had in some measure +abated, and the appearance of rain had almost disappeared. The overseer +was so earnest, however, and so anxious for me to stop for the night, +that greatly against my own wishes, and in opposition to my better +judgment, I gave way to him and yielded. The native boys too had made the +same request, seconding the overseer's application, and stating, that the +violence of the wind made it difficult for them to walk against it. + +The horses having been all hobbled and turned out to feed, the whole +party proceeded to make break-winds of boughs to form a shelter from the +wind, preparatory to laying down for the night. We had taken a meal in +the middle of the day, which ought to have been deferred until night, and +our circumstances did not admit of our having another now, so that there +remained only to arrange the watching of the horses, before going to +sleep. The native boys had watched them last night, and this duty of +course fell to myself and the overseer this evening. The first watch was +from six o'clock P. M. to eleven, the second from eleven until four A. +M., at which hour the whole party usually arose and made preparations for +moving on with the first streak of daylight. + +To-night the overseer asked me which of the watches I would keep, and as +I was not sleepy, though tired, I chose the first. At a quarter before +six, I went to take charge of the horses, having previously seen the +overseer and the natives lay down to sleep, at their respective +break-winds, ten or twelve yards apart from one another. The arms and +provisions, as was our custom, were piled up under an oilskin, between my +break-wind and that of the overseer, with the exception of one gun, which +I always kept at my own sleeping place. I have been thus minute in +detailing the position and arrangement of our encampment this evening, +because of the fearful consequences that followed, and to shew the very +slight circumstances upon which the destinies of life sometimes hinge. +Trifling as the arrangement of the watches might seem, and unimportant as +I thought it at the time, whether I undertook the first or the second, +yet was my choice, in this respect, the means under God's providence of +my life being saved, and the cause of the loss of that of my overseer. + +The night was cold, and the wind blowing hard from the south-west, whilst +scud and nimbus were passing very rapidly by the moon. The horses fed +tolerably well, but rambled a good deal, threading in and out among the +many belts of scrub which intersected the grassy openings, until at last +I hardly knew exactly where our camp was, the fires having apparently +expired some time ago. It was now half past ten, and I headed the horses +back, in the direction in which I thought the camp lay, that I might be +ready to call the overseer to relieve me at eleven. Whilst thus engaged, +and looking steadfastly around among the scrub, to see if I could +anywhere detect the embers of our fires, I was startled by a sudden +flash, followed by the report of a gun, not a quarter of a mile away from +me. Imagining that the overseer had mistaken the hour of the night, and +not being able to find me or the horses, had taken that method to attract +my attention, I immediately called out, but as no answer was returned, I +got alarmed, and leaving the horses, hurried up towards the camp as +rapidly as I could. About a hundred yards from it, I met the King +George's Sound native (Wylie), running towards me, and in great alarm, +crying out, "Oh Massa, oh Massa, come here,"--but could gain no +information from him, as to what had occurred. Upon reaching the +encampment, which I did in about five minutes after the shot was fired, I +was horror-struck to find my poor overseer lying on the ground, weltering +in his blood, and in the last agonies of death. + + + + +APPENDIX. + + + +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS. +BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S. + + +I. It was formerly believed, that all the Mammalia inhabiting the +Australian continent, but the wild dog, were marsupial; but as the +natural history of the country is better known, we are becoming +acquainted with nearly as many native non-marsupial beasts as there are +marsupial; but they are certainly, generally, of a small size, such as +bats, mice, etc., as compared to the kangaroos and other marsupial genera. + +Some years ago, in the Proceedings of the Geological Society, (iii. 52.) +I described a species of RHINOLOPHUS, from Moreton Bay, which was +peculiar for the large size of its ears, hence named R. MEGAPHYLLUS; the +one now about to be described, which was found flying near the hospital +at Port Essington, by Dr. Sibbald, R.N., is as peculiar for the +brightness and beauty of its colour, the male being nearly as bright an +orange as the Cock of the rock (RUPICOLA) of South America. + +THE ORANGE HORSE-SHOE BAT, (RHINOLOPHUS AURANTIUS.) t. 1. f. 1.--Ears +moderate, naked, rather pointed at the end; nose-leaf large, central +process small, scarcely lobed, blunt at the top; fur elongate, soft, +bright orange, the hairs of the back with short brown tips, of the under +side rather paler, of the face rather darker; female pale yellow, with +brown tips to the hair of the upper parts. + +Inhab. Port Essington, near the Hospital, Dr. Sibbald, R.N. + +The membranes are brown, nakedish; the tail is rather produced beyond the +membrane at the tip; the feet are small, and quite free from the wings. + + + Male. Female. +The length of the body and head 1.10 1.10 +The length of the fore-arm bone 1.11 1.10 +The length of the shin-bone 8 8 +The length of the ankle and foot 4 4 + + +II. In Captain Grey's Travels in Western Australia I gave a list of the +different species of Reptiles and Amphibia found in Australia. Since that +period the British Museum has received from the different travellers +various other species from that country. The lizards have been described +in the catalogue of the Museum collection, recently published, and are +being figured in the zoology of H.M.S. Erebus and Terror. Two of the most +interesting specimens lately received, belong to a new genus of frogs +which appear to be peculiar to Australia, which I shall now proceed to +describe:-- + +GENUS PERIALIA. FAM. RANIDAE.--Tongue nearly circular, entire; palate +concave, with two groups of palatine teeth between the orifices of the +internal nostrils; jaw toothed; head smooth, high on the side; mouth +large; eyes convex, swollen above, tympanum scarcely visible; back rather +convex, high on the sides; skin smooth, not porous; limbs rather short; +toes 4.5, tapering to a point, nearly free, the palms with roundish +tubercles beneath; the fourth hind toe elongate, the rest rather short; +the ankle with an oblong, compressed, horny, sharp-edged tubercle on the +inner side at the base of the inner toe; the male with an internal vocal +sac under the throat. + +This genus agrees with SCIAPHOS, PYXICEPHALUS, and PELOLATES, in having a +large, sharp-edged tubercle on the inner edge of the ankle, but it +differs from them at first sight, by the head and body being compressed +and high, the mouth very large, and the eyes convex on the side of the +forehead. + +PERIALIA EYREI, t. 2. f. 3.--Olive, sides of the face, and body blackish +brown; face varies with white streak; the sides of body marbled with +unequal white spots; limbs brown and white marbled; under side of the +body whitish. + +Inhab. Australia, on the banks of the river Murray. + +PERIALIA? ORNATA, t. 2. f. 2.--Pale grey, back and sides, marbled with +symmetrical dark-edged spots, those of the middle of the back being +generally confluent, of the face elongate, band-like; the legs +dark-banded, beneath white. + +Inhab. Port Essington. + +Somewhat like DISCOGLOSUS PICTUS in appearance. The internal nostrils are +far apart, with an elongate group of palatine teeth level with their +hinder edges. + +Taking advantage of the space of the plate, figures of the following +species from the same country, which have not hitherto been illustrated +have been added. They were described or noticed in the list before +referred to. + +1. Cystignathus dorsalis, t. 1. f. 2. GRAY, ANN. NAT. HIST. 1841. + +2. Phryniscus Australis, t. 2. f. 1. DUM. AND BIB. E. GEN. viii. 725. +Bombinator Australis, GRAY, PROC. ZOOL. SOC. 1838. 57. + +III. Mr. Eyre having brought home with him the drawing of a species of +cray-fish found near the river Murray, which is called by the natives +UKODKO, I have been induced to examine the different species of Astaci in +the British Museum collection, which have been received at various times +from Australia, for the purpose of attempting to identify it. + +As we have three very distinct species which have not yet been described +or figured in any of the works which have passed under my inspection, I +shall proceed to detail their peculiar characters and give figures of +their more characteristic features. + +The drawing of "the UKODKO or smaller Murray cray-fish" most nearly +resembles ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, but it is three or four times larger +than any of the specimens of that species which we possess, and the +figure does not shew any indications of the five keels on the front of +the head. In wanting the keel on the thorax it agrees with an Australian +species described by Mr. Milne Edwards under the name of ASTACUS +AUSTRALASIENSIS, said to come from New Holland, and to be about two +inches long, while Mr. Eyre's figure is more than six inches, and is said +not to be taken from a large specimen. It differs from Mr. Milne Edwards' +figures, in having only one spine on the wrist, so that probably there +are still two more species of the genus to be found in Australia. + +Mr. Eyre in his notes states--"The Fresh water cray-fish, of the smaller +variety; native names, cu-kod-ko, or koon-go-la, is found in the alluvial +flats of the river Murray, in South Australia, which are subject +to a periodical flooding by the river; it burrows deep below the +surface of the ground as the floods recede and are dried up, and +remains dormant, until the next flooding recals it to the surface; +at first it is in a thin and weakly state, but soon recovers and gets +plump and fat, at which time it is most excellent eating. Thousands +are procured from a small space of ground with ease, and hundreds +of natives are supported in abundance and luxury by them for many +weeks together. It sometimes happens that the flood does not recur +every year, and in this case the eu-kod-ko lie dormant until the next, +and a year and a half would thus be passed below the surface. I have +often seen them dug out of my garden, or in my wheat field, by the men +engaged in digging ditches for irrigation. The floods usually overflow +the river flats in August or September, and recede again in February or +March. For further particulars respecting the modes of catching the +eu-kod-kos, vide vol. ii. pages 252 and 267." + +"I have spoken of this cray-fish as the SMALLER variety as respects the +Murray. It is LARGER than the one found in the ponds of the river Torrens +at Adelaide; but in the river Murray one is procured of a size ranging to +4 1/2 lbs., and which is QUITE EQUAL in flavour to the FINEST lobster." + +These latter have not yet been received in any of our collections, so +that we are unable to state how it differs from those now described: they +must be the giants of the genus. + +1. The Van Diemen's Land Cray-fish. ASTACUS FRANKLINII, t. 3. f. +1.--Carapace convex on the sides, rather rugose on the sides behind, the +front only slightly produced and edged with a toothed raised margin not +reaching beyond the front edge of the lower orbit, and with a very short +ridge at the middle of each orbit behind; the hands compressed, rather +rugose, edge thick and toothed: wrist with four or five conical spines on +the inner side, the front the largest: the central caudal lobe, broad, +continuous, calcareous to the tip, lateral lobes, with a very slight +central keel; the sides of the second abdominal rings spinose. + +Inhab. Van Diemen's Land. + +Mr. Milne Edwards, (Archives du Museum, ii. 35. t. 3.) has recently +described a species of this genus from Madagascar, under the name of A. +MADAGASCARIENSIS, which is nearly allied to the Van Diemen's Land +species, in the shortness of the frontal process, the spines on the sides +of the second abdominal segment, and in the lobes of the tail; but it +differs from it in the length of the claws, and other particulars. +Madagascar appears to be the tropical confines of the genus. + +2. The Western Australia Cray-fish. ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, t. 3. f. +3.--Carapace smooth, rather convex, and with three keels above; the beak, +longly produced, ending in a spine, simple on the side and produced into +a keel on each side behind; the central caudal lobe rather narrow, +indistinctly divided in half, and like the other lobes flexile at the +end, the lateral lobes with a central keel ending a slight spine; the +hands elongated, compressed, smooth, with a thickened, toothed, inner +margin, which is ciliated above; wrist with two conical spines on the +inner side. + +Inhab. Western Australia, near Swan River. + +3. The Port Essington Cray-fish. ASTACUS BICARINATUS, t. 3.f. +2.--Carapace smooth, rather flattened, with a keel on each side above in +front; the beak longly produced, flattened, three toothed at the top; +hands rather compressed, smooth, thinner and slightly toothed on the +inner edge; the wrist triangular, angularly produced in front; the +central caudal lobes with two slightly diverging keels continued, and +like the others thin and flexible at the end, the inner lateral lobes +with two keels, each ending with a spine. + +Inhab. Port Essington, Mr. Gilbert. + +The A. AUSTRALASIENSIS, Milne Edwards, Crust ii. 332. t. 24. f. 1--5. +agrees with this species in the form of the beak, but the keels on the +thorax are not noticed either in the description or in the figure; and +the caudal lobes in the figure appear most to resemble A. FRANKLINII. + +As the genus ASTACUS is now becoming more numerous in species, it may be +divided, with advantage, into three sections, according to the form of +the caudal lobes; thus:-- + +A. The central caudal lobes divided by a transverse suture into two +parts, both being hard and calcareous, and with a small spine at the +outer angle of the suture (PATAMOBIUS, LEACH) as A. FLUVIATILIS of +Europe, and A. AFFINIS of North America, with an elongated rostrum, and +A. BARTONII of North America, with a short rostrum. + +B. The central caudal lobe continued hard and calcareous to the end, as +ASTACUS FRANKLINII of Van Diemen's Land, and A. MADAGASCARIENSIS of +Madagascar; both have a very short beak, and the second abdominal ring +spinose. + +C. The central caudal lobe continued or only slightly divided on the +middle of each side; but it and all the lateral lobes are thin and +flexible at the hinder parts, as ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, and A. +BICARINATUS of Australia, and A. CHILIENSIS of Chili. + + + +CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH, +FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, +BY DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSARY-GENERAL NEILL, + +IN A LETTER TO J. E. GRAY, ESQ. BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON. + +* * * * * + +"Sir,--Although in the course of my life, I have had little opportunity +to pay attention to the study of Ichthyology, it occurred to me, as now +and then a leisure moment was afforded from official duties, that it +would perhaps be useful, as well as amusing, to collect and make drawings +of the fish about King George's Sound; and I have been in a great degree +stimulated to do so, from an accidental visit of my friend, His +Excellency Captain Grey, Governor of South Australia, who advised me to +forward the drawings to you for the purpose of being placed with others +of a similar kind in the British Museum, where ultimately sufficient +material may be collected to give some account of the New Holland fish. + +"Nothing is assumed as to the execution of the drawings; in fact it often +occurred when I set off in my little skiff, (especially in the outset) +that seven or eight species were procured in the course of the excursion, +which compelled me to make drawings of all when I came home tired in the +evening; forwarding them to ensure, as far as possible, their colours +before they became extinct--a sort of forced effort in respect to the +execution has, therefore, only been effected. The outline of nearly every +specimen was taken from ACTUAL PROFILE, by laying the fish upon the +paper--in this way I defied error in outline--of course, afterwards +carefully drawing and correcting various parts which required it, in a +free or rough manner, time not admitting of much pains. + +"In naming the fish, I have merely attempted to give the aboriginal and +popular names known to the sealers and settlers. In obtaining the former, +no little difficulty has been experienced. The younger natives generally +giving different names to those of the elder; but finding the fish named +by the latter more descriptive, I have, of course, in most instances, +adopted them. + +"For instance, No. 1, KOJETUCK means the fish with the bones; which is +very descriptive, from Koje the bones, [Note 28: This was noticed by +Governor Grey.] having very singular bones placed vertically in the neck, +connecting the dorsal spines to the back, resembling small tobacco pipes. + +"Also the KYNARNOCH, No 13, the bearded, etc. In many other instances the +savages of this province are equally clear in naming their animals; and +it is curious, even this applies to their children, who commonly receive +their name from some extraordinary circumstance at, or about the time of +their birth. I find, also, the old men are more minute in SPECIES; the +younger often call very different fish by the same name, as the MEMON, +Nos. 17, and 43, etc. but as this is curious, merely for the sake of fact, +it is otherwise of little importance to the naturalist,--the native name +being only useful to enable the collector to obtain any particular +species hereafter. As regards the fidelity of the drawings, it may be +worth while to mention a singular mistake made by my friend +TOOLEGETWALEE; one of the oldest and most friendly savages we have of the +King George tribe; who, in looking over my collection to assist me in +naming them, observed that the drawings were a little raised off the +paper; and like a monkey, began to touch them with his long talons; of +course I flew to their rescue, and asked what he meant? + +"'INIKEN how make em? me twank skin put him on!' which literally +means--'Ah! I now see how you do it, you put the skin on!!' From want of +paper of uniform size, I was obliged to use any paper which came to hand, +cut the figures out, and afterwards paste them on clean paper; which +circumstance gave rise to the poor savage's mistake, and it was not until +I actually cut one out before him, that he could be convinced that he was +in error--a compliment I could hardly help smiling at. I have only to add +in conclusion, that no attempt has been made at ARRANGEMENT, having drawn +and numbered the fish as they were caught. Most have been taken by my own +hook; some by the native's spear, and some by the seine net. + +"The natural SCALE of each has been pasted on to the drawing, and when +remarkable, both from the back and sides of the fish, which I considered +a more desirable plan than giving imitations, that could hardly, in +objects so minute, without the aid of a powerful magnifier, be depended +on. + +"A descriptive account of each specimen, with the corresponding number to +that on the drawing, is also added. + +"The effort has afforded me much amusement, and it will be still more +agreeable, if they will in any way contribute to a better knowledge of +the subject. + +"I remain, Sir, +"Your most obedient servant, +"J. NEILL. +"Albany, King George's Sound, +"Western Australia." + + +On receiving this most valuable and interesting collection, I referred +the part relative to the Fish to my excellent friend, Dr. Richardson of +Haslar, one of the first Ichthyologists now living, who has kindly +arranged the notes in systematic order, and added to them, as far as he +was able, the modern scientific names. I have done the same to the +Reptiles myself. I have retained the original numbers as they refer to +the drawings which are preserved in the zoological department of the +British Museum.--J. E. GRAY. + +* * * * * + +REPTILES. + +Fam. Lialisidae. +LIALIS BURTONII. Native name KERRY-GURA. Considered by the natives as +harmless; the scales of the back are very minute; the tail when broken is +sometimes terminated by three horny blunt ends; tongue divided and +rounded. + +LIALIS BICATENATA. Native name WILLIAM LUNGER. Tongue not forked, broad, +and rounded off at the point. Not poisonous or at all dreaded by the +natives; finely striped down the back, and spotted with deep brown equal +marks; has a lappel on each side of the vent. + +Killed 10th of October, 1841. + + + FAM. COLUBRIDAE. + +NAJA,--? Native name TORN-OCK or TOOKYTE. Colour dirty olive over the +whole body; belly dirty olive; white, faintly dotted from the throat down +to the vent, with reddish dirty orange spots; the whole colour appears as +if faded; the scales are more closely united to the skin than those of +the NOON; fangs placed on each side of the upper jaw, short and rather +blunt; scuta, 223. + +Although the natives assert, if a person is bitten by this make, and +"gets down," i.e. lays in bed three days, he will recover, yet I am very +doubtful of this account, more particularly from the women differing from +the men, as well as the whole subject being hidden in superstition. +Another ground of doubt rests upon the fact of having lost in Van +Diemen's Land, a favourite dog, by the bite of a snake very similar to +this; the poor animal expired fourteen minutes after the bite, although +the piece was almost instantaneously cut out. + +The women of King George's Sound declare the bite of the Torn-ock mortal; +but the men laugh at that, and maintain the three days' "couple," (sleep) +will restore the patients. + +The specimen was 4 ft. 9 in. long, but they have been seen 6 or 7 feet +long. This is a favourite food of the natives of King George's Sound. + +COLUBER? Native name BARDICK. Dirty olive green over the whole back; +belly dirty white; scuta 130. + +The natives state that the bite produces great swelling of the part for a +day or two, and goes off. + +Never grows above 14 or 15 inches long. Caught October 1841. + +COLUBER. Native name TORKITE or TORKYTE. Back, from the point of the tail +to the point of the nose, dark sepia brown; under the head yellow; and +towards the middle of the belly orange; scales minute; scuta 140; tongue +forked; teeth very minute; no fangs observable. Caught August 30th, 1844. + +Not at all dreaded by the natives; venomous, but not deadly, the bite +merely producing a bad ulcer for a day or two. + +ELAPS MELANOCEPHALUS. Native name WERR. Dirty olive green on the back, +from the neck to the tail; scuta 147, dirty reddish orange; head black +from the nose to neck; sides of the head white; tongue forked. + +Doubtful if poisonous; little dreaded by the natives. Killed October +12th, 1845. + +ELAPS. Native name NORN or NORNE. Whole body covered with spear shaped +scales; head shining black; the ground colours of the back rich umber, +almost black; scuta 161, of a dirty red orange; fangs two on each side of +the upper jaw near the lios, small, and bent inwards; tongue forked + +This is the most fatal of the New Holland snakes; the animal bitten +seldom recovers. The Aborigines have a great dread of this reptile; they +however eat of it if they kill it themselves, but there is a superstition +amongst them about snakes, which prevents their eating them if killed by +a European. + +The specimen I figured was a small one, 3 ft. 9 in. long; they are often +seen by the natives much larger. I have endeavoured to represent it as it +generally sleeps or lies in wait for its prey, small birds, frogs, +lizards, etc. It delights in swamps and marshes. + +Killed October, 1844. + + + FAM. BOIDAE + +PYTHON. Native name WAKEL or WA-A-KEL. This snake is considered by the +natives a great delicacy, and by their account resembles mutton in +flavour, being also remarkably fat. I requested them to let me taste the +specimen from which the drawing was made; but they devoured every atom +themselves, pretending they did not understand me. The WAKEL differs from +the NORN in its habits; although both ascend trees in pursuit of small +birds and the young of the opossums. The WAKEL delights in rocky, dry +places, near salt water; they are very sluggish, and easily caught by the +women, who seize them behind the head and wring their necks. They are +described to have been seen 9 or 10 feet long. My specimen, a young male, +was exactly 5 feet long. The scales of this species are firmly fixed to +the skin, in plates all over the back and belly. The colour is beautiful, +dark greenish brown, finely variegated with yellowish white spots. + +It was killed by Paddy, a native constable, near Albany, October, 1841. + +* * * * * + +FISHES. + + + GOBIIDAE. + +No. 58.--PATOECUS FRONTO. Rich. Ann. Nat. Hist. Oct. 1844, vol. xiv.p. +280, Ichth. Ereb. and Terr. p. 20, pl. 13, f. 1, 2. + +Native name KARRACK. Colour, a rich dragon's blood, or mahogany; found by +a Danish boatman, named Byornsan, 80 miles off the east coast from King +George's Sound, December 11th, 1841. Anal rays imperfectly counted, and +there is a typographical error in the Zool. of Ereb. and Terr. The true +numbers of the rays follow: B. 6; D. 24-16; A. 11-5; C. 10; P. 8. + + + TRIGLIDAE. + +No. 53.--SCORPOENA, or SEBASTES.--Native name, TYLYUCK, or TELUCK +(BIG-HEAD). "Rays, D. 12, 1-8; A. 3-5; P. 21; V. 1-5." + +Uncommon. Inhabits rocky shores. Flesh firm and well-flavoured. Caught by +hook, 16th Aug. 1841. + +No. 34.--SEBASTES?--Native name, CUMBEUK. + +A common inhabitant of rocky shores. Good eating. The specimen was +speared by Munglewert, 17th May, 1841. "Rays, D. 14-17; A. 3-8; P. 14; V. +1-5." + +No. 14.--APISTES. Apparently scaleless, and without free pectoral rays. +Does not correspond well with A. MARMORATUS. "Rays, D. 12," etc. Caught by +Seine, 18th March, 1841. + +The fishermen dread wounds made by the species of this fish, as they +always fester. + +Native name BOORA-POKEY, or POKY. SERGEANT of the settlers. + +No. 36.--PLATYCEPHALUS.--Native name CUMBEL. Common Flat-head of the +settlers. Seems to differ from described species in the two dark bars of +the tail, being directly transverse, and followed by five large dark +purple round spots. + +Inhabits sandy shores very commonly, all round the coast of New Holland. +A variety occurs at Maria Island, Van Diemen's Land. Caught by hook, 15th +May, 1841. Good eating. + + + MULLIDAE. + +No. 13.--UPENEUS.--Native name, MINAME, or KGNARNUCK (the bearded); "Red +mullet" of the settlers. + + + PERCIDAE. + +No. 46.--ENOPLOSUS ARMATUS. Cuv. et Val. 2, p. 133, pl. 20.--Native name, +KARLOCK. Speared by a native, June 1841. Inhabits rocky shores. + + + BERYCIDAE. + +No. 2.--BERYX LINEATUS, C. and V. 3, p. 226.--Native name, CHETONG. Red +Snapper, or Tide-fisher of the sealers. Very common in the bays of rocky +shores. "Rays, D. 5-14; A. 4-13; P. 12; V. 1-7." + + + SPHYRAENIDAE. + +No. 59.--SPHYROENA.--Native name, KORDONG. "Rays, D. 5, 1-9; A. 11; P. +13; V. 1-5." + +The "Common Baracoota" is found off the whole coast of New Holland, but +the KORDONG seems to be peculiar to Western Australia. It comes into the +shallow bays in summer; and being a sluggish fish, is easily speared by +the natives, who esteem it to be excellent food. It will lay for a minute +looking with indifference at its enemy, while he poises the fatal and +unerring spear. Specimen caught in a net, December, 1841. + + + SILLAGINIDAE. + +No. 25.--SILLAGO.--Native name, MURDAR. "Rock whiting" of the settlers. +"Rays, D. 10-23; A. 18; P. 13; A. 5." + +Inhabits rocky shores and deep water. Caught by the seine, 3rd April, +1841. Good eating. + +No. 11.--SILLAGO PUNCTATA, C. et V 3, P. 413.--Native name MURDAR. +"Common whiting" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 12, 1-26; A. 22; P. 11; V. +5." + +Inhabits shallow sandy bays abundantly, and is much admired for the +delicacy of its flesh, but it is dryer eating than the whiting of Europe. + + + SCIAENIDAE. + +No. 55.--CORVINA?--Native name T'CHARK or T'CHYARK. King-fish of the +sealers. "Rays, D. 9--1-27; A. 1-7; P. 15; V. 1-5." + +Teeth strong and sharp. Grows to a great size; as I am informed by the +natives, that they often spear individuals weighing sixty or seventy +pounds. This fish enters the fresh-water periodically, like the Salmon of +Europe, to spawn, and it is the only fish in this country which I have +distinctly made out to do so. It is tolerably good eating. The specimen +was caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour by a hook, on the 30th August, +1841. (This may be the adult of the CORVINA KUHLII of the HISTOIRE DES +POISSONS, 5. p. 121.) + + + SERRANIDAE. + +No. 19.--CENTROPRISTES TRUTTA. SCIAENA TRUTTA, G. Foster, Icon. 210. +(vide Ichth. of Ereb. and Terror, p. 30.)--Native name KING-NURRIE, or +IINAGUR. "Salmon" of the sealers. Pectorals yellow or orange coloured, +with dark bases; scales faintly fan-streaked; last rays of dorsal and +anal elongated. Faint oblong, orange-coloured spots on the sides, not in +vertical rows. "Rays, D. 9-16; A. 2-10; P. 16." Eye remarkably brilliant. +Good eating in the summer time, but far inferior to the SALMO SALAR. It +congregates in vast shoals, and pursues the fry of other fishes in +shallow bays, but never enters fresh-water. It is often taken of from +seven to ten pounds weight. It affords excellent sport to the angler. The +specimen was caught by the hook from my own door on the 4th May, 1841. + +No. 3.--CENTROPRISTES (CIRRIPIS) GEORGIANUS. C. et V. 7. p. 451. Jenyn's +Zool. of Beagle, p. 13.--Native name WARRAGUIT. "Herring" of the +settlers. Rays, D. 9-14; A. 3-10; etc. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is taken in the summer, by net on sandy +beaches. Specimen caught by the hook, on the 27th March, 1841. + +No. 23.--SERRANUS? vel CAPRODON (Schlegel.) aut PLECTROPOMA.--Native name +TANG or TAA (It bites.) The "Perch" of the Sealers. "Rays, D. 10-24; A. +2-9; P. 14; V. 1-5." + +Eye fine crimson: pupil deep blue-black. Tail slightly rounded. +Remarkably strong canines, from which peculiarity it has obtained its +native name of TAA, as it bites severely when taken, if the fisher be not +on the alert. It is good to eat, but is not common. Caught by the hook on +9th of April, 1841. + +No. 4.--PLECTROPOMA NIGRO-RUBRUM. C. et V. 2. p. 403.--Native name +BUNDEL. "Crab-eyed soldier" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 10-17; A. 3-9." + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is not common. Specimen caught by the hook, on +the 4th April, 1841. Good eating. + +No. 21.--HELOTES?--Native names, BOORA, BOWRU, also CHARLUP. The "Pokey," +or "small Trumpeter" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 11--1-11; A. 2-11; etc." + +Inhabits rocky places. Good to eat. Caught by the seine, on the 3rd +March, 1841. + + + CIRRHITIDAE. + +No. 24.--CHEILODACTYLUS GIBBOSUS. Solander. Icon. Ined. Banks. No. +23.--Richardson Zool. Trans. 3, p. 102.--Native name KNELOCK (not +certain). + +Inhabits sandy beaches; is little known to the sealers. Caught in a net, +3rd March, 1841. + +No. 39. CHEILODACTYLUS CARPONEMUS.--C. et V. 5. p. 362.--Native name +CHETTANG. "Jew-fish" of the sealers (the name "Jew-fish" is applied +otherwise by the colonists). + +Inhabits rocky shores. Some specimens weigh upwards of sixteen pounds. +Caught by hook, 17th May, 1841. + +No. 42.--CHEILODACTYLUS. Native name TOORJENONG. "Black Jew-fish" of the +sealers. "Rays, D. 16-26; A. 2-10; P. 13; V. 5." + +Inhabits rocky points of sandy bays, where they love to run in and root +up the sand with their fleshy mouths. They are sluggish, and easily +speared by the Aborigines, whose chief food it constitutes at certain +seasons. The specimen was speared in my presence by Wallup, on the 8th of +June, 1841. The TOORJENONG grows to a large size, exceeding twenty pounds +in weight. It is a gross feeder, and its flesh is hard and dry, but the +head and sides are much prized by the natives, and the head of a large +one makes tolerable soup. + +No. 45.--LATRIS? (vix. GERRES?)--Native name QUIKE or QUIK, (horned). +"Rays, 9-16; A. 3-16; P. 14; V. 1-5." + +Caught by the hook, off Rocky Point, on the 17th of August, 1844. Good to +eat. (A spine before each nostril, probably springing from the heads of +the maxillaries). + + + SPARIDAE. + +No. 1.--PAGRUS GUTTULATUS. C. et V. 6, p. 160.--Native name KOJETUCK. +"Common Snapper" of the sealers, "Rays, D. 12-9; A. 3-8; P. 1-5." + +The Snapper grows to a large size, attaining from thirty to forty pounds +weight, and is very voracious. It devours crabs and shell fish, crushing +them with its strong teeth. It is common on all the rocky inlets of the +coast of New Holland, extending down the eastern shores to Sidney. + + +CHAETODONTIDAE. + +No. 41.--CHAETODON SEXFASCIUTUS. Richardson Ann. of Nat. Hist.--Native +name KNELOCK. + +Inhabits rocky places. Not common. + +No. 40.--CHAETODON.--Native name MITCHEBULLER or METYEBULLAR. Teeth very +minute. + +Inhabits rocky places. Speared by Warrawar, on the 27th of May, 1841. + +No. 27.2.--CHAETODON.--Native name WAMEL or WAMLE. "Rays, D. 10-20; A. +3-17." + +No. 6.--PLATAX?--Native names, TEUTUEK or KARLOCK, from the shape of the +fins, also MUDEUR. "Striped sweep" of the sealers, and Pomfret of the +settlers. D. 10; A. 2. Teeth small. Very common on rocky shores. Is a +gross feeder; but good to eat. Caught by a hook on the 12th of March, +1841. + +No. 8--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS?--Native names, KGNMMUL or KARRAWAY. +The striped zebra fish of the settlers. "Rays, D. 14-12; A. 3 11; V. +1-5." Mouth, small; tail rather concave. + +Inhabits rocky shores, is a gross feeder, bad eating, and is not common. +Caught by the hook on the 6th of April 1841. + +No. 10.--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS? Schlegel.--Native names, KOWELANY, +KARRAWAY, or MEMON. Tail a little forked. "Rays, D. 14-13; A.3-11; P. 17; +V. 1-5." Eye, grey. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is not very common. Caught by a hook, on the +6th of April, 1841. + +No. 17.--MELANICHTHYS.--Native name MEMON or MUDDIER. "Rays, D. 14-13; A. +3-11; P. 17; V. 1-5." + +Eye greyish yellow; teeth in a trenchant series on the edge of the upper +and lower jaw, and also on the maxillaries. Is a gross feeder, and its +flesh has a strong disagreeable smell, but is much relished by the +Aborigines. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is rare. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +No. 33. Genus unknown.--Native name, TOOBETOET or TOOBITOO-IT. Rays, D. +17-11; A. 11; P. 11; V. 4. + +Is a rare inhabitant of rocky places. Speared by Mooriane, 14th of May, +1841. This seems to be a new generic form, nearly allied to HOPLEGNATHUS, +Richardson; or SCARODON, Schlegel. + +No. 43.--SCORPIS?--Native name, MEMON or MEEMON. "Sweep" of the sealers. +"Rays, D.; A. 1." Teeth minute. It is a gross feeder and poor eating. +Very common on rocky shores. Being a bold voracious fish, it is easily +speared or taken with a hook. The Aborigines generally select a rock +which jutts out into the sea, and sitting on their hams, beat crabs into +fragments with a little stone, and throw them into the sea to attract +this fish. The instant a fish comes to feed on the bait, the native, +whose spear is ready, suddenly darts it, and rarely fails in bringing up +the fish on its barbed point. Specimen caught by the hook, 15th of June, +1841. + +No. 44.--KURTUS?--Native name, TELYUA, or TELLYA, "Rays, D. 13; A. 2-19; +V.5." + +Thrown up on Albany beach, 14th of August, 1841. + + + PLATESSIDEAE. + +No. 50.--PLATESSA? vel. HIPPOGLOSSUS? CHUNDELA.--Native name, CHONDELAR, +or CHUNDELA. The "Spotted sole" of the settlers. Very common in all the +shallow bays in the summer time, where it may be taken by the seine. The +natives detect it when its body is buried in the sand, by the glistening +of its eyes, and spear it. When fishing with the torch, in the night +time, the natives feel for this fish with their naked feet. Specimen +caught by seine, August, 1841. This fish is delicate eating. + + + SCOMBERIDAE. + +No. 32.--CARANX MICANS, Solander, Icon. Parkinson, Bib. Banks, No. +89.--Native name, MADAWICK, "Skip-jack" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 8-28; +A. 2-23; P. 15." Very common in shallow sandy bays, and forming the +staple food of the natives, who assemble in fine calm days, and drive +shoals of this fish into weirs that they have constructed of shrubs and +branches of trees. Specimen caught by hook on the 12th of May, 1841. + +No. 16.--TRACHURUS LUTESCENS. Solander (SCOMBER) Pisees Austr. p. 38. +Richard. Ann. Nat. Hist. x. p. 14.--Native name, WARAWITE and +MADIWICK. "Yellow tail" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 6; A. 2." Eye very +large. + +Inhabits the edges of sandy banks. Good eating. Caught by hook 5th of +March, 1841. + + + MUGILIDAE. + +No. 29. MUGIL vel. DAJAUS DIEMENSIS. Richardson, Ichth. of the Erebus and +Terror, p. 37, pl. 26, f. 1.--Native name, KNAMLER or KNAMALER. "Common +mullet" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 4-9; A. 1-13." + +Frequents shores with sandy beaches, and forms a principal article of +food to the native youths, who are continually practising throwing their +spears at this fish. It is very common, and is good eating. Caught by the +seine, 12th April, 1841. + +No. 57.--MUGIL.--Native name, MERRONG, or MIRRONG. "The flut-nosed mullet" +of the settlers. + +This is the finest fish of New Holland that I am acquainted with. In +Wilson's Inlet, about forty miles west of King George's Sound, it abounds +in the winter months; and the different tribes, from all parts of the +coast, assemble there, by invitation of the proprietors of the ground, +(the MURRYMIN,) who make great feasts on the occasion. The fish attains a +weight of three and a-half pounds, and a fat one yields about three +quarters of a pound of oil, which the natives use for greasing their +heads and persons. This fish runs up the rivers during the floods, and so +becomes very fat. In summer it retires to the ocean. Caught in September, +1841. + + + LABRIDAE. + +No. 47.--LABRUS LATICLAVIUS. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. p. 139.--Native +name, KANUP, or PARILL, (Green-fish.) + +Is a rare inhabitant of rocky shores. Caught by hook, 17th August, 1841. +Poor eating. + +No. 20.--LABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICK, KIELMICK, or KIELNMICK. +"Rock-cod" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 22; A. 14." + +Tail square. Very common on rocky coasts. Soft, indifferent eating. +Caught by the hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +No. 9.--LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL. "Common rock-fish of the sealers. +"Rays, D. 9-11; A. 2-11, etc." + +Mouth furnished with small sharp teeth. Caught by hook, 12th March, 1841. + +No. 37.--LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL, KUHOUL, or BOMBURN. "Black +rock-fish" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 9-11; A. 3-10 seconds, etc." + +Inhabits rocky shores, and grows to the size of fifteen or twenty pounds +weight. Poor, soft eating. Speared by Warrawar, 12th May, 1841. + +No. 7.--LABRUS?--Native name, POKONG. "Brown rock-fish" of the sealers. +"Rays, D. 9-12; A. 3-10," etc. + +Flesh soft and poor. Inhabitants rocky shores; very common. Caught by +hook, 12th March, 1841. + +No. 18.--CRENILABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICH, MINAME, or MINAMEN. Common +"rock-fish" or "Parrot" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 8-11; A. 2-10," etc. + +Poor and soft. Inhabits bold rocky shores, where it is troublesome to the +fisher by carrying off his bait. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +No. 12.--LABRUS?--Native name IANON'T, WOROGUT, or CUMBEAK. "Rays, D. 30; +A. 12." Tail rounded, teeth very small. + +Inhabits weedy places in deep water, and along sandy bays. Sometimes +taken by the natives on the edge of banks. Excellent eating. Caught by +hook, 18th March, 1841. + +No. 30.--COSSYPHUS? CRENILABRUS?--Native name MOOLET or CHETON. +"Red rock-fish" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 11-10; A. 3-11; P. 15." +etc.--Teeth very strong; tail rounded; its rays oblong. + +Inhabits rocky shores. Bites eagerly, and is a gross feeder. Indifferent +eating. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841. + +No. 35.------? Genus not ascertained.--Native name KOOGENUCK, QUEJUIMUCK, +or KNOWL. Little known to the sealers. "Rays, 11-12; A. 2 or 3; P. 16 or +18." Dorsal spines remarkable; scales large; grows to a large size; the +flank scales of one weighing twenty-eight pounds, measure an inch and a +half in length, and an inch and a quarter in breadth. (They are +cycloid.--J. R.) + +Inhabits rocky shores. The specimen was speared by Warrawar, 12th May, +1841. + + + CYPRINIDAE. + +No. 5.--RYNCHANA GREYI. Richardson, Ichth. of Voy. of Erebus and Terror, +p. 44 pl. 29. f. 1. 6.--Native name, PINING or WAUNUGUR, not certain. Not +known to the sealers. Pupil like that of the shark elliptical, with the +long axis vertical. + +When the skin was removed the flesh was very fat, resembling that of the +eel, had an unpleasant smell, and could not be eaten. The natives also +were averse to eating it, and only one man acknowledged to have seen it +before. Caught by seine, by Corporal Emms of the 51st regiment, 7th +April, 1841. (This fish is also an inhabitant of Queen Charlotte's Sound, +New Zealand.--J. R.) + + + SALMONIDAE. + +No. 48.--AULOPUS PURPURISSATUS. Richardson, Icones Piscium, p. 6, pl. 2, +f. 3.--Native name, KARDAR. "Rays, D. 19; A. 14; V. 9; P. 10." + +Very rare. Caught by hook, on a rocky shore, by Mr. Sholl of Albany, 14th +July, 1841. (Mr. Niell's figure differs slightly from that of Lieutenant +Emery, published in the ICONES PISCIUM above quoted, and chiefly in the +dorsal occupying rather more space, by commencing before the ventrals, +and extending back to opposite the beginning of the anal. The anus is +under the fourteenth dorsal ray. Mr. Niell's drawing also shews a series +of six large roseate spots on the sides below the lateral line, and a +more depressed head, with a prominent arch at the orbit.--J. R.) + + + ESOCIDAE. + +No. 22.--HEMIRAMPHUS.--Native name, IIMEN. "Guardfish" of the settlers. +"Rays, D. 16, delicate black rays; A. 15, do; P. 12; V. 6." Lower jaw +equal to the head in length. Caught by the seine, 3rd March, 1841. + +Inhabits sandy bays, but approaches the shore only in summer. It is very +delicate eating. + + + MURAENIDAE. + +No. 52.--MURAENA? vel SPHAGEBRANCHUS.--Native name KALET. The eel figure, +nat. size. Dorsal fin continuous for about three and a half inches behind +the snout to the point of the tail: its rays very delicate; anal like the +dorsal, but commencing behind the vent. One small lobe in the gills, +about the size of a pin's head; no other perceptible opening. + +Caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour, 16th August, 1841. + + +LOPHOBRANCHI. + +No. 56.--OSTRACIAN FLAVIGASTER, Gray. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. p. 164, +p. 11, f. 1.--Native name, CONDE or KOODE. "Rays, D. 10; A. 9; P. 11, +etc." + +This fish is not eaten by the natives, who abhor it. It is seen only in +the summer, and in shallow sandy bays, Caught in a net in October, 1841. + +No 51.--MONACANTHUS.--Native name, TABADUCK. Rays, D. 28; A. 26; P. 12; +C. 12. + +Very rare, scarcely ever seen by the Aborigines. Caught by hook, August, +1841. + +No. 49.--MONACANTHUS.--Not known to the Aborigines. Rays, D. 32; A. 30; +C. 12; P. 11. Eye yellow; dorsal spine short. + +Taken in deep water by Mr. Johnson, off the Commissariat stores, near a +sunken rock, in deep water. + +No. 15.--MONACANTHUS.--Native name, CAUDIEY. "Small leather-jacket" of +the sealers. + +Inhabits deep water, with a rocky bottom; is good to eat. Caught by a +net, 18th March, 1841. Dorsal spine toothed behind. + +No. 31.--MONACANTHUS, or (ALEUTERES, no spinous point of the pelvis +visible in figure.--J. R.)--Native name, TABEDUCK. The "yellow +leather-jacket" of the sealers. Dorsal spine toothed. D. 33; A. 32; P. +13. Caudal rounded, its rays very strong. + +Inhabits deep water in rocky places, and is very common. It is esteemed +for food by the Aborigines; is much infested by an Isopode named NETTONG, +or TOORT, by the natives. This insect inserts its whole body into a +pocket by the side of the anus, separated from the gut by a thin +membrane. The fish to which the insect adheres are yellow; those which +are free from it are of a beautiful purple colour. Caught by hook, 12th +May, 1841. + + + CARCHARIDAE. + +No. 54.--CARCHARIAS (PRIONODON) MELANOPTERUS, Muller and Henle.--Native +name, MATCHET. "Common blue shark" of the settlers. Specimen four feet +and a half long; have been seen longer. A female had four young alive +when taken. Spiracles behind the eyes. Caught by hook, 16th August, 1841. + +No. 26--CESTRACION PHILIPPI, Mull. and Henle.--Native names, MATCHET, +KORLUCK, or QUORLUCK. "Bull-dog-shark" of the sealers. Specimen two feet +and a half long. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is very sluggish; it does not grow to a very +large size. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841. + + + TRYGONES. + +No. 38.--UROLOPHUS.--Native name, KEGETUCK or BEBIL. "Young sting-ray" of +the sealers. Caught by seine, 4th May, 1841. + +No. 28.--Near PLATYRHINA.--Native name, PARETT. "Fiddler" of the sealers; +Green skate of the settlers. Eye dullish yellow; pupil sea-green, glaring +in some lights; teeth transverse, like a file; spiracles two, large, +behind the eye, in the same cavity; belly white, terminating at the +caudal fin. + +Very common in the sheltered bays, close in shore among the weeds. Not +eaten by the Aborigines, who greatly abhor them, as they do also the +sting-ray. Specimen two feet nine inches and a half long. + +* * * * * + + + +(D.) DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. +BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M.E.S. + + +The four insects here figured and described are, as far as I am aware, +new. Petasida, and Tettigarcta are interesting in the shape of the +Thorax, differing widely from that in any of the allied genera, while the +new species of Eurybrachys and Chrysopa are striking from their colouring +and marks. + + +PETASIDA EPHIPPIGERA, pl. 4. fig. 1. + +Thorax much dilated behind, depressed and rounded at the end; the side +deeply sinuated behind; head pointed, antennae long; of a yellowish +orange; antennae with a few greenish rings, cheek below the eye with a +greenish line, head above with a longitudinal greenish line. Thorax with +a slight keel down the middle, wrinkled behind of a dusky blueish green, +a large patch of an orange colour on each side in front, and a small spot +of the same colour on each edge of the produced part at base; elytra +orange with numerous black spots, and black at the tip, lower wings pale +orange at the base, clouded with black at the tip; abdomen orange, +slightly ringed with green; legs orange, with three greenish spots on the +outside of the femora of hind legs. + +Length 1 inch 9 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + + +CHRYSOPA MACULIPENNIS, pl. 4. fig. 2. + +Head red, with a black spot on the crown; antennae short brownish black; +thorax hairy; thorax, abdomen, and legs, brownish black. Wings brown, +with iridescent hues, the upper with transverse yellowish lines and spots +at the base; a long yellowish line parallel to the outer edge at the end, +and emitting a whitish spot which reaches the edge, three spots on the +apical portion, the two on the outer edge large; basal half lower wings +pale, some of the areolets yellowish; a few clouded with brown, tip of +the wing yellowish. + +Expanse of wings 1 inch 4 1/2 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + + +EURYBRACHYS LAETA, pl. 4, fig. 3. + +Head thorax and upper wings of a rich brown colour, the outer edge of the +last is deep black, with a transverse yellowish spot just before the +middle, the remainder of the edge slightly spotted with black, upper side +covered with short blackish hairs; lower wings deep black; abdomen of a +bright red, with a round white tuft on the upper side near the end; first +two pairs of legs of a deep brown, with some reddish lines; hind legs +ferruginous with blackish spines. + +Expanse of wings 7 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + + +TETTIGARCTA, n. genus, WHITE. Fam. CICADIDAE. + +Head very small in front, blunt; lateral ocelli close to the eyes, space +between them with long hairs. + +Prothorax very large, extending back in a rounded form beyond the base of +hind wings, the sides sharp pointed, the back very convex and wrinkled. + +Body and under parts densely clothed with hair. + +This very singular genus differs from all the Stridulantes in the size +and shape of the prothorax; in the neuration of the elytra it is allied +to PLATYPLEURA (Amyst and Serville) in the size of head and hairiness of +body it approaches CARINETA of the same authors. The Pupa, (fig. 5.) +differs in the form of fore legs from those of the other Cicada. + + +TETTIGARCTA TOMENTOSA, pl. 4, fig. 4, and 5 its pupa. + +Of a brownish ash colour, the hairs on upper part of body short and deep +brown, on the sides and under parts long and grey; prothorax varied with +black, in front, two large patches covered with grey hairs, mixed with +longer; elytra spotted and varied with brown, wings clear, somewhat +ferruginous at the base. + +Expanse of wings 3 inches 4 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + +* * * * * + + + +DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA, +BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S. + + +Lamarck separated the mother-of-pearls shell (MARGARITA) from the +swallow-tail muscles (AVICULA) on account of its more orbicular shape. +Other Conchologists have been inclined to unite them, as some of the +species of AVICULA approach to the shape of the other genus. The new one +just received from Australia, which I am now about to describe, in this +respect more resembles the Margarita than any before noticed; yet I am +inclined to think that the pearl-shells deserved to be kept separate, as +the cardinal teeth are quite obliterated in the adult shells, which is +not the case with any AVICULAE I am acquainted with; and the young +pearl-shells are furnished with a broad serrated distant leafy fringe, +while the AVICULAE are only covered with very closely applied short +concentric slightly raised minutely denticulated lamina, forming an +epidermal coat on the surface. + + +1. AVICULA LATA, pl. 6. f. 1. + +Shell dark brown; half ovate; broad obliquely truncated, and scarcely +notched behind; covered with close regular very thin denticulated +concentric lamina, forming a paler external coat. The front ear rather +produced, with a distant inferior notch; internally pearly, with a broad +brown margin on the lower-edge. + +Inhab. North and West coasts of Australia. + + +2. SPATANGUS ELONGATUS, pl. 6. f. 2. + +Body elongate, cordate, with a deep anterior grove and notch; covered +above with minute hair-like spines, with scattered very elongated tubular +minutely striated spines on the sides; the anterior groves and +circumference of the vent with larger equal hair-like spines on each +side; the under surface with a triangular disk of similar spines beneath +the vent, and with elongated larger tubular spines. + +Inhab. Western Australia. + +Having only a single specimen completely covered with spines, it is +impossible to describe the form of the ambulacra or the disposition of +the tubercles. The lower figures represent the mouth and vent of the +animal in detail. + +* * * * * + + + +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS +BY EDWARD DOUBLEDAY, ESQ., F.L.S., etc. + + +THYRIDOPTERYX NIGRESCENS, pl. 5. f. 1. + +Head densely clothed with long whitish hairs; thorax and abdomen with +black hairs; wings hyaline, the nervures and nervules brown, with a few +black scales: base of the anterior and abdominal fold of the posterior +more or less covered with black hairs; antennae and legs fuscous brown. + +Exp. 10--12 lines. + +The larva of this species forms a dwelling for itself, similar in form +and structure to that of its American congener, the EPHEMERAEFORMIS, +Steph. + + +CALLIMORPHA SELENAEA, pl. 5. f. 2. + +Wings of a brilliant silvery white; the anterior traversed by a fulvous +band commencing at the base on the costa, which it follows for about +one-third of its length, then crossing the wings directly to the anal +angle, where it unites with a vitta of the same colour, extending from +the angle nearly to the base along the inner margin; this vitta is +bordered interiorly with thickly placed black dots; the transverse +portion of the fulvous band is bordered on both sides with black, and has +a sinus about the middle; cilia fulvous; posterior wing with a black spot +near the outer angle: below, the wings are white, except the cilia of the +anterior, and a large blotch, red anteriorly, black posteriorly, near the +outer angle; head rufous; antennae fuscous; thorax and abdomen white, the +former with the shoulders rufous. + +Exp. 2 1/2 inches. + + +CHELONIA PALLIDA, pl. 5. f. 3. + +Anterior wings pale brown, with white nervures and nervules, and marked +with several whitish spots, of which four are on the costa, two +longitudinal before, two transverse beyond the middle of the wing, and on +the inner margin are three irregular patches, sometimes confluent, beyond +which is a band parallel with the outer margin, commencing above the +upper median nervule, and terminating on the inner margin; posterior +wings white, with a discoidal spot, a macular band near the outer margin, +and a less distinct marginal one, all brownish; head white; thorax white, +with three black vittae; abdomen above rufous, with six transverse black +spots, the sides varied with black and white; antennae black; femora red; +tibiae and tarsi black. + +Exp. 2 1/4 inches. + + +CHELONIA FUSCINULA, pl. 5. f. 4. + +Anterior wings fuscous, with a pale vitta commencing near the base on the +subcostal nervure, reaching the costa before the middle, and extending +along it to the apex, where it joins a flexuous submarginal band, +connected with a vitta occupying the whole inner margin; beyond the cell +is an abbreviated flexuous striga; followed by a subquadrate dot; +posterior wings pale dull red, with a broad submarginal fuscous band, and +a discoidal spot of the same colour; head and anterior part of thorax +pale, posterior black; abdomen above red, with a black dorsal line; +antennae fuscous; femora red; tibiae and tarsi fuscous. + +Exp. 1 1/4 inch. + + +ACONTIA? PULCHRA, pl. 5. f. 5. + +Wings of a somewhat chalky white, the anterior with three rufous dots on +the costa before the middle, of which the third is the largest, and near +the apex a large brown spot, fulvous towards the costa, clouded with +bluish white, connected with the inner margin by four indistinct yellow +dots; forehead red; head, thorax, and abdomen, white; palpi red at the +apex; feet white first and second pairs spotted with red. + +Exp. 2 inches. + +* * * * * + + + +LIST OF BIRDS, KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, +BY JOHN GOULD, ESQ. F.R.S. + + + ORDER RAPTORES. + +Aquila fucosa, CUV. +Ichthyiaetus leucogaster, GOULD. +Pandion leucocephalus, GOULD. +Haliastur sphenurus. +Falco melanogenys, GOULD. +----- sub-niger, G. R. GRAY. +----- frontatus, GOULD. +Ieracidea Occidentalis, GOULD. +--------- Berigora. +Tinnunculus Cencroides. +Astur approximans, VIG. and HORSF. +----- Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.? +Accipiter torquatus, VIG. and HORSF. +Buteo melanosternon, GOULD. +Milvus isurus, GOULD. +------ affinis, GOULD. +Elanus axillaris. +------ scripta, GOULD. +Circus assimilis, JARD. +------ Jardinii, GOULD. +Strix personata, VIG. +----- delicatulis, GOULD. +Athene connivens. +------ Boobook + + + ORDER INSESSORES. + +Hirundo neoxena, GOULD. +Cotyle pyrrhonota. +Acanthylis caudacuta. +Eurostopodus guttatus. +Podargus humeralis, VIG. and HORSF. +Aegotheles Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.? +Merops ornatus, LATH. +Dacelo gigas, BODD. +Halcyon sanctus, VIG. and HORSF. +------- pyrrhopygia, GOULD. +Alcyone azurea. +Falcunculus frontatus, VIG. and HORSF. +Oreoica gutturalis. +Xerophila leucopsis, GOULD. +Colluricincla cinerea, VIG. and HORSF.? +Pachycephala gutturalis, VIG. and HORSF. +------------ inornata, GOULD.? +------------ pectoralis, VIG. and HORSF. +------------ rufogularis, GOULD. +Artamus sordidus. +------- personatus, GOULD. +Cracticus destructor, TEMM. +Gymnorhina leuconota, GOULD. +Grallina melanoleuca, VIEILL. +Strepera ----------? +Campephaga humeralis, GOULD.? +Graucalus melanops, VIG. and HORSF. +Cinclosoma punctatum, VIG. and HORSF. +---------- castanotus, GOULD. +Malurus cyaneus, VIEILL. +------- melanotus, GOULD. +------- leucopterus, QUOY AND GAIM. +------- Lamberti, VIG. and HORSF. +Stipiturus malachurus, LESS. +Cysticola exilis? +Hylacola pyrrhopygia. +-------- cauta, GOULD. +Acanthiza pusilla, VIG. and HORSF. +--------- uropygialis, GOULD. +--------- inornata, GOULD. +--------- lineata, GOULD. +--------- chrysorrhoea. +Epthianura aurifrons, GOULD. +---------- tricolor, GOULD. +Sericornis frontalis. +Pyrrholaemus brunneus, GOULD. +Calamanthus campestris. +Anthus pallescens, VIG. and HORSF. +Cincloramphus cantillans, GOULD. +Petroica multicolor, SWAINS. +-------- phoenicea, GOULD. +-------- Goodenovii, JARD. AND SELB. +-------- rosea, GOULD. +-------- bicolor, SWAINS. +Drymodes brunneopygia, GOULD. +Zosterops dorsalis, VIG. and HORSF. +Pardalotus punctatus, TEMM. +---------- striatus, TEMM. +Dicaeum hirundinaceum +Estrelda bella. +-------- temporalis. +Amadina Lathami. +------- castanotus, GOULD. +Rhipidura albiscapa, GOULD. +--------- Motacilloides. +Seisura volitans, VIG. and HORSF. +Microeca macroptera, GOULD. +Smicrornis brevirostris, GOULD. +Corvus Coronoides, VIG. and HORSF. +Chlamydera maculata, GOULD. +Corcorax leucopterus, LESS. +Pomatorhinus trivirgatus, Temm. +------------ temporalis, VIG. and HORSF. +Cacatua galerita, Vieill. +------- Leadbeateri. +Licmetis nasicus, Wagl. +Calyptorhynchus Banksii, VIG. and HORSF. +--------------- Leachii +--------------- xanthonotus, GOULD. +Polytelis melanura. +Platycercus Baueri, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- Barnardi, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- Adelaidiae, GOULD. +----------- flaveolus, GOULD. +Psephotus multicolor. +--------- haematonotus, GOULD. +Melopsittacus undulatus. +Euphema aurantia, GOULD. +------- elegans, GOULD. +Pezoporus formosus. +Trichoglossus Swainsonii, JARD. and SELB. +Trichoglossus concinnus, VIG. and HORSF. +------------- pusillus, VIG. and HORSF. +------------- porphyrocephalus. +Climacteris scandens, TEMM. +----------- picumnus, TEMM. +Sittella melanocephala, GOULD. +Cuculus inornatus, VIG. and HORSF. +------- cineraceus, VIG. and HORSF. +Chalcites lucidus, VIG. and HORSF. +Meliphaga Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF. +--------- Australasiana, VIG. and HORSF. +Glyciphila fulvifrons, SWAINS. +---------- albifrons, GOULD. +---------- ocularis, GOULD. +Ptilotis sonora, GOULD. +-------- cratitia, GOULD. +-------- ornata, GOULD. +-------- penicillata, GOULD. +Zanthomyza Phrygia, SWAINS. +Melicophila picata, GOULD. +Acanthogenys rufogularis, GOULD. +Anthochaera carunculata, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- mellivora, VIG. and HORSF. +Acanthorynchus tenuirostris. +Melithreptus gularis, GOULD. +------------ lunulata, VIEILL. +Myzantha garrula, VIG. and HORSF. + + +ORDER RASORES. + +Phaps chalcoptera. +----- elegans. +Ocyphaps Lophotes. +Geopelia cuneata. +Dromeceius Novae-Hollandiae, VIEILL. +Otis Australasianus, GOULD. +OEdicnemus longipes, VIEILL. +Haematopus fuliginosus, GOULD. +---------- longirostris, VIEILL. +Eudromias Australis, GOULD. +Lobivanellus lobatus. +Sarciophorus pectoralis. +Charadrius Virginianus? +Hiaticula monacha. +--------- nigrifrons. +--------- ruficapilla. +Erythrogonys cinctus, GOULD. +Leipoa ocellata, GOULD. +Pedionomus torquatus, GOULD. +Turnix varius. +------ velox, GOULD. +Coturnix pectoralis, GOULD. +Synoicus Australis. +-------- Sinensis. + + +ORDER GRALLATORES. + +Grus Antigone? +Platalea regia, GOULD. +-------- flavipes, GOULD. +Ardea cinerea? +----- pacifica, LATH. +----- Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +Nycticorax Caledonicus, LESS. +Botaurus Australis, GOULD. +Ibis Falcinellus, LINN. +Numenius Australasianus. +Numenius uropygialis, GOULD. +Recurvirostra rubricollis, TEMM. +Chladorhynchus pectoralis. +Himantopus leucocephalus, GOULD. +Limosa ----------? +Glottis Glottoides. +Pelidna ----------? like P. MINUTA. +Scolopax Australis, LATH. +Rhynchaea Australis, GOULD. +Porphyrio melanotus, TEMM. +Tribonyx ventralis, GOULD. +Gallinula immaculata. +Rallus Philipensis? LINN. + + +ORDER NATATORES. + +Cygnus atratus. +Anseranas melanoleuca. +Leptotarsis Eytoni, GOULD. +Cereopsis Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +Casarka Tadornoides. +Biziura lobata, SHAW. +Bernicla jubata. +Anas Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +---- naevosa, GOULD. +---- castanea. +Nyroca Australis, Eyton. +Rhynchapsis Rhynchotis, STEPH. +Malacorhynchus membranaceus, SWAINS. +Podiceps Australis, GOULD. +-------- poliocephalus, JARD. and SELB. +-------- gularis, GOULD. +Phalacrocorax pica. +------------- leucogaster, GOULD. +Phalacrocorax sulcirostris. +------------- melanoleucus. +Plotus Le Vaillantii? +Pelecanus spectabilis, TEMM. +Sula Australis, GOULD. +Spheniscus minor. +Lestris catarrhactes. +Laras leucomelas. +Xema Jamesonii, WILS. +Sterna poliocerca, GOULD. +------ velox, GOULD. +Sternella nereis, GOULD. +Hydrochelidon fluviatilis. +Diomedea exulans, LINN. +-------- cauta, GOULD. +-------- melanophrys, TEMM. +-------- chlororhyncha, LATH. +-------- fuliginosa. +Procellaria gigantea, GMEL. +----------- perspicillata, GOULD. +----------- hasitata, FORST. +----------- leucocephala. +----------- Solandri, GOULD. +Daption Capensis, STEPH. +Prion vittata, CUV. +----- Banksii. +----- Turtur. +----- Ariel, GOULD. +Puffinus brevicaudus, GOULD. +Puffinuria urinatrix, LESS. +Thalassidroma Wilsoni. +------------- nereis, GOULD. +------------- melanogaster, GOULD. + + +The preceding list comprises the birds inhabiting the settled districts +of South Australia: viz. the Murray, from the great bend to the sea, the +fertile districts sixty miles northward and southward of Adelaide, +Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln, etc. When the remote parts of the colony +have been explored, it will doubtless become necessary to add to it many +other species common to New South Wales and Western Australia.--J. 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